Creative Loafing suggests that it is just perceptions that are hurting Ybor City, and says that the neighborhood may be ready for a revival. Ybor City Chamber of Commerce president Tom Keating blames the media for Ybor City’s bad reputation (I added the links below). Keating says… Crime is down nearly 70 percent in Ybor, and [...]
Frank Garcia is Tampa! Paleontologist Frank Garcia wrote a song for his beloved hometown of Tampa, called “Corazon de Tampa.” Frank recently performed it live as part of Hispanic Heritage Day. Friend Fred Jacobsen grabbed a bunch of Garcia’s family photos, and with the song, he put together this great video. Take a look and a [...]
With the closing of Valencia Garden, I got to thinking about some of Tampa’s other long-time independents that have gone over the past 15 years or so. It helped that Jeff Houck put up some photos of these places over the years. I was fortunate enough to visit the following places, which no longer [...]
Between the decline in popularity of traditional so-called “terrestrial” radio stations, the abundant availability of music online, and changes in the public’s individual tastes, the recording industry as we know it is quickly becoming extinct. Understandably, many people within that industry – artists as well as executives – are very nervous while they wait to [...]
Reader Julie sent us a question… I am a 34 yr old, single girl with a dog. I am looking to move to Tampa from Sarasota and am wondering the best places to live. I have been thinking about Hyde Park, Channelside and Ybor City. Any suggestions? For fun, Ybor, Hyde Park, and Channelside each [...]
After roughly 10 years, The Ybor campus of HCC has finally reached the top of the long waiting list to start on their new student services building. The new student services building will be approximately 6,500 sq. feet and will contain four floors full of services for all of HCC’s students. The building will be [...]
This post is brought to you by the letter P. Of all the things Tampa residents have to moan about, worrying about how to spell 7th Avenue has to be one of the most ridiculous wastes of time and effort. 7th Ave Originally uploaded by princessangel Back in the 90’s, Ybor City historian Frank Lastra recommended using “La Setima” [...]
With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, the credited author of A Visit from St. Nicholas. ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all ‘cross the Bay Not a creature was stirring, not even a Ray; The beach pails were stacked in the Florida room, ‘Cause St. Nick is coming, or so we assume; The children in shorty pajamas were sleeping, While dreaming [...]
No one really knows how long chickens have been roaming Ybor City. I’d guess they have been there since the late 1800s, but I know I have seen them strutting around Ybor for the last 25 years or so, which makes the “Chickens of Ybor City” an older franchise than many of the businesses [...]
