historic old northeast neighborhood news - december 2006

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Volume 33 Issue 4 www.honna.org December 2006

Old NortheastNeighborhood

News

Historic Published Quarterly

HONNA NeighborhoodMeetings

are held the thirdMonday of each month

(except August andDecember)

at WestminsterPresbyterian Church126 11th Avenue NE

6:45 p.m., social7:00 p.m., business

I N T H I S I S S U E

HONNA Board Meetingsare held the second

Monday of each month

at 7pm and are

open to the public.

Housing Swoon?.......................... Page 2

Halloween Horrors........................ Page 11

Shore Cleanup................... Page 14/15

Holiday Gorging ................................... Page 22

Season Traditions........................ Page 28

UPCOMINGMEETINGS

Mark yourcalendar!

DecemberNo Meeting

January 15th

General Meeting

February 19th

General Meetingcontinued on page 2

Dear Local Historic District Voter,Thank you for voting in the recent Local His-

toric District campaign. If you voted “YES”, theNeighborhood Association most sincerely thanksyou for your support. If you voted “NO”, wethank you for taking the time to make your posi-tion known. Regardless of how you voted, itseems from our conversations with residents onboth sides that most all agree we live in a veryspecial neighborhood and that we want to keepthose special qualities.

As you can see below, the results for those whoactually voted were overwhelmingly positive.However, this was not enough as two-thirds of allproperty owners living in the proposed district hadto agree to the designation for it to be adopted.

Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

YES: 971 • NO:170 • Non-Voting:1065

Although our goal was not reachedfor the neighborhood as a whole,many “blocks” did vote to approvethe proposal. In addition, a numberof positive things occurred during the course ofthe campaign:

• Increased public recognition that The OldNortheast has a special charm and character whichmost agree should be maintained even if they dif-fer on the best way to accomplish this.

• Some of the pressure to tear down and rede-velop existing properties has been reduced, at least

Are you one of those people so consumed bythe Christmas holiday rush that you’ll be runningaround like a dervish going from the UPS store,to WalMart, to Walgreen’s and Lowe’s and passyourself coming in thefront door? Maybeyou will fail to keepyour annual vow tomake a lavishly deco-rated home HolidayPriority #1 and insteadfind yourself procras-tinating until the real-ity hits you: I’ve got toget in gear…NOW? Ifeither of these descrip-tions fit, The HistoricOld Northeast Neigh-borhood Association isoffering the perfectantidote: its annualCandlelight Tour ofHomes.

Need to chill out, step back and just enjoy whatothers have done to celebrate the season? Des-

perate for some inspiration on how you can trans-form your home into a winter wonderland (Florida-style)? Either way, the Candlelight Tour is just whatthe doctor ordered.

This traditional high-light of the holiday seasonreturns on December10th, from 3-8pm, whenthe Ninth Annual HistoricOld Northeast CandlelightTour of Homes throwsopen the doors of some ofSt. Petersburg’s loveliesthomes decked out in theirbest yuletide finery.

A popular event since1997, the CandlelightTour allows visitors – onfoot, by car or riding trol-leys staffed by informa-tive guides -- to explorehomes representing many

architectural styles found in the historic neighbor-hood. This year’s tour will feature eight homes,

continued on page 2

An Open Letter to All Our NeighborsThe letter which follows was mailed to all who voted in the Local Historic Districtdesignation campaign. For additional information about this, please go to the report ofthe Historic Preservation Committee on page 3.


*Preprinted inserts that you provide are delivered within the newsletter.Due to delivery restrictions, inserts are available on a limited basis.

The newsletter quarterly publication dates are March, June, September, andDecember. The deadline for accepting new ads and ad changes is three weeksprior to the publication month. The next deadline is February 9th. Pay-ment for new ads should be submitted at the same time that the ad layout isprovided and should be addressed to “HONNA Advertising.”

The newsletter is distributed by mail to all homes in The Old Northeast (bound-aries are 5th Ave N to 30th Ave N, and 4th St N to North Shore Dr/Coffee Pot BayouBlvd). There are approximately 2,800 active home mailing addresses.

Contact Rachel Sartain: [email protected] space is limited so please make arrangements early.

AD SIZE 1Qtr 2 Qtrs 3 Qtrs 1 YearBusiness card 40 74 102 1281/4 page (4.75" x 3.5") 80 147 204 2561/2 page (9.5" x 3.5") 160 294 408 512

Full page 320 589 816 1024Single page insert* 220 440 660 880

AD RATES

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood AssociationOFFICERS and BOARD

HONNA Board meetings are held the second Monday of each monthat 7pm and are open to the public. Check with HONNA for the location.

PresidentCathy Martin 821-8656 [email protected] PresidentChuck Lindeen 822-8444 [email protected] Stephenson 897-9398 [email protected] Haan 488-5514 [email protected] Brazier 403-2237 [email protected] Carson 898-7834 [email protected] Dobbs 823-9824 [email protected] Durkin [email protected] Henderson 894-2222 [email protected] Hunter 898-7987 [email protected] Johnson 391-9756 [email protected] Alice Lange 251-2034 [email protected] Littrell 823-9042Wendy Mansfield 894-1057 [email protected] Reed 825-0480 [email protected]

Published quarterly – March, June, September andDecember and mailed to all households in The Old Northeast

P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734e-mail [email protected]

Editor Rick CarsonColumnists and Reporters

The Newsletter of the Historic OldNortheast Neighborhood Association

Mike DaileyDavid FormanYvonne SwansonLinda Dobbs

Peter StanhopeSusan AldersonJohn GeeChuck Lindeen

Lisa MazinasBarbara RhodeAmy Labie

Circulation Cathy Leonard and Joe O’ConnorContributors All our Old Northeast neighborsNewsletter Layout & Design Sharon Bond: [email protected] Information Rachel Sartain: [email protected]

including a charmingly renovated cottage, transformed Floridabungalows, a modern town home in a 1920’s Spanish-style apart-ment building and a prominent landmark home. And you assur-edly will be dazzled by a glittering array of seasonal decorations.

Holiday spirits will be warmed by refreshments courtesy ofneighbors at the Dickens House Bed & Breakfast, WestminsterPalms Colonnade Guest House and Westminster PresbyterianChurch.

Proceeds from ticket sales will go toward beautification effortswithin the neighborhood, most specifically the decorative acornlighting program along 1st Street, with a portion of the monies col-lected benefiting the YWCA Family Village, which helps families inneed, and the Westminster Presbyterian Church’s new roof fund.

Tickets purchased on the day of the Tour are $20 but are $15if purchased in advance. If purchased through the mail, checksshould be made payable to HONNA and sent with a stamped,self-addressed envelope to: HONNA Home Tour, P.O. Box 76324,St. Petersburg FL 33734. Advance tickets may be purchased atthe following outlets:

A Green & Yellow Basket (205 1st Street NE)Premier Group Realty, Inc. (2331 4th Street N)Dolin’s Garden Center (801 62nd Avenue N)Beach Drive Papery (2435 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street N)Florida Craftsman Gallery (501 Central Avenue)

Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes from page 1 Something Different From Around the World (3252 TyroneBlvd N and 9445 Ulmerton Road, Largo)

Uncorked (2706 4th Street N)Advance tickets must be redeemed on tour day at either

Westminster Palms Colonnade Guest House (9th and Beach DriveNE) or Westminster Presbyterian Church (126 11th Avenue NE)between 2-7pm. Day-of tickets will also be available at these twolocations.

The event sponsor is The Historic Old Northeast NeighborhoodAssociation which is an active force preserving the historic integ-rity, quality of life and unique environment of The Old Northeast.

For further information about the tour, contact Julia Brazier at895-4443 or [email protected].

for now, by a slowing realestate market.

• The unanimous adoptionby the City Council of newLand Development Regula-tions (“LDRs”) which willaddress some of the sameissues regarding mass andscale that were primary goalsof Local Historic Districtdesignation.

It is now time to moveon. A committee member willbe coming by shortly to pickup the “YES” signs. Goingforward, we will be lookingfor ways to build neighbor-hood consensus on how best to preserve the special qualities thathelp define The Old Northeast. Please let us know of any sug-gestions you may have.

Thank you again for your participation.HONNA Historic Preservation Committee

An Open Letter to All Our Neighbors from page 1


Association News & Activities

Committee Reports

PresidentCathy Martin

Thank you to Robin Reed, her husband Joe, and the entireHistoric Preservation Committee

Whether we voted yes or no — or didn’t vote — we owemany thanks to Robin and her Committee for the many hours ofservice to the neighborhood during the campaign for Local His-toric District status. Local Historic District has been discussed inthe neighborhood for a dozen years or more, but only when weasked Robin (the force behind many other neighborhood initia-tives as well) to develop and execute a voting plan were we ableto get the initiative underway.

Robin worked tirelessly to learn about the preferences of neigh-bors, to explain the process and the consequences accurately andto make sure that everyone had the information they needed inorder to vote. Joe, her husband, spent many hours assisting anddiscussing pros and cons with neighbors, as well. The entire His-toric Preservation Committee stayed on track for a long and dif-ficult campaign that brought many issues to the fore, confirmedthe neighborhood’s commitment to character and historic rootsand challenged us to find ways to work together to achieve acommon goal.

Thanks to the entire committee and especially to Robin and Joefor their hard work, perseverance and commitment to a civilizedand neighborly campaign.

SecretaryAnne-Marie Stephenson

There was no general monthly meeting in August and the Sep-tember and October meetings provided updates by committeechairs on activities in their areas of responsibility.

The November meeting [held after this issue went to press]was devoted to the election of Board members for the comingyear, and the results will be in the March issue of the newsletter.No monthly meeting is held in December.

Historic PreservationRobin Reed, Chair

The Historic Preservation Committee met twice in October todiscuss the results of the campaign for Local Historic Districtdesignation and to decide where we go from here. The first orderof business was to thank voters and pick up the VOTE YES signs.(See letter on Page 1 for voting results.)

Although the vote was overwhelmingly positive, there werenot enough YES votes to attain the required 2/3 percentage of allproperty owners in the proposed district (if you are interested inknowing how your block and those nearby you voted, pleasecontact me). However, over the course of the campaign it be-came apparent that almost everyone could agree that The HistoricOld Northeast is a very special place and that those defining char-acteristics should be maintained.

The following are ideas which the Preservation Committee willbe developing to further build consensus on preserving these spe-cial characteristics:

+ Form a HONNA Activities Committee which will reach outparticularly to new residents and younger people in the neighbor-hood

+ Develop a historical plaque program+ Create a resource list of products of particular interest to

those restoring or renovating properties+ Develop a series of workshops dealing with restoration/reno-

vation projects+ Research individual preservation easements+ Remind residents that “PRESERVE” banners are still avail-

able (in green, navy blue and wine red)+ Develop and print walking tour brochures of the neighbor-

hood+ Create an advisory committee to help residents with COA

applications for the ad valorem tax exemption+ Continue to attend Historic Preservation Commission meet-

ings which are relevant to HONNAWe encourage each of you to participate in these various ac-

tivities. Together we can make a difference and help to keep thosethings that we enjoy and love about The Old Northeast. If you areinterested in joining the Preservation Committee, please contactRobin Reed (825-0480; [email protected]).

Battling Demolitionin Florida and Texas

[from American Bungalow, Fall 2006]“Most people don’t realize how fragile their historic neighbor-

hood can be,” says Robin Reed, historic preservation committeechair of her St. Petersburg, Florida, neighborhood.

In the front yards of Reed’s Historic Old Northeast neighbor-hood, the blue “Yes” signs and red “No” signs signal dissensionover the proposal to put the community of 2,200 homes on thelocal Register of Historic Places. Requiring approval by two-thirds of the residents, the proposal has generated heated debate.

Those who say “yes” see the designation as the only way toprevent developers from indiscriminately tearing down housesand replacing them with buildings out of character with the neigh-borhood. Though the area is on the National Register of HistoricPlaces, the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association(HONNA) explains that national designation is mostly honorary.Local historic district status is needed to regulate demolition, newconstruction and exterior alterations to ensure protection of thearea’s architectural integrity.

Meanwhile, residents voting “no: argue that the national desig-nation is sufficient and that the city’s building codes and neigh-borhood design review process offer adequate oversight. De-fending their property rights, the no-voters say there is no needfor more government involvement in their lives.

The controversy has intensified with disputes over facts andeffects on property values, and HONNA has geared for battlewith information. They’ve developed community and media vis-ibility and a Web site (historicstpete.com) complete with articles,city codes, Q&As, approval forms and “10 Reasons to Approve.”


Check out the HONNA website www.honna.org

NewMembers

Jerry Cline and Fran Bridges-Cline ............... 14th Avenue NBob and Jo-An Christie ................................ 20th Avenue NEThomas Edmonds ......................................... Oak Street NEJudy Koch .................................................... 16th Avenue NEThomas Linton ............................................. 14th Avenue NVirginia Littrell ............................................... 19th Avenue NEClyde and Molly Markey .............................. 9th Avenue NELoren and Jean Mathe .................................. 23rd Avenue NEKent and Maggie Mitchell ............................ 9th Avenue NEBen and Beverly Noun ................................. 15th Avenue NECathy O’Kelley ............................................. 17th Avenue NTom Parker .................................................... 8th Avenue NRodney and Rebecca Paulk .......................... 11th Avenue NEDennis Shelt ................................................. 7th Avenue NPatricia Smith ................................................ 6th Avenue NEDan Soronen ................................................. 7th Avenue NSuzanne VanGorder ....................................... 24th Avenue NManual Vilaret ............................................... 7th Avenue NRita and Jed Wilkinson ................................. 21st Avenue N

They’re also pounding the pavement as 35 volunteers disperse tocall on each household with information packets making the casefor local historic status.

“‘Things have been fine in the past,’ is a familiar phrase,” saysRobin Reed. “A local historic district campaign must make resi-dents aware of the threat of tear-downs, inappropriate new con-struction and condo development that’s especially insidious dur-ing economic boom times when the value of the land outpacesthat of the historic houses.”

MembershipDouglas Haan, Chair

It is the end of the year and I wanted to give you an update onthe recent membership renewal drive we conducted. In total wemailed out 402 renewal postcards to members whose membershiphad already expired or was due to expire shortly. As of November9th we had received 77 renewals, and they keep on coming in. Thatis almost a 20% response rate which is considered very good. Inaddition,12 of those 77 renewing HONNA members included a to-tal of $400+ extra to be put towards tree planting, the acorn streetlighting project already under way on 1st Street, Florida- friendlylandscaping and the HONNA general fund. The 12 generous mem-bers who contributed the additional $400+ are:

As a reminder, all HONNA memberships will renew January1st. We will send out a reminder postcard that you will be able toreturn with your dues payment. We will also offer you the optionto add monies for the projects mentioned above.

In my remarks for the September newsletter I informed you ofthe addition of Anne Shumate and Cathy Leonard to the mem-bership team. I would now like to thank Quinn Henderson whohas been a Board member and head of the Membership Commit-tee for the past two years. Quinn is transitioning off the Boardand will hopefully have more time for family and other endeav-ors. Quinn has been the one to get out our broadcast e-mails andannouncements as well as updating our membership records. Manyof you may have met Quinn at the membership table during ourmonthly homeowner meetings. Quinn’s efforts are greatly appre-ciated and we will miss his valued input on the Board.

I have been on the HONNA Board now for six years and yourTreasurer for the past two. When I joined the Board I was the“new kid on the block” with much to learn. Many people were sovery kind to me and generous with their institutional knowledgeabout this neighborhood. One of those people was Joe O’Connor.I do not even know how long Joe had served on the Board beforeI joined it, but he continued to serve for several additional years.When he transitioned off the Board he continued to support byhelping to get the newsletter mailed and most recently assisting theHistoric Preservation committee with a mailing. Joe is one of thosepeople who is a whiz with computer databases. He is the one whobuilt and maintained the HONNA membership database and to thisday continues to advise us on ways to enhance and broaden its use.Joe, thank you so much for your continued gifts of time, talent,insight and energy. We are all most grateful!

Neighborhood Planning and DesignReviewMary Alice Lange, ChairMonuments and Medians

On Saturday, October 21st, HONNA held a neighborhood-wideClean-Up which included a “mulching party” to spruce up ourmonuments and medians. It was a great success with many vol-unteers choosing to move to another site to assist others finishingup the tasks. Neighbors passing by would honk their horns andsay “Thank you!” to the volunteers which made their efforts evenmore rewarding.

Phillipe Piquet, owner ofTwigs & Leaves (a gardencenter specializing inFlorida native plants at1013 Dr. Martin LutherKing Street S) stepped upto the plate to assist us withmulching all locations.

Shortly after deliveringmulch to the eight locations volunteers started phoning me to getmore mulch. When it became evident that we needed a lot moremulch, Phillipe drove back to the nursery to pick up additionalsupplies. Volunteers were eager to finish their projects and waitedpatiently for more mulch. Phillipe, thank you for your commit-ment to HONNA.

- Robert Green- Curtis & Cecily Gresham- Katherine Kronenberg & John Gee- Kevin & Jeanne Milkey- Tom & Andrea O’Neill- Lou & Linda Santoro

- Evelyn Seroor- James & Glicia Spencer- Marcia Turner- Garth & Monica Vernon- A. Voarick & P. Tournier- Theresa Watson


JOIN OUR COMMITTEES

Activities: chair vacant Spring Garden Stroll (May): vacant Candlelight Tour of Homes (December): Co-Chairs Ann Caviness, 502-0870, and Elaine Normile, 821-3479C.O.N.A. Rep: Chuck Lindeen, 822-8444Crime & Safety: Brian Johnson, 391-9756Historic Preservation: Robin Reed, 825-0480Membership: Douglas Haan, 488-5514Neighborhood Design Review: Mary Alice Lange, 823-5401Neighborhood Plan: Mary Alice Lange, 823-5401Newsletter: Rick Carson, 898-7834Traffic: Nicole Durkin, [email protected]: Bob Dobbs, 823-9824

Your volunteer involvement in one of our committees willhelp enhance your neighborhood and our association. Pleasecontact any committee chair for information.

Historic Old NortheastNeighborhood

Association MembershipThe Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association wasfounded in 1974 to promote civic improvement of ourneighborhood. We invite and welcome all residents of theOld Northeast to join the association and become involved.Annual membership dues are $20 per household.

Send this completed form to:Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood AssociationP.O. Box 76324St. Petersburg, FL 33734

Name(s): ________________________Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Phone: __________________________E-Mail: __________________________When did you move into the neighborhood(month and year)?: _______________

Like our neighborhood?Want to make it even better?

Volunteer with one of our committees!

ANNUAL DUES ENCLOSED$30 through 12/31/07

HONNA purchased160 bags of the eco-friendly Florimulch. TheForest Service producesFlorimulch after the re-moval of invasivemelalucca trees in theEverglades (the productis treated to remove anyactive plant growth.

Work was not theonly thing on the agenda– volunteers were eli-gible to win prizes!!!This list represents onlya few of the many neigh-bors who volunteered:

Julia Brazier, Anne-MarieStephenson, Robin Reed, NonaPeebles, Cathy Leonard, RandyHodge, Rick Carson, CarltonRowell, Karen Murray andCeline Kapiolani.Land DevelopmentRegulations

New Land DevelopmentRegulations (LDRs) have beenprocessed for review by theState of Florida and PinellasCounty. Final public hearingshould be in March 2007 for final adoption.Redevelopment Projects

+ 2420 Andalusia Way NE: So sad. This home in GranadaTerrace was in the process of restoration and renovation when itbecame evident that the foundation and stem wall were deterio-rated beyond the point of repair. The Historic Preservation Com-mission for the City of St. Petersburg voted to allow for the demo-lition of the home with an exact replica of the home restorationplans being rebuilt on the site with modifications to the garage.This project will go before the Board of Adjustment for approvalof the setback requirements to rebuild the home.

+ Plans have been submitted to the City to redevelop the NorthShore Retirement facility at 10th and Beach Drive NE into con-dominiums. The developers are proposing 78 units with dedi-cated parking spaces, swimming pool and other amenities for thecomplex residents. The developer is requesting a variance to theimpervious surface ratio (ISR) at 65% while the current codeallows 55%. The future Land Development Regulations will al-low a 65% ISR. The City is evaluating the proposal before it goesto the Environmental Development Commission.

+ The owner/developer of the Brown Nash Building, previ-ously used as the 4th Street Antique Arcade, is proposing a park-ing lot along 15th Avenue N on the east side of alley – where thechurch currently stands — to provide parking spaces for the build-ing. Today, the approvals allow for office and retail tenants whilethe developer’s proposal includes a restaurant use. HONNA hasvoiced concerns to the City zoning office over the impact on the

Thank you very mulch!


adjacent and nearby residents. The case will be heard before theEnvironmental Development Commission.

+ HONNA has been speaking with representatives of a devel-oper for a condo/hotel project along the south side of 5th AvenueNE between 1st and 2nd streets. The project drawings and studyinformation are not available at this time. HONNA will meet withthe representative and the City zoning office in the near future.

Crime and SafetyBrian Johnson, Chair

The Crime and Safety Committee has created a letter that isbeing sent as an insert in this newsletter which will make signingup as a member of the Neighborhood Crime Watch easy. All youhave to do is fill out the application, fold and staple it and drop itin the mail (the postage is pre-paid by the HONNA). Each mem-ber will receive a Crime Watch sticker to be placed in their frontwindow to show that they have joined. E-mail addresses are im-portant as it is planned to be used as a network for notifyingneighbors of crime activity as it happens. The better informed weare as a group the better chance we have of preventing crime inour neighborhood. Please be on the look-out for the Crime Watchapplication and take the time to fill it out and return it.

TrafficNicole Durkin, Chair

The City has completed the installation of the new, neigh-borhood-wide 25mph speed limit signs. We have notifiedlocal law enforcement and hope to continue efforts to slowdown traffic in and around our neighborhood. Remember, the

speed limit applies to resi-dents also!

I’ve had many inquiriesrelated to the creation of a“resident only” parkingzone in the southeastern endof the neighborhood as a re-sult of the numerous festi-vals and events occurring atVinoy Park. We are in theprocess of gathering infor-mation related to the signifi-cant traffic impact these fes-tivals and events have on theneighborhood and the inabil-ity of residents to find park-ing during these frequentevents. We are currentlyseeking volunteers to docu-ment the parking problemscreated during the busy event seasons. Please contact me if youare willing to volunteer.

As always, feel free to contact me with any traffic related is-sues. I will gladly forward the same to the appropriate City em-ployee for action and make every attempt to continue to follow-up. As previously indicated, while I will always attempt to re-spond to your reports of accidents, near-misses, cut-through trafficor speeding, you should also contact Michael Frederick, City ofSt. Petersburg Neighborhood Transportation Manager([email protected]; 893-7843).

New “acorn” lighting on 1stStreet thanks to HONNA’smatching grant from the City.

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200 Central Avenue, Ste 620 (Bank of America Tower)


CurbAppeal

by Chuck LindeenThis little corner of our neighborhood newsletter is specifi-

cally focused on spotlighting the homes of our neighbors whohave worked magic in one way or another to create “curb ap-peal” —that much sought-after quality in their little corner ofThe Historic Old Northeast.

In the last issue “Curb Ap-peal” focused on the out-standing job our neighbors at2728 Coffee Pot BoulevardNE have done with theirproperty. Thank you for yourcall following the newsletter’spublication. As you said, it’snice to know people are pay-ing attention. Thanks againfor your efforts!

In this issue we wouldlike to add our neighbors at180 21st Avenue N to theCurb Appeal Hall of Fame.This is one of the manyhouses in our neighborhoodthat I looked at before pur-chasing my home. It isblessed to be on one of thosestreets with a pretty nice treecanopy. I remember that being a major plus back when I lookedat it, but I also remember it being considerably smaller then thanit is now.

Sometime since I last saw the house someone has virtuallydoubled the size of this charming bungalow. Living space wasadded in the back and did not alter the façade of the house at all.As I was driving through the neighborhood looking for a propertyto highlight for this issue, I was struck by the number of homeswith dead or dry lawns. I realized that without much rain it’seasy to tell who has an automatic sprinkler system and who doesnot. There were a number of homes I passed by that were beingmaintained very nicely, but I hadn’t found one yet that had thatinstantaneous zing that is what Curb Appeal is all about…until Ihappened on this beauty.

The landscaping here appears to be relatively low maintenancein design. There are two huge trees that frame this property, oneof them in the immediate front yard. This provides a large amount

of shade 24/7 for them, whichcan be a big challenge in se-lecting grass and plants. Sev-eral palm trees provide thefoundation for their designwith attractive ground coverfilling in the rest.

This house is on a brickstreet which naturally addsthat historic feel that attractsme so much. Attention to de-tail is evident in the updatingthat was done to the house andto the maintenance of thegrounds — especially that fineline where the grass meets thegranite and the granite meetsthe brick. This is the defini-

tion of Curb Appeal! Thanks for your hard work and attention todetail to make your part of our neighborhood beautiful.


Over The Back Fence…is a collection of what we’ve heard exchanged in the aisles of the supermarkets,

shared waiting in line to pick up the kids from school, read in the papers, overheard in thepew behind us in church and, yes, even passed over the back fence. If you have somethingyou’d like to share about a special recognition, award received, birth, graduation, good-deed-done or observation around the neighborhood please pass it along to the Editor. “Overthe Back Fence” is only going to be interesting if we hear from you!

S Sandby

Can’t You Hear Me Now?...Having problems with dropped cellcalls or no connection when trying to make phone calls whilehere in the neighborhood? If so, you’re not the only one (if that’sany consolation).

Noise Pollution…Was it really necessary for the Susan KomenRace for the Cure on October 7th to begin testing its sound sys-tem at Vinoy Park at 5:50am? And then start broadcasting at6:10? Great cause, lousy timing….And speaking of noise, hasanyone noticed a change in flight patterns over the neighbor-hood? A resident reports hearing loud, jet engine noises overheadevery evening, presuming them to be planes banking in order toland at TIA. While she can recall hearing this in the past years onoccasion, never has it been every evening or every fewminutes. Does anyone know why this isoccurring daily and if it will stop anytimesoon? Has the air traffic patternchanged? Are they getting lower and louderor is it her imagination?

Dog Doo and Other Mementos…We’refortunate to have lots of green space in theneighborhood – parks, lawns and parkways– that our dogs can also appreciate whenthey have to do their, er, business. But dogowners by law have a responsibility to pickup after Fido, especially when he has gracedyour neighbor’s property with a memento.Writes one resident, “I thought this was a‘neighborhood’, a place that you care aboutyour neighbor and work hard together to keep your property andarea a nice environment; maybe the animal owners need to be wokenup a bit to be considerate and clean up after their pets.” If thissounds like anyone you know, please gently remind them of theirduty to take care of their dog’s duty...And while we’re on the sub-ject of cleaning up, we sure hope all the visitors to our neighbor-hood for RibFest enjoyed themselves, but we’re so sorry they don’tseem to have garbage cans at their homes for all the beer cans andbottles, paper cups and water bottles they left strewn on our lawnsand our gutters. Seems a lot of graffiti was left behind on somepark benches and the traffic noise (especially the motorcycles) andparking congestion way, way into the neighborhood was incredible.

A Neighborhood Treasure...Those of us in our neighborhood whoknow the Alderson family — and even those who do not — wantthem to know they are in our thoughts. Ben suffered a massive heartattack a while back and his rehabilitation will be long and difficult. You may have encountered Ben strumming his guitar somewherearound town, or enjoyed a live family production in front of theirhome at Halloweens past or seen Susan taking photographs here inthe neighborhood as part of her duties with the Northeast Journal. For readers of this newsletter, she’s shared with you what it’s beenlike for her and other Old NR “oldtimers” in our “I Remember When...”column. Ben and Susan have brought lots of smiles and joys to us. As a result of Ben’s condition, the Aldersons are facing a host

of challenges on many fronts, from respite care, to meal preparationand financial help. If you’d like to assist in some way, let them knowthrough [email protected].

Ouch!...Is the housing market slowing down in our neigh-borhood? If you need any proof, check the Property Trans-fers on page 27. A year ago there were 51 sales in The OldNortheast compared with 12 for the same time period thisyear. For whatever it’s worth, the county property appraiser’soffice considers us a “prestigious neighborhood,” accordingto St. Petersburg Times Editor of Editorials and Old NE prop-erty owner (and former resident) Phil Gailey who discoveredthat accolade while trying to appeal a tax assessment on arental property he owns here.

Names in the Paper…Some of ourneighbors were featured in recent issuesof the St. Petersburg Times. Jo-An andBob Christie (20th Avenue NE) weresingled out (10/26) for their award-win-ning Halloween house decorations inyears past. This year it was a singingand dancing Johnny Depp pirate…A lookinto the minds of nine voters for a “Per-spective” piece (10/22) included JuliaBrazier (20th Avenue N). Consideringherself an Independent, she was quotedas saying, “The only power we have isthe vote.”

Show Time…Don’t forget the SnellIsle-Old Northeast Winter Home Show being held January 13th-14th at the St. Petersburg Woman’s Club at 40 Snell Isle Boule-vard NE. From 10am-4pm each day there will be exhibits anddisplays featuring top notch products and services – landscap-ing, outdoor kitchens, deck designs, door and windowtreatment…you name it. Drawings for Lowe’s gift certificatesand other businesses, too. Free admission, and most of us canwalk to it! FMI, 825-0018...You’ll want to catch the holidayprograms at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Their Christ-mas Cantata will be on Sunday, December 17th and the day schoolwill be having its Christmas program on Wednesday, December20th, at 6:30pm. A candlelight service will be observed on Christ-mas Eve.

Thanks... After many years volunteering to keep the lights lit inour entry monuments, Tom Hennessey (North Shore Drive NE)has finally decided to hang up his light bulbs. If you’ve everwondered who it was making sure our entryways were welcom-ing, you – and we – have Tom to thank.

Shop ahoy!... Marion’s will be moving from 5320 4th StreetN to the old Simply Splendid space at 1301 4th Street in January2007. Not quite in the neighborhood, but a neat find, is RickshawHome, next to Bonefish Grill – imported exotic furniture fromAsia and the Pacific Rim

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PonderingsBanks Don’tLike Meby John Gee

John and his wife Kathy moved to St. Pete from New Mexicofour years ago, and he currently teaches history at a Sarasotahigh school. He has served on the HONNA Board where heco-chaired its Historic Preservation Committee. You can alsoread more from John in the Northeast Journal.

Individual and BusinessTax Returns

Small BusinessAccounting &

Consulting

St. Petersburg424 22nd Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33704

Seminole7700 Seminole Blvd, Ste 200, Seminole, FL 33772

(727) 393-1922 office • (727) 392-3266 fax

Monica M. Vernon • Garth A. Vernon

I consider myself a courteouscustomer. Raised by Americanmiddle-class standards, I wastaught to assume that people weregenerally doing the best they canand it was impolite to point out anyperceived slights or bad service.The assumption was if a businesstreated customers imperfectly, theowners would suffer the loss of in-come and disappear to some financial helland eternal damnation of their own choos-ing. If the food is a little cold or has an odd fla-vor, the wine a bit too sour or if the shirt self-de-structs after two washings, just accept it. After all, theuniverse is still spinning and you can chalk it up to experienceand never return to the malefactor’s place of business again.

This system works well for most places, but what happenswhen you must endure bad service from a place you have norecourse but to use? Since most people are not rich enough tobuy a plane for travel, we are stuck with taking off our shoes inairports for no reason and throwing shampoo and toothpaste inthe garbage before boarding. If we feel slighted by the electriccompany, our choices are to accept it or erect a windmill on theroof. There is a human acceptance of things we know we can’tchange that is designed to keep us all sane in an insane world.

You may not think that a bank would fit into the definition of abusiness you can’t change if disappointed by the service. Afterall, banks are springing up like mushrooms around a cow pattyand there seem to be many choices to make. But be warned --they are all alike and they are not our friends. My bank treats melike dirt every time I enter and either they don’t know it or, worseyet, don’t even care. Allow me to give some examples:

After walking my dogs to the bank to perform a transaction,I discovered the lobby was closed but the drive-in window wasopened. Standing in front of the thick customer-proof glass, theteller said that, as a mere pedestrian, business transactions werenot allowed at the window. Apparently the bank’s lawyers fearsome type of damage could happen to customers too clueless tolook either left or right to see if any car is approaching. Afterasking if they thought I was that stupid, I was told to leave. Mybank thinks I am a moron.

Some weeks later, I entered the lobby acting like the good

customer following the rules and ready to do business. Stand-ing in front of the thick plastic with my papers in hand, theteller told me to remove my hat and my sunglasses. Afterasking why, the teller said she wanted to make sure I wasnot a bank robber. I asked if the bank thought I had decidedto stop being a dedicated customer and now have chosen toenter a life of crime. She offered no answer. My bank thinksI am a criminal.

Months passed before I dared to endure another insult.After selling off some personal property and forced to mo-tivate quickly to the bank, I returned to the drive-in window

— this time in a car. After waiting for some time at thewindow, the teller said the check could not be ap-

proved for deposit without a personal audiencewith the manager. With anger rising, I faced

the manager waiting for the next insult.With all the sincerity of a dentist tellingyou it won’t hurt, he told me that the checkwas not a “normal” deposit. For this in-fraction I had to wait one week for thecheck to clear before using any of the pro-ceeds for personal use. So that was it -- Iwas involved in some check-kiting schemeand due to his diligence, he put me in mycriminal place before I could grab my ill-gotten money and disappear to Rio. Mybank now thinks I’m a money launderer.

I am old enough to remember whenbanks wanted your business. They even

gave you free gifts just for showing up. Theywelcomed people into the always-safe-looking

building and with a strictly business demeanorand sincerity they made you feel that your money

would be safe in their vault. Nowadays, I don’t feel I cantrust these guys with mowing my lawn let alone my money.My father (a banker, just like his father before him) rarelygave advice, but he did tell me something that rang true fora long time. He told me that I should always treat people likea potential depositor. In his day that meant something --nowadays I could get shot treating people like that.


Each issue of this newsletter introduces you to a neighborhoodhouse which has recently or is presenting undergoing a major reno-vation. Perhaps some of the trials and tribulations (and joys!) expe-rienced by these homeowners will give you ideas and inspiration asyou consider a renovation or your present home. Maybe you’ll bemotivated to bite the bullet and purchase that next house you’ve beenthinking about.

If you’d like to share your renovation story or know of a neigh-bor with a good one, let us hear from you.

A Work In Progress

Peter and his partner Marc moved to Florida seven years ago fromtheir home in the historic German Village section of Columbus, OH. Peteroffers renovation and interior design services. He may be contacted [email protected]

Rebirth and Renewalby Peter Stanhope

The holidays are billed as the season of good cheer. It is also atime of rebirth and renewal. When Ron Bott and BrigetteVanderlaan relocated from San Francisco in October of 2005,they were cheerful and excited to go on The Old Northeast Neigh-borhood Candlelight Tour of Homes to see what others had doneto make their houses a home. Their house is a great example ofurban renewal.

The house, located at 236 15th Avenue NE — and appropriatelypainted for the holidays with green exterior and red trim — hasbeen a year long project. It truly has changed in all aspects, insideand out. This 1924 Bungalow looked good…until they took acloser inspection. The true condition was less than stellar. Ronand Brigette liked the style of the exterior. They wanted a housewith large rooms in a great neighborhood that was close to ameni-ties. The Historic Old Northeast was where they wanted to live.

This house, once cared for and lovely, had suffered over tenyears of neglect. It had become a crack den and regularly housedprostitution. Dark and dingy, the landscaping was overgrown andit had a large dead tree in front that compromised the structureand the houses on either side. They call the treatment taken on

the outside “reverselandscaping” as theyhad to have everythingremoved in order tosee the house as it trulywas and to knowwhere to begin. Thebiggest surprise wasthe level of neglect. Itwas staggering. Everyproject led to anotherproject, and yet an-other.

Before they knew it,they had a phoenix ris-ing from the ashes.Wood, stone, and steelalong with vibrantyouthful color havegiven this house newlife. They redesignedthe interior floor plan tosuit their contempo-rary taste. The kitchen,once a dark galley, hasbeen open to the restof the house as a focal

point. Withnew appli-ances, cus-tom cabinetsand a cus-tom built is-land, it is theg a t h e r i n gpoint forfamily andguests alike.

All the bathrooms were gutted and rebuilt with custom tile,cabinetry and floors. The guest bath has a most interesting pebblefloor that is similar to smooth river rocks. Ron built a low mod-ern cabinet based on a Scandinavian design for the entertain-ment center. The guest bedroom adjacent to the guest bath isdone in traditional style and houses the antiques Brigette hascollected in her travels. The oriental rugs are from her travels aswell.

In the center of the house is an office shared by Brigette andRon. This is where they run their business, Bluepoint.com. Be-yond that is the master bedroom. It is complete with a spaciouswalk-in closet and a large bath with a two-person shower. Theback wall of the bedroom is all windows. They open into Frenchdoors leading out to the pool deck. The pool, with a completiondate this month, was designed by Ron as was the surroundingdeck. A portion of the garage has been divided off to houseRon’s art studio and an additional bath for pool use.

Ron also designed and built an Asian inspired fence aroundthe property for the safety of their two bulldogs, Roxy and Axel.All in all the house has a new foundation, A/C, roof, kitchen,baths, floors, wiring, lighting, doors, pool and landscaping. Theirbest advice: be prepared for the unexpected, do your researchand have resources available — and if you can do it yourself, itis a skill well worth learning. Don’t try to live in the propertywhile you are doing the work. Give yourself a safe zone to es-cape and make plans. Would they do it again? Absolutely!


Halloween 2006 was another fear-fright-and-fun fantasy forchildren and adults alike in The Old Northeast (just who enjoysthis day more, anyway, kids or their parents?) As the St. Peters-burg Times noted in a pre-Halloween (10/26) profile of residentsJo-An and Bob Christie on 20th Avenue NE:

1st

3rd

2nd

Halloween 2006Halloween 2006

1st Tom Sheehan and Jenny Noyes112 16th Avenue N

2nd Kathy and Ed Anthony436 13th Avenue NE

3rd Jeanie and Brian Johnson435 16th Avenue NE

Best Theme Renee Celli and Ann Glover605 16th Avenue NE

BEST THEME

In Historic Old Northeast St. Petersburg, Halloween is acommunity celebration; the streets close to make way forhundreds of trick-or-treaters. It’s something that the Christies,who have lived in the same house for 35 years, missed whentheir kids were young. “The tone of this neighborhood haschanged,” Bob said. “Thirty-five years ago, there were veryfew kids in this neighborhood. Northeast was a neighbor-hood of older people. Our kids didn’t hardly have anybody toplay with.” Now the display brings joy to the Christies’grandkids and the neighborhood children. “They’ll just comeand start peering in the windows,” Jo-An said. “Kids willsay, ‘We always come to your house every year.’”

This year Cynthia Serra (3rd Street N) with Smith & Associ-ates Realtors provided cash prizes for the best house decora-tions. We thank them and the volunteers who served as contestjudges – and all our neighbors who go all out to make The His-toric Old Northeast the place to be on Halloween.


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PORCH PPORCH PPORCH PPORCH PPORCH PARARARARARTIESTIESTIESTIESTIESPorch Parties are held the third Friday of the month from7:30-10pm (except December). Porch Parties are strictlysocial and provide and informal and fun way to mix andmingle with your neighbors. Bring your own beverage.Cups, ice and light snacks are provided. Ask a neighborto ride or walk over with you. For more info, contact JulieFeeley (822-4969; [email protected]).

January 19th

Location will be sent by e-mail to thoseon HONNA list. If you are not on e-maillist, contact [email protected] orcheck www.honna.org

February 16th

Jean and Bob Hunter229 18th Avenue NE


City Hall ............................................................. 893-7171Mayor’s Office .................................................... 893-7201Mayor’s Action Center ......................................... 893-7111City Council ....................................................... 893-7117Police (non-emergency) ..................................... 893-7780Community Police Officer Tom Loveland .................................................. 892-5933Codes compliance/enforcement/assistance .......................................................... 893-7373Remodeling permits ............................................ 893-7231Fence permits .................................................... 893-7231Neighborhood Design Review ............................. 893-7257Historic Preservation/Urban Design . 894-7491 or 893-7153Planning/zoning .................................................. 893-7471Neighborhood traffic/parking ............................... 893-7843Junk/debris/brush collection (alley) .......................... 893-7398Overgrown property ............................................ 893-7373Water/sewer problems ........................................ 893-7261Street maintenance ............................................. 893-7421Sidewalk repair .................................................. 893-7850Tree removal/trim (on city property) ........................ 893-7298Graffiti ................................................................ 893-7394Mulch (free) ........................................................ 893-7398Rodent control (free) ........................................... 893-7360Animal services (loose dogs) ............................. 582-2600Street Light Out (Progress Energy) ..................................... 800/228-8485Park Light Out .................................................... 893-7335Bus schedules .................................................... 530-9911Senior services .................................................. 893-7101Library (main) ..................................................... 893-7724 Mirror Lake branch ........................................... 893-7268County Commissioners ....................................... 464-3000County building department ................................. 464-3241Property taxes .................................................... 582-7771Senator Mel Martinez .................................... 407/254-2573Senator Bill Nelson ...................................... 407/872-7161Congressman Bill Young ..................................... 893-3191

“Jus“Jus“Jus“Jus“Just Thet Thet Thet Thet TheR i g h tR i g h tR i g h tR i g h tR i g h tNNNNN u m b e r ”u m b e r ”u m b e r ”u m b e r ”u m b e r ”

Here are some phone numbers you may need


Cleaning Up OurBayfront Coastline

by Chuck LindeenThe Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Clean-Up held in con-

junction with the Keep Pinellas Beautiful Coastal Clean-Up was agreat success thanks to the efforts of over 40 participants. Therewere 17 neighbors who showed up in North Shore Park on Satur-day, October 21st, to get the job done. Joining our neighbors were20 eager youngsters from Girl Scout Troops 128 and 352 and theirmothers along with six students from Southside Fundamental withtheir parents.

The plan was to focus on the waterfront park areas between theentrance to Coffee Pot Bayou all the way down to Vinoy Park. Westarted at the north end and worked our way down. Several peopleheaded out into the bay and scoured the seawall and beach areas.

The good news is that everyone did an awesome job and wemade an impact. The bad news is that we could do it again todayand find almost as much garbage, trash and debris! Don’t wait forour twice-a-year events to pick it up!

We will be doing an organized Neighborhood Clean-Up twice ayear, in the spring and fall. If you have ideas on how to make thenext clean-up throughout the neighborhood even more successfulplease share them with me ([email protected] or 822-8444). Also,please plan to participate next time and encourage your neighborsto do the same.

For more information visit www.keeppinellasbeautiful.org

To learn more, call Robyn Lyle 727.827.3808Visit us at: www.hwb.myarbonne.com

*Income based on individual efforts

$100,000 PER YEAR

HEALTH & WELLNESS INDUSTRY

Coordinator - Chuck LindeenVolunteers –Chuck LindeenAnne-Marie StephensonBob HartRick CarsonJean HunterBob HunterCathy LeonardKathi HarrisKim WolfeDon SilvestriSue StrottCarol OlsonBen PanyardKaren CoaleDave CoaleMichelle MooreDan RutishauserTara NewsomSamuel Newsom

Southside FundamentalMelanie GarrettCarson WilliamsJordan HallLesli Williams

Keep Pinellas BeautifulVolunteer Sign-in Record

A Happy and SafeA Happy and SafeA Happy and SafeA Happy and SafeA Happy and SafeHoliday to Holiday to Holiday to Holiday to Holiday to All OurAll OurAll OurAll OurAll Our

Old Northeast NeighborsOld Northeast NeighborsOld Northeast NeighborsOld Northeast NeighborsOld Northeast Neighbors


Girl Scout Troops 128 &352:Linda VanOosting, Barbara Kinney, Jessica Ball, JenniferBall, Kathryn Ellett, Amber Frank, Viola Frank, HeatherPeterson, Amada Emert, Brandi Bennett, Ronnie Bennett,Pamela Bolu, Christina Constantine, Maria Constantine,Tessa Vestel, Aurora Vestel, Shelbi Vestel, Dawn Vestel,Brinn Tobiai, Julia Barlow


DowntownDowntownby Chuck Lindeen

Central Avenue is gettingHot, HOT, HOTT!

It’s hard to believe that the holidayseason is here again! I guess this is whatmy mother was talking about when Iwas a young boy and she said not towish my life away, that time would oneday pass quicker than I wanted it to.Along those lines, the downtowncityscape seems to be keeping pacewith the rapid passing of time. Thechanges along Central Avenue aresome of the most exciting for me.From existing sidewalk café dining tonew museums on the horizon, it is be-ginning to look like Central Avenue isonce again going to live up to hername: Central!

My most exciting “new” find is atrue Asian jewel tucked away in a non-descript storefront section of the oldMcCrory’s building. The unfortunatething about so many Central Avenuebusinesses is that if you don’t knowspecifically what you are looking foryou might never see many of them un-less you happen to be walking by. Thisreally underscores the need for a goodadvertising program to ensure new pa-trons are finding these businesses!

One example I can think of is Pick-led Franks, which was located on Cen-tral Avenue just to the west of MLK Street. It had good food, afun atmosphere… and a location that was apparently hidden tomany potential diners. It closed over a year ago.

This issue’s feature, The King & I, is located in just such astretch at 445 Central Avenue. I heard about the restaurantfrom friends who had eaten there and said it was definitelyworth a try. Frankly, I had been by it many times without see-ing it.

So give it a try is exactly what I did. I meet with a group of

friends on Wednesdaysand Fridays to catch-upand share what’s goingon in our lives. After wehave talked each other todeath we go out for din-ner. Creatures of habit,there are two locations —which shall remain name-less — that see us onmost occasions. Everynow and then one of uswill pipe-up and suggestwe try something new.On one such occasion Isuggested we try a newplace on Central. I wasmet by quizzical looks.When I explained it wasa Thai restaurant, I wasquickly informed that itwas not new…but had been there for years. I explained I was not

referring to either of the “other” two ven-erable restaurants on Central specializ-ing in the same cuisine. Again, quizzicallooks. When I confirmed Thai was okay,

I gave them all directions and said “seeyou there.”

Our first visit was on a Wednes-day night at 9:45pm. I was the first toarrive and confirmed a party of 8-10would not be a problem for them toaccommodate. They serve until 10pmso I was half expecting to hear it wastoo late. The hostess confirmed thenumber and quickly began rearrangingtables to accommodate our group with-out question or complaint. By the timethe next person had arrived, our tablewas ready, menus in place. I will tellyou right up front, this is the kind ofservice that we experienced from be-ginning to end, and on subsequent vis-its. Service here is prompt and ex-tremely gracious. Even though the lastof our party arrived shortly before theposted closing time, we were neverrushed.

Our group requires separate checksdue to debit/credit card payment, andeven that didn’t prompt a raised eye-brow. My fairly basic restaurant rating

system consists of the three areas critical for me: quality of food,quality of service and the atmosphere. In every dining experi-ence, service here has been well above average. From the out-side, you would have no clue what you were going to find onceyou stepped inside. I expected to find a cramped, shotgun stylelayout with the expected Asian décor. I was very pleased to findmy expectations way off base. While the dining area is long andnarrow-ish, it does not feel the least bit cramped. There are boothsfor those who like booths and ample tables for those who prefer


Chuck has been a resident of The Old Northeast for over 10 yearsand a 33-year resident of the city. He served two appointed terms onthe St. Petersburg Arts Advisory Committee and has volunteered fornumerous arts organizations including the Salvador Dali Museum,American Stage/American Stage in the Park and the Arts Center. Heis currently serving on HONNA’s Board as Vice President.

to have their own chair. The dining room is well lit without beingoverly bright. The décor has a decidedly upscale feel, much likeyou would expect to find in the East Village in NYC. There is asushi bar toward the rear for those who prefer that option.

As you might imagine, the menu is quite extensive. There areseveral soups and appetizers to select from as starters. Diningoptions include: stir-fried, fried rice, noodles, salads, curries andan assortment of house specialties. Although I can’t tell you whateveryone in my group had, I can say that there was not one singlecritical word concerning the food, which is unheard of with thisgroup!

Several of us ordered appetizers. I chose the Tom Kha Gaisoup, which is a favorite of mine. It contains sliced chicken incoconut milk, galangal, lemon grass, mushrooms and kafir leaves.It was hot & delicious. For my entrée I selected the Pad Thai,another of my favorites. Pad Thai is a wonderful combination ofsauce stir-fried with rice noodles, eggs, scallions, bean sprouts,roasted ground peanuts and your choice of chicken, pork, beefor tofu. I almost always go with chicken as I did that evening. Ithink it was about the best Pad Thai I have had. As I lookedaround the table, I noted the servings were all as generous as theone in front of me. Over half of the table had to-go containers aswe left. One of my friends ordered from the separate sushi barmenu and was very happy with his selections. The house special-ties include vegetarian, chicken, duck and seafood selections.There are several dessert options, but frankly everyone in thegroup was too full from their meal to even consider them.

As I indicated earlier, my group has been back several timesand we have experienced the same level of service and same levelof satisfaction with the food each time. The King & I easily ratesthree stars: great food, great service and great atmosphere. If thescale allowed for more The King & I would merit it! If you likeThai cuisine, do your self a favor… head downtown!

The King & I is located at 445 Central Avenue. It is open forlunch Monday through Saturday from 11am-3pm and for dinnerfrom 5-10pm. Most major credit cards are accepted. Phonenumber is 898-8056.

Central Avenue is coming back to life once again with “a trueAsian jewel tucked away in a non-descript storefront section ofthe old McCrory’s building.”


Rutland’s DepartmentStore c.1942

Mike, an Old Northeast resident since 1996, holds a Master ofArchitecture degree from the University of South Florida.

Preserving the Characterof Old Northeast Housesby Mike Dailey

As the people gathered along the seawall, a boat trolled lazilyout into the bay and three pelicans made a clumsy landing atBird Island. The embarkation point for the second walking tourof The Historic Old Northeast could not be more scenic. Evenwith unseasonably high temps in the 90s, we had 23 people andone very cute Welsh Terrier join us to look at some of the mostarchitecturally significant homes in the City. After hearing a shortintroductory speech by Rob Wertz, the tour organizer, the groupset off on a path that went as far west as 1st Street and as farsouth as 16th Avenue. We never ventured farther north than 21st

Avenue, concentrating mainly on finding an example of at leastone of each ofthe high stylesin the neigh-borhood. Onehouse that weexpected tofind suddenlywent missing:a modest butdignified yel-low Craftsmanbungalow atthe corner of17th and Wal-nut NE thatsaw that partof the neigh-b o r h o o dtransformed from pine forest and wetlands to subdivisions inthe span of 20 years. This house, built in the teens, was one ofthe oldest structures in what is now the North Shore Addition,which was constructed in the 1920s.

Pictures tell the story so much better than words when it comesto architecture, so let me direct your attention to a website we cre-ated with photos from our second walking tour (the first, back inMarch, focused on southern portions of the neighborhood). Pointyour browser to flickr.com/photos/oldnortheastwalks, where you’llsee photos with descriptions and titles. You can even leave com-ments if you join Flickr, which is free for the basic account (note thatthere is no “e” in the word “Flickr”).

Watch for announcements of future “walking tours” highlight-ing historic and unique features of our neighborhood.

Before After

Tudor— Pretty uncommon in Florida, Old Northeast hasmore than its share of Tudor Revival houses, recognized bytheir half-timbered gables and steep rooflines.

Walking the Neighborhood– No Better Way to Appreciate What We Value


Right: RenaissanceRevival —Sitting at

the intersection ofNorth Shore Drive

and Coffee Pot Blvd,this villa has near-perfect proportionsand fine detailing.

Below: A Vernacular house on 20th Ave NE received amakeover that some neighbors may not appreciate. OurNational Register Historic District does not prevent certaintypes of modifications.

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Left: This exquisite Craftsman house on 20th

Avenue NE near Coffee Pot is now dwarfed by anew three-story garage that towers above it.


In Case You Missed It: Updates and Follow Ups

Keeping You Current on SomeNeighborhood Stories ThatHave Been in the News

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The Renaissance Vinoy Resort will be seeking City ap-proval to construct a two-story 17,000sqft spa and fitnesscenter which would be located north and east of the complex.Part of the parking garage and tennis courts may have to be

sacrificed to accommodate the new space. Due to a 20 yearold land agreement between the City and the Vinoy’s ownersthe City’s voters would have to give their okay. The referen-dum has been tentatively set for March13 of next year providing the CityCouncil gives its consent. [source: St.Petersburg Times, 10/18]

The bird roost island in CoffeePot Bayou may be the target of a devel-oper who has submitted to the City a planfor four wooden stilt houses on the privately-

owned property.Land-use mapsbar development onthe almost 3-acremangrove spot, and theCity Council has votedit preservation land. Thedeveloper has indicated hemay challenge zoning regulations thatwould block his plans. Bird Island, as itis often called, is home to about a dozenbird species and over 400 breeding pairsaccording to the Audubon Society.[source: St. Petersburg Times, 10/21 & 22]

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The swimmers’ sculpture (left) has beenmoved to the new contemporary-lookentrance (below)

New sod (above) enhances the landscape, while the resurfacedparking lot (below) has helped beautify the complex.

Have you been to a

See page 12 for the upcoming schedule

PPPPPorchorchorchorchorch P P P P Partyartyartyartyarty

The North Shore Pool complex is gettingcloser to an official grand opening. The Huff N’Puff Adapted Fitness Expo – an event to promotegood health for folks with physical disabilities –was the new second pool’s first guest on No-vember 4th, but the official opening will occur aftera “play feature” is installed. [source: St. Peters-burg Times, 11/1]

yet?


Thinking in

by Barbara Rhode, LMFT

Purple

Barbara Rhode is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapistwho provides trainings and workshops to corporations and non-profits on wellness and life balance. She lives in a very purplehouse in The Old Northeast, a place where she contemplates inshades of “purple.”

by Barbara Rhode, LMFT

Blame It on the Pilgrims

The holidays are just around the corner and for some strangereason some of us have come to believe that this is the perfecttime of year to go ahead andoverindulge. We generously al-low ourselves to eat whatevertreat happens to fall in front ofus. It almost becomes rude at thistime of year to turn down an-other chocolate brownie or say“no, thank you” to an extra sliceof cheesecake. I wonder whenfood and holidays first becameso enmeshed…

Aren’t the holidays really sup-posed to be about the time youspend with loved ones?Shouldn’t they be about trea-sured memories that you maketogether? What does any of thatreally have to do with food, any-way?

First of all, I am consideringputting the blame on the Pil-grims. Weren’t they were thefirst ones who really kicked offthe holiday season with that newtradition of eating a huge meal?

Did they typically have to haul themselves away from the tableand stretch out on a sofa to rest while their stomachs tried todigest? I can remember certain holiday meals in the not too dis-tant past when I would get up from the table feeling pretty un-comfortable after eating as much as I wanted with family andfriends. My stomach would feel as if I had swallowed somethingthe size and weight of a bowling ball. I’ll admit that it has beenawhile since I “overdid” to that extent, but that is only because Iconsciously push food away that is being continuously offeredby my Italian mother or aunt. Now that I think about it, forgetabout the Pilgrims — I blame my Italian mother and aunt for thistradition of overindulging. You can too, if you want.

One of my favorite memories when Tim and I were first dating(which was about 20 years ago) was watching him eat his firstThanksgiving dinner at my aunt’s house where we feasted in ourtraditional Italian-American way. At least it was considered tradi-tional in my family. He was a rookie at this type of tradition and Ineglected to warn him ahead of time. (I think I was secretlywatching to see how he would handle himself with so many ofmy family members gathered in one place.)

He just compliantly sat there while my mother and her sister-to-be sister served the food; stuffed shells, meatballs, antipastoand garlic bread. I can still remember the eagerness on his face ashe dug into his plate of stuffed shells, even asking for secondswhich delighted the two women. They literally rejoiced in feedinga good eater and took it as the sincerest form of complimentwhen someone asked for seconds.

The truth was that Tim was under the impression that this wasthe extent of our holiday meal so he dug in eating more than

usual, enjoying every bite. Youshould have seen his facewhen they cleared that courseaway and brought out the restof the meal which was yourtraditional turkey, mashed po-tatoes, gravy and all the typi-cal trimmings. He left myaunt’s house a little greenaround the gills and, ifmemory serves me right, didnot call me again until late thatnext day. He still talks aboutthat memorable gastric expe-rience.

Now, most of us won’t getcaught up in a family traditionquite like that but the holidayseason is traditionally loadedwith excuses to overeat, overdrink and just plain overdo.This does not pose too seri-ous a problem for anyone whois typically careful during therest of the year and maintains


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healthy habits for the most part. But whatabout the people who are already strug-gling to lose weight or have been warnedby their doctors that they are either bor-derline diabetic or diabetic? November andDecember can be pretty tough months tonavigate through.

One suggestion might be that as host-esses and hosts we try to offer healthierfare and give our guests a few more op-tions when they celebrate with us. Whynot put a balanced spread out so anyonewho is struggling with health issues hassomething more than carrot sticks tochoose from? There are so many wonder-fully creative cookbooks available thesedays that offer nutritious snacks and ap-petizers anyone would be proud to serve.There is something especially gratifyingabout putting a spread together that tastesgreat and is also nutritionally sound.

Another idea might be to purposelymove the focus away from food and drinksand put it back on the company gatheredtogether. Recent research tells us that theart of face-to-face conversation is badlyin need of rejuvenation since the prolifera-tion of cell phones and e-mail. When is thelast time you struck up a really interestingconversation with someone at a party orgathering? I am referring to somethingmore than that superficial, topical fluffmost of us have had to endure. And thinkof the benefits — good conversation con-tains zero calories and does not leave youwith a hangover!

Out of control overindulging can alsobe a hidden symptom of low mood swingsthat people can experience this time of year.There is a lot of extra pressure packed intothis “ho, ho, ho” season. Our culture tendsto lay it on thick, and if you are not feelingparticularly jolly you might catch yourselfsneaking into the kitchen to snack your waythrough the 12 days of Christmas. Foodcan become a form of “self-medication”anytime of the year but especially duringthe holidays. Try to take a deep breath be-fore you rip that box of snack cakes openand ask yourself what specific mood ispushing you into those “Little Debbies.” Itcould be sadness, loneliness, boredom…Instead of eating your way through a funkwhy not go for a walk or volunteer to helpsomeone less fortunate? And if nothing

Barbara Rhode is a licensed psychotherapist and co-founder of Transitions & You,Inc. offering educational programs to increase awareness and understanding aboutyoung adult growth, healthy family development and personal wellness. For moreinformation, visit www.transitionssite.com or 418-7882.

seems to help, talking with a professional might be just what Santa would recom-mend.

So, join me right now and take a deep breath while in unison we agree to be morerealistic about the holiday season. Just maybe, by taking some of the store-boughtglitter out of the holidays we will remember that there really are some magical mo-ments left this holiday that don’t just focus on loads of food or drink.

And have a blessed, peace filled holiday season and new year.


Spoofers

TheOld Northeast

… by D.S. FormanDISCLAIMER: The stories you are aboutto read are not true. Not even the nameshave been changed to protect the innocent. Enquirer

“Spoof” is a noun which the dictionary defines as a “light humorous parody.” Actually the word is an acronym devised in the early 20th century from the phrase“St. Pete: Our Outlandish Funtasyland.” SPOOFers was a column in the local newspaper, The Leningrad LAMPOON (the precursor to the St. Petersburg TIMES).

Declaring that “nothing brings in tourist buckslike a good museum,” St. Pete’s long-legged mayor,Rick Baker, revealed plans to turn The Old Northeastinto a “living museum” where tourists will witnessactual homeowners restoring their turn-of-the-cen-tury homes during visiting hours. The neighborhoodwil l be rechristened “Renovationland,” andhomeowners will get a share of the admission fees inreturn for making exhibits out of their historic homes.

DODODODODOUBUBUBUBUBLLLLLE SE SE SE SE SHHHHHOT OOT OOT OOT OOT ON 4N 4N 4N 4N 4TTTTTHHHHH

Speculation has been buzzing about the newbusiness that will occupy the restored Art Decobuilding in the heart of 4th Street’s GardenDistrict: Crate ‘n Barrel? California PizzaKitchen? Pottery Barn? None of them, ac-cording to landlord Ray Meeker who final-ized the lease last week with his new ten-ant, Gas ‘n Go. “This will be the city’s firstindoor gas station,” boasted rookie devel-oper Meeker. “Not only will you be able todrive right into our building for a fill-up, butwe’ll also offer drive-through espressoand scones.” The indoor gas station,named 4th Street Gaspresso will be-come the area’s most fashionable— and fresh smelling — fill-up. Astate of the art ventilation system filteredwith Febreze will rid the building of any unpleasant and potentially volatile gasolinefumes while retaining the rich coffee aromas

SSSSSNNNNNOWBOWBOWBOWBOWBIIIIIRD BRD BRD BRD BRD BLLLLLIIIIINNNNNDDDDDED BY TED BY TED BY TED BY TED BY THHHHHE LE LE LE LE LIIIIIGHTGHTGHTGHTGHT

The museum will also offer summer camp programs forkids. Working alongside actual homeowners, the internswill learn plastering, custom millwork and even replac-ing knob and tube wiring. “Along with the comingChihuly Glass Museum, a new addition to the Museumof Fine Arts and a new home for the Dali Museum TheOld Northeast ‘Renovationland’ will turn St. Petersburginto the Museum Capital of Florida!” beamed the ever-growing Baker.

OOOOOLLLLLD ND ND ND ND NORORORORORTTTTTHHHHHEAST OEAST OEAST OEAST OEAST ON EXN EXN EXN EXN EXHHHHHIBIBIBIBIBITITITITIT

Unable to sell their homes in the sluggish real estate market, a hand-ful of Old Northeast home sellers are now peddling their houses atdowntown’s popular Saturday Morning Market.

Homeowners Thad and Anita Kusch moved their 1924 bungalowonto a flatbed truck and planted it in the vacant lot north of CentralAvenue. “It took us all Friday night to move our house here, but if we canget just a handful of these market-goers to look at it then it’s worth theeffort,” claimed a fatigued Thad.

The idea is catching on as more and more frustrated home sell-ers are jacking up their foundations and transporting their bunga-lows to-and-from the bustling morning market, the most popular inall of Florida.

However, with space at a premium, market managers are now restrict-ing home sellers to single story buildings no larger than 1800 square feet.

DESPERATE HOUSEHOLDSMOVE TO SATURDAYMORNINGS

A neighborhood woman was temporarily blinded by the sunlight when sheemerged from her home after six months in seclusion. “My eyes just weren’t usedto the sun,” claimed Netty Fargo, who shut herself inside her home last April andrefused to come out until the weather cooled down. “I was born with overactivesweat glands, so I have no tolerance for the high heat and humidity of Florida

summers,” explained the native of Guelph, Ontario. Ms. Fargo had planned to flyback to her native Canada last April, but an early heat wave forced her to stayinside her air conditioned home for six months nonstop. Ms. Fargo, whose sightreturned to normal after 24 hours, is now enjoying the cooler weather with herpet salamander, Ernest.

Dave Forman is a happily transplantedLos Angeleno living here with his wifeand young daughter.


Dec 1 World AIDS Day Williams Park;824-6900

Dec 1 Get Downtown Music SeriesCentral b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597

Dec 2 PilotMall.com Open HouseAlbert Whitted Airport; 209-2586

Dec 2 St. Pete Lions Club Santa ParadeDowntown; 525-5950

Dec 2 Snowfest North Straub Park; 892-5874Dec 2 The Great Figgy Pudding Street

Corner Caroling North Straub Park;821-1200

Dec 2-3 ArtWalk at BayWalkBaywalk; 352/546-2322

Dec 3 Pinellas Youth Symphony HolidayOrchestra Concert Palladium; 438-3149

Dec 3 Historical Holiday Celebration Tour ofHomes (benefits St. PetersburgMuseum of History) Roser Park; 894-1052

Dec 8 MarineMax Lighted Boat ParadeThe Pier; 821-6443

Dec 9 Gallery Walk Downtown locations;821-6767

Dec 9 TubaChristmas Concert of HolidayMusic The Pier; 526-7159

DEC 10 OLD NORTHEAST CANDLELIGHTTOUR OF HOMES (see page 1)

Dec 10 Lunch with SantaAlbert Whitted Airport; 822-1532

Dec 13 Boley Centers Jingle Bell RunThe Pier; 821-4819

Dec 22 Grand Central Stroll & Outdoor MovieCentral b/w 21st-30th; 341-7198

Dec 31 First Night St. Petersburg Downtownand other various locations throughoutcity; 823-8906

Jan 5 Get Downtown Music SeriesCentral b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597

Jan 15 National MLK Jr. Drum Major forJustice Parade Downtown; 327-0085

JANUARY 15 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING

JANUARY 19 PORCH PARTY (see p. 12)

Jan 20-21 Straub Park Festival of the ArtsNorth Straub Park; 304/659-2075

Jan 21 Annual Sunshine City Band ConcertsWilliams Park; 898-1541

Jan 28 Annual Sunshine City Band ConcertsWilliams Park; 898-1541

Feb 2 Get Downtown Music SeriesCentral b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-3597

Feb 3 Suncoast Classic Run for Kids(benefits Ronald McDonald House)BayWalk; 787-8221

Feb 4 Annual Sunshine City Band Concerts Williams Park; 898-1541

Feb 9 Festival of States Scholastic Arts & WritingProgram Dali Museum; 321-9888

Feb 11 Annual Sunshine City Band ConcertsWilliams Park; 898-1541

Feb 16-18 Sailing World’s NOOD Regatta KickoffDowntown waterfront; 822-3873

FEBRUARY 16 PORCH PARTY (see p. 12)


FEBRUARY 19 NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING

Feb 24-25 Florida Wingfest Family-oriented FestivalVinoy Park; 392-7610


ON THE DOCKET:Some Upcoming Events In and Nearby Our Neighborhood

For a current and more detailed listing go to the City’s website at www.stpete.org


Serving Pinellas County for over 15 years

We specialize in Oak Tree ArtistryAll Phases of Tree Trimming & Removal

Stump Grinding • Hazardous Tree Removal24 Hour Emergency Service

(727) 822-9208Certified Arborist FL-0969A

FREEESTIMATES

Denis “Doc” Mortham’s

TREE SERVICE

LICENSED

& INSURED

by Yvonne Swanson -- Master Gardener

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Yvonne Swanson is a master gardener for Pinellas County. Shealso writes a garden column for the St. Petersburg Times.

As the end of the year approaches, it’s a great time to take agood look at your garden, pat yourself on the back for everythingyou’ve accomplished and make plans for 2007. You might wantto add something new to your yard — perhaps a butterfly or herbgarden — or maybe 2007 will be the year for the arbor or foun-tain you’ve been wanting.

It’s also a good time to look at your gardening expenses forthe year. If you’re like the typical U.S. gardener, you spent morethan $450 on plants, gardening supplies and equipment in 2006.Add the costs of landscape maintenance, such as lawn mowingand tree trimming, and that figure can easily add up to $1,000 ormore. Gardening is not a cheap hobby. But you can save moneyon gardening next year with these smart cost-cutting tips:

+ Reduce or eliminate your lawn. Turfgrass is our biggestmaintenance plant, requiring constant watering, fertilizing, mow-ing and treatment for pests and disease. If you do all the workyourself, you’ll save a bundle. Better yet, replace turf with low-maintenance groundcover or garden beds with native plants thatrequire minimal care.

+ Put the right plant in the right place. It’s a waste ofmoney to stick a sun-loving plant in shade or a shade-lover in thehot afternoon sun. Ask for advice at a garden center with knowl-edgeable staff, borrow a Florida gardening book at the library orsearch the Internet for information. Sunken Gardens offers classes,as does the Pinellas County Extension Service in Largo.

+ Be a smart shopper. Don’t go to the nursery without a listof plants — and stick to it. You’ll be less likely to make an impulsepurchase on a plant you really don’t need. Read the weekly gar-den calendar in the St. Petersburg Times for plant sales. The Sat-urday Morning Market is another good source for plants.

+ Buy smaller plants. Typically they’ll catch up in size totheir larger counterparts, so just be patient. You can save even

more by starting your plants from seed. A package is usually about$1 and has from 40 to 100 seeds.

+ Propagate (divide) large clumps of plants and transplantin your yard or exchange with neighbors. Daylilies, cannasand other tuberous perennials are easy to divide. Sharing plantswith other gardeners is one of the best ways to reduce your costs.

+ Buy mulch, compost and soil in bulk (usually by theyard). Split the order (and expense) with a neighbor or gardeningfriend if it’s more than you need. Better yet, get all the free mulchyou want from one of 20 sites in Pinellas County (call the Exten-sion at 582-2100 for information).

+ Cut back on expensive chemical fertilizer. Start amend-ing the soil with organic matter — such as compost, manure,leaves and mulch — and your plants won’t need chemical fertil-izers.

+ Start a compost pile. Stop paying to haul away your grassclippings and leaves. Dump them in a homemade compost pilealong with non-meat kitchen scraps. Build one using chicken wire,recycled wood scraps or even an old plastic trash can or thickplastic bag. Turn it now and again; in a few months you’ll havefree “black gold” to nourish the soil.

+ Consult garden catalogs for ideas, then shop at discountstores. Garden accessories in catalogs from Smith & Hawken,Frontgate and Plow & Hearth are typically pricey and includehefty shipping charges. You can find similar-looking pots and otheraccessories at local stores such as Target, Wal-Mart, T.J. Maxx,HomeGoods, Marshall’s, Big Lots and Tuesday Morning.

+ Find big bargains at yard and estate sales. Shop early forthe best finds and think creatively. Look for pots, garden toolsand plants at great prices.

+ Reduce your water bills by collecting rainwater. All youneed are one or more rain barrels connected to downspouts. Youcan find them in garden catalogs, on the Internet or locally fromthe local Extension Service.

+ Invest in quality tools and pamper them. Don’t buy cheaptools; they won’t last and could cause an injury.

+ Join the Old Northeast Garden Club. It’s a great way tomeet like-minded neighbors, learn more about Florida gardeningand exchange plant cuttings. Or join one of the many plant soci-eties (there’s one for just about every plant) which regularly hostplant exchanges for members. You can get a list of local groupsby calling the Extension office at 582-2100.

Year-endChecklist

✔

The Old Northeast Garden Clubmeets the first Friday of each month

For information please contactMarilyn Johnson at 553-9155

or e-mail: [email protected]


Property Transfers

155 9th Avenue NE .......................... David and Cherie Petterson

108 11th Avenue N .....................Abelardo and Rachel Agustines

138 14th Avenue N .............................................. Dixie Crawford

426 14th Avenue NE ............................................. Adam Marland

405 15th Avenue NE ......................... Kenneth and Tracey Locke

445 15th Avenue NE .......................................... Jeffrey Brandes

606 15th Avenue NE .......................................... Jack Hamersma

336 19th Avenue NE ................................. Garry and Julie Eaves

166 21st Avenue N .................................................... Philip Piser

241 24th Avenue N .............................................. Robert Markin

824 Bay Street NE #A .................................... Christopher York

Following is a listing of recent property transfers in our North

Shore neighborhood. The individuals listed are new owners

of the properties cited but not necessarily the residents of

those properties. The properties are listed in chronological

avenue and chronological and alphabetical street order.

If any of these folks live near you, make sure you welcome

them to the neighborhood.

Compiled from public records by theFlorida New Business Report.


“I Remember When...” Although The Old Northeast neighborhood continues to experience a renaissance of its own along with the downtown, noteveryone who lives here is a relative newcomer. Some of us have lived here all — or most — of our lives and remember when lifein the northeast (it wasn’t always “Old”) was quite a different experience. “I Remember When…” provides an opportunity for one ofyour more “senior” neighbors to share with us newer kids on the block a personal reflection of what it was like “way back when.” If you know long-time Old Northeast residents who might like to share some memories of the area from previous years, pleasecontact [email protected].

Fiddling Around With Traditionby Amy Labie

When you see or hear the phrase “Happy Holidays” at the be-ginning of the season — which is approximately Halloween —what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

Is it the panic and countdown of Christmas shopping? Thearoma of cinnamon or peppermint or a feast in the oven? Deco-rating? Snow-covered trees and cars?Candles melting in the sun? Santa in asleigh? Lighting a menorah and frying po-tato latkes? Sending greeting cards? Thechurch Christmas pageant? Having an openhouse or preparing to let yours be on tour?Finding the perfect tree? The Nutcracker?A child’s face at the wonder of it all?

The answer is that it depends on your child-hood memories — family, friends and whereyou’ve lived. That’s one of the charming as-pects of The Old Northeast. Its eclecticity cre-ates a comfort zone for both natives and neo-phytes. When I ride my bike down some ofthe streets, I feel as if I’m a kid again back inKenmore, New York during summer vaca-tion, of course. Not having to deal with snowand near freezing temperatures aroundThanksgiving can be a bit disorienting.

The Old Northeast, according to those I ca-sually interviewed, abounds with the spirit ofChristmas, a word once again deemed politicallycorrect. There are annual block parties, the annual Holiday Tour ofHomes, hayrides and sometimes Santa puts in an appearance.

Barbara Ulrich (26th Avenue N) says they began a traditionwhich is now being carried on by their children and grandchil-dren who also live here in the ‘hood. Before they dive into thegifts on Christmas morning, they devote a moment to the inspira-tion behind the celebration. At breakfast, a candle is placed in acoffee cake while they congregate to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

It is rewarding to see one’s traditions be carried on. When ourchildren were growing up, we made quite an elaborate time ofdecorating cookies. As they grew older, the efforts became moredetailed and actually a shame to eat. It’s no wonder that two ofthe four have artistic careers and now our grandchildren host anannual cookie-decorating party in Vermont.

Christmas Eve finds Fred and Caroline McCoy (18th Av-enue NE) and his family and friends gathered on their front lawn.While sitting cozily on blankets, the children are treated to thereading of Christmas stories. Often the Grinch is a topic, but henever shows up. (The neighborhood watch is ever present.)

Jean Galanos (18th Avenue NE) takes a pragmatic approachto the holiday. After the vigil at their church on Christmas Eve,

their children are allowed to open one present. Here’s the cleverpart. Each package contains a pair of pajamas to be worn in an-ticipation of Santa’s arrival so they will be camera-ready in themorning. (Wish I’d thought of that! Some of our family videosare total blackmail fodder.)

And then there’s us. Having livedin colder climates all our lives, it justdidn’t feel like Christmas the firstyear down here. But we are used toadapting and assimilating our tradi-tions. As our family grew and mul-tiplied, it became overwhelming tofill everyone’s stockings by myself.So, I suggested that we draw names.Since some were on limited budgets— school, new careers, etc. — Iturned it into a contest. No one couldspend over $20 and the most cre-ative and frugal would win a prize— an ornament. This worked forawhile until we had to disqualify Su-san, the elementary school teacher.She was able to recycle her students’gifts and always spent the least. Nowit’s a fun tradition, but no contest.

We’ve also transitioned from cut-ting down a “real” tree to reconstruct-ing an artificial one that’s even pre-

lit. This is one compromise I love as there are no needles tovacuum up later and the time saved is incredible — not to men-tion the other disadvantages that come with doing what youthink you’re supposed to. In one of our other traditions — a ’99Christmas letter to our friends far and wide about our move toFlorida — I explain what that means. I hope you can relate.

Hey, I think I finally found Christmas!!! You wouldn’tthink you could lose anything as big as that, somethingthat’s been celebrated for a millennium, yet for awhile Ihad. Everything seemed out of place. But then I’ve beenhaving trouble finding all sorts of things lately since we’vebeen living out of boxes in various countries, states, andstorage for the past year.

Here’s to finding the miracle of Christmas when you’restill hunting for the mundane. Lots of rethinking like com-ing in out of the heat in December. Then, the other day, asI was riding my bike in a T-shirt and shorts under a pinksky along the blue water, it occurred to me that I hadnever seen a picture of Jesus holding a snow shovel. Orfor that matter, three wise men bearing gifts (that I doubt

Holiday storytelling on 18th Avenue NE.


they bought themselves) either.I dug out the tabletop tree we’d had in Paris, added

some new ornaments, and rescued others from Palmettobugs. Found a few more decorations. Packrats, AKA do-mestic historians, unite. You are what you save.

I know some people who go away for the holidays thinkit’s silly to put up a tree or decorate, but even though wewere heading up north to see most of our family, for me, itwas the right thing to do. To feel at home until we trulycould be, to collect the bits and pieces of my intangibleidentity, I needed tangible reminders, a dose of ritual, roots.Not all of the ornaments fit on the little tree, but the onesthat did evoked memories of people and places, past andpresent. Gradually, as I hung the most meaningful ones, Irealized that this quaint little Christmas tree was a tan-gible version of our family tree.

What I’ve also discovered is that the intangible part ofChristmas, the true spirit, is portable enough to carry withyou no matter where you are.

And it is alive and well in The Old Northeast.

Amy Labie is a wife, mother and grandmother who is enjoy-ing life in St. Petersburg. A freelance writer and aspiring novel-ist, she loves people-watching and listening —whether it’s at asidewalk café in Paris or a truck stop in White River Junction.Often accused of having an imagination almost as vivid as thebrighter-than-expected color of her house, she believes you can’tmake the best stuff up. That’s why she loves her front porch.

Snell Isle & Old Northeast

held at the beautiful, historic-registeredSaint Petersburg Woman’s Club • 40 Snell Isle Boulevard • St. Petersburg

Saturday and Sunday • January 13 — 14, 200710:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.Grand Prize Drawings

Gift certificates to Lowe’splus many other prizes and gift certificates

Presenting a small, upscale and uniquely different homeshow

Free Free

What’s your next project? Dreaming about an outdoor kitchen? Your garage looks like a war zone and needs to be organized?Want the addition of a fabulous outdoor deck? Thinking of going totally digital? Elegant home interiors or furniture?Window treatments and shutters? Driveway pavers? Hurricane window protection? Landscaping needs a makeover?

Get even more ideas from the experts at the Snell Isle-Old Northeast Home Show.

Co-sponsored in part by —

Bokara Rug GalleryBrinks Home SecuritySouthern ExteriorsRoll Shield, LLCDaniel E. Ashline, Inc.Paver Solutions, Inc.European Tile and FloorsPremier Garage

KnologyFAS Windows and DoorsTreehouse GalleryBest Design CenterArchadeck of St. PeteCreative Painting, Inc.Sunburst ShuttersVintage Interiors

Visit these exhibitors

Coordinated by Calvert Promotions

Celebrating 25 years

727-825-0018


AlleyDécor:

My Trash – Your Trea-sure

Looking For A Good Home(2) Double pane windows – 45”x26” $75@

(1) 15 pane French door – 80”x36” $50Power lift for electric scooter

(fits in a standard Reese hitch) $501995 Kawasaki 80cc dirt bike $250

Phone 641-9063.

Mahogany (?) sunken panel door (c. 1932), old woodscreens and screen door. Phone 560-4557 or

[email protected]

SpringNeighborhood-wide Yard Sale?

Interested in having anotherOld Northeast neighborhood-wide yard/garage/alley sale similar to the one last March?Maybe in April or May?

It can happen if a few neighbors volunteer to put it together.Only need a few motivated folks.

Contact [email protected] if you’d consider being apart of such an effort.

1825 4th St. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33704727-551-3100 • www.stpete.org/sunken.htm

Sunken Gardens is a botanical garden andeducational center which features daily gardentours, Saturday gardening programs, wildlife

presentations, garden displays, and a walk-throughbutterfly enclosure.


Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood AssociationP.O. Box 76324St. Petersburg, FL 33734www.honna.org

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAIDST. PETERSBURG FL

PERMIT #1020

Next Neighborhood Meeting: Monday, January 15th, 7pmAll neighborhood residents invited

IN THIS ISSUE

• Home Tour Time

• My, Thai

• North Shore Pool Improvements

• GardenGuidelines

Plus Spoofersand more

ST. PETERSBURG IS UNIQUE, NEWSWORTHY, ENERGETIC AND EXCITINGNow Featured On Several Top Ten Lists - from Places to Live, Work & Play

St. Petersburg has “Arrived”We have arrived- And as we hear talk about the market’s transition, we can look at St. Petersburg’s popularity,and growth in Business, Real Estate Development, Theater, the Arts, Education, & Tourism. It has over the past

few years, become known as one of the best (and less expensive) places to live in Florida. This area offers a somewhaturban landscape of unique waterfront living for those residing close to downtown. One could consider the downtownareas of St Petersburg as a “City by the Bay” with public access to miles of waterfront & parks & walking/running

pathways- St. Petersburg offers variety- Just look at my current listings, they range from Italian Renaissance,Mediterranean Revival, Key West, Colonial, Mission Revival, Art Deco to Modern Contemporary- St. Petersburg

is often considered as a healthy destination for all generations & lifestyles. A pedestrian-friendly and, yes, “dog-friendly”,destination. Downtown St Petersburg, Old Northeast, Snell Isle, & all the surrounding areas are sought after properties-

Properties that are far too localized and unique to be affected by the overall vicissitudes of market trends. In termsof real estate, this area has limited space- prices will appreciate again and again. St Petersburg is valuable,

exhilarating, exciting and affordable. It is “The Place to Be”

Call Alona Dishy for some of the Finest Listings in the Area

www.ALONADISHY.comMain Number (727) 458-8037

Office (727) 823-8000 X 129. Pager (727) 462-8887Realty Executives [email protected]

historic old northeast neighborhood news - december 2006

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