In case you’re wondering what the photo above is all about and need some context, it’s a reference to this somewhat disturbed/disturbing tweet from Elon Musk:
My bedside table pic.twitter.com/sIdRYJcLTK
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
In case he deletes the tweet (which he’s been known to do), here’s a screenshot:
Also: Caffeine-free Diet Coke? NPC.
And here’s my favorite response to Elon’s tweet:
Categories
The truth about anarchists
Yes, it’s another one of my regular reminders to double-check your work (or better yet, have someone else double-check it) before putting it out into the world.
Small Business Saturday (which took place yesterday) is an excellent opportunity to check out local places that I don’t usually go to, or places that I’d been meaning to go to for some time. Tiger Dust, which has been in Seminole Heights for several months, falls into the latter category.
Tiger Dust calls itself a wunderkammer, a German term meaning “wonder room” or “room of wonders.” There’s a similar term, kunstkammer, which literally means “art room” but it often interpreted in English as “cabinet of curiosities.” This is from a time when “cabinet” was used more often to refer to a room than furniture for storing things (our modern usage of the word is a sort of downsizing).
If you’re looking for a gift for an unconventional friend, Tiger Dust just might fit the bill.
Need an interesting taxidermy piece? Tiger Dust has ’em in spades.
Kitschy art? Oh yeah.
Housewarming present for a friend whose wardrobe is entirely black? They’ve got ’em.
Need the complete works of Anton LaVey or Aleister Crowley? Do what thou wilt.
I almost bought the tiger kite pictured above. I may yet return to complete the purchase. I did buy a skull ring, because it’s a key part of the accordion rock and roll lifestyle.
Tiger Dust is located at 4222 North Florida Avenue, a couple of blocks north of M.L.K. Boulevard. Their hours are listed online as 12 noon to 7:00 p.m. daily, but the sign on their door might be a little more accurate — it says they’re open noon-ish to 7-ish.
Want to know more about Tiger Dust? Check these out:
- Tiger Dust’s website, tigerdust.party — they’re the first people I know who use the .party domain
- Creative Loafing: Tiger Dust, a new pinball arcade and gift shop, celebrates grand opening in Seminole Heights this weekend (March 15, 2022)
- Only In Your State: The Oddities Shop In Florida Brings Wonderfully Eclectic Items In One Space
- Bay News 9: Oddities galore at this creepy book shop in Seminole Heights
- That’s So Tampa: Tiger Dust brings a pinball arcade to Seminole Heights
With Thanksgiving having come and gone in the U.S., we’re now in the holiday shopping season, which starts with Small Business Saturday!
Small Business Saturday is an annual event whose purpose to encourage people to support their local small businesses. Instead of going to a “big box” store or chain, we’re asked to support local businesses, either by going to their local brick-and-mortar shop or shopping online. This event takes place every November and represents a significant opportunity to increase sales for small businesses during the holiday shopping season.
I live in Tampa’s Seminole Heights neighborhood, where we’re fortunate to have a number of small businesses that do provide goods, services, and those less tangible “neighborhood-y” things that chains and big box stores can’t or won’t.
The day is young, but we’ve already picked up some goodies at Gott Glass, the local glass-blowing studio and shop.
If you’re in the area, check them out! The shop is a lovely mix of indoor and outdoor, Susan Gott and her staff are nice, and they do glass-blowing demos and even have classes (which I plan on signing up for).
