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Did you know Oxford Exchange, Predalina, and The Library are also Tampa Bay’s Top Choices for Business and Social Events?
From meeting rooms to cocktail and dinner gatherings, make your next event excellent with one of our venues.
Call/text/email Carolina Hoaks at 813.418.2480 or carolina@oxfordexchange.com to learn more or for a personal tour
Whip it good
Photos by Dave Decker
Kink Christmas happened last weekend in St. Petersburg when Fetish Con landed at the Bayfront Hilton. On the agenda was for four days and nights of freaky fun. A packed itinerary included multiple red carpets, pool parties, demos, dungeon play, a trade show, and more. Make sure you're not at work, then check out all the photos from the gathering by visiting cltampa.com/slideshows.—Ray Roa
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do this
Gochujang-clan ain’t nuthing ta f’ wit
Webb’s City Cellar is St. Pete’s James Beard-nominated beer bar. John LoScalzo is the mind behind Loko Cuisine (stylized “LOKO”). This weekend, Loko’s pop-up brunch series gets caught in the Webb for a meal built around an endless bar dedicated to bibimbap (Korean rice bowl) and a green tea-strawberry boba French toast (complete with cinnamon cream cheese custard, and white chocolate green tea sauce). DJ Q—aka cyclist and Prescribed Fire guitarist Christa McHugh—plays old-school hip-hop during the meal where tickets include one beer, cider, wine, kombucha or N/A bevvie. You are not allowed to nap in the beer cellar afterwards.
Loko Cuisine—Bibimbap & Hip Hop Brunch: Sunday, Aug. 18. 11 a.m. $43 Webb’s City Cellar, 1133 Baum Ave N, St. Petersburg. lokocuisine.com.—Ray Roa
Hawk to it
Tampa Bay's best things to do from August 15 - 21
School’s back, and you need art. Hillsborough Community College has a solution. The school’s “Silent Hawktion” is exactly what you thought. “It’s a silent auction with a hawk pun,” organizers wrote, adding the bids start at $25 and cap out at $500. Mocktails are on tap along with sweet treats, plus a preview of Gallery221’s first 2024-25 exhibition, “Flourishing Dichotomies,” a cross-college showing which features work from the Vickers Collection on loan from the University of Florida. Students get a free print of Ivy Ramirez Corona’s “El Pilar Invisible” watercolor (pictured).
Second Annual Silent Hawktion & Back to School Bash: Monday, Aug. 19. 6 p.m.-8 p.m. No cover. Gallery221 at Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry Campus, 4001 W Tampa Bay Blvd., Tampa. hccfl.edu Ray Roa
Traveler
Ybor City is quite literally changing in front of our eyes (have you seen those bricks??), but author and journalist Paul Wilborn looks back and taps into his award-winning 2019 book “Cigar City: Tales From A 1980s Creative Ghetto” for the first of four events celebrating the work’s fifth anniversary. Wilborn and his better half—model and actress Eugenie Bondurant (“Hunger Games,” “The Conjuring,” “Werewolf By Night”)—will read from the book inside Tempus Projects, which is currently home to “Theo Wujcik: Too Big For Tempus,” an exhibition of archived work by the late Tampa art legend, traveler and Wilborn friend during Ybor’s wild era. Wilborn told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that Wujcik, along with photographer Bud Lee, was the most talented artist in the district. “I visited his studio, followed him to the Ms, Lucky Club (but could never stay as late as he did), and was around when he met his future wife outside the Ovo Cafe,” Wilborn added. “And in keeping with the spirit of the place, he was constantly reinventing himself and pushing the boundaries of his work.” Ybor City in the ‘80s and ‘90s—Paul Wilborn w/Eugenie Bondurant: Thursday, Aug. 15. 6 p.m. No cover. Tempus Projects, 1624 E 7 th Ave, Ybor City. @tempusprojects on Facebook—Ray Roa
Thurs@tempus-
Oh, snap
The Tampa City Athletic Association is at it again. To benefit the excellent young men at Franklin Boys Preparatory Academy Middle, referee and comedian Steve Miller (now new-and-improved-and-cancer-free) hosts a bout where competitors will go to head in pencil fights. DJ Steph Money (a Special Education English Language Arts Teacher at Franklin) will play tunes (including walk-up music). There’s a raffle, plus prizes for the winner and best costume. A Madonna dance party follows.
Pencil Fights 8—Splinters of Fury: Saturday, Aug. 17. 4 p.m. $10. Hooch & Hive, 1001 W Cass St., Tampa. @TampaCityAA on Facebook—Ray Roa
Satanic panic
Tampa Bay’s celebration of weird Florida is back in Ybor City, bringing with it the strangest of oddities alongside mind-fuckingly-weird taxidermy, metaphysical equipment, plus entertainment dead and alive. The convention seems to have upped its game in 2024, too, booking big bands like Japanese comic hero Peelander-Z and Black Sunday service by a priest from the Church of Satan. A press release says Andy Howl will baptize supplicants on stage and perform Satanic weddings ceremonies (interested parties must register by Aug. 17). “The performance is a personal, non-political, and non-spiritual affirmation of the supplicant’s earthly goals and desires,” the release added. “Satanism is an atheistic religion rooted in materialism, individuality, indulgence, and grounded in personal responsibility and the rejection of common spiritual ideas
Tabernacle of Oddities: Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 17-18. Noon-8 p.m. $18$23. Cuban Club, 2010 N Avenida Republica de Cuba, Ybor City. dysfunctionalgrace. shop—Ray Roa
Forum an opinion
Local elections matter, and Election Day in the primary is Tuesday, Aug. 20 (early voting is happening through the weekend, and CL’s ballot picks are on p. 17). Everyone deserves to form their own opinion, and forums like this one help. Set to hit the stage are five Republicans hoping to make it out of their primaries in Districts 14 and 15 (including some who think the 2020 election was fraudulent) along with a Democrat (Pat Kemp, pictured) and Libertarian who will be on the ballot in November. Tampa Tiger Bay is nonpartisan, but members regularly ask pretty spicy questions.
Tampa Tiger Bay Club—Hillsborough County Candidate Forum: Friday, Aug. 16. Noon. $35 for non-members. Cuban Club, 2010 N Avenida Republica de Cuba, Ybor City. tigerbayclub.com—Ray Roa
NEWS
“Now I don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do.”
Hard pressed
Axios, Tampa Bay Times, announce layo s and buyouts, totaling more than 60 jobs.
By Ray Roa and Colin Wolf
Last Tuesday was pretty shitty for Tampa Bay’s news media landscape. The morning started off, like it does for a lot of people, with a message from Axios. Selene San Felice, who helped launch Tampa Bay’s much-read Axios newsletter in 2021, stayed within the company’s short brevity style in sharing her bad news.
“1 big thing: Axios laid me off,” the University of Tampa alum posted on the-social-network-formerly-known-as-Twitter.
A memo from Axios CEO Jim VandeHei was also in the company’s bulleted style. It expressed sadness and said 50 positions have been eliminated to get ahead of changes in media—Fast Company said that figure represented 10% of the company’s staff. “This is a painful but necessary move to tighten our strategic focus and shift investment to our core growth areas,” he added.
San Felice’s byline was on that morning’s newsletter, and told Creative Loafi ng Tampa Bay Axios’ two other local reporters, Kathryn Varn and Yacob Reyes, are safe.
San Felice—an alum of Maryland’s Capital Gazette, 2018 Time Magazine Person of the Year, and Pulitzer Prize special citation recipient—got
jobs.
the news on a morning walk with her girlfriend ahead of a 9 a.m. company meeting.
“No one logged on for the 9 a.m. meeting, and I saw a message like, ‘Oh, we’re not having a meeting because of the news,’” she told CL. “And I checked my email and it was like, 'You are affected by the layoff.' My whole body is still hot and cold.”
In her farewell last Friday, San Felice called moving back home to the Bay area to start the newsletter one of the best decisions of her life.
“Covering this community has been an immense privilege,” she added.
LOCAL NEWS
At least three reporters at Axios’ local newsletters were slashed, San Felice said, although it’s still unclear who they are. National News Editor Emma Loop said she was also laid off, just over a year after taking a full-time job with the company.
For San Felice, the news brought back memories of being an intern at the Tampa Tribune when it was bought by the Tampa Bay Times.
“They were all being told, ‘You all just lost your job. We are shutting you down, and we now own you.’ I was emailing my editor Dennis Joyce and saying ‘I’m really sorry, this is terrible news, but do you want my story?,’” she told CL in 2022.
She told CL that she was caught off guard by the Axios news.
“We thought they were going to launch Axios Jacksonville, or something. We thought they were going to launch more. We had absolutely no idea. We’ve never had furloughs. We’ve never had pay cuts. They did a pay equity survey where they were giving people raises who weren’t making as much,” she said, adding that the company also paid her well.
“The most you would imagine a journalist makes in this job. Now I don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do,” she said about her salary, adding that one thing she would’ve done differently is taken the rumblings of starting a union more seriously “I really wish we had started something.”
Axios’ Tampa Bay newsletter launched in January 2021, and several copycats have popped up in years since.
San Felice is nominated for “Best Journalist” in CL’s 2024 Best of the Bay awards, and still totally eligible to win.
A few hours later, another local news outlet delivered more layoff news.
Citing revenue shortfalls, Tampa Bay Times Chairman and CEO Conan Gallaty announced buyouts for the newspaper’s 270 employees, which includes about 100 journalists.
In a letter sent to employees and partially published to the Times website, Gallaty said the company must reduce payroll by 20% or layoffs will commence later this month, adding that employees had until Aug. 16 to take the buyout packages, which max out at 12 weeks of pay.
Poynter, which is part of the nonprofit that owns the Times, said the cuts at the paper amount to 60 jobs.
“We remain committed to fi nding a viable path for great local journalism. While unfortunate, these changes will help the Tampa Bay Times become a more focused and resilient news organization,” said Gallaty in a statement to CL. “We are grateful to our readers and supporters for continuing to believe in our mission.”
Gallaty blamed buyouts on declining circulation and said, “digital revenue growth hasn’t made up for the shortfall.”
The CEO, who took the reins from Paul Tash in 2022, said the Times will also implement new “changes to its products over the coming months,” but did not give any further details, other than the paper’s print product will continue to be published twice a week.
Gallaty also says he will be taking a 20% pay cut, and top executives will take a 10% pay cut.
The paper has experienced some significant cost cutting measures over the last couple years. Back in January, the Times shuttered its downtown Tampa office, citing hybrid work demands, and moved to a smaller space in the Town ‘n’ Country area. In the beginning of 2021, the paper also closed its printing plant, which resulted in the loss of 150 jobs.
The paper’s most recent layoffs occurred in February of 2023, when four newsroom staff members were let go. The paper also laid off seven journalists in October 2019, cut 16 newsroom jobs in November of 2018, and eliminated 50 jobs company-wide in April 2018.
Besides the Tampa Bay Times, Times Publishing Co. also owns Tampa Bay Newspapers Inc. and the business magazine Florida Trend.
Please vote: 2024 Primary Ballot Guide
Early voting for the Primary Election wraps in Hillsborough and Pinellas (Aug. 18), and Pasco (Aug. 17) counties this weekend, and Election Day is this Tuesday, Aug. 20. Have a look at some of the races below.
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s preferred candidate/candidates are shown in bold where applicable, even in Republican races, especially ones with total psychopaths in them. These choices are based partially on responses in the Tampa Bay Times candidate survey, and the candidate guide in print newspaper La Gaceta.—Ray Roa
Statewide
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
Stanley Campbell
Rod Joseph
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
Brian Rush
Republican primary for U.S. Senate
Rick Scott (incumbent)
Keith Gross
John S. Columbus
Hillsborough
Republican primary for U.S. Rep. (District 14)
Ehsan Joarder
Neelam Perry
John Peters
Robert Rochford
Republican primary for U.S. Rep. (District 15)
Jennifer Barbosa
James Judge
Laurel Lee (incumbent)
Democratic primary for State Rep. (District 65)
Ashley Brundage
Nathan Albert Kuipers
Republican primary for State Rep. (District 67)
Lisette Bonano
Ronrico Smith
Democratic primary for State Attorney (13th judicial circuit)
Elizabeth Martinez Strauss
Andrew Warren
Democratic Primary for Public Defender (13th judicial circuit )
Rocky Brancato
Lisa McLean
Republican primary for Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller
Victor Crist
Melony Williams
Republican primary for County Commissioner (District 2)
Ken Hagan
Melissa Nordbeck
Democratic primary for County
Commissioner (District 4)
Jonathon T. Chavez
Nicole Payne
Republican primary for County Commissioner (District 4)
Christine Miller
Cody Powell
Democratic primary for County Commissioner (District 6)
Sean Shaw
Joseph Ryan Taylor
Republican primary for County Commissioner (District 6)
Chris Boles
Jim Davison
School Board Member (District 1)
Layla Collins
Nadia Combs
Julie Magill
School Board Member (District 3)
Myosha Powell
Jessica Vaughn
School Board Member (District 5)
Kenneth Gay
Elvis Piggott
Henry Washington
School Board Member (District 7)
Karen Bendorf
Johnny Bush
Jen Flebotte
Lynn Gray
County Judge (Group 11)
Linette Brookins
Christine Edwards
County Judge (Group 21)
Dee Jones
Matt Smith
Pinellas
Democratic primary for U.S. Rep. (District 13)
Sabrina Bousbar
Liz Dahan
Whitney Fox
John Liccione
Mark Weinkrantz
Republican primary for State Senate (District 21)
Ed Hooper (incumbent)
John Siamas
Circuit Judge, 6th Circuit, Group 14
Cornelius Christopher Demps
Jenn Dubbeld
Nick Fiorentino
Circuit Judge, 6th Circuit, Group 9
Nicole Pearlman
Kate Spurlock
Supervisor of Elections
Chris Gleason
Julie Marcus
School Board Member (District 1)
Laura Hine
Danielle Marlof
School Board Member (District 4)
Eileen M. Long
Erika Picard
School Board Member (District 5)
Katie Blaxberg
Brad DeCorte
Stacy Geier
St. Petersburg City Council (District 3)
Pete Boland
Nick Carey
Mike Harting
Juan Lopez
Barry Rubin
St. Petersburg City Council (District 7)
Donald Bowens Jr.
Eritha Cainion
Treva Davis
Corey Givens Jr.
Wengay “Newt” Newton
Dan Soronen
Other counties
Republican primary for U.S. Rep. (District 12)
Gus Michael Bilirakis
Hank Dunlap
Democratic primary for U.S. Rep. (District 16)
Trent Miller
Jan Schneider
Republican primary for U.S. Rep. (District 16)
Vern Buchanan (incumbent)
Eddie Speir
Republican primary for State Rep. (District 56)
Kirk Phillips
Brad Yeager
Pasco County Superintendent of Schools
John M. Legg
Michelle R. Mandarin
Republican primary for Pasco County Commissioner (District 4)
Christina Fitzpatrick
Gabriel Papadopoulos
Lisa M. Yeager
Republican primary for Pasco County Commissioner (District 5)
Gina Finocchiaro
Jack Mariano
Pasco County School Board (District 4)
Alison G. Crumbley
Jessica J. Wright
Holy war
Anti-abortion PACs are lining up to defeat Amendment 4.
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
There is now a fourth political action committee formed to oppose the proposed abortion-rights constitutional amendment on the ballot in Florida this November, and a fifth may be about to launch.
Amendment 4 would restore the right to an abortion up until the point of viability, around 24 weeks’ gestation. Since May 1, it has been illegal to have an abortion in Florida after six weeks of pregnancy.
Keep Florida Pro Life is a political committee created in June, chaired by Beau Heyman, executive director of the First Care Women’s Clinic, a pregnancy health organization based in West Palm Beach. It has raised more than $95,000 to date, according to the Florida Division of Elections website. Heyman says the group has now raised about $115,000 that will be reflected the next time the state updates its website.
Amendment 4, joining Florida Voters Against Extremism (a/k/a No on 4), Do No Harm Florida, and Life First PC.
Newcomer
Heyman said that another group called Informed Church is also poised to file as a political committee against the measure. The website InformedChurch.org includes video of advocates discussing why they oppose Amendment 4, such as actress and talk-show host Sam Sorbo.
ELECTIONS
“This is actually a defining moment for Christians in Florida,” Sorbo says in the video.
“I believe that if we work together, if we put our faith in action and vote no, I believe the Church can single-handedly defeat this amendment.”
The Phoenix reached out to one of the organizers of Informed Church, but did not receive an immediate response.
combined efforts of the various PACs against the measure.
Among the arguments opponents to Amendment 4 cite is that passage would remove existing laws in Florida regarding abortion, such as parental consent. In an email Monday from Lynda Bell, president of Florida Right to Life and co-founder of Do No Harm Florida, she argued, “The next step may be to force taxpayers to pay for abortions,” noting how abortion rights supporters in Michigan “are suing to force taxpayers to fund abortions.”
That’s an argument recently made by Chris Spencer, executive director of the State Board of Administration and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ former budget director during a meeting last month of the state Financial Impact Estimating Conference, whose duties include projecting the costs of petition initiatives if adopted by voters. Michigan lawsuit
abortions only in instances of life endangerment, rape, and incest.
“That argument against restoring our fundamental freedoms are protecting ourselves from extremist politicians is both silly and weak,” responded Anna Hockhammer, executive director of the Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition. “In America, citizens can access the courts and file lawsuits, but that doesn’t guarantee success or mean that they will prevail.
“Florida’s abortion ban is so extreme that it endangers the health and safety of every woman and girl of reproductive age in our state.”
Heyman told the Phoenix last Monday that he’s been involved in the anti-abortion movement for 18 years and has led the First Care Women’s Clinic for eight years. He says he was extremely surprised when the conservative Florida Supreme Court approved placing Amendment 4 on the ballot in April. And he says that opponents of Amendment 4 have to be considered underdogs in this contest, in part because so many people he encounters simply aren’t aware of even how such an amendment was put on the ballot.
“They aren’t aware that the governor can’t veto an amendment,” Heyman said. “They aren’t aware of the 60% threshold [required for the amendment to pass]. They’re just not aware of a lot of things, so I’ve realized that when I talk to people about this amendment, you really have to start at a ‘School House Rock’ level.”
Public opinion polls released this summer show Amendment 4 is getting more than 60% support. A University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab survey published last week showed that 69% support Amendment 4, with just 23% opposing and 8% not sure.
Heyman said that friends of his wanted to make a financial donation to an organization committed to opposing the proposal, but didn’t discover any, leading to discussions with his board of directors with the First Care Women’s Clinic to create a political committee.
Heyman intends to run “programmatic advertising” to get digital ads in the faces of likely voters and “push messages tailored specifically to help inform them on this issue.”
Keep Florida Pro Life is at least the fourth political committee formed to oppose
Floridians Protecting Freedom is the political committee formed more than a year ago to try to get Amendment 4 passed. It has raised more than $39 million to date, dwarfing the
In fact, abortion-rights supporters in Michigan did file a lawsuit in late June seeking to overturn that state’s longtime ban on taxpayer-funded abortions for low-income residents, according to The Associated Press. Under existing law, Florida allows Medicaid to pay for
“Let’s focus on the facts: Florida’s abortion ban is so extreme that it endangers the health and safety of every woman and girl of reproductive age in our state,” Hockhammer continued. “It also removes the ability of women, their families, and their doctors to make informed decisions about their health. Our fundamental freedoms are at risk from an overreaching state government. That is why every voter should vote Yes on 4.” Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and X.
LORD HAVE MERCY: Anti-abortion activists outside Joe Biden’s appearance in Tampa, Florida on April 23, 2024.
RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES
On fire
Summer’s hottest restaurant and bar openings.
By CL sta
While the temps outside are hotter than ever, so is Tampa Bay’s dining scene. Over the last few months, quite a few new and exciting restaurants, bars, dessert shops, coffee joints and more have popped up across the Tampa Bay region. From high-end Indian cuisine, champagne bars, waterfront lobster rolls and more, there’s plenty of new things to try. Here are a few of our favorite new concepts that have debuted so far this summer.
Barrio There’s a new go-to spot for tacos, margaritas and weekend brunch in Ybor City, and its name may sound familiar to folks from the Midwest and Northeast. Tampa Bay’s first Barrio Tacos celebrated its grand opening back in June and has been dishing out margaritas, whiskeybased cocktails, chips, salsa and build-your-own
tacos since. While the taco company operates several franchises in states like Michigan, Ohio and Massachusetts, the only other Florida location of Barrio Tacos resides in Orlando. 1822 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. barrio-tacos.com
Buchette Spritz Bar Davis Islands staple Oggi Italian launched a fun new bar concept this summer called Buchette Spritz Bar. “Originating from Italy’s bubonic plague era, ‘Buchette del vino’ were a lifeline for locals. Join us as we revive this piece of history in style!” said the owners. The new walk-up window offers wine-based cocktails, spritzes, bubbly, and wine. There’s also light charcuterie bites up for grabs, as well. 236 E Davis Blvd, Tampa. oggiitalian.com
Champagne Porch A new bubbly hub from Three Oaks Hospitality debuted in Tampa Heights
food hall Armature Works this summer. The Champagne Porch offers up 26 different champagnes, as well as cocktails, seltzers and beers. Though there’s no actual porch, the new watering hole is right off the main outdoor plaza, and includes outdoor seating and pull-up bar stools. 1910 N Ola Ave., Tampa. champagneporch.com
Esther’s One of Tampa’s beloved, hole-inthe-wall taco trucks expanded to a much bigger space. As any Tampa taco fan will admit, the original Esther’s Cafe has been a local favorite for nearly 12 years, but the truck is somewhat hard to find, since it’s tucked away behind the produce stands at 3001 E Hillsborough Ave. Last May, owner Jorge Castellano debuted an easier to locate, new brick-and mortar outpost just down the street. The new Esther’s Tacos officially opened May 12, and offers the same menu as the original, except with air conditioning, more seating and parking. 2115 Hillsborough Ave., Tampa. orderestherscafe.com
The Fold The Fold’s new Harbour Island location dishes out a menu that its Armature Works
patrons will surely recognize, plus a few more Italian-inspired entrees. It features classic flavors of hand-tossed pizzas like pepperoni, sausage and peppers and Sicilian, as well as unique options like The Fold’s “Firebird” za’ with tomato sauce, mozzarella, buffalo chicken, jalapeños and hot honey. In addition to a variety of pies and its “pizza of the day” special, The Fold’s new location also dishes out calzones, chicken and meatball parmesan sandwiches, cheesesteaks and pastas like baked ziti and rigatoni. A few sides include garlic knots, antipasto, fried mozzarella and Caesar salads. 601 S Harbour Island Blvd., Tampa. thefoldpizza.com Gateway Subs A new up-and-comer in St. Pete’s sandwich scene crossed the bridge to Tampa in late-May. The popular, ever-expanding local brand offers a variety of both classic sandwiches (spicyItalians, tuna salad, turkey and bacon), as well as a few unique “Gateway Original” options. A few of these sammies include the “Cool Ranch Rider” with buffalo chicken breast, bacon, hot peppers and crushed continued on page 32
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Doritos and “Da Beast,” with roast beef, mayo, Swiss cheese, onions, banana peppers and horseradish aioli. Wraps and salads are also on the Gateway menu. 803 N Tampa St., Tampa. @ gatewaysubs on Facebook
Grove Surf + Coffee St. Pete Beach’s go-to spot for craft coffee and trendy beach expanded northward this summer—and its new sister concept is even closer to the water. Grove Surf + Coffee’s full-service sibling—aptly named Grove Surf Cafe—offers a variety of pastries, breakfast and light lunch options alongside lattes, matcha and other specialty beverages. While Grove Surf + Coffee boasts a massive retail section with surfing gear, beachy souvenirs and branded merchandise, Grove Surf Cafe on Indian Rocks Beach will focus more on an expanded food menu. Daytime bites on the new cafe’s menu include whipped ricotta and avocado toast, a traditional bacon egg and cheese breakfast sandwich, hearty hash brown bowl, chicken Caesar wrap and a yogurt parfait. Pastries like croissants, “Pop Tarts,” cookies and doughnuts are also made in-house. 1309 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach. @grovesurfcafe on Instagram
Han Hand Roll Bar and Ling’s Dumplings The stalls inside Armature Works are always changing, and the food hall’s newest additions from the owners of Zukku Sushi—Ling’s Dumplings and Han Hand Roll Bar—opened earlier this summer. Ling’s Dumplings offers a variety of both traditional and unique options— from pork and beef soup dumplings to bright green edamame and truffle dumplings— while Han’s Hand Roll Bar is described as an “approachable yet sophisticated sushi haven” that highlights fresh seafood like uni, salmon, o-toro, crab and more. In addition to a variety of dumplings that are wrapped in homemade, brightly-colored dough (due to pigments in ingredients like ube, spinach and beets), Ling’s also offers chilled sesame noodles, dan dan noodles and a dumpling noodle soup. 1910 N Ola Ave., Tampa. majesticrestaurants.com
The Last Slice Tampa Bay is certainly rich in great pizza joints. But last month, a new contender that’s getting some serious buzz debuted in St. Pete from owners Caleb and Chryssie Bernard. The Last Slice serves up piping hot pies, as well as desserts, chicken wings, pasta, and more. 5281 Park St N., St. Petersburg. thelastslice.co
Lajawab Indian Cuisine A new chefowned Indian concept opened this summer in St. Pete’s former ABC Seafood location. Lajawab Indian Cuisine is by led by Chef Somi and Chaf Abhi, who offer up various curries and tandoori specialties. “Our menu is a reflection of our chef’s dedication to creating dishes that not only satisfy but also tell a story through taste and presentation. Expect a dining experience that is as intimate as it is flavorful,” says the site. 2705 54th Ave. N. St. Petersburg. lajawabcuisine.com
15-21, 2024 | cltampabay.com
Leon’s Lobstah Shack Earlier this summer, Leon’s Lobstah Shack took over the former waterfront dining home of Taste of Boston at Ballast Point Pier. Specializing in hot and cold lobster rolls, Leon’s also lobster grilled cheese, shrimp tacos, citrus chicken salad, a grouper po boy, smash burgers, hot dogs and more. 5314 Interbay Blvd, Tampa. leonslobstah.com
Lily’s Sweet Treats Lily’s debuted in The Pointe on Harbour Island earlier this summer. “Lily’s is inspired by, and named after, my daughter Lily and grandmother Lilian who owned franchise ice cream shops in New York,” said Chas Bruck, Founder of Three Oaks Hospitality in a press release. The new spot, which shares space with pizza joint The Fold, is described as a “nostalgic ice cream spot,” that offers “cereals with popular candy and fresh fruit mix-ins.” 601 S Harbour Island Blvd #104, Tampa. lily-sweets.com
the newly-opened eatery dishes out red velvet pancakes, eggs Benedict, lobster and waffles and Creole-style shrimp and grits at its popular brunch service. Beer, wine, and craft cocktails are on the menu, too. 1704 N Howard Ave., Tampa. themadisonnoho.com
DINING GUIDE
Meltdown Grilled Cheese Shop Armature Works has been silently adding new spots over the last couple months, and the latest is all about grilled cheese sammies. Meltdown Grilled Cheese Shop offers up a variety of takes on the classic lunch staple, like the Sweet and Spicy Bacon featuring Bacon, sharp cheddar, pepper jack, American, red onion, candied jalapeños, pepper jam. Served with a side of ranch.. Every sandwich comes with a side of curly fries, or you can add a cup of tomato soup or chili for $3. 1910 N Ola Ave., Tampa. armatureworks.com
Rakki While Ichicoro’s 2023 closure still leaves Seminole Heights residents craving
PIT STAHP: Leon’s offers seafood with what’s low-key one of the best views of Tampa.
The Madison Noho A new restaurant dishing out classic American entrees and loaded brunch plates quietly opened its doors in West Tampa in late June. Owned and operated by Tampa residents Tayesha Hiner, Antonio “Polo” Allen—who also leads the kitchen as its Executive Chef—and Mikeo Smith, The Madison Noho offers a variety of straightforward dinner plates, from grilled salmon to apple-glazed pork chops, plus appetizers like calamari, chicken wings, crab cakes and oysters. On the weekend,
traditional ramen, a newly-opened restaurant with globally-inspired Asian fare may help fill that void. After two years of building out its space, Asian-fusion concept Rakki finally opened its doors. Seminole Heights’ newest restaurant is in one of Tampa’s best strip malls nestled between Gulf Coast Sourdough Sandwich House and Mekenita Cantina, adjacent to other popular concepts like Wicked Oak Barbecue and Revolution Ice Cream Co. While Rakki’s intimate menu boasts higher-end
dishes that pull from a range of Asian cuisines—from truffle mac and cheese ramen to short rib birria baos—owner and Executive Chef Israel Mora tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the concept may pivot to more casual fare sometime soon, in addition to expanding its hours to include lunch. 6705 N Florida Ave., Tampa. rakkitampa.com
Retro House A new cafe and fast casual restaurant soft-opened last month, dishing out homemade dumplings and loaded noodle bowls out of a unique location in Ybor City. The newly-opened fast casual spot slings dumplings and other handhelds that Heritage Dim Sum is known for—with co-owner Corrinne Liou incorporating her family’s 100 year-old recipes throughout Retro House’s menu with small bites like ube baos, shu mai, lemongrass chicken dumplings, pan-fried pork baos and mango shrimp wontons. A few entrees are offered as well, including like char sui fried rice and crispy noodle bowls with customizable proteins. Expanded hours will be announced any day now. 934 E Henderson Ave., Ybor City. retrohousetampa.com
Route 66 Diner Tampa Bay could use more diners, and a nostalgia-fueled concept made its debut earlier this summer in Pinellas Park. Route 66 features plenty of classic American diner grub paired with a ‘50s diner aesthetic. Surprisingly, Route 66 also offers a pretty robust gluten-free menu, and all gluten-free options are prepared in separate ovens and fryers. 9721 66th St. N, Pinellas Park. 727-544-2323
Tiger Sugar Cult-favorite black sugar bubble tea chain Tiger Tea opened in the USF area earlier this summer. Known for its tiger stripe boba tea, the shop also features cheese foam tea, black sugar popcorn, black sugar milk egg rolls, and more. 1518 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. tigersugarfl.com
Una Más Una Más—a specialty coffee shop with light, Hispanic comfort food-inspired bites—is the brainchild of longtime Tampa baristas and hospitality maestros Paola Chamorro Ward and Curt Hensley. Local coffee lovers may not necessarily know them by name, but chances are you’ve seen them behind the bar of beloved shops like Foundation, Union and King State just to name a few. Una Más started the summer inside Fancy Free Nursery and is on the move to a new location, with pop-ups happening frequently. @unamastpa on Instagram Florida’s first Wawa drive-thru Don’t call it gas station food. Sure, Wawa is technically a gas station, but at this new concept, there is no gas. Instead, the Wawa drive-thru focuses on a limited menu centered around the chain’s deli sandwiches, wraps and the famous breakfast Sizzlis. The Wawa drive-thru concepts are part of the chain’s plan to double its footprint and open 100 new locations around the country by 2030, says the company. 2530 East Bay Dr., Largo. wawa.com
MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
Rising sun
Tampa Bay’s new professional women’s soccer team hopes to change the game.
By Ray Roa
On Sunday, just under 500 days after RBLR
Sports shared screenshots of a leaked website detailing the United Soccer League’s (USL) plans to launch a women’s pro team in the area, Tampa Bay Sun FC will take the field for the kickoff of its inaugural season.
The matchup finds our side taking on Dallas Trinity FC, one of eight teams that make up the inaugural season for the USL Super League, which could soon give the 13-year-old National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) a run for its money.
Here’s everything you might want to know about Tampa Bay Sun FC.
The dawn Tampa Bay has been close to paying women soccer players before. Two teams—the Tampa Bay Elite (est. 2005) and Tampa Bay Hellenic (est. 2008)—played in the amateur Women’s Premier Soccer League and USL W-League. A pro indoor team, the Tampa Bay Strikers, recently tried to get off the ground, too, but only made it one season in the National Indoor Soccer League (NISL) before falling apart ahead of NISL’s merger with another league.
In 2023, Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg, who owns the men’s USL Championship team Tampa Bay Rowdies, saw his effort to bring a NWSL team to the area fall flat.
The USL Super League hopes to have a different fate.
Last February, the league earned Division 1 status (D1) from the U.S. Soccer Federation, meaning teams will compete at the highest level of professional women’s soccer in the U.S. Factors like metro size, stadiums, the league’s reach across time zones, net worth of owners, and more all play into the designation. USL Super League President Amanda Vandervort called the sanction “a crucial step toward realizing our vision to be a global leader in women’s soccer on and off the field.”
While NWSL has a $2.75 million cap—with some players like USWNT forward Sophia Smith being awarded contracts reportedly worth more than $2 million—USL Super League will not have a salary cap or a draft.
Solar power
To earn D1 status, team ownership must have a combined net worth of at least $25 million with principal owners needing to be worth at least $15 million. The Sun’s ownership group consists of BluePearl veterinary founder and developer Darryl Shaw, Blue Pearl’s since retired Chief Information Officer Jeff Fox, and David Laxer, owner of Bern’s Steak House.
Aquarium’s $40 million expansion campaign. He also owns the building that’s now home to Ybor City’s Kress arts collective.
being asked to lead a side from the front office was a huge leap.
“They are really big believers in equity.”
Shaw, who’s building Ybor City’s GasWorx development on and around the former Tampa Park Apartments, is also a past investor in the Tampa Bay Times, and leader of the Florida
Last November, Christina Unkel told WMNF public affairs program “The Skinny” that she hadn’t heard of the guys when they asked her to be the team president. Now she calls them “the three amigos” and sees them all the time. “It felt really surreal,” Unkel—a lawyer, FIFA referee, and TV rules analyst who regularly schools talking heads on CBS Sports— said about the call. Unkel explained that when she got done playing in college, the concept of playing pro in the U.S. was nonexistent, so
Unkel, who played at Palm Beach Atlantic University, has been involved with pro women’s soccer for two decades. She’s seen people ruin leagues and women work multiple jobs to make their dream of playing pro soccer a reality. Sun ownership has also seen loved ones go through the struggle. “They are really big believers in equity. And they said, ‘We can use our platform to not not have power over someone, but use the power to do good in this community,’” she added.
“When we started this, we wanted to give opportunities to women,” Fox told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay during a rainy
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meet-and-greet early this month, noting that executive positions in the Sun’s front office are majority women-occupied. Fox acknowledged the fi nancial burden that comes with creating a sustainable team—tickets, sponsorships, etc.— but said bringing the team to the community is what the group wanted to do.
“The number one thing that’s on our mind right now is bringing professional women’s sports to the Tampa community,” he added.
Home field
Practice happens at a team facility on the corner of Nebraska and Seventh Avenues in Ybor City. The Tampa Bay Sun’s current schedule includes 14 regular season games, with seven home matches set for Riverfront Stadium at Blake High School in Tampa. USL Super League teams are required to play in stadiums with a capacity of at least 5,000 fans.
Last fall, ownership said it planned to spend at least $4 million upgrading the football stadium at Blake High School, bringing capacity up from 1,800 to about 5,000. Upgraded locker rooms, FIFA-approved turf, concessions, and activity zones are also part of the improvements.
After some scrutiny last October, Hillsborough’s school board voted 6-1 to approve the agreement between the school district and Florida Community Events, LLC, clearing the way for construction at the Sun’s temporary home, where renovations are now estimated at $6 million.
Stadium upgrades will stay with Blake High School and fall on the school district to maintain after the team—which it expects to play in the stadium for three-to-five years—fi nds a permanent home elsewhere.
The ga er
The Tampa Bay Sun is led on the field by a beast in coach Denise Schilte-Brown, who not only had a a 184-97-43 at the University of South Florida, but guided the USF to six conference championships in the AAC, and eight NCAA Tournaments where the Bulls went to the second round four times, and the third once. Brown is almost always at a 10 when it comes to competitive energy, and told CL that it’s hard for her to scale that down. “It doesn’t matter if we’re doing rock-paper-scissors or trying to win a USL championship, I try to win,” she added.
Last fall on WMNF, Schilte-Brown checked in from an international recruiting trip and described how her model of play has evolved over the course of a nearly 20-year collegiate career. She envisioned a Sun side strong in the attacking third, and was searching for keepers and center backs who were comfortable with the ball, plus midfielders who wanted to rotate all over the field.
“Those are examples of how I won’t really compromise on my model of play,” she said at the
“It doesn’t matter if we’re doing rock-paperscissors or trying to win a USL championship, I try to win.”
time, adding that the style will have to evolve with whoever ends up on the roster. “I think when a coach wants to be strict with their model of play, if they don’t have that flexibility, they’re gonna get stuck.”
Schilte-Brown has never shied away from letting a player know how they’re performing either. “She’ll definitely tell you if you’re not doing something, which I think is actually really good, because you don’t want a quiet coach,” forward Hannah Keane told CL.
Ballers
On its website, the Tampa Bay Sun FC roster includes 21 players, including three goalkeepers, four defenders, six forwards, and eight midfielders. The roster’s average age is about 27 years old.
SPORTS
Last Tuesday, just days away from the fi rst regular season game and fresh off a friendly pre-season tune-up, Schilte-Brown told CL that she believes in the special, and talented group of athletes that have joined her.
“There are always going to be peaks and valleys," she said about the road ahead. "But I believe we’re going to be at the peak more than in the valley."
The Sun’s fi rst three signings included Erika Tymrak, a University of Florida alum who came over from the NWSL’s Orlando Pride after a career that included caps for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Canadian national team player, and USF alum, Jordyn Listro also last played for Orlando’s NWSL side. Dominique “Domi” Richardson rounded out the initial Sun signing and arrives in Tampa after playing for NWSL’s Gotham FC.
In an appearance on CBS’ “Attacking Third” podcast, soccer journalist and columnist Sandra Herrera told hosts that the Sun signings were the best in the league so far. “They’ve been the team that has been taking the leadership role,
they’re in the driver’s sheet showing the league how it’s done,” she added. And players have come from around the world to play in the Super League and for Schilte-Brown. At least seven come from Australia’s top pro league, including Western United star Keane.
Keane was skeptical about a new American league after Schilte-Brown’s initial call. She accepted the offer to be much closer to her parents who live on an island off the coast of Maine (1,600 miles from Florida, compared to the nearly 11,000 to Australia). “I would much like them to be at some of my games and actually see me in person and not have to wake up at 3 a.m. to watch a game online,” Keane added. Keane ruptured her patellar tendon last March in Australia ahead of signing with the Sun, but is working to come back by midseason. She’s been happy with the way her physios down under have communicated with Sun FC medical staff during rehab, and said that her new
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SHE’S THE SCHILTE: Denise Schilte-Brown’s style brought players from across the globe to Tampa.
team reacted with positivity when they found out about the hiccup.
“I was like, ‘Hey, this is the reality—do you still want me?,’” Keane told CL. “They were like, ‘Hannah, we know you can do this. You can come back. We still want you here. Even if you’re not on the field every day, you can help us. We believe in you to come back.’”
Hot shots
Keane said the initial training sessions lit a fire inside her, too.
“I just kept thinking about how this team would destroy my team in Australia,” she said about watching a Tampa Bay Sun FC squad that is rife with individual skill prime for SchilteBrown’s aggressive style that includes a really fast counterattack.
Japanese-Brazilian midfielder Yuki Watari signed after falling in love with Schilte-Brown’s approach to the game and passion, and then immediately fell in love with Tampa.
to play all-year—and she was on the national team—now, we’re sitting here talking about solid figures.”
This generation of athletes is playing in an environment Unkel and her teammates wished they had. She believes this is just the beginning. “Now we have investors and owners who believe in it, and corporate partners who are not just saying, ‘Yeah, we want to be part of it.' They’re actually stroking meaningful checks, not just small dollar things,” she added.
The schedule and what’s next Sunday’s match is one of seven scheduled home games for Sun FC. Each team in the league plays a 14-match fall schedule and a similarly-balanced 14-game schedule in the spring (beginning in February).
SPORTS
“Competing on a fall-tospring calendar and playing a balanced schedule further aligns the league with the global game, which has always been our strategy,” Vandervort said in a press release. The break also allows players a midseason break.
“Honestly, this is the best team I have ever seen,” Watari— who comes to the Sun from FC Juárez, which plays in Mexico’s Liga MX—added. She said the Sun will have a lot of possession during its matches, a sentiment that the gaffer agrees with.
“Everyone’s going to want to have the ball on their feet, they’re going to be skillful and creative, and that’s going to be fun to watch,” Schilte-Brown told CL. If we lose the ball, we’re going to win it right back and then we’re going to be deadly on the counterattack.”
Money to burn?
Minimum salary in the NWSL is $36,400, according to Women’s Health Magazine. While the NWSL has a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), Unkel told CL that USL Super League’s Board of Governors made a clear decision to match industry standards and norms, without a CBA forcing their hand. Unkel added that on top of salaries, all Super League teams provide housing that must meet standards for safety, and occupancy.
“Minimum is two players or two bedrooms— you can’t put six players in a tincture,” she said. Team partner Ashley Furniture even designed the living space with the players.
The team has not spoken on the overall payroll beyond those comments, but the guaranteed salary is a huge step for pro women’s soccer in America. On a recent call with the GM of Gotham FC, Unkel couldn’t help but laugh. They were working on a transfer as Unkel watched the Sun train in Ybor City, with downtown Tampa’s skyline as the backdrop.
“I was laughing in a good way,” Unkel said. “We both just stopped, and we were like, ‘10 years ago, she was getting paid $15,000
After the regular season, the top four teams on the USL Super League table qualify for the 2024-25 playoff: a single-elimination, fixedbracket format featuring two semifinals and a final. Unkel told WMNF last fall that she still wasn’t sure if the final would be at a neutral site or not. “I’m obviously going to push for the winner to have that home field advantage,” she added. The first chance to show the team the heat of that hometown love is finally here.
The conservation of art—preserving objects through professional, specialized treatment—is one of the Museum of Fine Art’s most important goals. This small, intensive exhibition, which is the second iteration of the Live Conservation series, focuses on the treatment of the museum’s extraordinary carved and painted Jain Shrine. This rare object, which was used for daily worship by members of the Jain faith in a private home, preserves most of its original surface. However, over time dust, soot, and the touch of hands have dulled its rich colors.
Over the coming months, Luis Seixas—a renowned conservator and alumnus of the conservation program at the prestigious Universidade Nova, Lisbon—will undertake the task of meticulously cleaning, consolidating, and restoring this precious artifact live in the Minck Gallery.
Live conservation occurs most weekdays (Tuesday through Friday) between 10 am – 2 pm, with a break around noon. Special Saturday sessions on August 17, September 21, and October 12.
Unknown Artist, active Patan, Gujarat State, India, Jain Shrine c. 1600, Carved and painted wood, Gift of Louis E. Seley and sons Hervey and Elliott, Jr.
Bury your feelings
Bay area author Ivy Fairbanks talks escapism and romance novels.
By Chelsea Zukowski
Abubbly Texas art director flees to Galway to escape the grief of losing her husband.
A grumpy Irish undertaker faces a ticking clock to find love and save the family funeral business. Sparks fly as the two grow, heal and better understand death through their love for each other. That’s the simple summary of debut romance novel “Morbidly Yours” from local author Ivy Fairbanks, who’s called the Tampa Bay area home for over two decades. “Morbidly Yours” was indie-published last year and recently picked up by Putnam, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
This novel about getting a second chance at love, discovering your voice and finding hope and healing from death grew out of Fairbanks’ desire for comfort amid chronic illness. “My career was kind of derailed, and I was really searching for something that was comforting,” she said. “I kind of found myself returning to the guaranteed happy ending of a romance novel and…from there rediscovering this love of reading.”
In the book, Callum is a painfully shy funeral director who, per his granda’s will, must marry by the time he turns 35. Into his life bursts Lark, a ray of Texas sunshine running away from the stormy weather of grief over her husband’s death. Both people-pleasers in their own way, Callum and Lark strike up an unlikely friendship that blossoms into so much more.
INTERVIEW
‘Morbidly Yours’ book launch
w/Ivy Fairbanks & Alicia Thompson Tuesday, Aug. 20. 7 p.m. No cover Tombolo Books. 2153 1st Ave. S, St. Petersburg RSVP via tombolobooks.com
Through Lark, themes of death anxiety and grief are explored alongside self-confidence, advocacy and emotional fortitude. And with Callum, his stutter, social aversion and demisexuality are treated with both respect and mastery. Their story is much more than a romance, but one about embracing and honoring all the emotions that fill us through love and death.
She said writing “Morbidly Yours” and watching the story of her characters Lark and Callum resonate with so many readers “really awakened a joy that I hadn’t had in my life for a long time.”
“And I do see it as a silver lining of my illness getting worse. Being in chronic pain and seeking that escapism as well as…the predictability of a happy ending,” Fairbanks said. “But (as a reader) I want you to take me on a ride. I want there to be some humor and everything along the way. So when I wrote this one, I really wanted to bring that same sort of experience that I crave as a reader to the audience and hopefully craft interesting enough characters to make them want to go on that journey with them.”
“We all go through life with our own little blinders on and our own little filters on,” Fairbanks said. “I really like the idea of slowly coming into focus with somebody else and having that experience of… seeing this other person as who they are, not who you want them to be. The vulnerability of that is something I find really interesting. As a writer, it takes a slower burn to accomplish that.”
In writing romance, Fairbanks wants readers to feel like her characters have earned their happily ever after.
“That’s one of the things with romance that makes it so hopeful—this idea that people grow and we are made better by our circumstances and by our relationships. Not that we are defined by them,” she said. “And these are people who are made happier and more whole together. But that’s through personal work as well to get there and really earning that.”
“My career was kind of derailed, and I was really searching for something that was comforting.”
Fairbanks wrote “Morbidly Yours” at a time when she was largely unable to leave her home. While an early version of the novel was set in St. Petersburg, the story’s setting in an Irish harbor city grew out of that want for escape.
“The more that I wrote, the more I was like, ‘This guy is Irish.’ His sensibilities around death and things like this are not mainstream American,” she said. “I don’t have a compelling reason for him to be in St. Petersburg…I’m not going to force this.”
Fairbanks’ extensive research and virtual tours of the coastal town brought the cultural heart of Ireland to verdant life. Setting the story in artsy county Galway was also a way for Fairbanks to connect to the place her family comes from.
The author said she’s even seen photos of readers holding up copies of “Morbidly Yours” at quintessential Irish locales like the Cliffs of Moher and Supermac’s.
“It’s so crazy, so cool. Someone at the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most beautiful places on the planet. And they brought my book there,” Fairbanks said. “That’s this once-in-a-lifetime trip, and they’re holding up my book.”
MORBIDLY FASCINATING: Writing and releasing a new book awakened joy inside of Ivy Fairbanks.
By
C CL Recommends
THU 15
4th Annual Solomon Keim music and art show Thanks to the awards and positive reception he received as a student, the jazz wunderkind has been giving back to music education programs, and even established his own scholarship for college-bound students in Pasco County. On Thursday, Kiem will host a handful of students at VeroPolo— an art company that strives to amplify the rich heritage and culture of Haiti—to do live painting and a jazz-meets-hip-hop set on the Side Door stage. On the side will be a silent auction that benefits the Solomon Keim Musical Excellence Scholarship. (Side Door Cabaret at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
Deep Purple w/Yes Geoff Downes was just in town with the current lineup of Asia, and he continues filling Rick Wakeman’s vacancy in Steve Howe’s iteration of Yes. The legendary prog outfit opens for Deep Purple (a pairing that may have happened when both bands were still in their respective primes) with a set of mostly Jon Anderson-era tracks. (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
Leo Kottke and Julian Lage Fingerstyle guitarist Leo Kottke hasn’t released new material by himself in 20 years, other than a handful of records with Phish’s Mike Gordon. In a recent interview with Westword Denver, the 78-year-old guitarist described his “open marriage” with 6-strings and 12-strings, both of which he’ll probably bust out at his seemingly-annual stop in downtown Clearwater. Jazz guitarist Lage, on the heels of a new album entitled Speak To Me will also be on hand. (Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)
FRI 16
Chicago w/Earth, Wind, and Fire Is it really summertime if Robert Lamm and friends haven’t rolled into town? Tampa Bay had to wait until October last year (and faced a decision to attend either Chicago’s debut performance at Clearwater’s The Sound, or Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival), but expect to hear the, err, Chicago-based group’s regular schtick of horned-up hits that put it on the map. Opening is probably the best group possible to play that role—Earth, Wind and Fire—which was also most recently in town last summer, just on a different bill with Lionel Richie, and in the air conditioning. (Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)
Displace w/HeadTones/TruPhonic
Displace is currently working on its fourth album Necessity, described as a new entry in a series of concept albums. Frontman
and keytar whiz Chris Sgammato says the danceable, Tampa-based jazz-rock quartet’s weekend kickoff in Ybor City celebrates the release of its new single “All In.” There’s still no telling if Necessity will be a giant epic like Displace’s most recent album Accidental , but indulge in fellow fusion outfits HeadTones and TruPhonic before hearing the first single and coming up with theories. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
C Harber Wynn w/Geri X/Ella Jet If you’re looking for an excuse to host an ultraclassy Sunday morning with your friends, Geri X’s Etsy might be your saving grace. When she’s not on stage or in the studio, the St. Pete-based singer-songwriter has been pushing double-sided chess/charcuterie boards on her online shop. If that’s not your bag and you’d rather just stick with her music, Geri’s entire discography on CD is available in the same capacity, with brandnew, Etsy-exclusive album covers. Her set on Friday is sandwiched between appearances from Americana wife-and-husband duo Harber Wynn and indie-pop singer-songwriter Ella Jet, a Bay area expat that’s called Nashville home since the spring of 2020. (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)
C Ivan Cornejo With tunes wise beyond his years, Ivan Cornejo is a high school dropout whose Spanish-language laments have drawn a fanbase of young people like him, and their parents, too. The 20-yearold “Está Dañada” songwriter is another Mexican regional music artist selling out arenas across the U.S., and his turn in Tampa is a chance to not only get in touch with the lives of young people in places like Riverside, California but get a glimpse of a superstar who leaves teardrops on his guitar—and in his fans’ eyes, too. (Yuengling Center, Tampa)
C Night Child w/Sam Williams Seminole Heights’ Southern kitchen goes full-bore rock-and-roll with tried and true trio Night Child, powered by firebrand, tall-as-fuck, bassist Chris Cardon, drummer Tyler Stoelting, and guitarist Gino Capone. The band plays a free show (reservations recommended) after an opening set by surf-rock guitarist and songwriter Sam Williams. (Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe, Tampa)
C Southern Hospitality A blues-rock supergroup of sorts, Southern Hospitality includes homegrown guitar god Damon Fowler along with guitarist J.P. Soars and boogie-woogie piano man Victor Wainwright. If Florida had its own Muscle Shoals, these guys would hold the keys. (Hough Hall at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
SAT 17
C James Suggs Quintet In Tampa Bay’s collection of trumpet players, James Suggs sits at the top of the heap. Inside Palladium’s cabaret, he’ll play alongside a trio of legendary locals—drummer Mark Feinman,
THU AUGUST 15–THU AUGUST 22
pianist John O’Leary, and saxophonist Jeremy Carter—plus Windy City bass icon Christian Dillingham for a new tribute to the iconic canon of Miles Davis. Songs like “On Green Dolphin St,” “Blue in Green,” and “Milestones” are all on tap according to the venue. (Side Door Cabaret at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
C Maren Morris w/Anna Graves Some people think throwing chairs off balconies or drunkenly shouting slurs makes an artist an outlaw, but we’re willing to bet that Waylon and Willie have more in common with the Maren Morris’ of the world than they do with someone like Morgan Wallen. Morris—who won the Changemaker of the Year Award at Variety’s Hitmakers event last year—loves country music, but famously bucked against it in 2023 when she vocally denounced the
toxic elements of the genre (read: an ongoing lack of diversity on radio playlists, the celebration of veiled racist dog whistles, more). “I want to take the good parts with me,” she said last year on “Watch What Happens Live” with Andy Cohen. The shows are billed as a revival and reunion of the 34-year-old’s pandemic-shortened 2020 run of the same name (which did not have a Bay area date on it). (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)
C Sauce Pocket w/Dionysus Split between Tampa Bay and Jacksonville, members of fusion outfit Sauce Pocket have a new album out (Noodle Brain ), but it’s best to get wet with a 2024 live album, Electric Boogaloo . The offering is a true representation of of how the sextet seamlessly blends its love for bands like Parliament, Lettuce,
continued on page 47
Josh Bradley and Ray Roa
Maren Morris
Hiatus Kaiyote, Chick Corea and even Tito Puente into songs that have a thematic home, but beg to be busted open for minutes of improvisation. Drummer Riley O’Brien told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that Sauce Pocket is adding vocals from renowned Colorado soul singer Jessica Jones on its full-length debut, so shows like this are probably the last chance to see this iteration of the sauciers. (Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa)
C Soft Cuff (album release) w/ Katara/9henom If the sound of Farfisa organs and the mention of bands like Booker T., Dorothy Ashby, or Question Mark & The Mysterians gets the blood flowing, you are gonna want to be at the VFW Hall this weekend. Soft Cuff—with bass lines reminiscent of Menahan Street Band and the soul racket of the Dap-Kings, plus crunchy, punchy, pronounced drums that could go on a rap record—can get cinematic, loud, or quiet at the drop of the hat and features some of the Bay area’s most seasoned musicians. Katara,
bar The Hub would not be complete without a sweaty rock and roll show. This one is part of the month-long celebrations and features punk-rock bands. (The Hub, Tampa)
SUN 18
C 311 w/Awolnation/Neon Trees It looks like P-Nut and 311 are setting up to release their first slew of new material since 2019’s Voyager. The band’s latest single “You’re Gonna Get It” (not a cover of the Tom Petty song) was written with the mindset of being young and putting yourself in situations where you either get out unscathed, or with consequences—and no in-between. A “Fight Club”-reminiscent music video hammers the point home. Opening for the reggaerock outfit is Los Angeles-based rock quintet Awolnation (stylized in all caps) and Neon Trees, which was most recently in Tampa to tear down day two of the inaugural Innings Fest, which our headliners played the day before. (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
Heavy On The Heart Every year on April 20, some of us light up, order three pizzas, and watch “Ted.” This New York-based melodic rock quartet put out a new single. The aptlytitled “Smokin’ All The Weed,” centered around bailing from a toxic relationship, is as upbeat as something you’d hear from an up-and-coming band making its Tampa Bay debut at 97X Next Big Thing. Nikki Brady, who put out a handful of solo singles before the band officially started making appearances, sings leads on the single, which will probably be performed at Independent this weekend. (Independent Bar and Cafe, Tampa)
King 810 w/The Last Ten Seconds Of Life/Extortionist/GasFL/withpaperwings Say cheese and die, because the Flint, Michigan-based metal trio brings its evergory live set to promote its latest, five-track album Under The Black Rainbow, which has a trippy AF webseries to go along with it. It’s King 810’s first trip to Tampa for the first time since a Pegasus Lounge gig in 2021. (Orpheum, Tampa)
TUE 20
Train w/Reo Speedwagon/Yacht Rock Revue Considering how Train had a guest spot on what turned out to be Daryl Hall and John Oates’ final single in 2018, it shouldn’t be too much of a shock that the soft-rock hitmaker is admired by another one of the ‘80s’ most prominent yacht rock outfits. If you missed out on hearing “Hey, Soul Sister” at a scorching-hot Florida Strawberry Festival last year, you’ve got another chance to experience that, but this time, alongside Kevin Cronin’s still-mighty wail in REO Speedwagon. A yacht rock tribute band (no, really) opens. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)
WED 21
Still Woozy w/Michelle Sven Gamsky has had a packed year. His wife gave birth to their first child right before Christmas, and last June, he released another easy-going, bedroom-pop album Loveseat , on which he focuses on the little things in life, but also laments how sometimes, life’s too short to extensively look back on the good old days. Still Woozy’s two-night stint at Jannus (and second overall appearance in the area since a 2022 gig in the same space) will get through the majority of Loveseat, so if you really dig the record, now’s the time to hear most of it before Gamsky releases more. New Yorkbased pop sextet Michelle opens both nights. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
THU 22
C Pilot Jonezz w/Secondlady/Pet Lizard/Right on Time Pop-punk, ska, grunge, and melocore come together when Secondlady—made up of members from Japan and Florida—plays the middle of this stacked rock show. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
another instrumental giant in the Bay area scene opens alongside rising emcee 9henom. (VFW Post 39, St. Petersburg)
C The Tim Version w/Slinky Punk/The Enablers/Hawgs The Tim Version formed in 1999 and cut its teeth in a heyday for Florida punk-rock alongside bands like Gainesville’s Hot Water Music and Less Than Jake. More Southern than their contemporaries in the college town, the quartet—guitarists Russ Van Cleave and Scott Laval, plus drummer Shawn Watkins, and bassist Mike Paul—put out its early work on A.D.D. Records and soon signed with famed Sunshine State punk label No Idea Records. To make the show even sweeter is a support bill featuring more OGs of the Florida punk circuit including Bay area outfit Slinky, Gainesville’s The Enablers, and supergroup Hawgs which includes members of Radon, Grabass Charlestons, Cuutman and more. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
The Vindicators w/Boney Fiend /Atl Dog A 75th anniversary for downtown Tampa dive
C Ol’ Dirty Sundays: DJ Ku w/Kevin Kon/DJ Deacon/Casper/Fader/Indy There are just three installments of Crowbar’s Ol’ Dirty Sundays left, and this week residents Casper and Fader welcome another staple of the Bay area’s DJ scene, Ku, to man the ones and twos. “It truly is a music lover’s Mecca,” Ku told CL about the party he’s been honored to play many times. It’s his birthday at midnight, and Ku plans on celebrating by playing everything from disco to amapiano, hip-hop and more with his favorite people in the world. Co-founders of the event recently told CL that one-offs are possible, but unlikely, so get it in now. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
Reservoir Bar’s 20 Year Anniversary Party: Blood of Angels w/Thrash Attack/The Path Ahead of ODS, Crowbar opens early to celebrate Reservoir, a revered watering hole just a few blocks away, with a concert featuring heavy metal from Blood of Angels, Thrash Attack, and The Path. The party moves down the street after the bands wrap. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
C Prescribed Fire w/Unruly Industry/ Low Season Drummer and music instructor Shawn Watkins hates to admit it, but some of his playing for instru-metal polyrhythmic power trio Prescribed Fire is influenced by math-rock. It also takes cues from ‘70s stoner-rock, but also disco and swing. In front of him onstage and in the mix are guitarist Christa McHugh and bassist Kevin Coss who plays in punk band Down By Law. For Prescribed Fire, McHugh told CL they ditched the idea of auditioning a singer and threw out the notion of adhering to any typical song structures. “We started breaking the rules and things really clicked,” she added. Coss adds that his tastes for everything from jazz to classic-rock and post-punk make it into the arrangements—including new music the band is prepping ahead of a run of shows like this one. (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)
Six-String Social Club: Luis Giler w/Lesa Silvermore/Gabe Hernandez The Losing Game’s Dan Shafer hosts an happy hour for this monthly showcase featuring Discord Theory frontman Luis Giler, rock “gray Jedi” Lesa Silvermore, and folk songwriter/ game-designer Gabe Hernandez, who was actually on the design team for “Call of Duty: Vanguard. (Oscura, Bradenton)
Secondlady
Fostering is free: all supplies provided!
Help cats and dogs get a break from the shelter
Raise kittens and puppies in a safe home environment
Earn 4 volunteer hours per day
Rainbows on the overpass are a somewhat common sight in the Tampa Bay area, and you can count on Conor Oberst & co. to sing about it when they come to Tampa Bay next year. The 44-year-old’s trio, Bright Eyes, releases a new album, Five Dice, All Threes , next month and has a trio of Florida dates supporting the outing.
Openers have yet to be announced, but the other Sunshine State stops on Bright Eyes’ tour include Jacksonville (March 3) and Orlando (March 7).
“Rainbow Overpass,” the second new single from Five Dice features vocals from the So So Glos’ Alex Orange Drink.
Buzzed w/Thee Trayla Trash Saturday, Aug. 24. 1 p.m. $10. Hooch and Hive, Tampa
Tampa Punk Rock Karaoke Friday, Sept. 6. 8:30 p.m. $5. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa
Die Sexual w/Pressure Kiten/Offerings Thursday, Sept. 12. 7 p.m. $15. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa
Easy Honey Friday, Sept. 20. 8:45 p.m. $12. Hooch and Hive, Tampa
The Warren Haynes Band Sunday, Sept. 22. 8 p.m. $43 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Dead Mirrors (EP release) w/Izora/ Walled City/Tiger 54/Headless State Friday, Sept. 27. 7:30 p.m. $12. Crowbar, Ybor City
Kehlani w/Flo/Anycia Saturday, Sept. 28. 8 p.m. $44.75 & up. Yuengling Center, Tampa
Boyz II Men Thursday, Oct. 3. 8 p.m. $110 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa
Rain City Drive w/Belmont/Until I Wake/Siamese/Nightlife Thursday, Oct. 12. 6 p.m. $25. Orpheum, Tampa Fit For An Autopsy w/Bodysnatcher/
“They grew up on punk rock and the Beasties, so there are a lot of little bursts of other voices. I like that. It creates energy,” Oberst said in a statement.
“Sometimes music can feel flat until you get into a live situation, when there’s adrenaline and raw energy. Instead of working in reverse, where that happens as we tour, I was trying to get some of that energy onto the record.”
P4K says Cat Power, the National’s Matt Berninger also appear on the new Bright Eyes album. See Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay below.—Ray Roa
Dead Poet Society Friday, Nov. 15. 7 p.m. $25. Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg
Riot Ten Friday, Nov. 15. 10 p.m. $15. The Ritz, Ybor City
"Keeping Tampa Bay's ear to the (under)ground since 1997"
AES Presents, LLC
Saturday, September 28
Ybor City Museum Garden 1818 East Ninth Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33605
MyEPICMasquerade.org
Join us for the 8th Annual Masquerade for an evening of whimsy and wonder amidst the lush greenery of our garden sanctuary. Proceeds benefit EPIC (Empath Partners in Care). The Masquerade is presented by Balance Tampa Bay in support of EPIC’s work to improve lives by addressing the social determinants of health, regardless of HIV status, gender or sexual identity.
Same page
By Dan Savage
My partner and I have been together nearly 30 years. He was never as into sex/romance/intimacy as much as I was, and things got worse after he had a malignant brain tumor removed six years ago. After chemo and a stem cell transplant, he is now cancer-free. However, he lost all interest in sexual and romantic activity after his tumor was discovered. Three years ago, I risked bringing this up, as I still have needs and desires, and he told me he’s happy with how things are. I am not. I told him I want to be able to satisfy my needs elsewhere on occasion, very discreetly, and he doesn’t want me to do that. We tried to be intimate a few weeks ago with “moderate” success. There were no orgasms, and after 30 minutes we stopped. This past weekend we were supposed to try again but he told me he just couldn’t. He has zero sexual desire. He has not seen a medical doctor for any tests, although his oncologist told him a few years ago that there is nothing medically wrong with him anymore. My patience is running out. If he doesn’t want sex, that’s fine. But he shouldn’t deny me the right to get my needs met. Am I wrong? BTW, I’m 63 years old and retired and he’s 57 years old and works full-time from home. We have a beautiful home and get along well with the exception of sex. Something has to change. I am not looking to end the relationship. I’ve tried to get him on board, so that I don’t feel like I’m betraying and cheating on him, to no avail. I welcome any advice.—Wants And Needs The Sex
it’s possible for two people to get on the same page—about marriage or monogamy or kids— because we’ve seen it done or we’ve already done it ourselves once or twice.
No couple gets on the same page about everything, of course, but no relationship goes the distance—no relationship lasts decades—if a couple can’t get on the same page about the big things. Defining the relationship, getting engaged, getting married, whether to have kids: since most big things we have to get on the same page about come early in a relationship, it’s easy to coast along thinking these kinds of conversations are behind us. And then we’re blindsided when our partner is done with sex— for whatever reason—and we aren’t.
SAVAGE LOVE
Anyone who’s been reading my column for more than three months knows what I’m going to say in response to this question—DWYNTDTSMASN—so I’m gonna say something else.
We know from our own personal experiences and from the experiences of others that two people can be in love without being on the same page at the same time. One person might be ready to have that big “define the relationship” conversation before the other is ready. One person might be ready to say, “I love you,” before the other is ready to hear it or say it back. One person may want monogamy and the other person may not want a sexually-exclusive relationship. One person might be ready to get engaged or married or pregnant before the other is ready for marriage and/or kids.
We talk about these discordant moments with our friends and families—moments when we aren’t on the exact same page with our romantic partners—and watch these conflicts get resolved in romcoms and sitcoms. So, we often know before we find ourselves in a relationship where we’re not on the same page with our partner about something important that
Alright, WANTS, my heart goes out to you and your partner. Having a brain tumor removed and going through chemo and getting a stem-cell transplant had to be incredibly stressful. The collapse of your partner’s libido could be tied to the health challenges he faced or it could be a coincidence, as some people lose interest in sex as they age. If your partner truly doesn’t miss sex, WANTS, he might not be motivated to see a doctor to address his libido issues. And if he just isn’t interested in having sex with you anymore—which is a thing that sometimes happens after years or decades together (forgive me for being blunt)—he might not wanna see a doctor because an unaddressed medical condition and/ or hormonal imbalance gives him an out that let him think he’s somehow sparing your feelings.
There are a few ways to resolve this issue:
1. You press the issue and your partner refuses to give you permission to discreetly seek sex elsewhere, he demands that you honor the monogamous commitment you made back when he was fucking you, and you never have sex again for the rest of your life.
2. You press the issue and your partner gives you permission—tacitly or explicitly—to discreetly seek sex elsewhere, your relationship becomes tolyamorous (tacit permission) or DADT (explicit), and you never have to talk about sex again with your partner.
3. You press the issue and your partner refuses to give you permission to seek sex elsewhere and you give yourself permission to… do what you need to do to stay married and stay sane… and you pray you never get caught.
So, you’re gonna have to get in there and press the issue, WANTS, as it’s your only hope for getting on the same page with your partner about this fine issue. And if you can’t manage to get on the same page, WANTS, you get to choose between options one and three. Good luck.
P.S. I’m going to re-up my call here for people who are getting very serious about someone— moving in, getting married, having kids—to initiate a conversation about what you will do, as a couple, if after decades together one of you is done with sex and the other one isn’t.
After over a decade of monogamy, my boyfriend and I have started opening things up with threesomes. Our current ground rules are simple: We share a profile on one hookup app, and we only play together. It’s been fun so far but some differences in style/approach are emerging. I may exchange woofs with someone, but I don’t write to someone until I have a chance to check with my partner about whether he would be interested in them, too. He engages men directly and without checking with me first. I am careful to use “we” statements and make it about both of us when I write to someone; a couple of times now, he’s gotten into direct flirtations in our feed about him and the other guy. He tells me not to worry, it’s just the initial flirtation, and he always plans to bring me in “at some point.” But I can’t help feeling like a third wheel then. Another issue—and maybe this is just a personal preference—but if someone can’t communicate about their safer sex practices and HIV status in a profile that’s a red flag for me. (I believe U=U, so not about a particular status, just about awareness and communication.) But my partner charges in, writes to people with vague profiles based on physical attraction alone, and says we can figure it out later. He insinuates that I’m foreclosing things prematurely when I can’t see the information I want to see right away. Things are starting to accumulate and turn into resentments. How do we keep this fun?
Communications
Have Amplified Tensions
You have a shared account on that hookup app, CHAT, which means you see every message your partner swaps with other men. If your profile makes it clear you’re a package deal (“we only play together”)— along with listing your HIV statuses and safer sex practices—then every guy your boyfriend messages is aware of your existence. If your profile doesn’t make your package deal explicit, you need to update your profile.
Now, asking your boyfriend to run a guy by you before swapping dick pics—if only to make sure this other guy is someone you also wanna fuck—is entirely reasonable. Your boyfriend shouldn’t be writing checks with his dick that your ass may not wanna cash. So long as he brings you in when the chats shift from flirtations to logistics, your boyfriend can tell himself
he’s not violating the letter of your agreement. But if you’re reading chats where guys bail after your boyfriend attempts to “bring you in,” CHATS, or messages that make your boyfriend sound like he might be available solo, he’s definitely violating the spirit of your agreement. Your newly opened relationship isn’t going to be a happy one—or a lasting one—if your boyfriend’s online activities leave you feeling hurt and insecure. If he cares about your feelings, he needs to course correct.
That said, CHATS, it’s not uncommon for two people in a newly-open relationship to experience this kind of conflict. One partner in the newly open relationship carefully sticks to the facts—just on the apps to establish interest, discuss safety concerns, and set a time to meet up for a shared erotic experience—the other enjoys the erotic affirmation and attention so much that it’s an erotic experience all by itself. Now that you two know you have different styles when it comes to making contacts online, you need to work out a compromise— you need to get on the same page—that makes it possible for your boyfriend to show he’s being considerate of your feelings (he runs a guy by you first, he drops a few “we” bombs in this chats right away), CHATS, and that makes it possible for your boyfriend to enjoy the charge he gets out of flirting with other guys (he doesn’t get in trouble for enjoying hot chats, you don’t pour over every contact for signs of betrayal).
On the HIV statuses and safer sex practices front, CHATS, I’m going to side with your boyfriend: it’s not a red flag when a guy doesn’t include his HIV status or safer sex practices on his profile. If you ask a guy about his HIV status and safer sex practices and he reacts badly and/ or refuses to answer either question directly, that’s a red flag. P.S. A quick message for CHAT’s boyfriend: If you invest a lot of time, energy, and dick pics in a guy who isn’t interested in playing with you and your boyfriend, you may find yourself tempted to meet up with that guy solo. Creating temptation doesn’t mean succumbing to temptation—some people can enjoy temptation without succumbing—but you wanna be careful out there. If temptation is something you’ve had a hard time resisting in the past, you might wanna avoid flirting and stick to logistics. Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love
SALE Pursuant to Section 715.109, notice is hereby given that the following property will be offered for public sale and will sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for cash: a 1982 CEDA mobile home, VIN TW1FLHS1457A and TW1FLHS1457B and the contents therein, if any, abandoned by previous owner DAVID ALAN BROWN and tenants James Lunney and Deborah Zagrodnichek on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. at 4877 Highview Drive, Apopka, Florida 32712.. ICARD, MERRILL, CULLIS, TIMM, FUREN & GINSBURG, P.A. Alyssa M. Nohren FL Bar No. 352410 2033 Main Street Suite 600 Sarasota, Florida 34237 Telephone: (941) 366-8100 Facsimile: (941) 366-6384 anohren@icardmerrill.com smenasco@ icardmerrill.com Attorneys for Brightwood Manor MHP
