Super Splendor: Inside the new JW Marriott Tampa Water Street, the designated Super Bowl hotel
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was grinning, thrilled to stand outside in the heart of downtown under a bright blue winter sky and help open the luxurious new JW Marriott Tampa Water Street. Goodbye, 2020, and Hello, 2021. The new hotel is an inspiration, opening just in time to welcome fans as the designated Super Bowl […]
The Midtown Tampa Miracle
The densely trafficked junction of Interstate 275 and Dale Mabry Highway has long had just one distinction — it’s the midway point between downtown Tampa and Westshore. The lackluster landscape surrounding the intersection never possessed an identity of its own. Two years ago, that began to change. Ground was broken on a project occupying one […]
Four spectacularly over-the-top gift ideas
Choose from a yacht, a mobile winery, the entire floor of a luxury hotel, and a portrait like no other.
Paradise Without a Passport: Escape to The Breakers
After months of pandemic lockdown, I needed a getaway to soothe my soul. NOW. The Wall Street Journal headline tells me I’m not alone: “Vacationers venturing out – but not too far.” Airlines are out. Road trips are in. So off I go across the state to jump in the Atlantic, overlook the sea at sunrise, enjoy gourmet options in lavish surroundings […]
A luxury oasis just an hour away: Four Seasons Resort Orlando
The Four Seasons is a brand synonymous with luxury, and just an hour away from Tampa Bay the Four Seasons Resort Orlando is an oasis from the real world. Nestled on 26 lushly landscaped acres, the AAA Five Diamond resort offers innumerable ways to escape. There are activities to fit everyone’s desires. You can spend […]
To the beaches! An escape to TradeWinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach
With only a few weeks left of summer break and the uncertainty of the new school year looming, I felt the ocean calling my name. As a beach girl, my soul was craving the ocean, the sound of the waves hitting the beach and the sight of seagulls running along the shore and pelicans gliding […]
Close But Far Apart: A socially distanced getaway at Tampa's Marriott Water Street
This past Father’s Day, I had to get away for the day with my son. We were both without dads; his father (my husband) died six years ago, and my own father passed in December. With the new mandatory mask requirements and a surge in coronavirus cases, I just wanted to get outside, enjoy the day and hang […]
Ahhhh, Amelia! Family fun and farm-to-table fare at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort
If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort is the place to go. Pack up the car and take a leisurely drive across the state, as I did, or go the jet-set route: Hop in your plane and land at the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport, […]
Renaissance International Plaza Hotel: Happy 15th Birthday!
On Wednesday August 14, the Renaissance International Plaza Hotel celebrated its 15th anniversary by showcasing its newly renovated meeting spaces and updated food and cocktail selections. Over the last several months the Renaissance has been going through a makeover — not just meeting spaces, but ballroom, banquet hall, conference rooms and common areas, too. It was […]
Reborn: The rise and fall and rise again of the Fenway Hotel
How a Dunedin landmark went from eyesore to showplace. The view from the rooftop bar was a revelation. Though it seemed as if all of Dunedin had decided to scope out the Fenway Hotel that weekend evening, the crowd couldn’t obscure the glories of sunset over the Intracoastal, or the feeling that this once-doomed landmark […]