Dishing with Mark and Carrie

Merry Christmas  & Happy Holidays
Watermark Magazine Names Tampa Bay LGBT Leaders
    Thank you so much to Watermark Magazine. This week they named Mark Bias & Carrie West as one of the 8 LGBT’s Most Remarkable People of 2015 in Tampa Bay !
    Others highly recognized and named in the Tampa Bay roster include Lorraine Langlois– CEO of Metro Wellness & Community Centers, Steve Kornell- St Petersburg City Council Member, Brian Longstreth– business leader and co owner of the new St Pete Restaurant, Punky’s,
Tristan Byrnes – TB Transgender community activist, William Harper with Empath/ ASAP in St. Petersburg, Gina Durbin– interim pastor at Suncoast MCC and Susan Smith– Human Rights & LGBTA community activist.
TAMPA PRIDE 2016; Pageant- Parade-Festival-Cruise
    TAMPA PRIDE 2016 is less than 3 months away. The festival work and parade plans are now being made. The TAMPA PRIDE 2016 Committees have their plates full to expand and increase last years record breaking Fun Pride event in 14 years!  
    TAMPA PRIDE 2016 is Saturday, March 26, 2016. Many other events are leading up to the huge Springtime Festival.
    Miss TAMPA PRIDE 2016 Pageant is Sunday, January 17th at Honey Pot. Our reigning Miss TAMPA PRIDE 2015, Miss Esme Russell.
    To enter contact Kurt King at Hamburger Mary. To get a reserved ten top table get in touch with Tampa Pride Events.
    The “Early Bird Special” for being in the Pride Parade and/or having a booth in the Pride Festival, Donations and PRIDE Sponsorship is now available on line at www.TampaPride.org
    Also NEW this next year, TAMPA PRIDE 2016 is partnering with www.AlandChuck.Travel on an unforgettable TAMPA PRIDE REUNION Cruise leaving Tampa to Mexico on Carnival Cruise Lines ship, Paradise, March 28 -April 2nd!
    Get your tix for this great journey. Many fun parties and events are in the works
Star Wars, Original
“Star Wars” at the Chinese Theatre in 1977.  “The Force is strong with this one” – Darth Vader
 
Where did you see the original Star Wars film?
Obituary; Rino Moriconi, Tampa Bartender Legend
    It is sad to report the passing of “Rino” on December 19th at the age of 86. Rino was a legendary bartender in Tampa. We first meet Rino in 1980 at Rene’s Pool Bar on Kennedy Blvd. Over the next year Rino was  a sassy, intimidating, humorous, to the point type Uncle to many of us, old or young  in the LGBT Community.  He never was hesitant to tell us what we were doing wrong or right with a sense of humor.
    Rino worked in a multitude of Tampa Gay bars;  Rene’s Cabaret, The Annex on Kennedy, Howard Ave Station, Metropolis on Kennedy Blvd and filled in at many other colorful bars. He was remarkable. Rino was at Hamburger Mary’s visiting Tampa 2 years ago.
    About 10 years ago Rino fully retired and moved back to Boston with his husband to be close to his family. Below is the official obituary.

MORICONI, Rino M. Of Malden, December 19. Devoted father of Mark Moriconi of East Boston, Denise Moriconi of Malden, Paul Moriconi Cairns and his husband Stephen of Marshfield. Brother of the late Natalie Loiacono, Peter, John and George Moriconi. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Funeral from the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., MEDFORD, Wednesday, December 23 at 9 AM, followed by a Funeral Mass celebrated in St. Clement Church, 71 Warner St., Medford, at 10 AM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours Tuesday 4 – 8 PM. Services will conclude with burial at Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford. Late US Army Veteran of the Korean War. To leave a message of condolence please visit www.dellorusso.net

Dello Russo Family Funeral Homes

Medford-Woburn-Wilmington

Published in The Boston Globe on Dec. 21, 2015- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?n=rino-m-moriconi&pid=176968900&fhid=4333#sthash.JuuBVSC9.dpuf