What’s a city to do when they have an old-style, million-gallon water tower in need of a facelift? Well, if it already looks like a giant egg, why not honor sea turtles and gopher tortoises hatching their way into our world? Large scale muralist Tom Stovall created “Henry and Sylvia” on the Curlew Water Tower honoring legendary Caladesi Island settler Henry Scharrer on the east side with a happy, 11-color tortoise. Sylvia, the simpler but more colorful turtle on the west face, honors longtime Dunedin resident, legendary marine biologist, National Geographic explorer-in-residence, Time magazine “Hero for the Planet” and author Sylvia Earle. These giant, joyful reptiles are guaranteed to make you smile. tomstovall.me

This article appears in Best of The Bay 2023.

Jon Palmer Claridge—Tampa Bay's longest running, and perhaps last anonymous, food critic—has spent his life following two enduring passions, theatre and fine dining. He trained as a theatre professional...