Gulfshore Life April 2022 by Gulfshore Life

ROOTED IN ACT ION

The Sustainability Issue

DEFENDERS OF THE GULF THE WILDLIFE CORRIDOR + THOUGHTFUL FASHION

SQUARE EMERALD CUT DIAMOND EARRINGS 36.49 CTS

WATERSIDE SHOPS 5555 Tamiami Trail N #11, Naples Fl 34108 239-592-7707 w w w.y a m r o n . c o m

262 LITTLE HARBOUR | LITTLE HARBOUR $12,950,000

351 NEAPOLITAN WAY | PARK SHORE $15,900,000

397 MOORING LINE DR | MOORINGS $9,950,000

A S P E N • T H E H A M P TO N S • PA L M S P R I N G S • M A L I B U • M A N H AT TA N • B E V E R LY H I L L S • L A G U N A B E A C H • A N D M O R E 800 HARBOUR DRIVE, NAPLES, FLORIDA 34103 (239) 261-3939 © 2021 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. WHILE, THIS INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS REPRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL PROPERTY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SQUARE FOOTAGE, ROOM COUNT, NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PROPERTY LISTINGS SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY YOUR OWN ATTORNEY, ARCHITECT OR ZONING EXPERT. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.

81 GULF SHORE BLVD SOUTH | OLDE NAPLES $14,950,000

311 TURTLE HATCH RD | PARK SHORE $10,995,000

390 BANYAN BLVD | COQUINA SANDS $8,250,000

E X C L U S I V E LY R E P R E S E N T E D B Y M I C H A E L L A W L E R

FOR LUXURY REAL ESTATE & RENTALS 239.261.3939 HARBOUR POINT CENTRE 800 HARBOUR DR | NAPLES, FL 34103

Designing rooms you’ll love, for the places you live. Get started by visiting our stores! You’ll find a different selection of home furnishings at each of our stores — and everything in our collection is available for immediate delivery.

North Naples 5510 Shirley Street Downtown Naples 326 13th Ave. South www.baydesignstore.com 5

For those who seek an elegant escape. Nothing Compares.

No.1 NAPLES REAL ESTATE COMPANY IN CLOSED SALES VOLUME

F L O R I DA NAPLES

730 6th Avenue N | Naples, FL | PREMIERSOTHEBYSREALTY.COM

PremierSIR.com | 239.261.6161 No. 1 in Collier County (2021). Source: MLS. Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity. Property information herein is derived from various sources including, but not limited to, county records and multiple listing services, and may include approximations. All information is deemed accurate.

EVERY GREAT DESIGN BEGINS WITH AN EVEN BETTER STORY. YOURS. Discover how our acclaimed design team creates bespoke luxury interior design solutions driven by the chapters of your life that inspire you. Schedule a complimentary personal Design Profile at our inspiration studio located in Mercato, Naples or at DWest.com.

Driven from within 239.514.1234 | DW EST.C O M

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#1 Independent Advisor in Florida Tom Moran AIF® | Founder, CEO Senior PIM Portfolio Manager

NATURE

NURTURE

WONDER

DAY BY DAY, IT A DDS UP TO A LIF E LIK E N O OT H ER . REFINED TOWER RE S IDEN C ES A R E C O M IN G TO A N EW C OAS TA L VILLAGE IN SOUT H WES T F LO R IDA , BES IDE T H E BR EAT H TA K IN G WONDERS OF ESTER O BAY. WELC O M E TO A R A R E LIF E WIT H IN NAT URE, NURT URED BY LEG EN DA RY R IT Z- C A R LTO N S ER V IC E.

T H E R E S I D E N C E S E S T E R O B A Y. C O M

The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Estero Bay are not owned, sold or developed by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. or its affiliates (“The Ritz-Carlton”). LB Estero Bay Investments, LLC uses The Ritz-Carlton marks under a license from The Ritz-Carlton, which has not confirmed the accuracy of any of the statements or representations made herein.

NAPLES, MARCO ISL AND & FLORIDA’S GULF COAST

A legacy of real estate. A mastery of real estate marketing. Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

QUAIL CREEK

MARCO ISL AND

21 Palms Estate $5,900,000 (Pending)

739 Fairlawn Court $5,000,000

850 Eubanks Court $4,449,000 (Pending)

QUAIL WEST

MARCO ISL AND

GOODL AND

6393 Highcroft Drive $3,100,000 (Sold)

1845 Honduras Avenue $2,650,000 (Pending)

110 East Court $2,500,000 (Pending)

MICHELLE THOMAS TE AM

239.860.7176

michelle.thomas@premiersir.com michelle.thomasteamflorida.com

LELY RESORT L AKOYA

#1 Team in Collier County

#1 Team at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty #5 Large Team in Florida #44 Large Team in the United States

MARCO ISL AND

1598 Heights Court $3,600,000

1891 Honduras Avenue $3,595,000 (Pending)

FIDDLER’S CREEK RU NAWAY BAY

FIDDLER’S CREEK OYSTER HARBOR

ESPL ANADE

3457 Runaway Lane $2,200,000 (Pending)

3433 Wellfleet Lane $2,165,000 (Pending)

6474 Emilia Court $3,899,999

8677 Dilillo Court $1,645,000 (Pending)

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Features DEFENDERS OF THE GULF

Oona Watkins, photographed by Zach Stovall

118

GULFSHORE LIFE

Justin Sands & Bethanie Mattek-Sands

Olympic Gold Medalist Eight-Time Grand Slam Winner

trust.

“WE HAVE THE UTMOST TRUST IN OUR TEAM AT FINEMARK TO HANDLE OUR FINANCIAL AFFAIRS.” ‒Justin Sands & Bethanie Mattek-Sands

Fort Myers • Bonita Springs • Charleston • Estero • Jupiter • Naples • Palm Beach • Scottsdale www.finemarkbank.com • 239-461-5900 • Member FDIC • Equal Housing Lender Trust and investment services are not FDIC insured, are not guaranteed by the bank and may lose value.

NO _ 5 1 8

0 4 _ 2 0 2 2

Features BUILDING THE FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR

Carlton Ward Jr.

132

GULFSHORE LIFE

A DEDICATION TO MAGNIFICENCE

SOLD

916 SOUTH OCEAN, PALM BEACH 8 Bed | 10 + 3 1/2 Bath | 13,080 sq. ft. | $57,000,000

Stock Custom Homes builds grand estate homes and magnificent oceanfront residences in Palm Beach and throughout Florida. Entrust your custom home building experience to an enduring award-winning builder and let Stock Custom Homes create a residence that is a true expression of how you live.

SOLD

ALEXANDRIA IN WILDBLUE

TORY LANE, NAPLES

$4,095,000

$8,850,000

StockCustomHomes

BROKER PARTICIPATION WELCOMED. ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. NOT AN OFFERING WHERE PROHIBITED BY STATE LAW. PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

225 4TH AVENUE NORTH OLDE NAPLES | Sold $16,995,000

A Tradition of Excellence $175M

$4B+

$517M

CURRENT VALUE OF EXCLUSIVE PORTFOLIO (PRIVATE PLACEMENTS NOT INCLUDED)

IN LIFETIME LUXURY TRANSACTIONS

IN SALES IN 2021

DISCOVER THE PINNACLE IN NAPLES LUXURY REAL ESTATE, ONLY AT BILLEARLS.COM

239.777.6622 Bill@BillEarls.com 239.571.8247 Larry@LarryLappin.com # SMALL TEAM

IN FLORIDA

2020

SMALL TEAM

IN THE U.S.

2020

2790 GORDON DRIVE PORT ROYAL | Sold $40,000,000

740 BANYAN BOULEVARD COQUINA SANDS | Sold $7,590,000

355 15TH AVENUE SOUTH AQUALANE SHORES | Sold $7,400,000

4233 GORDON DRIVE PORT ROYAL | Sold $10,600,000

2050 GORDON DRIVE GORDON DRIVE ESTATES | Sold $29,990,000

7621 BAY COLONY DRIVE BAY COLONY | Sold $18,000,000

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CONTENTS Departments

0 4 _ 2 0 2 2

IN EVERY ISSUE

INSIDER

36 Editor ’s Note

46 Table Ser vice: Da vid Robbins’ Plant-Based Ethos

38 From the CA B 42 Gulfshore T reasures 282 Parting Shot

56 A rtist P rof ile: Mar y Smallwood ’s Sustainable St yles 68 Wine Watch: Palace P ub G oes Natural

80 Personalities: T he Wonder Gardens’ Ne w Ste ward 94 Guest List: People & Places ART OF STYLE 103 St yle Points: Wild Je wels

INSIDER Table Ser vice

Chef David Robbins carries a sustainable, ethical ethos into everything he does, including the upcoming food brand.

GULFSHORE LIFE

Erik Kellar

expansion of his plant-based

YOU DO THE DREAMING, WE’LL DO THE HEAVYLIFTING. DE SI G N | B U I LD | R E N OVAT E 7 11 5TH AV E . S # 2 10, NAPLE S, F L 3 4102 23 9 789 025 9 WWW.G ALLEONC OM PAN I E S .C OM

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CONTENTS Depart ments

0 4 _ 2 0 2 2

HOME

H E A LTHY LI F E

148 St ylish Living: A Port Royal Re vamp

202 Wellness: Nut rient-Dense Microgreens

160 Alf resco: Mariah Bakke’s Grown-Up T reehouse 194 Realt y Check: Dream Homes

210 House Call: Health Ne ws & Events

238 Dining Guide: 150+ Essential Restaurants ARTS + C U LTU R E

TASTE

266 Curator ’s Corner: BIG A RTS ’ Lauren Huf f

232 Raise A Glass: Fort Myers’ Farm Bre wer y

272 Agenda: Top Events for April

H OM E Alf resco

Landscape architect Mariah Bakke and her fiance converted a 50-year-old Cuban laurel into a biophilic backyard hangout.

Volume 52/Number 4, Gulfshore Life (ISSN 0745-0079) is published monthly, 12 times a year, by Gulfshore Life Media, LLC., 26101 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. Subscription price is $19.95 per year. For customer service inquiries, subscription inquiries or to change your address by providing both the old and new addresses, contact: Subscription Department, Gulfshore Life Media, LLC, 26101 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. Telephone (239) 498-8501 or email subscriptions@gulfshorelife.com. Periodicals’ postage paid at Bonita Springs, FL, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2022 by Gulfshore Life Media, LLC, Library of Congress Card No. 8538973. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts without return postage will not be returned. DISCLAIMER: Advertisements in the publication do not constitute an offer for sale in states where prohibited or restricted by law.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Omar Cruz

160

Facelift Breast Augmentation Rhinoplasty Eyelid Surgery Mommy Makeovers Injectables Skin Spa And More

Nadia Kazim, MD Board Certified Ophthalmologist and Oculoplastic Surgeon

Diana Carrau, MD Board Eligible Plastic Surgeon Kiran Gill, MD Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Subtle Clothing With Simple Sophistication The Design Center • 13251 McGregor Blvd. Suite 111-1 Ft. Myers, Florida 33919 • 239 - 481- 8582 TEXT 239-223-8512

www.jennifersfortmyers.com

President/CEO Jim Schwartzel Editor in Chief Stephanie Granada Creative Director Scott Glick Editor at Large Dorothea Hunter Sönne Senior Editor Samantha Garbarini Associate Editor Jaynie Bartley Assistant Editor Zahra Khan Editorial Fellow Dominique Caruso

ART Art Directors Julie Low Ed Melnitsky Photo Editor Elizabeth Bankmann ADVERTISING Associate Publisher Mindy Roosa National Account Director Wendy Tooley Marketing Consultants Holly Baldwin Natasha Gonzalez Meredith Mills

MARKETING Director of Marketing and Events Rachel Galante Digital Media Marketing Manager Brittney Kleis CIRCULATION Director of Audience Development Kerri Nolan PRODUCTION Production Manager Martha Leavitt Production Services Manager Ankita Joshi ADMINISTRATION Advertising Services Manager/ Reprint Sales & Distribution Kathleen Hill

Inspire Oncology Welcomes Jay Loeffler MD, FACR, FASTRO Board Certified Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Loeffler is an internationally renowned oncologist who for the past 20 years was the Chairperson of the Radiation Oncology Department at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

Director of the Francis Burr Proton Center at Massachusetts General Hospital (1996-2020) Chair of Radiation Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital (2000-2020) Founder of the Brain Tumor Center at Dana Farber Cancer Institute Herman and Joan Suit Professor Emeritus Harvard Medical School Former Professor of Neurosurgery Harvard Medical School Member of The National Academy of Medicine Author of 400+ Publications and Co-Editor of Nine Cancer Text Books 8625 Collier Blvd, Ste 102, Naples, FL 34114 239.429.0100

15465 Tamiami Trail N, Naples, FL 34110 239.429.0400

Accepting new patients • www.inspireoncology.com

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© Copyright Gulfshore Life is published by Gulfshore Life Media, LLC. The entire document of Gulfshore Life is © 2022 by Gulfshore Life Media, LLC. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems without the express written permission of the publisher. Gulfshore Life, HOME, Gordon Drive, MINI, Healthy Life, Southwest Florida Guide to the Arts, Visitors’ Guide, Men and Women of the Year, Best of the Gulfshore, Taste of the Gulf, Weekend Insider and Shore Thing are copyrighted service marks and are the property of Gulfshore Life Media, LLC., all rights reserved. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. Editorial or advertising does not constitute advice, but it is considered informative. Gulfshore Life is locally operated. Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers, please advise us at Gulfshore Life, 26101 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. Please include your name and address as it appears on the mailing label of your most recent issue.

GIVE YOUR

PORTFOLIO A

FRESH P ERSP E C TIV E Gain clarity and simplify your investments with our tailored wealth planning process and suite of outcome-based strategies.

Rob Edwards Managing Director - Investments Senior PIM® Portfolio Manager 5801 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Suite 200, Naples, Florida 34108

239.254.2394 | EdwardsGroupNaples.com Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured / No Bank Guarantee / MAY Lose Value © 2021 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company. 0921-00001

Ingrid Aielli Co-Owner, Aielli Group 2016 Woman of the Year

Dwayne Bergmann Principal Designer/ Owner, Dwayne Bergmann Interiors 2020 Man of the Year

Scott Burgess President and CEO, David Lawrence Center 2018 Man of the Year

Mary Susan Clinton Founder, Gallien Global Vision Inc. Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation 2002 Woman of the Year

Denise Cobb Chair, Community Advisory Board Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation 2000 Woman of the Year

David Corban President, David Corban Architects 2020 Man of the Year

Brooke Denson Real Estate Professional, Dina Marie Realty Trustee and Treasurer, SWFL Children’s Charities 2019 Woman of the Year

Shirlene Elkins Real Estate Professional, John R. Wood Properties Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation 2003 Woman of the Year

Ellin Goetz President, Goetz+Stropes Landscape Architects 2000 Woman of the Year

Mark Loren Head Jewelry Designer/Owner, Mark Loren Designs 2016 Man of the Year

Rebecca Maddox Owner/Developer, Three60 Market, Three60 Wine and Celebration Park 2019 Woman of the Year

Gail Markham Founding Partner, Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company 2011 Woman of the Year

Elliott H. Singer Managing Director and Founder, Fairview Advisors Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation Member-at-Large

Adria Starkey President, Collier FineMark National Bank & Trust Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation 2000 Woman of the Year

Shelly Stayer President/Co-Owner, Johnsonville Foods 2013 Woman of the Year

Sandra Stilwell Youngquist Owner and CEO, Stilwell Enterprises 2006 Woman of the Year

GULFSHORE LIFE

Brian Tietz (12); Courtesy Shirlene Elkins, Ellin Goetz, Mark Loren, Shelly Stayer/Roland Scarpa

COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD

M A K I N G

G U L F S H O R E

L I F E

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ON THE COVER Shot on location at Marco Island’s Tigertail Beach by Omar Cruz, with creative direction by Jerry Pomales. The model wears two monochromatic looks by Cult Gaia. Model Eliza Finskaya, Wilhelmina Miami Stylist Anna Ruiz HMUA Dani Taverna, Duality Artistry

ROOTED IN ACT ION

The Sustainability Issue

$ 5.95 APRIL 2022

GULFSHORE LIFE

GULFSHORELIFE.COM

DEFENDERS OF THE GULF THE WILDLIFE CORRIDOR + THOUGHTFUL FASHION

OBS office-based surgery

R E F R A C T I V E L A S E R C ATA R A C T S U R G E RY 239.325.2015

REFRACTIVE LENS EXCHANGE SURGERY

OLDE NAPLES

GINSBERGEYE.COM

FROM THE EDITOR

C ONS E RVAT I ON M AT T E R S

NO _ 5 1 8

0 4 _ 2 0 2 2

On a recent hike through CREW

fence. The photos, which ran in

beneath highways all provide

Bird Rookery Swamp, we came

National Geographic’s April 2021

viable solutions. In Collier and

across a 10-foot alligator sunning

issue, helped turn the world’s

Lee, programs like Conservation

itself on a narrow part of the trail.

attention to the endangered

Collier and Conservation 20/20

Inbound and outbound groups

cat—and the statewide project to

ensure that threatened lands,

huddled on both sides, weighing

save it. For the “Force of Nature”

water resources and wildlife hab-

our options. Eventually, we scam-

feature, journalist Jennifer Reed

itats are guarded.

pered by, single file, fully aware

trailed Ward through Corkscrew

We’re at a crucial point with

that with a snap, the gator could’ve

to learn about those fortuitous

Southwest Florida’s population

had any of us in its clutches.

shots and Ward’s work to create

boom and the rate of develop-

It was admittedly scary but

the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

ment. We’re encouraged by the

heartening, too. I thought of all

The conservation network, which

practical efforts taking root, with

the efforts underway—and those

comprises 10 million acres (with

conservationists and developers

that came before—to preserve and

plans to add another 8 million),

balancing the needs of growing

restore wildlife habitats like Bird

stretches from the state’s south-

cities with those of the envi-

Rookery. Hiking along, we saw

ern tip to the Georgia border

ronment. But, we all need to be

anhingas and white ibis perched

and from the Atlantic to the Gulf

involved for these projects to

among the trees, cottontail rabbits

across the panhandle, providing

work long-term. The Everglades,

hopping across the path and zebra

uninterrupted green spaces for

the Gulf and every beautiful place

longwings fluttering about.

endangered animals and their

in between are ours to save.

Nearby, within the same pro-

connected ecosystems to thrive. Carlton emphasizes that pro-

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary,

tected land does not have to be

photographer Carlton Ward Jr.

pristine. Ecological centers, like

captured intimate shots of Flor-

Corkscrew, where people can

ida panthers, including one of

convene with nature; farms that

a female panther with her cub

also depend on the health of

passing through a barbed-wire

the land; and wildlife crossings

Stephanie Granada Editor in Chief

Anna Gunselman

tected watershed, at Audubon

GULFSHORE LIFE

IRENE NEUWIRTH

spoken

239.263.4333 | @ shopmarissacollections EN DE IT ES CS FR

| marissacollections.com

NA PL ES | PAL M BEACH

FROM OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD

BU I L D I NG BR I D GE S

NO _ 5 1 8

Crossing the Sanibel Causeway on

connected. A fractured approach

coming weeks, we will host our

my way back to Fort Myers from

lacks the capacity to bring about the

first regionwide Collaboratory

a symposium on Captiva Island,

moonshot regional solutions that

Conversations, bringing tens

I was struck by how bridges have

are possible if we all work together.

of thousands of Southwest Flo-

always been vital to connecting

By the end of the month, we will

ridians together to share ideas

our communities.

have done 100 community ses-

on how we achieve an equitable

Last year, as a board trustee at

sions to explain the vision of Col-

future that may seem unattain-

Collaboratory, I participated in a

laboratory, listen to diverse voices

able today.

momentous decision to build a

and answer questions. Thousands

Like the physical bridges that

different bridge: a collaboration

of people will have participated,

connect our communities, we are

infrastructure that reimagines

including those from historically

focused on building a symbolic

how our region can solve its most

underrepresented groups, to help

bridge to the future. We invite

pressing challenges—in 18 years.

lay the groundwork for this gen-

you to join us as we seek to span

That’s not a typo. We’ve set out

erational endeavor.

generations.

to focus on the children born in

I’m convinced such a coor-

2021 and what needs to happen

dinated approach gives us the

for them to reach adulthood in a

greatest opportunity to create

Southwest Florida with shared,

the future we envision, based on

sustainable prosperity.

my own childhood experience

Collaboratory’s goal, launched

with domestic violence. I came

last summer, is not to solve the

to understand my experience as a

challenges we face; no single entity

domino issue—the abuse sets off a

can do that. Our goal is to coordi-

chain reaction, drawing in related

nate the efforts of the many people

services: child welfare, the school

who care deeply about our commu-

system, the legal system, physical

nity to achieve an unprecedented

and mental health. The list goes

Gail Markham

impact. Our region is blessed with

on and on.

Founding Partner, Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company 2011 Woman of the Year

passionate organizations focused

Other complex issues also dom-

on a gamut of complex issues.

ino throughout our region, and

But, the hard truth is, many of our

we must look at problem-solving

well-intentioned efforts are dis-

holistically. That’s why, in the

GULFSHORE LIFE

Brian Tietz

0 4 _ 2 0 2 2

THIS IS THE ONE

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE

ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS WEBSITE AND TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. All artist’s renderings are proposed concepts shown only for marketing purposes and are based upon current development plans, which are subject to change by the developer, Aura at Metropolitan Naples, LLC, which reserves the right to make changes at its sole discretion, without prior notice or approval of the purchaser. This project has been filed in the state of Florida and no other state. This is not an offer to sell or solicitation of offers to buy the condominium units in states where such offer or solicitation cannot be made. This advertisement does not constitute an offer where prior registration or other qualification is required. Prices, availability, plans, features, dimensions, specifications and amenities are subject to change at any time without notice. All Rights Reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity.

LIVE DOWNTOWN

aura

AT M E T R O P O L I TA N N A P L E S

ROOFTOP POOL WITH PANORAMIC SUNSET VIEWS, FITNESS CENTER, SKY BAR AND RESIDENT LOUNGE

LUXURY TOWER RESIDENCES FINE DINING BOUTIQUE SHOPS & OFFICES

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239.758.9500 | METROPOLITANNAPLES.COM

GU LFS HORE

TRE ASU RES

Under the leadership of Southwest Florida native David Rahah ę •tih Webb, the Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs is blossoming. Read

Anna Nguyen

more about the historic site’s transformation, including improved care for its animals, like the peacocks that roam the grounds, on p. 80.

Full-Service Interior Design Fine Furnishings Custom Remodeling Interior Architectural Detail New Construction Project Management

See more work #reneegaddisinteriors

www.reneegaddis.com 239.431.8352 15940 Old 41 N., Suite 530 • Naples, FL 34110 FL LICENSE IB26001518

NO _ 5 1 8

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Anna Nguyen

p_ 68

Table Ser vice: Da vid Robbins’ Plant-Based Ethos

A rtist P rof ile: Mar y Smallwoood ’s Sustainable St yles

Wine Watch: Palace P ub G oes Natural

Table Ser vice: T he Wonder Gardens’ Ne w Ste ward

Guest List: People & Places

GULFSHORE LIFE

TABLE SERVICE

PL ANTING THE SEED

INSIDER

Chef David Robbins envisions a sustainable future for the food world—and his plant-based burger is just the first step. By Samantha Garbarini Photography by Erik Kellar

David Robbins spent the latter part of his morning at East Fork Creek, an aquaponic farm in Fort Myers, where he introduced the farmers to the owners of a new restaurant he’s consulting for. We meet at Downtown Coffee and Wine Company in Bonita Springs, just a short drive from the commissary kitchen where he’s gearing up to expand his vegan Not a Burger into an entire line of plant-based foods. As he sips his drink, Robbins talks about his upbringing in Kauai, Hawaii, where his family farmed organic vegetables, fruits and flowers for leis and had a coffee shop. In their downtime, he and his siblings ran wild outdoors. “Where we lived was like Raiders of the Lost Ark,” he recalls. “Literally, they filmed there. By the time we could walk, we were running around the valley, in the woods and the river.” And though his family wasn’t vegan (Robbins is an omnivore), Hawaii is where he first learned to appreciate plant-based living. “The school we went to was Seventh-Day Adventist. About half were vegetarian, and about half of those were vegan. I was around that a lot growing up, around people who did it properly and in a healthy way,” he says, pointing out that vegan diets can include lots of heavily processed and unhealthy foods. When Robbins was a teenager, his family relocated to Port Charlotte, and he eventually enrolled in Florida Gulf Coast University, majoring

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With a culinary vision and training at New York’s pioneering farm-driven restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns, David Robbins flips the script on plant-based dining.

in cultural ecology. “I had this vision where I wanted to work internationally with NGOs, helping developing communities create sustainable food systems,” he says. To help pay for college, he got a job at a local restaurant, peeling shrimp for $9 an hour. Within a year, he’d worked every station and started managing the kitchen in the evenings. After graduating, he spent seven years at Fiddler’s Creek Club & Spa before landing a prestigious internship at Hudson Valley’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns (one of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants) in 2014. The restaurant’s vision—a model for the future of sustainable, farm-driven cuisine—aligned with Robbins’ own. “It was reaffirming for me to see someone like [Blue Hill chef and founder] Dan Barber, who’s a leader in the global food scene,” he says. “How I was seeing the future of the food world, how I was trying to cultivate myself, the decisions I was making weren’t so far off, philosophically, from what he’s doing.”

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Now selling Tower 400 | Tower 300 SOLD OUT Prices over $2 million 13910 Old Coast Road, Naples, FL 34110 KaleaBay.com | 239-793-0110

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While serving as chef de cuisine at Harvest & Wisdom in Bonita Springs, the Hawaiian-born chef debuted his Not a Burger vegan patties.

Upon returning to Southwest Florida to be close to family, Robbins brought that ethos to Harvest & Wisdom at Shangri-La Springs as chef de cuisine. The Bonita Springs property’s 4-acre farm provided a rare opportunity for the culinary team to follow the entire life cycle of ingredients, pulling fresh produce directly from the earth for the evening’s menus. It also gave Robbins plenty of excuses to play with vegetables. In addition to including vegetable-forward dishes, like beet tartare with mango gel and a tasting of various tomato textures, Robbins revamped the plant-based patty he’d been developing throughout his career, dubbing it the ‘Not a Burger’ for the first time. Robbins has always empathized with vegetarian diners. “Many chefs will serve roasted vegetables with a squirt of balsamic or pasta with vegetables. Where are their proteins? They’re not getting anywhere near

GULFSHORE LIFE

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Rather than replicating the taste of beef, the patty celebrates its green origins, with a riot of flavorpacked ingredients, like beets, slow-roasted onions and savory gochujang sauce.

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the same level of food you’re putting out

umami-boosting gochujang and tamari

for the rest of your customers,” he says.

add a savory aspect.

The burger’s name nods to the idea that

While mass-market brands like Impos-

it’s not trying to imitate meat. Instead,

sible are vegan, the proprietary protein is

Robbins created a distinctly vegetable

heavily processed, made with genetically

product with a versatile profile. Beets are

engineered ingredients (to create the

the backbone of the recipe, giving the pat-

illusion that its burgers ‘bleed’ like beef )

ties a vibrant red hue. Quinoa and whole-

and high in saturated fat. “We’re on the

grain oats add bulk and contribute to the

opposite side of the spectrum,” Robbins

texture, which Robbins toyed with for a

says. “Our goal is to be a superfood. It’s

year, adjusting ratios and preparations,

all about nutritional density. It’s locally

so the burgers hold together and have a

sourced, good for the environment, good

springy bite. Lentils boost the protein

for your health and still tastes good.”

and fiber content; slow-roasted onions,

Robbins began selling the patties at

deglazed multiple times, build layers of

the Third Street South Farmer’s Mar-

flavor; garlic-infused, extra-virgin olive

ket in January 2021. This spring, he

oil is the only added fat in the recipe; and

plans to expand under the umbrella of

AS THE SUN GOES DOWN, THE CURTAIN GOES UP.

ARTIST’S CONCEPT

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ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. All artist’s renderings are proposed concepts shown only for marketing purposes and are based upon current development plans, which are subject to change by the developer, West Bay Hill, LLC, which reserves the right to make changes at its sole discretion, without prior notice or approval of purchaser. This project has been filed in the state of Florida and no other state. This is not an offer to sell or solicitation of offers to buy the condominium units in states where such offer or solicitation cannot be made. These plans do not constitute an offer where prior registration or other qualification is required. Prices, availability, plans, features, dimensions, specifications, and amenities are subject to change at any time without notice. All Rights Reserved, Equal Housing Opportunity. There are various methods for calculating the total square footage of a condominium unit and depending on the method of calculation, the quoted square footage may vary by more than a nominal amount. The dimensions stated in this brochure are measured to the exterior boundaries of the exterior walls and the centerline of interior demising walls and, in face, are larger than the dimensions of the “Unit” as defined in the Declaration of Condominium for The Island Condominium at West Bay Club, which are measured using interior measurements. All dimensions are approximate and all floor plans and development plans are subject to change.

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Future Foods. As part of the expansion, his online marketplace will feature a handful of new products, including meatballs made from his Not a Burger base with an optional tamari-gochujang glaze and garlic-herb cashew spread. (A Next up, Robbins plans to launch Future Foods, his

superfood chicken nugget made with

expanded line of vegan products.

quinoa, chickpeas and whole-grain oats is also in the works.) He aims to grow the brand into a regional or national entity. “Once we get established, the idea is to find other similar startups that are offering food with the same philosophy, bring them on to partner and help them grow,” he says. “Not necessarily vegan, but sustainable, clean ingredients from regenerative farms.” Robbins still hopes to take his passion for sustainable dining abroad, perhaps through work with an NGO. Locally, he volunteers at ECHO Global Farm in Fort Myers, a nonprofit that teaches smallscale, sustainable farming to food-insecure communities worldwide. “ECHO is the place I’m most passionate about,” he says. “I haven’t been able to get to a place in my life yet where I have the freedom to do that type of work myself overseas.” Until then, he’s content to educate his customers on the importance of a sustainable food system. “I want to show that we’re doing things ethically. The idea is to move toward a system that is sourcing clean ingredients,” he says. “We’ve found people who understand and appreciate us, and they’ve become amazingly loyal customers.”

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The St. Regis logos are the trademarks of Marriott International, Inc ., or its affiliates. The Residences at The St. Regis Chicago are not owned, developed or sold by Marriott International, Inc. or its affiliates(“Marriott”). The developer of the residential project, Parcel C LLC, Dev License #2418452, uses the St. Regis marks under a license from Marriott, which has not confirmed the accuracy of any of the statements or representations made about the project. If this license is terminated or expires without renewal, the residential project will no longer be associated with, or have any right to use, the St. Regis tradenames or trademarks.

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ARTIST PROFILE

CIT Y & SHORE

INSIDER

Inspired by Naples’ coastline, designer Mary Smallwood expands her accessories line with sustainable options. By Lane Nieset Photography by Tina Sargeant

Mary Smallwood considers herself a solutions-based artist. Smallwood and her husband, Joe, the CEO of Naplesbased building company BCB Homes, often entertain and hobnob at area events. But despite her best efforts, she couldn’t find a purse that was practical yet sophisticated enough to carry at a cocktail party. She wanted one that was hands-free, so “you can eat and drink with it, but it doesn’t whack you in the face,” she says with a laugh. So, five years ago, she created a prototype of a reimagined wristlet and wore it to a Halloween party. A friend eyed the sack—shaped like a Hershey’s Kiss— and immediately said, “You need to patent that.” By designing a solution to a problem and building a brand around it, Smallwood launched her signature Nexus Handbag—and an eponymous collection, including handbags and nameplate necklaces. “Innovative materials and techniques are essential in custom home building, and these principles are just as prevalent in my accessories collection,” Smallwood explains. Before her two now-teenage boys were born, Smallwood served as half of the design duo behind Smart Divas (a beaded jewelry line sold at Marissa Collections). When the boys came along, she stopped stringing beads on her kitchen table but kept her creativity flowing with painting and photography. At their home in Estuary at Grey Oaks,

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INSIDER ARTIST PROFILE

the kitchen office, where her kids once

approved. Faux python lines the

did their homework, now holds Small-

handle of the hands-free Numinous

wood’s embroidery machine. To the

clutch, and bags like the two-handled,

side of the office, the family’s converted

Everglades-inspired Marjory Derive

garage acts as a boutique and as stor-

tote (named after conservationist

age for beads and bags.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas) feature

The designer now works with

embossed, synthetic crocodile.

PETA-approved vegan leathers

About two years ago, Smallwood started moving toward vegan mate-

Naples plays a starring role in Small-

rials, which she says is more of a

wood’s accessories since the city’s

wristlet handbags. The Marjory

transition than a dead stop since

name is emblazoned on her organic

Derive tote is made with

the original Nexus is still available

cotton canvas bags and recycled silver

faux croc and named for the

in lamb leather. Her latest collec-

and gold nameplate necklaces. Colors

Everglades conservationist.

tion is crafted with eco-friendly

like cerulean Pier Blue nod to the

Italian materials (which are made

Naples’ landmark, while camel-hued

of recycled polyester from plastic

Wet Sand is inspired by the shade of

bottles and GMO-free corn crops)

the shore as the tide rolls out. “I don’t

that are biodegradable and PETA-

think I would appreciate Naples as

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for some of her popular

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I do now if I hadn’t moved somewhere else,” says the designer, who grew up in Old Naples and spent time in Palm Beach working in the spa industry and designing home gyms for clients. As Smallwood designs her accessories collections, she’ll jot ideas down on a reMarkable paper tablet and divide themes into different tabs. She’ll upload images, Smallwood, who grew up in Old Naples, draws

like one of a piece of coral sitting on a shelf in her home,

inspiration from Southwest Florida, with motifs

or a video of the shimmering sea to her mood board, a

that recall landmarks like the Naples Pier.

thread of photos and videos she shares via WhatsApp with her manufacturers in India. “I sketch, they sketch, and then I receive a 3D design back,” she explains. “My job is to try and give them an idea of what the water looks like down here or how a starfish moves.” Embroidery is also done by fair trade manufacturers in Mumbai, where financial support aids with the education of the artisans’ children. Manufacturing can take

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up to a year by the time materials are sourced, prototypes are tested and the final product is ready. Smallwood is currently working with a Global Recycled Standard-certified silk-like material, partially made from reused plastic, for the Nexus 2.0. The first sample had too much backing—it was stiff and didn’t flow properly. Now, she plans to debut the second sample at The Shelter for Abused Women & Children’s Bags & Bow Ties event this month. She plans to do a small production run in the U.S. for efficiency’s sake, so the silk Nexus can be on the market by early summer. Around that time, Smallwood also plans to launch her new coastal jewelry collection and home goods line of trays and jewelry boxes, which uses upcycled materials from the jewelry industry, including gold, silver and semi-precious stones. These designs incorporate abstract, artistic interpretations of items found in nature, like a seashell or starfish, or landmarks, including Naples Pier, which has been reimagined in art Embroidery is done by fair trade manufacturers; silk-like fabrics

nouveau style for the rounded lid

are made of recycled materials; and metals in her jewelry and

of a jewelry box. “It’s somewhere

home decor line are upcycled from the jewelry industry.

my family always went at sunset, so I took a portion of the pier and created a design that is linear and more modern,” Smallwood says. When the designer notices a gap in the market, whether it be handsfree purses or stylish tennis bags

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INSIDER ARTIST PROFILE

While Smallwood still uses leather, she’s working toward creating a fully eco line. “The most important thing for me is to be transparent,” she says.

(which is next on her list), she’s determined to design a fashionable, functional solution. Her shift toward sustainability began during the pandemic, as Smallwood started researching recycled and vegan materials that were up to the level of luxury and style synonymous with her brand. “I like to work with new materials constantly,” she says, adding that she’s looking at other vegan materials for handbags, such as leather-like pineapple waste. A year of research for the vegan line had Smallwood reconsidering everything from packaging to manufacturing. She now works with polypropylene reusable shipping boxes (which can be reused about 20 times before being recycled) from Boox. “Moving toward sustainability takes time,” she says. “I would like, one day, to be 100% sustainable, but more than anything, I want to be transparent—that’s what is important to me.”

GULFSHORE LIFE

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W I N E WATC H

NATUR AL SELECTION

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Cape Coral’s Palace Pub & Wine Bar attracts adventurous imbibers, with its organic, sustainable pours. By Shana Clarke Photography by Anna Nguyen

When Naomi Biber and Ryan Lay

About a month after opening, they

opened Palace Pub & Wine Bar in

visited Natural Wine Naples. “At the

Cape Coral in June 2019, they wanted

time, we didn’t know what natural

to connect with their hometown’s

wine was,” Biber says. Owner Peter

growing millennial population. For

Rizzo introduced the pair to a few

their generation, wine culture was

approachable bottles, like Redentore

often considered stuffy or preten-

pinot grigio from Italy’s northern

tious in comparison to the laid-back, approachable conversation that had developed around craft beer. “We wanted to take away the mystery,” Biber, who was born in Austria, says. “We wanted it to feel like Europe, where it’s not fussy to go out for a glass of wine.” To find interesting bottles to stock behind the bar, the couple often drove up to Sarasota or down to Naples in pursuit of varietals beyond the expected cabernet and chardonnay.

Veneto region, which Biber describes

definition of natural wine, for Biber

as “the most flavorful pinot grigio I’d

and Lay, the category is characterized

ever had.” Next, the couple took home

by wines from small growers that are

a hazy bottle of amber-hued grenache

organically farmed, use wild yeasts to

from Donkey and Goat, a pioneer of

start fermentation and have little to

California’s natural wine movement.

no chemical additives. “One thing we

“The first time you see that wine,

explain to people is wines don’t have

you’re like, ‘What is that? I need to

to list ingredients [on the label],” he

try it!’ You can’t even fathom what

says. “They don’t understand that

At Palace Pub & Wine

the flavor profile might be,” she says.

wine can be just as processed as a bag

Bar, Naomi Biber and

“It tasted like the juiciest kombucha,

of Doritos.”

Ryan Lay focus on bottles

strawberries and yuzu.”

Beyond production methods, the

Intrigued (and with the help of a

branding and vernacular around

who farm sustainably and

distributor recommendation from

natural wines dovetailed with their

practice low-intervention

Rizzo), the pair added Redentore

vision for an approachable, cool-kid

winemaking.

to their wine list. As they continued

wine bar. In trendsetting wine bars

seeking out new wines, they found

in Brooklyn or Los Angeles, tables are

themselves gravitating toward other

dotted with bottles sporting pop art

unconventional bottles. “We were

or cartoon labels. Winemakers and

trying absolutely anything and every-

bottle shops, adept at social media,

thing,” Lay says. “A lot of the wine we

post stylized bottle shots with cap-

were falling in love with ended up

tions that you’d never find in a Rob-

falling under this umbrella of ‘natural

ert Parker review. (A recent post on

wines.’” Although there is no official

the Palace Pub’s Instagram quoted

from small producers

Northern California winemaker Martha Stoumen, who described her white blend as tasting “like a margarita and a light white wine went on a date and got tamari-glazed dulce de leche for dessert.”) To pique interest in their new wines, the couple placed bottles of Australian pétillant naturel (a gently fizzy sparkling wine that’s become a hallmark of natural wines) in a cooler behind the bar. Much like the Donkey and Goat grenache that captured their interest at Natural Wine Naples, the hazy, bright pink wine became a

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Right before the pandemic, Biber and Lay fortuitously added a bottle shop to the wine bar. In the shop, wines are arranged by body, encouraging exploration.

conversation starter among customers. “We found people would come with friends and try it as a group. Most liked it, sometimes there’s one who says, ‘This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever had,’” Biber says with a laugh. “One of the things I like about natural wine is it spurs learning. People don’t come to Palace just for drinks; they come to see something new.” The duo slowly incorporated more natural wines as demand grew, focusing on bottles from small producers in Europe, where sustainable farming and minimal manipulation in the cellar is more common. “In Europe, a lot of small wineries

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INSIDER W I N E WATC H

“One of the things I like about natural wine is it spurs learning,” Biber says.

never introduced industrialization the way it exists in California,” Biber says. “Some of those wineries have been making wines for 500, 600-plus years. They weren’t going to change what they were doing because the formula was already right.” In March 2020, one week before the COVID -19 shutdown, Palace Pub debuted the retail arm of its operation and transitioned its selection to be fully natural. Unlike most wine stores, which are organized by country, Palace Pub organizes its shelves by body—from cloudy, unfiltered whites to tannic orange wines to dark, ruby-colored Italian rosés to rich reds. The layout encourages customers to browse the selection rather than gravitate toward recognizable regions. So does the price point: Bottles mostly range from $25 to $35, and behind the bar, most glasses are less than $10. Since the transition, Biber and Lay have both passed their level one sommelier exams, and Biber now works

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as a wine representative for a distributor, having shaped the natural wine-focused lists at Naples’ Narrative Coffee Roasters, Ceremony Brewing in Bonita Springs and Fort Myers’ Remedies Parlor. As Palace Pub continues to grow, bringing in new bottles from the couple’s favorite producers, they hope to see more people, including older generations, embracing natural wine. “The

The duo is intent on growing the

conventional world of wine thinks the natural wine movement

local natural wine scene. Biber, who

is a bunch of millennial hipsters sitting around drinking flawed,

also works for a wine distributor,

imperfect wine. There is a lot of that in New York and L.A., where

supplies bottles to Narrative Coffee

[natural wine] has really taken off. That’s not how it is here,”

Roasters and Ceremony Brewing.

Lays says, emphasizing that sustainably produced wines can still portray classic flavor profiles. “Florida is a new frontier for natural wine.”

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PERSONALITIES

REWILDING

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Ninth-generation local David Rahahę•tih Webb returns to the region, ready to transform the 86-year-old Wonder Gardens. By Brendan Meyer Photgraphy by Anna Nguyen

From the outside, the Wonder Gar-

and tangerine plumage and white

dens looks very similar to how it did

cockatoos with spiked mohawks.

when it opened 86 years ago as a stop

Rainbow lorikeets perch in an avi-

for families driving along Tamiami

ary, and elegant peacocks strut the

Trail in Bonita Springs.

grounds. There’s even a lime-green

With its front porch and tropical

Amazon parrot named Kiwi who

palette of teal and turquoise paint, the

sings opera and says, “Good morn-

welcome center still gives the popular

ing.” They were all rescued by the

roadside attraction, known for botan-

nonprofit Bird Garden of Naples,

ical gardens and wildlife enclosures,

and they help make this colorful

an Old Florida feel. But inside, guests

entrance, surrounded by flowering

find the first significant change from

orchids, a far cry from what it used to

Wonder Gardens’ new CEO David

be. “Honestly, this area used to look

Rahahę•tih Webb: birds.

like a cesspool,” Webb says. “Guests

They sit on turquoise and coral

would be greeted by this large rectan-

midcentury modern steel umbrel-

gular pit with cinder blocks resting in

las—oversized versions of the ones

muddy, smelly water, and there was

you’d find garnishing a piña colada.

a random shed with a low-hanging,

There are macaws with green, aqua

rusty metal roof.”

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Webb, who volunteered at the Wonder Gardens when he was 16, is turning the former roadside attraction into an oasis for animal rehabilitation and ecological learning.

Before Webb came on board, the Wonder Gardens’ animals lived in much different environments. For years, the alligator pit featured more than 50 gators of all sizes, often piled on top of one another, resulting in frequent violence. The panther and bear exhibits were shockingly small by today’s standards. Structures grew dilapidated and infested with rodents and termites over time, and the animals’ diets, tossed at will from countless visitors each day (via purchased food cups), were unhealthy. Today, there are noticeably fewer alligators in the alligator pit. What was once a caged bear enclosure the size of a dining room is now an aviary for colorful macaws to fly in. Rotting wood structures

GULFSHORE LIFE

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Animal care is a priority for the 43-year-old. There are now fewer reptiles in the gator pit, weekly vet check-ins for all animals and strictly monitored diets.

have been replaced with ones made of

protect wildlands in Lee County. At

weather-resistant materials.

16, he volunteered with a veterinarian

These changes are inspired by

who cared for the Wonder Gardens’

a feeling Webb, a 43-year-old,

animals. He recalls bottle-feeding a

ninth-generation Southwest Florida

struggling juvenile panther, which

native, had when he visited the Won-

ended up dying weeks later, and

der Gardens as a kid. “I left there feel-

the veterinarian saying she was

ing sad,” Webb says. “But back then,

concerned about the care animals

the standards and conditions for

received at the Wonder Gardens.

the animals were way different than today’s expectations.”

GULFSHORE LIFE

These experiences, combined with the values he learned growing up,

Webb, who grew up in Estero and

influenced Webb’s outlook on zoos

Sanibel as a member of the Meherrin

and animal attractions. After gradu-

and Pee Dee tribes, was raised with

ating from Florida Gulf Coast Univer-

the cultural understanding that all

sity, he held directorial roles at nature

living things have intrinsic value. In

centers, museums and conservation

high school, he was one of the stu-

programs across Florida, including

dents involved in creating Conserva-

serving as the nature center director

tion 20/20, a tax-funded program to

of the Conservancy of Southwest

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Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra Andrey Boreyko, artistic and music director Bruce Liu, piano Moniuszko Overture to Paria Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 Grieg Symphony in C Minor Sunday, April 3, 7pm

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Florida in Naples. In the summer of 2020, he received a call about a chance to run the Wonder Gardens. Webb was hesitant at first, primarily because of his childhood memories. But then he started thinking about the possibilities: The Wonder Gardens could be a place where animals would be prioritized and cared for based on industry standards. Instead of finding the biggest and best, there could be an emphasis on rescued and rehabilitated animals. Now, the alligator pit features only 15 gators, none more than 5 feet long—a decision Webb says reduces stress and prevents them from harming one another. A veterinarian comes in weekly to check on the health of each animal, and a database tracks those records. Specific commercialHe’s also boosted educational programming, adding kids’

ized diets mixed with fresh meat and

camps, partnerships with his alma mater FGCU and a

vegetables are provided to each spe-

landscaping certification program for budding gardeners.

cies, and guests no longer feed the animals. “The animals aren’t there for us to make money off of,” Webb says. “We could keep selling unlimited food and continue to make $5,000 a month just off of that. But I would rather do something better for the animals.”

GULFSHORE LIFE

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Under Webb’s leadership, the Wonder Gardens retains its Old Florida character but with more interactive features, like an otter exhibit, slated to debut this year.

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INSIDER PERSONALITIES

The Wonder Gardens had a record-breaking year in 2021, with revenue climbing to nearly $2 million. And it’s using a $250,000 private donation for something exciting in 2022. Later this year, the Wonder Gardens premieres its otter exhibit, with an underwater tunnel where kids and limber adults can crawl through and ‘swim’ with the otters. Webb hopes exhibitions and opportunities like this connect kids with animals and inspire them to think about Last year, the Wonder Gardens brought

their conservation. It’s also a lot of fun: “I’m going to want to move

in a record-breaking $2 million, as well

my office into that little tunnel underwater,” he says.

as donations to fund improvements.

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8 The Hornies welcome the crowd.

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4 Scott James Gundersen creates a

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ANIMAL KINGDOM

With eye-catching gems, snaking designs and a healthy dose of whimsy, these pieces capture the beauty of the natural world. By Ruthia Fuller Photography by Bridges Aderhold

Covered in pink diamonds from the lauded Argyle mine, the recently shuttered source of most of the world’s pink diamonds, this ring is as magnetic as the cat it emulates. Argyle Pink Diamonds Ring, Gems of Note in The Gold Center, gemsofnote.com

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Known for her impeccably tailored white shirts, Anne Fontaine trained as a biologist before launching her eponymous label. She continues to advocate for and celebrate the environment through her nonprofit and with designs like these ladybug cufflinks, which add a touch of whimsy to a buttoned-up look. Brandy Cufflinks, Anne Fontaine at Waterside Shops, annefontaine.com

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GULFSHORE LIFE

ART OF STYLE STYLE POINTS

ART OF STYLE

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ART OF STYLE STYLE POINTS

Peacocks represent integrity, nobility, kindness—and they’re said to bring good luck. Channel all those qualities along with the bird’s flamboyant beauty, with this piece. Peacock Necklace, Carolyn’s on Fifth Avenue South, carolyns.com

These Bulgari rings wrap around your fingers with clusters of artfully placed diamonds, accented by black enamel (top) and tourmaline (bottom), set in 18K rose gold. Serpenti Rings, La Maison Yamron at Waterside Shops, lamaisonyamron.com

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GULFSHORE LIFE

ART OF STYLE STYLE POINTS

Miniature works of art, Sevan Bıçakçı’s rings merge elements from his native Istanbul, Ottoman history and nature. In these designs, reverse-engraved intaglio scenes of swans and doves seemingly float within faceted gemstones, surrounded by amethysts and white and yellow diamonds. Sevan Bıçakçı’s Carved Doves and Carved Swan Rings, Marissa Collections on Third Street South, marissacollections.com

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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ART OF STYLE STYLE POINTS

Panthers are distinguished for their elegant, fierce movements, which New York jewelry brand Effy captures with this necklace. Measuring just under 2 inches and covered in diamond and emeralds, the pendant puts the feline’s muscular body on display, exuding strength. Effy Panther Necklace, Provident Jewelry in Naples and Fort Myers, providentjewelry.com

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Drawing from ancient Roman culture, Italian jewelry house Bulgari adopted the serpent as a brand signifier in the 1940s when it released the first Serpenti bracelet watch. The coiled band—which in this style is studded with diamonds—is layered with meaning, reflecting the sinuous animal and the idea of infinity. Bulgari Serpenti Spiga Watch, Yamron Jewelers at Waterside Shops, yamron.com

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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0 4 _ 2 0 2 2

Features

“I believe we can get it right here, and if we can do it here, we can do it any where. T hat ’s the encouraging part of it.” —Photog rapher Ca rlton Wa rd Jr. on ba la ncing development a nd conser vation

p _ 13 2

118

Defenders of the Gulf

132

Building the Florida Wildlife Corridor

DEFEN

These sustainability heroes fight for our coast and every living thing within it. Po r t r a i t s by Z a c h S t o v a l l

Carlton Ward Jr.

DERS

DR. EDWIN EVERHAM E C O L O G Y & E N V I R O N M E N TA L S T U D I E S P R O F E S S O R AT F L O R I D A G U L F C O A S T U N I V E R S I T Y

When Hurricane Irma hit in 2017,

of trees, along with the consequences

Florida Gulf Coast University profes-

of climate change, like rising sea lev-

sor Dr. Edwin Everham found a prac-

els and bigger, more frequent hurri-

tical purpose for his work with forest

canes. The destruction of mangroves,

resiliency and natural disasters. A

in turn, thwarts their ability to act as

founding faculty member who has

a barrier against storms. “If you pro-

been with the Fort Myers universi-

tect mangroves, they will return the

ty’s environmental department since

favor,” he says.

1996, Everham’s research involves

Everham solidified his legacy last

monitoring mangrove forests and

year by co-authoring a book about

examining how they recover from

FGCU setting a precedent for sustain-

hurricane damage. With his wife,

able universities, and he’s currently

cat and two dogs, he camped out in a

writing another book on Collier

classroom at the university to watch

County’s Lake Trafford, which he’s

the record-setting storm hit a forest

spent nearly two decades helping

in real-time as it ripped through the

restore. His legacy continues with the

region—and some 469,000 acres of

FGCU Water School, which debuted

mangroves that line the state, defend-

its new, $57.9 million building this

ing the coast.

spring. Everham was instrumental

Mangroves provide sanctuary for

in advocating for cross-departmental

about 1,300 animal species in South-

programming, long before the school

west Florida, defend against natural

was a concept.

disasters and filter out water pollut-

Looking ahead, Everham aims to

ants. Everham’s experience, including

transform his regional mangrove

studying tropical forests’ resiliency to

research into a database that scien-

hurricanes in Puerto Rico from 1989

tists can refer to 100 years from now

to 1995, has helped his local research

to trace forest patterns. But, he sees

for the past 25 years. But hurricanes

his time spent with students as the

are the least of the mangroves’ threats

ultimate investment in the future. A

now, Everham explains. “With the

gift from a student rests in his office: a

increasing stressors of direct human

clock made from a tree felled by Irma,

impacts … the hypothesis is that they

a reminder of his work in the field and

will be overwhelmed at some point,”

with students. “I’m not building a car

the 63-year-old disturbance ecologist

with parts that are my students, shov-

says, citing changes to the natural

ing them through the assembly line,”

water flow due to development and

he says. “Every moment matters.”

homeowners’ clearing and trimming

—Zahra Khan

12 0

GULFSHORE LIFE

Everham was vital in shaping FGCU’s environmental studies department and leading research to understand and protect threatened mangroves—a key part of Florida’s ecosystem.

12 1

Founder of the “I Will” Mentorship Foundation, Bryson created a community garden in Fort Myers’ Dunbar, where kids grow food while learning valuable life lessons.

12 2

GULFSHORE LIFE

D R . JE S SE B RYS O N F O U N D E R A N D C E O O F T H E “ I W I L L” M E N T O R S H I P F O U N D AT I O N

One look at Jesse Bryson tending to

Golden Apple Award, Lee County’s

the Urban Community Farm off Dr.

highest teaching honor, and in 2018,

Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in

he was named national JROTC

Fort Myers, and it’s clear he’s exactly

Instructor of the Year.

where he needs to be.

Among his most impactful efforts is

Bryson grew up not far from the

the “I Will” Mentorship Foundation,

farm, off Second Street and Michi-

which he founded in 2015 to bring

gan Avenue. “I went to school with

E-STEM learning and mentorship

the same people I’m trying to serve

to students from underfunded and

today,” he says. After a 20-year ten-

deprioritized schools. Through “I

ure in the Army, he returned to Fort

Will,” Bryson launched the Urban

Myers to teach. The 50-year-old,

Community Farm, which has an area

who focused on information systems

where students and volunteers grow

technology in the Army, brought

vegetables for local charities, and

environment, science, technology,

another where community members

engineering and math (E-STEM) to

from a 35-mile radius can grow their

incorporate arts education—lessons

own food in container gardens.

to his JROTC classes at Fort Myers

The 2-acre plot sits in the heart of

High School. He launched two robot-

the Dunbar neighborhood. The farm’s

ics teams, where his students learned

success, Bryson believes, is due to

about gear ratios, pneumatics and

the diversity it attracts—high school

engineering—but also something

students, elders, children from the

bigger. “I want you to understand that

Boys and Girls Club and agriculture

you’re going to struggle,” Bryson told

specialists from the University of

them. “The quicker you understand

Florida’s extension service. “It’s the

it’s not going to be easy, the quicker

true meaning of community,” he says.

you will adapt. And the quicker you

As the urban farm continues to

learn to adapt, the quicker you’ll

grow and thrive, Bryson says he sees

become a champion in this life.”

moments of illumination every day,

It’s a lesson he believes will stay

with young people experiencing new

with them. “A lot of these kids will be

things, like eating something they’ve

the first generation to go to college,”

helped grow for the first time. They

he says. “I wanted to instill confidence

look around, hesitate, and ask, “Am

in them so they could say, ‘I’ve done

I really supposed to be doing this?”

something difficult before. I can do

Bryson tells them, “Go ahead.”

it again.’” In 2017, Bryson won the

—Artis Henderson

12 3

O O N A WA T K I N S C E O O F O O NA SE A S , L L C

Oona Watkins grew up fishing the

Watkins comes from Naples’

local backwaters, searching for

royalty. Her father, Michael Wat-

snook, snapper and redfish. After

kins, owned the Naples Beach Hotel

graduating from Williams College

and Golf Club for decades, and

in Massachusetts with a degree in

her mother, Ellin Goetz, has been

geology, she went to D.C. to work

behind major ecological projects.

with Oceana, the nonprofit aimed at

Growing up, Watkins and her two

conserving the world’s oceans. Her

siblings spent more time outside of

lifelong love of art came in handy

the house than inside, she says. She

there as she conceptualized graphics

dabbled in art as a child and took

for major campaigns.

classes in college to keep her skills

Now, the 28-year-old graphic

fresh. As a senior campaign associate

designer is back in Naples, using

for offshore drilling at Oceana, those

her talents to protect those same

talents translated easily. Her maps—

waterways she fished as a kid and

the first to show the cumulative harm

the oceans they empty into. Her

to marine mammals from repeated

design firm, Oona Seas, focuses on

blasts—were used in litigation against

helping eco-friendly nonprofits—like

the federal government resulting in

Proud Pour and Captains for Clean

the seismic industry abandoning

Water—get their messages across.

efforts for airgun blasting in 2020.

She creates posters, flyers, social

Since returning home, she’s

media graphics and other marketing

aligned her artistry with local envi-

materials that depict sea creatures

ronmental efforts. Her work with

like sharks, dolphins and seahorses

Conservation Collier was successful

in her signature illustration style:

in helping convince 77% of county

hatch mark strokes layered atop each

voters to support a tax increase

other to create depth and shading.

that would maintain preserves and

These are rendered in bright, vivid

greenspace.

colors, like kelly green and hot pink,

Watkins also recently joined the

that command attention. “The fish

Young Everglades Patrons, part of

aren’t in the same areas they used to

The Everglades Foundation. She vol-

be. After the red tide comes through,

unteers to lead wet walks and tours

seeing how things are destroyed has

for young professionals, preparing

definitely influenced why I care about

them to become future stewards

doing work that illustrates these

of Florida’s wilderness. “The more

issues and makes people change their

people on board, the better Florida’s

minds,” she says.

future looks,” she says. —Kristine Gill

12 4

GULFSHORE LIFE

With her signature illustration style—brightly colored graphics in heavy hatch mark strokes—Watkins helps spread the word and spur change on environmental issues.

12 5

On their Punta Gorda farm, the Wordens think holistically about the surrounding landscape, implementing organic practices that support the health of the crops, soil, water and their customers.

12 6

GULFSHORE LIFE

E VA A N D C H R I S W O R D E N O W N E R S O F W O R D E N FA R M

The first stop on Eva Worden’s tour

practices that benefit the land, wild-

of the 85-acre organic farm she and

life and people. “We try to take care

her husband, Chris, founded in Punta

of the Earth, our neighbors and the

Gorda nearly 20 years ago has noth-

larger community,” Eva says.

ing to do with crops. She navigates

On the farm, bamboo and corymbia

her utility vehicle to Worden Farm’s

trees break the wind, reduce erosion,

southern boundary and points to the

absorb water, provide wildlife habitat,

neighboring Fred C. Babcock/Cecil

and support pollinators and other

M. Webb Wildlife Management Area.

beneficial insects. Retention ponds

The 80,000-acre preserve is one of the

capture rain and surface water for

last undeveloped pine habitats in the

reuse. A microirrigation system min-

region. To the farm’s north is Shell

imizes freshwater demands, while a

Creek, the primary water source for

special mulching technique conserves

Punta Gorda. To the west, some miles

water and suppresses weed growth.

away, is the Gulf of Mexico. That’s why

Planting strategies make a dif-

the Wordens think about farming as a

ference, too. Unlike monoculture

means of caring for the land.

farming, where one type of crop is

Chris holds a doctorate in crop

planted for efficiency, Worden Farm

science and plant nutrition from

contains a plethora of produce. They

the University of Connecticut; Eva

grow more than 50 varieties of greens,

earned her Ph.D. in ecosystem man-

herbs, root vegetables and fruiting

agement from Yale University. Both

plants like tomatoes, cucumbers and

have master’s degrees in horticul-

squash, as well as off-season cover

ture sciences from the University of

crops to enrich and stabilize the soil

Maryland, where they met. In addi-

and keep plant-harming pests from

tion to farming, they consult with

taking root.

other growers, offering strategies on

The farm sells directly to con-

everything from organic practices to

sumers at farmers markets, at their

community engagement.

Sunday farmstand and through sea-

Agriculture often gets a bad rap

sonal farm box subscriptions. Chris

in the region’s water woes. In addi-

estimates they feed 1,500 families a

tion to its demands on the aquifers,

week. “A lot of people have come to

substances in farm runoff—namely

us and said that the vegetables have

nitrogen and phosphorus from fer-

changed their lives,” he says, not-

tilizer, manure and decaying organic

ing several regulars whose medical

material—fuel the growth of harmful

issues prompted dietary changes.

algal blooms. The Wordens are doing

“Without members or the others

all they can to keep that from happen-

who buy our produce, we wouldn’t

ing—along with implementing other

be here.” —Jennifer Reed

12 7

IAN BARTOSZEK WILDLIFE BIOLO GIST AND SCIENCE PROJECT M A N A G E R A T T H E C O N S E R VA N C Y O F SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Deep in the Florida scrub, Ian Barto-

ested in our native wildlife.” Rabbits,

szek holds a 14-foot female python.

foxes, possums, raccoons, deer, birds

She’s easily over 100 pounds. But

and even alligators have been found

Bartoszek isn’t fazed. “We’ve seen

in their bellies. According to a 2012

pythons double that weight,” he says.

study published by the Proceedings

It’s just another day at the office

of the National Academy of Sciences,

for the 45-year-old wildlife biologist.

the remote southernmost regions of

Bartoszek heads what he calls a spe-

Everglades National Park—where

cial forces team at the Conservancy

pythons have been established for

of Southwest Florida. Together with

decades—saw a devastating drop in

another biologist and an intern, the

the native wildlife population. “Now

team removes invasive Burmese

we have this apex predator,” he says.

pythons from the surrounding wil-

“We’re just trying to hold the line.”

derness. “We take the fight to them,” Bartoszek says.

Bartoszek and his team have been tracking and humanely euthanizing

For the past three decades, Burmese

Burmese pythons in the region since

pythons have been consuming Florida

2013. In less than 10 years, they’ve

wildlife at a ruinous rate. Originally

pulled more than 25,000 pounds of

brought to the United States as part of

pythons from the scrub. Most of the

the pet trade, they’ve escaped into the

snakes are breeding females captured

wild by several avenues, either by pet

with an innovation Bartoszek and the

owners releasing them, escaping their

Conservancy developed with research

enclosures themselves or by slither-

partners to use male Burmese pythons

ing away after Hurricane Andrew

as scout snakes, outfitted with radio

wrecked Dade County in 1992. Now

transmitters, to lure the females.

they’re pushing against the edges of

Each python captured gets us a

civilization. “They’re closer than you

step closer to protecting the local

think,” Bartoszek says.

ecosystem, but Bartoszek acknowl-

At full size, the snakes have few

edges there’s no magic bullet. “Some

natural predators. And they breed

days are rewarding, and some days

prolifically, with a full-size female, on

are hard slogs through the wilder-

average, laying 43 eggs a year. Their

ness,” he says. “But I wouldn’t be

appetites are also devastating to the

here if I didn’t love this place and

ecosystem. “But they’re not interested

feel the calling to defend its wildlife.”

in us,” Bartoszek says. “They’re inter-

—A.H.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Leading a team of three scientists at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Bartoszek has captured more than 25,000 pounds of invasive Burmese pythons, which have been ravishing the Everglades for three decades.

12 9

Craciun led the 2,500-person Naples Women’s March for Social Justice in 2017 and founded the Naples Pride Center in 2020, which offers free medical care, testing and counseling to the region’s LGBTQ community.

13 0

GULFSHORE LIFE

CORI CRACIUN P R E SI D E N T A N D F OU N D E R O F NA P L E S P R I D E

Cori Craciun was 18 when she was

Naples. “I wish when I grew up, I had

blacklisted from her native Romania

somebody to tell me that it’s OK [to be

in 1990 for protesting its then-neo-

gay],” she says. “It was a subject that

communist government. The polit-

wasn’t discussed.”

ical landscape of Eastern Europe

After the 2016 presidential elec-

was shaky amid the Soviet Union’s

tion, she helped organize the Naples

collapse, and she found herself forced

Women’s March for Social Justice

to make her way through it, leaving

in January 2017. She expected 300

behind her family and her home—

people; about 2,500 showed up. Pro-

but not her voice. After hiding for a

pelled by the turnout, she led an effort

week, she ran across the border with

through Naples Pride to organize

four friends into Hungary, where she

the city’s first pride festival, which

claimed political asylum and lived for

drew another 3,000 people. The

nine years.

most recent one, in 2019, saw nearly

Craciun wasn’t aware an LGBTQ

10,000, she says: “Seeing the support

community existed until she moved

of the people, the community, the

to the United States in 1999 and soon

businesses and the sponsors, we

realized she was a part of it. “I knew I

already knew the center was needed,

was different, but I didn’t know why,”

but it was driven by how many people

she says. “I didn’t have a name for it,

came out.”

and I didn’t know what to make of

In 2020, she opened the Naples

my feelings, nor had I anyone to talk

Pride Center, a 4,500-square-foot

to about it, so I didn’t identify as a

space with services for people from

lesbian until living in the States.”

all over the region, including a free

Inspired by the lack of resources for

walk-in clinic that provides STD,

survivors of domestic violence and

STI, and HIV testing, plus treatment

the LBGTQ population as she was

through the pharmacy. In June, which

growing up, she began distributing

is LGBTQ Pride Month, Craciun hopes

pamphlets in local bars and at Fort

to add transgender hormone therapy.

Myers pride festivals. By 2011 she

“I think there is a saying in English,”

was volunteering at The Shelter

she says. “‘If you build it, they will

for Abused Women & Children in

come’—and it’s so true.” —Z.K.

13 1

Malia Byrtus/Path of the Panther

P H O T O G R A P H Y

B Y

C A R L T O N

W A R D

J R .

t h a t i s i n c r e a s i n g l y c r i t i c a l a m i d F l o r i d a ’s p o p u l a t i o n b o o m a n d t h e r el e n t l e s s h u n t fo r a c r e a ge.

Wa r d J r. t o l e a r n a b o u t t h e F l o r i d a W i l d l i f e C o r r i d o r — a n e f fo r t h e h el p e d s p e a r h e a d a n d o n e

Jo u r n a l i s t Je n n i fe r Re e d t ra i l s c o n s e r va t i o n i s t a n d N a t i o n a l G e o g ra p h i c p h o t o g ra p h e r C a r l t o n

FORCE OF NATU R E

he photo Carlton Ward Jr. worked for nearly two years to capture happened in the backcountry of Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary along a tree-shaded path that dead-ends at a barbed-wire fence.

I follow him to that spot on a crisp February afternoon. Across

from us is a private ranch, as tranquil as the sanctuary. If not for the human-made boundary, the forested landscapes would blend as one. That’s the point, he explains. Ward, a conservation photographer, National Geographic Explorer and founder of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, wanted to document a Florida panther message: We need undeveloped land—millions more acres of it, public and private alike—to ensure wildlife, like the Florida panther, survives. “The camera was here,” he says, gesturing to where he rigged a camera trap. “And the panther would have stepped through right here.” He crouches as if channeling the cat. In April 2020,

Corridor Act, which he championed, passed with unanimous support.

photography, which has appeared in National Geographic. In 2021, the Florida Wildlife

Carlton Ward Jr. gained attention for the endangered Florida panther with his

crossing between the ranch and Audubon’s land to deliver this

under graying skies, a female panther tripped Ward’s sensor. Click! Ward’s Nikon fired in its box, catching her midstep, her cub in tow. The image appeared in an April 2021 feature story in National Geographic—a personal coup for the 46-year-old photographer and an international spotlight for the endangered panther and its dependence on the Florida Wildlife Corridor, a cause that has consumed him for some 15 years. That same month, the Florida legislature, which he’d armed with similar images and documentary-style videos, unanimously passed the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act. It formally defines a continuous 18-million-acre swath of habitat and endorses a conservation strategy environmentalists believe is the key to solving ecological woes like habitat loss. In tandem, lawmakers allocated $400 million to revive land-buying programs that were slashed during the Great Recession and never fully restored until now. State Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, a key advocate from Naples, expects another $300 million will be approved this year. “I think it’s one of the most significant endeavors we have undertaken in the last 50 years at least,” Passidomo tells me. Storytelling was key. Ward, an eighth-generation Floridian compelled by a love for his state and a commitment to protect its wilderness, designed the narrative to inspire decision-makers. “The challenge now is to see if we can keep the investment going for the next decade and beyond,” he says.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

The Corridor exists partly on paper, as a map suggesting what

Finalizing the Corridor means managing growth, protecting

it could be, and partly in reality. Ten million acres, including

water, defending agriculture, supporting tourism and blunting

Corkscrew, are already conserved in pieces throughout the state.

biodiversity loss—a problem many scientists warn is as serious

Ward and fellow Corridor advocates are pushing to protect up to

as the climate crisis. “Recent studies suggest we need to be saving

8 million more to create a contiguous ecological channel from

10,000 acres a month in order to save critical parts of the Wildlife

South Florida to the Georgia border and from the Atlantic coast

Corridor,” Ward says. Florida is on track to lose 5 million acres

to the Panhandle’s tip.

of land to development by 2070 at its current pace, according to

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The Corridor, which Ward and others spent 15 years lobbying for, aims to protect a contiguous 18 million acres across the state. Pragmatic efforts, like creating wildlife crossings around roads, allow development and conservation to coexist. Protected land need not be pristine, Ward says.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

the Florida 2070 study, which he often cites. “Ten thousand acres a month of conservation sounds like a lot, but it’s just reaching parity. That’s just to balance the development so you’re saving as much as you’re losing.” Environmental discussions often halt with statistics like that. The problem appears too overwhelming. The Florida Wildlife Corridor strategy feels different. Pragmatic. Dare I say, doable? Ward and I spend a day together, traversing portions of the region’s protected lands. Along the way, Ward explains the Corridor’s origins, the imperative for completing its connections and why he thinks Florida may become a model for land conservation—if environmentalists, policymakers and private landowners can beat developers in the increasingly relentless hunt for acreage.

e start our day at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge where Ward decided to dedicate years to telling the big cats’ story.

We climb into a swamp buggy with biologist Mark Danaher

and set off to examine a wildlife crossing area under I-75. The pines and palms engulf us. Vast expanses like the 26,400-acre refuge can complicate land conservation discussions. You might ask, fairly, whether Florida already has done enough. Overall, 27% of the state is protected conservation land; South Florida alone has more than 4 million contiguous acres of it. “I do find that statistics without maps are a real challenge,” Ward says, quickly, when I raise this point. I assume he’s been challenged on this before. He shows me a state map depicting isolated squares of green. In a wilderness divided by roads and real estate, panthers are killed by vehicles or isolated on parcels of land, where they go hungry, become inbred and battle for turf. A male panther requires a 200-square-mile range; the Panther Refuge is a mere 41. Panthers are a keystone species—if they do well, animals lower on the food chain similarly prosper. At the crossing, traffic roaring overhead, Danaher points out paw prints and a camera that documents panthers moving between the refuge and the 85,000-acre Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. With an estimated 120 to 230 panthers in the wild, their survival remains precarious, but signs like these feel promising. The rationale for wildlife corridors comes from the late scientist E.O. Wilson. He put forth the concept of island biogeography, the idea that the size of a landmass determines biodiversity. Mainlands support the greatest array of life, followed by mod-

13 7

erately sized landmasses near shore. Small, isolated islands can’t support a wealth of species. That’s true both for literal islands and for archipelagos of conserved lands like those green patches on Ward’s map. I’m reminded of just how much life these undeveloped lands hold when Danaher cuts the engine and invites us to listen for the red-cockaded woodpecker. The bird, like the panther, is endangered, clinging to existence in pine forests like this one. In all, some 700 imperiled species call the Corridor home. tion that we must protect half of the Earth’s land and water to preserve life as we know it. Not scattered parcels, but intact ecosystems that sustain mammals, reptiles, fish, birds, plants and pollinators, while performing important tasks for people— like capturing carbon, replenishing aquifers and lessening the impacts of climate change. A connected wilderness can do its job in ways an urban park—even a big one—cannot. We are nowhere near meeting Wilson’s charge, Ward says. Right now, global land conservation languishes at about 17%. Ocean conservation is even lower. current rate), 10,000 acres need to be protected every month.

To keep up with the impacts of development (Florida is set to lose 5 million acres by 2070 at the

Wilson also popularized the idea of Half-Earth, his asser-

That target feels impossible on a global scale, and almost laughable here in Florida as woodlands tumble and strip malls take shape. In a pandemic-driven population surge, Florida added about 361,000 new residents between April 2020 and April 2021, the strongest annual increase since 2005-06. Hence, wildlife corridors, Ward explains. Designate the green infrastructure first and cluster new development around it, steering Florida’s relentless sprawl away from vital conservation lands. Imagine subdivisions stretching from Tampa to Vero Beach, he warns. “A few shortsighted decisions, and you can cut Florida in half.”

ard didn’t invent the concept of a statewide wildlife corridor. Scientists, including Tom Hoctor at the University of Florida, years ago devised

the Florida Ecological Greenways Network (FEGN), a frame-

work for prioritizing state conservation spending along known wildlife routes. But with a limited audience, FEGN would never be a rallying cry. Ward knew this from experience, recalling a public hearing he’d attended about a proposed toll road. “There was discussion of economic development corridors, transportation corridors, hurricane evacuation corridors, but no mention of wildlife corridors. How are we having a massive infrastructure conversation at this scale without talking about wildlife corridors?”

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Ward, who hails from a ranching family and studied ecology and journalism, had been thinking about corridors and conser-

around the cause; and the Florida Wildlife Corridor movement was born.

vation for some time. In the mid-2000s, he began documenting

Ward and fellow conservationists launched aware-

Florida’s cowboys and their underrecognized contributions to

ness efforts, starting with a series of expeditions

habitat preservation and a biological research project examining

along portions of the Corridor, making the argument

how Florida’s black bears persist in ever-shrinking green space.

for saving the land and bringing together an unlikely

All this was on Ward’s mind in 2009 when he attended one of

cast of characters—environmentalists, ranchers, gov-

Hoctor’s talks about FEGN and the imperative for connectivity.

ernment officials, Indigenous people—who shared a

He dropped the question: “Why not call it ‘The Florida Wildlife

common cause. Stories, not statistics, are how you

Corridor?’” The idea stuck; scientists and stakeholders rallied

advance change.

13 9

“S

orry, my brain is not synapsing,” Ward apologizes, during a pause in the conversation. We’re at Corkscrew, checking his camera traps and scanning for

usable footage. Fatigue is forgivable. Ward is finalizing a film, contemplating a book and envisioning a national advocacy effort (plus parenting three young kids). He meets with me between legislative gatherings in Tallahassee, a visit with a professor and a return to Archbold Biological Station where the black bear research had taken place. He packs his schedule because the more people know about the Corridor, the more they’ll feel inclined to act. “It’s ours to either lose or save,” he says. The wins lately have been huge. In addition to passing the act, the state used its newly replenished Florida Forever funds to add 20,000 acres to the Corridor, including a piece of Devil’s Garden, a natural land project that spans portions of Collier and Hendry counties. The state recently abandoned a set of new toll roads, including one that would have run from Collier to Polk through panther territory. This time, Ward says, the Florida Wildlife Corridor had a seat at the table. Local projects have jumpstarted, too. Two years ago, Collier County voters overwhelmingly agreed to reauthorize a property tax increase to buy new land through Conservation Collier. The original referendum had sunsetted in 2013, limiting new acquisitions until now. The county is investigating the purchase of 1,847 more acres of land, including property near Corkscrew. Still, Ward worries. He’s seen too many legacy family farms

sold off to developers. Just in the last two years, a century-old ranch in Osceola County sold for $140 million, another historic ranch in Orange sold for $150 million and another in Boca Raton went for $215 million. He is concerned the same could happen in Collier. “I worry about Corkscrew becoming an island,” Ward says. The sanctuary is fronted by the fast-growing Immokalee Road corridor. To its south are Ave Maria and the forthcoming Town of Big Cypress. And to its east are private lands that are at risk of development. Already, scientists have raised alarms about the swamp’s water loss; they suspect drainage canals are the culprit. The Panther Refuge, part of a network of state and federal preserves, is more secure, but there’s potential for development along its northern and western borders, too. Ward doesn’t think finalizing the Corridor depends exclusively on buying big public preserves. He’s urging state leaders and conservation groups to work with farmers and ranchers, whose

14 0

GULFSHORE LIFE

Storytelling through Ward’s arresting photographs has been a strong catalyst for the Corridor. Ward sees Florida becoming a national model for land conservation.

14 1

livelihoods depend on the land’s health and who long to keep their family legacies intact. There’s a mechanism to do this: Conservation easements are legal agreements property owners make with nonprofit groups or state agencies to protect natural resources. Essentially, they’re paid to continue farming, managing and improving the land rather than selling to developers.

heavily farmed properties, The Nature Conservancy stepped in to purchase the easement. “We knew if we didn’t save this piece, it wouldn’t get saved,” Wendy Mathews, conservation projects manager for the organization’s Florida chapter, tells me. She had seen ample evidence of wildlife among the trees. It’s a different way of thinking about conservation. Ward isn’t sure it will take hold, but he intends to find stories showing that it works. In Collier, about 55,000 privately owned acres in the eastern portion of the county—an area known as the Rural Lands Stewardship Area (RLSA)— have been placed under stewardship easements, I learn from Brad Cornell, Southwest Florida policy associate for Audubon Florida and Audubon of the Western Everglades. His organization and others are pushing to protect another 79,000, encouraging the county to adopt new incentives for farmers and improvements to the rules governing the RLSA. Let’s not pretend that all such public/private conservation collaborations are smooth sailing and debate free—or come without a price. Statewide, Ward says, there are more landowners ready to pursue conservation easements on their land than there is state funding to do so. Locally, the environmental community is split over Collier Enterprises’ pending Town of Big Cypress. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, with the support of more than a dozen groups, filed suit over the way in which the county interpreted its development rules. But others argue the plan is the best deal possible for conserving private lands—an agreement to allow landowners to build on 3,500 acres adjacent to Golden Gate Estates in exchange for preserving 12,500 acres that protect and restore many of the Corridor gaps between the Panther Refuge, Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed and Lake Trafford. “Look, we would rather these developments not happen, but this private land was not for sale,” says Cornell, who helped write the development policies that govern eastern Collier. “This plan figures

land’s health, through conservation easements.

and south of the river. Since the state typically won’t pay to protect such

The photographer, who comes from a ranching family, encourages state leaders and conservation

the Caloosahatchee River, panthers travel between conserved lands north

groups to work with farmers and ranchers, whose livelihoods and generational legacies depend on the

Protected land need not be pristine, Ward says. In a citrus grove north of

out what we need to protect, and that’s these major linkages.”

14 3

ard and I spend a couple of hours checking the camera traps at Corkscrew. There are a few delights—a black bear galloping across the frame and panthers

spotted twice—and a moment of distress when we discover that bears—curious, anxious or bored—have strewn a set of cameras across the path. The cases that contain the expensive gear, luckily, hold up. The sun is setting as we leave. We drive a few miles west to capture drone images showing the tension between developed and undeveloped land. While he operates the controls, I watch endless traffic, squint at streetlights, listen to a loudspeaker echoing from nearby athletic fields. I’d rather be back in the woods. Ward isn’t entirely sure what his future holds. His cause is in good hands—the nonprofit Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation is headed by Mallory Lykes Dimmitt, a well-known conservationist who has been part of the effort since those initial advocacy expeditions. Its chief conservation officer is Jason Lauritsen, the former executive director of Corkscrew, who left that position because he realized he couldn’t save the swamp—or the panthers that enchant it—without protecting the lands around it. Ward is eager to find new stories that advance the effort. “Just being out there, engaging people and cutting across silos as a journalist, you end up weaving together a fabric of support, investment and ideas, and that’s the basis for political change,” he says. He’s eyeballing wildlife corridor initiatives elsewhere in the United States—at least nine states have enacted some sort of legislation, and the federal government included money for wildlife crossings in the INVEST in America Act. None of these initiatives are as robust as Florida’s, he says. With an estimated 1,000 people a day moving to the Sunshine State, there’s no time to waste. “I believe we can get it right here, and if we can do it here, we can do it anywhere,” he says. “That’s the encouraging part of it.”

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GULFSHORE LIFE

While gains—like the approval of the tax-funded Conservation Collier program in November and rebounding panther numbers—are promising, development trends are troubling. “It’s ours to either lose or save,” Ward says.

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St ylish Living: A Port Royal Re vamp

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Realt y Check: Dream Homes

STYLISH LIVING

SECOND ACT

HOME

A Port Royal couple calls on Kukk Architecture & Design to transform their 1991 home into a modern-day refuge, tailor-made for entertaining. By Michael Korb

It’s rare to find a spot in Naples where

was upstairs, and climbing stairs

you can have a beautiful, wide canal

every day wasn’t ideal.

in your backyard and stunning views

After living in the house for 16 years,

of the Gulf of Mexico out front. But

the Smiths decided to renovate and

that’s what Wendie and Jerry Smith

called on architect Jon Kukk, of Kukk

found when they purchased their

Architecture & Design, to conceive

Gordon Drive home in 2003. While

something that took advantage of the

the location was top-notch, the 1991

sightlines in a way the old home did

build, with its traditional and com-

not. The house is now complete with

partmentalized design, left a lot to be

all the modern conveniences—smart

desired. “It wasted a lot of space and

home features, open concept design,

was an echo chamber,” Jerry says.

upgraded lighting—you’d expect from

Plus, he notes, the primary bedroom

a Port Royal address. “They knew inti-

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GULFSHORE LIFE

A R C H I T E C T : Kukk Architecture & Design B U I L D E R : BCB Homes I N T E R I O R D E S I G N : Everett-Grace Design Associates P H O T O G R A P H Y : Venjhamin Reyes

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HOME

mately how the space lived and could influence us as the house went forward,” Kukk says. “Here was a second chance for them to do all the things the home formerly couldn’t.” Originally built by BCB Homes, this five-bedroom (plus office), seven-bathroom, two-story transitional home is positioned perfectly east to west to make use of the light and views, resulting in dazzling sunrises and sunsets. There are living areas on both floors, with a pocket door at the top of the stairs that allow the second floor to become autonomous. It’s a great feature when guests want to keep the party going in the upstairs lounge and game room long after the Smiths have decided to retire for the evening.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

dining table can split apart depending on the couple’s hosting needs.

carbon veneer island and wet bar. The Black Mangrove Woodworks-designed

kitchen, Naples’ AlliKristé used matte, vertical-grain walnut to play off the

Wood incorporated throughout ties the open-concept space together. In the

STYLISH LIVING

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HOME STYLISH LIVING

Interior designer Edie O’Reilly, of Everett-Grace Design Associates, made sure plenty of entertaining could take place on the main floor, too. The couple gravitates toward natural materials and warm tones, so O’Reilly incorporated European white oak flooring throughout, including on the thick semi-floating stair treads immediately beyond the foyer. Espresso-stained beams overhead recall the wood-andglass double doors in the entry. And, just beyond the stairs, the AlliKristé-designed kitchen is defined by 10-foot-tall swaths of matte vertical-grain walnut surrounds, which conceal two SubZero fridges.

Designer Edie O’Reilly played with shades of blue, orange and green to recall a Caribbean coastal look. In the primary bath, aqua recycled-glass tile grounds the home to its waterfront setting.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

HOME STYLISH LIVING

In addition to changing the configuration of the home, Kukk terraced the exterior living space around the pool and out to the dock to enhance indoor-outdoor living.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

In the dining room, the table’s

Because entertaining is a big

matte legs match the island’s car-

part of the Smiths’ lives, they

bon veneer, the wet bar and the dark

had Bonita Springs-based Black

burnt bronze metal range hood in

Mangrove Woodworks create a

the kitchen, while handmade aqua

live-edge rosewood slab table

subway tiles in the partial back-

that contains two sections,

splash keep the space grounded to

which can be separated or joined,

its coastal location.

depending on the size of the party.

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Custom glass-and-bronze pendants overhead can adjust to cover a long distance when the tables are separated. “We wanted an elegant space for them to entertain, but also to use themselves, so we made it flexible,” O’Reilly says. While most of the palette recalls organic elements, the Smiths did not shy away from color completely. In the living room, artwork by local artist Rachel Pierce and an abstract rug in blues, reds and The architect moved the primary suite to the first floor, creating

yellows alert guests to the couple’s

a private refuge for the couple.

playful nature.

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The home is oriented perfectly east to west, allowing for gorgeous views throughout the day.

They also chose a showstopping

area. Kukk effortlessly terraced

aqua recycled glass as the surface

the outdoors, from the living space

of the his-and-hers bathrooms in

to the spa to the pool and out to

the primary suite, which is now

the dock—all of which overlook

on the ground floor. The room is

Cutlass Cove. “There is noth-

cheery, with shades of orange and

ing we would change about this

blue winding from the bedroom

house,” Jerry says. “It’s a fun place

back to the great room, which

to live. And you never get tired

spills out to the outdoor living

of the views.”

For your premier landscape services.

3889 Sanibel Captiva Road (239) 768.5655 www.rswalsh.com

New You, New Kitchen

We respect your home

AS IF IT WERE OUR OWN!

• • • • •

Custom new cabinets and refacing Countertops and backsplash Storage Solutions Flooring, appliances, lighting, plumbing fixtures Move walls, islands, and additions.

We are residential contractors offering full-service remodeling with professional kitchen and bathroom designers

BONITA SPRINGS 25987 S Tamiami Trail #97 Bonita Springs, Fl 34134 Open Monday - Friday 10 am - 5 pm P 239-985-5530 BonitaSprings.KitchenSolvers.com

CRC1331863

ALFRESCO

THE GIVING TREE

HOME

Landscape architect Mariah Bakke takes biophilic living to the next level with a treehouse perfect for soaking in the Florida sun. By Jaynie Bartley Photography by Omar Cruz

Mariah Bakke, of Viva Landscapes, has a knack for creating verdant outdoor spaces that deliver on beauty and function. In her own Fort Myers home, she and her fiance, fishing guide and photographer John Landry, transformed the grounds from a grassy plot into a verdant botanical garden. With its tropical monsteras and alocasias that blend seamlessly with the native cabbage palms and pines throughout, the backyard showcases her knack for tropical modern design and honors the region’s subtropical climate with a healthy mix of native plants. “There’s something to be said about having your own private oasis, where you can just relax and not worry about anybody around you,” she says. Though the yard was mostly barren when Landry purchased the lot about six years ago, the previous owners had built an 8-by-8-foot deck into a more than 50-year-old Cuban laurel that stands on the property. Though the previous owners hadn’t done much beyond installing the platform, Bakke was inspired to finish the job. Rather than creating a standard kids’ fort, the couple wanted to design an elegant lounge area that wouldn’t detract

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from the tree’s stately presence. The first order of business was to ensure the space would be easily accessible for grown-ups. For that, they added a sloping staircase, made of pressure-treated pine, and Bakke poised a pair of wooden Adirondack chairs (built by Landry) on the deck, leaving just enough room to walk around the perimeter or lean over the wooden railing to peek down at the foliage. A massive pothos (a common vining household plant) scales the trunk and wraps around the tree’s branches, which are also adorned with dangling pieces of driftwood. Down below, she filled the gaps between roots with an assortment of fanning alocasias, heart-shaped philodendrons and rainbow crotons—many of which Bakke planted after they outgrew their indoor pots. One day, she hopes to build onto the treehouse, enclosing the space to create a biophilic guest room or outdoor office. “We use this space so much more now,” Bakke says. “We’re always having people over.”

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The landscape architect worked with her fiance and their dads to create an oasis in her backyard. “We use this space so much more now,” she says.

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Located on a Quiet Cul-de-Sac SOLD - 1300 Little Blue Heron Ct

EXCEPTIONAL HOMES. EXCEPTIONALLY MARKETED.

TERRIMOELLERS.COM

Lakefront Sunset Views with Expansive Terrace SOLD - 1300 Little Blue Heron Ct

Close to the Beach, Shopping & Entertainment SOLD - 1300 Little Blue Heron Ct

TERRI MOELLERS Naples – Florida

TERRI MOELLERS, PA

800 Harbour Dr. Naples, FL 34103

239.404.7887 800 HARBOUR DRIVE, NAPLES, FLORIDA 34103 (239) 261-3939 © 2022 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. WHILE, THIS INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS REPRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL PROPERTY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SQUARE FOOTAGE, ROOM COUNT, NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PROPERTY LISTINGS SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY YOUR OWN ATTORNEY, ARCHITECT OR ZONING EXPERT. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.

HOME ALFRESCO

Extending throughout the grounds, the landscape architect created walking paths, conversation areas and an alfresco dining area, with direct access to the main house through sliding glass doors. A wooden pergola, which her fiance and furniture maker dad built and installed, provides shade, and the wooden dining table (which Landry built with his own father) is often decorated with clippings and coconuts found throughout the yard. “The living environment can create a sense of calm,” Bakke says. “If my backyard was all gravel, it would have a completely different mental effect.”

An angled staircase leads to the 8-by-8foot deck nestled in the 50-year-old Cuban laurel. Bakke uses gathered greenery and indoor plants that have outgrown their pots to decorate outside.

Interior Design Services Consignments Furniture • Decor • Fine Art New Accessories & Gifts

Shop us online

upforgrabsnaples.com

778 Tamiami Trail North Naples, Florida 34102 (239) 434-5900 Mon-Fri 9:30-5:30 Sat 9-5

Meridian Bank has your Mortgage Solution Competitive Interest Rates for Primary & Secondary Homes

10% down with no PMI if under $1,000,000 Bring your condo loans to us (low or high rise)* Have assets? We can use assets as income to qualify. 500+ Five-Star Reviews

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Always Excellent “Dave Horvath has been great the three times I’ve used his service. Always prompt and on top of things. Every detail 16 8 G U L Ffell S H O Rthrough E LIFE is taken care of and nothing the cracks.”

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Vice President–Senior Loan Officer NMLS #301732

443.306.7191

DHorvath@MeridianBanker.com

This material is an advertisement and is not a loan disclosure. All loan disclosures provided after submission of a formal application should be reviewed carefully and retained. Meridian Bank is not an agency of the federal government, is not affiliated with your current lender, and is not afﬁliated with any real estate agency or realtor. Meridian Bank, NMLS#462854. MD State License #23919 $1,100,000 purchase price. $990,000 loan amount. 3.875% interest rate. 3.903% annual percentage rate. Rates may increase after consummation. 10% down or $110,000. *Terms of Monthly Repayment: 10/1 ARM: 120 payments of $1980 at 3.875% rate / 3.903% annual percentage rate. Rate is variable. Principal & Interest payment is locked for 10 years then adjusts. Rates can go as high as 8.875% and Principal and Interest payment up to $6,925. These products and interest rates are subject to change at any time due to changing market conditions. Subject to credit approval. *Non-warrantable condo’s require 25% down-payment and bank approval.

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ESTATE

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OVER $2 BILLION IN CLOSED SALES Both have unrivaled backgrounds as regional and office managers in the Luxury Real Estate Market For Over 16 years The #1 Mother - Daughter Real Estate Team in the Southwest Florida Market Full time professionals whose focus is YOUR Real Estate needs Unmatched levels of productivity and success Proud to support local charities from every transaction

E X PER I E NCE COU N T S. E X PERT I SE SEL LS. FOR MOR E.

LET US SHOW YOU W H AT WE C A N DO.

buabellsellsnaples.com buabellgroup@johnrwood.com Emily 239-659-6115

Tade 239-595-0097

Naples

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ROYAL HARBOR – 2040 KINGFISH ROAD | $7,125,000

“The opportunities are endless in Naples because our waterways, beaches and communities are unparalleled”

A S H L E Y S I LV E R S Ashley Silvers grew up in the real estate business learning from her father who is a true icon of Naples Real Estate. She joined Compass as a Naples Founding Agent in June 2018, and has $70M+ worth of properties sold in less than four years. Clients can be assured that they are in expert hands and will benefit from her insights, connections, and unique ability to create and enable deals. Running her business as a “onestop-shop”, Ashley provides her clients with connections to top architects, builders, real estate attorneys, inspectors, etc. Her referral network extends through the midwest and the northeast. She also has experience running smooth international transactions that will put you in contact with the best exchange corporation in Florida. Whether your priority is a golf-centric community, scenic, or easy access for boating or water sports, Ashley will skillfully guide your search of the properties best suited to meet your desires. Ashley earned a full golf scholarship and graduated from DePauw University with a dual Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Pre-Law. She is highly familiar with the best courses for golf pros in the Naples area. She currently holds a membership with Naples Grande Golf Club. She also enjoys taking her boat out, beach time, and spending time with her two dogs Lady, a very cute cattle dog/Shepard mix and Phoebe, a black lab.

( 2 3 9) 2 8 7- 5 2 0 6 A S H L E Y. S I LV E R S @ C O M PA S S .C O M

TOP PRODUCERS

J O R DA N DEL ANEY

SOLD | PARK SHORE | 4215 CRAYTON RD. NAPLES, FL $11,400,000 Breathtaking bay views from this spectacular 2018 built home with over 100 ft of water frontage. Expansive floorplan with dream outdoor area featuring seating areas, outdoor kitchen, negative edge pool and spa, pool bath, fire pit and added dock with lift. Glass panel fencing surrounds to showcase the panoramic water views.

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A seasoned professional and consistent multimillion-dollar producer with $87M in closed sales for 2021, Jordan Delaney is ranked among the top 1% of Naples REALTORS®. Armed with a results-driven attitude and an extensive catalog of recordbreaking sales, he brings over a decade of Southwest Florida real estate experience to Premier Sotheby's International Realty. Specializing in luxury estates and condominiums, Jordan's local area knowledge, personal perspective and passion for the Naples lifestyle has led him to develop a solid base of loyal and repeat clientele. Backed by the time-honored brand and global connections that Premier Sotheby's International Realty affords, he is dedicated to providing buyers and sellers with a customized experience through comprehensive market analysis, trend awareness and innovative marketing and negotiation services. Jordan focuses on identifying his customers' needs and exceeding expectations from initial contact through closing and beyond. He takes time to develop lifelong relationships with his clients and prides himself on honest and open communication through mutual respect and trust.

4300 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., Suite 100| Naples, FL 34103 JD@PremierSIR.com www.DelaneyNaples.com (239) 404-3070 174

SOLD | GREY OAKS | 2700 BUCKTHORN WAY NAPLES, FL $4,990,000 This remodeled Estates at Grey Oaks home sits on a fabulous corner lot overlooking the seventh green of the Pines Golf Course. The expansive, open and reconfigured floor plan has been thoughtfully and beautifully updated throughout. Immediate, full golf membership available for purchase.

SOLD | OLDE NAPLES | 640 3RD AVE S. NAPLES, FL $4,350,000 Quintessential coastal cottage in downtown Naples located a very short distance from Fifth Avenue South for shopping, dining and entertainment and only six blocks from the beach. Offered fully furnished — designer details, lighting and furnishings just complete September 2021.

Marianna Foggin is a highly specialized and award-winning Luxury Realtor with Gulf Coast International Properties®. Her success isn’t only measured by her many client endorsements but by her production; over a Quarter of a Billion dollars in sales. Ms. Foggin enjoys all facets of the luxury market, but her unique set of skills and international background created her niche; The Global Buyer and the Homeowner transitioning from Luxury Residences into Upscale Senior Living Communities. Many families, Trust Officers, Estate Planners, and homeowners will tell you that Marianna knows how to navigate through this process with care and expertise when the time comes to transition to Senior Living or Selling the Luxury Property of a loved one.

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M A R I A N N A @ G C I P N A P L E S .C O M 2 3 9. 2 5 3 .1 5 1 6 1144 THIRD STREET SOUTH - 6 9 1 F i f t h Ave S o u t h WAT E R S I D E S H O P S - 5 43 5 -1 9 Ta m i a m i Tr a i l N o r t h W W W.G C I P N A P L E S .C O M

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“Live Exceptionally"

MARIANNA FOGGIN, P.A.

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"Chosen for my service. Famous for my results"

LAURA GEORGELOS ABR, CNS, SRS, CLHMS 5 5 0 5 T H AV E S , N A P L E S , F L 3 41 0 2 ( 2 3 9) 2 6 2 -7 1 3 1 W W W. K E Y T O N A P L E S L U X U RY.C O M

S P E C I A LT I E S : L U X U RY H O M E S , B OAT I N G L I F E S T Y L E , GOLFING COMMUNITIES

Laura’s success in the industry has been built on the principles of always putting her client's interests first and instinctively going above and beyond to provide the highest quality solution-based service and experience possible. Her clients enjoy the concierge style experience she offers: they sense her passion, trust her expertise, and feel comfortable putting their biggest investment in her hands. Laura has curated her expertise through her extensive knowledge of golfing communities and the boating lifestyle in addition to Olde Naples and Pine Ridge. She is also currently spearheading the housing component for STARability to secure a safe home life for developmentally disabled adults in Collier County.

COCONUT LANDING EFFORTLESS RESORT STYLE LIVING IN A PERFECTLY TUCKED AWAY TROPICAL ENCLAVE

3 BEDROOMS+ STUDY I 3 BATHROOMS I 2,305 SF The Palm offers a spacious open concept layout to provide the feel of a larger home in our most efficient floorplan. Featuring plenty of space for family, guests, and entertaining, the Palm's great room and dining room flow effortlessly into the lanai.

• • • New construction homes, resort style living, and ideal location just west of U.S. 41 combine to embody the ultimate Southwest Florida lifestyle. Conveniently located on Coconut Road just ¼ mile from the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa, Coconut Landing will feature 25 single family homes, each one boasting seamless indoor/outdoor living, open and uplifting floor plans, and a sparkling private pool and spa. With incredible surroundings, VIP membership option to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, and nearby beaches, golf, shopping, and dining, Coconut Landing will invite you to enjoy every moment, whether relaxing at home or stepping out. Spec home offerings starting from $1.4 million*

Phase One homes available Spring 2022

/'r\ Headwaters

�

REAL ESTATE

3 BEDROOMS+ STUDY I 3.5 BATHROOMS 12,578 SF The Bay floor plan incorporates the open concept indoor-outdoor flow of the Palm into a larger plan to provide additional space for entertaining and relaxing. With the added benefit of a powder room, this floor plan allows each bedroom to have an en-suite bathroom.

DEVELOPMENT

Katherine Marx Real Estate Broker, Realtor Headwaters Real Estate 239.298.4351 kmarx@headwaters-development.com headwaters-development.com PO Box 110062, Naples, Fl. 34108 *Pricing and availability subject to change.

3 BEDROOMS+ STUDY 14 BATHROOMS I 3,160 SF The Beach floor plan provides a huge master suite and 2 spacious guest suites while ensuring the main living area is an entertainer's dream. The impressive great room with coffered ceiling treatment is anchored by a wall of glass pocket sliders leading out to the gorgeous outdoor living area.

TOP PRODUCERS SOL

ROYAL HARBOR

Enjoy the luxury of having your personal boat behind your house, moments to the open gulf for beautiful sunset cruises . Minutes to downtown and beaches.

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K I M B E R LY A LV O R D

SOL

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The Kimberly Luxury Group is a company with a lifestyle approach to real estate. If you’re a boater, golfer, play pickleball, dog lover or love shopping, we will find you the right place to call home in southwest Florida . Whether you’re planning to purchase or sell a property, we are professionals you can count on. We stay on top of not only local trends and current re-sales but also new construction so that we can meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. If you are looking for a group of dedicated professionals that put your needs first, this is a group for you. Our knowledge is matched only by our enthusiasm to always get it done!

BONITA BAY

Golf membership, private beach club , restaurants and marina

SOL

3000 Tamiami Trail North Naples, FL, 34103 (239) 919-2742 Kimberly@KimberlyLuxuryGroup.com www.NaplesFloridaLuxuryLiving.com PARK SHORE

Close to shopping and restaurants, Condos on the beach, walk the magnificent sandy beaches

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SOLD - AQUALANE SHORES - 450 14TH AVENUE SOUTH

REPRESENTED THE BUYER - MOORINGS - LA PERLE

La Perle is Moorings newest construction luxury waterfront residences. Ideally located affording residence particular water vistas, boat dockage and steps to the beach. Only the finest in construction materials and finishes. Completion summer 2022.

PENDING - REPRESENTING BOTH SIDES OF TRANSACTION HARBOR CLUB PUD - DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

Entitled Mixed-use residential/marina facilities with over 2,300' of river frontage, 123 acres for 585 residences. Approved for 87 boat slips, boat ramp, and Marina Basin with Direct access to the peace River and Gulf of Mexico.

Ben is an expert in waterfront communities including Port Royal, Aqualane Shores, Old Naples, Coquina Sands, The Moorings, Park Shore, Pelican Bay and Vanderbilt Beach area and golf course communities in Collier and South Lee Counties. He has extensive knowledge of site and land purchase and new construction. He earned his realtor license in 1982 and thus began his professional real estate career. Since that time in addition residential and commercial real estate sales Ben has been involved in real estate development, remodeling and general contracting. His background also includes hotel development, ownership and operations. With over 40 years of experience in the real estate industry and licensed in the states of Florida and Michigan, Ben offers his clients a well-rounded understanding of real estate investments. Ben his wife Michelle and children, Rachael and Gabriel, moved to Naples, Florida in 1995. Ben’s hobbies include golf, boating, traveling, attending sporting events and spending time with family.

ben@gcipnaples.com (239) 273-8700 OLD NAPLES: 1144 Third Street South - 691 Fifth Ave South PELICAN BAY: Waterside Shops - 5435-19 Tamiami Trail North www.gcipnaples.com

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New Construction - 100’ of waterfront, expansive pool and outdoor living, over 6000 ft. of stunning interior finishes and state of the art technology, incredible light and located in the heart of downtown Naples and pristine beaches. Represented the Buyer.

TOP PRODUCERS

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“My legal background and work ethic enable me to provide the exceptional service you deserve.”

CATHERINE MCAVOY R E A L E S TAT E P R O F E S S I O N A L 2 3 9. 3 7 0 . 2 5 3 9 C AT H E R I N E . M C AVOY @ P R E M I E R S I R .C O M C AT H E R I N E M C AVOY. P R E M I E R S O T H E BY S R E A LT Y.C O M

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Cathy is a 25-year resident of Naples specializing in luxury residential sales in Old Naples, Aqualane Shores, Park Shore, Moorings and Pelican Bay. Cathy grew up in Buffalo, New York, and graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. She earned her law degree from the University of Buffalo and worked as an attorney at the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, in Rochester, New York, until 1995 when she relocated to Naples with her family. Cathy raised her three children in Naples and worked in real estate law as well as for Collier County Public Schools as a GED instructor, substitute teacher and volunteer. Her husband, Brian, is a Trusts and Estates attorney in Naples and their children all attended the University of Florida. Meredith is an attorney in Orlando, Max is a craft brewer in Broomfield, Colorado, and Jack is a civil engineer in Breckenridge, Colorado. Cathy is a member of the Florida and New York Bar Associations, and earned her broker’s license and her GRI designation.

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Worry Free Living Awaits From Naples to Marco Island

Top Producer 2008- 2021 ML Meade, REALTOR® ABR, BPOR, GRI, MIS, SRES

239.293.4851 MLMeade@Naples.com MLMeade@MarcoIsland.com

www.NaplesandMarcoIsland.com

Be Well Addressed 9176 MERCATO WAY, NAPLES FL 34108

“Working with a Realtor you trust makes all the difference. We loved working with Dana!” DanaMount.com

390 Broad Avenue South Naples, Florida 34102

c: 239.404.2209 e: Dana.Mount@SothebysRealty.com

TOP PRODUCERS

P R E M I E R S OT H E B Y ’ S I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E A LT Y

SOLD | 16951 VERONA LN, NAPLES, FL 34110

Simplicity and sophistication create an understated luxury in this exceptional home. Oil-rubbed DuChateau White Oak hardwood floors blended with soft colors, marble tiles and wood embellishments offer a serene environment and the perfect escape.

A seasoned professional and a Florida resident for more than three decades, Amy Nease has obtained a wealth of knowledge through her experiences in management, sales and marketing in the retail industry. Since 1997, she has spent more than 20 years in new home construction with a focus on the luxury custom home market. Her extensive background includes 16 years at Mediterra, an award-winning private golf course community in Naples, as well as Bonita Bay, The Brooks and West Bay Club. Originally from the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, Amy possesses a strong Midwestern work ethic and a commitment to outstanding customer service which has allowed her to achieve more than $325 million in closed sales. Attaining numerous accolades throughout her career, she has earned the Graduate, REALTOR Institute designation and the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation from the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, recognized as the mark of accomplishment in luxury markets around the world. While attending the University of South Florida, Amy worked her way through school and received a bachelor’s degree from the distinguished Muma College of Business, a program that highlights business analytics and real-world application.

SOLD | 16986 CORTILE DR, NAPLES, FL 34110

This spectacular one-of-a-kind home includes exceptional details. This home was designed to take advantage of the sweeping views of Mediterra North's first fairway front the rear of the home as well as the privacy of the protected preserve along the length of the home.

Amy.Nease@PremierSIR.com PremierSothebysRealty.com C: 239.910.7267 | O: 239.948.4000

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Impeccable design, unparalleled quality and a coveted location in the heart of Old Naples — welcome to 531 4th Avenue South. This architectural wonder was designed by renowned MHK Architecture and built by Waterside Builders.

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SOLD | 531 4TH AVE S, NAPLES, FL 34102

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Driven. Detailed. Devoted.

NATALIE PEREZ-BENITOA M A R Z U C C O R E A L E S TAT E 2 3 9. 5 3 7. 3 8 2 4 R E A LT Y N P B .C O M R E A LT Y N P B @ G M A I L .C O M

Natalie was born and raised in Naples, Florida. Her experience as an actress, in both Hollywood and New York City, has granted her the meaning of hard work. In her first year as an independent agent, Natalie closed fourteen transactions. She’s on track to support over thirty families buying and selling property in 2022. Her inviting personality and appreciation for her hometown puts her at the top of our list for local, innovative, and professional Real Estate Agents in Southwest Florida. To learn more about Natalie, follow her on YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms.

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www.issuu.com/sothebysrealty/docs/deal_or_no_deal_2020-8

2 3 9. 5 9 5 . 0 7 0 1 J I M . P R A N G E @ P R E M I E R S I R .C O M 2 3 9. 3 9 3 . 6 7 1 2 N I K K I . P R A N G E @ P R E M I E R S I R .C O M J I M A N D N I K K I .C O M

Jim started his real estate career on Marco Island in 1976 and offers unparalleled expertise and product knowledge of the Island that is second-to-none. Jim is the all-time Marco Island sales leader for Hideaway Beach, Key Marco, luxury properties in the $5,000,000+ range and consistently ranked among the top 5 sales associates for closed sales volume on Marco Island. His success has brought in over $1 Billion in career sales. Jim celebrated his 20th year with Premier Sotheby Int'l Realty's this last year. Nikki Carroll, Jim's daughter and partner, was born and raised on Marco Island and will celebrate her 18th year alongside him this March. Together, they have shared in an incredible journey. Jim and Nikki had their best year thus far in 2021, with over $99 Million in closed sales. We would like to thank our clients, past and present, for the confidence and trust you placed in us whether buying or selling. Our success would not be possible without you. We would love to share the Island with you. Please give us a call/email if we can be of assistance in any way.

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Check out our real estate report for Marco Island:

JIM PRANGE & NIKKI PRANGE-CARROLL

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"Experience isn't expensive, it's priceless"

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QUAIL WEST SALES GROUP

Excellence Has An Address

Call or email us for a complimentary consultation. Tom Grifferty, Realtor®

Carmen Grifferty, Realtor®

Kim Basa, Realtor®

Matt Wood, Realtor®

John Burdick, Realtor®

239-293-9560 TGrifferty@JohnRWood.com

239-293-9570 CGrifferty@JohnRWood.com

239-572-5212 KBasa@JohnRWood.com

239-963-7423 MWood@JohnRWood.com

860-384-3278 JBurdick@JohnRWood.com

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Brenda Ruth Coastal Elegance

This home has an understated elegance and truly must be seen to be believed. 140 4th Avenue North, Naples | $14,995,000

Brenda Ruth c 239.777.2600 o 239.434.2424 Brenda.Ruth@PremierSIR.com BrendaRuth.PremierSothebysRealty.com

BROAD AVENUE SALES GALLERY 390 Broad Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102

OLD NAPLES LIVING Ideally positioned only two homes from the beach, this coastalcontemporary design brings a fresh look to Old Naples living. Large rooms with an open floor plan for Florida living at its best. This home features fabulous covered/uncovered outdoor living with pool areas bathed in warm southern sunshine, allowing for a year-round appreciation. Intricate tongue-and-groove ceiling detail along with richly paneled walls highlighted by exquisite lighting. The remarkable library can only be described as “class personified” and offers a wet bar and wine fridge.

TOP PRODUCERS

PELICAN BAY

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This stately home sits perfectly on this oversized lakefront lot located in the cul-de-sac of Lismore Lane. With its soaring ceilings and abundant light, it welcomes you the moment you enter the front door. The floor plan is sprawling, with over 4600 square feet of air-conditioned living space which is perfect for entertaining your guest.

T H E SA L AY T E A M JOHN R. WOOD PROPERTIES Kimberly Salay is an award-winning, multimillion-dollar luxury residential real estate sales associate with nearly 20 years of experience in waterfront property, resort property, and golf course community residences. John Salay began his real estate career after 28 years of experience in the sporting goods industry. A native of Ohio and former collegiate golfer. The Salay's have been residents of SWFL since 2007. Lindsay Umphred is the newest team member growing up visiting her grandfather in Pelican Bay. She is a full time resident and recent graduate of Purdue University.

SEAGLASS AT BONITA BAY

Custom, modern and chic best describes this 8th floor residence of Seaglass located in Bonita Bay with beautiful Gulf of Mexico, Estero Bay and Bonita Bay Golf Course views. As the elevator doors open you are immediately welcomed into what feels like an art gallery.

Kimberly Salay KSalay@JohnRWood.com (239) 300-5075 John Salay JSalay@JohnRWood.com (239) 276-8113 Lindsay Umphred LUmphred@JohnRWood.com (239) 317-4744 TheSalayTeam.com

MERCATO VILLA

This rarely available much sought after villa in The Residences of Mercato features 4 bedrooms (all en-suites) and 4 and a half baths plus a cabana. The owners suite is on the main living area allowing privacy for you and your guests.

TOP PRODUCERS

FOR SALE – GREY OAKS - 2713 BUCKTHORN WAY Situated on a sprawling estate lot with phenomenal views over the lake to the Pine Course sits a unique opportunity. Completely reimagined in 2017 by the incredible team that GNR Development has assembled, this home offers 5 bedrooms, 4 full and 1 half baths, study, office, 4 bay garage with a lift, and an incredible resort-style pool.

FOR SALE – THE MOORING - LA PERLE, 1820 GULF SHORE BOULEVARD NORTH La Perle is Moorings newest construction luxury waterfront residences. A rare commodity in a treasured and special location fronting Hurricane Harbor and capturing sensational views of the Gulf of Mexico. Only the finest in construction materials and finishes. Completion June 2022.

Tim consistently ranks among the most successful Realtors in luxury real estate sales, according to NABOR and MLS statistics. Tim’s total sales for 2021 was $256,829,000 and his year-todate sales revenue for 2022 stands at $213,001,630. Tim has set multiple new construction price records spanning from Port Royal and Aqualane to Pelican Bay and Bay Colony. Tim is a member of Luxury Real Estate, a worldwide collection of top brokers representing the finest properties across the globe, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate has been leading the real estate industry since 1986. This hand-selected group of more than 125,000 professionals with properties in more than 62 countries collectively sells over $400 billions of real estate annually, making it the most elite and comprehensive luxury real estate network in the world.

tim@gcipnaples.com (239) 821-7576 OLD NAPLES: 1144 Third Street South - 691 Fifth Ave South PELICAN BAY: Waterside Shops - 5435-19 Tamiami Trail North www.gcipnaples.com

T O P

G U L F C O A S T I N T E R N AT I O N A L P R O P E R T I E S

M Y

T I M O T H Y P. S AVA G E , P. A .

L I S T I N G S

FOR SALE – AQUALANE SHORES - 722 16TH AVENUE SOUTH Creatively penned by Falcon Design Inc., conscientiously fashioned by BBA Development Inc., exquisitely appointed by NP Interior Design this coastal contemporary new construction home has an open, great room plan that lends itself to casual, yet elegant, living. Ideal location offers quick access to the beach and to the shops/dining of historic Third Street.

TOP PRODUCERS

M Y

T O P

L I S T I N G S

MARCO ISLAND | 739 FAIRLAWN COURT | $5,000,000 Imagine watching the sunrise over the bay from this custom-built home with quick, direct access to open water. Every inch of this 4BR/5BA home takes advantage of the spectacular views. Gas-heated saltwater pool and spa, 900-square-foot floating dock for a large boat, and a motorized platform for a smaller boat or jet skis.

M IC H E L L E T HOM A S P R E M I E R S OT H E B Y ’ S I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E A LT Y An award-winning professional with over two decades of experience in the Naples and Marco Island real estate market, Michelle Thomas is well-known for her deep familiarity with the area. Specializing in everything from luxury golf course estates to gorgeous Gulf-front condominiums, she has a passion for pairing her customers with pristine properties. An accomplished industry leader, Michelle has achieved numerous accolades and has been ranked among REAL Trends “The Thousand,” America’s Best Real Estate Professionals list and is a Five Star award-winner. She is a member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and is a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist. Michelle leads the #1 real estate team in Collier County and Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.

7711 Collier Boulevard, Suite 105 Naples, FL 34114 (239) 860-7176 michelle.thomas@premiersir.com michellethomasteam.com

LELY RESORT – LAKOYA | 6474 EMILIA COURT | $3,899,999 Gorgeous, highly-upgraded, and furnished 4BR+den/4.5BA home situated on a corner lot with desirable Southwest exposure and lovely lake views. Luxurious main suite with lanai access. Fabulous outdoor living area, spacious lanai, inviting pool and spa with waterfalls, fire bowls, and fire pit. Three-car garage and lush landscaping.

MARCO ISLAND | 1598 HEIGHTS COURT Extraordinary opportunity in the prestigious Estates neighborhood. Purchase this deep direct access homesite with 167 feet of waterfront and a new seawall for $3,600,000 or buy the land at a reduced price of $3,000,000 and work with Paradise Design Build to customize Keola— the next masterpiece in their luxury resort home collection.

L U X U RY R E A L E S TAT E A DV I S O R 2 3 9. 3 7 0 . 0 0 1 3 A M A N DA .VA N S LY K E @ C O M PA S S .C O M

- Past Client

Amanda Van Slyke is motivated to discover the untapped potential in a property and approaches the business of real estate from a holistic, investmentminded focus. Comprehensive and honest are two key descriptors of Amanda’s style. Amanda works very closely with her individual clients, providing them with ready access to her time, expertise and commitment to the process. Adept at navigating unique markets such as in Southwest Florida, Amanda is the partner and advocate you need on your side.

T O P

AMANDA VAN SLYKE

M Y

"You were meant to be in this luxury home market. These big investments can't be trusted with just anyone"

L I S T I N G S

TOP PRODUCERS

M Y

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L I S T I N G S

TOP PRODUCERS

Artfully Uniting Extraordinary Homes with Extraordinary Lives.

KIMBERLY WAGNER ( 2 3 9) 5 7 1 - 5 474 K I M B E R LY.WAG N E R @ P R E M I E R S I R .C O M

JULIE REMBOS ( 2 3 9) 5 9 5 -1 8 0 9 J U L I E . R E M B O S @ P R E M I E R S I R .C O M

T H E WAG N E R R E M B O S T E A M .CO M As Global Luxury Real Estate Advisors, Kimberly Wagner and Julie Rembos work each day to help their clients achieve their dreams. Specializing in the luxury residential market throughout Naples most exceptional waterfront and golf course communities, Kimberly and Julie are known for their strong values, detail-oriented work ethic and sense of integrity. With over 25 years of combined experience in the Naples real estate market, The Wagner Rembos Team has extensive analytical and negotiating skills to provide the best advice and market intelligence. Kimberly and Julie study the current market information to enable their clients to make informed decisions on this critical financial and personal investment. They provide an experience rooted in customer service, integrity and market knowledge.

TOP PRODUCERS

2828 CRAYTON RD. NAPLES FL 34103 SOLD $6,595,000 REPRESENTED THE BUYER & SELLER

BL A ZE Z D R AV E V #1 Agent in Olde Naples Of fice

268 MOORING LINE DR. NAPLES, FL 34102 SOLD $11,950,000

787 Fifth Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102 (239) 601-7910 Blaze@JohnRWood.com

T O P

119 CARICA RD. NAPLES, FL 34108 OFFERED $7,945,000

Quality is assured when listing or buying with Blaze Zdravev. Blaze has an outstanding reputation as one of the region’s most distinguished agents listing some of the best properties in Naples, Marco Island & Bonita Beach. Blaze has called Naples home for more than 10-years and now has a deep understanding of the local region, working with both the exclusive John R. Wood Properties and the prestigious Luxury Portfolio International. The combination of an efficient team and an innovative approach to marketing means Blaze can direct buyers and sellers in all areas of financing to one-stop-shopping and digital marketing tools. Fluent in five languages and certified as a negotiation expert, Blaze is able to deliver some of South West Florida most unique properties to a wide range of powerful and global resources. Blaze is able to serve high-end clients and help them to buy, sell and invest in unique properties thanks to his extensive experience and certification as a home marketing specialist. A deep respect for his valued clients means Blaze is well-known for his discretion and privacy. He opened his first business when he was just 20 and now boasts a strong work ethic, plus a love for luxury cars, golfing, and showing clients the best Florida has to offer.

P R O D U C E R S

JOHN R. WOOD PROPERTIES

REALTY CHECK

DREA M HOMES HOME

The final tower at Bonita Bay raises the bar on high-rise living and a private home spa serves as a Zen oasis.

Rising gracefully at the edge of the

price-per-square-foot building in Bonita

10,000-acre Estero Bay Aquatic Pre-

Bay. Only 11 residences remain—starting

serve, Omega conveys a nautical flair

at $4.25 million—at the 27-story, 67-unit

that reflects its waterside locale. Fittingly

building, slated for completion in late 2022.

named after the last letter of the Greek

With large floorplans and low density,

alphabet, which loosely translates to ‘the

Omega’s condos live like single-family

end,’ Omega is the last high-rise tower to

homes—but with the robust ameni-

be built in the Bonita Bay community,

ties and maintenance-free lifestyle of

combining prestigious design with an

a high-rise, Van Osborne, Ronto’s vice

enviable location and seemingly endless

president of sales, explains.

amenities for residents.

With just three residences per floor,

The Ronto Group’s swan song has

Omega’s large units—none smaller than

already broken records as the highest

4,210 square feet—are a big lure, as are

19 4

GULFSHORE LIFE

Courtesy Clive Daniel Home

Market Watch

482 Ridge Drive, Naples, FL 34108 | $8,490,000

Let me help you find your place in the sun Susan Gardner c 239.438.2846 o 239.659.0099 Susan.Gardner@PremierSIR.com SusanGardnerRealtor.com

Mercato Sales Gallery 9123 Strada Place, Suite 7125 Naples, Florida 34108

Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity. Property information herein is derived from various sources including, but not limited to, county records and multiple listing services, and may include approximations. All information is deemed accurate.

SOLD

18081 Bonita National Boulevard, Bonita Springs, FL 34135 | $1,305,000

Mastering the art of living Pamela Hershberger 239.784.7534 Pamela.Hershberger@PremierSIR.com PamelaHershberger.PremierSothebysRealty.com

Vanderbilt Sales Gallery 325 Vanderbilt Beach Road Naples, Florida 34108

HOME REALTY CHECK

Curved elements inside reflect the 27-story highrise’s sinuous shape.

the vistas with west-facing units over-

the great room—as long as the changes

of the building are reflected throughout

looking Estero Bay and the Gulf, and

don’t cause structural or scheduling issues.

with sinuous, sculptural elements echoed

Omega offers a resort-style pool with

in the social room and fitness center.

Expect all the trimmings required for

cabanas, a state-of-the-art Technogym

Beyond Omega’s confines, residents

luxury living: Sub-Zero, Wolf and Miele

fitness center, a theater, a billiard room,

also have access to Bonita Bay amenities,

appliances and Dornbracht fixtures sit

a library and other perks outside the res-

including five golf courses, a marina, a

atop wood- or stone-look large-format

idences. The common spaces, designed

private spa, a private beach club and

tile flooring for a top-of-the-line ‘stan-

by Naples’ Beasley & Henley, carry a

numerous restaurants. Summing up the

dard’ experience. Buyers have ample flex-

sleek-yet-fun coastal Caribbean vibe,

project, Obsorne says, “Being the last

ibility to customize—say, by bringing in

featuring teak elements with white and

buildable pad in Bonita Bay, we really

marble counters from Italy or expanding

gold accents. The architectural curves

wanted to leave our mark.” —Amy Roach

19 6

GULFSHORE LIFE

Courtesy The Ronto Group (2)

eastern condos facing the golf course.

From

Craig Jones PREMIER SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

275 Gulf Shore Boulevard North in Naples, Florida Behind the sea grape windbreak that borders its western edge, this property with 189 feet of frontage on the Gulf of Mexico has been the setting for a charming coastal cottage—part of the historic fabric that established Naples as a winter retreat in the 1950s and the pride of a local family for decades. Now, this land will become the setting for a custom estate home where a new generation can delight in panoramic views and splendid sunsets that never grow old.

Sold For $24,500,000

239.825.6857 Each office is independently owned and operated.

HOME REALTY CHECK

Must Have … A Spa Casita When Radka and David Mogull hired John Cooney, of Stofft Cooney Architects, to build a home for their family of five in Naples, an onsite wellness suite was a top priority. And, Cooney delivered, working with designer Wilfredo Emanuel to create a standalone casita that mirrors the main home’s tropical modern architecture. Inside, Emanuel designed a clean, minimalist spa with the luxuries the couple enjoys on travels to Africa, Indonesia and Thailand. “The spa was the most fun for me,” he says. A glass-enclosed steam sauna with smooth, moisture- and heat-resistant cedar wood walls, floors and benches anchors the space, and an adjacent cold plunge pool has become a morning ritual for David. Emanuel paired the warm tones of the cedar with

Robin Hill (2)

a smooth stone sink basin that seems to

19 8

GULFSHORE LIFE

A stylish courtyard connects the primary bedroom to the spa casita, where there’s a sauna, cold plunge pool and a flex space area for yoga, private fitness training or massages.

balance on a Brazilian zebrawood vanity. Built-in cabinets and shelves stretch up the wall to hold towels, yoga mats and any other wellness essentials, so Radka—a staunch minimalist—can keep counters clear of clutter. Just beyond the wet areas, the team added a flex space that can easily transition from a yoga sanctuary to a rehearsal spot for their ballroom-dancer daughter, with its wood floors and mirrored wall. “This room is a little gem,” Cooney says. “With its versatility, it could even be used as a guest casita.” Floor-to-ceiling windows line the wall opposite the mirror, lending views of the resort-like poolscape and open backyard. On the other side, the spa building is connected to the main house via a private courtyard that Christian Andrea, of Architectural Land Design, helped design. It connects to the couple’s primary suite with greenery and smooth black stones framing a hot tub, a two-seater lounge and a bartop table to gather around. “With this house, I feel like I can’t wait to be home and unwind after we travel,” Radka says. —Jaynie Bartley

NO _ 5 1 8

0 4 _ 2 0 2 2

TH E L AT E S T I N W E LL N E S S

Dan Cutrona

p_ 202

202

Wellness: Nut rient-Dense Microgreens

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House Call: Health Ne ws & Events

WELLNESS

MIGHT Y LEAF HEALTHY LIFE

From garnishes to smoothies to cosmetics, tiny microgreens pack a powerful punch. By Artis Henderson

When Janelle Francis began growing microgreens at the beginning of 2020 on Francis Farms, her 2.5-acre spread in Punta Gorda, she saved the first batches for herself. The tiny greens—bigger than a sprout but smaller than a baby green—came from broccoli seeds. They were delicate but full of flavor and nutrition. “One ounce of broccoli microgreens is the same as eating a pound of broccoli,” Francis says. Francis put them in her morning smoothies and served them to her family in salads. When she had a surplus, she listed the greens for sale on Facebook, curious to see if other people would be interested. She was flooded with requests. These days, that demand is felt in many area farmers markets. Humberto Quintero at The Naples Micro-Farm sells green pea and sunflower microgreens by the pound to weightlifters who put them in their protein shakes. “They are really good for people who are working out and exercising,” Quintero says. “They have a lot of iron and other nutrients.” And Terry Kays from Tigertoes Herbs and Teas in Buckingham sees steady business from broccoli, kale, mustard and radish microgreens.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Dan Cutrona

He and his wife, Debby, will grow fenugreek and alfalfa on special request.

HEALTHY LIFE WELLNESS

At Sea Salt, executive chef

Cafe at the Naples Botanical Garden, The Continental, Ocean Prime, Campiello, Chez

Joshua Zeman uses the

Boët and Hob Nob. At Sea Salt in Naples, chef Joshua Zeman sources micro fennel, pea

delicate sprouts to add flavor

tendrils, curled cress and other microgreens from Colusa Farms and NoJo Greens to

and color to dishes. Colusa

boost dishes’ nutritional and visual impact. The allium flavor of microleeks comple-

Farms’ owners Isabel and

ments rich short ribs, while the salmon tartare is intricately garnished with tiny edible

Jonathan Way (pictured on

flowers. “Presentation at a high level is key,” he says. “The fact that microgreens are

previous spread) provide

often high in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins makes them even more beneficial.”

microgreens to the restaurant.

Microgreens are harvested soon after germination, when the nutrients young plants need to grow are still contained in their new leaves. This gives them a density of

204

GULFSHORE LIFE

Erik Kellar

Local restaurants have eagerly adopted the greens, too. Diners can find them at Fogg

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COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATIONS

Medical Directors: Diane Brzezinski, D.O. and Paul M. Gardner, MD

HEALTHY LIFE WELLNESS

“They grow so well in our environment,” Colusa Farms’ Jonathan Way says. “And they’re so good for you.”

nutrients, such as potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and copper, that’s not found in fully grown greens. Microgreens are also an excellent source of antioxidants. According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the nutrients in microgreens are up to 40 times more concentrated than those in fully grown leaves and vegetables. Microgreens first began appearing on plates in San Francisco in the 1980s. Recently, they have grown in popularity thanks to small-scale farmers and local growers who have made them available at farmers markets. Unlike other crops, microgreens require minimal space and don’t need large amounts of fertilizer or water. “Most people can do it themselves,” Kays says. “It’s not a large invest-

Dan Cutrona, Erik Kellar

ment. Get a 1020 tray [a standard size]

206

GULFSHORE LIFE

Your cancer experts close to home

At GenesisCare, you gain access to a global network in cancer care. That means thousands of the world’s top cancer minds collaborating with you, giving you local access to the most advanced radiation oncology technology and treatments for the best possible life outcomes. This is a better world of care. This is GenesisCare.

HEALTHY LIFE WELLNESS

Along with traditional broccoli, kale and radishes, local farms are branching out into unexpected varieties,

Dan Cutrona

like micro tatsoi.

Through the STAR*Made Studio, STARability Foundation participants of all abilities develop critical skills and express themselves creatively as they hand-make beautiful products. You can shop and order their candles, jewelry, cards and more!

The STAR*Made Studio is located within the STAR Store, STARability’s upscale resale shop.

106 10th St. N., Naples, FL 34102 IN THE NAPLES DESIGN DISTRICT

Scan to shop and learn more about STARability’s social enterprises.

STARability’s mission: STARability exists to transform the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through social, vocational and educational connections to the Southwest Florida community and beyond.

with drain holes in the bottom, and you

so well in our environment—more so

sonal care industry. Hungarian beauty

can do it with an inch of potting soil.”

than many of the other vegetables that

brand Eminence Organic Skin Care has

As microgreens have become more

we’re used to,” Jonathon says. “But a lot

an entire line devoted to microgreens.

widely embraced, local farmers have

of people haven’t tried them. And they’re

branched out from broccoli, radish, kale

so good for you.”

Thanks to their affordability, the seeds have been popular with gardening enthu-

and pea microgreens into more unex-

In the last five years, the demand

siasts, too, especially during the pan-

pected varieties. Jonathan and Isabel

for microgreens has expanded beyond

demic. A bag of radish seed, for example,

Way of Colusa Farms in Naples have been

the dietary realm into cosmetics. Since

can cost $30 for five pounds. “That’s a lot

growing microgreens since 2011, and in

microgreens contain ample amounts of

of microgreens,” Kays, who is considering

the last few years, started cultivating

vitamins A and B, in addition to other

selling starter kits at Tigertoes, says. “You

tatsoi, joi choi and bok choy. “They grow

nutrients, they’re attractive to the per-

can grow for a year on that.”

HEALTHY LIFE HOUSE CALL

FIVE WAYS TO FEEL YOUR BEST IN APRIL By Zahra Khan

This all-level yoga class ends with a com-

Follow CREW Land & Water Trust edu-

Celebrate Earth Day with nearly 1,000

plimentary beer at Hopsized Brewing

cation coordinator and insect fanatic

others at the Conservancy of Southwest

Co. in Bonita Springs. FMB Yoga Project

Julie Motkowicz during When Bugs

Florida’s Dalton Discovery Center—

provides yoga mats and leads you in an

& Plants Collide, an informative hike

recently expanded to the tune of $4.5

hourlong flow to improve your balance

through CREW’s Flint Pen Strand in

million—in Naples. Explore the wing’s

and mobility (despite the libation). $20;

Bonita Springs. She’ll teach you about

interactive exhibits; try local food trucks;

sabamovementcenter.com

the relationships between plants and

make crafts with your little ones; or hop

insects throughout Southwest Florida.

on a 45-minute boat ride down the Gor-

From $30; crewtrust.org

don River. Free; conservancy.org

3 Walk or run with your furry friend at the Rescue Run 5K, which raises awareness

and funds for adoptable animals at the

Find your Zen with the docile denizens

Cape Coral Animal Shelter. This family-

of Naples’ Shy Wolf Sanctuary Education

friendly event starts with breakfast

& Experience Center while one of four

before the race kicks off at 8 a.m. at

instructors—trained in spiritual and

Mercola Market. You can adopt a pet

holistic coaching, hypnotherapy, yoga

after you cross the finish line. From $30;

or energy healing—leads your two-hour

capecoralanimalshelter.com

relaxation session. Hypnotherapist Lynn shywolfsanctuary.org

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Getty

Domenici guides this session. From $35;

Relief FROM GRIEF.

I’ve been there, and I can help. My passion is helping those who’ve experienced a loss or a difficult transition in their life go forward guiding them from where they may find themselves today and leading them to the future they truly desire.

Let our team start you on your journey. Visit janaseaman.com

405 5th Avenue South Naples, Florida 34102 239-249-5806

To our Chefs, Vintners, Sommeliers, Donors, Sponsors & Corporate Partners, Guests, Trustees, Staff and Volunteers

Together we raised nearly $23 Million… and NEARLY $245 Million since inception.

Every dollar raised under the tent will be awarded to some of the most effective nonprofits that help fulfill children’s needs for food, healthcare, education and other special requirements in our community. Thanks for rising to the occasion for the children of Collier County!

thank you to our SPONSORS AND CORPORATE PARTNERS

UBS Private Wealth Matina Group

BENTLEY NAPLES

most popular beers is Nite Cafe,

ning that we had the opportunity to

a banana-Nutella stout that uses

create something that hadn’t been

bananas grown on the farm. South-

done [locally] before by combining

ern Fresh’s guava and mangoes have

the farm with a brewery.”

made their way into different Crazy

Paasche, Esperon and partner Mike

Dingo beers, most notably Florida

Schwab jumped at the opportunity to

Native, a mango wheat beer that’s

set up shop on the property. “Florida

become a staple. Paasche plans to use

was built on agriculture, on family

some recently planted blackberries

farms like Southern Fresh," Paasche

and chilies in the near future. “The

says. “Brewing on a farm makes sense

farm plays a huge role in so many

to us. People can come here, see some

different aspects of the brewery,”

antique tractors, walk between the

Paasche says. “Our beer is unfiltered

peppers or strawberries, and we give

and unpasteurized. Not having pro-

them a taste of Old Florida.”

cessed ingredients comes through in

A sense of nostalgia doesn’t denote

the flavor.”

outdated practices. Southern Fresh

With the help of the McMahons,

Farms employs windmills and solar

the brewery has even managed to suc-

panels to power some of its farming

cessfully grow hops, the vine-ripened

operations, a recirculating irrigation

flowering cone that contributes the

system to minimize water use, and

bitter essence to pale ales and IPAs.

hydroponic and vertical farming

American hops are typically grown

235

On the 5-acre farm, the guys grow fruit and hops for their brews. “When we say it’s a mango wheat, you can bet the mango was grown right here,” Paasche says.

236

GULFSHORE LIFE

TASTE OF THE GULF RAISE A GLASS

in cool-weather climates. Still, Crazy

The brewing trio often maxes out

Dingo has rows of Cascade hops thriv-

their one-barrel system, offering

ing in the Florida heat and humidity,

five to 10 beers on tap, ranging from

yielding three crops a year, which

a hazy IPA to a French-style bièr

doesn’t cover the brewery's needs

de garde, as well as selections from

but allows for experimentation. “We

other Florida breweries. While

might be the southernmost hops

Paasche knows they’ll need to

growers in the country,” Paasche says.

upgrade their brewing system soon

“It gives us a chance to throw fresh

to keep up with demand, they're in

Cascade hop flowers into our IPAs, so

no hurry to grow beyond their farm

we can make wet-hopped beers a few

roots. “We have a lot more invested

times a year, which is totally unique

in this than just money,” Paasche

in South Florida.”

says, adding that the brewery is still

It seems to be a recipe for success.

a side gig for him and his partners,

Crazy Dingo, which is only open

who also have 9-to-5 jobs. “Crazy

on weekends, is often packed with

Dingo is a cool concept with a per-

families meandering between the

sonal vibe, and we’ve seen breweries

hop vines or wandering to the farm's

lose that when they grow too fast.

petting zoo—home to rescued cows,

We want to maintain what makes us

goats, chickens and a mini donkey.

attractive in the first place."

237

TA S T E O F T H E G U L F

DINING GUIDE The Dining Guide is crafted each month based on editorial discretion and may include restaurants that advertise regularly (denoted by an asterisk). All phone numbers are area code 239 unless specified. Please email diningout@gulfshorelife.com to report changes in a restaurant’s location, prices or menu. We recommend you contact the restaurants for the latest information.

Brunch

Outside Dining

Pet-Friendly

Valet

Water Views

Nick Shirghio

DINING GUIDE KEY:

Situated on the Cocohatchee River in Naples, The Bay House evokes a lakefront clubhouse with wood paneling, tufted leather booths, a stone fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the mangroves.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Italy is closer than you think Delight your palate with delectable Italian food and world-class refreshments like no other. Enjoy an elegant evening meal, or savor upscale brunch offerings on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Whichever you choose, you’ll indulge in one of the Gulfshore’s most-awarded restaurants with an unparalleled dining experience that never disappoints.

MAKE A RESERVATION TODAY! (239) 390-3187 | AngelinasofBonitaSprings.com | 24041 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34135

TASTE OF THE GULF DINING GUIDE

MARCO ISL AND Ario 400 S. Collier Blvd., 394-2511. jwmarriottmarcoisland.com. At the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Ario has a striking Gulf view, elevated culinary offerings and an impressive bar program. $$$$ STEAK

ov The Oyster Society 599 S. Collier Blvd., 394-3474. theoystersociety.com. A chic locale with a raw bar, a plethora of oysters (more than eight selections daily), sushi and fresh catches. $$$$ SEAFOOD

o Sale e Pepe 480 S. Collier Blvd., 393-1600. sale-e-pepe.com. A gem with Italian dishes, a formidable wine cellar and a waterfront patio in the Marco Beach Ocean Resort. $$$$ ITALIAN

varied influences at this locale off Third Street. The open-air setup with a retractable roof is nothing short of impressive. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

op Campiello/The Club Room 1177 Third St. S., 435-1166. campiellonaples.com. A favorite for its contemporary Italian cuisine and courtyard. The Club Room, a restaurant within, features its own menu, drinks and live music most nights. $$$$ ITALIAN

opv D’Amico’s The Continental 1205 Third St. S., 659-0007. damicoscontinental.com. Experience top-quality cuts of steak from around the globe that are enhanced by stylish modern decor, private cabanas and a cocktail lab. $$$$ STEAK

opv

bovw NAPLES THIRD STREET SOUTH Barbatella 1290 Third St. S., 263-1955. barbatellanaples.com. Casual Italian cuisine from the people behind Sea Salt. Meet up at the trendy wine bar or on the relaxed patio. $$$ ITALIAN

op The Bevy 360 12th Ave. S., 228-4220. naplesbevy.com. Enjoy premium craft cocktails and

Jane’s Cafe on 3rd 1209 Third St. S., 261-2253. janesgardencafe.com. Come for the lobster Benedict and stuffed French toast, but stay to sit around the lovely koi fountain on the sunny patio. $$ CAFE

Sea Salt 1186 Third St. S., 434-7258. seasaltnaples.com. A local favorite for sophisticated seafood and its accompaniments. Monthly wine dinners and other events are not to be missed. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

The French Brasserie Rustique 365 Fifth Ave. S., 315-4019. thefrenchnaples.com. From chef Vincenzo Betulia, expect exquisite escargot and steak tartare in a buzzworthy atmosphere. $$$ FRENCH

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FIFTH AVENUE SOUTH

Hobnob Kitchen & Bar 720 Fifth Ave. S., Unit 101, 580-0070. hobnobnaples. com. Updated takes on American cuisine in a cool, contemporary dining room.

Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro* 865 Fifth Ave. S., 594-5557. bhabhabistro.com. Find exquisite Persian cuisine in this jewel box of a dining room. Expect authentic fare, plus unique twists to vegetables, lamb and more. $$$$ MIDDLE EASTERN

o Bistro 821 821 Fifth Ave. S., 261-5821. bistro821.com. Expect an open kitchen and a menu filled with originality. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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$$$ ITALIAN

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$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Del Mar 494 Fifth Ave. S., 350-0134. delmarnaplesrestaurant.com. The latest from restaurateur Cameron Mitchell is this twostory, fine-dining eatery with a menu drawing from various Mediterranean cuisines.

$$$$ MEDITERRANEAN

GULFSHORE LIFE

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Chops City Grill 837 Fifth Ave. S., 262-4677. chopscitygrill.com. An elegant, baroque-inspired steakhouse. $$$$ STEAK

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Ocean Prime 699 Fifth Ave. S., 430-0404. ocean-prime.com. National restaurateur Cameron Mitchell presents fromscratch surf and turf, an elegant dining room and highly attentive service.

Osteria Tulia/Bar Tulia 466 Fifth Ave. S., 213-2073. osteriatulia.com. Go for Sicilian-inspired fare in a rustic-chic setting or the Bar Tulia gastropub, which has unbeatable craft cocktails.

bopv Ridgway Bar & Grill 1300 Third St. S., 262-5500. ridgwaybarandgrill.com. A quintessential Old Naples restaurant with creative American fare.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Pazzo! Cucina Italiana 853 Fifth Ave. S., 434-8494. pazzoitaliancafe.com. Beautiful presentations and twists on Italian favorites. $$$$ ITALIAN

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TASTE OF THE GULF DINING GUIDE

Grappino 90 Ninth St. N., 331-4325. grappinonaples.com. This Aielli Group eatery offers a fine selection of charcuterie, as well as build-your-own pasta. $$$ ITALIAN

op The Lake Park Diner 944 Seventh Ave. N., 2286351. thelakeparkdiner. com. This casual spot serves healthy, organic fare with many vegan options, plus modernized diner classics. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

On Fifth Avenue South, Sails Restaurant imports decadent seafood and chops, like marbled Australian Wagyu.

Sails Restaurant 301 Fifth Ave. S., 360-2000. sailsrestaurants.com. This refined eatery and raw bar has a weekend Champagne brunch that’s a destination in itself. $$$$ SEAFOOD

Truluck’s 698 Fourth Ave. S., 530-3131. trulucks.com. The fine-dining locale touts seafood from the Gulf and beyond. $$$$ SEAFOOD

Yabba Island Grill 711 Fifth Ave. S., 262-5787. yabbaislandgrill.com. Surf and turf, including seasonal stone crab, is the focus at this restaurant with prime patio seating. $$$ SEAFOOD

The Rooster Food + Drink 600 Goodlette-Frank Road N., #101, 228-5973. theroos ternaples.com. A breakfast and lunch spot with comfort fare. Dinner is served Wednesday through Friday in season. $$ AMERICAN

Sushi Thai Downtown 898 Fifth Ave., 430-7575. Multiple locations throughout Collier and Lee counties. sushithaidowntown.com. Large selection of sushi and Thai dishes. $$$ ASIAN

Veranda E 290 Fifth Ave. S., 659-3466. hotelescalante.com. A courtyard setting and menu with Asian and French influences in Hotel Escalante. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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DOWNTOWN NAPLES The Claw Bar 221 Ninth St. S., 231-3912. theclawbar.com. Expect Southern charm, the best oysters, exquisite seafood and cocktails with flair. $$$$ SEAFOOD

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Seventh South Craft Food + Drink 849 Seventh Ave. S., 231-4553. seventhsouth. com. One of Naples’ best restaurants, where food and drink earn equal acclaim. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Brian Tietz

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BAYFRONT Industry Beer & BBQ 449 Bayfront Place, 331-4160. industrybeerandbbq.com. From the team behind LowBrow Pizza & Beer, comes slow-smoked ‘cue and a large selection of craft beers. $$ BARBECUE

opv Chez Boët 755 12th Ave. S., 643-6177. chezboetnaples.com. French staples, plus an impressive Scotch list. $$$$ FRENCH

Bleu Provence 1234 Eighth St. S., 261-8239. bleuprovencenaples.com. Channel the south of France with the food and Naples’

$$$ INDIAN

opw The Dock at Crayton Cove 845 12th Ave. S., 263-9940. dockcraytoncove.com. This laid-back spot serves Florida seafood on Naples Bay.

Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen 4270 Tamiami Trail E., 315-4167. kareemskitchen. com. Here, you’ll find seven types of hummus, salads and chicken with za’atar potatoes.

$$$ SEAFOOD

$$$ MIDDLE EASTERN

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op CRAY TON COVE

21 Spices by Chef Asif 4270 Tamiami Trail E., #21, 919-8830. 21spicesdining. com. Authentic cuisine from an award-winning chef.

LowBrow Pizza & Beer 3148 Tamiami Trail E., 529-6919. lowbrowpizzaandbeer.com. Gourmet, wood-fired pies are served with craft brews in a fun, art-filled space. $$ ITALIAN

EAST NAPLES

only Grand Award-winning wine list. $$$$ FRENCH

Rumba Cuban Café 1265 Airport-Pulling Road S., 659-2996. rumbacubancafe. com. Classic Cuban cuisine with fun twists and attentive service. $$$ LATIN AMERICAN

FINE SEAFOOD DAY BOAT SELECTIONS SEASONAL FAVORITES

SEAFOOD, SEAFOOD, STEAKS STEAKS & & WINE WINE RESERVATIONS: RESERVATIONS: 239.314.3855 239.314.3855 SILVERKINGOCEANBRASSERIE.COM SILVERKINGOCEANBRASSERIE.COM

LUMINARY HOTEL & CO. 2200 EDWARDS DR. FORT MYERS, FL 33901

TASTE OF THE GULF DINING GUIDE

op Three60 Market 2891 Bayview Drive, Naples, 732-7331. three60market. com. A breakfast and lunch cafe with gourmet flair, a specialty market and an impressive wine shop. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

opw MIDTOWN Alexander’s Restaurant 4077 Tamiami Trail N., 262-4999. alexandersnaples. com. The menus are filled with seafood and tastes from around the world, presented in a modern cafe and lush garden atmosphere.

American classics. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

op Dorona 2110 Tamiami Trail N., 5292819. doronanaples.com. The Aeilli Group’s upscale steakhouse has a diverse menu, featuring seafood, pastas and custom cuts of beef. $$$$ STEAK

opb Escargot 41 4351 Tamiami Trail N., 793-5000. escargot41. com. This traditional spot features a page of escargot specials alone. $$$ FRENCH

op Fernández the Bull 3375 Pine Ridge Road, #101, 653-9097. fernandezthebull. com. Expect great authentic Cuban dishes, like picadillo a la criolla and ropa vieja.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

$$ LATIN AMERICAN

Andre’s Steakhouse 2800 Tamiami Trail N., 263-5851. andressteakhouse. com. If you’re a fan of Peter Luger, opt for this tiny joint founded by one of its former chefs. $$$$ STEAK

Food & Thought 2132 Tamiami Trail N., 213-2222. foodandthought. com. An organic grocer and counter-service cafe with raw and vegan options.

Cibao Grille 814 Neapolitan Way, 434-6653. cibaogrille.com. Here, the Caribbean dishes from the owners’ native Dominican Republic mix with

Fujiyama 2555 Tamiami Trail N., 2614332. naplesfujiyama.com. Japanese master chefs prepare dinners with flair at your hibachi table. $$$ ASIAN

$ VEGETARIAN

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GULFSHORE LIFE

FUSE Global Cuisine/ FUSE BBQ 2500 Tamiami Trail N. #115, 455-4585. fuseglobalcuisine. com. Find cuisines from around the world at finedining Fuse and top barbecue next door. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

op Harold’s Place 2555 Tamiami Trail N., 263-7254. naplesharolds place.com. This chickee bar serves a winning charbroiled burger. $ AMERICAN

op Hogfish Harry’s 600 Neapolitan Way, 776-7623. hogfishharrys. com. The menu follows a commitment to sourcing 90% of its seafood from local fishermen. $$$ SEAFOOD

o Hyde N Chic 923 Creech Road, 404-3065. hydenchicrestaurant.com. In his artfully appointed dining room, chef Andy Hyde guides you through his inspired tasting menus. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Jimmy P’s Charred 1833 Tamiami Trail N., 643-2427. jimmypscharred.com. A casual steakhouse specializing in Wagyu beef from Naples’ longtime trusted butcher. $$$$ STEAK

Komoon Thai Sushi & Ceviche 1575 Pine Ridge Road, #9, 234-2442. komoonthai.com. A fun mix of Thai, Japanese and Peruvian fare in a contemporary locale that often hosts live music. $$ ASIAN Lamoraga Restaurant 3936 Tamiami Trail N., 331-3669. lamoragarestaurant.com. Contemporary upscale twists on Spanish dishes, plus other small plates. $$$$ SPANISH

opv Le Indya 975 Pine Ridge Road, 591-5156. leindya.com. The authentic cuisine includes plenty of vegetarian and vegan fare. $$ INDIAN The Local* 5323 Airport-Pulling Road, 596-3276. thelocalnaples. com. A farm-to-table restaurant with locally sourced, healthy cuisine. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

o Martin Fierro 13040 Livingston Road, 3004777. martinfierrorestaurant. com. At this Argentinian and Uruguayan parrillada, you’ll find grass-fed beef and tango music. $$$ LATIN AMERICAN

o Moura Bistro 3369 Pine Ridge Road, 738-8883. mourabistro.com.

Nicole Nixon

Tacos & Tequila Cantina 4834 Davis Blvd., 732-8226. tacosandtequilanaples.com. Tacos with lots of clever spins, plus margaritas aplenty. $$ MEXICAN

A tiny spot with flavorful Lebanese fare, like falafel, tabbouleh and shawarma. $$$ MIDDLE EASTERN

o Shula’s Steak House 5111 Tamiami Trail N., 430-4999. shulasnaples.com. Late NFL Hall of Fame coach Don Shula’s classic steakhouse. $$$$ STEAK Swan River Seafood and Fish Market 3741 Tamiami Trail N., 403-7000. swanriverseafood.com. Find Cape Cod-style seafood, and a market with fresh catches, wine and more. $$$ SEAFOOD

USS Nemo 3745 Tamiami Trail N., 261-6366. ussnemorestaurant.com. Masterful creations using fresh seafood from a classically trained chef. $$$ SEAFOOD

o Ziggy D’Amico’s Whiskey Bar & Diner 4691 Ninth St. N., 430-0955. ziggydamicos.com. This D’Amico & Partners spot has an emphasis on whiskey. $$ AMERICAN

bop

Octopus is seared on a Japanese-style robata grill and plated with habanero sauce at Blanc in Fort Myers.

Photo courtesy of Maxwell Mackenzie

HHHHI Yelp / TripAdvisor

Small photos: Maxwell MacKenzie, Jonathon Hunt

ONE OF COASTAL LIVING’S

“50 SECRET PLACES”

Tarpon Lodge and Restaurant offers a tranquil getaway steeped in “Old Florida” tradition. Famous for its acclaimed dining, whispering Gulf breezes, and spectacular nightly sunset shows. TARPONLODGE.COM 13771 WATERFRONT DR PINE ISLAND, FL 239-283-3999

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TASTE OF THE GULF DINING GUIDE

Bayside Seafood Grill & Bar 4270 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 649-5552. baysideseafood grillandbar.com. Here, you’ll find more than 200 feet of waterfront dining. $$$$ SEAFOOD

opv MiraMare Ristorante 4236 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 430-6273. miramarenaples. com. Enjoy classic Italian fare on the waterfront patio overlooking Venetian Bay. $$$ ITALIAN

ovw M Waterfront Grille 4300 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 263-4421. mwaterfrontgrille. com. Expect organic meals, served in the main dining room (with bay views) and on the terrace. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

ovwb T-Michaels Steak and Lobster House 4050 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 261-0622. t-michaels.com. Steakhouse dining on the waterfront, featuring USDA Prime meats and Maine lobster. $$$$ STEAK

majority of the menu caters to vegetarians, but it’s a perfect place for flexitarians, too. $$$ VEGETARIAN

o NORTH NAPLES BALEEN 9891 Gulf Shore Drive, 5985707. laplayaresort.com. A wraparound terrace sets the stage for creative cuisine at LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

ovw The Bay House* 799 Walkerbilt Road, 591-3837. bayhousenaples.com. Southern-inspired menus and a raw bar with panoramic mangrove and water views. $$$$ SEAFOOD

ovwb Bella Mia Italian Cafe 808 Wiggins Pass Road, 250-3310. bellamiaitaliacafe.com. A tightly edited menu— including European coffee and pastries—from an acclaimed chef. $$ ITALIAN

Black Forest Restaurant 2366 Immokalee Road, 592-4784. blackforestnaples. com. Here, you’ll find classic German and Austrian fare.

WATERSIDE SHOPS

$$$ EASTERN EUROPEAN

True Food Kitchen 5375 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 15, 431-4580. truefoodkitchen.com. The

Bone Hook Brewing Co. 1514 Immokalee Road, 631-8522. bonehookbrewing. com. This well-respected

246

microbrewery has a taproom with a full kitchen and table service. $$ BAR BITES

GULFSHORE LIFE

Café Gourmand 9853 Tamiami Trail N., 260-7109. cafegourmand.net. Here, find crepes by day, and formal dinner service by night. $$ FRENCH

o Côte d’Azur 11224 Tamiami Trail N., 5978867. cotedazurrestaurant. com. Delectable French cuisine, from filet mignon to quail, in a cozy Provençal setting. $$$$ FRENCH The Crust 8004 Trail Blvd., 244-8488. thecrustpizza.net. With a huge sports bar, it’s one of the area’s most popular pizza joints. $$ ITALIAN DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Lounge* 241 Center St. N., 591-1200. darumarestaurant.com. Expect Teppan-style tableside cooking. $$$$ ASIAN Deep Lagoon Seafood & Fish Market* 8777 Tamiami Trail N., 6316266. deeplagoon.com. This popular eatery is owned by the family behind Pinchers. $$$ SEAFOOD

o Dusk 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road,

598-6644. ritzcarlton.com. This stylish sushi lounge in The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, has a patio overlooking the Gulf. $$$$ ASIAN

ovw Fernández the Bull 1201 Piper Blvd., #10, 2549855. fernandezthebull.com. Authentic Cuban dishes and daily happy hour. $$ LATIN AMERICAN

op Grain De Café 8803 Tamiami Trail N., 5948081. frenchcafenaples.com. The wait is worth it for the pain au chocolat, quiches and crepes. $$ FRENCH

bo The Grill 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 598-6644. ritzcarlton.com. This steakhouse in The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, evokes the ambiance of an elegant private club. $$$$ STEAK

v Jimmy P’s Burgers & More 1833 Tamiami Trail N., 1201 Piper Blvd., #11, 514-1800. jimmypsburgers.com. The same superior meats from the longtime trusted butcher, with an emphasis on juicy burgers. $$$$ STEAK

o Komoon Thai Sushi & Ceviche 1514 Immokalee Road, 2342442. komoonthai.com. A fun

Brian Tietz

THE VILLAGE SHOPS ON VENETIAN BAY

mix of Thai, Japanese and Peruvian fare in a contemporary locale that often hosts live music. $$ ASIAN

992-3663. parmesanpetes. com. Order huge portions of Parmesans, meatballs and lasagna. $$$ ITALIAN

Namba 8847 Tamiami Trail N., 5924992. nambanaples.com. This Japanese menu is limited to a remarkable selection of ramen, sushi and small plates. $$$ ASIAN

The Turtle Club 9225 Gulf Shore Drive, 5926557. turtleclubnaples.com. This beachfront restaurant offers toes-in-the-sand service and coastal cuisine. $$$$ SEAFOOD

ovw Parmesan Pete’s 7935 Airport-Pulling Road,

Zen Asian BBQ 10823 Tamiami Trail N., 260Naples’ Chez Boët features one of the region’s most extensive Scotch collections.

DRY AGED

ON-PREMISE

LIVE MUSIC • OUTDOOR HEATED DINING & FIRE PITS • SAT AND SUN BRUNCH • FULL LIQUOR LICENSE

Reserve your individual steak now.

239-208-8518

2150 West First Street Fort Myers, Fl 33901

www.kingskitchenandbar.com www.facebook.com/kingskitchenandbar

TASTE OF THE GULF DINING GUIDE

7037. eatatzen.com. A panAsian joint with fresh sushi, ramen, bar bites and Korean barbecue. $$$ ASIAN

thehamptonsocial.com. A lofty Chicago export with a chic, rosé-all-day bar scene complemented by great seafood. $$$ SEAFOOD

ov MERCATO Bar Tulia 9118 Strada Place, #8150, 438-1031. bartulia.com. The second location of this Italian gastropub features expertly crafted cocktails. $$$ ITALIAN

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Rocco’s Tacos 9123 Strada Place, 500-8226. roccostacos.com. This lively locale has roughly 500 selections of tequila and mezcal. $$$ MEXICAN

THE PAVILION KC American Bistro 885 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 566-2371. kcamericanbistro. com. Seasonal, American cuisine from chef Keith Casey. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

o Tacos & Tequila Cantina 8971 Tamiami Trail N., 254-8226. tacosandtequilanaples.com. Inventive tacos and margaritas. $$ MEXICAN

op The Hampton Social 9114 Strada Place, 202-2038.

GALLERIA SHOPPES AT VANDERBILT Alpine Restaurant 2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 325-9499. alpineofnaples.com. Expect the best of German, Slovak, Czech, Polish and Hungarian cuisines. $$$ EASTERN EUROPEAN

o The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar 2343 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 513-0095. thecavenaples.

FARM

astoral fields farm’s bounty, ne list, and

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rosytomorrowsheritagefarm.com Experience picturesque dining overlooking fields Experience picturesque dining overlooking pastoralpastoral fields Experience picturesque dining overlooking pastoral fields of grazing cattle.Top-rated Top-rated cuisine from the farm’s of grazing cattle. cuisine from thebounty, farm’s bounty, of grazing cattle. Top-rated from the farm’s bounty, handcrafted drinks, sommelier selected cuisine wine list, certified handcrafted beverages, sommelier selected wine list, and handcrafted beverages, sommelier selected wine list, and grass-fed beef, organically-raised heritage breed Red Wattle organically-raised meats and vegetables. pork, organically-grown vegetables. organically-raised meats and vegetables.

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com. This gem is an ode to Burgundy’s cellars, complete with continental small plates. $$$ WINE BAR

com. The sister restaurant to Naples’ elegant steakhouse has been recently renovated, including a new menu and cocktail list. $$$$ STEAK

opv Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza 2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 631-6844. mistero1.com. Extraordinary isn’t hyperbole; try the star-shaped pizza with ricotta-stuffed crust for proof. $$ ITALIAN

Coconut Jack’s Waterfront Grille 5370 Bonita Beach Road, 676-7777. coconutjacks.com. A perfect stop for quick bites with quiet water views.

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Poke Mahi* 2349 Vanderbilt Beach Road, #520, 260-5722. pokema hi.com. Here, you’ll find Hawaiian-style poke bowls, customized with your choice of fish and toppings. $ CAFE

DeRomo’s Gourmet Market & Restaurant 26811 S. Bay Drive, #140 and #148, 325-3583. deromos. com. This restaurant with a big-city vibe is part and parcel of an Italian market.

Jimmy P’s Bistro 25301 Tamiami Trail S., 3900301. jimmypssteaks.com. The trusted butcher serves superior meats and shareable plates. $$$$ STEAK

$$$ SEAFOOD

Komoon Thai Sushi & Ceviche 3300 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 234-2442. komoonthai.com. Thai, Japanese and Peruvian fare in a contemporary spot that often hosts live music. $$ ASIAN

$$$$ ITALIAN

Lapa’s Costa Rican Bistro 26251 S. Tamiami Trail, 2217016. lapascr.com. Expect authentic plates of arroz con pollo, gallos and tostadas.

BONITA SPRINGS

$$ LATIN AMERICAN

Angelina’s Ristorante* 24041 S. Tamiami Trail, 390-3187. angelinasofbon itasprings.com. Here you’ll find, fine Italian food, plush banquettes, live piano music nightly and an award-winning wine list. $$$$ ITALIAN

Downtown Coffee and Wine Company 27546 Old 41, 272-6068. downtowncoffeeandwine company.com. A menu of light bites accompanies specialty coffee and more than a dozen wines by the glass. Don’t miss Champagne and oyster pop-up nights. $ CAFE

Olde Florida Chop House 3401 Bay Commons Drive, 948-4400. oldefloridachophouse.com. Waterfront dining serving Florida-style dishes.

v C Level Bistro & Wine Bar 4450 Bonita Beach Road, 221-7046. c-levelbar.com. This intimate locale is dependable for continental fare like steak au poivre. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

o Chops City Grill 8200 Health Center Blvd, 992-4677. chopsbonita.

p Figs Grille 25987 S. Tamiami Trail #109, 390-1700. figsgrille.com. Find a refreshing fusion of Spanish, Turkish, Moroccan, Lebanese and French cuisines. $$$ MEDITERRANEAN

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

w The Other Side Bistro 24630 S. Tamiami Trail, 9927433. bonitaspringsbistro. com. Chef Brian McCarley serves comfort dishes with a modern flair. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

op Petar’s Restaurant 3300 Bonita Beach Road, #120, 249-4064. petarsre staurant.com. Chef Petar

Al Kurdi has developed a strong following for his deftly prepared cuisine. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

o Roy’s Restaurant 26831 S. Bay Drive, 498-7697. roysrestaurant.com. Enjoy celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi’s Hawaiian and Pacific fusion fine dining. $$$$ ASIAN

o A Table Apart 4295 Bonita Beach Road, 221-8540. atableapart.com. This restaurant fuses influences from throughout the Pacific Rim. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Tarpon Bay 5001 Coconut Road, 3904295. hyatt.com. Elegant waterfront dining within Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa. $$$$ SEAFOOD

ovw Wylds Café 4271 Bonita Beach Road, 947-0408. wyldscafe.com. Three chefs join forces for a fine-dining experience. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

opv ESTERO Divieto Ristorante 23161 Village Shops Way, #101, 390-2977. divietoris torante.com. Famous for its fettuccine Alfredo prepared in a hollowed-out Parmesan wheel. $$$ ITALIAN

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TASTE OF THE GULF DINING GUIDE

FORT MYERS BEACH Fresh Catch Bistro 3040 Estero Blvd., 463-2600. freshcatchbistro.com. A notch above the more casual fare on the beach without feeling stuffy. $$$ SEAFOOD

ow Tacos & Tequila Cantina 10952 Eagle Village Drive, 330-8226. tacosandtequi lanaples.com. Tacos with clever spins, plus margaritas aplenty. $$ MEXICAN

FORT MYERS SOUTH FORT MYERS

Fancy’s Southern Café 8890 Salrose Lane, #101, 561-2988. fancyssouthern cafe.com. Southern favorites in a casual atmosphere. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

o Artisan Eatery 8951 Daniels Parkway, 887-4844. artisaneatery.com. Look for outstanding specials at this stamp-size cafe. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

Naples’ The Continental is a favorite for its rare cuts of beef and buzzy courtyard.

250

Ember 7091 College Parkway, #9, 771-8818. emberfortmyers. com. A gem with tabletop barbecue, fusion dishes and sushi. $$$ ASIAN

GULFSHORE LIFE

La Trattoria Café Napoli 12377 S. Cleveland Ave., 931-0050. latrattoria cafenapoli.com. Known for paella, this Spanish restaurant also features a variety

of tapas and seafood. $$$ MEDITERRANEAN

Liberty 12995 S. Cleveland Ave., #112, 689-5528. eatliberty.us. Chef Bob Boye’s dinner-only gem, features menus that are progressive, artfully plated and constantly changing. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Osteria Celli 15880 Summerlin Road, #308, 267-1310. osteriacelli. com. Fresh pastas are a highlight. $$$ ITALIAN The Saucy Meatball 12401 Commerce Lakes Drive, 800-7172. saucymeat

Brian Tietz

The Saloon 23151 Village Shops Way, 949-2583. thesaloon.net. A taste of Old West Americana, with grilled steaks, barbecue, classic sides and original cocktails. $$$ AMERICAN

ball.com. An industrial-chic pizzeria with crave-worthy entrees. $$ ITALIAN Viet Village 16571 S. Tamiami Trail, 208-8368. vietvillagefl.com. Famous for its rare-beef pho and rice specials cooked in a clay pot. $$ ASIAN BELL TOWER SHOPS DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Lounge* 13499 S. Cleveland Ave., 344-0037. darumarestau rant.com. Here, you’ll find Teppan-style tableside cooking with filet mignon tempura and sushi. $$$$ ASIAN

NAPLES’ FIRST

Farm & Sea-to-Table

CENTRAL FORT MYERS Chef Brooke’s Natural Café 1850 Boy Scout Drive, #A106, 332-2433. chef brookeonline.com. Here, you’ll find options for organic, gluten-free and vegan cuisine. $$ VEGETARIAN

RESTAURANT

KETO * PLANT-BASED ORGANIC VEGAN * VEGETARIAN DAIRY-FREE OPTIONS OPEN FOR LUNCH, HAPPY HOUR, DINNER + WEEKEND BRUNCH ONLINE ORDERING AVAILABLE

bo El Gaucho Inca 4383 Colonial Blvd., 275-7504; 22909 Lyden Drive, Estero, 494-1564. elgauchoinca.com. Try exquisite Argentinian and Peruvian dishes.

BRUNCH AVAILABLE SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS / 10:30AM Inspired by the Season

$$ LATIN AMERICAN

op SOURCED LOCALLY

IMPASSIONED BY SUSTAINABILITY

5323 Airport-Pulling Rd, Naples * (239) 596-FARM * www.TheLocalNaples.com

TASTE OF THE GULF DINING GUIDE

A tiled wall installation nods to the elevated coastal cuisine at The Silver King Ocean Brasserie at Luminary Hotel & Co. in Fort Myers.

$$ ASIAN

KJ’s Steakhouse 10950 S. Cleveland Ave., 275-4745. kjsfreshgrill.com. The creators pride themselves on aging and searing. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Sasse’s Restaurant 3651 Evans Ave., 278-5544. sassesrestaurant.com. Here, Northern Italian and European cuisine are cooked in a wood-burning oven to critical acclaim. $$$$ ITALIAN

MCGREGOR CORRIDOR Azure 15301 McGregor Blvd., 2884296. azurefortmyers.com. Chef Joe Pittman excels at modernized French classics with a Southern flair. $$$ FRENCH

o Blanc 13451 McGregor Blvd., 8873139. blancentertainment. com. The contemporary restaurant mixes global flavors. $$ FRENCH Cibo 12901 McGregor Blvd., #5, 454-3700. cibofortmyers. com. This Italian spot serves stellar food and wines. $$$ ITALIAN

Crave Restaurant 12901 McGregor Blvd., 4664663. cravemenu.com. The comfort fare is made from scratch. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Deep Lagoon Seafood & Oyster House* 14040 McGregor Blvd., 689-5474. deeplagoon.com. A waterfront spot with a raw bar and scenic marina views. $$$ SEAFOOD

ovw Roadhouse Café 15660 San Carlos Blvd., 4154375. roadhousecafefl.com. With a wide range of dishes (including steak), there’s something for everyone. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bullig Coffee & Bites 1815 Fowler St., 703-2629. The concept is thoroughly modern and whimsical, with bespoke brews, plus savory and sweet waffles. $ CAFE

op Izzy’s Fish & Oyster 2282 First St., 337-4999. izzysftmyers.com. A raw bar and New England-style seafood spot in the River District. $$$ SEAFOOD

ov King’s Kitchen* 2150 W. First St., 208-8518. kingskitchenandbar.com. Expect a warehouse vibe, beer garden and global comforts. $$ ECLECTIC

o 252

GULFSHORE LIFE

Brian Tietz

Ginger Bistro 4650 Cleveland Ave., #8, 689-3113. gingerbistrousa. com. Expect authentic dim sum and traditional Cantonese barbecue.

The Silver King Ocean Brasserie* 2200 Edwards Drive, (833) 918-1512. luminaryhotel.com. Inside the Luminary Hotel & Co., it serves sophisticated coastal cuisine. Also, check out the hotel’s riverfront Oxbow Bar & Grill, and the rooftop Beacon Social Drinkery. $$$$ SEAFOOD

owvp The Standard 1520 Broadway, 219-6463. thestandardftmyers.com. Here, dine on from-scratch eats and craft cocktails, served in a convivial atmosphere. $$$

NAPLES . FT. MYERS . SARASOTA

241 Center Street N, Naples, Florida 34108 239-591-1200 13499 South Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers, Florida 33907 239-344-0037 5459 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota, Florida 34232 941-342-6600 4910 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida 34231 941-552-9465

www.DaRuMaRestaurant.com

MODERN AMERICAN

ov Twisted Vine Bistro 2214 Bay St., 226-1687. twistedvinebistro.com. Expect eclectic twists and a large wine list. The Barrel Room next door stocks rare whiskies and plays live blues. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

o The Veranda 2122 Second St., 332-2065. verandarestaurant.com. At Fort Myers’ grande dame, you’ll find filet mignon, veal and top-notch service. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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TASTE OF THE GULF DINING GUIDE

Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm* 8250 Nalle Grade Road, 5676000. rosy-tomorrows.com. On this working farm, you’ll get a true farm-to-table experience. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

op SANIBEL ISLAND Bleu Rendez-Vous French Bistro 2430 Periwinkle Way, 565-1608. bleurendezvous.com. This spot is lauded for its authentic French fare, like coq au vin and cassoulet. $$$$ FRENCH

o Cielo 1244 Periwinkle Way, 472-5555. cielo-sanibel.com. Enjoy modern American fare, all made in-house. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

MudBugs Cajun Kitchen 1473 Periwinkle Way, 472-2221. mudbugssanibel.com. A menu of Crescent City classics (beignets, po’boys). $$ MODERN AMERICAN

o Sweet Melissa’s Café 1625 Periwinkle Way, 4721956. sweetmelissascafe.com. Sanibel’s first semifinalist for a James Beard Award crafts creative menus.

o T2 2340 Periwinkle Way, 5588919. t2traders.com. Retro-chic restaurant serves short rib flatbreads, curried snapper and housemade bread pudding. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

o CAPTIVA ISL AND Keylime Bistro at Captiva Island Inn* 11509 Andy Rosse Lane, 395-4000. keylimebistrocaptiva.com. Colorful island spot with a full bar. $$$

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille Multiple locations throughout Lee County. docfords.com. Go for the seafood, mojitos and its namesake rum bar.

MODERN AMERICAN

$$$ SEAFOOD

opw

o The Mucky Duck 11546 Andy Rosse Lane, 472-3434. muckyduck.com. A British pub vibe with seafood platters, beer and live music on the beach. $$$ AMERICAN

RC Otter’s Island Eats* 11506 Andy Rosse Lane, 3951142. captivaislandinn.com. RC’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to the tune of daily live music. $$ AMERICAN

op Sunshine Seafood Cafe and Wine Bar* 11508 Andy Rosse Lane, 472-6200. captivaislandinn. com. A step above the rest of the island’s beachy cafes with sophisticated entrees. $$$$ SEAFOOD

CAPE COR AL & PINE ISL AND Cork Soakers Deck & Wine Bar 837 SE 47th Terrace, 5426622. corksoakers.net. An irreverent tone shows in the decor and on the menu. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

opw

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

w 254

ferent continents at The Vine Room in Naples.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

The Mad Hatter 6467 Sanibel Captiva Road, 472-0033. madhatterrestau rant.com. This is the place to be for whimsical beachfront fine dining on the island.

Expertly crafted cocktails are inspired by travels to dif-

GULFSHORE LIFE

Fathoms Restaurant & Bar 5785 Cape Harbour Drive,

542-0123. fathomsrestarant.com. Expect modern cuisine with international influences. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

opw Fish Tale Grill By Merrick Seafood 1229 S.E. 47th Terrace, 257-3167. fishtalegrill.com. With an adjacent fish market, many items here earn descriptions like “the best I ever ate.” $$$$ SEAFOOD

o Gather 5971 Silver King Blvd., 673-9939. gathercape.com. Two celebrated chefs team up in this Tarpon Point Marina locale. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

opw Ginger Bistro 2366 Surfside Blvd., #101, 558-8865. gingerbistrousa. com. Authentic Chinese fare, including dim sum and traditional Cantonese barbecue. $$ ASIAN

Anna Nguyen

NORTH FORT MYERS

AT POKE-MAHI IT’S ALL ABOUT FAST, FRESH AND HEALTHY FOOD. Jungle Bird Authentic Tiki 1520 Lafayette St., 471-4111. junglebirdtiki.com. A sophisticated homage to all things tiki, with cocktails and nuanced Pacific Rim dishes. $$$ ASIAN

We’ve taken the island dish and infused our Asian touch to bring it into the mainland.

opb Marker 92 Waterfront Bar & Bistro/Nauti Mermaid 5961 Silver King Blvd., 541-5600. marriott. com. Sit outside for views of the bay, while enjoying entrees and shareable plates like oysters Rockefeller. $$$ SEAFOOD

ow Nevermind Awesome Bar & Eatery 927 E. Cape Coral Parkway, 994-3062. nevermindcapecoral.com. A hip spot with comfort food, strong cocktails and a fun, musical atmosphere.

2349 Vanderbilt Beach Road Suite 520 Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt, Naples FL 34109 239-260-5722 | Pokemahi.com/Naples

$$ MODERN AMERICAN

op Point 57 Kitchen & Cocktails 3522 Del Prado Blvd. S., 471-7785. point-57.com. A critically acclaimed menu is the bedrock of one of Lee County’s best restaurants. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

o Slate’s 4820 Candia St., 540-6800. slatescapecoral.com. New Orleans is evoked in all dishes, from the traditional to the inventive—as well as in the lively jazz lounge. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

The latest in Southwest Florida dining

ob Tarpon Lodge Restaurant* 13771 Waterfront Dr., Bokeelia, 283-3999. tarponlodge.com. Expect imaginatively crafted lunch and dinner in a 1920s fishing lodge overlooking Pine Island Sound. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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An Albert Chailosky miniature at BIG ARTS, photographed by Gabriel Rosario

ARTS + CULTURE

p_ 266

266

Curator ’s Corner: BIG A RTS ’ Lauren Huf f

272

Agenda: Top Events for April

CURATOR’S CORNER

HOMEWARD BOUND

ARTS + CULTURE

A prodigal daughter returns to Sanibel Island with an artful agenda, and BIG ARTS is all the better for it. By Lauren Amalia Redding Photography by Gabriel Rosario

A tattoo peeks out from beneath

needed and appreciated locally. Huff

Lauren Huff’s sleeve: A miniature

stayed on and worked her way into

inking of the Venus of Willendorf, a

her current role.

25,000-year-old sculpture of a volup-

She had already slated exhibitions

tuous female body, believed to be a

to fill the freshly minted Dunham

fertility symbol. It tells you every-

Family Gallery when BIG ARTS

thing you need to know about Huff.

opened its new facilities in January

In a few short years, the 32-year-old

2020 when the pandemic hit. Rather

has built a rock-solid reputation as

than cancel the programming, she

the programs and gallery manager

created BIG ARTS’ Virtual Galleries.

at BIG ARTS, Sanibel, thanks to her

Artists installed winter and spring

avid curiosity and keen understand-

shows as planned and photos of the

ing of past and present cultures.

works were displayed in digital 3D

The Lee County native didn’t

spaces that the audience could ‘walk’

expect to stay in Southwest Florida.

through. Sanibel’s transient seasonal

After graduating from Savannah Col-

patrons requested that BIG ARTS

lege of Art and Design (SCAD) with

keep producing the Virtual Galler-

a bachelor’s in fine arts in 2013, she

ies even as the pandemic waned so

worked as a visual arts intern at BIG

that they could stay connected with

ARTS. Although she toyed with the

the art center when they were out of

idea of finding work in a bigger city,

town; the galleries are now a fixture

the region’s dizzying population

of all in-person exhibits. “The new

growth and the ensuing demand for

gallery space allows for us to do more

more visual arts programming made

than just two-dimensional works on

her education at one of the country’s

the walls,” Huff says. “With multiple

most acclaimed art schools both

projection spaces, a complete strut

266

GULFSHORE LIFE

267

ARTS + CULTURE CURATOR’S CORNER

Huff is taking advantage of BIG ARTS’ revamped digs, bringing in global talent and innovative programming with local artists. A recent show featured miniature urban scenes (right) by former set designer Albert Chailosky.

268

GULFSHORE LIFE

system, concrete floors and wireless

ity,” she explains. “The show came

sound system, we can really push the

together organically and gave a peek

boundaries of the traditional gallery

into a local area that most on Sanibel

idea.” Last spring, the art center

may not know about.”

hosted Miami artist Aida Tejada’s

Future shows include partner-

Urban Layers exhibition, featuring

ships with Lee Memorial System’s

multimedia pieces including installa-

Arts in Healthcare Program, Florida

tion, video and experimental photog-

SouthWestern State College and a

raphy. Huff and her team encourage

collective of female rugmakers from

artists to make the space their own.

Guatemala, to name a few. “Just

Despite the successes, Huff deals

because we’re on an island doesn’t

with some unique locational chal-

mean all we have to offer is the typ-

lenges. “Geographically, being on the

ical island art,” she says.

island can be a bit disconnected from

She stays motivated when she con-

the rest of the region,” she says. She

siders the benefits art brings, espe-

makes it a point to bring in regional

cially with the downright tumult of

artists, citing A Beautiful Struggle,

the last couple years. “Art is another

an exhibition from Fort Myers-based

form of language, but a visual one,”

photojournalist Kinfay Morotti,

she says. “As we all know from cave

which mixed his images with found

drawings, art can communicate emo-

objects from the Dunbar neighbor-

tions, feelings and things happening

hood. “Kinfay’s images showcased

in the world. We could see more

the triumphs and struggles of a

healing and more conversations if we

community striving for racial equal-

could all just take the time to look.”

269

AN E VE YOU DO NT N WANT ’T TO MISS !

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A R T S + C U LT U R E

AGENDA

Miwa Matreyek’s performance in Bonita Springs plays with projection and shadows (above). In Punta Gorda, Zimbabwean sculptures (right) fill Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens.

Apr 1-29

Through May 29

Through Apr 18

Sustainable Conceptions

ZimSculpt at Peace River

Africa to North America

Xperience at Sidney & Berne

at Edison and Ford Winter

Botanical & Sculpture

once a year. There’s also

Davis Art Center, Fort Myers

Estates, Fort Myers

Gardens, Punta Gorda

an African marketplace

Co-founder of DAAS CO-OP

Artists create mixed-me-

View more than 100 modern

where visitors can shop hun-

Art Gallery & Gifts and Union

dia works inspired by the

Zimbabwean sculptures

dreds of artworks and crafts,

Artists Studios at Alliance

estates’ namesake inventors’

throughout the riverside

including hand-made baskets

for the Arts, artist Xavier

propensity to reuse and

gardens during this exhibit,

and jewelry.

Brignoni’s career spans five

recycle materials.

which only travels from

peacerivergardens.org

decades. In this solo show,

edisonfordwinterestates.org

272

GULFSHORE LIFE

Courtesy Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs, Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens

Fill your calendar with local art shows, exhibitions, live performances and other community events happening this April. We recommend you contact the organizations for the latest information.

273

ARTS + CULTURE

AGENDA The renowned Miami City Ballet (right) performs at Artis—Naples this month. Sea Grapes Revisited (below) by

he displays 25 of his best mixed-media artworks. sbdac.com

Cheryl Costley is on display at Naples

Apr 5

Botanical Garden.

Miami City Ballet at Artis—Naples The New York Timespraised ballet troupe performs alongside Naples Philharmonic, playing pieces by world-renowned composers Gabriel Fauré and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. artisnaples.org Apr 8-June 26 Woven: Fiber Arts Now at Naples Botanical Garden Five local artists weave together organic materials, like silk, pine needles and reeds, to create fiber art pieces. the art form every Saturday during the exhibition, and on opening weekend, guests can create their own pieces with materials gathered from the surrounding landscape. naplesgarden.org

2 74

GULFSHORE LIFE

Courtesy Miami City Ballet/Alexander Iziliaev, Naples Botanical Garden

Enjoy live demonstrations of

pr esents

A Celebration, Tribute & Triumph Wanderlust has returned! Join us for a memorable tribute of our storied past while raising funds for scholarships and programming for FGCU’s School of Resort & Hospitality Management.

Honoring

President Michael V. Martin FGCU

Michael Watkins The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club

Friday, April 22, 2022 5:30 PM The Ritz-Carlton, Naples Featuring an array of experiential silent and live auction items. All bidders welcomed to explore!

INTIMATE DINING

WINE TASTINGS

DREAM DESTINATIONS

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Title Sponsor – JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort Presenting Sponsors – Enterprise Holdings, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, Republic National Distributing Company, Stilwell Enterprises & Restaurant Group, United Mechanical Media Sponsor – Gulfshore Life

Sponsorships & Tickets Available 239.277.6295 | FGCUWanderlust.com

ARTS + CULTURE

AGENDA

Apr 9 Thank You, Andrey! at Artis—Naples At the conclusion of his eighth season, Andrey Boreyko takes his final bow

Music director Andrey Boreyko (above) conducts his final performance with Naples Philhar-

as the music director for the

monic on Apr 9. Naples Fashion Week (below) returns with runway shows.

Naples Philharmonic. He leads the company through Gustav Mahler’s compositions. artisnaples.org Apr 5-11 Naples Fashion Week, various locations The event kicks off with Beauty Week at Victory Wellness & Med Spa of Naples, with discounted services, like Botox, and ends with a runway show at Norris Center Wendt Custom Clothiers. naplesfashionweek.com

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Courtesy Artis—Naples; Courtesy Naples Fashion Week/Luminaire Foto

with looks from Joseph

ARTS + CULTURE

Apr 14

Apr 28

Apr 29

Stars on Ice at Hertz

The Piano Guys at Barbara B. Mann

Miwa Matreyek: Myth and

Arena, Fort Myers

Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers

Infrastructure, This World Made

In this national tour, the reigning

Pianist Jon Schmidt and cellist

Itself, and Infinitely Yours at

Winter Olympics gold medalist

Steven Sharp Nelson form this inter-

Center for Performing Arts,

and three-time World Champion

nationally recognized duo, known

Bonita Springs

Nathan Chen glides across the

for blending classic compositions,

The Los Angeles-based

ice with U.S. champions Alysa Liu,

like those from Mozart and Bach,

animator, director and

Jason Brown, and Mirai Nagasu.

with hits from contemporary artists,

performer’s live multimedia

hertzarena.com

including Adele and Coldplay.

shows use layered shadows and

bbmannpah.com

projections to captivate audiences. artcenterbonita.org

Getty

AGENDA

Internationally renowned duo, The Piano Guys, comes to Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on Apr 28.

ARTS + CULTURE

AGENDA

Recurring Events

Apr 1

Apr 9

galleries and shops, and other fun diversions, these

Fort Myers Art Walk at

Naples Artcrafters Fine Art

monthly events keep us coming back.

Sidney & Berne Davis

and Craft Show at Cambier

Art Center

Park, Naples

Downtown Fort Myers’

Discover local photogra-

growing arts scene is on full

phers, painters, jewelers and

display on the first Friday of

mixed media artists at this

the month. Don’t miss the

free show, which runs one

accompanying rooftop party

Saturday per month through

at SBDAC, which organizes

April. naplesartcrafters.com

With live music on the streets, nibbles at local

the monthly event. sbdac.com

MONDAY MAY 2ND, 2022 IMPERIAL GOLF CLUB Supports family literacy programs of Grace Place for Children and Families

Registration and Lunch

Shotgun Start Dinner

11:00 AM 1:00 PM 6:00 PM

Registration Opens February 21, 2022 Single Golfer Foursome

$250 $1,000

graceplacenaples.org | 239.255.7200 | info@graceplacenaples.org |

Sponsorship Opportunities Available: Contact Ashlea Hanson by email at ashlea@graceplacenaples.org, or by calling 239.255.7211

@graceplacenaples

Gutter Credit

Schedule of Events

Scan for more Information!

Apr 9

Apr 13

Apr 14

Apr 15

Music in the Garden at

Art & Soul Night at Shangri-La

Evening on Fifth on Fifth

Fort Myers Music Walk in

Naples Botanical Garden

Springs, Bonita Springs

Avenue South, Naples

the River District

Music floats through the

Stop by the historic property

The shops stay open late,

Local and regional musicians

gardens on second Saturdays

on second Wednesdays for a

restaurants offer dining

perform live in the historic

as local artists perform on

cash bar, live big band music,

specials and live music

downtown streets on the

the Water Garden stage.

a market with artisan goods

fills the historic shopping

third Friday of the month.

naplesgarden.org

and organic produce grown

district on second Thursdays.

myriverdistrict.com

onsite, and art classes.

fifthavenuesouth.com

shangrilasprings.com

M AY 2-8, 2022 WWW.BBCUSTA.NET Hosted by Bonita Bay Club

Tickets

PARTING SHOT

I SSU E Januar y 1979

ED I T O R Lanny Sher win

S T O RY Mini-Inter vie w

W IL D C AT S Lawrence “Jungle Larry” Tetzlaff and Nancy “Safari Jane” Tetzlaff-Berens captured animal lovers’ imaginations with their TV appearances and school presentations in the Midwest, starting in the ‘60s. Their influence lives on at the Naples Zoo tiger. The zoo still breeds big cats today, and soon, as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ lion species survival program, three male lions born at the Naples Zoo move to a ‘bachelor pad’ at Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida.

282

GULFSHORE LIFE

GL Archives

at Caribbean Gardens, which they helped create in 1969, shortly after breeding tiglon cubs from a female lion and a male

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