Dishing with Mark & Carrie 8-22-2012

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We are so PROUD of Tampa!
    We are all looking Great & all Ready for the RNC!
        Question: Is the RNC ready for Tampa???
    Tampa Bay is obviously the Best Place in the world to live!!! We are the nicest, friendliest and some of the craziest people in America who celebrate diversity everyday. Living here makes it sometimes easy to forget that much of the country have not been exposed to as much diversity as we have here. Admittedly GaYBOR/Ybor City can be a little over the top at times but all of the diverse groups here are deep down truly GOOD PEOPLE.
    Last Sunday a college group of 250+ political directed interns from the Washington Center (www.twc.edu) arrived in Ybor City. The group is being hosted by Hillsborough Community College Ybor City Campus. The group will have national and international political, economic and foreign speakers talking about the inside of Washington politics. The group will have first hand experience working with different delegations on the convention floor next week during the National Republican Convention. OK to be honest black suits and ties do kinda stick out here especially with big RNC lanyards. By the expression on their faces it looks like they are also getting a crash course on diversity.
    Club Kids, Tattoos, Cigar Smokers, Bands, Homeless, Gay, Straight, Young & Old, and yes Republicans & Democrats, of all colors getting along side by side. We hope that when the RNC delegates and staffs return home, they take with them a better understanding of the diversity here in our hometown, Tampa. We all have more in common with our neighbors than differences.
Great Short on Tampa!!!
City Lights by Nicole Abbert

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A Great Find on Date Night!!!
    Every Monday it’s date night at our home. Yes,even after being together for 35 years we still have date nights! There has been a lot of talk by the Ybor residents about the Great Food at the New James Joyce Pub (old Mema’s Alaskan Tacos). We decided to check them out on “Date Night”. Have you ever found a place so great you don’t want to share it with your friends? This is one of those places. It was Fantastic in every way! When we entered there was the Legendary Ybor Bartender Brandon!!!! After The Blue Dog Bistro closed everybody missed Brandon. He was looking great and was just as delightful as ever!
    There are fun specials every night like crawfish, prime rib, tacos. The Monday night special was 2 pound Maine lobsters for $9.95!!!! We joked they must have forgot to put a 1 or 2 in front of the price. For the sides we decided to split mussels and the pile high home made potato chips with toppings. Then came the hard part… what beer to try 1st. There are over 40 local, national and international beers here on tap! The service & staff were excellent. It was very refreshing to have staff stop by to check out if everything was OK. That is a real sense of pride in a restaurant. Needless to say the meal was GREAT!
    Looking around the room we stopped and said hello to 3 different Ybor Club owners and reporters from 2 newspapers. Humm looks like good news travels fast in Ybor. One BIG TIP that our friends told us was to arrive early. They were right! We arrived at 5:30 and by 6PM every table and seat was taken. Now we can’t wait to go back for crawfish night!!! Located on the corner of 8th Ave and 18th Street in GaYBOR/Ybor City.
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Mark Your Calendar NOW…. Sunday, September 2, 2012
    Sunday FUNday in GaYBOR/Ybor City is always off the chain!!! But this will be a very special one! The RNC will be history! We all have been working so hard to put our best foot forward. It will be time to let your hair down, relax and go a little WILD!!!! The day starts off with Drag Brunch at Hamburger Mary’s at 11AM. After lunch have a frozen cocktail at Centro Cantina or a smoke at King Corona Cigars. Stop by MC Film for the Annual Labor Day Holiday SALE!!!! At 5 PM is the start of the 5th Annual GaYBOR Bar Crawl. For a $15 donation you will travel with old & new friends around GaYBOR/Ybor City stopping at 8 clubs. Starting at 5 PM at Barbarella’s and ending at Bradley’s on 7th with complimentary hors d’oeuvres.
Tickets for the GaYBOR Bar Crawl are available at MC FILM and Hamburger Mary’s.
     All warmed up and ready to Party … The Ybor Social will be hosting the “Ybor Eagle Reunion Party! Leather Dance!” Hamburger Mary’s will have a Very Special Show with special guest the infamous comedic Lady Bunny ! At The Honey Pot It’s another one of their highly popular GLOW PARTIES! It will be over the top by providing an amazing blacklight atmosphere with huge props, decor, confetti cannons, and over 1000 LED giveaways for everyone! The special guest DJ for the night is chart-topping DJ RANNY direct from Boston! He has worked with some of the biggest names in the music business and will be bringing his magic to our dance floor to keep you moving all night long! Doors open at 9pm with $1 drinks from 9pm – 11pm!
See you all in GaYBOR for The LABORDAY Sunday FUNday!!!!
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Paul Ryan’s LGBT Votes Reviewed
    Other than a vote in 2007 in favor of an employment non-discrimination bill, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has consistently voted against major pro-equality legislation and in favor of bills that would restrict LGBT rights, according to reviews of his legislative record. The presumptive Republican nominee for vice president opposed ending “don’t ask, don’t tell,” voted in favor of banning adoption by gays in the District of Columbia, opposed adding sexual orientation and gender identity to federal hate crimes laws and twice voted to ban marriage equality nationwide through a constitutional amendment. Ryan has earned mostly 0% ratings from the Human Rights Campaign on its legislative scorecards.

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Wisconsin Voters Choose Baldwin’s Opponent, Thompson
    Primary voters in Wisconsin on Tuesday selected former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson who will face Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., in the general election race for the U.S. Senate this fall. If elected Tammy would be the first female senator from Wisconsin and first GLBT U.S. Senator. The Washington Blade reviews the LGBT records of the four main contenders, including Mark Neumann, a former member of Congress who once said “homosexuality wouldn’t be permitted” if he were “elected God for a day.”
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GaYBOR President Guest Speaker @ Sam’s Club
    GaYBOR District Coalition had a special invitation to address the South Tampa Sam’s Club Mangers, staff and employees in their weekly morning meeting Thursday. GaYBOR Board officers Mark and Carrie arrived for the before 9 AM employee breakfast gathering.
    ” Diversity starts at all levels and areas. Businesses, churches, schools, organizations, and government agencies all have to share in the process.” Carrie said. “Sam’s Club is inclusive of a wide variety of outreaches including GaYBOR District Coalition.”
    Store Manager, Theresa and Human Resource Manager, Christina helped set up the morning speaking engagement to help educate staff & employees of a better understanding of Tampa’s historic Ybor City and GLBT community. After the breakfast we joined the group in a wake up store cheer! GDC now has over 286 GLBTA businesses and residents.
    Sam’s Club in South Tampa is a long time member of the GaYBOR District Coalition and are sponsors to the upcoming GaYBOR’s FREE, ‘5th Annual 7th Ave Health & Wellness Fair’ , September 21st at Metro Wellness Community & Wellness Center in Ybor City.
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Professional Wrestling at a Gay Bar in GaYBOR!!
Florida Legends of Wrestling @ Bradley’s on 7th
    Bradley’s very own “BONECRUSHER” Mohamed Studd brought back for the 3rd time F.L.O.W!!! A complete professional wrestling organized competition complete with ring that was set up over the dance floor. Over the night the crowds cheered & SCREAMED for their favorites. There were 6 match sets in all. In Match 4 “BIG SEXY NUKE” with the help of his Manager “MAN EATER MR SPARKLES” (Carrie West) easy over took “BIG DICK STEEL.” In the Grand Finally round “BONECRUSHER” vs “PRESTIN CAINE” the crowd were on the verge of a RIOT as Prestin Caine CHEATED to WIN!!! As Preston’s manager distracted the referee, Prestin handed BONECRUSHER a folding chair to hold. Then the scum Prestin layed down and pretended he was hit with a chair!!! Despite a roar of BOOOO”S Prestin won the match. Look for the next F.L.O.W Matching coming soon to Bradley’s on 7th.
More Photos attached
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Photo of the Week
Our family in Wisconsin Harvesting Cranberry’s
When they flood the bogs the berry’s float to the top.
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Happy Birthday Noah! Party @ The Honey Pot
 
One WILD Cast
 Caught @ Steam Fridays
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Party Time
Love us some CJ
 Caught @ G.BAR
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Miss Joey Brooks gets a Surprise
Ladies in Red
 Caught @ Bradley’s on 7th
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DJ Disney
Young Republicans enjoying a Drag Show
 Caught @ Hamburger Mary’s
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College Night
HOT
 Caught @The Social
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T-Dance Friends
Caught @ Barbarella’s
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Great Music Caught @ JJ’s Cafe & Bar
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Best Frozen Drinks in Ybor!!! Caught @ Centro Cantina
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Caught @ MC Film
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Kick’s on 7th New Owners
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Get Off the PHONE!
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After Glow
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Stone Soup Company
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NY NY Pizza
Caught @ GaYBOR/Ybor City