Recent News and Media Coverage:

NOVEMBER 1 - 14, 2008

Barrier Islands Gazette

Treasure Island Beach Fest

By Michael Steele

TREASURE ISLAND — The beachfront of the Bilmar Beach Resort in Treasure Island at Sloppy Joe’s proved the ideal location for a music festival held Oct. 11. The event was reminiscent of much larger music festivals like the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee, the roaming Hallapalooza or Florida’s own Langerado Music Festival. Although the Treasure Island October Beach Fest did not draw huge acts or throngs of wideeyed fans, it was much more familyfriendly and attuned to the surrounding community.

It was a beautiful day for a great event benefiting the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, the Family Network on
Disabilities of Florida and the Treasure Island Chamber of Commerce. Although there was no admission cost, proceeds were generated via a number of clever fundraising devices including a silent auction offering a plethora of bidding choices and a VIP tent offering shade and libations next to the stage erected on the beach.

The venue truly offered a little something for everyone. There were inflatable slides and moonwalks for the kids, food stands, arts and crafts vendors and more. Treasure Island’s pirates-inresidence Capt. Danielle and first mate Christopher worked the crowd handing out beads and posing for pictures while an eclectic group of musicians entertained the crowd that sprawled, reclined and danced on the sand.

Carla Bernhardt, formerly of the Koo Koo Kafe of St. Petersburg, closed the shop, packed it up and is taking it on the road under a new name, the Koo Koo Kafe Karavan. Her stand brought colorful prayer flags, hula hoops and other trinkets to the scene. Bernhardt was excited to be at the festival and on the road. She bought an old VW bus and is hoping to break into the larger festival circuit. “I sell the peace stuff, then try to come in with the love. That’s my message,” she explained.

Paul O’Connor and his jazz band the Suncoast Dixielanders were also on hand for the event, playing the silent
auction between headlining music acts. O’Connor, who plays trombone, was excited to be out for the event. “We’ve been in the Bilmar for 41 years,” he said, adding that the band recently trimmed performances from two nights per week to Wednesdays only. Nevertheless, the band has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

The headlining acts put on quite the show. The Swinging Mooks and Michael Southern and the Smoking Guns played throughout the day. Elevated, a reggae rock infusion band greeted the evening and played through sunset. By the time the country rock of Tom Gribbon and the Saltwater Cowboys took the stage, the crowd was geared up for the rest of the evening. Big Brother rounded out the evening bringing the event to a close. The music capped a very enjoyable day and evening with a great time had by all.

Media Release

July 1, 2008 - When was the last time you had the opportunity to read a romantic-comedy novel that didn’t seem fiction and have the ability to learn life lessons from? Your opportunity is now! New and local St. Petersburg author Carla Sue Bernhardt makes a comical splash into the literary world by launching her new fictional novel Becoming Koo Koo – A Kooky Khronical About Love and Mayhem.

Becoming Koo Koo is a tale of love and broken hearts all of us can relate to at one time or another in our romantic pasts. Bernhardt writes the novel with such candor and frankness from the main character’s point of view, making the book remarkably authentic. Bernhardt’s style of writing will make you laugh out loud, gasp with disbelief and will compel you to replay the story scenarios in your mind. This is the summer read you have been waiting for! You will not want to put this book down!

But wait! There’s more! Bernhardt will launch her new novel in September at a Becoming Koo Koo Extravaganza. Bernhardt, a charismatic, creative and energy infused individual will dazzle, surprise and excite attendees at the event. The local St. Petersburg author will sign books and announce her new venture – The Koo Koo Karavan. “This Bourgeoisie Affair” will take place on Saturday, September 8th, 2008 at 6:00 pm. Music will be provided by Key of Life. Fun and festivities will take place at the Lions Club located at 9300 Gulf Boulevard in Treasure Island. This event will be open to the public.

Koo Koo Kafe serves originality

A cafe in a house welcomes hippies and free spirits, and, yes, even yuppies.

By PAUL SWIDER
Published July 11, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - There's something happening here at the Koo Koo Kafe, but even for owner Carla Bernhardt, what it is "ain't exactly clear."

"People say this is a concept, not a cafe," said Bernhardt, who opened the quirky coffee shop in May. "I don't really know. I just follow my heart."

In this 40th year since the Summer of Love, the Koo Koo Kafe, at 411 15th Ave. N, is embracing the hippie ethos in a modern context. Sitar music plays on the stereo and Janis Joplin watches over the front counter, but customers aren't a bunch of long-haired kids.

"They're Yippies and yuppies and established people," said Ray Rau, a Koo Koo regular who owns rental properties in surrounding neighborhoods.

Bernhardt, 51, sells coffee from Peoria and English tea with Persian roses, Middle Eastern foods and teapots from India, as well as handmade crafts from around the world. She said she caters to people looking for an authentic experience with an international twist.

"It's not the chain type of thing," said customer Jon Tuft, a financial adviser with Raymond James. "A lot of people who go there are baby boomers who are not really into Starbucks."

Bernhardt agrees that she has created the opposite of corporate coffee. Hers is a small, intimate space in a couple of overstuffed rooms on the first floor of a house. Between its living room quality and Bernhardt's zealous hospitality, customers say going there is like therapy.

"What Carla has is something very powerful," said Aradia Scott, a massage therapist who drops in often and will start offering massages there. "It's powerful to be able to relax."

Ironically, the cafe was born of pain. Bernhardt went through a difficult relationship that upset her so much, she said, she thought she was going to have a nervous breakdown. Which would be even more ironic because she is also a nurse who treats patients with dementia, schizophrenia and other mental health problems.

Bernhardt was an introvert who cared for her patients and went home alone. Her romance opened her up but ended abruptly when she found out the man was married.

"Things like that can make you bitter," she said. "I had to do something positive with it."

Friends brought the Tampa resident to St. Petersburg, and Bernhardt said the energy of the place matched her own, so she decided to open the cafe. The name comes from the nickname her boyfriend gave her, but she has turned that around: She sells T-shirts that say, "Who's Koo Koo Now?"

"I decided to channel the energy of unrequited love," she said. "The only thing I'm good at is giving people love, accepting them as they are. It's what I do for a living."

Everyone who enters the Koo Koo gets a hug from Bernhardt. She runs the shop entirely by herself, but customers sometimes chip in and help out. She said sometimes they give her money for nothing, just reach out and hand it to her.

"It's like a bunch of professional bohemians," said Mike Novilla, Bernhardt's landlord, who has an office above the cafe. "It's like a little oasis in the middle of the city."

Business has been steady, Bernhardt said, even though her only advertising consists of a couple of yard signs she posts near Crescent Lake. She wants to succeed, but not too much.

"I don't want a big restaurant," she said. "If it gets too big, it would take away from the atmosphere."

Bernhardt is expanding Koo Koo's offerings with an open-mike night for performers and a new hookah she'll set out for customers once she gets a tobacco license.

She is open to suggestions because she wants the cafe to be the place the customers want.

"What she's offering is what St. Pete is going to," said Rau of the new generation of retirees coming to the area. "She's almost a benchmark of the changes in demographics."

Bernhardt said she sees lots of people of her generation in the area and finds that they share her eclectic tastes. But she says the cafe appeals to all ages of people who want to share good company.

"We're all hippies in our hearts," she said. "We all want the world to be a better place."

Paul Swider can be reached at 892-2271 or pswider@sptimes.com or by participating in itsyourtimes.com.

Insurance superfund attracts interest

The plan would limit losses for insurers by shifting the burden for massive storm damage to the state.

By TOM ZUCCO and JENNIFER LIBERTO
Published January 17, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - A radical idea - to have the state of Florida assume much of the risk for massive hurricane damage - emerged on the first day of the special insurance session as one possible way to drive down skyrocketing premiums.

A concept that would have been unthinkable just 10 months ago, the Florida Hurricane Excess Loss Program has been proposed by a cadre of senior senators and was the primary topic of discussion in the Senate throughout Tuesday.

Under the proposal, the state would cap the potential losses for private insurance companies at $40-billion, and that, at least in theory, could allow those companies to lower premium rates for wind coverage by about 33 percent.

The program has its detractors and its flaws. But it's also a shiny new idea that some lawmakers say could gain momentum. Gov. Charlie Crist is open to the idea.

"It's not without its problems," said Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville. "The state is going to lead with its wallet, and yes, it puts the state at risk. But we're a lot closer to a consensus on the big issues than we were in other special sessions."

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee spent several hours Tuesday discussing FHELP. Proponents argue that the $40-billion cap is one that is not likely to be reached. Hurricane Katrina caused about $45-billion in insured losses in the entire Gulf Coast in 2005, and the 2004 Florida hurricane season, the worst in state history, caused about $23.5-billion in damages.

The state, through its Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, already covers excessive losses between $6-billion and $22-billion.

FHELP would kick in for losses between $22-billion and $40-billion and the state would pay 90 percent of the damages with insurance companies paying the remaining 10 percent.

The state would come up with the money through bonds, assessments or a portion of state sales tax.

The theory is that if the private companies know their maximum potential losses, they can lower wind premiums by about a third, write more policies, or both.

The weeklong special legislative session was called because the insurance market is in crisis. Premium rates have risen sharply and steadily in recent years and many companies have dropped policyholders. The state, through Citizens Property Insurance, already insures about a third of homes in Florida and is taking in new policies at a rate of about 60,000 a month.

Still, the Senate proposal makes some in Tallahassee nervous.

"How will we pay for that?" Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lakes Wales, asked twice during the discussion.

Indeed, FHELP's fate is uncertain, largely because of the financial burden the state would face in the event of a catastrophic storm season.

"Any time you talk about an idea that has the potential for dramatic liability on the shoulders of our taxpayers we're going to spend more than seven days talking about it," said House Speaker Marco Rubio.

Even the House Democratic caucus hasn't decided if it will back the idea first floated by Senate Democrats. Minority Leader Dan Gelber dubbed it the "uber fund," and acknowledged the potential for premium savings if you "sort of hold your breath a little bit."

State Farm, Florida's largest private property insurer, isn't taking sides on the issue yet. State Farm would like its liability capped from a corporate standpoint and told the Senate insurance committee that it could lead to 33 to 34 percent savings on wind-only residential policies, according to Mark Delegal, a lobbyist for State Farm.

The Senate proposal is just one of many ideas lawmakers are considering this week. Others include:

- Allowing insurers to more easily buy reinsurance from the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (CAT Fund).

- Forcing auto insurers that write property insurance in other states to also write property policies in Florida.

- Allowing Citizens to offer full coverage in its high risk account, where it is now allowed to write only the wind policies.

- Allowing Citizens rates to be competitive with the private market and freezing Citizens rates as of Dec. 31, 2006.

Steve Burgess, who is serving his final week as the state's insurance consumer advocate, said he was encouraged by the "number of creative ways" lawmakers are looking at solving the crisis.

As for the FHELP program, Burgess said that is a "social question, not an insurance question. Policymakers have to decide how much the state wants to get involved."

Both House and Senate proposals may reach the chambers' floors as early as today.