Saturday: Arts Alive Free Museum Day

If you love art, spending time with your family and free stuff, then you’ll have a great time this weekend! This Saturday, September 25th (always the last Sat. in Sept.) is Arts Alive Free Museum Day; no passes required and no residency restrictions.  Last year my husband and I got a very late start with our little boy, so we were only able to make it to the Museum of Fine Arts (St. Pete). This year, we are determined to see more than one. Here’s a list (taken from stpete.org) of local museums you can visit for absolutely FREE this Saturday:

• The Dali Museum 1000 3rd St. S. www.thedali.org or 727-823-3767.
• Dr. Carter G. Woodson Museum 2240 9th Ave. S. www.woodsonmuseum.org or 727-323-1104.
• Florida Holocaust Museum 55 5th St. S. www.flholocaustmuseum.org or 727-820-0100.
• Great Explorations Children’s Museum • 1925 4th St. N. www.greatex.org or 727-821-8992.
• Morean Arts Center and Hot Shop • 719 Central Ave. www.moreanartscenter.org or 727-822-7872.
• Museum of Fine Arts • 255 Beach Dr. N.E. www.fine-arts.org or 727-896-2667.
• Pier Aquarium 800 2nd Ave. N.E. www.pieraquarium.org or 727-895-7437.
• St. Petersburg Museum of History 335 2nd Ave. N.E. www.spmoh.org or 727-894-1052.

So grab your family and take advantage of this great deal! I think we’ll try to make it to Great Explorations and The Morean Arts Center this time to see the Chihuly Collection. Which museums will you visit for free? To learn more about our local museums and other activities going on this weekend, click here.

Last year at the Museum of Fine Arts all the kids were invited to make their own art to display.

New Photo Contest on Our Facebook Page!

How sweet is this!

We all know of a little place in town that has the best food and service. They make you feel at home. We’ve already told you about Bubbie’s Brown Bag Cafe. Now we want to hear about your favorite “hole in the wall” place. It could be an old-fashioned hot dog joint downtown, a family owned Greek restaurant or a cafe with amazing desserts. Just email us a photo of yourself at your favorite place and we’ll post it to our Hole in the Wall photo contest album on our agency’s Facebook page. The winner will receive a $25 VISA gift card that can use to buy their next meal at their favorite little place to eat or whatever they want. So share the love and tell us where you like to eat! Who knows, it could be our next favorite place. I bet the owners would be excited for a little publicity.

To learn more about how to enter this contest, please visit our Facebook page and read the description on the Hole in the Wall photo contest album. Thanks for participating and good luck!

If you own or run a restaurant in Tampa Bay, give us a call (727-394-1890) about commercial insurance and we’ll give you a free quote. You can also get a free insurance quote online at our virtual insurance office, www.patronsinsurance.com.

Tijuana Flats Freebie: Today Only!

Here’s a great deal for lunch or dinner today. I found this little gem in my mailbox this morning! This is one of the perks of being a member of restaurant email clubs. Enjoy!

Speaking of free stuff, you can always get a free insurance quote at http://www.patronsinsurance.com. You can easily get yours on your lunch break!

Three Fun Food Blogs

I am a HUGE fan of food. I love to cook and eat. I am not a foodie or a food blogger, though. However, there are a couple of food blogs that I subscribe to and try to keep up with. I think you may enjoy them as well.

The first is Noble Pig. I StumbledUpon it and was hooked when I laid eyes on these gorgeous eggy rolls.  This one is more than a food blog. It’s also the story of the birth of a family’s vineyard in Oregon. The author, Cathy, is a food and wine fanatic. She posts recipes for magically delicious drinks like Butterbeer and comfort food with a twist like Gnocchi Mac n’ Cheese and teaches Wine Tasting 101. You’ll love her photos too. They make me want to lick my computer screen. Don’t worry I know better. I hope you’ll find some good recipes here and try them out at home. Someday I will too.

The other blog that I’ve discovered is Baked Bree. This lovely blog is written by a woman named Bree who lives in Sacramento, CA. She’s a mother of three who loves to cook and take photos. She describes her blog as “a love letter to everyone that [she] have ever cooked for.” She also takes amazing photos of her food, showing her readers every step in her recipes. I like the way she shows a photo of all the ingredients first, so you can get a quick idea of what’s in the dish. Some of the recipes on her blog that got me really excited are her homemade Bread and Butter Pickles, Milk Chocolate Pudding and a lovely Black Bean Soup (a major upgrade from mine). Plus she has several delicious looking recipes for homemade ice cream that make me want to go out and buy an ice cream maker.

Share a link in the comments section below. Here’s a new food blog that my friend Lizz just started. Her recipes and writing are equally and unbelievably flavorful. Please check it out and tell her Jenn (at Patrons) sent you! Do you have a favorite food blog? Or one of your own? I’d love to hear about it!

Happy Birthday, Nihja!

Today we’re celebrating Nihja’s 22nd Birthday at Patrons Insurance Agency. He’s not just an agent, he’s family. To celebrate, we’re handing out cookies to everyone! Well actually, we give out cookies every Friday, but we’re still excited about his big day. Check back here later to learn more about this superstar agent. I (Jenn) will be stopping by the office to ask him a few questions. However, feel free to give him a call now at the office (727-394-1890) for a free quote. We’re passing those out all day everyday!

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Review: American Classic Barbershop

A friend and former co-worker of mine recently announced that her husband was opening a new barbershop. When she told me the prices (just $6 this week only!) he was going to charge and that he cuts kids’ hair, I knew I had finally found a place to send my husband and little boy. Adam Crowley and his business partner John (also a barber) opened up the doors to the American Classic Barbershop in Pinellas Park, Florida yesterday. Since Alistair’s hair was covering his handsome brown eyes, I was anxious to get him in. My husband Dan can go another time.

The shop is located at 4201 62nd Avenue in a short shopping strip. It was a little difficult to spot, though. You just have to look for 42nd Street because the plaza signs don’t stand out. There’s plenty of parking at the plaza so you can park in front of the shop. The shop itself is a work in progress, however it’s not a construction zone. They have two barber chairs and plenty of seats for waiting customers, including a church pew! They hope to mount a couple of TVs on the wall in the future so you can watch sports while you wait. They also have a kids section along the back wall of the shop, which includes a TV with kid-friendly movies, toys and cars. We had a hard time tearing Alistair away from the play area to get him in the chair. Once we did though, he loved the cute sea creature cape Adam put on him. He loves hammerhead sharks and sting rays.

Adam was very patient with my squirmy 3-year-old; it went much better than I expected. I thought for sure Alistair would be afraid of the clippers than he was. After using the clippers, Adam went back with the scissors to make sure it was perfect and to get around his cute little ears. His hair was a bit shorter than I like, but that’s okay because I rarely get his hair cut. So if you’re looking for a place in St. Petersburg/Pinellas Park to get your child’s hair cut, you need to try Adam at American Classic Barbershop. Don’t forget to tell him that Jenn at Patrons Insurance Agency sent you!

If you’d like your Florida business featured on this blog and become a Partner of Patrons, please call us at 727-394-1890 or email us at tim@patronsinsurance.com.

Happy Labor Day, Ladies!

In 1894, Labor Day became a federal holiday. Lots of people view it as the last hurrah of Summer and spend the whole weekend at BBQs, but it’s also a day to celebrate contributions and achievements of hard-working Americans. That usually meant the work of men. I imagine the women didn’t take the day off from doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, teaching their kids and the countless other tasks they had to do on a daily basis. During World War II record numbers of women started working outside the home. “Rosie The Riveter”* (to the left) was part of the U.S. government’s propaganda campaign aimed at luring women into the Munitions Industry.

I’ve had this famous poster for several years now. I love it because it reminds me about the strength of women. Many of us work at home, just like the majority of women pre-WWII, but that’s our choice. We take care of the house and kids, but we also run businesses and work for others in our home offices. I’m more than a Stay At Home Mom. I also promote insurance agencies, babysit and tutor students in math. Then there are the women who are a part of the workforce, who still take care of their families and homes. My friend Amy keeps her house in perfect order, but she also coaches at her kids’ school, cleans houses and does data entry for a lawyer. She’s one of those Super Moms. Neither is better than the other. Both types of women have that do-what-you-gotta attitude and that’s what makes them strong.

So don’t forget to thank the women in your life today for all their hard work. Remember their work doesn’t stop just because it’s Labor Day. The dirty dishes and clothes, hungry mouths and crying babies won’t give her a break. However, you can help lighten her load by pitching in. I know I appreciate all the help my husband does after a long day of work and school. I love it when he helps with the dishes and gives the boys a bath; few things are more romantic. Men, I think this is true for all women.

Happy Labor Day, America!

*Photo Credit: History.com