The Cheeseheads came out in force for the Super Bowl Game!!! We started the night out at the pre party at The Crow Bar hosted by Bonnie & Tom (who was also celebrating his Birthday). It was a Pittsburgh Steelers Party, so you can just imagine the good heart kidding we got with our cheese heads!!! But Bonnie was cooking & we were not going to miss that!!! Dips, Chile, 4 salads & more!!! As the game started we left & went across the street to Club Play. Deb & Steph had a fun group & cuban sandwiches!!! On to the Packer Party at Hamburger Mary’s. Going up the escalator we heard Green Bay score the first touch down! If you weren’t a Packer Fan before you quickly became one!!! Hamburger Mary’s had the game on all TV’s & chicken wings were everywhere. It was a GREAT GAME!!!  Our cell phone lit up with dozens of text massages from our family in Wisconsin!!! Several of our family went to the airport to welcome the team home. GO PACKERS!!!!!

 

We are proud that our nephew, Marc Wegner, Advertising Account Mgr for the NFL, was smiling as a devout  Packer Cheese head fan was at the Dallas Super Bowl Events.

It has been a fun filled week on the GO WEST Campaign road! Meeting so many new and interesting people all with one thing in common…. We all are so proud & love our home, Tampa! Here are some of the great highlights. The week started out with a Sunday Gospel Brunch at Hamburger Mary’s in Ybor City. WOW could those ladies sing & stomp!   I Proudly took my oath in the City of Tampa Clerks Office & was re-sworn in as a Commissioner for the Barrio Latino Commission at Tampa City Hall.  Did an early morning candidate breakfast forum for the Tampa Downtown Partnership. The event was hosted by Holland & Knight in their meeting room on the 42nd floor of the Regions Bank building. What a view of Tampa!  Over at the CTTV Studios we taped a live forum for the League of Women Voters. 4 neighborhoods came together & hosted a forum at the Children’s Board in Ybor. Those neighborhoods included Ybor City, East Ybor City, V.M. Ybor &  Palmetto Beach. At Gaspar’s Grotto I attended the day long marathon 98 ROCK Fundraiser for the families of slain St. Petersburg Police Officers Thomas Baitinger & Jeff Yaslowitz, who were both killed while in the line of public service duty. The community all came out for this great cause.  A special Thank You to SE Seminole Civic Association & Hosts Ray & Gina for “A Night in Italy” Porch Party. Great Cooks, Great Conversation & Great People!!! I was honored to be invited to speak at CLUB MANILLA TAMPA. The club has gone thru many renovations including some very hi tech items I had never seen before. It was also a chance to meet up with old friends and meet 100?s of new community leaders and business owners. The out pour of support at CLUB MANILLA was fantastic THANK YOU!!!  Later that night I tried to sneak into Steam Fridays for my friend, Bryan Khan Birthday Celebration. There were many dozens of “GO WEST” supporters there. All this plus with the help of volunteers, we have knocked on over 1,600 homes in the district, 100+ yard signs went out to new homes & over 1,000+ buttons were passed out!!!  What a Great Community to Call HOME!!!  

A local GaYBOR Celebrity, Bryan Chant, the owner of “The Queen & I Thai Restaurant” celebrates his Birthday at Steam Fridays @ The Honey Pot!!!! In the Spirit of Super Bowl Sunday, Steam was decorated up for “Glitter on the 50 Yard Line!” There was Astroturf on the stage with a 50 yard line,  Lockers, floating in the air were Footballs, Glitter Goal Post over the Bar & even Mannequins with Glitter Helmets on. The cast performed an incredible half time show under the coaching of Head Coach Toby. Then from the sky box,  DJ Greg Anderson took control of the party & it was like both teams had just WON the Super Bowl!!! A reporter ran up to Bryan & asked “You have just won the Super Bowl, what’s next?” Bryan replied “I’m Partying in GaYBOR Darlings !!!”  Happy Birthday Bryan & Congratulations Steam Fridays on another over the top Party!!!

Have you gotten your sweetie the big bouquet of roses and candy? You don’t have a sweetie! Well, we recommend going out to party at the many fine restaurants and fun clubs in Ybor. But if you are out on this Saturday night, the Sant Yago Knight Parade will have 10’s thousands beckoning the pirates and krewes to give up beads from the 100s of floats and walking thievery krewe members. .GaYBOR District Coalition members will be on a float in the parade again this wild night! Parade starts at 7:00pm and there will be many a lost souls. Maybe one will become your Valentines Day matey!

 

Yes, it is that time again in the midst of the cold weather when we have that special loving feeling. We cherish our loved one and offers sweets and bling to make them happy. MC FILM just received new Rainbow rings and necklaces in for the Valentine’s Day lovebirds. How can you go wrong on 2 for 1 dinners until 7pm and $3  Finlandia martinis at Bernini’s Italian Restaurant. The doors are open to all with the cravings for burgers at Hamburger Mary’s and RuPaul Drag Race on the big screen. Of course Rock-n-Sport has the beautiful Jen and Brandon behind the bar, and the wings are awesome! Reservations are requested for Streetcar Charlies’ , Lover’s Dinner  Special. A nights stay at the many hotels, Hyatt Regency, Don Vicente Inn, Hampton Inn’s in Ybor and St. Pete, Sheraton Riverfront or Hilton Gardens is always a treat and a romantic getaway. Jewelry… Wear Me Out and Singing Stone Gallery have original handmade jewelry items. Agora received a container in from India with great new gift items.And last but not least flowers and roses from Island Florists. Owner Mario will love yeah!

The business Queen of the district , Michele Keating, Ybor Chamber of Commerce, celebrated a fun birthday party with hundreds of friends at the Don Vicente Inn last Saturday night. A huge buffet and DJ made the halls come alive to dance and shouts to the 60’s and 70’s music.

Ybor City rolled out the red carpet for TV Station WTSP early Wednesday morning. Live from Centro Ybor 5 AM to 7 AM!!! they filmed the early morning show “Why do they call it that?” Look for the complete show in the archives soon.  Many GaYBOR members were on TV. The ladies from Hamburger Mary’s were there in full drag in the cold at & on TV at 5:35AM!!!!  WOW that’s GREAT!!!! Thank you all

Born in Havana Cuba, Taina is as beautiful inside as she is outside. When not working the runway and stage you will find Taina working hard at Florida Entertainment.

Can you share this in your dishing column?

 

Pride on 7th is back and thanks to all your valuable input, WE will grow stronger and larger.  We will make this a unique Pride celebration unlike any other.

This year, PO7 2.0 (Pride on 7th 2nd year)  will take place in amazing heart of Ybor City!!

We need your help to make this happen.  Please contact Jorge Alvarado or Mike Hammonds mikeee7432@aol.com  with your email address and phone number if you are interested in volunteering.

Full details to come in following weeks!

 

PEACE LOVE AND FIERCENESS