Synopses & Reviews
Tampa resident Laura Reiley and St. Petersburg resident Bob Jenkins offer their unique perspectives on Tampa and St. Petersburg, from exploring the Salvador Dali Museum to enjoying the quirky Gasparilla Pirate Fest. They include trip strategies for a variety of travelers, such as a "Nature Lovers Tour" and "Tampa Sports," covering the Yankees spring training. Including expert advice on the Museum of Science and Industry, Busch Gardens, and nightlife in historic Ybor City,
Moon Tampa and St. Petersburg gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.
About the Author
Laura Reiley entered the world of work on the heels of a two-year culinary school program. As a professionally trained chef, she was now qualified to draw discriminating conclusions about meals eaten and wines consumed. She did so with gusto, reviewing restaurants and writing about food for magazines and newspapers in Baltimore, San Francisco, and, most recently, St. Petersburg, Florida.
A food writer must keep one eye on food, but it is somewhat inevitable that the other eye drifts to the anthropology of foodthe folkways of the eaters and drinkers. After moving to Floridas Gulf Coast in 2003, Laura began to admire how Harriet Beecher Stowe once described her home state: a tumble-down, wild
general happy-go-luckiness.” There was no better way to explore her wild new home than with the first edition of Moon Florida Gulf Coast, for which she won first prize from the North American Travel Journalists Association. From there, she set her sights on other Floridian destinationsauthoring Moon Walt Disney World and Orlando and now focusing on Floridas central coast.
Laura lives in the Tampa Bay area with her husband, a psychologist; her daughter, a sixteen-year-old; and her dog, a schnoodle.
Bob Jenkins has sailed on more than 60 cruise ships and traveled extensively in Western Europe, in heartland America, and on six of the seven continents. Despite his global experience, Bobs greatest expertise is a result of all the years he made the 22-mile commute from St. Petersburg to Clearwater, discovering different ways to navigate the often-crowded roads, exploring the back lanes, and familiarizing himself completely with the area.
Bob studied journalism in college and went on to work for the Grand Rapids Press and for Newsday. He moved to St. Petersburg in 1969, beginning a 39-year career with the St. Petersburg Times in a variety of roles, including 19 years as travel editor.
Bob also served on the Board of Directors of the Society of American Travel Writers for almost a decade and was presented with its highest honor for service, the Marco Polo award. He now works as a freelance writer specializing in travel.
Bob lives in St. Petersburg with his wife, Dianne. Along with being a Tampa Bay Rays fan, he loves to sail and fish in his free time. Visit him online at bobjenkinswrites.com.