» Community Stories

• A Tank With a View

  Written by Bob Horn No Comments
  Last Updated: January 12, 2010

  What could be more utilitarian than a water storage tower?  I guess, in many places, there’s probably not much that’s more utilitarian.  But anyone in the northeast area of  St. Petersburg who ever turns on their water is getting it from this very decidedly non-utilitarian looking storage tower!  Much more fun than the standard gray tank that you see so often.  And just another example of how St. Petersburg does a great job of making ordinary things extraordinary… (Please click on the picture to see a full-sized image)

  

• The Spirit of Giving

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: December 28, 2009

  Christmas has come and gone . . . and I, like others, am counting the hours, minutes, and (on New Year’s Eve) seconds, until 2010 arrives.

  The coming week offers a time of reflection and rejuvenation.   A glance back at the past and the promise of a new beginning.

  The year that is about to end brought ups and downs to our area’s real estate market.  Throughout Pinellas County, the good news is that our market appears to be rebounding (with record sales per statistics available online at www.tampabayrealtor.com). 

  This news is exciting and welcomed.  Still, 2009′s challenges greatly impacted real estate professionals throughout our community.  At year’s end, however, the takeaway is extremely positive and makes me proud to be member of Pinellas Realtor Organization (PRO). 

  Throughout Pinellas County and the year, Realtors and affiliate board members worked individually and cooperatively to support numerous nonprofit and community organizations, and charitable events.  This support is especially evidenced during the holidays.

  One example is the annual food drive and cash donation collection which takes place in conjunction with the Treasure Island Holiday Pitch Session. 

  Hosted by Baird Realty Group, a real estate office located in St. Pete Beach, and attended by Realtors and affiliate board members from throughout the area, weekly pitch sessions provide an opportunity for real estate professionals and service providers to meet and discuss real estate.  Along with others, I regularly attend these meetings to “pitch” property listings , learn about new listings and price adjustments, broker and public open house events, news for the good of the association, and to meet and hear from other board members.  The Holiday Pitch Session is the most special meeting of the year as it presents an opportunity to give back to the community in which we live and work.

  The 2009 Holiday Pitch Session was held in early December at Paradise Lutheran Church in Treasure Island.  The room was festively decorated.  There was a towering Christmas tree and everyone who attended was dressed in their finest (and, in some cases, funniest) holiday attire.  Yes, there were a few ugly sweaters and vests, lots of Santa caps, some twinkling name badges, jingle bell earrings and necklaces, and an abundance of good cheer!

  The pitch began, as all of the weekly meetings do, with coffee and networking.  However, due to the festive occasion, several affiliate board members volunteered to serve breakfast.  While everyone enjoyed the refreshments, members of a choir (comprised of affiliate board members) sang a holiday song, which they wrote and dedicated to the Realtors in attendance.  The joy in their warbling voices bolstered the already high spirits in the room. 

  A couple (she, a Realtor; he, a title company owner) brought their children to the meeting.  The toddler and infant, adorably regaled in festive attire, were surprised to hear jingling bells that announced Santa’s arrival.  Truth be told, many (read: much older) attendees were surprised, too!  The jolly old soul had a hearty laugh that jiggled his jelly-filled bowl of a belly.  The welcomed visitor distributed candy canes and hugs to all.  When he approached, I recognized the sparkle in his friendly eyes (Santa was another affiliate board member sharing good cheer).  The toddler climbed on his lap for the duration of the meeting. 

  Once started, we rose to our feet to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.  The process of “pitching” listings and services began in earnest, followed by a discussion of items for the good of the association.  Then, the minister of the church was summoned. 

  During the time we were together, working and making merry as Realtors, affiliate board members, and friends, we opened our wallets and hearts, collecting over $550 in cash and box loads of food items.  The cash and food was offered to the minister as a donation to his church.  When presented with this gift, the grateful expression on his face and heartfelt words of thanks made us all feel proud to be a member of our Realtor community.  A roomful of caring people, having faced tough times and good throughout 2009, selflessly giving for the greater good of our community. 

  In reflection and with an eye to the future, I intend to take many gifts from 2009 with me into the New Year.  As with each passing year, it has been a time of highs and lows.  As the curtain falls on the passing year, one can only hope that it will rise again on January 1st to reveal the bright sparkle of renewed hope.  Indeed, I plan to carry a considerable amount of pride and gratitude into 2010–for a Realtor community that works cooperatively and embraces the spirit of giving–not just during the holidays, but throughout the year.  This, fellow residents and real estate professionals, is something that we can all be proud of! 

  May you and yours have a very Happy New Year . . . in Paradise Found!

  PHOTO CREDIT:  Group photo taken at the Treasure Island Holiday Pitch by Michael West of www.michaelwestphotography.com.

  

• Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: December 14, 2009

  Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is returning to St. Petersburg!

  Tickets for the performance, which will be held at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater on December 27, 2009 at 3:00 p.m., are on sale now.

  The tour marks the 16th consecutive season of bringing family and friends closer together.

   What better way to celebrate the magic of this special time of year!

  This year’s tour stars the ballet world’s Prima Ballerina, Cristina Terentieva and her partner Alexei. Cristina is a Gold Medalist of the 2008 Varna International Ballet Competition where Vladimir Vasiliev of the Bolshoi bestowed upon her the highest honors. Also starring in the Great Russian Nutcracker is the award winning couple Akzhol Mussakhanov and Ekaterina Bortykova.

  New in Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker this year are the Snow Maiden and Father Christmas! Two beautiful new costumes have been commissioned and the Moscow Ballet is proud to show families across the country that The Great Russian Nutcracker is more vibrant and alive then ever!

  Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker combines the family favorite with a prayer for peace.  The Great Russian Nutcracker has charmed us for more than a century.

  Praised for exquisite dancing and gorgeous costumes, the Great Russian Nutcracker is directed by Ballet Master Vladimir Troschenko. Mr. Troschenko partnered such legendary Russian ballerinas as Nadia Pavolva, Ludmilla Seminyaka, and Galina Mezentseva. He is an honors graduate of the Bolshoi and Kirov academies.

  Set against Valentin Fedorov’s spectacular hand-painted backdrops and life-sized dancing puppets the Great Russian Nutcracker delights audiences with a visual tapestry rich in detail and whimsy. It is especially distinctive for its unique setting of Act II in the “Land of Peace and Harmony” and for the introduction of a new character, a Christmas Dove. New this year is a fantasy clock with wings of an owl that cast a shadow over the battle between the Soldiers and the Mice. Mr. Fedorov, an Honored Artist of Chuvashia, was a protégée of the legendary designer Valery Leventhal of the Bolshoi Theatre. He is art director at the Chuvashia State Theater and has designed over 40 productions for opera and ballet.

  Moscow Ballet features top graduates of Perm, Vaganova, Moscow State Academic Choreographic and Kiev schools. Acclaimed for exquisite dancing and gorgeous costumes critics rave that the Great Russian Nutcracker is “flawless,” “breathtaking” and “dazzling.” Whimsical and imaginative storytelling blend with the richness of Russian classical ballet to make the Great Russian Nutcracker a memorable holiday treat for everyone.

  Particularly special about this (now annual) performance is that local dancers are featured!  Youngsters (age seven to young teens) auditioned in October for parts.  I am aware of one such dancer, a beautiful and talented young lady, named Lucy Baird.  Lucy was featured in two roles in 2008, as a Harlequin and French Sentinal, and will appear again this year.  Her parents and siblings are proud as punch, and this is what makes the Moscow Ballet’s Great  Russian Nutcracker such a wonderful family event.  And, after all, isn’t this what the holidays are about?

  Two photographs of Lucy (provided by her parents and www.Nutcracker.com) are featured below, along with other images from the 2008 performance which appear on the event website.  For young dancers, with visions of Sugar Plum Fairies (and the possibility of dancing in 2010), I’ve included a link (below) to the Kids Cast page, which includes information about the audition process. 

  The Holiday Season is here!  Get your tickets to the Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker now! The best seats are going quickly. Give your family a gift they will remember with the Moscow Ballet.

  Charming and Classical . . . Just another Magical Moment . . . In Paradise Found!

  Happy Holidays!  Merry Christmas!   

  To purchase tickets, visit www.nutcracker.com.  Group rates are available.

  Click Here to Preview Kids Cast Photos

   Photos courtesy of Eric, Kelly & Lucy Baird, and www.Nutcracker.com. 

• Mingle ‘N Jingle . . . At Tampa Bay Watch

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: December 7, 2009

  “Pumpkins on the Porch” hosted by Tampa Bay Watch in October was such a success, they’ve decided to do something similar in celebration of the holidays!

  Plan to attend Mingle ‘N Jingle highlighted by holiday movies by the Bay at the Tampa Bay Watch Marine Center in Tierra Verde.

  Join Tierra Verde friends and neighbors in helping Tampa Bay Watch welcome the holiday season with family-friendly films after sunset.  Be sure to check your list to determine if you’ve been naughty or nice . . . as a jolly visitor plans to make a special guest appearance!  

  EVENT PARTICULARS:

  When:  From 6 to 8PM on Friday, December 11, 2009.

  Where:  Tampa Bay Watch Marine Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL 33715.

  Featured Films:  Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Mickey’s Christmas Carol.

  RSVP online at www.tampabaywatch.org.

  If you plan on attending, please consider bringing an unwrapped toy in lieu of admission or cash donation.

  The event is sponsored by the Tierra Verde Fire District and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department.

  All proceeds benefit the Tierra Verde Fire District’s “Santa Program,” which helps gives children a joyful Christmas.

  Guests are welcome to bring chairs and/or blankets to spread on the lawn.

  Tampa Bay Watch, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit stewardship program dedicated exclusively to the protection and restoration of the marine and wetland environments of the Tampa Bay estuary through scientific and educational programs.

  For more information, contact Rachel Arndt, Communications Coordinator, Tampa Bay Watch, at (727) 867-8166.

  To volunteer at Mingle ‘N Jingle, contact Jessica Combs at (727) 867-8166.
  

  Come mingle and jingle in Tierra Verde! 

  And be sure to have a Ho! Ho! Ho! Happy Holiday Season . . . in Paradise Found! 

  PHOTO CREDIT:  Images used in this post courtesy of Tampa Bay Watch and yours truly.

  

• Open Air Post Office in St. Petersburg

  Written by Bob Horn No Comments
  Last Updated: December 2, 2009

  

  St. Petersburg has a very unique and beautiful post office in the heart of downtown.  It’s known as the Open Air Post Office because, as you can see in this late 1940′s or early 1950′s era postcard, the main areas of the post office are not enclosed.  If you were to walk through the arches that you see, you’d be in the area of hundreds of post office boxes, as well as mail drops.  Our Open Air Post Office is located at the southwest corner of Fourth Street North and First Avenue north, diagonally across the street from Williams Park.

  This post office was completed and opened for business in September of 1917, so we are just a few years away from its centennial celebration!  And, interestingly enough, this was not the first open air post office in St. Petersburg.  Prior to the opening of this facility, there was a much smaller open air post office a block away.  That one was built in 1907, on the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Fourth Street.  But our growing city quickly outgrew that building, and in 1915, the post office had to move temporarily to the first floor of the City Hall of that day, located on Fourth Street South.  That same year, a congressional appropriation of $102,000 was granted for the construction of a new, large, full service post office that would be able to serve the needs of the city for years to come.

  Although initial plans drawn up for the post office involved a building built several feet above street level, with lots of steps leading up to it, our local Postmaster didn’t like those plans, and he worked to design a building at street level, with no steps, and one that was open on all sides and would allow postal patrons to have access to their post office boxes 24 hours a day.  The result of his plans is history – a gorgeous Mediterranean Revival building with rich architectural detail and a grand feel to it.  And, perhaps more importantly, a structure that has stood the test of time – this building is still operating as an active post office today.  In 1975, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

  To provide a little comparison, I scanned an old post card of the Open Air Post Office and that’s the picture that you see above.  Then, a few weeks ago, I took my own photos of the building, and those are the shots that you see below.  The photos are a bit compressed in this blog format, so for a much better view, please click on each picture to see a full sized image.  As you can see, the post office looks pretty much the same today as it did in long-ago St. Petersburg!  And you might also notice the Snell Arcade/Rutland building – the tall structure just behind the post office – it also stands proud today, as beautiful as ever.  This post office is worth a first hand look, so if you have a few minutes sometime and are near downtown St. Petersburg, park your car and walk through it and enjoy feeling a bit of history around you.  This is one of those cases where you really can say, “They don’t make ‘em like this any more… 

  

   

  

• Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: November 30, 2009

  In honor of the holiday season, boat owners take advantage of Pinellas County’s abundant waterways to “Deck The Hulls” (literally) and participate in one or more of our area’s community-oriented lighted boat parades.

  One such parade in the South Gulf Beaches area of the County is the Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade. A longstanding tradition, the event is scheduled to take place beginning at 6PM on Wednesday, December 9, 2009.  Participating vessels, with crew and merrymakers aboard, meet at Marker #10 in the Pass-a-Grille Channel (located at the entrance to the Grand Canal).

  When the boats are lined up, one after the other, with their decorative lights twinkling and holiday music from their respective sound systems rocking the night air, the Parade gets underway.  It is a sight to behold.

  The Parade travels up the Grand Canal, heading north, and returns south, then proceeding along the island’s west shore to the Tierra Verde Bridge.  After passing under the bridge, the Parade travels on, going up and down the canals on the east side of Tierra Verde.

  It’s beautiful to see decorative lights draped up the rigging of sailboats and along the bow of yachts.  Lights shaped as palm trees, animated ringing bells, reindeer, and as green fish and blue dolphins.

  Following the Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade, an awards ceremony and party is slated to follow at Billy’s Stone Crab Restaurant, located at One Collany Road, Tierra Verde , FL 33715.

  In true blown out flip flop island style, there is no official sponsor for the event . . . Just a bunch of friendly neighbors and friends getting together to enjoy some of the magic and whimsy of the holiday season.

  Tierra Verde, Pass-a-Grille, Vina del Mar, and Isla del Sol residents who live along the waterfront have the luxury of enjoying the Parade from their own homes.  Others travel to various waterfront restaurants, parks,  and public landings to enjoy the spectacular display of lights.

  It’s not too late to participate.  Anyone who owns a boat is encouraged to participate.  All you need to do is decorate your boat (and it doesn’t have to be fancy) and join in the fun of the Parade.

  More information about the Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade is available by phone at 727-458-8512 or call Billy’s Stone Crab Restaurant at 727-866-2115.

  Being from the Midwest originally, when I moved to Florida with my husband in 2002, I worried that I would miss our annual car ride to cruise the neighborhood and look at glimmering holiday lights buried beneath inches of newly-fallen snow.  To my delight, it is equally enjoyable, if not more exhilarating, to see watch the Tierra Verde Lighted Boat Parade and see the reflection of glittering holiday lights shimmering on the water.

  If, during the holidays, the urge to drop to the ground and make a snow angel overtakes me, I need only zip down to North Beach at Ft. De Soto Park and make a sand angel.  I’ll be sure to go when the last light of day is touching the horizon–because sunsets there are glorious gifts in and of themselves!

  Never again having to own a snow scraper . . . just another good thing about life . . . in Paradise Found!

  PHOTOS OF AREA LIGHTED BOAT PARADES COURTESY OF:  Dirk Shadd (Times 2003).  Times 2004.  Coastal Living Magazine.

• Giving Thanks . . . SPYC Christmas Boutique

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: November 23, 2009

  Thanksgiving is the perfect time to extend a heartfelt thank you to residents, businesses, and organizations throughout Pinellas County for their commitment to charitable events and activities during the holiday season and year-round.  Expressed in donations of time, the sharing of life experiences, and funding support, this commitment defines the meaning of volunteerism and the spirit of community giving.

  On Thanksgiving Day, it’s a tradition in my family to give thanks, while standing around the dinner table, for the blessings in our lives.  We hold hands and each person, in turn, offers a message of thanks.   My husband, Thomas, and I, plan to spend the holiday with my sister and brother-in-law, Lora and Max Fulmer, who live, as we do, in Tierra Verde, FL.  I’m already thinking about the message that I will share.  My words of thanks and gratitude will include them–for the gifts they share and in acknowledgment of their volunteer spirit.

  Lora, as she does each year, plans to host a booth, with her friend, Judy Fielding, at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Christmas Boutique.

  This tenth annual fundraising event attracts hundreds of shoppers.  It’s festive and fun, and helps SPYC members and their guests get into the holiday spirit.  Proceeds from this activity benefit the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Junior Sailing and Disabled Sailor programs.
  Lora and Judy work (like elves), collecting and making quilts, and embroidering novelty items, to be sold at the Christmas Boutique.  They are talented sewers and quilt makers.  Volunteering at this event is a labor of love for them (owing to the fact that they have both lost a child to terminal illness).

  

  In addition to their support of the SPYC Christmas Boutique, Lora and Judy also volunteer on behalf of Project Linus, a nonprofit organization comprised of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. Each chapter works together to help us achieve their mission statement:

  . . . To provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”

  . . . To provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

  Project Linus has distributed over three million blankets to children in need since the organization’s inception in 1995.

  I’m proud of (and thankful for) my sister for her support of these great causes and there are many great people doing equally great things in our community.

  In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I urge everyone to pause and give thanks for our individual and collective blessings.  Take a moment to honor and recognize the volunteers in your sphere of influence–family members and friends alike.  Let them know how much you appreciate them.  If you’re not doing so already, consider becoming a volunteer or making a donation to one of your favorite charities.  By doing so, you will make a meaningful contribution to our community and, as a consequence, you will have an opportunity to experience, firsthand, the impact that two simple words can have . . . thank you!

  Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving . . . in Paradise Found!

  ST. PETERSBURG YACHT CLUB CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE:
  The event is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Shopping begins at 1P and concludes at 7P.  Only 45 vendors are accepted into this exclusive event, with categories limited to retail sales, non-profit groups, artists, and members of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Raffle items will be on display and proceeds benefit both Junior Sailing and Disabled Sailors.  For information, contact event co-chairs: Char Doyle, Susan Huff, or Beverly Smoak, by phone at 727-521-3822 or via email to spycboutique@tampabay.rr.com.

  ST. PETERSBURG YACHT CLUB YOUTH SAILING PROGRAM
  Based in the Sailing Center, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Youth Sailing Program is one of the most extensive in the nation. Not only are the facilities first-rate, but the Club maintains a staff of 2-3 full time Youth Sailing Coaches, plus a fleet of 420′s and Optimist Prams.   Many of the children in the program have gone on to become All Americans or Olympic Gold Medal winners. Most notably, Allison Jolly won a gold medal in the 1988 Olympics.  Ed Baird, who coached the New Zealand team to victory in the 1995 America’s Cup, skippered the Young America/New York Yacht Club Challenge. Numerous SPYC junior sailors have gone on to becoming Collegiate All-American athletes.  Youth sailing offers classes open to all community residents. Hundreds of youth have been introduced to the sport of sailing, and the program has produced winning racing teams to compete at both national and international levels.

  ABOUT THE ST. PETERSBURG YACHT CLUB
  Rich in history and tradition, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the United States. Established in 1909 and having been completely renovated in the early 1990s, the Club is located on the beautiful waterfront in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. A gathering place for avid boaters, it is also one of Tampa Bay’s most prestigious social venues. Enjoying a reputation for warm hospitality, world-class sailing and outstanding dining, Club members and guests value and respect this tradition of excellence.  SPYC is located at 11 Central Avenue on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront. Established in 1909 and renovated in 1992, the club has over 2500 members and is known as the “sailing capital of the south”. SPYC has a 90 year history of hosting regattas and an international reputation for excellent race management and on-shore activities. Many members have achieved great fame in sailing. Boat builder and America’s Cup competitor Charley Morgan is omnipresent in SPYC one-design activities. Yacht clubs nation-wide strive annually to win the coveted “St. Petersburg Yacht Club Award of Excellence in Race Management.”

  

  

  

  

  CREDITS:  Photos & Information for this post courtesy of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club (Sail Expo November 2009), Lora Fulmer, and Yours Truly.

• Market in the Park

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: November 16, 2009

  

  Discover Paradise in Pinellas County!

  It’s that time of year again . . .

  . . . Market in the Park is back!

   

  The 3rd Annual Market in the Park at Heritage Village sponsored by the Pinellas County Historical Society.

  This family-friendly event takes place from 9AM to 1PM on Saturdays from Nov. 7, 2009 to April 17, 2010.  The November schedule is included below and more information is available online from the Heritage Village website.

  Admission is free!

  Market in the Park features farm-fresh produce, and natural products and gardening items.  On-site restrooms and plenty of room to roam make Market in the Park attractive to everyone. Food and beverages are also sold. Plans are in the works to introduce other special events and promotions.

  Heritage Village is located at 11909 125^th Street North in Largo, FL.

  For more information, call Heritage Village at 727-582-2123.

  November Schedule

  Just another fun activity . . . in Paradise Found! 

  About Heritage Village:

  Hours of Operation:
  Wednesday – Saturday
  10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  Sunday 1 – 4 p.m.
  Closed Mondays, Tuesdays and on all Pinellas County holidays.

  Heritage Village features exhibits, a Museum Gift Shop, a Native Plant Trail, and Guided Walking Tours.  Current exhibits include:
   
  The Structures at Heritage Village: As you walk through the pine and palmetto landscape, you are really walking through the museum! The buildings and other features make up the Village’s largest “artifacts” and are part of the museum’s “collection.” Inside the buildings, you will find period rooms and displays depicting life ways, culture and early industries that shaped the Pinellas peninsula.

  Pieces of the Past: Some of the living history demonstrations and hands-on activities you might encounter during your stroll through the Village include pine needle and palm frond weaving, laundry day, working in the heritage garden, rope making, net mending, blacksmithing, traditional fiber arts, and pioneer cooking.

  Pinellas Passport: Your Ticket through Time illustrates major areas of development in Pinellas County, including coastal living with a focus on the sponge industry; agriculture featuring citrus industry artifacts; community life through newspapers and a printing press; and tourism, showcasing souvenirs and once-popular roadside attraction icons. In the Roy Helms Gallery.

  Link to Heritage Village Photos 

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Press release and Market in the Park logo courtesy of www.PinellasCounty.org.

• O Wave in Downtown St. Petersburg

  Written by Bob Horn No Comments
  Last Updated: November 6, 2009

  

  I love public art!  I can be out in the world, just moving along through life, and I might be anywhere at all, and suddenly I come upon something that was placed there, just for me to look at, to study, to question, to enjoy, or maybe to laugh at.  Okay, maybe it wasn’t placed there just for me.  You can look at it, too.  But the point is that it’s there for all to see and to take in, if you like, or to ignore if you so choose.  

  St. Petersburg has a LOT of public art installations scattered around the city and I still discover new ones every now and then.  This post is about a new public art installation that was installed a couple of months ago in downtown St. Petersburg.  I realize that this is a subjective opinion, but it’s my post so I get to state my opinion: The sculpture is absolutely stunning!

  This sculpture is called “O Wave”.  Not “O-Wave”, as I’ve seen in some places, but just “O Wave”.  It was created by artist/sculptor Gordon Huether, and it was commissioned by JMC Communities, the developers of the new luxury condominium, Ovation, in downtown St. Petersburg.  The sculpture is a sixteen foot tall curving arc made of stainless steel and dichroic glass.  The glass reflects and refracts and generally plays with the light, and it changes according to the angle that you view it from. 

  The artist, in a recent statement about the new sculpture, said, “With curves that evoke nearby waters and Ovation’s own undulating lines, glass that simultaneously transmits and reflects light, and reflective surfaces that capture ambient activity of nearby trees, sky and passersby, the fixed sculpture takes on a distinct animated character, creating a passively kinetic sculpture.”

  I am posting two photos, just to give a little feel of the different look that it takes on.  Please click on the photos to bring up a full-size version for a better look.  But for the best look, head downtown and see this beautiful work for yourself!  You’ll find it on Beach Drive, at the corner of Second Avenue North.  

  

• Veterans of Tierra Verde

  Written by Connie Langhorst No Comments
  Last Updated: November 3, 2009

  As a military veteran (U.S. Army & Army Reserves) and proud member of Veterans of Tierra Verde, I pause, as I do every year, on the occasion of Veterans Day, to remember the brave men and women who serve in and support our nation’s Armed Forces. Honoring the service of active duty military personnel, their sacrifice and that of their family members, as well as remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country, are the reasons why we celebrate this day of remembrance.

  Aside from Veteran’s Day, which occurs on November 11, members of Veterans of Tierra Verde meet regularly and are committed, year round, to supporting veterans.  Members, representing a wide age range and all branches of the service, support each other and share inspirational, firsthand accounts of WWII, D Day, VJ Day, Pearl Harbor, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War conflicts.

  The organization is committed to supporting community events and charitable organizations, too.  They organize donation drives and ship personal items overseas to active duty troops serving in the Middle East and around the world.  Members have donated military memorabilia to the Armed Forces Museum.  They provide POW (Prisoner Of War) flags to area fire stations and conduct flag raising ceremonies at various locations, including Ft. De Soto Park.  They assist with the proper disposal of tattered and worn out U.S. flags, serve as members of Color Guard ceremonies and processionals, host public speaking events, and mount an annual holiday drive, collecting toys and needed supplies for local families of active duty military personnel.

  On December 6, 2006, Bill Allen, Tierra Verde resident and President of Veterans of Tierra Verde, was nominated (and later selected) to receive a community service award presented by Pinellas Realtor Organization at PRO’s annual dinner and awards ceremony.  It was a great honor for Bill and his wife, Helen, who was present for the event, as an acknowledgement of the good work Veterans of Tierra Verde has been doing for many years on behalf of our nation’s military veterans and active duty personnel.

  Veterans of Tierra Verde meet for breakfast each month at Bob Evans Restaurant on 34th Street North (U.S. 19).  Veterans and their guests are welcome to join the group for their monthly dinner meeting, which takes place at Isla del Sol Yacht & Country Club on Sun Boulevard in south St. Petersburg.

  Military veterans, whether stateside or combat, are encouraged and welcomed to join.  More information is available online at www.VeteransofTierraVerde.com.

  The below photos feature members of Veterans of Tierra Verde and their spouses.  Their work is a labor of love . . . and a duty (to always remember).

  I hope that you will pause to remember our nation’s military veterans on Veteran’s Day.  If you are a veteran and live in the South Gulf Beaches area of Pinellas County, consider attending a Veterans of Tierra Verde event.  I guarantee that you will be inspired and make a new friend, or two, or three . . .

  Happy Veteran’s Day to my brothers and sisters in arms.   YOU are my heroes!

  To the men and women of our nation’s Armed Forces, and their families, who paid the ultimate price so that we can experience the freedoms we enjoy in this country, I shall honor you by pausing to say “Thank You” on November 11.

  Remembering and honoring our veterans with pride . . . in Paradise Found.

  Photos courtesy of Veterans of Tierra Verde.
• «
• « Newer
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• Older »
• »