Months after red tide publicity inspired countless cancellation, Visit Sarasota reports increases in occupancy and rooms rented for March compared to last year.

It’s good news to share as the agency hosts its annual luncheon today at 11:30am at Michael’s On East, and celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week.

Lodging occupancy for March climbed slightly, about 1.7 percent from last year, to about 89.6 percent countywide. Meanwhile, the raw number of room nights sold in March jumped 6.3 percent to 392,200.

“It’s successful marketing,” says Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County. “One of the things we did this year was to move a lot our marketing to the beginning of the calendar year. We don’t normally do a lot of marketing during season, but we knew we had to have a good season this time.”

Not all metrics climbed. Average room rates in March dropped to $241.79, about a 3.1 percent decline from last year. But more than red tide, that’s largely a market result of so many new hotel rooms in the region coming online this year, Haley says. That occupancy still grew shows a sign demand is continuing to drive up for visitors to the region, she says.

The luncheon today will include handing out the “Faces of Travel” awards to hospitality players and partners in the area. Visit Sarasota has kept mum on the winner of this year’s Voice Of Sarasota Award. The honor always goes to someone outside the tourism industry but who raises the positive profile of the region. Haley wouldn’t disclose a winner but offered a hint.

“In the past, we’ve had sportscasters, circus performers, but one area that has gone largely unsung is in the outdoors and nature world,” she says. “We will be honoring someone in that realm.” 

Photo Courtesy Visit Sarasota: Tourism bureau markets St. Armands Key culinary tours.

Dirty south cuisine with elevated flare may be just what the hubby ordered for Mom this weekend. Combining the gritty essence and fresh seafood of the South with the sophistication of quality bubbly and seaside-modern design, you have yourself Eliza Ann’s Coastal Kitchen. Located in Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club, the restaurant will be offering moms a complimentary glass of house wine, beer or bubbly with the purchase of a dinner entrée on Mother’s Day. 

Treat your matriarch to signature Southern dishes with a coastal twist. From the Raw Bar, find Wood Grilled Oysters with parmesan cheese, garlic vinegar and chives, or Sam’s Ceviche with cola hot sauce, lime, avocado and yucca chips. If the fam is spending the day out on the boat and Dad happens to reel in a big one from the Bay, take advantage of Eliza Ann’s ‘Catch & Cook’ offering—you bring the catch and let the kitchen do their thing. The AMI Fish Chowder, She-Crab Soup and chef’s daily selection of Gumbo du Jour with andouille, pickled okra and rice are sensational soup options, while salads like the Fried Oyster Green Goddess with avocado, bacon, fennel pollen and hard boiled egg may be right up Mom’s alley.

From daily catches, hushpuppies, shrimp scampi, jumbo lump crab cakes, Cortez fish tacos, smoked fish dip, stewed greens, live oak-grilled steaks and Old Bay french fries—Sunday’s dinner will be nothing short of smoke, spice and soul. Top off the holiday with that free glass of brew or sparkly and the queen will be feeling that heartfelt Southern hospitality.

Sunday, May 12 from 5:00pm to 10:00pm.

Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club, 5325 Marina Dr., Holmes Beach, 941-238-6264. Reservations are recommended.

Ever wanted to live at a high-end hotel? Now, you have your chance. Bruce and Josh Weiner, owners of The Longboat Group and developers of the amenity-rich CitySide Apartments, are taking it one step further with The Bayside Club. The Bayside Club, a Downtown condominium complex, has an incredible array of amenities, but owners will also have all the hotel services that go along with resort-vacationing. CitySide has gained notoriety for its lifestyle and sense of community. For this reason, its apartments are in the highest demand of any building in the area. During late-night Bayside Club planning sessions, Bruce and Josh consistently asked themselves the question, “What can we do to ensure that our residents spend even more time doing the things they love?,” and used the answers to develop The Bayside Club concept.

Baysiders don’t have to worry about any routine maintenance or repairs at their condo–it’s one of the Signature Club Services offered. There are also concierge services available for everything from dog walking to dry cleaning. No more waiting for deliveries, or having to schedule maintenance and repairs around your busy schedule. Just call the front desk and they will ensure that you maximize enjoyment of your day.  

SALES OFFICES CURRENTLY LOCATED AT CITYSIDE APARTMENTS. 700 COCOANUT AVE., SARASOTA, FL 34236. CONTACT EMILIE CAMPOS FOR INQUIRIES, VIRTUAL TOURS AND RESERVATIONS. 941-216-2438, WWW.THEBAYSIDECLUB.COM

Click here to visit the Bayside Club's BrandStory

Sarasota County Schools has announced that Shane Swezey, a music teacher at Oak Park School, has been selected as a state Teacher of the Year finalist. Since 2013, Swezey has provided music education and therapy services to students ages 5–22 at Oak Park School, the district’s center school for special needs. He is one of five finalists to compete for the 2020 statewide Teacher of the Year. This year’s finalists were chosen from more than 176,900 public school teachers throughout the state. 

After each school district selects its Teacher of the Year, a selection committee representing teachers, principals, parents and the business community reviews each district application on the basis of outstanding ability to teach and communicate knowledge of the subject taught, professional development, philosophy of teaching, and outstanding school and community service. After interviews are completed, each of the 74 District Teachers of the Year will gather in Orlando in July for the Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Roundtable and Gala, where the announcement of the 2020 Florida Department Teacher of the Year will be made. 

Oak Park School

Manatee County Commissioners unanimously decided to create a temporary advisory board that will research local sites to place the Confederate Memorial, which was removed from the grounds of the downtown Historic Courthouse in 2017. Commissioners want the new committee to provide options that will appear on the 2020 ballot for Manatee County voters to have the final decision on where the concrete monument is placed. 
Veterans Memorial Park and Gamble Plantation were ruled out as potential relocation spots. Deputy County Administrator John Osborne provided a list of County-owned properties where the monument could be located, including Rye Preserve, a County-owned parcel off Church Road in Ellenton and Bunker Hill Park.
Commissioners want at least four members of the nine-member committee to be African American. 

Manatee County Advisory Board Applications

Plant Parents will host its Spring Plant Sale and Open House this Friday and Saturday, May 10–11. The event boasts a broad selection of houseplants and plants for yards and lanais at deep discounts. One, two, and five-dollar deals make the sale an opportunity for bargain-hunters looking to start or bolster their personal collections, connect with fellow aficionados and get expert advice from the Plant Parents’ team of horticultural technicians.

This spring, attendees can expect many palms, orchids, Guzmanias and a diverse assortment of specimen bromeliads. Those eager to explore the increasingly popularized health benefits of houseplants will be happy to find many indoor acclimated varieties, including dracaenas, aglaonemas, ZZ plants, Pothos and more. Discounted planters will also be available, among them pieces for indoor and outdoor use.

In addition to deals on plants and containers, the event offers the opportunity to tour a working nursery not normally open to the public. Guests are invited to explore the grounds and enjoy the scenery. 

Plant Parents

Nine Coastal Orthopedics physicians were recently recognized as recipients of the Castle Connolly Top Doctors for 2019. The doctors who earned this prestigious recognition include pain management specialist Dr. Richard Bundschu, joint replacement specialist Dr. David Cashen, pain management specialist Dr. Douglas Constant, pain management specialist Dr. Gennady Gekht, shoulder and elbow specialist Dr. Avinash Kumar, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist Dr. Laura Ottaviani, sports medicine specialist Dr. Steven Schafer, spine specialist Dr. Eric Sundberg and joint replacement specialist Dr. Alan Valadie. 

Each year, Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors are rigorously selected from nearly 100,000 nominations. The physician-led research team screens these physicians’ medical educations, training, hospital appointments, disciplinary histories and additional information. 

Coastal Orthopedics

Forza Wealth Management has moved its office from Downtown Sarasota, opening a new location at the enclave of Snug Harbor in south Sarasota off Holiday Drive. The move has been made in response to rapid growth and to be more convenient for its client base. Forza’s move comes on the heels of an impressive growth year that saw the firm surpass $70 million in assets under management. In addition, Forza has added independent trust services to its platform, enhancing the compelling portfolio of services the firm provides. 

Forza Wealth Management