Sarasota Magazine February 2014 by Gulfshore Media

Her husband Victor remembers Italian cooking legend Marcella Hazan

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FEBRUARY VOLUME 36 | NO. 5

FEATURES

THE FOOD & WINE ISSUE

90 10 BEST Su Byron scouts out the greatest glutenfree dishes in town.

➤

93 GLORIES OF THE GULF A gourmet guide to Gulf seafood, from our food critic’s favorite fish houses to stone crab secrets, hometown caviar, tips for fishermen and much more.

106 MARCELLA AND ME Sarasota’s VICTOR HAZAN shares tender memories of his beloved wife, famed cookbook author Marcella Hazan.

114 ON TOP OF THE WORLD Tech entrepreneur Jesse Biter and his wife Katie entertain friends in their rooftop penthouse garden. BY MEGAN MCDONALD, PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARBARA BANKS

122 SMALL WONDERS Hand-held treats are a tasty new trend. BY MEGAN MCDONALD

124 THE TUSCAN CONNECTION SUSAN KELLEY journeys to Italy to feast with Salute! owner Alberto Guardagnini on his country estate.

132 TAKE TWO Derek Barnes attracted serious foodies to his Rosemary District restaurant. But he’s taking a different approach with his new place. BY COOPER LEVEY-BAKER

ON OUR COVER Grilled Gulf shrimp make a tempting introduction to our Food & Wine annual. For more about Gulf seafood, see page 93. 12 SARASOTA MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

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DEPARTMENTS 25 FROM THE EDITOR To Marcella with love. BY PAM DANIEL

33 HEAT INDEX

124

People, issues and events on our radar, including top tickets (page 34), CAROL TISCH’s international food finds (page 37), chef JUDI GALLAGHER’s dish (page 42), party pictures (page 59), HEATHER DUNHILL’s Fashion IQ (page 74)—and more.

114

69 PARTY GIRL 106

VERONICA PASTORE meets the chefs of tomorrow at USF’s HospitaBull Dinner.

77 MR. CHATTERBOX If money were no object, where would you choose to live? MR. C reports on an heiress who chose—a hospital.

141 LUXURY HOME ILENE DENTON peeks inside great kitchens and reports on neighborhood and real estate news. Plus: design trends from Marsha Fottler.

175 HEALTH An alternative to open-heart surgery, advice for caregivers, and fitness news. BY HANNAH WALLACE

185 HIGHLIGHTS KAY KIPLING’s calendar of the best arts and entertainment events for February.

236 ONLY IN SARASOTA JOHN PIRMAN sketches local landmark Walt’s

Fish Market.

SPONSORED REPORTS AND SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONS 27 Institute for the Ages 81 Patron: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe 156 Top Tables 159 The Ringling Calendar 201 Shopping Destinations 204 Must Haves 233 Dish Sarasota Magazine® (ISSN 1048-2245), Volume 36/Number 5, February 2014, is published 12 times a year, monthly, by Gulfshore Media, LLC, 330 S. Pineapple Ave., Suite 205, Sarasota, FL 34236. Subscription price is $19.95 U.S. per year, Canada $39.95 U.S. funds per year; International $49.95 U.S. funds per year. For customer service inquiries, subscription inquiries or to change your address by providing both the old and new address, contact: Subscription Department, Sarasota Magazine, 330 S. Pineapple Ave., Suite 205, Sarasota, FL 34236. Phone (941) 487-1100 or (800) 881-2394, Fax (941) 365-7272. Periodicals postage paid at Sarasota, Florida, and at additional mailing offices. Sarasota Magazine is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Copyright 2014 by Gulfshore Media, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts without return postage will not be returned. DISCLAIMER: Advertisements in the publication do not constitute an offer for sale in states where prohibited or restricted by law. E-mail: info@sarasotamagazine.com. Website: sarasotamagazine.com.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sarasota Magazine, 330 S. Pineapple Ave., Suite 205, Sarasota, FL 34236. 14 SARASOTA MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

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C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R S & A RT I S T S Jenny Acheson, Barbara Banks, Rebecca Baxter, Kathryn Brass, Brian Braun, Salvatore Brancifort, Robert Castro, Dale Clancy, Everett Dennison, Dick Dickinson, Phillippe Diederich, Matt Dunn, Mark Farmwald, Andrea Hillebrand, Matthew Holler, Fred Lopez, J.B. McCourtney, Matt McCourtney, Rod Millington, Gary Nebel, Pat Nebel, Cat Pennenga, James Phillips, John Pirman, Troy Plota, Gene Pollux, Lori Sax, Jennifer Soos, William S. Speer, Chad Spencer, Alex Stafford, Carlton Ward Jr., Greg Wilson Sarasota Magazine® is a member of the Florida Magazine Association, City and Regional Magazine Association, The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Manatee Chamber of Commerce and The St. Armands Circle Association. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted ©2014. Unsolicited photographs and manuscripts are welcome, but return cannot be guaranteed. Circulation audited by U.S. Postal Service. Advertisements in this publication do not constitute an offer for sale in states where prohibited or restricted by law. Luxury Home & Design, Mr. Chatterbox, On The Beach and Best of Sarasota are copyrighted service marks and are the property of Sarasota Magazine; all rights reserved. Send all correspondence to Sarasota Magazine, 330 S. Pineapple Ave., Suite 205, Sarasota, FL 34236. (941) 487-1100 or (800) 8812394. FAX (941) 365-7272. Subscription price: $19.95.

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LOVE SARASOTA? You’ll find more to love at SARASOTAMAGAZINE.COM, with new stories, photos and ideas every day to help you enjoy the best of our beautiful city.

›› This Month’s Extras Rooftop Repast Enjoy a video peek at the photo shoot of Katie and Jesse Biter’s dinner party atop their downtown penthouse. More Marcella See more archival photos of Italian cooking legend, the late Marcella Hazan (story on page 106), and get her famous recipe for tomato sauce with butter and onion. Cook Your Own Expert tips on cooking seafood from Big Water Fish Market on Siesta Key. (All Web Extras are posted online at the end of the article they accompany.)

›› New Content Every Day The Heat Index Hot stories from our editors. Photo of the Week Memorable images of our city. Limelight The latest party pictures. Foodie’s Notebook Chef Judi Gallagher’s restaurant dish. Fashion IQ Heather Dunhill style-spots. On Stage Kay Kipling’s theater reviews. Real Estate Junkie Bob Plunket scouts the market. Your Sarasota Wedding Megan McDonald on the bridal beat.

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18 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Health Report Hannah Wallace helps keep you well. Authentic Florida Robin Draper finds oldFlorida treasures and pleasures. i-Shots Robert Castro aims his phone at Sarasota.

›› Always Online Archives of past stories and our Dining Guide and other city listings.

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SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Announcing

The Founders Society A program for those who dare to dream about making a difference. Our new Founders Society offers you giving opportunities

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Van Wezel Foundation Inc. meets all the requirements specified by the Florida Solicitation of Contributions Act. A copy of the official registration #CH3676 and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling 1-800-435-7352 within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by the state.

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LETTERS We welcome your letters and comments. Send letters to Sarasota Magazine, 330 S. Pineapple Ave., Suite 205, Sarasota, FL 34236. Or send to editor Pam Daniel: pamd@sarasotamagazine.com.

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FANFARE

Bits and bytes from our fans and followers.

CONTRIBUTORS

Susan Kelley (“The Tuscan Connection,” page 124) Author Susan Kelley (Real Women Send Flowers, I Oprahed) and her husband, painter William Kelley, have divided their time between Sarasota and Florence, Italy, for almost 15 years. In Sarasota, they frequently dine at Salute!, where they got to know owner Alberto Guardagnini. “Two years ago, we did a day visit to his Casali Bibbiano in Tuscany, and we returned this year for a couple of days,” says Susan. “I thought readers would be interested in these two different worlds we’ve enjoyed so much.”

John Pirman

350|111 Number of likes and shares for our Dec. 5 Photo of the Week showing the downtown skyline at night.

(“Only in Sarasota,” page 236)

Illustrator John Pirman has done work for The Wall Street Journal, Travel & Leisure, Macy’s, the Museum of Modern Art, JetBlue and the Ringling Museum (its recent rebranding and visual naming system), among others. For us, each month John creates an evocative back page image of a Sarasota setting, sometimes familiar, sometimes not. “Just by driving around, I discover all kinds of wonderful and quirky things, old and new, that inspire me,” he says. “This allows me to bring awareness to sometimes overlooked treasures our town has tucked away.”

Barbara Banks

We asked our Facebook fans what one change they’d like to see for Sarasota in 2014. Some answers: “Free round-trip airline tickets for me for life.”—MARK DUECKER “More parking on Siesta Beach.”—LINDA ROLLINS

“A new panel of City Commissioners who can work well together and have a vision to unleash the untapped potential of this amazing city.”—TOLISA FORD “Give ‘The Kiss’ statue a permanent home on the bayfront.”—DEEDEE LANG

(“On Top of the World” shoot, page 114)

Photographer Barbara Banks says the rooftop party shoot at the home of Jesse and Katie Biter, which took place on a December evening overlooking Sarasota Bay, had its challenges: “The breeze nearly toppled the huge umbrella, candles were aflutter, and a lizard was a-leapin’ [onto Lisa Seidensticker, who let out a screech]. But Roger Capote, Lisa and the team at Louies Modern did a splendid job of creating wonderful eats and a unique setting. No tasting for us, though, for fear we’d fall from our perch trying to get the views for readers.” 22 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

“Tents on the beach overnight.”—ERIC J. PONTE “Lose that absurd noise ordinance!”—JAIMIE HOLLAND

“We do so much for so many in generous Sarasota. Could we not become the city acclaimed for how well our poor, needy and homeless are treated as well?”—ELLEN MCVEIGH MENARD

“Sarasota is perfect. No change needed.”— AAZAR KING

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FROM THE EDITOR

To Marcella with Love

T THE HEART of this issue lies a love story, and it’s about one of the world’s most celebrated couples. In “Marcella and Me,” Longboat Key’s Victor Hazan shares intimate memories of the beginning and end of his life with his beloved wife. Marcella Hazan, who died at 89 in September, is widely known as the teacher and cookbook author who introduced Italian home cooking to the world. Victor, whose passion for the subject was equal to her own, was her constant companion and collaborator. A gifted writer, he translated her cookbooks, which she wrote in Italian, into English so clear and evocative that they’ve been called the best-written cookbooks of all time. The story of Marcella’s stunningly successful career, which was launched when Craig Claiborne came to lunch at their New York apartment in 1970, has been often told. But the story Victor wrote for us—which includes a wonderful picture from that lunch, with a slender young Victor in a dark suit sitting ramrodstraight at the table—reveals details few would know. I met Victor and Marcella shortly after they moved here from Venice, Italy, in 1998. They came because their son Giuliano, an accomplished cooking teacher and author in his own right, had moved here, and because Marcella, who suffered from emphysema, was finding it difficult to navigate the many stairs and chilly winters of Venice. With some trepidation, we asked the famous couple to judge an olive oil tasting for the

magazine. They good-naturedly agreed, and when they showed up, put everyone at ease with their unassuming charm and lively spirits. Over the years, we wrote about the Hazans a number of times, and Victor and Marcella even invited my boyfriend George and me to dinner. I don’t remember exactly what Marcella

Marcella never liked to be called a professional cook; instead, she said, cooking was her gift to family and friends. cooked, but I do remember that it was all delicious, and that the evening in the couple’s comfortable Gulf-front apartment, filled with art and books, was one of the warmest and most relaxed we’d ever spent. Marcella never liked to be called a professional cook; instead, she said, cooking was her gift to family and friends. In a New York Times video made shortly before her death, there’s a sweet segment where she says, “When I marry Victor, I never cook in my life. When I did [cook] something and it came right, he was jumping from his chair and coming to kiss me—I want to do more!” And in Victor’s story—and his postings on her Facebook page since her death—memories of their life and the food she made for him intermingle, all equally infused with love and loss. In his posting on his birthday in October, he described how

Marcella would hug him every birthday morning and say, “Best wishes, my love, I hope you will always be happy,” and then make as his birthday gift his favorite, multi-layered lasagna verdi. Our art director and I visited Victor to select photographs for the story. As charming and as sharp as ever, he greeted us in jeans and a red pullover. Everywhere, we felt Marcella’s spirit. With those wise, penetrating eyes, she gazes at you from a photograph by the front door; Victor keeps her favorite Venetian vase filled with fresh flowers; a pack of her Marlboro Lights and a lighter lie at the ready on the dining room table. You can almost believe she’s out on the porch, watering her orchids and basil plants. Victor talked about how despite their very different personalities, their collaboration was always harmonious because they saw their subject in exactly the same way. As we looked through the years of photographs, which included shots of the two with a host of culinary celebrities, I noticed how often they only had eyes for each other, Marcella looking at Victor with delight and affection, Victor smiling tenderly at her. “Originally, I didn’t think I could bear to write [this] piece,” Victor told me. “But I was the only one who had access to those memories, and I realized that I had to do it for Marcella. I hope it will mean something to your readers.”

Pam Daniel,

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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POTENTIAL NEVER GETS OLD THE INSTITUTE FOR THE AGES CARES WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.

I’M PHYLLIS BEK-GRAN. I am 89 years old and I live alone. I have two sons. Both live far away—and they worry about me. So I was delighted when the Institute invited me to join with others in the development of Lively. The Institute staff was concerned and caring in initiating the study and keeping me informed on changes and progress. My sons were delighted to “keep up with Mom” without having to interrupt their busy lives with frequent phone calls. A click on my Lively dashboard and they knew Mom was up and about. I love it and I commend your efforts to help make “Aging in Place” a reality.

SPON SORED REPORT

AT THE INSTITUTE FOR THE AGES, we believe that potential never gets old. The Institute is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to transform aging through the authentic voice of the older adult. The Institute mobilizes older adults and the community’s senior care networks to help innovators better understand the needs of this population. Through its research, education services and events, the Institute is making Sarasota County the global hub for accelerating solutions for the rapidly aging population.

“We gathered to hear GE-Intel’s Care Innovations share their new online caregiving product with us. The Institute treated us as the experts—and the developers really listened to our opinions and insights.”

“Convening senior care experts to assess new products and services for older adults is something that I give the Institute a lot of credit for. It’s great to have a collaborative community resource we can rely on to share our knowledge and expertise with the rest of the world.”

L to R – Courtney Wise, Take Care; Dulcy Kushmore, Canada Med Services; Pam Baron, JFCS; JoAnn Westbrook, Pines of Sarasota; Nancy Hobson, Senior Friendship Centers

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“The YMCA appreciates fellow community partners like the Institute, who are looking for ways to engage older adults and to accelerate solutions for quality of life in later years.” —LAURA GILBERT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EVALYN SADLIER JONES YMCA BRANCH

IN THE PAST YEAR, LOCAL RESIDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL EXCITING NEW PRODUCT INITIATIVES: •

30 residents, 75 years and older, along with their adult children guided the development of Lively, a new home-activity monitoring system for families with older relatives living independently.

•

More than a thousand caregivers had exclusive first views of a new online support tool from Care Innovations, a GE-Intel company.

•

Nearly 200 local residents tried Juvent, a micro-vibration platform, to regenerate bone mass and enhance balance and mobility.

•

Retired professionals and managers and local companies are currently weighing in on Boomerswork.us, a new software platform to match seasoned retirees with organizations hiring for part-time project work.

•

Volunteers have been planning the International Conference on Positive Aging, a major educational event being held for the first time in Sarasota.

SPON SORED REPORT

THE INSTITUTE FOR THE AGES FOCUSES ON ACCELERATING SOLUTIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS ACROSS SIX KEY THEMES THAT MATTER MOST TO PEOPLE AS THEY AGE:

• Meaningful Involvement • Aging in (the right) Place • Communication and Information • Respect and Social Inclusion • Transportation and Mobility • Health and Well-Being (from the 2011 Aging With Dignity and Independence study, Dr. Kathy Black)

“The Institute For The Ages enriches my life in many ways. It provides opportunities for me to have meaningful, enjoyable and stimulating involvement with projects and people I would never have known about or met otherwise. It is an environment that welcomes me, opens doors for me, and informs me about innovative research about creative aging.” —WILLA BERNHARD, DONOR AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANT

YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS help us expand educational services for older adults and grow and maintain our 50+ Community Research Network. Visit institutefortheages.org, or call Joan Haber at (941) 365-4243 ext. 24.

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HEAT INDEX PEOPLE, TRENDS, EVENTS AND ISSUES ON OUR RADAR.

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GILT TRIP What could make this Napoleon from Clasico Café, complete with fresh strawberries and a raspberry coulis, even more delectable? Topping it with edible gold flakes, of course. The flakes are produced by Sarasota-based CornucAUpia, for customers from fusion-influenced chefs to wedding caterers. Owner Denny Fisher says the formula for making these edible 24K toppings took him several years to develop. While CornucAUpia is the only company in the United States that makes the gold and silver flakes, powders and crumbs to adorn desserts, beverages and other concoctions, the art of edible gold actually goes back centuries. Luxurious, yes, but CornucAUpia’s marketing rep, Sonia Thompson, says their mission is to make this indulgence “available for the masses.”

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

HEAT INDEX

TOP TICKETS OUR PICKS FOR FEBRUARY.

➤ MY PICK “I can’t think of an event more perfect for Valentine’s Day than a performance by Tony Bennett (Feb. 14 at the Van Wezel). One of the greatest song stylists of all time, he has defined and redefined the love song. His love of life, his generosity and his artistry are an inspiration. Plus, he’s a very fine painter!”

CIRCUS SARASOTA The 17th season of our hometown circus runs Feb. 7-23 under the Big Top at 12th

FRANK GALATI, WRITER AND ASOLO REP DIRECTOR

Street and Tuttle Avenue, with equestrian Caroline Williams, canine antics from Luciano Anastasini, the Flying Cortes trapeze act, the Lumi Air hand balance ballet, ringmaster Ty McFarlan, and much more. 3559805, circusarts.org

RINGLING IN BLOOM It’s flowers for February with the return of this celebration of fine and floral art at the Ringling Museum, Feb. 27 through March 2. Thirty-five designs from area professionals fill the galleries; workshops and tours available, too. 359-5700, ringling.org

DADDY LONG LEGS You may remember reading this Jean Webster book about a young orphan aided by a mysterious benefactor in your own childhood. Now it’s a new stage production, with music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and a book by John Caird, onstage at Florida Studio Theatre’s Gompertz Theatre Feb. 5 through April 5. 366-9000, floridastudiotheatre.org

34 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

What I’m... watching LEWIS BLACK What latest form of political insanity will be driving angry comedian Black to the edge this time around? Something tells us there’ll be no lack of material when he returns to the Van Wezel, at 8 p.m. Feb. 15, with “The Rant Is Due.” 953-3368, vanwezel.org

To see every week’s

TOP 5 EVENTS,

“DI QUELLA PIRA”, SECOND SCENE OF ACT III, IL TROVATORE: ILLUSTRATED BY LUIGI MORGARI. PRIVATE COLLECTION © LEEMAGE/IMAGES.DE

Larry Thompson, president, Ringling College of Art and Design “Homeland. It is so well written and so well acted. The characters are immensely complex and always surprise you. The plots have such unusual twists and turns. It’s what entertainment television was meant to be. And Charlie Rose on public TV asks probing questions and puts his interviewees at ease so they reveal more than they ever thought. This show is so intellectually satisfying.”

listening to Michael Feinstein, appearing with his big band at the Van Wezel Feb. 6 “Big band tracks of Nat King Cole arranged by Billy May—a perfect combination of singer and arranger. I’ll be performing a few of those arrangements at the Van Wezel. And I often listen to the classic film score for The Adventures of Robin Hood, by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. It doesn’t get better than that.”

reading

IL TROVATORE The Sarasota Opera opens its winter season with a new production of Verdi’s drama about a troubadour’s quest for love, a soldier’s lust, and a daughter’s need for revenge. Stars are baritone David Pershall, soprano Reyna Carguill

Author and new Sarasota resident Clifford Irving “Sizing Up the Universe: The Cosmos in Perspective—a big hardback whose stunning photographs amaze the imagination. I love [poring] over it on a daily basis. Cosmology for me is a subject huge enough to reduce all other concerns to the level of trivia.”

and mezzo-soprano Margaret Mezzacappa. At the Opera House for 10 performances Feb. 8 through March 22. 328-1300, sarasotaopera.org SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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HEAT INDEX

DESIGN FIND

THE RUSTIC MEDITERRANEAN TABLE.

â&#x17E;¤

Craft and artisanal foods are all the rage, and table design is following suit, with simple, rustic table fashions suggesting a table set with tender, loving care. In its new Arabesca dinnerware, Vietri also reflects a new wave in Mediterranean cuisine: a blend of Middle Eastern and Italian recipes, condiments and more. Inspired by Arabic motifs found in decorative tiles in Southern Italy, each piece is hand-painted in Umbria in a traditional raw umber palette on stoneware-quality terra bianca clay (dinner plates, $63; bowls, $57). Dinnerware Depot, 418 Interstate Court, Sarasota, (941) 342-8242.

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

HEAT INDEX

SHOPPING

THE NEW GLOBAL WARMING. BY CAROL TISCH

Cross-cultural cuisine takes a hot new turn as gourmet lifestyle stores and food markets give Sarasotans the opportunity to indulge in the latest international trend: a fusion of hot and spicy foods from around the world. Top chefs are mixing diverse flavors and techniques from Mexico, Southern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and more—all within a single dish or meal. And global events are spawning new interest in Filipino and Syrian food.

➤

In North Africa it’s a tagine; in Cyprus, they say tavvas. Either way, yours will taste better if seasoned with Ras el Hanout, a Moroccan spice with a curry flavor ($7.95), and cooked in an authentic hand-painted Tunisian clay tagine ($59).

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38 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

1. 1. Arguably the hottest cookbook of 2014, Jerusalem ($35) was written by two chefs from opposite sides (the Arab east and Jewish west) of the divided city. Recipes by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi reflect influences from Jerusalemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities. BOOKS-A-MILLION, 6591 S. Tamiami Trail, (941) 922-7804.

2. Spice markets across America are reporting demand for zahtar, a zesty blend of thyme, sesame seed, sumac and sea salt favored in North Africa and the Middle East. Use it on flatbreads or pitas, or add to hummus, tabouli, or salads. THE SPICE & TEA

EXCHANGE, 345 St. Armands Circle, (941) 388-1411.

3. A growing trend with big-city chefs, Filipino food is a rich blend of Malaysian, Polynesian, Hispanic and Chinese cuisines. In Sarasota, you can experiment with Sinigang or Ginisang Monggo soup mixes ($1.09; $1.19), banana ketchup ($1.09), lumpia ($3.79) and more at VUNG TAU ORIENTAL MARKET, 1333 N. Washington Blvd., (941) 366-2552.

4. Veggies star on contemporary white-glazed porcelain Great White rectangular serving pieces (asparagus platter,

$24; medium platter, $35), a beautiful counterpoint to asparagus and artichokes, two Mediterranean treats with roots in ancient Egypt. POTTERYBARN.COM

5. Grill your American steaks and home-grown veggies on a hand-cut slab of salt mined in the Himalayan Mountains of Pakistan ($34.95) for wonderful flavor. This one can be

also be used in the oven, or chilled to serve sushi, appetizers and more. SUR LA TABLE, 22 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota, (941) 365-0380.

6. Hybrid heaven is coming to a supermarket near you with all-natural fusion flavor snacks like falafel tortilla chips and the new kimchi tortilla crackers ($3.89) from Food Should Taste Good, now in test market at select supermarkets or

FOODSHOULDTASTEGOOD.COM

5. SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

HEAT INDEX

WHO’S IN STORE SCOTT MULLET SHOWCASES THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY AT

ROD MILLINGTON

MULLET’S APPLIANCES. BY CAROL TISCH AT THE HELM OF MULLET’S APPLIANCES since his dad, Bill Mul-

let Jr., retired two years ago, Scott Mullet joined the company in 2005 after graduating from the University of South Florida. “But honestly, I’ve been working here all my life; I’ve done everything from deliveries to answering phones and sweeping the warehouse floors,” he says. Though the company hasn’t changed its focus on customer service since his grandfather, Bill Sr., and father opened shop on Clark Road in 1974, Mullet’s has evolved into a complete source for state-of-the-art appliances—and kitchen design inspiration. “Now 50 percent of our customers want high-end kitchens and come in asking to see the hot new item,” Scott says. When top brands like Wolf or Sub-Zero roll out new technology, Mullet is invited to their headquarters to review prototypes months in advance. “The next big thing is touch screen ovens with swipe technology,” Scott says. “With Wolf ’s new models, you tell the oven what you want to cook, and it will do it for you. They’re intuitive, as easy to operate as an iPad tablet.”

Inside the Look WHAT’S HOT IN KITCHEN GEAR? “Convection steam ovens are replacing built-in microwaves. The new Wolf CSO24 ($3,800) is popular with serious cooks because

MULLET’S APPLIANCES, INC.

it has a large interior, and it bakes as well as steams. It actually browns meat while keeping it moist; customers even use it to make artisan breads.”

4233 Clark Road,

WHAT DO YOU COOK WITH? “My wife is in charge of the kitchen, but barbecu-

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ing is my domain. I use a Lynx barbecue; it’s one of the nicer grills, with a spring-

(941) 921-5531

assisted top and LED lights. I’m a steak man; I like a real hot-burning grill.”

WHAT’S NEW FOR SARASOTA’S WINE LOVERS? “Sub-Zero is coming out with a full-height wine cooler that has a self-regulating humidor, and a label inventory system for wine [from $6,500].”

40 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Wolf convection steam oven

For Life’s Magic Moments Sarasota Memorial Courtyard Tower Magic moments. New parents know them. A heart patient’s wife does, too. So does a grandpa, “world’s best” soapbox derby partner, thanks to his new hip. Life proves over and again how many truly meaningful moments are about your health. This is what inspired our new Courtyard Tower, where the most advanced orthopedics, cardiac care and mother-baby services are right here when you and your family need them. At Sarasota Memorial, magic moments happen every day.

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HEAT INDEX

JUDI’S DISH KATHRYN BRASS-PIPER

BITS AND BITES FROM CONTRIBUTING FOOD EDITOR JUDI GALLAGHER.

Read more dining news at chef Judi Gallagher’s “FOODIE’S

NOTEBOOK” blog at sarasotamagazine.com.

New & Local

Detwiler’s farm stand has added a fresh seafood counter to its array of produce options, Amish-style jams and cases of ice cream, cheese and cold cuts. It’s almost one-stop shopping, since there’s even a small freezer of grass-fed beef. 6000 Palmer Blvd., Sarasota

TRENDING GLUTEN-FREE AND SUGAR-FREE DESSERTS

HOT DISH

Cassariano’s spaghetti con polpette di agnello In its sleek new location, Cassariano serves the same delicious uptown Italian cuisine with a modern twist. Case in point: fresh homemade spaghetti topped with large, freshly ground lamb meatballs, seasoned like only two guys from Italy can do. Then go over the top with a sprinkling of fresh goat cheese. Now that’s amore! CASSARIANO, 313 W. Venice Ave., Venice, (941) 485-0507

42 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

ARE POPPING UP EVERYWHERE—AND SOME ARE SURPRISINGLY GOOD. AMONG THE BEST LOCALLY: HEAVENLY CUPCAKES OFFERS INDULGENT SUGAR-FREE CHOCOLATES, CUPCAKES AND MUFFINS PREPARED WITH HONEY, MAPLE SYRUP AND AGAVE SYRUP. 6538 GATEWAY AVE., (941) 922-0024 AND 5212 OCEAN BLVD., (941) 346-0024.

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HEAT INDEX

OUR TOWN HOT TOPICS, TALK AND HISTORY.

Where the Chefs Dine

Who’s a better judge of a restaurant than a chef? Some Sarasota standouts tell us where they like to eat and what they order when they’re not on duty.

JAMES “JIMMY” BASELICI LOUIES MODERN EXECUTIVE CHEF

KYLE HARRINGTON LIBBY’S CAFE + BAR EXECUTIVE CHEF

“INDIGENOUS, DEREK’S or

“Pizza and sandwich places, like LUCIA’S PIZZA. Great pasta, amazing pizza, and the sandwiches are on point. I also love YUMMY HOUSE for good Chinese food. For sushi, I like J-PAN. And when it comes to a good steak, FLEMING’S.”

MOZAIC. I prefer chefowner establishments. The chefs put their heart into their food and you can taste it. I like to order their most interesting items, to embrace their strengths. Handmade pasta with Cortez bottarga at Derek’s was one of the best things I ever ate.”

LAN BRADEEN CHEF-OWNER OF MELANGE

“Matsu, at VIZEN, is among the best Japanese chefs in America; [famed sushi chef] Morimoto visited and loved it. His food is imaginative, creative, beautiful, incredibly fresh, and perfectly executed. I order the omikase [tasting menu] because it’s Matsu’s own choice. Reserve ahead, so he has a few days to prepare.”

CALEB TAYLOR CHEF DE CUISINE AT JACK DUSTY AT THE RITZCARLTON, SARASOTA

“I just moved here a few months ago, but I’ve been able to get out a little bit. I love to go to DRUNKEN POET—I usually order the tom yum goong, a traditional Thai soup—and I’ve been to STATE STREET EATING HOUSE. I like to support the local guys.” — COMPILED BY TAYLOR MEREDITH

VINTAGE SARASOTA

JUST SAYIN’

“

My ill-advised actions, in a few moments of sophomoric, hand-rubbing glee, have cost me.

”

SMACK RESTAURANT From 1932 to 1959, the Smack Restaurant was a

—FORMER REPUBLICAN PARTY OF SARASOTA COUNTY

Sarasota institution. The brainchild of Walter T. “Mack” McDonald, it was

CHAIRMAN BOB WAECHTER, PLEADING GUILTY

first a hamburger stand on the corner of Maine and Pine streets, then a

TO IMPERSONATING A POLITICAL RIVAL

full-service restaurant at Osprey Avenue and Main Street. During World War II, it even functioned as a drop-off and pick-up point for soldiers commuting between the Sarasota and Venice air bases.

44 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

HEAT INDEX

MY NEW HOMETOWN MYUNIONHOUSE.COM

FRANCIS AND NATHALIE DEWOLF ON SOUTH SARASOTA’S MANY CHARMS.

Merchant banker Francis deWolf, president of Colt Capital, and his wife, Nathalie, a management consultant and interior designer (“I’m both left- and right-brained,” she says in her lovely British accent) moved to Osprey with their two sons to escape cold, gray Washington, D.C., winters.

➤

In between his frequent business

SOUTHERN EXPOSURE

trips to China and her occasional

Nathalie: “We love to stroll down

consulting work for the Gulf Coast

Venice Avenue and see the little

Community Foundation, they’ve

shops and have tea at the Upper

transformed a 1970s-era ranch-style

Crust. When I look at how cute

home in Osprey into an elegant Old

and how small Venice is, it’s

Florida cottage and grounds and

incredible—festivals, art fairs.

jumped head-first with the boys, now

The Venice Symphony does a

17 and 12, into Sarasota Crew.

beautiful job and the Venice Theatre is lovely.”

WHY SARASOTA COUNTY? Francis: “We would come to Florida twice a year, mostly to the east coast. As we were

ROWING RULES Nathalie: “We discovered crew early on; our whole life is organized around

“SARASOTA IS A BEST-KEPT SECRET. AS PEOPLE VISIT US, THEY DISCOVER THERE IS LIFE BEYOND WASHINGTON, D.C.”—NATHALIE DEWOLF

considering moving around Easter of ’09, friends offered us to stay in their apartment here and we liked it.” Nathalie: “We said, ‘Why don’t we try a year in Florida?’ but after six months here, my oldest son said, ‘We’re never going back, are we?’”

rowing. If you’d told me four years ago I’d look forward to getting up at 4 a.m. to go to a regatta, I’d call you crazy. Rowing transforms lives, and we’re very fortunate to have this nationally recognized rowing team here.”

WE TAKE VISITORS TO Nathalie: “Historic Spanish Point; I love Old Florida and the walks are wonderful. Cá d’ Zan and the circus museum, of course. And my sons and husband ride the Legacy Trail. Not me; I’m horribly lazy.”—BY ILENE DENTON SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

HEAT INDEX

HOME OF THE MONTH A WATERFRONT BEAUTY IN HISTORIC CORTEZ.

Read Bob Plunket’s

“REAL ESTATE JUNKIE” blog at sarasotamagazine.com.

is famous for its Old Florida atmosphere, with modest cottages dating back to the turn of the century. But it holds a few surprises. This large gated home is like nothing else in town—4,100 square feet set on more than two acres of prime waterfront. The amazing thing is how well it blends in with its historic neighbors. Designed by prominent local architect Jack West in 1999 for a European family that fell in love with the unique village atmosphere, the home is built in a contemporary style, with soaring ceilings and an abundance of windows to bring in the views of Sarasota Bay and the fishing fleets that still ply their trade. The luxury is unpretentious but definitely there. Custom woodwork and built-ins add character and THE QUAINT FISHING VILLAGE OF CORTEZ

›› Interested? 4515 125TH ST., CORTEZ | $3,949,000 CONTACT TERRY HAYES, (941) 302-3100, PREMIER SOTHEBY’S 46 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

detail, and a stone fireplace in the living room soars two stories up to the ceiling. The bathrooms in the house all even have heated floors. The home occupies what is probably the most prominent location in town, set right on the water with more than 300 feet of bayfront. A long deepwater dock provides mooring for watercraft, plus a boat lift, and a “garage” for jet skis and such. There is also a pool and a guest house on the property. Like the classic seafarers’ homes of old, there’s even a widow’s walk, located up a spiral staircase, with spectacular sunset views across the bay over to the palm trees and beaches of Anna Maria Island. Just walk—or bike—across the bridge and you’re there. Adjacent to the house but on a separate part of the property is Charlie’s Fish Camp, a collection of four “coastal chic” cottages that comprise a mini bungalow colony. These can be rented out or used for visiting friends and family. The fish camp can be purchased with the home— or not. The home epitomizes the Cortez vibe— simple, honest, a tribute to Florida’s past. Your neighbors will be descendants of the old fishing families that have been there since the 1880s, plus artists and other bohemian types, and the residents of what is undoubtedly the most appealing and atmospheric old trailer park in Florida. The local seafood restaurants, many with live entertainment, are famous. There’s no other place quite like it—historic charm, fiercely protected by those who call it home.—BOB PLUNKET

Rob Stettler

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SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

HEAT INDEX

MY WORLD BARTENDER SKEETER WILLIAMS ON SERVING DRINKS—AND

MYUNIONHOUSE.COM

TOUCHING LIVES—AT THE CASEY KEY FISH HOUSE TIKI BAR.

› “We are such a close-knit group, it’s almost like Cheers. When something happens to someone, we jump in and do something to try to take the sadness away. I do celebrations of life when a customer passes away. I make beautiful little flotation devices with candles, and send them off into the waterway.” 48 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

››

tiki bar at the Casey Key Fish House, and to many, she has become as iconic as the rum runners they raise to toast the sunset. In fact, the tiki bar is now known as Skeeterville, and Skeeter was made honorary mayor complete with plaque in 2009. “It was so emotional I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry,” she says.

››

› FOR 14 YEARS, Skeeter Williams has been serving patrons at the outdoor

Passion

Rules

Signature

“I just love the business. It’s a profession, not just a place to work and to make tips.”

“If a person gets obnoxious or drunk, I have no problem whatsoever telling them that’s enough, and that could even be a friend of mine.”

“From Siesta Key to Key West, they’re trying to make rum runners like I do, but I’ve got them all beat.”

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› “One [customer] was from London— he was a big businessman. He said, ‘In London I have to dress to the nines every day and I can’t go anywhere without being recognized.’ Here he could wear shorts and flip-flops, ride his bike and just be casual. He loved it so much he bought a place on Casey Key.”

My mission behind the bar is to touch people’s lives, and have mine touched in the process. › “I’m well known for my rum runners. I like to make tropical drinks because when people come to Florida, they want something different, whether it’s a piña colada or a mango daiquiri. And I’m very careful with my drinks. I want them to be pretty and perfectly made.” › “The most important thing is how you

interact with the clientele. I try to let them know all the different places to go in Sarasota so they will have a great experience, rather than just going to all the tourist locations. There are so many places people would never find out about if you didn’t tell them.”

› “My mission behind the bar is to touch people’s lives, and have mine touched in the process. When you move to Florida, you’re basically without a family, and so your customers become your family. I have met the most wonderful people, and I probably have more friends than most people could dream of having in a lifetime.” —TAYLOR MEREDITH

available at

www.Lboutiques.com | 941.906.1350 | 556 Pineapple Avenue, Downtown Sarasota SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014 51

HEAT INDEX

SURVEY COOPER LEVEY-BAKER ASKS, “WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FOOD FIX?”

Adrien Lucas ATOMIC HOLIDAY BAZAAR FOUNDER

“The chicken flautas at Guerrero’s Bakery & Restaurant, and also those tortilla chips. I used to make mine, but theirs are to die for.”

Lourdes Ramirez

SARASOTA COUNTY COUNCIL OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS PRESIDENT AND SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSION CANDIDATE

“The Roma sandwich made by A Taste of Germany on Siesta Key. Fresh mozzarella, sun-dried tomato pesto, onion, tomato, lettuce and cucumber with turkey on a freshly made carrot roll. I arrange ‘meetings’ there just to have an excuse to order the sandwich.”

Chris Davis

BALTIMORE ORIOLES FIRST BASEMAN AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ALL-STAR

“My wife, Jill, makes great homemade sweet potato pancakes. The first few times she made them last year, I hit a home run that night, so they became a good luck charm for me.”

52 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Jose Carlos Zavarse Pinto RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN STUDENT AND BUFFALO WIZARDS BASSIST

“The green smoothie at Big E’s: It’s a $2.50 medium-size cup and it has strawberries, pineapple juice, hemp seeds and spinach. It’s tropical, but substantial; by the time you’re done with it, it feels like you had a whole meal.”

Rob Alfieri

SUP [STAND-UP PADDLEBOARD] SARASOTA FOUNDER

“I have a huge chocolate chip cookie and coffee every day at around 3 p.m., sometimes from the Startup Cafe here at the HuB. The sugar and caffeine rush get me through the rest of the afternoon and spur me to either the gym or out on the water for a paddle.”

Karen Rushing

SARASOTA COUNTY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT AND COMPTROLLER

“I’m of Italian heritage, and I like good pasta that’s cooked properly. Not overdone—al dente. And I start my day with espresso. I actually have four espresso machines. I like good coffee.”

Victoria Hulland

SARASOTA BALLET DANCER

“Almonds. Lots of almonds. And I love Selva Grill’s mirin-roasted sea bass. A lot of the dancers like to go there, and the sea bass is just a treat, because I’m not a very good cook.”

Denise Kowal SARASOTA CHALK FESTIVAL FOUNDER

“Super foods in the morning: 16 ounces of water with four tablespoons of cold-pressed organic aloe leaf juice, two tablespoons of liquid chlorophyll, mint and three teaspoons of spirulina. [Plus] a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal and quinoa with sunflower, almonds, pecans, Medjool dates, raisins with coconut milk and maple syrup.”

Emily Stroud HAYDEN REIS FOUNDER AND WINE, WOMEN & SHOES CO-CHAIR

“I start my day off with a flat white from Perq, either hot or iced. It’s two shots of espresso with perfectly steamed milk.”

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HEAT INDEX

BY THE NUMBERS The Sarasota-Manatee Originalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 2014 Forks & Corks food and wine festival spanned four days and included the popular Grand Tasting in the courtyard of the Ringling Museum of Art.

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50 + Local restaurants participated

1,700 Website visitors on the day tickets became available. (From six countries, 32 states and 80 cities)

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8 minutes Time it took the Grand Tasting to sell out

2,000 Total attendees to the Grand Tasting

8,048 miles Longest distance traveled by a participating vintner (from New Zealand)

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Carlos F. Caballero MD FACP 1801 Arlington St., Suite 2 Sarasota, FL 34239 (941) 917-8365 Voted Top Doctor by Castle Connolly 2005-2013

56 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

44,000 + Samples of food served

$250,000 Given to charity over the festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seven years

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

HEAT INDEX

LIMELIGHT PEOPLE AND PARTIES. PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA BAXTER

HOT DOGS AND COOL CATS Comedian Elayne Boosler was the cat’s meow when she headlined the Humane Society of Sarasota County’s Hot Dogs and Cool Cats party in front of a young and elegantly attired crowd at the Sarasota Yacht Club. A longtime animal activist, Boosler runs her own Tails of Joy charity to raise money for the country’s neediest animal rescue organizations. The real star of the evening, though, was Noel, a fetching 9-month-old catahoula puppy who fetched a handsome price for some lucky winner of the live auction.

1 Dave Johnson and Skipper II 2 Diana Wilkinson with Lolli 3 Robin and Larry Starr, Mark 5 Christian Hershman, Leigh and Jason Hughes 6 Molly Crawford, Chris Voelker

Burnett, Richard Perrone 4 Kari Bunker, Ricky Perrone

SEE MORE PICTURES AND SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE WEEKLY LIMELIGHT E-NEWSLETTER FEATURING THE LATEST PARTIES AT SARASOTAMAGAZINE.COM. SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

HEAT INDEX DESIGNING WOMEN BOUTIQUE GALA The ladies at Designing Women Boutique donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t only understand fashion; they also know how to put on a terrific show. For their annual gala, they staged an entertainment extravaganza at the FSU Center that featured Asolo Rep performers, youth groups, the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe and more. For the grand finale, models in period-feeling party dresses took their places on stage. After a brief auction by USFSM prez Arthur Guilford, everybody trooped over to Treviso for a fabulous meal.

1 2

1 Tom Stanley, Cheryl Burke, Margie Kruger 2 Maryann Smith, Heather Clark, Scott 3 Maria Wirries 4 Sally Yanowitz, Sara Sardelli 5 Jerry and Kathy Jordan

Atkins

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HEAT INDEX BRADENTON BLUES FESTIVAL The second annual Bradenton blues fest along downtown’s Riverwalk was just as much a hit as the first, with crowds assembling all day long under beautiful skies to hear such performers as Trampled Underfoot, Eddie Shaw & the Wolfgang, and Grammy-nominated headliner Shemekia Copeland. Can’t wait until next year’s.

11 Conrad Sewer 2 Missy Callaghan 3 Trampled Underfoot 4 Emilia Dasouqui, Sarah Christie 5 Darryl and Judy Scott 6 Mary Grandpre, Julia Casmer

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The Best Orthopedic Care More Agile As an established regional referral center for Orthopedics, Sarasota Memorial and its experienced surgeons specialize in the most advanced joint repair and replacement procedures. Now the best Orthopedic care is located on the top floor of our new Courtyard Tower. Private rooms are spacious, healing and high-tech. A new physical therapy gym promotes post-surgery recovery and patients have our highly trained care team as their partners every step of the way. The best orthopedic care is now more agile than ever â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and so are our patients.

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HEAT INDEX

DEBUTANTE BALL Sarasotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Municipal Auditorium was packed with the families and friends of 19 brand-new debs at this annual ball, a fund raiser for the Sarasota Orchestra that has over the years raised $800,000 for the organization. Proud fathers waltzed with their daughters to the sounds of Edelweiss, post-debs gathered to relive fond memories, and everyone celebrated the accomplishments of these young women. 1

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HEAT INDEX

JEWISH FAMILY & CHILDREN’S SERVICES GALA Marie Monsky; Deborah Fleisher, Luisa Bustamante, Harry Leopold

USF HOSPITABULL DINNER Stephanie Paxton, Jason Dillon, Juleah Sinkler, Sharon Hso, Jamie Guy; Judy Genshaft, Arthur and Lynn Guilford; Kelly Allen

SEE MORE PICTURES AND SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE WEEKLY LIMELIGHT E-NEWSLETTER FEATURING THE LATEST PARTIES AT SARASOTAMAGAZINE.COM. 66 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

SONATA A DUE Derek Han, Ann HobsonPilot and Prentice Pilot; Ruth and Michael Lando; Jacquelyn Sams, Bill Somach

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HEAT INDEX

PARTY GIRL VERONICA PASTORE SPENDS A TASTY EVENING WITH USF STUDENTS AT THE HOSPITABULL DINNER. Clockwise from top left: hospitality students Lauren Walker and Jonathan Nieto; me with Dr. Cihan Cobanoglu; students put up their “bulls”; brie with raspberries served in edible spoons.

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If you answered “food,” you’re probably on the right track. On a Tuesday night in December, 64 students from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee’s hospitality management program earned a key to my heart with their annual Hospitabull Evening, an elegant dinner they planned, organized, cooked and served with proceeds benefiting education programs. Naturally, the night began with passed hors d’oeuvres in the courtyard at Michael’s On East, where guests like Renee Hamad, Phil King and Dr. Judy Genshaft, president of the WHAT MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY?

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entire University of South Florida system, mingled and nibbled. Lauren Walker and Jonathan Nieto, both trim, good-looking USFSM juniors, offered mini spring rolls and smiles and told me more about the program. While not attending a culinary school per se, the students are encouraged to learn every aspect of the industry, from basic cooking and service skills to leadership, finances and ethics. When I asked Lauren what she enjoyed most about the field, though, she said it was “the atmosphere, that everybody is having a good time.” She and her fellow students made sure we all started the night off right with more small bites, including scallop ceviche, pulled-pork baguettes, gazpacho shooters and baked brie with raspberry on phyllo crisps shaped like little spoons. Adorable and tasty. Dr. Cihan Cobanoglu, the jovial dean of the College of Hospitality and Technology, reiterated the experiential nature of their program. “It’s a perfect balance of theory and practice,” he said. “We believe good managers should know the back of the

When I asked Lauren what she enjoyed most about the field, she said it was “that everybody is having a good time.” house also, and our students here have a unique advantage because they live in the heart of the industry. I wanna see some burns on their arms when they graduate!” he joked, underscoring the importance of gaining experience in the field before looking for a job. Bob Kirscher, a guest at the event, understands the value of work in the field. He recently sold his three Broken Egg restaurants in Sarasota after more than 15 years at the helm. I met him while chatting with

# firstcourse

# pancakelove From top, my salad, pals Anne Weintraub and Bob Kirscher.

Anne Weintraub,

who gave him a big hug and gushed about his pancakes, even going so far as to share she used to skip class in high school to hang out at his restaurant. I could see a genuine warmth and affection there. Come to think of it, some of my favorite people around town are chefs, too. There must be something about that belly-being-the-way-to-the-heart concept. Which should definitely be great inspiration for the students as well, seeing the real world impact of these relationships. As we took our seats, I was pleased to see the students had taken pains to include offers for finicky eaters such as me, including gluten-free and vegetarian items. Ruth Lando, USFSM’s director of communications and marketing, remarked on the Taiwanese influence in the menu, too, which, she explained, probably came from the nine students attending USFSM as part of an international student certificate pro-

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PARTY GIRL gram with Kaohsiung University, which is one of the most prestigious culinary schools in Taiwan. After the obligatory addresses from everyone important, a line of students streamed from the kitchen to deliver our first course, a light salad with seasonal beets and dressing. The kids get an A+ on presentation. It was beautiful and delicious. The entrée was a choice of filet with a

The kids get an A+ on presentation. It was beautiful and delicious. berry-bourbon glaze or pad thai with tofu, and I’m happy to give another unsanctioned A+ on flavor and taste—everything was delicious! Next, of course, was an auction. But the program was short, with just three items, and auctioneer Michael Klauber kept it moving while the crowd did their part by freely placing bids, raising funds for even more experiential education for all these bright young culinary kids. One special package included a big dinner at USFSM’s new Culinary Innovation Lab in Lakewood Ranch, a fantastic facility the university lucked into when the original owner could no longer afford the upkeep. Anne was at my table, and I watched her try to hold husband Sal back as he wound up in a bidding war with two other guests. At that point, Klauber pulled one of his famous splits and offered a dinner to each party, if they all agreed to pay the highest bid. They did, and the room erupted with cheers and applause. Cobanoglu retook the stage for one more address, noting the amount of energy in the room before bringing out the source of it—all 64 students from the back of the house to the front of the house, and we roundly cheered them also. Dessert was served soon after, with an array of small bites in many tasty flavors, and I left not only full, but also satiated by a wonderful experience with the restaurateurs, hoteliers and maitre d’s of tomorrow. 72 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

SARASOTA SARASOTA

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HEAT INDEX

FASHION IQ GENIUS LOOKS & LOOT FROM OUR STYLE BLOGGER. BY HEATHER DUNHILL.

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smoldering red Gucci Nehru jacket with on-trend leather pants, glasses by Chrome Hearts and his signature accessory, a sophisticated crossbody bag; this one’s a Louis Vuitton in glacier Taiga leather.

Crafted of micro fiber, this stunningly pleated dress by Mashiah, in an elegant champagne hue, is a welcome update to our usual all-black event uniform. The designer, Stephan Zimmermann, will be in Sarasota for a trunk show Feb. 27-28, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

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A NEW FASHION IQ EACH WEEK AT SARASOTAMAGAZINE.COM 74 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

WE GIVE because this is our children’s hometown.

Ask Terri Vitale why she and her husband, Dr. Chris Sforzo, are committed to local nonprofits and she is quick to reply, “Because this is where we are raising our children.” She is especially passionate about the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s literacy work. Together, they believe that their immediate efforts have long-term benefits for the community their children will one day call their own.

Terri Vitale, Chris, Sydney and Ryan Sforzo

Whether you are looking to make an immediate impact or invest in our community for generations to come, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County is committed to helping donors maximize the benefits of giving – for themselves and their families, for the causes they love, forever. To learn more, call 941.955.3000. Let us show you how easy it is to give through a donor advised fund. 2635 Fruitville Road, Sarasota | www.CFSarasota.org

| international Soloists | Historic opera House | tickets start at $19 Verdi’s American Home

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reyna carguill Leonora

margaret mezzacappa Azucena

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Paid for in part by Sarasota County tourist Development tax revenues. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural affairs, and the Florida Council on arts and Culture.

MR. CHATTERBOX THIS MONTH ➤ Smurfs, dolls and $300 million

—the story of Huguette Clark.

he literature of retirement, I’ve discovered, is lousy. It advocates the same obvious messages: Take care of your health, keep busy, preferably by volunteering, and become a gregarious, social human being, reaching out to family, friends and connections. Since I’ve never done any of these things, I’m stymied. What am I supposed to do? Turn myself into a whole new person? Isn’t there a little room for eccentricities? That’s why I’ve become so obsessed with the life of Huguette Clark, the incredibly rich woman who spent the last 20 years of her life living in a hospital room even though she wasn’t the least bit sick. She passed the days by playing with dolls and watching her collection of Smurf cartoons. Of course, your mind goes immediately to “completely gaga,” but this wasn’t the case at all. She was sharp as a tack. She was in control of her financial affairs. And she was a genuinely nice person. She just wanted to live a certain way and had the money to make it happen. According to some stories, the hospital spent the entire 20 years scheming to get its hands on her money, making fun of her behind her back as a simple-minded old woman who played with dolls. Hardly. She wasn’t playing with dolls out of regression to childhood. She was an expert on the subject, the owner of the best doll collection in the world. She had all sorts, from antique European porcelain dolls to up-to-date Barbie dolls. Her favorites, though, were Japanese dolls, for whom she would design classical Japanese palaces and tea houses, complete and historically accurate down to the furniture and the dishes. After spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on one of these miniature settings, and waiting two years for it to be completed, she would look at photographs of it for an hour or so in a state of heavenly bliss, sigh happily, and then go on to the next project.

You have to be a very smart person to appreciate the Smurfs on an intellectual level.

Now I admit that the Smurfs did throw me off for a moment. Doll collecting I can understand; Smurf watching not so much. Then I found out she not only watched the shows over and over, she had transcripts made. That’s when I realized her true genius. You have to be a very smart person to appreciate the Smurfs on an intellectual level—how they fit into the tradition of dolls and folk characters, how Smurf episodes deal with plot and character development and moral dilemmas. It must be a fascinating intellectual obsession. (Of course, there’s always the possibility that she just really, really liked the Smurfs.) People seem to be perplexed about why she chose to live this way, but I understand it completely. Her father, William Clark, had been a famous robber baron from the early 1900s, who made

The young Huguette would later become fascinated with Smurfs.

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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a fortune in copper and built the largest private home in New York City. She grew up as a rich girl—private schools, trips to Europe, a brief marriage. But there was always something very reserved about her. Social life didn’t appeal to her, and while she enjoyed cultural pursuits—painting and music—she tended to stay home more and more, with her mother and a few close relatives for company. But the relatives died, and by her mid-80s, Huguette had become a recluse in an enormous Fifth Avenue apartment, malnourished and suffering from untreated skin cancer. She had outlived all her doctors. A friend finally became aware of the situation and put her in Beth Israel Hospital, where a strange thing happened. She came alive again. She had stumbled into her perfect living situation. Her luxurious homes—she owned five—meant nothing; she preferred the security and simplicity of a standardissue hospital room. It was her cocoon. She had plenty of money to pursue her hobbies and interests, and figured out a way to do it all from a hospital bed. Her relatives didn’t even know she was there, and that was just the way she wanted it. They were mostly distant cousins, and the family ties had pretty much vanished—for her, anyway, although I can imagine how interested they might have been in the health of their dear Cousin Huguette, with $300 million and no direct heirs. But she was never lonely. There was always somebody to talk to and take care of her, and that leads to perhaps her greatest achievement—she created what sociologist call a “fictive family.” That’s when a group of people who are not related bond together and offer each other support, both emotional and financial, the way a blood family would—or at least should. The core of the family was her nurse, Hadassah Peri, who, despite her name, was from the Philippines. Hadassah was assigned to Huguette completely by chance, but the two women clicked. Hadassah seems like a nice and devoted person. She worked a 12-hour shift

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80 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

without a day off for years. But still, you can’t help but wonder how she really felt, because, over the years Huguette gave her $31 million. Yes, that was the secret to Huguette’s fictive family: money. She showered them with cash and presents. Houses and apartments and automobiles were bought for them, tuition was paid for their children’s schools, enormous checks were written as Christmas presents. Hadassah got several checks for $5 million each. Huguette’s assistant, a guy named Chris who kept her doll collection organized, also got several million. Other beneficiaries included her lawyer, her accountant, and a goddaughter she hadn’t seen in years but who wisely kept in touch via poems and letters. Was Huguette being exploited or was she getting good value for her money? This leads to the question of who should get a rich person’s money—the blood family with whom she had no contact and didn’t particularly like? Or the fictive family who made her final years so happy? Huguette finally died in 2011 at the age of 104, and because of two conflicting wills she had drawn up—one favored the blood family, the other the fictive family—the courts had to decide. Just before the case went to trial a settlement was reached, in which everybody got something. The cousins, 30 of them, each got about a million. Hadassah, who perhaps was a little greedy, had to give $5 million back, which she did cheerfully enough, and why not, since she was still the richest nurse in the world. Most of the money went to establish a foundation for the arts. The big loser was the hospital, I’m glad to report. Their years of scheming netted them a paltry million dollars, not the $125 million they were hoping for. For all her generosity, Huguette knew how to say no. Whenever the top brass came down to visit her in her room, after exchanging pleasantries they would steer the conversation around to how much money she was leaving them. Huguette would say she’d think about it. Then she’d put on the Smurfs. That cleared the room pretty quick.

SPONSORED REPORT

DON DALY PHOTOS

SPONSORED REPORT

Part of our ongoing partnerships with arts and cultural groups, Patron is a special section that informs you about opportunities to connect with and support Sarasota arts organizations. This month’s focus is on the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe; you’ll read about other arts organizations in months to come.

THE BLACK Theater EXPERIENCE Business savvy, community support and uncompromising artistry set the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe apart.

The first thing you feel, seated in the dark facing a three-sided stage of open floor, is an intense connection to your fellow audience members. Then the stage lights come up, the music starts, and the story begins. You’re so close to the actors that you can feel their footsteps, make eye contact, share a smile. There’s no proscenium to separate the performers from the audience. Their celebration is your celebration; their joy is your joy. Everyone feeds off each other’s presence— clapping, laughing, crying, singing, all of you together sharing a remarkable moment. 82 SARASOTA MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

BY DON DALY

SPONSORED REPORT

Clockwise from above: WBTT productions ’50s Jukebox Revue, Five Guys Named Moe, Songbirds of the ’70s; and Teresa

BY DON DALY

Stanley in Broadway’s Rock of Ages

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

SPONSORED REPORT

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) performance is not about watching; it’s about connecting and experiencing. It brings both intimacy and diversity. It’s profound; it’s human. It’s fun. And that’s just the beginning. Founded in 1999, the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe has established itself as a major player in Sarasota’s arts scene, achieving local support and national accolades, as well as financial stability. Across the country, black theaters are closing. This one is thriving.

have gained national fans on TV shows like America’s Got Talent and on Broadway, where WBTT’s Teresa Stanley is a featured performer in Rock of Ages. This is a testament to the rich pool of talent Sarasota offers. And Jacobs’ inspired mentorship and direction allow that talent to shine. “They have gifts from God,” Jacobs says of his performers and technicians. “And they are sharing.” Secondly, in Christine Jennings, WBTT gained a CEO with razor-sharp business savvy who, supported by an equally dedicated and knowledgeable

debt. A capital campaign, now under way, is set to address improvements in the structure. Ticket sales—consistent sell-outs— cover nearly half of the ongoing operating expenses; the other half is funded through community support, which continues to grow as the troupe makes known its permanence. WBTT sits secure in the present, allowing it to plan for future success. And then there’s the special bond WBTT shares with the community. Performances sell out. Contributions

JUST AS YOU IN THE AUDIENCE FEEL YOURSELF AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PERFORMANCE, THE COMMUNITY IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE TROUPE. The reasons for its success are threefold. In founder Nate Jacobs, WBTT has its “Renaissance man” artistic director whose passion and creative standards have led to recognition throughout the U.S. Of 39 mainstage groups at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe was named “Best of the Best.” WBTT performers

board, has put in place strong business practices ensuring lasting financial stability. The troupe’s acquisition of a permanent theater home last year represents one of the most significant triumphs in its history. And while the building is not yet paid in full, Jennings is quick to point out that it represents WBTT’s only outstanding

fuel enduring success. Just as you in the audience feel yourself an essential part of the performance, the community is an essential part of the troupe, and its financial support signifies the emotional connection. We’re all in this together. As National Black Theatre Festival Executive Director Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin told Jacobs, “You’ve got solid support. It’s amazing.”

DON DALY

Patrons

Lois and Bernard Watson 84 SARASOTA MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

LIKE MANY SARASOTANS, Dr. Bernard and Lois Watson came here from a big city—Philadelphia—where they were used to a wealth of cultural opportunities. So it was a pleasant surprise, they say, when upon first becoming snowbirds in 1994 they discovered so much going on in the arts here. They became attached to Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in its early, often struggling days. “I was surprised at the talent, and I loved seeing how committed the young people onstage were,” says Lois. She joined the board first; then Bernard, who had served as chairman of the Barnes Foundation for 13 years and was involved with the William Penn Foundation for 15, lent his expertise to WBTT. Now he’s co-chair of the troupe’s capital campaign. “This is special for us,” says Bernard. Lois adds, “Now that we have our own building, just wait and see what happens in the future.”

Jacobs responded, “We’re fortunate. But we’re dedicated artists who strive to give our best in every performance, and our community recognizes that.” It might seem unlikely that one of the most successful black theater groups in the nation grew from a predominantly white area. But of all places, Sarasota understands art. Theater isn’t black and white. Theater is human. When Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe reaches out to Sarasota, the community reaches back. People here recognize that, even in a town of theaters, the WBTT offers a unique gift, a chance to come together.

Nate Jacobs in Fabulous Five, left; Horace Smith and Ariel Blue in It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues.

“All cultures are important to be celebrated,” says Jacobs. “Human beings are very similar when it comes to dreaming.” The personal connection the troupe shares with its audience continues even after the show, as the performers wait in the lobby to see everyone off. Every show, they’re there, shaking hands, exchanging hugs, sharing stories. It’s a tradition Jacobs began early on. It embodies the spirit of the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. Their theater is your theater. Their community is your community.

DR. RANDALL MORGAN’S BOND WITH WBTT stems naturally from his lifelong passion for music; he grew up playing the clarinet and sax and performing in choirs and bands. When he and wife Karen settled in Sarasota after having a second home here for years, Morgan spoke at a luncheon where WBTT performers provided entertainment, and gradually got to know the troupe members. (A huge fan of Marvin Gaye, he was especially impressed by the WBTT tribute to the Motown singer.) Over the last few years Morgan, an orthopedic surgeon, has provided free medical consultations and treatments for WBTT members. Now Morgan, a recent addition to the board, and his current band, Soul Sensations, will team up with WBTT singers Feb. 23 and 24 for a fund raiser. “WBTT is just a unique theater experience,” he says. “People in Florida are beginning to travel here to experience exciting AfricanAmerican theater because it doesn’t exist in their communities.”

As Jacobs explains, the sentiment of the performers is, “Thank you for being a part of the family.” As the crowd files past the cast and musicians, exchanging hugs and handshakes, a 50-something man dabs at his eyes. “If they can make you cry, it’s a good thing,” he says to his wife, smiling. “A very good thing.” A woman spots her favorite performer, a fit young African-American man with close-cropped hair and a big smile. She grasps his hand and beams, “Do you know how many people you’re making happy?”

DON DALY

ALL PHOTOS DON DALY

SPONSORED REPORT

Karen and Randall Morgan Jr. SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

SPONSORED REPORT

THE STAGE OF DISCOVERY

The seeds for future WBTT educational programs were sown by Jay Dodge and Nate Jacobs.

“

ay is a product of the vision of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe,” says WBTT Founder and Artistic director Nate Jacobs of production manager/music director/“everything man,” James “Jay” Dodge. The 30-year history the two men share serves as a testament to WBTT’s

transformative, collaborative and educational potential. In the ’80s and ’90s, during Jacobs’ pre-WBTT productions, a teenage Dodge would materialize, unbidden, to work. “He just started helping,” says Jacobs. “I looked and he was rolling cables.” Dodge eventually earned his degree in musical performance and joined the

burgeoning Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe as a sometime local musician. But it was an out-of-town WBTT performance-gone-awry that shone light on his true potential. On the eve of opening night, a group of musicians hired by the venue didn’t know the music. Someone called Dodge, who sat at his desk job 150 miles away. His

DON DALY

Patrons

Brock and Julie Leach 86 SARASOTA MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

FOUR YEARS AGO, new WBTT CEO Christine Jennings asked her good friends, Julie and Brock Leach, if one of them would join the WBTT board. When Julie, a CPA who had worked as an auditor for a national accounting firm, learned it was Nate Jacobs’ troupe, she exclaimed, “Oh, Nate! His daughter went to Saint Stephen’s with my kids!” Immediately, “It just felt right,” she says. Now entering her third year as board president, Julie says the WBTT audience has a special connection with “our amazingly talented” performers. “We are so attached to them,” she says. “We get to see them grow and develop. We are fortunate to have a dedicated board who are committed to ensuring that WBTT’s mission continues and succeeds.”

SPONSORED REPORT

response? “I’m on my way.” Dodge arrived three hours later and “took over,” says Jacobs. “He identified himself as the musical director. That was the first I’d heard of it, but he earned that position.” For Dodge, who had doubted his own managerial abilities, it was transformative. “After that experience, Nate saw me in a different light,” he says. And then he adds, “I saw myself in a different light.” Now, Dodge thrives in all manner of tasks, and he welcomes new responsibilities. “If I need to get up on a ladder to move a light, I’m on that ladder,” he says. Jacobs sees the same transformation in Dodge that he sees in himself—and he recognizes the difference Westcoast Black Theater Troupe can make. Since the board of trustees secured the troupe’s permanent home, Jacobs has been able to start planning the WBTT’s educational programs, so that young students can discover their potential the same way he and Dodge have.

JOIN THE WBTT FAMILY Your tax-deductible gift helps WBTT fulfill their unique mission, keep tickets affordable, provide funds to mentor new local talent, and develop high-quality productions. In addition, your support allows WBTT to offer theater experiences to an underserved population. Your ticket pays for the first act of the show; contributions fund the second act. Additionally, their capital campaign, currently under way, will provide for improvements to their permanent theater home. In return, depending upon your level of support, you receive such benefits as complimentary ticket exchange, invitations to annual parties, listing in program book and theater lobby, and reserved seating ($2,500-plus).

Go to wbttsrq.org to make your tax-deductible contribution today. For more information, contact Christine Jennings, CEO, at (941) 366-1505 or cjennings@wbttsrq.org.

AFTER A CAREER “BUILDING AND RESCUING THEATERS,” including two successful stints at Asolo Rep, Howard Millman was retired. Definitively retired. But then Nate Jacobs asked him in 2007 to join WBTT’s board. “I believed in Nate and what he was trying to do,” says Howard. “And I knew I could bring the experience they didn’t have.” So he agreed. But the troupe was faltering financially, and Nate, struggling to run both the artistic and business sides, soon considered shutting down. “If you close, you will never open again,” Howard warned. “You need a CEO to free you to do what you do best.” He helped recruit Christine Jennings, launching a three-way collaboration, with Howard serving as board chair for two years and as an ongoing “mentor to the theater,” especially on the artistic side. “It’s been a thrill,” he says. “We fill every house, we have a new home and we’re the talk of the town.”

SEASON PRESENTERS $25,000 AND ABOVE STAR PRESENTERS $10,000 TO $24,999 DIRECTORS $5,000 TO $9,999 PRODUCERS $5,000 CURTAIN RAISERS $2,500 TO $4,999 CO-PRODUCERS $2,500 SPOT LIGHTERS $1,000 TO $2,499 SUPPORTERS $500 TO $999 FRIENDS $35-$499

GARY SWEETMAN

“I SAW MYSELF IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.”

Howard Millman & Carolyn Michel SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Sharing knowledge. Supporting the arts. It’s part of our culture. At BB&T, we’ve been sharing financial knowledge with our clients and

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90 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

10 BEST

Gluten-Free Goodies You won’t miss the wheat in these winning dishes. BY SU BYRON

Erin Zolner and Amy Nichols, owners of The Lollicake Queen, eschew the term “gluten-free” and say “no-gluten” instead. And Nichols notes, “We’re not a gluten-free bakery.” Ah, but don’t think they don’t offer a stellar selection of sweet, scrumptious, zero-gluten treats. Start with “chocolate decadence,” a rich, flourless mini-cake drenched in dark chocolate ganache. Then bite into their “Satisfaction Bar,” their house-made version of a sans-gluten Snickers bar. 1821 Hillview St., Sarasota, (941) 955-8101.

At Veg — A Vegetarian & Seafood Eatery, brown lentil rice, sweet potatoes and gluten-free bread and crackers can be turned into sidekicks for any entrée. Owner Maggie Glucklich’s favorite gluten-free entrée is the “Portabella Volcano.” Envision a marinated portabella with garlicky mashed potatoes on a bed of sautéed spinach and quinoa with seasonal veggies. 2164 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota, (941) 312-6424.

three sisters who own the bakery, offer a bewitching batch of daily-baked breads, muffins, scones, cookies, cakes, pies—and pizza crusts. Many treats are also dairy-free and vegan. 1880 Stickney Point Road, Sarasota, (941) 923-0200.

At Ionie Raw Food Café, the gluten-free lasagna would make your Italian nonna smile. They whip it up with healthy layers of zucchini, pasta, marinara, macadamia nut cheese, spinach and basil pesto. For more smiles, try the pizzas with crust created from sprouted buckwheat, carrot and flax and topped with nut cheese, special “sausage” and whatever greens and herbs your heart desires. 1241 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, (941) 955-4599.

There’s nothing you love more than a nice, tall stack of pancakes—and nothing you love less than gluten. Fortunately, The Table Creekside’s creative chefs have come to the rescue. Their quinoa pancakes with guava butter and banana You don’t have to take the gluten out if they never put it in. compote greet your senses with all the happy smells and flavors of childhood. Thanks to a gluten-free, edible seed called quinoa, a Denise May, co-owner of Chutneys, Etc., explains, “Indian cuisine is traditionally gluten-free.” As for Chutney’s Middelicious, nutritious, protein-rich superfood, folks on a glutendle Eastern and Greek specialties, she’s always seeking creative alfree regime can have their pancakes and eat them, too. Served ternatives. Case in point: Chutney’s reinvention of the classic Greek only during Sunday brunch through May. 5365 S. Tamiami Trail, pastitsio, a pasta and meat casserole. May’s version uses gluten-free Sarasota, (941) 921-9465. rice pasta. Nice! 1944 Hillview St., Sarasota, (941) 954-4444. Taste of Asia includes abundant gluten-free tastes of Asia. (Just look for that “GF” and you’re good to go.) Our per“Yes, we have no gluten” is the unofficial motto at Island Gluten-Free Bakery. No wheat, barley, rye, bulgur, durum, sonal faves? Try any of the Thai coconut curry dishes (the kamut, semolina, spelt, triticale or any other grains, flours “Amazing,” is amazing with homemade peanut sauce), jasmine rice or ingredients banned by the Gluten Intolerance Group and/or creations or Vietnamese-style noodle soups concocted from rice Celiac Sprue Association. Instead, Karen, Vickie and Kim, the noodles. Gluten won’t be a problem in any of these dishes. Happen

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

10 BEST to be vegan, too? The menu has an entire section just for you. 4413 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, (941) 923-2742.

Gluten-free pizza: the final frontier. It’s one thing to make it, another to make it delicious. At Cosimo’s the crust is so tasty, it’s hard to believe it’s made from gluten-free yeast, millet, sorghum and tapioca flours. Cosimo’s gluten-free menu boasts a galaxy of pasta dishes (including sun-dried tomato with vodka cream sauce), low-carb choices (the Tuscany Skillet is a sensory delight of oven-roasted vegetables, artichokes, onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto and Fontina cheese) and desserts. 5501 Palmer Crossing Circle, Sarasota, (941) 922-7999.

Jamie Barrett of Simply Gourmet Catering can’t eat gluten—or carbs, period. “So I adapt,” she says, adding that hubby Larry has cooked up cunning strategies to cater to her dietary needs. They also cater to gluten-free guests at parties and events. A favorite is Larry’s pandabono, a Columbian bread concocted from corn meal, yucca flour, eggs and queso fresco. “These little rolls are the perfect base for scallion cream, smoked salmon—even pork sliders!” she says. 4783 Swift Road, Sarasota, (941) 929-0066.

10.

When Sarasota resident Beverly Scott discovered she had celiac disease, she started creating tasty, gluten-free Italian foods—and passing her inventions on to others. Her flatbreads, pizzas and lasagnas are all made with organic, gluten-free, whole grain flours and gourmet cheeses. For a taste of her “Beverly” flatbreads, check out Casa Italia. These taste-tempters are made with rice, millet, tapioca and arrowroot flours, par-baked and just begging for your own tasty toppings. They also carry Beverly’s rice-based lasagna. 2080 Constitution Blvd., Sarasota, (941) 924-1179. Our 10 Best lists are not numbered in order of preference.

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GLORIES OF THE GULF Your ultimate guide to the best of local seafood.

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

FAVORITE FISH HOUSES Our restaurant critic spotlights nine fine spots for fresh Gulf seafood. BY JOHN BANCROFT

Everybody has his or her favorite Florida fish. Mine are hog snapper (and its snapper cousins), pompano, mahi mahi, triple tail, grouper and mullet when it is fried up fresh and crisp or smoked. When it comes to shellfish, Florida stone crab claws can’t be beat, scallops are heavenly when unmolested by an overzealous chef, Key West pink shrimp are sweet and fine, and those petite Florida spiny lobsters are underrated. Fortunately for those who live in or visit Sarasota, there are many options for satisfying piscatorial lust. From the many restaurants that do a fine job with fish we have culled nine standouts that consistently offer superior, sustainable seafood with an emphasis on fresh Gulf catches.

Dockside dining at Dockside at Star starfish Company. Fish Company in Cortez.

You could easily dismiss Walt’s Fish Market & Restaurant on the South Trail, which has been a fixture in Sarasota at one location or another since the middle of the last century, as just another place to catch a bite on your way to somewhere else. That would be a mistake. The fish here is as fresh as can be, most of it locally caught and all served without fuss in a casual atmosphere indoors or out. You’re welcome to cruise the ice-chilled retail cases to see what looks best to you before ordering. On a recent visit I admired grouper cheeks, mahi mahi, frog legs (local), amberjack and other delights before being seduced by the hog snapper, the most expensive fish on offer that day and darn well worth it. Hog fish is one of the most succulent catches from local waters. Order it broiled, squeeze a little lemon over it and ignore the tartar sauce. Why trifle with perfection? WALT’S FISH MARKET & RESTAURANT, 4144 S. TAMIAMI TRAIL, SARASOTA, (941) 921-4605

CHAD SPENCER

One of the best naked grilled mahi filets I’ve tasted anywhere was served in a paperboard box at a picnic table on a floating dock at Star Fish Company in Cortez, a working commercial fishing village at the north end of Sarasota Bay. The place isn’t fancy by any stretch of the imagination. You’ll need to bring your patience for standing in line to order at a window, and do remember to hit the ATM machine en route because they accept only cash. 94 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

CHAD SPENCER

The fun, fishy tiki bar at Walt’s. SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

EVERETT DENNISON

chef ’s menu is pitch-perfect, from the wild mushroom bisque to the Americanharvested shrimp on a bed of amazing collards, okra and polenta, but I always wait eagerly to hear the day’s special preps, of which there are always at least two. The chef ’s inspired cookery is served in an utterly charming and romantic candle-lit setting, whether you sit indoors, outdoors on deck or patio or in the cozy cottage that houses the wine bar. Not surprisingly, making reservations is a must. INDIGENOUS, 239 S. LINKS AVE., SARASOTA, (941) 706-4740

At Indigenous, chef Steve Phelps works magic with seafood dishes.

The Florida seafood served here is as fresh as it ought to be in a place right on the docks where lots and lots of local fish are offloaded daily. A couple of good hush puppies, excellent chunky cole slaw and fresh hot fries or cheese grits share the box that arrives at your table in its own good time. Relax. Enjoy the water views. The wait will be worth it. STAR FISH COMPANY, 12306 46TH AVE. W., CORTEZ, (941) 794-1243 96 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Chef Steve Phelps, owner of Indigenous in the Towles Court Arts District downtown, has always been more than good with fish, and now he’s even better. I’ll go out on a limb here and call him a genius when it comes to creating sauces that turn an already perfectly lovely piece of fish into something approaching nirvana. And he cares about fish as fish, the right fish, wild-caught local fish and fish from sustainable fisheries. Everything on the

People-watching from the sidewalk tables at Crab and Fin on St. Armands Circle is world-class, but a long and diverse menu that changes daily with the market and an impressive raw bar also are causes for celebration. The restaurant, which recently underwent renovation to open up and brighten its dining rooms, offers a fine selection of gorgeous coldwater oysters every day, a long list of fresh catches sourced both from local waters and flown in, and chef ’s specials that run the gamut from crab to steak. One of my favorite starters, dating back to the days when this space housed Charley’s Crab, is Charley’s Chowder, a dark and fragrant Mediterranean-style melange of fresh fish in a chunky tomatobased broth. If you’re a caviar fan, choose from our own locally farmed Mote Marine Siberian sturgeon eggs, California white sturgeon roe or Israeli Galilee Osetra. CRAB AND FIN, 420 ST. ARMANDS CIRCLE, SARASOTA, (941) 388-3964

A dining room with a lovely water view is Pattigeorge’s, a white tablecloth restaurant overlooking Sarasota Bay from Longboat Key. The flavors and fare are

CHAD SPENCER

JOE’S STONE CRAB MUSTARD SAUCE Mustard sauce is the classic accompaniment to cold stone crabs. Here’s a recipe from Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami. 1 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons half-and-half 4 teaspoon dry mustard 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon A-1 steak sauce Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste Whisk mayonnaise, half-andhalf, mustard, Worcestershire and A-1 sauce in a bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and chill.

STONE CRAB SAMPLER Essential intelligence about the king of Florida seafood.

WHITE GOLD A pound of large stone crab claws is about $30 this season— but how much is the actual meat? We dissected a claw in the service of science and discovered you’re actually paying $4.50 an ounce—or $72 a pound for the meat. Expensive, yes, but it’s still a lot less than you’d pay for some other luxuries, like Beluga

caviar ($17 an ounce), gold ($1,230 an ounce) or even Dom Perignon ($5.76 an ounce). So crack open another claw and enjoy. SUSTAINABLE CATCH Fishermen can only take one claw, leaving the crab to defend itself with the other, and egg-bearing females can’t be declawed.

Still, about 28 percent of crabs that lose a claw will perish. SHELF LIFE Claws are cooked immediately after harvesting and should be eaten within three to four days. OCT. 15-MAY 15 is Florida stone crab season.

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

CHAD SPENCER

decidedly global with pronounced Asian influences. Fish and shellfish figure prominently. Fresh selections change often with the seasons and what comes in on the day boat. There is a full bar and a good wine list. Almost always available are a small plate of tuna tartar wonton tacos, which cradle minced ahi with wasabi “caviar” and sakimole, a variant on guacamole made with sake, and a main dish of Thai green curry grouper, which plates the local favorite with wok-tossed veggies scented with Kaffir lime and lemongrass. Worth sampling is paella a la Valencia, which combines snapper, shrimp, chorizo, chicken and mushrooms with saffron rice.

Lobster tails at Pattigeorge’s on Longboat Key.

PATTIGEORGE’S, 4120 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE, LONGBOAT KEY, (941) 383-5111

If you like your fish and shrimp served with a spectacular Gulf of Mexico view, then Sandbar at the north end of Anna Maria Island is for you. This local and visitor fave has long been famous for sundown cocktails on its beachside deck, but recent renovations have transformed both the shaded deck and the bar and dining room inside, so there is no longer a bad seat to be had. Along with the makeover came a thoroughly reworked menu that now comes in two parts: standing and the day’s specials. Both emphasize local fish and local produce. A great appetizer generous enough to share is shrimp and grits, featuring pan-seared Gulf shrimp, guanciale (a sort of Italian bacon made from pork cheeks or jowl) and bottarga, a Mediterranean-style prep of mullet roe fresh from the docks at Cortez, where many daily specials also originate. Also look for produce from Bradenton’s Gamble Creek Organic Farm. SANDBAR RESTAURANT, 100 SPRING AVE., ANNA MARIA, (941) 778-0444

Chef Dave Shiplett, who once cooked at the late lamented Poseidon and was the founding chef at Cafe Ezra, has brought a swell new restaurant to downtown Braden98 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

LOCAL SEAFOOD FESTIVALS Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival

DeSoto Heritage Seafood Festival

Bradenton Feb. 15-16, 2014 cortez-fish.org/fishing-festival.html

Bradenton April 4-6, 2014 desotohq.com/seafood-festival.php

Bacchus on the Beach

Cortez Stone Crab Festival

Longboat Key Club and Resort November TBA bacchusonthebeach. com

Bradenton October TBA swordfishgrillcortez.com

REALLY? FLORIDA CAVIAR?

In a blind tasting, eggs farmed by Mote compete against three famous caviars.

GENE POLLUX

The fate of the free world may not have depended upon them, but that didn’t keep our judges from total devotion to their mission as they gathered at Palm Avenue gourmet emporium As Good As It Gets for a blind tasting of four caviars. Unknown to them, in addition to three famous contenders (we didn’t tell them the names, but they were Sevruga, Kaluga, and Karat) we had added a dark horse—our own Mote Marine Laboratory’s caviar, from sturgeon raised right here in town. Judges Michael Klauber of Michael’s On East, our restaurant critic, John Bancroft, and his wife, Colette, book editor at the Tampa Bay Times, are all caviar connoisseurs, and they deliberated and then furiously scribbled notes as they tasted. Our affable host, shop proprietor Doug Gourley, periodically eased the tension by suggesting, “Shall we open another bottle of champagne?” Several bottles later, the last precious spoonful had been consumed, and the judges turned in their scores for the final tally. And though they found much to like about every contender, the clear winner was Mote’s, for its bold yet balanced flavor, perfect firmness and creamy, pleasing texture. Another cork popped when these passionate locavores learned they had chosen a hometown product—and one, as it turns out, that sells for just $64.50 an ounce, versus $150 for the Karat, $120 for the Sev and $110 for the Kaluga. “An insanely reasonable price,” Bancroft declared, and glasses were again raised all around. –PAM DANIEL

For an appetizer for six, serve four ounces of caviar. Best way to serve? On a Russian minipancake called a blini and topped with a dollop of crème fraiche.

Our tasters in action at As Good As It Gets.

Mote’s caviar is available at a number of local venues, including As Good As It Gets; for more information, go to mote.org. SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Seth Cripe

ton. Soma Creekside is delightfully casual and friendly and offers a varied menu, with ample attention paid to the chef ’s love for seafood. The menu changes often at the chef ’s whim and in tune with the market, but among our recent favorites have been a crunchy fresh lunchtime South Florida conch burger on a ciabatta roll and a dinner special of onion-crusted mahi mahi with olive picatta, grilled hearts of palm and black beans. Under no circumstances leave Soma without sampling the truffled tater tots! They are addictive. And if fiery foods do it for you, try the wok-fired peanut calamari with soy, cilantro and incendiary sriracha. SOMA CREEKSIDE, 1401 MANATEE AVE. W., BRADENTON, (941) 567-4001

buttered toast. Cripe’s favorite use? “I love it on scrambled eggs with red

OWEN’S FISH CAMP, 516 BURNS COURT,

pepper flakes,” he says. “It’s amazing.” To purchase AMFC’s Cortez bot-

SARASOTA, (941) 951-6936

MYUNIONHOUSE.COM

sun-dried tomatoes. Minimalists might appreciate a slice of bottarga on

Owen’s Fish Camp in Burns Court downtown is artfully funky and a whole lot of fun. This crafty take on Old Florida ambiance and Southern cooking lives in a renovated 1923 cottage under a spectacular spreading banyan tree and comes complete with rustic back porch in case you have to wait for a table, which you probably will. The place’s charm would be pointless if the food weren’t so good. One of my favorite appetizers is a pan-fried lump crab cake with slaw and lemony mayo, which goes nicely alongside a fried green tomato salad with goat cheese and country ham. There’s always a market fish special served unadorned or with your choice of lemon-caper butter or brown butter hollandaise. When it comes to sandwiches, the fried soft shell crab BLT with basil mayo is unusual but darn tasty. And to bring out the Southerner in you, if only for an hour, have a go at the cornmealcrusted fresh catfish with spicy collards, bacon and grits.

Captain Bottarga Seth Cripe introduces America to a seafood delicacy made in Cortez. Florida native Seth Cripe is almost single-handedly responsible for America’s new-found appreciation of bottarga, the salt-cured, sun-dried mullet roe he produces from his Anna Maria Fish Company. The bright orange roe has a delicate, slightly salty flavor with a hint of “a sweet, citrusy character,” says Cripe, “like the air of the sea.” Long a Mediterranean delicacy, bottarga can be treated “pretty much like Parmesan,” says Cripe—grated over pasta with high-quality olive oil or on a pizza with

targa, call (941) 778-8710 or visit cortezbottarga.com. 100 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

CHAD SPENCER

BRINGING THEM BACK Scientists launch an effort to restore scallops to Sarasota Bay. Scallops, prized for their firm white flesh and delicate flavor, were once abundant in Sarasota Bay. But by the late 1960s, overfishing and coastal development had virtually eliminated them. Now, working with a community coalition of environmental groups, businesses and volunteers, Mote Marine Laboratory plans to grow scallops in an onsite nursery and release them into the bay. Scallop larvae have been recently released into the bay, but there’s little evidence they’ve survived. Mote hopes that releasing juveniles instead of larvae will give them a better chance of growing to adulthood. “Our goal is to use scientific methods to determine the best way to restock,” says Mote scientist Jim Culter. They’ll need volunteers for everything Shrimp and grits at Soma Creekside

On the south bank of Phillippi Creek in Sarasota reposes Table Creekside, a quietly sophisticated restaurant and bar with a pretty hefty romance factor whether you dine indoors or on the waterside deck. Whatever you order from the globetrotting menu will be well executed and toothsome, and Table hosts one of the best happy hours in town. There are several good options for seafood lovers, including lump crab cake with sumac rémoulade or, going beyond the Gulf, Chilean sea bass fritters with Key lime aioli, ceviches of wild salmon (scallions, Meyer lemon extract) or wahoo (Key lime sriracha vinaigrette), or a winning dinner of crab-crusted wild Pacific salmon with black sticky rice, baby bok choy and yellow lentil bisque. A recent special featured local mahi mahi, a Florida lobster tail and middle neck clams with a Key West bacon corn chowder.

from maintaining the nursery to helping with releases; to learn more, contact (941) 388-4441.

Scallops remove algae from the water as they feed, helping to keep the bay cleaner. Scallops release their eggs and sperm into the water, so dense concentrations of adults in close proximity have a higher chance of reproducing. Mote is collaborating with Japan’s Nagano University to study community-based approaches, like this project, to enhance natural resources. Adult scallops live one to two years and spawn once during their lifetime.

TABLE CREEKSIDE, 5365 S. TAMIAMI TRAIL, SARASOTA, (941) 921-9465

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HAPPY TOGETHER

Whole Foods Market Sarasota’s wine expert David Sysak on what to sip with seafood.

STONE CRAB “Stone crabs are typically served chilled, so I’d go with a nice cold sauvignon blanc. Avoid choices from New Zealand as they can be a bit grapefruity. A Sancerre’s mineral quality and steely acidity should cut through the brininess of the meat.” PAN-SEARED FISH “Normally, to sear fish you’d start with clarified butter. Oaked chardonnays have nice tropical fruit notes as well as a buttery finish from the toasted oak. South African selections are often just buttery enough. Some California selections can be a bit too rich.” SHRIMP COCKTAIL “A Kabinett riesling from Germany. The acidity is moderate to low, which will help tame the spiciness of the cocktail sauce, and these wines have a nice smooth texture and residual sweetness, which can also help with a spicy sauce.” GROUPER SANDWICH “I like my grouper with barky grill marks on it. I’d go for an Oregonian pinot noir. It has a firm acid structure that’s always nice with a creamy tartar sauce and delivers notes of Bing cherry and earth; the latter will pair nicely with the grill marks.” FISH AND CHIPS “[For] fried food, I want to cut the fat with something bubbly. Beer is the first thing that comes to mind, but a Prosecco from Italy can be very nice, too. Look for a brut, as that will wash away that fat better.” CRAB CAKE “Once again, bubbles work, or you could also go with an unoaked version of a chardonnay. I like chablis as an option, with its acidity and minerality and subtle tropical fruit notes—especially nice with a mango salsa-topped crab cake.” BOUILLABAISSE “To match the richness, herbaceousness and acids of a bouillabaisse, I would choose a white Bordeaux—it’s herby, acidic, mineral-y and has a touch of softness in the finish. The flavors are similar to the bouillabaisse, and the wine will be quenching enough to get you prepared for your next bite.” OYSTERS “Raw oysters are classically paired with Muscadet-Sevre et Maine—limey, briny, lean and clean. Rockefeller oysters are rich, earthy and best of all bacony/cheesy. With this I’d choose a red Burgundy. Slightly acidic with a strong earthy aroma—a perfect fit.” SHRIMP SCAMPI “All that garlic butter screams for a crispy, citrusy Italian pinot grigio. Look for some midpriced choices from Friuli.” 102 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

With raw oysters, choose a clean, briny Muscadet-Sevre et Maine. SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

103

CATCH YOUR OWN

Captain Jim Klopfer, staff guide for CB’s Saltwater Outfitters, shares some tips.

REDFISH

FLOUNDER

BLACK SEA BASS

SHEEPSHEAD

Redfish are delicious and

Flounder are unusual-looking

Black sea bass have been show-

Striped black-and-white

are caught all year long in

fish that lie flat on one side

ing up in decent numbers lately.

sheepies show up in late win-

Sarasota. Their habitat varies

with both eyes looking up.

Their fantastic fillets are snow-

ter and are plentiful in spring.

from very shallow grass flats

Cooler months are more

white and flaky. Cast jigs over

Structure-oriented, they’re

to docks and other structures.

productive. Use jigs, or better,

the deeper grass flats near the

found near docks and bridges.

Both artificial lures and live

live and cut bait fished right

radio tower (just south of Ken

Use live or frozen shrimp, sand

bait work well; the key to

on the bottom near a struc-

Thompson Park on City Island),

fleas and fiddler crabs fished

catching redfish is finding

ture. Beaches, inshore artifi-

Marina Jack and Middlegrounds

on a small hook. Delicious but

them.

cial reefs, bridges and docks

(the north side of New Pass).

difficult to clean due to their

are good hunting ground.

large rib cage.

SPECKLED TROUT

SPANISH MACKEREL

MANGROVE SNAPPER

Speckled trout are the most

Spanish mackerel’s flesh is

Among the tastiest fish,

abundant year-round species

soft and a bit oily, but deli-

they’ll bite on live shrimp and

in Florida. Their flesh is very

cious. Put on ice immediately

small baitfish under docks,

lean and delicate; put them

and eat within a day or two.

bridges and other structures.

on ice right away. You can use

The flats, passes and inshore

In the summer they school up

a variety of artificial lures and

Gulf teem with these speed-

on the grass flats near the

live baits, but a live shrimp

sters in spring and again in fall.

passes. Artificial reefs and

under a float is tough to beat.

Trolling silver spoons and plugs

ledges in the inshore Gulf are

Fish in grass flats in four to

will quickly fill the cooler. Live

also productive.

eight feet of water.

bait also works well.

For tips from Siesta Key’s Big Water Fish Market on cooking fresh Gulf seafood, go to sarasotamagazine.com.

TOP TASTES

Six superstar fish on local menus.

FLORIDA SNAPPER There are 17 species of edible Florida snapper, from the small, sweet yellowtail to the big American red, which yields thick, flaky filets with a firm texture—great in almost any preparation. PINK HOGFISH

From the 1990s, the author’s father showing off his catch.

Named for its long, pig-like snout, the pink hogfish

SNOOK FEVER

has become a star on local menus, prized for its sweet flavor and firm meat. Its taste may stem from its diet—it roots around reef bottoms to consume lots of baby lobsters, rock shrimp and crab. GROUPER A much-prized Gulf fish, the grouper has thick, white flaky meat. There are a number of Florida grouper species; red and gag are most readily available locally. What’s labeled grouper often isn’t; small filets and bargain prices can signal you’re not getting the real thing. MAHI Mostly caught in deeper waters or off the southern coast of Florida, mahi is also called dolphin or dorado. The meat is exceptionally firm, sweet, moist and mild. It shines on the grill but can be prepared in all sorts of ways, including raw for ceviche. POMPANO This beautiful silver-and-blue-green pompano yields small, even filets that are firm and moist and exceptionally mild in flavor. Be sure to sample

TRIPLETAIL Some fishermen say if a grouper and snapper were to mate, the result would be a tripletail, which has the sweetness of the snapper and the thick, white, flaky flesh of a grouper. Simple preparations let the flavor take center stage.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN PIRMAN

it New Orleans-style, cooked in parchment paper.

Growing up on the Manatee River in Palmetto, I can remember my dad—an avid fisherman—unloading his daily catch on the dock, beaming as he hoisted the biggest of the bunch for the camera. Few fish made him prouder than the legendary Gulf of Mexico snook. The quintessential choice for a communal fish fry, snook are lauded for their white, mild taste and flaky texture. Our family had to buy a second freezer to hold all that Dad caught. Snook can be found in equal numbers along the Atlantic coast, but our shallow waters add a special twist: the thrill of the chase. Snook are renowned for their picky bait selection, cunning evasion and ferocious fighting. Once hooked, they are a test of strength and stamina, experts at finding a rock, piling, mangrove—anything, really—to break the line. Any local fisherman can tell you the sob stories, broken-hearted tales about the one that got away. After a bitter cold snap wiped out nearly 15 percent of the statewide snook population in 2010, a catch-and-release order went into effect for more than three years to allow them to replenish. When the ban was finally lifted last September (though strict regulations still apply), local anglers returned to their secret spots, and the chase resumed. Up and down the coast, you could hear the fryers sizzling to life.—BEAU DENTON

LUCA TREVIATO

106 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Longboat Key’s Victor Hazan recalls the beginning—and end—of his life with his beloved wife, Italian cookbook author Marcella Hazan.

e had tender names for each other, but to the world, she was Marcella. Her story, and mine, begins on an Italian summer evening when, 60 years ago, we fell in love.

Opposite page, Victor and Marcella Hazan in Friuli, Italy, in the 1990s; this page, the young couple in the summer of 1952, when they met in Cesenatico, Italy.

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y parents had left Italy for the United States a few months before the start of the second World War. I was almost 11. Thirteen years later, I sailed back to Italy on my own, intending never to leave it again. The years between had been filled with yearning for my birthplace, for the sound of its language, for the taste of its dishes. In my native region of Romagna I had a cousin, Nino, whose family lived in a town called Faenza, where the ceramics known as faience originated. Faenza was a few miles inland from the Adriatic Sea, and in the summer that I arrived the family was spending the hot months by that sea in Cesenatico, a beach resort and fishing town. I was their guest. One evening, Nino suggested that I meet a very goodlooking girl he knew in Cesenatico whose name was Marcella. When we climbed the steps to her parents’ villa, her

108 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

mother, an exceptionally handsome woman, said, “You just missed her, you’ll find her at her friend Maria Carla’s.” When we got to Maria Carla’s, Marcella was leaving to catch up with another group of friends for the evening. Nino introduced us and she shook my hand with her left. I noticed that over her right arm she had draped a shawl of many colors. What I was stunned and held by, however, were her eyes. I had never seen their like, the color of glowing amber, dotted with tiny specks, brilliant, penetrating, shining on me with startling directness. Nino introduced me as his cousin from America. “Of course, it’s obvious,” she said. I was wearing jeans, which Italian men had not yet begun to use. “What are you doing in Cesenatico?” she asked. “I have come back to Italy to stay and to write.” “To write? So young and already you know that you want to write?”

She seemed to have no interest in food, whereas I could talk of almost nothing else.

Clockwise from opposite page: in 1952, on their first date, at a nightspot in Cesenatico, Italy, Marcella’s hometown; Marcella at 20; that first summer in Cesenatico; Marcella at 6.

A few days later, when she came by the pensione where we were staying, she confessed she had thought I was 14. She upped the estimate to 18, but she was still several years short. We saw one another every day that summer. We sketched for each other a broad image of what our lives had looked like up to then. Marcella declared her passion for science. She was enrolled in the University of Ferrara and was about to receive her second doctorate, in biology. I was foolishly snotty about science, and expressed my surprise that anyone would waste her intelligence on science, rather than on literature and art. She seemed to have no interest in food, whereas I could talk of almost nothing else. She asked her mother to invite me to lunch, always the main meal for Italians, as it was for the rest of Marcella’s life and mine, to her very last day. That first lunch is impossible to forget. We had tagliatelle—pasta made by hand as it was then in every kitchen in Romagna—with a glorious ragù. I shamelessly asked for a full second helping, and yet found ample room later for several messicani, as Marcella’s mother called her exquisitely tasty veal rolls made with pancetta, Parmesan and fresh tomatoes. My downfall was the wine. Marcella’s father produced a delicately sweet golden wine called Albana, which I immediately associated with the mythological nectar that the gods on Olympus used to quaff. I was not accustomed to quaffing nectar, or even to drinking wine, but that didn’t stop me from copious indulgence. Miraculously, I left the house standing, but some hours later Marcella received a phone call. “Signorina, il suo fidanzato sta dormendo in una barca da pesca— Miss, your fiancé is sleeping on the deck of a fishing boat.” At that SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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GENE MAGGIO/THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX

HENRY GROSSMAN

Opposite: Selecting ingredients for a cooking class from the market in Venice, Italy, where the Hazans lived for many years. This page, clockwise from left: with Julia and Paul Child; in 1970, Marcella and Victor at the famous lunch she prepared in their New York apartment for Craig Claiborne of The New York Times; the couple’s most popular cookbook, a best-seller since it was published in 1992.

time, in a small town, a habitual male friend was automatically promoted to respectable fiancé status. The term they’d use today would be ragazzo, boyfriend. I continued to claim that I wanted to write, a claim without the slightest substantiating evidence, but my indulgent father agreed to a small allowance that would give me time to show what I could do. Italy was extraordinarily cheap in the early 1950s, and I was able to rent a floor and hire a housekeeper in a villa on a hill that overlooked Florence. The villa had seen better times, even several better centuries, but its noble proportions had largely survived and to my eyes some of its antique splendor was still discernible. I lived there for over a year before Marcella and I were married in 1955. The housekeeper’s husband taught me to make wine, stamping the grapes with my feet, to forage for mushrooms and wild asparagus, and before breakfast to collect ripe figs from the orchard. He stole some of my shirts, which seemed a fair exchange. I bought an old Ada Boni cookbook and began to cook. Like many novice cooks, I was attracted by elaborate recipes. I learned to make sweetbreads, which continue to be my favorite meat, and to collect live snails from the vineyard and purge them to prepare them for cooking. Marcella came to visit whenever she could, but I did the cooking long before she had an opportunity to show where her genius lay. We had our first Christmas together there, on a Tuscan hillside, overlooking vines and olive trees, and far below it the silvery Arno River elbowing its way through Florence. At that time, Marcella’s family, like many others in Italy, did not do a Christmas tree, which was thought of as a foreign tradition coming from Northern countries. I was the child of observant Jews and there had been no Christmas trees in my life. Yet

that year, I tramped the woods behind the villa to cut down and drag indoors what became the first of 58 consecutive Christmas trees. There was never another Christmas for us without a tree and gaily wrapped surprises below it. There has never been a Christmas without Marcella. This year there was no tree, no presents, and I asked to be allowed to spend the day alone with my thoughts. When Marcella and I reminisced about her first year in America when she began to cook, it seemed as though we were recounting a fable. Marcella got off the boat in New York having never before spent five minutes in a kitchen. She knew no one, spoke not a word of the language, and began to shop for foods that looked not only unfamiliar, but even inscrutable. At first she relied on my old Ada Boni, but it wasn’t very long before she put it aside because she had made a marvelous discovery. The textures, scents and flavors of the foods she had eaten from her girlhood on came flooding back in full recollection, and even more incredibly, she found that she could instinctively understand how to transform the ingredients available to her into the dishes that resided in her memory. When she reached full development of her gifts and would braise pork or veal, fry nearly everything, make a fish stew, devise pasta sauces or any number of astonishingly savory vegetables, or scores of other dishes so good they could bring me to tears, I’d ask her, “How do you know to do this?” “I don’t know,” she’d say, “it just comes to me.” SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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BARBARA BANKS

Marcella was invariably direct. She said exactly what she believed.

If our lives had taken a different turn, Marcella might have had a career in Japanese flower arrangement instead of cooking. When we lived in Rome, in the middle 1960s, she began to take instruction in the Ohara School of flower arrangement from an Italian woman who had lived in Japan and had published two books on the subject. When we moved back to New York again, Marcella quickly enrolled in the New York chapter of the Ohara School. She had the aptitude for it that came from her all-encompassing sense of observation, and from her university studies in the natural sciences. When a Japanese bank opened its offices in the Waldorf Astoria, they visited the Ohara center to choose someone to install flower arrangements in its windows on Park Avenue. They chose Marcella. We subsequently traveled to Japan, where in Kobe we were warmly received by Mr. Ohara, a living national treasure. He invited Marcella to a private demonstration of arrangements he was creating that would be photographed for a book, a unique privilege that startled our Japanese friends. It was the spring of 1969. In the fall 112 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Wearing her favorite pearls, a gift from Victor; in their Longboat apartment, Victor slices for Marcella the white truffles she loved; several years ago, with their son, Giuliano, and granddaughters. Gabriella and Michela.

of that year Marcella gave her first cooking class in our New York apartment kitchen. She never ceased to wonder whether she might not have been happier if instead of teaching Italian cooking, we had been able to return to Kobe and to Mr. Ohara. From her first years in the university, teaching was what Marcella prepared for and intended to do. It could have been mathematics, biology, chemistry, all of which she taught in Italy. It could have been flower arrangement. It became cooking. She didn’t think of herself as a cook, and hated to be described as a chef. “I cook only for family and friends,” she said. “Others I teach.” She so loved to teach that if even a casual acquaintance would say, “I don’t know how to make pasta,” she would say, “Come up to my kitchen and I’ll show you.” And she did. She gave hours upon hours of unpaid private instruction. Her deepest regret was having had to retire from teaching after we moved to Longboat Key in 1999. Not too many weeks before her death, in September, when she could not stand unassisted, she asked me if I couldn’t organize private classes that she could give in her kitchen to two or three persons. Many people, including some who had never met her, accused Marcella of being gruff or grumpy. Marcella was always, invariably, direct. She said exactly what she believed. She knew what she thought was right, she knew what she thought was wrong, and had little patience for anything in between. It grieved her that so many people who came to her classes had such a skewed idea of how to cook. “Cooking is based on common sense,” she used

to say. “Don’t use unnecessary ingredients, don’t cover up flavor with spices, it is just as important to leave something out, as it is to put something in.” One of the facets of Marcella’s character that she usually kept out of public view, so that it largely escaped notice, is what could be described as her impish girlishness. She was mischievous and loved making faces, especially when a photographer was about to snap her. She was a superb mimic, although she never exposed her mimicry to its subject. She was funny, but she didn’t tolerate gossip or malice. She was described as a heavy bourbon drinker, yet she never took a sip of alcohol except with food. In fact, she adored wine and had an acutely perceptive nose for it, but its acidity made her ill. Marcella started smoking when she was in her teens, smoked for the next 70-plus years, and loved every puff. Smoke corroded her lungs and blocked her arteries. She knew it, but she accepted it because it gave her pleasure. The last week of her life her doctor forbade her to inhale even one puff. “He is so dumb,” she said. “I am 89 and I have enjoyed cigarettes all my long life, why should I suffer now just to stay alive a few extra months?” On her last Sunday morning, Marcella got out of bed and on her walker to go to the bathroom. Halfway there she called me. “My legs aren’t holding me up,” she said. “I’ll take you,” I said, and I grasped her arms. She slipped into my arms for a moment, then slipped from them to the floor, and quietly slipped out of life. SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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ON TOP OF THE WORLD

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Sarasota power couple Jesse and Katie Biter entertain friends in their penthouse rooftop garden. BY MEGAN MCDONALD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARBARA BANKS

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As the sun starts to set, friends gather for dinner and sweeping water and city views atop Jesse and Katie Biter’s penthouse.

hat do you get when Jesse and Katie Biter decide to throw an elegant soiree at their downtown Sarasota penthouse? You get an evening that spares no detail in style and flavor. Tech entrepreneur Jesse, who owns downtown’s four-story HuB, a creative incubator for entrepreneurs, is a high-profile proponent of making downtown more vibrant and accessible to young people. He and Katie are also active supporters of a variety of charitable causes. They have a wide and diverse social network, and they love to host friends for dinners full of conversation, great food and fun—often on the rooftop of their penthouse, where they have created an inviting space that’s perfect for parties. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you how often we entertain,” Katie says with a laugh. “It’s kind of ridiculous. My girlfriend says our elevator is a revolving door.” The views from the penthouse rooftop are stunning. Turn your head one way and you can see over the Ringling Bridge, past St. Armands Circle and—on a clear day—straight to the 116 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Katie Biter’s TOP FIVE ENTERTAINING TIPS w

Know what you want.

Dress the part. “I com-

Respect your environment.

Mix up the menu. “We

Mix up the seating. “If

“Figure out your vision

plement my outfit to the

“We live in a downtown

like to have a unique dish

people don’t know each

before you bring in

décor. When [designer]

penthouse, which most

and something more

other, I like to spread out

other people, like flo-

Roger [Capote] and I

would call super-modern—

traditional—that way

the couples so not every-

rists and caterers.”

worked on the American

but we’re on the water, so

people don’t leave hungry,

one is sitting next to his or

Cancer Society’s Cattle

often we’ll do a nautical

but they also have a new

her spouse. That inspires

Baron’s Ball, I would buy

theme. If you’re out in the

experience.”

conversations that other-

a dress in the shade of

country, go with that. Or if

flowers he was using. I

you’re on Siesta, run with a

really follow through!”

beach theme.”

wise might not happen.”

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THE MENU Star anise duck dumplings with spicy cinnamon broth Shichimi-spiced tuna sashimi salad with flaxseed crackers and butter lettuce Arugula noodles in porcini juice with freeze-dried black trumpet mushrooms, ricotta salata and truffle oil Braised monkfish with almond milk tapioca, pomegranate and coriander Honey-sage oak-roasted beef tenderloin with wild rice and sunchokes Vermont Creamery coupole cheese with pickled beets, upland cress and orange powder

Gulf of Mexico. Turn the other way and you’ll see all of downtown Sarasota. But it’s not just the views that are the attraction. “We like to spoil our guests,” Katie says. “We want people to sit and stay for a while.” To help them achieve the kind of relaxed elegance that encourages guests to linger, they often call on the catering and design team at The Francis and Louies Modern, a downtown enterprise housed in a building the couple owns. The team includes Roger Capote, artistic director of Louies Modern and The Francis, Lisa Seidenstecker, owner/partner and director of catering and events, and chef Keith Douherty. “I can give them a vision and it will come out 20 times more beautiful than I could ever imagine,” says Katie. For the dinner party on these pages, she asked the team to create a white wonderland that would evoke the feeling of a sidewalk cafe in Paris. “I love using white,” Katie says. “It’s peaceful and easy and you can use it during any holiday or season. It always works.” The design team chose white hydrangeas, white linens and white servingware, with shimmering Mercury glass accents and white floating candles thrown in for a little sparkle. They even brought in street lamps for added Parisian authenticity. 118 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

Clockwise from opposite page, top: tuna sashimi, pouring the wine, honeysage oak-roasted beef tenderloin with wild rice and sunchokes, guests in conversation.

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This page: toasting the evening; candles cast a golden glow. Opposite page: Before a stunning Sarasota backdrop, Katie and Jesse Biter take their places at the head of the table.

“We wanted to keep it very simple,” explains Roger. “And we wanted romantic lighting. Lighting, whether it’s artificial or natural, is key to an outdoor party.” The designer moved the existing garden lounge furniture and replaced it with a long communal table, where guests gathered to pass dishes family-style. Katie likes to mix traditional dishes—in this case, honey-sage, oak-roasted beef tenderloin with wild rice—with some surprises, including, tonight, an appetizer of star anise duck dumplings in spicy cinnamon broth. “We like to serve something that people haven’t tried,” she says. “I always make sure the menu is unique, but still within everyone’s comfort zone.” Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, guests took their seats and toasted their hosts with champagne. Conversation and laughter grew as the six courses were served and wine glasses were filled and refilled. Even after the sun dipped below the shimmering expanse of water far below and the plates were whisked away, everyone lingered, soaking up the last little bits of golden light. At the head of the table, Jesse and Katie exchanged smiles: another evening to remember. STYLING, FOOD AND DRINK BY THE FRANCIS AND LOUIES MODERN 120 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

SMALL

WONDERS Welcome to the new world of mini-treats. BY MEGAN MCDONALD

Yep! Each of these little bites is just the size you see.

{

PERQ COFFEE BAR Counting carbs? Have your scone and eat it, too: Perq’s pastry is smaller than the standard size, but just as satisfying alongside your morning cup o’ joe. $1; 1821 Hillview St., Sarasota, (941) 9558101.

PHOTOS BY GENE POLLUX

Actual Size

Mini Scones

Sea Bass Fritters THE TABLE CREEKSIDE Packed with flavor in a perfectly round package, these crispy bites are served with a Key lime aioli that ups their ante even more. $5; 5365 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, (941) 921-9465.

Smoked Salmon Sliders

Mini Cupcakes

THE COTTAGE

THE SHORT GIRAFFE MINI

Canadian smoked salmon topped with

CONFECTIONS AND CATERING

arugula and drizzled with crème fraiche

These adorable treats—in

dill sauce, served on a mini pretzel roll.

flavors like cookie butter,

Need we say more? $8; 153 Avenida

banana toffee crunch and white

Messina, Siesta Key, (941) 312-9300.

chocolate blueberry cream—totally take the cake. $2.99 each; 1412 State St., Sarasota, (941) 706-2075.

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Bulgogi Tacos LIBBY’S CAFÉ + BAR Small size doesn’t mean small flavor: At Libby’s, they’re piling mini grilled corn tortillas with Korean barbecue shredded beef and vinegary pickled slaw. $15 lunch (two tacos); $18 dinner (three tacos); 1917 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota, (941) 487-7300.

Pinky Pies THE LOLLICAKE QUEEN Yes, you can eat a whole pie, thanks to these personal-sized treats, which come in a variety of flavors—including chocolate peanut butter, banana cream and Notorious P.I.E. (an oatmeal cookie crust with brown sugar filling). $5-$6; 1821A Hillview St., Sarasota, (941) 955-8101.

Mini Doughnuts MEANY’S MINI DONUTS These mini doughnuts—which

Lobster Roll Snacks STATE STREET EATING HOUSE

are almost beignet-like, thanks to their fluffy lightness—come in a variety of flavors, including

All the flavor of a full-sized lobster

powdered sugar, Bavarian cream,

roll—think succulent meat sautéed

strawberry cheesecake and pea-

in butter, then topped with sea salt

nut butter cup. We dare you not

on a house-made roll—in a pint-sized

to polish off a whole bag in one

package. $6.75; 1533 State St.,

sitting. From $2.50; 201 Canal

Sarasota, (941) 951-1533.

Road, Siesta Key. SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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Tuscany, famous for its beauty and tranquility as well as food and wine, draws visitors from all over the world.

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THE TUSCAN C ONNE C T ION Patrons of a popular downtown Italian restaurant are following the proprietor on his summer migration to his luxurious winery and estate in the hills of central Italy. BY SUSAN KELLEY

or generations, snowbirds have been a big part of the Sarasota story, with some lucky retirees enjoying the best of both worlds—sunny winters in Sarasota and cool summers in regions north. But in the last few decades, we’ve seen a new kind of snowbird—the bicontinental species, which divides its time between Sarasota and beautiful regions around the world. And in some cases, that’s a very good thing for all of us. Consider Alberto Guardagnini of Tuscany and Sarasota, the owner of Saluté Ristorante on Lemon Avenue. The corner location, in the heart of the city, is conveniently central, and the food, authentic Tuscan. Owner Alberto greets each patron personally during season: “Ciao,” SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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CASALI di BIBBIANO Phone (USA): + 1 (610) 566-7406 Email (USA): info@DestinationCasali.com destinationcasali.com

“Buona Sera.” When things quiet down, around the end of April, he returns to his homeland and to his recently restored country estate, Casali di Bibbiano, situated on more than 90 acres of land, including vineyards, olive groves and luxury villas. The estate is open to visitors, who bask in the beauty and the local wines and food, and quite a few of them are Saluté patrons from Southwest Florida. Casali di Bibbiano is Alberto’s dream. It operates as a full-production winery of award-winning super Tuscan wines, including cabernet sauvignon, merlot and Sangiovese. Additionally, high-quality olive oil is pressed from the olive trees growing on the country estate, which Alberto imports to use at Saluté. He tells us he has just shipped 30 cases of the “liquid gold” to Saluté. My husband, Bill, and I first visited this 18th-century country estate a year ago 126 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

while driving around the rolling hills of Tuscany on a sunny autumn day and stopping over at local vineyards. We were so impressed with the beauty and peaceful atmosphere of Bibbiano, we knew that we had to return for a longer stay. Besides, Alberto had now invited us. The restored villas are first-class and can accommodate 26 people—an extraordinary venue for a reunion of family or friends. There is a gym, tennis and basketball courts, and a gorgeous swimming pool with Jacuzzi. And the staff is fluent in English as well as Italian. This year, we take the two-hour train ride from our home in Florence, where we currently reside for three months a year. Alberto picks us up at Buonconvento station. Riding in his black Audi, we wind our way down the long, stately drive, lined on either side with soaring cypress trees.

We are greeted at the gate by the charming guest-relations coordinator, Claudia Zeni. Then we check into our large airy room: “Il Girasole,” the sunflower. Lunch is served on the terrace overlooking the vine-clad hills and silvery gray olive groves. The panoramic view is mesmerizing; there is no sound. We are served a dry crisp white wine, Primo Bacio, with our meal of homemade pasta with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden, and gnocchi in a pesto sauce. A platter of cured salami, prosciutto, olives and cheese follows. We have become Tuscanized. It reminds me of my first time visiting Sarasota in 1989. I felt so relaxed, my soon-to-be husband said I was Floridized. Alberto joins us for a discussion of wines produced in Italy and why they are so good. The grapes must be picked at the exact time they are ready and sent

MYUNIONHOUSE.COM

Clockwise from opposite: a Tuscan vineyard, author Susan Kelley inside the villa winery; view from Kelleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guest room; Alberto Guardagnini in his Sarasota restaurant.

TUSCAN TAGLIOLINI I pound fresh tagliolini pasta Toast some walnuts in oven or fry pan. In pan, sautĂŠ 1 stick unsalted butter, splash of olive oil, chopped onion, and chopped pancetta Add splash of white wine, stir, and simmer 10 minutes. Tear a couple of basil leaves and toss in (he tossed them, seriously). Cook pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes. Add pasta to sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan. (Sometimes, the chef grates lemon rind on top.)

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THE TUSCAN CONNECTION

I could joIn a gym, but I chose the y

I’m Larry EgEr, public defender of the 12th Judicial Circuit. I could work out anywhere, but at the Y, I’m part of an organization that changes lives—and our community—every single day. Every year, the Y helps thousands of at-risk families and children, from assisting homeless kids to stay in school and graduate to keeping children safe in foster care. As a volunteer coach, I’ve seen how the Y’s youth sports programs build character and confidence. I’m inspired by the people of every age and background who come to work on their own well-being and motivate each other. Join the Y and become an integral part of its mission: Your membership helps individuals in our community become their very best selves. To learn more, visit one of Sarasota’s four Y facilities or visit TheSarasotay.org

128 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

to production. Weather dictates when this will take place. If there are too many rainy days or flooding, the harvest must wait. The regulation for low sulfites is very strict, he explains, and every plant is inspected. Alberto says that his guests are always commenting on how much wine they consume in Italy and how they never experience a headache. The lower sulfites are the reason. We are introduced to chef Massimiliano “Max” Izzo, who is preparing handmade pasta for this evening’s dinner. He is toasting walnuts for the sauce and yes, they are from the walnut trees on the property. Who stays at the impeccably restored farmhouses? Alberto tells us that more than 30 percent of this year’s occupancy came from the Sarasota and Longboat Key area, along with Canadians who live part of the year in Sarasota. The rest come from all over, including a business group from Porsche that has stayed at Bibbiano for three consecutive years and takes over the entire property. After lunch, Alberto is excited to find out that both he and Bill share a love of the game of golf. The new, quite spectacular golf club, Castiglion Del Bosco, built by the Ferragamo family, borders his property, and he entices my husband to go and “hit a few balls.” It does not take a lot of persuasion. I admonish them not to be gone too long as I leave for a walk around the property. Claudia takes me through the winemaking procedure and into the wine cellars, where I notice buckets of freshly picked large green olives; these are for eating, she explains, not for the oil. The olives for the oil are not ready for picking until mid or late November, depending, like the grapes, on the vagaries of rain and sun. Afterwards, I return to the kitchen to talk to the chef about his methods. He also gives group cooking classes and graciously agrees to share some of his “secret” recipes. You will not gain weight on the typical Tuscan diet. Nor will you find massive plates of meatballs and spaghetti. Instead, your

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debrac@sarasotamagazine.com THE TUSCAN CONNECTION

CIRCUS SARASOTA pReSenTS

W O N D E R ST R U C K Fri Feb 7 – Sun Feb 23, 2014 Featuring amazing circus acts that fill you with wonder and awe!

UndeR The BIg TOp Tuttle Ave. & 12th St. discount Tickets! CIRCUSARTS.ORg 941.355.9805

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130 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

taste buds will come alive with the flavors of Tuscany: the freshest ingredients, grown in their own garden; superb cheeses, meats fresh from the local butcher. Food is one of the great Italian passions, and tonight we are in for a gastronomic delight. The fresh tagliolini is drying on the racks; sauce is simmering. The massive Chianina beef steaks now marinating will become the famous Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Alberto gives us his tip for a marinade: olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and some fresh rosemary. Once the steak has been seared over hot coals and is sliced rare, the juice of the meat mixes with the marinade to form an exquisite sapore (flavor). The chef gathers the five fingers of his right hand to his lips and air kisses them, then tosses the kiss to the universe. No words needed. Chef Izzo’s gourmet four-course dinner with unlimited wines from the Casali di Bibbiano’s winery is served nightly on the terrace or in the restaurant, and vegetarians will be accommodated. The dishes are small, and seconds are always available. October ends the season, so the number of guests is dwindling and we are invited to sit at the family table for dinner. Two of Alberto’s four children, Andrea and Gabriella, have stayed to work at the property and will join us, in addition to Alberto and Massimiliano. Another of his sons, Marco, works at Saluté in Sarasota, where you may also find Andrea. I ask Alberto where he would rather be, here or Sarasota. “Both places give you a lot of energy. I like to be both places,” he says. That’s true for Bill and me as well. We order some cases of the wine to be shipped to Florence, where we can have a wine tasting with friends, and we are sad to leave our new “family.” We know we will return and stay even longer the next time. I sign the guest book and peek at some of the other comments: “Exceeded our expectations,” “Forever in my heart,” “Amazing hospitality,” “Spectacular time,” “Trip of a lifetime,” “Fantastic food,” “Felt like a part of the family.” We agree.

Graziano, ashton & DeMille World Premiere Choreography by Ricardo Graziano monotones i & ii Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton rodeo Choreography by Agnes DeMille

TAKE TWO Restaurateur Derek Barnes is rethinking what diners want with his new Bradenton Derek’s.

THE SPACE IS STILL LARGELY EMPTY, but hints of what’s to come are scattered about.

A barn door designed by Sarasota woodworker Shawn O’Malley is hung on a strip of matte-finished metal that runs above an opening in the rear, while color-strewn, beaten-looking wooden panels—also created by O’Malley—lean in another corner. A waist-high wall divides the main room into two, and a stack of paint color samples on the faux-wood tile floor is spread out into a rainbow spiral. Ladders, coiled wires and boxes of ceiling panels occupy the middle of the room, while workers wearing dusty jeans and T-shirts squeeze caulk around the base of a toilet in the rear. 132 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

| BY COOPER LEVEY-BAKER

ALEX STAFFORD

Barnes inside the former Bradenton Arby’s during the extensive renovation. The restaurant, which opened in January, features “rustic coastal” cuisine.

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TAKE TWO

Latest Swimwear, Resortwear The

and

More! SARASOTA 1960 STICKNEY POINT ROAD 941-922-4545 DOWNTOWN 50 N. TAMIAMI TRAIL 941-954-8800 LONGBOAT KEY 3170 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE 941-383-2288

134 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

t’s hard to imagine this place used to be an Arby’s, and it’s just as hard to imagine what it will finally look like in its next incarnation: Derek’s, the new, long-in-the-works Bradenton home for chef Derek Barnes, which opened in January. The concept for the spot is simple. “I want people to come in and just be happy to be here,” says Barnes, 41. That means serving more affordable food than Barnes did at the former Derek’s restaurant, during his seven-plus years in Sarasota’s Rosemary District, and making the new space more fun and approachable. For a chef with as many fans and national accolades as Barnes, that might sound easy. No way. The condition of the Arby’s when he took over the space was “horrible,” and revamping it has required a thousand decisions, covering everything from how the kitchen should be set up to what to do with the old “Drive Thru” signs out front along Manatee Avenue. When Barnes opened the first Derek’s, he focused primarily on producing the best food possible, he says. Make great dishes, and they will come. But he knows that to make it in the restaurant industry these days requires more than delicious cuisine. It’s also about offering good value, leaving customers satisfied—above all, he says: “Giving people what they want.” While the old Derek’s highlighted exotic ingredients and techniques to the point that Barnes actually printed a glossary on the back of his menu, the food at the new location is dedicated to a “rustic coastal” theme with Southern and New Orleans touches, he says. It’s a formula that connects Barnes with his past. Barnes spent four years working with Emeril Lagasse in New Orleans before he landed in Southwest Florida, as chef de cuisine at Anna Maria Island’s Beach Bistro. He struck out on his own in Sarasota in 2006, and success quickly followed. Barnes picked up a slew of culinary awards and nominations, including from the James Beard Foundation, Florida Trend and Zagat. Gourmets loved his

daring menu, which included unusual foods such as veal sweetbreads, bone marrow and foie gras. His cilantro- and lime-braised lamb shank alone was worth repeated visits. And unlike many chefs, he didn’t get lazy when it came to dessert. His poached pear, paired with goat cheese ice cream and topped with black pepper caramel, was a grand finale. Barnes says the restaurant was successful, but he wanted to broaden his reach. Regulars were coming for birthdays and anniversaries; he wanted a place people could come to every week. He says he’s designing the new space to be “approachable,” “fun,” “high-energy,” “kid-friendly.” He’s even setting aside a private back room—complete with a hidden pull-down screen and projector—for lunchtime sales meetings or football games. When Barnes announced he was closing his Sarasota location last March, initial press reports largely focused on the dwindling number of businesses and paltry foot traffic in the Rosemary District, a perspective that frustrated Barnes. He insists the neighborhood’s struggles are not the reason for his move, and in interviews now, he’s reticent, wary of being misconstrued. He says he picked the new location, which he knew he wanted before he went public with the Sarasota closure, because it is “highly visible” and close to his new target demographic. Just 20 or so blocks from the bridge out to Anna Maria, the location is convenient for islanders and tourists. Barnes says some of his old regulars from Longboat Key might actually have a shorter drive. Built in 1978, the structure served as an Arthur Treacher’s before it was an Arby’s. True to Barnes’ claim about it being visible, a never-ending stream of cars zooms by the front of the restaurant, which sits between a Goodwill and the Boiler Room Bar & Grill, with a sign promising “famous steak sandwiches.” Barnes says that’s no joke. He thinks they are the best sandwiches in Bradenton. Barnes lives with his wife, Beth, his 11-year-old son, Jack, and his 5-year-old daughter, Reshma, adopted from Nepal,

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in northwest Bradenton, not far from the new restaurant, although he says that had nothing to do with picking the location. He calls the neighborhood a gem: “We love it here.” The original plan for the property was to put in a 169-seat restaurant, a vision that had to be scaled back because of the expense and because Manatee County said there wasn’t enough onsite parking. “It wasn’t a big deal,” Barnes says. “It was nobody’s fault. It was just their requirement.” (Barnes says he’s not “comfortable” discussing how much has been invested in the project.) Originally slated to open in late summer, the new Derek’s actually opened in early January 2014. Despite the delays, Barnes says the company he hired to remodel the space, Ellenton’s Carlsen Contracting Company, stayed on track and on time throughout. The final seating total is 100. Almost the entire exterior is fresh. Even the parking lot had to be redone. The old letter board sign out front had to be replaced, and the two “Drive Thru” signs were swapped out: One will read “Enter Hungry,” the other “Exit Happy.” Inside, the Arby’s space had to be “completely gutted,” Barnes says. A massive triangular ventilation system hangs over what used to be the fast-food prep area, a system Barnes has chosen to keep. “I’m using everything, trying to retrofit everything that I have from the old place,” he says. Prices for Barnes’ new dinner entrées run from the mid-teens to the low-$20s; at the Sarasota location, they were typically between the mid-$20s and low-$30s. He promises the food will stay “fun” and “playful.” That means, for example, matching Gulf of Mexico shrimp with cheddar grits, a double-cut pork chop with mole and Southern-fried tofu with waffles. In addition to the barn doors, O’Malley crafted wood tables for the space, and Barnes did away with tablecloths, which alone can cost a restaurant 50 cents per diner. At the old Derek’s, customers were presented with Schott Zwiesel stemware

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136 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

and Hepp flatware that was 5 percent nickel. “We’ll have fun stuff,” he says, “but I’m going about this completely differently.” His approach with his new Bradenton spot aligns well with the times. Americans are flocking to restaurants in ever greater numbers. In 1955, 25 percent of an American family’s annual food budget was spent in restaurants; in 1985, 41 percent; today, 47 percent. On a typical day, 130 million Americans eat at least one meal in a restaurant, says National Restaurant Association spokesperson Christin Fernandez, and total industry sales were expected to hit $660 million in 2013. But that growth hasn’t been even across the board; in recent years the numbers at so-called “quick service restaurants” have rapidly outpaced those at “full service” establishments. Quick service sales increased 6 percent between 2011 and 2012, and 5 percent between 2012 and 2013, while full service sales grew by just 3 percent in both intervals. What happened? 2008 happened, says Sean Murphy, who founded the Beach Bistro, a fine dining landmark on Anna Maria, almost three decades ago. During those decades, Americans became more adventurous—and extravagant—in their dining, but the Great Recession forced a rethink. Americans didn’t stop eating out— the industry actually grew between 2009 and 2010—but they did become acutely price-conscious. “We had champagne tastes, but a beer budget,” Murphy says. In 2010, fallout from the crash led him to launch the first of his three Eat Here restaurants; the restaurant, on Anna Maria, eschewed pricey formalities like tablecloths and passed out silverware purchased at Goodwill and dishrags doubling as napkins. Murphy angered a handful of Beach Bistro regulars, who were outraged at the lack of menu covers, but a new generation of eaters started showing up. Young diners who have grown up watching Anthony Bourdain eat Namibian warthog anus don’t demand fresh flowers on the table.

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Instead, says Murphy, “They were there for a good time, without pretension—as long as the food was good.” Even corporate chains are getting into the act, says Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association president and CEO Carol Dover. The Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Destin, for example, is loosening up its formal image by offering beachside seating and chilled-out live music. The strategy makes perfect sense for Florida restaurants, so dependent on revenue from tourists, Dover says: “The likelihood that they packed a coat or a suit on vacation to the beach is pretty slim.” Customers may be price-conscious, but their demands are also more exacting than ever, and chefs have invested heavily in recent years in giving staid classics a fresh twist. Hence the fried chicken dusted with herbs at Sarasota’s Made restaurant, or Soma Diner’s “truck stop deluxe” flat iron steak, or Louies Modern’s smoked trout deviled eggs. Restaurants are also applying refined techniques to less expensive proteins, like Eat Here’s killer $16 pot roast. Restaurants are also pressured to present beer lists as adventurous as their wine lists, and cocktails that have undergone the same rigorous testing as any menu item. Coffees, teas, even sodas—Louies serves Mexican Coke, for example—must be carefully considered. Every part of a menu must offer novelty. But getting the food and drink exactly right is only half the battle. Diners expect creativity in every detail: hence the paper placemats that double as menus at Owen’s Fish Camp, the reuse of old wine bottles to serve water at Eat Here, those preweathered barn doors at Derek’s. “There are so many moving parts to a restaurant, it’s crazy,” Barnes says. Standing out front, with traffic whizzing by and builders hard at work on a new Dunkin’ Donuts right across the street, Barnes looks back at his new home. He seems simultaneously exhausted and eager—to just cook food and serve it. “I want to give people what they want,” he says, “within reason.”

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146 ON THE HOMEFRONT 150 NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH 152 THE PERFECT: DINING ROOM 154 IT’S A CLASSIC

BOLD NEW KITCHENS Eurotech Cabinetry and interior designer Patty Schimberg created a high-impact black and white kitchen with a pop of red for this Whitaker’s Bayou remodel. The 36-foot-long space easily accommodates two five-by-five-foot working islands, a dining table and wet bar. See four more great kitchens on the following pages. SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

141

TOM HARPER PHOTOGRAPHY, BLUE RIDGE, GA.

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142 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

GREG WILSON

Opposite, universal design principles drove this handsome single-family kitchen remodel on Longboat Key. “The husband is in a wheelchair, the wife is not,” says Eurotech’s David Asher. “We designed the kitchen so that both would enjoy working there.” The cooktop and sink islands are 30 inches off the floor versus the standard height of 36 inches. The two-drawer dishwasher is far easier to open than one big descending drawer. Oversized door handles are easy to grab. And all lower cabinets are fully accessorized with pullouts and drawers. With its maple Shaker cabinets and eye-catching Juperana Pitanga Gold granite island and countertops, it’s smart and beautiful.

Space planner and designer Billue Guignard of Metro Cabinet Company cooked up a bright, clean-lined modern kitchen for the homeowners of a new Lido Shores home, who wanted to pay homage to their neighborhood’s many historic Sarasota School of Architecture residences. Since the open-floor plan kitchen flows into the living area, materials—high-gloss, high-sheen white lacquer cabinets, white quartz countertops and a gray-blue vertical tile backsplash—were kept subtle.

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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LUXURY HOME

Right, this Sanderling remodel by Affinity Kitchens was built for a retired high-powered CEO whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never stepped into the kitchen until his wife became ill. An adventuresome neophyte cook, he insisted on a five-burner gas stove, built-in coffee machine, built-in deep fryer, teppanyaki griddle, convection oven-microwave combo, and, under the regular oven, a steam oven for preparing vegetables and fish. The look is transitional: Warm walnut cabinets have stainless-steel toe kicks for a little edge, and high-gloss white cabinets and Brazilian granite countertops and backsplash in a swirl of blue, salmon, orange, green and charcoal create drama.

HERB BOOTH

Palma Sola Bay beckons from the nearfloor-to-ceiling windows of this handsome island-style kitchen, above, designed for an entertaining-happy husband and wife by Metro Cabinet Company. The remodeled kitchen, formerly the family room and laundry, has four refrigerators, two sinks and dishwashers, an induction cooktop and 48inch cook-and-dine teppanyaki grill built into the generously proportioned island. Glacier white cabinets, Parys Cambria quartz countertops, and a backsplash of white subway tiles with accents of blue Murano glass tiles carry out the transitional theme.

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SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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LUXURY HOME

ON THE HOMEFRONT News and notes from the real-estate market. By Ilene Denton SURPRISE—IT’S MODERN NEW MODERNIST HOMES are popping up in the popular West of Trail area, better known for traditional bungalows, stucco ranches and newer Med Rev residences. Guy Peterson’s Spencer House on South Orange Avenue has the highest profile, but a block north, Chris Leader of Leader Design Studio is completing a modern residence for a former Lido Shores couple, and Mark Sultana of DSDG has built a handful (including one for his own family). Lisa Gialdini’s new-home project at 1924 Bougainvillea is the latest. She’s hired Jody Beck and Ross-Alan Tisdale of Tampa’s Traction Architecture (their Seagrape House was featured in our December issue) to design a 3,300-square-foot home with high-end finishes, pool and separate 500-square-foot guesthouse. Slated for completion in March, it will be offered for sale at around $1.3 million. Gialdini is a tax attorney who lived and worked in Russia for 20 years, and she named her company Red Bridge Investments for Russia’s Krasny Most, or Red Bridge. In Russia, “I was used to living in small spaces where I had to use every available square inch

A rendering of the new home on Bougainvillea.

I could,” she says, “and I wanted to make sure the Bougainvillea house is as user-friendly as possible.” She’s purchased three other West of Trail properties for future redevelopment. Two are on Goldenrod, and the other is on Shoreland. All will have clean lines, she promises. “I don’t go in for a lot of frou-frou,” she says.

TOP SALE A four-bedroom home on nearly 100 feet of Longboat Key beach sold for $3.35 million, making it the highest-priced residential sale in Sarasota County in November. The 3,955-square-foot home at 3315 Gulf of Mexico Drive, built in 1991, has that rare amenity: a grassy lawn leading to the beach. Ian Addy was the listing agent, and Ryan Heers was the selling agent; both are with Michael Saunders & Company. Previous sale: $1.1 million in 1997.

SALES INFORMATION PROVIDED BY KIM OGILVIE OF MICHAEL SAUNDERS & COMPANY.

146 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

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Interest in luxury custom homes was through the roof at the recent Lakewood Ranch Tour of Homes, as evidenced by the 1,880 people—nearly 52 percent more than last year—who toured John Cannon Homes’ Baylin and Akarra II models. Prospective homebuyers were looking for a casual floor plan to match their less formal lifestyles, says Cannon sales director Mark Grigoli. That means, instead of a formal dining room, an open dining, kitchen great room combination in the back of the house, The Baylin with proximity to the pool and backyard views. And it also means greatly enhanced outdoor living areas, “with large lanais, beautiful pools, outdoor kitchens and fire pits,” he says, “things you don’t necessarily get in an older home.” “These numbers are supporting a trend we’re seeing, that interest is back for new construction homes in Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota,” says John Cannon. “Buyers want detailed customization and lower costs of ownership. We hear this from many of the people we’re meeting at the Lakewood Ranch Tour of Homes this year.”

GOING UP MK Equity has held on to the deserted gas station on the southwest corner of Ringling Boulevard and South Pineapple Avenue it bought several years ago, and now it’s launching a luxury condominium project there called Sansara. Architect Gary Hoyt designed the building, which will have 17 condos ranging from 2,050 square feet to a 4,555-square-foot penthouse. (Its outdoor terrace with hot tub, fire pit and outdoor bar and grill adds another 2,000 square feet.) Pre-construction pricing starts at $1,399,000. The developer is Matt Kihnke of MK Equity, which developed the City Walk condo conversion project in Sarasota and has developed high-rise residential projects The planned Sansara in Chicago. “We waited for the market to turn and we believe it now has,” says Kihnke. An April or May groundbreaking is planned. WCI Communities has opened Roanoke, its first Riverfront Estate model home at Tidewater Preserve in Bradenton. Roanoke is a 3,541-square-foot, two-story home with three bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths. Starting at $440,990, it’s located within Tidewater Preserve’s 14-homesite neighborhood overlooking conservation areas and the Manatee River.

LUXURY HOME

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

ST. ARMANDS STATS Number of St. Armands properties: 300 Number of sales from October 2012October 2013: 22 single-family homes; 11 condos Range of sale prices: $450,000 to $4.25 million (single-family); $240,000 to $657,500 (condos) Range of square footage: 1,576 to 6,123 (single-family); 770 to 1,320 (condos)

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150 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

HEADS TURNED in September when Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik paid $4.2 million for a 6,000-square-foot home on St. Armands’ North Washington Boulevard built just 12 years ago and razed it to make way for a new home. St. Armands, that lovely old neighborhood surrounding St. Armands Circle, is attracting “a very affluent crowd,” in their 50s and 60s, says Andrew Bers of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty. “It’s perceived as a different lifestyle than Longboat Key, more diverse, with great beach and boating access and all the activity of the Circle, and for many of them this is their second or third or fourth home.” Lack of inventory is keeping prices strong, says Bers. In late November, his $2,197,000 listing at 453 S. Polk Drive, a 15,000-square-foot mini-estate built in 2001, was one of only two homes on the market within walking proximity to St. Armands Circle, he says.

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THE PERFECT: Dining Room Advice from interior designer Chuck Bolton.

2013 COLOR OF THE YEAR

“THE 2013 PANTONE COLOR OF THE

The 19th annual Jewels was emerald green; that was on the Bay Showhouse my inspiration for the dining room takes place Jan. 19 I did for this month’s Jewels on the through Feb. 16 at Bay showhouse. Dining rooms are 2145 Alameda Ave. my favorite project—they should be in the Indian Beach a standout space, and custom wallpaneighborhood. Call per is almost always the right choice. (941) 780-1790 for Generally, I key the color palette to the ticket information. client’s china pattern, but if the china is plain then I look for inspiration in an area rug, window coverings, colors in the rest of the house, or a color the client loves and hasn’t tried yet. “Dining rooms in new construction tend to be small, if they are included at all, but they can still be grand-looking. The secret is to scale the furniture to the room size and to the ceiling height and don’t overcrowd the space. In a tight dining room, you need a serving side board, table and chairs—no china cabinet. Repurpose that YEAR

152 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

SCALE FURNITURE TO ROOM SIZE

]

DEFINE THE SPACE

piece of furniture for another room. You’ll want a really gorgeous chandelier above the table, perhaps an area rug under the table. If there’s wallpaper, then a mirror on the wall. If the room is painted, then a few pieces of art or maybe a fabulous ceiling treatment. “Most homeowners hang a chandelier too high. If your ceiling is 8 feet high, go up 30 inches from the table top. For every additional foot of ceiling height, go up another three inches. If your table is long, center the chandelier and then install pinpoint lights in the ceiling near the ends of the table to make crystal and china sparkle and gleam. Never put a ceiling fan over a table. It’s ugly and can ruin the temperature of the food you’re serving. “If you dine in an open-concept floor plan that includes a kitchen and great room, keep colors consistent throughout the three areas so it all reads as one big unbroken space. If the floor is wood or stone, define the dining space with an area carpet. A chandelier or three pendants over the table further establish the space. Big or small, the key to making a dining room work is to make it really over-the-top special.”—MARSHA FOTTLER

PR OMOTI ON

Agenda

EVENTS & PROMOTIONS

Feb. 12

SARASOTA WOMEN’S CANCER AWARENESS LUNCHEON

Feb. 14

COMPASSION IN CARING LUNCHEON

Compassion In Caring Luncheon - J.R. Martinez

Feb. 1

Tidewell Hospice’s annual fundraising luncheon at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota features an inspiring message of resilience and optimism from the keynote speaker, Iraq war veteran J.R. Martinez. After overcoming severe burns to more than 34 percent of his body, Martinez has become well-known for television appearances on Dancing With the Stars and All My Children. For more information, call (941) 552-7551 or visit tidewellhospice.org.

Feb. 7

THE OPERA GALA 2014: A MASKED BALL

VAN WEZEL FOUNDATION ANNUAL GALA

Join us for an elegant evening at the Hyatt Regency for Sarasota Opera’s masqueradethemed annual gala and fund-raising event. Masked attendees of this black-tie soiree will wonder “who’s who?” while enjoying a decadent four-course dinner, live entertainment and dancing. For more information, call (941) 366-8450 or visit sarasotaopera.org.

Get ready for a laugh-out-loud performance as comedy legend Jay Leno takes the stage at the Van Wezel Foundation’s 13th annual fund-raising gala. This outstanding evening includes dinner, performance and access to the exclusive after party. Call (941) 366-5578 or visit vwfoundation.org.

Strut your stuff at Moffitt Cancer Foundation’s 15th annual Women’s Cancer Awareness Luncheon. This year’s Cure on the Runway-themed fund-raising event at the Rectrix Aerodrome Center includes a fabulous Saks Fifth Avenue fashion show. For more information, call (813) 745-1340 or visit moffitt.org

Feb. 14

TONY BENNETT PERFORMANCE Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the romantic tunes of Grammy Award-winning living legend Tony Bennett at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. For tickets, call (941) 953-3368 or visit vanwezel.org.

Feb. 22

SARASOTA ORCHESTRA “A-NU TIME” GALA Join us for a special celebration at the Van Wezel welcoming Sarasota Orchestra’s fifth music director, Anu Tali. Enjoy sumptuous cuisine, delightful performances and a festive afterglow dessert reception. For more information, call (941) 487-2737 or visit sarasotaorchestra.org.

Feb. 27-March 3

RINGLING IN BLOOM Floral designers from throughout the area participate in this highly anticipated celebration of fine art and flowers, featuring unique workshops and tours inspired by the beautiful bayfront gardens of the Ringling Museum. For information, call (941) 359-5700 or visit ringling.org.

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IT’S A CLASSIC: SLIPPER CHAIR You’ll want one—or two—for any size home. This fairly wide-bottomed and armless upholstered chair had a specific purpose in times past. It was a bedroom chair meant to accommodate ladies who wanted to sit comfortably while putting on stockings and shoes. So useful, the chair migrated to other parts of the home and in the middle of the 20th century designer Billy Baldwin perfected the style and made the slipper chair hugely popular. A pair of slipper chairs can fit into a tight corner of a room and with a small table between make a fine seating arrangement. The shape is simple, and it’s the upholstery that makes the chair either traditional or modern. Buy a slipper chair of superior construction, because you will keep it from your first cramped apartment to a grand home to a chic and spacious condominium. Designers love this chair and advise that you buy two. Use them as a pair in a room opposite a sofa or split them up to take care of odd little

THE UPHOLSTERY MAKES THE

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CHAIR EITHER TRADITIONAL

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In t e gr atin g h o r ticu l t u re , a r t a n d a rch i t e ct u re .

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154 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

SARASOTA STYLE

“The dedicated, knowledgeable staff will inspire you to ‘light up your life.’ ”

LIGHTING & DECOR Light Up Your Life has the knowledge, resources and style to put your spaces in the best light.

GOOD LIGHTING doesn’t just happen; it’s

designed. For 15 years, Light Up Your Life has been is Sarasota’s lighting and design gem. From a small family-run operation to its current status, Light Up Your Life has earned the Residential Lighting Award as “The Best Lighting Showroom, USA and Canada.” Light Up Your Life commits to utmost service, top product quality and a genuine desire to deliver complete customer satisfaction. The dedicated, knowledgeable staff works with you to find the design that enhances your personal décor and will inspire you to “give up the ordinary.” Find the latest LED lighting technique, contemporary and transitional designs and even customized bar stools and tables.

1620 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236 (941) 330-0422 lights-sarasota.com

4 1. “Brock” swivel bar/counter stool. Choice of height, finishes and fabrics. Handmade in Canada. 2. Minomushi floor lamp; also available as a suspension fixture. 3. Fukurou suspension lamp. 4. “Element” swivel bar/counter/table stool. Choice of height, finishes and fabrics. Handmade in Canada. Dome lamp available in different colors.

A DVERT ISEM EN T

TOPTABLES TABLES TOP

KENT DALTON EXECUTIVE CHEF – BLU MANGROVE GRILL

FOR EIGHT YEARS, chef Kent Dalton has worked in some of the area’s finest kitchens. Now, as the new executive chef for Blu Mangrove Grill, he will be featuring American barbecue, cooked low and slow over a blend of fruit woods, with an emphasis on fresh seafood. FEATURED SELECTIONS LAMB SHANK BYRANT STYLE | smoked then braised until fork tender. MATTY D’S CALAMARI | Lightly breaded and crisp, tossed with fresh tomato and red onion in a spicy sweet chili sauce. 102 RIVIERA DUNES WAY, PALMETTO, FL 34221 (941) 479-7827 | BLUMANGROVEGRILL.COM

TOP TABLES

SERVANDO MACIAS ExEcuTivE chEf – BLu QuE iSLAnd GriLL

Blu Que Island GrIll and Bar on Siesta Key offers smoke-infused cuisine featuring hardwood grilled favorites cooked low and slow over hickory and apple wood. Be sure to complement your meal with one of their specialty drinks, domestic and imported beers or fine wines. Live entertainment daily – visit the website for full information. Featured selectIons award-wInnInG chIcken wInGs | slow smoked jumbo chicken wings tossed in spicy Asian sauce. 18 hour BrIsket | seasoned and slow smoked with a special blend of aromatic hardwoods. 149 avenIda MessIna, sarasota, Fl 34242 (941) 346-0738 | BluQueIslandGrIll.coM

TOP TABLES

RICHARD PENNY CONCEPT CHEF – CHART HOUSE

SPECTACULAR WATERFRONT DINING on gorgeous Longboat Key, where every table has a view. Enjoy fresh fish specialties, slow-roasted prime rib, the extensive salad bar and their original hot chocolate lava cake in an atmosphere of comfortable elegance. Visit soon for the best Happy Hour on the water! FEATURED SELECTIONS MACADAMIA CRUSTED MAHI | with mango relish and served with Asian green beans. SNAPPER HEMINGWAY | Parmesan encrusted, topped with jumbo lump crab and lemon shallot butter. 201 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE LONGBOAT KEY, FL 34228 (941) 383-5593 | CHART-HOUSE.COM 156 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

ADVERT ISEM EN T

TOPTABLES TABLES TOP

RAYMOND ARPKE EXECUTIVE CHEF/OWNER EUPHEMIA HAYE SINCE 1980, Euphemia Haye has been owned and operated by Executive Chef Raymond Arpke and D’Arcy Arpke. Known as one of the country’s most romantic restaurants, Euphema Haye serves American and eclectic fare in a charming, intimate atmosphere. Chef Raymond also teaches cooking classes that have continuously been sold out since 1997. FEATURED SELECTIONS EUPHEMIA’S PRIME PEPPERED STEAK | Boneless strip steak rolled in cracked peppercorns, pan-fried; served with a hot and sweet orange, brandy, butter sauce. ROASTED DUCKLING | Our famous crisp roasted duck, partially boned, filled with bread stuffing and served with tangy sweet seasonal fruit sauce. 5540 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE, LONGBOAT KEY, FL 34228 (941) 383-3633 | EUPHEMIAHAYE.COM

HARRY CHRISTENSEN owner/chef and Ian clark, executIve chef harry’s contInental kItchens Harry’s Continental KitCHens features globally inspired coastal cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner with an emphasis on local seasonal flavors and served in a beautiful garden setting. Harry’s restaurant, gourmet deli, catering and corner store all hold the Harry’s standard of true epicurean excellence. Celebrating 35 years in business. Featured seleCtions Grilled blaCK anGus Center-Cut Filet miGnon | with roasted garlicgorgonzola butter, served with bordelaise sauce, potato of the day, fresh vegetables. Key West Florida lobster risotto | with shiitake mushrooms and leeks, finished with champagne lobster cream sauce. 525 st. Judes drive, lonGboat Key, Fl 34228 (941) 383-0777 | HarrysKitCHen.Com

tOP tables

HUGO NUNEZ AND BONIFACIO CARO Owners – mi PueblO el restaurante mexicanO

mi Pueblo has been serving Sarasota’s favorite traditional Mexican cuisine since 1999 in a fun and festive atmosphere. The third location in north Sarasota offers a full bar with 100+ fine tequilas. A dining experience that will please everyone. Featured SelectionS tacoS SudadoS | Three soft tacos with shredded beef topped with fresh cilantro and onions, served with rice and beans and special green tomatillo sauce. deSSert: Flan | Creamy smooth custard covered in caramel sauce. 8405 tuttle ave., SaraSota, Fl 34243 (941) 359-9303 | miPueblomexican.com

SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

157

FEBRUARY 4 A NEW BEGINNING LUNCHEON Selah Freedom selahfreedom.com FEBRUARY 6-16 REIMAGINING GEORGIA O’KEEFFE AND ALFRED STIEGLITZ Ice House icehouseon10th.com FEBRUARY 7 VWF ANNUAL GALA JAY LENO PERFORMANCE Van Wezel Foundation vwfoundation.org FEBRUARY 8 PALM BALL Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast conservationfoundation.com FEBRUARY 12 SARASOTA WOMEN’S CANCER AWARENESS LUNCHEON Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation moffitt.org FEBRUARY 14 TONY BENNETT Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall vanwezel.org FEBRUARY 14 COMPASSION IN CARING LUNCHEON Tidewell Hospice tidewell.org FEBRUARY 15 UNCONDITIONAL LOVE Animal Rescue Coalition animalrescuecoalition.org FEBRUARY 22 “A-NU TIME” GALA Sarasota Orchestra sarasotaorchestra.org Visit our events calendar at SarasotaMagazine.com.

158 SARASOTA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014

P R E S E N T S

STRANGER THAN FICTION: AN AFTERNOON WITH

CARL HIAASEN 2014 AUTHOR LUNCHEON

Giving Galas

11:30 A.M.

MARCH 18

MICHAEL'S ON EAST

SARASOTA

A Florida native, Hiaasen is the author of bestselling satiric books for adults and children. He also writes provocative columns for the Miami Herald about politics, the environment and the often-weird state of life in Florida.

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE NOW INDIVIDUAL TICKETS GO ON SALE

FEBRUARY 14

Library Foundation for Sarasota County raises private funds to secure the library's future as an indispensable community resource.

941-228-6274

www.sarasotalibraryfoundation.org

SPON SORED REPORT

VOL 3 NO 1

CALENDAR-AT-A-GLANCE

Fashionably Late for the Relationship, 2007-08, Video Still R. Luke DuBois, in collaboration with WIKA, Toshiaki Ozawa and Todd Reynolds

FEBRUARY — MAY 2014

SCOTT PIKE Professional Artist

WINNIE DOWNES AND CARL DENNEY Thespians and Avid Boaters

BETSY BAGBY Philanthropist and Patron of the Sarasota Youth Opera

P LY M O U T H H A R B O R

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Plymouth Harborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design team will help design and customize a new residence to ďŹ t your needs and tastes. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll help you create a space that is uniquely you. When quality of life, smart planning and the freedom to pursue passions and new interests are top priorities, Plymouth Harbor is the wise choice. Call us today for a tour of our award-winning campus, luxury accommodations and amenities.

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Sarasotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Choice in Continuing Care Retirement Communities Ă&#x160;Ă&#x2021;Ă¤Ă¤Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;,Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160; Â?Ă&#x203A;`Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;->Ă&#x20AC;>Ă&#x192;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;>]Ă&#x160; Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;`>Ă&#x160;Ă&#x17D;{Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x2C6; ÂÂ&#x2122;{ÂŁÂŽĂ&#x160;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x2C6;xÂ&#x2021;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2C6;Ă¤Ă¤Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Â°*Â?Ă&#x17E;Â&#x201C;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026; >Ă&#x20AC;LÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â°Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;} A Not-For-ProďŹ t Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) OIR #88039

JOE & LYN DEGLMAN Local Merchants and Volunteers

DR. LOU NEWMAN Retired Veterinary Surgeon Turned Nature Photographer

RUTH ENTREKIN Artist and Centenarian

SPON SORED REPORT

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS

R. Luke DuBois—NOW Through May 4

For a complete list of exhibitions, visit ringling.org

Museum of Art, Searing Wing

The mining and metamorphosing of data into art and investigations of temporality are two dominant themes explored by R. Luke DuBois in this first museum survey of his work. DuBois is the epitome of the 21st century artist – he is a composer, computer programmer, filmmaker, installation artist, simultaneously. He shifts from one medium to another as effortlessly as we shift our attention among the screens that populate, inform, and control our visual experience. Over the last decade, he has produced a prodigious body of work ranging from musical composition and collaborative performance, to large-scale public installations, film, and generative computer works. Typically classed as a “new media” artist, DuBois operates at the intersections of the visual, the performative, and the time-based, mirroring our collective 21st century experience in a world dominated by the hypertext of globalized information. The exhibition also features the premiere of a video work created by the artist while in residence at The Ringling that focuses on the historical links between the Ringling legacy and the greatest example of collective performance experience: the circus.

EXHIBITION GALLERY PERFORMANCES Members/Free and with Art After 5 admission. Tickets required, but invalid if presented after 6:30 pm; no latecomers admitted. Limited seating; attendees may sit on floor or stand. Lesley Flanigan and R. Luke DuBois

Thur, Feb 27, 6:30 pm Vocalist and sculptor, Lesley Flanigan collaborates with R. Luke DuBois in their duo performance Bioluminescence, an improvisation in which Flanigan’s voice is processed and remixed by DuBois as audio and visuals.

Picturing Japan

Through April 6 Approximately 40 photographs from the second half of the 19th Century documenting Japan's last years as an isolated pre-industrial society.

Conserved

Feb 5 — Jun 3 A selection of posters from the Tibbals Collection examining the life of a circus poster even after the circus left town. Pulled from windows and walls and stored for years before finding their way to the Museum, these lithographs have gained a second life as documentation of circus history. James Reilley, Van Ambrugh: Bareback Rider, Ink on paper, Tibbals Collection, ht2004884

Todd Reynolds

Thur, Mar 20, 6:30 pm Violinist Todd Reynolds performs Moments of Inertia, R. Luke DuBois’ piece for amplified violin and video, as well as repertoire from Reynolds and DuBois’ 10+ years of collaborating. Bora Yoon and R. Luke DuBois Thur, May 1, 6:30 pm Composer / Multi-Instrumentalist / Vocalist Bora Yoon and R. Luke DuBois perform ( (( Phonation ) )), a live immersive audiovisual performance combining Yoon’s wide use of sound-making devices and voice with live camera-based projections by DuBois. The R. Luke DuBois—NOW exhibit is part of The Ringling’s 2013-14 Art of Our Time season, supported in part by a grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The exhibition is also made possible through the generous support of the Amicus Foundation.

In the Streets: Photographing Urban Spaces

Mar 21 — Jul 13 Exploring the many ways in which 20thcentury photographers responded to the rise of the modern metropolis. Included are images by notable photographers such as Berenice Abbott, Andreas Feininger, Ruth Orkin, Gary Winogrand, Leon Levinstein, and Louis Stettner, that capture the human drama of the streets. Ruth Orkin, American Girl in Italy, 1952, printed 1980. Gift of Paulette and Kurt Olden, 1986. MF86.53

more @ ringling.org R3

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SPON SORED REPORT

nowHERE NEWSTAGES 2014: Places in the Sky

PROGRAM

HIGHLIGHTS For a complete list of programs, visit ringling.org

Contemporary performance at The Ringling Tickets: $30 / $25 for Members / $10 for students with valid ID 941.360.7399

ONGOING PROGRAMS $10 AND UNDER Viewpoint Lecture Series

LostWax Multimedia Dance, Particular Thur – Sat, Feb 6 – 8, 7:30 pm Historic Asolo Theater ETHEL with Guest Robert Mirabal, Music of the Sun With a choral ensemble created in partnership with New Music New College Thur – Fri, Feb 20 – 21, 7:30 pm and Sat, Feb 22, 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm Historic Asolo Theater The Foundry, No Hero Thur – Sat, Mar 6 – 8, 7:30 pm Historic Asolo Theater Inuksuit: in the Capacity of the Human by John Luther Adams One performance only. Sat, Mar 22 at 6:30 pm Ringling Museum of Art Courtyard

Enhance your appreciation of the museum’s permanent collection and special exhibitions with lectures by curators and noted scholars. Viewpoints include a reception immediately following the lecture.

INCLUDED WITH ART AFTER 5 ADMISSION Gallery Walk & Talks Join museum staff and invited experts in the galleries for these “bite size” programs on the permanent collection and special exhibitions.

Conversations with a Curator

What goes on behind closed doors! Learn about the processes and people that make a museum a “museum.”

Collecting Recollections

GENRE CREATES GHETTO /

CONVERSATIONS ON CURATING IN A POST-GENRE WORLD Mildred Sainer Pavilion / New College of Florida The Artist and The Curator, Fri, Mar 21, 6:30 pm Keynote conversation with R. Luke DuBois and Matthew McLendon General Public/$5; Members, museum professionals, academic faculty and students with valid ID/Free. Curating in a Post-Genre World, Sat, Mar 22, 10:00 am — 4:30 pm The nation’s leading curators of contemporary art and performance offer new perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of creating, curating, and presenting the work of living artists. Presented in three sessions:

10:00 am: R. Luke DuBois joins a panel of fellow genre-defying artists. 1:00 pm: Leaders of the Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance at Wesleyan University share innovations in presenting time-based art. 3:00 pm: Curators and scholars of contemporary art explore our everevolving cultural landscape. Tickets: $20 / $15 for Museum Members / Free for Museum Professionals, Academic Faculty and Students with valid ID. 941.360.7399 A fixed-price lunch for Saturday attendees is available at Treviso for $15 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations required: 941.360.7390 The R. Luke DuBois—NOW exhibit is part of The Ringling’s 2013-14 Art of Our Time season, supported in part by a grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Support provided by NOWHERE Sponsors Gerri Aaron, Blalock Walters, PA, Cumberland Advisors, Bernice Davis, Florida Lottery, Huisking Foundation, Ina Schnell, Judith and Stephen Shank.

Hear fascinating individuals sharing stories of their lives, The Ringling history, the Circus, Sarasota and more. All sessions are recorded for archival purposes.

FREE TO THE PUBLIC The Literati Book Club Join The Ringling Art Library’s book club for lively discussions about famous authors and art history. No registration required. Books may be purchased at The Ringling Museum Store.

ROAR! Ringling Order of Art Readers Enjoy family story time in the Art Library and an accompanying activity. Designed to engage children in activities that connect art with early literacy. Registration required. 941.359.5700, x2700, or email library@ringling.org

Inside the Vault A quarterly lecture series. No registration required. Reception and tour for Friends of The Ringling Art Library follows lecture.

more @ ringling.org R5

SPON SORED REPORT

February 2014 Sunday

Monday

BAYFRONT GARDENS TOURS: Every Fri and Sat, 10:30 am, through Apr 12

Tu e s d a y

Wednesday

IN THE GALLERIES Optical Impulses R. Luke DuBois-Now The Philip and Nancy Kotler Glass Collection Unfamiliar Realities Wild West (closes Feb 4) Conserved

2 7:30

L O S T WA X M U LT I M E D I A D A N C E

3 Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota: Ritz Chamber Players

5 10:00 Conserved opens

7:00

Monday Night Movie: Boys Town Starring Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, Henry Hull MGM/UA; Directed by Norman Taurog. B & W; Not Rated; 94 minutes; 1938

7:00

Monday Night Movie: The Bad Seed For little eight-year-old Rhoda (Patty McCormack), murder is child's play. Warner Brothers; Directed by Mervyn Leroy Black and White; Not Rated; 129 minutes; 1956.

10:30 nowHERE Collecting Recollections: Annie Solomon Remembers a Colony of Artists

PRESIDENT'S DAY

5:00

Circle Member Event: Love, Legacy and Ca’ d’Zan

7:00

Monday Night Movie: To Kill a Mockingbird Six-year-old "Scout" Finch (Mary Badham) witnesses the powerful lessons of prejudice and hate. Universal Pictures; Directed by Robert Mulligan. Black and White; Not Rated; 129 minutes; 1962

10:30 Conversations with the Curator

7:00

10:30 nowHERE Collecting Recollections: Elizabeth Lindsay Remembers

Monday Night Movie: The Champ The son (Ricky Schroder) of an exboxing champ learns the more you love, the harder you fight. MGM/ UA; Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. Rated PG; 122 minutes; 1979.

ETHEL WITH GUEST ROBERT MIRABEL

SPON SORED REPORT

ringling.org Thursday

Friday

Saturday 1 7:30

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota: Ritz Chamber Players

P I C T U R I N G J A PA N

7:30

nowHERE New Stages: Lostwax Multimedia Dance, Particular

8:00

Ringling Underground

10:00 The Literati Book Club: “The Scent of Scandal” 7:30

nowHERE New Stages: Lostwax Multimedia Dance, Particular

11 44

VALENTINE'S DAY