TampaBLAB

Named for one of my favorite holidays, Cinco De Mayo(1919 E 7th Ave, Tampa FL 33605, 813-374-2222) is a relatively new piece of Ybor City. Housed further down the street of 7th Avenue's main drag, this little piece of Mexico brings great food and a welcoming atmosphere. Having only been in business for five months, a few kinks are still being worked out. While I was there, they were hanging signage and cleaning up. You can tell a lot of the upstairs is still "in progress", but it's showing signs of a hot place to be.





I went in for the lunch, as they run daily specials. Today, I tried the Enchilada Lunch (for $5!) and a traditional/Mexican taco. The waitress is sweet and personable, and chats with me between customers and cleaning. She was very quick with both my drink and the complimentary chips and salsa.



The chips were thicker than standard tortilla chips, and more oily. They were flavorful without being salty, which was a big plus. The salsa was a variety I hadn't had in a long time. It was very fresh, watery and pungent with tomatoes and citrus. The acids from the salsa play tricks on your taste buds, giving you a bit of sweet, a bit of bitter and a bit of spicy. It's a good salsa and I finished the entire bowl before half my chips were done.



The main course was out very quickly. The taco, as I had chosen the traditional/Mexican taco over the "Americanized version" was similar to the Taco Bus tacos. The sauteed pork was a bit spicy and dripping with flavor. The included green sauce wasn't even necessary, as the taco stood on it's own being both succulent and robust. At only $2, this is a value that I'd be hard to compare to anywhere else I've eaten. The pork inside the taco was on par with the Taco Bus's Cochinita Pibil, which is now my absolute favorite filling meat.



The enchiladas were served on a large platter with everything you'd expect; rice, beans and a pile of lettuce and sour cream to fill out the course. The beans were as to be expected, hot and flavorful with chunks of queso melted into the top. I used the chips to make quick work of my pile of beans.



The rice was of a higher caliber than a lot of the Mexican rice I've had as it was made with cheese and kept very moist. The cheese helped stick the rice together but it didn't overpower the dish. It was the string in the woven fabric of already delicious rice.

The enchiladas were plentiful and tender. The problem with enchiladas in a lot of restaurants is their reliance on the red sauce to give the dish it's flavor. It's more often than not disconcerting or at least annoying that they'd take great ingredients and drown them. Cinco does it just right. The sauce is minimal and a compliment, not a hostile takeover. The cheese is also used sparingly, as to not overpower the dish.

The real star of the enchiladas dish is the shredded chicken insides that spill out as you fork your way through them. Tender, delicious, piping hot and easy to eat, the chicken is something you can see a lot of time goes into. It's a slight bit spicy, but the stringy texture and the other ingredients keep any mouth seering at bay.

Aside from the food, the atmosphere is incredibly comfortable. Outside seating is available with a simple but attractive table setting. A large stainless counter at the bar is sterile but inviting. Decorations fill the walls, reminding you that this is equal part bar and restaurant. The upstairs, while looking like it's still got a bit of work to go, has a very inviting feel to it as well and the amenities you'd expect including a pool table, private seating, a second bar and plenty of space.







True to it's name, Cinco De Mayo is planning a huge party on the fifth of May. Mariachi bands will play, women will dance and the booze will flow. I'll be there to cover it and so should you.

Angela Davis talks about how change happens and about her understanding of feminism. She speaks to the issue, often noted here and elsewhere, that the people behind the Montgomery bus boycott were women, that Rosa Parks wasn’t just a tired woman who got fed up one day, etc. It’s very good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc6RHtEbiOA

It was about a year ago when I met a willowly bicycle rider/folk singer by the name of Rachel VanSlyke in Dundee off US 27. She was biking 4,000 miles from Miami to Montreal and singing at places along the way.

I am happy to report that Rachel completed her bike ride and met a ton of terrific people along the way.



We swapped emails recently and I have good news -- Rachel will attending the 2009 Bicycle Bash by the Bay to perform. Rachel is a singing bicycle advocate and her story can be found here.

Digable Planets has canceled their U.S. tour, which includes their April 17 stop at Crowbar. The trio has broken up again for the same reasons they broke up before — irreconcilable differences. Here’s are some key quotes from the all-caps letter the band sent to fans via MySpace (I’ve de-capped it for your reading convenience): “…The 3 insects from outer space have been infected like every other great group in hip hop history by irreconcilable differences between the principle members … Mary Ann Viera formerly known as Ladybug has decided at the last minute that she wants to talk away from the group and not honor this tour … The other two members have no choice but to cancel this tour and regroup … The group members will go their separate ways but group creator and producer Butterfly along with Doodlebug will continue to collaborate on music and in the near future will announce the introduction of a new music collective that they are putting together … This does not take away from the legacy created by the Digable Planets in 1993 … but it does bring us to the end of an era …”

Another sign the economy is in the can: ticket discounts at the big name shows. Amway Arena is offering $35 tickets to Fleetwood Mac’s April 20, and Ford Amphitheatre is offering a special weekend sale for the April 26 Nickelback concert ($25 reserved, $15 lawn if purchased between 10 a.m. April 3 to 10 p.m. April 5). Both are Live Nation venues. I think we’re going to start to see alot more of this as the months progress and sales get slower and slower.

Willie Nelson has re-scheduled his show at Ruth Eckerd Hall; he’ll be stopping in Clearwater October 20. Tickets for the originally scheduled date (Tuesday, March 17) will be honored.

Lollapalooza, which takes place Aug. 7-9 in Chicago’s Grant Park, kicks off the sale of its Early Bird tickets today. The three-day passes are $175 and are offered at this price until they sell out; then, after that, tickets are $190. Although the complete lineup won’t get its official announcement until April 21, Billboard’s sources confirmed the headliners — Beastie Boys, Jane’s Addiction, Depeche Mode, Tool, Kings of Leon and the Killers — as well as several other buzz acts: Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, Lou Reed, Neko Case, the Decemberists, and Peter, Bjorn and John. In an interview with MTV earlier this month, fest founder Perry Farrell claimed that the festival had also booked a “who’s who” lineup of electronic music artists. Wonder how long before Lollapalooza will mimic big fests like Bonarroo, Coachella, and 10,000 Lakes, and offer a payment plan for its tickets?

Back in 1991, I visited Key West for the first time, and one highlight of the trip was the Hemingway House. The tour guide casually pointed out a ceramic statue sitting on top of a cabinet, a gift from from Pablo Picasso to Ernest Hemingway. Years later I heard that the statue had been stolen, which honestly wasn't surprising considering it was a cool Picasso statue just sitting on a cabinet in a house.

Years later, while going through boxes of old photos (oh, the pre-digital days), we came across this picture from that 1991 trip. According to the Hemingway House museum's website, the cat was found in a box in the 1970s, and Hemingway's wife said that it was a gift from Picasso to Hemingway. The two men had become friends when living in Paris in the 1920s. The statue was stolen during or shortly after a house tour in November 2000, and recovered a month later when the thief tried to use it as a deposit for a small boat. Unfortunately, the statue was badly damaged. The statue now on display in the house museum is a replica.

(Sources included the Hemingway House website, the Dec. 11, 2000 Miami Herald, and the Jan. 26, 2001 Palm Beach Post)

Located at the northwest corner of Ashley Drive and Whiting Street, MacDill Park is currently hosting Big Max.  MacDill Park was established to honor MacDill AFB and the men and women who are currently serving and those that have served in the past.  Over the next three days, the Brass ...

A current listing of plants and animals documented in the Back Woods. Do you have something to add please let us know!

Local first reported the news of the George Harris Memorial Arch on February 6th. At that time, Anne Furr, the director of the Lakeland Downtown Development Association, hoped the arch would be finished for a dedication in late April or early May.

The arch was completed ahead of time. The public is invited to the dedication this Thursday, April 2nd, at 5pm at the SW corner of Munn Park. (Before view of the corner.)

Post from: Lakeland Local

Originally Published as George Harris Memorial Arch Dedication Set for Thursday

When it comes to music, I have my quirks.  I don't have ITunes on an IPod, but I do have ITunes on my Windows Vista.  One of "games" a lot of people play is to list 25 songs from your ITunes at random.  Well, today I've done just that.  And so, with over 3,000 songs to choose from, here's my list.

1.  Kris Kristofferson - How Do You Feel About Foolin' Around
2.  John Coltrane - Part 2: Resolution (From A Love Supreme)
3.  Aerosmith - Deuces Are Wild
4.  Johnny Cash - Sea Of Heartbreak
5.  John Coltrane - Naima (Alt. Version 1, Giant Steps)
6.  John Cougar Mellencamp - Crumblin' Down
7.  The Eagles - I Can't Tell You Why
8.  Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
9.  Johnny Cash - I Still Miss Someone (San Quentin)
10.  Jethro Tull - Lick Your Fingers Clean
11.  Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around
12.  Grateful Dead - Here Comes Sunshine (Dick's Picks Vol. 1)
13.  Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band - Held Up Without A Gun (Live)
14,  Genesis - Anything She Does
15.  Dean Martin - Houston
16.  Bonnie Tyler - Here She Comes (off her live album)
17.  Madonna - Hung Up
18.  Madonna - Holiday
19.  Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A Changin'
20.  Genesis - Tonight, Tonight, Tonight
21.  Bonnie Tyler - Back In My Arms
22.  Herb Alpert - Love Is
23.  Jermaine Jackson - Let's Get Serious
24.  Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man
25.  John Lennon - Stand By Me

Chuck Welch pointed me to this WSJ article about managing the “Facebook generation.”

“The experience of growing up online will profoundly shape the workplace expectations of “Generation F” – the Facebook Generation. At a minimum, they’ll expect the social environment of work to reflect the social context of the Web, rather than as is currently the case, a mid-20th-century Weberian bureaucracy.”

Hamel lays out the following dozen points and explains each.

1. All ideas compete on an equal footing.

2. Contribution counts for more than credentials.

3. Hierarchies are natural, not prescribed.

4. Leaders serve rather than preside.

5. Tasks are chosen, not assigned.

6. Groups are self-defining and -organizing.

7. Resources get attracted, not allocated.

8. Power comes from sharing information, not hoarding it.

9. Opinions compound and decisions are peer-reviewed.

10. Users can veto most policy decisions.

11. Intrinsic rewards matter most.

12. Hackers are heroes.

So I was supposed to spend last weekend working on my wip.

Didn’t happen, but I did do some writing.

I worked on my entry for the Touched By Love Contest sponsored by the Faith, Hope, and Love chapter of RWA.

Initially, I thought I’d be able to use my current wip, which is in pretty good shape following the Genesis contest submission. But, the contest rules call for a romance (duh! RWA…) and my wip is not a romance. Not the boy meets girl kind anyway, as it involves all married couples.

I’ve dusted off the first 30 pages of last year’s romance instead. It was actually kind of nice to revisit that as yet incomplete story, and find that I still have a lot of passion for it. I will definitely complete this story. I also found that taking a break from my wip loosened up my creative juices, flooding my head with all kinds of ideas, so maybe I’ll bounce between the two, focusing primarily on my current wip until they’re both done.

Anyway, I’ve got until midnight, Wednesday, April 1st to submit the first 30 pages and a two-page synopsis. I had to revise 35 pages down to 30. (It needed the chopping, trust me.) I had two versions of the synopsis, one six pages and the other one page, both single-spaced, which I needed to turn into a two-page, double spaced version. I started with the shorter one and added to it until I had a pretty good two pages.

Touched by Love, and the Genesis contest I entered earlier this month, are the two biggies for Christian fiction so that’s why I’ve pushed to enter both this year. The rest of the year, I’ll completely focus on finishing my stories. Just in case someone calls for more pages…

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia
Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

If you’re a budding entrepreneur and you’re a chip-savvy techhead you might be interested in Arduino. “Arduino is a physical computing platform based on a simple I/O board and a development environment that implements the Processing/Wiring language.” And it’s an open-source hardware design, which means that it’s free. All you have to provide is the ingenuity, creativity, and elbow grease.

“Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It’s intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.

“Arduino can sense the environment by receiving input from a variety of sensors and can affect its surroundings by controlling lights, motors, and other actuators. The microcontroller on the board is programmed using the Arduino programming language (based on Wiring) and the Arduino development environment (based on Processing). Arduino projects can be stand-alone or they can communicate with software on running on a computer (e.g. Flash, Processing, MaxMSP).

“The boards can be built by hand or purchased preassembled; the software can be downloaded for free. The hardware reference designs (CAD files) are available under an open-source license, you are free to adapt them to your needs.

“Arduino received an Honory Mention in the Digital Communities section of the 2006 Ars Electronica Prix. The Arduino team is: Massimo Banzi, David Cuartielles, Tom Igoe, Gianluca Martino, and David Mellis. Credits.”

What would be really cool would be a Bay-area Arduino hobbyist group. If anyone knows of such a thing, drop me a line.

I was recently contacted by Underground Xpress, a local Tampa underground video program that covers local music, local bands and other local talents. The creative epicenter and host, Lady Grace, agreed to an interview about Underground Xpress.



How and when did UX start?
I took up videography in July of 2008 and wanted to start an internet video podcast as a learning project. Music immediately came to mind as the main concept because I have spent the majority of my life supporting the local music scene. I wanted to stick with something that I love but I also didn't want to limit the focus to just music. The words Underground Xpress came to mind because I knew that I would want to cover more than just music and support all sorts of underground arts.

Now I had the idea, the name and I knew how to do the video podcast. Now all I needed to know was whether or not I could pull the whole together. Host it, film it, edit it and so on, when I was really only just learning everything for the first time. So...I got a video camera and a friend and I went to a concert that night to film it and interview the band. I guess we needed to see what we were made of. That night we interviewed and videotaped our first band. and as they say.... The rest is history. Now UX is on public access and the internet and it is becoming the newest source for Underground artists to be supported and promoted locally and nationally on the world wide web.

What inspired you to start Underground Xpress?
I have loved concerts, art, and artistic expression in general my entire life. I wanted to be able to share local arts and music with the less fortunate people who cannot make the shows due to various circumstances. I am also inspired by a force that I myself cannot even identify. But when you love something, you will work so hard on it and so much on it that you don't even realize you just spent your entire day on one thing. And when you do realize that you just spent the entire day on that one thing, it most likely makes you smile because you are blessed with doing something that you love.

The viewers and the fans are also extremely inspiring - because I am able to share new music, new artists and many other things that people may never have known about if it were not for Underground Xpress. It is an inspiration in itself to watch the talented people I work with everyday and share their message with the world via my medium.

Supporting local businesses and venues in the underground scene is also an inspiration because in economic times like these it is always good to look out for your neighbor...especially the one serving the shots! The biggest inspiration of all - being able to provide entertainers who work so hard and for so little with a lot of promotion through the TV and the internet on the show, in addition to the video being a medium they can keep for free and use forever and ever to promote their work.

Why public access television?
When UX started last year, it was never intended for television. In my eyes, the wave of the future is ALL internet based video. I am happy to have public access, but the internet would still be my first choice. The show had been on the internet as a podcast for about three months, when I learned that I could go to TBCN and have it air on cable at no cost to me. I immediately got myself through the TBCN process and got Underground Xpress approved to be on the air.

Season 1 started in January 2009 and Season 2 is almost here - beginning in April 2009. I always air the shows on the internet afterwards so that anyone who is on UX can get the ultimate exposure. In the end, I am very grateful to have TBCN as an additional outlet for the artists, but I myself could live without the deadlines, and the rules and regulations (not my thing!)

The residents of the City of Tampa and unincorporated Hillsborough County residents can currently view our programming on Verizon cable channels 30 and 36, Bright House Networks cable channels 949 and 950 and Comcast cable channel 20.

Residents of Temple Terrace and Plant City cannot view our programming because their franchising authorities opted out of having a public access channel for their constituents.

Have you considered branching out into other media? If so, what?
Yes - many many things. We are planning a LIVE internet production where people will be able to call in or chat with us real-time. We want UX to be National as many people who come across our my space and other internet outlets want to watch the show and do not have the channel. I am hoping to broadcast with several other local channels that air further out into Pinellas county or possibly even Video on Demand.

What has been the most rewarding experience of doing UX?
Wow. I didn't know just how difficult a question like that might be. There are so many times I feel rewarded on a daily basis and yet so many times I have wanted to quit at the same time. But to be fair - there isn't just one rewarding thing. One, is when I receive email from the viewers saying they loved the show or that they are grateful because I introduced them to new music or arts etc. That is an INSANELY good feeling.

Two, when the artists/musicians I work with are truly thankful and appreciative to me for all of the hard work that goes into making them shine. Three, sitting here right now and remembering that first day we went out to start UX and knowing that somehow or another I actually did it. I orchestrated an innocent school project into what it is today. People usually watch the show, see me as the host and of course it doesn't occur to them that I do anything more than smile at the camera. The accomplishment of being the editor, the producer and the host and actually making something worthrwhile - that is the most intense feeling of accomplishment I have ever known.

What big events do you have coming up?
May 30th, 10 bands, Location TBD in Tampa, FL - Fundraiser!

How many people are involved in UX?
There are about 10 random crew. Not everyone works all the time. Mostly me,
Lady Grace, and my new addition Miss Nikki.
Then we have Aaron (camera)
Alison(photos)
Jen(fliers, photos)
Dirty White Boyy (photos)
Reggie Regg(studio crew)
Daniel Specht (camera)
David Dean (camera)
Greg Beltz (camera, set),
Jason Orama (camera)
Kitty Kat (photos)

How do you typically find stories to cover?
I find things through networking mostly. When I go to one show I meet numerous people. I usually see new bands that I really like and want to cover or run into people on websites such as myspace. I get a lot of invitations to cover things from just about anyone, but I am very selective and I try to determine the absolute best ways to get the best footage when we are out. I try to keep UX diverse, fun, high energy and give it a zesty tang that you find yourself craving all the time.

If UX suddenly received an influx of funding, what would you want to do with it?
I really need more equipment. I would also like to buy a UX bus! That is definitely something I would spend the money on first. But yeah- equipment and software!

Have you given any acts their first big break? If so, who?
Esky 420 was playing for open mic night. We have now made him a mascot musician on season two of UX in addition to booking him several nice gigs with pay. He recently told me that UX has done more for him than anyone. Another musician on our show by the name of Bradly Akeman, was playing on you tube with settings like his bathtub, shower, etc. We alas booked him some gigs after being on our show and soon after he did several things like playing with Michael Johns from American Idol and another TV appearance on Channel 10.

Has there been any major difficulties or problems in running UX?
Running anything by yourself from the ground up requires money. That has been the biggest set back. The time and effort come naturally from my passion and the passion I breathe into those who help me make it all happen. The first season I edited every bit of footage myself, hosted, produced etc. For season two I have decided to have two additional hosts and I took on an editor with a lot of experience to help take the show to an hour. So with that said, I think no matter what problems may arise, I will somehow conquer and defeat - for this is my path.

Given what you have going on now, where do you see UX in a year?
We should be very well known on the internet, branched out into several other television markets and possibly teamed up with several other media outlets.

How about in 5 years?
I hope to be the next MTV. But I always want to remember the little guys.

What do you like and dislike about the Tampa market?
I think we have a great scene here. I'm not going to get into the dislikes because I am sure all markets have their negative aspects.

Are you currently looking for help or extra staff for UX? If so, how do prospective minions contact you?
We are always looking for help. Videographers/editors - Send inquiries to undergroundxpress@gmail.com

Where can UX T-shirts and other swag?
Currently shirts are a donation of $10 or more and can be ordered through our website on undergroundxpress.com

I don't think it's a secret that I'm going steady with Twitter. Not only does Side Salad have a Twitter feed, I have a feed for my infrequent food blog, The Stew as well. As you may have noticed over the past year, this has tended to deplete the stock of Salad postings. There's something addictive to the nature of Twitter; 140 characters, wet it, wipe it, good night. The Salad remains my first love, but then, no one really takes what I write in the Salad Bowl and illustrates it, the way my colleague and friend Greg Williams did one of my tweets at his very cool new project, "Twips." Essentially, Greg takes tweets and illustrates them as a comic panel. This is the one he did of a post I wrote earlier this month: Funny. Ha. Turd Ferguson. Ha. Funny name. My favorite so far is one he did of Rommie's post about a childhood experience:...

I do not envy John Schueler. Media General Inc. recently restructured its media orgs, combining newspaper, television, and the Internet. They appointed Schueler to head up this new structure.

Frankly, I think this sounds like rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship, but perhaps they have a plan I just don’t understand. Regardless, I do not envy John Schueler. He had to make one of those hard decisions today and lay off a slew of folks.

“Just in time for its corporate restructuring, Media General Inc. has eliminated 65 more positions with its Florida Communications Group, which includes WFLA-Channel 8, The Tampa Tribune and TBO.com.

“In a memo to employees, FCG president John Schueler — who was recently named the head of Media General’s Florida division beginning July 1 — said that along with the job cuts will come three more furlough days in April, May and June, bringing the total number of mandatory unpaid leave days to 13.”

Tangentially related to this story I wonder how the Tampa Bay Business Journal is doing?

A

-
-