St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday this year. Let the celebrations begin. Page 10TB
BY KELLY A. STEFANI Times Staff Writer
Bay Area Renaissance Festival: The festival returns to Pasco County with its 16th Century European Village featuring 15 stages of entertainment including musicians, magicians, jugglers and jousting. More than 100 artisans will display and sell handcrafted goods in the festival marketplace. 21 and older only are invited to daily pub crawls and mead tastings. This week’s theme is “Shamrocks and Shenanigans.”
$20.95, $12.95 ages 5-12, 4 and younger free. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Bay Area Renaissance Festival, 12838 Auton Road, Dade City. 800-601-4848.
Reggae Rise Up Festival: The
four-day reggae music festival features 311 and Dispatch (Thursday), Rebolution, Sublime and Rome (Friday), Damian Marley and Koffee (Saturday) and Wiz Khalifa and Dirty Heads (Sunday). Gates open at 4 p.m. Thursday and noon Friday-Sunday. $70 and up. Vinoy Park, 701 Bayshore Drive NE, St. Petersburg.
Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival: Running weekends through May 21, kiosks around the park will have small plates, cocktails and wine and craft beers, and there is a concert series. This week features SWV on Saturday and Dustin Lynch on Sunday. Concerts are included with admission; food and drinks extra. A 10-item sampler lanyard
is $70 and a 15-item pass is $85. Food stations are open noon-10 p.m. Saturday and noon-9 p.m. Sunday. Busch Gardens, 10165 McKinley Drive, Tampa. 813-8844386.
Innings Festival: The baseball-themed spring training celebration for music lovers at Raymond James Stadium has headliners Imagine Dragons and Dave Matthews Band. Weezer, Pitbull, The Avett Brothers, Marcus Mumford, The Revivalists and Japanese Breakfast are also part of the 15-artist lineup. The bands perform over three stages with no overlapping sets. There will also be family-friendly baseball-themed activities and appearances from Major League Baseball players including John Kruk and Wade Boggs. $110-$725. 1-11 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Raymond James Stadium grounds, Tampa. inningsfestival.com/florida.
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Zoppé: An Italian Family Circus: This 175-year-old European circus has been run by the Zoppé family for eight generations. The 500-seat show includes bareback riding, equestrian stunts, dog talent, clowning, acrobats and jugglers. $25-$45. 7 p.m. today, 4 and 7 p.m. Thursday. Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive. 727-586-7415.
Mornings with the Maestro: Enjoy a light lunch as Maestro Mark Sforzini guides you through the backstory of Beethoven’s “Fidelio.” Includes a meet and greet with the St. Petersburg Opera cast. $35. 11 a.m. Friday.
St. Petersburg Opera Co., 2145 First Ave. S. 727-823-2040.
Wicked: The Broadway sensation looks at what happened in the Land of Oz, but from the perspective of a young woman born with emerald-green skin. $53.75 and up. 7:30 p.m. today-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N Macinnes Place, Tampa. 813-229-7827.
Misery: “Misery” follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, and wakes up captive in her secluded home. $34.50. 8 p.m. today-Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday. David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N Macinnes Place, Tampa. 813-229-7827
Miss Gay Southern Belle USofA and Miss Gay Southern Belle USofA Newcomer: Amy DeMilo and Daphne Ferraro host the “Show Us Your Wild Side”-themed preliminaries to the Miss Gay USofA and Miss Gay USofA Newcomer pageant with an appearance by Kennedy Davenport (Miss Gay USofA 2019 and Miss Heart of Florida 2022). Contestants will be judged on interview, talent and evening gown and compete for titles, prizes and more than $10,000 cash. $15. 6 p.m. Sunday. Southern Nights, 1401 E Seventh Ave., Tampa. 813-559-8625.
Classic Movie Night: The indoor and outdoor vintage
cocktail lounge hosts a classic movie night with free popcorn and $7 movie-themed cocktails. This week features “Road House.” 8 p.m. today. Lost and Found, 2420 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.
Fun Home: The 2015 Tony Award-winning musical is based on the life and coming-out story of real-life lesbian cartoonist and graphic novelist Alison Bechdel. $27, $24 seniors/students. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Carrollwood Players, 4333 Gunn Highway, Tampa. 813-265-4000.
Day Out With Thomas: Families can take a 20-minute interactive train ride featuring a talking Thomas the Tank Engine locomotive. Includes a Color Corner, playtime with Thomas and Friends toys, temporary tattoos, photos with Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt, a hayride, inflatables, lawn games, magic, live music and a popup shop. $16$20. Runs hourly from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Florida Railroad Museum, 12210 83rd St. E, Parrish. 941-776-0906.
Tampa Jazz Club: A centennial celebration of groundbreak-
ing guitarist Wes Montgomery, featuring the LaRue Nickelson Quartet. $20, $15 members, $10 students, HCC students free. 3 p.m. Sunday. HCC Performing Arts Ybor City, 1411 E 11th Ave., Tampa. 727-772-6947.
Trashy Treasures: The Dunedin Fine Art Center cleans its closets for this art auction with live music, free hot dogs and one free drink (Saturday) and a massive art garage sale (Sunday). Benefits the center. $10 Saturday, free Sunday. 6-8 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Dunedin Fine Art Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd. 727-298-3322.
Healthy Family Fair: The 10th annual health and wellness resource fair features food exhibits, food trucks, entertainment and local community resources. LIBERTY Dental Plan will give out free dental kits and dental health information. Free. 11 a.m.3 p.m. Saturday. Water Works Park, 1701 N Highland Ave., Tampa.
BY SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE Times Staff Writer
The Topgolf Live tour is coming to Raymond James Stadium, allowing golfers to shank a golf ball from the upper levels of the stadium to targets on the field below.
The event will run May 4-7, and tickets are on sale at topgolflive. com and ticketmaster.com.
“Players will hit golf balls at on-field targets placed between 40 and 120 yards from the tee box. Utilizing Toptracer technology, each shot is traced and instantly scored,” a news release from the Tampa Sports Authority said. “Players will tee off from the south plaza of the stadium and take aim at targets staged throughout the field.”
Tee times are reserved in onehour increments. Prices start at $60 per person for a bay of six people. VIP tickets start at $165 and include two drink tickets, one Topgolf Lifetime Membership, one Topgolf Live black clover hat, $10 off a Topgolf Gameplay Card and a behindthe-scenes tour of Raymond James Stadium, including the Bucs locker room and the stadium’s famous pirate ship.
Special safety protocols will be implemented, the announcement said, including disinfecting golf clubs, tables and hitting bays between tee times, plus washing golf balls after play and before they’re used again.
when the Topgolf Live tour comes to Tampa in May.
Get ready to drop it like it’s hot. Snoop Dogg is returning to Tampa this summer — and he’s bringing some friends.
The High School Reunion tour will hit the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at 6 p.m. Aug. 12. Snoop is co-headlining the 33-date run with Wiz Khalifa.
The tour lineup also includes Too $hort, Warren G and Berner.
DJ Drama is also listed as a special guest. No word on whether or not Snoop is bringing bestie Martha Stewart.
Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.
Contact Gabrielle Calise at gcalise@ tampabay.com or 813-591-0548. Follow @gabriellecalise.
Get in the mood for love, St. Petersburg.
Artist and activist Lisa Marie Thalhammer is “painting this world a rainbow” with The LOVE Mural tour and is kicking it off in St. Petersburg at The Body Electric Yoga Company (3015 Seventh St. N) on Monday.
Jenny Miller, co-owner of The Body Electric, posted the news on Facebook.
Thalhammer and her team will
paint rainbow murals in all 50 U.S. states throughout 2023 and 2024. The project “honors the beautiful diversity of our world and connects us through the power of public art. It is through love that we can come together to solve our world’s most challenging issues, empowering us to listen and value one another,” according to Thalhammer’s website, lisamariestudio.com.
It’s timed for the next U.S. presidential election in an effort to heal division.
The original LOVE mural was painted in Washington, D.C.’s Blagden Alley. According to the website, the project contributed to the economic growth of the neighborhood and is now an internationally known destination, bringing visitors like Lady Gaga. The mural trends on social media with messages of acceptance.
So, why St. Petersburg? Miller was acquainted with Thalhammer when they both lived in Washington, D.C. Thalhammer reached out to Miller for a recommendation on the Florida stop of the tour.
Miller and co-owner Katelyn Grady had been wanting a mural at The Body Electric, and now that they are in the process of buying the building, the opportunity made sense.
“We feel like the rainbow LOVE message aligns with what we’re about at The BE,” Miller said in an email. “It might seem simplistic, but look around at all the hate around us right now. We want people to look at this art and feel affirmed, and like they belong. And being a queer-owned business, it really resonates.”
Miller noted that Thalhammer is also a yogi and said that she told them her concept came in part from her training as a yoga teacher.
Following the U.S. tour, Thalhammer plans to take the project to all seven continents between 2025 and 2029. She intends to bring the mural to the international space station in 2030.
Contact Maggie Duffy at mduffy@ tampabay.com or 727-893-8572. Follow @maggiedalexis.
BY MAGGIE DUFFY Times Staff Writer
Shantay, you stay! The world’s largest drag production, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” is sashaying into Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall on June 23 with the Werq the World tour.
The live version of the popular competition television show is only for adults 18 and older.
The show features performers Asia O’Hara, Bosco, DeJa Skye, Jujubee, Lady Camden, Laganja, Vanessa Vanjie Mateo and select finalists from Season 15 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The lineup
is subject to change.
Tickets range from $43.25 to $103.25 and are on sale now. A limited number of Gold Circle seats are available for $123.25 and $153.25. Tickets can be purchased by calling 727-791-7400 or visiting rutheckerdhall.com. The Raymond James Central Ticket Office at Ruth Eckerd Hall is open noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and two hours prior to show time.
Contact Maggie Duffy at mduffy@ tampabay.com or 727-893-8572.
Follow @maggiedalexis.
Sophia Alvarez was so excited at the prospect of seeing Taylor Swift, who brings her tour to Tampa next month for three sold-out shows. When she received a GroupMe message that someone was selling three tickets for the April 15 performance at Raymond James Stadium, Alvarez jumped at the chance.
It’s been a tough ticket to land. Swift apologized after the crush of fans attempting to buy tickets overwhelmed the ticketing system when they first went on sale. Anyone who wasn’t fortunate enough to score tickets directly has had to go through ticket brokers or private parties.
Alvarez tried to buy from a private party. That turned out to be a mistake.
The person selling the tickets sent Alvarez a personal photo and their University of Florida Gator ID, and Alvarez did the same. She haggled the price down to $450 for the three tickets.
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Tickets to see the singer-songwriter in concert are hard to find. Don’t get taken.
Alvarez, 18, said she sent $50 to the seller through the money-transaction app Zelle, agreeing to send the rest after she received the tickets. The tickets would never come. Alvarez was scammed.
She got a message from her bank telling her that she was a victim of fraud. Her mother, Lisbeth Alvarez, went to the UF Directory to look up the student who was attempting to sell the tickets and found a different phone number than the one her daughter was texting.
After speaking to the student’s mother, they realized that the student was also a victim of a scammer and that their identification had been cloned by someone posing as the student.
“Two students reached out to her to inquire where the tickets were that they bought from her when in fact she did not sell any tickets nor collect any money,” her mother said.
And because Alvarez sent her ID to someone else, the cycle has continued. She got threatening messages from people scammed out of their money, thinking that Alvarez was to blame.
Alvarez filed a police report and eventually got her money back through the bank. But it serves as a cautionary tale about buying tickets from third parties. Learning the do’s and don’ts of online buying can make the difference between losing money and actually seeing Taylor Swift.
Gracey Davis, 19, is a UF student and a huge Taylor Swift fan. So big that to buy merchandise, she joins many Taylor Swift fan groups on Facebook. These groups constantly share information about possible scams. In doing so, she has learned her fair share of tips so that buyers do not get scammed.
“Always use PayPal goods and services when buying or selling,” Davis said.
“You can typically tell when people are scamming when they refuse to use it. It charges a small fee to the seller, but it guarantees that you can file a claim to get your money back
if something goes wrong,” she said.
Actions like refusing to use PayPal, misspelling words, unresponsiveness and asking for the buyer to pay the fee to the seller for goods and services are all typical red flags.
The payment request is also key. If a seller suspects the buyer is pulling back, they may suggest that the buyer send half the amount of money before they send the tickets, and the other half after. But at that point, if the money is transferred the scammer can just ignore or block the buyer.
“I also recommend that if buying through Facebook groups, don’t use a marketplace chat room. The seller can block you and be protected by the chat room so you can’t do anything to report them,” Davis said.
Check how long the seller has been in the group. People who always make scam accounts will come in selling things for low prices after joining and fly under the radar because they are new. While this is not always true, always check out their personal account history to figure out how long it’s been active. If it is brand new, it could be a scam.
Kemper Reback is a UF student who was almost scammed by a GroupMe infiltrator. She wanted to get Taylor Swift tickets for her and her younger sisters, so she messaged a guy she saw in a GroupMe chat selling tickets for one of the Tampa shows.
The seller wouldn’t call her and sent a cropped generic screenshot of the tickets that could be easily found online. He then became angry when Reback declined to send him money without a proper way to verify the tickets. Suspicious, Reback didn’t go through with it.
“It’s sad that someone would go to that length of a story to scam a student. You can tell it’s sketchy when the person is being super rushed and pushy toward you to send the money,” Reback said.
As for Alvarez? She still hasn’t landed tickets to any of the shows.
Debra Garcia is a junior journalism student at the University of Florida. She reported this story for a class assignment. She is from Tampa.
St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday this year, so feel free to eat, drink, dance and partake in general shenanigans. You can rest up on Saturday, or spend a few hours at the annual River O’Green Fest in downtown Tampa, where the Hillsborough River will turn green. Here are dozens of ways to celebrate leprechauns, pots of gold and everything Irish in the Tampa Bay area.
St. Patrick’s Day Fun Run: Dress like a leprechaun for this 5K run with a green beer afterward. Free. 6:30 p.m. today. 3 Daughters Brewing, 222 22nd St S, St. Petersburg. 727-495-6002.
Pre-St. Patrick’s Day Alien Green Skate: Wear green for family-friendly skating with face painting, hairspray and an inflatable bouncer. There will be free soda, green pizza and cotton candy for the first hour. $7. 6:30-8:30 p.m. today. Astro Skate, 10001 66th St. N, Pinellas Park. 727-546-0018.
The Spirit of Ireland: Irish Whiskey: This tasting of small and rare batch whiskeys pays tribute to trees from Greek mythology. $55. 6-7 p.m. Thursday. VOM FASS
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Wiregrass, 28249 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel. 813-907-2167.
St. Patrick’s Day Glow Yoga: Wear neon green or white for a lighthearted session of yoga in the dark with blacklights on. $20, members free. 7 p.m. Thursday. Keystone Yoga, 119 W Windhorst Road, Brandon. 570-401-2416.
St. Patrick’s Day McArthur’s: Doors open at 10 a.m. and the music starts at 11 with performances by Brayzen Heads, Pat Dunlea, Newfie Style and the Suncoast United Pipes and Drums. There will also be Irish food and cold pints. 21 and older only. $10. 10 a.m. Friday. McArthur’s Irish Pub, 8246 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. 727-914-7474.
The Boondock Saints: Catch a screening of the 1999 film in which two Irish Catholic twin brothers bring a bloody brand of vigilante justice against Boston’s Russian mafia and crime lord in an attempt to win back the streets.
$8. 7:30-10:30 p.m. Thursday, 7-10 p.m. Friday. Screen Door Cinema: Kress Annex, 1624 E Seventh Ave., Tampa.
St. Patrick’s Day with Sunshine State All American Goddess and Gent: This night of trivia features live performances by representatives of the Sunshine State AAG court including Delores T. Van-Cartier, Rockell Blu, Dane Decardeza and Killian Seth McGan. Includes St. Patrick’s Day-themed cocktails and a raffle. Green attire requested. Benefits entertainer expenses to travel to the National All American Goddess and Gent Contest. No cover. 10 p.m. Thursday. Quench Lounge, 13284 66th St. N, Largo. 727-754-5900.
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Paddy Fest St. Pete: Put on your green and celebrate Irish traditions with food, drinks, live music, yard games, food trucks, a vendor market, TVs broadcasting March Madness basketball games and Irish dance performances. Admission includes one green beer and benefits Ocean Aid 360. 21 and older only after 5 p.m. $5. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday. Williams Park, 350 Second Ave. N, St. Petersburg.
St. Patrick’s Day Four Green Fields: There will be pub food, giveaways and rebel hits by the Gobshites. No cover. 11 a.m. Friday. Four Green Fields, 802 N 12th St., Tampa. 813-254-4444.
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration: Get ready for drink specials and music by Big Brother (2:30 p.m.) and the Fulcos (7 p.m.). No cover. 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday. Hurricane Eddie’s, 5413 Shore Blvd. S, Gulfport. 727-592-4983.
St. Patrick’s Day Party: Enjoy a plate of corned beef and cabbage ($7.50) with complimentary soda
bread. Wash it down with a pint of Guinness or black and tan ($6 each). There’s also a performance by Irish Duet with Anna Dean at 8 p.m. No cover. 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday. Mick’s Pub, 2140 Drew St., Clearwater. 727-461-0121.
Stay and Play St. Patrick’s Day: Children can create a St. Patrick’s Day-themed craft, then play on the indoor playground. Free. 10 a.m. Friday. Westfield Countryside mall, 27001 U.S. 19 N, Clearwater. 727-796-1079.
St. Patrick’s Day Bar548: Bar548 will be slinging Car Bomb Drivers and Guinness pints all day and night. No cover. Starts at 11 a.m. Friday. Bar548, 548 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-914-7424. St. Patrick’s Day Festival: Shorty Shane from the MJ Morning Show makes a guest appearance at this festival with music by the Hurricane Shane Band, Irish dancers, bagpipers, corned beef and cabbage, green beer and lawn games. No cover. 11 a.m.-midnight Friday. O’Keefe’s Tavern, 1219 S Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater. 727-442-9034.
St. Patrick’s Day Three Day: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day for three days at this outdoor tent festival with corned beef and cabbage, green beer and music by the Irish Ramblers, Blue Skye Drums and Bagpipes and Randy McNeeley (Friday), Irish Ramblers, DJ Chaz and Chas Collins (Saturday) and 301 Travelers (Sunday). $10 (good for all three days). 11 a.m.-6
p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday, 2-6 p.m. Sunday. Salty Shamrock, 6186 N U.S. 41, Apollo Beach. 813938-5282.
Seabreeze St. Patrick’s Day Weekend: The three-day party features green beer, corned beef and cabbage, specialty cocktails and live music (Saturday and Sunday only). No cover. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Seabreeze Island Grill, 17855 Gulf Blvd., Redington Shores. 727-498-8688.
St. Paddy’s Weekend Festival: The three-day party will feature green beer, corned beef and cabbage, a scavenger hunt and live music. Free (RSVP required on Eventbrite). 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Sunday. The Original Crabby Bill’s, 401 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach. 727-595-4825.
JD’s St. Patrick’s Day Weekend: Enjoy three days of corned beef and cabbage, green beer, specialty cocktails and live music. No cover. 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday. JD’s Restaurant and Lounge, 125 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach. 727-595-1320.
Guilty St. Paddy’s Day Weekend: Do a jig and grab some green beer at this party with corned beef and cabbage, a scavenger hunt and drink specials. Free (RSVP required on Eventbrite). 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Sunday. Guilty Sea Sports Pub, 301 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach. 727-361-2220.
St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival: One of the bay area’s largest parties features a lineup of entertainment including the Dunedin Pipe Band (noon-12:20 p.m.), Lucid Druid (12:30-1:45 p.m.), Gilleoghan
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Irish Dancers (1:45-2:15 p.m.), Peter Robinson (2:30-3:45 p.m.), My Three Kilts (4-6 p.m.), First of the Day (6:15-7:45 p.m.) and Mac Tier (8-10 p.m.). Free. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday. Flanagan’s Irish Pub, 465 Main St., Dunedin. 727-401-3477.
St. Patrick’s Day Lunch
Cruise: Wear your best green attire and celebrate the luck of the Irish on a two-hour cruise with a buffet, cash bar and DJ dancing. $39.95-$104.95. 11:30 a.m. Friday. Yacht StarShip, 603 Channelside Drive, Tampa. 813-223-7999.
Stilt House St. Patrick’s Day: Sip on a pint of Magically Delicious or a yet-to-be-named Irish Coffee Stout as you listen to music by Cerulean Songbird (6-8 p.m.). No cover. Noon-midnight Friday. Stilt House Brewery, 625 Alt. U.S. 19, Palm Harbor. 727-270-7373.
St. Patrick’s Day Weekend
Party: Mastry’s parties for three days with Irish food, beer specials and music by Gruvas and The Gearz. No cover. Noon-9 p.m.
Friday-Sunday. Mastry’s Brewing, 7701 Blind Pass Road, St. Pete Beach. 727-202-8045.
No Vacancy St. Patrick’s Day: No Vacancy changes its favorite color to green for a party with Irish food, $4 Green Beer, $6 Guinness, $7 Jameson and Green Tea Shots and $8 Car Bombs. No cover. Noon-3 a.m. Friday. No Vacancy, 937 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-308-7878.
St. Paddy’s Day Bash: Grab your bagpipes and naughty green outfits and join other leprechauns for a party with possible activities including a dunk tank, giant inflatables, a T. rex fight and more. $10.40-$38. 1-9 p.m. Friday. Park & Rec DTSP, 100 Fourth St. S, St. Petersburg. 727-245-9100.
Shamrock Shakedown: Get to the beer garden for craft beer, green cocktails, Irish food and music by the DeLeon Band. Free. 3-11 p.m. Friday. Florida Avenue Brewing Co., 2029 Arrowgrass Drive, Wesley Chapel. 813-4526333.
Lucky’s St. Patrick’s Day Crawl: Get a free shot or drink on the sixth annual crawl with free
stadium cups to the first 400, food and drink specials, professional photographers and an after-party. $15-$20. 4 p.m.-midnight Friday. James Joyce Irish Pub & Eatery, 1724 E Eighth Ave., Tampa. 813247-1896.
Downtown Tampa St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl: Join Downtown Crawlers for a bar crawl with more than 10 stops. It includes five free welcome shots, drink specials, a costume contest and professional photos. $15$20. 4-11 p.m. Friday. American Social, 601 S Harbour Island Blvd., Tampa. 813-605-3333.
St. Patrick’s Day Dirty Laundry: DJ Tiptonic provides the music for this party with $8 Jameson Picklebacks (regular or habanero) and $10 Black Widows (Jameson, elderflower and angostura). No cover. 5 p.m. Friday. Dirty Laundry, 1742 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-493-0040.
Lost St. Patrick’s Day: “Get Luck and Get Lost for St. Patrick’s Day” with $7 Jameson, Guinness, Green Tea Shots and Gaelic Grasshoppers. Also, music by DJ Danny
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Vintage. No cover. 5 p.m. Friday. Lost and Found, 2420 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-289-4204.
St. Patrick’s Day Beach Volleyball Tournament: A coed four-on-four recreational beach volleyball tournament with food and music. $120 per team. 5-9 p.m. Friday. Woodlawn Park, 1450 16th St. N, St. Petersburg.
St. Patrick’s Day Arts and Crafts for Kids: Enjoy snacks and other treats before you make crafts and participate in a “Pots of Gold” scavenger hunt. Free (RSVP on Eventbrite required). 5-7 p.m. Friday. The Way to Happiness Association Tampa Bay, 33 N Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater.
St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt: Families and kids can search the museum on this Irishthemed scavenger hunt. Free (RSVP on Eventbrite required). 5-7 p.m. Friday. Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida, 109 N Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater. Crooked Thumb Party: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the beer garden with music by the New Rulers (6-9 p.m.), shepherd’s pie, bangers and an Irish Coffee Stout release. No cover. Starts at 5 p.m. Friday. Crooked Thumb Brewery, 555 10th Ave. S, Safety Harbor. 727-
724-5953.
St. Patrick’s Day Mickey Quinn’s: Celebrate like a pirate at this party with music by the Surfin’ Raccoons, costumed pirates, food and green beer. No cover. 6 p.m. Friday. Mickey Quinn’s, 13071 Park Blvd. N, Seminole. 727-393-9510.
Safety Harbor St. Patrick’s Day: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and Third Friday with music by Hard Drawn. No cover. 6-10 p.m. Friday. Troubled Waters Brewing, 670 Main St., Safety Harbor. 727221-9973.
St. Patrick’s Day Vendor Market: Listen to music as you shop from 13 vendors. Wear green for deals on kava and food. No cover.
6 p.m.-midnight Friday. Cosmic Fish, 5944 34th St. N, St. Petersburg. 727-329-9606.
Not Your Average St. Patrick’s Day: This party on the Port Richey bayou features green Miller Lite draft, a visit by the Miller Lite Street Team, Miller merchandise, live music, a love broadcast by Marvelous Marvin and character appearances. Free. 6:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday. Bayou Entertainment District, Treadway Drive, Port Richey.
Wiley House Concert: International recording artist JD Eicher, who has appeared with Maroon 5, Coldplay, Train, Sister Hazel and more, performs a St.
Jim Lunda of Duluth, Minnesota, sports a green beard and other festive items during Flanagan’s Irish Pub’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival in Dunedin in 2015.
Patrick’s Day concert. $35. 7 p.m. Friday. MUSIC4LIFE Living Arts Center,1204 Rogers St., Clearwater. 727-385-9769.
St. Patrick’s Day Dance: Wear green and dance to music by Albie. Cuban sandwiches will be available for purchase. $12. 7:30-10:30 p.m. Friday. Tampa Bay Dance Club, 8401 W Hillsborough Ave., Tampa. 813-390-7160.
St. Patrick’s Day Bogota: It’s shamrocks and shenanigans with music by Comin’ in Hot. No cover.
7:30-10:30 p.m. Friday. Bogota Kitchen and Bar, 917 11th St., Palm Harbor. 727-754-5047.
Krate St. Patrick’s Day: The Rich Sheldon Band plays modern American roots rock for a St. Patrick’s Day party at the 46 concept entertainment complex. No cover. 7:30-10 p.m. Friday. Krate at the Grove, 5817 Wesley Grove Blvd., Wesley Chapel.
St. Patrick’s Day Grunge Party: Get your Irish on with music by ’90s rock-alternative-grunge band Rivals and Villains. 8-11 p.m. Friday. Wild Rover Brewing Company, 13921 Lynmar Blvd., Tampa. 813-475-5995.
Alien Green Out Skate: Wear a green shirt and enjoy free green pizza and green cotton candy until 9 p.m. Middle and high school students can compete for “most green” for a $50 cash prize. $9.
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8-11 p.m. Friday. Astro Skate, 10001 66th St. N, Pinellas Park. 727-5460018. Also taking place at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs and Brandon.
St. Paddy’s Day Dance Social: A practice party and social with ballroom and Latin dancing. $10, members free. 8 p.m. Friday. Studio 131, 11803 104th St., Largo. 727386-9639.
Sweet Spot St. Patrick’s Day: Find your “lucky charms” as the Third Friday Meet and Mingle turns into a St. Patrick’s Day party with music by Latraia Savage and The All-Stars. No cover. 8 p.m. Friday. White Room Bar and Lounge, 6472 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes.
St. Patrick’s Day Rock Party: Food, drinks and “Shamrock and Roll” by the 727’s Band. No cover. 9 p.m. Friday. Cowboy Corral Bar and Grill, 6250 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater. 727386-5430.
St. Patrick’s House Takeover: Wear green for shot and drink specials at this party with house music by DJs RiichMusic, Geecee, Flowting, Jawnney, Lextacy and AL3MENT. $10-$15. 9 p.m.-3 a.m. Friday. Pegasus Lounge, 14811 N Florida Ave., Tampa. 813-971-1679.
St. Patrick’s Day Kiz Social: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day dancing salsa or Kiz style. $10. 9:30 p.m.1:30 a.m. Friday. Dancin’ Motion School of the Arts, 3932 W Hillsborough Ave., Tampa. 813-7849991.
River O’Green Fest: The annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration honoring the dyeing of the Hillsborough River features music by Paddy O’Furniture and Irish Buskers, children’s activities, food trucks and, of course, beer. Free. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N Ashley Drive, Tampa. 813-274-8615.
St. Patrick’s Day Bicycle Loop Ride: A 3.8-mile family-friendly bicycle ride with a best-dressed contest. After-party includes drinks, food specials, live music and face painting. Free. 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. 3460 Starkey Blvd., New Port Richey.
St. Patrick’s Day Anniver -
sary Celebration: Conworlds Emporium combines St. Patrick’s Day and its one-year anniversary celebration for a party with free corned beef and cabbage, corned beef sandwiches, cookies and drinks. There will also be crafts, games and specials. No cover. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday. Conworlds Emporium, 9 S Safford Ave., Tarpon Springs. 727-314-3102.
Dunedin St. Patrick’s Day Run and Green Party: The annual 5K run with an after-party benefits Finish Lines for Scholarships. $50. 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. House of Beer Brewing Co., 931 Huntley Ave., Dunedin. 727216-6318.
St. Patrick’s Day Weekend
Brunch and Bar Crawl: Enjoy a buffet-style brunch with bottomless mimosas before a 10-stop bar crawl with free shot at five stops. Includes drink specials and a costume contest. $25-$60. Noon-8 p.m. Saturday. The Patio, 421 S MacDill Ave., Tampa. 813-8737846.
Armature Works St. Patrick’s Day Party: Let the fun begin with green beer, live music, food trucks, performances and photo ops. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome. Free. 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Armature Works, 1910 N Ola Ave., Tampa. 813-250-3725.
Good Luck Charm: Wear some green and join DJ MT, Jazzy Jeff, DJ Blackhaze, Dreesey Baby and Tony Go Hard to party with food and drink specials. Free-$15.
5-9:30 p.m. Saturday. 7th + Grove, 1930 E Seventh Ave., Tampa. 813649-8422.
St. Patrick’s Day Dance: Dress in German or Irish attire and dance to music by Eva Adams. $7-$10. 6-11 p.m. Saturday. German American Society of Pinellas County, 8098 66th St. N, Pinellas Park. 727-350-6520.
St. Patrick’s T-Dance: Ceazia Giovanni Kreshe (2023 Royal Court) stars in this dance and show with guests Fatalya (2020 Royal Court) and King Cass (2022 Royal Court). Also, music by DJ Greg Anderson and a raffle. Benefits Come Out St. Pete. No cover.
4-6 p.m. Sunday. Salty Nun, 2501 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727329-9994.
TAMPA — It’s impossible to miss the lush green plant wall and bright purple flowers hugging the white veranda and front porch of the house on Nebraska Avenue.
Inside, bubblegum pink chairs sit snug along a white bar, which faces a colorful mural featuring tropical plants and bright fuchsia flowers. There’s the champagne room, which glows with glittering sparkle lights. And then there’s the “gold room,” outfitted with metallic gold 3D tiling and sultry pink lighting.
One thing is for sure: Coasis, a new restaurant and salon now open in Seminole Heights, is ready for the ’gram.
The new spot, which opened recently at 7701 N Nebraska Ave., is a joint venture from co-owners
a hybrid
approach from Gardner and Gergle. Gardner is helming the kitchen, alongside executive chef Kendall Ivy, while Gergle, a local beauty professional who owns B. Blaze Hair Boutique, plans to open a salon upstairs.
The duo, who are also a couple, had talked about owning a business together for some time. Gardner is known for her popular food truck Three Generations, which she’s run for several years in St. Petersburg, including a short stint at the 22 South Food Hall inside the Historic Manhattan Casino.
Though the pair live in St. Petersburg, they were eventually swayed by the Seminole Heights neighborhood and its proximity to other bars and restaurants. Gergle purchased the building and the pair have been renovating the space for the last year, finally opening their doors on Feb. 25.
Fans of Gardner’s food truck menu will be happy to see a lot of repeat performances, especially on the brunch menu, which features more upscale spins on some of her most popular dishes, including a French toast made here with pound cake, bruleed bananas and salted caramel whipped cream, and the truffle chimichurri lamb chops served with a citrus salsa.
For dinner, starters include char-grilled oysters, served with a Cajun garlic Parmesan sauce and jerk butter; shrimp ceviche with a black pepper mango puree and plantain chips; and a grilled Cae-
sar salad. Larger plates include a bone-in cowboy ribeye or tenderloin filet, each served with a choice of “enhancements,” including black garlic blue cheese truffle butter and a Cajun crawfish sauce. There’s also a marinated grilled whole snapper, served with fried okra and a tomato brown stew, and sides like bruleed sweet mashed potatoes, Gouda and cheddar mac and cheese, asparagus with a bacon chili oil and garlic Parmesan truffle fries.
For dessert, the short menu includes a warm brownie, served with salted caramel, pecans, chocolate chips and vanilla ice cream, and a vanilla creme brulee.
Gergle said they envision the space to include a lively bar scene in addition to the restaurant, which boasts a full bar and cock-
tail program, helmed by bar manager Lauren Reese. The cocktail menu features tropical-leaning drinks like the Holy Smokin Coconuts, made with mezcal, pineapple, lime, coconut and mint, and the Espress ya-self — a play on the espresso martini made with tequila (instead of vodka) and espresso liqueur, espresso and a salted vanilla syrup.
The restaurant, 7701 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa, is currently open for dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and for brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Contact Helen Freund at hfreund@ tampabay.com or 727-893-8310. Follow @HelenFreund. She dines unannounced and the Times pays all expenses.
BY MAGGIE DUFFY Times Staff Writer
Sea Grapes, a St. Pete Beach destination for wine, is expanding its menu under the helm of chef Alex Rodriguez.
Julie Featherston and John Barkett opened the wine lounge last year, offering light food along with drinks. It reopened with a new menu and name, Sea Grapes Eatery + Wine Lounge, last week.
Featherston and Barkett opened Sea Grapes because they live on the beach and saw a void for elevated offerings. They had always wanted Rodriguez to be the chef, but things didn’t line up until now.
With his wife Kelly Rodriguez-Laureano, Rodriguez owns Lolita’s Wine Market in St. Petersburg. They also own Sammy + Paco’s, which now functions as a catering venue for Lolita’s, but Rodriguez said there are more plans in the works for that space on St. Petersburg’s Fifth Avenue N. Rodriguez said he and Barkett talked about filling a niche on the beach in terms of food, service
and value. He hopes Sea Grapes becomes a destination where people still feel comfortable, but with a more “sexy” experience.
Sea Grapes shares space with Barkett’s real estate firm. Featherston said the idea was to show potential home buyers what a luxury experience on the beach feels like.
The space has been reworked to allow for more comfortable dining with the full menu. A glass-encased room with a handmade monkeywood table and a wall of high-end boutique wines is available for reservation.
A sommelier will be on staff to guide guests through wine varieties.
“We’re staying true to our roots,” Featherston said. “We’ve always been very driven by trying to encourage people to open up their palate. So we are keeping the varietals that are a little bit more unique and uncommon to be able to offer people as well.”
Rodriguez is from Puerto Rico,
See WINE, 19TB
continued from 18TB
and worked under celebrated chef Jose Andres in Miami. At Lolita’s, the fare is Spanish-Mediterranean tapas, but at Sea Grapes, he wanted to incorporate tropical Florida ingredients and Latin and Caribbean flavors into the menu.
The new menu includes small plates of shrimp ceviche, Wagyu beef carpaccio and crab cake croquettes. Shareables include a coconut green curry paella, guava-chipotle pork belly and jerk lamb lollipops. For dessert, key lime brulee and a chocolate tres leches cake round out the menu.
Also new is a menu of winebased cocktails, including a mar-
garita, mojito and the ever-popular espresso martini.
There will be weekly specials to mix up the menu and Sunday brunch in the future, Rodriguez said.
“This is more like my roots ... I really am passionate about cooking this style of food,” he said. “There are so many things to explore.”
Sea Grapes Eatery + Wine Lounge is open 5-9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 4-8 p.m. Sunday. 6390 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach. Call 727-500-0052 for reservations. seagrapes-winebar.com.
One of my favorite little spots to grab breakfast and a coffee during the week is Uptown Eats in St. Petersburg. The restaurant at 689 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N took over the space formerly home to Banyan Cafe and features a menu of tasty homemade pastries, breakfast and lunch dishes (including one of the best breakfast sandwiches in town).
Recently, I popped in for brunch on a Saturday, which was an entirely different vibe. This place
gets busy. Like, really busy. When we arrived around 11 a.m. there was already a line that stretched out the door. Obviously I’m not the only one with a soft spot for this place. (The restaurant was also recently named one of the top 100 restaurants in the U.S. by Yelp.)
Guests order at the counter here and grab a seat at one of the tables inside or on the shaded outdoor sidewalk patio. My favorite seat in the house? The cozy window booth, which works well for a bigger group and provides some great people-watching opportunities outside.
Here’s what we got:
The Uptown ($10): One of my favorite breakfast sandwiches around, the version here features a fried egg, white cheddar
HELEN
The Uptown breakfast sandwich at Uptown Eats in St. Petersburg features a fried egg, white cheddar and Uptown sauce on a griddled brioche bun with bacon, collard greens and tomatoes.
and Uptown sauce on a griddled brioche bun with cracked-pepper bacon, sauteed smoky collard greens and tomatoes. Get it with a side of the roasted breakfast potatoes and you’ve got yourself a solid brunch.
Jam on It breakfast sandwich ($10): This sandwich fuses a little bit of sweet, salty and savory with a fried egg, Gouda, spinach, Canadian bacon (or Spam) and a
MARTHA
The Jam on It breakfast sandwich consists of a fried egg, Gouda, spinach, Canadian bacon (or Spam) and a raspberry, black pepper, honey and lemon jam on a griddled brioche bun.
raspberry, black pepper, honey and lemon jam on a griddled brioche bun.
689 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, Suite D, St. Petersburg. 727810-3287. uptowneatsstpete.com.
Contact Helen Freund at hfreund@ tampabay.com or 727-893-8310. Follow @HelenFreund. She dines unannounced and the Times pays all expenses.
Taste newsletter subscribers get a first look at what Helen Freund is eating each week, plus other exclusive content. To sign up, scan this QR code.
What are the benefits of cooking at home on a regular basis? We all know that you can save money if you shop thoughtfully and have better control over what goes into your food. But the reason I am most grateful that I got comfortable in the kitchen at an early age is that it has provided me with the security of knowing I can feed myself in a thrifty, tasty way.
That’s because one of the side benefits of cooking regularly is that you get more at ease with making food on the fly. After preparing recipe after recipe, you can look in the pantry, scan the refrigerator and see that this plus this plus this could equal something mighty good.
That’s how this Black and White Bean Chicken Chili was born.
I first made it when I had chili on the brain. I’d read through many of the recipes in actor Brian Baumgartner’s “Seriously Good Chili Cookbook” and talked with the actor made famous by the sitcom “The Office” before writing about and testing his “Chili” and another recipe in the book, “Chili Pasta Casserole.”
A couple of weeks later, I roasted a chicken, which we enjoyed, but the next day I wondered what I could make with
the leftovers that would make the chicken seem like a whole other dish. In the pantry, I spied cannellini and black beans.
From reading so many chili recipes, I knew I could get good flavor from a blend of smoked paprika, ground cumin and chili powder, which I had on hand. With the leftover chicken, an onion, some garlic and pickled jalapenos, I had this hot bowl of chili on the table in about 40 minutes.
We ate it with what we had on hand: pickled jalapenos on top and a few charred corn tortillas. It was a thrifty and nourishing meal that was also satisfying and delicious. To create this recipe, I remade it, measuring each ingredient and subbing the pickled jalapenos for fresh. I also gussied it up a bit more by topping it with fresh avocado slices, cilantro leaves, pico de gallo and crunchy corn chips.
I decided it was a keeper.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion (12 ounces), chopped
2 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed
2 cups no-salt-added chicken broth, plus more as needed
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cooked and shredded (see note)
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed Avocado slices, pico de gallo or salsa, fresh or pickled jalapeno slices, fresh cilantro, and/ or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
In a medium pot over mediumhigh heat, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapenos and cook, stirring, until softened, another 2 minutes, then add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
Add the paprika, cumin, chili powder and salt, stir to combine and cook for 1 more minute. Don’t be concerned if the vegetables start to stick a bit, but adjust the heat if they begin to burn.
Add the broth and stir, scraping
up any brown bits. Add half of the white beans, stir and bring to a simmer, so that there are bubbles around the edge of the pot. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
Use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the mixture until smooth. (You also can puree the mixture in a heatproof blender: To prevent splatters, be careful to not fill it more than halfway, remove the center ring from the lid, and hold a kitchen towel over the opening as you blend.)
Return the pot to medium heat, add the chicken and the remaining white beans and the black beans, and stir to combine. Simmer for about 3 minutes; then taste, adding more salt to taste and more broth to thin if desired.
Note: To make this dish vegan, switch to vegetable broth and substitute pressed, cubed tofu for the chicken. Or, simply add more beans in place of the chicken.
Ladle the chili into bowls and serve hot with your choice of toppings, such as avocado slices, pico de gallo or salsa, fresh or pickled jalapeno slices, fresh cilantro leaves and/or tortilla chips. Makes 4 servings.
BY ELLIE KRIEGER
The Washington Post
I consider myself a guacamole minimalist, typically making mine with just ripe avocado, lime, salt, jalapeno and cilantro, so I was taken aback by how much I enjoyed it embellished with bits of fresh pineapple, pomegranate and chipotle chile at a favorite Mexican restaurant years ago. The contrast of the sweet fruit and spicy, smoky pepper, carried by the creamy avocado, lit me up. Since then, though I stick to my beloved basic recipe most of the time, I have turned to
that fruity-chile combo again and again, not just for guacamole, but as a flavor inspiration for meals such as this one.
In this recipe, all of those guacamole ingredients, plus tender, shredded chicken breast, are layered onto crisped corn tortillas — tostada-style. Rather than being fried, here they are brushed with oil and baked for a more healthful take. The crispy tortillas are then smeared with avocado, which has been mashed with lime and salt, then showered with finely diced fresh pineapple and pomegran -
ate seeds, plus a crunch of jicama or radish. You could switch up the fruit if you’d like — diced mango or grapes would be nice. The spicy element comes into
play as the seasoning for the shredded chicken. To make it, you rub skinless, boneless chicken breast with a chile powder-based spice mixture — I prefer chipo -
tle chile powder because it brings me back to my original guacamole inspiration, but a regular chili powder blend will work, too, with a pinch of cayenne to match the heat of the chipotle. (Use more or less cayenne to taste.) The seasoned chicken is “oven-poached” in a covered baking dish until it is cooked through, a favorite method of mine, which I find to be a foolproof way to achieve perfectly tender “poached” poultry.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle you shred it with forks and stir it with its chile-infused juices, then pile it onto the tostadas. Served topped with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and sprinkled with cilantro, it’s a fun and healthful meal you get to eat with your hands. Be prepared to get messy, in a good way, as you enjoy the confetti of colors and the layers of flavor and textures (crispy, creamy, juicy, sweet and spicy) in this meal that’s anything but basic.
See KRIEGER, 23TB
¾ teaspoon chipotle chile powder, or regular chili powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon fine salt, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness of about ½ inch
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
⅓ cup matchstick-cut pieces of jicama or radish
⅓ cup finely diced fresh pineapple
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
Place the chicken in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and brush it on both sides with 2 teaspoons of the oil. Sprinkle both sides with the spice mixture and rub it in a bit with your fingers so it adheres. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven, uncover and let cool slightly. Transfer to a cutting board and, using two forks, shred the meat, transfer to a bowl and toss with any juices that have accumulated in the pan. Use the same piece of foil to cover the chicken to keep it warm.
Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Brush the tortillas on both sides with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and arrange them across two large, rimmed baking sheets. Toast the tortillas for about 8 minutes, or until crisp. Reduce the oven temperature to 220 degrees to keep the tortillas warm until you are ready to serve.
While the tortillas are warming, in a medium bowl, mash the avocados, the lime juice and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt until smooth.
To serve, spread a warm tortilla with some of the mashed avocado mixture, then top with the jicama or radish, pineapple and pomegranate seeds. Add a mound of the shredded chicken and a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. Garnish with the cilantro leaves and serve right away, with lime wedges on the side. (Keep the remaining tortillas in the oven as you eat the first batch, so they remain warm and crisp for when you’re ready for seconds.)
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving (2 tostadas): calories: 451; total fat: 24g; saturated fat: 3g; cholesterol: 73mg; sodium: 457mg; carbohydrates: 33g; dietary fiber: 9g; sugar: 4g; protein: 29g. This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.
It’s Lent. Which means many are going to be eating a lot of fish, thanks to Friday night fish fries.
If you’d rather avoid the crowds and prepare seafood at home, consider a quick and easy stir-fry.
Simple and satisfying, this colorful rice dish stars salmon, a heart-healthy fish you don’t often find at church fish fires. It includes lots of fresh, crunchy veggies to make it more healthful.
One reason this dish works so well, besides being dairy- and gluten-free, is because it’s custom-
izable: If you don’t like salmon, substitute 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp. The same with the veggies — use whatever’s in your crisper — and garlic, which some (me) can’t get enough of and others steer clear of to avoid heartburn and bad breath.
Don’t worry about using dayold rice. It actually crisps up better than freshly made rice because the dry grains remain separate and absorb more seasoning. I made the dish with brown rice since it’s more nutritious, and removed the skin from the fish.
See SALMON, 25TB
1 pound skinless salmon, cut into bite-sized chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil, divided
2 large eggs, whisked
½ cup thinly sliced green onion
2 medium carrots, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
1 cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
½ red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cold cooked white or brown rice
Toasted sesame seeds or Everything Bagel seasoning, for garnish
Handful of chopped cilantro, for garnish
Pickled ginger, for serving Gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, for serving
If salmon is refrigerated, remove it from fridge 15 minutes prior to cooking. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or deep saute pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add cubed salmon and let it brown on opposite sides until opaque or flaky, 4-5 minutes. Don’t overcrowd the
pan; you may need to cook fish in batches.
When salmon is done, transfer to a plate. Remove pan from heat and wipe out with a paper towel, removing any burnt bits.
Place the pan back over mediumhigh heat and add 2 tablespoons of remaining oil. When oil is hot, stir in eggs. When eggs are finished cooking, about 1 minute, transfer to a plate.
Keeping the pan over medium or medium-high heat, add green onion, carrots, broccoli and red pepper, and cook for about 1 minute, until vegetables are crisptender. Add garlic and stir-fry another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to pan and then the cooked rice, stirring constantly to combine the veggies and garlic with the rice.
When rice is hot, add eggs back to pan and break them up with a spatula to combine with the rice. Remove the pan from heat and gently fold in the salmon.
Transfer fried rice to a platter or individual plates and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro. Serve with pickled ginger and tamari or soy sauce.
Serves 3 to 4.
Source: Adapted from “For the Love of Seafood: 100 Flawless, Flavorful Recipes That Anyone Can Cook” by Karista Bennett (Countryman Press, $35)
Washington Post
A lot of people ask me where I get recipe ideas, and the long, complicated answer is that I get them from many places. Sometimes a recipe in a cookbook sparks my imagination; sometimes a dish at a restaurant inspires me to test a new-to-me flavor combination. Sometimes it’s a lot more abstract —I’ll be at a museum looking at a painting, or reading a book of poetry, and like a flash, an idea will pop into my head.
But my favorite source of inspiration is when I get an idea from a friend. Today’s recipe, for roasted cabbage bowls with quinoa and soft-boiled eggs, evolved from a conversation I had with my friend Julia.
Julia Bainbridge is a writer and author of the book “Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Recipes for When You’re Not Drinking for Whatever Reason.” She’s also a dear friend, so, some weeks ago, when I saw on Instagram that she was making a big batch of roasted cabbage to use in a salad one day and in a rice bowl another, I asked her about it. She explained that it was part of an informal meal plan effort. That week, she’d made a big batch of roasted cabbage, then mixed and remixed it with leftovers into a variety of meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“I’m just one person in my household, plus a whole cabbage is often more than what a recipe calls for, anyway,” Julia says. “Shredding and roasting the rest is a great way to use it up, and it cooks down really nicely.”
Her method is simple: Halve and then slice a whole cabbage into about ½-inch-thick ribbons and toss them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, at which point some of the cabbage will have turned soft and silky, and some of it will have crisped in the heat. Then, add it to virtually anything savory.
Julia tosses it with cold soba noodles and tofu dressed with a drizzle of sesame oil; adds it to salads with radicchio and leftover roasted chicken; sprinkles it over rice with eggs; and stirs it into simple dishes such as pasta e ceci, where the cabbage adds some heft and deep crunch.
“The key to this batch-cooked and then mixed-and-matched approach to building meals is having good sauces and seasonings around,” she says, noting that the blank slate of the roasted cabbage is a versatile base for so many meals.
I developed this recipe with Julia’s roasted cabbage in mind. You start with 2 pounds of cabbage, which is more than you’ll need for these quinoa bowls, and that’s by design. The idea is that the leftover cabbage can sit in a container in your fridge for
the next week as you pull from it for various meals. One of them might be these quinoa bowls with roasted cabbage and soft-boiled eggs. The quinoa gets dressed with raisins and vinegar for an agrodolce effect, and the whole thing gets a finishing sprinkle of furikake.
What to do with the rest of the cabbage? Here are a few ideas:
• Stir it into a pot of brothy beans
• Toss it with lettuce, herbs, lemon juice and olive oil-packed tuna
• Add it to a grain bowl
• Top congee with it plus a drizzle of chili crisp
• Serve it as a side to baked or pan-fried tofu or chicken
•Chop it finely and make a cooked cabbage slaw
• Let it simmer into a vegetable or chicken soup
thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon fine salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the quinoa:
1 cup water
½ cup quinoa, preferably red ⅓ cup raisins, preferably golden ½ teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Furikake, for serving
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Spread the cabbage on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Season with a few grinds of black pepper, toss lightly and place in the oven. Roast for 15 minutes. Using tongs, toss the cabbage a bit, and then roast for another 10 minutes, or until some of the cabbage is wilted and silky and some is crisp and brown.
Nutty quinoa dotted with raisins, roasted cabbage and soft-boiled eggs is a simple meal that works for breakfast, lunch or dinner. No quinoa? Try brown rice or couscous, noting that cooking time will vary. Not a fan of raisins? How about dried cranberries or diced dried apricots? You could also stir in diced fresh apple after cooking the quinoa, along with the vinegar. Can’t find furikake? Freshly cracked black pepper and toasted sesame seeds make a fine substitute. You could also try another spice blend of your choosing, such as za’atar.
For the cabbage:
1 small head cabbage (2 pounds), any kind, halved, cored and
Make the quinoa: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the water, quinoa, raisins and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and decrease the heat to the lowest setting. Cook until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered.
Bring a small saucepan of water deep enough to cover two eggs to a boil over high heat. Add the eggs to the water and cook to your liking: 6 minutes for soft-boiled, 8 minutes for hard-boiled. Drain, rinse the eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle, then peel and halve.
When ready to serve, toss the quinoa with the vinegar and portion about 1 cup of quinoa mixture per bowl. Top with about 1 cup of cabbage and a halved egg. Sprinkle with the furikake, and serve.
Makes 2 servings.
“Money Shot: The Pornhub Story” (Netflix): Everything you always wanted to know about the controversial adult entertainment site but were afraid to ask is revealed in this new documentary.
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+): The feel-good comedy starring Jason Sudeikis as an American soccer coach in London kicks off a third season.
“Turning the Tables With Robin Roberts” (Disney+): Brooke Shields and Dionne Warwick are among the journalist’s guests for Season 2.
“Queens Court” (Peacock): Tamar Braxton, Evelyn Lozada and R&B singer Nivea are single and looking to mingle in this new dating competition.
“Shadow and Bone” (Netflix): This dark YA fantasy drama about an orphan (Jessie Mei Li) with magical powers is back for Season 2.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament (CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV; various times.): March Madness gets underway in earnest with a weekend’s worth of matchups.
“Butchers of the Bayou” (A&E, 9 and 10 p.m.; also Friday): This new four-part series recalls a sinister rivalry between two serial killers in 1990s Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
“Grown & Gospel” (WE tv, 9 p.m.): Five friends try to make their names in the gospel music game in this new reality series.
“Good Trouble” (Freeform, 10 p.m.): This spinoff of “The Fosters” returns for a fifth season. With Cierra Ramirez and Maia Mitchell.
“Agent Elvis” (Netflix): Thankyouverymuch! The King of Rock ’n’ Roll (voice of Matthew McConaughey) moonlights as a super spy in this new adult animated comedy.
“Beach Cottage Chronicles” (HBO Max, Discovery+): The easy, breezy architecture and design series is back with new episodes.
“Bono & the Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, With Dave Letterman” (Disney+): Did the U2 bandmates ever find what they were looking for? Find out in this new special.
“Boston Strangler” (Hulu): Keira Knightley portrays a journalist on the trail of the notorious 1960s-era serial killer in this 2023 docudrama.
“Dance 100” (Netflix): Watch your step! Up-and-coming choreographers are put through their paces in this new competition.
“Extrapolations” (Apple TV+): In the not-too-distant future, climate change pushes humanity to the brink in this new star-studded drama. With Meryl Streep, Edward Norton, et al.
“Leave” (Shudder): A young woman abandoned as a baby tries to unlock the secrets of her parentage in this 2022 terror tale. With Alicia von Rittberg.
“The Magician’s Elephant” (Netflix): A young boy has his eyes on the prize — a pachyderm — in this animated 2023 fantasy.
“Servant” (Apple TV+): This twisted domestic thriller from M. Night Shyamalan end its run after four seasons. Lauren Ambrose stars.
“Swarm” (Prime Video): A young woman’s fandom for a Beyoncé-like superstar takes her to some very dark places in this new drama. Dominique Fishback stars.
“ Put a Ring On It” (OWN, 9
Meryl Streep is among a host of A-listers appearing in “Extrapolations,” a new series premiering Friday on Apple TV+.
p.m.): More couples get that push to jump the proverbial broom as the unscripted series returns.
“Power Book II: Ghost” (Starz, 9 p.m.): The spinoff of the 2014-20 crime drama conjures up a third season. Michael Rainey Jr. stars.
“Great Performances at the Met” (PBS, 9 p.m.): Soprano
Renée Fleming whiles away “The Hours” in this 2022 opera based on Michael’s Cunningham’s 1998 bestseller inspired by Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel “Mrs. Dalloway.”
Saturday
“A Winning Team” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.): A women’s soccer star
Matthew McConaughey voices
Elvis in “Agent Elvis,” a new adult series streaming Friday on Netflix.
kicks it with a small-town coach in this new TV movie. With Nadia Hatta.
“The Hillsdale Adoption Scam” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.): A couple’s desperation to have another child takes a dark turn in this new thriller. With Keshia Knight Pulliam.
BY KELLY A. STEFANI Times Staff Writer
Mickey is a male 7-year-old domestic short-haired cat. He’s shy, but with a little patience, he warms up quickly and purrs. For more information, visit Pet Pal Animal Shelter at 405 22nd St. S, St. Petersburg, or call 727-3287738.
Sabbath is a 2-year-old male dog of unknown breed. He is timid, and it takes him time to adjust to strangers. Once he befriends you, he is sweet and playful. He is energetic and walks well on a leash. At 50 pounds, he could lose a little weight. He would do best as the only pet in the home, and requires patience during his adjustment period. For more information, call Pasco County Animal Services at 813-929-1212.
Dani is a brown-and-white female terrier mix of unknown age. She was extremely fearful but is making progress and slowly coming out of her shell. She loves rope toys and takes treats gently. She likes to cuddle and snuggle in her bed. She is a friendly, mediumto low-energy dog. For more information, call Hernando County Animal Services at 352-796-5062.
Clemens is a 5-year-old male mixed-breed dog. He likes to play dress-up. He’s cooperative, good-natured and affectionate. He is housebroken. Clemens likes to fetch balls and play with toys. He likes treats, but they should be rationed because he’s a bit on the chunky side. Email adoptions@ mymanatee.org for more information.
Chester is a 12-pound senior male Chihuahua. He was found struggling for life and required medical care. Chester is now a happy, healthy lap dog. He gets along with other dogs but tends to bark at cats. For more information, go to PupTownGirlsPetRescue.com.
Contact Kelly A. Stefani at kstefani@ tampabay.com or 727-893-8194.
