20 ways to get hygge with it, TBAY

20 ways to embrace a Hygge life in Tampa Bay

Consider a top-down drive in Pass-a-Grille. | Photo by TBAYtoday

Are you familiar with “hygge?” The Danish word roughly translates to “warm coziness” and has been a design and health + wellness trend in the US for a few years now. With an emphasis on “enjoying the little things” like comfy clothes, warm socks + blankets, and steamy mugs of tea, it’s easy to see its appeal. Pro tip: It’s pronounced “hoo-gah.”

Keeping that in mind, here are 20 ways to practice hygge locally this year:

1. Enjoy a hot bevy. We love the maple + bourbon latte from Bandit Coffee Co. (2662 Central Ave, St. Petersburg) and the hot chocolate (with mocha) from Spaddy’s Coffee Co. (South Tampa + Seminole Heights).

2. Hit the road and revel in the lovely sights because we live in an outrageously gorgeous place.

3. Take a nice hot bath. Make it even better by tossing in a fragrant, therapeutic bath bomb from Beach Babe Soapery.

4. Light a candle. We particularly like the variety stocked at the Cabana South — from black tea and sage to pumpkin spice (and the pithy labels).

5. Live out your lavish lifestyle fantasy with a visit to a legendary circus owner’s former estate, the luxe Ringling Museum.

6. Cook something amazing, preferably something indulgent that takes a while to prepare, like soup, stew, or lasagna. Not sure where to start? Consider a cooking class from AJ’s Kitchen Drawer.

7. Wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing. We are especially fond of the offerings from Shoreline Sugars + Bijou’s Boutique.

8. Marvel at the majesty of nature when you catch a sunrise or sunset.

9. Take a nap. Hit up Villa Rosa Distinctive Linens for all your bedding needs.

10. Snuggle up with a locally-penned book. Need some recs? Check out our list of local books.

10 MORE WAYS

Click here to have your event featured.

Today, Jan. 5

Holiday Lights Immersive Experience | Thursday, Jan. 5-Sunday, Jan. 8 | 12-7:30 p.m. | Fairgrounds St. Pete, 800 28th St. S., St. Petersburg | $22-$32 | Experience a sparkling spectacle of immersive art and whimsical lights.
JamStock Weekly | Thursday, Jan. 5 | 8 p.m. | Skipper’s Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Rd., Tampa | Free | Rock out to this lively performance from The Family Funk.

Friday, Jan. 6

Jurassic World Live Tour | Friday, Jan. 6-Sunday, Jan. 8 | 7 p.m. | Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Dr., Tampa | $20-$90 | The production features more than 24 film-accurate, life-sized dinosaurs operated by animatronics and performers.
Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” | Friday, Jan. 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Rd., Clearwater | $18-$60 | Gershwin captures beautiful sights and intense sounds in his “An American in Paris.”
Sleeping Beauty | Friday, Jan. 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg | $42-$92 | State Ballet Theatre Of Ukraine performs this classic show.

Saturday, Jan. 7

Art & Craft Festival | Saturday, Jan. 7-Sunday, Feb. 26 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Downtown Dunedin, along Main St. | Free | Meet 150 of the nation’s most talented artists showcasing life-size sculptures, spectacular paintings, one-of-a-kind jewelry, photography, and ceramics.
Treat Yourself | Saturday, Jan. 7-Sunday, Jan. 8 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Imagine Museum, 1901 Central Ave., St. Petersburg | $7.50 | Experience a world of contemporary glass art filled with illusion, beauty, and majesty.

Sunday, Jan. 8

St. Pete Indie Downtown Flea | Sunday, Jan. 8 | 12-4 p.m. | Indie Flea, 14 18th St. S., St. Petersburg | Free | This open-air, shaded street market features locally made and curated hand-crafted goods, vintage housewares, decor, and more.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

This billion-dollar startup wants to help you retire

Portrait of businesswoman standing against a wooden wall in office.

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This Princeton grad’s startup raised $161 million to help people plan for retirement. 👀

If you’re one of the whopping 110 million Americans over age 50 — or a wise Millennial looking to get ahead — SmartAsset’s no-cost tool makes it easy to find vetted financial advisors serving our local area.

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Weather

74º | Morning thunderstorms | 74% chance of rain

Sunrise + sunset

Rise: 7:21 a.m.
Set: 5:48 p.m.

Tides
Old Tampa Bay

High: 12:18 a.m.
Low: 8:42 a.m.

Clearwater Beach

High: 12:21 p.m. + 9:58 p.m.
Low: 5:02 a.m. + 3:57 p.m.

Civic

How bad is the air quality around I-275 and I-4? Hillsborough County officials plan to spend nearly $390,000 in order to figure it out. The plan includes a smart air quality monitoring network to test for toxins in real-time. 💨 (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Sports

Welcome to the Bay, Strikers. The National Indoor Soccer League’s newest team, the Tampa Bay Strikers, kick off their inaugural season on Sun., Jan. 29 inside the Yuengling Center (12499 USF Bull Run Dr.). Tickets for the first 16 games go on sale Fri., Jan. 6, starting at $15. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

Closing

After more than a decade of decadent brunches, The Mill’s St. Petersburg location is closing. The restaurant explained in a Facebook post that construction behind them has damaged facilities, and they can “no longer ensure the safety of our staff and patrons alike.” Owners plan to find a new location. 🍳

Real Estate

The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts is on the move to a new 3,000 sqft space in the center of Ybor City’s historic Seventh Avenue Citywalk. The museum will be a fixture in the soon-to-come Gas Worx project (1630 E. Seventh Ave.). 📸 (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Plan ahead

Batman, Bluey, Optimus Prime, and the whole Justice League clash at The Coliseum this weekend for St. Pete Comic Con. The two-day, multi-genre event features anime, sci-fi, nearly 50 hours of contests, a TikTok Film Festival, and many panel discussions. Tickets are $25+. 🦸 (I Love the Burg)

Opening

Y’all, it’s almost Torchy’s Time. Tampa Bay’s first Torchy’s Tacos officially opens next month in St. Pete. But celebrate good tacos at the community party Mon., Jan. 30, from 5-8 p.m. Stop by the 2314 Tyrone Blvd N., St. Petersburg restaurant to try the Tex Mex goodness and enjoy a market, giveaways, live music, and games. 🌮 (I Love the Burg)
New year, new lunchtime eats. Crisp & Green, a nationwide chain serving up grain and açai bowls, smoothies, and Agua Frescas, is opening soon in Water Street Tampa. The health-focused spot will operate out of Via Corazon — right across from Cora.

Biz

Sober Roots, a St. Petersburg-based beauty brand, just received a major investment from Black Dog Venture Partners. Black Dog bought a 20% stake in the minority-owned company that makes products for people who may have dealt with trauma, hair loss, or cancer or are in the recovery process. (St. Pete Catalyst)

Award

Food & Wine Magazine named West Tampa’s La Teresita one of the best diners in the state. Reviewers praised the longtime staple Cuban restaurant’s youthful vigor, hearty portions, and the horseshoe-shaped counters. 🍷 (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

Travel

How does Scott’s Cheap Flights work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and Scott’s will notify you when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a $300+ round trip to St. Croix). 🌴*

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The Gas Plant District’s next chapter is nigh

Gas Plant redevelopment

Imagine taking in some baseball from this perch. | Rendering by Gensler

The public had their chance to weigh in on the future of the Tropicana Field site last night. Residents from across the county gathered at the Coliseum to hear out potential plans for the redevelopment of the former Gas Plant neighborhood’s 86 acres.

Here’s some key takeaways from the four proposals the City of St. Petersburg received:

Sugar Hill Community Partners: The only developer that submitted a plan in the first round of proposals, Sugar Hill’s new plan includes a stadium that would be used by the Rays and the Rowdies, hotels, a live event venue, 2,616 units of affordable housing, public gallery space, a free daycare facility, a new African American History Museum, a history walk, and ample greenspace.
50 Plus 1 Sports: This plan would feature an open-air stadium, a park, retail and restaurants, and an education and tech campus.
Hines & Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays partnered on this plan which includes a state of the art ballpark, more than 5,700 multi-family housing units, 1.4 million sqft of office space, and 30,000 sqft of retail space.
Restoration Associates: This proposal includes a retractable dome stadium, 1,000 units of affordable housing, an African-American history museum, convention center, and a technology park.

Mayor Ken Welch will make his final selection at the end of the month. The Rays lease on the Trop ends in 2027.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Bailey.

Editor’s pick: If you know me in my personal life, you might recall I’m the queen of embracing hygge. My fave way to incorporate the practice into my everyday is keeping my Christmas tree up until Jan., 10th. Oops.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Make a plan to recycle your Douglas fir.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Brad Haft, Bailey LeFever, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Kailey Burke | Advertise with us.

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