www.westendtampa.com http://www.westendtampa.com Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 Five New Ways to Love (And Ride) Busch Gardens http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/02/07/five-new-ways-to-love-and-ride-busch-gardens/ http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/02/07/five-new-ways-to-love-and-ride-busch-gardens/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westendtampa.com/?p=90 Busch Gardens is a fantastic place for a family vacation. There is something for every member of the family to enjoy and experience. From animals to thrilling rides, Busch Gardens has it all. You get to experience the rides in natural surroundings. The place is just a masterpiece of beauty to explore whether you take a thrill ride or not; you can enjoy just looking at the surroundings.

The park has wildlife, animals, roller coasters, shows, and food. These are just five of the ways to love and ride Busch Gardens. Some of the rides you will not want to miss are Sheikra, Montu, Kumba, and the Gwazi, a wooden roller coaster. But if you prefer to get wet, then you need to try the Congo River Rapids.

If you would like to get up close to the wild animals, then check out the tigers. They have a viewing window where the tigers will come right up to you. Or, you can take a safari ride to see the wildlife. After the rides and the wildlife, you are probably getting hungry. So, why not eat delicious food and take in one of their spectacular shows all at the same time?

]]> http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/02/07/five-new-ways-to-love-and-ride-busch-gardens/feed/ 0 Dive With The Sharks (And Live) –Florida Aquarium http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/01/23/dive-with-the-sharks-and-live-florida-aquarium/ http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/01/23/dive-with-the-sharks-and-live-florida-aquarium/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westendtampa.com/?p=89 Most people are probably familiar with the classic horror movie staring the man-eating white shark. Is it safe to go back into the water? See for yourself when visiting the Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay, Florida. They offer a unique opportunity for certified SCUBA divers to be able swim side by side with these fascinating creatures. Qualified visitors can swim in the Coral Reef Exhibit, a half a million-gallon tank. It features sea turtles, moray eels, thousands of fish, and of course, sharks.

Imagine swimming right next to a shark in a realistic habitat! The salt water is at a constant balmy temperature of 76 degrees and is perfectly clear. Divers have excellent visibility for exploring. Each dive is a maximum of two guests and is supervised by two of the facility’s master divers. Safety for the divers and for the animals are their main goal. This 90 minute experience costs 195 per diver. It includes a presentation about sharks and a 30 minute dive in the tank. Visitors may watch the divers from the observation gallery. Photo opportunities are also available for purchase. If you are certified and ready to meet the sharks, then the Florida Aquarium is waiting for you.

]]> http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/01/23/dive-with-the-sharks-and-live-florida-aquarium/feed/ 0 The Best Kids Summer Camp: Florida Aquarium’s Aqua Camps http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/01/11/the-best-kids-summer-camp-florida-aquariums-aqua-camps/ http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/01/11/the-best-kids-summer-camp-florida-aquariums-aqua-camps/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westendtampa.com/?p=85 Looking for a great chance for your kids to have fun this summer? Does your child have an great interest in marine biology? Do they like to evaluate and see new wonders of the sea? There is a great Aguacamp for pre-k – eight grade and Scuba camp for kids age 12- 15 all located at the famous Florida aquarium.

Each day the kids have a variety of activities to complete that include age appropriate learning and games. The younger kids pre- k through 3 participate in a day week long adventures that include science explorations, aquarium tours, arts and credits, and even wonderful animal encounters the kids will love. The groups of older children participate in week long aqua excursions that can be tailored to a number of different plans for them. Including boat excuser ions, wildlife animal rescues, integrated aquarium knowledge, and learning about the marine biological life.

So If you are looking for an exciting way to learn about marine life, make new friends, have a great time over the summer then check out the newest AguaCamp from the Florida Aquarium. /Check out the website and see what else they can offer your children for a fun filled summer adventure.

]]> http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/01/11/the-best-kids-summer-camp-florida-aquariums-aqua-camps/feed/ 0 Living in Tampa… http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/01/10/living-in-tampa/ http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/01/10/living-in-tampa/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westendtampa.com/?p=83 There are a lot of things to consider when you’re moving to Tampa – school systems, www.securitychoice.com alarms and even what type of grass to grow in your yard. But the most important thing to know about the city is what you’re going to DO heretake a look at our list of must-see Tampa activities.
Busch Gardens: It’s not just for tourists, this attraction is a great spot for families to visit year round. Get a season pass and explore all the park has to offer again and again.
Big Cat Rescue: Tampa’s got a strong veterinary community and the big cat rescue is one of the coolest attractions in the city. See lions, tigers and all other types of felines up close and personal and consider giving back to this worthy cause.
Lettuce Lake Park: If you’re planning on living here you’ll be at Lettuce Lake a lot. It’s a gorgeous park with tons of walking trails and it works for families, too. Consider taking a stroll between looking at houses to remember why you’re moving to this part of Florida.

]]> http://www.westendtampa.com/2012/01/10/living-in-tampa/feed/ 0 Five Great Coffee “Shots” Heard Around the World http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/08/07/five-great-coffee-shots-heard-around-the-world/ http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/08/07/five-great-coffee-shots-heard-around-the-world/#comments Sun, 07 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westendtampa.com/?p=11 Many different people from all over the world enjoy their morning coffee. From Kenya to Cuba and even Jamaica, there are myriads of various java brews, with each country claiming that theirs is the best. Cubans are almost religious when it comes to their famous thimble-sized espresso shots. Even Hawaiians love a great cup of Kona every morning before heading out into the world.

Hawaiian Kona is a very special brew of coffee. It it a mild, especially delicate flavor and is medium-bodied. It is grown on the west side of the main Island of Hawaii in the Kona coffee region, which is situated on the slopes of active volcanoes.

Kenyan coffees are typically very full-bodied and rich in flavor. These darker brews offer a lot more character than the average cup of joe. Kenyan coffee tends to have an extremely complex flavor profile and is recommended mainly for connoisseurs. Most Kenyan coffee brews are easy spotted because of the remarkable intensity of flavor.

Cubans have enjoyed their espresso for years upon years. Though their supply is limited, they relish every drop of full-bodied, intensely strong coffee. Cuban espresso is so powerful a blend, it must be sipped in thimble-sized shots.

Jamaicans grow their coffee almost 8000 miles above sea level, creating a full-bodied, aromatic blend. Jamaican coffee is known for it’s almost eccentric sweetness and is highly regarded for its complete lack of bitterness contained in many other blends of coffee.

Finally, Tanzania is an unlikely place to get a great cup of coffee, but you can certainly do just that. Tanzanian coffee is typically very rich and full-bodied in flavor and offers the drinker an aromatic experience that puts this country on the map as the growers of some of the finest gourmet coffees in the world. To achieve such an immaculate flavor profile, Tanzanians use peaberry coffee beans, taken from the hills of Mount Kilimanjaro.More info here: Harold McGee on Coffee and Tea

]]> http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/08/07/five-great-coffee-shots-heard-around-the-world/feed/ 0 Best Coffee In The World: Cafecitos, Cuban Pulls and Shots http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/08/04/best-coffee-in-the-world-cafecitos-cuban-pulls-and-shots/ http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/08/04/best-coffee-in-the-world-cafecitos-cuban-pulls-and-shots/#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westendtampa.com/?p=10 When visiting or moving to the Tampa area, something that absolutely must be experienced is the coffee. Not the typical coffee you would get at a pancake place either, but Cuban coffee. This is an intense, delicious Latino tradition that is taken in shots and pulls. If you move to or just visit Tampa, make getting a shot of this delicious black stuff a morning habit.

There is plenty to be found in the old Latin quarter, also known as the Ybor City District.You can find a quick rundown here Check out Naviera Coffee Mills or any of the other equally great cafes and then use all of that newly found energy in the world-renowned theme parks that Tampa has to offer. Busch Gardens is a great part theme park, part animal conservation complex that you can spend hours in. There is also a huge and family friendly water park.

When you’ve exhausted the theme parks and the sights and sounds of Ybor City (which will take months, so it may be a while), go get another cafecito (‘little coffee,’ the term for a shot of Cuban espresso) head over to the USF campus for a few sporting events or to take a fun evening class.

]]> http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/08/04/best-coffee-in-the-world-cafecitos-cuban-pulls-and-shots/feed/ 0 Learning To “Mixto” It Up: Cuban Sandwiches And More http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/08/01/learning-to-mixto-it-up-cuban-sandwiches-and-more/ http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/08/01/learning-to-mixto-it-up-cuban-sandwiches-and-more/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westendtampa.com/?p=9 In order to discover the history of the Cuban sandwich one must travel back to the 1870s when many Cubans moved to Key West, Florida, to escape the oppression of the Spanish that was occurring in Cuba. Among those moving were many cigar manufacturers. At its heighth, Key West was the home to 29 cigar manufacturing factories. These factories produced over 171,000 cigars a day. The employees needed a cheap lunch spot and loved the Cuban sandwich.
One of the largest factories was El Principe de Gales. This factory was destroyed in 1886 by fire, and the owner moved it to Miami. Soon other cigar manufacturers moved out of Key West to Tampa and Miami. For many reasons, the sandwich did not travel to Tampa and Miami, for many years. Guests at the diners in Tampa and Miami seemed to prefer Spanish food.
Miami was slow to recognize the Cuban sandwich, but in 1947, Frank Garces Jr. sold the first Cuban sandwich at a bar called the Do Drop Inn. The pressed sandwich was served with ham and roasted pork. It was originally accompanied by Swish cheese, pickles, butter and mustard. The restaurant was a main stay in Miami for 22 years, despite changing its name and location. Today, most of the bread for the Cuban sandwich is produced by La Segunda, which opened in 1915.

]]> http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/08/01/learning-to-mixto-it-up-cuban-sandwiches-and-more/feed/ 0 Learning About The Leaf: Cigar-Making History In Tampa http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/07/28/learning-about-the-leaf-cigar-making-history-in-tampa/ http://www.westendtampa.com/2011/07/28/learning-about-the-leaf-cigar-making-history-in-tampa/#comments Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.westendtampa.com/?p=8 The first cigars were most likely those rolled by resident Cubans. Columbus came across Cubans smoking rough cigars, as well as following Portuguese and Spanish tours to the new globe brought reverse cigars to Europe. Countless travelers smoked cigars, moreover they brought the custom to seaport cities, and however the tradition did not turn out to be extensively accepted awaiting the end of the 18th century. Factories of Cigar started in Spain at now a day; furthermore in the 1800s industrial units were established in Germany and France as well.Didn’t catch that? This explains it. Officers of English who struggled in Spain throughout the Wars of Napoleonic rolled cigars to England home, wherever they became a trend with the higher classes. Cigars were luxurious, more than ever for the reason that of elevated bring in responsibilities on them, furthermore by the end of the 19th century, they had become a score of magnificence. Smoking this was only for men, and unusual smoking clubs called divans coiled up where men may well enjoy their routine. In the 20th century, cigars were related with famous open numbers, from gangsters to presidents to entertainers. Al Capone Calvin, Coolidge, Winston Churchill, also Groucho Marx, to give name a few, were all eager cigar smokers. Following World War 2, the cigar gradually more became the old man’s smoke.

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