I bartend with an incredible person. April looks like a young Elvira with a Jack Daniels attitude. 2 spring break couples walk into the bar. April smiles and asks what are you drinking. The one guy says “Do you have a drink menu?” April says no. But what do you like to drink? The guys said “Anything on a drink menu!” April, OK I’ll come back to you what is everyone else drinking? She makes the drinks and comes back. The guys said he will have a gin and organ juice. April makes a face and with a big smile said No, I’ll make you a vodka orange juice. Mean while I’m watching all this and laughing to myself. I walk over to the girl with this guy and ask…. “So… do you have a boyfriend?” she looks shocked and says not really. I pull out my business card and had it to her while say n YOU DO NOW! CALL ME MAYBE (it actually says Call Me Maybe on my card). Everyone breaks out laughing. I then turn to Mr. Drink Menu and ask him the same question. He replied no one has every asked me that question before. Laughing I handed him a card and said YOU DO NOW! CALL ME MAYBE. We all were laughing so hard. Then we told then to stay for the Drag Show. Mr. Drink menu asked what is a Drag Show? I told him the most beautiful women you will ever see in your life. Several hours later they left as our new best friends. I’m sure they will never forget Spring Break, in Florida, when they walking into The Showbar Ybor City and meet Miss April & Tea Cup. LMAO Here is my card.
Everyone is very busy getting ready for Tampa Pride on May 22, 2021. This week the committee had a meeting at the Tampa Cuban Club. This will be where Tampa PRIDE at Night will be. Visit www.Tampapride.com
Like to help support Tampa Pride?
Donations are now been accepted on Venmo @TampaPRIDE
To celebrate women’s history month, the Ybor City Museum has chosen to highlight Clarita Garcia, an influential woman in the Ybor City food scene and beyond. Garcia was born and educated in Spain. Before she married Manuel Garcia Jr., her mother instilled a love of cooking in her. Her mother was a perfectionist and taught Clarita most of what she learned. From the importance of caring for utensils to the picking the right ingredients, her mother prepared her to own a successful Tampa restaurant. During her life, she wrote two cookbooks, with the most notable being Clarita’s Cocina featuring Spanish recipes, some of which were used in the restaurant she managed, Las Novedades. She was arguably the first celebrity chef in Florida, hosting a cooking show on WTVT, and brought Spanish cooking to many.
Girl Scout Cookies
This sounds like the beginning of a joke. A girl scout walks into a Gay Bar…. Once again this year Bradley’s on 7th purchased 100’s of boxes. This is just another way Bradley’s on 7th supports the community. Thank You Bradley’s, you make us all so Proud.
Metro Inclusive Health
3/16/21 UPDATE: Metro Inclusive Health is adding new vaccination dates as doses are made available to us. We will continue to update this link with new appointments and information on those who qualify as it is made available. Please check back often for updates. https://www.picktime.com/MetroCOVIDVaccine
The Gary Elementary School
Who remembers the Gary Elementary School? Located just east of Ybor City =. This once proud build was “Demolition by Neglect!”
This week the Madison Street Park was dedicated. Located in Channelside this park is packed with amenities. Including a dog park, playground, volleyball, public art, and more!
Rome Yard
The City of Tampa has chosen Related Group to build the Rome Yard. Located on the Hillsborough River just West of the Armature Works. Soon there will be 954 families living here.
Over the past years flavored vodka has become popular in America. We like to think this is a new thing. In the 1990’s we were in China. In one very high-class restaurant there were jars and jars filled with things like reindeer penises, dead snakes, rats and many more very unusual things. All were then covered and soaking in vodka. In China there has been flavored vodka for 1,000s of years. Of course, we tried many of them. The walk on the Great Wall of China was interesting after these shots. LOL
About 10 years ago we went on a mission to list all the LGBT Bars that were in the area. We stopped at 244+ WOW. We know it needs to be updated again. Many times, people write to us their memories of the club. We try to add them to this list. Here is a letter we received just this week.
Hi Guys, I’m writing from Los Angeles, but grew up in Tampa. I’ve really enjoyed your “Bars That Were” section, but I think I can give you one more. It had to have been around 1968-69, and a buddy at Plant High School told me he was gay. And he told me I was too! In any event, he decided he was going to take me to a gay bar that he could get us into. We were 16.We drove to St. Pete, somewhere around downtown. He led me into a dingy neighborhood straight bar, with loud sports playing on a TV. There were maybe three drunks slumped over their drinks. But my friend led me past all that, to a door at the back of the room. He knocked on the door and someone on the other side slid open a small peep panel. My friend said the word “Fugativa” and the door was opened. Inside was a bigger room with quite a lot men – and a few women who looked like men – all much older than we were. Instantly, I felt like I’d walked into a den of wolves. We only stayed long enough for my friend to get served alcohol, without any questions. And I gulped down a Coke. But the hungry eyes of the male patrons were too scary for me, and we left fast. My buddy was pissed, but I had been to my very first gay bar. In essence, it was a speakeasy, and the name was Fugativa. Which he told me meant fugitive in Spanish. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Use it on your web page if you’d like. Maybe it will spark other guy’s memories of that time or place.
This week we were asked to be on a City of Tampa panel to discuss understanding diversity and how it can be taught to all city employees. This course will be called “Implicit Bias, Diversity and Cultural Competency Training for City of Tampa Employees.” It is also known as The USEA Enrichment Program (Understanding, Sensitivity, Enlightenment & Awareness). What a positive and proactive approach to making Tampa a better place to live. Their motto sounds like Ybor City & something we all can live by. Each color has its own mission. Altogether they “Invigorate the Tree of Life.”
METRO absolutely loves our LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, and we’re proud to say that these young folks are incredibly talented. That’s why we think it’s about time we share their talents with all the amazing folks who support us! Our first ever Youth Market is an opportunity for the young and emerging queer artists involved with METRO to have a presence in the community without the typical barriers that come along with vending in a market. So come on down to our welcome center and discover (and purchase) the beautiful artwork of these talented young people! All proceeds go to the artists and we accept cash and Venmo!
The Watermark Wave Awards
The 2021 Wave Awards are HERE!!! There is a lot to be proud of in the Tampa Bay Area!!!!
I have spent much of my life working in Gay bars & many times in the drag dressing rooms. One day a favorite Diva said to me…” You know Tea Cup, I’m sure you have seen more naked trannies than anyone else in Tampa!” She was probably right LOL I have also seen many things in those dressing rooms. Recently after a show, there was a VIP friend of the owners that want to come back stage and meet the girls. She was very nice and very cocktailed. The Diva commented on how beautiful her hand bag was. Right away she said “You can have it! Give me that plastic bag.” Then started to move everything out of the designer bag into a Walmart plastic bag. The Diva stopped her saying thank you but that’s a very expensive bag. She then said that her husband was rich and it was OK. There was no talking her out of it. The lady left with the plastic bag in her hand and went back to the bar. The Diva is a very kind and thoughtful person. She took the bag and went up to the husband standing at the bar. She explained that his wife had just given her this bag and maybe he should take it home. He just laughed and said that she doses that all the time. Please keep the bag. Then with a big smile he said “The only thing wrong with this bag is there is no money in it.” Then opens the bag and put a $100 bill in it. The next day the Diva googled the bag. It was worth $3,500. You Just Can Not Make This Up
There are many funny stories about Miss Judy B Goode!!! Judy is a very Famous Cabaret Singer/ Musician who has performed everywhere! We like to tease her, that her dresses are too short! One time after performing in Ybor City Judy and us were crossing 7th Ave. A car of guys rolled down their windows and whistled at her. Then one of the guys yelled “Looking Sexy Grandma!” Let’s just say that didn’t go over well!!! LMAO In this photo is Judy and Tiffany McLauchlin out celebrating Judy’s 60ISH Birthday.
