Dining Guide
HILLSBOROUGHBRANDONBEN'S FAMILY RESTAURANT, 704 E. Brandon Blvd. (813-685-5501). Family-style home-cooked meals are the restaurant's specialty; it does all three meals well, five days a week, with light, fluffy pancakes and plenty of hot coffee for breakfast, excellent fresh sandwiches and salads for lunch, and a dynamite dinner of hot white meat turkey with stuffing and…
Music Menu
Destiny's Last DanceEasily the most popular girl group to achieve superstardom since the days of TLC, Destiny's Child spent much of the late '90s and early '00s at the top of the pop charts on the strength of a sound that imbued contemporary urban-music production with shades of soulful gospel and tons of skillful harmonies.…
Wine List
Got an upcoming or ongoing wine event? Send information to: The Wine List, 810 N. Howard Ave., Tampa, FL 33606, fax 813-739-4801 or e-mail winestuff@weeklyplanet.com. CELEBRATE BASTILLE DAY Le Bouchon Bistro celebrates France's independence day with a four-course wine pairing dinner. $48.75 plus tax and gratuity. 7 p.m. Thurs., July 14. Le Bouchon Bistro, 796…
The Blotter
Battling Brothers: Police responded to a report of a domestic dispute in a hotel room in Tampa. The victim told police that his brother had come back to their room drunk, and he "asked him to leave so there wouldn't be any trouble." Rather than honor his brother's wishes, the man began "tearing up" their…
Altar Boys
A gleefully raunchy, R-rated comedy with a fantastically funny midsection bookended by a slightly less-than-satisfying opening and closing. Vince Vaughan and Owen Wilson are in top form, riffing off each other like over-caffeinated jazz musicians as a pair of buddies obsessed with crashing weddings for the free booze and easy access to scads of vulnerable,…
Upcoming Concerts
Upcoming Concerts July21 The Prescription Trio State Theatre21 The Soviettes/The Grabass Charlestons/The Animals/Safety/J. Page Skatepark of Tampa22 DJ Hive Masquerade Infinity Room22 Faith Evans Jannus Landing22 Michael Buble Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center22 Spam All-Stars w/Gumbi Ortiz & The Latino Projekt Skipper's Smokehouse22 MC Chris/Silence After Tragedy/Special Guest State Theatre23 Ronan Tynan Tampa Bay Performing…
Spins
Chavez Ravine RY COODERNonesuchRy Cooder worked three years on the epic Chavez Ravine, a historical love letter to an old Los Angeles neighborhood that was bulldozed to make way for Dodger stadium. How serendipitous that it was released about the same time the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to broaden the powers of eminent domain. Such…
Mirror, Mirror
Punk pioneers from two generations share Flight 19’s maiden voyage.
Taking Flight
How the enterprising artists of Experimental Skeleton and an open-minded city official pulled off the improbable.
Letters
Domain NamesThe hue and cry resulting from the Supreme Court decision strikes this reader as delayed, especially considering the history of eminent domain in Florida (re: "Land Snatching," July 6). In the 1970s, the City of Tampa used eminent domain to secure scores of Hyde Park dwellings to allow a Canadian firm to develop Old…
Feel the Heat
With Elevator, Canada’s Hot Hot Heat continue their steady ascent. By Scott Harrell
Border Lines
A funny, rapid-fire tour through U.S./Mexican history. By Mark E. Leib
Under the Microscope
For the food critic, dinner at Sauté Café is about more than a fun meal.
The Girls of Summer
Amidst the tepid blockbusters, a fresh and exciting take on young love.
Upcoming Releases
The following releases will be in stores Tues., July 19:
Music Venues
VENUESFor a comprehensive list of addresses and contact information for the nightspots listed in SOUNDBOARD, log on to www.weeklyplanet.com. 688 SKATEPARK, 6140 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater, 727-523-0785 THE BANK NIGHTCLUB AND CONCERT VENUE, 1950 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-898-4488 BOOMERZ BOILER ROOM/BOOMERZ CAFÉ, 6990 Seminole Blvd., Seminole, 727-391-7066 BOURBON STREET, 4331 U.S. 19 N., New…
Ask the Advice Goddess
The Mobile Savage My first date with this girl was going well, and I was planning to ask her out again. While walking her to her car, her cell phone rang. She not only answered, but stopped walking and started talking about our date! She then cupped her hand over her mouth and whispered into…
The Couch Trip
The itinerant life ain’t what it used to be.
Culinary Events
Classes and events that bolster your cuisine expertise and offer tasty experiences.
Food Fight
Gina Mallet certainly knows how to rile readers in her memoir treatise, Last Chance to Eat: The Fate of Taste in a Fast Food World (Norton, $25.95). She takes a few of the most significant foods in the Western Hemisphere and gives you a sobering account of how they've changed for the worse in the…
The Great Right Hope
Tom Lee’s search for acceptance in his own party.
Will The Jury Stay Awake?
The Al-Arian terrorism case limps through its first month.
Sounds Of Silence
Seeking inner voices at a St. Pete Quaker meeting.
Planet Picks
JULY 14 THURSDAY Highway Art City of Imagination recently hosted an exhibit of vibrant landscapes on the walls of Gulfport's most frequented locations. Of course, if you're not a Gulfport regular, or haven't visited the Gulfport Library, Casino or Catherine Hickman Theater in the past month, you probably missed seeing the Florida Highwaymen paintings. But…
Blues Clue
A berry good take on traditional lemonade.
Still Life With Paper
While Brad Cooper was cruising the European art scene looking for contacts and developing relationships for future shows, Ybor City was inadvertently deprived of a few monthsÔ worth of high-quality culture. Not that Tampa's Latin Quarter lacks great galleries, but precious few boast owner/directors with more 20 years of experience. Brad Cooper Gallery at long…
Soundboard
Thursday, July 14 42nd Street Bistro Freight Train Annie 4th Street Cigars & Martini Bar Richard Jackson Jazz Trio Adobe Gila's Audioband Bahama Breeze Mike Hastings/Denny Falzon Bahama Mama's Pat Best The Bank Nightclub and Concert Venue Left Lane Big J.R.'s Restaurant and Lounge Steve Santo/DJ Rockin' Rick Cabana Club Al "Coffee" McDaniel Captain Jack's…
Six Reality Shows We’d Like to See
Lil' Kim in the Big HouseChronicles the life and times of a mediocre rapper's year in jail. Possible guest appearance by Karl Rove. Martha Stewart hosts. Raising Chickens with Roy Jones, Jr.Contestants train cockfighters for weekly death battles. Jones often jumps in the ring and/or pummels contestants. Hulk Hogan guest stars as the animal-loving supervillian.…
Don’t Cook With Crap
Like you, your food deserves wine that tastes good.
Outtakes
Short reviews of movies playing throughout the Tampa Bay area
