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On top of the world
[Times photo: Skip O'Rourke]
A down to earth couple, who made their money the old-fashioned way, are building a mansion that probably will be in the top 10 of the most expensive in Tampa. |
He redefines 'party' in an exponential way
John Fitzgibbons' Harbour Island house is the place to be when the Gasparilla flotilla passes by. Just ask the 1,500 people expected to attend.
Grand Central
Jose, can you see a pirate?
I FOUND JOSE GASPAR. He lives in Hialeah. Shouldn't he sue for slander? If he had Disney's lawyers, he would own Tampa by now. Jose, the plunderer. Jose, the pillager. "I'm honest," he protests. Stuff to know about Jose the man: He has two granddaughters. He fled Cuba. At 60, he tends greyhounds for a living. He's heard of Gasparilla. "I know about it, but I have never gone." Anyone see an opportunity?
Amy Scherzer’s Dairy
Deed to the party part of the sale
Krewe of Libertalia members Kurt and Diane Schleicher added an unusual clause to the sale of their Davis Islands home. The deal stipulated buyers Dawn and Pete Dominici had to agree to host a party for the krewe during Gasparilla week. The Schleicher home had been party central for Libertalia members, and they didn't want to end the tradition. In other words, the house came with four bedrooms, five bathrooms and tonight's gathering for 100 or so.
- Datebook
Feb. 22: Lamplighters auxiliary of Metropolitan Ministries "Luncheon of Light" fashion show presented by Saks Fifth Avenue and St. John Knits; 11 a.m.; Hyatt Regency Westshore; $50; (813) 209-1000.
The day pirates came to Sunset Park
A young boy in 1928 befriends a stranger camping on a beach near the boy's home. He leaves the boy much more than buried treasure.
What's in a name?
Davis Islands: Developer lived '20s rise, fall
Davis Islands was the grand dream of entrepreneur David P. Davis, who converted 875 acres into what he called "little Venice."
RSVP Tampa
Goings on
Lots of Gasparilla goings-on
Yo ho! The pirates are here! All 700 of them.
City People
Dave Collins: Painting the town
Get in line if you want your Hyde Park bungalow painted by Dave Collins, a meticulous craftsman who specializes in old wood houses.
Obituary
A legacy of love
Family and friends recall the kindness, principle and love of Lester Ryals, a prominent accountant in Tampa.
Neighborhood report
News from around the block
TAMPA HEIGHTS: Singing the blues at Gram's
The owner of a unique, musically themed guesthouse says business is down 50 percent over last year.
VIRGINIA PARK: On the wings of an Eagle Scout
A 14-year-old organizes a park cleanup, complete with new paint and plants, to earn his Eagle Scout designation.
SUNSET PARK: Mangrove issue not cut and dried
Environmentalists want them left alone. Homeowners want to trim them. The debate continues.
HYDE PARK: Gorrie Elementary on the grow
Groundbreaking on a two-story addition to the media center begins a flurry of construction and renovation.
Historic preservation calendar
A look at meetings of the boards that oversee the care and feeding of some of Tampa's oldest neighborhoods:
Everybody's business
Pulitzer must-haves on the way for have-nots
Forget Palm Beach, dahlings. Lilly Pulitzer is coming to downtown South Tampa.
The Find
Glam rocks
Want to feel like a Gasparilla queen? This nifty crown featuring Swarovski rhinestones is a queenly $299.95 at Features, at 3015 W Barcelona Ave; phone 835-0200.
