Candid Florida

Intriguing Greek pastas at Hellas

One of the toughest things about going to Tarpon Springs is deciding where to eat. Unfortunately (when in proximity to Greek cuisine), during my second day at the area, my business meeting came complete with a lunch. So I had no excuse to choose between calamari at Santorini, or pastistio at Mykonos … instead, I could dive straight into dessert. I walked it off first, of course, in the near-100-degree heat, so it was a relief to step into the chilled room at Hellas and order up a pasta: make mine layers of chocolate and vanilla custard with a touch of mousse. On my visits to Greece, the only place I saw such elaborate baking was in Rhodes, and sure enough, Rhodes has its own Tarpon Springs Blvd – it’s near Halki, where many of the original sponge divers are from. When in Tarpon Springs, always save room for dessert!

Hellas
85 Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs
(727) 943-2400

With family ties to the Greek Isles over the past several decades, I’ve always been drawn to Tarpon Springs as a source of gifts for those I hold dear. It’s the one place I know I can find authentic imports from Greece, be it the latest pop CD from Anna Vizzi or a new alphabet primer for the little ones. I was delighted, of course, to stop in at Gift World and find exactly what I was looking for … worry beads for my brother, and a nice set of flash cards for a niece who’s just young enough to pick up Greek as a second language.  Peek in the back room, of course, for the cool Greek imports, which include a variety of books, primers, CDs, Disney movies in Greek, and Greek language toys.

Gift World
557 Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs
(727) 938-3225

Spongeorama, along the Anclote River

Okay, it’s a bit dated and kitschy, but there just ain’t nothing else like it. When in Tarpon Springs, you must make a point of visiting SpongeORama!  The film (watch it and you get a discount in the shop) sets the tone for the extensive displays on the history of sponging in Florida, which appear to date back to my youth (the museum opened in 1968) but, despite their age, give a detailed overview of all aspects of the industry and Greek culture and life in Tarpon Springs. Did you know, for instance, that red tide walloped the commercial sponging industry back in 1957? It’s not a new phenonmenon. After you’ve soaked in the history (be sure to stand under the fans), take a gander at the wide variety of sponges available for everything from artists brushes to keeping you clean in the bath. Buy a sponge, support a native Florida industry!

SpongeORama
510 Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs
(727) 943-2164

Bread & Butter Deli, since 1974

Pressed for time, I needed a quick lunch in Tarpon Springs that wouldn’t just be a run through a Taco Bell or Wendy’s, and I found it, serendipitously, by taking a few wrong turns near Innisbrook and finding Bread & Butter, a Middle Eastern (but mostly Greek) deli along Alt US 19, not far south of  the golf course. You walk in, you pick out what you want from the deli cases – dolmades or pastitio? Hummus or Baba Ghanoush? – and the server brings it to your table. They have a nice selection of Greek pastries, too.

Bread & Butter Gourmet Deli
1880 Alt US 19 S, Tarpon Springs
(727) 934-9003

Picnic pad at A.L. Anderson Park

Along US 19 in Tarpon Springs, A.L. Anderson is one of those parks that thousands of people whiz by every day and probably never stop to see what it’s all about. I was going to a meeting a couple of miles away and thought hey, why not stop! I’m glad I did. The park hugs the western shore of Lake Tarpon, offering plenty of picnic pavilions for big groups. On a weekday, it was rather quiet, save for the boaters putting in and taking out at the slip. I was delighted to find a marked nature trail that starts at the first pavilion on the left and leads you through a cypress swamp festooned with non-native but cheery philodendron along a boardwalk to the shores of a cove on the lake. I scared up two osprey pretty quick, and saw a young alligator cruising the shallows. The walk continues near the lakeshore, with side trails to private picnic pads amid the cypress, reminiscent of the ones I encountered at John Chesnut Park years ago on the far shore. Grab one for solitude and enjoy your lunch!

River view in James E. Grey Preserve

Thanks to Barbara Bowen on Florida Hikes! I learned about a relatively new park near downtown New Port Richey, called the James E. Grey Preserve. En route to a business meeting last week, I couldn’t resist the tempatation to go walk the trails.  What a surprise! An extensive boardwalk follows the sinuous path of the Pithlachascotee River, creating the well-shaded Palmetto Loop, which has beautiful overlooks along the river and an oxbow lake on the opposite side. A secondary loop provides a walk through an upland scrub habitat, where roserush and tarflower were blooming in abundance. It was a delightful find with slightly under 2 miles of hiking, and certainly worthy of possible inclusion in the new 50 Hikes in Central Florida. Watch Florida Hikes! for the results!