You’ve got to WATCH this video about First Watch restaurants

Disclaimer — I’ve never eaten at a First Watch restaurant in my life. AND, I’ve traditionally hated youtube just on general principle alone.

But I’ve seen a couple of things lately that make youtube less spooky to me. And one of those things is this very simple but inspiring video by local writer Amy Knapp of The gg Monologues.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uapsWe2nJE (more…)

MC Named Best Local Columnist by CL Readers — Third Year in a Row!

Jiminy Cricket! MC Reality readers — both print and on this blog — I can’t thank you all enough for voting for me in the Creative Loafing Best of the Suncoast 2009 contest. You pulled it off — et voilà — I’m now the Best Columnist on the Suncoast three years running (you guys voted me in, in 2007 and 2008)!!!

MC Coolidge Best Local Columnist!

Pets at Work — BIZ 941’s shout out to pets who help their owners get through a long work day!

Check out my famous cat on BIZ 941’s website.

Submit a pic of your own Sarasota area pet to BIZ 941 at the contact address listed at the above link … and your pet, too, can be as famous as Coco Chanel!

Keeping the faith … for others who might be losing theirs

Last night, Friday night. I finished work around 9 p.m., and drove to Publix to grab a sandwich and some coffee for the morning. I picked out my few groceries — cat food, coffee, a sandwich, and got in line to pay.

The man in front of me was all smiles, but the slightly nervous kind. He was simply, but neatly, dressed in flip flops, shorts and a tee shirt. The cashier rang his single item up. He swiped his card. It was denied. (more…)

Cloudy days for Sarasota’s sunshine

Well, I did it … I appeared again on the WEDU/PBS (Channel 3) political television program Florida This Week. Whew! I’m serious — it’s a major deal for me each time. I’ve only been on three times so far and of course, I’m trying to improve in both style and substance … but the girl has a long way to go.

Anyway, I griped about Sarasota government operating in the dark — as I’m wont to do. I think I say “the sun just isn’t shining in Sarasota government,” and um, I might say a little something about the local gov being “dysfunctional” at best. Um, yes, I know … I flunked “how to win friends and influence people” …

Try to ignore how I flubbed my answer on “the keys” — oh, good grief, I stumble around that answer like a fish out of water — key water that is.

Anyway, if you want to catch the show — just click here: MC on Florida This Week October 9. Look for the program that says October 10 (they got the date wrong there) and just hit play. You can fast forward to about 25:00 if you want to just hear me yakking about Sarasota.

Any comments, quips, queries, questions — post a blog comment here.

Big news story in Sarasota this week?

Hey — what do you think the burning issue is in Sarasota City/County this week? Sunshine shenanigans? The gazillion big-name locals who want to serve on the police advisory council? The fact that Abbott still hasn’t been kicked to the curb by Bartolotta (and why is that, do you think?)? Or is it the Martina Navratilova love triangle story (with money playing the third wheel). Or something else?

I’m looking for a “big story this week in Sarasota” hot topic for my Florida This Week television appearance tomorrow and thought my readers might want to weigh in … . So, if you have an idea or just want to give me food for thought — post something here by midnight tonight!

Yup– WEDU/PBS (Channel 3) has invited me back on to the political roundtable television show — Florida This Week. I’ll be taping the show up at the WEDU station tomorrow afternoon and then it airs on Friday night (October 9) at 8:30 p.m., and again on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

The other guests panelists tomorrow night will be Scott Farrell, Host, The Farrell Files; Linda Saul-Sena (D), Tampa City Council; David Hurley (R) State Leadership Chairman, NFIB. And, um, me — cat-lover/cougar-debunker/writer-for-hire!

Treat yourself like you’re the cat’s meow … and the rest of the world will too

I admit it … I have three too many cats. But I adore them. They were all rescue cats — first Einstein, then Coco (so named after Coco Chanel), and most recently, Boomerang. (more…)

Roller Derby babes … hot … but not bothered by misconception

If you haven’t seen Drew Barrymore’s new film, Whip It — check it out at a cinema near you … or read my article about the Darlins’ — southwest Florida’s roller derby babes.
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Dream sequence: Whizzing past you in a blur of female testosterone – a bevy of hard-bodied babes, wearing mouth guards and helmets, some tatted up and tough, some in fishnets and form-fitting boy shorts, and tiny tanks or tees knotted high, showing bare midriffs and belly button metal. (more…)

Cougar myths … debunked!

This column appeared in print in Creative Loafing newspaper 10/7/09.

The topic of cougarsome cuties chasing cuddly cradle-dwellers is about as tasty an intellectual morsel as dining at the Olive Garden is a gastronomic one. Whether or not women d’un certain âge have sex with younger men is a topic as culturally passé as older men using little blue pills to make it through the night. It’s done; it happens. Why all this talk today about something so yesterday?

MC tries (tries being the operative word) to strike a cou-girrrrrl-icious pose.

Cogito ergo sum?

For most of my life, I’ve agreed with Descartes — I think, therefore I am.

But what about Emerson and his theory about what constitutes a “great soul”? Such a soul, Emerson concluded, is one that has the strength to live truly, madly, deeply, not someone who merely possesses the strength to think. (more…)