Amber Bennett could be the poster child for living the “St. Pete dream” of living, working, and making the most of our Sunshine City. In her “day job” she’s a real estate rock star, but early each the morning, she’s an elite athlete. Volleyball is her game.

For the past nine years, Amber has trained in the heart of downtown. If you have ever passed by the beach volleyball courts at North Shore, you may have been watching volleyball players from around the world training in our slice of paradise.

I caught up with Amber to chat a few days before she was heading off to compete in yet another tournament.… Read More

WTE holds events every month, as well as online webinars and tech mentoring, always free of charge. Photo courtesy of WTE.

It’s no secret that St. Petersburg, particularly downtown, is a growing hot spot for new-to-the-heat Floridians. Many of these transplants are young professionals, particularly tech professionals, including growing numbers of women in tech. 

Traditionally, the technology industry isn’t known to be the most inclusive for women, and that’s the reason for the Tampa-born Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship (WTE) organization. 

“I founded WTE in 2022 after witnessing the glaring gender disparities in tech and entrepreneurship,” says Raechel Canipe, CEO of WTE.… Read More

While the term “snowbird” now often refers to our part-time human neighbors, it originally applied to real birds who winter in warmer climes. The general parameters of the snowbird season, both human and avian, are roughly from October through March, and there’s one that’s hard to miss: the American white pelican.

Perhaps you thought our local, brown pelicans turned white in the winter? In fact, the brown pelican, our beloved city mascot, is a smaller, year-round cousin of the white pelican. 

Known for their dramatic hunting methods, brown pelicans are uniquely outfitted for catching their favorite meal, fish.… Read More

St. Pete doesn’t just throw a Pride parade. The city celebrates all of June with LGBTQ+ extravaganzas leading up to the rainbow-sequined finale. But that wasn’t always the case. St. Pete Pride blossomed out of necessity 20 years ago after planning issues and politics put a temporary end to Tampa’s Pride. It was just the beginning. 

 Before then, St. Pete didn’t have an organized Pride event – or even much of a visible community. In 2003, St. Pete Pride was spearheaded by a small group of local LGBTQ+ folks, such as Brian Longstreth, Mark Bias, and Carrie West, and included a small parade.… Read More

Photos by M. Shackelford Burns

Though we’ll still feel the heat for weeks to come, summer draws to its official close this year on September 22. Take a look back at some of the fun in the sun had by residents in our fair city, from boating to bubbles, and bicycles to beachcombing.

Drive down ever-changing Central Avenue, and at the corner of 11th Street you can’t miss the cluster of 23 royal palm trees, the sunshades, or the beach sand. The space serves as the outdoor patio for Intermezzo Coffee and Cocktail, a chic, stylish venture owned by Jarrett Sabatini, a 25-year-old entrepreneur who lives downtown on the edge of the Old Northeast.

A 2016 graduate of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, Jarrett is one of the growing number of young, creative entrepreneurs who are adding to downtown’s high energy, and changing the landscape of St. Pete. Intermezzo’s hip vibe and minimalist decor with big windows overlooking the street bring to mind a trendy city feel, and that is exactly Jarrett’s goal.… Read More

I love St. Pete. I also love riding my bike and walking. When I ride, I notice and really see what is right in front of my eyes, low down and high up, rather than grabbing a quick glimpse as I drive by. Plus I don’t have to worry about finding a parking spot, not so easy these days in downtown St. Pete! So, when I read that Preserve the ’Burg offers bicycle tours, I thought what a great way to learn about the buildings and neighborhoods in the city where I live, work and play.

Preserve the ’Burg offers various walking and bicycling tours throughout the area, from October through May.… Read More

Within five minutes of their first meeting, Chris Steinocher, president of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, knew immediately that Chad Nuss and his new tech company, InsideOut, would be huge wins for St. Petersburg. Chad and his team are exactly the kind of young, creative entrepreneurs the city is focused on attracting. For Chad, coming to St. Pete felt like the perfect fit, too.

I met Chad recently for coffee at the Black Crow coffee shop in the Old Northeast where we both live. I wanted to learn more about what attracted his family and his business to St. Petersburg, and how they are settling in.… Read More