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Florida’s bald eagle nesting season officially began on Oct. 1. Florida has one of the highest densities of breeding bald eagles in the lower 48 states, and eagles can be spotted in South Tampa (check the eBird app).

Over the next few weeks, watch for eagle pairs carrying sticks to tall trees and towers as “nestoration” activities restore nests that have not been used for months. You can observe an eagle couple from three different live camera views on the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam YouTube channel. Last breeding season, this nest’s resident female eagle died, so viewers are eagerly waiting to see who the lucky new lady may be for the steadfast resident male, named “M15”.

➡ If you spot a nest, Audubon’s EagleWatch program wants to know about it, and so do we!

V Modern Italian restaurant opened in North Hyde Park within the Rome Collective on Oct. 8. It already has 60 Google Reviews, which is the most we’ve ever noticed a local business get in its first day. We’ll be tasting and reporting back here if it’s a worthy Foodie Find.

Our Sept. 5 edition reported new restaurants being built on Westshore Blvd., named White Wolf, Carnivore Club, and Salon at Carnivore Club. Now they’ve released concept images of what the building will look like.

Mi Cafecito: This was a mobile coffee bar that served Colombian coffee and homemade arepas at events for four years. Now they’ve opened their first permanent coffee shop at 2202 W. Platt St.

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One hundred years ago this week on Oct. 15, 1926, Tampa Theatre opened its doors to reveal elaborate architecture, a Wurlitzer organ, and a full orchestra accompanying silent films for just 25 cents. It is one of the best-preserved and most renowned “movie palace” style theatres in the country, designed by the prolific theatre architect, John Eberson, and built by Paramount Pictures. They are celebrating their 100th birthday this week with a series of events.

You can see their fully restored Historic Duncan Auditorium in a free public open house on Oct. 11 at 1–5 PM at 711 N. Franklin St. in downtown Tampa. Admire the restoration, join staff-led mini-tours, and use a new digital guide to discover historic photographs and stories on your phone. At 3 PM, retired CEO, John Bell, will join current CEO, George Levesque, onstage to discuss the restoration and answer audience questions.

Roundtrip drive time from South Tampa: 20 minutes

Remarkably, Tampa’s first movie venue wasn’t the 100-year-old Tampa Theatre; it was the three decades older Tampa Bay Casino. Back then, “casino” meant a place for entertainment, rather than just gambling. So the casino Henry Plant built on the grounds of his Tampa Bay Hotel (now the University of Tampa & Henry B. Plant Museum) included a 2,000-seat theatre, outdoor heated swimming pool and spa.

This casino opened in 1896 and presented Tampa’s first films in 1897, only two years after the first commercial film screening in the world, in Paris. Tampa was a pioneering film city! It’s amazing these contemporary drawings still exist, so we can see what Tampa’s first movie theatre and its audience looked like 130 years ago!

Now through Feb. 28, 2027, the Henry B. Plant Museum’s new exhibit, Cigar City Cinema: Tampa Goes to the Movies, 1897–1936, brings those early moviegoing years back through films, original lobby cards, souvenir programs, and artifacts. Its rotating film presentation begins with King Kong—a fitting way to stomp into monster month.

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What’s your favorite restaurant in South Tampa for a couple’s anniversary dinner?

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We asked, “Which South Tampa restaurants best handle groups?” We didn’t receive any reader recommendations; however, our research has found Besito Mexican Restaurant has one of the best group reservation policies in South Tampa with no deposit or minimum spend required, not even on weekends!

Rembrandt Gardens: Where you will find neither Rembrandt nor a public garden.

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Independent & Transparent: The Scroll is independently owned and written by a South Tampa resident. Positive mentions can’t be bought. We only include things we have personally tried or trust the person who did doesn’t benefit from mentioning it. We do not include links to businesses unless they are not-for-profit or paid sponsors we have vetted and noted as such. Clicking on asterisked items (*) may provide us with affiliate compensation, which helps fund us to keep creating for you!

Your Local Writer & Founder: Danielle is a lover of food, craft cocktails, wine, travel, nature, and history. After living in Ohio, Dallas, New Zealand, and 37 countries as a digital nomad, Danielle decided South Tampa was the best place to settle in 2022. She blends a world’s worth of experiences with local expertise as a Meetup event organizer and marketing director to ensure The Scroll is always worth your read!