Lights, Camera....

As a follow up to yesterday's post about Christmas Eve, I wanted to present to you a photo of a street we came across in Palm Harbor. As you can gather from the blurry photo above (sorry about that!), the homes on this quaint, quiet street visually yelled at the passing traffic.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am all for lighting and holiday decor--I will admit to placing the "icicle" lights on my windows and hanging a wreath or the like on my front door. It is just simply amazing to see these dazzling displays of light. One can hardly begin to comprehend the time spent installing all the lights, not to mention the miles of wiring required. Note: this house not only has lights on the eaves, but on the roof and the sides as well!)

Even more frightening is this current trend to place the pseudo-blow-up snowpeople or santas on the front lawn. The pictured house even had one of these that moved and sang "Frosty the Snowman." It was eerily similar to the Frosty in the ABC special I remember from childhood. It literally sent a chill up my spine.

But I digress. There is something noble, albeit strange, in this pursuit of creating the most festive atmosphere. Maybe because I have lived in the city for the past 7 years, I am more impressed than your average suburbanite. (The storage space!! My old apartment would have been entirely filled with tinsel and bulbs!) The final intriguing part of this puzzle is that at least two homes on every block have begun this never-ending contest. Who will be the winner next year?

Christmas Eve in Florida

My first Christmas Eve in Florida found me in Tarpon Springs, a town just north of my current home. Tarpon Springs was originally a Greek settlement. Diving for sponges was the main source of income for the settlers. Now it still houses a "main drag" worth visiting with vendors offering a variety of Greek statuary, as well as natural sponges and various restaurants, of course. The town does have an additional charming main street of sorts, Tarpon Avenue, with antique shops and the like, as well as a nice Irish-style pub. Today, Tarpon Springs is probably more well known for expensive homes, as it is found directly on the Gulf of Mexico, with access from the interior lands by the Anclote River and other smaller rivers.

It is to one of these accesses, a bayou near the middle of town, that we now voyage. Apparently, about 9 years ago, a teacher at the local elementary school came up with the idea of lining the bayou with candles. I thought this would be a great introduction to one of the holiday traditions in Florida.

I must admit the luminary was beautiful. To see the thousands of candles sparkling along the stretch of water was a nice reminder at how single items placed together can be a sight to behold. As an additional treat, some manatees had traveled up from the Gulf to warm themselves in the warm springs beneath the bayou. To see them swimming innocently in the swirling waters reaffirmed the power of simplicity.

There's a Little Bit of NYC in All of Us

During a recent visit to Tampa's International Plaza, imagine my surprise upon finding this:

Am I back in NYC? Is this really the mall? Ah yes, I remember reading about this now, this is Abercrombie & Fitch's new retail concept, Ruehl 925. As you can see, the shop looks like it could be in a street in the Village. Notice the passers-by to the left gazing puzzledly at the sight?

But do not fret, this is not Abercrombie & Fitch: there is no way you would ever confuse this for an Abercrombie & Fitch store. Down the mall, a half-naked (read: no shirt on!) young man just inside the entrance greets customers there. Here, one sees only a stand of elegant white flowers, the ubiquitous sign of chic.

Upon entering the shop, the first thing I notice is just how dark it really is. It is designed to feel as if one is entering a hip New Yorker's brownstone, complete with mood lighting and separate "rooms". As a former sales associate at a retail clothing establishment, I immediately think of the hell of the shoplifter. It seems like it would be a stealer's paradise--dark nooks and crannies to rip tags off and stuff garments into one's bag.

I shrug this off and attempt to look at the clothing itself. The styles are simple, yet fashionable. Sort of a Banana Republic feel and pricing, in a cooler environment. I must admit to having a bit of fun in the shop. As it is set up as a true townhouse with separate rooms, it feels slightly maze-like. However, this gives the shopper a sense of exploration, wondering what will be around the next corner. The one objection I had was the overwhelming scent that pervaded the air--they have strategically placed fragrance samplers in each "room".

One question continues to plague me: Why Tampa? The International Plaza does have quite a broad selection of shops, from Vuitton and Neiman Marcus, to Quicksilver and Swatch. In this location, they would get a read from a variety of shoppers. I presume it works in Tampa, as opposed to Orlando for example, because there is this upscale element. Yes, there are people with money in the area. With a lot of money. And they won't feel like they are buying crap in here, even though the price points are more reasonable. Plus, the folks who do not have as much money will feel like they are shopping somewhere ritzy. I guess what it comes down to is that there's a little bit of New York in all of us.

Check out this cool photo of our area. I found this on the NASA "Earth Observatory" site. The article explains the fear of the storm surge to our area.

Shop names? Or classifications?

Upon my arrival in Florida, one of the first things that jumped out at me was the lack of shop name signage. It's true. When you pass a strip mall, you notice, "Barber", "Nail Salon", "Fresh Fish", maybe even "Realtor". There are no store names!! Of course, this is not the case if it is a larger store like Walgreens, the sign would not simply say pharmacy.

I guess this is the evolution of American commerce. If we don't recognize a name, we will not stop. So the shop owners think, "Well, I'll just advertise what I sell, not the name of the store."

As a Northerner, I remember every shop being branded in some way. There is no confusion. We know that a sign with a picture of a steaming slice and the name Christopher's is a pizza shop. Here, it seems people feel the need to be more glaringly obvious. In a way, it makes each shopping area seem a bit sterile, with no apparent personality. Each shop announces their wares in simple block letters undifferentiated from the next. I must admit, I miss the crude drawings of dripping ice cream cones and of mortars and pestles. I guess in time I too will grow accustomed to the classification system.

Welcome!

Being a New Englander in the Tampa Bay area is quite unique. Although not as unique as I initially thought. Soon after my arrival in the Sunshine State, I realised quickly there are quite a few other Northerners here.

Being an observer in the Tampa Bay area is probably not that unique. But darn if there aren't some crazy people down here to observe! However, I have not pinned down who is crazier--the Floridians or the Northerners.

Maybe it is the place, in the Tampa Bay, where the two meet, that causes this clash. This question, and many more, may be answered in Tampa Say. Let's keep going and see!!