Along with what we're calling The Year That Shall Not Be Named, the holidays are almost over, which means we'll have eleven-and-a-half months free of bringing our loved ones to tears over green bean casserole. In hopes of getting to the end of the year without any of the four horseman showing up or an angel opening any sort of seal, we’re bound and determined to celebrate.
So much to do and only a few days in which to do it: Dance with the stars — OK, not really, but you can watch Dancing with the Stars live at Ruth Eckerd Hall Friday night. Tampa side, check out the happy hour at Ybor's Italian Club.
New Year’s Eve brings parties from the Swigwam on St. Pete Beach to The Wild Rover Brewery and Hellcats Burlesque in Tampa. Go classic with an Animal House-styled party at Tampa Theatre, or go classy with Diamonds Are Forever. Not so much on the drinky? There’s poetry at Studio @620, part of DTSP's First Night, a coffee ride with St. Pete Running Company and a New Year’s Eve Salsa at the MFA. Don't want to party? This month's Road Trip takes you to a tiny seaside town along Florida's Forgotten Coast — no harm in getting the hell out of Dodge for the weekend, is there?
If you wake up on the right side of the dirt Sunday morning, congratulation, it's 2017! We made it! Take the Polar Plunge in the Gulf or (warmer) take any number of yoga classes (I'm partial to Rachel at Body Electric but you do you), or head to Wordier Than Thou for Star Trek Sundays. Tempus will have a pop-up shop New Year's day, or ring in the New Year at freeFall with Peter Pan (and here's a sweet love story about the actors real-life fairy tale) Not enough? Make a mala bead necklace at Green Locus Yoga, or head to RayJa to watch the Bucs maybe even win a game. Hey, it’s a new year. Anything can happen.
Anything, that is, except a year worse than the one we’re leaving behind. Fingers crossed, 2017. Fingers crossed.
This article appears in Dec 29, 2016 – Jan 5, 2017.