SOUTHERNLIVING.COM / FEBRUARY 20 1955All About the Arts
Adding to the cachet of Central Avenue,
the Morean’s Chihuly Collection (a trove
of fantastical blown-glass creations
by Dale Chihuly) moved inside a new
gallery designed to help the viewer
appreciate every curl and spire. The
artist reportedly chose St. Petersburg
because of its commitment to art
and arts education. Gallery owner
and multimedia artist Chad Mize
even designed a popular T-shirt that
proudly proclaims, in bold lettering,
this city’s place among the world’s
biggest cultural hubs: “Paris, London,
Tokyo, St. Pete.”
“Originally, it was tongue-in-
cheek, but we actually are kind of
in that league,” says Mize, who has
sold more than 60,000 items with
his World Tour design. “We aredefinitely an arts city in terms of
culture and desirability.”
Shoppers along Central Avenue
can browse through the curated
housewares at ZaZoo’d, snag afford-
able handmade jewelry at SaltLight
Art, and find on-trend fashions under
$60 at Misred. Stroll past the murals
that decorate refurbished buildings,
some of which Mize painted after
he moved to St. Pete, attracted by
its heritage and potential for growth.
“I loved the kitsch of it, the neon signs,
the roadside-attraction aspect, and
also the water,” he says. “Now there’s
just so much—new restaurants and
more stuff to do.”
Like Central Avenue, Beach Drive
has done its part to spur the city’s
renaissance. The Museum of Fine
Arts, which anchors this thoroughfare
with neoclassical grandeur, celebrated
its 50th anniversary in 2015. Its hand-
some interiors are reminiscent of a
grand, old estate, one where there just
happens to be a Monet hanging on
the wall. (It’s one of his Houses of
Parliament paintings, just in case
you’re wondering.)Sunken Gardens and
Surreal ExperiencesOnly a few blocks away, a botanical
wonderland that’s called the Sunken
Gardens hides right in the middle of
downtown. This landscape—more than
a century old—will lure you into a maze
of paths through towering palms and
past fountains of pink bougainvillea
and manicured gardens. People come
from all over the country to admire
the fluttering tops of bamboo stalks
that grow as tall as palm trees.
Visitors can get so entranced with
the plants that they might not haveThe Mandarin
Hide Motto
“Pouring our spirits
to raise yours”Go Off Menu
The Mandarin Hide’s
mixologists will invent
a cocktail for you.Craft Cocktail
The Mint Bramble,
a gin specialty, at
The Mandarin Hide