St. Petersburg, Florida
It was a paradise on the Gulf of Mexico.  Then the people came.
St. Pete Pride 2006
A few architectural sites in St. Petersburg
The I-275 overpass over Central Avenue
The Pier
A charming landmark to some, an eyesore to others
The downtown marina at sunrise
Pelican strikes a pose downtown
These are my favorite Florida birds, always entertaining to watch
It wouldn’t be Florida without Birds of Paradise
St Petersburg is a city of 248,000 balanced on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. The city’s problems could fill volumes. The mayor and police chief are Bush-Cheney Republicans who cater to a privileged and wealthy minority. The poor and unfortunate are figuratively (and sometimes literally) spit upon. Overdevelopment has ruined once-pristine beaches and overloaded the city with luxury condos. The local paper, the St. Petersburg Times, is poorly designed and filled with too much tabloid silliness. Still, once in a while St. Petersburg surprises and reminds some of us why we live here. When our friends up north are shivering in December we can stroll outside in sunshine wearing sandals and short-sleeved shirts. The chains haven’t taken over entirely and good, affordable places to eat can still be found. Every June tens of thousands people crowd downtown to celebrate diversity - and, in the process, unity - in the annual Pride parade. The Dali, Museum of Fine Arts, the Holocaust Museum and others offer cultural respites, many within walking distance of each other downtown. The Globe is a progressively funky hang-out spot. And for current information we can tune in to WMNF (88.5FM), watch Bay News 9, or pick up a copy of the free Weekly Planet. We complain and lobby for change but at some level we always feel lucky to be here. And, as John Mellencamp sang, “ain’t that America”? Good Eats Here are a few St. Petersburg spots for good food, reasonable prices, and service that is sometimes slow but is almost always friendly. Few are chains, and some are St. Petersburg landmarks. Tangelo’s Grille Chattaway Jo Jo’s In Citta Fortunato’s Pizzeria Good Fortune Chinese Buffet Johnny’s Pizza & Restaurant Primi Urban Cafe Roman Gardens Ristorante Gigi’s Italian Restaurant Globe Coffee Lounge Lucky Dill Deli Coney Island Sandwich Shop A few places to go for culture: Salvador Dali Museum Museum of Fine Arts Florida Holocaust Museum Florida International Museum Studio@620
Sawgrass Lake Park
A county park located in St. Petersburg; both St. Petersburg and Pinellas County have a surprising number of enjoyable parks where hints of authentic Florida can still be found
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