Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy Collection – Can You Face’em

May 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

When you think of Stephen King, you’d probably say he’s one of the world’s all time greatest horror authors.  You may also think after reading his novels that he must be demented in some way to be able to come up with such horrific ideas; no sane human could ever think of stuff like that.  Not true, many sane people suffer from hauntings unlike your typical paranormal like encounters; they instead are haunted in their dreams.  Their dreams turn into nightmares and fears where they can’t wake up from them and are forced to endure the horror that eludes them in the light.

Some of those people block out and forget the entire dream; they don’t want to remember it so they stuff it back into the archives of their mind never to be touched again.  Others, like Stephen King, face their fears and nightmares head on and have found a way to profit from them, while chilling others to the bone.  That is the case for Jason Dowd, the founder of Dowd Studios and artist in the new series “Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy.”

Ever since he was a boy, Jason has been tormented in the night with night terrors.  He recalls dreams where he’s free falling through the sky, looking down at the solid mass that will surely take his life when he hits; but he never hit, instead he woke up before touchdown.  He also recalls one of the longest running nightmares that still haunts him today. It’s where he wakes up in a coffin, mistaken as dead; he smells death and sees the solitude of the metal box he lays in.  The horrific sound of the earth being thrown in, covering the coffin and the final pitch dark and forever silence that he is forced to live until the remaining oxygen is depleted.

He also recalls some of his biggest fears, which are spiders and clowns.  He states clowns are just evil; they are dirty and look like a dead corpse that put on some makeup to make their pasty skin look worse than it already is.  After seeing the movie, It, he became fully convinced that these fun-loving, carefree hobos are really a disguise for the evil that lies beneath the layered thick paint.  The yellow jaundiced eyes that glow when provoked, and teeth that turn razor sharp to take your soul.  Yes, that is what he thinks of clowns, and he has no problem stating that fact.  Then there are spiders, and who isn’t scared of them.  They are eight legged, multi-eyed little nasties whose whole purpose in life is to freak you out.

So what do these fears and nightmares mean?  Why are we telling you this?  Quite simply, one day after telling a story, one of the listeners asked Jason, “What the hell goes on in your head?”  Jason has always said he wouldn’t wish his mind on anyone, especially someone he loved; but that one question did spark a interest, an idea if you will.  He decided words weren’t powerful enough to express the horror of those nightmares, the sense of fear when he sees the very things that scare him the most.  The comfort with some of the greatest dreams he’s ever dreamed.  So he decided to create his own art series depicting his dreams, nightmares, and fears, and for fun, he threw in his twisted views on fantasy creatures and fairy tales.

In less than one month of planning and shooting, with the help of some very beautiful and talented models willing to step foot into the artist’s mind and face the very objects he fears most, Jason gave birth to this series, “Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy” and was able to achieve his vision and confront his own fears.

The collection is guaranteed to shock, horrify, gross out and disgust you.  It will surely inspire and capture your heart and emotions and it will make you see the world through the eyes of Jason himself.  He’s fully aware some of the pictures will invoke some controversy, but he says it’s “no holds barred, anything goes.”  Despite some of the more disturbing pictures, you will probably notice that they are still beautiful and will capture your eye despite the graphic nature of the piece.

Right now the collection contains: Sugar Plum Fairies, Woodland Fairies, Gothic Little Red Riding Hood, Angel vs. Demon, Isolated and Insane, Trapped, But Not Dead, Remember When, Death To Yesterday, and Please Help Me.

“Trapped But Not Dead” is the reenactment of his nightmare of being buried alive.  The coffin used is a real vintage child’s coffin, and a real mortician gave the makeup tips to him.  “Details make the picture; it’s what helps to create the emotion and ambiance of the piece.  When I shoot these, I strive for authenticity.”

“Death To Yesterday” and “Angel vs. Demon” are darker pictures that still inspire.  For instance, the “Demon vs. Angel” series is a collection of twelve pieces that tell a story of the battle between good and evil.  In the end, good triumphs and peace will live again.  “Death To Yesterday” is the artist’s way of saying, don’t cry over the past, you can’t change it and you can’t live in it.  It’s there so you don’t repeat your mistakes and will be there to make you smile in the future.  These were both actual pleasant dreams Jason has had throughout the years.

Despite the month long shooting spree, Jason was asked to show this collection in Hong Kong come August at “THAT GALLERY,” a new art gallery that shows art from artists from around the world.  “It’s an honor and a dream come true to be asked to be a part of this show,” Jason states. “All I ever wanted was to be in a gallery somewhere. I figured it would be here first, but heck, I’ll take Hong Kong!”

The series has received rave reviews and comments, and I see it going very far.  Soon, Dowd Studios hopes to be able to place the pieces up for sale in small print and collectors’ limited editions in the studios online store.  He also hopes to be able to do some live shows around the country.

To see the collection, go to www.dowdstudios.com and click the gallery link.  If you are a Facebook user, follow him and his art there at www.facebook.com/pages/Dowd-Studios/371707221418

Filed Under: Art, featured, Photography Tagged With: ,

American Idol Season 9 Sum Up

May 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment

This year’s finale had a lot of emotion.  For one, the legendary Simon Cowell will no longer judge the competition; the main voice of the panel giving criticism that made the show famous.  I mean come on, who didn’t watch it to see who Simon would rip apart.  I know I surely did.

This season also had a new judge, Ellen DeGeneres.  A woman who undoubtedly loves music, and dances to a new song each and every weekday on her show.  I thought she did alright for her first season.  I noticed the first 24 she seemed to mimic Randy’s criticism a lot, almost to the word.  I never really saw her disagree with Randy, except for one time with Tim.  Was she the most qualified?  Let’s see, Simon and Randy are two huge entities in the music recording field. Randy played bass with Journey, and Simon has produced some of the world’s top artists.  Kara was a Grammy winning song writer and vocalist.  Ellen?  She loves music.  Odd in many ways, but she did better than most thought.

The final episode of Season 9 didn’t have any gaudy lip-syncing, bikini flashes, or unnecessary hype.  Instead it was filled with great performances by Janet Jackson, Cristina Aguilera, Joe Cocker, Alanis Morissette, Chicago, Michael McDonald, and amazingly enough, the very lucky Bret Michaels.  It’s really what the show needed after last year’s debacle.

Season 9′s finalists were both chosen in Chicago.  You had Lee DeWyze, and Crystal Bowersox.  Each are completely different in sound and personality, but each knows exactly what recording artist they are.  Both Crystal and Lee were good choices for this year’s finale, and I still say both were a MUCH better choice than last year.  Over the past nine seasons, Idol has only given the world really four successful Idols, and five duds.  Sure, they may have had a little success, but the runners-up in that year have surely out performed them.  Reuben had some success, more than some, with most of it being in the gospel genre.  Fantasia and Taylor Hicks were complete flops.  It’s still a little too early yet, but I only heard Adam Lambert on the radio and nothing from Kris Allen.  Would this year be different?

If I had to compare these finalists to anyone, I would say Lee was a good example of David Cook, and Danny Gokey from Season 8, whom he has a striking resemblance to.  Crystal Bowersox would match well with the great Janis Joplin and sounded phenomenal in her duet with Alanis tonight.  Sure, each one has their strengths and weaknesses, but either way, I would enjoy this year’s winner over last year’s.

In the end, Lee DeWyze won Season 9 despite a weak performance in the final contest, and not being consistent all season.  He found his rhythm in the last few weeks which really was his saving grace.  Crystal never was in the bottom three.  She continued to blow the judges away week after week, and was the sure winner of this year, again another major upset.  I don’t know if people voted for Lee because of his good looks, or just because he was the underdog.  We’ll see if America picked them right, because on voting lately, America has let us all down majorly.  I don’t want to see a sixth flop and Crystal outdoing Lee in the long run.  I mean, the winner is supposed to be the best, the one that America is dying to see in the stores and will rush out to get their new release when the time comes.  Somehow that never seems to happen unless your Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson.  Jordin Sparks has done well for herself, but not nearly as popular as those two.

Only time will tell, but I have a good feeling Idol will never be the same, and many will stop watching it next year.  I have seen LOTS of disgust over the winner; they like him, but they know Crystal is the better of the two.  There won’t be harsh criticism in there either unless Gordon Ramsay comes to judge Idol.  I think the show is in the books.  It will go down as one of the most popular reality shows in history, but like most, I won’t be watching next year unless they get one hell of a judge to replace Simon.

Congrats to Lee and Crystal.  We wish you all the best on your future endeavors.

Filed Under: American Idol Tagged With: , ,

NY Style Pizza In Rural Florida

May 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Nestled in the heart of Land O’ Lakes/ Lutz, Florida lies a small pizzeria with a rich family tradition. It has served this area since 2000, delivering for the locals one of the best tasting New York style pizzas in the area kissed with a hint of Italiano. Honestly, it’s hard for many locals to know what a true New York style pizza is, except now, they have the chance to experience it without having to travel northward.

A “true” New York style pizza is unlike any other; its base is a thin and fluffy crust that is hand tossed to the desired diameter. The chef would then glaze the top with homemade tomato sauce rich with decedent herbs and spices, layered with fresh and stringy mozzarella cheese and toppings of your choice. Once out of the oven, the slices are so large that you have to fold them to eat them, and trust me, it makes it taste better. You know you have a true New York slice when the oils run down your arm, and then get the esteem pleasure of licking it up. Are you hungry yet? If so, then head on over to Pizza Suprema.

Like I said before, the pizzeria has a rich family tradition because Luigi and Lena founded it with their son, Joe. They are true native Italians that migrated down to Lutz from New York. For over 30 years Luigi and Lena have been cooking and slaving behind piping hot ovens to deliver some of the world’s best tasting Italian food. Joe and Frank grew up working in their restaurants in New York and now continue the tradition here in Florida.

Around 2004 Pizza Suprema branched out, creating a store off of Bruce B. Downs in the Target shopping center and across the street from the original establishment in the new Publix shopping center. It was a feat of dominance over the competition, because each branch offered something a little different with the ambiance for the patrons. However, in 2006, Pizza Suprema III located in the Publix shopping center closed after the franchisees decided to sell. Joe, who partnered with another investor, kept the store on Bruce B. Downs but later sold his half to his partner and now goes under another name.

Frank is the primary caretaker of the Original Pizza Suprema, but his brother Joe can be found in there as well from time to time, and of course, their lovely mother Lena. Sadly, last year the brothers lost their father but vowed to carry on the Marchica legacy. Today Joe has a few more locations in the Tampa area, one being Marcello’s on Van Dyke and Dale Mabry. He also has a quick pizzeria in the Shell gas station on Van Dyke and Longleaf. There you can get that great slice of pie in a second, while you fill up your gas tank; what could be better than that?

So stop in to any of the restaurants and see why they offer the best pizza in the area. Even if you don’t want pizza or you don’t like pizza, there is something there for you too. They offer their patrons a full variety of traditional and more exotic Italian food dishes. Some using gourmet ingredients that are sure to please. Their food is made fresh from scratch daily; they don’t serve pre-made dishes. You will get an eye-popping portion that will make you wonder how you will ever eat all of your order. Don’t worry; they have “doggy bags.”

If you want some of that good Italian hospitality, then Pizza Suprema and Marcello’s are sure to hit the spot. They always have and always will live and work by the simple saying, “when you’re there, you’re family.” And they will certainly treat you as such.

For more info, see www.originalpizzasuprema.com, or call them at 813-909-2229.

Filed Under: featured, Food Tagged With:

The Domino’s Challenge

May 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

You’ve probably seen the television commericals where taste testers are bashing Domino’s Pizza, and the chefs decide to change their reputation.  It takes a lot to get on TV and announce to the world your product is terrible.  Most companies do everything in their power to conceal it from the public; not loving Domino’s pizza much, I thought maybe it’s worth a try.  What’s the worst that can happen, they refund my money back because it was worse or no better than before?

So last Wednesday I ordered a medium pepperoni pizza, “hand tossed” crust.  I thought, let’s start with the basics.  I figured how can you ruin that, right?

When it arrived it looked the same as any of their older pizzas ever did.  Same box, to the eye I saw no difference.  When I ate it, I did notice some changes.

  1. The sauce wasn’t as sweet as it was before.  I found it more robust and pleasing to my tastebuds.
  2. The crust was a bit better too.  The older crust was dry and had this crumbly like texture to it.  Now it was moist and bready and had a better flavor.  It almost was like the pan pizza texture of Pizza Hut.
  3. It arrived hot, something I haven’t had with Domino’s in years.

So overall, in my opinion, they did improve their pizza.  I can actually stomach it better than before.  This was the first time I ate more than two slices of a Domino’s pizza!  However, Domino’s is not my first choice for take-out pizza.

Filed Under: Food Critique

The South Will Rise Again…At Least For The Day

May 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Civil War may long be over, but for certain history buffs, it never ended.  The infamous battle between the North and the South continuously gets played out over and over each year throughout various states.  Florida is no exception to Civil War reenactments.  Men and women throughout the “Sunshine State” take the historical reenactments very seriously, many making them part of their lifestyles instead of just being a hobby.  Some reenactors spend hundreds, even thousands each year on Civil War attire, accessories, weapons and camping gear.  They learn just what it was like to live in the days when the Yankees and Confederates were at war.  Reenactors dedicate their time to learning how the soldiers and their families spoke, what they spoke about, and also study authentic Civil War recipes and music.  And each year these reenactors visit various sites, performing mock battles to entertain and educate the public.  Typically at each event site, crowds can witness the infamous battle scene and walk around the campsite, learning about how the soldiers lived back in the day.  Sometimes there will be handmade goods for sale, such as soaps and clothing.

I recently caught up with Brooksville resident Bill Penkava, a Civil War reenactor and historian.  “I started four or five years ago doing living histories of Florida pioneers of the 1840s-1890s at the annual Pioneer Days celebration at Ft. Cooper, and the Chinsegut Hill Manor House.  Then, two years ago, I started Civil War reenacting at the Brooksville Raid (one of the largest reenactments in Florida),” says Penkava.

Penkava states that he became interested in reenacting simply because he is a “history nut.”  For years he has been studying various historical events throughout time, as well as geneology.  In addition to Civil War reenacting, Penkava belongs to the Seminole Wars Historic Foundation, the Hernando Preservation Soceity, and the Friends of Chinsegut Hill.  As a reenactor, Penkava says he started in the infantry, and has participated as both a Confederate and Union soldier at various Tampa Bay historical events.  “We try to realistically portray life in the Civil War camps, and follow the military drill and formations of that time.  I am in a unit that represents an actual unit raised in Hernando County in July 1861, Company C, 3rd Florida.  I now act with another man as a Provost Marshall and perform military police duties in the authentic Civil War camp,” explains the reenactor.  Penkava further goes on to say that his Civil War group, Company C, 3rd Florida, was once known as the Hernando Wildcats.  In addition to the infantry and provost jobs, Penkava says there are women in his group who dress in period clothing, while others serve as the medical corp.  Other Civil War units provide artillery and cavalry.  Company C, 3rd Florida is hardly the only Civil War reenactment group in the state.  If you are looking to join a Confederacy unit, there are many choices such as the 3rd Battalion, 5th Florida, Company B, 2nd Florida Infantry, 2nd Florida Artillery, as well as a listing of others.  Union groups include the 4th Brigade District of Florida, 8th U.S. Colored Troops, and the USS Ottawa, just to name a few.

Penkava says he does about six “battles” a year, but also takes part in other local events such as the Brooksville Christmas parade, history demonstrations at the Heritage Museum and at Chinsegut Hill.  Penkava also mentions that in November he will be participating in the first annual Veteran’s Day celebration in Brooksville.  “There will be about 1,000 reenactors from the Seminole Wars through today’s conflicts that will participate.”  Penkava attends reenactments all throughout the Tampa Bay area, however, he claims that some members will go to events all over the state and even elsewhere in the country, like Gettysburg.  Penkava has done the Brooksville Raid and the Crystal River Raid twice each, and has also done several smaller local skirmishes such as the Pioneer Village in Dade City.  The reenactor says he will be doing the Parrish Train Raid this year as well.

So, why do people choose to reenact?  According to Penkava, reenacting is the accurate representation of the way soldiers lived and fought during the Civil War.  People do it now to honor the sacrifices of those who served, and they enjoy sharing the history they are preserving.  And if you choose to reenact and become a history preservationist, what qualifications must you possess in order to join a unit?  Penkava tells me that nothing more than interest in the history of the period is needed, plain and simple.  Historically influenced clothing, accessories and weapons aren’t required before joining, but borrowing from other members and purchasing new items are necessary once becoming involved.  Penkava says he owns a Confederate uniform along with several different hats, leather belts, brass buckles, shoes, ammo pouches, a bayonet, musket, revolver, canteen and more.

Having many accessories and gear is definitely important as a reenactor, however, it can also be a hardship.  Penkava feels that there are physical challenges of carrying around all the heavy and cumbersome Civil War gear, as well as having to wear the hot wool uniform in the Florida heat, along with uncomfortable period shoes.  I’m sure some of the female group members have similar complaints of their own, regarding their heavy dress fabric and awkward, large hoopskirts.  As a native Floridian, I have endured many sweltering, hot summers and I honestly don’t know what I would do without my cotton tank tops, loose fitting shorts and cloth flip-flops.

But despite the difficulties that come with reenacting, especially in a state such as Florida, the joys of belonging to a Civil War group are far greater.  Penkava says that being  able to help teach history to those who attend these events is the best part of being a reenactor.  Many people, especially the younger generation, do not know our nation’s rich history, including that of the Civil War.  These kinds of reenactments help us to learn and understand history unlike any book or classroom teacher can.

So, will the South rise again?  It just depends on the day; perhaps on Saturday, but most likely the Confederacy’s win will be short-lived.  For on Sunday, while munching on a bag of sweet and salty kettle corn, the Yanks fight back… at least until the next event.

For more information on how to become a reenactor in Florida, and to find out more about other Civil War units in the state, visit www.floridareenactorsonline.com.

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