Pelican Press — where Reality Chick started — Picks Up Press Awards

The Pelican Press —

— the weekly Sarasota newspaper that gave me my local start in column writing when the editors there began running my Reality Chick column back in 2006 — picked up four press association awards recently in statewide writing and editorial contests.

County reporter and all-round news hound Stan Zimmerman nabbed first place for an editorial he wrote in January 2009 criticizing Sarasota City commissioners for their decision to create a managed mooring field in Sarasota Bay — and we all know how well that decision went.

One of the judge’s raved about Zimmerman’s writing, describing it as “Hard-hitting editorial that takes on just about every power in town. Sure to make enemies but pulls no punches and urges specific action.”

I LOVE that! Sheesh. That’s high praise, and Zimmerman deserves it. He’s collected lots of awards prior to this, and has long been a favorite of mine.

JR Riley — the paper’s cartoonist — also won an award, as well as photographer Ric Miracle, and I think the paper won in an editorial content category, as well.

I MISS that paper! I loved writing for it — loved the readers (well, maybe not the ones who sent snail mail pictures of KKK activities or called my house to call me names). It was a great place to call home.

Kudos out to Stan Z., and the rest of the Pelican crew. Well done!

Talk to me, baby, tell me all about it

Got some burning issue about Sarasota that you’d like to talk about? Want to give the radio waves an earful with your (no naughty words) opinion on anything from the BP oil debacle to the restaurants going dark all over town to what you think will happen in local and statewide elections in a matter of months — or maybe you’ve got something to say about Sarasota cops driving drunk … allegedly?

Whatever’s got your knickers in a twist, call me up and talk to me, baby, tell me all about it — this coming Wednesday, June 30, from 9 to 10 a.m.

I’m going to be a guest on the final Between the Lines show with host Gary Olson, and his erstwhile co-host and now special guest, Francis Scheuer. Live, community radio — WSLR 96.5 LPFM — and we’re taking calls for the entire show — even if we’re not talking about something you’re into, call us up and tell us what you’d rather talk about.

Just call the studio at 355.4540 to share your thoughts or ask a question of me or Gary or Francis. I know one thing for sure — if we don’t know the answer, we’ll make one up, or at least I will.

You can tune in on the radio or listen in online by clicking here: WSLR Online access. If you can’t call in, and want to ask a question or make a statement about some issues that’s got your eyes rollin’, leave a blog post here before 10 p.m., on Tuesday night and if it’s not racy or crazy (or maybe even if it is), I’ll try to read them on air.

MC is SO not a Scenestress (not that there’s anything wrong with being one)

Okay, folks, I’ve had enough of the inquiries about whether or not I am the woman behind the anonymous “Scenestress” column that runs weekly in the Creative Loafing newspaper. She’s not even that anonymous, for crying out loud; the clever author-girl’s ID is well-known among the scenester circles of SRQ society. But still — for those of you who keep asking — it’s NOT ME!!

I am NOT a scenestress! — not that there’s anything wrong with being one … . 😉

photo courtesy of CL website

I finally realized I have to address the issue when I went to a first-time meeting with someone last week and for about the twentieth time in recent weeks, almost the first question out of the mouth was “So, you’re the Scenestress, aren’t you?!” I said no, but was not believed — and the person asked twice, skeptically, “Really?” I had to insist. (Even though it’s kind of hard to believe (though oddly flattering in a way) that anyone would think I had such an scha-winging nightlife and such a hipster personality … .)

So, enough insisting. Here’s the evidence to support my claim: (more…)

“Stand-In” Dads helped me make my life

The Sarasota Herald Tribune published one of my columns today — “Stand-In Fathers Show What Makes a “Real” Dad”

It’s on Page A18 of today’s paper, or you can read it online by clicking the hyperlinked text above.

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers — the biological ones as well as the ones who nurture young people whether they were their “real” Dads or not.

MC’s Guide to Showing Your Dad Some Love

Hey, I’m happy to report that the Sarasota Herald Tribune is running a piece I wrote on things to do for this coming Father’s Day. The story appeared in today’s paper in the TICKET section; page 6E if you’re an old-fashioned get-the-ink-on-your-hands kind of person. Click here Celebrating Dear Old Dad to read the story online.

Girls’ Night Out — Coolidge talks Camaraderie in today’s Sarasota Herald Tribune

When the working day is done, oh, girls, they wanna have fun … girls just wanna have fun.” — Cyndi Lauper

Photo courtesy of the Sarasota Herald Tribune website

The Sarasota Herald Tribune TICKET is running a piece I wrote about how girls can have fun in the Sarasota area — in and out of the bars. The piece is running in today’s paper, the TICKET section on page 4E — it’s the cover story, actually — whoo hoo!.

You can read the story here: From Bar Hopping to Kayaking, It’s All About Camaraderie.

If you like the story, or have any comments about additional things women can do together for an evening (or even a day) out on the town, either leave a comment on the H-T site, or come back here and comment.

Coincidentally, I’m actually going out tonight for a mini-kind-of-brief girls’ night out … just meeting up with a great girlfriend to chat over a glass of wine — however short it is, it still counts! Whoo Hoo, can’t wait for this workin’ day to be done.

Sarasota Sky Pilots Do It in the Air

When someone says they’re going to play golf, it conjures up images of lugging expensive clubs around, riding in a cart, and hitting a little white ball toward a hole in the ground on a neatly manicured green, doesn’t it?

But for many Sarasotans – men and women of all ages – “playing golf” means playing “disc golf”. And disc golf means showing up with little more than the shirt on your back, carrying a lightweight flying disc (e.g., a Frisbee®), walking an 18-hole “natural-landscape” course, then, using nothing more than a well-muscled arm, throwing that disc over hole lengths of up to 500+ feet and sinking it into a metal disc basket (called a “pole hole”) (more…)

Sarasota Police Chief Resigns UPDATED

Seriously. Sarasota Police Chief Peter Abbott has resigned. (more…)

“It’s not a spill” says Crawfish Monica!

I heard on the Louisiana Gumbo radio show tonight that Monica Spain — one-half of the mural-magicians that will be featured on Treme tonight — say “It’s not a spill!” She was referring to the travesty in the Gulf with BP’s oil disaster. She’s right — it’s not a spill. And as she astutely pointed out, “A spill is something we can clean up …” The effects of this disaster are so far-reaching and as yet unknowable — containment, much less a true “clean-up” is looking less and less like a viable option. (more…)

Ringling Grad & Local Artist(s) in the background tonight on HBO’s Treme

I found out that local artists and business owners (Bella Arte Studio) Monica Spain and Marco Bell (a Ringling College alumn) are going to have their mural work showing up in the background on tonight’s airing of HBO’s big new hit, Treme. (more…)