This past Saturday, my wife, son and I went to the Lakeland Center to see the Ringling Brothers Circus. My 3-year-old son had a blast and we had a good time watching him. Here are some photos from the event:

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Its that time of the season again! When all the mad rush for deals and bargains is over, its nice to go on a relaxing drive and look at all the Christmas lights in the area. Sunday night, my wife, son and I packed in the car and went looking for lights. Even though it is still early in the season, we found some well decorated houses, but were left wanting more. From that, an idea was spawned.

I'm starting a custom Google map of the Polk County area Christmas lights. You can visit the map here. I've opened it for collaborators, so anyone can add points, lines, areas, etc. If you need any help getting started, post a comment or shoot me an email and I'll be glad to help.

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Now, I'm not one to stay up late for a midnight release of anything, movie, video game, Harry Potter book, etc. But, I know there are a lot of you out there! What looks like one of the biggest video game releases ever, Halo 3 is set to be released tonight at 12:01 A.M. Here are the GameStop/EB Games locations in Polk that will be opening at midnight tonight:

Berkeley Square S/C (863) 968-1235 2122 W Highway 92, Suite 2 Auburndale
Eagle Ridge Mall (863) 676-0607 757 Eagle Ridge Dr., Space 322 Lake Wales
Lakeland Square S/ctr (863) 858-3997 3800 Us Highway 98 N, Space 784 Lakeland
Shoppes Of Lakeland (863) 858-4843 4153 Us Highway 98 N Lakeland
Winter Haven Corners (863) 298-8481 749 3rd St. SW Winter Haven

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The Orlando Sentinel's Theme Park Rangers blog recently posted about the roller coasters in the Central Florida region. While this area is the theme park capital of the world, it's not really coaster country. When I think of coasters, I think of places like Kennywood and Cedar Point.

In his post Dewayne Bevil does provide a shout-out to the Starliner at Cypress Gardens:

There are a lot to choose from. I like the level of intensity of Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando), which tosses you a lot before graciously releasing you. For theming, Expedition Everest (Disney's Animal Kingdom) has it down cold. Montu (Busch Gardens) practically assaults you -- in a good way. And I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the new/old Starliner at Cypress Gardens. It's fun and scores high in my re-ride-ability factor.

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The Starliner at Cypress Gardens has certainly had an interesting launch. My son and I visited the Gardens this past Saturday, but by the afternoon the ride was already closed up (photo below).

The Other Orlando Blog has a great riff on the 'opening' of Starliner:

Driving from Orlando to Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven at the ass-crack of dawn: $15 worth of gas and coffee

Standing in the sun for an hour waiting for the opening ceremonies: $12.95 worth of sunburn cream

Hearing the CEO of a multi-million dollar company say you can't ride his new roller coaster because they forgot to file their "accelerometer test" paperwork with the state saftey inspectors: PRICELESS!!!

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I wouldn't say I predicted it, more perhaps foreshadowed it with my previous post....but the Starliner grand opening on June 30th has been delayed. The Winter Haven Chamber blog has the details.

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Update: Via the comments, Bob Gernert informs us that the launch has been delayed.

If you've missed the barrage of advertising from Cypress Gardens, their latest roller coaster, Starliner, will open on June 30th. Construction crews have almost been working around the clock. I've seen them working in the early morning and the evening on Sundays.

The deadline is fast approaching, but the question is, will they make it? I'm not talking about construction though, you can always throw more people and money at that. My concern is testing and certification. How long does it take to test and certify a roller coaster before guests can ride on it? What happens if there is an issue with the certification process?

I e-mailed Cypress Gardens' spokesperson Lynn Wright to see if she can fill in the details.

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If you remember a few weeks ago Weird Al played a concert at Cypress Gardens. Well, uber-Al fan Johnathan took a road-trip to follow Al and his band across Florida and Georgia:

This past weekend I took a trip down to Florida to follow Weird Al's Straight Outta Lynwood tour. I had tickets to Melbourne, FL; Pompano Beach, FL; Valdosta, GA; and Winter Haven, FL....

It's an interesting story of fan devotion.

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John Frost from The Disney Blog has a lengthy post up about his visit to Cypress Gardens for the record-setting Easter egg hunt. John obviously is a big Disney fan, but it was nice to see him venturing to Polk County and Florida's first theme park.

Not only is Cypress Gardens a great park for locals looking for a day of fun, but it's well worth the trip for any visitor to Central Florida to see the history and the beauty of the park, plus soak in some old fashioned amusement park fun at the same time. I hope to see you there.

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A few months ago I asked about Thai food in Lakeland. Well perhaps my call has been answered. Lemon Grass Thai Kitchen recently opened in Lakeland at 743 E Memorial Blvd (near Steak & Shake and the rest of the restaurants on that row). I tried the restaurant out last Thursday for lunch.

Quick review: Good Thai, very slooooow service.

When you walk into a restaurant and 'Help Wanted' signs are all over the place you know you're in for a wait. It was somewhat busy as I arrived shortly after noon for a leisurely lunch. A man came from out of the kitchen and said I could have a seat, but didn't give me a menu. As I sat and waited a large group next to me discussed the service issue. They had a limited amount of time for lunch and were wondering if they would make it. From the looks of it, Thai Kitchen only had two people working the front of the house.

I eventually got up to get my own menu, which turned out to be a dinner/older menu (I'll get to this in a bit). After about 10 minutes somebody finally approached me to get my order, but they didn't have an abundance of vegetarian items on the menu, which is strange for a Thai restaurant. The gentleman then brought me a new/lunch menu which had a number of veggie items available. I can only assume that since I got my own menu I grabbed the wrong one.

I opted for the lunch portion of Yellow Curry with Tofu. Shortly afterward a salad appeared on my table. I wasn't sure if it was included in my meal, but oh well, it looked good and was good.

From the time I ordered, albeit late, I felt my food arrived in a decent amount of time. However a few other folks in the restaurant had longer waits. One group of nurses had to leave before they could eat, they said they had been their an hour and not received their food yet. The manager quickly apologized and wrapped up their food to go. I had a book to read and my iPod so I wasn't so rushed. I imagine that if I had been pressed for time I would have been stressing a bit over the delays.

The food was worth the wait though. The Yellow Curry had just enough spice to it for taste, but didn't overpower me. As is traditional with Thai food, the main dish was served on one side with a portion of rice on the other side. Patrons then mix the two as they see fit. The lunch portion had a generous amount of tofu, perhaps too much, but I ate all of it.

Lunch, including tip was a little under $10. Was it the best Thai I've ever had? No, but with limited Thai options in Polk County it's a welcome addition. Hopefully they'll get over the initial service issues and stick around for a while. Luckily for me, between Lemon Grass and Cafe Roti my favorite cuisine needs are met within a few miles of each other in Lakeland.

If you like Thai, give Lemon Grass a try, but be prepared to wait....but it's worth it.

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Enough Already is a blog written by 'The Bald Guy'. From his first post the purpose of the blog:

Time to put my thoughts out there about just how rotten we are treated when it comes to what has come to pass for service.

My plans are to tell it like it is about the kind of service I receive as I go about my business.

Since I don't know if anyone will read this besides me I will make a promise to myself to be as honest as I possibly can be. I will also use names so the innocent are protected. If I go someplace and am treated like some sort of dirty tourist I will be sure to post those facts.

So far he has written up a few Polk County locations including Pizza Central and Christy's in Winter Haven. Here's an excerpt from the Pizza Central review:

Service is a little iffy. If you get one of the young ladies who’s boy friend isn’t there you should get pretty good service. The goofy looking guy with the sideways hat can leave you wanting.

The chairs come from the long line of restaurant owners who want you to eat it and beat it. They are not really comfortable. So don’t plan on sitting and chewing the fat with friends, your ass will give out before the conversation does.

Christy's gets a better review:

Our server name was KAREN. This young lady knows her way around a table. We could not have asked for better service. She brought our beverages and inquired if we would like to take our time and enjoy our time before ordering. We never wanted for anything that was not handled by KAREN in a jiff.

Bald Guy reviews a few other places and for the most part I agree with just about everything he has had to say. We'll see if he keeps it up.

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Black and Brew Coffee House & Bistro in downtown Lakeland recently celebrated their first anniversary. Even though I initially wrote a bad review, I quickly changed my opinion about them. Chris and Mike run a great, personable operation.

Perhaps most importantly, they listen to their customers and try to provide them what they need. Shortly after they opened Steve and I suggested they install wifi, within a few days it was done. That's service. Plus they have a great veggie panini.

Congrats guys and good luck on the second year.

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For the longest time you couldn't get Indian food in Polk County, but Cafe Roti changed that. Now how about some Thai food? I don't know of any Thai restaurant in the area. Typically I am going to Orlando, but I'd love to see one in the area. How about you, what type of food is Lakeland/Polk County really missing?

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Billy Townsend at the Tampa Tribune has the news on some restaurants moving to downtown Lakeland.

Watt’s For Dinner, the gourmet wine, meat and cheese shop on South Florida Avenue is relocating to the bottom floor of the developer Jerry Herring’s new condominium tower, which is currently under construction.

Right next door, in a large space currently being used for pool table storage, the upscale Italian restaurant Arabella’s is planning to relocate from Winter Haven.

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Back in May of 2006 a movie starring John Cusack filmed some scenes at Cypress Gardens. The film, Grace is Gone, debuted at Sundance Film Festival last week. According to this week's Entertainment Weekly, the film drew some of the biggest buzz and bidding among the studios. We'll see if/when it gets a wider release.

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With Grady Judd's penchant for getting national attention for Polk County and the Polk Sheriff's office....I had a bizarre premonition last night (perhaps I'm psychic now that Madame Christine is in the area).

Anyway here's the prediction:

Willie Nelson is appearing at Cypress Gardens today. It doesn't take a genius to realize that Willie likes the weed and is probably traveling with some. Why do I see Willie getting arrested again for possession and Polk County, Winter Haven and Cypress Gardens getting some interesting press.

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The Winter Haven Chamber Blog is reporting that Christy's Restaurant is being sold to James Bronkhorst, owner of Bronkhorst, Inc.

Bronkhorst began his restaurant career as a dishwasher. He currently owns and operates at least three Polk County restaurants including the Reececliff and Harry’s in Lakeland and Harborside in Winter Haven. Initial reports indicate Mr. Bronkhorst will operate the restaurant as Christy’s.

The chamber blog is only a few weeks old and it's already breaking news. Of course a chamber is usually in the know about a number of business dealings in the community.

If you remember there was much speculation about the sale/closure of Christy's last year. Looks like it's finally happening.

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The gang from Theme Park Review recently visited Cypress Gardens as part of their annual Halloween-Orlando trip. There are a few photos and captions of their brief visit before they drove to Tampa to visit Busch Gardens.

TPR is a site dedicated to theme parks and coasters. They first visited CG during the preview days.

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I have heard from four different people now that Winter Haven dining legend Christy's Sundown Restaurant will be closing shortly. Is it true? The rumor is that folks behind Fred's Market in Lakeland have purchased the restaurant.

Update 01/11/07: The Winter Haven Chamber Blog reports that Christy's has been sold.

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The Polk Museum of Art held their annual Family Day today. It also was their 40th Anniversary. It was a great event with plenty of stuff for the kids to do. I took some photos and have uploaded a gallery on Flickr.

The Mote Marine Laboratory offered a fun hands-on experience and the stunt bike riders were a bit hit with the kids.

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Seen at the Polk Museum of Art's Family Day on the second floor in the kid's art area:

The writing doesn't look like a child's....hmmm.....

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If you're a big fan of Palace Pizza in Lakeland you can get your fix on the other side of the county in Auburndale. Yep, Auburndale has a Palace Pizza.

The store is located at 213 E. Lake Ave in the downtown area. The interior is not as big as the Lakeland store, but that's not a big problem.

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In The Ledger this morning Kyle Kennedy reported that Moe's Southwest Grill will be opening another location in North Lakeland. Hey Moe, we're still waiting for our Winter Haven location.

Perhaps the new shopping center that is being built in front of Cypress Gardens will have a Moe's....we can only wish.

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The City of Lakeland plays host to the fall season of Lakeland Electric’s Music on the Promenade starting Friday, August 18, 2006 when renowned jazz saxophonist Eric Darius and his band take the stage from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. during the FREE music series.

The monthly music series takes place at the Lake Mirror amphitheater which is in-between Hollis Garden and the Lake Mirror Center. The event is free to the public and families are encouraged to attend. There will be food and drink vendors on site so bring a blanket and enjoy the lake setting with music under the stars.

Music on the Promenade Fall Schedule
• August 18, 2006 – Eric Darius (Jazz)
• September 15, 2006 – Azwon (Reggae)
• October 20, 2006 – Michael Bell & the Boogalizers (Rock)

Eric “Smooth Breeze” Darius will start the fall series in support of his newest recording entitled Just Getting Started. Darius took the contemporary jazz world by storm with his 2004 Jazz debut, Night on the Town. The critics raved! Fans clamored! His awesome talent and unjaded enthusiasm make him an instant favorite everywhere he performs.

His current release is a bold statement by a jazz star well on his way to the top. Darius said, “I have to admit this was by far the most incredible recording experience I’ve ever had.” He added, “Throughout the past year, I have progressed as a songwriter and a player, and in my opinion, this new CD clearly reflects that.”

Darius quotes his influences as John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Kenny G and David Sanborn. He plays the saxophone, flute and the piano. This young star is fast becoming a regular on jazz radio and his current CD is climbing the jazz charts. Eric Darius is an exciting emerging saxophonist whose versatility will be demonstrated as he hits the Music on the Promenade stage on August 18th.

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This past Saturday night my family made the drive from Winter Haven to Lakeland to eat at Moe's Southwest Grill. While eating, I saw my good friend Kevin Cook and his family enjoying dinner there. If you have little ones the kid's menu at Moe's can't be beat.

Kevin asked, "Did you make the drive to Lakeland just for Moe's?" Sadly, yes. Why? Because there is no Moe's in Winter Haven.

My friend Nick and I love to locate towns smaller than Winter Haven that have Moe's. For example Dahlonega, GA (pop. 3,638) has a Moe's!!! Lake City, FL (pop. 10,699) has a Moe's!!!! When will Winter Haven get a Moe's?

I can think of a few great locations for a Moe's in Winter Haven. How about next to Atlanta Bread Company? (That's if Starbucks doesn't move there)

Moe, when are you coming to town?

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Do you remember the first concert you attended? I do. It was in Polk County.

While I've been to better concerts since then, I will always remember that concert at the Lakeland Civic Center. And I won the tickets on the radio, which made the experience even better.

Continue reading "Memoirs of a non-Polk County Floridian - Part 2" »

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While Josh is goofing off in New York, he asked me to be a guest writer for Empirical Polk. I don't know why. I don't live or work in Polk County (I live in Seminole, work in Orange). Perhaps he asked me because he knows I read EP every day. Or perhaps he enjoys reading my blog. Or maybe he couldn't find anyone else in Polk County who owned a computer.

All kidding aside, I think Polk County is a great place with a very, very bright future. But it also has a wonderful past - and I want to share with you some of my fondest childhood memories of Polk County.

We'll start with Florida's best theme park.

Continue reading "Memoirs of a non-Polk County Floridian - Part 1" »

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Last night I went with a large group to the Imperial Symphony Orchestra concert at Historic Bok Sanctuary. What a great event. The crowd estimate was around 3000, with many of them coming early to enjoy a picnic before the concert. I've uploaded a photoset of pictures I took last night.

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The Tampa Bay Business Journal has an article about Cypress Gardens being used as a location for an upcoming film.

While the Winter Haven attraction is not naming the film, or its "well-known" lead actor and Oscar-winning actress, a March report describing the film "Grace is Gone" in the trade publication Variety matches the description in the Cypress Gardens release.

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Starbucks in Winter Haven...it's not if, it's more when and where. The question is where is the where? One source told me they were considering some space in the Winter Haven Corners plaza on U.S. 17 which also houses Atlanta Bread Company. Currently the only space available is at the very end.

Another suitable location would be somewhere in the southeast area of WH, perhaps the new development at 9th ST SE and Cypress Gardens BLVD. Going further out would get you closer to State Farm and target-demographic rich homes around Lake Eloise.

A long-shot would be somewhere downtown, but stranger things have happened. Where do you think that Starbucks should build? (Shown below is the Winter Haven Corners retail area.)

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From a personal perspective I was glad to see a recent Ledger article about vegetarian dining options in Polk County. The article mentions a few locations that I frequent, but here are my usual spots, and what I order:

Winter Haven
Score's Cafe - Veggie wrap
Tsunami Sushi - a number of veggie only sushi options
Mama Dilo's Deli - I make my own veggie sandwich
Pasquale's - White pizza

Lakeland
Black & Brew - Veggie panini
Mitchell's - Veggie burger
Cafe Roti - A number of Indian vegetarian dishes
Palace Pizza - White pizza
Panera Bread - Veggie sandwich
Peking House - forget the exact name, but it's a spicy eggplant dish

Bartow
Birch Tree Cafe - Mushroom quiche

Any other plant eaters out there? What are your favorite spots? My favorite things are the 'hidden' items you can create at many spots. When Bistro 253 was open in Lake Wales you could call ahead and request a vegetarian option. When you would eventually arrive with your party and get your food it was always the best dish on the table, eliciting many, "hey can I order that?" comments from your friends.

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It's now known as Historic Bok Sanctuary, but to many it's still Bok Tower. A few weeks ago I went out to this oasis in Lake Wales for a meeting. While I was on the grounds I took some photos. Some of the shots turned out pretty good, but if you've ever been there you know that sometimes photos can't do it justice.

Have you ever visited Bok Sanctuary? What are your thoughts?

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Uncle John's Band will play the Friday, April 21st Music on the Promenade. The FREE Music Series takes place at the Lake Mirror Amphitheater (downtown Lakeland) from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. The group is one of the best Grateful Dead tribute bands in the land. Bring a blanket and enjoy great music under the stars. There will be food vendors on site and there is even the added bonus of a chili cook-off. Chili and Sugar Magnolia on a beautiful night – it just does not get any better.

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Update: Well this didn't last long as I expected. Commenter Carl Cronan let us know that the profile was no longer available as of yesterday afternoon.

A keyword watchlist alerted me to this MySpace profile for CypressGardens that was created this morning. Is it official? No. Most likely it was created by an employee. For example did you know that Cypress Gardens is a 21 year old female?

So far the profile has three blog posts and no friends. The most recent blog claims that staff turnover is 85%.

As of this posting our turn over rate here at the park is in excess of 85/P>

We know this is high and we have fired GOOD managers and supervisors in hope of changing the rate but to noavail we just cannot understand why. Maybe its because The ride operators have to stand in the HOT sun all day with little to no cover, continue to operate in adverse conditions, (Rain, Lightning, Thunderstorms) all to make the sorry ass guests that dont know any better than to get out of the rain Happy. Food Service well now thats a whole nother ball game, First off there paid like shit treated even worse and we expect them to stay, Ha!! dont blame them for leaving!!Lifguards well where to begin, first off there are not enough of them, Then they dont get thier required amount of breaks,The pay for them suck, The boss well!!! I wont even go there. (Not enough space).Entertainment well I wont say much about there supervisor the Bell Turnover rate says it all.Retail well now that dpet has actualy taken shape.

We'll see how long this profile lasts and what other insider tidbits it provides.

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The City of Lakeland will play host to the Grateful Dead tribute band, Uncle John’s Band from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. on Friday, April 21, 2006 during the Music on the Promenade.

The monthly music series takes place at the Lake Mirror amphitheater which is between Hollis Garden and the Lake Mirror Center. The event is FREE to the public and families are encouraged to attend. There will be food and drink vendors on site so bring a blanket and enjoy the lake setting with music under the stars.

Uncle John's Band was formed in 1990 in Clearwater Florida from a combination of talented musicians who love to play the music of the Grateful Dead. The purpose of Uncle John's Band is to recreate the atmosphere and musical adventure of a live Dead show. Over the past many years, Uncle John's Band has performed hundreds of shows full of musical energy and pleasure for all those who have attended. Over the last fifteen years the band has developed a loyal fan base in the thousands who enjoy the music, atmosphere, and experience of the Grateful Dead.

Lakeland Electric’s Music on the Promenade is proudly sponsored by The Ledger, the City of Lakeland, Lakeland Parks & Recreation Department, Center Door Productions and Lakeland Electric. Parking is available at the Lake Mirror Center's parking lot and in the Iowa Street parking garage. No glass bottles within the park please.

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Patriot Xeno provides a quick online review of a Crispers location in Jacksonville.

Food quality, taste: 7
It's pretty hard to screw up a ham, cheese and lettuce sandwich. Frankly, it would've been an 8, had they had mozzarella or provolone cheese. Seriously, what kind of sandwich shop doesn't have either of those? Regardless, 7 is a very respectable score.

Value: 2
I basically had 2 pieces of white toast, with some ham in between, leaf lettuce and American cheese. $7. By itself, not as part of a meal or drink combo or anything. It was about $1.50 worth of ingredients, and THAT is being awfully generous. A cup of soup (A CUP!) was $3.

You can read the rest of the review here. More and more of these citizen's reviews of restaurants are popping up. How long before this one hits the front page of Google when searching for Crispers?

Crispers has always had a strong foothold in Lakeland for obvious reasons, but it's interesting to see how they are perceived around the state. In most of my Florida travels they're seen as 'another Panera' since they might not have been first to market in that area.

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It's bizarre how these things work out. Last night I heard a rumor that Bahama Breeze was thinking of opening a location in Polk County. Less than 16 hours later I read this in the Orlando Sentinel.

Andrew Madsen, Darden's chief operating officer, said in a Wednesday conference call there are no plans to expand the 32-restaurant chain next fiscal year.

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You might be familiar with PGTV or Lakeland's public access television but did you know that there is another 'show' based in Lakeland? Well not really, but Panini Talk is a quick 'show' that two Lakeland girls recorded to discuss issues related to burnt panini sandwiches at a certain restaurant in Lakeland.

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It was interesting to see the feedback my post about Black & Brew Coffee House received, most of if came via a MySpace post asking people to share their thoughts. After a speech I gave in Lakeland today I spent the rest of the afternoon at B&B. Service was great and I had a chance to talk to Chris, one of the owners. He might be adding wifi soon :-) They're having a grand opening this Thursday night so stop by.

What's great about blogs is that others can share their thoughts and opinions. Some people disagreed with my comments on B&B and were able to post their thoughts. In the end it creates a rather balanced view.

Imagine though if The Ledger on any paper had written a less-than-positive review of a restaurant, what would loyal fans of that establishment do to let others know that the review was a bit off? Sure you can write a letter to the editor but they won't print 20 of them. The ability to comment on reviews and editorials is slowly appearing on newspaper web sites, perhaps soon at the Ledger.

Also while I was at B&B I chatted with a few new friends. One of them has some more photos of B&B in his Flickr account.

If you like the interior graphics at the store thank Jeremy at LazCreative, he did them.

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On Tuesday of this week I stopped by Black & Brew Coffee House to check them out. I arrived at the 205 E. Main St location overlooking Munn Park around 2:30. It was after the lunch rush and normally a slow time for coffee shops, however there were a few customers inside.

The interior is very nicely designed with a combination of wood floors, exposed brick and dark 'coffee-themed' colors. Seating is a mixture of bistro style tables and chairs along with a relaxed area featuring a leather couch and leather chairs (think living room). Covering one wall is a large B&B logo that looks cool with the overhead lighting illuminating it. The other wall will soon have a large mural-style photograph of Munn Park.

I ordered a caramel macchiato from the counter, but it took a bit for the order to register with the staff who at times seemed more interested in talking amongst themselves than worrying about the customer. I ordered the drink for 'here' but it still came in a to-go cup.

After getting my drink I sat down to work. Unfortunately they don't provide any wifi internet access, so I don't see making B&B a regular stop in my travels. There are pros and cons for coffee shops to offer wifi, but with every store owner I have talked to, the pros outweigh the cons.

The coffee and atmosphere were great, next time I'll have to try out lunch. The only major drawback was the lack of wifi. Hopefully this is something they will address in the near future.

Has anybody else visited Black & Brew? What are your thoughts?

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The Ledger has been slowly experimenting with blogs over the past few weeks. The first one was during the Grammy's and now they're rolling out an Oscar blog for tonight's show. The platform doesn't support comments, but it's a start.

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Over at Indians.com reporter Anthony Castrovince checks in from Winter Haven with a few restaurant related tidbits:

Winter Haven often gets blasted as the purgatory of Spring Training sites. But hey, last I checked, it's a tad warmer than 16 degrees, and it still has the following local establishments worth checking out, should you make the trip down here to see the Tribe:

1. Andy's Igloo. Before I came down here, I heard from several sources that this little diner provides the best milkshakes on the planet. Dare I say, it lived up to the hype. So much so, in fact, that I might have to name my first-born child Andy -- boy or girl.

2. El Norteno. Mexican food at its finest. But if you're in the over-21 crowd and you get the same bartender my crew had, efforts to order certain beverages might go unfulfilled by the language barrier. I recommend sticking with the international language that is "Corona."

3. Pasquale's Pizza. OK, confession time. I've yet to have a chance to check this place out. But enough people have recommended it that I have no choice but to believe it's the real deal. I guess you could say it's the Andy Marte of pizza joints.

Pasquale's has become a favorite of this blogger :-)

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Just received a message from Chris McArthur, one of the owners of Black & Brew Coffee House about the opening this past weekend:

Black & Brew Coffee House & Bistro opened this passed Thursday with a bang. So much for a soft opening. Local bands, Woodale and Pemberly played accoustic sets on Friday and Saturday nights. Both nights were "standing room only."

Black & Brew has been in the works for over a year now. Chris & Mike McArthur began putting together their business plan in November of 2004. Though the brothers encountered countless obstacles, their hard work is paying off.

Black & Brew features a menu of outstanding coffee, espresso, and blended drinks, along with gourmet sandwiches, wraps, salads, and paninis. The menu also features the brothers' spin on the old fashioned coffee house, a beer & wine selection.

Live blues, jazz, blue grass, or accoustic music will be provided every Friday and Saturday night, beginning at 8 p.m. Thursday night is open mic night, beginning at 7 p.m.

Hours of operation:
Mon-Wed 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday 6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Friday 6:30 a.m. - midnight
Saturday 10 a.m. - midnight

I'll have to check it out next time I am in Lakeland.

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Pizza Central recently opened in downtown Winter Haven. Located on Main Street, Pizza Central is your standard pizza joint. The style of pizza is similar to Winter Haven's former pizza king J. Burns (if you remember them) or Pizza Connection in Auburndale. The crust is thin and the pie is cut into squares rather than slices.

A friend and I went for lunch a few weeks ago right after they opened. The single-slice servings didn't look too appealing in the case so we went with a whole pizza to split between us. To their defense, knowing how much pizza you should prep for lunch counter service is a tough call. Hopefully once they've been open for a few weeks they'll figure out the sweet spot.

The pizza was good and arrived relatively quick considering that we ordered off the menu. The square-cut style was not what my friend expected. It's always good to mix up pizza styles that way you don't wear yourself out on one brand. The interior is a bit blank, but that too should change with time. At the time of our lunch they took cash only (they now take most major credit cards), which we didn't realize till we went to pay. Luckily I was able to walk a block down the street to the ATM.

For you Lakeland readers it's no Pizza Palace, but Winter Haven will take any downtown dining that we can get.

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This past weekend I went out to the Backporch Restaurant to eat lunch. It had been a few years since my last lunch out there, and almost 15 years since I worked at the restaurant while in high school. Much has changed, yet much has remained the same. The quaint restaurant is part of the ever popular Barn and Stable shops that sit a few miles outside of Lake Alfred, FL. The restaurant and shops are owned by the Wales family. For a number of years the Wales also ran a summer camp at the ranch called Lazy W and sponsored a L