Thursday, February 2, 2012
Hometown News Story On Don
The Shelbyville News is the hometown newspaper for Don's actual hometown of Morristown, Indiana. Recently, a reporter contacted Don about doing a piece for his "Where Are They Now" column, in which folks who started out life in the county are spotlighted in their currents lives. The result was a nice piece published two days ago.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Food Truck Rally & Art Walk in Tarpon Springs
The Food Truck phenomenon, which has been taking the culinary world by storm elsewhere in the country, arrived with a splash this past month with Mayor Bob Buckhorn's Tampa Food Truck Fiesta. Since then Food Truck Rallies have taken place in both St. Petersburg and Largo.
Cafe Getaway was pleased to have participated in the second of Mayor Buckhorn's Food Truck Fiestas last Wednesday at Joe Chillura Park in downtown Tampa. The weather was gorgeous and office workers streamed out into the park to enjoy tasty treats from eleven different food trucks.
It was great fun for us to dabble our toes in a different market and to meet some of the other folks in the biz. We met several important people in Tampa, such as Joe Lopano, the new CEO of Tampa International Airport, and Jeff Houck, food critic of the Tampa Tribune. Being foodies ourselves, we sampled as much as we could from the other trucks, and quite frankly, Tarpon Springs is in for a treat.
MAKE A DAY OF IT IN TARPON SPRINGS
While you are on Tarpon Avenue, take some time to check out the delightful antique dealers that line the street, the wonderful Back in the Day Books bookstore, and the Tarpon Chamber's new digsat 111 E. Tarpon Ave, which are shared with a gallery of local artists.
It's also a great time to make note of the Avenue's great eateries and music spots, especially our favorites: Manolo's Mediterranean Bistro, Currents, Undergrounds Cafe and, just around the corner on North Safford Street, Zante's. These are old-fashioned restaurants only in the sense that their proprietors all give very personalized service. Tarpon is not just about Greek food, and eating out is not just about the big restaurant chains!
WIND UP THE DAY IN CRAIG PARK
After the Food Truck Rally winds up around 3pm, stroll a few blocks west to Spring Bayou and around to beautiful Craig Park where Tarpon Recreation will be hosting a Christmas Festival with music by the popular band The De'Lei'd Parrots and Christmas gift shopping available from an assortment of craft vendors. Then, at dusk, Tarpon's Annual Lighted Boat Parade, will begin with decorated boat traveling the Anclote river into the bayous and ultimately into Spring Bayou.
Cafe Getaway will have rolled right on over there with you, and we will have a steady supply of hot chocolate and other warming drinks to keep your evening going!
Tampa Mayor Buckhorn's 2nd Food Truck Rally Includes Cafe Getaway
The Food Truck industry that has been exploding onto the culinary scene across the country has been making a splash in the Tampa Bay region this past month. The City of Tampa just hosted its second monthly Mayor's Food Truck Rally in Joe Chillura Park, and in previous weeks there have been rallies in St. Petersburg and in Largo. Cafe Getaway was pleased to participate in the Tampa Rally. Not only were we introduced to several movers and shakers in the City of Tampa, but we met for the first time some of the other folks doing what we do -- putting culinary treats on wheels -- like Tacos Bus, Wicked Wiches, Maggie on the Move, Killer Samich and others.
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| Tiffany with Tampa Airport's new CEO Joe Lopano |
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| Cafe Getaway debut's at My Bob Buckhorn's second Tampa Food Truck Rally |
The 2011-12 Farmers' Market Season
As the 2011-2012 season gets underway in Tampa Bay, Cafe Getaway has again decided to make the Dunedin Green Market on Saturdays and the new Tarpon Sunday Market on Sundays the mainstay of our weekend schedules.
The well-established Dunedin Green Market takes place downtown in dog-loving and (fortunately for us) coffee-loving Dunedin, FL, just a few miles north of Clearwater. The market is located in Pioneer Park, which is just east of the Pinellas Bike Trail on Main Street. This shady quadrangle is a perfect place for a market, and the assortment of vendors is as mouth-watering as ever. Keep track of the market schedule at the Dunedin Green Market Face Book Page.
The Tarpon Sunday Market, under new management, is back in business in front of the striking Mother Meres Mural at the junction of Tarpon Avenue and Pinellas Avenue (Alt. 19), after operating its first few weeks in the lot behind the Historic Train depot. Although it was nice to be alongside the busy Pinellas Bike Trail, most participants felt the location was too out of the way, and the City of Tarpon Springs has moved us back to the Meres location. You can keep track of the Tarpon Market's schedule and information on the Sunday Morning Market of Tarpon Springs Facebook Page.
The well-established Dunedin Green Market takes place downtown in dog-loving and (fortunately for us) coffee-loving Dunedin, FL, just a few miles north of Clearwater. The market is located in Pioneer Park, which is just east of the Pinellas Bike Trail on Main Street. This shady quadrangle is a perfect place for a market, and the assortment of vendors is as mouth-watering as ever. Keep track of the market schedule at the Dunedin Green Market Face Book Page.
The Tarpon Sunday Market, under new management, is back in business in front of the striking Mother Meres Mural at the junction of Tarpon Avenue and Pinellas Avenue (Alt. 19), after operating its first few weeks in the lot behind the Historic Train depot. Although it was nice to be alongside the busy Pinellas Bike Trail, most participants felt the location was too out of the way, and the City of Tarpon Springs has moved us back to the Meres location. You can keep track of the Tarpon Market's schedule and information on the Sunday Morning Market of Tarpon Springs Facebook Page.
Another Season!
OMG! Is it really possible that a whole year has gone by since our last Blog post? Blame it on a successful business and competition for our Internet attention by Facebook and now Twitter.
Yes, Cafe Getaway is moving in the techno era. Both Don and Tiffany have Smart Phones, and Gwen has an IPad. Cafe Getaway has an active Facebook presence where we try to post all our upcoming events and markets, and lately we have added Twitter. It is amazing the connections to foodie interests in the Tampa Bay region and with fellow Food Truck businesses that Twitter has brought us in a very short time.
We hope YOU will follow us on both!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Cruisin' through the Hot Summer
The last Blog post may have been in February, but Cafe Getaway has been rolling along without stop...well, almost without stop. There was a short break in June for Don to get arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. That went so smoothly, though, the break was hardly needed. He enjoyed the time off, however!
Our weekday routes have been our primary activity during the summer. Florida doesn't stop just because the snowbirds have gone away! The people who live and work here are mighty glad to see Cafe Getaway's cool blue truck roll in, and our smoothies, frappes, and iced drinks have clearly been the mainstay.
A highlight of the summer season has been the monthly Music on the Beach concerts, held (usually) the last Thursday of the month on Tarpon Springs' lovely Sunset Beach. The beach's new bandstand was opened in April, and the music is mostly smooth summertime rock and roll. There may be no other event that suits these retired sailors' psyches so well as sunset music events on a gorgeous beach. For info on remaining concerts this season, be sure to check our Cafe Getaway Facebook Page
Otherwise, we've been taking the weekends pretty easy, doing lots of family visiting. All that will change very soon with a jam-packed Fall calendar. More on that soon.
Our weekday routes have been our primary activity during the summer. Florida doesn't stop just because the snowbirds have gone away! The people who live and work here are mighty glad to see Cafe Getaway's cool blue truck roll in, and our smoothies, frappes, and iced drinks have clearly been the mainstay.
A highlight of the summer season has been the monthly Music on the Beach concerts, held (usually) the last Thursday of the month on Tarpon Springs' lovely Sunset Beach. The beach's new bandstand was opened in April, and the music is mostly smooth summertime rock and roll. There may be no other event that suits these retired sailors' psyches so well as sunset music events on a gorgeous beach. For info on remaining concerts this season, be sure to check our Cafe Getaway Facebook Page
Otherwise, we've been taking the weekends pretty easy, doing lots of family visiting. All that will change very soon with a jam-packed Fall calendar. More on that soon.
Monday, February 15, 2010
We Now Take Credit Cards!
It's a big step, but we have finally taken it! Yes, Cafe Getaway now accepts THE BIG FOUR: Visa, Mastercard, AmEx and Discover!
Although customers at the weekend special events and farmers' markets usually come ready with cash, customers on our weekday routes working in shops and offices or watching their kids at soccer practice quite simply don't. On our very first day with the machine, 20% of our business came from credit card use!
Although customers at the weekend special events and farmers' markets usually come ready with cash, customers on our weekday routes working in shops and offices or watching their kids at soccer practice quite simply don't. On our very first day with the machine, 20% of our business came from credit card use!
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