my front door
dcdave permalink | categories: 366, cheap, environment, food, neighborhood, tampaby dcdave @ 9:11 am
Now that I’ve made it through my first week, I’ve had a chance to sample some local fare, see some local sites and, well, go to work a bunch. Awesome, you say? Well, except the work part, mostly awesome. And by awesome I mean totally RAD!
First of all we hit up Hugo’s Spanish Restaurant, a little eatery near where I live in South Tampa. Mmm mmm delicious. My purdy wife had half a cuban sandwich and I ordered the pollo con arroz amarillo y frijoles negros, as well as the other half of my wife’s sandwich. Not the most high fallutin’ food on earth, but surely a hearty meal for nary that much at all. Couple that with $1.50 drafts and it won my corazon. Really rather tasty too. I apologize to all the foodies, I’m not a food reviewer. For that, head over to New Orleans Foodie, dude lives in Tampa now I hear.
After Hugo’s, we decided that it was time to sate our unquenchable thirsts, so we headed over to The Dubliner, which, being the closest geographically to my front door, is my favorite bar by default. Unfortunately we ate a late dinner, so by the time we got there it was jammed. I prefer drinking sitting down, for good reason, so we didn’t hang out too long. Seems like a standard Irish bar, gussied up with palm trees and the outdoors. Bottom line, they serve cold beer, they’re close by, the bartenders are friendly and efficient.
On Saturday, we decided to go to the beach and get sunburns. Well, not really decide to sunburn, but that’s what we did anyway. Being the lazy bastards that we are, we picked the (you guessed it) beach closest to us on the map. Holy Children. Just for the record, Ben T. Davis Beach is crammed with families and sand flinging kiddies on the weekend. And it’s tiny, and costs $0.50 an hour to park. I’ve been to beaches in Clearwater and St. Pete’s before, so I wasn’t prepared for the closeness of this place. The water and the highway have to be like 50 yards apart. I’ll bet it’s nice during the week, but I’ll not venture back there during peak hours.
After our sandy voyage, we were in dire need of refreshments. Never mind the fact that I had to break change with the Gatorade lady at the beach to pay for the meter. I wanted ice cream. Well, what better place to start then the closest gellateria to my front door, La Casa Dolce. Happily, we were able to haul the freaked-out-from-the-move dog with us, because said ice cream joint has a nice little patio. I didn’t get to try much, but the pistachio was super! Enough said.
Next Week: TRAPPED IN BUSCH GARDENS!!!! Not really though, more like trapped at the DMV, just like my friend Nick back in North Carolina.
Cross posted @ The Delightful Yank
Tags: 366, cheap, environment, food, neighborhood, tampa
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June 19th, 2006 at 9:43 am
If you haven’t been to BG before in the heat make sure to wear something that you can get soaked in. Several of the rides say you “may get wet”. What they mean is you will get so wet your toes make squishy sounds in your sneakers and your fingertips get wrinkly. It is great in the heat but it sucks if you are in jeans.
And try the funnel cake near the Serengetti Plain by the train station (try not to stand downwind of the elephants).
June 19th, 2006 at 9:50 am
I’m only telling you this because you’re from DC (Arlington, whatever, I lived in Woodbridge and down here it’s DC ‘burb). Head to Picnic Island Beach. Parking is free, even when crowded it’s less crowded, and on weekdays you’ll probably be here by yourself, except for PT and daughter.
June 19th, 2006 at 10:40 am
interesting to read enthused comments from someone not completely jaded by this place, i.e., i wouldnt be caught dead in any of the places you enjoyed over the weekend. by nxt year at this time, i predict, you wouldnt either, but still…..
June 19th, 2006 at 11:28 am
Anon - Or we can let Dave’s newbie enthusiasm push us to rediscover a place we take for granted. It’d be one thing if he moved from Nothingsville, ND (my apologies to any North Dakotans, but seriously). But when someone leaves a major metro area and can still find plenty to love here, he might just be onto something.
June 19th, 2006 at 12:02 pm
I love that you’re enjoying things here already. I don’t make it to South Tampa very often so getting a newbie’s version of what those establishments are like is really refreshing.
June 19th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
Picnic island is ok but it isn’t much of a beach. And it isn’t exactly scenic (unless you like the view of rusting tankers and containers ships).
June 19th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
Jason-in shameless self promotion of the port tampa blog-check it out and go to the raginglily flickr photo stream link. There are plenty of good views at Picnic Island. Paradise it’s not, but it is oh so close, and for being so close relatively unspoiled and uncrowded. Can’t head to Ft. Desoto every day after all.
June 19th, 2006 at 1:52 pm
I don’t know if BG is still offering their FunCard for FL residents, but that’s a great deal. It’s a pass for the rest of the year for around the cost of a one day admission. If you’re at BG to see the animals, the best time to go during the summer is early evening. (They usually stay open late in the summer). The animals become a lot more active once it starts to cool down a little bit. Plus, you can go get the yummy family-style fried chicken at the Crown Colony Restaurant.
June 19th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
Hey welcome…i write blogs for tripadvisor.com and answer lots of peeps questions on Tampa(im tampan)…enjoy Tampa..I DO!
June 19th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
yeah they are open till 10pm I believe right now.
June 19th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
thanks for the advice everybody. as far as being jaded, i’ve lived in the big city, i’ve lived in the country, i’ve lived in the mountains and i’ve even lived overseas. to be honest, i love everywhere i’ve ever lived. the only places where i wouldn’t be caught dead are those where i might actually be caught dead. say, anacostia in D.C. or East Club Blvd. in Durham.