The Sex and the City movie came out today and it is already getting stellar reviews. We can't wait to see it. If you are anxiously awaiting the movie and want to participate in some SATC online fun, you can Explore Carries MacBook and unlock exclusive content and talk to all the ladies. Click Here to check it out.
The NY Times has posted a "partial list" of Barack Obama's Likes and Dislikes. No real surprises here, especially his dislike of mayonnaise...did we not learn anything from the movie Undercover Brother? DISLIKESLIKES
Planters Trail Mix: Nuts, Seeds & Raisins
Roasted almonds
Pistachios
Water
Dentyne Ice
Nicorette
MET-Rx chocolate roasted peanut protein bars
Vegetables, especially broccoli and spinach
Handmade milk chocolates from Fran’s Chocolates in Seattle
Mayonnaise
Salt and vinegar potato chips
Asparagus (“if no other vegetables are available, he’ll eat it”)
Soft drinks (he prefers water)
The MTV Movie Awards are this Sunday, June 1st, and the program is hosted by Mike Myers. The show starts LIVE at 8PM. Be on the lookout for stupid catagories like "Longest Kiss, Tightest Ass, and Most Expensive Weave. We just want to watch Myers and his comic genius.
Yes, we've seen you at Sushi Cafe or Koja Sushi trying desperately to eat your Ginger Salads and Tempura with chopsticks, unsuccessfully. Still hungry? If you have trouble using the Asian utensil, check out this video and practice. (You may need to know a little Japanese to fully understand the instruction).
Three of Bill Cosby's sweaters that he wore on The Cosby Show are going to be auctioned off from June 2-12 on eBay's Giving Works Charity Listing Arm to benefit Hello Friend, the charity set up in memory of his late son Ennis William Cosby. Click Here to check out the sweaters and to sign up for an e-mail to remind you when the bidding begins.
TGIF! Its almost the weekend and there are a few things worth mentioning that you may want to check out.
- Moonlight Movies at the Jacksonville Beach Seawalk Pavilion - Watch a free movie under the stars at the Seawalk Pavilion. The film starts promptly at 9PM tonight. Get there early for a good seat and be sure to bring a chair or towel to sit on. Tonights movie is Shrek.
"Shrek is a big ogre who lives alone in the woods, feared by all the people in the land of Duloc. When Lord Farquaad, the ruler of Duloc, exiles all the fairy-tale beings to the woods, Shrek loses his peaceful life. So, he sets out to find Lord Farquaad and convince him to take the fairy-tale beings back where they belong. Lord Farquaad accepts, under one condition. Shrek must first go and find the beautiful young princess Fiona, who will become Farquaad's bride. Therefore, the big Ogre begins his quest, along with his newfound faithful steed, Donkey, who will do anything but stop talking. They manage to rescue Princess Fiona, but once they begin their trek back, it starts to become apparent that not only does Shrek like Fiona, but also Fiona is keeping something secret."
- 2008 King of the Hill at the Murray Hill Theatre - Jacksonville’s Premier Battle of the Bands is back and better then ever!! Over the next 8 months 20 bands will via to become “King OF The Hill” Grand Prize winner will receive $500.00 cash + other amazing prizes. If your band is interested in signing up to join this year’s King Of The Hill please contact Tom at thehill@usa.net Bands must be in a 90 mile radius of Jacksonville to sign up for the event.
- Hooters Annual Bikini Contest at the Jacksonville Landing - The title says it all. The event starts at 9PM.
Tomorrow night, Friday, May 30th, from 4:30PM until 7PM the University Club houses "Cocktails for a Cause" hosted by David Valentine of Valentine Bonding and Insurance, Inc. and Susan Byrne Lee of MHA to support Mental Health America. "Cocktails for a Cause" is the Final Friday of each month from 4:30 - 7:00 pm and is sponsored by the Young Executive Society which features a Guest Bar Host." You don't have to be a member of the club to participate in this event and they are providing a cash bar and accept credit card payments."Come and enjoy $7.00 Mega Martini's and other Drink Specials along with complimentary hors d'oeuvres while filling a tip jar for a local charity.
We posted a video earlier in the week of the two teenage girls who stole money from a 9 year old Girl Scout speaking out on the news. That video footage was pretty funny, but pales in comparison to the raw video posted by Watercooler on YouTube recently. Please watch this entire video.....twice!
It looks like La Pequena has been brushin' up on her lip-syncing skills as you can see in this La Pequena Shania Twain video. Machine is also doing a fantastic job on lead guitar.....
We told you that Jacksonville's own Midget Mac along with 24 other contestants from the VH1's "Flavor of Love Series" (including I Love New York, Charm School, and Rock of Love), would be back in a new show called I Love Money premiering soon on the network. Here's a teaser clip from the upcoming show.
These are some bad, bad girls. This news report from Fort Worth, Florida is about poor little Gracie Smith, a 9 year old Girl Scout whos cookie money was stolen by two older girls. The two girls decided to brag to the news about their theft and have now been charged with a misdemeanor crime, and they are pissed. Even though the two girls' faces are blurred out, we swear that it has to be Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. Who doesn't love money?
We have to admit, we dont watch the FOX show So You Think You Can Dance, but we did happen to catch this guy on Ellen the other day and had to find some video to show you guys. This is Robert Muraine, a self-proclaimed "popper", from LA showing us some extra-terrestrial type moves. Amazing!
This Friday night, May 30th, R. Roberts Gallery and Let Them Eat Cake! (in the Shoppes of Avondale) are teaming up and staying open late to show the works of local artist Jonathan McDermott. “There’s a thin border between fine art and design,” says McDermott. “I use ordinary, everyday objects in unexpected ways. I depersonalize the things I find, that have already been designed, to make pleasing sculpture. "McDermott’s influences are clear—his work draws from modern and post-modern artists such as Johns, Basquiat, Rothko, Rauschenberg, and Warhol. Drawing on the beauty of the coastal United States, his experience in the military, and his background as a carpenter, however, McDermott’s style is uniquely his own. His paintings and sculptures range from purely aesthetic illustrations of the elements of design to representative abstractions of familiar forms and his sense of humor is undeniably present...." So stop by, grab a pastry and check out some awesome art!From cupcakes to color planes, Jonathan McDermott crafts art representing the intersection of raw, real life and visual aesthetic appeal. Born in Goshen, NY, McDermott resides in Riverside and calls upon unusual resources to create three-dimensional color planes and abstract architectural forms. His paintings and sculptures utilize locally-found objects, recycled materials, wood, paint, and metal.
Check out the video below from last weeks "Riverside Street Party" hosted by AJ's Riverside Cafe. Every Friday night, AJ's shuts down May Street and invites peeps to come down and enjoy music and "St. Louis Style Smoked Ribs"."If you're looking for something to do that is different, fun, and quite unique, then come and experience [AJ's] famous "Street Party". Bring the entire family. You all will enjoy great food and great music in a wonderful atmosphere."
Brandon sent us over this story about a local guy (John Deese) in St. Augustine who is selling containers filled with ghosts on his website Ghost in a Bottle. “Some people will open the bottle and say they don’t get results and it’s just a fun conversation piece. Others say, ‘There’s strange things happening in my house. Where're my car keys? Where's the remote to the TV?” Deese said to Local 6 News. “The ghost in the bottle is more toward Casper the Friendly Ghost than the Exorcist. We're kind of in the middle.” If you do happen to break or open your bottle with the ghost in it, here are some of the things you may experience (according to the website).Whether supernatural or just a spooky novelty, the ghosts in bottles come with a warning -- open at your own risk.
Though it's probably just a novelty, we don't want anything to do with this dark-sidedness (in the words of the God Warrior).
616 had a Tea Dance on Sunday and several celebrities were spotted at the event. First up we have George Kinghorn, Chief Curator at the MOCA....
And Finally, The Three Amigos....
(Thanks to Frank for the photos!)
Josh informs us that Tootie Greens, located at 3210 Roosevelt Boulevard (pictured below), is NOW HIRING on CraigsList for a "Cook/Oyster Shucker"."Partime $8.50 hr goota clean cook and shuck some oysters, all you can eat call me at 8385911 tootie greens rest. if you cant be on time dont waste mine"
What a great ad, and such wonderful use of the English language. We haven't had a staff meeting at Tootie Greens but a few of our staff members popped in when they first opened and said it was really "seedy".
Very chic and SUPER GAY "mens" clothing store Armor (3610 St. Johns Avenue in Avondale) will be closing its doors forever on May 31st. From now until that time, the shop will be having an awesome storewide sale with everything marked at least 50% off. Several of the Jacksonville Confidential staff dropped by this past Saturday and there was still plenty of merchandise left to pick through. Diesel, True Religion, Penguin, Modern Amusement, and much much more. Don't miss out on the great deals.
Staff member Amber checked out Mongo's Mongolian Barbecue (2 Independent Dr.) today for lunch and we have her review here...."Best $9.95 I ever spent! I piled chicken, shrimp, mahi-mahi, mushrooms, tomato, sun dried tomato, zucchini, squash, broccoli, onions, green peppers, sugar snap peas, snow peas, spinach, basil, Montreal seasoning, black pepper, and olive oil into a small bowl, brought it to large round grill where 3 guys took turns cooking each entree, before they plated it, they poured your desired sauce over the entree, mine was teriyaki, then the waitress brought over a bowl of rice, I had brown and my friend had white. The bowl was small but you fill it as full as you can, so the portion was huge. The veggies were very fresh and had a wide variety. They also had beef, squid, pasta, sprouts, water chestnuts, black beans, scallions, etc. so you could have a totally different dish every time. I will definitely go back! "
Oxygen’s hit show “The Bad Girls Club” is casting in NYC! The minimum age to apply for the show is 21. Click Here to check out all of the rules and to find out how to apply. Hurry, the deadline to apply is May 30th. We will be following our resident BAD GIRL Emily around with video cameras all weekend to get some great footage to send to the Oxygen Network. Help us as we strive to get her on the show."The Bad Girls Club brings seven self-proclaimed 'bad girls' together in a beautiful mansion. These women have issues with anger, trust and control and claim they want to change. Will living together help them move forward and turn their lives around or will chaos rule?"
Check out this hilarious video of loud mouthed Detroit Council woman Monica Conyers (wife of Congressman John Conyers) being featured on the news for her particular "style" of debate (i.e. she's a total dumb ass). Watch as Conyers calls the Detroit City Council President "Shrek" and then participates in a debate with school children over the incident. Total Class!
Here's an interesting concept - you want something, paint a picture of it, then sell the painting online for the amount of the item you want. For instance, lets say you want a bottle of Aspirin, paint a bottle of aspirin and sell it for, lets say, $9.99. There you go, once sold you can now buy your aspirin. Unfortunately, we did not come up with this brilliant idea, Christine and Justin from New York did and they run the awesome site Wants For Sale. Check it out, very interesting.
Okay, so here's the moment you've all been waiting for this week....our Vienna Garden Pizza Restaurant and Beer Garden (VGPRBG) review from this past Wednesdays staff meeting. Here we go..... We arrived at VGPRBG around 6PM and sat inside, we usually like outside seating but the forecast called for rain. The interior was painted in bright purples and golds and had a Mediterranean sort of feel. It was QUITE hot inside and after a few minutes of debate and having a staff member go outside to compare temps. we decided to relocate to the "beer garden". There was already a large table set up and one of the employees was kind enough to put up the HUGE umbrella over our table for us. There was an eventual sprinkle of rain, but we didnt feel a drop because of the great overhead cover.
We started out with some beers, iced teas, and sodas. The waitress was adorable and really sweet, just really really slow and we were one of the only tables (there were MAYBE 3). We know that we are a demanding group and that everyone has to talk at once when ordering, but even considering that, the service overall was SUPER SLOW. We eventually got our drinks and everything was fine (beers are 2-4-1 during happy hour, which goes til 8). One note on the drinks, someone commented that the Iced Tea tasted instant.
Heres what we all ordered.....
To start things off, Robin ordered the table the Calamari. When it came out we were all like, "WHOA!, are those onion rings?", cause they were so huge. Turned out it was calamari and it was great. Served with marinara on the side.
Next, the entrees. Joe(y) and Johnny had the "12 year old girl special" - they SHARED the Chicken Strip Appetizer which comes with 4 strips and honey mustard sauce. Luckily they both enjoyed it thoroughly (no temper tantrums) and they both finished their 2 strips.
For his entree, Robin ordered the Chicken Souvaki Platter - grilled chicken served with pita, french fries, tzatziki sauce and a side greek salad. It looked awesome, was a huge plate of food, and Robin said it was excellent.
Linda had a personal sized Pepperoni and Pineapple Pizza and Jason, Mark and Emily all shared a large Meat Lovers Pizza. Both pies were AWESOME, seriously. The hand-tossed dough and marinara were great and they were loaded with toppings.
Overall the food was really really good and the employees were super friendly. A few things that could be tweaked would be service speed, A/C, and some of the prices. Mainly, why charge $18.99 for 1 pizza if you dine in, but you get 2 for that price if you get it delivered?
As far as scoring, maybe we'll give Vienna Garden Restaurant and Beer Garden (VGPRBG) a 3 out of 5 stars, but we do think they can achieve a 5 out of 5 once they get things in order.
We also wanted to mention that they are having a Wine Fest this Saturday, May 24th, from 7PM-10PM with $1 Pitchers of Red & White Wines.
We know everyone is super psyched over the 3-Day Memorial Day weekend that is just ahead. Here are a few things we plan on doing.
- Moonlight Movies at the Jacksonville Beach Seawalk Pavilion - Watch a free movie under the stars at the Seawalk Pavilion. The film starts promptly at 9PM tonight. Get there early for a good seat and be sure to bring a chair or towel to sit on. Nothing like watching the movie Jaws 100ft. from the ocean.
"Amity Island is an isolated place where tourism is the townsfolk's bread and butter. Families on summer vacation go to Amity to have a great time. A series of deaths that could have been committed by a huge shark threatens lives and the town's well-being alike. Chief Brody (Roy Scheider), with the aid of marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and a shark hunter named Quint (Robert Shaw) have to overcome bureaucracy, and their emotions to bring the 25 ft. monster down."
- Cookouts - Thats right, just cookouts. The Jacksonville Confidential staff will be migrating throughout the City both Saturday and Sunday trying to hit every cookout and party that we've been invited to this 3-day weekend. We may have to split up to maximize the fun, but we plan on having a plethora of pics for you guys next week none-the-less.
- Recouperation - and maybe a BBQ.
Truthfully, we thought there would be TONS of events happening this weekend, but the local event calendars are all pretty empty. There are a few other notables that Joey over at Urban Jacksonville posted, like the Community Community Community Festival in Springfield, Art Sparks at Eclipse, and Earthday at Gateway Towne Center. So Click Here for more on that.
Awesome! Looks like we have an answer to yesterdays WTF is this? post. Many, many thanks to Bike Jax and another reader who schooled us on the mythical beast. Turns out its not a mythical creature after all, so we're gonna have to strike this guy from our list. Texas sucks so much that even the wildlife is leaving. :) Jennings is a state forest. It is west of Middleberg. http://www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/jennings.html" Another Reader said...."believe it or not that's a coyote. they're even in and around mandarin. that one looks pretty young and scraggly. it could have mange looking at the hair that appears to be missing around the face."Bike Jax said..."That indeed is a coyote. They have been migrating eastward out of Texas for several years and have been found in several areas throughout Northeast Florida forests for last couple of years.
We also have to thank Bike Jax again for clearing up the "where is Jennings State Forest issue".
Heres a picture we found of a Coyote looking like a scary ass Werewolf!
We have gotten word from quite a few of our readers that the Gay Pride Memorial Day Pic-Nic at Tree Hill Nature Center has been MOVED!!! The event will now take place at InCahoots nightclub on Edison Avenue. Spread the word.
Back in December we told you guys about the oh so chic Kitty Wigs for sale online. It was just a matter of time before there were some for dogs available. Check out Wiggles Dog Wigs for the most up-to-date dog hair fashions.
Don't forget, we are meeting at Vienna Garden Pizza Restaurant and Beer Garden for our staff meeting tonight. 5:30PM.
These just keep getting better and better. Check out this "Missed Connection" from CraigsList submitted by, none-other-than, Mark. Some highlights include the fact that this guy is 30 and we suspect that the young fellow at the Lee's Fried Chicken counter is either: B.) Over 21 and a total deadbeat C.) Retarded Also, corn and sexy & hot don't really belong in the same sentence. Anyway, if you are a hot and sexy long haired blonde guy and work the counter at Lee's Fried Chicken in Mandarin...HIT THIS GUY UP!!!A.) A Minor
Someone spotted and filmed what they claim to be an unknown animal in Jennings Forest right outside of Jacksonville. It looks pretty much like some sort of rat dog, or jackal, or maybe even a bear-man-elephant-pig hybrid (we are talking about the outskirts of Jacksonville after all). Can anyone shed some light as to WTF this is? We will file this with the rest of our list of mythical creature sightings
We tried to look up "Jennings Forest" on google maps but all that came up was Jennings Park off of North Main and we don't think they are the same.
Okay, YES! Obviously we scanned the article below from April 2008's Jacksonville Magazine (page 92). But we thought it was necessary for as many people as possible to read this truly vital bit of roadway instruction, especially those of you who ever make it to the Riverside/5 Points area. We can't tell you how many times some dumb ass who doesn't understand the rules of the road (or yellow and red lights) has caused a major backup. Read these "Rules of the Road", understand them, adhere to them, and drive safely in Riverside.
So here's the skinny on our decision to eat at Vienna Garden Pizza Restaurant and Beer Garden (VGPRBG). In the past few weeks we have been getting tons of comments (both verbally and on the blog) about how much better the restaurant is now that they have expanded the menu (we will show you below) and acquired new management. Quite a few of these people had been to VGPRBG in the beginning and didn't like it at all. Check out these comments from some of our readers: Anonymous said..."The BEST thing that could've happened did! They're under new management and better than ever. Great new menu and service!" Kevin said..."Met the new chef-straight from europe!" Alison said..."go and check this place out now. I love it!" Jack said..."By far the best pizza I've had in my life!" Elizabeth said..."I went to Vienna Garden when it was first opened and didn't really like it too much because the service wasn't good and my waiter didn't seem to care much about me and my husband. When I noticed that they had a new menu and were under new management I decided to give it a second chance. It turns out I had a great experience and have been coming back- its actually my new favorite restaurant. If you asked me I'd tell you to give Vienna Garden a second chance. I know I did and I dont regret it in any way!" In the interim, here's the new menu...they have pretty much anything you can think of!Toni said..."pizza and cheap beer :) what's wrong with that??? thanks for the tip."
So we're gonna check it out and let you guys know the real deal. You know we will have pics of the food and fun so be on the lookout for a review by the end of the week.
You guys will not believe where we decided to have our staff meeting tomorrow night - Vienna Garden Pizza Restaurant and Beer Garden (yes, they added PIZZA to the name). We will tell you guys more about our decision later on this evening. But for now, just know, we are finally gonna pay a visit to this place. And it BETTER be good!!!!
International Champion Violinist Elmar Oliveira teams with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra for Pension Benefit Concert this evening at the TU Center for Performing Arts.America's first and only violinist to win the Gold Medal at Moscow's Tchaikowsky International Competition performs with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra tonight. This special concert is a direct outcome of the protracted labor dispute early this season between the musicians and management of the JSO. The resulting contract, ratified in January, calls for an annual concert to bolster the retirement pension for the musicians. In so doing, the JSO follows in the tradition of other great orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic in utilizing a prominent artist for a pension benefit concert. Net proceeds will go directly to the AFM Pension Fund to benefit the musicians of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.
Here are a few words of wisdom from the very first gay. This is probably one of the best safe sex/condom ads ever.
This clip is a total blast from the past! Its from NBC's 60th Anniversary Show in 1986 and brings together some of our favorite characters from those wonderful 80's sitcoms. Watch as Nell Carter, Charlotte Ray, Bea Arthur, Marla Gibbs, Alfonso Ribiero, and Soleil Moon Frye sing "We Are A Family" celebrating the network.
Its a bird, its a plane, NO.....its a flying dildo. This is pretty effin hilarious. Check out Chess Champion Gary Kasparov being interrupted during a speech by a helicopter made out of a sex toy. His security was not amused, but we certainly are.
(Submitted by Brandon)
As many of you may know, local pompous ass Richard Cirillo had a white party this past weekend to benefit our local PFLAG. We hope that tons of money was raised to donate for the scholarships that PFLAG provides to our gay, bi, and transgendered persons. We hear that the Jacksonville PFLAG is the only PFLAG organization that provides such scholarships. Now on to the real story.....it looks like there was a "Missed Connection" at Saturday nights party. Check out this posting from Craigslist that our News Room Chief stumbled upon.
We would like to take a wild guess as to what color the posting gentleman was wearing....maybe....WHITE?!
Wow! We found the number one reason why we SHOULD have a mass transit rail system here in Jacksonville. Entertainment.....sheer entertainment.
(Thanks Mark)
Guess Who......
Thats right, Ellen Degeneres and Portia De Rossi. Expect to be hearing many more announcements in the near future now that California has reinstated Gay Marriage.
Amber has some pictures from last nights Water Street Garage Rooftop Party. Here's what she had to say about the event... No real surprise, it seems like there wasnt really any advertising for the party. At any rate, here are the pics..."They had free draft beer, a hotdog stand, another food stand with $6 kabobs, and a cigar stand. The Reggae band members were.....decent, well until they started playing the electric slide. The theme was kind of beachy, which I thought was tacky. It probably would have been better if more people where there."
