Alright guys, here we go with another episode of Just How Life Goes--and today it was time for a…read morehaircut First things first, you already know I had to put that Montblanc on because self-care days require you to smell good too Then I stepped in to try something new... a new barber. Now listen, when it comes to my hair, I don't just let anybody touch it. So yes, I was a little nervous. But let me tell y'all about Sully the Barber. I met her through Tampa Bay Women's Inferno, and once I actually looked into her work, I realized she is that girl. Years in the game, awards, her own haircare line--I said yeah, let's do this. I went in thinking we were just shaping up the afro, and she said "let me give you the full experience." Baby... she did not disappoint. I told her, "you got free will--just make me feel as good as I try to make everybody else feel." And when I say she delivered?? Look at these curls. Look at this shape. The V in the back?? The definition?? I'm beyond pleased. She really took her time and brought my vision to life without me even having to explain it all the way. This wasn't just a haircut. This was confidence. This was self-love. This was me stepping back into myself and feeling good doing it. Tell me I don't look good This is just how life goes.

Citrus Park Mall is probably the most family friendly mall ever! They don't open early expect for…read more10 minutes before opening. Their bathrooms are so family friendly with a chilling out area for kids and so many cool kids play areas. It's such a nostalgic mall like when I was growing up. I love this mall. Only downside is the food court doesn't have a lot of options but the choices are still good. I love coming here though and will continue to! Get your family down to Citrus Park mall! It's so big and has everything for everyone!

My time at Hyde Park Village was essentially an elite level window shopping experience with my…read moremother, and honestly, I would not trade that day for anything. She was with me for my hair appointment, so we turned the whole thing into a full blown mother daughter day, which made it special regardless of what we did or did not buy. Hyde Park Village is absolutely perfect for strolling, wandering, lingering, and people watching because if you want to observe how the well heeled set moves through life, this is your front row seat. You will see retirees with serious jewelry sitting at cafés for hours, young professionals dressed like they have brand partnerships, and valet attendants casually opening doors to cars that cost more than some people's homes. It is fascinating in the best way. As for shopping, I will say this with humor and humility, it is way outside of my budget. I can admire the displays, appreciate the tailoring, and mentally style outfits I am not purchasing, but when I look at the price tags I am reminded that I am there for the ambiance and not the transactions. That does not make the experience any less enjoyable because there is something wonderful about walking through a beautifully curated space without the pressure to buy. For me, Hyde Park Village works as a place to enjoy a gorgeous Florida day, grab a bite, observe the scene, and spend quality time with my mother, which is what truly mattered. I may not have left with shopping bags swinging from my arm, but I left with a memory of a really lovely day, and sometimes that is the better purchase anyway.

Hyde Park is about a mile and a half away from downtown Tampa and we were excited to get a walk in…read moreto go explore. My first Impressions was that it reminds me of a mini Rodeo Drive. Cute little shopping area with name brands as well as local shops. There are a few restaurants to pick from as well. A fun way to spend a few hours if you have time to kill in Tampa.

Had a chance to visit post holidays and take advantage of some great sales…read more This is a very large outlet and is very well maintained. As you walk around you will find all of the major retailers and some good food places. I got a chance to stop and rest at one of the many seating areas when my wife went in to shop at her favorites. I also got a chance to take advantage of the Military Veteran discounts at some of the stores. Many are offered.

I thought the outlets were very nice. I love the outside shopping aspect. The lots were full but it…read morenever felt crowded! We drove 45 min to get there but we only purchased one time. It seemed like the same things in the stores in closer to home. I did like the Express store as most of them have closed. We came. We saw. We conquered. But we did not purchase much. One time was enough for me. See you Soon!

Lots of nice shops in a mall setting but also a nice outside shopping area. It reminds me of what…read moredowntown shopping used to be.

Traffic traffic everywhere but we were able to score a spot close to the entry point we wanted…read more The day after Xmas, there were a decent amount of shoppers trying to snag some of the post holidays discounts or returning gifts received. This mall is well maintained and pedestrian friendly. Lots of restaurants and specialty stores to satisfy your food cravings. We didn't purchase anything this outing but enjoyed the stroll among the shops.

The "We Don't Do Sales" Mall…read more Yesterday was Mother Daughter Day and after not seeing my mother for over 30 days I wanted to give her a proper Tampa day. The bay, the walkways, some shopping, and a stop at Columbia Restaurant which honestly was not good. Then we went to International Plaza and Bay Street thinking we would do what we always do. Browse, hunt, and find something great on sale. That is how WE shop. We walked into Altar'd State and asked where the sale section was. We were told they do not do sales there. Not even a small rack in the back. .. thought maybe it's just that store Then we went into Dillard's and asked the same question. The woman looked us up and down like we had three heads and gave us the same answer. Finally I made the realization . . This mall is built for people who pay full price and do not question it. To be fair, it is beautiful. Clean, polished, very well put together. A strong mix of stores and a surprising number of high end brands. Completely different than what I expected and it threw me off my game. But there is no thrill here. No hunt. No digging. No moment where you find that one piece that makes the whole trip worth it. Have fun shopping at full price here. I am not one of those people. I do not pay full retail ever and I am not starting now. And I know plenty of wealthy people who can afford to pay full price and they will not do it either. They know better.

We stopped to visit Easter bunny at international Plaza and also to find a coffee shop that a…read morefriend recommended near Nordstrom. We definitely got some steps in walking around the mall. It's been a while since I've been here and they definitely have a wide variety of stores. We did stop by and see the Easter bunny. The staff was super nice. They were doing a little dances and keeping the kids entertained. Also, we did find the coffee shop called E bar near Nordstrom. Which was pretty good actually. For lunch, we did stop at the food court, but I wouldn't eat there again. The food was terrible at wok o holic. There is better food outside the food court.

nothing out of the ordinary for a mall. restaurants are the biggest pull. lots of over rated high…read moreend stores for people over the poor class. biggest drag for me is that they open so late in the day and close so early. im a morning person and a night person not a mid day person so this def is not for me but I do like the occasional jaunt around to see what's new and grab a bite to eat somewhere but in the way of fun and environment there isn't really much... it's just a place with a bunch of stores for people to come in and give away their money for impractical garbage

Visiting Tampa for the weekend and saw this "mall" was near our hotel so we decided to check it…read moreout. Complete waste of time honestly. The mall smelled horrible, we actually had to hold our breath. No stores open it's honestly felt abandoned and run down.

Somehow I've lived in Central FL for 8-9 years now, visiting Tampa several times a month and never…read morehad even heard of the Grove. It's a fantastic shopping spot! They have such a wide variety of businesses here- TJ Maxx, Dicks, Old Navy, World Market, PetSmart, Best Buy, Ross, Five Below, Dollar Tree, Ulta, Planet Fitness and across the street the brand new massive Target. Along with this, there are tons of dining options now that Krate is open within the Grove. Krate is a little fenced in area that has about 3 rows of small businesses, mostly food and literally every variety you could want. Outside of this, there is Macondo which is a coffee shop, there's ice cream and Indian food, pizza, and more. For being such a large shopping area, I do wish the pedestrian walking paths were a little bit more interconnected. There are sidewalks in some places but other areas it's a little scary to walk to and from because there's so much traffic in and out of here.

This place is brand new and has everything! Great hotels, lots of shopping and restaurants, a car…read morewash, Starbucks and close proximity to Tampa! I spent the weekend in a hotel here and decided to explore the various shops and restaurants. What a treat! Even the Target which is brand new has that "never been shopped in" feel! You think you are at a grand opening and you are the only guests. The place was empty but it was a Friday early afternoon. By the evening the place was crazy busy. Parking is amazing and every place we went into is fully accessible. So much fun! I can't wait to come back!!