I know, I know — how can you possibly have a weekend without going to DTSP, Grand Central or the Edge, right? Trust me, it can be done — and you'll have a hell of a lot of fun doing it. And, while we're pretty sure this is going to piss off the business associations downtown, we heart the southside, west side and the beaches, so we're sending you there. Go. You won't be sorry.
Friday night
In the El Cap vs. Chattaway debate, I'm a southside girl at heart and the burgers — with bun or without — make me happy. But then, I'm the weirdo who orders their cottage cheese and fries, too. It's the whole experience: the bathtubs, the restroom you can't use if you're still carrying holiday weight, the funky patio. And, yes, the tea room, which shouldn't make sense but totally does. Often, they have live music, so this is a two for one.
9. Sun-something at Lassing Park
Yeah, yeah, I know — you can't really see the sunset from an east-facing beach. Which means you'll have the place totally to yourself, aside from the — are they Amish? Mennonites? Hell, I don't know, but still, they leave me and my leash-free dog alone (Disclaimer: Totally not legal. Probably.) — aside from the religious peeps walking around, runners and seagulls. Bonus: at the north end you'll find some pretty cool mangroves.
8. Music at the Drunken Clam
Yes, it's named after that Drunken Clam. And yes, it's the diviest bar on St. Pete Beach, but they make a hell of a burger and they have the Charlie Morris band Friday night from 8 p.m.-midnight.
Saturday
Grab a Mexican mocha or coffee nip at this south St. Pete coffee shop. You're gonna need the caffeine fix — we've got a big day ahead of us, starting with the…
Think boats, not cars — Gulfport's first-in-recent-memory powerboat races promises to pack people into town, but thankfully there's plenty of waterfront and offsite parking to hold everyone.
The St. Pete Beach location has, hands-down, the cheapest and tastiest Florida oysters on the beach. Ask for Enoch and look for their selection of local beer.
Pass-a-Grille's a pretty cool little town, even if it gave up being its own town many years ago. Every year, they host the Beach Goes Pops, a beachside music party. Saturday night they'll have a Chillounge in conjunction with the music, so pop on by.
Sunday
3. Mexi-brunch at Nueva Cantina
Choose from Mexican biscuits and gravy or the grilled avocado tostado. 'Nuff said.
Wax sets her books in Pass-a-Grille and they're awesome-fun to read (we'll show you what we mean when we release our May 11 summer guide and give you a reading list), and she's released the latest in her Ten Beach Road series, One Good Thing. The SPB library's hosting a book talk with her Sunday afternoon. When she's done, follow her down to a…
1. Beachside Celebration at Paradise Grille
Get $5 wine, chat with Wendy and watch the sun close down the weekend as it sinks into the Gulf. See you next week, Loafers!
This article appears in Apr 27 – May 4, 2017.