In cinema, most of the films celebrated for their true-to-life depictions often portray bloody wars. Outside of that, Hollywood likes to take liberties with the truth, even when the film is “based on a true story,” which seems to mean little. That’s part of what makes Disney’s Ratatouille so special. As a film largely about food, its truthfulness does not result so much from the sentient rat that aspires to be a chef (of course) but from the film’s depiction of life in a restaurant kitchen that so fully captures the ethos of the culinary elite. Anthony Bourdain went so far as to say, “I think it’s quite simply the best food movie ever made.” 

The star dish in the film is, naturally, ratatouille, a stewed vegetable dish with origins in France’s Occitan region. Commonly, the dish includes tomato, garlic, onion, zucchini, squash, eggplant, bell peppers and seasonal herbs, but its preparation varies so widely that it can hardly be said to have a single, essential version. The film immortalized the artful interpretation of the dish from chef Michel Guérard called confit byaldi, a decidedly modern take with its highly stylized plating, but ratatouille can also be made as more of a stew with all the veggies crudely chopped. The freshly minted Blasé Bistro on Hillview makes use of the latter for its ratatouille bruschetta appetizer. 

Served atop two thick slices of rustic, grilled bread, their version of the stew includes roasted tomatoes, zucchini, squash, eggplant, goat cheese, pine nuts and olives, then garnishes of herbs that include parsley and fennel. The great triumph of the preparation is that, in spite of all the ingredients, the flavor of each vegetable remains distinct. Not to say that they clash, but that they do not undergo the diffusion of flavor most stews do. The result is a ragout that tastes as fresh and green as a salad, but with the richness of a porridge. The olives and goat cheese, in particular, add a nice bit of saltiness and flair that make it entirely Blasé’s, and the overall impression of the appetizer feels more like a serving of vegetables than bread. An appetizer this good bodes well for the meatier sections of the menu.  

Photo taken by Andrew Fabian.

Blase Bistro, 1920 Hillview St., Sarasota, 941-312-6850.

The community is invited to a block party to celebrate the grand re-opening of Paul Thorpe Jr. Park and Lemon Avenue on Friday, March 6, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Paul Thorpe Jr. Park, 135 S. Pineapple Avenue.  The free event will feature live music, refreshments and guided tours of the improvements in the park and along Lemon Avenue, which will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic during the event.

Started in May 2019, the Lemon Avenue Streetscape project was designed to create a more pedestrian-friendly experience in downtown Sarasota.  From Main Street south to Pineapple Avenue, the existing roadway, sidewalks and curbs were removed and replaced with decorative brick pavers, new landscaping and streetlights.  Medallions also were handcrafted in three intersections along Lemon Avenue: Main Street, State Street and Pineapple Avenue.

“These improvements enhance the pedestrian experience and provide a sense of place in downtown,” says Planning Director Steve Cover.  “This environment will attract people who want to stroll, shop, eat and simply enjoy the experience of being in a pedestrian-friendly downtown.  That was the vision when the Lemon Avenue Streetscape was first conceptualized. Now that it’s complete this really helps make downtown Sarasota that much more special, a place people want to be.”   

Paul Thorpe Jr. Park was modernized with the installation of pavers, additional trees, seating areas and an impressive trellis, where visitors can walk under flowering vines. The whimsical mermaid fountain remains a focal point of the park. “This park is a perfect tribute to Paul Thorpe, known as ‘Mr. Downtown,’ said City Manager Tom Barwin.  “It is guaranteed to become a popular gathering area for residents and visitors to the Farmers Market or downtown employees seeking a place to enjoy being outside.” 

As part of the grand re-opening celebration, The Mark’s public art contribution will be formally unveiled. Complimentary light refreshments will be provided by Brick’s Smoked Meats and the Sarasota Farmers Market.  The block party is also sponsored by Jon F. Swift Construction and Kolter Urban LLC. 

Visit Sarasota County (VSC) recently shared that Siesta Beach in Sarasota County on Florida’s Gulf Coast was once again designated the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Top Beach in the United States. Siesta Beach ranked first out of 25. In the Top Beaches in the World category, Siesta Beach ranked No. 11.

“It is a great honor to receive the Top Beach in the United States ranking by TripAdvisor Travelers again this year,” said Virginia Haley, VSC President. “With soft, quartz-crystal sand, beautiful blue-green waters, a great selection of accommodations, restaurants and activities, Siesta Beach is truly a gem in our community. VSC is proud to market the destination and have such an asset  to promote on the world stage. It is because of these travelers that we get to tout this designation!”

Part of VSC’s strategy to raise awareness of Siesta Key Beach is to sponsor the Siesta Key destination page on TripAdvisor. This tactic increases consideration of the island and beach within the platform and reaches those researching a trip to Siesta Key Beach. The TripAdvisor Destination Page encompasses an overview on things to do, places to stay, where to eat, and top nearby attractions. VSC also sponsors the Sarasota destination page on TripAdvisor. 

Between the two Trip Advisor pages, there are over 90,000 images associated with Siesta Key Beach and Sarasota County. The mix of user-submitted photography and content from VSC creates a great experience for those looking to plan their visit. 

To see the full report, visit www.TripAdvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Beaches. 

The second phase of construction for the US 41-Fruitville Road Roundabout Project will begin and will include the closure of westbound Fruitville Road from Cocoanut Avenue to US 41.  This closure is part of a new traffic pattern that is expected to be in effect through Summer 2020. To bypass traffic on US 41 within and around the project limits, the primary route to travel is Lemon Avenue, whether your destination is north of downtown Sarasota or on Longboat Key.  Local businesses in the project limits are accessible and you’re encouraged to support them.

To review the best detour routes to help you navigate around construction to your destination, follow these links:  Primary Detour Map and Local Business Access Map. For more information, please visit US41FruitvilleRoundabout.com, call 941-275-9360, or email info@us41fruitvilleroundabout.com.

The US 41-Fruitville Road roundabout is being constructed by Wright Construction Group, Inc. for the Quay Sarasota, on behalf of the City of Sarasota in cooperation with the Florida Department of Transportation. 

Sarasota Memorial Hospital is “seeing” patients better than ever in a new outpatient interventional radiology suite that has been added to SMH’s expanding University Parkway outpatient campus. Many conditions that once required surgery – from blocked arteries to cancerous lesions – can be treated by interventional radiologists using advanced medical imaging and percutaneous (through the skin) and catheter-based procedures. Interventional radiologists are board-certified subspecialty physicians whose diagnostic and clinical expertise cross all specialties. They use X-rays, MRI, ultrasound and advanced imaging to diagnose, treat, and cure conditions and disease in nearly every organ and system of the body. Interventional radiology (IR) procedures typically result in less risk of infection, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery. Thanks to the expansion of SMH’s University Parkway radiology center, local patients now have safer, less invasive treatment options close to home.  

Sarasota Memorial Health Care Center, 5350 University Parkway, Sarasota (University Parkway/Honore outpatient campus).  

Pain management specialist Dr. Douglas L. Constant and shoulder and elbow specialist Dr. R. Stephen Otte from Coastal Orthopedics, a full-service provider of comprehensive orthopedics, sports medicine, physical therapy and pain management services, are presenting on recent advances in orthopedics and pain management at an Orthopedic Symposium from 8:30 am – 1:00 pm on Saturday, March 7. Put on by the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, the complimentary community event will be held at the Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch at 7230 University Parkway.

Dr. Constant will discuss interventional pain procedures for treatment of back pain and sciatica, and Dr. Otte will outline common causes of shoulder pain and options for improving comfort and reducing pain. Following the presentations, attendees will have the opportunity to delve deeper into the topics through a question-and-answer period. Booths with information will be set up for Coastal Orthopedics and the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. 

This spring, the City of Sarasota Parks & Recreation District is increasing the accessibility and enjoyment of swimming for youth by offering swim lessons at the Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex. The Parks & Recreation District’s Learn to Swim program provides a positive, fun-filled opportunity for youth to learn skills that will help reduce the number of water accidents and provide lifelong skills in swimming. Swim lessons are taught by City of Sarasota Parks & Recreation District certified lifeguards and swim instructors. Swim lessons are geared toward youth ages 6 months to 12 years. Participants will be divided into classes based on their abilities and ages. Classes are offered in four-week sessions on Tuesday and Thursdays evenings and eight-week sessions on Saturdays. Both sessions offer eight lessons for a registration fee of $65. Parent & Me classes are offered in a four-week session consisting of four lessons on Saturday mornings for $35.

For a detailed schedule of swim lesson levels and times or to register your child for swim lessons, please visit our website at letsplaysarasota.com. Enrollment is limited, pre-register as soon as possible. For more information, please contact the Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex at 941-263-6732. 

Heather McLain has joined ATLARGE as Director of Communications. In her new role, McLain is responsible for leading and growing the agency’s communications department, as well as overseeing communications across an array of brands, including strategic planning, media relations, key messaging development, issues/reputation management and crisis communications. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Heather to the team. Her experience in the field is unprecedented and coupled with her leadership across the industry, we couldn't be more excited," said Anand Pallegar, Founder, ATLARGE. "I am confident that she will contribute tremendously to our overall vision across the brands/companies we operate.” In addition, McLain is on the board of the Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association and serves as the VP of Communications. 

For more information about ATLARGE, visit atlargeinc.com.  

Now available online to view and download, the Achieva Credit Union BrandStory tells the story of this community-focused institution.

It all started in 1937 when seven Pinellas County teachers were denied a loan from a bank. The teachers soon banded together to form a financial institution of their own - a credit union - with just $99.25. Today, Achieva Credit Union has more than $1.7 billion in assets, and over 160,000 members across 26 branches. 28,000 of those members are right here in Sarasota. 

Click here to view the BrandStory