Caught@ The Social
Photos of the Week
Photos of the Week
Photo of the Week
Tiss the Season
Matt, Damanc & AJ had just left.
“Tyra Bank’sTop Model Contest”
We think all three should have won!
Jeff’s Party with Tea Cup on the Hamburger Mary’s Balcony
HOTspots Magazine in GaYBOR
GaYBOR Food Drive Picking up at MC Film
Welcome to Bernini’s in Ybor
Jason gives a tour to LSU
Holiday Parties @ Carnie’s
Brothers at the Reservoir
Shuuu… Mark would love this!
Blue Tile selfie at Bradley’s
Talking like a fish!
Hamburger Mary’s @ Bradley’s
Click for More Photos at Ybor City Wine Bar
Caught @ Steam FridaysClick for More Photos at Steam Fridays
Click for More Photos at Hamburger Mary’s
Click for more Photos @ Cristinos
Click for More Photos at The Social
Click for More Photos atJJ’s Cafe & Bar
Click for More Photos at Centro Cantina
Caught @ GaYBOR/Ybor CityDishing with Mark & Carrie 12-18-13
Happy Start of Winter Solstice
Ybor City Holiday Spirit ‘Snow on 7th’ Parade… H U G E
Timing and weather are 2 big factors in trying to plan an outdoor venue. But with Tampa’s “Super Santa Weathermen” on your side the challenge and chance of storms reduces. With that said, Kudos to the Annual Snow On 7th planning committee, Stephen Moss, Florida Entertainment, GaYBOR, YCDC and artistic holiday parade guru, Matthew Stanoch. It was truly a work of majestic heartfelt art.
The hopeful 50% increase in attendance was blasted away with a whopping 200% community increase with over 45,000 families and friends having a great night out in the historic snowy dreamland. It all started in front of Centro Ybor with the 7th Ave street staged modern dance performances, Holiday Singing acts and the poised crowd overwhelmingly loved it.
I traveled to the many different staging areas of the parade for the nighttime snowfall in GaYBOR/ Ybor City. The dressing & costume room was filled with volunteers fitting into their costumes for the enchanted night. Elves, Ginger Bread men, Sugar Plum Fairies, Dancing Bears, Santa Helpers, Christmas Trees, Charles Dicken’s “Scrooge” plus another 2 dozen characters were all coming out of the make-up and costume cottage. Thank You to GaYBOR members and YC Residents volunteering for holding banners and showing spirit into the night holiday spectacular. All FREE for the community’s enjoyment.
The staging area for the 14 marching bands, floats and Tampa dignitaries took on a new meaning. It was Ybor’s 8th Ave battle of the high school bands. A conglomerate of music trading holiday band tunes and ringing from warm ups with the 14 marching bands brass instrument players and drum corps. They were louder than the 10 pm CSX Railroad train locomotive’s air horn thru Ybor City! Still in colorful dance team outfits and band uniforms getting ready to show off their schools pride to friends, parents and grandparents watching them perform during the upcoming 75 degree snowy blizzard marching performance on the holiday decorated lamp avenue.
The invited floats included sponsors Italiano Insurance, Ybor City Development Corp, the Krewe of Alegria, Tampa’s 1950’s historic Fire Truck with Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Thomas Forward & distinguished wife doing the honors of driving the big “Mack” highly polished red fire truck. The new Tampa Police Captain for Ybor City area, Capt. Ruben Delgado with wife and family and the Ybor City Fire Rescue Team & Truck. Lastly, were the Tampa leaders from downtown’s City Hall. Honorable and smiling Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and wife, Dr. Catherine Lynch Buckhorn were in the white decorated horse drawn canopied draped carriage. Tampa City Council members riding in convertibles were Honorable Lisa Montelione, Charlie Miranda, Mike Suarez, Harry Cohen, Frank Reddick and daughter of Councilwoman Yvonne “Yolie” Capin.
The “Flavor of Ybor”, Tampa Cable TV Show was broadcasting for those that couldn’t make the nights festivities with TV hosts Veronica Swiatek and Brenda Thrower. It was all about holiday festivities in Tampa’s gem historic District, Ybor City. What a statement that did on the minds of all the thousands of children watching and awaiting Santa Claus’s arrival. And Santa didn’t disappoint the Tampa crowdsters.
People of all ages cheered and celebrated the visually snowy themed night. At the end of the parade were Mike Olds, Scott W and Rich K. handing out water bottles to all the drained out energy marching high school band members.
The 7th Ave patios were also packed as were the streets with gleeful watching partying characters. I made mention of characters as Sat. was also the “Annual Ybor City Santa Claus Bar Crawl”. All entrants have to be dressed in any crazy holiday character to participate. This years charity benefited Meals On Wheels in Tampa Bay.
With such an increase in attendees wait until next years bountiful spirited parade. You will not have to wait long for another parade as the famed Outback Bowl Parade comes to Ybor City, New Years Eve at
6 pm. This year colleges, LSU & Iowa will be battling for the Championship Football Bowl title New Years Day at Raymond James Stadium.
JJ’s Cafe’s Holiday Party
GaYBOR Holiday Party
Another great year of shared events and a chance to brag about the colorful decoration that the GaYBOR District Coalition Holiday Decorating Contest holds for the community. This year the big prizes given out were weekend stays at Double Tree Hotel at Walt Disney World, 50″ HD TV, Premium Bottle Wine and of course cash prizes and bragging rights!
The winner of the Best Decorated Retail Store was La France. Best decorated Restaurant – Carne’s Steak House, Best Decorated Night Club- Honey Pot and Best Ybor City Resident Home went to Ybor’s Teresa. The MC was president of GaYBOR Mark Eary.
GaYBOR Ambassador Peter Clark (Hotspots Magazine) from Ft Lauderdale was present. A congratulatory of all the GaYBOR Emeritus board members ; Carrie West, D. Stephen Moss, Rich Kerin & Mark Bias who started GaYBOR District Coalition were introduced.
Bradley’s On 7th was the host again for this packed Holiday Fare with the over 250 Business Members. Thanks to all the food suppliers; New York, New York Pizza, Jimmy John’s Subs and numerous GaYBOR Members.
Holiday Parties In & Around
Prana Night Club had a wonderful holiday party for the Ybor City Development Corp and business leaders in Ybor City. Always a way to network for future events and share ideas with a multitude of city staff that helps the historic district.
What is the best time to have a holiday party? With free entertainment of course. All three floors at Bernini’s Restaurant had private holiday parties after watching the Snow on 7th Parade. Same held true for a number of private events at restaurants on 7th Ave. Honey Pot had a great view of the parade and had a catered soiree by Puff & Stuff Caterers. The newly opened Cristinos’s Coal Oven Pizza Restaurant on 8th & 17th Ave had a great opening. They just opened their doors Friday! Wow, what a way to start your business with 45,000 people hungry in Ybor! Stop By and say hi to the new business owners.
JJ’s & Centro Cantina held their friends and customer appreciation with homemade tortinis and Italian sausage with peppers and onions. Oh yes, the homemade deserts are uhhhh lala tasty! And kalhua with egg nog. Plain Yummy!
Ybor City Wine Bar had a slew of private get togethers for the last couple of weeks. Owner Jayme Kossar celebrated her 1 year anniversary at her unique kraft beer and wine bar in Centro Ybor. Hamburger Mary’s had an abundance of group partiers with TEACUP bartending on the patio!
Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza Restaurant Opens in Ybor City
The ever so popular Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza in Clearwater is such a hit, brothers/owners Joe, Marco & Lenny Cristino opened their 2nd famed brand in historic Ybor City just a few days ago. Really you almost have to make reservations to get seated at their wonderful boutique Clearwater restaurant. After months of working out a deal and totally renovating the old Spurs and Play Bar at 17th Street & 8th Ave. they finally opened with wondrous community applause. It is right across from Game Time & Crowbar!
It is sincerely beautifully done and a great added restaurant for Ybor City. The official grand opening and ribbion cutting will be in January right after the holidatys.
Also on their menu is a wide variety of Italian dishes that their Grandmother used to make, we were told. The building was totally gutted and rebuilt. New kitchen, dining area, outdoor seating. And the homemade Italian Gelato is not to be missed. Over a dozen frozen flavored treats. Well you can’t miss this over $100,000 Italian imported display.
Go out and experience fun & authentic flavorful Italian dishes at Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza
Annual Underwear SALE at MC FILM
Famous Brand Underwear… Unico, Go Softwear, Andrew Christian, AJ, Knocker Underwear all 20% OFF on the Annual MC FILM Holiday Underwear SALE.
New HRC (Human Rights Campaign) shirts have arrived. Making a great Olympic statement are the new HRC shirts written in Russian, “Love Conquers Hate!” Also a wide variety of Ajaxx and DC Jean shirts.
Other great gift ideas are San Francisco Music Boxes and music snow globes, December Diamond’s Mermen, famed necklaces from Metal & Leather and a large variety of beautifully scented handmade glycerin bar soaps. A favorite for you or any person on your list.
Sign Today
Coca-Cola executives are just days away from deciding whether or not to speak out against Russia’s brutal new anti-gay laws. So far, Coke has remained silent on Russia’s horrific LGBT crackdown — but if we can show Coke how many people want Coke to speak out against this law, we can set off an earthshaking domino effect that pushes other international sponsors to follow and causes Russia a multi-billion-dollar headache.
Please join us in calling on Coca-Cola to condemn Russia’s brutal anti-gay crackdown.
http://action.sumofus.org/a/coke-russia-lgbt/?sub=tafYou Can Not Make this Up.
The year was 1988. We decided to have a “Charles Dickens Christmas.” Together with our friends Dr. Walt & Jack we flew to London England. We arrived the week before Christmas and stayed thru New Years. We quickly discovered that the “Charles Dickens Christmas” was only in the books. London was not holiday decorated the way we do in America, it was very cold, damp and colorless.
We didn’t know that the government, Harrod’s Dept Store, museums, many business closed the week from Christmas to New Years. Christmas Eve was very wonderful. We had tickets to go to The Royal Albert Hall for their Traditional Holiday Concert. I forget who the symphony (Great London Symphony) was but they played all the favorites for 3 hours. We couldn’t help but to be overwhelmed by all the history & spectacular ambiance in this hall. Even singing great Freddy Mercury of Queen singing group had played here.
After the concert we went out for Christmas Eve dinner in where our large 2 bedroom apartment was in West Brighton. The eatery had a special British Holiday Fare Menu. It was warm inside after leaving the cold outdoors with great food offered. Pheasant, Braised Beef, Turkey, Scalloped potatoes and green peas and a huge selection of super yummy English homemade deserts. We had to try them because it was Christmas in London.
During our week after Christmas we did play tourists and ventured to the famed Royal Windsor Castle to see the Queens get away home. Oh Shuchks she was gone! But the town of Windsor was beautifully decorated way beyond belief. A gorgeous Royal Castle and town holiday decorated much to the like of an American city.
OK on with the story…. The next year we opened our first MC Film Fest Store. It was located on South Hyde Park Ave in Tampa . Located right across from the University of Tampa. There was a new restaurant that had just opened up next to us called “Cafe European.” It was the same restaurant and owners we had Christmas Eve in London 1 year prior.
The owners remembered us from that night. We all had a really great time together. We shared stories and were very close neighbors. What a small small world!
