Girls gone wild — Sarasota Style
In my After Hours column in today’s TICKET section in the Sarasota Herald Tribune — I offer my opinion on what one thing you must do tonight — if you want to have fun — check out the girls (and boys) gone wild members of the Lazy Fairy Improv group —
Girls Gone Wild -- a few members of the Lazy Fairy Improv
I also dish the dirt about the mousy martinis at Hyde Park; and I take a swipe at Sarah Palin.
You can read my column on page 7E in print; or click here: MC’s Must-Scene
So, long Creative Loafing … updated
Looks like the Sarasota Herald Tribune had a hankering for Creative Loafing’s ginormous (relatively speaking) database of online users.
Sarasota Herald Tribune Licenses Creative Loafing Sarasota Brand
I just read the paper — newspaper, Sarasota H-T and it says the licensing deal is for one year, and that CL ceases publication tomorrow. — That’s sad, it’s been around a long time.
I quit writing for Creative Loafing earlier this year — in May I think it was. Just never could get the editors to work with me on frequency of appearing in the paper. They only wanted a contribution once a month, and for a columnist, it just doesn’t work well in terms of building and connecting with an audience or for having any kind of groove going.
MC Coolidge in today’s St. Pete Times opinion pages!
Yippee!
Back in ’92, I remember working briefly as an intern at the Concord Monitor newspaper in New Hampshire and hearing about the St. Pete Times and the Poynter Institute back in my home state of Florida. The St. Pete Times was talked about almost as the holy grail for newspaper hounds like myself. And, now, a gazillion years later, I’m super happy to be appearing today in that paper’s opinion pages in the Pinellas edition of the paper.
You can read my guest column online at The Pen is Mightier than the Email, Tweet, and Text or in print if you live in the Pinellas County area.
It’s a big thrill, and an honor, to appear in my home state’s largest newspaper, which also happens to be one of the most respected print publications in the country.
If you read the column and are so inspired, you can post a comment and/or write a letter to the editor at http://www.sptimes.com/letters/ letting them know that you like (or dislike — though I hope not!) seeing a local writer from Sarasota in their pages. Who knows? — maybe someday they’ll be inspired to have a regular “weigh-in” in their pages from a Sarasota writer!
This column also appeared in yesterday’s Sarasota Herald Tribune op-ed pages — I’m always grateful to appear in my hometown paper — and of course, it would be a long-held dream come true to have a weekly print opinion column in those local pages — but until that happens, I’ve got to keep trying to land work in any and all print pubs!
Oh, well, got to run — headed downtown to find the St. Pete Times! 
MC’s bar-hopping Saturday night
Yes, I’m normally curled up in my PJs, snuggled up to the remote control on Saturday nights — watching murder and mayhem on 48 Hours Mystery … but after last Saturday’s Sarasota Holiday Parade down Main Street, I ventured out for a night on the town … checking out a few bars, listening to some music, flirting my way past the bouncers … .
You can read all about it in this week’s After Hours column in yesterday’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune TICKET, page 7E, or at the newspaper’s website at Drink Dine & Dance Post-Parade.
One of the places I stopped at was Owen’s Fish Camp in Burns Court — wicked cool! 
If you haven’t been, you’ve got to go! Good food, good vibe, and for all you men out there — gorgeous, female bartenders and servers!
20% off … 100% on … Beethoven’s Birthday Bash — Reality Readers Eligible for discount w/Sarasota Orchestra
Next Thursday, December 16th, the music of Beethoven will rock the hearts and heads of a very lucky audience at Holly Hall during a Chamber Concert featuring string quartet and wind quintet, with Jonathan Spivey. The Sarasota Orchestra folks must love Ludwig as much as I do because they’re celebrating the anniversary (240th!) of his birthday precisely on the date he was born.
It promises to be a relaxed soirée — wine tasting and complimentary hors d’oeuvres start at 4:30 p.m.; the concert follows at 5:30, and includes Quartet No. 10, Op. 74, Harp; Quintet for Piano and Winds Op. 16.
In the spirit of the season, readers of this blog can get a fabulous 20% discount from the Orchestra for this concert, just by using the code “mc20” – without the quotation marks and case sensitive – so don’t use caps! That’s a pretty sweet deal — with tickets only $24 to $30 in the first place, take off the 20% and you’re looking at 20-24 bucks to get you into one of the best birthday bashes this month. Go online to purchase or call 941.953.3434.
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know I’ve got a serious Jones for Beethoven. I think it’s because his music — hundreds of years old — still resonates so profoundly and so perfectly for our current times. I dare, in fact, I triple-dare anyone to listen to Beethoven and not come away feeling emboldened to LIVE not just live.
It really almost doesn’t matter which piece you’re listening to, Beethoven’s music is, yes, intellectually complex, but always emotionally visceral and very real; wringing the heart of any element of self-pity or sentimentality and leaving behind pure emotion.
Beethoven’s music courses through the body like the blood of life itself — filling body and soul with a deeply-felt awareness of the thundering possibilities of life. And whether 29, 45, or 90, we all need that kind soundtrack in our mind … inspiring us to believe, to become, to be more than we think possible.
If you can’t make this December infusion of Beethoven, mark your calendars/buy your tickets now for the March 2011 Masterworks Beethoven event — that will be a can’t miss … and believe me, I won’t!
Being here now … yoga with Gary Halperin — special offer for Reality Readers
When I got the green light from my doctor a few months ago to ease slowly back into exercise, taking classes with certified professional-level Kripalu Yoga teacher Gary Halperin in his beginner yoga class was the first thing I did — and am still doing … .
Boomerang demonstrates the Back-Sprawled, Paws Akimbo Cat Pose.
As a little gift for readers of this blog, throughout the rest of December, new visitors to any of Gary’s classes pay only $5 for the first class visit — if you mention MC Reality Online when you sign up or show up. This is a great way to try out yoga — especially with Gary who has a fantastic reputation in Sarasota; and it’s also a great way to give yourself a treat during the month of December, which can way too often feel way too harried and hurried.
Classes are normally $12 each, and he offers day and evening classes Monday mornings and Tuesday and Thursday nights — centrally located and easy to get to, at the corner of Tuttle and Ringling. You can contact Gary to sign up for a class, or visit www.feelbetternowyoga.com to learn more. Read more about Halperin in this magazine article — Being Here Now. In the classes I’ve been taking, there are men and women — all ages.
I’m way too often an all-work, no play/no relax kind of gal, but Gary’s classes are teaching me (despite the fact that I’m a slow learner), that I can make and take the time — in fact I deserve to do it — in my life to feel mentally more clear, emotionally more satisfied, psychologically more calm, and physically more comfortable. I find that by doing the simple yoga stretches and poses, combined with the act of just “being here now” in class and listening to my body and being aware of how it feels — has reaped rewards not just physically, but personally and professionally.
I have more energy, more clarity, and more energy throughout my work days in general, even on the days that I’m not taking his class. And more importantly — I’ve been sleeping dramatically better since I started the yoga earlier this fall.
But one of my favorite parts of the class is simply listening to the calm, focused, nonjudgmental “instruction” from Gary. In a way that’s almost uncanny, at the very moments in class where I feel most challenged or conflicted about being there (because I feel I should be working or doing something on my “to-do” list) or even when I’m just feeling insecure about how my body looks while holding some “let it all hang out” pose — Gary inevitably speaks to the class in a way that seems to address precisely what’s going on in my head. And he brings me back to what matters. Just being and accepting the “here” — right where I am at that moment — right now.
It’s a valuable lesson for the rest of my life outside of yoga.
Get your holiday groove on
My Sarasota Herald Tribune TICKET column today gives some fun outdoor stuff to do this weekend — starting with some very cool reggae at O’Leary’s tomorrow night. Might be brisk weather, but we can always generate some body heat by dancing!
You can read the column online here Get Your Holiday Groove On or by flipping to page 7E of today’s TICKET.
I LOVE this weather!!!
Reality Readers Help Provide 1,135 Meals for the Hungry!
Thank you all so much — to everyone who contributed to this year’s MC “Reality Readers” fundraising drive to help All Faiths Food Bank continue to fight hunger in our community and provide meals for people in need.
During November, Reality Readers donated $715 for this year’s drive — which means they provided the equivalent of 1,135 meals for hungry men, women, and children in our community.
All Faiths sent a note of thanks to me today for organizing the drive, but it’s you all who made the results happen — so the thanks go to you!
I know everyone is inundated with requests to help out this or that charitable or community cause — and I really appreciate the contributions you were able to make to my little drive, which is small in comparison to the big charities and big efforts that go on all over our community — small, but still very important — because every bit helps!
And because I really do believe that each and every act of kindness, no matter how small or big, goes out into the world and makes way for more acts of kindness.
Great way to start December.
Great Scott the Scalawag — let’s get to work … right after I blow a few mill on a party for myself
So Rick Scott “can’t wait to get to work” — his words on the night he was elected Governor in Florida. Remember his campaign promises — reduce spending, balance the budget, create 700,000 jobs?
But one of his first priorities is planning his inauguration celebration — and getting special interest groups to pony up $25,000 each for the perk of getting up and close and personal with the new Guv as he’s sworn into office. (more…)