Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa is a popular route for joggers, bicyclists, and those who just want to stroll by the sea. It also serves as daily driving commute for many. Fortunately for everyone the Boulevard’s median is magically sprinkled with strange and wonderful works of art. One of these is called The Wave – a metal sculpture roughly ten feet tall created by Mary Ann Unger (1945-1998). It is supposed to represent a crashing wave, but people see different things in it. I like to think of it as a gelatinous sea creature sucking water through its body and filtering out plankton. When I see it, which isn’t often, it feels like an old friend.

Art of all kinds is important because otherwise what is the point of life? Do we work in order to pay the bills so we can continue to work? Or do we work to pay the bills in order to have time to play? Our art and our artists are local treasures.

List of public art in Tampa

Written by Daniel Noe, WayOutLife.com

One of Tampa’s local treasures is also a national treasure that connects us to the past. When the Navy cargo ship American Victory was sitting in Virginia destined for the scrapyard, Captain John C. Timmel arranged for its rescue to live on as a floating museum. One of only three WWII-era Victory-model ships still fully operational, it is open most days of the week for self-guided tours. Not only does it connect us to the past and provide educational benefit, but it serves as a reminder of the efforts of those that kept American soldiers fed, armed, and equipped in Europe, the Pacific, Korea, and Vietnam.

I went to see it and my first impression was that it looks like the game pieces in the Axis-and-Allies board game – only bigger. Once up top, I was surprised how many floors it had. One can see across the channel or look down at the kids playing in the water park nearby. I wandered around the deck, seeing the giant anchor and big guns. Inside I saw the kitchen and insulated food storage. Somewhere a radio played 1940’s-era music. At first I thought that there seemed to be a lot of toilets and showers, but now I think it appropriate based on how many beds there were. My guess would be one bathroom per eight beds. I didn’t count. I suppose when one is on a ship, one doesn’t need to worry about running out of water. Another thing I noticed was that the deck seemed rather smooth and slick. I can only imagine what it would be like rolling back and forth in a storm once it gets a little bit of water on it. It seems like a safety hazard. Is this normal on ships? I should have called ahead to schedule a guide to ask questions (yes, you can do that). Down below there is a collection of various model ships, artifacts, and information placards. I saw giant bullets and shells taller than most children. Wow.

A history of the ship can be found on the website, including the tale of how American Victory broke up sea ice for other ships while leaving a Soviet port despite not being designed for it.

To get to American Victory, take Channelside Avenue in Tampa to the rotary and turn into the entrance for the Florida Aquarium. At the stop sign, take a right and head for the water. Free parking is just around the corner.

705 Channelside Drive, Tampa, Florida
AmericanVictory.org

Written by Daniel Noe, WayOutLife.com

Trinity Café provides human dignity by serving balanced gourmet meals at no cost to the homeless, disabled, and working poor without tedious means-testing or religious proselytization. For those who can afford it, a donation bucket is available near the door. I decided to volunteer to get an inside peek at how it all worked.

At 10:30 am (weekdays), diners line up to receive tickets for lunch. This lets the kitchen know how many meals to make. At 11:30 am (weekdays) the doors open and the diners are assigned seats as they become available. There are two volunteers to a table. One serves the meals and the other provides conversation. It’s actually not a bad way to meet interesting people.

The day I went, they had chicken underneath some sort of tomato-basil sauce and cheese next to grits and a vegetable mix. I had time to snag a plate after everyone else was finished. The tables have tablecloths and flower arrangements in the center, which gives the place a little character. I liked working there for a day (less than three hours). It had a fun atmosphere and a sense of camaraderie among the volunteers and employees. Spots fill up fast, so sign up well ahead of time. For their full schedule, visit their website below.
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2801 N Nebraska Avenue, Tampa, Florida
2202 E Busch Boulevard, Tampa, Florida
TrinityCafe.org

Written by Daniel Noe, WayOutLife.com