Creative Loafing Tampa

Manufactured terror

Florida investigative reporter Trevor Aaronson questions the validity of FBI terrorism stings.

• by Mitch Perry
• Tags: News Feature, Mitch Perry, News, Terrorism, Trevor Aaronson, The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI’s Manufactured War on Terrorism, George W. Bush, Miami New Times, Florida Center for Investigative Reporting, Al Qaeda, the Liberty 6 case

My favorite reads of 2012

The news & politics guy offers up a top 10.

• by Mitch Perry
• Tags: News Feature, Mitch Perry, Books, 2012, Cronkite, Douglas Brinkley, May We Be Forgiven, A.M. Homes, The Books Issue, Where’d You Go, Bernadette?, Maria Semple, Arcadia, Lauren Groff, Making Heavy Peace, Neil Young, True Believers, Kurt Andersen, [SIC], Race-Baiter, Eric Deggans, Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest For Truth, Authenticity, and The Perfect Knuckleball, R.A. Dickey, Kelley Benham, Never Let Go

Golden friends

In times of loss, a sentimental poem retains its power.

• by Peter Meinke
• Tags: Poet's Notebook, Peter Meinke, Poet's Notebook, Jeanne, A Shropshire Lad, Honor Roll, Old Friends, Gertrud Detweiler

Why books matter

Think of them as exercise equipment for the imagination.

• by Scott Harrell
• Tags: Life As We Blow It, Books, Life as we blow it, Scott Harrell, Reading, Kids, Literacy, Mental Exercise

From tween to teen: The century turns 13

Here's to the 21st's onset of adolescence.

• by Julie Garisto
• Tags: Commentary, Opinion, tween, teen, century, 2013, round-up, Julie Garisto

Editor’s Note: In praise of bookstores

The reports of the death of indie bookstores have been greatly exaggerated.

• by David Warner
• Tags: Editor's Note, Editor's Note, David Warner, Bookstores, Inkwood Books, Oxford Exhange, Shanna Gillette, Carla Jimenez, Leslie Reiner, Blake Casper, Allison Powell, Reading

Politics 2013: Will Crist ride again?

And other stories we'll be following in the new year.

• by Mitch Perry

Rockers lost, DJs found

The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars traces four decades of rock star casualties. Plus: Groove Music explores hip-hop DJs.

• by William McKeen and Infinite Skillz
• Tags: Features, The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars, William McKeen, Books, Chicago Review Press, Jeffrey Simmonds, Kurt Cobain, Buddy Holly, Mama Cass, Groove Music: The Art And Culture Of The Hip Hop DJ, Mark Katz, Infinite Skillz, Music

This week in Tampa Bay area live music: Rockapella, End of the World parties galore, New Granada's Xmas Night Extravaganza & more

Concerts, Dec. 20-26

• by Leilani Polk
• Tags: Upcoming Concerts, rockapella, new granada, brokenmold, wolf-face, sick puppies, iamdynamite, Run DMT, greenhouse lounge, wynonna, wynonna judd, R5, The Woolly Bushmen

Live & Local Spotlight/Album Review: Rebekah Pulley & The Reluctant Prophets

• by Leilani Polk
• Tags: Record Reviews, Rebekah Pulley & The Reluctant Prophets, Leilani Polk, Live & Local Spotlight, Tralala, Back to Boogaloo, Concert, Music

Weeki Wachee: Fins du monde

Three decades of photography shine a light on the Florida attraction’s aquatic icons.

• by Julie Garisto
• Tags: Book Review, Weeki Wachee Mermaids: Thirty Years of Underwater Photography, Julie Garisto, Books, Lu Vickers, Bonnie Georgiadis, Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids: A History of One of Florida’s Oldest Roadside Attractions, Toni Frisell, University of Florida Press, The Books Issue, Weeki Wachee Springs

Raised in the sun

Tom Petty, Zora Neale Hurston and others share childhood stories of the Sunshine State.

• by Arielle Stevenson
• Tags: Book Review, Homegrown in Florida, Arielle Stevenson, William McKeen, Tom petty, Elvis Presley, Gainesville, Wayne Garcia, Stories, Michael Connelly, Craig Pittman, Carl Hiaasen, Bill Maxwell, Zora Neale Hurston

Stay glassy, Tampa Bay

A new show at Mindy Solomon Gallery highlights the work of emerging artists the de la Torre brothers.

• by Megan Voeller
• Tags: Visual Art, Home for the Holidays: Einar and Jamex de la Torre, Megan Voeller, Visual Art, Einar de la Torre, Mindy Solomon Gallery, Glass, Jamex, Animaluchador

Holiday spirits rise in A Christmas Carol

freeFall’s revival finds the chill as well as the warmth in Dickens’ classic ghost story.

• by Mark E. Leib
• Tags: Theater, A Christmas Carol: A New Musical, freeFall Theatre, Mark E. Leib, Eric Davis, Kelly Pekar, Steven Patterson, Heather Baird, Michael Shenefelt, Morgan Myers, Keith Ferguson, Bruce Greer, Charles Dickens, freeFall Theatre Company

A theater critic's wish list

Ten plays I’d love to see produced in Tampa Bay someday — maybe even in 2013?

• by Mark E. Leib
• Tags: Theater, Theater, Mark E. Leib, Mark Leib, wish, list, 2013, theater, Tampa Bay

Where to ring in New Year's Eve 2013

Greet Lucky '13 at one of these events.

• by Julie Garisto
• Tags: A&E Events, Arts & Entertainment, Events, Drink, new year, 2013, Tampa, St. Pete, Tampa Bay, events, parties, new year's eve, ring in, julie garisto

Resolutions for a better art scene

Encouraged by developments over the past year, CL’s art critic wants to see more in ’13.

• by Megan Voeller
• Tags: Visual Art, Visual Arts, Megan Voeller, 2013, resolutions, art scene, Tampa Bay

Stick it to ya

Hot chocolate on a stick makes for a sweet last-minute holiday treat.

• by Katie Machol
• Tags: Recipes, Hot Chocolate on a stick, Christmas gift ideas, Desserts

Bent on local lore

St. Petersburg’s Museum of History toasts 90 years with a speakeasy and plenty of Florida rum.

• by Kelly Steele
• Tags: Drinks, St. Petersburg Museum of History, Speakeasy, Florida Caribbean Distillers

To our bodies’ good

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ Cross Creek Cookery remains funny and relevant 70 years after publication.

• by Arielle Stevenson
• Tags: Book Review, MAJORIE KINNAN RAWLINGS, Cross Creek Cookery, The Yearling, George A. Smathers Library, Cross Creek, Florida history, Cookbooks, Florida cookbooks, authentic florida cooking

Hot or not?

Cassis American Brasserie is a beautiful but inconsistent player on St. Pete’s Beach Drive.

• by Jon Palmer Claridge
• Tags: Restaurant Reviews, Cassis American Brasserie, Jon Palmer Claridge, Downtown Tampa cuisine

Armani's is high above it all

The food is as wonderful as the views at this top-of-the-line Tampa gem.

• by Jon Palmer Claridge
• Tags: Restaurant Reviews, Armani's Restaurant, Italian food, Antipasto misto, tiramisu, gelato, jon palmer claridge, tampa cuisine, creative loafing tampa, Armani's

Oh, you Brut

Mark Twain said too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.

• by Paul Abercrombie
• Tags: Wine List, New Year's Champagne, Champagne, Heidsieck Monopole, Mumm Cuvee Napa, Laurent-Perrier Brut, Dom Perignon, Taittinger’s Comtes de Champagne, Domaine Carneros Brut Cuvee

Classier than hooch alone

Sparkling wine and beer-based cocktails for all of your New Year’s needs.

• by Katie Machol
• Tags: Drinks, Champagne cocktails, beer cocktails, katie machol, new year's eve drinks, creative loafing tampa, bubbly, elderflower liquer, mojitos, Total Wine and More

Happy Brew Year

New Year’s Eve isn’t just for Champagne anymore.

• by Sean Nordquist
• Tags: Beer Review, champagne alternatives, champagne-like beers, sean nordquist, samuel adams utopias, saint somewhere lectio divina, Bosteels Brewery’s DeuS, Brett Saison Extreme, Saint Somewhere Brewing Company

More of the same movies in '13

I have seen the future, and it looks a lot like 2012 (with a few exceptions).

• by Joe Bardi
• Tags: Features, Movies

Tom Cruise, tough guy

Jack Reacher is a satisfying dose of visceral entertainment.

• by Anthony Salveggi
• Tags: Reviews, Jack Reacher, Anthony Salveggi, Movie Review, Christopher McQuarrie, Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Jai Courtney, David Oyelowo, Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog, The Way of the Gun

Django Unchained is killer

Forget the controversy, Quentin Tarantino’s Western/Blacksploitation hydrid is a blast.

• by Joe Bardi
• Tags: Reviews, Django Unchained, Joe Bardi, Movie Review, Quentin Tarantino, Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Blacksploitation, Newtown, Violence, Inglourious basterds

Parental Guidance not advised

Billy Crystal deserves a time out.

• by Anthony Salveggi
• Tags: Reviews, Parental Guidance, Billy Crystal

Nobody beats Les Miz

Tom Hooper’s Les Misérables is a glorious, tear-jerking success.

• by Anthony Salveggi
• Tags: Reviews, Les Misérables, Anthony Salveggi, Movie Reviews, Tom Hooper, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Eddie Redmayne, Anne Hathaway, Samantha Barks, Amanda Seyfried, Isabelle Allen, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter

Tampa Bay events help families in Newtown

As families in Newtown mourn the loss of life for loved ones, Tampa residents are coming together to help them heal.

• by Mina Abgoon
• Tags: Events, Newtown, Connecticut, help, fundraisers, support, Mina Abgoon

Two Big Mouths - A Retro Christmas

• by Two Big Mouths
• Tags: CL Radio

Two Big Mouths - A Retro Christmas

• by Two Big Mouths
• Tags: Two Big Mouths

Between the sheets: top 10 most provocative books of 2012

The best books on sex, sexuality, and gender out this year.

• by Shawn Alff
• Tags: Sex and Love, books, top 10, top ten, 2012, between the sheets, book, non-fiction, between the sheets, sexpert, Hanne Blank, Kayt Sukel, Eric Berkowitz, John A. Long, Larry Young, Brian Alexander, Cheryl Cohen Greene, Suzy Spencer, Aarathi Prasad, Faramerz Dabhoiwala, Nancy L. Cohen, Marty Klein