Creative Loafing Tampa — June 15, 2023

PUBLISHER James Howard

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa

DIGITAL EDITOR Colin Wolf

MANAGING EDITOR Kyla Fields

FOOD and THEATER CRITIC

Jon Palmer Claridge

FILM & TV CRITIC John W. Allman

IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl

CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Tyler

Gillespie, Jennifer Ring, McKenna

Schueler, Arielle Stevenson

PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Decker, Kim DeFalco, Jennifer Ring

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SUMMER INTERN Gracey Davis

Apply for fall via rroa@cltampa.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Joe Frontel

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ILLUSTRATORS Dan Perkins, Cory Robinson, Bob Whitmore

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Anthony Carbone, Scott Zepeda

SeaWorld in February, animal rights claiming the practice of keeping wild dangerous. But even though public many don’t see a parallel between the kind and the practice of displaying animals asking for too much? Or is it time for a “entertainment” animals?

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Music: Tampa Bay Blues Fest 40

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Week ...................................................42

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People are sick of this disconnect between the legislature and the will of the people. Activists already have 100,000 signatures for abortion ballot measure, p. 24.

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An unmitigated joy. A new musical is born at freeFall, p. 56.

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Mr. Sun

Photos by Dave Decker c/o Brock Communications

It’s been a month since Dr. Joseph Dituri broke the world record for living underwater, and last Friday, the University of South Florida professor known to students and the world as “Dr. Deep Sea” emerged from his 100-squarefoot bunker 30 feet below the ocean’s surface at Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo. In all, Dituri spent 100 days underwater and got to feel the sun on his skin at approximately 10:30 a.m. last Friday, June 9. He was tested by a medical team and spoke to the media afterwards.

Dituri’s mission, Project Neptune 100— which started on March 1—was meant to bring

attention to conservation and marine research, plus explore and study the medical, physiological and psychological effects of compression on the human body. In previous comments, Dr. Deep Sea—who continued to teach remotely, and welcomed visitors to his chamber during his time down under—has mentioned how it takes 200 days to travel to Mars and expressed his hope that what researchers learn from his experiment can help future space travelers make that journey as safely as possible.

See all the photos and read more via cltampa. com/slideshows.—Ray Roa

do this

Tropical fruit trees: A guided stroll through Sunken Gardens

Former Sunken Gardens Horticulture

Specialist Maggie Jensen leads this morning walk through St. Pete’s beloved botanical gardens. Throughout the stroll, the Eckerd College alum will educate attendees on various fruit and spice trees growing throughout the gardens, differentiating between the newly-planted and historic trees. From banana and starfruit trees to cashew and sapodilla, this historic and popular roadside attraction will inspire folks with green thumbs across Tampa Bay to plant these exotic, heat-loving trees in their own backyards. This unique tour is capped at 25 participants, so make sure to register ASAP by calling 727-551-3102. In addition to enjoying this weekend’s educational tour, you can also soak in views of flamingos, blooming flowers and Sunken Gardens’ native royal palm trees. Saturday, June 17. 10:30 a.m.-noon. $5-$10. Sunken Gardens, 1825 4th St. N, St. Petersburg. stpete.org—Kyla Fields

Tampa Bay's best things to do from June 15 - 21

Tampa Bay Juneteenth Festival

Perhaps the largest Juneteenth celebration on either side of the bridge, this festival with a “block party atmosphere” features food trucks, local vendors, small businesses, live performances, a job fair, health clinic and tons of family-friendly fun. Just a few musicians that will take part in the festival include multi-genre singer Shauny Rox, prolific violinist Omari Dillard (pictured), jazz musician Nathan Mitchell and “Hate to Say Goodbye” rapper Pusha Preme, alongside a variety of other performers. While adults have to pay a $30 admission fee to get into this weekend’s festival, parents can bring one child for free and pay $20 to bring a second kiddo. For more Juneteenth events happening throughout Tampa Bay this month, turn to p. 47. Saturday, June 17. 3 p.m.-9 p.m. $30. Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa. roctheblock.com—Kyla Fields

Frank’s franks

Behind the counter on any given day at downtown Tampa’s Supernatural food and wine shop, you’ll get a little help from Frank Johnson, who’ll also confess to the ridiculous menus he pumps out at his own home not too far away (ask him about his butter boards). This weekend, Johnson’s laying it all out and hot doggin’ it—literally—by slinging his take on the frankfurter for a weekend pop-up that’s part of the mini-tour for Tampa rapper Notsew (yes, the home of what Alton Brown called the “best egg sandwich ever” also hosts concerts!). Also in action in the kitchen for the gig is Carolyn Kowalski, a Best of the Bay-winning chef who came to prominence during her stint leading the kitchen at Tampa Heights staple King State. And if you want more Notsew in your life (you do), the tour continues Tuesday, June 20 when he’s again backed by a live band at King State, and then Ybor City’s La Sétima on Saturday, June 24. Saturday, June 17, 7 p.m. Supernatural Food and Wine, 305 E Polk St., Tampa. @supernaturalfoodandwine on Instagram—Ray Roa

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An Evening with Bernard LaFayette Jr.

In 2017, Tampa Housing Authority (THA) started the hard work of restoring the century-old St. James Episcopal Church (pictured, 1933), which was once a community hub for a Black Tampa neighborhood colloquially known as the Scrub. On Juneteenth—to kick off a new educational initiative by the Tampa Bay History Center and THA—”The James” opens its doors to the public which will gather inside to have a conversation with Rev. Dr. Bernard LaFayette Jr. LaFayette was born in Tampa 82 years ago and took part in nonviolent protests for racial equity in Selma and the Alabama Freedom Rides. His work drew the attention of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who actually offered LaFayette the position of program director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1967. Beloved Hillsborough Community College mathematics professor and icon Dr. Liana Fernandez Fox will moderate. Monday, June 19, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Free with registration. The James at Encore!, 1202 N Governor St., Tampa. tampabayhistorycenter.org—Ray Roa

Tampa Bay Restaurant Week

This issue of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is food heavy, and you have Tampa Bay Restaurant Week to thank for that. ICYMI, The celebration of local chefs and their kitchens is actually 10 days long and kicks off Thursday. It features more than 50 spots (including Good Intentions, pictured) offering special multiple-course prix fixe menus specially-designed and priced for restaurant week. The offerings stretch across the Bay area, too, with restaurants from Dunedin to Water Street, and everywhere in between, getting in on the action. A portion of the proceeds go to Feeding Tampa Bay. Through Sunday, June 25. tampabayrestaurantweek.com—Ray Roa

Ooza Palooza

With some Lactaid, Pepto-Bismol and your own tomato soup (or gazpacho, amirite) in hand, head to this grilled cheese and tater tot-themed festival complete with tons of live entertainment, fun games, local vendors, artists and kid’s activities in tow. Like many of the other foodie events the Gulf to Bay Food Truck Association hosts throughout the year, this gathering includes dozens of Tampa Bay food trucks—including Fo’Cheezy Twisted Melts, Jersey kebabs of Tampa Bay, Engine 53 Pizza, Casablanca Fusion, Honeyhole Eats, Funnel Vision and Sweet Island Snow—all slinging their cheesiest and greasiest dishes. In addition to a wide spread of eats, beer, wine and sangria will also be available for purchase. Saturday, June 17, 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Free. Albert Whitted Park, 480 Bayshore Dr. SE, St. Petersburg. gulftobayfta.org—Kyla Fields

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POLITICS ISSUES OPINION

A little help

St. Pete City Council could vote on tenants’ right to counsel as soon as next month.

By Arielle Stevenson

St. Petersburg City Council could vote on a proposed eviction prevention program as soon as July. Last Tuesday, South St. Pete’s Citizen Advisory Council or CAC met to discuss funding the project for $100,000.

“It’s kind of a belt and suspenders, if you will,” Bradley Tennant, Assistant City Attorney for the City of St. Petersburg, said at the meeting. “Full service legal representation for tenants in the CRA (Community Redevelopment Area) who, once again, could immediately be facing eviction or looking at eviction in the future.”

An agreement is being negotiated with Community Law Program, which would provide pro-bono legal representation and information for those residents facing eviction.

The initial rollout of city-funded legal services would happen in the CRA first.

“This funding is specific for CRA residents where about 25% of our evictions come from,” Housing and Neighborhood Services Administrator Amy Foster said at the meeting. “It’s one of the highest zip codes in the county for evictions.”

Foster also said the city is considering $200,000 for eviction prevention outside the CRA in next year’s budget. Of that, $100,000 would go towards the CRA in addition to the proposed funds for this year.

“The CRA program was supposed to be the pilot, and then a city program was to start later,” Foster said at the meeting. “I think council is interested in starting something sooner. And so the timing may work out that they both run parallel to each other.”

With only four of the nine CAC members in attendance, no vote was held without a quorum. Economic Development Officer. City of St. Petersburg, noted the presentation would be for information only and to take comments to council.

Committee member Esther Matthews noted that there was no documentation about the proposal in the packets prepared for the committee members. “There isn’t even a snippet or overview on what you are proposing to announce at city council,” Matthews said at the meeting.

Smith said they could provide committee members with a copy of the agreement and answer questions. But Matthews raised additional concerns about the current workload for the proposed law firm, Community Law Program.

“It is widely known that they are overwhelmed and overworked, how can the city administration ensure the residents that are going for this specific pocket of dollars will have access to it” Matthews asked at the meeting.

Tennant says those terms will be carefully stipulated in the agreement.

member Richie Floyd in the Youth and Family Services Committee last February. The vote will go forward without CAC CRA recommendation due to the lack of quorum.

HOUSING

“To be clear this is not the city representing people,” Tennant said at the meeting. “We’re funding this pro-bono group to do it, and that involves a lot of very particular language related to borrower responsibilities.”

So far, Mayor Ken Welch and his administration have been supportive of the idea for the program.

Last April during discussions about tenants right to counsel, St. Pete City Council Vice-Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders said, “When [landlords] know that who they’re trying to evict also has legal representation, I’m pretty sure a lot of those cases would go away.”

Rent.com puts the average rent for apartments in St. Pete in between $1,577-$2,414. Meanwhile data from the U.S. Census says median household income in the Sunshine City is $64,375.

That means that at the low end of rent, the average St. Petian is spending 29.3% of their income on rent, putting them on the edge of being rent burdened.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines rent-burdened people as those “who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing.”

If approved, anyone who needed legal counsel in the CRA could access the program, regardless of income. That doesn’t necessarily mean their case would go to court; the legal team at CLP would make that determination based on law, along with guidelines provided by the city in the tentative agreement.

The program has been more than a year in the making, after being introduced by council

John Pollock, coordinator at the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, recently told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that legal representation is like “preventative legal medicine.”

“It’s important to recognize that the benefits of a right to counsel accrue to the tenants and their families but also to the community and to the city at large,” he added. “The cost of evictions is significant.”

Those people or families often make difficult decisions between buying food and medication or paying their landlord.

“Severe rent burden is defined as paying more than 50 percent of one’s income on rent,” according to HUD.

City council could vote on the eviction prevention program as early as July 13.

“To be clear this is not the city representing people.”

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FOR ST. PETE’S SAKE: The initial rollout of city-funded legal services would happen in the CRA first.

The weight

Tampeños need nearly $85,000 to avoid being rent burdened.

By Ray Roa

It’s no secret that it’s hard to make rent in Tampa, but a new rental index has the numbers to back it up. Using data from April, Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business created an interactive rental index that ranks the “most overvalued rental markets from among the nation’s largest metropolitan areas.”

The index found that a Tampa renter that makes $84,750.12 a year is actually rent burdened. Someone who makes $50,850.07 is classified as severely rent burdened.

According to FAU, anyone who spends at least 30% of their income is rent burdened. Someone who spends at least 50% of their income is severely rent-burdened. Anyone who is rent burdened has to make cuts in spending on food and medication to make ends meet.

“Not a lot of people make that kind of money,” Ken H. Johnson, Ph.D., an economist in FAU’s College of Business said in a blog post. A May 2022 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report says that the average wage in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area is $57,500.

With an average rent of $2,118.75, Tampa is the 18th most expensive metro in the FAU index, which uses past leasing data from Zillow’s Observed Rent Index. Using historical data, the index added that rent in Tampa should be at $1,971.55, meaning renters here pay a 7.47% premium.

Johnson said data perfectly illustrates the notion of an ongoing affordability crisis.

“Rents aren’t coming down significantly, if at all, so until incomes increase sharply, consumers in much of the country will continue to do without basic needs,” he added.

The only bright spot of the report for Tampeños is that they don’t live in one of the 10 metros that are even more overvalued. In Cape Coral, where renters pay the highest premiums, someone must make $92,904.84 to avoid being rent burdened. Miami is the second most overvalued metro and requires renters to make $112,183.84 to avoid being rent burdened.

office nearby on Seventh Avenue. The revisions would allow ADUs or accessory dwelling units.

“Not only does this allow aging in place, the opportunity for, you know, added income and generational wealth but it’s something that can improve density for each sample and a whole lot more housing options,” Headland said at the meeting.

Currently, only Seminole Heights and areas near Lowry Park are allowed to construct ADUs for public use. For the rest of Tampa, ADUS are only allowed for a family member or if the owner lives in the main residence. If passed, ADUs would be allowed but would still require a special use one approval.

HOUSING

By contrast, in Wichita—where renters only pay a 6.6% premium—average rent is just $998.97, and renters only have to make $39,958.99 to avoid being rent burdened. But sorry, Toto, this definitely isn’t Kansas.

ADUs could come to to East Tampa, and activists want the neighborhood to have a say in its future

In the first of two hearings, Tampa City Council voted unanimously this month to approve changes to East Tampa overlay. Council members Lynn Hurtak and Alan Clendenin were absent at the vote. The amendment to city codes is the first in 20 years for East Tampa. Resident and architect Kim Headland headed the long process, and also serves as V.M. Ybor Neighborhood Association President. Her employer, Wilder Architecture, Inc., has an

Last October, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reported on a City of Tampa homeowners survey to consider expanding ADUs in light of the ongoing housing crisis. Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 301 said they’d use an ADU as an Airbnb.

Connie Burton, Hillsborough NAACP housing committee chair and East Tampa native, said she supports those changes but wants the community to be able to afford to stay.

“We want to see you build new homes in that area that are not out of the reach of mothers that are working at Walmart,” Burton said at the meeting. “We don’t want to see something that’s going to be shiny and brand new and we can’t put our hands on it.”

Robin Lockett, resident and activist, said she supports the revision but voiced concerns over who gets to decide what East Tampa’s character is.

“What exactly is an overlay, what does it consist of? Well, you have to keep the character of a community, right?” Lockett said at the

meeting. “With the blight and the despair, what is our character?”

Under the plan, 15th, 29th, 34th, and 22nd Streets would become designated main streets. Bobby Creighton, resident and vice president of the Ybor Heights Neighborhood Association, said the area needs clarity.

“When I say street names like Bayshore and Howard, places like Hyde Park Village, streets like Kennedy, you probably have an image come to mind and it’s crystal clear,” Creighton said at the meeting. “When I say streets like 15th or 29th or 34th, what comes to mind?”

Groans came from the audience as Creighton continued. “I understand that there might be some background sounds because the implication is gentrification,” Creighton said at the meeting. “But what I want to make clear is that design is a language. What gets built is like a vocabulary. What does the message here say?”

Other changes include allowing carports within three feet of the property line, transparency requiring windows and doors on all sides, open storage screening and allowing adaptive reuse of existing non-residential space. Clarity of place, walkability, expanded housing and new business could come from the changes.

Lockett said it’s important that residents of East Tampa be heard. “There’s people that live in East Tampa own homes in East Tampa,” Lockett added. “Make sure you have a conversation with them, in regards to what character is being created. So it’s still attainable and it’s still there.”

City staff found the proposal consistent and recommended approval, according to zoning supervisor LaChone Dock. A second reading and final vote is scheduled for July 13.

I GOTTA MOVE: Average rent in Tampa is $2,118.

“Not a lot of people make that kind of money.”

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Sign me up

Petition to get abortion on the 2024 ballot already has 100,000 signatures.

By McKenna Schueler

Just about one month after launching a campaign to get abortion access on the state ballot in 2024, abortion rights advocates in Florida have gathered 100,000 signed petitions so far for the proposed ballot measure, according to a leader involved in the campaign, mobilizing thousands of volunteers across the state.

“We’re really, really excited about the outpouring of support and work,” said Amy Weintraub, reproductive rights program director of Progress Florida who’s helped coordinate administrative and volunteer training efforts. “Thousands of Floridians are working on this.”

The proposed ballot initiative, coming in the wake of a six-week abortion ban being signed into law, is being spearheaded by Floridians

Volunteers have collected roughly 26,000 petitions, according to Weintraub, while paid petitioners in just two weeks’ time have gathered about 75,000. Their expectation was 3,000 by the end of May.

The campaign hosts weekly trainings for volunteers and has “hubs” for ballot collection statewide. These pick-up and drop-off hubs, hosted by volunteers, are located not just in the bigger, more liberal metro areas, but also in redder counties like Hernando, Collier, and St. Johns County—where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats more than two to one.

FLORIDA NEWS

Protecting Freedom, a campaign led by Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, Florida Rising and Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida.

The ballot summary reads: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”

Medical fetal viability, or when a fetus can survive outside of the womb, is generally estimated at around 23 to 24 weeks of gestation. The ballot initiative, which would amend the state’s constitution, clarifies that it would not affect a Florida law restricting abortion access among minors.

It’s safe to say that abortion access is a divisive topic, although not as strictly partisan among Floridians as the votes by state legislators. A poll by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab found that about 75% of registered voters in March either somewhat or strongly opposed Florida’s looming six-week abortion ban, including 61% of Republicans.

Signing the petition, at this stage, would just get the measure on the ballot. It does not count as a vote for the initiative—simply indicates support for allowing Florida voters to have their say next November. Nearly 900,000 petitions are needed to get the measure onto the 2024 ballot, with a deadline of Feb. 1, 2024. The Florida Supreme Court (which DeSantis and his predecessors have packed with conservatives) will also need to sign off on the proposed ballot question’s wording.

And Weintraub told Orlando Weekly they’re just getting started. Flush with over $2 million in donations so far, the Floridians Protecting Freedom campaign recently hired their first paid canvassers dedicated to ballot collection.

Advocates like Weintraub say the stakes couldn’t be higher. In April, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a measure banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

The six-week limit is contingent upon the outcome of a legal challenge to Florida’s 15-week abortion law, filed on the basis that it violates the state constitution’s right to privacy clause. That lawsuit is still pending. As it stands today, abortion is legal in Florida up to 15 weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for cases of rape, incest or human trafficking.

And the implications of abortion access in Florida go beyond state limits. Because neighboring states such as Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi have even stricter restrictions on the books, abortion clinics in Florida have seen a rising number of patients traveling from out of state.

Prior to the fall of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. had over two dozen “abortion deserts,” or major cities where someone would have to travel at least 100 miles to get an abortion.

As of May, Florida is home to 51 licensed abortion clinics, down from 71 in 2014. Orlando is home to two: a Planned Parenthood clinic and a private clinic downtown that’s targeted by coordinated anti-abortion protesters nearly every day. The Tampa Bay Abortion Fund offers financial support to abortion seekers at a dozen clinics in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area.

“We know that people are more aware than they’ve ever been that we need abortion to be explicitly named as a constitutionally protected right,” said Weintraub. “Everyone is watching.”

DeSantis, who’s chummy with anti-abortion organizations while avoiding overtly committing himself to a ban, recently launched an expected bid for U.S. president, drawing even more attention to the Sunshine State.

Weintraub says volunteers have been gathering petitions at large events and other regularly attended venues—such as college campuses,

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY: Floridians are working to have a say in their reproductive rights. libraries and nightclubs—as well as at community meetings and within their own personal circles.

“People are sick of this disconnect between the legislature and the will of the people,” she said, “And I think it’s gotten everyone fired up.”

Floridians can visit floridiansprotectingfreedom.com to find information to volunteer with the Floridians Protecting Freedom, or to print out petitions to either mail in or drop off at a local hub.

“Everyone is watching.”

RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES

Eleventh heaven

This V.M. Ybor bakery is a whimsical world of specialty coffee and confections.

By Kyla Fields

According to the “Lord of the Rings” series, hobbits eat up to seven meals a day—breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and supper. Elevenses is a term commonly used in the U.K. to describe “a short break for light refreshments, usually with tea or coffee”—a respite between breakfast and the rest of the day’s drudgery.

Tampa is certainly a long way away from Middle-earth, but local baker and barista Jade Yelvington often draws inspiration from fictional worlds for her innovative beverages and pastries—from slowpaced, “slice of life” shows like “Gilmore Girls” to the fantastical realm of The “Lord of the Rings.” Yelvington’s brick and mortar Elevenses has been in a soft opening phase in V.M. Ybor for a few months, a decision that she described as a “leap of faith.” While the newly-acquired building—located at 1001 E Columbus Dr.—has mainly served as a space for her wholesale baking and custom cake orders, she recently announced expanded hours and is now open four days a week as a full-service cafe and bakery.

include mango rice pudding pavlovas, cardamom-chocolate chip cookies, spiced sweet potato cakes with coconut cream cheese icing, and her beloved “cakies”—a pillowy, cookie-cake crossover that she created to utilize leftover cake scraps. While she specializes in a variety of baking techniques from tiered cakes, brownies and soft pretzels to savory galettes, pavlovas and cookies, she’s perhaps most known for her colorful, uniquely-flavored macarons.

OPENING

Elevenses Co.

She nailed the perfect macaron technique some time ago, and started going absolutely wild with the flavors.

A rainbow display of macarons catches your eye as soon as you walk into Elevenses, each with a whimsical flavor like key lime passionfruit, pancakes, ube vanilla, Thai tea, black currant and orange creamsicle.

The cozy neighborhood bakery and cafe is now open from noon-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays, slinging artisan lattes, cakes by the slice and other exciting bakes.

“Instead of having a more traditional grand opening (since we just don’t have the funds or manpower to go at a faster pace) we’ll set more of a goal for a huge anniversary-type celebration instead,” 32 year-old Yelvington tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay while sitting inside of her pink and teal bakery.

The cafe itself—which boasts massive vintage windows and local artwork—matches the pastel colors of her bakery case, with a bright purple door and vibrant storefront sign created by Tampa’s favorite cutesy artist, Jujmo.

Just a few of the creations that Yelvington has dished out of her new V.M. Ybor bakery

Yelvington wholesales her macarons to cafes and other small businesses across Tampa Bay, at spots like Teabella, Brookesville’s Mountaineer Coffee, Santoro’s Pizzeria, Lakeland’s Concord Coffee and Book + Bottle in St. Pete. Each week, she cranks out over 1,000 little macarons all by herself, and even perfected the recipe for a vegan macaron after tons of trial-and-error.

“For the vegan stuff that I do make, I put a lot of time into it and I’m really proud of everything since my vegan bakes are pretty much indistinguishable from my other products,” Yelvington explains. “I’m never going to put a vegan item on the menu that’s not up to the standards of everything else.”

Although the Elevenses brand is most known for its innovative bakes—often popping up at events like Indie Flea before the brick and mortar was open to the public—Yelvington actually got her start as a barista several years ago, which eventually kick-started her love of baking.

A true Tampa native, Yelvington practically grew up in the massive pastry kitchen at Bern’s Steak House, where her mother, Kim Yelvington—who also owns Seminole Heights’

Chocolate Pi—worked as a pastry chef on and off for about two decades. She recalls drawing on the walls of the two-story pastry kitchen and venturing into the tiny room that held all of the restaurant’s chocolate. Kim even had the opportunity to helm its new cafe at the Epicurean Hotel in 2014, with her only daughter in tow.

While Jade had a longtime appreciation of sweets and baked goods from her mom, it was at The Epicurean’s cafe—the second iteration of Chocolate Pi—where she truly discovered her love of specialty coffee.

“I’ve been working with my mom off and on since I was about 14, but the Epicurean shop was the first place where I really realized, ‘this could be my career,” Yelvington tells CL. “I really wanted to focus on bringing a really cool drink program to match what my mom was doing, and that’s kind of where I found my love for the industry.”

Elevenses doesn’t have an espresso machine just yet (since Jade would have to drop upwards of $20,000 for her dream machine ), but the cafe still cranks out colorful “cloud lattes” using an Aeropress, a handheld device that uses physical force to push fine grounds through a plastic filter.

Elevenses’ colorful “cloud lattes”—complete with espresso, flavored milk and whipped topping—are offered alongside a curated menu of hot drip coffee, matcha-based beverages and other fun, one-off drinks. “I approach both baked goods and syrups for coffees with the same seasonal approach, so they kind of naturally pair well together,” Jade explains.

She created relationships with roasters around the country during her last few years being the lead barista at Chocolate Pi, and now carries their various bags of specialty beans at Elevenses.

“Our drink program is one of the things that I’m particularly proud of—our coffees kind of exist in this perfect harmony with the pastries,” Yelvington says. “I really like creating coffees with more of a mixology focus of really being thoughtful about the flavor notes of the beans, and then making syrups to pair with that.”

Inspired by nostalgia, her comfort TV shows, mystical realms and pop culture trends, Yelvington is finally taking hold of all creative reins and doing whatever the hell she wants with her small business—and her loyal customer base (literally) eats it up every time.

Although Elevenses has technically occupied its corner parcel on Columbus Avenue for about a year, it’s really just the beginning for Yelvington and her blossoming business.

Yelvington has nailed the art of balancing wholesale baking and custom orders, but the world of brick and mortar service will help Elevenses grow into the sweet Tampa powerhouse it truly deserves to be. And it’s bound to happen—one macaron at a time.

For the latest updates on Elevenses, head to its Instagram at @elevensesco. Since this V.M. Ybor cafe specializes in small-batch bakes, placing pre-orders on its Clover is highly recommended.

“Our drink program is one of the things that I’m particularly proud of.”

PIECE OF CAKE: Elevenses dishes out custom cakes, cookies, macarons, lattes and more.

C/O JADE YELVINGTON

1001 E Columbus Dr., Tampa @elevensesco on Instagram

Raising dough

Gabby Bakes launches fundraiser for Tampa storefront, and more local foodie news.

By Kyla Fields

Earlier this year, when Creative Loafing Tampa Bay asked Gabby Duncan if she ever wanted to open a Gabby Bakes storefront, she responded: “it would be a dream, but I’m also being mindful to scale up comfortably and smartly.” Just a few months later, Duncan’s dream has come true—but she needs a little community help to make it happen. With a strong belief system and a “joyful indulgence and a commitment to ethical food practices,” Tampa-based pop-up Gabby Bakes just launched a $20,000 fundraiser to help garner the dough for its debut brick and mortar.

“I started this business about 4 years ago, entirely self-funded and self-taught, fueled by the love of sharing food with friends and their extraordinary reciprocal support that grew over time into being a community’s worth of faith and encouragement in this journey of mine,” Duncan writes on her GoFundMe page. “And now I’m asking for help in growing this baby bakery into its own brick and mortar in Seminole Heights!”

Duncan’s fundraiser has earned over $2,500 from her committed customer base in its first day online. Donations will help Duncan cover the massive costs of equipment, necessary building renovations, retail licensing, hiring and training.

According to her GoFundMe page, the Seminole Heights building will initially serve as space for larger-scale commercial production instead of the typical bakery that’s open for service every day. After getting it up and running, Duncan says she’ll open for “weekly or bi-weekly popup-type events,” giving loyal customers a regular taste of her highly-acclaimed small-batch bakes. In addition to vending at Indie Flea and other foodie events throughout Tampa Bay, Duncan also accepts custom cake orders—another way to support her and her upcoming brick and mortar. All custom cake inquiries can be submitted at gabbybakes.com. Her custom cakes are known for their intricatelypiped designs and bright colors, although she regularly slings unique flavors of cookies, cupcakes, brownies and savory pastries, too.

“Support comes in many forms and is not always finance based. I see and am grateful for all the ways y’all have gotten me to this point—be it recommending my biz to someone, sharing my cakes on this here platform, gassing me up. All of it,” Duncan writes on social media. For the latest updates on Gabby Bakes and its upcoming Seminole Heights space, head to @gabbybakesllc on Instagram

St. Pete’s first Zaxby’s is now open in the Skyway Marina District

The tendy competition in St. Pete is heating up. Earlier this week, St. Pete’s very first Zaxby’s

opened its doors at 3700 34th St. S, to the delight of Zax sauce-lovers across The ‘Burg. In addition to its beloved trifecta of chicken tenders, Zax sauce and a fat slice of toast, Zaxby’s also dishes out loaded fries, fried white cheddar bites, chicken wings, salads, fried pickles and a variety of chicken sandwiches.

St. Pete’s Zaxby’s is now open in the Skyway Marina District, a booming part of town where national chains like Wawa and Starbucks have

Fo’Cheezy Twisted Meltz will sling in-stadium grilled cheese sandwiches for

the Tampa Bay Rays and Rowdies

Tampa Bay sports fans will soon be able to enjoy a freshly-pressed grilled cheese to go with their overpriced stadium beer. Last week, St. Pete-based grilled cheese concept Fo’Cheezy Twisted Meltz announced an exciting new collaboration with two of Tampa Bay’s professional sports teams.

Budweiser Beer Porch, first base food hall and third base food hall, in addition to The Rowdies’ Field Level food court at Al Lang Stadium. These four new stadium concepts join Fo’Cheezy’s two brick and mortars in downtown St. Pete and St. Pete Beach, as well as its brightly-adorned food trucks that serve events and festivals throughout Tampa Bay and beyond.

Popular Fo’Cheezy melts include the “Mac n’ Rib” loaded with sharp cheddar, mac and cheese, BBQ pulled pork, bacon and crispy onions and its “Hot Mess’’ stacked with poutine gravy, beef short rib, crispy tots and three types of cheese— which might have a home on its new menu for the Tampa Bay Rays and Rowdies. Fo’Cheezy’s brick and mortars also dish out sides like tater tots, onion rings, mac and cheese egg rolls and cheese curds alongside a variety of drinks, desserts and milkshakes.

Pinellas native and former “Hells Kitchen” and Food Network competitor Robert Hesse launched his Fo’Cheezy brand just a few years ago, inspired by ‘90s New York hip-hop and street culture. In addition to its various brick and mortars and food trucks, the local grilled cheese brand is also known for its philanthropic efforts, often benefiting a charity that Hesse co-founded with Fo’Cheezy co-owner Craig Monroe—who’s no longer involved—No Kid 86’d. The St. Pete-based charity “provides needs and services to the at-risk kids of the Bay” and a small portion of Hesse’s restaurant sales are often donated to his charity.

His St. Pete Beach restaurant and food truck launched in 2020 and the downtown St. Pete outpost—located at 111 3rd St. N—opened just a year later, marking exponential growth for the St. Pete native and his hyper-local business. It’s still unsure what melts, sandwiches and drinks Fo’Cheezy’s multiple stadium locations will dish out, so head to its @focheezytwistedmeltz on Facebook or Instagram at @focheezymelts for the latest updates on this new partnership. You can also catch Fo’Cheezy at this weekend’s Ooza Palooza grilled cheese and tater tot festival heading to downtown St Pete’s Albert Whitted Park on Saturday, June 17.

recently opened outposts. There are over 600 locations of the Georgia-based chain across the country, with over a hundred Zaxby’s locations in the Sunshine State alone. The other only Zaxby’s locations in the county reside at 7520 Belcher Rd. in Pinellas Park and 8585 Ulmerton Rd. in Largo. St. Pete’s debut Zaxby’s is now open from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily, boasting similar hours as its Pinellas siblings.

“As of today, Fo’Cheezy Twisted Meltz is in partnership with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Tampa Bay Rowdies as the official grilled cheese for both of these teams! We will have four new exciting locations within these stadiums,” Fo’Cheezy owner Robert Hesse wrote on social media last week. “Stay tuned to the build out and future collaboration content with the Tampa Bay Rays and Rowdies.”

Folks will soon be able to find Fo’Cheezy’s prized melts and sandwiches at Tropicana Field’s

Tampa Bay’s first Dave’s Hot Chicken celebrates its grand opening this weekend

One of the West Coast’s hottest chains is gearing up for its Tampa Bay debut. Located at 2540 E. Fowler Ave.—adjacent to the University of South Florida and Busch Gardens—Tampa Bay’s first Dave’s Hot Chicken makes its debut on Friday, June 16. In addition to its wide spread of hot chicken tenders—which range from “no spice” continued on page 35

GROUNDBAKING: Local pop-up Gabby Bakes launched a GoFundMe for its first brick and mortar.

continued from page 33

to the deep red “reaper” level—Dave’s dishes out sides like french fries, kale slaw and mac and cheese. A variety of sodas is also offered alongside different flavors of milkshakes. Its hot chicken tenders can be ordered with a side of fries, or shoved in-between two buttery buns to make a slider.

In late 2021, the L.A.-based chicken chain announced plans to open eight outposts throughout the greater Tampa area, heading to Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties. The owners of local Fuzzy Tacos franchises, Ian and Adam Lieberman, are helping Dave’s Hot Chicken find its ideal locations throughout Tampa Bay. Currently, there are two Dave’s locations in Florida—in Orlando and Altamonte Springs—in addition to two upcoming storefronts in Tampa and Lake Mary. For the latest information on Tampa’s new hot chicken outpost, follow its Instagram at @ daveshotchicken. After this weekend’s grand opening, Dave’s Hot Chicken will be open from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Sundays, and 11 a.m.-midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Blvd., English bar and restaurant The Pub took to Facebook to announce its immediate closure.

“We are sad to announce that after 12 years in our Bay Street location, The Pub Tampa is now permanently closed at International Plaza due to our lease ending,” the English restaurant posted on Facebook last week. “We are looking for the perfect location to raise a pint with you in the Tampa Bay Area soon. Until then, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our patrons and dedicated staff.”

FOOD NEWS

Besides citing the end of its lease, the folks behind The Pub didn’t provide any additional details about its somewhat-surprising closure. The English pub was known for its wide variety of spirits and hearty British eats like bangers and mash and Shepherd’s pie, in addition to its sports-watching parties, trivia and other events. But its “pour your own beer wall” was certainly the center of attention.

Although the popular bar and restaurant is “saying farewell for now,” it’s looking for another local outpost to dish its beloved fish and chips and pints of beer out of. For the latest updates on The Pub and its mission to reopen elsewhere in Tampa Bay, head to @PubTampa on Facebook.

Tampa English restaurant The Pub closes after 12 years at International Plaza

Pour out a pint of Boddingtons, International Plaza and Bay Street is officially down another hospitality concept. Located at 2223 N Westshore

Only time will tell what will replace The Pub’s hot location in International Plaza, eventually joining other restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory, The Capital Grille, Alma, Bar Louie, Brio Italian Grille and Doc B’s.

FOWL ON FOWLER: Tampa’s first Dave’s Hot Chicken opens on Fowler Avenue this week.

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Stars are born

All the Tampa restaurants featured in the 2023 Florida Michelin Guide.

By CL Staff

Three Tampa restaurants earned the city’s first ever Michelin stars last month at the unveiling of the 2023 Florida Michelin Guide in Miami. Tampa’s Koya, Lilac and Rocca all scored the top honor of earning a star for the first time, along with Tambourine Room by Tristan Brandt in Miami Beach. In total, 19 Florida restaurants earned stars during a ceremony at LoanDepot Park. Although controversial, a star is considered one of, if not thee, highest award in the culinary world. Chefs who earn a star see an immediate boost in their reputation, with their restaurant (and staff) benefiting from the boost in business and prestige.

Nepalese cuisine with a touch of Indian influence. “Of course, there must be momo, those iconic Nepalese dumplings that are seared, panfried or even in jhol (soup). Chicken is a popular protein that appears often on the menu, but don’t shy away from the goat specialties. They’re falling-off-the-bone tender and savory,” inspectors wrote. 10044 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa, 813-3886404. gorkhalikitchentampa.com

DINING GUIDE

While not everyone pulled in a star at this week’s unveiling, quite a few Tampa restaurants however did receive “Bib Gourmands” deeming them a “great value,” and “Recommend” restaurant status. Here are all the restaurants included in this year’s guide—and what Michelin inspectors had to say about them.

1 Star

Koya “There is a watchful eye over the experience at this intimate eight-seat counter, where a multicourse contemporary tasting menu shares a singular interpretation of Japanese cuisine. The dishes are often unexpected yet always thoughtful.” 807 W. Platt St., Tampa, 813-2847423. koyatampa.com

Lilac “Peruse the contemporary four-course prix-fixe with Mediterranean influences, Floridafocused ingredients and French techniques. A meal might include luxe bites like a Diver scallop infused with rosemary smoke and dramatically served under a cloche to well-executed and flavorful lobster feuillantine.”

500 Channelside Dr., Tampa, 813- 771-8022. editionhotels.

com

Rocca “Chef Bryce

Bonsack blends his New York know-how with Italian training to great effect in this of-the-moment eatery. Naturally, there’s an assortment of pastas, skillfully made in house and showcasing classic flavors and scrupulous technique, as in spaghetti al limone, tossed with knobs of blue crab and lemon, shaved garlic and zucchini.” 323 W Palm Ave., Tampa. 813-906-5445. roccatampa.com

Bib Gourmand

Gorkhali Kitchen Michelin praised the breadth of the menu at New Tampa strip mall spot, Gorkhali Kitchen and noted its focus on

Ichicoro Without a doubt, Ichicoro ushered in a new era for Tampa’s dining scene, but the concept closed last April. Records at the City of Tampa show that an “Ichicoro 2.0” was underway across the street at 5246 N Florida Ave, but the last update for that concept happened in December 2022. It’s unclear what is happening with that property. 5229 N Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-517-9989. ichicoro.com

Psomi “Owned and run by second-generation Greek-American, Christina Theofilos, this daytime eatery and bakery epitomizes warmth and comfort. Strangers become friends in no time, noshing on breakfast and lunch during the week and brunch on weekends. The menu is laced with Greek items ranging from flavorful and tender octopus ceviche to house-made dolmades that display an added level of care. The farm to your table sandwich is layered with avocado, pickled green tomato, shaved jicama, sprouts and whipped feta. Of course, with a name that translates to bread, there must be baked goods and you’ll find it all here. Don’t skimp on dessert and order bougatsa, baklava or baklava coffee cake (an impressive marriage of the two).” 701 N Howard Ave., Tampa, 813-841-5555. eatpsomi.com

Rooster & The Till “It’s a low-key spot with a contemporary feel. The bar is central and wraps around an open kitchen, so grab a seat at the counter for the best view. Between the lively tunes and buzzy staff, the aura is anything but stuffy. The plates follow suit—freewheeling, frequently changing and shareable with elements from SE Asia, Latin America and the Levant. Yet, nothing seems out of place, as in sumacflecked cauliflower with whipped goat’s milk feta and falafel-spiced dukkah. Fried cobia collar with nuoc cham boasts a cultish following. Such seductive textures and explosive flavors continue in full force in a dessert of black sesame ice cream with pineapple-cashew jam and Thai tea caramel. The tasting menu, though pricier, is a worthy splurge.” 6500 N Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-374-8940. roosterandthetill.com

Recommended

Bern’s Steakhouse “For decades, this stately steakhouse has been a local favorite for special occasions of all stripes, and its popularity shows no signs of shrinking. Diners dress to impress amid the garish vintage opulence, which is matched by a slickly ceremonious suit-clad service team and colossal wine collection. A meal might start with oysters, or one of the many caviar options, but savvy diners save ample space for a curated selection of prime steaks, many dry-aged extensively in house before getting a char treatment on the kitchen’s massive grill. Don’t fill up on the assorted sides—at the end of the meal, guests are whisked to the posh upstairs dessert room, where bananas Foster or baked Alaska can be enjoyed with house-roasted coffee and live piano music.” 1208 S Howard Ave., Tampa, 813-2512421. bernssteakhouse.com

Bistro BT “This casual yet charming outpost arrives on the scene courtesy of celebrated local restaurateur, BT Nguyen. It is

friendly and atmospheric with gracious servers merely augmenting the inviting feel. Over in the kitchen, the team cooks up a homey combination of French and Vietnamese dishes, ranging from beloved standbys to bolder bistro fare. The Vietnamese plates are a cut above, though, and include the likes of crispy spring rolls faithfully packed with ground pork, glass noodles and wood ear mushroom; followed by deeply aromatic pho bobbing with springy noodles and generous amounts of meltingly soft tenderloin. A handful of carefully curated wines along with a small assortment of thoughtfully crafted iced teas are sure to quench your thirst in style.” 4267 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, 813-513-8402. bistro-bt.com

Restaurant BT “Both intimate and serene, this romantic retreat is restaurateur and Chef BT Nguyen’s flagship. Its motto “eat local, think global” accurately captures both her genre-defying, eclectic cuisine as well as her dedication to high quality, local ingredients. Although continued on page 41

“Peruse the contemporary four-course prix-fixe with Mediterranean influences.”

LUXE LIFE: Lilac features Florida-focused ingredients and French techniques.

NIKOLAS KOENIG

continued from page 39

the presentation may lean a bit fussy and oldfashioned (think tomato roses and other such twee garnishes), there’s plenty of substance behind the fluff. This is cooking that’s assiduously seasoned and bursting with flavor. Many of the dishes draw upon the chef’s Vietnamese heritage, seen in the telltale use of bright, aromatic flavors, but items like a sophisticated vichyssoise and Basque-inspired pink prawns are a testament to her classic French training and time spent abroad.” 2507 S MacDill Ave., Tampa, 813-258-1916. restaurantbt.com

Cena “Nestled among retail spaces and luxury apartments, this unassuming spot is well-loved for its Italian—with an American perspective—food. Minimally dressed with exposed ductwork and mottled cement floors, the space oozes with warmth, thanks to soft lighting. The result is a happy union between neighborhood joint and hipster bar. The trendy guests are here for the kitchen’s bold flavors and novel twists on traditional items. Kick off with an antipasto of fried cauliflower, octopus and gigante beans with salsa rossa. House pastas are a huge draw, and perhaps fittingly so, when you consider satisfyingly chewy chitarra with pistachio and shishito pepper pesto, burrata and lemon zest. For dessert, a playful, deconstructed take on tiramisu is a favorite.” 1208 E Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. cenatampa.com

Columbia “For devotees of Cuban-American cuisine, a pilgrimage to this jewel of Historic Ybor City is practically obligatory. Adorned with gorgeous painted tiles, the striking edifice occupies an entire block. However, the opulence goes beyond the façade—founded in 1905, this original location is the oldest continually operating restaurant in all of Florida (multiple offshoots have since sprung up). Equally impressive, its rooms can seat over a thousand guests; and a well-oiled kitchen turns out a steady stream of beloved specialties—from deviled crab croquetas to gambas al ajillo. At lunch, the Cubano sandwich, which has a legitimate claim to being the original version, lives up to the hype. During the evening, live flamenco performances gild the lily.” 2117 E 7th Ave., Ybor City, 813-248-4961. columbiarestaurant.com

Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar “Don’t be fooled by the lofty name or upscale location (tucked inside the Epicurean Hotel, just past the lobby). The ambience here is relaxed and the cooking is down-to-earth, though happily not mundane. Breakfast and lunch are served, but dinner is where the lion’s share of excitement lies, with a menu whose flavors confidently span the globe. Smoked barbecue chicken wings find themselves in good company with a wild mushroom chawanmushi; while za’atar and Madras curry might accent grass-fed bison or Florida grouper. Beyond the diversity of its culinary influences, the food shows a sense of balance, as in a hearty dish of chicken schnitzel

matched with buttery spaetzle and finished with a mustard jus that provides that perfect bit of lightness and zest.” 1207 S Howard Ave., Tampa, 813-999-8726. epicureanhotel.com

Flaming Mountain “Flaming Mountain’s strip mall environs may be less than exciting but they save their sizzle for the food. The owners, husband-and-wife Hongfeng Li and Ling Wu, are originally from Shenyang in China’s northeast, and the menu proudly displays their regional heritage alongside classic Sichuan cuisine and grilled skewers. Chef Wei Zhang sources quality ingredients for dishes that deliver bold flavor across the board. Portions are hearty, so arrive armed with an appetite for meals like Chungking spicy chicken, with a plate piled high with classic dry fried chicken studded with chilies and peppercorns. Cucumber salad tossed in a vinegar sauce balances the heady spice. Cumin-scented lamb done

of a molded chocolate shell.” 2208 W Morrison Ave., Tampa, 813-258-2233. haventampa.com

DINING GUIDE

Mise en Place “Originally a small-scale catering business founded in 1986 by partners Maryann Ferenc and Chef Marty Blitz, this riverfront enclave has gone on to become a local culinary fixture. The sleek, comfortable space and assured service are as suitable for romantic duos as business groups—and either set would be well advised to sample from their list of carefully poured classic cocktails. The menu features a freewheeling selection of international flavors—from squash blossoms filled with creamy ricotta and spicy ‘nduja, to mole-crusted scallops with a masa and squash purée. Desserts in particular are noteworthy. A warm pistachio polenta cake paired with olive oil gelato and basil blackberry jam, for instance, manages to be both comforting and au courant.”

442 W Grand Central Blvd. Ste 110 , Tampa,

Oak and Ola “Under the aegis of celebrated chef, Anne Kearny, this boisterous scene forms one of the keystone culinary destinations for the massive Armature Works development in which it is housed. The menu relies heavily on prominent wood-fired ovens and casts a wide net for European flavors, turning to Iberian ingredients—as in the roasted octopus with chorizo, white beans and kale. Then, Germany might be the inspiration behind a plate of bregenwurst with caraway-pickled cabbage and apple chutney. Other offerings, like yellowtail snapper with amandine sauce, have their roots in New Orleans, where the chef first earned her reputation. Regardless of this particular reference point, the common thread here is assertive flavors prepared with an assured lack of fuss.” 1910 N Ola Ave., Tampa, 813-773-1901. oakandola.com

Olivia “Named after Chef/owner Chris Ponte’s daughter, it’s only appropriate that the cooking at this bustling, Italian-inspired venue should set itself apart thanks to extra care. That characteristic attention to detail includes efforts, like extruding all pastas in house before slowly drying them—but it’s the sort of work that pays off for diners. Although the cuisine draws heavily on classic flavors, don’t expect bythe-books renditions—even the simplest dishes flaunt a bit of personality. Take, for example, mini rigatoni sauced with ragù Bolognese and a dollop of herbed ricotta; it’s a departure from tradition that is unlikely to draw any objections. The pizza offerings are similarly appealing, like one with truffle honey, smoky speck and scallion.” 3601 W Swann Ave., Tampa, 813-328-8866. oliviatampa.com

in a stir fry style is another standout.” 13520 University Plaza St., Tampa, 813-609-8888. flamingmountainchinese.com

Haven ”Noshers will rejoice at the prospect of this charming, quirky and convivial concept, whose menu of shareable plates makes snacking practically de rigueur. Front and center is a selection of artisanal cheeses and charcuterie, which deserves serious consideration. Heartier dishes, like steaks, pass muster; although much of the fun lies in smaller bites. To wit, there’s a section devoted to adroitly prepared offal, whether it be French-inflected rabbit kidneys with Cognac; or fried veal sweetbreads with a sweet and sour glaze. Diners with a less carnivorous bent may rest easy as there are vegetarian options aplenty. Desserts show a touch of whimsy, like a charming “dirt pie” fashioned into the likeness of a flowerpot by way

813-254-5373. miseonline.com

Noble Rice “Restaurants pack this area just off Channelside Drive, but Noble Rice deserves your attention, and not just because it’s a sister spot to Koya. Unlike most minimalist Japanese restaurants, this place has a lively, modern vibe. There is an omakase on offer at a separate counter, but the real draw here is their à la carte sushi-focused menu with some izakaya and small plate options (think shrimp toast and karaage; skewers and ramen). Traditionalists should head for the king salmon nigiri sourced from New Zealand, while bold and creative flavor combinations are found in maki like the negi toro roll, with spicy fatty tuna, scallion, tobanjan kewpie in a black garlic soy sauce. Steer seasonal, as in the bright Dungeness crab salad.”

615 Channelside Dr. No.112, Tampa, 813-5422021. noblericeco.com

On Swann “This lofty, stylish space draws in crowds, thanks to its relaxed, hip vibe and flavorful, unpretentious cooking. Chef and owner Chris Ponte, a heavy-hitter in the local dining scene, has assembled a menu that’s as charmingly eclectic as the restaurant’s design. You’ll find nods to Spain and France, but Italian and Southern flavors predominate, so you’re as likely to encounter ricotta salata as pimento cheese, and both grits and risotto find equal footing. Combinations of sweet and savory seem to be a specialty, as in a tomato-date sauce paired with lamb meatballs, or a fig tart with gorgonzola and caramelized onions. Brunch is particularly popular, owing, no doubt, to the airy, well-lit room and ample list of tempting seasonal cocktails.” 1501 W Swann Ave., Tampa, 813-251-0110. onswann.com

Ponte Modern American “Chef Christopher Ponte oversees the very grand eponymous restaurant located in midtown Tampa where a cream-and-white palette sets an elegant tone. This is a linen tablecloth kind of place where a comprehensive menu lists dishes with a contemporary and creative American flair. Kick off this memorable meal with Champagne and

continued on page 44

MOVIN’ ON UP: Tampa is now home to three Michelin stars and four Bib Gourmands.

KEIR MAGOULAS/VISIT TAMPA BAY

continued from page 41

pearls—oysters finished with a pink peppercorn mignonette foam—or opt for the salmon Wagyu set over crispy sushi rice. Discover an entire section of the menu devoted to steaks with different sauces, toppers and butters. It may read a bit showy, but it’s exciting nonetheless and feels worthy of the price tag. Cocktails are quite literally split down the middle, offering both a classic version of the usual suspects alongside modern takes.” 1010 Gramercy Ln., Tampa, 813-582-7755. pontetampa.com

Steelbach “Set in a space that once housed the Tampa Electrical Company’s main offices, the stripped-down, industrial-chic aesthetic mirrors an air of studied nonchalance. Essentially a steakhouse with a Southern drawl, the menu here focuses on meats cooked over a blazing grill fueled by mesquite and oak. Composed plates, like a brick chicken served with hominy, tasso ham and green tomato chowchow, have their merit, but most diners direct their attention to an assortment

of exceptional steaks. The meat’s provenance is what sets the offerings apart: a partnership with a local rancher provides grass-fed, grainfinished cattle specifically for the restaurant’s use, minimizing waste and maximizing flavor—and few would dispute the caliber of the end product.” 1902 N Ola Ave., Tampa, 813- 6935478. steelbach.com

DINING GUIDE

Timpano Hyde Park ”After a chic redesign, this longtime Hyde Park Village staple stands out even in its stylish surrounds. The verdant space calls to mind the tropics and a clubby playlist adds an air of youthfulness, but this is solid cooking rooted in classic Italian American sensibilities. A wellappointed bar pours enticing quaffs like a frozen blood orange negroni, which also makes for a winning aperitivo. Red-sauce staples, like sausage-stuffed mushrooms and fried calamari are deftly prepared, and tailed by house pastas given their proper due. A raviolo filled with spinach, ricotta and molten egg yolk is dressed

with frisée and a bit of balsamic; and, forgiving the pun, a “parm to table” bucatini al pesto prepared tableside in a wheel of Parmigiano is sure to please.” 1610 W Swann Ave., Tampa, 813-254-5870. timpanohydepark.com

Ulele “With a scenic location at the edge of a restored natural spring and a name that references a legendary Native American princess, there’s clearly no shortage of charm on offer here. Although the “Native-inspired” cooking has only a tenuous connection to Florida’s original inhabitants, the menu is a nod to Tampa’s history and draws upon the various influences that have shaped the city’s current culinary landscape. A bounty of seafood is featured, much of it sourced from local waters, with conventional delicacies like oysters and scallops alongside the less commonplace alligator (flash-fried or incorporated into hush puppies). Diners can soak up views of Hillsborough River amid an outdoor

sculpture garden while sipping suds from the restaurant’s own brewery.” 1810 N Highland Ave., Tampa, 813-999-4952. ulele.com

Yummy House “Crowds still clamber to fill the seats at this spacious, no-frills eatery, whose sizable menu presents ample options for a range of tastes. Diners can find contentment with familiar American-Chinese staples, like orange chicken and salt-and-pepper fried calamari (or tofu). However, dishes like clay pot-braised fish have their own unique, earthy appeal. During lunch hours you’d be welladvised to select from the separate dim sum menu, which features typical bites like dumplings and turnip cakes, as well as sweet regional specialties like pineapple buns and Hong Kong-style egg tarts. Thanks to the popularity of the original, a number of offshoots can be found throughout southern Florida, including a more upscale one in South Tampa.” 2620 E Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-237-3838. yummyhouseflorida.com

FLORIDA, MAN: Ulele’s menu is a nod to Tampa’s history.

PEDRO CASTELLANO/VISIT TAMPA BAY

“There’s clearly no shortage of charm on offer here.”

Now at The Dalí

Over 100 rarely displayed drawings from the hand of Salvador Dalí offer a glimpse into the artist’s most intimate and spontaneous creative process.

MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE

Freedom fests

20 Juneteenth-themed events in Tampa Bay, from cultural festivals to political action.

By Kyla Fields

Juneteenth—also known as Emancipation Day or Juneteenth Independence Day—is a federal holiday honored nationwide to celebrate the end of slavery in the United States. Almost three months after the end of the Civil War and 901 days after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves in Galveston, Texas were informed of their liberation on June 19, 1865. While Texas is geographically pretty far from the Sunshine State, Tampa Bay-based organizations, churches and local governments are celebrating Juneteenth and what it represents in a variety of different ways this month—from religious gatherings and pageants to food and art festivals and political action.

Here are 20 Juneteenth-themed events, celebrations and educational demonstrations happening in Tampa Bay this month. All events are free to attend unless marked otherwise. Read about another event at the soon-to-reopen St. James in Tampa’s Encore! district on p. 15.

Juneteenth Day of Action Hosted by local religious and community-focused organization Faith in Florida, this St. Petersburg event celebrates Black history while demanding the leaders of The ‘Burg “ keep the Gas Plant district city-owned to ensure a Black future in St. Pete. Thursday, June 15. 6 p.m. St Petersburg City Hall, 175 5th St. N, St.Petersburg. faithinflorida.org

Juneteenth’s Raise the Flag Ceremony & Festival The City of Tampa raises the red, green and black African-American flag at City Hall, and a festival full of vendors, food trucks, and family-friendly fun takes place at Lykes Gaslight Square Park right after. The city will also ask its Black residents for their oral histories as a part of its “Soul Walk” project. The mayor has apologized for the city’s role in erasing Black cemeteries and has even gotten into the business of caring for them; perhaps this is the summer Castor will apologize for harm done to the Arthur Green Jr. family, or some of Tampa’s Black community via Tampa Police Department’s “Biking While Black” and crimefree multi housing programs. Friday, June 16. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tampa City Hall, E Kennedy Blvd.,Tampa. tampa.gov

Little Miss Juneteenth Tampa Bay Pageant One of the various events and programs organized by the Tampa Bay Juneteenth

Coalition, the Little Miss Juneteenth pageant is a local version of the nationwide spectacle. Friday, June 16. 6 p.m. $15-20. Middleton High School, 4801 N 22nd St., Tampa. tampabayjuneteenthcoalition.com

USF’s Juneteenth Celebration USF Black Alumni Society hosts a multicultural Juneteenth celebration full of food vendors, jazz music, dancers, and educational panels. While this event is free to attend, registration via Eventbrite

Tampa Bay Juneteenth Festival Perhaps the largest Juneteenth celebration on either side of the bridge, this stadium-hosted festival with a “block party atmosphere” features food trucks, local vendors, a job fair, health clinic and family-friendly fun. Saturday, June 17. 3 p.m.-9 p.m. $10 & up. Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa. roctheblock.com

Juneteenth Freedom Fest Take a stroll through the Warehouse Art District and enjoy

with the legendary TV personality TS Madison, a Juneteenth poetry slam with cash prizes, live entertainment, a ballroom extravaganza and more. Come out and honor the “impact of Black and Brown culture on the LGBTQ+ community as a whole and its deep roots in the evolution of Pride.” Saturday, June 17. 8:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. $10. The Factory St. Pete, 2622 Fairfield Ave S, St. Petersburg. eventbrite.com

A Travel Through Time: Juneteenth

Gala At this gala, guests can indulge in a fancy, formal dinner while enjoying a stage play about Black history. According to the event’s organizers, dancing will take place after its dinner and show. Saturday, June 17. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. $65 & up. Historic Ybor City 1300 E 8th Ave., Ybor City. eventbrite.com

Sankofa Juneteenth Freedom Festival

This outdoor market features dozens of local Black vendors slinging everything from art and crafts and soaps to natural juices, urban wear and jewelry. It also promises live entertainment and food trucks. While attendance is free, you can RSVP via Eventbrite. Saturday, June 17. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Rebirth Baptist Church, 1924 East Comanche Ave.,Tampa. eventbrite.com

Gulfport’s 3rd annual Juneteenth celebration This family-friendly event offers raffles and prizes, free pizza for the kiddos, local vendors, live entertainment and a photobooth during Gulfport’s rendition of the longest-running African American holiday. Saturday, June 17. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Gulfport Casino, 5500 Shore Blvd. S, Gulfport. mygulfport.us

is encouraged. Saturday, June 17. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sam and Martha Gibbons Alumni Center at University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave.,Tampa. eventbrite.com

A Juneteenth Celebration Traditional

African attire is encouraged at this churchhosted Juneteenth event, which promises lots of singing and other entertainment. Saturday, June 17. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 20th Street Church Of Christ, 825 20th St S, St. Petersburg. 20th Street Church Of Christ on Facebook

this event’s various food trucks, local artists, vendors and live entertainment. This fest is dog and kid-friendly, too. Saturday, June 17. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.Warehouse Arts District Association, 515 22nd St. S, St. Petersburg. warehouseartsdistrict.org

Shades of Pride As a part of St. Pete Pride’s month-long programming, this event celebrates the wonderful (and often overlooked) intersection of LGBTQ identity and Black culture. This multifaceted party features a panel

Juneteenth Arts Festival

In addition to hosting a variety of small businesses, organizations, food vendors and spoken word artists, Sarasota’s Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will also screen films from local filmmakers at its annual Juneteenth celebration. Sunday, June 18. 1 p.m.- 9 p.m. Free. West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N Orange Ave., Sarasota. westcoastblacktheatre.org

‘Flying Ace’ at Tampa Theatre This downtown Tampa institution celebrates 2023’s Juneteenth with a free screening of the 1926 film “The Flying Ace,” which was marketed as “the greatest airplane thriller ever filmed.” It was shot in Jacksonville and features an all-Black continued on page 49

STORY TO TELL: Revelers outside Tampa’s since-relocated Best-Richardson museum.

continued from page 47

cast. After the screening, Fred Hearns, Curator of Black History for the Tampa Bay History Center, will host a panel discussion with various film industry professionals. Sunday, June 18. 3 p.m. Tampa Theatre, 711 N Franklin St., Tampa. tampatheatre.org

AfroCan Fest This annual event promises to “represent the best in Black fashion, food, art, and music, while maintaining a celebratory atmosphere.” While general admission to AfroCan is free, folks can upgrade to VIP for $40 or Premium VIP for $75—the latter comes with an ultra-comfy “stylized bistro tablescape.” Sunday, June 18. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Perry Harvey Park, 1000 E Harrison St., Tampa. eventbrite.com

Jazzy Juneteenth Jubilee

Tickets to this highly-anticipated gala are sold-out, but fingers crossed the Woodson African American Museum releases a few more last minute tickets. Even if you can’t make the museum’s annual Juneteenth celebration, you can still check out its exhibit “African American History: Resilient, Relentless & Revolutionary,” on display until the end of June. Sunday, June 18. 5 p.m.-8 pm. Woodson African American Museum of Florida, 2240 9th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. woodsonmuseum.org

all day and enjoy its current exhibits about Florida wildlife and the history of Key West. Admission to the Tampa Museum of Art will also be free of charge on Monday in collaboration with Tampa’s massive Juneteenth Cultural Celebration. Monday, June 19. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tampa Bay History Center, 801 Water St., Tampa. tampabayhistorycenter.org

A&E EVENTS

‘Moonlight’ screening Ybor City’s microcinema hosts a variety of films throughout June to honor Pride month, but also screens the critically-acclaimed 2016 movie “Moonlight” to celebrate Pride’s intersection with Juneteenth. Mondays are also industry night, so folks in the biz can enjoy a discounted admission price. Monday, June 19. 7 p.m. $5. Screen Door Microcinema (inside of Kress Collective), 624 East 7th Ave., Ybor City. ybormicrocinema.org

Juneteenth Cultural Celebration: Arts, History & Equity One of the largest Juneteenththemed events heads to Curtis Hixon this year, and it’s packed with live music, art, dance, food vendors and tons of local businesses and organizations. Admission is free but RSVPing on Eventbrite is recommended. Sunday, June 18. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 North Ashley Dr.,Tampa. eventbrite.com

Juneteenth: A Free Day Folks can visit the Tampa Bay History Center free of charge

Arts Legacy Remix The Straz hosts its third annual Juneteenth-themed gig; this year’s rendition features spoken remembrances, writings of historical importance and “an original performance of music, poetry and dance created specially for this Juneteenth commemoration.” While admission to this Monday night gig is free, space is limited so we recommend getting there a bit early. Monday, June 19. 7:30 p.m. Jaeb Theatre at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N Macinnes Pl., Tampa. strazcenter.org

Juneteenth Musical stage play One of the many events organized and promoted by the Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition this summer, this event features a variety of gospel singing, choreography and children’s performances. Friday, June 23. 6:30 p.m. $20. The Duffy Center, 10110 N Central Ave., Tampa. tampabayjuneteenthcoalition.com

WHO YOU GONNA BE?: ‘Moonlight’ is showing in Ybor City.

William Sweetlove (Belgian, b. 1949), with PET Bottle (Pink) funds generously donated by Jocelyn Emery, Carolynn Hawtin, Pui Miller, Rosie and Shelby Reed, Katie Robertson, Amy Staehr, and Jeanie Staehr, National Museum of Wildlife Art. M2017.006.004

Reading rainbow

Ybor gallery raising money to push back on state censorship.

By Gracey Davis and Ray Roa

Parachute Gallery is bringing more color to Ybor City this summer, and they want you to help. “Summer School” is a four-week interactive installation running July 6-Aug. 3 at the gallery on Seventh Avenue. The exhibit is a response to the recent censorship of inclusive cultural content across the state of Florida, says the organization.

Located at 1624 E 7th Ave. inside Ybor City’s new Kress Collective, the installation will feature a library of banned books available for purchase—all donated from independent bookstores Mojo Books & Records and Book + Bottle—with the proceeds going to Heard ‘Em Say Youth Art Collective, a Tampa Based non-profit that empowers young people in activism and advocacy through artistic education and expression.

been affected is NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” and while some striking Writer’s Guild members have put together YouTube shows (read: “Picket Tonight”), Meyers himself is going on tour which includes at least one summer stop in Florida.

Tickets to see Seth Meyers do stand-up at Tampa’s Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Thursday, Aug. 10 go on sale Friday, June 9 and start at $110.

A&E SHORTS

Through a partnership with Embracing Our Differences, the “Summer School” installation will also feature artwork that has faced backlash based on its inclusive content. The artwork has recently made headlines after being censored from State College of Florida’s campus at Bradenton.

Drag performers will also be included in the installation, with recordings of local performers reading banned books from the library. Drag performers have been impacted negatively following the signing of SB 1438, which prevents drag artists from performing in front of children under 18.

Parachute Gallery is now seeking donations to help fund the exhibit and pay the featured drag performers through GoFundMe. “Summer School” is a passion project from Parachute Gallery owner Jessica Todd.

Amid the censorship of people and cultural assets, Todd found herself wondering what she could do to respond and be supportive for people who are being targeted, she said.

“If we all keep self censoring, and laying down, it’s just going to continue to gain momentum. I am adamant to stand my ground on this and whatever comes my way is fine,” Parachute Gallery owner and “Summer School” organizer Jessica Todd told Creative Loafing.

‘Late Night’ host and comedian Seth Meyers is doing a live set in Tampa this summer

If you’ve been sleeping, then you definitely missed it, but there’s a writer’s strike happening right now, and it’s sent nightly talk shows into the dark. One program that’s

The 49-year-old came to prominence during his 13-year tenure on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” where he was head writer and part of the show’s popular “Weekend Update.” He and Obama even unintentionally teamed up to shit on Trump during the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner (which some argue inspired Donald to run). He knows full well that the strike could go on for a long time (one WGA strike in 2007 went over 100 days and into the new year), and he’s been supportive of the action.

“No one is entitled to a job in show business. But for those people who have a job in show business, they are entitled to fair compensation,” Meyers told “Late Night” viewers on Friday. “They are entitled to make a living. I think it’s a very reasonable demand that is being set out by the guild, and I support those demands.”

Meyers is even personally paying his staff, according to Vulture. No telling what Meyers has in store for audiences, but he’s one hell of a writer (with 29 Emmy nominations and one win, plus several Writers Guild of America Awards) so expect it to be good.

Cirque du Soleil ‘Bazzar’ is coming to St. Petersburg next year

Tropicana Field is home to some pretty elite athletes this season (read: Major League Baseball leaders the Tampa Bay Rays), but it’ll be home to even more come next spring. Last week, Cirque du Soleil announced plans to bring a new show to St. Petersburg next year.

Tickets to see Cirque du Soleil “Bazzar” from Feb. 22-March 24 go on sale to the general public starting Thursday, June 15 and start at $24. A Cirque representative told CL that the first show will be on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. The company will take Monday-Tuesday off, do one 7:30 p.m. show Wednesday-Friday, then two shows each on Saturday (3:30 p.m., 7 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m., 4:30 p.m.).

The shows are the fourth stop on the “Bazzar” national tour, and mark the production’s local debut (it world premiered in India in 2018 and toured the Middle East). A press release calls the presentation “a high-energy spectacle of intrepid acrobatics, dynamic stunts and exhilarating performances that pays homage to the entertainment company’s legacy.” In the show, 35 performers— including musicians acrobats, plus gymnasts who practice the traditional Indian sport of Mallakhamb (aerial yoga, on a hanging wooden pole)—work under the direction of a “maestro” who directs the “high-energy excitement, collision of sounds and colors, and meeting place of diverse characters.”

“Bazzar” arrives five years after a Cirque acrobat fell 20 feet during a Tampa performance of “Volta.” The aerialist, Yann Arnaud, later died from the injuries.

‘Ghost Files’ YouTube show is coming to Clearwater’s haunted Capitol Theatre just before Halloween

Ghouls and girls of all ages are invited to a spook-tacular fall screening of a never before seen episode of “Ghost Files.” Ryan Bergara and Shane Medaj, former co-hosts of “Buzzfeed Unsolved,” are bringing the ghost-hunting experience to Clearwater this fall as part of the second season of their new YouTube show. Following the screening of a brand-new episode of “Ghost Files,” co-hosts Medaj and Bergara will take the stage for a Q&A to discuss their most memorable ghoulish encounters and talk behind the scenes stories.

Clearwater’s Capitol Theatre is no stranger to ghost stories, with sightings of previous owner Bill Neville who was murdered on the grounds in 1981, and the ghost of a little girl used to appear in the lobby, supposedly waiting for someone to take her home.

Tickets to the “Ghost Files” screening and Q&A at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre in Clearwater on Saturday, Oct. 28 start at $35, and go on sale Friday, June 2, at 10 a.m.

‘CHUTE-ING STAR: Power singer and popular drag queen Jay Miah.

DAVE DECKER

“If we all keep self censoring, and laying down, it’s just going to continue to gain momentum.”

Come on out

Dunedin Pride Week kicks off Friday.

By Jennifer Ring

Photographing Dunedin’s Inaugural Pride Week was my favorite gig of 2022. This was before HB 1438 passed. Back when no one had to worry if it was legal to host a drag show at a hotel pool. There’s no doubt that the legislation has changed Pride celebrations across the Sunshine State. But, if the COVID pandemic taught us anything, it’s how to adapt to change. Tampa Bay’s LGBTQIA community isn’t cowering in a corner with its tail between its legs. It’s marching on Washington. It’s making great art. It’s throwing a weeklong, 13-event Pride extravaganza in DeSantis’ hometown of Dunedin. It’s sure to be a great time… for everyone but Ron. Here’s our rundown of events—get even more information on most of these happenings via dunedinpride.com.

Blur’s Annual Pride Show & Dance Party

The party begins with a Friday night Pride show and dance party at Dunedin’s 16-year-old gay nightclub Blur. Friday, June 16, 9 p.m.-3 a.m. Show at 11 p.m. Blur Night Club, 325 Main St. blurdunedin.com

Gay-Lah Head to the Dunedin Pride Gala Saturday night for a classic dinner and a show experience catered by Amici. The five-star catering company put together an exciting menu for the event that includes Florentine mushroom caps, mini BLT tartlets, pear and brie quesadillas, sun-dried tomato arancini, mixed greens, chicken fricassee, grilled cobia, penne marinara, fresh vegetables, and bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes for dessert. The entertainment is a live concert paying tribute to LGBTQ+ artists George Michael and Lady Gaga and “a spectacular drag show.” This year’s gala raises money for Dunedin-based nonprofit Caregivers Wellness Collective, which supports the health and wellness of LGBTQ Caregivers. 21 & up. Saturday June 17, 6-10 p.m. $200. Achieva Credit Union corporate headquarters, 1659 Achieva Way. dunedinpride.com

Fenway Hotel pool party Rainbow unicorn rafts return to Fenway Hotel Sunday afternoon for the annual Dunedin Pride Party. This year’s ticket includes a welcome cocktail, passed hors d’oeuvres, and poolside DJ entertainment. Brunch is available for an additional charge. Sunday, June 18, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. $45. Fenway Hotel, 453 Edgewater Dr. fenwayhotel.com

Honu Women’s Luau Party Start your weekend early with a luau at Hawaiian restaurant and tiki bar Honu next Wednesday night. Due to the event’s popularity last year, this year’s event is ticketed, with proceeds going to Dunedin Chamber Pride and LGBTQ community partners. Ticket price includes a hula dancing show and one draft beer, bottle

beer, or rainbow cocktail. They sold out last year, so book early by calling 727-333-7777 or stopping by to reserve your seat. Wednesday, June 21, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $20 plus tax. The Honu Restaurant and Tiki Bar, 516 Grant St. thehonurestaurant.com

Honu dinner Thursday promises nine hours of Pride, starting with dinner and a movie and ending with cosmic bowling and a midnight drag show at Dunedin Lanes. First, head to Honu for a rainbow dinner that’s every color of the rainbow. There’s Huli chicken (red), roasted sweet potatoes (orange), yellow squash, green salad, blueberry orange dressing (blue), and ube sour cream cake (purple). While supplies last.

sentence, “Randall, a hard-working yet fragile soul, faces his inner demons buried behind a drag queen persona while pursuing the dream of a lifetime.”

Thursday, June 22, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Scottish American Society of Dunedin, 917 Louden Ave. dunedinfilmfestival.org

Dunedin Lanes pride bowling Tired of regular old bowling? Try cosmic bowling with an open bar and a midnight drag show featuring Jocelyn Summers, Melanie Minyon, and Jade Embers. Thursday, June 22, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. $10 unlimited cosmic bowling. Dunedin Lanes, 405 Patricia Ave. dunedinlanes.com

BOGO margaritas/frozen drinks at Eddie’s Bar (near the left field bleachers) and post-game fireworks. Friday, June 23, 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. $8-11. TD BallPark, 373 Douglas Ave. dunedinpride.com

A&E EVENTS

HOB silent disco Drink some craft beer and dance the night away while not making a sound at HOB Brewing Company’s silent disco. Friday, June 23, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. $10 ticket includes headphones. 931 Huntley Ave. hob.beer/ upcoming-events

Dunedin Pride Week

June 16-29, various venues dunedinpride.com

Golf cart parade Friday marries Pride to everything Dunedin holds dear: cruising around town in golf carts, baseball, and craft beer. Last year, 87 carts participated in Dunedin Goes Carting’s Pride parade, driving down Main Street while “We

Pisces glow party Pisces hosts a glow in the dark pride cocktail and tasting party with food and beverage stations, DJ, a swag bag, and two specialty beverage tickets. Bites include charcuterie, sushi, empanadas, and dessert. At the beverage stations, you’ll find Tito’s, Don Q, Angels Envy, PRP Wine, and Ilegal Mezcal. Monday, June 26, 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m. $55.

Thursday, June 22, 5 p.m.-6 p.m. $20.23. The Honu Restaurant and Tiki Bar, 516 Grant St. thehonurestaurant.com

DIFF-sponsored free film screening The Dunedin International Film Festival joins Pride Week with an evening of Pride-themed films. The evening begins with a screening of the 2010 film “Gen Silent”—a documentary about aging within the LGBTQ community. A 45-minute long block of short films follows, including Eric Casaccio’s 2010 no-budget award-winning short film, “Freak.” Casaccio sums the plot up in a

are family” blared from the speakers of Michael Reed’s tricked-out golf cart. Let’s Go Carting sponsors this year’s parade as the golf cart rental company celebrates its one-year anniversary. The parade starts near Mease Hospital, travels west down Main Street, then south down Douglas Avenue to TD BallPark. Friday, June 23, 4 p.m.-5 p.m. $10 per cart to participate. Downtown. dunedinpride.com

Follow the golf carts to Pride at TD BallPark The Dunedin Blue Jays take on the Clearwater Threshers. The evening features

Pisces Sushi and Global Bistro, 799 Highland Ave. piscessushibistro.com

All the Colors of the Rainbow Art Exhibit Feet in the Sand Pottery studio sponsors the first annual Dunedin Pride Art Show. Tuesday, June 27, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Blur Night Club, 325 Main St. blurdunedin.com

Crown & Bull Pride Summer Send-Off Head to Crown & Bull’s back patio to close out Pride with live music, raffles, and giveaways. Thursday, June 29, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Crown & Bull, 319 Main St. crownandbull.com

JENNIFER RING

ROLL, OUT: The Dunedin Pride golf cart parade happens next Friday, June 23.

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Behind the curtain

Birthing new musicals is a Sisyphean endeavor, but freeFall Theatre succeeds with ‘Oz’.

By Jon Palmer Claridge

Poor L. Frank Baum (of “Wizard of Oz” fame) desperately wants to be Melville or Dickens—to write substantial novels for adults. But this path is hard, slogging work fraught with writer’s block. Baum’s problem is that his Emerald City fantasies flow from his mind like a tsunami, and make him the most treasured children’s book author of his era. When “printing ‘Oz’ books is like printing money,” it’s hard to stop.

This captivating COVID-delayed new chamber musical by freeFall’s talented stalwarts, Michael Raabe (music & lyrics) and Eric Davis (book & lyrics) is an unmitigated joy as it explores Baum’s conflicted impulses. Davis’s whip smart book moves briskly to connect the melodious 18-song score, often using fan letters accompanying projected portraits of porcelain dollfaced children who alternately gush, cajole, and finally, beg Baum not to abandon his “Oz” series.

Raabe has shown over the years as freeFall’s resident musical director that he’s a master arranger with a comprehensive knowledge of American Songbook standards, most of which arise from the Golden Age of Broadway which began in 1943 with “Oklahoma” (when show tunes were also top 40) until they were ultimately supplanted in the late-1960s when rock and roll elbowed Broadway off the radio.

This delightful, tuneful score calls upon all these old school styles. The terrific musicians begin with a catchy vamp as we’re invited “let’s go on an adventure,” and the entire fiveperson company takes us off to the races for a sweeping 15-minute plus Sondheimesque opening sequence, “In Other Lands Than Ours.” We’re transported past a gyrating minifarmhouse to Egypt and the Nile complete with pith helmets and a quartet of chairs which transform as a walkway to the Sphinx. Suddenly, we’re red hot with an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, then spinning across the Parisian skyline with a panoramic monochrome of a dancing Eiffel Tower, and ultimately gazing upon Lady Liberty craving to “put something in the world that wasn’t there before.”

Set designer Tom Hansen provides a three quarter round playing surface. Upstage is a diaphanous floor-to-ceiling curtain with

luxurious fullness. To our right, stairs lead up to Baum’s desk flanked by two columns. Sconces and a turned spindle balustrade complete the inner sanctum of his emerald colored walls.

THEATER

Downstage of the curtain are two tall windows topped with dark wood crown molding. While they initially seem to be composed of hundreds of leaded stainedglass Victorian diamonds, the windows are actually projection screens for Davis’s unfettered imagination. He’s proven a master at

finale and allowing Frank thrillingly to confront his inner self in “Man Behind the Curtain” while evoking the Wizard from the iconic 1939 film. Completing the dazzling visuals, is lighting designer Dalton Hamilton, who uses every texture and color over the rainbow.

The superb cast, led by the stellar David Foley, Jr. as the unabashed dreamer Baum, all shine—individually and collectively. Apart from Foley, the rest of the cast plays multiple characters with grace and ease. Melissa

Friend,” her clarion soprano and subtle acting touch your heart.

Elizabeth L. Meckler gets to embody the sweet, optimistic Dorothy we’ve come to know from Judy Garland, but she really shines as “Miss Cuttenclip” where the cast makes giant paper dolls in an energetic number that’s part Russian kalinka, part “Officer Krupke.” Davis cleverly uses the ever versatile Roxanne Fay as Baum’s mother-in-law, the suffragette Matilda Joslyn Gage. She appears in a cloud of smoke from the “astral plane” as a mouthpiece for some pithy political observations for modern audiences—seems like the fight for women’s rights and the separation of church and state never goes away. Fay also leads the company in “Believe It, or Not,” which begins as a charming soft shoe before morphing uptempo. In addition, Fay’s versatility in several well wrought cameos seems effortless.

Charming newcomer Drew H. Wells appears as numerous characters, including Baum’s son, but also in thrilling tight harmony duets with Foley as “Oz” illustrator, W.W. Denslow (“On the Same Page”), and the iconic Scarecrow (“Not There: Brain”).

Wig designer Michelle Hart has styled “Gibson girl” silhouettes which instantly transport viewers back to fin-de-siècle America. Combined with David Covach’s incisively detailed costumes, Davis and his actors conjure a smock-wearing painter sporting an oversized striped bow along the Seine, giant flowers giddy with huge red petal collars or the glittering witches, with Maud as Glinda in a sparkling crown that soars two full feet above her brow.

using projections to transport audiences and here he excels again. Often, still black and white images evoke time and place, but he also uses moving color imagery to great effect heightening the emotional impact of the Act 1

Minyard, so splendid in freeFall’s “Light in the Piazza” and “End of the Rainbow,” still shines as the less showy Maud, Baum’s wife. From the jaunty “Mr. Baum,” the rapturous “He Tells Stories,” to the touching ballad “Mother, Sister,

Birthing a new musical is a Sisyphean endeavor; indeed, the history on the road to Broadway is littered with the carcasses of failed shows even from our most acclaimed practitioners. While freeFall’s “Oz” isn’t a revolutionary creation, it’s absolutely a very successful one. Davis and Raabe’s score entertains as it introduces audiences to the compelling (and generally unknown) narrative of a beloved author’s “shifting sands” of insecurities and struggles. And it leaves us with a clear “idealized and magical” vision: the very wise conclusion that perhaps “what you’re seeking is already inside you.”

“What you’re seeking is already inside you.”

MAUD TALENTED : Melissa Minyard (L) and Roxanne Fay in 'Oz.'

Oz: A World Premiere Musical

Through July 9. $25-$45 freeFall Theatre, 6099 Central Ave., St. Pete. 727-498-5205; freefalltheatre.com

These waves

A poem for Pride as it gets cancelled in some Florida cities (2023).

By Tyler Gillespie

We crawled from the ocean to get to this beach then argued over who can sit on its sand.

I mean, I may not know much about science but weren’t we all in the same primordial goo?

Didn’t we all adapt to land & language?

I never learned those details. Southern Baptists taught me God made humans & there’d be more moondust if science were true. Animals like me went to hell for doing what we do. I tried to change. Pressed my ear to shell. Only heard you. A million years passed: the storm is nothing new. At first, this poem thought it would trace Florida’s homophobia from the Johns Committee in the 1950s to Anita Bryant’s campaign in the 70s to now. This poem thought it would make a political statement about history & book bans & fascism & saying gay & voting & civil liberties & trans youth & safety concerns & healthcare & LGBTQ+ elders & the government & demanding change. This poem thought it would be political, but deep down it felt the thumpa thumpa music of a parade so it put on lipstick, eyelashes a dress & a wig then shimmied into the sea of Pinellas Queens & Floridians who want to clean the red tide. This poem danced all day. Got sweaty flirted & even consensually made out with another poem who understood its form. Pride helped this poem realize we will withstand these waves & our joy is a resistance itself.

TY, TYLER: Gillespie a fifth-generation Floridian, educator, and award-winning writer.

“Our

is a resistance itself”

ASSEMBLAGE 23

By Josh Bradley & Ray Roa C CL Recommends

THU 15

Liquid Pennies w/The Venus/ Chaunces/Skinner Follie It’s been a pretty solid six months for Chas Binns and his friends in Liquid Pennies. The St. Pete psychrock outfit dropped the A-Wake Ending EP in January—described by Binns as “the most accurate representation of our live sound with far fewer embellishments than any of our other releases, but staying true to our love of being unpredictable sonically”—and a mini East coast tour promoting it went down earlier this year. The guys also performed some source material of a surprise remix EP at Daddy Kool Records on Record Store Day, and rocked Lost in St. Pete last month. (Floridian Social, St. Petersburg)

FRI 16

Anberlin At the end of this month, Anberlin releases a new EP, Convinced , and marks 21 years of bandom. For the next few weeks after that, the Bay area rock giant plays summer festivals and 5,000-6,000seat amphitheaters with Yellowcard (plus one show at San Diego’s Petco Park baseball stadium, no big deal). Before that, however, is this no-cover intimate acoustic gig at The Brutalist, a brewery/bar/temple of beer co-founded by Anberlin drummer Nate Young. Hang with the fellas, sip on the band’s “Anbeerlin” brew, drink beer slushies and get exclusive merch at this helluva hometown show. And if you need to sleep in the parking lot after the show, don’t worry, it’s The Brutalist’s anniversary weekend meaning more beer drops, screen printing, markets, tacos from Te Invito, plus karoke, popsicles, pinball machines and a father’s day party, too. (The Brutalist, St. Petersburg)

Assemblage 23 w/Mari Kattman While we can’t make an exact estimate of how many COVID-19 lockdown masterpieces centered around mental health, there’s no doubt that it played a part on the electro-dance outfit’s 2020 Mourn record. Frontman Tom Shear writes about his poetic definition of anxiety, laments how a previous lifestyle ended up causing him to lose friends, and welcomes an apocalypse with open arms. The album does end on a hopeful note, though, when Shear burns down a house filled with painful memories, and looks to better himself “in fairer climes.” (Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa)

Every Avenue w/MakeOut/SayWeCanFly

It’s been 10 years since Every Avenue did a full-fledged tour together. Band members didn’t go out on bad terms, and have even done a handful of reunion gigs near the end of last decade. With a new album potentially on the horizon, the Michigan pop-punk quintet

is in the midst of a major comeback tour that takes it across the U.S. and Canada, plus to this gig, the band’s first Bay area show since a 2010 show at St. Pete’s State Theater, which is now Floridian Social. (Orpheum, Tampa)

Lettuce w/Steel Pulse/Makua Rothman In 2022, U.K.-based roots reggae group Steel Pulse graced St. Petersburg twice in one weekend: Once at Jannus Live—where it’ll open for Boston funk band Lettuce on Friday—and again at Reggae Rise Up, alongside Soja and Rebelution. Its latest album Mass Manipulation was nominated for Best Reggae Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards, but lost out to Koffee’s Rapture Still, expect to hear a handful of tracks from the 2019 record, as well as more from across Steel Pulse’s 45-year-long career. Makua Rothman—an actual surfer who sings about the beach (like the Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson before him)—opens the show.

(Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

Pride Benefit Show: The Wayfarin Leo Rodger w/Dagger/Abhorent Flowers/ Sam Maguire/Sorry Barb/Hibachi Magic Wand/Pet Lizard/The Tilt In Pet Lizard, Kirsten Clauser plays bass for what might be Tampa’s best pop-punk band. This weekend she also plays curator for an all-star rock and roll show where proceeds go to Equality Florida and St. Pete’s Queer Expressions. “This is a direct response to @flgovrondesantis passing extreme legislation deeply affecting the LQBTQIA+ community,” Clauser wrote on social media. Banjo-strummin’ folkie The Wayfarin Leo Rodger is on the bill along with noisy whorecore band Superbitch, riveting alt-pop outfit Sorry Barb, Clauser’s Pet Lizard, Lakeland post-punk duo Dagger, and experimental rock quartet The Tilt.

(Floridian Social, St. Petersburg)

Young Miko The LGBTQ+ Latin trap artist had already gained traction with her TikTok famous “105 Freestyle” when she joined Bad Bunny onstage in her homeland of Puerto Rico last year. Miko—an ex-tattoo artist—admitted in a recent interview that Puerto Rican crowds can sometimes be tough to win over, and it meant a lot to her when Bunny fans on the island began clamoring for her to give an encore. In truth, if the 24-year-old emcee can accomplish such an endorsement so early in her career, showcasing a legendary night at Vibras Nightclub—located at Tampa’s waterfront Mamajuana Cafe, aka Anderson Road’s old Green Iguana—should be no issue on her end. (Vibras Nightclub, Tampa)

SAT 17

Asaru (album release) w/JC Tha God/ Vern Senior/Nico Sweet/DJ Sandman/ DJ Deacon The Tampa hip-hop scene is in a boom phase with the recent release of Vern Senior and Spon Marcos’ VIP Boys project, Perception’s Better Luck Next Time , and the forthcoming new LP from Pusha Preme (read more about that on p. 62). Right now, however, all ears should be on Asaru. Handpicked for

the Illsboro record label by Tampa’s godfather of hip-hop DJ Sandman, the Bronx-born emcee celebrates the release of a new EP, asareyou. , at this stacked gig which features the aforementioned Vern Senior and Nico Sweet, two other artists from Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s 22 Rappers to Watch in 22 list. The six-track outing is a quick listen, but its polished, ultra-confident (but not cocky) swagger and elite lyricism more than back up the notion that Asaru—as he hints on “Man Of The City”—is among the cream of the crop in Florida rap music. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

continued from page 61

Crossbreed Hometown fans don’t know for certain if the Clearwater nu-metal band will ever do a full tour again, but at the very least, frontman James Breed brings his old comrades back together for two homestate reunion concerts. The first one—entitled “A Night to Dismember” takes place at Orpheum on Saturday, before the band’s “Heavy Metal Foam Party” heads to Orlando on Sunday. Expect to hear cuts that carry a hell of a lot more melody than some of Crossbreed’s peers in the same genre, and a handful of stuff that hopefully points to a new album in the future. (Orpheum, Tampa)

Duran Duran w/Nile Rodgers & Chic/ Bastille Last year, Rio celebrated its 40th anniversary, and Tampa fans who’ve been saving prayers for a show from Duran Duran can now rejoice since the U.K. pop giant finally rolls into town this weekend. Despite Duran Duran’s buckets of hits, the show won’t be all nostalgia since Simon Le Bon & co. did release a new album, Future Past , in 2021, ahead of induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year. The show is just one of two Florida stops from the band, which will be joined by disco king Nile Rodgers & Chic, plus Grammy-nominated U.K. pop youngins Bastille. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)

SUN 18

Nate Najar’s Swing Guitars With his most frequent collaborator, songwriter and singer Daniela Soledade, Nate Najar’s guitar plays bossa nova, but in this ensemble featuring two other guitarists—Carl Amundson and Dominic Walker—plus bassist Joe Porter and drummer Jean Bolduc, the in-demand musical genius takes on blues, bebop and big band for a gig that, simply put, will swing in a big way. You’ll recognize the work of Django Reinhardt, Duke Ellington and Thad Jones in the set, but try and get to Palladium’s intimate Side Door early, sit up close, and let your jaw drop at the technique and feel this who’s who of an ensemble will flex for the gig. (Side Door Cabaret at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)

‘Sea of Niche’: Rugawd and Friends

For a handful of lucky Tampa musicians, Rugawd is a secret weapon who lends his mathy basslines to their sound. For a brand new jazz and hip-hop quintet, “Sea Of Niche,” Rugawd gets to play frontman and welcome his own favorite players—Peter Mongaya on guitar, saxophonist Nick Bredel (aka ChootyB), drummer Rod Alnord, and Nick Peters on keys—to help him bring personal visions to life. This debut performace is no-cover, and BYOB, and will be filmed live inside the newish location for a beloved vintage shop (The Far Forest, Tampa)

Tori Amos w/Tow’rs The 59-year-old singer-songwriter’s last two albums have dealt with personal pain and strife. Her latest, Ocean to Ocean , deals with how she handled the pandemic, and the 2019 death of her mother, who had a stroke that heavily inspired Amos’ record before that, Native Invader. On a lighter note, her longtime author buddy Neil Gaiman (“Coraline,” “American Gods’’) and Margaret Atwood (“The Handmaid’s Tale.” Jeez, pick up a book, willya?!) were among a number of fellow authors featured in a graphic novel telling

24 stories inspired by Amos’ debut Little Earthquakes . Her Father’s Day stop at Ruth Eckerd Hall is her first in Clearwater—and all of Tampa Bay—since a 2014 birthday gig in the same room. Arizona folk outfit Tow’rs opens. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)

TUE 20

Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade w/Jerry Harrison/Adrian Belew Let’s be real: When it comes to Les Claypool, absolutely nothing he does surprises us. His Flying Frog Brigade—featuring Sean Ono Lennon (yes, that Sean Ono Lennon)—performing all of Pink Floyd’s Animals, and then some, isn’t even the biggest kicker of what will go down at the Hard Rock. Ex-Talking Heads bassist Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew—who’s worked with Zappa, Bowie, and King Crimson, just to name a few—opens the Primus frontman’s set by performing Talking Heads hits and beyond. (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)

Melanie Martinez There’s a Void in Melanie Martinez’s life and the new album is going to fill a local arena to capacity for this show in support of the alt-pop favorite’s new album. (Yuengling Center, Tampa)

WED 21

The Beths w/Lunar Vacation/Pohgoh Sorry about your luck but this show from The Beths—which last played Tampa back in 2019 for Gasparilla Music Festival—has been sold-out for nearly a month. For good reason, too. The quartet might be New Zealand’s finest indie-rock export, and its new album, Expert In A Dying Field , is an expansion of the band’s already irresistible harmonies, crunchy guitar-pop and introspective lyricism. Laid back Atlanta indie-pop band Lunar Vacation opens along with Tampa emo pioneer Pohgoh, which seems to be the only locally-based opener that’s been invited to play support on The Beth’s U.S. tour. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

Bryan Adams w/Joan Jett & the Blackhearts If you spend your Wednesday morning at The Florida Aquarium—right up the road from Amalie Arena—you just might catch a glimpse of Mr. “Summer of ‘69” gushing over some dolphins, as he did on the Memorial Causeway Bridge before a 2016 Coachman Park appearance. The outspoken vegan had a busy 2022 in terms of studio work, though. Over the course of five months, he recorded some reiterated versions of his best-known songs—as well as those he wrote for Broadway’s “Pretty Woman”—and dropped “So Happy It Hurts, inspired by how he felt about COVID-19 protocols loosening up. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)

THU 22

Garbage w/Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds/Metric The last time Noel Gallagher stopped in Tampa Bay was with his brother in 1996, at the USF Sun Dome, when Oasis was promoting (What’s The Story)

Morning Glory? We’re not gonna sit here and pray for a reunion of sorts, though, knowing how badly the Gallagher brothers are at each other’s throats (although Noel teased one last weekend after his football club Manchester City won the treble, you fuck). At the very least, Noel and his High Flying Birds have been making their setlists this summer half solo material, and half Oasis material. You gotta roll with it. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)

Jacuzzi Boys w/Snacks/The Drain

Outs A Jacuzzi Boys show is a rite of passage for any self-respecting Florida fan of rock and roll. This one, however, might be the first Bay area gig since the Miami tropgoth and psych-surf outfit released a new EP,

Dipped , where the band, err, dips in and out of a 17-minute, hook and fuzz-laden release that begs for repeated listens. Alabama indie-rock favorite Snacks opens. (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)

Music School: The Art of MCing w/ Pusha Preme Heroes eventually die. That’s a message on a forthcoming, transparent album from masked Tampa rapper Pusha Preme, but for this gig, the songwriter who plays what feels like a bazillion gigs a year takes a seat to talk about his art as part of a behind-the-scenes speaker and performance series inside the new Kress Collective in Ybor City. CL Editor-In-Chief Ray Roa moderates the talk, which is followed by an intimate live performance. (Kress Collective, Ybor City)

RYAN MCGIBBENY

The Beths

The Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) and Souls of Mischief are at it again. In further proof that anything can happen, the ‘90s hip-hop favorite is coming back to town to play the back patio of The Bricks in Ybor City. The show announcement comes more than 10 years after Souls Of Mischief played SPoT’s 20-year anniversary alongside Killer Mike at the since-shuttered Czar, which is now Hotel Haya and catty cornered from The Bricks.

Tickets to see Souls of Mischief and Tampa’s own DJ Sandman play The Bricks in Ybor City on Wednesday, June 28 are on sale now and start at $20. Other Florida stops on the run include West Palm Beach (June 29 at Respectable Street) and Orlando (June 30 at The Abbey).

The date is part of a whopping 93-date world tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of group’s 1993, era-defining album, ‘93 ‘Til Infinity, which found the prolific, rap group—A-Plus, Phesto, Opio and Tajai from the Hieroglyphics crew—bringing the underground sounds of its hometown of Oakland, California to doorsteps across the country from Idaho, to Omaha, and, yes, Tampa.

The message and storytelling on the album were relatable in ways that the gangsta rap at the time was not, while the musicality of the intricate beats, hard-to-follow basslines and samples of weird fusion (Billy Cobham) and East coast jazz-rap opened the fanbase up to a different set of weirdos. Good vibrations, and inspiration, indeed.—Ray Roa

Aerosmith officially confirms Tampa date on upcoming ‘Peace Out’ tour Last month, after a few days of well-placed teases across the country, legendary rock band Aerosmith confirmed that it is in fact bringing its latest and last tour to Tampa this fall. The Grammy-winning dad-rock outfit announced dates for its farewell tour called “Peace Out,” which is billed as the band’s final go-around.

“It’s not goodbye it’s PEACE OUT! Get ready and walk this way, you’re going to get the best show of our lives,” said the band in a statement. The band will stop at Tampa’s Amalie Arena on Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. and tickets are on sale now for $56.20 & up.

It’s been a full 11 years since Aerosmith landed in Tampa, but this time around it will bring The Black Crowes along for the show, as well as a “THX Certified Live! highfidelity experience,” says a press release. Notably, drummer Joey Kramer—who lost his wife last summer—will not return to the kit for this run of shows.

“While Joey Kramer remains a beloved founding member of Aerosmith, he has regrettably made the decision to sit out the currently scheduled touring dates to focus his full attention on his family and health.

Joey’s unmistakable and legendary presence behind the drum kit will be sorely missed.”

Come back next week for my weekly new concert rundown.—Josh Bradley

C/O EDWIN VELEZ/SKATEPARK OF TAMPA

Do us part

By Caroline DeBruhl

Dear Oracle, in my early-20s, I had an eating disorder. Through therapy/growing up, I was able to stop the most active parts of it, and while some of the thoughts never entirely went away, they were subdued. However, now I’m in my mid-30s, and my body is changing in ways I don’t like. I’m finding those ED thoughts returning and thinking about my old patterns of how I used to lose weight. Any advice on how to navigate these thoughts?—ExhaustED

Cards: Death, Two of Pentacles (reversed), Five of Cups (reversed)

Dear E, you have to kill your eating disorder. Brutally, violently, and ideally with the help of an eating disorder therapist. That’s the flat truth of it with the Death card: this has to end, and you need guidance from a professional grim reaper.

We do not live in a society that supports people, especially women, trying to white-knuckle their eating disorder recovery. We just don’t. “Diet culture” has saturated our conversations about health and body size, “diet advice” is rife with tips for disordered eating, and the vast majority of people (from strangers on the internet to concerned friends to non-ED trained therapists/ doctors) don’t really know how to talk about eating disorders without saying something fucked up.

It’s a unique disease that requires delicate care, and again, I strongly encourage you to find a therapist or counselor trained to do this kind of work. A recovery support group might also be helpful for you, especially since it can be such an isolating disease.

I do think you’ve been trying to balance this for a long time by yourself. That reversed Two of Pentacles points to you trying to keep your balls in the air. And while I think you’ve done a stand-up job keeping those thoughts subdued. But, as you say, they never quite went away, and I think that’s what this Five of Cups represents.

The Five of Cups is a card that can feel like emotional devastation. In it, there are five chalices of wine, three of which are knocked over. Often, there’s a figure weeping over the spilled wine. In these instances, it can feel like everything is ruined. The wine is spilled; it’s never going back into those cups. Similarly, I wonder if you’ve treated those lingering ED thoughts as something that will always be at the back of your mind.

But the Five of Cups is deceitful. There are still two cups full of wine at the ready. All hope is not lost. I hope that with help, you can eradicate those lingering thoughts and turn away from the spilled wine to the two cups that are still brimming. I don’t know what full recovery would look like to you, but I hope you’re able to find it. I know it won’t be easy. I know you are going to battle with a powerful adversary but

I hope, with help and guidance, that you can strike that fucker dead.

Godspeed you, darling.

Dear Oracle, I’m concerned right now about money. There are a lot of expenses coming up, and my partner hasn’t been able to bring in as much money as they once did due to job changes. I want to talk to them about it, but I know it’s a very sensitive subject, and I don’t want to hurt their feelings. How should I proceed?—Feelin’ Funny About Money

Cards: King of Wands, Two of Cups, Six of Swords (all reversed)

Dear Feelin’, according to daytime TV, money is the number No. 1 cause of divorce in America

I want to start with the middle card in the spread, the Two of Cups. You and your partner are equal in the relationship, emotionally speaking. You are both all in and there for each other. This balance is not going to change. However, as many people in long-term relationships can attest to, things like money/labor are rarely equal at all times. You might make more money now, but they might get a better job and out-earn you next year. Someone might get sick and need to take time off, someone might go back to school, etc., etc. It might feel unfair right now, but it won’t last forever.

The Six of Swords is a time of transition— often uncomfortable—that usually involves shedding old ideas and expectations to reach a new future. If this is about your partner’s

you’re stressed out? You do so as the King of Wands: warmly, encouragingly, and with some light-handed direction. Remember, you two are partners. It’s OK to talk about things that stress you out, and you can acknowledge that your current financial state is less than ideal without blaming your partner for your stress. (Use “I” statements!) It is a sensitive subject, but that doesn’t mean you must keep your thoughts to yourself. Share with your partner—but, you know, tactfully.

If you want them to pursue another avenue of income (part-time job, an additional gig), do so lightly. A couple of suggestions can be helpful. A lot of suggestions that start with “you should” are patronizing. Remember: this is coming from a place of love and equality.

and arguments among couples. I don’t know if that’s backed up by data, but I do know that having wealth is a source of great pride for many people, and lacking it can be a source of shame and stress, so I believe the talk shows.

career, then they are in the process of making some moves. It’ll pay off as long as they stick with it and don’t cave into inertia.

This is all well and good, but how do you speak to them about these issues now when

I’m sorry for the stressful time. Hopefully, this is just temporary. It’s a bumpy boat ride for now, but with (tactful) honesty and mutual respect, I think you two can weather this storm. Best of luck, my dear.

Quickies

By Dan Savage

Is it good to see your ex naked? Well, it depends. If you’re on good terms with your ex and seeing your ex naked (looking at old pictures, swapping new ones, having breakup/FWB sex) doesn’t keep emotional wounds incurred during the relationship open and bleeding (making it harder for you and/or your ex to heal and move on) and seeing your ex naked doesn’t bother your current—if you have a current—then seeing your ex naked can be great.

I have genital herpes, but I’m asymptotic. Panic or NBD? Herpes is not a big deal for most people with herpes—most people with HSV1 or HSV2 are likewise asymptotic— so, don’t panic. I’ve done a few episodes of the Lovecast on herpes with

“Itching can be due to an allergic reaction, an STI, or lack of lubrication,” said Dr. Carlton Thomas, a gastroenterologist and gay health expert. “Sometimes the hair on genitals can create an itchy sensation depending on its length. In this case, I wonder if our person is using condoms and might be allergic to the latex.” Follow @doctorcarltonon Instagram and TikTok.

SAVAGE LOVE

Dr. Ina Park, a professor at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and Medical Consultant at the Centers for Disease Control Division of STD Prevention. Dr. Park discussed the stigma vs. the reality, disclosure vs. non-disclosure, treatment options, and more.

Does performing kegels with a cock or dildo in a male’s anus strengthen the sphincter? In all honesty, I don’t know—but that’s never stopped me from telling a guy I’m fucking that doing kegels is a good idea.

Do you prefer boxers, briefs, or boxer briefs on men? I’m an ABT guy myself—anything but thongs.

How does one deal with emotional discomfort during sex? Well, it depends. Before I go any further, a lot of “sexperts” will tell you to stop at the first sign of emotional discomfort… but unlike a lot of “sexperts,” I’ve actually had sex. And this may come as a surprise to some of my readers… I actually have some sexual hang-ups. (Places I don’t like to be touched, things I don’t like to do, words I don’t like to be called, etc.). And if I called off sex whenever I experienced mild-to-middling emotional discomfort, I would’ve missed out on a lot of sex (and a few relationships) that turned out to be pretty good or even great. So, instead of ending things at the first sign of mild emotional discomfort, try saying things instead—try communicating in the moment—and if the person you’re with quickly corrects course and your discomfort passes, you’ll most likely be glad you didn’t call it off. If your emotional distress is severe, obviously call off the sex.

I’m a cis gay man that really enjoys his sex toys, however when I try to bottom for other men, I find that experience super itchy and uncomfortable. This doesn’t happen when I use toys and I have no idea why. Is this some kind of anal vaginismus?

I’m a straight woman who’s in love with a gay man who is also my cousin, but he was adopted so we aren’t genetically related. He’s the most amazing human being I’ve ever met. I don’t think it’s reciprocated but he is very sweet to me. I constantly fantasize about him passionately kissing me. Is this something people live with? The fact that this guy is your cousin isn’t the biggest hurdle you face—his homosexuality is a much bigger obstacle—and other than waiting for it to pass, there’s really nothing you can do about this unrequited crush. There are no magic words that will turn your cousin straight or turn him into… not your cousin. An unrequited and/or unrequitable crush is a kind of madness, but one most people recover from in time.

All of the Andrew Tate, alpha male, and incel content online has turned my attraction to men into a revulsion. I am literally attracted to no one, and I hate it. What should I do here? You should stop looking at Andrew Tate, alpha male, and incel content.

I’m a straight man but wannabe fag. I want to be forcibly feminized and fucked by dominant gay alpha males. But I need to be forced because I am too weak to really do it. How can this happen to me if I can’t ask for it? Asking for it would ruin it. Gay men do a lot of crazy things… but gay men don’t go around kicking down doors and then forcibly feminizing and fucking any straight men they find cowering behind them. To find a gay guy who wants to do that shit to you—and there are gay men who would be into it—you’re gonna have to ask for

it. Then, once you find a guy who wants to top you, you’ll have to do what everyone else with elaborate sexual fantasies involving force and submission has to do: suspend your disbelief and pretend that the panties and ass fucking wasn’t your idea all along.

Lesbian/all-women sex parties. Are they a thing? They are—but they’re a less common thing than gay/all-men sex parties. People like to debate why gay sex parties are ubiquitous and lesbian sex parties are few and far between (socialization, slut shaming, sex differences, testosterone, etc.), but debates don’t make lesbian sex parties happen. People with the ovaries to throw them do.

How do men identify who are only into men/cock sexually? No attraction on the street. Some identify as bi, some as pan, and a small handful identify as phallophiles—that is, people who are attracted to penises but not the men they (almost always) come attached to.

Lots of “bi” guys I’ve met will suck cock but don’t want to kiss men. What’s up with that? Congrats, you’ve encountered the not-at-all elusive bi-identified phallophile in the wild. No need to put “bi” in scare quotes; a phallophilic bisexual is perfectly valid bisexual, and you got your dick sucked, didn’t you?

say, “That was great, thanks,” after finishing up with a rando. Some people worry that being polite might give a rando the wrong idea—that they’re interested in seeing the rando again— and others are so overwhelmed by shame after casual/anonymous/rando sex that they can’t be polite. People who can’t be polite to randos (and grateful for randos), or have to take their selfloathing out on randos, should stay home and masturbate instead.

One snorer and one light sleeper, longterm relationship. How do we share a bed? You don’t—separate bedrooms, if you can afford it, a pull-down bed or pull-out couch in the living room, if you can’t.

How do I get my male partner to be comfortable pulling out? I’d love to get rid of condoms. You send him to Planned Parenthood’s information page on the pull-out method (effective for preventing pregnancy when done correctly), you show him the box of Plan B emergency contraception you already have in your medicine cabinet in case he doesn’t pull out in time, you assure him that you will get an abortion if you wind up getting pregnant, and you move to a blue state if you aren’t already living in one so you can get an abortion if you wind up getting pregnant.

Is there any empirical evidence that there are more “tops” or “bottoms” among gay men? Tons of evidence, but it’s all anecdotal— and seeing as the U.S. Census only started asking about cohabitating same-sex couples in 2020 (with no other questions touching on sexual orientation or gender identity), it’s going to be a long time before they add “top, bottom, or vers?” to the U.S. Census.

My semen has gotten very thick. I’m 39. Can I thin it out somehow? I think I’m hydrated. You can dilute it by mixing it with another man’s semen… but that’s probably not the answer you wanted.

After hooking up with a rando, isn’t it polite to say thank you and you were great after? Just as it’s polite to say, “Everything was great, thanks,” when the waiter comes to take your plate after you’ve finished, it’s polite to

An everyday object that can be repurposed for some sexy fun time (wooden spoon = spanking paddle) is called a “pervertable.” But what do you call an item intended to be used during sex that can be used for non-sexy things? I have a nubby “sensation dildo” that is entirely too pokey for me but it’s fabulous for docking pizza dough or pie crusts. (Docking here means “poking lots of tiny holes to prevent giant bubbles.”) Any suggestions? A sex toy used for a non-sexual purpose could be called an “extoy” (when permanently reassigned for non-sexy use) or a “flex-toy” (when temporarily used for non-sexy purposes). A pervertable that gets returned to everyday use—say, a wooden spoon that gets returned to a drawer in the kitchen after being used as a spanking paddle—could be called a “revertible.”

MALE-FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS by

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Merl Reagle