Nephew of the Week: Keith Vanase
Originally from Connecticut, Keith now calls Tampa Bay his home. When he’s not out with his family and friends, you can find him working hard at Carne’s in GaYBOR.
You Just Can’t Make This Stuff Up!
On August 4, 1956, Elvis Presley performed at The Florida Armory in Tampa. This was the center for entertainment in Tampa, located on Howard Avenue. Elvis was staying at the Floridan Hotel in downtown. After the show he wanted to relax, so Elvis grabbed his guitar and went for a walk down Franklin Street. One block away he found “The Hub Liquor and Package Lounge” Bar. Elvis went inside played his guitar for the locals and he said they had a great time! In the 1990s, the church that owned the building did not renew the lease. In the middle of the night, a group picked up the unique horseshoe-shaped bar and moved it to Its current location at 719 N. Franklin St. Today the building is still empty. In one window there is a decal that says “The Hub.”
Bricks of Ybor Celebrates Four Years
14th Street was closed to traffic. People were setting up a large stage with lights and a huge sound system in the blocked road. This was the fourth anniversary celebration for all the friends of “Bricks of Ybor“, the hotspot on 7th Avenue for new, trendy food, sandwiches, assorted latte coffees, wines, and craft and imported beers. It was an special way to thank them for the eatery’s success.
Musical groups performing through the beautiful Florida night included Florida Night Heat, Gwan Massive, Monarch, and the featured band, Surfer Blood. A donation group at the block party entrance had staffers collecting for the Suzanne Ciani Brain Cancer Foundation.
Ybor City Wine Festival
Miss Jayme and staff members from Ybor City Wine Bar held one heck of a wine tasting event. Some of the area’s best “sommeliers” (masters of wine tasting) sipped and sampled over 30 different offerings from wineries around the world.
To complement the wines, there was a full array of selected cheeses, hot meat cutting stations, and wonderful tapas served by Ybor City merchants. Portions of the proceeds from the Wine Fest will benefit Ybor City’s holiday celebrations.
Now that all the invitations have been mailed, many of you have been writing in and asking how you can help ensure the success and continuation of the party. There are two specific ways you can help this year:
Help build decorations: Your hosts are planning another spectacular party for you again this year. There are many decorations that have been designed to transform MOSI into our Dystopia! Your hosts will be busy on multiple weekends between now and the night of the party cutting, painting and assembling all the goodies. If you’re interested in volunteering to assist with the painting and assembly, you may sign up to do so by completing the volunteer form by going to allhallowsball.org/volunteer.
Help the night of the party: No costume? Then become a staff volunteer! Volunteers are needed the night of the party to help direct guests, ensure the stairways are kept clear, check tickets and assist with general crowd control. Shifts will be approximately 1.5 hours each. You will be provided with an official “All Hallows Masquerade Ball Volunteer” T-shirt which is yours to keep and wear the entire night of the party. Everyone will know that YOU helped out! If you think that you may enjoy helping in this capacity then go to allhallowsball.org/volunteer! Some of your hosts were volunteers at first! Please respond no later than October 15th. But why not do it right now?!?
