Gulfshore Life January 2021

S AV O R T H E MOMENT FOOD & WINE ISSUE

A CELEBRATION OF WINING AND DINING IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

FEATURING: S A L U T !

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M I C H A E L L AW L E R . C O M 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. If your property is listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully. Users may not copy, modify, reproduce, republish, distribute, display, or transmit for commercial, nonprofit, or public purposes all or any portion of this document except to the extent authorized by Michael Lawler 239.213.7474. Information is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. MGL_20006

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Your home is more than a building or an address. It’s where you

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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.

11

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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.

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NO _ 5 0 3

01_ 2 0 21

Features THE FRONT OF HOUSE RESTAUR ANT M AGIC

Zach Stovall

110

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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NO _ 5 0 3

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Fe a t u r e s NAPLES FINE WINE ’S FIRSTR ATE COLLE C TION

Brian Tietz

124

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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CAN YOU GROW YOUR VALUES WITH YOUR WEALTH?

What is it you really want to give them?

Your values have helped you succeed—and they are the most special thing your children can inherit. Having a plan is essential. We can help.

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NO _ 5 0 3

CONTENTS Departments

01_ 2 0 21

IN EVERY ISSUE

INSIDER

40 Editor ’s Note

50 A rtist P rof ile: Fort Myers A rtist Leila Mesdaghi

46 Gulfshore T reasures 382 Parting Shot

68 Table Ser vice: T he Allure of Club Dining

84 Ret rospective: T he Veranda in Downtown Fort Myers 92 Books 94 Guest List

76 Personalities: Emillions A rt ’s Marlissa Gardner

INSIDER Artist Prof ile

50

Fort Myers multimedia artist Leila Heidi Schumann

Mesdaghi explores various mediums and uses her craft to connect with others and the world.

26

GULFSHORE LIFE

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NO _ 5 0 3

CONTENTS Depart ments

01_ 2 0 21

HOME

H E A LTHY LI F E

TASTE OF TH E GULF

156 St ylish Living: A n A rtistic Bay Colony Renovation

326 Wellness: T he Rise of Kombucha

336 Raise a Glass: T he French’s Absinthe Colada

168 Fa vorite T hings: Date Night

332 House Call: Health Ne ws and Events

338 Dining Guide: 150+ Essential Restaurants

176 Realt y Check: Dream Homes

Af ter p. 186 Gulfshore Life Salut!

T he P ublication of the Naples Winter Wine Festival.

H OM E St ylish Living

156

Go behind the design of this reimagined Bay Colony home that plays with bright colors, Hunt Slonem art and other

Volume 50/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.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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© Copyright Gulfshore Life is published by Gulfshore Life Media, LLC. The entire document of Gulfshore Life is © 2021 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. Along the Gulfshore, Best of the Gulfshore, Design Yearbook, Discover Southwest Florida, Gulfshore Dining, Gulfshore Galleries, Gulfshore Shopping, Men and Women of the Year and The White Party are copyrighted service marks and are the property of Gulfshore Life, 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.

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COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD

Lydia Black Executive Director, Alliance for the Arts 2016 Woman of the Year

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

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

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

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

Todd E. Gates Chairman, GATES Construction 2003 Man 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

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 Memberat-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

36

GULFSHORE LIFE

Brian Tietz (10); Courtesy Shirlene Elkins, Ellin Goetz, Mark Loren, Shelly Stayer/Roland Scarpa

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

g ulf shorelife.com

M A K I N G

G U L F S H O R E

L I F E

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O n T h e C ove r

Shot on location at ECHO Global Farm in North Fort Myers by Brian Tietz.

The model wears Long Skirt with Slit by Naeem Khan, Lantern Sleeve Top by Rosie Assoulin and Double Grommet Belt by FRAME Denim.

All available at Marissa Collections. Givenchy Boots and hat, stylist’s own. Stylist: Matthew Kritis. HMUA: Dani & Gabby with Duality Artistry.

Model: Danielle Fried, NEXT Models

Brian Tietz

Model also seen in Silk Taffeta Midi Shirtdress by Atelier Caito for Hervé Pierre over a Black Leather Pleated Lace Skirt by Ermanno Scervino with a Thick Leather Belt

by Oscar de la Renta.

All available at Marissa Collections. Givenchy Boots and hat, stylist’s own.

38

GULFSHORE LIFE

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Photographer First Last info goes here and here and here

ophthalmology you can TRUST

OLDE NAPLES • GINSBERGEYE.COM • 239.325.2015

FROM THE EDITOR

M A D E W I T H L OV E

NO _ 5 0 3

01_ 2 0 21

staffs and creating new ways for

Naples Children & Education

is through its food. In Southwest

us to gather safely.

Foundation (NCEF) to produce

The role that restaurants play

Salut!, the publication of the

in enhancing our lives can’t be

organization’s fundraiser, the

You often hear people say our

overstated. Most of my best

Naples Winter Wine Festival

food scene can’t be beat. We have

recent memories surround

(NWWF). As NCEF trustee Kath-

culinary institutions that rival

great food experiences—falling

leen Rooney recently said to me,

those in any major city, as well as

in love over authentic Lebanese

the event shows how wine (and

high-ranking chefs and somme-

food at Kareem’s and cocktails

other culinary delights) can be

liers and oenophiles with stellar

at Bar Tulia; chatting with chef

an instrument for good. She and

wine collections (see Cheryl and

Andy Hyde in between inventive

her husband Francis certainly

Larry Andrews’ story on p. 124).

courses at his Hyde N Chic restau-

prove that through their support

And with a growing support for

rant; bonding with colleagues and

of the NCEF and their Bodega

small farms and artisan food mak-

new friends at Dorona, Namba,

202 winery, which is profiled on

ers, we’re raising the bar on local

The Veranda, The Continental

p. 64 of Salut!

food from the ground up.

and Angelina’s; and honoring our

With this issue—which also

It’s been a tough year for the

2020 Men & Women of the Year

includes stories on front-of-

industry, though. On p. 42, Ingrid

at an outdoor dinner party at the

house staffers, private club din-

Aielli tells of the challenges that

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point.

ing, vintner dinners and the very

Florida, a study of our culinary culture paints a brilliant picture.

restaurants have faced. We have

Following a laundry list of safety

tangible impact that a mighty

been saddened to see many

measures, we were able to gather

wine festival has had in our

great establishments go or scale

that evening over food and wine.

region—it’s easy to see why peo-

back. But the ingenuity and

Longtime friends reunited, seeds

ple brag about our food culture.

perseverance that is inherent

were planted for new partnerships

While we may not be able to

to the culinary world is shining

and ideas were discussed among

freely commune yet, we can

through, too. Not only have

some of the brightest minds in our

raise a glass from wherever we

many local restaurateurs held

region.

are to a brighter 2021, which

strong throughout the pandemic

That’s the power of food—it

will undoubtedly continue to be

(some are even working on new

nourishes us, while bringing

fueled and fed by our culinary

ventures), they’ve also helped by

us together. This year, we are

community. Cheers to the new

feeding people, caring for their

honored to partner with the

year!

40

GULFSHORE LIFE

Stephanie Granada Editor-in-Chief

Omar Cruz

The best way to get to know a place

g ulf shorelife.com

GOOD. CLEAN. FUN.

MOREINPARADISE.COM MUST BE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OLD TO PLAY SLOTS AND TABLE GAMES OR TO RECEIVE SEMINOLE WILD CARD BENEFITS. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS A GAMBLING PROBLEM, PLEASE CALL 1.888.ADMIT.IT.

MINUTES AWAY FROM MORE

FROM OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD

ON T H E M E N U: C OM PA S S I ON

NO _ 5 0 3

01_ 2 0 21

Restaurants have the ability to survive

Managers assisted with the distribution

once we heard the sounds of customers

all sorts of disasters, from kitchen fires to

of the funds, and chefs provided meals

enjoying meals and watched our staff

hurricanes. But even the most seasoned

to our restaurant families. When the

working together again. We appreciate

restaurateurs were not prepared to face

federal relief program was announced,

how steadfastly our patrons stood by us

the challenges the pandemic presented.

we went into action to ensure we could

more than we can express.

What had begun as a strong and success-

receive funds to keep all our employees

We are choosing to focus on the silver

ful season, changed overnight with the

on payroll. Meanwhile, chefs were anx-

linings during these cloudy pandemic

governor’s mandated shutdown. My hus-

ious to return to work and we opened

days. We will continue to support our

band, Fabrizio, and I closed the doors of

our restaurants for take-out meals.

community and local nonprofits by

our five restaurants in Southwest Florida

Watching our community band

hosting various socially-distanced events

unsure of the future of our business and

together to help each other—as well as

to show our appreciation. Above all, we

our almost 400 employees.

our restaurant staff and other workers—

would like to personally thank our work-

The pandemic has impacted the entire

was a beautiful thing to see. The gener-

ers for everything they do. The resilience

restaurant community in ways we are all

osity of our customers with our gift card

and strength of our entire staff, from

still trying to understand. I can’t speak

program, and those calling to check on

managers, servers, dishwashers, bussers,

for all my fellow restaurateurs, what

our well-being, inspired us to join the

to cooks, hosts and chefs, have reminded

follows here is my experience—what

many other restaurants and organiza-

us why we love this business.

we have lived and seen in the past year.

tions in supporting our hospital work-

What restaurants provide—bringing

However, I am endlessly impressed and

ers, the real heroes of the pandemic, by

people together—makes it an honor to

inspired by the resilience and creativity

providing meals.

be in this business and we’re looking

put forth by local restaurants, as well as

When we were able to reopen our

forward to a continued positive upswing

the compassion and goodwill shown by

doors to the public, we did so to a new

in 2021. Thank you to our beautiful

our customers and supporters.

way of doing business. Seating limita-

community for all of your continued

For our part, as we closed our restau-

tions, distancing and enhanced sanitary

love and support.

rants, our management team worked

protocols were the orders of the day.

diligently on plans to assist our staff.

Many businesses and institutions found

We launched a gift card sales program

themselves in similar situations. The

with proceeds benefiting our workers.

pandemic changed how we learn, work factor remained the same: hospitality.

The added hurdles all seemed worth it

42

GULFSHORE LIFE

Brian Tietz

and interact with one another, but one

Ingrid Aielli Co-owner, Aielli Group

g ulf shorelife.com

™

375 Fifth Ave. South, Naples, FL 34102 | (239) 206-4460 | www.marilynhellman.com

Your Concierge Broker.

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GULFSHORE TREASURES

The restaurant experience is about more than fine food and wine. Much of the magic comes from adept front of house folks— those affable, refined general managers—who know how to create a sophisticated, welcoming ambiance, like the one found

Zach Stovall

at Ocean Prime in Naples. Meet Ocean Primes' GM and two others who elevate the dining scene in Southwest Florida on p. 110.

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The Toungue by Leila Mesdaghi

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Artist Profile: Fort Myers Artist Leila Mesdaghi

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Table Ser vice: T he Allure of Club Dining

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Personalities: Naples A rt Dealer Marlissa Gardner

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Ret rospective: T he Veranda Restaurant

ARTIST PROFILE

CR E AT I V I T Y U N B OU N D

INSIDER

Fort Myers artist Leila Mesdaghi embraces her interest in everything—and ponders her next move.

During the long, isolated months

10 people a day, one by one. The

of quarantine earlier this year, Fort

Alliance started collecting photos

Myers artist Leila Mesdaghi looked

for her project, too. Soon enough,

to the sky to connect with friends and

she’d amassed hundreds of images of

family around the world.

the sky as viewed from such diverse

She’d been invited by the Alliance

places as Iran, Brazil, Australia,

for the Arts to create a piece of art for

France, Denmark and South Africa.

Pop of Color, an exhibit that is part

“In Farsi, there’s a proverb that says,

of the Art in Flight partnership with

‘wherever you go, the sky is the same

the Lee County Port Authority and

color.’ There was a sense of being in it

is on display at Southwest Florida

together,” she says.

International Airport through May. “I

As she sat down to work on the

had recently had an exhibition of all

piece, feelings of loneliness dissipated.

paintings, so they were thinking of me

“It just made me feel like I belonged,”

as a painter,” she says. “But I explained

she says. The result was What Colour

that I wanted to make something dif-

is Your Sky, a digital collage of 141

ferent—I like making new work when

slices of sky captured around the

I have the opportunity.”

world, all cropped to the same size.

For the multitalented creator, who

Sharing the human experience has

considers herself a thinker as much as

always been a driving force behind her

an artist, it was a chance to embrace

work, says Mesdaghi, who was born

the community around her and con-

in New York to a Colombian mother

nect with people in lonely times. “I

and Iranian father. She and her family

started reaching out to people, asking

moved to Iran in 1979, just after the

them to look up at the sky, take a photo

Iranian revolution.

and send it to me,” she says.

Although she was interested in art

Over the course of about two

from a young age and took her first

months, Mesdaghi contacted about

course when she was 10 years old,

50

GULFSHORE LIFE

Heidi Schumann

By Terry Ward

g ulf shorelife.com

The multimedia artist plays the Kurdish tanbour in front of her 2016 work Deeper Than Sorrow. The piece is made up of 117 tiled photos that depict her painting a Farsi poem trailing from her uncle’s grave to the empty pool in her father’s garden in Tehran.

INSIDER

51

INSIDER ARTIST PROFILE

Mesdaghi decided to study law in Tehran at the Islamic Azad University Law School, while simultaneously taking classes from artists in her free time.

Eventually in 2002, after a difficult breakup and at her father’s urging, she followed other family members to Mission Viejo, California, where she started taking art classes at a local college. A few years later, after giving birth to her son, she moved to Orlando to be closer to her mother and eventually settled in Fort Myers in 2005. It was here that she embarked on a career in real estate, which ended up being the unexpected inspiration for one of her first major works.

At the height of the 2009 recession and housing crisis, Mesdaghi found herself showing and evaluating houses in foreclosure. She was struck by the sight of doorknobs yanked out from houses—many replaced with shiny new knobs—and their accompanying lock boxes. “It was a strange ghost town here during that time. Between Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Lehigh, there were houses selling for $30,000. I was having a personal relationship with people who were losing and buying houses, and the doorknobs became something emotional,” she recalls.

She began collecting the knobs, not really knowing why at the time. Soon, she took up art SouthWestern State College). “That’s where

Leila Mesdaghi focuses on conceptual art, such as her 2019

I was introduced to art in a way like never

painting The Tongue (top) and 2020 digital collage What

before,” she says. A media exploration class

Colour is Your Sky (below), composed of photos of the sky

changed her perspective. The class exposed

submitted from around the world.

her to new concepts, from activist and femi-

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Courtesy Leila Mesdaghi

classes at Edison State College (now Florida

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INSIDER ARTIST PROFILE

Born in New York to a Colombian mother and Iranian father, Mesdaghi moved to Fort Myers in 2005. After obtaining an art degree from Florida Gulf Coast University, she worked at the Rauschenberg Residency on Captiva Island.

nist art to installation and performance art. “I didn't even know what performance art was,” she says. Other classes helped refine her views on large-scale painting, abstract art, drawing and more. As a result, she found herself becoming more interested in conceptual art.

While she was still a student in 2013, a vision came together for the collected doorknobs. The culminated work is called Foreclosures, a social commentary piece made from 107 knobs dangling from mounted wire. Like so many interrupted dreams and lives, the objects hang frozen in time.

It was then that Mesdaghi decided to commit herself to art full-time, and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Florida Gulf Coast University’s art program. Her first post-graduation exhibition was part of FGCU’s 2016 Quest for Permanence show, where she debuted an installation called Deeper Than Sorrow. During a visit back to see family in Iran Heidi Schumann

the previous year, she’d filmed herself painting a poem in Farsi, the words stretching from her uncle’s grave onto the empty swimming pool in her father’s garden in Tehran. The pool’s peeling walls and basin became a canvas for family memories as she explored the pain of separation and longing, leaving traces of her presence that would eventually

54

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

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INSIDER ARTIST PROFILE

fade when she returned to Fort Myers.

The installation at the FGCU galleries featured 117 tiled photos of the pool, a mirror and hanging frames, among other elements.

Over the past three years, she has worked with over 170 artists as an assistant at the Rauschenberg Residency, the Captiva Island artist-in-residence program known for fostering multidisciplinary talent. There, she assisted arriving artists, helping to set up their studios, introducing them to the available equipment and generally lending a hand. “For me, it was important just to see how these world-class artists would make art,” she says. “I would come home energized just from being there.”

Inspired by the creativity around her, the artist challenged herself to paint daily for all of 2019. “I really wanted to navigate myself back to painting, but I’m lazy, I have to push myself to do it,” she says. The effort resulted in the January 2020 Love Cannot Alter It show at the Cape Coral Art Center. “That show became a lot about things we do or don’t things. We can’t talk about love and fix it.

Mesdaghi’s 2013 piece Foreclosures consists of 107 doorknobs that

I became fixated on the power of words

she compiled while working in real estate during the recession. “I

and the mouth, and whatever is going on

was having a personal relationship with people who were losing and

there. I still can’t articulate it.”

buying houses, and the doorknobs became something emotional,”

Her sentiments are conveyed in her

she says.

painting, The Tongue, which seems to

56

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Heidi Schumann

do, that we cannot just say ‘sorry’ and fix

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INSIDER ARTIST PROFILE

leap from the canvas with its rich crimson

She suspects that a myriad of pursuits

important to her that she’s hired a coach

and black tones. The image could be inter-

she’s devoted time to in the past year may

in Iran for virtual lessons twice a week.

preted as a flower or a blood-filled heart,

influence her future works. “I use my

The game, she says, affords her the same

as easily as a tongue. “I didn’t paint it with

short attention span to try multiple things

intellectual and emotional challenges as

the intention of painting a tongue at all,”

at a time,” she says. “I cannot sit down and

creating art. “What’s important to me in

she says. “I just went with my thoughts

paint for hours.”

being an artist is how we observe, react

and it evolved.”

Among the interests she’s pursued

and respond to the world and people,”

What her thoughts and art may evolve

more seriously in recent months are stud-

she says. Similar qualities one engages in

into next remains to be seen—Mesdaghi

ies in Persian classical vocal music called

while playing chess.

was invited to exhibit at the 2020 Bien-

avaz, playing the Kurdish tanbour and

During the pandemic, pondering her

nial Fort Myers Individual Artist Grant

advancing her chess game. “I’ve learned

moves on the chessboard has become a

Recipient Show, but it was postponed due

to embrace my interest in everything,”

substitute for social and emotional inter-

to the pandemic.

she says, adding that chess has become so

actions. “All these emotions I need as a

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INSIDER ARTIST PROFILE

human and were missing, playing chess has been a substitute for that,” she says, explaining that during a single game she may

“What’s important to me in being an artist is

experience infatuation, passion, struggle, hope, desperation,

how we observe, react and respond to the

relief and pain all in one game.

world and people,” Mesdaghi says.

Heidi Schumann

For her, the chessboard is an open environment with no surprises. “I don’t like surprises,” she says. “I am responsible for what I do and I like that. I like that when I make art, too.”

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TABLE SERVICE

THE ETER NA L A LLUR E OF CLUB DINING

INSIDER

Armed with strong budgets and a discerning clientele, private communities claim some of the best restaurants in town.

Once you pass the guard gate to Hide-

that compete against each other in

away Beach Community and continue

Southwest Florida. They’ll look at

snaking through the streets in this

their own and other restaurants’ net

northwestern corner of Marco Island,

worth—but they always forget about

you pull into the porte-cochère of

the private clubs.” In Naples, he

the members-only club on the water.

points to Grey Oaks as an example.

There, you’ll be surrounded by peo-

“They have three restaurants across

ple—often friends and neighbors you

two clubs. Pelican Bay has three, as

have known for years—but also by

well. And they’re all really good.”

top-notch food that could go toe-to-

With the financial backing of

toe with any of the elite restaurants

sometimes insane buy-ins to the tune

in town. Two of the Hideaway’s three

of a Porsche 911 Turbo, not to men-

distinct dining spaces are new, and

tion often needing to own property

the product of a nine-month, multi-

on-site and annual dues in the five

million-dollar renovation.

figures, clubs have been undergoing a

“It’s almost like the unknown

renaissance of late. The organizations

competition,” says Eamon Murphy,

are putting a premium on expanding

the general manager and COO, who

their culinary offerings, adding more

is implementing its transforma-

outdoor dining spaces and angling to

tion. “Think of all the restaurants

poach decorated chefs.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Nick Shirghio

By Dorothea Hunter Sönne

g ulf shorelife.com

With many communities undergoing drastic makeovers in recent years, country clubs keep raising the ante on fine dining. “At the root, clubs are a different business model than restaurants,” says the Culinary Institute of America-trained chef Michael Mueller, who oversees the menus at Bay Colony Beach Club.

“Food and beverage is more of an amenity ... Members want to see new stuff. We can’t rest on our laurels.”

INSIDER

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In the past seven years at Bonita Bay Club, more than $30 million worth of upgrades introduced five unique dining venues, all overseen by chef Richard Brumm (right).

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INSIDER TABLE SERVICE

It was a noticeable trend that predated

equipped kitchens (Mueller just ordered

COVID -19 but one that continues to

a custom smoker from an artisan in

grow. The pandemic has made the allure

Georgia), and the promise of growth—the

of private clubs, which by their nature

product of regular upgrades, which have

control the number of people who can

become the norm among local clubs.

pass through their gilded doors, even

Nick Shirghio

more appealing.

There are few better examples of that than Bonita Bay Club. One of the original

A year before Café & Bar Lurcat closed

golf communities in Southwest Florida

on Naples’ Fifth Avenue South, its popu-

in the early 1980s, the sprawling develop-

lar chef Michael Mueller had left in favor

ment along the Gulf was built to cater to

of more manageable hours, higher pay

luxury-seeking residents in an area that

and a consistent coterie of guests who

had not been known gastronomically for

appreciated his fine dining bona fides.

much more than fish shacks and pizza

Those include time spent honing his

joints. The main club is now deemed the

craft at two Jean-Georges Vongerichten

West Club—the subtle name change indi-

New York restaurants, his first bistro

cates just how much the offerings have

JoJo and the Michelin-starred flagship

grown in the past decade. Chef Richard

Jean-Georges. Mueller is now at Bay

Brumm, who oversees all of the commu-

Colony Beach Club, a residents-only

nity’s culinary operations, started there

facility in the gated community of Bay

in 2011. In 2013, the traditional country

Colony within Pelican Bay. “What we’re

club was reinvigorated for a cool price

doing is really cutting edge. At the root,

tag of $11.5 million, defining the three

clubs are a different business model than

distinct dining venues there today. A year

restaurants. Food and beverage is more

later, a $17 million Lifestyle Center was

so an amenity. We order the best of the

constructed, housing the health-focused

best—fish, truffles, foie gras,” Mueller

WAVE Cafe to complement the facility’s

says. “Members want to see new stuff.

spa. Then another $6 million addition

We can’t rest on our laurels.”

with a resort pool and tennis complex

Another draw for chefs with Mueller’s

ushered the Breezeway Bar & Cafe, bring-

talent is the prospect of bigger and better

ing the number of dining establishments

INSIDER

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INSIDER TABLE SERVICE

to five on the main Bonita campus. There is also a Naples branch with two extra golf courses and an eatery.

Naples’ Grey Oaks Country Club—the emerald-striped paradise with a gorgeous collection of estate homes lining its fairways—has taken a similar approach, concentrating on expanding the scope and footprint of its club. As one of the few premier clubs that offers social memberships to nonresidents, it was already a nexus for grand social events when the team hired one of the area’s top sommeliers, Victor Valdivia, to join its staff in 2013. Then in 2016, they launched the club complex 2.0, which sealed its transformation into an oasis that hits every dining and entertainment need.

Among the changes were the addition of a sprawling resort pool, plus a gorgeous indoor-outdoor bar and restaurant, with one room flowing to the next. For his part, Valdivia chose more than 100 bottles to offer his guests on that wine list, and he continually works to enhance the club’s A short drive north within the gated

Grey Oaks Country Club was already considered a grand

community of The Estates at Bay Colony,

venue for gatherings and galas when it hired one of the

which is within Pelican Marsh, is Bay Col-

area’s top sommeliers in 2013 and launched its club

ony Golf Club. An intimate option with a

complex 2.0 in 2016.

pared down membership roll, it too has cultivated its dining program to be one of the best. Wine there takes a star turn with

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Courtesy Grey Oaks Country Club

cellar selections across all outlets.

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INSIDER TABLE SERVICE

sommelier Mladen Stoev. He’s one of only a handful of professionals in the South to have achieved the penultimate Advanced Sommelier designation from the Court of Master Sommeliers. In 2019, further adding to its prestige, the club welcomed a new executive chef, the Culinary Institute of America Nick Shirghio

grad Tyler Field, who had previously been at Mediterra, a larger club. A mini-facelift in 2019 debuted private wine storage lockers for members, too.

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Sommelier Rocco DiMieri has worked at Bay Colony Beach Club for years. The club is known for its extensive wine list and has wine storage lockers for its members.

And even if members at all these clubs pull up for dinner in a Maserati or a Rolls Royce, Murphy, the COO of Hideaway, insists everyone still wants to know they’re getting value. “When someone goes out to a restaurant on the street, they’ll pay $70 for a rib-eye when normally they’d pay $50 at a club,” he says. “You also get that club pour—you get way more in your glass.

It’s good living for sure.”

PERSONALITIES

WHEN ART AND LIFE ALIGN

INSIDER

Local art consultant Marlissa Gardner’s appreciation for beauty spans the globe.

By Alyssa Morlacci

The first time Marlissa Gardner recalls feeling awestruck by a piece of art was when her father bought a line drawing from a local artist to hang in their Fairview, Pennsylvania, home. It portrayed a woman with flowers and butterflies in her hair on a 2-by-2.5-foot woven archival paper. “She had the most beautiful eyes and lips, and I was thinking the whole time, ‘My God, how much I want to be this woman,’” she says.

Now as the founder of Emillions Art on Fifth Avenue South in Naples, Gardner has graduated to working with contemporary creators from across the globe. She now facilitates the sales and acquisitions of collections by Banksy, Rubens, Picasso, Warhol and other renowned artists.

Early exposure played an essential role in Gardner’s interest, and her appreciation grew synonymously with her travels. Her family would take frequent trips to museums all over the world. When she was 12 years old, she recalls visiting 30 countries throughout Europe for five weeks, making a stop at the Vatican to sit in the Sistine Chapel and look up at Michelangelo’s painted ceiling. exchange student in Brazil, where paintings of landscapes, birds and flowers colored with bright reds, greens and yellows left her wondering what

76

GULFSHORE LIFE

Tina Sargeant

At 16, Gardner lived as a high school foreign

Marlissa Gardner, the founder of Emillions Art on Fifth Avenue South in Naples, started her art consulting firm and online gallery with a single client about seven years ago. Now, she deals in museum-worthy works from local and national artists. She recently aided a client in the world’s first trade of an original Picasso using IDON tokens, a cryptocurrency.

INSIDER PERSONALITIES

In addition to representing contemporary artists, such as Joan Sonnenberg of Naples (right), Gardner also facilitates the acquisitions of modern and old masters works by artists such as Banksy, Andy Warhol and Peter Paul Rubens.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

else was out there. Later, while attending Boston University to study broadcasting and film, she traveled to Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore to explore everything from Asian pottery to Balinese teak furnishings.

A few years after graduating, she worked for an Indian film company in Mumbai (at the time Bombay) during the explosion of Bollywood. “It was fascinating,” she says.

“People running around and learning and taking every job they could get and pumping out films as quickly as they could. India was hungry for entertainment.”

While working on a Hindi sitcom and game show, Gardner made her first art acquisitions with three large paintings. One was called Emerging To Life, which Gardner says depicts an “explosion of pain while evolving into adulthood.”

Soon after arriving back in Boston, she got an offer to return to India to work for a big-time director under a bridge contract for three years that would lead to a Los Angeles transfer. She had eight months to get out of her lease and find a new place to live in India when her boyfriend at the time, who lived in Boston, asked her to marry him. “I ended up Courtesy Louis Venne

giving up a job for a marriage, and ultimately a family,” she says, adding that she now has two beautiful kids.

Still, she was drawn back into the arts, taking up sports photography on the sidelines of

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INSIDER PERSONALITIES

her son’s football games or her daughter’s equestrian competitions.

Then about seven years ago, she found herself in the middle of a divorce and jumping out of airplanes on the east coast of Florida.“I was doing all kinds of crazy things, and I decided to get my skydiving license. The day I was doing my 15th jump, the clouds were hanging too low and they told me I could not jump.”

To fill the time instead, she grabbed her camera and sent herself on a photojournalistic jaunt.

She happened upon an antique shop and art gallery and began chatting with the owner who said something that really stuck with Gardner: “I get to do some of the things I love the most in life, which is travel, visit other countries, learn about their culture, buy what I like, bring it home and share it.” She thought to herself, “He just summarized every little element of who I am in one sentence.”

One week later, Gardner had an LLC for her own online global art consulting firm, named after her favorite wine region of Saint-Émilion outside of Bordeaux on the west coast of France. “The Gardner moved her business from Boston to Southwest

same people who are buying that wine

Florida four years ago. “The people here are very cultured,”

are interested in art,” she explains.

how it affects every little element in our lives.”

Six months into her new venture, she visited Art New York to search for artists to represent. A Mexican artist said yes; she and her husband were going to Art Monaco that summer, and they agreed to

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Tina Sargeant

she says. “They understand art and the essentialness of art,

pay for nearly all of Gardner’s expenses

coast, a place where her family often

Nottebohm­—a German artist based in

while also giving her 50% of everything

vacationed while she was growing up in

Maui, Hawaii and known for his oil on

she sold. “It really launched my career,”

the Midwest. “The people here are very

aluminum works—and Dario Campan-

she says. “It took me to a point where I

cultured. They understand art and the

elli, an Italian-born painter, who created

suddenly had a whole new element in my

essentialness of art, how it affects every

the mountainous 75th anniversary logo

life—princes, and senators, and prime

little element in our lives,” she says.

for Paramount Studios.

ministers, who came from all around the

Not only does she work with local tal-

In addition to working with contempo-

ent, like Joan Sonnenberg, a 90-year-old

rary artists, Gardner also has a masters

Four years ago, Gardner brought her

artist of all forms based in Naples, but

division through which she facilitates art

business from Boston to Florida’s west

she also represents artists like Andreas

acquisitions. Recently, she aided a client

world, were now in my network.”

Your golfing friends at Eagle Creek wish you a

and invite you to tour our golfing lifestyle at one of our 2021 Community-Wide Open Houses.

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INSIDER PERSONALITIES

in the world’s first trade of an original Picasso using IDON tokens, a cryptocurrency for luxury assets. The piece is one of 15 artist’s proofs from the Marina Picasso Private Collection. “[Picasso] was still making changes to the looks of it, he was still going through a mental process, which makes these etchings and their prints so important,” she says. “The artist’s proof becomes a mental process that you get to see into the mind’s eye of the artist himself—where was he going with this?”

Gardner was asking herself a similar question about the trajectory of her career a few years Tina Sargeant

ago. Like an artist tweaks a piece before presenting a final proof, Gardner made adjustments throughout her life until reaching this moment of total alignment, able to immerse herself in other cultures and share the art she discovers with her community.

´ La Boheme Rescheduled Debut

SEASON 7

Celebrating the Artof Singing

A Vivid Original Production!

TOURING SOUTHWEST FLORIDA STEFFANIE PEARCE,• GENERAL DIRECTOR CHARLOTTE LEE • COLLIER

January 24th | 6:30pm Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall

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orld of Lloyd

VERDI iva

Gulfshore Opera Gala OUR SIGNATURE

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February 28th

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RETROSPECTIVE

THE VER ANDA

INSIDER

Past and present come together at this historic downtown Fort Myers restaurant.

By Anne Reed

Tucked away from passersby on the cor-

Brooke in Tampa. When the family set-

ner of Second Street and Broadway in

tled as homesteaders after the Civil War,

downtown Fort Myers sits a cool, shaded

father and son operated a trading post

courtyard where countless couples have

while wife and mother, Evalina, became

pledged their love, decades’ worth of

the first teacher in the community. The

hopeful revelers have toasted the New

corner house was built in 1902 for the

Year and families have gathered to cele-

younger Gonzalez and his family and the

brate milestones for generations.

second home was built in what is now The Veranda’s parking lot for his mother.

In the 1970s, the two homes were

restaurant known for its nostalgic

joined together by Herbert “Peter” Pulit-

charm, tuxedo-clad waitstaff and table-

zer, former husband of fashion designer

side service. Here, the past and present

Lilly Pulitzer and grandson to Joseph

are blended so seamlessly that guests

Pulitzer of Pulitzer Prize fame, for his

enjoying cocktails and conversation are

friend and longtime fishing buddy Fin-

unaware of the history that lies beneath

gers O’Bannon. A few restaurants and

their feet.

bars floundered in the space until Paul

The restaurant is comprised of two

Peden purchased it in 1978 and trans-

homes built by Manuel S. Gonzalez,

formed the houses and courtyard into

one of the first residents of Fort Myers.

The Veranda.

His father, Capt. Manuel A. Gonzalez,

Due to its proximity to the courthouse,

founded the city on Feb. 21, 1866. The

the bar at The Veranda was called Court-

older Gonzalez had an established history

room B by the initial regulars, who were,

with the abandoned Union fort; during

according to Peden, “four or five judges

the Seminole Wars, he brought mail and

and a slew of attorneys.” The bar business

supplies on his route from Cuba to Fort

was booming but Peden who at the time,

84

GULFSHORE LIFE

Courtesy The Veranda

The sunlight-dappled space is the centerpiece of The Veranda, a historic

g ulf shorelife.com

At the turn of the 20th century, Manuel S. Gonzalez built the two homes that together would go on to make up The Veranda restaurant. His father, Capt. Manuel A. Gonzalez (top right), founded Fort Myers in 1866.

INSIDER

85

INSIDER RETROSPECTIVE

The two homes were combined by Herbert “Peter” Pulitzer, the former husband of fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer and grandson to Joseph Pulitzer of Pulitzer Prize fame. In 1978, the space was Courtesy The Veranda

transformed into what is now The Veranda.

86

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

INSIDER RETROSPECTIVE

owned and operated the old Smitty’s bar on West First Street, chose to focus on bringing a classic dining experience to downtown Fort Myers.

The transformation started structurally, with the addition of private dining rooms on the second floors of both houses and office space on the third. Porches were enclosed, creating small dining areas that feel private within the limited-seating dining rooms. “We just kind of grew,” Peden explains. “We adapted as we went along.”

The restaurant’s tableside service has been in place for decades, including salads, entrees, desserts and Irish coffee—the flames touching the rims of the glasses as customers gaze in wonder. The presentation is part of what makes the dining experience unique, a vintage touch that, along with the pressed white tablecloths and historic setting, transports diners to a time when a night on the town meant more than a meal—it was an event.

That may be why the restaurant has been the scene of many events in its patrons’ lives, including engagements.

The small pond in the courtyard and seen their fair share of proposals. Micki

Known for its elevated setting and cuisine (overseen by chef

Carlson-Funk, office and guest relations

Daniel Frier, above), The Veranda has hosted many special events,

manager, estimates that in the last four

including engagements and weddings, as well as celebrities,

decades, 500 couples have tied the knot

such as actress Carol Burnett and Dr. Ruth Westheimer.

on the property. “It’s a special place,” she says. “The couples come back and visit us, they send postcards from their

88

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Courtesy The Veranda

alcove tucked under the stairs have

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INSIDER RETROSPECTIVE

honeymoon and come back with their kids.”

Peden points out that part of what makes The Veranda unique is the staff, many of whom have been part of the restaurant’s family for decades.

“Turnover is very small, so when you come back and see the same people,

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same service staff, they know you,” he says. “They are not just customers, they are relationships. Our first priority is seeing that our guests are happy and satisfied.”

While the restaurant has been part of many public events, its walls have also offered privacy to famous guests, including actress Carol Burnett, choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov and one of Peden’s favorites, the famed sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Other big names have graced the private dining rooms, but, like the business that is still conducted over drinks in the bar, the restaurant keeps its secrets within its century-old walls.

The courtyard, though, is a different story. There are few secrets there, as laughter fills the air, happy applause rings loud as another proposal plays out near the pond. “We are definitely a special occasion destination,” Carlson-Funk says. “We are part of the fabric of someone’s memories for the rest of their lives.”

g ulf shorelife.com

"He has underestimated you for the last time."

Divorce and Family Law

2 3 9 3 3 4 7 6 9 6 wilbursmith.law

2 2 0 0 B ro a d w a y, F o r t M y e r s , F L 3 3 9 0 1

EDITORS’ PICK

LETTERS FROM BOURDEAUX Saskia de Rothschild’s new book offers an inside look into her family’s 150-year-old wine legacy.

By Jaynie Bartley

INSIDER

Patrons from last year’s Naples Winter Wine Festival may remember Saskia de Rothschild, the winemaker and manager of Bordeaux’s Château Lafite Rothschild, as the Honored Vintner for the 20th anniversary festivities.

Since taking the reins of one of the world’s most respected wine houses in 2018, de Rothschild has made a name for herself as the youngest chair of a first-growth estate; the first female chair of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), her extended family’s global wine empire; and for evolving the label with innovative practices.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Now, with the help of her father, Baron Éric de Rothschild, the visionary winemaker releases Château Lafite: The Almanac.

Her chops as a Columbia University journalism grad and former New York Times reporter come through in the 620-page, hardcover book that thoughtfully details the winery’s history throughout six generations.

Within the beautiful pages, she tells the year of each vintage, starting with when her family took over the estate.

Among the technical details, there are sentimental anecdotes from har-

vesters, black-and-white photos and pictures of wine labels that date back to the late 1800s. Archival maps and other materials show the evolution of the vineyards.

Along with the history, de Rothschild includes scientific background on grapes and tasting notes on blends.

Fans can sip and learn as they flip through—within the pages, there are designated spaces to make notes as readers dive deeper into the lore.

A true interactive tome, this new release deserves a spot on every oenophile’s coffee table. $175, Flammarion. g ulf shorelife.com

Courtesy © Château Lafite: The Almanac by Saskia De Rothschild, Flammarion, 2020; Rizzoli/Marlène Awaad

BOOKS

INSIDER

93

INSIDER GUEST LIST

GR A N D OPEN I NG OF THE COLLECTIVE Phot ogra p hy by La u ren a n d Ha n a w ith Dar r en Miles Ph otog ra p hy

94

GULFSHORE LIFE

1 Maria Jimenez-Lara, Laura Dixon

1

2 Ray, John and Kelly DeAngelis

2

3 Callhan Soldazini, Raegan Gillette, Alina Smith

3

g ulf shorelife.com

4 R andall Stofft, Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann, Randy Kurtz and John Cooney cut the ribbon to

officially open The Collective

5 4

5 John and Amy Quinn, Chris and Rochelle Schucart

6

6 Jennifer Adams snaps a picture of a piece in the METHOD & CONCEPT studio

INSIDER

95

NA PLES I N T E R N AT I O N A L F I L M F E S T I VA L Hosted at Artis—Naples

Ph otog ra p hy by Peter Fa len cik

3

1 Fiona Baldwin, Brian and Tes Manley 2 Artis—Naples employee, Kathleen van Bergen

1

3 Terry Edwards, Christine Fauls, Carol Stout and Colleen Nicholson

2

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

INSIDER GUEST LIST

4 Vlad and Alexis Popovic, Buddy and Annabelle Martin

4

5 Stan and Sarann Kraushaar 6 Guest laughs with friends as they wait to enter Norris Garden

5

6

INSIDER

97

HARMON-MEEK GALLERY Established in Naples, Florida in 1964

Hunt Slonem is an internationally renowned neo-expressionist who has had hundreds of solo exhibitions at museums across the nation and abroad.

Harmon-Meek Gallery has proudly represented Slonem for 25 years.

Hunt Slonem’s works can be found in the permanent collection of 250 museums internationally, including: • Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum • Metropolitan Museum of Art • The Whitney Museum of American Art • The Miro Foundation • New Orleans Museum of Art Numerous books and monographs have chronicled Slonem’s art, including most recently, Gatekeeper: World of Folly (Assouline 2018).

HM

®

Quantum Leap by Hunt Slonem, oil on wood, 30”x40”, 2020

382 12th Ave S, Naples 34102 | www.harmonmeek.com | (239) 261-2637 Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5, and by private appointment

T H E N A P L E S P L AY E R S P R E S E N T

CULTUR

E

The Naples Players and Naples Zoo are joining forces for a day of Wild Culture! Featuring a mix of live performances, zookeeper presentations, and even a VIP animal encounter cocktail hour, this one-day-only event will be the talk of the town! From Shakespeare to Simba, this family-friendly event is a safe and fun opportunity to enjoy the wild world of arts and culture!

JANUARY 21 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

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For those who seek exceptional service

Contact us for a private consultation.

PremierSothebysRealty.com | 877.539.9865 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.

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4 2 5 1 G u l f S h o r e B l v d N U n i t 9 D, N a p l e s , F L 3 4 10 3 $2,195,000 This stunning 3-bedroom, 3-bath beachfront condominium in Park Shore Tower has it all.

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2 7 5 7 M e d a l l i s t L a n e , N a p l e s 3 4 10 9 $1,828,000 Welcome to the home of your dreams. Not a detail was missed in this stunning, completely remodeled, single family home. 36” marble flooring welcomes you into the spacious dining room and salon. The beautiful kitchen has new Wolf and Subzero appliances. Expansive glass sliders frame the remodeled pool with new mosaic tile, limestone pool deck, and new outdoor kitchen. Enjoy cocktails while watching the sunset over the gorgeous landscaped yard, with a meandering river and stone water feature. Other updates include; roof, AC, duct work, and a picture frame pool enclosure, just to name a few. This is the property you’ve been looking for.

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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

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.

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The Florida Gulf Coast Luxury Leader Passionate | Skilled | Dedicated | Award-winning Our remarkable agents are the absolute best in the business. You simply couldn’t be in better hands. We continue investing in game-changing technologies that help our agents do what they do even better: selling your home. These latest tools are a competitive necessity and a given as an innovator, yet this will always be a business first and foremost of relationships and trust. Our people are what truly make us special, as their talents are limitless.

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NO _ 5 0 3

01_ 2 0 21

Features

“In ma ny ways it’s like a production, like live theater. Ever y n ig ht is open ing n ig ht for us.”

— Ocea n P r i me G enera l Ma nager R ick Gia n na si, on r u n n i ng t he popu la r Naples d i n i ng room

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110

124

T he Front of House

Naples Fine Wine’s

Restaurant Magic

Impressive Collect ion

T

H

F

R

O

Arguably the most important job in a restaurant is that of a general manager, but few know the far-reaching, all-or-nothing nature of the role. We shine the spotlight on three who are at the top of their field in Southwest Florida.

L 11 0

I GULFSHORE LIFE

E N N

T

By

Photography

Dorothea Hunter Sรถnne

by Zach Stovall

E 111

The restaurant world, in the simplest

Here we shine light on three exceptional

terms, is truly a tale of two houses.

general managers who take the restaurant

The back of the house is the one that

experience from ordinary to extraordinary.

gets most of the attention: It refers to the kitchen and all those who work in it. Most

Rick Giannasi, Ocean Prime

of the focus is on the wizardry behind

If you happen to pass by the wall of windows

those swinging porthole doors—what chefs

looking into Ocean Prime from Sugden

are coming up with to dazzle, comfort or

Plaza in downtown Naples, you’ll notice

nourish you. But the front of the house,

that every day at 2 p.m., like clockwork,

the very public face of servers, bartenders,

there will be a table of the restaurant’s

managers and others who tend to the

leaders chatting over some nibbles from

guests’ needs, constitutes the other side

the menu. There’s an even larger group

of that coin. At some restaurants, such as

that convenes there at 4:30 p.m.

Pazzo! on Fifth Avenue South, there is a

The constant at both of the daily “pit-

hostess who has been with the team since

stops”—where everyone downloads and

it opened 25 years ago and guests know

shares important information for the night

her by name. Likewise, people will plan

of service ahead—is the uplifting, warm

a visit to Bar Tulia around which of their

and steady presence of the gregarious

favorite bartenders is working that night.

and gracious Giannasi. “In many ways it’s

But while there is a focus on the quality

like a production, like live theater. Every

of service—arguably that it makes or breaks

night is opening night for us. It’s one of our

a night out—there is very little attention

philosophies and part of our culture. The

on how the people at the front of the house

lights are set right, the music is on point,

go about their jobs. The general man-

the temperature is perfect, our uniforms

ager is the glue that holds the restaurant

are our costumes—I love seeing the servers

together, as he or she motivates, informs

looking in the mirror and checking that

and supports the entire team. They are

their ties are straight,” he says. “We’re

ringleaders, quality-control officers and

feeding people, but it’s an experience at

train conductors all rolled into one. GM’s

Ocean Prime. What we do is why they

are some of the most recognizable people

come back—the genuine hospitality, the

on staff, but customers barely know the

warm welcome, the entire experience.”

scope of what they do beyond saying “Hi.”

And he should know.

At any time, you might find one of them

Before being offered the job to launch

stocking the bar or training their staff or

what has become one of the most con-

being the chief complaint department

temporary, yet elegant, spaces on Fifth

officer or throwing on a tuxedo to help

Avenue South from its debut in 2016,

serve if someone calls in sick. There’s

Giannasi had a robust professional life in

almost nothing they don’t have a hand in.

acting and hospitality for 40 years. He even

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Rick Giannasi, the general manager at Ocean Prime in Naples, has worked as a bartender, a bar owner, an actor and held essentially every front-of-the-house job you can name. That breadth of experience informs his current role. “We’re feeding people, but it’s an experience at Ocean Prime,” he says. “What we do is why they come back—the genuine hospitality, the warm welcome, the entire experience.”

113

Giannasi pitches in behind the bar. He encourages the staff to go above and beyond what would normally be expected of them. His years as a performer help him to enhance the dining experience. “In many ways, it’s like a production, like live theater,” he says. “Every night is opening night for us. It’s one of our philosophies and part of our culture.”

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

remembers being a host before then as the

When his wife’s father passed away,

captain of his high school football team

he relocated to Detroit. There, his acting

and amateur party planner in New Jersey.

career was able to flourish monetarily. “I

He laughs recalling those event-planning

was a big fish in a small pond and booked

days, remembering the operation he’d run

lots of car commercials and SAG videos,”

out of his family’s home: checking keys at

he says. And he got his first GM job at the

the door, having cups of water for friends

local branch of Blue Martini.

and cab numbers on speed dial.

After a few years, the family of four

Until finding a permanent home and

relocated to Orlando, and Giannasi got a

a position that perfectly embraces his

job bartending at Ocean Prime, where his

strengths at Ocean Prime, he’d make

cocktails would sell out night after night

strides simultaneously in acting and the

and his affable demeanor drew regulars

restaurant business. He’s held every role

to the bar. He was eventually promoted

in the front of the house at some point in

to a managerial role and then given the

his career, which gave him an unrivaled

honor of being the founding GM of the

breadth of experience. He was a bartender

Naples location.

at The China Grill when a producer of

Although he’s no longer officially in

the soap Another World approached him

the acting business, he has a penchant

because she felt he’d be perfect for a part

for theatricality and how it can enhance

they were casting. It was his first big

a guest’s experience. He reminds his

break and he acted opposite Anne Heche

staff to go above and beyond. One of his

in that scene. He got a taste for royalty,

happiest moments was when he saw in the

like Prince Rainier, and their well-heeled

reservation system that a couple who had

compatriots working at places like the

met at Booth 24 wanted to get married in

Four Seasons in Manhattan. He owned

that same booth a year later. “To take it to

his own bar, The Construction Zone, in

another level, I thought, how can I make this

SoHo that he sold after seven years (he

special,” he says. He spoke to The Naples

remembers being ahead of the times by

Players, next door, and borrowed a bridal

using exposed ductwork and hanging light

arch from the props department, which

bulbs long before they became popular

the team mounted over the booth. “Each

because he was on a shoestring budget).

year they come back on their anniversary

He also starred in an indie comedy that

and sit in the same booth,” he says.

got a three-star review from a New York

Every day, after those afternoon pit

Times critic and later took on cult classic

stops, Giannasi does a perimeter check,

status (search for Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.

a facility check and a line check. Then he

and you won’t be disappointed). He joined

settles into what he does best—hosting.

the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), moved his

He makes sure to check on every one of

young family to Los Angeles, California,

the 280 available seats throughout the

and earned more roles on shows, including

night. “Studying acting really pushes you

one on the science fiction television series

into being observant of body language or

Star Trek: Voyager.

an attitude—an aura or demeanor around

11 5

Irena Wigley, general manager of The Continental, studied to be a reporter in her native Czech Republic.

In a field with very few women, this single mother of two has worked her way up the ladder at a number of Naples’ best-known restaurants. “If I’m working at the restaurant, my phone is never off,” she says “It’s a 24-7 job—it’s a lot of emotional labor.”

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GULFSHORE LIFE

somebody—and you can act honestly.

Part of being a great leader is making a connection with a guest even if it’s a glance over to let them know there’s someone they can turn to,” he says. “My eyes are everywhere. I’m the innkeeper. ‘What’s wrong with this picture, and how can I make it better?’ Nothing’s perfect in life.

We’re all human. How you handle the hiccups is what makes the gravy.”

Irena Wigley, The Continental Most days, Wigley goes to bed long after the sun goes down and wakes up hours before it starts peeking out. At 5 a.m., without fail, she laces up her running shoes and logs some miles. Then she starts checking her email and looking at the restaurant’s reservation system before her kids rise to get ready for school. “If I’m working at the restaurant, my phone is never off. It’s a 24-7 job—it’s a lot of emotional labor,” she says. She has an enormous amount of compassion for her team and tries to always be there for them. “For me, I try to see potential and just grab it—and hold each person accountable for their growth,” she says. “I will be by their side to help them get there.”

This single mom of two, who holds the reins at one of the most exclusive steakhouses in downtown Naples, didn’t grow up thinking she’d be in the hospitality industry.

But she has the gumption, ambition and experience to rival anyone in the field.

After having studied to be a reporter in her native Czech Republic, a friend suggested she come along on a vacation to Naples in 2002. Wigley met and fell in love with her now ex-husband, and the

117

rest became history. Wigley got a job as

chef Dominique Crenn—the first woman

a server at Riverwalk, and its owner, Vin

to ever achieve three Michelin stars in the

DePasquale, took her under his wing for

United States—at a party for the chefs

the majority of her 20s. He promoted

being honored by the Naples Winter

her up the chain of command first at that

Wine Festival at The Continental. The

restaurant and then at The Dock. Intrigued

practice of staging is a thousand times

by the possibility of working in upscale

more common for chefs than managers,

fine dining, she heard about a managerial

and regardless of who is doing it, it is

position open at the Third Street South

unpaid. Wigley approached D’Amico

stalwart Campiello in 2008, and that’s

about the possibility of going to learn

when she found her calling. She’s climbed

from Crenn. He not only supported her

the ladder under the D’Amico & Partners

going during the summer, but offered to

umbrella ever since.

continue her salary for the six weeks she

In a field with very few women and

was gone. “A lot of it was poise—handling

fewer female leaders, Wigley has the

the dishes—because she’s so focused on the

distinction of being the opening GM for

poetic aspect of the dish,” Wigley recalls.

first Masa (a critically acclaimed Mexican

“But the most beneficial aspect for me was

spot in Mercato for several years) and

knowing they have a team that sits down

then The Continental. For the latter, she

daily and goes over every guest. They do

worked side-by-side with owner Richard

max 50 to 60 per night whereas we have

D’Amico for six months in 2014 before its

300 to 400 reservations in season, but I

December opening, hiring the 100-person

always look at who is coming in and I read

team, calling vendors, ordering silverware,

those notes. I may not remember every

light fixtures and chairs.

guest specifically on a full March night,

In D’Amico, she’s found a truly sup-

but I have a general overview of what is

portive boss and he’s found someone he

happening and I convey that to my team.”

can trust. “It’s funny, I was speaking with

She admits it was incredibly hard to be

Richard earlier today. He knows single

away from her kids for that long (she missed

mothers are not usually general managers

her daughter’s first day of kindergarten),

of restaurants. He was asking how I was

and that it’s a difficult lifestyle for anyone.

doing, making sure I was alright,” Wigley

But she encourages people to not limit

says. Then she notes that, to conserve

themselves. “We ourselves have to change

funds mid-pandemic, the GMs are pitching

the mindset. Apply for these positions.

in to help with things like caring for the

Sometimes women have to work harder

restaurant’s lush botanicals.

than men and sometimes we get paid less,

One of Wigley’s most unique experiences

but if we just give up and don’t apply, then

is doing a “stage,” or apprenticeship, in 2018

we’re not part of the solution,” Wigley says.

at the Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn in

“I’ve hired many women over the years,

San Francisco. Wigley had met the great

and I say to them all the time, ‘You tell me

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Wigley considers her relationship leading her staff as paramount. “I have an enormous amount of compassion for my team, and I always try to be there for them,� she says.

119

what you want, where you think you are and how I can help you succeed.’”

Denny Genge, The Veranda In Fort Myers, Genge has a bit of a celebrity following. Most regulars know him by his name, as he does by theirs. He’s technically Dennis, but even went so far as to name a restaurant he owned on a canal in New York State’s Great Lakes region Denny’s Harbor Hideaway.

Chances are if anyone has been to The Veranda in the past decade, he’s walked you to your table from his podium at the entrance and checked on you mid-meal.

“I put in a lot of miles,” he says.

It has been his spot every night, except Sundays, for the past 15 or 16 years. He chuckles trying to remember the exact timeline. But he’s been with the Pedens, who own The Veranda, since he and his family first arrived in Fort Myers in 2000, yearning to escape the long New York winters. He had gotten the job lead through a friend and started as one of the storied property’s tuxedo-clad servers.

The restaurant, a national gem that’s comprised of two 100-year-old houses attached by a kitchen, occupies a treeshaded courtyard that’s essentially a gateway into downtown Fort Myers. It’s

12 0

GULFSHORE LIFE

Denny Genge, The Veranda’s general manager, started at the Fort Myers restaurant as a tuxedo-clad server 20 years ago. He still keeps a tuxedo—along with a kitchen shirt and a pair of jeans—in his upstairs office, just in case he needs to lend a helping hand to his 34-member team. “I like dealing with people. I like to make them smile, I like the conversation,” he says.

12 1

The Veranda is as well known for its discreet atmosphere as it is for its fine cuisine, which has secured it a national reputation. “A lot of deals get done here. They come for the anonymity. I think you could say I’m the gatekeeper of it,” Genge says. “When we get celebrities in, we are professional and let people have their experience.” Still, everyone is welcome to a complimentary photo, courtesy of Genge, to memorialize their meal.

12 2

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

an integral part of the community that’s

back-of-the-house experience. Aside from

been under the same ownership for 42

running the kitchen of his own restaurant,

years. It has a reputation of being the

he worked for decades in the kitchens of

place for bigwigs to slice into an aged

country clubs up north. To this day, he

Black Angus NY strip or fork through a

likes to walk a certain path back to his

piece of seared snapper, and Genge knows

host stand so he can pass by the kitchen

discretion is greatly appreciated. “A lot of

window to make sure the consistency

deals get done here. They come for the

that The Veranda prides itself on is there.

anonymity. I think you could say I’m the

Genge is always in a black jacket, but he

gatekeeper of it. When we get celebrities

keeps a whole wardrobe in his upstairs

in, we are professional and let people have

office—a pair of jeans, a kitchen shirt,

their experience. The staff is really good

a tuxedo—because he’s always ready to

about it—we don’t ask them for a picture

jump in and help his team of 34 wherever

and an autograph.”

an extra pair of hands might be needed.

But that’s not to say pictures are not

Asked why he ultimately has chosen to

a part of The Veranda experience. A few

make the front of the house his permanent

years back, Genge decided to introduce

home, he says, “I like dealing with peo-

complimentary on-the-spot photo taking

ple. I like to make them smile, I like the

and printing. He was inspired at first

conversation. If you don’t love what you

because the restaurant gets a lot of spe-

do, there’s no sense in doing it. I want to

cial-occasion business (anniversaries,

be around people and make sure they’re

birthdays, etc.). But the practice has

having a nice experience. The conversation

become a mainstay, with Genge trying

could be short or long, but as long as it’s

to get to every table each night. “They

sincere, that’s what’s important.”

remember that kind of thing, the little

He recognizes the industry’s long hours

things that make them feel special,” Genge

can be grueling and that support from

says. He also prints business cards for

home is paramount. All three of his kids

every server—another touch from what

were in elementary school when he started

seems to be a bygone era. “Everybody

at The Veranda. “You’ve got to love what

takes pictures on their phone now, and

you’re doing and want to come to work

that’s where they stay. So I thought why

everyday. Everything else can be trained

not take a picture? It’s something they

or learned,” he says. “My wife, Shelly, is

can put on their fridge or their coffee

a very supportive person, and you need

table. I thought it was a nice touch and

that. It is very demanding, and you miss

people seem to enjoy it.”

things with your kids and that kind of

He’s one of the rare examples of a front of the house team member who has extensive

thing. It’s a sacrifice she understands, and I’m fortunate.”

12 3

W

12 4

GULFSHORE LIFE

I

N

E

F

I

N

E

R

Y

Naples Fine W ines’ Larry and Cheryl Andrews refine the palate, one glass at a time.

By Drew Limsky

Photography

by B r i a n T i e t z

12 5

Larry Andrews, the founder of

sion. But the Cordillera holiday

who like wine rather rapidly,’”

Naples Fine Wine (formerly

stands as a turning point in his

Larry recalls.

Fairways Wine Vault), remem-

wine education. Despite the

Wine has enhanced Larry’s

bers when he first fell in love with

revelry, the week proved to be as

life in ways he never could have

wine. It was 1992, and he was at

much about quality as quantity,

imagined. Raised in Michigan,

The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in

when Larry learned to appre-

he’d come to Naples to follow his

the Beaver Creek, Colorado area,

ciate offerings from two Napa

dream of becoming a professional

where he was visiting for a golf

wineries—Colgin Cellars and

golfer, found the sport far more

tournament. “I was a pretty good

Bryant Estate. “I knew they were

competitive than he’d imagined,

golfer at this time,” he says.

more expensive than what I had

then got into the building industry

There, he met an avid collector

been drinking,” he says. “We

and stayed. In 1975, he founded AA

from Castle Pines, Colorado, and

settled in and started enjoying it

Stucco & Drywall, which outfits

a long wet dinner ensued. “It was

properly.” After a period of four

commercial and residential build-

hilarious because I’m 6 foot 4

or five days refining his palate,

ings from Tampa to Marco Island.

(inches tall) and the young pro that

he was invited to Castle Pines for

As his construction business flour-

I brought with me was 6’ 7, and he

more golf and wine. He took to

ished (at one point he had 1,000

was drinking (wine) like soda pop,

the latter so quickly that he asked

employees), Larry found that he

so I had to kick him under the table

his host how he could get involved

was able to travel the world, golf-

to get him to slow down,” Larry

with viticulture. The answer was

ing as an amateur. Thus, his life in

says, laughing.

for him to read up and join a wine

Naples has allowed him to focus on

Before this trip, Larry drank

organization. “And he said, ‘You’ll

his three loves: golf, wine and his

wine on occasion; his go-to wines

be surprised—you’ll meet friends

wife, Cheryl, who helps him run

were Sonoma Valley’s Jordan

Naples Fine Wine, with its impres-

and Napa’s Caymus—maybe

sive 25,000-plus wine inventory.

he’d go for an Opus One if it was

Cheryl, fortuitously, has a back-

an anniversary or special occa-

ground in beer and wine distri-

12 6

GULFSHORE LIFE

Owners Larry and Cheryl Andrews among some of their 25,000-plus wine inventory at Naples Fine Wine, which started as Fairways Wine Vault. About 90% to 95% of the store’s stock is in collectible wines. “For the most part, they’re stored in the original boxes that they came in,” Cheryl says.

12 7

Larry is the wine connoisseur of the family, while Cheryl, with a background in beer and wine distribution and accounting, is the businessperson. In addition to having wine clubs, the couple also host two wine tastings a month, including some with vintners, where guests can try newer and older vintages side by side.

12 8

GULFSHORE LIFE

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Before opening the wine shop, Larry owned Zoe’s, a wine-focused restaurant on Naples’ Fifth Avenue South. “It had an 1,800-bottle list, 30,000 bottles of wine, and a 40-spigot Cruvinet to pour wine by the glass,” he says.

bution and accounting. She met

(The idea for the Cruvinet system

Cheryl’s help, to sell off some of

Larry around 2007 and became

came from a visit to the restaurant

that inventory. Selling wine proved

acquainted with fine wines through

Tra Vigne Pizzeria in St. Helena,

lucrative.

him. When Larry decided to sell his

California.) With Zoe’s, he intro-

Now, with Naples Fine Wine

portfolio, Cheryl developed a web-

duced the community to the rare

up and running, and offering two

site to aid him in that endeavor. But

pleasures of Romanée-Conti, the

tastings per month during season,

Larry remains the connoisseur of

famed Burgundy label and Shafer

aficionados can come by to inspect

the family: For Cheryl, wine is

Vineyards’ Hillside Select from

the fruits of Larry’s good taste. He

strictly business (save for the occa-

Napa’s Stags Leap District. Colgin

says that 90% to 95% of his bottles

sional glass of bubbly).

and Bryant, fondly remembered

are collectible wines. “For the most

Before there was Naples Fine

from Larry’s Colorado wine initi-

part, they’re stored in the original

Wine, there was Zoe’s, a wine-fo-

ation in the ’90s, were also poured

boxes that they came in,” Cheryl

cused restaurant on Fifth Avenue

by the glass. “I think I was ahead of

says. And when vintners come

South in Naples that Larry owned

my time,” he says now.

to town, Naples Fine Wine gives

and operated from 2000 to 2008.

When Larry sold Zoe’s, the

locals the chance to taste older

He says the restaurant was a

buyer was only interested in the

vintages with the new vintages

hobby, but its emphasis on wine

low-priced wines, which left Larry

was deadly serious. “It had an

with around 28,000 bottles of first-

1,800-bottle list, 30,000 bottles

rate wine. So he stored the bottles

of wine, and a 40-spigot Cruvinet

for a couple of years as the eco-

to pour wine by the glass,” he says.

nomic slowdown hit the building industry. “Nothing was built here for five years,” Larry says. So it was an opportune time for him, with

13 1

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Naples Fine Wines has gained a national following since it first opened. The pandemic has further fueled the business, with patrons seeking out Naples Fine Wine’s coveted stock, including Billecart-Salmon Champagne and RomanÊe-Conti, the famed Burgundy label. Cheryl often finds herself on the phone for as much as 13 hours a day, fielding orders from around the country.

13 3

that the distributors and wineries

dren & Education Foundation,

deers the store’s phone lines for

offer. “People can sample those

which organizes the festival, set-

as much as 13 hours a day, fielding

and appreciate the taste of wine as

tled on a virtual event, including

orders from Central and Pacific

it matures when it’s 10 years old, or

an online auction. “I feel sorry,”

time zones. When local and state

older,” Larry says.

Larry says. “We were going to hold

governments were curtailing retail

If you're unsure what to pair

a dinner, but they're still going to

sales throughout the country,

with your meal, Larry is quick to

raise money for the kids and God

Naples Fine Wine remained open

offer valuable recommendations.

bless them. Last year, it raised $20

for business. “They were ordering

With duck, he likes a merlot-based

million.” One memorable year of

wine and a lot of it,” Cheryl says.

Bordeaux blend or pinot noir from

the festival saw the Andrews host-

“That helped us out a lot this year.”

Oregon or Burgundy. If Italian

ing a 40-person dinner overseen

Unsurprisingly, much of their

wine is preferred, he suggests a

by famed chef Michael Mina.

business has remained in shipping

mature Tuscan red. For celebra-

To the Andrews’ delight, their

throughout the pandemic, but

tory occasions, Cheryl favors the

business has become nationally

COVID-19 has also had an impact

Billecart-Salmon Champagne

known. “When we originally

on locals’ purchasing habits. Larry

Brut Rose, onto which she bestows

set up the wine shop, we didn’t

tells of an orthopedic surgeon

a string of pleasing summery

know which way we wanted to

friend—no longer in high demand

adjectives: “It’s just a very light,

market our product,” Cheryl

due to the reduction in elective

crisp, bubbly, pretty wine.”

says. “Then we got a presence on

procedures—who came in one

She always keeps Krug Cham-

wine-searcher.com, and as soon

day and nonchalantly picked out

pagne on hand, as the brand is a

as we got our website hooked up

four cases of wine from Northern

frequent sponsor of the Naples

with that site, it was like the light

California and France. The doctor

Winter Wine Festival. This year,

bulb switched on, and we started

said to the couple: “While I'm not

due to COVID-19, the Naples Chil-

shipping. We had quite a shipping

working, I'm drinking.”

operation and then of course when COVID hit, we were set to go.” Sometimes Cheryl comman-

13 4

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Operating out of a 3,500-square-foot warehouse building in the Naples Art District, the Andrews’ Naples Fine Wine is a gem for oenophiles. While much of their business is in shipping, locals like to stop by to peruse the value-minded racks in the front retail space and the rows of crates in the temperature-controlled cellar in the back.

13 5

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$2.2 BILLION WEALTH MOVED FROM THE GREATER CHICAGO AREA TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA*

IN 2020, THE DAWN MCKENNA GROUP IS THE

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239.316.3883 @ T H E D AW N M C K E N N A G R O U P The Coldwell BankerÂŽ System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Not intended as a solicitation if your property is already listed by another broker. *Source: Within Coldwell Banker Realty ranked by Wall Street Journal RealTrends The Thousand 2020 & howmoneywalks.com.

kristen coury, PRODUCING aRtIstIC DIReCtOR

c o M i n G FA L L 2 0 2 3 : The Gulfshore Playhouse Cultural Campus featuring our new Baker Theatre and Education Center Our new 40,000-square-foot theatre and education center will CREATE an imaginative world brought to life on two architecturally superb stages, ENGAGE audiences through expanded programming, and INSPIRE hearts and minds of theatre lovers throughout Southwest Florida.

To learn more about leaving a lasting legacy, contact Chief Advancement Officer Kimberly Dye at kdye@gulfshorelplayhouse.org

Directed by Kristen Coury

A SpeciAl Benefit for GulfShore plAyhouSe

Spanning half a century and many miles, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III’s relationship unfolds across a series of letters. From childhood friends to complicated adults grappling with the choices they’ve made, Love Letters takes us on a nostalgic and vivid journey. Beloved actors Maureen silliman and William Parry passionately bring to life this story of hope, heartbreak, and love. tickets available now at GulfshorePlayhouse.org

For updates on 2021 live performances and extensive health and safety protocols, visit www.GulfshorePlayhouse.org

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HOMELOOK

A COLLECTION OF LISTINGS FROM OUR PORTFOLIO

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Pine Ridge

482 Ridge Drive, Naples, FL 34108 $6,900,000 On over an acre of manicured grounds, this magnificent estate home was created to enjoy the fruits of life here in paradise. Inspired by traditional French architecture and crafted of the finest materials resulting in a masterful blend of Olde World romance and state-of-the-art technology. Nearly 7,000 square feet of living space offers a chef’s kitchen, formal dining, a family room ideal for large gatherings, four bedrooms plus a study, and game room. Soaring ceilings, walls of glass open to the spectacular pool, spa, spacious lanai with pizza oven and fireplace. Plus a four car garage and putting green.

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4201 Gulf Shore Boulevard North #302, Naples, Florida 34103 $4,325,000 Once you enter into this beautiful condo you immediately feel as though you are in a single-family home. The expansive owner-terrace overlooking the Gulf of Mexico where you can walk down to the pool or to the manicured green space/park to walk your dogs. This 3-bedroom, 3.5 bathrooms, and den with an open floor plan is perfect for any family. Recently painted, new light fixtures throughout, marble flooring and new carpet. You have electric hurricane shutters and high-impact windows. Walking distance to Venetian Village too. The building has 3 newly remodeled guest suites for visitors.

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Shirlene Elkins (239) 777-9574 Shirlene@JohnRWood.com HomesByShirlene.com

HGT V National Award Winner Best Outdoor Space

15927 Roseto Way, Naples, FL 34110 $3,995,000 Masterfully appointed custom estate home located on premier location with spectacular golf course and sparkling lake views! One of the finest estate homes and views in Mediterra! Entertain on your expansive tropical lanai featuring western exposure. Show stopping pool, spa, fountains, lush landscaping and outdoor kitchen and bar. Meticulous details and finishes throughout the home. Soaring 20-foot ceilings. Award winning Tom Fazio golf courses, private beach club, pickleball, bocce ball and resort amenities. Over 8,600 Sq. Ft of absolute luxury living! Golf membership availability.

Emily K Bua & Tade Bua-Bell (239) 595-0097 BuaBellGroup@JohnRWood.com BuaBellSellsNaples.com

Aqua At Pelican Isle

13665 Vanderbilt Dr # 502, Naples, FL 34110 $2,700,000 N Naples locale close to airport plus many conveniences N Naples offers: Coconut Pointe, Mercato and Waterside Shops to name a few! Professional dĂŠcor & high end finishes in latest 2017, serene Aqua water/boating themed, built tower w/ wide winding hallways and tasteful high-ticket decor. Docks and long, unobstructed water views highlight a sizzling sunset backdrop having quick boating access to the Gulf! Amenities, with views galore, include indoor/outdoor Skytower w/birds-eye views, indoor simulated golf driving range and outdoor putting green plus a motion picture theatre, waterfront pool, spa and mood-setting firepit gathering area!

Mitch and Sandi Williams (239) 370-8879 m.swms@JohnRWood.com 13665VanderbiltDr502.info

Audubon Country Club

353 Chancery Cir., Naples, FL 34110 $2,350,000 Enter this magnificent French Provincial home through the massive 18th Century restored Iron and Cypress front doors and let the pristine 150-year-old reclaimed Heart Pine floors welcome you to begin the experience of timeless architecture, with attention to only the finest details that blend the new and the old. 1800s German crystal chandelier, 18th century office door and parquet flooring from Turkey, Italian hand carved walnut mantel, circa 1885. There is a story to be told about every piece that has gone into this home. This property is so unique and amazing, it is like NO other.

Lorri Bruno (239) 319-8536 LBruno@JohnRWood.com LiveTheNaplesLifestyle.com

The Colonade Park Shore Exceptional Living

255 Colonade Circle Naples, FL 34103

Tom McCarthy

Price – upon request

(239) 243-5520 Tom@NaplesShore.com

Enjoy your stunning, designer home with open floor plan and expansive family room.

Featuring a gourmet kitchen with stainless appliances, Induction cook-top and granite counters. Retreat to the luxurious grand master suite with oversized spa tub.

Ideal for entertaining and everyday living. Light & Bright with volume ceilings, chiseled stone floors and private elevator. Spacious guest bedroom and den offers exceptional space for guests. The Colonade is a private, gated retreat located in the heart of Park Shore. Stroll to the Private Park Shore Beach, or exquisite dining & shopping at Venetian Village. Ready for you to enjoy this season! Call for a personal showing.

Naplesshore.com

Carolyn McCarthy (239) 300-8880 Carolyn@NaplesShore.com

Contemporary Pool Home Just Blocks To The Beach

10262 Vanderbilt Dr, Naples, FL 34108 $1,125,000 Just blocks to the beach located directly on beautiful Vanderbilt Drive. Contemporary two-story pool home boasts over 3000 sq ft of resort style living, complete with media room, on-suite guest bedroom, plus a balcony to enjoy sunsets overlooking the canal! Great-room leads out to the covered area with heated pool surrounded by tropical landscaping. Open kitchen boasts custom cabinetry, breakfast bar, separate dining room and additional living room. Master bedroom on main floor with luxurious master bath. New flat tile roof, new AC, freshly painted, 8 ft doors, volume ceilings, ground floor is wired for music, and brick paver driveway.

Mari Vesci (239) 269-8889 Mari@Vesci.com Vesci.com

An Entertainer’s Dream On An Acre Lot In Port Royal 2361 Lantern Lane Naples, FL 34102 $7,900,000 An extensive renovation has transformed this exquisite property into a modern show piece. Located on almost an acre of land on navigable water. At nearly 5,000 sq. ft. the owners spared no expense in creating the ultimate entertainer’s dream. Behind the private gates at 2361 Lantern Lane the ultimate in Luxury living awaits.

Annie Hagstrom (239) 231-9999 AHagstrom@JohnRWood.com NaplesGulfcoastRealty.com

A Luxury Beachfront Estate 4601 Gulf Shore Blvd. N #15 Naples, FL 34103 $5,899,000 Spectacular coastal seascapes and unparalleled gulf shore views await you from every room! Welcome to Enclave, with only 28 rarely available residences in arguably the finest Park Shore location. This 15th floor masterpiece boasts 6,800 square feet of luxurious living space with floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. Enjoy Naples at its best.

Gabriele H. Vretta, PA (239) 784-0249 Gabriele@GVLuxuryProperties.com GVLuxuryProperties.com

Bruce Farrell, PA (239) 370-8533 Bruce@BruceSellsNaples.com BruceSellsNaples.com

Award Winning Home In Royal Harbor 1325 Marlin Drive Naples, FL 34102 $5,499,500 Perhaps one of the most expertly crafted homes available.

Winner of the Sand Dollar award for Most Sustainable and Smart Home by the Collier Building Association. Built by BCBE homes, and Design West as the Interior Designers.

Lavish kitchen and bathrooms, custom wood flooring.

Solar panels, grey water harvesting, and a Tesla 80 amp. charging station make this a home for now and the future.

Annie Hagstrom (239) 231-9999 AHagstrom@JohnRWood.com NaplesGulfcoastRealty.com

New Construction – Woodlake At Bonita Bay 3850 Woodlake Dr Bonita Springs, FL 34134 $3,495,000 NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION! Coastal estate home. 4 Bed+Den+Bonus Room. 4.5 Baths. 4,373 s.f. with 6,902 total s.f. Long lake water views. Open floorplan. Spacious outdoor living/dining area. High quality interior finishes.

3 car garage. Estimated completion March 2021.

Ginger Lickley (239) 860-4661 GLickley@JohnRWood.com GingerLickley.com

Modern Marco Island 870 Partridge Court Marco Island, FL 34145 $3,395,000 Custom built waterfront masterpiece features soaring metal ceilings, polished concrete floors and fold-away sliders. The huge quartz island and walnut push-open cabinets will delight the chef. Glistening JewelScapes glass bead Infinity Pool on expansive waterfront Ipe deck. Boaters will appreciate the direct access location and custom dock. Vibrant landscaping and beautifully furnished. This home is the definition of thoughtful design.

Beth M Smith PA (239) 451-1822 BSmith@JohnRWood.com BethMSmith.com

Bay Colony 8751 La Palma Lane Naples, FL 34108 $2,950,000 Ask us about our ever-changing Bay Colony & Pelican Bay masterpieces, including this 4 Bedroom + Family Room, 4.5 Bath Villa Jewel, along with our other Villa, Beachfront and Bay Tower Gems. Your #1 Pelican Bay & Bay Colony RealtorsÂŽ 2011-2020.

#1 Naples High-Rise Resale RealtorsÂŽ 2011-2020

Jill Rogers (239) 450-6856

Lexi Martin (239) 776-1210 Naples34108.com

Azure At Bonita Bay 4931 Bonita Bay Blvd #1601 Bonita Springs, FL 34134 $2,595,000 16th Floor. 3 Bed+Den. 3.5 Baths. 4,240 A/C s.f. 4 large terraces. Spacious great room and media room.

Panoramic views of Gulf & Bonita Bay golf courses.

Summer kitchen with gas vented grill. Private elevator entry. Enclosed 2 car garage. A/C storage.

Ginger Lickley (239) 860-4661 GLickley@JohnRWood.com GingerLickley.com

Gramercy – Beachfront Moorings 2777 Gulf Shore Blvd, North, #3N Naples, FL 34103 $2,475,000 Ask us about our ever-changing Beachfront & Bay Masterpiece Gems, including this 3 Bedroom + Family Room, 3.5 Bath totally re-mastered & turnkey furnished Jewel, smack-dab on the sand! Your #1 Naples High-Rise Resale Realtors 2011-2020®.

#1 Naples High-Rise Resale Realtors® 2011-2020

Jill Rogers (239) 450-6856

Lexi Martin (239) 776-1210 CoastalHomesNaplesFlorida.com

Grand Lakefront Estate At Collier’s Reserve 1404 Gormican Lane Naples, FL 34110 $2,275,000 A happy marriage of classic architecture and remastered contemporary interior has created a sophisticated, yet comfortable home within a private Audubon Sanctuary setting. Luxe upgrades from impact windows to marble and wood floors await. Featuring four bedroom suites, four full plus one half baths, a large dual-desk office, an expansive lanai with pool and spa, and three-car parking.

Monika R.DeBenedictis, P.A. (239) 450-4222 Monika@YourHomeInNaples.com YourHomeInNaples.com

Stunning Private Courtyard Home In Windstar Spyglass Pointe at Windstar 3300 Lookout Lane Naples, FL 34112 $1,350,000 Enjoy life in this beautifully updated home with courtyard, pool, spa, and guest cabana. Designer, chefs kitchen with ample storage. Solarium overlooking lake and golf course to a preserve. The entire home opens for indoor/ outdoor living. Private Keewaydin beach shuttle and opportunities to join Windstar Country Club.

Beth H. McNichols, P.A. Broker Associate Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (239) 821-3304 BMcNichols@JohnRWood.com BethMcNichols.com

Last Waterfront Penthouse In Downtown Fort Myers 2631 First Street, PH3E Fort Myers, FL 33916 $1,337,000 Last penthouse available. Brand new waterfront construction in historic River District of Downtown Fort Myers. Breathtaking views of sunrise over the Caloosahatchee River. Luxury amenities include heated zero-entry swimming pool, fitness center and yoga studio. Close to dining, shopping, arts and activities in Downtown. Lowest COA fees in the area.

Susan Yarab (239) 789-6400 SunnySusany@gmail.com PrimaLuceLife.com

Bay Villas At Pelican Bay 549 Bay Villas Ln Naples, FL 34108 $849,000 This charming detached villa boasts a gorgeous interior with soaring ceilings, crown molding and gleaming wood floors. The kitchen has quality cabinetry, granite counters and stainless appliances. Natural light shines through the Pella windows, skylight and French doors. The serene outdoors has lovely brick-paver pathways and patios with two fountains.

Jim Scartz (239) 877-9726 JScartz@JohnRWood.com JimScartz.com

Ready For This Season 8922 Shenendoah Cir Naples, FL 34113 $834,000 Scottsdale floor plan, 2,546 sq. ft. 3 bedroom 3 bath plus a study & 3 car garage. Eat in kitchen with granite countertops, paver driveway and walkways, heated pool and spa with paver decking, outdoor kitchen. Located in the gated community “Majors� in Lely Resort golf and Country Club. Players Spa and Club membership available featuring 3 pools, tennis, exercise facility, fine and casual dining.

Cheryl Turner (239) 250-3311 CTurner@JohnRWood.com CherylTurnerNaplesRealEstate.com

Boat Slip Included 10562 Gulf Shore Dr #201 Naples, FL 34108 $650,000 Wonderfully updated bayfront 2 bedroom 2 bath end unit with a separate den/office area. Boat slip included.

This unique floor plan offers mesmerizing panorama bay view and a gulf vista. Re-imagined kitchen opened to see the bay. Both baths have been updated. Clever features include extra kitchen cabinetry, a lovely glassed hall display cabinet, all tile & wood flooring, new appliances, AC and water heater. Fully shuttered with an assigned under building parking space and extra storage.

Cheryl Turner (239) 250-3311 CTurner@JohnRWood.com CherylTurnerNaplesRealEstate.com

Local Homes

Global Exposure

Starting from here

imagine where you’ ll go next Change is good, sell with confidence. As the area’s #1 brokerage, rely on our local expertise and six decades of experience.

Above property available by appointment.

Bring Your Highest Expectations™

johnrwood.com | 239.262.1900

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Courtesy Venjhamin Reyes

HOME

p _ 15 6

156

St ylish Living: A n A rtistic Bay Colony Renovation

168

Fa vorite T hings: Date Night

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Realt y Check: Dream Homes

A R C H I T E C T : Herscoe Hajjar Architects B U I L D E R : Porter Van Arsdale Construction I N T E R I O R D E S I G N : Judith Liegeois Designs P H O T O G R A P H Y : Venjhamin Reyes

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STYLISH LIVING

A CHEERFUL ABODE

HOME

This Bay Colony home plays with bright hues to create a cheery, hopeful space.

By Michael Korb

The team behind this Bay Colony

geois to reimagine the original con-

home makeover had one concept in

fines in hopes of creating something

mind: hope. Like most in the neigh-

entirely different. “The house had a

borhood, it was built in the ’90s and

very small galley kitchen and a large

sported a decidedly Mediterranean

dining room that we knew wouldn’t

tone: heavy on the moldings, rusts,

work for the Naples lifestyle that we

reds and mustards. It was also cramped

wanted,” Sarah says. “We eliminated

thanks to a questionable layout.

those and made one large kitchen

But a quick peek at its new look

area that opened everything up. We

shows a space with light, openness

just wanted a casual home and for the

and modern elegance, proving that, in

kitchen to be the center.”

design, all things are possible. Sarah

The problem was that building

and Phil Warren of Nashville bought

restrictions in the neighborhood

the home and hired architect Rob

allowed for very little exterior

Herscoe of Herscoe Hajjar Architects

changes, so the only way to gain more

and interior designer Judith Lie-

square footage was to incorporate an

HOME

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HOME STYLISH LIVING

“The house had a very small galley kitchen and a large dining room that we knew wouldn’t work for the Naples lifestyle that we wanted,” homeowner Sarah Warren says. The team—including architect Rob Herscoe and designer Judith Liegeois—opened the kitchen to flow into the living and dining spaces.

odd, dark, damp courtyard placed between the home and the garage.

Luckily, that made a major difference.“The irony is that the courtyard was probably only 180 square feet,” Herscoe says. “But that 180 square feet meant everything to update and make more dignified the flow of the house, access from garage to the house and the size of the kitchen.”

The change allowed for a large mudroom/laundry/pantry upon entering from the garage. And the expanded kitchen now opens into a casual eating area and a family room. The wall separating the family room from the living room was opened up as much as possible, includ-

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HOME STYLISH LIVING

ing pass-through shelving in the built-in bookcases that filter light from one room to another. “That took away the heaviness of the spaces,” Liegeois says. “And it took away the silo feel of the formal living room, which has 25-foot-tall ceilings. It gave a sense of bringing the room down to normal level.”

Another key change for the living room was changing out the stair and balcony railings. The old wooden spindles sat on the treads, taking up valuable space, while the new custom iron version mounts to the wall and is equal parts sophistication and elegance (and goes beautifully with the large chandelier). In addition, the second floor wall overlooking the living room was given curvature—rather than its original octagon shape—in order to soften it and give it a more sensual detail, Herscoe says.

Liegeois then used a European white oak flooring with a smoked wire-brush finish throughout, splashed the home in crisp white and used fun pops of color and

Replacing the formal dining room with this casual spot in the great

bold patterns to bring life to the space.

room allows for a more laid-back vibe that the homeowners, who live

(It’s not every day that a chartreuse rug

in Nashville the rest of the year, hoped to achieve in their winter home.

gets to lay claim to a family room.) Matte black paint above the bar and the refrigerator helps draw contrast to select barware and accessories. “Sarah was daring,” Lie-

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HOME STYLISH LIVING

A major change for the living room was to take out the stair and balcony railings. The old wooden spindles sat on the treads, taking up valuable space, while the new custom iron version mounts to the wall for a sleek, elegant feel.

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HOME STYLISH LIVING

geois says. “We offered color palettes to her and she wasn’t afraid at all.”

Sarah notes that in Nashville, her home is quiet and a bit more formal and reserved. “In Naples we wanted something totally different: more fun and feel-good, comfortable and welcoming, but with an elegance that we enjoy.”

Wisely, because of kids, pets and grandkids, the fabrics on the first floor tend to be Sunbrella, giving the home a real level of usability after visits to the beach.

Meanwhile, the walls feature artwork from Naples artist Mike Browne, as well as works from Hunt Slonem and Nashville artist Anton Weiss. And much of the black and white pho-

Designer Judith Liegeois used European white oak flooring

tography showcased in the home is by their own

with a smoked wire-brush finish throughout, splashed the

son, Philip, taken during annual father-and-son

home in crisp white, and used pops of color to bring life,

week-long excursions.

vitality and fun to the home.

All it takes is a little vision to reinvent a dated Mediterranean model, and it seems the Warrens knew just where to look.

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OUR DESIGN STUDIO NOW OPEN FOR APPOINTMENTS

We respect your home

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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

The Lisa Ferringo Group

306 Cypress St, Duck Key, Florida | 4/4

2768 Sq Ft

1.57 acres | $5,999,000

Approx. 310 ft of Concrete seawall providing Big Boat Deep water dockage or Multiple Boat Dockage. Featuring 2 Boat lifts 20k and 12k, approx. 1.57 acres on prestigious Yacht Club Island, Duck Key! Comprising of 3 undeveloped Parcels, and 1 Existing 4/4 pool home, this is one of the last opportunities to customize an Oceanfront Estate on the entire Island. This Oceanfront 4 BR 4 BA Pool home sets on a 30,000 sq. ft lot of its own in addition to the Adjacent 39,000 sq. ft. lot that can also be sold separately for $2,500,000. See MLS #592991. As you enter into the spacious Great Room a wall of glass greets you boasting picture perfect ocean views from every angle. Days are enjoyed lounging by the oceanfront Pool or out on the water where world-class fishing & diving are just minutes away. Guests will appreciate the private 1 BR Guest Suite downstairs. Plenty of room for all of your gear in the spacious 3-Car attached Garage. Multiple lots allow Multiple homes to be built. Property is East facing, Metal roof was put on 2018, All doors and sliders on back of house have been replaced with impact, 170 ft of the seawall was brand new in 2015. Seawall includes 3 Fish Cleaning Station’s and has been outfitted with Power Pedestals, Hose Bibs, and Water lines.

15620 Old State Road 4A, Sugarloaf Key, Florida | 7BR/5BA

53628 Sq ft

152,460 Sq ft | $4,699,000

16750 Old State Road 4A, Sugarloaf Key, Florida | 6BR/6BA

5208 Sq Ft

101,536 Sq ft | $4,499,000

This gorgeous 3.5 Acre Oceanfront Compound boasts a 3 BR 2 BA beachfront main residence plus 2 beachfront 2 Bedroom Guest Cottages all located on one of the prettiest beaches the Keys have to offer. This is the complete package with fantastic fishing & snorkeling right off the shore, 350’ of beachfront, deep water dockage, 3 Tiki Huts complete with bars, TV’s and outdoor Living Rooms, & a colossal lagoon-style Pool with swim-up bar, waterfalls & grottos. Lushly landscaped and gated for complete privacy. This is the perfect property to just get away from it all or for a family compound, corporate retreat or vacation rental. Transient rentals allowed on all 3 homes.

Arriving to your stunning 5,200 sq. ft. Oceanfront Estate you will be greeted by majestic gates opening to a professionally landscaped 2.5-acre property boasting an 8 Slip Boat Basin with 16,000 lb Lift and a designer Lagoon-Style Pool. Once here you will enjoy world-class fishing and diving within eyesight from your back yard. After a day on the water sip cocktails at the poolside Tiki or watch beautiful wildlife from the sand Beach. The colossal Great Room looks out to the ocean and features wood floors and an open Kitchen with stainless appliances plus a Dining Room that also boasts fantastic ocean views. More picture-perfect views of the ocean, pool and gardens are seen from the grand Porch. Guest are accommodated in the private 3 BR Guest Suite complete with Media Room, 2 Baths & large covered Lanai overlooking the ocean and basin or in one of the two main level Guest Rooms. The spacious Master Suite offers a Sitting Area plus large Bath with double sinks, soaking tub and separate shower. Fantastic 180-degree views are seen in the soaring Bell Tower which could be used as a library or office. Plenty of room for all of your toys in the garage or storage room with separate lockers for each boat slip. Lots of tropical landscaping and room for RV, trailers and more.

Serving all of Your Real Estate Needs from Key Largo to Key West!”

24622 Overseas Hwy, Summerland Key, Florida | 8/5 6771 Sq ft

24,000 Sq ft | $3,900,000

This CAT 5 constructed, mixed-use residential/commercial/warehouse complex is ideal for a Buyer seeking the pinnacle of quality construction and design. Located in the heart of Summerland Key and across from the airport. Ideally suited for a wide array of high-profile business operations or the investor seeking income. The property may be sold in parcels or entirely as; the three-story residential/commercial/office building or the complex and site in its entirety consisting of; warehouse, residential/commercial/office building and additional water-front land site.

820 Shelter Bay, Key Colony Beach, Florida | 5BR/5BA

5175 Sq Ft

23,500 Sq ft | $2,999,000

Fantastic deep-water dockage & gorgeous views of Shelter Bay at this half acre open water point estate in Key Colony Beach. The 4 Bedroom 5 Bath plus Office, Loft & Sunroom home was custom built & designed and boasts 5,175 sq. ft. with soaring ceilings & lots of glass to enjoy the views. Days are enjoyed lounging by the Bayfront Pool complete w/spa & pool side cabana Bath. Lots of room for all of your toys with 232’ of seawall including finger pier, lift & davits plus a 9-car garage with tackle room for all of your gear. Well equipped with elevator and whole house generator. Key Colony Beach is a fantastic coastal community offering a gorgeous beach, beach club, golf, tennis, restaurants and shops all within walking distance.

4100 Filer Cove, Big Torch Key, Florida | 3/2

2485 sq ft

8.46 acres | $2,950,000

This rare offering lies over 4 miles from the Overseas Highway providing unmatched privacy set amid an 8 1/2 Acre native landscape on the open water that is almost unattainable in the Florida Keys. The western horizon consists of small uninhabited Keys over a mile away, creating priceless sunset views that can never be altered by development. Over 550’ of natural shoreline frames the million-dollar views of the open water. The intimate beach provides the perfect launch site for kayak and paddle boards while the dock offers further easy access to the gulf and ocean. The 2,500 sq. ft. home features numerous architectural accents and offers premium finishes including coquina stone, Brazilian slate, travertine, and mahogany.

LISA FERRINGO Broker Associate

305-797-1221 Lisaferringo@gmail.com

HOME F AV O R I T E T H I N G S

FUN AND GA MES With 2020 in the rearview mirror, we’re looking forward with stylish playthings to bring a smile to your game face.

By Michael Korb

Checkmate Ralph Lauren's Fowler Chess Set seamlessly blends the art of contemporary design and Old World craftsmanship with its handmade leather tiles and metallic playing pieces.

Checkers, backgammon and domino sets are also available. $1,995; ralphlauren.com

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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WE BUILD THE HOME. YOU LIVE THE DREAM.

For more than 35 years, Divco Custom Homes has built dream homes in neighborhoods throughout Southwest Florida. Distinctive in their design, masterful in their craftsmanship and delivering a dream to those who dwell within them. Discover the Divco difference today and start living the dream tomorrow.

6628 Willow Park Drive | DivcoHomes .com | 239. 592.7222 License #CGC052793

HOME F AV O R I T E T H I N G S

Royal Flush

Lucky 7

Puzzling

You’ve got to know when to

Perfect for a game room, this

Shot by food photographer

hold ’em, fold ’em and a few

19-inch square Burnt Red

Sarah Phillips, the Artichoke

other pertinent things that

Accent Table by Uttermost is

Floral Puzzle will provide

could play a large role in your

a fun addition for any player.

hours of quiet reflection and a

quest for success. However, with this deck of Tiffany Travel

good reason to pour yourself a $334; wilsonlighting.com

pairing drink.

Playing Cards, you’ll always look like a winner.

$22; summerfieldsnaples.com

$125; tiffany.com

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CARRIE BRIGHAM DESIGN

W W W.CA R R I E B R I GHA M DE S I G N .COM

HOME F AV O R I T E T H I N G S

Take it Outside No more worrying about our humid weather ruining your gaming tables— R&R Outdoors’ Outdoor Shuffleboard Table is just one of many patiofriendly options made right here by the Naples-based company. Powdercoated marine-grade aluminum and wrapped granite make this a solid poolside option.

From $9,995; randroutdoorfun.com

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Create Function & Storage with Style!

Visit our NEW Showroom 13180 Livingston Rd. Unit #105 Naples, FL 34109

Custom closets, wall units, laundry areas, garages, home offices and so much more.

Our installations reflect your dreams and your personality, while enhancing your home.

Call us today for a free design consultation!

239.303.5829 | www.allaboutclosets.com

s e rv i c e

.

Make a statement by living a statement.

Only on the shores of Babcock Ranch’s shimmering lakes can you get away to nature’s quiet, or take a short stroll to farm-to-table dining, and still feel right at home. From the state-of-the-art wellness and fitness center with on-site health clinics, to a firstclass education system, America’s first solar-powered town is unlike anywhere else in the world.

Let us show you lakefront living that makes a statement.

custom Lakefront estate homes from $800s to over $1.5 miLLion 888.659.7488 | Babcockranch.com/lake-babcock-estates ©2020 Babcock Ranch. Broker participation is welcome. Prices, plans, specifications and community design are subject to change. Oral representations cannot be relied upon as correctly stating the representations of the developer. For correct information regarding Babcock Ranch, interested parties should refer to written materials provided by the developer, legislative acts related to Babcock Ranch and the covenants and restrictions of the Babcock Ranch Residential Association, Inc. The information provided above is not intended to be an offering and should be considered as informational only.

HOME F AV O R I T E T H I N G S

Pity the Foos It’s a question as old as time: how much is too much to spend on a foosball table? It’s surely somewhere north of this lust-worthy French-made EPI Leather Foosball Table in Cyan Blue. In true Louis Vuitton style, the set is elevated with hand-painted players, LV signature engraving and gold-color accents. $87,500; louisvuitton.com

For your premier landscape services.

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

Furnit ure I L ighting I Rugs I Patio I Accessories I Art I Floral I Gifts

NAPLES

9465 Tamiami Trail N.

239-596-7273

WESTHOMECOLLECTION.COM

HOME

R E N OVAT I O N S P OT L I G H T

SLEEK AND STEADY A black-and-white palette set the tone for this Park Shore condo makeover.

The kitchen is the heart of this home

The homeowners reside in Chicago and

inets,” Lou Shafran, principal designer

located in the 20-story Aria building on

travel the world but spend the winters in

and owner of Pacifica Interior Design,

Gulf Shore Boulevard North. However,

Naples. They knew the 14-year-old condo

says. “We live in the land of sunshine

prior to the renovation, it had a weak

was in need of a facelift and were excited

and we knew the owners were looking

pulse. “We started with the kitchen rede-

with the vision that Pacifica Interior

for uncluttered, cleaner lines but they

sign, and the room turned out to be the

Design presented. “Our goal was to sim-

still wanted the home to be comfortable

centerpiece of the condo and the most

plify, get rid of all the dark colors, heavy

and elegant.”

transformative,” Michael Diamond, pres-

textures, the ornate fireplaces, fussy

The six-month renovation of the ninth-

ident of Diamond Custom Homes, says.

lighting and traditional wood-tone cab-

floor unit posed some challenges. Not

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Courtesy Lori Hamilton

By Lynne Groth

HOME

The owners tapped interior designer Lou Shafran of Pacifica Interior Design to simplify the space—removing harsh textures and opting for clean lines.

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g ulf shorelife.com

Courtesy Lori Hamilton

R E N OVAT I O N S P OT L I G H T

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HOME R E N OVAT I O N S P OT L I G H T

“We live in the land of sunshine, and we knew the owners were looking for uncluttered, cleaner lines. But they still

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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HOME R E N OVAT I O N S P OT L I G H T

only was work restricted from May 1 to Oct. 31, but the work schedule of Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. made planning all the more important. “We measured twice and cut once,” Diamond says.

Access to the unit and demolition were challenging, as well. outside had to be towed in and out every day. And when ren-

Working on a ninth-floor renovation proved to be a challenge

ovating in a multistory building, what is behind the walls and

for the crew. Michael Diamond of Diamond Custom Homes

under the floors can present unknowns. “We had to X-ray the

says they had to X-ray the floor prior to replacing the tub to

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HOME REALTY CHECK

Ask A Realtor

“There are a lot of considerations

playability, type of grass and more. It’s

PJ Smith, the managing broker for Golf

here. Some key items to discuss with

important to match the course with your

Life Properties LLC, answers your real

your real estate agent: types of member-

level of play as the golfer.

estate question.

ships (I educate about the differences of

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Another important thing is pricing. Does the club have an initiation fee? What are the annual recurring golf and HOA fees? What are the exit strategies during resale?

Many buyers love having amenities such as wine tasting, state-ofthe-art fitness, a wellness spa and unique ways for connecting socially with others. Once we narrow down the development and amenities (quality of the practice range is very important), I’ll take my buyers to meet the membership director and the club pro. If there’s a match, then we’ll preview homes.

A current trend in golf property searches includes preview memberships, which allow prospective members to try a club out for a defined period of time before they join. Another interesting trend is nonresident memberships. This gives buyers the flexibility to be a member of a premier club and live outside the development. Some love this option, especially if they want

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SALUT! T H E P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E N A P L E S W I N T E R W I N E F E ST I VA L

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SALUT!

MEET THE KIDS

Courtesy Boys & Girls Club of Collier County

28 About NCEF: Generosit y in Action

10

— SALUT!

g ulf shorelife.com

live the outdoor life....

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SALUT!

MEET THE KIDS

Eve Edelheit

44 Impact: Youth Ha ven’s Star Athlete

12

— SALUT!

g ulf shorelife.com

SALUT! IN THIS ISSUE 20 Welcome Let ter 22 T he Volunteers 24 W hat We’re Pouring at Home

RAISE A GLASS 56 Meet the Chef: Fabri zio Aielli 64 Vint ner T rustees: T he Roone ys’ Bodega 202

20

Courtesy NCEF; Zach Stovall; Tina Sargeant

64

56 14

— SALUT!

g ulf shorelife.com

We would like to congratulate the Trustees of The Winter Wine Festival on their 21st anniversary

"UUPSOFZT BU -BX Wilson & Johnson provides sophisticated

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SALUT!

RAISE A GLASS 72 Vint ner Dinners: T hree Elegant Fundraising Fêtes 92 In P ictures: T he 20th A nniversar y of the N W W F 98 Online Auction: 2021 Top Lots 107 Giving Back: Six Ways to Support the Mission of the NCEF

98

92

16

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Courtesy NCEF/Sweet Emotions Photography; Silver Oak Vineyards/Sara; Peter Falencik

72

g ulf shorelife.com

Pairing Fine Wine with Fine Art

Emillionsart.com

“Dreaming of Now� - Dario Campanile

Marlissa Gardner, President 837 5th Avenue S outh, Suite 202, Naples, FL | (239) 687-3101

Board of Directors

Trustees of the Naples Children &

Libby and Rick Germain

Education Foundation

Linda and Victor Grijalva Sharon and Chuck Hallberg

Peter Welsh Chairman of the Board

Past Festival Chairs:

Julie and Rob Heidt, Jr. Barbie and Paul Hills

2001 – Jeff Gargiulo

Jerri and David Hoffmann

Vice Chair of the Board

2002 – Brian Cobb

Katrina and Rick Kash

2003 – Tom Wajnert

Linda and Tom Koehn

Dale Medford

2004 – Shirlene Elkins

Nancy and Joe Masterson

Treasurer / Secretary

2005 – Scott Lutgert

Susie and David+ McCurry

2006 – Grace Evenstad

Anne Welsh McNulty

Bill Cary

2007 – Linda Richards Malone

Karen and Dale Medford

Immediate Past Chair

and Jim Malone

Kathy and Dan Mezzalingua

2008 – Don Gunther

Carol and Harry Rose

John Walter

2009 – Connie and Tom Galloway

Marilyn Scripps

Grant Committee Chair

2010 – Kathleen and Francis Rooney

Angela and Don Smith

2011 – Cynthia and Bruce Sherman

Susan Stielow

Barbie and Paul Hills

2012 – Joan and Bob Clifford

Julia Van Domelen

Immediate Past Festival Chairs

2013 – Terry and Bob Edwards

Carol and John Walter

2014 – Anne Welsh McNulty, Linda

Shirley and Peter Welsh

Nancy and Joe Masterson

Paul Hills

Richards Malone, Adria Starkey

Beth and Jeff Wessel

Immediate Past Festival Chairs

2015 – Sharon and Chuck Hallberg and

Kristine and Chris Williams

Sandi and Tom Moran

Sissy and Bill Wilson

Shirley and Peter Welsh

2016 – Laura and Jim Dixon

Immediate Past Festival Chairs Valerie Boyd Board Member Terry Edwards Board Member Paul Fleming Board Member Rick Kash Board Member Nancy Masterson Board Member Julia Van Domelen Board Member Maria Jimenez-Lara CEO

and Sandi and Tom Moran

Lifetime Trustees:

2017 – Debbi and Bill Cary, Denise and Brian Cobb, Valerie Boyd

Jean Ackerman (2003-2013)

and Jeff Gargiulo, Simone and Scott

Usha and Monte Ahuja (2010-2020)

Lutgert

Patricia Aluisi (2000-2015)

2018 – Becky and Lewie Card,

Penny and Lee Anderson (2002-2012)

Susie and David+ McCurry,

Larry Andrews (2002-2012)

Kathy and Dan Mezzalingua

Ann Bain (2003-2014)

2019 – Jeannelle and Brian Brady and

Barbara and Ron Balser (2007-2018)

Linda and Tom Koehn

Joan and Bob Clifford (2007-2018)

2020 – Barbie and Paul Hills,

Mary Susan and J.D. Clinton (2000-

Nancy and Joe Masterson,

2012)

Shirley and Peter Welsh

Denise and Brian Cobb (2000-2013) Arlene and Michael D’Alessandro (2000-2011)

Trustees

Shirlene and Bob+ Elkins (2000-2012) Grace and Ken+ Evenstad (2002-2014)

Jeannelle and Brian Brady

Martha and Jim Fligg (2007-2018)

Becky and Lewie Card

Connie and Tom Galloway (2000-2011)

Debbi and Bill Cary

Pat+ and Dave Gibbons (2010–2020)

Laura and Jim Dixon

Mosey and Don Gunther (2002-2012)

Terry and Bob Edwards

Mary Pat and Frank Hussey (2000-

Jody and Paul Fleming

2011)

Valerie Boyd and Jeff Gargiulo

Barbara and John Jordan (2007-2017)

Susan and Gary Garrabrant

Carol and Tom Lund (2000-2012)

Simone and Scott Lutgert (2000-2012) Jim Malone (2000-2012) Linda Richards Malone (2000-2012) Fran and Jim McGlothlin (2003-2015) Sandi and Tom Moran (2010-2020) Judith Liegeois and John Scot Mueller (2004-2014) Joyce and Bill O’Meara (2000-2004) Kathleen and Francis Rooney (2004-2014) Ned Sachs (2000-2009) Karen and Bob Scott (2007-2017) Cynthia and Bruce Sherman (2003-2015) Retta and Elliott Singer (2000-2012) Donna Solimene (2002-2015) Adria and Jerry Starkey (2006-2016) Elizabeth and Clarke Swanson, Jr. (2000-2008) Therésa and Tom Wajnert (2000-2009) Dottie and Bryant+ Yunker, Sr. (2000-2007) Honorary Trustees: Humphrey Butler Ann Colgin Michael DeGroote, Sr. Bob Dickinson Ron Kuhn Teri Franklin Kuhn Joan and Bill Martin Bruce Nichols Rosann and Bill Nunnelly Judy and Jerry Sheindlin Ed Staros John Vega Naples Winter Wine Festival: 2590 Goodlette-Frank Road North, Naples, FL 34103 (239) 514-2239 (888) 837-4919 napleswinefestival.com

+ Deceased

O n T h e C ove r

Photography by Craig Hildebrand Wines provided by Naples Fine Wine, naplesfinewine.com

18

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g ulf shorelife.com

For the past 35 years, the Community Foundation of Collier County (CFCC) has been connecting people who care to causes that matter, growing their charitable legacies, and funding nonprofit organizations to improve the quality of life in Collier County.

In 2017, the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, CFCC, and 30 other community partners undertook an initiative to listen and respond to needs voiced by our community. As a result, the Community Foundation of Collier County has launched a $15.5 million dollar campaign, Your passion. Your Collier.

We will be addressing the spectrum of community needs including:

We are here for you Collier, for good and forever.

Follow your passion and become part of the solution in our community. Contact Eileen Connolly Keesler, president and CEO, or Julie Van Tongeren, VP of Development, for more information.

1110 Pine Ridge Road, Suite 200 Naples, FL 34108 239.649.5000

cfcollier.org

WELCOME LETTER

A I N ’ T NO M OU N TA I N H I GH E NOUGH

20

MARIA JIMENEZ

NCEF Chairman of the Board

NCEF Chief Executive Officer

committed to making sure that everyone who requires help will receive it, and we’re calling on our friends, neighbors and past donors to assist us in making that effort a reality.

We invite you to join us for our first-ever televised event, courtesy of WINK-TV, on Saturday, Jan. 30. This one-hour broadcast will build awareness of NCEF’s mission and the many systems of care we have built to support children. The program weaves together live and pre-recorded segments offering inspirational success stories, personal testimonials from parents and beneficiaries, reflections from NCEF founders and the measurable impact that NCEF has had in Collier County.

Throughout the hour, members of the community will have the opportunity to help us accomplish this important work by making a pledge of support either via text or online. In addition, — SALUT!

our popular online auction will be available for all to participate until Tuesday, Feb. 2.

In designing the rest of the festival schedule on Jan. 30, the board and trustees are responding to dual challenges: safeguarding the health and safety of attendees, while ensuring that our nonprofit partners receive the aid they need to help our recipients. Whether we can all celebrate in person or not, we invite everyone to participate and give generously. Our theme for 2021 is “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”—and we know that with your help, we can reach the summit for the underserved children of Collier County.

Courtesy NCEF

Over the past 21 years, the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) and the Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) have raised more than $212 million to improve the lives of underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County. Through the unparalleled generosity of donors and trustees, more than 45 nonprofit organizations have received grants to provide more than 275,000 children with vital vision and dental care, nutrition, early learning programs, mental health screening and out-of-school services.

We don’t have to tell you that this year is different. Due to the COVID -19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn, life is far more challenging for the neediest members of our community. The trustees of NCEF are

PETER WELSH

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THE VOLUNTEERS

BIG H E A RT S , H E L PI NG H A N D S The people who give their time are the fuel of the Naples Winter Wine Festival. Here, a few volunteers share their favorite festival memories. Their report: Giving is a gift.

GET INVOLVED

“The first dinner I did

“The memory that stands

“One year, I was working

was amazing. We gave

out the most is from Meet

security near the golf

each guest a framed

the Kids Day. We were led

course when two young

There are plenty of ways to lend

photo of them with the

into the gymnasium at

men approached me in

a hand. Before the festival, there

chef or vintner. I took the

the YMCA to hear from

a cart and asked what

are more than 20 opportunities to

photos, and then rushed

various survivors. There

was going on inside the

volunteer with prep, including

to the Ritz camera store

was a pack of Kleenex on

tent. I told them we were

helping design the auction lot

to get them printed and

each chair as we entered

auctioning cases of wine.

room, mailing save-the-dates and

then back to put them in

the gym. I vowed not to

Just then, the auctioneer

assembling patron bags. During the

frames (we didn’t have

be the first person to cry.

yelled ‘Sold for $500,000!’

event, you can assist on one of the

instant photos or camera

I was the second. I think

They drove off mumbling,

10 wine-service assignments or 42

phones back then).

many people have a top

‘Must have been a good

other roles, including registration,

line view of the festival, as

vintage.’ Having volun-

tent set-up, camera assistant and

Raymond Lutgert bid

1. ‘It’s Naples, there are no

teered for many charita-

setting up for Meet the Kids Day.

more than $1 million for

poor kids here,’ and 2. ‘It’s

ble events since coming

the 2008 Rolls-Royce

just a bunch of wealthy

to Naples, I have to say

To join the team, go to

Phantom—it was so

people throwing money

the NWWF is by far the

napleswinefestival.com/volunteers.

exciting under the tent

around.’ And that’s not

highlight. One reason is

that day. And, the pride

the case. It was great to

all the money goes to the

in Jacques Cariot, owner

see the various organiza-

children. I am honored

of Bleu Provence, as he

tions with the kids and

to have a small part in

beamed the first year that

their ‘lemonade stands’

making that happen.”

his lot received $350,000.

talking about the impact

—Ray Marasco

I could go on and on, but

from the NCEF.”

what is most important is

—Jarad Slipp

I also remember when

what is next.”

—Billie-Jean Ferguson

22

— SALUT!

g ulf shorelife.com

INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER

30 Y E A R S

Volunteering and philanthropy improve lives and remind us how interconnected we all are. That’s why E D W A R D S A S S E T M A N A G E M E N T is honored to devote time and resources to a variety of organizations.

Investing in Naples

239.264.1000 EdwardsNaples.com 5811 Pelican Bay Blvd Suite 600, Naples, FL 34108

Robert T. Edwards Senior PIM Portfolio Manager, President

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FOR THE LOVE OF WINE

W H AT W E ’ R E P OU R I NG AT H OM E Naples Winter Wine Festival patrons share a refined appreciation for fine wine. This is cultivated at the festival, where attendees meet vintners from around the world. We asked Naples Children & Education Foundation trustees to share their favorite wines they’ve been enjoying while staying in.

JO DY G O O D E NOUGH-F L E M I NG A N D PAU L F L E M I NG “Being hunkered

lighter, elegant, lower in

down over the past

alcohol, and has lovely flo-

eight months, we have

ral and herbal notes and

become besties with

a silky texture. Crissante

our wine cellar. Paul

Alessandria is a tiny,

and I are drinking the

family-owned, Barolo

2017 Pilcrow Ghost

winery that goes back

Block Vineyard Cab-

seven generations. Their

“We’re pouring the full-

ernet Sauvignon from

old-vine Galina vineyard

bodied, yet elegant Il Borro

Yountville and the 2013

produces Barolo wines of

Toscana 2015 (a perfect

Crissante Alessandria

great depth and intensity

pairing for traditional

Barolo “Galina” from

that aren’t heavy, and are

beef tenderloin). We met

Piedmont. Pilcrow is a

highlighted by red fruit

“We are thoroughly

the owner, Salvatore

boutique Napa producer

and rose petal aromas.

enjoying the 2015

Ferragamo, at the Naples

of single-vineyard caber-

Both wines share a finesse

Walter Hansel North

Winter Wine Festival; have

nets made by our friends

and a drinkability that we

Slope Russian River

traveled with him and his

Sara and Jonah Beer, who

are just loving.”

Valley Chardonnay. It

wife Christine and enjoyed

specialize in an old-Napa

is comparable or even

their hospitality at the Il

style of wine that is

better than many white

T E R RY A N D B O B E DWA R D S

K AT R I NA LU N DM A R K-K A S H A ND R ICK K ASH

Borro estate, a medieval

Burgundies at many

village they beautifully

times the price. Robert

restored. We appreciate

Parker calls the wine

their family orientation

‘sultry,’ and that seems to

and commitment to the

be a creative and accu-

environment: They use

rate description of the

organic farming, and the

pleasure that the

property qualifies as a

wine delivers.”

negative carbon footprint program because they Courtesy NCEF

produce their own solar energy.”

24

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g ulf shorelife.com

S H A RON A N D C H UC K H A L L BE RG “Sharon and I are eclectic

ation in some manner,

wine drinkers, and each

and they are incredibly

day may bring a new wine

philanthropic. Carefully

delight to accompany

crafted and meticulously

our dinner. One winery

tended, the cabs can be

whose wines are always

enjoyed young or can be

within reach, though,

cellared for 25 years or

is Staglin Family

more. The chardonnay

Vineyard—particularly

is so velvety crisp and

the 2005 vintages. Shari

luscious that it rarely

and Garen Staglin have

lasts a year in our house.

been producing iconic

Not the easiest to find, but

cabernet sauvignon and

with a production over

chardonnay (among

5,000 cases, these wines

“We have been very

Evenstads showed us

other wines) since

can be procured by any

fortunate to be involved

their upcoming fields

1985. The whole family

persistent wine lover.”

with the Naples Winter

planned to produce

Wine Festival and to have

seven different varieties

become acquainted with

of sparkling wine. They

wineries and vineyards

recently unveiled the

that produce truly great

‘Evenstad Reserve’

wines. We found the

Dundee Hills Brut

Domaine Serene winery

Multi-Vintage (M.V.) 1

in Oregon’s Dundee Hills

Sparkling Wine, which

through an auction lot

we had the pleasure of

we won at one of the

sampling at an event not

festivals. We became very

long ago.”

participates in the oper-

NA NC Y A N D JO E M A S T E R S ON

close with the owners Grace and Ken Evenstad (who sadly passed recently). After admitting that Champagne is our favorite wine, the

25

Investing in our children’s futures.

BMO Wealth Management is proud to sponsor the Naples Winter Wine Festival benefitting the Naples Children and Education Foundation.

S A L U T

01

MEET THE KIDS

28 About NCEF: Generosit y in Action —C h i l d r e n’s H u n g e r p. 3 0 —C h i l d r e n’s H e a l t h c a r e p. 3 4 —C h i l d r e n’s M e n t a l H e a l t h p. 3 6 —C h i l d r e n's E a r l y L e a r n i n g p. 3 8 —C h i l d r e n's O u t- o f- S c h o o l T i m e p. 4 0 —C h i l d r e n’s O r a l H e a l t h p. 42 —C h i l d r e n’s V i s i o n p. 4 3

44 Impact: Youth Haven’s Star Player Artist Profile: Fort Myers Artist Leila Mesdaghi

p_ 00

ABOUT NCEF

G E N E RO SI T Y I N ACT I O N There’s a good reason patrons are so committed to the Naples Children & Education Foundation—every dollar raised changes the lives of local kids. Its reach has become more apparent since the pandemic. Here, we look at seven key initiatives the organization supports and nonprofits that benefit from each.

By Er in Shaw St re et

A little more than 20 years ago, after identifying the dire needs of underserved children in Collier County, a brain trust of engaged individuals founded the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF). They created the Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) as the organization’s primary fundraiser.

Over the years, the event grew to become the top nonprofit wine auction in the country. The world-class pours and chefs, glittering lots and camaraderie are all undoubted attractions. But what motivates patrons, donors, volunteers and the nonprofit employees most, is that the efforts go a long way.

Ann Bain, a former member of the grant committee, is one of the longtime trustees who has witnessed the impact of NCEF up close for years. In 2005, when members of the committee noticed that local charities were duplicating services and often competing for the same dollars, NCEF commissioned an independent study from the University of Florida Lastinger Center of Learning that resulted in a focus of seven key strategic initiatives: hunger, healthcare, mental health, early learning, out-of-school time, oral health and vision.

“We took the competition out of it and allowed charities to get funded to serve the maximum number of children,” she says.

By stressing collaboration, not competition, and constant communication, the beneficiaries are able to help care for the whole child—it’s not uncommon for children who benefit from NCEF dollars to require services from many of the organizations it supports.

This proactive approach allows groups to pivot to specific community needs. “We’ve been able to Courtesy David Lawrence Centers

create so much positive change,” Bain says. “We see it in the behavior in school, the graduation rates, the number of children who are healthy.” The strategy has also proven invaluable in coordinating pandemic relief efforts.

Just how does all this play out in action? Let’s take a look.

29

ABOUT NCEF

CHILDREN’S HUNGER In Collier County, nearly 70% of children receive free or reduced meals. For many kids, these meals represent their entire diet.

The Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida—which serves five counties, including Collier—maintains relationships with 31 nonprofit agencies who distribute food to the most vulnerable populations.

As a result of NCEF funding, more than 8.3 million meals have been distributed throughout the county since 2011, according to the organization’s president and CEO, Richard LeBer. This includes partial funding for Harry’s Helpings, an innovative program that provides food kits for more than 250 families each month.

NCEF also helps fund Fulfill Mobile Pantries, which serves areas of high need, like Immokalee, Golden Gate and East Naples.

Each distribution easily serves Gutter Credit

more than 500 families, providing them with fresh produce, canned or dry goods, frozen meat, bread, Vanessa Rogers (2)

grains and other foods. “NCEF has a long history of supporting Harry Chapin Food Bank, and this impact is enormous,” LeBer says.

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Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida’s president and CEO Richard LeBer says NCEF funding has helped distribute more than 8.3 million meals throughout Collier County since 2011. Through the pandemic, distribution has ballooned by 177% in the county’s most vulnerable areas.

31

ABOUT NCEF

“The NCEF is a leader in supporting the concept of comprehensive programmatic funding for organizations like ours, and they bring awareness to the issue of hunger.”

It’s needed more than ever, as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an economic crisis that has triggered a wave of need.

“Many of the families we serve are experiencing hunger for the first time. Seas of cars, full of families and children who are hungry, are flooding our drive-through distributions. Some families have lost all income while others are facing reduced hours,” LeBer says.

In response, with NCEF’s help, the group has taken decisive action. They modified their Fulfill Mobile Pantries to be drivethrough to protect from the virus and added additional distributions in Collier. They also adjusted their processes to accommodate the increased needs of partner organizations, such as Pathways Early Education Center of Immokalee.

At the Naples distribution center, for example, they increased production to 7,000 food kits each week. As a result, the distribution in the county has increased by 177%. “The funds raised during the Naples Winter Wine Festival have a ripple effect across Collier County,” LeBer says. “Children’s lives are changed forever.”

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“Many of the families we serve are experiencing hunger for the first time. Seas of cars, full of families and children who are hungry, are flooding our drive-through distributions,” says LeBer of the increased need. Since the onset of the pandemic, Harry Chapin has been able to modify its

EARLY CHILDHO OD COURT

Fulfill Mobile Pantries to be drive-through and increased food aid to its 31 partner organizations.

A new NCEF initiative assists in child welfare cases for children up to age 3.

Collier’s new Early Childhood Court (ECC), which rolled out this summer, couldn’t have come at a better time. “Substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence—they’re all on the rise right now with the pandemic,” ECC community coordinator Danielle O’Conner says.

“Poverty, people losing their jobs, stress levels are high. In turn, there’s the child abuse or neglect that comes with that. It’s all just kind of a domino effect, unfortunately.”

The ECC was developed to empower families with children up to age 3 who’ve been separated from their parents. The program’s goal is to provide families with the resources they need to be reunited, whether that’s by gaining access to psychotherapy, daycare, reliable transportation or other solutions.

Funded by a $500,000 grant from the NCEF, the program is already making a difference. “The ultimate goal is to do everything we can to stop that cycle of abuse,” O’Conner says. “We’re trying to help with brain development during this

Vanessa Rogers (3)

early time in these children’s lives, so they have the ability to form healthy and safe attachments and be more resilient going forward.”

—Alyssa Morlacci

33

CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE The Healthcare Network makes sure that quality care is accessible to all—regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

Last year, that mission took on new meaning. “Just because there’s a pandemic doesn’t mean that essential medical care can stop, or you’ll have two or three more public health crises on your hands," CEO Dr. Emily Ptaszek says. That means continuing to provide medical, vision and dental services for 50,000 patients a year, including about 60% who are children.

This year, the team opened the Nichols Community Health Center in Golden Gate, one of the most underserved communities in the county. The 51,000-squarefoot building provides primary care services, including pediatric care, obstetrics and gynecology, adult and senior care, integrated behavioral health and a drivethru pharmacy. The center also provides access to a new pediatric behavioral health model, which

The Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida provides medical services for 50,000 patients

supports the child and family.

a year, including about 60% who are children. Transformational gifts from the NCEF have

The services are a matter of life and death, Ptaszek says: “The pan-

34

facilitated the addition of centers in high-need areas, like the Nichols Community Health Center in Golden Gate.

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ABOUT NCEF

demic has only widened economic and healthcare disparities. Our patients are experiencing multiple stressors all at once, from economic to psychological health issues. At first, we saw people who were afraid to come for care and address acute issues, and that can be a real problem.” The team has also cared for residents who themselves are frontline workers, including first responders, teachers and caregivers, while expanding technology and telehealth services.

Ptaszek says that the Healthcare Network could not provide this level of care without the help of NCEF. “They have supported us for a long time and made multiple Courtesy Nichols Community Health Center (3)

transformational gifts to this organization. They have supported every service line we have for children, from behavioral health to dental health,” she says. As the uninsured rate increases, community health centers like Nichols Community Health Center, will continue to be vital to community health. “Collier County is very fortunate to have NCEF,” Ptaszek says. “They are able to meet needs that other counties really struggle with. This community is very different because of their support.”

35

Scott Burgess (bottom left) leads David Lawrence Centers, which works to reduce the stigma related to mental health topics and provide comprehensive care to all. “There are certain individuals and certain organizations that, instead of running away from a fire, they run right into it, and that’s NCEF,” he says, about the organization’s support.

CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH David Lawrence Centers (DLC) is a comprehensive community health program that is leading the charge on increasing access to and reducing the stigma surrounding mental healthcare.

With inpatient, outpatient and community-based programs, the teams are on the frontlines of responding to a mental health crisis worsened by the pandemic. “We are a 24/7, 365 days a year organization—we are always here,” CEO Scott Burgess says.

Since last year, DLC has not just maintained access to care, but expanded virtual services. More than 70% of patients are considered low income, and many are uninsured or underinsured, which is why partners like NCEF are so instrumental.

In particular, NCEF’s funding of children’s services has transformed access to mental health for kids in Collier County. The organization was key in helping launch the only children’s partial hospitalization program in Southwest Florida, caring for minors with issues including depression and bipolar disorder.

This approach allows children to receive intensive care as in a hospital setting—such as individual, group

36

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ABOUT NCEF

and family counseling, while having a sense of normalcy by returning home in the evenings. “Because of those symptoms and struggles, they may be having trouble with school, academics, parents and family— quite often they are multichallenged situations,” Burgess says. In 2020, factors like isolation from school closures and family job loss added to the uncertainty for many, particularly the most vulnerable.

NCEF has also provided funding to train staff, including specialty, evidence-based care for children with certain behavioral health challenges.

They’ve supported training for trauma-informed therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy, which helps patients change negative thinking patterns and unhealthy behaviors.

To reduce the stigma around mental and behavioral health, the group funds

Courtesy David Lawrence Centers (3); Vanessa Rogers

programs that create community dialogue about a pressing subject. “We know that there will be a dramatic need for mental health services in the months and years to come,” Burgess says. “And we are so thankful for NCEF. The way that I characterize them is this: there are certain individuals and certain organizations that, instead of running away from a fire, they run right into it, and that’s NCEF.”

37

The Early Learning Coalition, led by Susan Block, reaches more than 8,000 children annually with programs that benefit them during the first five years of life. ELC relies on NCEF support to fill the gaps in government funding.

38

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ABOUT NCEF

CHILDREN’S EARLY LEARNING Early childhood education has always

the NCEF to fill gaps. “Because of

been a core mission for the NCEF—

NCEF funding, we’re able to serve up

and that includes learning that starts

to 45 children who would remain on

before a child enters school. Since

the waitlist otherwise,” CEO Susan

research shows that the first five years

Block says. “The NCEF is a tremen-

of life are the most critical for brain

dous partner. Not only has the group

development, and economically dis-

been incredibly generous through

advantaged children often don’t have

the funding that they raise through

access to care that their peers do, the

the Naples Winter Wine Festival,

organization works to find solutions

but they are good partners in thinking

for families.

about moving forward in a strategic

Vanessa Rogers (3)

A key component of this is the

way when we receive funding.”

Early Learning Coalition (ELC),

This hands-on, strategic thinking

which serves more than 8,000 chil-

has been invaluable during the pan-

dren each year through childcare

demic, as childcare centers worked

and prekindergarten services. This

to continue to provide care during a

includes administering the School

time in which some were losing rev-

Readiness Program for low-income

enue from low enrollment. The ELC

and at-risk children, and the volun-

worked across providers and organi-

tary prekindergarten program that

zations to help everyone stay safe and

serves all 4-year-old children in Lee,

open. “The pandemic has really shone

Collier, Hendry and Glades counties.

a big bright light on how important

The Early Learning Coalition

childcare is for the economy. In

administers grant funding and works

order for people to go back to work

with providers, such as day care cen-

in Collier, they need to have reliable

ters, to care for at-risk children and

childcare,” Block says. “People are

get them prepared for school.

concerned about K-12, rightfully so,

Although the Early Learning Coali-

but for communities and businesses

tion receives funding from the state,

to be open, younger children must be

it relies on substantial support from

cared for.”

39

ABOUT NCEF

CHILDREN’S OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME Learning doesn’t stop outside the

reading interventions and making

classroom. But in Collier County,

sure kids get a hot meal every day.

many economically disadvan-

This includes comprehensive

taged students don’t get the sup-

after-school programs, making

port they need during the hours

sure children get a hot meal each

outside of the 8 a.m.-to-3 p.m.

day, homework help and reading

school day. The Out-of-School

interventions, Scott says.

Time Initiative fills in with exten-

Services are provided at orga-

sive services designed to support

nizations such as the Boys &

a student’s academic success and

Girls Club, Guadalupe Center,

personal development. “When

Redlands Christian Migrant

the initiative started, there were

Association and The Immoka-

many organizations operating to

lee Foundation. Together, these

provide services, all in their own

organizations provide assistance

silos,” NCEF Out-of-School Time

throughout the K-12 experience,

director Jamie Scott says. “NCEF

from reading help early on to

recognized an opportunity to help

leadership training and career

these organizations work together

immersion later in high school.

to serve more children for the same amount of money.”

One program of the Guadalupe Center, called Tutor Corps,

The needs are great. In Immoka-

empowers high school students

lee, 95% of students live in homes

to tutor K-2 students, while also

that are economically disadvan-

receiving their own mentoring as

taged. With only 16% of parents

they prepare for college.

here with a high school diploma,

Among offerings at The Immoka-

many have limited resources to

lee Foundation are certified profes-

support their children’s academic

sionals who provide children with

growth. That’s where the Out-of-

an extra level of reading support.

School Time Initiative comes in,

All programs are free of charge to

supporting organizations that

any child who needs extra support.

provide comprehensive after-

“More than just an after-school

school programs, homework help,

program, we’re looking at the

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child as a whole, and that’s what the NCEF is really good at,” Scott says. “These children have so many barriers. Their families are wonderful and supportive, but have their own challenges, so we bring in professionals who can help support them.”

This includes frequent communication with other organizations supported by the seven strategic initiatives, such as healthcare, vision and dental care. Three years ago, the initiative began to partner with the FSU Clinic of Child Stress and Health, making a clinical psychologist available for Vanessa Rogers (2); Courtesy Boys & Girls Club of Collier County

students with behavioral issues.

This care has continued during the pandemic, as each of the after-school care providers has moved to adjust programming and spaces to keep children and staff safe. Though it’s impossible to know the long-term impact of current events, Scott says she is encouraged by seeing how children who have grown up with Out-of-School Time have flourished. “We’ve seen children receive many of these services The Out-of-School Time Initiative provides at-risk students with support needed outside the

and grow up to be true leaders and

regular school day. "More than just an after-school program, we're looking at the child as a

academic superstars. It’s amazing

whole," NCEF Out-of-School Time Director Jamie Scott says (top left).

to watch how they flourish with good support,” she says.

41

ABOUT NCEF

CHILDREN’S ORAL HEALTH Historically, more than a third of Collier County children haven’t had access to basic dental care. The NCEF Pediatric Dental Health Center, established in 2008, is dedicated to changing that. “Children can’t learn in school when they have a toothache, they can’t sleep well when they have a toothache—some don’t even want to smile because of their decayed teeth,” clinical director Dr. Lauren Governale says. The center has provided dental care for more than 150,000 children. Managed by the University of Florida College of Dentistry, its home to one of the most competitive pediatric dental residency programs in the country.

Here, residents learn how to treat severe dental issues, while children and their families get access to state-of-theart care. “We’re one of the few programs in the country able to offer this highly skilled service, and it makes a big difference for children and their families,” Governale says.

The NCEF also funds extensive prevention programs. The center is home to a bilingual health educator who helps patients and families learn about dental hygiene and diet.

The team brings programs into the community, too, through school-based initiatives. There’s evidence that these prevention efforts work, with fewer children needing urgent dental care. “We’ve been able to improve the quality of life for the children,” Governale says.

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CHILDREN’S VISION The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute has long partnered with NCEF. Last year, Bascom Palmer started to manage prevention efforts, including initial screenings at all Title I schools. The organization’s goal: to ensure all children are evaluated and receive care. “It’s going to be very good for the children to receive this level of comprehensive vision care,” Dr. Eduardo Alfonso, the director, says.

As issues are identified, children receive corrective care, including, if necessary, two pairs of eyeglasses—one for home, and one for school. If the problem can’t be corrected with glasses, they receive additional attention at one of the initiative’s tertiary care providers.

Courtesy Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (2); NCEF Pediatric Dental Health Center (2)

Though the outreach is for children, the program can reach entire families, many of whom have never had an eye exam. “When we identify children with severe astigmatism and we get a history from the parents, many say, ‘I’ve never had an eye exam myself.’ The parents may have the same issue but have never had to work on a computer because they are farm workers, so their astigmatism didn’t prevent them from doing their work. But it may affect them and their children in other areas of life,” Alfonso says.

They also teach about eye protection, which is vital for many families in which the parents are manual laborers. “These The NCEF Pediatric Dental Health Center aims to serve the thousands of Collier

children may not stay in Collier County

children who don’t have access to care. Working with the Bascom Palmer Eye

the rest of their lives, but regardless of

Institute, the NCEF also helps provide early detection and corrective vision care to

where they go, the impact of this program

kids throughout the county.

will be felt for generations,” he says.

43

44

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T A K E

T H E

A N D

B A L L

R U N

Funding from the Naples Children & Education Foundation provides lifechanging resources for children like Vonte Parris, a young man who a year ago was living at Youth Haven and is now on the fast track to a star football career.

By

Photography

Artis Henderson

by Eve Edelheit

45

Five days a week, by 6:15 a.m., Vonte Parris is already in the cafeteria for breakfast at IMG Academy, an elite prep school in Bradenton that trains top-tier high school athletes. He fills his tray with the same breakfast most mornings—two hard-boiled eggs, a bowl of oatmeal and a banana—and sits at a table with his teammates.

By 7:45 a.m., he’s in the locker room for football team meetings, and by 9 a.m., he’s on the practice field. He’ll train for the next two hours, working to become a top-notch running back, until his academic day starts at 11 a.m.

Then it’s school, lunch, more school, an evening break with friends, dinner and lights out by 10 p.m.

Though 20-year-old Parris has a schedule like many young adults his age, his life wasn’t always headed in this direction. Thanks to a series of fortunate events facilitated by the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) and Youth Haven, a Naples nonprofit that offers counseling and residential programs for at-risk children and teens, Parris was able to go from a kid facing homelessness and struggles to a young man firmly on the path to success. “The odds were stacked against Vonte, and look at him

46

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After arriving at Youth Haven in 2019 and participating in the 2020 Meet the Kids Day, Vonte Parris met a NWWF patron who helped him get an interview at IMG Academy in Bradenton, and continues to support his education.

47

Parris dreams of becoming a professional running back. Most days, he wakes at 6 a.m. to get to football team and position meetings by 7:45 a.m. His busy days continue with practice, classes and schoolwork into the early evenings. “If you sleep eight hours a night, that’s one-third of your life. Now you’ve only got two-thirds left to go out and make something of it. Me? If I get five hours, I’m not complaining,” he says.

48

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

now,” NCEF CEO Maria Jimenez-Lara

pated in the NWWF’s Meet the Kids Day,

says. “When you see kids like Vonte, all

where he shared his dream of becoming

of our work is worth it.”

a professional football player. An NWWF

Through funds raised during the Naples

patron felt compelled by his story and

Winter Wine Festival (NWWF), NCEF

helped secure an interview for him at

helps the area’s most vulnerable children,

the prestigious IMG Academy (where she

focusing on seven strategic initiatives and

continues to support his education). After

supporting nonprofits through an annual

graduating from Golden Gate High School

grants program. Youth Haven is one of

in June, he started IMG’s post-graduate

the organization’s grant recipients. Just

program in July. He’ll spend this year

last year, NCEF awarded Youth Haven

improving his SAT and ACT scores and

$300,000. Those funds contributed to

working on his football game. This will

the Homeless Teen & Transitional Living

put him on track for top universities

Program, which helps kids 14 and older

next year.

move toward self-sufficient living by assisting with housing, life skills classes and other resources. “NCEF provides a blueprint for how to change the community one issue at a time,” Jimenez-Lara says. “We’ve developed consortiums and strategic initiatives to make sure there’s

O

n the weekends, when his team takes a break, Parris still practices on his own, drilling on precision

and speed. “Usually you have to make teenagers do things. Vonte is the exact

a safety net so that no one falls through

opposite,” Laquentin Cotton, associate

the cracks. The journey for a young man

director of group home operations at

like Vonte could have been very bumpy,

Youth Haven, says. “The first couple

but we provided the support he needed

of weeks here, he was already working

to transform his life.”

hard.” Cotton reports that Parris would

Parris arrived at Youth Haven in March

stay up late working on homework, and

2019. There he stayed at Rob’s Cottage,

get up at 3:30 a.m., if needed, to finish his

a voluntary residential group home for

schoolwork. He recognized Parris’ work

teens ages 16-19. He was referred by a

ethic as a differentiator from other kids

school counselor who saw enormous

in the house.

potential in him but worried about his

“Time doesn’t wait for anybody,” Parris

home life. Parris’ family had been moving

says, explaining his drive. “If you sleep

between houses and hotels, and five of

eight hours a night, that’s one-third of your

his siblings were either in jail or had just

life. Now you’ve only got two-thirds left

been released from jail.

to go out and make something of it. Me?

At Youth Haven, Parris started off

If I get five hours, I’m not complaining.”

quietly, but over time he opened up to

Among his group of friends, Parris’

his mentors and advisors. He improved

personality falls in the middle. “I’m quiet

his grades and continued to excel at

sometimes, and sometimes I’m rowdy,” he

football. Last January, Parris partici-

laughs. “I’m just a buff, short kid who runs

49

Laquentin Cotton, associate director of group home operations at Youth Haven, recognizes a fierce dedication in Parris. “Vonte understands that an education is his avenue to success,” Cotton says. “He’ll take football as far as he possibly can, and in the process, get an education that will help him build a better future for his family.”

50

GULFSHORE LIFE

fast.” At 5 feet 9 inches tall, Parris says he’s short for a football player but he makes up for it with speed and agility.

As a running back, those qualities serve him well. But his ambitions extend beyond the football field. He excels in math and science, and he plans to have a career in computer engineering after he plays professional ball. “Vonte understands that an education is his avenue to success,” Cotton says. “He’ll take football as far as he possibly can and, in the process, get an education that will help him build a better future for his family.”

Family is important to Parris. When he speaks about his ambitions for the future, he includes those he loves. “I want to be able to support my family, mainly my mother, my brothers and my little sister,” he says. He looks forward to a time when he can share the lessons he’s learned with his own children. “I want to make sure the kids I have when I get older are successful,” he says. “I want them to go down a good road.”

For now, he continues to focus on the goals in front of him: waking up at 6 a.m., practicing football, working on his academics. He draws inspiration

51

from his favorite quote, a line from composer and lyricist Irving Berlin: Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it. “There are going to be a lot of things that come to you in life, and your reaction pretty much defines you,” Parris says. “There could be a thousand streams, and you have to choose to take the right one.”

52

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S A L U T

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RAISE A GLASS

56 Meet the Chef: Fabrizio Aielli

64 Vintner Trustees: The Rooneys’ Bodega 202

72 Vintner Dinners: Three Elegant Fundraising Fêtes

92 In Pictures: The NW WF ’s 20 t h A nniver sar y

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Gutter Credit

Online Auction: Artist

S uppor t t he Mission of t he NCE F During t he 2021 Online Auction Profile:

Fort Myers Artist Leila Mesdaghi

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MEET THE CHEF

F R O M W I N E F E S T I VA L C H E F T O DY N A S T Y R E S TAU R A T E U R

Fabrizio Aielli and his wife Ingrid have raised the standard of wining and dining in Naples since their culinary debut during the Naples Winter Wine Festival.

“Wine is a very, very important

Festival (NWWF) played a crucial

part of food culture,” Fabrizio

role in the trajectory of his career.

Aielli, chef-owner of five Florida

He was running an A-list Wash-

restaurants, says. “Being from

ington, D.C., restaurant when he

Italy, wine is the way we grew up.

was invited in 2005 as a celebrity

I cannot imagine having dinner

chef for the fifth annual festival.

without wine. A glass of wine

He and his wife Ingrid, who

emphasizes your palate and just

is also his business partner, had

makes you happy.”

been vacationing in Naples since

As important as wine itself is

2001. “That time, with the wine

to Fabrizio’s life and restaurant

festival, we were down here not

empire, the Naples Winter Wine

for vacation but for work, and

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Tina Sargeant

By Chelle Koster Walton

g ulf shorelife.com

Fabrizio Aielli and his wife Ingrid have been inextricably linked with the Naples Winter Wine Festival since he was first invited as a celebrity chef in 2005. Soon after, they relocated to Naples from D.C. and created five of the region’s most respected restaurants.

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that’s when the idea came to my mind to open a restaurant,” he says with his infectious, trademark smile.

Since then, the Aiellis have created a restaurant dynasty that started with Sea Salt Naples, 12 years ago. Then Barbatella opened a couple of doors down, followed by Sea Salt St. Pete in 2014, Dorona Modern Italian Steakhouse in mid-Naples three years later and, last year, Grappino downtown. All are known for their ascendant level of good taste and regularly scheduled wine dinners.

Each restaurant harkens to Fabrizio’s Venetian birthright, yet has its own feel, taste—and even smell, he says. They all share, however, the chef’s philosophy de cuisine: “Food for me is very, very simple, just don’t compromise it. Simplicity and quality. We all live a very complicated life. When you cook, make it easy and simple.”

NWWF tradition as high-yielding auction donors and behind-the-

Grappino (above), the Aielli’s newest restaurant, opened in downtown Naples last year. All of the couple’s businesses abide by Fabrizio’s culinary ethos: “Food for me is very, very simple, just don’t compromise it," he says. “Simplicity and quality.”

Tina Sargeant

The years have entrenched the Aiellis ever more firmly in the

scenes masters. Their multicoursed dinner auctioned off in

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MEET THE CHEF

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MEET THE CHEF

2016, for instance, fetched $110,000.

Over the years, they have partnered with Norman Love and others on attractive do-and-dine packages, each earning in the six-figure range. They have also become a strong resource for visiting culinary masters during the festival. “Sea Salt is like an anchor for the chefs when they come to town,” Ingrid says. “We help them to find ingredients and are involved in many different ways.”

Since the traditional, in-person festival is not taking place this year, the Aiellis have been participating in other Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) fundraisers, such as the inaugural Purposeful Pairings in October, with a virtual dinner, cooking demonstration and wine tasting.

For the couple, it’s all about the kids and families. They contribute

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time, events, proceeds and energy to a number of local causes, but the NCEF is close to their hearts, as is Naples’ Youth Haven shelter. Each year, the couple hosts a Christmas luncheon

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Tina Sargeant

During previous Naples Winter Wine Festival auctions, lots featuring Aielli Group pairing dinners have gone for six figures.

The couple also gives back in other ways, such as hosting children from Youth Haven for an annual Christmas luncheon.

Gulf Coast International Properties® and their Associates raise their glass in appreciation to NCEF and it’s trustees for their unwavering commitment and dedication to the youth of Collier County.

Salut!

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MEET THE CHEF

for Youth Haven kids at Barbatella, complete with Santa and gifts for everyone.

Other altruistic efforts include an October breast cancer awareness campaign, where proceeds from sales go to alternating charities, including the Cancer Alliance of Naples and American Cancer Society.

Philanthropy and a heightened Naples’ standard for restaurant quality aside, the Aiellis believe their proudest accomplishments are the impact they’ve had on the town’s restaurant industry and its young chefs, who they see work hard, stick with the Aielli Group and blossom.

That’s because the Aiellis try to take care of their more than 300 employees, even when the pandemic closed their doors. All proceeds from the sale of gift cards online and generous donations from clientele were distributed among staff, whom they kept fed with takeout meals during the shutdown. “You know, for me, this is a great opportunity to have some brilliant young talent to work for me,” have a passion for cooking. It reminds me of when I was much younger, and it makes me very proud.”

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Tina Sargeant

Fabrizio says. “These young people

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VINTNER TRUSTEES

T H E R OA D T O R I O JA For Francis and Kathleen Rooney—NCEF trustees and owners of Bodega 202—their wine story stretches from Naples to Spain.

By Lane Nieset

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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Over the course of three years, Francis and Kathleen Rooney crisscrossed through Spain along the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage nearly 500 miles long.

The couple tackled the trail in three parts, through towns like Pamplona and Leon, en route to the rumored resting place of martyr St. James in Santiago de Compostela. When the husbandwife duo passed through Rioja, they fell in love with it, says their son, Michael Rooney, who met them at Burgos during the second part of their journey.

This was around 2013. The couple visited wineries around the country’s northern wine region, considered the Bordeaux of Spain, where the dominant tempranillo grape undergoes long aging in oak barrels similar to French wines.

Soon, Rioja became a frequent vacation spot, as their appreciation for Spanish wine and culture grew.

Back in their seasonal home of Naples, the couple fueled their love of wine over the years as Zach Stovall

trustees of the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF).

They chaired the 2010 Naples

INSIDER

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Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) and regularly participate in annual vintner dinners for the organization.

After their Spanish pilgrimage, the Rooney family considered the idea of starting a winery and soon began vineyard scouting. In 2014, they found their perfect plots in Alavesa, near the Atlantic, and Bodega 202 was born.

Located in what is considered to be one of the best grape-growing subregions in Rioja, Bodega 202 has vines between 80 to 100 years old. Most of the acreage sits at an elevation between 1,600-1,800 feet, with two over 2,000 feet. “We always wanted altitude—that was most important,” explains Michael, who is based in D.C. and heads up managing and finances for the operation. He visits six to seven times a year, including to help with the harvest.

The high altitude and low temperatures balance the slow ripening of the tempranillo wines they produce, he explains. By looking east and west at vines of varying age, they can pick and choose which plots to pull from for their two mainstay wines: the more traditional Ansa and the Aistear, a mosaic wine blended from vines averaging 30 years in age. Since 2017, the grapes for Ansa have come from one of Bodega 202’s oldest plots, a nearly the year it was planted. “They are the strong, typical Rioja tempranillo, but Ansa has more complexity and

Drawing from their vineyards in the Alavesa region of Rioja, the Rooney family—including son Michael (top right), who manages the operation—produce two mainstay tempranillo wines: the more traditional Ansa and the lighter Aistear.

Courtesy Bodega 202 (3)

2.5-acre vineyard dubbed 1945 after

depth—since it’s created using the oldest, best grapes we have,” Michael

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VINTNER TRUSTEES

67

Zach Stovall

VINTNER TRUSTEES

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Francis and Kathleen Rooney have participated in the Naples Winter Wine Festival for almost 20 years, including hosting vintner dinners, chairing the 2010 festival and donating Bodega 202 wines for the auction last year. Here, the couple enjoy a small gathering and tasting with fellow Naples Children & Education Foundation trustees Denise and Brian Cobb and Sharon and Chuck Hallberg.

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VINTNER TRUSTEES

Francis Rooney shares his wines with Brian Cobb (left) and Chuck Hallberg (right). The Rooneys have long partnered with Lisa Resch of Carolina Catering Co. and florist Matthew Huddleston of 50Fifty Creative Services for vintner dinners. For this recent tasting, Resch prepared Spanish tapas, focusing on small plates that are easy to share for intimate, pandemic-safe gatherings and great to pair with the Bodega 202 tempranillos.

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says. “Aistear is a little more playful, since we can experiment with blending younger grapes, and get a little more lightness.”

The best wines from Rioja are made around the same area where 1945 sits, says Bodega 202’s technical director and winemaker Luis Güemes, who helped the Rooneys on their vineyard hunt. “This vineyard produces small quantities and the grapes are extraordinarily concentrated, so the wines have power and intensity, but they are also elegant and balanced.”

The first vintage (and current wine on the market) is the 2015. “We are proud of that vintage, but we were working out of a shared space and didn’t have as much control,” says Michael, explaining that the winery was built the following year. “The 2016 vintage was the first one we truly call our own; it shows a lot more growth and maturity, a lot more depth.”

Bodega 202 produces between 25,000-27,000 bottles per year, and the Rooneys plan to keep the production small. “As people are starting to branch out and explore different places, they’re looking for boutique, quality producers, and we can bring that kind of small-batch Rioja wine to the U.S.,” Michael says.

During the 2020 NWWF, with the winery fully up and running, the Rooneys participated with Bodega Zach Stovall (3)

202 as one of the featured vintners and donated wines for the auction. “The auction shows how wine can be an instrument for good,” Kathleen says.

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2020 VINTNER DINNERS

P O U R I N G —A N D P L AT I N G — W ITH A PUR POSE Some of the most spectacular, local culinary events happen during the Naples Winter Wine Festival vintner dinners. These three highlights from last year prove as much.

Courtesy Nicole Nixon/Andrew Budz Photography

By Nila Do Simon

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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CHIR PING BIRDS AND SINGING ‘EAGLES’ GREETED GUESTS HOSTS: Valerie Boyd and Jeff Gargiulo with Kristine and Chris Williams

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VINTNER DINNERS

Not even a broken bone could marr the decadent evening that hosts Valerie Boyd, Jeff Gargiulo and Kristine and Chris Williams had in store for their guests. When James Beard Award-winning chef Dean Fearing of Fearing’s Restaurant in Dallas arrived at the Williams’ Port Royal home in an arm sling ready to direct the four-course meal, Kristine knew the evening was bound to be one for the books.

Paying homage to the Florida of yesteryear, the home—designed by renowned architect Kasimir Korybut—was filled with charm that gave not only a sense of place but also of a moment in time. Live palms filled the entrance, alongside nearly half a dozen parrots and macaws, some of which gave friendly squawks at passersby. “I wanted a bit of fun when guests arrived,” Kristine says.

At the pool patio that overlooked Treasure Cove, guests— which included the Williams’ good friend, golf legend Greg Norman—heard the wafting classic rock sounds from the band Alter Eagles filling the air as hors d’oeuvres were passed.

Inside the covered patio with grand arched windows and doorways, dinner was served on a 74

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Courtesy Sweet Emotions Photography; Jay Staton Photography (2); Nicole Nixon/Andrew Budz Photography

Golf legend Greg Norman (top right, pictured with members of the Alter Eagles band) was one of the guests at this vintner dinner, which featured tropical birds, a James Beard Award-winning chef and a 40-foot-long table filled with Floridian decor.

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memorable 40-foot-long table filled with a tablescape of Florida treasures, including an abundance of shells, corals and white moth orchids.

Dinner co-hosts Valerie Boyd and Jeff Gargiulo doubled as vintners, sharing bottles of Gargiulo Vineyards from Oakville, California. Guests enjoyed one-on-one conversations with the vintners in between Fearing ’s courses, which included roasted quail and smoked rib-eye.

Boyd, a Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) founder, addressed the group by making an impassioned speech about the purpose of the dinner. “Valerie eloquently reminded guests that they may be feasting now, but it’s all in the spirit of helping needy children,” Kristine says. “Not only were people happy to be at the dinner and enjoy themselves, but also for feeling good about the cause they were helping.”

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During the dinner, co-hosts Jeff Gargiulo (top) and Valerie Boyd (bottom) gave speeches underscoring the importance of the work accomplished by the vintner dinners and other festival celebrations. Wines from their Gargiulo Vineyards were poured.

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Courtesy, clockwise from left: Sweet Emotions Photography; Jay Staton Photography (2)

2020 VINTNER DINNERS

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2020 VINTNER DINNERS

Award-winning chef Dean Fearing wasn’t deterred by a recent injury. The Dallas-based culinary star and his

Courtesy Sweet Emotions Photography

team delivered a magnificent feast.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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2020 DINNERS

A NIGHT OF GREAT EX PECTATIONS HO S T S : Laura and Jim Dixon with Karen and Dale Medford

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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Courtesy Charlie McDonald Photography

How does one improve upon perfection? If you’re the ultimate event hosts like Laura and Jim Dixon, you pull out all the stops, including hosting at your nearly 8,500-square-foot event space that’s filled with exotic Italian cars, a 22-foot bar, commercial kitchen, video wall comprised of nine 55-inch TVs and an enviable cellar with aisle after aisle of wines housing the couple’s more than 10,000 bottles.

Dubbed the Dixon Man Cave, the couple’s extravagant respite has hosted memorable charity events, Super Bowl parties and Masters Tournament parties. But for the 2020 vintner dinner, the Dixons and their co-hosts, Karen and Dale Medford, wanted to wow their guests, as Laura says.

The co-hosts, all of whom are trustees of the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), celebrated with a “Great Expectations” theme, canvasing the space with life-size replicas of safari animals. Adding to the wow factor was a violinist serenading the crowd and illusionist Wayne Hoffman, who mystified the audience with a few spellbinding tricks.

The five-course meal by chef Dustin Valette of Valette in 81

2020 VINTNER DINNERS

Hosted at the Laura and Jim Dixon man cave, the “Great Expectations”-themed dinner was co-hosted

by Karen and Dale Medford (below) and included

Courtesy Charlie McDonald Photography

performances by an illusionist and a violinist.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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Healdsburg, California, included caviar and wagyu beef. These were paired with wines by Chappellet Winery in St. Helena, California.

The plated dinner was made all the more special by its Louis XIII moment. The Dixons, who own Naples Wine Collection and The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar, had a representative from the storied cognac brand invite a guest to crown a bottle of Louis XIII, considered one of the world’s most coveted spirits. As part of the ritual, after the bottle’s foil is removed and the honored guest makes a ceremonious wish on the stopper, the cognac is poured into exclusive Louis XIII crystal glasses and served to the crowd. “Wine, food and philanthropy are our passions,” Jim says. “And this was a chance to connect all three facets.”

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Courtesy Charlie McDonald Photography

2020 VINTNER DINNERS

The five-course meal—with pairings from the Chappellet Winery in St. Helena, California—was enriched with a ceremonious crowning of a coveted Louis XIII Cognac bottle.

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Goldman Sachs is proud to support the Naples Winter Wine Festival

Š 2021 Goldman Sachs. All rights reserved.

2020 VINTNER DINNERS

A VENETIAN NIGHT IN NAPLES HO S T S : Joan and Bill Martin with Darlene and Don DeMichele

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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Courtesy Peggy Farren Photography

Joan Martin wanted her first NWWF vintner dinner to be remembered for several reasons— with one shining moment being the view. That’s why along with her husband Bill, and co-hosts Darlene and Don DeMichele, Joan selected her home in Aqualane Shores, which overlooks Crayton Cove’s stellar sunsets, as the site for the fête. Following the “Venetian Carnival” masquerade theme, guests donned ornate masks, while performers wowed the crowd at the waterside home.

As people entered, they were greeted by instrumental music reminiscent of tunes one would hear during a romantic gondola ride in Venice. It was music that “made your heart sing,” says Joan, who co-founded luxury handbag brand Brahmin with her husband.

“The music set the tone with a feeling of wonderment and intrigue.”

Music wasn’t the only element that captivated guests. There was also a magician, juggler, sword swallower and costumed performers on stilts, in addition to the Martins’ Horizon 60-foot catamaran motor yacht, Lil, which dinner guests were welcome to tour.

Chef Gavin Kaysen of Minneapolis-based Spoon and Stable served a six-course meal 87

2020 VINTNER DINNERS

A magician, juggler, sword swallower and stilt walkers dazzled guests at Joan and Bill Martin’s waterfront home in Aqualane Shores during their “Venetian

Courtesy Peggy Farren Photography

Carnival”-themed vintner dinner.

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Your paradise awaits.

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples offers endless possibilities with access to two luxury resorts, each featuring an abundance of amenities paired with the finest personalized service. ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/naples

89 Š

2019 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.

Chef Gavin Kaysen of Minneapolis-based Spoon and Stable prepared a six-course meal to pair with the Staglin Family Vineyard wines.

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that progressed from sea, with langoustine crudo and scallop dishes, to land, with a veal ravioli with black truffle. The meal was paired with wines from Staglin Family Vineyard in Rutherford, California, an outfit known as much for its vintages as its philanthropy, raising more than $1 billion since its inception in 1985.

The evening ended as festively as it began: with a generous parting gift for each couple. As individuals who love to give, the hosts procured substantial items as a thank you for their charitable guests. Each couple took home a bag filled with, among other gifts, a Brahmin wine tote, authentic handmade baklava, a carving knife with the NWWF logo etched into the handle and a bottle of Staglin wine.

As for the sunset view on that particular evening? “Absolutely breathtaking,” Joan says. g ulf shorelife.com

Courtesy Peggy Farren Photography

2020 VINTNER DINNERS

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P A R T N E R S H I P .

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NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL 2020 CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

M E E T T H E K I D S DAY The Friday before the Naples Winter Wine Festival auction, patrons gathered at Artis—Naples to get to know some of the children— dressed in costumes for their future dream careers—who benefit from the Naples Children & Education Foundation.

1 Joe and Nancy Masterson 2 Karen and Bob Scott 3 Jennifer McCurry, Jamie Dockweiler, Susie McCurry 4 Sheriff Kevin Rambosk, Barbara Jordan, Maria Jimenez-Lara, John Jordan 5 Ron and Barbara Balser

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1 Youth Haven’s Vonte Parris dresses as a football player 2 A woman reads to the kids 3 A girl plays dress-up as a superhero 4 Three children dress for their dream careers 5 A young police officer shares her dream with NWWF patron Rob Coats 6 A girl plays as a chef 7 A boy interacts with NWWF patron Mark Chandley

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T H E AU C T I O N The festivities culminate during the Saturday auction at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, starting with a tasting from The Ritz-Carlton chefs from around the country and world-renowned wines. Then it’s under the tent for the live auction, which raised more than $20 million in 2020.

1 Ashley Gerry, Ryann Cindrich, Bridgett Chandley 2 Auctioneer Humphrey Butler 3 Bill and Debbie Toler, Bill Cary, Donna Solimene 4 Jill Miller 5 Dan and Kathy Mezzalingua

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1 Wine service volunteer Eric Blais pours wine for a patron 2 Volunteers cheer as guests enter the tent 3 NCEF Lifetime Trustee Mary Pat Hussey 4 Janet Buigas, Sharon Hallberg, OJ Buigas, Chuck Hallberg, Jennifer Parisi 5 Valerie Boyd and Joe Masterson 6 Lee Anderson 7 Scott and Simone Lutgert

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T H E BRU NC H Patrons wrap the weekend with a Sunday brunch, including a recap of the impact from the auction and an elaborate spread of provisions at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples.

1 Terry and Bob Edwards 2 Ann Bain and Julia Van Domelen 3 Sharon Hallberg and Jennifer Parisi 4 Jerri and David Hoffmann 5 Chris and Kristine Williams

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WEALTH IS ABOUT MORE THAN MONEY.

_

At PNC, we understand that wealth is about more than just your finances. Security, health, family and your future are all important aspects of your wealth. You can rely on a PNC Wealth Manager to take all this into consideration. With our personalized approach and flexible solutions, we can provide you with the right guidance, even as your plans evolve. When we combine what we know with what we know about you, it’s easier for you to protect what matters while pursuing your goals. > Call Russell Beckner, Senior Vice President, Market Leader, at (239) 687-7260 or visit pnc.com/wealthsolutions

PRIVATE BANKING | WEALTH PLANNING | INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”) uses the marketing name PNC Wealth Management ® to provide investment consulting and wealth management, fiduciary services, FDICinsured banking products and services, and lending of funds to individual clients through PNC Bank, National Association (“PNC Bank”), which is a Member FDIC, and to provide specific fiduciary and agency services through PNC Delaware Trust Company or PNC Ohio Trust Company. PNC does not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice unless, with respect to tax advice, PNC Bank has entered into a written tax services agreement. PNC Bank is not registered as a municipal advisor under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. “PNC Bank” and “PNC Wealth Management” are registered marks of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Investments: Not FDIC Insured. No Bank Guarantee. May Lose Value. ©2020 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

INV WM PDF 0720-0173-1691002

ONLINE AUCTION

SUPP ORT THE MISSION OF NCEF Bid on the Naples Winter Wine Festival’s one-of-a-kind wine lots, virtual and inperson winery packages, and exclusive travel experiences and packages.

Since 2015, the online auction has raised nearly $1.5 million to support the Naples Children & Education Foundation’s (NCEF) initiatives. Here are four of the top lots you can bid on during the Wine Down, Bid Up! online auction Jan. 22 through Feb. 2.

1. A KEY WEST VACATION The southernmost point in the United States is famous for watersports, lively nightlife, beaches, historic sites and its pastel-hued, conch-style architecture. This trip offers a four (4)-day, three (3)-night stay in Key West, complete Getty/iStockphoto

with private airfare and accommodations for up to four (4) guests, and one full day of deep-sea fishing.

INSIDER’S INFO: Mutually agreeable dates between the months of May and August 2021.

DONORS: Libby and Rick Germain

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Placing a Big Emphasis on Little Patients NCH is an alliance of two hospitals, two free-standing emergency departments, 775 physicians, and dozens of medical facilities throughout Southwest Florida that offers nationally recognized, quality health care to our community. NCH delivers 3,500 babies annually and houses the only 24/7 pediatric ER in Collier County, serving more than 19,000 children every year.

For more information, call 239-624-0570.

ONLINE AUCTION

Chef “Nash” Cognetti of Napa Valley’s Tra Vigne Pizzeria teaches winners how to make a perfectly round, crispy pizza during a private online class, which you can stream from your own home. No pizza stone needed—class includes kits shipped from the restaurant with dough and toppings for two perfect pizzas. Gargiulo Vineyards supplies the wine for this perfect date night package.

INSIDER’S INFO: Mutually agreeable dates DONORS: Tra Vigne Pizzeria and Gargiulo Vineyards

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Courtesy Gargiulo Vineyard/Sue Negrini

2. A PRIVATE VIRTUAL PIZZA DINNER AND WINE PAIRING FROM GARGIULO VINEYARDS

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3. A NAPA WINE EDUCATION Join David Duncan, owner of Napa’s Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars, for a private conversation and tasting via Zoom to discuss the state of the wine industry moving forward past COVID-19 and the California fires. Wines for the tasting will be shipped to the winning bidder.

INSIDER’S INFO: Mutually agreeable dates DONOR: David Duncan

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Courtesy Silver Oak Vineyard/Sara Sanger

ONLINE AUCTION

SMALL CAROLINE SATCHEL OCEAN OMBRE MELBOURNE $345

ONLINE AUCTION

4. A COLLECTION OF 100-POINT CALIFORNIA RED WINES This pristine collection represents the best of California wines, all with excellent provenance and delivered in the original wood presentation cases. The collection includes: Three (3) – 750ml 2013 Harlan Estate Red Wine Three (3) – 750ml 2013 Hundred Acre “Few and Far Between” Cabernet Sauvignon Courtesy Sue and Gary Garrabrant

Three (3) – 750ml 2014 Promontory Red Wine Three (3) – 750ml 2014 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon Three (3) – 750ml 2015 Colgin Cellars IX Estate INSIDER’S INFO: Wines shipped to the winning bidder DONORS: Sue and Gary Garrabrant

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— SALUT!

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WE’RE PROUD TO SUPPORT THE

NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL

Being Naples’ community bank means more than just offering solid banking solutions. It also means doing our part to give back to the local charities and organizations that unite and strengthen our area.

We’re particularly proud to support the Naples Winter Wine Festival, a premier event based on raising funds for its founding organization: the Naples Children & Education Foundation. Enjoy the event!

Wintrust Banking Center is a branch of Lake Forest Bank & Trust Company, N.A.

B ANKING C ENTER 3401 Tamiami Trail North | Naples, FL 34103 239-687-5200 | www.wintrustflorida.com

high value homeowners | automobile | watercraft | fraud & cyber personal excess liability | jewelry, art & collections | flood

Working to Make a Difference PURE and BridgePoint Risk Management are proud to support the Naples Winter Wine Festival and the Naples Children & Education Foundation. We applaud the hard work and dedication of all those who make such a profound difference in the lives of so many children. We are honored to play a part in this year’s event and look forward to the many contributions that will be made within our community.

We hope that you will take time to learn more about PURE, an insurance company owned by its members and driven by a purpose of doing what’s right for them. Contact BridgePoint Risk Management at 855-632-2646 or stop by the local office to meet with a consultant at 400 5th Avenue South.

BP Risk and Insurance Services, LLC, CA License #0I18125 © 2020 BridgePoint Risk Management. All rights reserved. PURE® refers to Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange, a Florida-domiciled reciprocal insurer and member of the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. PURE Risk Management, LLC (PRM), a for-profit entity, serves as PURE’s Attorney-In-Fact for a fee. PURE membership requires an executed Subscriber’s Agreement & Power of Attorney. Visit pureinsurance.com for details. Trademarks are property of PRM and used with permission. ©2019 PRM. All Rights Reserved. 44 South Broadway, Suite 301, White Plains, New York 10601. PURE HNW Insurance Services, CA Lic. 0I78980.

GIVING BACK

PLEASE JOIN US! Here’s how you can help make a difference in the lives of underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County.

Become a Supporter Contribute to the

Donate an Auction Lot Share an exclusive,

Donate online Go to napleswinefestival.

Naples Children & Education Foundation

one-of-a-kind travel package, jewelry piece

com/donate to give with the click of a

(NCEF) by donating generously during the

or wine lot, and watch as patrons bid big in

button.

call-to-action in the televised event on Jan.

support of local children.

30 at 7 p.m., courtesy of WINK-TV. Every dollar raised goes to help the kids.

Become a Sponsor Underwrite the Naples

For more information, contact the Naples Volunteer Be one of the more than 300

Children & Education Foundation, 2590

people who work behind the scenes to

Goodlette-Frank Road North, Naples, FL

help make NWWF a success.

34103, (239) 514-2239 or (888) 837-4919.

Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) or contribute in-kind services.

Wine Down, Bid Up! From Jan. 22 to Feb.

Courtesy NCEF

2, take part in the online auction at nwwfonlineauction.com.

REMEMBER, IT’S ALL FOR THE KIDS!

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Your Smile. Our Specialty.

1001 10TH AVENUE SOUTH, SUITE 218 | NAPLES, FLORIDA 34102 239.434.5545 | WWW.BAYVIEWDENTALARTS.COM

PATRICK J. CARRIGAN DMD

EDWARD A. SCHERDER DMD, JD

ROBERT C. HEDGEPATH DMD

GULFSHORELIFE.COM

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DESIGNER JEWELRY

INTERNATIONAL WEEKLY HOLIDAY AUCTIONS 18kt David Webb designer diamond and pearl brooch

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Rare Royal Copenhagen “Flora Danica” China sold in auction for $18,500

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Stitching Service and Finishing Available Trunk Shows October - April Wednesday “Open Stitching Day” Beginner Classes Tuesdays 9:30AM

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www.BlueRooArtNaples.com

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F U L L S E RV I C E J E W E L E R / C U S TO M D E S I G N S / G I A G R A D U AT E G E M O L O G I S T

Where the locals shop… S H O P S O F M A R C O | 1 3 3 S O U T H BA R F I E L D D R I V E | M A R C O I S L A N D 2 3 9 . 2 5 9 . 8 9 3 7 | I S L A N D J E W E L @ YA H O O. C O M | W W W. K AT H E I N J E W E L E R S. C O M

Glorious Food, Great Shops & Graceful Byways Third Street South Shopping Over 65 High-End Shops and Galleries Women’s, Men’s and Children’s Clothes, and Accessories Fine Jewelry Interiors and Gardens Antiques and Fine Art An Gift and Pets Gourmet Wine and Food

Third Street South Restaurants and Cafes Nationally Awarded Restaurants and Cafes Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Live Entertainment Indoor and Outdoor Dining Fine Wine, Craft Beers and Cocktails Pet-Friendly Family and Fine Dining

Third Street South Lifestyle Third Street South Farmer’s Market each Saturday, 7:30-11:30am Stroll flower-filled walkways that have St earned Third Street South designation as a member of the American Public Gardens Association.

Linger by antique fountains.

Soak in the historic charm of Naples’ first neighborhood.

Glamour and Good Times Since the 1930s

Third Street South Concierge (239) 434-6533 www.thirdstreetsouth.com 1207 Third Street South Naples, FL 34102

Beth Moné Children’s Shoppe

TANZANITE from our large selection

shopping destinations third street south and the avenues

INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE including designer lines

EVERYTHING 30% TO 75% OFF A few exclusions

1301 3rd St South • (239) 261-3447 or (800) 747-BETH SHOP US LIVE at www.Bethmone.com Instagram@BethMoneStore | Facetime (239) 910-2711

Home of the NAPLES MEDALLION

239.261.7952 1197 Third Street South, Olde Naples www.cleopatrasbarge.com

C H R I S C I FAT T E

W E E K N I G H T S

HAIR COLOR & DESIGN KERATIN SMOOTHING MANICURES & PEDICURES EUROPEAN & RENEWAL FACIALS

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315 14th Avenue South

239.263.8050

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REVITALIZING PEELS

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New designs

shopping destinations third street south and the avenues

Simply the prettiest jewelry.

TRUNK SHOW

Friday & Saturday January 22nd & 23rd 11-5pm

by Gabriel!

1185 Third Street South • Naples, Florida • 239.643.8900 • www.uniqueboutiquejewelry.com Monday thru Saturday 10-9pm

Sunday 11-6pm

Delray Beach, FL 561.272.6654 • Cape Cod, MA 508.477.3900

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Fly into 2021 on the wings of a dragonfly with these light and airy designs.

Available in 14-karat yellow, white and rose gold and features motherof-pearl accents. Available at Kathein Jewelers, 133 S. Barfield Drive, Marco Island. (239) 259-8937; katheinjewelers.com

1.

For a fashion master, inspiration can come from anywhere, including nature, like with this hand-painted The Marilyn France Loup-Maison Silk Bumblebee Print Dress.

Available at Marilyn’s, 375 5th Avenue S, Naples. (239) 206-4460; marilynhellman.com 2.

Two hot looks from Tori Richard bring out your inner environmentalist.

Available at Coastal Outfitters, Port Sanibel Marina, 14311 Port Comfort Road, Fort Myers. (239) 433-0099. Promenade at Bonita Bay, 26821 S. Bay Drive, Suite 118, Bonita Springs. (239) 333-3666; coastaloutfittersswfl.com

3.

For a chic, sustainable look, consider this vegan leather Sondra Roberts clutch with laser-cut cork, leopard-print pattern and bamboo clasp. The necklace is by a snowbird artist that created it with hand-painted clay and turquoise beads. Maydanier Designs. Available at Kathryn’s Collection in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt. (239) 4341885; kathrynscollection. com

5.

Build strength while showing off your wild side with this athletic bra and leggings set from Varley.

Available at ROUZE, 5th Street S, Naples. (239) 6928253; shoprouze.com

6.

Make a statement with this sterling silver Triple Snake Pendant. Historically, serpents represent rebirth, fertility or a creative life force. Available at Silver Eagle Gallery, 850 5th Avenue S. (239) 403-3033; silvereaglegallery.com

7.

A sophisticated snake print makes this dress a standout. Side-zipper details add a bit of edge.

Available at Jennifer's, 13251 McGregor Blvd., Suite 111-1, Fort Myers.

(239) 481-8582; jennifersftmyers.com

8.

This black porcelain and 24-karat gold-plated catchall is sure to keep all of your treasures protected. Available at Judith Liegeois Designs, 363 12th Avenue S, Naples.

(239) 430-6811; judithliegeoisdesigns.com

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Let your beauty blossom...again Turn back time at the Center for Cosmetic Surgery. Facial procedures are our specialty, renewing your beauty and refining those bestowed by nature. Open yourself to a new world of confidence ... and let your youthful essence blossom once again.

Call NOW to schedule your personalized consultation or to reserve your spot for the next COMPLIMENTARY FACIAL REJUVENATION SEMINAR

239-498-4YOU (4968) • 1-800-481-FACE (3223) www.facialdoctor.com THE CENTER FOR COSMETIC SURGERY

ROBERT D. KLAUSNER MD, FACS Listed in Consumer’s Research Council of America’s Guide to America’s Top Physicians & A Castle Connolly “Top Doctor”

Fellowship and Ivy League Trained Board Certified – American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery American Board of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery

WHO'S WHO IN HE ALTH SPECIAL A DVER TISEMENT

W H O ’ S W H O I N H E A L T H 3 13

WHO'S WHO IN HEALTH

Your Smile. Our Specialty.

PATRICK J. CARRIGAN DMD; EDWARD A. SCHERDER DMD, JD; AND ROBERT C. HEDGEPATH DMD BayView Dental Arts welcomes Neopolitans to become more familiar with, comfortable with and excited to experience the latest technology available. At each visit, advanced knowledge, skill and equipment are maximized so that every patient experiences optimal dental care. Utilizing cuttingedge CAD/CAM technology, Cerec crowns are fabricated here in our ceramic laboratory so that patients may leave with permanent and beautiful high-strength ceramic restorations in a single office visit! We also utilize digital radiography and Zeiss microscopes to aid in the precision of micro-dentistry performed here at BayView Dental Arts.

As a recognized endodontic specialist, Dr. Patrick Carrigan utilizes advanced techniques in order for our patients to receive the very best treatment available for the most successful long-term prognosis of their teeth.

Dr. Edward Scherder would like to welcome you to BayView Dental Arts in Old Naples overlooking beautiful Naples Bay. As a prominent specialist in prosthodontics, Dr. Scherder takes great pleasure in the utilization of modern technology to promote more advanced dental treatment options.

Within Dr. Robert Hedgepath’s array of expertise, he enjoys administering exceptional aesthetics and function with the use of Invisalign or crowns and veneers. From bridge work to partials and dentures, he offers the very best in dental care!

Drs. Carrigan , Scherder and Hedgepath look forward to the opportunity to meet with you individually to discuss your dental health and expectations and to create the smile you have always dreamed of.

1001 10th Ave. S., Suite 218, Naples, FL 34102 (239) 434-5545 www.BayviewDentalArts.com

Complimentary Valet Parking 3 14

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WHO'S WHO IN HEALTH

LASER CATARACT SURGERY: RESTORE THE VISION OF YOUR YOUTH

Center For Sight Jon R. Berlie, M.D.; George Brinnig, M.D., PH. D.; Julie Carter, M.D.; Reena Patel, O.D. Cataract surgery must be performed with the utmost precision, and luckily, Naples is home to one of the nation’s leading ophthalmology practices, Center For Sight. Cataract & Lens Replacement Surgeons at Center For Sight use advanced laser procedures to improve efficiency and precision while painlessly removing the cataract. Cutting-edge laser technology softens and disassembles the cataract with micronlevel precision. Once the cataract is fragmented, the surgeon removes the cataract and inserts a new artificial lens in its place. Laser cataract surgery ensures the patient receives the best technique and technology available to result in minimal procedural and recovery times.

Today, patients have many lens options when considering cataract surgery. In earlier years, intraocular lenses were fixed for one distance and required the patient to wear glasses after surgery. Patients can now choose to have their natural lens replaced by an advanced intraocular lens based on their individual vision goals, which could limit - or eliminate - the need for glasses post-surgery. The most advanced intraocular lenses give patients the opportunity to return (or improve) their eyesight to a perfect 20/20!

The results of laser cataract surgery speak for themselves.

Schedule your cataract consultation, today.

™

Laser Cataract Surgery • Glaucoma Care • Retina Care • Facial Cosmetic Surgery

700 Neapolitan Way, Naples, FL 34103 (239) 310-2020

www.centerforsightnaples.net

WHO'S WHO IN HEALTH

IGOR LEVY-REIS, M.D.

NASA MRI

Dr. Levy-Reis is board-certified in neurology and in the subspecialties of geriatric neurology, neurophysiology headache medicine and neuroimaging. His neurology training was at Northwestern University in Chicago, followed by a fellowship at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and then a fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

He is the author and co-author of several publications in peer-reviewed neurological journals, with contributions in journals such as New England Journal of Medicine and Neurology. He has participated in several drug trials of new neurological therapies and presented research in national and international neurological meetings.

He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference and American Headache Society.

Dr. Levy-Reis has been practicing in Naples over the past 15 years and sees patients with a broad range of neurological diseases. He has special interest in patients with memory loss (such as that from Alzheimer’s disease) and chronic headache, particularly migraine.

He is a member of the International Neurotoxin Association, with experience in treating migraine patients with botulin toxin, and he is certified by the American Board of Neurology in interpretation of nerve studies as well as electroencephalograms.

He is also a reviewer for international meetings and actively involved in national studies. Recently, he was elected Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology for his valuable contributions to the Academy and to the neurology community at large.

877 111th Ave. N., Suite 1, Naples, FL 34108 (239) 594-8002

nasamri.com

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WHO'S WHO IN HEALTH

ALAN N. REMBOS D.D.S

Dr. Alan N. Rembos and his associates provide high-quality dental care for all their patients.

Consistent “5 Star Reviews” from the most anxious dental patients validate this year after year.

Computers are used for all injections to make them as comfortable as possible.

Patients appreciate that implants are placed and restored in the office. No running around!

Dr. Rembos meets all his patients’ dental needs to give them a healthy mouth and a bright new smile. As an added service for his patients, at routine checkups, Dr. Rembos offers the VELscope exam service. The VELscope is an invaluable tool that detects the early signs of oral cancer, which are not visible to the naked eye.

As a graduate of Northwestern University, Dr. Rembos is also a member of the American Academy of Facial Esthetics; Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry; and Academy of Implant Dentistry. He has appeared on television and radio providing dental advice.

Dr. Rembos’ expertise has not gone unrecognized over the years, with several publications voting him among the best dentists in Naples and Sanibel. He was recently voted as a “Top Dentist for 2018 as voted by his dental peers.”

Four Convenient locations in Naples,Fort Myers, Sanibel & Marco Island.

Visit SmilesByRembos.com to see patient reviews.

4 Convenient Locations 4001 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 280, Naples, FL 34103 (239) 434-0400 • SmilesByRembos.com Sanibel • Fort Myers • Marco Island • “No Ouch” Computerized Anesthetic System used on all patients, providing the most comfortable injections available!

• Now accepting new patients. Emergencies welcome.

• Zoom2 advanced whitening system • Root canals • Botox/Juvederm Facial Cosmetics • VELscope Vx oral cancer screening offered for all hygiene patients • Implants placed AND restored in-office

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WHO'S WHO IN HEALTH

SNEAD EYE GROUP Dr. Brad A. Snead, M.D., MBA, F.A.C.S., Medical Director of Snead Eye Group proudly announces the grand opening of their new Bonita Springs location at 28420 Bonita Crossing Blvd Ste. 120. Just South of Bonita Beach Road.

The new, modern 3,200 sq. ft. facility is furnished with state-of-the-art equipment for the diagnosis and management of all aspects of eye care including cataracts, glaucoma, eyelid abnormalities, and dry eye. In addition to comprehensive eye examinations, this location also has a full-service optical department with the latest eyewear trends.

In addition to the new Bonita Springs locations, Snead Eye Group is proud to have added five new Board Certified Optometrists, Dr. Len Brown, Dr. Allison Coll, Dr. Salvatore DeCanio, Dr. Kate Maloney and Dr. Michael Pham. Each of these experienced eye care specialists will bring their unique talents and unparalleled patient care to Southwest Florida,

BONITA SPRINGS 936-8686

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delivering high quality, personalized treatment.

“We are very pleased to open our new office to better serve the fast-growing and diverse community of Bonita Springs,” said Dr. Brad A. Snead. “We look forward to bringing our tradition of outstanding surgical results and remarkable patient experiences to a location convenient for all Bonita Springs residents.”

Snead Eye Group is one of largest ophthalmology practices in Southwest Florida with offices and Surgery facilities in both Naples and Fort Myers. Snead Eye Group has more than 50 experienced staff members, three ophthalmologists and five optometrists. Snead Eye Group provides eye care services for a lifetime, from fitting children with their first pair of glasses to curing cataracts. The latest technology and treatment options are available from Snead Eye Group where seeing is believing with locations in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples and coming soon to Cape Coral.

28420 Bonita Crossings Blvd., STE. 120 Bonita Springs, FL 34135 We are accepting new patients (239) 360-6991 www.Sneadeye.com

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WHO'S WHO IN HEALTH

JOSEPH FREEDMAN, M.D. Cardiac Care Group Cardiac Care Group offers state-of-the-art cardiology services to Southwest Florida. Dr. Freedman specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all cardiac disease.

Dr. Freedman trained at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, achieving five board certifications in internal medicine, cardiology, comprehensive adult ECHO, nuclear cardiology and cardiac CT. As the leading noninvasive cardiologist at Florida Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, he helped the hospital achieve the highest level of chest pain certification.

He has participated in the research trials of several leading cholesterol- lowering drugs, and he has extensive experience in pulmonary hypertension. Dr. Freedman has spoken on national radio programs and has appeared on local news to highlight the latest in cardiovascular care, including venous ultrasound and ablation techniques that increase circulation and prevent lower extremity thrombosis. Dr. Freedman prides himself on being an advocate for the patient, and he works carefully with leading local and national experts to make sure patients receive the best specialty procedural care possible.

South Cape Business Center 3208 Chiquita Blvd. S., Suite 110, Cape Coral, FL 33914 (239) 574-8463 | flccg.com

JAMES J. GUERRA, M.D. Collier Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center Dr. Guerra is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist. He completed his orthopaedic residency at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as an additional year of fellowship training in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery with internationally known sports medicine expert James R. Andrews, M.D. Dr. Guerra is a specialist in complex shoulder and knee problems and currently serves as Head Team Physician for Florida Gulf Coast University, Community School and First Baptist Academy.

Previously, Dr. Guerra served as Team Physician for the Baltimore Orioles (MLB) and the Florida Panthers (NHL).

Dr. Guerra is a leading innovator in minimally invasive surgery, serving as the Medical Director for Arthrex, the world’s preeminent arthroscopy company. He teaches surgeons from around the world in advanced techniques, has authored more than 30 publications, and has lectured at national and international meetings. This unique experience allows Dr. Guerra to remain at the forefront of his field and bring cutting-edge medical developments to his patients.

1706 Medical Blvd., Suite 201, Naples, FL 34110

(239) 593-3500 colliersportsmedicine.com 3 19

WHO'S WHO IN HEALTH

JONATHAN M. FRANTZ, MD, FACS Frantz EyeCare Jonathan M. Frantz, MD, FACS, is the founder, medical director, and chief surgeon at Frantz EyeCare. Dr. Frantz, a true pioneer in the field of Ophthalmology, is one of the area's most experienced, innovative, and respected eye surgeons.

As one of our country's top Bladeless Laser Cataract Surgeons and the *largest implanter of PanOptix lenses for cataract patients in the State of Florida, Dr. Frantz founded his practice on two main principles: patients always come first and our success is measured by the lives that we improve through better vision. Dr. Frantz and his team provide compassionate patient care and strive to optimize outcomes by setting the standard in vision technology.

Frantz EyeCare has been serving Southwest Florida for 26 years, and has seven locations and growing. A true, multi-specialty practice, Frantz EyeCare offers comprehensive eye care and specialized vision correction including Bladeless LASIK, Bladeless Laser Cataract Surgery, eyelid surgery, and the treatment of glaucoma and retinal disease. *Alcon Surgical Laser usage data 2020

12731 New Brittany Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33907 (239) 418-0999 | bettervision.net Other locations: Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Punta Gorda, Naples

EDWARD HUMBERT, D.O., MS Joint Implant Surgeons of Florida Dr. Humbert is one of the country’s most experienced jointreplacement surgeons. He specializes in knee and hip replacement, and is board-certified through the AOBOS. He has been ranked as the No. 1 volume surgeon in Florida for hip and knee replacement (Data, AHCA). Increased surgical volume has been proven to improve patient outcomes and reduce complication rates in total joint replacement. He has dedicated his practice to providing safe, top-quality hip and knee replacements. He instructs at orthopedic learning centers and specializes in the latest minimally-invasive techniques, custom joint replacement, partial knee replacement and complex revision surgery of the hip and knee.

Dr. Humbert obtained a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida and a master’s in biomedical engineering from the University of Akron. After medical school and orthopedic residency at Ohio University, he completed a fellowship in total joint replacement. When it comes to hip and knee replacement, Dr. Humbert truly is “The Best Surgeon in the Joint.”

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7331 College Parkway, Suite 300, Fort Myers, FL 33907 (239) 337-2003

jointimplant.com

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WHO'S WHO IN HEALTH

DR. SCOTT A. GARTNER, O.D. Low Vision Solutions Center When your eye doctor says nothing more can be done to help you see better — It’s time to come SEE ME. Low Vision Solutions Center helps patients maximize their remaining vision to achieve a better quality of life.

Dr. Gartner, the former Director of Low Vision Services at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, combines intensive vision evaluation and state-of-the-art low vision technology devices and rehabilitation programs that address the social and medical needs of every patient.

Proudly offering the new eSight 4 eSight is the most versatile and advanced all-in-one low vision assistive device. Clinically-validated to provide a 7-line improvement on the doctors’ eye chart, eSight is worn daily by thousands of people with serious visual impairment caused by over 20 different eye conditions. Many patients with natural visual acuity of 20/60 to 20/1400, caused by over 20 different eye conditions, see 20/20 with eSight.

Wireless and hands-free, eSight 4 provides easy to use vision controls like zoom, focus and contrast built right into the headset. Designed for life on the go, it features a halo comfort band for all-day comfort and use, and offers patented bioptic tilt technology that integrates the wearers remaining peripheral vision for 100% mobility retention.

Call to learn more or to schedule your private eSight 4 evaluation.

4851 Tamiami Trail N #200 Naples, FL 34103 (561) 729-7500 | MyLowVisionSolutions.com

PAUL M. GARDNER, M.D., FACS; LEOPOLDO M. BACCARO, M.D. Naples Plastic Surgery

1250 Pine Ridge Road, Suite 101C, Naples, FL 34108 (239) 566-2611

www.naplesps.com

One visit to Naples Plastic Surgery formerly Gardner Plastic Surgery is all that’s needed to discover the steadfast commitment to patient service shown by our Board Certified Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Paul M. Gardner and Dr. Leopoldo M. Baccaro. Both surgeons and staff realize that there are many choices when it comes to picking a plastic surgery practice, so they go out of their way to provide the best experience possible. Drs. Gardner and Baccaro strive to make each patient feel like the only patient in the practice throughout the entire process—from their first consult to their final postoperative appointment.

The surgical expertise exhibited by Dr. Gardner and Dr. Baccaro allows them to help patients attain renewed confidence in their appearance. Over the years, numerous face-lift, rhinoplasty, breast-lift and augmentation, tummy tuck, liposuction and other cosmetic surgery patients have benefited from the attentive care and superlative surgical skills found at Naples Plastic Surgery. Offering a full array of cosmetic surgery options, we recently expanded the practice with Dr. Jason Crespo to meet reconstructive and hand surgery needs. The surgeons and staff at Naples Plastic Surgery pride themselves on attention to detail. Begin the process of transforming your image by consulting with Dr. Paul M. Gardner or Dr. Leopoldo M. Baccaro today.

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GERARDO SANTIAGO, D.D.S. Children's Dentistry of Naples At Children's Dentistry of Naples, Dr. Santiago has been proudly serving Naples and surrounding communities for over 25 years.

Dr. Santiago provides quality pediatric dental care you can trust.

He is passionate about helping children develop positive feelings towards dental health while ensuring even the littlest smiles get the best start. Y ­ our family will receive the highest level of pediatric dental care in a modern child-friendly environment. Dr. Santiago completed an additional 3 years of specialized training for children's oral health including those with special needs.

Contact us today to join our family.

3021 Airport-Pulling Road, Suite 203, Naples, Fl 34105 (239) 262-3898 childrensdentistryofnaples.com

BLANE MILTON CRANDALL, M.D. Naples OB GYN Blane Crandall, M.D., has a passion for restoring health and vitality to women of all ages. To help them understand the truth behind the confusing and misleading information about hormone replacement therapy, he has co-authored a book with Donna Walters titled Estrogen Revisited: Lifelong and Fearless. Longstanding evidence proves a reduction in heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease in women on HRT. Recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for 10 years, Dr. Crandall specializes in outpatient laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy and ultrasound-based obstetrics with 3-D ultrasound each visit.

"The only thing in my practice that rivals the miracle of the birth of a baby is delivering a woman from the ravages of menopause."

1660 Medical Blvd., Suite 101, Naples, FL 34110 (239) 596-2300

www.drblanecrandall.com

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Children’s Dentistry of Naples

CHERYL L. MALICK, D.M.D. Dental Excellence

Dr. Cheryl L. Malick, a Naples resident since 1985, celebrates 18 years of serving our community at Dental Excellence, her state of-theart dental office. Dr. Malick is an honors graduate of the University of Florida Department of Biomedical Engineering, and a research honors graduate from the University of Florida College of Dentistry. She offers general and cosmetic dentistry services, including veneers, crowns, dentures, partials, implant restorations, fillings, whitening, dental cleanings, digital impressions and xrays, and CariVu caries detection.

We are pleased to be serving the Naples area and look forward to welcoming you to Dental Excellence, located near the corner of Airport Road North and Vanderbilt Beach Road. Call us today to schedule your complimentary consultation.

7955 Airport-Pulling Road N., Suite 201, Naples, FL 34109 (239) 596-3434

naplesdentalexcellence.com

g ulf shorelife.com

WHO'S WHO IN HEALTH

DR. STEPHEN HELGEMO; DR. IVAN OLARTE Florida Hand Center

LOIS THOME

W E E K N I G H T S

T

R

U

S

T

What makes us different?

The Florida Hand Center is a group of highly skilled medical professionals dedicated to providing the most advanced treatments of common hand and arm problems. We are experts in non-surgical care and will use this method for most problems. When surgery becomes necessary, we focus on minimally invasive procedures that allow quicker healing times with less discomfort. We always look for the most cost-effective and efficient treatments. We deliver world class care and successfully treat thousands of patients each year, giving them back the use and function of their hands and arms.

Locations in Port Charlotte & Fort Myers Main Office: 941-625-6547 floridahandcenter.com

JAMES MITCHELL, D.D.S.; YOLANDA MITCHELL, D.D.S.; JOSEPH MITCHELL, D.D.S.; HELEN MAY, D.D.S. Mitchell Dentistry

32 Barkley Circle Fort Myers, FL 33907 (239) 939-5556

mitchelldentist.com

Building trust and treating each patient as a special individual has always been the foundation of our family dentistry practice. For more than 30 years, we have provided the latest state-of-the-art technology to give you the smile you have always dreamed of.

Along with our dedicated, caring team, we offer general, cosmetic and restorative dentistry in a safe, inviting atmosphere. Call Mitchell Dentistry today to learn more about how we make your smile our top priority.

CYNDI YAG-HOWARD, M.D., FAAD Yag-Howard Dermatology and Aesthetic Center Cyndi Yag-Howard, MD, FAAD, is a nationally-recognized and award winning dermatologist with over 20 years of experience specializing in the art of aesthetic facial sculpting and dermatologic skincare, including surgery. Viewing each patient’s face as a canvas, she uses her artistic eye and sensitive touch to bring out the natural beauty in every patient.

Regarding skin cancer surgery, she states: “My goal is to make it look as though the skin cancer never existed, and no surgery was ever done.” Voted a top doctor by her patients, Dr. Yag-Howard also earned national recognition by being elected to the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and appointed Chair of the American Medical Association’s Dermatology Section Council representing all of our nation’s dermatologists and their patients.

1000 Goodlette Road North #100 Naples, FL 34102 (239) 529.DERM (3376)

yhderm.com

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Carolyn Langford, DO, FACOS Urologic Surgeon Dr. Carolyn Langford is one of the top urologists in the area specializing in female urology, voiding dysfunction and pelvic floor reconstruction. As a leading expert in Florida, Dr. Carolyn Langford has been treating patients with Sacral Neuromodulation therapy for 20 years.

Dr. Carolyn Langford is a Board Certified Urologist who has completed a fellowship in Female Urology, Voiding Dysfunction and Pelvic Floor Reconstruction at the Cleveland Clinic Florida and has performed thousands of pelvic floor procedures in Lee County over the past 13 years.

Dr. Carolyn Langford is an Axonics® Center of Excellence, a recognition for her expertise in Axonics Therapy. Her commitment to patient education and providing exemplary care to achieve optimal clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Are you tired of your bladder controlling your life?

Are constant trips to the restroom affecting your quality of life?

With Dr. Carolyn Langford, you no longer need to suffer in silence!

Offering Axonics Therapy, a long-lasting solution that may help regain control of your bladder, this therapy is clinically proven to treat overactive bladder symptoms, urinary retention and fecal incontinence.

It’s time to regain control!

Get started today, call 239-221-0992

“”

With Axonics Therapy, I don’t have to worry about leaks and its nice to not have to wear pads anymore.

Patient

“”

I’ve been to 20 different urologists, and Dr. Langford was the only one who solved my issue.

Patient

DR. CAROLYN LANGFORD UROLOGIC SOLUTIONS 9400 Gladiolus Drive, Suite 30, Fort Myers, Florida 33908 (next door to Lakes Park Library)

drcarolynlangford.com Important Safety Information: Implantation and use of the Axonics System incurs risk beyond those normally associated with surgery, some of which may necessitate surgical intervention. Results and experiences may vary and are unique to each patient. No promise or guarantee is made about specific results or experiences. For more information about safety and potential risks, go to: www.axonics.com/isi Caution: Federal law (USA) restricts this device to sale and use by, or on the order of, a physician.

3 2 4 Modulation Technologies, Inc. GULFSHORE LIFE © 2020 Axonics

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Juan Antonio Barrio Miguel/Getty

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

p_ 000

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Wellness: T he Rise of Kombucha

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House Call: Health Ne ws and Events

HEALTHY LIFE

WELLNESS

DAILY GL ASS OF CULTURE Fans claim probiotic-filled kombucha carries a wealth of health benefits. And like other fermented sippers, it goes down easy.

By Artis Henderson

Maddy Eagle is a strong believer in the

Brewing Company in downtown Fort Myers.

The health benefits had a lot to do with

When she was in her mid-20s, she began to

starting the brand, but she soon recognized

experience digestive problems and inflam-

another appeal in her potions. “I also really

mation in her joints. While researching

just wanted a nonalcoholic beverage that

all-natural solutions, she discovered kombu-

gave me that rewarding feeling at the end of

cha, the fermented tea beverage filled with

the day. I wanted something that uplifted my

gut-friendly probiotics that some say help

vibrational frequency, rather than dumbing

with everything from arthritis to acne to

it down.”

irritable bowel syndrome. Eagle would drink

She is definitely onto something. Kom-

kombucha when she felt a flare-up coming

bucha has been consumed as a health tonic

on, and her symptoms would disappear.

for centuries. It first appeared in China

It wasn’t long before she began making

around 220 B.C. under the Tsin Dynasty

her own version of the fizzy drink at home.

and was revered for its ability to detoxify

In September 2018, she started selling her

and energize the body. Another 600 years

homebrew at farmers’ markets, under the

later, a physician named Kombu brought the

brand Flying Eagle Kombucha. This fall,

fermented tea to Japan, where he used it to

she launched her first taproom at Millennial

heal the digestive troubles of the emperor.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Courtesy Flying Eagle Kombucha (2)

power of kombucha.

g ulf shorelife.com

In addition to reportedly tackling everything from digestive issues to skin woes, the fizzy fermented tea beverage also offers a great nonalcoholic option for a nightcap.

H E A LT H Y L I F E

327

HEALTHY LIFE WELLNESS

Its popularity quickly spread.

Eventually, trade routes took the drink to Russia, then Eastern Europe and finally into Western Europe. By the mid-20th century, it was widely consumed in Germany, France and Italy. Today kombucha is widely available across the United States. Proof that kombucha has gone mainstream: PepsiCo acquired brewer KeVita in 2016 as part of its brand portfolio.

KeVita isn’t the only type of kombucha available nationwide. Local grocery store shelves are filled with a variety of offerings like Health-Ade, 221 BC, Humm, Big Easy Bucha and Mother Kombucha, which is made up Eagle’s brew is available at local

Flying Eagle’s roster of flavors includes lemon lavender, blueberry Cuban

farmers markets as well as her tap-

oregano, strawberry lemongrass, mango cayenne and a Champagne-style

room at Millennial Brewing. She

elderflower. Growlers and bottles are available at local farmers’ markets,

likes to get creative with flavors,

various small grocers and restaurants, and in the Flying Eagle taproom

often sourcing local ingredients.

inside Fort Myers’ Millennial Brewing.

Some of the current offerings include lemon lavender, mango cayenne

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Courtesy Flying Eagle Kombucha (2)

the road in St. Petersburg.

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added elderflower. “The elderflower is my Champagne-style kombucha,” she explains. “It’s buttery and smooth and sparkling. We serve it in the taproom in a Champagne flute, and it makes you feel fancy.”

She likes to rotate brews based on what’s currently growing—a rosé-like roselle and apple-spiced kombuchas in fall, jackfruit in summer.

Eagle locally sources as many of her ingredients as she can, opting for cold-pressed fruits and herbs to infuse the brews with natural flavor.

The mangoes for her mango cayenne kombucha, for example, come from FruitScapes in Bokeelia. Southern Fresh Farms, in Fort Myers is another favorite resource.

Many of kombucha’s health claims are anecdotal in nature, with plenty of

8pm on

people—like Eagle—who swear by it. At the very least, it sure makes for a nice drink on a hot Florida afternoon.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

Gutter Credit

Advocate

HEALTHY LIFE HOUSE CALL

5 WAY S T O S TAY F I T IN JANUARY Jan.1 Ring in the New Year with a focus on balance and wellness in one of the most peaceful places around, when the Saba Movement Center and FMB Yoga & Wellness Project join to offer an hour of multilevel yoga in the gazebo at Lovers Key State Park. $10. sabamovementcenter.com Jan. 5 Head to Cambier Park for a Qigong class held by White Dove Qigong. The slow, measured body movements and coordinated breathing are said to help you relax and boost the immune system. $7. whitedoveqigong.com Jan. 22-24 For the 30th anniversary of the Tour De Cape, participants can head to Fathoms Restaurant & Bar for a pre-event celebration, where you can also pick up shirts and maps. A 5K run/walk takes place on Saturday, followed by 15, 30, 62 and 100-mile bike ride courses throughout Cape Coral on Sunday. 5K run $20; bike tour $40; combination $50. tourdecape. net

Tim Platt/Getty Images; WoodysPhotos/Getty Images

Jan. 23 The Commando Challenge is a product of the Green Beret Challenge, so expect the eight-mile course to try your strength in all areas: pushing, pulling, crawling, running and carrying heavy items. Rather than competing against others, the goal is to push yourself and race against the clock. $100. raceentry.com Jan. 30 Get in steps for a good cause. The National Alliance on Mental Illness hosts a morning walk around Baker Park to raise awareness for mental health. Free. namicollier.org

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Health

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founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival

Tune In to Help Out! The Naples Winter Wine Festival is going virtual this year!

Tune in January 30, 2021 on WINK-TV for our first-ever televised, hour-long fundraiser.

You’ll learn about the safety net the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) has created for Collier County’s underserved children. You’llhear inspirational success stories from the children themselves, as wellas testimonials from parents, community leaders and Trustees.

Most importantly, you’ll have the opportunity to make a pledge of support to help NCEF continue its mission.

Help improve the life of a child—

you won’t even have to get off the couch to do it.

JANUARY 30, 2021 7:00PM* WINK TV

N C E F K I D S . CO M

special thanks to media partners *pending final cbs broadcast schedule

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TASTE OF THE GULF

21 Spices by Chef Asif delivers artfully arranged Indian cuisine, including curries, Tandoori and

Courtesy 21 Spices

vegetarian platters.

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Raise a Glass: French Absinthe Colada at T he French Brasserie Rustique

338

Dining Guide: 150 -Plus Essential Restaurants

RAISE A GLASS

ABSINTHE M AKES THE HEART GROW FONDER

TASTE OF THE GULF

The once forbidden, mystery-shrouded potion finds a growing fan base in Southwest Florida.

Legend and mystique stir intrigue

The French Brasserie Rustique in

with unrefined coconut oil. It’s then

for cocktails spiked with absinthe.

Naples, says, adding that the bad

poured into an absinthe-rinsed glass

The green fairy, as the spirit became

rap is due to its high alcohol content

and mixed with bitters.

known, is associated with Heming-

and one of its ingredients. “Worm-

He sometimes gets requests for

way, psychedelic spells and madness,

wood­— that has some psychedelic

the traditional French absinthe rit-

as evidenced by the story of Van

properties when consumed in

ual, which involves dribbling chilled

Gogh’s missing ear (many believe he

extreme concentrations.”

water over a sugar cube into a glass

was under the influence when the

Belk brings absinthe, which was

of absinthe, making it turn milky.

again legalized here in 2007, out

(Aficionados can appreciate the

Truth is, the strong drink origi-

of the shadows and into the mod-

ornate setup at The Saloon in Estero,

nated in Switzerland, and the emer-

ern-day tropical light with the inven-

where bar manager John Tucker

ald hue is related to the use of green

tion of his absinthe colada at The

uses an antique decanter to prepare

anise. France popularized it back

French. “It’s a nod to our proximity

drip cocktails for a growing cult of

in Hemingway’s days in Paris, and

to the beach,” Belk says. “We still use

absinthe fans.)

New Orleans made it famous in the

a little rum, but we had to go with a

Belk notices an uptick in interest,

United States with the invention of

bold Jamaican style that could stand

too. “It’s a very slow growth,” he says.

the so-called first American cocktail,

up to the absinthe.”

While patrons may not seek the spirit,

incident occurred).

He calls the spirit “a bit of a bully,”

he notices people are often intrigued

The early mental health propa-

as it can easily overpower. With this

when they see it on the menu. Look

ganda stems mainly from French

drink, the anise flavor and herbaceous

for absinthe to make an exotic state-

winemakers miffed by the competi-

complexity cut the sweetness of a tra-

ment at Bar Tulia Mercato, where

tion. Eventually, absinthe was banned

ditional colada.

Belk was involved with the creation of

the Sazerac.

in France and the U.S. “Absinthe

Belk also mixes up his Best Damn

the cocktail menu. The latest addition

became the poster child for the evils

Sazerac, adding a tropical touch

to the Campagna Hospitality Group is

of imbibing,” Ky Belk, bartender at

by washing the classic rye whiskey

slated to open this year.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Heidi Schumann

By Chelle Koster Walton

THE FR EN CH A B SINTHE COL A DA • ¾ ounce St. George Absinthe Verte • ½ ounce gold Jamaican rum • 1 ounce pineapple juice

• ¾ ounce coconut cream • ½ ounce lemon juice • 1 teaspoon green crème de menthe Combine all in a shaker with 3 or 4 ice cubes. Shake until ice has mostly broken down into crushed consistency. Strain into a tall glass over fresh ice. Garnish with pineapple fronds.

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

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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, as well as inclusion of 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. As conditions are constantly changing during the COVID-19 pandemic, we recommend you contact the restaurants for the latest information.

DINING GUIDE KEY:

b

Brunch

o

Outside Dining

p

Pet-Friendly

v

Valet

w

Water Views

With a bounty of seafood and a rosé-all-day attitude, a meal at The Hampton Social Scott McIntyre

feels like a trip to New York’s well-heeled beach enclave.

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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Chef-Led Independent Restaurants WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US AT ANY OF OUR LOCATIONS FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL CULINARY EXPERIENCE.

®

1186 3RD ST S, NAPLES, FL 34102 (239) 434-7258 SEASALTNAPLES.COM

1290 3RD ST S, NAPLES, FL 34102 (239) 263-1955 BARBATELLANAPLES.COM

2110 9TH ST N, NAPLES, FL 34103 (239) 529-2819 DORONANAPLES.COM

90 9TH ST N, NAPLES, FL 34102 239-331-4325 GRAPPINONAPLES.COM

TASTE OF THE GULF

DINING GUIDE 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

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French toast, but they stay to sit around the lovely koi fountain on the sunny patio. $$ CASUAL

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

The Bevy 360 12th Ave. S., 228-4220. naplesbevy.com. Enjoy premium craft cocktails and varied influences at this Third Street locale. The open-air setup with a retractable roof is nothing short of impressive, too. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Sea Salt 1186 Third St. S., 434-7258. seasaltnaples.com. A local favorite, with organic produce and fresh ingredients for sophisticated seafood and its accompaniments. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Campiello/The Club Room 1177 Third St. S., 435-1166. campiellonaples.com. A longtime favorite for its contemporary Italian cuisine and courtyard fronting the thoroughfare. In early 2020, The Club Room, a restaurant within the restaurant, launched with an independent menu, drinks and live music most nights. $$$$ ITALIAN

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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

bopv Jane’s Cafe on 3rd 1209 Third St. S., 261-2253. janesgardencafe.com.

Folks come for the lobster Benedict and stuffed

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FIFTH AVENUE SOUTH Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro 865 Fifth Ave. S., 594-5557. bhabhabistro.com. Find exquisite Persian cuisine in this jewel box of a dining room.

Choose from a wide variety of authentic fare, plus unique twists to vegetables, lamb, chicken, beef and more. $$$$ MIDDLE EASTERN

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Bistro 821 821 Fifth Ave. S., 261-5821. bistro821.com. Kitchen open for the eyes of the customers and a menu filled with originality. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Chops City Grill 837 Fifth Ave. S., 262-4677. chopscitygrill.com. Fine steaks are served at this elegant, baroque-inspired steakhouse that was renovated in 2019. $$$$ STEAK

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GULFSHORE LIFE

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

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Hobnob Kitchen & Bar 720 Fifth Ave. S., Unit 101, 580-0070. hobnobnaples. com. Updated takes on American cuisine in a cool, contemporary setting on Fifth Avenue South. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Ocean Prime 699 Fifth Ave. S., 430-0404. ocean-prime.com. This swanky concept from national restaurateur Cameron Mitchell features a fromscratch kitchen mixing surf and turf. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Osteria Tulia/Bar Tulia 466 Fifth Ave. S., 213-2073. osteriatulia.com. These Sicilian-inspired dishes are arguably some of the best in Naples, served in a rustic-chic farmhouse setting or the Bar Tulia gastropub, which has unbeatable craft cocktails. $$$ ITALIAN

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Pazzo! Cucina Italiana 853 Fifth Ave. S., 4348494. pazzoitaliancafe.com.

Beautiful presentations and twists on Italian favorites in this warm wood and plush dining room feels like home. $$$$ ITALIAN

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Pinchers* Multiple locations throughout Collier and Lee counties.

pinchersusa.com. Seafood from local fishermen in a casual and family-friendly setting. $$$ SEAFOOD

ow

Riverwalk* 1200 Fifth Ave. S., 263-2734. riverwalktincity.com. A Tin City staple with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the river, it specializes in Gulf Coast cuisine. Open for lunch, Sunday brunch and dinner. $$$ SEAFOOD

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Sails Restaurant 301 Fifth Ave. S., 360-2000. sailsrestaurants.com. Expect unusual crudos and a large selection of international fish, plus European-style white glove service in this upscale eatery and raw bar. $$$$ SEAFOOD

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Sushi Thai Multiple locations throughout Collier and Lee counties. sushithaitoo.com. Large selection of sushi and Thai dishes. $$$ ASIAN

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Truluck’s 698 Fourth Ave. S., 530-3131. trulucks.com. Known for stone crabs brought in from its local boats, the fine dining locale also touts seafood from the Gulf and beyond. $$$$ SEAFOOD

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

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dockcraytoncove.com. A laidback spot for Florida seafood on Naples Bay. $$$ SEAFOOD

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EAST NAPLES 21 Spices by Chef Asif

4270 Tamiami Trail E., #21, 919-8830. 21spicesdining. com. This Indian spot features an award-winning chef and a full bar.

$$$ INDIAN

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is known for its superb steak program, artful interiors and lush patio.

DOWNTOWN NAPLES The Claw Bar 221 Ninth St. S., 231-3912. theclawbar.com. With an upscale supper club feel, it exudes genteel Southern charm and serves the best oysters, seafood and cocktails with flair. $$$$ SEAFOOD

ov

Grappino 90 Ninth St N., 331-4325. grappinonaples.com. New from the Aielli Group, this Italian eatery offers a fine selection of charcuterie and bruschetta as well as buildyour-own pasta dishes and pizzas. $$$ ITALIAN

Maria D’Anna Cafe 300 Tamiami Trail N., 2636892. mariadannacafe.com.

Flawless, from-scratch Polish dishes and baked goods in a charming, sunny space. $$$ EASTERN EUROPEAN

Seventh South Craft Food + Drink 849 7th Ave. S., Suite 101, 231-4553, seventhsouth.com.

Adam Nardis, the former executive chef of M Waterfront Grille, and Barry Larkin, the former bar manager of 7th Avenue Social, have teamed up to launch this spot with a focus on local ingredients. $$$ AMERICAN

The Lake Park Diner 944 Seventh Ave N., 2286351. thelakeparkdiner. com. Grab and go or sit on the patio to enjoy healthy, organic fare, plus diner classics including milkshakes.

The Rooster Food + Drink 600 Goodlette-Frank Road N., Suite 101, 228-5973. theroosternaples.com. A breakfast and lunch spot serving elaborate dishes, like braised short ribs over grits with salsa verde. Dinner is served Wednesday through Friday in season.

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$$ MODERN AMERICA

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$$ CASUAL

GULFSHORE LIFE

BAYFRONT Stoney's Steakhouse 403 Bayfront Place, 4359353. stoneyssteakhouse. com. This dining room features prime cuts and great herb-crusted prime rib. $$$$ STEAK

CRAY TON COVE Bleu Provence 1234 Eighth St. S., 261-8239. bleuprovencenaples.com.

Channel the south of France in Old Naples with great food and a stunning wine list. It’s consistently one of the Gulfshore’s best restaurants. $$$$ FRENCH

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Chez Boet 755 12th Ave. S., 643-6177. chezboetnaples.com. French staples with a personal touch from the husband-wife owners. $$$$ FRENCH

opw The Dock at Crayton Cove* 845 12th Ave. S., 263-9940.

MIDDLE EASTERN

o

LowBrow Pizza & Beer 3148 Tamiami Trail E., 5296919. lowbrowpizzaandbeer. com. Expect artisanal cheeses and unique toppings made from scratch and fired in a wood-burning oven. $$ ITALIAN

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Rumba Cuban Café

1265 Airport-Pulling Road S., 659-2996. rumbacuban cafe.com. Classic Cuban cuisine with fun twists and very attentive service. $$$ LATIN AMERICAN

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Texas Tony’s*

4519 Tamiami Trail E., 732-8392. texastonys.com.

Enjoy ribs, brisket and more are complemented by a large selection of beer at this eatery from the folks behind Pinchers.

Brian Tietz

A haven for outdoor dining on Naples Third Street South, The Continental

Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen 4270 Tamiami Trail E., 315-4167. kareemskitchen. com. Locals rave about the seven types of hummus, and roasted chicken with za’atarspiced potatoes. $$$

$$ BARBECUE

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TASTE OF THE GULF

DINING GUIDE Three60 Market 2891 Bayview Drive, Naples, 732-7331. three60market. com. A breakfast and lunch cafe with an extensive wine shop that offers dinner carryout specials. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

bopw MIDTOWN

Alexander’s Restaurant

4077 Tamiami Trail N., 2624999, alexandersnaples. com. The menus are filled with seafood and tastes from around the world— presented in a modern cafe and lush garden. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Andre’s Steakhouse 2800 Tamiami Trail N., 2635851. If you’re a fan of Peter Luger, opt for this tiny joint founded by one of its former chefs. $$$$ STEAK

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Cibao Grille 814 Neapolitan Way, 434-6653. cibaogrille.com.

Caribbean dishes from the owners’ native Dominican Republic mix with American classics. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Dorona

2110 Tamiami Trail N., 5292819. doronanaples.com.

Upscale-casual steakhouse

from the owners of Sea Salt and Barbatella, with a delightfully diverse menu. $$$$ STEAK

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Escargot 41 4351 Tamiami Trail N., 7935000. escargot41.com. This French restaurant, with a page of escargot specials alone, recently moved to a bigger space. $$$ FRENCH

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Fernández the Bull 3375 Pine Ridge Road, Unit 101, 653-9097; 1201 Piper Blvd., Unit 10, 254-9855. fernandezthebull.com. Great, authentic Cuban dishes. $$ LATIN AMERICAN

Food & Thought 2132 Tamiami Trail N., 213-2222. foodandthought. com. The organic grocer and counter-service cafe has a full menu, with raw and vegan options. $ VEGETARIAN

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Fujiyama

2555 Tamiami Trail N., 2614332. naplesfujiyama.com.

Japanese chefs live at your hibachi table. $$$ ASIAN

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FUSE Global Cuisine/ FUSE BBQ 2500 Tamiami Trail N. #115, 455-4585. fuseglobalcuisine. com. Cuisines from around

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THE “NEW YOU”

WILL STILL LOVE US. No matter your resolutions, enjoying fresh seafood and waterfront views on a beautiful outdoor terrace is always a good idea. Come enjoy Naples’ original waterfront restaurant!

(239) 263-9940 • DockCraytonCove.com • 845 12th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102 TA S T E O F T H E G U L F

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TASTE OF THE GULF

DINING GUIDE the world at the fine dining side; insanely good barbecue next door. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Harold’s Place 2555 Tamiami Trail N., 263-7254. naplesharoldsplace.com. This chickee bar serves an award-winning charbroiled burger. $ CASUAL

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Hogfish Harry’s 600 Neapolitan Way, 776-7623. hogfishharrys. com. Chef Everett Fromm and the team behind 7th Avenue Social opened this upscale-casual eatery with a commitment to sourcing 90% of its menu from local fishermen. $$$ SEAFOOD

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Hyde N Chic

923 Creech Rd., 404-3065, chefhydegourmet.com.

Chef Andy Hyde now serves his brand of eclectic, approachable haute cuisine in an intimate, artfully decorated storefront. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Jimmy P’s Charred 1833 Tamiami Trail N., Naples, 643-2427; 25301 Tamiami Trail S., Bonita Springs, 390-0301. jimmypscharred. com. An intimate, casual steakhouse specializing in wagyu beef from Naples’ longtime trusted butcher. $$$$ STEAK

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Lamoraga Restaurant 3936 Tamiami Trail N., 3313669, lamoragarestaurant. com. Upscale twists on Spanish dishes, plus other small plates. $$$$ SPANISH

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The Local

5323 Airport-Pulling Road, 596-3276. thelocalnaples. com. Healthy cuisine locally sourced from farm and sea, stylishly served. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Martin Fierro 13040 Livingston Road, 3004777. martinfierrorestaurant. com. Authentic Argentinian and Uruguayan parrillada, with grass-fed beef. $$$ LATIN AMERICAN

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

Find flavorful selections of Lebanese fare, like falafel, tabbouleh and shawarma. $$$ MIDDLE EASTERN

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O’mei 6434 Naples Blvd., Suite 406, 631-5633. omeinaples. com. O’mei’s Peking duck is among Naples’ best, with fresh ingredients. $$$ ASIAN

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Shula’s Steak House

5111 Tamiami Trail N., 4304999. shulasnaples.com.

Classic steakhouse fare from Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula. $$$$ STEAK

Swan River Seafood and Fish Market

3741 Tamiami Trail N., 4037000. swanriverseafood. com. Find Cape Cod-style seafood, and a market with fresh catches, Angus beef, wine and more.

$$$ SEAFOOD

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USS Nemo

3745 Tamiami Trail N., 261-

GULFSHORE LIFE

6366. ussnemorestaurant. com. Masterful seafood from a classically trained chef who is among the best in Southwest Florida. $$$ SEAFOOD

Ziggy D’Amico Whiskey Bar & Diner

4691 Ninth St. N., 4300955. ziggydamicos.com.

This former D’Amico & Sons space that boasts a large tree-shaded patio has been redone to incorporate a brand-new bar and an eclectic global menu of haute comfort foods, such as build-yourown pizzas with three kinds of crusts and smashburgers as well as healthier fare. $$$ Modern American

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THE VILL AGE SHOPS ON VENETIAN BAY Bayside Seafood Grill & Bar 4270 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 649-5552. baysideseafood grillandbar.com. More than 200 feet of upscale waterfront dining, inside and out, and live music at the deck bar. $$$$ SEAFOOD

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M Waterfront Grille 4300 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 263-4421. mwaterfrontgrille. com. The main dining room has bay views at this perennial upscale favorite for organic meat, seafood and produce. There’s also a full bar and large front terrace. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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MiraMare Ristorante

4236 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 430-6273. miramarenaples. com. Come for the waterfront patio on Venetian

Bay, stay for large portions of calamari and chicken francese. $$$ ITALIAN

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T-Michaels Steak and Lobster House 4050 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 261-0622. t-michaels.com.

Steakhouse dining on the waterfront at The Village on Venetian Bay, featuring USDA prime meats and Maine lobster. $$$$ STEAK

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WATERSIDE SHOPS True Food Kitchen 5375 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 15, 431-4580. truefoodkitchen.com. The majority of the menu at this upscale chain caters to vegetarians, but it’s a perfect place for flexitarians looking for a healthy meal. $$$ VEGETARIAN

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NORTH NAPLES Baleen 9891 Gulf Shore Drive, 598-5707. laplayaresort.com.

A beachfront wraparound terrace with creative cuisine at the LaPlaya resort. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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The Bay House/ The Claw Bar at Tierney’s Tavern 799 Walkerbilt Road, 5913837. bayhousenaples.com.

Enjoy the Southern-inspired menus with panoramic views of a mangrove-lined waterway, or the rustic tavern and bar with live music every night. $$$$ SEAFOOD

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Bella Mia Italian Cafe 808 Wiggins Pass Road, 2503310. bellamiaitaliancafe. com. A paean to the art of

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exquisite European coffee and pastries, there is also a gourmet flourish throughout the menu from acclaimed chef David Rashty with creative fare such as keto lasagna with zucchini sheets and butternut squash soup with spiced apple crème fraiche.

Café Gourmand 9853 Tamiami Trail N., 2607109. cafegourmand.net. Try the best selection of crepes in Naples. Tuesday-Sunday, white tablecloths come out at night for formal dinner service. $$ FRENCH

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Cote d’Azur 11224 Tamiami Trail N., 5978867. cotedazurrestaurant. com. Delectable French cuisine offering everything from filet mignon to quail in a cozy Provençal setting.

$$ ITALIAN

Black Forest Restaurant Immokalee Road, 592-4784. blackforestnaples.com. Classic German and Austrian dishes in an intimate setting in the Green Tree Plaza. $$$ EASTERN EUROPEAN

Bone Hook Brewing Co. 1514 Immokalee Road, 6318522. bonehookbrewing. com. This microbrewery has a full kitchen and table service to match. $$ BAR BITES

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DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Lounge*

241 Center St. N., 5911200. darumarestaurant. com. Traditional service or Teppan-style tableside cooking. $$$$ ASIAN

Deep Lagoon Seafood & Fish Market*

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10395 Tamiami Trail N., 631-6266. deeplagoon. com. At this spot from the family behind Pinchers, seating is casual and there’s an extensive seafood market. $$$ SEAFOOD

$$$$ FRENCH

The Crust

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8004 Trail Blvd., 244-8488. thecrustpizza.net. One of Naples’ most popular pizza joints, focusing on thincrust pies cut into bite-size squares, plus salads and subs. $$ ITALIAN

Dusk 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 598-6644. ritzcarlton.com.

Known for some of the freshest and most intriguing sushi around, this lounge in The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, is full of dark corners and couches—or you can sit on

the patio overlooking the Gulf. $$$$ ASIAN

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Grain De Café

8803 Tamiami Trail N., 594-8081. frenchcafenaples.com. Waiting in the often-long line is worth it for the freshest pain au chocolat, quiches and crepes. $$ FRENCH

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The Grill

280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 598-6644. ritz-carlton.com.

This highly regarded steakhouse in The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, evokes the ambience of a elegant private club. $$$$ STEAK

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Komoon Thai Sushi & Ceviche 1575 Pine Ridge Road #9; 1514 Immokalee Road; 3300

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 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 234-2442. komoonthai.com. A fun mix of Thai, Japanese and Peruvian (ceviche plus a few hot entrees). $$ ASIAN

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Namba

8847 Tamiami Trail N., 592-4992. nambanaples. com. This Japanese menu is limited to a small yet remarkable selection of ramen, sushi and small plates. $$$ ASIAN Parmesan Pete’s

7935 Airport-Pulling Road, 992-3663. parmesanpetes. com. A dependable joint serving huge portions of Parmesans, meatballs and lasagna. $$$ ITALIAN

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The Turtle Club 9225 Gulf Shore Drive, 592-

6557. turtleclubnaples.com.

Upscale casual beachfront restaurant offering coastal cuisine. $$$$ SEAFOOD

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Zen Asian BBQ 10823 Tamiami Trail N., 260-7037. eatatzen.com.

Pan-Asian fusion joint with sushi, bar bites and Korean barbecue. $$$ ASIAN

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MERCATO The Hampton Social 9114 Strada Place, 202-2038. thehamptonsocial.com.

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

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Rocco’s Tacos 9123 Strada Place, 500-8226. roccostacos.com/naples.

It’s a perpetual party at this

lively joint with more than 400 tequilas and awesome food to match. $$$ MEXICAN

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

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Tacos & Tequila Cantina

8971 Tamiami Trail N., 254-8226; 4834 Davis Blvd., 732-8226; 10952 Eagle Village Drive, Fort Myers, 330-8226. tacosandtequilanaples.com.

Killer tacos, plus margaritas aplenty at this cute, festive spot. $$ MEXICAN

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GALLERIA SHOPPES AT VANDERBILT Alpine Restaurant

2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 325-9499. alpineofnaples.com. Find the best of German, Slovak, Czech, Polish and Hungarian cuisines in one place. $$$

EASTERN EUROPEAN

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The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar

2343 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 513-0095. naples winecollection.com. An ode to underground cellars of Burgundy, complete with stonework and continental small plates. $$$ BAR BITES

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Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza

2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 631-6844. mistero1. com. “Extraordinary” isn’t hyperbole; try the star pizza for proof. $$ ITALIAN

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The intimate, chef-driven experience at Liberty in Fort Myers is guaranteed to surprise and delight.

BONITA SPRINGS Angelina’s Ristorante 24041 S. Tamiami Trail, 390-3187. angelinasofbonitasprings.com. Fine food, lush banquettes and an award-winning wine list make for a top restaurant. $$$$ ITALIAN

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C Level Bistro & Wine Bar

MODERN AMERICAN

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346

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Vanessa Rogers

4450 Bonita Beach Road, 221-7046. c-levelbar.com.

This intimate eatery is dependable for continental fare like steak au poivre and raspberry duck. $$$$

Cirella’s*

25265 Chamber of Commerce Drive, 948-3885. cirellasrestaurantsswfl.com.

An unusual combination that works: Italian restaurant with a sushi bar.

$$$ ITALIAN

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Coconut Jack’s Waterfront Grille

5370 Bonita Beach Road, 676-7777. coconutjacks. com. Quiet water views off Bonita Beach Road. $$$ SEAFOOD

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DeRomo’s Gourmet Market & Restaurant 26811 South Bay Drive 26811 South Bay Drive Suites 140 and 148, 325-3583. deromos.com. This restaurant is part of an Italian market, with fresh pastas, cheeses and baked goods. $$$$ ITALIAN

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Figs Grille 25987 S. Tamiami Trail #109, 390-1700. figsgrille.com.

Refreshing fusion of Spanish, Turkish, Moroccan, Lebanese and French cuisines. $$$ MEDITERRANEAN

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Olde Florida Chop House* 3401 Bay Commons Dr., 9484400. oldefloridachophouse. com. Waterfront dining specializing in Florida-style dishes. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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The Other Side Bistro

24630 S. Tamiami Trail, 992-7433. bonitaspringsbistro.com. Chef Brian McCarley serves comforting dishes with a modern flair. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Petar’s Restaurant

3300 Bonita Beach Road, Unit 120, 249-4064. petarsrestaurant.com. Chef Petar Al Kurdi has developed a strong following for his cleverly prepared continental cuisine. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Pinchers* Multiple locations throughout Collier and Lee counties. pinchersusa.com. Seafood from local fishermen in a family-friendly setting. $$$ SEAFOOD

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

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

Tarpon Bay 5001 Coconut Road, 3904295. hyatt.com. Elegant waterfront dining with a focus on fish and shellfish at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point. $$$$ SEAFOOD

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Wylds Café 4271 Bonita Beach Road, 947-0408. wyldscafe.com.

Three chefs join forces for a modern American fine dining experience at a reasonable price. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Photo courtesy of Maxwell Mackenzie

WATERFRONT PARADISE Tarpon Lodge 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

COME BY CAR OR BOAT: N 26º 39’ 562” W 82º 9’ 180”

TASTE OF THE GULF

DINING GUIDE ESTERO Divieto Ristorante 23161 Village Shops Way #101, 390-2977. divietoristorante.com. This place is famous for fettuccine Alfredo prepared in a hollowed-out Parmesan wheel. $$$ ITALIAN

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First Watch* Multiple locations throughout Lee and Collier. firstwatch.com. A dependable and quick option for breakfast and lunch. $$ CASUAL

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FORT MYERS BE ACH

Where Fresh, Mexican Food Meets Icily Refreshing Margaritas

Fresh Catch Bistro

3040 Estero Blvd., 4632600. freshcatchbistro. com. A notch above the more casual fare on the beach without feeling stuffy. $$$ SEAFOOD

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Voted Best Tacos in Lee County Indoor & Outdoor Seating Walking Distance to the Beach Open Daily 11:30AM – 10PM 14970 Captiva Dr. Captiva Island, FL

RestaurantsOnCaptiva.com

Pinchers* Multiple locations throughout Collier and Lee counties. pinchersusa.com. Seafood from local fishermen in a super-casual, family-friendly setting. $$$ SEAFOOD

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FORT MYERS SOUTH FORT MYERS Artisan Eatery

8951 Daniels Parkway, 887-4844. artisaneatery. com. Counter service and soda machine—plus, outstanding eggs Benedict, flatbreads and daily specials. $$ CASUAL

Ember Korean Steakhouse

7091 College Parkway #9,

771-8818. emberfortmyers. com. A contemporary gem with everything from tabletop barbecue to fusion dishes and sushi. $$$ ASIAN Fancy’s Southern Café

8890 Salrose Lane #101, 561-2988. fancyssoutherncafe.com. Classic southern favorites served in a casually elegant atmosphere. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

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First Watch* Multiple locations throughout Lee and Collier counties. firstwatch.com. A dependable and quick option for breakfast and lunch. $$ CASUAL

bop Harold’s 15250 S. Tamiami Trail Suite 107, 849-0622. haroldscuisine.com. A cozy bistro with farm-to-table cuisine from chef Harold Balink. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

La Trattoria Café Napoli

Villas Plaza, 12377 S. Cleveland Ave., 931-0050. latrattoriacafenapoli.com.

Known for chef-owner Gloria Jordan's paella, this Spanish restaurant features a variety of tapas, pasta and seafood dishes. $$$

MEDITERRANEAN

Osteria Celli

15880 Summerlin Road #308, 267-1310. osteriacelli. com. Authentic, freshly made pastas are a highlight of this upscale casual eatery. $$$ ITALIAN Pinchers* Multiple locations throughout Collier and Lee counties. pinchersusa.com. Enjoy seafood from local fisher-

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men in a super-casual and family-friendly setting. $$$ SEAFOOD

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The Saucy Meatball

12401 Commerce Lakes Drive, 800-7172. saucymeatball.com. The younger sister to 2 Meatballs in the Kitchen, this industrial-chic pizzeria also serves crave-worthy pasta dishes, salads and entrees. $$ ITALIAN

Silk Road

8646 Gladiolus Drive, 689-4845. Specializing in Central Asian cuisine, this place takes diners on an epicurean journey with Uzbek delicacies and traditional food and wine offerings from throughout the region. $$ ASIAN Viet Village

Refreshed and Enlivened!!!

Experience Innovative Culinary Treasures at...

bha! bha! Persian Bistro

The Jewel of Fifth

“Persian Perfection” -NY Times

www.BhaBhaBistro.com

16571 S. Tamiami Trail, 208-8368. vietvillagefl.com.

After an extensive renovation, this Vietnamese spot reopened to critical acclaim; try the rare-beef pho and the special rice cooked in a clay pot. $$ ASIAN

BELL TOWER SHOPS DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Lounge*

13499 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers, 344-0037. darumarestaurant.com.

Traditional service or Teppan-style tableside cooking. Steak, chicken, seafood, tempura, sushi and more. $$$$ ASIAN

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CENTRAL FORT MYERS Chef Brooke’s Natural Café

1850 Boy Scout Drive #A106, 332-2433. chefbrookeonline.com. Organic, gluten-free and vegan cuisine. $$ VEGETARIAN

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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

TASTE OF THE GULF

DINING GUIDE El Gaucho Inca 4383 Colonial Blvd., 2757504. elgauchoinca.com.

Traditional Argentinian (including the Italian specialties popular there) and Peruvian food prepared to perfection.

The warm and personal service is also a delight. $$ LATIN AMERICAN

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Blanc

13451 McGregor Blvd., 887-3139. blancentertainment.com. The contemporary restaurant mixes trends, like sous vide and robata grilling, with a strong French influence. $$ FRENCH

Cibo

Ginger Bistro

4650 Cleveland Ave. #8, 689-3113; 2366 Surfside Blvd. Unit C-101, Cape Coral, 558-8865. gingerbistrousa.com. Authentic Chinese fare, including dim sum and traditional Cantonese barbecue. $$

ASIAN

KJ’s Steakhouse

10950 S. Cleveland Ave., 275-4745. kjsfreshgrill.com.

The creators behind this upscale-casual chophouse and burger heaven pride themselves on aging and a 900-degree searing technique, plus a fully stocked bar. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Sasse’s Restaurant

3651 Evans Ave., 2785544. sassesrestaurant. com. Northern Italian and European cuisine cooked in a wood-burning oven to critical acclaim. $$$$ ITALIAN

MCGREGOR CORRIDOR

454-3700. cibofortmyers. com. At Bridge Plaza, this Italian restaurant features seafood, steak, pasta— and an abundance of wines. $$$ ITALIAN

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Crave Restaurant

12901 McGregor Blvd., 466-4663. cravemenu.com.

The chef makes all the comfort food from scratch, even the deli meat for breakfast and lunch. $$$

MODERN AMERICAN

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Deep Lagoon Seafood & Oyster House* 14040 McGregor Blvd., 6895474. deeplagoon.com. This waterfront spot distinguishes itself with a raw bar and scenic marina views. $$$ SEAFOOD

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First Watch* Multiple locations throughout Lee and Collier counties. firstwatch.com. A dependable and quick option for breakfast and lunch.

Azure

$$ CASUAL

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Roadhouse Café 15660 San Carlos Blvd., 415-4375. roadhousecafefl. com. Live jazz is a big draw, and there’s something for everyone.

15301 McGregor Blvd., 288-4296. azurefortmyers. com. At this casual boîte, chef Joe Pittman, formerly of Mereday’s Fine Dining, excels at modernized classics. $$$ FRENCH

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$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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GULFSHORE LIFE

DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bullig Coffee & Bites 1815 Fowler St., 703-2629.

Thoroughly modern with a whimsical touch, Bullig has bespoke caffeinated brews that are works of art, plus savory and sweet waffles and more. Not open past 3 p.m. $ CASUAL

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Izzy’s Fish & Oyster 2282 First St., Fort Myers, 337-4999. izzysftmyers.com.

A former Miami-based chef relocated his raw bar and New England-style seafood spot to the River District. $$$ SEAFOOD

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King’s Kitchen

2150 W. First St., 208-8518. kingskitchenandbar.com.

This spot with a warehouse vibe and beer garden serves global comforts like country fried chicken, shrimp and mussels fra diavolo and mojo roast pork. $$ ECLECTIC Pinchers* Multiple locations throughout Collier and Lee counties. pinchersusa.com. Seafood from local fishermen in a casual setting. $$$ SEAFOOD

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Seed & Bean Market* 1520 Broadway, 243-8137. seedandbeanmarket.com.

Half a shop for all things CBD, half a cute cafe with breakfast, sandwiches, salads and bites for lunch and dinner. $$ CASUAL Silver King Ocean Brasserie 2200 Edwards Drive, 239314-3760. luminaryhotel.

com. It’s the signature restaurant inside the River District’s sparkling new Luminary Hotel & Co., and it’s serving up sleek, sophisticated coastal cuisine in a contemporary setting.

$$$$ SEAFOOD

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The Standard 1520 Broadway, 219-6463. thestandardftmyers.com.

An indie River District eatery with fresh, from-scratch eats and craft cocktails. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Twisted Vine Bistro

2214 Bay St., 226-1687. twistedvinebistro.com.

Expect eclectic twists on grill and seafood dishes.

Find rare whiskies at The Barrel Room next door. $$$$

MODERN AMERICAN

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The Veranda 2122 Second St., Fort Myers, 332-2065. verandarestaurant.com. Dine on filet mignon and veal, surrounded by lush foliage, at Fort Myers’ grande dame. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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NORTH FORT MYERS Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm 8250 Nalle Grade Road, 567-6000. rosy-tomorrows. com. Breakfast and lunch Thursday through Sunday is a unique treat—as you graze, you can see the humanely raised longhorn cattle, hogs, chickens and more, as they do the same. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

bop

g ulf shorelife.com

SANIBEL ISL AND Bleu Rendez-Vous French Bistro

2430 Periwinkle Way, 565-1608. bleurendezvous. com. Chef Christian Vivet’s intimate French bistro is lauded for its authentic cuisine. $$$$ FRENCH

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Cielo

1244 Periwinkle Way, 4725555. cielo-sanibel.com.

The modern American fare is all made in-house.

Cielo now flaunts swanky, refreshed interiors. $$$$

MODERN AMERICAN

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

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The Mad Hatter

6467 Sanibel Captiva Road, 472-0033. madhatterrestaurant.com. Whimsical beachfront fine dining.

Arrive early for a glass of wine on the sand. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Mud Bugs Cajun Kitchen

1473 Periwinkle Way, 4722221. mudbugssanibel. com. From the ornate wrought iron balustrade to a menu chock full of Crescent City classics like beignets and po’ boys, everything at this charming spot is designed to harken the French Quarter. $$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Sweet Melissa’s Café 1625 Periwinkle Way, 4721956. sweetmelissascafe.

com. Chef Melissa Donahue-Talmage’s creative cuisine earned her the title of Sanibel's first semifinalist for a James Beard Award in 2019. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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T2

2340 Periwinkle Way, 5588919. t2traders.com. This retro-chic spot serves dishes like short rib flatbreads, curried snapper and bread pudding. $$$

Take A Break The Italian Way

MODERN AMERICAN

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C AP TIVA ISL AND Keylime Bistro at Captiva Island Inn* 11509 Andy Rosse Lane, 395-4000. keylimebistrocaptiva.com. Colorful, with an island feel, and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with a full bar. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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The Mucky Duck 11546 Andy Rosse Lane, 472-3434. muckyduck.com.

British pub atmosphere with seafood platters, beers and live music on the beach. $$$

BREAKFAST SANDWICHES AVAILABLE 8AM UNTIL 8PM

Featuring fresh bread daily, Inhouse, Delivery or Carry-out.

Outdoor dining available

CASUAL

opw RC Otter’s Island Eats* 11506 Andy Rosse Lane, 3951142. captivaislandinn.com.

Just steps from the beach, this family-friendly spot serves breakfast, lunch and daily live music. $$ CASUAL

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Sunshine Seafood Cafe and Wine Bar 11508 Andy Rosse Lane, 4726200. captivaislandinn.com.

A step above the rest of the island’s beachy cafes, with selections such as paella and rack of lamb in a modern yet charming perch. $$$$ SEAFOOD

FE ED OF

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EXPIRES: 01/31/2021

808 WIGGINS PASS RD UNIT 104 NAPLES, FL 34110 (239) 250-3310 WWW.BELLAMIAITALIANCAFE.COM

TASTE OF THE GULF

DINING GUIDE

the best of the Pacific Rim, through dishes like this misoyaki butterfish.

Fish Tale Grill By Merrick Seafood

C APE COR AL & PINE ISL AND Blu Agave

1404 Cape Coral Parkway E., 471-2075. bluagaverestaurant.com. Find tacos, enchiladas, margaritas and flan in this winsome place, decorated in shades of azul. $$ MEXICAN

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Cork Soakers Deck & Wine Bar 837 SE 47th Terrace, 5426622. corksoakers.net. A delightfully irreverent tone shows in decor and menu (“The Hangover sandwich” and curry-brined wings). $$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Fathoms Restaurant & Bar

5785 Cape Harbour Drive, 542-0123. fathomsrestau rant.com. A modern restaurant serving authentic international flavors. $$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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1229 SE 47th Terrace, 257-3167. fishtalegrill.com.

Fresh fish from the adjacent market has earned descriptions like “the best I ever ate.” $$$$ SEAFOOD

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Gather

5971 Silver King Blvd., 673-9939. gathercape.com.

This spot from two of the Cape’s most celebrated chefs is known for cutting-edge food and drink. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Marker 92 Waterfront Bar & Bistro/ Nauti Mermaid 5961 Silver King Blvd., 5415600. Enjoy views of an open bay and tasty entrees. $$$ SEAFOOD

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Nevermind

927 E. Cape Coral Parkway, 994-3062. nevermindcapecoral.com. A hip spot

GULFSHORE LIFE

with seriously good comfort food, strong cocktails and a fun atmosphere.

$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Pinchers* Multiple locations throughout Collier and Lee counties. pinchersusa.com. Seafood from local fishermen in a casual and family-friendly setting. $$$ SEAFOOD

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Point 57 Kitchen & Cocktails

3522 Del Prado Blvd S, 471-7785. point-57.com. A critically acclaimed menu is the bedrock of this upscale-casual eatery that has emerged as one of Lee County’s best.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

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Rumrunners 5848 Cape Harbour Drive, 542-0200. rumrunnersrestaurant.com. On a picturesque mangrove-lined canal, this laidback, indoor-outdoor

spot offers dependable fare. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

opw Slate’s

4820 Candia St., 5406800. 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

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

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Texas Tony’s* 738 SW Pine Island Road, 347-7033. texastonys.com.

Enjoy ribs, brisket and a large selection of beer at this eatery from the folks behind Pinchers. $$ BARBECUE

o

g ulf shorelife.com

Courtesy Roy’s Restaurant

Celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi’s Roy’s Restaurant in Bonita Springs melds

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT SECTION

WHO’S IN THE KITCHEN 353

M AT T H E W MOH L E R CHEF DE CUISINE

When did you know that you wanted to become a chef ?

I grew up in a family of farmers and businesspeople in a small Indiana farming community, and we always used fresh ingredients off of our farm when we would cook. When I was 17, a family friend invited me to help prep in the local country club kitchen. That experience ignited a passion for food and ultimately led me to the Culinary Institute of America—which is like the “Harvard of the culinary community.”

What’s one thing you love about your job?

I love how chefs and winemakers put a little bit of themselves into their work when producing a product, whether it’s a beautiful plate or a gorgeous wine, depending on their own unique interpretations. I also have a passion for wine that led me to receive my certification as an International Sommelier Guild wine expert.

Identifying flavors in food and wine is a skill and art.

How do you stay inspired?

I like to use the surroundings and seasons as inspiration. When I worked at the Goodstone Inn and Estates in Virginia, I took over the garden in order to tend and grow the herbs and produce for use in the restaurant.

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“My inspiration p rimarily comes from abroad to remain connected to the ever-changing food scene, but imagination is key.�

T H E S I LV E R K I N G O C E A N B R A S S E R I E 2200 Edwards Drive Fort Myers, FL 33901 (239) 314-3855 www.silverkingbrasserie.com

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RYA N F R E DST ROM EXECUTIVE CHEF

Executive Chef Ryan Fredstrom uses his culinary talents to elevate Italian food every day in Angelina’s kitchen.

What dish on Angelina’s current menu is a “must-try”?

Our signature Shrimp Orecchiette is a dish that’s sure to delight any palate. A new favorite amongst the restaurant’s unmatched fine Italian entrée selections, the Shrimp Orecchiette marries fresh tastes of the Gulf shore with rich, classic Italian flavors.

Vibrant and delicious, the Shrimp Orecchiette features fresh rock shrimp and house made orecchiette pasta in a basil pesto cream sauce finished with Parmigiano-Reggiano and topped with toasted pine nuts.

What do you enjoy most about being a chef ?

The opportunity to honor the classic, fullbodied flavors associated with traditional Italian heritage and simultaneously develop innovative culinary concepts is incredible. Angelina’s is committed to integrating seasonal ingredients sourced directly from Italy, providing stunning and sometimes rare delicacies that I enjoy highlighting in new dishes and using to enhance the flavors of existing dishes as well.

“Angelina’s Shrimp Orecchiette combines a fresh, warm water delicacy with savor y Italian flavors to create a robust taste, p roudly showcasing our unmatched fine Italian.”

A N G E L I N A’ S R I S TO R A N T E 24041 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL 34134 (239) 390-3187 AngelinasofBonitaSprings.com

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M EL ISSA A K I N EXECUTIVE CHEF

When did you know you wanted to be a chef ?

Growing up in the business, I knew at a young age I wanted to be a chef. In high school I was able to work in different areas of hotels as part of my Hotel Management class. Once I started in the kitchen, I felt at home and I never looked back.

What local ingredients do you use?

I feel very fortunate living in Florida and having the endless accessibility to locally grown products. I use locally grown lettuce and micro greens on a daily basis.

What’s your philosophy when it comes to food?

Cook from the heart. Keep it simple but make it good.

Who has been the biggest influence in your career?

My dedicated staff throughout my career have pushed me to become better as a leader and as a chef. There’s no greater accomplishment than creating that “family” at work. My father has

WHO’S IN bigHinfluence T H also E been K I TaC E N in my career.

What do you love most about your job?

Knowing that I am connecting families and making memorable experiences through food.

What makes you an amazing chef ?

I have an unbelievable passion for what I do, and I

“Happiness is in

work hard. I’ve been a great instructor and have created a team I am proud of.

cooking for others.”

What accomplishments are you most proud of in your career?

Working hard and beating the odds at making it as a woman chef.

C I E LO

1244 Periwinkle Way Sanibel Island, Florida (239) 472-5555 www.hogfishharrys.com

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“Proudly showcasing the blend of our ingredients, cultures, and traditions from Argentina and Peru”

M A R I A NO M A LDONA DO & ROCIO NAVA R R ETE CHEFS/OWNERS

Where do you get your inspiration from?

It comes from a variety of outlets; family traditions, good quality food, experiments in the kitchen, and our desire to constantly create! El Gaucho Inca is a culmination of our dreams, culture, and our love for food.

What makes your business so successful?

My husband, Mariano, and I pride ourselves in pushing the boundaries of fusion cuisine. He comes from many generations of chefs with recipes that have been passed down to him that we still use today. Our diverse menu brings something for everyone to the table!

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What do people love the most about your food?

Our patrons get the opportunity to experience an entirely new world of flavors. It’s like you’re being transported to the Peruvian coastline when you eat our Ceviche a seafood dish. Or as if you’re walking the streets of Buenos Aires whenever you drizzle our Parrillada with chimichurri sauce.

What does the future of your restaurant look like?

We are always looking for ways to expand! We will be opening a new bistro location on Estero near Coconut Point mall. We look forward to greeting all of our customers, both regular and new.

E L G A U C H O I N C A R E S TA U R A N T 4383 Colonial Blvd Ft. Myers, Fl 33966 (239) 275-7504 www.elgauchoinca.com

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“Our dining culture

R IC H A R BAUGH EXECUTIVE CHEF

carries the unwavering b elief that mindful eating can b e delicious, indulgent and fun.�

Where did you attend Culinary School?

I attended New England Culinary Institute in Burlington, VT; I attained my AOS in Culinary and AOS in Baking and Pastry. After that, I attended CREA in Northern Virginia and received my Certification in HACCP and Sous Vide training. I am a Certified Executive Chef and Certified Culinary Administrator through the American Culinary Federation.

Where do you draw your inspiration?

The great chefs around me deeply inspire chefs and me from my past; you think of Hartmut Handke, Peter Timmins, Robert Wong, and the future the young culinarians I can motivate and inspire myself.

What is your dream piece of equipment?

I believe I am so fortunate that our Club and Membership has provided us with all the tools.

What do you do to stay educated about new trends?

I research what we are doing in the Culinary industry, from small restaurants to large corporate hotels and resorts, plus staying engaged with Continuing Education opportunities.

What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?

I feel being invited on three occasions to cook at the James Beard House.

What would your last supper be?

Properly braised Veal Osso Bucco would be my choice.

G R E Y O A K S C O U N T R Y C LU B 2400 Grey Oaks Drive North, Naples, FL 34105 (239) 262-5550 www.greyoakscc.com

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H A ROL D B A L I N K CHEF/OWNER

What makes you an amazing chef ?

I don’t think I am. That term implies so much and is so overused today. There are about 15 people I know that I call chef and I’m not one!

“I ’m meant to ser ve, it ’s more than hospitalit y, it ’s a way of life.”

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Travel, I’m inquisitive. So, the more nook and cranny places I visit around the globe the more I learn and the faster the wheels turn.

Do you have any vivid or memorable food experiences that impacted on you as a child or as a young chef ?

I was on a dock in RI early in the morning as the boats were coming in. I remember seeing sea scallops for the first time. One of the fishermen opened one and offered me a bite. It was magical.

How could something taste so perfectly sweet, salty, rich and wonderful all at the same time?

Right out of the ocean!

Who or what has been the biggest influence in your career?

Both of my grandmothers were excellent cooks and I was always in their kitchens.

What local ingredients/sources do you use?

Our area has finally started catching up in the area of small farms. There is now a plethora of local growers with great stuff to choose from.

Why did you choose or when did you know that you wanted to become a Chef ?

I didn’t, it chose me. I had worked in restaurants since I was 13, got hurt playing college football, went back to the place I worked in high school and some local chefs who knew me sent me to visit the CIA and Johnson & Wales. The rest is history.

H A R O L D ’ S R E S TA U R A N T 15250 S. Tamiami Trail, Ste.107 Fort Myers, FL 33908 239-849-0622 www.haroldscuisine.com

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“I like to think outside the box and steer away from the normal and exp ected.”

C H R I S BE RU BE EXECUTIVE CHEF

What makes you an amazing chef ?

WHO’S IN THE KITCHEN What do you love about your job?

The ability to not see the finish line in learning. I like to think outside

The ability to create for sure. There is a certain feeling of satisfaction

the box and steer away from the normal and expected. I like to put

you get when you see 100 plus people all enjoying your food. It’s all a

ingredients in dishes that you “classically” wouldn’t see. I would say I

team effort and it makes it fun. I believe the old saying that “if you do

like to push boundaries and see what the outcome is.

what you love, you never have to work another day in your life”. There’s something about the rush that is actually quite soothing to be honest.

What would your alternate career be?

Almost like ballroom dancing, just at a higher pace. Lol!

Before I got into hospitality, I was actually in school for a degree in architectural design. When I was younger, my dad owned a swimming

When did you know you wanted to be a chef ?

pool company and I remember going into our office to doodle and draw

I actually worked in the Front of the House for the first three years I

pools. Then when I went to high school, I took architecture/drafting &

was in restaurants. From food runner, barback, server, and host after I

design and loved designing houses just for fun. All in all, being a chef and

broke my wrist in a skateboard accident. After I got my cast off, I started

architecture go hand and hand: you start with a foundation and build

splitting shifts between kitchen and serving. Then the first “very busy”

around it.

night in the kitchen and I knocked it out of the park. I fell in love with it!

HOGFISH HARRY’S 600 Neapolitan Way Naples, FL 34103 (239) 776-7623 www.hogfishharrys.com

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ST E V E N CON N E R EXECUTIVE CHEF

“My goal as I come

What makes you an amazing chef ?

I am fortunate to have a diverse team of individuals who have come from all over the world. My team is a constant inspiration to expand our guests’ palates by using multicultural recipes and incorporating them into the menu here at BALEENnaples.

to work ever y day is to make mouths happy.”

What is your favorite oddball ingredient?

I’m always open to cutting edge culinary experiments, and one ingredient that is a novel concept to our culture but has old roots in other regions of the world is tobacco leaves. I use this ingredient in marinades and dry rubs. The leaves give an oak-aged richness to the meat with subtle notes of leather and sweet mulled wine spices which allows for a bold and flavorful culinary experience.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Having traveled extensively throughout my career allowed me the opportunity to meet some amazing Chefs and mentors from all over the world. Many of them taught me techniques that I still use today like braising meats with wine, and not overwhelming a dish with too many ingredients.

What is your dream piece of cooking equipment?

A high heat wood-burning oven is key. The scent of roasted meats, artisan bread, and pizza flood the restaurant when cooking in this oven, leaving guests with a sensory experience like no other.

L A P L AYA B E A C H A N D G O L F R E S O R T 9891 Gulf Shore Drive, Naples, FL 34108 (239) 597-3123 www.laplayaresort.com

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RYA N K I DA EXECUTIVE CHEF

What makes you an amazing chef ?

All the people that I was able to work under and learn from. I’ve had some great teachers in my life. You have to have the passion for it and be a creative person, cooking is an art form. It’s something that’s handed down.

What is your quintessential dish?

My Lasagna Bolognese.

Where did you go to culinary school?

I studied at the Culinary Institute of America, but left shortly after I got there. I spent the rest of my time on the job learning.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

My environment, music, and raising a family.

What is your dream piece of cooking equipment?

A brand new, shiny 6 burner stove with a convection oven underneath.

Do you have any vivid or memorable food experiences that impacted on you as a child or as a young chef ?

When my step-father’s uncle, Louis Chegut, came from Paris, France to upstate New York, he would make these huge French feasts on Sunday afternoons. He was the 3rd chef on the SS L’lle de France and from what I was told, he was a pretty big deal.

“Remain teachable, give 110%,

What do you most love about your job?

The comradery of the team, the fresh ingredients, beautiful building, and the ability to create.

and love!”

MUDBUGS

1473 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957 (239) 472-2221 www.mudbugssanibel.com

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DA N I E L F R I E R EXECUTIVE CHEF

What makes you an amazing chef ?

I believe that after 25 years in the restaurant business, aside from being able to cook very well which is important, leadership is the best way that a chef is going to achieve success in this in this industry.

Where did you go to culinary school?

Art Institute of Atlanta What is your favorite menu item at the Veranda?

The Filet Mignon at the Veranda is my favorite item on our menu because it is the best cut of meat with the most marbling and the most flavor.

What do you love most about your job?

I just love cooking. It’s very, very rewarding. Being able to see our guests have great experiences with us is the reward. It’s been extremely rewarding to know that people care about food.

Why did you choose or when did you know that you wanted to become a chef ?

I found the restaurant industry to be very exciting. My excitement led to success - all across the board – whether it was cooking or leading a team in the kitchen.

“Making a great, simple plate is something that a lot of chefs get confused and overwhelmed on. Simple, ver y light sauces and great tasting food is the key to success.”

T H E V E R DA N A

2122 Second Street (at Broadway) Fort Myers, FL 33901 (239) 332-2065 www.verandarestaurant.com

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“ Exp erience the

“ Chef quote here Riat aut

Qualit y and Savor

as dolore, cum atur. Qui

CORPORATE CHEF

the Flavor in

aceptatum voluptatur,

What makes you an amazing chef ?

Ever y Bite”

delibus accus sitiur sinvenis knowing humility. Being able to stay humble, and keep

C O RY L AC H One of the most important parts of being a great chef is your staff and kitchen as positive as possible. You are

ea nonsequos apid ullame” able to taste the energy... whether good, or bad.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I draw my inspiration from absolutely every person, place, and thing I come into contact with. My grandmother taught me at a young age, that not everything makes sense at first... and to keep myself open to all different styles, flavors, and techniques.

CHARRED BISTRO 25301 S Tamiami Trail Bonita Springs, FL. 34135 (239) 390-0301 www.charredbistro.com

“Having my own team,

A L E X JOH NSON

making p eople happy

CHEF PARTNER

with b eautiful dishes

Where do you draw inspiration from?

When I was in London cooking with my family, I discovered

has b een the pinnacle

that I enjoyed creating dishes inspired by different cultures.

So, when I am at home cooking, inspiration comes from what

of what I trained for.”

ingredients I can play with in the kitchen.

Who is an inspiration as a chef ?

I would have to say the several Chef Partners that preceded me here at Roy’s. Each one taught me something different and helped me learn and grow as a chef and a business person.

What’s your favorite part of the job?

The best part is that I get to do what I love every day. I like helping my team grow and learn new skills. I appreciate the praise and loyalty of my customers. I take pride in what our Roy’s contributes to our community and to our company.

R OY ’ S B O N I TA S P R I N G S 26831 South Bay Drive, # 100 Bonita Springs, FL 34134 (239) 498-7697 www.roysrestaurant.com

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Naples Botanical Garden wishes to thank the Sustaining Leadership Council and all participants for their support of this virtual nod to a longstanding tradition, Hats in the Garden. Your support has provided complimentary Garden access for those who truly need it the most.

The resilience of the Naples community, first responders, and essential workers is truly something to celebrate!

We hope all will find solace and respite at Naples Botanical Garden.

THE SUSTAINING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL PLATINUM Jane Purdy Berger Mary Ann E. Bindley Joanne Brown Eleanor B. Chabraja Joan E. Clifford Parker J. Collier Grace B. Evenstad

Donna S. Hall Nancy H. Hamill Barbara J. Hills Jerrilyn M. Hoffmann Kathleen Kapnick Ann Khan Linda Koehn

Jody B. Lippes Joan T. Loos Gloria P. Messey Donna D. Nelson Patrice Schoonmaker Karen M. Scott Lynne Shotwell

Jeannie M. Smith Mary S. Smith Vicky C. Smith Jenny Wren Sutton Carol A. Walter Shirley Z. Welsh Christine G. Williamson Kathryn E. Woods

GOLD Cortney L. Beebe Carol Dinardo Geren W. Fauth Leslie K. S. Fogg

Amy M. Heuerman Melissa G. Keiswetter Paula J. Malone Barbara L. Morrison

Katherine R. Pallas Kathleen Rooney Wynnell Schrenk Shelly Stayer

Susan C. Stielow Connie Vandenberg Linda G. White

Hats Off

To the Following Sponsors & Underwriters for their Generous Support Media Sponsor

Supported by:

City Mattress | Edwards Asset Management | Fiddler Films | Guita M. Fine Jewels The Hoffmann Family of Companies | Amy Moglia Heuerman | Kaleidoscope Floral | Luminaire Foto Marissa Collections | Naples Transportation & Tours | Philip Douglas Salon | PranaSleep Beth Preddy | Premier Sotheby’s International Realty | Sea Salt

naplesgarden.org 3 67

HEART FOR EDUCATION Virtual Gala Wednesday, February 3, 2021 TO LEARN MORE, PLEASE VISIT WWW.STANN.NET/GALA

Presenting Sponsor

Media Sponsors

The Ferrao Foundation

Summa Cum Laude

Magna Cum Laude

Cum Laude

Dolphin Pride

Cheryl and Randy Byrnes Shirley and James Curvey John M. and Susan M. Morrison Fund Ruth and Jim Otterbeck Saint Agnes Catholic Church Saint Ann Catholic Church Saint William Catholic Church

Denise and Brian Cobb Christine and Terry Flynn Susie McCurry Kevin and Virginia Ruesterholz Mrs. John C. Wasmer, Jr.

Shera and Casey Askar The Fata Family Patrick J. Longe McShea Contracting Naples Global Advisors, LLC. San Marco Catholic Church Zarina and Alex Urrea

Bear's Paw Country Club D. Brown General Contracting The Gonzalez Family Marco Office Supply Massey Construction Group Megan and Marc Miller

Saint Ann School Foundation 475 Ninth Avenue South | Naples, Florida 34102 | 239.262.4110

NO _ 5 0 3

01_ 2 0 21

AGENDA

The Bonita Springs National Art Festival Courtesy Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs; Ensan III by Reza Pishgahi

on Jan. 9-10 features internationally-acclaimed artists, such as sculptor Reza Pishgahi (whose work is pictured here), at Riverside Park.

ARTS + LEISURE

AGENDA As we make our measured return to normalcy, some venues are opening up with thoughtful safety practices, while others are turning to new and inventive ways to bring the community together. Here are 12 of the most engaging events you don’t want to miss this month. As conditions are constantly changing during the COVID-19 pandemic, we recommend you contact the organizations for the latest information.

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Above: Magda Trocme, who sheltered victims from Nazis, is one of the brave women featured in the Girl Power Heroines of the Holocaust exhibit. Left: The Bob Rauschenberg Gallery’s Christo and Jeanne-Claude show looks at the late couple’s larger-than-life installations, such as Surrounded Islands in Biscayne Bay.

Jan. 4-31

radio operators, resistance

Courtesy: Bob Rauschenberg Gallery; Holocaust Museum and Cohen Education Center

fighters, social workers and Cape Coral Art & Music

more during World War II in

Festival

this honorary exhibit at the

Despite the Cape’s decision

recently renovated Holocaust

to hold off on in-person

Museum & Cohen Education

events, the 35th annual Cape

Center. hmcec.org

Coral Arts & Music Festival presses on with a new

Jan. 6 through April 3

online format. The switch to virtual means more vendors,

CHRISTO & JEANNE-

extended shopping time and

CLAUDE: The Tom Golden

opportunities to interact on-

Collection

line with the artists—all from

Keeping in tune with the

the comfort of your home.

Bob Rauschenberg Gallery’s

capecoralfestival.com

dedication to show forwardthinking artists, this retro-

Jan. 5 through May 25

spective covers the work of the husband-wife duo behind

Girl Power Heroines of the

installations such as Miami’s

Holocaust

Surrounded Islands and

Commemorate the women

California’s Running Fence, in

who served as undercover

which the pair installed more

TA S T E

371

ARTS + LEISURE

AGENDA

than 2 million square feet

Jan. 9-10

hills of Sonoma and Marin

Bonita Springs National

counties in the ‘70s. The trav-

Art Festival

elling collection includes the

More than 200 artists from

couple’s paintings, sculptures

around the country exhibit

and a section of the white

at this Riverside Park event,

cloth used in Running Fence.

which benefits The Centers

rauschenberggallery.com

for the Arts Bonita Springs.

The outdoor show returns

Left: Pittsburgh-born Edward Loedding (whose floral

Feb. 6-7 and March 6-7.

piece Althea is pictured) exhibits along with more than

artcenterbonita.org

200 other juried international artists at the Bonita Springs National Art Festival.

Caption goes here

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Courtesy Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs/ Edward Loedding

of woven fabric through the

THEATREZONE ’S Sponsored by

Sho ws

BRAVO BROADWAY!21 January 7 – 17, 20 AT THE MOVIES 21 February 4-14, 20 THOSE WERE THE DAYS March 4-14, 2021 H THE BEST OF BACHARAC April 15-25, 2021

s! cert n o C

January 7-17, 2021

most Featuring Broadway’s s, woven memorable show tune ur favorite together by some of yo s as they TheatreZone performer many styles take you through the incredible, making up Broadway’s enduring history.

Sponsored by:

L: SIMON & GARFUNKERK , LIVE IN CENTRAL PA REVISITED January 18, 2021 LARRY ALEXANDER– SINATRA…MY WAY February 8, 2021 USIC MACK IS BACK! THE M OF BOBBY DARIN February 18, 2021

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ARTS + LEISURE

AGENDA Jan. 11

Jan. 14

Gentle’men Against

The Latin Divos at Mercato

Domestic Violence 10th

Naples

Anniversary Men’s Tailgate

A new act to work with

Event

Gulfshore Opera, the

After bringing in nearly

Miami-based, pop-opera

$250,000 during last year’s

trio The Latin Divos return

event, the men who lead this

to Naples with this show at

benefit for the Shelter for

Mercato. Patrons can expect

Abused Women & Children

a mix of opera classics and

look to raise the ante for the

pop hits with Latin flair.

event’s 10th year with golf

mercatoshops.com

games and dinner on the greens. naplesshelter.org

S AV E T H E DA T E NAPLES CHILDREN & EDUCATION FOUNDATION’S NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL

CARS ON 5 TH

GULFSHORE PLAYHOUSE’S BUBBLES, BAUBLES & BROADWAY GALA

JANUARY 30, 2 0 2 1 VIRTUAL

F E B R UA RY 0 6 , 2 0 2 1 P H YS I C A L

F E B R UA RY 2 2 , 2 0 2 1 P H YS I C A L

The 2021 Naples Winter Wine Festival “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” will be a community-wide event highlighted by the first-ever televised fundraiser on WINK TV featuring inspirational success stories, personal stories from parents and beneficiaries, reflections from NCEF Trustees and the measurable impact of NCEF. Viewers also will be moti-

The 17th annual Cars on 5th Concourse show will be held on February 6, 2021 on 5th Avenue South in Naples and is organized by the Naples Chapter of the Ferrari Club of America. As the largest annual one-day event in Naples, Cars on 5th Concourse will feature more than 650 cars including more than 150 Ferraris and other exotic, vintage

Gulfshore Playhouse, with gala chairs Susan Regenstein and Barry Frank, present The Bubbles, Baubles and Broadway Loverly Gala. Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, 5:30pm at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples. This physically distanced affair is an evening of Edwardian extravagance inspired by the beloved musical My Fair Lady. There will be horse races, live horses and

vated to make pledges online to help fill critical voids in children’s social services. In addition, the popular online auction will be open from January 22nd through February 2nd on nwwfonlineauction.com.

muscle cars and more this year. All proceeds directly benefit St. Matthew’s House. For more information, visit carsonfifth.com.

a show-stopping performance from the stars of the theatre’s 2016 production. Limited seating, for safety procedures visit gulfshoreplayhouse.org/event/gala2021/.

Courtesy Charlie McDonald; The Latin Divos

Left: The Gentle’men Against Domestic Violence reconvene on Jan. 11 in support of the Shelter for Abused Women and Children. Above: The Miami-based Latin Divos perform at Mercato on Jan 14.

Benefitting

ARTS + LEISURE

Jan. 18

Jan. 20

Jan. 21-31

The Time is Now MLK Day

All That Jazz: Naples Phil-

Outdoor One-Acts with

Dinner Event

harmonic Jazz Orchestra

Theatre Conspiracy

The Greater Naples AAUW

with special guest Billy

Reserve a spot on the lawn

Charitable Foundation shifts

Harper

at Fort Myers’ Alliance for

focus from women’s em-

A modern jazz artist, Harper

the Arts to watch two short

powerment to racial injustice

is touted as one of the first

plays that deliver a good

issues in this thought-

saxophonists to truly build

dose of comedy: The Still

provoking discussion with

on the influential John Col-

Alarm by George S. Kaufman

civil rights leader and

trane’s sounds. Now, he joins

and A Marriage Proposal by

advocate Dr. Micah W. Kubic

Artis—Naples’ star orchestra

Anton Chekhov. artinlee.org

from the American Civil

for this show at Hayes Hall.

Liberties Union Federation.

artisnaples.org

Courtesy Artis—Naples

AGENDA

greaternaples-fl.aauw.net

Thanks to everyone for supporting the 12th Annual

Naples International Film Festival

See you next year— October 21-24, 2021

Artwork © Chihuly Studio

Left: Saxophonist Billy Harper performs at Artis—Naples on Jan. 20.

Get connected to the arts!

Online • Onsite • Outdoors - at the Alliance for the Arts!

Enjoy interactive art classes and events from the comfort of your home with our online offerings or get creative and inspired onsite with gallery exhibits, a weekly farmer's market, outdoor theatre, classes and more!

• ArtInLee.org • 239-939-2787 • 10091 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers •

ARTS + LEISURE

AGENDA Jan. 21

Courtesy Empty Bowls Naples/Drew Attanasio; The Naples Zoo

Wild Culture at Naples Zoo Stop by for an afternoon of alfresco performances that run the gamut from Shakespeare to Simba and, of course, animal encounters aplenty during this collaborative event between The Naples Players and Naples Zoo. naplesplayers.org

T H E N A P L E S P L AY E R S P R E S E N T

FEB 25 - MAR 07 I N

B A K E R

P A R K

USE CODE:

READERS GET TICKETS FOR ONLY $20!

GSL20

SPONSORED BY:

FOR TICKETS: NAPLESPLAYERS.ORG | 239.263.7990 378

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

Above: Gators, lemurs and Florida panthers—oh my! The Naples Players takes its theater skills to The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens for a one-of-a-kind, wild event. Left: The Empty Bowls event in Naples is a fundraiser to help feed thousands of people in Southwest Florida.

ARTS + LEISURE

AGENDA

As part of Gulfshore Opera’s new residence at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, the troupe performs the classic, Courtesy Gulfshore Opera

four-act La Bohème on the big stage.

M AT T D E V I T T M E T E O R O LO G I ST

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Jan. 23

Jan. 24

15th Annual Empty Bowls

Gulfshore Opera’s La

This longtime Naples event

Bohème

perfectly melds art and

The cast embodies the

philanthropy. Come out to

Parisian bohemians from Puc-

shop handcrafted bowls from

cini's great four-act opera at

local artists or participate

Barbara B. Mann Performing

in the silent auction to help

Arts Hall. The show marks

provide meals for more than

the beginning of the opera’s

100,000 people throughout

new partnership with the hall,

Lee and Collier counties.

where they will hold all of

emptybowlsnaples.com

their large-scale productions. gulfshoreopera.org

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TA S T E

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PARTING SHOT

I SSU E Januar y 2010

ED I T O R Da vid Sendler

S T O RY Welcoming the Celebrit y Chefs

LE BON GOÛ T The Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) draws some of the world’s top culinary talent, like Michelin-starred chef Jan. 30 and an online auction Jan. 22 to Feb. 2. Join the wine-soaked celebration and meet the kids who benefit from the Naples Children & Education Foundation in our Salut! publication, which follows in this issue.

382

GULFSHORE LIFE

g ulf shorelife.com

GL Archives

Daniel Boulud who headlined the 2010 festival. This year, NWWF goes virtual with a televised event on WINK-TV

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