Daily Loaf

The city closes down two blocks of Central Avenue for the third edition of Creative Clay’s now-annual fundraiser, FolkFest St. Pete. The free two-day street party celebrates all things folk with food and drink, art booths spotlighting the works of a range of local artisans, and a solid lineup of music throughout. Florida’s finest singer-songwriters,  folk and blues artists join national talents on the outdoor stage. South Carolina kicks off the music on Saturday, with sets by Dave Hardin, Green Grass Boys and TC Carr, Sarasota Slim and Nitro, Rebekah Pulley and the Reluctant Prophets, Ben Prestage, and The New Familiars of Charlotte, S.C. to follow (and in that order). The Sunday bill features Veronica Jackson, Ella Jet, a “Tribute to Woodstock,” Have Gun Will Travel and the main headliners and a big score for the fest – NY’s Donna the Buffalo (pictured), their folky, rootsy jams marked by elements of zydeco, old time fiddle music and three-part harmonies. Sept. 26-27, beginning at 10 a.m. both days, Central Avenue, between 11th and 13 streets N., St. Petersburg, free admission. –Leilani Polk

Time to start mapping a route that hits every major museum and attraction this side of the Bay: ArtsAlive 2009: Free Museum Day includes the Salvador Dali Museum, the Dr. Carter G. Woodson Museum, the Florida Holocaust Museum, Florida International Museum, Great Explorations, the Fine Arts Museum, the St. Pete Museum of History, the Morean Arts Center, the Pier Aquarium, the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, the Florida Craftsmen Gallery and more. Visit stpete.org/artsalive for museum hours and more info. Sat., Sept. 26.

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Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Next weekend brings something to heat up those chili, er, chilly autumn nights — the first ever Industrial Arts Center Chili Cookoff.

Hey, hot shot — think you have what it takes to make an award-winning chili? Then whip up two or three gallons of your best and bring the heat to Gulfport. In addition to the mouthwatering main event, the festivities include live entertainment and glass blowing demonstrations, and the top three entrants will win hand-blown chili pepper trophies, along with certificates for use at the Center. If you’re like me, though, you’ll take a pass on all that culinary exertion and bring a hearty appetite instead. Whether you like it con carne or meatless, mild or a little wild, there’s sure to be a chili to thrill your taste buds. Oh, and a note of warning to you amateur firestarters out there: No pulling a Chief Wiggum and spiking your crockpot with a Guatemalan Insanity Pepper. Your grub needs to be edible. Sat., Sept. 26, 6:30-8:30p.m. Gulfport Art Village Courtyard, 2902A Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport, Fl 33707. Event tickets are $9 for adults and $5 for kids.  Deadline to enter the contest is Sept. 23. Entry fee is $25 and includes an IAC membership and commemorative apron. For more information, go to industrialartscenter.org or call 727-289-9365. –Anthony Salveggi

We’re 2,000-plus votes and counting in this year’s Best of the Bay Readers’ Poll — deadline Aug. 31 — and there are no hotter races underway than the ones for Best Neighborhood/Hillsborough and Best Neighborhood/Pinellas.

After the jump: Find out if your ‘hood is among the front-runners. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

St. Petersburg College’s new Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education building is certified LEED® Gold- St. Petersburg College recently announced that for the second time in as many months, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded LEED Gold certification for one of its new campus buildings.

Best of the Bay of the Day: Best organic smoothie- Believe it or not, algae and bee pollen add up to a delicious drink called the Spirulina Power Buzz. Read this to find out where to get one.

Tips to improve gas mileage (and save some green)- Do you have a lead foot or drive an inefficient automobile?  Here are a few simple tips to improve gas mileage and save a bunch of green!

Living Sustainably in Tampa Bay: Darren Brinkley, owner of REAL Building- Brinkley is the owner of REAL Building and home that he built for his family in St. Petersburg is the first home in Florida to achieve the LEED for Homes Gold Rating.
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If you have not heard of the Gulfport Goes Green Festival, you will likely soon enough. This monthly street festival has truly gained momentum with their green efforts towards this small Pinellas community. Not only do they have local artist displays and great food, they have also gone a step further and introduced other green services such as computer recycling, dead/dying battery recycling, clothing and book swaps. It has even been noted that the Florida Blood Services has been there on more than one occassion.

This monthly festival, which occurs on the fourth Saturday of each month from 10am-5pm, focuses on green and healthy living, as well as eco-consciousness and sustainability. The best thing is, it is free to the public and all ages are encouraged to attend.
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Welcome to Radar, where we run down the up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Today’s edition is a creepy, campy weekend’s worth of vintage horror flicks:

Sharks, skulls, and ghosts, oh my! It’s a weekend of terror and suspense at the Gulfport Horror Film Festival, a fundraiser for the Gulfport Arts Center, which opens for classes this fall. A different campy classic is screened each day, beginning with Tormented, in which Tom is shadowed by the spirit of a bitter ex-girlfriend on the eve of his wedding. Next, a less cerebral selection with of She Gods of Shark Reef. Two brothers are stranded on an island inhabited by beautiful women – who choose one of their own to be sacrificed to the sharks (dun dun DUN!). Can they save her? Finally, the fest wraps with The Screaming Skull, where a mysterious mansion, a newlywed couple, a freak accident and a creepy groundskeeper combine in a recipe for cheesy horror flick success. Along with the usual popcorn and candy, Smokin’ Joe serves up smoked salmon and pulled pork, and you can chow down at the picnic tables on the lawn, set up especially for the event. Aug. 7-9, 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Scout Hall, 5315 28th Ave. S., Gulfport, $5, gulfportartscenter.org. — Franki Weddington

Sheree Rensel. Twingo. Copper and mixed media on wood. 11-3/4″ x 11-3/4″ x 3″. Artist’s statement: “Twingo” is the unique and original tweet language of Twitter Tweople. Bio: BFA, MFA, Detroit artist born, NOW living and loving my art life in the real and virtual Universe.

If you’re following St. Petersburg artist Sheree Rensel on Twitter—that’s to say, if you’ve signed up to read her “tweets” or 140-character updates throughout the day—you can pretty much count on receiving a smile-inducing greeting routinely at around 9 a.m. It goes something like this:

“Good morning ART Tweople!”

(For those not already fluent in Twitterspeak, tweople—or tweeple—is a blend of “Twitter” and “people” used to refer to other users of the service. To learn more Twitterisms, consider consulting a twictionary like this one.)

A self-described “hyperactive” early adopter, Rensel has taught visual art to emotionally and developmentally disabled kids at a public school in Gulfport for 17 years, incorporating digital projects like photo portfolios and basic animation into the curriculum when possible. A mixed media artist by practice, Rensel—who describes her age as 50-something—uses Twitter mainly to keep up with other artists whose work she admires.

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Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar.

“Break Out of Your Mold” Cheese Tasting at Greenwise Market- Fri., June 26. Different molds can create distinct flavors in cheeses. Don’t be afraid to try one- it may surprise you! Free. June 26, 4-7 pm; 2403 W. Azeele St., Tampa.

The World Cafe: Connecting People Through Conversations That Matter- Every Fri. 7:30 pm promptly; Starbucks at 4th St. N. & 89th Ave N., St. Pete (just south of Gandy Blvd.); RSVP to Pat at 727.421.2746 or goodpat@tampabay.rr.com
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If you missed the weekend markets but don’t want to shell out high prices for the chemically-enhanced “fresh fruit” at the big box grocers, head to the Gulfport Tuesday Fresh Market for your locally-grown fruits and veggies, fresh seafood, and even local arts and crafts, along with live entertainment. The market runs year-round from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday on Beach Blvd. in Gulfport’s Florida Waterfront district. Visit
gulfportflorida.us/tuesday-morning-fresh-market for more info.

Put your produce from the Tuesday Market to good use at the Florida Herb Society Meeting. Herbal swaps begin at 6:30, and every meeting features a new event or guest speaker from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Past events include Iron Chef-style herbal cook-offs, lessons in cooking with herbs, and tips and tricks for growing herbs in the Florida climate. For more info, e-mail bodyandmind@ymail.com or call 727-365-8574. Third Tuesday of every month, Clearwater Garden Club, 405 Seminole St., Clearwater, free.

It’s the last week to see Film Lingual III, C. Emerson Fine Arts’ annual showcase of genre defying photographic works. This year’s roster of artists — David Audet, Nancy Cervenka, Brandon Dunlap, Corey George, Illuminations 33701, Jamie Jackson, Laszlo Horvath, Matthew Lindhardt, Austin Nelson, Leah Oates, Dana Plays and Joseph Walles — promises diversity in their creative explorations, alternately serving up documentary photography, digitally-crafted images and sculpture made from found movie film. Through June 20, Tues.-Fri. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat. noon-5 p.m., C. Emerson Fine Arts, 909 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-898-6068, c-emersonfinearts.com (Megan Voeller)

Holy crap! Turnout for this contest was like the turnout at a kick-the-banker booth at the county fair! Both Peg’s and Zurritos did their darndest to mobilize their base, and though Peg’s ran out to an early lead, Zurritos fans had the stamina to carry through the evening and snatch victory from the Gulfport cantina. Final vote: Zurritos 139, Peg’s 112.

Zurritos moves on to the Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Algusto vs. Mema’s Alaskan Tacos, and for all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket after the break:

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Both of these places have rabid fans and die-hard supporters, as well as great fish tacos, so this taco-a-taco matchup may be the most hotly contested of the competition so far. Mobilize your base, Zurritos and Peg’s, and get out the vote!

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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The third day of CL’s Tournament of Tacos featured only one actual Mexican joint — Miguel’s — and three other places with their own take on the possibilities presented by the taco.

Second seeded Mema’s Alaskan Tacos faced Miguel’s in Tampa South and Peg’s Cantina battled Burrito Boarder in Pinellas South.

Who advances to the Savory Sixteen? Which tacos took the popular vote?

Find out after the break:

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Peg’s Cantina serves Midwestern pizzas and surprising Southwestern fare in the midst of Gulfport’s quaint main drag. Burrito Boarder is a prototype chain in downtown St. Pete that dishes out assembly-line quick-Mex. Can the surf and skate chain beat the bungalowed independent? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Peg’s Cantina or Burrito Boarder? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Britney Spears w/The Pussycat Dolls Over the past few years, Britney Spears has been through the media gauntlet. But the superstar songstress picked up the pieces, clocked some hours in the dance studio and got in svelte shape, hit the studio with the right producers, and got her pop groove back.  Sun. Mar., 8, 8 p.m., St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa.

Jessica Simpson The Strawberry Fest’s concert closer features the country-music-friendly curves of Simpson, who makes up for her limited singing ability with  sun-kissed girl-next-door sexiness. Sun. Mar. 8, 7:30 p.m., Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds, Plant City.

Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts More than 300 artists and crafters take part in the 39th annual fest, displaying paintings, ceramics, fiber, jewelry and more along Franklin Street and throughout Lykes Gaslight Square Park. March 7-8, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Lykes Gaslight Square Park, downtown Tampa, free admission, gasparilla-arts.com.

GASP!Arilla. If you’re looking for the after-dark, floral-free alternative to the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Café Hey presents GASP!Arilla. The single-day art party features live music by Acho Brother, Bay Area Klezmer Konnection and DJ Fuego, and work by up-and-coming artists. Sat., March 7, 8 p.m., Cafe Hey, Tampa, free admission, myspace.com/cafehey. (Leilani Polk)

Verdi Requiem The Florida Orchestra and the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay present a Progress Energy Masterworks concert of Verdi’s powerful operatic work. More than 200 musicians and singers perform. Sat., March 7, 8 p.m., Progress Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg, and Sun., March 8, 7:30 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, $19-$65.

After the jump: Whitest Kids, Pen Is Mightier, Abilities, Emerge, Urban Dare and more. Read the rest of this entry »

Stepping into Hula Hula is a bit like going back in time, albeit a hip, pleasingly kitschy time. The quaint shop owned by former Hawaii residents Stephen Ross and wife Annette Vedsegaard-Ross is packed with all manner of Floridiana and Hawaiian-themed pieces, from knick-knacks, linens and posters to retro pin-ups, signs, antiques and other assorted island decor that you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Definitely the kind of place where you’ll want to spend some time browsing and pick up something for yourself as well. Gift this: A personalized resort sign, (or choose from over 400 vintage designs in a range of categories, including doctors, piano teachers and photographers). Prices start at $76. 2902 Beach Blvd. S. Gulfport, 727-321-8454, hula-hula.biz, call ahead for business hours.
See other stops on CL’s Indie Holiday Shopping Spree here.

 

There are few things I remember as fondly as the Beach Trolley Pub Crawl of 2007. The sardine-packed vehicles, utter horror from bus drivers not accustomed to more than a few beachgoers, the bar owners chastising us for cursing — ah, the (fuzzy) memories! Even if my fellow co-workers thought it was a disaster, I still loved it. So the recent news that the city of Gulfport will expand its waterfront trolley service to St. Pete Beach is music to my ears (in the tune of Judy Garland’s “Clang, clang, clang goes the trolley…“).

The new stops (marked by a pink flamingo sign) include the Pasadena Shopping Center, Palms of Pasadena Hospital, Corey Avenue and Blind Pass. From there you can hop onto the regular PSTA beach trolleys that take you up and down the Gulf Beaches. Trolley service runs once per hour, seven days a week from 7:45 a.m. to 9:50 p.m.

A regular fare is $1.75, but the reductions for seniors, youth and students still apply. Plus, the new trolley will accept PSTA bus passes.

I’m envisioning an all-day trolley pub crawl that begins at O’Maddy’s, stops at the Horse and Jockey Pub in Pasadena for a Guiness, Woody’s off of 75th Avenue on St. Pete Beach and then connecting with the PSTA trolley for some libations at the Undertow, Ricky T’s and Caddy’s. Extra points if you go beyond Treasure Island to the bars that dot the beaches northward.

Who’s with me?!