What's Hot Tampa Bay (February Issue 2010) by What's Hot Tampa Bay

LIFESTYLE & HEALTH • ART & FASHION SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT Volume 1

ISSUE

PUBLISHER Ian Beckles

EDITOR Dave Norrie ART DIRECTOR/LEAD DESIGNER Ruben Joseph Carbonell WEBMASTER/SENIOR DESIGNER Bert Price COPY EDITOR Audrey Woods PUBLICIST Brandi Kamenar SALES & MARKETING David May, Billy Castro CONTROLLER Dayle Urquhart PRINTER Done Right Documents CONTRIBUTORS Ten Minute, Brian Elledge, Laura Hunt COVER ARTIST Ruben Joseph Carbonell

rubenjosephart.com

CORRECTIONS Page 62 of Volume 1 Issue 1: Saks Fifth Avenue is located at Westshore Plaza. We apologize for the oversight!

FOR INFORMATION ON ADVERTISING WITH

PLEASE CALL 813.443.5831 OR FIND US ONLINE AT

DO YOU KNOW WHAT’S HOT IN TAMPA BAY? CONTACT US AT Info@whatshottampabay.com WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SALES PEOPLE. INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE.

10 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

CONTENTS Lifestyle • Health • Art • Fashion • Sports • Entertainment What’s Hot Tampa Bay 18 Valentine’s Day Readers Poll by Dave Norrie The A List done the “B”Way 22 Icon B is back with another edition of the latest trends by Brandi Kamenar

pg.

Duets!

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s Council Oak Steaks & Seafood

Rockin’ Valentine’s Day deals! by Gina Morales Shining Star An interview with artist David O’Keefe by Ruben J. Carbonell

Fashion Focus 32 What to wear to your next job interview by Ro Martinez The Dish A light sorbet treat that’s sure to sweeten the deal! by Eddie Shumard

Find romance in a bottle! by Dave Madera

pg.

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 11

pg.

Volume 1

David O’Keefe

ISSUE

The former Tribune illustrator from Brandon talks to What’s Hot about his art, influences & his gallery in Sarasota.

Elite Traveler 40 A place that really hits the spot for romance by Tammy Levent

Honey Bunz Work those bunz with these exercises by Ryan Watson

What’s Hot at RAWBAR 42 What’s HOT hits the town for some fun & a little sushi at Rawbar Sushi

The Tampa Sports Knucklehead 72 NCAA ruins Bowden’s farewell by Basil Spyridakos

Sexually Speaking SEX: Is it in our genes? by Dave Norrie

Adam vs. Eve Eve wonders if Valentine’s Day might be a bit overrated

Millionaire’s Minute 66 The Valentine’s Day Trade by James Cordier

Crocodile Bay Costa Rica The annual fishing trip is getting ready to set sail by Captain Bret Gamrot

Rising Star Interview with boxer Jenna Shiver by Billy Castro

Hidden Stars 82 The Real Dill Delicatessen by Ian Beckles

pg.

12 Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HOT Tampa Bay.com

Star Sightings

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 13

01 Chidi Ahanatu & Simeon Rice

08 Members of the LFL’s Tampa Bay Breeze

02 Pamela Anderson

at Rawbar

03 Ben Roethlisberger

09 Brandi Kamenar

04 Rick Springfield at Hard Rock New Year’s Party

10 Interesting and well-dressed couple at The Lodge

05 The Killers

11 Yo Murphy & Mia

06 Donovan McNabb & Evander Holyfield

12 Christian & Ira Audigier

07 Jack Harris

13 The very vascular Ron Diaz & his friend Woody

18 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

(2) What’s the most romantic location in Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg? 1. The Tampa Theatre 2. Fort DeSoto Beach 3. Malio’s 4. Bern’s Dessert Room 5. Inside the University of Tampa minarets at night

6. That’s Amore (Harbour Island) (3) What’s your No. 1 “deal-breaker” in terms of a habit or trait you simply cannot overlook in the opposite sex?

In 2008, Forbes magazine compiled a list of the top cities to live for single people in the United States, the criteria being based on things like “coolness,” nightlife, culture, number of singles, etc. Well, our beloved Tampa/St. Petersburg came in 23rd, behind the likes of Chicago, Boston, New York and Atlanta, which happened to be No. 1.

single scene, when you break it down, it really is “WHAT’S HOT.” So, I figured for this Valentine’s Day issue it might be nice to have our own little poll and dissect exactly what the single guy and gal out there looking for love is all about.

1. Texting while on a date – Jon, 31 2. ‘Summerteeth’ (AKA; some [teeth] are here, some are there)– Chris, 23 3. A heavy New Jersey accent – Alan, 37 4. Smoking cigarettes – Shana, 39 5. Drugs – Stephanie, 24 6. Controlling behavior – Lindsey, 23 (4) What body part attracts you most to the opposite sex?

So we took an online questionnaire to our readers as well as Facebook, Myspace and the Internet in Women Men Understandably, I think most would agree. general to get some answers. Some of what you’ll 1. Abs/stomach - 38% 1. Butt – 60 % read is interesting, like the fact that not one man 2. Chest - 21% 2. Legs – 17% But to take a seat behind cities such as Charlotte, responded that “breasts” were the body part they 3. Eyes - 13% 3. Eyes - 10% St. Louis, Columbus, Ohio and of all places— were most attracted to. Liars?! 4. Smile - 12 % 4. Smile- 8% Orlando—for God’s sake? Give me a break. Steve 5. Shoulders - 9% 5. Stomach- 4% and Doug Butabi wouldn’t even hang out in Orlando Some things may come as a shock, like the fact that 6. Hands - 7% 6. Small of the back – 1% if the Roxbury were there. Was ability to hit on the mental part of sex edged out the physical part as tourists and the number of Jagerbombs ordered also being most important to both men and women. (5) What is more important, the mental or part of the equation? Not to mention the Bay area physical side of sex? is looking over Philadelphia’s shoulder, sitting at And well, some things are just oddly contradictory, No. 22. What gives? I’m guessing best coatrooms like the woman who said the weirdest place she’d Women Men and number of men who still drive Camaros with ever had sex was in the back of a cab but then 75%-Mental 60% - Mental mullets is a qualifier too? listed religion as the most important aspect of a 25%- Physical 40%- Physical relationship. Forgive me Father for I have fornicated Oh no, Tampa! You deserve better than “23” in the back seat of a public form of transportation. (6) Where is the best place to meet somebody? because I’ve lived in Miami, been in New York and all those places in between. Some of the most Anyway, without further adieu, I give you the results 1. Church – Josh, 27 beautiful women I’ve ever seen live in Tampa, and of What’s Hot Tampa Bay’s Inaugural Valentine’s 2. The gym – Dayana, 30 men are still men here, meaning our beach shorts are Day Reader’s Poll. 3. Unexpectedly – Nicole, 31 knee length and a scarf is something we use to wipe 4. A coffee shop – Al, 38 our hands after we change the oil. 5. In class – Jamie, 22 6. The mall – Steven, 27 We’re not Miami. You don’t have to pretend like (1) What’s the most unusual place you’ve ever you’re an aspiring model and wait 45 minutes had sex? (7) What’s the hottest singles spot in the Bay outside a club to get picked. And unlike New York, area? in Tampa you can take a girl out for dinner and 1. A shooting range – Eliza, 31 some drinks for under $300. Our beaches aren’t 2. The Westcott Fountain at FSU – Sean, 40 1. Mangroves (So. Tampa) the backdrops for every cheesy movie about drug 3. The trunk of a car – Nicole, 31 2. Dallas Bull (Brandon) dealers and our bars don’t come with a 50-50 risk of 4. The 50th floor of the (all glass) Petroleum 3. Howard Avenue (So. Tampa) being mugged outside. Club in Oklahoma City – Scott, 31 4. Lifestyles gym (Hyde Park) 5. The sky buckets at Disney World – Lindsay, 24 5. Ceviche (St. Pete) Although it’s en vogue to complain about Tampa’s 6. An airplane – Mike, 30 6. Publix (Dale Mabry) GreenWise (So. Tampa)

(8) Worst pick-up line you’ve ever heard: 1. “Pssst..” – Stephanie, 24 2. “I may not be Fred Flintstone, but I can make your bed rock” – Nicole, 31 3. “Here’s my card. Call me.” – Jada, 27 4. “Is that a mirror in your pocket because I can see myself in your pants” – Lynn, 25 5. “Your mom must’ve drank a lot of milk because it did your body good” – Ami, 29 6. “Do you work out?” – most popular answer

(14) What was the biggest goof or foul up you committed on a date?

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 19

(19) What is the perfect age to get married?

For a woman For a man 1. Clogging up the toilet at her parents’ house 20 to 25 – 7% 20 to 25 – 0% before dinner – Brian, 37 26 to 29 – 30% 26 to 29 – 15% 2. Taking her to a club where my ex collected 30 to 35- 60% 30 to 35- 60% the money at the door – Jason, 31 35 to 40- 3% 35 to 40- 25% 3. I was so bored, I told the guy that I desperately 41 and up – 0% 41 and up – 0% needed to go home because I had diarrhea – Diana, 29 (20) What is the most romantic thing anybody 4. Drinking an extra large Coke at the movies on has ever done for you? a first date and then accidentally burping in her mouth when I went to kiss her goodnight (9) Do you believe everybody has a “Soul mate”? 1. A guy I was dating made a poster that said “I – Sean, 38 YES – 85% NO- 10% UNSURE- 5% love you” and held it up at the airport when I 5. I sharted at a Snoop Dog concert I took her was getting off my plane – Nicole, 31 to – Danny, 23 (10) Name a couple, real or fictitious, you would 6. Apparently I went through an entire dinner like to model your relationship after: 2. A couple years ago, I was flying out of Logan with he and his friends only to discover I Airport on New Year’s Eve. My boyfriend was had toilet paper hanging from the back of my 1. Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa – Gena, 35 going to pick me up and we were supposed to pants at the end of the evening – Karen, 35 2. The Huxtables – Jon M, - 26 go straight to this fancy party. He had booked it months in advance with a bunch of his (14) What’s the one thing you look for when you friends. But Logan was temporarily snowed enter the house of a new date for the first in and I ended up having to ring in the New time? Year at the Embassy Suites. Although I had urged him to go, he ended up not going to the 1. Clean bathroom party and called me at 11:30 pm and told me 2. Photos to log onto Skype with him for a video call. 3. Pets He also surprised me by calling the Embassy 4. What’s in the fridge Suites desk and had them send up a bottle of 5. DVD or Book collection champagne. Anyway, we ended up popping 3. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett – Shannon, 32 our corks and counting down the final minute (15) What is the biggest hurdle to overcome in a 4. Seal and Heidi Klum – Scotty G, 31 until New Year’s together, both alone, in our relationship? 5. Regis and Joy Philbin – Gary, 37 bedrooms separated by over 1,000 miles – 6. The little old couple from the movie “UP” – (results are in order of popularity) Liana, 28 1. Age Andrea, 25 2. Religion 3. My girlfriend and I had talked about getting 3. Money (11) On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate engaged for several months but she knew 4. Race your parents’ relationship: I was going through a really difficult time 5. Education financially and couldn’t afford to buy her a 0 to 3 – 40% ring. Somehow she constructed this symbolic (16) What is the one traditional value you would 4 to 6 - 10% ring out of a grapevine and got down on her like to see remain intact when it comes to 7 to 9 – 20% knee, placed it on my finger and asked me dating? 10 or above – 30 % to marry her. Of course I said yes, although I’m prideful, but on our second anniversary 1. The man paying – Jessica, 28 (12) If you could have sex with any one celebrity, I had saved enough to get her a flawless 2. Opening the door for a woman – Heather, 31 who would it be? two-carat diamond. We just celebrated our 8th 3. It should be Adam and Eve, not Adam and anniversary in August – Nicholas, 33 Steve – Stephanie, 24 Women 4. Women waiting to give up the sex – Travis, 30 1. Bradley Cooper - Gena, 35 2. Matthew McConaughey - Sylvia, 32 (17) What tradition would you like to see go 3. Tatum Channing -Jenny, 24 away? 4. Robert Pattinson - Chelsea, 21 5. LL Cool J - Kena, 29 1. The rule of having to wait three days to call 6. Carrot Top - Lindsay V, 24 after getting a number – Jared, 22 Men 2. Guys having to initiate the first date – Karen, 1. Kelly Ripa – Brian, 37 27 2. Megan Fox – James, 29 3. The “new” tradition of men asking women 3. Rosario Dawson - Jon M, 26 out via text message – Gena, 35 4. Vida Guerra – Jeremy, 21 4. Always having to put the seat down. Why? – 5. Roselyn Sanchez – Billy, 34 David, 37 6. Rhona Mitra – Bryan, 23 4. I was getting ready for work early one morning and my wife was on the computer eating her (18) What is the key to a good sex life? (13) What is a great first date? breakfast. As I was leaving she YouTube’d (most popular answers) KC and the Sunshine Band’s video and I 1. Laughter 1.Theme park – Daryl, 29 heard, “Babe, I love you so and I want you 2. Not allowing stress to interfere 2. Breakfast – Josh, 28 to know, that I’m gonna miss your love, the 3. Emotional transparency 3. A Lightning game – Ryan, 40 minute you walk out that door. Please don’t 4. Willingness to try new things 4. Dinner and a walk – Susan, 28 go”. I just stopped in my tracks and looked 5. Flexibility 5. A concert – Emily, 22 back at her smiling – Joey, 39 6. Unconditional love 6. Weekend Festival – Marylin, 26

22 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

THE “A” LIST DONE THE

WAY

by Brandi Kamenar

2009 is out and 2010 is in! Trends are changing and we’re here to let you know what’s passé, what’s in “vogue” and what is just around the corner. From Tampa to China, our quest continues in the new year to bring you the best and the most “interesting” all in the name of new and tasty amusement to entertain, inform, enlighten and give you something to talk about…it’ about…it’s another edition of the A List Done the “B” Way!

WHY BUY WHEN YOU CAN RENT…ANYTHING The recession has fueled the movement towards “temporary ownership,” fake status and a world of bartering. “Rental culture,” which began in 2008, has become one of the biggest trends and is said to continue growing well into 2010. See below what can be yours for a price…

Anything

Forget about renting designer handbags and celebrity chateaus, we’re talking about renting pilgrims, for God’s sake! If you’ve vowed to make a pilgrimage (and who hasn’t?) but just can’t find the time, for a meager $3,169, you can hire someone to make that pilgrimage in your place. If pilgrims aren’t your thing, well, how about a male model Yogi? Yes, ladies, former supermodel Cameron Alborizan swapped the catwalk for something with substance. He is a spiritual guru and for about 25 grand a week he will help you find your Zen, your “inner” calm, or whatever “spiritual” therapy you would like to explore with him. If you are currently a model and the casting calls aren’t coming in, you can rent your eyelids as advertising space. Feelunique.com, an online beauty boutique, will pay you on a per wink basis for displaying the company logo on your eyelids. And for those who either don’t have time to make friends or are socially challenged, in Japan you can rent a friend. For the low cost of $100 a day, you can instantly have not only a friend, but relatives and work colleagues to attend the important and memorable moments in your life like your wedding, yay! For an extra $60-$70, that friend will make a memorable speech on your special day and for another $40, she/he will share a song and dance with you. Perhaps you can’t buy love, friendship and happiness, but it’s good to know you can rent them!

RAISE YOUR LOUBOUTIN AND TOAST THE NEW YEAR I know it sounds like a drunken night gone terribly wrong, but drinking champagne out of a stiletto is a 19th century tradition. In Europe, ballerinas would fill their slippers with champagne and serve it to their adoring gentleman fans. Piper-Heidsieck and fashion icon, Christian Louboutin, have partnered to bring the tradition back to life. Le Rituel by Christian Louboutin pairs a crystal stiletto flute, designed by Louboutin himself, with a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck brut in a fabulous gift set. You pour the champagne into the toe and tilt the heel back to drink. But drink up quickly…the gift set goes for $500 and is available in extremely limited quantities. www.le-rituel.com

TURN LEFT HERE TO FIND LOVE Love is much like maneuvering through uncharted territory. Sometimes I think I need a GPS just to find my way around. Oh, look, and now I can actually find love with a GPS! Dick sees Jane. Jane sees Dick. Their phones have tabulated the distance between them, exchanged information about their age, employment status and relationship expectations, and even thoughtfully suggested a local watering hole and gave directions on how to get there. It’s that simple with mobile dating applications such as GPS–based MobiMeet, Skout and Are You Interested? These apps let users download software onto their phones and alert them when a potential Mr. or Miss Right is within spitting distance. You can even specify what sort of “relationship” you are looking for. Could be a fling or the real thing; from there the possibilities are just a click away. www.theglobeandmail.com

MONECULAR FASHION We at Icon B. are fashionable, yet responsible. That’s why we love this fabulous embroidered CO2 (or for those of you who didn’t pass chemistry, carbon dioxide) dress which is eco-friendly. The CO2 dress, also known as the Climate Dress, was creatively designed as a collaborative piece between diffuse.dk, Alexandra Institute, the Danish School of Design and embroidery company Foster Rohner. It conscientiously monitors the CO2 levels in its surrounding environment and the data is visualized through its embroidery in real time with the use of hundreds of embedded LEDs. This dress not only looks sexy, but makes science and the environment very mode. www.diffus.dk

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 23

THE TWO-STEP OR THE STAIRMASTER? You know you do it. Dancing in front of the mirror when no one’s home. Shaking your groove thang like Beyonce…well, at least trying to shake like Beyonce. But did you know dancing can help you get in shape? At a time of many New Year resolutions, wouldn’t you like to actually keep one and have fun doing it? You can burn between 200-400 calories per half an hour of dancing compared to walking for approx a full hour. Dance studios, like the renowned Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Tampa Bay, have professional dancers offering instructions for the dance-challenged, aspiring professionals and everyone in between on how to shake their rump, do the cha cha and tango into the night at four of their Tampa Bay locations; and unlike your local gym, there is no contract to sign. Now, why don’t you think about that next time you’re walking on that treadmill…to nowhere.

www.fredastairetampabay.com

BIFF IN THE BUFF Well, well, well. Finally a butler that’s not your average Jeeves. Although I may have to travel to the United Kingdom to take full advantage of this service, it’ll be worth every pence. British website, “Butlers in the Buff”, offers “speciality” butler services with scantily clad hotties passing champagne, cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres, and a good time to all the ladies. Hire them for bachelorette parties, girls’ nights in or to be served dinner by a hunky man in very small briefs just for the hell of it. Not to worry or get jealous, gentlemen. They also offer female “butlers” too. Oh, those naughty Brits!

BEAUTY OF “GOLDEN” PROPORTIONS Ladies, put down the anti-aging cream and the lash extensions. Researchers at the University of California claim to have discovered what defines attracattrac tiveness and it has nothing to do with that push-up bra you’ve been rocking. Ideal beauty is being defined by “golden ratios,” a pair of facial measurements that determine if a woman is attractive or not. In the study using undergraduate student participants, the faces were judged as most attractive when the distance between the eyes was 46 percent of the face’s width and when the distance between the eyes and mouth was 36 percent of the face’s length. If your face doesn’t measure up, don’t freak out…the researchers also stated that a strategic hair style can make all the difference. So before you start Googling face transtrans plants, run over to your hair salon and chop off those bangs or give yourself a new ’do.

LAMP OF LUXURY

At first glance you’d think it was a lamp, a funky football or a futuristic out-of-this-world gadget. Then upon careful inspection, a detailed tutorial and dissecting the owner’s manual, you’ll delightfully and wow-fully discover it’s the world’s first Desk Lamp PC. Artopz’s www.butlersinthebuff.com visionary and ultra sleek Minitopz houses powerful and multifunctional computer technology such as a dual core Intel Atom N330 (1.6GHz) processor, NVIDIA ION chipset, 500GB hard drive or 128GB SSD, 4GB RAM, built-in NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, DVD burner, Wireless, 6x USB ports, VGA, HDMI, and Windows 7 operating system. The guys and AND THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT “CRACKBOOK” gals at Artopz are so stylishly considerate to design a PC that will allow you to You check your Facebook, hands keep such an innovative desktop on your fab desk and even comes in a home shaking with anticipation as you theater PC version. And lo and behold, it’s also an actual access your profile, awaiting a new lamp! www.artopz1.com friend request or a chance to stalk that ex-boyfriend/girlfriend from 4 years ago (don’t even try to deny it). GET YOUR BREW ON Facebook has become an obsession for its members who spend a collective 10 billion minutes every day updating their statuses, viewing photos and poking Why should vodka drinkers have people. Now, people are trying to take control of their Facebook fanaticism with all the fun when a nice cold one is support groups. Some are going to extremes and deactivating their accounts just around the corner? A hot new and some have a close, trustworthy friend change their password until they feel trend emerging in the Tampa Bay its time to have it back. For those of you who just count Facebook as a guilty area is causing quite a “buzz” for pleasure, it is a place for networking and reconnecting with family and friends the beer enthusiast. Bars that focus from way back when. All you have to ask yourself is, “Do I need a Facebook on specialty, import and local craft intervention?” beers are popping up around Tampa and are gaining popularity. World of Beer in Tampa Palms and Westchase offers a selection of over 500 beers that span the globe. The Brass Tap in Wesley Chapel boasts an extensive selection of 40 beers on tap and over 300 varieties of bottled beer. House of Brews in Lutz offers a snazzy beer selection and untraditional “bar” food, like roasted red pepper hummus and meatballs to go along with that Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan brown ale... ooooo, that sounds good! www.wobusa.com, www.brasstapbeerbar.com, www.houseofbrewstampa.com

24 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

Rock Out This Valentine’s Day! By Gina Morales

When you come out to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa you want to stay, play, dine and unwind. But it’s always better to come with a special someone to enjoy everything the casino has to offer. This Valentine’s Day, treat your sweetie and make a reservation to experience Council Oak Steaks & Seafood. The award-winning fine dining restaurant still continues to receive accolades for its mouthwatering dishes and extensive wine menu. Usually, Council Oak features a price fixed menu called Duets for couples Sunday through Thursday. But for Valentines Day, the couple’s menu offers more variety than the Duets menu and it will be sure to impress even the pickiest of eaters. Featuring Coconut dusted Chilean sea bass over arugula and blood orange salad dinner or sliced dry-aged boneless lamb loin with a choice of one soup or salad and one a la carte side item, the meal finishes with a “French Kiss” dessert. This sumptuous dessert is a dark chocolate decadence with fresh raspberries and white chocolate ice cream.

Can’t get enough of a good thing? Seminole Hard Rock’s other restaurants are also posting Valentine’s Day menus, including Fresh Harvest which will offer the Valentine’s Day Champagne Brunch for only $30 per person. Once you’re finished pleasing the palette, head over to the Player’s Club to become a member and receive your Seminole Wild Card. It’s fast, free and easy! Plus, right now you get a $100 rebate for joining in our Boomerang Bucks Promotion. Make sure to ask your Player’s Club rep for details when you visit. Finally, if you want to visit the casino any other time in February for some live action - as in live Poker action - don’t miss the Royal Flush Table Reward which takes place Monday through Friday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Poker Room. Poker players sitting at the table where the Royal Flush hits will win $250 for a Spade Royal Flush $50 for non-Spade Royal Flush. A “Royal Flush” is a suited 10, J, Q, K, A. Live action poker games and single-table tournaments are eligible for this promotion. So whether it’s to enjoy a great meal, have some fun in the casino while you win BIG and earn rewards as a Seminole Wild Card holder or you just come out to enjoy the atmosphere, Seminole Hard Rock is the only place where you can truly play hard like a rock star in Tampa Bay, now that’s What’s Hot!

28 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

G N I N I SH David O’Keefe R A T S by Ruben Joseph Carbonell

For 27 years, David O’Keefe worked for the Tampa Tribune. He started out driving trucks, but worked his way into the art department, eventually becoming the Special Projects Illustrator for the newsroom. In his time there, he gained national attention illustrating and sculpting for the likes of TIME, Sports Illustrated, Coca-Cola, and a publication near and dear to O’Keefe’s heart- Mad Magazine. Then, in 2007, he was let go by the Tribune, his services a luxury they could no longer support. But as is often the case, when one door closes, another opens up. That door, for O’Keefe, can be found at his solo gallery on St. Armand’s Circle in Sarasota. O’Keefe’s work is displayed in the front window, a grisly looking Clint Eastwood from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly stares at me through the glass. Within moments of meeting David O’Keefe, I was stricken by just how ordinary he was. That is not meant as a slight. It’s just that when you look at his artwork, so vibrant and full of a personality that almost screams at you for attention, you almost expect the artist to be that way, too. O’Keefe however, is laid back, friendly and full of the wit that underlines his work.

Rena Charles, the Director of Gallery Relations for David O’Keefe Studios. Without them, O’Keefe says that none of this could have been possible. A father of 4, O’Keefe resides in Brandon with his wife Janice. It was a little funny when we discovered we lived maybe 2 miles from each other, but we both drove to Sarasota for this interview. It was definitely worth the trip. To see some of his work, especially his sculptures, in person is a thrill. There are so many details to appreciate, like in the Godfather painting, with Francis Ford Coppola in the picture above the mantle. Genius!

We sit down for the interview in front of O’Keefe’s newest painting, an ensemble piece featuring the cast of Caddyshack to be unveiled at O’Keefe’s South Beach Miami gallery during the weekend of the big game. What followed was an hour and a half conversation about art, politics, bicycles and Jack Like most artist, O’Keefe dreads dealing with the the Ripper among other things. I did manage to get business side of things. Luckily for him, he has in a few questions. the support of people who believe in his work, like business partner Wayne Curtiss, Chris Cinelli David O’Keefe has found his calling beyond the and Robb Makin over at Wall Art Gallery on St. world of editorial illustrations, and I get the feeling Armand’s Circle and last, but certainly not least, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ruben: I understand you realized you wanted to be an artist at an early age. Can you tell me how it started? Were you trained in art? David O’Keefe: It all started with football. I loved football. At about 5 or 6, I started drawing football players. I still have a few of them. Even at an early age I enjoyed drawing lot’s of people. I used to draw the whole team running across the field. Then, I guess it evolved into drawing action scenes. I would draw the field goal being blocked. In between all this there was a lot of army men and WWII drawings. I remember drawing a good looking field goal block and the next one was a guy jumping on the other guy’s shoulders blocking the ball. The guy would get more and more elongated each time I drew it. Then I started drawing the whole team on both sides, with a logo. I loved drawing the logos. My dad saw I was always drawing. He was going to paint my room one day, and he let me paint on the walls, so I tried to do my army men and football players. I think that was my first mural. From that point on I was just always drawing.

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 29

So then, by the time I was like 8, I was drawing people and I drew my dad. I told him people keep moving around and he said “not everyone is just going to sit there and pose for you.” So he told me to draw Walter Cronkite on the news and so I had a half an hour to draw Walter Cronkite. They would go to stories, but it would always come back to Walter, so I got good at drawing Walter Cronkite and that was probably my first caricature type drawing. Then, when I was about 10 or 11 I got into doing caricatures events for Maas Bros. and I had my own cable access show called “DJ and His Magic Drawing Pad”. I’m getting more and more involved in caricatures and I am drawing O.J. Simpson and Dick Butkus. Popular stars of the 70’s. A lot of celebrities and sports figures. Just drawing people and having fun with it, I sort of knew that’s what I wanted to do. I had no formal training. In hindsight, I probably should have. RJC: Who are some of your influences? DOK: At an early age, it would be Norman Rockwell, my number one influence. I love the emotion, reaction, and interactions of his paintings. They are very warm. Other influences, Peter Paul Rubens. As far as humor, Mad Magazine. RJC: What is your favorite piece of art not created by you? DOK: Four Seasons of Love by Jean-Honore Fragonard at the Frick in New York. It is four individual pieces, but they count as one. RJC: What is your favorite job that you’ve had? DOK: My favorite job I ever had was doing movie storyboards. My kids really got me into animation and animators. People like Glen King at Disney and the guys over at Pixar. Those guys are awesome. That just seems like a lot of fun. RJC: Do you tend to gravitate towards any one feature when starting a caricature? DOK: Yeah, one thing I like when I do caricatures is I like to do groups of people. That way you can play one person off the next person. It’s always fun to do groups. When I do a caricature of a single person, I like to start off with video and sketch live. I like that it can look 3 dimensional and I like to think that everybody in my caricatures are real. You know, they could be real people in a 3D movie. RJC: When did you start sculpting? DOK: My first sculpture was for the Tampa Bay Rowdies(...the Rowdies arrrrre...A Kick in the Grass!), in the 80’s. I was a big soccer fan. I actually worked for them. I did caricatures in the stands. RJC: How has the illustration world changed in the last few years? DOK: It’s evolved into much more Photoshop stuff. Many of the illustrators I’ve known have switched over to Photoshop. The deadlines have gotten tighter because digital art allows for quicker turnaround. Back in the 90’s, I’d have 4 days. I would sculpt something, then the camera guy would come by and shoot the pictures in my bathtub and I’d mail them to New York over night. But it was the whole ‘no control’ thing. You couldn’t change anything. If you had a large crowd scene, you’d have to build ant paint the whole thing by hand. RJC: What’s playing in your iPod? DOK: The Beatles, John Vanderslice & Pernice Brothers RJC: What’s the last good book you read? DOK: “The Day I Died” by Steve Sjorgen. He’s a local guy.

Office: 813.254.5056 David O’Keefe Studios Gallery 12 N Blvd of Presidents • St Armand’s Circle | Sarasota, FL 34326 941.388.icon(4266)

www.davidokeefe.com

32 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

WHAT TO WEAR TO YOUR NEXT INTERVIEW

by Ro Martinez

“Eventually you’ll build a professional wardrobe free of logos and busy prints and the cost can be spread over time… If you purchase at yard sales, thrift shops, consignment stores, or borrow from friends and family, the cost is considerably reduced. Fashion repeats itself. Even stars who can certainly afford to purchase new, buy used for the “vintage look.” You can, too. The key is to think of creative ways to cut costs.” - Modeling At Any Age, Ro Martinez (Seaside Publishing, Copyright 2008)

A new year brings with it promises of better conditions or a better life. This gives you inspiration to make small changes. A new job, a promotion, a raise or additional benefits are some things we aspire toward. In this economy it is more important than ever to make a positive first impression. That impression is created before you even open your mouth. The image you display matters to a potential employer especially if your position involves heavy public contact where you represent the company and you are the first person clients or customers see. This is doubly true if you work in sales or in a reception area. The competition when applying for a position or to simply keep your existing one is greater than ever. Attorneys, financial advisors or those in corporate positions are not immune because clients will judge you on your appearance. Unfair as this may be, it is a reality.

For young people entering the workforce for the first time, without experience to offer a potential employer, the image you convey is especially important. Your wardrobe can set you apart as someone who is mature with much potential. Many young people enter the workforce with a position in retail, where dress and grooming is priority. I don’t recommend jeans for job interviews, unless the job is in a warehouse or a very casual setting. A denim skirt may be the answer if you are looking for something comfortable. All You magazine offers this great advice: “A denim skirt looks a lot dressier than jeans, but it’s just as easy to wear. You can keep it casual by adding a T-shirt and flip-flops, or make it polished by wearing a pretty sweater or tunic and a pair of sandals.” Wardrobe ideas for young people:

• Khaki pants, white cotton button-down shirt and a simple sweater vest (see photo of Crystal)

• Black dress pants, bright colored cardigan over a t-shirt and several long necklaces

• Long sweater or tunic top over slim leggings and a long scarf wrapped around the neck

• For young men, khaki slacks and a dress shirt with or without a tie, depending upon the potential job

A corporate setting is more structured, allowing for less flexibility in dress. The required wardrobe is generally more costly and may take some time to build. Purchasing good quality pieces and learning to properly care for your garments will help them last. Whether your office is all business or business casual, you can shop at discount and department stores taking advantage of the after-season sales. Consignment stores and yard sales are also options that should not be dismissed. You do not need to spend your entire paycheck to look good. If you do not have a variety of suits for each day of the week, a few tops and accessories to mix and match will make the same suit look entirely different. Wardrobe ideas for professionals in the corporate world:

• Pinstripe black or navy blue skirt suit with minimal accessories (see photo of Ro)

• Pant suit in a neutral color such as taupe or grey worn with a soft blouse to add a splash of color

• Simple a-line dress, dark tights with matching boots and a silk scarf around the neck

• For young men, two sport coats or sports coat and a suit, with a variety of slacks and dress shirts

Moms or seniors re-entering the workforce have it more difficult because you may have been out of the loop for several years. If this is the case, your working wardrobe may be outdated. You may have had a corporate position where suits were the norm and now you seek a part-time position where dress is more casual. Examine your wardrobe. Perhaps simple changes can make it possible for you to look presentable without having to invest in a new working wardrobe. See below for suggestions.

If you can’t salvage your wardrobe because it no longer fits or your new position requires a uniform, recycle it by donating your wardrobe to a charity making it a tax write off. Giving it to family or friends who can benefit from it is another option, or you may decide to take it to a consignment shop where they can sell the garments, earning you extra $$.

Wardrobe ideas for moms or seniors returning to the workforce:

• If you had pant suits, wear the pants with a lightweight sweater.

Wear the jacket over casual pants and a cotton button-down shirt.

• Cotton or corduroy pants with easy to put on, no-iron, no-fuss gauze or spandex tops

• A pencil skirt paired with a tank top and colorful accessories Ideally, research the company before you go on your interview and find out what their dress code is. It’s best to err on the side of caution and dress conservatively. After the first day of work you can see if you need to make any adjustments. Try to have your outfit clean and pressed the night before your interview or workday so that in the morning you are relaxed and more confident, knowing you are well prepared for the day ahead. Periodically evaluating your wardrobe can also be beneficial if you want to improve your image, put your best foot forward and be the best-dressed employee in your work place! With over 20 years experience as a successful model and actress, Ro Martinez is the author of Modeling At Any Age. www.modeling-beginningtobooking.com Photo credits: rosskrisonphotography.com, susanjeffersphotography.com

36 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

Valentine’s Day Sweet Treat! by Eddie Shumard

Valentine’s Day brings out the hopeless romantic in all of us. The one time of year when both men and women are encouraged to show their love with physical affirmations—boxes of chocolates, heartshaped cards, bouquets of flowers, naughty nurse outfits, and tiny chalk-like candies with almost unreadable messages proclaiming one’s love for another. It’s this time of year when we think of food as more than just simple sustenance or a pleasant night out. We struggle to find the finest chocolates, the most aromatic roses, and the rarest bottles of wine, all of which are meant to express our love and passion, and arouse our lover’s deep primal lust. We imagine an evening filled with passionate and erotic love fueled by the natural libido enhancers in the foods we feed our mates.

For thousands of years kings and mystics alike, to stimulate sexual inspiration and enhance fertility, have promoted these edible libido enhancers. There is the chocolate of the Aztecs; the Romans prized the oyster, the self-contained sexual innuendo. Ancient Egyptians believed in the stimulating properties of honey, while many Europeans set the mood with decadent and seductively rare truffles, whose potential sexual powers were neither confirmed nor denied by 18th century gastronome Brillat-Savarin: “The truffle is not a positive aphrodisiac; but it can, in certain situations, make women tenderer and men more agreeable.” Not a rousing endorsement of its sacred love-making powers, but in the end aren’t these the results we are all after, “to make women tenderer and men more agreeable?” Ultimately it comes down to setting the mood and allowing oneself to suspend logical and scientific thought and to be engulfed in the ultimate human experience of love and lust.

The visual symbolism of aphrodisiacs is central to their sensual powers. I chose to use the power of symbolism to create a visually stimulating dish with some lesser-known aphrodisiacs. It is an afternoon delight for an afternoon of delights—lemon-basil sorbet and pine nut and almond tuiles, with candied rose petals and shaved white chocolate. A little symbolic suggestion in form, a potent combination of aphrodisiacs in basil, pine nuts and almonds are all believed to entice and arouse, as well as a twist on the classic and always seductive rose petal. You can serve as a sweet brunch treat or as a light dessert, before devouring the object of your affection. It is a Valentine treat that can, if not chemically enhance your partner’s desire, will certainly aid in your effort to express your amorous excitement, convincing them that you may really love them.

*Special equipment: a small offset spatula; a 1 1/2- to 2-inch diameter rolling pin or wooden dowel

Instructions Heat oven to 400°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Coarsely chop almonds and pine nuts together; set aside.

Lemon Basil Sorbet Ingredients 3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn (Said to stimulate the sex drive and boost fertility) 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups water 2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 2 pounds lemons)

Preparation Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Turn down heat to medium and steep basil in simple syrup. Remove from heat; chill. Strain basil mixture through a sieve into a bowl, pressing basil with the back of a spoon to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard basil. Combine sugar mixture and juice. Once cooled, spin in an ice cream maker, following manufacturer’s instructions. Store in freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm. Remove sorbet from freezer 10 minutes before serving *Special equipment: ice cream maker

Pine Nut and Almond Tuile 3 tablespoons sliced almonds (A symbol of fertility throughout the ages, the aroma is thought to induce passion in a female.)

Combine butter and vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Scrape seeds from vanilla pod and stir into butter; discard pod.

3 tablespoons pine nuts (Used to stimulate the libido as far back as medieval times, pine nuts are rich in zinc, a key mineral necessary to maintain male potency.)

Transfer butter to a large bowl; add flour, confectioners’ sugar, egg white and salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold together batter just until well combined.

4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Drop mounds (generous 1/2 tablespoon per mound) of batter about 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon dipped in tepid water, spread each mound into a 2-inch round. Sprinkle rounds with nut mixture and Demerara sugar.

1/2 fresh (moist) vanilla bean, split lengthwise (The scent and flavor of vanilla is believed to increase lust)

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour 1/3-cup confectioners’ sugar 1 large egg white Pinch salt 3/4 teaspoon Demerara sugar (natural cane sugar, is normally brown, sometimes known as turbinado sugar)

Bake about 4 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until edges of cookies are dark brown. Let cookies stand on baking sheet for 20 seconds (just long enough to allow them to firm up slightly), then transfer with offset spatula to rolling pin (stabilized on a cooling rack), draping them diagonally and wiping spatula clean before transferring next cookie. (If cookies become too crisp to drape, return to oven for a few seconds to soften.)

Candied Flowers 1 egg white (use powdered egg whites to avoid salmonella) 100 proof vodka Superfine granulated sugar Thin artist’s paintbrush Rose petals, violets, pansies, Johnny-jump-ups, lilac, borage, pea, pinks, scented geraniums Wire rack Beat egg whites until frothy. Add a couple of drops of vodka to help the flowers dry quicker. Using fresh picked flowers, paint each flower individually with beaten egg white using the artist’s paintbrush. When thoroughly coated, sprinkle with fine sugar and place on the wire rack to dry. Flowers are completely dry when stiff and brittle to the touch. They can be stored in an airtight container and put in the freezer for up to a year.

Eddie Shumard is a local Chef, in South Tampa at Chefs On The Loose ( 3401 West Bay to Bay Boulevard Tampa, FL 33629-7042 (813) 835-7300) www.chefsontheloose.net, and at Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe in Seminole Heights (5119 North Nebraska Avenue Tampa, FL 33603-2365 (813) 234-1000). He can also be found at Oceanic Restaurant Equipment (1609 N Tampa St Tampa, FL 33602-2646 (813) 228-8110). Think global, Eat Local.

38 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

omance is in the air and

luckily for all of us, It’s also in a bottle!

Most of us are always trying to find a way to make a night more romantic for our dates, whether it is at a dinner or just sitting on the couch watching a movie. For me, there is nothing more satisfying than making my date feel that much more special by adding that little extra touch of romance. Luckily, she is a wine lover, so it’s easier for me than for some others. So whatever the case me be, I am going to give you all a few tricks I keep up my sleeve and if they work for you, well then, let’s just say that you owe me one.

Let’s begin by how you want to start the night off. Champagne! You just have to love it; a wine that not only can start an evening but also end one. Probably the most versatile food wine out there, champagne can just make about any night more romantic. The question remains though, which do you choose, sparkling wine, cava, prosecco or champagne? If you are at a restaurant do you close your eyes and point at the wine list, praying that it’s good or maybe ask the sommelier to choose for you and hope that he brings you what wine your date likes. What about when you are at a wine shop, how many times do you pace the isles until finally you pick whatever is closest to you. Here are a few helpful suggestions that you should be able to find in most restaurants and neighborhood wine shop. Sparkling Wine- Americas answer to Champagne Gruet, NV, Blanc de Noir, Albuquerque, New Mexico ($15 retail/$30 Rest) – Yeah, that’s right, I said New Mexico. Talk about making quite the name for themselves, Gruet has been turning heads for some years now. Crisp, refreshing and at an unbelievable price, you will definitely earn some romance points with this surprising bubbly.

Schramsberg, NV, Blanc de Noir, Napa Valley, California ($32 retail/$65 Rest) – This one is a little more expensive but well worth it. Heralded as Americas first house of sparkling wine, you can rest assured of a clean, citrusy and aromatic bubbly that will help the romance wherever you may be.

Cava- Spanish, exciting and full of flavor Caseteller ‘Brut’, NV, Cava, Spain ($13 retail/$32 Rest) – There are a lot of cava’s out there. Some good and some really bad but when you are able to find a good one, remember it. This cava has light notes of lemon, green apple and honey making a well suitable sparkling. I would suggest a cava to start a date with, especially if you are doing some oysters.

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 39

The next question is. Can you close the deal? Prosecco- Something from Italy has to be romantic, right? San Giuseppe ‘Brut’, NV, Veneto, Italy ($19 retail/$40 Rest) - Champagnes sexy Italian cousin, Prosecco is a great way to start an evening. Fruitiness, tart and refreshing are all attributes prosecco contains whether you are having a glass at the bar or a bottle with some seafood.

Champagne- The king of all the bubbles Duval Leroy ‘Cuvee Paris’, NV, Champagne, France ($39 retail/$85 Rest) – Sure, you can pick a bottle of Dom Peringon or Cristal but why would you want to drop that kind of cash on an overrated champagne. You wouldn’t buy a Delorean knowing what you know today (well of course if it was a time machine that would be a different story but we are not talking about that). With some champagne, just as in all wine you end up paying more for the name on the bottle that you do for what’s inside. Duval Leroy is an amazing champagne that will not break your bank but still can hold a candle to all the big guys. Lemon, fruit and hints of toasted wheat are all great flavors in this champagne that will impress anyone.

Krug ‘Grand Cuvee’, NV, Champagne, France ($180 Retail/$350 Rest) – Yeah, I know this one is pricy but if a bottle of Krug at your table can’t bring romance into your night, then my friend it’s time to hang it up cause it is definitely you and not them. One of the premier champagnes houses in France, Krug differs from the other big name producers, in my opinion, by what you pay for on the outside of the bottle matches’ what’s on the inside. I have had the pleasure of trying several different Krugs in my day and I will tell you one thing, it’s worth every penny.

Wines with your romantic dinner So now you are done with the champagne and the romance is in the air, your next course is coming up and you want to keep the mood going. Your date likes big red wines but they hate cabernets…..Hmmmm...sounds like an oxymoron, but trust me, these people do exist. Try going the way of a blend. I find that most blends are big enough to hold their own but also have a soft finish that won’t be too overbearing to most. Plus there is nothing like a sexy, silky red wine with dinner to bring in the romance. Ramey ‘Claret’, 2006, Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot/ Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley, California ($28 Retail/$55 Rest) - David Ramey is one of my favorite producers and with this wine; he once again proves why he is always at the top of his game. Hints of chocolate, strawberry and tobacco are just as tart of things you will find in this blend. Big bold flavors start the wine but the finish is silky and smooth which makes this wine an easy choice. L’ecole ‘Perigee’, 2006, Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot/Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla, Washington ($55 Retail/$90 Rest) – An amazing wine that you should find in a few places but if you get a chance to try this wine then I say, rose petals in a glass. Now that’s romantic! Multiple layers of raspberry and chocolate make this wine a must try.

Tenuta San Guido ‘Guidalberto’, 2006, Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Sangiovese, Tuscany, Italy ($60 Retail/$100 Rest) - I couldn’t be romantic with red wine without mentioning this amazing blend from Italy. Neighboring the vineyards of Sassicaia (One of the most well known wineries of Italy) the fruit for this wine come from some amazing stock. This blend is a little different; we are starting to talk about some earthy character now. Smoked meats, blackberry, currant are just some of the flavors you will find. This wine is complex but don’t be afraid to approach cause once it opens up, it is truly spectacular.

Now you are done with dinner, you have made this night into one romantic endeavor that you and your date will never forget, but wait... there is still one more course to go, dessert. After all of your hard work and planning you can’t finish the night with a Budweiser in a can. Maybe you like a scotch and a cigar after dinner but my gut tells me that you may have just blown it with your date. A fun way to end the evening is to go the way of a dessert wine. Here are some dessert wines that will end the night on the right note. Quady ‘Elysium’, Black Muscat, California ($22 Retail $50 Rest) - This dessert wine is an amazing balance of sweet raspberries and lychee, making it compatible with everything from chocolate desserts to cheeses. My favorite though is to pour it over some vanilla ice cream.

Selaks ‘Ice Wine’, 2006, Riesling/Gewürztraminer, New Zealand (.375 $19 Retail .375 $35 Rest) – This amazing example of an ice wine has scored perfect ratings in years past. Once you try this wine you will understand why. Tasting like a glass of apricot and honey preserves, this ice wine should be romantically linked to a big slice of cheesecake.

Chiarlo ‘Nivole’, NV, Moscato di Asti, Piedmont, Italy (.375ml $15 Retail .375ml $30 Rest) – Now I know that we talked about sparkling wine above but this is different. A sparkling wine with a touch of sweetness. Slightly sparkling and having a floral aroma invites any couple to enjoy alone or with creamy desserts. True elegance in a champagne glass.

Chateau D’Yquem, 2002, Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc, Sauternes, Bordeaux (.375$120 Retail .375 $240 Rest) – Sauternes is the king of all dessert wines and like all kings; you have to pay the tax. Well this tax is pricy but if you ever have the pleasure to try a glass of Chateau D’Yquem, you will not be sorry you paid for it. Hard to find in most restaurants but relatively easier to find in wine shops, this sauternes has one description. Crème Brulee in a glass- need I really say more.

Taylor Fladgate 20 year Tawny Port ($40 Retail $80 Rest) – Just so you didn’t think that I was going to give all of you a sugar overdose, let me introduce a port that will end the in perfection. Taylor Fladgate has many different years of ports but the 20 year is easy to find and is very reasonably priced. Pairing with everything from chocolate soufflés to big bold bleu cheeses such as cabrales or stilton, ports are my pick for a romantic way to finish the night.

So now you are all finished with dinner, the romance in the air is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. So what’s next? Well what happens next is a whole different column and sorry to say, I can’t help you with that one. What I can help with is to remind you that trying and tasting wine is supposed to be a fun process. In itself, spending time with a date and tasting wine can bring all the romance into an evening that you would need. Remember to not be afraid to ask questions at your favorite restaurant or wine shop. There is no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to wine (well maybe a few but rarely). Sommeliers and wine directors love to talk to people about wine selections and if they don’t, they are in the wrong business to begin with. So go out and have a great romantic night with someone by letting down your guard and trying something different. Honestly, what’s the worse that can happen! Cheers!

Dave Madera General Manager/Wine Director Mise en Place Restaurant 442 W. Kennedy Blvd. Suite 110 Tampa, FL 33606 813-254-5373

40 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

TAMMY LEVENT t even

my L

am by T

As a Destination Wedding travel planner and CEO of Elite Travel, I have been to some of the hottest resorts in the world. But, if I had to choose, my pick for the sexiest vacation spot would be the Royal Plantation at Fowl Cay. It is a private, fifty-acre island just two hundred miles from Miami where guests are treated like they own the place.

Photos courtesy of www.royalplantationisland.com

lunch to bring along. Or, tell someone which beach you plan to go to, and find a picnic lunch waiting there, complete with chairs, blanket, towels, picnic basket and cooler for drinks. After a morning of swimming and kayaking, you can feed your lover grapes on a secluded beach. It doesn’t get hotter than that.

The island’s chef prepares your lunches and five-course dinners, usually served at the Harbour Club restaurant, a cozy dining room and bar perched on the highest point on the island. Warm freshly baked bread, homemade soup, veal chops, blackened cod, lobster tails with steak, rack of lamb and tuna are the usual fare. Make sure to try the traditional Bahamian dinner on at least one night during your stay. The chef will even come to your villa to prepare dinner on-site, to be served on the candlelit dining table by your butler for an intimate and very romantic supper. Guests aren’t the only ones to be fed well – if you walk out onto the dock behind the Birdcage between seven Having a butler might take some and eight in the morning, you’ll see getting used to, but have no fear: the nurse sharks, stingrays and a hefty butlers at Fowl Cay are not at all stuffy. grouper waiting for their breakfast of They are there to make sure that guests scraps from the kitchen. have what they need at all times, from making sure the refrigerator is stocked The Birdcage is one of the most to providing dry towels and clean popular villas, starting at $15,500 laundry. Each morning your butler for seven nights. This is one of the will arrive with warm, freshly baked larger villas for four to six guests. muffins, the newspaper, and advice The three-bedroom, two-level home for what to do that day if you ask for is surrounded by water and has it. Butlers will also serve dinner each incredible views out of every window. evening and turn down beds with rose The master bedroom is upstairs with petals each night. The Butlers are very the main living area, and the other knowledgeable, so feel free to share bedrooms are downstairs, so any your plans for the day. Also, let your guests or children who come with you butler know when you plan to spend will have privacy, and so will you. The the day out on your boat and the chef décor of all of the villas is elegant, but will supply you with a gourmet picnic not so precious that guests are afraid Only thirty people at a time can stay at this six villa resort. There is no check-in: you are expected and greeted on arrival with champagne. Villas are the ultimate luxury experience: they have full-sized, fully stocked kitchens, butlers to fetch cold drinks and towels, and an island chef to make gourmet breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Guests have free access to small boats which they can take out by themselves after proving sufficient competency. Picture this: your butler meets you at the arrival dock with a silver tray of drinks, loads your snorkel gear into the boat for a tour of the islands, and disappears at exactly the right times.

to touch anything. Villas feel like real homes, made to help you relax in comfort. Even the smallest homes on the island, starting at $11,000 per seven night stay, are nicer than most comparably priced resorts. The island is idyllic and there are many places to sit, read, and relax. But for active couples, there is so much to do. The 365 Exuma islands were havens for pirates like Blackbeard and Henry Morgan. You and your honey can be pirates of the Caribbean in your own sailboat or kayak and pursue adventure together on the nearby islands. Swim with nurse sharks at Compass Cay and Staniel Cay, or hop across to neighboring Big Major Spot to feed the native pigs. Call them from your boat in the shallows and they will swim out for treats. They eat scraps, bread or fruit – but don’t try feeding them by hand, throw it to them instead or you might get more adventure than you bargained for. Thunderball Grotto (a film location for the 1965 James Bond movie) is terrific for snorkeling; it teems with numerous species of fish feeding on the coral. The fish are so docile that they swarm swimmers bearing food. Alternately, go out to Guana Cay, a small island inhabited by an endangered species of iguana. The iguana are unafraid of people so don’t be surprised if they come charging up to you with their mouths wide open. They are not man-eaters, they are just looking for snacks. Rest assured that the staff keeps an eye out for your safety, even while encouraging you to enjoy the freedom of going off on your own. Access to a boat provides independence and flexibility that you won’t find at

CEO, ELITE TRAVEL TAMMY@ELITETRAVELGROUP.NET WWW.ELITETRAVELGROUP.NET

many other places. However, if you are uncomfortable reading charts and piloting your own motorboat, the staff will make arrangements for you to be taken anywhere you would like to go. To get to Fowl Cay, fly into Nassau International Airport, then take a forty-minute flight to Staniel Cay airstrip in the Exuma islands. The Royal Plantation boat will pick you up when you land and take you to the island. Hey, if it was easy to get there, it wouldn’t be a private island, would it? There is a 4-day, 3-night minimum stay for $2175 per person, which is a very good price since a comparable experience in Tahiti would cost $1800 per night – and doesn’t include food. Here are some fun and sexy ideas for what to do on your private island getaway: • Have a romantic candlelight dinner on the beach. Curl your toes in the sand as your butler brings lobster and caviar to your table with a chilled bottle of champagne. Burn off your romantic dinner with an even more romantic stroll along your private beach. • Take a bubble bath together – you could do that anywhere, right? Well, this bubble bath requires a bit of a hike. At the northernmost tip of the small beach at the northwest end of Compass Cay is a swimming hole known as Rachel’s Bubble Bath. When the tide is high, the waves crash over the rocks into the pool making for some fizzy fun. • Create a sexy scavenger hunt – go wild. Where did your bikini top go anyway? Make it number one on the list of things to find…or number five. • Take a boat out on the open water to enjoy an unobstructed view of the Caribbean sunset. Bring some champagne and strawberries – but please drive responsibly and don’t crash into any islands.

RAWBAR SUSHI FASHION SHOOT CONTRIBUTORS: FASHION SHOOT PRODUCTION AND CREATIVE DIRECTION:

PHOTOGRAPHERS: -John Kantor -Traci Aldrich FEATURED CELEBRITY MODELS: -Elizabeth Dinh, CHANNEL 10, ABC ACTION NEWS -Chris Martinez, CHANNEL 10, ABC ACTION NEWS -Roxanne Wilder, BRIGHTHOUSE Sports Network Reporter BENZ MODELS: -DALLAS WICHTER -JULIE TRUONG -MORGAN STAFFORD -HENRY PHILPOT MODEL: KEVIN LAJEUNESSE BOUTIQUES/RETAILERS: -KIT’S Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed Boutique -Urban Body Men’s Studio -Saks Fifth Avenue -Carlisle Collection MAKE-UP: -Melissa Duchaine HAIR: -J. Joseph Salon JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES: -NDI Designs, Handmade Accessories and Jewelry by Nicholas Dell Italia -KIT’S Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed Boutique DJS: -Lino Hernandez and DJ Matty VIDEOGRAPHY: -Ricardo Montana

Photo by John Kantor

777 N. Ashley Dr. • Tampa • 813.422.5220

See more at www.whatshottampabay.com

Chris Martinez: URBAN BODY MEN’S CLOTHING STUDIO Elizabeth Dinh, Roxanne Wilder: Kit’s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed; Carlisle Collection

Photo by Traci Aldrich

ACCESSORIES: Kit’s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed

FEMALES: Kit’s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed ACCESSORIES: Kit’s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed; NDI Designs, Handmade Accessories and Jewelry by Nicholas DelI Italia

Photo by Traci Aldrich

MALES: URBAN BODY MEN’S CLOTHING STUDIO

Photo by John Kantor

Visit: Kit’s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed 714 S. Village Circle, Tampa, FL 33606 Ph. (813) 250-1253 Fx. (813) 250-9302 www.kitswelldressed.com

ACCESSORIES: NDI Designs, Handmade Accessories and Jewelry by Nicholas DelI Italia

Photo by Traci Aldrich

FEMALE: Kit’s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed

Photo by Traci Aldrich

FEMALE: Kitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed ACCESSORIES: NDI Designs, Handmade Accessories and Jewelry by Nicholas DelI Italia

Photo by Traci Aldrich

Elizabeth Dinh: Kitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed

BLACK AND WHITE DRESS: Carlisle Collection HANDBAG by NDI Designs, Handmade Accessories and Jewelry by Nicholas DelI Italia

Photo by John Kantor

Roxanne Wilder: ACCESSORIES AND CLOTHING; Kit’s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed

Photos by Traci Aldrich

MALE: URBAN BODY MEN’S CLOTHING STUDIO FEMALE MODELS: Kit’s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed; Carlisle Collection

Photos by Traci Aldrich

ACCESSORIES: Kit’s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed; NDI Designs, Handmade Accessories and Jewelry by Nicholas DelI Italia

Photo by John Kantor

Kitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Well-Heeled & Well-Dressed; Carlisle Collection; NDI Designs, Handmade Accessories and Jewelry by Nicholas DelI Italia

See more at www.whatshottampabay.com

Fit For Royalty

Walk through the front doors of this magnificent waterfront home with spectacular water views from the two story foyer and living room to the screened patio and pool/spa area and know you are home. The living room will draw everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention with its coffered back-lit ceiling and travertine floors. Look to your right and see the lovely dining room with gorgeous chandelier imported from Spain. The stunning kitchen with granite counter tops, top of the line appliances, sub-zero wine cooler and beautiful wood cabinetry will make any gourmet cook feel right at home. Relax in the family room overlooking pool and water views. Your friends and family will enjoy awakening to the sound of waves tapping on the bulkhead from their first floor quest quarters. The elevator will take you on a leisurely ride from the ground floor to your destination. Plenty of room for children, family and friends with the 4th and 5th bedroom, or use the 5th bedroom for a playroom or media room. The pool area has a hand crafted Tennessee Stone waterfall. The views are exquisite. Bring the boat and jet skis and put them in your deep water slip at the marina. You are just minutes to Tampa Bay. Enjoy the 12 mile Bay waterviews to St. Petersburg. Attention has been given to every detail. Call Elaine or Jason Fox for your personal tour.

Offered at $1,399,900

58 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

SEX:

IS IT IN YOUR GENES?

by Dave Norrie

Fans of the show Friends might recall an episode where Phoebe refers to a soul mate as “finding your lobster,” insinuating that lobsters mate with the same partner for life.

during the 1973 Houses of the Holy tour and the Kardashian girls’ romp through professional sports.

But as human beings, when it comes to sex, what really drives our libido? However, she couldn’t have been more wrong. Although the cute crustaceans When it’s all boiled down are we no different from the lobster, combing the sea are known for having very tender copulation rituals, they may be the biggest thinking only with our tentacles? playboys in the animal kingdom, as their mating habits fall in line somewhere between Robert Plant’s escapades If our past can tell us anything, it points us back to Lucy, the most famous fossil related to the human species who lived 3.2 million years ago. Surely she didn’t pick the parasites out of her hair and frolic through the forests of Ethiopia putting out ‘the vibe’ because she just saw Matthew McConaughey in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Rather it was the programming in her DNA which told her that if she didn’t have sex, her species wouldn’t be around in the near future. So why is it that so many of us feel guilty for having sex on the brain as often as we do? After all, science tells us it’s only natural. That being said though, I wanted to know more. Like, as individuals, what determines our sex drive? Is it something we inherit from our parents? From our not-so-distant ancestors? Or are some of us a bit more randy than others as a product of the environment we’re raised in? So I set out on a quest, presenting my quandary to friends, family and experts in the field. With a topic like this, the answers were sure to be interesting.

THE SCIENCE OF FRICTION When it comes to talk about sex and what drives us, you’ll find one man’s name in just about every scholarly conversation. That man is Sigmund Freud, who was coined ‘The Father of Modern Psychology.’ Freud theorized that humans are instinctually driven by inherited unconscious, animalistic urges such as lust and aggression. (See; Mike Tyson, Mickey Rourke.) His concept of the “id,” a primitive driving force which resides within each of us, is something we inherit at birth from our parents. The id combines with what Freud coined the ego (the part of us that provides reason and common sense) and the superego (the part of us that strives to be socially appropriate and morally just) to form our actions. The ego, being that middle ground which settles the dynamics between the id and the superego, is where most of us function on a day to day basis. If it’s confusing, it may help to imagine the three in terms of a rock concert with a double bill headlining the Sex Pistols and the Jonas Brothers with Rodney King acting as tour manager invoking his famous slogan, “can’t we all just get along?” What is important to note here is that the id is more nature, or instinctual, versus the ego and superego which are more a product of nurture, or habits that develop from interactions with our parents, siblings and society in general. In his book, The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology and Everyday Life, author Robert Wright would seem to fall in line with Freudian thought saying, “The premise of evolutionary psychology is simple. The human mind, like any other organ, was designed for the purpose of transmitting genes to the next generation…thus the feeling of hunger, no less than the stomach, is here because it helped keep our ancestors alive long enough to reproduce and rear their young. Feelings of lust, no less than the sex organs, are here because they aided reprorepro duction directly. Any ancestors who lacked stomachs or hunger or sex organs or lust—well, they wouldn’t have become ancestors, would they?” In order to prove just how much of an effect our genetic programming has on our sex life, Wright cites a study which focused on the number of sperm cells found in a husband’s ejaculate. He says one might assume it would depend only on how long it has been since the husband last had sex. However that’s not true. According to the study, what matters more, is how long his wife had been out of sight. “A man who hasn’t had sex for, say, a week will have a higher sperm count if his wife was away on a business trip than if she’s been home with the flu.”

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 59

Wright says, “In short, what really counts is whether the woman has had the adamantly disagreed with the findings, saying absolutely not, that there was no opportunity to stray. The more chances she has had to collect sperm from other way she shared any sexual identity with her parents. males, the more profusely her mate sends in his own troops.” But on the other end of the spectrum, it was just the opposite. Is mentioned the If that’s the case, I can imagine rapper Jay Z releasing a ‘shock n’ awe’ campaign “Sex gene” research to another friend of mine, asking him his opinion. Hearing on Beyonce upon her return from her European Tour in December. him reply, “oh, hell yeah. My dad was a pimp. I know he had some freak in him,” as he sheepishly grinned made me wonder how biased one’s perception of being sexually proficient figured into the equation. If one were to admit being LOOKING MIGHTY CUTE IN THOSE GENES lukewarm when it came to sex would it not be equivalent to disliking chocolate or puppies?

WHO’S YOUR DADDY? If I wanted a more honest answer I knew I’d have to do what any good journalist would do and go directly to the source, my own parents. Now all dads have that one good joke they go to the well on at social gatherings. Mine is no different. He tells this story of being in a parked car overlooking lover’s lane with my mom decades ago. It goes like this: “The car is all steamed up and suddenly I hear this knock on the window. So I roll it down to see who it is and a police officer is there and shines a light on my face. The officer asks, ‘what are you kids doing in there’ to which I reply, ‘we’re just necking.’ (A 1950s reference for making out)

Saying that human beings are horny and that sex is embedded in our DNA might not be an earth shattering revelation. But recent studies which point to So the officer says, “OK then, well in that case put your neck back in your pants the fact that genes cause some of us to be, for lack of a better term, more horny and get out of here.” (drum kick here) than others, is.

Professor Richard Ebstein, of Herzog Hospital and the head of the Scheinfeld I share this because 10 years ago any discussion of sex with my parents was Center for Human Genetics at the Hebrew University in Israel may be the first limited to corny jokes while any serious attempt at a mature sexual converresearcher to have found hard evidence linking sexual desire to DNA. sation felt awkward, like the feeling you get when you’re sitting in the dentist chair and that mirror is staring you in the face. You know if you open your eyes, In a DNA study of 148 healthy male and female university students Professor you might be exposed to something you’d rather not see. Ebstein’s team found a correlation between variants in a gene called the DRD4 receptor (also known as the dopamine D4 receptor gene) and the students’ self- But at some point in life you reach a maturity where you discover parents are reports on sexuality. people too and often they can open your eyes to things which you might be curious about, like am I the only one in the family who constantly feels like The study is the first to provide data to show that common variations in the Jack Nicholson at a Laker’s Cheerleader sleepover? sequence of DNA impacts sexual desire, arousal and function. The findings point to an outcome which suggests two thirds of people have a gene variant Now my mother is your typical that leads to a lower sex drive while one third has one that leads to higher northern Catholic and any discussion about sex in frigid activity. Buffalo New York 50 years Ebstein’s search for a link between genetics and behavior has been steadily ago was the equivalent to progressing since the mid-1990s, when it was common practice to study sexual lying down under a palm tree. behavioral disorders simply through psychology. And the sex gene isn’t his first She knew people were doing discovery. His belief that humans are “hard wired” for certain behaviors has led it somewhere but she’d just him to uncover links to genes that make people more likely to be risk takers, to never seen it. be altruistic and giving, and even those which might lead somebody to become But Mom comes from a family a dancer. of seven kids, so unless my This new “sex gene” variant is said to be similar to those genes which make us grandfather tripped over a either tall or short, blonde or brunette. It is Ebstein’s hope that this discovery skate left on the floor and fell leads to new ideas in the way we treat sexual dysfunctions. He says we no into Grandma a lot (a lot!), longer need to label people as being sexually dysfunctional or categorize them Chances are they had a good as falling outside societal norms but rather we look upon them as being on an libido. opposite end of a normal distribution curve. On the other hand, Dad said that although his parents slept SURVEY SAYS: GIVE ME SEX in twin beds most of their lives Needless to say, I was very intrigued by Ebstein’s findings and personally he still believes Grandpa and felt there was some real truth to it. So, being inquisitive, I wanted to see what Grandma Norrie had a healthy, perhaps even stronger than average, libido. He defended their habits by saying, “there’s two things you can do in a bed and just others’ opinions were. because you can’t sleep together doesn’t mean you’re not sleeping together.” I began by phoning an old college friend. I knew she wasn’t terribly fond of (continued on Pg. 61) her parents and how their relationship worked and somewhat predictably, she

www.jasonhenthorne.com 813.495.0027

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 61

(continued from Pg. 59)

As an aside: A 2005 poll by the National Sleep Foundation revealed that 23 percent of married couples sleep in separate beds and one quarter of spouses admitted that their sexual relationship had been affected by sleep issues. While I still had no clear cut answers at this point, there was one thing I knew for sure, if you want to pique people’s interest in a conversation, there’s nothing like talk of sex. Yet still, what was this quest coming to? I couldn’t make top or bottom out of it. I needed hard evidence I could sink my fingers into. Answers to get me over the hump and down to the bare essentials. There was no sense in getting all heated up and pulling my hair out if I couldn’t truly quench my desire for the truth.

PRIESTS AND PLAYBOYS In his 15 years as a power forward in the NBA, the majority of which he played with the Los Angeles Lakers, A.C. Green scored 12,331 points. Yet he never “scored” in terms of losing his virginity until he married his wife, Veronique on April 20, 2002. He was 38 years old. Juxtapose that with Wilt Chamberlain who also had a 15-year NBA career, six of which he played with the Lakers. Until he retired in 1974 his most notable accomplishment was having the highest single game scoring mark in league history, racking up 100 points in a game against the New York Knicks in 1962. But the Big Dipper’s most impressive number wasn’t revealed until the release of his 1991 autobiography in which he claimed to have slept with 20,000 women, the equivalent of about 1.2 a day. In his book titled A View From Above Chamberlain said, “I don’t see all this lovemaking as any kind of conquest; all I’m saying is that I like women.” Green, on the other hand, who claimed his teammates would send girls to his room in attempts to break his will defended those who questioned his decision to remain abstinent by saying, “I am who I am and I’m quite comfortable with that.” Now you have to be a huge sports fan to know the stigma attached to professional athletes when it comes to sex. But this tale of two Lakers may point to some clarity on the issue at hand. Given the fact that the environment was relatively the same for both men, with women there for the taking, one took generously and the other said no thanks. But was this an issue of Chamberlain having the strong DRD4 receptor, which drove him to pursue women more or rather Green being raised in a Christian household which taught him to suppress his desires? To settle the question once and for all I had to take it a step further and contact the man who started this curiosity in the first place, Professor Ebstein. I simply asked him if we were truly at the mercy of our DNA when it comes to our sex drive. “Similar to most complex human behaviors, as a rule of thumb, what you’re calling ‘sex drive’ is probably 50% genes and 50% due to environment,” Ebstein explained. “However, that said, for any one individual his/her ‘sex drive’ could be 90% environment and only 10% genes - a sort of Yin Yang formula.” He pointed out that while we may be part of the one third who falls on the high end of the sexual spectrum, that environmental influences can trump that. A good example of this, according to him, is alcoholism, which is also fairly heritable. Yet in Muslim countries where alcohol is forbidden you might have all the genes to be an alcoholic but indeed be a teetotaler. On the other hand, in (continued on Pg. 63)

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 63

(continued from Pg. 61)

a society that drinks a lot, even if an individual has genes that ordinarily would prevent excessive drinking, sufficient social pressure will encourage people to imbibe. Ah ha! Now things were starting to make sense. So under that premise it would seem safe to assume that had Charlie Sheen been born into the Osmond family his propensity for hookers may have been kyboshed. And had Tim Tebow gone to a university with more attractive women, perhaps he would not still be a virgin. But going back to my friends and family which I surveyed earlier, just because your grandmother may have been the First Lady of Fornication doesn’t mean you have to fit your 13-year-old daughter with a chastity belt. Although DNA sequencing is known to be one of the most exact sciences, the way in which two strands of DNA interact to make a new person is not. “There is assortment of these many genes across generations and perhaps a concentration of certain variants in families or groups,” Ebstein said. “The gene variants we get from our parents are most often just the luck of the draw.” But I questioned Professor Ebstein in more proper terms saying that one would think, when it comes to libido and one’s ‘freaky factor’, that it would be safe to assume that a woman who is a huge fan of the game Twister would not be all that compatible with a man who prefers Trivial Pursuit. “That’s an interesting question and I’m not sure that the subject has been investigated in depth,” he said. “Indeed, much of the literature continues to find only modest evidence of spousal similarity in personality. I think with sexual attitudes and behavior the situation might be the same.” He did however cite an article by psychology professors Jeffrey A. Simpson and Steven W. Gangestad which found that sexually unrestricted individuals desire, choose, and acquire romantic partners who are more physically and sexually attractive and who have higher social visibility. And that restricted individuals seek romantic partners who are more kind and affectionate, responsible, and loyal and faithful, in keeping with more conservative attitudes and committed love styles.

YOU GOT YOUR CHOCOLATE IN MY PEANUT BUTTER Professor Ebstein’s research sheds an interesting light on why we are like we are from a genetic standpoint and Freud’s concepts from a psychological sense give us great insight as well. But when it comes down to science between the sheets, leave it to Nobel Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman who studied quantum mechanics and helped develop the atomic bomb. He said; “Science is a lot like sex. Sometimes something useful comes of it, but that’s not the reason we’re doing it.” Back in the 1970s there was a popular commercial for the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup in which a person walking down the street eating a chocolate bar would inevitably bump into another person who was eating peanut butter. The chocolate dipped into the peanut butter and voila, it was a match made in heaven. At the end of the day, after this inquisition, that’s what I got. Some of us are chocolate, some peanut butter and hopefully when we bump into one another it makes something delicious. And, that it definitely tastes more satisfying when you’re having it with somebody whom you love and maybe that’s where most of us go wrong and end up disappointed.

Valentine’s Day:

overrated?

EVE Valentine’s Day is relative, and dare I say: overrated. And I propose making every day your own Valentine’s Day. If someone else wants to share it with you, so be it. If not, their loss. Because let’s face it: If you’re in a happy relationship, or if you have the prospect of one, it’s a happy occasion. But if you’re very single and with few prospects of that changing any time soon, the day can be a real effing downer! If you’re in the SWFP (single with few prospects) group, the days and weeks leading up to it are impossible to avoid. Rose and chocolate specials are advertised everywhere. The stores are filled with aisles of pink and red cards and envelopes, stuffed bears, and those big gaudy heart-shaped chocolate boxes. It’s enough to make you start wishing for Easter and all its pastel candy displays. My friend Brady a few years back told me he wasn’t planning anything special for his girlfriend because he doesn’t believe in Valentine’s Day. It’s just a superficial, materialistic day created by retailers to sell lots of stuff, he told me. At first I snickered and told him, “Yeah, good luck convincing your girlfriend of that. Let me know how that works out for ya!” But the more I think about it, the more I see his point. Sure, if you’re 16 and young in love, the buildup to Feb. 14 is exciting. Heck, at that age it’s exciting if you’re simply pining over the gangly JV basketball player and wondering if he’ll send you a Rose-O-Gram in second period English. But I’m 16 times 2 now, plus a few heartbreaks. I haven’t exactly given up on the big four-letter L-word, but I am definitely more cautious and guarded. So lately I’ve been thinking, why do we have to wait for someone else to be our Valentine? Why can’t we just be our own? And no, ye of dirty mind, I’m not just talking about the physical benefits of having a Valentine. I’m talking about the pampering, the spoiling, the indulging. Why should I wait for some dude to buy me a massage when I can buy one for myself? Why not buy myself flowers to brighten up my living room? Spa day? A box of truffles? I can make that happen, too. And not just on Feb.

14, but whenever I feel like it. Because you know what? I deserve pampering and spoiling, and until a deserving and fitting suitor smartens up and decides to give it to me, I’ll treat myself to the best of everything.

as Simon Cowell, gave me a valuable anecdote which I never forgot. He said, “How would we know true love, great love were it not for the heartache and disappointments we experience leading up to it?”

And who knows? Maybe after all that selfindulgence and self-pampering, I’ll have that glow of relaxation and contentment that makes some potential Valentine do a double-take and say, “Who’s that? Check her out!” If not, his loss.

The other great piece of advice I’ll always remember is a quote from Jon Favreau’s character, Mike, in the movie Swingers who said, “the beautiful babies don’t work the midnight to six shift on a Wednesday, that’s the skank shift.”

I am already making plans for a grand Valentine’s Day gift to myself. Come Feb. 14, I will have just landed in London, England, for a five-day getaway with my best friend, her husband and toddler. And I have an idea of where I can find myself a great Valentine’s gift. One word, fashion-forward people: Harrod’s. That’s better than any box of chocolates. Even better: The memories I’ll make with my best friend will be forever, unlike those dozen roses that will wither and die by Feb. 24.

Adam Hey Molly Ringwald, somewhere out there in VHS-Land, Ducky is playing an OMD song for you. Even the two queens from Air Supply had to sit up in the middle of their perms to keep from gagging on the melodrama.

Apply that conversely as you may. But Eve, your disenchantment with the holiday shouldn’t be aimed at Hallmark or Godiva. I’m going to go out on a limb and put some of the blame on you women for tarnishing the conceptions we have of Valentine’s Day. That’s right, you have to point the finger inward at yourselves here. As soon as you allowed Hollywood and the media to present the Britney Spears, the Tila Tequilas and Samantha Jones’ of the world as acceptable representations of what is ladylike, you surrendered the white flag. And I’m not pointing the finger at anybody personally, but women as a whole. Because while for the most part you will individually deny admiring these celebrities, you, as a gender, do nothing to hinder them either. And that is where the fault lies.

Rarely, if at all, do men buy the magazines which promote these unscrupulous women on However, that’s not to say I can’t sympathize their covers. And men don’t discuss them at the with you. One is indeed the loneliest number, hair salon. Admittedly though, men are sexual but fear not because these eyes have seen a lot of animals and if the gatekeepers of sex (women) loves and I’m sure there’s gonna be another one carelessly leave the cage open without a lock, for you. So every now and then when you get a we’re not going to respect the civilities which little tired of listening to the sound of your tears, have been in place. remember the words of that little band who used to play by the river, “someday, somebody is When female etiquette standards are set by MTV, let’s not be surprised by plummeting chivalry. going to see inside you.” Laugh we may when an old western movie Even the lonesome losers must keep on trying. comes on and a cowboy stands up and tips his Neither age, continuous disappointment, nor the hat to a lady, but beware, romance is in danger of becoming a fossil. A thing we’ll read about in demise of rock ballads can let you down. books to our grandchildren and say, “Really, there Love, after all, is what life revolves around. And was a time when people courted one another and heartache is often 50 percent of the equation. In had emotional ties to sex.” my youth, following a traumatic breakup, my old man, who at the time was about as sensitive

66 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

The Valentine’s Day Trade While you’re buying your Sweetheart Chocolates, You might consider putting some money to work in Cocoa Futures By: James Cordier, OptionSellers.com

Commodities, futures contracts, options…..it all sounds so intimidating to investors not yet familiar with this rapidly expanding asset class. Yet as February brings the buyers of sweets for the sweet, you may consider that commodities are the most basic of investments. They are the products we use every day, from gasoline to orange juice to the sugar and chocolate you may be buying this month. The question is, how do you invest in this stuff? A core focus of The Complete Guide to Option Selling (McGraw-Hill 2005) is pairing the logic of selling option premium with the long term fundamentals of a particular market. This is the strategy we recommend to clients – but it is certainly not the only way to invest in commodities.

with the concept of commodities futures trading – help to offset short term increases in the value of his let alone selling options on these contracts. option while he is waiting for it to expire. That’s OK. For helping you understand this specific type of investment is the purpose of this column.

In some markets, a strategy known as a strangle can accomplish this. A strangle is a strategy of selling both a put and a call at the same time. The put is sold far below the current price of the underlying futures and the call is sold far above the current price of the underlying futures. If the futures price is anywhere between the two strike prices at expiration, both options expire worthless and the trader keeps all premium collected as profit. Although strangles can often produce more premium for the seller than selling naked puts or calls, they can also be considered a more conservative strategy, as gains on one side of the strangle tend to offset losses on the other side. This “offsetting” effect allows a wider range of movement in the underlying contract without significantly affecting a trader’s equity. Meanwhile, time value gradually erodes the value of both the put and the call. Strangles are best employed in non-trending markets but can also be utilized in some slower trending markets.

Many people getting started in commodities futures Nonetheless, for this type of trading, volatile price trading begin by buying options. This can be a movement is a good thing. mistake. Buying options offers limited risk. But the chances of making money by buying options A variety of economic conditions, especially in the is slim. That is why sophisticated investors often United States, have ushered in an era of unprec- look to take the opposite side of these beginners and edented volatility in a variety of markets. The US sell them these options. It is a fact that over 80% Dollar, Crude oil, Soybeans, Silver and Gold have of all options held through expiration will expire all proved turbulent markets for investors as of late worthless. and have many traders pulling their hair out trying to time their tops and bottoms. But that doesn’t mean that option buyers don’t think they can turn a buck by buying these kinds of For Option Sellers, however, these are the best of options. While there is slim chance these types of times. Option Sellers want and need volatility, and options will ever go in the money, there is a chance the amount present in today’s markets have many that they could increase in value in the meantime, eagerly rubbing their hands together. High volatility meaning the buyer of the option could buy high means strikes available so far out of the money that and sell higher – turning a profit. In addition, media they have very little hope of ever being exercised. attention has a way of whipping speculators into Consider some of the trades that were available in a frenzy and ultimately making them do foolish A good example of how to employ such a strategy is late 2009: things. Sometimes, this involves buying ridicu- in the Cocoa market. lously priced options in hopes of securing big gains on “the next leg.” • Selling May Silver 30 calls (you make money if Traditional investors may cringe at the thought of July Silver futures are anywhere below $30 an ounce investing in such an exotic market. But cocoa is a in April) The odds, however, are overwhelmingly in favor legitimate futures contract trading thousands of • Selling June Gold $2000 calls (you make money of the option seller who sells and holds on to these contracts every day by commodities and hedge if June Gold futures are anywhere below $2000 per options through expiration. In most cases, time will funds on the ICE exchange (formerly the New York ounce in May). eventually catch up with the option values, and Board of Trade). • Or, you could have sold March Natural Gas barring some cataclysmic event, erode them to zero 10.00 calls and made money if Natural Gas was – meaning eventual profits to the seller. And, as an individual investor, it’s open to you as anywhere below $10.00 in March (Natural Gas is well. You just have to know how to go about it – just above 5.00 at the time of this writing). The primary risk to the far out of the money option or work with a firm that specializes in such investseller then, is increased values and margin to his ments. The reality however, is that most people did not. position prior to expiration. Thus it may serve an Most readers of this column are probably unfamiliar option seller well to utilize a strategy that could Therefore, in the spirit of the Valentine’s Day

What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com 67

season, and the accompanying surge in Chocolate demand, we are outlining a strategy that you can employ today to invest in cocoa. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as buy before Valentine’s Day, expect a price increase due to the increased demand, take your profit. Seasonal surges are already factored into price. Everybody knows it’s coming. Sorry!

Total Premium Collected: $800 ($400 put, $400 call) Margin Requirement: $1650 Option Expiration : June 4, 2010

Analysis: If Cocoa prices are anywhere between 480 and

240 per tonne at the expiration date, both options expire worthless and seller keeps all premium collected as profit.

Risk Management: However, the option strategy we will describe will Conservative – Risk to one of the options doubling in show you how to make money in the cocoa market value (Ideally, the other side would then expire worthless, as long as prices stay in a wide, defined range for resulting in the trader breaking even on the trade). about 12-16 weeks. About 2/3 of the world’s cocoa production come from 4 West African nations: The Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. Cocoa prices have benefited recently from lower production (see chart below,) a weaker US dollar and a new source of demand beginning to materialize from developing economies such as China, India and Brazil. As the middle class continues to grow in these nations, more of its residence have disposable income to spend on “luxuries” such as chocolate.

Aggressive – a. Risk to one side tripling in value Aggr (resulting in a net $400 loss if other side expires worthless).

Also known as “bracketing”, the strangle can be a profitable approach as long as the futures price is anywhere between the two strike prices at option expiration. As stated earlier, the primary benefit of a strangle is this: if the market is heading towards one strike or the other, the increasing value of the nearer strike price is offset, at least partially, by the decreasing value of the option on the other side of the market. This offsetting effect allows the market greater flexibility to fluctuate as opposed selling a straight put or call. Both the put and the call will eventually expire worthless, as long as neither strike price is exceeded. A secondary benefit is margin. Strangles often have a lower margin requirement since this balancing effect of the put and the call reduces the risk to a certain extent.

Chart courtesy of Hightower Research

However, the world’s largest consumers of cocoa such as the European Union (40% of world demand) followed by the US (12% of world demand) have just been through a major recession. Cocoa demand is down.

Thus, writing a strangle can not only be an effective tool in helping to mitigate risk by letting puts and calls balance each other, it can also increase an investor’s return on invested funds due to its favorable margin treatment among the exchanges.

Like any strategy, strangles have their limitations. While they are useful in non-trending or at least non-violent markets, a price breakout in either direction can cause losses to accumulate on one side of the strangle if the trade is not exited. The The combination of lower supply and lower demand option on the opposite side of the losing option could help keep prices in a somewhat defined range can only balance losses so far. In addition, having options on both sides of the market virtually doubles this year. the chances of being on the wrong end of such a For this type of price outlook, you can consider an breakout. option strangle as an investment. The balancing nature of the strangle, however, will generally allow risk conscious traders to exit graceEXAMPLE – Short Option Strangle fully in such an occurrence if they are using the risk management guidelines listed above. While strangles are generally not recommended for markets experiencing strong trends, they can be very effective in markets experiencing high volatility. Volatility can often make strikes available on both sides of the market that have little chance of ever going in the money. Fortunately for sellers of strangles, today’s markets have no shortage of volatility. And if you are looking for a fundamentally supported market in which to employ the strangle, Cocoa could be a good bet. Trade date: Jan 12, 2010 Trade: Selling July Cocoa 480 Calls and 240 Puts (Strangle)

That goes for your Valentine’s day gift as well.

68 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

HONEY BUNZ by Ryan Watson

I would like to start off dedicating this article to all the cute couples I see in the gym that share a passion for fitness with one another and have integrated it into KICKING A$$ their relationship. Squats and lunges should always be the foundation of any leg training, Obviously people have learned the benefits of fitness, and the direct and indirect especially when trying to condition and improve the overall size or tone of the ways in which it affects their relationship in a positive manner. Relieving glutes. These are both multi-joint exercises which recruit a tremendous amount stress, producing endorphins (well-being hormones), energizing and vitalizing of the gluteus fibers. I always recommend you start off with the more difficult a couple’s health as well as spending time with each other doing something that multi-joint exercises first, integrating all the leg musculature together before each feels is productive and beneficial for each other are just a few things to you get into isolating them. consider. As we approach Valentine’s Day, I’m hoping that this article motivates Squats and lunges are essential but the following explains some isolated glute you to get in the gym for a solid workout with your partner before you rush off exercises to do when you’re wondering what to do after you have completed for the traditional dinner and/or whatever it is you like to do for that special them. I recommend that you do one or two of these exercises each workout and constantly change up the sets and reps to ensure your body doesn’t adapt and evening. become stagnant. The topic of exercise and how it relates to physical attraction is extremely amusing to me. While I’m fascinated with every aspect of the human body, there is a certain part that seems to be the talk of the town lately. Some like to call it the J-Lo factor. Maybe it goes all the way back to Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back”? Wherever it started though, it seems it’s here to stay, and of course I’m talking about the body part we properly refer to in scientific circles as the gluteus maximus. Also known as the butt, the caboose, the rear end and the badonka-donk. To me, the glutes, as we call them for short, are a bit more intriguing not solely based on their aesthetic appeal, but their functionality as well.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW ME, BUTT…. The glutes are comprised of two major muscle groups, the gluteus maximus and minimus. These muscles are by far the most explosive, not to mention largest, of all the muscles in the body. Comprised mostly of fast twitch muscle fibers, their primary function is to assist the body in hip extension, meaning any time the hips are pressed forward. They also help to stabilize and mobilize the pelvis, making this muscle extremely critical for any activity requiring jumping and sprinting as well as stability demands placed upon the hips for lateral movement. Therefore it’s fairly obvious why we see athletes in major sports with well-developed glutes. (See Serena Williams, Albert Pujols)

Stability Ball Bridge (weighted)One of my all-time favorites for glutes. So simple yet extremely effective. Just like all of the exercises I have listed here for the glutes, the main focus should be placed on maximum hip extension and really feeling your glutes tighten at the top of the movement. Remember to press through the heel of the foot and always keep your shoulder blades and your head supported by the ball. Hold your contractions for at least two seconds at the top. Try to go heavy but stay strict for three sets of 12 to enlarge your bunz with about a 60 second break between sets. If you’re simply trying to tighten and firm, try four sets of 20 reps with 20 seconds rest between sets.

While I haven’t figured out the main fascination people have with the glutes, I dare speculate it must correlate with the rear end because all other mammals on earth procreate from the back side, so it’s my guess this mating ritual must be ingrained in our DNA somewhere, since we too are mammals. Glutes from an aesthetic standpoint are just like any other body part, their beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Whether someone favors a large or petite set of glutes, there’s no denying they rank very high on the desirability scale. There are several schools of thought on training this muscle group, but I will share with you some proven methods I have discovered myself and with my clients. Knowing this muscle is predominantly fast twitch tells me that in order to make them grow we will either have to train them heavy or in a very Glute specific Reverse Hyperextensionsexplosive manner. The repetitions will range from 6-12, in order to grow, all the way up to sets of 20 if you are just trying to achieve the toning benefits. Also try to play around with the speed of your reps. Knowing that they are mostly fast twitch tells you that they will respond to quick and explosive reps, so do a set slow and another quicker to confuse the body. Your main focus when training this muscle group should be to really squeeze at the top of your reps concentrating on hard contractions and ensuring a good burn. The glutes are a very resilient muscle group so you must make them work in order to really see benefits.

This is a hip extension movement done from the prone (face down) position. You’ll lay your hips directly on the top of the ball and place your palms on the floor for stability. Bring the soles of your feet together and make sure you angle your knees outward. From this position, focus on maintaining your foot and leg position while trying to raise them straight towards the ceiling, holding the squeeze at the top for a three-second count. This is a great shaper and toner, but if your goal is to add size to the bunz you can always put a dumbbell between the feet. I recommend three sets of 15-20 reps with a 45 second rest period between them. (continued on Pg. 70)

70 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

HONEY BUNZ

(continued)

One Leg Romanian DeadliftThe is one of my favorites because any time you perform a movement on one leg the instability created causes the glutes to be heavily recruited to help balance and stabilize your pelvis, doubling the workload. It is also a great way to strengthen and condition the hamstrings, tying the two muscle groups together and hammering that unwanted cheese that can accumulate right underneath the glutes. Three sets of 12-15 reps is sufficient for this one. I recommend 20-30 seconds rest between each leg and then a 60 second rest between sets to avoid fatiguing the lower back.

Weighted Scorpion Kicks on BOSUGet on all fours on the blue side of the BOSU. After finding your balance, keep one leg bent at a 90 degree angle and then extend that foot and leg as high as you can straight up. Hold for a 3 count at the top. Bring the leg back down to where the thigh is parallel and then repeat. Do 15-20 reps for each leg for three with only 20-30 second rest. If wanting to add size to the glutes you can place a dumbbell on the back of the knee trapping it there between your calf and hamstring.

Cable Leg ExtensionsJust a fancy way to finish the glutes off. Lay on all fours on a bench and strap the ankle to a cable. You will begin by keeping a small 10 degree bend of the knee. Keeping your back straight and core tight, drive the foot straight back. Once the leg is fully straightened hold for three counts and return the leg down to the side. Three sets of 20 reps per leg will be the right amount to get those bunz rock hard.

No ifs, ands or butts about it, these exercises are proven effective. Give them a couple of months in your routine and you’ll see the results. Remember, more is not always better. Give your legs and glutes time to heal between sessions. Most experts agree, 48 hours is a good resting period between training the same muscle group, but that number can vary so always pay attention to the soreness factor. If a muscle group is still sore, it hasn’t completely healed and may need another day or so of rest. Models: male- Ryan Watson female- Nicole Cirruzzo In closing, I truly appreciate everyone’s awesome feedback and taking the time to read. Have a blessed month and don’t be afraid to throw these movements into your workout mix for a little challenge and variety. Strive for health and happiness and be thankful for every workout. God Bless and please stop by my web site and say hey! www.1-morerep.com

Ryan Watson is a former NFL player who is currently a Personal Trainer at Powerhouse Gym, Downtown Tampa. He has a B.S. degree in Exercise Science and Minor in Nutrition from Appalachian State University. He holds a certification with the National Academy of Sports Medicine as well as the National Sports and Conditioning Association, and he is certified as a Performance Enhancement Specialist. You can reach Ryan at www.1-morerep.com for any questions or feedback.

72 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

the tampa sports knucklehead

NCAA Ruins Bowden’s Farewell by Basil Spyridakos

It’s weird for me to write this because his title was always Florida State “Head Coach” Bobby Bowden, but the 34-year ride has come to an end with an emotional 33 to 21 victory over West Virginia in the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day. The 80-year-old Bowden has officially stepped down and did so in a nonchalant, classy fashion chock-full of post-game jokes and a heartfelt goodbye.

place all-time to Joe Paterno’s 394 and counting) due to the violations FSU reported to the NCAA back in 2007. The offenses were documented, investigated, and have been well publicized as well as criticized/defended throughout the sports world.

investigation at USC, but all we hear about are delays in the process.

The NCAA has to protect its prized conference and “cash cow” too, so nothing will come out of Tennessee even with the multiple arrests they’ve recently had. These aren’t just “caught with If you’re unsure of the sanctions, here’s a marijuana” type arrests either. These are student quick rundown: Multiple students and student athletes with gun charges, aggravated assault, athletes, including FSU football players, were so on and so forth, and not a whisper from the It should have ended that way. It should have caught allegedly cheating in an online Music NCAA. ended on a high note, and the man who took a Appreciation course. Supposedly, a tutor for the FSU reported themselves after school program from nothing to prestige should have class came clean about the scenario and a melee walked off into the proverbial sunset and not ensued. officials discovered what was going on. They have to ever look back. Alas, it isn’t so for the even suspended players for the Music City Bowl mythical coach. The NCAA has put a wrench My question to you is, “Does Bobby deserve back in 2007, which probably cost them the into what could have been a glorious ending to a this?” game, due to these transgressions. Of course fabled career. Former Florida State Head Coach rival fans are going to cry, “Bobby should Bobby Bowden will have multiple games stripped Whether you love Bowden or hate him, the man have known what was going on. It’s his fault.” from his record, leaving him with 375 gave his all to the University and did something How? How in the world is one man supposed to career victories (a distant second unbelievable by taking a program on the brink know what his players are doing at all times? of disbandment to national power—and did Did Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer know so in only a few short seasons. I’m absolutely where defensive end Carlos Dunlap was when appalled and disgusted by the NCAA, who, he received his DUI? How about University of similarly enough, operates much like The Tennessee’s Head Coach Lane Kiffin and his Sopranos. Florida State hasn’t been posse who robbed a man in his car at gunpoint making the NCAA money the like a pack of hoodlums? You’re kidding yourself way they used to and they’re if you truly think these coaches know what their now taking it out on the kids are doing at all times and you’re absolutely University and Bowden. in denial if you think cheating doesn’t happen at FSU had bigger troubles every university. Yes, people speed every day and in the ’90s; and not a single don’t get caught; yet it still doesn’t make it right. infraction took place, and if Bobby Bowden can still win a room there were violations, they were only a slap on the wrist. The ’Noles with his southern charm and quick wit, and were also winning big games and he’ll easily walk away from this mishap with his National Championships. Coinci- head held high. He has nothing to be ashamed of. Bowden stole the hearts of Seminoles fans as dence? well as college football fans everywhere. This will Take a look at what’s going on at certainly put a slight tarnish to his legacy, but Southern Cal or Tennessee. The at no fault of his own. Bobby did what he was Trojans have been on top of the supposed to do and got reprimanded anyway. college football world this The United States is a forgiving country and this past decade and have been will all blow over in a few years. If anything, it’s associated with many good it came out now so the school can finally alleged wrongdoings. move on. Something I can never forgive is the Reggie Bush and OJ NCAA and their sleazy operation. Mayo immediately come to mind. Google Thank you, NCAA for trying to disgrace Bobby it if you’re unsure Bowden and his hallowed records. You did what of what I’m talking you could, but you can never kill his name, for it about. Supposedly, lives on in college football lore forever. the NCAA has been conducting an

76 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

Crocodile Bay Lodge Hosting the Onshore Offshore Sailfish Ritual with What’s Hot Tampa Bay Magazine By: Captain Bret Gamrot

Onshore Offshore’s Sailfish Ritual started in Costa Rica at Crocodile Bay in 2003, and we are happy to be returning there March 18—22, 2010. Now is your chance to sign up for this year’s trip. Ian Beckles and I share a common love for fishing in Costa Rica. Ian’s first trip to Costa Rica was back in 2005 as my special guest, and we have returned many times since. One of our best days was spent offshore where I watched Ian land a 135 pound Pacific sail that measured over nine feet long. This monster beat his first sail that was caught off of Key West by nearly ninety pounds! The next day we shared an inshore boat with Captain Rudy. As we fished along the cliffs of the Osa Rain Forest Mountains and in and out of the shadows of the rocks and shoreline, I watched as Ian caught his first roosterfish. Like everyone that lands one of these fish, Ian was struck and awed by its unique beauty. I can vividly remember hearing Ian say that this may be his favorite place on earth, and I have to agree. We are really happy to be returning to part of the world that we love and also to one of our favorite resorts as well!

The lodge has beautifully decorated rooms with lots of space and nice bathrooms. Typically two people share a room with double beds. The trip is all-inclusive with a big cooked breakfast and fabulous dinner served at the dining hall, and sack lunches for you to take fishing. They provide beer and soft drinks on the boats and a full bar at the lodge and in the pool. The only thing extra is premium brand liquors and tips for the great staff. I don’t usually like overly sweet tropical drinks, but the pina coladas they made with fresh cut pineapple are the best I’ve ever had (they really hit the spot after a hot day on the water!) We have made one change in our plans for the 2010 year. Three full days of fishing has been too much for many participants, so we have only scheduled two days of fishing with a day free to take advantage of eco tours, kayaking, horseback riding, the in-house spa, pool, butterfly gardens and much more. If you are hard-core and want to fish three days, that can also be arranged for a little extra money.

The trip remains a real bargain at $2595 plus the cost of your flight to San Jose. There are also non-fishing rates for couples that choose to experience Costa Costa Rica is a truly beautiful country, and Crocodile Rica and just enjoy the jungles and the beaches. So Bay is a world-class lodge and fishing operation. come and join Ian Beckles and I for this fantastic Crocodile Bay Resort is located in Costa Rica’s trip of a lifetime. most pristine region (the Osa Peninsula), which is referred to by National Geographic magazine as Call us to ask for information and to book “The most biologically intense place on Earth”. your spot for the 2010 Sailfish Ritual! Puerto Jimenez, where the lodge is located, is so far south that you can see Panama as you head out to You won’t regret it. 727-935-4866 fish.

80 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

Jenna Shiver

By Billy Castro I’ve been blessed to see this young woman step up and become a warrior in and out of the ring. Jenna Shiver shares an exciting and refreshing perspective of her life. We all have challenges and those who conquer their challenges are the ones who become champions. You will see and hear of this strong and powerful woman climbing the boxing ranks and fighting for a championship belt in the very near future. BC: What excites you most about boxing? JS: I thrive on adrenaline. Boxing is up close and personal. When I was a little girl, I wanted to fight like Bruce Lee and I still do. I love the art and sweet science of boxing. BC: How would you advise an upcoming female athlete? JS: Don’t let any trainer train you like a “girl,” make sure they train you like an athlete, with a warrior mentality. Believe in your talents and defy gravity with the dreams in your heart. Here’s a quote by David R. Hawkins MD, Ph. D.: “…the hallmark of true greatness in athletic achievement is always humility.” BC: What is your ultimate dream life? JS: This is a three part answer. In boxing my dream is to win at least two world title championship belts. Second, I’ve always dreamt of performing in a theater play, Fuerza Bruta, in NY or Miami. Third, I want to be a professional stuntwoman. Oh yeah, I also would love to be a competitive snowboarder. LOL, if you are not dreaming than you are not living to reach your full potential and reaching for your ultimate REALity.

The acronym, AS*I*BE, is A Star Is Becoming Empowered.

BC: Do you feel you are empowering yourself and the people you come in contact with? JS: Every day I run, I train, I fight, and I increase the control I have over my senses. It’s motivating to know that there is always room for growth. I’m just beginning to tap into the physical, mental, and spiritual capabilities of our truly blessed and magnificent bodies. We are all examples, whether we like it or not. I live with tenacity, commitment and dedication. You and I can achieve anything we put our mind to, it doesn’t matter how far our dreams may seem. The power is in us to make the decision to become who and what we aspire to be. BC: I couldn’t have said better myself, Good Luck and God Bless!

82 What’s HOT Tampa Bay.com

kles’ Ian Bec

HIDDEN STAR

Real Dill Deli • www.therealdilldeli.com • 3343 S. Westshore Bvd, Tampa, FL • (813) 839-2900 One year ago I entered the Real Dill Deli by mistake. I was late for my radio show and needed to pick up a quick bite on the way to work. I ordered the first thing on the menu, which was the “3 Egg Morning.” It’s a very simple breakfast which consists of 3 eggs, choice of meat (I chose bacon), toast and seasoned home fries.

such as turkey, roast beef, corned beef, brisket, roast pork and chicken salad. But he doesn’t stop there; his sides, soups, salads, potato chips, fresh cut fries and all of his desserts are also from scratch. You can definitely taste the difference at the Real Dill, and Eric treats everyone like they are in his home.

When I dug in at work, it was quite evident that whoever cooked this breakfast loved food. The eggs and bacon were perfect and the home fries were cooked crisply and seasoned with love. I’ve frequented the Real Dill ever since.

Some of the most popular lunch items are the Turkey Avocado Flatbread with oven roasted turkey, Swiss cheese, fresh avocado, lettuce, tomato and their homemade roasted garlic mayo. The Monte Crispo is a grilled turkey, ham, Swiss and raspberry sauce on panko encrusted egg-battered bread, deep fried and topped with powdered sugar; it’s ridiculous.

Head chef and owner Eric Cornwell definitely has a hidden star on Westshore Blvd. The Real Dill is a tiny deli that seats only about 15 With a daily quiche, a nice Cuban, juicy burgers and the best pickles people, but the food can go toe to toe with any other deli in the Bay in town, you really can’t go wrong with the food at the Real Dill. Eric area. only serves breakfast and lunch for now, but I have a funny feeling the Real Dill has plans for expansion. I highly recommend the Real Dill The concept of the Real Dill is to bring its customers a unique version on account of Eric’s innovative recipes, warm hospitality and culinary of familiar favorites prepared fresh to order and made from scratch. TLC. When I say scratch I mean scratch. Eric prepares his own deli meats

IAN’S PICKS

TURKEY AVOCADO FLATBREAD

CRAN-APPLE CHICKEN SANDWICH

MONTE CRISPO

CHOCOLATE CHIP & CHOCOLATE PECAN COOKIES