Daily Loaf

In just a few months every culture vulture in Tampa Bay will be descending on the new Stanley Saitowitz-designed home of the Tampa Museum of Art and its inaugural exhibition, A Celebration of Henri Matisse: Master of Line and Light. But as the winner of this item, you and a friend will get to escape the crowds and go on a private tour of the Matisse show and the museum with its highly personable new director Todd Smith and CL art critic Megan Voeller. Then you’ll top off your tour with lunch at Sono Cafe, which isn’t just any museum cafeteria; it’s being run by Mise en Place.

Estimated value: $150. Suggested opening bid: $25

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. In the aftermath of last year’s presidential election, some cultural critics wondered if political humor might suffer in the Age of Obama. Regular viewers of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher know that hasn’t been an issue with this cable talk show host/comic (who visits Tampa next week) — but fans of Sarah Palin, George W. Bush, and other GOP icons should not think they’ll get off any easier.

Although Bill Maher once described himself as a Libertarian, in the Bush years he became an icon to many in the progressive movement. His 2003 appearance in Tampa, where he skewered Bush shortly after he had declared “mission accomplished” in Iraq, led some supporters of the former President to the exits. Read the rest of this entry »

Doug Stanhope is a balls-to-the-wall tact-free modern-day outlaw comic who says exactly what’s on his mind to great (if highly uncomfortable and nearly always offensive) comic effect. He recently admitted to being a “techno-retard” on his blog and to becoming “every hackneyed old comic who talks about these kids and their gadgets today. Take your apps and iPhones and leave me sitting here with my thumb stuck in my oldy-fashioned vibrating latex anus.” Expect some related techno-bashing at his Crowbar show. Sat., Nov. 21, 8 p.m., Crowbar, Ybor City, $20 (ages 21 and up), dougstanhope.com. –Leilani Polk

Tony Soprano and Groucho Marx would be in heaven: The 11th annual Cigar Heritage Festival includes an attempt to break the Guinness Book’s World’s Longest Cigar record by master cigar makers Wallace and Margarita Reyes, who try for a 180’ cigar. The nationally syndicated Cigar Dave Show is on site to report the festivities, a game zone offers big screen TVs, leather couches and casino tables (it doesn’t matter how many cigars there are, you still gotta catch the game), a beer and wine garden, a kid’s corner, access to the Saturday Market, myriad ethnic food vendors, and, of course, an enormous selection of the world’s finest cigars and accessories — all in the heart of Ybor. Sat., Nov. 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Centennial Park, Tampa, $5, free for children 12 and younger. Read the rest of this entry »

The perennial Best of the Bay-winning American Stage Theatre Company is offering a fantastic package for the theater fan: A subscription/Flex Pass good for six admissions to their 2009-2010 season. Choose from among This Wonderful Life, Blithe Spirit, Driving Miss Daisy, Seafarer and David Mamet’s political comedy November. And then the piéce de resistance: two tickets and a walk-on role in costume in next summer’s American Stage in the Park production at Demens Landing: the wild and woolly rock musical Hair. (Note we said “in costume” — you won’t have to get naked.)

Estimated value: $350. Suggested opening bid: $50

Place your bid below:

A monoprint by The Crafty Hag, who exhibits at Holizaar Deux

Breakfast with Santa and Elves Workshop Ho ho ho and a bottle of…wait, hold the rum until the relatives get into town, but have a ho ho ho-liday good time at this breakfast buffet hosted by Kris Kringle himself. Then, see what his helpers have been working on at the Elves Workshop, where kids can get in on the gift-giving action with an assortment of reasonably-priced presents for the whole family. Sat., Nov. 21, 9-11 a.m., Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland, $15.

Holiday Arts and Crafts Sale The Gulf Coast Artists’ Alliance offers an outdoor show (ah, the benefits of spending the holiday season in Florida) with jewelry and hand-crafted gifts that are sure to be crowd pleasers. Visit gcaa-fl.org for more info. Sat., Nov. 21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Rick’s Picks Beads, Dunedin, free.

VillageFest It seems like every weekend brings myriad new arts and crafts fests — we can’t get enough of this idyllic weather. Get out and enjoy it at this live music and dance showcase, local cuisine tasting, and holiday shopping art walk with more than a hundred vendors. In keeping with the season, there are also photos with Santa, pony rides, and inflatables for kids (and the adults who just can’t resist a Moon Bounce). Sat., Nov. 21, 10 a.m., Carrollwood Village Soccer Fields, Tampa, $2 per car.

Christmas Booktique Give the gift of a love of literature at this book sale. Thousands of used books in myriad genres are available — enough to sate any voracious reader’s appetite for words. Friday also includes a demonstration by local artists, and Saturday offer face painting for the kids by Sugar Bear the Clown. Nov. 19-21, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat., Tarpon Springs Library, Tarpon Springs.

Holizaar Deux The Crafty Hag, aka local craft-art hero Coralette Damme, couldn’t let the holiday season pass without spreading some seasonal cheer: find all of the unique stocking stuffers and original art your heart desires at the Holizaar — including handmade scarves and hats, woolen bags, hand-bound books, paintings, jewelry, sculpture, printed clothing, card, plush toys and rag dolls, pillows and, for the true Southerner, even homemade pickles…phew, the nifty list goes on and on. A catered lunch is also available, and the craft-happy can count on homemade creations to eat and enjoy while supporting local art along the way. Visit craftheroes.com or studio620.org for more info. Nov. 21-22, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun., The Studio@620, St. Petersburg.

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in New Moon

I’d like to begin by saying that when it comes to Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, all faculties go down the drain. I like to consider myself a reasonably intelligent, slightly nerdy and only rarely socially inept twenty-something, which, to my mind, means that my obsessive — nay, rabid — devotion to a mediocre teen romance novel (about freaking vampires) is somewhat out of the ordinary. But millions of ladies (and dudes) of myriad ages and backgrounds can’t be wrong.

Which is why I should have been prepared for the onslaught of hysteria and hormones that accompanied last night’s pre-screening of New Moon, the anticipated sequel to Twilight that has had fans jonesing for another dose of Edward, Bella and Jacob for 12 long months (Which isn’t all that long I guess; I never had the fortitude to be a Star Wars fan.)

I know, I know; my fellow Twihards are itching to hear about the actual movie (and Taylor Lautner’s abs. I’ll save you the suspense: they’re amazing.) But I have to set up the scene. I arrived to a half-full theater of mostly women — and a few husbands and boyfriends (mine included) who had clearly been dragged along against their wills and better judgment.

Amidst unbearably high-pitched shrieks and screeches (mostly) from the audience’s younger members, the usual gaggle of TV and radio promotion people bestowed precious merch to the ultimate Twifans: she who knows the most trivia wins. By the time the movie actually began, I was thanking my lucky stars that my eardrums had somehow been spared. Boy, was I wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

Need a portrait of yourself, your family, your pet dachsund? Want a photo for your holiday cards that’ll dazzle the

ornaments off the tree? Photographer and trend-setter Marina Williams invites you to ARTpool, her St. Pete gallery/boutique at 919 First Ave. N, for a professional, studio-lit photo session. If you like, you can wear items from the boutique’s vintage clothing and accessories collection during the shoot, and you’ll also get 50% off any one clothing item in the shop. After the shoot you’ll be presented with a final, high-resolution digital image on CD, and you’ll also receive two VIP tickets to the gallery’s ABC123 graphic design show in December.

Estimated value: $350.

Current Bid Amount: $50.

Place your bid below:

As everyone in the world that possesses a television knows, New Moon, the second installment of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga is in a theater near you at midnight tonight. My guess is most fans are going to watch Twilight right before they go see New Moon, just for the thrill of it. However, if they want to do it in the company of other “Twihards” and “Twimoms,” Regal Cinemas University 16 is showing the first film before the opening of the new flick for the Twilight Saga Festival Night. There’s also a Twilight/New Moon costume contest (costumes must have shoes, a shirt and no mask) along with a Twilight poster design contest. Winners of both receive prizes (please let it be Edward Cullen in a box, please let it be Edward Cullen in a box…) Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Next week brings to the stage The Color Purple, a heart-wrenching/warming story, penned by Alice Walker and famously acted by Whoopi Goldberg, and now an Oprah Winfrey-produced Broadway hit (Oprah also joined Whoopi for the onscreen production).

The story, subtitled “The Musical About Love,” follows Celie, who finds inner strength and beauty despite a lifelong affair with adversity. Read the rest of this entry »

Hot on the heels of her appearance in Jobsite Theater’s And Baby Makes Seven, recent Tampa Bay area transplant Jessica Rothert slips into Stageworks’ production of Bad Dates, which previews tonight at the Shimberg Playhouse. Theresa Rebeck’s one-woman show, which premiered Off Broadway in 2003, is about Haley Walker, a Texas transplant living in Manhattan with her teenage daughter. And lots of shoes. Six hundred, in fact. Having found a measure of success in the big city as a restaurateur, single Haley is ready to dip her feet and their fashionable footwear back into the dating pool. From her bedroom, Haley addresses the audience as she prepares for or reacts to her titular encounters with the opposite sex. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Nothing says holiday cheer like spending time with the author of In Cold Blood (about the brutal murder of an entire family) and Breakfast At Tiffany’s (about a high-class hooker). But sometimes, Christmas traditions are re-imagined — like in A Truman Capote Christmas, which opens next week at American Stage.

This is the autobiographical story of the author’s childhood in which he is sent from his comfortable, familiar home to live with the father he has never met. Along the way, Capote (pictured left, with his father) discovers the truth about his past, his father and Santa Claus. Not From Texas acoustic band accompanies the show. Nov. 23-30, 7:30 p.m. Sun.-Mon., 8 p.m. Weds. and Fri.-Sat., American Stage, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg, “pay what you can” admission, americanstage.org. – Franki Weddington

Try tasty Coq au Vin at the Toasted Pheasant's Thursday wine dinner

Wednesday, November 18: Cork and Olive Carrollwood
Winey Women Wednesday. This is the only time it’s good to be a “winey” woman. Bring a friend, leave with a buzz and a bottle! Free. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 10019 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-868-3733)

Thursday, November 19: Total Wine
South African Roadshow. Discover sweet new surprises with South African wines like Brampton Cabernet Sauvignon, Brampton Chardonnay Un-Oaked, Hands Cabernet, Hands Chardonnay, Indaba Chenin Blanc, Indaba Sauvignon Blanc, Mulderbosch Cabernet Rose, Mulderbosch Faithful Hound Red, and Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc. Free. 1-6 p.m., 1720 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-350-9601)

Thursday, November 19: Toasted Pheasant
Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Dinner. In one of the best all-inclusive meal deals I’ve ever seen (not to mention a fabulous pre-weekend night of indulgence), the Pheasant offers a wine-accompanied three-course meal of your choice of one appetizer (choose from French onion soup with a swiss cheese crouton;  lobster bisque; salad with French vinaigrette; or mussels steamed in chardonnay and garlic), one entree (choose from coq au vin, [chicken with red wine and mushrooms]; roasted beef with béarnaise sauce; escargot tossed with garlic butter over linguini; grouper and shrimp provençale; or fried frog legs in a crispy beer batter), and dessert (French chocolate grandmarnier mousse and chantilly cream with strawberry  confit). $19.95. 14445 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-265-6700)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. When I became a certified barbecue judge a few years back, I realized that there’s more to the art of smoked meat than most people realize. Luckily, you won’t have to worry about that when you head out to the 7th annual Plant City Pig Jam this weekend.

Instead, you can just cruise the field, sampling championship char from more than 70 barbecue teams, ranging from local yokels to semi-professional ‘cue cooks. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a rare pleasure to indulge in the tradition of High Tea (and by that we do mean afternoon tea, not drug-infused drinks), and today pinkie-lifting tea lovers  can enjoy the tea traditions of four cultures with samplings of drink and cuisine from around the world: cucumber and mint sandwiches, goat cheese and watercress on raisin bread and scones with clotted cream and jam from England; smoked salmon sandwiches, roasted pepper and cream cheese sandwiches and tea cookies from Russia; curried chicken salad in pita, fennel and apple sandwiches and coconut puffs from India; and hummus on flatbread, pistachio baklava and date nut bread from Palestine. Bring your favorite tea cup and a story to share at this elegant oasis from the usual buzz of mid-week activity. Call Anne White at 813-253-7478 to make reservations. Tues., Nov. 17, 2:30 p.m., HCC Dale Mabry, Tampa, $15. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This weekend, The Frenzie Theatre company offers Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, an angsty adolescent show that asks what might happen to the Peanuts gang if they ever reached teenagerhood.

When CB’s dog dies of rabies, it causes him to question the existence of an afterlife — but with a burnout for a best friend, a sister who’s gone goth, an ex in the loony bin, and a load of inebriated buddies — he has no one to turn to for enlightenment on his existential questions. When he meets an artsy new friend, the limits of teen turmoil reach maximum levels in this darkly optimistic exploration of drug use, suicide, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity. Read the rest of this entry »

Just in time to miss Halloween (thanks, Steve) the master of macabre, Stephen King, visits Sarasota to promote his new novel, Under the Dome, in an on-stage interview with the Sarasota Harold-Tribune’s Susan Rife. The author, who imbues many of his characters with his personal bad habits (think Jack Torrance in The Shining, but minus the attempt to hack up his family), has scared the bejeesus out of millions of fans – I’ve never been back to the circus since reading IT. The first 250 horror-heads in the door also get a voucher to buy a signed copy of Under the Dome, and unsigned copies are also available for purchase. Mon., Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, $15-$20, vanwezel.org. – Franki Weddington Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. As everyone in the world that possesses a television knows, New Moon, the second installment of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga is in a theater near you next Fri., Nov. 20. My guess is most fans are going to watch Twilight right before they go see New Moon, just for the thrill of it. However, if they want to do it in the company of other “Twihards” and “Twimoms,” Regal Cinemas University 16 is showing the first film before the opening of the new flick for the Twilight Saga Festival Night. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s hard enough to wrangle a hip group of artists/musicians/designers/models together at the same place and time, but it’s even harder to convince anyone to come see the spectacle. The visionaries at Square One do just that with scenester-crowded, can’t-miss-‘em shindigs — like Saturday’s eco-themed Magnum Opus — that draw party people in droves. More than 75 visual artists display their work (among them CL faves like Bluelucy, Kat Wilson, KLAAREN and Robert Wegmann), Jeremy Gloff hosts his album release party, and dance and fashion shows by Bella Danza, Enigma Dance Kru, Kinetic Dance Group and Wear To The Tear Fashion mean that there’s always something shiny and new to look at onstage. The cherry on top is that this nightlong shindig is completely gratis. Sat., Nov. 14, 7-10 p.m. , The Ritz Ybor, 1503 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City, free, squareoneflorida.com. – Franki Weddington

What goes together better than wine and blues? The holy union (which drew more than 30,000 folks downtown last year) gets its due this weekend at Dunedin Wines the Blues, when the Suncoast Blues Society heats things up at Dunedin’s Second Friday Art and Wine Walk and a blues jam takes the stage to accompany the arts and crafts, food and wine vendors. The real party gets started on Saturday, with an all-day jazz and blues jam-session that welcomes Grammy-nom John Lee Hooker, Jr., The Steve Arvey Horn Band, Kathy Jo and The Bluzification Band to the stage. Visit dunedinwinestheblues.info for more info. Nov. 13-14, 5:30-10:30 p.m. Fri., 5-11 p.m. Sat., Downtown Dunedin, free. Read the rest of this entry »

[5]art Gallery continues its mid-week pick-me-up art events with another installment in the Sleep of Reason Cinema Series, which was curated by Brian Taylor and Bradley Valentine with a dream of “providing a contemporary venue for a delirious brand of cinema.” Tonight’s offering is a variety of short movies by Kelly Benjamin, Todd Lynne, Jeffrey Ruble and other local filmmakers, accompanied by live soundtracks by Then and Than and Haves and Thirds, and S2K. Thurs., Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m., Old Santaella Cigar Factory, 1906 N. Armenia Ave, #210 Tampa, five-art.com.

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Next week, Ybor City sets the stage for two worthy comedy shows, and neither takes place at the Improv.

Four furry Southeastern funnymakers bring their “Beards of Comedy” tour to New World Brewery to entertain the beer-loving masses with their alternative brand of humor. Each comic – Dave Stone, Andy Sanford, TJ Young and Joe Zimmerman (pictured) – presents a set of his own stand-up and participates in collaborative performances of music, sketch, and improvised comedy with the rest of his comrades. Topics and styles range by comedian; Stone touches on subjects ranging from Facebooking his Pop Tart eating habits to getting warned by his dad about the perverts on “Myspaces” (“Dad, I’m a 30-year-old bearded fat man poking around on Myspace, I think I’m the predator not the prey”), Read the rest of this entry »

At this week’s Musical Festival feat. Samuel Adler, the renowned composer (who has written compositions for the Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, American Brass Quintet and more) visits Tampa to perform, observe and teach. Three Adler events are open to the public this week: the UT music faculty performs Adler’s chamber music at 7:30 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 12 in Plant Hall’s Fletcher Lounge; Adler leads an orchestration seminar at 4 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 13 in the Ferman Music Center; and the UT Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Glee Club, and Collegiate Chorale perform Adler’s music at 7:30 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 13 in Fletcher Hall. University of Tampa, Tampa, visit ut.edu for more info, free.

At tonight’s Children’s Home Fundraiser, Chris Markowski, (aka America’s Watchdog on Wall Street) and the Mortgage Banker’s Association of Tampa Bay host this fundraiser for the Children’s Home that includes live and silent auctions, butlered hors d’oeuvres, hand-rolled cigars, an open bar, a carving station and delicious desserts, valeted parking and live entertainment. Visit mbatampabay.org for tickets and info. Thurs., Nov. 12, 6:30-10:30 p.m., Westin Tampa Bay Hotel, Tampa, $50. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Next Monday, and just in time to miss Halloween (thanks, Steve) the master of macabre, Stephen King, visits Sarasota to promote his new novel, Under the Dome, in an on-stage interview with the Sarasota Harold-Tribune’s Susan Rife.

The author, who imbues many of his characters with his personal bad habits (think Jack Torrance in The Shining, but minus the attempt to hack up his family), has scared the bejeesus out of millions of fans – I’ve never been back to the circus since reading IT. The first 250 horror-heads in the door also get a voucher to buy a signed copy of Under the Dome, and unsigned copies are also available for purchase. Mon., Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, $15-$20, vanwezel.org. – Franki Weddington

Today marks the beginning of a three-day interactive multi-media art event, 11:11 – Let There Be Light, Art, Sound, a celebration of the creativity that molds our communities and keeps us from falling prey to the everyday tedium of mainstream mediocrity. The star of the event is Alex Grey, who, along with his artist wife Allyson, leads today’s psychedelic/spiritual/visionary/postmodern art movement. Alex’s most well-known works are his glowing “x-ray” paintings of human bodies, which offer detailed, anatomical-style examinations of his subjects’ physical and metaphysical anatomy. On Thursday, Alex stages a reading from his book, Art Psalms. Afterwards, he’s joined Allyson for the first two hours of a six-hour painting demo, which is paired with video projection painting by Johnathan Singer, and live multi-sensory music by Scott and Anne Kennedy. During the Friday night “Alex Grey Gala Event,” Soulful Arts Dance Academy presents a program of moves, Alex and Allyson take four hours to finish their painting demo, and attendees take part in a “Paint Your Plate Dinner” while being treated to a series of Read the rest of this entry »

Sample a selection of Fontodi wines at Bern's Tuesday tasting

Tuesday, November 10: Bern’s Fine Wines and Spirits
Fontodi Wine Dinner. There’s no better way to start the week than with an elegant wine dinner, and this one truly delivers with its selection of six wines from the Fontodi estate specially paired with six modern Mediterranean cuisine courses by SideBern’s Chef extraordinaire, Chad Johnson. $125. 6:30-9:30 p.m., 1002 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (813-253-0358)

Tuesday, November 10: American Spirits
Spanish Wines. Ben Carson of Ole Imports, which brings more than 100 Spanish wines stateside, offers a tasting of vinos from the Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Yecla regions. Free. 7-9 p.m., 280 Third St. S., St. Petersburg (727-895-8700)

Wednesday, November 11: Cork and Olive Carrollwood
Wine for Dummies. Learn the basic rules and etiquette of wine tasting and how to choose the right bottle for the occassion. $10. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 10019 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-868-3733)

Thursday, November 12: Total Wine
Celebrate with Champagne and Sparkling. A trained sommelier helps you find the best bubbly for your budget and palate — it’s never too early to stock up for New Year’s. Taste eight zippy, fizzy sensations, including Crémant de Bourgogne, Cava and four stunning selections from Champagne. $25. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 4880 Park Street N., St. Petersburg (727-544-6018)

Thursday, November 12: Cork and Olive Carrollwood
PACE Benefit Wine Tasting. Live music, hand-selected hors d’oeuvres and a holiday raffle round out this wine tasting to benefit the PACE Center for Girls. $30 in advance, $35 at the door. 6:30-9:30 p.m., 10019 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-868-3733)

Friday, November 13: Bern’s Fine Wines and Spirits
Cult Cabs Crush Hour. Movies, books and Christopher Walken all have cult followings — but so do a select (and tasty) number of wines. Tonight’s featured flavors (which garnered aficinado attention via high prices, limited production, famous winemakers and gushing reviews by wine critics) include Hartwell by winemaker Andy Erickson of Screaming Eagle, Robert Foley Vineyards, Sherwin Family Vineyards, Beau Vigne and more, accompanied by five hand-selected accompaniments from the Bern’s Cave du Fromage. $25. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 1002 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (813-253-0358)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Ladies of Tampa Bay, all your dreams are going to come true this weekend.

Fantasy Fest may be over, but you haven’t missed your chance to see wrinkly old man arse shaking onstage: the calendar boys of Forever Young – a dance troupe of local 60 to 79-year-olds — are back to make sure that their cheeks make your cheeks blush. Read the rest of this entry »

Music Reborn II: Forbidden and Forgotten is a memorial to the Jewish composers whose lives were lost in the Holocaust and tribute to the victims of Kristallnacht that includes performances by musicians Brian Payne, violin; Jason Jerald, viola; Debra Horne, Soprano; Mary Ann Scialdo, piano; and a special performance by Franciscan friar, Father Vit Fiala. After the concert, see a taped interview with Andre Kupfermunz, a Belgian captive who tells his story of survival. Proceeds benefit the Tampa Ameet Chapter of Hadassah. Call 813-982-1480 or visit carrollwoodcenter.org for info and reservations. Tues., Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m., Carrollwood Cultural Center, Tampa, $18-$54.

The first-ever exhibit at the newly-opened Mindy Solomon Gallery, Three From Korea, is in its final week on display. The collection makes sure strides towards the gallery’s goal of becoming”a haven for outstanding contemporary ceramics and 2D art” with its array of ceramic sculptures, drawings and prints by Sunkoo Yuh, Sung Jae Choi and Kang Hyo Lee. Visit mindysolomon.com for more info. On display through Nov. 13, Mindy Solomon Gallery, St. Petersburg. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. It’s hard enough to wrangle a hip group of artists/musicians/designers/models together at the same place and time, but it’s even harder to convince anyone to come see the spectacle. The visionaries at Square One do just that with scenester-crowded, can’t-miss-‘em shindigs — like this Saturday’s eco-themed Magnum Opus — that draw party people in droves.

More than 75 visual artists display their work (among them CL faves like Blue Lucy, Kat Wilson, KLAAREN and Robert Wegmann), Jeremy Gloff hosts his album release party, and dance and fashion shows by Bella Danza, Enigma Dance Kru, Kinetic Dance Group and Wear To The Tear Fashion mean that there’s always something shiny and new to look at onstage. The cherry on top is that this nightlong art extravaganza is completely gratis. Sat., Nov. 14, 7-10 p.m. , The Ritz Ybor, 1503 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City, free, squareoneflorida.com. – Franki Weddington

Fresh from the succcess of the Best of the Bay-winning Summer Sunset Cinema Series, The Studio@620 and Push Ultra Lounge once again team up to present a collection of classic films each Monday. Tonight’s selection in the Wilder to Williams Film Series — which includes the best of Billy Wilder and Tennessee Williams — is Williams’ The Rose Tattoo, starring Anna Magnani and Burt Lancaster (pictured). Visit studio620.org for more info. Mon., Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m., Push Ultra Lounge, St. Petersburg, free. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Next week, a three-day interactive multi-media art event, 11:11 – Let There Be Light, Art, Sound, is a celebration of the creativity that molds our communities and keeps us from falling prey to the everyday tedium of mainstream mediocrity.

The star of the event is Alex Grey (pictured), who, along with his artist wife Allyson, leads today’s psychedelic/spiritual/visionary/postmodern art movement. Alex’s most well-known works are his glowing “x-ray” paintings of human bodies, which offer detailed, anatomical-style examinations of his subjects’ physical and metaphysical anatomy. On Thursday, Alex stages a reading from his book, Art Psalms. Afterwards, he’s joined Allyson for the first two hours of a six-hour painting demo, which is paired with video projection painting by Johnathan Singer, and live multi-sensory music by Scott and Anne Kennedy. During the Friday night “Alex Grey Gala Event,” Read the rest of this entry »

The City of Tampa’s fiendish plot to have you get up at an insanely early hour of the morning and groggily lace up your sneakers continues this Saturday with Keeping Tampa Fit. The biannual event is devoted to increasing awareness of personal health and the city’s numerous parks, while also offering the chance to keep up stride-for-stride with Mayor Pam Iorio (pictured, center), who plans on strolling four miles. As if that weren’t incentive enough, the first 200 registrants will receive a free T-shirt commemorating the event, which participants can then proudly wear to showcase their dedication to receiving free T-shirts. Sure you’d rather sleep in on what is likely your day off, but just think how good that coffee and artery-hardening cheesy omelet are going to taste when you reward yourself for forsaking a few extra hours of peaceful slumber. No pain, no gain, right? Sat., Nov. 7, Rowlett Park, 2501 River Hills Drive. Registration starts at 6:30 am, the walk begins at 7:30 am. Call the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department at 813-274-8615 for more info. – Anthony Salveggi Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Next weekend, you can shuffleboard boogie it down at the St. Pete Shuffle or get crazy with a few rounds of Bingo at your community theater in Tampa. The average age of Florida citizens might be rising higher than the heat index, but the youth of Tampa Bay are reclaiming these traditionally geriatric activities for their own. Next weekend, theater-goers young and old alike can enjoy a game of Bingo while they see the story of Babe and Sis unfold onstage in The Queen of Bingo.

The two sisters are polar opposites: Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. John’s stage persona (pictured), “The Night Tripper,” is as big and colorful as the Big Easy — he embodies the culture and heritage of his hometown of New Orleans, and his latest project is a tribute to Duke Ellington and Johnny Mercer. Dr. John and the Lower 911 take the stage with “The Sauce Boss” Bill Wharton. Visit mypalladium.org for more info. Thurs., Nov. 5, 8 p.m., Palladium Theater, $45.

This week’s installment in the Dalí and Beyond Film Series of shocking and surreal cinema is  5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, a live-action Dr. Seuss adaptation about Bart, who hates his piano lessons with Dr. Terwilliker and is dragged to a dream world where his piano professor is ruler and the students become his subjects. Visit salvadordalimuseum.org for more info. Thurs., Nov. 5, 6 p.m., Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, $5 after 5 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Those of you seeking your Jack Hanna fix, here it is. Next weekend, the renowned animal expert and frequent guest on Late Night With David Letterman will appear not once, not twice, but four times at Busch Gardens to regale you with stories of his adventures in the wild and drop some knowledge about the world’s exotic beasts.

Take a Serengeti Night Safari, where Hanna will share his tales on the African continent, or bring your pj’s and the kids for a fun-filled Family Sleepover Featuring Jack Hanna at an on-site dorm.  In the morning, fill up on tasty eats at Breakfast With Jack Hanna, which comes with priority seating at the first showing of Meet Jack Hanna, a conservation-themed show in the Moroccan Palace. Serengeti Night Safari Featuring Jack Hanna, 6:30-9 p.m., Nov 13, and 7:30-10 p.m., Nov. 14, $60 per person; Family Sleepover Featuring Jack Hanna, 6 p.m. to 9 a.m., Nov. 13 and 14, $78 per person; Breakfast With Jack Hanna, 8:30 a.m., Nov. 14 and 15, Crown Colony restaurant, $16.95 adults, $10.95 children; Meet Jack Hanna, 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m, Nov. 14 and 15, Moroccan Palace. Go to buschgardens.com to purchase tickets and find out about discounts for Passport members or call 1-888-800-5447 (call 1-877-BGT-CAMP for the Family Sleepover). – Anthony Salveggi

Get squashed at Publix Apron's cooking class.

Wednesday, November 4: Snookers Grill
Champagne and Sushi. It seems like the words I’m reading are too good to be true, but unless my senses are deceiving me, it appears that Snookers is offering unlimited — yes, like, all you could ever imbibe — champagne and chef-selected sushi. Those just happen to be two of my favorite delicacies, and though I admit to never having tried them together, it sounds like a damn fine idea. $15. 7-9 p.m., 606 N. Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs. (727-937-6665)

Wednesday, November 4: Toasted Pheasant
Autumn Wine Dinner. Fall has finally come to Florida, and although that may not mean a changing of the leaves, it does mean that it’s cooling down at last — and we can swap our cooling whites for a sumptuous selection of warming reds at this wine tasting and dinner, with a menu that includes: autumn sausage and sage corn chowder paired with Shug Pinot Noir Sonoma; grilled asparagus and swiss strudel with a duet of tomato and asparagus coulis paired with Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc; a quail and beef short rib  duo of roasted quail filled with chestnut and sage with rich beef roast, paired with Mettler Zinfandel; and caramel apple ginger snap with cinnamon ice cream paired with Santa Alicia Late Harvest Muscatel. $45. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 14445 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-265-6700)

Wednesday, November 4: World of Wines
Holiday Wine Tasting. Warm up with toasty wines to heat the cockles of your heart, including: Kenwood Yulupa Cuvee, Piper Sonoma Brut, Caposaldo Prosecco, Cristalino Brut and New Age White Wine, accompanied by hand-selected, catered hors d’oeuvres. $10. 6-8 p.m., 3431 S. West Shore Blvd., Tampa (813-835-9463)

Thursday, November 5: Publix Apron’s Cooking School
Get Squashed. Learn to make the most of this seasonal staple with a menu that includes: butternut squash with curried shrimp; baked acorn squash filled with chorizo sausage; hubbard squash cheese soufflé; zucchini and yellow squash chutney; and a classic pumpkin pie. $35. 6:30 p.m., 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa (813-926-4465)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. We don’t need special incentives for a scenic stroll through the hills of St. Pete’s Historic Roser Park, but this weekend there’s even more reason to check out the bungalows, brick-lined streets and moss-draped, overgrown oaks that shade the roads: the Historic Roser Park Art Festival brings together more than 70 artists from all over the country who shut down the streets with their displays of paintings, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, photography and craftwork. Read the rest of this entry »

Comedian Roy Johnson has been beefing up his funny resume since his first-ever open mic at Tampa Improv in 2000. A year later, he headlined and produced his first homegrown showcase of local talent (eight followed) and the Improv eventually hired him on as the house MC in 2002. He continued to carve a name out for himself on the road, got a ringing endorsement from standup legend David Brenner (who said Johnson “is absolutely brilliant and is destined to be a world class headliner”), won the Maxxim/Bud Light-sponsored Real Men competition and enjoyed a cushy gig opening for Charlie Murphy, Joe Rogan and John Heffron on the Read Men of Comedy Tour, released a CD, Love Notes From the True Romantic, and triumphed in the I-4 Comedy War against the best comics of Tampa and Orlando. Johnson is headed to LA and performs one more night of his observational comedy at Roy Johnson’s Hollywood or Bust – about anything from his experiences living in Florida and dealing with hurricanes and redneck neighbors, to the follies of romance and life after marriage – tonight at his farewell show. See him off, buy him a beer, and be prepared to laugh your ass off. Wed., Nov. 4, 8 p.m., Tampa Improv in Centro Ybor, Ybor City, $8, tampaimprov.com. – Leilani Polk Read the rest of this entry »

Two nationally-acclaimed exhibits are in their final days at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art: Epitaph / Roadside Memorials in America is a collection of 33 photographs taken on artist Angelo Mantas’ travels in the United States — and a stark reminder of the frailty and transience of life. One World / One People is a  collection of 50 photographs by Arnold Newman, depicting “national and international Jewish public figures who have made a significant impact in their respective careers,” including Mark Chagall, Woody Allen, Saul Bellow and many more. (Pictured: “Leonard Bernstein,” 1968 by Arnold Newman) On display through Nov. 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun., Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, 600 E. Klosterman Rd., Tarpon Springs, $5 adults, $4 seniors, free for children, members and students, spcollege.edu/central/museum. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. No, a tattoo-faced, ear-chompin’ Mike Tyson isn’t going to guest star at this Saturday’s shindig: the Boxer Bash is a fundraiser for the Florida Boxer Rescue, which has saved more than 3,000 homeless or abused pups since its inception in 2000.

Bid on a Bucs Game Day package, Big Cat Rescue tickets and baked goodies (for people and pooches!) in the auction, let your furry friend compete in the agility contest or the Boxer and Friends pet parade, create a keepsake at the pawprint painting station, visit the boxer kissing booth for a big, sweet, slobbery smooch, and, best of all, feel good about lending a helping paw to a pup in need. (Pictured: Secret, a boxer up for adoption at the Florida Boxer Rescue) Sat., Nov. 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave., Tampa, 813-740-0045, flbr.org/BoxerBash2009.html. – Franki Weddington 

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. There’s nothing cozier than a handmade quilt on a cold winter night, but these blankets with humble beginnings have been elevated to the upper echelons of art at the Florida International Museum, which debuts two new quilt collections on Friday.

Rooted in Tradition: Art Quilts includes dozens of diverse works from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, which incorporate visual rather than practical elements like found objects, canvas, paper and paint. Sew – It’s Art! is a collection of quilts from Pinellas County’s quilt guilds that explores local history via the traditions, subjects, techniques and materials that combine to create our own colorful local quilt. (Pictured: French Braid Mountain Tops by Betsy Schobert) On display Nov. 6-Jan. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun., Florida International Museum, 244 2nd Ave N., St. Petersburg, $8, $6 seniors and military, $5 students, 727-821-1448, spcollege.edu/FIMuseum. – Franki Weddington

After the break: From Havana to Hell’s Kitchen: A Latin Cabaret Read the rest of this entry »

The Peace Couture celebrity fashion show — with catwalk sashays by Pat Burrell of the Rays, Miss Florida Rachael Todd, Wendy Ryan of ABC Action News, Ryan Nece (pictured left), Olympic gold medalist Brooke Bennett and more — also includes red carpet interviews by ABC Action News, in-house spa treatments courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue and haute cuisine from Ruth’s Chris, 717 South, Square One, Bamboozle Cafe, Datz Deli, Raw Bar Sushi and more. Proceeds benefit The Spring of Tampa Bay, which works to end domestic violence. Visit thespring.org for more info. Mon., Nov. 2, 6-9 p.m., Saks Fifth Avenue, Westshore Plaza, Tampa, $50-$75.

Read the rest of this entry »

Beware of artists…they’re out in droves for ARTGORE, armed with paintbrushes, pencils, paper and canvas, and there’s no telling whether they’re going to draw you or draw blood. More than a dozen artists from the ARTCORE collective have works on display — among them Cheeta, Chainsaw Chuck, Casey Ryan Hall, Ben Apple, Bean Spence (work pictured right) and more. DJ Sense and Anna Gavin kick out the jams. Of course, you’ve gotta get creepy and creative with your costume, too — there are cash prizes for the top three. Fri., Oct. 30, 7 p.m., Karma Bar, 206 N. Morgan St. Tampa, free, myspace.com/ArtcoreArt. – Franki Weddington

Members of the Cheap Little Punks troupe act out the ultimate Halloween cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show while the movie version plays onscreen. Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a bisexual, transsexual scientist from Transylvania, invites Brad Majors (an asshole) and Janet Weiss (a slut) into his creepy castle when their car breaks down. Chaos and myriad musical numbers ensue when Frank-N-Furter reveals his creation: Rocky, an Adonis who only wants to learn about how his life began. You can also check out the less well-known Repo! A Genetic Opera. It’s just what is sounds like: scientists are comin’ fer yer vital organs! Visit tampapitchershow.com for more info. Oct. 30-31, Repo shows Fri., Oct. 30, 11:30 p.m.; Rocky Horror shows Sat., Oct. 31, 8 and 11:30 p.m., Tampa Pitcher Show, 14416 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa,  $15 for two shows, tampapitchershow.net. – Franki Weddington

After the break: Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe, A White Halloween: Creepy Doll Show and Rock Your Horror at the haunted Centro Asturiano Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re already worn out on Halloween, check out our picks for non-ghoul-related weekend events. (But if you’re still looking for something to do for Halloween, check out our comprehensive listings here)

At Star Wars: In Concert, you can hear all six of John Williams’ epic soundtracks played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, narrated live by Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO in all six films. Specially edited footage, projected on a three-story tall, high-def LED superscreen, adds to the spectacle. A collection of costumes, props, artifacts, production artwork and behind-the-scenes videos from the Lucasfilm Archives — many that have never before left Skywalker Ranch — accompany the tour. Visit StarWarsInConcert.com for more info. Sun., Nov. 1, 4 p.m., St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, $32. 25-$72. 25, stpetetimesforum.com.

See director Bruce McDonald’s Pontypool, the latest installment in the International Cinema Series, if you like weird Canadians and French subtitles. Shock jock Grant Mazzy discovers a strange phenomena during his daily broadcast, and begins to suspect that his own words may be causing the virus infestation causing Pontypool’s townspeople to become eerily violent. Visit eckerd.edu/ic for more info. Fri., Oct. 30, 7 p.m., Eckerd College Miller Auditorium. St. Petersburg, free.

After the break: Pig Roast Gone Sassy, In the Heights, Stride for Strays, Tampa Bay Steel Orchestra and more Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. As tempting as it is to place labels like ‘minimalist’ or ‘landscape’ on Vicky Colombet’s work, such qualifiers don’t do justice to the profound mysteries the French artist creates with a stroke of the pen or brush, which you can see for yourself at the exhibit opening next Friday.

Perpetually exploring the limits of what will read as landscape, Colombet’s unique style of abstraction transcends its link to the natural world, offering ethereal geographies of rumination and respiration instead. Next Friday, Tampa Heights printmaking atelier Bleu Acier debuts an exhibition of recent drawings and small paintings by Colombet, who is currently working with Read the rest of this entry »

Here are this weekend’s cream of the crop in Halloween events, but if you can’t find something frightening enough for you here, chances are you’ll find it in our comprehensive listings.

If you have the kids in tow, Guavaween is an oversized, daytime block party where kids can safely trick-or-treat, compete in costume contests, win pumpkins, hear spooky stories and more. But let’s be honest: Guavaween’s big draw is the night parade, when the Queen of Halloween takes over Ybor for a night of debauchery. This year’s evilly impressive line-up includes performances by Sevendust, Nonpoint and Soulidium; a house party at the Honey Pot; a show by local boys Thomas Wynn & the Believers, Basic Rock Outfit and The Trunk Band at Gaspar’s Grotto; and the usual (actually, really  unusual) mix of horse-drawn zombie parades,  jugglers, contortionists, vampire models, appearances by the Tampa Bay Derby Darlins and WWE wrestlers, and more erotic, quixotic stuff than we feel comfortable writing here — you really have to see it for yourself. There’s also the traditional Mama Guava Stumble parade and the final, vital aspect of Guavaween entertainment — you. Prepare to be mocked and jeered if you come in street clothes — this festival is all about being someone — or something — else for an evening, and there’s two grand up for grabs for the best overall costume. There are also prizes for best couple, best cross-dresser, best kink, and best body — so if you’re wearing something revealing (this especially goes for all the Bruno impersonators out there) fit a couple extra crunches into your workout routine. Sat. Oct. 31, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. day parade, 5 p.m. night parade., $17 after 2 p.m., visit guavaween.com for complete schedule of events and participating venues. – Franki Weddington

After the break: Vampire parties, Monster’s Ball, kid-friendly Halloween at the Tampa Theatre and American Victory Ship, Witchstock and more. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. The City of Tampa’s fiendish plot to have you get up at an insanely early hour of the morning and groggily lace up your sneakers continues next Saturday with Keeping Tampa Fit.

The biannual event is devoted to increasing awareness of personal health and the city’s numerous parks, while also offering the chance to keep up stride-for-stride with Mayor Pam Iorio, who plans on strolling four miles. As if that weren’t incentive enough, the first 200 registrants get a free Read the rest of this entry »

The University of South Florida’s School of Theater and Dance Fall Dance Concert, which kicks off tonight, offers a veritable So You Think You Can Dance episode’s worth of styles.You can see everything from modern to flamenco-fusion to ballet and swing (albeit no krumping), which puts these students and choreographers on our Hot Tamale Train. In celebration of USF’s Day of Dance, the Nov. 5 performance also includes contributions from high school and college students from around the state, who visit to pay tribute to the art of expression through motion. (Pictured: Cathryn Lacy rehearses for the USF Fall Dance Concert. Photo by Kyle Scharf) Oct. 29-30, 8 p.m. Thurs.-Fri.; Sun., Nov. 1, 3 p.m.; and Nov. 5-7, 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., USF College of Visual & Performing Arts Theatre I, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, $12, $8 students and seniors in advance; $15, $10 students and seniors day of the show, theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu. – Franki Weddington Read the rest of this entry »

Yo-Yo Ma, perhaps the most famous man to bring bow to strings, visits to perform Bach’s Six Unaccompanied Cello Suites tonight. One of history’s hardest-working musicians — he has 75 albums under his belt, 15 of which are Grammy winners — and a dedicated advocate of music education, he calls his latest collection, Songs of Joy & Peace, a “universal holiday house party of music uniting different forms of joy.” Visit rutheckerdhall.com for more info. Weds., Oct. 28, 8 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 N. McMullen Booth Rd., Clearwater, $53-$98.

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Seems like everything has been ghost and ghoul-related lately, but if you’re in search of a little levity, head to The Tampa Improv to see comedian Roy Johnson next Wednesday.

He’s been beefing up his funny resume since his first-ever open mic in 2000. A year later, he headlined and produced his first homegrown showcase of local talent (eight followed) and the Improv eventually hired him on as the house MC in 2002. He continued to carve a name out for himself on the road, got a ringing endorsement from standup legend David Brenner (who said Johnson “is absolutely brilliant and is destined to be a world class headliner”), won the Maxxim/Bud Light-sponsored Real Men competition and enjoyed a cushy gig opening for Charlie Murphy, Joe Rogan and John Heffron on the Real Men of Comedy Tour, released a CD, Love Notes From the True Romantic, and triumphed in the I-4 Comedy War against the best comics of Tampa and Orlando. Johnson is headed to LA and performs one more night of his observational comedy – about anything from his experiences living in Florida and dealing with hurricanes and redneck neighbors, to the follies of romance and life after marriage – this Wednesday at his farewell show. See him off, buy him a beer, and be prepared to laugh your ass off. Wed., Nov. 4, 8 p.m., Tampa Improv in Centro Ybor, Ybor City, $8, tampaimprov.com. – Leilani Polk

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Tuesday, October 27: Snookers Grill
Champagne and Sushi. It seems like the words I’m reading are too good to be true, but unless my eyes are deceiving me, it appears that Snookers is offering unlimited — yes, like, all you could ever imbibe — champagne and chef-selected sushi. Those just happen to be two of my favorite delicacies, and though I admit to never having tried them together, it sounds like a damn fine idea. $15. 7-9 p.m., 606 N. Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs. (727-937-6665)

Wednesday, October 28: Splash! An Ocean Grill
Kennedy White House Wine Dinner. It’s no run-of-the-mill wine pairing, that’s for sure. Sommelier and foodie Perry Thomas dares you to test your tastebuds against the personal favorites of the Kennedy family, with a menu that includes: Clams Jaqueline, Little Neck clams stuffed with  pernod spinach and watercress, topped with asiago bread crumbs and oven roasted, paired with Chateau La Freynelle, Bordeaux Blanc, 2007; Homard en Bellevue, rock lobster medallions stuffed with a shrimp mousse and asparagus, served in a chilled lobster consommé with caviar-stuffed new potatoes, paired with Jadot, Pouilly Fuisse, 2007; Spring Lamb a la Broche aux Primeurs, lambsickles pan seared and glazed with a rosemary and garlic mint aspic, served with pan roasted thumbelina carrots and truffled fingerling pommes frites, paired with Chateau Bellevue Peycharneau, Bordeaux Superior, 2005; Salade Mimosa, fresh baby spring greens tossed in a light champagne-horseradish vinaigrette, garnished with sliced avocado, lump crab and chopped egg yolk, paired with Piper-Heidsieck 1785 Champagne; and Strawberries Romanoff, Plant City strawberries macerated in Grand Marnier topped with crème anglaise and chantilly cream, paired with Chateau Laribotte, Sauternes, 2003. Reservations required. $90. 7 p.m., 3973 Van Dyke Road, Tampa (813-269-8611)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Most people are headed out for thrills and chills this weekend, but why not enjoy a good ol’ song and dance at Eight O’Clock Theatre’s presentation of Singin’ In the Rain at the Largo Cultural Center?

When “talkies” threaten to take over Hollywood in the 1920s, silent movie star Lina Lamont’s shrilly-screeching voice threatens to become box office poison. Up-and-coming actress Kathy Selden agrees to voice-over Lina’s latest role, but the diva is determined to cause trouble. Meanwhile, stuntman-turned-Hollywood-heartthrob Don Lockwood (famously played by Gene Kelly onscreen) is stuck in the middle of it all in this romantic comedy that offer memorable numbers like “Fit As a Fiddle,” “Make ‘Em Laugh,” “Would You?” and, of course, “Singin’ In the Rain.” Oct. 30-Nov. 15, 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Dr., Largo, . $26, $16 students, eightoclocktheatre.com. – Franki Weddington

In the midst of its successful run of Woman in Black, Gorilla Theatre presents a one-night-only staged reading of Stay, a new play by Sheila Cowley, starring Eugenie Bondurant, Christopher Rutherford, Nicole Jeannine Smith, Fred Lasday, and Bridget Bean. Remember in Misery, when Kathy Bates holds her favorite writer hostage, and goes at his ankles with a sledgehammer when he tries to escape? (Sorry in advance to the three of you who haven’t seen it.) Stay takes a closer look at that form of dark, all-consuming obsession that sometimes passes for love. Tues., Oct. 27, Gorilla Theatre, 4199 N. Hubert Ave., Tampa, 813-879-2914 for reservations; no online reservations accepted, gorillatheatre.com. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. For those (three or four) of you looking for something non-Halloween related to do this weekend, check out The University of South Florida’s School of Theater and Dance Fall Dance Concert, which offers a veritable So You Think You Can Dance episode’s worth of styles.

You can see everything from modern to flamenco-fusion to ballet and swing (albeit no krumping), which puts these students and choreographers on our Hot Tamale Train. In celebration of USF’s Day of Dance, the Nov. 5 performance also includes contributions from high school and college students from around the state, who visit to pay tribute to the art of expression through motion. (Pictured: Cathryn Lacy rehearses for the USF Fall Dance Concert. Photo by Kyle Scharf) Oct. 29-30, 8 p.m. Thurs.-Fri.; Sun., Nov. 1, 3 p.m.; and Nov. 5-7, 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., USF College of Visual & Performing Arts Theatre I, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, $12, $8 students and seniors in advance; $15, $10 students and seniors day of the show, theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu. – Franki Weddington

Fresh from the success of the Best of the Bay-winning Summer Sunset Cinema Series, The Studio@620 and Push Ultra Lounge once again team up to present a collection of classic films each Monday. Tonight’s selection in the Wilder to Williams Film Series — which includes the best of Billy Wilder and Tennessee Williams — is Williams’ This Property Is Condemned, starring Natalie Wood and Robert Redford (pictured). Visit studio620.org for more info. Mon., Oct. 26, 8 p.m., Push Ultra Lounge, St. Petersburg, free.

Read the rest of this entry »

11:11, Let There Be Light, Art, Sound This sneak peek of the exhibit (which officially opens Nov. 11) includes live music, artworks from local artists, a drum atrium and a costume contest on Halloween night. Visit studio620.org for more info. Oct. 27-31, noon-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat., reception 7 p.m. Sat., The Studio@620, St. Petersburg, free.

Ghost Ship Spooktacular Under the bay, there be monsters…and a few of them have surfaced for this scary fun tour of the decades-old “haunted” ship. Visit the galley, mess hall, hospital, and radio room, where ghouls, freaks and zombies lurk around every corner. Search for ghosts with the Florida Paranormal Research Group and the White Noise Paranormal Network, and visit the Demon Den Deck for a brew if your nerves get a bit jangled. The kid’s tour is a mite less macabre; bob for apples, play monster musical chairs, run in an eyeball relay race and compete in the costume contest. Visit americanvictory.org for more info. Oct. 29-31, Ghost Ship 7:30-11:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.; Kid’s Spooktacular 2-4 p.m. Sat., American Victory Ship and Museum, Tampa, Ghost ship, $20; Kid’s Spooktacular, $10 adults, $5 kids 4-12.

Hit the break for more on Guavaween, graveyard walks, haunted houses, weird art and more, and check back as we add to the list of spooky spectacles. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Who could deny themselves the opportunity to see a daschund dressed up as a weenie and help combat pet overpopulation? Next Saturday, Animal Coalition of Tampa is hosting Stride for Strays, its ninth annual walkathon to raise money for their non-profit spay/neuter clinic, hoping to end pet overpopulation in Tampa Bay.

Before the mile-long walk to the park, participants collect donations. Then, furry friends compete in a pet Halloween costume contest. For the humans in attendance, there are prizes for money raised, face painting and shoulder massages. If you want to add to the family, there are on-site adoption services from the Hillsborough County Animal Services’ Mobile Adoption Clinic. Fox 13’s Cynthia Smoot is the master of ceremonies. Sat. Oct. 31, 9 a.m.-noon, Al Lopez Park, 4602 N. Himes Ave, Tampa, strideforstrays.com – Rebecca Wainright

At Thrill the World, St. Pete joins MJ fans across the world in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Largest Simultaneous Dance — in this case, the famous, phantasmic Thriller dance. The Pier hosts music, food, activities and a pre-dance lesson for anyone who needs to learn the monster moves. Then, Michael Jackson achieves what no world leader ever has: a world united – united by zombies. No word on whether Obama’s participating, but we hope to see everyone from the local Blockbuster guy to the Prez paying tribute to the one-gloved man. Come in your most dashing undead duds, and an on-site make-up artist adds scabs and scars to make sure that you thrill and terrify like the real thing. Sat., Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m. sign-in, 8:30 p.m. dance, The Pier, 800 Second Ave. N.E., St. Petersburg, free admission; $5 zombie make-up, thrillstpete.com. – Franki Weddington

Hello voracious readers, welcome to heaven. Seriously, the St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading is a nice reminder that in 2009, people still read theses little things called books. Held on the USF St. Petersburg campus, this lovely celebration of the written word features book signings, panel discussions, entertainment, family activities, refreshments, and various booksellers and exhibitors. There are also book signings by Read the rest of this entry »

The Gasparilla International Film Festival is still months away, but it’s never too early for festival organizers to begin raising some scratch for Tampa’s biggest annual movie shindig. Tonight, GIFF and Brokenmold Entertainment are throwing one such event, a concert by Orlando singer-songwriter Matt Butcher and recent Best of the Bay multi-award winners Poetry n’ Lotion.

This being a fundraiser for a film fest, the music will of course be preceded by a film screening; in this case, the 2008 black comedy Visioneers, starring The Hangover’s Zach Galifianakis. Visioneers flew very under the radar upon its initial release, but has started to garner more attention now that The Hangover has made Galifianakis a mainstream attraction.

Set in a near future not unlike the present except that people keep spontaneously combusting, Visioneers ably skewers corporate culture and is something of a piece with Mike Judge’s cult classic Office Space. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Break out your best duds and take your little piggies to Clearwater Beach next Friday for the Abilities Guild’s Pig Roast Gone Sassy.

The guild needs you to help bring home the bacon for the Abilities Foundation, a nonprofit that raises funds for programs that serve various needs of persons with disabilities. This isn’t your typical swine and cheese party: You’ll squeal with delight as you pig out on a menu that includes Read the rest of this entry »

See a panel discussion with Lance Armstrong, his coach Chris Carmichael, six-time defending Leadville Trail 100 (LT100) champion Dave Wiens (pictured) and other elite cyclists broadcast before the theatrical debut of Race Across the Sky. This cycle-mentary is about the LT100 race in Leadville, CO, which attracts more than 1,000 entries each year and challenges competitors to run, mountain bike, and scale a 14,000 vertical climb in less than 12 hours, often in grueling snow or hail. Visit fathomevents.com for full list of participating locations. Thurs., Oct. 22, 8 p.m. $12.50.

Read the rest of this entry »

Green Halloween This inaugural “eek-o-friendly” event offers a pumpkin patch cake walk, a “best green costume” contest, bobbing for organic apples, making a Halloween goodie bag from recycled magazines, and a sweet-n-scary selection of healthy treats. Visit greenhalloween.org for more info. Fri., Oct. 23, 3:30-6:30 p.m., Hyde Park Village, Tampa.

Zombie Weekend A cadre of creepy films await on Friday, including Night of the Living Dead, Shaun of the Dead (pictured), and a special zombi-fied version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Saturday features more family-friendly (but still freaky) flicks like Ghostbusters, Gremlins, House on Haunted Hill and The Tingler — which, thanks to the shocking power of the theater’s Percepto system, will actually make you tingle! Visit beachtheatre.com for full schedule. Oct. 23-24, Beach Theatre, St. Pete Beach, $5 Friday; free family movies Saturday.

Horror Fest The Sunscreen Film Festival presents a cadre of chilling cinema – and then fills you in on how to get onscreen yourself. At the Horror Fest workshops, acting coach Mark Durso explains his Uta Hagen technique; Twilight casting director Lana Veenker (whose advice you may or may not heed, depending on your opinion of her vapid vampires) explores “How to Break into the Film Biz without Living in Hollywood” and “Auditioning for Film and TV”; and special effects make-up artist John Rusnak leads a horror make-up workshop. Spooky special movie screenings include indie or limited release flicks like Trick ‘r Treat (starring True Blood’s Anna Paquin, appropriately enough), Deadfall Trail, Sauna and Evil Things. A haunted Halloween party follows Saturday’s films. Oct. 23-25, Mark Durso and Lana Veenker Workshops 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.-Sun., The Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg; Horror Fest Screenings, 7 and 9 p.m. Fri. –Sat., John Rusnak Workshop, Noon, Sat., Muvico Baywalk 20, 151 Second Ave. N., St. Petersburg; $8 per movie; $25 four-movie pass and make-up workshop; $125 full access pass, visit sunscreenfilmfestival.com for detailed schedule. – Franki Weddington

Hit the break for more events, and check back as we add to the list of spooky spectacles. Read the rest of this entry »

(Want to follow all of CL’s Food, Drink and Restaurant news? Bookmark the food section of the blog, add the CL Food RSS feed to your reader of choice, follow @BrianRies on Twitter, or check out the Food Section page multiple times daily.)

Wednesday, October 21: The NoHo Bistro
A Palette for Your Palate. The bistro’s ingenious culinary team pairs five tapas tastings with a new wine each week. Tonight’s Pinot Grigio palette promises to be lip-smackingly lovely. $15. 5-8 p.m., 1714 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa (813-514-0691)

Wednesday, October 21: Rigatoni Tuscan Oven
Wild Tuscan Wednesdays. Indulge in decadent seafood at dirt-cheap prices on high-end items like all-you-can-eat Alaskan snow crab and oysters, along with beer and pasta specials. $7-$22. 5-10 p.m., 3437 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813-879-7000)

Thursday, October 22: Michael’s 717 South
Wine and Music Series. Winemakers Dan Whitaker and Ben Benvenuti host tonight’s installment in the samping series, and offer Mairena’s wines of Argentina –like Malbec, Bonarda and Sauvignon Blanc — paired with assorted cheese. Half Circle and Friends provide live tunes. $10. 7-9 p.m., 717 South Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-1661)

Thursday, October 22: Carrollwood Cultural Center
Teach and Taste Wine. Wine guide Charles Visalli leads this series of workshops on wine etiquette, how to sample wine when dining out, wine varietals, the art of pairing food with wine and more. This week’s focus is “the art of blind tasting.” E-mail timeforwine@tampabay.rr.com to reserve a spot. $25, $20 for CCC members. 6-7:30 p.m., 4537 Lowell Road, Tampa (813-269-1310)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This Saturday, voracious readers are in heaven. Seriously, the St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading is a nice reminder that in 2009, people still read theses little things called books.

Held on the USF St. Petersburg campus, this lovely celebration of the written word features book signings, panel discussions, entertainment, family activities, refreshments, and various booksellers and exhibitors. There are also book signings by Andy Borowitz, Who Moved My Soap?; Senator Bob Graham, America: The Owner’s Manual; Amber Tamblyn, Bang Ditto; Cousin Brucie Morrow, Rock & Roll…And The Beat Goes On; and many more. Plus, attendees can meet Read the rest of this entry »

Loyal fans of the influential writer – who is remembered as being the father of the beat generation – are bound to be moved by The End of the Road: An Evening with Jack Kerouac on the 40th Anniversary of his Death, an After Hours Series production at American Stage. The one-man play by Steve A. Rowell and David A. McElroy begins in July 1969, several months before Kerouac died. The audience will get a look into Kerouac’s mind as he neared the end of his life and reflected on the work he created, his life and other events that unfolded during his time. Even the most hardcore Kerouac fans might be surprised at Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This Saturday, St. Pete joins Michael Jackson fans across the world in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Largest Simultaneous Dance — in this case, the famed zombie-rific Thriller dance.

The Pier hosts Thrill the World, with music, food, activities and a pre-dance lesson for anyone who needs to learn the monster moves. Then, MJ achieves what no world leader ever has: a world united … by dancing cadavers. Read the rest of this entry »

American Stage’s After Hours Series returns with Paul Rudnick’s new comedy, The New Century, which has gotten some pretty good press — the New York Post warns that there are “so many gut-busting one-liners that those with heart conditions are advised to steer clear.” Here’s the set-up: Helene brags on her three gay sons at her Long Island chapter of POLGBTQCCCO: Parents of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, The Transgendered, The Questioning, The Curious, The Creatively Concerned and Others. Mr. Charles, on the other hand, is finding his flamboyant ways a bit of a drag. The new gay order of NYC exiles him, and Charles now spends his time with a hunka-hunka burnin’ love named Shane, with whom he produces a cable TV show called Too Gay? On the other side of the world (or so it seems) Midwestern Barbara, a competitive cake decorator and craftswoman, has lost a son to AIDS. When the three drastically different characters collide, expect a lot of laughs tossed with a hefty dose of poignancy. Oct. 20-Nov. 1, 7 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., American Stage, 163 3rd Street N., St. Petersburg, $20, $10 student rush tickets 30 minutes prior to curtain, 27-823-7529, americanstage.org. – Franki Weddington Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This weekend, the Sunscreen Film Festival presents a cadre of chilling cinema – and then fills you in on how to get onscreen yourself.

At the Horror Fest workshops, acting coach Mark Durso explains his Uta Hagen technique; Twilight casting director Lana Veenker (whose advice you may or may not heed, depending on your opinion of her vapid vampires) explores “How to Break into the Film Biz without Living in Hollywood.” and “Auditioning for Film and TV”; and special effects make-up artist John Rusnak leads a horror make-up workshop. Spooky special movie screenings include indie or limited release flicks like Trick ‘r Treat (starring True Blood’s Anna Paquin [pictured], appropriately enough), and Read the rest of this entry »

Like a modern form of alchemy, scientists struggle to create and purify an element necessary for human life: water. Diana Leavengood and Paula Allen have found the secret formula, and collected it in Recipe for Water, an exhibit of photography, ceramics, drawings and paintings with a common bond of “intuitive interpretations of the unseen energies around water.” (Pictured: “Recipe for Water” by Diana Leavengood) On display through Oct. 23, West Tampa Center for the Arts, 1906 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, $3.

Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t panic: The dinos in the Walking with Dinosaurs arena show aren’t going to reenact a scene from Jurassic Park and start eating audience members, but the animatronics in this arena show are so life-like that it almost seems like a possibility. The award-winning epic is based on the BBC series of the same name, and includes life-sized replicas of 10 dino species that collaborate with actors for an entertaining show that explores native dino habitats throughout the history — from the splitting of the continents to the Triassic and Jurassic periods, finally ending with the extinction of these creatures that have fascinated humans for centuries. Oct. 14-18, 7 p.m. Weds. -Fri., 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Sat., 1 and 5 p.m. Sun., St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Dr., Tampa, $17-$62, 813-223-1000, dinosaurlive.com. – Franki Weddington

Best of the Bay winning Café Hey is celebrating its two-year anniversary with Monster’s Ball, a not-so-spooky night of music, art, and partying. Super Secret Best Friends, Florida Night Heat, SOG and DJ’s SowsDef and Pocket Chomper stop by to drop some live music in your ears, and lotsa local artists — like Chad Mize and Phillip Clark of BlueLucy, Anthony Zollo (another BOTB alum), Josh Pearson and more – showcase an array of awesome art. Don’t let the artists and musicians have all the fun, though — there’s body plastering for anyone who wants in on the action, and fire spinning for those who prefer spectator sports. Sat., Oct. 17, 8 p.m.-midnight, Cafe Hey, 1540 N. Franklin St., Tampa, free, cafehey.com. – Franki Weddington

After the break: Get the mess scared out of you by the Woman in Black, the Florida Orchestra plays for free at Pops in the Park, shake your moneymaker at Block Party Parranda and more. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. The name “Celtic Thunder” sounds pretty cool for a soccer team.  But when the bombastic appellation describes five attractive guys from Ireland and Scotland who sing an odd mix of pop hits and traditional Irish songs at the Mahaffey Theater on Friday, it’s hard not to think someone dipped into the same well of kitsch that inspired over-the-top names like “Lord of the Dance.”

Be that as it may, when Celtic Thunder takes to the stage at the Mahaffey this Friday, they’ll bring with them impressive credentials.  Two of their CDs reached number one on the Billboard World Music Charts, and Read the rest of this entry »

Today, award-winning local actress Sharon Scott debuts Mahalia, Just As I Am, her new musical about the life and times of gospel great Mahalia Jackson. The powerhouse vocalist was the first artist to be awarded a Grammy in gospel, but everything wasn’t coming up roses – the show follows her continued struggle with segregation in the South in the midst of Mahalia’s rise to fame. (Pictured: Sharon Scott as Mahalia Jackson) Oct. 16-25, 8 p.m. Fri.-Sun.; preview performance, Thurs., Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m., The Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, $15-$25, 727-895-6620, studio620.org. – Franki Weddington

Meet the author and pick up your autographed copy of Paul Abercrombie’s Organic, Shaken and Stirred: Hip Highballs, Modern Martinis, and Other Totally Green Cocktails, along with two tickets for drinks detailed in the book. Visit inkwoodbooks.com for more info. Thurs., Oct. 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Restaurant BT, 1633 W. Snow Ave., Tampa, $30.

The Visiting Artists and Scholars Series continues with Lance Winn, the director of the University of Delaware’s MFA program. Winn discusses form and formlessness, using a series of smaller images to create what appears to be one large image from far away — his interpretation of “how personal experience fit into the overall picture of society.” Contact Ashleigh Gallant at agallant@arts.usf.edu for more info. Thurs., Oct. 15, 7-9 p.m., USF Marshall Center, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, free.

After the break: Writers at the U,  Almost Maine at the library, and the Dali and Beyond Film Series. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. American Stage’s After Hours Series returns next Tuesday with Paul Rudnick’s new comedy, The New Century, which has gotten some pretty good press — the New York Post warns that there are “so many gut-busting one-liners that those with heart conditions are advised to steer clear.”

Here’s the set-up: Helene brags on her three gay sons at her Long Island chapter of POLGBTQCCCO: Parents of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, The Transgendered, The Questioning, The Curious, The Creatively Concerned and Others. Mr. Charles, on the other hand, is finding his flamboyant ways a bit of a drag. The new gay order of NYC exiles him, and Charles now spends his time with a hunka-hunka burnin’ love named Shane, with whom he produces Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. On Saturday, Best of the Bay winning Café Hey is celebrating its two-year anniversary with Monster’s Ball, a not-so-spooky night of music, art, and partying.

Super Secret Best Friends, Florida Night Heat, SOG and DJ’s SowsDef and Pocket Chomper stop by to drop some live music in your ears, and lotsa local artists — like Chad Mize and Phillip Clark of BlueLucy, Anthony Zollo (another BOTB alum), Josh Pearson and more – showcase an array of awesome art. Don’t let the artists and musicians have all the fun, though — there’s body plastering for anyone who wants in on the action, and fire spinning for those who prefer spectator sports. Sat., Oct. 17, 8 p.m.-midnight, Cafe Hey, 1540 N. Franklin St., Tampa, free, cafehey.com. – Franki Weddington

Eckerd College’s new exhibit, The Jim Crow Effect: Drinking From the Fountain, includes artifacts from that tension-fraught era in American history. Today, Dr. Cody L. Clark, an artist, musician and collector of Jim Crow memorabilia and Professor Randolph Lightfoot, President of the African American History Museum Board, discuss the importance of the images for understanding the past. (Pictured: memorabilia on display in The Jim Crow Effect) Weds., Oct 14, 3 p.m., on display Oct. 9-16, Eckerd College, 4200 54th Avenue S., St. Petersburg, eckerd.edu/events.

Under the steady baton of conductor Jack Heller, the Tampa Bay Symphony performs selections from the German masters, including Mendelssohn’s “The Beautiful Melusine Overture,” Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica,” and French Horn soloist Kurt Klotz offers Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1. The symphony visits several locations this week, including: Sun., Oct. 11, 4 p.m., Ferguson Hall, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa; Weds., Oct. 14, 8 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Rd., Clearwater; and Fri., Oct. 16, 8 p.m., Mahaffey Theater, 400 Firs St. S., St. Petersburg; $20, tampabaysymphony.com. Read the rest of this entry »

(Want to follow all of CL’s Food, Drink and Restaurant news? Bookmark the food section of the blog, add the CL Food RSS feed to your reader of choice, follow @BrianRies on Twitter, or check out the Food Section page multiple times daily.)

Wednesday, October 14: Bern’s Fine Wines and Spirits
Potluck Wednesday. Beat the mid-week dinner blahs by stopping in for SideBern’s gourmet take-away — and enjoy a complimentary mini-wine tasting while you wait. This week’s one-stop wonder is cassolette with pork belly, lamb, white beans and an herb crust . $19.95. 5-8 p.m., 1002 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-9463)

Wednesday, October 14: Cafe Dufrain
New Twist Vodka Tasting. Most of us need a little pick-me-up by mid-week, and this free tasting, featuring Hangar One vodkas,  is just what the doctor ordered. Free. 6-7:30 p.m., 707 Harbour Post Dr., Tampa (813-275-9701)

Wednesday, October 14: Rigatoni Tuscan Oven
Wild Tuscan Wednesdays. Indulge in decadent seafood at dirt-cheap prices on high-end items like all-you-can-eat Alaskan snow crab and oysters, along with beer and pasta specials. $7-$22. 5-10 p.m., 3437 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813-879-7000)

Thursday, October 15: Restaurant BT
Organic, Shaken and Stirred. Pick up your autographed copy of Organic, Shaken and Stirred: Hip Highballs, Modern Martinis, and Other Totally Green Cocktails, along with two tickets for drinks detailed in the book. $30, 5:30-7:30 p.m., 1633 W. Snow Ave., Tampa (813-258-1916)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Few things are as gratifying as enjoying yourself while helping a good cause. Well, you can do just that this Friday when you head to Town ’n’ Country for the TNC Block Party Parranda, which celebrates Hispanic Heritage 2009 and National Latino AIDS Awareness.

The event benefits the Florida Institute for Community Studies, a nonprofit that works to address area concerns via programs on substance abuse, tutoring, the arts and much more. Enjoy free samples of food from countries including Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico, watch the Sabor Dance Troupe perform, and shake your moneymaker to hot Latin tunes courtesy of Maxima 92.5. Admission is free, but bring money for food, drinks and the Community Art Show, which features works by area youth and other community members. Free services, including HIV testing, are also available. Fri., Oct. 16, 5-8 p.m., FICS Multicultural Family Center, 6704 Hanley Road, Tampa, ficsinc.org. – Anthony Salveggi

Under the Big Top is a dance showcase by the Hip Expressions belly dance studio: a collection of circus-themed acts sprinkled with Egyptian-inspired numbers, lively gypsies and dancing clowns. Visit hip-expressions.com for more info. Tues., Oct. 13, 7-11 p.m., St. Petersburg Nights Restaurant, 6800 sunset Way, St. Pete Beach, $10, $5 ages 11 and younger.

As anyone familiar with the “texting phenomenon” will have guessed, Kthx;)!!1! – a collaboration by Elisabeth Horan and Ryann Slauson — “represents the technological advances that shift our direct dialogue.” In other words, we’re incapable of holding an IRL (that’s “in real life” to you non-leet speakers) conversation without being constantly connected to Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t panic: The dinos in the Walking with Dinosaurs arena show aren’t going to reenact a scene from Jurassic Park and start eating audience members, but the animatronics in the arena show that begins on Wednesday are so life-like that it almost seems like a possibility. The award-winning epic is based on the BBC series of the same name, and includes life-sized replicas of 10 dino species that collaborate with actors for an entertaining show that explores native dino habitats throughout the history — from the splitting of the continents to the Triassic and Jurassic periods, finally ending with the extinction of these creatures that have fascinated humans for centuries. Oct. 14-18, 7 p.m. Weds. -Fri., 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Sat., 1 and 5 p.m. Sun., St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Dr., Tampa, $17-$62, 813-223-1000, dinosaurlive.com. – Franki Weddington

The Laramie Project explores the long-term effects of Matthew Shepard’s murder (the result of a brutal, homophobic hate crime) on his hometown of Laramie via in-depth interviews with his mother, friends, and, most chillingly, his murderer, Aaron McKinney – the results of which eventually became an HBO special and play. Tonight’s performers take the stage just once for The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, which returns to Laramie to find out if anything has changed – at home and around the country — and includes “epilogue” interviews with Mrs. Shepard and McKinney, who is a decade into serving his two consecutive life sentences. In a live webcast, playwright Moisés Kaufman introduces the show, which is performed simultaneously in more than 100 theaters around the country, from Salt Lake City to LA and NYC, and marks the 11-year anniversary of Shepard’s death. (Pictured: Matthew Shepard) Mon., Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. American Stage, 163 3rd Street N., St. Petersburg, pay-what-you-can admission, 727-823-7529, americanstage.org. – Franki Weddington Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. If you scare easily or shudder at the thought of ghosts and dark, scary rooms, perhaps you should sit this one out. This weekend, Gorilla Theatre presents the classic ghost tale, Woman in Black.

Closely based on English author Susan Mills’ novel, the stage performance – adapted by Stephen Mallatratt – is said to chill, thrill and terrify audiences. It follows Mrs. Drablow, who lives and dies alone in a desolate house in a dreary part of England. Depressing, right? After Drablow dies, a young lad from London is sent to attend her funeral and sort out her papers. As you may have guessed, the unlucky chap gets caught up in the dark, tragic secrets that remain in the now empty, dismal house … or is it empty? Read the rest of this entry »

The air is getting cool and crisp, and let’s hope it stays that way, because it is time to chill – in every sense of the word. Chillounge Night – sponsored by Cointreau and created by a Sarasota gallery owner – transforms a four-block area in downtown Tampa into a swanky lounge and nightclub. The outdoor lounge, decked out with lights, a banging sound system and hundreds of stylish daybeds – for those who want to kick back and enjoy a tasty beverage – is a great way for people to mingle in an unusual, elegant environment. If you don’t feel like chillin’ then take your pick of entertainment: festivities include tango dancers, opera singers, jazz musicians, a fashion show, a cigar lounge and a grand finale Brazilian Samba Parade. This ingenious party is bound to be kick-ass and, as if you need another reason to attend, the event benefits Friends of the Festival. Sat., Oct. 10, 6 p.m.-11 p.m., $15 per person in advance, $20 per person at the door, $75 VIP, attendees must be 21+, downtown Tampa along Franklin St., 941-448-0995, chilloungenight.com. – Lily Reisman

A traveling exhibition organized by Chattanooga’s Hunter Museum of American Art, I Heard A Voice: The Art of Lesley Dill brings nearly 30 of the acclaimed contemporary artist’s works — with an emphasis on sculptural installations — to St. Petersburg. Poetic and psychologically charged, Dill’s constructions often combine fabric and figures (or dress forms) with text to spellbinding effect; works featured in I Heard A Voice respond to poetry by Emily Dickinson, Salvador Espriu and Franz Kafka. Expect to be moved by the artist’s ideas and awed by her craft. (Pictured: “Rise,” Laminated fabric, hand-dyed cotton, paper, metal, silk organza with cotton. Courtesy of the Artist and George Adams Gallery, NY) Oct. 10-Dec. 27, Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg, 727-896-2667, fine-arts.org. – Megan Voeller Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Next week, the Dali Museum outdoes itself once again with its focus not only on art, but also a dedication to interesting events that keep even native ‘Burgians coming back.

On Saturday, Gala’s Half-Dressed Carnivale is a costume party in honor of the halfway mark to the new Salvador Dali Museum’s completion, which is scheduled to open in January 2011. Keeping with the half-finished theme, half-dressed models work the floor while costumed waiters serve sur-really delish cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at this “Gala” event the likes of which Salvador and Gala Dali would surely appreciate. After all, the man wore one of the most famous moustaches in history – he had a flair for the dramatic. Speaking of drama, prepare yourself for the purported “drama and intrigue that culminate with the arrival of a special guest.” Arty events continue on Thursday with Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Next Monday, see The Laramie Project onstage, which explores the long-term effects of Matthew Shepard’s murder (the result of a brutal, homophobic hate crime) on his hometown of Laramie via in-depth interviews with his mother, friends, and, most chillingly, his murderer, Aaron McKinney – the results of which eventually became an HBO special and play.

Tonight’s performers take the stage just once for The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, which returns to Laramie to find out if anything has changed – at home and around the country — and includes Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s installment in the Sleep of Reason Cinema Series includes two new arthouse films, Liquid Sky and Ms. 45, curated by Brian Taylor and Bradley Valentine with a dream of “providing a contemporary venue for a delirious brand of cinema.” Visit five-art.com for more info. Thurs., Oct. 8, 7:15 p.m., West Tampa Center for the Arts, 1906 N. Armenia Ave. #210, Tampa, $5 suggested donation.

At Walk A Mile Her Shoes, the men of USF rally around the idea that you can’t begin to understand someone until you’ve, well,  walked a mile in his or her shoes. They take it a step further by marching a mile in high heels in support of victims of rape, sexual assault and battery, and gender violence. Visit usfnite.com for more info. Thurs., Oct. 8, 12 p.m., USF Marshall Center, 4202 E. Fowler Ave.,  Tampa. Read the rest of this entry »

This weekend, The Florida Orchestra kicks off its 2009-2010 season with a masterworks concert of fiery Latin sounds – Rhythms on Fire.

TFO is joined by two internationally-recognized mega-talents for the program: Cuban native classical guitarist Manuel Barrueco, who’s been composing, recording and performing for more than three decades; and bandoneón master Daniel Binelli (pictured, photo by Peter Schaaf), an Argentine musician, seasoned composer and experienced arranger specializing in all styles of tango. He’s also the torchbearer of the music of Astor Piazzolla, with whom he has collaborated. Among the compositions featured include Piazzolla’s tango-tastic Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, Manuel de Falla’s flamenco-flavored El Amor Brujo (Love Bewitched), Arturo Marquez’s playful Danzón No. 2 and Silvestre Revueltas’ haunting Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Finally, the air is getting cool and crisp — and let’s hope it stays that way, because this Saturday it is time to chill, in every sense of the word.

Chillounge Night – sponsored by Cointreau and created by a Sarasota gallery owner – transforms a four-block area in downtown Tampa into a swanky lounge and nightclub. The outdoor lounge, decked out with lights, a banging sound system and hundreds of stylish daybeds – for those who want to kick back and enjoy a tasty beverage – is a great way for people to mingle in an unusual, elegant environment. If you don’t feel like chillin’ then take your pick of entertainment: Read the rest of this entry »

Less than a year after their last appearance at Clearwater’s stately Ruth Eckerd Hall, New York-based blues rockers The Black Crowes return for another round of fiery jams marked by the finger-licking prowess of North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson. The tour supports the release of the band’s eighth studio effort, Before the Frost…Until the Freeze, a different sort of double album recorded before a live studio audience at Levon Helm’s Woodstock, N.Y. studio. The CD (Before the Frost) includes 11 new songs and a download code for Until The Freeze, a complementary collection of eight more original Crowes’ tunes and a cover of Stephen Stills’ classic “So Many Times.” Truth & Salvage Co. open. (Pictured: Rich and Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes) Wed., Oct. 7, 8 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Rd., Clearwater, $40.50 and $68. — Leilani Polk Read the rest of this entry »

See "Sideways" for movie night at WineMall

(Want to follow all of CL’s Food, Drink and Restaurant news? Bookmark the food section of the blog, add the CL Food RSS feed to your reader of choice, follow @BrianRies on Twitter, or check out the Food Section page multiple times daily.)

Wednesday, October 7: Cafe Dufrain
Wine Down Wednesday. Most of us need a little pick-me-up by mid-week, and this free wine tasting is just what the doctor ordered. Free. 6-7:30 p.m., 707 Harbour Post Dr., Tampa (813-275-9701)

Wednesday, October 7: Bern’s Fine Wines and Spirits
Potluck Wednesday. Beat the mid-week dinner blahs by stopping in for SideBern’s gourmet take-away — and enjoy a complimentary mini-wine tasting while you wait. This week’s one-stop wonder is stuffed peppers with merguez sausage, caramelized onion and parmesan cheese . $19.95. 5-8 p.m., 1002 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-9463)

Wednesday, October 7: Rigatoni Tuscan Oven
Wild Tuscan Wednesdays. Indulge in decadent seafood at dirt-cheap prices on high-end items like all-you-can-eat Alaskan snow crab and oysters, along with beer and pasta specials. $7-$22. 5-10 p.m., 3437 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813-879-7000)

Thursday, October 8: WineMall
Movie Night. Sample a selection of wines (but no Merlot!) while drinking in a screening of Sideways, starring Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church (pictured),  Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen. Free. 6:30-9 p.m., 11246 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa (813-855-7711)

Thursday, October 8: West Palm Wines / Beaune’s Wine Bar
Manincor Wine Dinner. Cultivated with a combination of Italian and German influences, a collection of wines from Northern Italy’s Manincor region (including Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet, Merlot and more) are paired with traditional cuisine like duck with porcini mushrooms on endive; tirolese canederli, a Trentino soup made with speck dumplings in broth; roast pork with blueberry sauce and polenta; and cheese and chocolate trays. $50 in advance. 6:30 p.m., N. 22nd St., Tampa (813-241-8587)

Thursday, October 8: Publix Apron’s Cooking School
The Shoestring Gourmet. Learn creative cooking methods for making gourmet worthy, family-pleasing dinners that won’t drain the piggy bank of its last penny. The menu includes: grilled bruschetta with rosemary, white bean purée and heirloom tomatoes; chicken roasted with 40 cloves of garlic; pecan crusted skirt steak; baby yukon potato salad with shallots, chives, bacon and lemon vinaigrette; and bittersweet chocolate tart with salted caramelized pistachios. $35, 6:30 p.m., 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa (813-926-4465)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This weekend, a trip to England to see authentic reenactments of Shakespeare’s most popular works might not be in the budget (But who knows? Hold onto that lotto ticket.)

Fortunately for those of us who are more comfortable with the TV set than of the jet set crowd, you don’t need a private plane to catch All’s Well That Ends Well, the Bard’s tragi-comedy about the cunning Helena and her ne’er do well hubby, Bertram. It’s broadcast live from the UK’s historic National Theatre to theaters around the world. No silver spoon necessary to enjoy this classic — just the silver screen. (Pictured: George Rainsford as-Bertram and Hasina Haque as Diana. Photo by Simon Annand) Oct. 10-11, 7 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater, $20, rutheckerdhall.com. – Franki Weddington

The Studio@620 has collaborated with more people than Kanye West, now teaming up with The Florida Orchestra for An Intimate Collaboration, an up-close, once-monthly, themed performance on the Studio’s cozy stage. Tonight’s entertainment is based on “Rhythms of Life,” and includes a combo of “dance, song, rhythm, poetry and music” under the steady baton of conductor Stefan Sanderling, accompanied by rich, sultry-voiced mezzo-soprano, Jennifer Hines (pictured). Tues., Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m., The Studio@620, 620 First Ave., S., St. Petersburg, $10, studio620.org.

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Taking off from the success of the Best of the Bay-winning Summer Sunset Cinema Series, The Studio@620 and Push Ultra Lounge once again team up to present a collection of thought-provoking films each Monday — this time for Wilder to Williams, featuring the best of director Billy Wilder and playwright Tennessee Williams. Tonight’s selection is Wilder’s Stalag 17, starring Willam Holden and Don Taylor. Visit studio620.org for more info. Mon., Oct. 5, 8 p.m. Push Ultra Lounge, 128 Third St. S., St. Petersburg, free.

“Art microscopist” T. H. Saunders showcases 60 examples of his craft in  Art in Science — Science in Art. The pictures — captured with hi-def photography and precision optics microscopes — are dazzling images of mundane objects  like Tylenol doped with coffee, tea or wine.  Though the subjects captured are no larger than the tip of a needle, they’re recorded using “cross-polarization lighting techniques” that amplify the crystal’s abstract patterns. The colorful, whimsical designs that result from the unusual marriage of science and art are pretty, plain and simple. MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry), on display through Jan. 3., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun., 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, $16.95-$20.95, 813-987-6300, mosi.org. —Franki Weddington

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This weekend, a traveling exhibition organized by Chattanooga’s Hunter Museum of American Art, I Heard A Voice: The Art of Lesley Dill brings nearly 30 of the acclaimed contemporary artist’s works — with an emphasis on sculptural installations — to St. Petersburg.

Poetic and psychologically charged, Dill’s constructions often combine fabric and figures (or dress forms) with text to spellbinding effect; works featured in I Heard A Voice respond to poetry by Emily Dickinson, Salvador Espriu and Franz Kafka. Expect to be moved by the artist’s ideas and awed by her craft. (Pictured: “Breathing Leaves”  (2004)  Ink, thread, glue on tea-stained fabric, courtesy of the Artist and Equinox Gallery, Vancouver, Canada) Oct. 10-Dec. 27, Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg, 727-896-2667, fine-arts.org. – Megan Voeller

Tes One (nee Leon Bedore) returns to Tampa for Repeat Offender, his first solo show in five years. The artist’s prints are familiar to local gallery-goers (and to CL readers — he did our Obama-inauguration cover in January), and his new collection contrasts “nature with technology, grime with grace.” The results are immediately striking and visually interesting, but require closer inspection to fully digest. More often than not, what’s underneath the surface is even more important than the clearly visible — like the snarling grizzly bear screenprinted over a sign advertising “space available.” Ironic, of course, because we’re cutting down the trees in the grizzly’s space to make our signs. Best of the Bay-winning DJ Mega and Nak 1 scratch at the opening reception. Sat., Oct. 3, 7-11 p.m.; on display through Nov. 30, Redletter1 Gallery, 1510 E. Eighth Ave., Ybor City, free, 813-241-2435, tesone.net. –Franki Weddington

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when buxom lasses and dudes in lederhosen lift steins to praise the amber liquid that will sustain us through the cold, cold winter — Oktoberfest! But how will you be able to take advantage of the two simultaneous brew celebrations this weekend? No worries, you won’t have to.  Do you like the crisp and simple taste of American and international macro-brews, sampled in refined comfort while sharks and rays look on in jealous hunger? Head to the CL-sponsored Brews by the Bay: Oktoberfest 2009 at The Florida Aquarium. Along with the full repertoire of Anheuser-Busch, you’ll be able to sample beers from Magic Hat, Boddington’s, Stella Artois and many others, all while noshing food from restaurants like Datz Deli. Smoke, and more. If local craft brew floats your sudsy boat, then Dunedin Brewery’s ninth annual OktoBEERfest is more your cup of tea. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Next weekend, whether you’re a seasoned collector or just thinking about dipping your toe in the art pool, mark the USF College of Arts’ 11th Annual Graphicstudio Benefit Sale on your to-do list.

Works by well-known artists including Ed Ruscha, Robert Mapplethorpe, William Wegman, James Rosenquist and many more are on sale, representing a wide range of media and subject matter.  The fine art prints will be available at a discount ranging from 10 to 60 percent off the regular price, and the event itself is free, making this an irresistible opportunity to get great works of art on the cheap. Not only will you take home a fantastic new piece to put on the wall, all sales benefit artists’ residencies, continuing research and educational programming at Graphicstudio. (Pictured: Printers at Graphicstudio) Fri., Oct. 9, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., sale, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., reception and sale, USF Tampa Campus, 3702 Spectrum Blvd., Ste. 100, Tampa,  813-974-5871. – Anthony Salveggi

The Morean Arts Center and The Studio@620 continue to bring current art and issues to the community — this time, with a month’s worth of advance screenings of Art21-Art in the Twenty-First Century, the national TV series with a focus on contemporary art. After the show, the host of WMNF’s “Art in Your Ear,” JoEllen Schilke, moderates a panel discussion on the episode’s themes. Visit art21.org or studio620.org for more info. (Pictured: Art:21 production still of artst Oliver Herring at work) Thursdays through Oct. 23, 7:30-9:30 p.m., The Studio@620,  620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, free.

If local craft brew floats your sudsy boat, then the ninth annual OktoBEERfest is your cup of tea. Or, well, beer. The line-up of events include the brewery’s Liter Release and Appreciation night, and a huge party that spills out onto the streets from Dunedin’s tasting room. “Notoriously German food” and live music by Bump accompany the constantly flowing beers. Visit dunedinbrewery.com for more info. Thurs.-Sun., Oct.1-4, Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s the last day to see Swing Your Empire, a mysteriously titled exhibit by Tampa artist Roger Chamieh, who created an installation of mixed media and “kinetic sculpture” that challenges traditional ideas of stay-in-one-spot sculpture with art that appears fluid and in motion with the use of a variety of materials — from latex inflatables to steel (which sounds pretty kinky, if you ask me.) (Pictured: “Eventually You Will Say Something of Interest”) Through Sept. 30, HCC Performing Arts Building, Corner of Palm Avenue and 14th Street, Ybor City, 813-253-7674. —Franki Weddington

Frank X. Gaspar opens the University of Tampa’s new literature series, Writers at the U. The Discover Award-winning poet and author of the novel Leaving Pico, who has been anthologized in Best American Poetry, discusses his work. Contact Audrey Columbe at acolombe@ut.edu for more info. Wed., Sept. 30, 8 p.m., R.K. Bailey Art Studios, Scarfone/Hartley Gallery, University of Tampa, 310 N. Boulevard, Tampa, free.

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Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming events to mark your calendar for. This Saturday, even leather-clad biker baddies show their soft spot for the cute, cuddly pups and kittens up for adoption at the Humane Society.

Proceeds from the bike run, Cruising for Critters, go toward ensuring that the pets are well cared for until they find a forever home. The 40-mile poker run includes motorcycles of all styles — and a few four-legged friends come along for the ride. Registration and kick-off are at Eve’s Family Restaurant, with stops along the route at Captain Jack’s Sunset Grill, Danny’s Food and Spirits, and Fletcher’s Harley Davidson. The final destination is Quaker’s Steak and Lube, where the non-bikers among us can also join in the fun with Read the rest of this entry »

Tuesday, September 29: Datz Deli
From Tree to Bottle: The Flavors of Olive Oil. It’s not just for frying — olive oil has a flavor all its own, and this course covers the essentials. What elements should be present for dipping? baking? sauteing? Chefs on the Loose guide the class through an oil tasting, followed by a menu of dishes inspired by the golden stuff, like a tomato ciabatta stack with arugula, mozarella and spicy olive oil; goat cheese laced with floral olive oil; red snapper tepanade with potatoes mashed with olive oil and lavender; flank steak marinated with olive oil, balsamic syrup and garlic aioli; and olive oil cake with strawberry, olive oil gelato. $55. 6:30 p.m., 2616 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa (813-831-7000)

Tuesday, September 29: blu figs
Beer Gourmand Dinner. Tis the season to drink hearty (it’s Oktoberfest, after all), and this tasting allows you to do just that. Executive Chef Alex Knezevic shares the secrets behind tonight’s pairings, which begins with brie on baguette with peppered honey and citrus caviar paired with Amadeus Biere Blanc; followed by grilled triple tail sea bass with salsa verde and mustard gnocchi paired with Drop Top Amber Ale; seared tenderloin filet with carrots, roi trompette champignons arugula pistou, and blue cheese bubbles paired with Fire Rock Pale Ale; and chocolate souffle and raspberry sorbet paired with Black Wattle Seed Ale. $60. 7 p.m., 15463 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Northdale (813-963-3447)

Tuesday, September 29: The NoHo Bistro
Tapas and Tastings. This benefit for the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital includes a deliciously decadent array of cuisine, accompanied by a variety of wine and beer selections. $25. 6-9 p.m., 1714 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa (813-514-0691)

Wednesday, September 30: A Taste for Wine
Fall Festival Tasting. Start the new season off right — there’s no reason not to get a little toasty, even if it’s still pretty toasty outside. Tonight’s selections include: a German Riesling; an Oregon Pinot Noir from Henry Estate; a French Chardonnay; Heidsieck Monopole Rose Champagne; and 2004 Arrowood Cabernet. $15. 6:30 p.m., 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg (727-895-1623)

Wednesday, September 30: Bern’s Fine Wines and Spirits
Potluck Wednesday. Beat the mid-week dinner blahs by stopping in for SideBern’s gourmet take-away — and enjoy a complimentary mini-wine tasting while you wait. This week’s one-stop wonder is spaghetti carbonara with pancetta, zucchini and soft egg. $19.95. 5-8 p.m., 1002 S. Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-9463) Read the rest of this entry »

“So turn it up and break it down / Come on bring that beatbox back,” frontwoman Maja Ivarsson demands in a haughty girl tone to the New Wave dance rock of Swedish fivesome The Sounds. Deemed by Blender as one of the “Hottest Women in Rock,” Ivarsson brings sex appeal to the band’s image and vivacious energy to their live show. The Sounds’ Crossing the Rubicon (out this June) is their third album in 10 years and Rolling Stone summed it up in one succinct hypothetical: “What’s Swedish for ‘meh?’” Foxy Shazam opens. Tues., Sept. 29, 7 p.m., The Ritz Ybor, 1503 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City, $17 in advance/$19 dos., ritzybor.com. — Leilani Polk

If you lamented last summer’s news that Largo’s Gulf Coast Museum of Art would close, take heart: in March, St. Petersburg College stepped in and acquired the now-defunct museum’s collection before it could leave the area. It’s the last week to see the resulting exhibit at SPC’s Florida International Museum, In a New Light: Selections from the Gulf Coast Museum of Art Collection, an exhibition of works from the collection that features art and fine craft by more than 125 regional, national and internationally known artists, among them, Salvador Dalí, Clyde Butcher, Miriam Schapiro and Sam Gilliam. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. The busy bees at the Best of the Bay-winning [5]art Gallery live up to the title this weekend, and we enjoy the sweet reward of their work with two interesting interdisciplinary events.

On Friday, the gallery debuts cumbas:echeverry:torres, a collection of recent works from Tampa-based artists: paintings by Edgar Sanchez Cumbas (also a BOTB winner); new media and printmaking by UT professor of art Santiago Echeverry ; and drawings by Alex Torres. A one night-only exhibit at the opening reception also includes mini-masterpieces from 5by5 that you can own for just $20 a pop. These small works on paper let even those of us on a Ramen noodle budget take home original art by hometown heroes like Allen Hampton, Rebecca Skelton, April Childers and many more. Our other local artisans – of beer, that is – from Cigar City Brewing provide suds and hors d’oeuvres.  Up next: Sleep of Reason Cinema Series. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This Saturday, Tes One (aka Leon Bedore) returns to Tampa for Repeat Offender, his first solo show in five years.

The artist, whose prints are a mainstay in galleries around the Bay area (and designer of CL’s own Obama-inspired cover), creates a collection that contrasts “nature with technology, grime with grace” — the results of which are immediately striking and visually interesting, but require closer inspection to fully digest. More often than not, what’s underneath the surface is even more important than the clearly visible — like the Read the rest of this entry »