Yeah, I know, it’s Wednesday and I’m just now getting around to this post. It’s the last day of school, so the last couple of days have been nuts of giving finals, grading finals and doing all the end of the year stuff that is part and parcel of being a teacher. I’m also moving rooms so that has been fun trying to figure our what to toss and what to take, and I still haven’t bought any boxes. I need to do that on the way home today. Ok, so the weekend. Most of you know that I am a volunteer photographer for Southeastern Guide Dogs and for the last four years I have been photographing both Guide Dog University (when the dogs return from their puppy raisers) and Puppy Raiser Day, when the dogs are matched with a handler and are graduating. Plus, I also photograph Service Dog dinners/meet and greets and other things as needed, which means that my weekends are sometimes over run with obligations. Earlier in the Spring I decided that I needed a break and took off from volunteering for the summer, beginning in May. As of now, I plan on returning in August, but we’ll see how I feel then. I didn’t realize how burned out I had gotten, even though I love doing that work. So, last weekend was the first weekend that I didn’t have any obligations, and to give my hubby a break from us, Amanda and I headed over the Skyway to St. Pete to do a coffee run, because why not. It’s basically a twenty-ish minute drive, and for good coffee.. I’m there. Our first stop..Intermezzo Coffee and Cocktails. This shop started off as a pop-up and is now a permanent fixture on Central Ave in the Edge District. They have expanded their coffee menu to include cocktails after 5pm and have Empire Oyster setting up shop in the lot next door. I have yet to try the cocktail or the oysters, but that is on my list for this summer.
Our favorite drink is the Iced Vanilla Latte I get mine with light ice. Amanda is in heaven, can’t you tell?
The caffeine has kicked in.
The thing about Intermezzo is that it so set up for Instagram shots, and Amanda is taking advantage of that.
And my shot that I posted in my Instagram feed;
After Intermezzo, we did a little shopping at Plain Jane and Whim So Doodle Amanda and I both picked up a few things. At Plain Jane, I picked up a little cross body pouch and Amanda got a couple of super soft shirts. Whim So Doodle is so dangerous to go in as I always find something fun for my art journal or craft room.
One of our favorite places to go is Swah-rey, St. Pete’s only dessert bar.
Leslie and her team have the most delicious cakes and minis, plus if you have some four legged furry friends at home, you can take home some Pup Cakes. Amanda’s favorite of the moment is the cookie dough cake, but my favorite is a luscious, decadent, perfect strawberry shortcake.
This doesn’t in any way do this shortcake justice, but I was in too big of a hurry to dig in to take a proper photo, so this is what you get. Sway-rey has a full menu of cakes and desserts and other treats as well as a beer and wine menu. If you are in St. Pete, I highly recommend stopping in, but check the store hours as they are currently open Thursday- Saturday, but they are open late, so it’s never too late for dessert. (Well, unless it’s 2am, then it probably is too late…lol)
One would think that after coffee, and then dessert, we’d be too wiped out for more. Nope…. enter Bandit Coffee Co.
When I first started going into St. Pete to explore their coffee shops, this was the first one that I visited and they have been improving every since. Barely open a year, they are always busy when I stop in and it is such a relaxing place. I confess that I feel like I’m twenty years too old for this place when I walk in, but the entire staff is friendly and knowledgeable and they brew a delicious bourbon vanilla latte. Amanda loves their bouquet latte that is infused with lavender. On this day, I opted for a Earl Gray iced tea.
Waiting for the next order.
We didn’t stay to enjoy our drinks at Bandit, but took them to go as we needed to get back home. It was a pretty quick visit, just a couple of hours, but we love spending time in St. Pete. With the exception of Whim So Doodle, all of the places we visited are on Central Ave. There are other coffee shops in St. Pete that we have yet to visit, but that’s on our list for the summer. This weekend, I think Amanda and I are going to do a Coffee Crawl in Tampa. Their coffee scene is booming and we’ve been wanting to try several of them for a while. I’m sure we’ll be wired for the weekend.
Over the Sunshine Skyway on the way home.
And finally, a gorgeous if warm evening. The view from my backyard.
Last bits of sunset.