Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

I actually really love Tampa and Florida; I just abhor some of the things people do here to destroy what’s left of our natural resources and make us all look like a bunch of carpetbaggers (Jeb! Bush), swampwater yahoos (Rhonda Storms and Brian Blair), and bilious scalawags (Buddy Johnson).

But there are plenty of political opinions out there far more informed than mine, and I do want to start out on a positive note if it’s not too late. So I’ll tell you about a faboo new restaurant that has been open only eight weeks and is already on my list of favorite places to hang out, especially in North Tampa. The Toasted Pheasant dwells in a nondescript strip mall at 14445 North Dale Mabry, but what’s going on inside is truly special. The freshly prepared food is exceptional, the wine list interesting and affordable, and the service is friendly and unpretentious. You’re going to be hearing a lot more about this place soon. The Weekly Planet has already reviewed it and the owner told me the SP Times reviewer has also called a few times to ask questions, so get in there and enjoy before it’s mobbed by bored South Tampa yuppies slumming north of Kennedy. (Damn, I am acerbic, even when I’m being positive.)

Okay, now for my cranky side. Have you been to Apollo Beach lately? Developers have been busily building new ghettos down there. It looks like one big public housing project down there with miles and miles of cookie-cutter, cheesy faux Seaside-style buildings and ugly, sterile, bauhaus-looking condos, at least half of which are unfinished and even more of which sport for sale signs. And best of all, that glorious view of the pollution-spewing smokestacks of Big Bend power plant. Who would want to live there?

No, really, I’m asking. Do you live there? If so, why?

When it gets cold elsewhere, they show up in droves. They run over each other trying to get to the early bird specials. They clog up your thruways, going slow, and making random turns. You see them hanging out at all the hot places, driving down the coolness quotient.

Over 100 of them showed up at Big Bend on Thursday, and I can imagine that traffic… Oh wait a minute, they are talking about Manatees.

From Ruskin History guy, Fred Jacobsen

There will be two history meetings in Ruskin/SouthShore in Nov.

Nov. 13 from 11:30 to 1:30
At the SouthShore Regional Library

A (bring-your-own) brown bag lunch meeting is scheduled for all SouthShore / South County history groups and interested individuals to get together to discuss forming a region-wide history group. Every community in the region would be on the same footing. The goal is to find ways to share with one another and others what we may know individually about our own communities.

Nov. 14 from 11:30 to 1:30
At the Ruskin Branch Library

A brown bag lunch meeting is scheduled for families and individuals interested in the history of the Ruskin community. The goal is to encourage participation from the pioneer families, College era families, farming, cattle, fishing families and anyone moving into the area recently making Ruskin their home, work or place of recreation. Everyone is welcome to bring in photos, artifacts and stories to share with each other. The Ruskin Historical Society will have a video camera and scanner if anyone wants to add video comments or family photos to the website. The Ruskin Branch of the SunTrust bank has loaned the Ruskin Historical Society a safe, dry place to store any donated items. We hope to soon add a display case of Ruskin history in the SunTrust Bank lobby.

Find out more about Ruskin’s past at RuskinHistory.org

For years, it’s been rumored that Bob drives thru the local Mickey D’s and pays for his coffee with all pennies. What’s he gonna do without a job?

From TBO: After 30 Years At WFLA, Hite To Leave Anchor Desk.

I suppose this just gives him more time to hang out in Apollo Beach establishments, bragging about his boat, watering his grass on the wrong day, and practicing general surliness.

Or so we’ve been told. I doubt he does any of these things.

Oh wait.  Maybe that’s the wrong Bob Hite.  Here you can find out about Bob Hite (news anchor).   Woops.  Someone oughtta give him a wiki.   Here you go -  Bob Hite:

Bob has won seven Emmy awards for cinematography, videography, writing and editing, the “News Story of the Year” award, the Directors award and has been recognized as the foremost environmental reporter in the state by the Florida Coastal Management Conference. In fact, during his 28 years as a reporter in the Bay area, his environmental reporting has had an impact in excess of 20 billion dollars.

He is the guy most local TV watchers have turned to over the last couple decades to get their news, too.

Congratulations, Bob! And we hope you enjoy your retirement.