The lineup of beers on draft runs from Strongbow, Indian Pale Ale, Purple Haze, Miller Lite, Sam Adams Seasonal, Blue Moon, Stella Artois, Yeungling, Miller, and Guiness. As far as anything else is concerned, that’s too many bottles for me to count.

Linkster’s is also one of the few places in town where you can find Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka. According to our resident expert on all things of South Carolina culture, sweet tea vodka comes from the town of Awlendaw in the South Carolina backcountry.

The way he tells it, Awlendaw had one of the few vodka distilleries in the United States at one point or another. It also had a sweet tea brewery, which wasn’t needed as much as people turned to tea bags and home brewing.

In short, neither of them was doing very well, and decided a partnership was in order. So now we have sweet tea vodka.

The bar begins at the door, and ends all the way down next to the bathrooms and foosball table, which gives enough room for about a dozen or so plasma TVs per wall.

They always keep a welcome door open… even when it’s 40° outside.

Another feature of Linkster’s that I especially like during warmer weather is the front porch, which also has a couple of flat-screen TVs. It opens directly onto Munn Park and allows you to soak in the night atmosphere as you enjoy a drink or two.

Inside, the place is usually quiet enough for conversation, unless they let a Def Leppard fan too close to the juke box. A good place for a drink on the park.

There were 69 individual ads, and I filled more than 3 pages with notes. It gives me great pleasure to present my report:

5. Monster.com’s fiddling beaver

Gotta love a beaver playing the world’s smallest violin.

4. Cars.com “Regain your confidence”

Why this ad? Because while entertaining, it is also factual. Now I know how to neutralize jellyfish stings AND hit on Italian girls!

3. Audi and the Green Police

Funny bits about this commercial: “You picked the wrong day to mess with the ecosystem, buddy,” “What do you guys think about plastic bottles now, huh?” and what looks like a mongoose trained to sniff out styrofoam at the eco roadblock.

2. KGB “I surrender”

Two pasty white boys about to get flattened by a sumo wrestler. Hilarious.

1. And now, our number one ad of the 2010 Super Bowl is: Google “Parisian Love.”

Why this ad? Because it takes a lot to tell a story just through searches on the web, but they put it together beautifully.

Notable runners up:

Coca-Cola’s sleepwalking in Africa commercial.

The Volkswagen punching ad. Look for the Amish guys in the cart, and Tracy Morgan with Stevie Wonder at the end.

The Bud Light asteroid, book club and LOST ads.

And the guy who gets put in a coffin filled with Doritos.

Movie Trailers:

There were a lot of movie trailers this year. Here’s what we’ve got coming soon to theaters:

The Wolfman, coming this Friday.

Russell Crowe as Robin Hood. (looks awesome!)

Shutter Island. (creepy.)

Alice in Wonderland. (slightly less creepy)

Prince of Persia (knives a specialty).

The Backup Plan. (mushy.)

The Bad, the weird, and the ugly:

Denny’s screaming chickens. Biggest waste ever. Would’ve been better if their heads had been chopped off first.

The unnecessary underwear ads that were not Bud Light’s clothing drive ad.

Go Daddy’s ridiculous ideas of what marketing is.

Sketcher’s Shapeups. As if I want to walk around looking like Frankenstein.

The famed restuarant franchise Jimmy Johns is on their way to Lakeland!

Known for massive subs, clubs, and all kinds of extras, the first Jimmy Johns Gourmet Sandwiches in Polk County will open in the ground floor of the Lofts on the Park right in downtown Lakeland.

The restaurant is one of the few sandwich shops to feature delivery: “You buy, I fly!” the Web site proclaims.

Construction is underway and it is rumored that the restuarant will be opening in early March.

What I’m looking forward to: a Bootlegger Club sandwich (Roast beef, turkey breast, lettuce, tomato, & mayo, #14), and timing the delivery guy to see how fast Jimmy Johns really is.

I should probably preface this whole gedanken-experiment with a disclaimer: I know hardly anything about wine. Most often times, I prefer to be left to my mug of beer.

So don’t expect me to go all sophisticated wine-drinker on you: “I love the kind of woody, fruity flavor that this wine gives off when paired with snails.” That’s not my angle. I’m just telling you where you can get it. Here we go:

One of the newer editions to the Lakeland wine market is the Red Door Wine Market, which is located right around the corner from Florida Southern College (corner of McDonald and Tennessee Ave.).

Don’t look for a big sign or anything when you come to Red Door.

Just, you know, a red door. There’s parking in the alley that runs down the side.

It may look small on the outside, but don’t let looks fool you: since it opened seven weeks ago, Richard, the owner, has turned over his inventory three times.

What they have for wine-drinkers: Red Door offers a comfortable environment to come in, let your shoulders relax, and have a glass of wine. They’re also completing an outdoor patio where they will have nightly music.

Wine classes usually take place on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. You can call 863.937.9314 for more.

And what they have for the beer-drinking Huns: I saw bottles from the Left-Hand Brewing Company and Highland Ale on the shelf, two solid craft beers that I like.

The second shop I visited was the Village Wine Shop in Lakeside Village, next to the Verizon Store.  

It’s run by a guy named Eric who moved into the shop after the Cork and Olive closed up. He brings with him many years of experience in the wine business in Asheville North Carolina.

The feel is very much like a studio apartment, almost like the Starbucks of wine shops.

What they’ve got for wine-drinkers: A very wide selection of moderately priced wines and a wine bar.

And what they’ve got for the beer-drinking Huns: A highly rated selection of craft beers: I was very impressed by the amount of German beers they had on the shelves.

There’s even a beer tasting this Friday ($10). Call 863.682.8980 for more information.

Our last stop was the Vintage Wine Cellars, which has been located under the arch of the Southgate Plaza for the last 16 years. I was able to get more of an education about wine here:

“Never ask a wine salesman what his favorite wine is,” owner James Mela told me. “A wine shop is more like an art gallery.”

What they’ve got for wine-drinkers: A huge selection (by far the largest), running from moderately priced wines all the way to high-end wine products.

And what they’ve got for the beer-drinking Huns: A great selection of all kinds of beers, including the Höfbräu from Munich, and a lambic raspberry beer from Belguim that sells very well.

Bottom Line: One of the things that I learned from this assignment is that though we have a lot of wine shops in the area, they often carry great craft beers that you can’t find in stores, and at good prices. That’s definitely worth remembering. 

photo credit: 96dpi

Today, I am a shambling nervous wreck, a mere shadow of my former self.

The reason for my shocking decline? Look no further than the Associated Press article that proclaims:

“Blogging is Dead.”

Here’s how the trend in news media has gone lately:

1. Internet is invented (maybe by Al Gore). People suddenly hate newspapers.

2. Blogging is invented. People suddenly hate books.

3. Twitter is invented. The AP gets revenge on blogging by suggesting that blogging is dead.

Further Conclusion: If this be true, then it means people have devolved to the point of having the attention span of squirrels.

Also, if the AP can go around making people think that blogging is dead, it may mean that I’m out of a job.

The article was written based on a study done by the Pew Internet & American Life Project (or, Grand nemesis of all bloggers everywhere. Tonight, we strike!).

They found that young people care more about Twitter and Farmville than reading. “People these days don’t find reading that fun,” one girl told reporters.

That quote was via a Tweet on Twitter, becuase they couldn’t get her to focus on the interview for more than 5 seconds in a row. Attempts at prying the phone out of her hands resulted in scratches.

The AP is so pessimistic that they even write “Few doubt that blogging will die.” Did you interview me, AP? Huh? Did ya?

“No, no, just bury it now,” they say. “We’ll bring flowers, but after that, we’ve got to go back to living under a rock. Woe is us!”

As for me, I will stand firm. I will not yield to those who mandate me to 140 characters or less, and history shall vindicate me!

But if we’re going to be a nation that prefers sound bites over substance, I offer this quote as inspiration:

“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

Thomas Paine, The American Crisis

(183 characters. He would’ve been, like, so not popular these days.)

When you walk up to the register, you’ll notice the trophies on the wall, which are all of past conquests in barbecue competitions. The menu runs as follows:

There’s pulled pork, sliced pork, pulled chicken, St. Louis ribs, slow smoked chicken, beef tips, and a salad (with or without meat). The sides are famous (try the sweet potato fries) and the beer is 2 for 1 all day, everyday.

Since I was feeling hungry when I went to visit Good Buddies, I ordered the rib plate. The regular comes with 4 or 5 ribs, and the large comes with at least 6. The ribs are cooked St. Louis style.

If you don’t know what St. Louis style is, neither do I.

All I know is that it tastes good and it leaves your fingers mighty sticky.

As far as BBQ sauce goes, there’s a southern sweet sauce, and a Buddie’s Bold sauce. I’ve never liked sweet barbecue sauces, but fortunately the Buddies Bold Sauce is a great alternative.

It’s a mustard-base sauce done in the South Carolina style, and it is delicious. I slathered it all over my ribs and chowed down.

Besides having good food, Good Buddies also features local folk music on Sundays at noon.

In short, Good Buddies BBQ is a great place to get some barbecue downtown, and the meals are rather fairly priced too. I know that I’ll be back for more soon!

Their sweetheart’s dessert event on Saturday, Feb. 13, makes for a great date night that isn’t overfilled with the traditional Valentine’s Day sap.

Guests can make reservations for anytime between 6pm-10pm for the dessert night.

Come and enjoy a romantic evening with your… person (Us guys aren’t good at romantic writing). Y

ou can choose from the following:

Babycakes for two (10.95)- this double portion of cheescake comes with the options of whipped cream and strawberry glaze.

Promise Rings (5.95)- these cinnamon-sugar donuts come with a strawberry dipping suace.

Lava Cake (8.95)- enjoy a rich chocolate cake with a hot melted ganache in the middle.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries (1.25 ea)- enjoy thickly coated strawberries between you and your sweetheart.

In addition to these fine desserts, Mitchell’s will also have the full coffee menu open at the front counter. Try the hot chocolate, I promise you won’t find better anywhere in town.

Call 680-2944 to pre-order your dessert and to reserve a time. This is very important, because spots won’t last long!

So the final season of LOST started last night.

I know I’m basically opening this blog up to all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories, but let’s agree on something first: no biting, gouging, or scratching in the comments section, and no silly arguments about smoke monsters and polar bears.

So there. My thoughts:

The series recap was a good refresher, but Ben Linus as the voice-over sounded more monotone than a veteran NPR anchor. Where’s Rod Serling when you need him?

And: I thought they would just keep replaying Juliet blowing up the bomb all night long. She got more airtime there than when they dug her out from under that washing machine.

The opening episode shows us two different times, which somehow exist because of some quantum metaphysical paradox that makes my head hurt too much to think about it.

Opening on the plane, the island seems to have pulled an Atlantis. How peculiar.

Opening on the island (?), everyone but Hurley seems to have been injured because of last season’s minor industrial accident.

Some people die, and some people die twice. Hurley sees dead people.

On the plane, nothing much interesting happens besides suggestive conversations and lasagna.

And: the only thing I can predict accurately is the ridiculous commercial breaks ABC schedules every 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, at the large foot statue, hired goons attempt to shoot Locke/Man in Black. Smoke Monster comes to clean up.

Then, after landing, Kate Austin escapes once again, leaving her captor bloody. I’m surprised this guy doesn’t have more scars/more trauma for the number of times she’s beat him up.

On the island, our group is captured in a cave by a group of Iranian rebels. I think. They then meet up with Bruce Lee with long hair and his translator, John Lennon.

Wait: Why did nobody tell us they’ve been hiding a Tibetan monastery in the jungle too? How on Earth is there this much real estate up for grabs on the island anyway?

In LAX, Jin tries to explain to customs officials in Korean. Should’ve used charades instead. “First word..”

Also: Kate Austin will kick cops in the head all day long, but not some jerk in the cab line.

Sayid: easiest role in the episode. Play dead all episode, say two words at the end, and it’s a masterpiece.

Final Question: Where on Earth did Desmond go?

premiere

But I’m glad I went back today. The signature sandwiches that I loved so much were still there (steak sandwich with bell peppers, french dip sandwich with hot au ju), and the caesar salad (Just a small one. I couldn’t resist. If ever you need to bribe me, find a good caesar salad.)

(© photo credit: toastforbrekkie)

Plus, Crisper’s has made a few changes since I’ve been there last. For example:

- Free wi-fi. There were quite a few people with netbooks out in the restaurant. Good for an afternoon of hanging out, or if you can’t survive without Farmville.

- Expanded dessert menu. Crisper’s is famous for their nibblers (the cookies), milkshakes, and other desserts, but somebody forgot to tell me that they have gelato now!

It tastes wonderful, they have plenty of flavors, and it’s pretty reasonably priced too.

Lakeland’s two Crisper’s locations are in downtown and at Lakeside Village.

Yesterday, someone wrote on my Facebook wall about how there’s nothing to do in Lakeland.

While we always appreciate feedback, I thought I would address it in a blog post, because this is something I hear from a lot of college students who think Lakeland’s main attractions are Wal-mart and cow tipping.

You see, it is my job to search and report on what there is to do in Lakeland.

Having somebody tell me that there’s nothing to do here cheapens my work. I’ve written 50 or so posts in less than a month’s time. I’ve spent a lot of hours writing, editing, and coming up with ideas.

When somebody says that there’s nothing to do here, it makes me wonder if I’m doing my job right.

I’ve lived in this town for as long as I can remember. Sure, we might not be too much to talk about in comparison to Tampa, or Orlando.

Like most people, I go to those places to do things. And there are a lot of things to do there. But I choose to live here. 

If it is entertainment you want, go there. They are the type of towns that gives a college student what they want, but not what they need.

Lakeland is a town that tries to give college students what they need: a community that cares about its college students, and wants to see them develop.

That’s why the Lakeland Economic Development Council (who I work for) works to get college students involved with local businesses during our summer leadership program.

That’s why I’m here: to get college students connected to the community.

So, before you go around thinking that there’s nothing to do here, stop a moment and think about what there is for you here in Lakeland.

(Photo credit: Scott Wheeler)

It’s called www.collegecentral.com. Here’s how it works:

1. From the main page, go to the “student central” link, where you’ll be prompted to make a profile.

2. After you’ve got one, you can browse through employers that are offerring jobs and internships in your community by going to “Career Services Central.”

The good news is, many colleges in the area (Florida Southern, Southeastern) are partnered with this site to help their students find more internships.

The college contacts the employer and gets them to post a listing on the site, which can then be viewed by the students. This way, students know exactly what they’re getting into when they sign up for an internship.

(Now if your head is still spinning from the last sentence, go look at pictures of puppies for a few moments, and then continue reading.)

The theme for this month is “Dancing in the Streets.”This Friday night, starting at 6pm, Kentucky Avenue in downtown Lakeland will be one glorious dance floor.

(© photo credit: Pat McDonald (off and on))

The Sapphires Dance Studio will be performing salsa and swing style dancing all night long, and another group (Samira’s Belly Dancers) will be performing as well (Somewhere outside of the hookah bar, most likely).

I’m a bit confused about the main part of the event, what they’re calling the Sweetheart Dance. It sounds like another troupe of dancers will be performing from the Florida Dance Theatre, but that there will also be time for couples from the audience to take the floor.

A group of dancers from Rae’s Retro, a vintage clothing store downtown will be capping off the night with some sort of Dirty Dancing extravaganza in honor of Patrick Swayze.

As for myself, I don’t mind spectating this whole deal, but my dance skills don’t go much further than swaying back and forth.

I’ve been known to dance a mad crazy waltz in my day, but it’s usually too much trouble to get the DJ to play baroque music at these things. The wig just isn’t a very good convincer.

And if I even mention the belly dancers, well. I know a girl who would make me dance the hangman’s jig for that one.

No sunshine.

No warmth.

Windy.

Rainy on the way to work.  

And it’s supposed to stay like this until sometime Tuesday.

By the time I got in to the office, I was in poor spirits. On days like this you should be allowed to stay under the covers for as long as you want. But I didn’t have a choice.

I consulted my coworkers to see how they coped with the cold weather.

One sat at her desk clutching a box of Kleenex as if it were her only friend. Another thought I was trying to steal her coffee. I came back with scratches.

I went to ask my boss about his methods, only to walk in on him humming along to “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music. I gave up.

(And I mean, Sound of Music, really? He should’ve been listening to “The Sun’ll come out tomorrow” from Annie. Sheesh.)

So, here’s what I would be doing if I wasn’t forced to go outside into the cold, cruel, world today:

- I’d be inside. With thick socks and something hot to drink.

- Board games are always in order (Monopoly is an old favorite of mine, and it gets more fun if you write your own chance cards).

- Read a book, or download a podcast (Two good ones are Wait wait… don’t tell me and This American Life).

- Go on a Wikipedia scavenger hunt.

- Order Chinese food. (Chinese food is always good for lazy days.)

 And if you really must go outside, at least think happy thoughts, and remember… the sun’ll come out tomorrow.

Maybe.

The President came to town (Tampa), toured the Air Force base, went up on the stand, shook some hands, and promised to come back once the thing is built so that he could ride it.

So now that we’ve got the money it falls to us to start squabbling over where to put the thing. It’s sounding as if it’s ambiguous whether or not Polk County is going to get a stop.

Right now, the two spots that are getting fought over are Kathleen Road/U.S. 98 and USF Poly, which is farther east. Here’s the pros and cons:

 Kathleen Rd. or U.S. 98: both sites are on the North end of town, relatively close to the mall. Getting there is a hassle for most any of us who live on the south end, but think of it from the commuter’s angle. Using a train to get around the daily traffic jams out of Orlando or Tampa could be beneficial.

USF Polytechnic: When it’s finished being constructed, USF Poly would make a very attractive stop for the rail system. However, if we built a stop there now, then you’d have to wait 12 years before the campus is ready. It has the makings of a good stop, just not now.

Point is, if we don’t figure out which site to go with, the new rail system may just bypass us entirely, which wouldn’t be to anyone’s benefit.

At any rate, if they’re building it through Polk County, there are ways of making the train stop, station or no. Just go fetch a red lantern.

This week we’re taking a look at a few of the parks that are scattered throughout Lakeland. There’s a lot of them, and we’ve found five different parks that are very unique. Here’s our ranking:

Spot No. 5: Barnett Park

Barnett Park is right in the middle of Lakeland. It’s got a decent playground, which is nice for the kids, but there’s also a pretty big field there that you can use for soccer, ultimate frisbee, kite flying, and so on.  It’s a good place to get away to on a lazy Saturday afternoon, that sorta thing.

Spot No. 4: Lake Parker Park

Lake Parker Park is huge. It’s right on the shore on (you guessed it) Lake Parker, the biggest lake in town. And man, does this place have everything.

The main feature, of course are the dozen or so soccer fields that make up the center of the park. Lake Parker also has several miles worth of nature paths that ring round the edges of the park and the lake. Watch out: in summer, you might just spot a gator or two.

How to get there: drive north on Massachusetts, take a right after Tigertown– the park entrance is on the left.

Spot No. 3: Common Grounds

If you are in the need of something to entertain small children, look no further than the Common Grounds Park on Edgewood, just across from the Cleveland Heights Golf Course.

The park is brand new– it opened last year– and has slides, jungle gyms, and all sorts of things that kids need to keep themselves amused. One tip: if you go, dress your kid in bright clothing. This place can get so packed that finding your child again can be a task.

Spot No. 2: Lake Bonny Park

Lake Bonny Park (located on U.S. 98 just across from Lakeland High School) is kinda like a condensed version of Lake Parker. It’s got a soccer field and a good bit of walking paths, but what sets it apart are the baseball diamonds.

So, if you want to get a quick game of baseball on (even though Iprefer kickball), this is a convenient spot for it.

Spot No. 1: Hollis Gardens

You can’t play ultimate frisbee or tackle football in here. I’m pretty sure you would be killed with hoes and rakes by the gardeners if you tried it.

However, if you appreciate flowers and plants, this is the place for you. It is one of Lakeland’s best parks because of how much effort goes into it to keep it looking good year-round.

However, if the sign and stacks upon stacks of records and other music inside are to be believed, Evolution Records is coming to downtown Lakeland. And they’re bringing the music.

Having been around Lakeland for a long time, I can tell you that Evolution Records has traveled quite a bit in this town.

They used to be over by Peking House on S. Florida Avenue, then they were over by Fat Jacks, (when it comes to navigation, I use restaurants for all of my landmarks) but now they’re finally coming downtown.

According to a blurb we pulled off the Evolution Records Myspace page, the shop will be set up and open– in time for February’s First Friday event in downtown Lakeland. Just over a week away. Sounds a little soon, but I’ll take their word on it.

Also important: they says we’re going to be getting some live music in the bargain. Sounds like the downtown music scene is coming back.

She now lives in Winter Haven, her hometown, but still works in Lakeland at the Geneva Classical Academy (and as a self employed piano teacher), where she teaches kindergarten part time. 

Aside from teaching, Lauren enjoys reading, playing piano, singing, journaling, research, spending time at the table with people she loves (She is also engaged to be married on June 26, 2010). 

She is involved with Church of the Redeemer in Winter Haven and was a client advocate at A Woman’s Choice (crisis pregnancies) for a while and loved it.

1.       Why did you choose to stay in Lakeland?  I chose to stay in Lakeland because of the close knit community that spans from Winter Haven to Lakeland.  I felt strongly that sharing life with these people I loved (at home) was more important than picking a place on the map that peaked my interest and wanting to start all over, carving an identity for myself.

2.   Favorite restaurant in Lakeland: ohh, i love eating in general.  Probably Palace Pizza- so many good memories there. 

3.   What’s your favorite part about Lakeland?  Lakeland is very proud of their families and what they contribute to the city.  I love First Fridays because of that.  We’re proud of our colleges, we’re proud of our businesses and we take time to celebrate the pleasure of living together, working hard and playing hard too.  

4.   Favorite college memory: All of the incredible and sometimes life-changing conversations that I have had with close friends walking around Lake Hollingsworth. 

5.   What is one addition or change that would make Lakeland better?  We’re always in need of young people and young families.  Lakeland has a lot of energy and creativity and I think we get excited when we see young people wanting to contribute to that.  For example, I know of a man who has a brilliant vision for a trolley or light rail to run the length of Florida Avenue.  

6.   How would you encourage young professionals to come or stay in Lakeland?  I would encourage them by saying you are well rewarded for your work!  You are never overlooked in Lakeland.  It’s a small enough town that each individual contribution still matters and heritage and family values are at the heart of Lakeland business, education, and living.  And we’re smack in the middle of Orlando and Tampa.  It’s a win win situation.  

7.   One misconception you think college students have of Lakeland: Cow tipping.  Such a fine sport is reserved for those of us originating from Winter Haven. 

Thank you Lauren for those heartfelt comments. I’ll never look at cow tipping the same way again.

Last semester we were living in the same house up in Gainesville (I’m a UF ex-patriate) when we both got hooked on Pandora radio at the same time. The other people in the house (men) were more into sports. We didn’t mind them.

I quickly started developing a John Williams radio station. Anything from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or James Horner got thrown in. Anything from the ballet of Dracula (weird but harmless) and John Phillip Sousa (that guy could write a march for anything) got thrown out. 

photo credit: SqueegyX

And Jenny Claire called her station something like “Caribbean Rain.” Which explains why a lot of salsa dancing took place while we cooked dinner.

So here’s the skinny on Pandora:

In brief, it’s a site for something they like to call “The Music Genome Project” (I like to call it “free and awesome”). Put a thumbs up by the songs you like, and a thumbs down by the ones you don’t, and it’ll give you more songs based on your preferences.

You choose either an artist or a song to be the base of a station, but you can add variety to it by adding more (I, for instance, have a U2 station, but I added Coldplay onto it because they have similar sounds).

Pros: Great for online music streaming, and (unlike Facebook chat), won’t absolutely kill your Internet.

Cons: We’re not really sure how smart this thing is. I mean, I’ve nixed about 73 or so of songs from CDs with names like: “Sousa’s big big big CD of big big marches.” You think they’d take the hint.

Tip: You’ve only got 5 or so skips in an hour. After you use those up, you have to keep hitting refresh every time you want a new song.

Also, Pandora only gives you 40 free hours of music a month. Amazingly, I’m about at my limit, as I’ve notched up 36 hours or so this month. Anything after that, and they’ll try to get you to pay 99 cents for the rest of the month. Much easier just to wait until February.

The busy rushing sounds of the street outside are left behind as you are swept, however strangely, to another time entirely. The air is still, like the expectant hush of the audience just before the curtain goes up.

“It’s the theatre that it was supposed to be,” says Dr. Dale Anderson, who showed me around the place recently.

The Polk Theatre was built in 1927, and is one of the few atmospheric theatres in the state. If you’re not sure what an atmospheric theatre is, just look up. That rounded ceiling up there that’s all blue and everything? That’s the sky.

The entire theatre is built to resemble the exterior of an Italian villa, with the audience seated in what would be the town square. Above the stage itself is a meticulously crafted facade that was entirely handmade. It also had the first A/C unit in the city.

It was so large that lights used to dim all over town when it was turned on.

The original theatre operated for several decades after it opened, until the arrival of multiplex movie theaters. Quality couldn’t match quantity, it seems, and the theatre sat vacant for several years.

Just when the city had decided that the best solution to this “Theatre Question” would be to smash it, a group of citizen rallied to save the Polk Theatre. They renovated it and restored it to its former glory, and it reopened in 1999.

Today, the Polk Theatre still shows movies on the weekends. For a full schedule, visit their Web site at www.polktheatre.org.

I practically grew up there. My family had passes when I was young, and we spent many days racing the train at the Magic Kingdom, taking pennies with us on The Tower of Terror, and challenging each other to furiously debated putt-putt world championships at Fantasia Gardens. It was quite the childhood.

Now that I’m a poor college student, I haven’t been in ages. Well, no longer.

(© photo credit: Express Monorail)

In case you haven’t heard of it yet, Disney is offerring a free day at one of the Disney parks if you volunteer a day with one of the organizations on their Web site, www.giveadaygetadisneyday.com. 

I already signed up to go clean up some orange grove over in Lake Alfred. I’m hoping it will involve machetes or axes or large industrial equipment in some way.

However, you can volunteer a day without even leaving town!

Lakeland’s first Friday in March is a dowtown art party, and they need volunteers to help get everything set up. You can sign up now on Disney’s site. Look for “Art Party March 5″ to sign up now, but act quickly, because spots will go fast.

You don’t want to get stuck volunteering somewhere down in August, after all.