I woke up to find that it was 34 degrees outside. THIRTY FOUR DEGREES! To echo the thoughts of my son, if it’s going to get this cold, we should at least get some snow in return. My friends in other states are making fun of me for being a weather wimp - some of them are dealing with temps in the negative…but I have a theory.

My theory is that 34 degrees here feels a lot colder than say, 34 degrees in Colorado. It’s much damper here, and it makes it seem colder. I’ve been to Colorado in January and went outside in the snow without a jacket. I wouldn’t even think of going outside in this without something. Anyone else think it seems colder here?

Maybe my blood is just thin after 30 years here…

I probably shouldn’t tell you about my favorite place for lunch on a workday. Lord knows, Moxie’s Too is crowded enough as it is! Oops! I guess I did just tell you, huh? Well, since I already opened my big mouth, here’s the scoop.

Moxie’s Too! is located at the Benjamin Center, 5925 Benjamin Center Drive, Suite 115, Tampa, Florida 33634. If you work near the airport, or close to the Waters/Anderson interchange, you’re close enough to each lunch on your break at Moxie’s. You’ll find great food at good prices, and even better service to go along with it. Just don’t stand in line if you don’t know what you want, because they only want you up there if you’re ready!

I highly recommend the Wild Turkey

I’m in a contest, and I need your help! RealRock 101 (WJRR-FM) is sponsoring a contest with PayPerPost, where we were invited to share our most outrageous, exciting, or embarrassing concert experience! Watch my video and see what you think of our story about a VERY embarrassing incident at a Jimmy Buffett concert in Tampa.

The 3 videos with the highest # of views on YouTube will go to a finals round on the RealRock 101 website, and they’ll be voted on there.

Here we go - have a laugh on us!

I had the chance to visit Countryside Mall recently, and I got to thinking about all of the changes it’s seen over the past 30 years. I’m a child of the “mall era”, and I’ve been visiting Countryside Mall since I was a baby, which was just a year after the mall was built in 1975. It was one of a kind at the time, with two levels of indoor stores. Maas Brothers was the first store to open, on the south side of the mall, in the current Macy’s location. (First it was Maas Brothers, then Burdines, and now it’s Macy’s). Robinson’s opened opposite Maas Brothers in 1976, and that spot has also been occupied by Maison Blanche and is now a Dillard’s. Sears and JC Pennys have always been in their current locations.

I remember when the mall featured tan and brown tiles, and the ice skating rink in the center (aptly named, Centre Ice) was THE place to be seen on a weekend. I remember when there wasn’t a food court, but there WAS a McDonald’s downstairs. I remember when we didn’t have a Ruby Tuesday’s, but instead, a BrewMaster’s Steakhouse. I also remember the mall being redecorated in the late 80’s - the brown and tan tiles were replaced with pink and blue, and cloud murals were painted on the ceilings.

Now, Westfield owns Countryside Mall, and despite attempting to turn it into a “Westfield Shopping Town”, the residents of Clearwarer still call it Countryside Mall. And it still remains my favorite mall in the Tampa Bay area.

On Sunday January 21, 2007, you’ll be able to visit Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa for just $3 a person. Get up close with more than 1,800 animals, learn about endanged wildlife, or relax with the manatees all day long, for a heck of a price. The zoo will be open from 9:30am til 5pm. Be advised, it does get very crowded on $3 day, so go early!

Recently my husband and I went to a local pub/sports bar called Winners Grill for lunch. It was a game day, so it was crowded, but there were plenty of seats open, and we were seated as soon as we walked in. We got drinks, and ordered 3 simple things - a nacho appetizer, a burger, and a cheesesteak.

30 minutes later, we were still waiting, our drinks were empty (and we weren’t offered a refill), and tables around us were in need of being bussed. (Staring at someone else’s leftovers long after they’ve left the table is OH so appetizing!)

We asked our server what the hold up was, and she said the kitchen was backed up. We waited another 10 minutes, and then told her to cancel our order, as my husband was on his lunch break and only had an hour total to be out for lunch.

Now, here’s the goocher. Yes, all of the above upset me. But what REALLY gets to me is that when we got home, I went to the Winner’s Grill website and used their online comments form to let them know what had happened. That was 3 business days ago, and I still haven’t heard back from anyone. If I received a complaint from a customer, I’d be sure to respond to it as soon as possible, preferably, within 1 business day.

Bad business, all around.

It’s that time of year again - pirates will be invading Tampa Bay soon for Gasparilla!

The Gasparilla Children’s Parade will be held this Saturday, January 20, 2007, from 3:30pm til 6:30pm. It takes place along Bayshore Boulevard, following the same route as the Gasparilla Parade of the Pirates. It will begin at Bay to Bay Blvd. & Bayshore Blvd., proceed north along Bayshore, and end at Watrous/Orleans Aves. & Bayshore (approx. 1.4 miles). You can purchased reserved general admission seating in an assisgned bleacher section for $12 per person. The seating is first come first serve on the daye of the event, but you must have a ticket.

The history of Gasparilla:

The name and foundation of Tampa’s traditional Gasparilla Carnival come from legendary pirate Jose Gaspar, “last of the Buccaneers,” who terrorized the coastal waters of West Florida during the late 18th and early 19th century. Gaspar, given to calling himself “Gasparilla,” served as a lieutenant in the Royal Spanish Navy for five years until 1783 when, upon seizing command of a Spanish sloop-of-war, he with his fellow mutineers set sail for the Florida straits. And so the young Spanish aristocrat-turned-pirate began an adventurous life as outlaw of the sea.

If you’ve never been, the children’s parade is quite a bit tamer than the adult event, and it is alcohol free.

Come to the 2007 Florida RV Supershow at the Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 N. US Hwy. 301, Tampa, FL and see TrailManor the full sized travel trailer that tows like a pop-up and fits in your garage.

January 17th - 21st
Wednesday - Saturday: 9 am - 6 pm
Sunday: 9 am - 5 pm

Wednesday is seniors citizen’s day - $1 off admission

TrailManor travel trailers can be viewed at www.trailmanor.com if you can’t make it to the show!

This years Martin Luther King, Jr. parade in St. Petersburg is one of the biggest in the country. Parade officials estimate that spectators from from as far away as South Florida and Georgia, and attendance will be as high as 50,000.

The parade began at 1:15pm today at Third Avenue S. and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, and will be ending at Vinoy Park. The FAMU marching band will not appear this year due to a scheduling conflict.

It’s amazing to me that a city with so much racial unrest is able to put on such a spectacular event honoring Dr. King. What do you think?

Did you know Florida law allows sex offenders with a child to visit a school campus where their child attends? And in some cases, those visits are unsupervised, allowing the sex offender to roam freely? I didn’t, but I’m fired up about it now. Read my latest entry at The Florida Blog to find out more.

Ban Sex Offenders Who Are Parents From Coming To Florida Schools Petition