Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News - December 2010

Page 1Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

continued on page 13

St. Pete’s Jewel on Tampa Bay

HONNA Neighborhood Meetings are held the third

Monday of each month (except August and December)

at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 126 11th Avenue NE

Social: 6:45pm—Business: 7pm

Volume 38 Issue 4 / December 2010 / www.honna.org Published Quarterly

UPCOMING MEETINGS Mark your calendar!

continued on page 26

December 20th Neighborhood Holiday Party

January 17th and February 21st

Programs To Be Announced

In thIs Issue

Party Planning ............ 2

New HONNA Board . 6

Thriving During the Holidays ............ 10Food! ..................... 17

The Answer Lady ... 18

Calendar of Events .............................. 21Halloween in the ‘Hood ..........28 & 29 Holiday Arrangements from Your Garden................ 30

NOVEMBER 15TH - Speaker Eric HiggsDesigner of the Centennial Parks Sundial

HolidayParty

Welcomes All Old NE

Residents

The Yule of Yesterday and Today Candlelight Tour of Homes Showcases the Best of Both Worldsby Laura Fage

Camelot. The Jazz Age. Roaring ‘20s. During a time of great exu-berance and enthusiasm featuring beautiful houses and beautiful people, some of St. Petersburg’s most architectur-

ally-exquisite homes were built in our wonderful neigh-borhood.

A selection of some of these homes will be on display during the annual Old Northeast Neighborhood Candle-light Tour of Homes. Taking place from 3-8pm Sunday, December 12th, this 13th annual yuletide tradition offers self-guided tours of eight of The Historic Old Northeast neighborhood’s most charming homes all decked out in their holiday finery.

While community leaders began cultivating this area almost a century ago, it was in the 1920s that the majority of homes were built. A hallmark of our neighborhood is its wonderful mixture of homes representing a variety of architectural styles surrounded by brick-paved streets, large oak trees with lush overhanging canopies and signature hexagon block sidewalks.

Blended Winds will be performing for tour-goers on

Treasures and Pleasures

Behind these and six other doors

The President’s Perspective Mary Alice LangeAssociation President

Our Neighborhood’s Gift to the CityAlthough the morning dawned chilly and breezy, the sun was shining brightly

– and shadows were being cast for those checking the time on the new Centennial Sundial at Vista Point, being dedicated on Saturday morning, November 6th, as part of the City’s Waterfront Parks Centennial Celebration.

North Shore Elementary School students, under the direction of multi-cultural arts teacher Deena Szakacs, were dressed in their Centennial T-shirts, ready to put their artwork created for the occasion, in the time capsule. The large crowd, many of whom had been watching the progress of con-struction, waited with anticipation to see the ribbon cutting for the City’s newest piece of public art.

To memorialize the 100th anniver-

Monday, December 20th from 6:30-9pmOld Northeast Tavern,

201 7th Avenue N

Here’s a chance to mix and mingle with your neighbors from The Old NE – catch up with old friends and add some new ones to your list. Christ-mas and New Year’s will be fast approaching and this will be a great time to take a well-deserved “time out” from all the hustle and bustle.

There will be a $5 per per-son admission charge which will entitle you to helpings at the pizza, salad and dessert bars; cash bar for drinks.

Please bring a new, un-wrapped toy or book which we’ll be donating to local charities committed to help-ing abused, homeless and low income children and young teens and brightening their holiday season.

We thank the Old North-east Tavern for again hosting our holiday party and provid-ing extra room for us in their recently expanded space. Please join us and be a part of this festive neighborhood.

Page 2 Historic Old NOrtheast NeighbOrhOOd News

*Preprinted inserts that you provide are delivered within the newsletter. Due to delivery restrictions, inserts are available on a limited basis.

The newsletter quarterly publication dates are March, June, September, and December. The deadline for accepting new ads and ad changes is three weeks prior to the publication month. The next deadline is February 7th. Payment for new ads should be submitted at the same time that the ad layout is provided and should be addressed to “HONNA Advertising.” The newsletter is distributed by mail to all homes in The Old Northeast (boundaries are 5th Ave N to 30th Ave N, and 4th St N to North Shore Dr/Coffee Pot Bayou Blvd). There are approximately 2,500 active home mailing addresses.

Contact Rachel Sartain: [email protected] space is limited so please make arrangements early.

Ad Size 1 Qtr 2 Qtrs 3 Qtrs 1 Year Business card 50 93 128 1601/4 page (H 4.9” x w 3.7”) 100 186 256 3201/2 page (H 4.9” x w 7.8”) 200 372 512 640Full page 400 744 1024 1280Back Cover 1/2 page 1400*Inserts and Premium Placement: Rates Upon Request

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Published quarterly – March, June, September and December and mailed to all households in The Old Northeast

P.O. Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734 e-mail [email protected]

The Newsletter of the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association

editor Rick Carson Columnists and Reporters

John Gee Jill McGrath Sue Strott

Circulation Joe O’ConnorContributors All our Old Northeast neighborsNewsletter Layout & design Sharon Bond: [email protected] information Rachel Sartain: [email protected]

Mike DaileyYvonne SwansonMike Panetta

Courtney EllisSusan CoffeyLaura Fage

You can almost hear “Old Blue Eyes” crooning out this traditional New Year’s

Eve favorite during the bustle and hustle of the holiday season. This memorable song has been one of the anthems to ring in the New Year – and can

be your battle cry while planning the last celebration of the year.

If you’ve decided to have a party to ring in the New Year, but aren’t sure where to start, here are some quick tips that will ensure your party’s success.

Invite New Year’s Eve is a popular party night and people get booked up quickly. Get your invitations out early so your friends know that your house will be the place to be. In lieu of traditional invitations, consider using a service like Evite, where friends can respond online. Another benefit of an Evite is that you can post items that you need people to bring and they can sign up when they respond. You can also track who has viewed your invitation and when.

Delegate Don’t do everything yourself! Enlist some friends to help...you’ll have some camaraderie in the planning process and will end up with less to do resulting in less stress during an already stressful social season.

Eat New Year’s Eve party food should be simple. This is not the night for a full course meal that will have your guests feeling sleepy by 9pm. Instead, serve a variety of finger foods and other items that can be made beforehand

(so you’re not stuck in the kitchen while the party is going on). Set up a buffet-style table so guests can serve themselves throughout the evening.

Drink Don’t feel as though you have to have a fully stocked bar in order to have a good party. Con-sider offering beer and one red and one white wine selection. This is also a great time for a signature cocktail of the night – and of course – the traditional Champagne toast at midnight is always popular. Be sure to have some non-alcoholic drinks available for those teetotalers and designated drivers!

Decorate If you already decorated your house for the holidays, keep those decorations up for your New Year’s Eve party for a more festive feel. You can also add some sparkling accents with candles, streamers or metallic balloons. Buy some fun things like noisemakers and New Year’s party hats. Like the signature cocktail, this is also an ideal time for a

theme party…yes, it’s New Year’s Eve…but why not set it in Hong Kong? Or Australia? Or Tahiti or……..

Listen Have background music for your party by tuning into a commercial-free satellite radio station or by using CDs. You can download great party music online on sites like iTunes, and then cre-ate a play list that can play back during your entire party. While there aren’t a plethora of New Year’s-themed songs around, one classic that you should play during your party is “Auld Lang Syne” -- the well-known Scottish song that is always played when the New Year’s Eve ball drops in Times Square.

Watch Have the television on to count down to midnight along with the folks in Times Square. Make sure your friends have noisemakers and confetti to throw when the clock strikes midnight.

Plan If your friends have had too much to drink or just have a long way to travel, make sure you have sleeping accommodations or a designated driver for them. New Year’s Eve is a heavy party night and there are many irresponsible drivers on the road, so keep your friends safe and start your New Year off on the right foot.

If all of this sounds a bit overwhelming, then you may want to opt for a New Year’s Day brunch, which would naturally be more relaxed. Whether a high-octane party o n New Year’s Eve or a more subdued celebration the next day, you and your guests will have fond memories of a terrific celebration of the New Year.

Carpe diem!

An award-winning event planner, Laura Fage is a resident of The Old Northeast and proprietor of Casa Terra Design, which specializes in curb appeal, outdoor rooms, interior redesign,; staging for sale, event planning and inspiring home owners to live a more beautiful life. She has owned a home and garden boutique, hosted a garden TV show and conducted workshops on all aspects of home décor. www.casaterradesign.com and [email protected]

it Was a Very Good Year

Planning Your Next Party

by Laura Fage


Crime & Safety CommitteeJay Marshall, Chair

In our Crime Watch report in the last edition of the newsletter, we celebrated our first anniversary by mentioning all of our ac-complishments in forming and bringing an active Crime Watch effort to The Historic Old Northeast neighborhood. This article is to tell you that it has really paid off.

When we started, someone asked the great question: “How will we know if our Crime Watch program will make a difference?” I mean, let’s get serious. How can a bunch of regular, ol’ residents going out on patrol day and night prevent crime from happening? So what if we have these bright little signs in our yard that say we notice and report suspicious activities? And, even if we report suspicious activity, will the police respond to our calls? And let’s not forget about those e-mail alerts that go out to let folks know to be watchful about a particular person or potential crime event.

Well, here we are a year later and crime is down significantly throughout the neighborhood. Over the last three months, vehicle thefts have decreased by 65%. Thefts from vehicles have decreased by 43%. And residential burglaries have gone down by 67%. These accomplishments reflect the success of our police-community partnership. The St. Petersburg Police Department has done a magnificent job targeting gangs responsible for property thefts throughout the City, training our residents to be watchful of suspi-cious activities and taking preventive measures and getting out into the neighborhood with directed patrols. Mayor Foster has started the “City Watch” program to engage all City employees to report suspicious activities. And the wonderful folks who participate on your Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Crime Watch have given much of their time to patrol the community on foot, bike and vehicle to keep our vigilance. They are:

If you know or see any of our Crime Watchers, please thank them for all of their hard work to make our neighborhood safer.

We want to finish out the year (and begin the New Year) with the same spectacular results. However, all of us will be challenged given the approaching holidays, which always bring criminals into the neighborhoods focused on property crimes. They are look-ing for vehicles with gifts left inside, new electronics within the residence and property left outside unattended. Many of us will be away visiting family and friends and some of us may leave our residences dark. Holidays are no different than any other day – take preventive measures to protect your property and belongings:

Association News & ActivitiesCommittee ReportsSeptember’s meeting was a non-meeting – it was time for our

third and final pot luck of the year. A tasty array of foods was en-joyed and we heard from some candidates in the November election who table-hopped sharing their campaign messages. The speaker for the October meeting had to cancel at the last minute due to illness so we did not hear the planned presentation on hurricane and disaster preparedness (though printed materials were made avail-able to attendees). The Community Police Officer update reported that for the previous month crime in the neighborhood – auto and

residential burglaries and auto thefts – had declined. A similar update was provided at the November meeting though we were encouraged not to let our guard down with the holidays approach-ing. Eric Higgs (below), the designer of the Centennial Parks sundial, was the featured speaker at this meeting, and he shared insights into the project along with some background about sundials

through history. He praised the support and coopera-tion he had received from the City in bringing this “environmental art” to the community. He noted that we can expect to see the installation of white and amber LED “spokes of light” by December 1st which would be both en-vironmentally- and wild-life-friendly. [See sundial story on page 1]. At this meeting, the election of association Board mem-bers took place [see brief bios of the elected Board members on page 6].

The officers and Board of Directors appreciates

the time and talents con-tributed by those outgoing members whose terms have ended and who chose not to serve another year. Thanks on behalf of the entire Historic Old Northeast are in order for Maureen Stafford, Mark Lawson, Bob Hunter and Barbara Marshall who devoted countless hours toward the betterment of the quality of life in our neighborhood.

John & Susan ArsenaultDavid & Mar-etta BogartPat ByarsDino CappelliCristina & Eric CoffinDon Culpepper Martin FoxxDawn Greenidge Cat HamelJohn Jaycox Amir Lashgari

Ron Magray Jay MarshallKent MitchellGary PleissCliff & Rebecca PuringtonJudi ReedMike RussoJohn SamahaHelen TorresJoe TroyMark Williams


Candlelight Tour of Homes: Chair, Sharon KantnerC.O.N.A. Rep: Paul BoudreauxCrime & Safety: Jay Marshall Historic Preservation: Robin ReedMembership: Barbara MarshallPlanning/Neighborhood Design Review: Mary Alice LangeNewsletter: Rick CarsonPorch Parties: Larry SmithPrograms: OpenTraffic: Ron MagrayWebsite: Joe O’Connor (interim)

To contact a chair via e-mail, go to www.honna.org/board-and-committees.html

where you can click on the name of the person you wish to contact and send him/her a message.

Your volunteer involvement in one of our committees will help enhance your neighborhood and our association.

Please contact any committee chair for information.

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood AssociationOFFiCeRS and BOARd

To contact an officer or Board member via e-mail, go to www.honna.org/board-and-committees.html where you can click on the name of the person you wish to contact and send him/her a message.

HONNA Board meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 6:30pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church and are open to the public. Check beforehand with the Board president in case the meeting day has been re-scheduled.

Like our neighborhood?Want to make it even better?

Volunteer with one of our committees!

Remove all valuables and packages from your vehicle when parked

Lock your vehicle, even if you are going inside your home for a few minutes

Keep lights on in and around your house to make it look oc-cupied

Ask a neighbor to watch your house if you will be going away (even for a few days); make sure you take care of newspaper and mail deliveries

Keep your house, garage, and alley gates lockedDon’t open your door to your house or vehicle unless you know

who is on the other sideCall 727/893-7780 if you notice any suspicious activity or c all

911 for an emergency; you should have both numbers entered into your house and cell phones’ speed dial

On behalf of the Crime Watch Committee, we wish you a safe and enjoyable holiday season. It is the time to count our blessings for living in such a great community. Your Crime Watch program looks forward to another year of service to all of our residents. If you would like to join in our efforts, please contact Jay Marshall or Judi Reed. We need you active support to continue our success.

Historic PreservationRobin Reed, Chair

BANNERS Fifty ma-roon and 50 green Historic Old Northeast banners have been ordered. Starting Janu-ary 1st, the price will be $30 each.

GRANADA TER-RACE Susie McGarry, long-time resident of Gran-ada Terrace, has submitted a Neighborhood Partnership Grant request for decorative street signage for Granada Terrace. She is planning to have neighbors paint the mon-uments as a “match” for the

grant. HONNA is in the process of having the Granada Terrace entry columns restored and repainted.

MuSEuM ExHIBIT HONNA’s exhibit for the Tampa Bay History Center in Tampa is currently in production. It will be on display at the museum from December through January. In February it will move to the St. Petersburg Museum of History. A HONNA banner will be displayed on the outside of the museum during the exhibit.

A kick-off celebration featuring preservation education for chil-dren will be held from 3–5pm, on Sunday, February 13th. Elaine Normile (Vinoy historian), Emily Elwyn (of St. Petersburg Pres-ervation), Bill O’Grady (Sunken Garden supervisor) and Robin Gonzalez (Views From the Vinoy author) will be featured panelists. Emily will also be providing a Box City project for the children to work on that afternoon.

PLAquES Bronze plaques have been ordered and received for three of Old NE’s local historic landmarks.

Chris Avren ............................. -Paul Boudreux .........................-Rick Carson ...............898-7834Douglas Haan ............488-5514Rick Kantner .......................... -Mary Alice Lange .......251-2034Amir Lashgari .....800/743-8904Susan McGarry........................-Ron Magray ...............502-9065Jay Marshall ............................-Judi Reed ..................804-2455Robin Reed................825-0480Larry Smith ..............................-

New officers will be named

from among the elected Board members at the Board’s December

meeting; results will be provided

in the March issue (check

website in the meantime).


PACKAGE TOuR The Vinoy, Sunken Gardens and Old NE are offering tours of their sites plus lunch at the Vinoy and a copy of Souvenir of St. Petersburg: Views from the Vinoy for $40 per person – minimum of 15 people. HONNA’s “tour” will be in the form of a self-guided tour brochure, currently in production.

NATIONAL REGISTER uPDATE Emily Elwyn, using the Burt and Carol Kline photograph collection (of neighborhood houses), is in the process of updating our National Register Historic District. Houses that were not 50 years old when the nomination was submitted are now eligible and will be added as contributing properties if they meet NR standards.

TrafficRon Magray, Chair

Do you really want a wake-up call? It is a well known perception that The Historic Old Northeast is a great neighborhood. However, the problem of excessive speed and disregard of stop signs casts

a negative impact on our community.

When a resident chooses to exceed the posted speed limit of 25mph, they make a decision to speed by their neighbors’ homes, the walkers, runners and the bi-cyclists. When res-idents decide that stop signs are not meant for them, they are breaking the law

and, like the speeder, they are setting a bad example. Such actions may be observed by youthful passengers as well as every other driver entering our streets. What a cumulative potential problem for a serious accident.

The distance between 30th Avenue N and 9th Avenue N is ap-proximately 1.4 miles. The time to drive south on 1st Street at the posted speed limit of 25mph and obey every stop sign is less than four min-utes. How much sooner can you ar-rive at 9th Avenue if you speed and/or just run through those stop signs? The maximum time saved can be cal-culated in just sec-onds. One needs to question if it is worth breaking the law and jeopardizing your neighbors. 1st Street is just an example. The problem is widespread throughout our com-munity. Bay or Locust Streets in the morning can be scary, even in designated crosswalks.

Let’s all be good neighbors and be observant of designated traffic signage.

Porch PartiesLarry Smith, Coordinator

As we finish up another year of successful HONNA Friday night Porch Parties, I just want to say “Thanks!” to all of the individuals who helped this year to make these events such a success. In addition to those who hosted the parties, thanks to those who helped create these events many years ago and passed the torch to me this year. That includes Bob Hunter, with his great email list and names of prospective hosts, Julie Feeley and Anne-Marie Stephenson who honed the process down on how to plan and manage the event with the minimum of effort and Joe O’Connor for teaching me how to send e-mail blasts reminders. Our greeters this year included: Lynne Mormino, Cathy O’Kelly, Jeanne Hunter, Anne-Marie Stephenson and Betty Smith. Porch Parties were hosted this year by Dino Cappelli and Don Culpepper, Craig Hyde, Bob and Jeanne Hunter, Bob and Trish Birkenstock, Tim Linton, Larry and Betty Smith, John and Sue Arsenault, Bob and Linda Dobbs, Steve Deal and Frank Hay, and Mark and Susan Williams. We look at these events as a way not only to stay in touch with our existing friends and neighbors but to meet and welcome our new neighbors to The Old Northeast. Porch Par-ties are held on the third Friday of every month from February to November. If you would be interested in hosting for 2011 or for working a portion of a party as a greeter, please contact me or Bob Hunter at [email protected] with the one or two months that would work best for your schedule.

The Neighborhood Association has a new bulletin board near the tennis courts in North Shore Park. Our thanks to the City for re-placing the old one that was in bad shape. Thanks to Joe O’Connor (HONNA webmas-ter) for maintaining up-to-date information for the community to read and share.


Chris Avren (Coffee Pot Boulevard NE) born, raised and edu-cated in Columbus, OH. He was a member of the 7th and 5th Special Forces Group in the U.S. Army. Chris spent most of his working life as an insurance executive and retired about six years ago and moved to St. Petersburg with his wife, Beverly. He says that this is, without question, the best kept secret for a place to live in the country. Recently he became a Realtor working with the Prudential Tropical Realty Group and is loving it. Chris looks forward to supporting the The Old Northeast by serving on the HONNA Board.

Paul Boudreaux (North Shore Drive NE) and his wife, Barri, moved here three years ago from Silver Spring, MD, where he was always active in civic affairs. Originally from New Jersey, Paul is a retired U.S. civil servant having served primarily with the CIA. Paul is active with his condo association board (he lives at Whispering Waters), volunteers at the St. Petersburg Museum of History and plays with the Woodlawn Senior Softball Asso-ciation. He is also a member of St. Petersburg Preservation. On the HONNA Board he has most recently been its representative to the Council of Neighborhood As-sociations (CONA).

Rick Carson (Cherry Street NE) has been editor of the Association’s newsletter since 2002 and this is his sixth year serving on the board. He has lived in the neighborhood since 2001 and in Florida since 1989. Prior to moving to Florida he co-owned and operated a B&B in New Jersey and before that spent a couple decades in the D.C. area working in politi-cal campaigns, serving on Congressional staffs and working as a lobbyist. He currently sits on the City’s Social Action Funding Committee. Rick volunteers as associate editor of the United Church of Christ’s Florida newspaper and is serving as a co-chair of the local planning committee for the denomination’s biennial national gathering in Tampa in July.

Douglas Haan (8th Avenue NE) and his partner bought their first “fixer upper” home in The Historic Old Northeast in August 2000 when they settled here full time (and they’ve now finished their second fixer-upper). Douglas is serving his eleventh term as a Board member and seventh as Treasurer. He has been the financial coordinator for the last ten Candlelight Home Tours as well as being a founding member of our Spring Garden Stroll event. He also volunteers as a cook at St. Vincent’s homeless shelter. He is eager to foster continued neighborhood involvement in a place we can be proud to say we live.

Rick Kantner (14th Avenue NE) and his wife, Sharon, pur-chased their 1922 Old Northeast bungalow (a 2008 Candlelight Tour home) in 2003 after moving from Tampa’s Hyde Park. They were drawn to The Old Northeast by the quiet, family-friendly feel and their love of old houses. They now share their home with their two beautiful daughters. Rick, a native Floridian, who maintains an office on Beach Drive, has practiced law in Pinellas County since 1993 and concentrates in the areas of wills, trusts and estates, elder law, Medicaid planning and real estate with The Kantner Law Firm.

Mary Alice Lange (15th Avenue NE) is a St. Petersburg native; she and her husband, Steven, have lived in their home for over 20

years. They have two married sons and three grandchildren with all living in St. Petersburg. Mary Alice has been an active member of the neighborhood association for many years including serving on the Board as its President and a number of years as chair of the Planning Committee. She helped create the first City of St. Petersburg Neigh-borhood Plan for The Old Northeast, and the Planning Committee has worked with the City to re-design the zoning codes which are contained in the city-wide Land Development Regulations. In 2009 she was honored with: the Florida All-State Neighborhood Award, Florida Neighborhood Conference; Community Service Women of the Year Nominee, Chamber of Commerce; and Leadership Program Graduate, Council of Neighborhood Associations.

Amir Lashgari (27th Avenue NE) came to America from Tehran as a teenager in 1978 to escape the revolution there. He studied at Northeastern University and met his wife, Susan, while in college. Amir was general manager for a transportation company in Boston before starting his own transportation company in 2000, Town &

Country Coach Corporation, which operates out of Boston. Amir and Susan moved to The Old Northeast from Boston in 2005 and are always amazed at all the great activities there are to do here. One of his passions is cooking, and he serves a “mean” chello kabob.

Ron Magray (17th Avenue NE) and his wife, Jan, have finally settled in The Old Northeast. Ron is originally from Philadelphia, and Jan from Min-neapolis-St Paul. They had quickly realized that after many years of exploring the west coast of Florida that this beautiful ‘Sunshine City” was what they had been searching for and what had eluded them in their previous residences. They love the diversity and multicultural aspects of St. Pete and are very happy that they have found this wonderful community in which to live. Ron is a Crime Watch coordinator, active in HONNA Crime Watch and is also involved

in neighborhood Traffic and Parking.Susan McGarry (23rd Avenue NE) is a lifelong resident of St.

Petersburg. She grew up in the “Pink Streets” and has spent the last 24 years living in the Granada Terrace section of the The Old Northeast. She and husband, Mark, are only the third owners of their home, which was built in 1925. Susan graduated from Duke University and enjoyed a 15 year career as an investment banker, retiring to raise their son. Susan is an avid equestrian, competing every month in jumping events. She is currently working on several projects in the area, including the installation of Granada Terrace Historic District neighborhood identification signs.

Jay Marshall (8th Avenue NE) considers himself at home. Al-though born and raised in Washington, DC, he and his wife Barbara moved to St. Petersburg three years ago and have found paradise here in The Old Northeast. He still wonders why it took so long to get here, but he and Barbara are absolutely delighted to be among great friends and family -- and residing in one of the most delightful communities ever. Jay is retired from the U.S. Department of Jus-tice with over 30 years of service and retired from military service with over 23 years active and reserve duty. He now works from home as a consultant for homeland security programs. As a Board member he has chaired the Crime and Safety Committee.

HONNA Board Members for 2011Following are brief bios on the members of the new Board of Directors of the Association, elected at the monthly membership meet-ing on November 15th. Board members will select officers from among their membership at the Board meeting scheduled for Mon-day, December 6th and the results will be posted on the HONNA website (www.honna.org) and will appear in the March newsletter.


Judi Reed (28th Avenue N), a 16 year resident of The Old Northeast, graduated from the University of South Carolina with degrees in Business Economics and Marketing. She had a 20 year career with the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a Senior Field Agent and more recently as a Program Manager in Washington D.C. Retiring in mid-2005, Judi returned to The Old Northeast where she resides with her two “furry” sons. Since returning, Judi became active with the “Cut Taxes Now” organization and served on its board of directors. She has now served as the Crime Watch Coordinator for HONNA’s Crime Watch Citizens on Patrol for almost a year and recently graduated from the Citizens Police Academy. Judi also assists with Tampa Bay Estuary and Tampa Bay Watch. Recently Judi accepted a position with Alpha Wealth Management, a division of HighTower Investment Advisors; she holds a Florida Health, Life and Annuity license with an emphasis in Long Term Care and is currently studying for her Series 65 securities license. Besides working, Judi enjoys walking, cycling, kayaking, gardening and hiking in the West.

Robin Reed (16th Avenue NE) is a life-long preservationist. Robin and her husband, Joe, are the proud owners of the Historic Old Northeast’s newest local historic landmark. As chairman of

HONNA’s Historic Preservation Committee, she spearheaded the Children’s Education Project, resulting in publication of Souvenir of St. Petersburg: Views from the Vinoy. Robin also participated in updating our Neighborhood Plan, and for the past several years she has volunteered at Sunken Gardens and championed their Master Plan efforts. In 2010, she was instrumental in developing the Centennial Sundial Project to commemorate 100 years of our waterfront parks.

Larry Smith (13th Avenue N) is a native of Atlanta and a gradu-ate of the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Betty, and their three sons moved from Memphis to Tierra Verde in 1998, but when their youngest entered USF/Tampa in the fall of 2002, they moved to The Old Northeast and bought one of the “Four Sisters” on 13th Avenue N. Thus, the restoration of an historic home was good therapy for beginning empty nesters. Now, eight years later, sons are out of school and they’re still working on “this old house” and loving The Old Northeast. For the last 25 years, Larry has been a financial advisor in Memphis, Sarasota and now Tampa with clients in 18 states. Prior to joining the Board, he had been involved with Membership and Meet & Greet Committees. As a Board Member, he is Secretary and is coordinating the Porch Parties.


Thank you participants, volunteers and attendees!

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Old Northeast Resident for 10 years Aggressive approach & strategies

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Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood

Association MembershipThe Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association was founded in 1974 to promote civic improvement of our neighborhood. We invite and welcome all residents of the Old Northeast to join the association and become involved. Annual membership dues (tax deductible) are $30 per household.

Send this completed form to:Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood AssociationP.O. Box 76324St. Petersburg, FL 33734

Name(s): ________________________Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________Phone: __________________________E-Mail: _________________________When did you move into the neighborhood (month and year)?: _______________

$30 ANNUAL DUES ENCLOSED

Crime Watch Fact SheetName _____________________________________

Address ___________________________________

City/State: St. Petersburg, FL Zip: _____________

Home Phone: _______________________________

Office Phone: _______________________________

Cell Phone: ________________________________

E-mail: ____________________________________

Emergency Contact Person ____________________

Contact’s Phone # ___________________________

HONNA Member: Yes____ No____

Would like more info on membership Yes___ No___

Signed: ___________________________________

HONNA PO Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734

CLIP AND MAIL


New Members

Erin & Bill Nobles ............................................ 3rd Street NJoelle Godwin .............................................24th Avenue NMegan Gray .................................................... 1st Street NArnold & Lynne Cummings .......................18th Avenue NEElizabeth Barnes & Carissa Santana .......13th Avenue NEGrace Matos .............................................21st Avenue NEJustin Elza & Shannon “Mandy” Minor .....12th Avenue NESarah Bogdanovich ..................................20th Avenue NELori Werzl ............................................. Lincoln Avenue SElizabeth Davis ........................................18th Avenue NELynn Savage ............................................New Castle, DECorrection to September listing: Brooke and Todd Rosenberg (not Himot)

Walking Tour of Waterfront ParksEver wondered about those retro ‘60s condos along North Shore

Drive? Or why The Old Northeast’s waterfront parks are named for Elva Rouse, Gizella Kopsick and Flora Wylie? Or why the heck there is a palm arboretum? Over a dozen of your neighbors did as well, and they joined us on the HONNA Fall Walking Tour on Sunday, October 24th, to find out.

Rob Wertz (above left) led the group through North Shore Park from 10th Avenue NE up to Vista Point (where Coffee Pot Bou-levard meets North Shore Drive) and back, stopping at strategic shady points to enjoy the weather, take in views of Tampa Bay (the mullet were jumping!), learn about the lives and contributions of the people who beautified St. Petersburg and explore the many types of exotic trees hosted at the palm arboretum. Rob also gave a brief development history of this part of the neighborhood in the ‘60s and ‘70s and showed off various materials from when the condos were first built, including brochures and newspaper advertisements.

Special guest Robin Reed, chair of HONNA’s Historic Preserva-tion Committee, toured the group to Vista Point, where foundation work was already underway for installation of the sundial project. Robin – along with her husband, Joe, as major benefactors of the project -- brought renderings to share showing the eventual configuration of the sculptural piece at the northernmost tip of the park. [Read more about the sundial on page 1.]

Tourgoers scrutinize advertisements from the ‘60s for new condominium projects along North Shore Drive.

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Thriving (Not Just Surviving) Through the Holidays

For many, the holidays are a time of joy, laughter and fun. We get to attend parties, give and receive gifts and spend time with our families. Unfortunately for some,

these things that are supposed to be enjoyable can quickly push us beyond our limit and lead to exhaustion, financial stress, family conflict and depression. Unless we constantly keep our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing in check during the holidays, it can become a time that we dread versus a time of celebration. So here’s my “How-To” list on not just surviving, but thriving, during the holidays. May it be a time of joy and happiness for you and yours. Happy Holidays!

Find RestOne of the main reasons we find ourselves stressing over the

holidays is that we are in “go-mode” 90% of the time. We have to shop for this present, attend that party, wrap this and cook that. The list is never-ending. These fun things quickly become a bur-den because we are incapable of setting boundaries for ourselves. Remember that saying “no” is okay during the holidays and may indeed become your saving grace when you find you are being

spread too thin. I believe a reason the holidays fly by is that we are too busy to stop and take in all of the great moments. So this year, be sure to stop, breathe and enjoy the big and small joys all around you. And don’t forget that your body needs rest so whether it be a moment to yourself, a bubble bath or a walk by the water – make time to clear your head and center yourself.

Quality Over Quantity On January 21, 2010, a group called “Celebrate Recovery”

started in downtown St. Petersburg. This group is aimed to help those with any hurts, habits or hang-ups. While January 21st may seem like a random start date, it actually was a premedi-tated choice. You see, this is the date many people receive their credit card bills after the holidays and, in turn, is the date many people find themselves struggling with anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts. As Americans, we spend more than we make because we mistake our wants for needs. Just because our children have a laundry list of Christmas presents does not mean they actually need those things or that receiving those presents will make them feel any more loved. My family decided last Christmas to stop purchasing so many presents and to instead spend our money doing something together. We bonded, laughed and truly enjoyed one another’s company. It was better than any present we could have given one another and showed us that quality time together is far better than any quantity of presents we can give or receive. I urge you this Christmas to spend what you can and no more. Don’t go into debt just because you are trying to make everyone around you happy. Instead, grace your loved ones with your presence and allow yourself to be graced by theirs. The joy you will experience from quality time far outweighs the temporary satisfaction of any gift.

Communicate WellWhat happens when most families get together over the

holidays? Conflict. Throw a bunch of people who know how to push one another’s buttons in one room, add a dash of differing expectations and you’ve got yourself an argument waiting to happen. While conflict may be guaranteed over the holidays, it does not need to be a negative thing. Learning to communicate well can help us more quickly and easily solve the conflict at hand. So when you find yourself face-to-face with family conflict this holiday season, remember the following:

1. Stop and think before you speak out of emotion. When we let our emotions lead us, we often say something we don’t mean and end up hurting the other person.

2. Reframe conflict as a positive thing. Calling conflict some-thing like “healthy communication” or a “growth opportunity”

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makes it far less threatening than words like “fight” or “argu-ment.”

3. Use “I feel” statements. Instead of saying, “You always make everyone do what you want for Christmas,” practice saying, “I feel hurt because I feel like my ideas are not being heard.” Gen-eralizing, blaming and name-calling rarely help settle conflict. Instead, focusing on our own feelings promotes empathy and understanding.

4. Reflect back what you hear the other person saying (and have them do the same to you). Rather than combating the other person’s ideas, express your understanding of their words. “What I hear you saying…” can be one of the most effective phrases we can utilize. And lastly,

5. Agree to Disagree. Not everyone is like you (phew!) and others will often have different ideas, beliefs and opinions than you. Know that this is okay and that it is better to lose an argument than to lose the relationship as a whole.

Courtney Ellis is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern who provides individual and couples counseling to the Tampa Bay area. She lives in a cute bungalow in The Old Northeast with her husband and two dogs. She tries to spend as much time on her front porch as possible.


Over The Back Fence…is a collection of what we’ve heard exchanged in the aisles of the supermarkets,

shared waiting in line to pick up the kids from school, read in the papers, overheard in the pew behind us in church and, yes, even passed over the back fence. If you have something you’d like to share about a special recognition, award received, birth, graduation, good-deed-done or observation around the neighborhood please pass it along to the Editor. “Over the Back Fence” is only going to be interesting if we hear from you!

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Traffic Snag….Traveling east on 4th Avenue NE and you come to Beach Drive. Problem #1: After you stop at the stop sign, you have to creep over the crosswalk – watching for pedestrians, of course – to see if traffic is coming or it’s safe to turn left onto Beach. Almost need two stop signs. Problem #2: There can be enough on-coming traffic on Beach to keep you from making that left turn. And cars back up behind you, and meanwhile walkers are trying to traverse the crosswalk. Solutions, anyone? Should there be a three-way stop at the intersection?

Slow Down!....Kyran Carey, a resident of Snell Isle, has issued a plea to neighborhood drivers to respect the 30mph speed limit. Back on a late afternoon in June she was walking her two Bos-

ton Terriers along Snell Isle Boulevard when the leash on one of the dogs, Katy, unsnapped and the dog ran into the street. Katy was hit by a car and thrown into the air, landing in the middle of the street, broken and bleeding. Kyran doesn’t know how fast that car was going, but the driv-er couldn’t stop soon enough to avoid her. Katy now has a metal plate in her pelvis hold-ing the broken pieces together. She is learn-ing to walk and will be

eight months in recovery. Kyran has asked that we ask everyone who drives Snell Isle Boulevard about this. She believes

it may help save a life because, she says, not just peo-ple live here. Pets live here too. Slow down, watch your driving, and you could save a life and someone’s be-loved dog. You can substitute Beach Drive for Snell Isle Boulevard because the problem is the same.

Save the Balls!.... Word has it that the City plans to remove and destroy the three “beachball” pieces of public art in front of the North Shore Pool. Apparently they are in need of serious repair but the costs to refurbish them are way too high. So that means they are just going to be tossed out? No one can rescue them from the trash? Seems a shame and a waste. They look fine from the street, which is how most people see them.

Neighbor Neverne Covington has a drawing in the “Works on Paper” show which opened in No-vember at The Studio@620 at 620 Central Avenue.

Have you been to a

See page 20 for the upcoming schedule

Porch Party

lately?


Sunday from 4-7:30pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church, a hospitality venue. In addition, bell ringers and a choir group from two other churches will provide ambient entertainment and with a – hopefully (at least slight) -- chill in the air and sparkle of holiday lights, this neighborhood is ready to greet visitors for the holiday season.

During the self-guided Candlelight Tour, guests will delight in several homes representing the area’s Mediterranean-style complete with period chandeliers, hidden alcoves and original artwork and hand-forged ironwork accents. British-Colonial and Dutch-Colonial homes are also included on the tour as is the more traditional style of home with a contemporary twist. And rest assured, each home on the tour will showcase an era gone-by but not forgotten. Visitors will almost feel the presence of the great Gatsby on large wrap-around porches – or languishing by the pool encased by lavish tropical landscaping.

Residences selected for the tour are “by invitation only” and represent a wonderful collection from St. Petersburg’s first established neighborhood – an area steeped in rich history and character. Homeowners and volunteer docents are on site during the tour and in many cases will share unique stories about the homes’ features and history.

Tickets for the Candlelight Tour of Homes can be purchased for $20 in advance [see ticket outlet locations in sidebar; also may be purchased via PayPal at www.honna.org] or $25 on the day of the tour at the Westminster Presbyterian Church (126 11th Avenue NE) or Westminster Palm View (939 Beach Drive NE, enter off 10th Avenue). Courtesy vans will be making continuous loops through the neighborhood, stopping near the featured homes for those desiring to “leave the driving to us.”

Partially sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg, a portion of net proceeds from the tour will benefit Clothes to Kids, a nonprofit organization that provides new and quality used clothing free of charge to low-income, school-age children in Pinellas County (www.clothestokids.org). The remaining proceeds will support ongoing projects of The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association, dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of this treasured community. For additional tour information or an up-to-date list of local ticket outlets, visit www.honna.org.

St. Petersburg Ticket Outlets

Beach Papery & Gifts553 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street N

Dolin’s Garden Center801 62nd Avenue N

Florida Craftsman Gallery501 Central Avenue

Gulf Coast Garden Center4355 Haines Road N

Marion’s : 1301 4th Street N

Smith & Associates330 Beach Drive NE

Sunken Gardens : 1825 4th Street N

The UPS Store : 200 2nd Street S

Treehouse Gallery2835 22nd Avenue N

[Tampa Ticket Outlet: Pondscapes4213 South Manhattan Avenue]

Candlelight Tour from page 1


Neighborhood Book Group

As The Pages Turn...by Susan Coffey

One Great Book Club met again in September and November. In September we met at Mimi Hallock’s house (Bay Street NE). Mimi chose two books written

by Jeannette Walls. One, The Glass Castle, was Walls’ “mem-oir.” Walls, graduating with honors from Columbia University’s Barnard College, went on to become a reporter for New York magazine, Esquire and USA Today and is also known as a former gossip columnist for MSNBC.com. So how is it that when she is

riding in the back of a cab in New York City she sees her mother rum-maging through a Dumpster? This is how she starts her memoir. We find the answer when she takes us back to her non-conventional child-hood growing up like a nomad in the Southwest to an alcoholic father and a mother who frequently dis-appears into dark moods for days, leaving Walls and her siblings to fend for themselves.

The family finally ends up in a depressed mining town in West Virginia with a shack of a house and sometimes days on end without

food. Walls and her siblings are constantly being picked on by school mates when they are able to go to school. Walls’ father’s drinking gets worse and her mother’s moods and irresponsibility do not get much better.

This is a remarkable story of one girl’s fight against all odds to get out and do something with her life. It’s a book worth read-ing to find out how she actually does that considering what she faces every day. You surely will see through adversity comes strength. We gave this book a thumbs up.

Walls’ other book, Half Broke Horses, is the true life novel of her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, told to us in the first person. You can see through this book who Walls gets her strength and tenacity from. Not from her mother -- one of Lily’s two children -- but from Lily. Lily Casey Smith was born in 1901 in West Texas. By the age of six she was breaking horses with her father. By the age of 15 she left home alone travelling 500 miles on her pony to teach school in Red Lake, Arizona.

Smith survived droughts, floods and the Great Depression. She learned how to fly and was one of the most self sufficient women of her time. Her story is

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ONE Great Book Club meets every other month, the second Thursday of that month in the evening. There continues to be a waiting list; I can be reached at [email protected]. Our sister/brother book club meets the last Wednesday of each month in the afternoon. Contact Colleen Grant at [email protected] for more information.

one to read with as many sorrows as triumphs and how Smith continues on through adver-sity. We really understood how Walls fought her way out of hardship when we got to know her grandmother through this book. Smith is a remarkable woman and one worth reading about. The group gave this a thumbs up.

The group met again in November at Linda Dobb’s home (Coffee Pot Boulevard) and was hosted by Jessica Keith. Jessica chose The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent. This is Kent’s first novel and is actually about her an-cestor, Martha Carrrier, who was put to death for being accused a witch. The story is told by Martha’s 11 year old daughter Sarah during the late 1600s in Massachusetts. Kent’s writ-ing is so poignant as you see things through the eyes of a very intuitive 11 year old girl. The story starts off in Billerica and Andover, Massachusetts, not far from Salem where the witch trials are held. Kent really gives the reader the feeling of just how hard it was to live during those times. One of Sarah’s brothers comes down with smallpox, which is only the beginning of the troubles to come to her family. It’s easy to see how people become suspicious of one another, and “only the strong survive” is an understatement. The book is not an easy read in the sense of all the lying and injustice that goes on. Eventually, the inevitable does happen and Sarah’s mother is falsely accused of being a witch and eventually most of Sarah’s family, including Sarah. Kent’s description of Sarah, her family and others’ confinement

in the Salem jail as told by Sarah is at times very hard to get through. Of course, this generated a great discussion by the group on mob mentality and on our modern day times. This book is truly profound and well written. The group also gave this book a thumbs up.

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Property TransfersFollowing is a listing of recent property transfers in

our North Shore neighborhood. The individuals listed are new owners of the properties cited but not neces-sarily the residents of those properties. The properties are listed in chronological avenue and chronological and alphabetical street order.

If any of these folks live near you, make sure you wel-come them to the neighborhood.336 9th Avenue NE ..........................Lee and Victoria Koenig308 11th Avenue N...........................Kate Dyer345 13th Avenue NE ........................Jamie Kaknes166 14th Avenue NE ........................Jeanine Brice102 15th Avenue N #4 .....................Carolyn Lavender526 16th Avenue NE ........................James and Anna Schug106 18th Avenue NE ........................Victor and Tonya Donati136 19th Avenue NE ........................Scott Hersey605 20th Avenue NE ........................Harry and Lea Shappee176 22nd Avenue N ..........................Desirae Hirschman195 23rd Avenue N ..........................Lesley and Michael Peters126 28th Avenue N ..........................Christopher Miller1120 1st Street N .............................Thomas and Heather Sparks1200 1st Street N .............................Cassandra Leopold1230 Bay Street NE ...................Richard McGinnis2410 Coffee Pot Boulevard NE ......Edmund and Margaret Schmidt

Source: Compiled from public records by FNBR Inc. and printed in the St. Petersburg Times.

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Before I continue, I have to admit to prejudice. I liked Coconut Grove and was mad that it disappeared without even a goodbye. I liked the name, the sign and the fact that it was off the street. Admittedly, I could have spent more time there and must share some of the blame for its demise, but I thought it would be seen as a landmark and given a reprieve. Since that didn’t happen, the old place was destroyed and, sadly, it was replaced by something that looks like a Midwestern feed store. Seriously, couldn’t someone have used some imagination and made the building a little less plain? Anyway, there it sits and people have been blocking traffic for weeks trying to get in.

This whole foodie thing that is going on in our country is both bizarre and, when you think about it, rather welcoming. Now there are master chefs, super chefs, travelling chefs, funny chefs, really obnoxious chefs and even naked chefs (watch that knife!) selling their product on TV and in books, magazines, newspapers and specialty restaurants all over the country. This is actually rather nice considering the fact that judging from our fast food addiction, we Americans seemed to have given up on nutrition all together. But now we have healthy choices by the ton and Americans have jumped right in to find the stuff that is both good and good tast-ing. Unfortunately for me, my dyspeptic guts don’t allow me to get too excited over this food revolution, but for those who can enjoy all that is being cooked in our kitchens today, these must be real exciting times.

So I went and saw all the stuff and once again marveled over all our choices. It displayed the typical supermarket “walk in and turn right” philosophy, but due to soft lighting, inspired interior design and eclectic product choices it was a pleasant experience. There were cases of fresh meats and fish, some organic and some not so organic veggies and fruits and even more display cases of prepared and unusual foods. Most pleasant of all were the helpful per-sonnel who gave the impression that they enjoyed their work and were glad to see me. I got the feeling that they did not want just to make some money off me -- they wanted to give

me a chance to eat well. I won’t easily forgive the place for taking away Coconut Grove and replacing it with Midwestern bland, but I appreciate the fact that they want to give us another option to eat well. Buen provecho.

Ponderings

John and his wife Kathy moved to St. Pete from New Mexico six years ago, and he currently teaches history at a Sarasota high school. He has served on the HONNA Board where he co-chaired its Historic Preservation Committee. You can also read more from John in the Northeast Journal.

Food desertsby John Gee

Just when I became accustomed to the latest 21st century neologism (sexting) and let my guard down, a new term pops up to make me face yet another made-from-thin-air

predicament. People who have the time to think about such things have come up an urban problem called “food deserts” -- a term used to describe neighborhoods where it is difficult to find grocery stores that sell fresh produce. Finding such essentials as nicotine, alcohol, sugar, salt and corn syrup is simple for most Americans, but fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthy items are absent from some areas. Now that I have been forced to think about this, I admit that the convenience stores do live up to their name while the organic store is as rare in Florida as an honest politician. Our neighborhood, however, is anything but a desert and now we have yet another option for fresh food right up on 4th Street.

Fresh Market opened last month, and judging from the people who flocked to the grand opening you would have thought they were giv-ing away groceries for free. This is puzzling because within the close proximity of our neighborhood we have enough grocery stores to feed the world ten times over and somebody thinks we need another store? Any hungry Old Northeaster can climb into the car or bike and within a few minutes find two Publixs, two Sweetbays, Marzzaro’s and a number of specialty stores selling wine, cheese, olives, vegetables, fish, coffee, baked items and whatever else you may need to keep the tummy full. We aren’t just a food oasis, we are a food tsunami that, if anything, provides us with too many options.

I’m not complaining. When we arrived here from a real desert in New Mexico, the first time I went to Publix I was stunned. Never had I seen so much stuff in one store, and I was like some poor immigrant who had just walked off the boat after ten years in steerage. Not only do these local stores offer more than most could ever need, they have continually improved their inventory, expanded their size and redesigned their structure so you could get even more stuff. But with all these choices, it was still not enough and now another neighborhood store is opened and flourishing. I had to go to find out what all the fuss was about.

Check out the HONNA website www.honna.org


Are you one of those people who goes about your day-to-day life noticing things happening around you (or not hap-pening) in the neighborhood and our City and you wonder why (or why not) but never get around to discovering the answer? We’ve decided to ask one of our neighbors, Sue Strott, who’s lived in The Old Northeast almost forever, to track down the explanations for some of those puzzling questions which bug, bedevil and frustrate us.

So here’s a start with some of those nagging, niggling WHYs? and WHAT’s?. Let us know if you have a particular issue or query you’d like The Answer Lady to check out and we’ll see what she can learn. Like FiOS... will we ever “hear them now”? Contact The Answer Lady at [email protected].

by Sue Strott

Sidewalk RepairAre you tripping over your neighbor’s or your own sidewalks

as you walk your dog? If you are, and you’d like to fix this, call the Mayor’s Action Center at 727/893-7111. A homeowner, tenant or concerned third party may call in. This call will be directed to the department involved and a person will come out to inspect the problem.

Tony Leno, Capital Projects Coordinator of the Engineering and Capital Improvements Department, stated that the schedule of repairs for call-ins is presently 30-60 days. There is no charge to the hom-eowner for these repairs if the damage is normal wear and tear. (If the sidewalk had been broken due to negligence of a contractor or other worker, then that party is responsible for the repair.)

We have several streets in the neighborhood which have no sidewalks. Sidewalks are usually paid for by assessment over a period of time. There are exceptions (e.g., busy arteries or school safety sidewalks or if the area is in a neighborhood plan partnership, when several sidewalks are included; for these, the homeowners are not charged.Augusta Block Street Repair

Our streets in The Old Northeast are mainly made up of Augusta Block. They’re wonderful for allowing water to seep rapidly away, but they make for a bumpy ride when they’re out of place or full of dips. How is the street in front of your home?

We spoke to Tom Gibson, Director of Capital Improvements, who stated that the best way to get some work done on your street is to call the Mayor’s Action Line, which is 727/893-7111. When a re-

quest is so placed, it is tracked until the work is completed. We can expect the City work-ers to start on this work anywhere from two weeks to two months later, depending how extensive the work is or becomes.

Curbside RecyclingThe Old Northeast has finally come into its own with recycling

bins available for curbside (front) pick up; they do not pick up in the alleys. This service is not provided by the City as part of the normal twice-weekly trash pickup. Interested homeowners contract with an independent service.

Waste Services of Florida, Inc., is the hauler of choice at $2.75 per month (which is frozen for two years with two one-year op-

tions after that arranged through the City). We will be billed annually in advance, and this can be paid for with a credit card. One only needs to call 727/572-6800 X5 to set up the service; they are not yet on-line, but hope to be soon.

Pickups in our neigh-borhood are set for Tuesdays. Trash must be in the bin by 7am and will be emptied between 8am-2pm. Additional blue recycling bins can be requested, if needed. Also, broken down cardboard in 1x1’ sheets can be placed beneath the bins.

They will haul away: aluminum and metal cans; clear, brown and green glass bottles; newspapers; colored paper; junk mail; magazines and phone books; flattened corrugated cardboard; and those plastic bottles marked #1 through 7 on the bottom. These can all be loaded in the same bin, keeping the paper goods as separate as possible as they have two areas on their trucks in which they im-mediately separate the paper goods before they gets contaminated. We do not need to remove labels, etc., but the bottles and cans need to have been rinsed. If they are not rinsed, they cannot mix them with the rinsed items, and they will be put in refuse only.

The company presently serves 30,000 customers in unin-corporated county areas. As of October they have 3,280 new customers in St. Pete and they are adding some 300 a day. The cans go to Pasco for separation with the aluminum cans going


Sue was born in Chicago and lived in Canada before moving to The Old NE in 1973 where she continues to run an apartment rental business. She lives with her dog, Foxy Lady, and is one of those people who enjoys being busy!

Tired of all the TV ads and newspaper inserts touting the marvels of Verizon’s FiOS but not being able to get it in your home? Stay tuned for the next installment of “The Answer Lady.”

credit: www.electrichouse.com

to Busch and the tin cans going to a recycler, while the glass is toted to Sarasota. The plas-tic is recycled with another recycler.

Bill Krimmel, the District Manager of Waste Services, welcomes inquiries to the above number or to his cell phone (727/639-8895). He is available for a presentation to our neighborhood association and has stated that recycle tours can be set up for those who are interested.FiOS in The Old Northeast

Not yet! After our umpteenth try to get Verizon to commit to telling us when our Old Northeast would be getting (or even starting to get) FiOS for our computers, the answer is still a vibrant, “Not yet, sorry!”

Since our individual calling doesn’t seem

to be rocking their boat, perhaps some of our readers would like to help by calling 1-800/837-4966 and telling the powers-that-be that we’re a very viable area for anything computer-oriented and that our folks here are awaiting this technology. Good luck!

Dr. Karen ReeseChiropractic Physician/ Applied Kinesiologist

Resident/Member of HONNA

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The restoration of the concrete dolphin sculptures at the Ve-netian steps in Granada Terrace received coverage in the 10/20 St. Petersburg Times, thanks to neighborhood resident Linda Dobbs who is the newspaper’s “Neighborhood Times” section “watcher”

covering The Old NE. As reported, the res-toration of the dete-riorating mammals cost a bit over $2,000 and was a joint ef-fort by HONNA and the City’s Parks De-partment. While the sculptures and the steps are city-owned, they are to be main-tained by the neigh-borhood association.

In late Au-gust the City began a crackdown on bi-

cyclists disobeying the rules of the road – like stopping at stop signs and riding more than two abreast – by issuing more than a dozen tickets. One offending cyclist received a $166 ticket for going through a stop sign. According to Florida statues, a bicycle is considered a vehicle the same as a car when it comes to obeying the traffic laws. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 8/28]

The City Council approved voluntary curbside recycling at its September meeting. The program is being run by Waste Services of Florida, Inc., at a charge of $2.75/month ($33/year) with service beginning in October. Initially, only single-family residences qualify. Payment may be made electronically. The pro-gram is voluntary and residents may still take recyclable materials to drop off sites. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 9/3; see also “The Answer Lady” opposite]

Plans are to repair the east side of the Snell Isle bridge over

in Case You Missed it: Updates and Follow UpsKeeping You Current on Some Neighborhood Stories That Have Been in the News

Coffee Pot Bayou as well as both approaches to the span, includ-ing superstructure and substructure. Work was to have begun on November 15th. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 11/7]

A truck crashed into an unoccupied home at 2012 Coffee Pot Boulevard NE on the evening of November 9th. There were no serious injuries. [source: St. Petersburg Times, 11/10]


P O R C h PA R t I e s

Porch Parties are held the third Friday of the month from 7:30-10pm (except December). Porch Parties are strictly social and provide and informal and fun way to mix and mingle with your neighbors. Bring your own beverage. Cups, ice and light snacks are provided. Ask a neighbor to ride or walk over with you. For more info, contact Larry Smith, [email protected].

You’reInvited

deCeMBeRNo Porch Party

(Holiday Party in lieu: see page 1)

JANuARYNo Porch Party

FeBRuARY 18TH don Culpepper and dino Cappelli

732 Oak Street Ne

InsurING homEs of thE pastfor the prEsEnt and futurE.

727-896-5165111 2nd Avenue NE, Suite 102, St. Petersburg FL 33701

HOW ARE YOU PROTECTING YOURs? When did you last review your homeowner policy? Do you have the coverage you truly need? Are there more affordable insurance options? What about your autos, motorcycles and boats?

The trusted experts at North Shore Insurance Group can help. Give us a call today for your complimentary policy review.

A good time was had by all at the

“Halloween” Porch Party in

October, thanks to hosts Steve Deal and Frank Hay. Just ask Susan

Alderson and Bob Birkenstock.


december 1-January 1 Holiday Poinsettia Tree Sunken Gardens; 551-3102

december 1 World AidS day Williams Park; 388-4129

december 2-3 St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show Albert Whitted Park and yacht basin; 800/940-7642

december 4 Annual Santa Holiday Parade downtown to waterfront; 525-5950

dec 4-5, 8-12, 16-23 Santa in the Park and Glice Skating North Straub Park; 893-7441

december 5Paint Your Pet workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3102

december 12 Historic Roser Park Art Festival Roser Park; 772-3860

deCeMBeR 12 CANdLeLiGHT TOuR OF HOMeS

(see page 1)

december 18 Classic Car Show The Pier; 821-6443

deCeMBeR 20 NeiGHBORHOOd HOLidAY PARTY

(see page 1)

december 31 First Night throughout downtown; 823-8906

January 7-9 Sunshine City Antiques and Collectibles Show Coli-seum; 892-5202

JANuARY 13 HONNA CRiMe WATCH MeeTiNG

January 16 26th Annual National MLK Battle of the Bands The Trop

January 17 26th Annual drum Major for Justice National Parade downtown; 893-7134

JANuARY 17NeiGHBORHOOd MeeTiNG

January 21-23 Gem, Jewelry and Bead Show Coliseum; 892-5202

ON THe dOCKeT: Some Upcoming Events In and Nearby Our Neighborhood

January 27Tampa Bay Senior expo Coliseum; 892-5202

February 12 Suncoast Classic Run for Kids BayWalk; 825-1521

February 18-20, 25-27 Big east/Big Ten Baseball Challenge Al Lang Stadium/Walter Fuller Park

FeBRuARY 18 PORCH PARTY (see page 20)FeBRuARY 21 NeiGHBORHOOd MeeTiNG

Please note: The good news and the bad newsFor many years, your newsletter has run a very comprehensive listing of public events occurring in the City,

particularly those in and around downtown. The good news is that St. Pete is a happenin’ place -- there’s a whole lot going on in the City that appeals to a very wide range of interests. The bad news – from this newsletter’s perspective – is that the City’s formatting of its Calendar of Events makes it very difficult to transfer all that relevant info from

the calendar to our “On the Docket” pages. Unfortunately, this is forcing us to abbreviate the calendar we’re provid-ing to you here. Instead, in addition to considering what we’ve listed here, we encourage you to go directly to the

City website – www.stpete.org and look for Upcoming Events where you can click on “View All Events.” This will enable you to check all the scheduled events day-by-day for the coming weeks and months.

ReCuRRiNG eVeNTS(see calendar at www.stpete.org for more opportunities)

MondayCelebrity Critter of the Week The Pier; 895-7437

every Monday, Wednesday & FridayStrollerFit/Baby Boot Camp, Sunken Gardens; 637-7913

every Monday-ThursdayAwaken Yoga, Sunken Gardens, 551-3102

every Monday & WednesdayGreat ART explorations Great Explorations; 821-8992

every Tuesday & WednesdayHoop dancing, Sunken Gardens 551-3102

every Tuesday & ThursdayMuscle Bar Sculpture Women’s Fitness, Sunken Gardens; 637-7913

Wednesday Tea dance (1st & 3rd Wed) Coliseum; 892-5202

every Wednesday & FridayTerrific Tots Great Explorations; 821-8992

FridaySt. Pete Shuffle St. Pete Shuffle Board Courts; 822-2083Get downtown Music Series (1st Fri) Central b/w 2nd-3rd; 393-359Grand Central Trolley Hop (3rd Fri) Grand Central District; 328-7086

SaturdaySaturday Morning Market Al Lang parking lot; 455-4921St. Pete Preservation Tours 243 CentralGuided Hikes Weedon Island Preserve; 895-0368Horticulture Workshop Sunken Gardens; 551-3102Gallery Walk (2nd Sat) Downtown locations; 323-ARTS

Sundayinspire Yoga at the dali Dali Museum;823-3767Music Fest by the Bay The Pier; 821-6443Caricatures at the Pier (1st & 3rd Sun) The Pier; 821-6443


The 1910 Ridgely Residenceby Jill McGrath

In 1875, General John C. Williams imagined a city on his 2,500 acres beside Tampa Bay. Following the incorporation of St. Petersburg in 1892, the telephone, electric and public

water utilities were offered by the City. The wheels of the devel-opment of this area were set in motion. According to author A.W. Deese, the cycle “of booms and busts in real estate development began in 1900” and the architectural variances of The Historic Old Northeast attest to this fact. In another Deese book, the author writes that “Beach Drive was considered an undesirable part of town in St. Petersburg’s early days,” thanks in part to the neces-sary buildings and equipment of the odiferous fishing industry on Beach Drive and the smoke and grime emitted from the City’s first electric plant nearby. Eventually, the Beach Drive area was deemed an interesting area by C. Perry Snell, who was seen as “the first high priest of up-scale development,” according to author S. T. Hartzell. Bayshore was the first subdivision platted by Snell, and in 1910 the Ridgely house at 600 Beach Drive was one of the first residences to be built there. As the early development of St. Petersburg’s land spread along the shores of Tampa Bay, the possible encroachment of the waters was prevented by tons of fill and sea walls. Before those times, the waters lapped across Beach Drive, thus the street’s name.

Views from the Vinoy, a book recently published by The

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood As-sociation, states that this neighborhood “cov-ers approximately 425 acres and is home to 9,000 neighbors.” Because of the number of 1910-1945 historic buildings, The Historic Old Northeast received the coveted National Historic designation in 2003. However, not all residences in this neighborhood can obtain Historic Landmark designation. It is a complex and rigid process because there are nine criteria to be considered and, of the nine, a significant number must be met. In June 2009, four of the nine criteria were sufficiently documented and the Ridgely residence was proposed for designation by the Community Preservation Commission (CPC).

According to the application documents, the first criterion met was “its value [as] a signifi-cant reminder of the cultural or archaeologi-cal heritage of the City, state or nation.” The Ridgely residence is a Craftsman Bungalow, a style which originated in California. Between 1905 and the 1920s, the Craftsman Bungalow became the most sought after architectural style

throughout the country from the English Arts and Crafts movement. The residence, built in 1910, “is a classical example of that style” which also includes the second floor’s “wood shingle finish, side gable roof with shed dormer, casement windows and a full-width front porch set under the main roof.” The triangular knee braces, set in the eaves, is another example of the classical Craftsman. Knee braces are supports which provide greater rigidity in a building frame under transverse loads, such as supporting the rusticated concrete blocks used in the building of this residence.

The structure was built in 1910 as a private home for Dr. Roy Ridgely and his wife, Florence. Dr. Ridgely was a dentist and owner of the Eureka Stone and Paving Company. Dr. Ridgely also built the first bowling alley in St. Petersburg. The house, “one of the oldest surviving masonry houses in the city,” utilized rusticated concrete, made by Eureka, which was found mostly in foundations and retaining walls; it was unusual for that material to be used in houses. Rusticated concrete, an advancement in building technol-ogy at that time, refers to concrete blocks which were made in a mold to create a surface texture that resembles stone. Its ingredients included sand and shells, which were indigenous to this area mixed with Portland cement. The inclusion of rusticated concrete in the building of the Ridgely house’s first floor was “an excellent ex-ample” of the work of Eureka Stone and Paving Company, which was one of the City’s construction pioneers in the concrete business between 1903-1915. “The wood frame second floor is clad with wood shingles set in a square butt pattern.” Elementary to its Craftsman design, “the deep porch inset under the main roof of the residence extends the full width of the front fa-çade.” An open sleeping porch was enclosed in the 1920s, a change made by many homes


Jill and Ed McGrath (who grew up together in the Hudson River Valley of New York) are restoring a 1910 cottage on the corner of Bay Street and 6th Avenue NE. This is Jill’s fifth (Ed’s third) complete house restoration project and they have promised each other that it will be their last.

Lawrence B. Smith

Financial Advisor

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

813.868.8735

[email protected] Ameripriseadvisors.com/lawrence.b.smith

Ameriprise Financial Services, member FINRA and SIPC

in The Old Northeast dur-ing the last century. Ac-cording to the Landmark Designation documents, the Ridgely residence “is a representative example of upper class residential architecture built at the onset of the city’s first period of real estate boom with the use of the rus-ticated concrete block.” The company manufac-tured The Historic Old Northeast’s hexagon side-walk blocks and irrigation systems, which gives Dr. Ridgeley’s residence an additional value of his-toric importance. Because of the materials manufactured by Dr. Ridgely’s company and utilized by the City, the second criterion which the Ridley residence met was “identified as the work of a master builder, designer or architect whose individual work has influenced the development of the City, state or nation.”

The residence satisfied two additional criteria -- its Craftsman design and construction of rusticated concrete material made in St. Petersburg, which supports that design. “The residence’s quality of architecture retains sufficient elements showing its architectural significance.” Over the years, the initial single family design of eight rooms, two bathrooms and five fireplaces expanded to the future multi-housing spaces. The residence became an apartment house with 10 apartments, nine bathrooms and four kitchens. The area had a lack of hotel space and in the booming economy of the 1910s-1920s a number of private homes were converted to boarding houses and apartments. In 1952 the residence secured a hotel license.

The fourth criterion met was “the distinguishing characteristics of its architectural style valuable to the study of a period, method of construction or its use of indigenous materials.” Again “its classic example” of the Craftsman style and the unique method of construction using rusticated concrete and knee braces in the foundation and first floor, plus the indigenous materials of the concrete, allowed the residence to be of great value in the his-torical properties designated for Landmark Designation. The final recommendation for Landmark Designation by the Community Preservation Commission received a unanimous vote of approval by St. Petersburg’s City Council on July 23, 2009.

The current owners, Bruce and Mary Sandler, bought the building in 1989 and ran the hotel until they decided to take it for their own private residence, and they have been rehabilitating the 5,500 square feet house ever since. Mr. Sandler was raised in an historic house and liked the Ridgely residence “from the get-go.” He also wanted to live close to downtown. Reporting that the restoration “is a massive under-taking,” he has completely gutted most of the house and plans to complete the work in the main house within two years. The next work project will be on the garage apartment. “One area at a time,”

said Mr. Sandler, a wise decision with so many goals to achieve in bringing 600 Beach Drive back to her initial glory.

All non-designated quotes are found in the Landmark Designa-tion Application (HPC 09-03) provided by the City.


Preserving the Character of Old Northeast Houses

Rarely does news of a developer buying a house in The Old Northeast to renovate get me excited. This neighborhood has seen too many houses torn down and replaced with inappropriate construction or “updated” for modern living, losing most or all of their historic character in the process.

But a house at the corner of 16th Avenue N and 2nd Street made me turn my head as I drove by the other day. I thought at first that maybe it was new construction made to look old, but on closer

inspection I could see that it still had original detailing and a fresh paint job showing off the old house’s best features.

The two-story, circa 1925 abode, which sits up on a raised yard, is now much more prominent than before the renovation began. It was previously painted in an all-white color scheme and partially hidden from view by overgrown shrubbery and trees. A south-facing side porch had been enclosed by metal jalousies and the roof was clad in tired gray asbestos tiles. (Photo 1) A two-story garage apartment connected to the rear of the house, along with exterior staircases and inelegant additions from previous occupants. (Photo 2)

The new renovation, by a Tampa-based development com-pany, shows off the house’s best features and emphasizes its character-defining elements. The original wood windows are

being rehabilitated as are the Craftsman style front door and nar-row French doors lead-ing to the side porch. (Photo 3) The original wood siding, with wide clapboards on the first floor separated from narrower ones on the second floor by a band board, is enjoying a two-tone green paint job. (Photo 4) Exposed rafter tails are painted in a contrasting dark brown that draws the eye. The side porch has been liberated from the jalousies that once en-closed it, showing off the original tile floor. Around back, the old garage apartment is gone and the extraneous additions are history, expos-ing a clean rear facade that is begging for a deck and some shade from the after-noon sun. (Photo 5) Fresh landscaping that will finish the transformation is coming soon, if a sign in the front yard is to be believed. If the interior is being transformed with the same attention to detail as the exterior the developer shouldn’t have any trouble selling it for a premium price.

by Mike Daily

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5


Mike, an Old Northeast resident since 1996, holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of South Florida.

We’re coming up on the one year mark since we did our foamed attic insulation project [see the June 2010 issue of this newsletter]. In February 2010 we had Daniel Insulation vacuum out all the compacted insulation that had been accumulating over the years and blow foam insulation onto the underside of the roof and gable walls. With this type of insulation the attic becomes unvented so we had to close up all the openings to the outside. Overall we’re happy with it. Our power bills aren’t dramatically lower (Progress raised rates since we had the job done), but the house is drier and more comfortable without the humid outside air leaking in around all the lights, exhaust fans and air conditioning vents in the ceiling. Our average July attic temperature now maxes out around 86 degrees during the day, a far cry from the 120-130 degrees we experienced with the old insulation. I’ve had several neighbors and readers of this article ask if I would do the insulation project again. Considering the installation cost, the possibility of a shorter roof lifespan and the fact that it didn’t make a dramatic difference in our power bill, probably not.

The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Associa-tion has joined the social

networking world to enable us to better interact with our members and residents. Come join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/honnaorg. Several pages have been created for various other “Old Northeast”s so watch for the HONNA logo. This is a great way to exchange information and discuss topics concerning our neighbor-hood.Look for us on Facebook!

Crime Watch Fact SheetName __________________________________________

Address ______________________________________Zip ___________

Home Phone:_______________ Office Phone:_________________

Cell Phone:_________________ E-mail:_______________________

Emergency Contact Person _____________________________________

Contact’s Phone # ________________________________

HONNA Member: Yes____ No____

Would like more info on membership Yes___ No___

Signed: ________________________________________HONNA, PO Box 76324, St. Petersburg, FL 33734

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sary of St. Petersburg’s Waterfront Parks, noted sculptor and neighbor, Eric Higgs, designed the “human” sundial, a replacement for a sundial formerly at the Vista Point location. The massive sandstone slabs came from Arkansas by way of Seattle and reflect the movement of the water on the flats in the bay. Eric donated his design time for the project, and lighting for the sculpture was a contribution from Eric’s latest venture in “green” technology, Lumastream. His monumental sculptures have been installed and his works exhibited around the

world, from France to Japan, from California to Florida, including large installations in the Tampa Bay area.

Participating in the ceremony were: Mayor Bill Foster, who noted that our waterfront park system is the third largest in the nation, and Linda Seufert, representing the Parks Department, who was instru-mental in getting the foundation work -- the City’s contribution to the project -- completed in time for the dedication. Jeff Danner represented the City Council, joining Eric who talked about his in-spiration for the design and HONNA Board member Robin Reed, whose research and tireless efforts were the impetus for the project, who spoke to the tradition of stewardship of the parks. Peter Belmont, chair of the Centennial Committee, emceed the ceremony and gave a

brief history of the water-front parks. As the program drew to a close, Mayor Foster contributed a key to the City for the time cap-sule and shook hands with the student as their names were announced, and they placed their artwork in the capsule. Artwork was also contributed by Eric’s three sons.

Continuing the tradition of caring for the parks, con-tributions for the Centennial Sundial were received from the following: Joe and Robin Reed; Eric and Meg Higgs; The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association; Old Northeast Garden Club (Pat Aitken, Julie Feeley, Edy Finefrock, Jeanne Houlton, Jean Hunter, Carol Kline, Cathy Leonard, Wendy Mansfield, Lynne Mormino, Linda Santoro); Booker Creek Preservation; St. Petersburg Preservation; Eden Isle Civic Association; Downtown Neighborhood Association; Peter Belmont; Nona Peebles; Leslie Curran; Nina Light; Ed and Melinda

President’s Perspective from page 1

Join me for an effective Holistic Workout Balance Mind, Body and Essential Energy(Chi)

My program blends elements of Gung Fu, Tai Chi, and Yoga and core conditioning, with a focus on deep breathing, stretching, coordination and relaxation techniques. Sunkens Gardens Monday and Wednesday from Noon to 1PM N. North Shore Aquatic Tuesday 9 to 10AM and Saturday 10 to 11AM Classes at many locations . Custom Personal Training & Individual Martial Arts Instruction.

Ian Wallace is a Certified Personal Trainer, Sports Nutritionists, and Martial Arts Instructor. Website: ianholisticfitness.com Call: 727-459-8319 Email: [email protected]

Mayor Foster with the Sundial’s ma-jor benefactors, Joe and Robin Reed

Before the Sundial

During construction


Anderson; Steve and Mary Alice Lange; Rick Carson; Paul and Barri Boudreaux; Lu-mastream; Sun Belt Rental and anonymous. The foundation and plantings were provided by the City of St. Petersburg.

A slide show of the construction and dedication can be found at www.HONNA.org. And the next time you take a walk or jog along the waterfront, take a few minutes to “check the time” and reflect on how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place!

You can read this issue inCOLOR

Go to www.honna.org andClick on “Newsletters” and then click on

the archived issue you’d like to read. Great way to share the newsletter with friends who don’t receive the print copy.

Pass on the good news!

“May the Sunshine City continue to cast shadows of time with

this sundial for everyone who lives, works and

plays here.”Closing Line on

Dedication Stone (R)

Mayor Foster greets school-children as they place their artwork in the capsule

Sundial Dedication Ceremony


Did you know on October 30th,1993, for the first time a group of Old Northeast neighborhood witches jumped on their broom sticks and cruised the neighborhood judging deco-

rated homes on Charlie Brown’s almost favorite night of the year? Yep, it happened on that cloudy night so long ago, and many years since then, too. Eighteen years later since that first foray, ghosts and ghouls came out again and judged the decorations of more than 30 homes.

Do you wonder who organized these ghosts who flew silently up

the streets or those scary ghouls heard grumbling or screeching as they slowly trudged down fa-miliar avenues? One of the origi-nal witches of long ago, Cynthia Serra, conjured the specters in the form of neighborhood volun-teers and Realtors from Smith and Associates. As a playful website wizard, I brewed up fun Riddle Hunt maps.

This team couldn’t stop with one event. Oh, toads and warts,

NO! With a sprinkle of magic dust and -- POOF! -- 60 pumpkins ap-peared on the doorstep of Smith and Associates Real Estate where neigh-borhood kids, adults led by Isabel Caruso and Big Brothers and Big Sisters gleefully carved and painted jack-o-lanterns. POOF! again, and sprite tricksters paraded in costumes for a prize.

For a few days, strange beings peered under bushes, looked up chimneystacks, sneaked in alleys and crossed lawns looking for an-swers to Riddle Hunt clues just like

Sherlock Holmes. So with all that is written above I bet you want to know who

the winners were! Well, everyone young of spirit that wove spider webs from trees, laid a corpse in a casket, slithered across a roof top and scared fellow travelers on Halloween night were winners by bringing out neighbors to enjoy one another and their neighborhood.

We again want to thank all the judges from the neighborhood and Smith and Associates, Smith Title and FBC Mortgage and St. Pete Bicycle and Fitness sponsored the Riddle Hunt prize. We could not have done it without them and their support.

Now, just wait until next year!

1st Place

Best Costume

3rd Place

Halloween in The

‘Hood 2010


House decorating Winners

1st Place221 9th Avenue N

2nd Place1000 3rd Street N

3rd Place526 19th Avenue NE

Honorable Mention108 11th Avenue N

Group Spirit Recognition: The residents of

18th Avenue NE for their participation and enthusiasmSpecial Production Award:

725 18th Ave NE -- what a show!Riddle Hunt:

Lory Wylot-ThomasCostume:

Kiersten (age 2)

Thank you to all homeowners and

families who participated!

My husband, Garth, and I de-cided to play “hooky” this Halloween. We took this year off and went to some friends’ house on 15th Avenue -- we are on 17th -- and have never taken a Halloween off since we’ve lived here beginning in 1993. We took the night off because, honestly, we were a little burnt out on Hal-loween. We went all out last year, and it’s expensive.

So this year we left our house around 5:30 or so and drove up and down the neighborhood just to see what the neighborhood looked like to everyone else. We realized, “OMG! No wonder everyone wants to come here for Halloween!!” The neighborhood looked so wonderful and welcom-ing – people sitting on their front porches, some with just a few small decorations or a pumpkin or two, some with all kinds of decorations but all equally as invit-ing. Plus we went to the show on Saturday night on 18th Avenue – it was amazing and wonderful, too. It just made us realize how proud we are to live in such a fantastic neighborhood. I mean, where else do you have neighbors who have fire eaters dancing on their roof!

Monica Vernon

2nd Place

Honorable Mention

Thank You


How does Your Garden Grow?

Holiday Arrangements

...from Your Garden

Decorating your home with fresh greenery is a winter holiday tradition you don’t have to miss because you live in Florida. With the right plants growing

in your yard, you can create beautiful, fresh holiday arrange-ments – Florida style.

You don’t have to be a floral designer either. All you need are a pair of sharp pruners for cutting, a few floral supplies and a can of plant leaf shine. A pair of lightweight gloves comes in handy, too, especially when you’re working with plants that irritate the skin, such as juniper.

Vases, baskets, bowls -- even glass bakeware -- make terrific containers for arrangements. Wreaths can be made from green styrofoam rings or wire rings, or you can dress up a plain artificial wreath with fresh cuttings.

If your yard has a variety of evergreen plants, you’ve got it made. Magnolia, pine,

holly, podocarpus, cypress, fern, jasmine, juniper,

arborvitae, boxwood, ivy, viburnum and pittosporum are ideal in arrange-ments. So, too, are tropical plants such as schefflera, xanadu philoden-dron, anthurium, bromeliads, euca-

lyptus and ginger. Make cuttings from

outdoor plants using a sharp tool and distribute cuts evenly to

preserve your plant’s natural form. Immediately place cuttings in water to

keep them hydrated. Use spray-on leaf polish or dip leaves into floor polish to seal and protect.

Pine cones, holly berries, seed pods, tropi-cal fruits and flowers add texture and color to arrangements. Add a tropical touch with the waxy red pine cone produced by the pine cone ginger – it’s beautiful and fragrant, too. If your yard doesn’t offer much, there’s always the craft store, where you’ll find bagged pine cones for under $4 and berry sprigs under $1.

With home-grown plants and your creative touches, you’ll find it’s easy and inexpensive to dress your home for the season.

by Yvonne Swanson -- Master Gardener

Yvonne Swanson is a Master Gardener for Pinellas County. She also has written a gar-den column for the St. Petersburg Times

Add these flowers and fruits

to greenery:Christmas:

Red salvia and jatropha; red and white geranium and penta; red pomegranate

Chanuka: Blue salvia; blue and white plumbagoKwanza: Red flowers (see

above); green limes

You can use colorful hibiscus flowers in your

holiday décor, but beware. Once

picked, hibiscus blossoms last

for only one day – regardless of

whether they are placed in water

or not.

Happy Holidays

from the officers and Board of HONNA and

all those who make this newsletter possible


Worship Service: Sundays 10:30am

Ad courtesy of HONNA in appreciation of Westminster’s generous support of HONNA

Please Support Our Advertisers...and remember to tell them that you saw their ad here.

Ty Joslyn and Jackie IrbyLicensed Insurance Agents

Individual and Business Tax Returns Small Business Accounting and Consulting

Monica M. Vernon & Garth A. Vernon

424 22nd Avenue North

St. Petersburg, FL 33704

(727) 393-1922 office • (727) 502-9007 fax


Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood AssociationP.O. Box 76324St. Petersburg, FL 33734www.honna.org

PRSRT STdu.S. POSTAGe PAidST. PeTeRSBuRG FL

PeRMiT #1020

Neighborhood Holiday Party: Monday, december 20th , at The Old Ne Tavern 6:30pm (see p.1)

All neighborhood residents invited

iN THiS iSSue

Call Direct: 727-501-6164

Curious about the Value of Your Home?

Concerned about Short Sales and Bank Owned Properties?

Has the Market Stabilized?You’ve Got Questions. I HAVE ANSWERS!

830 Monterey Blvd NEOffered at $1,750,000

460 Lido Way NEOffered at $245,000

114 Rafael Blvd NEOffered at $750,000

5733 Bayou Grande NEOffered at $1,399,000

• Waterfront Park Sundial dedication

• Meet the New HONNA Board

• Planning Your Holiday Party

• Curbside Recycling

• Halloween Shenanigans... and more!

Documents

Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood News - December 2010