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PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

12 34

CONTENTS HEALTH & HAPPINESS ISSUE

DEPARTMENTS

27 Style: Keep it Simple by Michelle Cappelli Gordon

THE NOMAD EFFECT Minimalists in Morocco BY DAVID WARNER

QUARANTINE DIARIES A first-time stay-at-home dad BY JOE BARDI

20 ZEST FOR LIFE Living with essential oils

38 Fitness: It’s All Working Out by Resie Waechter

BY DAVID WARNER

GROWING LEGITIMACY Medical cannabis in FL BY JULIE GARISTO

BY CATHERINE MITSEAS

46 SHELTER UPGRADES Improving life at home BY ERIC SNIDER

54 Benefactors: RV One’s Don Strollo by David Warner 56 Travel: Back to the Future by Megan Padilla & Cindy Cockburn 60 Auto: The KIA Telluride SUV by Howard Walker 62 Home Audio: No Waiting by Eric Snider 64 Real Estate: Living History by David Warner

POOLS

ELECTRONICS

67 Real Estate: Luxury Living in Tampa Bay and Beyond

HOME OFFICE

80 Food & Drink: Service & Spirits by David Warner & Tracey Serebin

THE MOCKTAIL HOUR Be sober-curious BY CATHERINE MITSEAS

84 Arts: The Shows Must Go On by David Warner 86 People Helping People

IN EVERY ISSUE: PUBLISHER’S LETTER PAGE 6 | EDITOR’S LETTER PAGE 8 | BACK PAGE 96

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40 Golf: Still Swinging by Eric Snider 42 Bicycles: Get Pedaling by Eric Snider

WHY YOGA? It’s about peace of mind

RING SHOWN: 1.73 FANCY LIGHT YELLOW GREEN DIAMOND ACCENTED BY PINK BRILLIANT ROUND SHAPED DIAMONDS.

FROM THE PUBLISHER Dear Reader, How appropriate is it that we scheduled HEALTH & HAPPINESS as the editorial focus of our summer issue before COVID-19 was even a problem? In response to that coincidence we determined that a cover featuring members of the community who are responsible for our health and happiness was a great idea. Result: HEALTH CARE HEROES. Thanks to all the HEALTH CARE HEROES in our community who have risked their own health, worked and sacrificed over the last several months to give us (your friends, family and neighbors) the comfort of knowing the best healthcare possible was there for us if we needed it. We are truly blessed to live, work and play in the Tampa Bay area. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And thanks to our friends at BAYCARE, whose commitment to their staff made this special cover possible. These heroes and BAYCARE are special, and represent the best of the front-line and back-office team members who staff all of our medical facilities at TGH, AdventHealth, Baycare, HCA and the countless other clinics, offices and emergency walk-ins. All of you are simply the best! We know there is work to do going forward. Everyone in the bay area is better prepared to meet tomorrow’s challenges thanks to your help. So what will tomorrow look like? I am pretty sure that no one knows. Here at duPont REGISTRY TAMPA BAY, you can rest assured that we are well on our way to adjusting to the new normal. Our commitment to our media partners and our readers has never been stronger. We have completed dozens of staff ZOOM calls (see below) and the digital and graphic design emails have been in the hundreds. And this issue is evidence of our brand’s value and importance to all. I hope that you will agree.

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One thing we know for sure, the pandemic has increased the demand for immediate information. Print is the most valued media (professional survey and not just me!) but it does take time. Our editor and his wonderful team of contributors have posted dozens of interesting, relevant, time-sensitive stories on our website dupontregistrytampabay.com. They include professional medical advice; tips on how to buy a car in the current climate; guides to dine-in and to-go restaurants; features on volunteers; our own version of “Quarantine Diaries” (excerpted in print in this issue) and much, much more. Pay a visit to dupontregistrytampabay.com — I’m sure you will enjoy it. A special note regarding this extraordinary HEALTH & HAPPINESS issue. We have changed our PARTIES/ PEOPLE section (there aren’t many parties anymore) to PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE. We had dozens of photos from around the Bay Area to present to you. You’ll find some of our favorites on pages 86 through 95. Thanks to all of you who have reached out to help your neighbors when they needed an extra hand. Be Happy and Healthy, Tampa Bay,

P.S. Below, see images of our team working from home on one of our regular ZOOM calls. Just part of our effort to protect the team and produce the very best city magazine possible. And then, pay special attention to the photo on the opposite page. There are no words that can adequately describe this image of two Health Care Heroes in the midst of a moment that sends a special message about special people. It would take pages of publisher’s letters to fully describe all of the emotions that result from looking at this pair of “People Helping People.” Thanks to TGH for this special glimpse of “Healing, Teaching and Innovating.”

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FROM THE EDITOR If you had to choose a word to describe how you’re feeling right now, what would it be? Scared? Frustrated? Content? If it’s the last one, I envy you your calm. As for myself, the word would be

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“unsettled.” There is so much we don’t know — not just about COVID19, but about the future of life as we know it. Next week, next month, September, January.... no matter how near or far in the future we peer, a big question mark looms over everything. But, ya know, another thing I’m feeling at the moment is proud. I’m proud of this issue. Proud, given that the theme is “Health & Happiness,” that we’ve provided useful information on ways to find both, and that we bring you some good reading along the way. I don’t think I will ever be able to read about Joe Bardi’s misadventures with his children’s class pet without laughing out loud. I’m thankful to Julie Garisto and Catherine Mitseas for their eye-opening reports on medical cannabis and yoga practice (and thanks for the mocktail recipe, too, Catherine). In stories by Megan Padilla and Cindy Cockburn, I find reason to hope for the future of travel. It’s always good to read Resie Waechter’s takes on fitness. And as usual, Howard Walker’s column makes me want to test-drive every car he writes about. Eric Snider deserves the Health & Happiness Achievement Medal for covering everything from home audio to home office to swimming pools, from bike sales to golf. No matter what he writes, you know it’ll be a professional, thorough and thoroughly entertaining read. I’m struck as I look over the stories in this issue, including my own, at how many of them center on strong marital partnerships: Joe and his wife Heidi Kurpiela; Jennifer and Chris Hargiss of Your CBD Store; the Zest Zone essential oils entrepreneurs Ilene Metnick and Alli Baldwin; the world citizens Daniel Fernandez and Lauren Davenport, whose latest travel saga made world news. One thing that all of these couples seem to have found is a sense of balance, a way to live and work together as couples without losing their individuality. Balance is a condition to be cherished these days, I’d say, a sure route to health and happiness. But if balanced is not what you’re feeling at the moment, I empathize — and hope that this edition of dRTB provides you at least some temporary shelter from an unsettled world. Thanks for reading!

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bruce Bicknell DIGITAL MEDIA Eric Kennedy SALES MANAGER/COMMUNITY RELATIONS Molly duPont - Mdupont@dupontregistry.com DIRECTOR OF MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS Rosemary Nye - Rnye@dupontregistry.com DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS Tracey Serebin - Tserebin@dupontregistry.com DIRECTOR OF BAY AREA SALES Sharon Castellano - Scastellano@dupontregistry.com ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES Ron Barreto, Marty Binder, Cindy Carr, John D. Chapman, Jill Massicotte CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS Joe Bardi, Michelle Cappelli Gordon, Cindy Cockburn, Julie Garisto, Catherine Mitseas, Megan Padilla, Eric Snider, Resie Waechter, Howard Walker. PRESS MANAGEMENT Charlie Walsh PRODUCTION MANAGER Tony Alvis

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The duPont REGISTRY™ is copyright 2020 by Registry Media, LLC. All rights reserved. duPont REGISTRY™, duPont REGISTRY Luxury Living in Tampa Bay, the Steering Wheel design, dupontregistry.com™, and various titles and headings herein, are trademarks of duPont Publishing, Inc. and may not be reproduced without written consent. Printed in the U.S.A. Published six times per year. Single copies available at your newsstand or call our publishing office for shipping information. Canadian GST not included in cover price. The pictures for sale and the written offer for sale are the responsibility of the individual advertiser. duPont REGISTRY™ and duPont Publishing, Inc. make no representation or warranty for accuracy or content. All photos become the property of duPont Publishing, Inc. when printed unless otherwise agreed to by the Publisher.

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All photos courtesy of Lauren Davenport

The Nomad Effect

They roam the world, but the pandemic stranded them in Morocco. STORY BY DAVID WARNER SAHARA SELFIE: Daniel Fernandez and Lauren Davenport capture a moment.

and Daniel opted to go to Morocco, where no cases were being hances are you’ve heard of Lauren Davenport and reported and borders were open. Daniel Fernandez, and not just because they run a “We found out after we landed that we were the last flight successful healthcare communications firm in allowed in,” said Lauren in a phone interview. St. Petersburg. But as yet the crisis didn’t seem to be, well, a crisis, so It’s because this spring they made international they proceeded with their plans: Spend a few days in headlines, giving interviews to the New York “The president Marrakesh, then take a short trip the Sahara. Times, CBS News with Norah O’Donnell,The treated it like the U.S. “The president treated it like the U.S. had it all Daily Beast, ABC Action News… the list goes had it all under control, so under control, so we figured four days in the desert on and on. we figured four days in the wouldn’t be a problem.” The upshot: If you’re going to get stranded in desert wouldn’t be Morocco due to a pandemic, it helps if you’re a problem.” Let’s take a moment to backtrack. That quick seasoned travelers with great communications decision to reroute their travel plans? That’s the way skills. Lauren and Daniel roll. The couple traveled to Spain in late February It all started in September, 2018, when the couple was with Daniel’s father and uncle for a long-planned celebration of his father’s 70th birthday in the homeland of his parents. visiting Savannah. One night in their Airbnb, they watched At the time there were only five announced cases of COVIDa doc on Netflix called Minimalism: A Documentary About 19 in Spain, so the trip seemed safe. By the time they’d been the Important Things — about two successful executives who in Barcelona a week, disturbing reports were coming out of decided to sell everything and travel the country. Madrid, so the older gentlemen returned to the U.S. and Lauren “Back in Tampa Bay, we had a pretty house in South 12

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HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Lifestyle

COMMUNICATIONS CENTER: The couple with laptops at the ready in their Marrakesh riad.

Pasadena that we only used a third of,” Lauren says. “Before we knew it, Daniel and I were asking ourselves, ‘Do we really need this house? We could make good money if we sold it and not have a house anymore. At first it was this random, weird crazy idea, and then the more we started talking about it we realized this could be a real thing.” The couple met, literally, by Chance (she tripped over his dog, who was named Chance) and married in 2012. Lauren, 31, is an ebullient mix of Southern charm and steely resolve who launched a social media marketing agency while she was still an undergrad at Middle Tennessee State in Nashville and moved to St. Petersburg in 2011 when she realized she’d be better able to expand here. Daniel, 43, is a dedicated marathon runner with long experience in healthcare administration (he was director of marketing for Florida Hospital). Their backgrounds mesh nicely in Symphony, their St. Pete-based communications firm, where 75 percent of the clients are healthcare practices looking to grow in scale through improvements in branding, web presence and internal culture. Flexibility was important to them from the get-go. So the decision to work remotely — really remotely, from all over the world — came relatively easily. “There were a few key roles we had to replace for ourselves,” says Lauren, “but the majority of what we do from day to day is management of people and high-level strategy,” and those jobs can be done remotely. So, in January 2019, they embarked on their new life, using credit card points “to fly free almost everywhere,” says Lauren. They’ve been to 20 states and 30 countries so far, staying mostly in Airbnbs and locally-owned hotels, from a converted Conestoga wagon in Zion National Park in Utah to a 727 airplane hotel in the Costa Rican rain forest. There have been sacrifices, of course. Lauren is active in

Tampa Bay civic life, but her itinerant lifestyle has compelled her to resign from most of her board commitments. [Full disclosure: I met her when she was president of the board of Creative Pinellas, where I’m the board secretary.] But the other hurdles you might expect, like expenses? Not a problem. “The interesting thing about minimalism,” says Lauren, “is that we have more money living like this than we did before. Usually we’re traveling super-affordably. In Airbnbs we do a shared room in someone’s home for $20 or $40 a night. It’s insanely cheaper than your average mortgage per night.” Throw in their mastery of airline percs and credit card bonuses and social media, and you see what she means when she says, “We work the system.” Those skills would come in very handy in Morocco. Before the couple left for the Sahara, Megan, a friend of Lauren’s who works in public relations, sent her a slightly continued p.20

RESCUE REUNION: On the rescue flight from Morocco to London, Daniel and Lauren reconnected with four of the people who appeared with them in a New York Times story. www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Lifestyle ominous message: “‘Can you give me a story, short and sweet, in case you guys get stuck in Morocco and need help getting out?’” When they reached their camp in the desert, Lauren got another message from Megan: “Do you mind if I update the story because the borders are closed?” Which was news to Daniel and Lauren. Meanwhile, Megan sent their story to journalists “while we were riding camels up sand dunes” — and once they were able to get a stronger internet connection (their guide duct-taped a router to the top of a steel pole), Lauren saw that she’d received 100 emails from journalists “wanting to talk today. I thought, ‘Oh, shit. If they’re that interested in that story, we might be in trouble.’” Which they sort of were. But here’s where their media savvy not only benefited themselves, but also a raft of other stranded travelers. On the way back to Marrakesh, their phones started to blow up. “The New York Times reporter told us about this Facebook group of U.S. citizens stuck in Morocco. Our hearts started breaking... Our lifestyles are such that it’d be okay for us to be stranded a while, but some of the people in this group were running out of medications they needed to survive.” So they set out to tell these stranded tourists’ stories, setting up a makeshift studio in the riad (hotel) where they were staying. “For the next 72 hours we did every single news and media interview we could possibly do. Many of these tourists were elderly — and most didn’t have laptops with them… “Less than 48 hours after the story came out in the New York Times, we got an email from the state department telling us that a rescue flight was coming .” The rescue flight to London aboard British Airways was like a celebration, with flight attendants walking up and down the aisles with Champagne and passengers reuniting with people they’d met in Morocco. “Four of us who had been in the Times article were all on the same flight.” The flight home from London to Miami was not without its bumps. In an eerily empty Heathrow, they still had to wait in line for hours, and some people were walking around in homemade hazmat suits, with trashbags over their heads. But it was when they returned to the U.S. that the nomadic lifestyle turned out to have some unexpected drawbacks, at least during a pandemic: They couldn’t find an Airbnb that would accept two recent arrivals from Europe. Finally, they did manage to find a place in Cape Coral, where they quarantined for two weeks, and since that time have moved in with Lauren’s father, who lives in a condo in North St. Pete. Despite their re-entry difficulties, it’s entirely possible that without the couple’s help, the tourists they met might not have made it home so soon. (There were seven rescue flights out of Morocco on the first day alone.) And once they were back in the U.S., Lauren started getting messages from other 14

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places around the world: ‘I’m stuck in Nepal! I’m stuck in Guatemala!’” She and her PR pal Megan helped set up media interviews for as many of these stranded tourists as possible. “We’ve gotten everyone home,” says Lauren. “Even the lady stuck in Nepal!” So their nomadic lifestyle was a boon for them? “1,000 percent,” says Lauren. “It allowed us to be comfortable in a situation that could have been really intense. It was scary — the thought of getting stuck in Africa during a global pandemic, a country that doesn’t necessarily have great healthcare. But [because of this lifestyle] we were able to get shit done.” Still, in the wake of a harrowing adventure and the prospect of international travel being suspended for a long time, are they reconsidering? “I will say that in this coronavirus, when we were returning from Morocco, it was the first time I thought it would be nice to have our home back.” But meanwhile... they’re planning this: A 50-state, 365-day adventure focused on shopping and staying local. “We know we’d learn a ton.”

CAMEL CAB: Lauren and Daniel aboard desert transportation.

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CONFESSIONS OF A FIRSTTIME STAY-AT-HOME DAD

What I’ve learned about my wife, my kids and myself as we all hunkered down at home. STORY BY JOE BARDI HAPPY TOGETHER: The Bardi family ventures outdoors.

All photos courtesy Joe Bardi

work, where I was the communications director for a software Editor’s Note: Joe Bardi — writer, editor, musician, husband, father — has always been a busy man. But until this past March, company with offices in downtown St. Pete. I’d find some normalcy there. it had been up to his wife, freelance writer/photographer I didn’t, of course. …Three days later, on March 19, I was and dRTB contributor Heidi Kurpiela, to handle the bulk of officially laid off, along with about half of the company’s St. weekday parenting chores, because she could work from home Petersburg office. After working continuously since late 2004, I and he had an office job. Then the pandemic hit. The was suddenly without a job. following posts are excerpted from the “Quarantine The bottom line: I would have fired me, too. I Diaries” series Joe wrote for dRTB’s website; read the “Don’t throw was ready for a change. …Besides, I had plenty to the iPad across the diaries in their entirety at dupontregistrytampabay. room!” became a keep me busy in the short term. I’d be applying for com. mantra for both unemployment. I was keeping my fingers crossed that Henry and myself. It All Comes Crashing Down Uncle Sam was soon to dump some “stimulus” money on me. But mostly I was refocusing my attention from It was a Monday. My two sons — 8-year-old Henry professional communications specialist to kidded-up stayand 4-year-old Chip — were on their first day of spring at-home dad. break, but my wife Heidi and I were already kicking around the Turns out that’s a communications job, too. I was just the last idea that they were going to be home for more than seven days. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to volunteer to take care of the class to figure it out. bearded dragon during the vacation? Too late, and besides, Chip & the Henchmen class pets are really more my wife’s domain. I was headed into On the morning of March 24, I woke up to find my kids 16

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HEALTH & HAPPINESS: The Quarantine Diaries had set up a makeshift “stage” in the backyard. They were adorable. I had to join in. In my “normal” life I play guitar in the instrumental rock band Zerobabies. We practice once a week, and play both public gigs and perform live on Facebook. The kids are obsessed with all of it, so I suggested we do a Facebook Live just like my “real” band. They were instantly overjoyed. The name came to me in an instant: Chip & The Henchmen. The songs took about three seconds longer. (“This is our first song. It’s called ‘Jam #1.’ This is our second song. It’s called … ‘Jam #2!’”) A few minutes later we were live on Facebook… Before corona set in, Henry had been whining that he desperately wanted to be in a band himself. Whenever it would come up, I would say the same things: “You’re 8 years old. Keep practicing. The band will come.” It never once occurred to me to just start a band with my son, which is probably all he was asking for in the first place. Kids are tricky.

great Army chef. (I still sometimes daydream about using a spoon the size of a boat oar to cook 50 pounds of pasta in a giant silver cauldron.) … [But I’ve learned] there’s more to making dinner every night than just firing up an oven. For starters, you have to shop for all those groceries… now an approaching-apocalyptic ordeal. …We’ve slowly been working back in takeout. Those styrofoam containers offer a taste of some much-needed normalcy. And Dad can use the night off, anyway.

War with the Machines The one thing I knew I’d be doing next: Filing for unemployment. And I was dreading it. The opposite of “too big to fail,” Florida’s UI system was designed to be “too small to succeed.” As I sat at our kitchen counter entering my Social for the millionth time, my 8-year-old was beside me fighting his own battle with technology.“Don’t throw the iPad across the room!” became something of a mantra for both Henry and myself. We are 100% there for class Zoom meetings — the one bright spot in the online learning struggle. There’s pure joy in firing up a class video conference, and watching my son delight in seeing his teacher and classmates. …But beyond the Zoom, the kids will learn far more from just hanging with their parents all day than they ever would from an Internet worksheet. Henry is recording a Vlog with my wife, is reading for at least 30 minutes to an hour a day, and has written at least 10 letters to teachers and family members. Chip learned how to ride a bike, worked with my wife to build a garden, and set up a makeshift Chuck E. Cheese in the house. They’re learning! We’re tired.

Now I’m Cooking! Four weeks into quarantine and I’m on full-time dinner duty. This is a wonderful development. Pre-coronavirus, the dinner hour in the Bardi household was fraught. For starters, my wife hates having to handle it. She’s a breakfast gal, with its waffles and fresh fruits and grains. But I was usually at the office until 5 p.m., which meant the job of prepping a meal for the fam landed on Heidi. I think she would have prefered an anvil. Dinner duty led to arguments, a quiet two-way resentment, and takeout — lots and lots of takeout. I love making dinner. I’ve long felt I would have made a

GLORIA VS. GODZILLA: Gloria the guinea pig meets Drogon the bearded dragon.

Enter the Drogon Some time after he arrived, Heidi realized that Drogon the bearded dragon had not relieved himself in at least a week. Dr. Google was consulted, and the prescribed treatment involved a tub of hot water and a relaxing dragon massage. There my wife stood, basin of warm water before her, as she gently soaked Drogon and used her fingertips to apply pressure to his back and abdomen. Drogon seemed unmoved at first, but then flashed his patented bearded dragon smile and unleashed hell. Screaming and panic soon followed. Look, I was in the delivery room for the birth of my two children, and have now raised those children — both boys, mind you — to the ages of 8 and 4. You can be sure I have seen my share of stomachturners. Drogon’s turds are in a whole other league. Why is this lizard in my house again? Drogon’s saving grace is that he’s ridiculously easy to care for. The kids enjoy the diversion. My wife loves the little guy. And I like having a reminder that quarantine could be much worse. Instead of cooking dinner and watching that awesome Michael Jordan doc, I could be an impacted lizard, living in a glass box, being pawed by two kids and sniffed by a dog. Though I hear the spa services are wonderful.

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Photo by Jonathan Kile

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: The Quarantine Diaries

SUPERHERO AT WORK: Heidi in the midst of another construction project.

Breaking Quarantine Boredom, it messes with your head. I can sit here and tell you intellectually that staying at home is the best course of action, recommended by almost everyone with a medical degree and access to a microphone. Dr. Fauci needs you … to sit down! But after weeks of separating bored kids who are fighting over absolutely nothing — I had to confiscate a tube of yogurt today — cracks have been forming in the wall separating us from the rest of the world.

JOE AT “WORK”: Making music in the living room.

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A few weeks ago my mother made me an offer: “Feel free to come over and use the pool, Dad and I will keep our distance.” At first I said no. But then my sister took my niece over for a swim and no one got sick. What was I holding out for? It was decided we’d go for a swim — but with ground rules. How to Visit Grandma’s House in the Time of Coronavirus: • Stay on the back porch at all times! No going in the house. At all. If you gotta pee, find a bush. • No going near Grandma and Papa, who would sit outside but keep their distance. • Bring a cooler with drinks and food. • Bring your own towels. The rules worked.

Treading Water One of the real gifts of being isolated for the last seven weeks is perspective — the ability to see the person I was in January as something of a warehoused asset. My role was to sit at my little desk all day, obsessively planning and re-planning, writing reports to justify my existence… In the end it felt more than a little like being on a hamster wheel. I have no doubt that without COVID-19 I would still be in that same office, but I’m not sure that would have been a good thing. I miss the people, but do I miss the work? Maybe that’s the rationalization of someone staring down the barrel of what could be a prolonged unemployment. But it feels real to me. So the question becomes, how do I move on with my professional life in a healthy way once the pandemic subsides? How do I find work that’s fulfilling in addition to being lucrative? And how do I separate the life lessons that will carry me forward from the ones that hold me back?

My Wife Is a Superhero (and I’m Making Music) I know, everyone’s wife is a superhero, but not like my wife. The woman is a gardening Goliath. And what am I doing while my wife rebuilds the house by hand from the ground up, mostly between the hours of 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.? I’m making music in the living room! Yes, I am aware of how this “looks.” My wife, covered in filth, sawing boards in the front yard at 1 a.m.; me in comfy shorts, sitting on the living room couch, plush headphones covering my ears as I tweak a guitar solo. That she not only accepts that making music is a part of me, but also embraces its intrinsic value as somehow on par with the back-breaking manual labor she’s pulling off in the yard, is the greatest gift she could give me as a partner. Heidi will not be going into landscape design; I won’t suddenly start touring the world with my band. That said, we’ve both learned valuable lessons about what’s important to us as productive people, and what makes us happy. That starts with accepting each other, celebrating the other person’s passions, and offering support whenever and wherever you can. But mostly at 3 a.m. in a mucky flower bed in full view of the neighbors.

Sweet Smells of Success Essential oils changed their lives — and now they’re the products’ zestiest advocates. STORY BY DAVID WARNER

ZEST FOR LIFE: Alli Baldwin (left) and Ilene Mitnick live up to the name of their business, The Zest Zone. Photos provided by Baldwin and Mitnick. 20

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HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Essential Oils

irst things first: The term “essential oils” means that Provincetown who were working as Wellness Advocates. “You could cook with these?” Baldwin remembers such oils are made from the essence of flowers and plants, not that they’re vitally necessary. thinking. “We were blown away.” And yet… “After dinner,” says Mitnick, “we sat in the living room For Ilene Mitnick and Alli Baldwin, they’re not only and over coffee we started to learn about these oils” — necessary, they’re central to their business, their home, how they could help with everything from hormonal to their whole way of life. gastro-intestinal issues. “That was me, I take stress in Mitnick and Baldwin operate a business out of their my belly. Alli talked about pain, I talked about stomach St. Petersburg home called The Zest Zone, selling aches.” products made by doTERRA, “the largest aromatherapy Baldwin had been living with pain for 40 years, the and wellness company in the world,” says Mitnick. As result of sports injuries and car accidents when she “Wellness Advocates” for the company, they talk up the was a young girl — one of which resulted in a broken oils with friends and acquaintances, share samples and spine. “For years she had relied on Advil and aspirin,” explain their uses. If customers like the results, they place says Mitnick, “way more than a human should ingest.” orders with The Zest Zone — and, if they wish, become When they lived in Connecticut, Baldwin suffered from a doTERRA members, which means they pay $35 a year to bleeding ulcer. get the oils for wholesale prices. The price range is wide, “But that was life before essential oils,” says Mitnick. from $11 for a 15ml bottle of Citrus Limon (made from Now, through use of turmeric capsules, (“I feel compelled lemon rinds) to $275 for a 5ml bottle of Rose Oil — to tell anyone my turmeric story,” says Baldwin), she the most expensive of all the oils because it takes is pain-free — even following an afternoon of 10,000 roses to make one bottle. hitting 250 golf balls at the driving range. Baldwin lived with The uses vary from therapeutic to culinary. The stakes were personal for Mitnick, too. pain for 40 years Aromatouch, for instance, is an elixir made “My daughter won’t mind me telling you,” she before she discovered says. “She’s got focus issues.” Molly, 30, had from cypress, peppermint, marjoram, basil, essential oils. grapefruit peel and lavender that Mitnick been on Adderall but wanted off, and tried an recommends in combination with doTERRA’s oil called In Tune. “It was a game-changer for Deep Blue Rub to aid relief from localized pain her. Molly has been using it for three years. She’s or arthritis. TRI Ease Soft Gels, a mix of lavender, a different woman.” As the couple got closer and closer to leaving their lemon and peppermint, helps promote healthy respiratory Provincetown inn-keeping days behind, says Baldwin, functions, while a few drops of Orange Oil can transform an Old Fashioned. “we knew doTERRA would be more a part of our life.” I can vouch for those three products because they were They went all in — learning all they could (“every oil has a resume”) through doTERRA trainings, both online and among the ones Mitnick chose for my husband and me in-person. to try, based on some questions she’d asked me during our phone interview. I can’t say that the Deep Blue But they realize that not everybody can get immediately Rub worked any miracles, but my husband now swears on board. by Tri Ease for his sinus congestion and I am now an “There are people that are open to natural solutions,” inveterate Orange Oil dropper; it packs a citrus punch that brightens up any cocktail. Mitnick and Baldwin haven’t always been oil tycoons. They met as colleagues in leadership positions at a branded casual clothing company in Connecticut 25 years ago, became a couple in 2002 and moved in 2013 to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where they opened an inn together called Roux. It was a success, winning Boston Magazine’s award for Best Inn on Cape Cod two years running, acclaimed for its cuisine and design. But they started wondering how they could improve the inn still more. They’d explored using essential oils in aromatherapy at the inn, but their big ephiphany about the products came over dinner. A five-course dinner, that is, prepared CULINARY AID: Oils lined up on a specially carved piece of wood in the couple’s kitchen. with culinary oils from doTERRA by two women in www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Essential Oils says Baldwin, “and people that are not yet open to them” — even though, she points out, pharmaceutical companies have taken plants and synthesized them for mass production. “A bottle of Vicks or Bengay? You’re smelling wintergreen.” They’re careful not to portray their oils as medicine, however, and include this disclaimer on the Zest website: “Statements contained in this site have not been evaluated by the FDA. The products highlighted are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease.” But they emphasize that doTERRA oils undergo rigorous third-party testing to ensure that every bottle is pure. “No additives. No fillers. No chemical processes to distill,” say their marketing materials. “Pure plant.” They’re also proud of the company’s “co-impact sourcing®” initiative that’s meant to ensure ethical treatment of the small-scale farmers and harvesters who grow plants used in the oils. doTERRA’s national profile is growing. BlueCross BlueShield of Western NY now offers a Wellness Card to its participants offering access to wellness-related products and services, including doTERRA essential oils. The company is opening clinics around the country called Prime Meridian with physicians and nurse practitioners who might offer up lemon peppermint and lavender oil before prescribing something more serious. The COVID-19 crisis has had a big impact on The Zest Zone’s business. “Everybody’s talking about immunity,” says Mitnick. “And we have a beautiful line of products that support and strengthen immunity.” While Wellness Advocates can’t say that these products are a guarantee against catching something, they can employ the same language one might hear about, say, orange juice. “People are so used to hearing, ‘Take Vitamin C because it will boost your immunity,’” says Baldwin, “but they may not be as familiar with the effect of cinnamon or other ingredients.” Recommending an essential oil, says Mitnick, is “no different than saying eat your spinach.” To fortify their own immunity, the couple make capsules for themselves in their kitchen every morning containing lemon balm, grapefruit, tangerine, copaiba, en garde (a blend of five oils) and black pepper. They have a case of such oils in their kitchen, with bottles for culinary use lined up on “a specially crafted piece of wood,” says Mitnick. There are oils in their bathroom and bedroom and medicine cabinet as well. And, of course, their home smells nice (they use diffusers). “The problem of talking essential oils when it comes to wellness is, people say ‘Really?’” says Mitnick. “But I don’t think anyone argues that essential oils don’t smell good. If you look at the chemistry of the plant — lemon, orange, citrus — the oils are uplifting. When you inhale them, they go behind your nose into your limbic system and release happy chemicals.” The perfume industry has been employing

these happy chemicals “forever,” she adds. And, of course, the use of aromatic oils, emollients, balms and the like is nothing new — it goes back thousands and thousands of years, most likely to the ancient Egyptians. With doTERRA boasting 9 million users, and with advocates as zesty as Ilene and Alli, it seems like these oils will remain essential (in all senses of the word) for a long time to come.

MAKES SCENTS: An oil diffuser fills the air with pleasing aroma. 22

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HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Style

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Why make life any more complicated than it is?

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Growing Legitimacy The medical cannabis industry is booming — and the health benefits are remarkable. STORY BY JULIE GARISTO CBD CHIC: Jessica and Chris Hargiss of Your CBD Store at 1901 W. Bay Drive in Largo.

though, weed culture’s irreverent absurdities creep in. The ho woulda thunk it? Legal medical marijuana is goofy names of marijuana strains remain. You can purnow widely available in Tampa Bay. chase anything from Maui Wowie to Banana Hammock to Though the community has had a contentious Lucinda Williams in our state. (Find out more at fldispenrelationship with pot, cannabis dispensaries are now as saries.com.) easy to find hereabouts as Amscots. They are convenient One medical marijuana card-carrier we know, who asked and well-regulated, and maybe not exactly what you us to identify her as Miss Wyatt, was surprised by how dispictured — a world away from the canna cafes in pensaries operate in Florida: “They don’t refer to it as bud; Amsterdam. they call it flower,” she says. “It’s not like out West where Here, dispensary shops are clinical, hygienic with modeverything’s in jars and you can see it all.” ern, minimalistic decor: Think dentist office meets Apple store. The person helping you is trained in the nuances You’re first greeted by a receptionist, she says. After of various strains, Indica, Sativa and hybrids. you’re called, a salesperson will hand you a list Florida’s Employees have professional titles like “care conwith one side having indica on the left, sativa on dispensaries are sultant.” They answer questions and match your the right, and hybrids in the middle. “Indica is symptoms with a strain to make sure you get the modern, minimalistic: more for physical pain and it makes you wanna Think dentist office relief you need. kick back on the couch. Whereas the sativa is meets Apple store. Florida Dispensaries, an online resource for more a mental thing. That’s the one that makes all products and businesses related to cannabis, you giggle and want to get up and clean the has one of the best, most easy-to-understand explahouse and bake cookies.” nations of why our bodies were built to respond to canIn her late 50s with a sassy Southern accent, Wyatt nabis’s properties. The website goes into the two types of lives in Clearwater. She has two pet goats and is waif-thin receptors — CB1 receptors mostly found in the brain, and despite having put on a few pounds in the past months. CB2 receptors, which are found throughout the body — Her general practitioner recommended she use cannabis and talks about how cannabinoids are also known to have with THC to gain weight. She says she’s been happy with antioxidant, antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal properties. it so far and shops at different dispensaries to take advan“Essentially the biochemical structure of cannabinoids altage of their sales and promotions. lows it to latch onto molecules in germs thereby rendering Allowed 2.5 ounces of flower a month, Wyatt says her them harmless,” the site says. purchases are entered into a state-managed database, so No matter how you dress it up in business casual, she can’t buy more than the legal limit. Her experience

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HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Cannabis at Surterra was “fancy but not as friendly as the others, but the product was really good.” Fluent has the best customer service but not the best selection, she feels. Trulieve is her favorite because the customer service is pleasant and professional, and she likes their variety of strains.

It’s in the cards

to adapt to the guidelines. ALTMED, which operates 19 Florida dispensaries, has adopted a “no guests” policy, admitting only patients and requiring them to wait outside after registering with receptionists and closing the stores on Sundays “to facilitate deep cleaning and sanitizing.” ALTMED’s MüV cannabis products are available by delivery within 20 miles of the store locations. Your CBD Store, a sharply appointed boutique-like shop in Largo, offers curbside pickup and free delivery within a 10-mile radius.

Daniel Veintimilla

What’s involved with getting a medical marijuana card? The first step is to seek a diagnosis by a qualified marijuana doctor who will make the recommendation to the state that you qualify for a medical marijuana card. If It’s good for Mom.... Doctors are listed online or you can find one with the Department of Health’s searchable database. To qual Your CBD Store isn’t just distinctive because ify as a patient, you must show that you have one of of its good looks (or that of its co-owners, the the approved conditions and you’ve tried other movie star-attractive newlyweds Jessica and treatments that haven’t worked. ALS, anxiety, Chris Hargiss). The company’s transparency The medical anorexia, arthritis, cancer, epilepsy, glaucannabis industry has and product quality has earned them several coma, HIV/AIDS, PTSD, Crohn’s disease, industry awards, including certification by the reported a 30 percent Parkinson’s, chronic nonmalignant pain and increase in profits since U.S. Department of Agriculture, and their labmultiple sclerosis (MS) all qualify. COVID-19 guidelines tested products include a QR code on the label After your consultation with the recomthat you can scan with your phone to find out were imposed. mending doctor, your name and email are enabout their laboratory test results. tered into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry. You cannot buy products with euphoric levels Once the application is approved, patients can use of THC at Your CBD Store. The shop emphasizes the their state-issued card to purchase a modest amount at therapeutic, not recreational, use of cannabis. One of one time, around an eighth of an ounce of smokable cantheir newest products, by Sunflora.org, offers pain relief nabis with THC, and up to 2.5 ounces of whole flower via a roll-on for athletes. It has Lidocaine and 25 mg cannabis every 35 days. of CBD. “From runners to just people with joint pain, Fox Tampa Bay reported that the medical cannabis inpeople have really liked it,” Jessica said. Free bottles of hand sanitizer are available to customers who purchase dustry has reported a 30 percent increase in profits since $75 or more. the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines were imposed, On the counter, a laminated chart illustrates all the and has averaged 300 new medical card holders a day. ailments that can be treated with CBD, a non-euphoric Dispensaries, like any other business, are finding ways

DINNERTIME: Miss Wyatt in Clearwater with her pet goats. Her doctor recommended she use cannabis with THC to gain weight. www.duPontREGISTRY.com 29 www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Cannabis but essential component of marijuana. Maladies like intestinal distress, anxiety, seizures and chronic pain and many more are listed. Jessica’s involvement with CBD goes back a few years, when she was in dental school at Temple University. Jessica’s mother had cancer and opted for a homeopathic treatment that involved an IV drip with a high-potency extract of the plant-derived remedy and Vitamin C. When her mom went into remission, Jessica realized her calling to educate the public and provide CBD’s all-natural relief. “Most of our customers are looking for alternatives to prescription drugs for pain, inflammation, anxiety, insomnia and many more conditions,” she explained. “The majority of our customers are between the ages of 50 and 85-plus. … Our customer base has grown massively, and the results can be seen widespread.” According to Healthline, a 2019 review of in vitro and in vivo studies focusing on pancreatic cancer found that cannabinoids can help slow tumor growth, reduce tumor invasion and induce tumor cell death.

A compassionate cannonball

In Pinellas Park, another cancer survivor and cannabis entrepreneur witnessed firsthand how pharmaceuticals cost patients more than money. Thichom Health Center owner and founder Alisha Kelley said she went into a coma and almost died. She’s one of many whose renewed vitality has inspired a new life calling. Chatting with me on the phone, Kelley describes how she was anti-marijuana for years. Around 15 years ago, her husband was in treatment for bipolar disorder, and the cocktail of meds he was taking — Seroquel, Lithium, Wellbutrin and Paxil — had strange side effects, producing what she described as zombie-like behavior with random outbursts. He quit the meds and started to smoke pot. Kelley was worried that he would get caught, but she began to realize that he was responding positively to the herb. It helped stabilize his moods. He became a “happygo-lucky chill guy,” she says. In 2015, when Kelley was diagnosed with breast cancer, she went the traditional route at first and had surgery, which left her with a debilitating condition, hypocalcemia: an inability to absorb calcium and other minerals. She claims that she could have saved money, time and pain if she’d let CBD oil slow her tumor growth, and she uses it now to manage her pain. After her hospital stay, Kelley started working at a pain management clinic and helped run its first medical marijuana program. “We started seeing our patients’ cancer going into remission and they were using fewer pain meds, they weren’t overdosing from the benzodiazepines and the narcotics. And then I started to see patients were getting overcharged. I mean, you’re talking anywhere from $200 to $500 a visit.” Before Florida’s Department of Health started regulating the industry in 2017, there were local doctors who were 30 www.duPontREGISTRY.com www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Alisha Kelley of Thichom Health Center in Pinellas Park.

meeting patients in hotels and conference rooms, taking their money, not putting their orders in and overcharging them. “It was bad,” she said. “So after seeing all of this, I finally said, ‘You know what, I’m done.’ I want to do something for people. I want to help the patients. I advocate enough for them, on my own. So let’s do it. I put my house up against a loan with the help of a close family member and opened my own office.” Kelley’s compassion shows in her business practices. Her clinic offers 15 percent off for veterans and 50 percent off for veterans with PTSD. “Veterans are very near and dear to my heart,” she says. Trichom also offers 50 percent off for cannabis industry employees “because, you know, they don’t get a lot of discounts.” Like the misunderstood and underestimated herb itself, Kelley is a far cry from a conventional businessperson. Even so, the Pinellas Park Chamber of Commerce nominated her for membership in recognition of her assistance in putting pill mills and methadone clinics out of business, and community outreach. “I have bright red hair. I have tattoos,” Kelley says unapologetically. “If you come into my office, I’m usually wearing ripped jeans because I’m not going to pretend that I’m somebody different. … They call me the cannonball because somebody once said to me, you need to make ripples to make a difference.”

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MIND & BODY: Approached correctly, yoga can yield powerful results.

Why Yoga Is Good For You It might not be for the reasons that you think. STORY BY CATHERINE MITSEAS

marketing claims; and its pretend transcendentalism oga’s come a long way, baby. mixed with action attracts people who use its endorphin No longer relegated to Far Eastern philosophy rush to mask pain in their lives. books, today’s yoga is more often aligned with “They are asking inappropriate things from yoga,” Lululemon-wearing bohemians seeking enlightenment says Chris Acosta, owner of St. Petersburg Yoga, who through self-expression. The practice has gone from a established his studio in 1995. 5,000-year-old transcendental service of meditation and From a yogi’s perspective, the purpose of the practice growth to an athletic performance dominated by young, bendy, photogenic people — many of whom sell yoga is to identify a root cause of pain and then use yoga as an as a way to build sexy bodies without the strain and instrument for change. But the first rule is – don’t keep injury of harsher workouts. These energetic yoga doing what caused the problem. teachers push students to perfect postures “There is an unwillingness to buy into the really and challenge them as if it’s a HIIT class simple stuff,” he says. If you have sciatica and “For many people, without the tire-flipping. are at risk of foot drop, there is no scenario the very reason they If that level of expectation intimidates where you can fix that and run again. Despite should attend yoga is the surgery, physical therapy, yoga, there is no way you, you’re not alone. “For many people, the very reason they you can keep doing the thing that caused the reason they do not.” should attend yoga is the reason they do problem. “Nobody can correct damage being not,” offers Annette K. Scott, owner of done to your joint by throwing magic postures at Kodawari Yoga, established 2016 in Tampa. it,” he states. “Much of the great shame of our culture is that the Yoga is designed to overhaul systems. If a student tools that can help everyone, because of Instagram, have approaches it with an open mind, they find powerful been relegated to the realm of pretty people.” results throughout their body, mind, and life. That shame exists on several levels, owners suggest. Dynamic (Hatha) yoga practices are designed for the Yoga’s current emphasis on poses over meditation has lethargic: the nonphysical, the overweight, Acosta says. dramatically increased the number of overuse injuries; Conversely, an individual who chronically over-exercises the industry’s lack of regulation drives questionable may require self-reflection. This oxymoron is why in 34 www.duPontREGISTRY.com www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Yoga ancient times, prospective yoga instructors were chosen more for what they could not do, than for what they could — because yogis believed one cannot teach what was given, only what one has learned through sustained change. “We treat everything we do as a meditation. Functionally, we have them working on their brain as much as their body when they are in here,” Acosta says. Because meditation is not easy, many students avoid the study and miss the chance to truly benefit from studio classes. Yoga is a public, group practice. Flow is a breath and a movement: “We are all organized around the same breath… I am you and you are me and the public expression of that is in a class,” Scott explains. “We are hard-wired for connection. Your neural network is inherently around finding and maintaining connection. And if that initial need set is not met, the deepest offering of each person’s gifts will never be met,” she says. Essentially, “we are trying to diminish being an asshole,” Scott bluntly asserts, through creating a community that becomes a lifestyle, which allows us to live peacefully within our world. Over time by practicing “real” yoga, individuals experience tangible results throughout their everyday lives: They are calmer, more connected, better able to use the tools developed through meditative yoga to shed that which has held them back and experience fewer, less dramatic emotional drops. Acosta compares real yoga to the practice of medicine. Patients expect their doctors to evaluate, diagnose, recommend. Yoga is the same. For a student to achieve full success, they must be open to guidance from their teacher. They must ask what class is best for them and choose a studio willing to help them grow, not just sell

STAY CALM: The tools of meditative yoga can be applied in everyday life.

the latest trend. Sunder Luber is founder of A Yoga Village, established in 2007 in Clearwater. She explains that lifestyle medicine prescribes three things beyond a good diet: a meditative approach to diffusing stress, an exercise (not necessarily yoga) to stay fit, and a way to maintain emotional connections. Without this foundation of health, these practitioners argue, we are not capable of turning our attention to that which matters most in our lives. And all this can’t be found following an online video of a bendy babe or hurting ourselves trying to achieve a challenge pose. It has to be earned the old-fashioned way – through patience, effort, and a willingness to listen.

Finding Peace Through Yoga Online

Many yoga studios offer online sessions, and never have they been more necessary than during the pandemic. Here’s information on what the studios mentioned in this story have been doing: • Bella Prana in Tampa is allowing customers to use their current packages or memberships to access online classes. Check out the virtual studio tour at bellaprana.com for a closer look at the variety of classes and memberships available. • Kodowari Studios’ Facebook page links to information about their online classes, offered at $44 per month until they are able to open again. • St. Petersburg Yoga at stpeteyoga.com was not yet offering online options at press time. REACH OUT: Teacher Tina Serra (foreground) and student Stacy Francolla at Kodawari Studios.

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With

Gratitude

The Ronald McDonald House Storybook Ball has been cancelled due to COVID-19.

This annual event is the largest fundraiser of the year for the charity. Ronald McDonald House Charities Tampa Bay thanks generous sponsors who donated their sponsorship to the Emergency Fund created to help feed families staying in the houses.

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Thank you to the Ruth and Fred Lynch Family Foundation and the David Maus Foundation for their unwavering leadership and support.

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HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Fitness

It’s All Working Out — Online A young entrepreneur connects people and gyms — even in the midst of a pandemic. STORY BY RESIE WAECHTER BEFORE: A SweatNET yoga session, pre-social distancing, in South Tampa’s Hyde Park Village courtyard.

aylor Smith had a dream. partners and our members. I will stay the course and know it will Growing up in Florida, she had a love of fun, fitness and pay off in the long run.” being outside. She studied exercise science in college, got Though all of SweatNET’s social events have been cancelled certified in exercise physiology by the American College of Sports due to COVID-19, the company continues to ramp up its online Medicine, took a job as a personal trainer in a gym — and, after presence, posting countless workouts — many of which require no a detour to a desk job in the sales field — found what seemed to equipment — to help people maintain their physical and mental be the ideal avenue: She decided to open a local chapter of health during these trying times. SweatNET is currently “Our SweatNET, a networking company that connects people offering a free month of streaming service to subscribers with gyms and hosts health-inspired social events. to help encourage people to stay fit and active while community It’s not every day you meet a 20something CEO needs this, and that isolated. They are hosting virtual 5ks to raise money willing to take on the daunting responsibility of being for charity and posting tips and tricks to help people is not changing. a solo business owner. But this was everything Smith stay well. So I am not wanted and loved: fitness, local events, socializing. So While focusing more time and energy than ever changing.” she took the plunge. on online networking and virtual presence, Smith says And then the coronavirus happened. SweatNET is gearing up for a busy season once gyms open Smith had no way of knowing in September that just six months up again. Smith anticipates the public will have a big appetite for into owning her new business, nearly all of her clients would be social connection after being cooped up for weeks (months?) on forced to close. end — and SweatNET is ready to fulfill that need. Initially, when gyms were forced to shut their doors indefinitely, For more information, visit SweatNET.com/tampabay. Smith was afraid. “This is going to crash and burn,” she worried. Her livelihood depended on SweatNET Tampa Bay’s success. But after an initial meltdown, she pulled herself back up and faced the challenge head-on, deciding to move forward with her launch. All gyms forced to close their doors? Not gonna stop Smith. The young entrepreneur took it in stride and has continued to work diligently to promote her business. If anything, Smith muses, working with SweatNET can be more advantageous than ever for local fitness centers. SweatNET’s platform enables gyms to use their own supply of equipment and props to record videos and stream live workouts — a tactic nearly every gym is finding a need for during COVID-19. “Our community needs this, and that is not changing,” Smith realized. “So I am not changing. I’m not going to change how much work I put in and how much effort I am giving to our 38 38 www.duPontREGISTRY.com www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

DETERMINED: SweatNET Tampa Bay ownerTaylor Smith.

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DRIVING SOLO: A lone player shoots for the green at Pebble Creek Golf Club in New Tampa.

Still Swinging

Golf stays the course at an uncertain time. STORY BY ERIC SNIDER

least six feet apart at all times. olf — it’s the last game standing. For the time being, of That’s not been hard. course. “No one wants to be the one who causes the club to close down,” While basketball, softball, flag football, soccer, Libby says. “You’d be shamed and shunned and beaten to death volleyball, tennis and pickleball players are all sidelined — or with sand wedges.” should be — golfers are still in the swing of things, with most courses open. Imagine being out in the open air Golf may New rules on beautiful expanses of green for four, five hours at be the original The virus crisis has prompted a whole new set of a time, playing a game you love, with other people, social-distancing safety rules that are largely uniform across all golf and keeping score. Kinda makes you want to take sport, says Bill Place, up golf — even if you’re atrocious at it. facilities. president of Ace James Libby, of Seminole, took it up long ago. At Most impactful: one person to a cart, with Golf. age 67, he’s been very good at it for a long time, with exceptions made for family members who live a handicap that ranges between 5 and 9. He’s grateful together. That can cause courses to run low on for the rounds he plays three times a week at Seminole Lake buggies, which can slow start times and play overall. Country Club, where he joins a close-knit group of participants To mitigate the effect, Place’s facilities have instituted time that range in number from 20 to 35. He’s noticed a subtle shift in windows during which players can walk the courses, usually during attitude. late afternoons. The City of St. Petersburg’s public courses always “It’s at the point where, if I’m having a sucky day or hit a bad allow walking, says Jeff Hollis, golf courses director for the city. shot, I don’t care nearly as much,” he says. “How bad can it be? Other measures: Flag sticks must remain in place. Ball washers We don’t have the virus. We’re with a bunch of good guys having have been covered or decommissioned. Rakes have been removed from sand traps. Carts, driving range baskets and other tools are fun. Don’t get me wrong, though. We all still want to win.” Golf is arguably the original social-distancing sport, says Bill routinely and meticulously sanitized. “Pretty much every touch Place, president of Ace Golf, which owns four semi-private golf point we can think of,” Place says. The holes themselves have been revamped. The idea is to properties in the greater Bay area, including Pebble Creek in Tampa. Players have their own balls and clubs. Rarely during play prevent players from reaching in for balls and instead knock them are people in close proximity, except when they wait to hit off the out with their putter. Some courses have turned the holes’ plastic tee or putt. During the COVID-19 epidemic, players must stay at bottoms upside down, some have inserted sections of styrofoam 40 www.duPontREGISTRY.com www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Golf pool noodles, some put PVC donuts in the bottom. All have the effect of creating a hole that’s less than an inch deep. There have even been stories of courses sticking styrofoam coffee cups in holes — if you hit the cup, it counts as a make. (Lousy putters rejoiced.) Swing stations on driving ranges have been moved farther apart. League play has been canceled. Beverage cart service halted. Traditional post-round handshakes are obviously out.

The pro shop and beyond The pandemic’s impact is not restricted to the courses themselves. Many pro shops have put tape on the floor to remind people of social distancing. Some have erected plexiglass shields to protect clerks. Using cash is discouraged or banned. The City of St. Petersburg’s courses allow only four people in the pro shop at any time. Some facilities have simply shut their shops down and will send cart attendants to get something if a player absolutely needs it. Law enforcement officers regularly stop by to monitor compliance, the course operators say. And comply they do. Bill Place is blunt about his reasons for being so stringent on the rules. “We don’t want anyone to get sick, and if we’re extra vigilant we can prevent getting shut down,” he says. It’s a fear most golf operators share. At the moment, at least, there does not seem to be much call for course closures by Bay area government officials, and Gov. Ron DeSantis’s stay-athome orders made an exception for golf, deeming it an “essential recreation activity” as long as social-distancing guidelines are followed. While golfers may be finding a lifeline at the course, it’s a far different story for the owner/operators, many of whom are simply trying to keep their facilities alive. Most courses in the Bay area have managed to stay open, but business has been way off. “Courses can’t survive on the golf aspect alone,” Place says. “I make about half of my profit on restaurant and banquet business.” The banquets are gone. The restaurants are takeout only, bringing in a fraction of the revenue they did before. Layoffs have ensued. Dave Creighton had some difficult choices to make in March. He’s the operating partner in a family business that owns Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity and two other courses. Fox Hollow is semi-private: It has 300 members but is also open to the public for play. “Before the state got shut down, I was starting to see a lot of new faces,” Creighton says. “We were seeing New York plates in the parking lot. Frankly, it was making me and my staff nervous.” Fox Hollow drastically cut back hours in the pro shop for a few days, then closed it altogether. Not long after, Creighton decided to restrict the club to members only. “I joke with them: ‘Enjoy it now. It’s not going to last,’” he says. “It’s more relaxed now, but the number of rounds played is way down. I do get stressed when I look at the bank account.” Fox Hollow also lost its banquet and dine-in restaurant business. Their big Easter brunch, a club tradition, was takeout only. The facility missed out on most of the premium fees generated by nonmembers during high season. Public play accounts for 60 percent of the club’s golf business, Creighton says. Fox Hollow’s golf

HAPPY TO PLAY: Avid golfer James Libby at home.

revenue stream is now limited to membership dues, cart fees, and a few dollars from the driving range. “We’re hanging on, trying to survive,” he says.

For love of the game Owner/operators take solace in knowing that they’re providing much-needed outdoor recreation for a whole lot of people who are otherwise cooped up. Hollis, St. Pete’s golf courses director, runs city-owned properties not completely governed by the bottom line. “People are very appreciative that we’re open,” he says. “We’re doing our best to give people an outlet.” Even the independent owners who have endured serious financial hits recognize some pluses. “We’re grateful not to be in the situation that so many businesses are in, having to close, having no revenue.” Place says, “And we’ve noticed people going out of their way to help the courses — buying food and drinks from the restaurant, tipping well. They obviously want to keep us going.” And then there’s golf itself, the last game in town. “I’ve been working in this business since I was 13,” Creighton says. “It can’t be all about the money. You measure your success by people as well. My office door is always open and I can’t tell you how many people stick their head in to thank me for the opportunity to play.” Creighton, once a highly ranked club pro, is using this time to play more. “I’m trying to get back to that bar where I once was, or past it,” he says. “Plus the members enjoy it when one of the staff goes out and plays with them.” And, finally, there’s this: “The golf-course conditions were great before,” Creighton says. “They’re fantastic now. With the reduction in holes played, there are not a lot of divots or ballmarks.” Just another reason for golfers — or newbies, for that matter — to throw a bag in the trunk and head out to the course. 41 www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com www.duPontREGISTRY.com 41

Photo by Heidi Kurpiela

Photo of Mark Yeager by Eric Snider

Get Pedaling

It’s a great time to buy a bicycle.

STORY BY ERIC SNIDER

from the Escape, which retails at $490, to the top-ofany businesses have suffered amid the the-line Escape 1 ($830). COVID-19 crisis, but a select few are There’s also a “comfort” model called the Cypress enjoying unprecedented success. ($435). Sizes range from extra small to extra large, One such success story: the bicycle biz. based on the frame, not wheel size. It makes perfect sense. People were yearning to get out of the house, breathe in real air. The weather’s Giant has a sub-brand called Liv, a line of bikes been good. And with many gyms closed, biking designed for women by women (and that does was an obvious choice for exercise. not mean merely removing the middle bar). Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve St. Pete Bicycle stocks those as well. “Insanity is a good cycled. Perhaps there’s a bike in the garage In Yeager’s view, $500 to $1,000 will way to put it,” says collecting rust. Leave the WD40 on the put you on a quality hybrid bike, but if shelf — it’s time for a new one. folks want to step up, he recommends the Yeager about recent The most versatile bicycle style on Fastroad Advanced, with a carbon fiber sales. the market is the hybrid, which splits the frame. It costs $2,000. difference between the leisurely cruiser A former pro cyclist, Yeager admits a and the high-performance road bike. Hybrids certain astonishment at the amount of sales he’s are good for taking an easy pedal around the generating. neighborhood, doing some cardio sprint work, or “Insanity is a good way to put it,” he said in midembarking on a 25-mile trek. April, standing in his shop jammed with two-wheelers. There’s an untold number of hybrid bicycle brands. “For the last month and a half, my business has been Mark Yeager, owner of St. Pete Bicycle and Fitness, like it would ordinarily be right before Christmas — feels the best value is Giant Bicycles. Sturdy, reliable multiplied by four. Pretty much every day we set a new and comfortable, Giant offers several models, ranging sales record.”

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A Whole New Playground It’s a good time to upgrade your backyard — and your pool. STORY BY ERIC SNIDER

Getty Images courtesy of Olympus

GO WITH THE FLOW: “We add a whole new living space that flows with the home,” says Olympus Pools’ James Staten.

ith people sheltering in place, backyards are more He cited an example of a current job in Carrollwood — a important than ever. large pool with a swim-up bar, an island inside the pool with a After all, a backyard is the safest outdoor area sunken living room and a kitchen with a roof, an 18-foot raised available. The pool that might’ve been neglected over time? It’s fire feature, and a seven-foot waterfall. now getting a lot of use. Those stains the pool chairs may And those are just the basics. The project also includes have accumulated? Scrubbed away, replaced by butt an LED lighting system, as well as volleyball and “We’ll talk indents. basketball courts. to you on the Olympus Pools is getting plenty of calls asking for phone while you’re Additionally, Olympus installs a lot of spas, outdoor upgrades. kitchens, firepits and elaborate slides. waving at us from Staten says that his company — headquartered in “A lot of people don’t really know what they want the kitchen.” Lutz, with stores in Lakeland and Lakewood Ranch until they call us,” Staten says. His staff of 15 designers — is still building pools, but is getting increased inquiries is expert at refining raw ideas so that, “more or less, if about how to upgrade existing pools and, further, how to you can dream it, we can do it.” add backyard elements that make them more attractive, versatile Advances in technology have made the process of purchasing a and fun. new backyard feature far easier and safer. “Basically, we add a whole new living space that flows with the “Our reps will still come out and into the backyard,” Staten home,” Staten says. explains. “But where before we might sit with you at the kitchen 46 46 www.duPontREGISTRY.com www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Shelter Upgrades table, we’ll now talk to you on the phone while you’re waving at us from the kitchen.” The process can even be done in fully remote fashion, via online communication platforms and 3D renderings. Staten says that pool upgrades are often less expensive than people anticipate. “Someone might see a $200,000 pool and figure a swim-up bar would cost 50 grand,“ he says, “when in actuality, it could be more like five thousand.” Overall, Staten sees a luxury customer sector that’s become

more apt to move ahead with projects. “For every person holding off, we’re seeing two who are pulling the trigger,” he says. “They were gonna go to Europe. Now they’re not.”

Olympus Pools has three locations: Tampa: 21859 State Road 54, Lutz, 813-983-7854 Lakeland: 625 Commerce Dr #302, 863-646-6466 Bradenton: 3115 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Suite 109, 941-226-8005

NOT THE SAME OLD BACKYARD: “With people sheltering at home, and with their backyard available, it’s an attractive idea to add to them.” www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com 47 www.duPontREGISTRY.com 47

Sounds Like Home Advice on your devices from a local electronics expert. STORY BY ERIC SNIDER TV on deck, thanks to Miragevision.

ne thing’s certain of late: We’ve been relying on our elec- for much less. (In late April, I found them online for as low as $130.) tronic devices more and more. And they’re not always giving Sony offers several wireless noise-cancelling, over-ear headphones. us what we want. Shook steers people to the MDR-XB950N1 Extra Bass model, which We called our friend Rick Shook, owner of Rick’s Electronics features soft-cushioned earpads; digital noise cancelling; a 22-hour Boutique in downtown St. Pete, for some upgrade suggestions — battery life; and built-in microphone. The touch-of-a-button bass from cheap and functional, to pricey and extravagant. boost comes in handy for music listening (especially if you like First, a consumer tip: If Amazon/Amazon Prime is reggae). With all your go-to for pretty much everything, you may want the Zooming going Broaden your wifi coverage to rethink that — especially as it pertains to electronon, you may have ics. Gizmos are apparently way down on the delivery Spending more time online? Dumb question, I know. noticed that your giant’s list of priorities. For example, I ordered a new Outages, glitches and dead spots cause more pain computer speakers are center-channel speaker from Amazon Prime on April than they used to. Oftentimes, large homes, as well 20. It was due to arrive on May 12. (You may be won- muddy and plagued as smaller ones with thick walls, don’t get housewide by delays. dering: Why did I use Prime? Answer: Free returns.) wifi. Cable providers generally install a modem and one So consider buying from a local vendor. Rick’s Electronics router, and that’s not always enough for full coverage. Boutique remains open. Shook says his business is considered essenRick’s Electronics has a solution: eero. Plug one of the small white tial. I certainly agree. units (they look like Apple TV streamers) into your modem. You then use an app that walks you through placing additional eero Don’t miss a second of an online meeting devices around the house so that you get top-notch wifi throughout With all the Zooming and Skyping and FaceTiming going on, you — and in the backyard, too. An eero three-pack costs $199. The may have noticed that computer or smartphone speakers are muddy company also offers next-level products — the eero Pro tri-band and oftentimes burdened by a notable delay. There’s a simple and router ($199) and the eero Beacon WiFi boost ($149) — which may affordable fix — sharpen up the sound with bluetooth headphones. If you want to drown out ambient noise, Rick recommends Klipsch Reference Over-Ear Bluetooth Headphones ($269), with an integrated microphone and high-def Bluetooth streaming. They’re comfortable for long periods, and also make for terrific music listening. If you prefer earbuds, Rick is a fan of the Klipsch X12 neckband headphones. They have a leather-stitched neck band for comfort, an all-day battery, call vibration alert, audiophile-grade sound and a high-quality microphone. The X12 lists at $459 but can be purchased Eero 3-pack.

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HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Shelter Upgrades come into play in very large homes. Rick’s will do the installation, but Shook says most reasonably tech-savvy folks can handle it themselves.

Landscape your lawn — with sound Most people hang a couple of speakers on the patio and point them out at the pool. This can cause problems with the neighbors, especially if you live on the water, where sound really carries. Landscape speakers, on the other hand, are arrayed around the lawn (and usually hidden by other landscaping) and aimed toward the pool and the house. This solves problems and makes for a better listening experience. But it doesn’t come cheap. Shook is a fan of Rockustics. Their core product is a speaker that looks like — you guessed it — a rock, and comes in a variety of earthy colors. They range from the EconoRock ($364) to the XTPowerRock-S ($940). Rockustics also makes planter speakers ($640). They have drainage holes, which means they’re meant for real plants that you can water. Rockustics touts its units as fully weatherproof and fade-proof.

A planter speaker from Rockustics.

$10,000) and full shade (the Veranda Series). Miragevision custom alters name-brand TVs for permanent outdoor use, including UHD 4K models. These, too, can be viewed amid full sunlight. MirageVision has partnered with Samsung to retrofit 55/65-inch OLED 4K units for outdoor use. Full sun models start with the 32-inch Diamond QLED 4K at $2,250. If you’re a gobig-or-go-home type, there’s the 82-inch Diamond QLED 8K for $15,950. You can watch the game from your spa while getting solid sound from your landscape speakers.

Pull TV straight from the airwaves With so many households in financial distress, more and more people are inclined to cut the cord — and the cable bill. That means an antenna. They’re not just for folks who are struggling. Rick’s recently installed an antenna system in a seven-figure condo at ONE St. Petersburg. These aren’t your grandma’s rabbit ears. Rick’s puts in a lot of ANTOP Flat Panel Outdoor HDTV Antennas on walls, roofs and balconies. The units cost between $35 and $169. It’s important to note that pulling a TV signal from the airwaves via an antenna won’t allow you to get ESPN, HGTV or other cable channels. To get a large program menu sans cable, you must also employ wifi and a streaming device. Extra programming comes at a cost, of course. But with an antenna you will get the best possible picture from local channels. That’s because antennas use far less compression than cable. One fairly new development regarding antennas: TiVo now makes units that allow you to record off the airwaves. Shook says that having his company install an antenna system generally runs $300 to $500. And he points out another reason to set up an antenna, even for folks who are financially ship-shape and OK with their cable bills. If the cable/wifi goes out, you still get TV. That’s an attractive proposition as hurricane season approaches.

Shook says he usually puts in landscape arrays with eight speakers (four is the recommended minimum) strategically placed around the property, plus a subwoofer ($999 to $1,199), which gets buried into the ground. Installation is for experts only — it requires a 70-volt vs. standard 8-ohm system. Shook recommends pairing landscape speakers with Sonos, which will allow you to control music from a smartphone. Estimated price range for such systems is $3,000 to $10,000, Shook says, although it could go much higher.

Head outside for some TV viewing Ever wanted to watch TV while sitting in the middle of a rainstorm? Probably not. But you could. A few boutique brands make bigscreen televisions that work perfectly well while fully exposed to the elements. Here are two ways to go: SunbriteTV has a Pro Series of all-weather units designed to perform in full sun. They range in size from 32 inches ($3,295) to 55 inches ($5,745). The company also has product lines for partial sun (the Signature Series, which includes a 75-inch, 4K, LED model for

The ANTOP Flat Panel Antenna — it’s not your grandma’s rabbit ears.

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Photo ©Adrian Wlodarczyk for Silversea

Make It Work

Tips on making your home office more comfortable, efficient and Zoom-worthy. STORY BY ERIC SNIDER CAMERA-READY: An elegant Ethan Allen office worth Zooming in on..

emember those bygone days when the boss may firm in St. Petersburg called S.P.A.C.E. “People want to have allowed you to work one or two days a week be enveloped, wrapped in it, but they want to make a from home? That’s changed, huh? Now, most all statement, too.” Some key factors to re-imagining a full-time home office employees are working out of the house five days or office are: efficiency, peak performance, comfort, more — and that includes the boss. aesthetics — and image. That last one is When the world returns to something akin to norprobably the newest, and has emerged mal, it’s very likely that people will continue to The largely as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. spend more workdays in their homes, experts work-from-home “People are no longer just doing phone say. The coronavirus pandemic has pushed the work-from-home movement past its tip- movement has moved calls and FaceTiming on their phones,” says ping point. It’s gone from lasting trend to new from lasting trend to Rick Green, vice president/director of retail operations for Ethan Allen Citrus Park. “With reality. new reality. Zoom and all the online group meetings, people In pre-quarantine days, the home office was, are actually seeing your digs. It’s an opportunity for most folks, little more than a functional, multito portray yourself as you would like the world to see use room where they took some calls and paid the bills. “Now that people are realizing they may be sitting you.” No surprise, celebrity culture has influenced how in their home office eight, 10 hours a day — and that this will probably last for quite a long time — they are taking people design or redesign their home offices. “All of us more into consideration of what that space should be,” are gawking at what famous TV personalities have in says Stephanie Smart, who owns her own interior design their homes,” Smart says. “That has made bookcases a

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HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Home Office big consideration.” From a more utilitarian standpoint, most home offices are in need of improved ergonomics. Upgrades often include more flat space — open desks made of plexiglass, or one with a credenza behind it that holds a computer monitor or two. Increased leg room is also a big issue. Digital storage has minimized the need for ugly, spacehogging file cabinets. Printers can be optional, and are often hidden. Because home offices are sometimes in converted rooms without doors, insulated curtains can be installed to help keep household noise out. Clunky miniblinds prone to getting cockeyed are being replaced by window treatments that are easy to adjust or motorized. This allows a worker to quickly change room lighting for, say, a Zoom conference. Lighting overall is especially important. Both Green and Smart recommend a combination of natural light, overhead lighting for ambience, floor lamps, and smaller lamps for up-close “task” lighting. It’s long been known that the right light mitigates work fatigue. So does a good chair. Combining comfort and looks comes at a price, Smart says. “When we weren’t working from home full time, most people would sacrifice comfort for looks, but that obviously may be changing. Unless

SIMPLICITY: A classic desk and chair from Ethan Allen.

NO EMERGENCY: A bright and airy home office designed by Stephanie Smart for an ER doc living in The Salvador in Downtown St. Pete.

you’re going to a big-box store for a chair, you can expect to pay eight, nine hundred dollars or more for a nice one.” And beyond finding the right desk chair, a nice leather lounge chair could also be a welcome addition, space permitting, because you don’t want to spend the whole day behind that desk. Increased time spent in home offices means a bigger emphasis on aesthetics. No one looks forward to spending full workdays in a drab room, devoid of pizazz or any personal touches. The dominant aesthetic for the last several years has been sleek and modern, although Green of Ethan Allen says he still has some clients — mostly older, high-ranking execs — who want big mahogany desks and the traditional accoutrements that signal power. Designers are using more color. White or white-ish walls are on the decline. Grays and neutrals, while fine, are giving way to mid-toned greens, blues, corals and burnt orange, Smart says, along with natural woods. “Generally speaking, the trend is for more color,” she adds. “My dream office would be a mix of natural woods with spruce-green walls that add some depth.” www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Home Office Moreover, Smart sees the home office as a place where “if someone wants to experiment, offices are a great place to do it — like ‘Let’s go crazy in this space and try something fun.’” Newly full-time home workers looking for an office makeover may be skittish about having a designer or furniture retailer come into their home. Not a problem. New technologies allow the entire design process to be done remotely. Ethan Allen, with its highly customizable furniture line, has in-house designers who (at no extra cost) will create an office virtually and present it online to clients, who can then refine and tweak. The retailer also has apps that allow customers to design entire offices on their own. That leaves delivery and set-up. Green certainly expects to be selling more and more home office furniture into the future. “There’s never been a time when it makes more sense,” he says. “With the COVID situation, more people are asking, ‘Can I do this all at home?’ ‘Is it really possible?’ ‘Can I still be effective?’ ‘Can I still be accessible?’ “The answer to all those, especially today, is: Yes.”

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CORNER OFFICE: The cozy reading corner in a home office designed by Smart for a female executive in North Carolina, complete with bar cart.

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Driving Force

RV One’s Don Strollo talks about the importance of giving back. STORY BY DAVID WARNER

STRONGER TOGETHER: Matt (left) and Don Strollo of RV One.

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Benefactors

amily is a subject that comes up a lot when you talk to it’s a little bit more easy than an open house — you can call Don Strollo. a dealershp and say, ‘I would like to look at seven RVs in 15 And no wonder. He and his brothers, Matt and Mark minutes.’” Strollo, grew up in the family’s recreational vehicle business, Having been in the business in New York and Florida for years, which their father founded in 1984 in Albany, New York. After he’s no stranger to crises. “We’ve been through 9/11, hurricanes their parents’ retirement, Don bought the business and ex- —things that have had an impact before. In a time of need, it’s panded into Florida, South Carolina and the Midwest, grow- good to focus on our customers.” ing the annual revenue from $9 million to $400 million in a Accordingly, the company has reached out financially, giving space of 25 years. The company was so successful that in 2018 incentives to RV buyers to match the amount of their stimulus it was acquired by RV Retailer, LLC, a rapidly expanding con- checks up to $1,200, and logistically: RV Retailer is donating sortium of recreational vehicle dealers out of Fort Lauderdale the use of several multi-purpose RV units in Florida, New York, with sales in excess of $1 billion via 33 locations across the US. Texas and surrounding states to help support first responders and Don Strollo, in addition to his now-shared owner- hospitals. ship of RV Superstores, became RV Retailer’s Eastern But Strollo is accustomed to giving back. It runs in the family. US Region President, and was able to share the bounty “My parents gave back even though they didn’t have much,” he with another family — his long-time employees. says. “So when you get to a point in your life when you are able to I’d heard that he’d been extraordinarily generous to them, and have something extra, [giving] is just something you have to do.” asked about it during a phone conversation in early May with He and his wife, Stacey, who live in the Orlando area with their Strollo and Famous Rhodes, chief marketing officer and chief two teenage daughters, are longtime supporters of the Make-Atechnical officer for RV Retailer. He didn’t answer right away. Wish Foundation both regionally and nationally. The company He worked around to it with a story about... his family. helps, too, donating RVs to families so they can spend time with “I grew up with a father who was a first responder,” he said. children in the last months of their lives. “Before getting into the RV business he was a police officer in “You don’t realize how fortunate you are till you see others New York State, and he always emphasized teamwork. who are stricken by these kinds of challenges.” Like Michael Jordan said, ‘Talent wins games, but He and his family also support Orlando’s Second “You don’t teamwork and intelligence wins championships.’ Harvest Food Bank as donors and volunteers and realize how “[RV One] had 20 consecutive years of growth two non-profits in Tampa, home of his brother fortunate you are till and profitability — never a down year,” he Matt, RV Retailer’s VP of Business Development. you see others who are continued. I couldn’t personally thank my team High Risk Hope improves outcomes for premature stricken by these kinds enough for what they did over the years. So it babies, a cause important to Matt because he had a of challenges.” was exciting to me, when we were in the position child born premature; Kennedy Cares Tampa Bay to join RV Retailers, to give just a small token of our helps low-income families. appreciation.” Strollo has seen enormous changes in RVs over the How small? decades, some of it quite recent. “Mobile wifi, heated floors, air “Suffice to say, millions of dollars in bonuses for employees conditioning, USB ports… Sixty percent of RVs we sell have working 10, 20 years for the company.” solar panel tops; 10 years ago you couldn’t buy one with solar.” But, he emphasized, it wasn’t because anyone had approached Rhodes concurred. “The technology quality over the last 30 him for a bonus. years has leapfrogged.” “Not one person asked for a dime.” But some things don’t change. The design of the classic Airstream, In a way, it makes perfect sense that a man who runs an RV for instance. RV One built the Airstream of Tampa dealership in company would place a high value on teams and families. An Dover in 2018. An Airstream museum as much as a showroom, RV is, after all, kind of the ultimate family vehicle — one you not it was ranked the #1 Airstream dealer in the world in May 2020.) only travel in but live in, often for weeks on end, where a happy “Airstream hasn’t changed its Silver Bullet exterior design since co-existence depends on a willingness to share your space. Its self- 1931,” Strollo says admiringly. “And 70 percent of the Airstreams containment has made it particularly appealing in these days of built then are still on the planet and still working.” self-isolation; at least if you have to quarantine you can do it on And the other thing that’s stayed the same: “The RV industry the road (as long as you can find an RV campground that’s open). has always been about family fun — going to great places like Strollo has seen an increased interest in RVs for those reasons. Yellowstone, the beach — so that hasn’t changed that much.” “RVs have come a little bit more to the forefront with consumers,” But there’s a limit to the fun. When he told his daughter Serena he said. “They rank really high as vacation options that naturally that he learned how to drive by moving RVs around at his promote social distancing.” parents’ dealership — when he was 12 — she asked if she could Like all businesses, however, RV dealerships have had to adjust do the same. On an RV One lot. their protocols in order to keep customers safe. Strollo has found He had to tell her to keep waiting, as “Nowadays you need to video walk-throughs to be surprisingly effective. be 16 to hop behind a wheel and not make the front pages of a “At first I was wondering how this would work,” he said. “But newspaper.” www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

Back to the Future Start planning now and follow these expert tips. STORY BY MEGAN PADILLA

GLOBAL OR LOCAL? The world still beckons â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will you give it a whirl? 56 www.duPontREGISTRY.com

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Travel

nticipating a trip is a lot like looking forward to a special meal. Both offer the promise of pleasure, a carnival for the senses and a break from our everyday life. In light of the uncertainties resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, planning for when — and where — we can safely and freely travel again is also a way of kindling hope. So we say, seize the day — but do so with extra protection to back you up, just in case. Here are some guidelines to give you peace of mind as you shimmy back into the travel-planning saddle.

Lean on the experts

and make contingency plans for upcoming trips,” says Julie Loffredi, manager of media relations for Insuremytrip.com, an online travel insurance site that enables users to compare policies from different underwriters. “People who have never purchased travel insurance before want to know more,” says Loffredi. Comprehensive travel insurance is designed to protect your investment in case an unexpected event results in trip cancellation, interruption or requires a medical evacuation. Policies change by company, but they typically include an array of reasons, from medical issues to job losses. Read the fine print carefully, and make sure you understand what is covered, and what isn’t. “Travel insurance companies are updating their statements about coverage every day,” says Loffredi. As response to the pandemic is constantly evolving, so does the fine print of travel insurance.

The benefits of working with an experienced travel advisor can’t be understated, especially now. Every agent has some special travel gems in their portfolio that they love to match with the right client, and they’re not just useful for international trips: A drive or a domestic The See if you can CFAR flight within the U.S. can still connect you benefits with extraordinary experiences. You may have heard of CFAR, aka of working with In addition to knowing what’s great Cancel For Any Reason. It’s the gold an experienced travel where (and who may be having special standard add-on of comprehensive travel advisor can’t be deals), seasoned travel advisors are wellinsurance that allows you to cancel your understated, informed about the solvency of various trip up to 48-72 hours prior to departure, especially now. suppliers and can steer you away from a for any reason. bad investment, which is key during this However, companies such as Travelex tumultuous economic climate. And when Insurance, underwritten by Berkshire it comes to navigating travel insurance, they can Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, no longer match your circumstances with the right provider offer the CFAR upgrade. Your travel advisor will be and policy. You can find a travel advisor through apprised of the latest updates. vetted travel consortiums like Virtuoso or Signature Timing is everything Travel. To get the most out of your insurance coverage, Get the facts purchase it as soon as possible after making the In this climate, no one has a magic 8-ball to tell first payment on your trip, whether it is for airfare, you when or where you’ll be able to travel. accommodations or a deposit on a cruise or tour. “Travelers must make their own decisions and Travel insurers often include pre-existing conditions determine their own risk tolerance by staying only for coverage booked within a certain time informed,” says Erika Richter, the senior director period after putting money down, and you don’t of communications for American Society of Travel want to miss out. Your travel advisor will help you Advisors (ASTA). either predict the total cost of your trip, or work Within the context of the tsunami of sharing with you to increase the total coverage as you add on social media, Richter advises travelers to components to your trip planning. stick to primary sources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World ••• Health Organization, the U.S. State Department’s travel advisories and the Department of Homeland Yes, we’ll be learning how to co-exist with Security. COVID-19 until a vaccine is widely in use. But the world is still beckoning us to explore. With adjusted Protect your investment expectations, travel insurance and a trusted travel “Travelers are trying to understand their options advisor, your next adventure awaits. www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com 57 www.duPontREGISTRY.com 57

What My Neighbor Told the White House U.S. Travel Association President Roger Dow is sharing his expertise with the powers that be. STORY BY CINDY COCKBURN Roger Dow, president of the U.S. Travel Association and St. Petersburg resident.

ack in April I was looking forward to a 10 a.m. chat on the phone with my St. Petersburg neighbor, Roger Dow. How were he and his wife Linda coping, I wondered? We would usually see each other over Sunday brunch at our fave restaurant near the beach in Pass-a-Grille. Now after five weeks of social distancing, we only bump into each other in the toilet paper aisle at Publix. Time to catch up. And then I got an email from his assistant asking if we could chat later instead of earlier because the president needed to speak to him first. Yes, that president. My Old Northeast neighbor leads the U.S. Travel Association. His mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. As president of the national, non-profit organization, he represents all components of the travel industry that generate $2.6 trillion in economic output and support 15.8 million jobs. In March, he’d been invited to the White House to discuss the catastrophic economic impact of COVID-19 on the hotel industry, its employees and U.S. economy. During the April phone call, he was asked to join the President’s Recovery Task Force. “The focus will be how quickly we can get America back up again safely,” he told me. “The president is supportive, and said while it is up to the governors to decide, we need to get our restaurants up and running, go to ball games again, go out. It is clear we cannot remain at home. “Now more than ever,” he added, “the travel and tourism community must come together, support each other and remind our country that even through the most difficult times, the spirit of travel cannot be broken.” On May 4, Dow and the U.S. Travel Association shared a document with the White House and all 50 governors called “Travel in the New Normal.” It contains detailed guidance for travel-related businesses to help keep their customers and employees safe as the country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. “We want political leaders and the public alike to see that our industry is setting a very high standard for reducing the risk of coronavirus in our businesses,” said Dow, “and that the practices in place to achieve that standard are consistent through every phase of the travel experience.” The well-being of employees and guests is always the No. 1 priority 58 58 www.duPontREGISTRY.com www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

of travel businesses, Dow told me. But a secondary objective of the “Travel in the New Normal” guidance is to restore consumers’ confidence in the travel process, in the hope that travel demand will rebound quickly and the industry can help power a robust economic and jobs recovery. “We will not encourage people to travel until public health experts and authorities have made it clear that it’s the right time to do so,” Dow said. “Our industry’s focus is on preparing for that moment, and on demonstrating that our preparations are comprehensive and informed by the counsel of top experts. “The ability to travel freely is not only a fundamental part of the American way of life, but also supports the livelihoods of millions,” Dow said. “We are very determined to return to travel and the new normal as quickly as circumstances will allow.” “The ‘Travel in the New Normal’ guidance — as well as the entire effort to produce this work — can serve as a model for collaboration between the business and medical communities that forges a path toward healing both the public health and the economy,” Dow said. That guidance is focused on six main areas, with the document providing specific examples for each: Travel businesses should do the following: • Adapt operations, modify employee practices and/or redesign public spaces to help protect employees and customers. • Consider implementing touchless solutions, where practical, to limit the opportunity for virus transmission while also enabling a positive travel experience. • Adopt and implement enhanced sanitation procedures specifically designed to combat the transmission of COVID-19. • Promote health screening measures for employees and isolate workers with possible COVID-19 symptoms and provide health resources to customers. • Establish a set of procedures aligned with CDC guidance should an employee test positive for COVID-19. • Follow best practices in food and beverage service to promote health of employees and customers. Let the president in the White House keep talking to my neighbor, the president of the U.S. Travel Association. We want to dream and book and pack and plan again. Amen.

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AUTO

SPONSORED BY CROWN AUTOMOTIVE

A Feather in Kiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cap

The new Telluride SUV is all about quality. STORY AND PHOTOS BY HOWARD WALKER

60 www.duPontREGISTRY.com

AUTO

efore the stripped-down, bare-naked bodyshell of every new Kia Telluride SUV is given a final, gleaming coat of color, there’s one key preparation process it has to go through. It’s dusted with emu feathers. Not any old feathers. But the slightly shaggy, gray-brown plumage of Australia’s non-flying, somewhat oddball native bird. “Emu feathers are electro-statically charged, so can pick up the minutest specks of dust. And because the feathers have a large surface area, they provide a lot of coverage. There’s nothing man-made that can match them.” That’s T.J. explaining. As in T.J. White, the all-knowing paint production manager at Kia’s KMMG West Point, Georgia assembly plant, who before the coronavirus shutdown gave me an in-depth tour of his pride-and-joy facility. “In this day and age, it seems crazy that we’d use bird feathers in such a high-tech environment,” he explains. “But they help give us the quality paint finish we demand. If they didn’t work, we wouldn’t use them.” Quality. That’s the word you hear over and over again in any conversation with T.J. and his team. It’s a word you’ll hear repeated when talking to any of the 2,700 workers employed at this state-of-the-art assembly plant alongside I-85, an hour’s drive from Atlanta. And after spending a week driving a top-of-the-line, Georgia-built 2020 Telluride SX, it’s the overwhelming feel of quality oozing out of every pore of this $47,000 SUV that impresses the most. Yep, that’s the bargain-basement price of this flagship model. And that’s with it loaded to its roof-rails with seemingly every conceivable luxury feature. That means gorgeous nappa leather trim that’s doublestitched, quilted, perforated and extra-padded. And front and second-row seats that are heated and ventilated. Then there’s the stunning open-pore wood on the dash and stylish brushed metal trim. The cabin is just gorgeous.

And this is a bona-fide three-row, seven-seater — or eight-seater with the second-row bench. The second-row captain’s chairs come standard with the SX, and they’re like mini La-Z-Boys. What’s also impressive here is that the third row can actually seat adults — perfect when you need to sociallydistance yourself from Aunt Peggy. As a load-carrier the Telluride also nails it, thanks to its barn door-like tailgate opening and easy-fold seats. Flip forward the second and third rows and the Kia will swallow up to 87 cubic feet of cargo. That’s huge. See it out on the streets and it is definitely a looker. I love its clean-cut lines, the bold Kia-trademark “tiger’s nose” grille, those cool, halo-ringed, stacked headlights and macho 20-inch gloss-black wheels. All this, and it drives great, too. Just climb aboard, hit that pushbutton start, dial up “Sport” and punch it. Power comes from Kia’s trusty, though admittedly a little oldschool, 3.8-liter direct-injection V6 cranking out 291 horseys. It’s mated to a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. Sport mode livens up the throttle and and speeds up the steering to give the Telluride a sportier feel. But I was happy to dial back to “Comfort” mode and enjoy the creamy ride and near total lack of engine noise. And for a tall-bodied, three-row SUV, the big Kia feels remarkably nimble and composed through the curves. There’s little to no body lean, turn-in is precise, and there’s more grip than a case of Fixodent. Kia designers and engineers have done an astonishingly good job creating this new Telluride, while the folks at the West Point plant are doing a fine job building it. And the best part? No emus are sacrificed in the pursuit of paint perfection. These are feathers that fell out during molting. Test-drive the 2020 Kia Telluride at Century Kia of Tampa, Crown Kia of St. Pete, Lokey Kia of Clearwater and Courtesy Kia of Brandon. Look for Howard Walker’s online column, “Weekend Wheels,” every Friday at dupontregistrytampabay.com.

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No Waiting

How a store manager in Massachusetts beat the pants off Amazon. STORY BY ERIC SNIDER

AT YOUR SERVICE: Aaron Martin, a store manager at Safe & Sound in Chicopee, MA.

HOME AUDIO

y amp died. Technically it was a Marantz SR5005 A/V Receiver. The black box had reliably driven my SurroundSound and audio systems for more than 10 years, so I couldn’t really be mad at it. The Marantz had served me well. It was exhausted. RIP, Marantz. My wife Bonnie and I tried using just the audio from my 54-inch plasma TV, also about 10 years old. I like the warmth of the picture. The sound? Not so much. It made dialogue a muddled mess and emitted farting sounds in the bass. “What did she say?” “Can you rewind that?” — echoed through the house nightly. So did the occasional, “Can’t you HEAR?” and, with more frequency: “This sound SUCKS!” After a week it was clear something had to be RECEIVER, RECEIVED: The author’s new Denon. done. I figured trying to find the right replacement amp, purchasing it, and — most frightening of all — (Example: six weeks to receive a set of new Scrabble hooking it up, was going to test my sanity. But I’ve got letters.) time, so, bravely, I dove in. “Nice-looking cardboard box,” I thought, as I Researching the products was actually kind of fun. moved it into a corner. Installation would have to wait I recommend plugging into your search engine at least a day. The following morning I liberated something like “best value in [insert gear the amp and started the process of wiring it type].” Countless sites review and rank the up. Here’s where I spare you a description products. (My go-to is c/net.) You can I got to talk of the confusion and frustration I also add phrases like “under $1,000” or to a real human with experienced — because, y’know, no “over $10,000” to your search. oodles of product one wants to relive a nightmare. At one In a couple hours I had my choices knowledge — and point, the Denon just kept shutting down boiled down to a Denon and an Onkyo no on-hold no matter what button on the remote I model. Then, as if my dead amp were wait time! pushed. I called Denon customer service messaging me from the electronics and left a message. Then a thought: Why afterlife, another choice crossed my not give Safe & Sound a buzz and see if they computer screen: a Denon X-3500, a step can help? It was around 4 p.m. Aaron answered up at $1,000 list, for $549. Amazon had it. But I on the first ring. knew that if I bought it from them I’d be completely He stayed on the phone with us for an hour, right on my own. up until closing time at 5. Walked us through arcane I did a quick search and found the unit for the same exercises like speaker calibration. Every set-up step price from an outfit in Chicopee, MA called Safe & that appeared on my TV screen he knew by heart, Sound. I dialed the 800 number. Someone answered and could easily troubleshoot. Damn if it didn’t work on the second ring. Let the miracles begin. — and sound great. I offered to send him a check. He Aaron Martin, one of the store managers, was on thought I was kidding. I wasn’t. He declined, said he the other end of the line, ready to help. We discussed was just doing his job. my product options in detail and decided that moving Besides getting a quality product at a great price up to the Denon X-3500 made sense because of the very quickly, with shockingly remarkable customer sale price. Let me pause here to emphasize: I got service, I also saved $38.43 on sales tax. to talk with a real human with oodles of product Denon customer service never called back. knowledge. With no on-hold wait time! I purchased the unit then and there, on April 13, via Safe & Sound’s online ordering portal. It shipped (free) the same day, and arrived four days later. This beats the pants off Amazon, which has moved inessential merchandise down the list of deliverables. www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

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Viva Tramonta Rosa! A vintage estate on Snell Isle weaves a spell. STORY BY DAVID WARNER

EVERYTHINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COMING UP ROSA: The villa at sunset. 64 www.duPontREGISTRY.com

All photos courtesy of Nyoman Photography.

REAL ESTATE: Living History

f you’ve ever driven around Snell Isle, you know the house at 307 Brightwaters Boulevard NE. Or rather, you know its gazebo. Before being purchased from the City of St. Petersburg in 2017 by the home’s present owners, Mary and Kevin Semcken, the gazebo was a favorite public gathering spot — the first structure built on the island by developer C. Perry Snell in 1911. He went on to sell more than $7 million worth of lots to builders like S.V. Schooley, whose Italianate villas help give Snell Isle its distinctive aura. The house at 307 Brightwaters is a Schooley creation, c. 1928, and it’s kind of magical. Less imposing (but arguably more appealing) than the iconic Snell-Bishop House a few doors down, the sixbedroom estate is known as “Villa Tramonta Rosa,” meaning “The Mansion with the Rose Sunset.” The house is perched directly across from the Coffee Pot Bayou bird preserve, affording an ever-changing vista of avian life.

OH, FLORIDA: A Florida Room with a view.

VINTAGE BEAUTY: French doors and a marble fireplace in the living room.

Since purchasing the mansion six years ago, the owners have restored it to its original beauty, repainting the exterior a gleaming white. They also completed an $850,000 expansion in 2017 that includes a two-car garage with separate space for a golf cart, a nicely appointed guest apartment and an outdoor kitchen. Inside the main house, the plumbing has all been redone and the double-paned windows restored, and while some restoration has yet to be completed, plans and materials are ready to go. So why leave such a beautiful place? “We have four sons in their 20s, and when they come here they want to go over to the beaches,” says Mary. “So we’re going to the beaches just to save on Uber.” Plus, as co-owner of a company that distributes

“The roseate spoonbills are roosting right now!” enthused Realtor Melody Stang during my visit to the home in late March. It’s the kind of house that stirs the imagination. The balcony — perfect spot for a proposal (or for watching rose sunsets over the St. Pete skyline).The many-windowed Florida room with a view of the bay — you could sit and read there for hours. The Mediterranean-inflected touches — tile roof, arched windows, marble fireplace — conjure an authentic period charm you can’t find in a new house. The Semckens, who also have homes in Chicago and Colorado, looked for a place in Florida for five years before landing in St. Pete. In Tramonta Rosa, Mary found a home with the vintage pedigree she loved and something else she’d always wanted: its own dock. BE OUR GUEST: The appealing guest apartment. www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com 65 www.duPontREGISTRY.com 65

REAL ESTATE: Living History

VIEWPOINTS (clockwise from above): The home and the bird preserve; the Florida Room; an upstairs deck; and the breakfast nook.

luxury consumer goods, she travels a lot, and maintaining a house like this one requires an owner who’s on site more often. “It’s a big commitment to own a feature home like this,” she says. “I really want the next owner to be somebody who loves it like I do.”

The home at 307 Brightwaters Blvd NE is being listed at $3,335,000. To view the house in person, call Melody Stang at 727-742-9299. The owners have made sure it’s safe to visit, having removed “anything that can’t be cleaned with alcohol,” says Mary Stemcken. “The house is just completely clean.”

66 66 www.duPontREGISTRY.com www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

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REAL ESTATE

Crown Jewel in Old Northeast 756 Bay Street NE, St. Petersburg $1,500,000

rare opportunity to own a crown jewel in Old Northeast steps away from the vibrant downtown and waterfront. This meticulous 1910 Craftsman home has been completely restored while updated with all of the modern conveniences demanded in 2020. The property sits on a 64 x 120 corner lot and boasts 3 porches, 4 gas fireplaces, heated and cooled swimming pool, legal detached income-producing one-bedroom Carriage House with full kitchen and bath, a two-car garage and a privately fenced motor court with electronic gate for additional vehicles. This magnificent restoration was completed over 4 years by a local award-winning preservationist. From foundation to finish this gem exudes the highest quality in architectural design and craftsmanship while maintaining the period moldings, finishes and heart pine wood floors throughout. The total square footage consists of 3,654 SF (main house 2,982 SF / carriage house 672 SF). Newly added fencing, brick pillars and professional xeriscape landscaping round out the property. This property was awarded The Historic Preservation Award, The Home of the Year for Beautification and was featured in the Old Northeast Candlelight Tour of Homes. Schedule your private showing to see this historic gem!

Sharon Kantner and Brian Waechter 727-278-5866 | 727-643-2708 Smith & Associates Real Estate

www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com 68 www.duPontREGISTRY.com

REAL ESTATE

Waterfront Estate on Belleview Island 418 St. Andrews Drive | $3,499,000

Photos by Florida Visual Marketing

stunning statement of refinement and coastal comfort. This impeccably designed, tropically landscaped estate on a double lot sits atop 2.29 acres in the highly sought after, double gated, private island community of Belleview Island with only 31 homes, and 159’ of seawall. This 5,734sf, 5 bedroom, 5½ bath, 3 floor elevator, custom home is the perfect setting for indulgent relaxation or lavish entertaining both inside and outside the home, with wrap around verandas and terraces that capture unobstructed water views. You will immediately take note of the exceptionally fine details, extraordinary luxury appointments and incredible architectural features in this home, which are as distinctively stylish as they are tastefully comfortable. Scott & Amy Ferguson | 727-644-1254 | www.418StAndrews.com

A Boaters Delight in Clearwater Beach! 909 Bay Esplanade | $1,750,000

oaters delight! Located on North Clearwater Beach, this 3-Bed/3.5-Bath home is positioned on a 95 x 199’ lot with deep water dock, covered boat lift plus a shady and spacious backyard. You will have magnificent water views of Clearwater Harbor/St Joseph’s Sound & Moonshine Island from the large bay windows expanding the perimeter of the home. Enjoy the beach life! Martha Thorn with The Thorn Collection 727-432-9019 Coldwell Banker Realty

www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com www.duPontREGISTRY.com 69

SMITH IS HOME. In times of change, we are always here.

OLD NORTHEAST WATERFRONT 1936 Coffee Pot Boulevard NE 5 Bed | 5/1 Bath | 4,901 SF | $3,225,000 Stratton / Momberg 727.432.8408

SNELL ISLE NEW CONSTRUCTION 962 Snell Isle Boulevard NE 5 Bed | 5/1 Bath | 4,232 SF | $1,895,000 B-G Holmberg 813.220.0643

STEEPLECHASE 11207 Sunny Delight Court 6 Bed | 5/3 Bath | 6,641 SF | $1,725,000 Dina Sierra Smith 813.760.6354

BEACH PARK 4207 W Dale Avenue 4 Bed | 3/1 Bath | 3,306 SF | $1,199,000 Mary Pond & Ed Gunning 813.690.7902

HARBOUR ISLAND 1044 Royal Pass Road 4 Bed | 3/1 Bath | 3,404 SF | $1,175,000 Traci Burns 813.833.7510

BROADWATER 4301 48th Avenue S 4 Bed | 3 Bath | 2,414 SF | $899,000 Debbie Zito 727.865.8326

WESTCHASE 10305 Greenhedges Drive 4 Bed | 3 Bath | 2,977 SF | $650,000 The Wood Team 813.957.3941

HOWELL PARK 2405 S Ardson Place #704A 2 Bed | 2/1 Bath | Den | 2,867 SF | $585,000 Mary Esther Parker 813.610.1500

WESTCHASE 10103 Bennington Drive 4 Bed | 3 Bath | 2,445 SF | $449,000 Tiffany Spyridakos 727.641.9869

Saltaire arrives to take its place as the dazzling new crown jewel of the St. Petersburg bayfront. This iconic tower features luxurious residences with dramatic walls of glass and over-sized terraces showcasing fabulous city and bay views. A private, elevated amenity deck with resort style pool and private cabanas overlooks Tampa Bay. The ideal bayfront location puts all the arts, dining, culture and conveniences of downtown St. Pete at your doorstep. Starting in the $800s NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Schedule your virtual presentation today! 727.240.3840 saltairestpete.com

Ideally located on Bayshore Boulevard in the Hyde Park Historic District, this stately residential tower offers sweeping views of Hillsborough Bay and the Downtown Tampa skyline. Appointed with the finest quality interior finishes, features, and appliances, contemporary open floorplans include soaring great rooms with chef-inspired kitchens that flow into spacious dining and social areas. Abundant terraces extend living space outdoors, creating the perfect setting for entertaining family and friends. Starting in the $900s NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Schedule your virtual presentation today! 813.649.3700 hydeparkbayshore.com

LOCAL â&#x2122;Ľ GLOBAL REACH

OurGlobal Global Partners Our Partners

REAL ESTATE

Japanese Inspired Waterfront 797 Nina Drive, Tierra Verde $2,597,000

eminiscent of a Japanese tea garden, this unique waterfront home will revitalize your senses creating tranquility & ease. The multi-level fountain acts as the centerpiece of the large circular drive welcoming you to the grand entrance with carved teak wood doors. A visually pristine foyer features a central atrium throughout multi-levels of this home along with koi pond & bridge leading up the marble & glass stairway to the second level. Garage access on each side of the entry features room for several cars. Two guest bedrooms both with en-suite baths reside on either side of stairwell; both with stunning look-out windows to the atrium foyer just below with stained glass windows and French door access to the wrap around balcony leading to direct open Gulf front views. An absolutely incredible living room features wet bar, cathedral ceilings with stunning built-in teak wood design plus skylights overlooking tree tops of the atrium & panoramic views of the open Gulf of Mexico, Shell Key and Pass-A-Grille. The spiral staircase off the balcony ventures down to the pool side, covered lanai and boat dock. Off the living room the master retreat features en-suite bath with dual vanity with gold/crystal accents, large sitting area with windows & doors surrounding the perimeter of the room and leading to the balcony. Enjoy a private kitchen with door leading from the kitchen with granite counters and modern cabinetry; nearby laundry, breakfast nook & formal dining room looks out to water views. www.797NinaDrive.com

Martha Thorn with The Thorn Collection | 727-432-9019 Coldwell Banker Realty

www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

w w w. Pr em ier eGulfcoa stProperties .com

418 St. Andrews Dr, Belleair on Belleview Island www.418StAndrews.com

Scott & Amy Ferguson

Broker Associate, GRI, SRS, RSPS, MRP

727.744.0993

Scott@FergusonPGP.com

Real Estate Advisor, GRI, RSPS, MRP, CIPS

727.644.1254

Amy@FergusonPGP.com

www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

Dania Perry

Luxury & Waterfront Specialist MOBILE: 727-215-2045 dania.perry@gmail.com www.DaniaPerry.com

Dania Sold $112M+ in 2019 and more than $1B in residential real estate throughout Tampa Bay

REDINGTON GRAND – REDINGTON BEACH

BAYSHORE DRIVE NE – ST. PETERSBURG

One of the most spectacular beachfront luxury condominiums available anywhere in Tampa Bay! This 4 bedroom, 4 bath, 5200 sqft residence boasts magnificent coastal contemporary finishes, a sublime gourmet chef’s kitchen and a dazzling 1000 sqft (mol) oceanfront balcony with separate dining and sitting areas, large wet bar and an astonishing, oversized mini-pool/spa! Beautiful and rare. Offered for $2,100,000.

Brilliant artisan-quality workmanship with extensive use of cast stone/marble/granite and cherry wood, combine to deliver a singularly inspiring living experience throughout this 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath, 5000sqft estate. Soaring 22ft ceilings, superb luxury kitchen, spacious media room, elegant office, gorgeous family/living rooms, wonderful outdoor entertainment area. Offered for $1,750,000.

SUNSET BEACH – TREASURE ISLAND

HUNTER’S GREEN – TAMPA

Toes in the sand in just 10 seconds! Beachfront luxury & versatility with spectacular views. Feel the sweet Gulf breezes & gentle rolling waves! Block construction home offers 4BR, 3+2 half baths as a single family, or 2-family with 2BR, 1.5BA & 2BR, 2.5BA. Entire interior has been wonderfully updated with elegant coastal contemporary themes. Offered for $1,699,000.

A magnificent “Southern Living” estate located in a highly-acclaimed golf community. This 6 bedroom, 6.5 bath, 6620sqft home boasts a dazzling array of luxury finishes. Brilliant gourmet kitchen, spectacular wine room, impressive outdoor luxury kitchen/bar and 2800sqft screen enclosed pool, hot tub and wet bar. Offered for $1,395,000.

The Dania Difference • The Professional Difference • The Real Difference in Real Estate 74

CENTURY 21 www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

JIM WHITE AND ASSOC. • 10645 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island, FL 33706

#1 CENTURY 21 Realtor in the World for the 7th time!

Dania Perry

Luxury & Waterfront Specialist MOBILE: 727-215-2045 dania.perry@gmail.com www.DaniaPerry.com

BELLEAIR BEACH

KIPPS COLONY – PASADENA Y & CC

Enjoy huge open intracoastal waterviews from this spectacular double lot with 256 feet of sprawling seawall! Located in one of Tampa Bay’s premier waterfront communities, this remodeled 3245 sqft home features a sumptuous kitchen and gorgeous living spaces thru-out. Swimming pool, updated seawall, composite dock, 35K lift, dual jetski platform and much more. Offered for $2,990,000.

This spectacular and luxurious 10,769 total sqft executive estate enjoys miles of dazzling open water views! Towering ceilings, grand open living spaces and brilliant craftmanship give this remarkable home a plush, lavish appeal. Huge master suite, wide covered balconies, pool/spa, updated seawall/dock and 2 boat lifts. Offered for $2,850,000.

MARINA BAY – ST. PETERSBURG

CAPRI ISLE – TREASURE ISLAND

Magnificently finished 4-bedroom waterfront estate located in a beautiful community. Grand open gourmet kitchen. Deep water dock with dual boat lifts and rapid access to the Gulf. The best waterfront commuting location in Tampa Bay! Just 5 min to the beach, 8 min to downtown, 25 min to Tampa Airport, 30 min to Sarasota. Offered for $2,395,000.

A True Rarity – The Essence of Zen in Coastal Luxury. Remarkable 4 bedroom, 4 bath, 6830 total sqft open waterfront floorplan of masterful design and function. Towering ceilings and extraordinary finishes throughout. Impressive list of superb features and amenities. From your dock to the Gulf in four minutes! Offered for $2,380,000.

Independently Ranked one of Florida's 10 Best Real Estate Agents CENTURY 21 JIM WHITE AND ASSOC. • 10645 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island,www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com FL 33706

108 HARBOR VIEW LANE, BELLEAIR BLUFFS

This stunning five bedroom, five bath contemporary home, built in 2003 on a bluff, features peaceful waterfront views, boat dock and pool and spa. Copious windows bring the outside into the bright open plan with two living areas, study, breakfast area and kitchen with granite and stainless. Second floor master suite includes terrace, two walk-in closets and private bath. No waterfront insurance needed for the house. Offered at $2,995,000 | 108HarborViewLane.com

1509 BAYSHORE BLVD, INDIAN ROCKS BEACH

You will admire this stunning Indian Rocks home positioned along the intracoastal waterway! Thoughtful attention to detail throughout, neutral colors, crown molding, wood floors, plantation shutters and tray ceilings plus coastal exterior aesthetic with hurricane impact windows/doors, an elevator, dazzling pool with dock and boat lift. This is Florida waterfront living at its best! Offered at $2,100,000 | 1509BayshoreBlvd.com

7893 BAYOU CLUB BLVD, LARGO

Located just along the 9th & 18th fairway of the Bayou Club golf course, this impressive two-story home features lower level master, salt water pool, a spacious floor plan with new interior paint, high ceilings & attention to detail throughout. Community features include, 24-hour secure/gated entry, tennis, fitness center & clubhouse with a full social calendar. Offered at $1,247,500 | 7893BayouClubBlvd.com

The Thorn Collection | 727.432.9019 | www.TheThornCollection.com

OVER $146

MILLION SOLD IN 2019!

797 NINA DRIVE, TIERRA VERDE

Enjoy the breathtaking views along the coast of Tierra Verde; this magnificent home features open views from its wrap-around balcony of the Gulf of Mexico, Shell Key & Pass-A-Grille. With 3-BD/3-BA this home is reminiscent of a Japanese tea garden with stunning marble & carved teak wood features, koi pond with multi-level atrium, stained glass windows + waterfront pool with dock. Offered at $2,597,000 | 797NinaDrive.com

108 ALETA DRIVE, BELLEAIR BEACH

Bringing to mind a Mediterranean palazzo on the coast of Italy, this multi-level waterfront home in Belleair Beach has pool/spa, boat dock/lift, home theater, wine cellar, elevator + distinguished design throughout. Featuring a Juliet balcony overlooking the two-story foyer, balconies with water views & natural lighting; this impressive home will amaze. Offered at $2,450,000 | 108AletaDrive.com

22 SOUTH PINE CIRCLE, BELLEAIR

Nestled among the shady oak trees of Belleair, this unique waterfront 4-Bed/3.5-Bath home with 4,472 sq ft exudes comfort and charm. Smell the sweet aroma of the mature gardenia tree just outside your front door and enter this truly spectacular split floor plan. With unique vintage flooring, sparkling pool/spa & boat dock. The peaceful water views will make you feel right at home. Offered at $1,549,000 | 22SouthPine.com

The Thorn Collection | 727.432.9019 | www.TheThornCollection.com

RANKED TOP

10 COLDWELL BANKER TEAM IN THE NATION!

ÂŠ2018 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Previews logo are registered and unregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The property information.

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Offering Exceptional Service in Pinellas County and South Tampa

506 Hillsborough St, Palm, Harbor 8 Bed | 6.5 Bath | 6,933 SqFt | $3,950,000

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813.318.2408

2539 Gary Circle #206, Dunedin

LindaRossPreston@CoastalPGI.com www.ExclusiveCoastalHomes.com 423 Mandalay Ave., Suite 102 | Clearwater Beach, FL 33767

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Service-Minded

While facing their own pressures, many area restaurants have reached out to help those in need. STORY BY DAVID WARNER THEY HEART HARTING: Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest hosted 3 Daughters Brewing co-owner Leigh Harting on their May 5 program.

t’s well-known that COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the hospitality industry, particularly among restaurants, breweries and bars. The toll in job loss, in business pressures, in plain old emotional stress is still being assessed, even as establishments are gradually re-opening under social-distancing guidelines. But amidst the chaos, it’s been heartening to see how many folks in the hospitality biz nevertheless felt the need to step up and help out. Here are just a few examples: Newk’s Eatery and Caribbean Cafe. Cassandra Abel works for Newk’s, the regional fast-casual chain, and her father, Jimmy Abel, owns the Caribbean Cafe in St. Petersburg. She has helped arrange for the two restaurants to feed 1,250 people over a period of three weeks in April and May, including hospital employees in departments like environmental services and security. Newk’s owner Rama Kommireddy lives in Wesley Chapel, and Abel says he has raised $2,600 from his Tampa contacts “to feed as many as we can.” At her dad’s restaurant, she has helped facilitate food donations to ALPHA House of Pinellas County and the VA Hospital, among others. “I’m just the matchmaker,” she says. The Burg Diner. St. Petersburg clearly has a friend in Bill Georgiou, and not just because his two restaurants incorporate the town’s nickname (the other is the Burg Bar & Grill). He’s a generous guy, as evidenced by the hungry folks who enjoyed the free pancake breakfasts he was serving on Wednesday and Thursday mornings through early May. “Anything that we can do to help,” he told St. Pete Catalyst’s Bill DeYoung in April. Smokin’ J’s Real Texas BBQ. “You know, it would make the world a better place if everybody thought of somebody

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else,” owner John Riesebeck told the Tampa Bay Times in March. And he’s been showing the world how to do that on a regular basis, giving away free bag lunches Wednesdays to Sundays from noon to 2 p.m. at his Gulfport restaurant. 3 Daughters Brewing. Many breweries made a crisisdriven shift to hand-sanitizer production (alcohol being the common ingredient), but the co-owners of St. Pete’s 3 Daughters Brewing, Mike and Leigh Harting, made national pre-Mother’s Day news in May when Leigh appeared on Live with Kelly and Ryan. During the show, Ryan Seacrest announced a pledge of $5,000 to the brewery’s efforts from the digital payments company Zelle. In a recent newsletter, 3 Daughters reported that they had donated over 4,000 gallons of hand sanitizer (nearly 10,000 individual containers) to frontline and essential workers, and that they’d also given away over 80 cases of beer “to the local heroes who have put their health on the line in the name of keeping ours intact.” Gratzzi Italian Grill. Tony Mangiafico, chef/owner of this popular downtown St. Pete eatery, led a team of volunteers in making and delivering close to 9,000 free four-course Hospitality Meals to service and hospital workers over a period of eight weeks ending May 8. “I want to tell them that somebody is there that cares for them,” Mangiafico told Bay News 9 in April. Fantastica! Bern’s Steak House. Bern’s held a fundraiser that only this famed Tampa steakhouse could offer — they sold its famous steak sandwiches to-go for the benefit of laid-off staff, launching the initiative with a $10,000 donation to the tip jar on Mar. 30. Sandwich purchases added $6,500 more, with Bern’s committing to match $2 of each sale through May 8. The total raised? $40,000!

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Food & Drink

Spirits Rise

The ABC’s of selling liquor during a pandemic. STORY BY TRACEY SEREBIN

WELCOME SIGHT: An ABC store in Oviedo, FL.

and we are constantly adjusting as recommendations t’s not just restaurants that are having to find evolve.” new ways of serving the public during the current Measures taken so far include signage reminding crisis. Wine purveyors and liquor stores are facing people of the six-foot social distancing rules; checklists challenges, too. But there’s this big difference: Where many for team members to make sure they’re cleaning and restaurants are struggling to stay afloat, wine and sanitizing constantly, especially the handles on carts, liquor stores are seeing a big uptick in business. baskets and checkout areas; cashier shields at the With 125 stores statewide, ABC Fine Wine & register; and masks for all store personnel. Contactless Spirits had to adapt overnight to meet the demand curbside pickup was instituted early on, and there’s of customers, says ABC Chief Marketing Officer now the option of contactless pay at the register. Sean Kelly. That included allowing for a shift Despite the increase in online ordering, in buying habits, as customers who would says Kelly, the vast majority of guests still normally buy just a bottle or two of wine prefer to go to their local ABC store, look With 125 stores are now buying cases at a time, and bottles around, talk to the associates that they statewide, ABC Fine of liquor are being requested in larger know and purchase their bottles. Wine & Spirits had to sizes. Online orders doubled immediately I can totally understand. Being a wine adapt overnight to meet girl, roaming the aisles in a favorite wine and kept doubling, which prompted the the demand of store and choosing several special bottles introduction of curbside delivery and customers. of wine is akin to visiting an old friend. an increase in regular home deliveries, in some cases delivering the same day orders are Nowadays, it’s the equivalent of a big day received. out. “On daily response calls with the stores,” says But if those trips to the store can’t include a Kelly, “we had to adjust rapidly to the increased convivial moment of sampling wines and chatting with demand and figure out what could be done to keep the a wine rep anymore, never fear: ABC has that covered, stores open for our customers, make their shopping too. They’ve started Virtual Tastings, where you can experience as comfortable as possible, and provide a order the wine ahead of time and taste it at home — safe environment. We have been getting guidance from while learning about the wine virtually. local and state health officials, as well as the CDC,

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Mocktail Hour

Tasty libations without the buzz. STORY BY CATHERINE MITSEAS

hat’s a social occasion without a drink? It’s more common than you think. Many individuals are foregoing heavy drinking in favor of little or no alcohol. Indeed, the phrase “sober curious” is sprinting across the Internet with superstars including Kim Kardashian slowing their drinking to a crawl. Luckily for us, Tampa Bay bar and restaurant pros are onto the trend, coming up with ideas for sophisticated low-alcohol and no-alcohol drinks infused with a startling array of creative ingredients — and allowing health-conscious foodies the chance to enjoy a good meal with a tasty beverage whose liquor level won’t haunt them the next day. (See “Cocktails To Go” for info on how the restaurants mentioned in this story have been adjusting to current restrictions, and for examples of establishments that are packaging their cocktails to go.)

COOL CUSTOMER: R & the T’s stylish (and non-alcoholic) Cucumber Cooler.

HEALTH & HAPPINESS: Cocktails Katie Bland, bar manager of Rooster & the Till, spilled the keep the flavor. It is one of the house’s most popular drinks. beans on how they mimic hard-liquor drinks without adding Noel Cruz is chef and owner of a trio of Tampa Bay’s the hangover. favorite ramen houses: Ichicoro Ramen on Florida, The Rooster operates under a “Low Alcohol by Volume” Ichicoro Imoto at Armature Works and Ichicoro Ane in St. (ABV) license, which restricts them from selling distilled Petersburg. He says customers are often pleased to learn that liquors. To make the leap between simple wine and beer the restaurants’ Japanese-inspired cocktails contain less than to complicated, traditional cocktails, her shop stretches the half the proof of vodka while still offering the classic combo boundaries of taste and imagination to both imitate hard of a traditional mixed drink: something sour, something liquors and build entirely new flavor profiles. sweet, a bit of bitters and a spirit. At her restaurant on Florida Avenue in Tampa’s Seminole The shop’s Mimosa is a fragrant blend of orange juice, Heights area, bartenders use loose-leaf teas steeped in sake, peach liqueur, apricot syrup and yuzu, a tart Asian citrus vermouth or sherry to add a tannic acidity that offers renowned for its aromatic quality, mixed with the bite, color and flavors of stronger alcohols. sparkling wine. Their “Backwards Peat” sherry wine steeped Sake acts as the base to their “Ochu,” which with Lapsang Souchong, a smoky-flavored Cruz describes as having the drinkability of a Rooster & the Till tea, replicates bourbon’s stronger taste sangria with the heart and soul of a cocktail. cocktails imitate hard profile, while the “Imposta-Groni” cocktail liquor, but with entirely The medley includes apricot tea syrup, orange features Gruner Veltliner, a white wine juice, lemon juice, yuzu and elderflower new flavor profiles. varietal, infused with gin botanicals such as liqueur. juniper berries, cardamom and Persian limes. Over at Tampa’s Champagne Bar in the Cappelletti and sweet vermouth finish the drink, Oxford Exchange, customers indulge in a ultimately modeling a traditional Negroni. highly curated selection of champagne, rosés and For customers seeking to skip alcohol completely, The sparkling wines along with full-liquor champagne Rooster’s “Strawberry Creamsicle” made with a strawberry cocktails. Yet, even in this specialized corner of OE’s comfy shrub fusion of immersed fruit, vinegar and sugar, then bookstore boutique, there are offerings for the underaged, topped with coconut milk and sparkling water, brings a the teetotalers, and, yes, even the pregnant. sweet, sharp taste with the bite of kombucha and the look of According to Jess Anderson, retail and media manager for an old-fashioned soda fountain drink. the Oxford Exchange, the “Cranberry Spritz,” a mixture Their translucent “Cucumber Cooler” presents fresh- of Martinelli’s Gold Medal Sparkling Cider and cranberry pressed cucumber juice, serrano chilies, Thai basil syrup juice, is both non-alcoholic yet refreshingly complicated. and a little lemon juice served in a martini glass. Originally Dressed as it is with a lovely paper straw and finished in combined with sake, Bland says its martini supermodel looks a classic glass, it fits the definition and desire of many of attracted moms-to-be who asked to ditch the rice wine and today’s drinkers – just enough taste and Insta-perfect looks!

Cucumber Cooler from Rooster & the Till 1.5 oz. cucumber juice 1 oz Thai Basil Syrup * 1 oz. water .5 oz lemon juice 2 slices of Serrano chilies

* Thai Basil Syrup Boil equal parts sugar and water with Thai basil leaves until mixture is similar to the consistency of syrup. Remove basil leaves once syrup is at room temperature. Use as needed; store extra syrup in refrigerator.

Cocktails To Go

At press time, Ichicoro Ramen and Rooster & the Till were still in to-go mode only; their mocktails weren’t available to go, but both were offerering bottled wine, sake and beer as options along with their take-out menus. Other establishments have found ways to make their signature cocktails available for takeaway, including Social House in Tampa, which has taken to bottling its cocktails, crimping the cap and packaging them to go with meals; Trophy Fish in St. Pete, which offers ingenious plastic baggies with separate pockets for cocktail ingredients; and Forbici in Hyde Park Village, which offers branded plastic bottles of pre-mixed cocktails (accompanied by a cup of ice if you wish). www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

Courtesy Tampa Museum of Art/FotoBohemia LONG LIVE THE KING: Opera Tampa’s The Pirates of Penzance will open in January.

The Shows Must Go On

Amidst uncertainty, creative folks are making virtual art and hopeful plans.

STORY BY DAVID WARNER

f you have a copy of our March/April issue, hold on to it. The A&E Calendar in that issue is a dream trapped in amber, a memorial to what might have been, an inadvertent tribute to a spring arts & entertainment season that didn’t happen. Every single concert, play, festival, exhibition and competition on that list, from Verdi’s Aida to WrestleMania, was eventually postponed, cancelled, closed, shifted online or left in limbo because of you-know-what. The sad part is, it’s still hard to plan for the future, especially for artists and arts organizations (and arts calendars). No one knows when or how culture consumers will be able to gather again. Yet, in the midst of this, there are signs of hope and resilience, a belief that there will be a future for the local arts scene — that the shows will go on. Here are 10 hopeful signs.

1. Season Announcements. When performing arts companies announce their plans for an upcoming season, it’s always a moment bathed in hope. But a 2020-21 season announcement? That’s an occasion for joy (or at least cautious optimism). Sarasota Ballet opens its 30th anniversary season in October with a program of Balanchine, Paul Taylor and Ricardo Graziano; Opera Tampa opens with Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance in January (it had originally been scheduled for March of 2020); and freeFall Theatre 84

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hopes to make their announcement in June, having had to suspend their very successful (and ironically named, as it turned out) “Ghost Light” season in March in the middle of the run of Lone Star Spirits. 2. Theater companies having virtual fun. Just because the stage is dark doesn’t mean that the fun has to stop online. American Stage has announced a smorgasbord of virtual attractions for the summer, including a Shakespeare Lite Festival in June and a 10-minute New Short Plays Festival in July. Jobsite is keeping its communal spirit alive with “One from the Vault,” a series of video musings by company members, and entertainments like the “MadLib the Bard” game. Stageworks is mixing fun and learning with online audition workshops, Saturday morning storytimes and yoga classes. 3. Tampa Total Request Live! and all the other cool stuff happening online at the Straz. The trove of performing talent at the Straz and the Patel Conservatory yields, no surprise, an abundance of online entertainment at strazcenter.org: Opera Tampa arias, Patel Zoom concerts, informative posts on dance and movies, even a clown makeup tutorial. But nothing beats the giddy good cheer of Zach Hines and Roxanne Gallo, co-hosts of Tampa Total

ARTS Request Live!, a video series featuring performances by talented locals like Jeremy Gloff and Julia Rifino with opportunities to leave tips via Venmo or Paypal. 4. Fairgrounds’ Request for Proposals. In the category of things worth looking forward to, the 2021 opening of Fairgrounds, the 12,000-sq-ft. experiential art exhibition in South St. Pete, is high on the list. And it was certainly a hopeful sign of good things to come when they issued a request for proposals in April in search of artists with ideas for making weird, wacky and wonderful things happen there. “It’s exciting to launch our first call to artists, especially during this extraordinary time,” Fairgrounds CEO and founder Liz Dimmitt told the Tampa Bay Times in April. We couldn’t agree more. 5. Helen Hansen French teaching the Alexander Technique. Dance fans ached at the cancellation of this year’s BEACON dance event at the Palladium, not least because it meant we missed out on an opportunity to see the exquisite moves of the series’ co-founder, Helen Hansen French. So it was heartening to hear that, beginning May 18 under the auspices of St. Petersburg College, she was going to start offering students a glimpse of how she learned to move like that — via Zoom classes in the Alexander Technique, described by actress Juliette Binoche as “a way to transform stress to joy.” 6. Pinellas Arts Community Relief Fund applications re-opening. A survey done by Creative Pinellas, the County’s arts agency, reported that the estimated loss of revenue and employee-related income due to cancellations and closures in the arts community over a 90-day period was “a staggering $5.4M.” But thanks to the unique and speedily assembled creation of the Pinellas Arts Community Relief Fund by Creative Pinellas, the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg and the Pinellas Community Foundation, close to $100,000 was raised and distributed to artists, arts organizations and creative businesses in response to hundreds of applications. At press time, applications had been reopened, thanks in part to funds raised by the Virtual Arts Festival May 10. 7. Everything going on at Creative Pinellas. I’ll ’fess up — I’m on the board, so I have a bit of a bias. But I really do think that there’s an incredible amount of good stuff coming out of the place. The aforementioned Virtual Arts Festival, for instance, was an unexpected joy, technical glitches and all. The CP website, creativepinellas.org, is rich in online resources and entertainment, including Arts Coast Journal and the Arts In series of performances and interviews. And coming up at press time was another virtual coming-together: the May 14 opening reception for the 2020 Emerging Artists Exhibit.

8. MFA from Home. The staff at St. Pete’s Museum of Fine Arts are as industrious as the bees busily making honey on the museum’s roof. The galleries may be closed for now, but there’s lots to see and do at mfastpete.org/mfa-from-home: video highlights from the collection, “Art Break” activities for kids, MFA-inspired puzzles and games for all ages, and virtual events, like a Facebook live field trip to see those honeybees and book club conversations via Zoom. 9. Imagine Museum reopening. It’s a particularly hopeful sign when an arts organization called Imagine reopens, especially when it’s a museum full of awe-inspiring studio glass like the Imagine Museum in St. Pete’s Grand Central District. Admittedly, and commendably, they’re taking baby steps at first, opening Wednesdays through Sundays from Noon to 4 p.m., with timed ticketing allowing 10 people practicing safe distancing per 15 minutes, and masks required on visitors and staff. Pre-purchased tickets recommended; call 727-300-1700 or email kdietz@imaginemuseum. 10. Tiny Bedtime Plays for Kids and the StressedOut: Live Theatre Over the Phone. Leave it to The Studio@620, Bob Devin Jones and playwright Sheila Cowley to come up with this entirely new (to me, at least) art form: five-minute comic plays performed live via conference call. Just make a donation at thestudioat620.org and you’ll get the telephone number to dial in and listen to any or all of the performances, which are scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays beginning Sun. May 17 and running through June 4. Another full disclosure moment here: I’m in the rotating cast of performers, and I am delighted not only because I get to fool around with the likes of Ned Averill-Snell, Eugenie Bondurant, John Huls, Jan Neuberger, Mary Rachel Quinn, Mimi Rice, Stephanie Roberts and Kate Young, but because Sheila’s three plays are a treat — full of silly wordplay and adorkable characters that I think kids and their stressedout grownups will thoroughly enjoy. And hey, they’re only five minutes long! (Although you can hang around on the call after the actors are done and chit-chat if you like.) It’s live theater with performers and audience all safe at home. As Bob Devin Jones says, “Here’s to making theater in any way we can.”

THE BIG V: American Stage is going virtual this summer. www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

The Singer sisters — Kylie, Kendall, Kasey— wanted to help the older population inside the Residential Planned Development (RPD) in Belleair defend themselves against the virus. Their solution? Dropping off masks at condos and homes to protect their neighbors when they were out and about! The Singers are long-time residents of Belleair, and the sisters’ efforts were greatly appreciated.

GOOD NEIGHBORS!

GENEROUS GESTURES, DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS & MORE

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE CROWN AUTO’S HOSPITAL FOOD DELIVERIES

1 On April 9, Crown Automotive Group delivered 500 meals to hospital workers at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater and Bayfront Health in St. Petersburg. Crown purchased the meals from Steve Westphal’s Parkshore Grill and Frank Chivas’s Baystar Restaurant Group, supporting these restaurants and their employees and feeding helpers at the front lines in our hospitals. The deliveries provided enough meals to feed 100 percent of the hospital workers on the early shift at Morton Plant and on the late shift at Bayfront later that day.

2 1 The Parkshore Brigade (L to R): Steve Westphal of Parkshore Grill/St. Pete Hospitality Group; Crown Auto Executive VP Joe Lamphier; Melissa Myers; Parkshore team members and Tyson Grant, Exeutive Chef, Parkshore Grill. 2 Delivering to Bayfront: Joe Lamphier, Jim Myers and Becky Bullock, Bayfront Hospital HR Manager & Community Relations.x www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

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PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE THE MEGA-MOBILE PANTRIES OF FEEDING TAMPA BAY

Beginning on April 11, Feeding Tampa Bay expanded its mobile pantry program with Mega Mobile Pantries on Saturdays at the Hillsborough County College Dale Mabry campus in Tampa and Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. During the first mega pantry, 2,400 individuals took advantage of the food distribution. By the end of April, the numbers of persons served had spiked to 5,000. Overall, the agency has seen a 400 percent increase in their services since the COVID-19 pandemic began. All photos provided by Feeding Tampa Bay.

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PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE THE MEGA-MOBILE PANTRIES OF FEEDING TAMPA BAY

1 Raisin Bran, anyone? 2 Directing traffic at the Trop. 3 Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re never too young to volunteer. 4 A young volunteer helps out at the Mega Mobile Pantry at HCC Apr. 25. 5 Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman and Feeding Tampa Bay Executive Director Thomas Mantz, unmasked for a moment. 6 Teamwork. 7 Tampa Mayor Jane Castor lends a hand on Apr. 11. 8 Words to volunteer by. 9 Delivering the goods. 10 Important instructions. www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE THE THORN COLLECTIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LUNCH FOR LIFESAVERS

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The Thorn Collection | Coldwell Banker Realty has launched an online fundraiser, LunchForLifesavers.com, to give back to healthcare workers and others on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle and help local restaurants at the same time. As of May 9, the initiative had surpassed its early fundraising goals and was well on the way to reaching its next goal of $10,000, using the funds to purchase and deliver over 466 meals to healthcare workers, with more scheduled deliveries to come. To donate, go to LunchForLifesavers.com and choose a level at which youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to give.

5 1 Thorn Collection volunteers in the pink. 2 Lunches specially packaged for Lifesavers. 3 Volunteers and healthcare workers outside Morton Plant Hospital. 4 Little helpers. 5 Deliveries from Belleair Market.

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PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE READY FOR LIFE’S CRISIS RELIEF CAMPAIGNS

Ready for Life is a Largo-based non-profit that helps former foster care youth make a successful transition to adulthood. To help this vulnerable population during the COVID-19 crisis, RFL staff and volunteers are assembling meal kits each week containing enough food to feed a family of four for three to four days. They’re also creating “On the Road” (aka “homeless”) kits that include nutritious and filling shelf-stable items for three full meals for a few days, hygiene items and supplies. The number of kits provided each week depends on food supply and community support. The organization needs donations to meet the increased needs of the population it serves during the pandemic. For information on how to donate or volunteer, go to readyforlifepinellas.org.

1 RFL Director of Security and Ops Tony Pinnock. 2 Director of Youth Development Alicia Perrelli. 3 Youth Specialist Brandon Gary. www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE SAINT PAUL’S SCHOOL RCS FOOD DRIVE

On April 24, the community at Saint Paul’s School, the Clearwater-based independent school, rallied to support Canning the Cornavirus, a campaign organized by RCS Pinellas (Religious Community Services, Inc.) to meet the increased demands being placed on the RCS Food Bank. The school collected 2,052 pounds of non-perishable food in three hours, and received a substantial dollar donation that will feed 40 people in Pinellas County. Head of School Samantha Campbell wasn’t surprised by the community’s response: “Benevolence runs deep here.” 1 The Anderson Family and Homey dropping off canned goods. 2 St. Paul’s faculty and staff collected items from the trunks of donors’ cars. 3 Head of School Samantha Campbell greeted school families from a distance.

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www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE FROM LITTLE DRESSES TO PROTECTIVE MASKS

For years, the women in the “Little Dresses” group at Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa made simple cotton dresses for children in need. Then came COVID-19 and the need for protective masks, which led the group to shift into mask-making. At press time, the group had made more than 1,000 masks and was making more, delivering them to nursing homes, hospitals, rehab centers, first responders, day care centers, animal shelters and restaurants.

1 Darrell Painter leads the Little Dresses group at Hyde Park United Methodist Church. Her husband, Brookman, is standing at her right. 2 Flight attendant on furlough and Hyde Park United Methodist Church member Trish Krider making masks in her home. 3 Tim Hisey’s job takes him into multiple grocery stores every day and he’s glad to have his mask. 4 Heart masks made by Trish Krider. 5 Kathy Pegram is a member of the Little Dresses group and has made more than 400 masks. 6 Trish Krider’s son (Star Wars mask) in one of the many masks his mom made for Escambia County EMS. www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE THE DEBARTOLOS & TGH

The DeBartolo family.

Eddie and Candy DeBartolo are longtime supporters of Tampa General Hospital, but their generosity in recent months has been particularly notable, totaling $7.65 million over the course of five months. In April, the DeBartolos donated $2.5M to the hospital to help treat patients in the Tampa Bay area diagnosed with infectious diseases, including COVID-19. The funds will be used to develop a long-term dedicated COVID-19 unit. Additionally, the family donated $150,000 to the TGH Team Member Emergency Fund, a special fund designated to help team members in crisis who cannot afford to pay bills due to the inability to work. And in December, the family donated $5M in honor of Dr. Thomas Bernasek, an orthopedic surgeon on staff at Tampa General and a TGH board member. Frann Richards, chief development offficer of the Tampa General Hospital Foundation, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The legacy the family is leaving will be seen for many years to come, not just during this pandemic.â&#x20AC;?

www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE RAYMOND JAMES FOOD DRIVE

1 On April 23 at Raymond James Financialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corporate headquarters in St. Petersburg, company associates collected nearly 10,000 pounds of food and supplies for the St. Petersburg Free Clinic and Metropolitan Ministries, to be split evenly between the two organizations. More than 250 cars came by, bringing enough donations to fill 30 pallets with food.

1 Jodi Perry, president of Raymond Jamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Independent Contractor Division of Financial Advisors and a board member of St. Petersburg Free Clinic, unloads a car full of food donations. 2 Company associates with food donations for the St. Pete Free Clinic (green barrels) and Metropolitan Ministries (blue). 3 Pallets of food brought in for the April 23 drive. www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

dR BACKPAGE

How Can I Help?

The birth of a grass-roots mask-making movement in Belleair, Clearwater and beyond. Story by Molly duPont

VOLUNTEER MASK-MAKERS: Molly duPont, Kimberly Snedeker and Kacey Matthews.

n the early hours of March 21 I was in a state of panic, Lealman and as close by as Largo were in need. A man living with a heart transplant needed a mask. The amazing foster having just begun our “new normal.” I had been working from home for a week and our sons were somewhere becare families at Pinellas Youth Ranch and other group homes tween distance learning and spring break. I was scrubbing made urgent requests. Baycare, Largo Med and Johns Hopkins hard, bleaching doorknobs and All Children’s hospitals all develobsessively lecturing my parents oped drop-off points and guideon the rules. Thankfully a friend lines to allow for distribution. on social media began to share The only thing that was growideas about how to make and ing as quickly as the requests was The only thing growing as the number of people willing to distribute cloth masks for first quickly as the requests was sew. Friends and neighbors began responders who had just begun the number of people willing to reveal their hidden talents, to wage war on COVID-19. I to sew. and companies stepped in. Irmi wanted to try to do the same. I Watson of Irmi’s Alterations in needed to find a way to help. Belleair Bluffs donated her time Out of a whirlwind of posting and stitched a minimum of 20 masks per day. Lisa Chandler of and sharing, Masks for Pinellas County Healthcare Providers Pier 60 Concessions faced the challenge of her business being was born. Within hours, friends of friends in the Belleair/ Clearwater area were sharing, sewing and asking how they closed and finding work for employees, and made the quick could help. Some had already begun sewing and were just decision to ask the people who sew the Pier’s umbrellas and looking for a way to donate. Almost immediately, a call came beach chairs to start producing masks instead. She also enlisted from Margie Friedman, who was coordinating deliveries in employees to shop for supplies (they almost wiped out the elasNorth Pinellas County, and Hope Griffin, who was doing the tics inventory at the local Joann Fabrics). In a week over 600 same in St. Petersburg. masks were delivered to Baycare. And then the requests came pouring in… In the last six weeks, organizers and runners have gotten Labor and delivery nurses. Doctors in and out of the hospital masks to over 2,000 faces. There has been no exchange of setting. Entire NICU units and visiting parents. A teenage boy money, just trading of supplies. While the group’s initial focus with a failed kidney transplant who was receiving dialysis. A was strictly on healthcare providers, as the PPEs have been family who had been exposed to their father, a physician, who replenished the group has been able to do community outreach was infected. and support RCS Pinellas and the Salvation Army. Soon the group learned that fire departments as far away as I feel both proud and humbled to have found a way to help.

www.duPontREGISTRYtampabay.com

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