SRQ DAILY Nov 2, 2021
Freshly Squeezed Content Every Morning
"This is a dish with more complexity than its strip mall price tag warrants."
When an order is placed and the server informs you that the dish takes a little while to prepare, the subtext of the statement reads, “are you sure you’re ready for this level of commitment?” In the realm of culinary arts, longer cook times tend to equate to food that is more tender, flavorful and complex. The expectation of a more delicious meal, however, plays tug of war with the expectation that the food come out quickly. This poses a philosophical quandary for a diner.
Do you want good food now, or do you want great food a little later?
In the case of Little Saigon Bistro, a Vietnamese restaurant on the Northeast corner of Beneva and Webber, take the great food a little later. The claypot rice dish on their menu (C7) comes with chicken, shrimp, Chinese sausage, mixed vegetables, a spicy seafood sauce known as XO sauce and, of course, rice. The ingredients seem common enough on their own, but the 20-minute cook time in a clay pot dramatically transforms them into something exceptional. In the clay pot, the flavors blend and compound, with the glutamates in the XO sauce and the mushrooms taking the dish to unexpected umami heights. The rice absorbs some of that umami, but its magic lies elsewhere. All the rice that’s touching the surface of the clay pot gets crispy and browned, adding a crunchy texture to the dish and accenting the umami with that comforting burned flavor that accounts for so much goodness in food—the sear on a steak, the char on toast, the burns on roasted vegetables.
This is a dish with more complexity than its strip mall price tag warrants. Bring a book, a date or a chess set and enjoy the wait. It’s worth it.
Little Saigon Bistro, 2725 S Beneva Road, Sarasota, 941-312-4730
Photo taken by Andrew Fabian
Italy - a county of quaint villages, historic cities and some of the most beautiful artwork in the world. And food. Let’s not forget about the food. Thanks to A Bite Tuscany, a new Italian deli and bistro downtown, you can experience some of the most pleasurable parts of Italian culture right in your own backyard.
Owned and operated by Lorenzo Masolini and Roberta Martini, the two have been traveling Italy for over two months, researched new food trends, met with old and new suppliers and are now back to bring Sarasotans some of the most authentic Italian Charcuterie and Cheese boards in town. The Prosciutto di Parma is imported directly from Italy and sliced fresh in house. Certified by the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma, these thinly sliced sheets of meaty heaven are aged for 18 to 22 months. A Bite also offers freshly sliced Parmigiano Reggiano. Aged for 36 months and produced on the same farm as the milk that comprises it, this cheese endures a slow aging process and is considered the “Ferrari of Parmigiano.”
Three of the most important things in life are good company, good food and good wine. And A Bite Tuscany has the trifecta — especially with happy hour "all day." So head on down and enjoy "A bite"... and a sip.
1272 N Palm Ave., Sarasota, 941-565-2536, abitetuscany.com, @abitetuscany
Phillippi Creek Village Restaurant & Oyster Bar remains a great waterfront destination for gathering with family and friends - especially on Thanksgiving Day. On Thursday, November 25, opening at 11am, the restaurant will feature its regular menu with additional specials like fresh Stone Crabs, baked stuffed seafood, Alaskan King Crab, fresh steamed oysters, and oysters on the half shell. Additionally, a traditional, oven-roasted Turkey Dinner with croissant sage andouille stuffing, sweet potato cobbler, broccoli au gratin, sage gravy and fresh-baked cornbread will be available for those craving the flavors of the holiday.
Large parties without reservations are welcome for al fresco dining or can enjoy one of the larger tables indoors. Whether early lunch, a late afternoon family meal or a cozy dinner for two, Phillippi Creek invites locals and visitors alike to enjoy the holiday at the Creek.
Family-style packages available for 4, 8 or 12 people are also available for pick-up Wed (11/24) or Thurs (11/25). Pre-order a minimum of 48 hours in advance. Phillippi Creek Village Restaurant & Oyster Bar: 5353 Tamiami Trl., S Sarasota, 941-925-4444, creekseafood.com
The Siesta Key Crystal Classic is a visual and cultural arts festival held on Siesta Beach every November. Celebrating our 11th year, November 12 - 15, 2021, the festival has hosted over 300,000 attendees on our #1 beach, with over 125,000 of these visitors hailing from outside of Sarasota County. Among the many family-friendly activities that the festival hosts during its 4 days, the event that keeps visitors coming back every year is the master sand sculpting competition that is held during the first 3 days of the festival’s opening. This competition attracts 24 master sculptors from all over the world who compete for first place on Siesta Beach.
In just 24 sculpting hours, the master sculptors create sand masterpieces, some over ten feet tall, and transform the always beautiful Siesta Beach into an outdoor art gallery. It represents some of the most beautiful, ephemeral works of art your eyes will ever see. And it’s more than just sand...the festival also features live music daily along with a large village of shopping and food and drink vendors. Other activities include the popular three-day “Quick Sand” competition, sand sculpting lessons and an amateur competition. And, hours are extended on Saturday until 9 pm with colored lights on all the sculptures and live music by Fleetwood Max on Saturday night.
More information and pre-sale tickets are all available at the website: siestakeycrystalclassic.com
Selby Gardens’ annual Orchid Show brings together two of Sarasota’s most renowned legacies — orchids and the circus. Presented in collaboration with the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, The Orchid Show 2021: Aerialists from the Tree Top to the Big Top!, is presented by Better-Gro®, celebrates the breathtaking beauty of orchids in tree-top canopies high above the forest floor with the artistry and spectacle of the circus, particularly the aerialists who perform extraordinary feats of human ability high above captivated crowds. Pairing astonishing air plants with amazing aerial acts enables a fascinating exploration of the intersection of nature and entertainment. The show is deeply rooted in Selby Gardens’ status as possessing the world’s best scientifically documented collection of orchids. As always, the Orchid Show highlights the diversity and richness of the Orchidaceae family, one of the largest families of flowering plants on earth.
The synergy with Sarasota’s extensive circus history fortifies the theme of this year’s show. Once the winter quarters of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the city remains the home of many circus performers and their families. Show dates run through November 28, 2021.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) is pleased to present its first WBTT Voices program of the season with “Playing Through: The Story of Ann Gregory,” on November 10. The free program will explore the struggles and triumphs of Ann Gregory, a woman of color who was a pioneer in the elite and competitive world of golf. The program will include a panel discussion and the showing of preview clips from the movie. Local author Curtis Jordan wrote the screenplay about Gregory, who was the first Black golfer to play in a U.S. Golf Association tournament. What Jackie Robinson was to baseball, Ann Gregory was to women’s amateur golf. Jordan has noted that his mother played against Gregory back in the 1950s and he has often wondered why people didn’t know more about her. Much of the filming took place at Sarasota’s Laurel Oak Country Club, with other local venues including Historic Spanish Point, Phillippi Estates, and houses in the Rosemary District. Several members of the WBTT artistic team were involved in the production — some on-screen and others behind the scenes, including actors in the troupe and students and alumni from WBTT’s Stage of Discovery musical theatre intensive program. This event takes place Wednesday, November 10, in WBTT’s Donelly Theatre (1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota) from 4-5 p.m. Tickets are free but reservations are required.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital–Venice is pleased to announce its inaugural team of physician leaders. The 13 physicians selected to serve on the Medical Executive Committee for Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice represent diverse specialties in both the Sarasota and Venice community. As the hospital prepares to open early this month, the physician leaders will serve an increasingly critical role in overseeing patient safety and the professional performance of the medical staff at the Venice hospital. Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD, will oversee the medical staffs at both the Sarasota and Venice campuses, with the assistance of SMH-Sarasota Associate Chief Medical Officer Joseph Seaman, MD, and SMH-Venice Associate Chief Medical Officer Kyle Garner, MD. The following physicians were approved to serve as SMH-Venice's inaugural Medical Executive Committee for 2-year terms.
Chief of Staff: Christopher L. Jefferson, MD (Family Medicine) Secretary/Treasurer: Noel A. Maun, MD (Hematology Oncology) Department of Medicine: Chair: Heidi R. Goedicke, MD (Pulmonary Critical Care) Chair elect: Ravi Kondapalli, MD (Gastroenterology) Department of Surgery: Chair: Issam A. Halaby, MD (General Surgery) Chair elect: Gregory M. Lomas, MD (Urology) Department of Special Services: Chair: Ryan S. Snitowsky, MD (Emergency Medicine) Chair elect: Heitor Okanobo, MD (Diagnostic Radiology Department of Women & Children: Chair: Susan R. Mihm, MD (Pediatric General Medicine) Chair elect: Yusif Addae, MD (Obstetrics/Gynecology) At-Large Members: Lorraine S. Cho-Chung-Hing, MD (Nephrology), Mary L. vonWaldner, MD (Anesthesiology), John W. Wassenaar, MD (Internal Medicine/Pediatrics)
A modern take on the fourteenth-century morality play Everyman, this new play follows the character of Everybody (chosen from amongst the cast by lottery at each performance!) as they journey through the meaning of life, and most importantly, of death. A finalist for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize, the play is absurdly witty, very moving, and unlike anything you’ve seen in the theatre. Everybody will take place November 3-21, 2021 with Previews on November 2, 2021.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s Commute Connector program has partnered with the City of Sarasota, DreamLarge, Sarasota County, and Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to host the newest installment of BLVD Bike Rides, a free community bike ride that aims to bring residents, neighbors and friends together to celebrate the community and cycling in downtown Sarasota. The ride, which will take place after work in downtown Sarasota will take place on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, starting at 5:15pm. The event is part of Mobility Week, an annual initiative from October 29 through November 5, 2021. Mobility Week is a coordinated and concentrated celebration of activities to promote transportation choices and safety. People that live or work in the greater Sarasota area are invited to grab their bikes and helmets, pump up their tires and join us in the DreamLarge Yard at the corner of Central Avenue and Boulevard of the Arts (600 Central Ave. Sarasota FL 34236). Participants will enjoy a scenic bicycle tour of Sarasota’s vibrant art and urban design with colleagues, neighbors, and friends. Registration for the event is now open; space is limited, so reserve your spot today. Free traditional and electric bike rentals will be available on-site for those who need them. The guided group ride will begin at 5:45pm and will end at the Mandeville Beer Garden for a small networking event after the bicycle tour. Riders are encouraged to stay to meet and network with their fellow bikers. Food and drink will be available for purchase. The approximately 2.0-mile, slow-paced ride will be safely led by City of Sarasota Sustainability Coordinator and local bike enthusiast Jeff Vredenburg. During the event, an on-site transportation fair will allow residents and commuters to learn more about their commute options. Helmets are strongly encouraged.
November 2, 2021, 11am, Hermitage Artist Retreat Tour – Arts Advocates has arranged an hour-long private tour of the Hermitage Artist Retreat on Manasota Key. Learn about the retreat from Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg and get a tour of the campus. Members $25, non-members $30. Register at ArtsAdvocates.org.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 3 at 11am for Children's First 13th annual Flip Flops & Fashion Luncheon at Sharky's on the Pier, 1600 Harbor Drive South, Venice. Enjoy their fabulous beachside fashion show while dining on fresh food and delectable drinks from Fins at Sharky’s restaurant in celebration of Children First’s 60th Anniversary.
Join Big Cat Habitat for our first ever Twilight Lemur Yoga fundraising event, in collaboration with instructor Erika Cain on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021, Doors Open at 5:30pm, 60-Minute Flow Begins at 5:45pm. This is a unique interactive animal experience with gentle yoga weaved into the adventure. Erika will guide you through a yoga flow in our intimate encounter area, while our two beautiful Ruffed Lemurs, Marley and Ziggy, freely leap around and connect with you. Allow yourself to be transformed by this exclusive experience as you become immersed in the outdoor environment and powerful energy of the lemurs. This alignment-based class synchronizes breath with movement for you to deepen the mind-body connection and tune into your spirit animal. Practice is for most levels, giving you the opportunity to be gentle on your body. Big Cat Habitat hopes that this event will help guests connect with our majestic animals in a new way and support our mission to provide a safe, loving and permanent home for big cats and other exotic creatures in need. We take pride in educating our guests on the importance of species preservation to ensure the survival of these magnificent animals for future generations and to keep alive the human-animal connection in our world and in our community. Registration: $125 per person; includes interactive animal encounter, yoga flow and a single day pass to return to the habitat during normal business hours. (Friday through Sunday 12pm-4pm). Only six spaces available. Advanced reservations ONLY. What to bring: Yoga mat, towel and any props to assist your practice. Complimentary refreshments and light snacks available.
The event will include the sip, stop and shop marketplace filled with wine tastings from vintners around the world and shopping from exclusive vendors on November 4 from 7pm to 10pm at Armature Works, 1910 N. Ola Ave. in Tampa. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, chances to win a closet filled with $30,000 of coveted items, bid on exciting silent auction packages and more. The second portion of our evening will entail a high end fashion show along with a live auction and entertainment. Since the inception, this event has collectively raised over one million dollars for the immediate needs of children and families battling childhood cancer. Don’t miss out on Tampa Bay’s event of the year. All guests will enjoy complimentary wine and champagne. Passed Hors d’oeuvres will be present during pre show along with our fabulous food vendors with tastings from some of the best Tampa restaurants. It is suggested to eat a heavier meal before attending. A suit is the easiest option for men heading to a fashion show. Mix things up if you prefer a more striking look. Instead of your usual tie, leave the top few buttons on your dress shirt undone and add a plaid scarf. Most women wear a cocktail dress or an outfit for a girls night on the town. Women typically wear with their most extravagant pair of heels to contend in the Best in Shoe competition.
New College of Florida will celebrate the 42nd anniversary of its annual Scholarship Clambake, hosted by the New College Foundation, on Thursday, November 4, 2021, at 6pm. Featuring cocktails at sunset, New England fare and a live auction, Clambake has been one of Sarasota’s most popular philanthropic events for more than four decades. The event will take place on the New College bayfront beside College Hall, 5800 Bay Shore Road in Sarasota. All ticket proceeds benefit student scholarships. Tickets start at $250, and sponsorships are available. For more information, please call 941-487-4800.
Charles McGill: In the Rough from May 29 to November 21. Charles McGill: In the Rough explores the assemblage works of artist, educator, and golf teaching professional Charles McGill, who physically deconstructed and repurposed the plastic, steel, leather, vinyl, and hardware from vintage golf bags to examine the racial and class inequities associated with the sport and leisure activity.
A self-described “tree-hugger that watches NASCAR, and Buddhist with a gun below the seat,” Grant Peeples is known for his axe-sharp socio-political tunes, raucous humor and heart-gigging ballads. He is the recipient of the Focus Foundation Award for Creative Excellence, which cited the “humor, compassion and wisdom of his songs,” and their “unflinching social insight and cultural acuity.” Grant tours coast to coast, and has been a regular performer at The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, the 30A Songwriters Festival, and The Florida, Folk Festival. Grant Peeples will perform on Friday, November 5 at 8pm at Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center.
Brazilian composer Mozart Camargo Guarnieri spices his Festive Overture with flavors of South America on Friday, November 5 at 8pm, Saturday, November 6 at 8pm, and Sunday, November 7 at 2:30pm at the Van Wezel. Superstar violinist Blake Pouliot is featured in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto. The program concludes with Mussorgsky's orchestral showpiece, Pictures at an Exhibition, showcasing ten vivid, short musical interludes that were influenced by works of art. The final movement, "The Great Gate of Kiev," stands as one of the most majestic moments in orchestral music.
This year the Anna Maria Island Privateers, one of the oldest Not For Profit 501(C)(3) organizations in this geographic area, is celebrating its 50th year providing support and services to our community. In recognition of this accomplishment, we have put together a calendar of unique and exciting events to help you celebrate with us. One of our newest events is the "Black Tie Gala", scheduled for November 13 at from 5pm to 10pm at IMG Academy Golf Club, which will be a venue for honoring our past scholarship recipients. This event will benefit local scholarships and will feature seated dining, a cash bar, cocktail hour, and silent auction. We are currently looking for businesses and individuals who would like to partner with us for this event. For more information on the many ways you can be a part of this gala, visit our website at amiprivateers.org or contact Black Tie Gala event Chair, Kelly "Moulin" Sparkman, at flowergirlkelly@yahoo.com, 941-545-7871.
Journey to Wellness Symposium will take place on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 from 8:45am to 12:15pm at Hyatt Regency, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts. Free and open to the community. National and local mental health scientists will address new treatments, discoveries, and insights into the emotional well-being of your child, loved one, family member or friend. Topics will include better treatments for childhood disorders, creating a trauma-informed community, the impact of COVID-19 on young people, childhood and adolescent anxiety, and the nature of depression; a Q&A will follow the program. The goals of the symposium are to raise awareness of mental health and addiction disorders and to help erase the stigma surrounding them. Three Continuing Education (CEU) credits will be available at no charge for LCSWs, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors.
Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a collaborative, student-centered teaching method that improves critical thinking skills and fosters inclusive community-building dialogue through facilitated discussions of visual images. A huge bonus to VTS is you do not need special art training to use this strategy and the pedagogy is developmentally appropriate across all age and learning levels. Workshop participants will experience VTS first hand and explore opportunities for student application. This workshop is led by Embracing Our Difference's Education Director, Ben Jewell-Plocher and will take place on Saturday, November 13, December 11, and January 15, 9am-12pm at Easterseals of Southwest Florida, 350 Braden Ave. It is designed for educators, administrators, and aides who work in ESE, Life Skills Education, or who work with neurodivergent individuals and/or individuals with disabilities. We welcome all participants, and will discuss artistic adaptations based on educational and community spaces. The cost of this workshop is $5-$25. Please only choose the "Pay What You Can" option if you are a classroom educator.
A Retrospective Collection, with a significant nod to music, the arts and the legacy of the Pop Art genre from the studio of artist legend, Peter Max, will be on exhibition and available for acquisition in a limited engagement presentation at Michael Murphy Gallery, Tampa’s premier fine art gallery. The limited-engagement exhibition opens with a Preview reception on Friday, November 12 from 6-8pm and extends through Sunday, November 21, 2021. Over 100 works will be on exhibition and available for acquisition, including a globally exclusive presentation of Peter Max Posters, circa 1960’s-1970’s. These are each signed and dated by the Artist, and their provenance and rarity is accompanied by a Fall Exhibition at New York’s renowned Posterhouse Museum. Three in-gallery receptions are planned: Saturday, November 20 from 12-3pm and 6-8pm and then on Sunday, November 21 from 1-3pm. All events are complimentary and open to the public. For additional information about this exhibition, contact 866-900-6699 or email gallery@mmgart.com. Gallery observes all CDC guidelines. Private appointments are available upon request, both in-person and virtually. RSVPs are requested through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/peter-max-the-retrospective-1960-2021-tickets-184060007437.
Architecture Sarasota's MOD Weekend will take place November 12 through 14 and will celebrate Philip Hanson Hiss, the primary catalyst of the modern architecture movement in Sarasota. Their 8th annual MOD Weekend will feature a VIP Reception, The Vision of Philip Hiss, Party Under the Banyan Tree at Hiss Studio, The Symposium, Guided Trolley Tour of Hiss-Commissioned Schools, Guided Trolley & Walking Tour of Lido Shores, Tropical Modernism: Philip Hiss’ Lido Shores Self-Guided Walking Tour, The Hiss Dinner, North Siesta Key Guided Kayak Tour, and Grand Canal Kayak Tour. The three-day event will celebrate Hiss’s forward-thinking ideas and how they gave rise to the origins of the Sarasota School of Architecture (SSA).
The DSA Presents First Friday Gallery Walk. Enjoy your walk or stroll in Downtown Sarasota with participating galleries, including State of the Arts Gallery on State Street, AlexArt International located at 25 North Pineapple Avenue, Dabbert Gallery on Historic Palm Avenue, Art Uptown Gallery on Sarasota’s Main Street, and 530 Burns Gallery in Historic Burns Court.
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