Yes, The Overton had a rough time when it first opened. But two years later, perhaps buffeted by its breezy environs and stylish design elements, The Overton managed to linger long enough for people to notice that the food was, in fact, pretty good too. This came at no surprise seeing as the menu was created by Chef Christian Hershman, the same mastermind that produced the instantly popular State Street Eating House + Cocktails in 2012. But the menu at The Overton is less about satisfying gourmands and more about giving diners a tasty experience with no frills.

And what food most exemplifies the ethos of no-frills, salt-of-the-earth, unabashed nourishment of both spirit and body? At The Overton, it’s the matzo ball soup. Crafted with the consultation of an actual, living, breathing bubbe, the dish is made to pass the taste test of discerning Jewish grandmothers everywhere. The finished plate looks unassuming—a savory matzo ball set like an island amidst a hazy chicken broth, with small bits of shredded chicken, diced spring onions, sliced radishes and a garnish of dill to cap it off—but the secret of any good soup is that elusive fourth dimension: time. The broth stews for hours, cooking down into a salty concentration of liquid gold. The matzo ball makes use of schmaltz, a traditional source of fat used by Ashkenazi Jews made from chicken fat, and with this and a careful ratio of matzo meal to water, Hershman and the bubbe consultant came up with a ball that is rich and filling.  

Photo by Andrew Fabian.

The Overton, 1420 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, 941-500-9175.

For those who want a respite from the daily grind, dinner at Longboat Key’s Zota Beach Resort offers up all the needed deliciousness for a perfect night out. Executive Chef Jeremy White and his team at Viento Kitchen + Bar dish out hit after hit at the modern American restaurant by the sea. With influence from the Carribean and even the Midwest, there’s something for everyone on Viento’s new vibrant menu, refreshed for season and dedicated to the utmost attention to detail and inventive ingredients. 

Sparing no step in the effort to maximize flavor and put their fresh ingredients on display, the housemade pasta adds an extra layer to the mushroom ravioli dish, served in a smoked pork-parmesan broth and finished luxuriously with fresh seasonal truffle. Meanwhile, the grouper entree proves a surprising and delightful addition to an otherwise common Florida menu mainstay. The perfectly cooked fish comes served over a rainbow assortment of sauteed vegetable noodles and “tomato water,” a clean, slightly sweet tomato broth to be spooned from the bottom of the bowl. As one guest summarized the eclectic menu, “Come for the grouper; stay for the tomato water.”

It’s these inspiring new twists that keep hotel guests and locals alike coming back for more. And in the spirit of the uber-popular poke bowl, Chef White created an appetizer dish with cubed, compressed watermelon that mimics the appearance and consistency of the raw tuna used in its Hawaiian inspiration. With harissa marinated on a bed of wakame seaweed salad and finished with jalapeño and feta, the plate showcases the international cast of characters White pulls from to put together a new dish. 

“We are so pleased with the reaction to our menu changes and really feel the combination of flavors and mix of offerings gives Viento guests a special meal,” says Chef White.  

Photo of the new grouper dish, courtesy of Viento

Viento Kitchen + Bar at Zota Beach Resort, 4711 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key, 855-335-1102.

Come find your “whoa!” at The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature Summer Science Camps! Your 2nd to 5th graders can explore fun and educational topics like sharks, engineering, the science of maps, and more! Your curious adventurer can enjoy six weeks of camp, with a different exploration every week. Weekly sessions run June 8 – July 17. 

The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature

Click here for more information

To protect the health and safety of the community and position the City to qualify for possible state or federal funds for losses associated with COVID-19, the City of Sarasota has declared a local citywide public health emergency.  All gatherings within the city limits scheduled to occur on or before March 20, 2020 likely to attract more than 250 persons are strongly advised to cancel.  This includes all gatherings managed, permitted or supported by City staff. New special events will not be permitted by the City until further notice. City Manager Tom Barwin, in consultation with Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch, approved the emergency declaration this morning.  By City Charter, an emergency declaration must be re-evaluated on a week-to-week basis.  The City has been actively monitoring this dynamic ­­situation with the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County and Sarasota County Emergency Management with frequent briefings.  During the past two weeks, the City beefed up cleaning and sanitizing of public spaces, focusing on common touchpoints at City facilities, such as doorknobs, handrails and countertops.  Hand sanitizer stations are visible and available.                

The health and well-being of City employees is an utmost concern.  Work-related travel has been suspended. A temporary remote work policy has been implemented allowing employees to request to telework, with requests reviewed on a case-by-case basis and duties performed.  Appropriate additional paid sick leave is being granted for eligible employees who provide information that they or a dependent has been diagnosed with influenza or COVID-19.  There are no confirmed COVID-19 cases in the City’s employee base.  

A Sarasota-specific call center for questions and concerns about COVID-19 is now available through the Department of Health in Sarasota County:  941-861-2873. Subject matter experts are available Monday – Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. The most current, official information on COVID-19 in Florida can be found at FloridaHealth.gov/COVID-19.  A 24/7 hotline is also available:  1-866-779-6121. For more information contact Jan Thornburg, Senior Communications Manager:  941-263-6369  

We Craft Box has been nominated in the 2020 10 Best Readers' Choice travel awards. Their panel of experts selected We Craft Box as a contender for Best Subscription Box. The contest gives voters a daily opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice at 10best.com/awards/travel/best-subscription-box-2020/. Voting ends Monday, March 30 and the winners will be announced on 10Best on Friday, April 10. Currently, We Craft Box is holding steady in fourth place. We Craft Box is approaching the million-dollar mark in sales, just two short years after its inception. Founder, Betsy Wild, quit her job to stay home with her two young sons, and wanted to create a company where she could bolster her creativity while being present for her family. That is how We Craft Box was born. We Craft Box is approaching the million-dollar mark in sales, just two short years after its inception. Founder, Betsy Wild, quit her job to stay home with her two young sons, and wanted to create a company where she could bolster her creativity while being present for her family.  

Vote for Sarasota's We Craft Box here

New data from a clinical trial of Alzheimer’s Disease using a drug called Nilvadipine identified by researchers at the Roskamp Institute show that patients with very mild (very early stage) Alzheimer’s disease show less cognitive decline over an 18-month period than placebo-treated patients. On the key clinical measure of memory, the very early stage Alzheimer cases who were taking Nilvadipine performed better than their placebo-treated counterparts. For patients with mild Alzheimer’s (a slightly more advanced stage), the use of language was better preserved after Nilvadipine treatment. In overall measures of mental ability in very early stage patients, compared to placebo, there was a nearly 50 percent reduction in the rate of decline in those taking Nilvadipine, which has been previously used to treat hypertension in many European countries and Japan, though not approved in the United States. The new analysis was a follow up of data collected by a European network of collaborators with the Roskamp Institute scientists in a study called NILVAD and headed by Dr. Brian Lawlor at Trinity College Dublin. In other studies, the Roskamp Institute’s researchers have shown that Nilvadipine can lower the levels of two toxic proteins (called amyloid and tau) in the brains of mice that spontaneously develop Alzheimer pathology. Importantly, these findings are consistent with those in the human clinical trial where examination of cerebrospinal fluid samples from Alzheimer patients suggested that the improved mental functioning was associated with increased release of toxic amyloid out of the brain. However, scientists strongly cautioned that the study also showed that the drug was not helpful, and may have even increased cognitive decline, in individuals who began the treatment much later in the disease process.

“Understanding how this drug may be beneficial in very early stage patients is obviously important for further development of new treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease,” says Dr. Michael Mullan, Executive Director of the Roskamp Institute. The Institute’s scientists have been awarded National Institutes of Health funding to develop second-generation drugs designed to replicate the potential beneficial effects of Nilvadipine without some of the unwanted side effects such as unnecessary lowering of blood pressure. Dr. Mullan added, “the development of drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease has been fraught with multiple late-stage clinical failures, but one area of consensus which has emerged is that for effectiveness of many experimental drugs the treatment must start very early in the disease process. I believe we are seeing the same effect with this treatment, and we must endeavor to increase both the potency and early use of such medicines.”  

To learn more about these developments and the Roskamp Institute

Southwest Florida residential luxury custom home builder John Cannon Homes brought home 6 “Best Overall” awards and an additional 32 awards in individual and sub-contractor categories at the 2020 Parade of Homes Ceremony held last week. To date, John Cannon Homes has received an impressive 388 Parade of Homes awards. "We are extremely proud of the accolades we received at this year’s Parade of Homes," said John Cannon, President. “All of our models have been exceptionally well-received by visitors and realtors, which further validates the judge’s awards during this year’s Parade of Homes,” he added. “Our homes featured during this year’s Parade, The Tindarra, The Korina, The Victoria, The Milina, The Corindi, The Walara and The Monterey showcase our attention to architectural details and feature distinctive and varied levels of finish and designs.” Cannon explained that he feels their award-winning success reflects years of listening to clients effectively and translating those conversations into outstanding homes. The Tindarra, The Korina, The Victoria, The Milina, The Corindi and The Walara won “Best Overall” in addition to Cannon’s 32 individual awards. The Monterey was awarded Best Floor Plan and Best Curb Appeal. The annual Parade of Homes awards, presented by the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association, is considered by many industry leaders as the benchmark in design-build recognition. John Cannon Homes was recently awarded “Best Residential Builder”, first place in all three locations: Sarasota, Manatee and Venice (Herald–Tribune 2020 Reader’s Choice) for the 28th consecutive year. 

John Cannon Homes The Tindarra Model, located in Rio Vista Estates at The Islands 1715 Rio Vista Terrace, Parrish.

To learn more about John Cannon Homes

The Gulf Coast of Florida, and Sarasota more specifically, has been the perfect location for the firm to be able to service its relocated clients and continue to expand its independent wealth management platform. The building, located at 1577 Fruitville Rd., allows Halliday Financial to be part of the community that has supported their efforts in Sarasota for more than half a decade. Halliday Financial continues to grow its advisory channel, through the addition of new clients and new Wealth Managers. The format that allows seasoned advisors to service their existing individual and retail clients on their terms, and realize countless opportunities for growth, make Halliday Financial a welcome addition to Sarasota’s financial landscape. When asked about expanding the firm’s reach and the new building, Scott H. Solomon, Chief Operating Officer, Halliday Financial said, “The last few years have proven that Sarasota was the right choice for our firm’s expansion. Our clients, like many others, are attracted to the white-sand beaches, the world class museums, art, and the overall culture of Sarasota. The growth of the surrounding communities and business district are truly impressive. We are looking forward to becoming a part of all of it.” 

To learn more about Halliday Financial

This year's PINC (People Ideas Nature Culture) Event 2020 was wild! 

Click here to read the full story in our March 2020 Home Edition of SRQ Magazine!