MyTampaLife » Ybor City

Reservoir Bar: Stuck in the Middle With You

Denis Baldwin — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:51:37 +0000

Influenced by the world of gangsters and Quentin Tarantino, Ybor City’s Reservoir Bar (1518 E 7th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605-3704, (813) 248-1442) is a dive bar with big ambitions. The motif is tongue in cheek and Hollywood chic, covered in powers and artifacts from the movie “Reservoir Dogs”, gangster bobbleheads and other nicnacs within the genre. The beer is cold, the company is friendly and two pool tables flank the entrance, meaning walking through this bar often means bumping elbows with local tattoo artists, rock stars, men-about-town and hangers-on.

Even early, the Reservoir bar is teeming with activity. Within a few minutes of being there, Dustan and Kara decided to get drunk while I mingled with the locals. The bartenders are eager to please, if only through the veil of “too cool” that every good bartender should have. It’s not uncommon for them to keep pace with the patrons, as seen here:

Just because it’s a dive bar, don’t think that they’re without the specialties you’re looking for. They have a jagermeister machine, which is always an indicator of trouble to come. Behind the bar, they have all the standards and dozens of specialties. I looked for a few hard to find extras and found most of them. If you don’t see it, just ask. Chances are, they’ll have whatever ails you hidden somewhere nearby.

If talking bottleheads and bird-giving elves do it for you, the decorations only add to your drunk misadventure. Be careful you don’t break them, as the barkeeps will bust your face open.

Did I mention Dustan and Kara drinking? They both got pretty lit while we were there.

The reservoir is open 7PM to 3AM every day, so mosey on down after work and have a few drinks. The prices are low and so are the standards, so everyone is likely to find something they’ll like.

Blue Shark Bar: Dive and Jive, Performed Live

Restaurant Review: The Laughing Cat

Denis Baldwin — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:40:19 +0000

Along the 15th street corridor of Ybor’s Gaybor District, the Laughing Cat (1820 N 15th St, Tampa, FL 33605, (813) 241-2998) touts itself as “New Progressive Italian Cuisine”, a fusion of traditional Italian ingredients with new bohemian presentation. Their description lives up to the name, including hiring pseudo-jester waiters to bring out the food while the hustle and bustle of Gaybor street traffic remains clearly visible through the glass windows of the dining room.

The Laughing Cat is not a big place, probably just big enough to sit 10-12 tables comfortably. That said, they also don’t ever appear to be busy. I’ve eaten here a few times and have always gotten a table quickly. The waitstaff is jubilant, buzzing around blissfully, tending to your needs often and always quick with a quirky observation. Some may find this annoying, but I find it endearing and really like being here because the staff is so friendly and outgoing.

The staff brings out bread to our table quickly with our drinks. From the time we sit to the time we’re spooning butter onto bread is less than 5 minutes. The bread comes out hot and tender, a far cry from the bread I’m used to and traditional Italian places. When pulling it apart with your fingers, a puff of steam escapes rapidly. I wish I could have better captured how fresh and amazing this puff of steam really is, but take my word for it that you taste the freshness in every bite. It’s a nice change to see the butter melt in the bread instead of sitting there, waiting for me to consume it half-melted.

Another plus of this place in terms of hot and cold is how cold the drinks are served. They’re almost “hurt your teeth-cold”. You can see from this picture that steam and condensation overtake our glasses, as the chipped ice quickly cools our sodas.

Dustan ordered the Filet Mignon Cat Style, a hearty portion of Filet mignon sautéed with portobello mushrooms, artichoke hearts
and red peppers in a white wine sauce with fresh basil. At $40, this is not an inexpensive meal, but he continued to rave about it’s taste and quality. It’s a lot to take in at over a pound of meat is mated with so much cheese and other fresh ingredients. Again, it’s served so piping hot that you stand in awe as you wait to eat it.

I ordered the Insalata di Cesare, a Romaine lettuce Caesar Salad made with homemade Caesar dressing, parmesan
cheese, and cracked black pepper. While the salad was as simple as a Caesar can get, it was very flavorful. The dressing, chunky and rich, really drew out the power of the romaine and the parmesan cheese. Even without chicken or fish, this was a substantial take on a dinner favorite that I have eaten hundreds of times.

Kara had the Tortellini Genovese, a combination of Prosciutto sautéed with cheese tortellini in a pesto sauce and topped
with fresh mozzarella and basil. The prosciutto was pronounced and evident in every bite, shredded throughout the dish in a way that made each bite a sample of the whole flavor profile of the dish, instead of that constant hunt for the next piece of meat. The cheese tortellini, softened by the cooking process, was the perfect blend of firm but done. Tortellini can go wrong so quickly, but Laughing Cat pulled this off. Kara finished her plate quickly, continually commenting on how tasty it really was.

As we finished our meal, we all let out the “I’m full” grunt, knowing we had a long night ahead of us in Ybor City and Channelside. The Laughing Cat has been a continually reliable source of good food, good times and entertaining staff. It rides that fine line between classy and elitist, high value taste at relatively reasonable prices and nice atmosphere without being too preachy about it.

Restaurant Review: Spaghetti Warehouse

Denis Baldwin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:59:50 +0000

Located in old Ybor City in a building that is older than most of Tampa, the Spaghetti Warehouse (1911 13th St., Tampa, FL 33605, (813) 248-1720) is a courtyard with a view with decent new-school Italian food inside. The price price point is affordable, the layout and furnishings quaint and the atmosphere dark and archaic, a symptom of and a tribute to the relic of a building it’s based in. When you walk in, you’re met with a mix of new and old. The new, a refined bar with fine woods and shelves upon shelves of liquor almost seems out of place against the brick backdrop. The old, cobbled brick floors and walls with tin signs and other remnants of days gone past are all in their place, a bit of dust on each one to keep the authenticity.

The service is decent, though it seems like they don’t always know what’s going on. Several times, I saw waiters breeze past us looking for a table that wasn’t there or bring out food to the wrong side of the restaurant only to run to another place with it. That said, they were prompt with our requests and their attitude and presentation was suitable. Another noteworthy compliment is the size of their glasses and how often they filled them. I ended up drinking 6 of these large (probably 32 oz) waters while I was there. It was a very hot day and they kept the drinks coming.

As is the tradition with Italian Cuisine, we were bought out a loaf of bread and butter to share with our meal. The bread was a little crunchier than I like in Italian Bread, forcing enough pressure applied with the knife to cut the bread to also smash it. The taste was appealing and as expected, with the garlic and chive butter being the star of this introductory dish.

Our orders arrived in about 15 minutes, starting with Kara’s salad and then mine shortly after. Her entree made it last, but it was all within a few minute span so no lost points for delivery time. Her salad was typical side salad fair, made of fresh lettuce, tomatoes and red onions with croutons and french dressing thrown in. Kara remarked that it was tasty, but “just a salad”.

When Kara’s Chicken Alfredo arrived, she made me try it. It was good, but a bit too cheesy for my tastes. The alfredo sauce they use is far cheesier than creamy and it’s a thick and chunky concoction, bordering on being too much. Kara liked it and finished it quickly.

I went with the Chopped Salad, Warehouse Style. CHOPPED SALAD “WAREHOUSE STYLE”. This mix of Fresh greens, grilled chicken, smoked bacon, pepperoni, Genoa salami, bleu cheese and sautéed mushrooms tossed in a Parmesan basil vinaigrette was pretty hearty even for a dinner salad. It comes topped with marinated Roma tomatoes. While the chicken was a little dry, the strong tastes from the salami, blue cheese and vinaigrette made up for it. This is one of those salads that you find yourself eating and realize that you’ve actually been cherry picking all of the “Good stuff” out. Within a few minutes, I had lettuce covered in vinaigrette with little shards of other bits in it, but the bulk of the meat and cheese was gone.

Our total meal was around $25 and we were in and out in about an hour. While this isn’t the kind of place I’d rave about, I’d say that it was a good meal if you’re on a budget and want some hearty Italian food. It will never replace the mom and pop Italian kitchens that I love and crave, but I’d imagine it would be a good lunch or dinner spot if you’re in a hurry and want something that will stick to you for a while.

Restaurant Review: Fresh Mouth

Denis Baldwin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:50:00 +0000

After walking by it a hundred times, Kara and I decided to stop into Fresh Mouth (1600 E 8th Ave # D101, Tampa, FL 33605-3741, (813) 241-8845) and try some of their good old fashion ballpark food. I occasionally love to dabble in this kind of stuff, both because it’s cheap and because it’s a form of gluttony I can get onboard with. The idea of food smothered in cheese and grease while still being delicious appeals to me on some carnal level, and I like that.

Since it’s in Centro Ybor, you will see all kinds of patrons here. The diverse crowd all seemed to be in good spirits and the food all looked good, so we dove right in to ordering the Chicken Philly, a large cheddar cheese fries and club sandwich.

Service was pretty quick. We had our drinks inside of 5 minutes and our food within 10 minutes. Kara’s club sandwich was pretty large, and swelled out of the bread. When she broke it open, piles of tomatoes and lettuce and meat spilled out. This is a good sign, as many clubs I’ve tried skimp out on meat and load up on mayo to compensate. When asked what she thought, she said, “Oh, it’s good.” The big shit eating grin on her face confirmed her response.

The chicken philly steak sub was alright. The chicken itself was a little dry and they skimped on the onions and peppers in favor of more cheese. While I love cheese, I really wish this was a more complete sandwich with more vegetables and tender chunks of meat. That said, the sandwich was bland. Most chicken phillies are seasoned so they compliment the sharp cheese. This needed hot sauce, and it got it.

We shared a basket of chili cheese fries, and it’s a good thing we did. There’s no way one person could eat all of these, even it’s their only meal. The sheer quantity of cheese, starch and grease would either kill you dead or at least dislodge your lower bowel. It’s a lot to take in. All of that said, it was extremely tasty. The fries were the crinkle cut variety, covered in nacho cheese and a very hearty chili. Most of the time when I order chili fries, I end up with a watery chili that doesn’t have much texture. This chili had chunks of meat and more than enough spice to make it taste very good. This is my guilty pleasure food, and I love it.

I can see a place like Fresh Mouth being the perfect late night post-drinking session spot to wind down and pound down some alcohol soaking starch. The reasonable price, average service and relatively tasty food will encourage you to come back, if only for the chili cheese fries and people watching.

LocalShops1: Hyperlocal shopping for the Tampa Bay Area

Denis Baldwin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:05:00 +0000

One of the things I’ve always found interesting about the web is how easy it is to get to powerful databases of information. What I’ve always found annoying is trying to find that information specific to a region.

For us Tampa Bay residents (and those in the surrounding counties of Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota), you may find some help in the hyper local shopping site, LocalShops1.com. They are committed to promoting locally owned, independent shops. The mission of this site is to be a place where shoppers and business owners can come to network, on social and business levels to exchange ideas, post sales, become involved in the community. Out in the “real world,” they plan lots of fun community events, charity fundraisers and store parties.

About to celebrate their 1st anniversary, Local Shops is focused on highlighting high quality businesses in and around Tampa. This site does what other yellow-pages style sites do, but in a cleaner format and each business is hand selected and reviewed for inclusion instead of an across the board inclusion that many directories do. Signing up is FREE, and can be done here:
http://www.local-shops-1.com/LocalShops1/membership-options.html

There’s lots of good news coming out of this organization. They recently began embarking on a $250,000 advertising campaign with the Tampa Tribune, WFLA, tbo.com, Tampa Bay Magazine, Tampa Bay Business Journal and Genesis radio stations 1040 and 820. They are in the midst of a complete redesign of the website to make it easier to use. In August, they are launching “1Card”, the ultimate discount card for local business.

Homemade Music Symposium Photo Post

Denis Baldwin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:14:00 +0000

This year’s Homemade Music Symposium played out over the weekend at the Ybor HCC campus, bringing together musicians, singer-songwriters, music industry professionals, entertainers, writers, photographers and most every other aspect of the music industry to discuss the state of music, the nature of creating and marketing musicians and give a taste of things to come.

Overall, the symposium was a great success. Saturday opened with “Poets of Popular Song, The Lyrics and Lyric Writers of the Great American Songbook”. Featuring the piano work of Paul Wilborn and the 107 year old Rosa Rio. After their performance, many of the attendees broke for the lunch while the rest of us sat at our tables and handed out free swag and met with people.

As the day raged on, the crowd continued to morph. After noon, the rock kids all awoke and made an appearance, many to show off their demos and many more to attend seminars including “Marketing, Touring and Band Management” and “Alternative Media Promotion” with BrandTampa’s own Queen of Social Media Julia Gorzka. Classes on getting the most out of studio time, shooting a music video and a “meet the press” session provided even more value to those who came looking for help getting their music careers off the ground.

There was a good showing by all the key players at the vendor tables including Bay Area Beat, WMNF, Creative Loafing and Reax.

Here are some random photos from the event:

Restaurant Review: Rock N Sports Bar and Grill

Denis Baldwin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:21:00 +0000

Last week, Dereck and I ended up at Rock N Sports Bar and Grill (1600 E 8th Ave # E200, Tampa, FL 33605, (813) 242-6220), located in the upstairs of Centro Ybor. This mix of classic sports bar elements with rock nostalgia is a little bit Hard Rock Cafe and a little bit Cheers, but all around a good place to eat.

The atmosphere is fun, and the waitstaff is both cordial and attentive. When I asked if I could take a few pictures of the bar, the staff gathered together so I could get a group photo as well. This is the kind of place that everyone seems happy to be, including those who work there.

Since we had a long night ahead of us, we decided to stuff ourselves. Given the large portion sizes and reasonable prices, this wasn’t a difficult thing to do. We started out with the gator tails, which were just as I expected them to be. Big meaty pieces topped a plate of fries, all fried to a golden brown. The portions weren’t chewy and the sauce was just right. My only real complaint is that I ended up eating so much of these that I didn’t get to enjoy very much of my main course.

For the main course, Dereck and I opted for fully loaded nachos. These nachos went beyond standard nacho fair, particularly with the inclusion of sweet pulled pork. Normally, I don’t like sweet and salty combined, but the sugar glazes pork made a powerful combination with the two kinds of cheese, chips, chicken, chili, black olives, green onions and tomatoes. Every bite was well saturated with toppings, so there weren’t a lot of lost chips in the pile.

After eating half of the nachos, I ended up taking the rest home. They weren’t too bad reheated, which is a rarity amongst chip dishes. I think it was all the meat and cheese, as the chips really became a side note to the rest of the meal.

L’Olivier Cabaret Photo Post

Denis Baldwin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:32:00 +0000

The good folks at L’Olivier had me back to take another round of photos, this time focusing my time on the Thursday night show. This was the return show of Amy Demilo, as she has been out sick the last few weeks.

Every time I see this show, it gets better. The energy gets higher. The routines get tighter and more fun. The fire show gets heated enough that a fire marshall has to stand by and ensure the place doesn’t burn to the ground. It’s that intensity that makes the show a lot of fun, a good value, great dinner entertainment and an absolute charm to photograph.

I also have to hand it to the sound and light crew. A lot of times, cabaret shows are kept intentionally dark and may only feature a few small lights for ambiance. This show is filled with great lighting effects and the red light glow that almost constantly fills the stage makes capturing the fast moving action easier than I expected.

Here’s some of my favorite shots from the evening:

The rest of the set can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/denisbaldwin/sets/72157619638997114/

At least one of the Toyota Yaris guys has a sense of humor

Denis Baldwin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:03:00 +0000

I saw this in the Tampa IKEA parking lot yesterday.

At least there’s one Yaris driver who doesn’t take himself (or this whole shooting gas prices problem) seriously.

Homemade Music Symposium this weekend!

Denis Baldwin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:18:00 +0000

HOMEMADE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM releases its MASTER SCHEDULE for the event on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14 in Ybor City. The second annual symposium is offered free of charge to all Tampa Bay area musicians and the general public. The numerous seminars and workshops are focused on the business of music making and will provide area musicians assistance on how to nurture and develop careers in the modern commercial environment. Woven through the two-day schedule are a number of special live performances and showcases by artists ranging in age from 11 to 107!

On Saturday June 13, the symposium will take place from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM at the HCC-Performing Arts Building-Ybor City Campus, located at the corner of Palm Avenue and 14th Street. A complete schedule is provided at the end of this release.

On Saturday Evening, June 13, numerous area bands and musicians will be featured at showcases throughout Ybor City. Venues include New World Brewery, Crowbar, the Roosevelt, and Arts on 9th. Highlights include Will Quinlan at New World Brewery, Hat Trick Heroes at Crowbar, and Hip Hop / Techno powered by vegetable oil in biodiesel generators at the Roosevelt.

On Sunday, June 14, all events take place from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM at various venues along 19th Street and 9th Avenue. These include the Ybor City State Museum Park, REAX Music Space, Tre Amici at the Bunker, Mermaid’s Slipper and Arnold Martinez Art Gallery.

Some highlights of the symposium include:

Special guests Rosa Rio, Tampa’s own 107 years young Wurlitzer wizard and jazz pianist, and Paul Wilborn performing music by composers Rosa knew such as Cole Porter and George Gershwin

A keynote address from Peter Wells, visiting NYC Co-Founder of Tunecore, the country’s premier digital media distribution company

Workshops and panel discussions including a cross-section of Bay area record labels, alternative media promotion, electronic press kit and web design, and Meet the Press: A Conversation with Area Music Critics.

The symposium is organized by The Artists and Writers Group in partnership with Hillsborough Community College-Ybor City Campus. Bay Area Artists and Musicians Organization (BAAMO) and Ybor City Development Corporation are also partners. Other sponsors include Creative Loafing, REAX Magazine and New World Brewery.

The partners and sponsors are dedicated to supporting the Tampa Bay area cultural community with events such as Homemade Music Symposium, Deep Carnivale: Celebration of Words and the Ybor Festival of the Moving Image.

For general inquiries please contact T. Hampton Dohrman 813.784.2972 thdohrman@gmail.com or David Audet daudet@hccfl.edu, Hillsborough Community College-Ybor City Campus, 2112 N. 15th Street, Tampa, Florida 33675

Review of the Tampa Bay Music Conference

Denis Baldwin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:44:00 +0000

I recently attended the 6th annual Tampa Bay Music Conference, held at the Ritz Theatre (503 7th Ave. Tampa, FL. 33605)in Ybor City.

The event was not what I expected. Being billed as a top class event ($40 tickets), I figured it would be a lot of fun with a lot of people and plenty to see and do. It turns out that it wasn’t nearly as robust as I had hoped.

Firstly, let’s examine the name and why it’s misleading. When you think of Tampa Bay Music Conference, what do you think of? I think of musicians from Tampa Bay coming together, preferably from all walks of life and musical backgrounds, to meet and “confer”, jam and socialize. This was a very acute version of that ideal, as the musical scope was limited to rap, hip hop and R&B and very little of this had anything to do with Tampa Bay. While I don’t know the background on all of the acts involved, I was told by several people there that very few of the musical acts actually were from Tampa.

Secondly, when I picture a music conference, I picture vendors that are suited to the music industry. Where was Guitar Center? JBL? Fender? Shure? Where were the brands I come to know and love? Who was there? LaCie, the hard drive manufacturer. Why were they at a music conference?

Thirdly, for a highly publicized event, there were very few warm bodies. I hung around for about three hours and in that time counted maybe 100 people total in and out of the door. One would think that an event with this potential could draw thousands of people. Perhaps other people knew what I didn’t and simply chose to avoid paying $40 for a half-hearted rap concert.

Fourthly, when I think of a Music Conference, I don’t think of one guy on stage rapping while 20 people sit around looking bored. Where are the additional stages? Where is the crowd participation? Where is the excitement in the air? There wasn’t even anyone near the stage calling out the rapper’s name. There were three people standing up front with camera phones snapping photos, but where is the crowd that a big show should bring?

All of that said, there were a few good things going on. The waitstaff was awesome. Bartenders made me several good drinks. The side room was full of people actually talking about music and attempting to network. I just wish the whole event had the kind of chemistry that the side room was flirting with.

Mom’s ride the Streetcar FREE this Sunday

Denis Baldwin — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:59:00 +0000

On Mother’s day, Sunday, May 10th, treat your mom to a ride on the TECO Line Streetcar System, running throughout Ybor City and Channelside. It’s fun and moms ride FREE all day Mother’s Day when accompanied by their families.

Plus, mothers can ride the streetcar to Bennigan’s Channelside and get 20% off their meal!

Click the link below to print out the flyer with details.
http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/mothers_day_2009.pdf

IKEA Tampa opens this morning to the public

Denis Baldwin — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:12:00 +0000

IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, opened the doors of its Tampa store – the company’s 1st store on the west coast of Florida – to customers at 9 a.m. this morning. The 353,000-square-foot IKEA Tampa is located on 29 acres along Adamo Drive at 22nd Street and the Crosstown Expressway, adjacent to the Ybor City historic business district. It is the Swedish company’s 3rd store and restaurant destination in Florida, 6th in the Southeast, 37th in the United States, and 297th worldwide. The store employs more than 400 coworkers and features 10,000 exclusively-designed items, a 350-seat IKEA Restaurant, 49 inspirational room settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area and approximately 1,600 parking spaces. Other IKEA stores in the Southeast are in Atlanta, GA; Charlotte, NC; Orlando, FL; Sunrise, FL; and Woodbridge, VA.

“We are excited to bring the unique IKEA family-friendly shopping experience to the Tampa Bay area and beyond,” said Monica Varela, IKEA Tampa store manager. “The enthusiasm the IKEA Tampa coworker family felt about this big day and about opening the store translated into excitement and a great shopping experience for customers.”

Before the doors opened, Varela welcomed the community with a traditional Swedish log-sawing ceremony, bringing good luck to the new home and its guests. In addition to brief remarks by Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, Varela was joined by Tampa Council Chairman Thomas Scott who raised the U.S. flag; Honorary Swedish Consul B-G Holmberg who raised the Swedish flag; and Special Assistant to the Governor Michelle Todd who raised the Florida flag. Also, IKEA Tampa coworker Jenn Esteves and Carol Downing from Blossom Montessori School for the Deaf in Clearwater served as sign language interpreters of the flag anthems and speakers’ remarks.

Beginning grand opening day and lasting through Sunday, May 10, IKEA Tampa will recognize loyal, enthusiastic customers by giving away thousands of dollars in gift cards and merchandise.

Take a Seat (And We Mean Take It!) – The first 100 adults (18 and over) in line at the IKEA Tampa grand opening on May 6, 2009 will receive a free POÄNG armchair.

Pick a Card, Any Card – The first 2,500 people to visit IKEA Tampa on May 6, 2009 will receive a random prize envelope with IKEA Gift Cards ranging from $10 to $250, or a “Buy One, Get One Free” cinnamon bun, hotdog or frozen yogurt voucher.

You Say It’s Your Birthday – Visitors who bring proof to IKEA Tampa on May 6 that it is their birthday will receive a $10 gift card.

For the (Truly) Young at Heart – The first 100 children (under 18) in line at IKEA Tampa’s grand opening on May 6, 2009 will receive a free FAMNIG heart-shaped cushion.

Enter to Win When Entering our Home – From May 6 through May 10, 2009, visitors to IKEA Tampa may enter a drawing to win one of ten $1,000 IKEA Gift Cards. IKEA will match the prizes (a total of $10,000) with a home furnishings donation to Child Abuse Council of Hillsborough County, a local agency aimed at helping children and strengthening families.

It’s Easy Being Green – On Thursday, May 7, IKEA will distribute to customers 500 three-inch tropical plants, representing IKEA roots planted in Tampa.

Play Big and Eat Big (If You’re Little!) – Entertainment for kids, such as balloon artists, will take place at IKEA Tampa from May 6 through May 10. Kids also can enjoy macaroni-and-cheese as well as other meals, starting at 99¢.

Unclaimed prize from State of the Art 2.0

Denis Baldwin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:03:00 +0000

I was contacted yesterday by Christine A. Galas, one of the artists from the “State of the Art 2.0″ show. The winner of the raffle for her painting (shown below) has not claimed their prize. If you were at the show and entered the raffle, contact Christine through email at kurtis.marsh at yahoo.com.

Blue Shark Bar: Dive and Jive, Performed Live

Denis Baldwin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:45:00 +0000

While waiting for State of the Art to open at the Roosevelt, I walked over to the “Blue Shark” dive bar (1502 E 7th Ave Tampa FL 33605), a small club environment for locals and regulars with cheap beer, live bands and a chill attitude.

When I got there, it was still early at about 8PM. As I was the only patron in the bar, I chatted up the bartender. This was a friendly little place, even if the barstools are not fat-guy-compliant. I forced my butt into the seat and swilled down some cheap canned Iron City Beer, a similar draw to Steel Reserve. It wasn’t bad, but it was definitely a “get what you pay for” kind of drink.

While sitting at the bar, the band decided to run some equipment checks. The drummer went on for a few minutes, drowning out the radio which was playing a combination of disco and classic rock songs.

The Blue Shark had all the classic divebar sentiment that makes these kinds of places fun. Pool tables near the front give people something to do if they are not interested in the band. A center stage has room for five, which wouldn’t be uncommon considering this bar is known for both blues and rock shows. Everything is served in plastic cups, including shots. This no-frills approach keeps the atmosphere light and open. No strings. No worries. Everyone is just here for a good time.

The bar is well stocked with standards both in liquor and in beer, though the bartender admits that most of her customers come for the beer. They offer both draft and bottle, though bottles seem to be the favorites. Again, this goes hand and hand with the dive bar mentality. People come in and out, grab and drink and go. Few linger, but most are just here for a moment.

An upstairs area provides a bit of shelter from the loud band, but it’s not secluded either. People wandering back and forth remind me that this is still very much Ybor city even if it’s on the far end of 7th Avenue.

State of the Art 2.0 Art Show at the Roosevelt

Denis Baldwin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:28:00 +0000

Tek-nique Entertainment continues to put on great shows throughout Tampa Bay, the newest being the State of the Art 2.0 show, put on at the Roosevelt (1812 N 15th St Tampa, FL 33605) in Ybor City on Saturday, 04/25/2009. The show featured a mixed expose of art from local artists, ranging from digital production to living art to traditional canvas pieces.

Last year’s State of the Art showing was voted the Best Art Party of 2008 by the Tampa Bay Times. Version 2 was just as impactful, giving a glimpse into the work of artists including Christine A. Galas and J.E. Feightner.

While waiting for the show to open, an artist was outside painting a mural from scratch. Using spray paint, we watched as he sculpted an image of a robot monster “Meka” for the passing street crowd.

The first exhibit when walking through the door is “Slaves of the 21st Century” an homage of characters living out the sin-filled existence of excess and external fulfillment.

An electronic music show provided the soundtrack to the experience until the band arrived.

Art filled the walls. Some of it thought provoking. Some of it interesting. A lot of the work had political and social overtones that couldn’t be overlooked.

The work wasn’t limited to models and prints. Here you see a frightening sculpture in the upstairs staging area.

The show got crowded quickly. Within 20 minutes of opening, it was packed with art lovers both upstairs and down.

It was a great turnout for a nice show. Tek-nique has really been putting out quality shows in the last several months. If State of the Art 2.0 was any indication of things left to come, I’m very excited for the next exhibit.

Ybor’s Puerto Rican Festival

Denis Baldwin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:13:00 +0000

On Sunday, we attended the Puerto Rico Festival in Ybor City. The Fiesta Patronates (Puerto Rican Festival) is usually held in conjunction with the Puerto Rico Cultural Parade of Florida. This year, due to the economic crisis, the event was scaled back to a much smaller gathering that focused on the culture and food of Puerto Rico, cutting the parade to cut costs.

The event was held in Ybor’s Centennial Park, home to the Ybor Sunday Market. As we parked and started our walk over, the sounds of traditional Puerto Rican music filled the air. The closer we got, the more the smells of Latin food consumed us as well.

The vendors set up around the perimeter were all selling Puerto Rican themed clothing, jewelry and other items.

Frozen Ice was sold with traditional Latin flavors and also standards such as orange and cherry.

This was truly a family affair, bringing children, adults and everyone in between. Regardless of heritage, all were welcome.

The food looked, smelled and tasted amazing.

We completed our rounds by checking out the band, playing a fusion of traditional Latin favorites with rap vocals.

While this Puerto Rican festival was smaller than events from the previous 20 years, I’m hoping it ramps back up next year. I think with the parade and more vendors involved, this would be an even more fun way to celebrate our self-governing unincorporated U.S. territory.

Restaurant Review: L’Olivier Revisited

Denis Baldwin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:45:00 +0000

I decided to head back to L’Olivier yesterday, having been so happy with the drag show on Sunday that I wanted to go back for the Moulin Rouge show.

It was a completely different experience this time. Both shows were good, but this one had more to it. First of all, instead of being exclusively a drag show, this one featured more of the can-can style dancing, female impersonators, actual girlies, a fire dancer and a completely different tone to it. Amy DeMilo, my personal favorite, was back to play host for the second half.

We sat really close, so I became a small part of the show. This time, one of the other beautiful “ladies” came up, stroked my chin and sang to me. It was awesome. I didn’t stop grinning like a jackass the whole time. Then Amy came up and talked to me. She smelled so heavenly! At this point, I was so smitten I couldn’t stop smiling. I wish I had the money to go back every night, because I would. This is so much fun.

Food was great, as I expected. I tried the Crepes Ratatouille, a mix of olive oil sauteed vegetables in a crepe. It was good, though I liked the Chicken crepe I had last time a little better. I skipped dessert this time, but Kara once again had the Nutella, Strawberry and Banana filled Crepe.

No pictures this time, though I wish I had. The fire guy alone would have been worth the time to set up the camera. Next week, assuming I can get some funds together, I’m going back.

Club Prana: Irrational Exclusivity disguised as class

Denis Baldwin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:27:00 +0000

On Saturday night, I had a VIP pass to go to Club Prana (1619 E 7th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605, (813) 241-4139) for a party. It was invitation only, and as a member of the media I was going to do a story about the club and the party. It was never mentioned that they had a dress code and I’ve been to every place in Ybor without any restrictions, so I left the house the way I do all nights out, in a black t-shirt and shorts. My clothes were clean, without holes or stains and tidy. I simply was not “dressed up”.

I get to the club around 9:30 with pass in hand. I show the my ID and my pass and immediately the doorman gets on the radio talking to another doorman. After a few minutes of back and forth, they tell me I can’t come in. “No shorts allowed”. Somehow, I bet if my shorts were made from Sean Jean instead of Walmart, this would never be a problem.

I look around at the other people in line. Ripped jeans. T-shirts with stains. Some girls wearing next to nothing. These people are all getting in. Is it really just about my shorts or is there something more to it? I leave, begrudgingly.

I come back a few times throughout the night, noticing they are dejecting people from line for a number of offenses. One guy didn’t have a collared shirt, so they made him leave. Nevermind the other 6 people behind him, men and women, who weren’t wearing collared shirts. Then I saw a g-thug gangster in black shorts get in. Then I saw an older guy (probably in his 40s) who was rejected. He was well dressed. He looked quiet. What’s with the selective allocation?

In my mind, I’m sure it has something to do with the fact that I’m not an underwear model or I’m a freak and don’t fit their exclusive image. Keep in mind that their dress code is not posted. When you ask what is and isn’t allowed, they’ll point out specific things about each situation, but there’s no “THIS IS ALLOWED/THIS ISN’T ALLOWED” list to go by. So, is this irrational exclusivity or simply Class by Omission?

What Club Prana really missed out on was an opportunity. I could have gone in, covered the bar and the made a post about a good experience. They could have gotten good press from this. I could have spent the $200 I spent in drinks that night at Prana, instead of at the Boneyard, the Social Club and throughout the rest of Ybor. Instead, they’ve made it onto my ever-expanding shit-list.

So, Club Prana, be watching yourself. Every person I meet is going to hear about your seemingly baseless segregate policy.

Waiting Room Art Show at the Ybor City Social Club

Denis Baldwin — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Last night, in the midst of the gaybor district is the Ybor City Social Club (1909 N 15th St Tampa, FL 33605, (813) 242-2717), an upstairs bar, art gallery and lounge that recently hosted the “Waiting Room Art Show”. This night of chill music, surreal themes, dark art and lounging around was a good time, drawing on the ambient vibe I had seen in much bigger art shows previously.

The thing about the Social Club that’s cool is that everything about it speaks of comfort. The whole place is dimly lit with comfortable seating all around. The bit of whirling lights and effects are kept minimal, just like the music, and it works for the Social Club. The seats are arranged to encourage small groups and it’s easy to melt into the furnishings.

Music for the night was from DJ’s Loki, Shard, Sumatra71 and ElliotNess. A mix of ambient sounds, chilled electronic, dub, triphop and lounge music added to the presentation. Being a Tek-nique Entertainment production, everything about the music selection, the environment and the art fit nicely.

The showcase was for Vivid Dark J.E. Feightner. His artwork was a collection of digitally painted works that are part Dali, part H.R. Giger and part slaugherhouse gore. Throw in dashes of nudity and complex layers of themes and you have a collection that speaks to the dark overtones many of us feel inside.

More of J.E. Feightner’s art can be seen on his MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/feightner

Ybor Aficionado Days tomorrow and sunday

Denis Baldwin — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:04:00 +0000

Savor the sights, sounds and aromas of Ybor City’s rich traditions at the 3rd Annual Ybor Aficionado Days . Gather with family and friends and discover the aficionado within.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Tapas Trail- 4:00- 7:00 pm

Sample the best Ybor has to offer in tapas, hors d’oeurves, anti-pasto and mesa at over a dozen of Ybor’s top restaurants with Light Service Vehicle transportation by Green-Go’s of Tampa.
Tapas Trail Restaurants include: L’ Olivier Restaurant & Cabaret, Teatro on 7th, The Nest, New World Brewery, Spagehetti Warehouse, Streetcar Charlie’s Bar & Grille, Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Tre Amici @ The Bunker, Beanue’s Wine Bar, Columbia Restaurant, Carmine’s Restaurant & Bar, Roma Pizza and Bernini’s Restaurant

After Party/ Smoker- 6:30- 10:00 pm

* Dance to classic hits by Mainstream. Enjoy premium cigars, desserts, cafe con leche, and samples of rum, wine, and beer at the Italian Club. Tapas Trail contest winners will be announced. Door prizes include tapas trail restaurant gift certificates and hotel stays.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Traditional Spanish Brunch – Noon- 2:00 pm

* Enjoy a lavish buffet at the Columbia Restaurant, Florida’s oldest and the world’s largest Spanish restaurant, while listening to the contemporary sounds of the Dick Rivers Band.

Spanish Brunch Menu:

Torrejas – Cuban-style French toast filled with cream
Salmon con Salsa de Tomate Seco – Char-grilled Atlantic salmon topped with a flavorful salsa of sun-dried tomatoes,
Manchego cheese and Amontillado Sherry
Huevos con Papas y Chorizo – Eggs bakes with diced potatoes and chorizo
Paella de Pollo
Assorted Spanish Tortillas
Freshly tossed greens
Assorted pastries and traditional Cuban toast
Selection of fresh fruit

* Tapas Trail & After Party/ Smoker $35
* Brunch $45
* All Events (both days) $70

For ticket information, call the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Center at 813-241-8838.

“The Waiting Room” Art Show and Electronic Music Night

Denis Baldwin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:04:00 +0000

Tek-nique Entertainment presents “The Waiting Room”, a night of chill music and cool art. Art show by vivid Dark J.E. Feightner with music by DJ’s Loki, Shard, Shumatra71 and ElliotNess.

This Saturday, April 18th. $5 at the door. Held at the Ybor City Social Club.

4/18/2009 9:00 PM at Ybor City Social Club
1909 N 15th St, Ybor City, Florida 33605
Cost: $5

Venue Review: The Crowbar

Denis Baldwin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:14:00 +0000

When it comes to small venues that cater to a wide range of music, you can’t get much better than Ybor City’s Crowbar (1812 17th Street North, Tampa FL 33605, 813-241-8600). Long known as a Mecca for metal bands both local and touring, they’re really diversified in the last few years to include acts that appeal to a wider audience. The outdoor seating area and bar give open atmosphere to a previous dive bar, all while keeping the grit and cred you’d expect from a long standing venue like this.

I recently went there on April 4th for a ska show. 10 bands over the course of 8 hours pumped round after round of horn and guitar to an ever increasing crowd. As night broke, the place was really starting to fill up. I haven’t seen a small venue like this in a long time, but I’m glad I did.

The thing about the Crowbar that rocks is their commitment to great music. While Ska was the tune of the day while I was there, you can see by the continually updated calendar on their site that the scene changes daily. One day, you’ll find karaoke. Another day, you’ll find a cover band doing 90s alt tunes. Another day will bring hard rock or metal, the sound the venue is known for.

Here is a list of the upcoming show schedule:
Apr 10 REVIVAL III

Apr 11 WESZT, MR. BELLA, & UNCROWNED

Apr 12 CLOSED FOR EASTER

Apr 13 KARAOKE W/ STORMIN NORMIE

Apr 14 $5 LITERS OF BEER W/ SOFT ROCK RENEGADES

Apr 15 DA CYPHER

Apr 16 Josh Kelley, Ryan Cabrera, Tim Brantley & Brandon Whyde

Apr 17 SKULL & BONE BAND, HER NAME IS VICTORY, EMILY ROFF

To see more, check out their Crowbar Events page, updated regularly:
http://crowbarlive.com/events

Here’s some photos I took while I was there, both before and during the Ska show.

Songwriter’s Night 2nd Anniversary at the Bunker

Denis Baldwin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:09:00 +0000

The Bunker is one of my favorite little coffee shops and intimate music venues here in Tampa. It also helps that it’s only a mile from my house!

On May 14th, they’ll be doing their 2nd Anniversary Songwriter’s Night. This promises to be a good time, especially with all of the local music talent coming together.

Free Electric Cart Rides to Channelside/Ybor

Denis Baldwin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:44:00 +0000

I’ve seen these all over, and I wondered about what they are. This is an awesome idea and I’m going to be using them the next time I go to Ybor so I don’t have to worry about parking costs or potential legal issues from drunk driving.

Story from St. Petersburg Times:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/article989786.ece

TAMPA — The little electric cart zips up to the curb of the Channelside entertainment complex.

Three clubgoers run up, and ask the driver: “Can you take us to the Embassy Suites?”

“Next stop, Embassy Suites,” he replies as they climb in.

A breezy few blocks later, the three step out and hand over no fare, just a $5 tip. Downtown boosters say the free rides are a welcome addition, helping turn the neighborhood into a place to live, work and play without needing a car for short trips.

“It improves the experience of downtown,” said Christine Burdick, president of the Tampa Downtown Partnership.

Read the Whole Story from St. Petersburg Times:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/article989786.ece