Tampa Today News: Lotte Market Now Open + Greek Festival
What you need to know happening in Tampa.
Happy Friday! Welcome to Tampa Today News. I’m Carlos Hernandez, your host explaining everything you need to know about what’s happening in Tampa including local news, events, and more.
Don’t forget to Fall Back this weekend. Prepare for an extra hour of sleep this weekend. Remember to set your clocks back one hour before going to bed Saturday night as Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning.
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Top stories in Tampa:
Asian supermarket giant opens in New Tampa: Lotte Plaza Market is now open in New Tampa after much anticipation. The Asian grocery chain is located at 17605 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. The grocery store is offering a full produce section, seafood, specialty Asian meats, and an Asian food court as well as Korean-French-style bakery. (wtsp.com)
Pendry finally breaks ground: The Pendry has finally broken ground in downtown Tampa off the Tampa Riverwalk. It is the latest luxury development coming to Tampa. The 39-story building will feature 220 hotel rooms and 207 condominiums. Condos will be one to three bedrooms and pricing starts at $1.3 million. (wfla.com)
Ybor curfew draws pushback from residents and bars: A proposal to enact a curfew in Ybor City after a deadly weekend shooting led to a swift pushback from residents who complained that the curfew would do nothing to address the issues surrounding the shooting, including guns. Business owners and bar staff said the closure would badly impact their economic situation amid an affordability crisis in Tampa. The curfew was proposed by developer Darryl Shaw and Councilmember Gwen Henderson. (tampabay.com, wtsp.com)
Tampa Greek Festival this weekend: The Tampa Greek Festival is returning this weekend starting today, Nov. 3 and tomorrow, Nov. 4, and is free to attend. The festivities will happen at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, located at 2418 West Swann Ave. There will be delicious Greek food, desserts, coffee, and Mythos beer to enjoy. (thatssotampa.com)
Tampa Foodie boutique hotel celebrating ten years of operation: The Epicurean Hotel is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this winter with a number of special offers and experiences for fans of the boutique hotel in Tampa’s Hyde Park neighborhood. A special new edition logo has also been designed to mark the occasion. Scheduled throughout November and December. Specials range from $10 in food and drink specials at the hotel’s signature hotel and rooftop bar, to discounted wines, spa services, and an celebratory 10-course anniversary dinner. “When we opened, we were one of the first boutique hotels in the city and the dining scene was on the verge of exploding, making it perfect timing for the concept of a culinary hotel,” said Joe Collier, President and Founder, Mainsail Lodging & Development. (epicureanhotel.com)
Photo credit: John Amores
Happening in Tampa this weekend:
Friday, Nov. 3
Tampa Greek Festival at St. John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church. (4 p.m.)
The Market Elaine at The Grove at Wesley Chapel. (5:30 p.m.)
XTR HUMAN with AEON RINGS at New World Music Hall. (7 p.m.)
Frankenstein at Straz Center For The Performing Arts. (7:30 p.m.)
Nyad (2023) at Tampa Theatre. (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Nov. 4
Sip + Shop at Keel Farms. (10 a.m.)
2023 Hillsborough County Fair at Hillsborough County Fairgrounds. (10 a.m.)
Tampa Bay Veg Fest at Tampa Parks & Recreation Dept. (11 a.m.)
India Festival Tampa Bay at Florida State Fairgrounds. (11 a.m.)
Savor St. Pete at Vinoy Park. (noon)
Zac Brown Band - From The Fire Tour at MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre. (6:30 p.m.)
Tampa Bay Lightning at Ottawa Senators. Away. (7 p.m.)
Slushii at The Ritz Ybor. (10 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 5
Free Pops in The Park at River Tower Park. (6:30 p.m.)
Kichi Taiyaki is opening in Brandon on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2020 W Brandon Blvd. I visited the location and interviewed the owner. My favorite things on the menu were the taro ice cream with taiyaki waffle, regular Japanese pancake souffle, and the savory taro taiyaki. There are a bunch of options on the menu. Most items lean on the sweeter side. The owner also emphasized that they sell bingsoo which is not so common in Tampa. She claims her is different by having a different base instead of just snow with syrup on top. The shop is nicely decorated and will definitely be popular in Brandon, being conveniently located by I-75 and the Brandon Mall.
Notes:
The suspect in the Ybor City weekend shooting has pleaded not guilty to a second-degree murder charge. (wfla.com)
Democrat Whitney Fox has raised over $100,000 in her challenge to the seat of incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. (floridapolitics.com)
Visit Tampa Bay announced this week that Tampa enjoyed 26.7 million visitors in fiscal year 2023 and over $1 billion in hotel revenue. (facebook.com)
Clearwater Aquarium: "It's officially Manatee Awareness Month! In honor of these gentle sea cows, we are shining the spotlight on CMA's conservation efforts both locally and globally." (x.com)
Tampa Police will have an increased presence in Ybor City throughout the weekend, while leaders discuss safety more in the area. (baynews9.com)
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