Awesome Handhelds
Think beyond peanut butter and jelly for your summertime sandwich cravings. The Old Salty Dog, City Island, will have you hooked with a dynamite Fish Sandwich. Choose grouper, mahi mahi or salmon to savor the sea’s delicacies. At Meshugana Deli chow down on the Pastrami Reuben, featuring pastrami shipped in from New York City. “The sandwich starts with our homemade bread that we bake every day,” says Owner Adam Woldman. “We make our own seedless and seeded rye bread.” Homemade Russian dressing, fresh sauerkraut and Swiss cheese round out the flavors of this epic handheld. Michelle’s Brown Bag Cafe is dishing up the delightful Bird Key Sandwich, with all-white meat chicken salad, tarragon, lemon, homemade mayonnaise, fresh celery, gorgonzola cheese, sliced Granny Smith apples, sliced tomatoes, sprouts and fresh spring greens. “It’s been our number one sandwich for 22 years,” adds Michelle Ettinger, the cafe’s owner. Stop by The Original Wolfie’s & Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House for the Hot Corned Beef Sandwich, which includes your choice of bread and cheese. The restaurant piles the sandwich high with top-quality lean and fatty cuts of beef to ensure peak flavor. For the ultimate all-day breakfast, enjoy Project Coffee’s Two-Handed Sandwich. “We’re 100 percent vegan,” says Ian Steger, one of the shop’s operators. “It’s on a brioche bun that we make in-house at our bakery, and it has a sizable hash brown patty. We use a product called Just Egg, a mung bean-based egg scramble, and mix that with chives and a Violife vegan cheese.” Finished off with spicy mayo, this sandwich warrants an early wake-up. —L.Paquette
GO ARTS
Skyway 2024: A Contemporary Collaboration
The Ringling Museum of Art | This year the Ringling Museum is participating in Skyway 2024: A Contemporary Collaboration, a joint triennial exhibition between the Ringling and four other Tampa Bay area art museums featuring the work of some of the region’s best artists. Joining the Ringling in the third iteration of Skyway, the exhibition debuted in 2017, are the Sarasota Art Museum; the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg; the Tampa Museum of Art and the University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum. Skyway 2024 will be a celebration of contemporary art within the area, not bound by one medium, showcasing works ranging from painting to sculpture to installations and mixed media from 63 local artists and art collectives. A curatorial team from the participating museums, including the Ringling’s Christopher Jones and Ola Wlusek, drew from a pool of nearly 300 submissions to illuminate some of the region’s very best creative minds. The artists in this year’s exhibition are all in different stages of their careers. Some have been featured in Skyway before and are leading voices in their field. Others are just getting started. All of them have something to say. Through January 26, 2025, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, ringling.org.
Run Away with the Circus
CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY | The Summer Circus Spectacular returns to The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater for three months of high-flying thrills in one of the most storied venues in Sarasota. An annual collaboration between The Ringling and the Circus Arts Conservatory, the Summer Circus Spectacular has become a crowd-favorite, pairing some of the top acts in professional circus in a venue that actively works to promote and preserve the circus tradition. This year’s show is highlighted by acts like The Bello Sisters, Acrobatic Hand Balancing; Antino Pansa on the slack wire; the contortionist Uranbileg Angarag and more. Pro tip: Take a stroll through The Ringling’s Circus Museum prior to the show, which houses a variety of galleries, installations and exhibits that tell the story of the circus. Tuesday to Friday at 11am and 2pm, Saturdays at 2pm and 5pm. Through August 17. 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, ringling.org.
Florida Studio Theatre Summer Improv
FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE | From June through September, improv is coming to the Florida Studio Theatre. FST’s Summer Improv Season is headlined by five special performances, starting off with Director’s Cut in June. Director’s Cut allows the audience to truly dictate the direction of the story — performers will lobby audience members for a chance to tell their particular story, however, if the audience doesn’t like the story, they can cut it out of the show until only one cast member remains.
In Freedom! Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Laughter, a special, one-night Holiday show July 6, improvisers will celebrate Independence Day by telling a never-before- heard story of the American Revolution, inspired by audience suggestions. The crowd favorite FST Improv Presents: The End of the World, returns for one night in July. In this 90-minute improvised performance, the end of the world is nigh, with humanity’s last remaining hope placed on the shoulders of FST Improv, who must band together to record a movie detailing our demise as a warning to any who come to Earth after us. Fast Times at John Hughes High serves as a nod to the classic high school movies of the 80s. Cast members will create an all-new story using the popular teenage archetypes found in John Hughes movies that illustrates the quirks and idiosyncrasies of adolescence.
Comedy Lottery closes out FST Improv’s Summer Season, a show where twelve audience members select the night’s slate of games, after which cast members do their best to create scenes, sketches and songs that will win over the crowd. Tournament of Fools and Comedy Roulette will also be performed at FST’s Bowne’s Lab Stage throughout the summer season. June 1 to September 28. Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Avenue, Sarasota, floridastudiotheatre.org.
Sarasota Opera House Summer Movies
SARASOTA OPERA | Throughout the summer, head over to one of the best venues in town to see some of the biggest names to ever grace the silver screen. From May until October, the Sarasota Opera House will screen a different kind of summer blockbuster: classic performances from film, opera and ballet, playing nearly every weekend throughout the summer. Friday nights will feature classic films like A Star is Born, On The Waterfront, Viva Las Vegas, American Graffiti and more while Sunday matinees will showcase operatic and ballet performances such as Faust, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and I Puritani. In a time where options at the box office are scarce and audiences are consuming more at-home entertainment than ever before, the Sarasota Opera offers a refreshing option for a day at the theater with their summer movie offerings. Fridays at 7:30pm for the Classic Movies and Saturdays at 1:30 for the Movie Performances. Through September. 61 N Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, sarasotaopera.org.
A Modern Masterpiece Uncovered: Galloway’s Furniture Showroom by Victor Lundy
SARASOTA ART MUSEUM | Take a trip back in time at the Sarasota Art Museum this summer with one of their latest exhibitions, Modern Masterpiece Uncovered: Galloway’s Furniture Showroom by Victor Lundy. The exhibition seeks to uncover the modernist masterpiece that was the Galloway’s Furniture Showroom of Sarasota, which opened in 1959 and was designed by renowned architect Victor Lundy. The original building was a testament to the Sarasota School of Architecture, a regional movement that brought modernist principles to Florida’s Gulf Coast. The two-floor showroom was ovular in shape, ringed with floor to ceiling windows, a “floating” second floor mezzanine supported by massive glulam beams and roof cut outs for plants to grow through. Unfortunately, a 1980s renovation concealed much of the original structure, completely transforming an architectural landmark into a mundane structure. The exhibition looks to reinvigorate the spirit of the original building by providing historical context to Lundy’s masterpiece as well as presenting design concepts for the rehabilitation and expansion of the building prepared by architecture students from Hampton University. July 28 to November 27, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, sarasotaartmuseum.org.
Underwater VR Experiences
MOTE MARINE AQUARIUM | Have you ever dreamed of swimming with humpback whales or exploring the sea? Dive into a whole new world with one of our five epic virtual reality (VR) adventures featuring 360-degree views, sound and movement. These VR experiences, brought to you by Immotion, include: Swimming with Humpbacks: Explore the waters of the Bahamas while searching for a female humpback whale and her newly born calf. Shark Dive: Travel with us as we try to find Tiger Beach – a mythic underwater strip where some of the world’s largest sharks, including apex predator tiger sharks, are said to gather. Legend of Lusca: Dive into an amazing sub-sea world and get close to creatures that inhabit its clear waters. The Tower: Taking you higher than any theme park dares, this VR coaster brings you to the top of the tallest skyscraper and back down, in an intense, white-knuckle ride. Mote Marine’s Exploration Gallery, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, mote.org.
To the Moon: Snoopy Soars with NASA
THE BISHOP MUSEUM | Just before the first man landed on the moon, Charlie Brown and Snoopy soared through space with NASA’s Apollo 10 mission in May 1969. The exhibition To the Moon: Snoopy Soars with NASA examines the history of Apollo 10 and the Peanuts characters’ role in that flight and in the NASA Manned Flight Awareness safety program. Through August 15. The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton, bishopscience.org.
Summer Mainstage
FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE | Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack Dear Louise When two strangers meet by letter during World War II, a love story begins. U.S. Army Captain Jack Ludwig, a military doctor stationed in Oregon, begins writing to Louise Rabiner, an aspiring actress and dancer in New York City, hoping to meet her someday if the war will allow. Ken Ludwig tells the true story of his parents’ courtship, and the results are anything but expected. July 3 to August 11. The Outsider by Paul Slade Smith Ned Newley doesn’t even want to be governor. He’s terrified of public speaking, and his poll numbers are impressively bad. To his ever-supportive Chief of Staff, Ned seems destined to fail. But his political consultant sees things differently: Ned might be the worst candidate ever to run for office. Unless the public is looking for...the worst candidate ever to run for office. A timely comedy that skewers politics and celebrates democracy. July 24 to August 18. FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota, floridastudiotheatre.org.
Green Day’s American Idiot
THE SARASOTA PLAYERS | American Idiot takes Green Day’s chart-topping 2005 punk rock album and brings it vibrantly to life. American Idiot follows a young anti-hero, Johnny, the self-proclaimed “Jesus of Suburbia”, and his two buddies, Will and Tunny, as they attempt to break out of their mind-numbing, aimless suburban existence. After escaping to the city, Johnny finds himself embroiled in a passionate affair with a stunning and unpredictable young woman, and an even more passionate affair with hard drugs. Tunny finds a sense of purpose by enlisting in the Army, but is wounded in the line of duty, both physically and emotionally. Meanwhile, Will, who decided to remain in the suburbs with his newly pregnant girlfriend, becomes moored to his couch, hopeless and stuck. Each of the men struggles to find the balance between rage and love—a conflict that defines their generation. With Green Day’s heart-pounding, visceral songs and a young cast who rage against the machine of society with heart and spunk, American Idiot is a knockout guaranteed to bring the house down. August 7 to August 16. The Sarasota Players, 1130 Theatre, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 1130, Sarasota, theplayers.org. —D. Campbell
Summertime Dip
The fish are staying cool this summer and you can too with the Smoked Green Curry Fish Dip at Indigenous. A staple on the menu for quite some time, it makes for a great sharing appetizer and a great way to utilize the restaurant’s sustainably caught, wild or farmed raised fish. “It is quite unique because we do not smoke the fish like most typical restaurants,” says Indigenous’s chef, Stephen Phelps. “The fish we use is from the fish we butcher onsite and then it gets soaked in a marinade, baked and chilled. It is then mixed with a green curry paste we make with ginger, lemongrass, garlic, thai basil, cilantro, chilies, and palm sugar. The paste and fish get mixed with whipped cream cheese and is portioned in glass jars and chilled for service. The fish dip is then served with our house made nori and turmeric sea saltines. We also use some amazing baby vegetables as well on the plate from Homestead Hydroponics and Blumenberry Farms.”—B.Heit Indigenous Restaurant, 239 South Links Ave., Sarasota, indigenoussarasota.com.
SUMMER IN THE KITCHEN
If you’re a foodie, you may be familiar with Two Chefs on Hillview. Experienced chefs Frank Imbarlina and Mellissa Louty are offering Charcuterie Board Building Classes this summer. Book a Charcuterie Board Building Class for your home or community center. For a more in-depth learning experience, book a One-on-One, Couples or Family Progressive Culinary Training Class, conducted in your home for a minimum of three lessons. “It’s all based on what people want to learn. You tell us what you want to learn, and we teach it to you. It’s all done on a case-by-case basis,” adds Imbarlina. “It’s for anyone from beginners to people who consider themselves experts. We can teach people anything from basic knife skills to more intense cooking techniques.” Pineapple Kitchen also offers a variety of fun classes. This summer, they’ll host the Charcuterie by Jenny Class, Boozy Cake Pop Class & Craft Cocktail Workshop and Fresh Handcrafted Pasta & Savory Sauce Workshop among other exciting offerings. Pineapple Kitchen allows you to choose more laid-back demonstration-based courses or hands-on programs. In August, they’ll start back up with their popular Kitchen Kids classes. - L. Paquette Taste of Spain, 2667 Mall Dr., Sarasota, 941-580-8663, tasteofspainsrq.com; Two Chefs on Hillview, Call 941-210-3535 or email chefs@twochefsonhillview.com, twochefsonhillview.com; Pineapple Kitchen Tasting Room & Wholesale Warehouse, 4914 Lena Rd., Unit 104, Bradenton, 941-254-1763, pineapplekitchen.com.
SUMMER SOUPS Okroshka Cold Yogurt Soup
At Chayhana Vostok, which means “Eastern teahouse” in Russian, Okroshka Cold Yogurt Soup is a refreshing and popular dish for lunch or dinner, and perfect as an appetizer or a main course. Made with yogurt, cooked vegetables, fresh cucumbers, potato, radish and egg, the chilled soup is healthy, crunchy, flavorful and just right for a steamy summer day. Located on Tamiami Trail just South of Walt’s Fish Market, the Uzbek restaurant serves all the hearty dishes that have become so well-received by visitors and locals alike. —B.Heit Chayhana Vostok, 4242 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 941-923-5919.
WELLEN PARK VIBES
Get your groove on with Wellen Park’s Sunday Groove series occurring every Sunday this summer. As the temperature heats up, cool things down with a relaxing concert, free of charge and full of good vibes. The Sunday Groove series does more than just ease concert-goers into the week, it serves as a connection point for people throughout the community. Local artists like Derek Roura and Rob Hazen have rocked the stage in the past and will continue to do so this summer in Downtown Wellen. From 9am-1pm every Sunday, these fan favorite artists will play live underneath the Heritage Tree. While no outside alcoholic beverages are permitted, audience members are encouraged to kick back and unwind with to-go adult beverages from the surrounding restaurants. The good vibes at Wellen Park don’t end with their Sunday Groove concerts. Throughout the summer, the Downtown Wellen Music Series will continue with more musicians coming to the Solis Hall Stage in Downtown Wellen, ready to rock out with the community. Don’t miss out on their special 4th of July Celebrate America Concert, where audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets as they listen to live music by Derek Lersch Band against the backdrop of the lake. On the first Friday of every month, musicians will perform live at Solis Hall from 6-10pm in Wellen Park’s Friday Night Live series. Additionally, Dueling Pianos will come to Wellen Park on the third Thursday of every month. —D.Campbell Downtown Wellen Park, 19725 Wellen Pk Blvd, Venice, wellenpark.com/events.
SUMMER SOUPS Tomaten Chiliesuppe
Tomaten Chiliesuppe—Siegfried’s dragonblood. A remarkable tomato chilisoupe with bacon, onion, tomatoes and Siegfrieds Rheinland Dry Gin “The Tomaten Chiliesuppe is actually not a traditional German soup but my wife and I have it on our menu because it’s our favorite soup in the world,” says René Zimmermann, owner and chef at Siegfried‘s Restaurant and Biergarten. “One of my favorite chefs I ever worked with in Germany once shared parts of the recipe with me because I loved it so much—we decided this tomato soup must be on our menu at Siegfrieds and our guests love it.” The Tomaten Chiliesuppe is not a typical tomato soup. It’s creamy and has fresh flavors of rosemary and thyme with a hint of spice. Bacon and Siegfried’s Rheinland Dry Gin are added during the cooking process to give it that special touch and authenticity. The fun part, shares Zimmermann, is this gin is actually from the Rheinland where he and his wife come from in Germany. “It’s a perfect dish in the summer and when you dip our fresh German bread into it, that’s all you need some days. It’s definitely a dish you won’t find anywhere else.”—B.Heit Siegfried‘s Restaurant and Biergarten, 1869 Fruitville Rd Sarasota, 941-330-9330. siegfrieds-restaurant.com.
SUMMERS IN MOTION
Fill your long hot summer days by getting out and getting active. Our editors took a deep dive to find you the latest fitness gear to keep you in shape all summer long. Check out these three independently owned businesses to get suited up. —M.Mitchell
FLIP SIDE lndependent Hardware $4, Unite Skate Tool $12, Bones Reds Bearings $19, Independent Standard Trucks $50, Triple 8 Sweatsaver Helmet $50, Bones Swiss Bearings $64, 187 Slim Knee Pads $75, Deathwish Deck 2 $65, REAL DECK 4 $70, Jacuzzi Deck 2 $73, Compound Postcard Deck $115, Compound Boardshop, 3604 S Osprey Ave, 941-552-9805.
DEEP DIVE Nylon Dive Flag $16, Tinted Sunscreen $18, Oceanaways SeaSharp Dry Combo $80, GO Travel Fins $110, Yellow Airtank $240, 3 - Gauge Inline - Imperial $403, MK 11/s270 - Regulator $608, Florida Underwater Sports SRQ, 6920 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 941-870-4461.
RIDE ON Cliff Crunchy Peanut Butter $2, Cliff Cool Mint Chocolate $2, GU Energy Gel Salted Watermelon $2, GU Roctane Gel Strawberry $3, GU Roctane Gel Cherry-Lime $3, Puns MFLO 2.0 BTL Block $13, 32oz Insulated Chromatek $20, Saddle C9 GS CRU VAR EST $45, Kryptonite Lock U Keeper-12 STD $46, Cateye Padrone Wireless C $60, Lazer Helmet Codax Kineti $65, Shimano - RC300W Shoes Pale Green $125, Village Bikes, 3898 S Osprey Ave, Sarasota, 941-366-7702.
SENSATIONAL SUMMER SALADS
Nothing says summer like a fresh and delicious salad. The Shane’s Chopped Salad at Shaner’s Pizza combines the flavors of finely chopped lettuce, salami, ham, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and black olives with a homemade Italian dressing. “It’s a home run,” says Owner and Founder Shane Rawley. From Palm Avenue Deli, try the Chilled Israeli Couscous, which is inspired by tabbouleh salad. “The salad itself is simple, consisting of just Israeli couscous, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs, all tossed in a lemon-garlic vinaigrette,” adds Hart Lowry, the culinary director for Hi Hospitality Group, which operates the eatery. “The sauces underneath the salad are where the complex flavors are. One is a vegan creamy lemon garlic yogurt with coconut yogurt and vegan feta cheese. The other sauce is zhoug. Ours is made with lots of herbs, green chile, spices including caraway, and olive oil.” For a salad with a coastal flair, stop by The Cheesecake Cutie & Café and sample the refreshing Old Bay Shrimp Salad. Owners Jennifer and Kane Geils describe the mayonnaise-based salad with Argentina shrimp, Old Bay, lemon, onion and celery as “simple and delightful.” Enjoy it over a bed of lettuce, on a roll or with some crackers. Kolucan Mexican Bar and Grill’s Ensalada de la casa is great for a south-of-the-border flair and local ingredients. “We utilize mixed greens because they’re delicate and make the salad lighter. We add roasted corn, jicama, avocado and a bit of watermelon radish with a little bite. We garnish that with our queso fresco and avocado,” says Chef and Co-owner Gino Calleja. “The dressing is a bit different. We came up with it ourselves; we don’t necessarily have this in Mexico. We decided to do a light, creamy dressing. It has buttermilk, chives, cilantro, lime juice and garlic. The lime juice adds a bit of acidity.” If you want something sweeter, head to Arts & Central and indulge in the “Dirty Rotten” Fruit Basket. Made with seasonal fruit, whipped kimchi mascarpone, quinoa, fermented garlic honey, candied walnuts, herbs and flowers, the dish is a symphony of flavor, and Executive Chef Erik Walker considers it to be one of the most thoughtfully created items on the menu. With its abundance of bright and colorful ingredients, the Sunshine Grilled Chicken Salad at Mad Salads is as appealing to the eye as it is to the palate. The base of the salad is an Arcadian mix which combines several different lettuces including baby red oak, baby green oak, baby red leaf, baby green leaf, tango and lolla rosa. The curly and colorful greens are dressed in a zesty citrus lime vinaigrette and topped with a cornucopia of vibrant ingredients like creamy green avocado, sweet yellow corn, juicy mandarin oranges, smoky roasted red peppers, crunchy pecans and plump golden raisins. This hearty salad is also topped with grilled chicken breast. On the go? You can also order this striking salad as a wrap. —L. Paquette and K. Wight.
CREATIVE QUENCHERS
Recharge with this lineup of cool summer drinks. First up is the Watermelon Lemonade from Summer Tap Juice Bar. With fresh watermelon juice, an entire lemon, lemon zest and a hint of strawberry, this summer sip will help you beat the heat. “It’s the most popular for the summertime,” says Owner Galina Naguibine. From the Elevation Tea Company truck, the Lavender Lemonade is a crowd favorite only available at the Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch at Waterside. The drink is made with Kenya purple tea, one of Elevation’s specialties, organic lemon juice, homemade lavender syrup and butterfly pea flower tea. “It’s so captivating with the vibrant colors,” Owner Jennifer Martinez adds. “It’s by far one of our bestsellers.” Tea lovers can enjoy the Red Berry Tea from Amuse 5 in Bradenton. “When I opened my business, I wanted to give my customers teas with little caffeine that were more natural,” says Claudia Gutierrez, the cafe’s owner. “I decided to make one from berries because here we have all the berries nearby. We have strawberries in Myakka, blueberries in Ocala and a lot of red fruits.” She sources fresh, local fruit and dries it on trays in the sunshine. Then, she combines the fruits and hibiscus to create a rich blend. If you’re more into coffee, don’t miss the Iced Coconut Latte from Riviera French Café inside the Mall at University Town Center. Co-owner Andréa Chrétien, who hails from the South of France, adds that the latte is “more than just a beverage. It’s a passport to exotic destinations. With its smooth blend of rich espresso, chilled coconut milk and a hint of sweetness, each sip takes you on a journey to tropical paradises and palm-fringed beaches.” Screaming Goat Taqueria is serving up delicious Aguas Frescas to quench your thirst. The eatery always has lime and hibiscus ginger aguas frescas, but frequently features new, seasonal varieties. “Everything is fresh,” says Owner Malin Parker.—L.Paquette Summer Tap Juice Bar, 411 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, 941-993-1449, summertapjuicebar.com; Visit the Elevation Tea Company truck at the Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch; Amuse 5, 5850 14th St. W., Bradenton, 941-251-9143, amuse5bakery.com; Riviera French Café, The Mall at University Town Center, Second floor in front of the elevator, 140 University Town Center Dr., Sarasota, 813-825-1750, rivierafrenchcafe.com; Screaming Goat Taqueria, 6566 Gateway Ave., Sarasota, 941-210-3992, screaming-goat.com.
SUMMER SOUPS Ukrainian Red Borscht
Bacres European Artisan Deli offers lunch and dinner a’la carte, fresh bakery items, confectionery production and a deli assortment. All of their products are made in-house or outsourced from locally-based European partners. Bacres prides itself on traditional recipes made from the highest quality of raw materials possible. Their classic borscht recipes are hearty and delicious and served cold to satisfy the hungriest locals on the hottest summer days. Bacres’ Ukrainian Red Borscht is made with beets, cabbage, carrots, parsley, celery, pork stock, beans, onions and potatoes for a filling meal or snack. Ukrainian Red Borscht with Meat is created with beets, cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, bell peppers, dill, lemon juice and for added flavor and substance, this dish includes meat. The White Borscht, featuring sourdough, sausage, bacon, carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic and heavy cream will definitely have you coming back for more. —B. Heit Bacres European Coffee & Bakery, 3333 N Tamiami Trail Plaza Unit 100 Sarasota, 941-360-2400, www.bacres.eu
