Garden Tour

PAGWC Holds Centennial Garden Tour

by Karalee German

The year 2022 is bringing many things – a fresh start, hope for better times – but in Pass-A-Grille, it is also bringing a celebration and commemoration that the Pass-a-Grille Woman’s Club has been around for 100 years.

In October of 1922 a few women gathered for a “Pound Party,” bringing gifts of necessity for a neighbor who had lost everything in a fire. The good time that day transformed into a club of 20 or so charter members who took as their object “to provide social and cultural interest for members, to promote civic betterment and to foster community welfare.” One hundred years later that is still the operational and inspirational goal of the PAGWC.

Over the decades the kinds of cultural events for members and the community groups that have received donations from the PAGWC have been as varied as the backgrounds and interests of the members who chaired the various projects.

Membership went from the initial 20 to as high as 303 at the club’s 35th anniversary. In the 1940s one member was PAG resident Elizabeth Watson, wife of Alexander Graham Bell’s assistant Thomas Watson. A current member, still attending events is the club’s second centenarian, classical pianist Lucile Ellins, who was 4 years old when the club began.

After 18 years of successful home tours, which had stopped during re-construction of Pass-A-Grille Way, the first centennial event open to the public is a cultural happening new to this club– “Gardens by the Sea” dock and garden tour on the island of Vina del Mar. Scheduled for Sunday, April 3, 1-5pm rain or shine, the tour will have on view 11 gardens graciously offered at the homes of Anita Adams and Greg Archambault, Stephen Best, Valerie and Vincent Catalano, Wayne Dewey, Eileen Edwards, Gregory Greene, Larry and Alieda Maron, Jim and Barbara Ottinger, Carmen Reller, Dan and Deb Rothenberger, and Chris Stewart.

During the garden tour, a party in Vina Del Mar Park will feature pork slider and salad plates for $10, and there will be presentations by the Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, the Garden Club of St Petersburg, Inc., the Florida West Coast Orchid Society, the UofF Master Gardener Volunteer Program, and April Brader, Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Tickets for this event, $15 in advance, are available at www.eventbrite.com/e/269860308447 or at Patchington on the Bayway. Day of the event tickets may be purchased for $20 at the park on Vina Del Mar, across from 291 S Isle Dr., St. Pete Beach.

Corey Area SHOP-DINE-PLAY

As Above So Below

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Art Expo Custom Framing Gallery

355 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach • 727-360-2953 Besides a remarkable array of local painters, ceramists, glass artists and more, this woman-owned gallery also offers in-house custom picture framing featuring fine design and craftsmanship. “LIKE” Art Expo Gallery on Facebook for updates on new artists! www.facebook.com/artexpogalleryoncoreyavenue

Simply Perfect Gifts

326 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach • 727-360-4141 Facebook: Simply Perfect Gifts / Instagram: @SimplyperfectSPB All of your shopping needs can be fulfilled in one stop shopping at SIMPLY PERFECT GIFTS. A great variety of inventory includes gifts, home decor, clothing, jewelry, accessories, children, bath/spa, garden, and much more. Our shelves are FULL! Large selection of “OH MY GAUZE” clothing. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-3pm

Grapes Wine Café

348 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach • 727-254-9526 Grapes Wine Café on Corey Ave. has a wide selection of Italian, French, and California wines and bubbly. Happy hour Tuesday-Thursday 3-6pm, $3 house wine. Our charcuterie boards start from $5. Call today to book your private party with us. At Elizabeth’s Boutique located next door, take 15% off all regular price merchandise excluding gift cards. Now offering LIMOUSINE PICK UP SERVICE. Make your St. Patrick’s Day reservations now!

Paradise Gifts and Home Decor

371 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach • 727-363-8501 Discover Inis at Paradise Gifts. Unique beach shop with beautiful wall art, hilarious towels, Inis fragrance items, terrific beach decor and gifts. Sister store has furniture and lights. FREE GIFT with any purchase (see store for details).

Local Area SHOP-DINE-PLAY

Marquise Café

2525 Pasadena Ave. S, South Pasadena • 727-367-2233 www.marquisecafe.com / Facebook and Instagram Open Tues.-Sun. 8am-2pm, Dinner Fri. and Sat. 6-8pm. Tues.-Thurs. by reservation only. French café with the most popular French meals like croissant, baguette, quiche Lorraine, escargots, onion soup, burgundy beef or coq au vin. Cozy atmosphere like in a French family house, and homemade meals with affordable prices. Sunday, a special Brunch menu is offered.

Brenda McMahon Ceramics & Gallery

2901 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport • 518-692-7742 www.brendamcmahongallery.com Twenty artists in one location. This fine art & contemporary craft gallery was voted “One of the Best Independent Art Galleries” in the St. Pete area. Brenda McMahon Gallery offers handmade gifts for all budgets. Ceramics, glass, wood and jewelry plus oil, pastel and acrylic paintings. Custom designed Artful Addresses and more. Open Sun-Tues: 11am-4pm; Thurs-Sat: 11am-7pm or by appointment.

Sail Market

5325 Gulfport Blvd., Gulfport • www.sailmarket.net Sarah Laracuente’s Sail Market moved this summer to 5325 Gulfport Blvd. Affordable boutique clothing including her own brand “Kindness Matters” supporting the homeless. Lots of affordable gift ideas, including adorable finger puppets you will have a lot of fun with. The shop has new boutique clothing and locally made goodness coming in almost daily. The Gulfport Blvd. Block Parties continue each month on every third Thursday and last Saturday. Visit Sail Market Studio & Boutique on Facebook to see current details on all events and finds at Sail Market. Visit online at www.sailmarket.net.

Bayou Market & Café

6630 Central Ave., St. Petersburg • 727-914-7500 www.bayoumarketandcafe.com Cajun and comfort food to go and on-site backyard or event-sized shrimp, crab or crawfish boils. Your headquarters for anything Mardi-Gras! Hot, made from scratch meals. Specializing in authentic Cajun plus “traditional comfort food.” Café hours: Tuesday-Friday (lunch & dinner) 11:30am-6:30pm, Sat. 10am-2pm, closed Sunday & Monday. Menus posted weekly at www.bayoumarketandcafe.com and on Facebook.