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Hi Tampa Bay, Alex here with some more film news…

A New York based production team is looking for an audio recorder for a one day documentary style shoot taking place in Tampa Bay. This shoot is on Friday, January 27, 2012 at some indoor and outdoor secured location.

If you are interested, you will need to provide your own mixer, boom and gear. Please email Eric directly at eric@wearef360.com.

Production Company: F360
Director: Eric Tu
Executive Producer: Peter Friedman

Check back often for more Tampa Bay Film news.

Hi Tampa Bay, Alex here to share with you the stage talent for the 2012 Seminole Hardrock Gasparilla Street Festival in downtown Tampa.

I know many of you are anxiously awaiting the pirates arrival in Tampa Bay, but what you may not know is the festivities begin before the pirates invade and capture the City – and they’ll continue until long after the last pirate has paraded through the streets! 

The 2012 Pirate Fest Street Festival features stages with live entertainment, food and fun. Admission to Tampa’s Gasparilla festivities, including all Pirate Fest concerts is free. 

Talent will appear on the stages as follows:
Gasparilla Invasion Stage (Latin/Hispanic theme) sponsored in part by, Centro Tampa and Telemundo
(MacDill Park, Located along Ashley Drive and Whiting Street in Downtown Tampa)-PRE PARADE ONLY

11 a.m. – 3 p.m. - Danny Lozada y el Latin Band
Gasparilla Pirate Fest Stage at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Presented by Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum and sponsored in part by 93.3 FLZ, Mix 100.7 and 98 Rock  
(Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Located along Ashley Drive between Madison and Polk)

Before the parade begins, music will be played from CD’s on the stage’s sound system and provide enthusiastic background music as event guests wait for the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates to begin.

Post Parade- Live Performances
5 – 6:15 p.m.                           Daniel B. Marshall
6:30 – 8 p.m.                           C’NERGY
8:30 – 10 p.m.                         Skycoasters

You don’t want to miss out on the many festivities taking place before and after the 2012 Gasparilla Parade on Saturday, January 28th. I hope you all have a fun time!

Check back with us often for updates on Things To Do in Tampa Bay!

Hello Tampa Bay, Alex here with a great opportunity for any women in the area who love to shop.

A casting call is taking place this Wednesday for a commercial that is promoting a nationwide retailer. They are seeking real women shoppers of all ethnicities who are between their late 20s and early 50s.

They are looking for positive women from the Tampa Bay area who love to bargain shop! If this describes you, make sure to audition on January 25th.

The audition will consist of a brief interview. No experience necessary!

If you would like to be considered please email AubreyV247cast@gmail.com AND heather@247cast.com with a recent photo and a brief description of yourself and why you like bargain shopping. Auditions are by appointment only!

If you are interested, but can’t attend the audition, please create a video with a brief description of yourself and why you love bargain shopping! You can email
that video to AubreyV247cast@gmail.com and Heather@247cast.com-  no later
than 3 p.m. on Wednesday, January 25th.

Callbacks will be held in Tampa/St. Pete area during the last week of January. The commercial shoot will be in Tampa in early February; the exact date has not been determined.

The four women ultimately selected for the commercial will receive a “Gift Card” from the National Retailer!

 Happy Friday Tampa Bay, Alex here with some exciting restaurant news.

Carmel Café & Wine Bar is now open Mondays for lunch and dinner and has expanded its' weekend brunch at both locations.
 
You now have the option to enjoy great cuisine for lunch, dinner and/or for a nice weekend brunch. 
 
The new days and hours of operation are listed below. 

• Lunch from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. 
• Dinner from 5 - 10 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 5 p.m. - midnight Friday and Saturday    and from 5 – 9 p.m. on Sunday.
• Weekend brunch from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Carmel Café & Wine Bar has asignature Mod Med cuisine that is inspired by the flavors and cultural influences of Mediterranean countries like Italy, Spain, France, Greece and Morocco.
 
The popular Mod Med menu features small and large plate options. Wines are available in three-, six- and nine-ounce servings, or by the bottle. 
 
You may  also choose from a global selection of wines designed to easily mix and match with the menu, while you enjoy live music at both restaurants on Friday and Saturday evenings.
 
Make you reservations today by calling the Countryside Carmel Café & Wine Bar at 727-724-4228, 2548 or the Carrollwood Carmel Café & Wine Bar at 813-265-1415.
 

Enjoy a wonderful brunch, lunch or dinner at Caramel Café and Wine Bar.

Enjoy your weekend! Check back with us often for more information on Tampa Bay Dining.

1. Tour participant Beau Bamburg was born in this Oregon town?
2. True or False Jeremy "Twitch"Stenberg joined the Metal Mulisha crew at the age of 13;
3. This Nuclear Cowgirl has to her credit live stage show and award show performances with artists like P. Diddy, Jessica Simpson, Ludacris, and Britney Spears?

Hi Tampa Bay, Alex here to let you know that Music on the Bay is taking place at Whisky Joes in March.

Music on the Bay (MOTB) is a three day Parrot Head Trop-Rock Event that is taking place at Whisky Joes Barefoot Beach Bar in March.

In conjunction with The Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club, other Parrot Head clubs from all
over the state of Florida and Whiskey Joe's new Barefoot Beach Bar are coming together to make this event a fantastic Trop-Rock vacation event on the waters of beautiful Tampa Bay.

MOTB 2012 will feature some of America’s best Trop-Rock Bands from all over the
nation. Beginning Friday, March 2 at 1pm, 17 artists will take over the outdoor
waterside beach stage through Sunday, March 4, 2012.

Trop- Rock is a Island/Tropical inspired genre that blends Rock, Reggae, Caribbean and Latin music with Island/Tropical instrument arrangements and song themes. Its roots are based upon the beach music scene from the 60’s.

 Registration ends on February 6th, so don’t delay and register today! Each registered attendee will be given a goodie bag. In addition, there will be vendors with “parrotphanlia” for sale on site.  *The proceeds from MOTB raffles benefit the Shriners Hospitals for Children.*

Discount hotel accommodations are still available as well as vendor spaces. Visit the MOTB website at www.musiconthebay.org to register and to get more detailed information on this event.

Enjoy the Party! Check back with us often for updates on Things To Do In Tampa Bay!

Good morning everyone, Alex here to let you know about a great show coming to Tampa Bay in February.

The Original Tribute to the Blues Brothers is coming to The Mahaffey on Saturday, February 4 at 8 p.m.

They're back - the legendary Original Tribute to the Blues Brothers™. The show that started it all has been selling out all over the globe. No one does it like these brothers and they're back to show you just why they are the best.

Don’t miss out on a great show. Buy your tickets today. To purchase tickets, click here. *Tickets start at $34*

Enjoy the show! Check back with us throughout the week for updates on Things To Do In Tampa Bay and on Tampa Bay Concerts.

Good afternoon everyone, Alex here to let you know about a fun way to kick off Gasparilla early. 

With the Gasparilla Parade quickly approaching, the parties are already starting to begin.

On Thursday, January 19, former NFL linebacker Ryan Nece is hosting the
Kickoff to Gasparilla party at Gaspar’s Grotto in historic Ybor City.

The party will be held from 5:30-8:30p.m. on the patio of the World Famous
Gaspar’s Grotto located at 1805 E. 7th Ave. in Tampa’s Ybor City. DJ Papi
of Wild Out Entertainment will provide the entertainment throughout the
evening.

There is no admission or cover charge to attend the party, but guests are
encouraged to enjoy dinner and drinks, as Gaspar’s will donate a portion
of the night’s proceeds to the Ryan Nece Foundation.

Also, many great raffle prizes will be up for grabs, including two tickets to Gasparilla Bash 2012 on Bayshore, a gift certificate to Skydive City, a round of golf for four at Tampa Palms Country Club, a two-night weekend stay at the Hilton
Carillon and more!

Proceeds from food and beverage sales, as well as raffle ticket sales, will
benefit the Ryan Nece Foundation.

Enjoy a great party! Check back with us often for more information on Things To Do In Tampa Bay.

Good afternoon Tampa Bay, Alex here to share with you some news on the new exhibition that is coming to the Tampa Bay History Center.

Spies Traitors and Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America, a new traveling exhibition, explores the history of domestic terrorism and espionage from 1776 to Sept. 11, 2001.

This exhibit is opening at the Tampa Bay History Center on Sat., Feb. 4, 2012.

On loan from the world-famous International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., Spies, Traitors and Saboteurs revisits long-forgotten events in our nation’s history, from the capture of the White House in 1814, to the bombing of the U.S. Capitol building in 1971 to recent events such as the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11 attacks of 2001.

The exhibition dramatically illustrates the challenges of securing our nation against internal threats without compromising the civil liberties upon which it was founded, and reflects on how responses to domestic attacks continue to affect our everyday lives. 

Some of the artifacts in this exhibit are listed below:

• More than 145 historic photographs and documents
• Timeline tracing more than 170 different events
• Anarchist Globe Bomb (replica, ca. 1886) presented as evidence in the trial of the men tried in connection with the Chicago Haymarket riot.
• APL Badge and ID Card (1917) carried by operatives of the American Protective League (APL) who spied on their fellow Americans on behalf of the U.S. Justice Department during World War I
• Ritual Klan Red Robe (c. 1965) worn by the Klan “Kladd,” the elected Klan officer who presided over the secret rituals and ceremonies of the Ku Klux Klan.
• Fragments of the Planes that Hit the World Trade Center (2001), recovered after the attacks on September 11, 2001, and used as evidence by the FBI in their ensuing investigation.
• Visitor Polling Stations, unique computer interactive that allow visitors to express their opinions on questions raised in the exhibition about how the nation has responded to the historical events presented. Visitors also can see how Americans responded to similar questions posed by the Gallup Poll throughout history.

Spies, Traitors & Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America will make its only scheduled stop in Florida at the Tampa Bay History Center Feb. 4 - June 24. The exhibition is recommended for ages 12 and up.

For more information on related programming, visit www.tampabayhistorycenter.org or call (813) 228-0097.

Make sure to head on over to The Tampa Bay History Center between Feb. 4- June 24 to experience the Spies Traitors and Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America exhibit. You won't want to miss it!

Check back with us often for more information on Things To Do In Tampa Bay and Tampa Bay Museums.

1. Name two of the more than 20 plus vendors attending Festival of Chocolate this year.
2. True or False The Festival of Chocolate Wine and Chocolate Pairing will be hosted by a chocolate expert from Los Angeles based Guittard Chocolate and a wine consultant from PRP Wine International?
3. This featured chocolate maker for Festival of Chocolate began his career as a chocolatier in Argentina while working for his father-in-law?

Hey Sports Fans, hope all of you had a great New Years! For all of you softball fans out there, this Friday and Saturday, Fellowship of Christian Athletes will be hosting the Inaugural God and Country Weekend at Plant City Stadium. Many of the nation’s finest softball stars will gather as the FCA Softball All-Star team takes on the Wounded Warriors Amputee Softball Team in a special exhibition weekend!

The FCA All-Star team includes Olympic Gold Medalist Dot Richardson, two-time Olympic medalist Jennie Finch, three-time Olympic gold medalist Leah Amico and many more.  The Wounded Warriors team features some of the nation’s bravest heroes who have sustained severe injuries in combat that required amputation. In spite of these injuries, these extremely athletic soldiers have persevered through extensive rehabilitation to remain competitive.

Tickets are $5 per person Friday, $10 for both of games Saturday, and $25 per seat for Saturday evening’s God and Country Banquet.  All event tickets are available online at www.fcasoftball.org or they can be purchased at the gate on the day of the event.

Make sure you check back soon for more on Tampa Bay area events and Tampa Bay Sports!