The Helm

Provisions & Coastal Fare

t. Pete Beach’s newest culinary destination on Blind Pass Road. This family-owned and operated restaurant showcases stylish décor, sensational seafood, a unique raw bar, seductive salads, and savory dishes you can enjoy there or take home. The Helm is an oasis of freshness from the seasonal offerings and creative cocktails to the alluring nautical atmosphere, relaxed vibe, and friendly staff.

Owners Heidi and Michael Butler have deep roots in the food and beverage industry. They wanted The Helm to be more than just another restaurant on the beach and their love of Florida lore and each other is in the details. Crossing the threshold at the front door, you are whisked away into the mind of Ernest Hemmingway, surrounded by carefully selected, antique details from old ships, paintings from family artists, sprawling walls of historic maps, and live-edged wood finishes throughout the restaurant.

Your journey continues as you make your way through their thoughtful, nuanced menu featuring oysters from James River, Maine, PEI, and other beloved sources for the raw bar. Guests rave about signature dishes such as the award-winning lobster roll tossed with a key lime aioli, a Florida twist on a New England staple and the rotating captain’s catch bronzed or lightly fried. Vegetarian features include the whipped feta with balsamic strawberries and succulent portobello mushroom Philly. Save room for the delectable desserts including key lime pie, locally sourced rum cake and small batch ice creams.

Diners can enjoy their meal al fresco on the picturesque patio, dining room or bar. The Helm reimagines hand-crafted cocktails as well as wines and craft beers that pair perfectly with the dynamic flavors they plate up each day. Enjoy happy hour at the bar only Tues.-Fri 2-4pm ($2 off cocktails, $4 drafts, $10 off bottles, $5 featured drink, $8 bites). Stop in for Taco Tuesday and $6 margaritas or Bubbles & Brine Wednesday ($1.50 house oysters, $30 boutique/dozen, $5 house prosecco, $10 off $30+ bubbly). Wear a Hawaiian shirt on Freaky Tiki Friday and get 10% off plus other specials.

The Helm’s well-stocked market features delectable to-go items such as house-made salads (pesto chicken!), fresh fish, oysters, and other foodie delights to take home as well as clever giftware and oddities (funny tea towels, cookbooks, logo t-shirts) and more. The Helm also offers special events (monthly themed speakeasy and supper club), catering both at your place or theirs, “stock the fridge” services for vacationers, and picnic baskets for the beach.

If you are looking at the perfect place to entertain an out-of-town guest or enjoy a delicious meal with friends and family visit The Helm, St. Pete Beach’s picture perfect and memorable culinary destination.

THE HELM 7736 Blind Pass Rd., St. Pete Beach FL www.helmtampabay.com | 727-363-4356 Open Tues.-Sat. 10:30am-3:30pm Brunch Sat. 10am-3:30pm; Sun. 10am-2pm

PROFESSIONALISM

Practicing a profession isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but some of us love it.

You start out going to a truly great school, where you learn from instructors who have done just about everything they’re teaching you, again and again. After you graduate, you review everything you’ve studied in great detail, to prepare you for your licensing exams (the BAR exams, in the case of lawyers).

If you get past that and get licensed, you start taking cases. Many of them are very interesting, and the more cases you work, the deeper your knowledge becomes. After a while, you know you’ve been around that track before, and while the law may change over time, you basically have developed a good command of all of the basics, and so much more. Then, as the years go by, you start getting the confidence and poise that only experience provides. It’s good to feel like you know a little more every day, so, in a very real sense, you’re always at the top of your game. The more people you are able to help, the better you get at it, and the better it feels. What happens to all those years practicing? If you love to help people, they fly past. You’re not generally given to look at the calendar, but, one day you do, and it tells you you’ve been at it for 40 years. Forty years! That’s a long time to be driving a desk…

My lovely wife Pat Anderson and I are both at that 40 -ear landmark now, and the time has come to move on. It’s not easy, because we have made so many friends here on the beach, as well as Corey Avenue. The wonderful news is, we have found an intelligent, hard working young lawyer who has decided to take over our office. She is board-certified in real estate law, and has an advanced degree in property development, which is an impressive educational background. Her name is Danielle Vaughn, and by the time you read this column, she will be at 350 Corey Avenue, answering what has been our phone number, with our staff now being her staff.

If you choose to work with Danielle, we’re sure you’ll discover what we have – that Danielle is smart, hard working, and very nice. It’s nice to know that our clients need not miss us too much.

So now it’s time to thank all of our clients and friends for the opportunity to work with them over the years. We wish you good luck in everything you undertake, good health and eternal happiness.

ANDERSON & BRODERSEN, P.A.

350 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706

727-363-6100 www.PropertyLawGroup.com