Attack of the beards

Just because you're a guy, it doesn't mean that you can't have a little bit of pride in how your hair looks. The Beard contest at Dunedin Brewery this Saturday (3/28) is giving men a chance to show off their gorgeous facial fur in hopes for winning some awards. I'm personally looking forward to seeing the winner of the best freestyle beard. You know that one is going to be wild!

Everyone loves vintage. Any day when you can dress up as a 20's flapper or a 40's soldier is a good day. To help people out with that, Buffalo Gal Vintage is having a vintage clothing swap on Saturday (3/28) for people to bring in their old old clothes to trade in for new ones. Once you get your new duds, you can mosey on over to the St. Petersburg Yacht Club for the Back to the '50's FUNdraising Party for some swing dancing. Considering that it's being held to help out the Florida Poodle Rescue, there's no better time to break out that poodle skirt and dance the night away. I know I'd love to see a Frenchie out in the audience, complete with horrid hair.

If your looking for something a little more local, check out the hometown heroes Tres Bien at the Neptune Lounge on Friday (3/27) in their first concert back in the bay since going on a national tour. The added bonus is that they'll rocking with Win Win Winter. For those of you wanting to be dark and electronic, check out Synthetic Pleasures at the Orpheum on Friday (3/27). It's  a great alternative for the weekly Friday Castle-goers and local dj Curse Mackey will be performing as well. Check out their music before you go.

Making a scary movie isn't easy. Let the Right One In takes the overused concept of vampires and makes them frightening again. I saw this movie in Tampa Theatre a while back and my date had to leave because she was so scared. If you decide to go the showing at the Miller Auditorium at Eckerd College on Friday (3/27), prepare to get the chills. If you don't believe me, just watch the trailer. It's amazing to watch (and it's free!) just be sure to warn anyone you take with you.

End of Spring Break Blow-out

Our resident tbt* spring break guru, Luis Santana hit the beaches this weekend in search of fun and lovely ladies in teeny bikinis. Luckily, he came back with success on both counts and brought back lots of picture of the lovely and the weird from Shephards and Wildsplash.

I'm all for the lifting up of girls on to shoulders but I have to feel bad for all the guys out there. Imagine all the hurt necks that need icing down the next after a concert.

I love the trend these girls are starting. Bikinis that can be ripped up later and used as party decorations. No need to bring confetti, they're wearing it!

I really wish I could say more about this photo but I think it speaks for itself. Who hasn't seen a older man in a thong, cape and mask holding an air horn? The only question I have is the blue. Was he going to dress up as a smurf and got lazy halfway through? Did he do a belly flop in a bucket of blueberrys? The world may never know the answer to this great mystery.

Make sure to check out the rest of Luis' awesome investigative photography into the secret lives of spring breakers at Shephards and Wildsplash!

Biking, concerts and disco darlins

Not at all Vamp related: Before you go thinking to dress up as a creature of the night, the Tampa Twilight Criterium on Saturday (3/21) is all about biking and not the young adult vampire books.  With both amateur and professional races going on throughout the day, it'll be good for anyone, even if you just want to hang out on the sidelines  and get your bike  decorated for the cycling parade. For a full list of the scheduled events, check out their website for a detailed schedule of everything going on.

For your music fix: Pull out all those old Wu-Tang albumsake sure to check out Ghostface Killah over at the Ritz on Saturday (3/21). The influential Wu-Tang member is joined up by another former Wu-Tang member, Raekwon. Seeing these two on stage together should be one of the best rap concerts of the year in Tampa Bay. If you're looking for a little more female empowering stuff going on, the queen of feminist rock, Ani DiFranco will be at the Tampa Theatre on Friday (3/20). Combining her acoustic musical styling with the intimate setting of the Tampa Theatre will make for an intense show for anyone who digs female-fronted rock shows.

Burn Baby Burn: If you want some violence in a sports environment, you should check out the Derby Disco Inferno over at the USA Skateplex on Saturday (3/21). As the Derby Darlin's first exhibition game of 2009, the ladies should pumped and ready to play hard. Add on to this fact that it's a disco related game so afros and bell bottoms will be rampant in the rink and the crowd. Make sure to dress a little 70's yourself and you'll get $2 off your ticket. It's definitely worth digging out those old gold pendants and platform shoes.

Friday means "free-day" today

Free frozen treat No. 1: Today is the first day of spring, and for the 17th year, Rita’s Italian Ice is celebrating by giving away a free, 10 oz. cup of frozen deliciousness from noon to 10 p.m. You can cool off at any one of Rita’s Tampa Bay locations, including Brooksville, Clearwater, New Port Richey and Tampa. Visit Ritasice.com for a complete list. 

Free frozen treat No. 2: Everyone knows vampires only come out at night, and vampire fans will be out in force tonight as the Blockbuster at 13610 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Tampa celebrates the DVD release of Twilight at midnight. In addition to being among the first to buy or rent the DVD, the first 50 people who volunteer to give a pint of blood to Florida Blood Services will receive a free pint of Edy’s ice cream. The fun — or fright — starts at 8 p.m. and will also feature trivia games, giveaways, face painting, drawings for special prizes and appearances by radio stations Mix 100.7 and 93.3 FLZ. Free. 

Frozen fun with donation: The shelves at America’s Second Harvest of Tampa Bay are critically bare, so they’re teaming up with Disney on Ice to collect donated canned goods in exchange for tickets to Worlds of Fantasy, running May 14-17 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa. A donation of 10 cans of non-perishable food entitles each consumer to one ticket for opening night only, with a limit of four tickets per family. You can make your donation today at the Forum box office from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Worlds of Fantasy, features characters from Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, as well as fairies from Tinker Bell. If you can’t make a donation, tickets go on sale today at all Ticketmaster outlets. Prices start at $16. 

Ryan Sheckler does a kickflip over the 12-foot bank to bank at the 2006 Tampa Pro. (Photo from Times files)

Dude alert! Top skateboarders converge on Skate Park of Tampa this weekend for the 15th Annual Tampa Pro. The contest showcases the best skateboarders and attracts some of the top skaters who typically don’t enter contests, so the cool dude count is high.  This year’s purse is $100,000 between the top finishers with $20,000 going to the top street course skater. Some of the riders this year include Red Bull athletes Jereme Rogers, Joey Brezinski, Zared Bassett and Nick Dompierre at SPoT, 4215 E Columbus Drive in Tampa. Tickets are $5-$15. See www.skateparkoftampa.com for a schedule.

Tongues a-blazing: The Chili Blaze, a Pinellas Park Firefighters’ event, will have a chili cook-off, Born to Ride motorcycle show, live music by Tropical Brain Freezes and the St. Pete All Stars and crafts show. It all benefits the Muscular Dystrophy Association from 6 to 11 p.m. today at the England Brothers Bandshell, 5121 80th Ave. N, Pinellas Park. Free admission and an all-you-can-sample chili armband is $7. (727) 687-4494. chiliblaze.com.

See art on the wall and the sidewalk

Win, lose, just draw: Sidewalk drawing isn’t child’s play. As part of Chalk Walk in Old Hyde Park Village, artists will spend two and half days creating artwork in a 10-by-10 foot square of sidewalk. Tonight you can meet the artists as they begin their pieces from 6-10 p.m. and enjoy live music from Urban Gypsies, or check back on Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for the final judging. 1622 Snow Ave., Tampa. Free. (813) 221-2787.

One legend covers another: George Benson has had his own long career of highlights, including a slew of Grammy awards and multiple platinum albums. Tonight he pays tribute to another legendary R&B singer, Nat King Cole with a concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall featuring Cole’s classics and Benson’s biggest hits. It starts at 8 p.m., 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. $45-$55. (727) 791-7400.

Forever, just today: Great art is truly timeless, but artists and art lovers, of course, are mortal. Tonight you can celebrate the opening of re:Age, an exhibit where artists reflect on age, creativity and longevity. The evening starts at 6 p.m. at NOVA 535 Art Lounge, 535 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg. Free. (727) 821-6682.  

Go downtown, party down: Normally downtown Tampa turns into a ghost town after 5:30 p.m. on a weekday, but stick around today and get a head start on your weekend at Downtown Live After Five, featuring a free concert from Rubix Cubed. Stop by Poe Plaza (201 N Franklin St.) between Tampa City Center and the Hyatt Regency for happy hour drink specials and some of that trademarked Florida sunshine.

Note: If you were one of the many fans disappointed to hear Tuesdays show by Willie Nelson at Ruth Eckerd Hall was postponed due to illness, be patient. Word is the show will be rescheduled for October and all original ticket will be honored. So just keep them in a safe place this summer.

Bounce over to one of these great things to do today

True love: The Bouncing Souls, above, are celebrating their 20th year together making party-loving punk rock by releasing one new song each month all year. They say they’re doing it as an anniversary gift to their fans, and who could blame them after more than 300 fans have added photos of themselves tattooed with one of the band’s logos to its MySpace page. 7 p.m. at the State Theatre, 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. $19. (727) 895-3045. 

More than a catchphrase: Beyond the showy wardrobe, loud persona, and “cuchi-cuchi,” María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza, a.k.a. Charo, boasts classical flamenco guitar mastery and innovative Latin rhythms. The singer-dancer-comedian-actor-guitarist (and recent star of VH1’s The Surreal Life and Geico commercials) will perform both original and classical flamenco, salsa, tango, and samba pieces with dancers aplenty. She performs at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo. $30-$35. (727) 587-6793.  

Art in motion: Electronics Alive is a biennial invitational exhibition of experimental computer animations, interactive digital work and computer graphics from throughout the world. Santiago Echeverry, an assistant professor of art and one of the exhibit’s organizers, will host a free showcase of several of the animation films tonight at 6. University of Tampa at Scarfone/Hartley Gallery, 310 N Boulevard, Tampa. 

Not for the squeamish: On the island of Inishmore, someone has killed the dearest companion of an Irish Liberation Army enforcer. Although the dearly departed was a cat, the loss is deeply felt and someone will pay. Tonight you can find out who at a preview performance of The Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Shimberg Theater at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. With loud gunfire sounds, adult situations and lots and lots of fake blood, this is one play not intended for the easily offended. 8 p.m. 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. $10. (813) 229-7827. 

Going green: It's St. Patrick's Day

Mark Bradley of St. Petersburg is already setting up at the Cockney Rebel in St. Pete Beach. (Photo by Cherie Diez)

You won’t need the luck of the Irish to find a great St. Patrick’s Day party today:

O’Brien’s Irish Pub: One of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the area, the Brandon pub will open at 6 a.m. today for breakfast and have live music starting at 3 p.m. with Surf Chicks, the PJ Smith Band and Slugger O’Toole. It’s at 701 W Lumsden Road, Brandon. (813) 661-9688.

Four Green Fields: The authentic thatched roof Irish pub is as close to the Emerald Isle as you’re gonna get. They started celebrating Friday with Irish food, drinks and traditional Irish music. Today’s Irish lunch buffet starts at 11 a.m. followed by outdoor food tents and live non-stop Irish music from noon until 2 a.m. at 205 W Platt St. in South Tampa.

Tommy Duff’s Irish Aviation Pub: The “World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade” proves a parade doesn’t have to be long to be fun. It’s a costumed pub crawl! Pull on a St. Patrick’s Day costume or hat and beads, bring flags and posters and parade (between drinks!) your way along the Clearwater Causeway to the Tiki Deck (for more drinks!). Returns to Tommy Duff’s for more tent party fun with music by Unclaimed Baggage and the Orb’s. 5:05 p.m. 126 Island Way, Clearwater. Free. (727) 449-1366.

Dubliner Irish Pub: They’ve been partying all weekend at the Dubliner. Today they continue with a traditional St. Patrick’s celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. 12836 Henderson Road, Tampa. Free. (813) 300-2076.

O’Keefe’s: Today is Day 2 of the party with corned beef and cabbage, burgers, Irish drinks and live entertainment including The Holligans (11 a.m.), Irish Dancers (3 p.m.), Pooka Irish Band and Dancers (4 p.m.), Otis Velt and the Old School Band (8 p.m.) and bagpipers (all night). 1219 S Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater. $5-$10 (food and drink extra). (727) 442-9034.

Brass Tap: Wiregrass Mall’s inner streets will be blocked off and full of beer, music and good food. Refrigerated trailer with nine taps of Irish beer. Live music hits the stage from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Portion of the proceeds benefits Relay for Life. 10-2 a.m. today. 2000 Piazza Ave., Wesley Chapel. $5. (813) 991-4343.

Tank’s Tap Room: One of three Guinness-endorsed bars in Tampa Bay throws an all-day St. Patrick’s Day party with lots of beer, Irish whiskey, car bombs (that’s a drink), corned beef and cabbage and more starting at 11 a.m. 13150 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. No cover, food and drink individually priced. (813) 961-2337.

MacDinton’s: They say it’s “the place to be seen in your green.” A daylong celebration with live music by the Go Daddies, Irish dancers, bagpipers, drink specials, food and more. Starting at 11 a.m. 405 Howard Ave. S, Tampa. $10 after 5 p.m. (813) 251-8999.

Flanagan’s Irish Pub: Main Street Dunedin comes alive with Irish festivities including entertainment by Noel Cooney, Jeff Glover, the Dunedin Pipe Band, Irish dancers and a traditional Irish session. Also, Irish banger sandwiches, corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie and plenty of beer (including green!). Starts at 11 a.m. at 465 Main St., Dunedin. Free (food and drink charges separate). (727) 736-4994.

Courigan’s Irish Pub: Stop by for a tent party with live entertainment and $6 Irish car bombs all day. 1 Beach Drive, St. Petersburg. (727) 551-9019.

The Happy Shack: Grab some fresh corned beef sandwiches ($6), Mickey’s Wide Mouths ($2) or a Guinness Pint ($4) from noon to 2 a.m. 4400 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. (727) 525-0969.

The Cockney Rebel: The pub will be opening at 9 a.m. to serve an Irish breakfast of eggs, sausage, baked beans and blood pudding. From lunch till closing, Irish stew, fish and chips and corned beef and cabbage will be served. Bagpipers, Irish dancers and two bands will be featured entertainment throughout the day. 6395 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach. (727) 360-4840.

Know of a great party today that's not mentioned here? Let us know!

Disco yarmulke

Apparently, the yarmulke is becoming an accessory fit for the fashion-conscious hipster. Jason Barco shows off his wonderful mirror ball skull cap while hanging out at the Castle on Saturday night.

Admittedly, the yarmulke is a kitschy thing he wears for the Sunday night Burn party at the Castle where he plays all manner of hip electro music.It's not hard to imagine though, that the yarmulke could take off as a hipster fashion trend much like the keffiyeh did. Maybe there'll be cool polka dot designs and ones made out of shiny, plastic jewelry?

If you want to see J. Barco in action as he's reflecting light off his head while spinning music, check out the Sunday night at the Castle. It's worth the hangover on Monday morning.

A ritzy club without the pompousness

I normally hate celebrity themed parties. There ends up being far too much focus on whoever is going to show up instead of focusing on making the event fun and cool. Plus, once the celebrity gets there, they usually will seclude themselves away in some small room so they aren't really partying with the general public.

Club Aja's Miss March party was different. It was a great time. Not because of the celebrities who showed up (they still kind of secluded themselves away, but behind throngs of people who wouldn't let me take a photo) but because the party had a good vibe and energy to it. Club Aja is definitely making it up my list of high-class places that I'd like to hang out at on my off-time.
Anyone that knows me, knows that I have a hatred for the ritzier clubs. The people and the concepts of discerning bouncers irk me
To me, Club Aja is the high-class Channelside equivalent of Czar. The friendly staff is there to help everyone out and the clientèle are look and act nice. It's always a great thing to be able to got to a nightclub and feel instantly relaxed. Aja has got that and, the way I see it, they're on there way to be coming one of the bigger, hotter nightspots in Tampa Bay and they're doing it with the right attitude.
If you haven't checked out Aja yet, you can live vicariously through our galleries! It's like you were there except that the photos don't move or speak.

Cute and disturbing

While hanging out at the Resident Evil 5 release at Game Stop in Parkside Mall on Thursday (3/12), there was a lot of geeky talk about what to do in a zombie apocalypse. The chiming in by Callie Muncy, the Game Stop manager's daughter, was so amazing that I had to get video of her thoughts. It's a little morbid but at least we can rest assured that she's prepared!

Check out the galleries for some photos that I took of the undead gamers
.