By Christopher Curry

Staff writer Gainesville Sun

The county fairgrounds hummed with activity this weekend as knights jousted and crowds gathered during the annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire.

Despite the activity outdoors, county officials say -- and have said since 2000 -- the site's buildings have long outlived their usefulness as venues for fairs and other events. Malfunctioning, antiquated lights and the lack of an air-conditioning system are two of the maladies at the exhibition hall. Over at the pole barn, the roof leaks "like a sieve," says Robert Avery, the county's superintendent for Recreation & Parks.

The county's proposed solution is ambitious and expensive -- development of a new fairgrounds and redevelopment of the current fairgrounds site adjacent to Gainesville Regional Airport into a business park.

That two-pronged approach has been in place since 2003, when Gainesville and county officials adopted the Plan East Gainesville vision for economic development. But planning it and paying for it are different matters. The projected cost for the first phase of the fairgrounds exceeds $22 million. With identified resources to meet approximately half that, county officials might gauge private interest in funding a portion of construction.

Tuesday, the County Commission is scheduled to vote on whether to seek letters of interest from firms that would forge a public-private partnership to develop the new fairgrounds and redevelop the current site.

Assistant County Manager Rick Drummond said one option to lure the private sector was the granting of rights to redevelop the current fairgrounds into a business park through a long-term, low-cost lease.

"We want private interests to develop that," Drummond said. "The county is not going to develop that into a commerce center."

The current fairgrounds property lies within the city of Gainesville's Eastside Community Redevelopment Area and a designated state Enterprise Zone, both of which offer a developer the possibility of tax incentives.

If commissioners move forward and the private sector responds, Drummond said the next step would be a more-detailed request for proposals.

To date, the county has invested at least $2.14 million in the new fairgrounds property, located off Waldo Road near the Leveda Brown Environmental Park & Transfer Station. The approximately 150-acre property was purchased for $2 million during the 2006-7 fiscal year. Another $89,000 was invested in a master plan for future facilities, and $49,500 has been spent on a business plan.

The first phase would include a 45,000-square- foot exhibition hall, a 50,000-square-foot livestock/equestrian arena, the road network, the midway, an events lawn, parking area and site work.

The new fairgrounds is one of the projects approved for funding through the 2-cent increase in the tourism development tax county commissioners passed last year. Its financing is expected to receive about $10 million from that tax, which is added to the bill for stays at hotels, motels and short-term rental properties. Drummond said approximately $1.4 million also has been set aside from the general fund.

The county's vision is a venue to host not only local fairs and livestock shows but equestrian events, concerts, trade shows and perhaps even the occasional monster truck show.

Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau Director Roland Loog said the venue could attract boat shows, R.V. shows and the like. He said currently organizers of such events have "stopped calling Gainesville because they knew we didn't have anything for them."

The rural and agricultural community expressed mixed feelings about the new fairgrounds plan.

"Our old fairgrounds definitely needs some revamping," said County Extension Director Cynthia Sanders, who has been involved in the youth livestock fair since about 1980. "You look around the state at some other county fairgrounds, and Alachua County's doesn't rank with them."

Still, Smith added that the reality is that the county does not have the funding to develop the new fairgrounds.

Beyond the money issue, Ward Scott, chairman of the county's Rural Concerns Advisory Committee, was worried agricultural-based local traditions such as the county fair and the youth livestock fair would get lost in the mix as the county looks for a facility that draws larger events.

"From our point-of-view we want to make sure it maintains its rural identity," Scott said.

Right now, the future of the county fair is unknown. After a 40-year run, it was canceled last year because the nonprofit fair association had not paid some vendors and exhibitors from the prior year.

Drummond said the county's plans will accommodate the long-running local fairs. The old fairgrounds cannot be closed down until the new fairgrounds is up and running.

The county's full vision for the new fairgrounds is a three-phase development that could exceed $50 million and eventually include an arena.

Contact Christopher Curry at 374-5088 or chris.curry@gvillesun.com.

By Diane Chun
Staff writer Gainesville Sun

Millhopper Family Dentistry will offer free fillings, extractions and cleanings as part of the office's "Care to Share" event Saturday.

Starting at 8 am, a team of dentists, hygienists and volunteers will treat the first 100 patients. The office is located at 3510 NW 43rd St.

"Now more than ever, we know there are people out there who need our services but cannot afford them," Dr. Kenneth Knopf said.

At last year's event, 121 patients received more than $50,000 in free dental services.

Want something different than your Bloody Mary or the one made with Clamato, try this...

Bloody Bull

A marriage of the Bloody Mary and the Bullshot, this drink is ideal for brunch or any daytime party.

Ingredients:

2 fl. oz. vodka

2 fl. oz. tomato juice

2 fl. oz. beef bouillon

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Ice cubes

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

Pinch of celery salt

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Directions:

Pour the vodka, tomato juice, beef bouillon and lemon juice into a shaker two-thirds full of ice cubes. Add the pepper, celery salt, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. .

Serves 1.

"There is a difference between an 'optimist' and a fool. An optimist is somebody who looks at bleak facts and decides to make the best of the situation that they can. A fool is somebody who looks at bleak facts and decides to ignore them because they are too upsetting." 

Today

Partly cloudy in the morning then clearing. Highs in the mid 50s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear. Colder. Widespread frost after midnight. Lows in the upper 20s. Northeast winds 5 mph.

Hazardous Weather

A light freeze will be possible tonight through early Wednesday morning inland areas of northeast Florida. Areas of frost are also possible.

Forecast Details

Partly cloudy conditions this morning giving way to sunny skies and continued cool conditions this afternoon. Maximum temperatures to top put only in the 50s and brisk northwesterly flow will remain close to 10-15 miles per hour with gusts up to 20 miles per hour at times.

Tonight, a light freeze is still expected over inland areas with confidence grids still supporting a 50% or greater chance of sub- freezing temperatures possible. Will likely need to upgrade freeze watch to a warning with the afternoon package and may need to issue a frost advisory for adjacent counties in northeast Florida to account for widespread frost that will be possible late tonight.

Today's Pollen Levels: 0.8 Low (on a scale to 12); Predominate Pollen: Juniper.

... Freeze Watch Remains In Effect From Late Tonight Through Wednesday Morning... 
A freeze watch remains in effect from late tonight through Wednesday morning. 

A colder air mass will settle over the region on today. Clear skies and near calm winds are expected tonight with low temperatures bottoming out in the upper 20s and lower 30s acrossinland northeast Florida including the Suwannee River valley early Wednesday morning. Widespread frost is expected as well. Durations below freezing are generally expected in the 2 to 6 hour range.

For additional information visit the National Weather Service in Jacksonville website on the internet at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jax/

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Three Looks at Three Holy Books: Lectures on the Tanakh, Bible and Quran sponsored by the Friends of the Micanopy Library. Father Les Singleton of Episcopal Church of the Mediator in Micanopy talks about the Bible, 7pm Thursday, Micanopy Town Hall, 706 NE First St., Micanopy.

Community Bible Study: Class open to women of all ages and denominations, 9:15-11:15 am Wednesday, First Lutheran Church, 1801 NW Fifth Ave. (333-3217)

Wednesday Bible Study: Come build your faith as you grow through Bible knowledge, 7-8:15 pm Wednesday, The Gables Club House, 4700 SW Archer Road.

Let Go and Let God: The practice of centering prayer meetings, 6 pm Tuesdays, Christ Episcopal Church, State Road 24 and Fifth Street, Cedar Key. (328-9848)

By Bill Dean
Entertainment editor Gainesville Sun

MUSIC

The Doug Carn Quartet, which features jazz pianist Carn along with vocalist Taeko Fukao, bassist Ricky Ravelo and drummer Paul Lentz, will perform Tuesday at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in a concert celebrating Black History Month and sponsored by the Gainesville Friends of Jazz.

Doug Carn Quartet: 7:30 pm Tuesday, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4225 NW 34th St. Tickets: $20, $15 for members, $10 for students. (370-0300)

■ ■ ■

On Wednesday, Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers will bring their Hot ’Lanta-based folk-pop sound to The Venue in a performance also featuring pop-rockers A Fragile Tomorrow, from Charleston, S.C.

Indigo Girls: 9 pm Wednesday, The Venue, 233 West University Ave. Tickets: $22 general admission, $27-$37 VIP seating. (www.TicketWeb.com)

■ ■ ■

The Gainesville Chamber Orchestra offers an early start on Valentine’s Day on Friday with “Tchaikovsky! Music for a Passionate Valentine,” a performance featuring the composer’s Symphony No. 4 and “Romeo and Juliet.”

Gainesville Chamber Orchestra: 7:30 pm Friday, University Auditorium. Tickets: $25, $20 for seniors, $15 for students and children under 12. (392-2787)

■ ■ ■

On Saturday, the Kingston Trio brings their three-part harmony and such famed hits as “Tom Dooley” to University Auditorium.

Kingston Trio: 7:30 pm Saturday, University Auditorium. Tickets: $23-$33. (392-2787 or www.performingarts.ufl.edu)

Alachua County Animal Services

Hey all you cat lovers! Are you looking for a fun, colorful way to spoil your favorite feline? Then we've got just what you need. Next Saturday, 2/12, we will be auctioning off several brand-new cat trees.

Some are over 6 feet tall and retail for up to $400! You can get one for much much less if you outbid the competition.

Just come to Alachua County Animal Services (3400 NE 53rd Ave.) from 1-4pm next Saturday, all proceeds benefit our volunteer program.

“Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.” 

I do not want your money, and I offer nothing to buy. No coffee mugs or T-shirts here. I do this to learn, keep some semblance of sanity and, foolishly, not to make money. There is one way in which I can be fairly compensated for my efforts here at the Mullet Wrapper...

Comment! Don't be shy. It's my only feedback. Make up a name, if you want. Yes, I know our insane spam-blocker can make it frustrating at times. I welcome civil disagreement, too.  

… Widespread Rain Will Become Heavy At Times Today ...

Now

Light rain with embedded moderate showers continue to move across northeast Florida. The showers are moving northeast to east at 10 to 15 mph. Rainfall amounts will vary, generally less than a quarter of an inch.

Today

Showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Highs 59 to 64. Southeast winds 5 mph shifting to the southwest in the afternoon. Chance of rain near 100 %.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with chance of rain showers and slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening, hen mostly clear after midnight. Lows in the lower 40s. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 %.

Hazardous Weather

A Gulf Of Mexico low pressure system will bring widespread rain to the area today. Isolated thunderstorms are possible. Heavy rainfall is the main concern. Ponding of water on area roads will create hazardous driving conditions. Total rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches will be possible by the time the rain wraps up late this evening.

Forecast Details

Rain event has so far unfolded as expected. Most of northeast Florida has already picked up about a third of an inch overnight. Rain will continue throughout the day and will become heavy at times this afternoon. Two surface lows have developed along southern extension of an eastern moving cold front that stretches from Michigan all the way down into the Gulf of Mexico. One low is over southeastern Arkansas while a 2nd low is developing over the Gulf of Mexico south of Louisiana. Based on surface analysis, the GFS is overall handling the situation the best. But overall the models are in really good agreement.

Vigorous shortwave over Texas will swing east across the Gulf Coast today. The Gulf low will race east and move somewhere across our southern zones this afternoon. There is some question as to how far north to bring the warm front but this will mainly have an impact on maximum temperatures. Large scale lift will become enhanced as the low treks across the area this afternoon.

Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected today in a broad swath centered around a line from Jacksonville to Gainesville. These amounts although somewhat excessive for this time of year, will remain below flash flood guidance numbers. However with that said there will likely be some minor Urban and Small Stream flooding today. Ponding of water on area roads will be an issue throughout the day. Did give some thought to a Flood Watch but extensive flooding is not anticipated. A few areas though could total as much as 3 inches by the time the rain wraps up this evening. Lesser amounts of rain are expected on the north and south edges of our County Warning Area, where total rainfall amounts will generally average around a half inch or less.

Very dynamical system, with the area embedded within the right entrance region of strong jet core north of the area, will support the potential for a few elevated thunderstorms. The best chances will be along and south of the surface warm front, roughly south of a line from Gainesville to St. Augustine.

Temperatures today not likely to make much of a move due to rain and deep cloud layer. There will be potential for temperatures to near 70 degrees south of the warm front but most of the area will experience a chilly rain.

Colder air will be drawn into tonight as the cold front advances away from the region. Minimum temperatures tonight will rely on how fast we clear out but temperatures should remain just above freezing across the interior of southeast Georgia. Elsewhere temperatures will fall into the upper 30s and low 40s.

Today's Pollen Levels: 0.8 Low (on a scale to 12); Predominate Pollen: Juniper.

For additional information visit the National Weather Service in Jacksonville website on the internet at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jax/

-------------------------************------------------------

“It happens every Friday evening, almost without fail, when the sun resembles a giant orange and is starting to dip into the blue ocean. Old Ed comes strolling along the beach to his favorite pier. Clutched in his bony hand is a bucket of shrimp.

Ed walks out to the end of the pier, where it seems he almost has the world to himself. The glow of the sun is a golden bronze now. Everybody's gone, except for a few joggers on the beach. Standing out on the end of the pier, Ed is alone with his thoughts....and his bucket of shrimp.

Before long, however, he is no longer alone. Up in the sky a thousand white dots come screeching and squawking, winging their way toward that lanky frame standing there on the end of the pier. Soon, dozens of seagulls have enveloped him, their wings fluttering and flapping wildly. Ed stands there tossing shrimp to the hungry birds. As he does, if you listen closely, you can hear him say with a smile, "Thank you. Thank you."

In a few short minutes the bucket is empty. But Ed doesn't leave. He stands there lost in thought, as though transported to another time and place. Invariably, one of the gulls lands on his sea-bleached, weather-beaten hat - an old military hat he's been wearing for years.

When he finally turns around and begins to walk back toward the beach, a few of the birds hop along the pier with him until he gets to the stairs, and then they, too, fly away and old Ed quietly makes his way down to the end of the beach and on home.

If you were sitting there on the pier with your fishing line in the water, Ed might seem like "a funny old duck," as my dad used to say. Or, "a guy that's a sandwich shy of a picnic," as my kids might say. To onlookers, he's just another old codger, lost in his own weird world, feeding the seagulls with a bucket full of shrimp.

To the onlooker, rituals can look either very strange or very empty. They can seem altogether unimportant ....maybe even a lot of nonsense. Old folks often do strange things, at least in the eyes of Boomers and Busters. Most of them would probably write Old Ed off, down there in Florida.

That's too bad. They'd do well to know him better. His full name: Eddie Rickenbacker. He was a famous hero back in World War II. On one of his flying missions across the Pacific, he and his seven-member crew went down. Miraculously, all of the men survived, crawled out of their plane, and climbed into a life raft.

Captain Rickenbacker and his crew floated for days on the rough waters of the Pacific. They fought the sun. They fought sharks. Most of all, they fought hunger. By the eighth day their rations ran out. No food. No water. They were hundreds of miles from land and no one knew where they were. They needed a miracle. That afternoon they had a simple devotional service and prayed for a miracle. They tried to nap. Eddie leaned back and pulled his military cap over his nose. Time dragged. All he could hear was the slap of the waves against the raft.

Suddenly, Eddie felt something land on the top of his cap. It was a seagull!

Old Ed would later describe how he sat perfectly still, planning his next move. With a flash of his hand and a squawk from the gull, he managed to grab it and wring its neck. He tore the feathers off, and he and his starving crew made a meal - a very slight meal for eight men - of it. Then they used the intestines for bait. With it, they caught fish, which gave them food and more bait......and the cycle continued. With that simple survival technique, they were able to endure the rigors of the sea until they were found and rescued. (after 24 days at sea...)

Eddie Rickenbacker lived many years beyond that ordeal, but he never forgot the sacrifice of that first lifesaving seagull. And he never stopped saying, "Thank you."

That's why almost every Friday night he would walk to the end of the pier with a bucket full of shrimp and a heart full of gratitude.”  

(Max Lucado, In The Eye of the Storm, pp.221, 225-226)

According to Rickenbacker, each person on the rafts converted to Christianity after the experience

PS: By 1910, Rickenbacker was racing cars. Touted as the first man to drive a mile a minute, he received the sobriquet "Fast Eddie" (giving rise to a nickname borne by many men named Edward since his time).  Eddie raced in the 1912, 1914, 1915 and 1916 Indianapolis 500. His only finish in the race was in 1914 when he finished 10th. In the other three races, he did not finish due to car failure. Notably, in the 1916 race, he started on the front row in 2nd place.  Eddie was also an Ace in WW I with 22 enemy planes to his credit and started Eastern Airlines back in the 30's.  Eddie left us back in 1973, but he was a pilot in two wars, an Ace, and received the Medal of Honor.  He was also on the overseas air mail stamp some years ago.  And he never forgot his debt.....

By Lloyd Marcus

February 1, 2011: I can't help imagining Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus, and all of the other race-profiteering usual suspects joyously awakening with a song in their hearts.  "It's The Most Wonderful Month of the Year." 

Ah, yes, another Black History Month!  Time to pitch as many new guilt-trip government entitlement programs as possible.  "I mean, after all, we blacks are still victims of America's racist attitudes and systematic abuse, which has changed very little since the '50s. White America still owes us, damn it!"

See, I know how to sound like a good little colored boy who knows his place on the Liberal Plantation.  Democrat Massa's chief overseer Sharpton would be proud of me.

As a proud American who happens to be black, what I find most annoying about Black HistoryMonth, besides the concept of only one month to celebrate blacks' contributions to America, is the race-profiteers' despicable divisive exploitation of the month.

Throughout American history, white folks, and mostly Christians (there's that dirty C-word which the left despises) suffered, sacrificed, and died to help set blacks free and move them forward.

And yet, Sharpton and company use Black History Month to promote the image that every black achievement was made "in spite of" white America.

This month will be flooded with documentaries, specials, articles, and commentaries about how America still sucks for blacks and has a long, long way to go to make things right.

Just once, I would love to see Black HistoryMonth focused on celebrating the tremendous contributions by blacks in allareas of American life.  Include a few "shout-outs" to the decent, God-fearing, righteous white folks who helped.  That would aid in bringing our nation together, as opposed to the month being used divisively for political exploitation and extortion.

Black History Month should be a fair and balanced presentation of the history of Americans of African descent.  Notice that I said "Americans" rather than "African-Americans."

Our liberal anti-American public school system, the liberal media, and black race-profiteering so-called leaders make no effort to encourage black youths to be proud Americans.  They even discourage it.  Their efforts are focused on creating proud "Africans" who happen to live in America.

The fact that the highest office in the land is occupied by a black man confirms that the good in America's history outweighs the bad.  And yet, Sharpton and company would love to broadcast footage of the KKK lynching blacks 24/7 for the entire month of February.  By the way, the KKK was founded by Sharpton's homeys, the Democrats.

Meanwhile, much of white America's efforts to do the right thing are ignored.  For example, how many black youths are aware that ending slavery was a major issue of the Civil War?  On the side desiring to end slavery, 360,000 soldiers, most of them white, died.

How many black youths know that the Republican Party ended and abolished slavery in the United States and have championed Civil Rights more than any other political party?

I think about the whites who, by candlelight, taught blacks to read despite it being illegal at that time.  They risked being arrested because they knew it was the right thing to do.  And how about the whites who marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King?  What are they, chopped liver?  Sharpton andcompany act as if these great Americans never existed.

What is Black History Month in the minds of most American youths?  Is it a celebration of black achievement?  I think not.  It is a month in which black kids are taught that they are victims and white kids are taught they are guilty.

For reasons only a psychiatrist can understand, liberals are obsessed with focusing on the evils of American history.  There is evil and wrongdoing in the history of every nation/people on the planet.  But America's history is overflowing with goodness and a sense of fair play.

Why?  Because regardless of what the left says, we were founded on Godly principles.  In the long run, we always strive to do the right thing.  We celebrate courage, righteousness, and personal achievement.  Peerlessly generous, Americans are swift to aid people in need regardless of where they live in the world.  We rally around the underdog and cheer for the good guy.

Americans are good, great people.  I have met many of them while traveling nationally on the Tea Party Express.  This is why it so offends me seeing them slandered and abused by the liberal media in support of black democrat race-profiteers.

So folks, please ignore all of the left's guilt trips and focus on the tremendous contributions by blacks to mankind and our great nation.  Happy Black History Month.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/02/black_american_dreads_black_hi.html

Lloyd Marcus, Proud Unhyphenated AmericanLloydMarcus.com
Confessions of a Black Conservative, written by Lloyd Marcus, foreword by Michelle Malkin.
President, NAACPC (National Association for the Advancement of Conservative People of ALL Colors).
Join Lloyd Marcus Facebook Page.

By Lashonda Stinson Curry
Staff writer Gainesville Sun

Showing how much you care shouldn't break the bank.

For Valentine's Day, you might feel the need to pull out all the stops, but it's not necessary. Sure, some people want to celebrate the holiday in a lavish way, but others prefer to go the low-key route. Whether you fit into these descriptions or fall somewhere in the middle, here are a few romantic date ideas for Valentine's Day or the weekend before that suit every budget.

$ (under $20)

At 3 pm February 13, grab a lawn chair or blanket and find a spot about 100 feet from the Century Tower on the University of Florida campus. For 50 minutes, sit (or lie) back and enjoy the beautiful, melodic bell sounds of the carillon as part of the free Sunday Afternoon Concert Series. With nice weather in the forecast, bring some food to go along with the music and you have all the components for a perfect afternoon picnic. (237-3181,www.arts.ufl.edu/carillon)

After a home-cooked meal, snuggle up with your honey and enjoy a movie night on the cheap. Now through February 14, Redbox is running a special promotion: rent two items at once from a kiosk and get a promo code for a free one-night rental. The code expires one week after you receive it. “The Romantics,” a romantic “dramedy” will be released Tuesday, but you can also watch the love story “Letters to Juliet” or the tear-jerker “Toy Story 3.” Feel like laughing? Check out “Date Night” with Steve Carell and Tina Fey or you can pick the obvious choice, last year's romantic comedy “Valentine's Day,” directed by Garry Marshall and featuring an all-star cast.

Put on your dancing shoes for the Valentine's Day Swing Dance on February 14 at The Thomas Center, 302 NE Sixth Ave. Hosted by Santa Fe's Big Band, couples can get swing dance lessons from 6:30 to 7:30 pm and then put their skills to the test at the dance, starting at 7:30 pm Admission is $10 and includes finger foods, punch and sweet snacks. All proceeds will go toward the end-of-the-year tour for the Big Band. (395-5313)

$$ ($25-$40)

A romantic dinner is great for Valentine's, but brunch in a charming setting is just as nice. Sisters in the Haile Village Center offers a lovely brunch Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm Enjoy patio dining or get a cozy table inside to sip a complimentary mimosa and indulge in delicious breakfast dishes including crepes and savory sandwiches — all made with fresh, organic ingredients. The menu also caters to vegans. Entrees are $6.95 to $11.95, with a la carte items $1.95 to $5.95. (379-0281, www.oliveyoueatwell.com)

Another sweet, romantic brunch spot is Paramount Grill, 12 SW First Ave. The fine dining restaurant has brunch 10 am -3 pm Sunday featuring a delectable menu of French toast, pancakes, omelettes, salads and sandwiches from $8 to $17. (378- 3398, www.paramountgrill.com)

Tap into your creative side and create art with your Valentine during a “Date Night” session at Corks & Colors, a paint-it-yourself studio. The session is 7 pm February 14 and costs $25 per person. They supply all the materials and you can bring your own food and beverages (that includes wine, beer, etc.) Each person gets their own canvas to work on the “Funky Tree” painting. Paint it separately or join the canvases to create the painting together. Talk about romantic! The studio is in Santa Fe College's Center for Innovation and Economic Development, 530 W. University Ave. (575-4069, www.corks-colors.com)

$$$ ($50 and above)

The Gainesville Chamber Orchestra will perform some of the most romantic music ever written during “Tchaikovsky!!! Music for a Passionate Valentine” at 7:30 pm.

Friday at the University Auditorium. Performances include the “Romeo and Juliet” overture and the Symphony No. 4 in f minor, both composed by Russian Romantic era composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Tickets for the general public are $25, $20 for seniors age 65 and up and $15 for students. (392-2787, www.performingarts.ufl.edu) 

The popular bed and breakfast Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E. University Ave., will host a Valentine's Day four-course dinner for $45 per person. Bring your own beer or wine and pay a corking fee. (373-6760, www.sweetwater.com)

Fill your heart with romance and your stomach with a full meal at the chic, contemporary and cozy 101 Downtown in Union Street Station. The restaurant's Valentine's Day prix fixe dinner includes an appetizer, soup, salad, entree, dessert and champagne toast. Cost is $55 per person. Check out the evening's diverse menu choices at www.101gainesville.com. Call 376-4177 to make reservations or book online.

If going out on a Monday isn't your thing, Saboré is offering its Valentine's prix fixe menu Friday through Monday. For $60 per person, get a three-course meal and glass of champagne. If you book for Friday or Saturday, add late-night dancing to the evening. The restaurant, splashed in bold colors of red, pink and yellow, is located at 13005 SW First Road in the Tioga Town Center. (332-2727, www.saborerestaurant.com)

For wine lovers, O!O Tapas and Tinis has a special “Romance Wine Dinner” on Feb. 13. For $75 per person, dine on a six-course meal with each course accompanied with a different wine. On Febuary 14, they will offer a $55 prix fix menu with four courses. If you don't want the entire meal, there's the option of ordering the dishes individually. The restaurant is located at 2725 SW 91st St. in the Publix shopping plaza in Haile Plantation. (331-6620)

“The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative the day after the revolution.” 

I do not want your money, and I offer nothing to buy. No coffee mugs or T-shirts here. I do this to learn, keep some semblance of sanity and, foolishly, not to make money. There is one way in which I can be fairly compensated for my efforts here at the Mullet Wrapper...

Comment! Don't be shy. It's my only feedback. Make up a name, if you want. Yes, I know our insane spam-blocker can make it frustrating at times. I welcome civil disagreement, too.