IN THIS ISSUE
Trader Joe’s...........................................3
HONNA Golf Outing............................8
Friends to Meet..............................16-17
Halloween in The 'Hood................20-22
Garden Stroll.......................................35
Christmas Decorating Tips..................38
HONNA Neighborhood Meetings are held at
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 126 11th Avenue NE
Social: 6:45pm—Program: 7pm
December 7 -- Candlelight Tour of Homes (see below)
December 15 -- Neighborhood Holiday Party (see below )
February 13 -- Valentine's Porch Party (see page 29)
Celebrating 100 Years
of Community
1911-2011
St. Pete’s Jewel
on Tampa Bay
Volume 43 Issue 4 / December 2014 / www.honna.org
T
It’s Beginning to
Look a Lot Like...
he Candlelight Tour of Homes -- and everything is all set for your participation on
Sunday, December 7, between 3-8pm.
Visitors on the Tour will be able to stroll our bricklined streets to enjoy the opportunity of visiting eight
homes festively decorated for the holidays. The Tour
kicks off at Westminster Palm View, 939 Beach Drive
NE, where guests will pick up the booklets which not
only map out the Tour home locations but also provide
descriptions of each one.
This all-volunteer event, made possible by the gracious homeowners, includes Tour guides and docents
present in each venue, ready to relate historical and
architectural details about the property. Different architectural styles popular in the early 20th century can
be appreciated, with holiday decor and music adding to
the festive atmosphere. Guests may view the homes in
any order they choose, and there will be complimentary
trolley service available to shuttle between the houses.
The Tour is a wonderful way to begin your celebration
of the holiday season – and it’s a great gift for family and
friends. Advance tickets -- available via PayPal, on the
HONNA Facebook page, at www.honna.org and at designated retail outlets* -- are $20 (or $25 when purchased
on the day of the Tour at Westminster Palm View).
*For more locations, go to page 28.
Published Quarterly
Peter Motzenbecker
Association President
The Most Wonderful
Time of the Year: Act 1
I
s there a more perfect time of year in Florida than the fourth quarter?
If there is, then it’s the next quarter ahead – thus, the caveat to my
title, “Act 1.”
Who couldn’t love the incredible place we live or the incredible time
in which we are living here! The Historic Old Northeast is booming and
is arguably in the midst of as robust a renaissance as we have ever seen.
While our growing pains have come at some cost -- and perhaps have not
always gone exactly as we might have preferred -- it is, on balance, a most
exceptional time to call The ONE home. And while I typically wait until
the first quarter March newsletter to reflect back on the previous year, I
think it more than appropriate, given all the great things HONNA and its
members have pulled off year-to-date, to do a brief recap of all we have
accomplished thus far.
So what exactly has HONNA been up to in this fine neighborhood of ours?
Well let’s begin with our first Roaring Twenties Gala, which raised money
for our four neighborhood-based non-profits as well as on-going HONNA
projects and other neighborhood events.
Next, we held our annual Easter Egg Hunt (in conjunction with Smith
& Associates Real Estate) and the 4th of July Parade for our neighborhood
children and their families.
We threw several well-attended Porch Parties, including the annual Great
Explorations/Sunken Gardens Porch Party in August and the ever-popular
Halloween Party held at the home of Frank Hay and Steve Deal. If you
continued on page 2
Annual Old NE Holiday Party
Monday, December 15, 6:30-9pm • Old Northeast Tavern 201 7th Avenue N
T
ake some time out from the holiday rush to join neighbor friends – old and new –
and catch up on all that’s going on. Pizza, salad and dessert for $5 per person (cash
bar). You’re asked to bring an unwrapped toy or book for a child or young teen which will
be donated to the Guardian Ad Litem program.
Thanks
to The
NE Tavern
for their hospitality.
Historic
Old Old
Northeast
Neighborhood
News
Page 1
President’s Perspective
from page 1
missed that, vow not to miss it again!
We also held our first annual Trunk-or-Treat event and a great
Halloween house decorating contest throughout the neighborhood.
We also successfully pulled off the first annual Old Northeast
Residents & Friends Open at the Renaissance Vinoy Golf Course
(to benefit St. Pete Preservation) -- and enjoyed it on one of the
most beautiful days in recent memory.
And last but not least, as we go to print, we are preparing for
the 17th Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes, perhaps our most
ambitious and popular event of the year! That will be followed by
the annual neighborhood holiday party held at the Old Northeast
Tavern.
All of these events could not happen if not for the hard work of
The Newsletter of the Historic Old
Northeast Neighborhood Association
our Board members, our volunteers or our dues paying members.
In 2015 we hope to do an even better job of making you loud and
proud of The Historic Old Northeast! So if you’d like to be part of
any or all of these great neighborhood events, please give us a call.
Looking ahead, 2015 is shaping up to be an even busier
and more successful
year than any prior.
In addition to all of
the events and activities mentioned
above, HONNA will
be bringing back its
Spring Garden Stroll,
and we hope to begin
our Periwinkle Project in partnership with
Sunken Gardens. The
goal of the Periwinkle
Project Committee
will be to beautify
every public nookand-cranny space of
our neighborhood
with a locally hearty
periwinkle as a way
of making our already beautiful neighborhood as beautiful as it
can be – and that includes our alleys!
So enjoy what is left of 2014, and let’s all commit to helping
make “Act 2” and 2015 the best year ever in The Historic Old
Northeast!
Published quarterly – March, June, September and December
and mailed to all households in The Old Northeast
P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734
e-mail
[email protected]
Editor Rick Carson
Columnists and Reporters
Mike Dailey
Barbara Marshall
Jill McGrath
We welcome
these new advertisers
to our newsletter.
Thank you!
Sue Strott
Courtney Ellis
Emily Elwyn
Circulation
Joe O’Connor, Larry Smith & Steve Urgo
Contributors
All our Old Northeast neighbors
Newsletter Layout & Design Sharon Bond:
[email protected]
AD RATES
1Qtr
AD SIZE
2 Qtrs 3Qtrs 1Year
Business card
50
93
128
160
1/4 page (H 4.9” x w 3.7”) 100
186
256
320
1/2 page (H 4.9” x w 7.8”) 200
372
512
640
Full page
400
744
1024
1280
Back Cover 1/2 page
1400
*Inserts and Premium Placement: Rates Upon Request
*Preprinted inserts that you provide are delivered within the newsletter. Due
to delivery restrictions, inserts are available on a limited basis.
The newsletter quarterly publication dates are March, June, September, and
December. The deadline for accepting new ads and ad changes is three weeks prior to
the publication month. The next deadline is February 7th. Payment for new ads should
be submitted at the same time that the ad layout is provided and should be addressed
to “HONNA Advertising.” The newsletter is distributed by mail to all homes in The Old
Northeast (boundaries are 5th Ave N to 30th Ave N, and 4th St N to North Shore Dr/Coffee Pot Bayou Blvd). There are approximately 4,000 active home mailing addresses.
Contact
[email protected]:
Ad space is limited so please make arrangements early.
Page 2
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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Association News
& Activities
T
he September quarterly neighborhood meeting on September 15 was headlined by Mayor Rick Kriesman. He
led off for several minutes by touching on what he called the “big
issues”: The Pier, the Waterfront Master Plan (see more about this
in “In Case You Missed It” on page 30), Al Lang Stadium and the
Rays. Questions from the audience centered on: homeless people
and prostitution on 4th Street, curbside recycling (also see more
on this in “In Case You Missed It” on page 30), the new St. Pete
City app (which functions somewhat like the Mayor’s Action Line
for reporting problems and complaints), police body cameras and
abandoned houses under foreclosure.
After the Mayor, Office Ray Merritt provided an update on
criminal activity in The ONE over the previous four weeks: several auto thefts and burglaries (most due to unlocked cars), one
residential burglary and a marijuana arrest – all in all, activity was
down from July and August.
HONNA President Peter Motzenbecker presented checks to
representatives of the Palladium and the Downtown Waterfront
Parks Foundation from the proceeds of HONNA’s Roaring ‘20s
Gala this spring,
which raised money for four nonprofits located in
The ONE (checks
were presented to
Great Explorations and Sunken
Gardens at the
August Family
Porch Party held
at Great Ex).
Traffic & Safety
Ron Magray, Chair
Trader Joe’s Opening in February I have heard the opening
will be February 1 -- or it will be Valentine’s Day. For certain we
know it will happen and we intend to be prepared. The Crescent
Heights Neighborhood Association (CHNA), HONNA, the City
and Trader Joe’s are working to make this opening a positive
experience (and less like Tampa’s).
Following is a re-print of an article that appeared in a CHNA
newsletter by Phil Connor elaborating on the work and cooperation directed toward making a smooth arrival for this popular food
market in our area.
We have met with Mike Fredrick and Susan Ajoc from the
City, and we believe we have a clear vision as to how to
manage the massive influx of traffic. Below I have listed
several actions we are working on at this time.
• In the next few weeks the City will submit their plan
and request from FDOT for a crosswalk that will allow
people from Old Northeast to cross 4th Street. We are
working with our Congressman and our local Representative to garner support for this crosswalk.
• The City will provide us with the petition that property
owners around the crosswalk need to sign. We will do
our best as a committee to be proactive in reaching out
to them to seek their approval and signature.
• We have reviewed the Crescent Heights traffic plan
and have identified several areas where additional “No
Parking” signs are needed to prevent cars from parking
on both sides of the street.
• Once the business opens and if the traffic/parking become a concern, we have asked the police department
to enforce the parking laws within our community.
• We have been working with the Old Northeast Neighborhood Association to gain support for the crosswalk
and for enforcement of all parking laws as well.
• The Crescent Heights website (www.mychna.org) will
be updated in the near future to keep our community
updated on all projects that are being worked on to
make Trader Joe’s a success without having a negative
impact to our community.
• The grand opening of Trader Joe’s is now scheduled
for February 1, 2015. We look forward to working
with Trader Joe’s to make this opening a success and
hope the community supports this new addition. We
will continue to update you thru our newsletter and
the neighborhood association website as info becomes
available.
In all likelihood the proposed crosswalk will not be in place
before the opening. The plan can be found on our website, www.
HONNA.org. The store will have three access points -- from 27th
Avenue N and 28th Avenue N as well as directly from 4th Street N.
There will be three ways for patrons to enter and exit the parking
lot and three ways to access 4th Street. The parking lot will have
89 spaces; the Tampa Trader Joe’s has only 70.
Without a crosswalk, a 4th Street crossing on foot can be dangerous. If the police provide a crossing area you will be advised
prior to the opening (for updates please go to www.HONNA.org).
HONNA Board Elections
he election of members to the HONNA Board for 201415 took place on Monday, November 17, after this issue
of the newsletter went to press. Results may be found on the
HONNA website (www.honna.org) and they will be reported
in the next (March) issue.
T
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 3
Property Transfers
The St. Pete Times section of the Friday edition of the Tampa
Bay Times provides a partial listing of real estate transactions
compiled from public records. These entries come from
those listings. If any of these folks live near you, make sure you
welcome them to the neighborhood.
525 5th Avenue NE..................... Keith & Maureen Burkley
555 5th Avenue NE #722............ Sam Rahall
224 7th Avenue N....................... Daniel Miller & Vicki Lemay
206 8th Avenue NE..................... Gabriele & Michael McAuliffe
245 8th Avenue NE..................... Michael Joseph Sheridan
303 9th Avenue N....................... Stephen Carter
316 13th Avenue N..................... Lori Famiglietti
215 16th Avenue N..................... John & Cynthia Burtch
505 16th Avenue NE................... James & Anna-June Schug
241 17th Avenue NE................... Winnie Belle LLC
300 17th Avenue NE................... Todd Bialous
326 17th Avenue NE................... Sode Investment Group
445 17th Avenue NE................... David & Erika Basher
123 18th Avenue N..................... William & Jennifer Delahanty
166 18th Avenue N..................... Jaime Mercado
116 18th Avenue NE................... Nicholas Gravina
426 19th Avenue NE................... Douglas & Margaret Phares
158 21st Avenue N..................... Park & Eleazer LLC
310 21st Avenue N..................... Laura Lee & James Strouse
146 21st Avenue NE................... Margaret Hayes
338 21st Avenue NE................... Gary Crowder
340 21st Avenue NE................... Shaun & Shawna Amarnani
216 23rd Avenue N..................... Susanne Gillem
230 24th Avenue N..................... Ellen Connor Engels
100 25th Avenue N..................... George & Hazel O’Neill
155 25th Avenue N..................... Thomas Plummer/Alexandra Winkles
205 25th Avenue NE................... James and Kristin Burnham
310 26th Avenue N..................... Brandon & Brooke Rutstein
127 28th Avenue N..................... Mark & Andrea Catanese
1424 2nd Street N....................... Tom Golden
556 Beach Drive NE.................. Peter & Lani Ford
700 Beach Drive NE #401......... Carla Ann Garbin
700 Beach Drive NE #504......... Joanne Leahey
732 Oak Street NE.................... Adam & Roslyn Bryan
1108 Oak Street NE................... Lee & Victoria Koenig
1617 Oak Street NE.................. Rachel Dawkins
Source: Compiled from public records and printed in the Tampa Bay Times.
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
OFFICERS and BOARD
President........................... Peter Motzenbecker
Vice President.................................Larry Smith
Treasurer.....................................Ann Caviness
Secretary......................................... Chad Boyd
Board
Rick Carson
Ron Magray
Mary Alice Lange
Susan Rebillot
Jay Weisberg
To contact an officer or Board member via e-mail, go to honna.org/get-involved/
volunteer/ where you can click on the name of the office/person you wish to contact
and send him/her a message.
HONNA Board meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 6:30pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church and are open to the public. Check beforehand with the
Board president in case the meeting day has been re-scheduled.
Page 4
North Ward School Update
In April the City Council bowed to Pinellas School Board pressure, rejecting the widely supported landmark application submitted by St. Petersburg Preservation and the Historic Old Northeast
Neighborhood Association to protect the 1914 North Ward School.
In June, the Board accepted a contract for the school’s purchase
from an individual who wanted to reuse the historic building.
Unfortunately, the deal fell through, and once again the building’s
future looked uncertain.
The School Board solicited new offers to purchase the school and
recommended Jonathan Daou, North Ward Holdings, LLC, to be
the new purchaser. Mr. Daou has a successful track record in New
York City (see www.openhouse.me and www.bowerystation.com)
and has met with SPP and HONNA representatives several times
to discuss his plans. He has proposed reusing the original school
building, while adding additional development abutting 4th Street.
On November 11, the School Board approved a new contract for
the purchase of the property, accepting the staff recommendation.
Mr. Daou will have 30 days to close, followed by plan submission
to the City for the property’s redevelopment. The purchase price
was $1.65M.
Stay tuned to see what the future has in store for our “neighborhood school”!
Like our neighborhood?
Want to make it even better?
Volunteer with one of our committees!
Your volunteer involvement in one of our committees will
help enhance your neighborhood and our association.
Please contact any committee chair for information.
Communications
Newsletter
Special Events
Neighborhood Planning &
Historic Preservation
Membership
Public Safety
Traffic/Parking
Rick Carson
Rick Carson
Jay Weisberg
Mary Alice Lange
Larry Smith
Vacant
Ron Magray
To contact a chair via e-mail, go to
honna.org/get-involved/volunteer/
where you can click on the name of the person you
wish to contact and send him/her a message.
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 5
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Plan:
Guiding Vision for the Future
by Susan Rebillot
HONNA Board Member
ctober 8, 2014, marked the fifth anniversary of the approval of the updated
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Plan, and 24 years have passed since the
original Neighborhood Plan was implemented
in 1990. The purpose of the Neighborhood
Plan is to provide a vision or road map for the
future of our neighborhood. The Plan is based
on professional analysis and surveys as well as
thousands of volunteer hours of planning, resident input and other activities which culminated
in a City-approved plan.
The introduction to the Plan reminds us
that the mission of The Historic Old Northeast
Neighborhood Association (HONNA) is “to
promote, preserve, and protect quality of life in
our unique corner of the world.” HONNA was
incorporated as a not-for-profit neighborhood
association in 1974 in conjunction with the City of St. Petersburg’s
Greater Neighborhood Partnership Program. We have enjoyed
many years of a strong partnership with the City department that
has been devoted to strengthening neighborhoods.
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HONNA’s initial activities revolved around neighborhood
revitalization goals. Many activities and projects have been
implemented since that time to preserve the unique character of
the neighborhood, restore its beauty, improve safety and promote a
sense of pride of place and neighborhood identity. Many neighbors
have invested in the future of The Old Northeast through the years,
and the neighborhood has improved significantly in the beauty of
its preserved homes, significant historic structures and streetscapes.
So much has been accomplished since 1974 through passionate
individual preservation and restoration efforts, activism and volunteerism, HONNA workgroups, committee efforts and through
partnerships with City departments and officials. In 2003, The Historic Old Northeast was included in the National Trust for Historic
Preservation Register of Historic Places, which is an honor and
a responsibility. The National Trust Register is the official listing
of those properties, neighborhoods, sites and buildings that reflect
the historic development of our nation, and it is maintained by the
National Park Service under the Department of the Interior. Our
neighborhood is one of the two largest National Register Districts
in Florida, and The Historic Old Northeast is considered to be
one of the most valuable assets in the City of St. Petersburg, an
excellent example of the economic and aesthetic value of historic
preservation.
However, it has not yet achieved designation as a Local Historic
Landmark, which is a historic preservation program that is administered by the City Preservation staff and the Community Planning
and Preservation Commission. The Local Landmark Program protects designated districts and properties from destruction and offers
financial incentives for preservation. Local landmark designation
requires an application and a vote within a district. Historic Roser
Park, Grenada Terrace and Lang’s Bungalow Court -- all within St.
Petersburg -- have achieved designation as Local Historic Districts.
Individual properties can be landmarked, and the Palladium, the
Vinoy and Sunken Gardens, as well as a handful of homes within
The Historic Old Northeast, have been designated a Local Historic
Landmark (for identification of the homes within our neighborhood
that have local designation, refer to the City of St. Petersburg list
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
of Historic Landmarks on the stpete.org website).
While the honor of being designated a National Trust Historic
Place does provide economic benefits to our neighbors in terms
of increased valuation of property and financial incentives and
aids to preserve and restore, it does not prevent destruction of
the character and fabric of our neighborhood through demolition
of characteristic homes or through incompatible redevelopment.
The National Trust reports a growing trend toward teardowns
of characteristic homes in historic neighborhoods and construction of massive, out-of-scale, suburban-style homes that ignore
the historic characteristics of the surrounding structures. When
this trend continues in a historic neighborhood, the charm and
character begin to disappear. The economic value as well as the
aesthetic quality of the neighborhood are negatively impacted by
incompatible redevelopment.
The HONNA Board is exploring every avenue to prevent a large
percentage of teardowns and to support architecturally compatible new development so that we can preserve the character of
the neighborhood that we all fell in love with when we purchased
homes here. Residents will hear about potential efforts as the
HONNA Board establishes our goals and committees for 2015.
For those of you who are concerned about this issue, please visit
the National Trust for Historic Preservation website and review
the July/August 2002 Forum News article, “Taming the Teardown
Trend,” and consider joining the HONNA Preservation Committee to work on this issue.
Today, our 425 acre/4,100 household neighborhood -- with
its 3,220 contributing historic structures, brick streets, hexblock
sidewalks, granite curbs, diverse traditional early 20th century
architecture, preserved public waterfront park system and mature
tree canopy -- maintains its unique
character. However, our work is not done. A focused, goal-oriented
HONNA Board of Directors is responsible for continuing to steer
the goals and actions related to the Neighborhood Plan and to
engage neighbors in activism and volunteerism to continue to
preserve and protect the unique character and quality of life that
defines The Historic Old Northeast.
Take a look at our Neighborhood Plan (http://www.stpete.org/
neighborhoods/docs/FINALPLANHONNA100809.pdf) -- it is
an important document. It defines how we will bring energy and
action to priority areas, and it contains recommended goals and
plans of action. Contact any member of the Board about priority
areas that are of interest to you and where you would like to help
us make a difference. One of the best investments that you can
make this coming year in the value of your home and quality of
life is to invest in helping us meet The Historic Old Northeast
Neighborhood Plan goals for 2015.
Old NE houses which recently have been torn down or are
scheduled for demolition
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 7
A Glorious Day on the Links!
by Jay Weisberg
HONNA Board Member
T
he inaugural Historic Old Northeast “Residents and
Friends Open” is in the books, and it was a rousing success in so many ways -- except for my golf game, but
that’s another story.
First and foremost, our guests enjoyed a terrific afternoon on the
links on Monday, November 3, arguably
one of the most
beautiful days
of the year. The
iconic Renaissance Vinoy
Golf Course
lived up to its
John
Kingston,
Eric Oley,
Jay DeBaker and
Tim Quarles -- first
place team
winners
Happy Holidays!
Page 8
Thanks to the Following Sponsors of HONNA’s
First Annual Residents and Friends Open Golf Outing
Hooter’s
Jay and Cathy Weisberg
New City Signs
Party City
Sab Café
VIP Eye Care
Sam Bond Benefit Group, Inc.
Southern Golf
The Kantner Law Firm, PL
The Melting Pot
Sunday Steward – Essentials Spa
Berkshire Hathaway – Home Services
Goodrich Wealth Planning – Raymond James
reputation, offering quite a challenge to our golfers. From the practice range to the “19th hole,” the Vinoy staff did an outstanding job
preparing the venue and efficiently guiding and assisting us every
step of the way.
Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of the event was the opportunity
to raise a lot of money for our charity partner, St. Petersburg Preservation. Preliminary numbers indicate that we successfully reached our
target in this area. More importantly we may have formed the basis
for a long-term association between SPP and “The Open.”
Some hardware was distributed acknowledging outstanding
team and individual performances. The team championship was
won by John Kingston, Eric Oley, Tim Quarles and Jay DeBaker. The runner-up team was Skip Rashke, Phillip Jordan
and DT Thomas. Skip also won the closest-to-the-pin contest
while both the longest drive and putting contests were won by
Rob Boutwell. Sadly we didn’t present a trophy to the last place
team, which would have been won handily by my group. As they
say on the north side of Chicago, “Wait til’ next year.”
I would be remiss if I didn’t give kudos to my fellow committee
members, Chad Boyd and John Kingston (yes, the team champion,
but I assure the reader there was no hanky-panky). John handled
all matters pertaining to golf and interfaced with the venue while
Chad was a master of publicity and chef/executive producer of all
food and beverage.
We have already begun planning the 2nd Annual Open and expect
it to be bigger and better than the first one. Why not get involved,
plan to play or be a sponsor? For that matter do all three -- this is
an event you won’t want to miss.
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 9
Kick off the holidays with our
newest selection of gear.
Page 10
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
City of St. Petersburg
District 4 News
Year-end Report
Darden Rice, St. Pete City Councilwoman
Dear Neighbors,
We are about to wrap up a great year for St. Pete.
In short summary, our Mayor and City Council have delivered on commitments to provide you with a budget that has provided more for neighborhoods,
economic development, homelessness prevention and the arts.
• We hired new Police Chief Tony Holloway, who already has officers
walking our neighborhoods.
• We have three more full-time codes enforcement officers to help keep
our neighborhoods safe and looking better.
• To great demand and acclaim, every residence will have a new 90 gallon
recyclable container for universal curbside recycling by July. Diverting
valuable materials from the waste stream will save us money in the long run.
• The Pier process is underway. The public will get to see the first
renderings of project ideas in December and eventually participate
in a non-binding vote to pick favorites later in the year. So
far, the process is mostly on track for the timeline to have
a new Pier built by 2017.
What other things will 2015 hold in store?
• Expect to hear a lot more about Healthy City initiatives and
expanded and safer bike lanes.
• Acne Solutions
• Anti Aging Services:
• We will have completed the Downtown Waterfront Master
Micro Current
Plan by July.
Radio Frequency
• There will be significant developments with the Rays, of
LED Light
course.
Dermafile
• I am working on a new taskforce that will address energy,
• Sun Damage
environment, and sustainability policies at the municipal
Mitigation
level to save money and cut pollution.
SKIN CARE
• Rosacea Mitigation
• I am also working on projects to bring a new community
ACNE
garden to north St. Pete as well as to refurbish the marinesolutions
themed mural on the Crescent Lake water tower, which
Yaneth D. Hughes
many consider the City’s first mural.
CME, CLE, CCE, CDA
I’m always available to hear from you. Please do not hesitate
English • Spanish
to contact my office with questions and ideas you have. One of
the great things about our City is that we are small enough that a
group of people can work together on a project that actually gets
something done for the community. But also, we are big enough
Member ASCP
that those projects have a ripple effect that matters.
Assc. Skin Care Professionals
This has been my first year of elected office. It is a pleasure and
an honor to work for you. Even on the really tough days -- and
there are not very many of those -- I have enjoyed every bit of the
Plaza Tower Courtyard, Ste 202
opportunity to serve you, as well as the challenges of taking on the
111 - 2nd Ave. NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
thornier problems that every city must address. I am tremendously
looking forward to the next year of making our neighborhoods and
www.VseV.skincaretherapy.net
City even better. Thank you for all you do.
ANTI-AGING & ACNE Specialist
V se V
727-560-6644
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 11
Page 12
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
New Pastors at Westminster
Presbyterian Church
T
he congregation and session of Westminster Presbyterian Church welcomes a clergy couple, Pastors Virginia
Martin and William Cowfer, as their new ministers for
the congregation and community. Both pastors have extensive
experience in serving large and small churches in transition.
Both bring interests and skills in assisting congregations in
revitalization not only in varieties of worship, nurture and pastoral
care but also in outreach to the community. This includes initiating
dialogue with neighborhood residents, other churches and service
organizations in the community to learn the best ways Westmin-
ster can be supportive of other such services. Outreach may also
include offering services not currently available to residents in
the area. In other communities, conversations to learn from local
residents have resulted in offering the following opportunities for
families and individuals of all ages in the church and community:
tutoring/mentoring;, various types of support groups;, spiritual
development; evening vespers; various types of meditation, Bible
or other study groups; co-opting services and mediation.
Advent Services are being planned to be a family-type experiential worship with an overall theme of “Incarnating the Divine
Presence.” Advent will conclude with a festive Christmas Eve
Worship experience.
For more information: 727/8215259, wpcsecretary@tampabay.
rr.com
JAMES W. MARTIN, PA
Real Estate
Corporations & LLCs
Wills, Trusts & Estates
540 4th Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
[email protected]
www.jamesmartinpa.com
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 13
Over The Back Fence
by
S
and
S
…is a collection of what we’ve heard exchanged in the aisles of the supermarkets,
shared waiting in line to pick up the kids from school, read in the papers, overheard in the
pew behind us in church and, yes, even passed over the back fence. If you have something
you’d like to share about a special recognition, award received, birth, graduation, gooddeed-done or observation around the neighborhood please pass it along to the Editor. “Over
the Back Fence” is only going to be interesting if we hear from you!
states: “Persons
So Long, Dennis…The ONE has bid adieu to neighbor, bestriding bicycles
selling author and Eckerd College professor Dennis Lehane, who
upon a roadway
has sold his home and moved to Los Angeles. Most recently he
shall not ride more
wrote the screenplay for the film “The Drop,” and then wrote a
than two abreast.”
novel (of the same name based on the movie), which was published
Dressing Your
on September 2. [source: Tampa Bay Times, 9/21]
Salad….If
your
It’s on Its Way – Really….The soon-to-be-finished Trader
taste
buds
appreth
Joe’s on 4 Street N is rumored to be open for business by midciate the house
February. A company spokesperson has said that the store will
dressing at the
feature artwork “celebrating the neighborhood.” [Tampa Bay
Three Birds TavTimes, 10/28] The Vitamin Shoppe on the corner is open now
th
ern
(1492
4
Street
N)
is
now
available
for
purchase.
Bottles of the
th
(2706 4 Street N).
Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette, Roasted Beet Vinaigrette and Carrot
“We’ve been flocked!”….So
Ginger are $8 each or $20 for three. [Tampa Bay Times, 10/24]
you go out in the morning to pick
Let’s Paint the Gardens Pink….The drive to purchase flaminup the paper and you see them:
gos
at Sunken Gardens received front page attention on the “St.
dozens of plastic pink flamingos
Pete
Times” section of the Tampa Bay Times [10/24]. The original
on your front lawn. The Tracey
flock
of 17, which came in the mid-‘50s, is now down to only two.
and Kenny Locke household’s
The
Flamingos
Forever campaign, spearheaded in part by volunteer
front yard at Locust and 15th
and ONE resident Robin Reed, has raised about $30,000 so far –
Avenue NE was “flocked” by
about half what it will cost to obtain 20 birds (which is the ideal
a flamboyance of more than 60
number for mating purposes). Two businesses on 4th Street have
flamingos in mid-October, thanks
stepped forward. Shep’s Food Mart raffled off decorated pink
to a sneaky Sarah Adams (15th
flamingoes and Marion’s Gifts & Clothing has already held two
Avenue NE). Tracey says she
fundraisers collecting around $14,000. HONNA has contributed
had first spotted the flamingos on
16th Avenue NE, and then they
appeared at a house on 15th Avenue NE. Sarah’s place was next,
and then she flocked the Lockes, who turned around and flocked
Leaann and Frank Biafora on 16th Avenue NE. Tracey doesn’t
know who started this string of flockings. A sign accompanying the
flamboyance says (to the effect), “You’ve been flocked! Please enjoy for three days then flock one of your Old NE neighbors. Please
keep one flamingo in your yard so you don’t get re-flocked.” So…
where are the flamingos now? Checked your front lawn lately?
Into Africa…Donna Guillaume (Beach Drive NE) spent the
last part of November in Senegal, West
$3,000, the amount which entitles a person or
Africa, visiting her son and daughtergroup to name a new bird (the neighborhood
Over The Back Fence is a
in-law (and grandchildren) where they
association has chosen HONNA for its bird’s
are teachers at the International School
name). To make a donation you may write a
of Dakar.
check in any amount (made payable to SPPI
Rules of the Road….Frustrated by the
Flamingos Forever) and mail it to Sunken GarSTEP ON UP
packs of bicyclists hogging the road fourdens at 1825 4th Street N, SP 33704.
abreast? The Tampa Bay Times carried a
Ah…the Smells!...The St. Pete Bakery has
and
letter from a reader [10/10] citing Florida
opened in the location at 1961 4th Street N (next
statutes on the subject. Statute 316.2065
to Carraba’s) in the space formerly occupied
LET’S HEAR
reads: “A bicyclist who is not traveling at
by the Sweet Spot and Cold Stone Creamery;
FROM YOU
the same speed of other traffic must ride
the official grand opening and ribbon cutting
as close as practicable to the right hand
was
held on November 5. The owner and chef
e-mail:
[email protected]
curb or edge of the roadway.” It further
is Michael Ostrander, a master pastry chef
Soapbox...
Page 14
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
2013-aa-default.pdf
known from the Saturday Morning Market
and Sweet Caroline’s (Palm Harbor). The
shop carries fresh-baked breads, cakes
and tarts, chocolate, ice cream and some
gluten-free and vegan products. Want
to learn some baking tips? Sign up for
Saturday morning baking classes. [source:
Tampa Bay Times, 10/3].
A Blessed Bundle….Beach Drive neighbors
Kristen and Eric Barnhart are
the proud parents of recentlyarrived Parker. Welcome!
Fond of Fondue?....Look for
some changes at the Melting Pot
(2221 4th Street N) involving its
traditional fondue menu. Chef Jason Miller says he is “essentially
deconstructing the classic idea of
fondue and creating dishes you
would never think would translate into fondue.” [source: St.
Petersburg Downtown Newsletter
(September)]
C
M
Y
CM
MY
1
1/29/13
29,9:57 PM
Service that relieves
your stress and takes
care of things when
you’re out.
Whether it’s daily
workday walks for
Fido or keeping an eye
on the homestead in
your absence.
CY
CMY
K
Accessorizing…The Nest
has opened at 1545 4th Street N
(727/498-6988; www.nestgalleries.com) featuring a diverse
selection of exclusive and oneof-a-kind furnishings, lighting
and accessories. Shannon Sharp
is the owner.
Two-Gether….The Dali Museum opened its “Picasso/Dali,
Dali/Picasso” exhibit in November, the first time these two artists
have been showcased together” with more than 100 works in an
“elegantly arranged show.” Said the museum’s director, Hank
Hines, an ONE resident, “These two pillars of modern art, Picasso
and Dali, have never been paired together like this.” [source:
Tampa Bay Times, 11/3]
S t. Pe t e ’s m o s t r e l i a b l e !
©
Dog Walking & Petsitting
House Check+
727 -483 -4 554
Call us any time -or visit online.
aWalk AroundTheBlock.com
Worship
Service:
Sundays
10:30am
Ad courtesy of HONNA in appreciation of Westminster’s generous support of HONNA
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 15
No Strangers Here in The Old NE -Just Friends Who Haven’t Met Yet!
by Barbara Marshall
T
here will never be an end in time to feature the many interesting and talented folks who live in our popular neighborhood,
The Historic Old Northeast. This is another installment shining the spotlight on a few more of our wonderfully diverse and
widely interesting friends and neighbors. Know an Old NE neighbor who has (or has had) a fascinating career, achieved a
remarkable milestone, embarked upon a wondrous journey, done something deliciously wacky? Let us know (nsnaeditor@
aol.com) and maybe we can feature them in a future installment.
Heloise Jones (3rd Street N) moved to The Old Northeast with her husband Art this past January after two decades in the mountains of New Mexico and North Carolina. When people ask where
she grew up, she replies “one sentence with five commas....” Loving tea and birds (think Hooker Tea
and the Bay), a lifestyle that invites walks and community and a culture that appreciates the arts, St.
Petersburg is a perfect home for her.
Heloise jokes she’s a renaissance woman. She’s traveled many paths from corporate advertising
account manager to micro-brewery owner to clay artist...with creating, connection and a good deal of
project management at the core of each role. Heloise always has been a lover of the language of life
in stories and pictures so now she’s a novelist and poet. For her, reading -- and particularly writing
-- a novel is like living a good life: you settle into the world, get to know folks, ride through their
ups and downs, share their angst and triumphs and are touched in ways so something shifts inside
you. Somewhat the same way she likes to travel in the world, as a lifelong learner, immersed in the
culture and rhythm of a place. She admits she’s awestruck by this beautiful, bizarre world we live in
and loves the planet.
She is currently querying literary agents for representation for her first novel and doing research
while writing her second. A poem inspired by dawn at the Bay was published in The Wayfarer journal (http://thewayfarer.homeboundpublications.com/store/issues/the-wayfarer-vol-3-iss-2/). For more about Heloise and her
first novel, Flight,
check out www.heloisejones.com.
Bob and Jenni Lockwood (14th Avenue NE) moved to St. Petersburg after 35 years of
raising a family in Oregon. They are civil rights activists who met while working at the Metropolitan Public Defender Services in Portland. Bob is a graduate of Kalamazoo College, U
of Michigan and Oregon Law and was actively involved in civil rights protests and mental
health reform crusades in the 1960s and 1970s. Jenni is a Wellesley College alumna with an
MSW and a background in mental health advocacy. Currently Bob teaches at Portland State
University and also monitors their athletic program. He will teach online from their new home
in St. Pete. Jenni is a member of the International Taoist Tai Chi Society and can be found
dashing through Crescent Lake Park to the local branch center in the early morning.
The Lockwoods are sports fanatics and look forward to cheering on the Rays and the Rowdies. Their son Bert
spent his high school
years at the IMG Soccer Academy and is a graduate of
Full Service, Quality Pool Maintenance
Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton. Their daughter
Robin was the 2002 captain of the Radcliffe Lightweight Crew and
their son Stephen rowed for McGill University in Montreal. Bob
anchored the Public Defender slow-pitch softball team. Jenni needs
no excuse to launch a kayak into Coffee Pot Bayou! They walk
everywhere, recycle everything and love the upbeat cosmopolitan
vibe of The Old Northeast.
Susan Rebillot (13th Avenue NE) and her husband, John, have
727.534.1872
resided in their bungalow in The Old Northeast for 32 years. Susan had a career as a Clinical Social Worker (and John still works
Proudly serving our neighbors in OldNE
in mental health counseling), and she retired professionally in
August of last year. An avid cook, Susan publishes a food blog
www.aquawavepoolservice.com
-- Olives and Figs Chronicles (www.olivesandfigschronicles.com)
Page 16
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
cially Rays baseball.
-- with food-related stories, recipes
There is an open invitation to all to stop by and relax on
and photos. In
their red front yard Adirondack chairs. They, like both Ciccaher “spare time,”
rellos, have survived many a move and once in their spot give
Susan serves as a
them that safe and familiar comfort. They are both hoping that
docent at Sunken
St. Petersburg and The ONE will be their final stop in finding
Gardens, belongs
“home,” and they thank each and every person they have met
to the Old Northwho has made this move an easy one. Carol threatens she may
east Garden Club
have to revert back to her teenage defiance if it ever appears a
and Old Northmove away from St. Petersburg is a possibility!
east Book Club,
Sophia Wisniewska (8th Avenue NE) currently serves as
loves walking and
regional chancellor of the University of South Florida/St. Petersthe YMCA and is
burg. Before arriving here she was firmly planted in Pennsylvania.
serving on HONPrior to USF/SP she had been at
NA’s Spring 2015
Penn State/Brandywine where
Garden Stroll committee. Her most recent neighborhood-related
she was chancellor for eight
activity was helping organize HONNA’s first Halloween Trunkyears. That was preceded by
or-Treat event, which was held in the parking lot of Westminster
six years at Temple University
Presbyterian Church on Thursday evening, October 30th.
as dean and campus executive
Susan and John adore their Wheaten Terrier-Poodle rescue dog,
officer of Temple University/
Bailey, and love their home in the Old Northeast and involvement
Ambler. She also taught Rusin any activities that help further The ONE’s Neighborhood Plan,
sian language and literature at
which was created in 2009 as a vision for the future of the neighBryn Mawr College.
borhood – a road map for attaining goals and objectives.
Sophia grew up in a tiny
When Carol Ciccarello (14th Avenue NE) first moved out of her
village in Poland about 100
childhood home in Portland, IN,
miles east of Warsaw. In 1962,
little did she know that her lifelong
she emigrated with her family
history of moving had just begun.
to the United States and to
Being a typical teen, she was devPhiladelphia, where she spent
astated and fought her parents. All
most of her life. A graduate of
of her friends were staying in their
the Philadelphia High School
same houses and that is what she
for Girls (Girls’ High), she
wanted: the comfort of being in
earned a bachelor’s degree
a familiar and safe environment.
from Penn State and a Ph.D.
from Bryn Mawr College.
In adulthood she soon realized
that flexibility is key to working
An avid walker, Sophia claims
through life’s challenges. Beto walk for all kinds of reasons: enjoyment, healing, adventure.
ing able to organize well also
Most recently, she walked with a friend across Pennsylvania,
became a valuable skill as she
from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. She reports that the walk
began the first of an eventual 25
-- which covered nearly 300 miles, 15 days, three rainstorms,
moves to date -- career changes,
four summits and lots of beautiful memories of towns, villages,
job moves and family needs took charge!
murals and people -- was an amazing and fun experience. And
Although her daughter – now a writer, mother and spouse in Hong
the last steps of the walk/run were up the steps of the PhiladelKong – survived a dozen of those moves, she might argue that
phia Art Museum -- by the Rocky statue, of course (but which
there should be a maximum allowable moving clause that comes
is not the one pictured!).
along with your birth certificate! On the good side of moving,
they experienced designing a unique home from penciled ideas on
a napkin to becoming a home show winner and have remodeled
enough homes to make their 1940’s ONE cottage needs not too
overwhelming. They have met wonderful people, developed lifelong friends and explored many states: Indiana, Missouri, Texas,
Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and finally Florida – which
was the best and saved until last. Florida was the only “chosen”
move that she and husband Vince have made, and St. Petersburg
and The ONE were a lifestyle destination – her happiest move yet!
Before starting a new position as Lifestyle Director within
Residential Services at Westminster Palms Continuing Care Retirement Community, she was an account executive with a Fortune
100 pharmaceutical company. She has happily traded planes and
cars for a few block work commute. Vince continues to work in
employee benefits, and they both share a love to walk and bike
while also enjoying the beach, the arts and sporting events, espeHistoric Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 17
Both a Modern and Historic House
is Born Again in The Historic ONE
by Jill W. McGrath
Photos courtesy of Ed McGrath
L
ike a phoenix rising
from the ashes, a
previously unloved
wooden-siding
house has evolved into a dramatically stunning Craftsman
gem that graces the corner of
Bay Street and 5th Avenue NE,
just as planned when it was
built in 1917. As the restoration
process of this house began,
an article dated March 2013
appeared in the Old Northeast
Neighborhood News, as well as
the Northeast Journal of the same
date. A partial description called
the house “savable.” A better description might have been “on its
way to magnificence.”
The owners, Carla and Ben
Rudolph, are talented architects.
Carla is also a gifted artist and both
have an innate sense of design, use
of space, light and the need for
comfort. Carla says that she and
Ben have bought and restored 12
personal homes during their lives
together, but this is the one they
will not give up. The furniture
and lines of the various spaces are
modern but not cold.
The white, black and gray color palate throughout the house is
enhanced by splashes of bright colors, such as on pillows and ac-
Page 18
cent pieces. Large, cherished art pieces
explode with color against the walls.
Each room has its own defined identity
but also seamlessly flows into the adjoining space. The surround sound also
adds to the cohesiveness of the rooms.
On the first level, an inviting porch of
relaxing couches and chairs was raised,
and now there is a small entry with
a narrow wooden table the Rudolphs
found at Mainsail and on the wall above
is a colorful oil painting by an artist
friend. Not surprisingly, artists tend to
bond even with their disparate
forms of expression, and Carla
and Ben have used art designed
and painted by friends as colorful center pieces of the room in
which they hang. A few steps up
from the front entryway lead to
the most sweeping interior view
in the house, including the living room -- the multi-windowed
room where the family reads,
enjoys TV watching and a
daughter tackles homework and
Skypes with her friends. To the
north of the living room a
wall and a small door were
removed to allow visible and
useable access to the dining
room through to the kitchen
beyond. These four connected
spaces have been designed to
immediately invite a visitor
because of the clean, sleek
style, the warmth and obvious
excellence of modern design
which includes all the furnishings. In the dining room, Ben
-- a self-described “wine guy”
-- has cleverly used his wine selections in a recessed wall rack
on one half of a wall making
the array of bottles an artistic
display. Storage spaces have
been designed so that eyes are
never exposed to clutter, and
even the laundry room is an
attractive space in which to work surrounded by windows exposing the recently planted and thriving traveler palms in the rear
courtyard. There is a bathroom and office/guest room on the first
floor and soon an adjoining space will offer more space for guests.
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
It’s not just a house, it’s a home.
#CGC-1511346 RR - 0056630
Adjacent to the laundry room is a door that leads to a courtyard
and a swimming pool. There are surrounding intimate garden areas, and one feels immediately transported to a Caribbean luxury
resort. The pool area is connected by a walkway to the three-car
garage, above which sits an accessory apartment decorated in the
same modern and comfortable style as the main house, ready for
family and friends. The design and appointments of the garage
and attached apartment back up to the alley and make a stunning
statement in an area not usually known as an attractive asset.
Carla and Ben have meticulously and cleverly landscaped the
property perimeter using native plants such as podocarpus for
hedges, bromeliads, crotons, red ti and various palms including
areca and Christmas. Interestingly-shaped large rocks are placed
as accents. Wrought iron style fencing affords privacy, enhances
the house and grounds and is in keeping with the Craftsman style
of architecture, which was brought to St. Petersburg in the building
boom of the early twentieth century by people from the Midwest.
The large number of examples throughout The Old Northeast includes a Craftsman style house nearby: the Ridgley House, built in
1910 of rusticated concrete blocks (made here in St. Petersburg)
is located on the corner of 6th Avenue NE and Beach Drive (see
Neighborhood News article, December 2010).
On the second floor of the Rudolph’s main house is a master
bedroom and bath with cleverly hidden “his and her” closets. There
are additional bedrooms and bathrooms for the Rudolph children.
It is an active, happy, comfortable and bright house designed by
creative and ingenious architects. Where possible, original elements of the house were kept, such as a fireplace in the living room
and another upstairs in the master bedroom. A spacious third floor
attic is used for storage.
The openness in both the exterior and interior spaces projects
the honesty and care given to the house by the truly knowledgeable
owners. Someone who is most interested in the décor and furnishings of decades gone by will be immediately drawn into this 97 year
old house, which is an example of perfection in the Craftsman style
on the exterior as well as a model of museum quality modern on
the interior. When asked how he likes living in the neighborhood,
Ben replied that he enjoys the downtown life and having the 400
Beach Tower residents as his neighbors.
The Rudolphs have an impressive history of restoring and redesigning many houses, but Carla admits that this house is the one
she wants to inhabit forever. At 215 5th Avenue NE sits a house
which speaks lovingly of the owners/designers and of their obvious
affection for their restoration. It is a house immediately welcoming, and the Rudolphs are happily energetic as they explain the
evolution and their thought processes of designing for the spaces.
Their house has given The Historic Old Northeast enormously
important historical impact, 97 years in the remaking.
H.E. Feldman & Son, Inc. ©
Builders and Remodelers
Providing quality home building and remodeling
services in the Tampa Bay area since 1974.
727.409.3873
http://hefeldman.com/
Jill and Ed McGrath (who grew up together in the Hudson River
Valley) have finally finished the restoration of their 1910 cottage
on the corner of Bay Street and 6th Avenue NE. This is Jill’s fifth
(Ed’s third) complete house restoration and they have promised
each other that it will be their last.
Check out the
HONNA website
www.honna.org
INC
A R T G A L L E R Y | C U S T O M F R A M I N G | w w w. a r t i c l e s s t p e t e . c o m
1445 Central Ave St Pete | 727.898.6061 | M-F 10-6 & Sat 10-4
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 19
The ONE – Halloween Ground Central!
A
s Halloween is depicted by columnist Sara Hopkins in
a front page article in the September/October edition of
the Northeast Journal, “This Old Northeast occasion
is unlike anything words can describe.” Admitting that when she
had moved into The ONE she had been “informed…even been
warned” about how over-the-top it is, she goes on to reflect, “I
have to say how proud I am of the generosity the residents of the
Old Northeast display” – from handing out big candy bars to the
decorations and live entertainment. She goes on to write:
“It takes a village to make an experience so magical,
and it takes a resilient community to repeat it year after
year, despite the clean-up, the non-emergency police
calls, the stolen decorations, and the few irresponsible
adults. To create the sense of childlike wonder at any
age – that’s preserving the spirit of Halloween. And it’s
obvious that the residents of the Old Northeast know a
thing or two about preservation.”
Cue Halloween 2014.
HONNA did its part – and then some -- to help foster the festive
Halloween atmosphere in the ‘hood. As is traditional, HONNA
encouraged homeowners to decorate (desecrate?) their homes.
They were instructed to notify Board member Mary Alice Lange
ahead of time so she could prepare and post on the HONNA website
a listing of the addresses of houses residents and visitors could
check out on Halloween night. On the Thursday evening before
Halloween, Mary Alice and her band of hoary witches drove up and
down all the streets of The ONE
to decide which houses were the
most creepily and creatively decorated. The three judged best were:
1st Place: 455 17th Avenue NE –
Funeral parlor and cemetery
2nd Place: 535 16th Avenue NE
– Dead & Breakfast
3rd Place: 251 16th Avenue NE
– General store, garage repair and
1st
haunted town
Place
On Halloween evening, walking down a blocked-off 17th Avenue NE (the 700 block) was as
if you were moving through the
2nd
Place
Page 20
crowds on a carnival midway -- all that was missing was the tunnel of love and the bearded lady
(wait – was that her?!).
One neighbor commented on
what a great “open house” The
Old NE was providing for St.
Pete residents and those from all
around the Bay area – extending a
generous welcome to all to enjoy
our neighborhood. A homeowner
on 18th Avenue NE reported dispensing about 2,500 mini-candy
bars to a steady stream of trickor-treaters from about 5-9:30pm.
Word has it that the tots, kids
and teens were surprisingly wellbehaved and well-mannered (lots
of “thank you”s, even without
prompting from mom and dad).
WTSP-TV (channel 11) had a
truck positioned on 17th Avenue
NE by mid-afternoon, all set to
capture images of the action-tocome.
To assist the residents on those
blocks of 17th and 18th Avenues
NE who were going all out to entertain trick-or-treaters, HONNA
contributed about $700 to help share the homeowners’ costs of securing extra police coverage
between 7:15-10:30pm. Officers stationed
squad cars at several intersections and patrolled
both on foot and horseback. No problems or
serious incidents were reported (a call came in
about tainted candy but it couldn’t be verified)
despite the increasing number of visitors, and
most of the traffic cleared out by 11pm.
Things soon got back to normal, trash was
collected, decorations were taken down – and
visons of Halloween 2015 began dancing in
homeowners’ heads. Stay tuned – and be prepared.
T
HONNA Gets a Head Start
on Halloween
en neighborhood families positioned their creatively
decorated vehicles in the parking lot of Westminster
Presbyterian Church on Thursday evening, October 30 –
the eve of All Hallow’s Eve -- for the first annual HONNA
Trunk-or-Treat party.
The first prize – a Publix gift card -- for best themed
car went to Amy and Mark Anderson and family, whose
vehicle featured a ghost, eerily floating in the breeze above
the car and a huge, black tongue extending out of the trunk
that was illuminated by a spooky light. They also hosted
rd
3
two games: Ring Around the Witch’s Hat and Bean Bags
Place
in the Witch’s Cauldron.
Amy DeCosma and family captured second place – a gift
card from Paciugo Gelato -- for Andy’s Room from “Toy Story.”
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Andy, Buzz Lightyear and the gang
all made appearances! Amy also
hosted a Halloween twister game.
The third prize winner was Dan
Gulick, for the hearse, which featured a scary vampire. Dan won a
gift card for Sweet Diva’s Chocolate Shop. Prizes also were awarded
to the children game winners.
All vehicles were decorated with
great creativity. Kate and Mike
Sawa and family named their vehicle Sawa Powa, and it featured
powerful superheroes -- Superman,
Super Boy, Bat Boy and Cat Woman. Realtor (Team Old Northeast)
Dale Kleine’s vehicle reminded
everyone of the Harry Potter movie
that featured the forest overrun with
big, black spiders.
Mike and Becca Nealon had a
spooky theme with a hanging ap-
Halloween Around "The 'Hood"
parition! Their twins,
Jack and Mase, and
son, Potter, enjoyed
themselves. Pat Cigoi
decorated her vehicle
as “The Haunting,”
with a witch flying
on a broom stick,
complete with lights
and an assortment of
pumpkins.
Kristi Alexander decorated her
trunk with creepy
spider webs and
daughter Stella was
the dead bride and
son Beckett a ninja
warrior.
HONNA Board
President Peter
Motzenbecker had his SUV decked with
Crime Watch signs and a flashing orange light. Board member
Susan Rebillot and husband, John, created “The Great Pumpkin
Patch” from Charlie Brown’s Halloween, featuring Snoopy and
Woodstock.
Several dozen neighborhood children and their parents descended upon the parking area wearing creative costumes, with a certain
little Bumblebee and a Lady Bug both capturing much attention
along with a fierce Iron Man and a Ninja Warrior. Woody and other
cowboys also made an appearance. And there were witches with
very colorful, fanciful hats and Sleeping Beauty curtsied for her
treats! The event wouldn’t have been complete without several
very beautiful princesses in sparkly, gossamer costumes.
Refreshments of cupcakes (homemade by Susan Rebillot) and
muffins, cookies and apple cider were provided, compliments of
HONNA. HONNA thanks Westminster Presbyterian Church Pastor
Rev. William Cowfer for graciously allowing the use of the church
property for this fun inaugural HONNA event and to Susan for all
her efforts organizing it.
Hosts Frank Hay and Steve Deal at their much celebrated,
not-to-be-missed annual HONNA Halloween Porch Party
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 21
Let the Cotton
Candy Tradition
Continue…
by Sharon Kantner
G
reg and Barbara Creamer recently sold their house at 17th and
Poplar NE, and with the house
came the notorious cotton candy machine.
It was important to the Creamers that after
25 years their Halloween tradition would continue even without them. So with a hand-shake
at closing, the new owners, Chris and Deidre
McCabe from Maryland -- perhaps not fully
understanding what they were getting themselves into -- promised that the tradition would
not die on their watch. And they lived up to
their hand shake and then some!
After handing out their entire stock of 1,000
cotton
candy cones, there was still a long line
L to R Greg Creamer, Barbara Creamer, Chris McCabe, Deidre McCabe.
of eager costumed youngsters waiting for their
turn at the special treat. Instead of calling it
a night, our new neighbors rallied with the help of family and friends, making their own homemade cones using computer paper and
tape, enabling them to serve another couple hundred trick-or-treaters. You gotta love The Old Northeast!
Thanks to the Creamers and their friends for coming to initiate the McCabe’s and help make sure this old 17th Avenue NE Halloween
Page 22
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
tradition continues on. Please welcome Chris and Deidre to the
neighborhood! Chris is the Executive Director for the Eckerd
Foundation and Deidre is a writer; their son, Aidan, attends St.
Petersburg Catholic School.
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Page 23
Thoughts from
the Front Porch…
by Courtney Ellis, MA, LMHC
How to Wait Well
M
y counseling office, as do most health care offices,
has a designated waiting area for clients. We have
baskets full of magazines, serene music playing and
educational brochures to keep clients entertained. Usually, unless
clients come to their appointment extremely early, the wait-time
only lasts between one-to-five minutes. In a doctor’s office, this
wait-time can last anywhere from five to 45 minutes and in emergency rooms even longer.
Personally, I can handle 1015 minutes of waiting but begin
to get antsy as that clock keeps
ticking away. With a doctor’s
appointment, I think the wait is
especially tough when I have a
set appointment yet don’t actually get in to see the doctor at
that specific time. I completely
understand why this happens
and do not fault doctors. Instead
I believe the fault is mine as I
do not always wait very well.
If I could learn to let go of my
timeline, become more comfortable with sitting still and learn to
keep myself occupied, that 10-15 minute wait would probably be
much more bearable.
The same concept is true in life. All of us at some point in our
lives will go through “waiting room” periods where we have yet
to attain something we desire. We may be waiting to hear back
about a job interview, waiting to graduate college, waiting to meet
“Mr.” or “Mrs. Right,” waiting to have children, waiting for those
children to grow up, waiting for that promotion, waiting for test
results or waiting for retirement. But no matter what it is we are
waiting for, one fact is true -- waiting is hard. And in our “fast
food” world of instant gratification, waiting is especially hard.
I’ve seen a great many inspirational quotes out there on the
concept of waiting and patience. A few of my favorites are:
Page 24
“Patience is not the ability to wait but the ability to keep a
good attitude while waiting.” –Joyce Meyer
“Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in
a different order than the one you have in mind.” – David Allen
And of course…
“Even miracles take a little time.” – The Fairy Godmother
(Cinderella)
So with those quotes in mind, here are a few tips on “waiting
well.” Because once we actually achieve what we have been
striving or hoping for, we don’t want to look back at that “waiting
room” with regret.
Don’t put your life on hold. It is important to keep up with
normalcy while you wait; otherwise, that thing you are waiting
for might consume you and, in turn, hinder you from doing those
things you might enjoy. Go on vacations, go to the gym, and keep
up with your usual routine.
Serve others while you wait. When we wait, we can easily
allow that thing we want to become all we think and talk about.
Seeking out ways to serve others is a quick way to shift our perspective and avoid becoming too self-involved.
Create small, achievable goals while waiting for the biggies.
If you are waiting to hear back from a job interview, try to schedule
some other interviews in the meantime. If you are waiting to move,
try to plan some fun “bucket list” items to do in your current residence. If you are waiting to reach your weight loss goal, sign up
for a 5K walk or run in the meantime to keep you motivated and
focused. The small, attainable tasks will give you some semblance
of control while waiting for what you cannot control.
Let go of your timeline.
Shakespeare once wrote, “Expectation is the root of all heartache.”
So in order to wait well, it is essential that we let go of our idea
of when it’s supposed to happen
and be okay with when it does
actually happen. And try not to
compare your timeline to others
– it will instantly steal your joy.
See the waiting as an opportunity for growth rather
than a waste of time. Instead of
looking back and viewing that
time as wasted, you want to look
back and see personal growth and
purpose. You want to become a
better person for having waited
rather than becoming impatient, bitter, or unhappy.
Learn to be content with what you do have while waiting for
what you don’t. Focus on what you do have and let it be enough.
It will be extremely exciting when that thing you are waiting for
does actually happen, but let it be the icing on the cake rather than
the entire cake itself.
Courtney Ellis is a Licensed Mental Health
Counselor who provides individual and
couples counseling to the Tampa Bay area.
She lives in a cozy bungalow in The Old
Northeast with her husband and two dogs.
She tries to spend as much time on her front
porch as possible.
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 25
Jan Magray, Christiane Vinet and Pat Wojtowicz
The Beach to Bay Flute Club
by Jan Magray
n 1920, eminent flutist George Barrere and a group of associates founded the New York Flute Club, now the oldest
of such organizations in the United States. Today there are
hundreds of flute clubs in as many cities across the nation.
Today, St. Petersburg can boast such an organization as well.
Founded by flutists Christiane Vinet and myself, The Beach to Bay
Flute Club of St. Petersburg now meets Tuesdays from 4-6pm at
I
Page 26
the Roberts Recreation Center at 1248 50th Avenue N. in St.
Petersburg. The club follows the ideas promoted by George
Barrere of “providing a meeting ground for the professional,
student, and amateur; a place where less experienced players
could hear new and unusual music for the flute as well as the
classic repertory play by fine artists; a place where all might
find performance opportunities helpful to the development
of their own talents.” The club is open to all flutists of all
ages and abilities – and we need flutists from The ONE!.
The club is also following the book Simple Community
by Richard Luker (an Old NE resident) that defines the
need for “playful enjoyable time with others, without an
agenda or work objective.” The flute club is following his
advice quite literally as it “plays” their flutes in ensembles
of varying sizes -- usually, trios and quartets that double
for the satisfying sound that resembles that produced by an
organ. Flute playing is credited with stress reduction and a
feeling of replenished energy and enthusiasm that transfers
to one’s everyday life.
Future events for the flute club include a master class to be held
this January (date and time TBA) for students in preparation for
the Florida Band Association competitions as well as auditions and
college applications. Additional events with include a “flute in”
where players will participate in a large group of flutists playing
throughout the day at a local venue. The club has adopted a motto
produced by Native American flutist Mato Wambli that states “Play
from the heart -- The flute is a heart song like a sweet prayer and
it will teach you as well as you teach yourself.”
The mission of The Beach to Bay Flute Club is to provide
healthy participation in a simple community of musical activities
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
that provides encouragement and support to all
members. These activities include the promotion
of the art of flute playing, the encouragement of
composition and performance of music for the
flute, the hosting of concerts, master classes and
workshops featuring the flute, the encouragement of fine instruction of the flute, and to foster
the association of professional and amateur
flutists and persons particularly interested in the
flute and music.
For information on becoming a member
or sponsor please contact or Christiane Vinet
(
[email protected]) or me (
[email protected]).
Jan has been playing the flute since age 12. She’s now
a retired music educator who enjoys playing solos and
support music at St. Mary Our Lady of Grace Church,
serving as principal flute of the Pinellas Park Civic
Orchestra in addition to her role with Beach to Bay.
Helping Clothes to Kids
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lothes to Kids (CTK) has a huge
need for clothing and shoes. It may
be Florida but it gets cold here.
School children all over Pinellas County
need warm clothes, and many of these children cannot afford warm clothing. Clothes
to Kids (www.clothestokids.org) has an immediate need for young boys and girls long
pants, shorts and uniform pants sizes 6-16
and jackets. A record-breaking 3,000 free
school wardrobes went to low-income Pinellas school children in August and September.
You can help replenish CTK’s clothing racks
that are critically low in elementary schoolage students clothing and shoes.
New or gently used clothing and shoes
can be dropped off between 9am-4:30pm,
Monday-Friday, at Clothes to Kids’ two convenient store locations: in Clearwater at 1059
N. Hercules Avenue (727/441-5050) and St.
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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
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Page 27
17 Annual
th
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
Candlelight tour of homes
sunday, December 7, 2014 – 3 to 8 PM
Come stroll the brick-lined streets of the Old Northeast
and enjoy our historic homes decorated for the Holidays.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit
CASA - Community Action Steps Abuse.
TICKET OuTlETs
Saint Petersburg
Artistic Flowers
3247 4th Street North
Mariner Car Wash
3338 4th Street N
Designer’s Consigner
1033 Central Avenue
Smith & Associates
330 Beach Drive Northeast
Designer Exchange
7038 Central Avenue
Sunken Gardens
1825 4th St N
Dolin’s Garden Center
801 62nd Avenue North
Rally
2131 4th St N
Florida Craftsman Gallery
501 Central Avenue
The UPS Store
200 2nd Street South
J. Con Salon & Spa
5811 4th Street North
The UPS Store
204 37th Avenue North
Marion’s
1301 4th Street North
Advance tickets can be purchased
online at www.HONNA.org or at one
of the ticket outlets listed above.
In Advance
Day of the Tour
$ 20
$ 25
Tickets available the day of the
Tour beginning 2:30 PM at:
Westminster Palm View
939 Beach Dr. NE
For more information
call 727-269-5521
or visit www.HONNA.org
Celebrating 100 Years
of Community
1911-2011
Page 28
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
PORCH PARTIES
You’re
Invited!
Porch Parties are held the third Friday
of the month from 7:30-10pm (except
December). Porch Parties are strictly social
and provide and informal and fun way to mix and mingle with
your neighbors. Bring your own beverage. Cups, ice and light
snacks are provided. Ask a neighbor to ride or walk over with
you. For more info, contact
[email protected]
Tim Rhode
A R C H I T E C T
Specializing in Residential Design
Renovations, Additions and New Homes
Call for a Consultation visit to your home.
Web Site trhode.com
727-823-1566
No Porch Parties in
December and January
February 13
Hosts: Sue and John Arsenault
245 7th Avenue NE
AR12159
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 29
In Case You Missed It:
Updates and Follow Ups
Keeping You Current on Some
Neighborhood Stories That
Have Been in the News
Some 300 people gathered in the downtown Hilton hotel in
late August for a kick-off discussion of the Waterfront Master Plan.
This is the visioning process for the area between 30th Avenue NE
and 22nd Avenue S, being led by the firm AECOM, which has been
charged with the job of facilitating the planning process. Some of
the attendees expressed a wish list of more green space and access
to the water, cafes, improved transportation options, a permanent
farmer’s market and maintaining open vistas to the water. In early
September, for a couple of weeks, more than 400 residents in two
dozen community group meetings – “walking audits” – traversed
the length of the waterfront to provide feedback to AECOM. One
of the urban designers described the City as “enchanting and sometimes mesmerizing.” Another of the consultants summed up the
“vibe” he is hearing: “Light touch, polishing the gem.” Residents
from the Lassing Park neighborhood, for instance, expressed a
desire for no major changes to their piece of the waterfront. On
and walkability and rethinking what part vehicles will play in the
downtown’s future. At a public meeting held on November 13, the
consultant’s report on the public’s input did not reveal any major
changes to prominent waterfront landmarks. The consultants reported that however the final plan emerges will mesh with whatever
is decided about the Pier. The waterfront plan is scheduled to go
before the City Council for approval in the spring. [source: Tampa
Bay Times, 8/28, 9/6, 10/31, 11/14]
Flooding and power outages occurred in the area as a result
of some heavy storms during the evening of Wednesday, September 3. Water measured about a foot in depth at the intersection of
22nd Avenue and 4th Street N. The rain came down so quickly and
in such amounts that the drainage systems couldn’t handle all the
water. Almost 3,500 Duke Energy customers were without power
from 36 outages in the City. [source: Tampa Bay Times, 9/4]
A single-engine Piper Cherokee plane crash landed in Vinoy
Park on Monday morning, September 15, at the southern edge of
the park near the Vinoy Basin. The plane, on its way from Tallahas-
see, barely missed striking the Vinoy condo towers. The plane’s
four passengers were not seriously injured. [source: Tampa Bay
Times, 9/16]
In terms of the best locations to retire, St. Pete came in ninth
nationwide for affordability (tied with Tampa out of 150 cities)
and fourth overall based on other criteria including health care,
activities, quality of life and job prospects for the over-65. The
study was done by wallethub.com. [source: Tampa Bay Times, 9/4]
October 30 AECOM presented initial findings to the City, suggesting that some small tweaks – more shade, water fountains -- are in
order to ensure environmental protection, enhanced public access
Brew It
In late September the City Council has okayed a proposal
to use a $6 million loan to purchase seven new trucks and 80,000
containers to implement an as yet unfinalized curbside recycling
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Page 30
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
plan. When no companies answered the City’s request to sort
and process the recycled materials, the City continued its efforts
to hire a contractor. At a Council meeting in early October, in a
presentation by Public Works Director Mike Connors, the service
was projected to begin in July at a cost to residents of $2.95/month,
(with homeowners having to pay the fee even if they choose not
to use the service); collection will be every-other-week in 95-gallon bins. An agreement with a private contractor is expected to
be finalized in December. [source: Tampa Bay Times, 9/26, 10/3]
Developer
Nick Ekonomou
has become the
new buyer of the
historic downtown YMCA as
the result of a
circuit judge’s
ruling that Tom
Nestor, the tentative purchaser,
had not met the
closing terms.
Ekonomou will
pay $1.4 million for the building with plans to call it the Edward
and rehab the 50,000sqft structure as a vacation rental with 30
luxury suites or apartments, restaurant, spa and brewery with the
former gymnasium turned into a ballroom available for rent by
the public. He anticipates it will take one year to redevelop once
construction begins and a pending court ruling is resolved. [source:
Tampa Bay Times, 11/14]
Several readers of the Tampa Bay Times have contacted Dr.
Delay to voice confusion about the configuration of the former
roundabout at 30th Avenue and 1st Street to a two-way stop (on 30th
Avenue). In her response (10/17), Dr. Delay reports that the circular brick “medallion” in the center of the intersection has caused
some drivers to believe they must “go around” it, even though it
is not raised and can be driven over. The medallion was kept in
place because it would have been very costly to remove, promotes
drainage and responds to calls for “public art” in street intersections. It had been decided that side-street stops on 30th Avenue were
necessary for safety reasons, and flashing crosswalk beacons have
also been installed for the benefit of pedestrians. Landscaping has
been added, and the intersection will be monitored for traffic and
speed in case further modifications need to be made. The $115,000
cost of the re-design came from Penny for Pinellas funds. [source:
Tampa Bay Times, 10/3]
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 31
by Sue Strott
Are you one of those people who goes about your day-to-day life noticing things happening around you (or not happening) in the neighborhood
and our City and you wonder why (or why not) but never get around to
discovering the answer? We’ve decided to ask one of our neighbors, Sue
Strott, who’s lived in The Old Northeast almost forever, to track down the
explanations for some of those puzzling questions which bug, bedevil and
frustrate us.
So here’s a start with some of those nagging, niggling WHYs? and
WHAT’s?. Let us know if you have a particular issue or query you’d like The
Answer Lady to check out and we’ll see what she can learn. Like FiOS... will
we ever “hear them now”? Contact The Answer Lady at
[email protected].
Pet Peeves : Garbage Containers
Be a good neighbor. If everyone would close tightly all packages containing moist/wet garbage before depositing them in the
90- and 300-gallon trash containers, it would surely be a breath
of fresh air when the breezes blow into open windows of those
who back onto alleys.
Some folks seal up all their garbage, others don’t. Also closing
the containers helps. Remember, with our nice cooler weather
now folks are opening their windows and don’t want to smell
rotting garbage. And don’t forget – if your containers are curbside remember to bring them back off the street after they have
been emptied.
they also are pulling off
insulation from pipes leading from a hot water tank
to the roof solar panel. I’m
having my solar heater
mechanic install cages over
four vents, and I’m hoping
for peace. Thank goodness
he saw the damage while
doing some work on the
panels. I realize now that
it’s important to inspect
your roof regularly; this just
Rats and Mice
wasn’t noticed.
With four citrus trees on my property, it’s obviThough I knew about the
ous that it’s about harvest time again. At least, that’s what
service,
I failed to call City Hall Sanitation (727/893-7360) about
our sleek, furry little neighbors are declaring by coming out in
the
problem.
They sent me a form that must be signed for their men
numbers. They not only find a way into our homes, but some
to enter the property (you should declare if you have children or
are destroying them from the outside by chewing holes in the
pets on the property). Mike Ahles came out a few days later and
lead-sealed vent stacks. Then they can enter easily. At my house
installed two boxes of rat bait on my fence, front
and back. He assured me that this bait is better
than we can obtain in stores and said that the
problem should be resolved within 10-14 days.
Here’s hoping!
For any entrances where I’ve noticed the critters getting in, I’m using what I’ve been told:
Great Stuff for gaps and cracks plus I’m incorporating steel wool, which they apparently hate.
Of course we need to pick up all dropped fruit as
soon as possible, to deter further problems. But
these are not just fruit rats but roof rats, etc. And
any pet food lying about is a come-on! I, for
one, have declared a War on Rats. Are you with
Coupon Code HONNA1214. Cannot be combined with other offers.
me? This is our City and we already pay for
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Page 32
Sue was born in Chicago and lived in Canada
before moving to The Old NE in 1973 where she
continues to run an apartment rental business.
She lives with her new rescue dog and is one of
those people who enjoys being busy!
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 33
ON THE DOCKET:
Some Upcoming Events In
and Nearby Our Neighborhood
We encourage you to go directly to the City website –www.stpete.org and look for Upcoming Events where you can click on “View
All Events.” This will enable you to check updates and all the scheduled events day-by-day for the coming weeks and months.
NOVEMBER 29-JANUARY 1
Holiday Light and Giant Greeting Card display, waterfront
parks; 893-7441
JANUARY 18
MLK Drum Majors for Justice National Battle of the
Bands, The Trop
DECEMBER 1
St. Petersburg City Hall 75th Anniversary celebration, City
Hall; 893-7465
World AIDS Day Candlelight Vigil, 2222 Central Avenue
JANUARY 19
MLK Breakfast, Coliseum
MLK Drum Major for Justice Parade, downtown
DECEMBER 4-7
St. Pete Power & Sailboat Show, Albert Whitted Yacht Basin
DECEMBER 5
World AIDS Day Health Fair, Williams Park
DECEMBER 5-6
Ties & Tennis Shoes 5K Gala (benefit for Pinellas Education Foundation scholarships), The Trop
DECEMBER 6
Santa Parade, downtown; 893-7441
Snowfest Winter Time Activities in the Park, North Straub
Park
Pinellas native ferns, Weedon Island Preserve; 453-6500
DECEMBER 6-7. 11-14, 18-23
Santa in the Park and Glice Skating, North Straub Park; 8937441
17TH
DECEMBER 7
ANNUAL CANDLELIGHT TOUR OF HOMES
(SEE PAGES 1 & 28)
DECEMBER 10
Annual Boley Center Jingle Bell Run Fundraiser, Spa Beach
Park; 821-4819
DECEMBER 13
Rotary Club of St. Petersburg Illuminated Boat Parade,
Vinoy Basin
DECEMBER 13-14
St. Pete Holiday Festival of the Arts, Museum of Fine Arts
DECEMBER 15
ANNUAL NEIGHBORHOOD HOLIDAY PARTY
(SEE PAGE 1)
DECEMBER 20-21
St. Pete Holiday of the Arts, grounds of the Museum of Fine Arts
DECEMBER 31
First Night Celebration and Fireworks, downtown locations
JANUARY 9-11
Sunshine City Antiques & Collectibles Show, Coliseum
JANUARY 16-18
Gem, Jewelry & Bead Show, Coliseum
JANUARY 28
Tampa Bay Senior Expo, Coliseum
JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 1
St. Pete Fine Arts Festival, grounds of Museum of Fine Arts
FEBRUARY 7
Localtopia, Williams Park
FEBRUARY 13
VALENTINE’S PORCH PARTY
(SEE PAGE 29)
FEBRUARY 14
Valentine’s Day 5K for charity (to benefit children in the
deaf community), Straub Park
FEBRUARY 25-MARCH 2
St. Pete Jazz Festival, TBA
FEBRUARY 28
Southeastern Guide Dog Walkaton (fundraiser) Vinoy
Park
RECURRING EVENTS
SUNDAY
Yoga + Dali, Dali Museum; 823-3767
Hot Gatherings, Cool Conversations (2nd) Museum of Fine Arts
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday
Yoga, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102
MONDAY
Art Bites, (2nd) Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
Chess Club, (2nd) Main Library; 892-5296
TUESDAY
New Parents Gallery Gathering, (2nd) Museum of Fine Arts;
896-2667
Hoop Dancing and Kids Hoop Dancing, Sunken Gardens; 5513102
Friends of Decorative Arts Lectures, (2nd) Museum of Fine
Arts; 896-2667
TUESDAY, THURSDAY & SATURDAY
(NOVEMBER-MARCH)
Kids & Kubs softball games, North Shore Park; 893-7441
WEDNESDAY
Coffee Talk, (2nd) Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
Coffee with a Curator, (1st) Dali Museum; 823-3767
JANUARY 17
Sunshine Blues Festival, Vinoy Park
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 34
Hoop Dancing, Sunken Garden; 551-3102
Library LEGO Mania, (1st) Mirror Lake Library; 893-7268
Roll Over and Read, (3rd) Mirror Lake Library; 893-7268
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY
Story Time for Families, Dali Museum; 823-3767
WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY
Terrific Tots, Great Explorations; 821-8992
THURSDAY
EDGE District Farmer’s Market, (3rd) Central at 11th
Specials at Museums, (extended hours and reduced admission) Dali
Museum, Chihuly Collection and Museum of Fine Arts
Kids Yoga, Sunken Garden; 551-3102
UNCHartED Random Culture, Museum of Fine Arts
Porch Party, (3rd) Museum of Fine Arts
The Genius Next Door, (3rd) Dali Museum; 823-3767
Archaeology Lecture Series, (3rd) Weedon Island Preserve; 4636500
Our Town Conversations with St. Pete Mythmakers, (last) Dali
Museum; 823-3767
Wee-time at Weedon, (2nd & 4th) Weedon Island Preserve; 463-6500
FRIDAY
Garden Tour, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102
St. Pete Shuffle, Shuffleboard Courts; 822-2083
Get Downtown Music Series, (1st) Central Avenue b/w 2nd-3rd
Great Weedon Bird Quest, (2nd) Weedon Island Preserve; 463-6500
Food Trucks Around Town, (3rd) Pier - Dolphin parking lot; 6677001
Founders Corner Fresh Market, 431 Southwest Blvd N; 490-9161
Pre-pARTy Fridays, Dali Museum; 823-3767
Explore the Universe Planetarium Show, St. Petersburg College/
Gibbs campus
SATURDAY
Saturday Morning Market, Al Lang parking lot
Storytime at the Market, (2nd) Al Lang parking lot
Breakfast with Dali and Families, (1st) Dali Museum; 823-3767
Dilly Dally with Dali, Dali Museum; 823-3767
Horticulture Workshop, Sunken Gardens; 551-3102
Kidding Around Yoga, (1st & 3rd) Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
Yoga & Family, (1st) Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
Dali & Beyond Film Series, Dali Museum; 823-3767
Take 5 with the Director, (2nd) Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
2nd Saturday Art Walks/Gallery Walk, (2nd) various downtown
locations; 323-ARTS
St. Pete Indie Market, (1st) 600 Central Avenue
Weedon Guided Hikes, Weedon Island Preserve; 463-6500
Walking Mural Tour, 501 Central
Needlecraft Club, (2nd & 4th) Mirror Lake Library; 893-7268
Drumming @ the MFA, (2nd & 4th) Museum of Fine Arts; 896-2667
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Architecture Docent Tour, Dali Museum; 823-3767
(see calendar at www.stpete.org for more opportunities
and details and any changes in these schedules)
Garden Stroll 2015
Sunday, May 3
How different can Florida gardens be?
We have lined up:
Traditional Florida-friendly
Shady Lady Family-friendly
Entertaining Best Use of Space
This Stroll through The Historic Old Northeast
invites you to explore gorgeous gardens and gather
new ideas for your own garden. A portion of the
proceeds will be donated to Sunken Gardens, our
local garden treasure.Watch for details in the March issue
of this newsletter and at www.honna.org.
FMI, Ann Caviness
[email protected]
BUSINESS-RELATED
DECEMBER 1
QuickBooks Intermediate 3: Managing Expenses
DECEMBER 2
QuickBooks Intermediate 4: Reconciliations & Reports
Introduction to Business Financing
DECEMBER 3
Introduction to Business Startup
DECEMBER 3, 10 & 17
1 Million Cups (local entrepreneurs present their startups)
DECEMBER 4
City of St. Pete Incentives & Service for Business Owners
& Startups
DECEMBER 9
Business Startup Basics
DECEMBER 10
How to Research & Write Your Business Plan
DECEMBER 16
Advanced QuickBooks Q&A
DECEMBER 17
Successfully Launching Your Small Business: Grand Opening & Beyond
DECEMBER 18
How to Do Business with the City of St. Pete
Nonprofit Business Startup: Introduction
DECEMBER 8
QuickBooks: Online & Beyond – Benefit from Cloud Accounting & Apps
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 35
Shady Characters of The Old NE
T
he magnificent banyan tree that dominated the front yard at the corner of 20th
and Walnut Street NE is no more.
Over the years, residents and visitors alike
traveling down Coffee Pot Boulevard marveled
at the imposing tree. In recent years it needed to
be trimmed back dramatically – but it looked like
it still had some life left in it -- but this fall the
Saw Man cometh.
We’ll miss you.
Page 36
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Some Thoughts on St. Petersburg
“I
kept running into people, many of them with a lot of money, who said they can’t believe they had never been to St.
Petersburg, and how spectacular the whole area is. I heard it repeatedly from people who, because of their interests,
have been to waterfront locations all over the world in Indonesia or the most beautiful locations on the Pacific. They were
so impressed with St. Petersburg.”
“D
Key West resident Billy Causey, reflecting on what he heard while attending the Blue Ocean Film Festival
held in downtown St. Petersburg in early October [quoted in the Tampa Bay Times, 11/12]
owntown St. Petersburg is a charming part of Florida and many desire to live there. It’s a Florida gem in large part
because it is not overbuilt. Its high-rise condo skyline is one per block, with ample space between, unlike other
once-charming cities such as overbuilt Miami. We could keep St. Petersburg wonderful if we do what Santa Barbara, Calif.,
has done by posting their city ‘fully occupied’ to developers and real estate companies. The result of their slower growth has
increased home values and taxes to the city. They have learned that growth is not always good, financially.
Downtown Miami
I remember the magic of Honolulu in the mid ‘70s when festivities
were held on the expansive lawn of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The
magic disappeared when a shopping mall was built on the lawn and a
convenience store was built on the small lawn of the nearby Catholic
Church. Los Angeles was also once a lovely city before development
went viral.
How long will downtown St. Petersburg remain the charming and
beautiful place that it is? That charm is already being challenged as
high-rise condo developments are being approved on postage-stampsized lots. When every available parcel of downtown land is occupied
by high-rise buildings, the magic will be over.
Clutter and wall-to-wall buildings will diminish St. Petersburg as
a desirable place to live. We seem to be heading toward becoming
tomorrow’s Miami.”
Paul Hewitt, St. Petersburg, Letter to the Editor, Tampa Bay Times (11/12)
IN THE HE A RT OF IT A LL
Westminster
Palms
WestminsterRetirement.com
939 Beach Drive NE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 456-7103
Enjoy the best of all worlds at Westminster Palms, the full-service choice in
senior living in the heart of Historic Old Northeast. We offer a lifestyle that
enhances and invigorates your life, with the security of a continuum of care.
Call us today to learn more about the great lifestyle and
remarkable people of Westminster Palms!
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 37
Plant Rant
Holiday Decorating in
Grand Florida Style
A
re you going to be the neighbor who puts a giant plastic
Snoopy holding a snowglobe on the lawn to celebrate
the season? Or will you be the gentile soul who forgoes
the yuletide schmaltz and decorates in the time-honored tradition
of fresh greenery?
Our Colonial ancestors considered decking the halls with fresh
greens a necessity to bring good luck and insure the return of
spring. Their tradition calls for evergreens from conifers, holly,
ivy and mistletoe mixed with lavender, rose petals, rosemary and
bay leaf for scent. But let’s get real. Conifers and hollies are not
exactly rampant in Zone 9 (that’s our horticultural growing zone
for those of you not in the know).
But, alas, there are plenty of fresh greens
to go around (for a price, of course). Seems
everyone is in the business of selling them,
including big box home stores, Christmas
tree stands, florist shops, schools and even
the local grocery store. For adventurous
souls, you can even visit a Christmas tree
farm for red cedar, Virginia pine, sand
pine, spruce pine and Leyland cypress.
Seriously, they actually grow Christmas
trees in Florida! You’ll find farms at www.
flchristmastrees.com.
Personally, Florida-grown greens don’t
pass my sniff test. They just can’t match
the fragrance of northern conifers, including Frasier and balsam
firs and blue and white spruce. Of course, northern-grown greens
don’t do well in our climate so unless you’re using them indoors
(with a/c running and away from direct sun) you must be cautious
when using them outside.
According to Flora’s circle of experts, Frazier fir is the best
choice for our climate and offers the strongest scent and longest
life. With the right care, cut Frazier fir trees, garlands and wreaths
can last up to a month if you mist them with water every morning
and keep them out of direct sunlight in a protected location. You
Page 38
can also spray greens with an antitranspirant, which helps greens
retain moisture, just like antiperspirant keeps us from sweating.
Look for brands such as Wilt Pruf and No Wilt Plant Shield at local
nurseries and mail order suppliers.
Enough about northern greens -- it’s much more fun to think about
adding a fresh touch of Florida to holiday decorations by making
cuttings from our own yards! Flora doesn’t know what’s in your
yard, but good choices for holiday decorating include camellia,
magnolia, nandina, ivy, holly, arborvitae, ligustrum, pittosporum,
podocarpus and viburnum. Heck, just get creative! If you’ve got a
colorful plant you like, use it! Make your cuttings with sharp pruners
to cut branches or stems, being careful to make cuts evenly around
the plant to preserve its natural form. Immerse the cuttings in lukewarm water overnight or until you are ready to use. Spray foliage
with a leaf shine or hydrating spray to seal in moisture.
You can attach fresh or dried fruits, vegetables, herbs, pine
cones, seed pods, acorns or berries to wreaths, garlands and centerpieces for a special touch. Choose from a wide variety of items
including lemons, limes, small oranges, tangerines, pears, kumquats, small pineapples, small apples, pomegranates, artichokes,
okra pods, fresh sage and rosemary and eucalyptus. Most can be
attached using floral wire and wood picks. If
needed, you can carve a little hole in the item,
add some glue and insert a pipe cleaner with
wood pick. Let it dry, then securely position into
the wreath or garland. You may need to replace
fresh items during the season so be sure to check
them periodically.
That’s about all you need to do, except add a
pretty bow or two. Your house will be decked for
the season -- not exactly like in Colonial times,
but in grand Florida fashion.
P.S. from Flora: Want your green décor to have
even more meaning, as in the real reason for the
season? Yes, you can find all kinds of plants in our
climate that were probably growing in Bethlehem
thousands of years ago including dill, chamomile, mint, palms,
papyrus, oleander, aloe, crown of thorns, cassia, ivy, lily, rose,
pomegranate, fig and juniper. If your yard isn’t exactly a Garden
of Eden, improvise with fresh produce from the grocery including
grapes, apples and walnut/pistachio/almond nuts in the shell.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings…whatever you prefer, Flora wishes you many good tidings!
Flora Adorer is the nom de bloom of an Old NE resident with extensive
knowledge about plants and vegetation.
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
DIRECTORY OF NEWSLETTER ADVERTISERS
As you consider the purchase of products and contracting services, please consider these businesses.
Many are owned or operated by your neighbors who support this newsletter and your neighborhood.
You will find more information about them in their ads, which appear in this issue.
Accounting/Taxes
Pest Protection Service
Vernon & Vernon – 727/393-1922
Safer Home Services – 727/800-2992; www.saferhomeservices.com
Baby Sitters/Nannies
Pet Services
Seminole Sitters – www.seminolesitters.com
Brewing & Growing Supplies
Avid Brew Company – 727/388-6756; www.avidbrew.com
Contractors/Builders/Architects
Greg Cahue Handyman Services – 727/460-8609; gcahue1@tampabay.
rr.com
H.E. Feldman & Son – 727/409-3873; www.hefeldman.com
Historic Shed – 813/333-2249; www.HistoricShed.com
Quality Home Renovators – 727/437-6200; www.QHRbuilds.com
Red Level Hardwood – 727/557-7371; www.redlevelhardwood.com
Tim Rhode, Architect – 727/823-1566; www.trhode.com
Strobel.Design.Build – 727/321-5588; www.strobeldesignbuild.com
Dental
Northeast Orthodontics – 727/954-3440; www.northeastorthodontics.com
Education/Tutoring
Kumon Math & Reading Center – 727/822-4016; www.kumon.com/st-petersburg-east
Financial Advisors/Investments
Smith Ameriprise – 727/369-3215;
[email protected]
Groceries/Gas Station
A Walk Around the Block – 727/483-4554; www.aWalkAroundTheBlock.
com
Your Pet at Home – 727/372-9300; www.yourpetathome.com
Realtors/Real Estate/Rentals
Natalie DeVicente, Broker/Southern Roots Realty – 727/498-1673; www.
southernrootsrealty.com
GetMoreOffers – 727/942-2929; www.getmoreoffers.com
JJ & The Z – 727/344-9191; www.JJandtheZ.com
Sharon Kantner, Realtor/Smith & Associates Real Estate – 727/278-5866;
www.smithandassociates.com/Real-Estate-Agent/sharon-kantner/66365
Team Old Northeast – 727/773-6072, 727/365-7661; www.coldwellbanker.
com/agents/Dawn-Greenidge-33704
Terrier Properties – 727/895-6060; www.terrierproperties.com
The Vann Team – 727/510-0265; www.vannteam.com
Bob Watts, Realtor – 727/647-3300; www.wattsrg.com
Recreational
Aqua Wave Pool Maintenance – 727/534-1872; www.aquawavepoolservice.com
Boater’s Republic – 727/578-0404; www.boatersrepublic.com
Relocation Services
House to Home Relocation – 727/388-2651; www.hthrelocation.com
Old Northeast General Store – 727/914-4936
Health, Fitness, Beauty & Wellness
Senior Living
Westminster Palms – 727/456-7103; www.WestminsterRetirement.com
Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies – 727/551-0857; www.acuherbals.com
Discount Med Company – 727/895-7100
Divine Dermatology – 727/528-0321; www.divinedermatology.com
Essentials Spa & Salon (Sunday Steward) – 727/528-9000
Jen Spa – 727/343-5772; www.jenspa.com
MA Fitness – 727/392-3198; www.martialartskickboxing.com
VseV Skin Care – 727/560-6644; www.VseV.skincaretherapy.net
Home Accessories
Networking • Education
Community Involvement
Networking * Education * Community Involvement
ARTicles – 727/898-6061; www.articlesstpete.com
Insurance
Llewellyn Insurance – 727/894-5555; www.Llewellyninsurance.com
Interior Design
Vintage Interiors – 727/322-1033; www.vintageinteriors-stpete.com
William Powell Design – 727/399-7504; www.WPArchitect.com
Landscaping & Design
Florida Native Landscape – 727/415-0302; www.floridanativelandscape.com
Monthly meetings held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month.
Visit
usand
online
at
Learn
more
get involved!
www.4thStreetBusinessAssociation.com
Visit us online at;
www.4thStreetBusinesAssociation.com
No Advertisers = No Newsletter
Please Support Our Advertisers
Good for 50% discount to St Petersburg Chamber of Commerce memb
Who
Support
This
(available
to qualified
newNewsletter
member only)
The Kantner Law Firm – 727/781-8201; www.attorneykantner.com
James W. Martin, PA – 727/821-0904; www.jamesmartinpa.com
And tell them
you saw
their ad here
Expires
9/30/2012
Legal
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
Page 39
All Neighborhood Holiday Party
Monday, December 15, 6:30-9:00 pm (see p.1)
All residents welcome
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
ST. PETERSBURG FL
PERMIT #1020
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association
P.O. Box 76324
St. Petersburg, FL 33734
www.honna.org
IN THIS ISSUE
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Neighborhood Holiday
Party
Candlelight Tour of
Homes
The Rudolph House
Clothes to Kids
Valentine Porch Party
The Periwinkle Project
Councilwoman Darden
Rice
... and much more!
Joy. Hope. Peace.
Julie Jones
Kathryn Krayer Zimring
Thank You Old NE Residents for your business and referrals
727-344-9191
[email protected]
www.JJandtheZ.com
Page 40
Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News
METRO
REAL ESTATE SERVICES
201 2nd Avenue North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701