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You came, you saw, you linedanced. The first-ever OctoberWest beer festival arrived at St. Petersburg’s James Museum of Wildlife and Western Art where craft beer and cowboy hats collided for a party where a portion of the proceeds go towards the efforts of Mutual Aid Disaster Relief. See all the 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.
Why Stretching?
• Stretching helps to enhance mobility and range of motion, speed up recovery, and improve posture and circulation.
• Accidents, injuries, or surgery can lead to loss of mobility.
• Top athletes regularly incorporate stretching into their lives.
• Stretching improves your general wellbeing.
do this
Tampa Bay's best things to do from October 31 - November 06v
I’m with her OK, this appearance from Hillary Rodham Clinton—rescheduled to this weekend after Hurricane Milton—is not theater exactly (it’s definitely not “Clinton: The Musical).” Still, this woman’s whole life has been one long political drama. And won’t it be fun to hear what she thinks about childless cat ladies and “crazy” Kamala and that orange-skinned debate stalker? The former First Lady, Secretary of State and presidential candidate has written a new book called “Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty,” so no doubt she’ll be talking about that, too, with just two days before the election.
Hillary Rodham Clinton: Saturday, Nov. 2. 3 p.m. $79.50 & up. Carol Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N Macinnes Pl., Tampa. strazcenter.org—David Warner
Grow on
Tampa Bay’s local agriculture and the beginning of the vegetable season in Florida is at heart of a special two-year anniversary for downtown Tampa’s Meacham Urban Farm. Because of the recent back-to-back hurricanes, the farm is giving back to the community and making tickets to the event “pay what you can.” As an add-on to tickets, attendees can purchase a “flower crown experience” workshop with Blue House Florals, a garden and flower design studio in Tampa Heights. Throughout the festival, there will be a petting zoo, live music, educational presentations, interactive art, an Olympic competition, a line dancing class and locally grown food. The locally grown food is available to purchase separately, but those attending are encouraged to purchase “food plates” ahead of time, as a way to make enough food ahead of time and to minimize food waste. The farm was built in collaboration with the Tampa Housing Authority, Hillsborough County School District, and two independent farmers; Joe Dalessio and Travis Malloy. It opened in early 2021, and in its first year had grown over 60,000 pounds of produce, marking itself as a staple in the community.
Harvest Fest: Sunday, Nov. 3. Noon-6 p.m. Pay-what-you-can starting at $5. Meacham Urban Farm, 108 E Scott St., Tampa. meachamfarm.com—Riley Benson
Keep dreaming
“I’ve been to the moun taintop… And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke those tragically prescient words in Memphis on April 3, 1968 in support of the city’s striking sanitation workers—the day before he was assassinated on the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel. Katori Jackson’s play imagines an encounter in the motel room the night before his death, in which the civil rights leader shares his hopes and dreams with a sassy chambermaid. The two-character play has been widely praised for Hall’s “wartsand-all” portrayal of King as an ordinary man who did extraordinary things.
The Mountaintop: Select nights, Nov. 6-24. $23 & up. American Stage Theatre Company, 163 3rd St. N, St. Petersburg. americanstage. org—David Warner
Kick, push
In 1993, Brian Shaefer needed a place to skate. Thirty years later, the Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT), which began as Shaefer’s crusty little warehouse, has evolved into one of the world’s top skateparks. As skateboarding spread through the streets like wildfire in the ‘90s, so did the word of Tampa Am, SPoT’s world-famous amateur skateboarding competition. Next Thursday, the Am kicks off as SPoT celebrates the contest’s 30th anniversary. What started as a small local contest is now revered as one of the most important competitions in skateboarding. The get together presents fans with a unique opportunity to see skateboarding royalty up close and personal. With an open bar, live music, and after parties, the event is like a festival that keeps attendees entertained throughout the day (and night). Skating kicks off on Monday, Nov. 4, with nightlife picking up at The Bricks in Ybor City on Wednesday, Nov. 6. The tourney really gets going on Thursday with open practice, open bar, and a bowl jam before competition which wraps with the Sunday finals.
Tampa Am: Wednesday-Sunday, Nov 6-10. $10 & up. Skatepark of Tampa, 4215 E Columbus Dr., Tampa. skateparkoftampa.com—Anthony Ozdemir
Keep going
Hurricane Milton upended the local concert calendar, but Tampa Pig Jig was able to salvage the core of a lineup that was supposed to play downtown earlier this month. Three of the festival’s main acts—Dierks Bentley, The Revivalists (pictured) and Chase Rice—are still on the bill. Greylan James and Shane Profitt have also been added. Since its founding, Tampa Pig Jig has raised more than $7 million to help patients and families affected by the rare and debilitating kidney disease focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Its big draw besides the music has always been a barbecue competition between teams vying to win top honors in four different categories: brisket, butt, ribs and the wild card category.
Tampa Pig Jig: Sunday, Nov. 3. 1 p.m. $130 & up. Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, 1001 N Blvd., Tampa. tampapigjig.com—Ray Roa
Celebrate life
Amir Abdur-Rahim was a special man who gave the University of South Florida unforgettable moments of magic. The 43-year-old men’s basketball coach—who died unexpectedly last week—inspired many and was loved by thousands. This loss is nothing short of tragic. Though his tenure in Tampa was brief, AbdurRahim’s legacy will undoubtedly live forever. USF men’s basketball starts its 2023-24 season on Monday, Nov 4. The campaign is sure to be dedicated to the beloved coach. But first, on Saturday, there’ll be a celebration-of-life service for Amir Abdur-Rahim on Nov 2 at 11 a.m. at the Yuengling Center. The service will be open to the public.
Celebration of Life—Amir Abdur-Rahim: Saturday, Nov. 2. 11 a.m. No cover. Yuengling Center at University of South Florida, 12499 USF Bull Run Dr., Tampa. gousfbulls.com—Anthony Ozdemir
POLITICS ISSUES OPINION
Propaganja
Republicans, Democrats, blast DeSantis for using taxpayer money in Amendment 3 fight.
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
Abipartisan trio of leading state political figures slammed Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday for using $50 million in taxpayer funds to try to defeat Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize use of recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older.
DeSantis made it clear this spring that he would use all his resources to bring down both amendments 3 and 4 on the Nov. 5 statewide ballot shortly after the Florida Supreme Court approved submitting those measures to the voters.
Amendment 4 would enshrine abortion rights into the Florida Constitution.
Advocates said last Friday they never contemplated that the governor would resort to pushing state agencies to use taxpayer funds to advocate against the measures.
South Florida Democratic state Sen. Jason Pizzo filed a lawsuit earlier this month in state court alleging that the Florida Department of Transportation had improperly spent state money to combat Amendment 3. A Leon County circuit judge, however, granted a request by FDOT to dismiss the lawsuit last week, as reported by the News Service of Florida.
Pizzo said the intent of his lawsuit wasn’t to use the courts to penalize anyone. He said he just wanted the agency to stop running a public service announcement that “warns that DUI crashes increase in states with legalized marijuana putting everyone at risk.”
ELECTIONS
General Election
Early voting in Hillsborough and Pinellas through Nov. 3. Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5
“No matter where you stand on this issue, this is still a democracy. We do not spend taxpayer dollars in advance of a political issue,” said Sarasota Republican state Sen. Joe Gruters on a Zoom conference call organized by Safe & Smart Florida, the advocacy group behind Amendment 3. “Tax dollars are meant to be spent on our police, schools, roads, and other public programs that make our state great, not political agendas.”
“There is no appropriation for FDOT to go in and spend any money on this,” he said on the Zoom call.
“We’re now seeing upwards of $50 million that we have data to support, $50 million to spend on this ad campaign … that’s more than half of what we spend on Visit Florida to drive tourism as our largest economic driver of the state, and this is all for the ideology and position of just a few people.”
“We do not spend taxpayer dollars in advance of a political issue.”
Gruters’ conservative credentials are unassailable. Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida from 201822, he has twice served as co-chair of Donald Trump’s presidential campaigns in Florida (Trump has come out in support of the measure, as well.) And he’s strongly opposed to Amendment 4, but says DeSantis is out of line for spending taxpayer dollars to campaign against that measure as well.
“I’ve been an outspoken critic against Amendment 4, but no matter what the issue or where I stand, I fully believe that this is undemocratic and a violation of Florida laws to spend taxpayer funds on political ads. Period,” Gruters added.
Six state agencies
Independent journalist Jason Garcia in his Seeking Rents newsletter wrote last week that the governor has enrolled at least six state agencies into what Garcia reported was at that time nearly $20 million in taxpayer funds to maintain the sixweek abortion ban and laws against recreational cannabis in the Sunshine State.
Organizers with Smart & Safe Florida now say that the combination of 13,000 television ads, more than 5,000 radio ad hits, along with digital and billboard ad hits around the state actually total more than $50 million in taxpayer funds.
The campaign is taking place as more than 3.3 million Floridians have already voted, either by mail ballot or at an early voting polling locations, according to the state Division of Elections.
In addition to being the only Republican in the Florida Legislature to actively support Amendment 3, Gruters appears also to be the only GOP state lawmaker to publicly condemn the practice of using taxpayer funds for explicit political purposes.
“We shouldn’t be spending money on propaganda one way or another, because what it does is it sets a bad precedent for future administrations,” he said on the call.
Ulterior motive?
Orlando trial attorney and Democratic Party fundraiser John Morgan has actively been involved in three campaigns to promote constitutional amendments over the past decade (medical marijuana in 2014 and 2016 and increasing the minimum wage in 2020). And he’s flirted with the idea for running as a political independent for governor in 2026. He speculated that the desire to quash the amendment is driven by financial donors to the GOP who have their own agenda.
“What donors? Donors who have a vested interest in the pharmaceutical industry and the alcohol industry,” he said. “Marijuana — recreational and medical — is an existential threat to both of those industries. With all the due respect to the two senators, money runs Tallahassee, and you have to follow those donors.”
Morgan added that the only way for the public to combat what the state government is doing is to go ahead and collectively move the measure over the 60% threshold required for passage.
“The thing I hope that comes from all of this is that you, the Florida taxpayers, are so outraged by this theft of tax dollars, that you say, ‘By God, I’m going to go out and I’m going to vote. And when you go out, I urge you, vote yes on 3,” he said.
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.
SMOKED: Critics say DeSantis’ taxpayer-funded crusade ‘sets a bad precedent for future administrations.’
“Amendment 2 is a dangerous power grab…”
Take the bait?
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
Among the less publicized constitutional amendments Florida voters will decide next month is a measure that would enshrine the right to hunt and fish in the state’s Constitution with Amendment 2.
The ballot language says this: “Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to preserve forever fi shing and hunting, including by the use of traditional methods, as a public right and preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fi sh and wildlife. Specifies that the amendment does not limit the authority granted to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission under Section 9 of Article IV of the State Constitution.”
“Whereas if it’s in the Constitution, that’s really a decision for the voters. It’s a little bit more stable in that situation,” she said.
Yes on 2 has been endorsed by numerous conservation organizations, such as Ducks Unlimited, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the Bonefi sh & Tarpon Trust, the American Sportfi shing Association, and more.
ELECTIONS
General Election
Early voting in Hillsborough and Pinellas through Nov. 3. Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5
“Yes, that’s the language that’s in the statute, but a future legislator could come in in a few years and say, ‘We don’t like this anymore,” said Martha Guyas, Southeast fi sheries policy director for the American Sportfi shing Association based in Tallahassee, which supports the initiative.
Nearly every member of the Florida Legislature in 2023 voted for the resolution that placed the measure on the 2024 ballot as a constitutional amendment, with Republicans and Democrats alike almost completely in unison. (Broward County Democrat Sen. Lauren Book was the lone exception).
Miami-Dade County Republican Alex Rizo, a co-sponsor of the resolution in the House, said in a video interview with the Miami Herald that, as a fi sherman, he “grew up in a time when it was very limited, state government intrusion in what you could and couldn’t catch, for example. And as I’ve become an adult … I’ve seen just
more and more and more imposition on people with what you can catch. What you can keep. The size and everything else.”
Advocates cite the fact that funding from hunting and fi shing licenses goes directly to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) as another reason why environmentalists support the measure.
“Sportsmen and women are the backbone of the North American Model of Conservation, as self-imposed excise taxes on sporting gear and the purchase of fishing and hunting licenses generate most of the funding for fish and wildlife agencies,” said Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris in a statement provided by the Yes on 2 campaign. “We are honored to stand alongside all who love the great outdoors to ensure the traditions we love are available for future generations to enjoy.”
But opponents warn that Amendment 2 is problematic, to say the least.
“Don’t fall for the slick advertising — Amendment 2 is much more nefarious than simply providing a right to hunt, which is already protected under existing state law,” said Kate MacFall, Florida state director for the Humane Society of the United States.
“Amendment 2 is a dangerous power grab that strips away the protections safeguarding our critically important marine sciences and wildlife, enshrining cruel and unnecessary activities in our state’s most sacred document.”
‘Traditional methods’
A fact sheet provided by the NoTo2.org campaign argues that the phrase “traditional methods” in the ballot language is “intentionally vague” and will “enshrine in our constitution barbaric practices like body-crushing traps, strangling snares, bear hunting with hounds, and gill nets — all widely outlawed for their cruelty.”
A ban on gill nets was put into the Florida Constitution in 1994 by more than 70% of voters. That amendment limited use of nets for “catching saltwater fi nfi sh, shellfi sh, or other marine animals by prohibiting the use of gill and other entangling nets in all Florida water, and prohibiting the use of other nets larger than 500 square feet in mesh area in nearshore and inshore Florida waters.”
During the Florida FWC Commission meeting on Sept. 18, Chairman Rodney Barreto asked Chief Conservation Officer George Warthen to clarify whether Amendment 2 would lift the net ban now in the state Constitution, as critics contend.
“Our interpretation is that that would have no bearing on existing net limitation act in the Constitution,” Warthen said, referring to the 1994 Constitutional Amendment.
“So, those things need to be read in concert, and we don’t see that language in the current amendment having a negative impact on existing net limitation acts or the commission’s
continued on page 20
2 BE OR NOT 2 BE: The Republican Party of Florida has endorsed Amendment 2, while the Florida Democratic Party opposes it.
ability to do their duty in regulating fish and wildlife in Florida.”
“I want to make sure to clarify the record because there’s a lot of misinformation going on out there, and it doesn’t actually — if the amendment were to pass — it doesn’t take away any of the authority that this commission has on rule making and so on and so forth, correct? It doesn’t alter anything?” said Barreto.
“That’s correct,” Warthen said.
Advocates argue the amendment is necessary because other states have flirted with banning hunting and fishing, such as Oregon. In 2022, an initiative there would have made it illegal to “slaughter livestock for food, or to kill rats, mice, or other vermin and pests.” That measure failed to get enough signatures to appear on the ballot, however (an effort has since begun to get the same measure on the 2026 Oregon ballot).
the NRA and the American Sportsmen Foundation have been looking for years — trophy hunting groups for years — have been trying to put this on the ballot, but why 2024? ”
He then answers his own question.
“It’s a politically convenient moment to turn out conservative hunters and anglers, because you have a lot of folks who are going to be driven just to vote because they legalize pot or protect the right to choose,” he said.
ELECTIONS
St. Petersburg-based Democratic Rep. Lindsay Cross, who usually votes in concert with the Sierra Club, said that her experience having worked for the Florida Wildlife Corridor [Foundation] inclines her to support the amendment. It’s important, she said, for the conservation community to have a “big tent.”
“Anglers and hunters have been some of our original conservationists,” Cross said.
Kristen Rickman, emergency response team director with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), called attention to that measure “a distraction.”
“This really isn’t anything that’s really on anyone’s radar. And I think the introduction of a possible amendment in Florida is just a waste of time and taxpayer dollars.
“It’s a politically convenient moment to turn out conservative hunters and anglers.”
No one’s trying to ban hunting in Florida at this point, and it’s already protected under the current wildlife codes. It’s protected by statutes already.
Distraction
James Scott, executive committee chair of the Florida Sierra Club, said the powers that be in Tallahassee are happy to have this measure on the ballot as they seek to stop two more controversial constitutional amendments this cycle on recreational cannabis and abortion rights.
“Ask yourself why they would put that measure on the ballot this year?” he said. “Because
“We have to make it sure that our state agencies still have the power to set hunting and fishing regulations and that we’re not expanding it to black bears and panthers, but it’s part of our economy. It’s part of our conservation ethic here to allow people to access the resources, and if we continue to have money through hunting and fishing licenses that can go directly to stocking, doing exotic removal of plants and animals, and conserving more land and water.”
The Republican Party of Florida has endorsed the measure, while the Florida Democratic Party opposes it.
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.
CROSSING LINES: Rep. Lindsay Cross, who usually votes in concert with the Sierra Club, said she’s inclined to support the amendment.
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RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES
Cult following
VooDoo Brewing opens in St. Pete, and more local food news.
By Riley Benson
Voodoo Brewing’s St. Pete franchise planted a flag in 2022, and initially planned to open that same year—and again in 2023. Well, the two-story, punk-rock, pub finally opened last weekend.
The original franchisee backed out causing frequent delays, but Bob Skepnek—who spent three decades in electronic design and manufacturing before a career pivot—stepped in to make the plans come to fruition. Skepnek had been brewing his own beer for decades but decided to take his passion to the professional level when the opportunity came up to partner with Voodoo, which was born in Pennsylvania 20 years ago.
The St. Petersburg location—at 220 4th St. N at the old Orange Blossom Catering—was supposed to be Florida’s first location for the franchise. Since the original announcement and frequent delays, Voodoo opened two other locations in Jacksonville and Fort Myers.
After almost a decade in St. Petersburg, Cider Press is ‘closed until further notice’
A St. Pete staple for vegans is calling it quits after a decade. Cider Press Gastropub in St. Petersburg is officially “closed until further notice,” according to its voicemail.
Originally called Cider Press Cafe, the owners, Johan Everstijn and Roland Strobel, first opened the original location in Naples in 2014, then on St. Pete’s Central Avenue a year later.
“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making these past 10 years so special,” Cider Press Gastropub owners wrote on social media.
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
The brewpub initially planned to open on Oct. 19, but Helene and Milton had other plans.
“It’s been a long journey, but the finish line is in reach, and we’re just about there,” the brewery wrote on Facebook. “After a few weeks of uncertainty & anxiety related to the nasty weather season, it was a joy to spend some shared time together and to look forward.”
This location of Voodoo will have a “community-focused atmosphere,” according to a press release, which said that the craft beer will be shipped in from the company’s manufacturing facility in Meadville, Pennsylvania. A full food menu includes a “Voo-dill” pickle pizza, and the St. Pete space also features eight pinball machines.
Voodoo was founded in 2005 but didn’t open up its first brewery until 2012. The franchise now has dozens of locations across the U.S., as far west as Nevada, with more on the way.
Through a a spokesperson, Skepnek told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that 12 Voodoo beers and seltzers—including Oh Mama lager, Love Child tripel, and Lacto-Kooler weiss—are on tap along with guest beers from Florida Avenue Brewing, Coppertail, 3 Daughters, and more.
While the owners never intended to leave their location on Central, they were forced to in 2021 after disagreements with the landlord. Rebranded as Cider Press Gastropub, the duo opened in nearby Historic Kenwood in late 2022. While they had initially intended to open up the Kenwood location at the end of 2021, the owners told Bay News 9 that “Pandemic supply line issues” caused a delay. So while the restaurant has been a staple in St. Petersburg for almost a decade, it came as a shock to many when the restaurant posted to Instagram about the closing, about two weeks ago.
“It’s been an unforgettable journey filled with laughter, good food, and the joy of serving our wonderful community. To our loyal regulars, we can’t thank you enough for your support—you became family, and we couldn’t have made it this far without you,” the owners wrote.
Vegan Foodie Fest comes to South Tampa
One of the many sad casualties of back-toback hurricanes was the Bay area’s Tampa Bay Veg Fest. But on brand for the vegan community, an alternative has emerged. South Tampa’s WeVegan Cafe and vegan fitness coach John Thomas have teamed up to stage this weekend’s “Vegan Foodie Fest,” which promises to bring nearly two dozen plant-based vendors like Vegan International Co., Vegans Explore, and The Vegan Halal Cart to the parking lot at 4326 S Manhattan Ave, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday (a full vendor list is at cltampa. com/food). Sandra Aguilar-Carson, owner and
baker of WeVeganEats and WeVegan Cafe, told CL that her team put the foodie fest together in the three weeks since finding out the bad news about Tampa Bay Veg Fest. "Our hope is to still bring the community together and share some good food, local artistry, and a place for everyone to still be able to gather. We also wanted to create a space for the vendors that we're planning on participating to still have the opportunity to share their delicious vegan food with the community," she added
More information on Vegan Foodie Fest happening Saturday, Nov. 2 is available via @ wevegancafe on Instagram.—Ray Roa
California pizza chain Mountain Mike’s is coming to Tampa
California-based pizza chain Mountain Mike's Pizza has signed a 10-unit agreement to bring the concept to Tampa, Orlando, and Sarasota, with franchisees Sean Morrison, CEO of BizBox Group and Ned Algeo, Founder of Multipli Capital, according to a press release. Known for its signature 20-inch pies, the chain also serves chicken wings, garlic knots, salads, desserts, and a selection of beer and wine. No exact opening dates or locations were announced, but the company says the first Florida restaurant is expected to open next year.—Colin Wolf
LONG TIME COMING: It’s been two years since VooDoo announced its arrival.
Detail from a print depicting snowy owls (Plate 121) from Birds of America, by John James Audubon
National Museums Scotland
“...fall weather doesn’t start until after Halloween around here.”
MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
Gourd for you
Some of the best pumpkin patches, corn mazes and other familyfriendly fall events in Tampa Bay and beyond.
By Jennifer Ring & CL Sta
Let’s face it: fall weather doesn’t start until after Halloween around here. From pumpkin patches and hayrides to trunkor-treating and corn shucking contests, there are plenty of great options for family-friendly “falltivities” in the Tampa Bay area this year. Here are a few—see the rest via cltampa.com/ slideshows.
Fox Squirrel Corn Maze Shopping for fall décor doesn’t have to be boring. At Fox Squirrel Corn Maze—which has extended its schedule after cleaning up post-hurricanes—you can buy your pumpkin and paint it, too. This kidfriendly autumn attraction has a Five-acre corn maze, hayrides through the cypress woods, camel rides, duck races, cornhole, badminton, festival-style foods, Instagram-worthy family photo locations, and of course, a pumpkin patch. New this year: A 30’ x 50’ jump pad and a pumpkin house. Saturday-Sunday, through Nov. 3. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., General Admission $12; kids three
and under, free. 6151 Varn Rd., Plant City. foxsquirrelcornmaze.com
Gallagher’s Pumpkins & Trees With no charge for entry, this family-owned pumpkin patch and Christmas tree farm carries a variety of different colors and sizes of pumpkins. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. 7401 4th St. N, St. Petersburg. gallagherspumpkinsandchristmastrees.com
Great Scott’s Maze Adventures Pick your pumpkin, go on a hayride, and wander the sevenacre corn maze during Great Scott Farms’ Fall Festival. There’s beer and wine for the adults, and plenty to do for the kids, including gem mining, a jumping pillow, a castle playground, a corn pit farm tours, and more. Saturday -Sunday, through Nov. 24. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Adult admission $16, kids under 3 years are free. 26216 County Rd. 448A, Mount Dora. visitgreatscott.com
Harvest Holler Corn Maze Drop by this family farm in Polk City to disconnect and explore its pumpkin patch and corn maze.
Additional activities include miniature golf, hayrides, and corn hole. After you’re done, stop by Maw-Maw’s Country Store for some homemade cobbler or pumpkin pie or sink your teeth into some of the best sweet corn in the area at Paw Paw’s Vittles. Friday-Sunday through Nov. 17. Adults $17, seniors and kids 2-12 $15, kids under two free. 950 Tavares Rd., Polk City. harvestholler.com
HarvestMoon Fun Farm Featuring a new design in the five-acre maze each year, HarvestMoon Fun Farm offers a challenging experience for all ages. You can also pick out a pumpkin at the patch or take a chance at one of the farm’s haunted nights, offered select weekends throughout October. Daily through Nov. 4. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $13.92-$26.27. 15990 Stur St., Masaryktown. harvestmoonfunfarm.com
Raprager Family Farm Fall Pumpkin Festival
A&E EVENTS
The fun wraps up after Sunday, but Raprager Family Farm has Halloween activities for the whole family. This year, guests can enjoy the pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, pumpkin and cider doughnuts, hayrides, animal encounters, butterfly garden, greenhouse tours, live music, a 1,000-square-foot haunted maze, a 5,000-square-foot haunted barn, farmers market, goblin market, sweet shop, hay chute slide, gem mining, and axe throwing. Through Sunday, Nov.3, dates and hours vary. Adults $16.95, Kids two years and under free. 12210 83rd St. E, Parrish. rapragerfamilyfarms.com
Heritage United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch A pumpkin patch perfect for all ages and centered around community outreach and fundraising for the church. This free event includes scavenger hunts, story readers, music, games and prizes. Through Friday, Nov. 1. 2680 Landmark Dr., Clearwater. heritageumc.com
Sweetfield Farms Fall Maze and Pumpkin Patch Journey through Sweetfield Farms’ winding corn maze, which features more than five acres of clues and challenges to navigate through. Additional fall season activities include a hay play area, tumbleweed rollers, a mini maze, face painting, food vendors and an expansive pumpkin patch. Get your tickets in advance online – they sell out. Through Sunday, Nov. 3. $11.95-$14; kids two years and under free. 17250 Benes Roush Rd., Brooksville. sweetfieldsfarm.com
FLORIDA FALL: Fox Squirrel Corn Maze added a weekend of fun.
RAY ROA
REVIEWS PROFILES MUSIC WEEK
Horribly good
Joy, optimism, and craft color Lauris Vidal’s first album in 14 years.
By Ray Roa
Not many people forget Lauris Vidal after seeing him play live. The Ormond Beach native makes his name with a show that ditches cliches of one-man-bandom and instead presents festive, Florida folk propelled by a trio of drums, tambourine, and hi-hat, all powered by Vidal’s bare feet. His hands switch between eclectic and acoustic guitars, dobro, and even homemade instruments like his Arturo Fuente ukulele. Between guttural growls, and poetic observations of the dayto-day, Vidal wears a trademark smile that conveys a jubilation that seems to flow uninhibited throughout his entire being. It’s a spectacle that Vidal, the son of a preacher, has spent the last decade-and-a-half refi ning; and it’s an experience that music lovers can only have in-person—until now.
INTERVIEW
into the board. Listeners with headphones on will hear a mix that puts them on Vidal’s throne, with the hi-hat on the left, kick in the middle and floor tom on the right. Little squeaks and rattles add color, and humanity, to the 33-minute record. The split guitar and ukulele signals— one natural, the other an octave lower—are also faithfully captured, further illustrating the craft, care, and, yes, sometimes joyous commotion of the Vidal songbook.
Lauris Vidal album release w/Have Gun, Will Travel/The Zoo-Boo-Zays/Lone Wolf OMB/Michael Claytor/Nick Ewing/Hello Mr. Joe. Saturday, Nov. 2. 5 p.m. $5-$25. Crowbar. 1812 N 17th St., Ybor City. laurisvidal.com
“I don’t want to be one of those novelty one man bands. I wanted my record to sound like the band that I want to be in—but me doing it,” Vidal, 47, told Creative Loafi ng Tampa Bay. Mission accomplished.
This weekend, Vidal releases a debut fulllength, Horribly Good Times, his fi rst batch of recorded music in 14 years. The vinyl is wrapped in a package designed by Joel Cook, an artist who earned a Best Recording Package Grammy nomination for his company’s work on Underoath’s Voyeurist LP. The work won’t even hit streaming until all 500 copies are sold. The outing represents a five-year project where song ideas scattered between napkins, notepads, and his phone have been whittled down to eight newly recorded songs and two more that’ve been reworked not just so fans can take his sound home, but so they can hear how Vidal sounds in his own head.
But the road to Horribly Good Times wasn’t always as sunny as Vidal’s disposition. One of his tours as a one-man band—and a particular, poorlyattended show at Matchless in Brooklyn—almost broke him. There are times when he misses his old drummer, Billy Dean, who used to spend any downtime between gigs talking about how to make the show better. “The conversations always went to this phenomenal, creative and philosophical, free association type stuff, to the point where you’re just energized,” Vidal explained.
That spirit of collaboration is how Vidal got to this weekend in Ybor City where the official record release is more of a mini-festival.
“Whenever I play in Tampa, I can stretch my legs and be who I am.”
“Since I slowed down from traveling all the time, Tampa has become the home for me for my original music,” he said, adding that his gigs elsewhere force him to be more or less background music. Here, crowds have always encouraged Vidal to explore new territory. “Whenever I play in Tampa, I can stretch my legs and be who I am.”
emcee for the affair, which even gets started early with a 5 p.m. children’s show featuring Joe Gaskin (aka Hello, Mr. Joe) who Vidal met when they both opened for The Avett Brothers.
“My friends and fans are of that age—we got kids,” Vidal said about the choice to include children in the record release. Gaskin, a librarian and author, wrote a kid’s book based loosely on Vidal’s 2006 song “Skeletons.” His next book comes out around the same time as the album, so the timing was perfect to do music and storytelling with younger fans.
born two decades ago as more of a dirge, but has evolved into a fight song.
“I think the only way change happens is a decision,” he explained. People give into the gloom sometimes, but go into survival mode, too. Others make a choice to thrive. Through relationships with people who’ve faced the worst of circumstances, Vidal’s found that people must choose to go forward or backwards.
“Just like it takes work to be productive, it takes work to be destructive,” he added.
Captured over three days in Miami, Horribly Good Times is essentially a live recording where engineer and longtime collaborator Josh Rohe situated Vidal in his one-man band setup, closemic’d the percussion and ran the guitar straight
So the show in Ybor City is kind of like a love letter to Tampeños. It fi nds Vidal joined onstage by his brothers in Americana, Have Gun, Will Travel, after sets from Gainesville folkie Michael Claytor, Vidal’s one-man-band inspiration Lone Wolf, and a bonafide Florida supergroup, The Za-Boo-Zays, which includes Kaleigh Baker, Olivia Wynn Roche and Hannah Harber Wynn. Violinist Nick Ewing is the artist-at-large and
And there’s so much storytelling and vivid imagery on Horribly Good Times, too. “Killing Floor,” where dust rises from the ground, is about Vidal’s best gigs at the original New World Brewery location. “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” brings listeners to northern Florida swamps, and album-closer “Saints Of the Lost and Found” is set in Tampa where a teenager has aged out of foster care with nowhere to go. “Down In This Hole” plays like an anthemic conquest of shame.
There is darkness on the record, surely, but more than that, Vidal offers a way out. Take the reprise of “Skeletons” for example. The tune was
Productivity for Vidal looks like a handful of singles to be released on Spotify, and live videos in the hopper. He also hopes to be pretty close to fi nishing a new album that’s got a more collaborative, rootsier, modern sound by the time the 500 copies of Horribly Good Times are sold (totally doable for a guy who’s sold 15,000 some-odd CDs directly from his hands to fans at shows). “It’s about where you put your foot and where you put your mind,” he said about the journey.
This weekend, Vidal’s feet will beat those drums in support of a record years in the making. Anyone who’s seen him before will want to be there, too, singing and smiling along.
LOST AND FOUND: Lauris Vidal almost quit on touring after a horrible show in New York.
By Josh Bradley & Ray Roa C CL Recommends
THU 31
C Goose The Connecticut-based jam band already has the approval of Phish’s Trey Anastasio, and local venues are really hyping this gig—the first major one on the St. Pete Pier in quite some time—like crazy with pre and post parties in line. The band’s latest album Ted Tapes 2024 is a three-hour collection of rehearsals with new drummer Cotter Ellis, who was announced as a new member in the exact same social media post that announced the new album. Expect to get home past midnight too, because like a good chunk of jam bands out there, Goose’s stage time can break curfews. Rightfully so. (St. Pete Pier, St. Petersburg)
Maverick City Music Church and Halloween aren’t the most common bedfellows, but it’ll be hard to not get possessed by the holy ghost at the hands of Maverick City Music. Just watch video from Georgiaborn worship collective’s 2022 visit to the Everglades Correctional Institution in Miami. The trip with gospel giant Kirk Franklin was the largest prison event in U.S. history and resulted in an absolute bop, “Melodies from Heaven.” And while the group’s visit to the jail was part of a project that sought to “expand the idea of what the Kingdom of God looks like,” Maverick City Music has not been immune to criticism from both sides of its fanbase which has chastised the group for working with artists who use cuss words (cry more), and its parting of ways with Dove Award-winning former member Dante Bowe after he accidentally exposed himself on social media. It’ll also be interesting to see if founder Chandler Moore—who is on hiatus from the group—will be back in the lineup come the fall. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)
FRI 01
C Bryan J. Hughes and The Crew: The Great American Songbook Following a temporary closure due to minor water damage caused by Hurricane Milton, the local jazzman and backing supergroup The Crew reopen St. Pete’s historic Palladium Theater with a gig centered around the material of crooners like Frank Sinatra and bandleaders like Count Basie. It’s happening in the 99-year-old building’s ultra-intimate Side Door Cabaret, a similar setting to those that saw the uprising of those who helped to originate the Great American Songbook, so expect some serious immersiveness—hell, dress for the occasion if you want. (Side Door Cabaret at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
Chase Matthew Matthew was supposed to play the Bull on July 12, but when Morgan
Wallen postponed night two of his Tampa stand at the last minute, plans changed. Wallen opener Jelly Roll instead played Tampa’s favorite saloon-style venue, bumping the prolifi c 26-year-old songwriter and recording artist to this weekend. Matthew’s last time in town was two years ago in the exact same room. (Dallas Bull, Tampa)
C Coin w/Aidan Bissett We have to wonder if Tampa-bred Aidan Bissett attended Coin’s rainy-as-fuck set at last spring’s Gasparilla Music Festival. The 22-year-old (who rocked a side stage at the festival himself the day before) has long cited the indie-pop outfi t as a massive influence on his catchy hooks and vibrant vocals, and as if playing the same festival as it wasn’t enough, now he’s opening for Coin’s (stylized in all caps) current leg of shows promoting a new album I’m Not Afraid Of Music Anymore. Bissett will have some new—but unreleased—stuff to get off his chest, too, so maybe we are better with him. Ahead of this show, the Jesuit High School graduate told Creative Loafing Tampa about the best gig he ever saw—read his full quote at cltampa.com/ music. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
SAT 02
Black Valley Moon (single release) w/ Moonthing Sam Williams and friends’ latest release, Curses, Wishes & Haunted Transmissions , is split into two parts: The first one having the regular vocal parts from Ray Vega, and the second part being completely instrumental (well, if you don’t count the intro bit), and psychedelic-surf enough that almost makes you wish that Dick Dale had collaborated with Iron Butterfl y at some point in his life. The album has been out for a month now, but the offi cial release party goes down with a little help from local rock outfi t Moonthing, on the heels of its own new single, “Satan Party.” (Shuffle, Tampa)
Bob The Drag Queen Months after supporting some singer named Madonna on her “Celebration” tour, the “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” winner brings her outlandish ball gowns, raunchy humor, and more to an abnormally busy Saturday at the Straz Center, which will see two performances of “The Boy Who Loved Batman,” a “neo-gothic cabaret” show, and a book talk from Hillary Clinton. She’ll probably have some Madonna stories to share, but don’t ask about them if you’re up early enough to bump into Bob at the airport. Really, don’t. (Ferguson Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa)
C Rise Against w/L.S. Dunes There aren’t a lot of supergroups that go beyond only appearing at festivals as a one-off kind of deal. And it sure seemed that was it for L.S. Dunes—featuring My Chemical Romance’s Frank Iero, Coheed and Cambria’s Travis Stever, and Circa Survive’s Anthony Green—when it made its debut at Riot Fest in 2022. But following the hardcore band’s
Maverick City Music
THU OCT. 31–THU NOV. 07
first appearance in town during last year’s iteration of the Sad Summer tour in downtown Clearwater, there’s already a new, sophomore album in the can, which has two melodic singles out in the open. The greatest sidemen in emo open for Rise Against’s first gig in town since 2017 this weekend. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
C Tampa Urban Music Festival: Cee-Lo Green w/Khalea Lynee’/Joewun Bee/ J’Nelle/more CeeLo Green is supposed to be back on the Tampa Riverwalk in December for a gig inside the Straz Center, but this weekend, the Goodie Mobber plays a free show just a short walk away. The 49-yearold rapper headlines the Tampa Urban Music Festival after a slate of homegrown talent— including Jalea Lynee’, J’Nelle, and April Showers—warms up the bandshell. Enrique Merced, A&R for Xcite Entertainment, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the event is also collecting donations for hurricane relief. (Water Works Park, Tampa)
The Tilt album release w/Movie Props/ The Pilot Waves/My Dead Roommate The Sarasota-based pop-rock outfi t has described its brand-new third album The Long Game as a massive extension to its longtime gig staple “Growing A Tail,” and have admitted that the recording process was so enlightening, it often felt like this was a band recording its debut album. Per The Tilt’s Instagram, the album is seen as a way to push band members “further and further into new territory, catching glimpses of worlds we’ve only just begun to explore.” If you don’t go to Bradenton that often, you can explore a new world too, when the foursome headlines an album release party the day after it emerges. (Oscura, Bradenton)
The Ultimate Talking Heads Tribute: JCT 27 w/Talk to Mark/Mellisa Grady/more It’s been almost 40 years to the date since the release of “Stop Making Sense,” one of the most revered indie concert documentaries
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in history. For one night only, Bay area musicians in the Road To Nowhere Talking Heads tribute band will recreate it, note by note, in full costume, too. And if you need to hear a song that didn’t make the 1984 film, don’t fret: Tampa Bay community radio station WMNF 88.5-FM has booked three more bands to play Heady tunes to warm up the crowd. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
SUN 03
C Micah Schnabel w/Vanessa Jean Speckman Over the summer, Micah Schnabel and Vanessa Jean Speckman spent a few good hours rocking with Frank Turner at Jannus Live. The couple takes to more intimate, familiar, digs for this return to the Indie where their Midwestern brand of folky cowpunk will fill the air. And don’t
worry about any election-related banter, either. Schnabel’s latest album The Clown Watches the Clock is packed with enough zeitgeist-related woe and worry to go around. Speckman, who fronts Call Me Rita, also has new music (“This Is A Stick Up!”) that contemplates the dark side of debt. “ ...from the big cities to the small, no-name towns, where there’s an edge on everything and the social contract feels broken,” Speckman recently told Matter News. Still, the sad songs make fans feel better, and the setlist is sure to be borderline therapy at this no-cover gig. (Independent Bar and Cafe, Tampa)
C Rock The Vote Day Party: Tom G w/Big Britt/Pusha Preme/K-Luv/more Tom G wants to make sure everyone votes. The OG Tampa rapper headlines this rescheduled concert (thanks, hurricanes) featuring more heavyweights of the Tampa hip-hop scene including Big Britt, Pusha
Preme, K-Luv and more. Food trucks, familyfriendly entertainment and more are also on the agenda. Bring your lawn chair for the free event though, which now happens at Perry Harvey Park. (Perry Harvey Park, Tampa)
C Say Anything w/The Social Animals/ Circus Trees/Runt All the real boys who raged to Say Anything’s landmark 2004 album are probably real-old men by now, but that’s not going to stop them from tiptoeing back into the pit. While frontman Max Bemis said that his band was retiring in 2019, the stop finds the L.A. emo/pop-punk band playing the 21-track concept album …Is A Real Boy in full, plus supporting its newest album, …Is Committed, released last May. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
Shuffle’s Hurricane Relief Concert: Tribal Style w/51 Boneyard/Carpet Drugs/more Tampa has a Hurricane Haters Club, and it
seems it’s rented out Shuffle for an afternoon. The occasion? A benefit concert to help both local burlesque performer Chris Geyer, and the Craft Emergency Relief Fund, a national fund that is currently activated to help artists impacted by the disasters. There’s a raffle, silent auction, plus music from bands who rock (Carpet Drugs, 51 Boneyard) and play reggae (Tribal Style), too. (Shuffle, Tampa)
MON 04
42 Dugg The rap game’s “No. 1 Sh*t Talker” (if you believe Complex) arrives on the heels of a summer album, 4eva Us Neva Them , where he puts to tape thoughts he’s had since first blowing up thanks to the Lil Baby classic “We Paid.” The 29-year-old Michigan
Vanessa Jean Speckman
rapper has plenty of party music on the outing (“N.P.O.”) and also welcomes Mr. Baby back to the set for “No Love,” where the duo navigates the legal system and chimes in on Young Thug’s recent legal woes. (The Ritz, Ybor City)
TUE 05
F Your Wack@$$ Presidential Candidates (Rage Against The Machine tribute)
A plethora of Tampa Bay musicians come together in St. Pete to form an election night supergroup to honor Tom Morello and his band. If that’s what it takes to keep your stomach in as loose of a knot as possible, so be it. (Floridian Social, St. Petersburg)
WED 06
C Cyndi Lauper w/Emily Estefan/DJ Tracy Young Lauper hasn’t done a proper headlining tour in more than 10 years, and she swears this farewell run really is goodbye. “I don’t think I can perform the way I want to in a couple of years,” the 71-year-old told the New York Times. “I want to be strong.” The pop icon and activist recently released “Let the Canary Sing,” a feature-length documentary directed by Emmy-winner Alison Ellwood. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)
THU 07
The Floridians w/The Wax Worms/ Hibiscus/Moonberry Fans have literally
invested in this tour featuring The Floridians and The Wax Worms. In September, the Miami psych-rock bands launched a GoFundMe asking for help with gas, food, lodging, and merch. The effort raised nearly all of its $2,000 goal, too. Maybe the gang is up to something. (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)
C Rock The Park Tampa: Soft Cuff w/ Will Quinlan/Cruel Curses Four OGs of the Bay area music scene have a new project to share, and Soft Cuff is easily one of the best new bands to emerge over the last year. The soulful, funky, crunchy outfit headlines this no-cover, family-friendly show where a totem among Tampa songwriters, Will Quinlan, shows us what he’s been up to lately. Hardhitting rock outfit Cruel Curses will blast open your earholes to warm thing up. (Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa)
Wildermiss w/Glass House/Point Spirit and the Cosmic Heart According to the Nashville-transplanted Denver trio’s Patreon, a recent music video for its song “Elvis” (followed by an instrumental called “Left the Building” on the album it’s on, last year’s Levitate) was filmed on a VHS camera. Two days before hopping onto a cruise ship with Andrew McMahon, Emma Ross and her confidantes close out their current headlining tour—still promoting Levitate—with a Tampa debut filled with late-night-drive-worthy alt-rock and synthy lo-fi jams. (Orpheum, Tampa)
See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music.
Raise kittens and puppies in a safe home environment
Earn 4 volunteer hours per day
With two hurricanes in a row in the last month, Tampa Bay has been left wondering if 97X’s annual Next Big Thing would even happen this year. Last week, Tampa Bay’s darling alt-rock radio station announced the long-awaited lineup.
The one-day festival (a return to its original form, trotted back out at last year’s iteration) will see the All-American Rejects serve as headliner, along with Andrew McMahon’s newly reformed rock outfi t Something Corporate, and Dayglow, an up-and-coming indie-pop project with singer-songwriter Sloan Struble at the helm. And as per usual, the winner of an annual, locals-only Battle Of The Bands at Tampa’s Seminole Hard Rock and Casino will kick the day off.
The last time Tyson Ritter and friends swung into town was an August 2023 stop at the ol’ Gary amphitheater for a shitshow of an opening night to the band’s Wet Hot All-American Summer tour, which also featured New Found Glory and The Get Up Kids. Luckily, knowing how well-organized and planned out Next Big Thing is year after year,
Tickets to see the 23rd annual 97X Next Big Thing at Clearwater’s The BayCare Sound on Saturday, Dec. 7 are now on sale, and start at $37.50. See a rundown of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay below.—Josh Bradley
Perreoland Saturday, Nov. 9. 10 p.m. $30. The Ritz, Ybor City
Dear Yboracle, I have been fixated on my own death for much of my life, but I am feeling a recent heightened focus on my cardiac health and overall wellbeing, worrying if I am experiencing a decline. It’s somewhat absurd, given that I am still nestled in my fertile years, although they continue to dwindle. I will wake up to the sound of my heartbeat thinking that it’s working overtime, and I better change my lifestyle and choices if I am going to extend my life and live as long as possible. How can I learn to shift this morbid focus and begin to embrace my mortality for its beauty and ephemerality?— Dreader of Death
Cards: Wheel of Fortune (reversed), King of Wands (reversed), Waxing gibbous, Four of Wands (reversed), Three of Wands
Dear DoD, Somewhere, out beyond what we can see, is a field full of wheels. Some artists depict these like little Ferris Wheels, spinning vertically, but I’ve always liked thinking of them as bicycle rims on top of poles, spinning like carousels with ribbons and cards stuck in the spokes. This is the field of Fortuna, our goddess of fate and fortune. With a flick of her wrist, our wheel spins, bad luck turning into good, good luck running out. She might play favorites, she might be capricious, we don’t know. But we do know that one day, our wheel is going to stop. Memento mori. Cut to black.
I bring up Fortuna because the card that leads off this entire spread is the Wheel of Fortune, the great reminder that try as we might to be the architects of our own fate, we’re also at the mercy of the universe.
Death is a particularly potent anxiety because you know for sure it’s going to happen. There’s no way around it. Ideally, it will be far in the future, after a long, well-lived life, and you’ll just drift off into a dream and stay there.
But most of us don’t know how we’re going out. It could be a car accident at 17, a concussion from a fall at 50, a cancer that gets us at age 31. We have no way of knowing when that final curtain drops and try as we might to leave a lasting legacy with our family, or our work, or our art, we will leave this world behind one day.
But our goals and priorities may change without us realizing it. With the Waxing gibbous, it’s important to really look and reevaluate what we want and refine those goals. Life does not move in a straight line. Things happen—big life-changing things and small daily things— and that might shift our priorities. A goal that was your absolute dream 10 years ago may now be in the “take it or leave it” camp. Inversely, something you took for granted for years might now be something that you value deeply.
ORACLE OF YBOR
Send your questions to oracle@cltampa. com or DM @theyboracle on Instagram
But that paralyzing fear of the inevitable has a positive side: it occasionally reminds us that we need to LIVE, goddammit.
It doesn’t surprise me that you’re dreading death because, as the King of Wands, you are violently blooming with life. The wands are a suit of passion, creation, and potential, and as the king, you radiate both power and drive. You’re probably more comfortable when you’re working towards something and I’m willing to bet that if you created a “bucket list” that it would be pages long.
One of these priorities, for you and for many of us, is family and community. With the Four of Wands in its glorious bloom, it’s a good reminder that this life you’re moving through has a wide cast of supporting characters. You mention the need to change your lifestyle choices in order to live a longer life. While some personal decisions can improve your health as you age—quitting smoking, moving your body, consuming what seems like an obscene amount of fiber—it’s important to note that relationships are also a factor in longevity. Having meaningful long-term relationships (spouses, siblings, dear friends) and casual social connections (library friends, people you play pickleball with) can actually extend your life.
They can also shorten it too if they’re fairly destructive but for the sake of the cards, let’s stick to the positive.
As you make that list and think about your goals, also think about who you want to do things
with. Who do you want to travel to visit? Who do you want to spend an afternoon talking on the phone to, seeing a movie with, inviting to dinner? What do you want your family (found or bloodline) to look like in the years to come? What joy comes from their company?
As we end with the Three of Wands—the only right-side-up card in the whole spread— it’s important to be in the present. Look at the life you have already lived, the path you’ve already walked. You’ve probably outlived most of the English Romantic poets and half the rock stars from the 70s. And you have a life ahead of you. You don’t know how long you have, but what can you do before leaving this world behind?
Life doesn’t promise us a good time. Often it can be careless and brutal, and sometimes forces beyond us keep us from living out our wildest dreams. But in the cold, cruel world, there exists beauty, meaning, and love. You’re more than welcome to rage against the dying of the light, but remember that your life isn’t in a vacuum. What brings you meaning? How can you share that with others?
While we might be by ourselves in the moment of transition, we don’t really die alone because we don’t live alone. We’re a character in other people’s lives as well. So, if you were to shake off this mortal coil tomorrow, how do you want to leave them?
May you have many years to find that answer and to live fiercely, my dear.
See more of Caroline, and learn about her services via carolinedebruhl.com.
By Dan Savage
Dear Readers: It’s my birthday this week— thank you very much—and I’ve retreated to a secret, undisclosed location (with my boyfriend! without Internet access!) to ignore, er, celebrate the occasion. So, in place of a regular column (reader questions, columnist answers) below you’ll find some questions I posted to Struggle Session, the weekly column where I respond to comments from my readers and listeners, along with some of the advice my readers had for the letter writers. “Never read the comments” is standard advice for anyone who goes online—and it’s damn good advice—but Savage.Love is an exception to that rule: it’s the one and only place online where you should read the comments, thanks to the wonderful community there.—Dan
I’m (39F) dating a guy (34M) who is really wonderful. In his conservative home country, he was quite the Casanova, didn’t want to marry, and managed instead to have a pretty *ahem* robust dating life. Here’s the issue. He shared with me that when he was 32, he slept with a girl who was 16 or 17 years old. He had been her teacher when she was in elementary school. When they met again at 16/17, she was already married and pursued him because she didn’t like her husband (who was even older than him). He said he was only with her twice and then they broke it off.
SAVAGE LOVE Struggle sessions
I have no reason to doubt him because he openly shared this with me, and he clearly didn’t understand that by U.S. standards, this is not OK. When I explained this to him (also noted that it was almost certainly illegal in the US) he instantly understood.
I’m struggling with this because it’s not OK due to her and his age at the time, plus the power dynamic difference. But by his culture’s standards, the only issue was she was a woman sleeping with a man who wasn’t her husband. I appreciate that cultural differences have some major implications here, and he seems to be very clear on how this would be regarded in the U.S. I’m just trying to sort my feelings out around this. Help?—Dating Is Flummoxing Feelings Somewhat
No one else should tell you how you’re supposed to feel about something. You feel what you feel. So, if what you’re feeling right now is just a little “Hmm, this is weird,” then you can put it in your memory hole, let the past be the past, try not to bring it up with him again, and it probably won’t come up in conversation.
If what you’re feeling right now is more intense, then probably it’s best to end the relationship. There may be other factors making this revelation uncomfortable for you, maybe subconsciously. There will likely be other things you find about his culture, the parts of the worldview that he still stands up for or sees as defensible, that are incompatible with your worldview.
If it were me, I’d drop the subject. But then, for me, I don’t see the American view of age and sexuality as an eternal truth, just where we set the bar. It’s not as though someone magically changes into a consent-capable adult at 12:01 a.m. on their 18th birthday. We set the age of consent as a safeguard, because relationships across those lines are likely to be coercive, but I don’t think that means any and all relationships across that line are coercive and nonconsensual.—Andrew
I can’t figure out what DIFFS wants or why. Does she want her boyfriend to understand or acknowledge that in our culture, a 32-year-old man having sex with a 16-17-year-old is not only unethical, but illegal? It seems as though he gets that, at least now that she’s explained it to him. Does she want an excuse to dump him or to think poorly of him? What kinds of feelings does she want to sort out?
The best I can make out, she wants to disapprove of him because he so flagrantly offended a cultural norm in her (and our) culture. But she wants to be open-minded enough to understand that in his culture of origin, the issues we would take may not be relevant.
But then what? Yes, he did something we frown upon here. Although it was a non-issue to him at the time, based on his different cultural norms, he understands why it would be troubling to his U.S. girlfriend. Does she require some sort of penance on his part so that she can give herself permission to continue dating him and considering him a “wonderful” guy? Does she think that if her friends or family knew about this episode in his past, they’d be unable to get past it and would judge her harshly for being willing to be with a man who’d do that?—NoCuteName
Sixteen is the age of consent in most U.S. states, so this would not have been “almost certainly illegal in the U.S.” In fact, it would have been legal, if considered creepy, in most of the U.S. You say your boyfriend understands that by more progressive standards, this wasn’t OK. Like Dan says in this column, men are pigs; you know this already. This one seems to know that what he did in this situation was not OK, that’s why he confessed this particular hookup to you. People make mistakes, DIFFS! Look at your past and answer genuinely, is there nothing you ever did when you were younger that squicks you out today? Give him the absolution he seeks and move on.—BiDanFan
My oldest friend has an extremely hard time cleaning herself and keeping her house sanitary. She weighs probably in the 600 pounds range at this point, which she is happy with, and I couldn’t care less about, but it does make it hard for her to clean and do day-to-day tasks. The thing that has
me writing is that she smells bad. I believe this is mostly because she has a hard time wiping and cleaning herself. But the smell is sometimes unbearable, and I’ve found myself avoiding her because it makes me sick to my stomach, especially when it comes to sharing food together.
My friend has a significant history of trauma, which makes this a “handle with care” situation. I can’t just say to her, “You stink, let’s figure this out together.” I wish I could go in and clean her house for her—and I would be willing—but she would be mortified to know I think her home is filthy. Instead, I keep finding reasons to not visit or not to stay long when I do. And it’s heartbreaking because I love this person so much and want to be close to her. I would love some advice. —A Longtime Friend
I think you either distance yourself because you can’t stand it and you don’t want to offend them by admitting their lack of hygiene offends you, or you intervene, respectfully and openly, and deal with the consequences of your own decision.
Is the smell from her, from stuff (old food? dead mice?) in her home, or something particular that can be addressed? At some point it’s a health hazard for her.
But trauma notwithstanding, if it’s that bad, she deserves to know and not just get ghosted, which may be easier on you but would suck for her, as you already know. You can’t make her glad to be told it’s gross, so don’t try to control her feelings. It’s already bad for her now, so you would not be making things worse for her, you’d just be exposing yourself to a share of the bad stuff (and it’s entirely legitimate to not want to do that, just saying, you’re not obligated to be a martyr OR a savior). But if you do want to stay in touch, how much worse are you prepared to let it get?—SloMoPoMo
I’m guessing that ALF’s friend doesn’t get many visitors and possibly has few if any other friends, because unfortunately most people do negatively judge those who have obesity problems. (Nova has a great episode, “The Truth about Fat”, which explains why being overweight is not just a matter of lack of willpower.) And at 600 lbs., it’s likely ALF’s friend isn’t able to get out and about much, if at all. So, better for ALF to risk hurting her friend’s feelings with a frank, empathetic talk than to end up rarely or never visiting. Loneliness could lead to even more overeating or even worse consequences. This won’t be easy for ALF, but love often involves doing difficult things.—Murial
Has she asked outright? If so, maybe you do owe her radical honesty. If not, then you’re offering unsolicited advice, which isn’t always bad, but more often than not. Or is she doing the hinting and subtle bemoaning that is essentially a soft ask, without the commitment?
It feels complicated to tell your friend that they smell without volunteering to help her solve that problem. Which gets especially complicated if she doesn’t have the money to hire someone to
help and there aren’t robust social services in her area. I think many of us would be willing to pitch in to help a friend with a massive project, like a thorough cleaning, once a year or so, but to commit to helping once a month (or more!) will get draining. And if part of her issue is literally cleaning herself—that’s a much bigger strain on the bonds of friendship. So, if there are social services or if she has the money, then there is more reason to bring these things up than if there aren’t. Finally, phone calls, emails, texting are all ways to stay in contact without visiting. As is asking to meet away from her house, in open air, weather permitting. These don’t solve her problems, but they might help mitigate your problems.—Zoftig the Magnificent
I’m a 36-year-old old bisexual woman and I need some advice. My partner is a 38-year-old heterosexual man, and we have been together for 13 years. The sex in the relationship has been in a swift decline for the last eight years. It’s always been a sore point, as my sex drive is a lot higher than his, but two months ago we decided to open up the relationship. It was a good talk, and I think we made some real progress getting our feelings out on the table. We made some ground rules: 1. We wouldn’t use our own home to meet up with people and 2. we wouldn’t have sex with anyone in our friend circle. He said didn’t want to know about any hookups I might have but I took the opposite position: I like hearing his sex stories and it would make me happy to know he’s getting the attention I think he deserves. A week ago, I started talking to a guy who’s also in an open relationship. We agreed to meet up and have a chat. Things went well, and we ended up having some fun at his place. I kept it all to myself, honoring my partner’s request.
This is where things get confusing. I think I might be numb, since this only happened last night. I had my best friend over. We were drinking, laughing, and having a good time listening to smutty audiobooks. Now when I get too drunk, I become quiet and somewhat unresponsive, but I don’t pass out. I’m aware of my surroundings. So, when I heard my partner say “let’s take to the bedroom” to my friend, I froze under the blanket on the couch. My partner then proceeded to take my best friend—who is in a monogamous long-term relationship—to our bedroom and have sex with her with the door ajar. From my position on the couch, I could hear her moaning. Later, he cleaned himself up and “woke me” and took me to bed. This morning, we all had coffee and then we dropped my girlfriend at her place. Neither of them said a word to me about their encounter.
I don’t know how to feel about this. I just feel empty. Should I be angry? Hurt? Upset? Should I bring this up with either of them? Give me some advice please, Dan.—Here’n Uncharted Relationship Territory
Dan here: Find out what readers' truly great advice, check out the latest installment of Struggle Session at Savage.Love.
Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures.com. ending on Nov 8th 2024 at 11:00 am for units located at Compass Self Storage
1685 Hwy 17 N Eagle Lake Florida
33839 . Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at time of sale. All Goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase.
Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit E402 Kimberly MacDougal Unit 2025 Roseley Harris.
Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www. storagetreasures.com ending on November 8th, 2024 at 11:00 am for units located at: Compass Self Storage
2291 S. Frontage Rd, Plant City, Florida
33563 Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the time of sale. All goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase.
Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit #3165 Natalie Guillen Unit #2269 Wendy White.
PUBLIC NOTICE - IMPORTANT UPDATE
“Our hearts go out to our community and neighbors as we recover from the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. In this period of restoration and rebuilding, the Tax Collector’s O ice is committed to giving residents and businesses the necessary time and support to rebuild their homes, businesses, and lives. At the same time, we are dedicated to fulfilling our obligation under Florida law to collect the tax revenue that funds the vital services we’ve relied on during and a er the storms.”
Additional Notes:
Property & Tangible Tax Relief E orts:
Tax Collector Nancy Millan is extending the 4% early payment discount period through December 31, 2024, to ensure that residents have more time to take advantage of the maximum savings. Property and tangible tax notices are typically mailed on November 1; however, this year’s notices will be mailed November 25, 2024. The delayed mailing allows the discount period to be extended under Florida law, providing additional relief to property owners still recovering from hurricane-related damages.
We will resume with the normal scheduled discount periods on January 1, 2025: January 2025 - 2% discount, February 2025 - 1% discount, March 2025 - no discount.
Over 535,500 property tax notices will be sent to homeowners and business owners across Hillsborough County.
IMPORTANT: Taxes are not delinquent until a er March 31, 2025.
The bills reflect the value of the property as of January 1, 2024, when Florida law required the value to be assessed. They do not reflect any adjustment due to damage or destruction caused by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton.
law, the Tax Collector is required to collect property and tangible taxes and mail tax bills. Property and tangible taxes are payable anytime between now and March 31, 2025. The Tax Collector’s O ice stands ready to support our community through tax relief e orts while also fulfilling our tax collection and distribution duties required under Florida law to support vital local institutions like schools and law enforcement. Property owners whose property taxes are paid through an escrow account should contact their mortgage company with any questions related to escrowed property tax payments.
MAIL: With a check/money order to: Nancy C. Millan, Tax Collector Send to: PO Box 30012
ONLINE: Pay online at hillstax. org. Pay by credit/debit card or eCheck. Credit card payments are subject to a convenience fee. There is no convenience fee for eCheck. Payment Options:
DROP BOX: Select o ices have drop boxes available to the public. Visit hillstax.org for locations. Please do not deposit cash into the drop boxes.
Nancy C. Millan
1 An Agatha title
5 Hearty draft
Quarter of Algiers 16 “Should ___?”
19 Word after “high,” often
20 Willing to try (it)
21 Altogether
22 Anthony Quinn’s birthplace: abbr.
23 Start of every opinion piece by 24 Down on his old live show (continues at 119 Across)
26 Mr. Amin
27 Visibility reducer
28 Prevaricate
29 Book between Zeph. and Zech.
30 Part of a suit
32 Tallinn-born
36 Filmmaker Riefenstahl
38 Hit with a lamp?
40 Rudolph feature
42 Gem of a person
44 In
45 SAT takers: abbr.
48 “... miles to go before ___”
50 Grafton’s A
52 Uniform
53 Braque colleague 55 Actress Nina
57 Most impertinent 59 Golden calf, e.g.
60 End of every opinion piece by 24 Down on his old live show (continues at 71 and 81 Across)
