SRQ DAILY Jan 11, 2022
Tuesday Dining and Food Edition
"With all the growth in Southwest Florida, we are excited to help whenever and wherever possible."
Like the taco, the Venezuelan arepa is a signature item of a cuisine that allows for said cuisine to explore the full scope of its favorite ingredients. Where a taco is the vessel by which one can explore Mexico’s salsas, meats, vegetable combinations and regional flair, so too can the Venezuelan arepa morph itself into any configuration of fillings. Paramo Café & Restaurant at 3700 Lockwood Ridge offers just about every meaningful combination on its menu.
The new Venezuelan eatery opened 6 months ago into a thoughtfully renovated space that feels decidedly modern. The addition of patio seating beneath a custom pergola gives the restaurant a bit of nightlife appeal to go along with its delicious assortment of dishes, desserts and drink options. Of the aforementioned arepas, the arepa la llanera boasts some of the richest flavors of the Andean grasslands the restaurant’s name refers to. A “llanero” is livestock herder, and the arepa comes with braised chunks of angus steak seasoned with cilantro and other spices. Tender and savory, the steak bits sit atop a queso blanco patty and comes topped with a tomato and onion pico that adds coolness and pep. All of it comes piled between an arepa cake (think of a cornmeal pancake) with friend plantains on the side.
Well worth the wait—the restaurant has struggled with supply and staffing like every other eatery—the arepa is a great introduction into Venezuelan cuisine along with the restaurant’s arepa pabellón criollo.
The 'arepa la llanera' comes piled high with braised beef, pico and queso blanco. Photo taken by Andrew Fabian.
A little over a year ago, Hamlet’s Eatery opened in the courtyard of The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime in Sarasota. Their tagline “To meat or not to meat” got the attention of vegan and meat eaters alike and they earned multiple ‘best of’ awards including best new restaurant, best fries, and best food truck. This month they welcome Chef Lisa Shields to continue what has been making Hamlet’s Eatery popular and add her special flair to the menu. Chef Shields moved to Sarasota in 2019. She has over two decades in the restaurant industry after receiving a Culinary degree from the Art institute of Seattle. Prior to that, she studied art in San Francisco. She is a master of combining her love of food and art together. And plans to expand healthy options to the menu. In Seattle she got her start at the oldest music venue in the city, Showbox Sodo as a line cook. Then went on to help create one of the top ten brunch places in the city at Tilikum Place Cafe. Prior to relocating she owned and operated a successful food truck in Richmond, VA. While Hamlet’s Eatery is a food truck, it is permanently located and does not travel. There is plenty of seating under a covered patio. They are currently open Thursday- Saturday 10-3 with the occasional Sunday brunch and evenings.
“Part of the charm is the location,” said Shields. “This is a destination where you feel like you’ve discovered an oasis right around the corner from the heart of downtown Sarasota.”
Visit Hamlet’s at 821 Apricot Ave, Sarasota.
JFCS of the Suncoast is kicking off its seventh annual “Take-a-Look, Buy-a-Book” book donation drive on Feb. 1 to spread the joy of reading to children. Each year, JFCS collects and distributes nearly 4,000 books to promote literacy among local children in pre-k through Grade 5, with special emphasis on low-income and at-risk preschool-aged children. Books are also given to infants and toddlers, as well as older children in middle and high school. The book drive runs from Feb. 1 – March 31, 2022. Community members can participate by: Delivering or shipping new books for infants through teenagers directly to our office at 2688 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, FL 34237; Encouraging organizations, neighborhoods, social clubs, businesses, friends, and other groups to organize a book collection among their members. A designated person can collect the books and deliver them to JFCS' administrative building on Fruitville. Donated books will be distributed to JFCS clients who participate in a variety of programs, including Camp Mariposa, IGNITE/REACH, Veterans Services, Homeless Prevention, Youth Services and more. Books will also go to local Title I schools, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, summer reading programs and other organizations such as the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee and Sarasota counties and Embracing Our Differences. Contact Sheila Birnbaum at SheilaBirnbaum@AOL.com for more information.
Pictured: Sheila Birnbaum at All Children's Hospital.
Current Technologies Corporation has announced the promotion of former Director of Security Solutions, Tony Dahlin, to President. Tony Dahlin was brought on to Current Technologies’ Illinois Division in 2019 because of his expertise in Access Control systems and security best practices. In previous roles, Dahlin worked as the Director of Security Solutions for Current Technologies while maintaining his business, Bullis Systems, that has been operating out of Chicago since 1920. In all his roles, Dahlin has worked closely with clients of all sizes to find the best solution possible for their door security needs, and he plans to do no differently in his new role. In his time as Director of Security Solutions for Current Technologies’ Illinois Division, Dahlin lead a team of solutions specialists, architects, and technicians that oversaw hundreds of successful security and information technology installations, and he is looking to replicate that success in a new market.
Dahlin said of the move, “In 2021 we have seen a lot of growth in the Sarasota market. I am excited to take on the role of President and continue to grow our footprint throughout the area. Current Technologies brings a lot to the table when it comes to helping organizations meet their technology and security needs. With all the growth in Southwest Florida, we are excited to help whenever and wherever possible.”
CR Fitness, Crunch Fitness’ largest franchisee, announces the appointment of Tony Scrimale as its Chief Executive Officer. Tony brings over 25 years of experience in the health and fitness industry to the franchise. Tony’s experience includes club development, regional management, sales and operations. As a natural-born leader, Tony started in the health and wellness industry at just 19 years old. Tony got his start in the business by selling club memberships and cleaning gyms. In 1997, Tony quickly worked his way up the ladder and played an integral part in the development of Southside Athletics with Shapes founder before selling to Lifestyle Family Fitness. Shortly after merging with Lifestyle Family Fitness, Tony became the regional general manager of the clubs before joining CR Fitness. In 2011, Tony partnered with Shapes founder Vince Julien to start CR Fitness. Tony became its operating partner for its Naples and Sarasota Crunch Fitness locations before taking on additional roles such as Vice President of Sales, Chief Operating Officer and now CEO. Since taking on the CEO role, Tony has experienced a 40% growth rate with plans to own and operate 100 clubs by 2026. Crunch currently has 38 facilities in the Tampa, Orlando, South Florida and Atlanta markets, making it the largest Crunch franchisee in the nation. Tony currently owns the Crunch locations with Geoff Dyer, Jeff Dotson and Vince Julien.
Award-winning singer and actor Audra McDonald will perform at the Van Wezel on Friday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both a singer and actor. The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Emmy Award, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2015. She received a 2015 National Medal of Arts—America’s highest honor for achievement in the arts—from President Barack Obama. In addition to her Tony-winning performances in Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill—the role that also served as the vehicle for her 2017 debut on London’s West End (2018 Olivier Award nomination)—she has appeared on Broadway in The Secret Garden, Marie Christine (Tony nomination), Henry IV, 110 in the Shade (Tony nomination), and Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. The Juilliard-trained soprano’s opera credits include La voix humaine and Send at Houston Grand Opera, and Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at Los Angeles Opera. On television, she was seen by millions as the Mother Abbess in NBC’s The Sound of Music Live! and played Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC’s Private Practice. She won an Emmy Award for her role as host of PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center and has received nominations for Wit, A Raisin in the Sun, and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill. Having first appeared as Liz Lawrence on CBS’s The Good Wife, she can now be seen on CBS All Access’s The Good Fight, which launches its fourth season in 2020.
What better combination than music and comedy to lift your spirits on Wednesday, January 12 at 5:30pm, Thursday, January 13 at 7:30pm, Friday, January 14 at 5:30pm, Saturday, January 15 at 8pm, and Sunday, January 16 at 4pm at Holley Hall. Christopher Confessore adds his trademark humor to a program including music by Stephen Sondheim, Leroy Anderson, and Peter Schickele (a.k.a. P. D. Q. Bach).
Perhaps no other play rings truer today. Thornton Wilder’s magnificent Our Town is, at its heart, about us. All of us who are swept up by time and subject to inescapable change. As another ordinary day begins, the inhabitants of a small American town go about their business: newspapers are delivered; people go to work; gardens are tended. And a boy and girl fall in love. But as life’s events unfold, one question remains: “Do any human beings ever realize life as they live it?” Long after it won the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Our Town remains one of the most enduring American plays of all time, reminding us to celebrate love, family, community, and the beauty in the ordinary. Recommended for general audiences. Our Town will show January 12–March 26, 2022.
Get the electrifying concert experience of Tina Turner, brimming with Tina hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s & ‘90s. The powerful, raspy vocals, high-intensity dancing and thrilling stage presence live on stage, plus band, brass section, backing vocalists and dancers, making this the definitive tribute and a fabulous night out. This show will take place on Thursday, January 13 at 8pm.
Home from college, Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) makes an unsettling discovery: a severed human ear, lying in a field. In the mystery that follows, by turns terrifying and darkly funny, writer-director David Lynch burrows deep beneath the picturesque surfaces of small-town life. Driven to investigate, Jeffrey finds himself drawing closer to his fellow amateur sleuth, Sandy Williams (Laura Dern), as well as their person of interest, lounge singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini)—and facing the fury of Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper), a psychopath who will stop at nothing to keep Dorothy in his grasp. With intense performances and hauntingly powerful scenes and images, Blue Velvet is an unforgettable vision of innocence lost, and one of the most influential American films of the past few decades. Blue Velvet will show on January 13 at 6:30pm at the Historic Asolo Theater.
Jazz Thursdays at Sarasota Art Museum will runs through January 12, 2023 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. FREE for Members, $20 for Not-Yet Members. Sarasota Art Museum invites you to be our guest at our first Jazz Thursday at SAM, featuring Hot Club of SRQ. Sarasota Art Museum is partnering with the Jazz Club of Sarasota for Jazz Thursdays. Join us for our special late-night performances on the Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza. Jazz Thursdays will occur on the second Thursday of each month until January 12, 2023. Galleries + Bistro + Shop will be open.
The Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival returns for its Sixth Year on January 14-16, 2022. Join us in JD Hamel Park in downtown Sarasota at Gulfstream Avenue and Main Street. Bring along your family and friends to enjoy fresh seafood and outstanding live musical performances. The event begins Friday night January 14 with festivities running 4pm-10pm. The event continues Saturday from 11am-10pm and Sunday 11am-6pm. General admission is FREE. The event, hosted by the Downtown Sarasota Enrichment Association, offers a diverse menu of foods cooked fresh on site. Seafood items are prepared using only the freshest local and sustainable ocean resources from the Florida Gulf Coast. Meat and vegetarian offerings also are on the menu, along with a variety of side dishes and of course - tantalizing desserts! Alcoholic, non-alcoholic and fruit drinks are available along with a selection of sodas and bottled water. In the breaks between performances, explore shopping in a marketplace of fine arts, crafts, and select fine products and food items. While savoring your meal, relax to some of Florida’s top musical groups from genres such as R&B, blues, jazz, rock and Caribbean sounds. Performers in 2020 were: Dr. Dave Band, JP Soars & The Red Hots and Black Honkeys, The Whole Band featuring Callie Chappell, the Billy Rice Band, Twinkle & Rock Soul Radio, The Verge and 22N, Big Night Out, Kettle of Fish, and Fleetwood Max. Check back as the event approaches to see the bands participating and their performance times. They will be posted on this page in the column to the right.
The Smuggler by Ronán Noone Directed by Brendan Ragan will run from January 14 to February 20, 2022. Irish immigrant Tim Finnegan wants to be a writer in America but struggles to find his path. That all changes when a stranger arrives with a plan to make people “disappear and reappear.” In this mischievous, one-man, rhyming-verse comedy, Tim learns the price he must pay to become an American.
Arts Advocates is pleased to announce a new series of walking tours that will introduce participants to some of Sarasota’s public art. Sarasota is a 24/7 museum with more than 80 pieces of public art continuously on display for everyone to enjoy. These works are found everywhere – from parks to intersections, from the bayfront to downtown. Chances are these sculptures and murals are passed every day without thinking much about it. The Arts Advocates walking tours, organized and led by art lovers and docents Judy Levine, Stephenie Frasher and Nanette Crist, offer participants an opportunity to learn about Sarasota’s public art legacy, individual works, and the artists who created them. Each tour is different and highlights a variety of artwork and artists, from a sculpture inspired by a childhood experience with Hurricane Andrew, to a mural by a Brazilian street artist who has painted more than 3,000 murals across five continents, and works by a New College professor who made copper look like bronze. The three tours being offered are: Downtown Sarasota Five Points Park Area Walking Tour, Friday, January 14, 11am-12:30pm, Sarasota City Hall Area Walking Tour, Monday, February 14, 11am-12:30pm, and Rosemary District Walking Tour, Friday, March 11, 11am-12:30pm. Maximum tour size is 20 people. Reservations are required: $28 per tour for Arts Advocates members, $30 per tour for non-members.
The 3rd Annual Sarasota Beer & Burger Festival and the Sarasota Winter Carnival at The Mall at University Town Center will take place on January 15th from 12pm to 8pm. The BEST Traveling Beer & Burger Festival in Central Florida is back in Sarasota again. This family-friendly, live, in-person event includes at least a dozen Burger Artisans, Craft Brewers with in-person sampling, and 4 live music performances, plus sponsored giveaways, shop local market, and a 5-day Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Full Carnival by Dreamland Amusements. Live Entertainment and Concert: 12:30pm - Live DJ with Top Hits, 3pm - Sound Hammer, 6pm - The Best of Both Worlds Florida: Van Halen Sammy Hagar Tribute. FREE CRAFT BEER SAMPLES from 12pm to 4pm (while supplies last). Winners from the craft beer sampling will be announced around 4:30pm. PEOPLE'S CHOICE BURGER COMPETITION from 12pm to 7:30pm. Guests must pick which food truck is their favorite and order their meals directly, and if they deem the food worthy, they can cast a single vote per person for that food truck to win. The winning truck with the most votes will receive the coveted People’s Choice Best Burger Award. The judge’s choice winners will be announced at 4:30pm for Craft Beer and 6pm for the Burgers. They will each receive a special award for winning in their class.
The Music Compound invites its members and the community to enjoy an unforgettable evening of music, food, art and more during its Shred the Love fundraiser, with proceeds supporting scholarships for area youth who have lost a loved one to COVID-19 or whose parents have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Organizers hope that the event, which takes place on Saturday, January 15 from 6pm to 9pm at Music Compound (1751 Cattlemen Rd.), will raise at least $5,000. This event, a partnership with local not-for-profit Every Child, is being organized by middle and high school students, led by homeschool student Sam Stahlmann. “Shred the Love” was originally started as an IB project at Riverview High School to support career readiness, enable students to learn how to plan and implement an event, and see the value of charitable works. The inaugural Shred the Love concert in 2018 funded the purchase of ukuleles for children with cancer; in 2019, the event funded music programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County and Children First. Committee members include Eden Stahlmann (homeschool student), Hailey Renner (10th grader at Cardinal Mooney), Macy Young (State College of Florida), Asher Voros, and Caitlyn Healey (homeschool student).
Join the Knights of Columbus Hall for their First Annual Car Show to benefit Knights of Columbus Charities. The Car Show will take place on Sunday, January 16, 2022 from 11am-2pm, at their Hall at 4880 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota. Early registration is $15, or $20 the day of show. Goodie bags & T-shirts for the first 100 cars. Trophies, Door Prizes, Live DJ - Trivia, Great food & full bar for purchase. For info & registration, contact Ken at kjnshark@yahoo.com or Candy Girl at candy@carnewsbycandygirl.com.
More than three decades into his career, singer/songwriter David Wilcox continues to push himself, just as he always has. Wilcox, by so many measures, is a quintessential folk singer, telling stories full of heart, humor, and hope, substance, searching, and style. His innate sense of adventure and authenticity is why critics and colleagues, alike, have always praised not just his artistry, but his humanity, as well. David Wilcox will perform on Sunday, January 16 at 7pm.
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