Maureen--yes, it was the Columbia down in Ybor City. I belong to TB Newcomers and we had our monthly lunch there today. Fortunately for me it was a set menu and I selected the fish--I didn't eat the yellow rice and when they started serving the flan I said I didn't want one--but I had to watch everyone else eat theirs! I did have one glass of wine with my lunch--that was my treat.

I started SB on 1/29 and found this site a couple days later. I really think this is a great place to be. Now, if we could both get into the exercise stuff (I have the same problem you do), we would really be making progress!

Tampaquilowner I live in the "New Tampa" area--in Cory Lake Isles off BBDowns & Cross Creek--we're almost neighbors. Hubby and I have live here for just about 2-1/2 years and love it!

Barb0522 I had noticed your post before about being from here and a sis that still is in the area. I am not familiar with the school you referred to but Tampaquallowner is around USF and I am about 5 miles north of I-75 off Bruce B Downs--not that far from Tampa Palms.

We could almost start a little subgroup ourselves here!

I also noticed the Countess is from somewhere in FL also--wonder where?

Hi,
I'm glad you found my message--I'm new at navigating these kinds of boards. I'm from the other side of Tampa, almost in Oldsmar. I've been here for 15 years now. I'm an RN, work night shift, married, 2 teenagers.

I started sbd on 2/7. Four years ago I lost 60 pounds on LA weightloss and got down to a size 6 No exercising, I must admit. I've slowly gained back half of that weight, a good deal of it since the holidays. I wanted a plan that I could stay on for life, and this is really the healthiest eating plan out there, as well as being very do-able. Lots of heart disease in my family, my cholesterol and triglycerides sky high, etc. So even though I know I won't lose as fast as LA (six months, 60 lbs), I'll be able to keep it off, I hope, by staying on Phase 3 when I'm skinny.

We should start a mini Tampa group on here!

Goof grief! I just looked at my travel notes and actually had lunch at Columbia in Ybor City way back in 1996 when I had my first trip to Florida! It really is a very small world!

Wow, Ruth, this is a small world. The Columbia in Ybor is really an institution here. Beautiful, old world building (very old for Tampa, FL) and the paella.....

We HAD the paella! It certainly is a lovely area and I plan to go back there someday.
Note to self: Cultivate Tampa chicks and plan FL visit next winter.

I'm about an hour north of Tampa, when traffic cooperates

OK! Now I need to know who has a spare bed. It's 1ºF here with a windchill of -20ºF! I can be there by late afternoon!

I think I am the granny in the group--happen to have two spare bedrooms so the grandkids (and, of course, guess the parents have to come also) can come to visit--and enjoy swimming in the pool--we have a heater so even if it is a little chilly at xmas--the heater goes on and their in the water at least twice a day

Off for bridge this a.m.--will check in later.

P.S. Scale said 1/2 lb down since yesterday--all those scarifices yesterday paid off!

Leto is west of Dale Mabry and North of Hillsboro. Just north of the airport. My sister went to USF and I graduated from University of Tampa back in '85. I was born in Tampa but can you believe I have never been to the Columbia Restaurant! I always wanted to go but didn't think I could afford it.

I did love the Gasparilla Parades. I lived close to where they built the floats and on Gasparilla morning we would watch them come out.

I don't visit as often as I did when Mom and Dad were alive. Our old house doesn't have airconditioning and that is just a bit too much for me. But I do need to try this summer.

I most miss the deviled crabs that had the spicy filling. I actually have one of the Tampa cookbooks that has the recipe and I have made it (before South Beach). Lots of work, deep fried and not the least bit healthy although I use whole wheat bread. Maybe when I get to phase 3 I can have them a couple of times a year.