Barack Obama is Ms. Magazine’s latest cover… errr… guy?
Barack Obama (a dude who has been president for all of 8 days) is featured on the cover of Ms. Magazine's Winter 2009 issue. The feminist rag's publisher, Elanor Smeal, defends the choice in the issue's preface: "When the chair of the Feminist Majority Foundation board, Peg Yorkin, and I met Barack Obama, he immediately offered 'I am a…
We Are Citizens of Something Planet
Something Planet is a weekly podcast featuring a troupe of funny men talking about not-so-everyday things. David the Day John J, Stuey B, Endless Mike and Corporate Jared offer up 90 minutes of music, laughs, cries, trivia and even horoscopes. Something Planet usually plays and interviews local and regional bands. The guys also have released…
Indie 101: Sea Wolf
Greetings, virtual champions and welcome to the first week of my attempt at underground music infiltration! There is no better “first week” artist than Sea Wolf. Careful now, apparently there are two Sea Wolf’s out there. My understanding is that the other Sea Wolf does not have a space between “Sea” and “Wolf." But the…
Macca meets Colbert Wednesday night
Sir Paul McCartney, the only lucid Beatle remaining alive, will appear on The Colbert Report on Comedy Central on Wednesday, 11:30 p.m. Either the most hilarious thing you will see all year or another sign that the apocalypse is upon us: Paul McCartney to Appear on 'The Colbert Report' on Wednesday, January 28 at 11:30…
Aly Carr — Contributor
Aly is the music editor of Pop Rock Candy Mountain, and the creative director and co-host of The Merry Andrews Show. She engages in clumsy behavior regularly and loves to play Super Mario Bros. She cannot sing or dance. email: alymerryandrews@gmail.com
What if your art museum sold all of its art?
That's what's happening at Brandeis University. The Boston Globe reports that the school is closing its Rose Art Museum and selling a 6,000-object collection including work by Warhol and Lichtenstein. Read the rest of the story here
MySpace Music throws another secret show — in St. Pete!
You always read about these concerts — MySpace throws a secret show, and though it usually reveals the location and bands the day before it occurs, most of the rest of us find out about it after the fact. Or we find out on time, but have no possible way to check out the show…
If you’re going to drive in traffic anywhere near the Tampa Super Bowl, don’t!
Some roads are already closed and others will close over the next few days as Super Bowl fever, activities and traffic peak. The city of Tampa today announced the following road closures in Channelside, Ybor, around the RayJay and beyond: January 30, 2009 beginning at 6 p.m. through February 1, 2009 at midnight, the Transportation…
Super Bowl Media Day: An orgy of hype
Talk about your fish out of water. Take a veteran alt-weekly journalist and thrust him into Super Bowl Media Day. Loaded down with a video camera, a digital audio recorder and a digital still camera (oh, and a notebook, made of paper), the one-man-media-gang that was me joined a sea of others for more than…
Lizz Straight — Contributor
Elizabeth "Lizz" Straight has been on the spoken word scene nationally and internationally for the past nine years. This 28 year-old native of the Mississippi Gulf Coast is not only one of the United States' top spoken word artists, but she's also a radio personality and activist. She is currently the host of a weekly…
Tonight at Jannus Landing: Keller Williams.
The last time I saw Keller Williams perform, I was standing on a beach in Jamaica as the sun went down, my feet splashing in the warm water, toes digging into the wet sand, a gentle Caribbean breeze stirring my hair. Even though I've made my share of jokes about the singer/songwriter/one-man band, I appreciated…
Fire and gams: L’Olivier Cabaret opening night slideshow
L'Olivier Restaurant and Cabaret had a big blow out opening on Friday night. Here's what you missed: [slideshow=12] (Photos thanks to Jamie Ostrand.)
Boxed wine wins San Francisco Chronicle wine competition
In a surprising twist (or pull), Corbett Canyon's non-vintage 3-liter box Merlot won Best of Class in this year's San Francisco Chronicle wine competition. Since the judges taste all wines blind, no one knew they were loving the box.
Florida’s own Madoff-lite Arthur Nadel now in FBI custody
Say you have a ponzi scheme that's lost $350 million dollars of Sarasota-area investor cash — where do you go to hide? South of France is nice. Switzerland is a classic. Even just a little embezzled money can set you up nicely in Africa or South America. But after discovering his car at the Sarasota/Bradenton…
Game Review: Mirror’s Edge
In one of my many never-to-be-realized daydreams, I start training really hard, hours a day, and become a parkour expert. I run around Southwest Florida rooftops, leaping from building roof to palm tree, doing flips and skipping up walls, defying gravity. The truth is, I never quite make it to the running, let alone all…
Red Mesa Cantina sneak peek
Along with just about everyone in St. Pete (and possibly the entire Bay area), I was ecstatic to hear that Red Mesa would be opening another restaurant in the old DeSanto spot in downtown and couldn't wait to get down there. Last Saturday night I ventured in to sample fare at the one-week old "modern…
El Cap makes Digital City’s list of nation’s 27 best burgers
AOL's Digital City site has named their picks for the best 27 burgers in the country, thoughtfully divided into nine different categories. Under the "Hometown Representatives" tag (whatever that means) St. Petersburg's own El Cap has made the grade. Here's what they say about our own famous burger joint:
CL Sounds 1.27
A new weekly blogroll of what the Creative Loafing music team is listening to right now. The Thermals The Body, The Blood, The Machine (2006) Straight up, uncompromising rock n' roll. It's filled to the brim with loud guitars, catchy tunes, and smart lyrics. The icing on the cake is the storyline that ties it…
Many products with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) found to contain mercury
A recent study published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found that many popular food products containing high fructose corn syrup contain detectable levels of mercury. The list of products includes staples like Smucker's strawberry jelly, Hershey's chocolate syrup and blueberry Pop Tarts. The researchers tested 55 products and found that 36% contained…
Black Lips escape arrest in India.
While the realize their normally outrageous stage show — which, in the past, has included urinating, nudity, vomiting, band members kissing, cross-dressing, fireworks, a chicken, and flaming guitars — maybe wouldn't translate so well in certain overseas countries, namely one where public displays of affection can get you arrested. I think, in the end, that…
Food & Drink: Daily wrap-up – 1/26
What happened today, in the form of easy to absorb bullet points: Laura Reiley gets an early jump on Ocean Prime Go to any of the new restaurants that have opened recently? Let us know. Ethical foie gras? Looks like it. Free food at Five Guys — today only. Review of The Glenlivet 25 year-old…
St. Pete Times’ Laura Reiley checks out the new Ocean Prime
In a decidedly "run, don't walk" preview of Ocean Prime, the new seafood concept at International mall, Laura Reiley gushes about the service, the atmosphere and the food. Read her blogpost. My review of their wine list.
Ocean Prime, AquaKnox, Red Mesa Cantina, L’Olivier Cabaret, Bin 27: Anyone try them out yet?
We talked about these brand (and relatively) new places in the blog (L'Olivier, AquaKnox, several, Bin 27, Ocean Prime, and L'Olivier again) but who's actually braved these joints while they get their feet wet? Were they ready for the big day, or just struggling to keep up? The kitchen a disaster, or primed and ready?…
The future of foie gras: Dan Barber talks about Eduardo Sousa
Do you refrain from eating foie gras due to ethical concerns? Understandable, even if I personally overcome that ethical dilemma thanks to the fuindamental deliciousness of those fatted duck and goose livers. One of the biggest problems most folk have with the production of foie gras — besides the industrialized nature of almost every livestock…
Free food at Five Guys today
To celebrate the official opening of Five Guys Burgers and Fries at Skypoint (777 North Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa), they're giving away a free burger, hot dog and fries (at that location) to anyone who befriends them on Facebook.
How to hack digital road signs
You know those digital signs by the side of the road telling us about road conditions or that we should prepare to stop or that our local bridge might be closed next Tuesday from noon to midnight? Yeah, well, they're pretty easy to reprogram to say much funnier things, like, say, "Zombies Ahead." According to…
Bombs away: Mary-Louise Parker “robotic” as Hedda
Mary-Louise Parker of Weeds fame is usually (and deservedly) a critics' darling. But her performance in the title role of the new Broadway revival of Hedda Gabler has been royally trashed. Ben Brantley in the NY Times says Parker "has traded in her usual air of easy, quirky spontaneity for the robotic petulance of an…
Critic as playwright: Research, anyone?
On Sunday, John Fleming's article accusing me of a conflict of interest was published in the St. Pete Times. I've already responded to these charges in earlier blogs. But Sunday's article upped the ante: John said that because my review of Tommy J and Sally came out in Creative Loafing a week before my review…
The Glenlivet XXV: Aged elegance
The Glenlivet XXV Single-Malt Scotch Whiskey (Speyside, Highlands) In the old days, I frequented a bar in Sarasota called The Gator Club. D ownstairs it was a meat-market for the lower-end middle-aged set, complete with cover bands and cheap cocktails. Upstairs, however, was a different scene. There was a pool table, aged leather couches, hidden…
Five food trends for 2009
Wondering what are going to be the next 'it' things in the food world in 2009? Here's the scoop: New (and Unusual Flavor) Pairings Toasted sesame and rootbeer? Tarragon and beetroot? According to the spice mogul McCormick, these are just some of the flavor combinations slated to be "hot" this year. Through their research, McCormick's…
The Short List: Prison riot outside Orlando
Ok, so they aren't exactly the fireside chats, but Barack Obama's weekly YouTube message has been a cool way for him to talk directly to the American people. It's good to see the videos continue now that Obama is the President. Obama may be all about the bipartisan spirit, but the Republicans not so much.…
More Animal Collective fluffing…
As Leilani posted last week, tickets for Animal Collective's June 8 visit to State Theatre in St. Pete went on sale on Friday. Evidently, the band has already sold 50 of the 700 available tickets; a sell-out looks likely. If the show is a fraction as cool as their "My Girls" video, then we'll definitely…
Bands named after other bands’ songs
In response to Leilani's "Top 10 Stupid Band Names," I'd like to point out that, yes, not only are some band names stupid, or bad – sometimes they're downright stolen. We've all sat around stoned, drunk (even sober) and thought up – or accidentally stumbled upon – the next greatest band name EVER. There's got to be a list of…
Summing up Sundance 2009: The best festival in years
It's Saturday night in Park City and another festival is winding down. The first weekend of the festival is always the most chaotic and crowded. I find the second weekend more pleasant even if it is a bit sad to see things coming to a close. Shuttle buses are less frequent, people more relaxed. For…
Tampa actor Ami Sallee Corley asks: Why do we stay?
[Editor's Note: Ami Sallee Corley is an actor, a teacher and now a blogger for CL. (That's Ami in the photo at left with Drew DeCaro, Bechir Sylvain and Petrus Antonius, fellow members of the cast of Gorilla Theatre's recent Six Degrees of Separation.) I'm pleased to have her join the conversation, which she begins…
Another critic heard from: Village Voice’s Michael Feingold weighs in
As mentioned in an earlier post, the St. Pete Times' John Fleming has raised conflict-of-interest questions re Creative Loafing's theater critic, Mark E. Leib, who has reviewed shows at theaters where he either has or will have readings or productions of his plays. In making his argument, Fleming allowed that it wasn't unheard of for…
Holocaust denier? Come back to Il Papa!
Pope Benedict XVI has chosen to welcome back into the fold a Bishop who is on record as denying the Holocaust. Bishop Richard Williamson of Great Britain (left) was excommunicated 20 years ago on grounds that his consecration and that of three other bishops had not been papally approved, according to an AP report. The…
Happy Birthday, Virginia Woolf, you wacky thing
Today's the 128th birthday of Virginia Woolf, whom no one is afraid of anymore but who is still best known as a pioneer of the 20th-century novel, capturing the processes of memory and perception in precise, lyrical prose. Who knew she also had a wacky side? NPR's Weekend Edition reported this morning that the wackier…
NYC hearts Miami City Ballet, but what about Tampa Bay?
Florida is getting some love from the toughest audiences in the world: New York City dance fans. The Miami City Ballet, headed by legendary dancer Edward Villella, is making its NYC debut this week, and the reviews have been ecstatic. Alastair Macaulay, the New York Times' usually hard-to-please critic, followed up his enthusiastic review of…
L’Olivier Cabaret opens with feathers and flash
L'Olivier Restaurant & Cabaret opened in Ybor last night with a (literally) fiery bash. Cancan girls; a Marilyn Monroe-esque chanteuse; the hostess with the mostest (you name it, she's got more of it) Stephanie Shippaé; a mega-sound system; and yes, a man dancing with fire — this was a show, ladies and gentlemen. When I'd…
Critic vs. critic: The conflict-of-interest issue, revisited
As discussed earlier on the Daily Loaf, St. Petersburg Times performing arts critic John Fleming recently questioned Creative Loafing theater critic Mark E. Leib about a possible conflict of interest in Leib's relationship with two theaters. Now Fleming has published his criticisms in the Times. Here's the situation: Gorilla Theatre recently hosted a staged reading…
Sundance Closing Night: Every Day is Earth Day
Stewart Brand, founder of the Whole Earth catalog, wields the button that got him started (before we'd gone to the moon). Earth Days (Sundance 2009's closing night film), directed by Robert Stone, begins with a powerful montage of United States presidents, beginning with John F. Kennedy, proclaiming the urgency of the mission to clean up…
The Arcade Fire performing “Born in the U.S.A.” at Wednesday’s Obama for America staff ball, in full
Well, I teased ya'll about this yesterday, and here it is: a complete video of The Arcade Fire performing one of Bruce Springsteen's biggest hits at Wednesday's private inauguration party for former Obama campaign staffers. The sound is a little questionable, I'll admit, but you get the gist:
Yo-Yo Ma faked it!
Today over lunch I got embroiled in a spirited debate with a professional journalist friend of mine. The topic? Are bloggers truly journalists? As you might imagine, I stuck up for the bloggers maintaining that we're as entitled to the distinction as the next guy. My argument went something like this: A "journalist" is little more than an observer who records…
Around the Web in Americana music (mostly)
Another week comes to pass and I am a mere two weeks away from heading out west for some snowboarding. I am gonna try to make this weekly Americana(ish) web round-up a regular thing. Is anyone out there reading them? Anyhow, outside of music I have a few things I'm thinking about… First, what the…
Food and Drink: Week in review
Obama was inagurated on Tuesday, and in the frenzy of media coverage you may have missed what's really important — sustenance. No worries, we have the entire week distilled down to a mere few links. Just for you: Listen to the inaugural episode of Nosh Pit, CL's new food and wine podcast. Brush up on…
More PBJ news — album cover, tiny tour
Earlier this week, I posted a blog about the new forthcoming album from Swede pop trio Peter Bjorn and John, Living Thing. The band has seen fit to release the album cover, too, which probably wouldn't have been worth another post except that it's pretty cool. (Click on it to enlarge it.) To check out…
Your Facebook status can be deadly
Be careful what you put as your Facebook status. A 41-year-old British man was sentenced to 18 years in prison today for murdering his 26-year-old wife after she changed her Facebook status to "single." The woman's parents were quoted as saying, ""We hope that Richardson will be an old man before he's ever allowed out…
NOFX tour doc makes it to DVD in March
You may have missed this the first time around, because who the hell watches Fuse? But last spring, the music video network took a break from airing badly-censored versions of shitty movies and provided a decent reason to tune in: NOFX: Backstage Passport. The eight-episode tour documentary chronicled what the band thinks may have been its last extensive world…
Palin against the whales
Watch out, Moby Dick! Whalin' Palin is gunning for you. Sorry — you just happened to be the latest easy target in her ongoing campaign to stay in the headlines until she officially announces for the 2012 presidential race. Careful, Sarah — as you oughta know from those cold Alaska winters, over-exposure can be dangerous.
A new FMOPA exhibit: NFL HISTORY from Getty Images
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts celebrates the Super Bowl with a new exhibit, NFL HISTORY from Getty Images. The 32 iconic photographs illustrate great moments in NFL history and are on loan from one of the country's largest collections of sports imagery taken by award-winning photographers. Tonight, the museum welcomes former NFL star placekicker Martín…
It’s Girl Scout cookie time! But, be aware…
Tagalongs and Thin Mints for me, thanks. A freezer full, if I can find the room. Cookies went on sale two weeks ago and continue until March. But before you buy, there's a few things you may want to know.
Video: CL Street Team – Operation Fever Dog
Watch the Creative Loafing Street Team endure a nighttime challenge that includes mysterious clues, creepy motorcyclists and dead camera batteries. See how they make out! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ_-rQoZ-Vo[/youtube]
Jimmy Fallon interviewed by Diggnation, geeks out
Jimmy Fallon sure has been wooing the nerds recently. The former Saturday Night Live cast member/chronic giggler will take over Late Night from Conan O'Brien, who in turn is moving up to The Tonight Show starting March 2 (there's a countdown widget, if you're into that sort of thing), and he has been on the…
The more I hear about Obama, the more he fucking rocks
Not only did he publicly and deliciously diss George W. Bush in his forever-etched-in-textbooks inauguration speech, now Barack Obama is actually following through on the what seemed like over-the-top promises he fed us during the campaign. I ate it up like cold pizza leftovers but shamefully and silently thought, "Whatever, like he's ever going to do anything…
Al Roker to broadcast weather from Ybor’s Teatro on Seventh
Next Thursday from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m., NBC's Today Show will broadcast celebrity weatherman Al Roker's segment from Ybor City's Teatro on Seventh, a restaurant that opened in October 2008. Read more about Teatro on Seventh Teatro's website
Round-up – St. Pete and New York Times food sections
The best of the best food sections, all organized into one place. St. Pete Times: Janet Keeler gives her take on Chef Tom Pritchard's Roast (read ours) and provides a recipe for roasted vegetable mac & cheese Laura Reiley reviews Zeko's Mediterranean Grill in St. Pete and Ybor City's Teatro on Seventh.
Food and wine events
Friday, Jan. 23: Vintage Wine Cellars Hoppy beers will be on tap. $10. 7-9 p.m., 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa (813-879-2931 or vintagewinecellars.net) Friday, Jan. 23: Bern's Fine Wines & Spirits Continuing the January Crush Hour series, Bern's will feature Oregon Pinot Noirs. $25. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 1002 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-9463 or bernssteakhouse.com) Friday, Jan.…
The Short List: Biden zings John Roberts
You know how I know the next four years are going to be fun? Two words: Joe Biden. Here, Biden knocks John Roberts for flubbing the oath on inauguration day. Obama looks none too pleased, by the way. I love it! And the new Senator from New York is … not named Kennedy or Cuomo.…
Podcast: SMAsh Radio (Episode 29) celebrates 3 years
SMAsh Radio, your favorite local-music-Web-radio-show, turns 3 YEARS OLD! with Episode 29. Joran and Stephen talk about the scene, play some music and even take your phone calls! This month features tracks from Geri X, Roppongi's Ace, Sons of Hippies, Palantine, Daylight District, Ryan Wendell Bauer and more. Stay Up, Tampa Bay! Subscribe here or via iTunes. Play…
Bourdain, AquaKnox, Fleming’s, and Top Chef: Food & Drink daily recap
Just in case you missed it, here are the top Food & Drink stories of the day: Top Chef recap: "Restaurant Wars" Fleming's three-course prix fixe returns New restaurant preview: AquaKnox Bourdain calls Alice Waters "very Khmer Rouge" And some more from around the web: Cooking with apples: Pink Lady's the choice How much does…
Free shit: Orville Redenbacher popcorn
Orville Redenbacher is rolling out a new line of "Natural Gourmet" pop corn. Click on the link below and after answering a couple of brief questions, in a few short weeks you can have some munchies to go with your next netflix selection. free popcorn
Recapping a few nights in D.C. for the inauguration
So, admittedly, I've been slacking in bringing you updates about my week up in D.C., which I promised to do as recently as this past Monday. Been too busy standing around in uncomfortable shoes, I guess. I don't have great photos from either "An Evening with Jay-Z," a one-off unofficial celebration show Jay put on…
Rick Dakan – Contributor
Rick Dakan is the author of three novels, Geek Mafia, Geek Mafia: Mile Zero, and Geek Mafia: Black Hat Blues. He co-created the hit online game, City of Heroes, and has written for and about games of all kinds since the mid-90's. He is obsessed with games, books, other life's great pleasures and measures his…
New to ABC’s Lost, or need a refresher? Here’s the most concise and accurate guide to the first four seasons
Feeling a little confused? If you're new to Lost and need a quick rundown of the first four seasons, or want to brush up after the long lull between last year and last night's season 5 premiere, we've got you covered. Quick. Easy. Just the highlights. Start delving into one of television's best dramas, after…
Lost Report: “Because You Left”/”The Lie”
After what seemed an eternity, ABC's Lost has finally returned for another 16 episode run. When last we saw the castaways on TV's funkiest island it was May 29, 2008. Hillary Clinton was still alive for the Democratic nomination. The Dow was above 12,500. On a personal note, I've gotten engaged and bought a house…
Bourdain calls Alice Waters “very Khmer Rouge”
DCist interviewed Anthony Bourdain — of No Reservations, and any other outlet where he can spout off with little restraint. Mild little interview, mostly, unless you're interested in his plans to move to Vietnam with his family for a year. Until, of course, the final question. Wouldn't be Tony without one incendiary remark:
Restaurant preview: High-end seafood spot Aquaknox opens this week
Hidden inside the bland box architecture of Westin's brand-new hotel on Tampa's Courtney Campbell Causeway lies the posh, sleek Aquaknox, a new restaurant featuring fine-dining seafood. Once you see the uber-cool waterfall wall veiling the wine room, you kinda know something different this way comes. A recent sneak peek of the dining room — dripping with…
Fleming’s three-course prix fixe returns
Recession relief alert: Fleming's Steakhouse three-course dinner for $35.95 (plus tax and gratuity). Throw in a glass of wine and you're in for a damn good meal. The menu choices: Choice of appetizer: Caesar salad or New England clam chowder Choice of entree: Filet Mignon Vigneron – olive dijon butter and mushrooms forestière OR Spicy grilled…
Mark McKinnon “reports” from the Bush Plane
Mark McKinnon, a W advisor, filed a gushy post on The Daily Beast about flying back to Texas with the former president on Tuesday. While the content wasn't all that surprising – "As he toured the cabin of the airplane throughout the flight, visiting with old friends, family, and staffers, he was filled with equanimity,…
Lost season premiere: When are we?
True to form, the season five premiere of Lost last night was enthralling, dramatic — and thoroughly confusing. As an avid fan of the show from day one, I have struggled to follow the show's basic — and by basic I mean unpredictable, often nonsensical and chronologically out-of-whack — plot lines. But, as if the…
Kama Sutra: Clasping Position
The Clasping Position has long traditionally been recognized with the male on top, but this version has been swapped around, giving the woman complete control of the motions. The position begins easiest with the man lying on his back, legs together, with a readied erection. The woman sits on him in standard cowgirl position and…
Top Chef re-cap: Restaurant Wars
I couldn't be bothered to catch Top Chef last night — Lost season premiere, for God's sake! — so here's what the rest of the more dedicated food blogosphere is saying: The Kitchn Serious Eats yumsugar Gawker I'll be watching last night's Restaurant Wars via the mighty TiVo, later today.
Martin Gramatica offers revelations on Ron & Ian
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Martin Gramatica, a fan favorite during his years with the team, did a guest spot on the Ron & Ian show on the Sports Animal this morning, and he offered up a couple of tidbits that most fans weren't aware of. Before Gramatica came on, the hosts talked about how…
Food and wine events
Wednesday, Jan. 21: Caretta on the Gulf Wine dinner with Melissa Stackhouse, winemaker at La Crema, and food from Caretta's chef David Thomas. $65. 6:30-10 p.m., 500 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater Beach (727-674-4109 or sandpearl.com) Wednesday, Jan. 21: Tarpon Library Cookbook Discussion Group This year's cookbook discussion topic is Culinary World Tour, starting this month in…
Xbox 360 Live Arcade download pleasures: Feed your gaming Maw
One of the more interesting trends in gaming these days is the rise of downloadable games for home consoles. While only a few have, so far, been really successful — like Geometry Wars and Castle Crashers — the ability for independent developers to make great, small-budget games and sell them directly to players through their…
Millionaire, Button pull in big Oscar hauls
Nominations were announced this morning for the Oscars, and there were some surprises — particularly the differing fortunes of two Kate Winslet vehicles: The Reader won several noms, including Best Actress for Winslet (who won a Best Supporting award at the Golden Globes for the same role) and Best Picture. But her Revolutionary Road got…
Super Bowl prices slashed! Now only $3,100!
What a bargain. Reuters reports that "tickets for the National Football League's Super Bowl could be the most affordable in years as a recession drives down prices." How affordable? Overall average per ticket is $3,100. And get this Wal-Mart-worthy doorbuster: "The maximum price paid for a ticket so far this year is $5,250, down from…
The Short List: Caroline Kennedy withdraws
Obama's first day in office was a success. Business was done. Executive Orders were released. A BS church ceremony was attended. I didn't think about Bush all day. Damn, now I ruined it. Caroline Kennedy pulls out of the race to be appointed to Hillary's old Senate seat. Barack Obama is sworn in … again.…
Los Campesinos! and Titus Andronicus Bring the Indie Rock Heat
Comfortably packed and full of sweet hipster coats, the Orpheum hosted a Tuesday night show with New Jersey's Titus Andronicus (see Gabe's review and pics below) and from across the Atlantic, the Welsh band Los Campesinos!. Two lead singers, Gareth and Aleksandra, each played a small glockenspiel and microKorg synths – Gareth's with a floor…
The Rock Report: Smokestack and the Foothill Fury @ Dave’s Aqua Lounge
On an unusually cold night in Florida, me and about 20 or so of my closest friends (total strangers) managed to get out to Dave's for Dahlonega, Georgia's own Smokestack and the Foothill Fury. It's a real shame so few people came out 'cause it was one hell of a show. I walked in just…
In photos: Los Campesinos! and Titus Andronicus
On Monday, which was one of coldest nights of the year in Tampa, Los Campesinos! and Titus Andronicus shared the stage at The Orpheum in Ybor and warmed the crowd with blisteringly hot tunes. Its rare for Tampa to get a chance to see two young bands in the early stages of their careers on…
The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle: Hallucinatory fun at Sundance
The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle Kaye Breeman I've just left the theater after seeing the Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, and would go to sleep, however I'm too… well… excited. This film was great, not that "great" even comes close. Odd. Puzzling. Emphatic. Ambiguous. Invigorating. Hilarious. Unique. Well,…
Black Dynamite: Hilarious hit at Sundance
Sunday's premiere midnight screening of Black Dynamite had the audience laughing and cheering as its inscrutable tough guy hero saves the world from "the man." The film was among the first to be picked up by a distributor at Sundance, when Sony Pictures bought the film for an estimated $2 million after intense overnight negotiations that…
Cupcake Spot St. Pete location opens 1/22
The obviously successful Tampa location just celebrated their one year anniversary and owners Nicole and Doug Longo are opening their second Cupcake Spot location this Thursday. Read Brian Ries' review from last year. Tampa 2401 S. Dale Mabry Ave. 813-258-3111 St. Pete Snell Arcade Building 405 Central Ave. 727-825-0572 www.thecupcakespotinc.com
David Caton can’t kill my Obama buzz!
Are you music buffs sick of narrowminded hatemongers trying to kill your Obama buzz? If so, you should check out my latest post in the Daily Loaf to find out how to fight back! Here's an excerpt: I’m still totally high from yesterday’s inauguration. Hearing a President say things like, “The time has come to carry forward that precious gift,…
Three Tampa restaurants open this weekend
A couple high-end restaurants are bucking trends by opening in the middle of the deepest economic slump in recent memory. Unsurprisingly, both are chains, albeit small ones. There's also a cool cabaret and bistro kicking off in GaYbor this weekend. Here's the rundown:
UT, USF: The student’s-eye view of the inauguration
The University of Tampa and the University of South Florida both have lively websites, and both ran stories today on student response to the presidential inauguration. Anecdotes include a UT student from Trinidad who was in D.C. but probably had a worse view of the proceedings than her classmates back in Tampa, and a USF…
The horror of Chick-Fil-A’s Waffle Fry Butts
They are the small, oddly shaped fries, with one non-waffle side at Chick-Fil-A. Chances are, you may not even notice them, but there they are, lurking near the bottom. It comes from the end of the potato when it's sliced to be made into fries. It's not a whole waffle fry, but more half waffle,…
Live it up with European royalty, or just dissolute celeb chefs, at this year’s biggest food events
The St. Pete Times has a great rundown of Florida's biggest wine and food events coming up in 2009. Writes John Bancroft: Two of Europe's remaining crowned heads, a platoon of celebrity chefs and a gaggle of gregarious winemakers headline food and wine festivals from Safety Harbor to Miami's South Beach in the coming months.…
Reel Projections: Tarantino’s Kill Bill gets a makeover
Rumors have been kicking around for some time that Quentin Tarantino is planning to recombine the excellent Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2 into one complete film on DVD. Of course, that was before the director ditched the continental 48 for Europe to shoot this summer's Inglourious Basterds starring Brad Jolie. Fortunately, QT has gone…
Shaky: Rolling Stone readers survey of best “dance” songs
As if I needed another reminder of the rapid graying of baby boomers … Rolling Stone polled its readers, asking them to name their favorite "dance" songs (on the occasion of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" continuing run at the top of the singles chart). The results were rather grim, another reminder of the growing creakiness…
Bluelucy meets Moby and Michael Stipe
We've been to art events that claim to be THE BEST show of the year — this was the first to actually live up to it. Manifest Hope:DC was the perfect combination of the right place, the right art and the right people. This three-day exhibit ended with an electrifying gala that changed our lives…
NY Times’ Mark Bittman talks about his new book — Food Matters
Mark Bittman talks about his new book — Food Matters — at Cooking Up A Story. You might find it in the cookbook section — there are 75 recipes — but his main thrust is to educate people about how their food choices are affected by government policy, economics and marketing. And, in return, how…
Obama orders a cheeseburger on Air Force One. Medium-well?! First gaffe!
Yep, our new president likes his burgers medium-well, as shown in this video of his first ride on Air Force One. He also prefers cheddar, lettuce, tomato and dijon mustard. Ooh. La. La. Catch all the glory of the video, from a National Geographic Channel series titled "On Board Air Force One", after the break:
David Caton can’t kill my Obama buzz!
I'm still totally high from yesterday's inauguration. Hearing a President say things like, "The time has come to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness," got me the kind of buzzed it…
The arts and Obama: Can he deliver?
Our sister paper the Chicago Reader weighed in earlier this week with an informative piece by Deanna Isaacs that criticized the Obama arts platform as "optimistic but vague." Arts bloggers are rushing to fill that vacuum with specific proposals — like this one from Tyler Green, who recommends a White House arts adviser. Mark Swed,…
Gamers deserve dates, too. In the UK, they get them.
Gamers get a bad rap – we're all about ultra-violence and bloody constraint. The more spines ripped from bodies, the better. Well, I'm here to tell you that's just a stereotype, a nasty, vicious one to boot. We're fully rounded (sometimes really rounded) people, too. We laugh, we cry, we sometimes even read books, but…
Will restaurant cookbooks allow you to recreate famous dishes at home?
Slate food writer Lauren Shockey grabbed a few cookbooks pegged to famous restaurants — Eat Me, Carmine's Family-Style Cookbook, and Chanterelle — and tried to recreate the dishes at home. We've all done something like that, certainly, but she also had the opportunity to compare her attempts with the real deal by visiting the restaurants.…
The Short List: Mr. President
They didn't just love the inauguration in D.C. Here, a crowd in New York's Times Square watch the festivities on the big screen and gets in on the cheering action. President Barack Hussein Obama. Inauguration day as told by Time magazine photographers. For more news, click the link below.
How to get out of a DUI
In The Bad Girl's Guide to the Open Road, Cameron Tuttle suggests the following technique for getting out of a DUI: If you get pulled over, immediately step out of the car with a bottle of your favorite liquor and chug a couple shots' worth. The officer now has no way of proving you were…
Chain Restaurants: The best of the rest
Ruby TuesdayCracker BarrelCarrabba’s Italian GrillBonefish GrillRed LobsterBob Evans
A Slaying in the Suburbs
An engaged couple teams up to write about a deadly marriage
CL Big Game Guide: Downtown Tampa/Channelside
If you haven't seen downtown Tampa since the last Super Bowl, you may be surprised. New restaurants and condos (albeit somewhat empty condos) have sprung up. There's hope in the air, and even some pedestrians on the sidewalks. Channelside is fun, if a bit pre-packaged. And for a side of Tampa not shown on the…
The Wrestler
Mickey Rourke calls it a comeback in The Wrestler
CL Big Game Guide: Ybor City
This beautiful, at times beleaguered, historic district is still the best place to get a taste of Old Tampa. It's seen its share of ups and downs, but lately it's been up, having seen an influx of new business following the efforts of the GaYbor District Coalition. With cuisines from Italian to Cuban to "Alaskan"…
T.G.I. Friday’s
Perhaps best known for the cutting minor satire it received in the movie Office Space (at least amongst my friends), TGIF has long been synonymous with ebullient waitstaff profoundly excited to serve you some fried food. These days, with less flair. Get past the pasted-on smiles and bouncing, methy staff and you'll find that TGIF…
Your eating guide to the Big Game
With so many visitors in town for the Super Bowl, we thought it would be helpful for our food critic, Brian Ries, to give you some inside info to counter all the guidebook opinions you're likely to have heard. But that's not all: Follow the links below to find a comprehensive list of places to…
The Bucs stopped here: A look back at the ’08 season
How they messed up their chance for a home-town Super Bowl.
CL Big Game Guide: Dale Mabry/West Shore
Just a short limo ride from RayJay are two top attractions for tourists of refined taste: the ne plus ultra of malldom, gleaming International Plaza, and the pinnacle of prurience, the world-famous Mons Venus. Surprisingly enough, you can also find some good places to eat around here, too — including a herd of high-end steakhouses…
CL Big Game Guide: Soho, South Tampa
SoHo, aka South Howard Avenue and environs, is the beating, sometimes thumping heart of the South Tampa social scene. Elegant dining? Roving frat party? Quiet oasis? Depending on where and when you travel the avenue, you can enjoy all of that and more. Come Super Bowl weekend, it's a safe bet the crowds will be…
The Big Game Guide: Eat to win
Most Tampa dining guides give you the popular choices; we tell you where you should really go.
Resturants review: The chain gang
One man’s brave journey into the world of starters, kickers and poppers
Everything but the game: The parties and events
2009 Super Bowl Breakfast Pro Football Hall of Famer Bart Starr presents his Bart Starr Award (voted on by his peers) for a person who exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community. This year's program features Derrick Brooks (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Coach Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts), Anthony…
Alice Ferrulo brings Thomas Murray’s paintings of addiction to life
From a ghostly gray background, a partially lit face bathed in blue emerges. A visage creased with lines bears a slightly down-turned expression and eyes that confront the viewer with unapologetic frankness, as if saying, “Here I am — take it or leave it.” If artist Thomas Murray’s “Black and Blue” portraits can be said…
Outback
Gone are the days when the line outside the Outback down by the bowling alley looked more like a Disney queue than a waiting room. I remember waiting 90 minutes for a table, happily playing video games at the arcade while my parents clutched that magic buzzer that would alert us that we would be…
Punch-drunk Love
Mickey Rourke calls it a comeback in The Wrestler
A Democrat for the Senate: With Alex Sink out, does any Dem stand a chance getting to Washington?
Barack Obama carried Florida, but that doesn't make us a blue state yet. Witness what is happening in the race to succeed Mel Martinez in the U.S. Senate. Alex Sink didn't surprise me when she announced she will stay in her CFO office, where she can function as the loyal opposition, keep her title as…
CL Big Game Guide: Clearwater Beach
There's a reason why this is prime territory for spring break-ers — would you believe it's the beach? A beautiful, wide expanse of white sandy beach, perfect for volleyball or less strenuous pursuits. But there are some fine dining destinations here, too — some of the best restaurants in the area, in fact. And this…
But what about the game?
Amidst all the hoopla, we just may see some interesting football.
CL Big Game Guide: Downtown St. Petersburg
The joke about St. Pete being God's waiting room is as old as the senior citizens who used to be this town's primary residents. Word is finally out that St. Pete has one of the prettiest, most walkable, most restaurant-blessed downtowns in Florida, and that it's also a great place to party. Make sure you…
Dancing with the stars: Celebrity events
The who’s who and what’s what of Super Bowl celebrity parties.
Chili’s
I have fond memories of Chili's. Although it's possible my family ate at national outlets before Chili's moved to town in the mid-'80s, I think Chili's took my chain virginity. Gently, and with grace. It was here that I first remember noticing good service, as my lemonade glass was filled almost a dozen times by…
Olive Garden
There's a trick to eating at the Olive Garden without screwing up your face in disgust, or relentlessly mocking the food, atmosphere and menu. It's difficult to do, but you have to ignore the marketing materials, commercials and menu whenever they refer to this as an Italian restaurant. Mental editing to that enormous extent is…
Comedy at the speed of light: Jobsite actors shine in Steve Martin’s Picasso
Picasso at the Lapin Agile is a gently lighthearted celebration of the 20th century, when, according to a mysterious Visitor, "the accomplishments of artists and scientists outshone the accomplishments of politicians and governments." In the fine, entertaining production now being offered by Jobsite Theater, author Steve Martin's charming comedy is skillfully presented, and the (fanciful)…
CL Big Game Guide: Gulf Beaches South
It's our very own South Beach, sort of — at least in the sense that the establishments listed here are on the southern prong of our long, long Gulf Coast/Pinellas peninsula. But really, this area has none of the glitzy vibe of that other South Beach. There are pretty people with tans, sure, but the…
Was I date raped?
There’s no mincing words regarding his actions
Applebee’s
I was amazed that Applebee's, a chain that's always seemed to me the restaurant equivalent of generic cigarettes or plain "cola," topped the rankings. But there it was at the apex of chain achievement, almost justifying celebrity chef Tyler Florence's soul-selling deal to pimp dishes for the place a few years ago. Sadly — if…
Roppongi’s Ace: Into the Night
Just when I figure that too many Bay area musicians have gone and drank the Americana Kool-Aid, along comes a young group like Roppongi’s Ace — singer/guitarist Alex Spoto, drummer Max Norton and guests — to remind me that the well is definitely not dry. The young Tampa band’s debut, Into the Night, is a…
Saddlebacking Rick Warren
Readers can vote for definition of new word
Bad news gets worse
Crappy financials dominate the week in review
Wine Surfing
The best wine sites from around the Net.
Tampa Bay Blues Festival schedule released
Irma Thomas, "the Soul Queen of New Orleans," highlights the lineup of this year's Tampa Bay Blues Fest, to be held Friday, March 20, Sat., March 21 and Sun., March 22 at Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg. She'll close the Sunday program, starting at 8:30 p.m. Here's the complete roster of acts: Friday -…
Aestheticized Presents: Animal Collective! In St. Pete!
A few weeks ago, I caught wind from Jack at Aestheticized that he was in talks with Animal Collective to bring them back to town, finally. The date has been confirmed for Monday, June 8, at State Theatre; tickets go on sale this Friday, January 23.
The inauguration as seen from space
Yeah, this picture is worth a thousand words. The National Mall, Washington D.C. at noon, Jan. 20, 2009..
The inaugural gown: She’s wearing a bedspread?
Michele got some undeserved flak for the rhinestone-y yellow outfit (too 5 p.m., said one wag on CNN), but – what's with the gown? Is that chenille? First dance: "At Last," by Beyonce – simultaneously hyping her performance as Etta James in Cadillac Records – way to multi-task, Miss B! One thing's for sure -…
Reel Projections: Mike Tyson has nothing to do with this post
With history going on in D.C., the movie biz took time out from partying at Sundance to watch Obama's inauguration speech. Speaking of Sundance, would you believe a documentary about Mike Tyson from director James Tolback was an early highlight of the festival? Only in America. As Nathan points out in the comments, I screwed…
Blue Lucy — Contributors
Blue Lucy creates brands, websites, animation, print stuff & custom paintings. Blue Lucy's Complete Daily Loaf Archive
Nathan Andersen — Contributor
Almost every year, a small group of students from Eckerd College takes a trip to the Sundance Film Festival to learn the ins and outs of American independent film. Our group includes a philosophy professor and 16 students — with very different tastes in film — whose majors range from arts and communications to physics…
Food & Drink: Week in review
Sure, a plane crashes, a man gets ready for the biggest job in the land, and Gruden gets a pink slip. All big stories, but where's the love for a pot of beans and greens, or a jab at Jasmine Thai? Here's your chance to relive the week that was, without all that pesky news…
