Ring in 2024 at Neat, one of Sarasota’s newest restaurants, on South Tamiami Trail. Neat is owned by Rob Prima, the proprietor of The Italian Grill, which he took over and revamped two and a half years ago. “I got to meet a lot of people that live in South Sarasota, in Palmer Ranch, The Oaks, Stoneybrook, all those communities there, and there was really nowhere for them to go to have something other than Italian food in an upscale environment,” Prima says. “All the nice, new lounges, bars and restaurants opening up are in downtown Sarasota, but people who live in South Sarasota don’t want to drive to downtown or Lakewood Ranch or wherever the new upscale restaurants are coming.”

Prima purchased the building that now houses Neat and completely remodeled it. After two and a half months, he opened the restaurant in August 2023. “We tore it apart and made everything new. We made it all nice and neat,” he adds. While Prima himself isn’t a chef, he’s built a team and business focused on serving fresh and delicious food to guests. “We get seven different delivery trucks a week. We buy the highest quality food that we can get, and we start there. I sleep well at night knowing that I serve the customers good quality food,” he says. “We have an excellent chef, who was my chef at The Italian Grill, and he’s very creative.”

Lunch and dinner offerings are combined into one menu, resulting in a diverse menu that Prima clarifies is not bar food. “We wanted kind of an upscale place with that downtown vibe. People want to be dressed up when they come to the restaurant,” he adds. Standout dishes at Neat include the signature burgers, that feature a butcher-prepared blend of meat made specifically for Neat. One of Prima’s favorite dishes is the seared tuna appetizer, with thinly sliced sushi-grade tuna, saki Asian vinaigrette and wasabi cream sauce over cold noodles. For an entree, he recommends the burnt butter bourbon honey salmon and the salmon BLT and notes that there are a few vegetarian options available as well. The drinks menu is also unique, with beverages like the Campfire Old Fashioned, White Cranberry Cosmo and a collection of high-end bourbon. Dessert lovers can indulge in A Big Mess, a sharable option with bananas, ice cream, chocolate sauce and other sweet delights. If you’re looking to start the new year off right, look no further than Neat.

Neat, 8383 S. Tamiami Trail #108, Sarasota, 941-552-8850, neatsrq.com. 

Pictured: One of the signature burgers at Neat. Photo Courtesy of Neat.

Neat

Service for the Gulf Islands Ferry is set to start Friday, January 12, 2024, barring any inclement weather. Visitors and residents can catch a ride on the water Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ride times between stops will range from 25-40 minutes. The two catamarans hold 49 passengers and will have two crew aboard to ensure smooth transport to and from each port. The initial route of the two 50-foot open-air catamarans, Miss Anna Maria and Downtown Duchess, will take riders from the day dock in downtown Bradenton located just east of the Green Bridge and directly off Bradenton Riverwalk, to the Anna Maria City pier. The Historic City Pier at Bradenton Beach will be added to the route system as soon as some minor enhancements are completed. 

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New College of Florida and the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the International Churchill Society will cohost “Churchill 150,” a celebration of 150 years since the birth of Sir Winston Churchill. The first event, “A Churchill 150 Forum: Churchill, FDR, and the Waging of World War II” will be held January 23, 2024, 2-4 p.m. in College Hall, 349 College Drive, Sarasota, Florida. The public is welcome to attend and participate in discussion of a selection from “Debating Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Foreign Policies, 1933-1945.” The chapter being discussed was written by New College Professor Emeritus Justus Doenecke, who co-authored the book with Mark Stoler. The event represents the second Socratic Stage event, an initiative to bring people of varying perspectives together in civil discourse and the free exchange of ideas. Jeri Sedlar, communications chair for the Churchill Society, will moderate the discussion to guide key themes and foster a robust dialogue. Interested participants can register online: https://form.jotform.com/communicationsassist/Churchill150. The selected text is available on the RSVP webpage as well as the New College Office of Public Policy Events webpage. Doenecke has written on various topics, including the presidencies of James Garfield and Chester Arthur. He is the recipient of the prestigious Arthur S. Link Prize from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations for his documentary history of the America First Committee of 1940-1941. His 2000 book, “Storm on the Horizon: the Challenge to American Intervention, 1939-1941” received the Herbert Hoover Book Award from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. Seating for the event is limited. The deadline to RSVP is Thursday, January 18. 

Holiday returns aren't easy! And we don't mean the part where you explain to your mother why you returned the sweater, she gave you.Stores are not legally required to accept exchanges or give refunds unless the merchandise was defective or misrepresented. While most retailers do offer refund and exchange programs, policies vary greatly from one store to another. Be sure to double-check policies this holiday season, even if you are familiar with the brand, as stores can change their policies whenever they want. The following tips should help to make your holiday returns run more smoothly. Get to know store policies. Before you make a purchase, find out if the store has a return policy and, if so, how it works. Understand that many retailers change their policies for the holiday season. If the store allows returns or exchanges, find out if you need to pay a restocking fee. Ask the seller if they offer cash refunds, exchanges, or only store credit. Store policies are usually posted at the check-out counter or printed on the back of receipts. Understand online store return policies. If you are shopping online, search for the seller's return policy and read it through before clicking "buy." Find out if they accept returns or exchanges and who pays for the shipping when an item is returned. In some cases, you can save on shipping fees by returning an online purchase to the local brick-and-mortar store. Get the details on a product's warranty. Most electronics and home appliances come with warranties that are to be fulfilled by the manufacturer, not the retailer. Find out how the store handles returns and repairs if an item stops working or needs replacement parts. Will the retailer ship the item to the manufacturer for you? Or will you need to deal with the manufacturer directly? Knowing the answers will leave you well-prepared for any future issues. Keep your receipt and packaging. Most stores will only accept returns and exchanges if you can present the item with its receipt and original packaging. Always include a gift receipt with items you give, and hold on to any gift receipts you receive. Bring your ID. Many stores ask to see your ID when you return an item to avoid holiday return scams. Sometimes retailers require you to bring your ID and the original form of payment. If this is the policy of the store where your gift is from, you may need the assistance of the gift-giver in order to be reimbursed. Make returns in a timely fashion. Almost all return policies are valid during a specific time period. Some stores modify their return period during the holidays, so don't risk missing your chance to make your return. Take the item back to the store without delay. 

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It was a record-breaking year for Sarasota Memorial Health Care System’s labor and delivery teams, helping bring more than 4,800 babies into the world at the two Sarasota County hospital campuses in 2023. SMH-Sarasota delivered a total of 4,449 babies in 2023, including 77 sets of twins and one set of triplets. SMH-Venice delivered 385 babies in 2023, including five sets of twins. The previous record for deliveries was approximately 4,500 babies born at the two hospital campuses in 2022. The final four record-breaking babies were born at SMH-Sarasota on December 31st to finish out 2023.A baby girl was first baby of 2024 born at the SMH-Sarasota Campus at 1:56 a.m. The patient has requested privacy at this time. Two additional babies have already been born on New Year’s Day, with several more expected at SMH-Sarasota. The mother-baby nursing team at the Sarasota Campus presented the mother of the first baby with a special New Year’s baby basket filled with gifts for the new baby. The SMH-Venice LDRP nursing staff will present a similar gift basket to the first baby of the year at the Venice Campus, which is anticipated later in the day. 

Pictured: The labor and delivery team at SMH Venice on New Year's Eve. Photo courtesy of SMH.

Manatee County is accepting applications for two seats on the Planning Commission, a citizen’s advisory committee that makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on land-use items. Both seats are vacant, one expiring October 2025, and the other expiring in October 2026.The Planning Commission was established to act as the Local Planning Agency under Section 163.3174, Florida Statutes and to do the following: Carry out such duties as may be prescribed by the Comprehensive Plan. Hold and regulate public hearings on Zoning Atlas Amendment, Developments of Regional Impact and Florida Quality Development. Initiate, review and make recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners in regard to adoption and amendment of the text of the Land Development Code.Hold and regulate public hearings on applications for amendments to the text of the LDC. Make its special knowledge and expertise available, upon reasonable written request and authorization of the Board of County Commissioners, to any official, department, board, commission or agency of the County, State or Federal governments. Recommend to the Board of County Commissioners that special studies be performed as may be deemed necessary and property conduct the work of the Planning Commission, subject to the approval of the Board of County Commissioners and available appropriations, to adopt rules of procedure which are not inconsistent with the LDC and are necessary for the administration of the Commission’s responsibility and to govern its proceedings. Perform any other duties which may be lawfully assigned to it.Membership requirements: The Board of County Commissioners appoints members to a four-year term; the Planning Commission consists of seven voting members; they shall be qualified electors in Manatee County and while no particular expertise is required, persons with experience or training in the substantive areas of planning, engineering, environmental science and the development industry shall be considered in the appointment process. Planning Commission members cannot be employed by the County or serve as a member of another land development-related advisory board serving unincorporated Manatee County. The Planning Commission generally meets on the second Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. in the Honorable Patricia M. Glass Chambers, First Floor of Manatee County Administrative Building, 1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton. More detailed information on the Planning Commission—established to act as the Local Planning Agency under the Florida Statutes. Applications are due Friday, January 19, 2024, and may be found online. For more information about Manatee County Government, visit mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ManateeGov.