Trying For Olympic Gold Dining, This Coming Week

With Labor Day weekend upon us, couch potatoes have an entire week to redeem themselves and get outside to enjoy the last days of summer fun, before the sun moves south over the equator to herald the autumnal equinox on Sept. 22.

This weekend and next week, Tarpon Springs kicks off the official end to the summer season, with a variety of events.

The party begins Saturday, Sept. 1 through Monday, Sept. 3, 9 a.m. until about 6 p.m., when the Tarpon Springs Merchants Association presents its 3-day Labor Day Weekend Arts and Crafts Festival. The showcase of artistic talent provides the perfect reason to visit The Sponge Docks, stroll along the water, visit all the new trendy shops and dine on some sumptuous dishes.

It’s more than just an arts festival; The event serves up the perfect excuse for the taste buds to savor a flavorful mountain of Greek lasagna, or perfectly prepared calamari; I like to start off with a huge, mouth-watering, piece of spanikopita or spinach pie. It tantalizes the taste buds and you have to exclaim "Oo-pa," a phrase one usually saves to shout during the lighting of the saganaki or the flaming cheese. Are you getting hungry yet for some Greek food?

I try not to fill-up too much, because there is always the thought of a hearty spicy combination comprised of a gyro, pronounced year-o and not gy-ro, and souvlaki, delicately dressed in plenty of tzatziki sauce.  With all the food it’s no wonder the event has to last for three days. It’s usually Monday before one gets to the baklava dessert.

After eating leftovers for a few days, next week also features the Music On Sunset Beach concert series, which this month presents the popular local classic rock Roadhouse Band, Thursday, Sept. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m.  Musical concerts on Sunset Beach usually draw hundreds and hundreds of spectators, so it is wise to get their early and bring some dinner, if you are not still full from the weekend at the Sponge Docks.

Then its back to the Sponge Docks, on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 6 to 11 p.m., for A Night In The Islands, where there is of course more food to sample, perhaps stuffed grape leaves or hearty lamb shanks, and Greek style music and dance to try out.

Yes Olympic dining will be the thing to do this coming week. I hope to get a gold medal.