You Can Not Make This Up!

Red Couch
There was a modern furniture store located on the corner of 30 St & 1st Ave North in St. Petersburg. The perfect Red Couch was on display there. It was out of our price range so we saved and saved for 6 months to buy it. Finally the day arrived & we purchased the couch!!! I especially was so pleased!! The next day we eagerly awaited for it to be delivered. The couch arrived and it was BEAUTIFUL!
The guys started to bring it up the steps to the front door…….. The couch was too big for our front door! The delivery guys explained that it was all our fault. The doors in the old homes in South Tampa were a standard 34 inches wide. All the newer homes are 38+ inches wide. Sadly, we said, “Well,  I guess you need to take it back.”
The guys laughed and said, “I am one of the owner and That’s your problem!!!” and left the couch in our front yard. After some heated words they drove away. We went 3 blocks away and had the check stopped immediately. Back at home we called the store owner. He actually said, “You bought it. You figure out how to get it in the house!” In a calm voice Carrie said “We stopped payment on the check. Pick up your couch or we will call the police for illegal dumping.”  Oh, then the furniture store closed!!
The Red Couch was picked up right away. Now we have a beautiful couch from Larman’s Furniture in Ybor City.  

GaYBOR Member of the Week

Laughing Cat Bistro
Owner Chefs Franco & Jerry have been cooking for over 10+ years on the corner of 8th Ave & 15th Street in GaYBOR/Ybor City. This popular restaurant has won countless awards, including the Top Tampa Bay Restaurant in AOL Trip Advisor. In the evening this is the perfect restaurant of a family or romantic memorable dinning experience. The weekday lunch buffet has become legendary!!!
 Lunch or dinner the Laughing Cat Bistro is a ” MUST DO!!!”

Mark & Carrie Nephew/ Niece of the Week

Lexx (Alexis) De La Mer
Originally from New York. Lucky for the Tampa Bay Area, Alexis now calls St. Petersburg home with her Fab husband Jack. Performing on both sides of the bridge, entertaining the crowds. Alexis is easy to love & hard to forget!!! Many (((HUGS))) to our nephew of the week!

Dishing with Mark & Carrie 4-10-13

 
Roosters in Ybor
The Roosters have landed in GaYBOR/ Ybor City!
 Rich Kerin, GaYBOR District Coalition
project mgr. of the Roosters of Ybor Community Partnership Art Project welcomes the delivery of the Roosters to the Hillsborough Community College (HCC) work room, readying them for the students to decorate!
There are a lot of planned events in conjunction with the GaYBOR Community partnership project.
The Roosters of Ybor Gallery Opening is slated for May 2nd in the Main Gallery of HCC’s Ybor City Campus from 5pm – 7:30pm where 10 HCC students will compete for a $1000 tuition voucher to HCC. The exhibit will be judged that evening by a Board member of the GDC and 2 Board members of the Arts Council of Hillsborough County.
After the week long exhibit at the Main Gallery at HCC Ybor Campus the Roosters of Ybor will be moved into storefronts throughout GaYBOR/ Ybor City as a public art display on May 10th! An auction is further planned for the sale of the prized colorful Ybor roosters.
This is the 2nd major art project under taking that GaYBOR District Coalition has put on. The first 3 years ago, Pianos in Ybor” were 10 pianos were painted by local and national artists and set into setting around Ybor City for people to play. This open and free event for 6 weeks had thousands of people coming to play, view and enjoy the community art project. The project received a lot of positive media around Tampa Bay, Florida and even feature stories in Japan and Europe newspapers.
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“Priscilla Queen of the Desert” Musical at the Straz
The Straz Performing Arts Center has one of the most “Outrageous” musicals having won many awards at the 2011 Tony Awards for “Fabulous Costumes.” The musical about 3 traveling drag performers crossing the Outback of Australia and all the unforeseen problems, disasters and adventures they curtain with the famous pink bus named, ” Priscilla.” The 90’s iconic dance floor songs that you are so familiar with will have you singing in the aisles! Memorable pop chart dance songs include“Raining Men”, “I Will Survive”, “Finally” and my fav, ” Go West.”
The famous colorful movie story line now in a touring musical will have you in laughter and in tears! The changes in the play script are really an added. The 3 brilliant colored angels flowing over the set, the 300  wardrobe changes, the dance and the bus Priscilla was a beautiful piece of work, . Oh, guess who was specially invited at the beginning of the Tuesday nights opening 2nd act to dance with the cast members? Hamburger Mary’s servers Josh & Prada. Guys you did a fabulous job.
MC FILM was awarded a certificate by ‘Priscilla’ film company, Polygram Pictures for selling more videos than the K-Mart Stores back in 1994. It really is quite the iconic and on everyone’s movie shelf “Gay Film.”
Tickets are available for this one week set of performances at Straz Performing Arts Center, and there aren’t any bad seats in the playhouse.  www.strazcenter.org .
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VOTE for Mark & Carrie
We have been Nominated to be this years 2013 Grand Marshals of the St. Pete Pride Parade!!!
This is the largest LGBT Pride in the SE USA with over 120,000+ people last year!
Just to be nominated is a HUGE Honor!
It would be Fantastic to bring this Honor home to GaYBOR/Ybor City. Please Facebook and tell all your family & friends!
Now we NEED YOUR HELP! It is down to the final 3. Please go to this link and VOTE for us.
“The Hawkeye”
The student newspaper of Hillsborough Community College this week
Featured Mark & Carrie at MC Film
 
GaYBOR Monthly Meeting
The April GaYBOR District Coalition meeting is Friday at Bradley’s on 7th. at 4pm. We are getting ready for the Roosters in Ybor project and GaYBOR Days  coming Memorial Day Weekend.
 Everyone is welcome to attend. HCC Ybor City President. Dr Shawn Robinson is our Guest Speaker

Festa Italiano

This year the 16th Annual Festa Italiano brought over 15 thousand visitors to historic Ybor City. The great sunny spring weather ran four days and benefited the Ybor City Italian Club included a VIP Party, team bocce ball competition, Wine making, Italian Idol contest and the huge Sunday Italian Food Fest. Over 35 participating local & Italian cuisine restaurants on Sunday had the crowds drooling. It was a whole day of renewing friendships and experiencing the Italian Sunday dinner dishes that Grandma used to make.
The streets were abuzz with the high end displayed Italian sports car models Mazzeratti, Ferrari and Fiat cars on site. Bands, dancing and the official early Sunday morning church service procession ceremony with the local parish priests and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.
Congrats to another great Italian year in historic Ybor City.