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There weren’t a lot of people in the pickle juice dunk tank, but maybe the old hardcore heads were saving their energy for the show. Last Friday at the Skatepark of Tampa, Grillo’s Pickles picked up the tab for a stacked bill that included reunion sets from Kids Like Us, The Mongoloids, Orange 9MM, plus more music from Bold. See all the photos via cltampa.com/ music.—Ray Roa
ON VIEW NOW PHOTOGRAPHER OF HIS TIME
DAVID & HELEN FEINBERG
SUSAN & ROBB HOUGH
do this
Tampa Bay's best things to do from November 20 - 26
Fuzzy foods
Fall through the rabbit hole and into globally acclaimed artist Lucy Sparrow’s world of felted novelties (psychedelics not included). Sparrow returns to Tampa Bay with her Quick Shop, a Florida-themed “everything” department store pop-up shop and art installation coming to FloridaRAMA. Included with general admission, visitors will be able to shop from a selection of over 13,000 of Sparrow’s felted creations—including life-size versions of a Florida man’s day-to-day essentials. Sparrow, a U.K. native and confirmed “huge fan of Florida,” made her 2022 local debut with the Tampa Fresh Foods pop-up on Water Street. Sparrow will be shopping among guests on Nov. 25, 26, and 28.
Lucy Sparrow’s Quick Shop: Friday, Nov. 21. FloridaRAMA, 2606 Fairfield Ave. S Building 5, St. Petersburg. floridarama.art—Alisha Durosier
Fall or nothing
The biking and hiking trails at Starkey Park are already worth the roughly 45-minute drive from Tampa and St. Pete, and now there’s more motivation to make the trip. SWAG Party Rentals’ four-day Harvest Fest has bounce houses, an inflatable obstacle course, and Gellyball—a gentler alternative to paintball. Starkey Market will also be open for guests to shop, eat and drink while soaking in the cool temperature while it lasts.
Tampa Bay is keeping poet and novelist Jack Kerouac’s legacy alive— opening his St. Petersburg home to budding and mature poets alike on one Sunday of the month. Since his death in 1969, Kerouac’s house has served as the headquarters of the private, nonprofit corporation dedicated to preserving his house and highlighting local artists. This month’s installation of Coffee and Poetry at Jack’s house is emcee’d by local writer, comedian and actor Victoria Dym, who will read some of her own work and lead an open mic. The special guest is Lennie Hay, whose book, “Lost in America,” was published by Broadstone Books in 2024. Broadstone will also publish her upcoming book, “Feeding the Dead,” in 2026. Hay draws inspiration from her upbringing in the Midwest, being raised by Chinese immigrants and German-Ukrainian farmers.
Coffee and Poetry at Jack’s house: Sunday, Nov. 23. 3 p.m.6 p.m. $10. The Jack Kerouac House of St. Petersburg Inc., 5169 10th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. stpetekerouachouse.com—Alisha Durosier
Poultry in motion
It’s the baste time of year to give back and Cranksgiving Tampa— tripling as a bike ride, scavenger hunt, and food drive—is helping families put dinner on the table this Thanksgiving. Now in its 14th year, the organization, so far, has donated approximately 22,000 pounds of food to Metropolitan Ministries. There is no entry fee, but participants are expected to purchase food for the hunt, where they’ll ride alone or in groups witha list of Tampa Bay grocery stores and items to buy. Once they reach the finish line, their items will be tallied and immediately donated to the Metropolitan Ministries holiday tent in downtown Tampa.
Cranksgiving Tampa 2025: Sunday, Nov. 23. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. No cover. Coppertail Brewing Co., 2601 E 2nd Ave., Tampa. cranksgiving.org.org—Alisha Durosier
How bazaar, how bazaar
When Phil Collins said he could feel it coming in the air tonight, he was foreseeing the Gainesville-based Bazar À La Carte Touring Night Market making a stop in the Bay—and this is very true, don’t look it up. The How Bazar is setting up shop at Tempus Projects, the night market’s smallest venue thus far. But, the event will pack a mighty punch with an onslaught of happenings: pottery and screenprinting workshops, a live showcase and open mic, art exhibitions, curated DJ booths, food pop-ups, a mahjong and mooncake lounge and more. In celebration of Florida creatives, many of Tampa Bay’s homegrown establishments, such as The Sapphic Sun, Sector.fm and For the Girls Tampa, will be there. The after-party, After À La Carte, goes down at Lara.
Bazar À La Carte : Tampa: Saturday, November 22. 6 p.m.-11 p.m. $5. Tempus Projects, 1624 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. thehowbazar.com
—Alisha Durosier
Unique! That’s what you are
Hey weirdos (non-derogatory), some bizarre stuff is coming to a venue near you. The self-proclaimed OG oddities and expo is parking in Tampa for two days to showcase all things out of the norm. Discover small businesses, vendors, artists and dealers and take home some peculiar items, including but not limited to: taxidermy and preserved creepy crawlies, unconventional crafts, original artwork, jewelry and clothes, skulls and other bones, and horror paraphernalia. Sideshow performances will serve as the expo’s backdrop, along with classes in taxidermy and entomology. All items showcased and sold are sustainably sourced and legal to purchase and own, per the expo.
Tampa police get $430K for additional immigration enforcement.
By Valerie Smith
The Tampa Police Department (TPD) is set to receive $430,000 it requested from the Florida Board of Immigration Enforcement to fund collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While some money will go to training and bonuses, $293,000 will be spent on overtime for 18 police officers who are expected to participate in undefined “immigration enforcement activities.”
TPD, like many other Tampa Bay law enforcement agencies, signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE even though it didn’t have to, empowering police officers who receive training to act as immigration enforcement agents. Specifically, all local agencies in the area have signed on to the Task Force Model—a form of 287(g) agreement that allows for street-level enforcement—enabling local officers to question individuals about their immigration status. The Task Force Model was practically eliminated under the Obama administration after it resulted in what the American Immigration Council said was widespread racial profiling. It was reintroduced earlier this year under the Trump administration and is now the most common form of 287(g) agreement in the state of Florida as of publishing, per ICE documentation.
Concerns over eroding community trust have kept some local law enforcement wary of acting in this capacity despite signing agreements to do so.
Over the summer, Mayor Jane Castor previously warned that deputizing local police as immigration agents can lead to lack of trust among immigrant communities, making it harder for officers to do their jobs.
to the extent required by state and federal law, including by running individuals encountered during normal police work (such as through a traffic stop) through a database and holding them for one hour if ICE has flagged them for immigration enforcement actions, or up to 48 hours upon ICE’s request.
TPD appears to be quietly making plans to increase its collaboration with ICE beyond that of other local municipal police departments. Documents show that TPD plans to begin
Immigration Grant Program (IGP) to grant municipal law enforcement agencies funding to support ICE operations.
TPD sent in a request for $430,000, of which $118,000 will fund training and $19,000 will fund bonuses for the officers who participate. The remaining $293,000 was requested under the “IGP-H: other costs related to immigration enforcement” category, an undefined category with no listed restrictions or reporting requirements beyond what is required to be eligible for IGP funding in the first place, and the requirement that overtime is used for the police officers who join the program. An example expense tracking sheet provided by the board didn’t include a category for tracking IGP-H expenses.
TPD’s IGP-H request asked for overtime fund-
answer questions from CL about whether or not they will track what the overtime is used for.
State law enforcement agencies like Florida Highway Patrol have carried out operations resulting in hundreds of immigration arrests, including that of Rosa Patishtan-Gomez, a breastfeeding mother who was separated from her children and eventually deported. TPD’s overtime funding request does not attempt to predict what the department’s immigration enforcement operations might look like.
TPD issued the following statement to CL:
“The recently approved federal funding ensures our clearly defined responsibilities under the 287(g) agreement, which outlines how we support federal immigration processes, when necessary, are properly reimbursed.
“Was that raid in the restaurant focused on making our country safer, or was it focused on sowing fear in that community? Those are the things that we as Americans need to pay attention to,” added Castor.
St. Petersburg and Gulfport’s police departments both said they would only work with ICE
allocating overtime funding for officers to work with ICE.
A spokesperson for Mayor Castor declined to comment on whether or not Castor has been made aware, or has a reaction to, this new round of ICE-related funding for TPD.
Florida’s Board of Immigration Enforcement recently began a Local Law Enforcement
ing for 18 officers “assigned to conduct operations and broader immigration enforcement efforts.” It does not mention the six officers already trained for the program. The request says that task force duties extend beyond normal working hours, making overtime funding “essential to ensure adequate coverage and continuity of operations is effective for immigration efforts.” TPD did not
Only a small group of specially trained officers, currently six, are authorized to carry out a specific and limited set of duties delegated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. These duties are narrowly focused and immigration status inquiries shall only be conducted during lawful enforcement actions.”
TPD’s statement says that the way they will collaborate with ICE is “clearly defined” in their MOA (memorandum of agreement) with ICE that outlines immigration enforcement powers given to police officers trained under the 287(g) program. Per the MOA, TPD officers have “The power and authority to interrogate any alien or person believed to be an alien as to his right to be or remain in the United States.” However, TPD’s statement also says that immigration status will only be questioned during “lawful enforcement actions.” They did not respond to further requests from CL to clarify what constitutes such an action.
TPD also did not respond to inquiries from CL about whether or not there are other areas where internal TPD policy deviates from the MOA. The IGP-H category allows for 260 hours of overtime, to be divided as-needed between all 287(g)-trained officers per month for nine months. It does not specify what this overtime will be used for, and TPD did not respond to requests from CL for further clarification. They only said that the six officers currently trained under the program “have not been tasked to do any immigration functions at this time.”
COLD, HARD, FACTS: Protesters outside Tampa Police headquarters on Nov. 2, 2025.
BRINGING THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE
STANDING UP: Suzy Lopez in Tallahassee, Florida on March 26, 2025.
Moving on
State attorney skips panel after being denied advance questions.
By Valerie Smith
Late last month, State Attorney Suzy Lopez dropped out of the 3rd Annual Tampa Bay Criminal Justice Summit, where she was scheduled to speak on a panel alongside Hillsborough County Public Defender Lisa McLean about topics including death penalty prosecutions, election crimes and drug courts.
Emails obtained by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay showed that Lopez withdrew from the panel after she was not given a list of questions before the event.
The state attorney is an elected position responsible for prosecuting all crimes within a judicial circuit. Lopez was elected to represent Florida’s 13th Circuit covering all of Hillsborough county.
Lopez was appointed in 2022 after former State Attorney Andrew Warren was removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis after he signed a pledge not to prosecute people under the state’s abortion laws. Lopez won election to the seat in 2024, earning nearly 53% of the vote over Warren. The emails, obtained by CL through a public records request, showed a week-long conversation Lopez and her communications director, Erin Maloney, had with an organizer for the
criminal justice summit. Lopez asked the organizer if he could provide her with a list of questions in advance, and he initially said yes.
The organizer later told Lopez that the panel moderator was not planning on providing questions in advance. The organizer instead sent a list of topics to be discussed to give her time to prepare.
“We need the questions, not just the topics,” Maloney responded. “In order to have a real conversation, we need to prepare the State Attorney.”
Maloney also said that some of the topics didn’t apply to the state attorney’s office, such as “election crimes,” which she said are not handled by Lopez’s department.
“If the moderator you chose does not want to be forthcoming about what he’s asking, then we will bow out because the State Attorney already has a very full schedule that day,” Maloney continued.
In a separate email to Lopez, Maloney said: “It is my suggestion that you do not attend this event unless we receive the questions or even simply topics he will ask about. This is not a political debate- we agreed to their terms ahead of time, and now they are trying to change the rules.”
NOVEMBER 20-26, 2025 | cltampabay.com
LOCAL NEWS
Lopez agreed, and Maloney informed the organizer that Lopez would be withdrawing from the event.
“We discussed having questions beforehand as we do for every panel that we take part in, and we agreed to that ahead of time,” Maloney’s email to the organizer reads. “This is not a political debate, and as always, we like to be fully prepared with statistics and the most up to date answers for the audience. Even just seeing the topics, it is clear that some of them would not even apply to our office.”
When asked about the emails, Maloney told CL that this was a miscommunication, not an attempt to dodge public accountability. Panel audiences, Maloney said, would rather hear polished answers: “These panels get into the weeds legally so we want to be prepared.”
often held after panels as an example of Lopez taking questions without preparation.
When asked if there was a situation in which Lopez would speak on an unscripted panel, she told CL, “It’s just hard to answer a hypothetical.” Elizabeth Martinez Strauss, an attorney who ran for Lopez’s state attorney seat in 2024, told CL that Lopez may have backed out to avoid confronting challenging questions on the fly. Strauss said that she has enjoyed personal conversations with Lopez in the past, but when the topic turned to policy, Lopez lost her footing.
“These panels get into the weeds
legally so we want to be prepared.”
She also said that questions are typically provided in advance for panels that aren’t supposed to be political debates.
Maloney told CL that it’s not a policy for the state attorney to receive panel questions in advance, despite the email to the event organizer where she said they discussed having questions ahead of time “as we do for every panel that we take part in.”
Maloney pointed to audience Q&A sessions
“[Lopez] doesn’t like to be thinking on her feet,” Strauss told CL. Audiences want to hear from officials directly, even when they don’t have all the answers, Strauss—who earned just under 30% of the vote in the primary for the state attorney’s office—said.
She didn’t blame the state attorney for wanting the questions in advance, and said that since Lopez was appointed rather than elected, it’s possible that she didn’t initially want a position that put her in the electoral spotlight.
“But, I mean, if you’re competent and you know what you’re doing, you shouldn’t be afraid of answering questions,” Strauss continued. “If you don’t know it, you should just have the insight to say, ‘I’m not going to guess about a number or a specific fact.’”
Step lively
South Pinellas’ new walking trail, and more local news.
By WMNF News
There is a new series of interconnected walking trails in south Pinellas County. The Discover Gulfport Walking Trail combines four shorter routes and is meant to be a safe and accessible way to explore the city.
The connected trails pass through residential neighborhoods alongside parks, historic locations and other vista points. The entire route consists of sidewalks and crosswalks. Brad Bruner is a member of Gulfport’s senior advisory committee.
“We realized that Gulfport—because it is such a walkable city with more than the average, number of sidewalks, crosswalks, and readily accessible areas—makes an ideal environment for a citywide street and walking system,” Bruner said. “So what we have been able to do is create an interconnecting series of different paths that can make for a lot of variety and that people can use many times in a row and always discover something new.”
Interactive map
“We’ve also created an interactive map that is on the City of Gulfport website which you can easily Google, and if you look for City of Gulfport walking trail, you can find it on there. With a fully interactive map that even has location services so you can see where you are on the map at any given time on your phone or other device.”
For example, the loops go by free parking lots at the city’s library, senior center, Wood Ibis Park, Veterans Park and parking areas along the Gulfport waterfront.—Sean Kinane/ WMNF News
In St. Pete, activists rally against US conflict with Venezuela
Over 50 demonstrators gathered on Sunday, Nov. 16 by Mirror Lake protesting the U.S. military forces off the coast of Venezuela. They said they are frustrated with these actions by the Trump Administration and want the U.S. to stay away
Multiple demonstrators said this is another example of the Trump Administration trying to escalate military forces. They said this is asserting dominance on an existing issue.
President Donald Trump has said these vessels are transporting drugs in the U.S., but demonstrators said this is a lie. Adam Shils is a Pinellas resident who said this is just another distraction by the administration.
LOCAL NEWS
“This isn’t because of any drug danger from Venezuela. As a matter of fact, there is very little drug movement from Venezuela into the United States. It’s about the U.S. reasserting itself as a global power,” Shils said while holding a sign saying this is about oil.
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Bruner says the routes were selected to make sure that people with a range of abilities are able to participate. A kickoff for the Discover Gulfport Walking Trail happened last Saturday morning with a one-mile guided walk along the shortest loop of the four trails.
Connection to other trails
Bruner says that the Discover Gulfport Walking Trail connects to Pinellas County’s Greenways Belt at Clam Bayou. It doesn’t connect directly to the Pinellas Trail, which runs along part of Gulfport’s northern border—yet.
Bruner adds, “Our northwest extension path comes within nine blocks of the Pinellas Trail at 58th Street South. Of course, we would love to connect the Discover Gulfport Walking Trail system to the Pinellas Trail as soon as that is feasible. We’d love to make that happen.”
Proximity to parking
According to Bruner, the paths of the Discover Gulfport Walking Trail are also structured to connect with parking options.
Multiple demonstrators agreed with Shils that this is not about drugs.
Leo Gonzalez is a community organizer of the Party for Socialism and Liberation and he said this has happened to Panama and Nicaragua.
“The U.S. used drugs as an excuse to cause interference and put a public government on behalf of the United States and I think this is what’s going to happen here,” Gonzalez said.
He said there have been over 37 fishermen deaths caused by the airstrikes. “Neither the administration or the Venezuelan government has provided any information that these were drug boats,” Gonzalez said. He also said the escalation of military use by the U.S. is unacceptable and the government should be focusing on what is happening here, instead of wars abroad.
Another demonstrator, Daniel Meininger of Students for a Democratic Society said this is illegal and violates international law.
“Congress has already tried to introduce War Powers resolutions, which have failed, and so it’s going to rely on us, the people, to be able to fight back,” He said.
After listening to multiple speakers, demonstrators began marching downtown, chanting U.S. out of Venezuela and holding signs.—Leah Burdick/WMNF News
These stories first appeared at WMNF news, which is part of the Tampa Bay Journalism Project (TBJP), a nascent Creative Loafing
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COME TOGETHER: The Discover Gulfport Walking Trail combines four shorter routes.
DECEMBER
Debate-a-Bull
At USF, experts debate potential property tax measure.
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
Gov. Ron DeSantis and CFO Blaise Ingoglia’s campaign to scale back or eliminate homesteaded property taxes drew a rebuke from a former Republican state lawmaker last Wednesday night during a discussion with Ingoglia and tax policy experts.
“It’s not really a proposal, it’s a bumper sticker, right?” said Jeff Brandes, who served in the Florida Legislature representing parts of Pinellas County from 2010-2022.
Brandes, who now heads a think tank called the Florida Policy Project, said his major objection is that there is “no explanation” about how the state could eliminate or substantially reduce homesteaded property taxes and continue to function effectively.
STATE NEWS
“What we’ve seen so far is simply a statement without any explanation of how we’re going to pay for the government services beyond that, other than simply we’re going to cut them out.”
During the event at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Ingoglia called that “a false premise.”
“I think there is more than enough room to cut local budgets, probably by the amount of 15%, and not even worry about taking away any money for essential services,” he said.
The chief financial officer has made several high-profile visits to some of the state’s largest cities to allege that his team of auditors found local governments have engaged in hundreds of millions of dollars of what he has labeled “wasteful and excessive spending.”
DeSantis declared at the beginning of this year that he supports the idea of reducing, maybe outright eliminating, property taxes in Florida— which would make Florida the first state in the nation to do so. Since then, GOP lawmakers have offered proposals that would affect only homesteaded properties and does not touch funding for schools or law enforcement.
DeSantis’ dismissals
Last month, eight House Republicans filed legislation to achieve those goals, with seven of them offered as proposed constitutional amendments that would go before the voters as in November 2026. DeSantis promptly dismissed the proposals, saying that placing more than one property tax measure on the ballot was simply an “attempt to kill anything on property taxes.”
The governor vetoed $1 million placed in the final state budget sent to him by lawmakers in June to study the consequences of eliminating property taxes. Brandes said that response shows DeSantis is not serious about what he’s calling for.
“Listen, if you went to the doctor and he said, ‘We’re planning to cut out this organ,’ we could do a study to figure out what would happen if we did that. But we’re not planning to do that, we’re just going to cut it out and see what happens. You would call that malpractice, right?” Brandes asked. “This is policy malpractice.”
from the Florida Chamber of Commerce. School districts, independent special districts and municipal service taxing units account for the remainder.
Disparity among neighbors on property taxes
“Are we going to cut police and firefighters? No, they say we’re not going to do that,” he continued. “Are we going to double the sales tax?
Maybe. Are we going to watch cities and counties bump up their millage on renters and small business owners? Likely, because most counties are not at the top of their millage.
“And so what we aren’t hearing is what comes next. …what this plan does is, it removes transparency and it removes accountability.”
On that point, Ingoglia agreed, adding that the governor’s office as well as the House and Senate “were running numbers” to provide more information.
Brandi Gunder, vice president for research at Florida TaxWatch, and Dr. Esteban Santis,
All the speakers agreed that Florida homeowners generally get significantly larger property tax breaks than do new homebuyers. That’s due to the state’s Save Our Homes amendment, which caps the annual increase on the assessed values of primary residences to 3% (or the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index).
“The people who are angry about property taxes are not the people who have been living in their homes for 20 years,” Brandes added. “But if you bought during the pandemic and now you’re paying the full fare, those are the people who are up in arms.”
Ingoglia questioned those numbers.
“They’re all deriving their numbers on the assumption that government needs all of the revenue that they’re taking in right now,” he said. “I’m telling you, they’re taking in way more money than they’re expected to.”
The CFO’s audits have included “reasonable” increases in inflation and population in determining how much a local government has been overspending, but Santis countered that government expenditures are different than for household goods, although they do overlap on items like energy and fuel costs.
“Typically, we don’t think of government going to the store to pick up eggs,” Santis said. “What they’re doing is, they’re paying for teachers. They’re paying for law enforcement. They’re paying for sanitation. They’re paying for emergency services and they’re paying the personnel costs, the fringe benefits to all of that.”
“This is policy malpractice.”
“Reducing the burden on your principal interests—your tax principal interests, taxes, and insurance payment that you’re paying out—is disproportionately hurting new homebuyers,” Ingoglia acknowledged.
Florida imposes a 6% sales tax. To fully offset elimination of all ad valorem taxes, that would
Ingoglia accurately noted that most popular opinion polls have indicated that the idea of eliminating property taxes on homesteaded properties is “overwhelmingly popular.”
Brandes wasn’t buying it.
“If I just came out and said, ‘Hey listen. Who wants to cut their property taxes?’ Boy
director of research with the Florida Policy Institute, also participated in the “Debate-aBull” forum hosted by the USF Institute for Public Policy & Leadership.
In 2024, the total amount of property taxes collected statewide in Florida was $55 billion, with counties taking in $19.6 billion and cities receiving $8.6 billion, according to a report
have to increase to 14% to make up the difference, the Florida Chamber of Commerce white paper reported. If the state were to make up all homestead property taxes with sales taxes, it would only need to be increased to 8.85%. That doesn’t take into account that many counties have a 1% or 1.5% local sales tax, which presumably would also have to be replaced.
everybody would say, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ But I don’t tell you the other half of the equation. ‘Oh, and we’re going to raise X. Oh, and we’re going to turn your cities and counties into dependents which have to go ask Tallahassee for money to hire police and firefighters. Or to fill potholes every year.’ Then maybe we get a different answer.”
MONEY MAN: Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia at a state audit press conference.
Voted Best Safety Harbor restaurant
Flagged
Florida GOP attempts Pride flag ban on government buildings.
By Liv Caputo/Florida Phoenix
Florida Republicans are trying for the fourth year in a row to ban political flags atop government buildings, including Pride, MAGA, or Black Lives Matter banners.
Filed by Republicans Rep. David Borrero and Sen. Clay Yarborough, HB 347 and SB 426 would ban flags referencing politics, race, gender, or sexual orientation being flown on government-owned buildings. This is the fourth time Borrero, from Miami, has carried this legislation. It’s died each year before reaching either the House or Senate floor.
Identical in each chamber, the language bans schools, universities, state governments, local governments, or political boards from displaying flags depicting “any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, symbol, or advertisement of any nature which represents political partisanship, political ideology, race, gender, or sexual orientation.”
It would preempt local ordinances allowing these flags. Out-of-compliance entities would be fined $500 per day. The penalties would be collected through the Department of State and deposited into the general revenue fund, the state’s main budgetary account.
Last year, the bill was filed by then-Sen. Randy Fine to specifically target Palestinian flags during the Israel-Hamas war. Fine withdrew his bill to run for Congress in March. This year’s measure, however, allows these buildings to fly flags from other states or countries or that have “historical significance.”
The declaration is a statement of principles described as fostering “a love of country,” teaching children to “seek the good, true and beautiful” and aiming for students to “achieve their full, God-given potential.”
Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas said the declaration establishes an “affiliation” with the Heritage Foundation and promotes what the board supports rather than what it opposes.
“We often call out what is problematic in education, pushing an ideology over indoctrination, whether that’s the instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary schools or divisive concepts like critical race theory and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) that treats people differently based on the way God created them,” Kamoutsas said. “Well, this talks about what we want to see. We want to see parents empowered. We want to see curriculum, transparency, we want to see academic excellence in all of our students.”
The Washington, D.C.-based Heritage Foundation has a stated mission of building and promoting conservative public policies. Critics addressing the education board last Thursday described the Heritage Foundation declaration as promoting indoctrination.
STATE NEWS
Marihelen Wheeler, a retired teacher from Alachua County, said the state should increase teacher pay before adding to their work.
The 2024 bill was sponsored by Borrero and Sen. Jonathan Martin, and the 2023 bill by Borrero and then-Sen. Jay Collins. Collins resigned his post in August to serve as lieutenant governor.
If passed, the legislation would take effect on July 1, 2026. The session starts on Jan. 13.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.
Board Backs Conservative Vision for Schools
Florida education leaders last Thursday approved a set of principles that would teach a conservative-backed vision of the United States.
The State Board of Education, which also approved social-studies changes intended to highlight ideological evils of communism, signed off on Florida becoming the first state to adopt the Heritage Foundation’s “Phoenix Declaration: An American Vision for Education.”
“Talk to teachers about what you’re discussing now,” Wheeler said. “I don’t know how often you include teachers, but you’ve got to do it because you’re not going to be able to keep Florida teachers with this kind of addition to the teacher’s load.”
Board of Education Chairman Ryan Petty suggested the declaration can unite people and that “it’s important to be for something.”
“We shouldn’t allow ideologies to take over and replace their version of truth with objective truth,” Petty added.
The declaration lists a series of principles such as parents being the primary educators of their children and public education money always following the children.
The principles also call for:
• Schools to be fully transparent with parents.
• Schools to prioritize proven teaching methods “rooted in foundational subjects over fads or experimental teaching methods.”
• Education to be “grounded in objective truth, free from ideological fads,” while also being focused on “America’s founding principles and roots in the broader Western and Judeo-Christian traditions.”
• Students to be prepared for challenges and responsibilities of adulthood and taught “the whole truth about America --- its merits and failings --- without obscuring that America is a great source of good in the world.”
Also last week, the board approved new standards tied to a 2024 law (SB 1264) that requires instruction on the history of communism.
Among other things, students will be asked to compare the Communist Manifesto and the Bill of Rights; communist and socialist thought; the effects of anti-communists on American communism between 1917 and 1956; the harm done by communist espionage; and the roles of anti-communist politicians, including the late President Harry Truman, the late President Richard Nixon, the U.S. House Un-American
Activities Committee, and the late U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy.
While at the Freedom Tower in Miami last Friday to mark Victims of Communism Day, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that while America won the Cold War, the communist ideology hasn’t gone away.
“It comes back and it’s repackaged, and they try to do it under various different banners. And so you have to understand what’s at stake here,” DeSantis said.
“I think it’s important to talk about it in a very clear eyed way, the destruction, the lives of 100 million dead at the hands of Marxism, Leninism,” DeSantis said. “But I think it’s also important that we just recognize the whole absurdity of it all, of the whole idea of communism and Marxism, Leninism.”—Jim Turner/ News Service of Florida
FLYING HIGH: Tampa City Hall flies the rainbow flag for LGBTQ+ Pride.
Preemption strike
Jerry Demings says he’ll change Florida’s approach to home rule.
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
One thing Orange County Mayor and Democratic candidate for governor Jerry Demings intends to change if elected next year is the Florida Legislature’s proclivity for preempting local governments from making their own laws and regulations.
The latest such move by the Legislature is a law passed earlier this year that restricts local governments from regulating development. Two separate lawsuits have been filed to block enforcement of Senate Bill 180. Twenty-five cities and counties call the law the “largest incursion into local home rule authority” since adoption of the Florida Constitution in 1968.
“When Tallahassee preempts local governments from being able to make decisions for themselves, you’re at that point adversely impacting the will of the people, and that is something that has to change,” Demings told a Phoenix reporter while speaking on WMNF88.5 radio in Tampa on Friday.
that, I’m in the race looking for change to bring about some common sense, some normalcy, some diplomacy in government.” He added that housing affordability, education, and the high costs of health care are at the top of his agenda.
Demings said he’d like to work with the private sector “to create partnerships to figure out how we can bring down and reduce the cost of childcare for individuals within this state.”
ELECTIONS
On the topic of education, Florida this week became the first state to adopt The Phoenix Declaration, authored by The Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank that formulated the Project 2025 plan for Donald Trump’s second administration.
2026 Florida primary elections Deadline to register or change party affiliation: July 20. Early voting: Aug. 8-15; Election Day: Aug. 18
“As governor, I will certainly look to work closely with our local governments to give appropriate authority, but also at the same time make certain that we have fair standards across the state of Florida with the understanding that those standards can be applied to allow the people closest to government and local residents to be able to make decisions in the best interests of those that they serve,” said Demings, entering his eighth and final year as Orange County mayor, following a decade (2008-2018) as sheriff. Demings announced his candidacy earlier this month, joining former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly as the highest-ranking Democrats so far to enter the race to succeed Ron DeSantis.
Southwest U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner are the top Republicans in the race, with Donalds—already endorsed by Donald Trump—leading in early polls.
The Phoenix Declaration outlines six core principles for Florida’s education system, including one labeled “citizenship,” which states, “Students should learn the whole truth about America—its merits and its failings—without obscuring that America is a great source of good in the world and that we have a tradition that is worth passing on.”
“We’ve seen progress, but progress still needs to be made to make certain that we have equitable access to quality education within our state,” Demings responded when asked about the policy.
“I don’t believe that we should whitewash the history of our nation, and some people, what they’re trying to do is whitewash the history of our nation. Tell the truth, the good and the bad about what happened to us as a country as part of the strength of our nation.
“ ...you’re at that point adversely impacting the will of the people…”
Demings says his decision to enter the race was not sudden. “Many people,” he said, have urged him over several years to enter the gubernatorial sweepstakes, in which the eventual Democratic nominee becomes the decided underdog in a state now with 1.4 million more registered Republicans than Democrats, according to the state’s Division of Elections.
“We need change in Florida,” Demings said. “We are seeing some of the most divisive politics that I’ve seen in my lifetime and, as a result of
“I do believe that we remain the United States of America, ‘one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice’ for everyone. But every day that’s a struggle. That’s a struggle when we see the politics of the day trying to further divide us, rather than unite us, and that’s not right. Where we have countless book bans, where we’re trying to somehow really make the history for some people in this country more palatable. Well, that’s not right. Tell the whole story, because that is a foundational purpose of our country is to bring people from all over the world.”
The DeSantis administration has strongly pushed back on the book ban allegation, insisting that never happend. However, PEN America, a nonprofit advocating for freedom of expression, reported last month that Florida removed more
than 2,000 books from classrooms and libraries last year. The Florida Department of Education reported that 444 books were removed or discontinued by one of Florida’s school boards during the 2024-25 school year.
Immigration
Demings was involved in a dispute with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier this summer regarding an addendum to modify the county’s 287(g) Warrant Service Officer (WSO) Memorandum of Agreement that allows county jail officials to transport immigration detainees to ICE facilities. Demings ultimately signed the agreement after Uthmeier threatened to remove him and all six county commissioners from office if he did not.
If Florida enforces federal immigration laws, it should do so “humanely with dignity and respect for the people who are trying to come here,” Demings said.
“I don’t believe America can be as great as it can be without allowing immigrant populations who bring something to the table, who are able to work on our farms and agriculture, who are able to work in our higher education institutions to bring the types of science and research to help us as Americans better live and better cooperate across the world, the globe, in terms of world and global peace,” he said.
Demings says he’s poised to get on the campaign trail and engage in a “listening tour,” which will include an appearance at the Florida Association of Counties in Tampa later this week.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.
ORANGE YOU GLAD: Jerry Demings is entering his eighth and final year as Orange County mayor.
Golfera Spicy
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Reader’s digest
31 Tampa Bay restaurants to take out-of-towners, and what to get.
By CL Staff
Now’s the time to start thinking about what the hell you’re gonna do with a house full of guests for the holidays. Feeding visitors can be tough, but Tampa Bay has something for everyone. So, whether you’re just visiting or you’ve been here for generations, here are a few local staples you should get to know.
Al’s Finger Lickin’ Good BBQ’s collard greens From concession stand to sit-in staple, the people of Ybor hold nothing but high praise for the Tennessee-style BBQ joint. You really can’t go wrong here, but a safe bet is always the daily specials. 2302 E 7th Ave., Ybor City, 813-956-0675
Antojitos Latin Cravings’ buñuelos Antojitos features classic Colombian dishes and treats like a breakfast “calentado,” a main course “bandeja paisa” and baked goods impossible to resist, like its “buñuelos.” Break the little cheese balls apart and dip them in your coffee or hot chocolate to have them the true
Colombian way. 2302 W Columbus Dr., Tampa, 813-251-9688
The Baithouse’s drunken shrimp Enjoy the ocean air while peeling back tender shrimp sauteed in a creamy bourbon creole reduction served with toasted ciabatta bread. The Baithouse also offers other specialties like catch of the day, tavern fare and a wide selection of beer and drinks. If you want some hands-on action, the restaurant offers the space and materials to catch your own fish in the Mandalay Channel. 45 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater, 727-446-8134
Bandit St. Pete’s chorizo breakfast burrito Pack your bag and get work done at Bandit St. Pete while enjoying one of their signature coffees, beer, natural wines and a mouth-watering selection of meals and baked goods. 2662 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
Big Ray’s Fish Camp’s grouper sandwich While striding down the Riverwalk (or driving through South Tampa), you’ll never
regret a stop for hearty grouper sandwiches and a side of garlic parm fries. Multiple locations Brocato’s gargantuan devil crab Family-owned and unmoved since 1948, the eatery (which saw a Dodge Neon crash though it in 2006) specializes in bold-in-size sandwiches and bolder crustaceans. Really, everything here is a great, but arguably its signature dish is the Big Crab. 5021 E Columbus Dr., Tampa, 813-248-9977
Carmine’s baked chicken
A tri-cultural experience, one of Ybor City’s iconic 7th Avenue restaurants has an eclectic range of choices from bistec de palomilla to baked ziti for the cultured foodies of your group. The baked chicken is a family table staple served with black beans, rice and Spanish house salad. 1802 E 7th Ave., Ybor City, 813-248-3834
The Columbia’s paella and/or deviled crab croquet Dive into the history of Ybor with food that commemorates the Cuban culture the city was built upon. Get an authentic experience, and don’t forget the paella at the oldest restaurant in the U.S. (Ybor City location), then scoot over to the Columbia Cafe at the Tampa Bay
History Center where the devil crab croquettes are a must-get. Multiple locations. Dunedin Brewery’s wings As one of Tampa Bay’s many breweries, Dunedin Brewery is the oldest microbrewery in Florida and handcrafts their brews in 14 barrels at a time, but also offers others recognized beers everyone can enjoy, especially its wings, served with two out of nine in-house crafted dipping sauces. If you’re there late, try and catch a concert, too. 937 Douglas Ave, Dunedin, 727-736-0606
El Cap’s World Champ Burger Located on busy 4th Street N in St. Pete, El Cap’s “World Champ Burger” has been voted the Bay area’s no. 1 hamburger. 3500 4th St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-521-1314
Florida Bakery’s colada Share a round of one of the most Florida coffees you can drink, a colada aka Cuban espresso, at this homegrown bakery. A caffeine buzz and a sugar rush from 5 for $1 churros is all you need before taking on the Bay (pack a Cuban for lunch if you’ve got a long day of sightseeing ahead). 3320 W Columbus Dr., Tampa, 813-870-0756 continued on page 44
1905 SALAD DAYS: The Columbia (preferably the OG in Ybor City) is a visitor’s essential.
The Getaway for a cocktail with a view With a sandy beach for the kiddos and a tiki hut to match, there’s big-time tropical vibes at this St. Pete staple. Grab a drink and lookout for dolphins. 13090 Gandy Blvd. N, St. Petersburg, 727-317-5751
Jo-El’s Kosher Deli’s reuben This familyowned Jewish deli focuses on kosher food and drinks, including its main deli sandwich, the JO-EL’s Reuben, made of thin sliced corned beef with sauerkraut and Russian dressing on freshly baked rye. 2619 23rd Ave. N, St. Petersburg, 727-321-3847
La Segunda Bakery’s Cuban and a guava pastry Guava pastelitos like abuela used to make and a cafe con leche to warm the soul are necessities if you’re going to show anyone around Tampa Bay. The mothership is in Ybor, but you’ll do fine at the Kennedy Boulevard and St. Petersburg spot, too. Multiple locations
La Teresita’s daily special The two-story Cuban restaurant serves traditional dishes of the Latin family’s roots, which carry a rich background of resilience through a time of turmoil for their home country. Catch the Tuesday special for the crowd favorite “ropa vieja” (shredded beef). Bonus points if you can find the spot Bourdain sat at when he was there. 3248 W Columbus Dr., Tampa, 813-879-9704
Nine Spice’s Hot Pot’s soup and suhi The hot pot and Korean barbecue at both locations of this Pinellas establishment are tasty as hell (as well as the conveyor belt with vegetables, crab, and little cakes), but last year, Nine Spices introduced an all-you-can-eat sushi menu. That experience is $28.99 (or a $5 add-on if you’re more in a hot pot or barbecue mood) and whether you want to start with the in-house “Nine Spices” roll—with mixed seafood, cream cheese, asparagus, roe, scallions, eel sauce, and spicy mayo—or finish triumphantly with the best volcano roll in Tampa Bay, you won’t even be waiting that long for plates to come out. The restaurant is also open until 1 a.m. every night, so you don’t have to worry about rush hour traffic causing you to arrive at your afterwork dinner at closing time. Multiple locations—Josh Bradley
The Nona’s Slice House’s garlic knots That feeling of fatness you get when you’re the only one who eats the garlic knots your friends agree to share with you doesn’t exist at the Safety Harbor-based Detroit-style pizza joint. Nona’s well-risen, house-tied knots are tossed in olive oil and garlic, baked off, and topped with romano cheese and fresh basil. They’re filling as hell, too, which is why a half portion, which runs you $4.50 (so a little more than a dollar per knot) will probably hold you over while you await the arrival of your thick, square pie. Even an individual on a strict keto diet won’t be able to resist the doughy goodness of a Nona knot dipped in marinara sauce. 997 Main St, Safety Harbor, 727-351-7570—JB
Mazzaro’s 'Hot Italian' Tampa Bay’s most famous Italian market cleaned up at Creative Loafing’s 2025 Best of the Bay awards, a testament to its consistently bustling lunch hour. Fight your way to the deli counter for the #20 “Hot Italian” (ham, salami, pepperoni, shredded romaine, tomato, provolone, banana peppers & Italian dressing), grab a house-roasted coffee from the espresso bar and hit the pastry counter for dessert, all to be enjoyed on its back patio. Have a gander at the massive cheese and wine rooms, and take a look at the ready-made dinners for later. There’s also its homemade gelato shop, Zagara, across the parking lot. 2909 22nd Ave N, St. Petersburg 727-321-2400
and affordable enough to have three. 3858 W Waters Ave., Tampa, 813-887-3888
Si-Am Thai American Restaurant’s basil chicken Mixing the best flavors of both Thai and American cuisine, a Si-Am dinner is arguably a great pairing to a night out at Tampa Theatre or a bender at The Hub. Create your own specialty meal with stir fries, curries, fried rice or noodles, but the basil chicken is a star. 713 N Franklin St., Tampa, 813-229-9710
DINING GUIDE
Mel’s Hot Dogs’ Mighty Mel Arguably one of Tampa Bay’s most famous hot dog spots, Mel’s is a classic go-to staple for Chicago dogs and reuben glizzies. 4136 E Busch Blvd., Tampa, 813-985-8000
Southern Fresh’s panfried chicken Shrouded by mossy trees in a Safety Harbor bungalow, the mom-and-pop holds quintessential southern charm in its warm interior. A simple menu leaves the choice-fatigue to a minimum—but your senses will naturally be drawn to the pan-fried chicken from the moment you enter. 122 3rd Ave. N, Safety Harbor, 727-216-6341
With an enclosed courtyard dining area showcasing mostly Mexican culture, Red Mesa serves classic dishes with a twist, just like its Ahi Tuna Tacos—seared tuna, soy orange coulis, wasabi aioli, pico de gallo and mixed greens. If dinner wasn’t enough, you can relocate to its rooftop bar overlooking downtown St. Pete to enjoy the rest of the day. 128 3rd St. S, St. Petersburg, 727-896-8226
Saigon Deli’s Bahn Mi and Vietnamese coffee This extremely busy deli is nothing short of a haven for Vietnamese cuisine. The Banh Mi is packed perfectly inside the French baguette
Sparrow’s Negroni Perched atop the new Moxy Hotel above St. Pete’s glittering skyline, the Sparrow Rooftop offers more than a view— it’s a liftoff. Here, golden-hour light spills across plush turquoise couches, a marble-topped bar, brass accents, and terrazzo floors, reflecting a clean, retro vibe. Meanwhile, cocktails arrive like tiny revelations, equal parts art and alchemy. There’s a cinematic quality to sipping a smoky mezcal Negroni as St. Pete’s growing skyline blushes pink. The Sparrow isn’t about flash; it’s about atmosphere: urbane yet unpretentious, where locals and dreamers alike hover in the communal glow. It’s a new rooftop respite
that turns any evening into a quietly transcendent flight. 1234 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-677-3000—Jon Palmer Claridge
Stella’s’ Gulfport-style French toast
The memory of her Aunt Stella, a Catholic nun and a talented cook, inspired Barbara Banno to open Stella’s 16 years ago in Gulfport. Its since become a brunch mainstay with an extensive menu including a vegan section. One of its most decadent items, the Gulfport-style French toast, includes two slices of Texas toast soaked in its secret recipe sweet batter, grilled and served with cinnamon sugar butter and powdered sugar. 2914 Beach Blvd. S Gulfport, 727-498-8950
Supernatural Food & Wine’s breakfast sandwich and sour doughnuts Offered from 7:30 a.m.-2:29 p.m., SuperNatural’s breakfast menu and doughnuts are its staple, along with its selection of mighty wine available any time. The breakfast sandwich, which celebrity chef Alton Brown recently called the “best I’ve ever had,” is made with fresh focaccia bread roll and egg with the option to add cheese and bacon (BEC is where it’s at). The doughnuts are made with cinnamon sugar, organic flours and single-origin spices, but most importantly, it’s all vegan! 305 E Polk St., Tampa, 813-758-6230
Tampa Bay Brewing Company’s Greek salad and wings With its flagship in the heart of Ybor City, Tampa Bay Brewing Company creates flavorful and hop-centric IPAs, APAs, expressive sours, and juicy, fruit-forward Florida-weisse, along with complementary dishes like the Tarpon Springs Greek salad and red eye cider wings. 1600 E 8th Ave., Ybor City, 813-247-1422
Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish is, well, famous for a reason. Its four-to-six-hour process has been featured in Guy Fieri’s “Diners Drive-Ins and Dives” and The New York Times’ “Taste of America.” 1350 Pasadena Ave. S, St. Petersburg, 727-381-7931
Ulele’s oysters The view of the Hillsborough River almost beats the taste of the Nativeinspired spot’s fresh oysters–heavy emphasis on almost. Seriously, the grilled oyster here are mandatory. Plus, walk it all off on the nearby Tampa Riverwalk. 1810 N Highland Ave., Tampa, 813-999-4952
Wat Mongkolratanaram Temple’s beef soup The temple’s Sunday morning market features a great selection of Thai meals, especially the soups. Pair your broth with a Thai tea and shrimp fresh rolls. 5306 Palm River Rd., Tampa, 813-621-1669
Wild Child’s warm garnet yams Some menu items at Wild Child might seem like odd combinations, but trust us, they work out. Take the yams for instance. Smoked jalepeño crema is the proverbial icing for this savory twist on a staple holiday veggie. Pair this with the restaurant’s colorful and vibrant atmosphere, and you have a good night out. 2710 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-954-7425
Red Mesa Cantina’s ahi tuna tacos
MMMM DONUTS: SuperNatural is Alton Brown-approved.
Chopped: Tampa Bay restaurants ready to cook for Thanksgiving
If thinking about The Big Dinner before you’ve finished your Halloween candy is too stressful, fear not. Here’s a guide for a Thanksgiving made easy in Tampa Bay. In a 2025 filled with restaurant closures, this might be the best year since COVID to support local businesses. Don’t see your special here? Email rroa@cltampa.com and we’ll add it to this listing, which will run in print weekly (and live online via cltampa.com/ food until the holiday).
4 Rivers Smokehouse This BBQ twist from 4 Rivers is your sign to take that meat smoker out of your Amazon cart. Whether it’s the slow-smoked turkey or the 18-hour smoked beef brisket, the riv’ has plenty of stress-free options. “The Fixins Package” ($67.69) feeds up to six people and includes one quart each of mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, cornbread stuffing, and southern green beans (plus a pint of cranberry chutney). Pre-order the meal before 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22 for pickup on Thanksgiving Day. Multiple locations. 4RSmokehouse.com.
Birch & Vine/The Birchwood St. Pete’s historic Birchwood has multiple ways to enjoy a meal on Thanksgiving Day. Choose between its Grand Ballroom’s buffet with carving stations for roasted turkey and pork loin ($75/person), or its fine dining Birch & Vine restaurant, which offers both a specialty prix fixe menu and its regular à la carte options. The Grand Ballroom buffet runs from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on the fourth floor. Birch & Vine is available all day from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended and can be booked directly via OpenTable or by calling 727-896-1080. 340 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. thebirchwood.com
Boulon Bakery The Water Street hotspot offers three signature homemade pies for Thanksgiving dessert orders: apple and brown butter tart with frangipane, hummingbird pecan tart with bourbon caramel and brûlée buttermilk vanilla bean pie with roasted figs, each available for $45. Pies can be preordered through Monday, Nov. 25 to be picked up Wednesday, Nov. 26,
from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. 1001 Water St., Tampa. boulontampa.com
Flor Fina Hotel Haya’s upscale Latin and Mediterranean restaurant offers a multicourse feast ($95 per adult; $15 children 6-12; Children 5 under free). Standout menu items include fried mortadella with pistachio stuffing and seared grouper with grapefruit beurre blanc and sage gremolata. Reservations can be made from noon-6 p.m. on OpenTable or by calling (813) 462-9660. 1412 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. hotelhaya.com
Grace The Pass-a-Grille fine dining spot has à la carte to-go options to boost your homemade meal, including butternut maple bisque, homemade chicken, turkey or vegetable stock, salad dressings, sides and desserts. Preorder on OpenTable or by calling 727-317-4770 by 6 p.m. on Nov. 24. Pickup on Nov. 26 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 120 8th Ave., St. Pete Beach. gracerestaurant.com
Hew Parlor & Chophouse The Fenway Hotel’s restaurant offers a four-course
dinner ($95 per adult, $25 for children 12 and under) with options including cinnamon short rib with Milligan’s maple pumpkin butter, bronzed turkey ballotine and mesquite charred pork belly. Reservations between 11 a.m.-7 p.m. are encouraged via OpenTable or by calling 727-683-5990. 453 Edgewater Dr, Dunedin. fenwayhotel.com
The Dan at Hotel Flor The menu from Executive Chef Jason Revell reimagine’s holiday classics (think turkey coq’ au vin) while offering salmon ribeye, and twists on sides (gochujang cauliflower, anyone?) too. Reservations are available on OpenTable and by calling 813-225-1700. 905 N Florida Ave., Tampa. hotelflortampa.com
Juno & The Peacock The Downtown St. Pete restaurant offers a prix fixe meal ($135 per person, $35 for children 12 and under) with options including: Joyce Farms roasted turkey breast with confit dark meat and herbed gravy; crab-crusted Florida black grouper and bearnaise; Dean & Peeler prime
continued on page 49
Tampa Edition
Chopped: Tampa Bay restaurants ready to cook for Thanksgiving (cont'd)
continued from page 47
rib & rosemary au jus; and a vegan option: mushroom campanelle with black garlic cream, king oyster mushrooms, tuscan kale and parsnip crisps. Along with classic Thanksgiving sides and desserts, guests can also add champagne, oysters or a seafood tower. Book reservations between 11 a.m.-7:45 p.m. at OpenTable or by calling 727-258-4222. 400 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. junoandthepeacock.com
Naked Farmer The St. Pete-based fresh food chain has catering packages to feed 10-100 people ($292 & up), including vegetarian Thanksgiving and side trays. Options include spiced farro and butternut squash, blue oyster mushroom mix and homemade cornbread. Order by Nov. 23 for pickup or delivery on Nov. 26. Multiple locations. eatnakedfarmer.com
Ocean Prime Stop by the swanky seafood spot to pickup everything but the turkey. Ocean Prime’s $155 collection of sides includes jalapeño potato au gratin, truffle macaroni and cheese, and bacon creamed spinach, all ready to reheat for dinner, along with break and five-layer carrot cake. Orders must be placed via phone (813-490-5288) by Friday, Nov. 21 and will be picked up Wednesday, Nov. 26. 2205 N Westshore Blvd, Tampa. ocean-prine.com
The Pearl Tampa Water Street’s lowkey comfort food hub (those deviled eggs, come on) wants to make your holiday pie. Scratch offerings include rich brown sugar, creamy pumpkin, and more ($40-$55). Place orders by Nov. 21 by phone (813-709-7776). 823 Water St., Tampa. thepearlrestaurant.com
The Pearl Restaurant This Gulfport Mediterranean spot hosts Thanksgiving dinner for just $39 a person, including house salad, turkey, gravy, yams, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing and cranberry relish. Call (727)-360-9151 for reservations. 5802 28th Ave. S, Gulfport. thepearlfinedining.com
Sal Rosa at Le Meridien Courthouse
Hotel The restaurant inside a historic courthouse offers a family-style, three-course Thanksgiving dinner from 2-8 p.m. priced at $70 per person. Guests choose from options like butternut squash soup or artisanal autumn salad for the first course, and a main entree of crispy skin herb turkey breast, NY Strip with bordelaise, or pan-seared sea bass. Sides like cranberry chutney, traditional stuffing, and roasted garlic whipped Yukon gold potatoes are served family-style. Choose between pumpkin or apple tart for dessert. Reservations can be made via OpenTable or by calling (813) 999-8214. 601 N Florida Ave, Tampa. salrosatampa.com
Sal y Mar Midtown’s rooftop restaurant and hotel offers a three-course prix-fixe menu with choices like pumpkin soup, turkey roulade, pie, and more ($55/person, $25 for kids five-to-12 years old). A la carte options like
charcuterie, shrimp cocktails, and vegetable crudité are available, too. Seatings happen Nov. 27 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations can be made via OpenTable or by calling 813-692-3330. 3650 Midtown Dr., Tampa. salymarrooftop.com
Seasons 52 The national chain with spots in Tampa, Bradenton and Sarasota offers a classic dinner: roasted turkey, savory pan gravy, yukon mashed potatoes, brioche and sage stuffing and its famous pumpkin pie mini indulgence ($42/person, $19/child). For celebrations at home, the “Thanksgiving Green Box To Go” serves up to six people for $230, also including a field greens salad. Preorder by Nov. 24 for pickup on Nov. 26 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Multiple locations. seasons52.com
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Why gamble with doing turkey day at home when you can gamble while doing turkey day instead? Nine of the casino’s dining concepts offer Thanksgiving specials from the classic plate at Hard Rock Café ($32), to the orange chicken special at the noodle bar ($23), pool bar sandwich ($16), buffet ($79.95) and more. 5223 Orient Rd., Tampa. casino.hardrock.com/tampa/dining
Shor American at Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa Its Thanksgiving buffet ($89 for adults, $29 for children 5-12) served 1-8 p.m. features soups and salads like its corn and bacon chowder, a build-your-own mac n cheese station, a raw bar with hand-rolled sushi and crab legs, charcuterie, a carving station and classic sides. Reservations can be made on OpenTable or by calling (727) 373-4780. 301 S Gulfview Blvd suite 105, Clearwater Beach. hyatt.com
Tampa Edition Ground level concepts Lilac and Market both offer upscale Turkey Day meals. Lilac’s is a $195 per person Mediterranean-inspired pre-fixe feast. Market’s usual Italian offerings will be available, along with its takes on Thanksgiving classics. Market also offers pastries to go Nov. 19-20; ranging $5-$25, options include fall sugar cookies, bourbon pecan pie, cinnamon apple pie, bacon & caramelized onion quiche and butternut squash quiche. Reservations for dine-in and pastry pickup are available at OpenTable. 1000 Water St., Tampa. editionhotels.com
Timpano Hyde Park The village staple hosts an Italian Thanksgiving with special appetizers and sides like burrata with pumpkin jam, pecan butter and focaccia; Italian Stuffing with fennel sausage, apple, roasted corn, and herbs; and a loaded sweet potato with spiced butter, pistachio brittle, and Italian meringue. For the main event: choose between honey and rosemary roasted turkey with ciabatta and fennel stuffing, green bean fonduta, barolo gravy, and cranberry jam; or porchetta with pork belly, smoked salsa verde, and ricotta whipped potatoes. Don’t forget to save room for some pumpkin mascarpone tiramisu. Reservations can be made
Boulon Bakery
via OpenTable. 1610 W Swann Ave., Tampa. timpanohydepark.com
Urban Stillhouse This St. Pete staple puts a Southern twist on its Thanksgiving dinner. The multi-course meal ($89 per adult, $35 per child plus tax and tip) includes a raw bar and Colorado lamb chops in addition to the turkey and classic sides. The restaurant is open Thanksgiving day from 2 p.m.-7 p.m. (last seating at 6:30 p.m.). Reserve on OpenTable or by calling (727) 440-8040.
2232 5th Ave. S, St Petersburg. theurbanstillhouse.com
Willa’s The North Hyde Park eatery offers a contemporary catered meal. The six-person “Big Willa Style” for $500 meal includes appetizers, a turkey breast with gravy and cranberry sauce, a tahini Caesar salad, sides like rosemary focaccia with whipped garlic butter, and for dessert, chocolate oatmeal pie. Items can also be ordered à la carte with more options like Faroe Island salmon and rotisserie
chicken. Pickup is Wednesday, Nov. 26 at noon. 1700 W Fig St., Tampa. willastampa.com
The Vinoy The historic hotel’s grand ballroom is the setting of a Thanksgiving feast for guests and members (11 a.m.-3 p.m. $155 for adults, $65 for kids 3-12 years old). Stations include a soup kettle, seafood bar, charcuterie and cheese boards, salads, plus turkey and ham. And yes, there’s a kid’s station. The Vinoy also offers a $550 Thanksgiving meal to go with options including citrus brined roast turkey, sweet onion and herb sourdough stuffing, citrus glazed sweet potatoes, pan-seared brussels sprouts with shaved parmesan and lemon herb vinaigrette, and three pie options. The 6-8 person meal must be pre-ordered and picked up on Thanksgiving between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Pies can also be ordered separately. 501 5th Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. thevinoy.com
See a full version of this listing at cltampa.com.
MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
Makes scents
St. Pete’s first niche fragrance shop opens this weekend.
By Ray Roa
As a child, Merryck Walker was always drawn to fragrances, be they certain perfumes or someone cooking.
“When something smells good, it really, really, releases all of these endorphins in my brain that are like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t stop,” she told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “I’ve always enjoyed it more than other sensory experiences.”
This weekend, the 29-year-old Clearwater High School graduate cuts the ribbon on a shop that not only embraces her lifelong obsession, but invites neighbors to dive in, too. The space facing Mirror Lake is just 483-square feet, but it marks a milestone for St. Petersburg which has never been home to a niche fragrance store like Super Memory.
The shop will be more creative and open, with 57 different fragrances from about 10 brands that span the globe. Almost an antidote to doTerra multi-level-marketing, Super Memory brings to St. Petersburg a highly-curated and carefully-vetted slate of fragrances—not unlike the way a specialty wine shop would be selective about what it does with its shelf space.
INTERVIEW
Super Memory grand opening
Saturday, Nov. 22. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. No cover
Walker, who was born in Clearwater and grew up in St. Petersburg, can talk circles around the idea of how scent offers a special bypass for thinking unlike the other senses. Where it lands in someone’s brain is completely contextual, she added, explaining how certain smells might remind someone of an ex or a certain place or time.
600 1st Ave. N, Suite 103, St. Petersburg supermemory.us
Keep chatting, and her degrees in microbiology and chemistry—and past life and a sommelier—start to come out as she illustrates how perfumes react to and reflect the innate flora and proteins on our bodies.
“It’s a whole microbiome, and it has yeast and bacteria and all those things cling on to different parts of the fragrance that another skin type might not,” she said, starting to namecheck fragrant grasses like vetiver, or ambroxan and vanillin notes that turn up. The way a perfume expresses itself really depends on the person putting it on.
Each SKU will offer something unique, and range in price from $40-$300. Themed discovery sets will be $15 and might include three fragrances, allowing customers to try the most expensive stuff without having to drop a C-note. Samples will be complimentary with purchases, Walker told CL. Fragrances, she added, are unisex in general. There are categories of scent that lean into certain demographics, Walker said, noting that woodsy, smoky and deeply aromatic scents have been categorized as masculine while floral, bright and citrus fragrances tend to fall feminine. But Super Memory’s offering mostly won’t follow those rules. Some chypre offerings will even start floral, progress towards citrus, and end with more of that vetiver quality.
“Any scent is for any person.”
Walker also likes that women have started to adopt men’s fragrances— and vice versa. At the end of the day, she added, “Any scent is for any person.”
“And because of that, I think it’s imperative to try perfume, get it on, try it for a few days, do a skin test, and then come back and get a full bottle,” she added.
In a world where a lot of what people wear now is dictated by department stores and online retailers that force people into certain lanes, Super Memory is built for a more analog experience.
Used to shopping alone, Walker usually spends an hour to 90 minutes inside any given fragrance shop. At Super Memory, there’s a small sit-down bar where she envisions helping customers and their companions start with a wide range of scents before using deduction to figure out what they like and sending them home with a sample.
“Get yourself out of the thousands of aroma molecules that are inside this room and go smell it outside of that context,” she said, adding that there will be an air purifier inside. “Take it home too, and see how it wears.”
Home is a subtle hallmark of Super Memory. The shop, in a way, is another breath of fresh air in a community where monied entities seem
to break ground on residences and businesses on every corner.
Driven to give her hometown an experience that she enjoys in other cities, Walker got the LLC for Super Memory over the summer and signed her lease on Oct. 1. Friends and family have donated time and muscle to help build out the shop, but she’ll open the door without the help of investors. In a world that feels impossible at the moment, Super Memory’s opening offers some hope that a local person with a good idea and good credit score can do something special.
Walker, for her part, is most excited about creating a lane that hasn’t really been explored
in St. Pete at all. Talking about scent, and getting to talk about the fragrances she wears gives her connection. In the best cases, guiding someone through the perfume-picking process creates confidence.
“It’s like buying a pretty new jacket, and having people like it. It’s like, ‘Oh yeah, cool. I picked it, thanks,” she said. “It’s a part of what I think is cool, and I’m glad you like it, too.”
Super Memory’s business hours, although subject to change as the shop gets going, will be 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Follow @supermemory_fl on Instagram.
FREE YOUR MIND: Merryck Walker believes that fragrances create a bypass for our thinking.
Keep the faith
A battle-tested Margaret Murray talks reinventing Creative Pinellas.
By Jennifer Ring
It’s an awkward moment for arts and culture in Pinellas County. Governor Ron DeSantis’s June 2024 decision to veto all state arts funding affected nearly 50 Pinellas County arts organizations, which collectively lost more than $3 million.
budget. (They launched pay-to-paint events on the first Sunday of each month in response.)
INTERVIEW
Less than a year later last May, the National Endowment for the Arts began withdrawing awards and terminating previously offered grants under pressure from the Trump Administration. The decision stripped Pinellas County-based mobile art bus NOMADstudio of 1/3 of its annual
The situation really hit home last September when Pinellas County Commissioners defunded the county’s designated arts agency, Creative Pinellas. The arts organization will lose its gallery in Largo’s Pinewood Cultural Park in 2026.
How do we meet this moment? For Creative Pinellas CEO Margaret Murray, the answer is to celebrate past accomplishments and work together to build a new future for the arts in Pinellas County.
“There are moments where I’ve had a little bit of a crisis of faith,” Murray admits. “All systems are pointing to the fact that many people don’t consider the arts vital to our county, but the optimist in me—and the lifelong arts advocate and arts professional in me—refuses to believe that.”
Murray believes that the arts are essential down to her core. And there is plenty of evidence to back her up.
The arts support more than 4,000 jobs in Pinellas County and generate more than $50 million in tax revenue annually for local, state and federal governments, according to the Americans for the Arts’ 2022 Arts & Economic Prosperity report—the most recent study available.
the arts reduces depression, anxiety, and pain; helps youth bounce back from adversity; and improves the health of older adults.
In other words, there are many good reasons to celebrate the impact of the arts and to fight to preserve the arts in our communities. But it’s not going to be easy.
“There are moments where I’ve had a little bit of a crisis of faith.”
Beyond money and jobs, art provides joy and healing to many. National Endowment for the Arts (which Trump recommends cutting from the FY2026 budget) reports show that
The landslide losses in funding, created by federal, state, and local budget cuts, have created gaps too large for private donors to fill. There are whispers of donor fatigue locally, but the best hard evidence comes from a study released by the American Alliance of Museums this month— 1/3 of US museums lost federal funding under Donald Trump’s presidency. Of those that lost federal funding, only 8% were able to replace that money through other sources, resulting in cuts to community programs and staff. continued on page 57
DREAMS DIFFERED : Margaret Murray says people want to know specifics about how arts move forward.
SANDRA DOHNERT/SANDRASONIK PHOTOGRAPHY
DREAM WEAVER: TALES FROM THE TREES
DREAM WEAVER: TALES FROM THE TREES
DREAM WEAVER: TALES FROM THE TREES
NOW THROUGH JAN 31, 2026
NOW THROUGH JAN 31, 2026
NOV 28 THROUGH JAN 4
NOV 28 THROUGH JAN 4
NOV 28 THROUGH JAN 4
WINTER FAIRY FEST & THE NUTCRACKER
WINTER FAIRY FEST & THE NUTCRACKER
WINTER FAIRY FEST & THE NUTCRACKER SATURDAY & SUNDAY, DEC 13-14
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, DEC 13-14
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, DEC 13-14
NOW THROUGH JAN 31, 2026
RUNA: HARK! AN IRISH CHRISTMAS
YULETIDE: A STARLIGHT CELEBRATION WITH THE BYRNE BROS.
SATURDAY, NOV 29 · 6PM
RUNA: HARK! AN IRISH CHRISTMAS
RUNA: HARK! AN IRISH CHRISTMAS
SATURDAY, NOV 29 · 6PM
SATURDAY, NOV 29 · 6PM
SILVER BELLS BIG BAND PRESENTS A SOULFUL NIGHT ATOP IRON MOUNTAIN
SATURDAY, DEC 6 · 6PM
YULETIDE: A STARLIGHT CELEBRATION WITH THE BYRNE BROS.
SATURDAY, DEC 20 · 6PM
YULETIDE: A STARLIGHT CELEBRATION WITH THE BYRNE BROS.
SATURDAY, DEC 20 · 6PM
SATURDAY, DEC 20 · 6PM
SILVER BELLS BIG BAND PRESENTS A SOULFUL NIGHT ATOP IRON MOUNTAIN
SILVER BELLS BIG BAND PRESENTS A SOULFUL NIGHT ATOP IRON MOUNTAIN
CAROLS & CARILLON WITH DR. REED & FRIENDS
SUNDAY, DEC 21 · 4PM
CAROLS & CARILLON WITH DR. REED & FRIENDS
CAROLS & CARILLON WITH DR. REED & FRIENDS
SUNDAY, DEC 21 · 4PM
SATURDAY, DEC 6 · 6PM
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
SATURDAY, DEC 6 · 6PM
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, DEC 13-14
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, DEC 13-14
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, DEC 13-14
SUNDAY, DEC 21 · 4PM
PEACE INTO THE NEW YEAR CONCERT WITH PAISLEY CRAZE
SATURDAY, JAN 3 · 6PM
PEACE INTO THE NEW YEAR CONCERT WITH PAISLEY CRAZE
PEACE INTO THE NEW YEAR CONCERT WITH PAISLEY CRAZE
SATURDAY, JAN 3 · 6PM
SATURDAY, JAN 3 · 6PM
“It’s an entirely different landscape now,” says Murray.
All evidence suggests that we cannot return to the way things were. It’s time to build something new.
“People are reluctant to give to a dream or a wish right now,” says Murray. “They need specific measurables, and they need to know what the path moving forward is. That’s what we’re creating, and that’s what we’re fundraising around.”
This means a lot of meetings for Murray, who has been reaching out to community leaders, artists, elected officials, college deans, art collectors and healthcare professionals, trying to find the best path forward.
experts (aka the CP team) as fractional experts for other cultural organizations…”
Can this community raise enough funds to keep Creative Pinellas alive in the absence of state and county funding?
“Obviously, I have moments of concern and doubt,” Murray admitted when pressed, “but I’ve been doing this for a long time. I know the capacity of our community to support the arts, and I know the capacity of myself and our team, and we’re creating viable ways forward. And yes, there is a possibility that no one really cares about arts and well-being, but I know that’s not the case. So we move forward in that direction.
INTERVIEW
To support these efforts, Creative Pinellas launched a new fundraising campaign, “Five ways to support Creative Pinellas,” last month. Among them is purchasing tickets to Arts Annual 8, Creative Pinellas’ annual fundraising party happening this weekend in Pinewood Cultural Park.
“This will be our last Arts Annual in that space,” Murray told CL. “We are going to honor and celebrate every single artist who has ever walked through the doors at Creative Pinellas, and that’s a real privilege to be able to do that. It’s not going to be a night of sadness. It’s going to be a night of incredible celebration—celebration of everything that Creative Pinellas has done, everything that happened when it was the Gulf Coast Museum of Art, and everything that’s going to come after.”
Several Pinellas County-based artists and businesses have already reached out to help Creative Pinellas make this year’s Arts Annual a not-to-be-missed event. Bask is creating a multiple-piece installation that Arts Annual ticketholders can purchase a piece of. Tes One is creating limited-edition prints, Chad Mize donated sticker packs, Bonefish Grill and Uptown Eats are providing food, and Great Bay Distributors is providing wine and cocktails.
The celebration also includes music by DJ artist collective We’re Sweet Girls; a first look at this year’s Arts Annual Exhibition, curated by Allison McCarthy, featuring artwork from more than 70 Pinellas County-based artists; and holiday shopping opportunities at Gifted, a holiday shopping experience curated by Maggie Duffy.
Beyond Arts Annual, Murray speaks about the joy of finding hidden pockets of support throughout the county, “I’ve had people reach out from not only across the county, but across this state and other states. This has resonated with a lot of people. People want to help.”
“Both Dunedin Fine Arts Center and FloridaRAMA have offered gallery space for Creative Pinellas to mount exhibitions, which is so incredibly generous,” Murray adds. “And we have received pledges of office space, as well as the idea of hiring out our amazing team of
We move forward with the county. We’re in conversations with Visit St. Pete Clearwater about the funding that they are providing to the arts and how Creative Pinellas can play a role in that. So all of these things are in play.”
“I know there may be more challenging days ahead,” Murray continues. “Actually, I am 100% certain there will be, but organizations reinvent themselves and rebuild themselves all the time…I can look at it as the end, or I can look at it as the beginning. I’m looking at it as the beginning of something new, and that’s very exciting for me.”
MARLY MUSIC PRESENTS ST. PETE BAROQUE
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7 | 1-2 PM
In conjunction with In Caravaggio’s Light, the MFA presents a special performance by St. Pete Baroque, a dynamic local ensemble devoted to reviving the spirit, spontaneity, and emotional richness of Baroque music. This program will blend exquisite musical performance with engaging historical context, giving audiences insight into the social, cultural, and artistic currents that shaped the Baroque period. Between pieces, the musicians will offer brief reflections on the Baroque era’s aesthetic values, compositional innovations, and the musical equivalents of chiaroscuro, further connecting the music to the art on view.
Matthias Stom (Stomer), Annunciation of Samson’s Birth (detail), c. 1630-1632, Oil on canvas, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy
Thursday, November 20, 2025 • 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Winter Spectacular @ Centro Ybor 1600 East 8th Ave.
Open to the public bit.ly/WinterSpectacularYbor
Friday, November 21, 2025 • 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Holiday Wine & Dine Market
@ Italian Club of Tampa 1731 East 7th Ave.
Tickets: $65 – $595 bit.ly/ItalianWineDine
Saturday, November 22, 2025 • 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Bazar À La Carte : Tampa @ Tempus Projects 1624 E 7th Ave.
Tickets: $5 bit.ly/HowBazar
Saturday, November 22, 2025 • 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Ybor Vintage Market
@ Retro House Coffee Bar & Asian Bistro 934 East Henderson Ave.
Free to the public bit.ly/VintageMarketYbor
Saturday, November 22, 2025
6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 9:00 PM, 10:00 PM
Pottery Wheel Workshop @ Tempus Projects 1624 E 7th Ave.
Tickets: $42.13
bit.ly/PotteryWorkshopYbor
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 • 9:00 PM
Pour & Play: Thanksgiving Eve Pajama Jam @ 1811 N. 15th St. 1811 North 15th Street
Tickets: $12.51 – $81.88 bit.ly/PourPlayPajama
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 • 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Tampa Thanksgiving Eve Bar Crawl @ Centro Cantina 1600 East 8th Ave.
Tickets: $0 – $30.65 bit.ly/ThanksgivingEveYbor
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 • 10:00 PM - 2:30 AM
DRINKSGIVING @ GEO’S LOUNGE
1730 E 7th Ave.
Tickets: $10 – $108.55 bit.ly/DrinksgivingYbor
Saturday, November 29, 2025 • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Wine for Water @ Ybor City Society Wine Bar 1600 East 7th Ave.
Tickets: $81.88 bit.ly/WineForWater
Saturday, December 13, 2025 • 4:00 PM
Tampa SantaCon 2025 @ Centro Cantina 1600 East 8th Ave
Tickets start at $18.89 bit.ly/SantaConTampa
Where to Live:
Casa Ybor • casaybor.com
Casa Ybor offers unique retail spaces, office spaces, and apartment homes for rent or lease in both newly constructed and lovingly restored historic buildings throughout the vibrant National Historic Landmark District of Ybor City near Downtown Tampa, Florida.
La Union • bit.ly/LaUnionYbor
Community, connection, and culture come together at La Unión Apartments, where Tampa’s rich history and vibrant future unite. Inspired by the historic social hall once on this site, our Ybor City apartments honor that legacy by fostering bonds among residents, the neighborhood, and the area’s deep-rooted heritage.
Miles at Ybor • milesatybor.com
Step into the pulse of Tampa’s most vibrant neighborhood at Miles at Ybor, where modern luxury apartments in Tampa blend seamlessly with the rich cultural tapestry of historic Ybor City. These aren’t just furnished apartments in Ybor City – they’re your gateway to an elevated urban lifestyle that celebrates both heritage and innovation.
THU 20
C Simon Grossmann w/Bebo Dumont Everyone needs a day at the beach, and Simon Grossmann’s “Copa del Mundo” is a low-key fix for that need. The Venezuelan-American songwriter arrives in good company, too. Bebo Dumont has produced for the likes of Kaytranada (coming to town on Saturday), Anderson .Paak, and others. His work on Rawayana’s ¿Quién Trae las Cornetas? even led to a Grammy Award for Best Latin Alternative Album. The multi-hyphenate Puerto Rican Cultura Profética member opens this show that is the next best thing to hopping on a plane to the Caribbean. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
FRI 21
C Abstract Citizen w/LaRue Nickelson Trio Guitarist Aaron Lebos is coming to the living room. Abstract Citizen—his quartet with bassist Marty Quinn, drummer Lucas Apostoleris and vocalist Vania Junco—is one of Miami’s most-coveted jazz exports and joins Tampa’s dean of jazz guitar, LaRue Nickelson, for an intimate show at one of the Bay area’s coziest venues. (The Far Forest, Tampa)
C Bleeth w/Slowrot/Uga Buga/Weight Shift/Sun Throne/Veneficus Miami can be a tough place to make a living. It’s not hard to hear that struggle in Bleeth’s devastating take on Florida sludge metal. Emerging with 2018’s Geomancer, bassist Ryan Rivas & co. turned in a sprawling 10-track album, Marionette, over the summer. FFO Swervedriver, Unsane, and Hum, Bleeth headlines alongside Tampa sludge outfit Slowrot, and visitors from Virginia (Üga Büga), North Carolina (Weight Shift) and other parts of Florida (Veneficus, Sun Throne). (Deviant Libation, Tampa)
St. Pete Country Fest: The Red Clay Strays w/Parker McCollum/Treaty Oak Revival/Muscadine Bloodline/Leon Majen/more Leon Majcen has come a long way from St. Petersburg College, but he always makes time to come back home. Over the last decade, the 26-year-old made a name for himself locally and even landed on a festival bill with Tyler Childers in 2018. A move to Nashville followed, and he’s spent the past year playing Americanafest and opening for the likes of Kip Moore, Turnpike Troubadours, Margo Price and others. He just released a new a new album, Making A Livin’ [Not A Killin’] and is back home for two Florida shows—including one at the three-day St. Pete Country Fest headlined by Treaty Oak Revival, Parker McCollum and the Red Clay Straws. (Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg)
C Suncoast Jazz Festival: Tuba Skinny w/Wycliffe Gordon/Diego Figuerido/ Jason Marsalis/Ken Peplowski/Chuck Redd/Dave Bennett Quartet/John Lamb/ Jeremy Carter/Daniele Soledade/ Nate Najar/more Pinellas County has its Clearwater Jazz Holiday to kick off the fall, and this holiday-week jazz festival on the beach. Celebrating its 35th year, Suncoast Jazz Festival includes about three dozen acts from across the world and right here in Tampa Bay. Per usual, the schedule is stacked, with acts across the jazz spectrum taking to ballrooms, bars and the poolside at the Sheraton Sand Key for sets that start early (11 a.m.) and go late into the night (swing sets and jam sessions aren’t scheduled to end until after midnight on Friday-Saturday). Tuba Skinny, a New Orleans band specializing in early jazz, ragtime, and blues, is among the headliners along with trombonist-composer Wycliffe “Pinecone” Gordon and more. (Sheraton Sand Key Resort, Clearwater Beach)
SAT 22
C The Florida Orchestra: Mozart & Handel There aren’t a lot of chances to see the state’s premier orchestra play an intimate space as historic as the Centro Asturiano. Before it heads to St. Petersburg for a Sunday matinee, The Florida Orchestra comes together under the baton of American conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell for a night of music from the 18th century. “Kids and teens ages 5-18 get in free to all Masterworks concerts with Classical Kids tickets, thanks in part to the generous support of an anonymous donor. At least one paying adult purchase is required per order, and other restrictions apply,” according to TFO. (Centro Asturiano de Tampa, Ybor City)
C Hobnob Original Music Series: Robin Taylor Zander w/Greymarket/Barely Pink/ Stick & Ditty/Beauty School Ludwig drums are a staple in the music world and B3 (aka Bill Ludwig III) will be in Dunedin this weekend to show off his product. The appearance is part of a day-long celebration of the local scene organized by HOB Brewing Co. There’ll be a market along with five bands including resurgent Tampa power-pop hero Barely Pink and songwriter Robin Taylor Zander, who is a member of Cheap Trick (a band fronted by his dad). The younger Zander is also fresh off the release of a self-titled album full of lush harmony and vintage-flavored pop-and-rock. (HOB Brewing Co., Dunedin)
C Mega Ran w/Alfred Banks/Swell Rell/ Lord Xzae Shuffle has always been somewhat kid-friendly, and no one will bat an eye if you bring a little one to than this gig headlined by 48-year-old Philadelphia rapper Raheem Jarbo. Better known as Mega Ran, Jarbo is up for a Best Children’s Music Album Grammy award this spring. The nomination is well-deserved for a quirky, relentless emcee who has spent way too much time
THU NOVEMBER 20–WED NOVEMBER 26
running in the shadows and fueled by nerdcore fans who’ve been showing up to shows for the better part of two decades. A past Grammy-nominee (New Orleans’ Alfred Banks) opens alongside Croc Gang Tampa rapper Swell Rell and homegrown sad boy Lord Xzae. (Shuffle, Tampa)
SUN 23
The Rhapsody Suite 10-year anniversary: Coko Time really does fly. While 7th+Grove is working towards its seventh anniversary, the Rhapsody Suite party the restaurant has hosted celebrates a decade of sexy times this weekend. Taking the stage is Coko Gamble, frontwoman of iconic ‘90s R&B trio Sisters With Voices (SWV). The 55-yearold recently brought the group to the Essence Festival of Culture, and while she may dip into some of the gospel from her solo catalog, expect a lot of the New Jill Swing that earned SWV Grammy nominations in 1994 (Best New Artist) and 2013 (Best Traditional R&B Performance). (7th+Grove, Ybor City)
C Tribal Style hurricane relief benefit It’s been three weeks since Hurricane Melissa laid waste to much of Jamaica, and while the news cycle has abandoned the Caribbean nation, locals with deep ties to the island have not. Tribal Style is one of Tampa’s longest-running roots-reggae acts and saw their families on the border of Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth lose everything but their own lives in the category five storm. Helicopters recently airdropped supplies in the mountains, and there’s an ongoing GoFundMe to help, but the band is also playing this benefit concert where a $10 donation gets one raffle ticket (with additional tickets running $1 each). (Shuffle, Tampa)
TUE 25
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening The 50th anniversary of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti is here, and Jason Bonham, son of late LedZepp drummer John Bonham, recently played the double album in full (albeit re-arranged) while flanked by vocalist James Dylan, guitarist Jimmy Sakurai and bassist Dorian Heartsong—the same band that will be onstage for this pre-Turkey Day treat. (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
C Shuffle Remix finale: Lil Kenobi One of the liveliest open mics in Tampa has finally run its course. This week marks the final installment of of Shuffle Remix. Psych Montano, the latest curator of the scene incubator, lauded the efforts of past hosts and called the night “a cherished space” for homegrown acts looking to find their voice and test out new material. Remix ends its run with featured artist Lil Kenobi. Look for DJ Faz’s weekly and producer showcase to get going next year. (Shuffle, Tampa)
WED 26
C Allen Stone and Ripe The kindest voice in the world of blue-eyed soul is back in town, this time fresh off a cover of Christopher Cross’ debut hit “Ride Like The Wind.” The 38-year-old songwriter made the cover a staple of recent sets opening for Quinn XCII and is expected to play it on a run of co-headlining dates alongside Boston-born pop-funk band Ripe. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
C Last Drunken Turkey Fry: Vern De La Rosa w/Charlie G/DJ Dfaz/Psych Montano/Vern Sr/YZM For just $10 locals can get a hot plate of food as part of a Thanksgiving tradition that takes its final bow this week. Three turkeys—chef Jason Rodriguez, Crowbar owner Tom DeGeorge, and musician-promoter Sean Pomeroy—will deep fry a trio of turkeys while rap collective YZM, St. Pete rapper Charlie G, and GOAT-ed Tampa producer-emcee Vern Sr. closes the no-cover pre-holiday throwdown with a hybrid set. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
C No Thanks: Brian Busto w/Austen van der Bleek/Santino Bontempo/K. Slat//Beach Terror/Harlow Gold/Todd Sargent/Willie Jones Cocktail Hour/ RoboBorealis/more A group of misfits has organized a two-stage mini-festival complete with house scene staples along with live rock and roll. “No Thanks is an attitude of gratitude for rebellious communities, underground music, and our chosen families,” organizers wrote. (Suite E Studios, St. Petersburg)
See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music
By Ray Roa
C CL Recommends
Allen Stone
Heaven is here, because Florence + The Machine have announced a slew of new tour dates, including the band’s second-ever stop in Tampa Bay this April.
Following a year off for the band, Florence Welch (who still made a point to join Taylor Swift at all three of her Miami “Eras Tour” shows last year) spearheaded its brandnew, Halloween-released album Everybody Scream . The record, which features contributions from The Nationals’ Aaron Dessner and Idles’ Mark Bowen, is Welch’s most personal work to date, being partially inspired by lifesaving surgery she had two years ago.
This show marks the first time Welch and friends have been to Tampa Bay since 2012, when they pushed a sophomore album Ceremonials at the USF Sun Dome (now Yuengling Center). Irish indie-pop up-andcomer CMAT opens.
Tickets start at $51.60 for Florence + The Machine at Benchmark International Arena on Tuesday, April 28. See my weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay below.—Josh Bradley
Tyler Hilton & Kate Voegele Thursday, Dec. 18. 8 p.m. $41.93. Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg
Shlump w/Stylust/Floret Loret Friday, Jan. 16. 10 p.m. No cover with RSVP, $10 for guaranteed entry. The Ritz, Ybor City
Al Di Meola Saturday, Jan. 17. 8 p.m. $64 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater
The Rise of Decades: George Lynch of Dokken w/Lynch Mob/Terry Ilous’ XYZ/Brett Carlise of Great White Friday, Jan. 2. 8 p.m. $39.27 & up. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Off With Their Heads w/Dikembe/ Floating Boy/Smug, LLC Friday, Jan. 23. 7 p.m. $24.06. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa
Bear Grillz w/Dion Timmer Friday, Jan. 23. 10 p.m. $25.96 & up. The RItz, Ybor City
Red Wanting Blue w/Jason Easy Friday, Jan. 23. 8 p.m. $27.14. Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
Model/Actriz Sunday, Feb. 22. 7 p.m. $20.70. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue Tuesday, Feb. 24. 8 p.m. $81.75 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa
Gary Numan Sunday, March 8. 8 p.m.
$50.69. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Sticky Fingers Tuesday, March 10. 7 p.m.
$52.85. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Charley Crockett Wednesday, March 11. 8
p.m. $95.15 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa
Machine Girl Wednesday, March 11. 8 p.m.
$41.97. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
STAND OUT ONLINE
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Five for fighting
By Caroline DeBruhl
Dear Oracle, my daughter and I are very close.
I was not excited that she and her now husband moved from Florida to a very rural part of Missouri, a town of only 150. But I got it. Florida is crazy expensive, and they would have never been able to buy a house or thrive here. She is a high school science teacher, he works from home as an insurance agent. His mother recently moved in to help with a baby that was a surprise to everyone. They planned on having a child, but he came a little sooner than they had planned. They live in such a remote area —20 minutes or more to medical, conveniences, no real other families in the area. I just worry about what kind of life might be in the cards for this new family. They have had some relationship struggles, as this is her first real, serious relationship, and he is eight years older. He is a very kind person, but can freak out over the slightest thing. He is a bit ADHD and cocky. She’s particular and can be a bit controlling, wanting things to be just so. They are both Pisces.
I just worry that they are too remote for their son to have any social life in the future, if they can keep their personalities in check to avoid conflict that may cause emotional stress, whether or not living in such a remote area is healthy for them as they seem so isolated. I want the best for them. She is doing great as a new mother so far, and having his mother there will be a huge relief when she goes back to work because there aren’t any established daycares
in the area. I just wonder how long they can survive the rural farm life.
He always has these glorious ideas for this, that, and the other, but never follows through. I’m just curious to see if this lifestyle is sustainable for them.—Mom now Grandma
Cards for Missouri: Two of Wands (reversed), Nine of Cups (reversed),
Cards for Marriage: Five of Swords (reversed) Ace of Swords (reversed)
Cards for Family Needs: Seven of Wands (reversed) Six of Swords (reversed)
Cards for How To Get There: The Seekers (reversed), Justice
Dear Mom, thank you so much for trusting me with your questions. While you do express some direct worry about the future of your grandson, what I hear most in your question is a worry about your daughter. In a few short years, her life has changed completely. It’s very understandable to see all of this newness and worry, so here is some insight from the cards.
As far as Missouri goes, I think your daughter is still very hopeful about its potential. The Nine of Cups is a card of wish fulfillment and the Two of Wands can be a call to adventure, so I believe that she’s trying her best to have a rosy outlook on things. However, she might not be satisfied. The Two of Wands is also a card of feeling a bit stifled (hence wanting an adventure), and the Nine of Cups can also appear when one is trying to hold onto a
fantasy instead of facing reality. Without speaking to your daughter, I can’t be sure, but I do wonder if this farm life is something that she really did want but is finding it to not be what she expected. You mentioned that your daughter has had some issues with her marriage, and the cards show that as well. With the Ace of Swords, I think both your daughter and son-in-law fell in love with each other’s mind. I believe they deeply value each other’s thoughts and opinions, and both might be prone to fantasy above reality. However, I think these two strong personalities are known to clash. With the Five of Swords, they both let their own ego get in the way of things. You mentioned your daughter can be very particular about things and your son-in-law can be very cocky. To me, this sounds like two egos that can dig their heels in and wait for the other to relent, which will not happen. (It’s one of the things they love about the other.)
The last two cards are what your daughter and son-in-law need to do to get them to a more harmonious place. With The Seeker, I think there needs to be deeper conversations with them about what they truly want, what they find nourishing, and how they can be fulfilled. This is a large picture conversation. It’s about what they want their life to look and feel like.
The final card, Justice, is the only right-side-up card in the entire spread. It’s a card about truth and balance, and I think your daughter and sonin-law need to be honest with themselves and each other about what they want—and both need to learn how to give up a little bit on control. Justice invites us to let go of petty and self-serving behaviors and to step into a life of balance.
Send your question to oracle@cltampa.com or DM @theyboracle on Instagram
However, I do think they also understand that this stubborn dynamic isn’t working. With the Seven of Wands, I believe they understand that they are at a point where they have to make some sort of change. As someone with a toddler, I remember the newborn stage well and know that tiny problems pre-baby become HUGE problems when no one is sleeping for months on end. With the Six of Swords, these two have to let go of their old patterns and leave behind their egos to move towards a more balanced future for their new family. If they’re open to it, a couple’s counselor might be beneficial to them.
As a family unit, balance is crucial because every person matters: mama, dada, and baby.
Finally, I know a small town can seem so foreign to city-dwellers, but the good news is they don’t seem to be that isolated. Twenty minutes might seem far for convenience, but compare that to traffic on the streets and highways here, and we’re all probably 20 minutes away from something we like to do. It’s an adjustment but hopefully she can still get the help and socialization she needs. I hope this transition for her and her family goes as smoothly as possible and that they all get to grow and flourish in the most wonderful way. Take care.
See more of Caroline and learn about her services via carolinedebruhl.com
Cage match (continued)
By Dan Savage
I have a problem. I am a straight male. My smart, funny, beautiful one-year-younger-thanme sister has been my best friend for my whole life. We were even roommates at one point. She is straight, also. Each of us has had romantic relationships. She is my only sibling. When my sister was 14, she showed me her bare breasts because she was proud of them. She asked me if I wanted to touch them. I did touch them. But then I got totally weirded out. She apologized profusely, put her shirt back on, and nothing like that ever happened between us again. Ten years later, out of the blue, she brought up the incident, and she apologized once more. Then I admitted to her that over all the years since that happened, I had hoped she would do the same thing again. She was shocked. I apologized, or at least I tried to. She did not say anything. She just got up and walked out. I did not hear from her again for more than a week. That was six months ago, and ever since it has just been awkward and weird between us. I want to fix this, but I don’t know how. Please help.—Missing My Best Friend
Some beds can’t be un-shat, some pooches can’t be unscrewed, some palms can’t be unfaced. The best you can do here is lie and lie convincingly: “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t know what to say, and I said the wrong thing. I don’t even know why I said that. I wasn’t traumatized by what happened when we were kids. I just felt awkward about it. And when you brought it up to apologize — which you didn’t need to do—the most awkward possible thing came flying out of my mouth. Now I’m apologizing profusely for the dumb thing I said. I hope we can both forgive each other and stuff this all back down the memory hole where it belongs.”
Over Goddamn Grossly Offensive Sight
I’m not a therapist at all—which may be why DOGGOS sent this question to Jeff “Therapy Jeff” Guenther, host of the podcast Problem Solved. Jeff is an actual therapist — and a very popular one. So, if DOGGOS didn’t send her question to me, what is her question doing here in Savage Love? There’s a simple explanation for that: Jeff read her letter and immediately thought of me. I’m not sure how to feel about that but I’m going to set my feelings aside and be a professional about this.
“It seems like an automatic dealbreaker to me,” Jeff wrote when he forwarded DOGGOS letter. “But am I being too reactive or a prude? And the dog isn’t consenting, which feels fucked up to me. Care to give your take?”
SAVAGE LOVE
Jeff, here’s my take: You are not being reactive or a prude. This is an automatic dealbreaker for the reasons DOGGOS cites: porous boundaries and poor impulse control. (Chalking this up to “impulse control” means giving DOGGOS’ “favorite human” the benefit of very grave doubts; basically, we’re taking the claim that he’s never done this before at face value.) He’s not someone I would trust in my home, he’s not someone I would want around my kids, and he’s not someone I would feel comfortable leaving my dogs alone with. Also, some things can’t be unseen and/or un-known (there aren’t memory holes big enough to stuff this one down) and I can’t see how this wouldn’t be a libido/desire/attraction killer. DOGGOS will never be able to eat this man’s ass again—or let him eat hers—without flashing on the mental image of her dog eating his.
I recently walked in on my beautiful human of two years on his hands and knees, with a huge erection, spreading his butt cheeks with one hand, so my labradoodle could lick his butt hole. He immediately jumped up and said, “That was weird. I don’t know why I did that.” I said I thought it was a weird choice too and asked him if he’d done that before. He said no, this was the only time. I told him I had to get some work done and that we’d talk about it later. I have two 20-year-old daughters. They were not home at the time. Kink doesn’t bother me—however, a man with porous boundaries and a lack of impulse control in my home does bother me. He’d left the door open, he knew I was at home, and my house is small. He says he doesn’t know why he did that. I’m not sure how to process this event. How do I move past this?—Distressed
Now, we’re very particular about animals and consent up until the moment we want to kill and eat them—but in addition to the dog not being able to consent, this labradoodle wasn’t capable of telling on her boyfriend. But given that DOGGOS’ house is small and that her boyfriend left the bedroom door open, there’s a good chance her boyfriend wanted to get caught—he was trying to tell on himself—and hoping for a different reaction. But when he saw how weirded out DOGGOS was, he went with, “Yeah, that was weird,” and, “First time I’ve done anything that weird,” and not… whatever he was planning to say in the alternate universe where DOGGOS reacted positively to the sight of her dog eating his ass. All that said, it’s easy to tell someone to dump their favorite human and harder to actually dump your favorite human. So, DOGGOS shouldn’t give herself any grief for hesitating and/or for wanting to talk to a good therapist before she dumps him. Which is what she needs to do.
By Merl Reagle
In this word version of a “hidden pictures” puzzle, find: 2 things that fly, 2 types of fruit, 2 things you wear when it snows, 2 things that writers use, 2 things with sharp blades, 2 hot-beverage containers, and 2 boat accessories. (The “pictures” are hidden in entries that are at least 9 letters long and only Across entries are involved.)
KICK OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON
November 20 • 6-9 pm @centro_ybor
Holiday magic is taking over Ybor! Join us for a night of festive fun the whole family will love. Enjoy live music from Lexie Hayden, snap a pic with Santa and watch snow fall from the balconies. Stroll the night market, sip hot cocoa and celebrate Ybor’s annual tree lighting!
