Donna Mejia brings tribal fusion to USF
The dance form marries Eastern traditions and Western contemporary culture
Horror Issue 2014: Dining on a dare
Readers’ horrifying culinary suggestions are put to the taste test.
CL’s Boo-dacious Halloween Event Guide
Your source for parties for grown-ups and kids, hauntings, movies and more.
A call to action, Kathryn Todman Browne’s fight for better education
Kathy Browne died last month at the age of 58. She was a woman of charity, her friends and family say. From experiences in her own childhood she learned not to take no for answer. Because she was the daughter of an ambassador, she got to travel and live in many different countries which resulted…
Three, a new web series, explores sexual boundaries, friendship
Set your sexual inhibitions free and catch the premiere of Three, a web series that offers a brand-new take on the age-old love triangle. The series held its premiere party earlier this week at The Studio@620 in St. Petersburg, where attendees got a sneak peek of the show. The first three episodes of Three will…
The governor’s race: Flip-flops? So what?
It’s time to consider what’s really at stake in this election.
App cruncher — artfully cool mobile games worth the download
Since my mornings tend to be spent staring at a screen, I've decided to write a column about my favorite apps that I stumble on. I'd like to focus on users who are not full on gamers or techies, who occasionally want to waste some downtime with an app that's recreational or functional. Let's start…
World of Beer’s monthlong Beer School in session
Test your global beer IQ at this brewniversity by World of Beer Brandon.
Mitch Perry Report 10.16.14 – #FanGate obscures pedestrian debate
In reviewing last night's gubernatorial debate in Broward County, you have to separate the bizarre opening dispute over Charlie Crist's fan that took place over the first seven minutes, vs. the actual content that followed over the next 43 minutes. Regarding FanGate#, this is not the first time that Charlie Crist and his fan have…
#FanGate – WTF?
Um, yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, here are two (one?) of the three men running to be the governor of Florida. Beam, my fellow Ameriwangians, beam proudly. Apparently, both divas were late to the stage, and one (Rick Scott) initially refused to appear at all, because the other (Charlie Crist) had breached protocol by having a…
Wave of syncopation: Nathan Beard’s Exit Music at ARTicles Gallery
< Nathan Beard: Exit Music runs through Dec. 6, ARTicles Gallery, 1445 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-898-6061, articlesstpete.com. It’s been tough not to see Nathan Beard’s paintings over the past year. First his rhythmic, multihued abstractions popped up at Artlofts, the cache of artist studios tucked above Florida Craftsmen, for a one-night show last October.…
Theater review: Hamlet
New Stage’s abbreviated production of Hamlet is solid but not revelatory.
Tampa ranks No. 2 in Best Beer Town battle
Cities in Michigan, North Carolina and Oregon also made the Best Beer Town contest’s top five.
Hillsborough County Commissioners officially approve a domestic partner registry
The Hillsborough County Commission today officially passed an enhanced version of a domestic partner registry, capping a year in which the county finally caught up with most other local governments in the Tampa Bay area in addressing issues of concern for the LGBT community. But unlike the commission's votes to repeal a gay pride ban…
MOSI’s Imagination Playground turns kids into mini engineers
The interactive new playground is a space for imagination and creation
Second Engine No. 9 to heat up St. Pete, changes at Dunedin House of Beer & more
Munching through the latest in restaurant news.
Restaurant review: Bascom’s has the beef
Clearwater’s Bascom’s Chop House offers traditional steakhouse fare, and then some.
Attention performers: America’s Got Talent to hold auditions in St. Pete
Dust off those tap shoes, practice those scales — TV’s most popular entertainment competition is coming.
Cold-front grub
Fiery spots to nosh at when there’s a chill in the Tampa Bay air.
SCENE BREAKER: Theaters rise from the dead, the dead rise from a theater and 5 x 5 = arts $
Here’s what’s behind the curtain this week in Tampa Bay theatre… MAYBE THEY SHOULD CHANGE THE NAME TO “PHOENIX”: As CL theater critic Mark Leib reported last April, Pinellas Park’s venerable Venue Theatre closed up shop last spring, a victim of the recession, a rent hike and other maladies. But founder and Lee Strasberg survivor…
Clearwater Jazz Holiday hits Coachman Park with Edward Sharpe, Dr. John & more
The 35th anniversary edition is held Thurs.-Sun., Oct. 16-19.
Alan Cohn airs his first ad in his CD15 race vs. Dennis Ross
Democrat Alan Cohn has produced his first television ad in his uphill battle to defeat Republican incumbent in the CD15 race, which encompasses eastern Hillsborough and western Polk counties. In the ad, titled "One of us," the 52-year-old former broadcast journalist spends the first part it attacking Ross for using his Leadership PAC funds unethically,…
Architect Mickey Jacob now on HART board; Dr. Steven Polzin is out
The Hillsborough County Regional Transit Authority (HART) lost some institutional knowledge today when the Board of County Commissioners opted not to extend the tenure of Dr. Steven Polzin, who has served on the board for six and a half years. Polzin was one of three current HART board members whose term was up at…
A little Italy in St. Pete — St. Petersburg Opera’s Neapolitan Festival and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci
You know those Italian standards such as “O Sole Mio,” “Come Back to Sorrento” and “Funiculì, Funiculà” — those tunes you hear everywhere, from TV commercials to movies to Italian restaurants to Looney Tunes cartoons? They all come from the heartfelt, seaside region of Naples, aka, Napoli (pictured above). If you have a soft spot…
Theater review: Superior Donuts
Stageworks serves up a tasty production of a Tracy Letts comedy.
New American Bridge ad asks what’s Rick Scott hiding?
Last week, Florida Democratic Attorney General candidate George Sheldon announced that he would ask a court to force Governor Rick Scott to fully disclose all his assets and investments. He made that announcement days after the Miami Herald reported that Scott is listed in federal records as controlling trust accounts that aren’t listed in financial disclosure documents…
Mitch Perry Report 10.15.14: Wyllie hints of conspiracy in his exclusion from gubernatorial debate
A federal judge has denied Libertarian Adrian Wyllie the opportunity to participate in tonight's statewide televised debate between Governor Rick Scott and Charlie Crist at Broward College at 7 p.m. (locally airing on WFTS-Ch.28). Wyllie is naturally upset, and suggests that a conspiracy is the reason why the Florida Press Association worked to keep him…
Bourbon legends: Maker’s Mark, others hit Tampa fest Dec. 6
Another round of drinks, barbecue and music in store for Tampa’s Bourbon and Brew Festival.
St. Petersburg parking meters to raise money for the homeless
\ St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman Speaking at The St. Vincent De Paul homeless shelter in St. Petersburg on Tuesday morning, Mayor Rick Kriseman announced the city's latest attempt to combat homelessness and panhandling: a system of repurposed parking meters that would serve as a point of collection for donations to homeless programs “Residents and…
Sweetwater Farm, Green Bench unite labors of love
Tampa’s Sweetwater Farm will bring its CSA pickup to Green Bench in St. Pete after Friday.
RPOF goes after Annette Taddeo’s comments on Bright Futures
On the campaign trail, Charlie Crist has been hammering away at Rick Scott for the governor's education cuts, including his statement that Scott cut Bright Futures scholarships "in half" (a charge that PolitiFact has labeled "half-true," in part because it's roughly the number of scholarships that have been reduced in half under his watch, not…
Rays General Manager Andrew Friedman resigns to lead Dodgers
Andrew Friedman is taking his boy wonder skills to Hollywood. The Los Angeles Dodgers came calling and the Tampa Bay Rays general manager quickly accepted. The Rays announced via a press release today that Friedman has left the organization for the Dodgers, replacing Ned Colletti, who had been the Dodgers' GM since 2005. According to…
New Music Tuesday! (October 14): Stars, OK Go, Foxygen, The Game, U2, Set It Off & more
Releases out this week; audio & video included.
Final Sunshine State Survey shows Florida electorate mixed on social issues
Floridians aren't so warm about giving more rights and assistance to undocumented immigrants. That's just one of the findings coming out of the last published survey of the 2014 Sunshine State Survey, an annual poll on a range of economic, social and political issues compiled by the University of South Florida’s College of Arts &…
An Earful: Merchandise drop new video, Benjamin Booker wows Jools Holland, The Who come to Tampa and James Blake doesn’t
The Internet was good this weekend; videos included.
Dwight Dudley keeps the heat and focus on Duke Energy Florida
Since being elected to the House two years ago, St. Petersburg House Democrat Dwight Dudley has been an obsessed zealot in blasting the state's energy policy and politics, and in particular, Duke Energy Florida's business practices. And with just three weeks before Election Day, he's not about to cease and desist. The first-term Representative today…
Welcome to Mercado, Mishou Sanchez’s new plan for Tampa artists and business owners
St. Petersburg independent, non-corporate commerce has been growing by leaps and bounds, but Tampa has a long way to catch up to the city across the bay. Many blame the fact that commercial spaces downtown and in Ybor are owned by a handful of landlords who won't let go until they can score a big…
Mitch Perry Report 10.14.14: Pentagon says climate change will challenge military
Although the number of skeptics or outright deniers of man-made climate change in America is still pretty legion, don't include the U.S. military in that category. The Pentagon today is releasing a report that describes how global warming will bring new challenges to our troops overseas. As reported by the L.A. Times, those challenges include the…
Jill Biden Campaigns with Annette Taddeo at USF
Vice President Joe Biden’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden campaigned for Charlie Christ on Monday at the University of South Florida's Marshall Student Center. She was joined by Annette Taddeo, Christ’s running mate and candidate for Lieutenant Governor. In a round-table discussion with current and former USF students, they discussed affordable education. Since taking office Governor…
Eat & do good: Lunch at Give & Grub food truck
Laser Spine Institute donates a meal to a family in need each time Give & Grub’s fare is sold.
Carl Zimmermann takes his angst about standardized tests to the voters
One of the most intriguing state house races in the Tampa Bay area is taking place this fall out on the north side of Pinellas County. HD 65 has traditionally been a graveyard for candidates with a "D" next to their name. But after two unsuccessful tries in 2008 and 2010, Democrat Carl Zimmermann finally knocked…
Activist group to ask Tampa City Council to support drivers licenses for the undocumented
During last Friday's gubernatorial debate broadcast by Telemundo and geared towards a Spanish-speaking audience, Charlie Crist reiterated that he supports providing the children of undocumented immigrants the ability to obtain temporary Florida drivers licenses, which he says will make it easier for them to find a job, attend school, or go to work. Currently, at…
A free favorite — The Florida Orchestra goes “Pop!”
While you might not normally go out of your way to see a "cover band," this is an exception. The Florida Orchestra plays a strong setlist of classic hits — or, more accurately, classical hits — at its free Pops in the Park weekend. On Oct. 18 they're at Vinoy Park, 701 Bayshore Drive N.E.,…
The Laugh Tract — who’s bringing the funny
Young comedians, more "senior" comedians, mighty female headliners, local favorites, national acts and ventriloquists are all gathering in our area to perform at different venues. There's even a traveling show on tap. If you want to see a show, it should be pretty easy to find something that suits you. Here are your best bets: Theaters and…
The Well-Played List, 10-13-2014: Generationals, Tijuana Panthers, Blackalicious & more
Find out what the CL Team and local tastemakers are jamming this week; audio & video included…
Block the Boat Tampa holds their latest protest
At their third protest on Saturday morning at the Port of Tampa, members of Block the Boat Tampa stood in solidarity with the Palestinians of Gaza who have been displaced, wounded and martyred in the most recent military action that took place between the Israelis and Palestinians this summer. Before the sun had even risen,…
Mitch Perry Report 10.13.14: U.S. nurses say training is at issue with Ebola crisis
It was a little more eventful than usual watching the Sunday morning news programs yesterday, because rarely do they begin with breaking news. But there it was yesterday at 9 a.m. for everyone to absorb — the report that a female nurse involved in the treatment of Thomas Eric Duncan, the Liberian man who died…
Album review: Johnny Marr, Playland
The ex-Smith presents a confident, engaging follow-up to last year’s Messenger
Bernie Sanders says fight against ISIS is a war “for the soul of Islam”
Although the U.S. led coalition's fight against ISIS hasn't been going on for that long, critics are already claiming that we're losing the battle. "They’re winning, and we’re not,” John McCain complained on CNN’s State of the Union about ISIS' advances over the past week. “The Iraqis are not winning. The Peshmerga, the Kurds are not winning,”…
Delicious dismemberment: Stone crab season opens Oct. 15
Rejoice, lifelong dock-hangers, foodie tourists and discerning snowbirds alike, because Florida's favorite winter-months marine bounty is coming back into season October 15. Stone crabs are like little armored trees that only bear one fruit, once a year — except that they're actually animals from which we wait to ritually rip one arm annually, because of…
As seen on TV: American Horror Story: Freak Show, the return of Twin Peaks
The accents are more than a little wonky in the season premiere of American Horror Story: Freak Show — Jessica Lange trying to channel her inner Marlene, Kathy Bates doing some kind of twang that the NY Times criticized as wandering “around the Southern states, periodically landing on something vaguely Appalachian” (though in reality I don’t…
Can’t Stop the Serenity — St. Pete gaming store hosts charity sci-fi film screening on Sunday
Nerds band together for the greater good.
Do This: The Weekend Top 10
Emerald and Gulfport celebrate birthdays, TIGLFF’s last call, Localicious and loads of local theater and art.
A different way to sit: 14 Chairs at Tempus Projects
The handiwork of a talented group of students from the USF School of Architecture and Community Design will be on display for two weeks at Tempus Projects, from Oct. 11 through Oct. 24. 14 Chairs will feature handmade chairs, which are the fruits of eight weeks of an intensive program that schooled the students on furniture…
Facebook team coming to Tampa to train small biz on how to boost their presence
Although Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have all been around for several years now, the ability for businesses (and individuals) to use these social media tools to their economic benefit isn't an exact science, which is why there has become a whole industry created in offering skills to maximize search engine optimization on the Internet. And…
Meet the Brewers: Bob Sylvester of Saint Somewhere Brewing
Saint Somewhere Brewing is a local brewery with a global reputation.
Movie review: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
What’s supposed to be family fun makes predictable light of real-world family hardship.
Movie review: The Liberator is reverent to a fault
What should be an epic biography nearly comes off as an epic fail.
Tampa forum on Ferguson asks ‘Could it happen here?’
As the St. Louis area is forced to deal with another police shooting of a young black man, the Tampa Bay association of Black Journalists commenced a community forum discussing the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the wave of protests and questions that arose over the following two months. Called “Let's Talk…
Experience a multitude of culture at the Maxima Hispanic Heritage Festival
Grupo Mania, Johnny Sky and Yandel are among the performers who hit Coachman Park in Clearwater this Sunday
The Hip Hop ABCs: Letter W
The rap battle continue … and was there ever any question about the group that won?
Joffrey’s debuts in larger Ybor City abode
Owners of Ybor’s Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea Company wanted additional space for catering and more.
Mitch Perry Report 10.10.14: Crist & Scott finally duel in a debate
It was just another week on the campaign trail in this year's gubernatorial campaign. We saw the Democratic nominee for attorney general asking a court to force Rick Scott to fully disclose all his assets and investments. We also saw the chair of the Republican Party of Florida demand that Charlie Crist return $40,000 in campaign…
Tonight in live music: Jeezy at Jannus, The Subdudes at Skippers, Metronomy in O-town & more
Concerts this Fri., Oct. 10
Pinellas activists tell Duke Energy they want their money back
At a press conference in front of Governor Rick Scott’s campaign office in St. Petersburg on Thursday, members of Florida For Fair Rates demanded that he return the $1.2 million in campaign funding he's received from Duke Energy, as well as $3.2 billion for its failed nuclear power plants. In recent weeks Duke Energy has…
Fall Into free art shows this autumn
Cool breezes, lower humidity and sunny skies have a way of getting us outside. Enjoy Florida's outdoor scenery and art at events throughout the Tampa Bay area and surrounding areas. Autumn ARTS Festival Sun., Oct. 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m Kick off fall at the 1st Annual Autumn ARTS Festival, sponsored by Jungle Terrace Civic Association,…
Adrian Wyllie sues to get into next Tuesday’s gubernatorial debate
As he said he would do, Libertarian Party of Florida gubernatorial candidate Adrian Wyllie is suing the host and sponsors of next Tuesday night's gubernatorial debate in Fort Lauderdale because he is being excluded from participating in it. The suit goes after Broward College, the site of the debate, and the two organizations sponsoring it: the…
Tampa macabre-metal duo Into The Cellar release debut album. Stream it now.
Ex-Palantine boys go heavier, creepier on new project.
Tampa Bay Lightning season kickoff tonight: An overview
The Tampa Bay Lightning begin the 2014-15 campaign in a somewhat new existence, both figuratively and literally. For one, the team will host its home games in a renamed stadium, after the Amalie Oil Company secured the naming rights this past summer to the place formerly known as the Tampa Bay Times Forum. The downtown…
Dark & Sinful: Dysfunction disorder
I’ve got a bone to pick. Remember that old-school Viagra clip with Bob Dole? Some official-looking chair in some swanky room? Whole lot of wood? He’s sympathetic: “Courage. Something shared by countless Americans. Those who risk their lives. Those who battle serious illness… It’s a little embarrassing to talk about ED; but, it’s so important…
Transforming Tampa Bay: Aim higher
After a drought of development, high-rises are again blooming in Tampa Bay. Nurtured by the richness of flowing capital and investor optimism, more than 10 new residential towers are rising on both sides of the bay, from Tampa’s Channel District to downtown St. Pete. None is likely to grace the cover of Architectural Record, but…
From TV to DC? On the road to the midterms with Alan Cohn
If you think Congress is unpopular these days, try running to be a part of it. It’s the last Saturday morning in September, and I’m sitting in a small room in the back of Alan Cohn’s campaign headquarters on Fowler Avenue in Temple Terrace. The room, as well as the entire office and in fact…
Tonight in live music: Rodrigo y Gabriela, New Found Glory, Lightning Pre-Game Concert with Have Gun, Will Travel
Concerts this Thurs., Oct. 9.
Emerald Bar celebrates five decades at its current locale with a 50th@550 anniversary party
Twenty bands — including Holiday and Pretty Voices — perform at the St. Pete staple this weekend
