WHOLE LOTTA HOOPLA UNDERWATER CARNAGE BOOT CAMP NYC’s best street ball action Pg. 24 Diving into wreckage and reefs Pg. 44 L.L. Bean celebrates 100 years Pg. 56 THERE’S NOTHING STOPPING YOU STOPPING THERE’S NOTHING THE ADVENTURE ISSUE THERE’S NOTHING STOPPING YOU FACE YOUR FEARS IN SIN CITY, AUGUST 2012 RAFT AMERICA’S MOST INFAMOUS RIVER AND RACE MUD-COVERED LUNATICS Pg. 26 airtran.com/go AUGUST 2012 AUGUST COMPLIMENTARYCOMPLIMENTARYC COPYOPY 88 GO_0812_p001_COVER v1.indd 1 11/07/2012 10:26 ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX WILLIAMSON BY ILLUSTRATION AUGUST 2012 60 GO MAGAZINE GO_0812_p070_OTT.ndd.indd 60 16/07/2012 09:39 GO_0812_p070_OTT.ndd.indd 61 11/07/2012 15:00 ON THE TOWN: TAMPA VS. CHARLOTTE POLITICS AS UNUSUAL BY SUSAN B. BARNES AND REID CREAGER WITH TAMPA AND CHARLOTTE EXPECTING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS DESCENDING UPON THEM FOR THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTIONS, SOME BUSINESSES GOT CREATIVE. WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT BY-PRODUCTS, EVENTS AND CHANGES HAVE MUSHROOMED IN ANTICIPATION OF THE CONVENTIONS. All that politicking is sure to TAMPA make convention-goers hungry, CHARLOTTE and they’re in luck. Several local restaurants used the opportunity to raise their wand SHEPHARD’S of culinary wizardry and created TOAST OF DILWORTH lets you start your day democratically—by BEACH RESORT dishes exclusively for the RNC digging in to the “Obamelet” in its homey yet adds some patriotic color to its menu with the and DNC expansive digs on the outskirts of Uptown. The Red, White and Blue Brisket, a slow-smoked “Obamelet” will be “an omelet with all the stuff the barbecue brisket with spicy white cole slaw, president likes to eat,” says owner Brian Burchill. red barbecue sauce and lime salted blue corn “I did some research online. He likes broccoli, he tortilla chips served on a freshly baked bun—it likes cheddar, and there’s a couple other things doesn't get more American than that. Wash that I’m going to throw in there that he also likes.” it down with the equally colorful Firecracker, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s world travels a refreshing blend of strawberry daiquiri and will get a nod via a yet unnamed “stuffed French piña colada, topped with a Blue Curacao floater. toast,” and VP “Joe Biden is more of a working- shephards.com FOOD class guy, so we’re looking at maybe a pancake Innisbrook Resort for him.” And, in the interest of equal time, there’s DINING AT also the “Romelet.” It remains to be seen what INNISBROOK RESORT will be in it and whether they’ll go conservative on in Palm Harbor has taken a Republican turn the fromage. toastcafeonline.com with the RNC Steak Spectacular (22 ounces of premium cut, chef-selected beef), the GOP HARVEST MOON GRILLE Burger (a 12-ounce patty topped with, what is a place that all party-lines can agree on. else, American cheese and a fried organic This popular farm-to-table eatery in Uptown egg) and the Lincoln Roll, named in honor of held a contest to create a Charlotte signature America’s first Republican president dish in time for the convention—and the top (spring rolls filled with four-hour braised short three finishers got a prime ticket on the menu. rib beef, fresh vegetables and served with Peggy Luey’s first-place entry was the Belly Bun maple and ginger sauces). A Massachusetts Sandwich, a pork belly sandwich served on Muscle, a specialty cocktail with Johnnie a corn cheddar biscuit. Cindy Morris was runner-up Walker, Jim Beam and Southern Comfort for her Apple Cider Braised Pork, served with with a splash of Florida fresh citrus nectar, green onion spoon bread. And Laura Ann Radoff’s is sure to quench even the most American- Fat Cat Stew—catfish stew with sausage in sized thirst. Or, grab a Republican Rally broth—placed third among the approximately 75 —half-yards of local brews that are sure entries. harvestmoongrillecharlotte.com to fire up even the staunchest Democrats. innisbrookgolfresort.com UPTOWN’S MIMOSA GRILL will feature some special menu items in THE RETREAT anticipation of DNC Week, says Director of has been a favorite local watering hole since Operations Steve Seitz. Among them will be a 1938 and has been serving up its Pink hickory grilled steak selection: the “American Elephant, a tall drink of frothy, fruity goodness, Wagyu,” an 8oz flank; the “Kansas City,” a since around that same time. The RNC gives 14oz bone-in CAB strip, and the “Cowboy,” a this drink a well-deserved comeback. Its recipe, 20oz bone-in CAB ribeye. All of these dishes however, is a secret so well guarded that even will remain on the menu for as long as they’re the Secret Service would have a hard time popular… much like a senator. cracking it. retreattampa.com Harvest Moon Grille mimosagrill.com AUGUST 2012 62 GO MAGAZINE GO_0812_p070_OTT.ndd.indd 62 16/07/2012 09:12 ON THE TOWN: TAMPA VS. CHARLOTTE EVENTS The über-event convention TAMPA has inspired a multitude of CHARLOTTE accompanying not-to-be-missed mini-events. HERD ABOUT CAROLINAFEST 2012 TAMPA BAY The convention will be shortened from the normal four days to three in order to accommodate a The elephants are coming! As the town is community kick-off celebration on Labor Day being stampeded by the Republican kind, (Monday, Sept. 3) along the Tryon Street corridor in a herd of fiberglass elephants is also Uptown. CarolinaFest is designed to celebrate the silently debuting in the city this summer to Carolinas, Virginia and the South by featuring live welcome RNC guests to Tampa. The outdoor entertainment, activities and an array exhibitions arts project is a fun, innovative way for local that showcase them in their best light. (All activities businesses and communities to be involved tbd at time of print). carolinafest2012.com in the activities by creating the works of art themselves or commissioning them, and features a number of 4’x4’ fiberglass PARADE elephants that will be on display at various Up to six marches a day will leave every 40 spots throughout the Tampa Bay area. minutes to, er, parade along the designated parade 2012tampa.com route for Uptown Sept. 4-6. Marches will begin at Pearle Street Park and proceed along Baxter, S Herd About TampaTampa McDowell, E Stonewall and S Caldwell streets before ELEPHANTS turning onto E Third St and ending at Marshall Park. ON PARADE The route was specifically chosen to flaunt views of Mint Museum Albright Collection official DNC-related sites like the Time Warner Cable That herd isn’t the only art show in town, Arena and Bank of America Stadium. though. Colorful works created by Tampa Bay area middle and high school students specifically for the convention will be on THE DAILY SHOW display in the Tampa Bay Times Forum as Legendary satirist Jon Stewart and his “news part of the 2012 Republican National team” will be in Charlotte to host The Daily Show Convention Art Competition, the first of (thedailyshow.com) throughout the entire week its kind. gopconvention2012.com at ImaginOn (imaginon.org), a children’s library and theater. Tickets were sold out within minutes FACES OF of going up online. TAMPA BAY ROCK THE RED Unsure of where you are and how to get to Sick of being a Republican while the city is flooded Ybor City? Got a hankering for a café con with Dems? Rock the Red 2012 Festival is calling all leche but don't know where to go? Help is conservatives on Sept. 5 at Bojangles’ Coliseum for near, as thousands of volunteers from all a night of conservative speakers and country and over Florida converge to cover more than Faces of Tampa Bay rock music acts (yet unnamed). rockthered.com 7,500 volunteer shifts, donating their time and efforts the week of August 27 in support of the RNC. From greeting guests at MUSEUM MADNESS the airport and area hotels to helping them Twelve sites will host parties on Sept. 2. Amongst navigate the convention area in downtown them, the Mint Museum will showcase Tampa, these Faces of Tampa Bay are doing Madeleine Albright’s jewelry and works by their part to help convention attendees Thornton Dial. The Gantt Center for African make the most of their time in Tampa and American Arts + Culture will host America I the surrounding areas. 2012tampa.com AM, which includes 200 artifacts illustrating African-Americans’ role in the country’s history and culture and includes items linked to Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. AMERICAN FLAG: JOHN BIGELOW TAYLOR JOHN BIGELOW FLAG: AMERICAN AUGUST 2012 64 GO MAGAZINE GO_0812_p070_OTT.ndd.indd 64 16/07/2012 09:12 ON THE TOWN: TAMPA VS. CHARLOTTE RENOVATIONS With so many people coming TAMPA to visit the city, naturally, it CHARLOTTE wants to look its best. And, long after the crowds have left and SMELL THE FLOWERS the election has been decided, PREP RALLY Lusher than Charlotte by far, downtown Tampa the improvements made in Much of the $37 million being raised to pay for and Bayshore Boulevard are enjoying a sprucing preparation of the conventions the convention will go toward preparing the Time up as far as landscaping is concerned. A variety of will continue to benefit the city. Warner Arena by retrofitting the building for TV Florida-friendly flora and fauna will ensure colorful entails, tearing out several sections of seats to displays throughout the year and for years to make room for stages and platforms, as well come, including 318 trees, 162 palm trees, Time Warner Arena as rebuilding them after the event is over.