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Showing posts with label Historic Kenwood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historic Kenwood. Show all posts

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Hello, friends!

It's been a long time, but Facebook doesn't give me enough room to really write!  I miss writing ... not enough to write another book ... but enough to get my blog going again!

Family is so important.  People ask me, "It's great that you all live near one another.  How did not happen?"  Well, it wasn't an accident, let me just say that!  From the time Laura was 12 years old she complained of Maryland winters.  She would say, "When I grow up, I'm going to live some place warm."  This was not a single complaint mind you.  This happened every winter.  I'd hear the familiar refrain many times throughout the cold, dark Maryland winters, something not easily forgotten.

So, when it came time for Laura to transfer to a four-year university, I said, "If you want to live some place warm, why don't you consider finishing your degree in a warm climate?"  Then I put on my thinking cap, "Hmmm, where would Jim and I like to live?"  He did his psychology internship in the mid '70's in Miami, but so much had changed there.  When we lived in Coconut Grove, it was filled with creative people who owned and operated the shops in the village ... instead of Banana Republic and Gap!

St. Pete's sense of community, affordable housing, arts and culture, and beautiful water has been a great choice for us.  We bought a home for Laura to live in while finishing her degree in Finance at USF.  The difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition nearly paid for the monthly mortgage payments.  We moved Painting with Fire to its location on Central Ave and David, our inventory specialist, came with it.  Laura graduated from college, she moved out of the house, we moved in!  It was like synchronized swimming, very well orchestrated, with God's hand moving us as if we were marionettes. Life is good! 

A birthday celebration is all the sweeter when you're with family.  Jim graduated from his 66th birthday (which he called being "two-thirds evil") to 67.  His interest in music was re-emerging.  He figured out how to create a play list on Amazon through his Prime membership. :-)   Songs we grew up with by Creedence Clearwater, Gordon Lightfoot, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix ... it was quite the mix.

Then the light bulb went on ... Jim used to love to play the mandolin.  When I first met him he serenaded me with Quicksilver Messenger Service's "Who Do You Love?"  I was impressed!






His mandolin was so tired looking and had a crack.  It was barely holding it together. David, our musician son, picked out a beautiful mandolin for his father.  Without any thought, Jim placed the mandolin here ...   Could it be a more perfect setting?  




Laura and Matt, our daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Green Thumb, brought plants.  Here's the little vignette they created on the porch.  This is only a sample of what they've done in the yard since Father's Day! I feel as though they're landscaping the yard a little bit at a time! 




It was the perfect day.  I'm now babysitting the plants so they won't die in his brief absence. I'm really not a good babysitter! 

I'd love to hear about special moments you share with  your family.   

See you soon!  Hugs, Barbara

Friday, March 9, 2012

Progress on our Studio/Store in St. Pete!


The plans for the work at Painting with Fire Studio in St. Pete were approved last week.  So far, they've installed an ADA bathroom, a drinking fountain, replaced the electrical for the lighting on the workshop side and the retail side, installed gas for on-demand hot water.  Over the next two weeks, a new ceiling with track lighting will go in, along with A/C and a ventilation system. After that, the rooftop deck and new awning get installed.


This has been a MAJOR undertaking!  Of course, the budget continues to rise as they find deficiencies in the space as a result of non-permitted work being done over the years.  But it's all good.  We have an excellent general contractor, Fred Dion, (who's related to Celine Dion btw).  Fred calls us everyday with updates ... sometimes twice a day. The project couldn't be in better hands.


I can't believe that I'll be a full-time resident of St. Petersburg in late April and I haven't packed one box yet!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

New York Magazine Loves St. Pete!

By now most of you know that I live in St. Pete about 20 weeks a year.  It is a crazy schedule of two week trips throughout the year ... although we're shooting for more three week trips. We're just not in a position to move there permanently ... yet!  To say that I love St. Pete is an understatement ... and apparently someone at New York Magazine feels the same way.

On page 5 you'll find a reference to my neighborhood, Kenwood.  Because so many artists reside in the neighborhood, Kenwood Board Members and residents are working with the city toward establising a special residential status called an "Artist Enclave".  This would allow artists some limited commercial use of their property for teaching, etc.  Signage also would be permitted.  What page 5 of New York Magazine doesn't mention is that even though the homes tend to be small ... Kenwood has the largest concentration of bungalows in the state of Florida and a good many of them are charming.


Peg's Cantina in neighboring Gulfport


In 2005, Cottage Living magazine named Kenwood one of the five best cottage communities in the country. But it wasn't always like that.  In 1990, a run-down Kenwood began to turn the corner when a group of hard core restorers ... and partiers ... brought the community back to life through hard work and porch parties ... a tradition that continues today.

New Salvador Dali Museum, opened 1/11/11

If any of this appeals to you and you want to live in a warm climate, 12 minutes from some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and a mile from some great cultural sites and restaurants, get in touch with me ... I know a dynamite real estate agent who will hook you up!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Art in the Park in Historic Kenwood

My Craft Booth at Art in the Park, Kenwood, St. Pete


Did this Motley Crew scare away customers, do you think?

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, but very blustery.  Our booth underwent changes all afternoon to the point that the mirror (right hand corner on the table) was laying down to prevent 7 years of bad luck!  Fortunately, everything was staked down well, but I still couldn't help myself from jumping up to hold down the tent when a big gust came.

It was our annual Art in the Park in Kenwood, our neighborhood in St. Pete.  Kenwood is a very neat area, I've written about it here before, so if I'm boring you, I apologize.  It's 2 miles from dead center  downtown St. Pete and 12 minutes from some of the most beautiful beaches in Florida.  Our house is 2 blocks off of Central Avenue, which is the main drag that goes from downtown St. Pete to the beaches.  

In Maryland we leave in a rural area.  It is very beautiful, on the water, with an "unofficial" bird sanctuary on the opposite shore that provides tons of entertainment.  But it is friggin' far from every convenience in the world.  It takes me 30 minutes to go to any department store, by that I mean a Target or Walmart, which really aren't department stores!

After our trips to Europe in 2005 and 2007 I told Jim that I really wanted to have a more urban setting for our next home.  I wanted to walk to places.  Here I walk to my hair salon, walk to the art supply store, to the Goodyear Plant where they have neat rubber things for jewelry, to some wonderful restaurants, to Haslems (the oldest book seller in the U.S.).  We're 2 miles from Bay Walk, which has a Muvico with stadium seating and an IMAX theatre where I hope to see Alice in Wonderland this trip.

Kenwood also has the largest concentration of Bungalows in the state.  When downtown St. Pete was being developed in the 1930's, the City moved the Bungalows to our neighborhood.  It is very quaint, but still in a state of renovation.  Howeve, Cottage Living voted Kenwood one of the best cottage communities in the country in 2005.  It has a great sense of community because when Kenwood started it's redevelopment in the early 1990's, it was spurred on by a series of "porch parties," a tradition that still exists.  

Kenwood has been voted many times as a community having the greatest sense of "community" in St. Petersburg and with the most active citizens association.  I can't wait until we're permanent residents.   As you can tell, I love it here!  

If you're looking for a home (secondary or primary) in a warmer contact, get in touch with me ... I know a great real estate agent!  Actually, I sound like I should work for the Chamber of Commerce or something!

Enjoy your Sunday ... it's sunny outside!