Food Network Rant
The best recipes combine fresh ingredients with the convenient ease of packaged products. While watching Food Network last week, I was surprised to find that many of its shows didn’t follow what I thought was a basic rule of cooking. Sure, there are helpful programs like 30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray, which has her…
Renke Tossed off the Bench
Back in 2002, in the waning years of my political consulting career, one of my clients took a particularly tough loss. Declan Mansfield is a New Port Richey attorney who would be a judge today if not for the duplicitious campaigning of one John Renke III. Renke and his consultant, the Mallard Group, threw lots…
June 12: Downtowns on the Verge
Two downtowns. Two different challenges. One thing in common: a condo boom. Can Tampa introduce urban living to its presently deserted-after-5 downtown? How does St. Petersburg maintain its thriving cultural and ethnic diversity downtown once property values hit the condo roof? Join the PlanetÕs political editor Wayne Garcia and a panel of experts involved in…
Collector’s Edition
So maybe you've noticed by now that there was something different about the print version of this week's Weekly Planet.Namely, that it wasn't called the Weekly Planet.Thanks to some kind of universal brain fart, we accidentally ran this week's issue under the name of our sister papers in Atlanta and Charlotte, Creative Loafing, instead of…
Short List OTB
Today's Short List item of the day was going to be about Barbaro, the suddenly beloved horse who shattered his ankle while running at Saturday's Preakness. The horse has become the talk of the nation, with millions following the story, desperately praying that Barbaro can make a full recovery.
The Blotter
ROAD WARRIORS: We've all been there. You're sitting in a turn lane waiting for the go signal, but when the green arrow appears the jackass in front doesn't budge. I usually give my horn a little tap, as a courtesy of course, to let the other driver know it's time to go. Sometimes, people get…
East Timor to Tampa Bay
New Community Tampa Bay chief has solid human rights chops.
Upcoming Releases
The following releases will be in stores Tues., May 30: Alarmist, Evil Works (Frenetic) Dave Alvin, West of the West (Yep Roc) Theresa Andersson, Theresa Andersson (Basin Street) Boards of Canada, Trans Canada Highway (Warp) BoyJazz, In The City Tonight (Frenetic) Cataract, Kingdom (Metal Blade) Les Claypool, Of Whales and Woe (Prawn Song) Crash Romeo,…
What Would Jesus Do?
For all the controversy and high-profile protests — by Catholics, albinos, theologians and probably one or two groups formed solely to take this movie to task — the worst sin of The Da Vinci Code turns out to be that it's just not worth all the fuss. The real story here is that there's not…
Outtakes
NEW RELEASES THE ARYAN COUPLE (PG-13) As far as I'm aware there's no rule or law that says all Holocaust movies must be terrible, but that does seem all too often to be the case — and, you guessed it, here's yet another one. Director John Daly pulls out all the stops, unleashing a mother…
Three’s Company
MUSIC
An Alternative to Nutcracking
I have no choice. It's inevitable. Each December, my family drags me to the theater and forces me to witness one of the most uninspired spectacles I have ever seen. I'm talking about The Nutcracker, of course. I don't know about you, but watching grown men in green tights and red ruffles prancing around a…
Mutant L♥ve
The yin and yang of summer movies
Happy New Year
ART
Tee Party
SPECIAL EVENTS
Lesson Learned
Six Dance Lessons isn’t intellectually challenging, but at least it’s entertaining.
That Giant Sucking Sound
Supersuckers rock all DIY and shit.
MEAT parade
Carnivores delight in this Brazilian addition to the culinary scene.
Dancing in the Sand
FESTIVAL
Classic case
Stewart Goodyear knows music
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 winestuff@weeklyplanet.com. *BBQ DREAMS Need wine to go with your next BBQ? Check these out. $10. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., May 26. Uncorked, 2706 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg (727-892-WINE or www.uncorkedwines.com). WINE…
Wedding Wines
Decisions for the Big Day.
From the minds of boys
A new exhibition blurs the line between childhood and innocence.
Going Postal
REDNER RESPONDS I feel compelled to respond to your "Short List" (Short List, "Holy Brown-nosing," May 17-23) that mentions my 8-Point Contract with the Voters of Hillsborough County. With respect to the intended humorous nature of your "Short List," I feel that your "joke" is yet another tired cliché regarding my campaign for the County…
Spins
Surprise PAUL SIMON Warner Bros. People hoping for Paul Simon to put out another folk-rock album of pretty songs will have to wait a bit longer. He's still in experimental mode. For Surprise, he chose as his main collaborator the English sound sculptor Brian Eno, which to many seems an odd pairing, but the duo…
Treasure Hunting
SPECIAL EVENT
One Decade, 7,000 Years
Exploring the basics of the world’s oldest religion as a Hindu temple celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Backspin
Anthology: 1965-1972 THE RASCALS Rhino Released in '92, this is the best Rascals comp out there. Felix Cavaliere and company, the early torch-bearers of blue-eyed soul, are best remembered by their singles, and they're all here on this two-disc, 44-song collection: the early revved-up rockers ("Good Lovin'," "You Better Run") and R&B covers ("Mustang Sally,"…
Armed and Dangerous
Introduced to the world via an emo comp several years back, Bradenton hometown heroes the Chase Theory have built up quite a rep since, thanks to that most elusive of star-making apparatuses: actual talent. Marrying alt-crunch and flailing vocals may not blow minds with its originality, but the band is nevertheless always a contender for…
Taste of the islands
Savor the delights of Caribbean cuisine with Jamaican beef patties.
Armageddon for the Religious Right?
Evangelicals fighting each other. Liberals finding God. The battle over faith in American politics is taking some unexpected turns.
Easy as Pie
Florida names a state pie; new restaurants in downtown St. Pete.
Agatha vs. Edward
THEATER
Music Menu
THURSDAY, MAY 25 DONNA SUMMER The consummate disco diva, Donna Summer made music in the late '70s that, to these ears at least, stands the test of time. This is not a popular take on anything disco, I know, but go back and listen to "Last Dance" or "Heaven Knows" or "Dim all the Lights"…
