Hooray!!! My first journalism award!!!

Yeah!!! Roger and I won!!!

The Florida Associated Press Award

"Best Photo Essay"

We didn't win first, but we came in second! We won for our "Dean Guitar Factory" segment and I couldn't be happier because we had so much fun filming and writing it, but at the same time, it was also A LOT of hard work. Here's a link to my Dean Guitar blog post.

They did spell my name wrong, but I'll get over it!

NEW on TBOD's "Big Boys' Toys" ~ Kiteboarding!!!

Last Fall, while I was enjoying a day at Pass-A-Grille beach, I saw two guys doing this in the water . . .

Needless to say, I was totally impressed! So much so in fact, that as soon as I got home, I started doing research to find out what this was all about. I quickly learned that "kiteboarding" or "kitesurfing" as it's called, is the newest & hottest watersport sweeping Florida's beaches. Sounded like a job for Big Boys' Toys to me!!!

So, we hooked up with Watersports West in Largo to get the lowdown on all things kiteboarding. . . the history, the lessons, and the gear. Steve "Steve-O" Visnage, kiteboarding instructor extraordinaire, took me under his wing taught me how to take flight (Aww. . . me so corny!). Although it was a little tough at first, once you get the hang of it, you know exactly why surfers and wakeboarders are diggin' it so much!

Airing now on Tampa Bay On Demand, channel 340!!!

Extra special thanks to Steve-O and Watersports West and for hooking me up with the rockin' board shorts harness!

NEW on TBOD's "Bars & Clubs" ~ The Fox Jazz Club

For decades, Tampa's Fox Jazz Club has been the only place to hear the area's best live jazz bands. Cool cats and sexy kittens gather nightly to dance the night away and sip some highly creative cocktails! In fact, the place just oozes sexiness, so much so that you almost expect James Bond or the Rat Pack to walk in and take a seat. It's just one of those special places that can take you back, even if for just one night, to a time of glitz and glamour. If you enjoy jazz, the music here is eargasmic and I won't get into the food, but oh my. . . the pork chop was otherworldly!

Airing now on Tampa Bay On Demand, channel 340!

Until our next night out. . . Rachel