Author Archives: admin
Photos of the Week
Photos of the Week
  NY NY PIZZA
 King Corona Stone Soup Company
 Tru T
 Honey Pot
 Hampton Inn & Suites Ybor
Brian in Ybor
   Bradley’s on 7th
   Tease @ The Honey Pot
  Tea Cup   Tequila’s Ybor City
  Ybor Wine Bar
     GaYBOR-Ybor City
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Dishing with Mark & Carrie 8-8-2019……. Ground Breaking in Ybor City
Metro Inclusive Health
Ground Breaking next Thursday 8/15 at 10AM
Tampa PRIDE
At the monthly meeting of Tampa PRIDE a fairly new topic was brought up. The use of “Social Media Influencers.” These people have large groups of friends & followers on social media. It was decided to start a group of Social Media Influencers to help promote Tampa PRIDE 2020. If you or someone you know would like to be apart of this group please send your contact info to TC at 3510E8@gmail.com There will be a fun met up meeting in the next couple weeks. Thank You
Ray’s Moving to Ybor City?
The whispers around Ybor City and in downtown Tampa are saying the Ray’s will be coming to Ybor City.
What?? We heard this same claim 18 months ago . Ray’s moving to the GaYBOR District in Ybor City.
The window of opportunity were closed after the $1 Billion baseball complexwas proposed. Since then the St Petersburg leaders cinched the idea and so did the Ray’s Baseball group, in public.
The empty space that was presented to the Ray’s is still available.We did know that the rents went sky high for a 6 month period. Now coming back to affordable rent. But if the Ray’s do plan on looking at Ybor City, what will happen next.
A new proposal brought to the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners Meeting by Comm Ken Hagan yesterday have a proposal for an Entertainment AND Ray’s Baseball Center. And guess where? That is correct in the GaYBOR District in the southside of Ybor City.
It was just over 6 weeks ago the ownership of the Rays proposed splitting the annual season between Montreal & Tampa Bay area. No more specifics have been sent out. St Pete leaders have said nothing!
We will just have to see how the new whispers will pan out.
Suncoast Softball Leagues Being Established for Fall Play
Ok, everyone who like to play with balls, I do mean softballs and bats. The Fall season of the Suncoast Softball League is setting up new teams for fall play. For 25 years the Tampa Bay have been battin those balls around the area fields. Time to get out of your Sunday chair and socially intermingle with fellow players.
FMI contact www.suncoastsoftball.org
IT’S BACK… Coppertail Night Market
This Friday Night 6-10PM
https://www.facebook.com/Coppertail-Night-Market-638904326588933/
THIS SATURDAY NoleFest2019 TampaNoles Block Party
https://www.facebook.com/events/1026498130882072/
A Blast From the Past
Who can recognize this building in Ybor City?
The South East corner of 16th street & 7th Ave. Kungfoo Rocky’s Goo Foo Factory
Here is one more.
The Women of La France 1985
CLICK HERE for More Photos
http://www.mcfilm.co/category/great-photos/caught-tequilas/
https://www.facebook.com/Coppertail-Night-Market-638904326588933/
From the MC Film Mail Bag
LEE BELL NAMED NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR YBOR CITY CHAMBER
Monday, August 5th, 2019
Media Contact:
Travis Horn, Chairman
813-770-4781
travislhorn@gmail.com
— Ybor City
The Ybor City Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Lee Bell as
the new Executive Director. Mr. Bell started the new position on Monday, August 5, 2019.
Mr. Bell has built a career out of transforming businesses and organizations. He brings a great mix of experience in various
high-level management positions, a track record of success, operational excellence, and an easily discernible passion for supporting and building a vibrant membership organization.
Chamber Chairman, Travis Horn, expressed his pleasure with the pick by saying, “Our Selection Committee chaired by Lynn Kroesen
included the right mix of new & returning members who formulated a process that was thorough and fair. I’m ecstatic that Lee Bell has agreed to join our Chamber and believe he’s the right leader at the right time!”
Most recently, Lee worked as the Executive Director for the Florida
Association for Child Care Management. Previously, Lee served as the President and CEO of the Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce, serving the northern parts of Tampa Bay and Hillsborough County. Prior to the Chamber, Lee founded and operated a multi-million dollar staffing, recruiting, and human resource business until he sold it. For over twenty years Lee held various leadership posts within Ashland Chemical, a $2.7 billion division of Ashland, Inc. Lee joins us with the unique perspective of a small-business owner who understands the day-to-day challenges of running a business
as well as the knowledge of working diplomatically with governmental and community organizations.
Chairman Horn went on to say, “Lee’s enthusiasm is contagious, and we are proud and excited to introduce him to the community!
For more information on news and events visit Ybor.org or “Like” & follow our Facebook page.
You Just Can Not Make This Up
In school, and later in life we all had nick names for our friends. A friend of our was hit by a train. After spending many months in a coma, he came out and is OK today. We all have called him Train Wreck since that time. One time I was bartending in a restaurant. Train Wreck stopped by and I took his order. The kitchen manager came out and called me aside. He said to me… You know, that when you type a customer’s name in they can read it on the receipt. I smile and said yes. He then said with and upset voice… You just called this guy Train Wreck. I smile and said Yes its his name. The manager just walked away shaking his head in disbelief. LMAO So the next time you get a recipe look for your name. You might be surprised what they called you.
Caught @ Tequila’s SUNday FUNday
Caught @ Bradley’s on 7th
Caught @ Tease Saturday at The Honey Pot Ybor City
Photos of the Week 7-21-19
Photos of the Week
 Happy Birthday Dan
 Ybor Cigar King Steve
 Historic East Ybor and Gary Neighborhood Association (HEYGNA) Meeting
  Bradley’s on 7th
   Steam @ The Honey Pot
  Tea Cup
   Tequila’s Ybor City
  Ybor Wine Bar
   GaYBOR-Ybor City
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Dishing with Mark n Carrie 7-26-19
Flamingo Resort St. Pete Closing
This weekend will be the last for the Flamingo Resort in St. Petersburg. We know what a difficult time this will be for the staff. It’s always sad when a business closes, especially a LGBT business. Most straight people will not understand how hard this will affect the LGBT employees. We have also gone thru similar situations, including the closing of the Suncoast Resort. When a LGBT person finds employment in a LGBT Friendly business, it’s great. When we find work in an openly LGBT owned & operated business its not only fantastic but becomes our world and family. The dedication these employees give to the owners and business is truly amazing!!! This is why it is so very hurtful and devasting to learn of the termination, of not only your job but relationship with the company, by closing thru a Facebook post.
In the case of the closing of the Suncoast Resort we all learn thru a letter giving us 2 weeks to get out. Then they actually turned off everyone’s air-conditioning in June. Told the employees to work hard thru the last day because they were opening again soon. Never Happened!! Today almost no one remembers the SunCoast Resort.
So, to the Flamingo employees we would like to say that the pain you’re feeling is real. It’s hurtful in more than one way. Don’t listen to all the negative people. The community will stand by you. You did nothing wrong. It will get better everyday that passes. BIG (((HUGS))) from Mark & Carrie
The Giunta Farm Ybor City
Vicky and Tessie Giunta announced at the Historic East Ybor & Gary Neighborhood Association meeting, the they are now going for a City of Tampa Local Historic Landmark. Their family farm in Ybor City was started by their Grandparents over 120+ years ago. Check out the video below and also this web site https://www.americanbungalow.com/giunta-family-homestead/
If you agree with us that this Ybor History should be receive a Landmark write to Historical Preservation Commission c/o Dennis Fernandez at dennis.fernandez@tampagov.net
https://www.americanbungalow.com/giunta-family-homestead/
Symbols of Hate
How many of these hate symbols do you know? Please visit the ADL web site today.
https://www.adl.org/hatesymbolsdatabase
TAMPA PRIDE 2020 DIRECTOR’S PLANNING MEETING Set for Aug.6th
The next TP Planning Meeting is Aug 6th at Hampton Inn Ybor at 6pm.in Hampton Conference room.
New additional fun events are being planned for the upcoming Pride year.
Everyone is invited to participate, get involved and help make TAAMPA PRIDE 2020 a huge success.
tampapride.org.
Suncoast Softball forming Teams
The Suncoast Softball League will hold its 2nd new player practice for the Fall 2019 season on Sunday August 11th at Henry & Ola Park in Tampa. New players of all levels are invited to attend and will go through a few basic fielding, running and hitting drills to be assigned a division of play. We offer 4 levels of play in Tampa Bay’s largest LGBTQ+ 🏳️🌈 🥎 sports league. Then join us at 2PM for Extra Innings at sponsor City Side Lounge for Extra Innings! Free food, great drink specials. It’s also Tampa Bay LGBTQ+ Sports Day AND SSL Hall of Fame Day! 3703 Henderson Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
https://www.facebook.com/events/372042823486514/
Tampa Bay Pride Band – Year 6 Band Kick Off Orientation
https://www.tampabayprideband.com/events/new-year-kick-off/
Greetings Tampa Bay Musicians,
I would like to welcome all of you to our year 6 of the Tampa Bay Pride Band and Symphonic Winds concert and performance series of 2019-2020. We are thrilled to announce the new rehearsal space and performance location. We have moved to the Hillsborough Community College of Performing Arts Campus in Ybor City. This is an appropriate venue for a musically excelling and growing community symphonic band. The new rehearsal and concert venue has great equipment for percussion, a large band room, several practice rooms, and a concert hall all in one location.
To celebrate this move, we will host our Kick Off Band Orientation at our new home HCC Ybor. We hope that this will inspire our current, past, and future members to register for the 2019-2020 season on our website https://www.tampabayprideband.com/registration/ as well as attend our Band Kick Off Orientation Event which is Monday July 29that 7pm at HCC in Ybor. Please invite your musician friends and share through your social media!
First Rehearsal: Monday August 12, 2019 7pm-9pm
Rehearsal Location: Hillsborough Community College Performing Arts Campus in Ybor City
Address: 2112 N 15th St. Tampa, FL 33605
Rehearsal Time: 7pm-9pm
Sincerely,
David Triplett-Rosa M.M.E.
Artistic Director
Tampa Bay Pride Band and Tampa Bay Symphonic Winds
Groundbreaking & Restoration Ceremony
https://www.facebook.com/events/400381423930640/
Join Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, METRO, CAN Community Health and others for a restoration and expansion ceremony, pre-construction preview, light refreshments and details about the bright future of one of Tampa’s oldest landmark buildings.
Built in 1909 and named for the successful German businessmen who funded it, the German American Building was created as community gathering place for all, regardless of heritage. Shuttered in 1917 due to anti-German sentiment at the onset of WWI, the building has struggled to realize its true purpose of inclusivity ever since… Until now.
Fast forward to 2020 where future tenants, Tampa-bay-based Metro Inclusive Health and CAN Community Health, will offer various healthcare services with a focus on the LGBTQ+ community, but where “all are welcome, including you,” as the slogan implies.
Plans call for restoring the gathering space to its original purpose and grandeur for community events and dozens of programs offered by METRO at little to no cost to the LGBTQ+ and ally community. Another 15,000 square foot three-storey state-of-the-art health center will be added adjacently, creating nearly 30,000 square feet in total.
In 2018, METRO impacted the lives of over 27,000 individuals. Currently leasing 12,000 square feet in Ybor City, the newly completed facility will make it possible to meet surging demand for services. Among them in particular, HIV testing, treatment and prevention as Hillsborough county was identified by the CDC as one of the Nation’s “most burdened counties,” with regards to rising HIV diagnoses.
Metro Inclusive Health
We need YOUR help to make sure that the voices of people living with HIV are included! Anyone who is living with HIV/AIDS is eligible to participate in the 2019 HIV Care Needs Survey. Responses are used to determine what services are most important to you so that those services can be funded appropriately. To access the survey online, please visit bit.ly/2xVeEjF