Second Pickin' Picnic set for Bradenton Riverwalk

  One the most popular events thus far on Bradenton's Riverwalk was the "Pickin' Picnic" back in May.
   It was so popular, in fact, that Realize Bradenton already has another edition in the works. It's set for 4-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19.
   Live music is the main attraction -- this month's event features five bands, including nationally known, Bradenton-based Have Gun, Will Travel -- but there's also food from Suncoast Food Trucks, and 2nd Street Bistro will be operating the Pavilion's concessions stand. You're also welcome to bring your own food along with your blankets and lawn chairs.
   Here's the music lineup:

4-5 pm: Faceless Bandits. A fun-loving band comprised of three “old-school punk rockers” who put a spin on bluegrass with rockabilly and punk undertones. 5:15-6:15 pm: Geri X. This Bulgarian-born singer-songwriter’s music show is influenced by several genres including folk, psychedelic rock, Americana and post-rock. She has garnered a sizable fan base and critical acclaim in the Tampa Bay music scene. 6:30-7:30 pm: Waking Giants. This group of long-time friends and collaborators is genre jumping and draws from an amalgam of styles (rock, blues, funk, world beat and electronic) to create a one of a kind, infectious sound. Skillfully crafted songs supporting powerful, sultry and soulful vocals provided by Kat and DeLaran. 7:45-8:45 pm: Muphin Chuckrs. This crown favorite formed in 1999 and have remained a Central Florida staple for 14 years. With roots that begin in new school punk, the band has constantly written and reinvented their sound, touching on reggae, jazz, rock and metal along the way. Their diversified repertoire have allowed them to share stages with the likes of John Popper, Marcy Playground, Nappy Roots, and Toots and the Maytals. 9-10 pm: Have Gun, Will Travel. This award-winning band has a natural instinct for combining folk, pop, rock and classic country influences to create a sound all its own. “Their music has a great energy to it, with infectious, sing-along choruses and refrains,” remarked NPR’s Robin Hilton. American Songwriter called HGWT’s music “organic, infectious Americana pop. Their music has a refreshing immediacy to it.” - See more at: http://www.downtownmattersblog.com/?p=1041#sthash.TQKzfcW7.gJU0cHxl.dpuf

   4-5 p.m.: Faceless Bandits.  Bluegrass with rockabilly and punk undertones.

Have Gun. Will Travel

    5:15-6:15 p.m.: Geri X. This Bulgarian-born singer-songwriter  influenced by  folk, psychedelic rock, Americana and post-rock. 

   6:30-7:30 p.m.: Waking Giants. A blend of  rock, blues, funk, world beat and electronic) 

   7:45-8:45 p.m.: Muphin Chuckrs. Punk with touches of reggae, jazz, rock and metal.

   9-10 p.m.: Have Gun, Will Travel. Americana rockers with a national following who just released their fourth album.

   Admission is free. For information, go to www.realizebradenton.com.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2013/05/23/4536591/bradenton-bands-play-pickin-pinic.html#storylink=cpy

Sarasota middle-schooler's quotation wins "Best in Show"

   About 2,000 people submitted quotations for consideration in this year's "Embracing Our Differences" art exhibit. The one that came from Grace Castilow, a seventh-grader at Booker Middle School in Sarasota has been named "Best in Show."
   "No one deserves to be limited by another's perspective" are her winning words.

"Siblings" by Sarasota's Melanie Chatot

  "Embracing Our Differences" pairs quotes with billboard-sized artworks, including the photograph shown here that celebrate acceptance and diversity. The pieces in this year's exhibit were chosen from about 4,000 submitted from all around the world.
   The exhibit will be on display March 31-June 2 in Sarasota's Island Park, for the 10th straight year. For the first time this year, it's also coming to the Anthony T. Rossi Waterfront Park in downtown Bradenton (March 31-April 29) and to North Port High School May 1-June 2.
   Information: 941-323-1010 or www.embracingourdifferences.org.

Bradenton Riverwalk has food truck serving tasty breakfast, lunch in museum parking lot

Don Popowski poses outside his food truck On the Roll, which opened Jan. 2, 2013, in the parking lot of the South Florida Museum across from the western entrance of the Bradenton Riverwalk. Photo by Wade Tatangelo

Add On the Roll, which opened Wednesday in the parking lot of the South Florida Museum across from the western entrance of the Bradenton Riverwalk, to my list of eating destinations.

Just had a most tasty breakfast sandwich there called "The Porky Clucker." It's a hefty portion of egg and cheese on a fresh, toasted roll with ham plus a side of warm, crispy, homemade potato chips for a mere $3.50.

You can also have it with bacon or sausage.

Add $1.50 for a cold can of Diet Coke.

Plus the dollar tip and we're still talking quality food from a local businessman for prices similar to those found at the Golden Arches. 

Oh, and my order took about three minutes.

"Good food and fast service is the theme of this business," said Don Popowski, the proprietor who lives on a houseboat at the Twin Dolphin Marina and opened On the Roll with help from the owner and chef of nearby restaurant Pier 22 and permission from the South Florida Museum.

Popowski puts the finishing touches on my Porky Clucker.

Before noshing on my delicious breakfast sandwich, I toured Popowski's pristine kitchen, which he built himself from a bread truck he purchased while still living in Oxford, Conn. While we were inside, he proudly showed off his ServSafe Certification, the State of Florida catering license issued to the Don Miller Development Corp that owns Pier 22 and a vending permit issued by the City of Bradenton.

"I'm a retired businessman," Popowski said. "If I wasn't doing this I would just be sitting around reading books."

His four sandwiches, which all cost $6, are the prime rib packed  Godfather, the ham-and-turkey stuffed Surfer, the Angus-filled Elsie-Burger and the Kansas BLT featuring a whole wheat tortilla.

"The Godfather and the Surfer are two excellent sandwiches that are not common in the restaurant business," Popowski said.

He also plans to serve weekly specials.

One item you won't find on the menu, though, is frankfurters.

"We intentionally aren't serving hot dogs so we don't compete with the downtown vendors who have been serving hot dogs for years," Popowski said. "We're looking to part of the family not the competition."

On The Roll is cash-only and open for breakfast and lunch 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. People can just stop by like I did or place an order in advance by calling 941-962-0029.

Restaurant to go: Food trucks coming to Manatee

Bradenton area would be so much better if I had won the $588,000,000 jackpot

I didn't wake up last Thursday a multimillionaire after the largest Powerball jackpot drawing ever. But I did spend some quality time the night before thinking about what I would do if I did win the $587.5 million. Bet you did, too.

For starters, the fiancée would get anything and everything she desires. Luckily, that would mean still living in Manatee County. She loves it here. I do, too.

We'd probably buy up property on the northern tip of Anna Maria Island. Create a cozy complex of cottages. I like the sound of "Tatangelo Town." There would be everything from a water park to houses with personal caretakers for all three of our dogs.

Then we would get down to the business of really making things right.

I don't think $587.5 million would do much toward changing the world, especially after Uncle Sam took his cut. But that kind of money could do wonders for life in the Bradenton area.

Like extending Riverwalk all the way from downtown to the gates of our new home on AMI. Better yet, we'd pay for the newly named Bradenton Area City Walk to snake through the entire county.

Read more.

—Riverwalk was popular on a recent Saturday morning in downtown Bradenton.TIFFANY TOMPKINS-CONDIE/Bradenton Herald

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/12/02/4299742/if-i-had-won-the-588000000-jackpot.html#storylink=cpy

Bradenton Blues Festival today at Riverwalk: schedule, tickets, after-party information

A large stage has been erected for the Blues Festival which is to be held Saturday in the pavilion area of Bradenton’s Riverwalk. TIFFANY TOMPKINS-CONDIE/Bradenton Herald TTOMPKINS@BRADENTON.COM

The wait is over.

The inaugural Bradenton Blues Festival is today at the centrally located pavilion and event area of Manatee County's most popular new destination spot Riverwalk.

Grammy Award nominee Ruthie Foster headlines a first-rate lineup that includes Louisiana Music Hall of Fame inductee Kenny Neal and super group Southern Hospitality, which is led by Bradenton Beach resident Damon Fowler.

Dave “Biscuit” Miller, Johnny Sansone, Homemade Jamz, the Steve Arvey Horn Band with Henry Lawrence also a pair of local favorites and Ben Prestage round out the lineup.

In addition to the live music along the Manatee River, there will be an array of food, drink and art vendors.

Tickets are now $30 cash only and ATMs will be available. Attendees are being told to please leave coolers and dogs at home. Call 941-681-0708 for more information.

Attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item or canned good to the Blues Appetizer and Bradenton Blues Festival to help donate food items to Meals on Wheels of Manatee County.

After the Bradenton Blues Festival ends at 8 p.m. today there's the official after party featuring acclaimed Tampa blues man Sean Chambers at Tarpon Pointe Grille & Tiki Bar, the popular eastern anchor of Riverwalk that celebrated its first anniversary in July.

"Sean Chambers has invited all the festival performers to sit in with him," said Jack Sullivan, operations officer of Blues Revue magazine and the co-founder of the Bradenton Blues Festival. "I'm sure there's going to be a great jam."

Also,  Old Main Street will be closed today between Manatee and Third Avenues for the Farmers Market (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and then from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. to accommodate the crowd from the Bradenton Blues Festival.

 
Bradenton Blues Festival schedule

Steve Arvey Horn Band featuring Henry Lawrence: 11-11:40 a.m.
Bradenton area blues man Steve Arvey has teamed up with local hero Henry Lawrence, the superb soul singer who earned three Super Bowl rings and made two Pro Bowl appearances while playing with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.

Homemade Jamz: 11:55 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
Ryan, Kyle and Taya Perry are siblings in their teens who play rocking blues.

Southern Hospitality: 1:10-2:10 p.m.
Bradenton Beach resident and Blind Pig Records artist Damon Fowler recently joined forces with fellow Florida guitarist/vocalist JP Soars and Memphis-based keyboardist/singer Victor Wainwright to form one of the most in-demand groups on the blues festival circuit. See accompanying interview with Fowler. 

Johnny Sansone: 2:25-3:25 p.m.
The New Orleans-based harmonica player and vocalist offers plenty of emotional punch as a performer while also excelling as a songwriter.

Dave “Biscuit” Miller: 3:40-4:40 p.m.
A superbly funky bassist and outstanding showman , Miller has become a favorite at Aces Live in Bradenton with songs ranging from the funky double entendre “Butter My Biscuits” to the somber, soulful “Never Seen it Coming.”

Kenny Neal: 4:55-6:05
Baton Rouge swamp blues master has been elating audiences since the 1970s with his explosive guitar licks, hot harp and potent vocals.

Ruthie Foster: 6:20-7:35
Grammy Award nominate singer’s latest album “Let it Burn” finds Foster putting her own glorious vocal stamp on songs ranging from the Johnny Cash classic “Ring of Fire” to Adele’s recent smash “Set Fire to the Rain.” Read my interview with Foster.

Ben Prestage: performs between acts
One-man-band who grew up near the Everglades sings, plays finger-style guitar, harmonica, banjo, lap-steel, fiddle, resonator guitar and foot-drums.

Details: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 1, Bradenton Riverwalk, 425 Third Ave. W., Bradenton. Tickets: $30. Information: 941-681-0708 or www.bradentonbluesfestival.org.

Read more here: http://heraldbuzzworthy.blogspot.com/2012/09/bradenton-blues-festival-poster-by.html#storylink=cpy

—Bradenton Blues Festival poster (below) by 'Harry Potter' illustrator Mary GrandPré provided by Realize Bradenton.

UPDATED 11/9: Taste of Manatee announces award winners for Bradenton area restaurants

UPDATED 11/9: Taste of Manatee announces awards for Bradenton area restaurants 

Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston, left, with YachtSea Grille owner and appetizer award-winner Kurt Petty during Taste of Manatee at Bradenton Riverwalk.

Ocean Harvest, Blue Marlin and Yachtsea Grille were among the Bradenton area eateries that most impressed judges Saturday and Sunday.

Patrons, many first timers, were wowed by the delectable dishes, too.  

Taste of Manatee organizers The Rotary Club of West Bradenton announced their restaurant award winners Thursday for the 26th annual cuisine contest that took place this past weekend at Riverwalk.

The festival featured food from 28 local restaurants being enjoyed by some 20,000 attendees, the service club estimated.

Ocean Harvest Grill's fabulous fish tacos played a key role in the Bradenton restaurant winning Best Of The Best while Bradenton Beach's Blue Marlin won Best Booth with its stone crab macaroni and cheese quickly selling out both days

YachtSea Grille, which opened earlier this year on Riverfront Boulevard as a direct result of the newly renovated Riverwalk, won in the appetizer category. It served Polynesian pork shank, clam chowder and roasted red pepper hummus with pretzel rolls.

Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston presented the awards, along with Miss Manatee Jennie Ozark, Junior Miss Manatee Caroline Howard, Little Miss Manatee Hannah Brady and Mini Miss Manatee Savannah Cannon.

"We had the finest restaurants we've ever had," said Mark Sticht, a chairman for Taste of Manatee. "Most importantly, all the restaurants are from right here in the community." 

Each restaurant contributes a significant portion of their sales from the Taste of Manatee to the supported charities.

Complete list of winners:

Appetizers:
1st Place - YachtSea Grill
2nd Place - Lobstahs
3rd Place - Riverhouse Reef & Grill

Entrees:
1st Place - Mexicali
2nd Place - J&J Barbecue
3rd Place - Edelweiss German Cuisine

Desserts:
1st Place - Fia's Cafe
2nd Place - Ocean Harvest Grill
3rd Place - Meaney's Mini Donuts

Specialty Foods:
1st Place - Ferraro's Pizza
2nd Place - Mr. Cheesecake
3rd Place - Taste of Hawaii

Best Booth: Blue Marlin

Best Of The Best: Ocean Harvest Grill

Taste of Manatee's move to Bradenton Riverwalk results in best year ever
 
Taste of Manatee moves food, fun and music to Bradenton Riverwalk

—Photo provided by The Rotary Club of West Bradenton.

Tucker and Winston's big day at Bradenton Riverwalk

After all the articles I've already written about Bradenton Riverwalk, you would think I'd be tired of the place.

Nope.

Can't get enough.

We returned again for a long, wonderful afternoon Sunday that found us having a tasty lunch at Tarpon Pointe Grille & Tiki Bar before enjoying drinks at Pier 22.

And ice cream from the truck parked behind the Pavilion and Event Area.

In between, we strolled the Riverwalk with about a thousand (or more) other friendly people of all ages and plenty of pets.

Yes, our French bulldog Tucker and his new best friend Winston were there.

Thanks to my Sunday column and the picture that ran prominently on Bradenton.com, they were recognized everywhere we went.

I think all the attention might be going to Tucker's head.

Oh well.

Here's my Sunday column (with picture of Tucker smiling):

Bradenton Riverwalk is a great destination spot, especially for dog lovers

—Photo of Tucker (foreground) and Winston drinking from a doggy water fountain at Bradenton Riverwalk on Sunday.  

Bradenton Riverwalk is 'dream' come true

Skateboarders, splashing babies and senior citizens were among the thousands in attendance at the opening of the city's most highly anticipated project in decades.

"Welcome to your Riverwalk," Mayor Wayne Poston told the large, diverse audience gathered in the newly-sodded Pavilion and Event Area. "This public park has been a dream of mine for years."

Poston, who took office in 2000 and is seeking re-election Nov. 6, talked about how during his many years as executive editor of the Bradenton Herald he used to look at the area along the Manatee River formerly known as the Sandpile and envision a public park.

"I can't stop smiling," Poston said with a big grin. "This is such a great thing."

Read more of my front page story.

—Photo of children enjoying the splash fountains Thursday by Wade Tatangelo.

Bradenton Riverwalk opens today with many, diverse attractions scheduled

It's really happening.

Bradenton's Sandpile has been transformed into an attraction that rivals any downtown park in Southwest Florida.

After decades of various plans, both failed and fulfilled, the city's $6.2 million Riverwalk project that began construction last summer has been completed.

It will finally come alive at 4:30 p.m. today with activities ranging from walking tours to skateboarding.

Echoing the enthusiasm of a multitude of long-time Bradenton residents, Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Dave Gustafson couldn't be more excited about what has happened to the southern banks of the Manatee River.

He has lived and worked in the Bradenton area since moving here as a child in 1973.

Gustafson, like so many Manatee residents, has witnessed the city's waterfront progress, often at a glacial pace, from wasteland to destination spot.

"When you hear all these potential starts and stops and the economy killing things you just keep trying to put the pieces together," Gustafson said while surveying the Riverwalk. "It's been on the mayor's bucket list, the city council's bucket list and the bucket lists of countless others.

Read more.

The Bradenton Riverwalk and its many, diverse attractions open today 

Bradenton Riverwalk to open with arts, sports and a major blues festival 

Bradenton Riverwalk will impress when it reopens Oct. 18: commentary

—Photo: The Family FunZone at Bradenton's new Riverwalk. GRANT JEFFERIES/Bradenton Herald

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/10/18/4243326/the-bradenton-riverwalk-and-its.html#storylink=cpy

Take me to the Bradenton Riverwalk: Numerous free events planned through end of year

A Postcard from the Friendly City at Bradenton's new Riverwalk. GRANT JEFFERIES/Bradenton Herald

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/10/14/4236502/bradenton-riverwalk-opens-with.html#storylink=cpy

The long-awaited, $6.2 million Bradenton Riverwalk project that began construction last summer has been completed.

On Thursday morning, the chain-link fence will be removed.

And at 4:30 p.m., the Grand Opening Celebration begins.

Here are the Grand Opening Season Events for Fall 2012:

All events are free (except the history cruise on Nov. 4 and the Bradenton Blues Festival).

Riverwalk Grand Opening: 4:30-7:30 p.m., Oct. 18, Pavilion & Event Area

Opening celebration includes live music by State College of Florida, skateboarding, volleyball, tai chi, public art talks, and walking tours. Music and refreshments start at 4:30 p.m. with the ceremony at 5:15 p.m.

Reels at Rossi Movie: 7 p.m. Oct. 19, Pavilion & Event Area

The 2011 action-adventure thriller "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" (PG-13) starring Tom Cruise will be shown on a three-story screen. Bring blankets or lawn chairs. Refreshments for sale.

Read more.