Scary movies. Jack-o’-lanterns. Trick-or-treating. Historic Spanish Point? While at first glance, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ campus might not seem to fit in with the typical traditions associated with Halloween, all of that is bound to change starting this Friday night, when Lights at Spooky Point, a Halloween-themed light show opens to the public at the Historic Spanish Point.

The inaugural show, which will be open every night from October 14th through Halloween on the 31st, will feature an eerily lit one-way path through the woods, where guests will happen upon spooky botanical vignettes and Halloween decorations. “We started thinking about it last fall, with our lighting partners Affairs in the Air. We talked with them about how we could put to use our renowned orchid collection in a Halloween environment,” says Jennifer Rominiecki, President and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. “We have these iconic, spooky orchids that connect to Halloween – Spider Orchids, Ghost Orchids, Dracula Orchids, and Bat Orchids – why not showcase them in a new and exciting way? Additionally, the show will be spooky and full of fun surprises and Halloween characters– really a total experience.”

The idea for Lights at Spooky Point was also inspired by Selby Gardens’ past tradition of their holiday lights show, Lights in Bloom. As the Historic Spanish Point campus is still relatively new to Selby Gardens, it seemed fitting to kickstart a tradition of its own. “Building on the phenomenal success of our holiday lights show, Lights in Bloom, we really felt that the community would enjoy seeing a version of lights for Halloween time and that Historic Spanish Point was the perfect place to do a Halloween light show,” says Rominiecki. “Hopefully this will become a great tradition for the community around Halloween. At a time where it's been so challenging for everyone in our community, an evening under the lights is the perfect way to spend time with your family and forget your troubles.”

Lights at Spooky Point, October 14 - 21, Historic Spanish Point Campus, 401 North Tamiami Trail, Osprey. 941.366.5731. 

Photo by Dylan Jon Wade Cox, courtesy of Selby Gardens.

We all have our motivations for reading a book and mine was the discovery of an upcoming international film (my secondary passion) which opened at Cannes in May and is coming to the US next month based on the novel The Eight Mountains by Paolo Cognetti.

Not only did The Eight Mountains spend over a year on the Italian Bestsellers list and has been translated for 38 countries, it was translated by Carnell and Segre, best known for their Carlos Rovelli translations. The cover claims it’s for fans of Ferrante, and in my humble opinion on my limited Ferrante reading, The Eight Mountains ascends (to use a mountainous pun) the quality of The Lost Daughter.

The book covers the 30 plus year relationship between boyhood friends, who grow in vastly different directions, yet still maintain a rhythm and synchronicity based on their childhood experiences of nature and a small chateau they built in tandem in the Alps.

Rarely do men’s relationships get as much attention as sisterhood and the story Cognetti spins adds the context of family dynamics and major life choices. I admire his ability to convey fraternal love in a subtle, manly production centered story.

The best part of books like The Eight Mountains is I’m never going to be climbing a mountain, but I appreciate the athleticism and ingenuity needed to do so. I also don’t ever want to experience an avalanche, but I loved Force Majeure (a Ruben Ostlund film) and ate up Cognetti’s rich descriptions of austere and unforgiving snow. Winter doesn’t get a bad rap in this novel, if anything, it’s akin to our hurricane season, a necessary evil of the other 11 plus months of glorious weather.

The Eight Mountains by Paolo Cognetti (translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segre) published in 2016 is now in paperback and available in store at BookStore1 117 S. Pineapple Ave. Sarasota, FL. or on their online store at www.sarasotabooks.com. 

Two nursing veterans are now leading nursing operations at HCA Florida Blake Hospital. Todd Haner, DNP, MBA, RN was recently named chief nursing officer (CNO), and Shelly Castro, MSN, RC is now serving as assistant chief nursing officer. Before this role, Haner served as CNO at HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital and Castro was the director of critical care at Sarasota Doctors Hospital. Haner also served as CNO at Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West. At HCA Florida Blake Hospital, Haner will oversee all nursing departments. He has almost three decades of nursing leadership experience including as administrative director for the University of Miami and professional nursing consulting. He also serves on the board of the Galen College of Nursing. He received his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Miami and holds a Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on healthcare and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. He is originally from Ohio and is a veteran of the United States Air Force. Shelly Castro also has more than 30 years of experience in the nursing profession. She started her nursing career as a medic in the United States Air Force. As a new graduate registered nurse, Castro worked at Blake Hospital on a Medical/Surgical/Oncology unit, and served as a nurse leader at Sarasota Memorial Hospital for 18 years, growing the hospital’s women’s services line. In 2019, Castro joined HCA Florida Brandon Hospital as the manager of Labor and Delivery. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree in nursing leadership from Walden University. Blake Hospital is a 383-bed tertiary hospital serving the community since 1973. It is the only Level II trauma center and burn center in Manatee County. The team of approximately 1,400 caregivers and nearly 300 physicians who have privileges at the hospital, provide patients with award-winning, advanced medical care. 

Florida’s first Homesense is coming to University Town Center (UTC) in Sarasota. The home furnishings retailer will open Nov. 10 in a 30,000-square-foot store in the West District at UTC, located next to Old Navy on the west side of Cattlemen Dr. Homesense, part of the TJX Companies portfolio that also includes TJMaxx, HomeGoods and Marshalls, offers an expansive selection of brand-name furniture, rugs, lighting, wall art, décor and more at discounted prices. The company was founded by TJX in Canada in 2001 and later launched in the United States in 2017. There are about 40 Homesense stores in the U.S., mostly in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Benderson Development’s UTC is a premier mixed-use destination off I-75 and University Parkway on the border of Sarasota and Manatee counties. Spanning over 4 million square feet, the property features more than 250 specialty stores, 80-plus restaurants, three hotels and over 250,000 square feet of premier office space. Homesense is among an exciting lineup of new businesses coming to UTC in the next several months. Other new shops and restaurants opening soon include Christmas Tree Shops, an off-price home goods retailer that is scheduled to open October 29; Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar, a popular Florida spot for authentic Mexican fare in a vibrant setting; Yard House, a modern American restaurant and bar with more than 100 beers on tap; Orlando’s famed Foxtail Coffee Co; 3Natives Acai and Juicery; locally owned Anna Maria Oyster Bar; Kelly’s Roast Beef, a Boston-area staple for more than 70 years; Post Kitchen & Bar, a new modern American bistro from the owner of Apollonia Grill; The Breakfast Company; and more. 

Common Cents for Sarasota County today launched its first television advertisement in support of the Penny Tax referendum that is up for renewal this November. The ad specifically highlights the critical role the one-cent sales tax plays in providing law enforcement and first responders with the tools necessary to perform their jobs. The 30 second video advertisement, entitled “Did You Know”, offers a glimpse into how penny tax dollars improve public safety, with a personal appeal from Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman urging voters to support the referendum. In addition to police and first responders, the non-partisan referendum provides critical funding for water quality, the environment and major community needs including the hardening of hurricane shelters. The video launches as Sarasota County citizens recover from the damage left by Hurricane Ian, where law enforcement and first responders have been deeply relied on since the storm made landfall on September 28th. In addition to the video’s feature on first responders, it notes that tourists and visitors pay for over 20 percent of all the funds collected by the penny, which can also be seen in an independent study. 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 advertisement will be running on broadcast and cable throughout Sarasota County. 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. 

To view the video click here.

Hallie Peilet's Profile

A NEW TWIST ON GUYS AND DOLLS | WBTT is the steward for black American, Caribbean and African culture in the region.

Hear more about how their season opener, Guys and Dolls, embodies WBTT’s thematic tone for the season through this link, on our social media, or in the October edition of SRQ Magazine! 

Read Here!

QUARTET FOR THE END OF TIME | Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time comes to the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota.

Listen to what makes this Quartet so impactful through this link, on our social media, or in the October edition of SRQ Magazine! 

Read Here!