I wasn’t completely sold on living in Lakewood Ranch for the first couple of years we lived here. We were kind of stuck out in what was, at the time, the far reaches of this ever-sprawling town that loves to remind its residents that it’s one of America’s fastest growing planned communities. Having just moved back here from Chicago, Lakewood Ranch felt … sparse. There were a few pleasant dining options in downtown Lakewood Ranch, but we knew if we wanted a great meal, we’d need to head into Sarasota or St. Petersburg.

And then, a ray of sunshine: Libby’s Neighborhood Brasserie.

Ahh, Libby’s. The crown jewel of the corner of University Parkway and Lorraine Road, with its bright, inviting decor full of natural light. Its menu is speckled with spiffed-up American classics and some of my favorite vegan and seafood options. I could not have been more excited when it opened. The culinary scene was on the upswing in my newly adopted home when Libby’s opened its doors in November 2019. It was tough to get a reservation. We only ate there a couple of times before, well … the pandemic hit and we found ourselves restaurant shy.

Still wanting to support local businesses and craving their entire flippin’ menu, Libby’s became our takeout go-to during the height of the pandemic. And my favorite dish — the one that made me feel a sense of normalcy, that made me confident we could weather the storm as long as I could have it — was the tuna tataki.

I revisited the dish — in person, thankfully — on a recent visit with my family. It’s as playful as ever. A tower of guacamole is topped with microgreens and crispy wontons, creating a joyous Mexican-Asian fusion. A phalanx of sushi-grade tuna surrounds the guac, and it all sits in a bed of sesame vinaigrette sauce with a beautiful balance of sesame, soy and ginger flavors.

I paired it this time with the 3 Day Weekend cocktail, which pairs Skyy vodka with St. Germaine liqueur, Triple Sec, grapefruit and lime. Together, the tataki and cocktail comprised what I can only describe as a quintessential summer moment.

The tataki is on the appetizer menu, but for me was plenty as my main course. And as I looked around at my neighbors and enjoyed the time with my family and thought about where we were in our lives, I found myself thankful to live where we do. The skepticism has given way to optimism. Was it tuna tataki that did the trick? I can’t give it all the credit, but it surely helped.

Libby’s Neighborhood Brasserie, Lakewood Ranch, 8445 Lorraine Rd., Sarasota, 941- 357-1570 

Pictured: Pictured: Libby’s tuna tataki is a playful tower of Asian-infused guacamole surrounded by sush-grade tuna in a bright and inviting ginger, soy vinaigrette sauce. Photo taken by Kevin Allen.

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Join Daou Wines, representative and aficionado, Jordan O’Mara and Chef Paul Mattison on Thursday, August 18th at 6:30 pm as they present an exclusive wine pairing dinner featuring Daou wines. Chef Paul and his team of classically trained chefs have created a 6-course menu perfectly paired with the wines of the Daou portfolio. Price is $125++. The wine dinner will be held at Mattison’s Forty-One in the newly renovated, private Galleria. Reservations are required by calling 941-921-3400. The evening will begin with a welcome reception followed by the 6-course wine dinner. According to the Daou Estate website, Daou wines is a true American success story. Lebanese immigrants and brothers Georges Daou and Daniel Daou set forth across the globe to find an unrivaled terroir for producing Cabernet Sauvignon, a quest that led them to a place of foretold greatness: DAOU Mountain in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles, California. Daou Family Estates is a family owned and operated winery committed to producing collectible, world-class wine. Situated on a 212-acre hilltop estate in Paso Robles, this remarkable mountain was once described by Andre Tchelistcheff, legendary winemaking authority, as “a jewel of ecological elements.” Daou Mountain has the highest growing elevation in the Central Coast at 2,200 feet. The winery focuses on Bordeaux varietals but also makes amazing Chardonnay and the Rose is among the best-selling domestic Rose’s, consistently scoring above 90 points, which is rare for any rose, especially a domestic rose. Join Chef Paul and Jordan O’Mara for a fun evening enjoying delicious food and superb wines. 

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s premier homebuilder based in Lakewood Ranch, has promoted 14 employees over the last several months. With 295 employees, Neal Communities is a prominent employer in the local area. The promotions show a commitment to developing talent from within the company.

“We try hard to create a family atmosphere,” said Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities. “Many employees stay with us for a long time, and we work with them to ensure they are growing in their careers.”

The promotions include two vice presidents: Ivory Matthews promoted from director of community and governmental affairs to vice president of community and governmental affairs, and Carlos Puente promoted from vice president of sales to vice president of sales and marketing. In addition, the following employees were promoted: Pam Curran from bank financing manager to director of finance, Rob Kozlowski from senior financial analyst to business insights and analytics manager, Janet Ladwig from director of design to director of community design and product development, Mathew Lavish from project manager to director of construction, Heidi Lustig from staff accountant III to senior accountant, Jodi McConnell from assistant controller to controller, Marjory McGloin from job coordinator to purchasing supervisor, Kristin Mullins from senior accountant to accounting manager, Ben Renner from area construction manager to director of construction, Kameren Saffold from assistant construction manager to construction manager, Michael Thomas from purchasing agent to estimator and Rob Woods from project manager to area construction manager. The employees’ tenure with the company ranges from just over two years to nearly 14 years. 

Williams Parker is pleased to announce that its client, Wesco Turf, one of The Toro Company’s (NYSE:TTC) top North American distributors of irrigation, golf, and grounds equipment, has acquired Hector Turf, a trusted distributor of Toro headquartered in Deerfield Beach, FL. The official announcement was made to the teams at Hector Turf and Wesco Turf on July 29, 2022. The transaction is effective August 1, 2022. Williams Parker acted as legal counsel to Wesco Turf in all aspects of the sale. This acquisition will provide additional scale to Wesco’s golf, grounds, and residential landscape businesses. Wesco Turf’s resources in IT infrastructure systems, parts ecommerce website, operations, service management, human resources, and training will provide the platforms to complement services provided to Hector Turf’s customers. Mike Wilson led the Williams Parker team with assistance from Christa Sullivan, Christy Whittemore, and Adrienne Phillips. Hector Turf’s 50+ associates will join the Wesco Turf team effective immediately. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce the agency again received funding for a High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) initiative for pedestrian and bicycle safety. Sarasota County ranks in the top 25 counties in Florida for traffic crashes resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. To protect the safety of vulnerable road users, the sheriff’s office will conduct HVE details to increase awareness of and compliance with traffic laws that protect the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. Enforcement efforts will focus primarily on education however, violations may result in warnings or citations. These details will take place from August 8, 2022, through May 12, 2023, focusing on predetermined locations based on statistical crash data. These areas include: Stickney Point Road from Swift to Beneva Roads; Bee Ridge Road from Village Green Drive to Maceachen Boulevard, Sawyer Road to Bond Place, and Maxfield Drive to I-75; Fruitville Road from Houle Avenue to Paramount Drive; South Tamiami Trail from Park Place to Jacaranda Boulevard, E. Seminole Drive to Sunset Beach Drive, Beneva Road to N. Lakepointe Boulevard, and Blackburn Point Road to E. Bay Street. Drivers are encouraged to always obey speed limits, never drive impaired, and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists. Bicyclists should obey traffic laws, ride in the direction of traffic, and use lights when riding at night. Pedestrians are asked to cross in crosswalks or at intersections, obey pedestrian signals, and make sure they are visible to drivers when walking at night. Funding for this initiative is provided through a contract with the University of North Florida and the Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM), in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation. The sheriff’s office will receive funds for overtime hours to conduct operations and special training on Florida’s bicycle and pedestrian laws, procedures, and best practices. 

Common Cents for Sarasota County today launched its first campaign advertisement in support of the penny tax referendum that will appear on Sarasota County ballots this November. Benefiting the county since 1989, the non-partisan referendum provides critical funding for public safety, water quality, the environment and other community needs. The nearly two-minute video advertisement, entitled “No-Brainer,” showcases the beauty of Sarasota County and details how the penny tax has helped and will continue to help maintain the region’s quality of life. The referendum passed with more than 66 percent of the vote the last time it was up for renewal with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune calling it a “solid-gold performer.” The ad highlights footage from all corners of the county that have benefited from the penny tax, from a fire station in North Port to a fishing pier in Venice to a library in Englewood to parks in Sarasota and Longboat Key. “And the best part, tourists and visitors pay for over 20 percent of all the funds collected by the penny,” says the ad’s narrator, referring to a recent independent study. Common Cents for Sarasota County is co-chaired by a bipartisan group of community leaders representing all regions of Sarasota County including past and present elected officials. The honorary co-chairs include: Sarasota County Citizen Tax Oversight Committee Chairman Justin Taylor; former City of Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell; Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman; Education Foundation President & CEO Jennifer Vigne; former City of Sarasota Mayor and Sarasota County Commissioner Carolyn Mason; and former Sarasota County School Board member and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast VP of Communications Gina Taylor, who also chaired the successful 2007 Surtax III campaign.Proceeds from the penny tax can ONLY be used for major capital projects and infrastructure improvements. It has paid for numerous projects throughout the county and in every one of its cities, ranging from equipment and facilities for police and fire agencies to water quality improvements to beach renourishments and road repairs.