Florida Spectacular

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This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes David Powell, author of "Ninety Miles and a Lifetime Away: Memories of Early Cuban Exiles."

David worked as a reporter for 10 years in New York, Miami, and Tallahassee, and then practiced law for 30 years. He and Cathy talk about the first two waves of Cuban immigrants, how they impacted Florida, and the stories of Cuban who came to Florida in the first years after Castro came to power in Cuba. 

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

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Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week Cathy Salustri chats with David Shealy, the mastermind behind the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters in Ochopee, and noted Skunk Ape author Brad Bertelli. Follow Brad on Twitter, or join his Florida Keys history Facebook group, and pick up a copy of his book, "The Florida Keys Skunk Ape Files". After you're done, you may want to follow the Southernmost Skunk Ape Society on Twitter, too.

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Stephanie Shuster, CEO and owner of "WDW Magazine." Stephanie and Cathy talk about a different part of Florida: the Walt Disney World Resort. They chat, of course, about Disney and why they both enjoy it, but also about the landscaping, natural plants, and acres of preserved land on the Walt Disney World Resort property. 

More about Stephanie:

As CEO and Owner of WDW Magazine, Stephanie Shuster leads a team that connects thousands of Disney fans to the Most Magical Place on Earth from wherever they are, in a role that combines her expert knowledge of Disney parks, and talent for developing operational strategies, and passion for travel.  Find more Disney online with the WDW Magazine Blog and the Dad's Guide to WDW.

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week The Florida Spectacular talks to food historian Andy Huse. Cathy and Andy talk about Florida restaurants, Florida cocktails, and Florida desserts.

Huse, who's written three books with the University Press of Florida, lives in Tampa. He's the archivist and special collections librarian at the University of South Florida, but his fascination is Florida: writing, speaking, and cooking Florida. He's written a history of the Columbia Restaurant and a "thirsty" history of Tampa. His latest book (with coauthors Barbara Cruz and Jeff Houck) is called "The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers", due to be published by the University Press of Florida in September 2022.

Links we mentioned: 

Casa Santa Stefano

Tampa: Impressions of an Emigrant (by Andy Huse)

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Susan Rogers, author of the forthcoming book "Learning the Birds", available in April from Cornell Press. Susan talks with Cathy about her birding trip to the Everglades, the time she (sort of) found a dead body, and why birding is dangerous. Cathy and Susan also talk about the most dangerous animal in Florida (it's not what you think), why osprey are superior to bald eagle, and whether or not Marjorie Stoneman Douglas is overrated. 

If you want to order Susan's book, you can use code 09SAVE at the Cornell Press website (where you can see the awesome cover she mentions in the podcast) and get a hefty discount. Follow Susan on Twitter and Facebook, and check out her website, too.

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes back Bill DeYoung, author of many books, most recently "Vintage St. Pete Volume II: Legends, Locations, Lifestyles." 

Even people who don't live in St. Pete will appreciate this picturesque history of the area, told through some of the city's more interesting people and places throughout history. In this week's Florida Spectacular, Bill and Cathy talk about the St. Pete beach iconic Beach Theatre, John Candy and Summer Rental, artist George Snow Hill and how his WPA-era painting helped radicalize a young man fighting for equality.

Buy the book online or get it at Tombolo Books or the St. Petersburg Museum of History.

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week The Florida Spectacular talks with Ben Kirby, who worked alongside St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman as the Communications Director for Kriseman's two-term tenure, which ended earlier this year. Cathy and Ben talk about Kriseman's famous "no Trumps allowed" tweet, the challenges facing a Florida community recovering from a Jim Crow South, and the way Florida government – St. Petersburg in particular – allows people accessibility to their government.

More about Ben: Benjamin J. Kirby is a communications professional with 30 years in politics, federal and local government, the nonprofit sector, and advocacy. From 2014 to 2022, he served as the Communications Director for St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. Born in western North Carolina and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Benjamin lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife, Kendra, and his children, Emeline, Finnegan, and Elle.

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Bill DeYoung, a St. Petersburg native, veteran journalist, and author of "Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought it Down." Bill and Cathy talk about the Skyway Bridge disaster of 1980, the (untrue and harmful) rumors about Captain Lerro's role in the disaster and, most notably, his play, "Mayday: Captain Lerro and the Skyway Bridge", which opens in St. Petersburg Feb. 10

More about Bill:

In addition to "Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay’s Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought it Down" Bill's also written books about Florida music, including "Phil Gernhard Record Man""I Need to Know: The Lost Music Interviews", "Vintage St. Pete: The Golden Age of Tourism and More" and "Vintage St. Pete Volume II: Legends, Locations, Lifestyles". He is senior writer and editor at the St. Pete Catalyst.

About the play:

"Mayday: Captain Lerro and the Skyway Bridge" is a one-person play centered around John Lerro, the harbor pilot at the helm of the freighter that knocked down the Sunshine Skyway Bridge during a freak storm in 1980. Lerro relates the story of his life, up to and including the "day he checked into hell," and describes – in harrowing detail – the unhappy years that followed. Much of the dialogue was taken from Lerro's own words, in court testimony and media interviews.

Links we mentioned:

"Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought it Down"

Off Central (For tickets to "Mayday" when available; the show opens Feb. 10)

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Tara Lush, author of the Coffee Lover's Mystery Series, talks about writing cozy mysteries, using Florida as a backdrop, her love of coffee, and other Florida cozy writers. 

Connect with her on Twitter (@tamaralush) or Facebook, or come see her at the Gabber Book Club in Gulfport on Jan. 12. 

Links we mentioned: 

St. Petersburg Coffee Tour

"Arya Winters and the Tiramisu of Death" (Spicy Cozy)

Jenny Crusie

Florida Cozy Mystery Writers

Elaine Viets

Lucy Burdette

Margaret Lashley

Raquel Reyes

Pre-order "Drive", a contemporary romance by Tamara Lush

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!

This week, The Florida Spectacular welcomes John Fleming, author of "The Legend of the Barefoot Mailman." Host Cathy Salustri and John talk about the actual Barefoot Mailman, his book about what may have happened to Ed Hamilton, and why Cathy thinks his next book about the Lewis & Clark expedition should talk about Florida.

John's a creative writing professor at the University of South Florida, the founder of Saw Palm: Florida Literature and Art magazine, and the author of "Fearsome Creatures of Florida", "Songs for the Deaf", and "The Book I Will Write."

Like what you heard? Check out the Giants, Dragons & Unicorns traveling exhibit at the Orlando History Center, the Cryptomundo cryptid website, and John's website.

Want more Florida? Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com.

Support the show

Question or comment? Email us at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com.

Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee).

NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!