On the Waterfront in Tampa

I met my friend Sue bright and early yesterday for a long walk through Tampa. Sue and I have been friends since college and she's one of those people I may not see for months but who I can pick up again with instantly. It's like she just stepped into the next room and our conversation was interrupted only briefly.

We walked through Julian Lane Park and along the Riverwalk, which follows the Hillsborough River through the city and into downtown. There wasn't much color in the sunrise but the clouds were interesting. 

We checked out the monumental "Form of Wander" sculpture that sits on a pier over the river. Designed by artist Marc Fornes of the studio THEVERYMANY, and made of small aluminum panels, it's supposed to resemble the roots of mangrove trees.

Then we crossed the river and walked into the city, where we saw this interesting glass panel in a sculpture by artist Susan Gott. She gathered architectural and cultural artifacts from Tampa's history, pressed them into sand and cast them in glass. I'm not sure about the source of this face but it definitely looks like a building ornament. 

Sue loves to interact with all the dogs we meet on our walks. We came across this Chinese crested named Enzo, snug in his rainbow onesie. There was also a blue-eyed bull terrier named Clementine and another elderly Staffyish dog that gave me lazy, friendly licks on my legs as I scratched his back.

(Don't tell Olga I've been flirting with other dogs.)

We walked along Bayshore and into Hyde Park, where we called Dave to meet us for breakfast. He took an Uber from the hotel and we all went to Goody Goody, where we had diner fare like pancakes (not crepes, like the ones in England, but real fluffy American pancakes) and French toast.

Then we walked to the Water Street market where lots of artists and crafts people were selling or exhibiting their work. I liked artist Tiffany Snow's take on the Mona Lisa!

Tampa has certainly changed since I grew up here. Back then, the downtown sidewalks rolled up at 5 p.m. when everyone decamped to homes in the suburbs. Now there are lots of apartments and condos and lots of young people, bringing a wonderful millennial energy. Tampa has invested a lot in public art and amenities, and it shows.

Dave and I rested in our room in the afternoon. I caught up on some more reading and we Skyped with his parents, who are meeting us today before I get on the road to Jacksonville. Our hotel room is comfortable, but man, is it dry. They must have a powerful dehumidifying system in this building. I go to sleep a grape and wake up a raisin.

Last night we went to a place Sue recommended called CW's Gin Joint, which of course appealed to me right away. Hello, Plymouth martini with olives! The food was excellent too -- I had a lobster-stuffed baked potato which was pretty fantastic. A woman at an adjacent table was wearing the most dramatically low-cut and high-cut dress I've ever seen -- she was just barely holding it all together -- and another table full of young people were having what looked like a baby shower. They were a very diverse group, racially, sexually and orientationally, a true rainbow table, and I enjoyed watching their ease and obvious happiness with each other. Sometimes I can't help feeling that the world really is moving in the right direction.

(The martini helped.)