Bayshore Cookout

My friends and I still had an enormous amount of food (and beer) left over from the 4th of July so what better idea than a cookout last night at the pool? We started gathering around 6 and the night was perfect -- breezy, not too hot and perfect water temperature.
The pool is in a high-rise off Bayshore Blvd. in Tampa, only separated by a short brick wall, so you can watch people jog by, see the lights from downtown in the background and hear the busy traffic. Bayshore Blvd. is really one of the reasons anyone who loves Tampa loves Tampa (does that phrase make sense?).
The bay sets up this gorgeous walk/drive with downtown just off in the distance for a view I've only seen in a few other cities. It really was a night to appreciate all of this, especially jumping into the serenity of the pool and hearing the motorcycles and cars zoom by in both directions. We grilled burgers, sausages and hot dogs, listening to my Ipod blasting on the stereo. We then moved up to my friend's apartment for some more beers and hooka smoking -- a water pipe typically found at a Middle Eastern restaurant.
Things ended at Ceviche, a Spanish restaurant on S. Howard Ave., for a nightcap. It wasn't my choice, but I was with good company. I've never found the staff there to be particularly warm or friendly -- my only dining experience was awful (food and service), I remember the hostess even gave my friend a hard time about which table to sit at. Last night, the security guard admonished two of my friends for smoking and drinking near the doorway. I am not a smoker, but I do believe in common courtesy and being nice at places like restaurants and retail stores. I also don't know how many smoking-friendly bars are left in this town, but I would try to find them if I did smoke rather than banish myself to the parking lot -- kinda seems to take away the point of going to a bar if you have to go so far.