Ok, i want one of these fabulous planters. Here are more photos from the Plant Museum, which used to be the Tampa Bay Hotel a long time ago. This is the afternoon of Fri. Feb. 21st.
I think that this odd-looking setttee/planter was something that the Plants claimed to come from…Marie Antoinette? I think they said stuff like that about some of the furnishings to get publicity. It actually looks kind of cool, but i don’t think i’d want to be sitting there with a plant tickling the back of my neck.
This is definitely the ugliest giant vase i’ve ever seen.
Great collection of spoons, including that one with an alligator handle. I love spoons like this and I have some somewhere. I should put them on display.
haha!
One room at the museum was devoted to the special collection, the Gasparilla Pirate Festival.
This is what Wikipedia has to say about the festival:
The Gasparilla Pirate Festival is a large parade and a host of related community events held in Tampa, Florida almost every year since 1904.[1] The theme of the festivities is an invasion by the mythical pirate José Gaspar (also known as Gasparilla), who is a popular figure in Florida folklore even though there is no evidence that he actually existed.[2] The focal point of Gasparilla is the Parade of Pirates, which is held on the last Saturday in January and is often referred to as the Gasparilla Parade. Since its inception, it has been organized by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla (YMKG), an organization modeled after the “krewes” that participate in Mardi Gras in New Orleans. On Gasparilla Day, members of YMKG sail into downtown Tampa aboard their large replica pirate ship accompanied by hundreds of private boats to demand that the mayor hand over the key to the city. Afterwards, they stage a “victory parade” along Bayshore Boulevard accompanied by dozens of other krewes and community organizations, with the festivities continuing into the nighttime hours along the Tampa Riverwalk.
Gasparilla began in 1904 as an informal pirate parade that was a small part of a larger community event, such as Tampa’s May Day festival. It was first held as a stand-alone event in 1913, and after a hiatus during World War II, the Parade of Pirates has grown into the third largest parade in the United States with a local economic impact of over $20 million and an average attendance of about 300,000.
There were costumes and photos and i loved this float of giant swans.
Maybe this woman was queen of the festival in 1963? I took this photo because that’s the year i was born, plus i wish you could see this picture more close-up. The top, including the huge collar, is knitted. i’ve never seen a formal gown with a knitted top. soooo ugly.
Ha!
A couple of photos of the outside. At least the minarets are still intact…
And meanwhile back at home…Kevin took this photo of Lovey our outside cat.
When we got back to our house on the river in Tampa our dinner was more food from Trader Joe’s. we then watched a movie. it all seems so very long ago…
ok then,
g.h., staying home for quite a while i bet.