RIDING HIGH
THE BEST OF ISSUE
FROMFARMSTOTHE‘GLADESTOTHE
GULF—DISC OVER THE MAGIC OF LIFE
IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA







































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5555 TAMIAMI TRAIL N #11, NAPLES FL 34108 239-592-7707 | YAMRON.COM











THE BEST OF ISSUE
FROMFARMSTOTHE‘GLADESTOTHE
GULF—DISC OVER THE MAGIC OF LIFE
IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
WATERSIDE SHOPS
5555 TAMIAMI TRAIL N #11, NAPLES FL 34108 239-592-7707 | YAMRON.COM
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The Fort Myers blue-chip artist moves into his first permanent studio and goes more introspective with his work.
Shore Acres Farm owners Janie and Mike Yag bring the heritage-driven, French-equestrian life to Golden Gate Estates.
Endless possibilities for fun. Infinite choices for relaxation. That’s Infinity at The Colony. The Ronto Group’s thoroughly modern perspective on high-rise living. Inspiring residences with gulf, golf and preserve views. Plus, social spaces and gathering places. Infinity at the Colony. Where your Florida lifestyle begins and the fun is never-ending.
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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.
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 ChiefSince 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-LargeArt 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.
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
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,
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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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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,
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.”
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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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.
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.
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
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.
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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8 Paul & Barbie
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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.
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.
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
“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
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
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.
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 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.”
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
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
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.”
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,
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.
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-
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
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.”
Perfectly positioned in year round sunshine surrounded by untamed natural beauty
a Pristine Clubhouse; the Social heartbeat of the community
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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!
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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
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.
‘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.
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.
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 .
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Our educators are dedicated to nurturing your child's development and creating a stimulating environment that encourages exploration, creativity, and critical thinking. Our eco-friendly facilities inspire the imagination and foster a connection to nature.
Finalist
Jimmy P's Charred
Tacos Winner
Tacos & Tequila Cantina
Finalist
Taqueria San Julian
Finalist
Tres Amigos Taqueria
Architecture Winner Architecture Joyce Owens LLC
Finalist
BSSW Architects Inc
Finalist
RG Architects
Bathroom Design Winner
Candice Kelber
Interior Design
Finalist
Dwayne Bergmann Interiors
Finalist Green Mountain Builders
Builder Winner Green Mountain Builders
Finalist Frank R. Jenkins
Custom Homes
Finalist
Gulfshore Homes
Interior Design Winner
Candice Kelber
Interior Design
Finalist
CM Homes
Finalist
Gulfshore Interior Design
Kitchen Design Winner
Cartright and Sons
Finalist
Candice Kelber
Interior Design
Finalist
Longley Kitchens
Outdoor Design Winner R.S. Walsh Landscaping
Finalist Green Mountain Builders
Finalist Viva Landscapes
Pool Design Winner Azure Pool and Deck Design, Inc.
Finalist Coastal Custom Pool & Spa Inc.
Finalist Green Mountain Builders
RECREATION & FITNESS
Boat Rental Winner
Bonita Boat Rentals
Finalist
Freedom Boat Club - Cape Coral
Finalist
Port Sanibel Marina
Finalist
Snook Bight Marina
Boating Destination Winner
Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant
Finalist
Cayo Costa State Park
Finalist
Lovers Key State Park
Fitness Center Winner P-Fit Studios
Finalist
The FITT House
Finalist
The Forest Country Club
Golf Course Winner
The Forest Country Club
Finalist
Coral Oaks Golf Course
Finalist
Cypress Lake Golf Club
Finalist
Fiddlesticks Country Club
Specialty Fitness Studio Winner
Club Pilates - Fort Myers West
Finalist
Burn Boot CampFort Myers
Finalist
CYCLEBAR
Tennis Facility Winner
The Forest Country Club
Finalist
Cypress Lake Golf Club
SERVICES
Banking Winner
Sanibel Captiva
Community Bank
Finalist
Edison National Bank
Finalist
FineMark National Bank & Trust
Car Repair Winner
Lexpert Automotive, Inc.
Finalist
EuroTech Auto Service & Repair
Finalist
KARR Automotive
Child Care Winner
Milestones Learning Center
Finalist
Bobbie Noonan's
Child Care
Finalist
Open Doors Preschool
Home Watch Winner
Southern Palm Home Watch
Finalist
CloseWatch Services
Finalist
Spectrum Concierge
Pet Resort Winner
Your K9s Come
First, LLC
Finalist
Bark Place
Finalist
Ruffgers Dog University
Photographer Winner
Real Tours
Finalist
Kelley Marie Photography
Finalist
Sam Copland Photo
Private School Winner
Canterbury School
Finalist
Southwest Florida
Christian Academy
Finalist
Summit Christian School
Travel Agency Winner
Concierge Cruises
Finalist
Dream VacationsLaurie and Greg Shuss & Associates
Finalist
Kari Bakal at Marvelous Mouse Travels
600
Naples, FL 34102
p/239-261-0050
f/239-261-0017
Hours: Mon-Fri 9 am to 6 pm
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.
“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.”
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
“I started playing, and I loved it. It had a lot that I loved from tennis—rallies, quick hands.”
Dr. Ralph Garramone is a world renowned Plastic Surgeon with over 25 years of experience. He is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is known as Southwest Florida’s “Best” plastic surgeon. His office is located in Fort Myers, Florida.
Dr. Garramone specializes in aesthetic/cosmetic plastic surgery of the face, breast, and body. His reputation for excellence, both locally and nationally, shows in his beautiful results. His medical approach is centered around utilizing the latest techniques and using the most modern technology.
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.
Orthopedic Center of Florida is Proud to Announce Our New Location is Now Open in
Orthopedic Center of Florida is now providing patient-focused orthopedic and spine care in Naples. Our Board Certified & Fellowship Trained Orthopedic & Spine Specialists offer the latest non-surgical and surgical treatment options.
Our orthopedic and spine specialists work hard to keep you active & healthy! To schedule your appointment, call 239.482.2663, or visit our website at www.ocfla.net.
Advanced Prosthodontics & Implant Esthetics is a specialty office dedicated to providing the most advanced techniques in implant, cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry. Our specialists are trained in the art and science of aesthetic restorations and replacement of missing teeth so that comfort and function may be restored.
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).
Dr. David. S. Clary is a Board-Certified Prosthodontist. He attended Emory University, in Atlanta where he completed an undergraduate degree in mathematics and a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS). He stayed at Emory for two additional years beyond dental school to complete a residency in prosthodontics and to earn an advanced education certificate in prosthodontics. He then accepted a fellowship in geriatric dentistry at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. Concurrently, he was able to teach, take courses, and do research at Marquette University School of Dentistry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he completed a Master of Science. He has practiced in Naples since 1985.
The doctors have over 50 years of combined experience in creating generations of smiles – from adolescent patients to seniors Our goal is to deliver the best treatment outcome modern dentistry has to offer. Contact Advanced Prosthodontics & Implant Esthetics to give you that smile you have always dreamed of !
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.
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?’”
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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.
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Captiva’s foremost hospitality hostess heads north, bringing her island fare and familial vibe to Boca Grande.
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 Waltonthe 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 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. $$$
MODERN AMERICAN o p v
Sea Salt
1186 Third St. S., 434-7258. seasaltnaples.com. Loved for sophisticated seafood and accompaniments, this spot offers monthly wine dinners and events
$$$$ MEDITERRANEAN o p v
Mediterrano 336 13th Ave. S., 261-7498. mediterrano-naples.com
Bright decor and a lush patio complement robust dishes and decadent desserts.
$$$$ SEAFOOD
Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro 865 Fifth Ave. S., 594-5557. bhabhabistro.com. Iranianborn chef Michael Mir serves the flavors of his homeland in a jewel box of a dining room known for its indulgent fare.
$$$$ MIDDLE EASTERN
Casa Neri 382 Fifth Ave. S., 963-9060. casanerinaples.com. This boutique eatery from Molto Trattoria and La Pescheria owners Francesca and Andrea Neri highlights creative dishes and a curated wine list.
$$$$ ITALIAN
Bistro 821 821 Fifth Ave. S., 261-5821. bistro821.com. You’ll love the open kitchen and menu filled with creativity, including its Original Neapolitan pasta and seafood dish.
$$$ 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
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. $$$$ BAKERY
The Lake Park Diner
944 Seventh Ave. N., 228-6351. thelakeparkdiner. com. This casual spot serves healthy, organic fare with many vegan options, plus modernized diner classics.
$$ 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
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
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
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. $$$$ SEAFOOD
M Waterfront Grille
4300 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 263-4421. mwaterfrontgrille. com. Expect organic meals served in the main dining room (with bay views) and on the waterfront terrace.
$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN b o p v w
T-Michaels Steak & Lobster House
4050 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., 261-0622. t-michaels.com.
Steakhouse dining on the water, featuring USDA Prime meats and Maine lobster.
$$$$ STEAK
True Food Kitchen
5375 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 15, 431-4580. truefoodkitchen.com. The menu caters to flexitarians but has plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans.
$$$ CAFE
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
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.
$$ MEXICAN o p
Artisan Eatery 8951 Daniels Parkway, 887-4844. artisaneatery.com. Look for outstanding specials at this stamp-size favorite.
$$ 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.
$$ ASIAN
DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Lounge
13499 S. Cleveland Ave., 344-0037. darumarestaurant. com. Enjoy the Teppan-style tableside cooking, tempura and sushi. $$$$ ASIAN o p
El Gaucho Inca
4383 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, 275-7504; 22909 Lyden Drive, Estero, 494-1564. elgauchoinca. com. A mix of Argentinian and Peruvian dishes.
$$ 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.
$$$ SEAFOOD o v w
Roadhouse Café
15660 San Carlos Blvd., 4154375. roadhousecafefl.com. Try a wide range of dishes (including steak).
$$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p
Bullig Coffee & Bites
1815 Fowler St., 738-8582. Pair espresso drinks with savory or sweet waffles.
$ CAFE b o p
Izzy’s Fish & Oyster
2282 First St., 337-4999. izzysft myers.com. A raw bar with New England-style seafood.
$$$ 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.
$$$ MODERN AMERICAN o p w
Fish Tale Grill By Merrick Seafood
1229 S.E. 47th Terrace, 257-3167. fishtalegrill.com. With an adjacent fish market, many items earn nods.
$$$$ SEAFOOD b o
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Gather
5971 Silver King Blvd., 673-9939. gathercape.com. Celebrated chefs blend Mediterranean flavors with classics. $$$ 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. $$$$ ITALIAN
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2366 Surfside Blvd., #101, 558-8865. gingerbistrousa. com. Authentic Chinese fare and traditional Cantonese barbecue. $$ ASIAN
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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
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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
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.
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.
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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.
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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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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
Enjoy live music by local and regional musicians in the streets of downtown Fort Myers on the third Friday of the month. myriverdistrict.com
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?