Online dating apps > bars
The current landscape of Internet dating/mobile dating apps is a far cry from the you-seem-desperate-and/or-creepy iteration of yesteryear. This is mostly because using the sites, which have proliferated to cater to every demographic, has become commonplace. The rarity of serendipitous meetings in bars and the increasingly busy schedules of men and women alike have droves of…
Some closing remarks as Richard Beckman exhibit is celebrated one last time at USF
A preview of Friday’s events and some words of remembrances in honor of the Tampa artist.
Dancer performance review — Sola at USF
Six solo pieces push the emotional and intellectual boundaries of modern dance
Do This: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with biographer Alina García-Lapuerta at Inkwood Books
Just in time to kick-off National Hispanic Heritage Month, Cuban-American author Alina García-Lapuerta will be in Tampa today for a talk and signing event for her book, La Belle Créole: The Cuban Countess Who Captivated Havana, Madrid, and Paris, at Inkwood Books at 7 p.m. Although National Hispanic Heritage Month does not start until Sept. 15, Florida…
Beer up for fall
The most hop-pening festivals to score craft brews at this season.
Mitch Perry Report 9.4.14- New Times poll says medical marijuana initiative wouldn’t pass today
The question this morning is whether the Tampa Bay Times' new poll on the medical marijuana initiative is an outlier, or a true reflection of where the Florida electorate is on this high-profile proposed constitutional amendment. Although support for the proposal was never going to be as high as the intergalactic levels reflected in two separate…
A “Little” problem in Clearwater
The city of Clearwater has refused to allow Little Free Library locations on its properties even though the program has had success in neighboring communities.
Tampa Tribune bids food writer Jeff Houck farewell
The Tampa newspaper’s “homegrown celebrity” has written about food since 2005.
Coppertail Brewing opens temporary tasting room
The Ybor City brewery will serve its brews Wednesday through Sunday.
THIS Bridge — a two-year connection to Arab and Islamic arts at USF
Theater artist Andrea Assaf has initiated an ambitious event series to impart awareness of Arab and Islamic American culture and identity.
Guest column: A tribute to Richard Beckman
Some closing thoughts as USF CAM close its retrospective of the artist this weekend.
SCENE BREAKER: Director to the rescue, an act of God and girls just wanna write plays
Here’s what’s behind the curtain this week in Tampa Bay theatre… NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE: Jobsite Theater’s Producing Artistic Director and last year’s Best AD of the Bay David M. Jenkins heard a screech and a smash outside his Tampa Heights home last Wednesday morning. He ran out to find a wrecked minivan with…
Memo to Bob Gualtieri & Grady Judd: Not all Florida law enforcement officials are against Amendment 2
Saying that they're trying to set the record straight and provide journalists with a balanced counterposition to the Florida Sheriffs Association’s "extremism," officials with Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) are speaking out in support of Florida's Amendment Two, the medical marijuana constitutional amendment that Floridians will vote on in November. "Voters deserve to know that many of…
Democratic Congressman wants Obama to make immigration policy change now – not in Nov.
President Obama is in Europe this week, dealing with the the vexing issues of ISIS and Russia's increasingly aggressive moves in eastern Ukraine. Those issues will continue to dominate his agenda in the coming weeks in all probability, but there is one domestic issue that a core group of voters want him to move on…
Album review: Benjamin Booker, Benjamin Booker
A fantastic debut from a former local; videos included.
The Hooper-Gerard Pinellas County race is just starting, and it’s getting nasty quickly
On Tuesday, Clearwater state Representative and Pinellas County Commission candidate Ed Hooper forcefully responded to charges made by his Democratic opponent, Largo Mayor Pat Gerard, that accused him of peddling his influence in the Legislature through his control of a Clearwater-based consulting firm. But shortly after the Gerard campaign issued its press release, Hooper accused…
The Laugh Tract — who’s bringing the funny
Two Amigos: Steve Martin and Martin Short are at The Mahaffey Sunday night. Aside from one notable show featuring a pair of famous comedians at The Mahaffey, comedy clubs are your source for funny performers this weekend. Locals and nationally-touring headliners mix it up on stages throughout the bay area with varying comedic styles. Here's…
CL Editor David Warner and husband Larry Biddle to be honored by The Studio@620
The Studio@620 announced that its Studio Honors for this year will be presented on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 6:20 p.m. — for the first time at the historic Coliseum in St. Petersburg. The Studio Honors program will recognize five couples/10 individuals in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The event titled “Magic of Community” will offer…
Restaurant review: Pelagia’s cuisine is classic and clever
Pelagia Trattoria combines Old World tradition with new-school execution in Tampa.
PAO Truck launches cafe, Tampa’s new mac ‘n’ cheesery & more
Munching through the latest in restaurant news.
SYTYCD: How the final four have matured together
The final four contestants competing on this season of So You Think You Can Dance sat down for a conference call interview this past Friday and even over the phone it was easy to tell how thoroughly saturated in each other’s company they’d become during the days and weeks leading up to tonight's season finale. Muffled…
Album review: DieAlps!, DieAlps! EP
Another high quality effort from a New Granada Records band.
RPOF goes (mostly) positive in new ad heralding Rick Scott’s record
With Charlie Crist and his PAC's expected to begin airing more ads with less than nine weeks to go before the general election, the ad war on broadcast and cable television in the Florida gubernatorial race is set to go into overdrive. But first out of the shoot post Labor Day is a new, positive…
Mitch Perry Report 9.3.14 – Bill Nelson wants to give Obama “clear authority” for air attacks in Syria
Shortly after that video surfaced yesterday showing the beheading of American journalist Steve Sotloff in Syria taken hostage by the Islamic militant group ISIS, Bill Nelson announced that he would be introducing a bill giving President Obama authority to to order airstrikes in Syria. "This will ensure there’s no question that the president has the legal authority he…
Guillermo del Toro’s horror movie challenge
The darkly fantastical director Guillermo del Toro is issuing a challenging. The contest will start with you doing something his dietitian does often, he says — come up with a concept that scares him. According to Variety, Legendary Entertainment and Youtube have collaborated on the “YouTube Space House of Horrors: A Legendary Halloween” for which…
Tampa Bay’s weekly literary happenings
Author Carol J. Perry will read from and discuss her Witch City Mysteries at Gulf Beaches Library, Saturday, Sept. 6. The Palm Harbor School of the Novel hosts its monthly meet-up at Organic Life Café, 35362 U.S. 19 N., Tuesday, Sept. 2, 6:30 p.m. Bring up to three pages for other members to read and…
Florida Dems bash Duke Energy & Rick Scott at the same time
Last week, Duke Energy Florida extricated themselves from an extremely unpopular policy position by announcing that it would issue a credit to customers adversely affected by a change to its meter reading system that led them to charge higher electricity rates to some customers. That initial change caused an uproar amongst its customer base, coming at the…
Zulu Wave release title track from new LP, Jagorilla
St. Pete rock outfit will celebrate album at September 27 release show
Sweet success: Dunedin Blue Jays commend preteen entrepreneur’s work ethic
Dunedin’s headline-making entrepreneur to serve lemonade and throw first pitch at D-Jays playoff.
New Granada re-releases The Maccabees’ 1998 EP on limited 12″ vinyl
20 copies honor the label’s 20th anniversary and the death of longtime friend Johnathan “McDougan” Wilson
Latest fast-food worker strikes to take place in Tampa on Thursday
Union organizers in Tampa and in over 100 cities across the country are preparing for another strike by fast-food workers this Thursday, demanding that their minimum wage be raised to $15 an hour. It's the latest in a series of increasingly heated confrontations between the fast-food giants and their workers, who complain that they simply…
Former AG Bob Butterworth part of George Sheldon’s political committee
Although George Sheldon is definitely an underdog going into his matchup with Pam Bondi for Attorney General this fall, there's no doubt that, on substance, Sheldon will be a formidable challenger to the GOP incumbent. The issue some pundits suggest will be his Achilles heel is his inability to match financial resources with Bondi, who…
Mitch Perry Report 9.2.14 – The election campaign season is only NOW just beginning?
Welcome to the day after Labor Day, which in Florida means at least six more weeks of unrelenting heat and humidity. It's also when political commentators like to write and/or say that the fall campaign has now "officially begun." But who are they kidding? If only our major elections lasted only two months (which is actually…
Healthful hints: Azalea Center offers Saturday cooking classes
A lineup of healthy cooking classes are planned for the Azalea Recreation Center starting Saturday.
Do This Tonight: BILL MURRAYTHON II — A month of Bill Murray Films at the Independent
Tonight is the first installment of Independent-Tampa's second annual tribute to Bill Murray. The bar-cafe will toast everyone's favorite deadpan icon with a double feature each Monday in September. Tonight's films are both from 1980 — the Hunter S. Thompson quasi biopic from 1980, Where the Buffalo Roam, and the all-star comedy classic Caddyshack. Films…
Pass the butta at Palm Harbor’s lobster fest
Three-day Palm Harbor Lobster Festival to feature all-you-can-eat feast and more.
Slash’s pop-in at the Hard Rock for an intimate unplugged set
Myles Kennedy joined Slash at the Hard Rock Cafe in Tampa last Wednesday to play to a small invite-only crowd. The lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Alter Bridge has been providing lead vocals in Slash's current solo project. The Guns 'N Roses legend donned his notorious top hat, for a 30-minute…
Bone-less Bubba and other lineup changes at 102.5 FM
FM’s talk radio station is experiencing some jock itch.
This weekend in live music: Umphrey’s McGee, Soulbotz CD Release Party & more
Concerts, Aug. 30-31
Ask the Locals: Mitzi Gordon, creative force and Bluebird Books Bus driver
Mitzi Gordon is as ubiquitous in Tampa Bay as her short blue bus. When the well-read 38-year-old hit the road three years ago in her converted Bluebird Books Bus — a topaz bookmobile that functions as part used bookstore, part art house and part literacy movement — she launched a dream project and, in essence,…
Movie Review: As Above, So Below should’ve stayed buried
Not even the real-life backdrop of Paris’ famed catacombs can inspire interest in this non-horrific exercise.
Local Buds: An ode to area drink, eats
A collective of food artisans teams up with Green Bench for beer collabs that celebrate local culture.
Mitch Perry Report 8.29.14 Vanquished candidates, tear down your signs, please
Florida law says political signs "shall be removed by the permittee within 30 days after the date of revocation or cancellation of the permit for the sign," but I'm hoping those candidates whose candidacies died on Tuesday night can take a couple of hours away from their Labor Day weekend to pull out their signs…
Tonight in live music: Freekbass, Ben Prestage, Displace Welcome Home Show & more
A nice smattering of live music this Friday night, leaning to jammy, funky, rootsy, bluesy sounds… Freekbass & the Bump Assembly Underrated and generally under-known bassis/vocalist Chris “Freekbass” Sherman was christened with his nickname by Bootsy Collins himself, and the Cincinnati musician has lived up to it with a forward-thinking mode of laying down lowend frequencies;…
St. Pete City Council unanimously agrees to support a Move to Amend resolution
Thursday night the St. Pete City Council agreed to support a Move to Amend resolution in support of grass-roots action. The resolution was brought to the table by members of Awake Pinellas and its affiliate, Move to Amend Pinellas County. The motion to pass it was proposed by City Councilwoman Darden Rice. More than 20…
Movie Review: November Man offers typical summer fare
Pierce Brosnan’s latest is an enjoyable but predictable medley of genre staples.
Greenlight Pinellas advocates want you to know they have GOP support
Earlier this month the Pinellas County Republican Executive Committee voted unanimously to oppose Greenlight Pinellas, the tax swap proposal that would include a one-cent sales tax increase for enhanced bus and light-rail service in the county. “I think at that point it's really tough to say there's Republican support," committee member Daryle Hamel told the…
Do This — Labor Day Weekend’s best
Ah, holiday weekend. For some of us the congested roads and beaches plus amateur partiers equals R&R time at home with some Netflix, snacks and a cuddle buddy at home. The adventurous among us will venture out, and with good reason. There's much more to do than the standard barbecue-picnic routine. Here are some options: [THU-FRI]…
New report says minimum wage in Florida should be doubled to support working families
A new report says that the mininum wage in Florida simply doesn't allow families to make ends meet, and that a true living wage in Florida would amount to just less than $17 an hour (officially $16.98). "This reflects what's needed to make basic needs, and also to maintain some ability to deal with emergencies…
Movie Review: Persistence makes perfect
A new documentary, Persistence of Vision, delves into one of the greatest little-known tales in animation history.
Steven Lolli: Confessions of an “Urban Jew”
Steven Lolli isn't afraid to share his opinions. The graduate of Gaither High School (who now lives in Los Angeles) makes a living sharing them on stage with no filter and a general disdain for what he sees as an unproductive status quo in comedy. Those opinions have probably offended a few people, but it…
Poker Crawl in the cards for St. Pete EDGE District
Get your hands in this poker run to benefit the EDGE District’s Main Street Program.
Tonight in live music: Brother Cephus CD release show
A new recording from the brothers-led roots rock outfit (audio included)
Summer Jam 10: Must-see acts
CL Music Editor Leilani Polk cherry-picks the best of an all-out excellent bill.
Dark & sinful: An open letter to myself
After the FL jury declared George Zimmerman not guilty of Trayvon Martin’s death, I wrote an open letter, as part of a CL column, to his brother, Robert, asking him to shut up about the case, his feelings about it, what we should do about it — and on and on. As I’ve witnessed the…
The last damn jam
Summer Jam 10 marks the end of this beloved, homegrown Ybor mini-fest.
Ask the Locals: Fall 2014 Edition
When you talk to people who really know Tampa Bay, secrets are shared and surprises abound.
The Laugh Tract — who’s bringing the funny
Bobcat Goldthwait is at Tampa Improv this weekend If you like diversity, this is a good week to catch some stand-up. Familiar names, local performers, radio personalities, and politically-minded comedians are all on the schedule. Just pick your favorite style and find a stage. Here's what's on tap this week: Theaters Negin Farsad at the…
