12.16.2025

From our friends at

75º | 10% chance of precipitation

Sunrise 7:14 a.m. | Sunset 5:36 p.m.

Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 7:11 a.m. + 5:18 p.m. | Low: 2:49 p.m.

Clearwater Beach | High: 10:47 a.m. + 8:30 p.m. | Low: 2:42 p.m.

Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

Sip on something green

The St. Pete starter pack 😮_💨 also, our new matcha is the drink of the fall I’m just sayin’ —-.jpg

Just the essentials. | Photo via @ritualgroundscafe

Matcha: Coffee’s earthy, no-drama sibling — different in personality, but both in the caffeine family. In fact, according to matcha.com, one cup of this green tea beverage can boost your energy with an average of 40 to 180 mg of caffeine, depending on your preferred blend.

What is matcha?

In short, it’s finely-ground Japanese green tea leaves turned into a powder. It’s traditionally used in ritualistic tea ceremonies, but has become popular around the world for everyday cooking recipes, ice cream, boba tea, and hot or iced lattes.

Six local matcha spots

DI Coffee Bar, multiple locations | Named Tampa Magazine’s No. 1 Best Matcha Drink, this beloved spot serves solid matcha with just enough milk. Plus, they just opened a new location in Seminole Heights.

Ritual Grounds, St. Pete | Crème brûlée on top of a matcha? It’s a thing, and their banana crème brûlée matcha is a must try.

When 3 o’clock hits and the grind isn’t over, escape to a quiet corner—Good coffee, calm vibes, .jpg — Stick around Blooming Floral cafe for the floral finds.

Blooming Floral Cafe, Tampa | Tuck into the flower bedecked haven for a seasonal special like a cozy apple cinnamon caramel matcha served in a mason jar, plus a treat on a ditsy floral plate.

3 more must-try matchas

Asked

What flavor would you add to your matcha at Daycation?

A. Mocha
B. Jasmine
C. Vanilla
D. Honey
E. Dark brown sugar

Build your preferred drink

Events

Tuesday, Dec. 16

Wednesday, Dec. 17

Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound Opening Celebration | 5-8 p.m. | Tampa Museum of Art | $35+

Thursday, Dec. 18

Friday, Dec. 19

See our full events calendar

Feature your event here, or make a bigger splash

News Notes

Development

Huge news, TBAY. Developer Darryl Shaw is planning to build his third mixed-use community. Shaw wants to turn 30 acres — including the old Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office — into more than 2,000 living units, office and retail space, and a hotel. What’s the timeline? (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Civic

Remember Tampa Bay Water’s 26-mile water pipeline project? Well, work just kicked off along West Bloomingdale Avenue and South Kings Avenue. Once finished, the ~$506 million project will carry 65 million gallons of water daily to South Hillsborough County. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Open

Mythos Greek Bistro just opened its doors on Central Avenue. Where at? Operating out of the old Salty Nun location, the Mediterranean eatery serves kebab platters, branzino, Scottish salmon, and other delights. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

Announced

We’re still the live music capital of Florida. Case in point: Breakaway Music Fest just announced Dom Dolla and Tiësto will headline next year’s Tampa festival. Tickets to the high-energy April 17–18 show are on sale now. (That’s So Tampa)

Number

175,000. That’s how many meals 500 TBAY residents — including Jamel Dean + Captain Fear — packed for charity this weekend. The food will goes to hungry families in our area. (St. Pete Catalyst)

Eat

You donut want to miss this. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts was just named the most popular donut chain Florida, edging out Dunkin’ Donuts and Daylight Donuts. Want to branch out? Grab a pastry from a local brunch restaurant.

Plan Ahead

In case you’ve somehow missed the ever-growing run clubs trekking across TBAY, outdoor running season is back. Registration just opened for the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic, if you need a looming deadline to get you started. (That’s So Tampa)

Sports

Can the Rays bridge the gap with division rivals? Get the scoop from local experts of the Tampa Bay Rays with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Read

Staying behind on tech trends can be a career killer. The Code is a twice weekly newsletter with curated tech news, practical resources, and insights decoded. Join 100,000+ engineers who read The Code to stay ahead of the curve.*

The Buy

Add some fun and laughter to holiday gatherings with a few of our favorite card and board games. We love these five:

🎲 Put your drawing skills to the test in Telestrations — perfect for 4-8 players.
🎲 The award-winning game Flip 7 is self proclaimed “the greatest card game of all time.”
🎲 Shut the Box is an easy-to-play dice game for up to six players.
🎲 Perfect for parties, Ransom Notes will have your entire crew belly laughing.
🎲 Connect words with colors in an engaging game of Hues and Cues.

Shop more games

The Wrap

My sailing instructor extraordinaire, Pat, blows a conch.

I’m feeling so grateful for all of the love and experiences that have colored my 2025 so far. Like this past weekend, when I rode aboard a colorfully-lit sailboat in Gulfport’s lighted boat parade.

I swapped stories with my sailing instructor Pat (the woman blowing the conch), drank spiked hot cocoa out of a tureen, and waved to hoards of people on the shore as we wove in and out of the Pasadena canals. It was truly a perfect day, and I highly recommend pursuing a new hobby — like I did with sailing — in 2026.

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