Abba confession
I'm at Vinyl Fever yesterday rummaging through the bargain bin of used CDs, wasting away more time than I should, sweating tough decisions like do I really need some Abba in my life? First, I select three used VHS tapes — yes, I said VHS tapes — a copy of the 1967 performance piece Lenny…
Sundance Channel’s Big Ideas
I’ve been immensely enjoying the Sundance Channel’s original documentary series, Big Ideas for a Small Planet, which addresses some very important environmental issues and focuses on a diversity of people who are trying to make a difference. The show succeeds in that it’s not preachy, and the featured subjects are interesting and make very valid…
Morning Roundup
Mission control this is Atlantis: Can you please turn on the night-light? Is there anything more meaningful than a presidential election poll eight months ahead of the primary? John Edwards hopes so. Tallahassee lawmakers begin a special session, with whining Dems already complaining about cutting property taxes on the backs of children and schools. NASA…
“No one remembers the food, so skimp with abandon…”
Why is the food at weddings so bad? Here's the gist.
“Not knowing how to cook is like not knowing how to f@#k.”
Thanks to Slashfood, I've been introduced to Robert Rodriguez's 10 Minute Cooking School. For Once Upon A Time In Mexico and Sin City, Rodriguez slapped cooking demos into the DVD extras. The recipes are simple and seem surprisingly good and Rodriguez is a pretty engaging host, with a few little film director tricks that make…
Jack White: The last rock star
Jack White might just be the last person on the planet under 35 who actually understands what it means to be a rock star. Here's a snippet from an article that ran in the New York Times on Sunday: “Everything from your haircut to your clothes to the type of instrument you play to the…
Morning Roundup
The end is the beginning is the end… More bad news for real estate speculators: "… evidence is mounting that the migration boom [Florida] experienced in the first half of the decade is over." Joementum! "Crazy" Joe Lieberman agitates for the bombing of Iran. Fellow Dems agitate for Joe to shut the hell up. Larry…
The Bloat Pill
Article in Wired about a pill that expands in your stomach, making you think you're full. Could this be used for training?
Heirlooms Galore
At the Sarasota Downtown Farmer's Market this weekend, I found an incredible selection of heirloom tomatoes at the Brown Grove stand. Over a dozen varieties, all grown by a guy in Wauchula, according to the Brown guy. Surprise, surprise. I didn't think there was anyone in the area with this big a concentration of difficult…
Dr. Dog tonight at Crowbar
The funnest band in all of indiedom plays Crowbar tonight. Yes, the band's name, Dr. Dog, simply sucks. But these guys play a soulful brand of rock 'n' roll that we highly recommend. For more details/interview go here. See you there.
Morning Roundup
Everybody's working for the weekend… Bush's sweeping immigration bill gets deported. A team of scientists at M.I.T. figure out a way to wirelessly beam electricity across a room to a light bulb. What could possibly go wrong? Hillsborough County deputies find 250 pot plants in a house in Apollo Beach, make a few arrests and…
Morning Roundup
I've been released due to good behavior. "Vlad, come on ol' buddy! That missile defense shield is nothin' to be worried about." "I do not trust you Georgie. You're starting a new arms race." "Oh Vlad, it's nothing to hyperventilate over." Today's headline striking the most fear in the hearts of homeowners: Are property tax…
Meet Mr. Smith
Mr. Smith (pictured) had people talking. In a room full of talent, he managed to outshine the competition — despite a major technical malfunction. The rapper only performed two songs but that's all it took to show he's an artist on the rise, one that could help put "813" rhymers on the map. The local…
Toby Keith covers Fred Eaglesmith
Canadian singer/songwriter Fred Eaglesmith (pictured) has built a strong following in these parts over the years thanks to heavy airplay on WMNF and lauded performances at Skipper's Smokehouse —performances that found him playing to the kind of alt.country-loving folks who probably wouldn't be caught dead buying a Toby Keith CD. But that might change. One…
Humpbacked Bridge
Name of Kama Sutra Position: Humpbacked Bridge Getting into the position: The man starts by lying on his back on the floor, then pushing himself up into a bridge. The woman then straddles him and uses a variation of grinding movements. Depending on the strength of the man and the leg length of the woman,…
FTC Blocks Whole Foods Merger
The FTC ruled (5-0, no less) that the proposed gobbling of Wild Oats by Whole Foods is a Bad Idea for consumers, for what turns out to be a very questionable reason. Time for an old fashioned Food v. Guvmint throwdown. The guvmint thinks that organic grocery stores form an entirely separate market than traditional…
Morning Roundup
Wiccans, seizures, lightning bolts — God is pissed my friends, and not even the Pope is safe. Giuliani’s stance on abortion elicits a direct response from God. Warning: London’s 2012 Olympics logo may cause seizures. New Port Richey Wiccans rally around one of their own. Bush says “Russia won’t attack Europe …†Does this mean…
CL previews upcoming shows
Uncle John’s Band, Mountain, the Red Chord
What is the legacy of the Six-Day War? Part 1
Your war questions answered
Rock of ages
A pair of Tampa rock vets puts out the best CD of their careers – and one of the best of this or any year
Dancing — it’s a ball!
FloorPlay
California girl
Colbie Caillat, Sol.iLLaquists of Sound, Deb Hunseder
Pride at the Museum
Fundraiser
CL’s must-do list for the week of
Thurs., June 7-Wed., June 13
Capsule reviews of recently released films
Hostel Part II, Ocean’s 13
Creative loaves
Bread as commentary on injustice; human faces that tell a story
Should I stay or should I go?
Billy Donovan, MTV Movie Awards, Knocked Up
Hardcore in Clearwater
MusicMonday, June 11
‘Atlas’ video
Battles
Conservation talk
Discussion/EnvironmentSaturday, June 9
The Blotter
Bizarre crimes from Tampa police reports
Butterfly in the sky … or in a house
Special EventsSunday, June 10
Brotherly love
Nevilles shine after the storm
Dems on the mend
Hillsborough Democrats forgo their feuding ways, hope for modest gains
Upcoming concerts
June 14 Lyle Lovett and His Large Band w/k.d. lang Ford Amphitheatre 15 Fall Out Boy w/Plus 44/The Academy Is/Paul Wall/Cobra Starship Ford Amphitheatre 15 Les Claypool Jannus Landing 16 Rush Ford Amphitheatre 16 Lil Wayne Januus Landing 17 Unwritten Law w/Zebrahead//Bullets + Octane State Theatre 18 Rise Against w/Silverstein/Comeback Kid Jannus Landing 20 He…
Animal chats
RadioWednesday, June 13
A bad thing to step on
Looking for the brains of the outfit
Mind over matter
TheaterFriday, June 8
Letters
Arts,
Gay McCarthyism
Lecture/FilmThursday, June 7
Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
Calling Dr. Dog
A new brand of Philly soul
Bill Duvall
President of the Tampa Homeowners Association of Neighborhoods.
Events around the city
Wine tastings and dinners
Small wonder
Keeping it tiny, and tasty, at Vivia’s Kitchen
Rubes on parade
Trying to act hip — and failing — at Ceviche.
Salvation Saloon
Where the minister rides a Harley and the barstools serve as pews
The Standout
Eileen Koteles makes the most of her time in the spotlight
Livin’ in Paradise
Charlie Souza and the New Tropics
Rosé rising
Blushing over the pink
Making waves
Stoned penguins in Surf’s Up; a river of problems in Jindabyne
Bait and Switch
Hollow Point
Love, Puccini style
Classical Music/TheaterTuesday, June 12
A French sampler
Paris Je T’aime
Spins
Paul McCartney, Dinosaur Jr., Lifesavas
