ZooTampa at Lowry Park ~ #TampaLocal
December 17, 2018
As the fourth-ish post in my #TampaLocal collection, I think this one actually FINALLY qualifies me as full local, and I'm honestly a little disappointed in myself that it took this long for me to make it to ZooTampa! I am a HUGE fan of animals and wildlife photography, so naturally getting the chance to break out my camera and take photos of random creatures just makes my soul happy. And, since Julie and I almost always seem to end up at a zoo of some sort, it was only fitting we check this one off the bucket list together!
Located in Lowry Park, ZooTampa features a multitude of different animals from all over the world, as well as rides for kiddos, and (amazingly) a beer and wine garden for the adults! They also have the largest Christmas tree I think I've come across in Tampa, as you can clearly see!
Though a decent amount of the exhibits had some sort of maintenance going on, our whole trek around the zoo took around two hours, including the "Expedition Africa" safari ride. And damn, it felt so good to break out my camera and dive into the way a shot lines up and the colors and exposure.
And clearly, I might be a wee bit partial to zebras, but c'mon people, baby zebras! Lucky for me, ZooTampa features a "Pay for a day, come back for the rest of the year" free option, so I will more than likely be back another day to get some more shots!
Winter Village ~ #TampaLocal
December 16, 2018 Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N Ashley Dr, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
Christmas is most definitely my favorite time of year. I get to celebrate both my birthday and the most wonderful, hopeful holiday on the calendar in the span of a few weeks, so I am no stranger to dashing off in search of Christmas magic all around.
Since I'm now a bonafide Tampa local (three years running!) one of the most obvious ways to kick-off the holiday season is the Winter Village at Curtis Hixon Park in downtown. Featuring shop stands from local businesses, coffee & treats, and ice skating, it's a fantastic way to get in the spirit and enjoy the beautiful Tampa "winter" weather.
This event is free to visit, and features light shows, "snow," and so much more that truly helps get you ready for Christmas. And I'm lucky enough to have friends (like Michelle) that let me drag them around and take 400 pictures of the whole thing!
Sweetfields Farm ~ Fall in Florida
November 18, 2018 Tampa, FL, USA
It's almost a running joke in Florida that our "fall" consists of the two nice days of cold weather we get every October. We try to pretend like our leaves are changing and that it's cold, but realistically we're still at the beach in the middle of November. Nonetheless, as someone who loves the fall all all fall-related activities, I've developed some traditions that I absolutely can't miss every time the weather drops below 80 degrees!
My absolute favorite has to be visiting Sweetfields Farm in Masarkytown, Florida. This farm features a pumpkin patch, corn maze, hay ride, and all of the farm animals you could ever hope to see. Just a 45 minute drive north of Tampa, this is definitely worth a morning trip just to get outside and spend some time together!
Though it's closed for the season, definitely consider visiting Sweetfields next fall, or in the Spring for sunflower season!
Top Places for Photos at Disney
October 29, 2018 Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, FL 32830, USA
As someone who’s grown up going to Disney, I often get the question: “How on earth are you not sick of the parks yet?” To most people, a day at Disney consists of rope-drop-to-fireworks nonstop, go go go activities, but for most locals and APs, we have the luxury of not having to rush because hey, we’ll just come back another day!
Recently, my most favorite thing to do at the parks is take photos. I’ve always loved photography, and combining that love with Disney has been some of the most fun ever. To wander MK or Epcot and just snap photos and laugh with friends, well, it’s my favorite!
Here are my top five places to take photos across the parks!
The Bubblegum Wall is one of the iconic “Walls of Disney.” Located just outside the entrance of Spaceship Earth, this adorable pink, magenta, and mint wall is perfect for some photos. This wall even has its own Instagram account, because what else would be more fitting for the futuristic Epcot center than walls with social media accounts?
2. The Purple Wall ~ Magic Kingdom
Now more widely known as the “Galactic Purple Wall,” this next iconic WoD lives in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom. Just like the BG Wall, this wall has its own Instagram and is known to repost some of the best pictures people take against its adorable lilac backdrop.
3. Castle Bridge & The Wishing Well ~ Magic Kingdom
One of my ultimate favorite places to take photos at MK is the bridge leading toward the Madhatter’s Teacups. This less common location tends to get skipped, as most people are content with photos right in front of the castle. This one ends up on the list because it’s less crowded, it’s a unique angle of the castle, and the wishing well has a certain element of that Disney magic to it. If you don’t believe me, trust the fact that I’ve seen not one, but THREE proposals on this bridge!
4. World Showcase ~ Epcot
I know saying “World Showcase” seems INCREDIBLY all encompassing of most of Epcot, but basically everywhere in WS is a prime photo opportunity. Whether your snapping pictures of your food and wine in front of each pavilion’s most iconic landmark or taking selfies, it’s never a dull day traveling around the world. My personal favorite locations in WS are the Moroccan fountain and the phone booths in the UK.
5. Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups ~ Magic Kingdom
Last in this post but first in my heart, my absolute FAVORITE place to take photos is the Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups. These pictures always turn out to be the cutest, because it’s hard to not capture genuine laughing candids whilst spinning at top speeds. This photo has become a tradition for me whenever I visit MK, and as I continue to visit the parks it will continue to be a part of that magic!
Now there are PLENTY of other spots that are great for photos, both in the parks and at the resorts, so stay tuned for a part 2 of this post, but for now go get snapping!
St. Pete Murals - #TampaLocal
October 3, 2018 St. Petersburg, FL, USA
Anybody who knows me knows I absolutely LOVE taking cute pictures with friends. Luckily for me, St. Pete and its multitude of fabulous murals is only a short 30 minute drive across the Howard Franklin. Recently, my best friend came to visit me in Tampa, and we did what we do best: take ALL of the pictures!
Since it's still warm here in sunny south Florida, we decided to go as early as possible to avoid sweating buckets. We made it to St. Pete around 7:30 in the morning, and set off in search of pretty walls!
The easiest way to find some of these is to just search in Maps for "iguana mural" or "shark mural," or to find their location via Instagram tags. Luckily for me, I have a wonderful friend (@Karina) who takes stunning photos in St. Pete all the time, so she helped me know where to look!
St. Pete has so much to offer, from visiting the flamingoes at Sunken Gardens to searching antique stores for some vintage finds, and it's definitely worth an all day visit. And if you're already going to be there, might as well take some cute pictures to remember your time in Florida's Sunshine City!
Love is Calling - Yayoi Kusama
September 29, 2018 120 Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
As a lover of all things art related, I've been a fan of Kusama's infinity rooms for some time. I saw pictures of The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away online and have been hooked ever since. So when I found out the Tampa Museum of Art was going to be hosting one of her rooms, I was over the moon.
Love is Calling features one of Kusama's iconic infinity rooms, with soft, tentacle-shaped inflatables that gently change color. While in the room, you listen to the artist recite a poem in Japanese as you take in the seemingly infinite space.
At TMA, you get to experience the room for two minutes at a time. I definitely am going to have to go at least a couple more times, because as a lover of photos I spent the whole two minutes snapping pictures on my phone instead of truly just immersing myself in the room. BUT, since TMA and the exhibit are both free for students, I have no problem going again!
After our two minutes were up, we finished looking around the other exhibits, Patricia Cronin pieces and Vapor & Vibration, before heading to the classic Tampa pizza place, Eddie and Sam's for some lunch. Overall, a wonderful day with some wonderful people!
Breakfast at Oxford Exchange ~ #TampaLocal
May 20, 2018 Tampa, FL, USA
So pardon the fact that this post is about five months late, but I'm finally getting back to blogging (so stay tuned for some delayed posts from what I've been doing since my last post!)
In December, my friends and I headed to one of my favorite locations in Tampa, Oxford Exchange! From the rows and rows of beautiful books to the delicious brunch and coffee, OE is basically my heaven on earth.
OE, built in 1891, has quite the history in Tampa Bay; originally thought to have been a stable, it's been a barrage of shops and businesses, and today the building has been restored to be a center of design and food that represents the aesthetic of Tampa bay.
My personal favorite thing about OE is the atmosphere. No matter the occasion, there's always something calming about OE and it's perfect Instagram-worthy aesthetic. We've been during hurricane season, when OE was the only place open for brunch, to celebrating special occasions, bringing us back to the heart of this post!
Since I turned 21 in December, I finally could enjoy a mimosa in public! And the best place to celebrate brunch and mimosas is OE, so naturally that's where I decided to go! I picked my fave breakfast dish, the berry french toast. Paired with my fresh OJ mimosa, I was quite the happy camper.
In the words of Leslie Knope, the three most important things in life are friends, waffles, and work, and getting to celebrate such a special day with all of my friends and some great breakfast food was truly amazing. I can't wait to visit OE again, because there's always something new to find, read, or buy.
In December, my friends and I headed to one of my favorite locations in Tampa, Oxford Exchange! From the rows and rows of beautiful books to the delicious brunch and coffee, OE is basically my heaven on earth.
My personal favorite thing about OE is the atmosphere. No matter the occasion, there's always something calming about OE and it's perfect Instagram-worthy aesthetic. We've been during hurricane season, when OE was the only place open for brunch, to celebrating special occasions, bringing us back to the heart of this post!
In the words of Leslie Knope, the three most important things in life are friends, waffles, and work, and getting to celebrate such a special day with all of my friends and some great breakfast food was truly amazing. I can't wait to visit OE again, because there's always something new to find, read, or buy.
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