Gulfshore Life May 2023

RIDING HIGH

THE BEST OF ISSUE

FROMFARMSTOTHE‘GLADESTOTHE

GULF—DISC OVER THE MAGIC OF LIFE

IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

WATERSIDE SHOPS

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how our acclaimed design team creates bespoke luxury interior design driven by the chapters of your life that inspire you. Schedule a complimentary personal Design Profile at our inspiration studio located in Naples or at DWest.com.

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#1

92 / Dining with the Cohns

Suzanne and Norman Cohn portray their love of craft, entertaining and fellowship through their grand table art collection.

104 / Marcus Jansen’s New Groove

The Fort Myers blue-chip artist moves into his first permanent studio and goes more introspective with his work.

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116 / Naples’ Francophile Horse Farm

Shore Acres Farm owners Janie and Mike Yag bring the heritage-driven, French-equestrian life to Golden Gate Estates.

Best of Season

GLORIOUS FOOD, GREAT SHOPS, & GRACIOUS BYWAYS

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President/CEO

Jim Schwartzel

Director of News+

Local Content

Tom Doerr

Editor in Chief

Stephanie Granada

Creative Director

Scott Glick

Managing Editor

Gina Valentino

Editor at Large

Dorothea Hunter Sönne

Food Editor

Andrew Atkins

Senior Writer

Jaynie Bartley

Assistant Editor

Emily Flournoy

Editorial Assistant

Addison Pezoldt

Editorial Fellow

Jenna Hackeman

ART Art Directors

Ed Melnitsky

Alberto Orta

P hoto Editors

Elizabeth Bankmann

Stephanie Broad

ADVERTISING Associate Publisher

Mindy Roosa

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Marketing Consultants

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Nikee Fellows

Natasha Gonzalez

Meredith Parsons

MARKETING

D irector of Marketing and Events

Rachel Galante

Digital Media Marketing Manager

Brittney Kleis

CIRCULATION

Director of Audience Development

Kerri Nolan

PRODUCTION

Production Manager

Martha Leavitt

Production Services Manager

Laura Noriega

ADMINISTRATION

Advertising Services Manager/

Reprint Sales & Distribution

Kathleen Hill

Community Advisory Board

Brian Tietz (11); Courtesy Shirlene Elkins, Ellin Goetz, Mark Loren, Sandy Stilwell Youngquist

Elliott H. Singer Managing Director and Founder, Fairview Advisors Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation Member-at-Large

Mark Loren Head Jewelry Designer/Owner, Mark Loren Designs 2016 Man of the Year

Gail Markham Founding Partner, Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company 2011 Woman of the Year

Rebecca Maddox Owner/Developer, Three60 Market, Three60 Wine and Celebration Park 2019 Woman of the Year

Denise Cobb Chair, Community Advisory Board Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation 2000 Woman of the Year

Dwayne Bergmann Principal Designer/ Owner, Dwayne Bergmann Interiors 2020 Man of the Year

Mary Susan Clinton Founder, Gallien Global Vision Inc. Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation 2002 Woman of the Year

Ingrid Aielli Co-Owner, Aielli Group 2016 Woman of the Year

Shirlene Elkins Real Estate Professional, John R. Wood Properties Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation 2003 Woman of the Year

Brooke Denson Real Estate Professional, Dina Marie Realty Trustee and Treasurer, SWFL Children’s Charities 2019 Woman of the Year

Ellin Goetz President, Goetz+Stropes Landscape Architects 2000 Woman of the Year

David Corban President, David Corban Architects 2020 Man of the Year

Adria Starkey President, Collier FineMark National Bank & Trust Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation 2000 Woman of the Year

Sandra Stilwell Youngquist Owner and CEO, Stilwell Enterprises 2006 Woman of the Year

Jennifer McCurry Jewelry Buyer and Curator, G. J. G, Marissa Collections

On the Cover

Shot on location at Shore Acres Farm, in Naples, by Brian Tietz

Model Cassidy St. Pierre, Wilhelmina

Stylist Anna Ruiz HMUA Dani Taverna, Duality Artistry

On the cover, Cassidy wears a linen set by Theme Dresser.

A Moment in Time

Last night, our team heard photographer Clyde Butcher talk to a room of environmental warriors at the Everglades Foundation’s gala. Clyde was funny and candid as he shared stories of capturing his first black-and-white image, Moonshot, in 1986; taking President Jimmy Carter on a swamp walk; and learning to love the Everglades. The day before, we were at Naples Botanical Garden, gathered with 700 Neapolitans in the name of conservation (and, maybe also for the Oscar de la Renta fashion show). The week prior, I was in Picayune Strand State Forest with Charlette Roman from the South Florida Water Management District, learning about the mammoth efforts to heal our waterways.

When I think about ‘the best of the Gulf,’ it’s the experiences that come to mind—from tramping through swamps to sitting down at dinner parties where every element is considered to being part of the infectious energy in a

fundraising room for a cause we care about. Thanks to the distinct landscape and the fascinating personalities filling our shores, Southwest Florida offers a wealth of moments like this.

In this issue, we dig into unparalleled experiences. Take Suzanne and Norman Cohn and their table art collection

(“A Table for Friends,” p. 92), in which every piece—from the Les Lalanne flatware to the recovered heirloom knives her father hid during the Holocaust—tells a story and carries meaning. They use the pieces in intimate dinners, meant to stoke deep conversations and thoughts.

I recently toured the Naples Art Institute’s Miradas de Mujeres: Isabelle de Borchgrave and The World of Frida Kahlo exhibit with the Cohns and the institute’s executive director Frank Verpoorten (“Refashioning Frida,” p. 272). Stepping into the gallery Frank and his team built for the show is like walking into another world—Isabelle and Frida’s worlds of color, passion and creativity. Frank’s understanding of and vision for the arts makes me thrilled for what’s to come.

We also see this fresh energy in people like dynamo Elysia Dawn, who recently returned to her Naples hometown to catapult the United Arts Collier into its next chapter (“United in Art,” p. 58). You may have already seen some of the immersive events she’s been creating. UAC’s February Love for the Arts combined forward-thinking visual, performing and culinary arts at Cambier Park. If you’re into art and haven’t met Elysia yet, make it a point to go see her.

We hope that her story and the rest of the people, places and ideas in this issue inspire you to celebrate the best of what the Gulf has to offer now.

Stephanie Granada Editor in Chief

Anna Gunselman

What is Paradise?

Since my wife, Retta, and I moved to Naples 25 years ago, we have constantly heard, “Living here is like living in paradise.” Well, I have always wondered what that phrase really means. So, at a recent Gulfshore Life Community Advisory Board meeting, I posed the question to my fellow board members and received many different answers.

Board president Denise Cobb recalls the dictionary definition of the word and how it encapsulates our hometown: a very beautiful, pleasant or peaceful place that seems to be perfect. “I find that paradise is being able to sit on the beach and watch a spectacular sunset with friends and a glass of wine in the dead of winter,” she says. For Fort Myers native Sandy Stilwell Youngquist, paradise is Captiva Island, where she’s long owned several businesses. “It’s a feeling of contentment mixed with gratitude,” she says, adding that she’s thankful to have found the place that brings her peace.

Of course, everyone appreciates the beaches, warm weather year-round and vast opportunities to get out in nature. “The enriching botanical gardens and outdoor activities, like boating

and fishing, keep my children eager to learn and help them appreciate their environment,” Jennifer McCurry says.

Adria Starkey says the phrase ‘living in paradise’ stems from the Garden of Eden. “It is where all of your needs and wants are satiated,” she explains. That is certainly the case here, where our members agree we have not only the fantastic setting, weather and culture but also great food and even better people. Mark Loren summarizes it as “a mosaic of beaches, weather, vibrant people, food and a generous community.” Mary Susan Clinton believes our paradise shines most when we’re called to prove our resilience, as with Hurricane Ian. “We united to support each other and rebuild, proving once again this place we call home is extraordinary and unique,” she adds.

The more I pondered the term and our members’ responses, the more I wanted to dig into the subject. I asked my spiritual guide, Rabbi Adam Miller, for his take. Thinking beyond the region’s immediate charms, he senses a deeper reason for the allure. “‘Paradise’ tends to resonate for many with the imagery of the Garden of Eden—a metaphor for a time in life when things felt simpler, more joyful and less stressful,” he says,

adding that a visit to Southwest Florida when you’re semi-retired or retired leaves you feeling young and carefree, thanks to the wealth of engaging activities and social opportunities. “Viewed through this lens, Southwest Florida is truly paradise, lifting one’s spirits and delivering a life full of blessing and hope,” he says.

I like that: A life full of blessing and hope. That’s what so many of us find in this well-kept, safe area where people really enjoy life. Simply paradise.

Elliott Singer Managing Director and Founder, Fairview Advisors Trustee, Naples Children & Education Foundation Member-at-Large

Created

by

Gulfshore Treasures

Art can be even more meaningful when it’s functional, as is the case in Suzanne and Norman Cohn’s Mystique penthouse. The couple often hosts intimate dinner parties, where all dinnerware—down to the smallest of spoons—is handcrafted by an artist and selected with intention. Pieces of the Cohns’ table art are currently featured within Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum’s Naples Collects show, running through October 15. We dive into the duo’s penchant for beauty and fellowship on p. 92.

Tina Sargeant; Shown: Robert Mickelsen fish goblet, Charles Savoie goblet, Steven Maslach Champagne flute.

The MED’s Moment

My first trip through The MED’s azure front door marks my umpteenth time visiting the Bayshore Arts District. This moment feels as familiar as it does new. My partner and I sit at the table, where we clasp flutes of bubbly. We toast, sip, and I close my eyes, losing myself in memory. The sunset’s golden hues spread across the cozy-cute dining room, sun warming my skin, and my mind shuffles through familiar scenes from the past when I felt the same sensation: Sprawling in the sun on a lazy river in San Antonio, sipping a cup of tea in a San Francisco cafe, laying on my grandmother’s heated kitchen floor in Ohio while she dozes in the other room.

This is Mary Brandt’s ode to Mediterranean flavors. Mary and her righthand man, chef Tommy Francavilla, opened the restaurant in October in buzzy Bayshore. In the last few years, the area has undergone a radical revitalization: Rebecca Maddox turned the neighborhood into a bonafide dining destination with Three60 Market, her

food truck-filled Celebration Park, and now, with her upcoming Rebecca’s Wine Bar & Market and private club The Maddox.

The MED marks the next evolution in Bayshore’s culinary legacy, and the restaurant reads as much as a love letter to food as it does to those comforting moments slumbering inside us. Because they touch on all the senses, meals often lock in moments or feel nostalgic, even if they don’t directly tie to a specific time or place but rather a feeling.

Tommy draws on this idea for his menu, which is informed by his native Italy and generations of Francavillas. Passed-down recipes find their way into classic and modernized takes on culinary traditions from the Mediterranean. Dishes, like the aubergine parmigiana (which Tommy loads with beef, veal and pork, just like his family taught him), lean heavily on Italian and Greek flavors. You’ll also find other inspirations from Tommy’s more than 35 years working in hospitality around the

Season

Culinary Debut — By Andrew Atkins — Photography by Brian Tietz

In the up-and-coming Bayshore Arts District, Hotel Escalante’s team transports you to a place of your own recollection.

world, learning to speak five languages, and even serving the British royal family while working in London restaurants. But every dish—whether the Spanish gazpacho or the tony version of a favorite camp treat on the dessert menu (more on that later)— ties back to evocative flavors or themes.

I dig into Tommy’s Fiocchi allo Zola (pear-stuffed pasta topped with freshly grated nutmeg and finished in a silky Gorgonzola béchamel—the sauce is a family recipe) as the sun sets and the amber flush of candlelight dimly illuminates the space, making us rely on our other senses. I’m

finely attuned to the sound of dining room manager Ciro Costanza carving through the crackling skin of a chicken, roasted with black truffle, tableside. My partner and I take in the show as the conscientious staff navigates the room in harmony. Tommy and Mary conduct the whole experience as if leading an orchestra, taking diners through moments of meals shared and cementing new memories.

A few weeks after our dinner, I meet with the duo on a breezy morning at Veranda E. Tommy leans toward me, one arm reaching toward Mary as if telling me a secret he

wants everyone to know. “I’ll never work for a more generous person in my entire life,” he says of the hospitality doyenne. Mary’s been in the Naples area on and off since 2003 and purchased Hotel Escalante in 2004. She remembers walking down a quiet Naples side street and stumbling on the locale as a sort of kismet. “It reminds me of Europe. It reminds me of Puerto Rico. It reminds me of New Orleans. All of my favorite places,” Mary says. Just off the hotel’s vine-laden brick courtyard, she created Veranda E as an alfresco dining escape with global inspirations. There,

Hotel Escalante and Veranda E owner, Mary Brandt, and chef Tommy Francavilla exalt Mediterranean flavors and the coast’s dreamy vibe at The MED.

P RI V A TE JEWELERS

BRIAN DENNEY & AMY PERRY

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surrounded by a burbling fountain and wicker-clad garden, each bite and sight transport you to a dreamy locale.

With The MED, Mary again delivers on her immersive and transportive approach. Inside, a cushy and intimate dining room juxtaposes the convivial outer yard. Before the dinner service, Tommy meanders through the patio toward the onsite aeroponic towers. He plucks fresh rosemary, thyme and tarragon to fold into a mirepoix with his blend of olive oil, which he uses to cover the octopus he confits for nearly four

hours before letting it kiss the grill and sending it out. Memories from Mary’s travels make their way onto the menu, too. She recalls a pizza she had in Venice. When she tasted it, Mary knew she had to have the pie on her menu. She contends that Tommy’s recreation—the Bronte-andria-parma A/R, topped with mortadella, burrata and Bronte pistachios—exceeds the original.

There’s a lightheartedness to the restaurant, which comes through in offerings like the s’mores board. Graham cracker squares are propped on marsh-

mallows, with a well of gooey chocolate on one corner of the board and a portable burner on the other, so you can roast the morsels to your heart’s content—another sensory-rich element that burnishes this dinner into our minds.

Keeping a dream alive takes work, and recreating that dream for others to enjoy takes another level of complexity. But for Mary and Tommy, it is just another day in their paradise—in the heart of our paradise. “We can’t wait to explore the next adventure,” Tommy says. And to create your next memory.

Every item on the evocative menu ties back to familiar flavors or themes. Tommy’s pear-stuffed Fiocchi allo Zola is finished with his family’s passed-down version of Gorgonzola béchamel.

La Dolce Vita

The pre-dinner aperitivo ritual takes hold in Southwest Florida, with intimate wine bars that emphasize specialized bottles, small plates and human connection.

The aperitivo pre-dinner-drink culture may have started in Italy, but the ritual transcends regional boundaries. The idea of gathering with friends at dusk to raise a glass conjures romantic notions of lazy afternoons and time well spent. Originally intended to ignite your appetite with a low-ABV sipper and morsels of olives and cheeses to tide you over until the main event, the tradition has become more about the experience of communing. And, it’s perfectly suited for our way of life in Southwest Florida, where we can duck inside and connect over curated vinos and thoughtfully crafted small plates after a day of strolling down Fifth Avenue South or cruising the waterways.

Over the past year, we’ve seen a bounty of new wine bars that transport the slow-dining style to our shores. Consider Casa Neri, on Naples’ Fifth Avenue South. You’d never know the space was once a Subway. Warm wood, a neutral palette and cascading greenery transform the restaurant into an upscale rustic haven that eschews visual distractions so diners hone in on the wine and small dishes, like their polpo arrosto: roasted octopus finished with chickpea puree and eye-catching dollops of basil cream. Casa Neri is the latest from brother-sister duo Andrea and Francesca Neri. Nearly a decade ago, they opened the traditional Italian Molto Trattoria, which is celebrated for its intimate setting and in-house pasta. They followed Molto with another Fifth Avenue South spot, seafood-focused La Pescheria, in 2018. For their next locale, the Neris wanted a different take on Italian dining. “There

are so many Italian restaurants on this street—and in this town,” Francesca says.

The Rome native and her husband, Domenico, scouted for chefs around Italy. They discovered Marco Nitride, a young talent from Naples, Italy, who is part of the Associazione Professionale Cuochi Italiani, a respected organization of professionals and chefs who act as ambassadors of Italian cuisine. They drove to Marco’s restaurant in Naples, the regional capital of Campania, and liked the food so much they brought him back to Naples, Florida, to helm the Casa Neri kitchen, which opened in December. Everything in the 25-seat restaurant is made in-house, from the culurgiones (traditional, eggplant parmigiana-stuffed Sardinian pasta) to the tortelloni alla Genovese, which originates in northern Italy. And the wine list, which features 50 to 60 labels, champions smaller, niche wineries with small productions, like Bolgheri-based Le Macchiole.

Italian-born Maria Vilella also brings a taste of her homeland from the heel of Italy’s boot, Puglia—or Apulia, as it’s known in English—to historic Naples with the opening of La Bella Apulia Gourmet Market & Apericena. Maria opened her first restaurant in East Naples in 2021, but the space was too large. She shuttered it once she found a better location for her apericena market and cafe, which melds aperitivo and dinner, in the Shoppes at Dockside. “The kitchen of the other restaurant was almost the size of this entire space,” she says. In true apericena style, you can order an

Christina Bankson

Restaurants like Casa Neri in Naples (below) and La Bella Apulia, from Maria Vilella (right), import the Italian tradition through their rustic bites and curated wine lists.

Aperol spritz or bellini and sip it alongside the bruschetta, salami and meatballs that Maria makes daily.

At this pocket-sized shop adorned with murals that look as if you’re peering into the ancient town of Martina Franca, she stocks the fridge entirely with imported cheeses (the SardoMagno with truffle shouldn’t be missed). Two daily homemade pasta dishes satiate those looking for a hearty meal. Many of the pastas get imported from Puglia, while the ravioli and 100-percent semolina pizza dough are made from scratch by Trulli Pasta, a local pasta and sauce maker, run by Domenico and Barbara Bosco. Enjoy the homey atmosphere while sipping a glass of wine—the majority are from Puglia, but you’ll also find bottles from other popular Italian wine-growing regions, so there are plenty of options to sit and linger. “In Italy, we don’t rush while eating,” Maria says. “I don’t turn tables here—I want people to have a place to sit, enjoy a glass of wine and relax.”

Further north in Fort Myers, Flock Wine Bistro takes cues from the buzzy aperitivo bars found in Rome’s Monti neighborhood, and specializes in boards (charcuterie, bruschetta) and ‘pinsa’ Romana flatbread pizzas. Roman-born Matteo Affatati and his wife, Alyson Casey, offer nearly 40 wines from the New and Old World (think: a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, vermentino from Sardinia and malvasia from the Canary Islands)—the majority poured by the glass. Here, the space is often full not long after opening, overflowing with the buzz of warm conversation and the clink of wine glasses raised for a toast as the sun sets. “We love the aperitivo lifestyle in Italy and how people gather together to mingle around food and wine,” Alyson says, adding they spent

Brian Tietz, Christina Bankson, Anna Nguyen

The team at Fort Myers’ Flock

Wine Bistro channels the flavors of Roman aperitivo bars and their robust charcuterie spreads. Right: Uva’s Vino & Tapas, owned by Fernando Uva, weaves in influences from his native Portugal.

five years planning the concept for Flock, which opened in November.

Nearby, Uva’s Vino & Tapas is the brainchild of local restaurant vet Fernando Uva. He opened the Italian restaurant Terra Nostra—reputed for its baked clams, calamari and homemade lasagna bolognese—on Fort Myers Beach in 2008 before selling it off a few years ago. He debuted Uva’s last summer, straying from his previous approach to focus on the other half of his heritage: Portugal. His daughter, Nicole, moved back to Fort Myers in early 2022 after eight years of working in New York City hospitality to manage the restaurant for her father. “Guests say it reminds them of New York City, and that is a compliment I wasn’t expecting to hear,” she says of the restaurant’s cosmopolitan vibe. Small plates take influences from Portugal (particularly Fernando’s native Algarve) and the Mediterranean, with tapas including Serrano ham croquettes, Portuguese sausage flambéed with grappa and salted cod fritters, a recipe Nicole tested out at home before bringing it to the restaurant’s chef, Tony Grieco.

In addition to having a nice list of cordials, like grappa and sambuca, the wine menu features around 50 labels, with a focus on Spanish and Portuguese bottles. The selection changes monthly with lesser-known names and more popular ones, such as the aromatic Casal Garcia Vinho Verde from northwest Portugal. “Fernando has always been a fan of making big wines accessible to everyone—which is why we have some reserve wines by the glass,” Nicole explains, adding that if their vendors come across a good wine from Chile or Morocco, they’ll add it to the list.

Dan Cutrona, Anna Nguyen

Best of Season — Chef to Know — By Kristine Gill —

Photography by Anna Nguyen

Fast Track

If you can make it in New York City, you can make it anywhere. That’s what Kayla Pfeiffer thought when she left home to pursue a degree at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Through school and after, she juggled classes and work as she honed her skills at various restaurants, including The Dutch in SoHo under chef Andrew Carmellini (the restaurant earned the top spot in The New York Times list of 10 new restaurants of 2011 for its contemporary take on American fare) and two-Michelin-starred The Roundhouse under chef Terrance Brennan in the Hudson Valley.

Make it she did: By 22, Kayla was executive chef at local chef Vincenzo Betulia’s The French Brasserie Rustique in Naples. And now, she leads the kitchen at PJK Neighborhood Chinese, the latest from P.F. Chang’s and Fleming’s steakhouse restaurateur Paul Fleming. “It’s not common to be an executive chef at the age of 22, where everyone—your line cooks, your bus or your food runners,

most people—are older than you,” the now-27-year-old Kayla says. “For me, it’s a lot of observing everyone around me and reading the room, and I’ve done that my whole life.”

Seven years ago, Kayla moved to Naples with her then-partner. “I saw a lot of potential to elevate the dining scene, create something unique to this area,” she says. She remained laser-focused on her culinary career and became enmeshed here, beginning as a line cook at The French in 2016. She quickly worked her way up to executive chef and then helped Vincenzo open Bar Tulia Mercato. “He believed in me [to the point] where I could be really creative and proud to put a dish in the window,” Kayla says. “That’s what I want my cooks to do, as well.”

By the time Paul began looking for a chef for his new restaurant, Kayla had established herself as a culinary force. “She is a great leader that, with the support of her team, brings excitement and creativity to our menu,” Jody Fleming,

CEO of Paul Fleming Restaurants, says. Kayla also believes food should tell a story. That’s embodied in the dirty fried rice with duck confit, kimchi, sweet soy, chili oil and poached egg, which nods to Paul’s native Louisiana. Much of the food connects to cultures or experiences outside PJK’s inviting, buzzy space, which takes in the Naples breeze from the front garage-style doors, past the sexy bar and into the lantern-dotted dining room. The chicken lettuce wraps will be familiar to those who frequent P.F. Chang’s, and the golden, crisp lobster Rangoon marries the bounty of the sea and Americanized Chinese food.

Each time Kayla steps foot in the kitchen, it’s something of a homecoming. Her father owned an American restaurant and a pizza place. “As soon as [my dad] taught me how to pick up a knife, I was in there and creating on my own and cooking whenever I could,” she says. And that’s what she does every night at PJK: create, cook, dream.

At 27, Kayla Pfeiffer is on her third executive chef gig in Naples—her latest is at Paul Fleming’s new PJK Neighborhood Chinese.

Best of Season — High Pointe — By Jaynie Bartley — Photography by Anna Nguyen

Best Foot Forward

Fort Myers’ Iliana Lopez and Franklin Gamero launch the region’s first professional dance company.

While arts and culture abound locally, Southwest Florida has been missing one essential institution: a professional ballet company. Now, that’s changing with the premier of Florida Gulfshore Ballet, from the talented folks behind Fort Myers’ Gulfshore Ballet academy (you may have seen their students perform on stage at Barbara B. Mann in past seasons).

For more than a decade, former Miami City Ballet dancers Iliana Lopez and Franklin Gamero have worked with local talent—from tip-toeing tots to classically trained athletes looking to perfect their fouetté—at their Gulfshore Ballet academy in Fort Myers. Now, the couple aims to keep homegrown talent on local stages (and attract world-class dancers) by creating

the first professional company, Florida Gulfshore Ballet. “We were losing all of our students,” Iliana says. When the troupe debuts with performances around Collier and Lee this fall, three of her students join as trainees, intending to go professional with the company. The couple auditioned in Florida, New York and Japan, drawing global dancers from respected companies, like Miami City Ballet, for their 16-person troupe.

Performances draw from the late choreographer Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros, who was instrumental in

establishing Miami City Ballet as one of the country’s leading companies as their resident choreographer for 15 years. Iliana and Franklin are eager to incorporate his neoclassical style into their seasonal programming.

While working toward the official launch later this year, Iliana and Franklin welcomed their first audience last month with a fundraising brunch and show themed around Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Gulfshore Ballet. “It’s always been our dream to launch a company in Southwest Florida,” Iliana says.

The former Miami City ballet dancers and longtime Fort Myers instructors have combed the world to find the best talent for their professional dance troupe.

United in Art

Naples native turned New York City ballet pro, Elysia Dawn, returns home to reimagine the 43-year-old United Arts Collier.

Following a successful career dancing around the globe and fundraising for the arts in New York City, Naples native Elysia Dawn returned two years ago to shake things up in her hometown’s cultural scene. As the new executive director at United Arts Collier (UAC), the county’s 43-year-old, state-designated arts agency, the dancer-turned-nonprofit-leader has the vision to unite local art forms, marrying culinary, visual and performing arts for stellar collaborations. The mission was clear from the organization’s relaunch in February, with the Love for the Arts event at the UAC’s new home base, Cambier Park’s Norris Community Center. The mixer showcased artwork from four distinct painters, a performance by violinist Daniela Shtereva, a film by Lori Ersolmaz projected on the Norris’ facade and bites from Olde Naples Chocolate and Seventh South Craft Food + Drink.

And she’s already infusing UAC’s programming with fresh air, informed by her world-class familiarity with the arts and her open-minded, erudite charisma. Since taking over in November, Elysia has updated

the organization with a new name (though with the same, longheld UAC acronym), an updated logo and a fitting motto: All the Arts for All of Collier. “We are not an altogether different organization—we are just evolving,” Elysia says. Longstanding partnerships with institutions like Collier County Public Schools and the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center remain, and she’s honing the nonprofit’s focus as a central arts resource for Collier County. “If you want to know anything—from ‘What show do I want to go see tonight?’ to ‘What grants are available to me as an artist?’—I want you to be able to come to us,” she says. Nurturing artists is vital to Elysia. After Love for the Arts, Lori’s film, Cyanotypes with its dreamy kaleidoscopic imagery— was featured as a public art installation at the Norris Center to amplify Lori’s art. “We want to help draw attention to the work local artists and arts organizations are doing,” Elysia says. “We’re spreading opportunities around so that we can stimulate new ideas and collaborations.”

Elysia credits her Naples roots—including her parents, grade-school art teachers and first dance instructor, Deborah Clementi (who coincidentally co-founded the UAC in the ’80s)—for nurturing her creative impulses. After starting dance classes as a tot, she ventured to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts for advanced training in classical ballet before transferring to the Miami City Ballet School to learn choreographer George Balanchine’s athletic style. She danced professionally from 17 to 27 until an acute injury kept her from dancing full-time.

Inspired by a fellow dancer returning to school, Elysia enrolled at Columbia University and graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s in art history and a concentration in business management. An internship arranging performing arts events at New York City’s The Frick Collection led to a another internship-turned-full-time-job at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

She took advantage of The Met’s scholarship program to get a master’s in

nonprofit management from Columbia, and working in The MetLiveArts department, she quickly learned to fundraise. The Met did not have consistent dance programming, and Elysia stepped up to the challenge, growing the sector into a robust calendar. Without a “single penny” in the dance budget, she was charged with securing performances three years out. During the pandemic, she helped organize performances for online audiences. One such project is Songs from the Spirit, with New York City Ballet alum Silas Farley. Silas and six other dancers, vocalists and a cadre of musicians performed the ballet—which he formed around the question, “What does freedom mean?”— throughout the Met’s encyclopedic galleries. “That’s part of my ‘all the arts for all of Collier’ idea,” she says. “Seeing how all the arts interact and inform one another—I want to stimulate that here, too.”

Meanwhile, living alone in her city apartment during the pandemic, Elysia yearned to be closer to family in Naples.

“Seeing how all the arts interact and inform one another—I want to stimulate that here, too.”

Since starting at UAC in November, Elysia’s made waves with interactive programming and collaborations, like the recent World Art Day celebration with Naples Art District and UAC’s pop-up exhibition space at The Collective.

She moved home in late 2021 and had a lightbulb moment when she saw the listing for UAC’s executive director position. Soon after starting in the role, she got with the board and assessed the organization’s mission and challenges, familiarizing herself with UAC veterans and bringing new faces into the fold. She’s also been going into the archives and talking with longtime members to catalog the organization’s history, combing through boxes holding decades’ worth of meeting notes and pamphlets.

Starting in the aftermath of a once-in-acentury hurricane brought its challenges. And, rather than rebuild the organization’s battered rental gallery on Fourth Avenue North, she and her team let the brickand-mortar go to create satellite locations throughout the county, like the UAC’s current pop-up exhibition space at The Collective in Naples Design District (and, she’s in talks for 10 other locations).

Elysia’s also brainstorming potential programming for the Norris Center’s outdoor bandshell. “I performed on that bandshell stage when I was maybe 4 or 5, so I have a fondness for that space,” she says. Growing up as a fledgling ballerina in Naples, Elysia understands the importance of sharing arts and culture in your backyard: “Something that was always implicit in UAC, but that is good for us to be sure that we communicate, is the positive impact that the arts have on the community.”

STYLISH SENIOR LIVING AT Siena Lakes

Tree of Life

Conservationists, landscapers and sustainably minded architects plant native species for storm protection and an overall happier, healthier ecosystem.

Hurricane Ian reinforced the value of rebuilding stronger, more resilient landscapes that respond to the temperamental climate.

Groups such as Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island, Naples’ chapter of Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS), Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) and Naples Botanical Garden are doubling down on promoting species that thrive in sandy soil, stand up to salty wind and surge, and foster a healthy ecosystem.

The Garden’s conservation team is working to identify the best native and regionally appropriate plants to replenish beach dunes, which help prevent erosion and keep storm surges at bay. “We need to build back with diversity,” vice president of conservation, Chad Washburn, says. While native plants are often heartier, the issue is more nuanced. Shallow-rooted trees, like live oaks, can topple over in heavy storms, while the deep-rooted Cuban tamarind can stand the test of time. By request, The Garden works with the city and homeowners’ associations to guide on replanting strategies.

On Marco, Calusa Garden Club kicked off 2023 by planting a native gumbo limbo (great for wind protection) in Leigh Plummer

Park and hosted a post-hurricane planting workshop with an FNPS master gardener in February. Further north, Sanibel’s SCCF Native Landscapes & Garden Center published the Post Hurricane-Ian Replanting Guide, with more than 50 Southwest Florida natives that fared well, like strangler figs and dune sunflowers.

The lessons are essential for residences, too. Goetz+Stropes Landscape Architects’ Ellin Goetz points to the native sabal palms she nestled along a Port Royal home’s waterfront. “They didn’t bat an eye with the inundation on that property,” she says. The trees stand up best in their natural form, with thick boots and fanning green fronds to catch the breeze, and planted in clusters with other natives. On Sanibel, Leigh Gevelinger, of Coastal Vista Design, plants wind- and salt-resistant gumbo limbos with tufts of silver saw palmettos for an extra buffer on coastal properties.

Perhaps most essential to Florida’s sensitive ecosystems: mangroves. If you’re lucky enough to live with them, Ellin urges embracing their natural form, creating vistas to look through the mangroves rather than cutting over them.

Upping the Game

This month, Bonita Bay Club is home to one of the foremost tournaments for female tennis players to break out.

Blistering serves, long baseline rallies and sudden drop-shot winners—some of the next big names in women’s tennis take the court at Bonita Bay Club for the FineMark Women’s Pro Tennis Championship from May 1 to 7. One of only five annual Women’s U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) Pro Circuit tournaments held nationwide that draws players who vie for $100,000 in total prize money, the event gives athletes a chance to earn points to improve their Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour rankings and get into the larger tournaments. “This event is where the rising stars come out,” says Paula Scheb, Bonita Bay Club’s director of sports and a U.S. Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Master Professional.

American tennis star Coco Gauff, now ranked sixth in the world, played the inaugural event as a 15-year-old in 2019. Later that summer, she reached the Round of Sixteen at Wimbledon,

Best of Season — The Tournament — By Randy Kambic — Photography by Nick Shirghio

The only $100,000 Women’s USTA tournament in Florida frequently features the top-ranked 125 female players.

and last year, she was the runner-up at the French Open. Lauren Davis, who won the FineMark tournament in 2019, reached a career-high ranking in the top 30. And 2021 champion Katie Volynets made it to the third round of the Australian Open in January.

The draw is particularly rich in American talent, with half of last year’s singles field hailing from the United States. (Several wild card entries are usually bestowed upon members of the Florida Gulf Coast University tennis team.) Tennis fans may also recognize some established names, like former top-10 player CoCo Vandeweghe, who played last year’s event as part of her return to the sport after an injury.

In addition to brushing up on young talent, you can pick up some tips for your own game. “[You] learn by watching the footwork, what they do with their eyes and their focus between points and games,” Paula says. “The sheer athleticism is amazing.”

SWFL is For Car Lovers, A Sonnet

Writer Michael Korb pens a love letter to our region’s motorhead culture, with new Lamborghini and Porsche dealerships on the horizon, weekly car meet-ups, a world-class automobile festival and supercars on every major road.

Shall I compare thee to the brash Countach? From the Lamborghini Naples brand new, Or a Ferrari Spider paid in cash; Stuck on 41, hurling words of blue.

Buy a car condo to be safe and sound. Though Cars & Coffee will find you bested, True fanatics are Revs Institute bound. But Miles digs those who are Sebring or Daytona tested.

For in our land of sunshine and beaches, Where Bentleys grow and G-Wagons rise, Our Cars on 5th taste it doth teaches; Fort Myers’ Porsche is growing four times its size.

We do love our rides from boot to bonnet, As proven by this car lovers’ sonnet.

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10 Gabby Song

Gisselle & Jorge Calleja

2 Guests gather under the stars in Sugden Plaza

3 KidzAct as Newsies

4 Peggy Monsoon, Nancy Hayer

5 Tim & Stephanie Savage

Bryce & Katie Alexander

Denny & Tanya Glass

Henk & Jackie Morelisse

Ron & Kat Zagel

Front & Center Gala / Hosted at Sugden Plaza in support of The Naples Players

The Front & Center Gala marked the biggest fundraiser of the season for The Naples Players. Guests enjoyed dinner from Ocean Prime, a show from KidzAct students and dancing to music from CTO High Voltage. Patty and Jay Baker generously matched all donations, which benefit programming, including the KidzAct performing arts classes for children.

Guest List — Photography by AP Alexander

Z OObilee / Hosted at and in support of Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

No doubt one of the most fun events of season, Zoobilee fills Naples Zoo with stands from top restaurants, beer and cocktail stations, and plenty of opportunities to interact with wildlife after hours. One of the highlights for guests this year was meeting the African crested porcupine, Necco.

Guest List — Photography by AP Alexander

1 Stephanie Prebish, Henley & Nelly Shotwell

2 Bob & Terry Edwards

3 Giana Rizzo, Zoe Bartels, Zan DiCicco, Steven Chavez

4 Pam & John Blakely

5 Ann & Senator Rick Scott

6 Necco the porcupine

7 Guests mingle under the trees

8 Sloan Nagy, Nick Pearson, Stephanie Ross

9 Bailey Blanchette, Cloudy the snake, Marcia Smith

10 Nikkie & Mike Dvorchak

1 Amy & John Quinn

2 Laura & Tori Georgelos

3 Jana Seaman, Daniella Garcia, Allison Rainey

4 Sally & Adam DeFrancesco

5 John & Carrie Cooney

6 Michael Enos, Carrie Brigham

7 Mary & Joe Smallwood

8 Sonya Ansari

9 Holly & Marc Shapiro, Nancy Iuculano

10 Jon & Sharon Lockwood

11 STARs on the dance floor with Pzazz entertainers

12 Matt Martel, Katelyn Healy

STAR Gala / Hosted at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón in support of STARability

More than 600 attendees united for STARability Foundation’s fifth-annual STAR Gala to support individuals with disabilities. Guests bid on experiential prizes during the live auction—including a Bahamas yacht trip and a Cabos getaway—raising $2.8 million for the organization.

Guest List — Photography by Nicole Nixon and Zee Anna

Hospital Ball / Hosted at Arthrex One in support of NCH Healthcare System

The focus for this year’s Hospital Ball, themed Body in Motion, was orthopedics—and what a party it was. Arthrex founder and president Reinhold Schmieding and his wife, Erika, served as honorary chairs for the event, which included the award for Physician of the Year, Dr. Mazen AbuAwad. In its 64th year, the longest-running fundraiser in Naples raised $1.3 million, and Patty and Jay Baker once again stepped up for our community, announcing a $20 million matching grant for the healthcare nonprofit.

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7 Matt Devitt, Lindsey Sablan

8 Paul & Barbie

9 Kelli & Troy Munn,

10 Julie & Dr.

Guest List —

Photography by Louis Venne

1 David & Karen Gilbert, Bill & Jacqueline Lalone, Jan Kantor

2 Garrett & Diana Richter, Patty Baker, Kris & Paul Hiltz, Jay Baker

Scott & Simone Lutgert

Kevin & Cortney Beebe, Becky & David Gust

Jim McGraw, Sherie Marek, Karen & Sean Murphy

Monte & Usha Ahuja

Hills

Chris Marchand

James Guerra

BEST OF STYLE / Designers, jewels and finery for a sophisticated look

Marco Island’s Annie Bags

Snake Eyes

Annie Handbags uses ethically sourced Everglades python skin for fierce minaudières.

Chicago-born Annie Diamantidis moved with her family to Chios, Greece, when she was 5. Growing up on the island, Annie was drawn to beauty and style but lacked access to the fashion world. She learned to sew and create from her seamstress mother. “I figured if I wanted something, I would have to make it,” Annie says.

After returning to Chicago, graduating from DePaul University and working with ‘Queen of Hoops’ Lana Bramlette, of Lana Jewelry, Annie launched her eponymous handbag collection in 2009. Exotic skins, including python, have long starred in her designs. When she moved to Southwest Florida in 2016, Annie learned about invasive pythons and the havoc they wreak on the Everglades. Inspired to take her scaly bags further, she started working with suppliers to source skins from local python hunters. “I figured this is great—help the ecosystem and make beautiful bags at the same time,” the part-time Marco Islander says.

Trips to Greece and her Florida home now inspire her biannual collections, which are sold at Casanova boutique in Naples.

Best of Style — Designer to Know — Photography by Anna Nguyen

Skins are sourced ethically, and leftover material goes to make matching rings, earrings, belts and necklaces, so nothing is wasted . “I feel like I’m doing my part,” she says. “As a Floridian and business owner, I feel it’s so important to promote sustainability.” Southwest Florida artists hand-paint the skins for iridescent looks, like with the Dynami Minaudière

The designer channels playful trends and her Greek heritage, as seen in the Evil Eye Python Minaudière

Though she also works with other skins, she likes the soft texture of python, which is easy to manipulat e into unique shapes, with pleats or rounded edges. The snakeskin is also thick and durable. “[The bags] are kind of like heirlooms—you can pass them down from generation to generation,” Annie says.

PORT ROYAL  GORDON DRIVE

New to the market is this stunning beachfront masterpiece! This is the interior parcel of one of the largest beachfront legacy properties on the market in Southwest Florida. Combined, all three properties span over 15 acres with 812 linear feet of beach frontage. This spectacular property represents a once in a lifetime, singular opportunity to build a true legacy estate in Naples and Port Royal! In addition, it is one of the largest desirable beachfront properties in the United States. This expansive, unique gulf frontage property is unlike any other! Furthermore, if all three parcels are purchased together is can be split into approximately five 160 feet lots. Rarely does a property of this magnitude become available with this many continuous buildable acres and immense opportunities! This property is located within the luxurious community of Port Royal in Naples Florida and is hidden behind gated entries for the utmost level of privacy and security. This property is close to everything downtown with a close proximity to the club, and just a ten-minute trip to Naples executive airport!

Annie’s vertical, golden-green minaudière is named Demeter , after the Greek goddess of agriculture.

“I want a woman to feel strong and powerful when she’s carrying [the handbag],” she says.

All styles from Annie Handbags, anniebags.com

FEATURES / A deep dive into the soulful stories of the region

“I don’t want to live in a museum. If it breaks, it breaks. Think about people who spend a fortune on a very good opera ticket. What are they left with when they go home? The experience.” —Norman Cohn on collecting and enjoying table art with his wife, Suzanne

92 Dining with the Cohns 104 Marcus Jansen’s new groove 116 Naples’ Francophile horse farm

A TABLE FOR FRIENDS

BY LAUREN AMALIA REDDING PHOTOGRAPHY BY TINA SARGEANT

Suzanne and Norman Cohn’s table art collection reflects a life spent cultivating love, abundance, beauty and fellowship.

“When I was 12 years old, I told my mother that I hated, hated, hated the holidays,” Suzanne Cohn says. By that time, she didn’t have a strong sense of belonging.

Her family, Holocaust survivors, who fled Europe following World War II, had been living in Australia for three years. Come Christmastime, Suzanne missed the masses that she’d been brought to by the Catholic family who hid them in Poland during Hitler’s reign, and at Hanukkah, she missed the Jewish customs her mother had given up, her faith shattered by the war.

Suzanne remembers her father gesturing toward the empty chairs encircling their dining room table. “He told me, ‘I can’t give you this,’” she says, referring to lost family members who should have filled the seats. “But my father promised me that, one day, I’d sit at a table with a big family of my own.”

Now, Suzanne and her husband, Norman, with the help of their house and art manager, Michael Smith, live out her father’s prophecy and make it into effervescent yet tactile experiences generously choreographed for family and friends. The Cohns collect what’s referred

Pieces from the Cohns’ extensive table art collection are currently shown at Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum’s Naples Collects exhibit. The setting includes treasured works, including Les Lalanne flatware (left), designed circa 1965 for Salvador Dalí. Norman surprised Suzanne with a 120-piece set (in honor of the Jewish blessing for a long life) for her 60th birthday. “He’s so romantic in his thinking,” she says. Also shown: A HEOS Ceramics egg vessel and a Coral Dalton fish plate.

Having lost family during World War II, Suzanne is keenly inclined toward hosting intimate gatherings filled with laughter and love. Every piece tells a multitude of stories—of the artist, the medium, the time when it was acquired and the many moments shared. After visiting their home, Philadelphia sculptor Steve Tobin created a set of 14 plates, imprinted with fabric and cast in porcelain (center). Also

shown: A Charles Savoie goblet and Fish Totem goblet by Florida-based Robert Mickelsen.

to as table art. (“Or maybe the art of the table,” Suzanne says. “That’s so much more elegant.”) In their homes, each plate, goblet, serving dish and spoon is a work of art.

The Cohns host feted dinner parties in their contemporary Naples penthouse that regularly puts their art to practical use. “I don’t want to live in a museum,” Norman insists. “If it breaks, it breaks. Think about people who spend a fortune on a very good opera ticket. What are they left with when they go home? The experience. All of it gets used.”

“The storytelling comes from each piece, not from the collection itself,” Suzanne adds, explaining that she doesn’t keep dining sets intact, but breaks them up to weave individualized settings. “Each setting is carefully orchestrated,” she says. She and Michael may pair Philadelphia artist Mardi Jo Cohen’s Art Deco-inspired flatware with port goblets that show stems made of swinging glassblown figures by Venetian Lucio Bubacco, their delicacy countered by a jagged-edged, inky black ceramic plate by New Jersey-based John Shedd. New Yorker Coral Dalton’s plate, with a small fish that appears as if it washed onto the porcelain, may lay next to a tiny salt cellar, reminiscent of a fossilized, speckled egg, by Australian Tracy Muirhead. The knives from the wedding silverware her father buried during the war and later recovered often make their way onto the table. Suzanne estimates that it may take two to three days to curate each setting, which is tailored to guests’ sensibilities.

The guest list itself is a considered labor of love. “It’s so critically important to both of us that we

blend the guests,” Suzanne says. “They must share similar traits but be divergent.” The Cohns’ table stimulates conversation and nurtures relationships amongst people who might not otherwise break bread together. “It’s sharing,” Norman chimes in. “We just love to share with people and hope they leave with memories.”

During gatherings, the dinnerware perches directly on the buffed steel surface of the Cohns’ brawny dining room table, crafted by Canadian artist Colin Schleeh. The pieces pop against the table’s warm gray. Cleverly recessed lighting above—two rows of six minuscule spotlights, one for each seat when the table’s fully set for 12—makes the intricate table art cast dramatic shadows on the tabletop, like a web of lace.

The table art also blends seamlessly with the Cohns’ larger collection in their Mystique home, which mostly centers around glass art. Suzanne’s drawn to glass’ oxymoronic character. “It’s fragile but permanent in its hard surface. It’s a metaphor for life itself,” she says. Much of the artwork—like the infinity mirror installation of insects, birds, fish and reptiles endemic to Naples by Vienna-based Mischer’Traxler Studio, in the powder room—recalls the curiosity and playfulness of Alice in Wonderland.

Though the Cohns have too many pieces at this point for Suzanne and Norman to enumerate, Suzanne estimates that around 70 percent of their

Theirs is a living collection, with most pieces commissioned and everything used for dinner parties and everyday life. The Blow a Kiss sculpture was recently part of Norman’s 90th birthday dinner. Also shown: Art Deco-inspired flatware by Mardi Jo Cohen, from the couple’s Philadelphia hometown; a Harold Caster and Dorothy Cooper platter; a German pewter hunting plate; a Ron Kusins pewter oyster shell; and a Chinese artisan napkin ring and napkin.

table pieces were directly commissioned from the artists, some of whom don’t usually foray into table art. Steve Tobin—whose large, abstracted White Rainbow Root sculpture graces the grounds of Naples Botanical Garden—was so inspired after a visit to the Cohns’ home that the Philadelphia-based sculptor fashioned a set of 14 dinner plates, imprinted with fabric and cast in porcelain to resemble shells, just for the couple. Suzanne speaks about Tobin as she speaks about each artist from whom they’ve collected over the decades: warmly, as a dear and admired friend. “The simple purity of collecting something made in our lifetime means that we’re meeting and knowing the artist’s mind and heart,” Suzanne says. During a party the Cohns hosted in 2021 for all the artists whose work is represented in their Naples condo, Tobin hid birds’ nests made from shimmering wire around the apartment for Suzanne to later uncover one by one. The affection between the collectors and artists is enduring and mutual.

And the affection between Suzanne and Norman is still palpable and poetic after 58 years together. She recalls her 60th birthday, when Norman surprised her with a gift—flatware like the set FrançoisXavier and Claude Lalanne made for Salvador Dalí

A DIY glass terrarium covers a tiger dish by the famed French glass studio Daum. Also pictured: a plate by Florida-based Dennis DeBon, Shozo Toyohisa flatware (with a piece used on the set of Star Trek ), an iridescent tumbler by Colin Heaney and a Champagne flute by pioneering Chinese artist Loretta H. Yang. The cheese knife is from the silverware set Suzanne’s grandmother gifted her parents for their wedding. The family buried six of the knives to hide when the Nazis invaded Poland. Suzanne later had Maine artist Holly Churchill Lane embellish the recovered knives with barbed wire bound by hearts and create a resting dish that reads, “Good Deeds Triumph.”

Suzanne and her house and art manager, Michael Smith, curate settings to suit dinner guests’ sensibilities. Drinkware by Venetian glass master Lucio Bubacco; Charles Savoie and his intricate patterning; American glass artist Josh Simpson; and Umberto Bellotto, who draws from his blacksmith background, add whimsy to the table. Right: RIEDEL balloon goblet etched by Philip Ensmenger, Umberto Bellotto goblet and Robert Mickelsen Bumble Bee goblet.

in 1965. During a visit to the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, Suzanne was riveted by the famed French sculpture and design duo’s work. “In one of the rooms was a whole table for 12 people set with this flatware. It had stanchions, so you couldn’t come close, but you could still see it and experience the magic,” she recalls, beaming. Unbeknown to Suzanne, Norman commissioned another set from Les Lalanne for her milestone birthday. The handles of each whimsical piece resemble twigs adorned with winged insects and curling, veined leaves, as if plucked from a forest floor and immortalized in silver. “Norman always likes to surprise me with things; he’s so romantic in his thinking,” she says, adding that Norman commissioned 120 pieces for the set. “There’s a Jewish saying for when you wish someone a long life, you wish them 120 years.”

Every piece on their table reflects the couple’s appreciation for life and those they hold dear. “Your values dictate what you do in your life,” Norman says. “And memories keep things alive,” Suzanne adds. Photos of their five children and 11 grandchildren are interspersed among the furnishings and artwork, showing that their penthouse—sleek and immaculate as it is—isn’t just a house but a home, a place for family to gather. And, when their loved ones share a meal around their thoughtfully arranged table, every chair is filled.

By Lauren Amalia Redding

Photography by Brian Tietz

For more than a decade, Marcus Jansen opened the doors to his Unit A studio on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, allowing passersby to stop in for a chat while he filled canvases with his message-driven imagery. These days, the artist revels in solitude as he slings paint within the confines of his new white-walled fortress in downtown Fort Myers. “Now, if I do a show, there’s a lot of press and a certain amount of limelight,” he says with a faint grimace. He bought the new space on the heels of gaining representation from a major international art force, Almine Rech Gallery. “To get to the career that I have now required a lot of tactical moves,” Marcus says. “There’s an army behind me.”

As a Gulf War veteran, whose unit was among the last to leave

the Middle East, Marcus speaks without equivocation. In the past few years, the artist has catapulted into the art world’s rock-star territory. After decades of dogged hustle and punchy successes, scoring a new studio fueled his already-formidable fire. Known for championing fellow Black artists, and long respected for his lack of hubris and under-the-radar philanthropy, Marcus downplays it all. “There’s been a lot of shifts,” he says simply.

Marcus speaks softly, but decisively, as he names European museums in his New York accent. He’s Southwest Florida’s only blue-chip artist since contemporary juggernaut Robert Rauschenberg passed away in 2008 on Captiva Island. Marcus’

Marcus’ longtime dealer, Richard Beavers, introduced the artist to renowned gallerist Almine Rech, who now also represents the Fort Myers painter. Since partnering with Almine, Marcus has focused on more personal works. His art still supports fellow Black artists and covers politics in the purest sense of the word. “Meaning, peoples’ affairs,” he says.

While his longheld Unit A studio on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was often open to the public, Marcus maintains privacy within his new, white-walled fortress downtown. His works have since taken a more introspective tone with stylized self-portraits.

work has been in Architectural Digest and The New York Times, snapped up by pop star Nicole Scherzinger and basketball phenom Carmelo Anthony, and in institutions from The Bronx Museum of the Arts to the Smithsonian. Marcus’ solo exhibition at Orlando’s Rollins Museum of Art in late 2020, E Pluribis Unum, prompted Richard Beavers—his longtime dealer with two eponymous galleries in New York—to share Marcus’ work with a fellow gallerist and collaborator. She just happened to be Almine Rech, the wife of Pablo Picasso’s grandson, Bernard. Her galleries continue the legacy of Picasso’s avant-garde approach to painting. Impressed, Almine mounted three solo shows for Marcus in her London and Paris locations within two years. “She’s given

me the confidence to paint what I need to paint, because she’s an artist herself,” he says. “Even as a gallerist and dealer, she’s not from the outside looking in.” Now selling exclusively through Almine and Richard, Marcus can dedicate more time to the works that fuel him. Marcus considers his paintings, often labeled ‘urban expressionism,’ to be somewhat autobiographical. “All topics I address are personal experiences,” he says. “So, you can tie almost everything I paint back to me. I use introverted feelings on an extroverted platform.” Marcus’ imagery ranges from street scenes to aerial views to imposing, single figures, all painted loosely, embedded in fields of almost-lacquered color or webs of abstracted marks with a slight graffiti influence. Now that he owns his space, there’s a fresh

sense of security leading the artist to reflect more on himself and, in turn, his pieces appear almost as self-portraits. In Afro Painter, a solitary figure stands in a dark hallway with arms outstretched in every direction—a reflection of the constant hustle throughout Marcus’ career.

When his lease was up on Unit A, Marcus decided to set down more permanent roots to pump out works for shows with Almine and Richard, and for his personal collection. He purchased the 2,864-square-foot abode, biking distance from his family home, in 2021. The studio’s exterior is cool and sparing but not chilly upon approach, with a fence of native clusia surrounding the property. The structure blends elements of Art Deco and Bermudian architecture with white

stucco walls, sloping arches and barreled ceilings. To avoid having any distractions, Marcus painted the sculptural home white from the inside out, leaving only the artsy, primary-colored stained glass detail on the staircase that anchors his alfresco courtyard-style backyard to the wraparound porch and rooftop deck.

“You can see everything from up there,” Marcus says. Inside, he gutted the downstairs—leaving the kitchen per city codes—to make room for his more than 6-foot paintings, allowing paint-splattered concrete floors to accent the art in his main working space (the floors are kept tidy elsewhere). Office spaces upstairs keep business and creativity separate.

While he’s now more sequestered from the public, Marcus

Marcus Jansen’s Hybrid Albino (2013), oil enamel, spray paint, collage on canvas, 135x88 inches and A Deconstructing of A Colonialist (2022), oil enamel, oil stick and spray paint on canvas, 84×72×3 inches. © 2022 Marcus A. Jansen/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn.

Marcus converted the 2,864-square-foot home into a personal art compound. He left the downstairs mostly open for painting and storage, while the upstairs rooms hold offices to keep administrative and creative spaces separate.

After Hurricane Ian, Marcus mobilized his eponymous foundation and used personal cash to launch the Artists Helping Artists fund.

hasn’t forgotten about his community. After Hurricane Ian hit last September, Marcus mobilized his eponymous foundation to launch Artists Helping Artists. He used his own cash to kickstart the initiative, and the foundation raised funds to support local artists whose studios and artwork were destroyed by the storm.“I’m building off my successes so that I can help communities with the issues I tackle in my paintings,” he says.

Marcus admires Almine’s similar ethos. With several galleries in New York City, Europe and Shanghai, Almine allows Marcus’ messages—ever-revolving around race and war—to reach a broader audience. Marcus found he could make a bigger impact with more exclusive, upper-echelon gallery representation. “My work is political in the real sense

of the word ‘politics’—meaning peoples’ affairs,” he says. “And from that perspective, it helps to also build dialogues in different countries and get different perspectives.”

Since signing with Almine, Marcus has exhibited alongside other artists in a handful of shows throughout Asia. This spring marked his first solo show in China with In the Land of Silhouettes. The 18 pieces he showed in China might look familiar to Southwest Florida art aficionados, as the new works expand upon his longstanding series of urban environments and portraits of colonialist figures hung in his 2021 retrospective exhibit, Two Decades of Relevance, at Artis— Naples, The Baker Museum.

Two new paintings stand out: Mysterious and Passion. “Those,

Paint-splattered floors in his workspace act as decor in the otherwise canvas-white abode. Here, Marcus can focus on his message-driven works without distractions. “Now, if I do a show, there’s a lot of press and a certain amount of limelight,” he says, with a faint grimace.

to me, are almost self-portraits,” Marcus says. “They reflect the emotions I feel started early this year.” A year before, Marcus found himself in the hospital with skyrocketing blood sugar levels, and the health scare necessitated taking six months off. “I still painted but focused on recouping. I had to restructure my dayto-day routine.” He shortened his work hours but upped his focus to compensate. Mysterious and Passion reveal the meditations of the consummate warrior becoming all too aware of his mortality. Each depicts a fragmented yet fluid pyramid-like figure with streaks of white oil arcing like trenches through a burgundy bottom edge. A moody palette features steely grays and blacks, and pulsating reds. The figures’ heads comprise voids of color. Yet, the

featureless figures’ positioning reveals something hyper-alert, tense, uncomfortably awake.

“There’s more self-reflection in those,” he says.

It’s not surprising that Marcus becomes more pensive—and, in turn, his paintings reflect that introspection—as his trajectory keeps rocketing and time goes on. It’s been a long time since he was discharged from the Army, since he sold his paintings on SoHo corners, since he transplanted to Southwest Florida and ushered neighbors into his studio.

“There’s not one day I wake up and don’t think of being in a foxhole somewhere in the desert,” he says. “Instead, I look at where I’m at now, and just”—his eyes slightly widen, still somewhat bemused by his current life—“appreciate what I have.”

Marcus Jansen’s Tree House (in progress), oil enamel, oil stick and spray paint on canvas, 84x72 inches.

© 2022 Marcus A. Jansen/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn.

HIGH IN THE SADDLE

Out in Naples’ Golden Gate Estates, 53-acre Shore Acres Farm brings elevated French equestrian standards to Southwest Florida.

BY JAYNIE BARTLEY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN TIETZ

It’s a quiet November morning when I drive down White Boulevard in Naples’ Golden Gate Estates to tour Shore Acres Farm. On a back road, asphalt turns to gravel and residential streets fade into farmland with trucks carting pallets of flowers from the teeming plots. Eventually, I see horses grazing beyond a palm-lined driveway that leads to the back of the farm. Co-owner Janie Yag waits at the gate’s entrance in a golf cart, which we use to traverse the 53-acre property she and her husband, Mike, transformed into a horse farm with stables for boarding around 50 horses, riding areas and training with elite equestrians.

“Watch this guy go—he’s 74 years old. And, he’s trained all over the world in his lifetime,” Janie says, gesturing to a gentleman smoothly coaxing a chocolate-brown Selle Français around the perimeter of the property’s 14,500-square-foot, covered arena the Yags outfitted with soft, hoof-safe and quick-draining sand footing. It’s one of many areas for the gentle giants to gallop throughout the sprawling greenspace, including a competition-size arena and a 5-acre open field for free-range riding.

The Yags recently bought a smaller barn in Wellington to keep their horses when they visit during the winter showing season. While Janie does not compete, she calls herself a “horse advocate,” cheering on professional riders from the Shore Acres team at shows throughout South Florida. The couple considered building the farm in Wellington but felt emotionally tied to Naples, where Mike’s dad lived for nearly 33 years. Determined to create something new for the area, they found a 22-acre plot (which they soon added onto) and built Shore Acres from the ground up.

Janie, a former real estate agent and interior designer, loved riding horses with her mom as a kid but didn’t return to the sport until 2018, shortly after her mother passed. Mike, who had recently lost his father, saw his wife struggling to cope and suggested she start

Shore Acres Farm’s Janie Yag boards and brokers horses from French breeders. She’s keen on the French equestrian life, particularly the country’s athletic Selle Français breed. Shown: Her Selle Français, Flanbeau d’Elle, from Normandy.

Shore Acres can board up to 50 horses in their stylishly appointed paddocks. Riders come from all over. Here, New Yorker Jennifer Armstrong tends to her thoroughbred Molokai while she’s in town for the season.

riding again to cheer her up. After a few lessons, she was hooked. She dove into research and fell in love with French horses, known for their athletic builds and stellar jumping ability. She bought her first Selle Français, Quaker de Kreisker, from a breeder in France in 2018. “As I left the stable [the breeder] ran to me with a dusty photo, ‘This is Quaker’s mom, Stella,’ he said,” she says. “It set me on my French horse journey.” The man spoke almost no English, but she could see the love that ran through his veins for the athletic breed. And so her French equestrian obsession began.

More riders and trainers trot by on towering, muscular steeds as we make our way from the arena to the front of the farm. Since most of her horses are Selle Français, known to be larger and stronger than other breeds, handling them takes honed skill. Most of her clients, who can ride her 17 horses (and counting) while on the grounds, are advanced equestrians—a mix of retired pros looking for a leisurely ride, active international competitors seeking a plush practice arena and talented teens looking to train with Janie’s team. And all her trainers have come up through France’s equine circuit, where Janie says that riders, breeders and brokers live and breathe the equestrian lifestyle—it’s more than a sport or hobby. In 2011, UNESCO inscribed French equitation on its Intangible Heritage Representative List, which recognizes and promotes unique cultural traditions. “It’s their heritage,” Janie says. She and Mike also work with her trainer, Tony Cadet, to find and sell the best horses and ponies from farms in France.

Up front, visitors are greeted by hedges trimmed to spell out ‘S.A.F.’ Mike spearheads landscape upkeep, with a team of groundskeepers, while maintaining the head position at the brand-engagement

The farm’s newest trainer, Camille Francois—who’s seen riding Gysel, a speckled Holsteiner, through the soft, hoof-friendly sand in the covered practice arena—also represents the Shore Acres team at competitions in Wellington.

company he founded nearly 40 years ago in Massachusetts. “I’m not trained to be an architect, or a landscape architect, or a civil engineer,” he jokes. Since opening in 2019, Janie and Mike have expanded Shore Acres beyond its equestrian roots. They recently hosted their first wedding, covering the sandy floor of the covered arena with Trex composite flooring and stringing bistro lights for a romantic reception area. And, in late November, they welcomed the Collier County Sheriff’s Office for equine search-and-rescue training, which Janie explains is a highly effective tool in Florida’s flat terrain.

Shore Acres is dreamy and intentional. Old Florida-style stables and arenas—constructed by Port Charlotte’s Morton Buildings to sustain a Category 5 hurricane—and a white-oak hot walker (like a treadmill, horses use the motorized machine for exercise) from Wellington’s respected manufacturer MK Horse Walkers live in harmony with the Yags’ contemporary home, which fronts the compound. Native palms and pines frame the acreage, with a private nature trail Mike built to loop through the wooded area and another just outside the facility. They worked with Naples’ Jukins Irrigation to install innovative irrigation systems throughout the property. Jukins is one of the only contractors they hire for upkeep; the rest they handle in-house with their tight-knit team. Sustainable measures naturally occur as the Yags attempt to keep the budget and workload in check: Onsite composting, recycled rubber tread used in the barns and self-watering stations in each paddock are part of the daily cycles.

Janie moves swiftly and efficiently, riding boots crunching on gravel as she leads me to the 18-stall main barn. My eyes are drawn to the modern farmhouse-style chandelier hanging from the peak of the vaulted ceiling. “People spend so much time here, so you’ve got to have the WiFi and the music,” she says. With competing riders and trainers flying in, accommodations were a must. She

Naples’ Jukins Irrigation is one of the only contractors the Yags hire to maintain their sustainable, water-saving system; Janie and her husband, Mike, handle the rest of the farm’s upkeep with the groundskeepers. Janie’s background in interior design shows through the farmhouse-chic barns, while Mike works his magic with the landscape.

In his first season competing in Wellington, equestrian Tony Cadet—who trains Janie and rides for the Shore Acres team—placed above greats, including Jessica Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen’s daughter who competed in the 2022 Olympics. “He has a near-perfect record this season,” Janie says of Tony’s Selle Français, All Star Del Caballero.

Janie started riding as a child and returned to the sport as a source of comfort after her mother passed away six years ago. Her first Selle Français, Quaker de Kreisker, inspired an obsession with French equine life.

gestures to a suite that houses their newest trainer, Camille Francois, an elite rider from France who competes in jumping competitions for the farm. Industry veteran Jo Lourden has been on since the beginning, helping Janie tend to the animals and office needs. They also have a home on the compound for their lead groom, Jesus Arguello, so he can be on-call to care for the horses or transport them to a vet if the need arises, and they’re building a new barn with a two-bedroom apartment to board more trainers and competitors.

A rainbow of overlapping ribbons lines a wall of the farmchic lounge Janie designed for riders to kick back and have a snack or cold drink. She met Tony, who she currently trains with, “on accident” when purchasing her second horse from Tony’s farm in Brittany, France. After a more than 20-year career riding and training young horses in France, it was a dream opportunity for Tony to ride and compete in Wellington (“It’s the mecca,” Janie says). He rides for Shore Acres in competitions and has built a fan base since his first season when he placed above Wellington greats, including Georgina Bloomberg and Jessica Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen’s daughter who competed for the U.S. in the 2022 Olympics in Tokyo. This year, he took home the first-place medal in the 1.40-meter category (an advanced height for jumps), placing above 90 other contestants, including other Olympians. “When our trucks pull up [in Wellington], you can hear everyone chanting for him,” Janie says. “They don’t care that Shore Acres is there; they just want to see Tony.”

We wrap our tour back at the covered arena, where the gentleman rider has moved on to practice jumps on the competition-size open arena nearby. As I’m about to leave, Janie pulls me back to the golf cart for one more stop. Back inside the barn, she grabs a letter pinned to the fridge. Former French Olympian Marcel Rozier wrote to petition for Tony’s U.S. visa. “This man is a legend, and he wrote this for Tony,” Janie says, kicking the credit back to her team. “We are so blessed here—no kudos to me.”

Rooted in Place

The Walsh family has spent two generations making a mark on Southwest Florida with their stylish and sustainable landscape designs that will stand for years to come.

Chances are, you’re well-acquainted with R.S. Walsh Landscaping. Over the past 40 years, the company has earned a stellar reputation for one-of-a-kind, sustainable tropical designs that perfectly complement Florida’s architectural styles while meeting the specific needs of a site. Before Hurricane Ian ravaged Sanibel Island, their lush 7-acre garden center had long been a favorite spot for locals to wander and dream. Post-Ian, the Walshes were some of the first on the scene, arriving via boats and barges to survey the damage, clear debris and provide much-needed fuel to residents.

The dedication to the community and land is nothing new— family patriarch and company founder Robert “Bob” Walsh has been getting his hands dirty around Southwest Florida since childhood. “My father was with the lead plant inspector for three counties at the State Department of Agriculture,” Bob says. “We lived right next door to [A.W.] Kelley’s Gardens in Fort Myers. That was my first playground from the time I turned 2.” By the time he was 10, he was working there every day after school and learning as much as he could from owner and horticulturist Arthur Kelley. “He was so giving of his knowledge,” Bob says.

Bob studied at Edison Community College (now known as Florida SouthWestern State College) and jumped right back into landscaping after graduation for a more hands-on higher

education. He worked under George Causey (“One of the finest landscape designers in Southwest Florida,” Bob says), who was well-known for his projects, like South Seas Island Resort.

“I also trained with Robert Wood, one of the most creative people I’ve ever known. We’d spend all day laying things out, draw until midnight or 1 a.m., and then we’d do it all again the next day,” Bob says. He credits the Oxford-trained landscape designer for introducing him to a tropical modern plant selection of ferns, palms, bromeliads and philodendrons.

That knowledge allowed him to put down roots of another kind. Bob met his wife, Lisa, through mutual friends, and it didn’t take long for love—and other things—to bloom. “Right after we got married, we started planting a vegetable garden together every year,” Lisa says. “Now, I have a flower garden that’s everchanging.”

The couple also shared a can-do spirit. They launched their business in 1983, even though they didn’t exactly have money to burn back then. “I had a pickup truck and $3,000,” Bob says with a laugh. “I took $2,000 and spent it on a honeymoon to the Caymans, and I used the rest to buy an open trailer to pull plants and trees around. It was a lot of hard work, but we made for a good team.” While their style tailors to clients’ dreams, the Walshes have a knack for abundant gardens that respect the natural ecosystem and foster a love of nature. Drive through Sanibel and Captiva, and you’ll see lot after lot of theirs, where pygmy date palms line driveways and 40-plus varieties of palms, wild coffee plants and small wildflowers may be interspersed with blooming grasses, citrus groves and buttonwoods for textural scenes. Intimate areas for gathering, playing and conversation typically find their way into Walsh designs.

Today, the company employs more than 75 people, including five landscape designers and architects, at the Fort Myers location. Bob remains involved in design projects and customer relations,

Michael Stavaridis

R.S. Walsh is known for their lushly planted gardens, which live in harmony with their Florida settings and promote healthy ecosystems.

and Lisa still handles the finances, while their sons, Jeremy and Justin, are taking on more leadership. Rather than silver spoons, these brothers came into the world with shovels in their hands. “Some of my earliest memories are helping stand up plants at the nursery when it was windy. We’d unload trucks, and I could pick up one 3-gallon pot at a time,” says Jeremy, who earned a horticulture degree from the University of Florida. “We started working in the fields when we were teenagers. I would plant and lay things out, and I always loved seeing how a home and yard evolved over time.” After earning a business degree from the University of Alabama, Justin also returned to the fold.

Since the hurricane, the Walsh family has been working around the clock to replant the garden center and their clients’ homes on the island. “We’re pushing so hard and as fast as we can to get a lot back. That’s where more sustainable landscaping comes in,” Justin says. “The vegetation code and environment standards on Sanibel are some of the top in the state, and that’s what keeps that island looking great. Going forward, we’re hoping to help implement some of those ideas across the board to make more properties more sustainable as the sea level rises and the weather changes.” Some of those ideas include adhering to a more native plant palette to reduce the need for fertilizer, bringing in proper dune plantings to protect the interior landscape and prevent storm erosion, and providing proper drainage layouts to direct rainfall runoff properly without impacting neighboring ecosystems.

As for the future of the business? Bob says that’s covered, thanks to his young granddaughters: “They like to play in the flower garden.”

The Walshes’ sons, Jeremy and Justin, have been involved most of their lives and now lead the family business. “Some of my earliest memories are helping stand up plants at the nursery,” Jeremy says.

Brian Tietz, Michael Stavaridis (2)

Family Style

Father-daughter team Barry and Amanda Lantz elevate Naples design with a multidisciplinary approach— and lots of color.

Amanda Lantz still remembers her favorite gift from when she was 8. “I got a chair and ottoman from Santa, and it was in a white bouclé fabric and bullion fringe. It was the best Christmas gift ever,” says the interior designer, who runs Naples’ recently opened Lantz Collective with her father, Barry.

Amanda’s intro to the industry was through osmosis. As a child, her design vet father frequently took her on business trips to the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. “I’d say, ‘Look for a blue floral,’ in the showroom at Kravet. She’d just kind of take off on her own and pull some fabrics,” Barry says. “I’d show her furniture, and I’d explain why this piece was better than that piece. She took it just as well as any client would have.”

A few decades later, Amanda, who also has a background in fashion, has taken the helm of her father’s business as pres-

Photography by Christina Bankson

ident, dynamically expanding the brand in volume and reach. The latest initiative: growing into Southwest Florida. The pair brings chinoiserie, flamingo-hued furnishings and regal touches of the Palm Beach Regency style, combined with a gentler Midwestern sensibility, to their boutique, which debuted in 2021, in Naples. (Their Carmel, IN, outfit scored a spot on Architectural Digest’s list of best home decor stores in the country this year). In addition to stocking vintage, antique and contemporary homewares

from more than 100 brands in their 12th Avenue South shop, they offer full interior design services from their new studio, nearby on Central Avenue. Repeat clients with homes in both cities made the Naples addition a natural evolution.

Amanda leads the interior design and architectural space planning projects and does all the buying, while Barry lends advice and original artwork (the designer traded his paint swatches for a paintbrush in 2008). The duo appreciates the opportunity to expand their repertoire for their

Florida designs. “When we were thinking through what we wanted the shop to offer, I knew we wanted a lot of color, a lot of pattern. There are a million places to get a white sofa, a white chair,” Amanda says, adding that Naples aesthetes seem more playful in their aesthetic. “They’re more open to patterned fabrics.”

Fabrics are a strong suit for the Lantzes. Barry launched a collection of evocative textiles with industry giant Kravet two years ago. The line shows off the best of Barry, the painter, and his

Amanda bought Lantz Collective from her father eight years ago. Barry’s still involved, though he now focuses more on making art and collaborations, like his recent fabric collection with Kravet.

penchant for brilliant hues, geometric forms and abstract landscapes, with forest green chenille, watercolor-like florals and tweedy canvas wallcoverings. When tackling a design, the duo’s approach is synergistic and seamless. While Amanda’s style is more maximalist and Barry leans minimalist, both share a love for color. “I think we read each other’s mind when it comes to the design side,” Amanda says. Rare arguments about projects yield thoughtful outcomes, the two agree. And, Barry

often creates art commissions for Amanda’s clients. “We are really completing everything for them,” she says.

The power of the Lantz brand comes from combining the wisdom of age and the unencumbered audacity of youth.

“It’s sort of mixing older and younger ideas together, and you come up with this really great mix,” Barry says. “She brings fresh, and I bring more experience.” The two contribute a commitment to building strong relationships—something Amanda admired in her father from a

young age. “[Clients] all just loved him and couldn’t make a decision without him. Those relationships became generational relationships—it wasn’t just that family, it was their children,” she says, adding that many clients have been with the Lantzes for decades.

In all they do, the Lantz Collective keeps family at the center. “He’s truly my best friend. He was way more than a father or a coworker,” Amanda says. Barry echoes: “I always call her my mini-me.”

Under Amanda’s direction, the design brand expanded to include a retail shop, with two locations, including one in Naples’ Third Street South area.

TWO UNIQUE GOLF COURSES

Perfectly positioned in year round sunshine surrounded by untamed natural beauty

ONE BEAUTIFUL GATHERING PLACE

a Pristine Clubhouse; the Social heartbeat of the community

A VIBRANT PRIVATE CLUB LIFESTYLE

With a Rhythm All It’s Own

Our welcoming and inclusive private club culture creates unlimited opportunities to integrate and meet new friends. Casually understated elegance combined with outstanding member service delivers unforgettable experiences for you, your family and friends. Envisage yoga on the terrace, pampering in the Spa, the inspiration of fellow artists, elevating your golf game, sipping wines from around the world and reveling in abundantly creative dining options and entertainment under the stars – this is where magical moments happen.

With endless golf, racquet and fitness pursuits, supported by a year-round eclectic program of activities and social events, the optimum lifestyle is reimagined at Quail West. One of Southwest Florida’s most prestigious clubs, Quail West’s world class courses and amenities are shared by a limited number of discerning members.

Memberships are currently available exclusively to Quail West residents. We invite you to Call Today to preview the Club’s outstanding amenities and start your journey to Excellence!

Follow Us on Social Media: facebook.com/quailwestFL ◆ instagram.com/quailwestclub

A Blue Zones Project Recognized Community

The Secret Garden

Williams Magical Garden Center & Landscape is a treasure trove for rare, collectible plants and the ultimate Mother Nature fix.

While the rows of vining pothos and blooming bougainvillea at Williams Magical Garden Center & Landscape recall the tuckedaway gardens of fairy tales, this nursery is certainly no secret. The powder-blue metal building is easily spotted on Pine Ridge Road, between Taylor Road and Shirley Street, on the outskirts of Naples Art District. Still, when you pop inside, you’re pleasantly surprised by the chic, design-forward oasis that lies within. Roped pendant lights suspend delicately from the towering exposed ceiling and cast a warm glow on the open-air showroom, stocked with Pinterest-worthy arrangements, cuttings dangling from macrame planters, stacks of clay pots, and an assortment of natural coral and shells in baskets. An open door, tucked in a corner near a wall of garden accessories, beckons to the verdant nursery beyond.

“When people come in, it’s kind of like a sacred place,” pot designer Yeroline Salazar says. The current owner, Cheryl Stanley, hired her as a cashier two years ago, when Yeroline was 16. The young plant lover quickly attached herself to Williams Magical’s

lead landscape designer, Greg Raglin. Yeroline now works with Greg to bring clients’ visions to reality, whether hunting for a rare alocasia for their collection, creating a custom planter arrangement to gift to a loved one or designing a backyard oasis. “We’re not your typical nursery,” Yeroline says.

Where buying a plant from a big-box store like Home Depot feels like a rescue mission, picking a potted friend from Williams Magical is akin to taking home a prize. They specialize in rare species, like the monstera Thai constellation, with its tie-dye-looking leaves. And everything on the property is shoppable, whether it’s a purple-striped penwiper succulent on a shelf, a heart-shaped philodendron hanging under the gazebo or a mature fiddle leaf fig anchoring a display of bromeliads. The space is subtly divided into sections based on the plant’s light requirements and rarity. The sun-loving varieties surround the uncovered perimeter, the so-called ‘vampires’ are tucked under shaded awnings and the Goldilocks types settle nicely under a tinted screen enclosure. Collectors’ plants pepper the grounds, too.

Respected landscapers Thomas and Mary Williams (Thomas grew the famous bonsai at Disney’s Epcot) originally opened the Pine Ridge location in 2004 after operating landscaping services under the moniker for more than 40 years throughout Collier

The Naples garden center specializes in rare plants and creative arrangements by pot designer Yeroline Salazar.

Taylor Meritt Bua | Shane Bua | Tade Bua-Bell | Emily K. Bua Kiren Jones | Lauren Hussey | Jill Hall

and Lee counties. Three years ago, Cheryl bought the space, keeping the same Magical name and amping up the atmosphere with chic decor and a relaxing, walkable layout built to inspire. Today, Yeroline and Greg frequently shop wholesalers for ‘mother’ plants to propagate in the greenhouse behind the garden center. Once the ‘babies’ sprout roots, they’re artfully displayed throughout the garden center or in one of Yeroline’s signature “quirky” potted arrangements, often featuring asymmetrical leaves or bold blooms. Yeroline’s current obsession: Scindapsus. The spotted vining plant is commonly known as a

satin pothos or silver pothos, though it’s an entirely different species than the low-light-loving houseplant you can find in grocery stores. “They’re funky looking—they have weird textures and shapes,” she muses.

Yeroline says most regulars stop in for rare finds, such as the spotted calatheas that rest under the shaded collectors’ area or the ruffled-edge bromeliads reaching for the sunshine behind the screen enclosure. Others come to clear their mind with a walk through the garden. We go for the enchanting feeling we get basking in the middle of it all.

The space fosters a sense of discovery, with plants subtly divided by their rarity and light requirements, artful pots and accessories, and a nursery filled with rare species of pothos, monsteras and calatheas, plus butterfly-attracing flowers and ficus trees.

Best of Home — Resilient Community — By Gina Valentino — Photography by Anna Nguyen

Built to Weather

‘Catastrophic damage will occur.’ Splashed across newspapers and emblazoned on television screens nationwide. Southwest Florida braced for impact. Neighborhoods in Hurricane Ian’s path prepared for devastation. Babcock Ranch felt prepared. After all, it was designed for this very moment.

In 2006, environmental engineer Amy Wicks’ boss at a civil engineering firm tasked her with creating a storm-safe water system for retired NFL player Syd Kitson’s 27-squaremile, solar-powered community, which straddles Charlotte and Lee counties. Working off models of the land from the 1940s, Amy recreated the historic water flow through a functional and sustainable design. Rather than using berms and pipes, she engineered wetlands and recreational greenspaces to easily distribute and detain water during heavy rains, preventing flooding.

More than a decade later, the eastern side of Hurricane Ian’s eyewall sat on top of Babcock Ranch and battered the region for more than six hours. Babcock remained mostly unscathed (save a few fallen trees and displaced shingles). “We were up and running the next day,” Syd says.

The community’s commitment to quality of life and sustainability paid off for the greater region. Its 40,000-squarefoot, Category 5 hurricane shelter housed people from nearby low-lying neighborhoods, and Babcock residents brought food, water and clothing to the shelter.

In the wake of disaster, this self-sustaining community is a study in resiliency.

Since Babcock owns its water and wastewater utility systems, the community never lost water (or power or Internet), so residents could open their homes to first responders for showers and food. The Publix onsite reopened the next day, and two days after the storm, Babcock hosted its weekly Food Truck Friday (one of the many social programs for multigenerational residents at the town’s bustling Founder’s Square). “We brought the town together. There were people here from Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Matlacha—all those areas that were impacted,” Syd says. “They were appreciative to have that sense of normalcy.”

At that moment, the town that was best known for its renewable energy quickly became recognized as a model for hurricane-proof, resilient design. “You can plan for an event like we

experienced—and we did,” Syd says. “We spent a lot of time engineering, planning, preparing, but the only way that you actually know if you’re going to be successful is when something happens.”

With its underground transmission power lines, 900-acre solar farm, location 25-to-30 feet above sea level, building structures that meet Florida Green Building Coalition standards (which focus on resiliency and energy efficiency), and restored wetlands that provide backup storage for surface water, the town saw minimal storm damage.

Syd admits it costs more to build resiliently, but it’s worth it. “The return on investment is significant, not only from property damage but also from the loss of life, preventing anybody from actually getting hurt,” he says.

Thanks to its recreated wetlands, underground powerlines and 900-acre solar farm, Babcock Ranch faced little damage in Hurricane Ian. The town never lost power and was up and running, with a reopened Publix and a food truck rally within days.

Sky-High

Estero’s new The Island at West Bay Club’s rooftop offers the best perch in town.

We spend a lot of time looking at real estate listings, keeping tabs on the latest and greatest developments to hit the Gulf. When we saw the rooftop space planned for The Island at West Bay Club, our jaws dropped. “They call us the Paradise Coast, but it should really be called the Sunset Coast,” director of sales Steve Horn says. The team of this new Estero development takes advantage of our cotton candy skies by creating a high-rise setting for residents to gather.

The 24-story tower, slated for completion in late 2025, is the last residential offering within West Bay Club. And they’re not pulling any punches with the design. The building’s highlight: panoramic views of Estero Bay and the community’s 868 acres of lush grounds. “There’s no building that can be built within a mile to the south and several miles to the north. It’s its own little island,” Steve says.

Architecture and design studio Garcia Stromberg fashioned the tower to celebrate the setting (all 86 residences are corner units with spacious terraces). Elevators whisk residents up to the rooftop, where postless glass rails, embedded into concrete, provide unobstructed views. Three aluminum pergolas provide shade while framing views. Plush cabanas, contemporary coastal furnishings and moveable planters add a beachy vibe, and an adults-only pool, a bar, a Zen garden, open-air kitchen and three fire pits round out the scene.

Architect Peter Stromberg notes that the rooftop was intentionally laid out with distinct areas for gathering to create intimate experiences. Just picture it: You and your closest friends standing about 300 feet above the Gulf, toasting the end of a day with a nightcap in hand and painterly skies ahead. This is paradise.

BEST

THE OF THE GULFSHORE 2023

READERS' CHOICE ANNUAL AWARDS

Every season, Gulfshore Life readers share their favorite things about living in paradise, and these local businesses have made the list. The Best of the Gulfshore is a write-in ballot hosted on gulfshorelife.com for two months every year. We're excited to share this year's winners and finalists—in more than 100 categories—and give them an opportunity to tell you more about their companies .

COLLIER

ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT & SHOPPING

Antique Store

Winner

Treasure Island Antiques

Finalist

Chesterdales Home & Garden

Finalist The Rusty Spur

Decor & More

Art Gallery Winner

Emily James Gallery

Finalist

Harmon-Meek Gallery

Finalist

Things I Like by Catherine

Consignment

Clothing Winner

True Fashionistas

Finalist

Audrey's Of Naples

Finalist

Twice As Nice

Consignment Shop

Consignment

Furniture Winner

True Fashionistas

Finalist

Chesterdales Home & Garden

Finalist

Posh Plum Furniture

Consignment

Event Venue Winner

Ultimate Garages

Finalist

Artis—Naples

Finalist

Naples Lakes Country Club

Fine Jewelry Winner

A. JARON Fine Jewelry

Winner

Bigham Jewelers

Finalist

Henri Noël

Finalist YAMRON

Floral Design Winner

Kaleidoscope Floral

Finalist

Floral Designs By Sony

Finalist

Naples Floral Design

Furniture Store Winner

Clive Daniel Home

Finalist

Alison Craig Home Furnishings

Finalist

Robb & Stucky

Kid's Birthday Venue Winner

Miss Lexi's Place

Finalist

InPlay! Family Fun

Finalist

Whiz Kids

Kid's Boutique Winner

sunset + pine

Finalist

Beth Moné

Children's Shoppe

Finalist

Giggle Moon

Luxury Car Dealership Winner

Naples Luxury Imports

Finalist

Germain Lexus of Naples

Finalist

Porsche Naples

Men's Apparel Winner

John Craig Clothier

Finalist

Manny's Fine Menswear

Finalist

Mondo Uomo

Museum Winner

Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum

Finalist

Golisano Children's Museum of Naples

Finalist

Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center

Performing Arts Center Winner

Artis—Naples

Finalist

Gulfshore Playhouse

Finalist

The Naples Players at Sugden Community Theatre

Specialty Pet Store Winner

Paws Pet Boutique

Finalist

Top Dog Kitchen

Finalist

Wholesome Hound

Women's Apparel Winner

The Secret Ingredient

Finalist

Maverick the Collection

Finalist ROUZE

ATTRACTIONS

Day Cruise Winner

Naples Princess

Finalist

Pure Florida

Finalist

Sweet Liberty

Family Fun Activity Winner

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Finalist

Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Finalist

Naples Botanical Garden

Finalist Pure Florida

Historical Site Winner

Historic Palm Cottage

Finalist

Naples Depot Museum

Finalist

Smallwood Store

Hotel/Resort Winner The Escalante

Finalist Bellasera Resort

Finalist

Naples Bay Resort & Marina

Interactive Experience Winner

Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Finalist

The Axe Lodge

Finalist

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

AN UNMATCHED Experience Awaits

Treat yourself to unmatched fine Italian dining. For 15 years, Angelina’s Ristorante has been recognized as one of the best and most-awarded restaurants in Southwest Florida. We are proud to be known for our exemplary service, top-of-the-line ingredients, and one of the area’s most extensive wine lists. Make your reservation today and experience for yourself why an evening at Angelina’s Ristorante never disappoints.

Nature & Wildlife Viewing

Winner

Audubon Corkscrew

Swamp Sanctuary

Winner

Naples Botanical Garden

Finalist

Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Finalist

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Outdoor Festival Winner

Naples Craft Beer Fest

Finalist

Everglades Seafood Festival

Finalist

Naples Automotive Experience

Overall Attraction Winner

Naples Botanical Garden

Finalist

Driven Foodie Tours

Finalist

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Sightseeing Tour Winner

Naples Jet Ski Rental

Finalist

Naples Princess

Finalist

Pure Florida

BEAUTY & WELLNESS

Day Spa

Winner

Spavia Day Spa

Finalist

Vineyards Country Club

Wellness Center and Spa

Finalist

Woodhouse Spa

Eyebrow Artistry Winner

The Brow Bar

Finalist

Surreal Beauty Ink

Finalist

TB lashes.brows.beauty

Facial Winner

The Skin Room

Finalist

Cristina Lévon Aesthetics

Finalist

Jestheva Aesthetics

Hair Salon Winner

Manuka Salon

Finalist

Salon Lusso of Naples

Finalist

Salon Nevaeh

Injectables Winner

The Woodruff Institute/ Dr. Bobbi Brady

Winner

Yag-Howard Cosmetic Dermatology

Finalist

D-Lux Medspa

Finalist

Skin Deep Naples

Manicure/Pedicure Winner

Nailed It Of Naples

Finalist

Ave Nails

Finalist

Natural Nail Care Clinic

Massage Winner

Spavia Day Spa

Finalist

Synergy Health

Finalist

Woodhouse Spa

Don’t miss this treasure... we highly recommend it, especially if you have children.

In addition to becoming a member - which includes FREE ADMISSION for one year to all of our interactive exhibits - there are many ways to connect with our water, land, wildlife and future through the Conservancy of Southwest Florida!

Learn more or get involved at conservancy.org.

These interactive exhibits for all ages are just the beginning!

Med-Spa Winner

Skin Deep Naples

Finalist

D-Lux Medspa

Finalist

Simple Beauty

Studio

Permanent Makeup Winner

Surreal Beauty Ink

Finalist

Iryna McCraw

Permanent Makeup & Skin Care

Finalist

Naples Permanent Makeup

FOOD & DRINK: CUISINE

Barbecue Winner

FUSE Gastrobar

Finalist Industry Beer & Barbeque

Finalist

Michelbob's

Championship Ribs & Steaks

Farm to Table Winner

Seed to Table

Finalist

The 239 Naples

Finalist

The Local

French Winner

Bleu Provence

Finalist

Chez Guy Parisian Bistro

Finalist

The French Brasserie Rustique

Greek/Middle Eastern Winner

MOURA

Finalist

Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro

Finalist

Mediterrano

Healthy/Organic Winner

Food & Thought

Finalist

Lake Park Diner

Finalist

Organically Twisted

Indian Winner

21 Spices by Chef Asif

Finalist

Le Indya

Finalist

Passage to India

Italian Winner

Osteria Tulia

Finalist

Bar Tulia

Finalist

Molto Trattoria

Japanese Winner

Namba Ramen & Sushi

Finalist

Hibachi of Japan

Finalist

Saki Japanese Kitchen

Latin/Spanish Winner

Fernandez the Bull

Cuban Cafe

Finalist

Bodega Ole

Finalist

Lamoraga

Seafood Winner

Swan River

Seafood

www.BhaBhaBistro.com

Discover an established country club honoring time tested traditions while embracing the modern expectations of membership today. Here neighbors are not only friends but tennis and golfing partners. Woven through 300 acres of cypress, pine, and palm trees is a hidden enclave of only 460 doors. Become one of the few and fortunate that call Eagle Creek home.

(239) 793-0500 joineaglecreek.com

Finalist

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist

USS Nemo

Thai Winner

Sushi-Thai of Naples

Finalist

Komoon

Finalist

Thai Sushi By KJ

FOOD & DRINK: DINING AMENITIES

Boat Access Restaurant Winner

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist

The Boathouse on Naples Bay

Finalist

Island Gypsy Cafe & Marina Bar

Business Lunch Winner

FUSE Gastrobar

Finalist

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist

MOURA

Caterer Winner Crave Culinaire by Chef Brian Roland

Finalist

Artichoke & Company

Finalist

Sage Events

Date Night Restaurant Winner

Bleu Provence

Finalist

Alexander's Garden Restaurant

Finalist

FUSE Gastrobar

Finalist

Nosh on Naples Bay

Family Friendly Restaurant Winner

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist Lake Park Diner

Finalist

Tacos & Tequila Cantina

Food Truck Winner

Chef Global Kitchen

Finalist

Addison's on the Go

Finalist

Gator Creek

BBQ Company

Happy Hour Winner

Nosh on Naples Bay

Finalist

Bar Tulia

Finalist

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Kept Secret Restaurant Winner

FUSE Gastrobar

Finalist

Alexander's Garden Restaurant

Finalist

MOURA

Finalist Veranda E

Late-night Dining Winner Bar Tulia

Finalist Midnight Tavern

Finalist

Seventh South Craft Food + Drink

Dream, Design, Build with Gulfshore Life’s Best of the Gulfshore Finalist

KGT Remodeling is an award winning design + build company that helps make your dreams a reality. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.

Live Music

Winner

Seed to Table

Finalist

Franklin Social Club

Finalist

Midnight Tavern

New Restaurant Winner

Nosh on Naples Bay

Finalist

The 239 Naples

Finalist

The MED

Overall Excellence Restaurant Winner

Alexander's Garden Restaurant

Finalist

Bleu Provence

Finalist

Nosh on Naples Bay

Place to Hang with the Locals Winner

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist

Harold's Place

Finalist

North Naples Country Club

Special Occasion Restaurant Winner

Nosh on Naples Bay

Finalist

Bleu Provence

Finalist

Sails Restaurant

Specialty Market Winner

Ambrosi & Sons

Finalist

Seed to Table

Finalist

Wynn’s Market

Sunset View Restaurant Winner

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist

Bayside Seafood

Grill & Bar

Finalist

Sale e Pepe

Wine Store Winner

Natural Wines Naples

Finalist

Bleu Provence Fine Wines

Finalist

Three60 Wine

FOOD & DRINK:

DRINKS & DESSERT

Beer List Winner

Brookside Market Winner

Industry Beer & Barbeque

Finalist

Oil Well Craft Beer

Bloody Mary Winner

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Winner

The Catch of the Pelican

Finalist

FUSE Gastrobar

Chocolate Shop

Winner

Norman Love Confections

Winner

Kilwins

Finalist

Olde Naples Chocolate

Coffee Shop Winner

Narrative Coffee Roasters

Finalist

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii

Finalist

Proudly Entertaining SWFL for 30 Years

APRIL 14 - MAY 20

When a disco diva witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent! This feel-good musical comedy is a shining tribute to the universal power of friendship and has audiences jumping to their feet!

MAY 26 - JULY 1

The legendary 80s musical sensation returns! You’ll be dancing in your seat to the Oscar and Tony-nominated score that includes Holding Out For A Hero, Let’s Hear It For The Boy, Almost Paradise and the title song, Footloose.

16 & UNDER $30 DINNER &SHOW!

JULY 7 - AUGUST 12

This summer, Disney’s splash hit comes to life on stage! This full-scale production is a beautiful love story for all ages. Dive under the sea with all your favorite characters and hear the irresistible songs including Under The Sea, Kiss The Girl, Part Of Your World and more!

Winfield Street Coffee 1380

Craft Brewery

Winner Oil Well Craft Beer

Finalist Ankrolab Brewing Company

Finalist Riptide Brewing Company

Craft Cocktails Winner Bar Tulia

Finalist

FUSE Gastrobar

Finalist The Vine Room

Dessert (Restaurant) Winner

FUSE Gastrobar

Finalist

Nosh on Naples Bay

Finalist

Sails Restaurant Establishment with the Best Bartenders Winner

Oil Well Craft Beer

Finalist

Bar Tulia

Finalist

FUSE Gastrobar

Ice Cream Winner

Royal Scoop

Finalist

Gelato & CO

Finalist

Jeremiah's Italian Ice

Juice Bar Winner

Juicelation

Finalist

Food & Thought

Finalist

Seed to Table

Key Lime Pie Winner

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist

Sandra's Sweet & Savory

Finalist

Swan River Seafood

Martini Winner FUSE Gastrobar

Finalist

Nosh on Naples Bay

Finalist

Sails Restaurant

Finalist

The Vine Room

Wine List Winner

Bleu Provence

Finalist

The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar

Finalist

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist

The French Brasserie Rustique

FOOD & DRINK: FOOD ITEM

Bagels

Winner

Brooklyn Dough With A Hole

Finalist

Empire Bagel Factory

Finalist

Straight From New York Bagels

Bakery Winner

Angelic Desserts

Finalist

Carole's House Café & French Bakery

Finalist

Epiphany Gluten Free Bakery

ITALIAN HOMEMADE CUISINE PIZZA NAPOLETANA

Molto – Italian for “plenty of” is a Trattoria serving fresh, intimate and truly authentic Italian cuisine “simply my mom in the kitchen” is our motto and she shares traditional family recipes!

All our pastas and sauces are homemade and we pride ourselves on using only the very best quality ingredients. We invite you to come and dine with us! Serving lunch and dinner.

Molto Trattoria and Bar 368 5th Ave S, Naples, Florida (239) 261-5853

Breakfast Winner

Skillets

Finalist

Jane's Cafe on 3rd

Finalist

The Rooster Food+Drink

Brunch Winner

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist

Jane's Cafe on 3rd

Finalist

Sails Restaurant

Burger Winner Brooks Burgers

Finalist

Jimmy P's Charred

Finalist

Lake Park Diner

Chicken Wings Winner

Addison's on the Go

Finalist

Gator Creek BBQ Company

Finalist

LowBrow Pizza & Beer

Doughnuts Winner

Peace Love and Little Donuts

Finalist

Duck Donuts

Finalist

Epiphany Gluten

Free Bakery

Meat Market Winner

Jimmy P's Butcher

Shop & Deli

Finalist

Seed to Table

Finalist

Wynn’s Market

Pizza Winner

LowBrow Pizza & Beer

Finalist

The Crust Pizza

Finalist

Pizzata Pizzeria & Aperitivo

Raw Bar Winner

The Claw Bar

Finalist

Captain & Krewe Seafood

Market & Raw Bar

Finalist

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Salad Winner

FUSE Gastrobar

Finalist

The Dock at Crayton Cove

Finalist

Lake Park Diner

Sandwich Winner

Oil Well Craft Beer

Finalist

Addison's on the Go

Finalist

FUSE Gastrobar

Steak Winner

Jimmy P's Charred

Finalist

Andre's Steak House

Finalist

The Continental Tacos Winner

Tacos & Tequila

Cantina

Finalist

Taqueria San Julian

Finalist

Turco Taco HOME DESIGN

Located in what was once known as the City Pier Building, this project transformed the utilitarian building into a chic, contemporary-rustic restaurant with indoor and outdoor dining featuring panoramic views of the Caloosahatchee River.

&

Finalist

JMDG Architecture | Planning + Interiors

Finalist

MHK Architecture & Planning

Bathroom Design Winner

EDGE Interiors

Finalist

KGT Remodeling

Finalist Nicoletta & Co.

Builder Winner PBS Contractors

Finalist

Diamond Custom Homes

Finalist

Northstar Enterprises

Interior Design Winner Design West

Finalist

Clive Daniel Home

Finalist

EDGE Interiors

Kitchen Design Winner

EDGE Interiors

Finalist Design West

Finalist

Nicoletta & Co.

Outdoor Design Winner

Design West

Finalist

Clive Daniel Home

Finalist

KGT Remodeling

Pool Design Winner

Jeff Wilson Pool Service

Winner

Nassau Pools

Construction

Finalist Pool & Patio Works

RECREATION & FITNESS

Boat Rental Winner

Pure Florida

Finalist

Freedom Boat ClubNaples Brookside Marina

Finalist

Rose Marina

Boating Destination Winner

Keewaydin Island

Finalist

Island Gypsy Café & Marina Bar

Finalist

Rookery Bay

Fitness Center Winner

Pure Skill Fitness

Finalist Central Fitness

Finalist

Zoom Fit

Golf Course Winner

Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club

Finalist

Naples Lakes Country Club

Finalist

Vineyards Country Club

Specialty Fitness Studio Winner

Burn Boot Camp

Finalist

Beyond Motion

Finalist

Sweat Fit Naples

Tennis Facility Winner

Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club

Finalist

Naples Lakes Country Club

Finalist

Vineyards Country Club

SERVICES

Banking Winner

FineMark National Bank & Trust

Finalist

Sanibel Captiva Community Bank

Finalist

Suncoast Credit Union

Car Repair Winner

Chet's Courtesy

Automotive

Finalist

Supreme Collision

Finalist

Voigt's Service Center

Child Care Winner

Naples Babysitting Company

Finalist Fun Time Early Childhood Academy

Finalist

Jay & Patty Baker

Preschool of the Arts

Home Watch Winner

Halo Home Watch

Finalist

Gigi Clean

Finalist

Spectrum Concierge

Pet Resort Winner

Ruffgers Dog University

Finalist

Camp Bow Wow

Finalist

Pampered Pet Resorts

Photographer Winner

Neiva Ashley

Photography

Finalist

Ashlee Allen Photo

Finalist

Let Me Be Candid

Photography

Private School Winner Community School of Naples

Finalist

Seacrest Country Day School

Finalist The Village School of Naples

Travel Agency Winner

Megan Ptak at Marvelous

Mouse Travels

Finalist

Jen Mitchell Travel

Finalist

Martha Good Bespoke

Luxury Travel

LEE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT & SHOPPING

Antique Store Winner

Dolly Archer Vintage

Finalist

Gannon's Antiques and Art Center

Finalist

Pickin’ Boots Vintage Market

Art Gallery Winner

DAAS CO-OP Art Gallery & Gifts

Finalist

Marine Arts Gallery

We combine our passion for science with our extensive knowledge and specialized training to deeply under - stand our clients skin concerns. We take skincare to the next level and we deliver life-changing results.

Finalist

Sidney & Berne Davis

Art Center

Consignment

Clothing Winner

Ditto Consignment

Boutique

Finalist

Talk of the Town

Consignment

Finalist

What 2 Wear

Consignment

Furniture Winner

Consign & Design

Finalist

Bratz Consignment

Furniture Warehouse

Finalist

Pickin’ Boots

Vintage Market

Event Venue Winner

Sidney & Berne Davis

Art Center

Finalist

Barbara B. Mann

Performing Arts Hall

Finalist

Hertz Arena

Fine Jewelry Winner

Mark Loren Designs

Finalist

Bradley's Jewelers

Finalist

Congress Jewelers

Finalist

Diamond District

Floral Design Winner

The Petal Patch

Finalist

Floral Artistry Studios

Finalist

Signature Florals

Furniture Store Winner

Matter Brothers

Furniture & Mattress

Finalist

Norris Furniture

Finalist

Robb & Stucky

Kid's Birthday Venue Winner

Express YourSelfie

Finalist

Sky Zone

Trampoline Park

Finalist

Wonder Gardens

Kid's Boutique Winner

Kid to Kid

Finalist

Once Upon A Child

Finalist

Puddle Jumpers

Children's Resale

Luxury Car Dealership

Winner

Scanlon Lexus of Fort Myers

Finalist

Jaguar Land Rover

Fort Myers

Finalist

Scanlon Acura

Men's Apparel Winner Suit Guy

Finalist

Brodeur Carvell

Fine Menswear

Finalist

Suits+ Museum Winner

Edison & Ford

Winter Estates

Finalist

IMAG History & Science Center

Finalist

Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center

Performing Arts Center Winner

Barbara B. Mann

Performing Arts Hall

Finalist

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre

Finalist

Florida Repertory Theatre

Specialty Pet Store Winner

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming

Finalist Discount Pets & Supplies

Finalist Patriot Pets & Supplies

Finalist

Paw-Radise Estero

Finalist

Perky Pets

Women's Apparel Winner

Jo Shae's Boutique

Finalist

Jennifer's

Finalist

Local Honey

AT TRACTIONS

Day Cruise Winner

Captiva Cruises

Finalist

Big Tiki Tours

Finalist

Dolphin Boat Tours

Family Fun Activity Winner

Express YourSelfie

Finalist

The Shell Factory & Nature Park

Finalist

Wonder Gardens

Historical Site Winner

Edison & Ford

Winter Estates

Finalist

Koreshan State Park

Finalist

Wonder Gardens

Hotel/Resort Winner

Tarpon Lodge

Finalist

Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant

Finalist

'Tween Waters Island

Resort & Spa

Interactive Experience Winner

Express YourSelfie

Finalist

IMAG History & Science Center

Finalist

Wonder Gardens

Nature & Wildlife Viewing

Winner

Six Mile Cypress

Slough Preserve

Finalist

J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Finalist

Wonder Gardens

Outdoor Festival Winner

Summer Beer Fest at Fort Myers Brewing Company

Finalist

ArtFest Fort Myers

Finalist

BBQ, Bands & Brew

Finalist

Cape Coral Oktoberfest

Overall Attraction Winner

Edison & Ford

Winter Estates

Surf, J. Travis

Buoys, M. Brossrau

Paris,

Paprocki

Finalist

Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant

Finalist

Wonder Gardens

Sightseeing Tour Winner

Captiva Cruises

Finalist

Big Tiki Tours

Finalist

Dolphin Boat Tours

BEAUTY & WELLNESS

Day Spa

Winner

Spada Salon & Day Spa

Finalist

La-Te-Da Salon & Spa

Finalist

The Spa at 'Tween Waters

Eyebrow Artistry Winner

Hideout Boutique

Finalist

Advanced Aesthetic Solutions

Finalist

La-Te-Da Salon & Spa

Facial Winner

Advanced Aesthetic Solutions

Finalist

Face It Botox Bar

Finalist

Hideout Boutique

Hair Salon

Winner

Studio RK Salon

Finalist

Gateway Hair Studio

Finalist

Tiffany Hair & Co.

Injectables Winner

Advanced Aesthetic Solutions

Finalist

Face It Botox Bar

Finalist

The Laser Lounge Spa

Manicure/Pedicure Winner

Pinque Nail Bar

Finalist

La-Te-Da Salon & Spa

Finalist

Manis By Laura

Massage Winner

Therapeutic Thumbs

Massage

Finalist

Spada Salon & Day Spa

Finalist

Szilvia's Massage Therapy LLC

Med-Spa Winner

Advanced Aesthetic Solutions

Finalist

Face It Botox Bar

Finalist

The Laser Lounge Spa

Permanent Makeup Winner

Advanced Aesthetic Solutions

Finalist

Hideout Boutique

Finalist

Symmetrical Beauty

FOOD & DRINK: CUISINE

Barbecue Winner

BIG8 BBQ

Finalist

Big Nick's BBQ

Finalist

Jonesez BBQ

Farm to Table

Winner

Artisan Eatery

Finalist

Harold's

Finalist

Buckingham Farms

French Winner Ma Petite Crêperie

Finalist

Aux Delices Artisan

Bakery & Cafe

Finalist

Azure

Greek/Middle

Eastern Winner

Mythos Authentic

Greek Cuisine

Finalist

The Greek Spot

Finalist

Nomiki's Plakka

Greek Restaurant

Healthy/Organic Winner

Green Cup Café

Finalist

Artisan Eatery

Finalist

Flying Eagle Kombucha

Indian Winner

Masala MantraThe Indian Bistro

Finalist

India's Grill

Finalist

Spice Club Indian Grill

Italian Winner

Angelina's Ristorante

Finalist

Bruno's of Brooklyn

Finalist

CIBO

Finalist

Two Meatballs In The Kitchen

Japanese Winner

MAKS Asian Kitchen & Sushi

Finalist

DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Lounge

Finalist

Origami Korean-Japanese Restaurant

Latin/Spanish Winner

El Gaucho Inca

Finalist

Cubans Be Like Restaurant & Café

Finalist El Patio Restaurant

Seafood Winner Twisted Lobster

Finalist Coldwater Oyster Market

Finalist

Tarpon Lodge

Thai Winner Bangkok Thai Restaurant

Finalist Lan Xang Restaurant

Finalist Sushi Thai Too

FOOD & DRINK: DINING AMENITIES

Boat Access Restaurant Winner

Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant

Finalist

The Boathouse Tiki Bar & Grill

Finalist

Tarpon Lodge

LoveYourSkin

Business Lunch

Winner

Nick & Stella Pizza

Perfecto

Finalist

Shoeless Joe's Sports Cafe

Finalist

Tarpon Lodge

Caterer Winner

Savour First Choice

Catering

Finalist

G3 Catering

Finalist

Jamie's Cuisine

Date Night Restaurant

Finalist

Coldwater Oyster Market

Finalist

Tarpon Lodge

Family Friendly Restaurant Winner

Coldwater Oyster Market

Finalist

Nick & Stella Pizza

Perfecto

Finalist

Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill

Food Truck Winner

Ma Petite Crêperie

Finalist

Finalist

Wicked Streatery

Happy Hour Winner

Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill

Finalist

Angelina's Ristorante

Finalist

Kava Culture Kava Bar

Kept Secret Restaurant Winner

Tarpon Lodge

Finalist

Artisan Eatery

Finalist

Cabbage Key Inn

Finalist

Twisted Lobster

Late-night Dining Winner

Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill

Finalist

Downtown House of Pizza

Finalist

Nice Guys Pizza and Beer

Live Music Winner

Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill

Finalist

Angelina's Ristorante

Finalist

Finalist

Fort Myers Brewing Company

New Restaurant Winner

Corner Spot

Diner + Drink

Finalist

The Bohemian Restaurant

Finalist

Prime 239 Steakhouse

Overall Excellence

Restaurant Winner

Angelina's Ristorante

Finalist

Coldwater Oyster Market

Finalist

Place to Hang with the Locals Winner

Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill

Finalist

Fort Myers Brewing Company

Finalist

Kava Culture Kava Bar

Special Occasion Restaurant Winner

Angelina's Ristorante

Finalist

Harold's

Finalist

Tarpon Lodge

Finalist

The Veranda

Specialty Market Winner

Mario's Meat Market and Deli

Finalist

Coldwater Oyster Market

Finalist

DeRomo's Gourmet Market

Sunset View Restaurant Winner

Tarpon Lodge

Finalist

The Mucky Duck

Finalist

Pinchers Fort Myers Beach

Wine Store

Winner Palace Pub & Wine Bar

Finalist

Golden Rind

Cheese & Wine

Finalist

The Wine Room

FOOD & DRINK: DRINKS & DESSERT

Beer List

Winner

Fort Myers Brewing Company

Winner

Scotty's Bierwerks

Finalist

Point Ybel Brewing Company

Bloody Mary Winner

Corner Spot Diner + Drink

Finalist

Coldwater Oyster Market

Finalist

Nick & Stella Pizza

Perfecto

Finalist

Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill

Chocolate Shop

Winner

Norman Love

Confections

Finalist

Chocolattés

Finalist

Gulf Coast Fudge Co

Finalist

Kilwins

Finalist

Noela Chocolate & Confections

Coffee Shop Winner

Chocolattés

Finalist

Downtown Coffee & Wine Company

Finalist

Urban Buzz Coffee

Craft Brewery Winner

Scotty's Bierwerks

Finalist

Norman Love Confections

Breakfast Winner

Aux Delices

Finalist

House of Omelets

Finalist

Skillets

Brunch Winner

Angelina's Ristorante Winner

Aux Delices

Finalist

Artisan Eatery

Burger Winner

Ford's Garage

Finalist

Artisan Eatery

Finalist

Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant

Chicken Wings Winner

Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill

Finalist

Buffalo Chips Restaurant

Finalist

Nick & Stella

Pizza Perfecto

Doughnuts Winner

Divine Donuts

Finalist

The Doughnut Station

Finalist

Trackside Donuts

Meat Market Winner

Mario's Meat Market & Deli

Finalist

Farmer Joe's

Finalist

Jimmy P's Butcher Shop

Pizza Winner 3 City Pizzeria

Finalist

Downtown House of Pizza

Finalist

Nice Guys

Pizza and Beer

Raw Bar Winner

Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill

Finalist

Blue Pointe Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill

Finalist

Coldwater Oyster Market

Salad Winner

Nick & Stella

Pizza Perfecto

Finalist

Artisan Eatery

Finalist

Chicken Salad Chick

Finalist

Rusty's Raw Bar & Grill

Sandwich Winner

Artisan Eatery

Winner

Wally's Deli

Finalist

Corner Spot Diner + Drink

Finalist

Nick & Stella Pizza

Perfecto

Steak Winner

El Gaucho Inca

Finalist

Angelina's Ristorante

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Naples, FL 34102

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Hours: Mon-Fri 9 am to 6 pm

WHAT IS COMPOUNDING & WHY DOES PERSONALIZED MEDICINE MATTER?

Compounding pharmacy is a centuries old practice that has become increasingly popular in recent years as more people are looking for personalized healthcare solutions. Creative Scripts Compounding Pharmacy is a Neapolitan family-owned business serving the Naples area since 2005 and is the original compounding pharmacy in Collier County. Owners, and Doctors of Pharmacy, Jerry and Lisa Meloche are committed to providing their patients with the highest quality care and service. They understand that every patient has unique health concerns and needs.

Pharmaceutical compounding is the practice of creating medications that are customized to meet the unique needs of each patient. This creation begins with a dialogue between the patient, the pharmacist, and the prescriber. The outcome can involve changing the dose, form, or flavor of a medication. It can also be a combination of medications into a single dose to make using medication easier and more convenient. Controlling all of the ingredients in the preparation also allows for removal of allergens, fillers, or chemicals that patients may be sensitive to.

The benefits of compounding and personalized medicine are numerous and wide ranging. Creative Scripts Compounding Pharmacy specializes in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (bHRT), women’s and men’s health, veterinary, topical pain-management, dermatology, thyroid, and auto-immune conditions just to name a few. Multiple hormones can be custom dosed, then combined into one convenient cream or tablet, and multiple medications can be mixed into one highly penetrating gel for local treatment of inflammatory or neurologic pain. Also, medications that

have been retired from the market or are temporarily unavailable can be recreated in the state-of-the-art laboratory.

As for our furry and feathered friends, they are not forgotten at Creative Scripts. Having a mini–Australian Shepherd at home, Lisa and Jerry love to help other pet owners when it comes time to medicate their own.

Lisa and Jerry are both Veterinary-certified compounding pharmacists. They understand the similarities, and more importantly, the differences between humans and animals, and the intricacies of compounding medication for them. Creative Scripts compounds medications for cats and dogs, as well as other species of animals every day. They treat a plethora of conditions from hyperthyroidism to anxiety, and allergies to cancer.

In addition to their compounding expertise, Jerry and Lisa Meloche are deeply committed to serving their community. As natives of the Naples area, they are invested in the health and well-being of their Naples community. They take the time to get to know each patient and are always available to answer questions or provide guidance.

As time goes on, compounding pharmacy continually evolves to keep up with the world of healthcare. Using their knowledge, cutting edge equipment, and a willingness to help, Jerry and Lisa Meloche provide an individualized approach to treatment, and better outcomes and a higher quality of life for their patients.

Jerry Meloche, Pharm D Lisa Meloche, Pharm D

“As Naples natives and the original compounding pharmacy in Collier County, we understand the unique needs of our community, and enjoy helping our neighbors improve their quality of life.”

BEST OF WELLNESS / Rituals, resources and

Designated Dinker

Currently ranked as the No. 2 female pickleball player, Catherine Parenteau takes Naples’ courts by storm.

Not long ago, Catherine Parenteau was looking for a new challenge. Tennis had been in her life since she was 4 years old. She had excelled at the sport in her native Canada and played at Michigan State University. But as her National Collegiate Athletic Association eligibility ran out, she realized she needed a life after tennis.

Her tennis coach, Simone Jardim introduced her to pickleball. Catherine didn’t know much about the sport, which is similar to tennis but played on a smaller court with a larger ball and smaller paddle. She enjoyed the fastpaced rhythm of the game, and the naturally competitive Catherine was good at it. She had found her second life.

Now, Catherine is one of the best pickleball players in the country. She’s made her home in Naples, which is heralded as a hub of the sport. The honor is partly due to the Naples Pickleball Center in

All-Star — By Justin Paprocki — Photography by Christina Bankson

Best of Wellness — All-Star

“I started playing, and I loved it. It had a lot that I loved from tennis—rallies, quick hands.”

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East Naples Community Park, where the annual US Open Pickleball Championships occur and where Catherine got her first taste of success. She won gold in the mixed doubles bracket at the US Open in 2017, having picked up a pickleball paddle six months earlier. Since, she has won 16 Professional Pickleball Association tournament titles and topped the rankings of the best pickleball players in the country.

Catherine moved to Naples when interest in the sport was booming. Her former coach Simone had already established herself as one of the top players and instructors in the Naples area. She and her partner, Athena Trouillot, moved, and Catherine got a job as an instructor at Collier’s Reserve Country Club. “There are so many courts in almost every community. It’s amazing,” she says of her new home.

Catherine broke out in the sport at the US Open Pickleball Championships in 2017. She’s gone on to win 16 Professional Pickleball Association tournaments.

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Dr. Randold Binns is a board eligible surgically trained prosthodontist and has practiced dentistry since 2001 in multiple healthcare settings. He is on staff with Nova Southeastern University School of Dental Medicine and teaches in their dental implant clinic. Dr. Binns grew up in Panama City, Panama. He attended the University of Panama School of Dentistry, where he received a Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree (DDS). After practicing in Latin America, Dr. Binns furthered his education at Nova Southeastern University School of Dental Medicine, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he obtained his second dental degree Doctorate of Dental Medicine (DMD). He then attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he received his Certificate in Advanced Prosthodontics and a Master of Science in Oral Science (MS).

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Success was quick. Catherine was winning tournaments, and as the sport grew, so did the purses. She’s now a fulltime pickleball player, receiving sponsorships from companies like Skechers and traveling to 20-plus tournaments a year. She teaches clinics after matches but had to give up her Naples instructor gig. “I had to focus on training and playing,” she says.

When Catherine’s not on the road, she’s at home training. She spends two

hours a day with one-on-one, on-court training in her private community, followed by an hour and a half in the gym for lifting weights.

In some ways, the transition was easy from tennis to pickleball. The quick reaction and footwork skills developed in tennis suited her well in her new sport. She still spends much of her workouts on agility drills, plyometrics and conditioning. But, she had to develop a “soft game”—to loosen the

grip on the paddle to gently and strategically place the ball over the net. Her biggest challenge now is finding time off. Pickleball tournaments are held year-round, so she’s had to create her own off-season. Summers are now a time to visit family, relax and just play for fun. She loves how accessible the sport is. All you need is a paddle and a little hand-eye coordination. “I can play with my mother and grandmother and have a pretty good rally,” she says.

Pickleball star Simone Jardim introduced Catherine to the sport. The 28-year-old is now a professional player, with big-name sponsorships and tournaments around the country.

All Aboard

Two ambitious projects seek to turn Southwest Florida into a cyclist haven, with trails that safely cruise between Naples and Bonita Springs and out to Ave Maria.

Rusted rails and worn-down areas are being transformed into scenic trails, bringing more than 80 miles of new biking and walking pathways to Lee and Collier counties. There’s existing precedent locally: The Boca Grande Rail Trail—the first of its kind in Florida—runs the length of the island, and in Port Charlotte, the former Charlotte Harbor & Northern Railroad is now the Cape Haze Pioneer Trail Park.

The proposed Paradise Coast Trail trumps them both in mileage. Five years ago, Michelle Avola-Brown, executive director of the Naples Pathways Coalition, set out on a mission to convert 70 miles of deserted land into biking and walking

trails, from Collier-Seminole State Park in South Naples to Bonita Springs, with a tentacle east to Ave Maria and Immokalee. “We have a wonderful quality of life,” Michelle says. “It’s been a huge gap in our area not to have a trail system.”

Thanks to successful fundraising and feasibility studies, the initial development for the approximately 11.5-mile Livingston section of the trail is slated to kick off in 2024—two years ahead of schedule. Existing pathways will connect to the Paradise Coast Trail, as well, including the 3-mile Rich King Memorial Greenway in East Naples and Paradise Sports Complex’s walking trail by Golden Gate.

In Lee, the nonprofit Friends of Bonita Estero Rail Trail (BERT) is generating strong support as The Trust for Public Land negotiates to acquire around 14 miles of the Seminole Gulf Railway for biking and walking trails. Safety is among the organization’s chief concerns: “Trying to bike in southern Lee County, we’re taking our life into our hands,” BERT president Deb Orton says. The issue is top of mind for Naples Pathways Coalition, too, which hosts a ride of silence on May 17, part of a global initiative to raise awareness for cyclists killed while biking. “Whenever I mention the trail to anyone, they’re really excited about it,” Michelle says. “Their next question is, ‘When will it be ready?’”

Courtesy Naples Pathways Coalition

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Share the Health

With many designated Blue Zones areas (places where people tend to live longer and healthier lives), Southwest Florida is invested in wellness practices that encourage the longevity of its residents. Among them is Lee Health’s longstanding relationships with local residential communities like Heritage Palms Golf & Country Club, which became the healthcare network’s first Partners in Wellness community last April.

The new, formalized designation sets guidelines to ensure communities prioritize residents’ health and brings a wealth of Lee Health services to their doorsteps. “The goal is to meet the needs of all residents, whether it’s a family living in Babcock Ranch or

a retired resident in Cypress Cove,” says Molly Grubbs, a community and business development representative for Lee Health who helped create the new program.

Residents of Partners in Wellness communities have free access to a concierge service that pairs prospective patients with the right physicians, pharmacists, preventative health screenings, and courses and lectures that teach skills, including CPR certification and how to maintain balance as you age. Lee Health representatives also meet with wellness committees or activities directors in each of the eight partner communities—including Babcock Ranch, Bonita Bay and The Club at Grandezza—to tailor services to residents’ needs.

At Cypress Cove, which became a wellness partner in August, chronic disease management and nutrition were top of mind, says public relations manager Jennifer Benton. A recent health fair brought several specialists to the community to offer guidance on living with common conditions, like diabetes. Working with Spring Run Golf Club, Lee Health brought residents to their Coconut Point teaching kitchen for a cooking class to celebrate the flavors of India. “By focusing on all dimensions of wellness, we keep our residents engaged and leading happier, longer lives,” Jennifer says.

Lee Health’s new Partners in Wellness program helps residents live better.

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Boca Beginnings

Captiva’s foremost hospitality hostess heads north, bringing her island fare and familial vibe to Boca Grande.

Longtime Captiva Island entrepreneur

Sandy Stilwell Youngquist isn’t a crier— not even after seeing her properties postIan. “I was stunned more than anything,” she says. “Sometimes, I’d get home and just think about the huge undertaking of work ahead of me and pray to God to give me strength and help me make the right choices.” One of the hardest dilemmas she faced: How could she keep her staff employed when all five of her restaurants and her Captiva Island Inn were shuttered and in need of major repairs? But, she did it—keeping everyone who wanted to work, her employees say.

Meanwhile, a well-timed endeavor equipped the entrepreneur to weather the storm. A month after Ian, Sandy debuted a second location for her Keylime Bistro.

The restaurant is famed for its titular dessert, with its two levels of decadence that contain a custard-like base and fluffy top layer over a dense, crunchy crust, with sweet and tart swirls of raspberry and Key lime sauces. The new locale is a few islands north in Boca Grande’s former Loose Caboose location. Charmed by the building’s historic grandeur and communal ties, Sandy jumped at the chance to buy the restaurant and ice cream parlor on the tail end of the town’s circa-1910 railroad depot.

She kept the creamery, with the Loose Caboose Ice Cream Shoppe connected to Keylime Bistro Boca Grande. If there’s something Sandy—who has lived in Southwest Florida most of her life—knows how to do well, it’s capturing

Best of Dining — Culinary Comeback — By Chelle Koster Walton

Anna Nguyen, Alex Stafford

the wind-in-hair, toes-in-sand, laidback vibe diners seek on a beach vacation. When she bought the Captiva restaurant, she took the booths into the parking lot and beat them with chains to erase the formality of the former locale. She painted the space pastel purple, blue and green to channel the happy spirit of the islands. The Boca Grande restaurant runs much like the original on Captiva, with its worry-free beachy style and the sea breeze sweeping through the room.

Dining at Keylime Bistro is what Sandy calls “eclectic with a whimsical flair.” Chef Nehru Williams—who has worked at The Sandals Resort in Jamaica, Captiva mainstay The Bubble Room and Sandy’s R.C. Otter’s—focuses on traditional Floribbean flavors, with macadamia-crusted mahi, grouper sandwiches and tropical versions of traditional dishes, like the marinara-based paella that eschews saffron and folds in scallops, calamari and sausage. Daily live music fills the patio, shaded with

big, light-strung umbrellas. Inside, she added an L-shaped bar splashed with Keylime Bistro’s trademark hues. Sandy left the train mural and memorabilia as a meeting of new and old. The space seems destined to entertain, with its bright and nautical touches. It evokes what Sandy fell in love with about Boca Grande: the air of elegance you find all over the island town.

Built up by the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway in the early 1900s and subsequently discovered by the Rocke- Anna Nguyen

After having to shutter her six Captiva Island businesses for Hurricane Ian repairs, Sandy Stilwell Youngquist persevered with opening a location for her popular Keylime Bistro in Boca Grande. Chef Nehru Williams helms the kitchen, replicating the restaurant’s signature Floribbean flair.

fellers, du Ponts, J.P Morgan and their ilk, Boca Grande and its legendary tarpon fishing made for a rich man’s playground. The grand Gasparilla Inn spurred the town’s reputation as a prestigious getaway.

Sandy and her husband, Tim, often boated to Gasparilla Island with friends for breakfast or lunch at “the Caboose,” as locals called the restaurant. The locale’s homemade ice cream was so celebrated that actress Katharine Hepburn once pinned an appreciative note to the shop’s bulletin board.

The same day she heard the Caboose was for sale, Sandy made the trip; she made an offer the next day. Then came Ian. “I was due to close on the Loose Caboose, ironically, the day Hurricane Ian hit, but my insurance company wouldn’t sign off on underwriting it with a hurricane out there,” Sandy says. “I had to look hard after the storm to see if it was a wise decision.” It turned out to be her lifeboat in the swell of devastation.

Sandy boated back to Captiva two days after the storm to pick up her son,

Erik Brown, who had stayed at her home there. She informed employees at all six businesses that she’d pay them to help with salvage and clean-up operations on the island. Before the Sanibel bridge was repaired, she and her family ran three boats, including one she captained from her home at St. Charles Yacht Club in south Fort Myers. As other job opportunities opened, she offered staffers an “out” to take better-paying positions to support themselves and their families until they could return to their old Captiva gigs.

Boca Grande, too, had its hurricane woes: Most vacation rentals will likely be off-market until November—a full year after Sandy opened her restaurant. But, by February, the island’s beaches were open, and old Captiva friends were showing up on the island. “We see many of our regulars in Boca Grande now that word is getting out,” Sandy says. The second Keylime proved so successful that Sandy is considering creating more outposts, with a small-scale version at

Southwest Florida International Airport next on her list.

And, she’s not staying quiet on Captiva, either. While she waits for her hometown operations to be in working order, Sandy set up a food truck, Rico Suave’s Mexican Cuisine on the Go, where the team serves the Mexican fare regulars were used to enjoying at Cantina Captiva, which is still undergoing repairs. “I’m still here and resilient as ever,” she says. She expects all of her restaurants to be back by September.

Captiva Island Inn is another story, however. Of the 10 historic cottages—dating back to the ’50s—all but two had to be torn down. “I had to emotionally get over losing the cottages, but in the long run, it will be better,” Sandy says. She’s looking to rebuild and fully reopen the Inn by the time season rolls around in 2024.

As much as she loves Boca Grande, her heart is in Captiva, where she opened the inn in 1999. “Captiva has always been so magical to me,” she says.

The new Keylime Bistro resides in the historic site of the former Loose Caboose restaurant, inside the town’s circa-1910 train depot.

Anna Nguyen

DINING GUIDE

The Dining Guide is crafted each month based on editorial discretion and may include restaurants that advertise regularly (denoted by an asterisk). All phone numbers are area code 239 unless otherwise specified. Please email diningout@gulfshorelife.com to report changes in a restaurant’s location, prices or menu.

Siblings Andrea and Francesca Neri’s namesake Casa Neri , on Fifth Avenue South, has a rustic-chic vibe and a focus on Italian wines and small plates.

MARCO ISLAND

Ario

400 S. Collier Blvd., 642-2695. arioatjwmarco.

com. At the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Ario has striking Gulf views, elevated culinary offerings and an impressive bar program. $$$$ STEAK o v w

The Oyster Society

599 S. Collier Blvd., 394-3474. theoystersociety.

com. At this chic locale, the raw bar has more than eight oyster selections daily, as well as sushi and fresh catches.

$$$$ SEAFOOD o p

Sale e Pepe

480 S. Collier Blvd., 393-1600. sale-e-pepe.com.

A gem with Italian dishes, a formidable wine cellar and a waterfront patio in the Marco Beach Ocean Resort.

$$$$ ITALIAN o p v w

NAPLES

THIRD STREET SOUTH

Barbatella

1290 Third St. S., 263-1955. barbatellanaples.com. Casual Italian cuisine from the team behind Sea Salt. Meet up at the trendy wine bar or on the relaxed patio.

$$$ ITALIAN b o p

The Bevy 360 12th Ave. S., 228-4220. naplesbevy.com. Enjoy craft cocktails and varied influences at this locale off Third Street. The open-air setup with a retractable roof is nothing short of grand.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

Campiello/ The Club Room

1177 Third St. S., 435-1166. campiellonaples.com. A favorite for its contemporary Italian cuisine and courtyard. During season, The Club Room, a restaurant within, has its own menu and live music most nights. $$$$ ITALIAN

D’Amico’s

The Continental 1205 Third St. S., 659-0007. damicoscontinental.com.

Experience top-quality cuts of steak from all over, enhanced by stylish decor.

$$$$ STEAK o p

Jane’s Cafe on 3rd 1209 Third St. S., 261-2253. janesgardencafe.com. Come for the lobster Benedict and stuffed French toast; stay to sit around the lovely koi fountain on the sunny patio.

$$ CAFE b o p v

Ridgway Bar & Grill

1300 Third St. S., 262-5500. ridgwaybarandgrill.com. A

quintessential Old Naples restaurant. $$$

MODERN AMERICAN o p v

Sea Salt

1186 Third St. S., 434-7258. seasaltnaples.com. Loved for sophisticated seafood and accompaniments, this spot offers monthly wine dinners and events

$$$$ MEDITERRANEAN o p v

Mediterrano 336 13th Ave. S., 261-7498. mediterrano-naples.com

Bright decor and a lush patio complement robust dishes and decadent desserts.

$$$$ SEAFOOD

FIFTH AVENUE SOUTH

Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro 865 Fifth Ave. S., 594-5557. bhabhabistro.com. Iranianborn chef Michael Mir serves the flavors of his homeland in a jewel box of a dining room known for its indulgent fare.

$$$$ MIDDLE EASTERN

Casa Neri 382 Fifth Ave. S., 963-9060. casanerinaples.com. This boutique eatery from Molto Trattoria and La Pescheria owners Francesca and Andrea Neri highlights creative dishes and a curated wine list.

$$$$ ITALIAN

Bistro 821 821 Fifth Ave. S., 261-5821. bistro821.com. You’ll love the open kitchen and menu filled with creativity, including its Original Neapolitan pasta and seafood dish.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Chops City Grill 837 Fifth Ave. S., 262-4677. chopscitygrill.com. An elegant, Baroque-inspired steakhouse. $$$$ STEAK

Del Mar 494 Fifth Ave. S., 350-0134. delmarnaplesrestaurant.com.

From restaurateur Cameron Mitchell, this two-story, fine-dining eatery draws from various Mediterranean cuisines.

$$$$ MEDITERRANEAN

The French Brasserie Rustique

365 Fifth Ave. S., 315-4019. thefrenchnaples.com. From chef Vincenzo Betulia, expect exquisite escargot and steak tartare in a buzzworthy atmosphere. $$$ FRENCH b o p

HobNob Kitchen & Bar

720 Fifth Ave. S., Unit 101, 580-0070. hobnobnaples. com. Updated takes on American cuisine in a cool, contemporary dining room.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

Ichi Togarashi

800 Fifth Ave. S., Unit 102, 2285945. togarashinaples.com. This is a favorite for its authentic takes on dim sum, seafood and 20 types of ramen.

$$$$ ASIAN

Ocean Prime 699 Fifth Ave. S., 430-0404. ocean-prime.com. Cameron Mitchell presents surf and turf, an elegant dining room and highly attentive service.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN v

Osteria Tulia/Bar Tulia 466 Fifth Ave. S., 213-2073. osteriatulia.com. Go for Sicilianinspired fare in a rustic-chic setting or craft cocktails at the Bar Tulia gastropub. $$$ ITALIAN o p

Pazzo! Cucina Italiana 853 Fifth Ave. S., 434-8494. pazzoitaliancafe.com. Beautiful presentations and twists on Italian favorites.

$$$$ ITALIAN o p

Pizzata Pizza + Aperitivo 1201 Piper Blvd., 631-1021. pizzatanaples.com. The lauded Philly pizzeria lands in Naples with its famed sourdough pizza and Italian bites. $$$ ITALIAN o p

Sails Restaurant

301 Fifth Ave. S., 360-2000. sailsrestaurants.com. This establishment is famous for its raw bar and weekend Champagne brunch.

$$$$ SEAFOOD b o p v

Sushi Thai Downtown

898 Fifth Ave., 430-7575. sushithaidowntown.com. With locations in Collier and Lee Counties, find a selection of sushi and Thai dishes.

$$$ ASIAN

Truluck’s 698 Fourth Ave. S., 530-3131. trulucks.com. A fine-dining locale touting seafood from the Gulf and beyond.

$$$$ SEAFOOD

Veranda E 290 Fifth Ave. S., 659-3466. hotelescalante.com. A courtyard setting and menu with Asian and French influences in the Hotel Escalante.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

The Vine Room 465 Fifth Ave. S., 316-1202. vineroom.com. Behind an ivy-shrouded door, this cocktail lounge crafts drinks with flair, plus small plates.

$$$$ COCKTAIL LOUNGE

Yabba Island Grill

711 Fifth Ave. S., 262-5787. yab baislandgrill.com. Enjoy surf and turf, and seasonal stone crab on the patio.

$$$ SEAFOOD

DOWNTOWN NAPLES

The Claw Bar

221 Ninth St. S., 231-3912. theclawbar.com. Southern charm, the best oysters and exquisite seafood are served inside the Bellasera Resort. $$$$

SEAFOOD

Grappino

90 Ninth St. N., 331-4325. grappinonaples.com. This Aielli Group eatery offers a fine selection of charcuterie, as well as build-your-own pasta dishes.

$$$ ITALIAN o p

La Colmar Bakery & Bistro

80 Tamiami Trail N., 315-4303. lacolmar.com. Find some of Naples’ top bread and pastries, plus sandwiches and salads. $$$$ BAKERY

Gala Chairs | Glenda and Rich Struthers

Gulfshore Playhouse epitomizes Naples’ growing reputation as a destination for arts and culture. We craft magnificent experiences with exceptionally talented people, because we believe that diverse theatre offerings, brought to life by professionals, can transform lives.

The Lake Park Diner

944 Seventh Ave. N., 228-6351. thelakeparkdiner. com. This casual spot serves healthy, organic fare with many vegan options, plus modernized diner classics.

$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

Nosh on Naples Bay

1490 Fifth Ave. S., 384-9208. noshonnaplesbay.com. Chef Todd Johnson crafts a menu of haute small plates.

$$$$ ECLECTIC o p v w

The Rooster Food + Drink

600 Goodlette-Frank Road N., Unit #101, 228-5973. theroosternaples.com. Comforting breakfast, lunch with dinner Wednesday-Friday in season. $$ AMERICAN b o p

Seventh South Craft Food + Drink

849 Seventh Ave. S., 2314553. seventhsouth.com.

One of Naples’ best—food and drink earn equal acclaim.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN b o p

BAYFRONT Industry Beer & BBQ 449 Bayfront Place, 331-4160. industrybeerandbbq.com.

The team behind LowBrow Pizza & Beer takes on slowsmoked ‘cue and craft beers.

$$ BARBECUE o p

CRAYTON COVE

Bleu Provence

1234 Eighth St. S., 261-8239. bleuprovencenaples.com. Channel southern France with food and select from Naples’ only Grand Award-winning wine list. $$$$ FRENCH

Chez Boët

755 12th Ave. S., 643-6177. chezboetnaples.com. French staples pair with an impressive Scotch list. $$$$ FRENCH o p

The Dock at Crayton Cove 845 12th Ave. S., 263-9940. dockcraytoncove.com. This laid-back spot serves Florida seafood on Naples Bay.

$$$ SEAFOOD

o p w

EAST NAPLES

21 Spices by Chef Asif

4270 Tamiami Trail E., #21, 919-8830. 21spicesdining. com. Authentic cuisine from an award-winning chef.

$$$ INDIAN o p

Z’s Music Kitchen*

12655 Tamiami Trail East, 3049552. zsmusickitchen.com

Hearty bites, a full bar and live entertainment.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o

Carole’s House

8793 Tamiami Trail E., 3318003, caroleshouse.com. French pastries with a robust breakfast and lunch menu.

$$ BAKERY

Celebration Park

2880 Becca Ave., 316-7253. celebrationparknaples.com

From the owner of Three60 Market, this waterfront food truck park has a lively bar scene and boat-up slips.

$$ ECLECTIC o p w

Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen

4270 Tamiami Trail E., 3154167. kareemskitchen.com

Try seven types of hummus, salads and chicken with za’atar potatoes. $$$

MIDDLE EASTERN o p

Lima Restaurant

5047 Tamiami Trail E., 280-0167. lima-restaurant. com. Authentic Peruvian cuisine and a wide selection of pisco are the calling cards.

$$ PERUVIAN

LowBrow Pizza & Beer

3148 Tamiami Trail E., 529-6919. lowbrowpizzaand beer.com. Creative woodfired pies are served with craft brews in a fun, art-filled space.

$$ ITALIAN o p

Rumba Cuban Café

1265 Airport-Pulling Road S., 659-2996. rumbacubancafe. com. Classic Cuban cuisine with fun twists and attentive service.

$$$ LATIN AMERICAN o p

Tacos & Tequila Cantina

4834 Davis Blvd., 732-8226. tacosandtequilanaples.com.

Tacos with lots of clever spins, plus margaritas aplenty.

$$ MEXICAN o p

Three60 Market

2891 Bayview Drive, Naples, 732-7331. three60market.com.

The popular spot features a breakfast and lunch cafe with gourmet flair, a specialty market and an impressive wine shop.

$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p w

The Med

3929 Bayshore Drive, 307-4755. themednaples.com. Artfully plated dishes showcased intimately. $$$$ MEDITERRANEAN o

MIDTOWN

Alexander’s Garden Restaurant

4077 Tamiami Trail N., 262-4999. alexandersnaples. com. Menus filled with seafood and flavors from around the world presented in a modern cafe and lush garden atmosphere. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

Andre’s Steakhouse

2800 Tamiami Trail N., 263-5851. andres steakhouse.com. If you’re a fan of New York’s iconic Peter Luger chophouse, opt for this tiny joint founded by one of its former chefs.

$$$$ STEAK

The Franklin Social 5926 Premier Way #100, 3161200. franklinsocialclub.com. A spin on the social club. Relaxing vibes, live entertainment and craft cocktails.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Café Nutrients

3080 Tamiami Trail N., 919-8732. cafenutrients.com.

At this organic, plant-based cafe, owner Ming Yee sources ingredients from local farms and producers. $$$ VEGAN

Cibao Grille

814 Neapolitan Way, 434-6653. cibaogrille.com. Dishes from the owners’ native Dominican Republic mix with American classics.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

Dorona

2110 Tamiami Trail N., 529-2819. doronanaples.com.

The Aielli’s chic steakhouse has a diverse menu, with seafood, pasta and prime cuts.

$$$$ STEAK

Escargot 41

4351 Tamiami Trail N., 793-5000. escargot41.com. This traditional spot features a page of escargot specials alone.

$$$ FRENCH

Fernández the Bull

3375 Pine Ridge Road, #101, 653-9097. fernandezthebull.

com. Authentic Cuban dishes, like picadillo a la criolla and ropa vieja.

$$ LATIN AMERICAN o p

Food & Thought

2132 Tamiami Trail N., 2132222. foodandthought.com. An organic grocer and cafe with raw and vegan options.

$ CAFE o p

Fujiyama

2555 Tamiami Trail N., 261-4332. naplesfujiyama. com. Japanese master chefs

Marco Island’s Sale e Pepe combines Old World opulence with a Wine Spectator awardrecognized vino list and indulgent Italian dishes.

prepare dinners with flair at your hibachi table.

$$$ ASIAN

FUSE Global Cuisine/ FUSE BBQ

2500 Tamiami Trail N. #114, 455-4585. fuseglobalcuisine. com. Cuisines from around the world at fine-dining FUSE; stellar barbecue next door. $$$ ECLECTIC o p

Harold’s Place 2555 Tamiami Trail N., 263-7254. naplesharolds place.com. This chickee bar serves a winning charbroiled burger. $ AMERICAN o

Hogfish Harry’s 600 Neapolitan Way, 776-7623. hogfishharrys.com

The menu sources 90 percent of its seafood from local fishers. $$$ SEAFOOD o p

Hyde N Chic 923 Creech Road, 404-3065. hydenchicrestaurant.com

In his artfully appointed dining room, chef Andy Hyde guides you through inspired tasting menus from Africa, Europe and the Americas.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Jimmy P’s Charred 1833 Tamiami Trail N., 6432427. jimmypscharred.com. A casual steakhouse specializing

in Wagyu beef from Naples’ longtime trusted butcher.

$$$$ STEAK o p

Komoon Thai

Sushi & Ceviche

Multiple locations in Lee and Collier counties. komoonthai. com. A fun mix of Thai, Japanese and Peruvian fare in a contemporary locale that often hosts live music.

$$ ASIAN

Lamoraga Restaurant

3936 Tamiami Trail N., 331-3669. lamoragarestaurant. com. Contemporary upscale twists on Spanish dishes, plus inventive vegan fare.

$$$$ SPANISH o p v

Le Indya

975 Pine Ridge Road, 591-5156. leindya.com. The authentic cuisine includes plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes.

$$ INDIAN

The Local 5323 Airport-Pulling Road, 596-3276. thelocalnaples.com. A farm-to-table restaurant with locally sourced, healthy cuisine.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN b o p

Martin Fierro

13040 Livingston Road, 3004777. martinfierrorestaurant. com. At this Argentinian and Uruguayan parrillada, you’ll find grass-fed beef and tango music.

$$$ LATIN AMERICAN o p

Moura Bistro

3369 Pine Ridge Road, 738-8883. mourabistro.com. Flavorful Lebanese fare, like falafel, tabbouleh and shawarma.

$$$ MIDDLE EASTERN

Shula’s Steak House

5111 Tamiami Trail N., 430-4999. shulasnaples. com. Late NFL Hall of Fame coach Don Shula’s classic steakhouse. $$$$ STEAK

Swan River Seafood & Fish Market

3741 Tamiami Trail N., 403-7000. swanriverseafood. com. Find Cape Cod-style seafood and a market with fresh catches, wine and more. $$$ SEAFOOD

USS Nemo

3745 Tamiami Trail N., 261-6366. ussnemorestau rant.com. Masterful fresh seafood creations from a classically trained chef.

$$$ SEAFOOD

Ziggy D’Amico’s Whiskey Bar & Diner

4691 Ninth St. N., 430-0955. ziggydamicos.com. This D’Amico & Partners spot emphasizes whiskey.

$$ AMERICAN

THE VILLAGE SHOPS ON VENETIAN BAY

Bayside Seafood

Grill & Bar

4270 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 649-5552. baysideseafood grillandbar.com. Dine on more than 200 feet of waterfront.

$$$$ SEAFOOD o p w

MiraMare Ristorante

4236 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 430-6273. miramarenaples. com. Enjoy classic Italian fare on the waterfront patio overlooking Venetian Bay.

$$$ ITALIAN

Fish Restaurant

4360 Gulf Shore Blvd., 2633474. fishrestaurantnaples. com. Find seafood and a waterside breeze overlooking the bay. $$$$ SEAFOOD

M Waterfront Grille

4300 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 263-4421. mwaterfrontgrille. com. Expect organic meals served in the main dining room (with bay views) and on the waterfront terrace.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN b o p v w

T-Michaels Steak & Lobster House

4050 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 261-0622. t-michaels.com.

Steakhouse dining on the water, featuring USDA Prime meats and Maine lobster.

$$$$ STEAK

WATERSIDE SHOPS

True Food Kitchen

5375 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 15, 431-4580. truefoodkitchen.com. The menu caters to flexitarians but has plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans.

$$$ CAFE

NORTH NAPLES

BALEEN

9891 Gulf Shore Drive, 5985707. laplayaresort.com. A wraparound terrace sets the stage for creative cuisine.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

The Bay House

799 Walkerbilt Road, 5913837. bayhousenaples.com. Southern-inspired menus and a raw bar star in the spot with panoramic mangrove and water views. $$$$ SEAFOOD

Black Forest Restaurant

2366 Immokalee Road, 5924784. blackforestnaples.com. Here, you’ll find classic German and Austrian fare like traditional sauerbraten.

$$$ EUROPEAN

Bone Hook Brewing Co.

1514 Immokalee Road, 631-8522. bonehookbrewing. com. This microbrewery has a taproom with a full kitchen. $$ BAR BITES o p

Café Gourmand

9853 Tamiami Trail N., 260-7109. cafegourmand.net. Here, find crepes by day and formal dinner service by night.

$$ FRENCH o p

Côte d’Azur

11224 Tamiami Trail N., 597-8867. cotedazurrestau rant.com. Old World French cuisine in a cozy Provençal setting.

$$$$ FRENCH

The Crust 8004 Trail Blvd., 244-8488. thecrustpizza.net. This sports bar is one of the area’s most popular pizza joints.

$$ ITALIAN

Deep Lagoon Seafood & Fish Market

8777 Tamiami Trail N., 880-3337. deeplagoon.com. The family behind Pinchers owns this popular eatery. $$$ SEAFOOD o p Dusk 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 598-6644. ritzcarlton.com. This stylish sushi lounge in The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, has a patio overlooking the Gulf. Closed until further notice. $$$$ ASIAN o p v

Fernández the Bull 1201 Piper Blvd., Unit #10, 2549855. fernandezthebull.com.

Authentic Cuban dishes and daily happy hour.

$$ LATIN AMERICAN o p

Grain De Café

8803 Tamiami Trail N., 594-8081. frenchcafenaples. com. The pain au chocolat, quiches and crepes are worth it. $$ FRENCH

The Grill

280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 598-6644. ritzcarlton.com. This elegant steakhouse at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, evokes the ambiance of a private club. Closed until further notice.

$$$$ STEAK

Jimmy P’s Burgers & More

1833 Tamiami Trail N., 1201 Piper Blvd., #11, 514-1800. jimmypsburgers.com. Superior meats from the longtime trusted butcher.

$$$$ AMERICAN

Namba

8847 Tamiami Trail N., 5924992. nambanaples.com. The Japanese menu gives a remarkable selection of ramen, sushi and small plates.

$$$ ASIAN

New York Pizza & Pasta

11140 Tamiami Trail N., 594-3500; 8855 Immokalee Road, 597-3800. nypp.com. Go here for hand-tossed pies and classic Italian fare.

$$ ITALIAN

Parmesan Pete’s 7935 Airport-Pulling Road, 992-3663. parmesanpetes. com. Order huge portions of Parmesans, meatballs and lasagna. $$$ ITALIAN

Two Fillets 10395 Tamiami Trail N., 788-0222. twofillets.com. The latest surf-and-turf restaurant and market from the folks behind Pinchers. $$$ AMERICAN

Zen Asian BBQ 10823 Tamiami Trail N., 260-7037. eatatzen.com.

A pan-Asian joint with fresh sushi, ramen, bar bites and Korean barbecue. $$$ ASIAN

MERCATO

Bar Tulia

9118 Strada Place, #8150, 438-1031. bartulia.com. The second location of this Italian gastropub features expertly crafted cocktails. $$$ ITALIAN b o p

The Hampton Social 9114 Strada Place, 202-2038. thehamptonsocial.com.

A lofty Chicago export with a chic, rosé-all-day bar scene complemented by great seafood. $$$ SEAFOOD b o p

Rocco’s Tacos 9123 Strada Place, 500-8226. roccostacos.com. Go for the roughly 500 selections of

tequila and mezcal.

$$$ MEXICAN o p

The 239 Naples 9108 Strada Place, 631-1902 the239naples.com. Local ingredients from seafood purveyors, farms and more.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o b

THE PAVILION

KC American Bistro 885 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 566-2371. kcamericanbistro. com. Seasonal, American cuisine from chef Keith Casey.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p v

Tacos & Tequila Cantina

8971 Tamiami Trail N., 254-8226. tacosandtequila naples.com. Inventive tacos and margaritas abound.

$$ MEXICAN o p

GALLERIA SHOPPES AT VANDERBILT

Alpine Restaurant

2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 325-9499. alpineofna ples. com. Expect the best of German, Slovak, Czech, Polish and Hungarian cuisines.

$$$ EASTERN EUROPEAN b o p

Real Seafood Co. Naples

8960 Fontana Del Sol Way, 591-3523. realseafoodcorestaurant.com.

Fish from New England, the

Great Lakes and the Gulf pair with local produce.

$$$$ SEAFOOD

The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar

2343 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 513-0095. thecavenaples.com.

A magnificent selection of wines and small plates.

$$$ WINE BAR o p

Mister O1

Extraordinary Pizza 2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 631-6844. mistero1.com.

Extraordinary isn’t hyperbole; try the star-shaped pizza with ricotta-stuffed crust for proof.

$$ ITALIAN o p

BONITA SPRINGS

Angelina’s Ristorante

24041 S. Tamiami Trail, 390-3187. angelinasofbon itasprings.com. This fine Italian restaurant has plush banquettes, live piano music and an award-winning wine list.

$$$$ ITALIAN v

The Bohemian 27975 Old 41 Road, 451-9619. thebohemianbonita.com. From the team behind Downtown Coffee and Wine, enjoy a globally inspired menu and low-ABV cocktails. $$$$ ECLECTIC

Lapa’s Costa Rican Bistro

26251 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite #9, 221-7016. lapascr.com. A reliable spot for authentic plates such as arroz con pollo, gallos and tostadas.

$$ LATIN AMERICAN

Olde Florida Chop House 3401 Bay Commons Drive, 948-4400. oldefloridachophouse.com. Waterfront dining serving Florida-style dishes.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o w

The Other Side Bistro 24630 S. Tamiami Trail,

992-7433. othersidebistro. com. Chef Brian McCarley serves comfort dishes with modern flair.

$$$$

MODERN AMERICAN o p

Malinche Mexican Cuisine

3250 Bonita Beach Road Southwest, 301-2902. malinchebonitasprings.com.

Brothers Jorge and Antonio Salazar dish traditional Central and Southern Mexican flavors like cochinita pibil.

$$$ MEXICAN

Petar’s Restaurant

3300 Bonita Beach Road, #120, 249-4064. petars

restaurant.com. Chef Petar

Al Kurdi has developed a strong following for his deftly prepared cuisine. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Roy’s Restaurant

26831 S. Bay Drive, 498-7697. roysrestaurant.com. Enjoy celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi’s Hawaiian and Pacific fusion fine dining. $$$$ ASIAN o

A Table Apart

4295 Bonita Beach Road, 221-8540. atableapart.com. Fusion influences from the Pacific Rim and beyond.

$$$ ECLECTIC

Though several locations were damaged by Hurricane Ian, Sanibel’s Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille is open and serving the Floribbean fare locals and tourists love.

Wylds Café 4271 Bonita Beach Road, 9470408. wyldscafe.com. Three chefs join forces for a fine-dining experience.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

ESTERO

Divieto Ristorante

23161 Village Shops Way, #101, 390-2977. divietoristorante.com. Its famous fettuccine Alfredo is prepared in a hollowed-out Parmesan wheel. $$$ ITALIAN o p v Courtesy Doc Ford’s

El Nido

23161 Village Shops Way, SUITE #113 319-1900. elni doeats.com. A contemporary joint using local ingredients for housemade sauces and a modern spin on Latin dishes.

$$ MEXICAN o p

The Saloon 23151 Village Shops Way, 949-2583. thesaloon.net. A taste of the Old West with grilled steaks, barbecue, and original cocktails.

$$$ AMERICAN o p

Tacos & Tequila Cantina

10952 Eagle Village Drive, 330-8226. tacosandtequi lanaples.com. Tacos with clever spins, plus margaritas.

$$ MEXICAN o p

FORT MYERS

SOUTH FORT MYERS

Artisan Eatery 8951 Daniels Parkway, 887-4844. artisaneatery.com. Look for outstanding specials at this stamp-size favorite.

$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Coldwater Oyster Market

5611 Six Mile Commercial Court, 220-5918. coldwa teroystermarket.com.

Coldwater seafood from the North Atlantic and Pacific Northwest. $$$ SEAFOOD o p

Ember 7091 College Parkway, #9, 771-8818. emberfortmyers. com. A gem with tabletop barbecue, fusion dishes and sushi. $$$ ASIAN

Fancy’s Southern Café 8890 Salrose Lane, #101, 561-2988. fancyssouthernca fe.com. Southern favorites in a casual atmosphere.

$$ MODERN AMERICAN b o p

Harold’s 15250 S. Tamiami Trail, 849-0622. haroldscuisine.com.

Chef Harold Balink recently expanded his cozy, farm-totable bistro.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

La Trattoria Café Napoli 12377 S. Cleveland Ave., 9310050. latrattoriacafenapoli. com. Known for paella, this Spanish restaurant also features a variety of tapas and seafood.

$$$ MEDITERRANEAN

Liberty 12995 S. Cleveland Ave., #112, 689-5528. eatliberty.us

Chef Bob Boye’s dinner-only gem features artfully presented progressive menus.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Osteria Celli

15880 Summerlin Road, #308, 267-1310. osteriacelli.com.

Fresh pasta is a highlight.

$$$ ITALIAN

The Saucy Meatball

12401 Commerce Lakes Drive, 800-7172. saucymeatball.com.

Industrial-chic pizzeria with crave-able entrees.

$$ ITALIAN

Viet Village

16571 S. Tamiami Trail, 208-8368 This spot is famous for its rare-beef pho and rice specials cooked in a clay pot.

$$ ASIAN

BELL TOWER SHOPS

DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Lounge

13499 S. Cleveland Ave., 344-0037. darumarestaurant. com. Enjoy the Teppan-style tableside cooking, tempura and sushi. $$$$ ASIAN o p

CENTRAL FORT MYERS

El Gaucho Inca

4383 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, 275-7504; 22909 Lyden Drive, Estero, 494-1564. elgauchoinca. com. A mix of Argentinian and Peruvian dishes.

$$ LATIN AMERICAN o p

Ginger Bistro

4650 Cleveland Ave., #8, 689-3113. gingerbistrousa.com.

Traditional dim sum and Cantonese barbecue are highlights.

$$ ASIAN

KJ’s Steakhouse

10950 S. Cleveland Ave., 275-4745. kjsfreshgrill.com. They pride themselves on aging and searing.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

MCGREGOR CORRIDOR

Azure

15301 McGregor Blvd., 288-4296. azurefortmyers. com. Enjoy modernized French classics with a southern flair. $$$ FRENCH o

Blanc

13451 McGregor Blvd., 887-3139. blancentertain ment.com. Chef Jean Claude Rogé’s restaurant mixes global flavors. $$ FRENCH

Cibo

12901 McGregor Blvd., #5, 454-3700. cibofortmyers. com. This Italian spot serves stellar food and wines.

$$$ ITALIAN p

Crave Restaurant

12901 McGregor Blvd., 466-4663. cravemenu.com. From-scratch comfort food.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Deep Lagoon Seafood & Oyster House

14040 McGregor Blvd., 6895474. deeplagoon.com. A waterfront spot with a raw bar.

$$$ SEAFOOD o v w

Roadhouse Café

15660 San Carlos Blvd., 4154375. roadhousecafefl.com. Try a wide range of dishes (including steak).

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS

Bullig Coffee & Bites

1815 Fowler St., 738-8582. Pair espresso drinks with savory or sweet waffles.

$ CAFE b o p

Izzy’s Fish & Oyster

2282 First St., 337-4999. izzysft myers.com. A raw bar with New England-style seafood.

$$$ SEAFOOD

King’s Kitchen

2150 W. First St., 208-8518. kingskitchenandbar.com. Go for the warehouse vibe, beer garden and global comforts.

$$ ECLECTIC b o

The Silver King Ocean Brasserie

2200 Edwards Drive, (833) 918-1512. luminary hotel.com. Inside Luminary Hotel & Co., this restaurant serves fine coastal cuisine. The hotel also houses riverfront Oxbow Bar & Grill and the rooftop Beacon Social Drinkery. $$$$ SEAFOOD o p v w

The Standard Restaurant 1520 Broadway, 219-6463. thestandardftmyers.com.

From-scratch eats and craft cocktails. $$$

MODERN AMERICAN b o p

The Veranda 2122 Second St., 332-2065. verandarestaurant.com. Fort Myers’ grande dame serves filet mignon, veal and topnotch service.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p v

SANIBEL ISLAND

Note: Many restaurants on Sanibel and Captiva were affected by Hurricane Ian. Call for the latest info.

Bleu Rendez-Vous

French Bistro 751 Tarpon Bay Road, 565-1608. bleurendezvous. com. This restaurant is lauded for authentic French fare, like coq au vin and cassoulet.

$$$$ FRENCH

Cielo

1244 Periwinkle Way, 472-5555. cielo-sanibel.com. Elevated island fare.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille Locations throughout Lee County. docfords.com.

Seafood, mojitos and a namesake rum bar. $$$ SEAFOOD o p w

MudBugs Cajun Kitchen

1473 Periwinkle Way, 472-2221. mudbugssanibel. com. Find Crescent City classics. $$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

Sweet Melissa’s Café

1625 Periwinkle Way, 472-1956. sweetmelissascafe. com. Sanibel’s first James Beard Award semifinalist. Closed until further notice.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

T2 Bistro & Wine Bar

2340 Periwinkle Way, 558-8919. t2traders.com. Retro-chic joint serving Frenchinspired cuisine. Closed until further notice.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p

CAPTIVA ISLAND

Keylime Bistro at Captiva Island Inn

11509 Andy Rosse Lane, 395-4000. keylimebistrocap tiva.com. Colorful island spot with a full bar. Closed until further notice. Meanwhile, visit the Boca Grande location.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN b o p

The Mucky Duck

11546 Andy Rosse Lane, 472-3434. muckyduck.com.

A British pub with seafood platters, beer and live music.

$$$ AMERICAN o p w

RC Otter’s Island Eats

11506 Andy Rosse Lane, 395-1142. captivaislandinn.com.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner with live music. Closed until further notice. $$ AMERICAN b o p

Sunshine Seafood

Cafe and Wine Bar

11508 Andy Rosse Lane, 4726200. captivaislandinn.com. Sophisticated beachy cafe. Closed until further notice.

$$$$ SEAFOOD

CAPE CORAL & PINE ISLAND

Cork Soakers Deck & Wine Bar

837 SE 47th Terrace, 542-6622. corksoakers.net. An irreverent tone shows in the decor and on the menu.

$$ MODERN AMERICAN b o p

Fathoms

Restaurant & Bar

5785 Cape Harbour Drive, 5420123. fathomsrestarant.com. Modern cuisine with international influences.

$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p w

Fish Tale Grill By Merrick Seafood

1229 S.E. 47th Terrace, 257-3167. fishtalegrill.com. With an adjacent fish market, many items earn nods.

$$$$ SEAFOOD b o

Anna Nguyen

VISIONARY SPONSORS

Patty & Jay Baker

Sheila & Paul Demkovich

CHAMPION SPONSOR

Damon Custom Structures

PARTNER SPONSOR

Darlene Latimer

FOOD STATION SPONSORS

Ken & Jackie MurrayThe Flag Foundation

SWFL Services

On Naples’ Third Street South, Sea Salt ’s sommelier Liset Zelaya curates a global wine list that keeps pace with the dynamic menu.

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS & GUESTS

PATRON SPONSORS

Morgan Stanley - Marilynn Katatsky, Wealth Advisor

Carol & Ron Sperling

Subaru of Naples

ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR

Davies Duke, PLLC

VIP SUPPORTERS

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A.

Rufino Hernandez & Gregg Sari

William & Ruthann Laswick

Presenting Sponsors

REFRESHMENT SPONSORS

Bulloch Taylor, PLLC

J.P. Morgan Private Bank

TRANSPORTATION SPONSORS

Sheila & Paul Demkovich

Beverly Fanning

TREAT BAR SPONSOR

Alan Einhorn & Vicki Cooper

PROGRAM UNDERWRITER

Elephant Creative Co.

Honorary Chairs

Patty & Jay Baker

Media Sponsor

RAFFLE SPONSORS

Have Jewels Will Travel

Three60 Market

IN-KIND SPONSORS

Artistic Science

Garden District Design

Hailstone Vineyards

Nokomis Home Fragrance Candles

Norman Love Confections

Paws Pet Boutique

Gather

5971 Silver King Blvd., 673-9939. gathercape.com. Celebrated chefs blend Mediterranean flavors with classics. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN o w

Next Door

5971 Silver King Blvd. #114, 984-2453. nextdoorcape. com. From the team at Gather, Next Door elevates small dishes with focused flair. $$$$ ITALIAN

Ginger Bistro

2366 Surfside Blvd., #101, 558-8865. gingerbistrousa. com. Authentic Chinese fare and traditional Cantonese barbecue. $$ ASIAN

Jungle Bird

Authentic Tiki

1520 Lafayette St., 471-4111. junglebirdtiki.com. Clever Pacific Rim dishes and signature house rum. $$$ ASIAN

b o p

Marker 92 Waterfront Bar & Bistro/ Nauti Mermaid

5961 Silver King Blvd., 5415016. marriott.com. Bay views and entrees from these two restaurants at The Westin Cape Coral. $$$ SEAFOOD b o p w

Point 57 Kitchen & Cocktails

3522 Del Prado Blvd. S., 471-7785. point-57.com.

A critically acclaimed menu from one of Lee County’s best. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN b o

Sip & Dine

4820 Candia Street, 540-6800. slatescapecoral.com. New Orleans evoked through its dishes and jazz lounge. $$$ MODERN AMERICAN b o

Tarpon Lodge Restaurant

13771 Waterfront Drive, Bokeelia, 283-3999. tarponlodge.com. Dine in a 1920s fishing lodge.

$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o w

2023 MAGIC UNDER THE MANGROVES

THANK YOU FOR

Thank you for making our 19th annual Magic Under the Mangroves gala a success! Your support provides key funding that directly enhances the Conservancy’s mission of protecting Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife and future.

Special thanks to our Event Chairs, Toni and Charlie Mueller on their exceptional leadership.

Relaxing, Refreshing Favorites

Refashioning Frida

Isabelle de Borchgrave reimagines Frida Kahlo’s expressive world through paper replicas of her home and wardrobe on display at Naples Art Institute.

Miradas de Mujeres: Isabelle de Borchgrave and The World of Frida Kahlo, on view at Naples Art Institute through June 11, is a visual banquet—an immersive experience bursting with color, vibrant patterns and playful stagecraft. In the show, Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave presents an exuberant take on the domestic life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The show’s title, which translates to “women’s perspectives,” suggests a dialogue between the two artists through their shared joie de vivre.

When you step into the gallery space, a soundtrack plays honking cars, chirping birds and Spanish guitar playing, as you might hear from the artist’s famed Casa Azul home-turned-museum in Mexico City. A series of raised platforms feature three-dimensional environments Isabelle fabricated

from vibrantly handpainted paper. “Paper is her medium, art is her language,” Naples Art Institute’s executive director and chief curator, Frank Verpoorten, says.

Isabelle took three years and more than 2 miles of paper to construct the exhibit, which comes to Naples as part of ¡ARTE VIVA!, Collier County’s yearlong celebration of Hispanic arts and culture. (Some of Miradas de Mujeres is also on view in Kapnick Hall at Naples Botanical Garden.) Frank first worked with Isabelle when he helped acquire her still-buzzedabout Fashioning Art from Paper show at Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum in 2019, during his tenure at the museum. He saw Miradas when the exhibition premiered at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium last year and knew he had to bring the show

Courtesy Isabelle de Borchgrave

The exhibit showcases pieces from Frida Kahlo’s everyday life, including the Talavera ceramics in her cupboard, her traditional Mexican clothing and plants she grew in her garden.

Courtesy Isabelle de Borchgrave

Isabelle’s pleated-paper paintings are first painted on flat paper then folded. “You have to get the proportions just right, but it’s also fun where you see it’s not entirely perfect, because it’s whimsical,” Frank says.

Courtesy Isabelle de Borchgrave

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here. Frank recreated the footprint of the Belgium show at Naples Art, working with two colleagues and a couple of Isabelle’s studio assistants to build the equally exuberant platforms and backdrops. “We couldn’t paint the walls, so Isabelle said, ‘No problem,’” Frank says. “Her team handpainted some wallpaper for us and sent it by FedEx.”

Going beyond the dark themes of psychological and physical torment often associated with Frida, the show focuses on the

artist’s intimate life at home and her love for the folk art, textiles and vivid colors of her native country. “It’s Mexico through Frida’s eyes, if you can imagine that,” Frank says.

Several years ago, Isabelle—a style icon in her own right, who’s worked with Dior, Hermès and Lanvin—toured Frida’s famed Casa Azul and was inspired by the cobalt house and surrounding gardens, filled with native succulents, cacti and pepper plants. “What I discovered, and which delighted me, was

her love of colors and fabrics and her joie de vivre,” Isabelle says.

Back in her studio, the self-taught artist twisted, folded, draped, pleated and handpainted matte Tykev and Sappi paper, and corrugated cardboard to recreate scenes of Frida’s home life. The show marks the first time the Belgian artist expanded from dresses and single items to full-scale paper rooms—a throwback to her days as an opera set designer.

Courtesy Isabelle de Borchgrave

Isabelle spent three years and used more than 2 miles of paper to construct detailed replicas of scenes from Frida’s home-turnedmuseum in Mexico City.

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The vignettes are arranged on elevated platforms throughout the gallery, creating an immersive tour of Frida’s colorful world.

Isabelle replicated the Talavera plates in Frida’s cupboard, her box of nearly 150 pastels (all individually rolled and painted), and the pre-Columbian statuary that Frida and her husband, muralist Diego Rivera, collected. The pieces dive into everything from how Frida did her hair to the ingredients that filled her kitchen. “The watermelon references Frida’s Viva la Vida painting,” Frank adds. Every scene comes alive, as if the artist

overcame all that with her strength and love for beautiful things,” Frank says.

Fringed carpets anchor fully furnished rooms; parrots flutter around flowering jacaranda trees; Xoloitzcuintli dogs from her menagerie of pets climbs under tables; work overalls hang by a door waiting for the artist to head to the garden; and technicolor woven shawls hang against Frida’s embroidered blouses.

In front of the runway of Frida-inspired

Courtesy Isabelle de Borchgrave

of Arts + Culture — Cultural Icon — By Lauren Amalia Redding

Digging Deeper

Humidity coaxes curls of steam off Estero Bay along the east side of the Mound House, on Fort Myers Beach, as Adam Knight, the museum’s education coordinator, meets me on the front lawn. “It may seem innocent to pick up a shell,” they say, gesturing across the lawn we’re surveying. “But you’re removing part of human history. That shell was important—a tool to help elevate the village; someone placed it there.”

At first glance, the Mound House might appear simply as a century-old home and museum. But the 3-acre property— which includes a kayak launch, boardwalk and walkable waterside park—encompasses an ancient shell mound, or midden, built up through the centuries by the Calusa, the Indigenous people of Southwest Florida and the Everglades. “The site started its occupation 2,000 years ago, but the Calusa only lived here until around 1,100 A.D.,” Adam says. “Give or take 200 years.”

The former lead site historian at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates—armed with a master’s degree in museology and museum studies from Johns Hopkins University—designs and carries out all aspects of the Mound House’s educational calendar. “There’s a joke in museums that we wear many hats, and that’s especially true of a small museum like the Mound House,”

At the Mound House, on Fort Myers Beach, Adam Knight unearths centuries of Southwest Florida history, with a focus on lesser-known stories, including the site’s rich Latin heritage.

The Mound House—a historic home-turned-museum—stands atop a 2,000-year-old shell mound. An underground exhibit, Stories Beneath Our Feet , reveals a cross section, or midden, of shells laid over thousands of years.

Courtesy Mound House (1), Dan Cutrona (2)

Adam says. They’re a bridge between the site’s archaeologists and the public, researching the site’s history and recent excavations, and sharing their findings through the many family programs, festivals, late-night events and kayak ecotours that they single-handedly plan and lead. Adam’s research and how they share it with visitors is all the more crucial as the museum doesn’t have a formally designated curator on staff. I can attest to their patience as an educator: When we meet, Adam teaches me how to use an atlatl, or spear-throwing lever favored by the Calusa (though my erratic aim isn’t nearly as precise as Adam’s).

Much of Adam’s programming focuses on filling in the unknown 700 years between the Calusa and the Americans who began flocking to Florida in the 19th century. The Puerto Rican educator is

particularly drawn to the Mound House’s rich Hispanic history. “A lot of people think Florida’s Latino history starts with the Mariel boatlift in the 1980s,” they say, noting that Cuban fishers began settling around the Mound House in the 1700s. “The Mound House is also a site of Hispanic heritage, with people here speaking Spanish and trading back and forth with Cuba.” Inside the house, display cases are filled with the fishers’ artifacts, and Adam’s organized a new series of Latino History tours to amplify these lesser-known stories. I make a mental note to bring my mother, who’s from Havana, to the next one.

Adam tells me that by the early 1800s, the fishing trade faded, and the area began seeing an influx of North American settlers. In 1906, New Englander William H. Case acquired

the Estero Bay-facing land and built a modest cottage; captain Jack DeLysle, a casino operator, bought the property in 1921 and transformed the home into the arts and crafts house visitors see today. Then, in the 1950s, the Long family moved in and built a pool—to the detriment of much of the midden. “Removing artifacts is like taking a page out of a book,” Adam says. “The swimming pool and equipment used to construct it ripped a page out of that book.”

Adam walks me along a path that arcs below the southwestern corner of the home to Stories Beneath Our Feet , an underground exhibition where a cutaway of the midden reveals its strata, formed over millennia. Exposed when the old pool was removed in the early 2000s, the dynamic gallery is illuminated to identify the layers of uniformly compressed shell fragments. “Archaeologists rarely excavate more than 100 centimeters down, much less to the pool’s depth of 13 feet,” Adam says. “It was a chance to see everything from the origins to the abandonment of the site, but what we’re focused on now is preserving.”

Last September, the Mound House— in partnership with the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, the Florida Public Archaeology Network and the Seminole Tribe of Florida— completed an ambitious conservation effort to stabilize the lower layer of shells and catalog data from the midden. Serendipitously, the project was completed just days before Hurricane Ian struck. The exhibition’s doors

Shawky A. Hassan M.D., PhD

miraculously kept out most of the flooding, and Stories Beneath Our Feet experienced minimal damage. Once the archaeologists’ data is available, it’ll be passed along to Adam to integrate its new findings into the museum’s educational programming.

“You can’t talk about a society or people or culture without their interaction with the land,” Adam says. In returning the mound to the natural state the Calusa cultivated, the museum reintroduced native vegetation and drainage to the property. “When storm surge covered the entirety of the mound, the plants were able to sustain being submerged in that salt water for hours. Mangroves surround the entirety of the peninsula and stopped debris from causing further damage,” Adam explains. Though the Mound House’s structures sustained enough damage to necessitate closing the museum for months, the site’s survival—especially given the devastation and total losses surrounding it on Fort Myers Beach—is a testament to the Calusa’s ingenuity.

Adam’s workload hasn’t lightened as a result of the Mound House’s temporary closure; if anything, it’s ramped up. They’re relaunching social media outreach, retraining volunteers, reestablishing a full calendar of programming and hosting Florida Gulf Coast University’s summer colloquium students. “I hope as Southwest Florida recovers, we can look back at sites like this to help build a more sustainable future,” Adam says.

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Fort Myers’ artist David Acevedo explores religion through his otherworldly mixed-media works in this month’s Divine Hypocrisy exhibit at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center.

David Acevedo’s Strangescape II (2022), mixed media on canvas, 16x20 inches, on view at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center

TOP EVENTS FOR MAY

Fill your calendar with art exhibits, Latin music and days of wonder throughout Southwest Florida. As events may change, we recommend you check with the organizations for the latest information.

May 1-31

Sunset Clouds at Phil Fisher Gallery, Naples

The internationally recognized Naples artist displays his take on the vibrant hues of Southwest Florida’s skies through watercolor and oil paintings. philfishergallery.com

May 1 – June 11

Mexico as Muse by Isabelle de Borchgrave at the Naples Botanical Garden

See the Belgian artist’s paper creations as part of Naples Art Institute’s Miradas de Mujeres: Isabelle de Borchgrave and The World of Frida Kahlo. naplesgarden.org

May 2-31

Season Closing Group Show at Harmon-Meek Gallery, Naples

The Third Street South gallery wraps its 60th season with a collection of works from its featured artists. harmonmeekgallery.com

May 4 and 5

Latin Infusion at St. Leo Catholic Church, Bonita Springs and Carmelo’s Italian Ristorante, Punta Gorda

The five-piece ensemble plays boleros, zarzuela pop and traditional Latin folk music as part of Gulfshore Opera’s openair series. Watch from St. Leo’s courtyard on May 4

or Carmelo’s Italian Ristorante on May 5. gulfshoreopera.org

May 5-6

Naples Philharmonic Masterworks: Romeo and Juliet at Artis—Naples

The orchestra performs selections from Tchaikovsky’s and Prokofiev’s interpretations of the Shakespearean tragedy. artisnaples.org

May 5-7

Marlon Wayans at Off The Hook Comedy Club, Naples

We know him best from his hilarious roles in White Chicks and Scary Movie

Now, the actor stops in Naples for his stand-up tour. offthehookcomedy.com

May 5-25

Divine Hypocrisy at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Fort Myers

Longtime Southwest Florida artist David Acevedo examines his relationship to religion and puts forward social commentary in this mixed-media exhibit. sbdac.com

May 6

The Orchestra at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers

Former members of classic rock group Electric Light Orchestra play their hits, backed by the Southwest Florida Symphony. bbmannpah.com

May 8 – July 3

The Artist’s Question … Answered in Fiber at Marco Island Center for the Arts

Studio Art Quilt Associates’ members from around the country exhibit elaborately stitched pieces. marcoislandart.org

May 11-21

Stage It! Ten-Minute Play Festival at Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs

Hundreds of playwrights from around the world submit for the annual juried festival, where no production lasts more than 10 minutes. artcenterbonita.org

May 12-14

ELIVS: In Person at The Bell Theatre, Cape Coral Graceland ranked Florida’s 19-year-old Matt Stone in the top 10 of their 2022 list of Elvis tribute artists. thebelletheatre.com

Classical music shines this month with Naples Philharmonic performing scores for a Shakespearean classic at Artis—Naples and members of the Electric Light Orchestra joining Southwest Florida Symphony on stage.

May 17-21

Fort Myers International Film Festival

Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center and other venues throughout the city roll out the red carpet for indie film screenings, filmmaker panels, performances and parties. fortmyersfilmfestival.com

May 19

Eli Young Band at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee

The modern country group won Billboard ’s No. 1 Country Song of the Year in 2011 for “Crazy Girl,” and has since earned top chart spots and multiple platinum records. semin oleimmokaleecasino.com

May 25-26

Patriotic Pops at Artis—Naples

Kick off Memorial Day Weekend with the Naples Philharmonic’s annual salute to the red, white and blue, featuring the music of iconic American composers John Philip Sousa and Irving Berlin. artisnaples.org

May 26

Brit Floyd: 50 Years Of The Dark Side Of The Moon at Hertz Arena, Estero

The renowned tribute band returns to the stage to celebrate Pink Floyd’s iconic album, Dark Side of the Moon. VIP tickets gain you backstage access for a meet-and-greet with the band. hertzarena.com

Playwrights from around the world submit for Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs’ Stage It! Ten-Minute Play Festival. Last year, North Carolina-based Dawn Wilson’s comedy Forget the Lilies ranked in the top 20.

Recurring Events We Love

With live music on the streets, nibbles at local galleries and shops, and other fun diversions, these monthly events keep us coming back.

May 4

Musical Interludes at Marco Island Center for the Arts

Following this season’s Latin theme, Miami Beach-based songwriter Samantha Natalie performs. marcoislandart.org

May 5

Fort Myers Art Walk at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center Downtown Fort Myers’ growing arts scene is on full display the first Friday of the month. Don’t miss the accompanying rooftop party at SBDAC, which hosts the monthly event. sbdac.com

May 11

Evening on Fifth in Old Naples

The shops stay open late, restaurants offer dining specials and live music fills historic Fifth Avenue South on second Thursdays. fifthavenuesouth.com

May 13

Music in the Garden at Naples Botanical Garden

On second Saturdays, Naples Botanical Garden fills with music and artists perform. This month, singer-songwriter and slide guitarist Kraig Kenning performs a mix of folk, blues and rock on the Water Garden stage. naplesgarden.org

May 19

Fort Myers Music Walk in the River District

Enjoy live music by local and regional musicians in the streets of downtown Fort Myers on the third Friday of the month. myriverdistrict.com

Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay

As far as waterside locales go, few stand the test of time and foster a sense of community quite like The Dock at Crayton Cove. Opened in 1976 on Naples Bay, the indoor-outdoor restaurant is known for its bountiful bloody mary bar at its convivial brunches on Sundays and the end-of-season canoe race and party for year-round residents, slated to return in 2024, after a two-year hiatus. In our 1983 guide to local restaurants, we celebrated the restaurant’s dock-and-dine culture, which continues today. In 2020, when the pandemic shuttered many local favorites, The Dock kept staff (safely) on to serve to-go meals and pre-mixed cocktails to boaters and masked customers. Last year, its resiliency was tested again when nearly 5 feet of storm surge rushed in during Hurricane Ian. The team reopened with panache just three months later with a revamped space and cocktail list. Now, guests are greeted by lush foliage and a new open-air tiki hut with smart features to fight harsher weather (think heaters in the winter and drop-down screens to shield from summer showers). Happy hour, anyone?