Tampa's Dog Park Extraordinaire

This is one of Tampa's new dog parks that are a treat for dog and dog owner alike. This one in downtown's Curtis Hixon Park in front of the Tampa Museum of Art has a shaded area, running water, artificial turf (a bit hot for the pooch when the temp rises) and lots of cool things for big and little dogs to explore. Right on the Hillsborough River, it is a popular and fun place to bring fido.

Eames Rocking Chair for Tiny Rear-Ends

This is a miniature verison of a “RAR” rocking chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1950. The actual rocker, constructed of fiberglass, steel and birch wood, was manufactured by Zenith Plastics Company, and distributed by the Herman Miller Furniture Company. This very small copy, 1/6 scale, is just 4.5 inches tall. The attention to detail is jaw-dropping. Each rocker is carefully hand assembled and custom built right down to the miniature screws and hand woven fabrics. The attention to detail is incredible. The cost of an original 60+ year-old Eames RAR rocker is about $3,500; the museum gift shop has several of the miniatures for sale and this one will set you back $170. A bargain!!

You can see an original right now at A Hundred Years - A Hundred Chairs. Masterworks from the Vitra Design Museum, the current exhibition at the Tampa Museum of Art. (Click HERE to visit online.) Plastic, wood, metal, leather and lots of great plastic creations fill the gallery. The rocker looks delicate but is as soild as a rock[er]!!


The wall displays feature drawings, sketches, ads and brochures that help educate and guide you through the interesting history. All of them are on loan from the Vitra Design Museum located in Weil am Rhein, Germany (to visit Vitra click HERE). The museum holds the estates of designers like Charles and Ray Eames, and the main building was designed by architect Frank Gehry. This exhibit, up until September 16th, is well worth seeing.

What Are We Seeing?

Can you spot the moorish-style minarets of the Tampa Bay Hotel, today's University of Tampa. This view across the Hillsborough River was taken from the open balcony of the Tampa Museum of Art.

PUNCH Boxing: A Fit Body Without The Fight

Hiden away on the street just south of Kennedy Boulevard, near the University of Tampa and east of Mise en Place Restaurant, PUNCH is a popular fitness regimen. Quoting from their website HERE: "PUNCH Boxing for Fitness mirrors an actual boxers training regimen with three minute rounds separated by one minute breaks BUT without the fight. Utilizing heavy bags, gloves, jump ropes, shadow boxing, speed bags, stretching, all of this together with a high intense AB workout is guaranteed to get you in the best shape of your life! The workouts build cardio endurance and muscle tone. The concept is unique in that it teaches proper stance and punching form while also offering techniques for a full body workout. Classes are taught in a group setting to boost participation and intensity. Our goal is to get you a boxers athletic body without the fight."

Life's Good At Channelside! Is He Staring At Me?

The shops and restaurants at Channelside Bay Plaza in Tampa's Channel District were busy today. The storms and heavy wind and rain of last week are all but forgotten as we return to our gorgeous blue skies and temps in the mid 80s. Delightful. Is this little fellow staring at the man with the camera?? To visit Channelside Bay Plaza online click HERE.