Sous Chef and GM from Mise en Place move to Cafe Dufrain
Starting July 1, Sous Chef Ferrell Alvarez, Marty Blitz's right-hand-man for many years at Mise en Place, is moving to the Executive Chef slot at Cafe Dufrain. Also making the switch in October is Ty Rodriguez, General Manager at Mise. Ferrell and Andy Bonnemort, owners of Cafe Dufrain, couldn't be happier, although they came to learn of Chef Ferrell's…
Do It Today: rock ‘n’ roll school, meet author Todd Shimoda
In conjunction with its Homemade Music Symposium, the Artists and Writers Group welcomes 30-year music industry pro Tony Michaelides — who’s worked with the likes of David Bowie, The Pixies, Massive Attack, Elvis Costello and U2, among many others — for a free interactive discussion, Todd Shimoda discusses his latest novel, Oh! A Mystery of…
Movie Review: John Travolta & Denzel Washington in The Taking of Pelham 123
For more news and reviews of the summer’s biggest movies, go to the CL Movies & Television site. The only things for sure in this life are death, taxes and that any movie starring John Travolta as the villain will suck. Swordfish, Battlefield Earth, Face/Off, Broken Arrow, The Punisher — the list goes on. If…
New vinyl, CD and DVD Releases, June 9
VINYL: Anti-Flag – People Or The Gun LP+MP3 Their seventh full-length takes aim at those who use the bible to control the masses. Avenged Sevenfold Sounding The Seventh Trumpet Waking The Fallen Limited edition (1000) specially-colored vinyl versions of these classic two albums. Coalesce – Ox LP+MP3 Coalesce encapsulates over a decade of forward-thinking hardcore…
Concert Review: Animal Collective at State Theatre (with pics!)
Let me preface this by saying I'm a huge fan of Animal Collective. I've followed them since 2005's Feels, which mystified, intrigued and ultimately turned me onto the the experimental trio, and I think the new album, the whooped-chanted-sung lyrics. But while last night's show had some pretty great moments, the overall performance wasn't quite…
Concert announcement: Pet Shop Boys at TBPAC
Just got this press release from Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center announcing that British dance music twosome Pet Shop Boys will be stopping at the center's Carol Morsani Hall Thursday, Sept. 10. Here's the release details: One of the most iconic and influential pop acts in the world, the English pop duo Pet Shop Boys…
Picture review: The Beauvilles, Thomas Wynn and Shawn Fisher at New World Brewery
Thx Mgmt brought an all star Florida rock n' roll show to New World Brewery on Friday, June 5, 2009 featuring Tampa darlings The Beauvilles, Orlando based Thomas Wynn & The Believers and hailing from Jacksonville, Shawn Fisher & The Jukebox Gypsies. The master plan was a mini-weekend tour heading to each of the band's…
Makin’ Bacon: The home-cured local pork belly experiment
(This piece comes from CL Sarasota's Summer of Pig coverage.) It took two days to thaw in the refrigerator — two days longer than my excitement wanted to allow — but when I slapped the nine pound pork belly on my kitchen counter, it kind of freaked me out. A little. One side was beautiful,…
How to be a freelance artist: Part 1
As a freelance artist, continuing every day is hard. Really frickin' hard sometimes. I have to wake up ready to be my own personal secretary, accountant, publicist, dreamer and doer. The plus side is that I am my own proverbial boss. I've always thought of myself as a pretty good and fair boss. I'm now…
Twitter flash fiction project revisited
I stood rejected at the gates of hell. Who knew you needed an invitation? (S. Bosco) A couple of months ago I finally caved and got a Twitter account. Because mostly everything in my world revolves around some kind of writing, mainly fiction, I thought, Wouldn't it be great to write some 140-character flash fiction?…
The Meinkes in the Big Apple: St. Pete’s poet laureate cuts loose
Last month, while we were visiting New York City, a proclamation was read in St. Petersburg Town Hall appointing me the city’s first poet laureate. Our quiet town has become “a city of writers,” the proclamation said, and oddly enough this no longer sounds humorous. Governments in general prefer their writers dead, so the times…
Serial killers, zombies, the great American pastime and home-grown crime
Sure, it happens at the movies all the time. Somebody jumps out of the darkness with a knife and we all shudder. A whole film genre has been based on such scares. But when was the last time that happened to you while reading a book? For me, that happened just last week, at the halfway…
Beer Review : Reunion ’08 Red Rye Ale – organic beer for a good cause
For the past few years, Pete Slosberg of Pete's Brewing Company (as in Pete's Wicked this-and-that) has been teaming up with Alan Shapiro, president of SBS Imports, and Daniel Del Grande from Bison Brewing to craft a limited special release beer that benefits a good cause. The Reunion collaboration was inspired by the late Virginia…
Signs of hope: are our environmental efforts making a difference?
Last week I took a bit of a break after my hectic market schedule to visit my folks. I was raised on the Jersey "shore" as it is termed in the Garden State/Philadelphia area. I have been a bird watcher since the age of 8 starting with my magazine drive prize fold-down opera glasses. Once home and without any…
Do It Today: Dalai Lama on screen, detox seminar and more
festival awards, and features personal interviews with the man who leads Tibet's quest for independence. The film is narrated by Harrison Ford, and includes commentary by Michael Beckwith, Fred Alan Wolf, Amit Goswami, Thom Hartmann, Jean Houston and more. Visit wingsbookstore.com for more info. 7 p.m., Tue., June 9, Wings Book Store, 4500 4th St.…
New videos for new music: Placebo, Mos Def and Anti-Flag.
A sneak peek at videos for music releases due out this week by a range of artists, with short reviews and grade school-style ratings! "For What It's Worth," the first single off Placebo's Battle for the Sun, on Vagrant Records. This is the British alt rock trio's sixth album and its first since 2006's Meds.…
Review: Elvis Costello’s Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (with video)
For the last dozen or so years, Elvis Costello has switched genres like he was trying on shirts at the outlet mall: orchestral works, New Orleans R&B with Allen Toussaint, stately ballads with Swedish messo-soprano Anne-Sofie von Otter, a writing collaboration with Burt Bacharach and a jazz summit with Bill Frisell. He even managed to…
Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants: Reader Recommendation Results
We put it to you, the readers, to help us fill out our list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants, and you spoke. Repeatedly. Through the six days of voting, many people left heartfelt recommendations in support of their favorite spots, with restaurants ranging from Sarasota to Tarpon Springs. Some were neighborhood haunts, while the…
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events
Wednesday, June 10: 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 “A Tale of Two Chardonnays” and features oaked and…
Theater Review: Jobsite’s Rabbit Hole
David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize-winning Rabbit Hole is a carefully observed, lovingly detailed study of the effect of a child's death on his family and others near to him. If the subject sounds too somber to make an enjoyable drama, let me assure you that the current Jobsite Theater production is poignantly engaging. Compassionately directed by…
Review: Elvis Costello’s Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (with video)
For the last dozen or so years, Elvis Costello has switched genres like he was trying on shirts at the outlet mall: orchestral works, New Orleans R&B with Allen Toussaint, stately ballads with Swedish messo-soprano Anne-Sofie von Otter, a writing collaboration with Burt Bacharach and a jazz summit with Bill Frisell. He even managed to…
Why you should vote Manny Ramirez for baseball’s All-Star Game
Major League Baseball is about to face yet another controversy involving one of its biggest names and the use of banned substances.
Half-priced wine and food mania at Tampa Bay’s area restaurants
Things might be looking up, at least for the food industry — the National Restaurant Association reported a fourth consecutive month gain in restaurant activity. Restaurants are begging for us to go out to eat. I've done my part (many thanks to the CL's glorious half-priced Eats and Bites gift certificates) Perhaps the discount ads, tweets and email…
Neil Patrick Harris’ Tony Awards song: He saved the best for last (lyrics, video)
Neil Patrick Harris performs the "11 o'clock number" at the Tonys. If there were a Tony Award for critics' best post-mortem sentence, this one would be a candidate: With producers coming out of the woodwork like dinner-jacketed head lice, ebullient hippies celebrated in the aisles, staring down the camera lens and cavorting with the likes…
Schnitzel recipe – thanks mom
As a child, I didn't appreciate my mother's cooking like I should have. A first generation American born to Austrian immigrants, my mother learned her skills in my grandmother's kitchen. Mom didn't have a huge repertoire of recipes. Most of our meals were casseroles, sausages, braised meats and cabbages. Her crock pot was her instrument.…
Cool-N-Save: An eco-friendly energy saver for your air conditioning unit (Video)
Cool-n-Save™ is an awesome new patented product that is actually based on the same scientific principles that large corporations have used to save themselves money for years. Installed in less than five minutes with no tools required, the Cool-n-Save™ system affixes to the top of most home air conditioning units. The system is activated only…
My overly involved mother and my sex life: Four horror stories
We were on a visit to my great-aunt’s house. She was in the shower when we arrived, so her son, Ivy Leaguer, let us in. I was settled between my sister and cousin, reading a book when my aunt came into the living room to greet us. It had been over a year since my…
How to Take Music Reviews (Advice for Bands)
One of the ways people find out about new music is by listening to what their favorite trusted music critics have to say. Whether it's a local newspaper or Rolling Stone, getting reviewed is very important to bands, especially the songwriters. Reviews provide professional validation and encouragement when they are positive, and derail genius if…
Do It Today: free health screening, celebrate ocean day and more
It's a new week and a new chance to make healthy lifestyle changes. Today, pack a healthy brown bag lunch in lieu of fast food and head to the AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour, which rolls into town to offer free health screenings for anyone 18 and older. The gamut of tests include bone density, cholesterol, glucose,…
CL Interview: Pontiak (an impressive new heavy band)
Listen to "Radiate," from the band Pontiak Imagine you’re one of three brothers four years apart who ride around the country in a van that’s tricked out with a sleeping loft. You stay at campgrounds and cook out most nights. You pull the van over on a whim for a hike or to check out…
CL Interview: Pontiak (an impressive new heavy band)
Imagine you’re one of three brothers four years apart who ride around the country in a van that’s tricked out with a sleeping loft. You stay at campgrounds and cook out most nights. You pull the van over on a whim for a hike or to check out whatever catches your attention, be it the…
Take back our stadium names: No more St. Pete Times Forum, Raymond James Stadium or Tropicana Field
I was poking around the Internet this morning, reading about last night's Phish show in Mansfield, MA., when something hit me. The author kept referring to the concert's venue, The Comcast Center, by its pre-sponsorship name of Great Woods. I started thinking about the big-three Bay area sports venues and their old names, and now…
Full Schedule for Homemade Music Symposium in Tampa, FL
It's free. It's for & about musicians and the business of making of music. It's all happening next weekend. Here's the full schedule for Homemade Music Symposium. This second annual FREE symposium for Tampa Bay musicians & the music-loving general public offers seminars and workshops on the business of music-making to explore how to nurture…
Conan O’Brien’s Tonight Show set is Super Mario. Bros!
If you've been watching the new Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, and you've found yourself wondering, "Where have I seen this set before?" Conan has your answer:
Box office report: Land of the Lost bombs, The Hangover leading Up in battle for first place
For more news and reviews of the summer’s biggest movies, go to the CL Movies & Television site. In what is shaping up to be the first big upset at the summer movie box office, the R-rated comedy The Hangover is currently in first place for the weekend, besting Disney's strong, kid-friendly Up and the…
Kama Sutra: The Tortoise
Getting into the position: The woman and man sit face to face. The man’s toes should be caressing his partner’s nipples (yes, you read this right). Her feet are firmly pressed against his heart as they make love holding onto each other's hands. On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate position…
The Green Community: Week in review
What's the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this past week: Stretching your diet and exercise comfort zone: moving through a plateau: contributor Kelly Rothwell lists a few ways to work through your diet and exercise plateaus. Greenpeace comes to Tampa with bad news about…
Get dad into the green: Have an organic Father’s Day (Pictures)
Father's Day will be here sooner then you realize (June 21st) and picking up the perfect gift can be a little difficult, maybe even more so then for Mother's Day in some cases.If your father is anything like mine, there doesn't seem to be much that I haven't gotten him. I have done the watch…
Album review: Sonic Youth’s The Eternal
You’d be forgiven for thinking that In case you worrying, though, track one of SY LP number 16, The Eternal, will cure you of any illusions that this band has gone soft. Titled “Sacred Trickster,” the song is two minutes of no-frills punk rock, with an angry vocal turn by bassist Kim Gordon and a…
Jannus Landing’s Jack Bodziak talks (sort of)
Yesterday afternoon, I put up a post that discussed the fate of Jannus Landing, seeing as the man who runs it, Jack Bodziak, was arrested last week on charges that he failed to pay to the state more than $200,000 in sales tax he collected from customers. Additionally, three concerts were pulled from the venue…
Top 10 keyboardists, ever (with video).
Several days ago, while watching Marco Benevento fire up his piano on a YouTube video, I got to thinking — who are some of the best keyboardists around right now, the ones who truly bring chops to the table, either via instrumental compositions, or songwriting, or both? I've tried to go less obvious — no…
Regina Spektor’s new album, first single, tour dates and more (with video)
I fell in love with Soviet-born songstress Regina Spektor a few years ago with the release of 2006's Begin to Hope. While I was initially turned off by the inherent pop marketability of the album (it's almost too well-produced for its own good), I was drawn to her poetry, to the sweetness of her accented…
Crispy Pig Ear Salad recipe from chef Derek Barnes
(Editor's Note: This recipe comes from CL Sarasota's next-door neighbor, nationally recognized chef Derek Barnes of Derek's Culinary Casual. It's another part of CL Sarasota's Summer of Pig coverage.) CRISPY PIG EAR SALAD with house cured bacon, frisée, local radish, poached Will's Farm egg, creamy whole grain mustard vinaigrette FOR THE PIG EARS: 6 pig…
Attila the Hunny – Contributor
A people pleaser at heart, she really knows how to wow the crowd and raise the bar like no other, with a 99.5% success rate to be exact. She parties like a rockstar. This blonde bombshell is sure to turn many heads with her personal stories, sexual curiosities and useful tidbits of information. Stay tuned…
Jannus Landing’s Jack Bodziak make his first public statement
Yesterday afternoon, I put up a post that discussed the fate of Jannus Landing, seeing as the man who runs it, Jack Bodziak, was arrested last week on charges that he failed to pay to the state more than $200,000 in sales tax he collected from customers. Additionally, three concerts were pulled from the venue…
CL Tournament of Summer Movie Blockbusters Round 1: The Dark Knight vs. Armageddon
Note: This is our first Tournament of Summer Movie Blockbuster. In case you missed it, here's the skinny on the tourney and a full list of competing films. And for news and reviews of this summer's blockbusters, be sure and check CL's Movies & TV site. In Wednesday's poll results, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial squeaked…
Gui Alinat – Contributor
Born, raised and classically trained in Provence, Gui Alinat is a chef, blogger and food writer in Tampa. He is also the creator of the Itinerant Cookbook Project, which tracks cookbooks as they travel across the planet. You can learn about him at www.chefgui.com. His culinary style can be best described as authentic continental gourmet…
Regina Spektor’s new album, first single, tour dates and more (with video)
I fell in love with Soviet-born songstress Regina Spektor a few years ago with the release of 2006's Begin to Hope. While I was initially turned off by the inherent pop marketability of the album (it's almost too well-produced for its own good), I was drawn to her poetry, to the sweetness of her accented…
This week @ the movies: Land of the Lost
[Ed. note: Each week I'll be breaking down the big summer blockbuster movie releases. If you're curious about what's coming out in future weeks, be sure to check out the Summer Movie Preview. For more info on this week's releases, please check out our full length reviews of Land of the Lost, The Hangover and…
New tax on alcohol and soft drinks could become a reality
In an effort to raise money to pay for an overhaul of America's health care system, the Senate Finance Committee is contemplating a tax on alcohol and soft drinks. But the controversial proposal pits some pretty powerful lobbyists against each other: the Corn Refiners Association (the same fine folks who bring us high fructose corn syrup) and the…
Movie Review: Every Little Step
For more news and reviews of the summer's biggest movies, go to the CL Movies & Television site. Gotta say it right off the bat — I looooooved this movie. But then I’m a theater geek from way back, and Every Little Step is crack for theater geeks: a documentary about the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1975…
Artists design wallpaper at Florida Craftsmen
Wallpaper design (detail) by Anthony Zollo. Image courtesy of the artist. For a couple of years now, Florida Craftsmen has been organizing a series of exhibitions that explore a single theme: living with art and fine craft. Despite their conceptual commonality, the exhibits couldn’t be more diverse. At Home With Crafts, the inaugural effort in…
Help us find Tampa Bay’s roadside barbecue stands
I've been working on CL Sarasota's Food Issue — Summer of Pig — and one of the pieces is a rundown of local roadside barbecue stands. The Bay area is a much bigger nut to crack when it comes to tracking down these impromptu purveyors of pork, so I need your help. Drop me a…
NBA Finals: Game 1 report: Oh no, oh no, we’re all going to die!
Game 1 is in the books and it was certainly not a good situation for the Orlando Magic. Here's the thing, though… it's not the end of the Magical world here. I know that the Lakers have won like a trillion series in a row when winning the first game of a set but that…
Matt De Vlieger – Contributor
Matt De Vlieger is Florida born and raised, and living to "kvetch" about it. He grew up in Sunrise, where he attended Piper High School and broadcasted on "South Florida's Radio Alternative", 88.5FM WKPX. He graduated from UCF in Orlando with a degree in International Relations and Broadcast Journalism. At UCF he began organizing with…
The casualties of climate change: thousands die each year from weather-related disasters linked to global warming (Video)
Have you ever heard the Vietnam-era quote, “war is not healthy for children and other living things?” It is a staunchly obvious and painstakingly reasonable appeal that cuts to the ethical core and casualties of war. I read an article this week that reminded me of it, but instead of war, the murderous culprit in…
Artsqueeze Weekend Roundup, June 5-7
Friday 6-9 p.m. – Opening reception for View Point, photography by members of North Tampa Arts League, at The Great Frame Up Gallery (1646 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Wesley Chapel). The exhibition is judged by Robert Louis Kerns, a retired professor of visual communications from USF, who is a prizewinning photographic artist and photojournalist, as…
Do It This Weekend: Film Lingual, learn to cook, save a puppy
C. Emerson Fine Arts’ annual showcase of genre defying photographic works, Film Lingual III, opens tonight with a one-night-only interactive video projection that puts visitors in the spotlight. (“We need your bodies,” tweets gallery owner Lori Johns.) This year’s roster of artists — David Audet, Nancy Cervenka, Brandon Dunlap, Corey George, Illuminations 33701, Jamie Jackson,…
What’s to become of Jannus Landing? The scoop from insiders.
A cloud hangs over Jannus Landing. The man who runs the concert courtyard, Since that bombshell dropped, three concerts have been pulled from the Jannus Landing docket: The Hold Steady, Gogol Bordello and Taking Back Sunday. The question on everyone’s mind: What will become of downtown St. Petersburg's beloved concert venue? Very few people want…
Scenes from game four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals
What a fabulous week! It's not often you get to visit your old town, have your pops treat you to a delicious P.F. Chang's dinner, then finish it off by seeing your favorite basketball team inch one step closer to the NBA Finals. It's even more rewarding when your team beats the greatest player on…
Yo La Tengo announce new album, release new single
Indie rock forefathers Yo La Tengo are gearing up to release Popular Songs, on September 8 via Matador. The follow-up to 2006's I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass was recorded in Hoboken, N.J. and Nashville earlier this year. From the Matador Records Blog: We have an old saying at…
Casual Catastrophe: learning to stay away from craigslist’s casual encounters
It took an Atacama Desert-like dry spell and a cruel bout of Adderall-induced insomnia to discover the secret to succeeding on Craigslist Casual Encounters. While the morally superior may say that no real ‘success’ could come from this, the morally superior are a bunch of suckers. Besides, morality wouldn't keep me from resorting to another…
How and where to buy local pork near Tampa Bay
(This piece came from our CL Sarasota, as part of it's Summer of Pig coverage.) Local vegetables and fruits are commonplace, if you know where to look, but finding local meat is a distinct challenge. Blame the USDA. Hogs meant for commercial meat sales usually have to go through the mega-slaughterhouses regulated by the USDA,…
What’s to become of Jannus Landing? The scoop from insiders.
A cloud hangs over Jannus Landing. The man who runs the concert courtyard, Since that bombshell dropped, three concerts have been pulled from the Jannus Landing docket: The Hold Steady, Gogol Bordello and Taking Back Sunday. The question on everyone’s mind: What will become of downtown St. Petersburg’s beloved concert venue? Very few people want…
Tampa Museum of Art announces new antiquities curator: Seth Pevnick
Black-figure Column Krater. Greek, Attic, about 510 BC. Ceramic. Tampa Museum of Art; purchased with funds from the Friends of the Arts (FOTA) 1981.5. Courtesy tampamuseum.org. Foreground: Richard E. Perry curator of Greek and Roman art Seth Pevnick. The Tampa Museum of Art (TMA) announced this afternoon that it has hired Seth Pevnick of the…
Reel Projections Podcast: Interview with Mike Nelson of Rifftraxs and MST3K + Land of the Lost
For more news and reviews of all the summer blockbusters, go to CL's Movies & Television site. Reel-Projections-Episode-7_6-3-09.mp3 The Reel Projections podcast returns with an interview with Mike Nelson. Fans of bad movies or great TV shows remember Nelson as the former head-writer and star of the Comedy Central/Sci-Fi Channel hit Mystery Science Theater 3000.…
Pearl Jam partners with Target. Keep your sellout accusations to yourself.
Ever since the phrase "pull a Radiohead" entered the music blogosphere's lexicon, we've watched as a diverse list of acts such as Nine Inch Nails, Saul Williams, Pennywise, and Portishead explore ways to reinvent the music business wheel. One of the highest-profile free agents is Pearl Jam – a group unafraid to fight corporate giants…
Movie review: Will Ferrell in Land of the Lost
For more news and reviews of the summer's biggest movies, go to the CL Movies & Television site. The summer movie season is never one for originality, as Hollywood puts forth mostly known properties with built-in fan interest. This summer has already seen re-boots of X-Men and Star Trek, a fourth Terminator sequel and a…
UN reports green power investments overtook those of fossil fuels for the first time ever
According to an article posted today by The Guardian, investments toward green energy power generation topped those toward fossil fuels last year. This marks the first year of this occurence, according to figures from the United Nations that were released today. "Wind, solar and other clean technologies attracted $140bn (£85bn) compared with $110bn for gas and coal…
Yo La Tengo announce new album, release new single
Indie rock forefathers Yo La Tengo are gearing up to release Popular Songs, on September 8 via Matador. The follow-up to 2006's I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass was recorded in Hoboken, N.J. and Nashville earlier this year. From the Matador Records Blog: We have an old saying at…
Preview of Fleming’s new deal, plus Basil Lemon Drop recipe
Where else can you get this for $6? May I present the new Fleming's "5 for 6 till 7" menu. Essentially, you can almost eat for free. Almost. Every night from 5-7 pm, Fleming's now offers a menu that includes five cocktails (like the Basil Lemon Drop you see above), five full-sized appetizers and five…
On “sexting” and “the talk”
I was talking with a friend about another article on “sexting” when I clicked over to the CL website and saw Shawn’s story on Oral Sex is the New Goodnight Kiss. The next morning, I was greeted with a Good Morning America video on the subject. The accompanying email read “OMG! Did you hear about…
Enter to win $20,000 to green your neighborhood
The contest isn't too daunting either as they just request you to write a short essay between 100-250 words about your eco-idea and send it in! Easy peasey! If you are feeling an extra flair of creativity, you may also submit an optional video or pictures but it is not mandatory. You have to hurry…
To do This Friday, June 6: Beauvilles, Thomas Wynn, and Shawn Fisher at New World Brewery
In the hours after penning my little fuck you to the Tampa/St. Pete music fan base I got to thinking. There's a line in the Outkast song, "Git Up, Git Out", that says; "You need to git up, git out and git somethin / Cuz you and I got to do for you and I".…
Do It Today: Wanda Sykes, wine etiquette, digital art at HCC
Wanda Sykes has taken on all manner of roles, from a puppet with hair rollers on Crank Yankers, to a talking spokesapple in the Applebee’s commercials, to Stella the Skunk in the kid flick Over the Hedge, to her finger-pointing, name-calling cameos on Curb Your Enthusiasm. This Thursday, she brings her drop-dead funny stand-up to…
Alcocholic Incendiary Critters at New World Brewery: Magadog, Light Yourself on Fire and The Boozers
Ed Lowery and friends (which includes the Tampa Two Stroke Scooter Club) threw a benefit concert in support of Mike Formato, a friend injured in a serious scooter accident, at New World Brewery this past Saturday May 30. It was a eclectic evening of music featuring sets by Magadog, Light Yourself on Fire and The Boozers.…
Movie review: Todd Phillip’s The Hangover
For news and reviews of this summer's blockbusters, be sure and check CL's Movies & TV site. Ah, the bachelor party. The “last night of freedom” is a well-established rite of passage for dudes trading singledom for the restrictive bonds of marriage, and has long been fodder for the movies. In the 1980s, Tom Hanks…
CL Tournament of Summer Movie Blockbusters Round 1: E.T. vs. Transformers
Note: This is our first Tournament of Summer Movie Blockbuster. In case you missed it, here's the skinny on the tourney and a full list of competing films. And for news and reviews of this summer's blockbusters, be sure and check CL's Movies & TV site. In one of the most unsurprising poll results of…
Uh oh: Miley Cyrus concert scheduled for Tampa Bay’s St. Pete Times Forum
Last time Let's hope there's not another ticket fiasco this time. Actually, the best thing that could happen is that Miley-mania has calmed down the extent that MILFs aren't breaking the household budget to take 11-year-old young Brittany to see her heroine. Here we go: Miley Cyrus will perform at the St. Pete Times Forum…
The webcam girls next door: The naked truth behind a lucrative local industry (pics & video)
Every straight male (and some females) have a version of this fantasy: two college-aged girls sitting on a couch, playfully flirting before spontaneously stripping and fondling each other. This is the scene I walk in on Friday. Two attractive young women share a leather loveseat while watching a muted MTV show. Having just met that…
Australia’s McLaren Vale wines: The bold and the beautiful
Humble beginnings birth beautiful things. Obama. The Simpsons. Angelina Jolie. And McLaren Vale, a tiny town in South Australia with soft yet powerful wines. Tireless pioneer Thomas Hardy planted grapes in McLaren Vale around 1840 and winemaking in the region thrived, until the turn of the century when exports dried up and the demand for…
Uh oh: Miley Cyrus concert scheduled for Tampa Bay’s St. Pete Times Forum
Last time Let’s hope there’s not another ticket fiasco this time. Actually, the best thing that could happen is that Miley-mania has calmed down the extent that MILFs aren’t breaking the household budget to take 11-year-old young Brittany to see her heroine. Here we go: Miley Cyrus will perform at the St. Pete Times Forum…
Help us pick the Top 50 Restaurants in Tampa Bay
When friends or relatives visit town, everyone has that mental list of go-to restaurants we always recommend, the kinds of places that are either iconic Bay area spots or just so damn good we know they won’t disappoint. For this year’s Food Issue, Creative Loafing is doing that list one better. On June 17, we’ll…
Vote in the American Inst. of Architects Tampa Bay’s “Second Annual People’s Choice Award” program
The American Institute of Architects Tampa Bay (AIA Tampa Bay) is currently conducting their "Second Annual People's Choice Awards" for projects entered into the AIA Tampa Bay 2009 Design Awards! Voting is open to everyone, please visit this site to review the projects, and then cast your vote. Unfortunately there does not appear to be a…
Water, what on Earth is it?
#2 in a series on water, water conservation, and Tampa Bay's water problems. Nearly every Westerner I have ever known takes fresh water completely for granted. Therefore, I figured I’d start this series on water with some facts about pure water. Approximately 90% of your body weight is water. Water composes roughly 60% of an average human male…
Picture review: Sailing into New World with City of Ships, Guiltmaker & Liquid Limbs
City of Ships sailed into Ybor City last Friday, May 29, and headlined a New Granada Show at New World Brewery with Tampa favorites Guiltmaker and Gainesville-based Liquid Limbs. City of Ships Currently hailing from Richmond, Va., City of Ships produces a unique brand of heavy yet clever post-hardcore rock. Live, the band delivers a…
Is NASA the only federal agency that makes a profit?
I once heard NASA was the only government department to show a profit due to patents on things such as Teflon, Velcro, and Tang. Any truth to this? —Michelle, Anchorage Will this silly story never die? I've mentioned previously that NASA didn't invent Teflon, Velcro, or Tang; we therefore deduce that it can't be making…
Mixed emotions on Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor
The nomination of federal District Judge Sonia Sotomayor, of Puerto Rican descent, as President Barack Obama's choice to fill a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy is rightly a matter of pride for Hispanics, in general, and Puerto Rican women, specifically. But how do you feel about Sotomayor if you are Puerto Rican woman who happens to…
Dan Savage on Twitter?
Plus, yet another loser who needs to get dumped
Chef Domenica Maccchia of the new Diner 437 talks about her tumultuous year
When MJ's Martini and Tapas opened last year, I didn't expect much. It was billed more as a jazz club than a restaurant, and the location — tucked behind a defunct Bennigan's on St. Pete's Fourth Street N. — was terrible. One visit changed my mind about the place, thanks entirely to chef Domenica Macchia.…
Review: Elvis Costello, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane
For the last dozen or so years, Elvis Costello has switched genres like he was trying on shirts at the outlet mall: orchestral works, New Orleans R&B with Allen Toussaint, stately ballads with Swedish messo-soprano Anne-Sofie von Otter, a writing collaboration with Burt Bacharach and a jazz summit with Bill Frisell. He even managed to…
New movie Every Little Step gets inside the classic musical A Chorus Line
Gotta say it right off the bat — I looooooved this movie. But then I'm a theater geek from way back, and Every Little Step is crack for theater geeks: a documentary about the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1975 musical A Chorus Line and the casting of its 2006 Broadway revival. But will the theater-phobic love it,…
All dolled up: An interview with New York Dolls frontman David Johansen
The re-assembled New York Dolls are touring to support a new album.
Peter Meinke’s Chelsea mornings in New York City
In NYC, St. Pete’s poet laureate toasts the writerly life (minus the choking-on-your-own-vomit part).
Young Dramatists Project looks for Florida’s future playwrights
There’s hope for local playwriting in these works by young dramatists.
Australia’s McLaren Vale: Bold and beautiful wines
Humble beginnings birth beautiful things. Obama. The Simpsons. Angelina Jolie. And McLaren Vale, a tiny town in South Australia with soft yet powerful wines. Tireless pioneer Thomas Hardy planted grapes in McLaren Vale around 1840 and winemaking in the region thrived, until the turn of the century when exports dried up and the demand for…
Free Shit: Root Beer Float from Sonic (6/3 8p-mid)
The folks over at Sonic have a new customer appreciation giveaway. Wednesday June 3rd from 8pm to midnight, Sonic will be giving away free 10 ounce Root Beer Floats. Go here to find a Sonic near you. And since it seems we need it lately with the giveaways, the fine print (from Sonic's website) is:…
Mohawk Bomb Records Showcase June 13 at Crowbar during Homemade Music Symposium
Mohawk Bomb Records Showcase June 13 at Crowbar during Homemade Music Symposium Mohawk Bomb Records Showcase is happening at Crowbar: 1812 N 17th St, Ybor City, Tampa FL (directions) The MBR showcase is part of the Homemade Music Symposium, a free music conference for bands and music professionals to share, discuss and improve the music…
Update: Hold Steady show at Jannus re-scheduled for July at The Ritz.
The Jim Beam-hosted concert featuring The Hold Steady this Thursday, June 4, at Jannus Landing has been postponed until further notice. Tickets that've been reserved/printed out/whatever the damn promo included will be honored once the date is re-scheduled. No word on whether or not this has anything to do with Jannus owner Jack Bodziak's recent…
CL’s Tournament of Summer Movie Blockbusters Round 1: Star Wars vs. Mission: Impossible II
Note: This is our first Tournament of Summer Movie Blockbuster. In case you missed it, here's the skinny on the tourney and a full list of competing films. And for news and reviews of this summer's blockbusters, be sure and check CL's Movies & TV site. In last week's inaugural match-up, #1-ranked Jaws put the…
This week @ the movies: Up
[Ed. note: Each week I'll be breaking down the big summer blockbuster movie releases. If you're curious about what's coming out in future weeks, be sure to check out the Summer Movie Preview. And for all things film, please check out our movie site.] FRIDAY, MAY 29TH Box office gold: Up Worth seeing? You’re going…
New Mars Volta album, Octahedron, out June 23 (Video)
’s fifth studio album, Octahedron, will be released June 23 by Warner Bros. in the U.S. and on June 22 via Mercury Records to the rest of the world. "It's more mellow. It's a little more of what we consider our 'acoustic' side," singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala told Australian radio station Triple J of the new…
Reel Projections Podcast: Watchmen
After a long break, the Reel Projections podcast is back! In this week's installment, host Joe (that's me) talks to Brian Ries about Watchmen. Brian's seen it and I pick his brain for information about the most anticipated movie of 2009. (FYI: We keep it mostly spoiler free. Mostly.) Download. If you dig the show,…
Reel Projections, Tues., Jan. 13
Download. * Picking up our Watchmen coverage, the above is Warner Bros.' newish clip for the superhero spectacular that has been airing during the NFL Playoffs. Meanwhile, rumors leaking out of the negotiations between Warner and Fox hint that the sides are close to settling, meaning we might get to see the movie on March…
