ON THE FLIP SIDE: A+E < ‘The Nutcracker.’ Sarasota Ballet gives new life to the classic. Men, Whiskey and Watches. A fine time for refined tastes. 4
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Photos by Cliff Roles
Above: Decorated Christmas trees were on the silent auction. Left: McLain Miller, Rory Cole, Pearl Parry, Ellie Fitzgerald and Julia Tomlinson
CHRISTMAS IN Rebecca Blitz and daughter Elizabeth
CANDY LAND
Saturday, Dec. 12, at Michael’s On East Benefiting Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida
T
Heather and Jamie Myers
Sherra Fritz with daughter Aubrey
Chairs Bianca Lawrence, Shana Zamikoff and Michele Schlossberg with Santa
here must have been a lot of parents dealing with major sugarhighs at this event because more than 300 people attended the annual holiday affair, making it a record-breaking year. Families enjoyed cookies, cakes, ice cream, candy bars, a chocolate fountain and more. Parents who decided to be “naughty” sipped on Bailey’s and cream. Children enjoyed activities such as face painting, balloon animals, cookie decorating and a special snow area. The Teddy Bear Brigade handed out stuffed animals to all the young attendees. And even the big guy himself was there to hand out some Christmas cheer, including to Chairs Bianca Lawrence, Shana Zamikoff and Michele Schlossberg, who took a turn sitting on Santa’s knee. PAGE 2
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
Christmas in Candyland
FROM PAGE 1
Jason and Vanessa Quintal with daughters Daisy and Daphne
Photos by Cliff Roles
Above: Denise and Kevin West with children Kayden and Kylie Right: Jessica Hays with daughters Addison and Eva A cupcake tower featured both chocolate and vanilla.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
MOLLY SCHECHTER La Musica turns 30
Patti Wertheimer, president of the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota Manatee, graciously credited Brian Lipton for originating the phrase she borrowed to kick off the Women’s Day luncheon Dec. 7. One wow was for the speaker: Marlee Matlin. Another was for the record number of guests: 430. A third was for Susie Steenbarger, who created the table décor but didn’t get to see it because she was ill. Matlin told her story of not letting her deafness stop her — ever — with the help of her interpreter, Jack Jason. Matlin also FaceTimed Spring Awakening co-star Camryn Manheim, the previous year’s Women’s Day speaker, who wanted to give a shout-out to the Sarasota crowd.
To kick off its 30th year, La Musica took its season-opener, “Sonata a Due” to a new location — Michael’s On East, which was an amenable venue for an intimate chamber music concert. Federico Agostini, violin, and Derek Han, piano, dazzled with pieces by Mozart, Schumann and Beethoven in a performance dedicated to the memory of Joseph Silverstein. Board Chairman Frederick Derr announced new board members: Nancy Gold and Linda Bento-Rei. Kim and Kevin Kalkhoven, who are relocating from northern California and purchasing the home of Renee Hamad, were among her guests. Edward Hupton, pianist, and Veronica Schoenewolf, singer, recently became neighbors of and attended with Janet and John Hunter. One extremely happy guest was composer Jerry Bilick, basking in compliments for the Sarasota Orchestra’s weekend premiere of his Symphony in M-L. Happiest of all was La Musica president and mother superior, Sally Faron.
John Simon’s souvenir tie
‘Night at the Moulin Rouge’ revisited ...
Photos by Cliff Roles
Pat Baer, Peggy Abt and Judy Zuckerberg
In Triplicate Peggy Abt, Pat Baer, and soon-to-be-birthday girl Judy Zuckerberg (75 on Dec. 30) discovered last year that they had purchased the same beautiful blouse by designer Catherine Bacon. Baer got hers at a boutique in Arizona and the other two ladies bought at
Tidbits …
Marlee Matlin and, via FaceTime, Camryn Manheim
She’s back … and are we glad. Heather Merriman Saba has completed her maternity leave and is back on the job as of Dec. 14. We are also grateful to Cliff Roles, who did a great job for the section while she was gone
Joan Morgan’s Dream Weaver in St. Armands. They took care to consult each other and not show up at the same event in the same garb, but then decided to do exactly that. Their choice was the aforementioned Jewish Federation of Sarasota Manatee’s Women’s Day Luncheon. The stunt was a hit, to say the least.
and will continue to handle some assignments … Happy Holidays … This is the last appearance of this column for 2015. Thank you for your ideas, your contributions and your readership. We’ll be back in the Jan. 7 edition and we hope you will be, too.
Standout accessory … John Simon wore a Moulin Rouge souvenir tie that his father, Abbie Simon, bought at the famous club 70 years ago when he was a G.I. The Designing Women Boutique Fashion Show was the first time he wore it — obviously the perfect occasion ... Another first … The gala was extra special for Nancy Markle, a founding and longtime board member of DWB and its guiding light in the computer world. She reported, “This is my first time out without a back brace (after major surgery in Atlanta this summer).” ... The heir apparent … Many of us remember Behta, the gorgeous apricot standard poodle who shared his life with Janet and John Hunter and even strutted the Designing Women Boutique runway with John. It’s been some time since Behta died, but now there is Oliver – a 9-year-old black poodle rescue (of course), who made his debut at “Night at the Moulin Rouge” and is every bit as much a “daddy’s boy” as his predecessor.
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‘Wow, wow, wow!’ take two
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
Men, Whiskey and Watches Thursday, Dec. 10, at Phillippi Mansion Estate Benefiting Child Protection Center
Graci McGillicuddy and the BACA’s (Bikers Against Child Abuse)
Katy McBrayer and Daniel Volz
Photos by Cliff Roles
Co-Chairs Dan Starostecki with Tina and Mike Granthon
Jenah Princess Victor redeems her “Jane Bond” helicopter ride that she won at a previous CPC event.
WINTER ENROLLMENT
This Holiday Season Give Your Child The Gift Of Dance
Saturday, January 30, 2016 The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
Enjoy an elegant, black-tie evening of cocktails, auctions, dinner and dancing to the sounds of Soul Sensations.
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Lyn Kayser, Val Gill, John and Ellen Cavanaugh and Kay Curtisa
Sonata a Due Monday, Dec. 7, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting La Musica Right: Carl and Roberta Benninghoff Below: Martin Spinelli and Lyn Fisher with Terry and Robyn Sullivan
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
SaVE THE daTE SaRaSOTa MEMORIal HEalTHcaRE FOuNdaTION pRESENTS
WOMEN&MEDICINE
E N V I S I O N I N G
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Photos by Cliff Roles
F R O N T I E R S
Aimee Cogan, Michael Edwards and Lois Lucek
IN ONcOlOGY
Starry Night Dinner ‘Living On Love’
Friday, January 15, 2016 11:30am–1:30pm The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota Join us for an informative and interactive panel discussion with dr. James Fiorica, dr. Kenneth Meredith, and dr. alissa Shulman, three Sarasota Memorial Hospital Physicians, as they share trends in oncology care at SMH.
co-chairs Deb Kabinoff Charlie Ann Syprett
For reservations and information please contact: 941.917.1286 or visit smhf.org
Sponsorship opportunities available.
ENVISION
Tomorrow’s Healthcare Today
Monday, Dec. 7, at the home of Larry and Deb Kabinoff Benefiting Asolo Repertory Theatre
TM
Above: Décor created and organized by Laura Wood, with floral decoration by Flowers by Fudgie Left: Cheryl Loeffler and her daughter Samantha Brenner
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The information contained on this ad is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. Please contact your professional financial advisor with any specific questions.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
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JFSM President Patti Wertheimer and Marlee Matlin
Women’s Day Luncheon
Stacy Hanan, Rachael Saltzberg, Allison Schwartz and Shelley Sarbey
Monday, Dec. 7, at Michael’s On East Benefiting Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Photos by Cliff Roles
Right: Sheila Weiss, Lisa Rubinstein and Barbara Ackerman Above: Helen Glaser and Barbara Simon Left: Kathy Hedden, Sherry Churilla and Lisa Whelan
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
JFCS Gala ‘Reflections: Celebrating 30 Years with a Caring Community’ Sunday, Dec. 13, at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota Benefiting Jewish Family and Children’s Service of the Suncoast
Photos by Cliff Roles
Event CoChairs Susan Mallitz and Debbie Haspel Bob and Dottie Garner with Betsy Wyant and her son, David
Barbara Zdravecky with Rich and Clare Segall
David and Edie Chaifetz
DECEMBER 31 8PM-1AM SA R A S O TA’ S M O S T S OPHIS TICATE D B LACK TIE NE W YEAR’S EVE EXPERIENCE HO ST ED BY MAT T, LISA & EMILY WA L SH
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
20th Season Sponsor Ernest Kretzmer, in memory of Alisa Kretzmer
OF SARASOTA SARASOTA
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Wednesday, Dec. 9, at Michael’s On East Benefiting The Fine Arts Society of Sarasota
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Dec. 19 – 7:30 p.m. & Dec. 20 – 2:00 & 7:30 p.m. In the Historic Asolo Theater at The Ringling
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ON THE FLIP SIDE: BLACK
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CHRISTMAS IN CANDYLAND: Charitable cheer > < THEATER REVIEW: ‘She Loves Me’ 14
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
YOUROBSERVER.COM
EAT THIS
Amish Doughnuts
Sadie Peachey is sharing her family’s Amish doughnut recipe with Sarasota. PAGE 6
SHOP THIS
Nick Reichert
Ricardo Graziano, Matthew Hart and Kate Honea dive into the colorful costumes in preparation for “John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker.”
CRACKING OPEN
‘THE NUTCRACKER’
Canned Ham Vintage Get the newest in yesterday’s fashion and furniture. PAGE 8
DO THIS
The Sarasota Ballet infuses its bold reinvention of a holiday classic with the magic of the circus. NICK REICHERT A+E EDITOR
S
ince the first performance of “The Nutcracker” in 1892, Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov’s choreography and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s music has been converting generations of viewers into ballet fans and future dancers. A dance classic, its reach is far broader than just a holiday production. For many, it’s their introduction to the world of ballet. So what does it take to adapt a hallmark of dance? The Sarasota Ballet explains how it reimagined the ballet under a Sarasota big top in “John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker,” playing Dec. 18 and 19.
PAGE 2
‘A Motown Christmas’ Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s Christmas special and the rest of our favorite events this week. PAGE 10
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
CRACKING OPEN ‘THE NUTCRACKER’ FROM PAGE 1
MAKE IT YOUR OWN
Plenty of people have seen “The Nutcracker.” But how many have seen it set in a Sarasota circus, starring John and Mable Ringling? That was Sarasota Ballet Director Iain Webb’s challenge in 2012: to reinvent a classic. He called on choreographer Matthew Hart to inject the holiday hallmark with the real-life history of Sarasota’s first family of circus. “When Iain Webb called me to create a new ‘Nutcracker’ for the company, he said he wanted something that could relate it to the town’s deep circus history,” says Hart, who has returned to Sarasota to help restage the show. “I found a way I could combine the story of Sarasota circus and the traditional Nutcracker story.” There were several parallels that Hart capitalized on: It opens like any other production of “The Nutcracker,” with a family’s Christmas Eve party, but after the initial Yuletide setting, the similarities evaporate. Injecting the stories of John and Mable Ringling and their nephew, John Ringling North, this “Nutcracker” exchanges the original characters, apart from the protagonist, Clara, for a colorful circus menagerie. The eponymous nutcracker is now a circus ring-
leader; the “Waltz of the Flowers” turned to roses from Mable Ringling’s rose garden; horses transformed into zebras; acrobats fly in the “Chinese Dance;” elephants and caged lions fill the “Arabian Dance;” and an army of clowns battle a battalion of Prohibition gangsters. “The marriage of Sarasota circus and the traditional ‘Nutcracker’ just gives our production a different edge, a different type
Courtesy Photos
Costume shop manger David M. Covach and his staff at the Asolo Repertory Theatre’s costume shop help fit and create the Sarasota Ballet’s circus-inspired costumes during the show’s original 2012 run.
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Masterworks 3
WINTER DREAMS JAN 7 - NEEL PAC | JAN 8, 9 & 10 - VAN WEZEL Anu Tali, Music Director | Mihkel Poll, piano Tchaikovsky’s lush first symphony and the difficult-to-perform Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 are brought together by Estonian pianist Mihkel Poll under the baton of Anu Tali.
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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
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of ‘Nutcracker,’ that you really can’t find anywhere else,” says Hart. “It’s nice to have our hometown pride front and center,” adds Ricardo Graziano, principal dancer and highwire walker Prince in the “Circus Nutcracker.” “It makes this ‘Nutcracker’ not only important to the dancers, but to the community and families who bring their kids to the show for the first time.” Also coming to the show for the first time are the swarm of children dancers and professional dancers who are new to the company. Though some might have danced in the classic version of “The Nutcracker,” there are many in the production who will be doing it circus-style for the very first time. “I know when Iain said to me initially that he wanted a new Nutcracker was that it needed to have a different style on it,” says Hart. “He wanted a Nutcaracker with a different edge. The marriage of circus and show gave it that edge.” Even for principal and experienced dancers such as Graziano and Kate Honea, who have danced this circus version of Nutcracker and classical takes on the ballet dozens of times prior, it’s still a challenge when it’s brought back into the season. “It never gets easier, but at the same time, we’re now three years older since the first time we did it,” says Graziano. “We’re more mature and we’ve changed as dancers, so we have to adapt.” And especially for Honea and Graziano as the high-flying diva stars of the Nutcracker circus, there are certain moments where
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS
NUTS AND BOLTS A complete spectacle from beginning to end, “John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker” combines the magic of the original story with the bravado and showmanship of the circus. That means that almost every Sarasota Ballet dancer and resource will be used to introduce families to the ballet classic including:
Kate Honea, Matthew Hart and Ricardo Graziano
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experience is definitely handy, such as when the curtain rises at the beginning of act two and the dancers, as their high-wire trapeze characters Sugar and Prince, are balancing on a trapeze high above the stage. Honea says it’s an intense moment. “I think I’ll fall if I even smile too much, and he’s over there working the crowd up,” says Honea, pointing to Graziano. “I love it,” adds Graziano. “We get the chance to be the stars of the circus.” It’s moments like that from the show’s circus edge that feeds the adrenaline of dancers old and young alike. “The thing with ballet is that it never gets easier,” says Hart. “It’s not just about dancing. It’s about creating magic.”
professional dancers from the Sarasota Ballet
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professional musicians from the Sarasota Orchestra
56
children dancers and performers
105
individual costumes
178
different props
“It’s nice to have our hometown pride front and center. It makes this ‘Nutcracker’ not only important to the dancers but to the community and families who bring their kids to the show for the first time.” – Ricardo Graziano, high-wire walker Prince in the “Circus Nutcracker”
For many, “The Nutracker” is more than a holiday tradition. It’s also their first exposure to ballet. That was certainly the case for Kate Honea. The Sarasota Ballet’s principal dancer and this year’s Sugar Plum Fairy was just 7 years old when she first saw the Miami Center Ballet dance the seasonal ballet event in Clearwater. “It just seemed so magical and seeing all the other kids onstage as angels, soldiers and all these different roles and dancing with all these professional dancers drew me in,” says Honea. “When I walked out of the theater, I knew I wanted to do ballet and be a part of that world.” Hart has a similar relationship with “The Nutcracker.” Along with the 56 children performers in this year’s production, Hart’s first moments as a dancer were in the popular production when he was 11 years old. “My first ‘Nutcracker’ in 1984 was actually designed by Peter Docherty, the same designer that did this production,” says Hart. “That’s how much impact this show has in a dancer’s career. It’s responsible for bringing so many people into the world of dance.”
IF YOU GO “John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker” Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 and 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 Tickets: $20 to $105 Info: Call 359-0099
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
SCENE & HEARD
A+E STAFF
Shell No It’s a sad day for late-night-taco lovers (and anyone who loves to dine in faux modes of public transit) — the long-anticipated downtown Sarasota Taco Bus location is officially no more. After several months of setbacks, including a lengthy traffic study, the city’s rejection of the restaurant’s signature school-bus facade and corporate changes within Taco Bus, the popular St. Peterburg-based restaurant officially withdrew from the Main Street project this week. Those in search of an afterbar snack will have to up their budgets a bit for its proposed replacement, Cask & Ale, a highend cocktail and tapas lounge based in Tampa and St. Pete.
Nicole Thompson
Taco Bus is known for its schoolbus pick-up window, including this one in Tampa.
More Main Street Eats
Photos by Nick Reichert
Jeff Bellantoni, John Meyer and Larry R. Thompson
A Fond Farewell If ’90s alt-rockers Semisonic taught us anything, it’s that every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. Students, faculty, artists and enthusiasts filled the Selby Gallery at Ringling College of Art and Design Dec. 9 to bid the iconic gallery farewell. After more than 30 years of operation, the gallery, which was the college’s first, will be demolished in January to make room for the Richard and Barbara Basch Visual Arts Center, a 38,000-squarefoot, $10 million state-ofthe-art facility. To send the gallery out with style, guests partied and enjoyed the offerings of its final exhibition, “Cu-
One of many works of Cuban art in the closing show
ban Art from the Collection of Jorge Reynardus.” President Larry R. Thompson offered his memories of the gallery. “This gallery has a fascinating history with the college,” he says. “It was the only real connection to the community and the only gallery Ringling College had for a very long time. It was the place where everyone met. It was our gateway to the world of art.”
Those looking to go green (and save some) will be happy to hear the announcement by Ryan Boeve and Arthur Lopes, owners of Pomona Bistro & Wine Bar, of their new restaurant, Lila. There are worse trends out there than the push for organic food, and Lila will be the latest to adopt this model. Set to open in spring 2016 in the former Bullet Hole location, situated between Evie’s Tavern and Pho Cali, Lila will offer an organic/vegetarianfocused menu — with an emphasis on affordability. Boeve and Lopes say prices will range from $9 to $15, so both your wallet and your health will thank you.
Ryan Boeve and Arthur Lopes
File photo
Take a Seat Everyone wants to be a regular. There aren’t many greater feelings than walking into a place where everyone knows your name — or at least where your name is permanently affixed to a seat. Urbanite Theatre, Sarasota’s popular blackbox theater, is offering philanthropists a unique opportunity. For $500, supporters of the theater can have their name, or a name of their choice, attached to one of Urbanite’s 55 seats. “Fundraising is a perpetual need for a theater,” says Brendan Ragan, cofounding artistic director of the Urbanite Theatre. “We know that a lot of nonprofits do a push at the end of the year, and instead of just doing a general donation-asking round, we thought it’d be a good idea to offer a specific opportunity and gift for donors to be a part of the theater forever.”
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
A SWEET TRADITION Sadie Peachey is taking her family doughnut recipe on the road with her food truck, The Amish Baking Co. NICK REICHERT A+E EDITOR
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Roselyn Peachey works part time with her cousin and Amish Baking Co. owner, Sadie Peachey.
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or Sadie Peachey, the kitchen has always been a place for bonding. Growing up Amish and working on her family’s farm in Statesville, N.C., she and her five siblings, cousins, aunts and grandmas all shared kitchen duties after a long day’s work. Together, they would cook the family’s three hearty meals, making memories around the warm aroma of the kitchen. There was a seemingly endless parade of fresh-made bread, pies and cakes. But on the rare occasion when snow hit the hills of Statesville, they shared an extra sweet tradition: homemade doughnuts. Now, with her food truck, Amish Baking Co., Peachey and her older brother, Nate, who are no longer practicing Amish, are sharing that tradition with Sarasota. Inspired by her lifelong love of baking, Peachey and her brother purchased the truck in early November to mobilize their already popular Amish doughnut business. They recently established a residency at the Phillippi Farmhouse Market every Wednesday and can now go to large annual community events, such as the downtown Sarasota
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“For my family, baking doughnuts was always a celebration and something special.” – Sadie Peachey, Amish Baking Co.
Christmas parade. The business first began in 2007, as an extension of Peachey’s mother’s kitchen. She would bake and sell pies, bread and cakes, but eventually the Peachey family narrowed down its menu to one gooey dish. “We chose doughnuts because growing up, we didn’t make them very often,” says Peachey. “For my family and all my friends’ families, baking doughnuts was always a celebration and something special. If we were going to make something for the people, we wanted it to be the best treat that we could possibly make.” However, Peachey and her doughnuts weren’t always so mobile. For the first eight years of operation, she and her family would cart their ingredients and cooking appliances to outdoor events, where they would set up shop under a tent. Peachey and the Amish Baking Co. started out small at local farmers markets and then began slowly expanding outward throughout Florida, traveling to the Florida State Fair in Tampa, the Okeechobee County Fair, the
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Sadie Peachey shares her family doughnut recipe with customers.
AMISH SWEETS Prepared as a special winter treat, Sadie Peachey and her family have been making and perfecting her grandmother’s donut recipe since they were kids. Below are the simple steps customers can watch at the Amish Baking Co. food truck as they wait for their freshly made doughnut. Total baking time: One hour
create a large mound of dough. Step 2: Place dough underneath a cloth towel and let raise in room temperature Step 3: Cut and shape each individual donut with an empty soup can. Step 4: Let rise again inside an oven. Step 5: Submerge in a soybean oil fryer until both sides are tan Step 6: Dip into a homemade vanilla glaze and hang on the rack to cool. Step 7: Customers’ mouths begin to water.
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Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, the Sun ‘n Fun Airshow in Lakeland, and eventually traveling across the country to share their doughnuts at the Blue Plum Festival in Johnson City, Tenn., the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival and even drafting a 50-member team to sell doughnuts to the munchies-filled masses at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. Attending these events almost every year, the Amish Baking Co. began getting a reputation. So much so that one family traveled eight hours just for her family’s doughnuts. “My favorite part of this job is to the see the people out front enjoying our doughnuts,” says Peachey. “That’s the absolute best. It’s all the pay I need. It’s rewarding to watch it come full circle and see people standing out and enjoying the same doughnut we ate as kids.”
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
The Thrill of the Hunt NICK FRIEDMAN A+E MANAGING EDITOR
To say Ashley Rogers and Jess Sturtevant are dedicated to their craft would be an understatement. The two antique hunters are downright addicted to finding their next treasure. Just the thought of being beaten to the next hidden gem is enough to get them out of bed at 3 a.m. to ensure they’re first in line at local auctions and estate sales. On occasion, Sturtevant has even been known to camp out in his car — just to be sure. “We’re obsessed,” he says. “I remember a police officer approaching me once because I’d been camped out in my car for two days. I was still only the second person there. Basically, if I’m not in the shop, or sleeping, I’m out buying. I love the thrill of the hunt.” It was only fitting, then, that the two team up to open Canned Ham Vintage in the Rosemary District. The store, which opened in November, is an extension of Rogers’ mobile store and features Sturtevant as a business partner, selling furniture from his own shop, Loyal Modern. Rogers opened Canned Ham Vintage last year as a hobby, selling vintage clothing at pop-up events on the weekends out of her shop’s namesake vintage Shasta tin trailer. When she met Sturtevant, a third-generation antique dealer, last year at an estate sale,
With their new joint venture, Canned Ham Vintage, two antique hunters roll back the clock on Sarasota’s fashion scene.
CREAM OF THE CROP Rogers and Sturtevant say living in an area with so many retirees makes them the source of envy for many of their out-of-state antique dealer friends. “When people from New York decide to retire here, they only bring their best things,” says Sturtevant. “They leave the rest in storage or sell it. These are people who loved to go out to parties and entertain guests, so they bring all that stuff with them here. You never know what you’re going to find.”
Above: Jess Sturtevant and Ashley Rogers have combined their love for all things vintage in Canned Ham Vintage, new to the Rosemary District. Top: Rogers started out selling clothes from her “canned ham” trailer.
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the two became fast friends. At 27 and 30, Rogers and Sturtevant are by far the youngest in a tight-knit community of antique shoppers, and the Sarasota natives would regularly attend the same sales, then meet up for breakfast afterward to compare their finds and talk vintage. When Rogers found an available retail space at 1435 Seventh St., the two decided go in on it together. “It started as a hobby, but it really snowballed,” says Rogers. “I’ve always loved vintage clothes, especially hats and dresses. It’s like wearing a little piece of history.” Together, the two make a good team. Rogers focuses on clothing and accessories, and Sturtevant loves lamps and other furniture. The shop is a staged embodiment of their tastes: It’s a 1,500-squarefoot historic building decked out in mid-century modern furniture, clothing, décor and accessories. Rogers says it has been a hit with local shoppers looking for something out of the ordinary. “People want something different,” she says. “And the quality of the fabrics and the manufacturing was much higher than it is now. People can find something timeless that’s going to last.” Rogers says customers have been excited to see the new retail space and her and Sturtevant’s products under one roof. She’s even garnered a growing group of regulars who stop in several times a week to see what’s new. The most difficult part — parting with her finds. “I’d love to keep everything,” she says. “But when you see someone get excited about something they find, and you can tell they’re going to love it as much as you — that makes it all worth it.”
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
THIS WEEK THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Perlman Music Program 7 p.m. at University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail Free. Call 955-4942
Lights in Bloom 6 to 10 p.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 900 S. Palm Ave. $20 to $100 Call 366-5731
Some of the country’s youngest and most talented musicians descend on Sarasota for the annual Perlman Music Program, Suncoast residency. The orchestra of students and their teachers brings open rehearsals and concerts throughout the Christmas and New Year season. Runs through Jan. 2
Selby Gardens’ annual outdoor display features 500,000 lights placed throughout the gardens to illuminate its diverse flora and fauna. Guests will also enjoy traditional holiday music, drinks and food.
Combo Vimana 7 to 10 p.m. at Libby’s L-Bar, 1917 S. Osprey Ave. Free Call 487-7300 LDG Productions presents Combo Vimana, a blend of Latin Jazz, Rumba Flamenco and Bossa Nova.
A MOTOWN CHRISTMAS Ring in Christmas and the New Year with a completely original musical revue, featuring some of Florida’s top musical talent, in “A Motown Christmas.” Created, directed and starring Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s founding artistic director, Nate Jacobs, this production combines the best songs and artists from
Hitsville, U.S.A. with soulful covers of holiday classics. Opening with “This Christmas,” the show is jam-packed with hits including “Just My Imagination,” “Tears of a Clown,” “I Want You Back,” “Christmas Every Day” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” The run of the premiere ends on New Year’s Eve with a full evening of theater as the WBTT will perform and celebrate into 2016.
Choreographer Matthew Hart’s “John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker” will set the stage for the holidays for three performances Dec. 18 and 19. Set to Tchaikovsky’s score by the Sarasota Orchestra, the performance chronicles the history of John and Mable Ringling, as well as Sarasota’s connection to the circus with Hoffman’s classical Nutcracker. Music Fusion 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Five O’Clock Club, 1930 Hillview St. $3 Call 366-5555
– NICK REICHERT
ASOLO REP
NICK’S PICK
A Motown Christmas 8 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1646 10th Way Runs through Dec. 31 $32 to $42 Call 366-1505
‘John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker’ 7:30 to 10 p.m. at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $35 to $105 Call 359-0099
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SATURDAY
Art, Rhymes and Beer — Holiday Edition 5 to 10 p.m. at JDub’s Brewing Co. 1215 Mango Ave. Free Call 955-2739 Enjoy live art and local music while sipping craft beer in the JDub’s beer garden. Make a donation to Toys for Tots and chow down on food from Taste Time to Love Us food truck.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
‘Holiday Brass and Voices’ 7:30 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road $40 to $45 Call 306-1200
Ringling by the Bay 5 to 8 p.m. at The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road $10 Call 359-5700
The Sounds of Christmas 8 p.m. at Venice Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice $25 Call 488-1115
The award-winning Axiom Brass joins the local Gloria Musicae Singers for a selection of classical carols and modern favorites. featuring five world-class brass musicians, Dorival Puccini, Jr. (trumpet), Kris Hammond (trumpet), Kevin Harrison (tuba), Serdar Çizmeci (trombone) and Jacob Diedwardo (horn).
The final Ringling by the Bay of 2015 will feature local band Kettle of Fish playing for guests as they enjoy food, drinks and the view as the sun sets on the bayfront.
The Ditchfield Family Singers bring their homegrown sound to the Venice Theatre for two nights of holiday harmonies. A family of eight, the Ditchfield Family Singers have been performing their holiday show for years in and around Sarasota and Venice.
‘A Christmas Carol’ 7 p.m. at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $35 to $55 Call 953-3368 The Nebraska Theatre Caravan has been touring Charles Dickens’ classic holiday haunt across the country since 1979. This year, the cast of 23 brings the Victorian world of Scrooge and company to Sarasota just in time for Christmas.
DON’T MISS Gunther Doug, RaeF and Dan Shultz 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, at Cock & Bull Pub, 975 Cattlemen Road $10 Call 877-1262
Dušan Tynek Dance Theatre: ‘Joseph’s Coat’ 5:15 p.m. at The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Rd. $30 Call 360-7399 Dušan Tynek and his Brooklyn, N.Y., dance company return to Sarasota for a brand new site-specific work created for the John and Mable Ringling’s James Turrell Skyspace exhibit. Tynek and his six dancers will perform beneath the open-air art fixture and respond to its constantly changing color and light.
ONLINE
Nashville-based garage-rock band Gunther Doug, left, returns to its hometown for a show with RaeF and Dan Shultz.
Find more information on these events and more at
YourObserver.com.
NICK’S PICK MUSIC FUSION
There’s nothing quite like a live band to bring out the best in hip-hop. And you can’t ask for a better band than Wild Root, right, to do the genre justice. Their already smooth sound and jazz sensibilities lend themselves perfectly to this evening of live music. Emcee Ryanito will join the band onstage for an evening of both original songs and covers of hip-hop classics. Special guests include Monteasy and Kristen Calandra. – NICK FRIEDMAN
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
Gloria Musicae Singers present a glorious Christmas JUNE LEBELL MUSIC CRITIC
Camille Saint-Saëns was a fairly prolific composer, and many of his works, from his Organ Symphony to his opera, “Samson and Delilah,” have become staples of the repertoire. Not so with his Christmas Oratorio, which is done only occasionally and, while there are a few lovely moments in it – including some touching solos and one or two exquisite segments underscored by a celestial harp – it’s not his greatest work. That said, the Gloria Musicae Singers and Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Joseph Holt, offered it at the ensemble’s “Glorious Christmas” program Dec. 2, at First United Methodist Church. The five soloists (soprano Johanna Fincher, mezzos Robyn Rocklein and Alix Faulhaber, tenor Adam Bielamowicz and baritone Christopher Holloway), had a good sense of the music and style, and the chamber orchestra (made up of several members of the Sarasota Orchestra, including concertmaster Daniel Jordan) lent a warm, sonorous tone that made this Oratorio an agreeable reminder of the pastoral side of the Christmas celebration. The program opened with the singers processing down the center aisle of the church, singing “Of the Father’s Love
File photo
With a strong sense of musical style and attention to detail, the Gloria Musicae Singers bring out the sophistication of the holiday season.
Begotten,” accompanied by hand bells, which gave their sound an unearthly, mysterious sense of beauty. The second half of the program juxtaposed Mendelssohn’s magnificent choral cantata, “Vom Himmel hoch,” in which the composer took his love of music by Bach and incorporated the baroque style into his own larger, more romantic forces, with the
tenderness of Franz Gruber’s “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!” It was in this beautifully designed contrast that the singers’ tasteful and elegant sound came to full fruition. The Mendelssohn is a broad, beautifully constructed work, and the chorus, consisting of only about 30 professional singers, sounded rich, strong, sensitive and beautiful, never over-singing and always pay-
ing attention to the style of the music. Holt sculpted their sound so the choral segments were in just the right proportion to the orchestra, bringing a richness to this particularly excellent music. Going from the opulent final chorus of the Mendelssohn, “Lob Her seit Gott im Hoechsten Thron,” to the gentleness of “Silent Night,” was a masterstroke of programming and,
with the flickering candlelight in the church, it was mesmerizing and poignant. Christmas music can be bold as brass or gentle as a harp and flute. Gloria Musicae’s Glorious Christmas concert was more of the latter and the deftness of the musicians – singers and instrumentalists – brought out the sophistication and deep meaning music adds to the spirit of the holiday.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015
Love, Hungarian Style MARTY FUGATE THEATER CRITIC
“She Loves Me” is set in a perfume shop. It might as well be a candy shop. This sweet, Whitman’s Sampler of a musical is the latest Players production. Joe Masteroff wrote the script; Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick created the music and lyrics. The action unfolds in Budapest in 1938 — just a few years before the Nazis rearranged the neighborhood. The plot — well, you probably already know it. The musical’s based on a Hungarian play that inspired a host of movies, including “The Shop Around the Corner” and “You’ve Got Mail.” In case you missed them, here goes: Thanks to a lonely hearts club ad, two anonymous pen pals start writing each other love letters. Georg (Matthew M. Ryder) and Amalia (Michelle Anaya) don’t realize they’re working in the same parfumerie — and they can’t stand each other in person. (As any pop psychologist will tell you, unacknowledged attraction is the source of this hostility.) Do they fail to meet and die loveless and alone? Would a depressing story be this popular? You decide. These epistolary lovebirds are the main attraction, but the peripheral characters have their own stories. There’s Kodaly (Peter Salefsky), a womanizer who plays with
Cliff Roles
The characters in “She Loves Me” embody the love, friendship and pleasures found in everyday life.
the affections of Ilona (Sue Cole); Maraczek (Bob Turoff), the shop owner who knows his wife’s cheating on him but blames the wrong person — namely Georg; Ladislav (Ken Basque), who prefers workplace humiliation to unemployment; and Arpad (A.J. Cali), the ambitious delivery boy. All that, and a host of shoppers who bustle in from
time to time — and always get a song from the clerks before they leave. Bob Trisolini’s brisk direction offers glimpses in the intersecting lives of these characters in busy Budapest. His approach implies a larger cosmopolitan world around them. Trisolini also co-choreographed the production with Vanessa Russo. As a
IF YOU GO “She Loves Me”
When: Through Dec. 20 Where: The Players Theatre, 838 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $25 to $30; Students $12 Info: Call 365-2494
result, the fast-paced physical comedy and bits of business blend seamlessly with the actual dance numbers. Anaya and Ryder show real chemistry. While they’re both excellent singers, Anaya is a standout. She gets a chance to shine on several numbers, particularly “Dear Friend.” The talented actors/singers in this large-cast production all put their hearts in it and strike the right balance between romance and comedy under Trisolini’s direction. Musical director Teresa O’Connell and a small, unseen orchestra do a great job with the catchy, memorable songs by Bock and Harnick — the team behind “Fiddler on the Roof.” Jeff Weber’s versatile sets and Jared Walker’s costumes nicely evoke the time and place without screaming “period.” This sweet, warm, funny and loving musical is bourgeoisie to its core—and I mean that in a good way. Hungary at the time was flanked by thugs to the east and west planning fresh atrocities in the name of Nation, Blood, Race, History, Revolution and other uppercase abstractions. The people of “She Loves Me” were concerned with love, work, friends and family — all the lower-case realities that make up daily life. You’ll enjoy meeting these characters — and appreciate the simple pleasures of your daily life even more when the musical is done.
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