What is a Staycation?
Entrepreneurs often work too hard and insist they don't have time for a vacation. Everyone needs time off, however, just to get a mental break a relax a bit. If you don't think you can justify the planning, packing, and travelling involved for a traditional vacation, why not try a staycation. It is just what it sounds like, a vacation while staying at home. The rules are simple: you do no work, do something different every day away from home, but return to your home at night. No hotels, packing and unpacking, flight delays, etc. 
Mazzaro's Coffee Bar
My wife, Kathleen, and I recently completed a 10 day staycation and it was incredible. We made a list of things we have never done around the Tampa Bay area and planned to do as many as we could. A partial list (with links attached) of the events, places, and restaurants we visited includes:
- Rick's on the River - A beachlike hangout on the Hillsborough River about a mile north of downtown Tampa. We has clams and drinks, listened to live music, and watched the boats go by.
- The Refinery - We had dinner at the only restaurant in Florida recently nominated for the James Beard Award.
- Cinebistro - Took in a movie at Cinebistro in Hyde Park where waiters and waitresses take your order at your seat and deliver appetizers, dinner, and drinks before the movie. You can go out to the bar during the movie to refresh.
- Jannus Live - Saw Grammy Award winner Lucinda Williams from the VIP level of historic Jannus Landing in downtown St. Pete.
- Tarpon Springs - Rode our bikes 24 miles on the Pinellas Trail from Dunedin to Tarpon Springs for lunch of steamed clams, oysters, crab, and shrimp.
- Dali - Spent an afternoon at the new Salvadore Dali Museum in St. Pete (this was the only rainy day of the staycation).
- Black Pearl - Hired a driver to take us to downtown Dunedin, drinks at The Living Room, dinner at The Black Pearl, after dinner drinks at the Chick-A-Boom room. Good thing we had a driver.
- Pane Rustica - Dinner at the restaurant ranked #2 in the Tampa Bay/Sarasota area by Zagat. They give you free loaves of bread if there are any left over at the end of the night (there always are).
- Caddy's - Bar hopped up Gulf Drive from Caddy's to Bubba Gump's, to the Tiki Bar, to The Pub and ended with a fantastic seafood dinner at the legenary Salt Rock Grill.
- Skipper's Smokehouse - Saw 3 live bands, headlined by Have Gun, Will Travel from Bradenton who were celebrating the release of their new CD that night.
- The Fox - Had after dinner drinks at the famous Tampa nightclub and listened to live music, everything from Black Eyed Peas, to Barry White.
- Mazzaro Italian Market - Had the best Italian sub I ever had at the coffee bar of this one of a kind Italian market in St. Pete. Bought some cheeses and goodies as well.
David Chitester



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