Rebecca Ammon – Contributor
Rebecca can often be found at local football games, PTA meetings, and band concerts writing away on her tiny laptop. She has a degree in business and is continuing her pursuit of higher education working towards a Masters in Public Relations while stumbling into the role of the proverbial professional student. While not studying, working, or playing…
Dream of son seeking Orca-like revenge for slaughtered baby
" i see an image of a killer whale hanging upside down as if hung on a hook or by a crane; it is a female, alive, in agony, and whining. Flash to another image of the whale's embryonic baby that has been removed from the mother's body; a male voice-over talks about killing the…
Baking Week: Toasted Coconut Cream Pie recipe
Coconut is divine. It is so flavorful and versatile, at home as a crust on giant prawns or a decadent dessert to end a meal. When it is flaked, sweetened, and toasted it leaves such a distinct mark on any dish it’s become one of my favorite ingredients to use. When I set out to…
Food & Drink Events & Deals – Tuesday, Aug. 18: Steak and martini at Malio’s for less than $20?
Malio Prime's: Finlandia martinis are $2, every weekday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., along with half-price steaks that range from the 8-ounce filet ($17) to the bone-in ribeye ($21). That special also runs during Saturday night early bird, from 5-7 p.m. From 3-7 p.m. on weekdays, there's also a new bar menu special with shrimp, burger,…
Quentin Tarantino’s favorite 20 movies since 1990 (with video)
Quentin Tarantino fanboys are drooling over the director's latest opus, the Brad Pitt World War II epic Inglourious Basterds, which hit's theaters Friday. Tarantino is the ultimate film geek, famous for having worked at a video store in the days before Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction catapulted him onto the A-list of Hollywood filmmakers. It's…
CL Feature: The Fiery Furnaces (with video)
The Fiery Furnaces have been lauded for their ingenuity and ambitiousness, for breaking the indie rock mold and becoming true sonic adventurers. Conversely, they’ve have been criticized for being too prolific, for producing music too challenging or unfocused or overindulgent for a good sit-down-and-get-to-know-ya. Darlings or misfits, one thing is certain: The Fiery Furnaces are…
Concert review: Judas Priest at St. Pete Times Forum
A sepia-toned banner depicting a factory and smokestacks reading, "Welcome to the home of British Steel," obscures the stage. The half-house configured St. Pete Times Forum makes the half-full crowd of not more than several thousand look less than impressive. People cheer loud enough as the lights dim and hammers strike steel over the PA. Twin guitars chug, the banner…
TV Review: Psych Season 4, Episode 2 “He Dead”
Welcome Psych fans to my recap of the second episode of this season, entitled "He Dead." This week's show revolved around a murder, of course. There were also plenty of wise-cracks, ‘80s references and, oh, Rachel Leigh Cook is back. After Shawn and Gus find a downed plane, the pilot uses his dying breath to…
Rays/ Red Sox memories: I got hit by a home run ball
In my attempt to join the athletic world, I attended a Rays’ game during the recent Red Sox series. I was joined by about six of my friends from college. We all collectively agreed to get the cheapest seats possible which was, of course, in outfield. During the fifth inning, I think, I decided to…
Half-Marathon Training: 70 miles down…108 to go
I'm not sure why I didn't object when my husband boldly posted a training schedule on our refrigerator and announced that we were going to do a half-marathon. I was in the midst of my unemployment stint and deeply distressed. Either he believed that a goal would alleviate some of my misery or he was…
Demand for free Avatar preview tickets shuts down website
James Cameron's Avatar doesn't hit theaters until December, but that hasn't stopped hyped-up fan boys and girls from getting excited now. With a wall of secrecy around the project, the desire to see something (anything!) from the flick is at such a fever pitch that a free ticket giveaway today for a special preview of…
Best Sandwich: Banh Mi at Tampa’s Saigon Deli
Saigon Deli's four varieties of Vietnamese Banh Mi — meatball, beef, roast pork, pate — all have the same garnish piled on crusty French-style bread: lightly pickled carrots, cucumber and daikon radish; a heaping mass of bright green cilantro; sliced, fresh jalapenos. A simple combination, but those ingredients contain three of the four fundamental facets…
The McSteamy and Rebecca Gayheart sex (naked) tape lawsuit (NSFW)
and Google are swamped with searches about Eric Dane, better known as McSteamy, Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey's Anatomy and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart's, who has been seen on episodes of Nip/Tuck and Ugly Betty, sex tape. Marty Singer, the couple's high-profile entertainment and media lawyer claims there to be "no sex" in the actual…
What’s my dream mean? My boyfriend’s a rabbit and he’s calling me a whore
Dear Dream Momma, I hope you can help me. Last night I had a very significant dream. My boyfriend kept turning into a rabbit, then back into a human. When he was a rabbit, he would turn very mad, out of control, eat sharp objects and do other things to endanger his life. I spent…
Did I get laid at the ‘Get Leid Party’?
The "Get Leid Party" Saturday night by Florida's Finest Couples, was one to remember. I walked into a room full of grass skirts, bikini tops, and Hawaiian shirts. Brian, the website's owner, was a spirited good looking guy who kept trying to announce my presence on one of the karaoke mic. I guess that means…
DVD Review: The Last House on the Left (2009)
In remaking the 1973 Wes Craven classic The Last House on the Left, director Dennis Iliadis tries to scare us like Hollywood used to with this story of a vicious crime and a family that seeks bloody revenge. The movie comes out on DVD today, so let's find out if it's worth your hard earned…
Fresh: New Thinking About What We’re Eating screening – What’s wrong with the mega-industrial food industry
"I'm mad as hell, and I won't take it anymore." – Howard Beale (Peter Finch in Network, 1976) Mad doesn't get me anywhere by myself, so I need your help, too. I helped found and operate a farmer's market in St. Petersburg, FL. But no, we couldn't call it a "farmer's market" with integrity because…
Quickie CD Reviews: Jay Reatard’s Watch Me Fall, Jack Peñate’s Tonight’s Today and Pablo’s There’s Rope to Leave (video)
Jay Reatard "Watch Me Fall" Jay Reatard's new release "Watch Me Fall" (out August 18, Matador Records) is a scrappy garage punk record that could be easily confused with any other scrappy garage punk record released in the last 10 years. It's not bad, just not anything that is different. The songwriting is repetitive, but…
The Rabid One’s Top 10 Movie Trailers of All Time
They say you can see straight through to a movie’s soul when viewing its trailer. OK, nobody says that, but you know they're thinking it. Movie trailers can be useful promotional tools when done right. Heck, some are even works of art all by themselves. Some too can be life-altering; we almost lost an entire…
The Wedding Date part 5: Christian’s inferno
"The Wedding Date" began when long-time friends Sarah and Christian shared their first romantic experience… It didn’t take long for Christian to feel the effects of the gin dancing in his glass.
Doin’ it for yourself: Jails, Hospitals and Hip-hop at Jobsite
As a freelance artist I find myself in a lull of productivity sometimes. In the springtime I tend to do a lot of administrative work for the Access Arts Scholarship program for the Patel Conservatory, so my artistic side isn't being shopped out to other companies as much (i.e. I don't audition for shows during…
Nation’s largest solar facility to be in DeSoto County by next year
The town of Arcadia in DeSoto County is currently building the nation’s largest photovoltaic plant. According to Florida Power & Light (FPL) the $173.5 million, 25 megawatt solar generating facility should be operating by the second quarter of 2010.
King of Spain and others at New World Brewery introduce a whole new world to a newbie like me.
All right, I must confess that I caught my real “first Florida” show before my St. Pete Times Forum/ Green Day experience. Stick Martin performed at Skipper’s Smokehouse in July, and it was a great introduction to the Tampa music scene, but the lineup at New World Brewery in Ybor City this past Saturday, August…
Baking Week: Simple Sausage Bread recipe
The world seems mighty small these days. We can get to almost any corner of the globe in a matter of hours. That's pretty amazing really, considering how much time and effort it took to get anywhere as recently as the early part of the last century. And as different cultures introduced themselves to each…
Concert shots: Incubus at Ford Amphitheatre
Here's some shots of Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd from the band's show this past Saturday, August 15, at Ford Amphitheatre.
Concert review: Def Leppard, Poison and Cheap Trick at Ford Amphitheatre (with pics)
All photos by Mike Wilson. Remember the days when you, a wide-eyed high school student, were starved for entertainment? Remember when going to a "rock concert" (a phrase that's sadly, never really heard anymore) was a real event? The crowd at the Ford Amphitheatre sure remembered those days. And they got to relive them for…
Do It Today: Art Tweet Up and Size Matters at NOVA 535, Circumference of a Squirrel
Nova 535 has your Tuesday night covered with an Art Tweet Up and the Size Matters exhibit, which closes this week. As if you had anything else to do on a Tuesday night besides watch Jeopardy reruns, NOVA provides all the incentive you need to get outta the house at their Art Tweet Up, with…
Dr. McSteamy’s Druggy McThreesome: Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart and Kari Ann Peniche make a hot tub video
What do you get when you cross a t.v. actor, his actress wife, and a former beauty queen? Hollywood's hottest new sex scandal! The juicy new video** was first reported by Gawker.com. The "sex tape" "allegedly" shows Grey's Anatomy actor Eric Dane getting naked n' stoned with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and former Miss Teen…
Mega Tomago Big Mac from McDonald’s Japan
The McDonald's Mega Tomago Big Mac alternative: three beef patties, one Egg McMuffin-style egg, two slices of bacon. I though the Japanese were supposed to be healthy eaters.
Name that Sports Caption contest: Michael Vick
Every week we'll ask for your best/funniest/snarliest comment related to a sports figure in the news. The winning caption will receive fabulous prizes. May the most imaginative entry win.
Best of the Bay 2009: The race for Best Breakfast
Although Lenny's (in Clearwater) has dominated this Best of the Bay Readers' Poll category in recent years, current vote totals peg this race as one of the closest in the Food and Drink category. Lenny's, Frog Pond, Daily Eats, Nicko's, Pach's Place, Pink Flamingo, Pinky's, Skyway Jack's, and Village Inn are all neck-and-neck for second…
D’Ann Lawrence White – Contributor
D'Ann Lawrence White was a reporter and columnist at The Tampa Tribune before she was tapped in a round of Tribune layoffs. Prior to working for the Tribune, covering breaking news, general assignments and feature stories, White was the editor of The Brandon News, also a Media General publication, for 18 years. She has been…
Vince Robertiello – Contributor
Vince Robertiello, a New Jersey native, retired to Florida 12 years ago after a career as an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor and a communicator and public relations specialist for major corporations including Continental Oil Co., now Conoco-Phillips. His career took off in 1953 after he returned from active duty in the Korean War as…
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events
Monday, August 17: Restaurant BT This cooking class on French-Vietnamese cuisine includes a menu of tuna tai chanh, grilled octopus salad, and lemongrass crusted red snapper, each paired with a complementary wine selection. $60. 6:30-8 p.m., 1633 W. Snow Ave., Tampa (813-258-1916) Tuesday, August 18: The Lobster Pot Dinner and Fine Wine Tasting. Chandon Wines…
Cash for chunkers: cheating never felt so cheap
I've schooled you in what constitutes an affair. I've listed the rules of having an affair and where to look for a discrete hook-up. Now I'll tell you how to save money in your search for that NSA(no strings attached) fuck. Ashleymadison is a website revered for finding discrete hook-ups. Currently the site is running…
Food & Drink Events and Deals – Mon., Aug 17: Half-priced wine, cheap Z Grille bar food, and salt classes
Datz Deli: Salt of the Earth. Despite what some may say, Datz wants to teach you that “from fleur de sel to kosher, all salts are not created equal.” Learn how to use this humble ingredient to enhance the flavors of every bite you eat. Free. 6 p.m., 2616 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa (813-831-7000) Z…
Wearable Art Fashion Show: picture review
Couture and craft collided in the fifth Wearable Art Fashion Show at the Dunedin Fine Art Center Saturday night. Nine design houses created dozens of different wearable art ensembles to the thrill of the packed house. See all the fashion festivities (and a few faux pas?) after the break…
Catherine Durkin Robinson – Contributor
Catherine earned her degree in History and Political Science from University of South Florida in 1994. She earned street cred working in Boston and Tampa as a community activist, rabble rouser and high school teacher before becoming a freelance writer and launching her own ranting blog: Out in Left Field. Not easily defined, she’s a…
Fixing sprawl and redesigning suburbia
In a previous Green Community post I’ve discussed sprawl: developer-driven poor planning and bad growth polices facilitated by developer-friendly elected officials, and why we need to cease building this way. In this post I present one possible strategy towards improving existing sprawl. Fixing the sprawl that we have, along with sprawl demolition and recycling, are…
Best place not to find a python: In bed with your baby
Teenage mom moves in with older boyfriend who owns a python. Brings toddler along. In July, the python gets out of its cage in the middle of the night and strangles 2-year old Shaiunna Hare. One can’t help but wonder – who’s mom going to sue? [About Daily Best of the Bay: Creative Loafing is…
TV Confessions: I’m an Intervention addict
Hi, my name is Brook. B-R-O-O-K, and I'm an addict…addicted to addictions….alcohol, heroin, cocaine, painkillers, ecstasy, food, sex, inhalants and, sometimes, a combination of them. I get my fix on Monday nights at 9 p.m. My dealer: A&E's Grammy-nominated series, Intervention.
Best of the Bay Readers’ Poll ’09: The race for Best Local Blog
The campaign for Best Local Blog in the Creative Loafing Readers' Poll is getting serious; note the campaign photo at right. Not everyone's a fan. One jaded voter responded to the question this way: "There's no such thing." We also got "no," "none" and "I hate blogs" (which may be the name of a blog,…
On the Radar: Mike Epps at the Mahaffey
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Today’s edition is a stand-up show this weekend at the Mahaffey, starring Mike Epps and his merry band of comedians. Hollywood hopefuls are expected to be a quintuple-threat these days: reality stars spawn their own shows, actors become singers…
Do It Today: Roman Holiday or Die, Mommie, Die at American Stage
As I watch Disney's Aladdin for the twelve hundredth time with my sister, I can't help but be reminded of Roman Holiday, this week's selection for the Summer Sunset Film Festival (weird, I know, but follow me, here). The kids' cartoon and the 1953 classic (starring Gregory Peck and a regal Audrey Hepburn [pictured] —…
Dirty talk 301
After reading Dirty Talk 101 and Dirty Talk 201, you're ready to turn the heat up. I'll admit that a few times while working on a chat line, the caller would actually turn me on with vivid details of what he looked like, at least in both of our minds. I'd react to his voice…
Running with the Stinky Drinkers: Why Gatorade is magic
(The Stinky Drinkers are merry runners who have all come together to train for the Women's Running Magazine Women's Half Marathon which will take place Sunday, November 22nd in downtown St. Pete. They like running….they like beer…and they have gleaned quite a lot of wisdom from their journey thus far.) After a Sunday spent “bonking”…
Best place to spot island wildlife (nude human variety): Fort De Soto Beach
Tourists flock to the northern tip of Fort De Soto to catch a glimpse of the island's wildlife. Common sightings include the Wrinkly Assed Grandmother face down on a beach blanket and the Wandering Creepo, puffing out his belly and appearing at random among the sand dunes, wearing only shoes and socks. Some lucky nature…
Sex Bites: your week in sex and love news
I'm a firm believer that Sundays should be no more academic than the New York Times Magazine. Today, my friends, is not an average Sunday. This past week was exceptional in terms of sex research findings that you will surely enjoy, even on your day of rest. rone and estradiol combined with high levels of…
Best of the Bay 2009: The race for Best Neighborhood
We're 2,000-plus votes and counting in this year's Best of the Bay Readers' Poll — deadline Aug. 31 — and there are no hotter races underway than the ones for Best Neighborhood/Hillsborough and Best Neighborhood/Pinellas. After the jump: Find out if your 'hood is among the front-runners.
Show Review: Asilo at The Market on 7th
Friday nights on 7th Avenue in Ybor City are crazy. It is almost impossible to decide what to do and where to go. Lucky for me, I passed The Market (great pizza and a bar with live music) and heard the whimsical sounds of Asilo. This five-piece band out of Lakeland has been together for…
The Single Dad: I have to do this all by myself?
Someone once said, “Motherhood is a terminal disease." This is true. I can remember coming home from work one day and my mother (in her 70s) reminding me to wash behind my ears as I headed for the shower. I was in my mid-40s, married, and had four children. I remember her telling my wife…
ArtsSpeak Podcast: Please don’t go, Julie Rowe!
Julie Rowe is one of the Bay area's most talented (and acclaimed) actors, and now she has a new gig: She's going to be director of education at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, an Equity house (known once upon a time as the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre) in Jupiter, FL. The news was cause for some…
Best Green Trend: Rain barrels
What's the hottest green trend in Tampa Bay? Rain barrels. With water restrictions still in effect in some areas, Bay area residents are buying or building their own rain barrels to harvest water to use for watering lawns and washing cars. For every inch of rain that falls on a roof catchment area of 1,000…
Rockstar Mayhem Concert Review: Slayer slayed, but Marilyn Manson? He was no Satan.
All photos by Mike Wilson This year’s Rockstar Mayhem Tour was anything but spectacular. With opening acts such as Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse and God Forbid, my festival experience was already off to an amusing start. With beer prices through the roof, festival attendees managed to be inebriated by the time the main stage opened for…
Best display of ignorance by a public official: Holly Benson
Holly Benson, secretary of Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration, sounded more like my grandpa at a barbecue when she suggested poor people can solve health care woes like heart disease and diabetes with a quick jog around the block. After all, she told a radio host earlier this year, unemployment "means you have a…
Food for thought: Basa fish – a welcome impostor
Basa Fish: A welcome impostor By Chef Cristian Feher www.tampabaychef.com I walked into the seafood store the other day to pick up some Salmon and Tuna for Sushi. I always enjoy looking through the glass and seeing all the different varieties of fish. I have been fascinated by fish ever since I was a kid.…
New from Truckstop Coffee: “Laredo Skies” (video)
I swear to god. One of my personal missions with ninebullets.net is to make the whole world like Truckstop Coffee as much as I do. In keeping with that goal I am presenting y'all with "Laredo Skies" from their upcoming album, For Dear Life. It was recorded live at Propaganda. Listen to it and love…
Rain barrel workshop in Holiday – Postponed
Holiday Lake West Civic Association has been working on a community garden with Code Green Community's help for the past 8 months. Since it's inception we have modeled ourselves to seek water conservation techniques to ensure our garden used the least amount of water during the drought months. We want to take that a step…
Cheap Eats: Byblos Pitas
If you are ever frustrated with the lack of parking at the USF-area Panera Bread on Bruce B. Downs and the nearby bank security guard who will threaten your vehicle's integrity if you dare park in their lot, drive down the street a little further and eat instead at Byblos Pitas. Decor: Ikea. Food: fast,…
The Cove documentary reminds all Floridians that swimming with dolphins is wrong
Cross-posted from The Political Whore blog. By Catherine Durkin Robinson PoHo contributor Catherine Durkin Robinson is a “feminist mother of twins” and a political blogger, working under the title Out in Left Field. When he speaks about the impact of captivity on the mammals, he doesn't sound like a showboater, and what might seem like…
On the Radar: Jules et Jim at Beach Theatre
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Today’s edition is a classic foreign film from the Janus catalog. Three years after the debut of his best known film, The 400 Blows, French director Francois Truffaut went on to create one of the most famous love triangles…
Top Chef Masters Podcast, Episode 9: Kinky blindfolded taste test, creamy flan, and Chiarello’s red hot temper
What a steamy episode this was! I think the title says it all, but you'll have to listen to our podcast to hear it for yourself. The Quickfire Challenge this week was the infamous blindfolded taste test. Kelly Choi blinfolded each cheftestant and they had a variety of ingredients to taste and guess – hoisin…
Creative Loafing’s green office makeover by Office Assistance Plus, part 2: Helping editor David Warner get organized
I'm back to tell you that some serious clutter sorting, purging, and space-clearing began at the CL offices as we continue their green office makeover. Everything in the mail center, sales counter, and reception desk was evaluated and paper, supplies, and items that didn't get used or add functionality were either recycled, donated, or discarded. Storage units, filing cabinets, and bins that didn't serve a purpose…
Chef Lessons: Introduction to food textures
Texture is the visual or tactile feel of an element. In each composition, surfaces have different characteristics and appearances. The diner perceives these differences and responds to them, as much as he does to color. texture highlights (see photo above): caramelized sea scallop. light & delicate texture of the candied ginger in the foreground. the…
Guitar builder, player, legend Les Paul dead at 94
AP reports: Les Paul, who invented the solid-body electric guitar later wielded by a legion of rock 'n' roll greats, died Thursday of complications from pneumonia. He was 94. According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side. As an inventor, Paul also helped bring about…
Best wide stance on sprawl: Charlie Crist on the anti-environmental SB 360
In spite of pleas from environmental groups, local governments and bashings from editorial boards, Gov. Charlie Crist signed SB 360, effectively repealing Florida's growth management, minus the usual ceremonial signing hype. Makes us wonder where he hid to sign the offending legislation … was it in a bathroom stall somewhere? [About Daily Best of the…
Jen Morgan – Contributor
Otherwise known as Redhead Running, Jen is a transplant from Michigan now running around the Orlando area. A reformed party girl, she traded in her pumps for sneakers when the running bug bit summer of 2008 after running in her first 5k. That 5k lead to a 10k, which lead to 10 miles, which turned…
Is running better than sex?
Lots of sweat, heavy breathing, a final desperate surge to finish followed by the sweet release that leaves you in a euphoric state of bliss… Everyone's doing it. The youngin's are doing it, old people are doing it. You can do it alone or with a group. Some people like to do it fast, while…
Miss Ginger Millay – Contributor
Miss Ginger is an all-star masturbator, darling of the NY fetish scene & general pervert. She has been writing about sex for the past four years, beginning with "Your Grandma Can Deepthroat and So Can You" in her college paper. She's currently studying to be a sex therapist and hopes to get people to open…
Mamma Mia! review + pics
You can’t help but smile while watching a kitschy, sing-along show like Mamma Mia!, which jives onto the stage at Ruth Eckerd Hall this weekend. It might not be as glamorous as the big-big stage touring productions at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, but think of it as an off-Broadway gem – the cast…
Nosh Pit Episode 24: Killer Pizza, Beef Bourgignon Fail, White With Red
This week, Brian and Taylor invite CL editor David Warner in to talk about his bandwagon-jumping Beef Bourgignon experiment — and why the Bourgignon part should be ignored. Brian raves over Wood Fired Pizza Wine Bar — despite the lack of wine — and Taylor goes stream of consciousness about a chardonnay and steak matchup.…
Bamboozled by greenwashed claims of bamboo textiles
The Federal Trade Commission has charged a number of bamboo clothing manufacturers with making false claims about the environmental attributes of their product. The FTC’s case is part of a growing fight against “greenwashing” – making an environmental claim about a product or service without adequate scientific evidence. In the National Textile Association's 8/12/09 News Blog, they…
Edge at Studio@620: Why Sylvia Plath’s story pisses me off
For girls who read The Bell Jar in college, Sylvia Plath became part of our trifecta of female poets: Sylvia, Anne Sexton and Dorothy Parker. The dark heroine, Esther, a sort of female Holden Caulfield, seems to have everything going for her. She’s smart, working as an apprentice writer at a magazine in New York,…
CL Sound Bites: Faith No More, Radiohead, Morrissey, and more.
Faith No More announced their reunion earlier this year. Mike Patton? Check. Virtuoso guitarist Jim Martin? Afraid not. Turns out it's the Album of the Year lineup. Adding to my disappointment, Faith No More has yet to play a single concert on American soil. Rolling Stone caught up with former frontman Chuck Mosley as he…
Movie Review: The Cove
The new marine doc The Cove takes you on an aquatic journey with elements of suspense, horror, tragedy and beauty that serve as a wake-up call to a problem that seems insurmountable: the systematic murder of dolphins by humans. I can tell you from personal experience that seeing The Cove will change you. The film…
Hair down there: it’s not for me (NSFW)
Is your vagina cleanly shaved? Do you regularly go for the Brazilain wax? Maybe you trim your pubic hair regularly or let it just grow wildly around your penis. Whether you are male or female you must be aware of the pubic hair issue. Porn stars and swingers aren't the only people who need to manicure their private…
What’s my dream mean? I’m driving over the Howard Frankland and the water is rising FAST
Dream Momma, I keep having a dream of driving over the Howard Frankland or the Courtney Campbell and either the water is rising FAST or the bridge just peters out directly into the water. It's always clear skies (not a hurricane or anything) and all of a sudden I go from driving on the bridge…
King Corn: A look into the US corn industry and what’s going into our food
With Food Inc. making such a buzz about the food that we eat and where it comes from, this independent film may also be one to watch. King Corn tells the story of two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. As the film unfolds, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis,…
Movie Review: The Time Traveler’s Wife starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams
Ed. Note: This is the first post by new film contributor Alex Czysz. For more reviews of the summer's biggest movies, check out the CL Movies & Television site. There’s always a problem with time travel. It isn’t the disruption of the space-time continuum, or the existential questions posed by our entering and exiting the…
“Unglamorous”: Ami Sallee Corley on acting, self-esteem and critics
Editor's Note: Actor/director/teacher/playwright Ami Sallee Corley (right) continues her series of posts about the challenges of being a freelance artist in Tampa Bay. Today's topic: Self-esteem (or lack thereof) So I have had the incredible honor of being one of the cast of Pericles, Jobsite's newest Joe Popp rock musical. I get to play the…
Cement companies designing greener processes
One of the largest producers of excess carbon dioxide — the cement industry — might get a green facelift in the next few years. It is estimated that manufacturing conventional cement creates about 5 percent of global CO2 emissions (even more than the airline industry) by heating limestone and other ingredients to super-high temperatures. Some…
Movie Review: Neill Blomkamp’s District 9
Be sure to check out Alive in Joburg, the short film that inspired District 9. And for reviews of all the summer's biggest movies, go to CL's Movies & Television site. Somewhere near the middle of Neill Blomkamp’s District 9, corporate bureaucrat Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley) and his alien friend Christopher Johnson blast…
Photo Show Review: Candy Bars, Venice is Sinking & The Pauses
Candy Bars are darlings of the Tampa indie music scene and things have been, well, a bit sour since they've been on hiatus. Sweetness returned this past Saturday, August 8, at New World Brewery with a New Granada Presents show featuring Candy Bars, Venice is Sinking and The Pauses. Candy Bars Frequently, scene darlings don't…
Restaurant Review: Is Wood Fired Pizza Wine Bar the best pizza in Tampa Bay?
Wood Fired Pizza Wine Bar 4 stars 2822 E. Bearss Ave., Tampa, 813-341-2900 It's tough to maintain a passion for food when confronted with the daily grind of running a restaurant. But some people manage to maintain the joy that comes with working in something as artistic, useful and necessary as food, even amidst the…
Tips to save money by decreasing hot water waste
The Issue Hot water consumption! The Greater Issue Between 80 and 90 percent of the energy used to heat water is wasted. With 110-million households in the country, that’s a lot of inefficiently used energy. The cost of heating water amounts to 14% of your utility bill. Be Part of the Solution You don’t have…
CL Feature: Michael Franti & Spearhead
Michael Franti believes music is the world’s greatest unifier. The 15-year frontman of Spearhead is so dedicated to it and so unwilling to disappoint his fans that he’ll continue to perform even if he’s experiencing debilitating pain. But you can only play through the pain for so long — especially when said pain turns out…
Jobsite caps its tenth season with a must-see rock-musical adaptation of Pericles
Pericles is a fitting cap to Jobsite Theater's tenth season, a noisy, funny, unpredictable rock musical featuring the impressive guitar work of Joe Popp and the splendid performances of seven inspired actors. Neil Gobioff and Shawn Paonessa's adaptation of Shakespeare's play makes more sense than Shakespeare does; by turning the Bard's characters into Mafia thugs,…
Best Political Tweeter: Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe
@MarkSharpeFL gets Twitter. Even if he's no @clairmc. [About Daily Best of the Bay: Creative Loafing is posting writers' and editors' picks for Best of the Bay 2009 each day until the BOTB issue is released on Sept. 16. Vote now for your own BOTB choices in our Readers' Poll!]
Lunching with Nutella, and a recipe for Nutella Ice Cream
Every year I obsess about the first few weeks of school. Not because I'm worried about my children's teachers — I'm more concerned about lunchtime. My kids do purchase the stuff made at school, but there are also times when they're fortunate to have fabulous food prepared for them by their gourmet cook father. Yes,…
The Green Community week in review: CL office gets green makeover, Living sustainably in Tampa Bay, best organic smoothie, and more
What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week: St. Petersburg College’s new Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education building is certified LEED® Gold- St. Petersburg College recently announced that for the second time in as many months, the U.S. Green Building…
Green Community Calendar weekend events: Guided hikes, kids wetlands program, and green markets galore
Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar. Guided Canoe Trip at Weedon Island Preserve- Friday, August 7; 9 am-12 pm. Take this opportunity to explore a portion of the south canoe trail at Weedon Island Preserve. This trail offers a rare look at some of…
Top Chef Masters Podcast, Episode 8: Vegans suck, Zooey Deschanel and her tragic hipster crew, and some bodacious burgers
First of all, I want to say that the views expressed in this podcast are not the opinions of all of us on the panel and definitely not those of Creative Loafing. That being said, if you're a vegan, we're apologizing beforehand for this one. For the quickfire challenge, the cheftestants had quite a juicy…
Nosh Pit Episode 23: SoHo Sushi, Recessionomics, Baby Aspirin
This week, Brian and Taylor invite PoHo Wayne Garcia in for a special food-related recession session. We drink vodka flavored with baby aspirin and discuss the reduction in creamy splooge at Dunkin Donuts, SoHo Sushi's so so sushi, Taylor's list of recession wines, and the problems restaurants are having in this economy. Download the episode…
Yvonne Bell – Contributor
Yvonne Bell enjoys all things music in the greater Tampa Bay area. She worked for The Syndicate (a New Jersey based music and entertainment marketing company) from 2007-2009 as a "Synner," promoting bigger musical acts as they came through the Tampa/St. Pete areas. Most days Yvonne can be seen working at Adrenalina in the International…
Rabid Erotica: The Wedding Date Part 3
The conclusion of a three part erotic story. Missed the first two installments? Check out: The Wedding Date and The Wedding Date part II. By now the sun was blazing into the room from behind the thick curtains. The shadows from her succulent body fell across his chest as she climbed on top of him.…
