As I drove up to the Jaguar ALIVE Driving Experience at Derby Lane in my Prius, I had a momentary twinge of anxiety. I had never been on a racetrack, never owned a performance car, rarely driven fast. In high school, I was the one in the backseat
5 Good Bets For This Weekend (That Aren’t the Super Bowl)
Out of respect for our great national holiday the Super Bowl, no events in the five-pack take place on Sunday. Louder Than Ever Before iPad Concert, Friday at the USF Concert Hall, Tampa Campus — I doubt words can do this one justice. Five guys from the USF School
Notes From the Local Concert Scene
Here’s some good news, smart news and odd news from the local music scene: Bill Edwards, whose company runs the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, has done away with service charges on tickets at the venue. That includes ones purchased at the box office, online or by phone.
Q&A: Tony Rifugiato, Concert Promoter
The first thing I would say by way of describing Tony Rifugiato is that for someone of such smallish physical stature—he’s a fit 5-foot-4—the man has a big presence. The London native has wavy hair, flecked liberally with gray, and a ruggedly handsome face that melds the England
News Bits, Tidbits and Takes
When I first heard yesterday morning that a guy was going to walk a tightrope across U.S. 41—180 feet up, 500 feet across—in Sarasota, I almost drove down to check it out. It’s a nice day, I thought, I could sing along to Leon Russell’s “Up On a
Be Prepared: An Early List of Valentine’s Day Ideas
Valentine’s Day is 17 days off, but for those who take it seriously, planning is a good idea, you might even say required. I’m sure any number of fellas could testify to a misstep or two, and perhaps even some of the women. Over the next couple of
Inside the Box Cafe: A Meal For You, a Meal For Them
When you chomp into the thick sandwich on artisan bread during a restaurant lunch, do you ever feel a little guilty about the multitudes of people who would be glad to have a pack of saltines? Me neither. But I’ve discovered a way to eat a gourmet sandwich
One Man’s Feeble Attempt at Watching “Les Miserables”
Wife Bonnie game me that subtly imploring look, or maybe I just imagined it. She had not been able to scare up a woman friend to go to Les Miserables, but was determined to see it at a Sunday matinee. “Um, maybe I could go, and write about one
5 Great Ways to Spend Your Spare Time This Work Week
Art Festival Beth-El at Temple Beth-El, St. Petersburg — What started 40 years ago as a small, local event has grown into one of the most prominent arts festivals in Florida. Art Festival Beth-El is an invitational, judged, indoor exhibit and sale of original artwork—painting, photography, mixed media, glass,
