Besides the boardwalk, Peterson Park has a bunch of pavillions for picnics. There are playing fields, a playground, and a bike path. There is a smaller boardwalk that you can fish off of and a boat launch if you are lucky and have a boat to take out. I want to try out the bike path when I get a new bike.

I really liked Peterson Park, the boardwalk was really pretty and it was nice to walk around a different area. Even though the park is located off of Cleveland Heights Boulevard, you feel like you are experiencing nature when you walk the boardwalk. When I went this morning, it was really quiet too, there weren’t many people around so it was even better. If you are sick of the gym or your neighborhood, Peterson Park provides a great change of scenery to be active in.

Peterson Park is located on Cleveland Heights Blvd. next to the YMCA (it’s literally right next to it, I accidentally drove by it the first time). The park is open 7am-6pm.

photo credit: Mike Rohde

To use Remember the Milk, you need to sign up (of course) and that’s it! There are different tabs for you to organize your tasks under, personal, study, and work. You simply click on a tab and then type what you need to do. You can prioritize your tasks with different color labels and assign due dates for yourself. There is an option to have a reminder automatically sent to you for your tasks. If you like to have a paper copy of your to-do list or calendar, Remember the Milk allows you to print your task list. You can also sync your account to your Blackberry, or iPhone for on the go access.

Remember the Milk is a really simple site but should be great for staying organized and on top of daily tasks, if you’re like me and have trouble with the paper agendas. There is also an option to upgrade your account to use more features, however there is a monthly charge.

Remember the Milk

photo credit: soy alex reyes

photo credit: alternatePhotography

Lakeland has a great art museum, the Polk Museum of Art located on East Palmetto Avenue (near Lake Morton) and admission for students is FREE. I spent the month of July interning at PMOA, helping with their public relations and I developed a great appreciation for what they do and the importance of arts in the community. I also was able to get a preview of some of the really cool exhibitions that will be on display at the Museum this year.

Starting November 14th, the Museum will have photography by Jerry Uelsmann on display in the Dorothy Jenkins Gallery. I looked up some of his photography and it is reallycool! Jerry Uelsmann does surreal photography, where he takes a photo of something ordinary and then assembles several negatives in the darkroom to create a surreal effect on the photo. I remember there was a photo of a house that looked like it was growing out of the ground, with roots and stuff, it was very interesting. The exhibition at PMOA will encompass, Uelmann’s 50 year career. The Museum will host a reception for this exhibition on November 13th from 6:00-8:30pm. Mr. Uelsmann himself will be there to talk about his work. The reception is free to members of the Museum and $10 for non-members. This exhibition will be at PMOA until January 17th.

The Museum currently has six exhibitions in their various galleries to check out. One is called “Beautiful Things” and is simply a collection of beautiful pieces of art. This exhibit is only on display until this Sunday so if you are interested, better catch it before then! The Museum also has an exhibition up right now called “The 1970’s”. This exhibition is a collection of pieces from the Museum’s permanent collection that represent different aspects and high points of the 1970s. The 1970’s seemed like a crazy time, so I’m sure the artwork reflects that. “The 1970’s” will be on display in the Perkins Gallery until November 15th.

Polk Museum of Art really emphasizes the importance of art in the community and is a valuable part of Lakeland. If you haven’t been to see this beautiful museum yet, these exhibitions, and the upcoming Jerry Uelsmann photography are definitely worth checking out! Plus, it’s FREE to students and there are not many things to do in life that are free, so why not take advantage of one that is?

**NOTE: The first photo is not a Jerry Uelsmann but is very similar to the style he uses; the second photo is Jerry Uelsmann’s work on display at the Harn Museum

Last night I decided to take my boyfriend to TapaTio’s Restaurante Mexicano on Memorial Boulevard. He had never been there before and I had not been in a long time so it was definitely time for some great Mexican food. I tend to forget about TapaTio’s, I think because of it’s location…Memorial Blvd. is not the best part of town so I typically don’t go that way, but for TapaTio’s I can make an exception.

They offer so many choices of Mexican appetizers, main dishes, drinks, and desserts. They have many different kinds of burritos, quesadillas, chimichangas, tacos, enchiladas, and much more that you would expect to find at an authentic Mexican restaurant. The prices are great too as there is something to fit every budget.

My boyfriend and I went for dinner around 5pm because we wanted to beat the rush of people that comes at the lunch and dinner hours. We were seated right away. Even at 5 o’clock there were still a few other people there, and by the time we had finished our meals the tables were starting to fill up. TapaTio’s has two dining rooms, one in the front that is smaller and then a main room that has probably 20 tables or so. Anyways, our waiter was great and came right away to take our drink orders (cokes for both of us). He was very polite and friendly, giving us as much time as we needed to look over their huge menu. I hate when servers keep coming back every two seconds to see if you are ready yet, so it was nice that he gave us time and we didn’t feel rushed. After we had our drinks, a different waiter brought out the complimentary chips and salsa. They have really good salsas at TapaTio’s, one is sweet and mild and the other has a real kick to it, both are delicious! The chips are yummy too, just like the kind you would be served in Mexico. They give you ALOT of chips and salsa, which is surprising since it’s free, but I doubt anyone complains!

It was hard to decide on what to order, everything sounded so good! We both ended up ordering the Burrito TapaTio. It’s a burrito with shredded beef, melted cheese on top and red sauce, served with lettuce tomato and sour cream. It doesn’t come with any sides, those are a la carte, but it was more than enough food to fill me up without the sides. It’s really cheap too, only $6.75 for a huge burrito. It looked so good when it came out, I almost forgot to take a picture of it. El burrito TapaTio es muy delicioso! My boyfriend and I loved it, especially with the red sauce which adds a nice flavor to it. The service was reallyfast too, only about 8 minutes after we ordered, our food was being brought out hot and ready to eat. Muy bien!

Even though I was pretty satisfied after my burrito, I couldn’t resist ordering their fried ice cream, especially since my boyfriend had never had it before. They have awesome fried ice cream at TapaTio’s. If you have never heard of fried ice cream, it’s ice cream with a caramelized shell on the outside of either oats or in this case corn flakes. At TapaTio’s it comes served in a big pastry shell with lots of whip cream, and strawberries on top, so good! My boyfriend who doesn’t usually have a big sweet tooth, loved it. It is definitely big enough to share with 2 people or more, and only costs $3.00.

In the end our bill came to $22.00 for 2 meals, 2 cokes, and dessert, not bad at all for a delicious dinner with excellent service! My boyfriend and I don’t usually go to sit-down restaurants because well, we are broke college students, but this was pretty cheap and for the amount of food you get, well worth it. I can’t wait to go back again and try one of the many other choices on the menu. For a nice lunch or dinner out, I highly recommend TapaTio’s Restuarante Mexicano.

There are two TapaTio’s locations, one on East Memorial Boulevard and one on South Florida Avenue.
The Memorial Blvd. location is open Tues-Thurs from 11am-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm and Sun from 10am-9pm.
The South Florida location is open Mon-Thurs 11am-10:30pm , Fri-Sat 11am-11:30pm and Sun 10am-10pm.

For more information and their menu click HERE

Tomorrow night is First Friday in downtown Lakeland. Veteran's Day is next week so in honor of that, First Friday will be Honoring Service. Students from Harrison School of the Arts will kick off the event by singing the National Anthem. There will also be a food drive sponsored by Brooke Potter, for people to donate their non-perishable items to benefit the Talbot House.

After the event, the night party begins at Molly McHugh’s pub. The duo, Scott Morris & Mike Monts De Oca will be performing live beginning at 8pm. This is their last show before playing for upcoming Lakeland band, Juniper RED. Morris& Monts De Oca will play all your favorite cover songs and some originals.

Head to Molly’s after First Friday for the party!

Photo Credit of : Mike Monts De Oca
Post Photo Credit of: Molly McHugh’s Myspace

Did you know that Munn Park has free Wi-Fi? I personally had no idea until about 5 minutes ago. Munn Park is such a pretty little park located right in the middle of downtown Lakeland, making it a great place to relax after grabbing food at one of the downtown eateries or just hang out at on a nice day. The days are finally starting to get a little cooler and it is easier to spend time outside. If you are feeling couped up in the A/C of your dorm room, apartment, or house, Munn Park is Internet ready and could provide a nice change of scenery and some fresh air. Fresh air cleans out our lungs, gives us energy, and makes it easier to think clearly, so there could be some real benefits to taking your computer to work outside.

There are a bunch of benches that you can sit on or if you prefer to just lay in the grass there’s plenty of that too! The flowers there are gorgeous right now and there are benches right in front of them so you can surf the Internet and smell the roses. The trees are also really pretty, they are so big you can tell they have been there a long time.

I know some people can be hesitant to bring their expensive electronics anywhere, but Munn Park seems like a safe place to spend an afternoon. The Police Department is only a couple streets away and during the day there are a lot of people around and activity so I doubt anyone would try to pull anything. I have never had a problem at Munn Park.

If you get hungry or thirsty there is a hot dog/sausage cart at the park during the weekdays. There are also a bunch of restuarants a short walk away.

Whether you decide to take advantage of the Wi-Fi in an outdoor setting or not, the option is always available in Lakeland’s Munn Park.

To log into the Wi-Fi downtown the Network Name or SSID is : surflakeland
no password is required. I didn’t see any outlets around so make sure your lap top is charged before you go.

Munn Park is located on S.Kentucky Avenue.

It’s so hard in college to find a good place to go for a haircut. Now, for guys I’m sure this isn’t as big of a deal, but for girls it definitely is! A haircut and highlight can get expensive for a girl, so it is important for us to know the right spot to go, not only for price but for quality…I don’t want to come out of there with uneven hair. The place I went to before (I won’t mention the name) did a really good job, but they were a little pricier than what I am used to.

This isn’t the most exciting of blogs, but I figured I’m not the only college student wondering the same thing. So, if you read this and you know of a place to go in Lakeland that won’t do too much damage to my wallet or my head, leave a comment and let me and the rest of the girls and guys out there know. Thanks!

Asilo plays a mix of blues, rock, jazz, and funk music that is fresh, fun, energetic, and unlike anything out there right now. Asilo’s music is great for dancing and always gets the crowd on their feet and singing along.

Shuckey’s has been host to Asilo concerts for a couple of years now, and always provides a fun, laid back, and friendly enviroment for musicians and concertgoers alike. This local bar has a history of hosting some great acts, blues artists Buddy Guy and Sarasota Slim have both played there before!

I should mention that aside from the great music of Asilo, there is also some great food! Shuckey’s Oyster Bar offers a variety of fresh seafood (I heard the oysters are delicious) and bar food (I’m a fan of their fries and mozzarella sticks). They also serve a variety of sodas, beers and some wine.

For next Friday’s Asilo show there will be drink specials, $1.00 draughts and $2.00 bottles. Admission to the show is $5.00 per person. If you don’t have a copy yet, Asilo’s CD, Fine Goods ( an official pressed CD with 12 songs) will be availalbe for only $2.00 at the show so be sure to grab one!

The doors will open at 9pm and Asilo will begin playing at 10pm.

Asilo shows are always a really good time for everyone, so come on out and support a local band, have some delicious food, enjoy some drink specials, and hear some great music! In my opinion, there’s no better way to kick-off a weekend!

For more information on Asilo visit their website or see a previous blog

For more information on Shuckey’s Oyster Bar click HERE

Photos Courtesy of : Allie Strok

I decided to go there this past Sunday for my favorite, the three egg breakfast special. The three egg breakfast special is three eggs, homefries or hashbrowns, and toast, all for only $2.49! It is the biggest breakfast or meal around for such a cheap price! Did I mention it’s delicious? Just don’t ask to have your three eggs cooked in different ways, my friend asked to have two scrambled and one over easy and they said they couldn’t do it…apparently it’s a Fat Jack’s no-no.

Fat Jack’s has more than just the three egg breakfast special. They also have omelets, pancakes, waffles, grits, biscuits and gravy and much much more. Fat Jack’s serves lunch and dinner as well. They have a variety of sandwiches, burgers, sausages, and lots more. For most meals it’s only about $6.00. I usually just order breakfast when I go, but everything I’ve seen brought out from the kitchen looks delicious, I really want to try their burger and rueben sandwich.

Fat Jack’s is a popular local hotspot. Sunday morning it was PACKED but the service is really efficient and quick so we only waited about 15 minutes for a table, even though the line was out the door. Most of the time, tables are seat yourself, but when it’s busy an employee will help seat people. The food is served really fast, if you look in the kitchen you’ll see the cooks cooking up a storm!

I really like the atmosphere at Fat Jack’s. It’s nothing fancy, mostly just fishing lures on the wall, fishing decorations, and stained glass lighting fixtures that have different beer logos on them, but it’s cozy and casual. It has a real homey feel.

So, if you are looking for some great food at a price that won’t lighten your wallet in a laid back atmosphere, I highly recommend going to Fat Jack’s. You’ll be hooked the first time you go!

Fat Jack’s is located on South Florida Avenue in the plaza on the corner of Edgewood Drive. They are open 7am-9pm Monday – Friday and 7am -2 or 3pm on the weekends.

Rebecca is originally from Jackson, Tennessee but moved to Wyoming when she was 10 years old. In High School Rebecca and her family moved to Georgia and then she came to Lakeland for college. Rebecca has been an official resident for two years now, so I asked what kept her here and what she loves about Lakeland.

#1) Why did you choose to stay in Lakeland? The variety of cultural arts events, my friends, the active community, convenience of Tampa and Orlando, and Trinity Presbyterian Church.

#2) What is your favorite Lakeland restaurant?It’s a toss-up between Tapa Tio’s and Pipo’s with Black & Brew and Palace Pizza in a close second.

#3) What’s your favorite part about Lakeland?
It’s difficult to pick a favorite! To choose a few, I love the arts culture, seeing downtown alive during First Fridays and other events, and the trees (particularly along Camphor Street).

#4) What’s one of your favorite college memories?
An evening that started out with the intention of walking around town and Lake Mirror with some friends to occupy time turned into a fabulous night of surprises and spontaneous activity. We bought milkshakes, rode a horse-drawn carriage around Munn Park, and watched fireworks being shot off in Lake Mirror for someone’s wedding. For the fireworks, we leaned back from the very last step leading into the water. What an incredible view!

#5) What is one addition or change that would make Lakeland better?Better awareness and support of the arts. There are so many organizations and events taking place, but they seem to be “underground” for the most part.

#6) How would you encourage young professionals to come to or stay in Lakeland?Dig a little deeper and get involved. There are sporting events from little league to Major League Spring training, wonderful parks such as Common Ground, Mayfaire every Mother’s Day weekend, the annual car show downtown, First Fridays, Platform Arts, holiday parades downtown, great local restaurants, the drive-in movie theatre, and live events all over. To me, Lakeland is able to maintain that small-town feeling while still being able to provide access to just about anything.

#7) What is one misconception you think college students have of Lakeland?The same as with probably every town: that there’s nothing to do.

Thank you to Rebecca, it is awesome to see someone who has not only stayed in Lakeland to work but is also so heavily involved in the community and the arts! Great job!

Hattie’s Branches is located on South Florida Avenue on the corner of Palmola St. (across from Walgreens)

For more information see my previous blog
or
Friend Hattie’s Branches on Facebook

Photos Courtesy of : Hattie’s Branches

 
photo credit: strangejourney

I recently heard about this great idea and organization to help raise money for prostate and testicular cancer research called Movember. Movember is a month long celebration of moustaches and raising awareness and funds for men’s health. We all see so many breast cancer awareness events but rarely do we see any men’s health events, so I think this is a great cause to be a part of.

To participate, a “Mo Bro” starts out this month clean shaven and then lets his moustache grow all month and gathers support from friends, family, co-workers, etc, in the form of donations. All donations go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. I am what the organization has dubbed a “Mo sista” , a girl that supports this cause. I don’t usually like when my boyfriend has a moustache (too scratchy) but I will definitely lend my support for a good cause! There is a place on the website, Mo Space, where men can upload their photos of their moustaches for everyone to see.

The idea behind this is supposed to be fun and help fight a terrible disease that kills a man in the U.S. every 18 minutes! The idea for Movember began in 2003 over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia. The guys wanted to bring the 80’s moustaches back and came up with a way to do it for a good cause.

So how does it work? Well, you go online to Movember.com and create a team or join as an individual. I created a team for Florida Southern called Moc-n-Mos so if you are a fellow FSC student feel free to join! The sign up is really quick and easy. From there, you recruit teammates and the guys start growing. Teams with the most donations can win prizes.

So, Mo Bros start your mos, join a team, and get donations!

Movember

We have all seen him in movies, and have most likely played “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” at one point, and this November, we can see the famous Kevin Bacon and Hollywood’s go-to composer, brother, Michael, play at the Polk Theatre.

On November 19th, The Bacon Brothers will perform at the Polk Theatre. The Bacon Brothers have been playing together for over 14 years. Young Kevin, would follow his older brother, Michael to shows in their hometown, Philadelphia, and the two developed a love for music and playing together. Last February, The Bacon Brothers released their latest album, New Years Day. The album is full of the brother’s trademark gritty rock sound with elements of Philly soul.

Kevin Bacon is an accomplished actor and has appeared in films such as Footloose, My Dog Skip, Hollow Man, Frost/Nixon, and many more. Kevin has also become a very prolific musician , and wrote many of the songs on the album.

Michael Bacon is a well-known composer for film and television and has won a few Emmy awards throughout the years for his scores.

The Bacon Brothers have proved they are not just your typical Hollywood guys trying to break into the music scene, they have real musical talent and have developed quite the following in their 14 years together. According to The New Yorker  ” Hollywood hangs like an albatross around the neck of any movie star turned musician, but this duo shakes off the burden of fame with sharply executed rock that has a blue-collar, rootsy edge.”

Tickets for The Bacon Brothers at the Polk Theatre are currently on sale, and are selling fast! Ticket prices range from $25-$45 depending on the seats.

For more information and a preview of The Bacon Brother’s music, CLICK HERE

Heres a link to the tutorial I used

photo credit: Willie Lunchmeat

There is a new pizza place in town that is going to be great for broke college students like myself. Little Caesars just opened up on South Florida Avenue in the plaza with Fat Jacks and MidFlorida Bank. My boyfriend and I decided to give it a try the other night since neither of us had had a Little Caesars pizza in years and it was really good!

We usually order Hungry Howies, as they are one of the cheaper options with their $5.00 large cheese pizzas when you use your student ID BUT Little Caesars may have just become our new pizza place (when I don’t want to make my own). Little Caesars offers a $5.00 Hot-N-Ready pizza and you can get cheese or pepperoni. Unlike other pizza places, you don’t have to call ahead, you can just show up and they usually have pizzas waiting, the pizzas are kept hot and fresh in what looks like a heated fridge (if that makes sense). If you want a specialty Hot-N- Ready it costs $6.00 instead of $5.00.

Little Caesars offers more than just Hot-N-Ready pizzas, if you want breadsticks, a deep dish pizza, a pizza with your choice of toppings, or wings you call ahead and place your order like you would at any other pizza place. They also have a bunch of different dips that you can buy to dip your breadsticks, wings, or pizza in. I love dipping my pizza in buffalo sauce and ranch so these definitely appeal to me!

I think the addition of Little Caesars to Lakeland is going to be great for all of us college students. The Hot-N-Ready pizzas are really good and cheap, making them perfect for those nights when the cafeteria just doesn’t sound appealing and cooking is not happening. One thing they don’t have is the flavored crust, so if you are a fan of the flavored crust, stick to Hungry Howies.

Post Photo Credit: callme crochet

So, I’ve been thinking about what to be for Halloween all week and last night I finally went out and bought some stuff. I started off by going to Goodwill, hoping to find a retro outfit, like an 80’s prom dress. I decided to look for a dress and be a Miss America Pageant winner, Halloween style. There were a couple great ones (poofy sleeves and all) but they were the wrong size and way too long for me. Then, I remembered that I have a formal dress at home that I haven’t worn in a couple years that would work just fine for my Miss America theme.

It’s Halloween, so of course I couldn’t just wear a normal Miss America Pageant outfit, it has to be scary! I decided to use the money I would have spent on a costume or outfit on make-up and accessories. I went to Party City and bought the white face cream paint, black face paint, black nail polish, a sash, a plastic crown, and fake blood ( what would Halloween be without it?). I’m going to attempt to make myself look zombie-like. It should be fun to put the make-up on and make myself spooky, I haven’t done a “scary” costume in a long time! For the sash, I had to buy a Bachelorette sash and use the reverse side, I couldn’t find any plain ones. I couldn’t find a plain tiara either, so I bought one with purple feathers on it and plucked them off .

This year, the creativity will be more in the make-up than in the actual costume. I’m really excited to put on the make-up and have fun with it…I hope I don’t mess up though! I took some pictures of all of the stuff I am going to use, I didn’t put it on and do my make-up though because that would ruin the fun of Saturday, so I’ll take some pictures of the completed look then.

I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!

Post Photo credit: Just us 3

photo credit: striatic

Employ Florida is a very useful website for finding a job. Whether you are looking for a part-time or full-time job, Employ Florida is the place to look! The website is set up very nicely, with a variety of different search options. You can do a quick search for jobs just by putting in the zip code of the area you are looking at or you can bring up a page with more advanced search options. The advanced search options let you narrow down your search by skills, job, hours, etc. The format of the website is really user friendly which is always a plus when trying to find a job! You create a username and password that allows you to upload your resume, track your job searches, and more! Employers also use Employ Florida when looking for possible job candidates!

We all know finding a job in this economy is tough, so why not use a website that at least makes the search easy? Good luck in your search!

Employ Florida

photo credit: marcusjroberts

photo credit: JamesEverett

Friday and Saturday night, the Polk Theatre will be screening the Rocky Horror Picture Show. In my 21 years of life, I have heard so much about this movie but have never seen it! It sounds like a really entertaining and wacky movie!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show tells the story of a newly-wed couple, Brad and Janet, and what happens to them when their car stalls in the rain one evening. Looking for help, the couple finds themselves at the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter,a transvestite from the planet Transsexual. Dr. Frank-N-Furter offers his castle to the newly-weds and unveils his creation, a man named Rocky Horror. Adventure,music, sex and oddities entertain viewers throughout this interactive movie.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show was released in 1975 by Twentieth Century Fox and directed by Jim Sharman. Tim Curry stars as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The film is rated R. Over the years the film has developed a cult following and has become a classic in pop-culture.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show plays at the Polk Theatre this Friday and Saturday night at 8pm. Tickets are $15 a person.

Going to Walmart these past 6 or 8 months was a pretty chaotic experience. As you all probably know, the South Florida Ave. Walmart had been undergoing a face lift to become a Walmart Supercenter. During the reconstruction of the store, it was crazy going in there! I would go to pick something up real quick and then get there and not be able to find where they moved the item to that week! They had to rearrange everything so often to accomodate the construction taking place, so it was always  interesting  and never a quick visit! I remember one time at the beginning of summer, I thought there was an earthquake because the whole building was shaking from the construction outside!

Well, after months of dealing with the constant rearranging of the store,”earthquakes” and jackhammers, Walmart is back and nicer than it ever was! I went last night, unaware that the store is completed, and was pleasantly suprised! The new Walmart is HUGE in comparison, with some new additions. There is produce, a bakery, meat department,deli and a new grocery section with a lot more food items than the previous Walmart. The entire store got a makeover and looks fresh and new. There are big blue signs above the aisles again, so people don’t have to waste time anymore searching for what they need. The electronics section looks great now too, with new lighting and display shelves for all of those technological gadgets! I especially enjoyed browsing through the expanded pet supply section, it is a lot easier to find what I need for my dog, Rita, now! There are also more check-out lanes now too, so hopefully customers won’t have to wait in line as long.

Walmart has been the place that I have gone to for many things since I’ve been in college and it was hard to deal with the mess of the reconstruction during past months. I’m really glad that things are back in order over there and that the new expansion and update to Walmart is complete! The store is much better, and now when I go there hopefully I won’t get lost and frustrated anymore! Today is the Grand Opening of the Walmart Supercenter on South Florida Avenue, so if you need something, don’t worry it’s safe to go back in!

photo credit: mugley

If you have driven down Harden Boulevard this month, you have probably noticed the large white tent set up in the Oakbridge Plaza parking lot. What is it? Well, the answer to that question is “What is the 99″.

According to the “What is the 99″ website, it is a walk through theater performance that graphically shows the five leading causes of death for people between the ages of 10 and 25. Many of the deaths are drug or alcohol related, domestic violence homicides or suicides. According to the National Center for Disease Control, on average 99 people between the ages of 10 and 25 die each day, and almost 37,000 each year. The idea is to dramatically and graphically show the consequences of poor decisions.

I think the idea behind it is really great, young people should be aware of the consequences of their actions and this a new and interesting way to try and get the message across. The website is pretty scary though! There is a disclaimer before you enter saying it is not appropriate for children under the age of 12, and to “Enter at your own risk”. There is flashing pictures of different tragic situations that take the lives of young people each day, accompanied by eerie music in the background. The website alone is definitely dramatic!

The “What is the 99″ experience travels to select cities across the United States. Admission is $12 and it is not recommended for children under the age of 11 . It will be at Oakbridge Plaza every weekend in October, including Halloween, from 7pm -11pm. Admission coupons can be found at various stores and locations in Lakeland, I got a coupon at Mister Fish which is for $10 off admission. I haven’t had the chance to check it out for myself yet, but I hope to before it leaves Lakeland!

What is the 99

What is the 99 photo courtesy of : www.myspace.com/whatisthe99