FunSized Living

Fly Bar & Restaurant located on Kennedy Boulevard across from The University of Tampa is not to be missed, but don't be fooled by the location. You will not see loads of college students hanging out here. These craft cocktails and Fly's elevated food menu are too sophisticated for these UT kids, so it's the perfect place for you to go for your next night out! The first thing to point out is their incredible happy hour; from Tuesday to Saturday from 4-6pm enjoy their drink specials but the best part is that their food menu is half off!! Now this is a deal that cannot be beat, especially when you have  Chef Mahlon Randolph's incredible dishes to savor. Here is what I had, when I went for happy hour & what I would highly recommend you having: If refreshing cocktails are your thing, have the Pimm's Cup! It's made with Pimm's No.1, lemon juice & Mr. Q Cucumber soda. Very light & easy to drink.  One of their most popular cocktails is Honey, I'...

If you follow me on social media, you know that I have started doing a monthly series called "The FunSized Five," where I share my top 5 pick of events happening around Tampa Bay that month. Well, sometimes more than 5 come to my attention and I thought, let me come to my blog to share them! This way I can share more details about the events I pick, plus some other events that you don't want to miss out on. So here we go! First things first, be sure to watch  January's FunSized Five  video! Starting January 7th is the start of Yacht Starships’ Weekend Brunch Buffett Cruise ! Every Saturday and Sunday, during their 2 hour cruise, enjoy their buffet which is filled with all your brunch favorites along with complimentary coffee and tea. You'll get to enjoy live music while you take in the sights around Tampa Bay. Get more information and tickets on their website .  January 13th is the start of John's Pass Annual Seafood Festival . This will be the 41st year for...

Prior to moving to Tampa, I was not aware of how much history there is in this city! Tampa played a major role in the development of Florida, but you’d never know this unless you visit some of these hot spots: The Henry B. Plant Museum This is really where you should start your history tour since Henry B. Plant is who built the railroad that brought people to Tampa. This is a small museum that has an enormous amount of history in it. It is located in the south wing of Plant Hall in the University of Tampa. For 40 years, this was the Tampa Bay Hotel, a 511-room resort. People would travel here mostly to spend their winters at the Hotel and would stay here for months at a time. When you visit the museum, you’ll see the original Victorian furniture from when it was a hotel and you’ll see how one of the parkour suites was laid out. Plenty of high profile names stayed and visited the Tampa Bay Hotel like Babe Ruth, but now the only big name that they’re waiting to have visit is, YOU! Check ...

If you want to visit the neighborhood in Tampa Bay that has the most charm and history, look no further than Ybor City. This part of Tampa may have the reputation of a Broadway by day and a Bourbon Street by night, but it is so much more than that! There is so much history and culture that runs through these cobble stone streets, with plenty of places to visit and learn from, so I’m here to help make it easier for you find those places. Here is my itinerary for you, for when you come to visit Historic Ybor City. First, I’d start with an Historic Walking Tour . Max Herman runs a fantastic tour where he takes you around this National Historic Landmark District of Florida. There are very few places you actually go into, so depending on the time of year you take his tour, prepare to sweat. On this Historic Walking Tour, you learn how Ybor City came to be in 1885 and was quite the melting pot with so many different cultures, religions and ethnicities choosing to settle in Ybor. This walking...

Today is the launch of Fairmont Scottsdale Princess' Celebration Vacations, a new way for The Princess to help you celebrate life's special moments, whether it be a bachelorette, a birthday or an anniversary, the Fairmont is there to help you make it even more special.  To celebrate the launch, The Princess sent out gift boxes to show a preview of how they are there to help with your celebration. My box came with a mini bottle of sparkling wine, a champagne cocktail kit, Sugarfina Champagne Gummy Bears & a chocolate bar. Just a few of my favorite things from one of my all-time favorite hotels.  When you book your next stay at the Fairmont Princess, start at ScottsdalePrincess.com/Celebrations , choose a special offer like the Sip, Savor & Celebrate Package, then select your memory-making enhancements and let the Princess take care of the rest! I had the pleasure of staying with the Princess last September and it had been awhile since I last stayed with them, but as to...

Situated in the heart of Montclair, New Jersey, you will find the only hotel in all of Montclair, The MC Hotel . This hotel brings a translocal experience to its guests, which is what I think sets it apart from other hotels, and here's why:  FOOD Let's talk food first! The MC is lucky enough to have Chef Amber Lancaster as their executive chef of their restaurant, The Allegory and their rooftop, The Alto .  Chef Amber Lancaster is currently in Season 19 of Hell's Kitchen, that airs on Fox , and they have incorporated that into The Allegory. On Thursday nights when Hell's Kitchen airs, The Allegory has a secret menu that goes along with the theme of the episode that is airing that night. So on the Thursday night I was there to dine, I did not know until I sat down that it was Burger Night on the show, so I was able to enjoy Chef Amber's Special Burger while Hell's Kitchen played on televisions throughout the restaurant. Along with the secret menu being available...

After months of indoor dining not being available in New York City, it is finally back in action and I found the perfect gem you must go to dine indoors to get the full experience, and that is Angelina Paris .   Angelina Paris has opened its first US location, right here in New York City by Bryant Park. Due to the pandemic, their opening kept getting delayed, but they finally opened in November and boy was it worth the wait.  When you visit Angelina Paris, you really want to go for the experience and pleasure of dining in their Parisian Tea Room. It is so elegant with its high ceilings, chandeliers and paintings of different parts of Southern France on the walls. You will forget you are dining in the middle of New York City. If you're on the run and don't have time to dine indoors, you can always stop in to grab a treat to take with you, as they have plenty of items to take away as well.  First things first, come with an empty stomach because there is so much to enjo...