The Cult of “The Free Way”
Well, it had to happen. Former Weekly Planet writer Max Linsky's immortal "The Free Way" story has spawned a website, blog and imitator. University of Florida telecomm major Miles Doran has started living the free way just as Linsky wrote about. No bumming off friends, no spending money. Five days with a car and a…
Davis vs. Smith: Hype Patrol
Here's an excerpt from my upcoming Political Whore column, set to hit newsstands late Wednesday and online earlier that day: Is Rod Smith catching up with Jim Davis, or is it all just wishful media thinking? On April 18, Democratic candidate for governor Jim Davis gave a speech in a bingo hall in Hawthorne. It…
June 12 Political Party
Cross-posted from Political Party blog: 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 Planet’s political editor Wayne Garcia and a…
Al-Arian files still sealed
Federal Judge James S. Moody today dismissed a motion by the Tampa Tribune to have access to about a dozen sealed documents in the case that formerly involved Sami Al-Arian. The documents deal with the sole remaining defendant, Hatem Fariz. Moody said unsealing the documents would prejudice Fariz's ability to get a fair trial. BTW,…
Odds & Ends
Hey, it's a slow Thursday, and it has started to rain — finally! A few random thoughts: — Love that three-armed baby picture and story on page 2 of tbt* this morning. "It's just good investigative reporting," explained Jeff Goldblum. — Short List nominee: MAYOR BAKER'S HURRICANE SPEECH"We're rounding up all the homeless in downtown.…
Viva la Frida’s deal falls through
This morning, it looked like Seminole Heights landmark Viva la Frida Cafe y Galleria had hosted its last supper. Reader Eric Sturm told the Weekly Planet that he and his girlfriend, Kimberly Finn, ate there last night and were told by waiters that the art gallery, concert venue and restaurant was closing its doors. The…
Wilcox Responds
I wrote in this week's edition of Creative Loafing, errrr, Weekly Planet about school superintendent-related problems on both sides of Tampa Bay. That story included some thoughts about whether the St. Petersburg Times has changed its mind about Superintendent Clayton Wilcox, based on a recent critical editorial about teacher dissatisfaction with a bylined sidebar by…
How well do you know Tampa Bay?
100 things you gotta do
Pride Against Prejudice
Theater
Sole Mates
The right footwear can set you free, according to this oh-so-familiar Brit comedy.
In the Raw
A simple restaurant takes food back to its roots.
Paid in Full
Theater
Con Carne
CREATIVE FUCKUP OK, so we put the wrong name on the newspaper. Kill us. LAY, SKILLING GUILTY Welcome to the U.S. prison system, boys. Now it's your turn to get screwed. TAYLOR HICKS He won a stupid TV contest, not a presidential election. FOX, SCHWARZENEGGER MEET The Gropinator tells Mexican president he loves his countrymen;…
French Favorites
Sample wines from the Loire Valley, Alsace and Chablis.
Upcoming Releases
The following releases will be in stores Tues., June 5: AFI, Decemberundeground (Interscope) Afroman, Still Drunk and High (Siccness) Bardo Pond, Ticket Crystals (Atp Recordings) The Bottle Rockets, Zoysia (Bloodshot) Holly Brook, Like Blood Like Honey (Warner Bros.) Cheap Trick, Rockford (Big3) Clark, Two of a Kind (Locomotive Music) Cracker, Greenland (Cooking Vinyl) Jessie Daniels,…
Who You Calling a Reject?
Kevin Allen and Becky’s Rejects make improv look easy.
Going Postal
A DIPLOMATIC APPROACH Dave Lopez (re: Going Postal, "Manic Panic," May 24-30) needs to shut off Fox "news" and stop being brainwashed by the RNC's daily "talking points" for a while and make his mind up for himself. First of all, how many schools HAVE been opened up in Iraq? How many people have opened…
Music Menu
THURSDAY, JUNE 01 BETTY This empowering, eclectic all-female modern-pop outfit has been garnering loyal followers as a cult act for two decades now. Recently, however, the band's theme song for this season of Showtime's The L Word (not to mention various members' appearances on it) and the underground acclaim afforded its off-Broadway show Betty Rules…
Meets and Beats
Special Events
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. THE NEXT WINE FRONTIER Taste Hungary's world-class wines from pinot grigio to the indigenous kekefrankos. $10; includes souvenir glass and hors d'oeuvres. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., June 2. Uncorked, 2706 Fourth…
Chompin’ For Children
FUNDRAISER
Outtakes Brief
A knock-knock joke with attitude
Backspin
The Brooklyn Side THE BOTTLE ROCKETS Atlantic While Uncle Tupelo was busy building their dynasty in a little corner of the Americana scene, another band from Bumfuck, Missouri was making gritty heartland music that was, at its best, arguably the equal of their more celebrated peers. Fronted by Brian Henneman, former roadie and guest lead…
Spins
Pearl Jam Pearl Jam J The overall critical take on Pearl Jam is that it's something of a return to form for the proto-grunge band. I would submit that the Seattle outfit never really lost form. They took a lot of side streets in the name of growth and experimentation, and some turned out to…
The Addresses
ACROPOLIS GREEK TAVERNA, 1833 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City ANGIE'S CAFÉ, 200 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg ATWATER'S CAFETERIA, 895 22nd Ave. S., St. Petersburg B-21 FINE WINES & SPIRITS, 43380 U.S. 19 N., Tarpon Springs BERN'S, 1208 S. Howard Ave., Tampa BOWLING BALL HOUSE (aka "Whimzey"), 1206 Third St. N., Safety Harbor BOYD HILL…
The Blotter
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION! This week, we're checking in with our friends down the suncoast. The owner of a law office on N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota reported that he had spotted a woman trying to turn a few tricks on his property. The woman was described as being white and heavy-set, having blonde hair, seen…
Rhyme Slingin’
An interview done in verse/ Go ‘head, reader, submerse.
Ladies’ Night
If you’re in the right demographic, Menopause is a scream.
List Brief
Kathleen Finnerty expresses her passion for the natural world via her photography. Her portfolio is filled with 30 years of work, more than 2,000 images of Florida, from stunning, Clearwater Beach sunsets, to scenic snapshots of the Hillsborough River, to extreme close-ups of burrowing owls, water lilies and other native species. Donna Bollenbach also specializes…
Outtakes
NEW RELEASES THE BREAK-UP (PG-13) A must for pop culture fetishists, if only because its romantic leads, Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughan, reportedly turned into a real-life couple while on the set. The Break-Up also features a premise with promise — modern world economics necessitate Aniston and Vaughan living together in their jointly owned condo…
The Worm Turns
Tampa Bay’s only professional worm farmer burrows back into business.
100 things you gotta do …
…(in no particular order) to be a TRUE Tampa Bay resident.
Reading Between the Lines
Two school superintendents, two newspaper columns, trouble ahead?
What’s In A Name?
A lot, if it’s the name of your newspaper.
On the Rogue
There's no doubting that Quebec's The Stills are hip. And they deserve to be; these stylish lads have an undeniably infectious way with classically Brit-pop-inspired tunes that split the difference between deceptively simple and conspicuously sophisticated. The band's 2006 Vice Recordings album Without Feathers is simply packed with 'em. But the real gem on this…
