Tampa Bay Fashion Week: lights, camera, catwalk!
Fashion is art embodied, and a designer's palette is life. Shoes are more than protection from hot pavement but stories. The same rings true for blouses, jewelry, and trousers…each eager to assist you with your daily narrative: punk Monday, dressy Tuesday, bohemian Wednesday. Celebrate the rituals of style during Tampa Bay Fashion Week, when local…
CD Review: Lenny Kravitz, Black and White America
Since the release of his 1989 debut album Let Love Rule, Lenny Kravitz has been bombarded with equal amounts of affection and animosity. The biracial, peace-loving, idealistic, sex god neo-hippie has attracted almost as many followers as he has detractors. The listeners who were awed by Lenny's messages of love and his tasty guitar hooks…
Orlando musician Ralph J. Ameduri, Jr. murdered last weekend, sketch released today
The Orlando music community is currently raising funds to increase the $2,500 reward for info leading to the suspect’s arrest
Attorney on FEA lawsuit: not a repudiation of merit pay
In the past couple of years, Florida school teacher have protested a teacher merit pay law that they claimed would be punitive towards them. Their efforts died earlier this year though when Governor Rick Scott signed SB 736 into law. The state's largest teachers union, the Florida Education Association, isn't done fighting against it, however,…
Rick Scott not with Rick Perry on controversial Social Security remarks
Florida Governor Rick Scott is in New York City this morning, and made an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe program, where he said he was reserving comment on President Obama's $447 billion jobs plan announced last Thursday, a plan some Republicans initially said they might be able to support some part of, but are now…
Mitch Perry Report 9.14.11
CL attended most of last night's Citizens Property Insurance public hearing in Tampa regarding their proposed rate hikes, which have been scaled back enormously from the 2,000 percent type announced earlier this summer – but if they thought that would appease those Citizens customers, they were wrong. Rick Scott was on MSNBC's Morning Joe earlier…
Fasano to Citizens Insurance officials: Shame on You!
Mike Fasano received a hero's welcome at Citizens hearing Nobody in Florida government has spoken out more publicly and passionately on behalf of his constituency this year than Mike Fasano. The New Port Richey state Senator unsuccessfully fought against the passage of SB 408 this spring, a bill that ultimately led to outrageous rate hikes…
This week in food and drink
International Curry Festival, Dunedin Beer Fest, charity events and more.
The Tampa Bay International Curry Festival: Sat., Sept. 17th
Curry cook-off for professionals and amateurs, over 50 vendor booths, a “Curry Girl” pageant and lots of live entertainment.
Kriseman files bill to repeal “Docs vs. Glocks” legislation
Dr. Mona Mongat & Rick Kriseman spoke at All Children's Hospital in St. Pete St. Petersburg physician Dr. Mona Mangat admits that she wasn't really paying attention this past spring when the Florida Legislature was debating what became known as the "Docs vs. Glocks" bill, the controversial piece of legislation championed by the National Rifle…
New Music Tuesday! (September 13)
Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton, Primus, Blitzen Trapper, Saves the Day + many more issue new releases this week (audio & video)
Pet overpopulation progress
Irresponsible breeding and low adoption rates are the roots of the problem.
A bomb best diffused with your mouth: The Venezuelan Bomba (recipe)
One huge sandwich that makes life worth living.
Top 10 tips from The Hobo Handbook
Jack Kerouac glamorized the life of an American hobo There are plenty of guidebooks for how to “adventure” into national parks or how to backpack around Europe while spending only a minor fortune, but few books provide tips for surviving in the American jungle. Josh Mack's The Hobo Handbook teaches you how to thrive with…
Mitch Perry Report 9.13.11
Tampa was the epicenter of the political world last night with the fourth GOP presidential debate of the year. Cl spent considerable time at the Florida Fairgrounds area yesterday, the site of the debate, At lunchtime, we observed a discussion about the influence of the Tea Party as well other conservative complaints at a forum…
Outside the Tea Party debate, liberals make themselves heard
Have megaphone, will travel
Tampa GOP debate crowd-pleaser: Uninsured? Let ’em die!
Paul’s people, Bachmann’s bite and a defensive Rick Perry.
Citizens Insurance hearing in Tampa on Tuesday
Mike Fasano Citizens insurance customers area residents who face prodigious rate hikes for sinkhole coverage will get their opportunity to vent Tuesday afternoon in Tampa, when the Office of Insurance Regulation hosts a public meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at the Tampa Convention Center. The Office of Insurance Regulation is considering Citizens’ recent application for…
Wasserman Schultz calls Romney a hypocrite before Tampa GOP debate
Debbie Wasserman Schultz before GOP debate South Florida Democratic Congresswoman and Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz spoke to some members of the press hours before Monday night's GOP presidential debate in Tampa. She said that she expected the gubernatorial candidates to try to "worship at the alter of the tea party " at…
Postponed: Elvis Costello & the Imposters
Tampa Bay fans of Elvis Costello got pretty excited when the seminal singer-songwriter announced he'd be bringing his "Spectacular Spinning Songbook Tour" to Clearwater. The bad news arrived today — Costello and his band must delay the start of the next leg of the tour due to the very serious illness of a close family…
Adult Swim announces Odd Future series for 2012
It looks like Meatwad, Frylock, and Master Shake may have some competition next year for the title of weirdest characters on their channel. Adult Swim, the late-night incarnation of Cartoon Network known for airing transgressive, bizarre and uncensored cartoons — announced last week that it has picked up the live-action series Loiter Squad featuring rap…
Tea Party activist stars at pre-debate forum at Florida Fairgrounds
Billie Tucker from First Coast Tea Party In case you weren't aware, Monday night's GOP presidential debate from Tampa is co-sponsored by the Tea Party Express, and a lunchtime discussion moderated at the Florida Fairgrounds by CNN's John King was dominated by Billie Tucker, the leader of the First Coast Tea Party based in Jacksonville.…
Celebrate the real Mexican Independence Day with a spicy tequila cocktail (recipe)
Celebrated on September 16th with parades, parties, and of course, lots of booze.
The bridal shower: practice at being the center of attention
I am a very loud and upbeat girl who does not mind being the center of attention, at least around my friends. However, after my bridal shower this weekend, I was left wondering if I will be able to cope with an entire wedding full of people showering me in gifts, complements, and questions about…
Photo review: Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival with Avenged Sevenfold & others
Some shots from the day-long traveling heavy metal festival, Uproar, which stopped at 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre in Tampa last Sunday. More photos after the jump. Hell or High Water
Arts Council provides a handy list of art shows issuing calls for submission
Sculpture, architecture, photography are sought from local artists at a handful of upcoming shows in Tampa Bay and other regions in Florida. More classified listings for auditions and calls to artists can be found on ArtsTampaBay.com. You can also check the listings on the Arts Council's website, TampaArts.com. Take note: Some of the deadlines are…
AQUS system recycles sink water for use in toilet bowl
This DIY kit takes little time to install and could save up to 6,000 gallons of water a year.
Rick Perry: Main target at Tampa GOP debate?
Candidates likely to attack his stance on Social Security tonight.
How to use an Apple MacBook Air in place of a kitchen knife (videos)
MacBook Air owners can now get double usage from this very expensive piece of machinery.
Mitch Perry Report 9.12.11
What a weekend! While the nation mourned the 10th year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, there was a whole lot of games being played by football players (and tennis pros). And all of that leads into tonight's big Republican presidential debate in Tampa. The way we see it, Rick Perry, the front runner for the…
Live in Tampa: Janet, Miss Jackson if you’re nasty. Tickets on sale Sept. 17.
Performing tunes from her Number Ones, Up Close and Personal World Tour, R&B icon Janet J, hits the Straz Center on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. The youngest sister of the Jackson clan has rebounded from the mourning period of brother Michael's death to tour, performing her big hits "Rhythm Nation," "Control" and "Nasty…
Al-Arian affair biggest local Tampa story that resulted from 9/11 attacks
The St. Petersburg Times has two excellent stories regarding 9/11 in their Sunday editions; A front-pager from Leonora LaPeter Anton about the mission of one man bring a piece of the World Trade Center to Venice in Sarasota County, and Sherri Day's moving personal account of covering the fall of the Twin Towers as a…
Too young to worry about a Dead End in Norvelt
Meet author Jack Gantos at a book signing at Inkwood Sept. 13 at 5 p.m.
Florida Ethics Commission slams Bean & Lee for ethics violations
George Niemann is a Daily Loaf contibutor and a U-CAN, R-LAND, FSP activist.The views expressed are my own and not necessarily the same as the organizations to which I belong. On Friday September 9, 2011, the Florida Ethics Commission ruled that former County Administrator Pat Bean and former County Attorney Renee Lee violated ethics laws…
As Tea Party takes a victory lap in Tampa, liberals take issue
Like it or not, the Tea Party movement is flourishing (poll numbers be damned). Their crowning achievement so far this year is that they led President Obama to blink during the seemingly endless debt-ceiling negotiations last month. House Republicans, led by the upstart tea party movement, refused to support any tax increases to go along…
September 11 remembered at Patriots Corner in Tampa
The Bay Shore Patriots, along with coalition members from MacDill Air Force Base and other community members, gathered at the corner of Bayshore and Bay to Bay Boulevards Friday afternoon for the city of Tampa's dedication of the 9/11 Trade World Center Memorial artifact which was installed at Patriots Corner.
Joe Chillura Courthouse Square becomes a memorial for 9/11
Atecia Robinson This year marks the tenth anniversary of a date that many say has affected their lives forever. On Friday, almost a hundred public sector employees came together in downtown Tampa to christen the site of a memorial in honor of 9/11. On September 11, 2001 terrorists’ goal was to impact the hearts of…
Found on Etsy: crochet craycray
For week four of Found on Etsy, I thought we'd explore the softer side. A little somethin for the ladies, if you will. As an artist myself, finding people who dive in to new creative sources different than my own is very exciting. While crochet is certainly not a new art, it has recently gone…
Warrior lacks MMA credibility
The Tom Hardy brawler bitch-slaps true MMA fans and fighters.
Tom Hardy’s a knockout in Warrior
The MMA-inspired brawler aspires to be a modern day Rocky.
Call for artists: 42nd annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts
The 42nd annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is now accepting applications from artists to exhibit at the festival, which will return to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa on March 3-4, 2012. Cash prizes totaling $74,500 will be awarded. Artists who are interested in applying are required to submit four images…
Adding many more plants and animals to the Endangered Species List
USFWS evaluating 757 species to determine if they should be added to the federal Endangered Species List by 2018.
Mitch Perry Report 9.9.11
Hello everyone. Lots of news on this Friday before the 10th year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. Speaking of that, we spoke earlier this week with Washington Post Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Dana Priest about her new book, Top Secret America, and the excesses here at home that we've expended in…
On eve of 10th year anniversary of 9/11, examples unfold of America’s wasted efforts on homeland security
The news that federal authorities are investigating a possible terrorist threat in New York City or Washington D.C., just days before the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, only reinforces part of the message that comes from the new book Top Secret America: The Rise of the New American Security State, written by…
Pay cuts at St. Pete Times hit employees hard
“It’s like Hurricane Katrina hit the newspaper,” said one inside source.
Neighborhood Dining Guide: Westchase/Citrus Park
The best dining options in mid-Tampa.
The Office employees are still awkward on Blu-Ray
I said throughout the seventh season of The Office that the show could actually benefit from the inevitable departure of Dunder Mifflin Scranton Manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell). At the same time, I wasn't too sure about the cast and crew's ability to produce a seventh season worthy of our time. Time will tell if…
Tampa City Council nears approving six day panhandlng ban
After a public debate that has lasted over a year, the Tampa City Council today finally has come one step closer to banning panhandling – while making exceptions for Sundays, as well as allowing for an exception for people who sell newspapers or do political leafleting. The vote was 5-1, with acting Council Chair Mary…
Three alternative Italian cheeses you’ll fall in love with
Bellissimo Tre
Top 10 public sex spots from The Joy of the Quickie
Jason Statham and Amy Smart demonstrate the joys of public sex As a teenager or even a college student forced to share a dorm room, having sex in odd places is often a necessity. A teen's first car often becomes a mobile sex machine that offers a relatively comfortable and secure spot for sexual exploration…
Contagion breeds indifference
Steven Soderbergh’s latest is an aloof affair.
RPOF leader Dave Bitner passes away from ALS
Republican officials from across the state issued statements on Thursday mourning the passing of the Chairman of the Florida Republican Party, Dave Bitner, who died from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Bitner served in the Florida House from 1992 to 2000 and later worked as a lobbyist. He was named to replace John Thrasher as party…
Column: Does a surprise win for Tyler, The Creator at the MTV VMAs signal a change in the mainstream hip hop landscape?
I'm not quite sure what's going on here, but we may have just witnessed a major shift in the world of hip hop. Tyler, The Creator, (ring)leader of the Los Angeles-based, skate-punk, hip hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (or OFWGKTA) took home the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist…
Tampa City Council votes to try to find “one-stop shop” for the homeless
Jason Wilson For nearly a year, the Tampa City Council has attempted to tackle the issue of panhandling in the city, but have never passed any type of resolution banning it in any sense, while the people with day-glow vests continue to grow on some of the city's busiest intersections. One reason the Council had…
Late summer brew & ‘cue
Grilled salmon and red potatoes pair well with Anderson Valley Brewing’s Hop Ottin’ IPA.
Tampa’s Mary Mulhern flying to Cuba on Friday
Now that commercial flights are leaving from Tampa to Cuba, the current acting chair of the Tampa City Council, Mary Mulhern, says she is returning to the Communist Island to discuss increasing Tampa’s legal trade with that nation. This is not the Council woman's first sojourn to Cuba; she was part of a delegation of…
Green Community Calendar weekend events
Urban farming and gardening workshops, outdoor activities, markets and more.
Kurdi’s: Med grill, no thrill
Middle Eastern fare joins Skypoint’s downtown Tampa restaurant scene.
So is Perry or Romney really stronger vs. Obama on the health care issue?
There were lots of things to take away from last night's GOP debate in Southern California, but can we concentrate on the issue of health care for a moment? All eight candidates said or have said that if they were fortunate enough to be elected president, the first thing they would do is repeal what…
Mitch Perry Report 9.8.11
Everyone's got an opinion about last night's GOP debate in SoCal. This morning we focus on one part of the debate that is supposedly going to doom President Obama next year (and we're not talking about the economy). The Washington Post's Dana Priest has just written Top Secret America, an expose on how large (and…
Michael Moore likes Jon Huntsman for President?
Uber liberal Michael Moore is soon going to be back in your face. The documentary filmmaker, author, lecturer and wealthy celebrity is back with his first project since Capitalism: A Love Story, with a new memoir, called Here Comes Trouble: Stories From My Life which interestingly, only lasts up to his mid 30's, with the…
Letter man
I’m on vacation, but you can still read my mail.
Still standing: The World Trade Center on film
The twin towers of the WTC live forever in the movies.
Trailblazers: Dreaming of a Hillsborough bike trail system
Why should Pinellas have all the fun?
Return to the road
The fourth incarnation of Return to Forever brings their 32-date U.S. tour to Clearwater.
My country, my torturer
Insanity both political and personal in a new theater company’s strong debut.
Lee Roy Selmon, USF and more …
Shit Happened from Sept. 1-7, 2011
Their kids are all right
Flawed lives don’t necessarily lead to flawed parenting.
Live and Local Spotlight: The Semis
I count The Semis among my favorite local bands, and the foursome's latest self-released LP, Decapitator Blues, only drives this love home. The follow-up to last year's five-star Back to the Beach is on high-quality par with its predecessor. But where Beach was more about self-examination and salvation, Blues has a naturally light-hearted and overall…
Spies like us
The slippery slope of stealth parenting.
Cute Lepers infect Tampa
Plus: Woodsman, Brad Paisley and more of the week’s best upcoming concerts.
WaPo reporter spent time in Tampa Bay area researching “Top Secret America”
Dana Priest Last year the Washington Post's Dana Priest and William Arkin stunned the country with their series of reports that detailed that there are more than 1,200 secret government organizations that have been created since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The pair have now taken that series to a new level, publishing Top Secret America:…
Lunchbox bonanza
Healthy, single-serving lunchbox options.
Publix CEO blows off Coalition of Immokalee Workers
A Publix PR spokesman meets with members of the CIW Over the last decade, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers has extracted agreements with some of the country's biggest food corporations, agreeing to the farmworkers request to receive an extra penny per pound of tomatoes they pick in Florida. Yum Brands!, which represents Taco Bell and…
The Gaily News: South Florida suburb second gayest in the country; same-sex households increase across the state
It’s no shocker that the LGBT mecca Provinceton, Mass. is the city with the most gay couples, with 163 same-sex couples per 1,000 people, according to the Census Bureau. But two South Florida cities, Wilton Manors and Oakland Park — both suburbs of Fort Lauderdale — ranked highly on the list, making it into the…
