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Ulele: Beer + Eats in Tampa Heights
The Heights have had no shortage of restaurants opening over the years. Meet Ulele.Ulele, 2018If there's one other Tampanian who loves this city as much as I do, it's Richard Gonzmart. You may know the...
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Howl-O-Scream 2018: Back Again
Yes, it's that time again! Halloween is starting now.Stormy, leading us in, 2018Last year was my first time experiencing Busch Gardens' annual Howl-O-Scream event, and I had a lot of fun. Since then,...
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The Bodega: Another Interesting Place in Seminole Heights
Looking to play some shuffleboard? I think I found a new place for you!The Bodega, 2018I started Exploring Tampa to suggest new places for people to go. I never thought there would come a day in which...
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The Attic: Downtown Tampa's Upstairs Cafe
Downtown Tampa is growing. There are some cool new additions!The Attic, 2018There are some businesses that are simply hard to find information on. The Attic is one of them. I had heard about the Fly...
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Christmas Town at Busch Gardens
The holidays are quickly approaching. It's time to meet Santa!Christmas Town 2018, 2018Let me start this post by saying that I now have a new camera/lens combo. I'm still learning how to use it. I will...
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Bern's Steak House: Break Out Your Wallet
Steak? Check. Wine? Check. Desserts? Check. I think we've got it all covered!Bern's, 2018Disclosure: I am by no means rich. This review is not a "look at me and how much money I have!" I can assure...
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CLOSED: Mortar & Pestle: Coffee, Food, Alcohol? Sounds Like a Good Time!
There are a lot of opinions about this restaurant. Lets see what the Exploring Tampa crew thinks!Mortar & Pestle, 2019Coming from the ashes of a popular food truck, Mortar & Pestle is a concept...
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Mr. Dunderbak's: Oktoberfest Year Round
Schnitzel and a pilsner, coming right up. Dunderbak's, 2019University Mall,was a very different place in the 70's. Disco was still raging (probably), bell bottoms were considered cool (I imagine), and...
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Heights Seafood Co: A Not So Traditional Raw Bar
Yeah, poke is trendy, but some places do it better than others.Heights Seafood Co, 2019FaceBook is amazing. The community pages around Tampa inform me of all sorts of cool things opening around the...
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Gen X: The 80's Reborn
If you thought this concept was dead, think again.Sign, 2019Stormy and I were sitting at the Riverfest the other day, stopped by the Tampa Pizza Company, then decided we'd head into Seminole Heights...
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Ducky's: Sports Bar and Bowling Alley
I don't do a lot of reviews in this area. Lets fix that!Mural, 2019Opened in December of 2013 by Evan Longoria of (at the time) the Tampa Bay Rays baseball fame, Ducky's is an upscale sports bar...
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Hattrick's: An Upscale Sports Bar Downtown
But is it really Irish? Hattrick's Entrance, 2019Opening it's doors in 1997, Hattrick's was one of the few places you could actually hangout in a dormant Downtown Tampa. The Lightning were merely five...
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Howl-O-Scream 2019: Spooky Season Starts Now
Another year in the books. Time to talk about it. Howl-O-Scream, 2019Howl-O-Scream has officially been a staple of the Tampa Halloween scene for 20 years! My first year going was all the way back in...
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Chamber of Terror: Tampa's Fall Carnival
It may not be Bozo, but have you met Bubba?Banner, 2019Welcome to Tampa's only fall festival. After the fall of the Last Laugh Toy Company, the residents have struggled, looking for some form of...
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Gasparilla Guide 2020
Another year has come and with that, the future of our city is at the mercy of the pirate invaders.Happy New Year, Tampa! It's now January, and that can only mean one thing... It's GASPARILLA season!...
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Parks & Rec: No, not the TV show
Well, at least it's not the 80's.Parks & Rec, 2020I'm going to start this blog with a disclaimer: I did not like this place, at all. "But Mark," I hear you shouting, "Then why should I even bother...
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Esposito's: Carrollwood's Newest Italian Eatery
It's refreshing to see something local coming to the Carrollwood area.Esposito's, 2020"Alright Mark, you have some explaining to do!" Yes... I do. During the middle of last year, I took on a job that...
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Howl-O-Scream 2020: An Experiment in Social Distancing
But was it really necessary? Lets weigh the pros and the cons.Howl-O-Scream, 20202020 has put us into some... Interesting times. A global pandemic has managed to bring the entire country to a halt and...
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Wicked Oak BBQ: Another Stellar Restaurant in Seminole Heights
Once you figure out how to get there, that is.There May or May Not Have Been a Line, 2020So, this is one place that I have been wanting to check out for months. With Covid going on, it's been...
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Gangchu: Korean Chicken and Beer
Time for another trendy restaurant in Seminole Heights.Gangchu, 2021Welcome to 2021. As you can imagine, as anyone living during this period can, new restaurants aren't as easy to come by, and the...
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Xtreme Tacos: Tacos With a Kick
Yes, they're finally open. No, their parking isn't any better than anything else in Seminole Heights. Xtreme Tacos Sign, 2021There is no secret that my favorite Tampa based food truck is Xtreme Tacos....
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Sponsored Post: Florida Extravaganza! Next Weekend
The Florida Extravaganza had hit me up and asked that we help promote this event. I have been to it in the past and it is a really cool event. Full disclosure: I did get free tickets to promote the...
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Gasparilla Guide 2023: Everything You Need To Know
It's that time of year! Gasparilla season. The pirates have taken over. Me and another pirate, 2017Another year has come and that means it's time for another season of Gasparilla. Lets get some of the...
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New World Brewing: A Drinking Staple
No longer in Ybor, but no less funky. How has New World adapted to a change in scenery?New World Brewery, 2023First off, I would like to explain my absence. This is a year that I have been taking care...
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Da'Shrine: An African Caribbean Restaurant
The building has been sitting for a while. Lets explore what finally took over. Da'Shrine, 2023Let me start this one off by stating that I am in no means an expert on Africa, their cuisine, or their...
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