BEST PLACE TO SHOP
Urban Outfitters
It´s definitely my favorite store. I think it´s got more of a laid-back vibe, and a little bit of retro, too. You can find new clothes that look vintage, and then they also have funny, original gifts like books that are geared toward young people, stuff for kids in college, dormitory stuff. Their selection is just more original. I also like The Buzz at BayWalk. They do a similar thing to Urban Outfitters. They´ve got cool bracelet there.
Urban Outfitters, 1600 E. Eighth Ave., Ybor City, 813-242-8472; The Buzz, 125 Second Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-894-5151.
BEST AFTER-SCHOOL HANGOUT
Tijuana Flats
When we hang out at night, it´s normally at each other´s houses. We don´t really have a nighttime hangout. But after school, we go to Tijuana Flats. It´s good food, cheap for us teenagers. It´s friendly and loud, so we don´t feel like we´re being rude when we get noisy. I get the chips and queso. The burritos are good too. I don´t worry about carbs and calories and stuff, hence the cheese.
Tijuana Flats, 944 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-823-5882.
BEST STUDY HANGOUT
Panera Bread
We can get food there, and there´s an area in the back where you can study. It´s a quiet atmosphere, and you can get out of the house. We´ll call a bunch of people in our class or send out an Internet message that we´re getting together at Panera to study. Sometimes we have big groups, like up to 15. We interact, pick a topic that´s going to be on a test, discuss it.
Panera Bread, 1914 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-895-5441.
BEST SUMMER HANGOUT
St. Pete Beach
Usually everyone hangs out behind Bongos. It´s kind of the default place to go when there aren´t any parties going on.
Bongos Beach Bar & Grill, 5800 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, 727-367-6638.
BEST FASHION TREND THAT´S ALSO SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS
Live Strong Bracelets
They´re these yellow cancer bracelets. They cost a dollar and you can get ´em at random stores and different restaurants. I heard they sold six million of them. They´re really cute. They´re simple, made of rubber. Guys and girls wear them. It´s a good way to send a message about cancer and be fashionable in an inexpensive way. I´ve been trying to find one, but they´re all sold out. I´m pretty sure Lance Armstrong started it.
BEST RESTAURANT
Fresco´s Ristorante
It´s right by The Pier. It´s in a location where the restaurants have kept changing. It´s on the right-hand side, by the marina. They just put in a dock, and you can get to the restaurant right off your boat. It´s a seafood place, a little more upscale. They´ve got really good food. The calamari is really, really good, and the desserts are really good, too. They do open mic nights. It´s geared toward young adults, and it´s becoming more of a hangout spot. They just added a bar outside on the patio.
Fresco´s Ristorante, 300 Second Ave. N.E., St. Petersburg, 727-894-4429.
BEST TEACHER
Karen Vann, English, St. Pete High IB Program
I had her in the 10th grade. I don´t have her this year, but I wish I did. She is very blunt about how things are. When some teachers deal with racy subjects, they´re very cautious how they present them. But Miss Vann is blunt about it. We have to turn in journals, and she gives constructive criticism but doesn´t beat around the bush. I feel my writing really improved in her class. She´s very funny. Has this glowing personality. She´s not a pushover, but at the same time we have respect for her. I feel like it´s nice of her to be very honest with us. She respects us enough to do that.
BEST LOCAL TEAM
Tampa Bay Lightning
I watched all the playoff games, and I was really upset ´cause I was in Maryland for the last three games and the parade. I didn´t follow hockey previously, so some people say I´m a poser, but so what? I´ll keep watching it. I think it´s a really interesting sport. Once they got good, I started religiously watching.
BEST LOCAL ATHLETE
Vinny Lecavalier
I don´t know if you can print this in the newspaper, but my friend Caileen and I found out on the Internet that he lives in Harbour Island. We knew there was a practice one day and went over to Harbour Island and sat along the main strip, and waited to see if his car would pass by, to get a glimpse of him. That didn´t happen. But we were so obsessed with Vinny Lecavalier that we went to Ch. 10 news and asked the lady if we could be junior reporters for the game. She said no. I really think she should´ve let us do it. We wouldn´t have charged her anything. I´ve taped every TV interview with him. It started out like, ¨He´s pretty cute, maybe I´ll watch him for a while.¨ Then it becomes interesting. (Laughs) He´s gorgeous. I think he´s definitely a very creative player. You see some things he does, creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. I think I could get him to go on a date with me, once I turn 18 in November. Now if he reads this, he´ll probably think, ¨What the hell? I think I´m gonna get a restraining order.¨
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2004.