Lots of sweat, heavy breathing, a final desperate surge to finish followed by the sweet release that leaves you in a euphoric state of bliss…
The youngin’s are doing it. Old people are doing it. You can do it alone or with a group. Some like it fast, while other’s prefer it slow. Heck even Hugh Heffner’s doing it.
Everyone is doing it; everyone is running. Gees, what did you think I was talking about? Perverts. Read the rest of this entry »
Are you moving into a new apartment this fall and contemplating a new shade for your bedroom wall? Are you looking for a fun summer color to rev up your dining room? Why not try the new Freshair Choice paints, a new green line of paint that contains no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the paint or in the colorant.
According to their website, Freshair Choice paints are a new advanced colorant technology that dissolves the paint base without expelling any chemical odor (or that “just painted” smell). That sounds good to me as one of the reasons I have avoided painting for a few weeks now is 
because that “just painted” smell always makes me feel a little off!
Read the rest of this entry »
Last month, while we were visiting New York City, a proclamation was read in St. Petersburg Town Hall appointing me the city’s first poet laureate. Our quiet town has become “a city of writers,” the proclamation said, and oddly enough this no longer sounds humorous. Governments in general prefer their writers dead, so the times they are a-changing. Tampa has had a fine poet laureate, James Tokley, since 1996, and it’s time St. Pete caught up.
When Jeanne and I moved to St. Petersburg in 1966 — to start the Writing Workshop at Florida Presbyterian, now Eckerd, College — the only writer from here I was aware of was Jack Kerouac, drinking himself to a lonely death in a plain house on 10th Avenue North; and we’d drive by it once in a while as an act of homage. We had some friends in common with the old beatnik — notably the writer Richard Hill, now also gone — but never met. Back then, the city wasn’t very fond of him (and still isn’t, apparently).
Our NY revels, and past vacation disasters, after the break. Read the rest of this entry »
Creative Loafing’s Summer Guide talked to all kinds of people about their summer vacation plans, but blogger Sally Bosco was the only one whose plans included vampires. At least, the only one who admitted it. Video after the break. Read the rest of this entry »
So you think you’ve got a lot of luggage to cart around this summer vacation? Imagine the burden of the Cirque du Soleil crew, who bring the wondrous Saltimbanco to the St. Pete Times Forum June 25-July 5. I spoke with Adam Miller, the show’s artistic director, during the company’s earlier visit to the Tampa Bay area this spring at the Lakeland Center. He doesn’t have to do any of the lugging around of stuff himself — he has people for that — but he did have some interesting things to say about Saltimbanco’s “urban” theme and how he explores a city when he’s touring with a show. Video after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
What’s Green Community contributor Carrie Webb doing this summer? She gets to vacation in San Francisco and on someone else’s dime! She also talks about her fond summer memories of playing on the beach at Fort Desoto as a kid. Hear her story and more on our Summer Guide. (Video after the jump) Read the rest of this entry »
What the heck is “green lodging”? That might be the first question someone asks when clicking on this post. In a nutshell, green lodging are hotels that are making a conscious effort to lower their water and energy uses, reducing waste and promoting various other green efforts that work specifically for their hotel. Some of the ways of doing this include introducing and encouraging recycling programs of traditional items (plastic, paper, etc.) and of towels and sheets, installing energy efficient lightning, and promoting contributions back to their local communities.
The Florida Green Lodging program, established in 2004, has set forth a set of guidelines for hotels that are interested in becoming more eco-friendly. On their website, they give eight steps to becoming a designated property with their organization, like creating a “green team” with employees at the property and creating a leader to oversee all of the changes that the hotel will make. They find it especially important to educate the staff about the importance of conservation. Read the rest of this entry »
SUMMER
Florida’s Fetish Weekend. Itching to break in a whip or have your nipples electrocuted? Toss your best fetish gear in the Honda and head over to Fort Lauderdale for the 14th annual Fetish Weekend. The largest fetish event in North America, this 3-day fiesta attracts 2,000 enthusiasts to its main ball and themed socials: “The Beat & Greet,” “Extreme Players Bash” and the pool party. Dress code is strictly enforced so if you’re wearing chaps make sure they’re ass-less. May 22-24. fetishfactory.com.
Gay Days Orlando. Gay Days began 19 years ago as a single day when members of the GLBT community made an organized show of visibility by wearing bright red shirts and invading Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Since then, it’s expanded to a weeklong festival with over 135,000 people attending 40 citywide events, including wine tastings, female impersonator pageants, musical performances, comedy shows and a slew of club and hotel parties. Though Disney has more than a few pants-less, sexually ambiguous characters, the company doesn’t officially sponsor Gay Days, but plenty of other area businesses are out and proud in their support. June 2-8. gaydays.com.
(PICS Below break are NSFW) Read the rest of this entry »
The first cruise I ever went on, about two years ago, turned out to be an unofficial swingers’ cruise… They had their own events in different parts of the ship (away from us monogamists) but they wore next to nothing at dinner, topless sunbathed on the Lido deck and nude sunbathed on the topless deck. Even the European guests complained. The best part was when the cruise line threatened to leave them in the Grand Cayman Islands if they didn’t start cleaning up their act … This was definitely a cruise to remember, and one that left me with fond memories of people I would never want to see half-naked again.
Read more vacation memories and plans for this year by clicking here.
Katie Machol is the editor of CL’s Green Community site.
CL interns Diana Ruiz and Hannah Walk, both seniors at Tampa Prep, are pondering two quite different paths this summer. We asked them to talk about their plans for our special Summer Guide issue. Video after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Going along with our Summer Guide 2009 (that was just released today), we’ve interviewed some of the contributors of our Green Community as to what their plans are this summer and of fond summer vacation memories.
Here’s Lisa Assetta on her busy summer (working) and on her favorite place to vacation. (Video after the jump.)
Continuing in our series of summer vacation videos for our Summer Guide 2009, CL’s Sex & Love site editor Shawn Alff discusses his summer plans. Will swine flu ruin his plans for a Mexico wedding? Read the rest of this entry »
Continuing in our series of summer vacation videos, shot for our Summer Guide 2009, here is CL intern Diana Ruiz talking about what she is doing this summer: finishing an online P.E. credit. Read the rest of this entry »
Continuing in our series of summer vacation videos, shot for our Summer Guide 2009, CL Street Teamer Nastacia Maas talks about her favorite summer memory: making corn have sex with itself in Minnesota. Read the rest of this entry »
As part of our upcoming Summer Guide issue (on newsstands throughout Tampa Bay on Wednesday), we asked a lot of people in Tampa Bay about their vacation plans and memories. I’m going to run the political vacation videos here on PoHo, starting with St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, who said:
I go to a place that’s kind of like a summer camp for families (in North Carolina). Every night they have either square dancing or some sort of music or karaoke in the big pavilion. For me, the cell phones don’t work, and I like that.
See the full video of Baker talking about how he rolls on vacation after the jump.
Continuing in our series of summer vacation videos, shot for our Summer Guide 2009 being released on newsstands today, here is Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio on her plans, or more accurately, lack of plans:
“Unfortunately, I don’t have a summer vacation planned for ‘09, I think based on your question I’m going to go home and plan one right away.”
See the full video after the jump.
Here’s Joe Bardi (handsome devil, ain’t he?) talking about what I’m he’s doing on his summer vacation. (Getting married on top of a mountain? High times, indeed!) And be sure to check out the rest of our Summer Guide content (including Joe’s Top 10 summer vacation movies) when making plans for your own summer holiday.
Our 2009 Summer Guide will be hitting newstands today, chock full of ideas on ways you can spend your summer vacation. If you don’t want to hunt down the print edition in the physical world (it’s hot outside!), you can stay cool and find all the Summer Guide content online here.
As part of putting the issue together we asked people, “what are you doing on your summer vacation?” Those answers appear throughout the issue and will be posted to Daily Loaf, Tampa Calling and Political Whore over the next few days.
To get things rolling here on Daily Loaf we have Holley Sinn (that’s her below) and Jerome Ritchey, the hosts of Tampa CBS affiliate WTSP’s morning-chat show Studio 10, talking up their summer plans after the jump. Also, a programming alert: Be sure to tune in to Studio 10 tomorrow morning (10 a.m. on channel 10) to catch CL Editor David Warner and interns Lily Reisman and Hannah Walk discussing the summer guide.
Staying on track with your diet can be challenging enough during the busy work week, but it is especially challenging when you are out of your normal routine. We travel for many reasons, for business, relaxation and the occasional visit to friends and family in need. All occasions many times can be reasons to let your diet slide, but there is no need to! By letting your diet slide you run the risk of gaining 5 even 10 pounds, which sets you back tremendously on your accomplishments and can be damaging to your will and self-esteem. In lieu of starting over with your diet accomplishments follow these simple tips and return home feeling positive about your meal choices. Read the rest of this entry »
Every day’s a summer vacation day in Tampa Bay, and on Wednesday, May 20, Creative Loafing’s Summer Guide will tell you how to make the best of the sultry months. We’ve got complete listings of what to do and where to go, from museums to camps, arts centers to amusement parks. Want something hotter? How about the top eight adult getaways? And if you just want to stay inside, get ready to vote for your favorite movies in CL’s Battle of the Summer Blockbusters.
Your summer vacation begins here: Creative Loafing’s Summer Guide.
To celebrate the release of this year’s Summer Guide, we’ll be having a party on Wednesday, May 20 from 6 – 9 p.m. at Fly Bar and Restaurant in Tampa. Music will be provided by Best of the Bay-winning DJ duo Soft Rock Renegades who will be spinning a special “Summertime Playlist” and taking requests via Twitter. Admission is free and there will be hors d’oeuvres and drink specials courtesy of Fly.
What: Creative Loafing Summer Guide Release Party
When: Wednesday, May 20, 6 – 9 p.m.
Where: Fly Bar and Restaurant, 1202 N. Franklin St. Tampa 33602.
Why: To celebrate the release of CL’s Summer Guide 2009
More: Free admission, all ages.
(click button for feed)
(follow us on Facebook)
(follow us on Twitter)