The Green Orchid has just sprouted up at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Downtown Campus as part of its first phase of expansion. “Selby Gardens will be the world’s first net-positive botanical complex, meaning that we will generate more energy than we consume, which is groundbreaking,” says Nancy Seijas-Kipnis, Selby’s vice president for strategic communications. “Because of that, The Green Orchid will be the first net-positive restaurant in the world.” Local institution Michael’s On East is in charge of the project, which is currently only open to garden visitors.

One unique feature of The Green Orchid is the Drs. Andrew and Judith Economos Rooftop Edible Garden, which is adjacent to the restaurant. Operation EcoVets, an organization of military veterans, manages this jungle-like wonderland, from which the restaurant sources produce like celery, fennel and tomatoes, as well as edible flowers which add a pop of color and whimsy to the dishes. The menu, set to change on a seasonal basis, celebrates the flavors of fresh produce with a fun flair. Standout options include the crispy yucca fries, which give traditional french fries a run for their money and are served with a delightful chipotle aioli. The eponymous green orchid salad, chock full of romaine hearts, avocado, English cucumber, sugar snap peas, edamame, toasted pistachios, mint and housemade goddess dressing is another delicious choice. Add the crispy fried goat cheese for extra crunch and texture. Seafood lovers shouldn’t skip the Spanish Point shrimp toast, with piquillo red peppers, avocado, celery, capers, shaved radish, coriander and lemon mayo. This sharable dish packs bold flavors and a lovely presentation with an edible flower. For dessert, the lavender-fused creme brulee with light floral and vanilla notes is the way to go.

As part of the Morganoroth Family Living Energy Access Facility which has a 50,000-square-foot array of solar panels, The Green Orchid is leading the way in not only providing delicious food for garden visitors but also providing a model of sustainability for the restaurant industry. Eating your veggies never felt, or tasted, so good.

The Green Orchid, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Downtown Campus, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota, 941-265-8194, bestfood.com/restaurant/the-green-orchid. 

Pictured: The Spanish Point shrimp toast at The Green Orchid. Photo by Laura Paquette.

The Green Orchid

 The Sarasota County Croquet Club will once again act as host to the Association Laws National Championship, organized by the prestigious US Croquet Association (USCA). The tournament will take place from March 18th to March 24th at the Sarasota County Croquet Club's home field at Wellfield Park. The tournament will commence with a practice session on Monday, March 18th, followed by an official opening ceremony. The highly anticipated event, sponsored by the US Croquet Association, will feature 28 of the top selected players from across the United States, showcasing their skills over seven intense days of competition. The "AC Nationals" is the USCA national championship conducted under the rules of Association Croquet, the original and widely played form of the sport worldwide. This invitation-only event is a gathering of the nation's best players, many of whom have already secured victories in regional and other prominent tournaments. Among the distinguished athletes participating in the championship are Matthew Essick, Zack T Watson, and Thomas C Balding, all renowned names in the world of croquet. These players represent the pinnacle of talent in the sport and will vie for the coveted title of the Association Laws National Champion. The Sarasota County Croquet Club possesses one of the few venues in the country meeting the rigorous requirements of the USCA to host such a championship event. Having previously hosted the event in 2021, the club stands as a testament to the exceptional standards required for national tournaments. Croquet is a sport that combines physical and intellectual skills, fostering social connections among its players. While most club members engage in the social aspect of croquet, this championship provides an opportunity for the Sarasota community to witness elite athletes competing at the highest level. The Sarasota County Croquet Club invites the local community to join in the festivities, encouraging everyone to witness the clash of titans as some of the world's best players compete for the honor of being crowned the national champion. For more information on the event, please visit https://www.croquetamerica.com/content.aspx?page_id=4002&club_id=962311&item_id=2132961. Looking ahead at 2025, the Sarasota County Croquet Club is excited to announce that next spring, it will host the World's Championship in Golf Croquet for players under 21. Details for this prestigious event will be revealed in the coming months. 

Bal Harbour Shops, the epitome of luxury retail destinations in the United States, is proud to announce the launch of its exclusive Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-up Tour, bringing the iconic allure of Bal Harbour to Sarasota, Florida. Featuring a premiere retail experience unlike any other, the Access Pop-up Tour showcases open-air shopping, designer boutiques, and the inaugural Bal Harbour Shops branded restaurant, The Whitman. Esteemed brands including Tiffany & Co., Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, Golden Goose, Etro, Gianvito Rossi, Addict, Santa Maria Novella, Assouline, Orlebar Brown, Christofle, and many more participate in this extraordinary limited-edition event. Kicking off just outside University Town Center Mall on March 2nd, this stop marks the second destination on a highly anticipated multi-city tour, following a wildly successful pop-up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-up brings the signature experience of Bal Harbour to a larger audience, allowing discerning shoppers to indulge in a unique blend of luxury, fashion, and dining. For the first time in its nearly six-decade history, Bal Harbour Shops extends its coveted luxury experience beyond Miami, offering patrons in Sarasota and beyond the opportunity to immerse themselves in the essence of Bal Harbour. With future stops planned in upscale cities across the Southeast, including Walton County, Florida and Greenville, South Carolina, the Access Pop-up Tour is poised to redefine luxury retail. Matthew Whitman Lazenby, President and CEO of Whitman Family Development, expresses excitement about this groundbreaking venture, stating, "We're thrilled to bring the tropical luxury shopping and dining experience of Bal Harbour to Sarasota for the first time in our history. With this roving Pop-up, we introduce a new and innovative solution at the crossroads of high-touch personal service and high-tech logistics, delivering on our mission to impress our guests with our distinctive level of excellence." Crafted by LOT-EK, the Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-up spans 17,000 sq. feet and features a curated collection of elegant shops and luxury boutiques. Built from thirty custom-built shipping containers, the branded pop-up includes covered walkways with fans, a retractable canopy, and The Whitman, a fine dining restaurant seating 150 guests. The restaurant and bar menus for The Whitman will be custom for this experience and only available at the Sarasota Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-up. Experience the pinnacle of luxury at the Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-up Tour, where every detail is meticulously crafted to evoke the grandeur and beauty of Bal Harbour. 

Pictured: Guests can experience fine dining at the Bal Harbour Shops Pop-up Tour..

The National Association of Home Builders awarded Waterside Place at Lakewood Ranch a gold “Best of American Living Award (BALA)” for the mixed-use community category. Now in its 38th year, the BALA Awards is the building industry’s premier residential design awards program. According to the judges, Waterside Place is “a great Main Street-type setting that emulates a beach/condo style development. The architecture is great, and the city center is clearly successful.” The BALA Awards spotlight building industry professionals who have redefined design excellence for homes and communities across North America. Winning projects showcase what building industry professionals need to know to set their product apart. The 36-acre Waterside Place – a retail, services, dining, and entertainment destination for the region – is walkable to a wide variety of rental and for-sale neighborhoods designed for every life stage and price point.  The town center is home to the Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch, Ranch Nite Wednesdays, live music on the plaza Friday and Saturday nights, monthly Movies in the Park, and is home to the “Sights and Sounds at Waterside Place” music and arts series. For more information about Waterside Place, visit WatersidePlace.com. For more information on Lakewood Ranch, please contact Lisa Barnott at 941-757-1542. 

 Christopher Alan Homes has been named the 59th ranked homebuilder by Home Builder Executive in its “Top 100 Private Home Builders” based on 2023 closings. The largest privately held homebuilder in Southwest Florida closed 569 homes in 2023, a 26% increase year-over-year and contributing to a cumulative total of more than 2,300 homes closed since 2017. Home Builder Executive, a leading news network for industry leaders, compiles the Top 100 Builders list by evaluating companies based on their annual closing performance, reflecting their ability to meet market demands effectively while maintaining exceptional standards of quality and service. In 2023, Christopher Alan Homes commemorated several milestones that helped contribute to its increase in home closings, including opening a new Palm Bay division on Florida’s East Central Space Coast and launching sales in Creekside Run at Babcock Ranch, where 27 homes sold during the first four months. Christopher Alan Homes also introduced the second phase of The Hammocks at West Port in Charlotte County. It recorded over $200 million in 2023 gross revenue, a 45% year-over-year increase despite ongoing industry-wide challenges, including labor shortages, lingering supply chain interruptions and rising interest rates. Headquartered in Southwest Florida, Christopher Alan Homes is a preferred single-family builder in Babcock Ranch, America’s first solar-powered town; West Port; Burnt Store Village and Deep Creek. The builder-owned company also builds on individual homesites in Charlotte, Sarasota and Lee counties in Southwest Florida and Palm Bay on Florida’s East Central Space Coast. For more information about Christopher Alan Homes visit christopheralanhomes.com or call 855-44-MYCAH. 

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty announced that Bev Murray has been named a  prestigious Chairman’s Circle Platinum Award winner by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. The Chairman’s Circle Platinum recognition is awarded to the top 1% of the global network of over 50,000 real estate professionals. Bev Murray has worked as a highly successful real estate professional in the Sarasota area since moving from the UK in 1999. Alongside her sister company Murray Homes, she is responsible for over $400 million of real estate bought, sold, and built in the area. Specializing in residential and vacant land purchasing and development sales, she is ranked in the top 1 percent of over 50,000 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices agents nationwide. Fluent in French and Spanish, Bev is a certified real estate negotiation expert (RENE), Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist®, and a member of the National Association of Realtors and the Global Business Council. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty serves 22 counties throughout Florida with 30 locations and approximately 1,600 sales professionals. The full-service brokerage company is part of HomeServices of America, one of the nation’s premier providers of homeownership services. The company is a franchise member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network and is the only global real estate brokerage franchise that is boldly focused on building a personally connected future through relationship-driven business, with best-in-class leadership, mentorships, business tools, and a worldwide network that is committed to making a lasting impact through lifelong relationships. Our network brings to the real estate market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability, and longevity as we are among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name. The company is the overall No. 1 fundraiser for the Sunshine Kids in Florida, which is dedicated to helping children with cancer. 

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New College of Florida has hired Bruce Gilley, Ph.D as a Presidential Scholar in Residence for the 2024-2025 academic year. Gilley is a distinguished professor of political science who will be on sabbatical from Portland State University in Oregon. He is one of the foremost scholars of democracy, political legitimacy, public policy, and global politics. An author of four university-press books and dozens of scholarly articles, Gilley is perhaps best known for writing ‘The case for colonialism” in 2017. Originally published in Third World Quarterly, the publication later withdrew the article after hostile feedback that included threats of violence against the publication’s editor. It was republished the Spring 2018 issue of the National Association of Scholars’ journal Academic Questions. Gilley was a Commonwealth Scholar at Oxford while earning his master’s degree and a Woodrow Wilson Scholar while completing his doctorate at Princeton. New College is rapidly expanding its faculty hiring ahead of the 2024-2025 academic year to meet the demand of growing student enrollment. This new contingent of faculty will join what is already an excellent assembly of top-flight professors in implementing the Logos | Techne curriculum and carrying on the tradition of exceptionally individualized education offered at New College. Initiatives that began this year, like the first-year course in Homer’s Odyssey and the distance-learning great-books program will grow and flourish as well. 

DRIVE AND DINE | Sarasota Ford unveils Le Mans Kitchen, a fine-dining restaurant inside the dealership, March 2024. 

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