Hey Hey Tampa Bay!
Over the next couple of days, thousands of sports fans will converge in the Tampa Bay area for the 2017 National Championship college football game between Alabama and Clemson. I love college football just as much as the next girl, but when the ESPN pregame highlights and stats just become far too much to process, it’s time to hit the bricks and do a little sightseeing. Join us on a virtual tour of Tampa and get to know some of our favorite spots.
Tampa’s Art Scene
We’ll start our tour at Ulele for some appetizers and a couple glasses of bubbly. This darling of a restaurant serves up Florida native-inspired cuisine and was founded by local hero and Tampa philanthropist Richard Gonzmart. Gonzmart, whose family has been integral in the development of the city since the early 1900s, is now investing in further developing Tampa’s riverfront district. One leaving Ulele, we’ll stroll on the Riverwalk, towards downtown. Our next stop is the Tampa Museum of Art. Housed in a modern minimalist glass structure, the museum is home to an eclectic permanent collection and showcases a number of temporary exhibitions each year. Be sure to check out the “Bust of Laura”, a now permanent piece at the museum’s entrance. It’s a fantastical optical illusion by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa. Next, we’ll walk up Cass Street to Franklin Street to Tampa Theatre. Built in 1926, this impressive movie palace is one of a kind, featuring red velvet seats and an ornately decorative backdrop. We’ll head back to Tampa Street for a stop off at our favorite vintage bookshop, Old Tampa Bay Book Company. Search for local authors, rare books and first editions. We’ll head back to the Riverfront to the FMoPA, a museum dedicated exclusively to photographic arts , with a stunning permanent collection and evocative temporary exhibitions. Next, we’ll head over the Franklin Street Bridge crossing the Hillsborough River. We’ll stop off at Oxford Exchange to shop their fun home furnishings and charming bookshop with unique collectible editions. OE even has a Warby Parker storefront full of sporty specs. Next, we’ll head to The University of Tampa, originally built in 1888 as the Tampa Bay Hotel, a 500-room luxury vacation retreat for celebrities and prominent socialites. Its stunning Moorish domed minarets add a unique flair to Tampa’s skyline. Today, the former hotel, now renamed Plant Hall, is open to the public and part of the University of Tampa’s campus.
Ybor City, Tampa’s Cuban Gem
We’ll head back over the bridge to Franklin Street where we’ll pick up a short trolley ride to Ybor City. The historic neighborhood, founded in 1880s was once revered as the cigar manufacturing capital of the world, housing over 230 factories. Ybor’s population consisted of Spanish, Cuban, African, Italian, German, Jewish immigrants who established social clubs along the city’s main drag, 7th avenue or La Setima. Designated as a National Historic Landmark District is home to some of Tampa’s greatest architecture and is now replete with bars and restaurants. There are plenty of places to pop into while in Ybor, but of course we have our favorites. Looking to channel your inner Betty Draper or sashay in Steampunk? Then a stop at La France on 7th Avenue is a must. Chic, sporty, vintage. It’s all here. Next, we’re headed to The Columbia for a glass of sangria and an authentic Cuban sandwich. Florida’s oldest restaurant, The Columbia was established in 1905 by a Cuban immigrant as a 60 seat counter café. Over time, it has transformed into an institution with its hand painted tiled façade and elegant interiors, but has been family owned and operated by the Gonzmart’s since inception. Next, we’ll stroll up 7tth Avenue for a glimpse of some of Tampa’s greatest architecture. Among them, The Ritz Theatre, originally built in 1917 as a silent movie theater, The Kress building circa 1929, and The Cuban Club a stately mansion built in 1902 that once housed a pharmacy, a two story movie theatre, a ballroom, a bar, a gymnasium, bowling lanes and a pool. Our last stop is the New World Brewery, a dimly lit tavern serving up local craft beers and some of the bay’s best bbq. It also offers a cozy patio with plenty of outdoor seating. What we love most about it are the many globes on display, of all shapes and sizes, the majority of which were gifts from patrons stopping off at the pub over the past 23 years.
See you next time!