Tonight’s program: Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello & Piano Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
Michael Francis conducts Beethoven’s breathtaking Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano, featuring TFO’s Yoni Draiblate and Nancy Chang, as well as guest Marika Bournaki.
Beethoven’s triple concerto (1803-4, published in 1807) is his only concerto for cello is simply wonderful – it’s Beethoven -:), need I say more?
J Anton Bruckner (1824-96) was an Austrian composer. His Symphony #4 (nickname Romantic; written in 1874; premiered in 1881) is a massive piece – I thought I’d just sleep, but the pre-concert talk provided more details that made the listening more interesting – I sat through it and enjoyed.
After the concert, I saw a few onion heads in the near distance: what are they?
Giulio Cesare (1724) by Handel (1685-1759), the German-British Baroque composer.
Who will rule (the world) 😉
Handel clearly knew what he was doing with Giulio Cesare in Egitto. Romans and Egyptians (not Greeks, though the Hellenistic vibe makes that confusion very forgivable) circling Egypt like elegant predators. It’s basically geopolitics as opera seria—power, desire, manipulation, all wrapped in dazzling arias.
Cesare’s suave imperial confidence, Cleopatra’s weaponized charm, Tolomeo’s full-on venom… everyone is scheming, seducing, or stabbing (emotionally, if not literally). No one is innocent; some are just better dressed. Handel really leans into that moral slipperiness: Cleopatra rules by performance—she acts her way into power. Cesare conquers with restraint, which somehow makes him more dangerous. Tolomeo is practically dripping poison every time he opens his mouth.
Are you rooting for anyone, or just enjoying watching them all out-scheme each other?
This production’s stage design is the best so far at this venue, and singers are all wonderful; figeratively speaking, they’re the slimiest cast so far.
There is a new act by the audience, besides the latecomers, candy wrappers, and whispers: a young woman constantly shaking her plastic cup (probably soda), making the ice cubes clash. For Pete’s sake, it isn’t a baseball game. I wish the older male companions would stop her from shaking, but they didn’t, unfortunately.
(The venue is small without a pit. They heavily use the aisles at the start or during the performance. Therefore, the latecomers should have been banned, but unfortunately they’re allowed: they disrupt the audience who came on time and pose a danger to the cast.)
Calm, with Zen-like music and fake bird chirping. The decor feels outdated. The staff are polite and kind, and they didn’t laugh at my Cantonese (though they switched to Mandarin – oh well). Chairs are low; the portions are large.
We had two fish dishes: Black bean flounder 豆豉/豉汁 and Sichuan spicy fish fillet 水煮鱼, which wasn’t the smartest choice — that was my fault.
Both dishes looked unusual (unappealing / unapetizing) – dark and no floating oil, which I don’t mind, but tasted okay: I’d order the flounder again, but not the Sichuan fish fillet.
All the fish prices are ‘seasonal’. At a Cantonese seafood restaurant, live fish are typical. But when the server asked me ‘pomanno’ or ‘flounder,’ I knew we’d be eating dead fish. The flounder was very clean, per this bone lover.
By the way, they do have salty fish chicken tofu clay pot 咸鱼鸡粒豆腐煲 – next time.
The sesame balls are served on a bed of white radish, which is odd, but they’re some of the best I’ve had.
We arrived at 5:30, and it gets busy by 6:30, mostly with non-Asian customers who do seem like regulars.
The bathroom is decent, especially compared to the one at Rocca, which we visited two days ago.
It was so peaceful upon our arrival. When I moved my chair, it squeaked—maybe try using tennis balls on the chair (may not look nice…); I’d donate some.
It’s a little out of the way from downtown St. Pete (about 20 minutes to the St. Pete opera), which is why we didn’t come sooner.
… more pix n videos on Google Maps, Resy (7/10, no pic), Yelp, TA
Will return.
This Michelin one-star restaurant has a simple, industrial decor consistent with other venues in Armature Works. I like their Spiegelau wine glasses, Fortessa tableware, pared-down menus (though the wine list is extensive), and crisp, professional service. Everything feels controlled and competent. But the food, overall, didn’t quite rise to the same level of distinction.
We ordered
~ sourdough bread
~ fresh mozzarella
~ pork arrosticini
~ agnolotti
~ tagliolini al ragù
~ two reds
~ semifreddo
The bread is excellent, especially with the whipped butter/cream—unexpected and genuinely delicious. I was anticipating olive oil or old-fashioned butter, but this was a pleasant surprise.
Both red wines, Franc Rodaro and Chianti Moro were decent.
Our server asked whether we had dined there before and introduced their “sharing concept.”
I find this framing dated. It’s 2026—sharing food isn’t a concept; it’s a norm. Maybe it’s cultural (I’m Chinese, sharing is instinctive), but Italians share as well. Labeling it as a “concept” feels oddly performative.
The tableside mozzarella is showy. The young man preparing it is skilled and fluent in the ritual, but the cheese itself was unexpectedly firm and chewy. Fresh mozzarella, at its best, should be soft and moist—something I’ve had plenty of elsewhere, including at places like Iavarone Brothers.
The pork arrosticini arrives beautifully plated, with two tiny purple sakura blossoms that are delicate and striking. Visually refined. The barbecue, however, would benefit from better-quality meat.
The pastas are the standouts. The agnolotti, finished with sparkling breadcrumbs (& salt?), is deeply flavorful. The tagliolini al ragù is impressively al dente. Saving a small piece of bread to soak up the sauce elevates the dish to its best possible version.
Dessert redeems the ending: the birthday gelato was excellent (thank you), and the Persian lime semifreddo was light and well-balanced. No tiramisu, unfortunately—I’m a big bore.
Some practical notes:
– The bathroom stall locks are awkward to use.
– No toilet seat covers.
– Two tables by the kitchen (each seating four) typically carry a $1,000 minimum spend.
– Complimentary parking is available, entry on Ola Street.
– A 2% facility fee is added to the bill.
Background context: this is chef-owner Bryce Bonsack’s first restaurant. He trained at Italian kitchens and two Michelin-starred New York restaurants—Blanca and Corton. Tampa Bay Times critic Helen Freund (who profiled another restaurant, Hales Blackbrick frivolous lawsuit over my initial 3-star review last June) gave the restaurant a 10/10. Chef Bryce received Michelin stars in 2023 and 2024.
Their website may need updating—I saw 2025 posted on the front door.
Bombers began operating at Drew Army Airfield in mid-1940 and included 500 service personnel by August 1941. Combat bombing crews trained at Drew Field during the war, and over 100,000 soldiers were stationed there between 1940-45. During that period, the base was developed with nearly 3.000 buildings, including barracks, classrooms, hospital facilities, libraries, theatres and rec- reation halls. The base also included a complex to house prisoners of war.
Shortly after the war ended in 1945, Drew Field was deactivated as an army air corps base and some of its property was converted to a municipal airport. National Airlines and Eastern Airlines both served the airport by mid-1946. In 1947. the city of Tampa bought the Drew Field property from the federal War Assets Administration. Serving as the municipal airport, its name changed to Tampa International Airport in 1952. Over the years it was deeded from the City of Tampa to the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority. Other property, formerly part of Drew Field, is the site of Hillsborough Community College and Steinbrenner Field. The neighborhood of Drew Park also occupies property that had been included within Drew Field.
I forgot to make a reservation for a 1:00 p.m. lunch and had to wait an hour.
The server said, “The fire marshal says this restaurant can seat 1,700, but we’ve never tried before.” Not 7,000 I thought I heard.
The water glass is dirty.
We had:
– Peñaclara
– Casimiro Sauvignon Blanc
– Casimiro red blend
– Lechón asado
– Merluza a la rusa
– Mahi
– Cuban sandwich with soup
All were good, but the eggplant and shrimp we had last week in Sarasota were better.
Peñaclara is a Spanish brand of natural mineral water sourced from a deep artesian spring in the Sierra de Cameros, La Rioja region. This sprarkling water tastes pretty good.
While waiting, we looked closer at the sidewalk pavers, some are black while others white, along 7th Avenue in front of the restaurant, that features engraved personalized messages, from love notes to tributes to wedding anniversaries.
Hyatt House Tampa Downtown is a pleasant and efficient hotel in a convenient location.
I had never stayed at a Hyatt House before—this one is wonderful, from the location to the lobby and the room. The lattice screens add a touch of elegance. Coffee & tea are available 24/7.
The room is nicely laid out. The kitchenette—with a refrigerator and dishwasher—may be a bit more than necessary, but it is certainly appreciated.
Our room was made up promptly the following day—thank you. Breakfast is decent and included. The gym on the 4th floor is spacious, and the small pool is an added bonus.
The cushions are comfortable for back support. Plastic tableware and disposable chopsticks.
