Pinellas pour houses: Four craft beer bars you should know about
That is, if you don’t already frequent these beer havens in Largo, Palm Harbor and St. Pete.
Florida ranks as 5th most dog-loving state
Floridans really adore four-legged lovers. We rank 5th in the country for states that love their dogs the most. Give yourself a nice doggy pat on the back. Big Heart Pet Brands, the makers of Milk-Bone and Pup-Peroni, conducted a survey of 3,000 dog parents to determine how often they engage in dog-loving activities— we're…
Activists in Clearwater critical of U.S. Rep. Jolly’s immigration stance
Ed Quionones As the national debate on immigration reform has become a political game of chicken, organizers gathered outside of Julie's Mexican Restaurant in Clearwater Wednesday morning to state their displeasure with U.S. Rep. David Jolly (R-Indian Shores). Their big criticism? Jolly's January vote to defund President Barack Obama's December executive order extending the 2012…
Do This: Glow-in-the-Dark Valentine’s Scorpion Sex
Now, here’s something really different for Valentine’s Day …
Get a heart on: CL’s Valentine’s Day Events Guide
Where is the love? All over Tampa Bay, at events celebrating arts and community.
Whiskey society invites public to April bourbon lecture
Absorb more bourbon know-how with the Tampa Bay Whiskey Society and Four Roses in Tampa.
The king and queen of darkness — a night with Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman
A paean to heartbreak on Valentine’s night from one of entertainment’s most iconic couples.
Theater Review: Birds of a Feather
The cast is versatile, the premise inventive, but the script lapses too often into stereotype.
Sh*t happened 2/12/15: Steinem honored, Bucs QB dropped, more
Iconic women's rights advocate and living legend Gloria Steinem was the first recipient of the Helen Gordon Davis Waves of Change Women's Leadership Award at a luncheon in Tampa. In her speech, Steinem, 80, emphasized the importance of exacting change in comparatively small communities. And you thought the bullshit rationalizations and smokescreens the define #gamergate…
Gun lust: Florida lawmakers refuse to examine their generous gun laws despite the consequences
It was a headline that could have been plucked from a Carl Hiaasen novel: Florida man irks neighbors with backyard gun range. But for residents of St. Petersburg’s Lakewood Estates neighborhood, where 21-year-old Joey Carannante planned to shoot at a makeshift target he’d installed in his father’s yard, the threat of guns blasting in the…
Dark & sinful: Happy St. Bonnie’s Day
Last weekend, I checked out Walgreen’s selection of Valentine’s Day swag. Ferrero Rocher chocolates? $10.99. Huggable Bear? $49. Generic perfume inspired by Chanel No. 5? $19.99. The special Valentine’s Day coupons promised that K-Y Jelly would be a low $14.99 with your Balance Rewards Card. Say you’re looking for something swankier. Buy someone roses that…
Transforming Tampa Bay: Off the ramp
Did you hear about the Tampa Express Lanes Project? No? Not surprising, since the state seems to be keeping it under the radar, but here’s the deal: Governor Rick Scott wants to plow $6 billion ($3.3 billion to start) into a roadway construction project that would create so-called “Lexus Lanes” in which paying customers can…
Bill allowing small cities to ban plastic bags would obviously be a good for the environment. But will it pass?
Shoppers carelessly let one or two of the translucent plastic bags accompanying their groceries fly away in the wind. Storms whip those bags into a frenzy, taking them down the street and into our bays, bayous and beaches, from which they float out into open water. Turtles mistake them for jellyfish, eat them, and die…
Pier presentations begin; public asked politely to weigh in, pretty please
Wednesday morning marked the start of a two-day series of presentations in which the groups behind seven Pier design proposals will present to a panel of judges on how neat-o their concepts are. The first two up were Alfonso Architects' concept, Alma, and FR-EE's Prospect Pier. The first would demolish the inverted pyramid while the…
Theater Review: First Date at the Straz
Can it be true love? First Date brings a fresh, funny approach to a familiar subject.
A small production, a big dream — Rob Mello’s Love is Black and White
One Man’s unexpected journey from fry cook to director.
Big Guava Music Festival adds Pretty Lights, Awolnation & others to 2015 lineup
Joining The Strokes, The Pixies, Hozier and more May 8-9 at the Florida State Fairgrounds
Wolfing it Down: 4 Rivers brings Cheerwine, a Bucs alum sighting
The pack sniffs out Tampa’s newly opened 4 Rivers Smokehouse.
Restaurant review: Go with the flow at Station House
St. Pete’s Station House pairs its lively, shared-plates vibe with stellar craft cocktails.
Five Courses: A sneak peek of Urban Comfort’s brewpub fare (with photos)
Yep. CL previewed five comfort food dishes before Urban Comfort’s Cigar City beer dinner Tuesday.
Sh*t happened 2/11/15: TIA expansion, Home Depot hiring, Williams suspended & more
So, Tuesday. What about Tuesday? Well, Tuesday was sorta like that Dorito that twists suddenly like a traitor's knife to flay the roof of your mouth at the worst possible moment during the worst possible hangover-dehydrated lunch meeting, actually. Live near Tampa International Airport? Absolutely love the deafening sound of low-flying airplanes? Congratulations! You may…
Tonight in live music: Ingrid Michaelson, The Maness Brothers
Concerts this Wed., Feb. 11.
Well, that was quick: New Bush team tech hire leaves after off-color Tweets revealed
When Jeb Bush's possible presidential campaign announced Ethan Czahor would serve as chief technology officer of Bush's Right to Rise PAC, the Internet quickly dug up dirt. Most of said dirt consisted of sexist and homophobic Tweets, many of which were published at least five years ago. On Monday a Bush spokeswoman defended him, but…
Uh-oh. State faces $1.3 billion gap after feds pull low income pool funds (like they said they would)
Well, we can't say we didn't see this coming. On Tuesday Health News Florida reported a federal funding source, which helps hospitals in Florida cover care for people who can't afford it themselves, is going away at the end of June. Eliot Fishman, director of the Medicaid division of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid…
Jon Stewart to leave The Daily Show
The news humor pundit will finish out the current season, according to Comedy Central.
Make Your Own Folk Art Valentine with Missionary Mary Proctor
Tallahassee area folk artist Missionary Mary Proctor is widely known and beloved for her handcrafted paintings and sculptures, which transform everyday cast-offs such as bottle caps, paint brushes and old record albums into inspirational signs of faith and feeling. A regular participant in Creative Clay’s annual Folkfest, Proctor leads a special valentine-making workshop and art…
FOX News contributor trolls Gasparilla for – get this! – uninformed ignoramuses
FOX News is good at two things: blatantly misleading its viewers and running moral outrage-laced diatribes about Our Nation's Youth interspersed with footage of hot, inebriated beach babes. Here we deal with an instance of the latter in which one of the network's "personalities" tries to make Tampanians look stupid. Monday night, the network aired O'Reilly Factor contributor…
Congrats to local writer/USF professor Ira Sukrungruang, Bronze Medalist in Florida Book Awards
The University of South Florida Instructor won the Bronze Medal for General Nonfiction for his collection of essays, Southside Buddhist.
Ricky P’s, Mardi Gras bash have good food, times rolling into the EDGE
King Cake, gumbo and other NOLA grub to be offered at St. Pete’s ode to Mardi Gras this weekend.
Wine travel: Time For Wine workshop journeys to Sonoma Valley
Head to Tampa for a midweek Time For Wine tour of Sonoma Valley food and wine Wednesday.
New Bush tech hire announced; said hire then…wait for it…scrubs Twitter of sexist, homophobic Tweets
As word spread about the Jeb Bush presidential almost-campaign tapping Ethan Czahor as their new chief technology officer Monday, it didn't take too long for the Internet to dig up some old things he said on Twitter that were, well, off color. Czahor is founder of Hipster.com (whatever that was now reroutes to aol.com) and served…
Sh*t happened 2/10/15: Edwards buys Midtown Sundries, Scott earns mixed results in poll & more
What hath Monday wrought? A yen for old-timey language use, apparently, though that might just be a little pre-Renaissance Festival excitement. Anyhoo: Rowdies owner/local business magnate Bill Edwards bought the downtown St. Pete building housing a parking garage and the former home of restaurant Midtown Sundries, ostensibly to provide more parking for the soccer fans…
New Music Tuesday! (February 10): Father John Misty, Rhiannon Giddens, Gretchen Peters & more
Releases out this week; audio & video included.
Tonight in live music: Wale, Evan Dando, Tina & Her Pony
Concerts this Tue., Feb. 10.
Inside more Sundial restos: Ruth’s Chris steak cutting, Sea Salt cocktail party
Ruth’s Chris and Sea Salt toasted their recent Sundial openings with private in-house events.
The Well-Played List: New meets Valentine’s Day lusty, from Caribou to Twerps to D’Angelo & more
The latest edition is packed with lust-inspired songs, albums and playlists along with the usual recs.
Bonefish slings $5 Bang Bang Shrimp in honor of Grammy nom
“Bang Bang” almost got a Grammy, so Bonefish’s offering its signature shrimp for $5 to celebrate.
Sh*t happened 2/9/2015: Trop value, the Grammys and humanity’s newest low
Did you enjoy the weekend? If so, then perhaps Sam Smith is your spirit animal. Your smooth, smooth, androgynous spirit animal, like a hermaphroditic seal sleek and fresh from the sea. FRIDAY, FEB. 6 A Tampa Bay Times story looks at the potential value of the land under Tropicana Field, should the Rays relocate. Depending…
Concert review: Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band rock Amalie Arena, Tampa
A look back at the Thurs., Feb 5 show.
Ye Olde Renaissance Festival events announced
Themed weekends galore offer a variety of anachronistic good times.
This weekend in live music: Rich Aucoin, Travis Tritt, Living Colour & more
Concerts this Sat.-Sun., Feb. 7-8
FarmTable Kitchen kicks off online reservations for February
Diners may reserve seats at Locale Market’s FarmTable Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to start.
Use of N-Word causes Gulfport man to lose volunteer CERT gig with city
In the wake of a story that ran last month in Creative Loafing about Gulfport's evolving attitudes on race, Gulfport Fire Chief Jim Marenkovic — under orders from city manager Jim O'Reilly — has called for Louis Worthington's resignation from the city's volunteer community emergency response team (CERT). CERT members have training that allow them to assist…
Miami lawmaker wants say in where transgender people can tinkle
Despite extensive studies showing that transgender people aren't trying to check out your junk in public bathrooms, Republican State Rep. Frank Artiles filed a bill that belongs in a handbook on how to discriminate. The proposal, HB 583, would apply to same-sex facilities like restrooms, fitting rooms and locker rooms, and says people who try…
Dy-no-mite! Comedian Jimmie “J.J.” Walker coming to Treasure Island
Good times will be had when the ’70s icon takes the mic on March 13.
Jolly to VA: Stop declaring people dead when they’re not
The US Department of Veterans Affairs has earned its share of notoriety, what with the huge backlog and the not letting patients seek new treatment that actually works. Of late, their goofs have taken a rather dark turn. The latest way the department has been flubbing? Calling people dead when they are in fact still…
Sh*t happened 2/6/2015: Bush too rational, Inspector General too irrational, Verizon too efficient
What can we say about yesterday that hasn't already been said by that guy in the park with the sparkly gold thong and the roller skates? To wit: New York Times column "The Upshot" sees a problem with potential presidential candidate Jeb Bush's ability to relate to his party's base. The, ahem, upshot: Bush evinces…
Tonight in live music: Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers, Eric Lindell, Bob Marley Birthday Tribute & more
Concerts this Fri., Feb. 6
Do This: The Weekend Top 10
Localtopia, the Florida State Fair, The Wizard of Oz Touring Exhibit and much more.
St. Pete council approves new police station funding, mulls arts funding proposal
As they discussed possible details of a new St. Pete Police headquarters, city council members repeatedly cautioned that their decision wasn't to approve a plan for a new police station — it was only to agree on allowing a portion of the funding to come from Penny for Pinellas dollars. Currently, the St. Petersburg Police…
Scott on FDLE: My bad. We done here?
During a meeting with his cabinet members at the Tampa Fairgrounds, Florida Governor Rick Scott actually addressed the scandal that's been unfolding around him over the ouster of the state's top law enforcement official. The governor faces a legal challenge from a collection of news organizations over the governor and cabinet's alleged lack of transparency,…
[VIDEO] Poltergeist remake has official trailer, and it doesn’t suck
Yup — the clown is back, along with Sams Rockwell and Raimi.
[VIDEO] Alison Mosshart of The Kills/Dead Weather on new Gang of Four single “England’s in my Bones”
Gang of Four! Inimitable U.K. proto-post-punk! Legendary underground heroes from days of yore! They've got a new album, What Happens Next, out in a couple of weeks, and you can click through to see the video for single "England's in my Bones." So what the hell does that have to do with Tampa Bay music?…
Poet’s Notebook: What are they afraid of?
after the murder, after the burial Emmett’s mother is a pretty-faced thing; the tint of pulled taffy. She sits in a red room, drinking black coffee… The continuing backlash to the riots in Ferguson sent me back to some old thoughts about racism in America. Sixty years ago, in 1955,…
For your Valentine’s Day consideration: The not-at-all-creepy Fifty Shades of Grey teddy bear
Why yes, the Vermont Teddy Bear Company — beloved online "Made in America" institution and go-to source of well-made, cleverly themed teddy bears for teddy bear lovers of all ages — is indeed offering a Fifty Shades of Grey bear. Thanks for asking! As the poorly written book is about to make its debut as an…
Tonight in live music: Bob Seger, Less Than Jake & Reel Big Fish, The Revivalists + more
Concerts this Thurs., Feb. 5.
Dean Johanesen brings on the solo swing
The Bradenton-based, Tampa Bay-frequented singer-songwriter settles into his vintage sounds
