C


hances are, you’ve already met the smiling Lead Navigator Cassandra Masters Richards. She


directs members of The Vinoy Resort’s concierge team or navigators, a clever title bestowed by Renaissance Hotels, who stand ready to help you discover St. Petersburg. If you need a restaurant recom-


mendation, a tee time or the best places to shop, ask a Navigator. Looking for fun places to take the family, or the hot new spot for live music? Find out before you arrive in town. Navigators are in the know, and a big part of the Navigator’s job is to spend time downtown and in sur- rounding areas of St. Petersburg identifying new shops, museum exhibits, restaurants, and events taking place. The Navigator is the local expert to help you discover the soul of their neighbor- hood.


“From the moment guests drive up


to The Vinoy, we want to cultivate an experience they will tell their friends and family,” Cassie says. “Guests return year after year and we see their families grow. Some guests get engaged, then married here, and now come back for vacations with their children.” Cassie worked at Walt Disney World


early in her career and she sees her young guests as natural discoverers. They love the poolside games and activities, while a scavenger hunt gets them to learn the history of the 90-year- old hotel through creative puzzles. Cassie recommends nearby Sunken Gardens and Great Explorations, a hands-on children’s museum, located adjacent to each other. “These are great places for


kids. They get to run through the gardens and see parrots and flamingos, butterflies and koi then go next door to play with science and math.” Married to a St. Petersburg local,


Cassie got a chance to learn the city through his eyes. She and her husband wander downtown, and take the trolley to find what stores and galleries have opened. “I am amazed at how well this city


celebrates the arts,” she adds. “We are so fortunate to have an incredible mural walking tour that happens on Saturdays, picking up at the Florida Craft Art Gallery. Internationally- acclaimed artists have relocated here because of how we embrace anyone who has an art form to share.” “On second Saturdays, arts


“These are great places for kids. They get to run through the gardens and see parrots and flamingos, butterflies and koi then go next door to play with science and math.”


organizations and small businesses along Central Ave. all the way from downtown waterfront to the Craftsman House on 28th Street open their doors. It’s free to attend and you can see live glass blowing demos and artists painting and feel the vibe that St. Pete has to offer,” she says. Repeat guests


benefit from Cassie’s research. When some- thing opens that a previous guest is going to like, she saves it for their arrival, saying, “Welcome back! Have you heard about the new Asian fusion restau-


rant that just opened? We think you will like it.” Cassie says inspiring discover- ies is her favorite part of the job. She’ll ask what kind of experience the guest is looking for and from their answer, recommend options that might exceed what they seek. “If it’s a special occasion, we can set


up an oyster tasting or a snacking tour of favorite spots around the city. Typically, the guests are so grateful and come back the next day talking about local people they befriended. They have an amazing journey they will remember forever.”


Cassie laughs


telling a story about a couple who stopped by the navigator desk whispering, “So we hear there is a secret restaurant on property?” Playing along, Cassie made reservations under an alias for them at Fred’s Cellar and later sent to their table a coded message, “come back soon” that they had to decipher. Another guest wanted to surprise her best friend with a bottle


of champagne at a local restaurant, Birch & Vine, and Cassie made it happen. “So much of what we do is


personalization. We ask what you like to do and then find the perfect place for you to enjoy. It’s those opportunities where we get to do something special that makes my job so rewarding,” says Cassie. Cassie’s favorite neighborhood


right now is the EDGE District. She recommends guests take the trolley to the Florida Holocaust Museum and discover the Central Arts Districts vintage dress shops, accessories and jewelry shops, where you can even find LP records along your journey. RockShop makes jewelry from semi-precious stones and minerals, but looks like a vintage record store. Once in the EDGE stop for a bite at Buya Ramen. She says it’s like stepping out of St. Pete and into Japan. Or she recommends Pizza Box, a tiny 24-seat pizza oven restaurant that the owners built themselves. Room 901 is a new restaurant serving beer, cultivated wine, and whiskey tastings with a concept that spurs conversation. “All of that is within a few blocks of


each other,” says Cassie. “You can spend a day in the EDGE District.” If you only have an afternoon in St.


Pete, Cassie sends guests to The Dali Museum. “What I love so much about it is if


"We all look for memories from our


vacations. I like to think of the Navigators at The Vinoy as the memory makers.”


you don’t have time to visit the entire museum, you can walk through the gift shop and garden, grab a snack of Spanish tapas at the café and still enjoy what is so unique about the waterfront location of this amazing exclusive museum. Our guests appreciate the docent tours where they can learn so much more than going through the museum on their own.” Regardless of what


you discover while staying at The Vinoy,


know you’re in good hands. “It is incredible to be part of a team


that supports each other to take care of our guests,” says Cassie. “I work with people who have that same goal every day. We all look for memories from our vacations. I like to think of the Navigators at The Vinoy as the memory makers.”


The Vinoy 2017 15


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