Jaunted

Mancations

Snagging 844 Pound Mako Shark Is The Ultimate Mancation

October 15, 2007 at 3:56 PM | 2 Comments

Six friends went to a fishing tournament looking to catch some grouper and ended up hauling in a Jaws-like 844-pound shark instead. Needless to say, when Adlee Bruner and friends to pulled into the docks for the Destin Fish Rodeo prize, their Gulf of Mexico 11-foot mako shark set a Destin Fishing Rodeo record.

While this year's rodeo is not only un-winnable, but also over, next year's rodeo looms, and Adlee Bruner set the bar high for 2008. However, FishDestin gives you plenty of chances to practice between now and then. Family fishing, corporate fishing, and bay fishing are all offered. Don't see "big ass shark fishing trips", but apparently that is a possible bonus of any trip. Can you imagine if one of these "Family Fishing Trips" hooked a 844 pound Mako? Anyway, it goes without saying if you pull in Jaws you have had the ultimate mancation. Drinks are on AJ's, or they should be.

[Photo: Miami Press]

Related Stories:
· Destin Hotels [HotelChatter]
· Destin Fishing Rodeo [Official Site]

Theme Parks

Florida: Fan Of Bugs Or Buffett?

October 2, 2007 at 8:45 AM | 0 Comments

Don't mess with a Florida pirate! That's the message singer Jimmy Buffett wants to send to the beloved theme park company Six Flags for allegedly stepping on his toes. See, Six Flags launched a reward program for kids last year called "The Carrothead Club" for swag and such. (Carrots for Bugs Bunny... get it?) That didn't sit well with Buffett, whose fans are known as Parrotheads and even form clubs under that name.

Buffett is suing, but a rep for Six Flags told the New York Post, "Clearly imitation wasn't what we had in mind!" Before you join either, remember: Carrotheads are about wearing giant foam carrot hats; parrotheads are about wearing last night's margaritas.

Related Stories:
· Six Flags [Official Site]
· It Sure Bugs Buffet [NYP]
· Theme Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Zadria]

UFO-Travel-Map

UFO Travel: Clearwater is Scientology-tastic

September 27, 2007 at 10:33 AM | 0 Comments

If you are looking for a tourist town that lives the UFO lifestyle you would be hard pressed to find a town more worthy than Clearwater Florida. Clearwater is to Scientologists what Salt Lake City is to Mormons.

Back in the 1970s Scientology guru L. Ron Hubbard secretly bought a hotel in downtown Clearwater with visions of making it the spiritual home for the Church of Scientology. Hubbard chose Clearwater because it was close to the Tampa airport, was warm year round, and he liked the name "clear". Today, more than 12,000 Scientologists live and work in and around Clearwater, sit on local government boards and have become business leaders in the community. Hollywood Scientologists have been known to pilgrimage here to take part in the highest levels of spiritual training.

Scientology's Clearwater stronghold is the currently under construction seven-story Flag Building (pictured above), which covers a full city block. Also known as the "Super Power Building," it will be the largest Scientology structure in the world when completed late in 2008 and is expected to draw thousands more visiting believers to Clearwater.

To add to the Clearwater UFO legend, back in 2005 a resident of "the clear" reported one of our favorite UFO sightings ever, mostly because of the best caveat ever.

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TV Premiere Travel

Television Premiere Travel: "Cane" Makes Florida Hotter

September 25, 2007 at 4:00 PM | 2 Comments

Coming this fall: Jaunted gets the dirt on your favorite shows and the cities where they take place. Put down your remote and pick up your keyboard, because after tuning in to these series premieres, we'll have all the dish.

In the wake of "The Sopranos"' demise, a new ruling family has risen to take the place of Tony and the crew. Their dirty businesses are rum and sugar, and their last name is Duque, because calling them "the Kings" would be too obvious. Also, they're Hispanic!

The new CBS drama "Cane" (premieres tonight at 10) focuses on a dynasty in crisis as the upstart Samuels family challenges the Cuban-American Duques' hold on South Florida. While fighting them off, patriarch Pancho (Hector Elizondo) is contemplating handing power over to his adopted son Alex (Jimmy Smits), the goody-goody who married his daughter, or his natural son, Frank (Nestor Carbonell), whom NJ.com described (with spoilers) as the Sonny Corleone of the show. Okay, so this probably won't be as violent as "The Godfather," but it's nice to see a Hispanic family on television not headed by George Lopez.

Alex and Frank may be at war, but they also have a reputation to keep up, so they're probably seen at the Skybar at South Beach's Shore Club Hotel and stop off at Prive Nightclub to dance till dawn. If they're not eating family-style dinners at home, the Duques could look east and dine at Sushi Samba, or get carnivorous at Smith and Wollensky. After all, why go out if not to flaunt your wealth and prominence?

Visit our TV Premiere Map to find more sizzle, fewer ordered kills.

Related Stories:
· Skybar [Official Site]
· Prive Nightclub [Official Site]
· Sushi Samba [Official Site]
· Smith and Wollensky [Official Site]
· Florida Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: About.com]

Animals

Key West Famous for Chicks, Too

April 24, 2006 at 10:30 AM | 0 Comments

Key West may have as many as 3,000 chickens running free, and so far worries about bird flu haven't put a cramp in their style. In the past, the city has made periodic attempts to round them up, but support from chicken-lovers (of the live birds, not their rotisseried brethren) kept the wild birds around.

"Face it, they're pretty filthy.They're a nuisance," said Holly Shea, who works at a Key West restaurant. "But there's something very islandy and Third World and magical about having wildlife roaming, even if it's only a chicken." Magical, maybe, but magically delicious when breaded, fried, and served with a side of slaw.

[Image from Towleroad]

Related Stories:
·   Key West Chickens Raise Bird Flu Fears [CBS]
·   Massive Cock Hunt to Start in Key West [Towleroad]