CL on the Road: SXSW 2012, the future of music, film and interactive
Joran and Katie take on the sights, sounds and tastes of South by Southwest.
Green Community Calendar weekend events
“Green” St. Patrick’s Day events, fruit tree, plant and chicken workshops and farmers markets!
Last day to enter! Win $1,000 in CL’s Photo & Video Contest
OK, procrastinators, it's getting down to the wire: You only have till 5 p.m. TODAY, March 15, to enter the CL Visions Photo & Video Contest. That means you've got only a few more hours to win $1,000 — the grand prize for the winner of each contest. Read more after the jump — or…
Happy Pi Day, nerds!
What's the square root of kickass? Here's what. It's Pi Day, folks. (3.14, get it?) Celebrate Pi Day today and take the Pi Day Challenge. Pass some quizzes and get into MOSI for free from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today only. Especially great for you math teachers on spring break today. The Pi Day…
Rod Smith blasts Florida GOP on eve of new redistricting session
Rod Smith As the Florida Legislature reconvenes to re-tackle redistricting — just five days after ending its regular 2011 legislative session — Florida Democratic party chair Rod Smith came out guns a blaze a day before the new session began, saying that Democrats will offer their own redistricting map. On Friday the state Supreme Court…
Mitch Perry Report 3.14.12 – Santorum’s dreams stay alive
Good mornin' y'all. With an upcoming primary in Louisiana, we may get another opportunity to hear Mitt Romney condescend to Southern voters. But his schtick obviously didn't pay dividends last night, when the once and still front-runner for the Republican nomination for president stumbled badly, finishing last behind Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich in two…
This week in food and drink
St. Patrick’s Day events, free quesadilla wraps, free ice cream and more!
Party pooper? Despite two big losses in his native South, Newt vows to hang until Tampa
It wasn't a terrible night for Mitt Romney last night. The Republican presidential candidate, who still has a strong lead in the number of delegates required to take the GOP presidential nomination, did win the caucuses in Hawaii and America Samoa. Add in wins in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands over the weekend, and…
Gasparilla Music Festival brings music and eats to the downtown Tampa Riverfront
A look back at Saturday’s inaugural fest in downtown Tampa, with pics
Buckhorn goes national in selecting new Parks & Rec. head for Tampa
Greg Bayor replaces Karen Palus as Parks & Rec. Director in Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced Tuesday afternoon that he has selected Greg Bayor as the City of Tampa Director of Parks and Recreation, replacing Karen Palus, who stepped down unceremoniously last December after seven years on the job. Bayor has been serving in a…
WDAE fires Dan Sileo for “Monkeys” remark about three NFL black players
Dan Sileo (UPDATE:Eric Deggans with the Times reports that Dan Sileo has now been fired). 620 WDAE, "The sports animal," was forced to issue an apology this morning after talk show host Dan Sileo made a racially charged remark on Monday morning's program. When talking about three possible NFL free agents that the Tampa Bay…
Tampa Bay economy picks up jobs, but trails regional competitiors
A new economic report regarding the Tampa Bay area has produced mixed results. According to the Tampa Bay Regional Economic Scorecard released Tuesday morning, the Bay area added 15,500 jobs from the 3rd quarter of 2010 to the 3rd quarter of 2011, the biggest job increase since the summer of 2007. That was right before…
Forecast calls for a cast member change in A Steady Rain
A notable newcomer takes on the role of Denny in the American Stage production opening this week.
Photo review: Chicago Blues great Magic Slim at Whiskey Joe’s, Tampa
Magic Slim is considered one of the greatest living Chicago blues musicians of our times. It was quite a treat to see and hear him play at Whiskey Joe's this past weekend. To top it off, he closed his set with one of my all time favorite blues songs, Freddy King's "Hideaway," responsible for making…
Concert review: of Montreal at the Plaza Theatre, Orlando
It's hard to imagine Kevin Barnes in any position other than ringleader of his motley crew and band of nearly 15 years, of Montreal. In this tabloid age where celebrity persona is a national addiction and catching the next star with their proverbial pants down can make or break a career, Barnes seems to represent…
The Raw Story: Mark Henry is better than everyone
Welcome back to The Raw Story after a week hiatus spent recuperating after contracting the plague while away on vacation. Spring break is such a lovely time for college students. I really have no notes to go through before we begin, so let's just begin I guess. Enjoy the remainder of the column, because it's…
Emily’s List puts Pinellas Democratic congressional aspirant Jessica Ehrlich “On The List”
Although Jessica Ehrlich has done nothing other than issue a press release announcing her candidacy for the Democratic nomination to run against Pinellas heavyweight Congressman Bill Young this fall, she's already the darling of the D.C. liberal establishment. Tuesday morning Emily's List, the political action committee designed to elect pro-choice female Democrats, announced that they…
Romney is looking good heading into Tuesday’s Southern primaries
Expect the big guns on all three cable news networks to be deployed Tuesday night as the GOP race for president continues in the Deep South, where Mitt Romney gets on his "y'alls" and references to "Cheesy grits" and tries to steal a couple of wins in Alabama and Mississippi. The once and still front-runner…
Mitch Perry Report 3.13.12 O’s plummeting ratings
More presidential primaries tonight in the South, y'all! Alabama and Mississippi hold elections tonight, and the polls show a tight three-way race in both states. But to us the big story is that not only is Mitt Romney looking extremely competitive in supposedly hostile territory, his general election chances look better every time gas prices…
New Music Tuesday (March 13): Delta Spirit, Janis Joplin, Lucero, Ting Tings + more
New releases out this week, with audio & video.
Kicked off Facebook and I don’t know why
Now I've done it! I have pissed off the minions at the great and powerful Facebook and have been kicked out… cast aside… offed by Facebook! I don't know what horrifically disloyal thing I've done, but they've given me the boot! Fortunately Facebook does not play a huge role in my life. I used it…
Pinellas activists plan protest at Jeff Brandes’ office
Jeff Brandes In 2010, Florida Democrats, already a minority in the state House and Senate, lost even more seats in the tsunami that demolished the party nationwide. That loss seemed to awaken complacent Democrats in Florida, who for the first time in a long while got active, holding rallies led by Awake the State and…
Ringling grad won Oscar for animation co-creation
Brandon Oldenburg scores one for ambitious creatives in the Tampa Bay area.
Tampa Bay Beer Week event highlights
floridabeer.com The 13th Step Beer, Bites and Brushes event at the CL Space – March 7: A unique event, benefiting Tampa Bay Historical Society, hosted by Thomas Barris and Florida Beer Company and partners, treating attendees to a dozen local craft brews (some not yet publicly available), paired with carefully prepared catered dishes and surrounded…
Beers to behold and be held
As a new fan of India pale ales from coast to coast, this past week of sniffing, swirling and tasting during Tampa Bay Beer Week presented a wide range of tastes and styles, all calling themselves IPAs. From Black IPAs to American IPAs to Imperial IPAs, I tasted the gamut, and several stood out from…
Former Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin White sentenced to 3 years in prison
Kevin White Former Hillsborough County Commissioner and Tampa City Council member Kevin White has been sentenced to three years in prison and three years’ probation for taking bribes from a towing company in exchange for favors. He must also serve 300 hours of community service after he serves his time. He must also pay a…
St. Patty’s revelers, step aside for Kerouac
Celebrate the beat legend at St. Kerouac’s Night on Sat., March 17
Photo review: Just another Friday night in Dunedin with Four Star Riot and others
Good music and cold beer was easy to find Friday night in downtown Dunedin. Creative Loafing's 2011 Readers' Choice for Best Local Band, Four Star Riot, cranked out soulful R&B and rock at Dunedin Brewery while over at Jolly Mons, one my favorite local guitar players, Ben Plott, gave one of his usual stand up-and-cheer…
#MusicMonday, Vol. 62: Barry Adamson, Dinowalrus, Ceremony + more
What the CL Music Team is listening to on this fine Monday to rocket launch the work week.
St. Patrick’s Day sweet spots
Irish or not, chances are you will declare yourself Irish on March 17, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. If you are pondering your partying options, we have you covered; there are plenty of options to choose from. So now, the big question is: “Where to go, what to do (while you drink)?” Tampa may…
Current and past Tampa female public officials to discuss their careers next week at History Center
Betty Castor Next week at the Tampa Bay History Center there will be a panel discussion called Breaking Barriers: Female Public Servants Who Have Shaped the Tampa Bay Area. The event is being co-sponsored by the USF libraries. Among the panelists will be Tampa’s first female Mayor, Sandy Freedman; women’s history expert Doris Weatherford; five-term…
USF makes the NCAA!
Kentucky coach John Calipari Sixty-eight teams, the most ever, will play in the 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament that begins tomorrow night in Dayton, Ohio. The tourney has been at 65 teams in recent years, meaning that both USF and the University of California, who will play Wednesday night at 9:10 p.m., might likely have been…
Mitch Perry Report 3.12.12 – Maher comes to Tampa, USF goes to NCAA tourney
Good morning Tampa Bay! Oh, a little too enthusiastic for you this morning? No doubt there are lots of grumpy people this morning walking around like zombies. The loss of an hour due to the move to Daylight Savings Time this weekend is truly kicking in this early Monday morning, and it's not a pleasant…
St. Patrick’s Day “spirits”
Have you ever wondered which liquor Oprah, Ludacris and Kate Hudson often reach for when they are in the mood to party? Tequila, specifically Tequila Partida, which is produced in Mexico's historic tequila region of Jalisco. It is aged for eighteen months, in Jack Daniels American oak barrels. Blue agave is a key ingredient. This…
OceanSolution: Ocean-harvested alternative fertilizer
ogdistribution.com OceanSolution, located in Clearwater, is a company that harvests ocean water for their alternative fertilizer. It can be used on everything from agriculture to professional landscaping and turf. Recently, we asked Travis Queseda of OceanSolution a few questions about their product. Q. What does OceanSolution provide for optimum plant growth that common fertilizers do…
Louis C.K. bows out of DC political event after Greta Van Susteren threatens boycott
Louis C.K Last Thursday Fox News host Greta Van Susteren blogged that she was going to boycott attending the 68th annual Radio & Television Congressional Correspondents dinner because comedian Louis C.K was hosting. Van Susteren wrote: The headliner of this year’s Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner is “comedian” Louis C.K. Comedian? I don’t think so.…
StartupBus Florida: Notes from the Road
Arielle Stevenson StartupBus Florida left Tuesday morning bound for Austin. Florida's StartupBus occupants have been busy creating, designing and launching a company in 72 hours on a bus traveling to Austin for SXSW Interactive. All are programmers, creatives, and businessmen hoping to submit their final pitch in a competition against teams from across the country.…
Afghan incident exposes GOP fissures in foreign policy
Americans awoke Sunday morning to hear the horrific news that an American soldier wandering outside his base in a southern Afghan village had indiscriminately began shooting and killing at least 16 civilians, and undoubtedly setting off more anti-American sentiment in the region. The incident emboldened GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich to declare on both Fox…
Hillsborough County Commission candidate Steve Cona drops out of race
Steve Cona In a surprise announcement, Steve Cona, a Republican running for the Hillsborough County Commission District 6 race this August, has announced that he is suspending his campaign. Cona had been running against Margaret Iuculano in the GOP race, with the winner to take on Democratic incumbent Kevin Beckner this fall. In a press…
Woody Harrelson plays bad cop in Rampart
The star re-teams with director Oren Moverman for their follow-up to The Messenger.
Some words of advice for SXSW newbies
SXSW vet Autopsy IV offers 10 tips to fest newcomers (and anyone else who wants it).
Mitch Perry Report 3.9.12: Standard Time edition
Yay, it's Friday, which generally puts an extra bounce in everyone's step. No doubt the mood will be considerably different on Monday. First because it's, well, Monday, but also it's when the full impact of shifting the clocks forward an hour really takes effect. Most people dig the extra of daylight at night, but there…
Team Obama worried financially?
Comedian Bill Maher On his first HBO show since he announced he was giving a cool $1 million to President Obama's super PAC, comedian Bill Maher said something that this blog has written about on several occasions over the past year: that the idea that Obama is going to be able to raise $1 billion…
Neighborhood Dining Guide: New Tampa
There’s plenty of dining options in one of the Bay area’s most rapidly growing neighborhoods.
Holistic Happy Hour at Pizza Fusion
Join us for Holistic Happy Hour on Tuesday, March 13, at 7p.m. This is an open evening for anyone in a green business or who wants to meet like-minded people, share green ideas and have fun!! Join us at Pizza Fusion in Westchase for our second Holistic Happy Hour. thedebainegroup.com
In relationships, questions are often the answer
Blue Valentine I overanalyze everything. Usually this personality quirk enhances my life by making me more aware of what I am doing wrong or what I could be doing better. When it comes to being in a relationship, I am no different. With my last relationship, I tried to put my mind on autopilot when…
Pat Robertson supports legalizing weed, says the war on drugs has failed
In an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, evangelical Christian Pat Robertson said, "I really believe we should treat marijuana the way we treat beverage alcohol. I’ve never used marijuana and I don’t intend to, but it’s just one of those things that I think: this war on drugs just hasn’t succeeded.” Advocates…
Spice it up with Moroccan spiced carrot soup
This spiced soup will make you feel like you’re in Casablanca.
Rubio not ready to call for military attacks on Syria
It was at this time a year ago that freshman U.S. Senator Marco Rubio started stepping out and getting his voice heard on foreign policy, sharply questioning U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice on the need for the U.S. to intervene in stopping the Qaddafi regime in Libya. Rubio joined fellow Republican hawks…
Why do some meals taste great but leave you hungry for more?
Less filling Chinese food.
Previous racial remarks set off a furor at Hillsborough County Commission meeting
Les Miller While discussing a referendum that could bring about the possibility of a Latino commissioner on the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners last month, a member of the public who regularly speaks during the public comment portion of those meetings, Marilyn Smith, enraged Hispanic citizens by saying such a move would "ghettoize" the board,…
Ricky P’s serves affordable New Orleans fare in beautiful digs
Po’ boys plus panache.
Mitch Perry Report 3.8.12: Intl. Women’s Day version
There are just two days left in the Florida Legislature's regular 2012 session, which means there's all kinds of mayhem going on which we won't know about until possibly the Sunday papers, if last year's finale is repeated. One issue that hadn't received a lot of attention in this year's budget is the $438 million…
Tartuffe: Does a pious hypocrite get his due at TRT2?
Casting mistakes cripple a classic.
Gasparilla Music Festival highlights: Deer Tick, Tortured Soul, Ra Ra Riot + more
Check out all the action Sat., March 10, 2012.
Bad obsession
How can I get help for my taboo and dangerous infatuation?
Ybor’s fence fight
A dispute over Guavaween sheds light on the complicated dynamics of Ybor City.
Gasparilla Music Fest: Start the music
Founded by fans, the GMF brings bands from all over to downtown Tampa.
Gasparilla Music Festival Spotlight: Lee Fields and The Expressions
A Q&A with vet soul funk artist Fields, who’s among the headliners at GMF.
The time traveler’s hit list
Sci-fi fans and devourers of mainstream entertainment are familiar with the time paradox, the cause-vs.-effect conundrum that often crops up in stories concerning time travel. It goes something like this: If you went back in time and did something — consciously or not — that led to the death of your grandfather before he met…
John Carter takes a familiar journey
Director Andrew Stanton’s live action debut is a long, boring slog to the red planet.
Time to shine for the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
FMoPA stages a coming out party with a big Warhol show in its splashy new home.
Henry Rollins, travel addict
The punk pioneer shares stories from his adventures around the world.
Album review: Good Old War, Come Back As Rain
The third and latest release by Pennsylvania boys Keith Goodwin, Daniel Schwartz and Tim Arnold (the band's name comes from the last names of the three members) is a lovely collection of shimmering country folk-pop songs that traverse the minor battlegrounds of love, where some serious damage can be done. Amid Come Back As Rain's…
Album review: White Rabbits, Milk Famous
Brooklyn-based sextet White Rabbits has veered from their usual percussion-and-piano grandiosity into darker, stripped-down terrain in Milk Famous. The band's third record rides on sturdy rhythms bolstered by hooky basslines, cadenced keys, and fuzz and effects-laden synths, the guitars drawn into wild squealing notes, distorted riffs or the odd pretty breaks (as in Afro-flavored "Back…
