In 1987, Vanity Fair tapped a young photographer named Christophe von Hohenberg to cover Andy Warhol’s memorial. The pop art icon had died only months prior, and the service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral promised to be a veritable who’s-who of the art world, the fashion world and all the other worlds that Warhol managed to unite through his strange magnetism. A friend of Warhol, Hohenberg took the assignment, capturing in stark black and white the strange and solemn procession of friends and admirers arriving to pay their last respects, the pressing crowds behind them filling the New York streets. But Vanity Fair never published the photos.

Vanity Fair wanted fashion—mourners in miniskirts. Hohenberg wanted cultural documentation. He kept the photos, ultimately publishing a book of the work—The Day the Factory Died—featuring letters from Warhol’s friends and subjects and contributed to a handful of exhibitions throughout the years, but the photos remained largely hidden from the more general audience.

Tonight, with the opening of Remembering Andy Warhol: Thirty Years Ago at Alfstad& Contemporary, Sarasota audiences will finally get their chance to view the images up-close and see what Hohenberg saw that day at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

On the walls of Alfstad&, arranged in simple white frames, Hohenberg’s work transforms into something far more than documentation. There’s the laundry list of celebrity attendees—Tom Wolfe, Yoko Ono, Christo, Raquel Welch adopting a power stance in sunglasses with the police barricades behind her—each paying tribute to the fallen icon, but the heart of the exhibit resides in the letters, some handwritten, collected by Hohenberg and presented alongside their photo. Sharing stories and fond memories, the correspondence exudes warmth and celebration, sadness at Warhol’s passing lightened by the richness of the experience of his friendship.

As much a celebration of the world Warhol inhabited and helped create and feed as the artist himself, Hohenberg also sees the exhibit as a way of remembering the figures that supported Warhol and were titans in their own right, such as art dealers Irving Blum and Leo Castelli, who championed contemporary and pop art. “There’s a world of education here,” Hohenberg says and starts laughing, “surrounded by a world of incredible hedonism.”

In addition to Hohenberg’s photography and the accompanying letters, the exhibit features modified prints and original silkscreens inspired by Warhol and his particular color palette, made in-house at Alfstad& with the staff.

Remembering Andy Warhol: Thirty Years Ago opens tonight at Alfstad& with a reception with the artist at 5:30pm. The exhibit runs until April 1, the thirtieth anniversary of the memorial, when Hohenberg will be back for another evening event. 

Pictured: Yoko Ono at Andy Warhol's memorial. Photo by Christophe von Hohenberg.

There’s nothing better than an ice-cold Blue Moon ale—except maybe an ice-cold Blue Moon margarita from Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, also known as the drinking shop with a taco problem. But if Blue Moon isn’t your number one choice, don’t fret: if Fuzzy’s has your beer of choice in a bottle—they’ll make it into a margarita. Known for being fast, fresh and fun, Fuzzy’s is the perfect place to bring friends and family visiting for spring break—there’s no better cure for a piping-hot beach day (mixed with a mid-day hangover, perhaps?) than a frosty frozen margarita for winding down. Top off your refreshing marg with one of Fuzzy’s famous tacos so all the blue goodness doesn’t go straight to your head. Within minutes, you’ll be just as relaxed as your friends vacationing—after a few drinks, don’t forget to remind them that that we live where they vacation. 

Photo courtesy of Fuzzy's Taco Shop.

Fuzzy's Taco Shop, 2515 University Pkwy., Sarasota, 941-822-8933.

March is still winter, right? Stay in the cool-weather groove even if it's 80 degrees outside with chef Paul Mattison's recipe for roasted pear and croissant bread pudding. Perfect for outdoor picnics with the family or spooning straight out of the casserole dish on the couch with a glass of wine.

Ingredients: 7 eggs; 1½ cups sugar; ¼ cup honey; 2 cups heavy cream; 3 pears; 8 croissants; ¾ cup shredded coconut.

Crème Anglaise Ingredients: 1 qt. cream; 1 cup sugar; 1 vanilla bean; 8 egg yolks.

For the Crème Anglaise, combine the cream, ½ cup sugar and the vanilla bean in a stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Separately mix the remaining ½ cup sugar and the egg yolk in a stainless bowl. Slowly temper this mixture by adding small amounts of the warm cream mixture, careful not to cook the yolks. Strain into a clean pot and return to medium heat. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until the mixture thickens enough to coat the spatula. Chill before serving.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, blend the eggs, sugar, honey and heavy cream with an immersion blender. Peel and dice the pears into ½ inch cubes. Cut or tear the croissants into large pieces. Combine the pears, croissants and coconut. Pour the cream mixture over the pears and bread, and toss to coat. Press into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover with parchment paper and then cover with foil. Place pan in a larger baking pan and fill with enough water to come ¼ inch up the sides of the pan with the bread pudding. Bake for one hour. Uncover and remove from the water bath. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until just golden. Serve warm with Crème Anglaise. 

Photo courtesy of Mattison's.

Mattison's Restaurant

Bayshore High School will hold a special celebration onWednesday, March 8, 2017 to celebrate becoming an AVID National Demonstration School. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. This distinction will make Bayshore one of only six high schools in Florida with this AVID designation. In addition, it means other schools interested in learning more about AVID will now visit Bayshore High to see and experience their programs in practice. AVID holds students accountable to the highest standards and provides academic and social support. AVID students are typically middle-B, C and D students with the desire to go to college and willingness to work hard. Many of them will be the first in their families to attend college. A site coordinator organizes the curriculum, as well as activities for the AVID elective classes. National Demonstration Schools undergo a rigorous validation process, which must be revalidated every two years. 

Manatee Schools

Michael Neal, a land development manager at Neal Communities, the area's largest locally owned and operated private builder, was recognized by Professional Builder in the magazine’s annual list of 40 Under 40 leaders in its March 2017 issue. Professional Builder received more than 200 nominations this year before narrowing the field to 40. The 2017 class of 11 women and 29 men represent all regions of the US. The 40 Under 40 award winners are chosen by the magazine’s editors and celebrate exceptional individuals who have distinguished themselves by their career achievement and service to their professions and communities. Since 2011, Professional Builder has been honoring the next generation of leaders in the home building industry. These rising stars come from any field related to residential new construction, including home building, design, interior design, architecture and sustainable development. 

Neal Communities