BEST SCENESTER COFFEE CLATCH
In the Raw Acoustic Series, State Theatre

You often see the same crowd at these bi-weekly acoustic to-dos at the State, but who doesn´t like familiarity? And it´s a good bunch of friendly, music-lovin´ types. Hosted by the talented and magical Natty Moss Bond and emceed by the unstoppable Joran Oppelt, In the Raw features some of my favorite local musicians away from their usual band gigs, scaled down, intimate and, in some cases, most assuredly raw. The winter/spring season saw the likes of Will Quinlan, Steve Connelly, Billy Summer, Mike O´Neil, Anna O., Tony Dolan, Twitch, Shawn and Randy Beauville, Rebekah Pulley, Joey Neil, the Planet´s own Scott Harrell, Joran himself and, of course, Natty Moss Bond and Martin Rice. And that´s just the beginning, folks. The gig´s currently on hiatus, but look for another go ´round come fall. If you´re lucky.

State Theatre, 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-895-3045. Make frequent visits to www.mekkarecords.com for updates on the next In the Raw series.

BEST BUSINESS SIGN
The Cat Doctors

It just makes me happy. A beige cat head with a red cross — the universal sign for hospitals — between its ears; long, curly black whiskers; big, round, white circles for eyes, which give the impression of Lennon-style glasses. And you can´t beat the phone number. It´s just cute, man.

The Cat Doctors, 3607 W. Swann Ave., Tampa, 813-877-MEOW, www.catdoctors.com.

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET
Interbay Meat Market

I live right around the corner and pop in for the deli´s roast pork and Cuban sandwiches, or chicken and yellow rice, or the cheap and fresh filet mignon from the well-stocked meat counter. The service is friendly, and so long as you don´t expect 72 kinds of gourmet coffee, you´ll find everything you need. And shopping at independent markets just makes you feel close to your neighbors, even when you don´t know their names; ya know what I mean? Judging by the store´s steady stream of traffic on any given day of the week, at least some of you do.

Interbay Meat Market, 6110 Interbay Blvd., Tampa, 813-839-7542.

BEST BOOST TO LOCAL TEENS
Impressions Teen Magazine

Funded through the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County and TASCO Teen Programs, Impressions is written, photographed, illustrated and edited by teenagers, for teenagers. Columns are short and simple, but impressive, especially for their range of topics. A (very) small sample of hot probs covered in the spring and summer 2004 issues: gay and lesbian discrimination, obesity, deadbeat dads, driving and cell phones, domestic violence, kidnapping, and discrimination at BayWalk. Add to that everything from book reviews to poetry to lists of events at local schools, and you have an impressive, information-packed outlet for Pinellas´ young adults. Not to mention some kids out there acquiring useful skills that don´t involve Jessica Simpson stats or Viva La Bam stunts. Kinda makes you warm all over, doesn´t it? Congratulations crew … and keep writing.

Pick up copies of Impressions at The Globe Coffee Lounge, 532 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-898-JAVA. For other locations or information, e-mail impressionsteenmagazine@yahoo.com.

BEST NATIONAL SHOW
Dropkick Murphys, The Masquerade, Oct. 15, 2003

For my money, the Dropkick show at Masquerade was worth every dime. High-energy, great crowd, friendly mosh pit and endless stage diving, and unlike the Flogging Molly show at the same venue, not so packed that you couldn´t move about. (Couldn´t even reach my Zippo at FM, and it was in my front pocket!) And singer Al Barr´s voice — after countless raucous concerts around the globe — may sound like he gargles sandpaper pre-show these days, but he can still angrily stalk a stage with the best of ´em. Good times, man. Good times.

BEST NEW STUPID VANITY FAD
Cosmetic Voice Surgery

For old people who don´t want to sound, ya know — their age. Christ. Now I´ve heard EVERYTHING. What the hell is wrong with you people? You´re born, you live, you grow old, you die. Deal with it. You´re not cheating death, you´re not reversing time, you´re not outrunning the clock. Give it up. And grow old with some fuckin´ dignity, for Pete´s sake.

BEST HOTRODS AND HAMBURGERS
Biff Burger and Buffy´s

Friday nights at Biff is no poser´s rockabilly rumble. You´ll seldom find heavily tattooed girls in vintage thrift store finds, or boys in cuffed jeans and greased hair. You will find old and sun-beaten grease monkeys holding court next to their lovingly restored classics, customs and street rods. Parking five blocks down the road is a small price to pay for a night surrounded by the coolest cars and most down-to-earth people in St. Pete. And don´t even get us started on Biff´s so-bad-for-you-they´re-good burgers, tater tots, shakes … hell, everything (and don´t forget Buff´s bodacious barbecue).

Biff Burger and Buffy´s, 3939 49th St. N., St. Petersburg, Biff: 727-527-5297, Buff: 727-522-0088.

BEST GRISWOLD TRIBUTE
Hialeah Street

There isn´t much that´ll draw me to Temple Terrace (or North Tampa in general, for that matter). No offense to those who live, work and play in that area; it just ain´t my scene. But for years, there´s been one thing that always prompts me to take the drive: December on Hialeah Street. Tucked away in a quiet Temple Terrace neighborhood, Hialeah is one place it´s OK to wear your sunglasses at night, if only to shield your delicate irises from the blinding display of Christmas lights. Nearly every resident on the street gets into it, decorating their homes from top to bottom, as well as their lawns, mailboxes, trees, etc. It´s truly a site to behold, and in a state where summer seems to last the whole year, Hialeah is the one thing guaranteed to kick-start my Xmas spirit.

This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2004.