The retro-cool label has built a cult following by channeling vintage resort glamour and the sun-soaked decadence of beach clubs past—while somehow always feeling completely of-the-moment Blackpink's Lisa, whose full name is Lalisa Manoban, wearing Tombolo on Season 3 of The White Lotus Tombolo has a long partnership with The White Lotus, with the brand being worn by various characters throughout each of the seasons. For season three, the company worked closely with costume designer Alex Bovaird to create custom pieces for the show, including the ‘Monkey Business’ cabana shirt (a variation is worn by The White Lotus hotel staff), with its embroidered primate clinging to a coconut, and buttons doubling as fruit. The ‘Reptile Dysfunction’ shirt, also on the show this season, adds some winking humor with its interplay of crocs and florals, rendered in reverse-engraved Agoya shell buttons and dark blue contrast stitching. And a limited-edition rework of Tombolo’s ‘Picante’ cabana shirt swaps out its signature skeleton motif for an elephant-and-palmetto design, adapted specifically for the show. Saturday Night Live costume designer Tom Broecker reached out to Tombolo to collaborate on a collection marking the 50th anniversary of SNL. The collection expands on the aesthetic with a terry cloth polo in a 70s butter-yellow and deep denim combo, tubular raglan sleeves rolling easily into modern fit sensibilities. A satin souvenir jacket, inspired by an SNL veteran’s well-worn keepsake, features a luminous sheen and vintage-style ribbed cuffs. artist Mary Ball was named Tombolo artist-in-residence and created garments that look and feel hand-painted Mary Ball is this year’s Tombolo Artist in Residence with a design style full of fluid brushstrokes and botanical reveries that make every shirt feel as if they’re hand rendered I love how the garments retain the texture and movement of Ball’s original artwork Tombolo supplied Ball with blank fabric canvases—literal shirts—to paint directly onto ensuring that even mass-produced versions carried the immediacy of a hand-painted piece in green and blue editions (limited to 500 each) marks a departure from screen-printed art tees in that they’re fully integrated compositions with a sense of narrative and evolution The collection debuted alongside Ball’s solo exhibition this week at Tombolo’s NYC flagship COMMUNITY PARTNER Stay connected to All Things Good in the Burg by subscribing today Since I Love the Burg launched in May of 2009 Museum Minis with Tombolo Books invites children ages 0 to 5 years old and their favorite grownups to join us in the galleries every third Wednesday for an art-filled storytime From shapes to colors and artists to animals there is always something fun to discover at the MFA Celebrate National Poetry Month with this very special storytime led by St Gloria is the author of Your Biome Has Found You and Danzirly which won the Ambroggio Prize and the Florida Gold Medal Book Award for Poetry She is an Academy of American Poets Poet Laureate Fellow a Highlights Foundation Diverse Verse Fellow Visit her online and on Instagram at @bygloriamunoz 202510:00 AM–11:00 AMFREE for MFA Members; Included with the cost of admission for Not-Yet MembersRegistration required a 1,500-square-foot storefront on 1st Avenue S. The independent book retailer celebrated its fifth anniversary last week and as co-owner Alsace Walentine mingled with the party crowd she marveled at the number of familiar faces “We have kids home from college who’ve been shopping with us all these years we have the snowbirds who are back,” said Walentine “We have all these customers from our pop-up days who still come in So it’s really wonderful to feel like there is a sense of community “It was so great to see people running into friends here other people I know they met at the book store and that is where the friendship started.” where the former worked at the independent book shop Malaprops and after two years of pop-up Tombolo appearances in different locations (during which Walentine took classes at the Greenhouse three months before Covid-19 shut everybody down the city’s beloved 87-year-old independent book retailer was (unbeknownst to anyone) entering its final days Corporate retailers like Barnes & Noble and Borders were thriving Would a (very) small independent book store work in St “I just have so much faith in a good independent book store because of my time at Malaprops,” Walentine said It’s not just selling products – it’s like we’re really interwoven in people’s lives.” bumpy times: At the height of the pandemic delivered books to customers’ homes via bicycle And the construction of a SunRunner bus  stop outside Tombolo’s front door meant the end of curbside parking “You have to stay on your toes,” Walentine explained that’s another crucial aspect of running a small business Because you don’t know the next thing coming down the road.” she was a woman with ever-increasing faith in her new hometown based on the arts culture that we have here those are some of these essential things that I was looking at – not to mention the very strong Go Local movement that exists here in St I think the Go Local movement is hand in hand with the arts scene because people understand that it’s individuals that create a unique city.” She’s particularly proud of Tombolo’s reputation as a curated store “It’s a symbiotic relationship with our customers because we’re really listening to what people are curious about and interested in “It’s like playing Tetris and trying to figure out how to get all the right things to keep it interesting to have things that people didn’t expect to find as the buyer and curator for the adult books.” Walentine also gave kudos to her knowledgeable sales staff the children’s and young readers department and to the store’s robust event programming “People can come and meet their favorite authors,” she said There are no plans in place to expand Tombolo – not yet anyway – but using the five-year anniversary as a benchmark “So much of what I’ve done during these seven years is working – more working than socializing,” she laughed I’ve made many friendships through the work my personal commitment this year is just to get out more into the community as a book store presence but also as myself so I didn’t get a chance to just live my life So I’m seeking a little more balance this year.” LISTEN: Arts Alive! podcast: Alsace Walentine and Candice Anderson Add your idea below. Review Catalyst posting guidelines here. By posting a comment, I have read, understand and agree to the Posting Guidelines Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Students rocket toward STEM careers at community hub 2025 Florida legislative session extended through June 6 Multiple affordable senior housing projects advance  The Catalyst honors its name by aggregating & curating the sparks that propel the St Pete engine.  It is a modern news platform, powered by community sourced content and augmented with directed coverage your perspective and your spark to the St Pete Catalyst and take your seat at the table Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value" Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2020 The St Petersburg Group Enter the details of the person you want to share this article with Today marks the highly anticipated release of a collection that’s making waves in both the fashion and seafaring circles. Tombolo’s collaboration with Boston Whaler® – America’s most iconic boat builder — is now officially available and it lives up to our briniest maritime fantasies The collection comprises eight unique pieces or nine if you count the boat Tombolo is restoring Boston Whaler has been an iconic fixture among the American seafaring crowd for over seventy years it has made boats that have become synonymous with adventure and durability It was vaulted into the national spotlight in the early 1960s when founder Dick Fisher was photographed in Life Magazine aboard one of his 13-foot Boston Whalers as it was being sawed in half He wanted to prove that his new method of construction (two layers of fiberglass sandwiching a buoyant foam core) was unsinkable Flip the page and a full bleed image of Dick Fisher motoring around in the sawed-off back half of the boat hammers home the point: the ‘Unsinkable Legend’ was born and America took notice The Boston Whaler® x Tombolo collection features eight pieces of ‘escapewear’ — which is Tombolo’s preferred nomenclature for its often surreal resortwear range The clothing is replete with details and design cues from both Boston Whaler and the broader boating world “The best part was collaborating with the Boston Whaler team to bring this to life — their input was immensely helpful as we navigated the design process The goal was to make a collection that could exist happily among both the fashion crowd and the genuine boating crowd That was a challenge because those two crowds are sometimes unlikely to mix.” I noticed an attention to detail and a level of craftsmanship that somehow felt consistent with the spirit of boat building and seamanship The hull stripe and harpoon logo from the boats is faithfully recreated in chain stitch embroidery with laser precision Elaborate stopper knots finish drawstrings that exit nickel eyelets Zig-zag sailcloth stitches create shapes that look like signal flags The fabrics and silhouettes are decidedly nostalgic and ’70s — when Boston Whaler was ascending to its now legendary status as a symbol of freedom and exploration on the open waters Tombolo has made a name for itself for its use of terry cloth and this collection is no exception The collection uses organic cotton terrycloth abundantly mimicking the necessity for the towels on boat adventures Tombolo purchased a 1968 Boston Whaler as the centerpiece of this partnership “The boat was acquired from an acquaintance on Shelter Island It had been sitting on a flat-tired trailer in a yard for 10 years a Boston Whaler has utilitarian charm in droves We put it in the water for the first time in a decade on the day of our photoshoot It was the real start of the shoot.” Tombolo plans to restore the boat to its original glory and infuse it with a bit of Tombolo flavor The sixteen foot is a testament to Boston Whaler’s legendary resilience and adds an authentic touch to the campaign Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a landlubber with an eye for coastal chic, the Boston Whaler® x Tombolo collection invites you to dive headfirst into a world where style meets seaworthiness and go full throttle into summer with a wardrobe that’s as unsinkable as it is stylish Haute Living hosted an exclusive Haute Leaders dinner at Alessa NYC a modern Italian gem in the heart of New York’s Penn District certain names echo not just for their scents but for their seismic influence on the industry Estée Lauder unveils its first Skin Longevity Institute in the Americas at Hacienda AltaGracia in Costa Rica’s Blue Zone We’ve rounded up the best Mother’s Day gifts that will pamper and indulge the ultimate beauty lover in your life Haute Living and hip-hop legend Fat Joe celebrate the launch of Sonrisa Rum at the iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach IWC and Mercedes-AMG Petronas kicked off the 2025 Miami Grand Prix with a soiree featuring George Russell and the stars of the new F1 film Receive Our Magazine Directly at Your Doorstep Embark on a journey of luxury and elegance with Haute Living magazine Subscribe now and have every issue conveniently delivered to your home Join Haute Black and unlock access to the world's most prestigious luxury events Do you or someone you know have old photos or school yearbooks that capture the people and places of the historic Gas Plant Neighborhood Local filmmakers Andrew Lee and Tara Segall are looking for additional images to add the finishing touches to a documentary film premiering in February at the Foundation for a Healthy St Razed is the untold story of the Gas Plant Neighborhood a once vibrant community displaced by the City’s dream of a professional baseball team The film shares first-hand stories and memories of a community cut short The film is produced by Roundhouse Creative in partnership with Gwendolyn Reese of the African American Heritage Association of St with support from the Foundation for a Healthy St If you have photos or yearbooks that you’d be willing to share for the film please contact Tara Segall at razed@gasplantfilm.com or (727) 954-8880 You will be able to have your photos scanned at Roundhouse Creative’s studio at 1935 1st Avenue South while you wait so you won’t have to worry about losing sight of these precious memories A preview trailer of the film can be seen at gasplantfilm.com Free tickets to the red-carpet premiere on February 22 are available on the Razed website Location: Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg’s Center for Health Equity, 2333 34th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33711 Admission: Free and open to the public; attendance limited, registration required, available at gasplantfilm.com. Community Conversations with the AAHA – Razed: The Lost History of the Gas Plant Neighborhood Tuesday, Feb 11th, 2025, at 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Tombolo Books and the African American Heritage Association invite you to join us for our first installment of Community Conversations of 2025 Petersburg’s Gas Plant Neighborhood through a preview of the forthcoming documentary RAZED which explores the untold story of a once vibrant Black community displaced by a city’s dream of a professional baseball team Let us know we will see you there! Please RSVP HERE! Directed and produced by Andrew Lee and Tara Segall of Roundhouse Creative Razed captures first-hand accounts from former Gas Plant Neighborhood residents preserving memories of a close-knit community that was once filled with families and a strong sense of belonging before Tropicana Field and acres of asphalt parking lots displaced the community The documentary was created in partnership with Gwendolyn Reese of the African American Heritage Association of St Petersburg and is supported by the Foundation for a Healthy St perhaps comfortable shoes for running away from trouble wouldn't hurt and Lalisa Manobal as members of The White Lotus staff; O'Reilly and Manobal don the Tombolo-made spa butler uniforms How did you find your way into costume design After leaving school in England, I went travelling in Asia, which ignited my love for other worlds. I moved to the United States at 21, developing a passion for cinema while working various fashion jobs. I loved being around both creative and business people. When I heard about a costume design apprenticeship on a period film shooting in New York [Cadillac Records with Adrien Brody and Beyoncé] I found myself running all over the city on missions It's enormously rewarding seeing your daily labor come alive on screen a year later you worked on True Detective: Night Country – quite a shift from tropical vacations How did working across such different genres prepare you for creating these heightened yet believable vacation wardrobes Night Country came right after The White Lotus Season 2 it was a dramatic shift from fluid florals to police uniforms and Inupiaq furs But every project has its unique setting and characters – you dive into the world through research then plan how to gather everything you need Real life is the best inspiration; everyone has a style or preferences Every project trains me better in imagining what my characters might wear we always include an element of logic: What did they pack How did they envision their week evolving – dinners Camp shirts with retro prints (as seen here on Walton Goggins next to Aimee Lou Wood) are one style Bovaird has observed returning to the mainstream in tandem with heavy The White Lotus air time How has your approach to resort fashion evolved from Hawaii to Sicily to Thailand What signature elements carry through all three seasons there's this concept of dressing to impress and imagining who we want to be on holiday – more daring and defining than we might be in our regular lives Can you walk us through your Thailand sourcing process We sourced globally, pulling pieces from the UK, US, and Italy before shipping everything to Bangkok which is actually a mecca of shopping malls we continued acquiring everything from luxury brands to backpacker staples from local markets Our travelling warehouse kept growing until we finally headed to Koh Samui for fittings a brand Bovaird appreciates for its sense of humor What was your approach to sourcing and working with different brands for Season 3 What do you want the wardrobe to say about how these people travel, and do you have any favorite fashion moments from the series? How does the old vs. new money divide come to life in the Thai setting? Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) was one of Bovaird's favorite characters to dress. Have you noticed real resort guests starting to emulate The White Lotus style? Which elements seem to resonate most? Any universal tips for elevating vacation style based on your experience designing across these iconic resort locations? Dress like you've always dreamed of – just be bold and try something new. Have fun with colour, leave boring behind, and always leave room in your suitcase for local shopping! Dip your toe into The White Lotus’ ‘loud luxury’ aesthetic with Fashion and lifestyle editor, Charlotte Davey's pick of scene stealing holiday gear. MENU.page-308679510{--metaColor:#ffffff;--navColor:#ffffff}Nylon Nights Tombolo’s new Sopranos collab kicked off with a street party at The Mulberry You could smell this party from two blocks away Walking down Mulberry Street at 9:30pm typically entails scents from the perfume stores on Elizabeth Street or getting wafts of dishes from outdoor dining at Balthazar the thick smell of cigar smoke pulled me toward this party like a tractor beam where fashion-forward cabana shirt brand Tombolo is celebrating their new collab with The Sopranos the TV show that championed the cabana shirt I started to hear the party as I got closer For the first warm night of the summer season the crowd had spilled out onto Mulberry Street It was the usual group for Nolita: younger even when that means dressing down for the sake of it it’s only natural that a Tombolo party would bring out a group ready for warm nights and fashionable looks SNL’s Heidi Gardner breezed through the party with a group of friends Danny Mondello passed through shaking his wrist at fans in one of the Sartiale’s shirts Arianna Margulis mingled with friends outside over drinks A man in what looked like bell bottoms and an open shirt looked like if Kelso from That ‘70s Show did a Prada ad Plenty of men had mustaches and camp collar shirts Plenty of women looked like they’re ready to trade their Saturday-night-in-Manhattan leather skirts for Hamptons-season linens there’s a booth set up with an old man hand-rolling cigars for people people in undershirt tank tops are pulling from a box of cigarettes and smoking away but it’s weird to see this group smoking so freely without a vape in sight it’s the food that comes around that immediately sells me There’s a table full of gabagool on skewers There’s also a mass of people stacked three deep at the bar waiting for beers and vodka sodas there’s a clearing where a stripper pole has been erected and two dancers trading off shifts spinning slowly around it They’re not so much attracting a crowd as strippers as they are as Sopranos-like additions to the party Nobody’s leaving dollar bills on the platform but plenty of people smile and gesture at the situation saying Behind the strippers is a glass case that usually holds boxes of cigars but has been cleared out to put the collection from Tombolo The collection has a colorful cross-blend of both brands and sporting the collection’s “Fowl Play” tank top under a black blazer the two older security guards are smiling ear to ear dancing with a couple of the young women at the party everyone starts looking like they were a genuine Sopranos character each one would say Vincent Michael or Gianna Maria or some other name that screams New Jersey in the late 90s And as someone who came out of New Jersey in the late 90s — a mere 15 minute drive from Satin Dolls (the IRL Bada Bing) — I can say that with confidence Tombolo Books welcomes back our friend Craig Pittman to celebrate the launch of his new essay collection Pittman and fellow local author Paul Wilborn will be in conversation to chat about what makes Florida “The Most Interesting State.” Welcome to Florida is both a love letter to and hilarious deep dive into the nation’s fastest-growing state Imbued with Pittman’s characteristic humor and undeniable fondness for both the weird and wonderful parts of his home Craig Pittman is a native Floridian and an award-winning journalist He wrote for the Tampa Bay Times for 30 years and now writes for the Florida Phoenix including the New York Times bestseller Oh How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country; The State You’re In: Florida Men and Other Wildlife; and The Scent of Scandal: Greed He is cohost of the Welcome to Florida podcast Pittman was named a Florida Literary Legend by the Florida Heritage Book Festival in 2020 Paul Wilborn has won multiple awards from the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors He won the Green Eyeshade Award from the Atlanta Chapter of Sigma Delta Chi Wilborn was chosen for the Paul Hansel Award He was a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan His plays have been produced at Stageworks Wilborn is the Executive Director of the Palladium Theater at St A tombolo is a landform that develops over time between two formerly separated islands due to specific conditions the largest tombolo extends between the previously separate Stockton and Presque Isle Islands The location and orientation of these islands and the direction of prevailing storms and winds contributed significantly to the tombolo formation prevailing winds are from the east (in May and August) and from the west (September through April and most of July; Coffin These conditions dictate that sand accumulated on the quieter southern side of the islands and extended in that same direction Only islands that had enough eroding glacial drift over time could supply the sand required to produce this kind of landform Around 6000 years Before Present (BP) enough sands had accumulated on the south side of Stockton Island (visible in the map below and described here) that a shallow wetland started to form (Swain and Winkler This transition allowed dunes to start forming around the wetland a dune ridge evolved to the east due to the better dune building capacity on that side (Coffin) or distance that wind travels over open water These conditions allow for the development of larger waves This dune ridge extended south between the two islands and constrained lands from the west Evidence of human occupations (NPS files) near the southern end of the ridge (4950-4120 years BP) and the northwest side of Presque Isle Island (5270-4860) raise questions about when lands between them evolved (see star on map) The older age of the southern site suggests that the area could have arisen from Presque Isle Island and stretched towards Stockton rather than evolving from that direction land from the two islands would have met between the two early human occupation sites After 5500 years BP and before 3200-2500 years BP sand accumulated to the east of the dune ridge followed by the development of a large lagoon 2020) indicates the< youngest landform (800 years BP) is the 9-acre pine barrens on the east side beach habitat continued to accumulate as recently as the last century (since 1938) This summary includes data from multiple sources recorded over time using various techniques Sediment cores were carbon-dated (Coffin 1977 2020) along with pollen and charcoal (Swain Testate amoebae were collected and used to determine water-table depth history (Booth) 2020) for aging using Optically Stimulated Luminescence in several locations to refine information gaps on the south and east sides of the bog and around the pine barrens park staff compared 1938 and 2010 park aerial photos and identified the most recent habitat formation north of the pine barrens community The information provided by these various efforts is invaluable for several reasons it allows a clearer understanding of how this unique landform evolved over a 6,000 year period It also highlights the recency of some of these changes the data provides an understanding of the paleoenvironmental records of interactions between surface moisture Knowing when and where landforms evolved provides cues to archaeologists searching for artifacts from historical people in the area Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go Stay connected to All Things Good in the Burg by subscribing today. Since I Love the Burg launched in May of 2009, it has been our mission to make St. Petersburg (a.k.a. the #BURG) the best place to live, work and play. This dazzling YA cli-fi written in prose and verse will speak to any reader struggling with the state of our world and how to understand their place in it. We are kicking off 2025 in the best way with the book launch celebration of Gloria Muñoz’s debut YA novel, This is the Year! Muñoz and Carmen Alvarez open our event season in the courtyard talking about this gorgeous, poetic novel! This is the Year is now available for preorder, and readers who order their copy from Tombolo Books will also get the special book-themed swag included with their purchase! “In outer space, no one will know me as the girl with the dead sister.” Seventeen-year-old self-proclaimed Goth and aspiring writer Julieta Villarreal is drowning. She’s grieving her twin sister who died in a hit-and-run, her Florida home is crumbling under the weight of climate disaster, and she isn’t sure how much longer she can stand to stay in a place that doesn’t seem to have room for her. Then, Juli is recruited by Cometa, a private space program enlisting high-aptitude New American teens for a high-stakes mission to establish humanity’s first extraterrestrial settlement. Cometa pitches this as an opportunity for Juli to give back to her adopted country; Juli sees it as her only chance to do something big with her life. Juli begins her training, convinced Cometa is her path to freedom. But her senior year is full of surprises, including new friendships, roller skating, and first love. And through her small but poignant acts of environmentalism, Juli begins to find hope in unexpected places. As her world collapses from the ramifications of the climate crisis, Juli must decide if she’ll carry her loss together with her community or leave it all behind. Told in gripping prose interspersed with poems from Juli’s writing journal, this genre-bending novel explores themes of immigration, climate justice, grief, and the power of communities. Gloria Muñoz is the author of Your Biome Has Found You and Danzirly, which won the Ambroggio Prize and the Florida Gold Medal Book Award for Poetry. She is an Academy of American Poets Poet Laureate Fellow, a Hedgebrook Fellow, a Macondista, a Highlights Foundation Diverse Verse Fellow, and a part of Las Musas. This Is the Year is her debut novel. Visit her online at gloriamunoz.com and on Instagram at @bygloriamunoz. Carmen Alvarez of TomesAndTextiles is a Cuban-American residing in Florida. Outside of her passion for books and undying love of my local library, she adores vintage fashion, music, film, supporting the local arts and her 2 dogs. She’s weirdly obsessed with skincare and will have a sheet mask recommendation for you at the drop of a hat. A coming-of-age comedy. A telenovela-worthy drama. A moving family saga. All in a phone call you won’t want to hang up on. “Oye, a novel of chisme, is innovative, heartfelt, and hilarious. Melissa Mogollon’s voice is a gift.”—Myriam Gurba, author of Creep Tombolo Books welcomes debut author Melissa Mogollon to celebrate her beautiful book OYE! Mogollon will be joined by St. Petersburg’s Poet Laureate, Gloria Muñoz! Structured as a series of one-sided phone calls from our spunky, sarcastic narrator, Luciana, to her older sister, Mari, this wildly inventive debut “jump-starts your heart in the same way it piques your ear” (Xochitl Gonzalez). Let us know we will see you there! PLEASE RSVP! The 15-piece collection features everything from a deceptively simple classic logo tee to pieces borrowing imagery from the fictional Satriale’s Pork Store to, in what stands as its most touching and creative inclusion, a bath robe commemorating Tony Soprano’s childlike love of ducks Tombolo hosted a party in New York on Wednesday night to launch the collection, which can be viewed in full here The throwdown took place at Mulberry Street Bar and counted Heidi Gardner and x3butterfly among its roster of noteworthy attendees De Matteo, who won an Emmy for her role as Adriana on the HBO classic, was photographed in New York for the new collection. Below, see a selection of campaign images, as well as get a closer look at highlights from across the collection. Fittingly, simply typing in the word "gabagool" at this link will grant you access to shop the collection Notably, 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the David Chase-created series. As a testament to its engrossing greatness, the series has continued to garner new fans across generations, all while continuing to serve as a clear inspiration for a number of present-day dramas. Video Surfaces of James Gandolfini Reprising 'Sopranos' Character for Knicks' 2010 Pitch to LeBron James 'Sopranos' Star Drea de Matteo’s Son Hates Her OnlyFans Career But She Reminds Him How Lucrative It Is 'The Sopranos' Actress Drea de Matteo Says OnlyFans Paid Off Her Mortgage: 'People Are Really Excited Over Granny Porn' By entering your email, you agree to receive customized marketing messages from us and our advertising partners. You also acknowledge that this site is protected by reCAPTCHA, and that our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply United StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaCanadaComplex ChineseCOMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive Two Vancouver creatives have joined forces to launch a pop-up art gallery dedicated to the work of children Curated by illustrator Anita Cheung and event designer Ryleah Resler, Tombolo will feature over 50 pieces of art submitted by budding artists aged three to 10 The gallery's inaugural theme of “Neighbourhood” will offer a unique peek into the minds of young creators and their imaginations Tombolo isn’t just about admiring the artwork The three-day event at Sincerely Studio in September will be packed with immersive activities designed to spark creativity in both the young and young at heart Visitors can enjoy storytime in a cozy pillow reading corner create music and art with Chorus & Clouds and explore a children’s consignment pop-up by Alligator Soup Witching Hour’s toddler-friendly happy hour will add another layer of fun to the experience Don’t forget to stop by the “corner store” to take home a piece of the magic with goods and artwork available for purchase Vicki Duong is a writer and a self-proclaimed girl-about-town always down for a local comedy show or an iced matcha latte Your hair was short-cropped and dyed orange Bada bing bada boom! There’s a new fashion line in town with a New Jersey-Italian twist you know and love—it’s the Tombolo x The Sopranos collaboration created in honor of the 25th anniversary of the beloved television show’s creation this year The launch party was held at Mulberry Street Bar in the heart of New York City’s Little Italy just to name a few of New York’s trendiest members of the fashion and art scene in attendance The event featured an open bar, dancers, complementary cigars and of course an Italian “family style” dinner with meatballs, gabagool, and more. Lining the perimeter of the dance floor were glass cases displaying the Tombolo x The Sopranos merch Tombolo is a “New York ‘escapewear’ brand offering spirited and original apparel that transports customers to a different time, place or state of mind.” To read more about the brand and see their clothes, visit their website here Isabella Japal is a culture writer currently living in New York City We are a collective of creative tastemakers made up of fashion Terms Of Use Privacy Policy Meet The Team © Copyright - The Knockturnal | Developed by CI Design + Media ShareSaveCommentLifestyleForbesLifeHow Two Ivy League Friends Built New York’s Coolest Leisurewear BrandByDavid Hochman Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights 09:15am ESTShareSaveCommentThis article is more than 2 years old.Tombolo's new flagship store in Manhattan is on Mott Street Imagine Captain Nemo and perhaps Bill Murray collaborating on a clothing brand, and inviting, say, Hunter S. Thompson in on the investment and ideas. You might get something akin to Tombolo The playful unisex leisurewear line fuses vintage nautical themes with 1970s terrycloth softness for something your dad’s coolest cousin might have worn on a bender in Bimini The unisex leisurewear brand channels vintage nautical vibes and '70s terrycloth dreams Tombolo's founders (and college friends) Mike Sard and Chris Galasso I spoke to Mike and Chris about how they get it all done Mike Sard: It helps that our clothing looks best when it’s a carefree It makes Tombolo pretty effortless to style and it can fit just about any body type Chris Galasso: Our guiding light when making a new Tombolo is ensuring it brings out a smile Does it make you happy at even the quickest glance One of the best parts of our jobs is watching customers try on the shirts in store I don’t mean we spy on them in the changing room I’m talking about when they step out to proudly model the Tombolo they are donning Customers’ faces always light up with a smile when they try on a Tombolo The 'Vongole!' Cabana shirt from Tombolo You’ve known each other since you were kids Mike had a…peculiar dress sense as a young boy scraggly clothes and he had a habit of chewing on his shirt collars until the age of 8 so there was a frayed sadness to his wardrobe as well… like a part-time clown who hadn’t landed a gig in a long He was also really enamored with the color orange I’ll just say… when I dressed myself things didn’t go so well I was lucky enough to make the leap from getting dressed by my mother to getting dressed by my business partner with very little gap in between What’s the most popular item in your collection Mike Sard: Ever since it launched, the ‘Gusanito!’ Cabana has been the heavyweight champion Something I really love about our customer is how unexpected a shirt’s popularity can be and how much it flouts some of the conventional wisdom in our industry regarding color and ‘wearability.’ Blue is supposed to sell the best you just run it in a half-dozen other colorways None of those rules of thumb necessarily holds true in Tombolo-land Our customer often gravitates towards earthier colors—more greens and beiges— and towards colors that suit the motif in particular The adobe-pink of the ‘Gusanito!’ just somehow works with the agave theme of the shirt Give us a quick list of your fashion inspirations and muses—from history Chris Galasso: It’s a pretty eclectic grab bag of references: vintage menu postcard and matchbook art from around the world; mid-century municipal uniforms and cycling tops; old yacht club burgees; Asafo flags; and beyond The real magic happens when you mix and match from disparate places — picture a salty Down East New Englander in Amalfi or a 1970s New Yorker in the Polynesian islands sometimes we outsource the inspiration altogether and leave it to the real experts When we collaborate with an artist we love we hand the reins to them entirely and our brand community is given a completely fresh perspective What was the exact moment you knew Tombolo had gone big Mike Sard: I don’t think there was any one moment—it kind of snuck up on me But one funny moment really early on— I was at a bar wearing a Tombolo and someone slapped me on the back and said I was wearing Tombolo before it was cool!’ He had no idea who I was And it was still early on enough that we were by no means cool and the odds that he was a friend of a friend must have been close to 100% I didn’t have the heart to tell him who I was Chris Galasso: This is a very un-romantic alternative answer but a major moment was when we could finally pay ourselves salaries so being compensated to do it feels downright naughty What’s your standout memory of the collaboration Tombolo did with the New York City Sanitation Department Memory #2: the capsule culminated in the biggest party we’ve ever thrown We took over the Spring Street Salt Shed where the DSNY stores the spreading salt for snowstorms We dubbed it the ‘Garbáge Gala’ – we of course chose the same weekend as the Met Gala and threw our much saucier version We laid out the clothes on the mountain of salt and served salt-rimmed margaritas with a DJ set-up against a garbage truck This is a helpful reminder—we’re definitely due for another big party… Mike Sard: Don’t compliment Tombolo ads out loud or the Facebook algorithm will haunt you with 7 years of retargeting Chris Galasso: We have a healthy little division of labor I spearhead the visual components and Mike is in charge of the text as well as a lot of the ad strategy and spend What’s your favorite celebrity story involving Tombolo Mike Sard: It was probably the summer of 2019 when we had a pop-up in Nolita and the wiring for the air-conditioning was getting fixed on a 100-degree afternoon Two repairmen were in the doorway yelling and clanging as they drilled holes in the wall Chris Pine and Annabelle Wallis pushed their way past them to come into the sweltering store It was as unpresentable as our store could ever be and I think they were the only people who even entered all day and Chris Pine dutifully tried on a bunch of terrycloth shirts despite the jungle-like conditions in the changing room Chris Galasso: I think it might have to be Lil Dicky’s dirty habit of taking toilet selfies in the ‘Crouching Tiger’ cabana shirt What are you most excited about right now as a brand Chris Galasso: At long last, we’ve finally opened our flagship store on Spring and Mott For the four-plus years of Tombolo’s existence we’ve been a traveling circus with pop-ups and events all over the place It’s really exciting to build out a fully immersive world of Tombolo… and know that we’re not tearing it down right after we’re done And I can’t wait for Tombolo’s first belts – as well as some new collaborations—coming in 2023 This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity ShareSaveLifestyleTravelTombolo, The Unisex Brand That Modernized Hawaiian Shirts Just Added Outerwear To Their OfferingByTaylor Stoddard 06:00am ESTShareSaveThis article is more than 5 years old.Co-founder Mike Sard notes More company make in the winter?’ Winter-grade Hawaiian shirts were definitely not the answer ‘What do people come to Tombolo for?’ For everything we make it needs to be immediately clear why Tombolo should be creating it rather than someone else." Mike Sard and Chris Galasso don’t have your typical fashion design backgrounds these Ivy-educated pals were in business school when they first pursued Hawaiian shirt-making as a side hobby a wardrobe staple they have felt connected to since childhood Chris recalls the Hawaiian shirt as the first article of clothing he actually cared about – a gift from his father at age seven before a fishing trip and what he proudly donned for middle school dances While some fashion brands have taken a stab at reviving the category either through recycling a vintage print or reeling in its over-sized silhouette its stereotype of being your uncle’s kitschy vacation shirt still stuck making it one of the most challenging sartorial icons to try and modernize Sard and Galasso were sure they had the formula to reinvent a piece that’s both cleverly whimsy and refined while paying homage to its roots they ditched their gigs in political risk assessment and financial PR to pursue Tombolo full-time Sard and Galasso were sure they had the formula to reinvent a piece that’s both cleverly whimsy and .. More refined while paying homage to its roots What inspired the gents’ affinity for the Hawaiian shirt above all was its heritage and serendipitous cross-culture evolution While the name of the shirt inevitably has it tied to one place its influences reached beyond the shores of Hawaii to Japan “There was no grand plan,” Galasso explains “This shirt was born out of a wildly eclectic mix of cultures over hundreds of years.” The co-founders spent time looking at old movies resort photos from the 50s and 60s and a digital archive of vintage shirts to inspire their unisex collection in two categories: the Hawaiian collared shirts in breezy fabric with original artwork and the Cabana embroidered terrycloth creations for casual jaunts poolside each product has an ingenious backstory or playful theme The “Playa of Eden” shirt imagines Adam and Eve on a tropical island with forbidden pineapples and tan-lined exhibitionists Hidden Beverage” shows the thirsty creature on the prowl with foamy brews entangled in vines of ivy What inspired the gents’ affinity for the Hawaiian shirt was its heritage and serendipitous .. Tombolo became the hottest shirt of summer after only being in the market for less than a year The cool guys “out East” were spotted in the Angler Cabana taking it beach-to-bar while fashion editors were styling Hawaiian polos under suiting for industry fêtes The brand has also attracted celebrity customers like Chris Pine Tombolo’s immediate success can certainly be attributed to their well-curated offering with limited drops focusing on their hero product while establishing an element of exclusivity And while their warm-weather offering can certainly endure the seasons year-round the guys wanted to introduce product for colder months ‘what does a Hawaiian shirt company make in the winter?’ Winter-grade Hawaiian shirts were definitely not the answer it needs to be immediately clear why Tombolo should be creating it rather than someone else.” Today the brand rolls out quilted jackets embellished with Tombolo-esque motifs Mike Sard and Chris Galasso tell Forbes how they got started the strategy behind establishing a unisex line the creative course behind their styles and prints Tombolo's co-founders Mike Sard and Chris Galasso You’ve known each other from age six through college At what point did you both decide on launching Tombolo and what were your careers at the time MIKE: There wasn’t one leap-of-faith moment We’d always wanted to work together in some capacity and we’d always been passionate about Hawaiian shirts I was mostly working in political risk assessment and Chris was in financial PR—fields that are not exactly known as sartorial incubators We watched as Hawaiian shirts were meandering their way back into the mainstream but in a manner that lacked innovation or the creative spark that made it such a fun category back in its hey-day and so appealing to us to begin with We saw a lot of loud and peacocky prints that lacked any subtlety or refinement even some of the premiere fashion brands were recycling 1940s prints rather than pushing the envelope with original artwork So we started prototyping a shirt and Tombolo slowly graduated from hobby to project to side-hustle to a full-time pursuit We were both in business school for much of this transition so we were able to keep pouring more of our time into Tombolo as it gained momentum and as we overcame the existential risks to the business ‘Do people want this?’ became ‘Can we make this?’ before it was ‘Can we sell this?’ and ultimately ‘How do we manage and build on all this?’ I remember when we finalized our first prototype and we would wear it out around New York City The reaction we were getting was probably the first moment when I really thought to myself “This is crazy enough to work.” (Chris spearheads the product design so maybe his eureka moment came much sooner!) That print was a version of ‘Lurking Jaguar’ that we have since sold out of and discontinued so even though our shirts continue to evolve That shirt was truly torture-tested; we wore it to every celebration and beach outing for the summer of 2017 A successful soft-launch event in December 2017 was the next proof point so it’s been a hectic first year since then The Hawaiian shirt was born out of a wildly eclectic mix of cultures over hundreds of years Can you recall certain moments growing up together where you really felt connected to the Hawaiian shirt Tell me more about the history of the Hawaiian shirt and what the most interesting finding was CHRIS: The first Hawaiian I ever got was from my dad at age seven for a fishing trip and the first article of clothing I actually cared about The shirt was so over-sized I could still wear it when it came time for middle school dances I felt like a king compared to my polo-shirt-clad classmates who came straight off the NYC factory line Mike had a different approach to those school dances that is too embarrassing to publish and immortalize—I worry his kids will see it someday and just run away from home on the spot CHRIS: We need to give Forbes juicy morsels like this I would wear a bright orange jacket and orange pants so that girls I had only met on AOL instant messenger could recognize me Chris was onto something—a good Hawaiian shirt lets you stand out CHRIS: I think you were most authentic as an all-orange human traffic cone onto what’s interesting about the Hawaiian shirt’s history What I really fell in love with is how global and serendipitous the evolution was Even though the shirt’s name ties it to a single place the reality is it’s the ultimate culture blender and out of the culture blender comes the best there is The influences reach beyond the shores of Hawaii to Japan The first shirts were made by Japanese tailors living in Hawaii who were accustomed to making Kimonos Early print motifs were borrowed from Hawaiian tapa cloth but even those motifs have cultural roots that reach elsewhere since Hawaii was originally settled by Polynesians who traveled there by boat from South East Asia This shirt was born out of a wildly eclectic mix of cultures over hundreds of years "Even though the shirt’s name ties it to a single place the reality is it’s the ultimate culture .. and out of the culture blender comes the best there is," Galasso notes What was the strategy behind creating a unisex line CHRIS: A lot of what we’ve been combatting is the notion that Hawaiian shirts are only meant for a theme party or billowing ill-fittingly atop your uncle’s beer belly so we wanted our shirts to reflect that with XXS-XXL sizing Our sizes are listed as the mens’ and that’s for a reason: they are certainly a boxy and casual fit for women But women account for almost half of sales and it’s been a point of pride for us We’re also toying with a second fit specifically for women so we can really live up to our goal of making shirts for everyone and for every shape The Cabana shirt doubles as a towel on a beach day Did you anticipate such a positive response to the terrycloth shirts But Chris is a mad genius with product design and he wanted one more chance What came next was the Angler cabana shirt in pretty much exactly the form you see it today It wasn’t until we displayed a few of them in our holiday pop-up in December and saw how much they delighted customers – and actually wore them ourselves day-in and day-out — that we really began to discover what we had on our hands I think the winning formula with the terry cabana shirts is that it exudes a vintage nostalgia as if you’ve discovered it in your grandparents’ closet… but it’s a nostalgia for a product that never existed It’s entirely new with original design elements And it helps that it’s so comfortable and enjoyable to wear This maroon quilted jacket is adorned with all-over embroidery of lobsters and scallop shells in .. with Tombolo's signature 'V' pocket contrasts in corduroy Why did you decide to introduce quilted jackets to the collection How do these fall in line with the Tombolo ethos it needs to be immediately clear why Tombolo should be creating it rather than someone else It goes back to this nostalgia test we saw with our cabana shirts: Is this item evocative of another era but conceptually entirely new Does this instantly transport you when you put it on It might not have been the easiest or most obvious next category but the quilted jackets pass this test with flying colors How we decided to make it in the first place though I found myself wondering why diamond-quilting was so omnipresent And it turns out people embroider a diamond pattern onto jackets like this… simply because that’s what people have always done it’s just a tendency to not step outside the box and then experimenting with the fit and high-quality materials We’re excited to see what people think of the result The “Playa of Eden” shirt imagines Adam and Eve on a tropical island with forbidden pineapples and .. What's the creative process like for designing your prints and how often are you rolling out newness Are there any specific style elements that you steer away from or any elements that are becoming a hallmark of Tombolo design We thought making the best Hawaiian shirt out there was achieved by amassing lots of great details each well-executed We’ve since learned to take a step back and focus on the big picture So much of what makes a great Hawaiian shirt is recognizable in an instant So we’ve started to focus more on color and the hand of the artist we are increasingly turning the reins over to the artists themselves No more ‘Ratatouille-ing’ them and controlling their every stroke (FYI - in this analogy which I’m confident is often how they view me) The result is better if we find an artist whose style we admire and let them run wild within loose parameters “The thing I love about Tombolo is that the .. More shirts look like something my grandpa would’ve worn everyday on his fishing boat with that old New Zealand Navy cap he loved so much; but on me they run the full gamut of beach bum when worn with a pair of shorts or stonewash jeans to full-blown sleazebag when worn underneath a white suit I’m in Puerto Rico wearing my red Tombolo shirt with a pair of white jeans in a last ditch attempt to keep summer 2019 alive True story – whenever I wear these shirts I get more compliments than anything else I own.” What kind of role does Instagram play for your brand MIKE: Instagram has been really valuable for us We find that any channel where you’re actively seeking out a product based on a need or its performance specs—a toaster oven There aren’t hordes of people googling ‘The coolest camp collar shirt with piping and original artwork maybe with a motif of Adam and Eve in a tropical Garden of Eden!’ On the other hand the channels that resonate are ones where you can serendipitously stumble upon us and relate visually and emotionally to our shirts in a fraction of a second And it effectively doubles as our business card: it’s often the first thing we send along to introduce ourselves to someone new There’s that adage for creative writing to ‘show not tell’—Instagram can really play that role for young brands that are trying to stand out I think the winning formula with the terry cabana shirts is that it exudes a vintage .. More nostalgia as if you’ve discovered it in your grandparents’ closet… but it’s a nostalgia for a product that never existed Who have been some of your most exciting clients so far CHRIS: I think the most exciting thing is the array of clients Having a friend’s dad buy a selection of L through XXL Angler cabana shirts for his whole group of best friends for their annual fishing trip… and then the same day a 25-year-old buys an XXS as a birthday gift for his girlfriend You know who your favorite client was this summer CHRIS: OK, OK. I have a man-crush on Chris Pine so when he bought a shirt out of our Manhattan shop earlier this summer "Turns out tucking in a Hawaiian isn’t against the rules More vintage jeans with a silver tipped western belt." Style two looks built around a Tombolo shirt Chris Pine nailed ‘Tombolo semi-formal’ just about as well as I could conceive of it He went with one of our long-sleeve shirts under a pinstriped blue suit Bonus points if you lay the camp collar over the jacket’s lapels so you look sleazy and immaculate all at once I’m going to go out on a limb and recommend the tropical cowboy look championed by Mark Wystrach from the country band Midland Turns out tucking in a Hawaiian isn’t against the rules Especially if it’s into a pair of good vintage jeans with a silver tipped western belt MIKE: We’re really excited to see how people react to the quilted jackets And we’re also introducing a men’s travel pant Releasing these new children into the wild is the most immediate next step But we’re already running wild with ideas for Spring/Summer 2020 and we’re full speed ahead scouting out a permanent store location in downtown Manhattan in advance of that Slide into our DMs on Instagram if you’re interested in joining the team or just getting to know us better ShareSaveCommentBETAThis is a BETA experience. opt-out hereLifestyleForbesLifeTombolo Pays Tribute To Classic Italian Leisure With A New Mini-LineByDavid Hochman ShareSaveCommentLe Sirenuse x Tombolo captures the laid-back glam of one of Europe's most iconic resorts Italian ceramist Lucio Liguori designed the set on the right as part of the third collaboration ... More between Tombolo and Le Sirenuse, the historic Positano hotel. Da Adolfo restaurant on the beach in Positano has been greeting relaxed travelers since 1966 More Tombolo thought it was worth making a cabana shirt in honor of all that delicious seafood a limited edition shirt pays tribute to the hotel’s Da Adolfo Restaurant It’s designed around Da Adolfo's iconic red-fish logo (here embroidered and dangling from a fishing line that hooks over the shoulder and onto the back of the shirt) It’s all made of lightweight terry cloth in cream and red and features one of my favorite of all Tombolo elements: A brass The throwback vibe hints at ‘60s leisurewear and leisure pursuits which is appropriate given that Da Adolfo opened on the beach in Positano in 1966 Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More TAMPA, Fla. — Words on a page are small but mighty. And in the Grand Central District of St. Petersburg, they are being celebrated at Tombolo Books. Alsace Walentine is looking ahead to National Independent Bookstore Day It’s a chance to celebrate with more than a thousand indie bookstores across the country Events will be spilling out in the bookseller’s courtyard “There’s lots of fun for little kids through adults We are all just really proud to be in this industry,” said Walentine Walentine and her wife Candace Anderson opened Tombolo Books in December 2019 “I’m just really glad we were able to stick it out and the community supported us,” said Walentine It’s allowed Walentine to continue the work she calls both gratifying and important and all week the Catalyst is celebrating some of St The foundation of every great city starts with its small With the advent of big box stores and Amazon many critics thought the days of neighborhood bookstores were numbered these mom-and-pop literary shops have one thing the conglomerates will never possess – a unique After operating as a pop-up store around Tampa Bay for two years and followed by a successful crowdfunding campaign co-owners Alsace Walentine and Candice Anderson opened Tombolo Books in the Grand Central District of St to provide the city with that unique literary experience “Every arts city needs a curated bookstore.” and managed an award-winning independent bookstore there that she called “the heart of that city.” When she rediscovered St she noticed there were some “incredible” used bookstores in the city but nothing that reminded her of the store in Asheville with its contemporary authors and a fresh “I thought that would really work in St Pete culturally is so similar to Asheville with its ‘go local’ spirit,” said Walentine “I saw there was an opportunity to open a bookstore here and hopefully have a positive impact on the city.” Just three months into securing a brick-and-mortar location at 2153 1st Ave that opportunity was in jeopardy due to the pandemic Walentine said she and Anderson were in love with the space and the first few months of being open “were incredible,” so they decided to do whatever was necessary to “keep getting books in people’s hands.” “There was no way I was going to let that dream die,” said Walentine Tombolo Books owner Alsace Walentine makes a home delivery – by bicycle – during the pandemic in 2020 She knew she had a good website and thought that people stuck at home would want the escape and entertainment that reading a good book provides “There were just so many orders and people needing books delivered that we had to do some by car as well and ship out,” said Walentine “We just kept plugging along every day of the shutdown and so we were in a good position when it was time to open back up again.” Walentine takes great pride in creating a space where people from all backgrounds can come together and bond over literature making friends with people they otherwise may not have realized they had anything in common with “That’s the most rewarding part,” she said She also gets excited when new books arrive every Tuesday knowing that inside every box is the culmination of years of hard work by the authors “Sometimes just opening that box and finally getting our hands on this book that we’ve heard about for months that the author has been working on for years – you know that’s incredibly thrilling,” said Walentine In addition to a thoughtfully curated selection spanning all genres, Tombolo Books also specializes in works by Florida authors. It is also well-known for its weekly events, and tonight the store will host author Craig Pittman as he launches his newest book, The State You’re In “Seeing people be able to meet their favorite author and have a few minutes directly with them in person it can really change people’s lives sometimes,” said Walentine Walentine said a person can go to Amazon and search for a title and it is going to steer them towards other She added that Amazon’s customers are just part of an algorithm that a stranger designed and the personal touch provided by community bookstores such as Tombolo Books is what sets them apart “It’s not someone from your town who knows a couple of things about you because you’ve described your interests,” said Walentine “It’s getting that expertise from a person who actually cares and is not simply getting a paycheck.” Tombolo Books’ website is here Read Part 1 here Tombolo Books is one of the best things about St Pete I’m a big Florida history nerd and I loved to hear Les Standiford speak about his book “Battle for the Big Top” and learned a little more about Sarasota’s circus history Tombolo also had available for purchase “The Gulf-The Making of An American Sea” which I’m reading now These books are fascinating reads after I had previously read “Ringling” by David C Weeks and “The Swamp-The Everglades Tombolo has an entire section dedicated to Florida History and this book store is a real treasure I belong to one of their amazing book groups! Tombolo Books marks its five-year anniversary podcast: Alsace Walentine and Candice Anderson Banned book library to open at American Stage One man’s trash is indeed another man’s treasure but we don’t often stop and think about the faces behind the municipal waste systems that keep our city clean New York is one of the most notably large cities in the world and with extensive population growth comes the need for meticulous city upkeep To shine a spotlight on the oftentimes overlooked well-oiled machine that keeps NYC up and running, New York-conceived brand Tombolo decided to partner with the Department of Sanitation of New York City for a well-deserved This capsule pays homage to the DSNY aesthetically, as it includes riffs on the department’s own uniforms and identifiable logo, but it also honors the dedication of these workers to keeping the city clean and safe by donating 20% of sales proceeds to the Sanitation Foundation and toward the city of New York Read on for office’s full interview with Michael and Chris of Tombolo where we get the inside scoop on the collab and the sustainable efforts involved Your clothing is made to transport wearers to a destination What is the intended destination for this collection We’re always designing our clothing to take the wearer to a different time the place is very much our native New York City and it was actually more about reassigning the aesthetic hallmarks and logos of the DSNY from their typical context and meshing them with Tombolo’s cheerful escapism the DSNY caduceus logo is really beautiful and once it’s recontextualized from its usual home on a wastebasket or sanitation vehicle Same goes for the slogan ‘Keep New York City Clean!’ which we loved incorporating into our clothing We certainly went through a bit of a time machine as we pored through the DSNY’s archives for inspiration using various iterations of the caduceus logo that hail from the past few decades Aside from the usage of the iconic DSNY forest green we introduced one style in white as an homage to the “White Wings” of the 1880s — the predecessors of the modern sanitation workers who wore all white to symbolize their role in safeguarding the health of New York City how did you settle upon the best way to effectively mesh your own branding with the values and ethos of the DSNY We were pleased to have a portion of sales support the Sanitation Foundation as well as the broader City of New York (10% of proceeds each) We also knew we’d want to incorporate eco-friendly materials wherever possible and produce garments in limited quantities in keeping with the DSNY’s initiatives around reducing waste and promoting composting and recycling we were hoping to evoke a New York nostalgia which we tried to capture not only through the clothing itself but in our photo shoot out at the DSNY’s training facility where the shoot included props such as portable boomboxes and jump rope that harkened back to our formative decade in New York — the 1990s We also have always drawn on the aesthetic of uniforms in our own shirts finding charm in the clever and practical hallmarks that develop over time in uniform workwear This was the perfect opportunity to lean into these signatures we felt that our two logos provide a poignant contrast that sums up the work of the DSNY — the caduceus is serious Tombolo’s palm tree logo is more organic and free-flowing Both of these features are at play for the DSNY a storied organization with a rich 100+ year history that is very much ensconced in all things organic and environmental here in New York Can you tell me a little bit more about the Sanitation Foundation and what the proceeds from these sales will be going toward The Sanitation Foundation plays a vital role as the non-profit partner for the Department of Sanitation of New York they celebrate and support the essential Sanitation Workforce A great example is their work to provide COVID-19 support for Sanitation Workers both in terms of raising money for supplies to equip them to navigate COVID-19 and memorializing those who lost their lives due to COVID-19 they advance the Department’s ambitious zero-waste agenda to help minimize the impact of the 3.5 million tons of annual waste that this city’s 8.5 million residents produce; they do so through public engagement and capacity building to galvanize the resources needed to move towards this lofty goal They’ve been exceptional to work with and we applaud their approach of pursuing public and private partnerships between DSNY and businesses like Tombolo in pursuit of their valuable mission why is it important to you guys to honor the work of the essential employees who keep this massive place up and running DSNY is really the backbone of New York — the logistics network that is primed to ensure day-to-day basic functions as well as ramping up to respond to crises Everything from getting the city back to normal after a typical snowstorm all the way to removing debris from 9/11 or delivering daily meals to over one million New Yorkers in need during the height of COVID The honor is all ours to be associated with DSNY Can you delve a bit into the sourcing process for the eco-friendly materials employed in this collection We made a priority of using organic cotton wherever possible — in this case in the terrycloth on the cabana shirt and shorts as well as the canvas on the souvenir cap it was imperative to select organic cotton because it requires significantly less water to grow than conventional cotton and ensures no herbicides or pesticides harm the environment and workers one of our favorite environmentally friendly fabrics It is a really lovely marriage of form and function — we love the drapey yet ease of care as it’s totally machine-washable as it’s completely derived from natural materials — wood pulp — through a closed-loop production process that turns that wood pulp into cellulosic fibers with high resource efficiency and low environmental impact This process recycles processed water and the solvents they use at a recovery rate above 99% The last piece of this process is a bit more ambitious — we have been working with a company called OurCarbon which produces a carbon-negative base material that is made by diverting waste from landfills They have an experimental dye that we’ve used for Tombolo’s first-ever T-Shirt It is a soon-to-be-released second installment of our DSNY x Tombolo collection This spotlight you are placing on a somewhat overlooked sector is so imperative Do you have any future plans to collaborate with other local departments or organizations And we’re very comfortable thinking outside the box This collaboration shows that uniforms like the DSNY’s have potential to actually be quite fashionable How soon before we see all of the city workers of New York dripped out in Tombolo Maybe we’ll have to bid on an NYC uniform contract in the not-so-distant future Schiaparelli’s Spring–Summer 2025 accessories collection is led by the soft which has a curved hobo shape and little gold charms that form a face on its handle​ It comes in hand-spray-painted suede—turquoise fading into caramel—and in grained leather in sand The line also includes bright red acetate sunglasses with a tiny keyhole detail at each temple a fine wire necklace shaped like a fish skeleton with a pearl and zebra-print Facebags decorated with enamel and brass “eyes  Measuring Tape sandals in nude leather embroidered with gold add a playful twist while sculptural bracelets and ribbon-style earrings echo the collection’s anatomical motifs these pieces blend art and fashion in a bold surreal way—exactly what Schiaparelli does best Originally launched in 1978 Timberland’s iconic 3-Eye Lug Boat Shoe—affectionately dubbed “La Bateau” is getting a bold revamp through a new collaboration with French fashion house Jacquemus Trading out their iconic “construction yellow,” synonymous with their brand and their famous Original Yellow Boot™ for designer Simon Porte Jacquemus’ signature “banana yellow.” Merging rugged New England grit and romantic French Riviera playfulness Keeping the aspects that have made it a staple for decades the Timberland & Jacquemus 3-Eye Lug Boat Shoe keeps its premium leather but introduces new details like metal lace keepers and squared-off eyelights giving it a more Paris than Portsmouth edge The design is stepping far from boat decks and into wardrobes around the world dropping April 23rd online and select stores MM6 Maison Margiela and Salomon continue to push boundaries with the latest evolution of their creative partnership — a collaboration rooted in shared innovation and a mutual aptitude for redefining functional fashion the collection reimagines the running wardrobe through a fashion lens adapting effortlessly to the fast pace of urban life Launching as part of the Spring/Summer 2025 AVP collection this genderless capsule is a seamless fusion of Salomon’s technical prowess and MM6’s avant-garde sensibility Dropping in two waves — April 17th and May 8th — the collection blends lightweight performance fabrics with unconventional silhouettes and signature design elements from both houses Highlights from the collection include a reworked MA-1 bomber crafted from translucent windproof ripstop and a pair of exaggerated wide shorts and fitted shorts are elevated with graphic elements that nod to MM6’s irreverent spirit; oversized logos Footwear takes center stage with the return of the XT-4 Mule sneakers in two seasonal colorways and the introduction of Salomon’s Spectur 2 road shoe Available online at MM6 Maison Margiela and Salomon’s official websites Please confirm that you are at least 18 years old Pete Rising in this year\u2019s Best of the Bay Awards By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. We use cookies to provide you with a great experience and to help our website run effectively. Learn more The entrance to Tombolo Books from the courtyard at Calusa Commons Located at 2153 1st Avenue South in the Grand Central District America has been experiencing a ‘retail apocalypse’ the mass shuttering of thousands of brick and mortar stores due in large part to the rise of Amazon and online shopping and Forever 21 have all filed for bankruptcy with the latest trends being things like grocery delivery and Amazon’s same-day delivery But there’s one type of retailer that has bounced back after being hit hard and actually experienced growth over the last ten years — independent bookstores While chain book sellers like Borders and Waldenbooks have closed According to the American Bookseller’s Association more than 570 independent bookstores opened in the U.S. Indie book shops are thriving by providing community gathering spaces and expanding their merchandise beyond books.  And although Downtown St Pete is home to the incredible Haslam’s Book Store, the neighborhood lacks a smaller, independent, and highly-curated bookstore. That is, until next month when Alsace Walentine opens the highly-anticipated Tombolo Books at 2153 1st Avenue South in the Grand Central District owner of Tombolo Books in Saint Petersburg FL Walentine is a veteran in the book world. After college, she moved to Asheville, NC where she began working as a barista at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe a staple in North Carolina since it’s opening in 1982 Throughout her sixteen year tenure at Malaprop’s Walentine climbed the ranks to eventually become manager and events coordinator After her wife moved to St Pete for a job in 2015 Pete is very similar to Asheville,” says Walentine “But I couldn’t find a bookstore anywhere in the area similar to the one I previously worked at in North Carolina Tombolo Books will be a 1,500 square foot experience-driven bookstore situated in the beautifully lush Calusa Commons, next door to Black Crow Coffee and Squeeze Juice Works The shop will carry around 6,000-7,000 books at a time Tombolo will also offer non-book items like pins “I want Tombolo Books to calm people,” says Walentine “Whether you read before bed every night or haven’t picked up a book since college The courtyard at Calusa Commons with Tombolo Books on the left The shop will provide various types of seating whether you’re visiting with a group or just looking for a little peace and quiet by yourself Customers are welcome to bring in a coffee or juice (with a lid!) from the neighboring businesses to enjoy while hanging out at Tombolo Books and other community events that are still in the planning stage The entrance to Tombolo Books from 1st avenue South 2153 1st Avenue South in the Grand Central District Then it was time to find a name for the bookstore “I wanted something unique,” says Walentine “A name people would remember.” After hundreds of ideas and hours of brain-storming The word ‘Tombolo’ (pronounced “tom-buh-loh”) is defined as “a sandbar connecting an island to the mainland,” in the same way Tombolo Books will connect readers to stories Walentine decided to start spreading the word After attending a few markets and festivals Tombolo Books opened a 180 square foot temporary pop-up inside the Central Arcade in Downtown St Debuting right before the holidays in 2017 a book wrapped in brown paper with a vague description scrawled on the cover Those ended up being a big hit and will be available at Tombolo’s new store Walentine has been laser-focused on opening Tombolo Book’s permanent brick and mortar location in the Grand Central District Even though Amazon’s domination over retail is intimidating “We will offer an emotional value that Amazon will never be able to match,” she says “Tombolo Books is so much more than just a bookstore We are so excited to grow a community of book lovers in St Pete love to support local and I know they’ll have our back.” Speaking of support, Walentine launched an IndieGoGo campaign earlier today to help get the bookstore’s fundraising to the finish line Please consider contributing to this local business that has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars and sweat equity into our beautiful city People like Alsace Walentine are what makes St Petersburg such an amazing place Want to be the first to know what’s coming soon to the Sunshine City Sign up to receive the latest news straight to your inbox Contact - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy© 2024 St In 2015, Walentine gave up a career with Asheville’s Malaprop’s Bookstore to move to Florida where her wife, Candice Anderson, had received a job offer. At a time when so many businesses have failed, Tombolo has done surprisingly well, hosting authors and legions of avid readers. Walentine, who runs the store with her wife and several employees, spoke with Bay editor Susan Taylor Martin. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Why did you decide to open your own store? Alsace Walentine is co-owner at Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg. [ MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times ]So it was that easy? I was naive and thought I could pull this off in one year. That was ridiculous. It took me a solid year after August 2015 to get the business plan written and get my footing here in St. Pete. Then in 2017 we became an LLC and started doing popups and book clubs. We were literally going through the dictionary looking at words for something meaningful. Tombolo is a geographic term for a type of sandbar that connects an island to the mainland A tombolo connects a lone island, and I thought that’s what a really good independent bookstore does, it creates connections to this whole world of ideas and stories, a whole world of authors and other readers. Was it hard finding a place for the store given how expensive St. Pete has gotten? Subscribe to our free Do & Dine newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. Are you happy with the place you landed? I love that there’s a courtyard and other businesses in here (a coffee shop and a juice bar), and the shape of the space inside was perfect. It was a very panicky day but we decided to shut our doors before the city said we had to and we just switched all of our operations online and instituted a delivery system. We decided that in a 2-mile radius around our store I would offer free delivery. We’d get web orders and at the end of the day, I’d get on my bicycle and it was wonderful. There was no traffic on the road. We were doing a lot of shipping, of course, and we ordered in many more jigsaw puzzles. That was the craze, which was fun, and we eventually started doing Zoom book clubs, offering a way for people to get together. We hired an event coordinator with technical savvy, which I didn’t have, and she started doing Zoom author events and authors would send us signed bookplates. We had Jack Davis, who won the Pulitzer for The Gulf, and local folks like Lisa Unger. Have customers been drawn to certain types of books during the pandemic? How about all the political books that came out about the Trump presidency? Typically we lose money if we try to bring in books that people are enthusiastic about for 24 hours and that’s it. We’re looking for books with a nice long tail so they can pay the rent on the bookshelf. Tampa’s Inkwood Books has closed and Haslam’s in St. Petersburg hasn’t reopened since the pandemic. Are you worried about the future of independents like Tombolo? I’m a 100 percent optimist about the future. I have unwavering faith in people’s desire to read physical books and have a place to go and browse a curated selection of physical books. Tombolo Books is at 2153 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com. Susan Taylor MartinBay Magazine Correspondent A bathhouse launch party seems like the most natural move for the ‘escape wear’ brand’s newest collection Thursday, December 7th, Tombolo Company and Wesselman Estate celebrate their wonderfully chaotic collaboration at the historic Russian and Turkish Baths in the East Village The late-night festivities vary from drinks from Agua Magica, Amass Gin, Body Vodka, and more,  music by Ronlikehell and Delabae The range of this party is brilliant, guests are either walking around in slippers and towels or they’re hitting the dance floor with their shoes (and clothes) intact. In attendance are Tombolo founders Chris Galasso and Michael Sard, along with musician Del Water Gap Donations from party games and activities are contributed to City Arts an organization focused on building relationships among young and professional artists and their work creating public art like mosaics and murals a New York-based fashion brand was founded in 2018 They’re mostly known for their relaxed design and their signature terry cloth cabana shirts which pay homage to 1950s and 60s fashion The clothing company has a firm commitment to quality and their ‘treat you customers like your friends’ motto Fashion’s favorite ‘escapewear’ brand, Tombolo, and Amalfi Coast’s luxury hotel, Le Sirenuse, have debuted the ultimate summer collaboration: the Le Sirenuse x Tombolo Collection. This summer, Le Sirenuse launched Il Negozio a small and curated collection of Le Sirenuse lifestyle pieces that reflect the hotel’s reputation as an arbiter of style and Italian seaside chic Le Sirenuse partnered with the New York native beachwear brand to design a capsule collection—just in time for August holidays Tombolo has garnered notable fans of the brand colorful array of designs that transport you to a different time Founders Chris Galasso and Mike Sard have charmed customers with a refreshing collection of “maximalist inactive wear in an age of minimalist activewear,” truly becoming the ultimate vacation brand in the fashion industry the partnership with Le Sirenuse felt like a no-brainer for both brands “It is impossible to create a souvenir that does Le Sirenuse justice but this capsule represents our best attempt to channel the place’s charm into something that can be taken home The collection is full of colors from the hotel and town and – of course – features the mythical sirens said to inhabit the islands you see from the hotel’s grand balcony,” says Galasso and Sard Tombolo designed a capsule of unisex terry cloth cabana tops and shorts infused by the brand’s retro American beachwear mojo and inspired by the spirit of Positano Perhaps what makes this collaboration so special is the intimate Le Sirenuse opened in 1951 when they transformed the Sersale family summer home into a small as one of Italy’s leading seaside luxury hotels the property still echos the same intimate And Tombolo—both the brand and its founders—is a humble brand with vibrant designs that truly speak for themselves This collaboration marks an exciting time for Le Sirenuse as they have evolved beyond a hotel into a flourishing lifestyle brand In addition to the Le Sirenuse x Tombolo collaboration The curation will also continually feature one-off collaborations with unique brands they love and designers they admire Ahead, discover some of our favorite pieces from the collaboration, and be sure to shop the collection on Il Negozio, here, or on Tombolo, here Sitting down for coffee next to a sunny window lined with book displays, the owner of St. Petersburg’s newest independent bookstore keeps gazing around the inviting interior of Tombolo Books as if she isn’t quite sure it’s real. It’s not just post-holiday retail fatigue, although she says sales were "amazing. Oh my gosh, it was so much better than we’d hoped. “Everyone was smiling and saying, ‘We’re so happy you’re here’ And they say they’re so happy not to be buying on Amazon. They feel bad about it.” Tombolo — the word means “a sandbar that connects an island to the mainland,” according to the store’s website — was painstakingly designed to give book lovers an experience they can’t get scrolling and clicking. And it was more than four years in the making. The store on First Avenue S is Instagram ready now, with lots of warm wood, open space and natural light, doors on its north side giving onto a wide brick patio. The outdoor space is shared with Black Crow Coffee and Squeeze Juice Works. The building sits amid craft breweries and other businesses where the Grand Central District meets the Warehouse Arts District. Tombolo Books owner Alsace Walentine poses with a few of the recent books she loves. [ JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times ]“I really like the open feeling,” says Walentine, 46. “I wanted to be able to see everybody and for everybody to be able to see us.” She’s especially proud of the children’s section with its cozy circular nook, just big enough for a couple of kids to curl up and read in. “My dad built it,” she says. Display tables and bookcases in the center of the room are on casters, so they can be rearranged to make space for author appearances, book clubs and other events. The first event will take place Jan. 5, when local author Sterling Watson will debut his eighth novel, The Committee. Watson retired after years as director of the creative writing program at Eckerd College and was the co-founder, along with Eckerd alum Dennis Lehane, of the college’s Writers in Paradise conference. The Committee is a historical novel, set in Gainesville during the late 1950s, when, as Watson writes in his introduction, “the infamous Johns Committee of the Florida Legislature sought to root out homosexuals, Communists and advocates for civil rights in public universities across the state, portraying them as a dire threat to the children of Florida.” “It was happy luck that his book is coming out,” Walentine says “I’m thrilled that it’s a Florida-based novel that it’s from a small publisher (Akashic Books).” Rather than the broad array of books found in chain bookstores “I wanted a balance of small press books and voices that aren’t in the mainstream We’ll have a combination of things you can’t find in other places popular new things and older classic books,” Walentine says About 70 percent of what we have is paperback which means it’s been out for a year or longer.” peruses the offerings at Tombolo Books in St "It's my second visit in a week," she says it's friendly and there is always something to read." [ JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times ]It’s taken more than four years for the store to become a reality as Walentine enrolled in courses for entrepreneurs ran popup bookstores and a book delivery service drove a U-Haul truck loaded with bookshelves down through the mountains from North Carolina Walentine had been working since she was 20 years old at Malaprops because I could see it was so much fun." She became an assistant manager and then events programmer She had worked there for 15 years when her wife was offered a job with a Dutch vegetable seed company that would require her to travel all over Florida and I felt like it was her turn to have a job that made her happy.” and talked to longtime Inkwood employee Amanda Hurley “It was right about then we got married,” Walentine says “We got married and then lived apart.” Anderson got an apartment in St and they visited back and forth once a month Petersbug when Anderson was called away for work "So I was by myself in this little apartment and we wouldn’t see each other for two months because I’d gone as far as I could go at Malaprops It just felt like a light shining in this dark day.” They were my mentors.” — and in August of 2015 moved to St “I naively wondered if I could find a place with so many cool people I didn’t know if we could find that acceptance" for a small bookstore “All those groups that have promoted going local buying local — I’m so grateful to those organizations.” Walentine knew her experience at Malaprops was a solid base “I knew it wasn’t like end days for the technology of the book.” But she planned carefully knowing the business wasn’t easy to break into Independent bookstores everywhere weathered a couple of stormy decades starting in the 1990s first struggling to compete with giant bookstore chains like Borders and Barnes & Noble especially Amazon (which got its start as a bookseller before expanding to But the decade just ending has seen a strong comeback by indies The American Booksellers Association reports that from 2009 to 2019 its number of member companies rose from 1,401 to 1,887 Last year those companies owned 2,524 stores — compared to 1,651 independent bookstores in 2009 And e-books seem much less threatening since their sales fell 37 percent between 2014 and 2018 “A good indie bookstore shows you what your city is because it’s made up of what you read.” She compiled a list of Tombolo Books’ bestsellers for its first month that’s an interesting illustration Petersburg’s Historic African American Neighborhoods is No There’s a lot of demand in our city for books about race and history.” Neighborhood was a big factor in choosing the store’s location and one feature of the Grand Central District is the iconic Haslam’s Bookstore “We’re really different experiences,” Walentine says the Grand Central District should be a mecca.” She hopes Tombolo Books can help create that mecca “It’s important to me that this space feels welcoming to most everyone "I like to imagine two people who might judge each other just on the way they look but one person is holding a book the other one loves No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg Petersburg’s Historic African American Neighborhoods by Rosalie Peck and Jon Wilson Say Nothing: A True Story by Patrick Radden Keefe (tie) Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Florida by Lauren Groff Meet the authorSterling Watson will be in conversation with Tampa Bay Times book editor Colette Bancroft about his new novel, The Committee. Signing to follow. Free. 4 p.m. Jan. 5. Tombolo Books, 2153 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg. (727) 755-9456. tombolobooks.com. Colette BancroftBay Correspondent This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page podcast is a conversation with Alsace Walantine and Candice Anderson The independent book store on 1st Avenue S just three months before Covid-19 forced businesses far and wide to temporarily shut down closed its doors at the onset of the Covid pandemic – and Tombolo filled the pandemic gap with home deliveries by car and by bicycle; patrons could also pull up to the curb in front of the store and have their phone or online orders brought right to the vehicle The interview covers the early years in Asheville where Walentine worked for the city’s top indie bookseller a place where “the personal touch” – interactions with regular customers and recommending titles as well as getting involved in community events and organizations – led to longevity and success And a reputation as a curated center for literature as well as a cultural hub The couple talk about their eventual relocation to St the business plan that would become Tombolo changes in the city and their hopes (and plans) for the future Click on the arrow to listen to the interview the stories in Dressing the Saints chronicle lives left behind and new ones forged with struggle Tombolo Books welcomes local author Aracelis González Asendorf to the bookstore for a celebration of her latest story collection Asendorf will be joined in conversation by fellow local author of Brujas > > > > > Let us know we will see you there what can’t be forgotten and what is elusively fading away with the passage of time is ever-present in the stories of people fiercely confronting fate with grace and compassion Aracelis González Asendorf was born in Cuba Her stories have been anthologized in 100% Pure Florida Fiction (University of Florida Press All About Skin: Short Fiction by Women of Color (University of Wisconsin Press and Home in Florida: Latinx Writers and the Literature of Uprootedness (University of Florida Press She is the recipient of the 2016 South Atlantic Modern Language Association Graduate Creative Writing Award for Prose Lorraine Monteagut is a Cuban-Colombian writer born in Miami She holds a PhD in communication from the University of South Florida where she began her research on bruja feminism and the reclamation of ancestral healing traditions Inspired to the spiritual life by her great grandmother she facilitates astrology workshops and moon circles in her local community in Tampa Tombolo Books welcomes back Florida author Ryan Rivas to the bookstore to celebrate his “darkly comic and deeply strange novella” Lizard People author of Pinkies and editor of We Can’t Help It If We’re From Florida the unnamed narrator of Lizard People has believed he’s a lizard person he’s sent to a coastal resort for intensive therapy to confront the truth of his peculiar identity But amid days of lounging by the pool with his fellow recoverings and the appearance of a love interest with ill intentions Ryan Rivas is the author of Nextdoor in Colonialtown (Autofocus and the Coordinator of MFA Publishing at Stetson University’s MFA of the Americas creative writing program The New York Times bestselling author of the “otherworldly treat” (People) The Drowning Kind and The Children on the Hill returns with a spine-tingling psychological thriller about a woman who begins to suspect demonic possession is haunting her family Join us in welcoming bestselling author Jennifer McMahon to the bookstore to celebrate the release of her newest thrilling novel McMahon will be in conversation with local author Linda Hurtado Bond But with it right around the corner and her husband busily decorating their cozy Vermont home has been diagnosed with cancer and has only weeks to live She wants to spend her remaining days with her daughter But when mysterious and otherworldly things start happening upon Mavis’s arrival Alison begins to suspect her mother is not quite who she seems And as the holiday festivities turn into a nightmare she must confront just how far she is willing to go to protect her family Jennifer McMahon is the author of ten novels including the New York Times bestsellers Promise Not to Tell and The Winter People Visit her at Jennifer-McMahon.com or connect with her on Instagram @JenniferMcMahonWrites and Facebook @JenniferMcMahonBooks Linda Hurtado Bond is an award-winning journalist with Tampa’s Fox 13 she’s an award-winning author of thrillers numerous Society of Professional Journalists and Associate Press awards as well as a Florida Bar award and an Edward R she’s also active in the Tampa community with the American Cancer Society raising money and awareness any chance she gets Linda met her husband Jorge while on assignment in Cuba covering Pope John Paul the Second’s visit with Fidel Castro Twenty-some years later they’ve raised five kids – a doctor Linda is a graduate of the University of Georgia and her baby is heading to the rival University of Florida A lover of drama and conflict (in books) Linda now has a divided house Mike Schneider pulls the veil back on the most “magical place on Earth.” Schneider offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the hidden struggles that surround Disney World which employs the largest single-site workforce in the United States Tombolo Books welcomes Schneider to the bookstore for a conversation about the little-known story of Teamsters Local 385 the union that representing Disney’s performers Schneider will be in conversation with local author Tamara Lush Mike Schneider is a journalist for the Associated Press reporting on Walt Disney World and the tourism industry She’s a former reporter who writes contemporary romance set in tropical locations and she writes mysteries under the name Tara Lush she lives with her husband and two dogs on the Gulf Coast Join us at the bookstore for an exciting evening with local authorMark E a story about a man'sjourney to to reexamine a life he once held dear in order livea life that deeply Tristan Wishnasky seems to have it all: a successful career as a cynical novelist in love with the Void a romantic relationship with a formidable woman and admission to the parties and revelries of the glitterati But just when he's confident nothing can stop his stupendous rise he begins to hallucinate mysterious messages telling him he's wasting his life and an ingenious female rabbi for guidance and direction Leib will be joined by fellow local author and USF professor Dr Poetry at Tombolo Books with Gloria Muñoz: Anne Barngrover's EVERWHEN ft Gloria Muñoz is thrilled to welcome Anne Barngrover to the bookstore for the September reading in our 2023 monthly poetry series Barngrover will read from her stunning new poetry collection verdant poetry collection that is preoccupied with a chthonic era—when the secrets of long ago catch up to now and future collapse into what's long been identified by indigenous cultures and early naturalists as Uncreation or Deep Time Driven by the voice of the betrayed Roman goddess Ceres these poems consider what it is like to live out of time to suffer unnamed illnesses of the female body to love and grieve at the end of the world and to even find hope and joy in “the way an apocalypse can mean/ to reveal." Barngrover will be joined by fellow local poet Heather Sellers who will read works from some of her latest collections and be in conversation with Barngrover after the reading Anne Barngrover is most recently the author of Brazen Creature (University of Akron Press Her poems and creative nonfiction have appeared in such places as Verse Daily She directs the low-residency MA in Creative Writing program at Saint Leo University and lives in Tampa is the author of four poetry collections: Field Notes from the Flood Zone (BOA 2022); The Present State of the Garden (Lynx House Press 2021); The Boys I Borrow (New Issues Press which was a finalist for the James Laughlin Award; and Drinking Girls and Their Dresses (Ahsahta Press She is also the author of the memoir You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know (Riverhead the Oprah Magazine Book of the Month Club Choice and an Editor’s Choice at the New York Times Her popular textbook The Practice of Creative Writing (Macmillan Her writing has been featured in numerous publications and anthologies She has been awarded a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and a residency at The MacDowell Colony She directs the undergraduate and MFA creative writing programs at the University of South Florida For more information about Heather Sellers Tombolo Books , 2153 1st Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, 33712 Please enter email address you want to share this article with Enter the details of the person you want to share this article with. Tombolo Books is honored to welcome Dr. Marcia E. Herman-Giddens to the bookstore to share her debut memoir, Unloose My Heart: Reckoning with the Twisted Roots of My Southern Family Tree, with our readers. Unloose My Heart is a deeply personal memoir that unearths a family history of racism, slaveholding, and trauma as well as love and sparks of delight. With heartbreak, moments of grace, and an enduring sense of love, this memoir shines a light in the darkness and provides a model for a heartfelt reckoning with American history. Herman-Giddens will be in conversation with local author of Making of A Racist: A Southerner Reflects on Family, History, and the Slave Trade, Dr. Charles Dew. Let us know we will see you there! Please RSVP via the link provided! Marcia Edwina Herman-Giddens, born in Washington, DC, moved to Birmingham, Alabama in 1946 when the first bombings of African American establishments had begun. As Marcia grew up, she was profoundly affected by her exposure to the wrongs of Jim Crow. More recently, Herman-Giddens turned her research and writing skills to her family ancestral history. Her debut book, Unloose My Heart: A Personal Reckoning with the Twisted Roots of My Southern Family Tree, interweaves her experiences in Birmingham’s perilous apartheid world with an examination and acknowledgement of her maternal ancestors’ slaveholding history. She writes and gardens beside a canopy of trees outside her office window, and cherishes her large family, which now includes two great-grandchildren. MENU.page-84261653{--slot3:#ff6813;--slot4:#ffe7cf;--slot6:#955de0;--slot8:#ff6813}Vivien Killilea/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesFashion A weekly roundup of our favorite celebrity outfits a weekly roundup of our favorite celebrity outfits Nothing gets us more excited than a Kristen Stewart promo tour. The actress is currently making the rounds for her upcoming film Spencer as she takes on the role of Princess Diana for the 1991-era biopic Stewart attended the 2021 Telluride Film Festival and channeled the ultimate girl crush with her latest outfit Stewart’s more casual and gritty ensembles at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival are a far cry from what she was recently seen wearing at the 2021 Venice Film Festival the Chanel ambassador and longtime muse represented the French fashion house at the Italy-based event as she wore a tweed romper and a teddy-gown-inspired couture runway look for the premiere of Spencer But over in Colorado’s Telluride, the Rocky Mountains city allows Stewart to show off more of her personal style. In addition to her Tombolo look, Swennen has already dressed her in a leopard coat from Thom Browne and a cropped tee with frayed edges with a pair of pink pants check out the rest of our favorite celebrity looks Zendaya looked absolutely stunning (as always) at the Dune premiere in Paris wearing a two-piece bolero and mermaid perforated knitted skirt set from Alaïa’s Spring 2022 collection, which also happens to be designer Pieter Mulier’s debut at Couture Week Timothée Chalamet also attended the Dune premiere rocking a denim suit with indigo satin lapels from Tom Ford also wore 18-carat white gold pieces from the luxury jewelry brand Ra’Jah O’Hara attended the RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars finale event wearing a light purple cropped suit jacket and pants combo from Beyonce’s Adidas x Ivy Park latest collection The RDR runner-up completed the look with glittery hot pink heels Eureka! also attended the RDR finale in an emerald green princess gown by Thomas Ogden, paired with bejeweled statement earrings and a ring by Lolli Cox Actress Beanie Feldstein looked darling at the Impeachment: American Crime Story premiere wearing a lip-print ensemble from Brandon Maxwell paired with red platform heels from Stuart Weitzman and a vintage red leather handbag from Miu Miu Maisie Williams arrived at the 2021 GQ Men of the Year Awards in London wearing Alexander McQueen Also at the 2021 GQ Men of the Year Awards fashion mogul Alexa Chung wore a cropped bustier and purple sequin skirt set from Victoria Beckham She finished the look with a feathered stole and black pumps Musician Griff shined on the 2021 GQ Men of the Year Awards red carpet wearing an elaborate ensemble designed by Natasha Zinko. She paired the look with black platform loafers from Shushu Tong Model Winnie Harlow made an appearance at the 2021 GQ Men of the Year Awards She wore an off-the-shoulder puffy orange gown from Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood and sparkly pumps from Christian Louboutin Billie Eilish attended the Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles premiere wearing a black panel top from Loewe. She paired the outfit with fall’s newest “It” item — a lace-up corset skirt from Orseund Iris Our favorite girl group Boys World stunned at the Cinderella premiere in Los Angeles Olivia Ruby wore a cropped suited top and skirt set with black tights and black platform sneakers; Makhyli wore a baby blue tank and skirt set with sparkly heels; Queenie Mae wore a multicolored cutout dress with white platform sandals; Lilian Kay wore an orange and mesh top midriff top with burgundy bottoms and Doc Martens; and Elana wore a cutout floral maxi dress with see-through heels Actress Iris Apatow was seen at the Cinderella premiere wearing a light pink halter midi dress from Reformation She completed the look with brown platform heels and a Chanel shoulder bag Our Cinderella star Camila Cabello sparkled in a high-low gown from Oscar de la Renta THIS COUNTRY is a gorgeously illustrated and written debut graphic memoir about belonging and making a home in the remote American West joined by local author of Brujas Lorraine Monteagut heads to Tombolo Books to share more about his gorgeous graphic memoir Join us to hear more about his “touching and frequently hilarious”(Reza Farazmand writer and illustrator of Poorly Drawn Lines) debut Mahdavian’s beautifully written and unflinchingly honest graphic memoir charts his growth and struggles as an artist It celebrates his love of place and honors the relationships he makes in rural America and even articulating difficult moments of racism and brutality he found there as a Middle Eastern American Mahdavian’s insider perspective offers a unique portrait of one of the most remote and wild areas of the American West Navied Mahdavian has been a contributing cartoonist at the New Yorker since 2018 His work has also been published in Reader’s Digest and Alta Online and the books The Rejection Collection and Send Help Mahdavian was born in Miami and lives in Salt Lake City If you’re a guy who likes a fun shirt, Tombolo is where it’s at these days Taking their inspiration from Hawaiian shirts founders and lifelong friends Mike Sard and Chris Galasso have created the perfect vacation looks for their buzzy unisex line A post shared by Tombolo (@tombolocompany) Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on all the latest fashion news and juicy industry gossip Eddie Roche is the Chief Content Officer of The Daily Front Row/Daily Summer/Daily Hollywood @eddie2275 on Instagram document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a87b2e4757436398ffba5bce160710b7" );document.getElementById("d628b68082").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment GET OUR HAUTEST STORIES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ShareSaveLifestyleStyle & BeautyCelebrity-Favorite Resortwear Brand Tombolo Just Dropped A Holiday CollectionByTanya Akim 08:00pm ESTShareSaveThis article is more than 4 years old.Lobster Rodeo “Resort is a state of mind,” Chris Galasso and Michael Sard said over a phone call Just because traveling is out of the question for most dons pukka shells and his favorite Hawaiian from his own brand when he wants to feel on holiday The global pandemic has changed not only the way people approach loungewear but it’s also altered the basis of visual whimsy and disruption “People are increasingly missing the ritual of getting dressed and the mundane aspects of loungewear are boring.” Tombolo’s signature whimsy that the designers speak of has proven to be a fan-favorite on virtual meetings: “That’s why people love the shirts on Zoom calls If you bring something colorful and reminscent of a brighter time into the mix and Jeff Goldblum are sporting Tombolo cabana shirts with the cool confidence of a Bahia vacation — paradoxically during quarantines The brand’s latest holiday drop adds three new shirts to the collection: ‘Poisson Du Jour’ a short sleeve button-down in three colors a blue terrycloth tracksuit that has been liked and reposted on Instagram already thousands of times Sard love the challenge of creating something that is both ancient and fresh Gone are the traditional pineapples and gardenias in are naked female silouttes and alligators swallowing flamingos “We feel like we’re onto something really special with the cabana shirts.” Mr Their care for customer satisfaction parlays into the pair’s marketing genius “We’re going to release a new shirt every 10 days in early spring until summer to keep surprising our customer base.” What’s the surprise “It will be something that only the wearer knows about.” more and more consumers are drawn to the inspiration of a shirt that adds life and holiday back to the humdrum of lockdowns recreating the Hawaiian shirt is not just having a go at a kitch classic; it’s creating a whole new disposition New York Times bestselling author) historical novel about two mothers facing unthinkable choices as the Nazis invade France—from the New York Times bestselling author Kristin Harmel Join us at Tombolo Books for a special celebration of local bestselling author Kristin Harmel’s paperback release of her latest historical fiction THE PARIS DAUGHTER bestselling author Sarah Penner for an evening that fans of sweeping and cinematic historica novels with brilliant woment at the helm will not want to miss