Candidates Campaign on Davis Islands
Most of the candidates running to represent Davis Islands attended a large reception sponsored by the Davis Islands Chamber of Commerce and Davis Islands Civic Association. Almost 200 crowded Chez Bryce to be able to talk with each candidate on a one on one basis. The event provided all with a great chance to share ideas and to evaluate voting decisions.
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Vino, Java, and Jazz 2008
Almost 500 attended the annual Vino, Java, and Jazz event for Easter Seals Florida at the Florida Aquarium in downtown. With plenty to see, hear, and taste, this fun event had something for everyone. A Silent Auction featured items of all types and price ranges. Food samples combined with wine and beer to keep participants strolling for more. Red Rose Dining Room of Plant City sponsored the Patrons’ party. Flowers to Eat produced a stunning array of edible displays. Many new restaurants were in evidence as well.
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A Tale of Two Marinas – Marina Day in Tampa
Tampa Harbour Yacht Club is part of the high end Yacht Clubs of America group. This new facility is now open at the former Rattlefish location just south of Gandy Boulevard. With a large dry storage area, wet slips, and restaurant/club, Tampa Harbour is the newest addition of boating facilities in the area. The club offers boat storage facilities to be purchased and a social membership option as well, allowing use of their facilities.
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Studies and Talk - Express to Nowhere ?
The recently created Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA) held a public input event in West Tampa to hear from residents about transit needs. With the combined congestion of the many counties of the Tampa Bay area, this is a group that makes sense, until you realize that they have no cents. It took almost a year for the group, headed by football legend Shelton Quarles, to get the Florida legislature and the Governor to provide them with enough money to pay rent for an office and staff.
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Wazoo for Beer !
The Annual Wazoo fundraiser for the Lowry Park Zoo was jammed with people, food, beer, and wine as always. If you like to try beer in every flavor, shape, and size, this is the event. Thousands of zoo (and beer) supporters had over 200 different brews to sample while enjoying the outdoor atmosphere of the zoo. The past couple of years have been covered with rain showers, but this year, other than a few sprinkles, it was a grand event.
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Look at All the Pets
Our August Pets About Town brought over 50 pets to MacDinton's for an afternoon of pet networking. Big dogs, small dogs - they all seemed to have a great time. Wag Pet Boutique of Davis Islands was there with some great doggy bags and more. This free monthly event is always a lot of fun. MacDintons provides some great drink prices and some great outdoor music.
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Art Show for the Homeless
Ybor's Romeo Gallery was the location for a unique art show in support of Tampa Crossroads. With over 300 homeless female veterans in the Tampa area, Crossroads is working to provide homes and shelters for some of those most in need. We were astounded at the number provided. Most seem to have enlisted to get out of a bad situation, but have only fallen into a continued existence on Tampa’s streets.
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Gandy + Traffic + Construction = Frustration
A packed room greeted Mayor Iorio at a public meeting to discuss the traffic and construction on Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa. The event was organized by the City, but also attending were Lee Royal of the Florida Dept. of Transportation, Jean Durzback from the City, Harmon Bennett, the project engineer for the current Gandy construction, Joseph Waggoner as the Director of the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority, Sara Ward from the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization, Steve Daignault from City Public Works.
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Pirates Invade Ybor for Meals on Wheels
Several hundred pirates gathered at Gaspars Grotto in Ybor City for a pub crawl party to benefit Meals on Wheels. The annual Halfway to Gasparilla event always draws a big crowd and this year was not exception. Even though the evening started with a good Florida rainstorm, the pirates braved the weather for this fun event.
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Town Hall Meetings Never Boring
Mayor Iorio held another of her Town Hall Meetings in the Tampa Heights neighborhood this week. These events provide great insight into the problems of neighborhoods and how the city responds to them. Virtually every major department head is in attendance as the Mayor listens to comments, suggestions, questions, gripes, and more. While the Mayor is the center point, the department heads are held accountable in a positive and helpful manor. We have attended many of these meetings and always find them enjoyable.
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They Flew, They Crashed
FlugTag had all the makings of a fun event, but that turned out to be a great understatement. Over 30 teams designed and built their own craft, choreographed their own skit, and then, when all was right, attempted to fly. A few actually did. The winner of this event sponsored by Red Bull, was Tampa Bay Watch. We had followed their progress from the beginning as they started with a simple design of a separating design.
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3 New Restaurants Recognized in Downtown
Taps, Bamboozle Café, and Indigo Coffee have recently opened in downtown Tampa and the Downtown Partnership and Mayor Iorio took a moment to recognize them. Taps is located in the bottom of Skypoint on Ashley Street and is open late on most nights. Featuring one of Tampa’s largest selections of beers and wines, this comfortable location has outdoor seating as well. Try the Black Sheep Ale for a good mellow taste, but don’t miss their menu items either.
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First Celebrate Tampa Bay Event Brings Crowd to Bamboozle Café
One of Downtown’s newest restaurants was the location for Tampa’s newest social networking group sponsored by TampaGold.com. The fresh Asian food of Bamboozle Café at 516 N. Tampa Street attracted almost 100 visitors for a free sampling event. Bamboozle Spring Rolls and Asian Pork were the highlights as this new event series offers residents the opportunity to visit some of the Tampa Bay area’s newest locations.
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Stamkos Seen At Davis Islands
Newly signed hockey player Steven Stamkos toured Tampa General Hospital to add a little excitement to many patient’s lives. Stamkos was the #1 Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey Team. Stamkos and entourage arrived at TGH on Davis Islands in a very long stretch limo. Stamkos and the patients were all smiles as autographed pics were handed out and many photos were shot.
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Tampa Music Legend Retires
Usually that type of story refers to a guitar player of legendary acclaim, but in this case it refers to a somewhat quiet guy named Vince McGilvra. For almost 28 years he has been one of the owners of Skippers Smokehouse in North Tampa. This not fancy club has been serving smoked fish and more for years, and will continue to do so. But Skippers has earned their reputation as one of the best blues and music clubs anywhere in the country.
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Party Like a Rock Star for the DeBartolo Foundation
A3, Anti-Aging and Aesthetic Institute (formerly Spa Tampa) hosted an exciting and fun event – Party Like A Rock Star at Floyd’s at the Seminole Hard Rock. The event featured celebrities, an incredible auction, great food, and drink.
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FlugTag Coming to Downtown Tampa!
FlugTag in German means “flying day”. But it isn’t just the flying that will bring thousands to Tampa’s waterfront. Over 400 teams submitted plans for homemade “aircraft” to sail from Tampa’s Convention Center into the warm waters of Tampa. 40 teams have been selected to participate in the Tampa event. Recent events were held in London where over 80,000 gathered in Hyde Park to watch.
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Football Already?
The annual Bucs Fan Fest was held at Raymond James Stadium to a large group of supporters. If the lines for autographs were any clue, this year promises to be a great year. Cheerleaders, players, supporters, and more jammed the field for giveaways and gear buying in support of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Florida Republican Party opens office in Tampa.
The 2008 Campaign season has been off and running for sometime now, but the Florida Republican Party launched the most serious Hillsborough County effort with the opening of a regional headquarters office at the corner of Platt Street and Bayshore Boulevard. Provided by party supporter Don Phillips, this spacious location has a great water view, plenty of offices, and a conference room.
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GO ! A fresh look at Art and more
Okesene Tilo and Gary Randall hosted a unique show featuring artists of every type and style. Many Tampa area shows seem to be repeats of the same art from the previous show, but GO was different. Many of the artists were presenting for their first time at a significant show. The uniqueness and originality speak for themselves as we give you a large selection of views of the various works on display. The newly renovated Ritz in Ybor provided a great venue. This one night show had promised a lot, and they delivered.
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Crawfish Festival Drew Big Crowd
The Second Annual Crawfish Festival held by Nola Café was held at the courtyard of Tampa’s Stetson Law School. The taste of crawfish, potatoes, and corn on the cob were real treats to the many that seemed to eat themselves crazy on this tasty Louisiana crustacean. Music, displays, and friends celebrated this year as the proceeds went to benefit the Voices for Children/Guardian Ad Litem program.
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