Festa Italiana
With a great 80 degree sunny spring weekend in Ybor City the Festa Italiana Celebration had its biggest crowds ever. From Italian movie night, Italian tourists charter traveling over from Italy to Bocce Ball competition, and vino making and Italian wine samplings, that was the warm up of the annual 14th year red tomato ceremony. Sunday was a day to say hit the roof with over 50+ food restaurants touting there authentic regional fares to over 25,000 attendees and a full array of dancing groups and musical talents performing on multiple stages.
Spanking at RISE???
RISE Sundays has become the perfect Sunday Night Club. Now they are featuring not only incredible views of Tampa from the roof top, but Naughty Showers too that need to be seen to believe! This past Sunday The GaYBOR Easter Bonnet Bar Hop held an after party there. Poor Jared had quite the surprise from Mama & her trusted paddle.
Caught @ Bradley's on 7th
New Sunday BRUNCH Block Party!
Drag, Jazz, Great Food, Frozen Drinks, Live Entertainment …. all mixed together with friends & beautiful Florida weather and you get the New BRUNCH Block Party in Centro Ybor. Three of our favorite places in GaYBOR & all next doors to each other! Hamburger Mary’s has an all you can eat Brunch with a Drag Show at 1PM. Next doors at the New Blue Dog Bistro dine on incredible New Orleans Cuisine and a Live Jazz performer. Joffrey’s Coffee & Teas gets you going with there freshly brewed selections of java. Centro Canteen is the perfect balcony to watch a lazy Sunday afternoon go by. There is a wall of frozen drinks turning and Live Music here too. But wait there’s more… Downstairs is Fresh Mouth & across the street is JJ’s Cafe & Bar. All this just 1/2 block from MC Film!!! You can easily arrive at 11 am and spend the whole day & night here. Viva La GaYBOR!!!!
Blue Dog Bistro www.bluedogbistro.com
Centro Canteen http://www.jjscafeybor.com/
People are Talking
Congratulations to the “Miss Gay Tampa Bay Florida America,” Miss Jaeda Fuentes & 1st Alt Miss Jelitza Fierce. Great job by organizers Melony & Jori from Find a Drag Show (F.A.D.S.). Lady Gaga was at the St. Pete Times Forum. After the concert she made a stop at The Kennedy Bar.
SPECIAL 'MC' EASTER RECIPE
We love going out and making reservations on Easter but often we make this fabulous spring lamb recipe for our friends. Send us Your favorite recipes so we can post them and share in “Dishing.”
Leg of lamb with garlic and herbs
- 1 leg of lamb, about 5 pounds
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- few thyme & rosemary sprigs
- 2 teaspoons dried leaf oregano, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1 cup good drinkable dry red wine (per Teacup)
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons flour
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Cut deep slits in meat at 2-inch intervals. Combine crushed garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper; press into the slits in meat. Place sprigs of rosemary & thyme on top of rack. Place lamb on a rack, fat side up, in open roasting pan. Mix red wine and green onions and lemon juice; reserve 1 cup of mixture for gravy. Brush lamb with a little of the remaining wine mixture. Brushing frequently with the wine mixture, roast at 325° for about 30 minutes per pound, or until thermometer reads about 165° for medium rare. Lift roast to a warm platter and make gravy.
Pour juices into a measuring cup; skim off juices. Add water to juices to make 1 cup. Measure 2 tablespoons of the fat into the roasting pan, over medium low heat. Stir in flour scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Add meat juices and reserved red wine that you didn’t drink mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until hot and bubbly. Cook for 1 minute then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve gravy with leg of lamb. Serves 8 good friends.
Cut deep slits in meat at 2-inch intervals. Combine crushed garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper; press into the slits in meat. Place sprigs of rosemary & thyme on top of rack. Place lamb on a rack, fat side up, in open roasting pan. Mix red wine and green onions and lemon juice; reserve 1 cup of mixture for gravy. Brush lamb with a little of the remaining wine mixture. Brushing frequently with the wine mixture, roast at 325° for about 30 minutes per pound, or until thermometer reads about 165° for medium rare. Lift roast to a warm platter and make gravy.
Pour juices into a measuring cup; skim off juices. Add water to juices to make 1 cup. Measure 2 tablespoons of the fat into the roasting pan, over medium low heat. Stir in flour scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Add meat juices and reserved red wine that you didn’t drink mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until hot and bubbly. Cook for 1 minute then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve gravy with leg of lamb. Serves 8 good friends.
Passover 2011 From The Aguda
Club City Side is hosting its annual Softball Appreciation Day.
This coming Saturday Club City Side is hosting its annual Softball Appreciation day. I’ve attached the poster in a .JPG format.I hope you will forward to you team members. (This will also be a good example of how a team can do their OWN fund raiser while making it fun and different!) We are still looking for performers if anyone is interested. City Side will also give drink specials to current SSL members who wear their jersey to the event. Here is the event info:
Name:
City Side’s 18th Annual Softball Players’ Appreciation Day
Time Schedule:
5PM FREE COOKOUT on the patio
7PM-10PM drag show starts with your hosts — Former Miss Suncoast Softball League “Miss B. Havin’ ” and Mr. Suncoast Softball League runner up “SoFonda Cox”. A special appearance will also be made by Miss Joan Crawford!
The night will feature funny / campy drag by league and non-league members alike, raffles for prizes, Jello® shots, and a grand prize to be announced.
Proceeds will benefit the Easter Seals Florida / Tampa Bay chapter helping children and adults with special needs, the City Side Sharks and the Clip Tampa Bay Film Festival Starlets softball team.
If you’d like to donate a prize we can raffle off (something, even a small gift certificate from your sponsors’ businesses) we will do a program acknowledging ALL sponsors during the evening and give shout outs to all businesses.
Questions? Email kevinchurst@gmail.com or gatorgerre63@hotmail.com
Gerre Reynolds and Kevin Hurst, City Side Sharks
LGBT News
Jesse Jackson Denies Gay Worker’s Harassment Claims
A spokesman for the Rev. Jesse Jackson on Thursday denied a claim from a man who says he was fired from the civil rights leader’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition because he is gay. Tommy R. Bennett filed a complaint with the city of Chicago’s Commission on Human Relations last year, alleging Jackson fired him unjustly and that the civil rights leader forced him to perform “uncomfortable” tasks, including escorting various women to hotel rooms to meet Jackson for sex. “The Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., unequivocally deny Tommy Bennett’s false claims of harassment, retaliation and discrimination,” PUSH spokeswoman Lauren Love said in a written statement. “We are fully cooperating with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and expect to be fully exonerated.” from Chicago-Sun Times
Nashville Approves Gay Protection Proposal
The City of Nashville has passed an anti-discrimination ordinance that would protect gays and lesbians who work for companies that contract with the city. The Tennessean reports that the vote passed by the thinnest of margins Tuesday, as opponents were arguing that city contractors shouldn’t be forced to compromise their moral and religious values. A number of prominent religious leaders, including Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention, voiced opposition to the measure early on, asking the council, in a letter, to vote against it. www.BigGayNews.com
First Public Same-Sex Partnerships Celebrated in Ireland
Two couples celebrated the first public same-sex partnership ceremonies in Ireland on Tuesday, in a move that the country’s Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) described as a “milestone”. New civil partnership laws came into force in January but couples had to give three months’ notice to the country’s Civil Registration Office. The new step comes 18 years after homosexuality was decriminalised in the Republic of Ireland. GLEN chairman Kieran Rose said the ceremonies were a “very significant advance” and marked “another great milestone for Ireland and for lesbian and gay people”.