Thursday 12.20

Movies at Dali's The Salvador Dali Museum screens a pair of irreverent holiday films, Black Adder's Christmas Carol, a 45-minute takeoff on Dickens' classic tale, and MGM Holiday Cartoon Classics, an animation package that includes Hugh Herman's short Peace on Earth. The farcical Black Adder adaptation, full of horrid people and seasonal bottom jokes, stars the spastic Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) as Ebenezer Blackadder, who schizophrenically mucks about. Peace on Earth, Hugh Harman's 1939 Technicolor masterpiece, is the only cartoon ever nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The cartoon shows mankind destroying itself through continual wars. Animals inherit the earth, living successfully by man's set of rules found in an old book. The screening begins at 6 p.m. at the Salvador Dali Museum. The films are free with admission, which is half price ($5) on Thursdays. The Salvador Dali Museum is at 1000 Third St. S., St. Pete (727-823-3767).

Friday 12.21

Mass A-peel The Bay area's own Grammy-nominated children's musician, Shana Banana, performs three holiday shows featuring her entire cast of characters, such as Pirate Scooterdo and Mervyn the Manatee. The first show takes place at 7 p.m. tonight at the Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Drive (727-587-6793). The next two shows take place Sunday, Dec. 23, at 12:30 and 3 p.m., at the Catherine Hickman Theatre, 5501 27th Ave. S., Gulfport (727-550-0128). Advance tickets cost $6.50-$8, depending on the show. Shana Smith is an eclectic singer/songwriter whose dual careers cover both children's musical entertainment and acoustic folk and blues. Her latest CD, Music and Fun For Kids, has recently won a first-round Grammy nomination in the category Best Musical Album For Children. The Grammy list narrows to five finalists in each category on Jan. 3, with the winners announced at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, telecast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 27. To learn more about Shana, visit www.shanabanana.com.

Park and Ride Old Hyde Park Village hosts its second Friday Night Jazz series event, featuring Allon Sams, a Bay area smooth jazz keyboardist, performing holiday jazz. The events take place from 6 to 9 p.m. the third Friday of every month through April, featuring a variety of jazz musicians. While you're in the park, consider taking a carriage ride ($20) around the village, which is in full holiday swing, with their Christmas tree lighting the Main Fountain area. The jazz event and parking are free, so dropping a Jackson for a seasonal, horse-drawn trot kinda makes the entertainment expenses even out. Old Hyde Park Village is two miles west of downtown Tampa at Swann and Dakota avenues (813-251-3500).

Saturday 12.22

Red Red Ants Velvet celebrates Christmas with a party featuring the deep dance grooves of Boyd Westerman and Pete Bones of Bones' Red Ant Records. Playing for more than 11 years, Bones has been a fixture on the DJ circuit, guest-DJing at clubs from Berlin to Ibiza, with residencies at London clubs such as Velvet Underground and Mass. Bones now works with Westerman, who has shared the decks at Simon's in Gainesville with the likes of Sasha and Carl Cox, just to name a few. There's no cover; ages 21 and up only. The club opens at 10 p.m. Velvet is at Seventh Avenue and 15th Street in Ybor City (813-247-2711).

The Fairest of Them All Based on the play Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw, My Fair Lady is the story of Henry Higgins, a short-tempered, self-centered speech professor who, on a bet, attempts to turn the sooty ragamuffin Eliza Doolittle into a well-bred lady. The musical features a highly celebrated and amusing score that includes, Wouldn't It Be Lovely and I Could Have Danced All Night. My Fair Lady plays at the Mahaffey Theater at 8 p.m. tonight, and at 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23. Tickets cost $29, $39 and $49 for evening performances; $24, $34 and $44 for matinee. The Mahaffey Theater is at 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg (727-892-5767).

Sunday 12.23

The Mighty Bucs The New Orleans Saints' series record against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is pretty good, 13-6, but this game marks the Saints' first trip to Raymond James Stadium. Both teams are committed to establishing the run on offense and feature tough, swarming defenses. So Bucs tight end Dave Moore and running backs Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott are going to have a tough time making headway. One key matchup figures to be between Saints' right tackle Kyle Turley and Bucs left defensive end Simeon Rice. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Turley is one of the most physical players in the NFC, and the Saints tend to run off of his blocks. Catch the game however you can. There's no shame in nursing beers at your local sports bar. The game starts at 1 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium, 4042 N. Himes Ave., Tampa (813-350-6500).

The Trial of Kris Kringle The premise of Miracle on 34th Street (1947) is brilliant. A man who moonlights as Kris Kringle at Macy's claims to be the genuine article and goes on trial to prove his identity. Maureen O'Hara, Edmund Gwenn and Natalie Wood star in this sentimental classic. The film starts at 3 p.m. at the Tampa Theatre. Tickets cost $5. The Tampa Theatre is at 711 Franklin St., Tampa (813-274-8286).

Monday 12.24

Ho, Ho Whoa! It's the last day of shopping before Christmas, and you know what that means. It's your last chance to pick up red vinyl lingerie with white, faux-fur trim. So amend your last-minute list of gifts to include something more fun than tube socks. There are still holiday discounts to be had at local adult clothing and accessories shops like Passion Play (813-875-7529), Rena's Wild Wear (727-939-0397) and Priscilla's (813-873-1616). Nothing says, Happy Holidays, like a pair of, shall we say, well ventilated panties — just one less present to unwrap. And Santa's too busy this time of year to notice if you're being naughty. So be naughty, for goodness sake.

Tuesday 12.25

The Heathen Rage Have a good old-fashioned heathen holiday — Asian food and a movie — and take advantage of these two institutions renowned for being open Christmas Day. Who wants turkey when you can have curry chicken? And you can't see Lord of the Rings and scarf $4 popcorn in church. (Wait, can you?) Your dining options include Ban Thai (727-724-2992), TC Choy's (813-251-1191) and The Bamboo Flute (813-258-2858). And movies slated to open Christmas Day include Ali, The Shipping News and The Royal Tenenbaums. See Film and Outtakes for reviews and Movie Marquee for movie times and theater locations.

Wednesday 12.26

Absurd's the Word Comedians Greg Hahn and Daniel Tosh co-headline at Side Splitters through New Years Eve. Hahn — a former Marine and one-time stunt guy at Universal Studios' Wild Wild West show — has an absurdly energetic style of physical humor. Hahn's appearances include the Conan O'Brien Show, five episodes of Comedy Central's Make Me Laugh and the movie Pootie Tang. Tosh, raised on Florida's Space Coast, is equally absurd, yet more cerebral. Tosh has recently completed a pilot for the E! Network, Celebrity Scavengers, co-hosted with Debbie Dunning, the Tool-Time girl from Home Improvement. Show times for these two guys are 8:30 p.m. weekdays, 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission costs $8-$14 (depending on the night). Side Splitters is at 12938 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa (813-960-1197).

This article appears in Dec 20-26, 2002.