You might be an Urban Inca if...

You might be an Urban Inca if...

4. You prefer to live in a historic neighborhood.

So why choose a historic (old) home with drafty windows, tiny closets and no sidewalks?  Character (and characters), trees!, outdoor concerts and Sunday markets.  Seminole Heights has all of these. 

No two houses are alike in historic disricts which makes walks with my neighbor and long-time friend, interesting and different each time.  Ecclectic gardens, art, creative designs, color... it's all here!

Colonial

Reminds me of a Swiss Chalet- wildflowers everywhere!

Classic "shotgun" bungalow

Mediterranean bungalow ala desert (one of my favorites)

I cannot remember what he called it, but WOW!

And the neighbors are so friendly (Tampa is not well-known for friendliness.).  Everyone says hello! 

As a matter of fact, while photographing one of my neighbor's homes (the desert one above) where a beautiful flower grew in his garden, he got out of his car and dug up a root for me on the spot. 

Gosh, I hope it grows!!

Tree canopy-typical street view

And there are trees, so many trees. And where there are trees there are birds and butterflies and flowers. All things that make me smile in my urban existence.

Besides the historic homes, the trees are what draw people here: grand oaks, magnolias, pines. They form beautiful canopies over most streets here, keeping us cool and surrounded by woodpeckers, blue jays, cardinals and, yes, squirrels.  So many squirrels... 

Friday Extra outdoor concerts are back in the neighborhood! Neighbors gather. They eat. They dance. They laugh. They listen to local musicians and children play with other children they know from school or who they've just met for the first time, instant friends. Others (not going to name any names now) drink wine on blankets, and community forms not-so-quietly under oaks and pines.



Listening to live music at Lowry Park



My neighbor, Jim, dancing with his daughter

And you can't forget the Seminole Heights Sunday Morning Market. Vendors gather, hula hoops girate and dogs walk their owners around tents and tents of handmade jewelry like Mark Noll Designs and freshly made food.

Sunday Market at Hillsborough High School

So why am I ok with a window that leaks sometimes (only just sometimes) during a heavy rain? Or a slightly crooked wooden floors (a great feature for my son's many matchox cars)? Well, because I don't believe I could get all of this in any other neighborhood, because there is more character and sense of community here than in any other neighborhood that I have lived.  I feel at home here.

So I'm willing to overlook some flaws...

I love my historic neighborhood, warts and all.

Luisella, Your Urban Inca

You might be an Urban Inca if...

3. Growing your own herbs and veggies makes you feel downright 
   giddy.  Guilty!

Recently, thanks to my groovy friend, Jacinda, I became a member of the Tampa Heights Community Garden.  I didn't dive into it. At first, I was content to watch as others planted and toiled, only trimming Jacinda's collard greens which had taken off.

Tampa Heights Community Garden (Can you find the butterfly?)

A few weeks ago, members gathered and prepared the soil for spring plantings. I took a risk and planted green beans, pepper, zucchini and carrot seeds.  I had had some success at home with peppers and was excited to try it on a larger scale.


Baby pepper!

I returned once a week, my young son in tow, to check progress. The carrots didn't make it far but the pepper and green beans had sprouted and were looking healthy.

This weekend I returned again.  Previous weeks brought peppers and yet more collard greens and along with the veggies and herbs, friendships grew or were revived.  And maybe it's that holidays make me reflect or hormones doing their sinful business, but yesterday, when I visited and found that we finally had green beans that I thought of Peru. 



Green beans grown from seed!

My grandfather was a farmer in Mollepata, a small agricultural town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.  I felt he would be proud to see me there tearing up over green beans.  And then I thought of my mom and the gift she gave me; the gift of knowing my heritage and, inadvertently, where food comes from, the joy of connecting with nature.


Sacred Valley of the Incas, Peru

 





I want to remember that feeling so I can share it with my son and anchor him to something real no matter how far he roams from home.



My son gazing at the setting sun on
 Hillsborough River, Tampa

Giveaway!!

You might be an Urban Inca if...

You want to win this cookbook of delicious and diverse Peruvian recipes AND a colorful, handmade chumpi (belt)!

Simple recipes of Peru's favorite dishes with a detailed history of Peru.

 

Handwoven, beaded wool belt may be worn on the hips, hair or to adorn your home.

Welcome to www.UrbanInca.com! Today is our grand opening!

Urban Inca strives to be "sustainably hip" in all we do by supporting small businesses, artist cooperatives, environmental education and fair trade.

To celebrate my rich Peruvian heritage and to share the textiles, people and destinations of Peru, I am giving away two items that represent the varied dishes and the ancient textile tradition of this beautiful country which I have had the privilege of frequenting throughout my life. 

Soon, we will offer custom-made trips too so perhaps these will whet your appetite for an adventure!

Thank you for sharing this joyful day with me!

Ways to Enter:  You have up to four (4) chances to enter.

1. “Like” Urban Inca on Facebook.
 
2. Visit www.UrbanInca.com. Post your favorite boot color on the Urban Inca Facebook page.
 
3. Follow the Urban Inca Blog by entering your address under “Follow by E-mail, clicking “Join this Site” or subscribing to the RSS Feed.
 
4. Share this giveaway on your Facebook page, Twitter or Blog and post link with your comment.

Please leave one comment here on the blog for each step taken to claim your entries.  You will have up to four (4) posts here.
All entries due on May 8 by midnight.

I, Urban Inca, do hereby pinky-swear not to clutter your e-mail or Facebook page with a million messages. You are safe with me!

And, because I LOVE my fellow Urban Incas (you), I happily offer you a 10% discount on any order placed after you complete the 4 steps above whether or not you win!

Good Luck! Buena Suerte!

Luisella, Your Urban Inca