Caught @ Bradley’s on 7th
Caught @ The Social
Caught @ G.BAR
Caught @ Ybor City Wine Bar
You Just Can Not Make This Up
Part Three – Red Square
Moscow was just starting to rebuild. We were staying in the International Olympic Village Hotel section near downtown Moscow. It was a city of extremes from… The very rich to 3rd world poverty, from very elegant to very shabby. We toured the Kremlin and even saw the Czar’s Faberge Egg Collection. Czar’s wife hallway of spectacular dresses and gowns & 2 dozen handmade jeweled horse carriages. The strange part was they would only except American dollars for entrance to all government buildings. The highlight of the day was a trip to Red Square. The famous and colorful St Basil’s Cathedral is all that people say it is. Really beautiful! The only thing scary was the gory past that made it what it is. In the center of the square is the Communist Dictator Lenin’s Tomb. We had our friend Jack with us. To be fair the best way to describe our friend Jack would be a very loud retired opinionated gay Italian. So there we were at the very dark Tomb. Soldiers are at every corner and at the end of each turnstile line. Nobody was allowed to talk. The long line went up and down, back and forth. Then all of a sudden there you were in front of Lenin’s casket. Lenin is in a glass coffin dressed in a Armani Suit and slightly raised. You can view the old dictator from 3 sides. You would swear he could sit right up and his hands are within touch.. Jack had not been listening about all this and was very surprised. He said very loudly “Oh my God there a dead body in there!” With that four pairs of arms came out of the dark, covered his mouth and took him away! If there is any type of disruption there is usually a very heavy fine to pay. Later we found jack wandering around the sq. He was taken to a side door & kicked out . LOL LOL
GaYBOR Member of the Week
Rich Kerin
A resident of Ybor City, Rich has been an active party of GaYBOR almost since day one. Working hard on the board as secretary, co-secretary and now the treasure. The beautiful GaYBOR posters are also Rich’s creations. The next time you see him out be sure to stop and wish him a Happy Viva La GaYBOR.
Mark & Carrie’s Nephew/Niece of the Week
Michael Boehme
The charmer at Ybor City Wine Bar is defiantly Michael. With his naughty boyish smile he will get you try all kinds of new things….. And new Wine too!!!. Stop by & give Michael some love’n too.
Dishing with Mark & Carrie 2-27-13
Gasparilla Festival of the Arts
This is the 43rd Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is an acclaimed national art show icon featuring over 300 worldwide talent of specialty artists. 350,000 people come to downtown Tampa and ascend to the juried judges art on the river exhibits.The weather looks clear & cool with little rain chances. The festival is March 2 and 3rd in Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa. The wide variety of art includes paintings, sculptures, jewelry, crafts, and unimaginable creative works. A definite cultural charm to the downtown Tampa’s revitalization with new high rises for residents and new innovative businesses. This year over 1000 applications were received and of that just over 300 were accepted to show and $75,000 in juried art awards.
The artsy attending crowds are immensely interesting both in show and clothes. Kudos for the Tampa arts organizations dominating their presence this weekend in Tampa.
Oh by the way, the Plant City Strawberry Festival with all those yummy strawberry shortcake booths and top entertainment is also going on for the next week. Great outside activities to take in and enjoy.
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MC FILM Still Rents Out Movies
We are pleased with the Oscars giving reverend thanks to the classic gay award nominee “Brokeback Mountain” up for the Oscars in 2005 by director Ang Lee. NBC anchors had a “Best Romantic Movie” episode and Brokeback Mountain was brought up a couple of times.This year Ang Lee’s spectacular film ” Life of Pi” won a number of Academy Awards.
Since 1989 we have had a large collection to share with the Tampa Bay community. MC FILM has most of the Academy Award Films on DVD along with 8600 great classic, foreign and GLBT movie titles For Sale & For Rent!.A lot of the GLBT DVD’s come from the directors themselves from film festivals and have little known community awareness or circulation but are great films to see and enjoy.
New Re-Do Trend at Hollander Boutique Hotel
A new growing trend for the changing downtown St Pete’s fashionable shopping area, eating establishments and diverse museums district. The corner of 4th Ave North & 4th Street in St Pete has had some major renovations. Only open for 3 weeks, the new Hollander Boutique Hotel (old Best Western & Travelodge) investors have put over $2 million dollars into upgrading the old landmark hotel. The 103 rooms were totally reconfigured with some suites upgrading to large screen TVs, wifi, super comfy mattresses and high end linens. All making for a real relaxing getaway for personal and business.
The historical landmark hotels project didn’t stop there. A new revamped kitchen, dining area and Tap Room Bar area. Further amenities include the Randy James Spa and Brew D Licious Coffee Shop. The ambient veranda terrace is something you see in the old southern pictures. Wrapped around the outer hotel is the red bricked columns and terrazzo floors. People gather and lounge in the large oversized chairs and tables. The walls are covered with old St. Pete pics, beautiful drapery and a restored classic fireplace in the large airy sitting room.
Entertainment is a major part of the nuevo fashionable community center. Old and young love the Grand Piano playing act daily. Tampa Bays entertainer Judy B Goode with Pianoman Paul Thomas performs alternate Sundays from 5-8pm. Also from Halcyon Duo, Deb H. performs on Wine Wednesday’s evenings.
Above that manager,trendy Nick Helling said that the chic hotel is already been awarded the TAG Approved (Travel Alternatives Group) from travel giant, Travelocity for Gay & Lesbian travellers. www.hollanderhotel.com



















































































































































