Hey there! I hope you had a wonderful long weekend and the Monday Scaries didn’t hit you too hard yesterday. Let’s dive in!

People hear "all-you-can-eat sushi" and either love it or look at you like you’re crazy. My friends and I are the former, and AYCE sushi is one of our favorite ongoing traditions.

Umami on Tyrone has been our go-to for years, but Sushi Yama just opened in Pinellas Park. I brought a group of 12 friends a couple weeks ago to do a proper comparison. Fair warning: I'm not a sushi snob. I eat a lot, so I love AYCE. I appreciate sashimi and fancy rolls, but my all-time favorite is still a shrimp tempura roll. Adjust expectations accordingly.

Prices:
- Umami: Dinner $33.95 / Weekday lunch $22.95 / Weekend lunch $26.95
- Sushi Yama: Dinner/Weekend lunch $35.95 / Weekday Lunch $22.95

Both spots are solid. Each has a variety of sushi, sashimi, classic and fun specialty rolls: I call it a tie. Umami wins on soup (the Tom Yum and Clear are goooood). My wife, who isn’t a sushi eater, says that Sushi Yama gets the edge on hibachi entrees, and dessert was a tie (Umami has more options, but the group liked the tempura on the fried desserts more at Sushi Yama).

They both also have tons of seats and handle large groups well. There can sometimes be a wait on weekend evenings (especially during season) at Umami, but they have tons of space so it typically isn’t too bad. If you're celebrating a birthday, go to Umami and ask for Alejandro. He's an absolute ham with the voice of an angel. We’re obsessed.

Let me know if you have any other favorite spots so I have an excuse to get more sushi can complete the roundup!

St. Pete's 30-year franchise agreement with Duke Energy expired July 31, and the city is now seriously exploring running its own electric utility. Duke isn't happy about it. So they hired Concentric Energy Advisors to price out what leaving would actually cost.

Their number: $2.75 billion to $4.1 billion, with seven to ten years to pull it off. The assets themselves are only $1.25 to $1.65 billion. The rest is untangling a grid shared with Gulfport, Tierra Verde, St. Pete Beach, and Treasure Island. Think 150 miles of new distribution lines, four new substations, and transmission crossings under water.

Some local business leaders also voiced their disagreement with the “Dump Duke” idea. Chamber CEO Chris Steinocher pointed to Clearwater, which studied municipalization and walked away. Downtown Partnership's Jason Mathis offered a simpler path to affordability: drop the franchise fee and utility tax now, and bills go down without buying anything.

Worth noting: Duke paid for this study. The city's own analysis from NewGen Strategies is still coming. It’ll be interesting to see where (or if) the studies differ.

Go Greek Yogurt opens its first Tampa Bay location at the Sundial this Saturday the 12th at noon, and the first 50 people in line get free frozen yogurt!

The California-born brand has been importing actual European-style Greek yogurt since 2012. They focus on straining the traditional way, and don't cut corners. Signature frozen flavors are Plain Tart, Greek Honey, and Chocolate, with rotating seasonals (plus vegan options for your dairy-allergic author). You can also opt for classic (non-frozen) or a smoothie instead.

The toppings include traditional Greek preserves, granola, chocolate, toasted coconut, nuts, seeds, fruit, and more. Basically, this is a dessert that you can conceivably convince yourself is a healthy snack.

I found out I was allergic to dairy before Greek Yogurt hit the mainstream here in the U.S., and I really feel like I missed out. So, try the real deal for me, and I’ll let you know how the vegan tastes. Follow Go Greek here.

I can’t believe we’re already talking about Halloween (my favorite time of year).

Haunted Fest is bringing back two nights of electronic music to the St. Pete Pier on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31, from the same crew behind Breakaway and the Rise Up St. Pete concert series.

The lineup so far: Eli Brown, Gordo, HUGEL, AMÉMÉ, DREYA V, Maesic, David Ward and Pushman. The event is 18+ and tickets are already moving, so snag yours if you want to spend your Halloween in a different kind of crowd than your typical Old Northeast trick-or-treat.

One note for anyone downtown: this is a Friday and Saturday night at the Pier, so plan your parking, or better yet don't drive. And if this isn’t your scene, don’t worry. The music ends at 10 PM per local noise ordinances.

Get tickets.

Sea turtle nesting season runs May 1 through October 31, and the front half is the part everyone talks about (the big females hauling up the beach at night to lay). But eggs incubate for 50 to 60 days, which means the nests laid in June and July are hatching right about now. September is the busiest month for baby turtles on Pinellas beaches.

Florida is super important for U.S. sea turtle nesting (see the trivia below), and our beaches are one of the state's better nurseries. The hatchlings find the water by heading toward the brightest horizon, which for millions of years was the ocean reflecting the sky. Now it's frequently a condo.

The easy rules to follow: lights off after sunset, leave only footprints (fill holes, knock down sandcastles, don’t leave your stuff), no touching babies if you’re lucky enough to see them, and report disturbed nests or stranded turtles to FWC at 1-888-404-3922, or dial *FWC from a cell.

We go to the beach every week (Sunday Sunset—you should try it), and I’ve been seeing a ton of holes being left at the end of the day, even just below marked nests. If you’re looking for an easy way to help, fill in that hole when you pass it.

🚰 St. Pete and its neighbors have until 2032 to stop discharging treated wastewater into the bay, and the solution most are landing on is pushing it thousands of feet underground through deep injection wells. Miss the deadline and fines run up to $15,000 a day, but environmentalists are split since researchers aren’t positive that injected water stays down there.

💵 St. Pete City Council voted 6-2 on Sept. 3 to hold the property tax rate at 6.4525 mills, with a final vote set for Sept. 17. Charlie Crist is pushing for a 0.4-mill cut that would save homeowners about $120 a year on a $300,000 taxable value but remove $14.8 million from the city budget, while Mayor Welch warned about funding cuts as a result of a reduction.

🏗️ St. Pete's Development Review Commission approved rezoning to increase building heights and density outside downtown, raising limits from 36-48 feet to 60 feet and density from 30 to 55 homes per acre. They also advanced rules for larger developments near SunRunner stations. Both packages await City Council's final vote.

Want to spread the word about your business, a project you’re working on, an exciting event, or just want to say hi to 12,000+ neighbors? Partner with us.

DINNER CLUB: Can’t wait to see everyone who signed up for this week’s dinner club on Thursday night! Act now if you want to attend in October. Sign up here!

SUNNY SAVINGS: Yappy Hour at Pinellas Ale Works, September 10, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. For every PAW beer sold, $1 will be donated to Pet Pal Animal Shelter to help care for homeless pets. Meet the Catch of the Day in person!

CATCH OF THE DAY: Adopt Zola the dog or Tiki the cat. See them here.

SUNNY HOODIE: It’s fall somewhere! Get yours.

LAST WEEK’S SCRAMBLE: Monarchs

FLIGHT DEAL: St. Pete → Las Vegas. $407 in February (38% less than usual). Valentine’s day Elvis wedding anyone?

POETRY PARTY: St. Pete local and Sunny St. Pete reader Michael Singleton wrote a confidence-building children's poetry book that teaches kindness, resilience, and the beauty of differences. Get your copy here!

‘BURG ABODES: Mid Century Modern Retro Ranch. $455,000 | 3 bd 2 ba | 1,632 sqft. A great find for the MCM enthusiast!

A sampling of ten-ish fun things to do this week.

SUBMIT AN EVENT

500 pieces. A little friendly competition. A lot of puzzle fun.

Put your race-against-the-clock skills to the ultimate test at Gilded Gecko Social’s Puzzle Panic!, hosted at Golden Isles Brewing Co. Teams will race to see who can assemble a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle the fastest while sipping on locally crafted brews.

No experience is required! Bring your team, a friend, or come alone. Stick around after for an optional puzzle swap!

Get tickets.

Want to score amazing deals, win prizes, shop local vendors, and help fundraise for a good cause? Elase Med Spa on 9th Ave in St. Pete has its Pink Event Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser event this Thursday, Sep 10 all day from 9 AM to 8 PM.

Vendors include Jasel Jewelry, Milk Madre coffee, Glossy Charm, Canvas Fashion Gallery, and more! There will be giveaways happening all throughout the day, so stop in when you’re free and stick around as long as you want!

Wild Artisans | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve | Sep 10, 2 PM | $5 🎟️
Nature tram tour and artmaking

Makers & Shakers Market | St. Petersburg Distillery | Sep 10, 5-9 PM | Free
Local vendors, music, food, libations

Pilates in the Park | Flora Wylie Park | Sep 10, 6 PM | Free
Waterfront pilates for every fitness level

Table Beer Thursdays | Webb's City Cellar | Sep 11, 4-10 PM | Free
Complimentary table beer and bottle pours

City Breeze Bike Tour | St. Pete Biking | Sep 11, 9 AM | Free
Guided recreational cycling through St. Pete

I LOVE THE 90's TOUR | Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill | Sep 11, 7 PM | $56+ 🎟️
Nostalgic hip-hop and pop party showcase

Castaway 5K, S.S. Minnow Mile & Island Stiletto Dash | Albert Whitted Park | Sep 12, 7 AM | $10–$50 🎟️
Tropical charity race supporting ovarian cancer

Art Yard Sale | Morean Arts Center | Sep 12, 9-11 AM | Free
Affordable local artwork from gallery artists

I Like It HOT! Festival | England Brothers Park | Sep 12-13, 10 AM - 4 PM| Free
Hot sauces, contests, vendors, spicy fun

Boyd Hill Family Picnic | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve | Sep 12, 11 AM - 2 PM | Free
Food trucks, music, games, family fun

Talking Texture | Museum of Fine Arts | Sep 12, 1-3 PM | $35 🎟️
Explore texture through art and beer

Local Legends - St Pete Athletic | Burnt Sugar Comedy | Sep 12, 8 PM | $20 🎟️
Improv inspired by community legends’ stories

727FIT | Upham Beach Park | Sep 13, 8 AM | Free
Beach HIIT workout and community vibes

Bucs vs Bengals Watch Party | Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill | Sep 13, 1 PM | Free
Watch Tampa Bay battle Cincinnati

Trivia Night @ Hollander Hotel | Tap Room at the Hollander Hotel | Sep 13, 6 PM | Free
Team trivia with prizes and trophies

Full list of events this weekend and in the coming months. Plus, local shows and concerts coming up.

Thanks so much for reading! As always, feel free to reply directly to this email to let me know how I did with today’s edition!

Stay Sunny,
Josh