Today was sparkling clear with the crisp chill of a Northeast autumn, our version of a winter day. We set out for downtown St. Petersburg with high hopes for a parking space and outdoor seating on the sidewalk in front of our favorite raw food restaurant, Leafy Greens.
And the Gods were smiling upon us. Two of the three outdoor tables were up against the wall and we dragged them out in the sun. We had a northeast wind of up to 20 mph, so several of us ordered the delicious fresh tomato basil soup. I recommend their raw tacos housed in romaine boats with walnut, crunchy veggies and hummus filling and a spicy sauce. Helen ordered the red lentil curry which she enjoyed but suggested they kick up the seasoning a bit. The avocado toast has the most delicious bread. Anthony was our chef and waiter and balanced his tasks with grace. We all felt like old friends before we left.
We’ve lived in this city long enough to know better, but we blithely headed to our next destination: Williams Park for Localtopia. We had the good sense to avoid the long lines for the food trucks, and were not expecting a line down three city blocks to get into the park. There were two issues, the bottleneck at the gate for COVID screening and the capacity limit for the venue. When we realized that the people waiting were waiting for spots that would only open up if people left, we abandoned our plans for the afternoon. We were disappointed to miss the headliner, Ariella. Maybe we’ll catch her later at the Blue Rooster in Sarasota or the Clearwater Jazz Festival at the end of February.
We consoled ourselves with a walk in the park at Seminole Lake. This was the spot where I saw my first roseate spoonbill and I was hoping to see another but none were about. There were the usual variety of shore birds and a sweet duck couple.
Finally we stopped at Sprouts in search of evaporated coconut milk, which my hairdresser says is the best coffee creamer. We stocked up on their brand of coconut cream as well. Lots of yummy coconut for healthy brains! Of course, foodies that we are, we couldn’t resist the BOGO gluten-free crackers and Lilly’s stevia sweetened chocolate. And Plant City strawberries 3 for $5!
Kindred Spirits Community 