MacDill Happenings

If you want to get away from the Gasparilla crowd today, then head over to Ybor City for the Ybor City Fiesta Day.  The Fiesta starts at 10am at Centennial Park.  Admission is free, and food can be purchased at a reasonable cost.  Come out and taste the devil crab rolls, Cuban sandwiches and mojo!   There will be an arts marketplace, exhibits and multicultural entertainment from 10am to 6pm. If you like flan, then the  Flan Fest — with recipe contest and the infamous flan-eating competition — begins at 11 am at Centennial Park. Known as Tampa’s Latin Quarter for over a century, Ybor City is an exotic blend of aromas, flavors, sights and sounds. From the scent of roasting Cuban coffee early in the morning to the rhythms of Latin music late into the night, Ybor is a feast for the senses. There is plenty of parking in Ybor City and don’t forget about the TECO streetcars! In Ybor City you can choose from a variety of cuisine - Spanish, Cuban, Italian, Greek and French - just by strolling down La Setima, the main street of the Historic District. Share authentic tapas and a pitcher of Spanish sangria in a café atmosphere reminiscent of a Mediterranean village. Founded by Vicente Martinez-Ybor as a cigar-manufacturing center, Ybor City today is one of only two National Historic Landmark Districts in Florida. Red brick buildings, wrought iron balconies and narrow brick streets give it an old-world charm.

On Saturday and Sunday mornings, the Gasparilla Races take place along Bayshore Blvd.  So make sure you plan to not take Bayshore Blvd those mornings.  Your best bets are to take the Crosstown or take Kennedy Blvd so that you miss the traffic and crowds.  The Gasparilla Distance Classic 15K starts at 7:05am Saturday near downtown Tampa at Platt and Parker Streets with the race extending along Bayshore Boulevard and back and ending by the Tampa Convention Center. The Gasparilla 5k starts at 9:30am at Little Bayshore next to Publix Super Markets. On Sunday, the Gasparilla Marathon and Half Marathon start at 6 am at Platt and Parker streets. If you want to race, then you can sign up today at the Tampa Convention Center from 10am to 6pm during the Health and Fitness Expo or starting at 6am on Saturday at the Convention Center.  Register early to receive a Nike dri-fit t-shirt!  The The Expo is free and open to the public and in addition to Late Registration & Packet Pick-up, will offer the latest in running shoes and apparel, Nike’s Gait & Stride Analysis and Nike+ Experience, as well as the latest in medical breakthroughs and information to help you take charge of your health. Parking during the Expo as well as during the races is available at the Convention Center parking garage and many other nearby lots.

For an inexpensive night out, check out the MacDill AFB movie theater this weekend for some of the best and latest movies.  On Friday at 7pm and again on Saturday at 3pm, the action movie “Avatar” is playing. This movie is rated PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences/ warfare, sensuality, language, and smoking and has a run time of 150 minutes.  A reluctant hero embarks on an epic adventure, ultimately fighting to save the alien world he has learned to call home. Director James Cameron, first conceived the film 15 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not exist yet. Now, after four years of production, AVATAR, a live action film with a new generation of special effects, delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story. On Saturday at 7pm, the horror movie starring Ethan Hawke and William Dafoe, “Daybreakers” is playing. This movie is rated R for strong horror violence and language and has a run time of 138 minutes.  Edward Dalton is a researcher in the year 2019, in which an unknown plague has transformed the world’s population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a covert group of vampires makes a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race.  The admission special for February ends this weekend.  If you buy a child’s ticket, you receive half off an adult ticket.  The normal price for an adult ticket is $4 and a child’s ticket is $2 for ages 4-12.  

The 5th Annual Ruskin PetFest will take place on Saturday 27 February from 9am to 2pm.  Dr. Ott’s Off-Leash Dog Park will host this event. This a full off-leash event. Come out and see the pet fashion contest, children’s activities and musical entertainment. All proceeds from this event will benefit C.A.R.E., a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter in Ruskin. The Festival starts at 9am with food, music and vendors selling unique items for your pet. At 9:45am the open ceremony kicks everything off. There is a Pet Fashion Contest at 10:30am so make sure your pet is dressed for success! The Sillly Pet Tricks contest starts at 11:330am so start training your pet now. If you think your pet looks like you, then enter the Pet Owner Look-Alike contest at 12:30pm. The festival concludes at 2pm. Most of the animals that come to C.A.R.E. need just a few weeks of special care before they are ready for adoption to a good home. Others, who are older or sick or have suffered extreme trauma, become C.A.R.E. ambassadors and find a special home at C.A.R.E. for the rest of their lives. C.A.R.E. also offers a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in the hopes of deterring the homeless pet population. C.A.R.E. is restricted in having the ability to house and care for a limited number of animals awaiting adoption because of our relatively small size, our no-kill mission and our limited resources. We can currently house between 15-20 dogs (depending on sizes) and 25-35 cats. C.A.R.E. is an all volunteer organization and is funded totally by donations, adoption and sign up fees, fundraisers and small grants.

Get ready to the world famous Harlem Globetrotters at the St. Pete Times Forum at 7:00pm on Thursday 25 February.  This is great family entertainment!  Watch the Harlem Globetrotters and Washington Generals play to win, with the Globetrotters doing their signature style of show basketball that will entertain all ages. After the game, the players are scheduled to sign autographs in the arena for a minimum of 15 minutes after the final horn sounds. Founded in 1926 by Abe Saperstein, the Harlem Globetrotters played their first-ever road game on Jan. 7, 1927, in Hinckley, Ill.  It seems like the Globetrotters have won every game that they have played, but in fact the Globetrotters have lost 345 games over the course of eight-plus decades.  They have over 22,500 wins with the best winning percentage (.985) in the history of professional sports. If you want to make it a night, then there are plenty of dining options available near the Forum. Across the street from the Forum is the Hut both very popular before any event in the Forum.  Within walking distance from the Forum is Channelside. Channelside has a wide range of restaurants from Hooters to Stump’s and everything in between.  Parking is available next to the Forum at the Regional South Parking Garage and next to Channelside. Stop by the MacDill AFB ITT office to get your discount tickets. Gate price starts at $25, but at the ITT office tickets are $20.75 with no tax!

Stop by your favorite IHOP on 23 February to celebrate National Pancake Day! From 7am to 10pm, you can receive one free short stack, 3 buttermilk pancakes, for free. National Pancake Day dates back several centuries to when the English prepped for fasting during Lent. Strict rules prohibited the eating of all dairy products during Lent, so pancakes were made to use up the supply of eggs, milk, butter and other dairy products…hence the name Pancake Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday. You are asked to consider making a donation to support local children’s hospitals through the Children’s Miracle Network, or other local charities. Last year, IHOP raised more than $875,000 during National Pancake Day. This year’s goal is $1 million! There are 10 IHOP locations to choose from in the Tampa Bay area! Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals. More than 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind.  Help someone else out and help yourself to some pancakes!

If you are looking for something free to do on Monday’s, then head over to Sarasota and visit the Ringling Museum. Although it is not advertised on their website, the Ringling Museum has free admission on Monday’s. The John and Mable Ringling Museum was built with the fortune John Ringling earned with his brothers in the world famous circus empire. John Ringling became even wealthier through oil, railroad and real estate holdings. The Museum is partnered with Florida State University to produce educational seminars and programs. However, the free admission does not include Cà d’Zan and Circus Museum. When John Ringling bequeathed his art collection, mansion and estate to the State of Florida, his bequest included a requirement for free admission to the Museum of Art one day a week. Also, the grounds of the museum can be wandered for free any day of the week. The Museum of Art was built by John to house his personal collection of masterpieces, today features paintings and sculptures by the great Old Masters including Rubens, van Dyck, Velázquez, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, El Greco, Gainsborough and more. The Ca d’Zan Museum which means “House in John” in Venetian dialect is a palatial mansion with 56 rooms filled with art and original furnishings. The Ca d’Zan Museum is built in the style of Venetian Gothic architecture. The Circus Museums built after the death of John Ringling is a tribute to the American circus. The grounds and gardens are a beautiful part of the estate that can be enjoyed for free any day of the week. The Rose Garden, Mable’s Secret Garden, the Dwarf Garden, and the Millennium Tree Trail. Grounds are open from 9:30am to 6pm. The Museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Normal admission prices are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students 18 and older with an ID, children 6-17, Florida teachers with ID and active duty military. You can save yourself a lot of money by visiting the museum on Mondays!

Come out to USF today to experience the Engineering Expo! There is no admission charge! The Engineering EXPO is the USF College of Engineering’s Celebration of National Engineering Week. The goal of the Expo is to educate elementary, middle and high school age students on how math, science, engineering and technology affect our everyday lives. The EXPO will showcase exhibits from engineering student societies, organizations and local companies to illustrate the fun in engineering. If your child is interested in science or seeing how things work, then this is a great opportunity for them to learn something. See the robot demonstrations, laser light shows and more! Food, drinks and souvenirs can be purchased at the Expo. The Expo will take place at the Engineering Complex, University of South Florida Tampa Campus. The University of South Florida is one of the nation’s top 63 public research universities and one of 39 community-engaged, four-year public universities as designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. USF was awarded more than $360 million in research contracts and grants in fiscal year 2007/2008. The university offers 219 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. The university has a $1.8 billion annual budget, an annual economic impact of $3.2 billion, and serves more than 46,000 students on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland.

For an inexpensive night out this weekend, stop by the MacDill AFB movie theater. On Friday night, the romantic comedy, “Leap Year“, is playing at 7pm. This movie is rated PG for sensuality and language and has a run time of 97 minutes. When yet another anniversary passes by without a marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Anna decides to take action. Aware of an Irish tradition that allows women to pop the question on February 29th, Anna plans to follow her lover to Dublin and ask him to marry her. Fate has other plans, however, and Anna winds up on the other side of the Emerald Isle with a handsome, but surly, Irishman named Declan — who may just lead Anna down the road to true love. There is a Saturday matinee at 3pm with the “Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel“. This children’s movie is rated PG for some mild rude humor and has a run time of 88 minutes.  Now in the care of Dave Seville’s nephew, Alvin, Simon and Theodore take a break from pop-music stardom and return to school. Almost immediately, the tiny tunesmiths are given the giant task of saving their school’s music program by winning a battle of the band’s contest. Though the boys think winning the contest will be easy, romantic and musical sparks fly when they meet Brittany, Eleanor and Jeannette — also known as The Chipettes. On Saturday night, the teenage comedy, “Youth in Revolt” is playing at 7pm. This movie is rated R for sexual content, language and drug use and has a run time of 90 minutes. As a teenage fan of Albert Camus and Jean-Luc Godard, Nick Twisp is most definitely out of his element when his mother and her boyfriend move the family to a trailer park. When a pretty neighbor named Sheeni plays records by French crooners, it’s love at first sight for frustrated virgin Nick. Upon learning that Sheeni is already dating someone, Nick launches a hilarious quest to find his way into Sheeni’s heart, and bed. Admission is $4 for ages 12 and up and $2 for ages 4-11. A medium soft drink with free refills and a medium popcorn is $7.50.

The Tampa Bay Ray Fan Fest is 20 February at Tropicana Field in St. Pete.  Admission and parking is free! Autographs for kids 14 and under are free. Autographs for fans 15 and older will cost $20 with the donation going to the Haiti disaster relief efforts through the American Red Cross and Save the Children. There will be a kids interactive area with wiffle ball home run derby challenges, speed pitch machines, and batting cages. You can also tour the clubhouse! Or you can audition to sing the National Anthem before a regular season game! Baseball season is around the corner with the first spring game on 4 March.  Pitchers and catchers reporting into camp yesterday.  The first full workout is 24 February.  The Rays start out the season on the road against the Orioles. The major league schedule home opener is 6 April!  We did not make the playoffs last season, but it has been a good off-season.  With a couple of good trades and signing of free agents and some reported extra hard off-season conditioning by some key players who have a lot to prove, fans can look forward to a great season.  Making it to the World Series in 2008 has raised the expectations of fans.  Fans are not going to be satisfied with not making the playoffs.   The Rays have the players and the minor league system to be in contention for a long time!  More importantly, the owners and management know how to build a contender in a small market.