MySQL data types for common columns
This is all IMHO:

•table entry created and updated: date or timestamp? Why? With date isnt it easier to display and sort on the frontend?

Use a timestamp - better for multiple mods in a given day.

•Entry title - VARCHAR or text?

You're not going to lose much with a  text over VARCHAR, but I think that VARCHAR is the reasonable choice.

•Entry body - I assume text.

BLOB.

•5 Star rating - INT or Decimal? Why since I have read about both?

How flexible do you want to be - I'd tend to Decimal.

•Phone &amp; Zip - INT or VARCHAR?

VARCHAR - intl codes, extensions... more flexible.

•Event Date - Again, Date or Timestamp

Again you're not losing much adding the time - never throw away information that you may use later.