Life + Culture

Making Waves

October is a perfect time to explore Florida's Coast Article by Amy Walters Sometimes the best getaway doesn’t require a plane ticket and weeks of planning. Only a few hours from New Port Richey, New Smyrna Beach offers an Atlantic Coast escape filled with beach days, waterfront dining, abundant wildlife and the kind of laid-back charm that makes it easy to forget you’re only a few hours from home. While New Smyrna Beach is a great escape any time of year, this October, there’s an even better...

Food + Beverage

Where Tampa's Story Is Served

The Columbia Restaurant is one of Tampa's most recognizable landmarks—and where our immigrant history comes to life on every plate Article by Bethany Norman | Photography by 1905 Family Of Restaurants On any given day, the Columbia Restaurant is filled with moments that matter. A couple celebrates 60 years of marriage in the same dining room where they once posed for a wedding portrait. Across the room, a grandfather introduces his grandchildren to the same Cuban sandwich his grandparents...

Travel

Passport to Flavor

Food is one of the most authentic ways to experience a destination. Article by JoAnn Chang Every great trip leaves you with unforgettable moments. The ones that linger longest often happen around a table. Whether it’s learning to make pasta from an Italian grandmother in a Sicilian kitchen, sharing tapas and Rioja in a tucked-away bar in Barcelona, or sipping wine overlooking a vineyard in Tuscany, food has a way of turning a destination into a story you can taste. For Craig Oberting, travel...

Food + Beverage

More Than a Meal

Harps of Trinity offers a true sense of community Article by Amy Walters | Photography by Magical Memories Photography When you walk into Harps of Trinity on any given day, chances are you’ll recognize someone. One table may be filled with friends chatting over cocktails, another with business colleagues networking over a meal, while tucked in the corner may be a couple enjoying a much-needed date night. That mix of people and occasions is exactly what owners Vince and Wendy LaMattina love...

Home Services

Clear Solutions

Your windows are more than your view to the world Article by JoAnn Chang | Photography by Magical Memories Photography By September, hurricane season tends to feel a lot more real for Florida homeowners. The checklists come out—plywood, sandbags, batteries, bottled water—but one important line of defense is often hiding in plain sight. Your windows are one of the most exposed parts of your home when conditions turn rough. They’re a critical barrier between your family and Florida’s harshest...

Style + Beauty

Tampa Style Makers

Meet the designers bringing fresh looks and new focus to the Tampa Bay fashion scene Article by JoAnn Chang Amalia Bracho BRACHO+BOSCH For Amalia Bracho, CEO of BRACHO+BOSCH, merging art and fashion was something instilled in her at a young age. As a 15-year-old girl, her father, a renowned muralist, painted her plain white dress before a party. Her mother dried the paint with a hair dryer as he went. The result was a one-of-a-kind piece that inspires her work at BRACHO+BOSCH to this...

Life + Culture

Leading with Purpose

Local leaders are supporting the community in style Article by Amy Walters | Photography by Magical Memories Photography|Nikki Burke Every thriving community has people who step forward when they see a need. They don’t wait for someone else to make a difference, they become the difference. That’s the heart behind L.E.A.D., Leaders Empowering and Advancing Dreams, and their team. L.E.A.D. has united local business owners and community leaders around one mission, creating opportunities for...

Beauty

Making A Statement

Designing a home that tells your story Article by Janine Finch, GoldFinch Interior Styling | Photography by Kayla Farley Walk into almost any beautifully designed home and you'll probably notice a striking light fixture, a dramatic piece of art or an impressive piece of furniture. We often refer to these as statement pieces — the elements that immediately draw the eye and often become the focal point of a room. But I believe the best statement pieces do something far more important than...

Life + Culture

Courting Creativity

In a world full of challenges, creative and effective problem solvers make a big impact Article by JoAnn Chang | Photography by Gulf Coast OM When you’re young, every success and failure is a learning experience. In today’s structured world, finding opportunities for kids to challenge their minds and explore solutions can be hard to come by. Odyssey of the Mind, a creative problem-solving competition created to challenge youth from kindergarten to college, is providing that opportunity for...

Education

Built for Belonging

Helping every generation live healthier, happier, and more connected lives Article by Amy Walters There are very few places left in our community where a toddler learning to swim, a teenager discovering independence, a parent pursuing wellness goals, and a grandparent staying active can all find themselves enjoying activities under the same roof. The James P. Gills YMCA in Trinity is one of these places. The YMCA is much more than a gym. The YMCA is a cornerstone of life for families and...