Floridian Getaways 2008 - (Page 11) Floridian getaways Above; Bailey’s Naturals, photo by Keith Lewis. Right, Safety Harbor cottage-style home. Bottom right, Philippe Park. A sense of holism and heightened consciousness pervades the streets of what on the surface appears to be your typical Florida hometown. Jars of herbs line the shelves of Bailey’s Naturals Herbal Apothecary, just down the brick-paved street from Conscious Soul Spa. A psychic, a biofeedback psychotherapist, a Pilates instructor and an astrological counselor each hang out “You have to punch it into your GPS and work at finding it. You must willingly discover it, a happy side trip from the St. Petersburg/Clearwater bustle.” their shingles. Quiet Spring advertises itself as “a place for wellness & healing” on Main Street, where boutiques, gift shops, restaurants and galleries crowd around a city park and lead from city limits east to Safety Harbor Resort and Spa. For breakfast, folks gather on oldfashioned chrome counter stools at Paradise Restaurant or at one of the local coffee shops. Green Springs Bistro, my favorite town eatery, resides in one of the colorful old bungalows off Main and is the spot for cozy lunches and dinners, artistic surroundings and creative Gulf Coast and Greek fusion food. Green Springs happened to be closed the last time I was in town, so I headed across the town’s railroad tracks and discovered Whistle Stop Grill & Bar, where my fried green tomatoes came topped with feta cheese and creamy crawfish sauce, and a local band entertained porch diners. Folks in Safety Harbor definitely know how to enjoy their city, and for Floridians coming into town, its long schedule of festivals offers ample occasion to plan a stay. To start with, every third Friday means a downtown music festival in the park, beginning with a lunchtime concert and continuing until 10 p.m. The Thursday Farmer’s Market convenes weekly in season, January through April. Annual festivals center around family and the arts. Safety Harbor has a thriving artist community, and their work brightens walls and yards throughout the downtown. Syd Entel Galleries hosts changing exhibits right on Main Street and also is home to Susan Benjamin Glass Etc., Race into Oldsmar While General Motors no longer makes the Oldsmobile, one surviving legacy of automotive pioneer Ransom E. Olds is the St. Petersburg/Clearwater city of Oldsmar. Located just across Tampa Bay from Safety Harbor, the historic city was developed, planned and promoted by America’s first car maker, Ransom E. Olds, and named R.E. Olds-on-the-Bay, later shortened to Oldsmar. The quiet city is home to the Oldsmar Flea Market, which bills itself as the “Mightiest in the South,” and Oldsmar BMX, a bike racing facility. Nearby is Tampa Bay Downs Thoroughbred Racing. For more information, see www.floridasbeach.com or www.visittampabay.com. Floridian Getaways 11 http://www.floridasbeach.com http://www.visittampabay.com
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