Many of you recognized the pink elephant in yesterday's newsletter as Ellie, a beloved icon in downtown Safety Harbor.

Why it matters: She's one of countless quirky characters in a little town that's well worth the half-hour-or-more drive from areas such as St. Pete and Tampa.

State of play: The city's Third Friday celebration (tonight!) is a great way to get a taste of Safety Harbor partying, with live music and local vendors.

Zoom in: Ellie lives at the Safety Harbor Art and Music Center (SHAMC), a building covered in mirrored mosaics that hosts concerts, offers craft classes and sells work from local artists.

• It's owned by Todd Ramquist and Kiaralinda, who met and fell in love in seventh-grade art class.
• For nearly 40 years they've been turning their home nearby into "Whimzeyland," an outdoor recycled art collection with everything from bowling balls to computerpart-covered VW Beetles. Both SHAMC and Whimzeyland are free to stroll through.
• The decorations spread to "Coco Loco," their rentable guesthouse across the street.

The big picture: Downtown Safety Harbor is a delightful walk packed with fun shops and cafes.

• Nature lovers can also explore the waterfront park, boardwalk and Philippe Park — perfect for running, biking and kayaking.

More to eat, drink and do:

🧇 Treat yourself to a sweet breakfast at Café Vino Tinto. Try the toasted marshmallow latte and guava waffles.

📚 Grab a new read and chat with Crystal, the owner of Portkey Books.

💆 Splurge on a self-care day at Safety Harbor Resort & Spa.

🦞 Grab a lobster grilled cheese at Bar Fly.

🍭 Become a kid in a candy store at Rocking Delicious.

🍰 Dig into a slice of cheesecake at Bassano.

Want more to explore? Check out our guides to Brandon, Dunedin, Lakeland, Largo and Plant City.

Go deeper

You won't want to sneak food into this Safety Harbor movie theater.

State of screen: Their love of movies inspired Rachel and Richard Wilson to open a dinner theater in 2018.

• But Gigglewaters' gourmet American cuisine and craft cocktails are the real stars of the show.

The vibe: The speakeasy theme ("Gigglewater" was the code word to get a strong drink during prohibition) calls back to the 1920s and stays true to the city's spirit of upcycled decor.

• The bar is carved from the dancefloor of the historic Belleview Biltmore Hotel, and its ceiling is lined with the hotel's tin panels.

Best bites: The menu is heavy — Wagyu beef burgers, options to stuff mac and cheese in just about everything — but well worth the gastric consequences.

• "Man vs. Food" featured The Commissioner, a burger topped with gouda, bacon, a waffle, sweet bourbon bacon chunks, onion tanglers and a drizzle of cookie butter. And it's worth unhinging your jaw for.
• The cocktails are made with fresh-squeezed juices, balancing out the food with freshness.

Nice touches: For its Cinema Supper Series, theatergoers are served a themed menu at specific moments in the film. Think warm apple pie during "True Romance."

• Brunch is served daily until 2pm.

What's ahead: Owner Rachel Wilson told Axios she's hoping to franchise two locations in the next year, aiming to eventually spread out to Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Sarasota.

Spread the word

📈 St. Petersburg and Clearwater saw a surge in tourism this March, a new report from Visit St. Pete-Clearwater shows. (WFTS)

🏝️ Tampa's Beer Can Island is back open and mostly off the market. Its owners have decided to keep 90% of the popular destination and sell the remaining 10% in 1,000 shares priced at $1,500 each. (Tampa Bay Times)

🏞️ Lakeland city commissioners picked a design for the revitalization of downtown's Munn Park. The plan features a shade pavilion, restrooms and a splash pad. (LkldNow)

For the third year in a row, Liam and Olivia topped out the list of most popular baby names in Florida.

State of play: That's according to 2023 data released Thursday by the Social Security Administration.

• Liam and Olivia were also the no. 1 names nationwide and in several states, including Arizona, New Jersey and North Carolina.

Zoom in: Here were Florida's other top-ranked names:

• Girls: Emma, Isabella, Mia and Sophia
• Boys: Noah, Lucas, Elijah and Oliver

Stunning stat: Liam has held the top boy name spot in Florida since 2015.

Share this story

📆 Upcoming events around the city.

Sea Creature Creations Summer Camp at Safety Harbor Art And Music Center June 3-7: This camp will focus on the creation of sea creatures such as Orcas, Jellies, Sharks, Fish, Narwals, whales, and even mythological sea creatures! Students, aged 7-14, will explore mixed media techniques to make 2D art, sculptures, and guided paintings. $225.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected] for 50% off your first event feature!

It's been a minute since we quizzed you on the week's news. Let's make sure y'all are paying attention.

• Click here to test your knowledge.

📬 Hit reply or email [email protected] with a screenshot of your perfect score, and you'll be entered to win some Axios swag.

• Congrats to our last winner, Gary Stearns!