Tampa Mom

One of our family members would declare it, “EPIC!”

We are hunkering down for a nice long post-season this year! Go Rays!

What a great Game 2 of the World Series! Our hometown boys did a fantastic job.

Get out there and show your support for the Rays! They will definitely be back home next week now!

The Rays’ Bartlett stole a base, so we’re on for free tacos next Tuesday! Unfortunately, no free donuts today. Lets get it done tonight, Rays!

If the Rays win tonight, you will be able to score a free donut at Dunkin’ Donuts tomorrow. If anyone steals a base tonight, you will be able to pick up your very own free taco at Taco Bell on Tuesday, October 28, between 2-6pm.

I wonder if we could get somebody to throw in a free Coke, hot dog, or apple pie somewhere…

Celebrate the 6th annual TECO Line Streetcar Fest with 5-cent streetcar rides all day, October 11, 9am-midnight! Ride historic and open-air streetcars, streetcar car barn tours, free kids’ activities outside The Florida Aquarium, $7 Yacht Starship bay tours & Ybor City Saturday Market.

Visit TECO Line Streetcar for more information.

It’s baseball fever in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area! The Rays have made it to the playoffs. Amazing!

Today is the first of these post-season games, and maybe you are at work or running errands and you want to listen to the game. I’ve just discovered that I can listen to the game for free on my computer and smartphone. Check Streaming Sports for all of the details!

The little ball player in your family will want a Tampa Bay Rays Toddler-Youth Jr Neo Flex Fit Hat. You could also get a Tampa Bay Devil Rays MLB Car Magnet to show your support. Go Rays!

Evan Longoria #3 Rays Youth Home Jersey
Scott Kazmir #26 Tampa Bay Rays Home Youth Jersey
Tampa Bay Rays 2008 Home White Women’s MLB Replica Jersey
Tampa Bay Devil Rays Stack T-Shirt by Majestic (this is a steal for $5.95!)

Celebrate Oktoberfest all month long in Tampa! Each weekend, checkout a different festival, and if you are longing for a mid-week bit of Bavaria, have lunch at the Schnitzelhaus! All of these events have family-friendly components to them, so bring the kids! The highlight of the month will be the big Oktoberfest in Oldsmar at Tampa Bay Downs during the last weekend. Attendance was 20,000+ last year.

If you have other events to add, please leave a comment and link at the end of this post! Enjoy!

• Schnitzelhaus German Restaurant
  • Oktoberfest will be from Sept 19th to Nov 1st
  • Live Music with Inga
    Fri and Sat 5pm – 9pm and Sun 4pm – 8pm
  • Fri and Sat Special, Four Course Dinner
    $21.95 – $25.50, reservations required
  • Open Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-9pm and Sunday, noon-8pm
  • Closed Monday and Tuesday
• Dunedin Brewery OktoBEERfest 2008
  • October 2nd-4th, starts at 4pm daily
• The St. Petersburg Clay Company OktoberBest & Brew HaHa II
  • October 11, noon-7pm
  • The event will include food, beverages, music, kids activities, and best of all work from our talented artists!
• World of Beer (Westchase) WOBtoberfest 2008, 2nd Annual Beer and Music
  • October 17th, 3pm till, October 18th, noon till
  • Live music featuring Chris Nathan
  • German and American Food
  • Authentic Oktoberfest Liter Mugs
  • Family Friendly
  • $5 admission (free for 12 and under)
  • All ages welcome, 21+ to drink
• Oktoberfest on the Beach – 7th Annual Celebration Activity Schedule
  • October 18, 11am-7pm, Kinderfest 11am-3pm
  • Held at Kolb Park, Indian Rocks Beach
  • Live music, German Band “Lorelei” performs at 1pm until 7pm
  • Adult activities include: Food Court, Beer Wagon, Vendors, Art Exhibit, Antique Show, Boat Show, Silent Auction
  • Championship Competitions include: Stein-carrying, Wife-carrying, Keg-throwing, and Polka-dancing!
  • “Kinderfest” (11am-3pm) activities include: Dodgeball, Children’s Dunk Tank, Shuttle Race, Capture the Flag, Spider Web, Red Light—Green Light, Hula Hoop Contest, Water Balloon Contest, Jelly Bean Relay, Inflatable Experiences, Tattoo Booth, Balloon Artist & Magician, Kiddie Olympics, Children’s Arts & Crafts Booth
• Top O’ the Bay Oktoberfest, Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar
  • October 24, 25, 26 – Friday 5pm to 11pm / Saturday 11am to 11pm / Sunday 12pm to 7 pm
  • Schedule of events (pdf)
  • Traditionally held the last weekend of October, Oktoberfest brings the best of Old Bavaria and New Florida together for three full days of authentic German food, drink, music and dancing… along with a spectacular carnival & Midway, a great arts & crafts show, and the wildest array of audience participation contests that the Tampa Bay area has ever seen!
  • New this year… VolksMarch (5 & 10K Family Fun Walks) and Kinder Zone!
  • Oldsmar’s version of the 198 year-old German tradition is both the largest and longest-running  Oktoberfest in West Central Florida, attracting between 20,000 and 25,000 attendees.

Ahoy! T’day is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Avast! Many pirate-y activities abound here in Tampa, the home of ye ol’ Gasparilla Pirate Festival.

Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise has cruises for pint-sized to frigate-sized grog-drinking seadogs! Our wee matey gallavanted off to sea with his Grandma, an’ had a rip-roarin’ time afloat!

Ahoy! The Pirate Ship at John’s Pass is another place full o’ pirate-y goodness with gun battles, face painting, and treasure hunts! Arrr.

Capture this cool stuff for junior pirates from ye founders of this ‘ere day of celebration!

In our family, we’ve casually celebrated this day over the years since Dave Barry’s infamous column appeared in 2002. We still aren’t very good at pirate slang, but we try! Just sprinkle in “Avast!” or “Arrr…” into your daily conversation and you’re all set. If you really want to get into character, get your own pirate name at one of these sites:

• What’s My Pirate Name?
• Pirate Name Generator
• Find Your Inner Pirate

Dig up a treasure chest o’ fun with your mateys t’day!

Elizabeth finished her first Youth Triathlon on Saturday. It was very exciting! 50 kids ages from 7-12 participated in this first annual event for our local YMCA. The first part of the morning consisted of a triathlon clinic, where 6 kids were assigned to a volunteer coach (ours was Coach Laura) who explained the process and walked them through it. They had a short break time for snacks and relaxation (ha!) before the pep rally and official start. Cristy Bartalo, local triathlete and race coordinator, inspired and encouraged all of the triathletes, families, and volunteers. This was such an outstanding event! We are looking forward to the next one!

Check out these links to local YMCA programs:
Bob Sierra Family YMCA
Bob Sierra YMCA Youth and Family Center and Aquatic Complex
2008 Youth Triathlon Series of Pinellas

This coming Saturday is the first annual YMCA Youth Triathlon. Our daughter is participating in this and we are so excited to cheer her on! What does she have to do? Swim 50 yards, bike 3 miles, and run 1 mile. I think she will really enjoy herself. Stay tuned for pictures and a recap on Saturday. This is the kickoff event for our family’s year of fitness!