SRQ DAILY Mar 28, 2019
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"Hoteliers are getting a little more optimistic."
As members of the Florida House moved ahead on the state budget, Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota, listened intently during a visit to Tallahassee. Her great concern with the House budget remains, as it has been for the past couple years, the future of Visit Florida, the state’s tourism agency.
“Visit Florida is always important to mid-sized destinations such as Sarasota,” she says. But it seems especially vital after a year like 2018, when red tide plagued local beaches and incited hotel room cancellations and a spate of bad publicity for the entire Gulf Coast.
But the state tourism bureau remains in a bad spot. While the House plans to fund Visit Florida through Oct. 1, the agency is set to sunset at the start of the new fiscal year.
Haley stressed the importance of changing course. Without Visit Florida, she says, Sarasota couldn’t reach international visitors in Europe and Canada with the same strength. Today, much of the marketing for the area gets achieved through cooperative campaigns with the state.
On top of that, Sarasota this year received an emergency funding grant regarding red tide and benefited from a regional effort funded by Visit Florida to work with Google tracking algal blooms with more precision and immediacy.
As for this year, Haley says the region remains in recovery from the environmental disaster. “We’re not completely back to normal,” she says, “but we are starting to see a nice uptick in visitors. Hoteliers are getting a little more optimistic.”
It takes marketing, though, to show the world Sarasota’s beaches remain beautiful, clean and safe.
Visit Florida itself wants the state to budget $76 million annually and keep the doors open. Haley says that’s an appropriate amount. The organization remains controversial in Tallahassee, especially after non-transparent spending habits two years ago put leaders at odds with the House.
But Haley remains hopeful lawmakers see the importance of keeping tourism vibrant in the Sunshine State. 
An exciting new energy is beginning to transform into what will be Quay Sarasota and the newly envisioned Bayfront. “There’s never been a better time to enjoy the downtown waterfront lifestyle,” Bob Vail, president of Kolter Urban notes. “With the planned expansion of The Bay, it’s destined to be a hub of Sarasota art, culture and historical legacies, as well as serving as a recreational area where families and friends can meet up and celebrate the natural beauty that surrounds them.” This cosmopolitan waterfront address will offer abundant boating opportunities. Quay Sarasota has grand plans for expansion of the existing marina, with available wet slips and dry storage for large boats and yachts. In addition to the park, plans include the Quay Commons, featuring exciting new destinations for fine and casual dining, boutique shopping, festive public events and water-inspired activities. Just steps beyond, the revitalized Bayfront comes alive with innovative public spaces and vibrant performing arts venues. Currently home to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and Sarasota Garden Club, The Bay will soon include expansive piers, gardens, a kayak launch, an outdoor concert venue and more.
A highlight from this year's Best of SRQ Local Readers' Competition. Dive into the liquid culture Sarasota has collectively crafted, and check out the movers and shakers doing it best, with intricate craft recipes and farm-to-glass ingredients around town. Top-shelf contender and seven-time winner State Street Eating House and its charismatic Bramble-making bartenders highballPlatinum by a land (mud)slide. Jack Dusty sneaks its way up from last year, winning Gold for its lush Siren. Veronica’s debuts in the competition for the first time with a celebratory clink of her flute. Battling for the most seductive atmosphere, liquor selection and intriguing concoctions, Pangea Alchemy Lab and Cask & Ale tie for Bronze.
Kelly Fried (on State Street): Brambles and bubbles and bush, oh my. Ethan Weiss (on State Street): They hit hard. Joani Spadaro (on State Street): When I’m here I feel like I’m in a fancy New York bar, except that everyone is friendly and nice. The mixologists will make custom drinks depending on your taste and will be happy to do it. The atmosphere is sophisticated and homey. The bar food is excellent. A perfect experience. Crystile Carter (on Jack Dusty): The Siren is the best cocktail I’ve ever tasted, beautiful scenery and amazing service! Rebecca Pendergast (on Veronica’s): The barrel cocktails that they serve with the ice balls are strong and different. You can taste the wood in the liquor. Minta Getzen (on Pangea): From the mystery of entering through the alley, to the magic of the mixologists—this place is a treasure! Charles Ross-MacCormack (on Cask & Ale): Wildly creative and always working on bringing something new to the table.
Pictured: The Bramble cocktail from State Street, photo by Wyatt Kostygan.
Good news for those who thought they could only frequent 15 South Ristorante for dinner—this St. Armand’s staple is open for lunch. Served Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30am to 3pm, lunch at 15 South features the restaurant’s signature Northern Italian fare, with a few special additions. 15 South’s midday menu offers a selection of flatbreads and sandwiches that are handcrafted on freshly baked bread and served with a side salad or homemade pasta salad. Try the chicken sandwich with grilled free-range chicken breast, locally grown tomatoes, fresh mixed field greens and homemade pesto. The lunch menu also includes artisanal brick-oven-fired pizza and calzones along with a variety of salads, soup and appetizers to share. Out and about with little ones? Children are welcome to choose from a variety of options on 15 South’s kids menu. With what may be the very best lunchtime deal on the Circle—house wines at three dollars a glass during lunchtime—do as the Romans do and enjoy a midday meal at 15 South Ristorante.
15 South Ristorante is a member of Nosh, SRQ magazine's content marketing program for local restaurants.
Earl E. Young Jr. has been named associate director of education investments at the Education Foundation of Sarasota County (EFSC), announced EFSC President Jennifer Vigne. Young most recently was the Community Foundation of Sarasota County manager of scholarship and special initiatives, a post he held for 10 years.
In his new position, Young will be responsible for the overall administration and growth of EFSC scholarship programs. He also will oversee and direct EducateSRQ, the EFSC’s classroom and schoolwide grants program, working directly with donors and Sarasota County Schools’ teachers and principals. For the 2018-19 academic year alone, the EFSC awarded $316,468 in classroom and school-wide grants, impacting 32,000 students and directly benefiting 251 teachers and 41 K-12 schools.
Vigne pointed to Young’s valuable skills in scholarships and grants, broad experience in financial management, and track record in growing programs and relationships as key attributes that will help the EFSC accelerate its drive to create programs that best serve 21st-century learners.
The City of Sarasota has launched a pilot program aimed at preserving historic structures in the Newtown community. The Newtown Historic Building Preservation Pilot Program is intended to encourage more restoration, rehabilitation and renovation of properties in Sarasota’s historic African American community. The project also aims to stabilize and improve Newtown’s property values and tax base and enhance the appearance and appeal of the community as a place to live, work or visit.
Property owners interested in making improvements or restorations to their buildings could be eligible for a portion of the $200,000 available in funding for the pilot program, funded via Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funds. To qualify, the building must be at least 50 years old and located within the Newtown Community Redevelopment Area, from 17th Street to Myrtle Street and U.S. 41 to Leonard Reid Avenue and the Seminole Gulf Railway. All proposed work must meet the Federal Secretary of the Interior’s standards for rehabilitation, and the majority of the proposed work must be to the exterior of the building.
Preferences for the grant funding will be given to applicants who agree to locally designate their historic building with the City’s Planning Department, sign a 10-year covenant to preserve their building, give preference to local labor within the Newtown community for the restoration work or whose buildings are located along the African American Heritage Trail, part of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.
Sarasota County Schools has announced that student, parent and staff survey links are now available on the Sarasota County Schools’ website. The surveys will be open from now through April 9.
Sarasota County Schools distributes what is known as a “climate survey” annually to collect student, parent and staff feedback about various operations within the school district. The purpose of the survey is to measure the perceptions, opinions and feelings related to the environment at a specific school, workplace or department. Areas of focus include curriculum, communication, parent involvement and school safety, among others. The information gathered helps Sarasota County Schools identify systems and practices that are going well, as well as areas that could benefit from a reevaluated approach. All survey responses are anonymous.
To access the surveys, follow the link below.
Drawn from the superb collections of the Stibbert Museum in Florence, Italy, this extraordinary exhibition reveals the figure of the knight in the Middle Ages and Renaissance through over 80 exquisite objects, including full suits of armor, helmets, corselets, swords and other weaponry. The exhibition explores the function and craftsmanship of these exquisite objects as well as their historical context, focusing on themes of love and war, jousts and tournaments, and the 19th-century revival of interest in medieval knighthood.
The Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota.
Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Lynn Nottage’s play looks at life of working America. It’s the year 2000 in Reading, Pennsylvania, and friends Tracey and Cynthia only need their factory jobs and their favorite bar. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to be limited, the friends are pitted against each other. This new play confronts issues of race, class, family and friendship—and the tragic community without opportunity.
Just as Paul Gauguin left an indelible mark on the post-Impressionist art world, the deep impact of botanical imagery on his work cannot be denied. This exhibition will highlight the essential role of botanicals in achieving the artist’s vision of the savage, primitive and exotic. Together with lush displays of tropical plants in the conservatory and gardens, the show will feature dramatic woodcuts and rarely seen works in other mediums by the artist.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 900 South Palm Ave., Sarasota
U.S. Choreographer Kate Weare collaborates with French tango ensemble to reveal the formal strengths and distinctions between Argentine tango and contemporary dance partnering. Performed by three tango dancers and two contemporary dancers with live music performed by Argentinean composer Gustavo Beytlemann.
Cat Depot’s Mardi Gras-themed, Meow Masquerade, will take place at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota on Friday, March 29, 2019 from 6:30-10 p.m. Guests will be treated to a variety of entertainment featuring performances by The Circus Arts Conservatory, Gumbo Boogie Zydeco Band, and DJ Jay. The good times will roll with a delicious plated dinner, handcrafted cocktails, premium raffle, and silent auction. Enjoy an interactive photo booth with TapSnap, and face painting by Pixie Painting. Tickets are $150. Please email claudiah@catdepot.orgor call 941-366-2404 for more information. Tickets available online – www.catdepot.org.
Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota FL
This year marks the 7th Anniversary of Women & Medicine and will support the Internal Medicine Residency Program at SMH. This educational luncheon features informative presentations and discussions from Sarasota Memorial Physicians. The topic of this luncheon will be, How to Be A Parter in Good Health [Making the Most of Your Physician Relationship]
Michael's on East, 1212 East Avenue, Sarasota
This is a wine pairing experience unlike any other. Each individually themed station features exciting food and wine pairings along with activities and entertainment throughout the Ringling estate. Taste a variety of wines from Total Wine & More and engage with their wine experts while enjoying culinary delights from Sarasota's top caterers.
The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
The Music Compound’s 5th annual Beer, Bands & BBQ is back on March 30, 2019 from 11 am - 4 pm. It will be hosted at a new location, the courtyard of The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave. Sarasota.
Look forward to 10 bands including Kara & Kaleidogroove, students from Music Compound will perform between sets. Food trucks and beer will be available throughout the day.
Admission is free and you are encouraged to bring your own lawn chair.
VIP wrist bands are available for $15 and include food samplings and a beer.
The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave., Sarasota
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Join us for the Greatest Circus Scavenger Hunt in Sarasota! Fun for all ages, The Circus Angel Scavenger Hunt is a benefit for the Showpeople's Winter Quarters, established in 2015 by The Circus and Traveling Shows Retirement Project, Inc.a 501 (c) (3) organization which helps provide affordable housing assistance for elderly or infirm circus performers in the Southwest Florida area.
The scavenger hunt includes 6 circus theme stops, live entertainment , giveaways and gift bags. You will have enough time to enjoy each stop, solve riddles with clues to find the little circus angels missing wing. The Grand finale is at 2:30 back at the registration hall at St. Martha's Church on Orange Avenue in Sarasota where the “All Aboard” Grand Prize package, a gourmet dinner served in the private "Silver Car' on an Original Circus Train, will be awarded to the winning team of up to 6 people.
Scavenger Hunt is by auto, in and around 5 miles of downtown Sarasota. Important: this is not a race. Tickets are reserved by emailing srqlynn@gmail.com and are available for purchase from The Circus and Traveling Shows Retirement Project, Inc. on Venmo via Lynn McDonald @ Lynn-McDonald-16384. $25 per person. Two to six people per car to qualify.
Some of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s most popular artists will be featured during the April Fools’ Fete, the spring fundraiser that benefits WBTT’s education programs for children and youth. Guests will enjoy cocktails and a delicious dinner, then the WBTT singers and live band will perform – dancing is strongly encouraged
Michael's On East , 1212 S East Ave., Sarasota
A world premiere from Mark St Germain, when a young surrogate mother is found dead, a police investigation explodes the lives of everyone who knew her. As Detective aleece Valez and Walt Dixon begin to put the pieces together, secrets surface, alibis weaken, and lies are uncovered. This dramatic new play explores motherhood, passion, and the thin line between right and wrong.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota
Meet, shop, and support local artisans at the outdoor market located in front of The Overton restaurant in Rosemary District. Donations will also be collected to support Royal Pet Rescue. Enjoy live music, food, drinks, and free gourmet frozen pops (while supplies last).
The Overton, 1420 Boulevard of the Arts., Sarasota
Held annually in Sarasota, FL, The Sarasota Film Festival emphasizes the best in cinema alongside exciting programs and events, with more than 200 films screened each year including features, documentaries, shorts, and kid-friendly picks. Entering our 21st year, we’re proud to bring the best new and established independent filmmakers to our Festival with local and kid-friendly programs that showcase our idyllic Gulf Coast community. The festival is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization and also offers a year-round educational program, which reaches thousands of local students through classic film showcases, film contests, summer camps and instructional workshops. This year the festival will take place April 5th – 14th, 2019.
Faith, family and frosting collide in this heartfelt new comedy. Thirty-something Jen wants her deceased mother’s best friend Della, a struggling baker, to create her wedding cake. She returns from New York with her betrothed to her North Carolina hometown and finds that Della will honor her wish, until she discovers that there are two brides. Moral quandaries and lots of butter collide in this new play told with generosity, humor, and more than a few surprises.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Join us to experience an evening of award-winning bites and imbibes as voted on by the readers of SRQ Magazine in this annual TGIF Best of SRQ Local Party on Friday, April 5th from 5-8pm at the Aloft Sarasota Hotel in Downtown Sarasota. 15+ Restaurants. Cocktail Samplings. Live DJ in the Courtyard. Celebrating the best locally owned establishments in the region, SRQ MEDIA asks our astute readers to vote for their favorite local eats, shopping, arts, luminaries and hotspots culminating in the buzzworthy special "Best of SRQ Local" awards feature published in the April edition. Celebrate your TGIF with the best our region has to offer—we will highlight local experiences—from new restaurants to the memorable theatre productions, from our community's best achievements to seriously talented chefs. Tickets on sale at SRQMAG.COM/BestOf.
Aloft Sarasota Hotel, 1401 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota, FL
The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is the world’s largest movement to end cancer. Money raised from Relay For Life helps the American Cancer Society save lives by funding ground breaking research to discover cancer’s causes and cures and help people facing cancer today with free programs and services. People form teams and raise money together leading up to the event. Then, everyone comes together for a night of fun that celebrates cancer survivors, remembers loved ones lost to cancer, and unites us in our commitment to fight back against the disease.
Laishley Park , 120 Laishley Court, Punta Gorda FL
The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is the world’s largest movement to end cancer. Money raised from Relay For Life helps the American Cancer Society save lives by funding ground breaking research to discover cancer’s causes and cures and help people facing cancer today with free programs and services. People form teams and raise money together leading up to the event. Then, everyone comes together for a night of fun that celebrates cancer survivors, remembers loved ones lost to cancer, and unites us in our commitment to fight back against the disease.
Manatee County Fairgrounds
Sarasota Contemporary Dance will holds its first formal fundraiser – “Dance Your Part”-- on Sunday, April 7, 2019, at the historic Waterworks Sarasota, now a private club, at 1005 Orange Avenue, beginning at 5:30 pm. The event includes original site-specific choreography by the company’s artistic director, Leymis Bolanos Wilmott, in keeping with a 1920’s theme inspired by the building, which dates to 1926. Clothing of the era is option for this informal, cocktail party in an elegant location. Tickets are $100 and all proceeds benefit the company’s performance, education and collaboration initiatives
Waterworks, 1005 North Orange Avenue, Sarasota Florida
La Musica stages four concerts for a springtime festival celebrating musical virtuosity and the grandeur of the concert stage. With single tickets at $45 and bundled packages for the entire festival run, rehearsal passages are also typically made available as well, for those wanting a behind-the-scenes look at how professional musicians prepare for their next performance.
Sarasota Opera House , 61 N Pineapple Ave Sarasota
Join representatives from the city and the local arts community to celebrate the newest addition to Sarasota's Public Art collection, Jumping Fish, by artist Jeffrey Laramore, which captures the wonderful, vast and varied sea life that Sarasota Bay offers. One of the most vibrant public arts programs in the United States, the Sarasota compendium now consists of 84 artworks. Dedication begins at 5:30pm, at the roundabout at Palm Avenue & Coconut Avenue. Reception to immediately follow at Florida Studio Theatre.
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