Key Life Spring 2023

KEYLIFE

THE BARRIER ISLANDS’ COMMUNITY, NATURE, STYLE

SPRING 2023

CAST AWAY

From shore fishing to deepwater excursions, angling adventure awaits.

ROGER SELLS LUXURY WATERFRONT PROPERTIES

Dear Neighbor,

Welcome to 2023 in Sarasota! We are looking forward to a busy year and an eventful real estate selling season. It is important to know that the Sarasota real estate market continues to be strong, although we have a limited supply of properties. Buyers recognize how wonderful our beautiful city is, with our gorgeous beaches, dining, shopping and world-class culture all woven into a mid-size, friendly community. Please contact us to help you search for your Sarasota dream home, or to sell your home with our award-winning marketing strategies.

Best Roger Pettingell

Owned

97 SOUTH WASHINGTON DRIVE

$11,500,000

Experience this stunning bayfront estate in person! Just a sunny walk from famed St. Armands Circle. Situated on two lots in a corner location, spanning more than a half-acre, this impressive 5BR residence is set among lush, professionally managed greenery on the deep water of Sarasota Bay.

www.97SouthWashington.com

1800 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN DRIVE #A604 $3,299,000

Delightful Gulf-to-bay living at L’Elegance on Lido Beach! This sixth-floor, 3BR island getaway is a flourish of gorgeous contemporary updates perfectly complemented by spectacular direct views from the Gulf of Mexico out to Sarasota Bay and downtown’s city skyline.

www.LEleganceA604.com

3040 GRAND BAY BOULEVARD #251

$2,695,000

This direct bayfront, fifth-floor Antigua residence at Grand Bay offers nearly 3,000 SF of living space waiting for you to make it your own. One of the largest floor plans in the community, these residences do not come on the market often. Includes TWO PARKING spaces and various first-rate community amenities to enjoy.

www.GrandBay251.com

201 NORTH WASHINGTON DRIVE

$2,500,000

The walkable location of this St. Armands home will immediately draw you in. Just steps from the some of the best spots of Sarasota, offering an oversized lot for you to design your dream home. The immaculate Gulf beaches of Lido and Longboat Keys are only a short bike ride away.

www.201NorthWashington.com

5005 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE #2 $8,500,000

This stunning contemporary 6BR beach home located directly on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico offers a rare opportunity to enjoy luxury living on Longboat Key, in a newer residence. Private beach access.

www.BonaireLBK2.com

3040 GRAND BAY BOULEVARD #224 $2,295,000

Chic updates, stylish furnishings (some included!) and stunning direct views welcome you to this 3BR Cayman residence at Grand Bay. Two parking spaces and deeded access to a private beach club are included!

www.GrandBay224.com

1545 OAK STREET #10 $1,699,000

This charming 3BR townhouse is in Sarasota’s historic district, within walking distance to the best that downtown offers. Immediately move in and fall in love! Relish an ideal city lifestyle, including two secure parking spaces.

www.BurnsCourtVilla10.com

Blend life and style beautifully, on your terms.

Blend life and style beautifully, on your terms.

Blend life and style beautifully, on your terms.

Blend life and style beautifully, on your terms.

Spending time with loved ones, passing on traditions and sharing memories are what makes a house a home. Nowhere but here can you blend life and style beautifully, on your terms, and unique to your family.

Michael Saunders & Company is family-owned and locally rooted that consistently makes us the unrivaled and trusted choice for real estate services in the region with $4,796 billion in sales volume in 2021.

Spending time with loved ones, passing on traditions and sharing memories are what makes a house a home. Nowhere but here can you blend life and style beautifully, on your terms, and unique to your family. Michael Saunders & Company is family-owned and locally rooted that consistently makes us the unrivaled and trusted choice for real estate services in the region with $4 79 billion in sales volume in 2021.

Nowhere but here.

MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM | 888.552.5228

MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM | 888.552.5228

Siesta Key | A4460292 | $4,199,000 Brian Loebker & Jonathan Abrams | 941.735.4393

Casey Key | A4457320 | $7,650,000 Kim Ogilvie | 941.376.1717 Sarasota | A4450740 | $3,890,000 Melba Jimenez | 941.356.3970

Sarasota | A4442067 | $3,999,999 Sara Ferguson | 941.320.2709

Sarasota | A4425602 | $3,849,000 Nora Johnson & Klaus Lang | 941.809.1700

Longboat Key | A4553676 | $6,600,000 Michael Moulton | 941-928-3559

Longboat Key | A4554268 | $6,500,000 Mark J Baron | 631-800-1125

CONTENTS

SPRING 2023

72 HOOKED

Reel in all the angling experiences our area has to offer.

FEATURES 62

HOT NIGHTS

In the mood for some fun?

Match your vibe with this smattering of bars.

82

THE GOOD OL’ DAYS

Before the condos and traffic, the keys housed a whole host of haunts.

Photo by Lori Sax Capt. Sam Ramey heads up Suncoast Fishing Adventures

DEPARTMENTS

18 FROM THE EDITOR

27

HOT TOPICS

Siesta Key fights for its independence, the Sarasota Jazz Festival keeps the tempo with its 2023 lineup, and Foxy Lady is still fabulous at 50.

42

KEY PEOPLE

Rob Metz has learned just about everything there is to know about catching sharks. And he’s not afraid to show you.

46

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

The Suncoast Black Arts Collective continues to celebrate and spotlight artists of color with its second exhibit.

50 CALENDAR

From vow renewals to beach yoga, don’t miss any of spring’s ample events.

56 STYLE

‘Tis the season to spruce up your space with some great outdoor decor.

93 OASIS

This midcentury modern’s “pavilion in a garden” concept has made it a standout of the Lido Shores neighborhood.

112 ART AND ABOUT

Chart out your arts enjoyment with this overview of the season’s most interesting offerings.

124 BEHIND THE MENU

John Horne brings his brand of hospitality to the iconic Café L’Europe.

130

KEY ENCOUNTERS

INTEGRITY • Tenacity • EXPERIENCE

It’s an honor to be ranked among the top 1.49% of all Realtors ® nationwide, Stacy’s work ethic and reputation have earned her this designation along with your support and referrals.

Specializing in luxury properties in both Sarasota and Manatee counties, Stacy’s award-winning service gives you the results you require and the experience you expect.

Connect with Stacy Haas today to discuss your goals. Her professionalism and commitment remain unmatched.

• #1 Top Producing Michael Saunders Agent in Lakewood Ranch in 2022

• Five Star “Best in Client” Award 2007-2023

• Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist

• Master Certified Negotiation Expert

• Million Dollar Guild (GUILD) Recognition by the Institute of Luxury Home Marketing®

• Over 30 Years’ Real Estate & Interior Design Experience

941.587.4359

StacyHaas@michaelsaunders.com

StacyHaas.com

Sold Over $194 Million in 2021 and 2022

KEYLIFE

THE BARRIER ISLANDS’ COMMUNITY, NATURE, STYLE

President and Publisher Emily Walsh

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor and COO — Kat Hughes

Managing Editor — Su Byron

Design — Melissa Leduc and Nicole Thompson

Contributors

Amy Bentley, Lesley Dwyer, Marty Fugate, Nancy Guth, Kelly Fores, Mark Gordon, Ryan Kohn, Robert Plunket, Lori Sax, Harry Sayer and Abby Weingarten

ADVERTISING

Director of Advertising — Jill Raleigh

Advertising Managers —

Kathleen O’Hara, Penny Nowicki and Lori Ruth

Advertising Executives — Richeal Bair, Beth Jacobson, Jennifer Kane, Honesty Mantkowski, Toni Perren, Laura Ritter and Brenda White

CREATIVE SERVICES

Director of Creative Services — Caleb Stanton

Creative Services Administrator — Marjorie Holloway

Graphic Designers — Luis Trujillo, Taylor Poe, Louise Martin and Shawna Polana

CONTACT KEY LIFE

To submit story ideas or calendar listings, contact Kat Hughes at KHughes@YourObserver.com. For advertising inquiries, call 941-366-3468.

THE WAY WE WERE

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2022, Florida was the fastest-growing state in the country, adding about 320,000 people between 2021 and 2022. That’s a lot. And no doubt we have some newbies reading this right now. Welcome!

As one of your fellow non-native Floridians, I’m always intrigued to talk to those who grew up here — especially a long time ago.

If you’ve ever seen old photos of the area, it looks like it was a hip-happening place, no matter the era. Gals clad in high-waisted one-piece swimsuits, guys pulling fish the size of their body out of the water, parties with everyone gathered around the pool sipping from martini glasses — it looked like a lot of fun.

Fortunately, we’re lucky enough to know Contributor Marty Fugate, who’s one of those area originals. He actually remembers frequenting the casino on Lido Key and pulling chocolate doubloons out of the treasure chest at Buccaneer Inn on Longboat Key. Even luckier still, we persuaded him to write about it.

Starting on Page 82, you can walk through his memories of beloved places gone by. None of them is still standing, which is a shame, but at the same time, it also makes the legend of them that much stronger.

Like, imagine seeing John Ringling’s abandoned RitzCarlton hulking from the south end of Longboat as you cross the bridge onto the Key. Nothing but the skeletal

remains of a dream gone bust. Spooky. Or the Buccaneer Inn up on Longboat. I never had the pleasure of dining there, but I did report on its demolition in 2005. I heard tales of a boaters’ paradise where you could pull right up, dock your boat and enjoy a meal with the family. I also heard how the spot had been known to host illicit gambling back when the New Pass Bridge was the only way onto the Key. They used to station a car at the bridge to keep watch for the sheriff and had an alert system so everyone could make their getaway by boat before he arrived.

Then there’s The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort and its famed and beloved Monkey Bar on the beach. Although the new St. Regis being built in its place will no doubt be beautiful, there will never be anything quite like The Colony.

But even after they’ve been razed and replaced with the bright and shiny, these places’ spirits linger. Whether you’re aware of the history or not, it is part of what makes us special and different from other beach destinations. From Fugate’s piece to our home feature on Page 93, be on the lookout for the Old Florida that still permeates our area’s DNA. It’s hard to miss if you’re looking.

Kat Hughes Executive Editor

State Library and Archives of Florida

A family enjoys a picnic on the beach outside The Colony Beach & Resort in the 1950s.

BETSY DE MANIO & JACKIE EBERLEY

Betsy, the number one agent in the Siesta Key office for 29 years, and her daughter Jackie are both Certified Waterfront Specialists and Global Luxury Specialists. By building client trust through integrity, dedication, communication, and determination, they are amongst the top 3% of Coldwell Banker agents worldwide. Their extensive market knowledge and strong negotiation skills ensure favorable outcomes.

201-233-1959 | JACKIE@JACKIEEBERLEY.COM

DEMANIOEBERLEYGROUP.COM

TOM "WOODY" WOODWARD

Born in Columbus, Ohio and now a resident of Siesta Key, I have been serving my clients for more than 30 years. I am true people person, and I have a passion to help my clients and ensure the transaction is as seamless as possible. I am the Realtor you can trust to keep it Real.

614-348-8578 | TOM.WOODWARD@CBREALTY.COM

WOODYSELLSSRQ.COM

LINDA REN

Originally from Michigan, I moved to Sarasota in 2005. I am a licensed real estate broker in Florida and a Certified Waterfront Specialist. Most of my career in Michigan was spent in the real estate and mortgage industry, managing our family-owned mortgage brokerage for over 20 years. Exceptional customer service is my goal!

941-928-1393 | LINDA.REN@FLORIDAMOVES.COM

LINDARENSELLSSRQ.COM

JULIA MONTEI

I am best known for my winning attitude, connections throughout the country and proven track record. I am Certified Waterfront Property Specialist, Global Luxury Property Specialist and achieved Guild recognition through Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. I use my knowledge, keen business sense and negotiation skills to get the job done for my clients.

941-702-3098 | JULIA.MONTEI@CBREALTY.COM

JULIAMONTEI.COM

©2022 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

JULIE PONDER

Sharing time between Park City UT and Siesta Key FL, I am uniquely positioned to help beach and mountain lovers find their perfect home or investment property. A decade in consulting and 30 years of real estate experience honed my distinct skill set to better serve my clients. I'm thrilled to be in the top 3% of CB agents worldwide, I would love to talk to you about your real estate journey!

714-675-0739 |

JULIE.PONDER@CBREALTY.COM

JULIEPONDER.COM

CHRISTA SPALDING

Siesta Key’s Biggest Fan! After visiting many of Florida’s gulf coast towns, I decided to trade in the chilly Maryland winters for year-round sunshine and sparkling white sand beaches. I would love to share my experience and personal knowledge of the Sarasota area with you. Global Luxury Specialist • Resort, Second Home & Investment Property Specialist • Certified Waterfront Specialist

941-529-6978 | CHRISTA.SPALDING@CBREALTY.COM

SIESTAKEYDREAMHOMES.COM

JOHN MCSWEENEY

Raised in Michigan, my first visit to Siesta Key was at my Grandparents condo as a child in the 70's. I've now been a resident of Siesta Key for 25 year and there's no place I'd rather be! With a degree in business and major in marketing, I made the switch over to real estate 10 years ago. I love bringing my expertise and local knowledge to the home-buying/selling process.

248-917-7329 |

JOHN.MCSWEENEY@FLORIDAMOVES.COM

JOHNMCSWEENEY-CBFLORIDA.SITES.CBMOXI.COM

JESSICA ARENS

Having lived in Wisconsin, Mississippi, Missouri and Florida, I'm no stranger to relocating. My personal knowledge, coupled with attention to detail and a servant nature, drives my passion for creating the best possible home-buying/ selling experience for my clients. Let's start the journey of finding you the perfect home that fits your lifestyle!

941-952-8979 | JESSICA.ARENS@CBREALTY.COM

JESSICAARENS.COM

Siesta Key

SERVING SARASOTA & ALL THE KEYS

ON THE COURT, COURSE & CLUBHOUSE SFORZO, DILLINGHAM, STEWART ORTHOPEDICS + SPORTS MEDICINE PUT US BACK IN THE GAME OF LIFE

Orthopedic Care for All Walks of Life and Interests

Graci and Dennis McGillicuddy

The natural choice for luxury coastal living.

Wild Blue at Waterside in Lakewood Ranch by Stock Development is a natural choice for those who appreciate luxury living, a connected and relaxed coastal vibe and an array of social and active lifestyle amenities. Here, a verdant waterfront setting, along with quality design and construction, blend seamlessly to create a naturally beautiful community. Featuring a collection of single-family homes by some of the region’s most acclaimed builders. SALES

HOT TOPICS

TIMELY PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS

Siesta Key is again fighting to be its own town. Will this attempt succeed? PAGE 28

Tracy Jackson and Tim Hensey, of Save Siesta Key, head up a movement to change how Siesta Key’s 6,000 residents are governed.

Taking a Stand

BY MARK GORDON | CONTRIBUTOR

For the first 50 years or so of his life, no one would accuse retired construction executive Tim Hensey, 66, of being a beach bum. Hensey and his wife lived in rural east Sarasota for many years, raising two kids. They bought a house on Siesta Key in 2006, he says, when the kids were grown, to “live the island life.”

Hensey is now so enamored of the beach and island life that he’s a leader in a movement committed to implementing change in how most of Siesta Key’s 6,000 citizens are governed.

That change would be to turn the unincorporated portion of Siesta Key into a town, following a “governmentlite” model. According to a feasibility study commissioned by Save Siesta Key, a nonprofit spearheading the movement, the model “limits government bureaucracy and taxing capacity and focuses on efficiently and effectively delivering services.” Under these parameters, the town of Siesta Key would have a council-manager form of government. There would be five elected council members — with one serving as ceremonial mayor — and an administrative manager. Currently, Siesta Key, the largest unincorporated barrier island in Florida, is governed by Sarasota County — save for a small part of the island, on the north end, which is part of the city of Sarasota.

Save Siesta Key leaders say the

move to incorporation is the culmination of several factors, but none more important than the belief that county commissioners ignore their concerns. That’s especially true, says Tracy Jackson, vice-chair of Save Siesta Key, on votes related to growth and development, such as a trio of recently approved hotels on the key.

Those projects, combined with other decisions, will only exacerbate an already precarious traffic and infrastructure situation.

Continued on Page 30

Harry Sayer

Tracy Jackson and Tim Hensey are cautiously confident that most Siesta Key residents seek independence from county government.

A determined group of Siesta Key residents seeks a new, more responsive form of localized government for the island.

This isn’t the first time Siesta Key residents have sought to declare independence from county government.

Continued from Page 28

“We showed up at meetings and we spoke,” says Jackson. “But we are not being heard. The only way we can be heard is if we form our own town.”

“We are not anti-growth,” adds Hensey, who serves as chairperson for Save Siesta Key. “We are for smart growth.”

Several other groups and associations on the Key support incorporation, while a big one — Sarasota County — is officially neutral. “We don’t take a position on issues like this,” County Administrator Jonathan Lewis says. “They are county residents no matter what happens.”

This isn’t the first time Siesta Key residents have sought to declare independence from county government. Attempts in the 1960s and 1990s, which also stemmed from land-use decisions many Key residents fought against, failed to materialize.

And the current iteration of Save Siesta Key suffered a major setback in January 2022, when a Sarasota County legislative delegation of six state representatives and senators voted 3-3 on incorporation. A majority number of a local delegation must approve an incorporation proposal to move it to the next stage.

But the leaders of Save Siesta Key remain undeterred.

With some tweaks to its proposal and strategy, the group has its sights set on incorporation again — and 2023 promises to be a big year toward that goal. “Getting this on the ballot (in November) is our only mission in life,” says Jackson, a seven-year Key resident.

Incorporation has several steps. First, there’s the local delegation. Instead of six representatives, as in 2022, that group now consists of four elected officials due to redistricting. They are State Sen. Joe Gruters and State Reps. Fiona McFarland, James Buchanan and Michael Grant. All four are Republicans.

In a vote held Jan. 12, that group of four approved incorporation by a 3-1 vote. Buchanan was the lone no vote.

MONEY MATTERS

The proposal to turn Siesta Key into an independently governed town within Sarasota County would require a property tax increase to provide for services. According to a feasibility study commissioned by Save Siesta Key released in August, that increase would be 0.5 mills on top of the standard county tax assessment. For the average residential property on the key valued at $695,469 with a $50,000 homestead exemption, that tax, the study projects, would be an extra $323 a year.

Next up the proposal goes to Tallahassee for a full Senate and House bill by the end of the 2023 legislative session, which is May 6. If approved there, it goes to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has 30 days to sign it. If that happens, the proposal then goes to a referendum in a special election in November 2023 for all registered voters of unincorporated Siesta Key to vote yes or no. If yes, a vote for Siesta Key town council would be held in March 2024.

Save Siesta Key spent the weeks between Halloween and Christmas on a vital part of the revamped strategy: sending a straw poll to registered voters that asks the following question: Do you favor or do you not favor incorporation of Siesta Key?

The straw poll is partly a response to comments from elected officials who rejected the proposal in January 2022. Hensey, speaking a few days after Thanksgiving, was cautiously confident the straw poll would do well for the incorporation cause and be something positive to show the local delegation. He cites several petitions, Save Siesta Key website traffic and a December 2021 meeting packed with 500 supporters as proof positive.

“We are confident,” Hensey says, “that incorporation will be the will of the people.”

FAST FACT: Florida has added 11 new municipalities since 2000 and only two since 2006.

We showed up at meetings and we spoke. But we are not being heard. The only way we can be heard is if we form our own town.” TRACY JACKSON

All That Jazz

The Sarasota Jazz Festival has been entertaining audiences for 42 years. This year’s festival program director, Terell Stafford, has crafted a formidable lineup that sees jazz through a wide-angle lens.

BY ERIC SNIDER | CONTRIBUTOR

It all started in the late ’70s, when a group of transplanted New Yorkers would gather in a Sarasota apartment and listen to jazz records. They were hosted by Hal Davis, a retired ad executive and onetime publicist for Benny Goodman, and his wife, Evelyn. Word circulated quickly, and soon the meetings moved to larger spaces. Davis and his cohorts saw an opening to form an official organization, and in 1980, the Jazz Club of Sarasota was launched.

They were just getting started. An irrepressible promoter, Davis used his New York connections to lure prominent musicians to come down to the warm and sunny west coast of Florida, and in 1981, the Sarasota Jazz Festival was birthed. The three-day inaugural event was held at Holley Hall in the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center.

The festival has endured for 42 years, experiencing exhilarating peaks and a few worrisome valleys. A half-decade ago, the Jazz Club’s dues-paying membership — a key driver of festival attendance — had dwindled to 430, down from as many as 2,500 during the glory days of the 1980s. As of last August, the rolls had risen to 900, and club President Ed Linehan expected that number to surpass 1,000 by the end of 2022.

This year’s festival runs March 13-18 at Nathan Benderson Park. The venue, a big top tent, will be arranged to seat roughly 1,400 concertgoers. The main tent shows will feature an array of nationally recognized talent.

First-time Program Director Terell Stafford, a successful trumpeter and

Continued on Page 34

Festival Director Terell Stafford has expanded the programming’s stylistic parameters.

Courtesy photos Singer and composer Lizz Wright is known for her distinct mix of jazz, folk, gospel and R&B.

Tony Monaco’s mission is to raise awareness and appreciation of jazz and its importance in genres as diverse as traditional gospel, R&B and modern jazz.

Continued from Page 32

bandleader and director of jazz studies at Temple University in Philadelphia, has crafted a formidable lineup that sees jazz through a wide-angle lens. This includes the long-time festival mainstay, world-acclaimed pianist and composer Dick Hyman, along with jazz-funk bassist Marcus Miller as well as the contemporary-minded vocalist Lizz Wright. Saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera covers the Latin side, and pianist Christian Sands represents a new era in an enduring jazz form: the piano trio.

“If all (jazz) genres are represented, that encourages more people to come and be a part of it,” Stafford says. “Part of my investment is getting young people out to hear and enjoy the music.”

Expanding the programming’s stylistic parameters has been underway for a while, more aggressively during the five-year tenure of Linehan, a Connecticut transplant. “My general attitude is that you’re either growing or dying,” he says. “There’s no standing still. We are not letting go of the past, but we are adding more contemporary sounds. Let me be clear about this: We are staying under the broad definition of jazz and not including completely different genres of music.”

The Sarasota Jazz Festival’s fourdecade run is no small feat. The 2000s have seen a few prominent jazz festivals fold and many more contour their programming towards blues, R&B and rock to draw larger crowds, sometimes just to stay afloat. An apt example of that can be found 50 miles north, where the Clearwater Jazz Holiday has all but dropped jazz from its three-day schedule. The Sarasota Jazz Festival, by contrast, has stayed true to its name. The early years were largely devoted to the swing era music beloved by Hal Davis and his friends. Around that time, a significant number of jazz musicians who were getting on in years sought more temperate climes and earmarked Sarasota as a good spot. A synergy developed between the musicians and the Jazz Club, and that helped entrench the festival’s programming.

In the 1980s, the music presented at the festival honored such early jazz legends as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman

and Eubie Blake. The silver-haired set in Sarasota provided enthusiastic support, so much so that the event set up shop in the 1,700-seat Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall for several years.

But such a focus on classic forms was unsustainable, so the festival slowly began to stretch its definition of jazz to include more modern artists. Probably the biggest stretch came in 2005 with the booking of Kenny G, at the time the most popular instrumentalist in the world and a figure widely reviled by stalwart jazz fans. Including the pop-jazz saxophonist on the bill caused an internal kerfuffle over musical integrity and alienated a coterie of hardcore fans. But the show quickly sold out and the mini controversy faded. However, “some people are still talking about it,” muses Bob Seymour, the former jazz director for WUSF-FM (89.7), whom the Jazz Club honored as a lifetime board member.

These days, the inclusion of pop-

leaning jazz artists to the SJF lineup is no longer a shock to the system. But, as Seymour says, jazz “is never an easy sell,” so just broadening the programming can’t be fully responsible for the festival’s four-decade run.

“I think Sarasota has a special vibe for people interested in the arts,” Seymour says, explaining the festival’s ongoing appeal. “It has supported an opera house, a ballet, an orchestra. Right from the beginning, Hal (Davis) stressed that the Jazz Club of Sarasota should be in the mix, should have a seat at the table when the powers that be were talking about arts in the community.

“A good scene for the arts carries over into the jazz community — and a good jazz scene certainly contributes to the arts community.”

Ticket and event information: SarasotaJazzFestival.com

SARASOTA JAZZ FESTIVAL LINEUP

March 13: VIP Reception: Sponsors and VIP ticket holders by invitation.

March 14: Jazz Trolley Pub Crawl: 10 locations, 10 bands, 5 trolleys.

March 15: Main Stage Concert: Christian Sands Trio (6 p.m.); Lizz Wright Band (8 p.m.). Nathan Benderson Park.

March 16: Jazz Film

Series: “The Benny Goodman Story,” Burns Court Cinema

March 16: Main Stage Concert: Allen Carmen Project with Gumbi Ortiz (6 p.m.); Marcus Miller Band (8 p.m.). Nathan Benderson Park.

March 17: Jazz Film Series: “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool.” Burns Court Cinema.

March 17: Main Stage Concert: Dick Hyman & Diego Figueiredo (6 p.m.); Kurt Elling Superblue Band featuring Charlie Hunter (8 p.m.). Nathan Benderson Park.

March 17: Late Night

Open Jam Session: La Lucha. Nathan Benderson Park

March 18: Main Stage Concert: Houston Person & Charlie Monaco (6 p.m.); Paquito D'Rivera (8 p.m.). Nathan Benderson Park.

March 18: Late Night Open Jam Session: Synia Carroll Band. Nathan Benderson Park.

Dick Hyman is a worldrenowned jazz pianist, composer, arranger, music director and organist.

Bassist, multiinstrumentalist, and producer Marcus Miller is a two-time Grammy Award winner.

Forever Foxy

Foxy Lady founder

Lorry Eible credits family, friends and generations of loyal customers for 50 years of success.

BY AMY BENTLEY | CONTRIBUTOR

Fifty years is a long time for an independently owned clothing store to not only survive but thrive. Ask Foxy Lady founder Lorry Eible how she’s managed to dress Sarasota’s fashionistas for the past halfcentury, and she’ll respond with a smile.

“My secret is my secret.” But the success of Foxy Lady’s two stores on St. Armands Circle and Siesta Key is plain to see. Eible has kept Foxy Lady in the retail forefront by offering a creative,

ever-changing mix of hand-selected clothing brands, shoes and artsy accessories. Here you’ll find the perfect little black cocktail dress, a swanky glamour gown, classic business attire or a comfortable outfit for exploring the town. The store also engages customers with its celebrated one-on-one personalized services and lively trunk shows. But, more than anything, Eible credits her

Continued on Page 38

Photos by Lori Sax Foxy Lady’s founder and owner Lorry Eible has been a local trendsetter for 50 years.

Victoria didn’t expect to be rushed to the ER at seven months, or that baby Luke would be placed in the neonatal intensive care unit, or that she would undergo emergency surgery to save her life.

Thanks to the skill and dedication of S arasota Memorial’s critical care team, this story had a happy ending. Your support provi de s resources for critical needs such a s OR technology, high-tech bassinets and life-saving medical team training.

Every gift can make a difference to someone, inclu d ing yo u.

Continued from Page 36

hard-working team for Foxy Lady’s success, including her late husband, John Walter, her son, Bryan Eible, and her business partner for the past 14 years, Lori Ann Steiner. Key Life sat down with Eible recently to talk fashion and recap Foxy Lady’s road to success.

What was the inspiration behind the name Foxy Lady?

It came from the Jimi Hendrix song. Foxy was a big word back then.

How do you describe the Foxy Lady experience?

One-on-one service. We dress customers better than they would dress themselves. We take them just a little out of the box without making them uncomfortable and introduce them to new looks that they wouldn’t have tried without encouragement.

What’s your vision behind the brand?

I continuously work on improving our sources. I’m always finding new lines we can introduce to Sarasota, especially exclusive lines the department stores don’t carry.

How has Foxy Lady evolved over the decades as styles have changed? There are always new and creative designers surfacing. The industry is constantly changing, and so are we to a certain extent. We are always ready to explore new colors, fabrics and styles.

At one point you added a second storefront?

I knew we needed a bigger store to grow, and that’s when I created the larger store on Siesta Key, which opened in 1982. It’s 2,500 square feet bigger than my original store, which was about 1,000 square feet. The St. Armands Foxy Lady, which is 3,500 square feet, opened in 1984 on a site that had been an abandoned gas station. My late husband was a contractor, and he did an amazing job building it.

What’s your secret to staying in business and thriving for half-a-century?

I have a strong work ethic and attract people to work with me who have the same. Without a great support team, it doesn’t work.

What empowers your purchasing philosophy?

I buy for my customer and not for me. I follow trends, but in moderation. When a customer buys a new wardrobe, it will give her years of feeling beautiful and not fall out of style.

What sets Foxy Lady apart from other brick-and-mortar or online stores?

We offer wardrobing services to freshen up your closet by adding to collections you already love. We can coordinate travel clothes. And we even connect with customers who are out of town through FaceTime and ship the items to them to try.

IF YOU GO

Foxy Lady is located at 209 Beach Road, Siesta Key, and at 481 John Ringling Blvd. on St. Armands Circle. Visit FoxyLadySarasota.com.

LORRY EIBLE’S SECRET SAUCE TO LOOKING FOREVER YOUNG

Wear clothes that suit your figure. Dress chic and fun. Know what colors work for you. Your hair is important too, so make sure you have a great hairdresser. Staying active and taking care of your body is also important. Exercising has a lot to do with your posture, and good posture has a lot to do with how young you look.

THEN AND NOW

50 Years Ago: Foxy Lady had one fulltime employee (Lorry Eible) and one part-time employee (Eible’s mother). It currently has 21 full-time employees. 50 Years Ago: Foxy Lady carried 10 to 12 clothing brands when it opened. It now carries more than 300.

COMING UP!

At press time, Eible had plans to open Boutique 41, a store for off-price and sale merchandise, in December. Look for it in the plaza at 5900 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, next to Simon’s Coffee House.

Named after the Jimi Hendrix song, Foxy Lady offers up creative styles in clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories.

Invite a fresh, sophisticated, and serene feel to your space with our Breeze Collection by Theodore Alexander. Our dining table features wire-brushed pine and is seen here with an hourglass double pedestal base with a vibrant sunburst veneer pattern. The upholstered armchairs offer an incredibly comfortable seating experience sure to help you bring your Florida lifestyle home. Be sure to visit our Complimentary Design Center to help make your home uniquely yours. matterbrothersfurniture.com

HIGH TIDES

THE HEART OF COMMUNITY ON THE KEYS

Longboat’s ‘Shark Guy’ takes us under the surface.

PAGE 42

As the “Shark Guy,” Rob Metz offers shark fishing excursions from the shores of local beaches.

Rob Metz

BY LESLEY DWYER | CONTRIBUTOR

Rob Metz wasn’t always the “Shark Guy.” Most of his adult life was spent working for big pharma in Chicago, but he’s been visiting Longboat Key since his teenage years.

“I came from a broken home and didn’t really feel like being with people a whole lot back then,” Metz said. “I spent weeks at a time in the water on

Longboat Key.”

At 54, Metz had financially been on the rise for 13 years. He created and sold a biotechnology company that targets rare diseases, but he became disenchanted with the corporate atmosphere.

“I seek peace and serenity, and I want to make people happy,” he says. “I just said, ‘You know what? I’m going to start my own thing, and we’re going to do stuff right.’”

Who better to ask than the ‘Shark Guy’ when it comes to the ABC’s of shark fishing?

S o, Metz bought a house on Longboat Key and the Shark Guy was born. He now offers shark fishing excursions from the shores of local beaches. It depends on the weather and tides as to where the fishing spot is that day, but it’s hassle-free. Metz hauls the poles, bait, chairs and beverages to the beach. He also walks the baited rod out to the sand bar, so he can cast

Continued on Page 44

Lesley Dwyer Rob Metz fell in love with Longboat Key’s beaches when he came here to visit as a teenager.

Continued from Page 42

it into the shark zone. A regular cast from shore won’t catch a shark. But with the Shark Guy, guests don’t even have to get their feet wet to reel in a 4-foot shark. Bells are attached to each pole, so when a bell rings, it’s time to stand up and reel.

Metz recently shared what it is about sharks that fascinates him.

I grew up catching cownose rays, whiting, pompano and snook off Longboat Key, but one day I thought about trying to catch something larger. Any fisherman likes to catch a sizable fish, and I thought there’s got to be sharks out there.

When the rays come by here and are migrating in the hundreds or thousands, the bull sharks come in closer because their favorite food in the world are those cownose rays. When you see an explosion in the water, that’s a bull shark that’s come 20 feet offshore to nail some of them.

When you pull the shark up, everybody wants to take videos and pictures. If the shark’s been out of the water for a minute, we’ll go back to aerate the shark, then we’ll finish videos. We have a 100% success rate. No fish we’ve ever caught has been harmed.

Blacktip, sand shark and spinner sharks are 3- to 4 ½ feet long. It’s about a 10- to 15-minute fight, sometimes longer. They hit like a freight train. The fishing wagon has almost been dragged into the water about five times.

People think that because Longboat Key is a sleepy little island, that there’s no sharks out here. We don’t get the bait out far enough to catch a 10-foot hammerhead, but there are sharks everywhere.

I don’t swim an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset. That’s why we meet at 3 p.m. It’s near sunset when they’re most active.

No splashing in the water. Splashing is a big indicator of an animal that is struggling in the water, so you want to avoid any fast movements.

The hooks are our biggest worry out there. I was trying to take a hook out of a spinner shark and the barb of a treble hook got all the way into my finger. I had to snip it off and go to the hospital.

They’ve proven at Mote Marine Laboratory that some sharks, such as blacktip sharks, can discern red tide when most other fish cannot. If they shoot a stream of regular water at blacktip sharks, they’ll swim in the middle. But if they shoot a stream of red tide water, they’ll move to the side.

They’re not dying when everything else is.

Sharks cleanse the marine ecosystem. Because they’re scavengers, they feed on dead fish. It’s also survival of the fittest. If there are cownose rays that are older or injured, they will take out the weakest link.

The best spot on the beach for me is where there is a good combination of ability to catch the targeted fish and a beautiful sunset.

“When you see an explosion in the water, that’s a bull shark that’s come 20 feet off shore to nail some cownose rays.”

Photo by Nancy Guth

Marybeth sailing photo credit: Jennifer Joy Walker

Visions in Black

Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative’s second annual exhibition celebrates creativity by regionally based artists of color.

BY ABBY WEINGARTEN CONTRIBUTOR

Art by Black artists is experiencing a national renaissance. Thanks to one local nonprofit, it’s also experiencing a regional renaissance. The second annual “Visions in Black” exhibition, presented by the Suncoast Black Arts

Collaborative, showcases work created by Black artists living and working in Florida.

“The prolific output of Black artists has attained a dynamism not found since the early 1970s,” says Michéle Des Verney Redwine, founder and executive director of SBAC.

“The concept for this exhibit was created to build a collective of Florida

artists of African descent with a focus on emerging artists and students.”

Redwine, who is an artist and has also served as an educator and equal employment opportunity specialist with years of executive leadership experience, established SBAC in 2018. Her goal? To promote greater exposure of

Continued on Page 48

Artist and Ringling College student Jesse Clark was selected to coordinate the “Visions in Black” program at area-based colleges. He also created this year’s poster art.

Photos by Lori Sax

Continued from Page

Black artists and their work through advocacy, education and collaboration. Since then, the organization has become known for its innovative initiatives, including inspirational panel discussions, collaborative cultural events and cutting-edge exhibitions.

The 2022 inaugural “Visions in Black” exhibition displayed the work of 26 artists. Krystle Lemonias was one of the them.

Lemonias, who is also a labor activist and arts educator, champions the revival of Black art and the celebration of young artists like herself. A native of Jamaica and a fine arts master’s candidate at USF, Lemonias says she draws inspiration for her artwork from the intersecting concepts of class, gender, economic inequity, citizenship and labor rights.

“With everything that has happened with the Black Lives Matter movement, that kind of galvanized showing Black artists’ work,” Lemonias said. “Black artists have always been creating and exhibiting in community spaces. I just think they’ve been put more on a pedestal now.”

As of press time, Marlon Tobias, coordinator of the 2023 “Visions in Black” exhibition, did not have a total number of participants but says he anticipates that this year’s exhibit will exceed last year’s.

According to Tobias, the initiative has already gone a long way to build community among Black artists and artists of color throughout Florida.

“As a Black artist, I understand the importance of access, visibility and community,” says Tobias, who is a painter. “With the support of the community, we can grow ‘Visions in Black’ as a premier exhibition for future Black and brown artists in the years to come.”

Jesse Clark, an artist and a student at Ringling College of Art and Design, was selected to coordinate the program at area-based colleges this year.

IF YOU GO

“I believe it’s important to diversify voices within the art world, as there is so much to be learned from one another,” says Clark. “To have SBAC provide opportunities like this exhibit for emerging Black artists means we are one step closer to that. It also validates Black artists and shows that their talents deserve to be recognized. I’m honored to work with an organization that is building that platform.”

As SBAC continues to grow, Redwine says it aims to strengthen bonds with regional museums, art centers, cultural organizations and galleries “to pursue collaborations that will expand the horizons for artists of African descent and collectors.”

Want to learn more? Visit SuncoastBlackArtsCollaborative.org.

The exhibit runs through Feb. 25 at the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, 1226 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton; and at the Arts Advocates Gallery at The Crossings at Siesta Key Mall. Info: SuncoastBlackArtsCollaborative.org.

COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS

As SBAC’s founder, Michéle Des Verney Redwine launched several groundbreaking initiatives, including the Arts & Racial Justice/Discovery Series in the 202021 season. This initiative provides a forum for regional artists and arts and civic leaders to participate in dialogues Redwine describes as “courageous conversations.” She says that “diversity is the first step in building a healthy community. How can we be more inclusive? How can we point out our blind spots, widen racial parity in our organizations and civic infrastructures, encourage diversity hiring criteria and highlight opportunities for artists of color in our region? How can we offer access to the arts to both artists of color and audiences of color? This series looks hard at real-life challenges, provokes and questions and, ultimately, explores transformative solutions.” The 2023-24 series will be announced soon.

As founder of the Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative, Michéle Des Verney Redwine seeks to pursue collaborations that expand the horizons for regional artists of color.

The 2023 “Visions in Black” poster art was created by Jesse Clark.

SPRING 2023

February 5

MOONLIT PADDLE

Take your kayaking adventures to the next level with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, City Island. Explore the coastal waters while discovering the Sarasota Bay nightlife — wildlife, that is. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Cost is $45 or $40.50 for Mote members. Continues Feb. 6, March 6 and 7, and April 5 and 6. Begins around 5:30 p.m., depending on sunset.

n Visit Mote.org.

SIESTA KEY FARMERS MARKET

From 8 a.m. to noon at Siesta Key Village, 5104 Ocean Blvd., the Siesta Key Farmers Market features a variety of vendors selling produce, rum, bread, wellness products, artwork, natural candles and more. Continues every Sunday.

n Visit SiestaKeyFarmersMarket.org.

‘HALLELUJAH!’ LEONARD COHEN AND FRIENDS

The Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, hosts a performing arts program. Hear the music and stories of Leonard Cohen and his friends with a multimedia presentation. The program is from 3-4:30 p.m. and will be followed by a Champagne reception and an opportunity to meet the artists. Registration is $40 for members or $45 for nonmembers.

n Visit TBIEducationCenter.org.

7

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ NIGHT

Kid Dutch returns to the Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, with guest jazz artists. The event begins at 8 p.m. and is $20 for members or $25 for nonmembers. Advance registration is recommended.

n Visit TBIEducationCenter.org.

8

LIDO SUNRISE BEACH WALKS

From 8-9:30 a.m. every Tuesday through March 28, enjoy a self-guided beach walk along South Lido Beach, 2201 Benjamin Franklin Drive, Lido Key. Register for $5 at the Ted Sperling Park playground before walking at least one mile. After completing four walks, participants receive an event T-shirt.

n Visit SCGov.net/parks.

SIESTA SUNRISE BEACH WALKS

From 8-9:30 a.m. every Wednesday through March 29, enjoy a self-guided beach walk along Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road, Siesta Key. Register for $5 at the main pavilion before walking at least one mile. After completing four walks, participants receive an event T-shirt.

n Visit SCGov.net/parks.

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File photos

John and Roberta Montelione danced at the 2022 Valentine’s Day vow renewal on Siesta Beach to celebrate more than 30 years of marriage.

Continued from Page 50

11THE MARKET ON LONGBOAT KEY

From 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, browse the wares of dozens of local vendors, including produce, art and home goods. Admission is free. Continues March 11.

and musician Sandra Moulin will perform highlights from her one-woman shows alongside stories of composers Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninov, Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael. The program is from 3-4:15 p.m. and costs $20 for members or $25 for nonmembers.

n Visit TBIEducationCenter.org.

and share their work. Registration is $5.

n Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

4

HOME AND GARDEN TOUR

The Longboat Key Garden Club’s Home and Garden tour will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details will be announced closer to the event date.

n Visit LBKGardenClub.org.

n Call 941-316-1999, ext. 1111. 12

FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

MORNING PADDLE

Start your day on the water with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, City Island. Morning kayak tours, from 8:30-10 a.m., are guided through Sarasota Bay and across seagrass beds. Keep an eye out for dolphins, manatees and other wildlife that make up the bay’s ecosystem. Participants must be at least 12 years old. Cost is $45 or $40.50 for Mote members. Continues March 5 and April 16.

n Visit Mote.org. 14

SAY “I DO” AGAIN

The annual tradition of love returns to Siesta Beach and Nokomis Beach Park for couples looking to renew their vows of love. The event includes a certificate, a gift, a flower, music and refreshments. Check-in starts at 4:30 p.m. Registration is $15 per couple.

n Visit SCGov.net/parks.

17THE THOMAS CARABASI JAZZ QUINTET

The Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, hosts a performing arts program. Enjoy music by jazz legends, including Charles Mingus, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and more. The program is from 5-6:30 p.m. and costs $25 for members or $30 for nonmembers. Happy hour wine and cheese are included.

n Visit TBIEducationCenter.org.

FAMOUS COMPOSERS AND THEIR MUSES

The Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, hosts a performing arts program. Storyteller

The second Festival of the Arts will be at Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Dozens of local vendors will be selling art, jewelry, photography and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Admission is free.

n Visit ArtFestival.com. 26

A SALUTE TO THE FLUTE

The Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, hosts a performing arts program. Storyteller and musician flautist Rick Aaron and pianist Lee Dougherty perform a classical repertoire, with pieces by Mozart and Bach, followed by contemporary Spanish music. The program is from 3-4:30 p.m. and costs $20 for members or $25 for nonmembers.

n Visit TBIEducationCenter.org.

March 2

BEACH UNIVERSITY

Learn about the local beaches and coastal ecosystems with the Siesta Beach Ambassadors. Beach University runs from 9:3010:30 a.m. every Thursday in March at the main pavilion on Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road, Siesta Key. Admission is free, and the seminars are open for ages 10 and older.

n Visit SCGov.net/parks.

TELL AND SHOW: ART AND PERFORMANCE EXPRESSING IDENTITY

From 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood, Hermitage fellows Tamara Anderson, a performer and writer; Lesley Mok, a drummer and composer; and B. Ingrid Olson, an artist, will discuss their processes

10DINNER AND A MOVIE

The Longboat Key Garden Club Party returns with its annual movie under the stars at Bayfront Park, 4052 Gulf of Mexico

Continued on Page 54

BEACH YOGA

n Anna Maria Island: 8:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays year-round and Wednesdays from October through May. Donations accepted. Near the Pine Avenue beach entrance. Visit ThriveYogaFit.com.

n Longboat Key: 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays year-round. Donations accepted. Near the 100 Broadway St. beach entrance. Visit ThriveYogaFit. com.

n Nokomis Beach Park: Wednesday mornings yearround; times vary. Donations accepted. Near the beach access by the large parking lot. Visit SCGov. net.

n North Jetty Park: Every morning year-round; times vary. Donations accepted. Near the beach access from the north parking lot. Visit NokomisBeachYoga. com.

n Siesta Beach: From 9-10:30 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays and at sunset Wednesdays; morning sessions begin at 8 a.m. during daylight saving time. Donations accepted. Between the green and blue lifeguard stands. For information about Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday morning sessions, visit Facebook.com/ TranquilityByTheSeaSiestaKey.

n Turtle Beach: 8:30-9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. $5 donation requested. In front of the stairs/ramp on the north side of the parking lot. Visit ChesapeakeYoga. com.

n Venice Beach: Every day year-round; morning and evening times vary. Donations accepted. Near the main beach access. Visit YogaWithElin.us.

CALENDAR

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Drive, Longboat Key. Enjoy a gourmet dinner, a live auction and concession snacks beginning at 5 p.m. Ticket details will be announced closer to the event date.

n Visit LBKGardenClub.org.

‘COMEDY AND COMMUNITY’

Hermitage Major Theater Award winner Madeleine George is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a playwright and a writer for Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building.” Currently working on a new play, George will discuss what she’s doing next and her plans for the $35,000 Major Theater Award commission. Registration is $5. n Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

12

NATE JACOB’S JUKEBOX

The Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, hosts a performing arts program. Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will perform an exclusive selection of highlights from

its current and prior seasons. The program is from 7:30-8:30 p.m. and will be followed by a Champagne reception with an opportunity to meet the artists. Registration is $40 for members or $45 for nonmembers.

n Visit TBIEducationCenter.org.

April 1

RUN FOR THE TURTLES

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium hosts its 37th annual 5K and one-mile races to support sea turtles at Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road, Siesta Key. The one-mile fun run begins at 7:30 a.m.; the 5K begins at 8 a.m. An award ceremony will follow the 5K. Registration details will be available closer to the event.

n Visit Mote.org.

21-23

SUNCOAST BOAT SHOW

Boat enthusiasts will assemble for the annual boat show in Sarasota Bay to admire

cruisers, motor yachts and other types of watercraft on display. Admission is $17; military and children 15 and younger are admitted free. The show will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Marina Jack, 2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota. n Visit SuncoastBoatShow.com.

Bill and Chase Mudgett check out boats at the 2021 Suncoast Boat Show at Marina Jack.

Spring Refresh

Forget spring cleaning. We prefer spring refreshing. Pick up a few new (or used) pieces for your deck, patio or lanai and you’ll see how small changes make a big difference.

BY KELLY FORES | CONTRIBUTOR

Ace Hardware

4030 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key 941-383-1313

AceHardware.com

Called the “Tiffany of Ace Hardware,” the home décor section in the Longboat Key store is outstanding. This reclaimed metal tortoise planter would make a snazzy addition to any deck — or fill it with ice to chill beverages. And then light up your night with these faux stained-glass, solar-powered lanterns.

Blue Heron Lantern: $46.99. Blue Rectangles Lantern: $49.99. Planter: $199.99

Coastal Hobo

478 John Ringling Blvd., St. Armands Circle 941-960-1292

CoastalHobo.com

Coastal Hobo is Turkish towel heaven, with its selection of patterns and colors. Dress up your outdoor furniture or use them as a table covering. The shop also boasts a bunch of candles, like Rainbow Beach — each color is a different scent — along with cute wall hangings.

40” x 70” Turkish Towel: $40. 16 oz. Soy Candle:

Steff’s Stuff Antiques & Treasures

5380 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key 941-383-1901

SteffsStuffLBK.com

For one-of-a-kind, pre-loved finds, spend some time browsing this treasure haven. You’ll find everything you need to add a pop of vintage flair to your space. This tole tray begs to hold potted plants or be used to serve drinks. The adorable aluminum turtle dish would be extra sweet holding seashells.

Turtle Dish: $29.50 Tray: $49

Tervis

319 John Ringling Blvd., St. Armands Circle 941-388-2024

Tervis.com

Tervis has an interesting history dating back to the mid-1940s. Founder John C. “Jake” Winslow loved being outdoors and knew firsthand how difficult it was to keep drinks cold and hands dry while enjoying leisure activities in the sun. He found a solution to the problem. Bottom line? Tervis products work!

24 oz. Water Bottle: $24.99. 16 oz. Tumbler: $16.99.

Just/Because

7 S. Boulevard of the Presidents, St. Armands Circle 941-388-1939

JustBecauseSarasota.com

Locally owned by two sisters who showcase more than 70 American artists and over 20 international artists, this is a fun store to visit. From the whimsical, like a sassy mermaid planter, to something more classic, like this ceramic vase and tray set, you never know what you’ll find.

Vase Set: $40. Planter: $32.

Evan Stevens and Erin O’Connor in Ken Ludwig’s T he Three Musketeers . Photo by SRQ Headshots.

AFTER HOURS

Photos by Nancy Guth

Haye Loft bartender Jhon Zamora says that giving customers the opportunity to create memories is the best part of the job for him.

BY SU BYRON | CONTRIBUTOR

Despite rumors to the contrary, local nightlife doesn’t shut down when the sun goes down. (Heck, a few keep the lights on until midnight!) We’ve come up with a quick, but hardly complete, list of places that offer after-dinner drinks, a game of trivia, live music or a late-night nosh. They come in all flavors: swanky, funky, retro, raucous, elegant. Most are on the keys — with a few mainland spots thrown in for variety.

CLASSIC ELEGANCE

THE HAYE LOFT AT EUPHEMIA HAYE

Euphemia Haye is in a league of its own. This award-winning restaurant is celebrated for its intimate, romantic ambiance (in a charming historic cottage), a top-shelf wine and spirits selection and chef-driven cuisine. That’s what you’ll find on the first floor — but there’s more to come upstairs. For a more relaxed vibe, the second floor Haye Loft offers tempting light bites (the smoked salmon on buckwheat crêpes, garnished with caviar and sour cream is a delicious late-night snack), dazzling desserts, a dynamic bar scene and the soft sounds of jazz in the background. If you go for a return visit, the bartender will not only remember your name — but what your favorite sip is. This sweet spot is perfect for a first date or to celebrate that special someone.

IF YOU GO

5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key; 383-3633; EuphemiaHaye.com.

Hours: 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Tuesday-Saturday; 5-9 p.m. Sunday.

BARTENDER JHON ZAMORA

Jhon Zamora, 33, started working at Euphemia Haye eight years ago; today he’s delighted to serve as one of the Haye Loft’s newest bartenders.

Who taught him his magic? Zamora says he was trained by the best in the business — Eric Bell and Sammy Lastinger, Euphemia’s superstar bar managers. “Watching the easy way they’d entertain and connect with customers was an eye-opener. They inspired me to become a bartender.”

The secret of being a great bartender? “Keeping calm,” he laughs. “Most of all, it’s about keeping people happy and giving them the opportunity to create memories.”

Best seat in the house? “Right in front of me at the bar!”

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Night owls rejoice. If the day’s winding down but you’re still going strong, you don’t have to go to bed. Nighttime is still the right time for some of us.

THE BAHI HUT

Feel like a voyage to the South Pacific of the mind? The Bahi Hut, on Sarasota’s North Trail, will take you there. It was founded in 1954 as part of the Golden Host Resort, right next door. Today, it’s one of Florida’s oldest Tiki bars. Inside, it’s a place of fantasy and escape, replete with teak walls, Polynesian masks, Tiki sculpture and abundant rattan and bamboo. Most nights there’s something going on — from Drag Queen Bingo to live music to trivia. But for Sarasota’s Tiki aficionados, just being here is a blast. They love the Bahi Hut’s midcentury Tiki vibe and they’ve made it their de facto clubhouse. The new owner, Parth Shaha, has updated some of the bar’s elements while carefully respecting its Tiki heritage. For him, it’s a sign of respect for its Tiki fanbase. (And check out his astonishing midcentury renovation of the adjacent Golden Host.)

But let’s not forget this is, above all, a cocktail lounge. Crowd-pleasers include the Sneaky Tiki (a passion fruit-inspired drink that comes in its own mug) and the Bahia Aloha (the Hut’s take on a piña colada). The Bahi Hut’s signature concoction, the mighty Mai-Tai, has enough rum to keep a pirate happy. Think of it as tasty rocket fuel and respect the twodrink maximum. According to Grace

Carlson, a former Bahi bartender, it dissolves in hibitions like paint thinner cutting through watercolors.

“Back in the 1980s, we used to call it Quaaludes in a glass,” she laughs. “It was super strong — like moonshine. It used to make customers especially amorous, but the Golden Host is right next door. Isn’t that convenient?”

Shaha notes that the Bahi’s secret Mai-Tai recipe has been reverently passed from owner to owner. After he became the owner, he restored the recipe to its original taste.

“Only my wife and I are aware of this recipe now,” he says.

Would he share it with us?

No, he wouldn’t.

IF YOU GO

4675 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 355-5141; BahiHut.com.

WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT

n Live Music: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturdays

n Drag Queen Bingo: 7 p.m. Sundays

n History and a Drink: 6:30 p.m. Mondays

n Trivia Night: 7 p.m. Mondays

n Moonlight Comedy SRQ: 9 p.m. Wednesdays

n Gay Guy Happy Hour: Inquire about days

BARTENDER TORY DAVIS

Tory Davis, 29, was a stay-at-home mother who wanted to get out of the house and make a few bucks on the side. Working at the Bahi Hut was her natural choice. Why? She combines previous bartending experience with “years of practice as a devoted Bahi Hut patron.”

On top of that, it’s just a short drive from her home. Here’s what she shared about her mixologist magic.

How do you get all the drinks right?

Just practice and muscle memory, really. For the most part, when people come into a traditional Tiki bar, they know the drinks are quite involved. A dash of this, a halfounce of that, three different kinds of rum, liquors, juices — it’s a lot to put together correctly. I’ve found that people are willing to be patient for a delicious drink.

Secret sauce to being a great bartender?

I just come in wanting to have as good a time as I can. Typically, our customers are the same. My focus is on how they feel when they’re leaving. If they’re happy and a bit buzzed, I did a good job.

Best seat in the house?

Depends on the person and what kind of night you want to have. For me, it’s at the high top in the back corner. There’s a lot of history and people-watching there.

Favorite type of customer?

A fellow follower of the Tiki scene. I love to talk about everything in this cool little subculture.

Least favorite?

Nobody likes a mean-spirited person, but the ones who push a bad attitude on other customers are definitely my least favorite. You can be mean to me. I can handle that, but don’t ruin someone else’s good time.

Words of wisdom for Key Life readers?

Bahi Hut isn’t just a great place for a drink. What really makes it special is the sense of escapism we offer. The whole purpose of Atomic Age Tiki is giving you the freedom to close your eyes, sip a tropical drink, and liberate yourself to more exotic sands. Bahi Hut can give you that experience, and it’s absolutely worth it.

Continued on Page 66

Above: Bartender Tory Davis loves all things Tiki. Right: The Sneaky Tiki comes with its own mug.

ISLAND CHILL

BLASÉ CAFÉ & MARTINI BAR AND 3.14 PI

Artsy. Eclectic. Romantic. Relaxed. Such have been the default adjectives for the Blasé Martini Bar. It’s tucked away in a plaza just around the corner from bustling Siesta Key Village. For years, it was the go-to spot for locals escaping the tourist hustle. Cynthia Breslin, the pub’s beloved original owner, electrified the place with her mojo beginning in 1997. It shined under her care, with craft cocktails and a creative menu that offered up seasonally inspired fare. When Breslin died in 2021, leadership passed on to a new team. They simplified the menu but didn’t phase out the funk. You can still enjoy creatively crafted martinis and other signature drinks, including the Dark and Stormy (rum and ginger beer), the Siesta Killer (Siesta Key toasted coconut rum mixed with

pineapple and orange juices and real cream of coconut), and The Fukleberry (Fuklehead bourbon, elderberry moonshine and lime juice). Aside from booze, Blasé’s menu offers up wings, pizza, burgers and subs. 3.14 Pi, Blasé’s sister pub, is right next door. Here, the joint is jumping with live music on most nights; you can also fill up on pizza, handhelds, salads and shareables — not to mention rotating craft beer choices. The two most popular are the locally brewed Motorworks V-Twin Lager and Big Top Hazy Sky Wire IPA.

IF YOU GO

5263 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota; 349-9822; BlasePiSiesta.com.

Hours: Blasé: 5-11 p.m. daily; 3.14 Pi Pizza: 2-10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; noon-2 a.m. Thursday-Sunday.

Left: For years, Blasé Café has been the go-to spot for locals escaping the tourist hustle.

Below: 3.14 Pi, Blasé’s sister pub, 3.14 Pi, is jumping with live music on most nights.

TOP 4 MARTINIS AT BLASÉ

n Espresso Martini. Dance all night powered with Stoli Vanilla Irish Cream, coffee liqueur, and fresh espresso.

n Mango Tango. Get in an island mood with Stoli Crushed Mango, agave, muddled jalapeno and mango puree.

n Siesta Joy. Joyfully filled with Siesta Key Coconut Rum, amaretto, crème de cacao, half and half and garnished with chocolate and coconut flakes.

n Peanut Butter Cup. As screwed up as it sounds, yes you can have your whiskey and peanut butter, too. It’s made with — what else — Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, crème de cacao, peanut butter, half and half, and chocolate syrup.

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CHASERS

BEACHY FUN

Siesta Key Oyster Bar (SKOB) is a hopping and happening hangout with colorful drinks, live music and a beachy vibe. Get out of your shell and give in to spending a few hours enjoying frozen daiquiris, rum sliders, piña coladas, cold brews, and a fabulous raw bar with all the oysters and clams you can eat. It’s pet-friendly — and people-friendly, too. 5238 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota; 346-5443; SKOB.com.

n Signature drink: Village Idiot

Bucket: What’s in it? Who knows?

SKOB calls it a cure-all. Keep the souvenir bucket!

n Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. MondayThursday; 11 a.m.-midnight FridaySaturday; 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday.

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SKOB is the perfect after-hours place to find fun, frozen daiquiris and live music.

CHASERS

DANCE ALL NIGHT

You can dance till 2 a.m. every night at the Beach Club on Siesta Key. What’s your desire? There’s live music, local DJs, a hopping dance floor, pool tables — and savvy bartenders to keep it grooving all night long. 5151 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota; 349-6311; BeachClubSiestaKey.com.

n Hours: Noon-2 a.m., Monday-Sunday.

BEACH TIKI

Gilligan’s Island Bar: Looking for a nonstop party? You’ve found it here. With its vast dance floor and rotating selection of local DJs and live bands, you can stay moving to the beat all though the night. Or sit back with a cold one at the Tiki bar and drink it all in. 5253 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota; 3468122; GilligansIslandBar.com

n Signature drink: The Classic Painkiller: Mount Gay Rum, OJ, pineapple, and cream of coconut, sprinkled with nutmeg.

n Hours: 11 a.m.-midnight SundayTuesday; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. WednesdayFriday.

The Beach Club is all about fun and games.

CHA CHA CHA!

Even if you’re not on vacation, you’ll feel like it at Cha Cha Coconuts, a landmark St. Armands Circle watering hole with a casual, colorful vibe inside and plenty of sidewalk seating. Floribbean fare, an impressive offering of tropical cocktails, live music, people-watching from your sweet sidewalk perch — what else do you need for a lively eve? 417 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 388-3300; Chacha-Coconuts.com

n Signature drink: Go tropical with a Cha Cha Coconuts, created from Coco Lopez, guava nectar, pineapple juice, Bacardi Black Rum and grenadine.

n Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. SundayThursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

UP ON THE ROOF

Art Ovation Hotel’s Perspective Rooftop Pool Bar gives night owls an uplifting experience. Here, you can sip ’neath the twinkling stars above while drinking in the city lights below. 1255 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota; 316-0808; ArtOvationHotel.com.

n Signature drink: From this high up, overlooking John Ringling’s former empire, it seems only right to go with The Ringling, made with Plantation 3 Star Rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and absinthe.

n Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. SundayThursday; 11-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

MAIN STREET MANIA

The Gator Club. This joint is jumping with a high-energy dance floor, live music every night and tunes by Worth Block, Sarasota’s superstar DJ. The vintage 1912 brick building makes this a true slice of Old Florida. 1490 Main St., Sarasota; 366-5969; TheGatorClub.com.

n Signature drink: The Rosemary Pineapple Margarita is created from rosemary simple syrup, pineapple juice, Silver Tequila and Grand Mariner.

n Hours: 4 p.m.-2 a.m. TuesdayFriday; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Sunday.

– Dr. James Reed

BY RYAN KOHN | CONTRIBUTOR

GO

As the saying goes, a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. Or, as outdoorsman and angler Fennel Hudson, puts it: “Having a fishing rod in your hand is merely an excuse to explore out-of-sight depths and reveal mysteries that previously only existed in dreams.”

Whether you’re in it for the relaxation, the challenge, or the mystery, here’s a quick overview to get your local fishing adventures started.

FISH!

Photos by Lori Sax

Right: Sam Ramey fell fast and furious in love with the life aquatic. For him, the experience was so life-changing that he finished his schooling while living aboard a sailboat.

State of the Art Facility

Fish can be hard to catch. Fishing fever, on the other hand, is amazingly easy to catch. It can also be a lifelong condition — and highly communicable. Those who feel the fever love to pass it on.

Just ask Matt Scanlon. He’s been casting off area piers his entire life and has worked nearly every job in the business, starting with a high school gig peeling shrimp at New Pass Grill and Bait Shop and, later, as a cook there. Today, he runs the bait shop and co-owns Dreams Reelized, a local fishing charter business.

According to Scanlon, the fever was intense in his youth — to the extent that he and his friends went out shark hunting in a flimsy inner tube one afternoon. Not the smartest idea, but he shrugs it off.

“You have to risk it for the biscuit,” he laughs, adding that good fishing opportunities are worth whatever it takes. As it turns out, Scanlon and his buddies didn’t catch Jaws that day — but Jaws didn’t catch them, either. They all had a great day being out on the water, and the risk made the experience even more memorable.

For Scanlon and so many others, the happiness that fishing brings is the greatest catch of all. Why does fishing put a smile on their faces? For them, the list includes the excitement of the challenge, close contact with nature, times of contemplative solitude as well as times of camaraderie. They also talk about fishing’s mental and physical health benefits — and many studies back them up.

If you’re already a seasoned fishing pro, you

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Matt Scanlon has been casting off area piers his entire life and has worked nearly every job in the business.

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know all about it. If you want to get started, we’re happy to help. Here’s a quick guide to some of our area’s fishing experiences.

OFFSHORE FISHING

Offshore fishing means what it says. About 10 miles from our shores, the depth is about 60 feet; at 30 miles, it’s around 100 feet. Depending on the time of year, the fish that make their home in these waters include grouper, snapper, cobia, amberjack, shark, mackerel, snook, trout, redfish and flounder.

To learn more, we spoke with Capt. Sam Ramey, who heads up Suncoast Fishing Adventures. Ramey is one of a handful of area-based captains with a federal fishing permit that allows him to fish up to 100 miles from the shore. Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, Ramey attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg and soon fell in love with the life aquatic. For him, the experience was such a game-changer that he finished his schooling while living on a sailboat. After graduating from Eckerd, Ramey went on attend the Chapman School of Seamanship. He now holds a USCG 50-ton Master’s License.

“I didn’t know that being a fishing guide was even an option as a career,” Ramey says. “No one in D.C. does that. As soon as I heard you could make money doing it, that became my focus.”

Ramey customizes his fishing expeditions to his clients’ needs. His 28-foot Contender vessel comes equipped with a 40-gallon live bait well, 20 rod holders and two GPS systems with sonar and radar — all the better to track down the perfect fish.

If You Go: Six hours is $1,125; eight hours is $1,500; and 10 hours is $1,875. Those prices apply for up to four people; additional guests are $50 each. Info: 301-775-0306; SuncoastFishingAdventures.com.

INSHORE FISHING

Inshore fishing also means what it says. Inshore fishing odysseys in our area explore the waters of our bays and estuaries; these are usually closer than nine miles from shore in waters no deeper than 60 feet. These shallower depths teem with a variety of species, including snook, flounder, redfish, trout and tarpon.

Capt. Matt Scanlon’s “Dreams Reelized” fishing charter business offers inshore charters off Lido Key on a 24-foot Scout boat, which he captains with his business partner Jason Boyll. Scanlon says his main goal is giving other people the joyful fishing experiences that he’s enjoyed over the years. (The company also owns a 35-foot Strike boat for offshore treks.)

“As long as someone learns something at the end of the day, that’s great,” Scanlon says. “I love watching people feel that enjoyment of fishing. You’re creating memories out here. I want everyone to have a smile. That’s the fulfillment I need.”

If You Go: Prices for up to four people range from $650 for four hours to $1,150 for eight hours. Info: 504-8219; DreamsReelized.com.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY CHARTERS

Fishing’s a blast for adults — and it can also be for children. If you’d like to give your young ones an unforgettable experience, Sarasota Family Fishing Charters is a great place to start. Capt. Scott Tesinsky is a third-generation Floridian and a licensed Coast Guard captain with 35 years’ experience leading fishing expeditions. As Tesinsky puts it, the tradition of Florida fishing was passed on from his grandfathers. “I had a fishing pole in

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TERMS TO KNOW

Bait: What anglers dangle off a hook to catch their fish. Usually this is another creature, like shrimp, worms or crayfish.

Bobber: Also known as a float. This item allows for a bait or lure to stop at a specific depth in the water.

Casting: The act of swinging a rod so that the line ends up in the water.

Chumming: The act of putting bait, usually ground fish, around your boat to attract more predatory fish. This is done in deeper waters.

Fly fishing: A type of fishing that uses lightweight lures, forcing anglers to change their casting techniques.

Inshore fishing: While the specific definition of the term varies from person to person, it is generally understood to mean fishing that takes place in water 60 feet deep or less and within nine miles of the shore.

Jigging: The act of dropping a lure and moving it up and down to attract fish.

Lure: Any artificial object used to attract fish. An alternative to using bait.

Offshore fishing: Specific definitions vary from angler to angler, but it is generally used to mean fishing that takes place in water that’s 60 feet deep or more.

Reel: A device that allows for holding and spooling a fishing line.

Rod: A pole used to get your bait or lure into the water to catch fish.

Sinker: A weight, usually lead, that helps a lure or bait sink in the water.

Still fishing: Fishing without moving, or jigging, the bait once in the water.

Tackle box: A box filled with lures, hooks and other nonbait fishing gear.

Trolling: The method of slowly moving a boat forward while trailing a lure or bait behind it. This method allows anglers to cover a wider area.

Pelagic’s super-fast, high-performance Yellowfin 42 is a big, brawny, no-holds-barred powerhouse of a boat. Courtesy photo

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my hand since I could walk,” he says.

What makes his charters so family-friendly?

Tesinsky recounts a recent father-and-son trip. He noticed that the boy was reluctant to get on the boat, let alone hold a fishing rod. But once Tesinsky drew his attention to the amazing Gulf creatures they encountered, he started to relax.

“He saw his first dolphin, a manatee and a sea turtle,” Tesinsky smiles. “It took him awhile to figure the actual fishing out, but he eventually hooked a large blacktip shark.” Father and son reeled in the shark together after a 30-minute battle. Tesinsky later found out that the son had bought his own fishing rod and planned to continue the hobby.

To Tesinsky, that’s what it’s all about.

“Getting kids away from technology and into the great outdoors is often the spark of a new passion.”

If You Go: Treks start at $400 for four hours with up to three guests; a fourth guest is $50 extra. No additional charge for children under 10. Info: 266-6214; SarasotaFamilyFishing.com.

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Above: Doug Forde, Aledia Tush and Mason Tush at CB's Saltwater Outfitters. Inset: Emily Tush, the daughter of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters’ co-owner Mason Tush, demonstrates her snook-catching talents. Courtesy photo

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NIGHT SNOOK FISHING

CB’s Saltwater Outfitters has been around since 1959. It lays claim to being Sarasota’s largest bait and tackle shop and also offers gear, clothing, boat rentals, parasailing and plenty of fishing charters. CB’s is a great place to launch your fishing adventure — snook fishing, especially. The Snook Alley Evening Trip is one of its most popular charters. This expedition encompasses four moonlit hours of night snook fishing along the Intercoastal Waterway between Sarasota and Venice. Most of the fishing unfolds near lighted docks, where snook cluster to feed on bait that the lights attract.

If You Go: Four hours is $550 for one to two anglers; $100 for a third person. Info: 3494400; CBsOutfitters.com.

LUXURY CHARTERS

Fishing is often an everyman’s sport. Pelagic Color Fishing Co. caters to a more upscale clientele. But its idea of luxury is far from tame. According to its website, the company’s mission is to “change your life by giving you an experience where your senses are heightened, adrenaline is pumping and your heart is beating out of your chest.”

Given owner Noah Neumann’s hospitality background, it’s no wonder that his fishing treks are more deluxe than most. “Our mission is to deliver something you’re not going to get anywhere else,” says Neumann. He adds that his guests receive gourmet meals catered by

Harry's Continental Kitchens and a selection of top-shelf beverages. The ride is a super-fast, high-performance Yellowfin 42 — a “big, brawny, no-holds-barred powerhouse of a boat.” Pelagic Color trips can net you mahi mahi, goliath grouper, king mackerel, swordfish, wahoo and other monsters of the Gulf. One trip even nabbed a 13-foot tiger shark.

If You Go: Pelagic “Quests” can last 24 hours and cost up to $11,880; less expensive options are also available. All Pelagic trips are for up to six guests. Info: 807-9655; PelagicColor.com.

FISHING FROM SHORE

Beginning anglers who don’t have their sea legs yet can bypass the boat. Bait-casting off a pier or bridge are great places to start. There are plenty of local options.

Matt Scanlon, of New Pass Grill and Bait Shop, says there are multiple piers near New Pass that yield good results. Other public fishing spots include Longboat Key’s Overlook Park and Quick Point Nature Preserve and Sarasota’s Hart’s Landing pier. Public beaches like Siesta Key Beach also hold the potential for successful fishing. What bait to use?

“Beginners probably want to stick with live shrimp,” Scanlon says, noting that the strong scent of shrimp attracts fish. “We sell a lot of tackle that fit a plethora of different styles. We’re not going to give you the wrong bait and then send you catfishing.”

If You Go: New Pass Grill and Bait Shop, 1505 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota; Info: 3883050; NewPassGrill.com.

CAPT. RICK GRASSETT

When it comes to fishing, few can claim Rick Grassett’s level of expertise. He’s a captain with CB’s Saltwater Outfitters and has been a fishing guide since 1989. Grassett’s specialty is fly fishing — a variety of cast fishing employing lightweight rods and lures. Since the gear’s not so heavy, anglers can change their typical casting techniques. For Grassett, the constant balancing act between artful technique and good results is fly fishing’s main attraction. Fly fishing is hard — and that’s why he likes it.

“Fly fishing is the pinnacle in terms of both challenge and reward,” Grassett says. “It’s like a hunter who previously hunted with a gun trying to hunt with a bow and arrow. You’re bumping everything up a level. It is the hardest thing you can do, but also the most fun.”

Grassett has been fishing since his Delaware childhood. He got serious as an adult when his friends told him about casting for snook at night near dock lights and bridge lights. Grassett tried it for himself and he was instantly hooked. His passion earned him the epithet “Snook fin-addict,” which now doubles as the name of his website. He decided to turn his passion into his life’s work and carved out a niche for himself in the fishing market.

Along with his captain duties, Grassett writes about fishing on his site, documenting his trips and forecasting which types of fish will be available at what time. He’s done almost everything an angler can do, yet he still would rather do nothing else.

According to Grassett, his favorite fishing memories are the ones in good locations with good company. Every year, Grassett takes fishing fans on trips to far-flung places, including Montana, Belize and Venezuela. These trips aren’t designed for folks just starting their angling journeys.

“The actual fishing is only part of it,” Grassett says. “We’re in some of the most beautiful places in the world. It’s that and the camaraderie. The people, the travel and the preparation.” Grassett has helped hundreds of anglers get into the hobby, and the hobby is still paying him back tenfold.

Info: SnookFin-Addict.com.

When it comes to area fishing, few can claim Rick Grassett’s level of expertise.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

The past is gone, but the good memories remain.

Native Floridians who mourn the loss of “Old Florida” aren’t always being purely sentimental. The Sunshine State really was filled with magic places back in the day — and our region had plenty of magic, especially on the barrier islands. Our keys were packed with legendary hotels, restaurants, markets and gathering spots.

But legends, by definition, exist in the past. Most of these island delights have been demolished; a few have been repurposed. Either way, they’re gone. And, as Joni Mitchell reminds us, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” I know these local legends are history. But here are a few of my favorites …

MARTY FUGATE | CONTRIBUTOR

Lido Key

The Lido Casino. The Depression wasn’t always depressing for architectural dreamers. Along with creating jobs for working class heroes, the Works Projects Administration also subsidized playwrights, authors, artists — and architects such as Ralph Twitchell. It commissioned him to design the Lido Casino in 1938. Twitchell’s Art Deco palace became a reality in 1940 and an instant hit with locals and tourists. And why not? The casino sported a junior Olympic-sized pool with a high-diving board, curvy cabanas, bulging balconies, massive seahorse sculptures and glass block windows. (Thanks to a clever tilt, the glass lozenges looked like diamonds.) The casino’s interior was a trippy maze of mysterious stairways, boutiques, restaurants and a ballroom that closed in the 1960s. As a kid, I pressed my nose to the diamond glass and wondered what the music used to sound like. As a teen, I drove to the casino with my friends one Saturday in 1969 — and saw a pile of debris where it used to stand. No more seahorses; no more glass diamonds; no more fantasy; no more Lido Casino. After a decade of demolition by neglect, the city of Sarasota had secretly smashed it the night before. So it goes. Historical photos are all that’s left now. They’re great but fall short of the reality. Imagine a beach casino in the Land of Oz. The Lido Casino looked a lot like that.

Young people gathered near sea horse sculptures.

Photos courtesy of the Steinmetz Collection The scene at the Lido Beach Casino in 1952. Continued on Page 84

Postcard courtesy of Marlane Wurzbach

Residents and tourists, young and old, found something to enjoy at the Lido Casino.

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That Other Ritz-Carlton

John Ringling had many success stories as a developer. The Ritz-Carlton on Longboat Key wasn’t one of them. At the dawn of the Jazz Age, Ringling had envisioned an opulent, 200-room resort hotel for the rich and famous. Work began in the mid-1920s at the fever-pitch height of the Florida land boom. Work stopped when that speculative fever broke. The boom went bust, and Ringling was hemorrhaging money. He sent all his workers home when the grand hotel was only half-done. What they’d managed to build was an empty shell — crowned by the spidery steel framework of an unfinished cupola. Ringling vowed to finish the job, but thanks to the Great Depression, he never did. He couldn’t afford to complete his grand hotel or even tear it down. After Ringling’s death, the Ritz’ skeletal structure remained a magnificent ruin for decades. The Arvida Corp. finally bought it — and got rid of it in 1964. The Longboat Key Club now stands on the site of Ringling’s demolished dream.

Siesta Key

The Summerhouse Restaurant was a glorious glass house set in a tropical garden. Architect Carl Abbott’s structure blurred the boundary between nature and humanity with floor-toceiling glass. Those transparent walls revealed a jungle worthy of a Rousseau painting — a subtropical Eden of gold trees, jacarandas, magnolias, oaks and palms. On this project, Abbott was both the architect and the landscape architect. He echoed nature’s living forms with the restaurant’s organic form. Abbott’s 1975 design had a geometric logic, but it wasn’t predictable. Despite its glass skin, the Summerhouse didn’t seem like a lifeless, crystalline entity. It was more like a life form that had taken root and grown on the site. As with every living thing, its shape seemed both inevitable and surprising. A floating stairway led to the Tree Top Lounge on the balcony — and a bird’s-eye view of palm fronds reaching for the sky. Like leaves on a tree, the building’s wings flowed from the same pattern without exactly repeating it. Great architecture aside, the Summerhouse became the go-to spot for swanky nights out and al fresco brunches in the gardens. In 2007, the developers of the Summer Cove condominiums bought both site and structure. Instead of tearing it down,

the new owners turned the former restaurant into a private clubhouse. They still work hard to create community access and honor Abbott’s architectural legacy. His masterpiece isn’t a restaurant anymore. But I’m glad it’s still here.

The Siesta Key Fish Market didn’t try to be pretty. It was, in its essence, a rickety shack that Lonnie Blount opened as a fish market in 1932. There used to be thousands of fish markets just like it on Florida’s islands and shorelines. This one was a bustling gathering spot where folks from all backgrounds came to buy flopping fresh fish and share fish tales. (Legend has it that Eleanor Roosevelt was one of its customers.) Blunt sold it in the ’50s, and it continued to thrive under the new owners. By the time Guy Asbury purchased it in 1993, the times were changing. Price tags for waterfront homes shot through the stratosphere on the key — and, eventually, the city changed the zoning to residential only. SKFM was nestled on a secluded bayou at the north of Siesta Key — a sweet spot for developers, who built a new neighborhood in the blink of an eye. By the mid-1990s, Asbury’s little shop of fishes was surrounded by upscale residences. True

A floating stairway at The Summerhouse led to the Tree Top Lounge on the balcony — and a bird’s-eye view of palm fronds reaching for the sky.

Photo courtesy of Sarasota Historical Resources A close-up of the Ritz-Carlton in 1961.

Photo courtesy of the Steinmetz Collection A view from above of the abandoned Ritz-Carlton in 1952.

to form, his new neighbors didn’t want to live next to a fish market, despite its landmark status. When their barrage of complaints didn’t kill SKFM, they shifted to legal attacks and bombarded the market with constant injunctions, court orders, and citations for code and noise violations. For Asbury, it was the death of a thousand cuts. He didn’t give in. But his operating license had been grandfathered in. In 1999, the city of Sarasota refused to renew it — and that’s how this story ends.

Pianist Awadagin Pratt

In his final season as Music Director, Riccardo Muti leads the internationally acclaimed Chicago Symphony in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 and Mussorgsky’s Pictures from an

Courtesy photo

The Siesta Key Fish Market was one of the few places where you could buy fish caught by local fishermen. Its smoked mullet was legendary.

Photos courtesy of Carl Abbott Architect Carl Abbott’s design blurred the boundary between nature and humanity with floor-to-ceiling glass walls at The Summerhouse.

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COLONY BEACH MEMORIES

What’s the story behind The Colony Beach Club & Tennis Resort? Katie Klauber Moulton can tell you both sides of the story. Her father, Murf Klauber, was the visionary who reinvented the resort. She spent her childhood there, and in 1982, returned to serve as its general manager and eventually as president. Moulton has enough memories to write at least one book — and we hope she does. In the meantime, here’s a distillation of our fascinating chat.

GROWING UP AT THE COLONY

For me, The Colony was so much fun as a child and a teenager. Tennis, the beach, it was all right there. But I also worked in every department, including the restaurant, housekeeping, front desk reservations and so much more. It was the equivalent of a graduate school education in the hospitality industry.

MURF KLAUBER’S VISION FOR THE COLONY

My father envisioned a resort where families could vacation together — and he succeeded in making that a reality. He turned The Colony into one of nation’s first all-suite resorts. The parents had private bedrooms, and the kids could camp in the Murphy beds in the living room. Half of the units also had a second bedroom. As a result, whole families vacationed together — and loved it. This extended to multiple generations. When the kids grew up, they’d return with their own children.

CELEBRITY VISITORS AT THE COLONY

Dustin Hoffman, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Bobby Riggs, Tommy and Dick Smothers, George Bush, Marvin Hamlisch, Angela Bassett, James Taylor, Johnny Unitas … the list is endless!

DEMOCRATIC SPIRIT

We stressed that all of our guests deserve the same attention and level of service. The Colony treated our stars like ordinary people and our ordinary people like stars.

THE MURF KLAUBER EFFECT

My father wanted to have fun every day. He woke up and wanted to start having fun immediately. He’d go to sleep at night remembering all the fun he’d had. My father’s zest for life permeated the staff, the guests and even our vendors. It was like an electric charge in the air. People said they could feel it when they drove in through the gate.

THE COLONY’S SECRET SAUCE

I’d say that was our spirit of welcoming hospitality. The Colony welcomed guests of all ages, origins and incomes from all over the world and just across the bridge. We welcomed the community to our Stone Crab, Seafood and Wine Festival, our Fourth of July Beach Barbecue and so many other events. Making people feel welcome really was our secret. At The Colony, it was a way of life, not words on a doormat.

PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT THE COLONY

So many. First, for creating magical memories for thousands of families. Second, for starting the careers of so many fabulous chefs in the area. Sean Murphy, Raymond Arpke, Jamil Pineda — and my brother, Tommy Klauber, of course!

Longboat Key

The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort once seemed like an eternal landmark in the middle of Longboat Key. Developer Herb Field launched the resort in 1952. In the early years, the Colony’s hotel guests checked into rustic beach cottages. Nothing fancy. But celebrities and jet-setting travelers fell in love with the place. Their love affair extended to Longboat Key — and helped make it a global tourist destination. Dr. Murray “Murf” Klauber purchased the property in 1970 and reinvented it as a fourstar tennis resort. In its heyday, the nearly 18-acre resort boasted 237 condominium units, three restaurants, a gourmet market, a tennis boutique and 21 tennis courts — along with a world-acclaimed tennis program led by Nick Bollettieri. But despite its firstclass status, The Colony never put on airs. The Monkey Bar offered incontrovertible proof of its egalitarian ethos. People from all walks of life hung out here, including artists, writers, politicos and celebs. (The actual simians were safely contained in a mural on the bar’s wall.) The Colony was sometimes referred to as Klauber’s private kingdom, and visitors clearly loved his kingdom’s relaxed vibe. But as time passed, not all of The Colony’s condo owners felt the love. Guests. Owners. How do you keep them both happy? Serving two masters is notoriously difficult. At The Colony, it ultimately proved to be impossible. In 2010, the resort closed

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Above: People from all walks of life gathered at the Monkey Bar.

Photos courtesy of Katie Klauber Moulton The Klauber family posing for a tennis magazine ad.

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its doors due to legal complications worthy of a Carl Hiaasen novel. Longboat Key got a little more respectable — and a little less fun.

The Buccaneer Inn sounds like a restaurant for pirates. Jolly idea, but nay. ’Twere more like a family restaurant what served up great steak or fishy fare with a side order of romantic pirate hokum. Mom and Dad could carve into their rare rib-eyes and exchange significant looks. Betimes their tots could dig their tiny fists into a sawdustfilled treasure chest — and pull up a glorious booty of chocolate doubloons and plastic ray guns. (As a kid, I had that experience and decided that eating out was fun.) This Herb Field fellow, remember him from the Colony? Well, he were the restaurateur/developer who created this happy place in 1957. Fun had always been his idea of treasure. Arrr, but a new generation of developers had another definition and took Field’s rollicking restaurant off the map in 2005. Now all the jolly pirates have been laid away to rest. And so has the Buccaneer Inn.

A pirate statue greeted guests at the Buccaneer Inn.

Courtesy photos

The actual simians were safely contained in a mural in the Monkey Bar at The Colony.

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“Sandra Smith* and the staff at Secur are there to help people manage the risks of everyday life. They have helped me with my ocean front NJ home and my LBK condo. Sandra is there with you every step of the way!

“When I moved to Longboat Key in 2014 i t was my 15th move as an adult and 20th in total. I have lived in 3 countries and 8 states. One of the hardest things about moving is the need to find new friends, new doctors and professionals and new business people who will be trusted advisors. I lucked out seeing the Secur -all sign, walked in, met Sandra Smith and her team; which was the beginning of a great relationship. Of all the places I have lived Sandra is the most professional and best provider of all my insurance needs. She and her team are always working for their customers. They take care of EVERYTHING big and small. They never say call your insurance carrier, they say we will call them and call you back. They ALWAYS have your back and everything they do benefits you. I am really fortunate to have them in my corner. ” Judith

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Sandra Smith, Branch Manager/Broker has lived on Longboat Key Since 1996. She knows the island where you live and has the coastal products for hard to place risks.

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*Sandra Smith, Branch Manager/Broker has lived on Longboat Key Since 1996 and knows th e island where you live and has the coastal markets for hard to place risks.

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OASIS

INSIDE THE ISLAND LIFESTYLE

A 1950s ranch transforms into the epitome of Sarasota style.

The lanai overlooks a pool and a small grove of mangroves and sea grape lining the bayou.

Photo by Ryan Gamma

Photos by Ryan Gamma

A roof canopy gives the home a dramatic midcentury presence while walls of glass bring in the carefully designed gardens.

A Lido Shores Home with a Mind of its Own

Dan Denton transformed an ordinary ranch home with midcentury bones into a spectacular, modern glass pavilion set in a garden.

BY ROBERT PLUNKET | CONTRIBUTOR

Above, in the living room, a grid pattern on the ceiling echoes the one found on the dining area’s wall. Both are original to the home.

Right, a Jacobsen egg chair is one of many classic modern pieces that Denton has collected over the years. Floors throughout the home are terrazzo.

Maybe Dan Denton didn’t exactly invent the Sarasota lifestyle, but his publications have celebrated our way of living since 1980. As founder of Sarasota Magazine, Denton gave our town a glossy look and progressive attitude, a heady mix of gracious living, the arts, philanthropy, food and — always its driving force — luxury real estate. So it’s no surprise that his own house on Lido Key, which he shares with his partner, Venezuelan artist Ramses Serrano, is a living history of Sarasota’s transformation from sleepy beach town to sophisticated glamour capital.

All the names are here — the artists, the architects, the curators and the local characters who gave our town its world-famous style. Those characters would certainly include Denton himself, who grew up in a 1950s ranch house in Bayshore Gardens in Bradenton. Encouraged by his entrepreneurial father, Denton started his own magazine after graduating from Yale. It was profitable almost from the start — something rare in the magazine business. He went on to create magazines not only here in Florida but in California, as well. He became an acknowledged pioneer of the lifestyle publication.

Denton’s first house was on St. Armands and, as business prospered, “I decided I better get on the water while I still could.” A little house nearby on Lido Shores, perched on the bayou, attracted him every time he drove by. It was owned by Foster Harmon, the town’s leading art dealer at the time and, though it was a circa 1950s ranch house, it had a flat roof and other intriguing features. There were massive sliding glass doors, wide overhangs, grooved plywood paneling and an unusual grid system on the beamed ceiling, which was repeated on the dining room wall. The bathrooms were small but beautifully designed. One soared 12 feet and was lit by a clerestory windows. The other had a Jetsons-style vanity and shiny bronze tile.

A little research showed that the home was built by Harold Pickett, an engineer and inventor who worked with several of the architects who gathered around Paul Rudolph, a prominent modernist architect and a key figure in the Sarasota School

We wanted to enhance the house, not just preserve it.

DAN DENTON

of Architecture. So, the house had a tenuous but intriguing relationship to the Sarasota School. It was a ranch, to be sure, but one with architectural significance.

Denton purchased the home in 1989 and enlisted the help of his friend Bobby Beardsworth, a legendary decorator of the time and half of the design partnership of Beardsworth/ Neal. Beardsworth started his career as a clerk at Sears but showed such a genius for design that he became arguably Sarasota’s most sophisticated decorator. “I’m a decorator not a designer,” he often said, though in reality, he was both — and more. He would change the architecture if it made for a better house.

It was Beardsworth who suggested giving the home a dramatic roof canopy to heighten its midcentury lines. He also began to experiment with the grid pattern in the ceiling. He used a similar grid for a wall of white glass when the carport was turned into a garage. A pool was added, a porch enclosed and the kitchen was remodeled.

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Above, a surprise in the guest bathroom — the shower opens to the sky.

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The new home served Denton well. The terrazzo floors reminded him of his childhood. “We’d lie on them in the summer to cool off,” he remembers. He chose furniture from the period to heighten the Sarasota Modern look. Some pieces are from dealers, some belonged to his parents and some — such as the Brutalist bedroom set in the master — are from the Woman’s Exchange. As he put the house together, he developed a connoisseur’s taste, his eye made even sharper by the four years he served on the board of The Ringling.

It's Denton’s and Serrano’s art collection that personalizes the home. You’ll find examples everywhere, even in the kitchen and outside in the garden. Some are major names — check out the Warhol, the David Budd and two Syd Solomons. But the most intriguing are the works from the lo -

cal artists that Dan has worked with over the years, including Gene Johnson, Kevin Dean, Gigi Ortwein, John Pirman and Regan Dunnick. And, of course, there’s a Ramses Serrano — a colorful portrait of St. Michael.

The renovated home was a big success and Denton delighted in taking care of it. Some men have golf, some men play the ponies. Denton has his house.

“It’s my indulgence,” he admits. In the process, he became friends with many of the town’s leading designers and museum curators — people like Norman Hervieux, Robert Claussen and Wilson Stiles. Denton ran ideas past them, and the house became even more subtle and refined.

But he also felt the house was not the best it could be. Always looking for a way to improve a publication, Denton started thinking in similar terms about his house. It hadn’t quite reached its full potential. What more could be done to refine it? Or perhaps add to it?

Thus began a 20-year odyssey with Siebert Architects. Tim Siebert was, of course, one of the greats of the Sarasota School (he died in 2018), and to rethink his house, Denton chose Michael Epstein, the firm’s current lead designer, to work with interior designer Robert Neal. There was much brainstorming. Plans were drawn up, then other plans, each getting closer but not quite there. Then they came up with a simple but dramatic concept.

The house would become a pavilion set in a garden.

This was done by replacing the front living room wall and its awning windows with a wall of glass. From the living room you look out on both the front garden, with its own grid stepping stones broken by a serpentine wall and dotted with sculpture and a row of palms. Turn around and look out to the back garden and you see the

Continued on Page 100

Photos by Greg Wilson

Top: Striated plywood walls are a midcentury touch in the den, with much of the owners’ art collection on view. That’s a Syd Solomon on the left.

Bottom: The primary bedroom opens onto the pool area and features a brutalist-style dresser found at the Women’s Exchange.

Some men have golf, some men play the ponies. Dan Denton has his house.

Continued from Page 98

pool surrounded by mangroves, with the bayou sparkling through the vegetation. There’s also notable sculpture — a Richard Beckman — and an assemblage of painted poles that stood in front of the Sarasota Magazine office many years ago. The total effect was that of a spectacular Sarasota School home with a mind of its own. It had progressed from a ranch house to an artful, modern home, in some cases by merely removing unnecessary elements to reveal the home’s essential midcentury character.

“We wanted to enhance the house, not just preserve it,” Denton explains. At night, it’s particularly impressive, with the garden lit up as brightly as the glass enclosed house. In 2019, another major renovation occurred, again with Epstein and Neal at the helm. A guest house was added. It’s in the form of a wing at the north side of the home, away from all the other bedrooms, and it follows the “pavilion in a garden” concept but in a new way. Both sides look out

Continued on Page 102

Above: The compact kitchen looks out on the garden, with elegant mahogany cabinetry very much in the spirit of the home.

Photo by Ryan Gamma

St. Martha Catholic School creates an environment that encourages problem solving, collaboration, student-led inquiry and hands-on projects. Our Catholic faith is woven through all subjects and grade levels, promoting a culture of innovation and ethical action.

Continued from Page 100

to the outdoors and the floors are terrazzo. There’s a seating area with a hidden bar. A room divider — an updated take on an old 1950s standby — allows for a more private sleeping area, along with a work area and a wall of closets. The custom cabinetry is mahogany and echoes built-ins throughout the house. There’s even a surprise in the bath: The shower’s “ceiling” is the open sky. It feels the way the best guest houses do — like a deluxe suite at a luxury hotel.

In 2022, the home received a Florida AIA honor award. The citation noted the “pavilion in a garden” concept and praised how the original 1950s design elements were saved and transformed into meaningful details. The grid system provided constant inspiration for whatever decisions had to be made and the occasional breaking of the grid turned out to give the home energy and movement.

Denton has always loved the house for its “good bones and good vibes.” But is he finished tinkering with it?

“That’s hard to predict,” he says. “But it’s too late to take up golf.”

Above: In the new guest wing, a room divider separates the elegant sleeping area from the comfortable seating area. The painting above the bed is by David Budd.

Photo by Ryan Gamma

Mrs. Maria Smith Admissions Director

The Beat Goes On

Now in its 26th year, the Siesta

Key drum circle is as steady and evocative as the tide. And much like the beach’s famous sand, its rhythm is just as healing.

BY HEIDI KURPIELA | CONTRIBUTOR

If you want march to a different drummer, follow the beat to the Siesta Key drum circle. These powerful percussionists greet the sunset with syncopation every Sunday. They start just before the sun slips below the horizon; some might continue until the dawn’s early light. It’s a spontaneous happening, not a paying gig. A few friends just started hitting the skins one Sunday — and made it a weekly ritual. This rhythm of life draws dancers, and they’ve made it a ritual, too. The circle gathers on Siesta Public Beach, directly south of the main pavilion between lifeguard stands 3 and 4. If that’s obtuse, don’t worry. Just park in the public lot and follow your ears.

Continued on Page 106

Free-spirited Sarasota plastic surgeon Dr. Marguerite Barnett and her be-goggled beau, Shawn Bowen, function as the unofficial “poster children” of Siesta Key’s Sunday night drum ritual.

Vykky Contreras shows up every Sunday to dance. “I’m here rain or shine,” Contreras says. “I come for the drums, the sunset and the water. All three of those things combined are a gift.”

Photos by Heidi Kurpiela

Butterfly wings are a staple accessory among drum circle dancers.

The Siesta spectacle has evolved over the years from a tightknit crew of like-minded locals gathering each Sunday on a private stretch of beach into a raucous, all-ages, motley crew of drummers, dancers and spectators from all over the area — many of them tourists.

A zen flock of seagulls gave no mind to the cacophony happening on the beach behind them.

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Drum circle newbie Julia Clark (center) bangs her worries away among the usual cadre of characters.

Continued on Page 110

Above: The white sand on Siesta Key Beach is the stuff of legends. Made of rock from the Appalachian Mountains, Siesta’s famous sugar sand is said to have therapeutic properties thanks to its nearly 100% quartz count. Regular drum circle dancer Morgan Crane credits the quartz with lifting her spirits every week. “It comes up through your feet and really does heal you,” Crane says. Far left: A percussionist deep in the beat.

Left: Jack Cherin tucks a flower behind his ear courtesy of local flower child/surgeon Dr. Marguerite Barnett.

“The drumming and the dancing are integral to the experience,” says drum circle founder David Gittens. “The dancing is another rhythm, another brushstroke on the

“It definitely became more rambunctious,” says longtime Siesta Key resident Diana Daffner of the weekly beach exaltation. “We originally drummed at Beach Access 8 — a private part of the beach closer to the village. We got louder and bigger and some of the people in the condos complained, so we ended up getting pushed further down to the public end of the beach.” Daffner, along with David Gittens, was one of the circle’s original participants back in the late 1990s.

Clouds obscured the sunset on the night of the Nov. 13 drum circle, but just as the music was ending and the crowd was beginning to amble home for the evening, the sky erupted into dramatic shades of indigo and violet.

canvas of the celebration. The drummers inspire the dancers and the dancers inspire the drummers. It’s a two-way street. They nurture each other.”

In Season

Welcome

SU BYRON MANAGING EDITOR

DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL

In his days as FCC chairman, Newton Minow once described the landscape of network television as “a vast wasteland.” In his blistering, satiric screenplay for “Network,” Paddy Chayefsky imagined a voice crying in that wilderness — Howard Beale, an anchorman who snaps and becomes the “mad prophet of the airways.” Thanks to Lee Hall’s adaptation, Beale’s thundering voice is now ringing out on the Florida Studio Theatre stage in a production directed by Richard Hopkins. In the world of this play, prophecy makes for great ratings but displeases the network’s major corporate sponsors. The network cancels Beale’s show — and Beale, as well. Chayefsky’s dark satire imagined a future of global village idiots. The modern media landscape is slightly different. But it’s closer than we’d like to think. Through March 19; FloridaStudioTheatre.org; 366-9000.

MINDFIELD

PTSD has been a side effect of war since war began. Virtual Reality Therapy is brand new, and it’s proving to be an effective treatment. At Urbanite Theatre, Jacqueline Goldfinger’s “Backwards Forwards Back” traces the results of that treatment in one soldier’s life. After returning from an overseas conflict, he has a violent episode and almost kills his nephew. As a last resort, he turns to VRT at an experimental clinic. After putting on VR goggles and earphones, he enters a computer-generated reality. Once he jacks in, he goes through a form of desensitization therapy to overcome the trauma. This is more than

mechanical behaviorism; he’s learning to drop his guard, shut off the flight-orfight response and become vulnerable again. This inner victory is the only way he can return to his family, and he’s determined to win. Urbanite’s ar-

tistic director, Brendan Ragan, directs the premiere of Goldfinger’s powerful one-person play. March 24-April 23. UrbaniteTheatre.com.

IT’S ALIVE!

Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” was officially published in 1823 (and will celebrate its 200th anniversary this year) — and it galvanized readers, writers and thinkers around the world. New Music New College’s “It’s Alive! A Monstrous Circus on Frankenstein” should have the same electrifying effect in our area. This multimedia monster’s ball is a collaboration of musical talents drawn from New College’s students and staff. Following the recipe of John Cage’s “Circus On,” the novel’s text has been transformed into 256 “mesostic” poems. Students, faculty, staff and Franken fans from around the community will throng onto Koski Plaza at New College to perform these poems. Their high-voltage performances will include

Continued on Page 114

Courtesy photos

FST’s producing artistic director, Richard Hopkins, directs “Network.”

Urbanite’s artistic director, Brendan Ragan, directs the premiere of the powerful play “Backwards Forwards Back.”

to high season — the ‘Goldilocks Weeks,’ where winter flows into spring. That balmy weather draws visitors from around the world to our region. The art that blossoms here does, too. Here’s a sample…

Continued from Page 112

singing, dancing and instrumental musicianship — all accompanied by projected scenes and sounds drawn from the pages of Shelley’s novel. (No peasants with pitchforks allowed.) 8 p.m. March 4, New College’s Koski Plaza, 5800 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota; NewMusicNewCollege.org.

HEART OF GLASS

“Circles + Spheres” explores the possibilities of geometry in Ringling College’s 14th annual exhibition of glass art drawn from the collection of Richard and Barbara Basch. These orbs and cylindrical glass creations spring from a range of glass art techniques. Some pieces were blown; others cast in kilns; others worked with flame; others fused. All evoke a sense of inner flame. The master artists featured in this show include Martin Blank, Dale Chihuly, Richard Royal, Livio Seguso and Lino Tagliapietra. Starting with simple geometry, they’ve created a vast array

of expressive permutations. That vast diversity flows from a common source: the fire of artistic imagination. Through March 24, Basch Gallery at Ringling College; RinglingCollege.Gallery.

THE ONLY DANCE THERE IS

Since its inception in 1969, Dance Theatre of Harlem has changed the landscape of American ballet and opened up new possibilities for Black dancers around the world. Eighteen dancers from that pioneering, multiethnic company will be bringing their moving artistry to our area in a Program 5 performance hosted by Sarasota Ballet. Under the direction of resident choreographer Robert Garland, the troupe will perform a repertoire ranging from George Balanchine’s timeless classics to innovative choreography by contemporary masters. The future and past of ballet will share the same Sarasota stage. Expect an inspiring glimpse at the possibilities of this ever-evolving art form. Feb. 24-27, FSU Center for the Performing Arts; SarasotaBallet.org.

Photo by Kent Becker

Dance Theatre of Harlem dancer Lindsey Donnell.

HELD

Above: Jason Berzowski and Tim Haas of the Longboat Key Fire Rescue serve up their award-winning firehouse chili.

Left: Robyn Marin and Amy Goldman know how to accessorize on a sunny day.

Steven Siegler, Aaron Virgin, Dennis Virgin, Patti Virgin, Suzanne Butterfield and Linda Mitchell

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

EXPERIENCE AUTHENTIC FLORIDA HOSPITALITY

Chiles Hospitality is a family of three incredible waterfront restaurants, an organic farm with 26 acres of vegetables, fruits, and flowers, and a full bakery. With sustainability at the heart of everything we do, all of our teams work together to provide the best dishes for our guests and the environment.

CHILESHOSPITALITY.COM

HELD DEC. 3 AT BIRD KEY YACHT CLUB

Char Creel and Jim Hanes with Bob and Pat O’Connell

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Retired USMC Veteran and BKYC member Rob Harlan, BKYC Commodore Lisa Adams, BKYC member Dr. Janet Allgair and BKYC General Manager Tammy Hackney

Diane and Bo Fairey Jan McClure and Cathy Landis

Barbara Young, Alexis Vasilos, Bob Gifford, Lucas and Brian Buta

Above: Sonalis, Chef Mojo and Kahlil Muhammad.

Left: Nancy and Ralph Dennington make a toast for the new year.

Photos by Dariela Delgado

Photos by Harry Sayer

Co-chairs Michael Ritter, Nancy Wolk, Fran Lambert and Seymour Ziegelman

Laurie Scott and Danae Meijering

Rita and Peter Anderson

Leopold and Audrey Robbins

Amanda Michael and Clint Mallard

John Horne of Café L’Europe

One of the area’s most experienced restaurateurs takes the helm of an iconic restaurant on St. Armands Circle.

BY ABBY WEINGARTEN CONTRIBUTOR

As Café L’Europe ushers in its 50th anniversary this winter, new proprietor John Horne of Anna Maria Oyster Bar fame is bolstering the St. Armands locale and building toward the future. Horne has spent more than 40 years in the local hospitality industry. He first started working during the summers at Fast Eddie’s Place on Anna Maria Island while completing his business degree at Clemson University. In 1995, he opened his first restaurant, Anna Maria Oyster Bar, on the City Pier in the town of Anna Maria, and several more locations followed. (The Anna Maria Island location moved to the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach in 2015.) He’s now the head of Oysters Rock Hospitality, a five-location chain in the Manatee-Sarasota market with two more in the works.

Horne and his wife, Amanda, purchased Café L’Europe in February 2022 from former owners Ron and Julie Milton. The menu still offers longtime fan-favorite dishes, including the Duck à l’Orange and the French onion soup served in an onion, but the revamped interior and refreshed menu signify a new era for this historic hotspot.

My own history with Café L’Europe is …

It was always a special treat. I can remember going there as a family for my parents’ anniversary. I can even remember what I ate. There was an escargot appetizer and the entrée… was always duck. I’m a duck nut and try it everywhere I go. Café L’Europe is one of three places that stands out in the execution of duck. One is in Boston and the other was Chef Ray’s duck at Euphemia Haye. I can still remember eating duck there. It was that memorable. Incredible.

If I could add three menu items to the Café L’Europe repertoire, they would be … Oysters from various locations, seafood towers and Steak Diane.

The top three qualities I look for in Café L’Europe employees are ... We only hire nice people. You can’t train people to be nice; that’s an innate quality. No one walks into a restaurant to have a bad time or a bad experience. People want to have an excellent meal in a fun environment, served by knowl-

edgeable staff who are nice and truly care about their guests.

Café L’Europe is … An iconic restaurant that has been the place generations of people from Sarasota and all over the world have come to for celebrations, fancy first dates, marriage proposals, wedding receptions, Easter dinners complete with Easter bunnies, birthdays, anniversaries and moments of joy.

Continued on Page 126

Photos by Lori Sax Amanda and John Horne will honor Café L’Europe’s favorite menu items, including the French onion soup served in an onion, but have revamped the interior and refreshed the menu.

Continued from Page 124

My daily schedule is …

When I first started my restaurant life, I worked from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and then I’d head to a pub and meet my buds to laugh about the day and retell stories about life in hospitality. Now, I’m still up early, looking to see how the restaurants did from reports each restaurant sends about staff, guests, meals and, unfortunately now, a lot about which product we can’t get due to supply chain issues. Recently, with the five construction/remodel/refresh projects we have going, I’ve been putting on my hard hat for an hour every day, keeping the projects moving forward.

The way I balance owning five restaurants is …

We’re almost at seven restaurants; we have two more coming in the next four months. We have the best team. I can’t be in seven places at a time, but we can surround ourselves with the best people in the industry and let them run

their restaurants and make sure their guests are all happy.

The top three restaurants in the world I would love to visit are … One is French Laundry, just because I’ve been to Napa several times and never made it in yet. Another is The Butcher’s Arm in Priors Hardwick, England, where Amanda and I spent five hours over dinner getting to know each other. And I’d love to be able to walk into the Fast Eddie’s Place on Anna Maria where I began my career in the summer of 1981 as a college kid busing tables.

My main message for someone coming to Café L’Europe is … We’re developing a guest experience we call the “Renaissance era.” Already you’ll notice the transformations. We’re leaning deep into European culinary tradition to inspire the next dining menu and refreshing the visuals and aesthetic while reimagining what impeccable hospitality means to today’s guests. Our goal is to walk the tightrope between

the past and future, to honor the traditions of Sarasota’s families over the years and to celebrate the history of a place that once housed the real estate office of Sarasota’s most famous resident, John Ringling.

Part of our 50th anniversary celebration includes … We’ll be hosting wine dinners featuring chefs and general managers from the past, including Harry Christensen, Michael Garey, Bob Fracalossy, Ray Arpke, J.P. Knaggs and Frank Eucalitto. They’ll help prepare the menu, tell stories between courses and relive their years at Café L’Europe.

Café L’Europe: 431 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 388-4415, CafeLEurope.net.

Fashion. Form. Function.

CaféL’Europe’smenustrikestheperfect balance between tradition and innovation.

CAFE GABBIANO

There’s an intimate dining getaway located on Siesta Key, Café Gabbiano brings a mix of classic and modern Italian dishes. Chef Paolo Di Costanzo, hailing from Ischia Italy brings you a diverse seasonal menu including local fish, handmade pastas, ravioli and Allen Brothers Meats. Certified sommelier, Marc Grimaud, has 200 wines on-site and specializes in pairing the perfect wine with your food. A diverse cocktail program including crated cocktails and bourbon and whisky tastings. Enjoy intimate dining in one of our wine rooms or choose outdoor seating in our climate-controlled patio. This is Italy’s best loved restaurant on Siesta Key.

5104 Ocean Blvd, Siesta Key 941-349-1423 | www.cafegabbiano.com

CAFÉ L’EUROPE

This season marks Café L’Europe’s 50th year on St. Armands Circle. Whether celebrating life’s most meaningful moments, or simply a Tuesday, we welcome lovers of food and drink for a five-star experience inspired by Europe’s finest bistros. Spring 2023 brings a reimagined restaurant interior and new dining menus. European culinary tradition inspires scratch-made dishes using local, sustainable ingredients. An exquisite Old World-meets-New World wine list, craft cocktails, and live piano music greet you from our chic lounge.

We aim to celebrate the legacy of our iconic space and honor beloved traditions of Sarasota families, while welcoming new visitors to our beautiful destination.

431 St Armands Cir, Sarasota

(941) 388-4415 | www.cafeleurope.net

CHEF ROLF’S NEW FLORIDA KITCHEN Restaurant, Tiki Bar & Ballroom

NOW BOOKING PARTIES & SPECIAL EVENTS! Chef Rolf offers the perfect location at the Casey Key Resort for your private event and can accommodate up to 200+ people.

Enjoy Amazing Lunch & Dinner at the Tiki Bar Daily from 12-9pm. Happy Hour with Drink Specials 12-5:30 and Food Specials 3:30-5:30 and Live Music 5-8. Early Bird Dinner Special 4-5:30. Inside Dining Room NOW OPEN for Dinner

Thursday, Friday & Saturday and Sunday Brunch.

Open daily serving breakfast from 8-11, Sunday brunch 11-2, lunch beginning at noon, and dinner.

21660 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey

941.966.2121 | www.ChefRolf.us

386523-1

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS IN 2023

Sarasota's Best ALL-AROUND RESTAURANT

DUVAL’S

FRESH. LOCAL. SEAFOOD is an eclectic eatery with a passion for stunning dishes, superb service, fine wine, and creative cocktails. Along with our unique and diverse menu, our focus on excellent service allows us to deliver a one-of-a-kind dining experience in downtown Sarasota.

VOTED SARASOTA’S BEST:

HeraldTribune - All-Around Restaurant (‘19-’22), Seafood (‘16-’22), Sandwich (‘16-’22), Lunch(‘22)

SRQ Magazine - Takeout (‘21)Wine SpectatorAward of Excellence (‘16-’22) Sun - Thur: 11am - 10pm; Fri & Sat: 11am - 11pm Free delivery to the greater Downtown Sarasota area. Free shuttle to and from Duval’s.

1435 Main St. Sarasota, FL 941.312.4001 | DuvalsFLS.com

EUPHEMIA HAYE

It’s the perfect time to enjoy an evening out at Euphemia Haye! Located in an historic Longboat Key cottage nestled in a tropical garden with palm trees studded in twinkle lights, Euphemia Haye is known for impeccable service, outstanding & eclectic menu, extensive wine list, and indulgent desserts. A longtime favorite of locals and visitors alike, reservations are strongly recommended for the downstairs fine dining but walk-ins are welcome upstairs in the Haye Loft lounge & dessert room.

5540 Gulf of Mexico Dr, Longboat Key 941.383.3633 | www.euphemiahaye.com

Siesta Key Oyster Bar, or “SKOB” as the locals call it, is the hangout with the laid-back, beachy atmosphere that will put you in the Island Spirit. Our food is just one of the reasons we are #1 on the Key!

From Raw Oysters and Fresh Seafood to All-Natural Burgers and Chicken Wings, there is something for everyone on the menu.

With over 21 beers on tap including Local Craft Beer, Domestic and Specialty Imports plus a variety of creative Specialty Cocktails you will not go away thirsty!

We have live music every day and night with some of the best local musicians around.

So, the next time you are in the heart of Siesta Key Village and want to relax with a frosty beverage, enjoy some fantastic food, or listen to great live music, stop by SKOB, the Hot Spot in Siesta Key. You’ll be glad you did!

5238 Ocean Blvd, Siesta Key 941.346.5443 | skob.com

KEY ENCOUNTERS

TURTLE BEACH CAMPGROUND

PHOTO BY NANCY GUTH

Camp on the beach? Why not? Pitch a tent or park your Airstream at Turtle Beach Campground on Siesta Key — 14 canopied acres with 39 campsites overlooking 2,600 feet of Turtle Beach. Established in 1921, it’s one of the few campgrounds in Florida with direct beach access. For Shari and Tom Dailey, it’s their personal paradise, and they always book their spot

a year in advance. Tom, a 33-year Navy veteran, loves spending time with other vets off the grid when they meet for their annual Veteran’s Day gathering here. “There’s nothing like watching the sun set on the beach,” Shari says. “The sounds of waves and seagulls are so calming.” Originally from Massachusetts, the couple now lives in Bradenton. “We met on a blind date in 1979,” says Shari. “We were engaged in 1981, split up, and now here we are together again!”

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