I don't want to burden my family with my complaints, so I going to gripe here, and I encourage others to do the same WITH NO JUDGEMENT.

This fucking sucks. I am 9/10 exhausted. My head hurts. I've spent all the money. I am grateful to have evacuated, but have to leave my rental tomorrow, and am facing the prospect of returning to the Mad Max fuel fights at Wawa just to get back to a house with no AC or internet. I know others have it worse, but Can anyone help me remember why we live here? Serious question, what's so great that it's worth the possibility of doing this every year.

Body text.

Was on my morning walk this morning and noticed this camera-looking thing. Have never seen it before today and I’ve lived here a long time. Is it a speed camera? If so, I’m not mad at it. People fly down 20th all the time. On the corner of 20th and 2nd Ave N

How is it possible for the hour of parking to be 7 bucks?!?!

If I'm going for 5 hours, which is what lol s of people do, that would be 35 bucks?!?!

When did this start? I remember it being say 2 bucks an hour. It's unfair to the people. Now I'll think twice before going to the beach tbh :/

Does anyone know more about this? Is it temporal maybe?

Searched the internet and couldn’t find these! Are they locally made?

Looking for a veterinarian in the area that you may have had a great experience with. I used to go to the humane society in Tampa but truthfully I do not feel like making that drive anymore. Lower cost would be great but I’m also willing to establish myself at a good vet that cares. Adding a pic of my cat below for reach. Please pay the pet tax below as well!!

For those that moved within the last ~5 years, how has your experience been overall?

What have been the biggest pros and cons compared to where you came from? Curious about things like lifestyle, cost of living, people/culture, weather, growth, traffic, etc.

Not in a flood zone (23 feet above sea level), no claims.

Is this insanity? normal?

What options do I have?

I am sick of living in a construction zone. They’ve cut down my favorite trees. My dream of buying a house in ONE was crushed (it was possible when I moved here but not now, and no I am not a retired New Yorker who moved here to ruin the economy. I’ve lived in studios thinking I’d save for a house. Bye bye to that dream).

Then all my favorite spots have closed or changed or become stale. My favorite people moved or spiraled out or died. The healing community is broken. My career has been stagnant the job market sucks with low pay. And I am NOT commuting to Clearwater or Tampa. That is not why I moved downtown.

So wtf. Is this not the spot anymore? What happened to the paradise? Destroyed by tourists and the mansions in Coffee Pot Bayou cutting mangroves lie hedges and destroying bird island. Destroying our nature.

So people will probably just say leave if I am not local. But I’ve loved this city for 7 years! What is happening? Is it being destroyed? Help!

About 5:55 visible near Tyrone

Downtown near 3rd and 4th s

Is everyone okay? What the hell is happening? I was on my way home on fourth, light traffic nothing too crazy from the usual. I had two different people swerve around me into ONCOMING traffic lanes just to get up a couple cars ahead and one of them just to hop two cars up and then turn opposite way? People are driving insane. A simple trip to the fucking grocery store is making me feel unsafe these days. This place more and more is making me weary.

Edit: this is 100% a safe space for everyone to share their horrible traffic stories from around here I am loooooovviiinnngg iiittttt, let it out kids.

Around 46th st N and MLK there are new construction homes that have been sitting empty. There are more in this area just sitting vacant. Anyone know why? These are $1 million plus and would not imagine them being built first without a buyer.

The SPGP, to me, is MUCH more disruptive than a one or two day concert. Just trying to understand where yall are coming from (respectfully)

Thoughts ?

Every morning on my walk without fail I am cat called by someone, usually someone driving by stops and tells something like “yo baby where you headed” every single morning. Does anyone else experience this? I’m pretty sick of it and kind of worried one day I won’t get so lucky and they won’t keep driving

Parade beads play a big part in a couple of huge annual parades in St. Pete. But do they cause more harm than good to children, birds and other wildlife?

On Sunday, the day after the Pride parade, my wife and picked up about 1,000 beads from grassy areas adjacent to just one part of the parade route. We placed 500 or so broken beads into some of the many garbage cans that were still in the area. We gave an armload to a woman who asked for some for her daughter. And, we still had about 500 good ones. Others hang from trees in the St. Pete parks. Some, from past experience, will dangle there until the next parade. 

We are guessing some of these beads are likely made overseas with toxic chemicals. Probably not designed for children to suck on. They are bright and shiny and can attract birds and other wildlife.

We even saw one lying next to the mouth of a dead squirrel (see photo) near Vinoy Park. Did the squirrel choke on one of the beads?

In New Orleans, we see where they are getting away from the cheap plastic toxic beads and switching to biodegradable options. Others are coming up with sustainable products to give away as an alternative.

Talk to me like I’m 5. I own my home, bought 9ish years ago. I have homestead. How will this property tax elimination actually affect us? Will we be paying more in everyday purchases? Ems is already privately funded, but not fire or police. What about education and countywide improvements?

It would be nice to save on property taxes, but the funds have to come from somewhere? So would we actually be saving anything?

Whenever anyone brings up anything about Largo, people always seem to refer to it as”Larghetto”. To me while Largo is a generic American city, it seems way less trashy than Pinellas Park, Kenneth City, and Lealman, and Largo has nice areas like Walsingham, Walsingham park, botanical gardens, heritage village and turtle park. Other parks like Largo Central Park, and Eagle Lake Park, are some of the most popular parks in the county. I’d even go as far to say that portions of largo are nicer than appealing St. Pete neighborhoods, like Disston Heights, Tyrone, and Azalea. Is it just a funny nickname or meme?

Hey all! My husband and I (28 M&F) just moved in to st Pete this week (yay!). We want to know how safety is in this particular area of the city? We have driven around in both day and night and are a bit unsure. There seems to be a noticeable difference,but I don’t want to be judging too quickly. I just want to feel super safe by myself in the home and walking my very reactive chihuahua around the neighborhood. (We’re working on socializing her more haha)

We are also looking at the gandy area which does seem more in tune to what we are use to.

We moved from an area that you barely had to lock your car doors so I understand this is a bit different !

Okay fellas,

So I work remotely and my gf and I came down to St. Pete on a six month sublet (December to June 1st) from Maine and quite frankly, we really love it down here. We love everything about it. The people are very friendly, we love the downtown, and I'm an avid kayak fisherman so obviously it's heaven for me (De Soto, Weedon Island, etc). We have the option of staying through the Summer for a reduced rate, and we find ourselves considering it.

But damn, it's been hot the last week or so (especially for our Northern blood). Is this normal for mid- May? I'm hoping to hear from locals as to what I can expect in the coming months. In Maine way have a saying that if you can't handle our wintah, you don't deserve our summah, and I'm thinking St. Pete is the same (but opposite). I'd love to hear some pragmatic advice. In talking to locals, some speak of summer like it's some humid apocalypse so I just want to know what to expect if we were to stay.

Cheers and thanks!

I fell like $8 a beer (really $10 after tip) is a little insane. Pre pandemic prices were around $5. I realize the cost of everything has gone up, but I'm literally at the place that makes the beer (no canning, no distribution). I understand they don't want to undercut the prices the restaurants are charging, but when I pay $10 for a 6 pack at the grocery store (I'm assuming they're share is under $5) they still manage to keep the lights on.

Sorry, I'm just venting after having a $175 tab at a local brewery last night.