Pittock Mansion, home of The Oregonian publisher, Henry Pittock and his wife Georgiana (Portland, Oregon)

Exquisite parquet floors in the music room of Pittock Mansion, Portland, Oregon

Ca’ d’Zan at The Ringling, home of circus owner John Ringling and his wife Mable (Sarasota, Florida)

Black and white checkerboard floors, Ca’ d’Zan

Exterior of Ca’ d’Zan in the Venetian Gothic style with highly patterned designs under foot

State Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg, Russia)

Patterned squares on ceiling and floors in this room of the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

For more lowly entries in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Beneath Your Feet, click here.

And she was right, after all.

Included in our recent blog, Five things to do in a day in St. Petersburg, Florida, Florida Craftsmen is one of those finds that tourists might miss.  It’s on Central right in the heart of other artsy stores that carry re-purposed items, shabby chic, and cast-offs-turned-must-haves.  But this shop is different.

Florida Craftsmen, 501 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, FL

Originally organized by Louis and Elsa Freund, professors at Stetson, the couple wanted a place to showcase fine crafts and artwork in a more permanent location than the temporary exhibits afforded.  Although organized in 1977, Florida Craftsmen lacked a suitable permanent location until George Rahdert made the old Rutland Department Store available in 1995.  After purchasing the property in 2002, Florida Craftsmen felt settled, offering crafts downstairs and space for artists upstairs in the area known as ArtLofts.  The current exhibition, Earthworks, is on display through March 1, 2014.

Vase by Marilyn Endres. Photo from Florida Craftsmen website.

Inside, you’ll find a vast array of creations — jewelled chairs, Santa ornaments, hand-dyed scarves, wheel-thrown pottery, and whimsical items that can be worn or displayed.  And you can’t help but be impressed with the talent and creativity of each artist.

Because there’s not one definitive style that pervades the shop, you’ll have to go see for yourself the limitless creativity and artful displays.  My sister was right, of course:  You don’t want to miss Florida Craftsmen.

Florida Craftsmen

A statewide non-profit organization for fine craft art

501 Central Avenue

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

227.821.7391

Website: http://floridacraftsmen.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Florida-Craftsmen-Inc/352815711033

Be sure to check their website for exhibits, gallery receptions, and special events.

Boats at the Pier, St. Petersburg, FL

Of course, we all want ample time to explore a city lined with mature, moss-filled trees. A city where world-class art museums, shops sporting local crafts, and hotels with beckoning porches await us.  A city like St. Petersburg, Florida.

But that’s not always the case.  With only one day to explore and hit the high spots, you can be hard pressed to see it all and do it all. But you CAN see a lot . . . if you have a plan.

Here are our top five “must-see’s” and “must-do’s” for a day in St. Pete.

1. Central Avenue

After breakfast, but still early, head to Central Avenue to do a little junkin’.  Stop in at Paper Street Market (915 Central) for industrial finds like sewing machines, architectural drawings, and metal signs. Or pick up a re-purposed desk and chair for your office.  Want to do it yourself? Iron Pelican (2452 Central) just may have the lowboy of your dreams. But sometimes you’re looking for a first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird. And if you are, you might get lucky at Haslam’s Book Store (2025 Central), Florida’s largest for new and used books — or that’s what the website says!

Come on in. There’s more inside at Paper Street Market on Central Avenue, St. Pete.

Whatever you do, don’t miss Florida Craftsmen (501 Central) where emerging and seasoned artists display their finest work  — like fiber art shoulder bags, hand-thrown pots, baskets woven of mixed grasses, and creative jewelry from fine, fine metals.

Adorned with a bold graphic, this mug catches your attention in the window of Florida Craftsmen.

Hungry yet?  Duck into Ricky P’s (1113 Central) for the Ultimate Shrimp Po-Boy or the Best BLFnT (Bacon, Lettuce, Fish — that’s Fried Tilapia — and Tomato) with remoulade sauce for an extra kick.  Too much sandwich?  Then dig in to Creole Jambalaya (crushed tomatoes, andouille sausage, chicken, and rice, of course).

Ricky P’s on Central, St. Petersburg, FL

2. Dali Museum

Even if you’ve seen the original Dali Museum, you’ve gotta go back to see this newly designed, architectural gem.  Emerging from this rectangular building designed by Yann Weymouth, the “eclipse” — a 75-foot tall curved window of 1062 triangular panes — offers a glimpse into the signature art collection of Salvador Dali.  (For more pictures, click here.) Take the helical staircase (Dali was obsessed with spirals) to the third floor where docents stand ready to share tidbits of the artist’s life and inspiration.  They’ll even shine flashlights on those hard-to-find illusions and symbols you might miss on your own!

The “eclipse” at the Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL

Want a cup of tea after touring? There’s not a prettier spot than the gardens facing Tampa Bay.  Adorned with Dali touches (spiral design, drippy watch bench, and a labyrinth made of hedge), the fanciful gardens just might have you looking for the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland — or Dali himself!

3. North and South Straub Park and the Marina

A stroll along the bay might be in order after viewing all that symbolic art, so drive out to The Pier and admire the boats just waiting for a good wind and a savvy sailor.

Boats at The Pier, St. Petersburg, FL

Park your car and stroll the parks while admiring the outdoor sculptures . . .

Newsboy, St. Petersburg

or the magnificent banyon trees standing like puddled drapery in an aristocrat’s home.

4. The Vinoy

After staring at art, strolling the park, and wishing you owned one of those lovely boats in the bay, head over to the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort and Golf Club (501 5th Ave., NE) to take a load off.  Order a drink, find a rocking chair on the porch, and watch the people go by!

An afternoon on the porch at The Vinoy

You may even be lucky to be there when a big event comes to town.  Like the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl.  And then you’ll see a sand sculpture greeting the fans and maybe even the team passing by on their way to the buses.

Sand Sculpture, The Vinoy

Or maybe you’ll just see folks like us hanging out, capturing the breeze, and watching the sun go down.

5.  Beach Drive

With one last push (OK,  you can do it!), you’ll leave The Vinoy and move down Beach Drive where you can take in the Chihuly Collection (400 Beach Drive NE) and the sweet little shops and restaurants along the way.  With a vast selection of contemporary crafts, you’ll surely find a souvenir or a special, one-of-a-kind item in Shapiro’s (300 Beach Drive).

At the end of the day, treat yourself to one of the specialties at 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House.  Like Lobster Mac & Cheese, Tandoori Spiced Mahi Mahi, or Florida Grouper Oscar. Be sure to ask if you can eat outside. On the sidewalk!

Not up for that?  Well, you can always tool it on down to St. Pete Beach where sunsets are free and Happy Hours are plentiful!

Sundown at St. Pete Beach

Walking the beach at sunset

Whatever you choose to do, it’ll be a great day in St. Petersburg!

For more information:

Map of St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront: http://www.stpete.org/downtown_waterfront_master_plan/docs/Waterfront_Facilities_Parks.pdf

Looking out at Tampa Bay from the “enigma” at the Dali Museum

Designed by architect Yann Weymouth, the hurricane-proof rectangular building utilizes 18-inch thick walls from which spring the “enigma,” a geodesic glass bubble facing beautiful Tampa Bay. Standing 75 feet at its tallest point, the “enigma” is made up of 1062 triangular pieces of glass, becoming not only a window on the gardens and waterfront of St. Pete, but also a place for standing and reflecting on the unique art housed within the museum itself.

The “enigma” at Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL

Close-up from the “enigma,” Dali Museum

Dali Museum

One Dali Boulevard

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

727.823.3767

For hours and pricing, click here.

For directions, click here.

For more entries in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Window, click here.

Just take a look at the pictures and select your favorite by posting a comment below or on Facebook.  We’re in the home stretch and will be making our final selections this weekend.

Here are three photographs for the red category.

Today’s Vote: RED

1. Welcome to Nepal

Upon our arrival in Nepal to build two mud and stone houses for Habitat for Humanity International, we were greeted by ladies dressed in red bearing strings of marigolds to lay around our necks.  Surprisingly, they also brought a red gloppy concoction which they scooped up and smudged onto our foreheads.  Namaste, they said.  And then we knew.  We weren’t family, of course, but we were as welcome as any Americans could be.

2. Simply Elegant Tapestry

It was difficult to find something understated in the Hermitage (St. Petersburg, Russia), but this simple, yet exquisite, red tapestry was as classy a piece as any we saw.  Simply elegant.  Simply divine.

3. Dancers in Breaux Bridge

Standing still next to a guy wearing a red Peace, Love & Cajuns shirt and a lady brushing by in a crimson swingy, swirling skirt was no easy task for a neophyte photographer.  In fact, just about everyone at the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival (Breaux Bridge, Louisiana) was movin’ and groovin’  — unless they were busy racing mudbugs and “suckin’ dem heads!”

Please take a minute to vote in the Comments section below.

If you missed any of the previous entries, here are the links to those posts.  There’s still time to help us decide!

Help us decide: Capture the Colour 2013 — GREEN

Help us decide: Capture the Colour 2013 — WHITE

Help us decide: Capture the Colour 2013 — YELLOW

Help us decide: Capture the Colour 2013 — BLUE

Many thanks for your support and ideas!

Rusha and Bert Sams

As we moved from room to room with a crowd of (just like us) tourists leaning, peering, and picture-snapping, we couldn’t help but marvel at the acquisitions and ornamentation that made each room more spectacular than the last.  With clean white walls and gold trim, the mirrored room held us captive.  But subsequent rooms showed off statuary, table settings, and period pieces the likes of which we had never seen before.  Here’s just a small sample.

The decadent exterior of Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg.

Note the statues of Atlas holding up the world at each section of this exterior wall.

One of the white-walled rooms adorned with gold. Fireplaces made with Delft tiles stood sentinel-like in various rooms — sometimes in corners or centered like this one. Opulence was under foot, too, in the form of exquisite parquet floors.

Just one of many artifacts of decadent clothing on display.

Even the artwork featured people in exquisite attire.