The Pegasus goes Excelsior!

As I look forward to 2009, I can't help but wonder what craziness and absurdity awaits. 2008 was definitely a year to be remembered with lots of wild parties and things that will be forever burned into my brain but if the Cartoon and Comic party at the Pegasus (12/27) is any sort of indicator, the wildness of 2008 will be completely overshadowed by 2009. Surprisingly, Batman missed this one. Perhaps he had people to save and alcohol to drink in the mean streets of Ybor that night.

Ricky Peterika dressed up as Neon Man. His powers? To be instantly visible from across a crowded room and make Trekkies look cool in comparison. He could definitely be Tampa's own superhero.

In case you didn't know, I'm a geek. When I saw Kristie Alneida as Tank Girl, My jaw instantly dropped to the floor. Unfortunately, she's dating the next guy on the list but it did bring back nice memories of my teen angst and had me yearning to listen to Bikini Kill.

Imagine this. Tank Girl and Wonder Woman. It's not quite as cool when Wonder Woman is Marc Golas and features an overage of body hair. I'll never think of Lynda Carter in the same way.

If Neon Man is Tampa's superhero, the Tim Fredericks as Beer Man is St. Petersburg's. Able to chug a pitcher of PBR in mere seconds, Beer Man could have his secret identity as generic St. pete punk kid with his sleeveless Clash shirt and massive mutton chops.

Alright, this one is obscure. In order to get this, you would have to seen Toxic Avenger Part 4 (I'd link you to the trailer but it's very NSFW, but you can find it on youtube if you look). If you haven't, I'm sure you can still get a kick out Max Santiago in a diaper while carrying a machine gun and a cigar. Something about adult babies indulging in vices and violence is hilarious.

Check out the rest of the comic antics that were at the Pegasus in the galleries!

Candy cane clubbing

It's finally here. It doesn't matter whether you got a new iPhone or another pair of singing socks, Christmas being over is an excuse to party it up like a rockstar. Put that Christmas money you got from your aunts and uncles to good use and buy a couple drinks. You deserve to unwind a bit.

While nearly every club in Ybor is going to be open on Christmas night, Czar is looking to have the standout event with Merry Cursemas! With phenomenal local Tampa-based DJs spinning throughout the night, this one looks like the event to go to if you're interested in doing some festive clubbing around Ybor for the night. If you're not looking for much of the festivities, the Castle is also going to be doing their normal Thursday Pop and Wave night. I've got it on good authority that it will packed more than usual and candy cane styled shots will be available.

If you want to stay on the Pinellas side of things for your post-Xmas partying, you might think about hitting up the Winter Wonderland over at the Venue. Playing it up like Santa needs a little unwinding after his trip around the world, this one looks to shape up as the happening place to be. While not my favorite of environments to get my drink on, the Venue has steadily improved in the past couple months and this party sounds like it should appeal to most everyone. If you'd like to keep it a little more down and dirty, check out the Bishop's Bad Santa Party. Just make sure to bring your Santa hat with you. It'll get you a free shot and considering you can get them at Wal-Mart for a buck if you don't already have one, it's well worth it.

Of course, if you're feeling daring and you've got nothing better to do, start early on Christmas eve with Pornaoke at the Pegasus. Have no idea if they'll be any sort of crazy theme other than the usual dirtiness on a projected screen but if you don't care if Santa catches you being really naughty, it'll be good way to let off some of that pre-Christmas steam.

The So Tampa Bay best and worst of 2008

The year is nearing a close and what better way to end it than to get all nostalgic about the times we had this year? Honestly, there were quite a few standout things that happened this year that I felt I needed to give credit either for their greatness or sheer horridness. That's why I've decided to create some year-end awards.

For better or for worse, these were some of the things that I think deserved mention this year. You probably won't agree but that's why it's my list. If you have any other events or people who you think should have been recognized, feel free to let me know with a comment.

BEST NEW VENUE: Art Pool
Everything about Art Pool just oozes awesome. From the kitschy design to its growth from a small art shop to the place to be every month. The parties are always unique, with a crazy theme to tie them together. Finally Tampa art scenesters have a a reason to journey across the bay.

BEST PARTY OF THE YEAR: Czar's 5th Anniversary
Mix free vodka with passwords, double agents, the USSR and a whole lot of forethought and you have Czar's wild anniversary. I cannot even put into words how great this party was. Oh wait, I can and did. It was original, well thought out and -- most importantly -- a lot of fun! I'm hoping to see more events like this in 2009.

BEST ART PARTY: State of the Art at the Cigar City Theater
Take one part scenester, one part large open warehouse and mix it together with a little liberal thinking and you'd have State of the Art. No other party has utilized the Cigar City Theater as well, and the fashion show was to die for. Not to mention the first piece of art you'd see when walking in was a live piece representing the bloody aftermath of adultery. It was edgy and made art feel rebellious again.

SCENE PERSON OF THE YEAR: Marina Williams
From putting together Art Pool to just doing her own crazy thing, Marina Williams was everywhere, getting her hands into everything. She's helped cultivate a new standard of what was considered hip for 2008 while staging some of the most interesting parties of the year.

BEST DRESSED: Amber Cox of A Wear to the Tear Vintage
Hands down, Amber exemplified the best parts of fashion whenever she was out and about. She had glitz, glamor and fun with whatever outfit she wore. She took the sequined-style dresses that my great-grandma would wear and made them hot for people in their 20s. For that alone, she deserves recognition.

WORST STYLE: Tight shiny pants on men
The sad thing is that I've seen this happening a bit more frequently. It's absolutely cringe-worthy. My motto: No man should be able to see his own reflection off of his pants. If this ever becomes an actual trend everywhere, I'm getting on the first plane back to Korea.

WTF STYLE: The Green Man at the Castle's gothic bikini beach party
Nothing makes you more confused than seeing a man dressed head to toe in bright green Spandex. Add to that, it was nowhere near Halloween and the theme of the night was swimwear. With costumes like these, I don't even look for an explanation. There'll never be one that's satisfactory.

WEIRDEST EVENT OF THE YEAR: Goths on Ice:
Part of the Convergence convention, Goths on Ice took the cake and was even wilder than watching a gothic Fonzie jump a shark in a pool (perhaps the biggest letdown of the year). There was just something about people in black frilly lace and PVC donning ice skates that was oddly appealing. Add in the reactions of regular skaters and you have an event that just left you speechless with bewilderment.

BEST PARTY YOU PROBABLY MISSED: Art Gone Bad at 688 Skate
Art scattered across half-pipes with kids skateboarding around paintings makes for a surprisingly pleasant experience. It's definitely interesting to be appreciating a nice sculpture and, all the while, looking over your shoulder for an oncoming BMX rider. It added a little bit of thrill to the art scene and I'd like to see more places capitalize on that.

BEST PARTY YOU'RE HAPPY YOU MISSED: Midget Chippendales at the James Joyce
This one will haunt me until the day I die. It wasn't really the guys who were disturbing (I'd really rather not see any of them in thongs again, though) but rather the ravenous women giving them dollars. No one should ever be that excited to stuff money in the crotch of a dancing dwarf. It just screams wrong.

MOST CLAUSTROPHOBIC EVENT: Sweatshop Strikes Back at Czar
So busy, I had a hard time even lifting up my camera. I was constantly being squished against at least five other people until I got next to the stage. It was a great time, but I was more than happy to go outside for a smoke every now and again to get away from the mass of hipsters.

THE 'DON'T TAKE YOUR GRANDMA' EVENT: Fetishcon 2008
Seriously, unless your grandma likes the idea of human ponies, whips and latex. Not saying anything is wrong with it, I just worry about exposing my grandmother to things like this. She might get ideas and that's information I don't need to know. I'm scarred enough as it is.

BIGGEST TREND OF 2008: Zombies
The Zombie Nation was everywhere. Tag your party with zombie and it instantly made it that much hipper. From zombie luaus to cowboy zombies, there seemed to be a new and different event focused on zombies every week. Now that it's 2009, let's give another horror franchise a go. Why not give the mummies some love?

MOST UNEXPECTED TREND OF 2008: Art exhibitions becoming the cool and hip thing to do
With the amount of indie galleries around the bay, 2008 saw a huge rise in the interest of the local art scene. People decided that it'd be more fun to go to an art show than go out to an Ybor club on a Friday night. Trust me, I'm not at all complaining and I couldn't be prouder of Tampa Bay. I hope 2009 continues the trend and we get more independent artists and more unique galleries opening throughout Tampa Bay.

No blinking Rudolphs but bad sweaters none the less

Everyone has gotten at least one ugly sweater for the holidays. The one that is so indescribably tacky that you put it on once to show your grandma that you really like it but took it off and buried it and salted the earth five minutes later. What better way to capitalize upon these instruments of bad fashion then to hold parties featuring them? That's what the Bishop and Push thought to do. While there weren't as many sweaters as we would have liked at either event, there were a few that deserved mention and photographic documentation.

DJ Fresh, DJ T-Quest and Brian Kelly all struck up a pose as they showed off their fuzziness. In case you're wondering, Fresh is wearing a 12 days of Christmas sweater that is all sorts of horrid.

I can haz bad sweater? Sorry, the puppies and kittens on the sweaters that Christina Rizleris and Vanessa Martinez are wearing make me instantly think of Lolcats. I just need to get a Ceiling Cat sweater and I'll be all set.

In my opinion, Michelle McCaw wins for the ugliest sweater, ladies division. It's not just the fact that the sweater vest is absolutely atrocious, it's that it all matches. All the way down to her Chucks! That takes dedication!

Michelle may be the winner for the females but she has nothing on Joshua Reed. Together with Trevor Bennett and John Brown he set a new standard for creepy sweaters. The fact that he's physically fit only adds to the hilarity of seeing him in a midriff-baring sweater top. The earrings are just icing on the cake!

Of course, that's not all of them. Make sure to check out the rest of the laughably bad sweaters!

Urban Santas and electric elves

With the amount of Santas on the streets of Ybor this weekend, you'd think that Tampa was the vacation place of choice for Jolly Old St. Nick. Admittedly, the things these Kris Kringles were doing would not make it into any of the good old fashioned Christmas songs (though it would be great to see a stop-motion animation like those of old of Santa getting drunk on PBR) so I tried to snag as many pics of the holiday madness as I could.

Starting with the Crow Bar's Ghetto Xmas, I saw lots of elves and Santas decorated with all sorts of shiny bling. If you think about it, Santa isn't all too far off from a player. A whole host of elves at his disposal, a furry red jacket and a tricked-out flying sleigh. He could give Diddy a run for his money if he tried.

Oh dear. Jason Fintel decided that Frosty shouldn't just have a corn cob pipe and button nose but also rosy red cheeks and cirrhosis of the liver. If you listen carefully, you can hear my inner Christmas child crying.

You know that inner child I was mentioning? It's okay because he's not crying anymore but the bad part is seeing Allen Dean Russell as a very drunk Cat in the Hat made him go catatonic. No pun intended.

Keeping in mind that this even was supposed to be ghetto as well, Alicia Zerrilla and Emily La Dusca certainly look the part. Look carefully and you'll see Alicia's sweet gem-encrusted grill. Nothing says class better than a shiny mouthpiece.

Moving from the urban to the electro, I made my way over to Czar to check out the Hallucination before Christmas. To say that this part was crazy would be an understatement. There were so many wild costumes and dancing that I had no hope of seeing it all.

As anyone who knows me will tell you, I hate glow sticks and there was an absolute overage of them there that night. I had to tell myself right off the bat that Id let it slide because it was a techno event and I tried to appreciate them a bit more. I found that when used correctly, they can be kind of cool. You have to give the people using them a bit more room or you'll get hit in the head like I did when taking a photo of Ashley Kitzman. Nothing better to wake you up then being hit in the head with a bright green rod.

Have you heard of cyberlox?  Lizz Barger did an absolutely amazing job with making a bunch of these for the girls at the show. Plus, a lot of her cyberlox had fiber optics in them to create a eerie glow when moving about. Perfect for anyone interested in electro at all.

The absolute coolest things of the night, as far as dancers go, were the hula hoop girls with glowing hoops. They're part of a group where you can actually take lessons so if you're interested, it should be a good workout. Plus, nothing looks more sexier for girl than having two of those hoops go at once in beat to the music. On a side note, does anyone know why hula hooping has become so popular again? I seem to see it everywhere I go. It's shaping up to be the new Tampa Bay trend.

Make sure to check out the rest of wild Xmas-tacular pics from Crow Bar and Czar!

Party away those Holiday blues with a wild weekend.

Christmas is almost upon us and you have only one more good weekend to make sure you get your name on Santa's naughty list. Thankfully, I've got some ideas to make sure you get the most out of this weekend.

Enjoy their show, but read our reviews

Chances are you've heard of REAX, Tampa Bay's local music magazine. While we think they're no match for our own music critic, Sean Daly, they are a good read for all the lowdown on local music. Tonight (12/18), they're hosting its free reader appreciation party over at New World Brewery. With four local mystery bands playing, it may seem like a bit of a gamble, but given that they are a music magazine, you can expect their choices of bands will good.

The Sports Party Animal

If you're more into the hip-hop scene, Ian Beckles of 620 AM is hosting his second annual Christmas party tonight (12/18) at Lime . It's a naughty or nice theme but I imagine there aren't going to be too many people taking advantage of the "nice" part. Regardless of how you dress, the music spun by DJ Homewrecker will be a mix of the best old and new-school hip-hop to keep everyone on the dance floor until the night is over.

We're so horn-y

Believe it or not, Tropicana Field is hosting a college bowl game Saturday aptly titled the St. Petersburg Bowl. It's not the most important college game of the year (7-5 USF vs. 6-6 Memphis) but it does make a good excuse to hold some block parties like the one going on Friday (12/19) on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg. Make sure to leave any blue and gray at home. You don't want to accidentally mistaken for a Memphis Tigers fan and cause a riot.

Beats the office party

Out in the Ybor area, there are two parties really getting into the spirit of the season with their own unique way. The Hallucination Before Christmas at Czar on Saturday (12/20) is going to feature some great electro music by various artists while also doing a canned food drive to help out those in need around the bay.

Meanwhile, at Crowbar it's the Ghetto Christmas Party the same night but will be a little more rock with the punk/ska band Full Fledged Unit playing. Honestly, both are good choices and it just depends on how you're feeling that night.

There's always room for u-g-l-y

Sometimes getting prepared to go out can be a chore. Finding the hippest clothes and trying to look your best is a pain to do night after night. Lucky for us, the Bishop is having their Ugly Sweater Party tonight and Push is having their own party on Sunday (12/21). It's simple really: Break out that sweater with glowing reindeer that your grandma got you and get half off all your drinks. Plus, if you have the ugliest sweater in the bar, you win yourself a huge bar tab. If there was ever an excuse to be caught wearing a Cosby sweater, it's this.

Tell your story, then party hard and live some new ones

Here's what's going down today:

NPR’s StoryCorps: If you’ve never heard it on the radio, StoryCorps is an oral history project featuring everyday people, sharing their personal stories. It can be an older person’s memories, a young person’s experiences, a life-changing moment, poignant or funny, unique and individual. It’s a conversation with someone close to you that’s being recorded for you and for posterity. Now the StoryCorps Mobile Studio has rolled into town for you to record your own stories. To make a reservation, call 1-800-850-4406 or log onto StoryCorps.net. Reservations will fill up fast, but if you aren’t able to get a spot, there is a wait list. The mobile studio will be parked at the corner of 19th Street and E Ninth Ave., Ybor City, through Monday and from Jan. 5-17, 2009. Free. wmnf.org/story.

House of Dali Fashion Show: Local fashion designer Dali Hernandez unveils the Dark and Sinister Winter 2008 Collection, promising a dark sense of sex appeal and lots of plumage. Hair by U.b.U Color Salon, with music by Jask. 9 p.m. Kennedy, 2408 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. Free. (813) 251-3329.

St. Petersburg Bowl Beach Party: The inaugural St. Petersburg Bowl is Saturday, but the fun has already started. USF fans don’t have to travel very far, but Memphis fans who made the trip a few days early are surely enjoying the sunshine. Today is the Team Beach Bash, with giant sand sculptures, a team talent show, sexy legs contest, tailgate cookout and giant beachfront water slide. 3-6 p.m. today Tradewinds Island Grand Beach Resort, 5500 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach. Free. Parking: $10 (727) 367-6461.

Memphis Tigers Pep Rally: Any Memphis fans reading this? If you’re not feeling too welcome over at Tradewinds, don’t worry. Celebrate your early arrival with a special pep rally. If you locals want to stop by and make some new friends from out of town, that’s cool too. 8 p.m. Push Ultra Lounge, 128 Third St. S, St. Petersburg. Free. (727) 895-6400.

And more: There’s more than 130 things to do today in Tampa Bay. Find all the details at entertainment.tampabay.com.

The stylings of the artistic and the fabulous

While a groups of Santas were out getting drunk in Ybor City on Friday (12/12), the artists of Tampa Bay joined up for one of the more unique events to occur at any art gallery this year. The Art Pool Foundation Show actually asked all the artists participating to show off their work and their creative influences. The turnout was immense with attendees ranging from people coming to see artists at work to hipsters looking for a good evening out.

Yes, it was cold on Friday. No, it wasn't cold enough to be dressed up like a pseudo-Eskimo like Korinne Martin. I seriously question anyone in Florida who owns a fur jacket. Sunny tropical weather of Florida kind of negates the need for big fluffy jackets.

In case you didn't know, Art Pool is also a vintage boutique. It's a great place to pick up some gifts or just plain oddities like these glasses that Erick Davis found for a dollar. Just seeing them makes my mind instantly think of Buckaroo Banzai, which is all good in my book.

Rigged Out in Tampa at Czar was a wild event on Saturday (12/13) but admittedly not for everyone. It definitely felt like a late comer for Pride Week with it's celebration of diversity specifically showcased in fashion. I do feel kind of bad for the regular Czar goers who skipped out on this because it wasn't the normal Saturday night party. They missed out on a hell of a good time.

Parisa Parnian is the fashion designer of Rigged Out clothes but given her attitude, you wouldn't know that. Very cool and down-to-earth, Parisa was dancing for the first half of the night with friends. I applaud that and I wish more designers and celebrity types would do this. Every single one of us is human, you know?

No night is complete without a dancer and Vita DeVoid is one of the best and the funnest Tampa Bay has to offer. I've thought she was amazing since I first laid eyes on her a Vaudevillians show. She was doing some pole dancing (not in a dirty way!) before the fashion show and did cute maneuvers like pretending to smack the pole for being cheeky. What she really needed to smack was the girl behind her desperately trying to stick a dollar in her boot without being noticed. If you're going to give a dancer money, at least make yourself known.

No, no, and more no! Kid Rock = lame. Why they had an impersonator of Kid Rock to start up the fashion show boggles my mind. It's disturbing but what was even more disturbing was everyone was loving it. This may just be something that I'm not up to date. Is some how Kid Rock representative of kitsch cool or is it a lesbian thing that I'll never get? Either way, I felt isolated in my disgust when this guy came on.

Did this look like fun? Make sure to check the rest of the pictures from Art Pool and Czar in the galleries.

No wonder he's the jolly old elf!

Christmas time is almost here and there's a lot of cool stuff going on before the holidays hit and you have to spend extended periods of time with the family.

Ho, Ho, Whoa!!

Let's face it, Santa kind of looks like a drunk: A fat guy with a long unkempt beard, not to mention those rosy red cheeks and nose. I'm not the only one who thinks this either. The 8th Annual Santa Pub Crawl is hitting Ybor City Friday (12/12). Just imagine hundreds of people dressed in bright red suits stumbling down Seventh Avenue with tie-on beards pushed to the side in order to suck down some more booze. Of course, it's all for charity and should not be taken seriously. Make sure to check out the video the guys who run the event put together to advertise. If they can be that silly and weird sober, just imagine them drunk!

Study or just stare

Have you ever been interested in trying to be an artist but don't know how to even start? Art Pool has set up an event to help you out with the inspiration. At The Foundation Show on Friday (12/12) you will see the finished product from the artist but also all the steps that they took to get there. It should be interesting to see the complete process an artist has to go through to create a piece and should be a good inspiration for aspiring artists. Then on Saturday (12/13), they're also having a holiday/craft/garage sale at Art Pool. So if you have any artistic people on your list for Christmas, this should be on your schedule to hit up.

Lookin' good

For all you fashionistas out there, Rigged Out in Tampa at Czar on Saturday (12/13) is sure to offer the height of hip fashion. It's hosted by Parisa of The L-Word, so you know it's going to be sexy. Given how Czar events usually are, expect this to be the the place to see and be seen this weekend.

Which list are you on?

If you're looking for the weird and wild, stop by the Garage on Friday (12/12). The Naughty or Nice show is going to have some dark, burlesque performances by local Florida burlesque star, Minnie Vicious. Imagine a 50's Vargas pin-up girl. Make her flesh and blood and you have Minnie Vicious. I've seen a lot local performers trying to capture the aesthetic of pin-ups but none have been able to do it as masterfully as Minnie Vicious.  While this is considered a fetish event, don't get it confused with those fetish clubs in Pinellas. This is more of the equivalent of seeing a saucy dance performance. On the weird side, the first 50 people in the door get a paddle. Yes, like the ones you'd see teachers use to spank kids.

Learn from a pro or just devour your decorations

From celebrity chefs to gingerbread houses, there's plenty of cool stuff going on in Tampa Bay today:

Photo by James Borchuck/St. Petersburg Times

Gingerbread House Decorating: You won’t be nearly as tempted to munch away at your new house after the included brunch. But still, the gingerbread house is the most delicious of all the holiday decorations. It might be pricey, but proceeds benefit the American Red Cross. Best part: After the holidays, you won’t need to stash it away, you can gobble up your hard work. 10:30 a.m. Don CeSare Resort and Spa, 3400 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach. $75. (727) 360-1881.

Sara Moulton: The celebrity chef takes her culinary craft on the road to demonstrate cooking techniques honed from 30 years in the field. Best known for her cooking shows Cooking Live and Sara’s Secrets, Moulton, right, is also the executive chef at Gourmet Magazine. 8 p.m. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 5223 N Orient Road, Tampa. $35, available at Ticketmaster.com or at Hard Rock store on site. (813) 627-7761.

Creative Celebration: Santa’s helpers have been busy creating affordable and fun fine arts, crafts, jewelry, hand painted ornaments, hand crafted cards and artsy gifts for the pets and pet lovers on your list. After you’re done shopping, stick around for Small Craft Warning and Brady’s Yappy Hour for Rescues with a silent auction, lampwork bead making demo, raffle, door prizes, refreshments and more. Well behaved leashed pets are welcome. Benefits DARE (Dachshund Adoption, Rescue and Education). Nature of Art Gallery, 1100 4th Street N., St. Petersburg. Free. (727) 821-6700.

Dali & Beyond Film Series: 'Who the Hell is Juliette’: Part documentary and part carefully constructed narrative, Cuban teenager Yuliet Ortega  presents herself and her world proudly to the camera. Free-spirited, yet street-wise from her childhood in a Havana barrio, she knows her meeting with Mexican model Fabiola Quiroz might open doors to a new, and far more glamorous, life for her. Director Carlos Marcovich infuses this true-life story with plenty of visual pizzazz and structural playfulness. 6 p.m. Dali Museum, 1000 Third St. S, St. Petersburg. The show is included with museum admission, which is only $5 after 5 p.m. every Thursday. (727) 823-3767.

Ladies Night Out — Holiday Style: This month enjoy a special holiday edition of Ladies’ Night Out. Bring a canned or non-perishable food item or personal hygiene item for local families in need while you enjoy music, wine and food samplings from the shops. 5-8 p.m. Corey Avenue, 300 and 400 blocks, St. Pete Beach. Free. (727) 366-2003.