Congratulations Josh, we barely knew ya.
Ex-Ray, ex-drug abuser Josh Hamilton warped minds last night with his display of power-hitting at the MLB Home Run Derby, part of the All-Star Game festivities. Without going into rules particulars, Hamilton swung at 38 pitches (friendly throws from a batting-practice pitcher). He knocked 28 out of the park, and lots of ’em were moon…
DVD releases for July 15
The Bank Job: Jason Statham (The Transporter, Snatch) stars in director Roger Donaldson’s account of a real-life 1971 London bank robbery. Saffron Burrows costars. Penelope: Cutie-pie Christina Ricci (The Addams Family, Buffalo 66, Speed Racer) is the title character in this modern-day fairy tale about a girl born with a porcine snout. Reese Witherspoon and…
N.E.R.D. review
Seeing Sounds N.E.R.D. Interscope On the third album by the Neptunes’ more rock-oriented side project N.E.R.D. — think Parliament vs. Funkadelic — Pharell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay serve up a sonic spread that’s groove-rich in an old-school funk way, yet frenzied enough to appeal to the ADHD set. Fuzz guitar, deep space synths, booty…
Everybody wants to be mayor
As I have watched the discussion about an elected county mayor unfold, I have to chuckle. Politicos wanting another political position, what a shock. But with so many unanswered questions, how is a voter to make an informed decision? The first question: What actual authority this mayor is going to have? This is an important…
“Instead of a water chestnut, use veal.”
It's hard not to love the New Yorker's Shouts & Murmurs — erudite humor that speaks to the, well, you know, the more-than-common man. This week features a culinary guide to passive aggressive appetizers perfect for any gathering. Best snippet: "Have you ever noticed how sun-dried tomatoes and top-grade peyote look exactly the same? Not…
“Instead of a water chestnut, use veal.”
It's hard not to love the New Yorker's Shouts & Murmurs — erudite humor that speaks to the, well, you know, the more-than-common man. This week features a culinary guide to passive aggressive appetizers perfect for any gathering. Best snippet: "Have you ever noticed how sun-dried tomatoes and top-grade peyote look exactly the same? Not…
World Series of Poker’s “November Nine” Set Last Night
Last week I laid some groundwork for this year's World Series of Poker Main Event, how Harrah's planned to halt play once they got down to the final table of nine people until November in order to jack up mainstream media interest and let ESPN's not-so-live TV coverage catch up. Let the media frenzy begin.…
New indie label Mohawk Bomb launched in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay-based Mohawk Bomb Records just issued its debut disc, an impressive compilation dubbed No Lip Vol. 1. The 13-track CD features bands running the rock gamut: alternative, indie, punk, emo, power pop, garage, screamo and Goth. Five of the acts are local: Soulfound, Adrift, Anareta, Knowing Stu and Drew Street Mary, all of which…
Joe Cocker, with closed-captioning
A little '60s diversion for us on a busy Tuesday morning, here's Joe Cocker's breakout performance at Woodstock, with subtitles in English (sort of):
TBARTA’s online public meetings
This just in from the folks who want to solve our regional transportation problems, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority: TBARTA Now Offering Community Workshops Online – Giving the Public Even More Opportunities to Participate The Transportation Authority seeks public participation in the second phase of its master plan development Tampa, Fla. – (July…
Five Things to Do Today
1. Every Day Gourmet is a series of cooking classes offered by Let Them Eat Cake and taught by Chef Jason Lucas. Tonight’s focus is “Summer Salads.” 6:30-9:30 p.m., 3805 S. West Shore Blvd., Tampa, $40 per person, 813-480-5466. 2. St. Petersburg Free Clinic – which provides temporary assistance for families and individuals in need…
Top 10: Songs about the economy
Perusing the headlines today makes me wanna hit the Xanax bottle and crawl back in bed with a fantasy novel. How can you read "Scramble led to mortgage plan rescue (NYT)," "Ailing sentiment hits dollar and global stocks (FT.com)," "Dollar slumps to record low against euro on U.S. sector woes (Forbesm.com)" and not feel a…
Gym Class Heroes, Dollyrots and more from Warped
Here are some more pics from the Vans Warped Tour that went down Friday, July 11, at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg: Headline making Gym Class Heroes' Travis McCoy. Too bad his girl, Katy Perry, was a no-show Friday. Gym Class Heroes flag/hype man Marc DeJesus (left) and bassist Eric Roberts offer a one-finger salute…
Best Super Bowl moment ever
The St. Pete Times is asking readers to choose from among its picks for the top 25 Super Bowl plays ever, with the results to be announced over the course of the season, culminating with the top vote-getter the Friday before the Super Bowl, which will be held this year in Tampa. Allow me to…
Concrete envy: size does matter when it comes to 15 billion-gallon reservoirs
I know we have 10 categories to choose from in Fix it Now and usually my posts fit nicely under transportation or suburban sprawl but this one really needs another category, WTF will probably do it. Boy, just a few short days to celebrate the death of the Bypass/ Green Swath of Death and then…
Hope for St. Pete’s historic Crislip Arcade
There's some good news on the preservation front: The City Council has approved a proposal of Saint Pete Preservation Inc. to preserve some of the Crislip Arcade, one of three arcades left in the city. From my earlier story on the nine most endangered buildings in St. Pete: Over the decades, St. Pete has lost…
Starbucks Scrambles For Something, Anything
Read over on Serious Eats that Starbucks will introduce a new line of "Vivannos" starting tomorrow. Don't know what a Vivanno is? Time to add a word to your Starbucks lexicon of pseudo-Mediterranean new-speak: Vivanno = smoothie. After years of not trying, those Seattle-ish coffee merchants are really scrambling, aren't they? Heck, I'm all for…
Starbucks Scrambles For Something, Anything
Read over on Serious Eats that Starbucks will introduce a new line of "Vivannos" starting tomorrow. Don't know what a Vivanno is? Time to add a word to your Starbucks lexicon of pseudo-Mediterranean new-speak: Vivanno = smoothie. After years of not trying, those Seattle-ish coffee merchants are really scrambling, aren't they? Heck, I'm all for…
The Rays: Swoon or Collapse?
I watched parts of the Rays’ seven consecutive losses on this last road trip. And guess what? It sure is more fun tuning in when they’re winning nail-biters at the Trop than dropping games on the road to average teams. Rays contests can get pretty dull when journeyman pitchers for the Cleveland Indians are throwing…
Oppose – Support….. Whatever Charlie
You probably know by now that I am not TBARTA's biggest fan. When I was in Tallahassee earlier this year I stopped by Governor Crist's office to try to tell him about my concerns but he was out. Anyway, I signed his book and said in it that I had concerns with TBARTA. I later…
Strip for homeless youth?
This story falls into the "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" catagory: Last week, Virgin Mobile and the National Network For Youth embarked on a web campaign to raise clothing donations for homeless youth. Yawn, right? So to ratchet up support for the benefit, they encouraged the young and altruistic to post…
Five Things to Do Today
1. Every Monday evening in July, SID's Lounge at Side Splitters hosts Poker Night with WPT's Amateur Poker League. Locals enjoy free games of tournament-style Texas Hold 'Em (7 and 9 p.m.), with the chance to win prizes and move on to a nation-wide poker tournament. 2. More than 30 of the world's leading graffiti…
Rocky Aoki, Pioneer of Bad Jokes and Dangerous Knifeplay, Died Last Week
Rocky Aoki, creator of the Benihana restaurant chain and the vaudevillean-style of American teppan-yaki cuisine, died last week. He led an amazing life that rivals anything Richard Branson might try. Check it out.
Rocky Aoki Dies, Chefs Dedicate Bad Jokes To His Memory
Rocky Aoki, the man who brought Japanese culinary showmanship to America with Benihana, died last week. According to the AP story, Aoki was surrounded by his wife and six children during his final moments, which must have been awkward considering he sued four of those kids — two from each of his first two wives…
Art shares a lifetime of reads. Let the snoring begin.
Art Garfunkel has a ravenous appetite for literature and apparently he also has way too much time on his hands as he's been keeping track of every single book he's read for the past 40 years. Ego demands that he share this with the rest of us, so he's set up a library listing of all these books, including a special section…
Traitor My Ass
Maybe you’ve heard about Becky Hammon, the 31-year-old WNBA star who will play for the Russian basketball team in the Beijing Olympics. Flag-waving bloggers and conservative radio hosts (including one tool who was sitting in for Schnitt in Tampa recently) have derided her as a traitor, even suggested that joining the Russian team was an…
Work pissing you off? You’re not alone.
Maybe this is a no-brainer, but people are getting increasingly angry at work, reports Reuters. "Desk rage", as it is now known, is getting worse due to outside pressures like high gas prices, the recessing economy and a shaky job market. Thankfully, most of the anger issues don't result in workplace shootings (although, just wait,…
Florida, you’re so over
That's the doomsday message in a current Time magazine article entitled, ominously, "Is Florida the Sunset State?" (sunshine, sunset, ha) and subheaded with a litany of the state's troubles: "Water Crisis, Mortgage Fraud, Political Dysfunction, Algae Polluted Beaches, Declining Crops, Failing Public Schools, Foreclosures." We're the state that has it all! Author Michael Grunwald allows…
Five Things to Do This Weekend
1. St. Pete-based alt-pop rock band Talk to Mark hosts and performs at A Benefit for Ryleigh and Reece Russo. The benefit concert is held to raise funds for the escalating medical expenses of two St. Petersburg children: 2-year-old Ryleigh (right, reading the paper) was recently diagnosed with leukemia and while she was undergoing chemotherapy at All…
Namaste’s Delight
The flexibility and balance that Yoga offers can be utilized in many Kama Sutra positions, and the one we are about to introduce to you today is no different. Namaste's Delight begins with the woman on her back and the man standing above her head. The woman then takes her legs and swings them over…
Warped Tour today
The Vans Warped Tour arrives in Vinoy Park today and I'm stoked, went out this morning and purchased sunscreen and everything. I already interviewed Against Me! frontman Tom Gabel for this week's Creative Loafing cover story and might be speaking to a couple other acts today, in addition to watching 'em perform. The plan is…
Why, no, officer, that’s not LSD in your cookie.
We've probably all thought at one time or another how hilarious it would be to dose a police officer. Okay, maybe not, but the idea is pretty funny in a Flirting with Disaster sort of way. Not so much to 18-year-old Texan Christian V. Phillips, who is currently being accused of delivering baskets of drug-laced cookies to a dozen or so police…
Another push to preserve St. Pete’s waterfront
Now that the Rays have abandoned plans for a waterfront stadium at the Al Lang Field site (for now), preservationists and community leaders are once again petitioning the city to preserve the site as a park. At tomorrow's 8:30 a.m. St. Petersburg City Council meeting, councilmember Jeff Danner plans to introduce a resolution to designate…
Quick Blogroll: ‘The Twist,’ MLK Billboards and anti-Facebookers
Just a quick shout-out to a few local blog posts that caught my eye recently: Was "The Twist" born in Tampa? Sticks of Fire says yes. What could possibly be more infuriating than a giant Confederate Flag off of Tampa's interstate? A billboard proclaiming Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican. Pushing Rope has details.…
TASTES LIKE AMERICA
“Do you have no pride?” asked Natalie Saturday at the State Theatre, questioning my choice of cheap American beer over her Guinness. “I drink Bud Light as a matter of pride,” I said. “It tastes like America.” Obviously she was in need of a serious history refresher. America was founded on cheap beer. What do…
Where can you find the worst online comments?
You know, sometimes this newspaperin' gig is pretty depressing. Especially when you look at the kind of comments us journalists receive on our online news stories. Fortunately, here at CL, I think we do pretty good. Our commenters tend to be fairly educated and enlightened folks, despite what their profile icons might tell you. And,…
Floridians biggest carbon emiters per capita?
I always knew Florida contributed disproportionately to Fark.com and News of the Weird entries, but it looks like we've earned another distinction: disproportionate effect on global warming. According to growth management watchdogs 1000 Friends of Florida, Florida’s largest metro areas pump out more greenhouse gases per person than in other large cities. They're basing the…
Carole King’s cozy living room
Last night a Ruth Eckerd Hall, sitting at her piano on a stage decked out to look like a living room, songwriting legend Carole King came across as a pretty hip, sweetheart of a grandma. She pronounced proudly that she’s 66 years old. When King exhorted everyone to sing along to the chorus of “Natural…
Five Things to Do Today
1. Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center hosts an opening night party for its new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I. Guests enjoy free refreshments, prizes and a meet-and-greet with the cast (pictured) following the show. 2. WMNF continues its Live Jazz Series with former Bay area resident turned current Manhattan School of…
The cell phone-popcorn trick revealed
Remember last month when the crack investigative news team at CL debunked the myth of cell phones being able to pop popcorn? For those who missed it, here's the vid again: Now, CNN finally gets to the bottom of this viral marketing hoax, including an interview with the CEO behind it all. Their video is…
Dave Matthews, Gomez; me on TV
After reading the numerous comments on Eric Snider's controversial Dave Matthews Band post I decided to visit the Ford Amphitheatre yesterday to check out DMB. Maybe magic would occur and I'd be converted. I hoped that would happen. I really did. But no such luck. My DMB experience lasted exactly 1.75 songs. The opening number…
Neil Young covers the Beatles
Here's a cool find: Neil Young performing The Beatles's "A Day in the Life," June 27 at the Rock in Rio Madrid music festival.
Mamma Mia!, Pierce Brosnan sings!
Ah, the perks of working at the Loaf: I'm listening to a review copy of Mamma Mia! movie soundtrack that cubicle buddy/Bar Tab-ber/music critic Wade Tatangelo was kind enough to pass on to me, as he knows I'm a big ABBA fan (and, more importantly, had no intention of reviewing himself). My first impression of…
Mamma Mia!, Pierce Brosnan sings!
Ah, the perks of working at the Loaf: I'm listening to a review copy of Mamma Mia! movie soundtrack that cubicle buddy/Bar Tab-ber/music critic Wade Tatangelo was kind enough to pass on to me, as he knows I'm a big ABBA fan (and, more importantly, had no intention of reviewing himself). My first impression of…
Have one of these? Might want to check your driveway.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau has released its annual report on the most stolen cars in America, and despite overall auto thefts being down (per the FBI's early version of their Uniform Crime Report), the same old cars have made the list of most-sought-after by car thieves. According to the NICB, the 1995 Honda Civic…
Against Me! cover story and more
Here's my cover story interview with Against Me! frontman Tom Gabel, the debut of my local-music-centric column Tampa Calling, plus links to Bar Tab, Spins, Music Week and more stories from the latest issue of Creative Loafing. Enjoy. Bar Tab: Swept away. Baseball, beer and father-son bonding. They're Against Me! Florida's best band gets Warped.…
Five Things to Do Today
1. St. Pete for Peace continues its Wednesday series of thought-provoking film screenings with the Amy Goodman-narrated Big Bucks, Big Pharma – Marketing Drugs & Pushing Disease, a documentary focusing on the ways that pharmaceutical companies use, manipulate and in some cases create illnesses to make greater profits; presented at Café Bohemia. 2. Carol King…
No. I’m not dead.
So, I woke up dead this morning. Well, not me, but my namesake, another Alexander Pickett. Another 27-year-old Alexander Pickett. I got a call this morning from the Creative Loafing HQ after our HR director received some calls about the fellow Pickett, who died last night after jumping off the Gulfport Pier. According to news…
Get drunk without the skunk
Exploring three enemies of freshness
The Phyllis Gates effect
Charlie Crist engaged"She took me to a fabulous restaurant and, after the cheese course, got down on one knee and popped the question. What could I say?!?" Fox News admits it doctors photosMakes its enemies look goofier. That doesn't explain Bill O'Reilly, though. Madonna and A-RodEconomists report the couple is producing enough raw material to…
You and your racist fans
"Somebody in the crowd was taunting Travis (McCoy, of Gym Class Heroes) with racial slurs. Travis invited him onstage with the intent of calling him out in front of the crowd. … When he tried to help him onstage, the guy hit Travis in the knee area … forcing Travis to defend himself. At this…
Ascend Herman Dune’s Apple Tree
Excellent EP by the Paris duo
Art: It’s Not Easy Being Green
Tuesday, July 15
Vans Warped Tour lineup
Against Me! — and everyone else
Musical/Theater: Forever Plaid
Sunday, July 13
Can Bill Young be beat?
These candidates think he can.
Viaggio at the Venue is very, very good
One of the best restaurants in the Bay area emerges
Tom Petty free-falls at the Forum
It's long been my belief that it's nigh impossible for artists who write their own songs to come up with new music of substance after age 50. Tom Petty proved an exception with Highway Companion, his last solo album, released in '06, when he was 55. The disc is vintage Petty, not a masterpiece but…
RenGen redux
Tampa business leaders gather for a follow-up roundtable.
April Bender faces her fears
Local actress stars in Choose Your Own Shakespeare.
Theater: Private Lives
Thursday, July 10
Shelby Lynne, MC Hammer
Plus 311
Rufus Wainwright strikes his Poses
Girlie-boy music for he-men.
Swept away
Baseball, beer and father-son bonding.
Plaid fad
Forever Plaid at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
Music: The Black Angels w/The Warlocks
Saturday, July 12
Patriot games
The Fourth may be done, but the flag-waving goes on.
Trash talking
County to Mayor: Kick it to the curbside!
.Com-ments
Readers respond re Iorio, GaYbor and that big ol’ flag
Theater: Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins
Wednesday, July 16
Don’t Panic
Is the United States going to attack Iran after all?
They’re so vain
Celebrities who hit the bottle.
Darryl Rouson: “From the crack house to the floor of the House.”
Who? Florida House Rep. Darryl Rouson Sphere of influence: Local and state politics; represents parts of Sarasota, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties in State House district 55; handpicked by Gov. Charlie Crist for Tax and Budget Reform Commission; former president of the St. Petersburg NAACP chapter from 2000-2005; strong ties to local developers, lawyers and political…
Paying the price in All for Free
This Eastern European import is one of Global Lens’ best
Other mothers
I’m amazed they don’t murder me.
Florida’s best bands?
See if you agree with Wade’s Top 10
Wade’s new calling
Tampa Calling: First it was a blog, now it’s a column.
Fire Rock Pale Ale
Crisp, refreshing, with just a hint of tropical fruit
Vans Warped Tour, 2 Live Crew
Plus The Black Angels
The Hold Steady’s stellar sonic adventure
Stay Positive, plus CD releases by Ry Cooder and Keaton Simons
Digital comes of age at Polk Museum of Art
Artists celebrate the digital revolution
Hellboy II: Big-budget bizarro
Guillermo del Toro’s dazzling sequel
Savage Love
A little getting dumped into each life must fall
Art: The Energy Show: Elements of Skill
Monday, July 14
The Straight Dope
Does the president have an official food taster to make sure he won't get poisoned? I'm sure that security is tight in the White House kitchen, but you never know. What about when the president visits foreign countries? —Stuart Katz The golden age of political poisoning (pace the estate of Alexander Litvinenko) has largely come…
Concert: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers w/ Steve Winwood
Wednesday, July 16
They’re Against Me!
Florida’s best rock band gets Warped.
Music/Party: S’Real Fridays and Summer Jazz Series
Friday, July 11
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 brian.ries@creativeloafing.com. ABC FINE WINE AND SPIRITS The ABC on Kennedy will host a Wednesday night tasting featuring wines from all over from 6-8 p.m. It costs $10, but that'll get you…
Katharine Kelly’s whip-smart showcase
Former Nous Rapport frontwoman goes solo.
