Dishing with Mark & Carrie 11-21-12

Happy  Thanksgiving…
GLBT Christmas Trees, Colt Calendars,
Holiday Cards & Red Speedos
Eat Like a Local
The Holidays are here! Don’t forget to treat yourself too! Try “Eating Like a Local.” The very first restaurant that pops into our head is the award winning restaurant by Trip Advisor, “The Laughing Cat Restaurant!”
The lunches here have been a favorite for locals since they opened over a decade ago. Every weekday 11 AM to 2:30 PM you will find one of the finest all you care to eat Italian buffets in Tampa. Starting with homemade breads, a full cold table with salads, salmon, antipastos & surprises. On to the hot table with fish, chicken, pork or beef or seafood always served with the Cat’s signature Vodka Pasta and ‘bet you can’t eat just one’ Franco’s homemade meat balls!
This Holiday season join the GaYBOR/Ybor

3 MUST DO Events…. To mark on your calendar now!!

Friday, Dec 7 &&&  Saturday, Dec 8 &&& Sunday Dec 9
 
Friday, Dec 7 
The 5th Annual GaYBOR Holiday Party. This year it will be at Bradley’s on 7th. One FREE drinks, appetizers and an incredible Holiday Show at 8PM!!
 
Saturday, Dec 8
The very first GaYBOR Holiday Bar Crawl to be on a Saturday Night!!!
T-Shirts are just $15 and are on SALE now at MC Film, Hamburger Mary’s & Bradley’s on 7th.
 
Sunday, Dec 9
The Red Speedo Run in GaYBOR/Ybor City! Benefiting A.S.A.P. Get your Red Speedos today at MC Film

Latin Heritage & Cigar Festival Lights Up

This year the 14th Annual Latin Heritage & Cigar Festival moved its location from Centennial Park to Ybor Square. The weather was clear skies and Florida perfect for any type of outdoor festival. The proceeds from the festival will go to the Ybor City Museum Society.  Broadcasting live on major radio networks from the courtyard stage the National Cigar Show, the many interviewed guests included local Ybor writer and author, Paul Guzzo, Cigar City Magazine writer and Tampa Bay History Museum Marketing Director Manny Leto and many national & local cigar makers & connoisseurs.
This year thousands participated and attended the special heritage and cigar event. Three of the big Tampa Bay sports teams were represented with the TB Buccaneer Cheerleaders, Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey interactive display, Tampa Bay Ray’s Batter Up Experience. Food Truck Rally ( including Michelle Fadedo’s Best Ever Devil Crabs), Ybor City Architecture Tours, live bands, and a conglomerate of fine cigar sellers were displaying and selling what Tampa is known for, Great cigars.
Along with all the festivities was the charity booth, ” Cigars for Soldiers” where cigars are gathered and donated all to be shipped abroad to our Fighting Overseas American Soldiers!
This was also the first year for Cigar Palooza. The Bear Cigar Smokeout in Ybor City this past weekend follows other national Bear Cigar events in P- Town and Las Vegas.! Great job promoter Chris Reilly!
You can donate cigars or money to this special 4th year Ybor cigar benefit by contacting the Ybor City Development Corp.,  813-274-7936

Holiday Decorating GaYBOR/Ybor City

The GaYBOR / Ybor City family all came out to put bows on the Ybor Street lights and helped re-create a small town Holiday setting last Sunday. With direction from Mathieu Stanoch, GaYBOR leaders and the YCDC, Ybor has that holiday feel for every man woman or child to experience. More great events are in the works this week. Holiday Tree Lighting in Centro Ybor. Thousands attended last years festive tree lighting.

Ybor Youth Clinic

A start of another new GLBT health related business in GaYBOR/ Ybor City. The opening of the new  Ybor Youth Clinic sponsored by Lazy Days Employee Foundation and University of South Florida Health. The 1st floor clinic is underneath Metro Wellness & Community Center on 1315 East 7th Ave. 7th Ave in Ybor City.
The new director Jeremiah, said that teams of physicians from USF Adolescent Medicine and USF Health Pediatric Infectious Diseases Division and other local doctors are participating and on board. Volunteer students in USF Medical School are also giving a helping hand to the youth program. The clinic works mainly with high risk youth including HIV positive, homeless and street youth, and GLBT youth 13-24 years of age. 
The new facility has 3 bright white medical examining rooms, 3 patient / doctor conference rooms, group meeting room, staff rooms, and a large conference.
This is the beginning of another level of the untraditional medical healthcare that doesn’t exist in most other major cities.  We welcome the commitment from USF Health attitude toward making a better and inclusive community and the help of forethought thinking Lazy Days Employees group for this groundbreaking healthcare clinic.
A Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting was held with Mayor Bob Buckhorn cutting the ribbon on October 12th.
“Though the health clinic is now operational and open, a community open house is being set up for local community leaders and businesses in Tampa in January.” said Jeremiah.

Night Out in St. Pete

What a fun night out in St. Pete.  A group of 4 GaYBOR Board Members made the trip to QueensHead Restaurant to meet the new Executive President, President & Vice President of St. Pete Pride. Behind the bar was one of our favorite nephews  Sonny of Sonny n Steve! We dcecied to go for a walk around the Central Ave district. Walking past the now closed Grand Central Station-Detours brought back many great memories. In to the Lucky Star! All the new improvements were very impress. Bartender and local actor Daniel Harris was holding court to a packed house. Across the street we stopped at a new bar. The Garage on Central Ave. The owners actually own the car garage next doors. The decor was very mannly garage. Behind the bar was “Just Jake”. The garage attendant eager to pump the men with antifreeze!!! The owner was there with a big group of patrons and seamed very nice too. This will definitly be a stop on our next trip. Just a few blocks way is GaYBOR Member, “The Queen & I Restaurant.”  Bryan’s welcome of DARLINGS made us all feel at home. The Thai food was over the top fab as always. As we were traveling back over the bridge we all said, “That as so much fun we need to make the trip more often.” Everybody laughed and said “That’s probably what St. Pte says about GaYBOR too.”

You Just Can Not Make This Up

The First time you had sex?
Carrie is always teasing Mark about his big stack of notes written on guest checks. LOL LO That is because there is always something going on at the balcony at Hamburger Mary’s.  One night we were between shows and Miss Joey Brooks was holding court on the end of the bar. A performer we will call Miss R, who we will just say was FULL OF LIFE (Cocktailed), came out to the bar. Before we knew it she was on top of the bar voueging. She laid out on the bar top & ordered a shot for everybody. Lifted the shot and said “Here’s to the first time we all had sex! I’m sure you all remember the first time!!!! I do it was at Miss Joey Brooks house!” You could have heard a pin drop as Miss Brooks actually put down her goldschlouger and said “OOOOO” Miss R then announced “Yes it was Fantastic I was 18 and he was a much older man…21 years old! We were in your backyard waiting for you to get home from a show late one night. and was with …. (famous bartender) . The things you hear on Hamburger Mary’s balcony!!! LOL LOL LOL

GaYBOR Member of the Week

TECO Line Streetcar System
Proud members of the GaYBOR District Coalition. Did you know that the street cars and line are wet zoned for alcohol? You can actually have a privet party in one of the cars. There is even a custom built in bar that can be added! On special days you will find the open car “The Breezer Car” and the restored historical car “The Birney Car” in full operation. To advertise on the Street car & more contact  Steve Rosenstock rosenstocks@gohart.org

Mark & Carrie’s Nephew/Niece of the Week

Daniel Harris
Actor – Bartender -Community Activest To say Daniel is “Full of Life” is an understatement!! We have loved Daniel since we first meet at the Sun Coast Resort. On one of Daniel many trips to perform in New York he actually brought us back an American Flag that was flying during 911.  Over the Republican national Convention in Tampa we proudly hung this flag over MC Film in GaYBOR!!! Many (((HUGS))) to a great guy!!