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RUN

We are recapping this year’s experience at the Elite Events Turkey Trot that we ran live on Thanksgiving last Thursday!   The medal was bigger, but the experience reminded us of last year while the folks from Elite Events made sure everyone was comfortable and had plenty of space to socially distance.  The post-race treats were great and the opportunity for photos was so nice.  Elite Events has race results posted online and finisher videos, too!

We also completed a virtual race - Richard’s Run for Life.  It is a 5K to raise funds for the Moffitt Cancer Center.  Aimee and Dana did their races in different ways and we recap that this week.  The end result was the same:  supporting a great organization and getting a $25 gift card to use at Ulele or the Columbia Restaurant.  Yum!

EAT

The Columbia Restaurant Group opened its newest restaurant two weeks ago in Tampa, Casa Santo Stefano!  We got to see their beautiful new space just down the street from their Columbia Restaurant location in Ybor City.  This one took over an old pasta factory and pays homage to Sicilian classics on their menu.  We started with Arancini, sampled an amazing salad in Valenti’s Burrata, had a classic in Spaghetti Con Pulpette (Spaghetti with Meatballs), and a unique dish in Spaghetti Al Nero Con Polpo (Squid Ink Spaghetti with Octopus).  Delightful and delicious, the meal was a wonderful way to celebrate Aimee’s birthday!

DRINK 

Casa Santo Stefano also has great cocktail selections.  We wanted to try wine from their beautiful upstairs wine cellar.   It was so hard to choose.  Our server, Val, steered us in the right direction.  We will be back for wine but focused on cocktails.  The Casa Negroni made with Sicilian gin, highlighted the floral notes of the gin.   The 1925 Manhattan, named for the year the building opened, was just the right amount of sweetness and smoke.  

Just some wonderful notes on their amazing customer service:  Val checked in with us at the perfect time during each course of the meal and he was ready to make the recommendations we needed for a perfect meal.  The entire staff signed a card for us and presented us with a great lemon pound cake dessert to help celebrate the occasion.  We felt like family.  Matteo, a manager at the restaurant, gave us a tour of the building after our meal.  We saw the kitchens and dessert stations where the magic happens.  We even got a sneak peek of the upstairs space that has yet to open where there will be

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