BOOK NOW for The Tampa Pride Cruise

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BOOK NOW for The Tampa Pride Cruise
 
TAMPA PRIDE 2016 General Meeting
The next TAMPA PRIDE 2016 General Meeting
Tuesday,  November 17th, 6pm
at Hampton Inn & Suites Ybor Big Conference Room.
Meeting is Open to Everyone. New updates and activities planned for TP 2016.
Including;
Miss TAMPA PRIDE Pageant, Jan 17th, 2016
Grand Marshal’s GALA, February 24th, 2016
TAMPA PRIDE Festival, Parade & Entertainment, March 26, 2016
TAMPA PRIDE Reunion Cruise, March 28 – April 2nd 2016, www.AL&CHUCK.Travel
 Volunteer, Help on a Committee, Sign Up and help create “A Day to Remember!”
Be in the Know!!!  Tell Your Friends and Associates
THIS Sunday 11AM
Community Decorating Day in Ybor City
Click here for details
New Studio 2606
The famous old leather Club 2606 closed several years ago. It has now re opened as Studio 26. Newly renovated and decorated up. Located in the same former location at 2606 North Armenia Ave. There are also some very familiar faces there!! Jack Sarver is back bartending Monday – Fridays 12 Noon – 8pm.
He is behind the bar on the second floor.
See you all there.
Is Hillsborough County Going Back on Sexual Orientation Charter Changes?
Florida Ave Business Traffic and  A New Bar
    What is happening to North Florida Ave? After years of plateau existing, Seminole Heights my friends is on fire! New eclectic businesses are opening along the old warehouse district South of Hillsborough Ave, New eateries are moving north of that area too. New great eateries have popped up and include the Independent, Cappy’s Pizza and award winning the Refinery. The Refinery is right across the street from the artsy Red Star Rock Bar. All have made a score in this up and coming transitioned Tampa neighborhood.
    We stopped by to see our ol bartending Ybor blonde bombshell gal, Karen who now works at Red Star Rock Bar on Thursdays. Brian Bosco, who was formerly manager of Gasper’s Grotto, is the proud owner of this kindred bar establishment. We were there to testify and experience the place. It is going to be a favorite hangout for the varied trending walkers and neighbors to patronize.
    The outside open patio area is ready for sound and live musicians to perform. It is the escape from the inside rock jukebox.  The patio has a wall of many unfamiliar beer and ale tin placards. Most signs were from breweries outside of Florida. One I spotted was from my home town brewery in Stevens Point, Wisc. The deep blue Point Beer sign  stood out to me. It was like a familiar youthful past 1980’s neighborhood stop.
    The area is bustling with new digs to create the new Seminole Heights local shopping experience. From the dozen new creative fusion restaurants, coffee shops  and vintage stores. But this isn’t your regular bar. This is a fungy, fun, rest your hat “Cheers” bar. We recognized a lot of the afternoon happy hour’ers. Owner Bosco was present along with Mathieu Stanoch, John D. and the owners of many Ybor City properties were visiting smiling bartending Karen. The other 2 dozen were from the area stopping in.
    We were told that food trucks are arranged around the back side parking lot for tasty treats on weekends and during the day.
    “Try the BBQ food truck outside. It is out of this world. ” Karen instructed us.
    We give the Red Star Rock Bar 5 classic guitars. 5210 North Florida Avenue.  www.redstarrockbar.com
Next Door, Vintage Post
    Our Sis, Flora in Savannah loves to go out to paint, relax and have a few glasses of wine at the same time at area classes. Often a wine distributor expert explains the complexity of the nights wines the amateur artists are drinking to.
    That very similar place of tranquility is now open right in Seminole Heights called Vintage Post Marketplace. They call this weekly special wine night, “Paint n Sip.”   How convenient too, next to Red Rock Star Bar on Florida Ave.
    The owner, Mellesa Clements was very friendly and willing to show us around the large fashion and consignment warehouse decorated shop.
    A shop full of an array of a local vendors, home made crafts, antique and brushed furniture, paint & supplies, jewelry, consignments and specialty hand crafted gifts. The time we were there had a lot of shoppers. Interesting wall pieces and even an area for new women’s clothing.
    Always a transformation of items in store as they sell fast. www.VintagePostMarketplace.com

METRO’s Tampa Bay ‘GALA Rouge’ Charity Benefit

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    The Third Annual Metro Wellnes & Community Centers Charity Benefit, ‘GALA ROUGE’ was a burlesque of a great time. The annual benefit fills the needs of LGBTA youth programs, food banks, transgender counseling, transportation cards and a well recognized health care provider for the area GLBTA community.
    We congratulate  Metro Wellness CEO, Lorraine Langlois and all the staff and doctors that are now encompassed in the work of Metro Wellness & Community Center. Officially recognizing LGBT leaders with specially recognized honors went to gay Hillsborough County Commissiner Keven Beckner and to longtime writer and former Watermark Magazine editor, Steve Blanchard.
    The night opened up at the old St Pete Historic Train Depot on South 22nd Street in the Vintage Art District. The newly transformed building was a beautiful backdrop to the many changes in St. Petersburg’s different districts. It was a themed night of classic European Cabaret ambiance with different performances by Tampa Bay’s Femmes & Follies with leading lady Katie James and the nights Emcee and colorful ringmaster, Matthew McGee. The handsome twisted shirtless young man and the fire dancer treated the revelers.
    A wide variety of raffles, vacation auctions, great appetizers, food garnishments and drinks were arranged all around the transformed train depot.
    Many spotted friends and celebrities. James Keane and Chris Rudisill from Metro Wellness, Michael Brill from Raymond James Investments, New St. Pete Punkies Bar owner, Brian Longstreth, Creative Loafing editor David Warner and partner political consultant,Larry Bittle, Tom Crist from Hotspots Media, newcomers from Watermark Magazine were with Bill Jeffries,  political consultant Nick Janovsky and now with Smith & Associates, and St. Pete gay icon leader and friend, attorney Bob Pope.
    Metro Wellness & Community Centers is such a great asset to the Tampa Bay community for all they work for and towards human dignity!
Calling all Bears

You Just Can Not Make This Up

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    A good friend of ours is just turning 36 years old and a little touchy about her age. Well actually a lotta touchy. One day we stopped into a convenience  store for her to buy a pack of cigarettes. There was a person training a new person on the cash register.
    The trainer said, “After you swipe the register will say.. Is this person over 40 years of age“
    With that the trainer looked at our friend and said “She obviously is so hit OK” With that we took one step back, knowing it was about to get messy….. Our friend blatted, “REALLY?!?! REALLY?!?!? obviously over 40?!?!? “
For our next game we are all going to play the game…guess your weight!

From The MC Film News Bag

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https://act.myngp.com/el/-7207309084741728256/-3505353519642834944

Monday,November 9, 2015
Photo of the Week
Mayor Bob Buckhorn
Mayor Bob Buckhorn joins local muralists Tes One and Bask, along with their incredible team, as they put the finishing touches on the new Poe Parking Garage mural dubbed “Stay Curious.”
“From the Desk of Mayor Buckhorn” is designed to give citizens greater insight into the Mayor’s Office. Every week, Mayor Buckhorn will offer a snippet of what he’s currently working on.“Since the Affordable Healthcare Act, more than 1.7 million Floridians have signed up for healthcare – 77,256 in Hillsborough last year alone. Even with these gains, living without health insurance is still a scary reality for families across the state. Now is the time to learn about your healthcare choices at HealthCare.gov. There, you will find financial assistance, options to find a plan that works for your family, and an application that takes about 10 minutes to complete. The deadline is January 31, 2016. Together, we can make sure no one in our city lives with the fear of getting sick or injured. Tell anyone you know who isn’t insured to visit HealthCare.gov and learn about their choices.”

 

11/4: Tampa Bay Business Journal: Buckhorn: Downtown Tampa close to landing a grocery store – for real this time – Adding to the live, work, play atmosphere, a potential grocery store could be a big win for downtown

11/5: FDOT offers to work with HART on comprehensive transit study – Florida Department of Transportation District 7 Secretary Paul Steinman, offered at a Tampa city council meeting last week, to fund a transit study which will outline a regional rail plan for Tampa Bay.

11/6: Tampa Tribune: Half-cent sales tax hike recommended for transportation needs – The Policy Leadership Group voted to move forward with a sales tax referendum for roads and transit projects last week after completing the Go Hillsborough public outreach projects.

11/6: Tampa Bay Times: Tampa Bay transportation leaders excited at prospects of turning CSX train tracks into commuter rail system – Tampa Bay leaders gathered to discuss the potential of turning current CSX freight lines into commuter rail for Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, and Pinellas counties. The Florida Department of Transportation has committed to work with local agencies to research the possibilities.

11/6: Tampa Tribune: Tampa officials see Google Fiber’s potential for tech startups – The announcement of Google Fiber’s potential expansion into the Tampa market has ignited a firestorm of interest into what gigabit internet speeds, 100 times faster than the average internet speed in Florida today, could do for tech-startups and entrepreneurs in Tampa.

11/6: Tampa Bay Business Journal: Here’s what happens when you Google Tampa: – The search engine giant has put Tampa on its map, and that’s leading to a lot of questions about what to expect, and when.

11/7: WUSF News: Obama Targets Tampa, Other Cities For HealthCare.gov Enrollment – President Obama announced last week that Tampa is joining 20 other cities in a White House Healthy Communities Challenge to enroll uninsured people in this year’s Affordable Care open enrollment. The enrollment period ends January 31, 2016.
Schedule Highlights
Monday, November 9, 9:00 a.m
Franciscan Center 2nd Annual First Responders Golf Classic
Tuesday, November 10, 11:00 a.m.
“The Mayor’s Hour” Taping at Amalie Arena
Tuesday, November 10, 6:30 p.m.
Tampa Police Chief’s Neighborhood Appreciation Night
Wednesday, November 11, 7:30 a.m
Plant City Chamber of Commerce Contact Breakfast
Wednesday, November 11, 9:00 a.m.
Operation Reveille “Veteran Housing” Initiative
Thursday, November 12, 3:00 p.m.
Hillsborough County Tourist Development Council Meeting
Thursday, November 12, 7:00 p.m
Tampa Hispanic Bar Association 9th Annual Gala
Friday, November 13, 10:45 a.m.
Restoration Hardware Ribbon Cutting
Friday, November 13, 7:00 p.m.
Tampa Convention Center 25th Anniversary Celebration