Caught @ Ybor City Wine Bar
Caught @ Bernini-Carne-Green Iguana
Photos of the Week
Photo of the Week
Caption???
Roosters Searchers
Pick up Ybor Coffee at MC Film
Saturday Ybor Market
Love n me some GaYBOR/Ybor
Caught @ Hamburger Mary’s
Dishing with Mark & Carrie 6-4-13
WELCOME New “Dishing with Mark & Carrie” Sponsors!!!
Hillsborough Commissioners Decide GLBT or no glbt
PLEASE COME AND ATTEND!!!
The Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM will be discussing the old law on the books about acknowledging the fate of Hillsborough County position on GLBT issues. Right now the county can’t recognize, promote, acknowledge, or finance any GLBT issue. We hope that the commish make the switchover vote. It is the right thing to do. The country’s attitudes are changing and the economic disaster for non tolerance and equality is irreversible.
In 2006 Comm at the time Ronda Storms was angered by the end cap of the library displaying some of June Pride months GLBT authors. Even though the GLBT book display was re displayed in an other part of the library, the then Commish put to super majority vote to do the above.
WOW… what a slap in the face.
Commissioner Kevin Beckner is bringing up the “old on the books law” to be discussed and changed. Commish’s Les Miller & Mark Sharpe are on board for the change! Two others are very supportive so everyone’s appearance and attendance is of utmost importance!
An Important note is that the HBOCC all signed the GaYBOR Days 2013 Proclamation in historic Ybor City and that was a very pleasant surprise having not recognized the 275 GLBTA member business association the past 5 years..
Show your support by going to the County Center Chambers Wedn. and sign up to speak about your own life as a GLBT person and the consequences of their past mistake or just show your support by attending.
Hillsborough County Historical Preservation Advisory Council
I sit on the Hillsborough County Historical Preservation Advisory Council for significant Hillsborough County points of historical interest and historical land markers. It is always a treat to share the past local history and keeping that history moment alive.
Most recently the council dedicated 2 Hillsborough County landmarks. One was in downtown Tampa at Julian B. Lane Park next to University of Tampa. The former location to the dedicated Phillips Field along the banks of the Hillsborough River where from 1937, the Univ Tampa played football games along with 3 other segregated Tampa high schools; Middleton, Jefferson and Blake. The NFL in the 1960’s also had football games played at this stadium and of course all the statewide marching band competitions. Ancestors from Phillips family from North Carolina
The second special dedication marker was presented to the Bealsville Community south of Plant City.This was the first settlement of freed Florida slaves in 1865. The 1866 Southern Homestead Act gave the freed emancipated slaves rights to property from help by former slaveholder, Sarah Howell. The town was originally called Howells Creek and changed in 1923 to Bealsville in recognition of Alfred Beal. A place to restart ones lives and make a new beginning. This is one of many great stories we live, recognize and cherish.
If you have a historical location or of a group that helped make Hilsborough County contact the Hillsborough County Historical Advisory Council at the Fred Karl County Center Building.
Ybor City had a Molly Worth Remembering
Denver had human rights advocate Molly Brown! Texas had journalist/ columnist Molly Ivens. And now you will most likely to remember an Ybor City Molly! Molly Ferrara is that person. Born and died in Ybor City she was a dynamic and ambassador of Tampa, an Alcaldesa (mayor) of Ybor City in 1952, a 35 year business woman and was talked about being the first woman to become Tampa’s mayor in 1959. The list of hundreds of achieving accolades and recognitions given to Molly is in sorts what Ybor City is all about. Complete diversity and inner spirit drive!
Family members had a meeting with the HCHAC and presented a biography binder of the “Ybor Latin Lady.” It is said that anyone living in Tampa that’s last name ended in a vowel was a family relative of Molly!
A new statue is requested to be erected in Centennial Park and a historical marker, first to honor the aunt, grandmother and woman in Ybor City, was bequested by ancestors of Molly Ferrara. Besides owning Columbia Music and Appliance Store in Ybor, she met up with many politicians including US Senators, Governors, and US Presidents. The founder of the Ybor City Girls Club, Board member of Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Intl Trade & Commerce member and a dozens other boards. She met up on a Tampa Intl Trades Conference trip with Dictator President Fulgencio Batista in Cuba prior to Fidel Castro military takeover.
Significant humanitarian issues is one of the many thgings people remember about the ‘Ybor Latin Lady.’ She was a very busy accomplished woman in Tampa but represented the whole United States.
People are Talking
There a rumors flying around about 3 new hotels coming to GaYBOR/Ybor area. According to several people the land has already been purchased and negotiations for hotel flags are on going. There will soon be a new late night hang out. The World Famous Laughing Cat Bistro will be staying open late on the weekends until 1 AM! There are two not to be missed events coming next week. The Trailer Trash BINGO at Hamburger Mary’s next Wednesday, June 12. This is one of Mathieu’s Party Events. You just never know who will be there. Thursday, June 13th will be the Roosters of Ybor Auction. This event will take place at Bradley’s on 7th. This will be your chance to take a Rooster Home!!! Have you noticed the renovations at Czar on 7th. New office tenants we hear! Over at the Parliament House during Gay Days in Orlando special singing guest performer Erasure’s Andy Bell did an outdoor concert with 3 fabulous drag queen back up performers. And the summer begins with a whirlwind 12 city Midwest / West Coast Tour stop.
New Branding at Visit Tampa Bay
After a year of testing www.VisitTampaBay.com has a new logo & branding. “Unlock Tampa Bay Treasure Awaits.”
You Can Not make this Up.
In the Vault.
One of the craziest places that I ever bartended at was “The Vault” on Central Ave in St. Pete. On the very first day I asked the owner where the ice machine was. He replied “WHAT!!! You didn’t pick some up on your way in!!!” He wasn’t joking. There was no ice machine. That should have been the first clue to me. I was all set up in the back room. The only light over the bar was from a cheap strand of Christmas lights. I asked the owner for more light so we could see the keys on the register. He actually said “Why???? just open the drawer and put the money in it. Don’t worry about ringing anything up.” Then I asked “What do you charge for drinks?” To which he replied “Charge what ever you think you can get out of them.” LOL LOL Judy B. Goode & Paul Thomas started to play for Happy Hour and we were actually doing very good there. This went on for about 8 or 9 months. Then the night before St. Pete Pride the owner fired everybody except me. The next day we were suppose to be open for St. Pete Pride & Judy was doing a show that day too. I told the owner that I was just going to quit too. He told me that if I quit he would not pay Judy for the Friday show. He went on to say that he was not going to pay her until after the show ended on Saturday. I worked that Saturday and the club was closed after that. Our fun Friday Happy Hour was then moved to the SunCoast Resort.
GaYBOR Member of the Week
Judy B. Goode
A founding GaYBOR member, Miss Judy B. Goode is always the first to volunteer her time. Performing on both sides of the Tampa Bay, Judy is a popular goodwill ambassador. Become her facebook friend today. You don’t want to miss out on any of the fun.
Mark & Carrie Nephieu/Niece of the Week
Mamma aka Carol Steen
OK this could be a little strange. What’s it mean when you call Mamma your Niece of the Week? LOL LOL When every Mamma is in the house there’s a party going on! Join her working 8 days a week at Bradley’s on 7th. Tell her Hi from the Uncles! wink wink
From the MC Film Mail Bag
“A guilty conscience needs to confess, a work of art is a confession” -Albert Camus
Everyone has a secret and everyone knows how secrets have ways of coming out. Meet deliciously deranged diva Zachary Hines and follow him down a wicked path of drunk ditties, frothy pop, and ballads of repentance. Inspired by anonymous confessions collected prior to the show, on Friday June 28th at 8PM, just in time for pride, for one night only freeFall Theatre transforms into a church for freaks and you are a fly on the wall inside the confession booth. A diverse songbook (from Leonard Cohen to Kurt Weill to Madonna), clownish antics, and surprise guests all combine to make for a debaucherous night of pure decadence. A confession is not an apology, see you at church!
For an exclusive preview of ‘Confessions’ click here
Join in on the fun and submit you own anonymous confession by calling 1-855-U-CONFESS or click here
ABOUT ZACHARY:
Cabaret Performance Artist Zachary Hines will, yet again, be “diva-slapping the Tampa Bay area into submission” (Creative Loafing). Having had the pleasure to present his work locally and as far as London, England, his previous cabarets have earned him critical and commercial success, including a Best of the Bay award. For more information visit www.Avant-Guardian.org
‘Confessions, a cabaret’ is powered by a Think Small to Think Big microgrant from Hampton Arts Management, will be presented 8PM Friday June 28th at freeFall Theatre. Tickets are now on sale at the freeFall theatre box office and online at freefalltheatre.com and avant-guardian.org.
Zachary Hines
Cigar Buildings in Ybor Still Standing
When out of town visitors come to our store and community info center of sorts in Ybor City, they ask what to do, where to go and of course of the history of what made Tampa famous, the hand-rolled cigar making. An historical short walk leads them to explore the Ybor City’s history of the artistry crafted hand-rolled cigar makers, known as ‘tabaqueros’ . Of course they buy the Tampa jeweled rolled tobacco torpedoes to enjoy smoking. But it isn’t just the cigars that entices them to see Ybor, it is the fascinating culture, festivals and older architectural buildings and cigar factory structures all over the district that make visitors enjoy the famed National Landmark Historic District.
Cigar Factories star,t 1886, was in the outskirts swamp lands, now Ybor City. The low land sales were owned and evolved by a diverse group of newly arriving immigrants in Tampa that included multi- ethnicity groups working together. In 1890’s that was very rare in the southern states. There were Spanish, Cuban, Italian, Sicilian, Eastern European and German cigar company owners. It truly was a “new world” and new settlement area to move to.
We have lived in Tampa and have a business here but we re-introduced ourselves to Ybor with a different mind set. One of visitor curiosity and camera in hand to seek the renaissance of the hand-made cigar making buildings built over a century ago. Tampa was then known as ” The Cigar Capital of the World!”
Wow… what again 1 person’s actions can make! Pioneer and namesake of Ybor City, Vincent Martinez-Ybor started and relocated a dream venture in 1885 that still continues today.
The old family cigar factories are plentiful in West Tampa as they are in Ybor City but we just photographed Ybor City’s historical hand-rolled cigar structures. Buildings that were built in the late 1880’s to early 1900 are still majestic and all somewhat similar.
We know that the possibility of tearing down some of the old historic factories is still feasible. In fact only one of 2 wooden historic cigar factories still remain. The old Oliva & Monett Cigar Factory on Palm & 19th Street.
Here is our recent photo tour of those building retrofitted to a new life and proudly remain standing in historic Ybor City.
We have the todays present tenants and the original cigar company info.
1). U-Haul Storage along I-4 was the Sanchez & Haya Cigar Factory built with brick in 1912. The first Sanchez & Haya Cigar Factory was a wooden building built in 1886 and burned down in the Great Ybor fire in 1908.
2). Stantec was the Seidenburg Cigar Company (aka M. Stachelberg Cigar Co.) 1894 made of brick on the corner of 20th St & 12th Ave.
3). JC Newman Cigar Factory still making cigars with a huge working clock tower nicknaming the factory, “El Reloj”, Spanish for clock and have a great cigar history museum just north of I-4 at the corner of 16th & Columbus Ave was the Regensburg Cigar Factory one of Tampa’s largest and lastly built brick cigar factories, era 1910.
4). Abandoned large factory on North 15th Street & 28th Ave was Perfecto Garcia Cigar Factory built with brick, era 1914.
5). Office Building presently was Corral & Wodiska Cigar Factory built out of brick with large tower with its most popular cigar name the company made, Bering , at 1302 North 19th Street, era 1928.
6). Tampa Sweetheart Cigar Company still producing cigars today with a store was the Arturo Fuente Cigar Company, 1310 North 22nd St brick built , era 1895.
7). Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research was F Lozano & Sons Cigar Co. large factory built with brick, 1908.
8). Warehousing presently and was proposed to become a bed & breakfast was the Oliva & Monett Cigar Factory built out of wood, 2 stories on Palm & 19th, era.1900.
9). Scientology Church, Spaghetti Warehouse & Creative Loafing Newspaper Offices was the V.M. Ybor Cigar Company, the grand daddy of the Ybor cigar factories with multiple buildings for the imported Cuban tobacco to be processed and hand-rolled. The building is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places with red brick layed streets. Previously it was an artist space then converted to retail, restaurants and bars named “Ybor Square.” Later sold to office management company now with its present owners & tenants.
10) Hillsborough Community College’s Administration Offices in Ybor City was Cyrilla Cigar Factory, brick built at 2112 North 15th Street, era 1905.
