Presenting the Misdemeanor/Felony Fantasy League or, M.F.L
I'm thinking about starting up my own cutting edge, fantasy league. It will be a year-round event that will incorporate all major sports into one giant competition. How am I constructing this league, you ask? How will I determine whether a home run holds more value than a touchdown or a triple-double? The answer is…
Beef Week: Ethiopian Beef Tibs = Sauteed Spicy Goodness
Berbere, Awaze, Mitmita. Spicy words denoting super-spicy flavor. Combine with beef for stove-top success. Host to an Addis native (Addis Ababa, capital city of culture-rich African nation, Ethiopia), I was recently schooled in the ways of preparing Ethiopian-style sauteed meat, or tibs. Tibs is a fun and easy dish that capitalizes on the magnificence of…
Do It Today: The Disappeared: Native American Images or Doubt at American Stage
It's the final week to see The Disappeared: Native American Images from the Drapkin Collection. Every great collection starts with a single purchase. For Dr. Robert Drapkin, a series of striking, sepia-toned Native American portraits by Edward S. Curtis provided an entrée into collecting photography years ago; these days, the Clearwater oncologist frequently lends images…
Afternoon music links: Tuesday, July 21
Jackson Browne settles his copyright case with the Republican Party, which played his 1977 hit, "Running on Empty" without permission in a McCain campaign ad that aired on TV and the Internet. Pop Matters writer Charles A. Hohman offers a lengthy, media-packed analysis of Born in the U.S.A in honor of its 25th anniversary: "Sex…
Corkscrew: No wine with salad? Lettuce surprises you
The snooty side of food pairings preaches "No Wine with Salad." I fed on this falsehood for years, following the widely-held mantra like an evangelical wino. Then one day, a miraculous salad and vino combo made me rethink my reliance on traditional not-so-wisdom. Not that I was always so cool and contrarian. Before my re-awakening,…
Grass-fed beef: Does less fat equal less flavor?
I recently read Michael Pollan's impassioned (and alarming) book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, that explores "our national eating disorder." It's difficult to be a proud carnivore (or a fast food eater) after reading it but somehow I didn't plunge headfirst into a vat of vegetarianism. In one section, Pollan insightfully reports about the deplorable living conditions…
Concert review: The Avett Brothers at the Cuban Club (pics + setlist)
(All photos by elawgrrl) This past Saturday night, the Cuban Club Bandshell played host to a long awaited and twice-delayed show by Carolina foursome opened for the Dave Mathews Band earlier in the summer. Accordingly, fans packed into the charmingly-neglected Cuban Club awaiting a trademark, knock-you-on-your-ass Avett Brothers' performance — and they delivered. The Avetts…
Concert announcement: Black Crowes at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Less than a year after their last appearance at Clearwater's stately Ruth Eckerd Hall, New York-based blues rockers The Black Crowes return for another round on Wednesday, October 7, with Truth & Salvage Co. to open. Tickets are $40.50 and $68, and sales begin at noon this Friday, July 24. The tour will come after…
Book Review: The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas
I'm always drawn to stories about parallel dimensions, so The End of Mr. Y really caught my attention. Though the book is categorized as mainstream literary, it's riddled with science fiction and fantasy elements. This mind-meld of physics, metaphysics and literature makes it one of few recent books that I've read obsessively to the end.…
New releases: Vinyl, CDs, DVDs and more out July 21
VINYL: Bad Religion – Stranger Than Fiction Collectible red vinyl reissue of the Southern California-based band's Atlantic Records 1994 debut album (and eighth of their career). Mastered from the original analog tapes, featuring guest riffs from the MC5's Wayne Kramer. Bikini Kill – New Radio 7” Reissue featuring feminist punk anthem "Rebel Girl" and produced…
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events
Wednesday, July 22: The NoHo Bistro Wine Wednesdays. Every week this summer, enjoy a relaxing end to each “hump day” with this tapas and wine tasting. Each Wednesday has a new theme, so don’t miss out on any of these palate-pleasing pairings. This week’s theme is “The Italian Way.” $15. 6-7 p.m., 1714 N. Armenia…
Try outs for second season of reality show “Winemakers”
The first season of Winemakers, the reality television series based on learning how to make wine, airs on Public Television in September. Over the course of six half-hour episodes, twelve people will compete for the chance to launch their own wine brand, undergoing challenges crafted by real-world winemakers, chefs, sommeliers and industry leaders. They'll be…
Project Runway’s Christian Siriano creates “fierce” fashion for Payless
Bravo network's Project Runway Season 4 winner, Christian Siriano, has blessed us lowly Payless Shoe Source scavengers with a new Egyptian-inspired shoe and handbag line. Equipped with spikes that resemble the horns on a baby rhino, Cuban-style heels and bronzy punk rock chains, the turquoise, brown and gold collection launches in September. See Siriano's bargain…
Eco-friendly summertime fashion accessories
There are many exciting and fun outfits available for summer wear and if you’re like most women, you can’t wait to start wearing yours. Along with these summer fashions, accessories are a must and there is nothing better than accessorizing with handbags and clutches. Are you searching for a unique and beautiful purse to enhance…
Beef Week: Picadillo recipe — ground beef dinner with big flavor.
When Hamburger Helper came out in 1971, it made ground beef a mainstay of the quick and easy dinner. Mom did make Hamburger Helper on occasion, but fortunately she never abandoned a quick and easy ground beef dish that was part of our family tradition. I learned to make picadillo (pick-ah-dee-yo) from her, she learned…
Do It Today: DiViNCi & Beef Wellington, A Tennessee Walk, SciCafe
Every Tuesday night, Soft Rock Renegades (a DJ team made up of Cameron Correa and Jack Spatafora) bring hot jamz to Crowbar, spinning a range of weeknight kick-back music ranging from hip hop (The Roots, De La Soul, Dr. Dre, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest), to electronica (LCD Soundsystem, !!!, Thievery Corporation, Chemical Brothers,…
Beastie Boys cancel tour due to Adam Yauch’s cancer scare
Adam Yauch, aka MCA of the Beastie Boys, revealed the details of his illness today via a video broadcast with fellow member fellow band member Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) on the Beastie Boys' website. Yauch has a form of cancer that attacks his Parotid gland, though the good news is that it's only located in one…
Meet “The Stinky Drinkers”: Fast women and cold beer
Greetings, sports fans! After a considerable time off from CL blogging, I am back with a brand new project in which I would like to involve each and every one of you. Wondering if I'm still bitter about Tim Tebow and his Florida Gators taking down my Oklahoma Sooners in the national title game? Absolutely. …
Movie review: Food, Inc., our dysfunctional food system’s greatest hits
Among people who are concerned about where their food comes from, and how that affects the daily lives of everyone in the world, there are some fundamental issues that are a given: the ills of factory-farming animals; the insidious prevalence of corn-based products in almost everything we eat; the consolidation of our food supply under…
Top 10 Songs for the Moon; or, Songs to Make up for NASA’s Loss of the Apollo 11 Footage (with video!)
Last Thursday, on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to land on the Moon, NASA came out with the embarrassing news that it had somehow, over the years, managed to record over America's most important historical footage of said trip to the Moon's surface. You know, the famous footage of Neil Armstrong's "one…
Off the Beaten Path: African Eateries Restaurant in Tampa
Considering the buzz about Tampa’s two Ethiopian restaurants, I was excited to find cuisine available from another African country- Nigeria. Open for about two months, this small, cafeteria-style eatery is more of a home kitchen than a restaurant. The same young lady that takes your order also cooks it and settles the bill at the…
Harry Potter Hoopla: or, my attempt to see all six movies in one sitting
It all began at 11 a.m. Saturday, and it continued until the wee hours of Sunday morning. It was a grueling task: no bathroom breaks, no speaking to friends or family who weren't involved in the project — even eating was limited to what sustenance we could easily guzzle while pouring over hours of video,…
Tips for a successful swingers date
I've been on many swinger dates, good and bad. For me a good date involves drinks, conversation, laughter, and hot sex. But, how do you have a successful swinger's date every time?
Saturday’s Craft Beer Expo at Mahaffey: What you missed
At wine events, women make up the majority of attendees but the crowd at the Craft Beer Expo on Saturday at Mahaffey Theater teemed with proud, beer t-shirt wearing men. It felt like a brew lover's pilgrimage and I had snuck in the back door. But I got over that as I munched on chipotle…
Radar: Future of Music audiophile symposium this Saturday
Step right up, folks, the Future of Music is here. Come one, come all — and haul all your audio equipment with you, including digital media, CDs, LPs, iPods and laptops. The myriad demonstration stations include: a "nitty gritty LP cleaning station" to ensure that your tunes are in prime condition for ripping to your…
Theater review: Leib slams The Doors, but he still has high hopes for Hat Trick
The Doors, by local theater artists Jack Holloway and Joe Winskye, is a not very interesting play on a very interesting subject: the American paranoia about terrorists since 9/11. If a play could be judged solely by its theme, this Hat Trick Theatre production would win lots of prizes for timeliness and good sense. But satisfying…
Free pastry at Starbucks July 21
Found on Facebook! Guaranteed to be a mad house but it'll save $3 or so. We're making a change: your food not only tastes better, it is better. To celebrate, we're inviting you to bring this invitation to a participating U.S. Starbucks store to enjoy a FREE pastry from opening until 10:30am on July 21st,…
Do It Today: Funny Face in St. Pete, career fair in Tampa
At the 20, Push Ultra Lounge, 128 Third St. S., St. Petersburg, free, studio620.org. Spiff up your resume, shine your shoes, and get ready to say hello to a new career — the local companies at the Tampa Bay Job and Career Fair have immediate employment needs for everything from entry level positions to skilled…
Recipe: Dried Porcini and Boursin Risotto
Risotto is like a white canvas. It's a creamy and satisfying base which allows itself to be painted by a chef's imagination. It's not something I like to have too often, but it's certainly a dish I look forward to making. And each time, I like to re-create it, as I would a painting, with…
Living with the land: Florida’s first Earthship (video)
In previous posts, I declared the problems that our country faces. The point was not to be pessimistic but to maturely point out the weak points so we can find solutions. We face mounting debt, a dependence on a finite power source stored beneath the Earth that may have peaked production, the baby boomer generation…
Dream interpretation: Dreaming of a GTO
Help me out Dream Momma. I am driving a purple car (a late 60s muscle car – Pontiac GTO? -with a black top) and as I go down the highway I pass under a standard green road sign that spans across the road – it has the word "Aristotle'" on it. Based on the muscle…
Remembering a walk on the moon, 40 years later
Tom Wolfe started with a simple question: What do you do after you walk on the moon? How do you top that? After romping around on the lunar surface, you can imagine the empty feeling that comes upon you even when you do something exciting. Going to Wal-Mart on a Saturday morning loses its thrill.…
Sex bites: this week in sex
Hope you missed me. More importantly, I hope you missed all my wacky sex and love news stories. Sex offender slumlord: A registered sex offender, proclaiming himself the "Robin Hood" of Florida sex offenders, has been buying up properties and leasing them exclusively to groups of offenders. Young once ran an entire trailer park for…
Gay magic? Is the new Harry Potter film littered with homosexual undertones?
The most popular film series since Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is subject to controversy even where none exists. Some religious groups see the film as corrupting the morals of children by depicting magic, which is the enterprise of devil. Others believe the series contains a hidden gay agenda. …
Dream Interpretation: Dreaming of masculine energy
Hi Dreammomma!!! I had this dream last night. last night: I was in a car with a man and we were coming back from someplace—perhaps dinner together, looking at offices, and such. we were getting close to my place and altho i was feeling close to him, i noticed that i suddenly started talking about…
They don’t make journalists like Walter Cronkite anymore
Journalist Walter Cronkite is dead at 92. The word for “anchorman” in Swedish is kronkiter. That tells you an awful lot about how important Walter Cronkite was to broadcast journalism. He so thoroughly defined a role that the job took its name from him. I believe his genius as a broadcaster was in coverage of the live…
Radar: Pericles
In celebration of their 10th anniversary season and the beginning of a new decade of quality theater, Jobsite Theater presents a mobster musical based on Shakespeare’s Pericles, Prince of Tyre. Although the adaptation stays true to the play’s original plot and structure, the geniuses at Jobsite constructed their version for a modern audience: theocratic royalty…
Dreaming of a messy bed
Dear Dream Momma, This little dream has been bothering me so I thought I would send it to you. In the dream my boss and his wife stopped by my house and my bed wasn't made. (I always make my bed every day unless I’m so sick that i need to be in it.) Hi…
Make Your Own Rock Band Music: MTV Announces Rock Band Network
Good news for every independent musician in the World. MTV (owners of the Rock Band franchise) just announced its own new distribution platform through the immensely popular musician-simulation game Rock Band. The Rock Band Network is a revolutionary system that will allow bands, studios and record labels to create and sell playable game content from…
Gainesville singer-songwriter Chris McCarty plays for the Florida economy.
Gainesville's dreadlocked singer-songwriter Chris McCarty, a local fave who hits the Skipperdome every eight weeks or so, brings his soulful acoustic groove-pop back to town, this time performing at Push Ultra Lounge for a "Ralley Florida" concert. The charitable event is held to raise awareness and funds for the statewide, grassroots "Share a Little Sunshine…
Theater Review: Once Upon a Mattress by the City Players of Largo
In 1959, Carol Burnett made her Broadway debut as Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, a musical based on the classic fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea"; she went on to become an entertainment legend. A tough act to follow, you might say, but the City Players of Largo hold their own in…
Roasted Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes, simply done
Tired of boring old baked taters? I think they are too big and I end up piling on the butter and sour cream thus totally ruining all nutritional goodness. I have said it before that potatoes hate my ass and hips. However, I find if I make little ones that are packed with flavor, I…
Holley Sinn – Contributor
Holley Sinn is a runner. At any given time, she can be found running her household, running her husband, running her vacuum cleaner and/or sewing machine, helping to run her mid-morning talk show "Studio 10" on 10 Connects, and, of course, running her mouth. She's also a runner in the real-deal sense and has learned…
Kevin’s Korner: Movie news, trailers and Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2
This week, I'm starting a column called Kevin's Korner (yeah, I know that's not how you spell "corner," but work with me here). In this weekly column (I hope), I will highlight some of the news circulating on the Internet that wasn't covered by the incredibly talented writers here at Creative Loafing. This week, we…
Amanda Allwood – Contributor
Amanda is in her 20s, lives in St. Pete, she has spent the majority of her adult life working in mainstream music. Her favorite movie of all time is Sixteen Candles. She knows a little something about bad television, has a dream of owning a cupcake bakery someday and is mildly obsessed with Tina Fey.…
Healthy summer vegetable tabbouleh salad
Tabbouleh salad is a quick and dish that can be served as a side, used in a wrap, or just eaten by itself. I like to spruce mine up with fresh veggies and herbs, like I've done with this recipe. This light and refreshing dish with bright flavors makes for great summer fare. What is tabbouleh…
The Ecological Footprint: What it is and how to measure yours
You’ve probably heard of the carbon footprint – the amount of carbon being emitted by an activity or organization – but what about the Ecological Footprint? The Ecological Footprint is the measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It compares planet Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate compared to all of the resources we humans…
Radar: Andy Warhol Family Day Aug. 2 at St. Petersburg’s Museum of Fine Arts
Many of us remember iconic pop culture artist Andy Warhol for his classic Campbell's Soup painting and colorful silk screen prints of Marilyn Monroe. In honor of what would have been Warhol’s 81st birthday, his nephew James Warhola joins fans and art appreciators alike at Andy Warhol Family Day for arty activities and a discussion…
Tampa Artist Emporium celebrates two years
Customers browse at the Tampa Artist Emporium in South Tampa. Pictured below: Boggs stands behind the Emporium's front desk. Two years ago, Tampa photographer Shelby Boggs took a gamble. Inspired by the Kress Emporium, an historic building in Asheville, NC, that serves as a marketplace for more than 80 regional artists and craftspeople, she set…
Book Review: Taking sides in The Foie Gras Wars
Although it may not be the most grotesque image in food production — that's reserved for industrial chicken houses and pre-skinny Paul Prudhomme — it's difficult to think happy thoughts when confronted with gavage. This traditional method of fattening goose or duck livers usually starts with a funnel filled with corn-based feed attached to a…
Green Community Calendar weekend events: July 17-19
Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar. "What's Transformation?" with Anne Adams PhD @ USF St. Pete- Fri., July 17; 7-9pm. The Essentials of Transformation with Anne Adams PhD. Introducing a Transformational Series presented by USF St Petersburg's Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership & The…
Dreaming of plan de Paris
Dream Momma, In my dream my daughter Helen was living in Paris and my friend John and I went to visit her. We went to a concert in someone's home where John and I sat on the balcony to hear the music. The next day I called the hostess to ask her a question, but…
Do It This Weekend: X Bash, craft beer expo and a drag show, oh my!
showcase their talents while they showcase their, um, goods. But what would a naked party be without a foam pit, hot tub, sauna and fire eater? X Bash has that, too. What began as an adventurous young woman's birthday party has become a much-anticipated networking event for the local arts community — but with more…
J. K. Rowling and Phillip Pulman = pedophiles?
Say you write children's books. As a promotion for your latest work, you decide to visit a few schools and read to children. But before you can do this, first you'll have to shell out roughly $104 to register for a national database. The database will run a background check on you to ensure that…
Paul McCartney, Wilco and Feist on Letterman (video)
Here's a video 1-2 punch that's tough to beat. Tuesday night, Wilco appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, with special guest vocalist Feist, to perform "You And I." The next day, 66-year-old ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his band played a 22-minute concert on the roof of the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater.…
CL Sound Bites: Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, Leonard Cohen, and more
When Billy Corgan first announced his intention to resurrect The Smashing Pumpkins, longtime fans crossed out the names of uninvolved former members (except Jimmy Chamberlain) one by one. We knew there would be no James Iha (now in that silly supergroup Tinted Windows) and no D'Arcy Wretzky (right). Only now do we finally hear what's up with…
Twitter Art Show taps online relationships
Sheree Rensel. Twingo. Copper and mixed media on wood. 11-3/4" x 11-3/4" x 3". Artist's statement: "Twingo" is the unique and original tweet language of Twitter Tweople. Bio: BFA, MFA, Detroit artist born, NOW living and loving my art life in the real and virtual Universe. If you’re following St. Petersburg artist Sheree Rensel on…
Cristian Feher – Contributor
Cristian is a professionally trained chef who loves to write about food, and share his experiences, thoughts and recipes with the world. He is currently the Head Chef at Tampa Bay Chef Services (www.tampabaychef.com) and has been providing culinary experiences to his guests as a personal/private chef for the past four years. Since graduating chef…
Beer event this weekend : Dunedin House of Beer Grand Opening celebration
House of Beer, Dunedin's newest beer bar reaches out to brew fanatics by hosting a Grand Opening shindig that lasts all weekend. Starting Friday, the event will feature special drink prices that continue through the weekend, a ribbon cutting ceremony with Dunedin mayor Dave Eggers Saturday at 6:30pm, followed by a mayoral guest bartending stint.…
CL Interview: Dia of Meg & Dia
For years, the annual Warped Tour has been more or less a knucklehead boys club on wheels — with music in between — but in recent years more female-dominated bands have been cracking the lineup. Count among them Meg & Dia, the two easy-on-the-eyes, Utah-bred sisters Frampton (no relation to Peter) — Meg, 23, and…
Top Chef Masters Podcast, Episode 5: “Miniaturize Me”
This week, our podcast team was sans Jeff Houck, but we were delighted to have PoHo writer Wayne Garcia join in on the fun (and he gave us a new theme song). Otherwise, it was the regular crew of Taylor, Stephen, and myself (Katie). In this episode, the master chefs had to put a spin on a…
Paul Newman’s great American life of triumph and tragedy
It was Sept. 12, 2001, and New York – along with the rest of the world – was still numb with shock from the terrorist attacks of the day before. America’s royal acting couple was at a hushed Manhattan restaurant. Life as we knew it had changed. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward ate quietly, until…
Concert announcement: The Fiery Furnaces
This time, instead of opening for of Montreal, brother-and-sister indie pop duo The Fiery Furnaces bring their own headlining tour back to town. No Clubs Presents the band at Orpheum Saturday, August 22; tickets are $13 in advance and can be purchased at Daddy Kool ($15 day of show). Here's the full Fiery Furnaces release/bio:…
Sports Chumpdate featuring Carl Crawford, Willie Mays, Richard Jefferson, Pedro Martinez, Barack Obama
St Louis hosted this year's All-Star Game, a contest which the American League won 4-3. This marks the twelfth straight time the AL has won the Midsummer Classic. Can you say domination? I knew that you could. Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford won the MVP award for his game-saving catch of Brad Hawpe's near home run…
Radar: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Welcome to the first edition of Radar, where we run down the up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Our inaugural event is a kitschy new production by the folks at M.A.D. Theatre: Only disco-riffic, psychedelic acid trip of a musical—and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat delivers. Often presented as the sequel to…
American Idol: It’s not all bright lights, big dreams, unnecessarily long results shows and random celebrity appearances
Hi, my name is Amanda and I am an American Idol super-fan. I can make a compelling argument for or against pretty much any contestant in the top ten, based upon singing ability, showmanship and marketability. I gasped in horror the first time Adam Lambert landed in the bottom three. I love Kelly Clarkson’s entire…
Nosh Pit Episode 22: Taqueria Monterrey, Chill Wine, Buona Vita
This week, Brian and Taylor just drink and chat about whatever comes to mind, like Taco Bus owner Rene Valenzuela's new restaurant, or St. Pete's Buona Vita, or how to chill your wine consumption this summer. Downland the episode here.
Daytime urges and lunch hour sex
At work, driving home, or alone at my computer—I need sex! I'm a 30 something swinger who must find creative ways to deal with her constant urges. I've heard stories of coworkers ducking away to the bathroom in pairs or having sex on their office desk after hours. Masturbating in the bathroom and sex at…
Artsqueeze Weekend Roundup, July 16-19
Ricardo de la Vega and Felipe Packard. Strolling in the Park. Mixed media, 2007. Image courtesy Morean Arts Center. Thursday 5-7 p.m. – Opening reception for Green: the Primary Color, featuring environmentally-themed art by Florida artists, at Art Center Sarasota. 5:30-7:30 p.m. – One Wild Night networking event, in conjunction with Wild Spirits exhibition at…
Whaley’s Market looking for new home
After vacating their longtime location on South Howard in August of 2008, Whaley's Market looked for a new place to call home. They landed at Paul's Meats on Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa, but apparently, didn't stay open long. In my ignorance, I called Whaley's today in a search of great beef for CL Meat Week…
Do It Today: Harry Potter Art, Greek dance class, Surrealist film
You don't have to play Grande Pre's soft, colorful, evocative artwork. They've sold millions of copies worldwide as the whimsical cover art of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. All seven book covers are on display at Nuance Galleries, along with original bonus art from the HP book prints. To get the downlow on the sixth…
Lindsay Lohan porn parody
With Lindsay Lohan quickly becoming a parody of herself, it seems only natural that she would end up the subject of a parody porn. Enter Hustler's Untrue Hollywood Stories: Lindsay Lohan.
Skipper’s: a poem (audio)
Skipper's by T.R. Robbins I first really noticed her when she was waddling out of the bathroom door – either because her hip was plastic or her tolerance was low. This particular establishment has been here about 25 years. She's probably lived 3 times that long. And this place was built piece by piece, showing…
Dave Chappelle stages “secret” show in Portland, Oregon, thousands show up to watch (with video)
Dave Chappelle, best known for Comedy Central's fantastic Chappelle Show and the weed movie Half Baked attempted to put on a free, secret show in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday night. I say "attempted" because the comedian, who publicized the show only through text messages and Twitter, expected about 200 people to show up. He got…
To coach or not to coach… should never be a question
I coached youth sports a few years back. I was living in Orlando and decided to volunteer some of my spare time at the downtown YMCA. I coached boys 11-13 years old and can say without hesitation it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I'll spare you the details of how…
ArtsSpeak: Talking about the George Steinbrenner book, Part 2
In the second half of Scott Farrell's interview with Peter Golenbock, author of George: The Poor Little Rich Boy Who Built the Yankee Empire, we hear about George the good Samaritan; George's vendetta against Dave Winfield; the Seinfeld calzone episode; and why the Yankees did better during Steinbrenner's two suspensions. Moderated by CL Editor David…
The Rock Report: Nerdapalooza, Orlando (with audio and video)
As I said with my last post about Nerdapalooza, I wasn't really familiar with the whole genre (or its fan base) until mere weeks before attending the festival, but I had a short list of people I wanted to see as Trevor and I shoved off from St. Petersburg last Saturday morning. Now, I'm typing…
CD Review: Regina Spektor, far (with video)
It’s been three years since Soviet-American songstress Regina Spektor first enchanted us with the soul-pop perfection of Begin to Hope and proved herself a storyteller with a keen sense of detail and drama, a confident singer with a broad vocal range — from high and pure to low and sensual — and a poet with…
Green your pets: a guide to eco-friendly animal care
With many people breaking out into the green movement and things like 'recycling' and 'conserving' becoming second nature, why not get your pets (or 'kids', if you're like me) into your same habits? Eco-friendly pet food, litters, etc., are more readily available than in the past, so try these few simple steps to make your…
Confessions of a Tampa call girl part 2
Last week I met “Broadway Mary,” the first and only call girl I’ve ever come in contact with. When I stopped to ask for directions I had no idea what I was in for. As it turned out Mary was in Ybor City on “business” that had fallen through. Her ride was an hour away…
The 25 most anticipated films for the rest of 2009 (mid July–December)
2009 is already halfway over, and the fall movie season (with all the originality and Oscar-bait it has to offer) is just around the corner. What follows is my list of the 25 films I'm most interested in seeing in the second half of 2009. Read all the way to the bottom for some honorable…
Restaurant Review: Downtown St. Pete’s Buona Vita
Buona Vita 3 stars 330 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg, 727-823-2100. Buona Vita was born out of tragedy, albeit a tiny one. When Local Coffee + Tea owner Michael Duranko decided to pull out of St. Petersburg, three of the coffeeshop employees took over the place, almost ad hoc. They were on a week-to-week pay…
Indie 101: Drew Danburry.
Drew Danburry prefers his family’s brownie recipe over cookies, plays pranks on his friends while they are pooping, disagrees with capitalism, favors ankle socks to tube socks, and could not care less about what is going on in the lives of Britney Spears or Brangelina. Drew has toured with Someone Still Loves you Boris Yeltsin,…
Get crafty with recycled and repurposed items around the house
Wondering what to do with those items in your house that you don't know how to or where to recycle, and don't want to just throw them away? Why not get crafty and rework those items by making them into handy things you'd actually use? I found these great sites that are dedicated to making…
Tattooing your genitalia (NSFW pics)
Every day at work a horny old Frenchman points out my tongue ring and asks if he can "feel the metal." Usually I tell him that I'd rather tattoo my vagina. OUCH! But Rebecca's post, "Body modification can improve sex," got me thinking; tattooing my vagina is way more appealing than blowing an old smelly…
Casual encounters: one man’s Oprah fetish fulfilled by Craigslist
Sometimes you're looking for love, but sometimes you just want to find someone on the internet who can be your personal Oprah. To fulfill this fetish, I again turned to Craigslist. Below is my original post followed by my favorite responses. (All names and personal info have been changed to protect the weird) tampa bay…
C. Emerson Fine Arts to exhibit at Aqua Art Miami 2009
Aqua Wynwood 2007: Rusted wheelbarrows cut with lace-like patterns by Cal Lane at New York’s Foley Gallery. Photo by Megan Voeller. Since reports (like this one) surfaced that collectors were actually buying earlier this summer at Art Basel in Switzerland, the international art fair circuit has managed at least partially to shake its recent image…
Chill down you red wines for the summer
Maybe I have a seasonal affective disorder, since I always veer away from red wine during the hot months. It's hard-wired into my DNA, and I find it more thirst-busting to lace my fingers around a chilled glass of rosé or white wine when the mercury hits 85. But there are a lot of red-wine-etarians…
Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno is a funny assault on good taste
I've never been smacked in the face with a dick, but I imagine the experience is a lot like watching Brüno. The first 15 minutes of the movie is a penis shock-and-awe campaign, with a pink bunny-costume dick, a dick on the end of a stick and a talking dick that shouts "Brüno!" out of…
Letting a French guy pay for my trip to Paris
Should she stay or should she go?
Downtown St. Petersburg’s Buona Vita Italian restaurant fills a niche, and some bellies
Buona Vita was born out of tragedy, albeit a tiny one. When Local Coffee + Tea owner Michael Duranko decided to pull out of St. Petersburg, three of the coffeeshop employees took over the place, almost ad hoc. They were on a week-to-week pay schedule with the landlord, with no formal lease. One day, after…
The Little Dog Laughed is a smart satire about a closeted actor in love
The Little Dog Laughed is a smart, sophisticated satire about a gay Hollywood actor who wants to come out, but who is pressured by his flamboyant and high-powered lesbian agent to stay in. It's also about the relationship this actor has with a young New York hustler, and about the woman this hustler has been…
Was all that money spent on Y2K wasted?
What's the final word about Y2K? We were told this was a serious problem, and that huge dollars and man-hours were needed to head off trouble. Why didn't the sky fall, as predicted? Were the dollars spent before January 1, 2000, well spent or not? The date change seemed seamless to a layman. Was this…
A Swiss near-miss
It helps to know the language when you’re headed to another country.
Travels with Jack: Pitchfork Music Festival ’09
Some of you might be surprised that music isn't my primary motivation for going to this weekend's fifth annual Pitchfork Music Festival, but seriously, folks … that's the god's honest truth. I mean, I'm definitely hyped about going and checking out a handful of the bands playing there, but what has me most excited is…
Review: Maxwell’s BLACKSummer’snight
It was not all that long ago that a self-imposed eight-year hiatus by an R&B singer was tantamount to quitting the game. Labels wouldn’t have it; fans would forget. Singer Maxwell’s retreat for most of the decade into “pedestrian life” doesn’t appear to have hurt his career. BLACKSummer’snight, his first release since 2001’s Now has…
Exclusive: On set photos of Gerard Butler in The Bounty starring Jennifer Aniston
For more news and reviews of the summer’s biggest movies, check out the CL Movies & Television site. My man on the streets on New York (we'll call him GOX) snapped the following photos from the set of The Bounty, a new action/comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. Unfortunately for GOX, Aniston was M.I.A.…
Green Community Calendar weekend events: July 10-12
Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar. Guided Canoe Trip, Weedon Island- Friday, July 10, 2009; 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Take this opportunity to explore a portion of the south canoe trail at Weedon Island Preserve. This trail offers a rare look at some…
Nosh Pit Episode 21: Gui Alinat, Diner 437, The Nest, Bordeaux Blanc
Brian and Taylor chat with Gui Alinat — local chef and recent CL food contributor. We also run down Brian's obsession with Domenica Macchia of Diner 437, the closing of Ybor's The Nest, the re-opening of Wild Shrimp Company, and Taylor's love for white wines from Bordeaux. Download episode 21 here.
Yvonne Bell – Contributor
Yvonne Bell enjoys all things music in the greater Tampa Bay area. She worked for The Syndicate (a New Jersey based music and entertainment marketing company) from 2007-2009 as a "Synner," promoting bigger musical acts as they came through the Tampa/St. Pete areas. Most days Yvonne can be seen working at Adrenalina in the International…
