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“Why the World Comes to Sarasota� SIESTA KEY ROUND-UP PAGE 4 FEATURED RESTAURANT PAGE 6
WATER WORLD PAGE 19 GIVING BACK PAGE 13
LIVE MUSIC PAGE 24 ART FEATURE PAGE 10 www.SiestaKeyFitness.com
Background photo by island artist Shawn McLoughlin
OCTOBER 2012 | 941.539.0205 | ISLAND VISITOR PUBLISHING, LLC | www.SiestaSand.net | COMPLIMENTARY
Blake Parson |ARTIST AND ENTREPRENEUR...
3rd Annual Hang Ten for Autism More Photos on Page 22A
By Diane Colson %ODNH 3DUVRQV LV D VNDWHERDUGHU clothing designer, artist, musician, and businessman. This fascinating guy owns and operates CaliFlorida Surf & Skate Shop on Siesta Key, a store offering a myriad of supplies IRU EHDFK SRWDWRHV DV ZHOO DV WKH adventurous, and the athletic. %ODNH ZDV D &KLFDJR ER\ %RUQ
and raised in the southwest suburbs, he grew up on a skateboard. It was an important part of his \RXQJ OLIH DQG VWLOO LV WRGD\ %ODNH FXUUHQWO\ KHDGV XS KLV RZQ SUR teams that compete nationally and internationally in longboarding, VXUÀQJ DQG VNLPERDUGLQJ 1LQH people serve on each team, and downhill racing on longboards is of particular interest to this daredevil group. :KHQ %ODNH 3DUVRQV ZDV in high school, he had a friend who was going to the Olympics as a volley EDOO SOD\HU (DFK YROOH\ EDOO move has its own name, and she was talking about a move that was called ´7KH 9LUJLQ¾ %ODNH GHFLGHG then and there to design his ÀUVW OLQH RI FORWKLQJ XVLQJ that term as the logo. In no WLPH DW DOO %ODNH ZDV VHOOLQJ shirts and stuff to his high VFKRRO EXGGLHV 7KLV WHHQ aged entrepreneur was clearly off and running, and did so without benefit of design school, art school, or any other special training. +DYLQJ HQWHUHG WKH ÀHOG of construction after high school, the idea of building boards came naturally to this Chicago athlete. He set his hand to creating custom boards in his spare time, and met with with great success. $ VNLOOHG FUDIWVPDQ %ODNH decorated many of these custom boards with his own original artwork. Continued on page 28A
Photo of Markus (on board) & volunteer Austin by Lauren Bates
‘Quiet’ October was historically far from dull... By Paul Roat
October is one of the most pleasant months in Southwest Florida. There is a hint of fall in the air. Humidity is relatively high and the mugginess of summer has eased. Gulf of Mexico and bay waters are still warm enough to swim in. A gentle breeze is prevalent, making beach and boat activities wonderful. Afternoon thunderstorms are at a minimum, and KXUULFDQH VHDVRQ LV SDVW LWV SHDN Âł DOWKRXJK QRW UHĂ HFWHG historically in Sarasota. Snowbirds are still away, leaving Florida to Floridians for at least a little while. October is, in short, a great month, and historically it was also an eventful month. Here are a few October notable events, compliments of
J. Whitcomb Rylee and Tom Payne’s “Yesterdays Sarasota; the Calendar for 1984.â€? ‡ 2FW ´7KH 6DUDVRWD +HUDOG¡V ILUVW GD\ RI SXEOLFDWLRQ ´,WV Ă€UVW HGLWLRQ ZDV D SDJH SDSHU WKH largest to that date even produced in Sarasota,â€? Ruylee and Payne said. The newspaper later bought the Tribune DQG ZDV UHQDPHG WKH 6DUDVRWD +HUDOG 7ULEXQH ‡ 2FW $ % (GZDUGV ZDV HOHFWHG 6DUDVRWD¡V Ă€UVW WD[ FROOHFWRU $ \HDU ODWHU WKH Ă€UVW WD[ ELOOV ZHQW LQ WKH PDLO (GZDUGV ODWHU EHFDPH WKH FLW\¡V Ă€UVW RIĂ€FLDO PD\RU 7KH RIĂ€FLDO HOHPHQW FRXOG EH WKRXJKW DV D KDUELQJHU RI WKH wacky things to come in city government. Continued on page 15A