Sex and Tampa Bay

The long national nightmare is over. After suffering through family crap like Horton Hears a Who and idiotic romantic comedies like 27 Dresses we finally have some good movies coming out this weekend.

Stop Loss- this drama centers on a group of young people who are coming back from Iraq and trying to pick up the life they left behind. It’s hard enough trying to deal with what they saw and did while at war, but things get even worse when some of the men are “Stop Lossed” or forced back into service after their duty has ended. Ryan Phillipe stars as a patriotic soldier who doesn’t know how much more he can give to his country. This isn’t a movie that is pro or anti war, it’s about taking care of our troops.

21- Based on a true story, this flick follows a crue of MIT math geniuses who are behind the most successful card counting ring in Vegas history. It’s a fun movie, although it does bring up the disturbing question of why Kate Bosworth is in so many flicks with Kevin Spacy. This is the third pairing by my count (their previous team-ups were Beyond the Sea and Superman Returns).

Run Fatboy Run- Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz) is a slacker who has run away from everything important in his life, most notable his wedding to pregnant girlfriend Thandie Newton. It sounds like a rote exercise in blandness but the flick was written by MICHAEL IAN BLACK. AKA one of the brilliant minds behind The State, Viva Variety, and Stella. Between Black’s odd sense of humor and Pegg’s off kilter acting style this movie steps up from average to charmingly different.

Married Life- This movie has been getting great reviews for weeks and it finally has come to Tampa (although it’s only playing at Channelside). Another in the neo-noir style, the film is set in the 1940’s as a husband (Chris Cooper) decides to leave his wife (Patricia Clarkson) for a younger woman (Rachel McAdams). But since he doesn’t want to hurt her feelings by divorcing her, he decides to murder her instead. A great little movie with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

Of course if you don’t feel like sitting in a dark room we have plenty of those great activities going on in Tampa Bay this weekend.

 

All Weekend

 

9th Annual Tattoo Fest

 

3/28 and 3/29: noon-midnight, 3/30: noon-8pm at the Doubletree Hotel on W. Cypress St. in Tampa.

$20 per day. $45 for the weekend. Tattoo contests, Miss Tattoo pageant, seminars and classes as well as Tattoo artists and vendors.

 

St. Pete International Folk Fair

 

3/28: 3-9pm, 3/29: 10am-10pm, 3/30: 11am-6pm in Vinoy Park (Bayshore Blvd and 7th Ave NE, St. Petersburg).

$10. If you went to school in Tampa Bay chances are you had at least one field trip to SPIFF, a celebration of cultures around the world with traditional song, dance and food. If not, it is sort of like World Showcase at Epcot, only without the totally offensive Mexico ride.

 

Last Chance for Hamlet

 

3/28: 8pm, 3/29: 3pm and 8pm, 3/30: 3pm at the American Stage Theater (211 3rd St. S, St. Petersburg

$22-$35. This is the last chance to catch The American Stage Theater’s critically aclaimed modern take on Hamlet.

 

Bach at the Leipzig

 

3/28 and 3/29: 8pm, 3/30: 3pm at the Gorilla Theatre (4419 N. Hubert Ave., Tampa).

$10-$25. This comedic play is sort of like Waiting for Guffman meets Amadaus. A number of backstabbing musicians vie for the job of Organ Master, although the neverseen virtuoso Bach is clearly the one who is going to get it. This is the first weekend of the plays run at the great Gorilla Theatre.

Friday 3/28

 

Wine Tasting for the Red Cross

 

7pm at Winestyles (10273 Big Bend Rd., Riverview).

$10 donation. Sample great wines and have food from Vocelli’s Pizza.

Rum on the Bar B (Q)

7pm at Gaspar’s Grotto (1805 7th Ave., Ybor City).

$35. Sample world class rum, enjoy BBQ tips, and some of Gaspar’s Grotto’s great menu items like Grouper Bites and Veggie Satay.

Veterans For Peace Benefit Concert

8pm at the Globe Coffee Lounge (532 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg).

Bands will be playing protest, folk, rock, anti-war, pro-peace, and pro-troop songs at this fundraiser to help Veterans for Peace with their mission of proving that peace is as patriotic as war.

Indie Hip Hop Showcase

 

8pm at The Orpheum in Ybor City.

$10. Showcase of the best up and coming indie rap and hip-hop talent.

Saturday 3/29

 

Chili Cookoff

 

9am at Channelside (615 Channelside Dr., Tampa). Tasting starts at noon.

Free to watch. $5 for a sample cup. Come taste some of the best local and regional Chili makers. Just look out for the insanity peppers!

The Art of Discerning

11am at The Consciousness Connection (306 Orange St., Ozona/Palm Harbor).

$49. Dr. Anna Sweetnam leads this class on metaphysics and learning how to trust your gut instinct and hone your natural ability to discern the truth. Must pre-register at 727-785-4444.

Free Makeover from Bare Essentials

 

11am-5pm at Sephora in International Mall.

Free! Makeover using Bare Essential Products. Call 813-872-2600 to book an appointment.

Lecture: Mitigating Global Warming

 

1pm at Brooker Creek Nature Preserve in Tarpon Springs.

Free! Dr. David Oliver talks about Global Warming and how to creating a sustainable planet. Must pre-register at 727-453-6800

Gayla: A Celebration of Equality

 

7pm-1am at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa (11400 Morris Bridge Rd., Tampa)

$5. Food, drinks, tarot reading and networking with gay, bisexual, lesbian, transgendered people and their supporters.

Coffee Meetup for Habitat for Humanity

 

7pm at Express Yourself Coffee (101 E. J Arden Blvd., Plant City).

Coffee and Dessert Pairing tasting to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Come meet new people.

Battle of the Bays Roller Derby Match

 

8pm at Skateplex (5313 Busch Blvd., Tampa).

$10. Roller Derby is like female wrestling on skates. It’s hardcore pushing, pulling, fighting, and amazing female athletes who can stand up to anything. It is great fun for guys (who want to see hot chicks) and girls (who want to see strong women).

Sensory Overload

 

9pm-1am at The Cuban Club (2010 Republica De Cuba, Ybor City).

$10. $35 for rum tasting. 12 bands. 2 stages. Food and drinks. Theater and Art. This is truly the biggest local event for people interested in any and every kind of culture and happening. It’s always packed so get there early!

Sunday 3/30

Locks of Love

 

12pm at the Golda Meir/Kent Jewish Center (2010 Greenbriar Blvd., Clearwater)

Free. Donate your hair to locks of love and get a free haircut from Fantastic Sams. You can also bring in hair clips and products to donate to the group. Also, make a charity bear for a good cause.

A Taste of New Tampa

 

1pm-4pm at New Tampa Community Park.

$15. Fundraiser for local charities. Come taste samples from the best food in New Tampa.

Rock School Blowout

 

1pm at Riverwalk in Tampa

Free! The graduates of Rock School are showing their stuff in this concert of raw talent and rock prowess. AC/DC is cuter when played by 10 year olds.

If you want to have your local event features email me at missy@sexandtampabay.com