Ybor City and St Petersburg with Gina

It's hard to believe that Gina has finished her first year of college.  Seems like yesterday that she graduated from high school.  She'll be starting a summer job at Disney next week, so before things got too crazy, she came to spend a couple of days with me.

First stop:  Ybor City.  We spent time walking around the historic area, visited the museum store where we watched a short film about the history of Ybor.  And we had lunch at Hamburger Mary's.  YUM!

Love those sweet 'tater fries!!!  This is the Big Kahuna.  Has a slice of pineapple on it.

Our bill came to us in this shoe.

Fozzie and Kermit serenaded us.

This is one of the streetcars approaching the Centro Ybor stop.

Gina looking cool with those sunglasses!

All I need is a cigar and a fedora.

Columbia Restaurant.

The Italian Social Club.

Street scene on 7th Avenue.

After returning to my apartment to relax for a few, we headed downtown to Demens Landing and the surrounding area.  This is the new Dali Museum, scheduled to open on January 11, 2011.  (1/11/11)  Fascinating structure.  As a celebration of Dali's birthday on May 11, a birthday cake in the shape of the new museum was available to all takers on that day, starting at 11 am.  And on the 11th of each month until January, some celebration event will take place.

This street is part of the Grand Prix racetrack in the spring.

I like the way all of these structures blend together in this shot.  The Mahaffey Theater, Progress Energy Field, condos.

Same pose, flip side.

Gina in a tropical paradise.  :-)

Gina makes a new friend.  Step by step.  Inch by inch. 

We next headed to Central Avenue to check out some Indian food for dinner.  Snapped this shot on the way.








We found the India Grill, a new restaurant which recently opened.  It has a very fun and relaxed atmosphere, with Bollywood music videos on the flat screen TVs.  And the food is excellent!  Our appetizer, sweet spiced onions.

 Definitely many future trips here!

Our shared Mango Lassi.  

Chicken Tikka Masala.  We have plenty left for a second meal!