Home for the holidays

[chipotle]

I fly back to Tampa on the 21st, and return here on the 27th. In theory, I'll be spending most of the 22nd in Tampa--visiting former co-workers for lunch that day, and probably wrapping up with an evening dinner somewhere in town. (I may also be around another day/evening in Tampa, depending on available time, solar flare activity, etc.)

Anyone interested in getting together should let me know about their availability and preferences. I expect to see some of the "old" group that I knew there, at least Mirage, varjohaltia and hellesfarne (and possibly haikujaguar and elusivetiger if they have interest and available time), but there's also the quasi-nexus that's formed around rancourt that includes people who've been there for a while that I didn't see regularly when I lived in Tampa like kiarrh, argentee and dbcooper. (Whew. This probably suggests two evenings at the least if I can manage it. I'd also like to attempt to catch Vince and the mythical Bart Fox, but they tend to be out of town for the holidays.) Suggestions about where to go--for dinner, wiseguy!--are also welcome; I'd probably default to the Tampa Bay Brewing Company in Ybor, presuming it's still open, but there may be many other cool inexpensive restaurants that have appeared there within the last two years. As a forewarning, the coyote does not expect to be showing up with any gifts this time 'round, even small tokens of affection--four months of unemployment tends to crimp that.

I'd ask anyone if they have any suggestions for lunch on the 22nd, too, since my former supervisor asked me where I want to go and I want something more intelligent than "hey, you live there, I don't."

Comments

FEEESH!!!

[katrinahawke.livejournal.com]

Greetings!

Kaisen Sushi on Dale Mabry... best sushi... and not just my opinion... voted the best a couple of years running, prob. more by now....

The best I've had so far, and believe me, I've been trying... and yet, very reasonably priced. Excellent cooked sushi and other Japenese meals for the non-piscine oriented.

-K 8)

[rancourt.livejournal.com]

Stacie and I (and quite possibly argentee and dbcooper, though I'll need to check with them) will be available for possible latish dinner after work Wednesday. (I get out at 8pm.) My recommendation would be the Frontier Cattleman Company, if you haven't tried it yet. Excellent steak, zero ambience, a refreshing change of pace for this expatriate Californian and damn fine orangewood-fire steak.

My suggestion: meet at Verizon/1 Telecom Parkway (directions can be provided) at 8pm front loop, and we'll go out there together from there?

[rancourt.livejournal.com]

And did I mention the steak is excellent?

[dbcooper.livejournal.com]

I'm off on the 22nd, though I'm spending the evening with some non-Net friends watching wrasslin'. If you have a chance during the day on the 22nd, or basically anytime on the 23rd, let me know.

If you haven't eaten at Baraka, or had coffee at Sacred Grounds, I recommend both. If you have...well, I still recommend both.

[varjohaltia.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm going to be around for the duration of Christmas, with the exception of one possible day--the elusive vulpine muttered something about having me over. So, whenever works for you. And if you would like for me to butt into dinners on other days or such, that'll work too as my evenings are free and we have the 23rd-> off, and I wouldn't mind seeing you :-)

[chipotle.livejournal.com]

I'll certainly see what I can manage. It sounds like the 22nd is booked, so to speak, but I don't know what's up the rest of the time, other than Christmas, obviously. I wouldn't be surprised if you could come up Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, actually, if you wanted, although I'll need to check with mom about that.

[varjohaltia.livejournal.com]

My 24th is spoken for, but the rest is free. Have a good trip, unless you're here already, in which case I hope you had a good trip! :-)

[chastmastr.livejournal.com]

If I lived there still I'd go to the 4th Street Shrimp Store in St. Pete, where you and I went with Daddy Vern that one time.

Or any number of cool Disney-grounds restaurants.

[chipotle.livejournal.com]

I liked the 4th Street Shrimp Store, but I'm not likely to be heading to either St. Pete or Orlando -- the time I have is likely to be pretty limited, when it comes down to it, and most of the friends I have are on the Tampa side of Tampa Bay. I have a friend or two in Orlando I wouldn't mind seeing but it'd be tough to do the coordination at this point, I suspect (and actually, one of the friends I'd probably have tried to do with the coordination with just moved to Los Angeles!).

[chastmastr.livejournal.com]

He made it? Cool! (I assume you mean John Cooner...)

Alas! He'll still be far away from both of us in the LA area.

No news on the move. I need a job there first!

David

[citrusmink.livejournal.com]

Tampa is temptingly close to me. Hmmm.

Maybe next time.

[citrusmink.livejournal.com]

Also, for place-to-eat suggestions: Bernini of Ybor (http://www.berniniofybor.com). Yum! They have some fantastic Italian food.