Author Archives: admin
Dishing with Mark & Carrie 7-15-21
Cuba Protest in Ybor City
Queen of the Night
Calling All Bears
City of Tampa Archives Awareness Week
USF Library has salvaged a promotional video about Ybor City created in the 1950s. Join us for this online viewing, as a part of Tampa’s Archives Awareness Week, and explore promotional films and Florida boosterism in the 1950s and 60s. This Teams Live Event will kick off TONIGHT at 6:00 PM and the link can be found here: https://qoo.ly/3d54zv
For more Archive Awareness Week events: https://www.tampa.gov/aaw
New Farmers Market
From Facebook…. Years ago our patriarch and matriarch, Judge and Mildred Williams, built an auto mechanic’s shop in East Ybor – “The Bottom”. This thriving business was one of this community’s meeting centers supporting youth and giving back to the community every way possible. Today, 4 generations later, their great-grandson, Walter L. Smith, III, is continuing the business and civic tradition with The Historic East Ybor Farmer’s Market on July 24th. If you want fresh fruits and vegetables, come on out and buy from our vendors! If you want to sell your fruits and vegetables, reserve a station for $50 call 813.531.1845.
Ybor City Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies
https://members.ybor.org/events/details/ribbon-cutting-ceremony-for-foundation-coffee-co-2979
https://members.ybor.org/events/details/ribbon-cutting-ceremony-for-the-gimmick-2971
Boil Spot & BBQ
Our friends were telling us about Boil & BBQ Korean restaurant on Fowler Ave, near USF. If you were ever “That Kid” who would eat everything out of your soup but not the broth this is the place to you. There are built-in hot plates on the tables here. They bring you your choice of hot soup broth. Then you pick out what you would like in your soup. There is a buffet table with cold items on it. Around the restaurant is a moving conveyor belt with more options. We will be back here and soon. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boil%20Spot%20&%20BBQ/109456457171350/
Metro Inclusive Health
SUNday FUNdays
PFLAG National
Netflix’s new “We the People” Teaches Civics Through Song (with More Than a Little Help from Some Queer Moms) 🧡🌈 via Mombian
Caught @ Bradley’s on 7th
Caught @ City Side
Caught @ Southern Nights Ybor City
You Just Can Not Make This Up
WTF Tampa
We are very lucky and can live almost anywhere we choose. In Ybor City. there is a true sense of community that embraces and celebrates diversity here. That is why we picked to live in Ybor City. For the past 15+ years a small group, in the Ybor City Community, have come together to watch the 4th of July Fireworks. It is a very fun tradition to meet on the roof top of the parking garage to view the fireworks. This year there were a couple families with pickup truck that had their kid playing in the back. Senior Citizens had set up lawn chairs and neighbors were catching up on the latest news. Everything was quite and peaceful. There was No alcohol (red cups, beer cans etc.) No loud Music. Just “O’s” and “WOW’s” as the Temple Terrace and Busch Gardens fireworks went off. Then the City of Tampa parking garage security came and told us we were loitering and need to “GET OUT NOW!!!!” Several people said that we were not loitering just watching firework. The security said very rudely and loud GET OUT NOW OR YOU ALL ARE GOING TO JAIL!!!! In true Ybor fashion, we all showed respect and left. WTF TAMPA!!!!
While I am on this soap box. I would like to bring up that the City of Tampa are now charging $10 Special Event Parking every Friday & Saturday Night (as they did on Sunday, July 4th) in Ybor City. They are saying that it gets people out faster. Hum… but the gates are all down and everyone still has to stop and put the ticket in. This looks more like a way to drive business out of Ybor City.
Dishing with Mark n Carrie 7-8-21 “RQV”
“RQV”
For 29+ years we were the owners of the Gay Pride Shops, “MC Film Festival Music & Video Store.” We had locations in Orlando, Tampa, Ybor City & 4 in St. Petersburg. We actual started with beta tapes then went into VHS. At one point we had the largest collection of non porno LGBT videos. Many universities would call and purchase videos from us. People would ask many times a day,” What’s good to watch?” That is when we started “RQV” Required Queer Viewing. When a film would come along that we all thought was GREAT it would get a “RQV” sticker on the box. People loved this and these videos were always in high demand. When DVD’s started to gain in popularity, we phased out VHS and brought in DVD’s. Then the new on demand services started up. With the popularity of Amazon it was time to close our stores. That brings us to today. Some good friends told us we must watch “The Handmaid’s Tale”. This is one of the most powerful films we have ever seen. It is very believable especial in the times we live in NOW! There are many LGBT parts and social comparisons. We proudly give “The Handmaid’s Tale” our RQV RATING!!!!
NFL says ‘Football is gay. Football is queer. Football is accepting.’
Hurricane Elsa
Well, that was a cute test run for this year’s hurricane season. Every year we ask our friends what are the must have things in your hurricane kit. We have heard things like work gloves and boats for cleanup, deck of cards, old fashion radios. We stumbled on a very cool thing. It started when we purchased a RYOBI battery drill. RYOBI also has lights, radio, fans and cell phone chargers. Now there is no need for all the extra batteries. We even wrote to RYOBI and suggested a all-in-one hurricane kits. They actually wrote back and said there already was one in design. Our other Hurricane tip is. The night before the storm make an extra pot of coffee. If the power goes off the next day. Cold coffee is better than no coffee LMAO!
The Columbia Restaurant Name
Thank you for sharing where your name the name “The Columbia Restaurant” came from. This is just anougher reason why we love Ybor City so much! Below is from facebook…
On Fourth of July, we remember the patriotic origins of our name. In 1903, founder Casimiro Hernandez, Sr., named his new Ybor City cafe the Saloon Columbia out of gratefulness for his asylum in the land of opportunity. The saloon’s name was inspired by the song “Columbia, Gem of the Ocean,” a popular patriotic tune at the time which functioned as an unofficial national anthem in competition with “Hail, Columbia” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The name Columbia, in fact, served as a nickname for the United States of America in the 19th century. Reading the song’s lyrics, you can imagine why the soul of a Cuban immigrant of Spanish descent would be stirred by singing them: https://youtu.be/8wIDXclKtGQ
This Saturday
Tuesday @ City Side
Virtual Campfire Series | LGBTQ+ Youth
https://www.facebook.com/events/2962405714044151/?ref=newsfeed
Coming Soon… A New Store in Ybor City
https://www.facebook.com/BulgeTampaBay
PFLAG National
Netflix’s new “We the People” Teaches Civics Through Song (with More Than a Little Help from Some Queer Moms) 🧡🌈 via Mombian
SUNday FUNday
Caught @ the Judy B Goode & Paul Thomas Show
The Judy B. Goode & Paul Thomas Show
After 16 months The Judy B. Goode & Paul Thomas Show returns to The Hollander Hotel!!! The SOLD OUT audience went wild as Judy and Paul performed for 2+ hours. The Celebrities spotted included our favorite Nancy Alexander. The show will be back the 1st Saturday of the month starting at 5PM. Click here for all the Fun Photos.
