The Warehouse Arts District Associationannounces an Artists’ Member show with the title
Art is a Gift Local, Original, and Unique
We are curating a retail art show in the Member Lounge in December and January, promoting your local art as the perfect holiday gift.
This show will be featured over two second Saturday open gallery evenings.We invite you to take advantage of this WADA member benefit to exhibit in the Burka Member Lounge for our December – January show. Artworks selected from the entries that best fit the theme will remain on exhibit in the Burka Member Lounge on the ArtsXchange campus from December 2024 through January 2025. They will also be featured in our virtual gallery.Extended Deadline: Now accepting entries from WADA members through November 20
When considering a destination for lunch, the first place you’d look probably wouldn’t be a hospital. However The Library, a unique restaurant located inside of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in downtown St. Petersburg, defies all preconceptions. The Library was created by Oxford Commons, the same hospitality company that operates Oxford Exchange and The Stovall House in Tampa. Inspiration was drawn from the George Peabody Library, which is located in Baltimore and is considered to be one of the most beautiful library spaces in the world. George Peabody himself was a friend of Johns Hopkins; his belief in the importance of education, as well as the desire to better the lives of those around him, influenced Hopkins and the legacy he built. In that respect, the theming of the restaurant directly ties into the facility to which it’s adjoined.
The Library Bar
Entering The Library, it’s hard not to be taken by the high ceilings and walls lined with prominent bookshelves. It’s clear that much thought was put into the design, even down to the color coordination of the books. Oxford Commons also operates an independent design studio, so it follows that all of their concepts are aesthetically stunning. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and also features a cocktail bar as well as a coffee bar. The Library serves lunch daily, as well as offering dinner every night but Sunday and featuring a special brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Reservations are not required, but certainly recommended – although it may seem like a hidden gem, The Library does fill up its tables quickly.
Salad plate The Library
I first discovered this unique restaurant while looking for somewhere to have a special occasion lunch with friends. As mentioned, the restaurant was already quite busy, but the host was able to find us a table on the patio. The menu includes a comprehensive list of craft cocktails, made with exotic ingredients such as golden milk and avocado orgeat. We each ordered a different drink, and upon sampling each other’s found that they were all delicious! Moving on to dining options, The Library offers shareable plates, sandwiches, tacos, and the option to create a custom salad. We ordered the fried brussels sprouts to start, which were incredible. The lemon pepper aioli they’re tossed in really took the flavor to the next level. For my entrée, I elected to go with the prosciutto flatbread. I can’t recommend it enough – it’s so difficult not to order it every time I visit!
The Library dining area
As we were on our way out after a very satisfying meal, I had to stop and check out the coffee bar. The coffee brewed at The Library is from the Tampa-based company Buddy Brew, and the tea is also sourced locally from TeBella. I ordered a cappuccino to go, but coffee can also be ordered from your table while dining in. It was the cherry on top of the whole experience; I suddenly felt a bit jealous of the hospital employees whose workplace shares a building with The Library. Although it may not be so hidden, this restaurant is definitely a gem of the downtown St. Petersburg area! Reservations can be booked through OpenTable on The Library’s website, where you can also review their hours of operation.
It’s hard to believe one week ago, Hurricane Helene was making her entrance. Today, weary and overwhelmed, we are picking up after her wrath. With so much destruction, it is important to also see the beauty in the world.
We welcome you with open hearts to join us for a glass of wine, bottle of water, music, friendship, beauty and joy. We lift one another – by being together. Unburden your sorrows, share your hearts and join us on this bittersweet First Friday Art Opening at our Gulfport Gallery tomorrow night.
Exhibition Dates: October 1st – November 2nd 2629 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, Florida Free and open to the public
Wasíl and Forever Florida Real Estate announce the opening reception for October’s Featured Artist Exhibition: Perry deVick, Saturday October 12th, 2024, from 5pm to 9pm, during St Pete Artwalk.
Screenshot
Featured Artist Exhibition Perry deVick uses her skills with oil paint to communicate the joys and pains of life with beautiful precision. She expresses her vision through saturated colors and bold lighting. Her recent work is focused on seeing the beauty and magic in visions others might overlook. She started using oil paint in the early 2000’s while getting her BFA in Illustration from Ringling College of Art & Design. She honed her skills and found direction while getting her Master of Arts at Savannah College of Art & Design. Now she continues to deepen her own understanding of visual communication as an instructor at State College of Florida.
Wasíl, Forever Florida’s resident artist, also has work on display. His artwork is off the rectilinear frame. It reaches out into space as an installation. This invites the viewer into the experience of the encounter. This object-oriented painting activates a relational quality between the viewer and the work. Biomorphic influences and nature references are used to symbolize authenticity and a sense of origins. The artist aims to promote deep memory of origins as the sound of the ocean clapping onto the shore, emote sounds of origins.
Wasíl’s interests resonate beyond just rational, cognitive, response reaction.
Venture into the Uptown Art District in St Petersburg and you’ll find an array of businesses that include everything from glamourous art galleries to kitschy dives. It’s also where you’ll find The Left Bank Bistro. Just outside the Crescent Lake area at 1225 Dr. MLK Jr. N, a visit is a step back in time and across an ocean, to a time and place reflecting the fine French fare and iconic artists that made Paris’s Left Bank such a place of historic importance.
Lance Rodgers – The Last Supper
From 1920 – 1928, Paris attracted artists, writers and poets who have become household names to this day. Restaurateur Susanne Byram wants to honor that time and impart this history to her patrons. A visit to The Left Bank Bistro is a lesson in history, art and gastronomy. “Never before or since have these incredible individuals gathered for their art as they did in the 1920s. Here we are 100 years later and we want to celebrate that time. The conversations, appreciation for the arts and camaraderie were my inspiration. It was an important moment in time that should be honored,” said Susanne Byram, proprietor of The Left Bank Bistro. “They were my inspiration and overall idea behind my vision for the bistro. I wanted it to be a place where you come for an experience: great food, great service and wonderful conversation with friends and family.”
The Left Bank Bistro – Logo
Three years after the Bistro opened, Byram wanted to take the story to the next level. That’s why she commissioned a painting that will serve as the restaurant’s centerpiece, titled “The Lost Supper.” “I had this crazy idea one day while looking at da Vinci’s The Last Supper. I thought it would be interesting to take these artists from the 1920s and the Left Bank of Paris, seat them around a table as if they were all dining together,” said Bryam. “I called my dear friend Lance Rodgers and ran the idea past him. It became a wonderful collaboration that culminated in an amazing focal point for the restaurant.”
Inside at The Left Bank Bistro
Art isn’t new to Byram. Throughout her life, she’s been involved with the arts in capacities from chairing large fundraising events in Houston and Austin to sitting on boards of several arts institutions. Her journey into restaurant ownership has been no different as art has been an inspiration to her overall plan. Whether curating fine French cuisine, designing signature cocktails inspired by artists, or supporting salons and openings, Byram continues to be driven by her passion for art.
The bar at The Left Bank BistroThe deck at The Left Bank Bistro
Patrons of The Left Bank will be impressed by the attention to detail that has fueled the restaurant’s creation. FIrst renovating the building and carefully restoring the original windows from 1922, Byram has re-purposed the original wood rafters (removed in order to raise the ceiling) into dining room tables. One unique aspect of the restaurant is the “monkey room” named by diners for its hand-printed wallpaper festooned with monkeys. Thursday evenings are celebrated with live jazz, maintaining a roaring 20s vibe being celebrated 100 years later.
Susanne Byram
“When Susanne approached me with her idea, I was immediately intrigued. These artists have inspired me and continue to impact the arts- more than 100 years later. I embraced the challenge,” said Lance Rodgers, the artist commissioned for the project. “I learned so much once we started researching the various people who frequented the Left Bank in 1920s Paris. We immersed ourselves in movies, documentaries, literature and, of course, the internet. It was so much fun collaborating with Susanne on this project and I hope this piece continues to inform and educate people about this era and these important artists and writers. Mostly, I am grateful to Susanne for investing in this original art, collaborating in the process and having a genuine interest in art – more than mere decoration.” The idea for the painting’s title arose when Bryam and Rodgers were discussing the premise for this piece. They drew inspiration from poet Gertrude Stein, famously known for espousing “a rose is a rose is a rose” and host of popular “salons” in Paris where these artists used to gather. She and many other famous people, young and virtually unknown, are depicted in this expansive painting. In 1920, Europe was emerging from the Spanish Flu, a 1918 plague that killed millions of people. World War I had ended, add to that Prohibition in America and a malaise threatened to stifle new art ideas. Gertrude Stein, observing this shift, coined the era “the lost generation” because they had lost their youth to World War I. It was the convergance of all these important events that naturally made this time so unique. It only seems too appropriate to pay homage to these people with a painting representing the lost generation at their “moveable feast.” •
I love going out for dinner. Even better is dinner and a show! Sonata makes that easy. Located in the Mahaffey Theater, it’s the perfect place for an excellent dinner prior to a concert…whether it be the Florida Orchestra, Randy Rainbow, ABBA, or Lewis Black (to name a few we’ve been to recently). Park once, have dinner, and walk across the lobby to your seat. The restaurant is open on non-performance days as well.
And there’s the moon! Inside the building! Go see for yourself…
Head Chef Ted Dorsey and the moon
Sonata opened in late 2023, the brainchild of Bill Edwards, whose company has managed the Mahaffey for over 15 years, and Chef Ted Dorsey, former owner/chef at The Mill (for 10 years). I’m a little surprised Bill hadn’t opened a restaurant here earlier…waiting for the right Chef, perhaps?
After The Mill closed, Bill hired Ted as Chef/Manager for The Club at Treasure Island, and when that property sold, Sonata at the Mahaffey was a natural transition for the pair.
Please remember Sonata is a fine-dining restaurant. Give yourself a couple of hours before a performance to enjoy dinner and to be fair to the kitchen which is preparing meals for a hundred or more diners. The restaurant currently seats 145, but when the lounge and patio are activated, it will seat 350.
You’re probably asking: “What about the food and service?” In a word: Terrific! There’s also a well-curated list of wines by the glass and bottle…and some really interesting cocktails!
We’ve eaten there 3 times, the first time on Sonata’s first night open to the public. The food and service were on point…as if Sonata was a restaurant that had been around for a long time. Among us, we had the Wagyu Beef Tartar & Braised Bone Marrow, the Gasparilla Salad (a meal in itself), and the Seared Diver Scallops. The scallops were tender and meaty. The accompaniments perked up the scallops, with their diversity of flavors & textures. The salad was generously loaded with perfectly cooked seafood. The Tartar/Bone Marrow starter was the most unique preparation for Steak Tartar I’ve tasted. It was excellent, likely to become a signature dish.
Our next visit was just a couple of weeks later…I expect we will have dinner at Sonata whenever we have a performance at the Mahaffey. Chef Dorsey has found a source for amazing Australian Wagyu Beef. He uses it in the Tartar/Bone Marrow dish and in his Burger. However, the best way to enjoy it is as a STEAK! Willi (my spouse) and I shared a 14oz Australian Wagyu Ribeye…juicy, unbelievably tender, and very rare, as requested. It arrived cut in large slices, making it easy to share. It came with a Red Beet Sweet Potato Pave…a layered bit of delicious. We ordered a side of Edamame Corn Succotash. We had no room for dessert, but we “forced” ourselves to have an overly-generous slice of Chocolate Cake. High, moist, and more than we needed.
Our most recent visit included a plethora of dishes. We started with the Char Grilled Octopus. The accompanying lemon dill red pepper hummus and Moroccan spices made this different from similar dishes on other menus around St. Petersburg. It was also a larger portion and delicious…very tender! Chef Dorsey told us he cures the octopus to dry it out, confits it in duck fat, and then cooks it to order…a lot of work, and worth it.
We also had the Burger, made of the Australian Wagyu Beef, the ample Osso Bucco Bourguignon, the Day Boat Gulf Fish with the Saffron Risotto on the side to accommodate Willi’s dairy allergy, and two (2) awesome desserts, a DARK Chocolate Pot de Crème and one of the most beautiful desserts I’ve ever had: a Panna Cotta and Raspberry Gelee “sculpture” that was as good as it looks!
Chef Dorsey prides himself on fresh, high-quality ingredients, many sourced locally. He puts a lot of thought and planning into what he prepares. As an example, he told me he uses kennebec potatoes for his fries. They are a more expensive, higher-starch potato, but they make a better fry. It’s all about attention to detail.
Bottom line, I would order any of these dishes again. Sonata and its Moon are winners!
St. Petersburg historians and tour guides love to regale visitors with tales of Prohibition-era bootlegging and smuggling, often weaving in intriguing rumors of Al Capone’s prohibition era rum-running and floating speakeasies with colorful characters. Fast forward to the modern-day, where until 2021, our state’s stringent laws restricted sales out of our craft distilleries to six individual containers per customer per year, and strictly for off-site consumption.
That year, the enactment of the Florida Craft Distilleries Law, paved the way for a sustainable future for the state’s craft distilleries by granting distiller authority to sell unlimited quantities of their own branded products directly to consumers, both by the drink for on-site consumption, and in factory-sealed containers for off-site indulgence. The landmark decision also ushered in a new era for Florida consumers to experience tastings of local spirits at events ranging from trade shows to farmers markets to expositions and festivals.
Brewing Equipment
Interestingly, just the year before, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made the surprising announcement that all distilled spirits in the U.S., regardless of their ingredients, could be labeled as “gluten-free”. While this is not mainstream knowledge even today, the announcement sparked innovative marketing by one Texas vodka maker who capitalized on the ruling despite its universal applicability.
Defining a “craft distillery” parallels the criteria observed in the craft beer industry (as explored in the Jan/Feb issue of The Artisan), emphasizing independence in ownership and modest annual sales volumes.The production process can range from “seed to glass,” where every aspect is managed in-house, to “grain to glass” or “farm to glass,” indicating involvement from raw materials to bottling to “pre-mashed” whereby partially distilled product is purchased for finishing at the distillery.
The distillation process for craft spirits itself is complex, involving multiple stages to purify the mash and remove impurities. Each “spirit run” passes through four stages – foreshots, heads, hearts, and tails – to ensure the removal of toxic alcohol. Talent and expertise are critical in determining the optimal stages for distillation.
Old still
In the heart of our own warehouse arts district stands the St. Petersburg Distillery, Florida’s largest craft distillery, fully operational and set to become a full “grain to glass” operation by the end of 2024. Noteworthy features also include their exclusive use of ingredients with natural colors and flavors, boasting rights that their master distiller is the only African American in Florida to hold that title, and experimental “limited-time offer (LTO)” products launched for special events. (Watch for their Muralist Bourbon release in October.)
Other notable craft distilleries in our area include American Freedom Distillery producing limited runs of vodka, gin and rum onsite at the Urban Stillhouse, Kozuba and Sons Distillery (Pinellas Park), Big Storm Distilling (Clearwater), Cotherman’s Distilling (Dunedin), and others.
Today, there’s even a free mobile app for consumers interested in exploring our local craft distilleries: “The Florida Distillery Trail” developed by the Florida Craft Spirits Association.
From its humble beginnings as “God’s waiting room” to a modern-day artistic metropolis, St Petersburg’s reputation as a home for “liquid art” is becoming well-deserved.
As we enter the month of September, we may first be thinking about Labor Day – a long weekend many spend at the beach or perhaps grilling in their backyard. But soon after comes a somber day of remembrance, as Americans reflect on the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. For some, this day takes on a very personal meaning, including the men nicknamed “Horse Soldiers”. These green berets were the first to enter Afghanistan following the attacks on 9/11, and due to the difficult terrain, they utilized wild Afghan horses to help them engage with enemy forces. Ultimately, they were able to aid the Northern Alliance in overthrowing a Taliban stronghold.
Horse Soldier – Bourbon Whiskey
Wedding at Urban Stillhouse
Today, the America’s Response Monument located at Ground Zero honors the contributions of the Horse Soldiers. After coming home, a group of these men founded a bourbon whiskey brand, which took on the name that they had once worn during service. Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey produces three straight bourbons: Premium, Signature, and Reserve. All are non-chill filtered, meaning they have a full-bodied and decadent finish. Although you can purchase the bottled bourbon nationwide, the only tasting room is located right here in St. Pete!
Dining area
The Urban Stillhouse is located in the Grand Central district, near Tropicana field. Open Thursday through Sunday by reservation only, The Urban Stillhouse boasts two bars and a large dining area, as well as private dining rooms. They also offer tasting experiences led by an educated whiskey steward, to provide a deeper understanding of the tastes and notes involved in Horse Soldier’s unique whiskey. The extensive dining menu features craft cocktails, wine, beer, and of course a variety of dishes. From Beer-Battered Chatham Cod to Butternut Farroto, there’s an option available for every palate. I visited The Urban Stillhouse for a Sunday brunch, which features some different plates from the dinner menu served Thursday through Saturday. The Crispy Fried Chicken Breast, Biscuits and Gravy and Fresh Fruit were fantastic! I had made a reservation to sit at the bar, and the bartender was wonderful as well. The friendly and welcoming spirit of St. Petersburg was definitely present in this unique restaurant.
Salad – Urban Stillhouse
If all of this piques your interest, and you’d like to give The Urban Stillhouse a visit, there’s a great opportunity coming up on September 11th this year. The American Freedom Distillery (AFD) and Warehouse Arts District (WADA) will be joining Remember Honor Support, Inc. (RHS) in honoring the first Patriot Day Memorial event. This event will be held at the RISE Memorial in the Warehouse Arts District, and will include an observation of the memorial as well as a panel discussion. The reception for this event will be held nearby at The Urban Stillhouse, where hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available. The proceeds from the event will benefit RHS Heroes, as well as the RISE Memorial. More information and a link to purchase tickets can be found on the Warehouse Arts District website.
Meredith Koko at Urban Stillhouse
Overall, whether you’re a whiskey connoisseur, looking for a venue to host your next event, or just in the market for a new dinner spot, The Urban Stillhouse is a local gem worth looking into! Reservations for dining or whiskey tastings can be made online through Opentable. •
Before The Bachelor, before The Real Housewives, before Law and Order: Criminal Intent even before All My Children, There was The Man from Stratford
A devilishly, delightful mashup adapted by director and Shakespearean scholar, Dee O’ Brien, blank verse, rhyming couplets and a smattering of prose by William Shakespeare. Long-running hit scenes include: The Jailer’s Daughter, King Lear, The Tragedy of Richard III, Measure for Measure, The Winters Tale, Macbeth and a new hit, The Fifteen Minute Hamlet by Tom Stoppard.
Performances:
September 19 thru October 6 Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm Sundays at 2pm
For tickets and information: www.theatrefor.com Box Office: 727-203-5248
Tickets: $30 (inc. all sales taxes and fees)
Featuring: Lenny Agnello, Suzy Delaney, Trenton Dixon, J.M. Fasso, Aida Gonzalez, Rudy Gonzalez, Graham Jones, Isabelle Lunsway, Kelly McGuire, Kimen Mitchell, Nick Wibur
“Double, double toil and trouble” “To be or not to be” “Now is the winter of our discontent” “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child” “Nothing will come of nothing” “Off with his head” “Exit, pursued by a bear” “Some rise by sin, some by virtue fall.” “Out, damned spot, out I say!”
Some of these famous lines may take part, or not. The only way to know is to buy a ticket
Trailer on YouTube:
Members of the press and one guest are invited to experience this Shakespeareance as our guest. Simply reply to this email to arrange for your complimentary ticket.
General Information:
TheatreFor is a brand new professional, non-Equity theater company in North Pinellas County started by a group of 5 passionate individuals with a combined experience of over 150 years in the theatre. Their plan: to bring dynamic, engaging theatre to their community.
The theatre is located in the Sunset Square Shopping Center at 1863 N Highland Ave. Clearwater, Florida 33755
Know Before You Go:
* Our Box Office and Lobby open to patrons one hour prior to each performance
* Because of the layout of our space, and an open seating plan, we cannot seat anyone after a performance has begun. Our aim is to begin promptly at 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.
* If you are unable to arrive on time, you will not be seated, but your ticket will be honored at any other performance where there is an availability. Please call the box office (727) 203-5248 to confirm your exchange.
* The theatre has 54 seats and an additional 4 spaces in the first row for those requiring accessible and partner seating.
* The parking, entrance, seating and bathrooms are all accessible.
* The box office telephone (727-203-5248) is an answering service only. You may leave a message and can expect a callback within 24 hours.
Rob Bowen never set out to become an interior designer. That wouldn’t seem unusual until you consider that, only a year or two out of diapers, the precocious aesthete had already drawn up a space-planning diagram for his bedroom. The following year, he improvised wall coverings from construction paper when his appeal for a crisp new paint job was rebuffed.
Rumor has it he had more than a few suggestions to make for the rest of the family dwelling as well.
Decades later, with a perplexing degree in business and communications under his belt, Bowen’s professional raison d’Ãtre found him through a serendipitous turn of events. By then a grown man with rarefied tastes and a voracious appetite for world travel, Bowen had leveled up his materials game to the point that his self-styled home had become the subject of a splashy pictorial feature in a local publication which landed him his very first client. Completely unproven in the design-for-hire arena, Bowen took on this initial job gratis, and by word of mouth, his profile and his reputation steadily grew.
Now the one-time furniture salesman is in high demand, with a full complement of professionals on his team who leverage his time and his talent. They complete a large and growing number of projects each year both locally and elsewhere; fully half of the work is done outside of Florida, some of it internationally.
A confirmed art collector himself, Bowen is extremely proud of the fact that for many, many years he has only used original artwork in his designs. In fact, art is one of the first topics he broaches with potential clients, to gauge its importance in their lives. For the record, he has converted non-collectors into collectors, which is a practice the Artisan can fully get behind.
Bowen sees art as an essential accessory, the “DNA” that expresses the client’s personality and style. Consequently, choosing artwork is an early part of the process, and for a team that often starts with a completely raw space, that’s saying something. Bowen has also designed projects around preexisting artwork. In some cases this has required careful strategizing to incorporate significant collections gracefully into environments with little existing wall space.
One thing Bowen requires of all his clients is an opinion. “I’m not designing for me,” he stresses, so if a client doesn’t know what they like or don’t like, it becomes impossible for him to deliver a properly-tailored space.
A man of many ideas but not a fan of clutter, Bowen says editing down is the hardest part of his job. His spaces are purposeful, precise, and free of extraneous objects, but also thought- provoking and full of character. A frequent international traveler, he finds it to be an excellent source of both new ideas and new materials. France is frequently on the itinerary, but Australia is also a favorite. “I could move there tomorrow,” he muses. But ideas can also arise in more mundane settings. “I can get a flash of inspiration at the gym, or just from interacting with different people.”
Wherever the headwaters of Bowen’s creative fount lie, they have instilled in him the unerring confidence and versatility to tackle nearly anything. From sleek, marble-clad spaces that are elegant and refined, to mosaic walls that resemble candied python skin, anything is possible just don’t ask for construction paper.
