[Times photo: Boyzell Hosey]
Jennifer Mazzioti last Thursday at the Rare Olive in St. Petersburg.

August 31, 2000

Welcome to your new Weekend.
Jazz up your evening at the Rare Olive in St. Petersburg. Take in some art. Or enjoy your favorite restaurant before the crowds hit. It’s all here.

Night Life
Unveiling the new Ybor
Kindly step around that wet patch of cement, and excuse Ybor City's dust. It's only experiencing the most significant single commercial development project in its history, and we've got a sneak preview for you here.

Kahuna's serves up fun
Change out of that starched white shirt or fancy silk dress before you head to Kahuna's Bar & Grill. This place has its own dress code: shorts and T-shirts.

Think Thursday for....
Across the Tampa Bay area, Thursday is a huge night on the bar and club scene.

Movies
Sprightly tale cultivates smiles
Marijuana takes center stage along with Brenda Blethyn in Saving Grace, but this is no stoner flick

Vastness of space eclipses IMAX
The immense filmmaking process has met a subject it can't capture, the dark and empty outer reaches.

Behind the mascara
The Eyes of Tammy Faye takes a look at the colorful life of Tammy Faye Messner, former wife of disgraced PTL leader Jim Bakker. Missing, however, is anything new.

Family Movie Guide
The Family Movie Guide should be used along with the Motion Picture Association of America rating system for selecting movies suitable for children. Only films rated G, PG or PG-13 are included in this weekly listing, along with occasional R-rated films that may have entertainment or educational value for older children with parental guidance. Films are categorized as "recommended" for family viewing, "recommended with reservations" and "not recommended" for family viewing, with a description of content that led to that categorization. Compiled by St. Petersburg Times Film Critic Steve Persall.

Persall's Top 5
Recent releases recommended by Times film critic Steve Persall

Thursdays in Hollywood
It happened one Thursday

Also in Theaters
Christopher Lambert, the original Immortal in the 1986 cult film, Highlander, returns in the sequel, Highlander: Endgame, opening today (without a screening forWeekend review). Lambert is teamed with Adrian Paul, star of the Highlander syndicated TV series, in another time-tripping battle against evil.

Video
.'Any Given Sunday' goes easy on NFL
In this new Weekend feature, I'll recall what Times reviewers thought of this week's new video releases back when they were released on the big screen. Then I'll add any second thoughts about what they'll be like on video, and suggest who might want to rent them.

Stage
Chamber musicians think outside the box
A small ensemble performance this Sunday and next offers a welcome break for orchestra members.

Dazzling debuts
It happened one Thursday

Pop
Team Pop Trivia
The winner of this week's Team Pop Trivia contest is Steve Tamargo. Tamargo knew that pop star Declan McManus is better known as Elvis Costello. Won't Tamargo look spiffy in his new Times T-shirt?

Big ticket
On the horizon

Central Park's big day
It happened one Thursday

Art
Tampa shows kick off onslaught of openings
Thank goodness everything doesn't happen at once. Press releases of coming events are crossing this desk at a pace not seen since last spring. The heaviest weekend for openings is Sept. 8-10. So gallery goers have a little time to enjoy two new shows, both in Tampa, before the rush.

Hot Ticket
Art apart: An American view

Top Five
Art critic Mary Ann Marger's recommendations for this weekend, in no particular order. Please refer to the Art Calendar for details.

Art smarts
It happened one Thursday

Dine
Kokopelli marries country, contemporary
The Dade City restaurant's whimsical decor and small-town warmth aren't the only attractions. From gourmet specials to fresh gator with kumquat relish, the food is fine.

On the side
First bite

Cheap Thrills
When you want good food at bargain prices, you don't worry about fancy service or atmosphere. Chris Sherman designates Nibbler favorites where you can eat happily for $10 or less as Cheap Thrills.

Coming soon
A database of Tampa Bay area restaurants recommended by the Times food critic is in the works and will debut soon. Stay turned for more updates.

Get Away
Colorful characters at Bok Tower Gardens
The flowers are beautiful, yes, but they aren't the only attraction. There's another glorious garden resident: the butterfly.

Soak it all up
From graceful Victorian homes on winding bayous to the Greek village and sponge docks, Tarpon Springs is not only the oldest city in Pinellas County but well may be the most unique.

Shop
Supplies in demand
The kids are back in class, and the stampede for school supplies has mercifully slowed. Those of us with office jobs probably have all the ballpoint pens, paper clips and sticky notes we need, but late every summer, some of us get nostalgic for a little back-to-school shopping. These trends should keep us feeling wittier, if not wiser.