By Chris Steins and Josh Stephens, Planning Magazine, April 2008

Hot technologies like blogs, mashups, YouTube, Flickr, and social networking are among the most notable of new Internet technologies that are collectively known as Web 2.0. These technologies offer nearly limitless possibilities for entertainment, business, communication — and even city-building. And although planning's ultimate goals will always reside in the real world, planners are harnessing this new virtual world in a variety of innovative ways. Embodied by such high-profile sites as YouTube, MySpace, and Google, Web 2.0 envisions the Internet as a "participatory web" with applications that allow users to create and publish their own content. This means that planners can simultaneously craft and disseminate messages that were unthinkable or inaccessible even a few years ago, and others can often join a discussion in real time. Read more>>

By G. Scott Thomas, bizjournals.com, Apr. 14, 2008

College graduates and post-graduates are important to a city's economic vitality. The reason is as simple as their paychecks. A recent federal report proves the point. It shows that a worker holding a doctorate will earn 70 percent more, on average, than a colleague with a bachelor's degree and 215 percent more than someone who never progressed beyond high school. And the gap widens every year, increasing the importance of higher education and brainpower. Workers who don't keep pace are destined to pay the price. Cities with educated workforces have a brighter economic future. A new bizjournals study that ranks the brainpower levels of America's 100 largest metropolitan areas finds that Madison, Wis., leads the list. Read more>>

Some municipalities are looking at new and innovative approaches to raising the massive funding required to run and improve public transit systems. These new approaches all revolve around a central idea: tack on some extra fees or taxes to everyday activities like driving and shopping and use that money to pay for transit and other transportation projects. From road tolling to congestion pricing to increases in sales taxes, lawmakers are getting creative in their attempts to generate funding and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In California, a bill in the state assembly is seeking to create the option for Los Angeles County’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority to place a new fee before voters that would help fund the county’s public transportation system as well as programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Assemblymember Mike Feuer, a Los Angeles Democrat and author of Assembly Bill 2558, says voters are ready to pay the price their driving habits are costing the environment. Listen now>>

The Tampa Bay Technology Forum is seeking cool technology in the hottest sectors for Cool Tech 2008, to be held June 12 at the Tampa Convention Center. The event will be set up in tech zones representing Aerospace & Marine Technology, Consumer Technology (wireless, gaming, etc), Biotech & Medical Technology, Emerging Technology (nanotech, robotics, etc), Clean Technology and Information Technology. If you have cool tech, you don’t want to miss this unique opportunity to showcase it. Space is limited and exhibit applications are being accepted now through May 12. For more information and an exhibitor application, contact Lori Taylor, Director of Programs at ltaylor@tbtf.org or call 813-341-8283. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

Creativity starts with freedom to play
By David Hendricks
Music teacher, Hillsborough County

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." - Jack London

In 2004, Burr Settles—a 20-something indy rock musician and computer scientist—decided to hold himself accountable for writing more music. He recruited three friends, created a blog to track their progress, and set out to write 14 songs in February, the shortest month of the year. Four years later, their friendly competition has grown into an annual songwriting challenge for amateur and professional musicians and an active, user-driven online community. Now February Album Writing Month (FAWM.org) attracts more than 1,600 participants per year—with over 5,000 new songs written in 2008 alone.  

As a musician and music teacher I thought, "How could I not take this challenge?"  This year, in addition to writing songs myself, I decided to challenge my 4th and 5th grade music students to see how many songs they could write. Songwriting from 11 and 12 year olds? Absolutely. As Hugh McLeod has said on his blog, Gaping Void, “Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with books on algebra, etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the creative bug is just a wee voice telling you, ‘I'd like my crayons back, please.’”  

How much better would we be if we are allowed to be creative before the wee voice needs to assert itself years later?  With so much of today’s curriculum being standardized, children aren’t forced to be creative. The phrase “thinking outside of the box” has been so overused it’s become a box itself. As a music teacher, I find myself uniquely positioned to guide students to let their wee voice out. Some of the greatest scientists in our history were musicians. Is it any surprise that Albert Einstein played the violin, as did Thomas Jefferson?

Luckily for us, there are teachers who are inspiring, motivating and creative, always finding fresh ways to teach. Without them, my songwriting project wouldn't have been quite as successful. I'm finding that my students write better than they ever have. They are writing with detail and action. Their words flow, and they are excited about writing. I fully intended to talk to them about the process of creating melody and accompaniment, but they came to me with their ideas already formulated. I'm starting to see my whole role in the process as not taking their crayons away.

With the budget crises in Florida, I'm afraid of what will happen to arts, music, and drama in the schools. Hopefully our legislators will see the value in doing things that spark the mind. There will always be things like FAWM, where people band together to be creative for no other reason than their wee voice telling them to. There will always be a new Thomas Edison, Picasso, or Beethoven in spite of what happens to arts in the schools. But how many more could there be if their crayons are never taken away?

How Affordable is that Subdivision, Really?
By Alex Steffen, Worldchanging.com, Apr. 14, 2008

How much of your monthly budget you pay for transportation is largely influenced by where you live. Live in a compact community, and your mere choice of residence vaporizes trips, because the things you need are close-by, and we all know that the most sustainable form of transportation is not having to go anywhere in the first place. But should you have to travel some distance, you're more likely to be able to car share or take transit (since density makes transit cost-effective). Live out in McMansion Land, though, are your choices are basically drive or spend hours and hours in inconvenient transit, if it can be found at all. So auto dependent are most new suburbs that they're hazardous to the health of the people who live there. Read more>>

Neighborliness, Innovation and Sustainability
By Alex Steffen, Worldchanging.com, Apr. 7, 2008

Two approaches have tended to define the debate about sustainable prosperity in recent years. The first is conscious consumption, which manifests at the shallow end as green shopping (even greenwashing) but can prove out at a deeper level as strategic consumption. The second is green technology, which is a topic that we tend to cover here in great depth, and which covers everything from energy to transportation, housing to product design. Sometimes that technology is trivial, sometimes it is profound. These approaches are complimentary, and both have a lot to offer as we try to negotiate our way to a bright green future. But there is a danger in thinking that all we have to do is design better substitutes for the products we already consume, and then convince people to buy them. Read more>>

Clean Air Fair 2008
Thurs., May 1, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

The Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County would like to extend an invitation for you to attend Clean Air Fair 2008. Join us to learn more about our environment and how to protect and enjoy Tampa Bay’s natural treasures. Exhibitors include Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa Bay Asthma Coalition, Sweetwater Organic Farms, HARTLine, TECO, Croc Adventures, Big Cat Rescue, Florida Yards and Neighborhoods and many more! Live entertainment, prize drawings and complementary ice cream top off the event! At the Poe Plaza, Downtown Tampa (Pedestrian mall located between Hyatt Regency and One Tampa City Center on Jackson @ Franklin Street). For additional information, please contact Barbara Motte at 813.627.2600 ext 1008. Visit the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County online at www.epchc.org.

Learning to love Tampa, critters and all
By Dan Feinman

Before I moved down to sunny Tampa from New York, I must admit I had some hope-filled notions of what life was like down here. The houses seemed beautiful and affordable. I couldn’t wait to have my own car and get off of the subway. But most importantly, on many of my visits to Tampa before my move, I noticed that there was a warm and wonderful feeling that passed between people as they interacted and went about their daily business.

As I watched folks greet each other with a “good morning”, and heard strangers chatting with each other as they passed on the street, I couldn’t help but envy the amicable pace of things around town. You see, where I come from, there really wasn’t much in the way of cordial exchanges. The people that inhabit the Big Apple always seemed so busy and pushy and unapproachable. Most times, in Manhattan, you are lucky if the doorman holds the door open long enough for you to sneak through it without getting hit in the shoulder. And as far as friendly banter is concerned, it just never happened.
So, here I am, three months in to my move to the Bay Area, and while I have found that my inclination about the people of Tampa was correct (as they are extremely friendly), there are some things—other things—that cannot be discovered until you live in a place for good.
Let me begin by commenting on the traffic situation.

Sure, it is great to finally have my own car, where I control the temperature and the tunes, but along with the pleasure of owning my own wheels comes the pain of sitting in traffic; and Tampa sure does have a ton of it. It seems as though the infrastructure and roadways just weren’t built to handle the volume of cars that are driven in the Bay Area. Like most folks, at first, all I did was complain about it…until I was offered a job at the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office.

“What will I be doing here?” I asked my interviewer.
“Eminent domain,” he replied.
“Eminent domain… You mean that area of constitutional law that allows the government to take landowners property for the public good?”
“Yes, mostly what we do is take property so that we can increase the size and quality of the roadways here in Tampa.”
“Sign me up!”

And so I began my career here, working for the government in order to improve the quality of life of everyone on the road. And while this may sound very noble and altruistic, it is and it isn’t… I believe in the cause, but I also need a paycheck because my wife and I just bought a new house.
Actually, to say it is a new house is stretching the truth. While it is a new house for us, it is really an old house—a very old house. It was built around the time the United States was fighting with Germany (the first time). Still, it is a great little bungalow in a great little area, but there are other great little things about it that nobody warned us about. Great little things we could never have known about until we moved in…namely, critters. So far we have seen countless squirrels climbing around on our roof trying to get into our attic, giant toads that hop around our yard and, of course, a friendly black snake that lives beneath our porch. There are also wasps that have made their home in our mailbox, mosquitoes that use our pool as their reproductive playground, and about a million little lizards that scamper around on the lawn and walls. Don’t get me wrong—I like nature, just not at my house. Regardless, the joys and responsibilities of owning our first home have been very rewarding for us, and it is something we could never have afforded at this point in our lives if we had stayed in New York.

I don’t mean to harp on the negative because there are some great things about Tampa that I have come across, things that could not be seen when I was on the outside looking in. One of my favorite things about this place so far is the supermarkets. The freshness and cost of the fruits and vegetables down here is a wonderful thing. I know, I know, food prices are on the rise and the cost has been going up lately, but for me—someone who really never had the ability to go into a market and choose from ten different kinds of apples—I am in produce heaven. In New York, the supermarkets are dark and dingy, with very little selection, and exorbitantly high prices. Most people there don’t even keep food in their fridges; they just order take-out every night. My cupboard was always bare in my Manhattan apartment, and now it is stocked with colorful, cheap, and healthy food. I couldn’t be happier. And neither could the critters that rummage through my garbage every night.

CreativeTampaBay has assembled a sampling of some of the regions offerings for creative camps this summer. Scroll to the end to find a short list of camps offered around the state. Overviews of the offerings are provided; contact each provider for more details on dates, times, cost and age groups. From tots to teens, our local institutions, big and small, offer such a wide variety of fun that you’ll want to be a kid again! We’ll run this list once more next week. If you want to add a camp to the list, email information to dmanion02@aol.com. Have a creative summer!

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS >>

"Unhappy Hour" Wine Tasting
Tues., Apr. 22, 5:30 p.m.

St. Petersburg City Council Chair, James Bennett, will attend the annual "Unhappy Hour" held by the Business & Professional Women/St. Petersburg-Pinellas (BPW) on Tuesday, April 22, 2008, for Equal Pay Day to present a proclamation from the City of St. Petersburg. Several members of the city council as well as other local elected officials are also scheduled to attend in support of the club's mission to raise awareness and promote legislation supporting pay equity at a local and national level. The public is invited to attend the event, which begins at 5:30 at the Rare Olive, 300 Central Avenue in St. Petersburg. Representatives from National Distributors will have a selection of wines from women-owned vineyards available for tasting and sale at the event. Rare Olive Owner, Becky Baxter, will donate 77 cents for every glass of these wines purchased during the event to the Red Purse Society, a BPW effort to fund pay equity research, education and legislation. Local restaurants Gratzzi and Banbu will provide hors d'oeuvres for the event as well. For more information about the event, call Kristin Guenthardt at 727-551-5225. For more on BPW/St. Petersburg-Pinellas, check the website at www.BPWStPetePinellas.org.

Tech Tuesday
Tues., Apr. 22, 5:30-8 p.m.

The first Tech Tuesday in January was a big hit! Over 250 people attended the event. Don’t miss your chance this month to connect and network with the technology folks in Tampa Bay. Enjoy 2-for-1 happy hour drink specials, an assortment of complimentary appetizers, and unlimited networking time with all the movers and shakers in the local tech community. $10 for TBTF members; $15 for non-members. Green Iguana, 1200 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa. For details and registration, click here.

Annual Local Business Growth Forum
Wed., Apr. 23, 7:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.

Agenda: 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Sign-in and Networking Breakfast; 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Kickoff - Opening Remarks Larry Richey - Senior Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield Chair, 2008 Committee of One Hundred MaryEllen Elia - Superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools; 8:30 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA)
Bob Clifford - FDOT District 7 Intermodal Systems Manager: A Master Transportation Plan for our Community/ 9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Macro Trends in Florida's Health Care Coverage Sidney Morgan - Market President, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida: The Changing Face of Healthcare Options for Business; 10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Controlling Business Expenses in Today's Economic Times, Dana Ludwig - Vice President, Brown & Brown of Florida, Inc. Business Insurance Rates - Trends and Impacts of Recent Legislation; 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Closing Remarks Eric J. Smith - Commissioner of Education, FL Department of Education Partnering between the Local School District and Community Businesses - The Importance of Florida Ready to Work. Maestro's at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N WC MacInnes Place, Tampa, FL 33602. For more information, click here.

Rwandan Human Rights Leader Gasana Mutesi
Wednesday, April 23 – 7:00PM;  FREE

Gasana Mutesi, President of Amani Africa, a not for profit center for orphans and street children in Rwanda, speaks at the Studio@620 on the challenges her country still faces and the hope that she and many other Rwandans have for the future.  www.thestudioat620.com

Clip Film Series: The World Unseen
Wed., Apr. 23, 7:30 p.m.

The Clip Film Series is proud to announce the selection of The World Unseen as its April Film Series Film. The World Unseen will screen on Wednesday, April 23, 2008, at the Muvico Baywalk Theatres in St Petersburg, FL. One dollar from all April film series ticket sales will be donated to our Community Partner for this screening, the Sonia Plotnick Womyn’s Health Fund (www.sphf.org/). In 1950’s South Africa, apartheid is just beginning. Free-spirited Amina (Sheetal Sheth) has broken all the rules of her own conventional Indian community, and the new apartheid-led government, by running a café with Jacob, her ‘coloured business partner. When she meets Miriam (Lisa Ray), a young traditional wife and mother, their unexpected attraction pushes Miriam to question the rules that bind her. Tickets for all screenings are $9.00 for adults, and $7.00 for students, and may be purchased in advance for will-call pickup at our new site, www.cliptampabay.com. For additional information call the Friends of the Festival offices at 813-879-4220.

Workplace Wellness Celebration
Thurs., Apr. 24, 8 a.m.

Dawna Stone, Founder and Publisher of Her Sports + Fitness magazine, will be the keynote speaker at the Workplace Wellness Celebration. Dawna left her fast-track corporate career in 2003 to found Her Sports + Fitness, a magazine devoted to encouraging activity and healthy choices to readers nationwide. At the Workplace Wellness Celebration, she will share simple changes you can make to improve your health and leap into healthy living today. Come and learn ways to make wellness a part of your workplace. Learn how other organizations (big and small) became wellness champions. Meet the media. Enjoy a complimentary breakfast. The event is free, but an RSVP is required. RSVP to Nicole_Beaudoin@doh.state.fl.us or 727-820-4114. The event takes place at the Courtside Grill (Carillion Business District), 110 Fountain Parkway North, St. Petersburg, FL 33716. For all other questions, contact Megan Carmichael at Megan_Carmichael@doh.state.fl.us.

Executive Briefing: A Guide To Strategy, Planning & Execution
Thurs., Apr. 24, 8-10 a.m.

Learn how to transform your organization into one that consistently executes your plan, achieves your vision, and continually improves year after year by improving your strategy, planning, execution, accountability and leadership. This is not a networking event; this is a free interactive breakfast discussion for CEOs and Executive Management. At the The Centre Club, 123 Westshore Blvd., 8th Floor, Tampa. Click here for more information.

Branding: It’s Not Just for Cattle
Thurs., Apr. 24, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

In an economic downturn, the arts can be a resilient influence on the economy. To aid arts organizations in their own investment for growth, Pinellas County Cultural Affairs invites local organizations to attend the National Arts Marketing Project workshop, Branding: It’s Not Just for Cattle, led by nationally known marketing strategist Julie Peeler. Peeler is vice president of the Arts & Business Programs for Americans for the Arts and has nearly two decades of experience developing growth plans for Fortune 500 companies and world-leading brands in both the for-profit and nonprofit arenas. Branding: It’s Not Just for Cattle is a workshop designed especially for arts and cultural administrators, executives, marketing, sales and development staff. The workshop will be held Thursday, April 24 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The fee is $20 per person and takes place at the EpiCenter, 13805 58th St. N., Room #2-243, Largo (off Ulmerton Road in the ICOT Center). Directions and a map can be found on the Cultural Affairs website www.pinellasarts.org. For registration information, contact Pinellas County Cultural Affairs at (727) 453-7860.

Buzz Marketing: Get People Talking About You
Thurs., Apr. 24, 1-4 p.m.

Pinellas County Cultural Affairs invites local organizations to attend the National Arts Marketing Project workshop, Buzz Marketing: Get People Talking About You, led by national media industry veteran Wendy Robbins, to be held on Thursday, April 24. In this practical, interactive workshop, the oldest and most effective form of advertising will be examined: Word of Mouth Marketing. Learn what “buzz marketing” is and the tangible strategies the world’s most respected and profitable companies implement to increase visibility and sales. Specific topics will include understanding how to use press releases, blogs, podcasting, viral marketing and new social media while maintaining the core values and credibility of your organization. This workshop follows the 9 a.m. to noon Branding: It’s Not Just for Cattle seminar, led by marketing strategist Julie Peeler. Each workshop fee is $20 per person. Registration fee discounts are available to those attending both workshops and to multiple staff members from the same organization. The workshops will be held at the EpiCenter, 13805 58th St. N., Room #2-243, Largo (off Ulmerton Road in the ICOT Center). For registration information, contact Pinellas County Cultural Affairs at (727) 453-7860.

Side Door Jazz: Impromptu
Thurs., Apr. 24, 7:30 p.m.

This music simply swings! Impromptu works primarily as a traditional Gypsy jazz quartet (i.e. two guitars, violin and bass) and is deeply rooted in the musical influence of Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. $20. For more information, go to www.mypalladium.org.

Grand Opening: The Creative Native Gallery
Fri., Apr. 25, 5-9 p.m. & Sat., Apr. 26, 12-5 p.m.

You're invited to a Grand Opening & Artists' Reception for The Creative Native Gallery in NW Brandon! Friday, April 25th, 5-9 and Saturday, April 26, 12-5. Catch your breath in awe as you meander through rooms of wonderful, whimsical, hand-built ceramics by sculptor Pam Moody, http://www.outoftheblueceramics.com. Breathtaking photography, glasswork, paintings, and metal sculptures are but a few of the treasures on display by multi-talented artist, Sherrie St. James-Bastien http://www.sherriestjames.com. Ponder the amazing, dazzling, profound, abstract paintings of Teri Lyon http://www.artbyterilyon.net. We are eclectic, whimsical, visual sugar to the senses… a must-see! For more information, click here. http://tampa.craigslist.org/eve/603617412.html

Second Annual MFA Graduation Celebration
Apr. 25-May 24
Opening reception Fri., Apr. 25, 7-9 p.m.

The USF Contemporary Art Museum will host an exhibition featuring Master’s theses work by MFA Candidates in the School of Art and Art History. This exhibition will give the graduating students an opportunity to have their theses work viewed by the public, as well as University faculty and colleagues, in a professional environment. For more information, go to www.usfcam.usf.edu.

Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca
Fri., Apr. 25, 7:30 p.m.

Glorious, luscious music and a thrilling, unexpected storyline have made Puccini’s Tosca a favorite ever since its first performance 100 years ago. The most famous tenors and sopranos in contemporary opera history coveted the principal roles for the breathtaking arias and challenging acting that bring to life the high drama of love torn apart by intrigue and jealousy. In the story, Floria Tosca, a famous prima donna, must give herself to treacherous police chief Scarpia to save her lover from execution. But Scarpia double-crosses Tosca in a shocking ending that will make you gasp with horror! Maestro Anton Coppola conducts an international cast, as well as the Opera Tampa Orchestra and Chorus. At the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Carol Morsani Hall. For more information, go to www.operatampa.com.

Shelved: An installation of Small-Scale Sculpture
Apr. 25-May 23
Opening reception Fri. Apr. 25, 7-10 p.m.

Tampa artist collective [5]art presents Shelved : An installation of Small-Scale Sculpture. In keeping with their mission of engaging both artists and audience in new and different ways, [5]art asked artists to submit sculpture but limited the dimensions to ten inches or less. This exhibition will feature works by Bradley Arthur, Joe Griffith, Lauren Garber Lake, Laura Mendes, Atsushi Tameda, Tracy Midulla Reller, Jasmine Schurrer, Kurt Piazza, and Erica Ellis. [5]art will host this exhibition in their west Tampa gallery on the second floor of the West Tampa Center for the Arts. Gallery hours by appointment. [5]art artist collective, 1906 N. Armenia Ave, #211, Tampa, FL 33607, art.five@gmail.com, www.five-art.com.

Small & Minority Business Symposium
Sat., Apr. 26, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Mayor's African American Advisory Council (MAAAC), in conjunction with the City of Tampa, will host the 2008 Small & Minority Business Symposium on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at the Ybor Campus of Hillsborough Community College. The campus is located at 2001 14th Street in Historic Ybor City and the event is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Symposium is being held to bring together small and minority businesses seeking to increase business opportunities. The event will feature panel discussions and solution-based workshops on training, education, business skills development, and finance. The symposium is free and open to the public and includes a networking luncheon. To register or for more information, visit www.tampagov.net/MAAAC or contact Carla Jackson, Neighborhood & Community Relations, at (813) 274-8152 or via email at carla.jackson@tampagov.net.

The Children’s Board 20th Birthday Celebration
Sat., Apr. 26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

A birthday celebration will be held at the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County to commemorate 20 years of serving children and families. This fun-filled day for children, will be held on April 26th, from 10 am to 1 pm at the Children’s Board, 1002 East Palm Avenue, Ybor City, 33605. Activities include: moonwalking, face painting, balloons and arts and crafts. Free and open to the public. For more information, go to www.childrensboard.org.

9th Annual Wildlife and Western Visions Art Show
Sat., Apr. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sun., Apr. 27, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

The 9th Annual Wildlife & Western Visions Art Show will take place on April 26 and 27, 2008 at the headquarters of Raymond James Financial in St. Petersburg, Florida. Eighteen nationally-renowned artists will be present for the show, including popular Florida artists, members of the esteemed “Cowboy Artists of America,” and Native American jewelers. Original paintings, sculptures, fine Native American jewelry, and prints in a wide variety of price ranges will be on display and available for purchase. Tours of the Tom and Mary James/Raymond James Financial Art Collection will be available both days. Parking and admission to the show are free. The show will be open to the public on Saturday, April 26th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 27th, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Raymond James Financial Center, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida. For more information, go to www.raymondjames.com/art/art_show.htm.

John Waters at the Dalí Museum
Sat., Apr. 26, 7 p.m., followed by a Q&A book signing, 8:30-9:30 p.m.

VIP Party for Members at 9:30 (limit of two tickets per member). Purchase tickets on line or call 727 823 3767 Ext 3034, or email mmcgee@salvadordalimuseum.org. Members: $5 ( Limit of 2– Additional available at Public Rate of $25). General Public: $25. VIP Party: (includes lecture) $50 (Limit 2 per member). For more information, click here.

Sunset Cinema: The Princess Bride
Sat., Apr. 26, 8 p.m.

Bank of America presents Sunset Cinema, Tampa Theatre’s traveling outdoor picture show, a free family-friendly film series showing classics and current popular films. The films will be projected onto a giant inflatable screen in parks around Tampa Bay. The first two events are “The Princess Bride” on Saturday, April 26 at 8pm at River Tower Park in Sulphur Springs and “The Wizard of Oz” on Saturday, May 17 at 8:15pm at Cotanchobee Park on the river in Downtown Tampa. Gates open at 6pm. Two more movies and locations for October and November will be announced. Bring blankets, pillows, backrests, low-profile beach chairs and picnic baskets. Tampa Theatre will be selling Cinema Snacks (popcorn, soft drinks, bottled water, candy and Tampa Theatre merchandise (Frisbees and picnic blankets). Sales and concessions proceeds support Tampa Theatre’s artistic and educational programming. Alcoholic beverages, plastic tarps, and tables will not be permitted. Come early for pre-show entertainment featuring animated and live action short films from Tampa Theatre’s Let’s Make Movies Digital Filmmaking Summer Camp for young filmmakers and The Tampa Film Review, a monthly showcase for independent, locally produced short films. For more information, go to www.tampatheatre.org.

The 3rd Annual Taste of South Tampa
Sun., Apr. 27, 1-5 p.m.

You'll find great eats at the Taste of South Tampa. Enjoy food and beverage samples from your favorite South Tampa restaurants and relax by the fountain with live music by Rhythm Method. A portion of the funds raised will benefit the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, the Hillsborough Education Foundation, and a portion of the proceeds will be distributed back to the community through the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce's Michael J. Cruz Fund. Visit www.tasteofsouthtampa.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

E-Z Street Band In Concert
Sun., Apr. 27, 3 p.m.

The Carrollwood Cultural Center is proud to present E-Z- Street Band in concert on Sunday, April 27 at 3:00 p.m., a Country Western program performed by identical twin brothers Dennis and David Brayshaw. The E-Z Street repertoire includes standard jazz, rock’n roll, blues, country and show tunes. The art exhibit will feature Mark Pericot with his series of photography “Doors of the World” and the artists from the North Tampa Arts League. Exhibit opens at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $10 for members of the Friends of the Carrollwood Cultural Center and $15 for general admission, free for students. For more information visit the Center website at www.carrollwoodcenter.org.

Tampa Bay Children’s Chorus 19th Annual Spring Concert
Sun., Apr. 27, 4 p.m.

Join us for an exciting evening of music and fun. The Tampa Bay Children's Chorus is holding its 19th Annual Spring Concert at 4pm on Sunday April 27, 2008 at the Louis Lykes Fergeson Hall in the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Our special guest artist this year is Keith Hampton, renowned gospel composer and conductor. Tickets are $15.00 and can be purchased by calling the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center box office. You can find out more about the concert or the chorus in general by visiting www.tbcchorus.org. The Tampa Bay Children's Chorus provides outstanding musical education and enrichment for children grades 3-12 in the Tampa area. Interested singers are invited to audition for the 2008-2009 season beginning on April 28. Audition information is available on the website or can be scheduled by contacting the chorus manager at 813-977-5558

Who is a Downtowner? Results from the 1st-Ever Downtown Census
Wed., Apr. 30, 7:30-9 a.m.

Who is a downtowner? What are the demographics of a downtown worker? What do downtown residents like to do? Where does everyone shop? What do they like about downtown and what do they want to see changed? These are a few of the questions the Tampa Downtown Partnership looked to answer in its first ever Downtown Census. Now it’s time for the results to be revealed. The Tampa Downtown Partnership contracted with HCP & Associates, Inc., a local market research firm, to conduct the study. Mr. Patrick Hill, president, will present the findings and explain what the results mean. Mr. Hill will also share with the audience where downtown workers and residents are similar and how they differ. Who should attend? Developers, real estate professionals, bankers, retail owners, restaurant owners, corporate leaders, government officials and anyone who has an interest in understanding what a Downtowner thinks and does while in the urban core. St. Pete Times Forum - 401 Channelside Drive; $20.00 - TDP Member; $25.00 - Potential TDP Member; $160.00 - Corporate Table (8). Register online at: http://events.tampasdowntown.com/. For more information call 221-3686.

Radical Careering
Fri., May 2, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Tampa Bay Advertising Federation and the American Advertising Federation - Fourth District welcome Sally Hogshead, industry superstar and author of Radical Careering as a very special guest lunch speaker at the AAF - Fourth District Annual Conference in St. Petersburg at the St. Pete Hilton on May 2nd. Growing up with the last name Hogshead would give anyone an unconventional point of view. Today, after surviving years of harassment on the playground, Sally Hogshead is a speaker, author, and marketing expert, leading companies on all areas of branding and innovation. Sally's insights have been profiled by The New York Times, NBC, ABC, CBS and MSNBC. She's been described by the press as "intrepid" and an "advertising mastermind." She leads keynotes for companies such as Starbucks and Microsoft, as well as innovation seminars for as many as 4,000 participants. Location: St. Petersburg Hilton, 333 1st Street South, St. Petersburg. How Much: Members $35, non-members $45, corporate members $0. Walk-ins add $5 Major credit cards accepted. No-shows will be billed. RSVP by Tuesday, April 29. Call 813-879-8223 or click here.

Third Annual Community Building Luncheon
Fri., May 2, 12-1 p.m.

Please arrive early. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m. A La Carte Pavilion 4050 Dana Shores Dr., Tampa, FL 33634. To all our Table Captains: Please send your guest list as soon as possible to Rocky Cusseaux at rcusseaux@communitytampabay.org or Gerri Bradley at gbradley@communitytampabay.org. To all our donors, partners and friends: If you are not a Table Captain and would like to attend, please RSVP to Rocky Cusseaux at rcusseaux@communitytampabay.org or Gerri Bradley at gbradley@communitytampabay.org as soon as possible. Website: www.communitytampabay.org.

The Patel Conservatory presents the Orlando Ballet School in Rumpelstiltskin
Wed., May 7, 7 p.m.

Watch the lovely fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin come to life as danced by the Orlando Ballet, Orlando Ballet II and students from the Orlando Ballet School at the Patel Conservatory. Featuring original choreography by Peter Stark, the ballet shows how a young woman outsmarts the clever gnome Rumpelstiltskin, who has the magical ability to turn straw to gold. A great introduction to classical ballet, with dynamic dancing and spectacular sets and costumes. Tickets: $10-$20. For more information, go to www.tbpac.org. Free ballet classes for Grades Pre-K3 to 12 in May with the Orlando Ballet School at the Patel Conservatory. Call 813-222-1263 to R.S.V.P. or for more information.

22nd Annual Government Small Business Conference
May 7-8

The conference presents a unique opportunity to meet with buyers from federal, state and local government agencies as well as large corporations. $100 for both days if registration submitted by May 1. This event takes place at Dr. Blaise F. Alfano Conference & Banquet Center, 11606 N. McKinley Drive, Tampa. For more information and registration, visit www.tradeconference.coba.usf.edu.

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Special thanks to this week’s BUZZ volunteers:
Editor: Megan Voeller
Creative Contributors: Donna Manion and Deanne Roberts.
Design and Distribution: Sean Kelly