Last-minute gift for wine lovers: DIY chalkboard wine glasses
No need for wine charms or wondering which glass is yours as you can write your name on the glass!
Eric Holder says Justice Dept. looking at controversial Florida elections law
Florida's elections law bill, passed by the GOP-led Legislature last spring and signed into law by Governor Scott, has infuriated Democrats so much that it's brought them literally into the streets. And now they have potentially their biggest ally yet in the person of Attorney General Eric Holder. In a speech given Tuesday night in…
While feds urge cell phone ban in cars, Florida legislators are proud there’s no such law here
Exactly 11 months ago, CL wrote a story about the fact that Florida was among the few remaining states that place no restrictions on cell phone use in an automobile. A number of bills were filed by the legislative session in 2011 to address texting while driving, but they went nowhere. How sad is it,…
Mitch Perry Report 12.14.11
A hint of some of the changes going on at the Tampa Tribune are apparent on today's front page, where long-time sports columnist Joe Henderson has moved to news, and gets prime real estate above the fold for his first column today. Meanwhile, the managing editor of the Trib, Duke Maas, tells CL that (with…
This week in food and drink
Moet tasting at Ciro’s, another Food Truck Rally, Cold Storage brewery tour and more.
New Gallup poll shows Dems downbeat going into 2012
A USA TODAY/Gallup Swing States Poll is filled with interesting survey numbers, but the aggregate isn't at all good for Democrats looking ahead to what may occur in 2012. In a nutshell, the national survey of 12 battleground states (which of course includes Florida) shows Republican voters to be more attentive to the campaign, more…
Changes at Tampa Trib include new City Hall reporter
Kevin Wiatrowski of the Tampa Tribune A day after the Great Purge of 2011 over at the Tampa Tribune and TBO.com, the powers that be on South Parker Avenue haven't exactly been forthcoming to the local media about what the changes will mean for the paper going forward. As a means to unearth information, CL…
Remembering the Globe Coffee Lounge, a creative safe haven
A force for good — and for good coffee — the Globe closes Dec. 21 as owner JoEllen Schilke takes a full-time job at WMNF.
Tampa Bay craft brewery tours: See how your favorite local beers are made
Cigar City Brewing, Dunedin Brewery, Cold Storage and St. Somewhere all offer tours of their facilities.
Tampa ordinance on charging busted johns gets closer scrutiny
The Tampa City Council is poised to approve a new ordinance on Thursday that would require the driver of a car who is arrested for soliciting a prostitute or buying drugs to pay $500 to get his car out of the city's impound lot. Currently in this situation, the car is impounded, but the driver…
The thrill of the grill: GrillSmith tasting 2.0
A tasting and overview of some of their most popular menu items.
The Gaily News: Sandusky attorney directs reporters to gay sex hotline
Jerry Sandusky (center) Joe Amendola, the misguided defense attorney for Jerry Sandusky, jokingly told reporters they should call "1-800-REALITY" if they believe the sexual abuse allegations against his client. However, when one reporter decided to actually call the number, it turned out to be a gay sex hotline. In its initial welcome message, the hotline…
Newt to supporters: I’m running a class campaign, folks
With Newt Gingrich's impressive rise in state and national polls over the past few weeks comes the predictable attacks from his opponents — and on Monday the former House Speaker and his top challenger, former front-runner Mitt Romney, sounded like they were reciting talking points from the Democratic National Committee. After Romney hit GIngrich for…
Mitch Perry Report 12.13.11
Gary Johnson ought to come visit the Tampa Bay area more often. The somewhat forgotten GOP presidential contender was in Clearwater on Monday, where he spoke to various media organizations about his quixotic bid to challenge Barack Obama next year. More realistic, the former New Mexico governor admits, is to run as a Libertarian instead…
Hillsborough Tea Partiers & liberal activists unite on opening up garbarge collection contract
On Wednesday, the Hillsborough County Commission will hold a much-anticipated public hearing on whether to open up the county's $60 million-a-year garbage contracts to competitive bidding for the first time in 15 years. Community members from both the right and the left are joining together to advocate that they do just that. The Tampa 912…
The Obama administration works on stamping out veteran homelessness before 2015
Updated statistics presented by Shaun Donovan, the Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary, and Eric Shinseki, the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary on Monday show a steady decline in the amount of homeless veterans in our nation in the past year. This year’s count reports that veteran homelessness declined by 12 percent from 2010.…
New Music Tuesday! (December 13)
A two-disc tribute to The Smiths + new releases by Keller Williams, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Snoop Dogg & more (video)
Thank God for The Tea Party Guide
Imagine a Stephen Colbert marathon — on steroids.
Shopping with care for the holidays
Give more than just a gift.
Gary Johnson may run as Libertarian in 2012
The iconoclastic GOP presidential candidate wants marijuana legalized — for everyone.
Meat production and its effects on the environment and our health
Cutting back on meat consumption goes a long way toward helping the environment and living healthier.
Senator Nelson announces Senate hearing on Florida voting law
Bill Nelson will be on the ballot next November The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Rights will come to Tampa for a public hearing on January 27 on the controversial new election laws passed by the Florida Legislature and signed by Governor Rick Scott earlier this year. The hearing will be led…
CL Interview: Scott Leonard of Rockapella
Frontman Scott Leonard on touring with the Boston Pops and the resurgence of a capella.
Breakfast of Champions: “The Hercules” omelet at Tick Tock in St. Pete
Angela Vallee Every now and then there are those lazy weekend mornings when all you want is the perfect breakfast to perk up your day. You don't know exactly what you are craving but you do know it should be savory, indulgent, filling and scrumptious. This magically perfect breakfast plate exists at a small mom…
Over 160 staffers at Tampa Tribune and related properties being laid off
The Tampa Tribune is reporting on its own website this morning that the paper's parent company, Media General, has issued a press release stating that 165 employees of the Tampa Tribune and its sister publications will be laid off, a reduction of 16 percent of the total workforce at the paper. Some of those layoffs…
Mitch Perry Report 12.12.11
Feeling the Christmas spirit yet, CL readers? We'll take hanging out in a sports bar watching four NFL games vs. contending with the multitudes at local malls, though we did both yesterday. Can we hear it for the Tampa Bay Bucs today? I didn't think so. I also didn't realize there were that many Denver…
Buckhorn says security cameras can defend against “frivolous lawsuits” by protesters at RNC
Protest from 2008 RNC in St. Paul In the past couple of weeks, CL has been approached by Tampa residents on three separate occasions who wanted to discuss their fears that their city could be something of a cauldron when the Republican National Convention pulls up stakes in late August of 2012. Tampa Mayor Bob…
#MusicMonday, Vol. 53
What the CL Music Team is jamming this fine Monday, from Mutemath to The Black Keys, and more.
Cynical and Southern: The time my co-workers thought I was HIV positive
It is possible for two gay men to be friends with each other. Gay men can be friends without having sex. Gay men can also be friends without any sexual attraction. It is possible. Such was the case with Simon. I became friends with Simon at a job I used to work up north. He…
Fading at the polls, Rick Perry goes all out for the evangelical vote
A Marist poll out Sunday morning shows that in Florida's January 31 presidential primary, Newt Gingrich maintains a substantial lead over Mitt Romney, up by 15 points, 44 percent to 29 percent. Finishing a distant third is Ron Paul at 8 percent, and Rick Perry is fourth with 4 percent. Perry is also in fourth…
The word “gay,” a Tweet-frontation and call to the NFL
A reality check for the NFL and call for recognition of LGBT football fans
CL Holiday Auction ends today, amazing bargains still to be had
You could be a very generous (and frugal) Santa.
“Coalition of conscience” protests in Tampa against recent state actions
Nearly 50 protesters took to the streets of Tampa on Saturday In Tampa Saturday morning, a crowd of approximately 50 activists marched from the corner of MLK Jr. Blvd and Falkenburg Road to the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections office, protesting recent legislation passed by the state legislature and Governor Rick Scott that they say is…
Dining on the Pinellas Beaches
Where the water meets your table …
Rick Perry’s anti-gay campaign ad: The Parodies (video)
Didja notice he was wearing the Brokeback Mountain jacket?
Nothing mixes better with the season than applejack and Cognac
Chilly weather sips
Between the sheets: top 10 most provocative books out this December
The Scientific American Book of Love, Sex and the Brain: The Neuroscience of How, When, Why and Who We Love by Judith Horstman. Released 12/27/2011. Publisher's Description: Who do we love? Who loves us? And why? Why does some love die while other love lasts? Is it really a mystery—or can the latest neuroscience shed…
Mitch Perry Report 12.9.11
Happy Friday to each and every one of you loyal MPR readers. In the news, the Occupy movements of Tampa, Miami, Tallahassee and other locales are meeting up this weekend in Orlando to discuss a list of goals they intend to present to the Legislature in January. Meanwhile, Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor tells CL…
Florida Occupy movement convenes in Orlando this weekend
Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor Delegates from Occupy Tampa and across the state are meeting in Orlando this weekend for a statewide convention to develop what organizers are calling "The People’s Plan," a list of desired legislative changes to be delivered on the first day of the 2012 Florida legislative session. More than 500 people…
GOP presidential candidate Gary Johnson to speak in Clearwater on Monday
Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, who has been ignored by most of the mainstream media in his quixotic bid for the GOP nomination for president, will be in Clearwater Monday night, December 12, at the Datex Business Center, Main Auditorium, 10300 49th Street North at 6 p.m. Johnson will not be in Iowa Saturday…
Neighborhood Dining Guide: Mall madness
Finding food among the holiday shopping chaos.
Story: Jennifer O’Connor makes her musical comeback
Jennifer O’Connor performs at Crowbar in Ybor City this Saturday night (video)
Jim Norman’s bill on banning videos on farms is back
Hillsborough/Pasco Republican state Senator Jim Norman is breathing a bit easier these days. A federal investigation of his dealings with the late GOP power broker Ralph Hughes has concluded without any charges coming his way, and a preliminary drawing of his legislative district makes it more advantageous for his re-election bid in 2012. So, now…
Knife & Co. hosts KitchenBar, plus the latest on food trucks and more
Hand her the knife
Republicans debate how hard-ass to be on Obama
It's not a stretch to say that large elements of the GOP hold Barack Obama in intense personal disdain. We'll refrain from using the word "hate" because people get upset about the term, but well, you get the idea. Certainly the GOP presidential candidates are united in their antipathy toward the health care plan that…
New Year’s Eve resolves to entertain
Veteran director Garry Marshall doesn’t drop the ball.
Tampa officials show urgency in adding sidewalk and lights to scene of accident
A week ago, Tampa City Council members blasted the Buckhorn administration for not acting with sufficient urgency on pedestrian safety improvements in an area of East Tampa where a pregnant woman was hit and killed last month. Receiving the brunt of that criticism was Jean Dorzback, the city's transportation manager. Unquestionably bruised from that encounter,…
Green Community Calendar weekend events
Green After Dark, ‘Red Wine, Green Art’ exhibit, Sierra Club holiday gala, and more.
Gingrich surge real in Florida: He’s up by 23 points in Time/CNN poll
A week ago, a series of polls of early voting states was released by the polling firm Insider Advantage that showed Newt Gingrich with dramatic new leads over Mitt Romney. But as we wrote at the time, there was some question about its veracity, because the head of Insider Advantage, Matt Towery, has longtime connections…
Hillsborough Commissioners may direct tourist tax money to promote region during RNC
Democratic Commissioner Les Miller joked that he has never attended an RNC, and doesn't intend to next year The Hillsborough County Commission voted 7-0 on Wednesday to support Chairman Ken Hagan's motion to look into the use of tourist development tax funds to promote Tampa and Hillsborough County when the Republican National Convention rolls around…
Jacky St. James on the craft of writing porn for women
Jacky St. James While men are aroused primarily by the physical, for women, the emotional and cerebral cues of a good love story are erotic. This is not to say women can't enjoy watching x-rated action; they just want to see the romance that builds up to the sex. Having grown up with explicit content…
Mitch Perry Report 12.8.11
It finally feels like late fall in Florida this morning, and it's certainly a cold, harsh beginning of the day for Mitt Romney supporters in the Sunshine State. Last week we looked somewhat askance at a series of polls in the early voting states (including Florida) that showed Newt Gingrich up substantial over Romney. Today…
Trends atop trends at Clearwater’s Besa Grill
Too much is never enough at this Latin-accented crowd-pleaser.
My future as a digital ghost
I’ll be the gift that keeps on giving — from the grave!
Pigeons
Assessing the divisions, perceived and actual, between two groups protesting the status quo.
Before they were Mellon Collie: A review of the new Gish and Siamese Dream re-issues
The Smashing Pumpkins upgrade Gish and Siamese Dream with outtakes, concert video and more.
Live & Local Spotlight: Hip Hop Against Hunger Benefit Show
Last year, organizers of Hip Hop Against Hunger collected nearly 400 pounds of food for the homeless. They hope to double that number with the second annual edition held in collaboration with Feeding America: Tampa Bay. In addition to sets by DJs Charlie Chase, Ranmecca, Rahim Samad and Shafiq, b-boy action by Future Legendz, and…
And so to bed
Two fine actors, 10 hookups, on-stage nudity … so why is Blue Room a bit of a snooze?
A look at the Crazy Things Parents Text
New book captures how moms and dads text the darndest things.
As seen in Miami
Local successes and soul-stirring surprises in a whirl through Art Basel.
Feedback
You write it, we print it.
Orlando puts on My Morning Jacket
Plus: Tierney Sutton, Jobsite Rocks!, Yo Gabba Gabba and more of the week’s best upcoming concerts.
Pick up a hooker, lose your car
Plus: Herman Cain, RNC and more shit happened from Dec. 1-7, 2011
Reigniting an old flame
The return of a first love threatens an otherwise stable marriage.
Queened Out: Is there life after love?
One thing that every person has in common is that we all have felt some sort of love. With that love we all have also felt some version of heartbreak. After every heartbreak it feels nearly impossible to move on from it and rebuild. Is it really all that impossible? Once upon a time there…
A man, a horse and a girl: Rode offers a new take on an old classic
Music has long provided inspiration, and the Jimmy Driftwood song, "The Tennessee Stud," has inspired the likes of Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and Doc Watson, who each offered their own version. The song provides a different sort of inspiration for Thomas Fox Averill, who uses it as the basis of his recently published novel, Rode…
“Ralphie to the Rescue”: A Christmas Story gets the Broadway musical treatment
Clarke Hallum as Ralphie in A Christmas Story: The Musical Those of you out there like me who grew up with pre-cable syndicated television can relate to the weird nostalgia we feel for bygone eras we never lived through. Having seen so many old musicals, cartoons and comedies on WTOG-Ch. 44 — The Three Stooges,…
Ybor merchants gather to form Business Watch Network
Ybor merchants meet at the Ritz For years now, members of the Ybor City business community have chafed at its reputation as a crime-infested neighborhood. The recent shootings at Club Empire and Club Manilla certainly haven't helped that reputation, but as Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor attested once again today, crime has dropped radically in…
Concert review: Wale at The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City
Fresh of the release of his debut Maybach Music-backed LP, Ambition, Wale took the stage at The Ritz Sunday night for a brief, energetic performance rife with this new material and a handful of past hits. Wale's set was concise and to the point; minimal banter between songs, tracks cut to one-verse lengths, perfect for…
The Daily Show’s Aasif Mandvi tries to get Gov. Rick Scott to pee into a cup
Pissed at Gov. Scott? So is Aasif … CL political wonk Mitch Perry had Gov. Rick Scott's 2012 budget announcement on the office TV today. As the Governor droned on about his plans to eviscerate the middle and lower classes to better enrich his billionaire buddies (I'm paraphrasing), my attention drifted in and out. How…
Photo review: Paul Simon at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Some photos from the Monday night concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall featuring singer-songwriter luminary Paul Simon. More after the jump.
Mitch Perry Report 12.7.11
Florida Governor Rick Scott announces his priorities for his second budget later this afternoon, and the big news before he even delivers it is the news that he intends to ask for a $1 billion increase in K-12 education spending. The speech comes a day after a new survey shows his popularity at a lowly…
Hey, Men’s Health: Want to know what’s really depressing?
St. Petersburg the saddest city in America? Don’t believe everything you read.
