Bay Magazine Nov. 2022

SMITH

FINDING THE FAMILIAR IN NEW PLACES

FROM BAY EDITOR SUSAN TAYLOR MARTIN

While I was growing up in New York City, all of the bread in our house came from an Italian bakery on Bleecker Street. Unlike regular store-bought bread, it had so much flavor you could eat it plain.

When my mother moved to St. Petersburg years later, a priority was getting good Italian bread. She found it in a then-new bakery in St. Pete Beach, and made a pilgrimage there every Sunday to stock up for the week. (See story, Page 54.)

Recalling this, I was struck by how people tend to seek out the familiar when they move. We have friends in Michigan who always go to Venice, south of Sarasota, in the winter because so many other Michiganders go there. Other friends moved to Naples because their friends from New York and Connecticut now make that Florida city their legal residence.

And if newcomers can’t find the familiar, they often re-create in their new home what they left behind in the old. As more and more people settle in the Tampa Bay area, Chinese and Italian restaurants have been joined by those serving the cuisines of Vietnam, Bosnia, Spain, Korea, the Philippines, Portugal, Lebanon and other nationalities.

So as this holiday season starts, let’s give thanks for the diversity that is making the Tampa Bay area such a vibrant, exciting place to live!

Contact Susan Taylor Martin at smartin@tampabay.com.

26 FASHION ▲

The 15th Annual Tampa Bay Fashion Week features the work of seven designers and a focus on Florida.

10 HOLIDAY

As you set a lovely table and gather with loved ones, also think about people who could use a hand.

14 SHOPPING ▲

Dogs and cats will enjoy the creature comforts these gifts provide.

20 FACES

Hair and makeup artist Monique McLaughlin talks about her work on and off the (movie) set and shares some of her beauty tips.

40 HOMES

A landmark residence overlooking Boca Ciega Bay has quite a history.

46 TRAVEL

Ever dreamed of swimming with manatees? Conservation-minded tour groups in Crystal River can help.

54 FOOD

La Casa Del Pane, the small Italian bakery and deli in St. Pete Beach, is an institution.

60 EVENT

The Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading is back.

SOCIAL

Photo by Téa Bremner

EDITOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR Susan Taylor Martin Nikki Life smartin@tampabay.com nlife@tampabay.com

COPY EDITOR Dawn Cate

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER Brian James, brian@brianjamesgallery.com

Bay is published eight times a year by Times Publishing Co. and delivered to Tampa Bay Times subscribers in select neighborhoods in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Copyright 2022. Vol. 15, No. 7.

THE TAMPA BAY TIMES

CHAIRMAN AND CEO Conan Gallaty EDITOR AND VICE PRESIDENT Mark Katches ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR FOR FEATURES, VISUALS AND PRODUCTION Ellen E. Clarke

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING Bruce Faulmann RETAIL SENIOR ADVERTISING MANAGER Mark Shurman

National/Major Senior Advertising Manager Kelly Spamer Pinellas Advertising Manager Jennifer Bonin Automotive & Real Estate Advertising Manager Larry West North Suncoast Sales Manager Jessica Petroski

FULFILLMENT MANAGER Gerald Gifford IMAGING AND PRODUCTION Brian Baracani, Danielle Lazaro, Gary Zolg REGIONAL HOME DELIVERY MANAGERS Diann Bates, Rob Jennings

tampabay.com/bay.

call 800-333-7505.

HOLIDAY

The warm colors of fall evoke hearth and home. It’s a season to gather with friends and family around a beautiful table, set with pieces handed down through the years. And even if you don’t have heirlooms, you can still have a lovely table. All of the linens, china, glassware and accessories shown here came from Suncoast Hospice Resale Stores in Pinellas County. In a year marked by disastrous hurricanes, high inflation and the lingering effects of the pandemic, it’s a time to remember those less fortunate.

The organizations below can help provide many with a happy Thanksgiving.

— Susan Taylor Martin

Feeding Tampa Bay feedingtampabay.org

Metropolitan Ministries metromin.org

St. Pete Free Clinic stpetersburgfreeclinic.org

World Central Kitchen wck.org

Red Cross Disaster Relief redcross.org

Florida Disaster Fund volunteerflorida.org

Photo by Brian James

SCENE SETTING

Tampa Ba y’s leader

Carl F. Bucherer

ScubaTec Steel

Bell & Ross Alpine

Seiko Luxe Prospex

Muhle Glashutte Terrasport German made

Meister Singer Bell Hora

Vintage Patek Philippe Calatrava

Vintage Rolex President

Ulysse Nardin Marine

ENER GY -EFFICIENT LU XUR Y LIVING

Terraces at 87th is a private enclave of 92 thought fully designed multilevel homes, perfec tly situated between the best of St Pete and Tampa—combining three- and four- bedroom open concept layouts, expansive terraces, and four car garages

Interactive dog treat dispenser, $25. Health Mutt, 5023 N Florida Ave., Tampa. tampahealthmutt.com.

Scotch & Co. Mini Barkin Poo-Bag Dispenser, $37. scotchandcompany.com.

PAMPERED PETS

STYLING BY TIM CREAGAN • PHOTOS BY CHRIS URSO

What would we do without our furry best friends?

Think of the companionship they provided during the pandemic.

Think of all the times a soft purr or the wag of a tail pulled us out of a funk.

Now is the time to reward them with some terrific gifts.

Green- and red-striped dog carrier in camouflage, $200. Collar, $36. Leash, $48. Small elevated dog bowl, $59. Downtown Dogs, 1631 W Snow Circle, Tampa. shopdowntowndogs.com.

Small Batch turkey grain-free dog food, $18. Green Juju Bam’s beets, $7. Green Juju Bailey bone broth food topper, $13. Aleyr Pet Wellness, 1540 S Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. aleyr.com.

“Snack Bag” dog toys, $6 each. Humane Society of Tampa Bay, 3607 N Armenia Ave., Tampa. humanesocietytampa.org.

Bucs dog toy, $15. Humane Society of Tampa Bay, 3607 N Armenia Ave., Tampa. humanesocietytampa.org.

Interactive cat toy, $35. Health Mutt, 5023 N Florida Ave., Tampa. tampahealthmutt.com.

Petsmart hooded dog jacket, $20. petsmart.com. Photo courtesy of Petsmart

Guitar cat scratcher, $20. Cat toys, $2 each. Humane Society of Tampa Bay, 3607 N Armenia Ave., Tampa. humanesocietytampa.org.

Injoya Carrot Patch Snuffle Mat Toy, $18. Aleyr Pet Wellness, 1540 S Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. aleyr.com.

pha ni e Gilm o re S al ly Fit zg ib bons Ke lly Sl ater

Bayou Club (GOLF & CC) Seminole

Built by national award-winning Windstar Homes, this visually stunning 5-bedroom, 5½-bath contemporar y Tuscan villa was created with an astounding level of precision. Towering ceilings, spectacular finishes and highly luxurious An architectural mar vel and one of the most uniquely beautiful homes in Florida. Offered for $3,495,000.

Belle Isle Belleair Beach

Luxurious, coastal and modern.

This 4-bedroom, 4-bath, 2-half bath, 5,579-sq.ft. estate is right on the water Towering window views, grand open spaces, gorgeous custom pool, commercial- grade construction. Huge upper-level deck with sensational panoramic vistas of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf Offered for $3,495,000.

Tierra Verde

Richly updated 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 3,100-sq.ft. contemporar y water front residence with deep protected water, easy access to the Gulf and extensive shore power for your 60-plus-ft. yacht. Superb living spaces, gourmet luxur y kitchen, huge wraparound balconies and travertine pool deck/spa. Offered for $1,995,000.

Madeira Beach

Completely rebuilt to vir tually brand new in 2014-2015, this 3-bedroom, 2-bath coastal contemporar y residence offers 10-ft. ceilings and exceptional finishes throughout. Gorgeous luxur y chef ’s kitchen, exquisitely appointed baths, a fabulous exterior deck and an 11,000-lb boat lift with rapid access to the Gulf Offered for $1,400,000.

The Dania Difference The Professional Difference The Real Difference in Real heEstate Estate

Dania Perry

AC TIVIT Y

Beachfront

Beachfront

BY

Artist AT WORK

hanks to its sunny climate and other factors, the Tampa Bay area has become a popular location for movie makers. That’s meant a big demand for the talents of hair and makeup artist Monique McLaughlin. In the past five years, she has worked on 26 movies, mostly for the Lifetime cable channel but also for Hallmark and feature films shown in theaters. When not on movie sets, she does styling for other clients (including Bay magazine) and has traveled to California, Las Vegas and the Virgin Islands. McLaughlin, who grew up in Tampa, spent years in the insurance field before styling hair and makeup full time. She took a break on her most recent set to talk about her work and offer some beauty tips. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

— Susan Taylor Martin

How did you get started in this field? I was a drama kid in high school, and throughout the (drama) productions I just started toying around with makeup and hair. A lot of girls would let me cut their hair and it was just natural to me. I ended up in a corporate job and did (styling) part time, events and weddings and things like that. At the end of 2004 I finally had enough of the corporate world and decided to do this full time. They said cosmetology school would take a year. I did it in seven or eight months, then I managed salons.

In 2010 I started getting requests for commercial work. I was doing a lot of on-set stuff for Home Shopping (Network) and print magazines. I did my first film in 2013, in Jacksonville, and then in 2017 I got more requests for film work and it’s been kind of nonstop since then.

What is it like working on a Lifetime movie? Those are the quickest shooting films I’ve worked on. They film them in 13 days. They’ve got a formula figured out. It’s a run-and-gun style where basically you get the shot you need and not waste time. It’s funny, after working on those for the last 10 films and coming back to features, it seems like everything moves so much slower.

What’s a typical day on set? How long does it take to do the hair and makeup for each actor? A standard day is 12 hours. The Lifetime ones don’t go into overtime at all so it’s usually 12 hours with a half-hour for lunch. The quickest (styling) is probably 20 minutes, whereas on one film the lead would take two hours to make up.

(Above) Monique McLaughlin is pictured behind the scenes of the “Life’s Rewards” television series while filming at the Don CeSar. Photo courtesy of Amanda Arismendez

(Left) McLaughlin is pictured at the Sunscreen Film Festival. Photo courtesy of Monique McLaughlin

(Far left) McLaughlin styles model Ariana Del Mar. Photo by Brian James

Why so long? You have people that are very protective of their brand so they have an image they have to maintain. One of the actresses I worked with said — and it always stuck in my head — that you’re only as good as you looked in your last film. They have a career and when they sit with me in my chair I have a huge responsibility to make sure they look good so the final product looks good.

You’ve worked on so many movies. Do any particularly stand out? “The Plus One.” It was a feature film with (actor and singer) Ashanti, who finds out her best friend is bringing some girl she doesn’t like to her wedding, and chaos ensues. Cedric the Entertainer was in that film, and in the very middle of filming Dennis Rodman showed up and started singing in one of the breaks. It’s never a dull day. This current movie, “Spider & Jessie,” is about the children of the opioid crisis. There are two girls in the story and you want to know how they’re going to survive and deal with these problems. Our leads are 16 and 11. These two girls nailed it. I cried on this set more than any other film I’ve worked on.

What is the biggest makeup mistake people make? It’s everybody trying to make everything social media worthy. The trends you see on TikTok, Instagram, any of those platforms, people think that translates into real life. We have gotten too much into influencer culture and we see a lot of people wearing a lot more makeup than they should.

What is your single most important beauty tip? If I could talk to my younger self and younger actors, it’s take care of your skin — that’s where it all starts. Stay out of the sun and use sunscreen. People spend a lot of money to try to reverse that (sun) damage. Also hydration. Beauty starts from within so the more water you drink the more hydration. Florida, as much as we hate the humidity, is fantastic for our skin.

Is there a beauty product you can’t do without? The one thing I was happy I invested in was eyelash extensions. It’s not makeup but it’s a game changer as far as walking out of the house and not putting makeup on. Lipstick is probably the main thing to put on. It makes you look awake.

Your hair is very striking. I can’t think of many people who have purple hair! My original hair color is black. When I first colored it, J.Lo (actor Jennifer Lopez) was popular so I did honey caramel highlights like hers. The first time I changed it to a less traditional color, I made it Crayola red but the sun and water were harsh so it turned orange. I found purple ended up staying best in my hair. It’s become kind of my trademark. Everyone knows me as the purplehaired makeup artist.

For many people, doing hair and makeup full time seems like a dream job. Is it hard to be really successful in it? You have to be willing to put in the work. The biggest problem people have when they come into the industry is that they think jobs are just going to come to them. I’m glad I had a corporate background because I was able to use that to treat my business as a business. Ninety percent of the people I went to cosmetology school with no longer do makeup and hair because they didn’t treat it as a business. It’s just constant work, making sure the website is updated and doing social media. I’m an introvert but I push myself to go to networking events. It’s a combination of everything and that’s why I’ve been able to do all the things I’ve done.

McLaughlin touches up Cedric the Entertainer’s makeup on the set of the movie “The Plus One.” Photo courtesy of EJ Bernard

McLaughlin does makeup for Ashanti on the set of “The Plus One.”

Photo courtesy of EJ Bernard

Connie

EV ENT DIN ING & CATE RING

At

FASHION FORWARD

PHOTOS BY BRIAN JAMES

NEW YORK, PARIS, LONDON, MILAN.

It’s not quite the same as in those capitals of couture, but the 15th Annual Tampa Bay Fashion Week was a resounding success. Showcasing the unique style of the region and state, models paraded down the runway in Floridafocused fashions by seven designers. Some 100 guests attended the show at Vu Studios in Tampa while scores more watched via livestream at Look Dine-In Cinemas in Tampa. Other Fashion Week events included “Destination: Style” at Tampa International Airport, where guests shopped collections inspired by the huge new flamingo sculpture.

DESIGNER: Alicia Calero

(Front) Wool half blazer, $189. Wool skirt, $140. Chiffon leopard halter top, $108. (Middle) Stretch knit top, $119. Wool embroidered trousers with lining, $320. (Back) Cotton midi dress with tie-back, $300. alicia@aliciacalero.com, aliciacalero.com

DESIGNER: Alicia Calero Tulle wrap dress, $225. (Right) Cotton cropped sweater, $112. Wool elastic-waist shorts, $148. alicia@aliciacalero.com, aliciacalero.com

DESIGNER: Elizabeth Carson Racker

(From the cover) Hooded lace-draped gown, $875. Fur fly jacket, $255. Flat-front trousers, $95.

elizabethcarsonracker.com

DESIGNER: Urban Native by Erik Wise

silk patchwork duster (gender neutral), $375. Made-to-order. Items may be purchased at The Collective at Artisan Row in WestShore Plaza, via urbannativeco.com or by arranging a private consultation at urbannativeco@gmail.com.

DESIGNER: Urban Native by Erik Wise

Jade palazzo pantsuit with orange suede wrap belt, $325. Made-to-order. Items may be purchased at The Collective at Artisan Row in WestShore Plaza, via urbannativeco.com or by arranging a private consultation at urbannativeco@gmail.com.

DESIGNER: Dorothy Zudora by Heidi Richards

Men’s ’60s button-down orange mod retro shirt — Color Me Poppy, $85. Tapered dress pants, aqua. Inquire online to get pricing and to order. dorothyzudora.com

dorothyzudora.com

DESIGNER: Dorothy Zudora by Heidi Richards ’70s-style button-down long-sleeve tiger print shirt — Notorious MOB, $95. ’70s wide-leg dress pants, black. Inquire online to get pricing and to order.

DESIGNER: Elizabeth Carson Racker

Knit black-and-white wrap top, $95. Sheer white skirt with high slit, $120. elizabethracker@gmail.com, elizabethcarsonracker.com

AN ELEVAT ED APROACH TO CI TY LIVING

Fish Spread Platter

Salmon Roll Platter

Parmesan Cr usted Chicken Platter

Shr imp Platter

Seared Tuna Platter

Ca prese Platter

Crab

Platter

uit Platter

HOMES

SPLENDID SUNSETS AND A STORIED PAST

BY SUSAN TAYLOR MARTIN • PHOTOS COURTESY OF TONY HORVATH AND ARNOLD NOVAK

hen entrepreneur Samuel Merhige built his home overlooking Boca Ciega Bay, he was a trendsetter in more ways than one. Not only was he a member of a pioneering St. Petersburg family, he was among the first to settle in a sparsely populated area far from downtown.

Now, nearly a century later, homes and businesses stretch in almost every direction. Treasure Island, across the bay, is no longer the unspoiled beach it was in 1925. But the Merhige house still looks much as it did back then, a classic example of Italian Renaissance Revival style that was briefly popular during Florida’s 1920s land boom.

The house, a designated landmark that recently sold for $1.95 million, “has been updated but they kept it in the original style, which is hard to do,” said Helle Hartley, the listing agent. It still has all of the original windows, doors and floors except in the kitchen, which was redone by the sellers at a cost of about $80,000 but also in keeping with the style.

The four-bedroom, 3 ½-bathroom house hearkens back to an era when St. Petersburg was seeing its first big growth spurt. In the early 1900s, an investment company bought 4,000 acres west of the city including an area called Davista, billed as “The Gem of All Florida Developments.” The original plat showed residential neighborhoods south of Central Avenue, a park along Boca Ciega Bay and a waterfront street, first labeled Beach Drive, then Sunset Drive.

In 1925, Merhige purchased a lot on the nearly empty waterfront street. His father had emigrated from Syria to St. Petersburg, where he ran a store downtown selling imported laces, kimonos and “silk shawls of every description.” After his father’s death, Merhige combined his own import

The 1925 Italian Renaissance Revival-style house on Sunset Drive in St. Petersburg is a designated landmark. It recently sold for $1.95 million.

company with his mother’s import company to form a clothing store called Lady Fashion. With business flourishing, Merhige hired prominent contractor Charles DuBois to build a house that would accommodate not only his wife, new baby and mother, but also friends and relatives coming from Syria.

Eschewing the more common Mediterranean Revival style then in vogue, DuBois designed the two-story house with a barrel tile roof, widely overhanging eaves and a recessed arched entryway. French doors paned in clear glass opened onto two terraces with sunset views. The initial cost was $12,200 with another room built on a year later for $2,000.

In 1929, Merhighe sold the house and moved closer to downtown, where he opened the Orange Blossom Cafeteria. That year’s stock market crash wrecked the tourist trade and local economy, and many of the lots in the Davista subdivision remained vacant throughout the Great Depression. But the area began to flourish again with the 1939 opening of the Treasure Island Causeway. The increase in traffic on Central Avenue improved the visibility of Davista and other nearby neighborhoods to tourists as well as to St. Petersburg residents making day trips to the beach.

At the time the house was built, there was almost no development on the other side of Boca Ciega Bay. Today Treasure Island is a popular tourist area.

The home’s dock, center, and neighbors’ docks extend into Boca Ciega Bay.

The Merhige house changed hands several times — from a couple who owned a Massachusetts shoe-manufacturing company to a Chicago family who let friends use it when they were wintering elsewhere and on to a contractor who added a room and a carport and remodeled the front porch. In 1955, he sold the house to a doctor and his wife, who stayed there into the ‘70s.

In 1974, the home hosted a Designers Show House, “the first on Florida’s West Coast.” In what would become a popular annual fundraiser for the Florida Orchestra, several designers each decorated a room: Themes that year included “New England Nostalgia” for a bedroom and “Sanctuary for the Mistress of the House” in the kitchen.

“Set amid graceful palms and hedged in red hibiscus, this classic home has undergone few changes,” the show house brochure said. “Built of terra cotta tile ... high ceilinged ... northern oak floors whose only fault is to grow more beautiful with time, the house is spacious, seven rooms on the main floor, with powder room, classic stairwell and foyer leading up to four sleeping rooms and two baths.”

In 2008, the St. Petersburg City Council voted unanimously to designate the Merhige house as a landmark. According to a filing by city staffers, the home was historically significant because of its architecture, as evidence of the city’s westward expansion and the contributions of “one of the first ethnically diverse families to make St. Petersburg their home.”

This fall, the house was featured on an episode of “American Dream TV”

as part of a series hosted by Hartley, the real estate agent, that highlights interesting local places.

Although close to primary routes to the gulf beaches, the house sits on a quiet street with little traffic — perfect for the new owners, a family from Atlanta with young children.

This is the living room of the nearly century-old house, which in 1974 hosted a Designers Show House, “the first on Florida’s West Coast.”

This curved sunroom was added to the house in the 1950s.

MANAT EE MAGIC

BY GABRIELLE CALISE

Every year, tourists from around the world flock to Crystal River. A brief drive through the charming Citrus County hamlet provides a hint as to why: You’ll find manateeshaped mailboxes, manatee placards on the streetlights, manatee statues and murals. The city’s logo, a smiling sea cow, is festooned upon a water tower downtown.

Tourists on an Explorida outing, below, float on pool noodles while swimming with manatees in Crystal River’s Kings Bay. Photo by Martha Asencio-Rhine

At right, a manatee swims by. Photo courtesy of Plantation on Crystal River

Crystal River, home to roughly 3,000 people and located 90 minutes north of Tampa, is the only place in North America where you can legally swim with manatees. For Tampa Bay residents looking for a magical getaway, this one-tank destination is the perfect place to get up close with these gentle creatures.

Manatee season runs from Nov. 15 through the end of March, when cold temperatures push the mammals into Crystal River’s mild waters. The springs around Kings Bay remain at 72 degrees year-round, and in the peak months it’s not uncommon to see hundreds of manatees clustering together to enjoy the warmth.

Even though we booked a trip during the off-season, we were optimistic about spotting some manatees.

Crystal River is home to roughly 50 to 60 resident manatees, attracting travelers year-round. In fact, visiting before the season is a great way to get close to these creatures while avoiding the crowds.

To book responsibly, find a tour group that takes a conservation-minded approach. Photographer Martha Asencio-Rhine and I opted for Explorida, a company that starts each swim session with a lesson. After all, these animals are protected by federal law, and harassing or harming them can mean hefty fines and jail time. The team went over the art of “passive

observation,” which involves quietly enjoying the animals from a distance. If manatees wanted to venture closer and touch us, that would be fine, but initiating contact is a big no-no.

We wiggled into wet suits, which would keep us warm and floating, and headed to Kings Bay, aka the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. During the short boat ride, our in-water guide, Amy Smith, offered tips.

Manatees will be able to feel us coming thanks to tiny hairs that cover their body. They are curious and friendly, and generally don’t mind respectful humans. To keep them comfortable, it’s best to avoid loud

A manatee rises to the surface for air while people on a manatee tour float nearby in Crystal River. Photo by Martha Asencio-Rhine

noises or splashing. In other words, stay still and act like a manatee.

“I call it manatee meditation,” Smith said. “So if you’re not relaxed and calm when you get out of the water, you’re probably not doing it right.”

Smith showed us how to spot manatees from the boat. First, find a mound of bubbles. Then a whiskered nose will emerge from the water — the tip of the manatee iceberg. If the water is clear, you’ll see the round silhouette of the rest of its body under the surface.

Our tour group of 10 squeezed into snorkeling masks and shimmied into the water. Even though the bay was shallow enough to stand in, the captain handed us each a pool noodle to wedge under our armpits. It’s important to float, so as to not kick up sand from the bottom or sink down onto an unsuspecting manatee.

Our feet poking up out of the water behind us, we doggy-paddled gingerly away from the boat and toward Smith. She had found our first manatee, a female taking a snooze.

Plantation on Crystal River offers a number of amenities, from a lagoon-style pool to a golf course. Manatee tours are also available. Photo courtesy of Plantation on Crystal River

Crystal Blue Lagoon Bed and Breakfast sits on the edge of Kings Bay in Crystal River. Photo by Martha Asencio-Rhine

At first, it was hard to see her through the water. Her long, flat tail had kicked up sand from the bottom, and it was challenging to get close enough to see while also giving her space. Having to navigate around others in our tour group made things even trickier, especially since we were instructed to remain silent.

The sleeping sea cow hovered in a cloud of bubbles. Every few minutes she floated to the surface to inhale before sinking back down. Small catfish swirled around her. She didn’t mind them, or our group coming close to watch.

Smith motioned to us to hold onto our noodles, then “freeze and float.” We watched through our snorkel masks in awe.

Then another tour group approached. We’d have to share this manatee. Our gang headed back to the boat to find another one.

We didn’t travel for long before the captain spotted a second sea cow. Smith slid into the water to scope him out. We followed behind.

Smith identified the animal as a male. (Females are typically larger.) This fellow was hungry, nuzzling the bottom of the bay for a snack. His little front flippers scooped clumps of eelgrass toward his mouth as he swam. We could hear his crunches through the water.

Manatees eat between 10 and 15 percent of their body weight daily. With the average manatee weighing around 1,500 pounds, Smith said, be glad that’s not your grocery bill.

We repeated this process until just before 12:30 p.m.: Find a manatee and get a peek into its morning routine. Near the edge of the water, as the group admired a mother, her calf even popped in to say hello.

With our last manatee, it was hard to keep a good distance as he quickly scanned for lunch. He moved closer to us, and I didn’t want to cause a splash by swimming away.

We froze. We floated.

The manatee swam on.

IF YOU GO

For the best visibility, book a tour early in the morning. Explorida, for example, offers a 6:30 a.m. slot. Call 352-503-4034 or visit explorida.com to book.

Staying near the springs is a must. We opted for the Crystal Blue Lagoon Bed and Breakfast on the edge of Kings Bay. Each room has a theme, from mermaids to seahorses. A fully stocked kitchen provides the fixings for a DIY breakfast: fresh fruit, juices, pastries and a coffee bar. Borrow kayaks or water bikes for a trip to nearby Three Sisters Springs, or settle in with complimentary wine and s’mores by the fire pit. 244 NE Second Court, Crystal River. crystalbluelagoonbb.com.

We also recommend the Plantation on Crystal River. This historic hotel, which dates back to 1962, is tucked along Kings Bay. Amenities include a full spa, a lagoon-style pool and an 18-hole golf course. The hotel also has its own adventure center, offering chartered scalloping trips, dive equipment rentals and, of course, manatee tours. 9301 W Fort Island Trail, Crystal River. plantationoncrystalriver.com.

This is one of the sitting areas inside the Crystal Blue Lagoon Bed and Breakfast. Photo by Martha Asencio-Rhine

Taste of Italy

BY SUSAN TAYLOR MARTIN • PHOTOS BY ANGELICA EDWARDS

NATIVE OF ITALY, Anna Silvestri had culinary culture shock when she moved to Florida in the early 1990s. “I felt like I was in the desert but instead of water I was looking for food,” she says. “These people didn’t know how to eat, there was no quality. You’d go to Publix for arugula and they were like, ‘What are you talking about?’ ”

Silvestri and her family opened La Casa Del Pane, a small Italian bakery and deli in St. Pete Beach. They’ve since expanded to a much larger place, now one of the most popular gathering spots on Gulf Boulevard. But their mission remains the same: teaching people to eat food like Italians eat it, with none of the preservatives, sugars and other additives that, Silvestri says, corrupt the typical American diet.

Her husband, Giovanni, comes in at 1:30 each morning to make the bread. He uses only four ingredients — flour, fresh yeast, salt and water — to produce the long

The offerings at La Casa Del Pane in St. Pete Beach aren’t limited to bread.

Italy native Anna Silvestri and her family opened La Casa Del Pane in the 1990s. Her husband, Giovanni, right, is the man behind the bread. He arrives at 1:30 a.m. six days a week to make it, using just four ingredients.

skinny loaves and plump round ones, all with a crust.

“If you want real Italian bread, it has to have a crust,” Silvestri says. “If you want soft bread, get Wonder Bread.”

Many customers come solely for the bread or to pick up pizza and focaccia, also made fresh daily. (To ensure freshness, anything not sold that day is thrown away.) As soon as the door opens at 8 a.m., customers settle in at the counter, order espressos and breakfast sandwiches and start lively conversations, often sprinkled with Italian. La Casa Del Pane is the kind of place they might have frequented in Manhattan or Jersey City.

Silvestri was just a kid in 1980 when her family moved to New Jersey from Altamura, an Italian town famed for its bread. They joined Silvestri’s brother, who had emigrated several years before and married into family that owned a bakery. In 1991, a friend visiting St. Pete Beach noticed a small building for sale not far from the Don CeSar resort.

“He said, ‘We need to put a bakery here because there’s not a good Italian bakery in Florida,’ ” Silvestri recalls. She, her husband and her sister Maddalena Clemente ran what they called La Casa Del Pane — The House of Bread — and bought it from the brother in 2004. But the space was cramped, with room for only a few customers to sit. Eight years ago, they moved north on Gulf Boulevard to a building they own across from the Waffle House.

Some customers were leery of the move, fearing the bakery would lose its cozy charm. “We had to make sure we didn’t go the extreme,” Silvestri says. In addition to plenty of counter space, she insisted they have a big table where customers could gather and chat while they ate. “It brings conversation. That’s what the Italian tradition is,” she says.

La Casa Del Pane sells sandwiches, salads and many other food stuffs — Italian cookies, candies, pastries, cheeses, olive oil, ravioli, antipasto, fresh mozzarella and homemade sauces and soups including “everyone’s favorite Italian wedding soup.” There’s a large selection of wines, all Italian. The store has become such a local institution that it carries La Casa Del Pane caps and cups.

Silvestri and her sister are the public faces of the business while Giovanni bakes in the back. He likes to

An assortment of focaccia is available.

Giovanni Silvestri speaks to a wine salesperson at the bakery and deli. There’s a large selection of wines, all Italian.

joke that they get all the compliments while he does all the work. Rather than entrust the baking to someone who might not be as good, the family closes the store for a few weeks every summer while they go to Italy.

“If we were ever to sell, would it ever be the same?” Silvestri wonders. “We’ve been doing this for 31 years, we love what we do and have been very successful but we are very hard working.”

She’s pleased that over those three decades La Casa Del Pane has helped educate so many people on healthy eating. Still, there’s plenty of work to be done.

“In Italy” she notes, “people are not overweight like they are here.’’

La Casa Del Pane, 7110 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach. 727367-8322. Open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday.

Anna Silvestri’s sister, Maddalena Clemente, works behind the counter at La Casa Del Pane. Silvestri and her sister are the public faces of the business.

La Casa Del Pane has called this Gulf Boulevard building home for the past eight years.

Infused with the vibrant mosaic of arts and culture that surrounds it, Art House offers a uniquely seamless and sophisticated setting for life with everything you need right at home, and all the best of downtown just steps in every direction.

From the developers of Saltaire and ONE in St Petersburg, Hyde Park House Tampa, and The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota.

NEW LUXURY CONDOMINIUM RESIDENCES FROM $1 MILLION Hurry in for

selection, views, and pricing.

Sales Hosted by Smith & Associates Real Estate

Beach Drive NE

St. Petersburg, FL

Artist’s Rendering of Pool Deck

PRESENTED

Artist’s Rendering of Terrace

Rendering of Great Room

READING FEST RETURNS

BY COLETTE BANCROFT

The Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading will celebrate its 30th anniversary by returning in person Nov. 12, after two years as a virtual event. It will be a smaller festival in a new location, St. Petersburg’s historic Palladium. But it will bring back the live author talks and book signings that have always been the heart of the festival.

Headlining the festival will be former St. Petersburg resident and bestselling author Dennis Lehane, talking about his upcoming novel “Small Mercies.” An Eckerd College alumnus and co-founder of its Writers in Paradise conference, he has been a writer and producer for a number of TV series, including “The Wire,” “Mr. Mercedes” and “Black Bird.” His novels “Mystic River,” “Shutter Island,” “Live by Night,” “Gone, Baby, Gone” and “The Drop” have been made into films.

Charlayne Hunter-Gault is an Emmywinning journalist and an icon of the civil rights movement. Known as an anchor and correspondent for “PBS Newshour,” she has also written for the New York Times and The New Yorker. Highlights of those writings make up her compelling new book, “My People: Five Decades of Writing About Black Lives.”

Beth Macy’s previous book, “Dopesick:

Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America,” was a searing look at the opioid crisis. She was an executive producer and co-writer on Hulu’s Peabody and Emmy award-winning “Dopesick” series. Her new book is “Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice and the Future of America’s Overdose Crisis.”

Lisa Unger is the internationally bestselling author of 20 novels, including her latest, the worst-vacation-ever thriller “Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.” The local author’s twisted tale of secret identities, “Confessions on the 7:45,” is now in development at Netflix, starring Jessica Alba.

Peniel E. Joseph holds the Barbara Jordan Chair in Ethics and Political Values and is founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of several award-winning books on African American history; his new

Dennis Lehane headlines the in-person Times Festival of Reading Nov. 12 at the Palladium in St. Petersburg. Photo courtesy of Writers in Paradise

book is “The Third Reconstruction: America’s Struggle for Racial Justice in the Twenty-first Century.”

Two of Florida’s best-known historians will discuss how history is made and written. Jack E. Davis is the author of the Pulitzer Prizewinning “The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea” and a professor of environmental history at the University of Florida. His latest book is “The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America’s Bird.” Gary Mormino is the Frank E. Duckwall Professor of History Emeritus at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, co-founder of USF’s Florida studies program and author of many books about Florida. His latest is “Dreams in the New Century: Instant Cities, Shattered Hopes, and Florida’s Turning Point.”

One panel of authors will delve into the strange corners of Florida. Tampa native Paul Wilborn is an award-winning journalist, a pianist and singer, and the executive director of the Pal ladium. His debut novel, the comic road trip “Florida Hustle,” was published this year. Gabri elle Calise is the editor of A24’s “Florida!” travel book. She reports on local history and shenan igans for her hometown paper, the Tampa Bay Times. Kristen Hare writes feature obituaries for the Times and is the author of “100 Things to Do in Tampa Bay Before You Die.” Craig Pitt

man won numerous awards for environmental reporting in 30 years on the staff of the Tampa Bay Times and recently received the National Sierra Club’s 2022 Rachel Carson Award. He is the author of six books; his latest is “The State You’re In: Florida Men, Florida Women, and Other Wildlife.”

It takes a lot of expertise to unpack the real story of one of Florida’s favorite meals. USF social science professor Barbara Cruz, curator of Florida studies at the USF Libraries Andrew Huse and Jeff Houck, vice president of marketing for the Columbia Restaurant Group, combined their efforts to write “The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers.”

Tombolo Books, a St. Petersburg independent bookstore, will handle on-site book sales for the festival. Author signings will be in the Palladium’s Side Door cabaret space after their talks.

The festival will take place 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Palladium at St. Petersburg College, 253 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Tickets are $25 for general admission or $50 for VIP at mytbtickets.com. This event is a fundraiser for the Tampa Bay Times Journalism Fund. For author bios, schedule and information, go to tampabay.com/expos/ festival-of-reading.

This year’s festival lineup includes Emmy-winning journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault. Photo courtesy of Charlayne Hunter-Gault

Local author Lisa Unger is also on the bill. Photo courtesy of Jay Nolan

SOCIAL SCENE

Children’s Cancer Center

Wine, Women & Shoes

Step in, lace up, strap on — fancy footwear featured a ’90s hip-hop theme at the ninth Wine, Women & Shoes, a national event that has raised more than $2 million for Tampa-based Children’s Cancer Center since 2013. “Sole Men” volunteers attended to the 550 well-heeled guests at Armature Works on Oct. 6, refilling wine glasses and judging “Best in Shoe” categories such as “Notorious Freestyler” and “Nothing but a Stiletto Thang.” Guests bought “keys” for a chance to win a closet-full of designer shoes, jewelry, beauty treatments and more valued at $30,000. (Congratulations lucky Ann Bailin.) More than 40 auction bidders nabbed Ireland or Hawaii vacations (buyer’s choice) at $5,000 each. Best of showstoppers: the adorable, courageous youngsters fighting childhood cancers. — Amy Scherzer, photos courtesy of A Work of Heart Photography by Sarah Farr

Enthusiastic auction bidders support the Wine, Women & Shoes benefit for the Children’s Cancer Center on Oct. 6 at Armature Works in Tampa.

From left, Doug Hensel, aka DJ Fresh, Sabrina Caras, Patty O’Leary and Amadea Minutolo.

Children’s Cancer Center CEO Patty O’Leary introduces two young cancer fighters to guests at the Wine, Women & Shoes benefit.

Beautify

for

A RT G

Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research Eye Ball 2022

“It’s So Good to See You Again!” was both theme and greeting for guests happy to celebrate the Eye Ball after two long years since gathering indoors to support the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research. CEO Jason Woody updated the enthusiastic crowd on transformative progress in eye banking, tissue recovery and ocular research during the Sept. 10 dinner and auction at the Tampa Marriott Water Street. More than $220,000 was raised to offer free vision screenings and followup treatment for local children whose vision problems may otherwise go undiagnosed. — Amy Scherzer, photos courtesy of PamElla Lee Photography

From left, Steve Greenbaum, Judy Genshaft, Andrea Gonzmart and Beau Williams.

Jason Woody and his mother, Jeanine Hill. Hillsborough Community College sponsored this table of supportive guests at the Eye Ball.

Helena Bentivegna and her son, Chad Chronister.

American Cancer Society Tampa Cattle Baron’s Ball

Yeehaw for the 25th annual Tampa Cattle Baron’s Ball, the blue jeans and boots, grub and games, barrel of fundraising for the American Cancer Society at the Bryan Glazer Family JCC on Sept. 24. The 450 guests were invited to ride a mechanical bull, bid up a cornucopia of auction items and kick back to country music by the Ben Allen Band. Mission chairperson Mike Nursey’s emotional appeal to donors in memory of his wife Gail, the 2018 chairperson, helped raise thousands of dollars to research, prevent, detect and treat cancer. — Amy Scherzer, photos courtesy of David Galindo Photography

Dr. Loan Lam, left, and Mike Hammel.

Mike Nursey.

Cattle Baron’s Ball guests take turns riding the mechanical bull.

Michael A. Zimmer,MD, MACP

Forover 26 years, Dr.Zimmer has provided unparalleled careininternal medicine to thousands of patients. The Zimmer Concierge Medical Membership takes the patient experience to the next level, infusing the highest-quality care with first-rateamenities to makeyour visits comfortable, convenient, and hassle-free.

We’rebringing back the ideaofthe family doctor,and creating physician-patient relationships thatare authentic and personal. As amember,you’ll benefit from our premium services while receiving care uniquely tailored to your medical needs.

Violin Concerto

Stefan Jackiw returns, plus Dvorak’s Symphony No.8 Nov 12 &13

ROCK CONCERT Music of Led Zeppelin

Ultimatenightofclassic rock goes classical Nov 18

Symphony

Michael Francis conducts worldpremiere Ippolito Violin Concerto Dec 2- 4

aMoment

Holiday Pops

Ourvery merriest concerts for whole family Dec 9- 11

Michael Francis, Music Director

RAYMOND JAMES POPS

HOUGHFAMILYFOUNDATION MASTERWORKS Brahms’

HOUGH FAMILY FOUNDATION MASTERWORKS

SOCIAL SCENE

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay Art of  Helping Children Gala

With a nod and thanks to Dr. Seuss, the 24th Art of Helping Children Gala borrowed the author’s “Oh, the Places We’ll Go” for a Big Brothers Big Sisters Tampa Bay black-tie benefit. Guests celebrated Bigs (adults) and Littles (children) one-on-one mentoring from the moment of entering through the “One Fish, Two Fish” dinner and auction at the Hilton Tampa Downtown on Sept. 10. CEO Stephen Koch announced his retirement as he was honored for 20 years of service. Another highlight: Tampa Bay Rays centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier played auctioneer for a VIP baseball package and custom Bespoke & Co. suit, helping the event raise $375,000. — Amy Scherzer, photos courtesy of Tacy-Briggs Troncoso

From left, Kevin Kiermaier, Jackson “Crypto Kid” Shembekar and David Kahn.

Ken Beattie, left, Shandra Davis, Asharia and Jaheem.

Vince Pavese, left, Stephen Koch and Brian Auld.

SCENE

My Fairy Godfathers Fairytale Ball

More than 400 guests attended the Fairytale Ball, enjoying an evening of enchantment as a room at Tampa’s Armature Works was transformed into a “secret garden” for the inaugural gala of My Fairy Godfathers. Founded by celebrity stylists Andrew Ashton and Steven Anderson, the Clearwater-based nonprofit has awarded scholarships, prom makeovers, beauty bags and wigs to women battling cancer, abuse, illness and/or hardships. Six past recipients shared their stories and lifechanging experiences as the event raised more than $220,000 to be shared with deserving women in the Tampa Bay area and beyond. — Susan Taylor Martin, photos courtesy of Andy Andrews

Social calendar Contact Amy Scherzer at AmyScherzersDiary@gmail.com.

Nov. 10: Smartly Dressed fashion show and luncheon, featuring Dillard’s. Benefits the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. $175. 10:30 a.m. Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club. stuartsociety.org.

Nov. 10: Hillsborough Community College Presidential Showcase: Salute to our Military & Community Heroes. $200 and up. 6:30 p.m. Armature Works, Tampa. foundation@hccfl.edu.

Nov. 10: The Arts Annual 2022 benefit for Creative Pinellas. VIP, 5:30-7 p.m., $250. General admission, 7:30-9 p.m., $25. The Gallery at Creative Pinellas, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo. artsannual.org.

Nov. 10: 14th annual Sustainable Buzz & Business Awards. Benefits the Sustany Foundation. VIP, $150. General admission, $75. 6 to 10 p.m. Tampa Garden Club, 2629 Bayshore Blvd. sustany.org.

Nov. 10: Tampa Tinseltown, Junior League Holiday Gift Market Preview Party. VIP, 6 p.m., $75. General admission, 7 p.m., $25. Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall, Tampa. 813-254-1734 or jltampa.org.

Nov. 11: Tampa Bay History Center Gala, a black-tie event with a “Culture &

Cuisine of New Orleans” theme. $250. 7 p.m. 801 Old Water St., Tampa. 813-675-8991 or tampabayhistorycenter.org/gala.

Nov. 12: Bowtie Ball, a benefit for the Poynter Institute, with honorees Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. $225. 7 p.m. Tampa Marriott Water Street. poynter.org/events/category/bow-tie-ball.

Nov. 17: National Philanthropy Day reception, which benefits the Association of Fundraising Professionals Suncoast Chapter. $50. 6 p.m. James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, St. Petersburg. afpsuncoast.org.

Nov. 19: Celebrate Sinatra, a big-band and cocktail experience. $200. 9 p.m. Hyde House, 1646 W Snow Ave., Tampa. celebratesinatra.com.

Dec. 1: Victorian Christmas Stroll Preview Party, which benefits the H.B. Plant Museum Society. $100. 6:30 p.m. 401 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. 813-2541891 or plantmuseum.com.

Dec. 9: LAMPLighters Silver Coffee, which benefits Metropolitan Ministries and Joshua House. $50. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Private residence in Avila in Tampa. 813-505-0719 or lamplighterstampa.org.

Carla Mattern, left, and Falan Shannon.

Bobbi Ray Carter, left, and Kelly and Scott Carter.

Andrew Ashton, left, and Steven Anderson.