The Arizona massacre: Where were the parents?
In response to the massacre last weekend in Tucson, when a troubled young man killed six people including a child and attempted to assassinate a Democratic congresswoman, reporters pointed to the disturbing trend in the writings and statements of some conservative leaders: language that encourages people to consider “2nd Amendment remedies” in order to “take…
Greco & Turanchik join in on anti-panhandling crusade in Tampa
On Monday we wrote about about weekend visits with Tampa Mayoral candidates Bob Buckhorn & Rose Ferlita, who both expressed their support for a ban on allowing people to panhandle on right of ways in Tampa streets. The issue has become -perhaps inordinately – one of the dominant topics of discussion in a city that…
Shut up and drive: Will FL legislators finally succeed in passing a texting-while-driving ban?
Last week in the Polk County town of Davenport, the family of Heather Hurd gathered for an event that named a portion of U.S. 27 the Heather Hurd Memorial Highway. Three years ago, the 26-year-old woman was hit and killed by a truck driver who later admitted to authorities that he had been talking on…
EarthTalk: Atlantic bluefin tuna a “critically endangered” species
The following is from the environmental themed advice column EarthTalk®, by the Editors of the non-profit publication E/The Environmental Magazine, that we’ll be regularly featuring here on CL’s Green Community. Dear EarthTalk: Are Atlantic bluefin tuna really about to go extinct? What are the contributing factors and what is being done to try to head…
Powerful Tallahassee corporation comes out strongly in support of high speed rail
Associated Industries of Florida, led by Barney Bishop, has the reputation of being one of the most powerful, influential companies in the state capital. Whether that's still the case or not might be debatable, but one would think that with Rick Scott's reverence for business, one would have to think they might have some influence…
This week (and weekend) in live music: Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, of Montreal, Cake, Patty Larkin, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Brisco, Kylesa and more!
A breakdown of live music offerings for the next five days, with highlights at the top and the rest of the week's schedule at the bottom. For a complete list of concerts, click here to visit our Upcoming Concerts page. Wednesday, January 12 BBQ Wednesday Acoustic Series w/Cosmic Gospel Hour Dine on New World Brewery’s…
Tonight’s Top Chef All-Stars preview: I think we’re going to need a bigger boat
For this week's challenges on Top Chef All-Stars, it looks like we're dealing with teams of two. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a part of the Quickfire or Elimination challenge, but the chefs have to hit the high seas off Montauk and catch the fish they'll be serving for the final challenge…
The Gaily News: LGBT-friendly moves in the State Department, Nepal and McDonald’s New Zealand
In the latest federal gay rights victory, the State Department will make passport applications and other documents more gender-neutral. Rather than asking for the names of "Mother" and "Father," forms for first-time passport applicants under the age of 16 will now ask for "Mother or Parent 1" and "Father or Parent 1." The initial decision…
Mass animal deaths tracker on Google Maps: Apocalypse now or natural phenomena?
We're not even 2 weeks into 2011 yet and it's already sounding like the Apocalypse is upon us. Ever since hearing about the 5,000+ blackbirds spontaneously falling out of the sky in Arkansas on New Year's Day, similar occurrences of birds and sea life dying in droves are being reported around the globe. Want to…
Sarah Palin can’t resist attacking media in new video post; yet another Tampa City Council candidate, and the owner of Hillsborough’s Sweetwater Farm rallies supporters: Mitch Perry Report 1.12.10
After days of laying low, former Alaska Governor and potential 2012 GOP Presidential candidate Sarah Palin released a seven minute plus video this morning in reaction to the attempted assassination of Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. See it here. There's a new Tampa City Council candidate in District 7. Say hello to Lisa Montelione, who has…
“Dingfelder Law” now open for business
Last week we reported that former Tampa City Councilman John Dingfelder would not attempt to re-enter the political arena, ending specu In a press release today Dingfelder announced that his new law firm, Dingfelder Law," is now open for business. Read below: After 22 years of practicing law and almost 8 years of serving people…
Sarah Palin responds by video to assassination attempt on Gabrielle Giffords – says pundits tried to “manufacture a blood libel”
Almost immediately after it was learned that Arizona Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords had been the victim of an assassination attempt by 22-year-old Jared Loughner last Saturday, some liberals and members of the media referenced the chilling fact that Giffords (along with 19 other Democrats) had been featured in a Facebook map as being targeted with…
Tampa Bay food and drink events
food and wine Wednesday, January 12: Whole Foods Market Introduction to Health Starts Here Cooking Demo and Store Tour. Curtis Whitwam, Healthy Eating Specialist, will introduce you to the Health Starts Here program with a cooking demo and tour of the store. Learn how to use the ANDI score to identify the most nutrient-rich vegetables,…
Catch him if you can: At 21, Chris Jackson is a local theater artist to watch
Every few years or so, local audiences discover an actor or actress with miles of talent and a wide-open future. A decade ago, it was Stephen Clark Pachosa. Early in 2010 it was Dahlia Legault. But these days, the impressive figure is Chris Jackson, the 21-year-old actor, director, writer and producer who recently shone in…
Do It Today: Red Carpet Grand Opening at new Hard Rock Cafe
They're rolling out the red carpet for the star-studded Grand Opening of the new Hard Rock Cafe at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The celebration will begin at 10:30 pm and feature DJ Samantha Ronson (you know, Lindsay Lohan's ex-piece, pictured below) and "other tabloid favorites."
Rep. Kathy Castor apologizes for poor communications
Congresswoman reaches out to express frustrations with her office’s response By Chris Ingram Earlier today, I wrote about Rep. Kathy Castor’s less-than-ideal correspondence to me with regard to a matter involving Tampa company Odyssey Marine Exploration which I had written her office about. The column made its rounds and ended up in Rep. Castor’s e-mail…
Kathy Castor’s arrogance of office
Memo to Castor: dissing the constituents you represent won’t help change the tone of debate By Chris Ingram In the wake of the Arizona shootings last week, politicians from across the country have called for changing the tone of politics. But if members of Congress (and other political leaders) want to change the culture of…
Rod Smith makes his first moves as Florida Democratic Chair
Over the weekend former state senator and losing Lieutenant Governor nominee Rod Smith officially became coronated the new chair of the Florida Democratic Party. On Tuesday, Smith named several folks to work as Vice Chairs underneath him, including Allison Berke Morano, the Chair of the Pasco County Democrats Board of Directors, as well as Congresswoman…
Lisa Montelione newest candidate for Tampa City Council – running in District 7
Lisa Montelione, a member of the Hillsborough Democratic party and an occasional contributor to CL's Green site, filed papers on Monday to enter the race for the Tampa City Council's District 7 race, where incumbent Joseph Caetano and 3 other candidates (Dean Hale, Charles Perkins and Robert E. Armstrong) have already announced their intentions for…
Cigar City Brewing invites local artists to design the 2011 Tocobaga Red Ale label
Have you ever wanted to have your artwork to show up on a craft beer label? Maybe you fancy yourself the next Randy Mosher or Ralph Steadman. If you were asked to create a label or logo for your favorite beer, what would you do? Well, Cigar City Brewing in Tampa needs your help in…
Sweetwater Farm owners in Hillsborough County cal on their supporters to show their support to Board of County Commissioners
The Sweetwater Organic Community Farm in Northwest Hillsborough County has become a smashing success in recent years, as it now has more than 400 members who have either half of full memberships to gain access to their chemical free fruits and vegetables each weekend. The farm has become a leader in sustainable agriculture, and has…
On the Radar: Attend an array of art events this weekend
If you've just gotten over the nasty virus going around (like yours truly) and are in urgent need to recharge your psyche, get out to one of the many art openings and events happening this weekend. The works on display range from the tried and true to the compelling to the completely out there —…
A Q&A with of Montreal visionary frontman Kevin Barnes.
The Athens psyche pop group plays The Ritz Ybor on Saturday (videos included)
Beer and film pairing: Harry and the Hendersons and Great Divide’s Espresso Oak Aged Yeti
During the late '80s and early '90s, some of the most original children's/family films where made. Whether they were life-altering or just plain garbage, I leave up to you. Many ended up having a special place in our hearts, to the extent that people have gone out (sometimes to great lengths) to find these on…
DIY Green: Recycle a potato chip bag into an eye-catching mini purse
I found this fun-looking DIY project while searching on Instructables and had to share: Recycle a potato chip bag into an eye-catching mini purse! It's a great way to reuse those single-serving bags that can't be recycled and just end up in the trash. This project is very simple and would also make a great…
Spoiler Corner: Big Love, Glee, Vampire Diaries and MORE!
Curious about your favorite shows? Is someone dying? Is your favorite couple getting engaged? Hook-ups? Break-ups? Well, here you will find the answers to your burning questions! Enjoy television lovers! Big Love The fifth and final season (tear) premieres this sunday and this season the Henricksons are dealing with their little coming out party they…
Advocacy groups claim Florida is denying minimum wage earners a raise, while state lawmakers are hiring six-figured salaried friends
On Monday, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of thousands of minimum wage earners in Florida against the state's Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI). The suit claims the agency has refused to raise the state's minimum wage to keep pace with the rising cost of living, as required by state law since a constitutional amendment…
Ask Dream Momma: gasping for air
“Dear Dream Momma, I have been having recurring dreams of accidental death of myself such as falling down stairs while chasing my misbehaving dogs. In the dream I can’t breathe and wake up gasping. The last time I had a dream where I woke up gasping I dreamed I had lost a ring that meant…
Yes I want you to send me pictures of your meat stick
It's no secret that I love to talk about all things sexual. Sometimes I'll discuss my crazy sex life, the sex life of others, or what my current boy-toys are doing right or wrong in the sexual arena. All this straight talk, and pictures of my cleavage, leads many of my male readers to think that…
The Gaily News: Elton chooses lesbian godparents, a snubbed gay Republican and more
With a new baby at home, Elton John and husband David Furnish have looked over their menagerie of famous pals to name two of their oldest friends as godparents of their son Zachary — lesbian couple Sandy Brant and Ingrid Sischy. John is a celebrity go-to godfather himself, having taken on the job for Sean…
Rose Ferlita leads in fundraising for Tampa mayor race, but Dick Greco comes on strong; Florida GOP state Senator says he may not support his own illegal immigration bill, and Hillsborough County discusses its own panhandling ordinance
Days after the shootings in Tucson, conservatives in the media came out firing (pardon the expression) at liberals for daring to say that heated rhetoric contributed in any way to Jared Loughner's act of madness on Saturday morning. More germane we believe would be to examine our gun laws, and a couple of Northeast Democrats…
USF Botanical Gardens Beekeeping Workshop – Saturday, January 15
Learn all about bees and beekeeping, and how they're an important part of our sustainable world in this monthly course that takes place at USF's Botanical Garden. Led by USFBG Advanced Master Beekeeper Gary Van Cleef, this Saturday's class is the first and will be held every third Saturday at 10 a.m. Upon completion, participants…
Hell’s Kitchen Food and Fan Fest in Clearwater – Saturday, Jan. 15
If you're a fan of the reality cooking competition series Hell's Kitchen (the Gordon Ramsey show, not the NYC neighborhood) then this event is something you won't want to miss. Pssghetti’s Italian Market & Restaurant is hosting the Hell’s Kitchen Food and Fan Fest charity event for Eckerd Youth Alternatives, the largest children’s charity in…
Florida State Senator Mike Bennett on his illegal immigration bill: “I may not even vote for it myself”
As promised, the Florida Senate on Monday held their first of three scheduled days of hearings on illegal immigration. Senate President Mike Haridopolos called for such hearings, aware of the sensitivity that the volatile issue as GOP lawmakers said last year that they definitely wanted to address the issue. One of the points of fact…
New music releases out this Tuesday, January 11: British Sea Power, Cake, Shunda K, Abigail Washburn, and more (with audio & video)
More new music in 2011! Click here to check out new music releases that dropped in the past several months… Edie Brickell, Edie Brickell (Redeye) British Sea Power, Valhalla Dancehall (Rough Trade) Broken Records, Let Me Come Home (4ad) Cage The Elephant, Thank You Happy Birthday (Jive) Cake, Showroom of Compassion (Upbeat Records) The college…
Do It Today: Salvador Dali Procession, Ribbon Cutting & Festival
1.11.11 is finally here! Celebrate the new Dalí Museum at the Salvador Dali Procession, Ribbon Cutting & Festival, where you can walk in a surreal procession and enjoy live entertainment and other inaugural festivities at One Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg. First, be sure to read CL art critic Megan Voeller's insightful feature on the new…
Panhandling committee in Hillsborough finishes its work – but recommendations are sketchy
The Hillsborough County Committee on Panhandling Ordinance on Monday afternon held their fourth and final meeting as they debated whether to change their current ordinance, which unlike Tampa's, already bans panhandling on county street medians, but what recommendations will come out of it are unknown at this time, and won't be for another month. The…
SideBern’s Dean Hurst dishes on becoming a finalist for the 2010 Vinos De Jerez Cocktail Competition (and shares his recipe)
Congratulations to Tampa's own Dean Hurst for being one of the 12 finalists in the nationwide Vinos de Jerez Cocktail Competition, taking place in New York City. The Sherry Council of America has asked each contestant to create the best Sherry Cocktail in America, challenging them to "showcase the incredible diversity of Sherry wine, and…
Green reading: 10 eco-themed books to read in 2011
Climate change, global warming, species extinction, genetically modified food — you name it, and if it's been a hot environmental topic in recent years, then there's been a book (or five) written about it in 2010. But which ones are worth reading? Here are Mother Nature Network's picks for the top ten must-read environmental books…
CL Editor David Warner moderates discussion with Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon at the new Salvador Dali Museum
Creative Loafing Editor David Warner got the opportunity to moderate a discussion with saucy celebrity Susan Sarandon Sunday night. The Academy Award winner and activist joined the celebration of St. Petersburg's new Salvador Dalí Museum at an exclusive gathering of nearly 100 donors.
Shop for a cause at Whole Foods’ Charitable Giving Day: Art exhibit, free wine tasting & more – Tuesday, January 11
On Tuesday, January 11, the Whole Foods Market in Tampa will donate 5% of the day’s net sales to MacDonald Training Center, a Tampa Bay non-profit organization that empowers people with disabilities to live the lives they choose. In addition to donating 5% of all sales made that day to the MacDonald Training Center, patrons…
Gov’t.-sponsored online I.D’s for Americans: Helpful or scary?
According to a January 7 article on tech-news purveyor CNET.com, the Obama administration has announced plans to assign to the U.S. Department of Commerce a still-vague project involving the creation of a verifiable online I.D. for Americans. The program, titled the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace, has apparently been evolving for some time;…
Music Monday, Vol. 24: Grinderman, Roxy Music, Lost in the Trees, and more (with video)
The 2011 return of Music Monday, where the Creative Loafing music team reveals what we're jamming to break through the Monday malaise and rocket launch the work week… Click here to check out previous entries. – Grinderman, Grinderman 2 (2010) I feel pretty dumb for listening to this after I built my top 10 of…
How to start a ‘no-dig’ organic garden
If you've been interested in starting your own organic garden but haven't yet due to dreading the time consuming (and dirty) digging process or because of poor soil? Well, now you don't have an excuse to put it off any longer — use this no-dig method! Huffington Post Green has put together this slide show…
New Motown revue adds soul to Busch Gardens entertainment lineup
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has added a new show to its daily entertainment lineup. Sweet Music: The Sounds of the Motor City features more than a dozen singers and dancers paying tribute to popular songs of the Motown era. The new show can be experienced in the park's Marrakesh Theater. It opens with a fast-paced, colorful…
Must-click links: Rep. Giffords in critical condition, Krugman on the politics of hate, what is money?, R.I.P. Peter Yates and more …
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona still remains in critical condition after being shot in the head during Saturday's horrific shootings. News coverage includes a profile on the congresswoman and the political aftermath of the shooting, Slate's exclusive interview with shooter Jared Lee Loughner's professor, and Huff Post's timeline of the events. New York Times columnist Paul…
Gabrielle Giffords shooting renews (limited) attention on gun laws in the U.S.
Jared Loughner's shooting spree on Saturday morning in Tucson that killed six people and wounded 20 others — including Arizona Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford — has ignited a passionate and at times angry national debate in the blogosophere and in other media circles on who is to blame for his moment of insane criminal behavior.…
Marchand’s Bar & Grill salutes the new Dalí Museum with a special menu
[Photos by James Ostrand] The downtown St. Petersburg art-scene, while vibrant for years, has surged lately with the opening of the Chihuly Collection and tomorrow's unveiling of the new Dalí Museum. Through April, Marchand's Bar & Grill inside the Renaissance Vinoy & Golf Club will be offering a three-course meal inspired by both the new…
Giffords shooting will dominate national political news; Ferlita and Buckhorn want a ban on panhandling in Tampa on city streets, and 1 Tampa city council candidate wants to boot Dick Greco’s “hand”:Mitch Perry Report 1.10.10
It may too soon to compare the shooting of Arizona Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords on Saturday morning to the Oklahoma City bombing in March of 1995 or the September 11,2001 terrorist attacks in NYC, Washington D.C. and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, it has to be a defining moment for everyone in American political discourse to take…
AltDotPop: Lindsay Lohan moves in next to Samantha Ronson, Adam Levine gets naked, Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Swift split plus rehab, a DUI and more.
I have been gone for a few weeks, battling the blizzard of 2010 — and, on a related note, the woman at the Southwest airlines counter at TPA — and then the flu of 2011. It has been a rough few weeks but at least I am not a celebrity. We have had break-ups, move-ins,…
Buckhorn, Ferlita, come out FOR panhandling ordinance in Tampa
In the past, Tampa Mayoral candidate Bob Buckhorn has spoken glowingly about how Rudy Giuliani "cleaned up the streets" in New York City in the mid 1990's, in part by using what is known as the "Broken Windows" theory of dealing with crime. "Broken windows" was originally coined by criminologists George Kelling and James Q.…
EarthTalk: Saving forests with (among other things) cardboard tube-less toilet paper
The following is from the environmental themed advice column EarthTalk®, by the Editors of the non-profit publication E/The Environmental Magazine, that we’ll be regularly featuring here on CL’s Green Community. Dear EarthTalk: I saw a TV ad for toilet paper with no cardboard core to save paper. I understand that green groups recently struck a…
Warm and comforting Nutella hot chocolate
I remember growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the unbearable cold winters. Granted, I did flock down to Florida with all of the rest of the snowbirds at an early age, but my memory of the beautiful white snow remains. My mother would dress me in layers of layers of clothes (no lightweight Gortex back…
Why everyone should buy porn (NSFW)
I know a guy who insists that he never uses porn, but every single day he tweets the "daily naked pic" from his favorite web porn model. The point is that we ALL use porn. What we don't all do is buy porn, though today I'm going to tell you why we should. There are two…
Do It Today: Art at Play at USF Centre Gallery
Recreation meets an array of artistic disciplines in fun and surprising ways during USF Centre Gallery's new exhibition, Play.
Lightning fall to Devils 6-3
The Tampa Bay Lightning, coming off a lethargic victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, were right back at it on Sunday, hoping to show a bit more fight against a struggling New Jersey Devils team. It was the Devils who would take advantage of a tired Lightning team late this game, beating the…
Local concert review: Marksmen at The Local 662, St. Petersburg
Yes, comparing the experience of seeing a national band to a local one short-changes how hard our locals work to hone sounds and cut teeth. But what higher compliment can I bestow? One thing Marksmen did not do this past Saturday at The Local 662 is play what amounts to a local show. Marksmen delivered a top-notch…
Shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords prompts calls for those in political life to “tone it down” – but will they?
Since the shocking assassination attempt of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords on Saturday, activists on the left and the right have taken to the radio airwaves, the blogosphere, and occasionally even on cable television to accuse the 22-year-old killer, Jared Lee Loughner, of either being a conservative or liberal extremist – in addition to be a…
Bolts come back to beat Senators
The Tampa Bay Lightning were looking to put the 8-1 drubbing they received at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins behind them when they took to the ice Saturday against the woeful Ottawa Senators. And they were looking to do it against a team they have not had a lot of success against in Ottawa.…
Kelly Benjamin gives Dick Greco’s hand the boot
In a sleepy mayoral campaign to date, it's a candidate for city council that is responding to Dick Greco's "Give Me Five" signs and stickers around Tampa directly. Benjamin, a candidate for the District 6 seat , has released a parody of that Greco sign with his own riposte, which you see to the immediate…
RPOF chair candidate endures mudslinging
Why I'm standing by Dave Bitner By Chris Ingram Dave Bitner called me last night and broke the news about a now public revelation that he and his wife Wendy had a domestic issue thirteen or fourteen years ago. Bitner’s telephone call followed a report in the St. Pete Times that had just been posted on…
Resolution buster: Massive Cinnamon Rolls are worth falling off your health wagon
Sure, those Cinnabon cinnamon rolls seem decadent, icing dripping off as you bite through layers of gooey dough that just about melts into sugary fluff in your mouth. Problem is, those cinnamon rolls taste like sweet Wonder bread and the icing is reminiscent of sugary canola oil. Even worse, you have to go to a…
Don’t throw away your junk! List it for free on 2Good2Waste.org, a materials exchange site for Tampa Bay
One man's trash is another man's treasure, right? If you've got 'junk' laying around that you're planning on just throwing away, don't! Hold onto it and list it for free on 2Good2Waste.org, a materials exchange website for the Tampa Bay community. According to their website, "2Good2Waste.org/tampa is an online, user driven materials exchange that allows…
The Grind podcast 1/7: A bow on the bowls, playoff picture picks and what we did for Christmas
It's been a about month since Flip and I wasted an hour or so of your time enjoying the sounds of our own voices gabbing about sports and junk. To kick off the new year, however, we decided that it might be kind of fun to do, wait for it, the same damn thing. So, let's check…
Movie review: Country Strong, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester (with trailer video)
I didn't think I would enjoy Country Strong. While the trailer made it look like there would be some good performances, I'm not a country music fan. Also, I usually don't like music dramas, which tend to be all about song performance at the expense of story. I like Gwyneth Paltrow, and had heard that…
One arrogant bastard: Stone’s limited edition Lukcy Basartd Ale
If there is a West Coast craft beer rock star to rival Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione, it is very likely Stone Brewing's Greg Koch. Known for beers that push the limits, and rambling manifestos on the back of each bottle, Stone entered the craft beer scene in 1996. I was still somewhat of a craft…
Does turning 36 mean “Dead” in gay years?
Three days, five hours, 27 minutes, and 30 seconds until I am dead. As a gay senior citizen in my last moments of being 35, I’ve accepted my gay visibility officially ends when I turn 36. I will be exchanging my fashionista gear for an invisibility cloak. I will climb under a rock and fully accept that no one…
New video: Have Gun, Will Travel, “Salad Days”
Multiple Best of the Bay-winning Americana makers Have Gun, Will Travel have debuted their first-ever music video. The song to get the vid treatment is "Salad Days," a track off their most recent (picked up for distribution by Suburban Home Records) LP, Postcards from the Friendly City. The song is a love letter to their…
Tampa City Council members show compassion and courage on the homeless, but will it hurt them in March? Libertarian group says high speed rail could cost Floridians “billions more” and Dick Greco parody website goes up: Mitch Perry Report 1.7.10
Well, it's been quite a week, hasn't it? John Boehner and his Republican friends have taken over Congress (and yes, with the requisite crying game happening), Rick Scott's odyssey as Governor of Florida has begun, and Andrew Luck, widely considered to be the top draft pick in the NFL later this year, has decided to…
Green Deals: New deal-of-the-day site for the environmentally conscious
Following in the footsteps of the popular deal-of-the-day sites like Groupon and LivingSocial, the recently launched Green Deals is targeting eco-conscious folks with the daily deals from environmentally friendly purveyors. The site, run by Green America and its partner Q4 Marketing, features daily deals from local and national online green companies. All participating companies meet…
Tampa author of a parody website on Dick Greco says it’s about “asking questions” on upcoming mayoral election
No, Steve LeBrake hasn't officially came out to endorse Dick Greco for Mayor. LaBrake is the former Housing Director who went to jail in a scandal that rocked the housing department during Greco's last term in office last decade. But you might come to that conclusion if you go the mock website MayorDickGreco.com. That LaBrake…
Dining Guide: New restaurants to try in Tampa Bay
CL regularly presents focused listings of the best dining options in Tampa Bay’s neighborhoods. This week we’re giving you a guide to some of the newer spots in Tampa Bay that are worth a visit (or many) in the new year. BAILEY'S RESTAURANT 238 East Davis Boulevard, Tampa; 813-254-8018, baileycatering.com. Relocated from Old Hyde Park…
Maroon 5’s Adam Levine gets naked for prostate cancer
Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine is taking it all off (short of one very well-placed lady-hand) for the February issue of Cosmo UK. Super NSFW photos after the jump… but trust me, the ladies in my office are all looking at it, closely (winky face).
Must-click links of the day: Year’s best videos, Julian Assange’s smarts, HBO body-building comedy, Nicki Minaj
Robots, Sharks and Tesla Coils: 2010’s Best Wired.com Videos. Also Wired's Top Science Image Galleries of 2010. Media Critic Jay Rosen: American Media's True Ideology? Avoiding One Charles McKim, William Mead and Stanford White: The architects that designed a nation MUBI's Adrian Curry gives us his favorite movie posters of 2010. Yahoo picks its favorite viral videos…
Do It This Weekend: Sunshine City Antiques and Collectible Show, cool art shows and Pauses w/Sleepy Vikings and Rec Center
If you’ve ever seen PBS’ Antiques Roadshow, you know that amazing (and valuable) discoveries are waiting to be made at antique shows. But do you have the eye to separate trash from treasure?
Libertarian group warns that Tampa-Orlando high speed rail line could cost “billions” more than estimated
As the state of Florida – and especially those who have skin in the game regarding the Orlando-Tampa high speed rail line, awaits Rick Scott's analysis of that link and whether he wants to give state support to it, the libertarian Reason foundation on Thursday released a report that says that the route- expected to…
Tampa Clean City Day – Saturday March 12, 2011
Tampa Clean City Day will take place on March 12, 2011. Volunteers are needed to help clean up designated areas of the city from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. that day. There will be a celebration with food, live entertainment and activities afterward at Raymond James Stadium from 12:30 – 3 p.m. According to the…
Debuting tonight on WMNF-88.5 FM: ninebullets.net radio
Occasional CL blogger and longtime St. Pete-based-but-nationally-recognized ninebullets.net operator/blogger Bryan Childs aka Autopsy IV (pictured right, read his profile here) has been invited to share his musical tastes with the rest of the Bay area on WMNF-88.5 in a weekly live radio show. ninebullets radio launches tonight on the airwaves and streams live online, and…
Must-click links: Awards season, The Time That Remains, NYC’s underbelly, forecasting 2011, Criterion, medical tourism and more …
One of my favorite things about Awards Season is the debate among film critic over at Slate's Movie Club. This year the critics involved are Dana Stevens, Dan Kois, Karina Longworth, Matt Zoller Seit and Stephanie Zacharek, and entries range from a flowchart of Black Swan's trashiness to a ranking of the most painfully awkward sex scene of…
Tampa City Council approves measure to give tax incentives for new & expanding businesses
With a deadline just a week away to submit measures to get on the March 1 ballot, the Tampa City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to place a referendum on that ballot that would give tax breaks to new businesses coming to the city, or to current businesses that expand their number of employees. The…
A (cheesy) New Year’s resolution: Five cheeses to try in 2011
My resolution for 2010 was to eat more cheese than any other year. For the first time, I accomplished my goal and the numbers are staggering! Last year (according to my well maintained list of consumed cheeses) I tasted 39 sheep’s milks, 71 goat’s milks, 134 cow’s milks, 19 mixed milks and 43 blue cheese…
Green job: Crew member for Vacs from the Sea expedition wanted!
(the vacuum people) and the research organization 5 Gyres are heading out on a joint sea faring expedition, trawling the South Atlantic for plastic, and they're inviting one devotee to join the expedition through the Beagle Channel to Valdivia, Chile as a part of the crew. The 5 Gyres mission is to conduct research and…
Tampa City Council goes on offense on why they’re not prepared to place an ordinance banning panhandling on March 1 ballot
The issues of citizens in Tampa panhandling on street medians has dominated local media in recent months, and shows no signs of abating anytime soon. Public opinion polls show the public wants such an ordinance in effect, duplicating what the city of St. Petersburg did last summer, but Tampa City Council members, almost to a…
Top eight social media trends to expect in 2011
The social media craze is a hot, trending subject, but also one that constantly changes and updates itself. It seems like just when you think you've got a pretty good handle on one of the social media platforms, it goes and improves itself. That is, of course, a good thing as the nation and the…
The Water Cooler: debt double-talk; Bitner for Chair; Wonderland
The Water Cooler is a snapshot of some of the things people are talking about in politics By Chris Ingram Washington double-talk about the debt In 2006 Senator Barack Obama voted against raising the federal debt ceiling saying we needed to “get serious about fiscal discipline.” At the time of his vote against increasing the…
John Dingfelder not running for Tampa City Council, but Harry Cohen is; Hillsborough County’s animal services asks the public if they want an anti-tethering ordinance for dogs, and new FPIRG report says roads don’t pay for themselves, either:Mitch Perry
Hello everybody on this wet Thursday morning. We want to remind our regular readers that you can check out yours truly this afternoon (and most every Thursday afternoon for hopefully the foreseeable future) as we return back to local community radio station WMNF 88.5FM to host a one hour talk-show. We'd dig it if you…
Dingfelder opts not to run for City Council in Tampa
Although we're not a lawyer (and don't pretend to play one on the Internet), a few legal minds in the Bay area have told CL recently that if John Dingfelder (and Linda Saul-Sena for that matter) challenged the law that the Tampa City Council approved last fall banning people like him for running again for…
Green Community Calendar weekend events: Innisbrook recycling drive, fresh markets galore and more
Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar. Dunedin Green Market- Fridays: 8 am-1 pm, Saturdays: 9 am-2 pm (through April). Featuring fresh, local produced goods such as baked good, ready-to-eat-foods, organic plants and herbs, coffee, honey, seafood, clothing, and so much more. The Dunedin Green…
Hillsborough County govt. asking for citizen input on anti-tethering measure that they dub “controversial”
CL readers may recall that we published a story last summer on Hillsborough County resident Barbara LaPresti's mission to get the county to pass an anti-tethering ordinance for dogs in the county. LaPresti (and many others) considers tethering inhumane, and she was just initiating a petition drive to compel the county to create such an…
Top chef, top burger: Celebrated local chef Chris Ponte aces the burgers at Burger 21
4 stars 9664 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, 813-475-5921 or burger21.com The best burger in Tampa Bay comes in at a little under $7. The bun is based on brioche, light and airy but sturdy enough to contain the fillings, barely. Those fillings — decadent and sweet red onion jam, garlic butter, french fries, lettuce and…
Call him Norm
Before being elected as a Republican to the Pinellas County Commission this fall, Norm Roche ran as a Democrat — and lost three times. "The greatest thing that ever happened to me were the losses," Roche says now. "I was so full of piss and vinegar that first time, had I won, I probably would…
Fly, lame ducks!
I advocate a semi-revolution.The trouble with a total revolution(Ask any reputable Rosicrucian)Is that it brings the same class up on top.Executives of skillful executionWill therefore plan to go halfway and stop. Robert Frost was a crusty old codger, who presented the country with one of its most poignant poetic moments 50 years ago this month.…
OPENING. SURREALLY.
SUN. JAN. 9 (Día de Fantasía Members-Only Preview Party)11 a.m.-12 p.m. Zodiac and Upper Level members receptionNoon-5 p.m. All members7-8 p.m. Post-Preview Party conversation with actress and activist Susan Sarandon, moderated by Creative Loafing Editor David Warner (exclusive to Upper Level members) TUES. JAN. 119:30 a.m. Surreal Procession from the old Dalí Museum at 1000…
Hello, Dalí!
It's a chilly December morning when I meet Van Phrasavath, a member of the architectural team that designed the new Dalí Museum, for a tour of the museum's swanky new home. The sleek building and its surroundings offer a postcard-worthy picture of St. Petersburg, complete with sunshine glinting off a waterfront filled with tethered boats…
Top chef, top burger
The best burger in Tampa Bay comes in at a little under $7. The bun is based on brioche, light and airy but sturdy enough to contain the fillings, barely. Those fillings — decadent and sweet red onion jam, garlic butter, french fries, lettuce and tomato — provide a serious punch of flavor, so much…
Submission statement
I'm a 27-year-old divorced woman. I married the first man I ever had sex with, and we had a very vanilla sex life. He refused to try any play with dominant/submissive roles. My fantasies have always involved my submission and my favorite porn features women being submissive. My current boyfriend is very open and experienced.…
Dramatic Pauses
Orlando musicians Jason Kupfer and Tierney Tough were bandmates before they were friends. Not that they didn't like each other; but their relationship started as a professional one in the band Vostok, the friendship growing from a mutual creative respect that ultimately lasted longer than the band that drew them together. I chatted with Kupfer…
Bringing home the bacon
On the campaign trail, Rick Scott talked a lot about being a proven job creator. In his 20-minute inauguration address on Tuesday in Tallahassee, he seemed to grasp how difficult that reality is going to be as he inherits the leadership of a state that has been contending with record unemployment. Calling the current economic…
Do It Today: Lemuria, Rock the Park and Nate Najar Trio
Whether you're a young music-snob hipster, an older jazz-snob hipster or just dig outdoor shows, tonight is a great night for live local music on both sides of the bay. Here's a rundown of three great concerts courtesy of Music Editor Leilani Polk:
Tonight’s Top Chef All-Stars preview: Getting schooled by the master
After a week long hiatus, Top Chef All-Stars is back in action! Thank goodness, because I can't go through another Wednesday night of mindless channel surfing. For their Quickfire Challenge, Tom Colicchio has challenged them to a mise en place race of sorts. He is timed while furiously chopping and prepping away. Each chef'testant then…
The Green Community week in review: Disney boots Mickey D’s, Hudson permablitz, recycle your Christmas tree and more
What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed last week: Downtown Disney boots McDonald's, replaces with healthier fare and BabyCakes gluten-free bakery – Pollo Campero, Fresh Apeel and NYC's BabyCakes gluten-free bakery will be taking Mickey D's place. This project was headed by the Spiaggia …
Green Community Calendar weekend events: Permaculture event, wildlife walk, fresh markets and more
Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar. Dunedin Green Market- Fridays: 8 am-1 pm, Saturdays: 9 am-2 pm (through April). Featuring fresh, local produced goods such as baked good, ready-to-eat-foods, organic plants and herbs, coffee, honey, seafood, clothing, and so much more. The Dunedin Green…
Top Chef Podcast – All-Stars Ep. 4: The invisible chef
Did anyone else feel dirty after watching last night's episode of Top Chef All-Stars, or was it just me? From defiling kitchen hardware during the Quickfire, to the closeup shots of Carla's bloody finger, to Angelo putting his hands in everyone's stuff (literally), it was a very grimy episode. I have to give it to…
