Events

1. Bungalowfest. An annual tour of Historic Kenwood's historic bungalows, all gussied up for their special day. On the Friday before the event, you can get a sneak peek during a special Bungalowfest by Moonlight night tour. First Saturday in November, Kenwood.

2. St. Pete Shuffle. This is a unique blend of young and old who meet every week to send those wee disks down the pitch to score points and defeat their enemies, usually to an indie-rock score. BYO food and drink and prepare for St. Pete's most mellow weekly gathering. 7-11 p.m. Fridays, 559 Mirror Lake Drive, stpeteshuffle.com.

3. Saturday Morning Market. Best farmer's market in the Bay area, with great, prepared food and often live music. Runs October through May. Central Avenue at Second Street, saturdaymorningmarket.com.

Attractions

4. BayWalk. Giant, soulless entertainment complex that epitomizes the worst of downtown development, even though it houses the only local movie theater. 153 Second Ave. N.

5. Florida International Museum. Formerly a giant department store, this gigantic space now houses big box traveling exhibitions ranging from celebrations of dogs, baseball and Barbie to the treasures of the Vatican, the bible and Princess Di. 244 Second Ave. N., 727-341-7900, floridamuseum.org.

6. The Pier. A perfect place to stop after Baywalk — same lack of soul, better view. 800 Second Ave. NE.

7. Post Office. Wacky, open-air post office set into (or out of?) an historic Mediterranean Revival building. Check your mail while stepping around the homeless! 76 Fourth St. N., 727-823-7558.

8. Tropicana Field. Go see a game before the Devil Rays are: a) contracted out of the league or b) move to another state or c) somehow shovel the waterfront park down residents' necks and move a few blocks east. One Tropicana Drive, 727-825-3120.

Arts & entertainment

9. Salvador Dali Museum. Surrealists have the best gift shops. As an added benefit, the Dali museum also has the most comprehensive collection of artwork by the late Spanish surrealist. 1000 Third St. S., 727-823-3767, salvadordalimuseum.org.

10. Museum Of Fine Arts. Perfect Florida tourism: more than 4,000 artworks from people like Cezanne, Gauguin and Rodin; a gorgeous, John Volk-designed building situated right on Tampa Bay with a brand-spanking-new wing designed by Yann Weymouth; just steps away from the water and the rest of Downtown St. Pete's hot spots. 255 Beach Drive N.E., 727-896-2667, fine-arts.org.

11. Florida Craftsmen Gallery & The Arts Center. Though these two organizations are independent of one another, together they have established their stretch of Central as a nexus of forward-thinking visual art. The Craftsmen Gallery shows handcrafted artwork and craft objects strictly from Florida-based artisans, while the Arts Center combines curated exhibits with a full complement of classes for the community. With its recent windfall from philanthropist Beth Ann Morean, the Center is looking ahead to an even greater presence in 2010 with a new building that will also house the Chihuly Collection. Florida Craftsmen Gallery, 501 Central Ave., 727-821-7391, floridacraftsmen.net; The Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., 727-822-7872, theartscenter.org.

12. State Theatre. Popular rock venue inside an outstanding example of Beaux Arts architecture, 687 Central Ave., 727-895-3045.

13. Jannus Landing. Jannus is St. Pete's premiere concert venue, and also the most interesting in the Bay area. It's tucked between buildings in the heart of downtown St. Pete, which means it's both outdoors and in, and the concerts have to shut down early to conform to noise regulations. 16 Second St. N., 727-896-2276, jannuslandingconcerts.com.

Food & drink

14. Beak's Old Florida. A casual restaurant and bar that defines "convivial," where the regulars and the newbies always seem to be having a very good time. There's an indoor dining room known for its funky old-Florida vibe (hence the name) and an outdoor patio, good for Central Avenue people-watching. 2451 Central Ave., 727-321-9100, beaksoldflorida.com.

15. Ciderhouse. Little Irish pub with bar food and great beer. 1752 Central Ave., 727-822-7400.

16. Craftsman House. Part sandwich shop, part gorgeously converted Kenwood bungalow, part retail store, part pottery workshop, Craftsman House does a lot of jobs very well indeed. True to its name, the shop features a stellar collection of lamps, furniture and glass by contempoary artists working in the Arts & Crafts tradition — great for furnishing your own 1920s Kenwood bungalow. 2955 Central Ave., 727-323-2787.

17. Durty Nelly's. Cozy Irish pub features the requisite billiard tables, darts and foosball — but with its handsome wooden furniture and whiskey selections brings a classy element to a Central Avenue district formerly known for attracting the kind of indie rock and punk kids who prefer cheap draft beer and shots over single malts. 661 Central Ave., 727-824-8884.

18. The Emerald. Downtown St. Pete's most beloved dive bar, this is the place for cheap, strong cocktails, hipsters to rub shoulders with the homeless and to hear local bands blast away on the weekends. 550 Central Ave., 727-898-6054.

19. Georgie's Alibi. There are three Georgie's Alibi clubs, including one in Ft. Lauderdale and one in California, which conveniently forms a triangle when the sites are connected on the map. Hmmm. Friendly, welcoming gay club that attracts lots of men, women and even some practicing heterosexuals. Surprisingly good bar menu and regular shows. 3100 Third Ave. N., 727-321-2112, georgiesalibi.com.

20. Globe Coffee Lounge. A bohemian coffee shop on a still-quiet city block, just a half mile from the massive developments on the waterfront. Coffee and food, too. 532 First Ave. N., 727-898-5282, globecoffeelounge.com.

21. The Kitchen. Killer sandwiches that will bust your gut combined with spicy prepared foods, courtesy of downtown's own Granola Lady and that Z Grille guy. 409 Central Ave., 727-895-3300.

22. Parkshore Grill. A high-end steakhouse that symbolizes the spirit of the new downtown, with a luxe interior and a giant outdoor plaza facing the Museum of Fine Arts and the Bay. The kitchen is helmed by Tyson Grant, who's been a chef at a number of popular St. Pete restaurants. 300 Beach Drive NE, 727-896-9463, parkshoregrill.com.

23. Primi Urban Café. Exceptional, affordable Italian cuisine in a casual setting cooked and served by a friendly South African family. Primi was CL's Best New Restaurant in 2006. 27 Fourth St. N., 727-895-4909, primiurbancafe.com.

24. Push Ultra Lounge. The 'Burg's trendiest new bar is where local bands play on Thursdays and star DJs like Good Charlotte's Benji Madden spin. 128 Third St. S., 727-895-7874, pushultralounge.com.

25. Savannah's Café. Gussied-up Southern food with some of the best fried chicken and gravy in town, right on the border of downtown and Grand Central. So good, we named it best new restaurant of 2007. 1113 Central Ave., 727-388-4371, savannahsstpete.com.

26. Z Grille. This Baja-Cali-Mex joint serves great fish tacos at lunch and slightly more refined fare at dinner, including a kick-ass rib eye with spicy butter. Look for an expansion in the near future, though, with Z Grille moving into a larger space in the new Signature Place condo tower, and the Central Ave. locale shifting to a concentration on burritos and beer. 269 Central Ave., 727-896-3101.

Cool shops

27. Being: The Art of Living. Awarded "Best Home Store for When You've Outgrown Pier 1" in CL's 2006 Best of the Bay awards, Being remains an outpost of unpretentious but unmistakable chic. And yes, it's in the aforementioned BayWalk. 115 Second Avenue N., 727-822-6252.

28. Cherie's Eklectika. This funky store is jam-packed with original artwork, wacked-out greeting cards and a profusion of extremely colorful stuff you can buy. Plus, they've got the best Web address in town. 202 Beach Drive NE, 727-821-4336, welovestpete.com.

29. Haslam's Book Store. This sprawling bookstore boasts one of the largest used book selections in Florida, from dog-eared sci-fi paperbacks to high-end folios and autographed items, as well as an oddly extensive selection of low-carb food products. 2025 Central Ave., 727-822-8616, haslams.com.

30. House of Ska. Billed as St. Pete's first "Fashion House," the home base of the inimitable Ivanka Ska, designer, fashionista and diva-about-town, brings a dose of glamour and gowns to downtown. 401 First Ave. N., 727-822-7752, ivankaska.com.

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This article appears in Mar 26 – Apr 1, 2008.