Brendan McLaughlin is the popular early evening anchor of ABC Action News. Every weeknight at 5:30 and 6 p.m. you can catch him delivering the news and the occasional witticism (he’s notoriously sarcastic). A founding member of WFTS-TV’s news department, McLaughlin has served as an anchor since the station became an ABC affiliate in 1994. The California native got his start in broadcasting later than most reporters. At age 29, he was the oldest intern in station history at San Francisco’s CBS affiliate. He later moved in front of the camera for stints in Austin, Texas and Seattle, Wash., where he picked up a regional Emmy award for reporting. It was during his San Francisco days that he met Sandy, a free spirit who was working her way up the ranks in the city’s hotel and restaurant management industry.
A star in her own right, Sandy serves as the VP of Development at the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. Prior to that she was the corporate gifts and special events manager for The Florida Aquarium. The power couple spent more than a decade raising their two children in Westchase, before making the move seven years ago to funky/historic Tampa Heights. Now empty nesters, the McLaughlins, who have been married for 28 years, have become the Heights’ most fervent denizens; urban converts with a plot at a community garden, a favorite table at a convenient store-turned-watering hole and rapports with downtown barkeeps and baristas.
“We were constantly driving down the Veterans [Expressway] to get to the good stuff,” McLaughlin says. “Now we’re within walking distance of most of it.”
Favorite neighborhood haunt: Lee's Grocery. Brendan: “It’s two blocks from our house. It’s just what the neighborhood needed — a hyper-local convivial gathering spot. You can pretty much assume everyone sitting at the bar is your neighbor. Our favorite thing on the menu is the Minor Threat pizza. It’s got jalapenos, feta, pesto … it’s addictive and delicious.”
Favorite date night tradition: Tampa Improv. Brendan: “When we were courting in San Francisco in the ’80s, we’d go to see improv shows. We still like to go see one every now and then to laugh away the bitterness and ugliness of the last 28 years.” Sandy: “My husband is the real comedian.”
Favorite stomping grounds: The Heights (Tampa & Seminole). Sandy: “We live in our favorite neighborhood. The people who live here do so on purpose. They like living in a historic neighborhood that’s next to all these cultural amenities. Brendan: “The people here are out and about and not afraid of homes that are painted unconventional colors.”
Favorite hot, young downtown bar: Fly Bar & Restaurant. Sandy: “It’s a great happy hour and it’s high-quality food. People our age don’t realize what they’re missing. We love the [head] bartender, Danny Guess. He’s a cool hipster guy. We also love that the bar has San Francisco roots.”
Favorite live music scene: Saturday night at The Independent. Brendan: “It’s a surreal experience to sit outside at The Independent and hear the whir of Florida Avenue traffic and world-class music.”
Favorite place to sip vino: Ella's Americana Folk Art Café. Sandy: “They pour a good glass of wine.” Brendan: “It’s the biggest volume per glass, that’s for sure.” Sandy: “I know he doesn’t like it, but we do more than just drink.”
Favorite place to split a meal: Mermaid Tavern. Brendan: “They make the best burger on a brioche bun. It’s enormous, too enormous for one person. Sandy: “It’s a tall burger. We share it.”
Favorite pizza pies: Bavaro's in Downtown Tampa. Brendan: “It’s outstanding. Wood-fired pizza. Arugula salad. That’s my death row meal. I mean the meal I’d want before I die … you know what I mean.”
Favorite serious foodie experience: Edison Food + Drink Lab. Sandy: “They do the best veggie plates I’ve ever had. There’s a reason Laura Reiley [restaurant critic for the Tampa Bay Times] recently rated the restaurant No. 1.”
Favorite place to catch a quality flick: Tampa Theatre. Sandy: “Benefits-wise it’s probably the best membership you can get. We even have a favorite parking spot. We see a movie there probably twice a month.”
Favorite fundraising event: The Florida Aquarium's SeaGrapes Wine and Food Festival. Sandy: “I ran [SeaGrapes] for the last four and a half years. It’s 100 different kinds of wine, great food, great music and you get to see the aquarium.” Brendan: “I look forward to WMNF’s Tropical Heatwave.”
Favorite local hero: [Columbia Restaurant founder] Richard Gonzmart. Sandy: “He’s a great humanitarian and philanthropist. He was the keynote speaker at my biggest fundraising event at the Crisis Center. The work he’s done for the community is so commendable.”
Favorite outdoor adventure: Riding Tampa's bike trails. Brendan: “We like to go down the Riverwalk. Last weekend we checked out the Cypress Point Park Trail on the same day that some idiot decided to line the path with tacks. We didn’t get very far before we both had flats.”
Favorite place to burn calories: Central City YMCA. Sandy: “It’s a three-block walk from our house. We like it because it’s small and personal. Brendan: “And the staff plays classic R&B on the sound system.”
Favorite place to pick up produce: Tampa Heights Community Garden. Brendan: “We have a plot there. Actually, we just harvested Swiss chard. I sautéed it the other night.”
Favorite place to act like a tourist: Frenchy's Café on Clearwater Beach. Brendan: “We get oysters and grouper sandwiches. It doesn’t get anymore touristy than that.”
Favorite place to behave like a rock star: Love's Artifacts Bar & Grill in Tampa. “Sometimes the band will indulge me and invite me to go on stage and play a little guitar. I can handle a Van Morrison cover or some Neil Young.”
Favorite new endorphin high: St. Anthony's Triathlon. Brendan: “I did the past two races. It was very challenging and very … gratifying.”
Favorite place to buy bizarre gifts: Squaresville. Brendan: “They sell clothing, memorabilia and other old-timey stuff. I got my son his favorite [dirty] T-shirt from Squaresville. He wears it all the time.”
Favorite place to go unnoticed: Atlanta, Ga. Sandy: “The minute we get out of Tampa we’re anonymous, except for that one time in Ireland when this guy from Brandon sees us get out of our rental car and yells Brendan’s name from across the street.”
Favorite place to take visitors: The Hillsborough River. Sandy: “We skip the theme parks and take them up the river instead to see the real animals — Florida’s alligators.”
Favorite place to eavesdrop: Café Hey. Brendan: “If you want to see some of the movers and shakers in downtown Tampa, stop in there every day.”
Favorite place to unleash their Doberman: Washington Street Park in the Channel District. Brendan: “We can get there in five minutes. It’s clean. There are great people and no mutts are allowed.” Sandy: “He’s joking.”
Favorite place to make a beer [ingredient] run: Southern Brewing & Winemaking. Brendan: “My friend and I go up once or twice a month to get our ingredients. We spend three to four hours brewing beer and in three to four weeks we watch a football game and get hammered.”