Creative Loafing Tampa — September 19, 2024

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PUBLISHER James Howard

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa

Editorial

DIGITAL EDITOR Colin Wolf

FILM & TV CRITIC John W. Allman

IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl

CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Gabe Echazabal, Leah Foreman, Chelsea Zukowski

PHOTOGRAPHERS Caesar Carbajal, Dave Decker, Ryan Kern

POLITICAL CARTOONIST Bob Whitmore

FALL INTERNS Riley Benson, Anthony Ozdemir

Creative Services

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Joe Frontel

ILLUSTRATORS Dan Perkins, Cory Robinson

Advertising

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Anthony Carbone, Scott Zepeda

Events and Marketing

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Leigh Wilson

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Kristin Bowman

Circulation

CIRCULATION MANAGER Ted Modesta

Chava Communications Group

FOUNDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Michael Wagner

CO-FOUNDER, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Cassandra Yardeni Wagner

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Graham Jarrett

VP OF OPERATIONS Hollie Mahadeo

DIRECTOR OF AGENCY SERVICES

Kelsey Molina

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Meradith Garcia

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT STRATEGY

Colin Wolf

ART DIRECTOR David Loyola

DIGITAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Jaime Monzon chavagroup.com cltampabay.com cldeals.com

EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is a publication covering public issues, the arts and entertainment. In our pages appear views from across the political and social spectrum. They do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

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Celebrate Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day

with the Half-Irish Whiskey in Tampa Bay

We’re marking the halfway point to St. Patrick's Day with the whiskey with over 150 awards since launching in 2021, Keeper's Heart—a unique blend that marries the best of Irish and American whiskey-making traditions.

Keeper's Heart has partnered with some of the fi nest pubs and restaurants across the Tampa Bay area to celebrate this milestone. Indulge in special drink offerings like the classic Irish Mule and the refreshing Celtic Lemonade. Now is the perfect time to gather your friends and join us at these outstanding venues during this halfway celebration weekend! Discover the top spots below:

The Horse & Jockey

1155 Pasadena Ave S, South Pasadena, FL

33707 From Friday, September 13th to Tuesday, September 17th, make your way to The Horse & Jockey, a beloved South Pasadena pub known

for its inviting atmosphere. Sip on an Espresso Martini crafted with Keeper’s Heart Irish + American whiskey or enjoy a Paper Plane made with Keeper’s Heart Irish + Bourbon.

Molly's Pub

1562 Main St, Sarasota, FL

34236 Celebrate halfway to St. Patrick’s Day at Molly's Pub, a Sarasota favorite with a cozy setting and great vibes. Throughout the month, Molly’s will be featuring a Blackberry Smash made with Keeper’s Heart Irish + American and an Old Fashioned with Keeper’s Heart Irish + Bourbon.

McGrath's Kitchen & Cocktails

can enjoy a Smoked Old Fashioned made with their single barrel pick - Keeper’s Heart Irish + American fi nished in PX Sherry barrels.

Ed's Tavern

1305 108th St E, Bradenton, FL 34212 For a lively atmosphere, visit Ed's Tavern in Bradenton. From Friday, September 13th to Tuesday, September 17th, Ed’s will feature a Smoked Old Fashioned made with their Keeper’s Heart PX Sherry fi nish single barrel pick.

8110 Lakewood Main St, Bradenton, FL

34202 Visit McGrath's from Friday, September 13th to Tuesday, September 17th, where you

Irish 1916

Locations in Brandon and Plant City, FL Immerse yourself in Irish culture at Irish 1916. From Friday, September 13th to Tuesday, September 17th, they’ll be serving up delicious Keeper’s Heart Irish Mules and Black Cherry Celtic Lemonades.

Hattricks

107 S Franklin St, Tampa, FL 33602 Hattricks is the place to be in downtown Tampa for great food, drinks, and live sports. All month long, they’ll be featuring Keeper’s Heart Irish Mules and Celtic Lemonades.

Keeper’s Heart is a whiskey that masterfully blends the rich traditions of Irish and American whiskey-making by bringing together the smoothness of Irish whiskey with the boldness of American whiskey. Crafted by legendary Master Distiller Brian Nation, renowned for his work with Jameson, Midleton, and Redbreast, Keeper’s Heart has already won over 150 awards since its launch in 2021, including World’s Best Irish whiskey at SFWSC in 2023. Whether savored neat, on the rocks, or in your favorite cocktail, this award-winning whiskey is the perfect companion for celebrating the halfway mark to St. Patrick's Day. Cheers and Sláinte!

Doug E. Fresh

Friday the 13th was extra freaky for conservatives in The Villages last Friday thanks to the sight of Doug Emhoff, the Second Gentleman—aka husband of Vice President and presidential nominee Kamala Harris. The 59-year-old ralled Democrats inside and then joined the crowd of supporters and golf carts outside. His party has a lot of work to do in the Sunshine State, however, as the Fivethirtyeight has the vice president trailing the former president by more than four points. Read more and see more photos via cltampa.com/slideshows.—Ray Roa

Reasons We Lack Flexibility

• Inactivity reduces flexibility.

• Repetitive muscle overuse in sports like tennis, golf, and running also decreases flexibility.

• Accidents, injuries, or surgery can lead to loss of mobility.

• Stretching helps to enhance mobility and range of motion, speed up recovery, and improve posture and circulation.

• Top athletes regularly incorporate stretching into their lives.

• Stretching improves your general wellbeing.

do this

Tampa Bay's best things to do from September 19 - 25

You da best

The voting is over, our critics have spoken, and the 2024 Best of the Bay awards are finally here. For one night only, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay joins our readers in a celebration of the things that make our neighborhoods a joy to call home. The issue drops one night early at this party that includes sampling from local restaurants and live entertainment, too. VIP options include early entry, passed hors d’oeuvre, two free drinks, VIP gift and more. Thank you for giving helping us celebrate 35 years of Best of the Bay, guys. Best of the Bay 2024: Wednesday, Sept. 25. 6 p.m.-10 p.m. $40 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 5223 N Orient Rd., Tampa. botbtampabay.com—Ray Roa

Fly girls

A one-day event staged by The Tampa Bay Chapter of Women in Aviation (WIA) aims to introduce all youth to the world of flight and will include a layover performance by the U.S. Coast Guard and a keynote speaker event by Tampa General Hospital Aeromed Pilots Sarah Koehler & Danielle Fuller. Close to a dozen local organizations, including the Hillsborough Sheriff and Tampa International Airport, will be on site with planes and helicopters, but the nonprofit WIA wants attendees to see careers beyond just being a pilot.

Girls In Aviation Day: Saturday, Sept. 21. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover, RSVP required. Sheltair, 4751 Jim Walter Blvd., Tampa. @WAITampaBay/Facebook—Riley Benson

Give voice

Powerstories stages a reading of “Right Before I Go,” a play by “Gilmore Girls” writer/producer Stan Zimmerman that brings to life the final words of individuals lost to suicide. Local celebs like ABC Action News’ Denis Phillips and Wendy Ryan will be among the readers. The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is a partner in the event, a fundraiser for Powerstories. If you or a loved one is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call 988. Specialists are available 24/7.

Powerstories ‘Right Before I Go’: FridaySaturday, Sept, 20-21. 7 p.m. $40-$100. New Tampa Performing Arts Center. 8550 Hunters Village R., Tampa. powerstories.com—Ray Roa

Prost!

Oktoberfest season is here, and while Tampa Bay’s biggest, best throwdown doesn’t happen until next month at Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa, a few local watering holes are getting the party started early. On the outskirts of Ybor City, Coppertail hosts a day-long party with live music, a German-inspired menu, stein-hoisting and lagers galore. Five miles away in Seminole Heights, The Independent (home of the famous one-star “gay dive bar” review) is pouring Hofbrau beer during a Saturday kickoff and jazz show, then keeping it flowing on Sunday with the Suwanee Ave. Marching band and parade. Green Bench does its thing in St. Pete, too. Get more details and see our Oktoberfest listing via cltampa.com.—Ray Roa

Scary shit

It’s never too soon to poop your pants, and one of the Bay area’s scariest haunted attractions is ready to help you do just that. Celebrating a decade of fright, Dade City’s Scream-A-Geddon is already open (and sold-out last Sunday), offering weekend visits for anyone brave enough to take on six haunted houses that live on grounds where park employees also see things they cannot explain including fullbody shadow manifestations. Inside two of the attractions—”Breach” and “Ravenhill Asylum”—guests at least 18 years old also have the option to “mark” themselves before entering, opening up the possibility of an interactive experience where they “may be grabbed, held back, sent into hidden rooms, removed from their group or even forced to remain…” If you’re bringing kids, please read the waiver which notes that, “There is a chance your child may be seriously injured or killed by participating in this activity because there are certain dangers inherent in the activity which cannot be avoided or eliminated.”

Scream-A-Geddon: Select nights through Nov. 2. $29.95 & up. 27839 Saint Joe Rd., Dade City. screamageddon.com—Ray Roa

Make it fashion

Fashion and accessory designers from all over the Tampa Bay area are coming together to showcase their latest work to local business partners, aspiring models and community members. The four-day event begins with a kickoff show at the Tampa International Airport on Wednesday, Sept. 18, where attendees are introduced to the 2024 designers and sponsors and can shop limited-time collections. To round off TBFW, there will also be a giveaway during the Wednesday celebration to reward one attendee with $2,500 in Delta gift cards. The runway show takes place on Sept. 20, with the featured designers debuting their 2024 collections.

Tampa Bay Fashion Week: Through Saturday, Sept. 21. Various venues. fashionweektampabay.com—Riley Benson

Island-Inspired Cuisine & Cocktails

Margarita Monday - $5 Margaritas all day

Industry Night Tuesday - Half-o all liquor, beer and wine by the glass, 9pm-11pm

Wine Wednesday - Half-o select bottles all day

Thirsty Thursday - $10 craft cocktails, 5pm-11pm

Saturday & Sunday$20 Rose’ All Day & Brunch (7am-2pm)

POLITICS ISSUES OPINION

Watch this

DeSantis could cite ancient lawsuits to keep Warren out of o ce.

After winning the democratic primary last month, Andrew Warren is one step closer in his bid to reclaim the position of Hillsborough County’s state attorney. Warren was first elected to the seat in a close 2016 race and won re-election more convincingly in 2020. But in 2022, Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Warren for “neglect of duty” and “incompetence” after he signed pledges to not prosecute alleged crimes resulting from gender-affirming care and abortion access. In his suspension announcement, DeSantis appointed then-Judge Suzy Lopez as a replacement.

Before last month’s primary, Lopez told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that she would “of course” vacate the office should Warren win the election in November.

“But I’m confident voters will make the choice to stop the revolving door Andrew Warren installed at the State Attorney’s Office that allowed violent criminals back on the street,” Lopez added, “we have absolute trust and faith in the voters, the law and our systems of government.”

Warren said it was “bad enough” that Lopez would need to reassure voters that she would leave an office “she illegally inhabits.”

“It’s even worse that she needs to lie to voters to distract from what everyone knows: crime was way down under my watch and is way up under hers,” he added.

But Warren may have to fight for more than just votes. Following the suspension, Warren filed a federal lawsuit seeking reinstatement and alleging the governor’s action was in violation of his First Amendment rights. Last January, a three-judge panel for the U.S. 11th District Circuit Court acknowledged Warren’s First Amendment rights were violated. But Judge Kevin C. Newsom wrote in his concurring opinion, that this doesn’t completely protect Warren from the suspension.

“The First Amendment prevents DeSantis from identifying a reform prosecutor and then suspending him to garner political benefit. On remand, DeSantis must prove that unprotected activity, such as Warren’s actual performance or his policies, motivated him to suspend Warren,” Newsom added. Warren’s case for reinstatement remains stalled.

Dr. Ed Benton, a professor of political science and public administration at the University of South Florida, contends that the U.S. 11th District Circuit Court makes a “moot point.”

“They believe the rightness of Andrew Warren saying he was entitled to continue his position, but the court didn’t want to be embarrassed,” Benton told CL, adding that the court might not have wanted to end up in a toe-to-toe with governor who would very well defy any order to reappoint Warren.

“It’s like a bully the playground is standing up to, people who oppose him,” Benton added. ‘’Who’s gonna make me? Who’s gonna make me?’”

Warren’s race in Hillsborough County is not an isolated instance either. In Orlando, suspended state attorney Monique Worrell— removed from office in August 2023—faces Andrew Bain, her DeSantis-appointed replacement, and another opponent, in the fall election.

What’s more is that as Warren’s case stagnates, DeSantis has been vague when asked about the contest against Lopez. Last month, he echoed past statements and said, “I think that’ll work itself out. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.”

What does that even mean? In an email to CL, Tampa political consultant Anthony Pedicini, told CL, “The Lopez campaign takes the Governor’s response that ‘it will work itself out’ to mean Suzy Lopez will be re-elected as Hillsborough County’s State Attorney. We have every indication we are winning this race.”

He added that “any communication about any other outcomes have not occurred” between the campaign and DeSantis’ office.

But could the governor and his team be looking at previous rulings as a guide?

If so, one case could be State v. McDonald, a 1940s dispute where a Florida governor removed a city commissioner from office for drunkenness. While the reasoning for removal is not analogous to Warren’s suspension, the court in State v. McDonald found that reviewing the action of a governor to remove an officer from public office was out of its jurisdiction.

Benton reached back further into history and likened Warren v. DeSantis to a case that played out over two hundred years ago: Marbury v. Madison. That 1803 case revolves

around John Adams’ commissioning of William Marbury as Washington D.C.’s Justice of the Peace. The appointment happened after Adams was defeated by Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election, but would not be made official until the Secretary of State actually delivered commissions. Marbuy’s commission was not delivered. Marbury and three others in similar positions petitioned to force the delivery of the commissions, but Prof. Benton said Chief Justice John Marshall found himself “on the horns of dilemma,” with this case, in the same way the U.S. 11th District Circuit Court has with Warren v. DeSantis.

“In one instance, Marshall said that William Marbury was entitled to his appointment to a justice of the peace, but he didn’t go so far as telling [President Thomas] Jefferson he had to give it to him. He said he had a right to it,” Benton said.

Is a right to an office enough to get a seat and hold it, or just enough to be a seat-warmer for the next appointment? Speculating based on previous cases is one thing—since who knows what will happen in November and beyond— but, speaking on the facts, Benton believes that DeSantis has been a “bully” to Warren.

“I disagree with some of his policies, but, looking at it from a totally objective point of view, [Warren] did nothing that should have warranted him being removed from office,” he said.

DeSantis’ office did not yet responded to request for comment. The governor’s role in Central Florida attorneys general races was in headlines again this week after an Orlando attorney Thomas Feiter—who lost in last month’s Republican primary for state attorney in Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit—announced plans to file a lawsuit claiming that the DeSantis administration interfered in the race.

Feiter alleges that DeSantis’ chief of staff James Uthmeier, as well as Orange County Republican Chair Erin Huntley and several other attorneys, met with him this summer to pressure him to drop out of his race for state attorney and pave the way for Bain to face Worrell one-on-one in November, reports the Florida Phoenix. In the cover letter of his complaint to the Florida Bar, Feiter alleged that the governor will try to have Worrell legally disqualified and removed from the ballot, leaving Bain with no opposition.

“If that fails, they need Bain to come in second, so the governor can remove Ms. Worrell again and appoint the runner up. But that would only be possible if Bain comes in second in the

ELECTIONS

General election

Tuesday, Nov. 4 (register to vote by Oct. 7) rockthevote.com

general election—something that is far less likely if there is ANY Republican on the ballot,” Feiter’s letter adds. “Based on all the facts, it appears these attorneys are coordinating in fraudulent activity aimed at manipulating the outcome of the 2024 election for State Attorney.”

“This is why the community needs a prosecutor accountable to the people, not a puppet beholden to the Governor—to investigate any misconduct and protect our democracy from those who would attack it,” Warren told CL. Last week, in a Twitter Spaces fundraiser that included Lopez as a speaker, one host said that the “conservative revival” needs to start with Lopez being elected.

“Remember she was appointed. She needs to be elected this time to do the full job, as opposed to allowing Warren to come and get fired again and then they pull her back up. Which is the most likely situation,” the host added in his comments. “I’m just saying it’s more than likely, the situation that’s going to happen.”

On Twitter, now known as X, Warren called those comments disturbing. “These people don’t believe in democracy or the rule of law. All they care about is clinging to power to promote their radical agenda,” Warren said.

And as his race heats up, Warren told CL that he continues to look ahead.

“I can’t predict what the Governor will do,” he conceded. “But while he focuses on illegal political stunts, I’ll do what I’ve always done: fight for our safety, our freedoms, and our democracy.”

BY THE BOOK: Warren’s fight to get his job back could hinge on more than the ballot box.
RYAN KERN

Saturday, September

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RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES

Clucked up

It’s not your imagination, Tampa Bay is currently saturated with fried chicken chains.

Sure, Tampa Bay has always had its share of classic fried chicken staples, but over the last few years dozens of national chains, local spots, food trucks and more have popped up all over the Bay area, and it’s not a trend that’s unique to us.

It’s happening everywhere, and some would argue this all started with the rapid growth of Chick-Fil-A, and even the viral pandemic-era Popeye’s Chicken sandwich craze of 2020.

According to a study from Edison Trends, Americans love chicken. It’s not the only the most consumed meat in the U.S., but spending on chicken sandwiches grew by 420% from January 2019 to December of 2020. In that same period, Chick-fil-A was responsible for 45% of all chicken sandwich spending.

And the chicken wave hasn’t slowed down. Last year, research firm Market Research Future estimated that the takeout fried-chicken market will grow by $1.92 billion from 2021 to 2026, and will continue to expand by 5.5% every year until 2030.

So it makes sense that restaurateurs are jumping on the fried chicken wagon, especially in states like Florida, and specifically Tampa Bay, where the population growth has exploded since the pandemic.

To keep track of it all, we decided to go back and look at every new fried chicken spot that has debuted over the last two years. We also included concepts that are about to open in Tampa Bay, as well. Since a rising tide lifts all boats, and we’re currently flooded with chicken, here’s every new concept that’s been on our radar.

bb.q chicken This slice of Seoul opened in Northdale back in April of 2023. Whether you’re in the mood for simple golden fried chicken, super spicy wings of fire, or non-stop K-Pop playing in a sit-down atmosphere, bb.q guarantees its customers the “best of the best quality,” because after all, that’s what bb.q stands for. While the restaurant has over 3,500 locations worldwide, this is only the second location in Florida, with the first in Orlando. 3805 Northdale Blvd., Tampa. bbqchicken.com

Bonchon Arguably one of the best South Korean fried chicken chains, Bonchon opened its first Tampa location last weekend. Besides double-fried, extra crispy Korean wings, the

fast-casual spot features bibimbap bowls, pork belly buns, Korean tacos, bulgogi fries, a full beer and wine menu and more. Florida’s first Bonchon opened in Orlando in 2017, and the chain has since grown its footprint in the Sunshine State, with new locations in St. Johns and Jacksonville. 308 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa. bonchon.com

Cheeky’s A new raw bar, seafood grill and fried chicken bar is coming to St. Petersburg’s

Chick N Max The Kansas-based company, known for its almond wood-smoked pulled chicken sandwiches, announced plans to debut up to five Tampa area locations in the coming years. The fastcasual chain currently has eight locations spread out across Kansas, Texas and South Dakota. For the unfamiliar, the chain’s menu centers around 10 different types of chicken sandwiches, including its signature almond wood-smoked pulled chicken and fried tenders. There’s also a handful of sides

Grand Central District, and it’s from local restaurateur Nate Siegel, co-founder of new American restaurant Willa’s in North Hyde Park. Cheeky’s, which is expected to open by the end of this year, plans to offer “fresh seafood, including East Coast oysters, shrimp, fish and daily specials from local waters and the Gulf, along with piping hot bowls of chowder, fried chicken, salads and more,” according to a press release. 2823 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. cheekys.net

like fries, onion rings, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and smoked white beans, plus eleven sauces up for grabs. chicknmax.com

Chicken Guy Chicken Guy, a fast-food chicken sandwich and tender concept spearheaded by the Mayor of Flavortown himself, will soon open a new location in Wesley Chapel. Co-founded in 2018 with Planet Hollywood founder Robert Earl, the chain’s menu primarily focuses on chicken tenders and Guy’s “Big Bite” chicken sandwiches, which are both

served either grilled or “crispy fried.” There’s also shakes, fries, mac and cheese, salads and more up for grabs. No exact opening date has been announced for the new Wesley Chapel restaurant, but local blog Tampa Bay Is Awesome says it will debut in October. 25769 Sierra Center Blvd., Wesley Chapel. chickenguy.com

Clutch City Cluckers A Texas chain that specializes in, you guessed it, Nashville hot chicken will debut its first Florida location in Tampa later this month. Clutch City Cluckers, named after the Houston Rockets’ 1994 and 1995 NBA Championship runs, opens its permanent food truck spot on Sept. 27. Known for Nashvilleinspired hot chicken, Cluck City’s menu also spans cheese topped hot chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, wings, shrimp tacos, salads, loaded fries, shakes, root beer floats, and more. Clutch City Cluckers was launched in Houston in 2021 by Ahmad Kilani, a native of Irbid, Jordan. The food truck chain has since expanded to 11 locations across Texas, Louisiana, and even one brick and mortar in Amman, Jordan. 2315 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa. clutchcitycluckers.com

Dave’s Hot Chicken Dave’s Hot Chicken opened its first Tampa area location in June of 2023. Since then, the popular West Coast poultry chain has debuted a second outpost in South Tampa. For the unfamiliar, the main event at Dave’s are the hot chicken tenders—which range from “no spice” to the fiery red “reaper” level. The menu also includes fries, kale slaw, mac and cheese, and a variety of milkshakes. Outside of Tampa, there are just three other Dave’s Hot Chicken locations in Florida, with spots in Orlando, Lake Mary and Altamonte Springs. Multiple Locations. daveshotchicken.com

Detroit Wing Company The Michiganbased wing chain debuted its first Florida location in Tampa in February 2023. The spot has 20 wing sauces and six variations of dry rubs. If wings aren’t your thing, the menu also has various types of mac ‘n cheese, cornbread bites, poutine and seasoned fries. The chain first opened in Eastpointe, Michigan in 2015 and currently has over 30 restaurants, mostly in Michigan and Ohio, and now its first outpost in Florida. 5006 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. detroitwingco.com

continued on page 31

FLAVORTOWN: Wesley Chapel is getting in on Guy Fieri’s chicken scheme.

Monday - Friday, 4pm-7pm Saturday 3pm-6pm

continued from page 27

Flavas Flavas restaurant made its debut in September of 2023 specializing in chicken wings, burgers, hot dogs and freshly-squeezed lemonade. The new restaurant offers dozens of chicken wing variations—from unique sauces to dry rubs, and everything in between. Just a handful of wing flavors include chili lime, honey barbecue, ghost pepper, Nashville hot, mango habanero and garlic parmesan. Flavas co-owners Jacques Brooks (pictured) and partner Deonta Taylor recently relocated from Chicago, and wanted to bring a taste of home back to Tampa. A few Chicago-inspired items on their menu include a Polish sausage topped with cheese, grilled onions and peppers, and the city’s beloved pizza puff, which is basically a fancy Hot Pocket. 4819 E Busch Blvd., Tampa. FlavasTampa on Facebook

The Fryer House The new halal fried chicken spot opened Sunday, Sept. 1 in the former BFF Artisan Bakery, which is directly across the street from popular Korean fried chicken restaurant Ganchu Chicken & Beer. The concept centers around halal-fried chicken sandwiches and tendies, as well as Japanese “karaage” chicken, and American style, all with varying degrees of hotness from “Nada” to “Pepper X,” which requires a waiver. The Fry House menu spans plenty of sides like fried corn ribs, mac ‘n cheese, fried okra and more. There’s also vegan and vegetarian offerings, including vegan cauliflower and waffles, vegan cauliflower sandos and vegetarian loaded fries. 6617 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa. thefryerhouse.com

chicken tendies and sandwiches, made with 100% certified halal chicken. The menu also features loaded fries, salads, fried pickles, wings, mac and cheese and waffles. Last year, HCK opened its first Florida location in Sarasota, and also announced plans to open 200 new locations throughout the country. 3343 S Westshore Blvd., Tampa. eathck.com

Holy Fry The locally-owned fast-casual halal fried chicken restaurant opened in January and also offers fried pickles, fried okra, fried cheese, fried shrimp, fried fish and pretty much anything else you can toss in a fryer. 8890 N 56th St., Temple Terrace. holyfry.net

Hot Chix California-based chicken chain made its Tampa debut in July 2023. Nashvillestyle hot fried chicken is the main event, but there’s also hot buns, chocolate shakes, mac and cheese, fries and more up for grabs. 5208 N 22nd St., Suite B, Tampa. hotchixtampa.com

King of The Coop Arguably one of the most influential of local hot chicken purveyors, Joe Dodd, owner of King of the Coop, opened his first location in 2022. In that time, he opened multiple locations across Tampa Bay, and even a food hall. But quality didn’t keep up with Dodd’s expectations, and he since scaled back the operation to just his latest Ybor outpost. 1812 N 15th St., Ybor City. kingof-the-coop.square.site

DINING GUIDE

Gangchu 2.0 Four months after going on the market, Gangchu found new owners who reopened the space in August. Josh Kang, and his wife Jeanie, own  and operate Brandon’s Bom Oriental Market for about four years. Josh also runs five franchise locations of Charleys Cheesesteaks between the Bay area, Georgia and Ohio. Jeanie is a lawyer by trade, and a great cook, too. The couple wanted to run an independent Korean food restaurant before opening any of the Charleys locations. “We love to have fun, so this concept is a really perfect fit for us,” Josh added about the decision to move in. He’s excited to use his management skills, his wife’s food knowledge, and more help from Jeanie’s brother Sam who is also a great cook, to serve customers who’re already used to having Korean food at 6618 N Nebraska Ave. Josh said that for now, Gangchu 2.0 will run a smaller menu than the previous iteration. 6618 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa. eatgangchu.com

HCK Hot Chicken Fast casual restaurant chain HCK Hot Chicken (which stands for Hot Chickn Kitchn), celebrated the grand opening of its first Tampa location in December 2023. As the name suggests, the Virginia-based chain specializes in made-to-order Nashville-style

Raising Cane’s Known for American delicacies like chicken tenders and crinkle cut fries, Raising Cane’s made its Tampa Bay debut in January of 2023. Although chicken tenders dipped in its tangy signature sauce are the name of the Raising Cane’s game, popular sides on its menu also include coleslaw and Texas toast. Currently, the only other Raising Cane’s storefronts in the entirety of the Sunshine State are located in Homestead and Miami. 2525 Gulf to Bay Blvd., Clearwater. raisingcanes.com

Slim Chickens The Arkansas-based chicken chain will debut its first Wesley Chapel location in September of 2023, just down the street from The Grove shopping mall.This was actually the second Slim Chickens in the Tampa area. The first was actually located within Mac Dill Air Force Base, so civilians never had a chance to go. The franchise is known for its buttermilk chicken tenders served with toast and fries, as well as salads, wraps and waffles. Plus, there’s “Southern Sides” like fried okra, mushrooms and pickles, and classics like coleslaw, potato salad and mac and cheese. Founded in 2005, Slim Chickens currently has eight locations in Florida and over 200 locations around the country and overseas. 7244 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Wesley Chapel. slimchickens.com

Sugar Wing The East coast chicken tendie concept made its deep-fried debut in Pinellas County last April, and has since opened another location in the Carrollwood area. Sugar Wing,

which will be open daily between 11 a.m.-9 p.m., is clearly all about consuming various types of chicken (like wings, hand-breaded strips, and chicken sandwiches). But there’s also chopped salads, mac and cheese, fries, and sauces... a lot of sauces, 16 to be exact. Sugar Wing started as a ghost kitchen concept in 2019 from the folks at Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque, and has since expanded to include brick and mortar locations in the New York and New Jersey area. mysugarwing.com

Zaxby’s (St. Pete) St. Pete’s very first Zaxby’s will open its doors in June of 2023. 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. There are over 600 locations of the Georgia-based chain across the country, with over a hundred Zaxby’s locations in Florida alone. 3700 34th St. S, St. Petersburg. zaxbys.com

WINGIN’ IT: Mighty Quinn’s ghost kitchen concept popped up IRL in Pinellas Park and Carrollwood.

MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE

Join the banned

Meet Tampa Bay’s loudest literacy advocates.

Public school libraries are like buffets.

There are offerings for every taste, and you decide what makes it onto your plate and what doesn’t. That’s the analogy used by one Hillsborough County mom, who says book banners don’t understand that, like a buffet, you don’t get to choose what’s available to everyone based on your preferences.

“You don’t get to decide that everybody has to eat what you want to eat. Everybody gets to choose…all the options should be there, and somebody is monitoring to make sure that the food is not poisonous, which is the media specialist,” said Rachel, who goes by Reads with Rachel on social media.

Hillsborough, incumbent Democrat Lynn Gray will face Republican challenger Karen Bendorf. Pinellas County’s District 5 features runoff between Katie Blaxberg and Stacy Geier; both are Republican, but the governor and other notable conservatives have endorsed Geier.

LOCAL NEWS

Rachel—did not want to share her last name for safety—is part of a growing community of local parents and readers fed up with the spread of fear-mongering misinformation about books. They’re fed up with seeing books by LGBTQ and BIPOC authors with diverse stories challenged by groups like Moms for Liberty under the guise of “protecting children.” And they’re fed up with that group’s members trying to instill fear in parents with out-of-context or blatantly false information about what public school children have access to in the library.

Banned Books Week kickoff

Sunday, Sept. 22, Noon-6 p.m. No cover Tampa Shuffle. 2612 N Tampa St., Tampa @tampashuffle on Facebook

Rachel shares her righteous outrage over local book banners to nearly 100,000 followers on Tiktok and YouTube. Some of her most-watched videos are of her speaking at Hillsborough School Board meetings. One shows her calling out the “local moms for ‘liberty’ weirdo” who kept going to meetings to challenge books at schools her kids do not attend. Another shows her reading graphic material from the Bible to point out the hypocrisy of banning “This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson. “If ‘This Book is Gay’ violates (Florida statute) 847.001 then so does the Bible, yes? That is my point,” she said.

“We don’t want to cause problems for the district.”

“I find it kind of disgusting because I’m being lied to about why they’re doing it,” Rachel said. “You are prescribing your feelings onto other people, which is not how literature works.”

Moms for Liberty, labeled a far-right extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, has active chapters in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. While touting “preserving parental rights,” it’s waged aggressive campaigns to fill school boards with their members—often backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Moms For Liberty agenda centers on clearing shelves and curricula of anything the group deems inappropriate—often books and lessons on race, gender and sexuality.

Many of the governor-endorsed candidates for school boards lost in August’s primary, but others are headed for runoffs this fall. In

The number of books challenged each year has surged since 2020, fueled by toxic extremist politics and cultural upheaval. Both produced new, restrictive laws on the books in red states like Florida. According to the American Library Association, more than 4,000 books were targeted last year. The ALA’s datafueled heat map shows Florida had 33 attempts to restrict access to books with over 2,600 titles in those challenges.

Despite another record year for book bans in 2023, there are sparks of hope for the future of literacy. Last March, the Florida legislature passed a one-per-month limit on “frivolous” book challenges; last week in Nassau County, a settlement led to the restoration of 36 books previously challenged and pulled from campus libraries. Some glimmers have even popped up here in Tampa Bay.

“There is such a sense of unity among us with actively enrolled kids that we are there advocating for…there is a bond that forms among us that is really encouraging,” Rachel said. “There’s a stark contrast between people who advocate for the removal of books based

on no evidence versus people who are parents advocating for their kids with non-hypothetical issues who say ‘books aren’t fucking up my kid, policy is.’”

One group fighting to protect students’ access to books is the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP). The nonprofit organization grew out of concern about coordinated challenges to books in Orange County schools in 2021. One of its founding members, Reagan Miller, raisestwo children in Pinellas County schools.

FFTRP’s mission is to support and protect the rights of students, parents, teachers and media specialists. It operates locally and shares resources with other parent-led groups across the state. FFTRP also supports school district leaders by holding them accountable to “keep every decision student-centered, especially as they face the ‘Parents’ Rights’ movement.”

“We also decided that we did not ever want to be the antithesis to Moms for Liberty,” Miller

said. “We don’t want to cause problems for the district. Our goals are to elevate local voices and do good and do what it takes to keep books on the shelves.”

FFTRP is a collection of true grassroots efforts—from joining local groups to fight for the inclusion of the Essential Voices Collection in Duval County to calling out the absurdity of people without children in public schools trying to ban books. The group keeps tabs on school districts across Florida and provides guidance for anyone interested in advocacy in their community.

Miller said their approach is about protecting kids’ right to access books they want and need. In its tips to address censorship, FFTRP pushes erring on the side of education, writing“banning a book based on its parts rather than the entirety of the work reinforces ignorance over critical thinking.”

MAKING WAVES: For Carmen Alvarez, book bans in local schools have a ripple effect across the U.S.
“Banned books are not a genre.”

Like the analogy of a library as a buffet, the group firmly believes in parental rights for their own children—“but not all children.”

“You have the right to opt your child out of any library access,” Miller said. “You can say, ‘I don’t want my kid to have access to this section. I don’t want my kid to have access to this book. Anytime my kid checks out a book, I want an alert or I want somebody to tell me what my kid is looking at.’ You have the right, and that’s always been in place. And that’s something people don’t understand.”

In Miller’s experience as a parent and an advocate, most families trust their child’s teachers and media specialists. They are also more concerned about the safety and well-being of their children and the dwindling resources public school provides.

“Why do I trust my media specialist? Because I interacted with her just like I interact with my kids’ neurologist; I did my job as a parent,” Rachel said. “(Book banners) have decided to make all of these media specialists in this county like faceless boogeymen instead of a literal public school worker that every parent can interact with.”

Rachel and Miller have worked with their respective media specialists to get their kids reading material that’s right for them. For Rachel, that was letting them know her oldest can’t read “Bridge to Terabithia” and her youngest doesn’t like anything with zombies. For Miller, that was navigating her daughter’s

fear of reading books with death and an assignment with a Sherlock Holmes novel.

“Do you really think we’re sitting here very patiently, in this car line, while inside our kids are being indoctrinated and given pornography?”

Miller said, explaining the lengthy car line she volunteers in every day at her son’s school.

For Carmen Alvarez, a native Tampeño, book bans in local schools have a ripple effect on reading access across the country and the publishing industry. “As books are banned, one school district will copy what another one did; they will copy and copy and copy. So these books aren’t making it to bookshelves, which is one of the biggest sellers for books,” she said.

Alvarez has built her Tomes and Textiles brand by sharing her passion for reading with her nearly 1000,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram. Over the last nine years, she’s learned a lot about how book challenges and social media influence the publishing industry.

other families and organizes a local Banned Book Club for Ferocious Floridians.

A big part of Alvarez’s advocacy is educating readers on what it means to be a banned book. Banned books are not a genre, and the point of Banned Books Week—organized by ALA—is to draw “national attention to the harms of censorship.” The weeklong holiday, running Sept. 22-28 this year, calls out efforts to restrict or remove books and provides resources and support to readers, educators, publishers and booksellers.

LOCAL NEWS

“It’s not a point of pride to call it a banned book,” Alvarez said. “Banned books exist, and we should read them, but we also should try to make it so that banned books don’t exist. We don’t necessarily want to have Banned Books Week because we just don’t want to have banned books.”

Wagon tour. Florida author Lauren Groff opened the bookstore earlier this year as a hub for banned books and diverse stories.

Fighting book bans can be daunting. And there’s a level of fear that comes with calling out the performative lies and disinformation spread by a small but vocal group hellbent on applying their beliefs to all public school children.

But there are ways to fight book bans and advocate for greater access to essential, diverse stories.

“There are a lot more people who do not want to ban books than there are book banners, and we cannot let them demoralize us and keep us from advocating,” Alvarez said.

“Publishing follows trends, and if those books aren’t being bought en masse, they’re (publishers) not going to purchase as many queer stories and bring those to light, and it’s going to create this scarcity at some point on shelves,” she said.

When she’s not shouting about LatinX books and reviewing the latest Syliva Moreno Garcia novel, Alvarez keeps tabs on local literacy efforts, including volunteering on the Hillsborough County Public Library Board. She also attends and speaks at school board meetings alongside

To celebrate the start of Banned Books Week, Alvarez teamed up with Shuffle for a community outreach event on Sept. 22 in Tampa. There will be banned book-themed menus, a silent book club gathering, “blind date with a book” offerings, drag queen story time, guests from Florida Freedom to Read and Hillsborough County Public Libraries and the opening of a new banned book little free library. “Come hang out with your family and with us all day and learn a little bit about banned books and what you can do to fight,” Alvarez said.

Then on Oct. 10, Alvarez will be an ambassador for Penguin Random House at The Lynx Books in Gainesville for the publisher’s Banned

Alvarez and FFTRP encourage writing to your local school board and news outlets to share concerns about book challenges. Reading and sharing banned books on social media is impactful, but getting comfortable advocating with friends and family is even more important.

Beyond banned book clubs and engaging in critical discussion with challenged books, Rachel emphasizes the importance of “getting the right people in office.”

“The best thing you can do is vote and keep uplifting actual students and parents and advocating for the plurality of students,” she said. “There are so many students…of all religions, all backgrounds. These kids are in a coming-ofage time where they are thinking about gender and sexuality, as we all did in high school. So making a place that is safe for everybody is really important.”

SHELF LIFE: The number of books challenged each year has surged since 2020.
PRZEMEK KLOS/SHUTTERSTOCK
Rudolph Eickemeyer, Portrait of Evelyn Nesbit, 1905, Hand-colored platinum print, On loan from a private collection

FRI 20

C Conway The Machine Twenty-two years after a shooting that almost took his life, Demond Price continues to rock mics and bring a classic New York rap sound to fans who revel in the gritty, ad-lib laden style of acts like Westside Gunn and the production of longtime collaborator Daringer. The 42-year-old better known as Conway The Machine is fresh off the release of two new albums—Slant Face Killah, released last summer, and a collaborative outing with Jersey City rapper Ransom, Chaos Is My Ladder, released this month. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

Creed w/3 Doors Down/Finger Eleven

In the years following Creed’s initial split in 2012, frontman Scott Stapp struggled with mental health and drug addiction and then played his first American solo show six years ago in St. Pete following a stay in rehab. While the Tallahassee band doesn’t have any plans to release any new music, Stapp himself dropped his fourth studio album, Higher Power, last March. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)

C Squeeze w/Boy George Of the British bands that rose to stardom during the 1980s, none holds a candle in terms of songwriting to Squeeze; we can fight over that one. Glenn Trilbrook and Chris Difford are the brilliant songwriting duo that supplied the band with so many great, memorable songs. Between their sardonic, wry, clever wordplay and their penchant for infectious melodies and memorable choruses, Difford and Tilbrook were often rightfully compared to that other brilliant songwriting duo, Lennon and McCartney, in their heyday. Following the band’s incredible run of magnificent albums, and a string of hit singles like “Tempted,” “Black Coffee in Bed,” and “Cool for Cats,” the band went through some lineup shifts and a few hiatuses. But since 2015, when Difford and Tilbrook got the band back together and released the sparkling Cradle to the Grave album, the group has been steadily working, writing, recording, and touring. Read our Q&A with Tillbrook via cltampa.com/music. (The BayCare Sound, Clearwater)—Gabe Echazabal

Wale The day before his 40th birthday, Wale kicks off his just-recently-announced “Every Blue Moon” tour in the same room where he opened for Nas in 2017. It’s anyone’s guess if the Def Jam Records rapper born Olubowale Victor Akintimehin willl intersperse any of his “Seinfeld”-sampling tracks from his latest album More About Nothing , but it would be almost shocking if his practically-surprisereleased single “Ghetto Speak” doesn’t make the setlist. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

SAT 21

C Big Sad (album release) w/Discord Theory/Pohgoh Big Sad’s debut album dropped in 2020 on the same day America confirmed its first case of COVID-19. Life’s not gotten any easier since then, and Black Umbrellas adds another layer of reflection. The lyrics are a companion for listeners who feel like they’ve lost hope in the day-to-day struggle of inequality and fighting to be more than somebody that just gets through the day. Over seven tracks, Big Sad channels its influences—the warmth of Jets To Brazil’s Orange Rhyming Dictionary, the

frantic guitars of J. Mascis, and unbridled joy of Superchunk and Archers of Loaf— into a record that showcases the growth of Dave Decker and Richie Lawler’s songwriting partnership which dates back to 1992. Black Umbrellas is a reflection on life’s bruises, and it’s a chance for listeners to hear the band—Decker and Lawler together with fellow Tampa punk scene lifers Shawn Watkins and Mario Framingheddu—tell them they’re not alone in feeling beat up. (Full disclosure: Decker is a Creative Loafing Tampa Bay photographer, and Ray Roa wrote the band’s bio.) (Microgroove, Tampa)

C K+Lab w/Side Trakd/Dropkick St. Petersburg’s finest listening room wades into wub (and the southern hemisphere) as it welcomes K+Lab. The New Zealand producer definitely born Caleb Cowie paints his work with dubstep, but shines brightest on tracks where he plays with elements of G-Funk, glitch and pop to make digestible EDM less for the headbanger wooks and more for anyone who appreciates fun electronic composition. Bassfunk producer Side Traked opens. (Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg)

FRI SEP. 20–WED SEP. 25

C PJ Sin Suela Pedro Juan Vázquez Braga has an edge in this industry where labels (and let’s face it publications, too) are looking at streaming numbers, virality, and quirks to set artists apart from each other. That’s because the Puerto Rican rapper better known as PJ Sin Suela is also a doctor—not like Dr. Dre either. The Bronx-born 35-yearold makes urbano and reggaeton that grapples with social issues including poverty and gun violence, but graduated from medical school in 2015. The Associated Press even followed Braga—who collaborated with Bad Bunny—around Puerto Rico last summer as he went door-to-door providing service to housebound people. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

Yung Gravy w/Carter Vail Mr. Gravy’s last visit to Tampa Bay was supposed to be a two-night stint in downtown St. Pete. But the first show ended up getting the ax due to Hurricane Nicole. Two years later, the 28-year-old Minnesota rapper has gone full Beyonce, having released a country album earlier this year with heavily-mixed reviews. The aptly-titled Serving Country (IYKYK) isn’t all that’ll be covered on what appears to be Gravy’s first-ever arena appearance in Tampa Bay, so feel free to remain in a “Baby Gravy” tour state of mind. (Yuengling Center, Tampa)

SUN 22

Cairokee The sounds of 2020’s Arab Spring come to Tampa Bay at the hands of Amir Eid, who brings his Egyptian rock band Cairokee and its breakout single “Voice Of Freedom.” While the band’s newer work has moved away from politics, it is still beautiful to listen to, especially for fans who love the sounds of global pop music. (The Ritz, Ybor City)

C Warren Haynes Band There’s no better way to kick off the fall than with a gig at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes did just that, and even had the Colorado Symphony behind him to rip out Allman Brothers, Jerry Garcia, and his own tunes. The Florida Orchestra won’t be behind the 64-year-old at Mahaffey Theater (though considering some of its recent galas, anything’s possible for 2025), but it’s the second night of a new tour promoting Haynes’ upcoming solo album Million Voices Whisper, set to feature guest spots from Derek Trucks and Lukas Nelson. Haynes recently told CL Bay about Frank Zappa being the best concert he ever saw in his life, and how he’d love to find a recording of the show. Read more at cltampa. com/music. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)

TUE 24

C Chromeo w/The Midnight It’s been almost two years since Chromeo got rained out for its Tampa set at Gasparilla Music Festival, but the Canadian electro-funk band is back in support of a new album, Adult Contemporary, released in February. A

press release says, “Across the record’s 14 tracks, the duo explores what it means to be funky in your 30s and 40s, offering the slickest, most sophisticated version of the infectious grooves and cheeky wordplay they’ve become known for.” (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

Mannywellz It’s a good weekend for local lovers of world music. Cairokee brings Egyptian rock to Tampa, which also gets a visit from Nigerian Dreamer (thanks, DACA!) Emmanuel Ajomale. The 30-something son of Nigerian gospel singer Kunle Ajomale works the sounds of West Africa into a special brand of hip-hop and pop that’s not only landed him placement in traditional outlets like the Washington Post and Fader, but also on viral charts thanks to the way TikTok has picked up tunes like “Ouu wee (brown).”

(Orpheum, Tampa)

The Red Pears w/Ultra Q/The High Curbs The spirit of early-2000s indie-rock is alive and well thanks to bands like The Red Pears who channel the aesthetics of Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Strokes into songs like “Didn’t Realize.” The El Monte trio has made it big in its home state of California where it’s played The Forum in Los Angeles and even Coachella, and is back in Florida where they’ve fallen in love with the Latino culture of cities like Miami. And while the band’s drawn comparisons to older, New Yorkcentrick acts of yore, it told Remezcla that The Red Pears probably had a different road to success. “I’m not saying that they didn’t [work hard], but I feel like we had to work a lot harder because of our skin tone,” guitarist Henry Vargas added. Oakland rock quartet Ultra Q (FKA Mt. Eddy) opens along with Chino, California garage-rock outfit The High Curbs. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

WED 25

The Interrupters w/Against All Authority/Crazy & The Brains In the midst of opening for a handful of Sum 41’s farewell tour dates, Aimee Interrupter and the Binova brothers bring one of their only headlining shows of the year to St. Pete for the second time over the course of a year. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

Sexyy Red w/Hunxho/Loe Shimmy/ Blakeiana Tinder analytics would probably reveal that Water Street Tampa is something of a pound town, but Sexyy Red wants to provide the soundtrack this week. The 26-year-old St. Louis rapper brings that breakout, 2023 single for a show that includes Trump-pardoned and Sunshine State superstar Kodak Black (real name Bill K. Kapri) and North Carolina rapper Hunxho who was just in the Bay area over the summer. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)

Head to cltampa.com/music to see previews for the Thursday shows.

By Ray Roa & Josh Bradley
DAVE DECKER
Big Sad

PINELLAS ALE WORKS

There are a lot of narratives currently circulating about what rural America looks like. James Bradshaw’s version of North Georgia is one we’d revisit over and over again.

The Coosa and Hiawassee Rivers flow through the heart of the 43-year-old’s latest album, Thus Spoke the Fool, released last month. Recorded in an old Athens, Georgia church, the 10-track outing from the former newspaper man finds Bradshaw’s once bluegrass-centric sound adding more texture to mountain music that ignores cliches in favor of pointed storytelling that sheds light on a region often overlooked by the rest of the country.

One single from Fool , “The Long Man,” honors the Cherokee people and the land they once inhabited, land where Bradshaw has resided with his family for nearly two decades.

Bradshaw—who performs as Pony Bradshaw—brings all that history and storytelling to a popular fundraiser in Tampa's Palm River-Clair Mel neighborhood this winter.

The event is essentially an outdoor party where seemingly every oyster in Florida ends up either in a cooler or on in-ground fire pits for a full-day of food and drink fundraiser for Frameworks, a nonprofi t that helps parents and children work on their emotional intelligence. Perennial Oyster Fest favorite Applebutter Express is also on the bill along with Fil Pate Trio, one of the best instrumental bands in Tampa Bay.

And yes, the Buccaneers game is always on.

“To the Cherokee, the Long Man is a ‘personifi cation of the river, whose head lays in the mountains and feet stretch to the sea,’” Bradshaw—an Arkansas, Texas native who lived nomadically until settling in Georgia— wrote in a press release. “Some folks believe in the legend, passed down through generations, which tells the story of a spectral figure who wanders and watches over the rivers and mountains of Cherokee land.”

There’s also a little dry humping and beating off happening on the actually-beautiful cut, “Young Eudora.”

Tickets for Tampa Oyster Fest happening Sunday, Dec. 8 happening on the grounds of Tabellas at Delaney Creek are on sale now and start at $150. Entry include open bar, raw bar, oysters galore (shooters, steamed, chargrilled), low country boil, the concert, and more.

A $500 VIP option includes early admittance (noon), plus champagne, lounge with hors d’oeuvres, celebrity bartenders, a concierge, a set from fingerstyle guitarist Shaun Hopper and more.

Come back next week for Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay.—Ray Roa

CARLEY DUMENIL

Hang tight

Dear Oracle, I recently ended an eight-month relationship with someone. We were in love, and he checked all the boxes, but I saw some red flags with how hard he partied. I’m wondering if I did the right thing. He wants to get back together but doesn’t think his partying is a big deal. I don’t want to “settle,” but we’re both in our 30s, and I want kids one day. Can the cards tell me if we should stay broken up or get back together?—Wondering

Cards to get back together: The Hanged Man (reversed), Eight of Wands (reversed), Knight of Cups

Cards to stay apart: The Chariot, Three of Pentacles, Nine of Swords (all reversed)

Dear Wondering, before I get to the cards, I want to address something you said. You said you didn’t want to “settle” but want kids one day, suggesting that maybe this man you love would be good enough to raise a child with.

I need to stress something to you: do not settle for someone who’ll be a shitty parent. Do not settle for someone who’ll make you raise your children single-handedly while still expecting you to take care of his grown-ass. Do not settle for someone who’ll be too drunk or high or hungover to get out of bed and make a bottle in the middle of the night.

Parenthood is so fucking hard. If you choose to raise a kid with someone, pick someone who’ll step up.

Can someone who parties hard evolve into a responsible partner and parent? Of course. But you can only address problems you see, and he doesn’t seem to view his partying as one.

If you get back together, you’ll be taking care of him, and it will be hard. The Hanged Man suggests you’d be the martyr here, giving what you can and giving up much of yourself to make this work. The Eight of Wands means this behavior will continue and overwhelm without changing or stopping. This doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. He’s your Knight of Cups. I bet he’s romantic and charming and full of life and love for you. But love isn’t all we need.

Staying apart offers you the chance to truly move on with The Chariot and move towards a more balanced partnership with someone, as shown by the Three of Pentacles. With these reversed, it does suggest that this will take some time because, as we can see with the Nine of Swords, this heartbreak has you in its grip. Your Knight of Cups has a chain around your heart, and you can feel that tug. It’s going to be a minute before that settles down. There is a lot of anxiety surrounding the Nine of Swords, which includes, “Did I make the right choice?”

substance use isn’t a superficial reason; that’s a fairly serious issue. You knew in your gut why you should end things in the first place, and I think you know deep down that you should stick to the separation. That doesn’t mean it won’t hurt like hell (love isn’t logical), but knowing it’s best for you will help you move forward when you’re ready to.

Dear Oracle, after dropping off our kid at college last month, my wife and I are officially “empty-nesters.” It feels fucking weird, and I feel kinda out-of-place and don’t know what to do with my time. Any advice on how to start this next chapter?—Two Birds, One Home Cards: King of Pentacles, Queen of Cups, Three of Swords (reversed), Seven of Wands,

ORACLE OF YBOR

Send your questions to oracle@cltampa. com or DM @theyboracle on Instagram

Dear Birds, congratulations on this big new chapter for all three of you! Hopefully, your kid has launched from the nest and is enjoying their first month of adult-style freedom. As The King of Pentacles and Queen of Cups, you and your wife have long been in the roles of protectors, providers, and offering deep love.

You and your wife should first give yourself some grace to adjust to this new life. You are now the protectors from afar. Your little bird has to fight on the front lines by themselves now, with you as back-up.

The Seven of Wands suggests a pivot and can be a card of embracing spirituality. In a larger sense, what are some things (besides your kid) that make your spirit grow? What are some things that you and your wife love doing together that could be expanded with all this free time? Has there been anything you’ve always been curious to try? As you move on from the role of hands-on parenting, you now have time to nurture parts of yourself that existed before kids—and that maybe even existed before the marriage. What’s a part of you that you could get back to?

A new hobby or revisiting an old one might do the trick.. A new community might be what helps. Or a spiritual practice might be what you need. Whatever it is, be open with how you feel with your wife, and remember that you’re in this together. How does she feel about the empty nest? This is an important time to check in and keep communication open.

What made you make that choice in the first place? Breaking up over someone’s excessive

But, as happy as you are for your kid, it’s a bittersweet moment. For 18 years, your lives had a certain rhythm, and now that’s over. That Three of Swords can be the great sorrow of realizing that your little baby is grown up and you must let them go live their life while you adapt your old life to their absence. That’s some emotionally fraught terrain!

Also, maybe get a dog. The Seven of Wands is a protector, and having something else to protect and pour your love into might help the transition. If you hate dogs/pets, obviously don’t, but if you have the lifestyle for one, that might help.

Best of luck to you and your birds, my dear. See more of Caroline and learn about her services at carolinedebruhl.com.

SAVAGE LOVE Top

I am a man. I met a beautiful Nepalese woman at work. The co-worker who introduced us basically told me this woman was unhappily married. We started spending time together, and we have now been seeing each other for almost three years. Everyone on my end knows about her (and knows she’s unhappily married) but the fact that we’re seeing each other is a mostly secret on her side, as only a few close friends of hers know. I have to pretend at work that we aren’t as close as we actually are, and it makes me feel like a shadow. She has no kids, and has told her husband she wants a divorce, which he won’t consent to. He doesn’t need to consent—she could divorce him anyway—but she’s leery to. The house is the only thing she owns with him, while everything else is in his name. Most of her friends, also Nepalese, have told her that white men can’t be trusted, which I can’t really disagree with, given our history as a nation. And they are telling her that having a baby with her husband will improve their relationship. I think that’s the worst possible reason to have a kid, especially when dude in question is an emotionally abusive POS. I love this woman. She makes my heart flutter every time I see her. She’s kind, compassionate, intelligent, and hot. But after three years she still can’t leave him. Which I can only imagine is difficult, as she has a lot to lose, but I love her and want to be fully with her. But I don’t want to push her to do anything she’s not ready to do, or that she doesn’t want to do. That would make me no better than all the other men she’s had in her life. But I’m starting to feel like this isn’t going to happen. She sleeps in bed with him every night. He tracks everything she does and where she goes. I’m not sure how much longer I can be patient. I’m sick of being a shadow boyfriend, while she just keeps playing wife and we have to pretend we’re just friends. Should I leave this relationship? I’m I an idiot to think she’ll ever leave him?—Leaving Isn’t My Best Option

I’m not sure what your whiteness or your girlfriend’s Nepalese-ness have to do with your question, LIMBO, which is one I get all the time. The genders are reversed—it’s usually a woman who’s getting strung along by a married man— but your predicament is a common one. And since you’re a regular reader of at least one advice column (that would be mine), you’ve most likely seen questions like yours in my column before, LIMBO, and you’re going to get the same answer everyone else gets: If she was gonna leave him for you—which she’s not gonna do—she would’ve already left.

I’m guessing you weren’t able to independently verify that your girlfriend asked her husband for a divorce, LIMBO, which means

you only have her word to go on. And as commenters on this and every other advice column are quick to point out, the word of a cheater isn’t worth much. And the reasons she’s given for not leaving her husband—the house is in the only asset that her name is on, her husband refused to consent to the divorce—sound more like excuses than reasons. If she lives in a marital property state, she’s entitled to half of everything, including assets that are in his name, and she doesn’t actually need her husband’s consent to divorce him.

Now, it’s also possible that she’s afraid to leave him—she may have legitimate worries about violence or social consequences in her community—but even if her reasons for staying with her husband are understandable (if deeply sad), LIMBO, like all mistresses, whether you’re willing to settle for what she’s able to give you is a decision you get to make. If being her side piece insults your dignity, you need to break up with her. If you love her too much to ever leave her, you’ll have to make peace with being her side piece.

My husband and I—straight, cis, and in our 30s—are very happy together, but our sex life has never really “clicked.” In our day-to-day lives we’re best friends, and we’re prone to silliness. The sex feels like it should work out: we’re attracted to each other, and we have similar sexual fantasies, mostly related to Dom/sub stuff. We like the same porn, for example. The sex we have is usually pretty nice, but it’s also very vanilla. I have more experience with kinky sex than he does, but always as a sub with an experienced Dom. We have never really managed to bring our shared interest in D/s into our bedroom. I think part of this is us not knowing where to start. Part of it is also that it’s hard to distance ourselves from our reality. We played with bondage, for example, but I didn’t find it particularly hot because it’s him tying me up and since I know he would never actually hurt me, it all feels like play. Any advice?—Been Dithering Since Marrying

Picture this, BDSM: you and your husband are tied up together—maybe you’re strapped to the bed, he’s strapped to a chair—while the pro Dom you hired (or the amateur Dom you met at a munch) playfully-but-plausibly threatens to “hurt” you both. Finding a very special guest star who not only shares your love of Dom/sub stuff but really enjoys playing with couples will take effort, BDSM, but calling in the kink cavalry — outsourcing the domination to someone who might (but wouldn’t) actually hurt you—could help you and your husband find a groove that makes kink feel more possible/plausible when it’s just the two

of you. Or you might learn that bondage and D/s play doesn’t work for you in the context of a committed relationship, BDSM, and you’ll have to keep bringing in those special guest stars if you wanna keep that Dom/sub stuff coming.

Straight guy here in his late-40s married to a 40-year-old straight woman. We’ve been married for 16 years and have two young children. Our sex life is not satisfying, to say the least. I do not anticipate it will improve, as my wife is not sexually driven and not open to much outside of weekly PIV with one week off every month for her period. She is very vanilla, so the sex is always the same thing, at roughly the same time, and always in the same position. I’ve spent years trying to get her to open up, but she has given me one of two choices: I accept our sex life as-is or we divorce and move on. I feel satisfied with the other aspects of our marriage—I truly love my wife—and I don’t want to live separately from my children or break up our family. Is wanting a fulfilling sex life enough to blow everything else up? Am I being an asshole? Should I suck it up for the sake of my family? Please help.

Despairing

In Maryland

It’s always the partner who wants more sex or more sexual variety who gets told—by their spouses, by the sex-negative couples’ counselors, and sometimes even by themselves—that asking for more sex or more varied sex risks “blowing everything else up.” But couldn’t the same be said to someone like Mrs. DIM? By refusing to consider adding anything to the rotation—by refusing to suck it up—isn’t she risking blowing up too? Now, I don’t want anyone having sex under duress to save their marriages—of course not—but if my husband was so unhappy with our sex life that he was considering leaving and/or cheating, I would be motivated to make some changes. And if I didn’t wanna fuck my spouse more than once a week (or at all anymore), I would release my spouse from the monogamous commitment he made to me and give him permission to get some and/or all of his sexual needs met elsewhere—you know, to avoid blowing everything else up. Sadly, DIM, you’re not married to me, and so you face a choice between sucking it up or blowing it up.

I’m a stay-at-home mom with three children. I live in a semi-rural area with my husband and my mother-in-law, who is in decline and requires more and more care. My husband and I are great at co-parenting, home, family, and projects. But things aren’t great on the sex-and-romance side and neither of us has made much of an effort to fix. We’ve accepted that things probably aren’t going to change. Sometimes that feels like a cop out—if we wanted to prioritize sex, we wouldn’t be co-sleeping with our toddlers—and we were non-monogamous before we had children. But I haven’t had sexual intimacy in over a year and am so bored with masturbation. I want to find

a consistent lover who wants to date a little and fuck a couple of times a month. The dudes on the dating apps where we are cosplaying at CNM/ poly or they’re the same people I’ve been swiping left on for the past six years. I’d love to find a kinky feminist dad who is actually poly and up for a long-term thing. Any other ideas on who to find this unicorn? Do I stay on the apps and expand my range to include bigger cities two hours away? Or do I give up and accept my sexless life?—Touched-Out Underfucked Cis Hets Stay on the apps, expand your range a little (good dick is worth the drive), and remind yourself every morning (or every time you masturbate) that you’re playing a long game. Because whether the right guy turns up two miles or two time zones away, TOUCH, you’re not gonna have time to go jump on that feminist poly dick until after your youngest is no longer breastfeeding and/or your MIL is dead. Giving yourself permission to seize the opportunity when it comes along— when the planets all align—can make the wait a little more bearable. P.S. If you’re interested in reviving your sex life with your husband again, TOUCH, get those toddlers out of your bed. P.P.S. You should, of course, check in with your husband about your relationship and make sure your nonmonogamous agreement is still in force.

My relationship of 27-seven years ended a few years ago in divorce. I am still a little bitter about my 57-year-old husband dumping me for some 19-year-old kid. Whatever. I got the house, the cars, and the dogs. I really am much happier now. Here’s my dilemma: while we were together, he was an amazing and loving doggy daddy, and absolutely doted on our two pups. In the five years we’ve been apart, he’s never once asked to visit them (even though doggo visitation was written into the divorce settlement), and the few times I’d asked him to check in on them if I had to travel, he declined, citing plans with his now husband). One of the dogs is getting very close to crossing the rainbow bridge. Do I do the right thing and offer him one last moment with her? Or do I just send him the vet bill when it’s done?—Following Intensely Dan’s Opinion

Do the right thing and tell your shit exhusband your dog is dying. Based on the small amount of info you shared, FIDO, it sounds you’ve behaved admirably since your husband left you for someone who may not have been able to legally drink champagne on his wedding night. If I were you, FIDO, I wouldn’t cede an inch of the moral high ground: I would let my ex-husband know “our” dog was dying, if only to deny my ex and his current the satisfaction of telling themselves I’m a shittier person than they are.

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50 Scholarship criterion

51 Assignment 53 Hebrew month 54 Future flounder

55 Part of the plot?

58 Punjabi princess

60 Sans oomph 62 Mirandizing word 64 I Don’t Know’s base

66 Activist who ran against Sen. John Tunney (D-Calif.) in 1976 (both lost)

Some Celts

Mini-mesas

Husky group?

Work like ___

Lid affliction

Airport stat

News sensor

Actress Andersson

Ex-Patriots offensive coordinator who became Notre Dame’s head coach, Charlie ___

Semantics professor who won the election that

Apt anagram of “moon starer”

actress who played Esther in Ben-Hur

Jaywalker alert

Rosh ___

42 Busting org. 43 Ladies of Sp.

Pre-calc course

52 Turbaned teacher

55 If you’re lucky

Fresh as ___

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Reject

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In order (to) 74 Curious fellow

Yarmulkes 80 Ruminant’s remark

82 500 spot, familiarly

Steve Martin’s birthplace: abbr.

___ at (flirt with)

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Boston retired his number (4)

Affectedly dainty

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GI nickname or GI drink

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The Creation composer

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