Best Neighborhood Grill: Harvey’s 4th Street Grill
Harvey’s 4th Street in St. Pete puts Applebee's and all those other wannabe “neighborhood bar & grills” to shame. Its strip-mall storefront is gussied up with perfectly pruned foliage and decorative lights, and the interior is all charming hardwood and bric-a-brac. More importantly, the menu covers bar fare extensively (burgers, sandwiches, salads, dinner platters, seafood,…
Best Artisan Pizza: Wood Fired Pizza Wine Bar
It takes an obsessive to impress and obsessive. Peter Taylor's pies may be the culmination of two decades of research and development, but it's the love he puts into crafting each one that shines through. He cultivates his own yeast, makes his own mozzarella, grows his own herbs and won't trust anyone else to man…
Best Super Discount on a Bike: Salvation Army Family Store
You’d be surprised what turns up in the discount bin at The Sal. Joe Bardi’s fiancée Heidi found a blue-green Bianchi Italian racing bike sitting in the back of the Family Store on Fourth Street N. in St. Pete. A new Bianchi goes for over a thousand bucks. The manager told Heidi he’d take $50.…
Video Cooking Demo: Bruschetta Caprese Recipe
Bruschetta Caprese Recipe by: Chef Cristian Feher http://www.tampabaychef.com Yield: 10-16 portions Ingredients: – French Baguette or any long Bread – 1 Jar of store-bought Basil Pesto (OR, CLICK HERE FOR PESTO RECIPE) – Fresh Basil Leaves – 2-3 Roma Tomatoes – 4 – 8 Bocconcini Cheese Balls – Salt and Pepper Instructions: …
Dreaming of a big Buddhist sword
“I woke up after a dream about manjushri. I only remember that I awoke not happy he carries a big sword.” First I’d like to enlighten the readers as to what and who Manjushri is so my interpretation makes sense. Manjusri is seen as an emanating enlightened being in the Buddhist tradition. He is associated…
Video cooking demo: Caprese Salad recipe
Caprese Salad Recipe by: Chef Cristian Feher http://www.tampabaychef.com Yield: 4 Portions Ingredients: – Fresh Basil Leaves – 4 Tomatoes – 4 Large balls of Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese, or several smaller balls of Bocconcini Cheese – 2 Cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2/3 Cup of your favourite Vinegar – 1 Tbsp of Grain…
Finally a place to F***in dance in St. Petersburg
Download the podcast here. Get your very first taste of what is expected to be the beginning of some great changes in St.Petersburg,FL…The newest party, G.L.A.S.S is beginning 9.9.09 and will run every Wednesday night from 10-2 a.m. at Vintage Ultra lounge. The party will feature a variety of entertainment and interaction, and of course…
Do It Today: Coffee with a Dali Curator, Ybor photo safari, lobster lovers cooking class
Coffee with a Curator is a monthly in-depth discussion and tour with a Dalí expert and docent. Today, Bethany Mead leads a discussion on Dalí's Hispanic heritage, a subject that informs many of the surrealist's masterworks. Sip complimentary Starbucks coffee before beginning the theme-oriented tour of the gallery, which houses the largest collection of Dalí's…
On the Radar: Labor Day Goes Old Skool with Vanilla Ice and Rob Base
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This Sunday, Clearwater celebrates Labor Day — old skool style. Vanilla Ice and Robe Base get the party started at Labor Day Goes Old Skool, a throwback to the days of boomboxes, Adidas, and gold chains fat enough to…
Dreaming of having a 12-inch penis
Dream Momma, I dreamed I was driving a car in the neighborhood where I was born and saw a helicopter parked in the driveway two houses from ours. When I drove closer to show it to the person in my car I knocked off a small propeller, made of wood, about twelve inches long. I noticed…
Obamania: naked women in Obama masks (photos NSFW)
In his wonderfully bizarre collection, Obamania, photographer Uwe Ommer returns to the excitement so many of us felt about Barack Obama's election by portraying a beautiful, nude women in Obama masks. These photos are weird, funny, sexy, political and brilliant, but mostly, these photos just makes me smile. Below is a selection of Ommer's work,…
St. Petersburg Mayoral Primary: Bay News 9’s with Bill Foster, Jamie Bennett’s staying close to home and John Warren is enlisting the Savannah’s Cafe crowd to help him concede
In about 20 minutes, the polls close on St. Petersburg's mayoral primary. I've crisscrossed the city and made some calls to give you an update. Here's a brief rundown:
Best Supermarket Steak: Sweetbay Angus
We blind-tasted American Wagyu, Prime, organic and Choice from several different stores and Sweetbay's basic New York strip — the cheapest of the bunch — was our judges' clear favorite. Great beef flavor, tender texture and enough fat to satisfy. Go figure. [About Daily Best of the Bay: As we approach the Best of the…
The loser is St. Pete: Alex Pickett reports on the primary
Well, we won’t know who the two winning candidates will be until after 7 p.m. when the polls close. But I already know who the loser is (besides Paul Congemi): St. Petersburg. I don’t have to look at the latest voter turnout results to say St. Pete citizens have abdicated their duties as an electorate.…
St. Pete’s ‘Grand Central Green Market and Street Fair’ is back this Sunday
The Grand Central Sunday Market is back! Grand Central District has restructured its Sunday Market. It now takes place the first Sunday of every month from 11am-3pm, 2400-2500 Central Avenue. The next Green Market will be taking place on September 6. Grand Central will be celebrating an "End of Summer Bash" with sales, a BBQ,…
Corkscrew: Get your drunk on during life transitions
This week, life threw a massive curve ball at Creative Loafing Media. Taken over by the NYC-based hedge fund to whom we owed a ton of money, each employee processed the news in a different way: sadness, optimism, relief. Me? I got shit-faced. On great wine. I figured if my family's legacy is going down…
Photo review: Jamie Foxx at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
Comedian-actor-singer Jamie Foxx at TBPAC's Carol Morsani Hall on Monday, August 31, where he performed to a near-capacity crowd.
The Rabid DVD Review: Crank 2: High Voltage (NSFW video)
Crank 2: High Voltage can classified as an opportunity to watch an amalgam of a violent video game, an overactive music video and a 4th of July fireworks spectacular thrown into your face. Will it’s DVD release electrify you?
CL Feature: Peter Bjorn and John (who open for Depeche Mode on Friday; with video)
The stickiest whistling of the 21st century was conceived in Sweden, nurtured in the collective musical subconscious of three Stockholm musicians, shaped by their distinct creative personalities and love of New Wave, alt rock and ’60s pop, and born several years later in a catchy, charming pop ditty, “Young Folks.” By that time, Swedish trio…
Disney buys Marvel for $4 Billion
According to the announcement of a surprising deal, Disney has purchased Marvel Entertainment for $4 Billion. Let me say that again: the Mouse now owns Iron Man, X-Men, Spider-Man and the rest of the thousands of Marvel characters. "This transaction combines Marvel's strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men,…
WMNF GrooveFest ’09: COPE, Shak Nasti, Middle Rhythm Session and others bring the jams to Skipper’s
Pulling up to Skipper’s Smokehouse this past Sunday, August 30, I was bombarded with the sounds of the first annual WMNF GrooveFest, already in full swing at just after 3 p.m. Shak Nasti opened the nine hours of jammin' fun in the sun. The greeters and ticket sellers were in high spirits and there wasn’t…
Eco-Innovators: Enter Largo’s ‘Recycled Innovations’ contest
Recycled Innovations Contest: Eco-Innovators are those who think outside of the can to create treasure out of trash. The City of Largo's Recycled Innovations Contest encourages innovators to make a useable creation for photo submission in their online event. All entries must be made of 75 percent or more recycled or material that would otherwise…
Zoe Fine – Contributor
My name is Zoe DuPree Fine and I grew up in Delray Beach, Florida. I recently moved to Tampa from Atlanta where I studied Women's Studies and French at Emory University. Before returning to school (as I hope to be a student for life!), I'm spending a year in the workforce, watching movies and TV,…
Florida’s own Truckstop Coffee release For Dear Life
As any regular reader here knows, there are certain bands I champion on ninebullets.net and long before I knew the guys in Truckstop Coffee personally they were one of them….and they still are. Admittedly, I have not heard the whole album yet (it's currently playing) but from what I've heard/seen of the new album at…
Friday night gunshots at BayWalk: Happy to be alive, sad at the reality of the situation
It all happened so quickly. After I heard the first gunshot, a liquid heat consumed my body; my inner ears were on fire and a tingling sensation ran from my head to my toes. Is this real? There was screaming and panic. My tunnel vision kicked in and I turned to the right and started…
CL’s green office makeover, part 3: Sales, marketing, and classifieds departments get organized (video)
Things are really starting to get organized at the CL office as we'll continue to show you with part 3 of their green office makeover. The Sales, Marketing, and Classifieds departments get into the action next! I had the pleasure of working hands-on with James (Ad Director), Joran (Marketing + Promotions Director), and Terri (Classifieds…
Giveaway Fail!: Domino’s Pizza gives free food ($25 gift cards) for 9-9-09 birthdays (kinda), and starts delivering cake
That's right, Domino's Pizza will commemorate the latest triple number repeating date with free $25 gift cards to people celebrating birthdays on that vaguely historic date. Don't think you need to buy the company's ubiquitous and forgettable pizza with that free cash, though. Domino's has also added Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes to their repertoire —…
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events
Tuesday, September 1: Blue Figs Gourmet Lounge Whiskey Dinner. Four single-malt scotch whiskeys (Aberfeldy, Glenfarclas, Balvenie DoubleWood and Highland Park) accompany four courses at this horizontal tasting. Executive Chef David Burton's bold menu is sure to stand up to the stiff drinks. It includes: smoked wild river salmon with horseradish creme fraiche, duck leg with…
Video cooking demo: Cheese Fondue recipe
Cheese Fondue Recipe Recipe by: Chef Cristian Feher http://www.tampabaychef.com Fondue is a great method of cooking. Especially if you're goal is to entertain your guests! There are several ways to make fondue, and there are many different ingredients that one could use. I will be giving you a basic recipe utilizing Colby jack cheese…
Fall Arts Best Bets: The Big Drawers and RAWK!
So far, we've given you a heads up about a range of this fall's best bets in music — Leonard Cohen, electronica artists from Paul Van Dyk to Junior Boys, Yo Yo Ma, a quintet of quality indie artists (The Decemberists and MuteMath, among others) who are not stopping in Tampa but at least gracing…
Debating Shaquille O’Neal’s place in NBA history: A look at the 50 greatest players of all time and how Slam got it wrong
I'm a huge basketball fan. I think that much has been established. Despite my unhealthy obsession with the hardwood, I had never before purchased a copy of Slam magazine, a publication dedicated entirely to basketball. After seeing Michael Jordan on the cover a few weeks ago, I decided to give Slam a whirl. In their…
Run that man right out of your head, one dumped girl’s story
After reading Beth's inspirational post about her running journey last week I thought it best to continue this baring of the soul and expand upon my own running journey. What better way for our readers to understand our obsession with running than to share a little piece of ourselves with you right? My story starts…
Let the sun shine: Commissioner Rose Ferlita, others want public meeting on costs of Kevin White’s sex trial
By Kelly Cornelius PoHo contributor & R-LAND; activist I was surprised to read Thursday that the meeting of County Commissioners regarding who will foot the bill for what could be nearly $500,000 of your tax dollars (for the financial mess in the wake of Commissioner White's sex trial) would be behind closed doors. What? This…
M-A-R-V-E-L, M-O-U-S-E: Disney purchases Marvel
The Hulk smashes. The Thing clobbers. Spider-Man swings. Cinderella… sings. I remember thinking Spider-Man on Broadway was shocking. Okay, it still is, but no Marvel fan could have foreseen the news that broke August 31, 2009: Marvel Comics has been purchased by Disney for $4 billion. Read that sentence again. Marvel, the company responsible for…
St. Petersburg primary election: Today’s the day
Today's the day St. Petersburg voters put their long, looooooong primary out of its misery. Once all the votes are counted, we'll have narrowed ten candidates down to two, with the final outcome to be determined by the general election November 3 — unless one of the ten gets more than 50 percent of the…
My first shuttle launch: What a blast! (video of Discovery launch)
I've lived in Florida for most of my life and aside from killer sunsets or the splendor of seeing dolphins frolic in the bay, being able to actually witness the launch of the Space Shuttle — the fire of the engines and the vapor trail, from nearly any corner of the state — has always…
On the Radar: Sweatshop III at Czar
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This Sunday, Czar hosts Sweatshop III, a massive mash-up of music, art and fashion. Lately it seems like, all of a sudden, the artsy folks of Tampa Bay looked up, discovered each other, and decided, "Hey! Your stuff is…
Fall Arts Best Bets: Last Call for Jazz and The Flavor of Jazz
Tampa Bay's got all that jazz, man. Here are two of the most promising events of the season: At Last Call for Jazz, Best of the Bay-winning singer-actress Emilia Sargent (pictured) performs standards like "'Deed I Do," "Get Happy" and "Bewitched," backed up by the Tampa Jazz Greats on piano, trumpet and bass for a…
Dreaming of a baby child and baby snakes
Dream Momma, Had a dream of a small baby and also being in some place where small snakes kept crawling inside my clothing. A very bad feeling. My sister or someone was trying to pull them out. See what it means after the break:
Do It Today: Native Music Rocks! Tour, Chromatophore, Film Florida launch
The Native Music Rocks! Tour — starring Micki Free and American Horse, Crystal Shawanda, Casper, Martha Redbone and more — is a national Florida-born initiative to promote all varieties of Native American music as performed by modern Native American musicians. Highlights include the blues-infused rock of American Horse, which features tattooed Cherokee-Comanche Micki Free on…
My so-called pregnancy: an abortion story (part one)
Most of what is said about abortion comes from politicians and religious leaders, but it's everyday women who actually have to make the difficult decision of what to do about an unplanned pregnancy – women like me. 1 in 3 American women will have an abortion in her lifetime. This is a huge number which…
Lesbian sex: A guide for douchebags
"So, what is 'sex' for lesbians, anyway? I mean, neither of you have a dick, so it's not like you can really fuck. You just haven't been fucked by the right dick yet." You know, you're right, guy who still high-fives and wears Ed Hardy shirts. Obviously we dykes can't have "real" sex. "Real" sex…
Summer Jam 5 review, Part I: Blind Man’s Colour, Shunda K, Mogul Street Reserve, and Alexander & the Grapes
Mogul Street Reserve pictured at right; all photos by Phil Bardi. Despite being bone-weary and mentally exhausted, I slagged my tired ass down to Ybor City and made it to Summer Jam 5 just before sunset to enjoy the mini-fest's variety of musical offerings, which featured a huge roster of quality local acts as well…
Richard Blais on Top Chef: Simple v. Contrived
In Episode 2 of Top Chef: Las Vegas, there were a few obvious, spirited political issues included in the plot. One was whether or not a girls versus boys challenge is sexist. And, of course, the legalization of gay marriage. You’ll all be glad that I’m not going to discuss those issues in this column.…
Best of the Bay readers’ poll voting extended until Wednesday, Sept. 2
Do to a surge in voting over the weekend, we've decided to keep the Best of the Bay polls open an extra two days — that means you have until Wednesday, Sept. 2 at noon to submit any and all ballots. With some hotly-contested races like Best Local Chef, Best Local Band, Best Neighborhood and…
Why the Scott Kazmir trade was the right move for the Rays — and Scott Kazmir
(Photo by Googie Man via Wikipedia) In pretty much every pitching category tracked by baseball, Scott Kazmir is the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays' career leader. Starts, innings pitched, K's, wins. Kazmir was the face of hope. Sure, there was Carl Crawford or Rocco Baldelli to show the speed and athleticism that the farm system had…
Cone Ranch needs protection, all right — protection from the Hillsborough County Commission
By Kelly Cornelius PoHo contributor & Photo credits: MariellaSmith at Flickr.com With scandals galore in Hillsborough County, I am a little late on updating you on the most recent Cone Ranch meetings. Recall the Cone Ranch deal was our County Commission bending over backwards at a questionable proposal to buy the publicly owned land by…
Ted Kennedy: A progressive green champion
In the week that Senator Ted Kennedy's death closed a major political chapter in US history a Treehugger.com looks at his influential role in the environmental movement. Being called a "progressive green champion" the "liberal lion" was known for his commitment to clean energy and wildlife protection. Here are some of the highlights from Climate…
It Happened This Week-ish: Joe Francis and Brody Jenner brawl, Adam Lambert’s new album, vampires and more
*Headline of the Week goes to USMagazine.com: "Brody Jenner Tasered After Brawl With Girls Gone Wild Honcho." Of course that is what happened, because generally when I imagine hanging out with Joe Francis, the man behind the ground-breaking and classy video series Girls Gone Wild, I also picture Brody Jenner convulsing on the ground, electricity…
Final day for Best of the Bay food and drink voting! Vote now!
Most of the races are still so close, anyone can win! (Except best steakhouse — it would take a beefy miracle to unseat Bern's.) Vote now! Here are some of the categories you should pay especial attention to:
Dreaming of seducing 12-year-old niece
I'm 27. I dreamed I was attracted to my niece (12yo) and made sexual advances towards her. She didn't look anything like my niece but somehow I knew it was her. In the dream she was tall, thin, with red hair and golden-brown skin. She was wearing a thin white, filmy dress that covered her from her…
Kama Sutra: the milch cow
This isn't the most original position in the world, but sometimes it's nice to be reminded of the little pleasures… and this is definitely one of them. The woman bends forward while gripping the bedstead, her buttock raised high. The man mounts her from behind then cups her breasts and squeezes them together.
Exclusive recipe from Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta: Linguine with a pink shrimp sauce
Linguine with a pink shrimp sauce From Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta. (Read our interview with Giuliano Hazan.) This is a very elegant sauce that is traditionally served with seafood-filled ravioli. A portion of the shrimp are chopped very fine, giving the sauce a consistency similar to meat sauce. Parsley at the end adds lightness…
Exclusive recipe from Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta: Tagliatelle with chickpeas
Tagliatelle with chickpeas From Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta. (Read our interview with Giuliano Hazan.) One of the restaurants we enjoy going to when we are in Valpolicella, the wine country outside of Verona, is Alla Rosa Alda, in the tiny hilltop town of San Giorgio. One of their specialties is a pasta dish they…
On the Radar: Sick Days at C. Emerson Fine Arts
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This Friday, C. Emerson Fine Arts debuts a collection of woodburnings that recall artist Daniel Mrgan's "sick days" as a child. Wood burning usually calls to mind a roaring fire, hot chocolate and comforting memories, but when Croatian-born artist…
Fall Arts Best Bets: Indie Love in O-town
THX Management, Aestheticized and even New Granada bring in a tidy bunch of indie acts to town. But more often than not, said acts genearlly opt for the Orlando stop instead — it’s close enough to draw folks from Tampa but far enough away to make the bands feel like they’re playing a big city.…
How many trees per year are cut down to make phone books?!
Once a year on a nice sunny day, you pull up to your house and there is a yellow cellophane bag sitting on your porch with the annual telephone directories inside of it. You sigh. You take it in to your house or apartment and figure out where to put it, never knowing if you…
Late night music, Aug. 31-Sept. 5: Jet, Dirty Projectors and more (plus video of Friendly Fires on Kimmel)
A weekly bulletin about who's playing on late night TV; set your TIVOs or DVRs if you’ve got an early bedtime. See a day missing? No musical guest that night… The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS Monday, August 31: Dirty Projectors Tuesday, September 1: Black Crowes (which plays Ruth Eckerd Hall October 7) Thursday,…
Do It Today: Animation at MOSI, Rear Window at Push Ultra Lounge
Ever wonder how all those cute little creatures transform from rough sketches on an artist’s easel to walking, talking, scheming cartoons? See thrill-master Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window when The Studio@620 and Push Ultra Lounge team up for the final installment of the Summer Sunset Film Festival, a collection of Audrey Hepburn and Hitchcock classics. Rear…
Sexual statistics: what counts as a sex partner
On several occasions I've been asked how many sex partners I've had. Having lived as a swinger for several years, I've probably had more than most, but the exact number is tricky. It depends on what you count as a sex partner. For me, I can only define what one is, by describing what a…
Best Parallel-Universe Grocery Shopping: Dueling Publix Stores
Grocery stores often cluster, with a Publix across from a Sweetbay down the block from a Save-A-Lot. After Publix bought 49 Albertsons stores last year, several Bay area neighborhoods were left seeing double as the old Albertsons were converted into sparkling Publix grocers. Though the company has recently decided to close some of the doubled-up…
Kennedy’s healthcare legacy: Will Democrats forge anything more than incremental change?
By Mitch Perry PoHo contributor Mitch Perry is the anchor of the WMNF Evening News on 88.5 FM community radio. Hours after the country collectively woke up last Wednesday and learned that the legendary Ted Kennedy had died, Florida U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (right) met with reporters in a small room at his Tampa downtown district…
The Kennedy funeral: Caroline Kennedy’s son speaks out against “the old politics … of straight against gay”
Posted by Jim Harper Jim Harper is the former editor of Creative Loafing/Weekly Planet. He wrote this post after watching the video of the Ted Kennedy funeral on Sat. Aug. 29. We're accustomed, I suppose, to people of all political stripes offering up their religious faith as justification for their most cherished political values. But…
Mikey Gomez replaces Roger Bowling at XFC Evolution
Former Elite XC fighter Mikey Gomez replaces Roger "Relentless" Bowling in the main event of the upcoming Xtreme Fighting Championship (XFC) fight card Evolution on Sept.5 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa. Adding a sense of deja vu, this is the second time Bowling forfeits his chance to fight War Machine due to…
WTF?! The hotties who (inexplicably) date Marilyn Manson
Love or hate Marilyn Manson, you have to respect his impeccable taste in women. Sure, fortune and fame can get you anything (or anyone), but I'm still baffled by the homely Manson's ability to pick up some of the most stunning up n' coming starlets of the day. Here are a few of his conquests:…
Obama at the Kennedy funeral: Paying tribute, not playing politics
The pundits are blabbing now on CNN about whether liberals will be "disappointed" that Obama didn't take on healthcare or other issues in his speech at the Ted Kennedy funeral. No doubt the right has found many ways to condemn not only the speech but the entire funeral by now. Let them all blather: This…
Follow the leaders: CL coverage of the top four mayoral contenders
The poll released earlier this week by the St. Pete Times found four candidates leading the pack of 10 contending for mayor of St. Petersburg. As we enter the final hours before the Sept. 1 primary, which will narrow the field to two, here are links to CL stories which reference the top four:
George LeMieux: “Charlie Crist Republican” or Charlie Crist clone?
George LeMieux (right) will be Florida’s next (un-elected) United States Senator, following the announcement of Florida Governor Charlie Crist yesterday. As readers of my column know, in February I predicted Mel Martinez’ resignation and expected Crist to appoint himself to the position — given his decades-old yearning for the U.S. Senate. I held onto this…
Gabe Echazabal – Contributor
Gabe was born in the year of Are You Experienced, developed a passion for music in the year of Exile on Main Street, started seriously collecting records in the year of Imperial Boredom and began selling records for a living in the year of Nevermind. He's an addicted record junkie, child of the 80's, lover…
Saving Babe Zaharias: The fight against Curfew at one Tampa muni golf course
Injection of pesticide at the Babe Zaharias Golf Course in Tampa attracted the attention of neighborhood activists, who worried it was making them sick. (photo courtesy of Debra McCormack) Tucked away in a northern Tampa neighborhood is a golf course named after the greatest figure in women's golf history, Mildred Ella Didrikson Zaharias, better known…
Catherine Murphy – Contributor
Catherine is very interested in intentional community as a sustainable/green solution to many of the social/environmental issues affecting the current human population on planet Earth. She co-founded a very successful intentional community in California in the late ‘90s and after transferring to Florida hoped to stimulate interest in the intentional community movement in the Tampa…
The Art of Italian Cookbooks: Giuliano Hazan’s rise as an Italian cooking authority
It would be easy to paint Giuliano Hazan's success as an appendix to his mother's career. Marcella Hazan penned the seminal Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, which Jeffrey Steingarten predicted would "become the essential Italian cookbook for an entire generation." He was right. But it wasn't — quite — his mother's name that allowed Giuliano…
Must-See Show: Summer Jam 5 in Ybor City on Saturday
Tastemakers and THX Management team up for the fifth annual summertime mini-fest, Summer Jam 5. Originally organized as a way of merging musical genres, uniting their respective audiences, and introducing original local music to the Bay area masses, the event touches upon Americana, hip-hop, experimental electronica, punk rock and more. This year’s national headliners are…
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events
Friday, August 28: Mazzarro’s Italian Market Weekly Wine Tastings. This week’s selections include domestic wines like red and white Rhone-style blends and Viognier. Free. 1-5 p.m., 2209 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg (727-321-2400) Friday, August 28: Datz Deli Friday Night Winedown. Sommelier Patti Kuhl leads a free tasting and workshop to help shake off those…
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events
Friday, August 28: Mazzarro’s Italian Market Weekly Wine Tastings. This week’s selections include domestic wines like red and white Rhone-style blends and Viognier. Free. 1-5 p.m., 2209 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg (727-321-2400) Friday, August 28: Datz Deli Friday Night Winedown. Sommelier Patti Kuhl leads a free tasting and workshop to help shake off those…
A house renovation that’s literally green
So you've installed CFL bulbs in all of your light fixtures, low-flow shower heads and toilets, and use eco-friendly paint for your walls. That's pretty green, right? That's just "light green" compared to this house in Venice, CA that was renovated and is now green – literally. As more people get turned on to sustainability…
Best of the Bay: The race for Best Barbecue
Voting is hot and heavy whenever hardwood smoke and succulent pork get into the mix. After a lot of votes cast, Best Barbecue is still up in the air, with two frontrunners and a whole lot of possible upset contenders close behind. Voting ends monday, so get on the ball, wipe your hands, and vote…
Fall Arts Best Bets: Electro Elements (Thievery Corporation, Paul Van Dyk and others; with video)
Miami’s annual Winter Music Conference and its corresponding Ultra Music Fest first drew electronica artists to Florida. But once they discovered audiences ripe and ready to get down rave-style, any time of the year and not just in South Florida, music makers spanning the electro spectrum began appearing in Tampa more and more often. We…
Kevin’s Korner: Batman, Angelina Jolie and Gerard Butler
Welcome back to Kevin's Korner, that little spot on Daily Loaf dedicated to giving you all the movie news from the past week. So, lets look at a week dominated by Basterds, Angelina Jolie, Batman 3 and remakes. MOVIE NEWS Jolie's back for Wanted 2: If you have seen Wanted, you know there could be…
Best of the Bay: The race for Hillsborough’s Best Neighborhood Bar
Folks who might not think twice about who has the best pizza or where to go for a splurge meal are passionate about the best places to stop by for a cold one after work. Where everybody knows your name. And, maybe, they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our…
TV Recap: Project Runway baby mama episode — These models look kinda fat
Let me begin by saying that, for maybe the third time in our relationship, my DVR let me down. How can we have plans every Thursday at 10 and yet it fails me the one time I don't turn on my TV until 10:10pm?! I do not understand it, you have one job in life…
Best of the Bay: The race for Best Pizza
Unlike many of the races in our ongoing Best of the Bay Readers' Poll, this one isn't all that close. With an astounding 200+ votes, Cappy's is running away with the prize. However, there's still time for the other big vote-getters — like Sally O'Neal's, Mellow Mushroom, Joey Brooklyn's, and Westshore — or even spots…
CD Review – Matt Hires, Take Us To The Start (with video)
The warm, breezy pop of Tampa native Matt Hires isn't just something to hum along to on your way to the beach. Hires's debut album, Take Us To The Start (F-Stop/Atlantic), is cleverly-crafted and interesting, full of sincerity and catchy melodies highlighted by his enveloping, gravelly tenor. The album's single, "Honey, Let Me Sing You…
Kama Sutra: the reverse spoon
The reverse spoon is a simple variation of the old stand-by spoon. It involves taking one partner and spinning them around, so instead of lying head to head and toe to toe, you are both facing each others' lower extremities. This position offers both deep penetration and the obvious easy grab of your partner's important…
Top Chef Las Vegas Podcast: Ep. 1 & 2 – where are all the good female chefs?
This week, we were fortunate enough to get Jeff Houck back in the studio to join the old gang so we could rag on the new season on Top Chef. This season we have 17 fresh faces, many of them with titles and accolades under their belts – not to mention all of the tattoos and piercings…
The return of downtown Tampa’s electric cars
You may recall that a few weeks ago the Public Transportation Commission outraged the city by pulling the plug on four companies that operated electric shuttle services, free rides for people downtown, on Harbour Island and SoHo instead of traditional for-hire taxis. About a week or so later, we learned that a traditional taxi company…
On the Radar: Cronos at the Dalí and Beyond Film Series
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Today’s edition is another installment in the Dalí and Beyond Film Series, screening next Thursday at the museum. See Guillermo del Toro’s Cronos, the lastest addition to the Dalí and Beyond Film Series' collection of sometimes surreal, usually weird…
Dreaming of a phone that won’t stop ringing
Dream Momma, I'm going nuts with this dream. I dream a phone is ringing. It keeps ringing and ringing. It won't stop ringing and no one answers it. That's it. That's the whole dream. I don't even want to go to bed anymore. Help! Find out what Dream Momma advises after the break:
Do It This Weekend: Fall art openings, get S’Real at the Dali, Questa, movies and more
The air is getting crisp, the leaves as starting to fall, and everywhere you go, the smell of autumn is in the air…oh, no? Wait, we live in Florida, so our sad excuse for a pre-winter season won't be here for a few months, but that's not stopping the [5]art folks from debuting a fantastic…
Husband wears sandwich board: “I cheated. This is my punishment.”
of a bustling intersection for the past two mornings, telling the world he is a cheater. After Taylor's wife found incriminating photos on his cell phone, she came up with an unusual punishment for her philandering husband. She specified that, during morning rush hour, he must stand at a busy D.C. area intersection wearing an…
And the St. Petersburg mayoral award goes to …
The St. Petersburg mayoral race (that clears its first hurdle next Tuesday in the primary election) would clearly work better as either a reality show or an awards ceremony. After watching the big mayoral forum last week sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times and Bay News 9, I’m going with awards ceremony. The envelopes, please:…
The Tarantino 20: On the road to getting my movie-buff card back
Famed movie buff and A-list director Quentin Tarantino recently released a video listing his 20 favorite movies released since he became a director 17 years ago. When the list hit the Net, some movie geeks heralded the films as the 20 greatest movies ever — but this is a list by a movie guy for…
Shireen Chada – Contributor
Shireen Chada was born in India and educated in both India and the United States. After finishing her graduate work in Civil Engineering, she became keenly aware of the profound sorrow in the world and began to search for a purpose that would tend to and dissolve that sorrow. In time, she discovered the Brahma…
Fall Arts Best Bets: I Love the ’80s (Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys + others)
Used to be you could hit an ’80s dance party nearly every night of the week in Ybor. New Wave, Dark Wave, glam and hair metal, synthpop, pop punk — pretty much any music from that era does well here, and we tend to get some high-caliber performers in addition to the wankers. Influential electro…
Top Chef Las Vegas — Episode Two: Battle of the Sexes
Oops, she did it again. And she really, really shouldn’t have. In last night’s Vegas-style battle of the sexes, the girls served up a heaping helping of repeats – an impressive feat for the second episode – practically handing fuel to Michael Isabella’s fire. Eve, the Midwest complicated/simple girl, served the judges and a cabana…
Fall Arts Preview: The Film Festivals
It's true that the real festival season around these parts is in the spring, with the Gasparilla Film Festival and Sarasota's huge festie leading the pack. Still, film-fest patronage has become a year-round affair in the Bay area, and there are some worthwhile options for the movie freaks this fall. First up, The Tampa International…
ninebullets.net August podcast: Left Lane Cruiser, Chuck Ragan, The Fox Hunt and more
Hey everyone! It's your trusty drunk from ninebullets, Autopsy IV, checking in with another podcast chock full of alt.country/americana/rock and roll goodness. Give it a listen and have a drink on me. The moment I sat down and started mapping out what songs I wanted to play this month I started getting excited. It quickly…
Best of the Bay Readers’ Poll: The race for Best New Restaurant
This is the time when all the spectacular new restaurants that have opened in the past year can shine and all of Tampa Bay can snub our collective noses at the poor economy. But only one worthy spot can win, and the race is close.Two St. Pete spots — Diner 437 and Queenshead Eurobar —…
A drive worth taking in November: Neko Case at Orlando’s Plaza Theatre
Are you like me in the way of feeling left out when a band or songwriter goes on tour and doesn't come to Florida? You get their bulletin on MySpace announcing their tour and then you discover Florida is nowhere on the list of dates. You see Atlanta and then Charleston, S.C., and for that…
Dreaming of a rain forest and a ladder to success
“Hi dream momma. I've had the exact same dream twice. I don’t really do much during the dream, but it is so vivid that i had to post it. So it starts off with me and my friend Alex in Miami. We quickly board a plane to Chicago, and when we land I notice from…
Kellie Stargaard – contributor
Kellie has lived in Florida most of her life and has lived in Tampa for 19 years. She is a University of South Florida graduate and an avid wine drinker. Since she hasn't won the lottery and still needs to pay the mortgage each month she must find inexpensive wines for her wine habit. Her…
Hummingbird Cake recipe
Why is this called a Hummingbird Cake? You got me. It's not like you go out and find a bunch of hummingbirds and blend em up in your food processor as the main ingredient. Well, maybe Ozzy Osbourne would, but not us sound-minded food folks. I made this amazingly delicious cake for my mom's birthday.…
Green Community Calendar weekend events: Green markets galore, Ft. Desoto yoga/kayak outing, guided hike at Weedon Island and more
Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar. Caribbean Night at Greenwise- Friday, August 28; 4-7 pm. Join us for this storewide event and sample the food, wine and music from the Caribbean. Publix Greenwise Market- 2403 W. Azeele St., Tampa. 813-250-0129. Kayak/Yoga Outing- Saturday, August…
Polyamory: yes we get jealous
Disclaimer: There's a 50/50 chance of another poly person disagreeing with everything and anything I say in this article. I love to hear from other poly people—especially when I'm wrong. Yes, jealousy occurs in poly relationships. We're no more excluded from it than a monogamous couple. The form it takes depends on the situation and…
Fall Arts Best Bet: Yo-Yo Ma
Rarely are instrument and musician so closely associated that they become nigh inseparable in the minds of fans worldwide. Try this: When I say cellist, you say … Yo-Yo Ma. Perhaps the most famous man to bring bow to strings visits Ruth Eckerd Hall this fall, when he plays Bach’s Six Unaccompanied Cello Suites. Ma’s…
On the Radar: Xtreme Fighting Championships
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Today's edition is all about the return of next weekend's epic MMA battle that's sure to make Labor Day weekend anything but uneventful. The Tampa-based mixed martial arts promoter Xtreme Fighting Championships returns with an explosive ten-bout card after…
Book Review: Fearsome Creatures of Florida
In Fearsome Creatures of Florida, Tampa author John Henry Fleming serves as taxonomist of Florida folklore, producing a wildlife handbook that could have been published by National Enquirer. This book breathes new life into real creatures and popular myths like the Skunk Ape and the Chupacabra. However, the beasts that stay with readers long after…
Kevin White’s sex trial could cost taxpayers close to $500,000, or 9.1 hookers
Since my last post on Commissioner Kevin "Pimp Daddy" White (where I thought it might be cheaper for taxpayers just to have paid for a hooker for the poor guy), I decided to do some research on what hookers in Tampa really cost. I thought they might get as much as attorneys (who charged the…
Hollywood Tales: Inside a Paramount Pictures movie-creation meeting
Okay, everyone, let’s start the meeting. Before you start talking about winning us Oscars, I’ve got the best idea for a movie ever. It’s about an alien race that lands on Earth, but they are actually “robots in disguise.” Catchy isn’t it? These large robot-alien things can have a civil war on Earth, because, well,…
Do It Today: Chromatophore, I Love Africa, Think+Drink Cinema
If the typical trappings of visual art — white-box exhibitions, snooty gallery assistants and mind-boggling price tags — strike you as absurdly pretentious, take heart in mail art. The fiercely anti-commercial genre most often takes the form of postcards, illustrated envelopes and custom paper creations (though the odd three-dimensional object makes for a welcome surprise),…
How to please your woman
Let's get one thing straight. All women should be treated like a princess. You should handle them with care and respect. Speak to them honestly and avoid trying to be something you are not; we see right through that. With that said, here are some simple truths and pointers for men who are a bit lost…
Alex Czysz – Contributor
Alex Czysz (pronounced "sizz," but don't you dare call him "Sizzler") was born in California and soon after claimed permanent residence in the only state weirder, Florida. Though he is perhaps more proud of his useless trivia knowledge than his English Degree from the University of South Florida, he has yet to achieve his dream…
Caitlin Reagan – Contributor
Caitlin Reagan is a journalism graduate student at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. With a few years of experience in print journalism under her belt, she has decided to test out her blogging skills with Creative Loafing. Since graduating from Stetson University with her undergraduate degree in English in 2008, she has dedicated…
Best of the Bay Readers’ Poll 2009: What’s your pick for best organic food store?
It's a tight race so far for the title of Best Organic Food Store in the Bay. So far, our leaders are Rollin' Oats of St. Pete and Tampa, Nature's Food Patch in Clearwater, Publix Greenwise Market in Hyde Park, and Whole Foods Market in Tampa. It looks like it's going to be a fight between…
Fall Arts Preview: The Movies of September & October
With the loud, dumb and often-disappointing summer movie season behind us, I go into fall with some optimism. There's a good amount of work by reliable writers and filmmakers, which gives the season a lot of potential. And it's our first bombardment of Oscar Bait, with many of the titles here angling for awards come…
The future of porn: choose-your-own-adventure… in 3-D! (NSFW)
Porn star Tommy Gunn seems to have created the ultimate porno, entitled Cummin’ at You 3-D. This “interactive stereoscopic 3-D production” will be the first of its kind, harnessing some of my favorite childhood kitsch: 3-D movies and choose-your-own-adventure stories. Though a couple small porn sites are already using 3-D technology, this is certainly the…
Wednesday-music.com profile: Vieux Farka Touré
Vieux Farka Touré’s father, the late, great Malian musician Ali Farka Touré forbade his son from becoming a musician; he didn’t want Vieux to have to deal with the same problems he'd endured through his career. Instead, Ali encouraged him to become a soldier. In the end, music won out as Vieux was always drawn…
This Machine Kills Fascists: Recommended new releases for the week of August 25 (Arctic Monkeys, Hank Williams + More)
Vinyl: Arctic Monkeys – Humbug Third album is a set of songs both heavier and lush than previous albums but still full of the Monkeys' punch and vitality. Jeff Beck – Beck-Ola Jeff Beck – Truth Exact replicas now available on pristine HQ-180 vinyl. Taken from the original analog master tapes. Chocolate Watch Band -…
We need your vote on the Best of the Bay in mixed martial arts
Let your voice be heard! Who is your favorite professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, promoter, event and venue? Please make your selection from the choices listed below.
Random Food Questions: 3 yeast packets, 10 hot dogs, “natural” flavors, and all the tea in China
As I wander through the grocery store, immersing myself in the complex challenges of one-ply or two, I am sometimes struck by food non-sequitors. Here are four questions that I couldn’t get out of my mind, and the answers to my random food thoughts. Enjoy. The questions. I’m not the first to ask this question;…
Add an informative green fact to your email signature
It’s not easy being green, you work hard to live sustainably, and at the same time you take every opportunity to enlighten others to live socially and environmentally responsible lives, if you didn’t you wouldn’t be reading this Creative Loafing Green Community post. Here’s an idea… It’s nice to see the “please print only if…
Aerosmith update: Steven Tyler addresses alcoholism rumors
Since Aerosmith cancelled their summer tour, we've seen video frontman Steven Tyler shopping at a liquor store (the video was since taken down) and read about unnamed band employees making several revelations. Tyler has apparently been "partying hard." The rest of Aerosmith suspended work on their new album following the liquor store video. Tyler only communicates through…
No room for jealousy among swingers
When jealousy rears its ugly head during sex, nothing good will come of it. People enter the swinging lifestyle for different reasons. Unfortunately some believe swinging will save their marriage. Such a desperate move usually only promotes jealousy—a surefire relationship killer.
Queenshead Eurobar in pictures and video
I reviewed the new Queenshead Eurobar — essentially more a gastropub than a bar, Euro or otherwise — yesterday, and liked the place quite a bit, thanks to food from chef Chris Greer and gregarious owners Paul Smith and Darren Conner. It's a great addition to the Grand Central district with a distinctly neighborhood vibe…
Legalizing marijuana could lead to new economic highs
Although we are finally seeing signs of improvement, the economic downturn here in the US is far from over. We are still dealing with massive unemployment, failing banks, and soon, rampant inflation from the trillion-dollar "stimulus" forced upon us by the federal government. There's also a Mexican drug war brewing on our borders, and the…
Ted Kennedy, iconic US senator and last of a Kennedy era, dies of brain cancer
Coverage of the death of Ted Kennedy: Time magazine: "The brother who mattered the most" Washington Post: Reaction statements from various politicians Comedy writer John Marshall in HuffPo: In 1992, the first joke I ever sold, to Jay Leno, was a Ted Kennedy joke. It was about Old Ironsides, the famous warship, which had been…
Savage Love: Short and sweet
Dan lets his readers do the typing
Fall Arts 2009: The promising first months of the fall movie season
The first two months of the fall movie season usher in a promising new crop.
Fall Arts: The most anticipated museum and gallery shows of the season
The most anticipated shows from museums and galleries this fall.
CD Review: Matt Hires, Take Us to the Start
The warm, breezy pop of Tampa native Matt Hires isn’t just something to hum along to on your way to the beach. Hires’s debut album, Take Us To The Start (F-Stop/Atlantic), is cleverly-crafted and interesting, full of sincerity and catchy melodies highlighted by his enveloping, gravelly tenor. The album’s single, “Honey, Let Me Sing You…
Poet’s Notebook: The spider web theory
Everything’s connected, according to poets (and scientists). Feel the vibrations?
St. Petersburg’s new Grand Central bar and restaurant has impressive pub food
How lightly do I have to tread in this review? For a straight writer, reviewing a largely gay bar and restaurant owned by two gay men — called Queenshead, for God's sake — is tough to do without resorting to stereotypes and puns. Thankfully, the food is good enough to make all of that extraneous…
Fall Arts Guide 2009: Just think
It's fitting that one of the most high-profile events of the fall arts season is a musical adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, because lately it's seemed we've all been heading down the rabbit hole. The No-Bama crowd calls for the truth about healthcare, but traffics in outright lies. The president says the so-called public…
Fall Arts Guide 2009: They will rock you
The fall’s top rock/pop tours and trends
Fall Theater: Ten hot prospects
Ten hot prospects for the coming fall theater season.
Do mosquitoes prefer certain blood types? Plus: Do tall men get more skin cancer?
Do mosquitoes favor certain blood types over others? I have noticed while out working that mosquitoes love me while my brother never gets bit. Why is my blood so tasty? —Brian Q., Huntsville, Alabama Sibling rivalry thing going on there, Brian? I've got good news for you. We still don't know why mom preferred your…
So you wanna try anal sex: a beginner’s guide to doin’ the butt
Wanna give the backdoor a try, eh? Good for you. Why not, right? Think of it as a new and exciting addition to your sexual repertoire. Nervous? So was I, but with years of reading, discussions, and practice under my belt, I’ve gathered a few pointers to ensure that your anal experience will be a…
Restaurant Review: Queenshead Eurobar
Queenshead Eurobar 3.5 stars 2501 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-498-8584 Photos by JamesOstrand.com. How lightly do I have to tread in this review? For a straight writer, reviewing a largely gay bar and restaurant owned by two gay men — called Queenshead, for God's sake — is tough to do without resorting to stereotypes and…
Rosario Dawson teaches me life lessons
"Maybe we're preparing ourselves for the next chapter of our lives." August 17, 2009. 2:16 am. That's what I told my friend Efren after watching Explicit Ills starring Rosario Dawson. When Mother died (side: I always wanted to refer to my mom as "Mother" like they used to in old movies), I felt like our relationship…
Concert review: Fiery Furnaces and White Rabbits rock Orlando (rant against The Social’s Man in Charge + video included)
Eleanor Friedberger of the Fiery Furnaces; all photos by Phil Bardi. To satisfy the ravenous music-consuming beast inside me, I end up making the 90-minute trek to Orlando rather frequently. Far too many bands don’t or won’t stop in Tampa for whatever reason and some of these bands I simply have to see. Yes, the…
Fall Arts: CL critics make their picks for the season starting today
It’s fitting that one of the most high-profile events of the fall arts season is a musical adaptation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, because lately it’s seemed we’ve all been headed down the rabbit hole. The No-Bama crowd calls for the truth about healthcare, but traffics in outright lies. The president says the so-called public…
