Bay Magazine Feb. 2026

TRAIL BLAZERS

FROM THE EDITOR

by Kathy Saunders

OFF TO THE RACES

Tampa Bay Downs, one of Florida’s original thoroughbred racetracks, celebrates 100 seasons of horse racing this year.

Automobile pioneer Ransom Eli Olds began building the track after he purchased the land in 1916 that was eventually developed into the city of Oldsmar. In 1965, the late Chester Ferguson bought the property, which is still run by his children, President-Treasurer Stella Ferguson Thayer and her brother, Vice President-Secretary Howell Ferguson. We talked to Thayer about the legacy that is Tampa Bay Downs.

Our Valentine’s Day issue also includes our passion for artist Janet Echelman. Her “Bending Arc” net sculpture is expected to be reinstalled at the St. Pete Pier in the next six months, following damage by the 2024 hurricanes. And she has been commissioned to design one of her soaring aerial artworks in Ybor City as part of the rising Gasworx project.

In the meantime, we suggest visiting her solo exhibition, “Janet Echelman: Radical Softness,” at the Sarasota Art Museum.

We know you’ll love it.

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16 HISTORY

This month, historic racetrack Tampa Bay Downs celebrates a century of horse racing in the bay area.

20 PROFILE

Tampa Bay Downs President Stella Ferguson Thayer discusses the racetrack’s history, heritage and horses.

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12 FOOD

Love is in the air with these Valentine’s Day-inspired sweet treats from local chef Olivier Rodriguez.

8 FOUND IT

Surprise your valentine with one of these thoughtful, local-inspired gifts.

26 ART

Tampa-born artist Janet Echelman’s aerial artworks wow, from her St. Petersburg sculpture “Bending Arc” to her solo exhibit in Sarasota. 30

In Caravaggio’s Light offers an extraordinary opportunity to view rare masterpieces from this world-renowned collection. Featuring many works being shown in the United States for the first time, this exhibition invites you to witness the intense realism and breathtaking chiaroscuro that changed the course of art history forever

A MAGAZINE OF THE TAMPA BAY TIMES

FEBRUARY 2026

Bay is published monthly by Times Publishing Co. and delivered to Tampa Bay Times subscribers in select neighborhoods in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Copyright 2026. Vol. 19, No. 2.

EDITOR KATHY SAUNDERS | ksaunders@tampabay.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIKKI LIFE | nlife@tampabay.com

Photographer BRIAN JAMES | brian@brianjamesgallery.com

Copy Editor Erin Murphy Imaging & Production Brian Baracani

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Luxury

FOUND IT

BE MiNE

From a handmade necklace to a heart-shaped sign, surprise your valentine with one of these thoughtful, local-inspired gifts.

HEART NECKLACE

Jewelry is always a good idea on Valentine’s Day. We love this 38-inch, handmade, high-gloss resin heart necklace in vivid hues of red, blue, green and yellow. It catches the light — and the heart. We found it and other similar heart-shaped treasures at ArtsiPhartsi, a gallery of handmade items from jewelry to furniture, located at 4002 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa. $125. artsiphartsi.com.

iLLUSTRATED NOTECARDS

New York-based artist Patricia van Essche worked for 15 years as a Manhattan fashion designer before becoming a full-time illustrator, designing for classic American brands like J.McLaughlin. She now sells her artwork via her brand, PvE Design, which, according to her website, is “rooted in the idea of living artfully (and) staying connected to movement, creativity and inner effervescence.” Her notecards, notebooks, art prints and original artworks feature storefronts, homes, pets, events and whatever brings her joy. Essche accepts personalized projects on commission. Prices vary. pvedesign.com.

ViNTAGE BANGLE

Gemmaphiles know Tiffany & Co. is jewelry that never goes out of style, and the pieces also retain their value. One place to find a unique Tiffany’s treasure is in the vintage department of Old Northeast Jewelers, with locations at 1131 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg, and 1607 W. Swann Ave., Tampa. We love this mid-century, hand-hammered Tiffany & Co. bracelet. $8,900. oldnortheastjewelers.com.

POTTED PLANT

For the gardener in your life, we are in love with the heart-shaped sweetheart hoya plant. It’s a durable houseplant with leaves in the symbol of love that looks extra special in a decorative pot. The hoya kerrii is a slow-growing, low-maintenance vine that prefers indirect sunlight and humidity — perfect for Florida. We found some in cute Valentine’s Day-worthy pots from Costa Farms at Lowe’s. $20.99. lowes.com.

WELCOME SiGN

Tampa artist Lisa Woodward has been brightening doors and warming porches throughout the Tampa Bay area for the past 18 years. Her collection of hand-painted, wooden pieces includes door signs, ornaments and personalized merchandise, with special Valentine’s Day decor and hearts paying homage to local teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning. Woodward also takes custom orders. Prices vary. twoswingsstudio.com.

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Sweet treats FOOD

After back-to-back hurricanes forced him to shutter his shop, local chef Olivier Rodriguez is rebuilding his business with wholesale shipments and private cooking classes.

BY KATHY SAUNDERS

Chef Olivier Rodriguez sugarcoats for a living. But even he could not find a way to sweeten the loss of his St. Pete Beach business, destroyed by hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Rodriguez, 48, opened CocoAddiction on Corey Avenue in 2021 with a partner, fellow French chef Gregory Pugin from Miami. He and his five employees welcomed customers to their neighborhood coffee and confectionery shop, where they offered desserts from fancy chocolates and mousse caramel cakes to flavored macarons.

Special orders for events like Valentine’s Day always kept Rodriguez in the kitchen for long hours. He loved it. In September 2024, Rodriguez got organized for the holiday rush and decided to take his first trip in years to his hometown of Annecy in the French Alps. Within days of his arrival there, back-to-back hurricanes hit Pinellas County.

“I got stuck there and there was nothing I could do,” Rodriguez said. He spent days fielding calls from employees, who sent photos of his café and bakery flooded with 2 feet of water. Every piece of his specialized equipment was damaged.

With the help of his employees and devoted customers, many of whom lost their own homes in the storms, Rodriguez removed what he could salvage and shuttered the shop. He raised over $9,000 in donations through a GoFundMe account, which paid for him to restore much of his equipment, but the repairs took a year to complete.

Last fall, Rodriguez found a kitchen to rent near the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. It’s far from his beach bakery, he allowed, “but it’s not in a flood zone.”

When his new business license was approved days before Thanksgiving, he posted the news on Instagram (@cocoaddiction_confections) and began taking special orders for customers willing to make the drive.

While the new location does not include a retail space, Rodriguez sells his artisan

“I love what I do.”

— Chef Olivier Rodriguez

chocolates through wholesale shipments to restaurants, hotels and galleries in Miami and Orlando. Because he can create personalized candies, he also fulfills orders for local and regional private businesses. His pastries and confections are available in St. Petersburg at Cassis Market & Café on Beach Drive.

Special orders have propped up his business. Rodriguez made his coveted pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving and chocolate and vanilla Bûche de Noël (Yule logs) for Christmas. For Valentine’s Day, he is bringing back his sought-after chocolate candy hearts.

“I’ll make anything for customers as long as they order enough for me to make a large enough batch — usually at least four items at a time,” he said.

Rodriguez has also begun offering cooking classes at the new, larger kitchen. He leads private classes for one ($325), couples ($75 for an extra student) or group classes for up to six ($120 per person). He supplies the ingredients, equipment and instructions, and students take home what they prepare. Rodriguez filmed online baking tutorials during the pandemic and called teaching a passion.

While it has taken more than a year to rebuild, Rodriguez prefers to look ahead. He’s from a family of restaurateurs who experienced the ups and downs of operating Italian eateries.

“I am grateful for what I have and what we are building,” he said recently while creating a batch of Valentine’s Daythemed macarons during a private class at his bakery. As he filled the heartshaped cookies with Madagascar vanilla cream, he said, “I love what I do.”

For more information, visit cocoaddictionmia.com.

HISTORY

TAMPA BAY DOWNS

A CENTURY OF RACING

TRADITION

BY AMY SCHERZER AND NANCY TURNER

N FEB. 18, 2026, Tampa Bay Downs will mark its 100th anniversary — a milestone in a story that stretches back far longer than the track itself. Horse racing in Tampa dates to March 15, 1826, when soldiers and settlers of the newly established Fort Brooke staged impromptu races along the banks of the Hillsborough River. Among the riders was Maj. Francis Dade, later killed in the Dade Massacre, whose name carries on in Dade City, Miami-Dade County and Fort Dade on Egmont Key.

The sport’s legacy continued when railroad magnate Henry B. Plant built the grand Tampa Bay Hotel — now headquarters of the University of Tampa — and added a half-mile racetrack to entertain guests. Racing became a fixture of the Florida State Fair, and even Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla ended its parade circling the track until the 1970s.

Visionary automobile pioneer Ransom Eli Olds carried the tradition forward in 1916 when he purchased nearly 38,000 acres at the “Top of

the Bay” to develop Oldsmar. Alongside homes and a casino, he began building a racetrack that would eventually become Tampa Bay Downs. The West Coast Jockey Club acquired the racetrack around late 1925.

The racetrack struggled, with little success, for two decades with different names and owners. During World War II, the U.S. Army commandeered the track for jungle warfare training. Racing returned after the war — but with stock cars. Bill France, who won one of those races, would go on to found NASCAR just two years later.

New owners brought horse racing back and named the track Sunshine Park Racing Association in 1947, adding modern innovations such as a tote board, an electric starting gate and a photo-finish camera. Sports writers covering spring training baseball in Tampa began coming to the track on their days off, including legendary journalist Grantland Rice, who dubbed it “the Santa Anita of the South.” The track’s reputation soared, producing stars like jockey Bill Hartack, who captured five Kentucky Derbies, three Preakness Stakes and a Belmont Stakes before ending his career as a steward at Tampa Bay Downs.

CENTENNIAL EVENTS

Now-May 17: “The Sport of Kings and Queens.” This Tampa Bay History Center exhibition explores the impact of Florida’s thoroughbred industry and Ocala’s rise as the “horse capital of the world.” The exhibition also chronicles Tampa Bay Downs’ growth and 200-plus years of horse racing history in the bay area. Tampa Bay History Center. 813-228-0097. tampabayhistorycenter.org.

Feb. 11: Florida Conversations: “The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers.” Guest lecture by Roda Ferraro, director of the Keeneland Library in Lexington, Kentucky. Free. 12-1 p.m. Tampa Bay History Center. 813-228-0097. tampabayhistorycenter.org.

Feb. 13: Legends Autograph Meet & Greet and Silent Auction, which benefits the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Meet Julie Krone, Ramón Domínguez, Mike Manganello and others who have made their mark in Oldsmar. From $25. Gates open at 11 a.m. Tampa Bay Downs. 813-8554401. tampabaydowns.com.

Feb. 14: 11th annual Jockeys & Jeans, which benefits the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. $200. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tampa Bay Downs. 720-270-5099. tampabaydowns.com.

Feb. 15: 100 Years in the Community. Celebrate the Tampa Bay area’s hotels, restaurants, the historic Tampa Theatre, The Junior League of Tampa and other businesses that are also celebrating 100 years. Prizes and giveaways will be available throughout the day. Gates open at 11 a.m. Tampa Bay Downs. 813-855-4401. tampabaydowns.com.

Feb. 18: Historical 100th Anniversary Marker Installation Along Race Track Road. 10:30 a.m. All racing attendees will receive a 2026-27 season pass, a $100 value. Gates open at 11 a.m. Tampa Bay Downs. 813-8554401. tampabaydowns.com.

Tampa attorney Chester Ferguson and a group of sportsmen acquired the track in 1965, renaming it the Florida Downs and Turf Club a year later. The Ferguson family still owns the track, which is led by Ferguson’s children, President-Treasurer Stella Ferguson Thayer and her brother, Vice President-Secretary Howell Ferguson.

In 1970, one of Florida Downs’ riders made history when Mike Manganello won the Kentucky Derby.

The “Oldsmar oval,” as the track was nicknamed, entered a new era in 1980 when George Steinbrenner became an ownership partner, which attracted celebrity visitors to the now-renamed Tampa Bay Downs. Soon after, a female jockey launched her career here: Julie Krone became the first woman to win a Triple Crown race — the Belmont Stakes — and was the first woman inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Siblings Stella Ferguson Thayer and Howell Ferguson became sole owners of Tampa Bay Downs in 1986. The addition of a turf course expanded opportunities

to race on either grass or dirt. The Clubhouse Turn Restaurant was enlarged and renovated in 1989, and minors were permitted in all areas except the Sports Gallery and wagering lines.

The track’s reputation as a proving ground grew, with horses like Street Sense and Super Saver winning the Kentucky Derby after competing here, Tapwrit taking the Belmont, and fillies Luv Me Luv Me Not and Secret Status claiming the Kentucky Oaks. Even Breeders’ Cup champions trace their roots to Tampa Bay Downs.

Like all sporting venues, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged thoroughbred racing in early 2020, forcing Tampa Bay Downs to close its doors to spectators from March 18, 2020, through the remainder of the season. When racing resumed and the track reopened for simulcast wagering, strict safety protocols were in place — masks were required for horsemen, jockeys and fans alike.

Each race has been a symphony of muscle, motion and heart. And the thoroughbred has been its most elegant instrument.

HISTORY TIMELINE

1826: Soldiers and settlers at Fort Brooke stage Tampa’s first recorded horse race along the Hillsborough River.

1891: Railroad magnate Henry B. Plant opens the grand Tampa Bay Hotel, adding a half-mile racetrack for guests.

1916: Automobile pioneer Ransom Eli Olds purchases nearly 38,000 acres to develop Oldsmar and clears land to build homes and the future racetrack.

1926: The first race is held at the racetrack on Feb. 18, 1926.

1940s: During World War II, the U.S. Army converts the track into barracks and training grounds for jungle warfare.

1947: Horse racing returns under new ownership as the Sunshine Park Racing Association. A sports writer dubs it “the Santa Anita of the South.”

1966: The track is renamed the Florida Downs and Turf Club.

1970: Mike Manganello, a rider from the track, wins the Kentucky Derby.

1980: George Steinbrenner joins ownership; the track is renamed Tampa Bay Downs.

1986: Stella Ferguson Thayer and Howell Ferguson become sole owners.

2000s–2020s: Tampa Bay Downs earns national recognition as a proving ground for future champions, including Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winners.

2026: Tampa Bay Downs celebrates its 100th anniversary, honoring a century of tradition, triumph and thoroughbred excellence.

PROFILE

IN THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Tampa Bay Downs President Stella Ferguson Thayer’s stewardship built the track’s reputation and future in the world of thoroughbred racing.

BY AMY SCHERZER

tella Ferguson Thayer learned to ride her pony, Suzette, at age 5. As a teenager, she and her friends rode their horses on Bayshore Boulevard’s grassy median and on dirt trails through South Tampa. Too young to be allowed into the Oldsmar track she now owns, the kids climbed on the hood of a car to watch the races over the fence.

As newlyweds, she and her late husband, A. Bronson Thayer, lived on a breeding farm in Whitehouse, New Jersey. They bought their first racehorse, Thonotosassa, upon moving to Tampa in the 1970s.

Following her father, Chester Ferguson’s path, Stella Ferguson Thayer specialized in trusts, estates and corporate law at his firm, Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen. Her mother, Louise Lykes Ferguson, shared her love of horses, while it was strictly business for her father, part-owner of the track from 1965 until his death in 1983. The name changed three times during his tenure, from Sunshine Park Racing Association to Florida Downs and Turf Club (1966), and finally to Tampa Bay Downs (1980).

The family’s connection to the track goes back much further, back 100 years to 1926. Stella Ferguson Thayer’s mother’s uncle, D. Collins Gillett, was one of the original owners when it opened as the West Coast Jockey Club. Citrus grower Gillett was the 1923 Gasparilla King and the first mayor of Temple Terrace.

In 1986, Stella Ferguson Thayer and her brother, Howell Ferguson, were surprised to be the winning bidders for Tampa Bay Downs at auction. Since becoming track president, she was elected president of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America (1999-2001) as well as president of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (2005-2014). For her leadership, Stella Ferguson Thayer earned the prestigious title of Pillar of the Turf in 2023.

Other roles make her a pillar, not only of the turf, but of Tampa Bay. Stella Ferguson Thayer was the first woman to lead the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, chaired both the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority and the Hillsborough County Hospital Authority, and served on the boards of the University of South Florida Foundation and the Tampa General Hospital Foundation.

As Tampa Bay Downs races into its 100th year, Stella Ferguson Thayer speaks to Bay about its history, heritage and horses. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Congratulations! One hundred years is an extraordinary milestone. What do you think has allowed Tampa Bay Downs to succeed for a full century?

That Tampa Bay Downs will celebrate 100 years is a significant achievement. The first 20 years were fraught with the Depression and World War II, and racing was sporadic, but it has remained the one thoroughbred racetrack on the west coast of Florida.

The management team is dedicated and competent and has been in place for over 30 years, as have many of the employees. Support from the horse owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys, along with community racing fans, has been invaluable.

The population base has grown, and new and expanded roads have improved access to the track. After COVID, we saw an increase in attendance from people appreciating racing and the ability to enjoy an experience outdoors. Tampa Bay Downs is a smaller venue and is known for its hospitality. It still maintains a country feel where you are close to the racing action.

Looking back, what significant changes have you seen in the racing industry, particularly when it comes to opportunities for women?

Horse racing has evolved from independent geographic venues to a national sport connected through simulcast betting, which enables racing fans to follow and bet on horses across the country.

One of the more meaningful investments we made was installing the turf course in May 1997, and we pride ourselves in maintaining it well so it’s a safe and consistent surface. In the U.S., horses mainly run on dirt, while in Europe it’s primarily on grass turf. Having the turf course is one of the things that makes the track thrive and draw much better horses.

Opportunities for women in thoroughbred racing have increased, with many women training horses and excelling as well as rising to the top of the sport as jockeys. Women also hold major management positions at racetracks across the country, so the sport has definitely changed in its inclusivity over the years.

For people not familiar with how racing works, what makes betting at the track appealing? Maybe more appealing than casino gambling?

With pari-mutuel wagering, everyone is betting against everyone else. That creates better odds, unlike in a casino, because you are not betting against the house. Winners share the total pool, minus the track’s “takeout” to cover operational costs and purses for the race. The final payout is not known until betting closes and the results are official.

You’ve been involved with two fascinating history books in the last few years. Tell us about them.

I asked Tampa writer Nancy Turner if she would help do a book based on 100 years of Tampa Bay Downs and its previous iterations, and she has been amazing with her research and energy in driving it to completion. She has set “The First 100 Years of Tampa Bay Downs” in the context of the local history, which in itself is most interesting.

On a trip to England, I acquired a book called “A Long Time Gone” about the history of former racetracks there. I suggested to the National Museum of Racing something similar might be of interest, and they assembled sports writers to compile “The Racetracks of America: From the Pre-Civil War Days to the Present.” It is quite a thorough and interesting history.

You have said a lifelong goal was to visit every racetrack in the country. How close are you to fulfilling that bucket list item?

So far, I have been to racetracks in North and South America, Europe, India, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Dubai and Australia. I would still like to visit tracks in Japan and New Zealand.

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ART

SKY HIGH

Tampa-born artist Janet Echelman’s aerial artworks wow, from her St. Petersburg sculpture “Bending Arc,” soon to return, to her solo exhibition in Sarasota. Next up: A new design for Ybor City’s Gasworx development.

BY AMY SCHERZER

London to Los Angeles, Singapore to Seattle — and, until last year, St. Petersburg — visitors the world over search for words grand enough — magical, exquisite, ethereal, alive — to capture the marvel of Janet Echelman’s stunning net sculptures.

The globally acclaimed Tampa-born artist’s aerial artworks amaze and astonish viewers in more than 60 cities on five continents, with giant shimmering “sky hammocks” hovering over public spaces, interacting with the sun and wind at skyscraper scale.

In St. Petersburg, Echelman’s “Bending Arc” captivated thousands of people at the St. Pete Pier from the summer of 2020 until February 2025. Named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” the sculpture, hand- and machine-knotted from 180 miles of blue-and-white braided fiber, was suspended by spliced ropes stretched 424 feet wide and floated 72 feet above the ground.

For more than four years, “Bending Arc” weathered Florida’s climate and numerous storms, including Hurricane Ian. But after Hurricane Milton, sections became snagged by flying Adirondack chairs, which had been tied together underneath but broke loose. The St. Petersburg City Council funded its removal for structural analysis.

A visitor admires “Expanding Club,” on view during “Janet Echelman: Radical

at

The good news: Reinstallation is expected within the next six months. A national engineering firm confirmed the city’s installation contractor used substandard materials and improperly installed the structure. But the firm concluded that “Bending Arc” performed precisely as designed, capable of withstanding winds of up to 150 mph.

Said Echelman, “I was so pleased to receive St. Petersburg (City Development Administrator) James Corbett’s email in November (2025) saying, ‘Our goal is to complete the testing, finalize the engineering specifications and reinstall the artwork before the next hurricane season.’”

Impressively, Echelman is already looking skyward to her second engineering feat for the bay area — a new commission for Gasworx developer Darryl Shaw, created for the 50-acre mixed-use neighborhood rising in historic Ybor City.

“I’m working on an exciting new design for a sculpture to suspend over Third Avenue at 14th Street, just blocks from where my grandmother grew up,” Echelman announced. “The Gasworx team

“Janet Echelman: Radical Softness” showcases 40 years of Echelman’s work at

is working to install the anchors in their new buildings as we speak.”

In the meantime, do not miss her fascinating solo exhibition, “Janet Echelman: Radical Softness,” on view at the Sarasota Art Museum through April 26. Four decades of Echelman’s fine art and craft show the breadth of her work, including batik-dyed and acrylic artworks, charcoal and chalk drawings, and textile collages.

Gallery-size examples of the complex 3D creations bring the “wows”: Echelman’s art has also been ranked No. 1 on Oprah Winfrey’s “List of 50 Things That Make You Say Wow!” Video screens show the technical choreography of her projects — engineering schematics, time-lapse installations and dancers intertwined in a net 25 feet off the ground. A glass case displays Echelman’s materials and tools — braided twines, spliced rope and knotted netting. Docents explain how netmakers in a fishing village in south India influenced her extraordinary art form.

Then, for a deeper dive, art historian Gloria Sutton’s new book, “Radical Softness: The Responsive Art of Janet Echelman,” is a must-read, with photos and insights from 30 art historians, engineers, architects and colleagues, with a foreword by cultural producer Swizz Beatz, whose art collection with his wife, Alicia Keys, has the world buzzing.

“My art combines ancient craft and cutting-edge technology to create living, breathing sculptures that bring people together and carve out space for reflection in an ever-changing world,” Echelman said.

“JANET ECHELMAN: RADICAL SOFTNESS”

Sarasota Art Museum, Ringling College Museum Campus, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 941-309-4300. Admission: $20. Open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

BOOKS SCENE by Colette Bancroft

HEAVYWEIGHT HITTER

B“rawler” is a knockout. This new short story collection from award-winning Gainesville writer Lauren Groff is her eighth book; her last story collection, “Florida” (2018), won wide acclaim, and this one is poised to do the same.

Groff’s consistently beautiful, striking prose is on display in these nine stories, as is her relentless, tender insight into the things human beings do to one another, and why.

“Brawler” opens with a gut punch called “The Wind,” the urgent story of a woman trying to escape from an abusive husband with her young children. Its glimpses of the characters’ futures make their present flight all the more heartbreaking.

Several of the other stories also focus on families on the cusp of transformation. The title story’s main character is a stoic teenage girl who finds a kind of transcendence as a competitive diver — a temporary escape from the surprising burdens of her home life.

“To Sunland,” with echoes of Flannery O’Connor, is set in a small Florida town where a young woman named Joanie is so eager to set out for college, she scarcely bothers to mourn her mother’s recent death. Before she can leave, though, she has to make arrangements for her brother, Buddy — older than she, handsome, polite, but, as his distressed Aunt Maisie says,

“You’re just a little old baby in your head, poor soul.”

In “Such Small Islands,” an unloved little girl named Aura dreads having to spend the summer with her older half-sister — until she discovers she loves their time together. When a beguiling boy named Oz intrudes on their idyll, Aura contemplates revenge.

An apparently happy marriage unfolds in “Between the Shadow and the Soul.” Willie is a gregarious golden boy when the couple marries young, and Eliza is an introvert, but they spend 25 fulfilling years reviving their old stone house, never quite acting on their talk of having kids. It’s only at their anniversary party that the true nature of their relationship becomes clear.

The collection’s two longest stories reflect Groff’s fondness for fairy tale elements, some whimsical, some dark. “What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?” is the story of the less than promising son of a wealthy family. He’s nicknamed Chip, the youngest of several generations of men named Charles: “He wondered if each younger Charles always came out a little worse than the one before.” His series of failures seems to turn around when a strange woman walks out of the woods one day and he falls in love.

The collection closes with “Annunciation,” a powerful coming-of-age story about a young woman who flees her crowded family home. In San Francisco, she takes a boring office job and rents a cottage from an anything but boring old woman named Griselda. The property is guarded by a mythically massive dog, the cottage’s skylight ceiling is shaded by an oak tree full of bees and Griselda herself is an endless source of wild but perhaps true stories. Maybe someone will find a happy ending.

BOOK PICKS: KEEP IT SHORT

Here are three more outstanding recent short story collections.

“Atavists” by Lydia Millet: These linked short stories turn a wry eye on post-pandemic culture with Millet’s trademark mix of satire and activism.

“Exit Zero” by MarieHelene Bertino: These haunting stories bring the supernatural and fantastic into the everyday world with unforgettable results.

“What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours” by Helen Oyeyemi: In this collection by the British writer, characters recur across stories set in surreal, sometimes enchanting landscapes.

ARTS SCENE by Maggie Duffy

FOR THE LOVE OF ART

It’s February, so love and passion are on my mind, but not in the romantic sense. Instead, I’m highlighting the connections found in Tampa Bay’s local art scene.

Don’t miss two exhibits in

St. Petersburg

Back in 2023, artist Chad Mize had a show during Pride month at an industrial location he was curating at the St. Petersburg Distillery, which he called SPACE. On display was a sculpture by an artist known by the single moniker Wasíl. It was a 7-by-4-foot heart with a head on it and rainbow bands, and it caught the eye of Delia Davidson, owner of Forever Florida Real Estate. According to Wasíl, Davidson bought the piece and installed it in her new office on Central Avenue.

That serendipitous moment led Wasíl to have the first one-person show there, and then to start curating regular shows at Forever Florida. Since October 2023, Wasíl has given solo shows to an impressive roster of local artists, including Luke Vest, Andrea Pawlisz, Daniel Barojas, Rhys Meatyard, Matthew Boyle and Luci Westphal. Each exhibition has a closing reception with an artist Q&A and poetry readings. The shows give artists great exposure to clientele they may not have reached otherwise.

“I’m an arbiter of this space for the

creative community,” Wasíl said, “and these very significant artists and literalists are on board. I’m amazed that there’s such a spirit of wanting to be there and expansion and community and growth and progressive art.”

February’s show features David Kafer, an artist, writer and hairdresser who owns Pageboy, a salon-gallery-vintage market hybrid in St. Petersburg. The prolific artist makes vibrant pieces that just make you smile. His show, “Divine Reflection,” is available for the public to view during Winter Pride on Feb. 15 from noon to 5 p.m. as well as during a closing reception on Feb. 22 from 3-7 p.m. at 2629 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.

One more connection: Wasíl’s heart sculptures are on display now in his show, “A Heart for Every Moment,” until March 1 at The Werk Gallery, just a few blocks away at 2210 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg.

Art abounds at this 56th annual Tampa festival

One of my most beloved art traditions is the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, returning to Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in downtown Tampa Feb. 28-March 1. Now in its 56th year, the festival features more than 250 artists from the national festival circuit who were selected by a jury and whose work will be rated and awarded cash prizes by an esteemed judge. It also has an Emerging Artists Program that has seen past participants go on to win the festival’s top prize, and a Local Artists Spotlight Program. Artistic kids also have representation, with the Art Collectors in Training tent, featuring art at kid-friendly prices; showcases of youth art and young musicians; and children’s activities from the Tampa Museum of Art. Adults can get in on the fun, too, by checking out Carmada, a fleet

of cars being live-painted by artists; hands-on activities at the NOMAD Art Bus (for all ages); and live entertainment from local and national bands all weekend

long. There’s much more to experience, so don’t miss out. Free. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 1. 1001 N. Blvd., Tampa. 813-876-1747. gasparillaarts.com.

St. Petersburg Debutante Club Debutante Ball

In a celebration of tradition, elegance and the promise of tomorrow’s leaders, the St. Petersburg Debutante Club presented its 2025 class of debutantes on Dec. 27, 2025, during the Debutante Ball at the St. Petersburg Coliseum. Text by Melissa Muguruza.

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Breakthrough T1D Tampa Dream Gala

The surprise announcement drew gasps and cheers throughout the ballroom at the annual Breakthrough T1D Tampa gala: Speer Dream Foundation was committing $1 million to advance the treatment, prevention and soon, cures, for Type 1 diabetes. The milestone gift pushed the evening’s total beyond $1.4 million for the world’s leading Type 1 diabetes research, education and advocacy organization, uniting the 200 guests celebrating the ultimate mission: turning Type 1 into Type None. The Rozelle family, this year’s Fund a Cure Champions, and the Rudd family, supporters for decades, were the Nov. 22, 2025, gala honorees at the Hilton Tampa Downtown. Text by Amy Scherzer. Photos by Omar Galarza.

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Ryan Nece Foundation 17th Annual Power of Giving Holiday Party

Retro arcade and backyard games — Pac-Man, foosball, Tetris, giant chess and checkerboards, and more — turned the Ryan Nece Foundation’s 17th annual Power of Giving Holiday Party into a playful competition to benefit 2,000-plus students participating in the high school-based youth leadership program founded by the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer. Several teens shared how they have gained confidence and committed to community service as Nece announced that $20 monthly donations to mark the organization’s 20th anniversary will be matched throughout the year. Between restaurant samplings, gaming and dancing Dec. 18, 2025, at the Tampa Garden Club, more than $93,000 was raised to support programming at 17 Hillsborough County high schools, with hopes to expand into Pinellas and Pasco counties. Text by Amy Scherzer. Photos by Tacy Briggs-Troncoso.

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Creative Pinellas Arts Annual: “From

Now to Next”

Creative Pinellas’ Arts Annual: “From Now to Next” exhibition and fundraiser showcased works by more than 70 local artists in an effort to support the arts agency after loss of county funding resulted in the Largo gallery closing earlier this year. Guests scooped up packs of “Chizzy Supports the Arts” stickers by Chad Mize and bought limited-edition prints by Tes One at the Nov. 21, 2025, event. Artist BASK’s performance installation was another hot seller; each panel was removed from the walls and purchased piece by piece. DJ collective We’re Sweet Girls kept the beat upbeat as $78,000 was raised, including $19,000 in artwork and gift shop sales. Text by Amy Scherzer. Photos by Sandrasonik.

An Address

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Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay Great Futures Breakfast

“Where you start doesn’t define where you can go,” actor Mario Lopez told a roomful of business and civic leaders at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay’s annual Great Futures Breakfast. Recalling his childhood in San Diego, Lopez’s local club was his second home — and a second family — nearly every day from ages 5 to 15. The 2025 Outstanding Local Club Alumnus honoree Carlos “Carlito” Fuente Jr. couldn’t agree more, having “grown up at the Ybor City club,” pledging, “I won’t forget where I came from.” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister called the Boys & Girls Clubs “a proven model ... not just changing lives but saving them.” Board Chair Emeritus Hal Steinbrenner noted the New York Yankees’ 25 years of support while tallying the organization’s reach: over 24,000 children served annually, with 3,000 attending daily at 64 locations in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. Jordan Maxwell, a former Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay Youth of the Year, thanked the advocates and mentors of the 100-year-old organization who changed his life’s trajectory. Donations climbed past $1 million during the Dec. 18, 2025, breakfast at TPepin’s Hospitality Centre to fund academic enrichment, life-skills training and character-building programs. Text and photos by Amy Scherzer.

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Feb. 7: Evening of Dreams, which benefits Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg. $350. 6 p.m. The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art. stpete.academyprep.org.

Feb. 12: Philanthropic Women of St. Joseph’s Speaker’s Luncheon. Keynote speaker Patricia Heaton. $125. 11 a.m. Tampa Yacht & Country Club. sjhfoundation@baycare.org.

Feb. 12: Be Mine: “A Million Dreams,” which benefits the Heart Gallery of Tampa. $750/couple. 6 p.m. Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club. 813-930-5345. heartgallerytampa.org/event/bemine2026.

Feb. 14: Magnolia Ball, which benefits Moffitt Cancer Center. Entertainment by Ziggy Marley. $1,500. 6 p.m. JW Marriott Tampa Water Street. moffitt.org/give/get-involved/magnolia.

Feb. 14: Fostering Hope Gala, which benefits A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay. $350. 6 p.m. The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club. give. akidsplacetb.org/2026gala.

Feb. 18: Tampa Bay Go Red for Women: “An Evening in Red,” which benefits the American Heart Association. $500. 5-8 p.m. Tampa Museum of Art. heart.org/tampabaygored.

Feb. 20: Imagination Gala, which benefits the Glazer Children’s Museum. $350. 6:30-11 p.m. Armature Works. glazermuseum.org.

Feb. 21: Tampa Cattle Baron’s Ball, which benefits the American Cancer Society. $750 and up. 6-11 p.m. The Motor Enclave. tampa. acscbb.org.

Feb. 21: Queen of Hearts Ball, which benefits Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay and the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. $200. 6 p.m. St. Petersburg Yacht Club. queenofheartsball.org.

Feb. 21: A Grove of Giving: The Sunshine City Soirée, which benefits the St. Petersburg Museum of History. $250. 6-10 p.m. The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club. lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/ reg/jzb8v4z.

Feb. 21: Charity Polo Classic, which benefits multiple charities. $300. Noon-5 p.m. DI Polo Tour. charitypoloclassic.com.

Feb. 27: Tampa Bay Gala: “Bigger. Better. Bolder,” which benefits Planned Parenthood of Florida. $250. 6 p.m. Hilton Tampa Downtown. ppswcf_events@ppfl.org.

Feb. 28: Chiseling a Legacy: A Dinner for Plant Hall Preservation, which benefits The Chiselers. $250. 5:30 p.m. Vaughn Center, University of Tampa. thechiselersinc.com.

Feb. 28: An Evening with Audra McDonald, which benefits The Florida Orchestra. VIP dinner experience also available. 8 p.m. Straz Center for the Performing Arts. floridaorchestra.org.

Feb. 28: The Art of Hearing Gala, which benefits Sounding Joy. $125. 6-10 p.m. Coastal Creative. soundingjoy.org.

Feb. 28: Diamonds & Dice Casino Night, which benefits GFWC Tampa Woman’s Club. $150. 6-10 p.m. GFWC Tampa Woman’s Club. www.gfwctampawomansclub.org/diamonds-and-dice-fundraiser.

March 4: Women of Distinction Luncheon, which benefits Girl Scouts of West Central Florida. $150. Noon. Armature Works. 813-262-1768. gswcf.org/wod.

March 6: WineFest: “Winederland,” which benefits the Tampa Theatre. Premium tasting, $130 ($120 for members). 7 p.m. Grand tasting, $80 ($70 for members). 8 p.m. tampatheatre.org/winefest.

March 11: Hospice Women of Philanthropy’s Spring Soirée. Guest speaker Dr. Kate Bowler, author and host of podcast “Everything Happens.” $110. 11:30 a.m. Armature Works. foundation4lphgroup@chaptershealth.org.

March 13: Fischer-Carr Memorial Birthday Bash, which benefits the Fischer-Carr Scholarship Fund. $150 or $250/couple. 6 p.m. The Coliseum. fischercarr.org.

March 14: USF Alumni Association’s Green & Gold Gala. $100 or $85 for alumni 35 and younger. 6-10 p.m. The Motor Enclave. usfalumni.org/events-awards/green-gold-gala.

Contact Amy Scherzer at amyscherzersdiary@gmail.com to have your event listed on the calendar.

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