February 2018

CITYSCENES

SARASOTA BALLET'S DREAMS OF NATURE SARASOTA OPERA'S WINTER SEASON

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TOWN TALK FEBRUARY 2018 $3.95 U.S.

WITH DR. LARRY THOMPSON

DRAYTON SAUNDERS ON

SARASOTA'S FUTURE FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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Bunny Skirboll & Faith Goldman

Mark Pritchett & Gina Taylor

Ritu Kaur & Harry Anand

PARTY pics SERVICE & TRUST OFFICERS

JFCS ANNUAL GALA Nearly 550 guests attended JFCS’ annual Gala at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.

This fundraising event, chaired by Marion Levine and Ronnie Sachs, paid tribute to the many programs of JFCS. Board Chair Steve Seidensticker told compelling stories of clients who found help through JFCS, and introduced Betty Schoenbaum, who JAN MILLER R.G. “KELLY” CALDWELL, JR. give President generouslyand to JFCS Executive Vice Presidentasked attendees toCEO, to ensure that the agency continues its and Trust Officer Senior Trust Officer important work into the future.

WENDY L. FISHMAN Executive Vice President Senior Trust Officer

Marion Levine & Ronnie Sachs

Jerry & Wendy Feinstein

Norman Weinberg, John Harris, Michael Goldman & Mort Skirboll

David Shapiro, Roz Goldberg & Alan Bandler

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Jill & Scott Levine

H. LEE THACKER JR., CFP

SCOTT T. ANTRITT

TONY BLASINI, CPC, QPA

SANDRA L. PEPPER

Senior Executive Vice President, Secretary and Trust Officer

Assistant Vice President and Trust Officer

Vice President Employee Benefits

Senior Vice President and Trust Officer

SONYA KRISTIE

J. CHRIS MCGEE, CFA CAIA

JOHN L. TUFARO

Assistant Vice President and Trust Officer

Vice President of Investments

Assistant Vice President, Employee Benefit Plans

4 SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018 SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

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CONTENTS features

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49 A TREAT FOR THE SENSES Dreams of Nature opens The Sarasota Ballet’s Spring Season

By Steven J. Smith

54 TOWN TALK WITH DR. LARRY THOMPSON

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

56 SARASOTA OPERA’S WINTER SEASON

By Steven J. Smith

62 CITY SCENES City photo spread by photographer John Revisky

96 POPS GOES THE ORCHESTRA A look inside Sarasota Orchestra’s Outdoor Pops concerts

By Steven J. Smith

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ON THE COVER Photo by John Revisky of dancers from The Sarasota Ballet’s “Still Life” at the Penguin Cafe, one of two productions by the Ballet on March 2 and 3 at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

From left to right: Yuya Mizushima (Monkey), Jonathan Leonard (Zebra), Evan Leigh Thornton (Ram) and Zoe Cavedon (Great Auk)

CONTENTS departments

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SOCIAL SCENE 22 THE LIST February Events Calendar PARTY PICS

32 The Hospital Gala 34 JFCS Gala

INSIDER 39 THE FIND Gift ideas for your Valentine

118 LAUGHING MATTERS Ryan Van Cleave on life, liberty and the pursuit of laughter

120 INHEALTH 2018: The Year of Acceptance

By Dr. Alissa Shulman

PHILANTHROPY 42 GENEROUS GERRI Education is at the heart of Gerri Aaron’s philanthropy

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

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ON THE TOWN 91 EDUCATION MATTERS Mote’s community engagement programs

By Ryan G. Van Cleave 97 SCENES FROM AN INTERVIEW Drayton Saunders on Sarasota’s Future

By Gus Mollasis

115 EAT & DRINK Delicious delicacies in downtown Sarasota

By Rick Dakan 122 REWIND A look back into Sarasota Scene’s archives

ART & CULTURE 98 BEST SEATS Performing Arts Calendar

107 GET INSPIRED Cultural happenings brought to you by the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County 113 LITERARY SCENE Ryan G. Van Cleave reviews three new page-turners

Be Informed Be Entertained Be SCENE scenesarasota.com

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from the executive editor

THE SEDUCTION OF A City

W

WHAT EXACTLY DOES “CITY LIFE” MEAN? To me, a city’s core strengths dictate how much its residents love life there. If its core strengths have been developed well and cared for, city life gives us a better sense of belonging through easier connection with other people, programs, businesses, and the necessities of life.

If you live in the heart of one of our nation’s biggest cities, I would think your city life might feel foreign even to the “outsiders” who live in the burbs just a half hour away. Whether your drive takes you on the Long Island Expressway to enter New York City, or it takes you on the dreaded 405 into Los Angeles, taking that trip to experience true city life just might be too much for you. But can the same be said for our town? If you live east of I-75, does heading west to get to Downtown Sarasota give you hives?

Did You Know?

Well, if you’re of an age where you find our high season traffic tough to deal with, then you may not be too interested. But for the vast majority of us, experiencing city life in a town of our size is not only easy, it’s mandatory!

Manatee County has six blue-wave certified beaches, two wineries, the oldest working fishing village in the state and 32 local parks.

Sarasota County is made up of over 42% water, has 13 public beaches and over 35 miles of beachfront.

After all, we have a need to feel connected; to go where others go; to experience what others do. Unless you are totally antisocial, it’s inherent in most of us. The question is this: Do our residents have a true sense of belonging?

You bet they do.

We don’t just have one core strength as a community, we have several.

Beautiful beaches. Outstanding arts and culture. Powerful and productive community foundations. Philanthropic residents. Strong business leaders.

There’s been significant investment in parks, schools, arts and social services that are important to many people. How could we not feel connected?

And it’s only getting better (or worse, depending on your point of view).

Forbes Magazine’s 2017 annual list of America’s fastest-growing cities places Sarasota at #6 out of 25 metropolitan areas across the country experiencing the biggest surges. Southwest Florida’s economy has outpaced the nation with employment growth, construction, home sales and tourism all expanding. In 2016, the gross domestic product of Sarasota-Manatee jumped 3.5% in 2016 and when the 2017 figures come out soon, a 4.5% growth is expected.

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“The city is what it is because our citizens are what they are.”

- Plato

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from the executive editor U.S. New & World Report ranked Sarasota the best place to retire yet again. So it’s no surprise that the most recent census data ranks Sarasota and Manatee counties as the 10th fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S. Our overall population expanded by over 20,000 new residents - the size of a small city. We’re attracting both new and relocating employers, baby boomer retirees and yes, even younger families, who are coming here from all parts of the country.

In this issue, we interview two people about their love for our city, its growth and its future - Ringling College of Art and Design president Dr. Larry Thompson and Drayton Saunders, president of Michael Saunders & Co. Photographer John Revisky takes us on a sight-seeing photo tour in “City Scenes.” Performing arts is in its peak season – be sure to read about many upcoming first-class productions you won’t want to miss.

Let’s embrace life in our beautiful and strong city, even if we’re stuck in traffic, have to wait in line, or have to circle a few times to find a parking space. It’s exciting, inspirational, and fun. Celebrate it. Protect it. Thrive in it.

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February, the shortest month of the year, stands tall with lots of important happenings. Conservation Foundation’s elegant Palm Ball raises important funds to help save our lands. Equally as elegant, the Sarasota Opera Gala is always a magnificent evening in support of our beloved opera. And yes, we "can’t smile" without Barry Manilow, who will definitely make us sing and smile when he performs at the Van Wezel Foundation Gala. We are a city of thrilling happenings. Be sure to take the ride. (See “The List” in this issue for monthly event details.)

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The 2018 winter opera festival

Victor DeRenzi, Artistic Director Richard Russell, Executive Director

Bizet’s

Carmen Feb 17–Mar 24

fate united two lovers, now fate will tear their lives apart

Vol. 61 No. 2

CEO/President Ronald Milton Publisher/Executive Editor Julie A. Milton Account Executive Linda Krysinski Graphic Designer Darcy Kelly-Laviolette Cover Photography & Photo Director John Revisky Cover Designer Jason Garvale

PUccini’s

Manon Lescaut Feb 10–Mar 23 puccini’s first great success

Bellini’s

Norma Mar 3–24

a struggle of love and duty in ancient times d’albert’s

Tiefland Mar 10–25

Communications Specialist & Editorial Assistant Bobbilynn Hollifield Distribution Dick Jackson Contributing Writers Sue Cullen Bobbilynn Hollifield Jacqueline Miller Gus Mollasis Steven J. Smith Ryan G. Van Cleave Contributing Photographers Nancy Guth Kelly Kearns

a young woman’s journey from oppression to freedom

All operas performed in the original language with English translations projected above the stage.

tickets start at $19 and are going fast—Subscribe and save 10%

sarasotaopera.org (941) 328-1300

Sarasota Opera box office located at 61 N. Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236

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443 John Ringling Blvd. Ste. #F | Sarasota, FL 34236 941.365.1119 | Fax: 941.954.5067 | scenesarasota.com RJM Ventures LLC, dba SCENE Magazine of Southwest Florida publishes 12 issues a year. Address editorial, advertising and circulation correspondence to the above address. Sufficient return postage and self-addressed, stamped envelope must accompany all manuscripts, artwork and photographs submitted if they are to be returned or acknowledged. Publisher assumes no responsibility for care of return of unsolicited materials. Subscription price: $12.95 per year, $19.95 for two years.

All contents copyrighted. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

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THE LIST PARTY PICS SCENE TOGETHER

scenesarasota.com

feb 3

VMA Impact Awards Fete Ballroom, LWR 6:00 p.m.

Visible Men Academy recognizes men who mentor young males in the community. $100 vmacademy.org

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31st Annual Venice YMCA Gala 701 Center Rd, Venice 6:00 p.m.

Dinner, dancing and silent and live auctions supporting YMCA $225 swflymca.org

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Tidewell Hospice Signature Luncheon

Goodwill Mardi Gras Gala 2017

The LIST FEBRUARY 2018 EVENTS CALENDAR PICK YOUR FAVORITES!

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There’s hustle and bustle everywhere. Mile-long lines at Starbucks. Traffic is backed up a mile on and off St. Armands. Commutes are longer than ever. Yes, it is high season in Sarasota, which not only means we are at the apex of our tourism, but peak gala season is here. Get those ball gowns ready! And while you give yourself some extra time to get to wherever you’re going, let’s remember to give our part-time residents and visitors some extra love and a nod of appreciation for their support of our many charitable organizations and our local businesses.

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota 11:30 a.m.

Annual event supporting Tidewell’s services; featuring keynote speaker Will Reeve. $125 signatureluncheon.org

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The Orchid Ball: Warhol's Floral Playground Selby Gardens’ Great Lawn 6:30 p.m.

Supporting Selby Gardens’ community education programs, international research and conservation. $500 selby.org

P R E S ENTING SAR ASOTA’ S NEWEST H OT E L DESTINATION. DE VOT E D TO CREATIVITY, ART IST IC LUXURY, AND EXP E R IE NCE S THAT AROUSE T H E IMAGINATION.

ArtOvationHotel.com 941.316.0808

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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Lakewood Ranch Country Club 6:00 p.m.

Dining and dancing with the song stylings of the Players’ own Eve Caballero and Cassandra Santiso. $100/person - $175/couple theplayers.org

Mattison’s Forty-One 6:00 p.m.

Five-course wine dinner featuring specialty wines.

Hosted by Ed and Jane Bavaria. $150 sarasotaopera.org

Sarasota Opera Mini-Event: Tour of Europe Wine Dinner

The Players’ Smitten Gala

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JHCF’s Eight Over 80 Brunch Michael’s On East 10:30 a.m.

Honoring ten inspiring local octogenarians $175 avivaseniorlife.org

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Love In Bloom Valentine Cocktail Party Michael’s Wine Cellar 6:00 p.m.

Cocktails, auction, surprise guests. Benefits Friends of The Sarasota Ballet. $70 sarasotaballet.org

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Thunder by the Bay

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The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota 9:30 a.m.

Shopping, fashion and lunch with celebrity impersonators.

Benefits Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center. $135 sparcc.net

Venice Community Center 5:30 p.m.

Proceeds benefit Our Mother’s House, a program of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. $80 catholiccharitiesdov.org

SPARCCle on the Runway: Fashion Police

SCF Foundation’s Avenues to the Future SCF grounds, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton 5:30 p.m.

Annual event benefiting SCF Foundation $150 scf-foundation.org

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Animal Rescue Coalition’s Unconditional Love Gala Michael’s On East 6:30 p.m.

Benefiting ARC’s programs and clinic $250 arcsrq.org

Cooking for Wishes: Taste of Africa Michael’s On East Ballroom 11:30 a.m.

Four-course interactive lunch supporting Make A Wish Table of eight: $3,000 cookingforwishes.com

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Junior League Legacy Luncheon

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Men, Whiskey & Watches – South County Suncoast Air Center 6:00 p.m.

Annual event benefiting Child Protection Center $75 cpcsarasota.org

Michael’s On East Ballroom 11:00 a.m.

Featuring guest speaker Judy Woodruff of PBS NewsHour $175 jlsarasota.org/legacyluncheon

SARASOTA SCENE sponsored events!

PALM BALL Bay Preserve 6:30 p.m.

Annual ball benefiting Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast $500 conservationfoundation.com/ thepalmball

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Our Mother’s House Wine Tasting & Dinner Dance

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Main Street, Sarasota Annual 3-day motorcycle festival benefiting Suncoast Charities for Children Various individual events. thunderbythebay.org

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Sarasota Opera Wine Dinner 2016

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

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THE OPERA GALA The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota 6:30 p.m.

Kicking off the Opera’s Winter season, the event features dinner, dancing and auction. $325 sarasotaopera.org

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GOODWILL MANASOTA MARDI GRAS GALA Michael’s On East 6:00 p.m.

Cajun food, auction items, music, dancing & performers $200 experiencegoodwill.org

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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social SCENE Einat Admony

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Louies Modern 5:00 p.m.

Dinner prepared by two-time Chopped winner, Israeli chef & restaurateur Einat Admony $150 jfedsrq.org

5:00 p.m.

Cocktail reception followed by a musical performance in Gompertz Theatre and a three-course dinner. $250 floridastudiotheatre.org

Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club 2:30 p.m.

High tea event celebrating women’s leadership in science and philanthropy. $150

Israel@70 Dinner

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BETHESDA HOUSE MARDI GRAS MADNESS Michael’s On East 6:00 p.m.

All proceeds will benefit Bethesda House, a program of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. $150 catholiccharitiesdov.org

Shakespeare’s Shindig

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VAN WEZEL FOUNDATION GALA Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall 5:00 p.m.

Annual fundraising event, this year featuring Barry Manilow $600 vwfoundation.org

Mote’s Tea for the Sea

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THE BASH: AN EVENING OF EXCELLENCE ANEW The Westin Hotel 6:00 p.m.

Cocktails, art, dinner, raffle, auction.

Supports Education Foundation of Sarasota County. $250 edfoundationsrq.org

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UPCOMING events MARCH 15 | JoshProvides 10th Anniversary Interactive Dinner Michael’s On East 6:00 p.m.

Celebrating the organization’s first decade providing epilepsy assistance. $200 joshprovides.org

MARCH 20 | JFCS’ 14th Annual Celebrity Chefs Food & Wine Women & Medicine 2016

S CE NE SA RA SOTA .COM for the latest social scene party pics.

To submit your event for consideration, please send information to scenemagazine@scenesarasota.com

The Resort at Longboat Key Club, Islandside Golf Challenge: 11:30 a.m.

Food & Wine Tasting: 5:30 p.m.

Golf Challenge plus Food & Wine: $350 per person Food & Wine only: $100 per person JFCS-Cares.org

MARCH 21 | USFSM’s 7th Annual Hospitabull Event The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota 6:00 p.m.

Hosted by the University’s College of Hospitality & Tourism Leadership $150 usfsm.edu

MARCH 23 | Women & Medicine Interactive Speaker Luncheon Michael’s On East 10:30 a.m.

6th annual Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation event $100 smhf.org

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Drs. Burr Bakke & Jill Morris

Mason Ayres, Ariane Dart, Beverly Bartner, Jill Ramsey & David Verinder

THE HOSPITAL GALA The inaugural event, hosted by Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, set a fundraising record for the foundation, welcoming 675 guests and raising more than $1 million to support Emergency and Trauma Services at SMH. Sponsors for the event were Northern Trust, Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Dart Foundation, Gresham Smith and Partners, and Michael and Karen Valentino.

Marina Schmidt & Tammy Karp

Margaret Wise, Michelle & Jonathan Mitchell

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Evan & Christina Davis

Kayla & Jeff Ippoliti

Inna & Steve Snyder Alka & Deepak Nain

Necklace: 18K yellow gold Carly necklace with 3.71 ct of rose cut, multi colored sapphires and .05ct of diamonds.

Ring: 18K yellow gold Rose Cut Sapphire eternity band with 7.40 ct of multi color sapphires.

Earrings: 18K yellow gold 3 stone Joyce Earrings with 14.01 ct of Multi color Tourmalines and .07 ct of diamonds.

Ring: 18K yellow gold Jordan Ring set with .47 ct of diamonds and a 24.85 ct, cabochon Pink Tourmaline.

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social SCENE

Bunny Skirboll & Faith Goldman

Ritu Kaur & Harry Anand

Mark Pritchett & Gina Taylor

PARTY pics JFCS ANNUAL GALA Nearly 550 guests attended JFCS’ annual Gala at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.

This fundraising event, chaired by Marion Levine and Ronnie Sachs, paid tribute to the many programs of JFCS. Board Chair Steve Seidensticker told compelling stories of clients who found help through JFCS, and introduced Betty Schoenbaum, who asked attendees to give generously to JFCS to ensure that the agency continues its important work into the future.

Jerry & Wendy Feinstein David Shapiro, Roz Goldberg & Alan Bandler

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Jill & Scott Levine

Marion Levine & Ronnie Sachs Norman Weinberg, John Harris, Michael Goldman & Mort Skirboll

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The FIND

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SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

INTRODUCING

F1 MOTORSPORTS AND THE F1 GARAGE

With four decades of involvement in all aspects of the classic car market, from collecting and racing to frame-off restorations and Concours d’Elegance competitions worldwide, the Cogan family is now establishing a comprehensive, state-of-the-art automotive facility in the heart of downtown Sarasota located on 2nd Street, just off Fruitville Rd. and Lime Ave.

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FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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philanthropy

EDUCATION IS AT THE HEART OF GERRI AARON’S PHILANTHROPY

ENEROUS GERRI

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by Ryan G. Van Cleave | Photo by John Revisky

philanthropy

Gerri Aaron started coming down to Sarasota from Philadelphia with her husband in the 1970s. “He always rented a car,” she explains.

“I’d drive him to his office, and then I’d drive around, getting to really know the area. That’s when I decided we had to come here when we retired.” And that’s exactly what they did. In 1991, they became residents—first of Longboat Key, then about 20 years ago, downtown Sarasota became home.

Aaron got involved with her new hometown right away. It started with the Arts Council, which at the time was a group of young people who fought to keep the arts in the schools. They supplied the school system with artists and musicians and worked hard to get arts funding put back in place. On her table, Aaron hast a photo of herself with other protestors, marching with “Keep Arts in Education!” signs. “It was an amazing, exciting time.”

Shortly after, she was asked to serve on the Selby Library Board.

A college English major who always loved books, what could she say but “yes”? Then came other opportunities to serve as a board member. Many others. Like the Sarasota Orchestra (“I love that wonderful orchestra!”). JFCS of the Suncoast (“Such a remarkable group of people who really do good for so many!”). The American Jewish Committee (“They do wonders toward keeping people peaceful and active!”). And even a little environmental group called the Tree Foundation that’ll be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2020 (“Dr. Meg Lowman is a great scientist, a strong environmentalist, and a good friend!”).

One of Aaron’s recent philanthropic efforts is with The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, a 501(c)(3)

“I know that my age is against me . . . But I have to do what I can while I’m here” - Gerri Aaron

nonprofit organization, which i’s home to 17 nonprofit health and human service agencies that help low-income and at-risk adults, children, and families.

“I’m a good friend of Betty Schoenbaum,” says Aaron, though she notes that Schoenbaum has a different approach to philanthropy.

As a philanthropic leader in the community, Schoenbaum openly says she follows in her husband’s footsteps. He raised a lot of money for Glasser/Schoenbaum, and she keeps his memory and spirit alive by continuing that commitment. “My husband is the one who made the money in our family,” explains Aaron. “He was in business and did very well.

While he was philanthropic, he was focused on business. I’ve always been philanthropic, too.

Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to help people.”

So when Aaron learned from her friend about Glasser/Schoenbaum, she was intrigued. She was already very good friends with Glasser/Schoenbaum’s former CEO Phil King, and the new President and CEO, Dr. Kameron Partridge Hodgens—who took over in October 2014—proved equally impressive. Aaron says, “Kameron’s an amazing woman.

She’s doing such a good job.”

What appeals to Aaron is how all the organizations that are housed there, getting nearly rent-free space, are social services. They’re helping the community in one way or another through the nearly 100 different programs offered by the agencies.

“I’m from Philadelphia,” says Aaron, “and I’ve asked my friends there—none of them have heard of any place like this. It seems to be unique.” So Aaron felt that it was very important to help Glasser/ Schoenbaum continue its important and special work. Always the fundraiser, she’s also gotten others to contribute as well.

Quite simply, education is at the heart of what matters to Aaron.

In additiion to her passion for Glasser/Schoenbaum, she is quite pleased with what Children First is doing. A lot of area children need help, and she’s proud to point out that almost 90% of preschoolers in Children First’s program meet or exceed Cognition & General Knowledge school readiness goals.

Plus all children in their programs receive over 50% of their weekly nutritional needs from Children First, which gives them a healthy breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack every school day. “I’m not a board member at Children First, but I’m very involved with them and the good work that they do,” says Aaron. With five kids and numerous grandchildren, she knows all about how hard it is to do an effective job of raising children.

Part of why she became a lead contributor and honorary chair of the Westcoast Black Theatre’s Heart & Soul capital campaign is their work with at-risk children. Aaron likes how Founder and Artistic Director Nate Jacobs works with so many young performers

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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philanthropy

in the Young Artist Program. The only professional black theater company on Florida’s west coast, Jacobs and his troupe mentor and inspire many African-American youth and young adults through participation in their company. The not-yet-achieved $6 million campaign goal will transform the organization’s 2.5-acre, twobuilding campus at 10th Street and Orange Avenue into a state-of-theart performing arts center, create an endowment fund for the future of the troupe, and more fully develop its education program.

Aaron is also a staunch supporter of the Neuro Challenge Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.

“This cause is very close to my heart,” she says, which comes as no surprise since her husband suffered from this disease for many years. In the past year alone, the Foundation served more than 2,000 people with Parkinson’s and their families in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and South Pinellas counties.

A year ago, Aaron broke her femur in an accident. “Not a fall!” she notes. As a result, she’s looking to ease back on her obligations these days. It’s simply harder to get around. But she loves Sarasota—the weather, the beaches, the culture, the people. Try as she might to keep her schedule under control, her love for this community and her profound interest in helping people who need help remains firm.

“I know that my age is against me,” admits Aaron. “But I have to do what I can while I’m here. I’m hurrying.

Maybe I can’t run anymore, but my mind is racing.”

F O R M O R E IN F O R M AT IO N

on The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, please visit www.gs-humanservices.org.

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SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

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- DAVID B.

From Left to Right: Stuart Dickson, Margaret Hixon, Justin Bailey, Phillip Dickson

INTRODUCING

VIMVEST ADVISORS CD Advisory Group is changing its name to Vimvest Advisors to align itself with groundbreaking financial technology its partner company, Vimvest, is launching this month. What does not change is its full spectrum wealth management offerings, highly personalized client service, and a timeproven, research-based investment philosophy.

The new Vimvest app is a goal-based financial application designed to help nascent Gen-X and millennial investors with all aspects of their financial life, including investing for retirement, saving for their next purchase, and charitable giving. Vimvest Advisors provides traditional wealth management services to higher net worth individuals.

“With the Vimvest app, we are focused on bringing forward thinking financial technology to a younger

demographic and impacting their lives for the better,” said Margaret Hixon, President/Founder.

“We have also found that when a boomer hears about Vimvest, they are really excited as well.

Investors who have accumulated wealth can need more support, and Vimvest Advisors will continue to provide the attention to detail someone with more financial assets may require. Relationship building is important to us. We have a full team of licensed professionals who take a white glove approach to

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investment management, income planning, tax strategies and estate planning.”

Clients can often see the difference in Vimvest Advisors’ approach from the initial meeting, according to Stuart Dickson, Senior VP/Advisor, who is a licensed Registered Representative and Certified Fund Specialist. “Before we make any investment recommendations, we take them through a procedure that determines the critical facts of their current investment structure, risk tolerance and goals,” Dickson said. “Once prospective clients experience this, nine out of 10 of them become our clients.”

Since this process was implemented two years ago, the company’s growth rate has been 82 percent annually. “Once those critical factors are identified, all investments are determined by their time horizon and risk tolerance,” he said. “We make sure no money is falling through the cracks and build a customized portfolio that will meet their goals and limit any downside on income.”

The company has plans that are separated into three categories depending on clients’ time horizons. Plans for growth build on proven economic research that allow for growth while minimizing risk. Plans for protection help insulate savings from the vagaries of the stock market to provide guaranteed pension income, and plans for retirement include income planning, Social Security strategies, asset growth protection and tax analysis.

Vimvest Advisors has a buy and hold approach to investing, and its philosophy

is based on 50 years of research by three Nobel laureate economists–Eugene Fama, Kenneth French and Merton Miller–who have helped shape modern portfolio theory.

“Our investment services are extremely low-cost through utilizing structured exchange traded funds that are globally diversified across 45 free countries and automatically rebalanced,” said Phillip Dickson, VP/Advisor, who is a licensed Registered Representative. “We also create tax efficiencies inside our portfolios by properly managing gains and losses at the end of the year,” he added.

Because relationship building is so important, Vimvest Advisors works in a fiduciary capacity and is strongly focused on communication and education.

“People tell us they’ve never had a team so attentive, and that others do not offer the sort of transparent education we do,” Stuart Dickson said. “We sit on the same side as our clients.”

In order to help clients understand the complexities of financial management, the company offers two workshops each month, designed to provide helpful information about wealth building and retirement planning, including portfolio management, diversification, asset allocation, fee structures and more. “We are trying to create a client experience that is built around very strong communication because new clients often tell us they previously were not being contacted frequently enough,” Hixon said. “We promote education because we value transparency and want our clients to understand what we are recommending for them and why. When people become a part of our group, we take them in like family.”

Together we can strengthen healthcare We are the foundation for Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. We rely on the philanthropic support of the community to maintain Sarasota Memorial’s position as a nationally recognized leader, providing world-class patient care throughout our region.

Your Support Makes a Difference.

To make a donation call (941) 917-1286 or visit

smhf.org

00

S A R A S O TA S C E N E | F E B R U A R Y 2018

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR BY VISITING www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Consumer-Services.

REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. (REGISTRATION # CH103)

A

Treat For the

enses en DREAMS OF NATURE OPENS THE SARASOTA BALLET’S SPRING SEASON

BY STEVEN J. SMITH

Ricardo Rhodes in Sir Frederick Ashton’s The Dream - Photo Frank Atura F E B R U A R Y 2018 | S A R A S O TA S C E N E 00 FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE 49

I

ain Webb thinks it’s time The Sarasota Ballet takes its rightful place among the world’s premiere ballet companies, which is why the 2018 spring season opener will hit the ground running with Dreams of Nature on March 2 and 3 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

“We’re bringing in the best people around to ensure Sarasota audiences see some of the finest ballet anywhere,” said Webb, director of The Sarasota Ballet. “We’re a little like a touring company in Sarasota, because we perform at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts, the Opera House and the Van Wezel. So when I get a chance to go into the Van Wezel, which is usually twice a year, I have to pick ballets that are really special.”

Webb explained Dreams of Nature features two ballets: The Dream, which is Sir Frederick Ashton’s depiction of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and David Bintley’s Still Life at the Penguin Café.

“The Dream was originally choreographed by Sir Frederick Ashton and the role of Oberon was created

by Sir Anthony Dowell,” Webb said.

“When Sir Frederick passed away he left the ballet to Sir Anthony, who was and ever will be the greatest British dancer of all time. The Dream is a ballet that is very close to us, but it has taken me eight years to get permission from Sir Anthony to perform it.”

Still Life at the Penguin Café, Webb added, was originally choreographed

by Bintley, renowned director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet. It is set to the music of composer Simon Jeffes, founder of the Penguin Café Orchestra and features a menagerie of endangered animals seeking shelter from a storm at the Penguin Café. This ballet offers a prophetic message of environmental awareness.

Ricardo Rhodes & Ivan Duarte in Sir Frederick Ashton’s The Dream - Photo Frank Atura 50

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

“We’re bringing in the best people around to ensure Sarasota audiences see some of the finest ballet anywhere.”

- Iain Webb

“The Dream has been performed by American companies before, but we’re the first American company that has permission to perform Penguin Café,” Webb said. “I was pleasantly shocked that we got permission to do it here in America.”

Webb added Dowell will actually fly in to Sarasota for a week to coach the dancers and oversee renowned repetiteur Christopher Carr’s staging of The Dream at The Sarasota Ballet.

“Christopher is one of the Royal Ballet’s great repetiteurs,” Webb said. “He came to us in September and basically taught most of the ballet, which (Assistant Director and Repetiteur) Margaret Barbieri and I also oversaw. Sir Anthony will come in then Christopher will also return for two weeks before it goes on stage. It’s going to be absolutely perfect.”

He added Penguin Café is an ideal companion piece to The Dream, because it too is a fanciful piece that focuses on denizens of a natural setting. Bintley had an image of Noah’s Ark, full of half animals and half people. He then found a book called The Doomsday Book of Animals, about extinct species, which inspired a story of their plight.

David Bintley’s ‘ Still Life’ at the Penguin Cafe - Photo Bill Cooper

“It starts off with the most amazing music and costumes and choreography, set to Mendelssohn’s wonderful score,” Webb said. “You see that wildlife have been killed to give humans their fashion statements. But all through it you have this great, lively dancing that is musical and very entertaining, with a powerful message.”

The Sarasota Orchestra will accompany this performance, he added, conducted by American Ballet Theatre Music Director Ormsby Wilkins.

“I’d say our biggest challenge is that we have a very short period of time to rehearse these ballets,” Webb said. “But doing Dreams of Nature is a big step forward for a company of our size. We’re performing works that are normally only ever done by the major companies such as American Ballet Theatre and Washington Ballet. I love the challenge, raising the bar and doing ballets no one else has had the chance to do.”

Webb added he hopes audiences will see how The Sarasota Ballet is “flying Sarasota’s flag” in the ballet world by mounting productions of a heightened caliber.

“In The Dream, they’ll get a perfect telling of Shakespeare’s timeless play,” he said. “It’s got Mendelssohn’s music, performed live by a wonderful orchestra. With Penguin Café, they’ll get a huge visual richness and tremendous choreography. It’s a treat for the senses and great entertainment with a profound message that we really do have to be careful with the environment, for the sake of our children and the future of our planet.”

Dreams of Nature will play at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, located at 777 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, at 7:30 p.m. on March 2 and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on March 3. Ticket prices start at $30.

For more information, call 941.359.0099 or visit sarasotaballet.org.

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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TRUNK SHOW February 9th 10AM-6PM Siesta Key February 10th 10AM-6PM St. Armands

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TOWN TALK with DR. LARRY THOMPSON

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

D

r. Larry R. Thompson came to Sarasota in 1998 to be President of Ringling College of Art and Design, a position he still holds today. Prior to this, he was President and CEO of the Flint Cultural Center in Michigan and the founding Director and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Ohio. In his capacity as a lawyer, he also served as Special Assistant to the President of The Ohio State University.

Anyone who’s met him knows firsthand that Dr. Thompson, a self-described “left-brain guy in a right-brain world,” is a spirited, pioneering, and visionary community leader.

Plus it’s no secret: he’s an enthusiastic dancer.

To put it simply, Dr. Thompson loves Ringling College and he’s equally in love with Sarasota—a place he considers to be his new hometown. “It’s my 19th year here, so I’m ALMOST a native,” he jokes.

I asked him to share some of his thoughts on loving and living in Sarasota.

A 2015 article in Time.com ranked the North Port/Sarasota/Bradenton metropolitan area as the “city with the highest well-being in the United States.” Why do you think we ranked so high?

A confluence of factors. First of all, it’s an absolutely beautiful city with a terrific environment. It’s located in a part of the US where it’s sunny and warm all the time— always great in terms of mental health!

But the thing that really distinguishes it from a lot of other towns that have their own beaches is the plethora of art and culture opportunities.

That’s really what makes Sarasota so special and good for people’s well-being. The arts have that effect on us.

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I’d love to see this community branded as “The Creative Epicenter” or “The Creative Coast.”

In all your time living, working, and being part of Sarasota, what has surprised you the most?

The consistently high quality of people here. This is a very intellectual, curious, intelligent, creative, and caring community.

How does Ringling College of Art and Design fit into the larger community?

We as a college need to be a very active participant in the community.

That’s the reason I’m so involved with activities with respect to the community. It’s not just about the college, it’s about the college in context of the larger whole.

We should also be a force for economic development as well as be part of the solution for some of the issues that our community faces.

What is the “Sarasota philosophy of life”?

There’s a philosophy here about remaining active regardless of your age. The participation by people who are 70 (my age!), 80, 90 or more is very high. They are involved and eager and dynamic.

Many here share a philosophy that’s simply this: life continues on.

"

. . . we’re anything but a sleepy city.

Sarasota is a creative epicenter.

"

What’s the most important thing that people should know or understand about Sarasota?

Too often, it’s characterized as a retirement community. It’s true that we have a number of retirees here, but we’re anything but a sleepy city.

Sarasota is a creative epicenter.

Not only do we have places like Ringling College and all the arts and culture organizations—the foundation, the base source for that creativity—but we have a number of business that are also incredibly creative themselves.

Voalte. BioLucid, which is now part of ShareCare.

—Dr. Larry Thompson

If Sarasota had a mascot/spirit animal, what would it be?

On my office desk, I have a statue from Thailand of Saraswati, the goddess of creativity, learning, and education. That’d be an appropriate mascot!

Note, too, the similarity between “Saraswati” and “Sarasota”!

What are you most looking forward to in terms of the future of our area?

I’d love to see more of our graduates and graduates of other area colleges stay in the area because they have so many opportunities now worth staying for. I’d like to see enhanced economic development in a number of fields such as in the creative areas and health care, and I’d like to see us enjoy a robust economy other than tourism and the financial arena.

I’d also like for us to be a community that addresses our human needs with honesty versus a political agenda.

Sarasota has more Zagat-rated restaurants in a 20-mile radius than any other city in Florida. What are some of your favs?

I love Walt’s Fish Market and Restaurant—that’s a wonderful, oldfashioned fish place. I also like Beach Bistro. And Libby’s Café & Bar. We often go to Café Epicure, too.

On any given weekend, where are people most likely to have a Larry Thompson sighting?

My wife says I’m a workaholic, so I probably should say “at a Ringling College or area nonprofit event.”

What’s a Sarasota gem that most people either don’t know about or don’t fully appreciate?

I hate to be so self-serving here, but not everyone knows enough about Ringling College. It’s not your grandfather’s art school.

It’s a thriving state-of-the-art, first-class institution that allows students from all throughout the world to deepen, transform, and explore their artistic passions as they become tomorrow’s leaders of art and design.

Your thoughts on the increasing number of roundabouts?

My wife and I have a little battle about this. I’m not a huge fan.

On Honore or smaller roads?

Fabulous. On 41 and high-traffic areas? I am concerned about how people will navigate them, how pedestrians will be able to cross without any lights. I understand the reason for them, but I’m just not a huge fan.

Sarasota County has 35 miles of beaches. Where does Beachfront Larry kick back in flip flops, a big hat, and Bermuda shorts?

I always go to Siesta Key. It’s close to our house. I love that beach, and I’ve loved it from the moment we first came here and our daughter—she was maybe 11—saw the white powder sand and said, “Look! It’s Sarasota snow.”

Three words that come to mind when someone says “Sarasota.”

Philanthropic.

Beautiful.

Artistic.

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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SARASOTA OPERA’S WINTER SEASON

By Steven J. Smith

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SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

Georges Bizet’s Carmen

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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Eugen d’Albert’s Tiefland

Sarasota Opera’s 2018 winter season will feature productions of three previously unproduced works plus one Maestro Victor DeRenzi says is a can’t-miss chestnut that is sure to please.

“Two of the three we’ve never done before — Norma and Manon Lescaut — have been requested quite often,” said DeRenzi, who serves as Sarasota Opera’s director and principal conductor. “They’re very popular operas, done all over the world, and we should have done them by now. The other opera, Tiefland, we chose because it’s not done often. We have a large number of people that come to Sarasota to see operas they can’t see anyplace else.”

who are new opera lovers. These never wear thin and should be a standard part of any opera company’s repertoire. Carmen is such an opera. You can do it every six years or so and audiences will enthusiastically welcome it back.”

DeRenzi added the process of choosing operas is an exacting one. A middle ground is often sought between works a seasoned operagoer would want to see and those that might be interesting to newer audiences. Another deciding factor lies in considering the variety of composers and their countries of origin. This year, for example, there is one French opera (Carmen), two Italian (Manon Lescault and Norma) and one German (Tiefland).

Carmen, which Sarasota Opera last produced in 2012, rounds out the season and will employ the same sets and stage director “There’s also the technical aspect, that audiences are never as last time, he added. It will, however, have a brand new cast aware of,” DeRenzi said. “This consists of the kinds of sets each and a new conductor. opera has, how those sets fit together on our stage, how much the chorus sings in each opera, what kind of singers I need.

“There are operas that people want to see often,” DeRenzi When you’re doing four different operas in a weekend, as we’re said. “And there are operas that are very good for people to see doing in March, that aspect becomes very important.”

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The following are brief descriptions of the operas with featured cast members and creative teams:

Sandra Lopez

Manon Lescaut, composed by Giacomo Puccini, directed by Stephanie Sundine and conducted by Victor DeRenzi with Sandra Lopez as Manon Lescaut, Matthew Vickers as Cavalier des Grieux, Filippo Fontana as Lescaut and Costas Tsourakis as Geronte. Cavalier des Grieux and the enchanting Manon Lescaut experience love at first sight and flee to Paris, but when Des Grieux’s money runs out Manon leaves him for a wealthy man. However, her love continues to burn for des Grieux in ways they do not foresee.

Carmen, composed by Georges Bizet, directed by Martha Collins and conducted by John F. Spencer IV with Lisa Chavez in the title role, Hanna Brammer as Miceaela and Cody Austin as Don Jose. This ill-fated love story follows the tumultuous relationship between a gypsy and a corporal.

The opera takes you on a journey through Seville, to the mountains with smugglers and ultimately to the bullring, where the story reaches its dramatic conclusion.

Lisa Chavez

Norma, composed by Vincenzo Bellini, directed by Mark Frieman and conducted by Maestro DeRenzi with Joanna Parisi in the title role and Cameron Schutza as Pollione. A Druid priestess and a Roman official defy her sacred vows and have two children. When he leaves her, she contemplates his murder.

Tiefland, composed by Eugen d’Albert, directed by Michael Unger and conducted by David Neely with Kara Shay Thomson as Marta and Ben Gulley as Pedro. Marta, the unwilling mistress of a wealthy landowner, is married off to a shepherd, Pedro. When her awful secret comes to light, he attempts to free her from her misery.

DeRenzi stressed Sarasota Opera is the ideal place for anyone to see an opera, from the novice to the most experienced audience member.

Joanna Parisi

“Everything we do is real,” he said. “The repertoire we do defines what we are. We give very impassioned performances that are connected very much to the drama and the words of an opera, as much as they are to its music. We also supply simultaneous translations in English to foreign language operas above the stage, so you can follow the drama of the piece every moment.”

Sarasota Opera is located at 61 N. Pineapple Ave. in Sarasota.

The opera season begins on Feb. 10 and runs through March 24. Ticket prices range from $19-$139. For more information about the opera’s season or to order tickets, call the box office at (941) 328-1300 or log on to www.sarasotaopera.org.

Kara Shay Thomson

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Please join Gov. Rick Scott in support of James Buchanan in the February 13 Special Election.

Rick Scott is OUR Governor and he needs partners in the legislature to keep Florida’s economy roaring while protecting natural treasures like our beaches.

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you to vote for James Buchanan so he can “be Ianeed partner in my efforts to keep Florida’s economy growing, protect our beaches, stem the tide of the opioid epidemic, and make sure we are better prepared for the next big storm. Please use your ballot to vote for James Buchanan.

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CITY SCENES

IT’S BEAUTIFUL, ENTERTAINING AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION. SCENES OF OUR CITY AS CAPTURED THROUGH THE LENS OF PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN REVISKY.

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The Sarasota Ballet’s Spring Season opens March 2 & 3 with Dreams of Nature, featuring Sir Frederick Ashton’s masterpiece The Dream and David Bintley’s incredible “Still Life” at the Penguin Café with a colorful host of endangered species seeking shelter at the Penguin Café.

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Sarasota Winter Fine Arts Festival

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Below: “Red Hot Paris� gals Ashley and Courtney Hutson talk fashion, food and travel outside Clasico Cafe Bar on Main and Palm.

Left: Opening this month, Art Ovation Hotel on Palm Avenue features luxury accommodations, fine dining, and quarterly curated art exhibitions and performances to heighten our creative awareness. The Hotel is connected by a breezeway to the Palm Avenue Garage.

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Family fun on Siesta Beach, once again voted one of the top beaches in the world in Trip Advisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, and ranked the number one beach in the US by Dr. Beach.

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Right: Being built on the corner of Lemon Avenue and State Street, The Mark will feature promenade shopping and dining, and luxury residences starting from the mid $700,000s.

Above: The iconic replica of Michelangelo’s David in the Courtyard of The Ringling Museum of Art has become a symbol of our city.

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A coal miner finds his salvation in the arrival of a young and inexperienced first responder. David Littlejohn and Christopher Joel Onken start in Northside Hollow, which runs through March 11 at the Urbanite Theatre.

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Below: The innovative virtual reality sales studio for the new, amenity-rich BLVD Sarasota, to be built in the Rosemary District, lets you step out of your elevator into your expansive condo and marvel at its breathtaking views.

Right: Set in the trendy Rosemary District, Arcos Apartments, with resort-style amenities, will answer the need for more affordable downtown living.

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The Sarasota Modern Hotel is inspired by the Modernist tradition which emerged in Sarasota in the 1940s. It is scheduled to open Summer 2018.

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Fishing under the John Ringling Causeway at dusk.

The beauty of Golden Gate Point.

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On 4th Street downtown, Blue Rooster’s high energy, foot-stomping Gospel Brunch is always a crowd pleaser.

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Love is always better on our beaches.

For good health and recreation, Sarasota is forever bike friendly.

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on the town

SCENES FROM AN INTERVIEW DRAYTON SAUNDERS ON SARASOTA’S FUTURE

by Gus Mollasis

I

N THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES, our once-sleepy gulf coast was developed by visionaries named Burns, Palmer and Ringling.

In the past forty years, you can include a visionary named Saunders, who has become synonymous with today’s real estate and development.

Michael Saunders, founder of Michael Saunders & Co. (MS & Co.), has not only defined an iconic real estate company, but is also a woman of incredible foresight, just like our early pioneers.

Today, her son, Drayton Saunders, president of the forty-two-year-strong real estate brokerage with 26 branch offices in three counties, handles many important and varied responsibilities of this well-known local, regional and international company.

He is a man very much entrenched in the happenings of our town, not only through his role in his family business, but as a board member of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County (EDC), Visit Sarasota County, and the Sarasota Bayfront 20/20 project.

As I talked with this hard-working, community-loving family man, and looked into his piercing blue eyes, just like his mother’s, I was impressed by his measured vision of our future, where it’s going and how it’s growing, as well as his respect for Sarasota’s cherished roots.

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on the town

When you meet a stranger, what is the first thing you tell them about Sarasota?

I like to ask them what they fell in love with first. I use that as a real estate practitioner and general fan of our town.

I want to know what they are “in love” with. It tells me what someone with fresh eyes cues into. Is it arts and culture? Is it the beaches? There are always the bigpicture things you expect to hear, but there are always those little things that you never know may turn somebody’s lens to make this their home.

Are you pleased with the path that Sarasota is on as it pertains to growth and development?

That’s a good and fair question.

Absolutely. We often in this community get into a debate about growth, and it’s a fair and healthy one to have. We should always be concerned with the direction of the community. I think that you must first accept that there is no way to prevent growth. In fact, if you look at communities that aren’t growing, there are so many symptoms of unhealthiness.

Look at the devastation of the Rust Belt and so many other communities that don’t grow. They are in reverse. The great news about Florida and Sarasota is that we’re in a forward direction. It’s more a question of “how do you want growth to look?” You have to be fair and ask, “are we focusing on the core issues?” Or “are we focusing on a symptomatic outlier?”

We often debate the thing that people get emotional about, without focusing on the long-term things that we ought to think through. I tend to think that if we spend more time in the “how do want to manage growth from a macro level?”, we would be better off than spending time with some of the minutia that sometimes occupies both the press and people’s hearts and minds. We all relate to things that we experience every day. The issues on Longboat Key are different than those downtown. We often regret the solution we didn’t put into place ten years ago.

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“We’re a college town wrapped in a retirement destination.”

- Drayton Saunders Is there something that you miss and would like to bring back from Sarasota’s past?

I would love to have circus performers back on Lido Beach. My mom talks about that, about going to the Lido Pavilion when she was a kid and watching the Ringling Circus performers practicing.

I think that must have been the coolest and most unique thing to see. It’s not something that I grew up with, but something reminds of Sarasota’s rich history.

How do you balance your time between your roles at Visit Sarasota, the EDC and your daily duties at MS & Co.?

My primary responsibility is at MS & Co. I am on the board of the EDC and was the past chair of Visit Sarasota County.

Part of being a real estate professional, whether you are sitting in my seat or Michael’s seat, or are one of the many people that are in this company, is that being engaged in our community is part of our job. In some ways it’s not extra, but both a privilege and part of what you sign up for when you become active and engaged. Early on I got involved in community and evolved into many layers. Visit Sarasota County provides great insight into what drives our tourism, which is often the front end of that future buyer. The EDC, on the other side, is what’s driving the underlying elements of our economy. We know that retirement, and certainly that demographic of retirees, is what drives a big part of the market. But when you look at the health of the economy, you can’t not look at how we are creating jobs for the future.

My day is balancing schedules. But it is part of running a local company where you are “owning the community” and not just doing the job.

What most excites you about Sarasota’s economic development and future?

We often think of job creation as big game changers – like Amazon, for example. Whether that happens or not, who knows? When those types of developments happen, they can obviously shift the entire focus of our local economy. I think there are grassroots companies with 10 and 15 employees that grow to 20 and 30 that we really don’t hear about that are truly the strength of what the EDC does – the small business. Or the entrepreneur that starts off small and grows. I think that’s truly our focus. We pitch for those big projects and swing for the fences, but I think that “money ball” of base, runs and hits and growing to your strengths is what a strong EDC does.

I think what’s most interesting to me personally is that we are an educational town. We are a college community wrapped in a retirement destination.

How many communities have a college town at the heart of their community?

They don’t. I think that energy, and building into that energy and growing it, is the focus of the heads of all those organizations. I think that is the most interesting long-term asset that we have for job creation. There is a trend for people moving back to their alma maters. I say that’s nice, but now you don’t have to move back to “snowmageddon.” You can stay here in your college town.

What are your biggest concerns or fears regarding Sarasota’s economic growth?

Is our infrastructure keeping pace for the growth so that people have that sense of quality of life regardless of where they are in the community? As it

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on the town

With Riverview, Booker & Sarasota High School Choirs

becomes more of a challenge to move in and around the three counties that we were work in, you look at the quality of life. And some of that is long-term planning regarding things like transportation and thinking about the infrastructure we count on. That’s the hardest thing to know as laymen.

Is the county on track? Is the city on track? And by and large they probably are. I think that if you ask what keeps me up at night, it’s that long-term planning. I think that things like the extension of the Legacy Trail is a good example. The debate could be “why do we need more?” Well, it’s not going to get any cheaper. And it’s not going to be any easier to do in the future. If you think about the benefit of something like that, that’s an example of planning for your future.

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Haydn’s Mass in Time of War & Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy With Jeffrey Biegel

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I hope that when someone visits Sarasota they tell their friends about…

The fabulous people they met.

The best thing Sarasota has going for it is….

Its arts and culture.

When people come to Sarasota they can expect…

Fabulous weather.

Sarasota is a great place because…

We still have a small town feel even though we are growing into a bigger city.

Are most of the tourists largely still coming from the I-75 corridor and the Midwest?

We still are heavily Midwestdominated, but we are seeing a bigger creep from the East Coast, the Northeast Corridor and down I-95.

We have some outliers from the West Coast of the United States, but it’s still generally the I-75 corridor. I think

what we find is that somebody has to come here first and then they bring their friends. That’s true if they’ve move here from Sweden, France or Toronto. It only takes one bell cow and then they want their friends to move there. That’s true whether you’re from Chicago or Helsinki.

How big an impact has Nathan Benderson Park and the rowing facility in the Lakewood Ranch area had on Sarasota?

Before that existed, when you went to Lakewood Ranch from let’s say downtown, you would think that you’d have to cross this “no man’s land” and that’s no disrespect to the fabulous communities that are in the Ranch, but there was nothing that defined them that you could articulate to somebody.

And now you have this fabulous park and facility that defines this space. I find that’s integrated the sense of Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota, even though they operate as distinct lifestyle communities.

I love the fact that we now have this great connector that sort of brings the two together. As those events build and grow in years, we are all going to look back and talk about what a major contribution this was to our community.

You’re sending a friend in Europe a postcard of Sarasota. What’s on the card and what does it say?

Particularly because Europe and the Northeast are experiencing such brutal weather, I would probably choose a postcard of that classic shot of someone with their toes in the sand, looking at a beautiful, sunny day and writing: “wish you were here.”

Your mother, Michael Saunders, is an icon in the industry and the founder of one of the great real estate companies. What is the greatest thing she has taught you about life and the business?

The most important lesson in life that applies to business is passion. Whatever you do, you better be passionate about it.

To do anything less is to cheat the thing

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on the town Oak vs. Palm tree debate and miss the right discussion, and don’t see the forest for the trees. So that’s how we decided that it had to be a community discussion and it became Bayfront 20:20, a community effort of “let’s build a consensus of organizations with members who can vote and represent a constituency,” not just one individual’s voice, and let’s make sure that with a consensus of over a couple thousand people at this point, we create a bill of rights for any development.

Bayfront 20:20 Project you’re focused on and your experience in and of itself. My lifelong goal is to be is as she is – a better listener.

How are you most like her?

Well, we both like to cook, but I grew up cooking alongside her. I don’t claim to have her skill sets. I think we both are detail-oriented. It’s about the entire experience — from the big picture to the smallest detail. We both believe in running things on our core values, which are very important, and you never sacrifice those even if it’s a really tough business decision.

Tell us about where you envision the Sarasota Bayfront 20:20 project going.

When you look at downtown since the early 2000s, then the pause, followed by the restart and the last three years, people are amazed at how quickly we evolved out of nothing happening to everything happening. We’re seeing our downtown being built out from apartments to projects like Vue Sarasota Bayfront, which begins to finish off the other half of our downtown — everything west of 41. And if you look at that at as our “gold coast” of high-end condominiums, the Bayfront project gives us the opportunity to give that side some degree of integration.

There’s never been a thought of what could be from the corner of Gulfstream Avenue to as far north as we can make

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that happen. But with the Quay property in play, it became the impetus to talk about all the possibilities that can be incorporated into this 42 acres that benefits everyone. If we as community aren’t ready to talk about this publiclyowned land, then we’re going to miss this important opportunity. That means talking about pedestrian bike paths, what happens on this side versus that side, roundabouts, etc. We’ve got to be on our A-game.

I give a lot of credit to Virginia Haley (president of Visit Sarasota County) for letting the board run with that topic.

What would be more important for tourism than this centerpiece of our arts and culture? I think everyone realized that there had been a failed effort to develop the future of the Bayfront in the early 2000s. Nothing had really changed, and that only meant infrastructure was older, the need to focus on this had only become more acute. So we confronted the issue of how to bring forth this big, hairy, complicated 42-acre project with 12 leaseholders in a community that is also very concerned about change?

We decided that this project’s first discussion couldn’t be “this is what is going to be built” otherwise all you’re going to do is argue about it. It is like trees on Main Street. I like Oak trees.

You like Palm trees. And you have this

Those were the guiding principles and the hard work that came long before the SBPO (Sarasota Bayfront Planning Organization); principles adopted by both the SPBO and the city into the ethos of what has become a much more technical process of “how do we plan the thing.” And that’s where we are today. That planning effort, and the city’s wisdom not to make it a political process, allows for SBPO, a nonprofit, to deliver back to the community, and for the city’s approval of an implementable plan. We’re at that stage now. We are blessed to have so many talented people involved in a real team effort.

I trust the team that is in play now.

You could not have a better leader than A.G. Lafley (Sarasota resident and former chairman, president and CEO of Procter & Gamble), with the complexities and experience in his business career, and who has completed a similar process and project in Cincinnati. We are fortunate that he’s volunteering his time and talent. Everybody on the team is talented and comes with a unique perspective, yet all of them realize they must honor what the community created.

How important is Bayfront 20:20 in defining Sarasota’s future?

I think everybody knows to do this right it has to be something that serves us well for the next 50 to 75 years.

on the town To do this piecemeal was something that we all wanted to prevent. I think that the true ability to transform that site into a fabulous park with amazing amenities, whether you go in or not, is going to be the true trick of the great horizontal plan. Whenever and whatever gets built there, it’s going to be built in phases. Some people will love it and some people will not.

You’re never going to get 100 percent consensus with any architecture, but if you give the community the opportunity to create that, and it serves the community the next 50 to 75 years, we’re going to have a “high five” moment.

It’s all about you…

Designs for your lifestyle

Is Sarasota still a small town in your mind and heart?

If you’ve lived here for a couple of years, you’re always going to run into someone you know, so it still feels like a small town to me. It doesn’t live like a small town, not like it used to. We’re bigger than a town, but smaller than a city, and I think that’s a real cool place to be.

When you look around, is there a place that makes you shake your head and say wow, look at this place?

I do. When I think of this town, one of my favorite places is that wonderful Ringling Bridge that was built through much debate, but with the vision of great man - the late Gil Waters. It connects and activates the community and is representative of someone would not give up fighting for something he believed in.

As a family man, what kind of place do you want to leave to your children and grandchildren?

I want my community to be greener, cleaner and with strong institutions, particularly educational, and at its core, an economy that allows people of all levels of their life to choose to be able to stay here.

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WANT TO INVEST, SAVE, AND GIVE AT ONCE? VIMVEST IS THE APP FOR THAT In a perfect world, investing for our future, saving for the things that make life sweeter and supporting causes close to our hearts would be as easy and automatic as swiping our card at Starbucks. Now, there’s an app for that with a Silicon Valley-style tech startup right here in Sarasota.

Set to launch this month, the Vimvest app is a hub of inspiration designed to unify a person’s investing, saving, and giving goals, allowing them to automatically direct a portion of each dollar saved toward the goals they select. Vimvest is the brainchild of co-founders Margaret Hixon, Phillip Dickson, Stuart Dickson, and Justin Bailey. Margaret, Phillip, and Stuart bring decades of wealth management expertise, while Justin brings an expertise in product design and technology. The app’s unique capabilities have also snagged the interest of Kevin Harrington, founder of the As Seen on TV brand and one of the original sharks on Shark Tank. Harrington is a lead marketing consultant for the launch.

“Our goal was to bring financial planning into the 21st Century, similar to what Facebook did for communication by building an ecosystem that allowed communication to thrive as never before,” said Phillip Dickson, Vimvest co-CEO. “We have built an ecosystem around financial planning that allows people to easily and enjoyably invest, save, and give. It really is a revolutionary way to distribute money, think about your future and consider the future of the community.”

With the Vimvest app, users can establish long-term goals, such as putting money away for retirement or their children’s college education through its investing services. The app’s saving services accommodate shorterterm goals, such as funding vacations, vehicle purchases, and can serve as a powered wish list. It is connected to the Amazon database so users can select specific products for which to save. Users also can connect with personal campaigns and a database of nonprofits to which they may choose to give. Each dollar vimvested, as they call it, is split among those three areas according to priorities set by the user.

Bailey, Chief Technology Officer. “The combination of micro-investing, microsaving and micro-giving is incredibly powerful. If enough people become vimvestors, then Vimvest could change the world.” Because the app is designed specifically with Millennial and Gen X users in mind, it is not intended to simply be a place to check on numbers and charts. Engagement, community, and inspiration is vital to Vimvest.

Depending on circumstances, a user could set investing for retirement as a high priority, saving for a vehicle as a mid-level priority, and giving to a favorite charity as a lower priority depending on the amount of funds they have available. Funds are split automatically, and amounts, goals and priorities are easily changed as someone’s needs shift. The app even allows a user to automatically deposit a certain amount every time they swipe their card to make a purchase.

“We wanted to create a place for inspiration, so we’ve developed a goal marketplace,” Bailey said. “There are goals covering most milestones, activities, items, and causes you can think of. That way, when you come into the app, you don’t need your ideas in place. Shopping for and shaping your future should be fun, not a chore.” A discover section is designed to entice users to see the community side of all things related to their goals. Glimpses, which are full screen image stories similar to Twitter Moments, connect compelling stories to actionable goals.

Vimvest also has a daily feed of helpful ideas on topics such as setting goals or how to choose worthy causes to support.

“We’re trying to create the most holistically balanced financial experience out there,” said Justin

“We believe the Vimvest app has huge potential. It is the result of a lot of effort by the best talent from Sarasota

CONNECT: 844-828-9200 | 3322 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34239 | www.vimvest.com

to Chicago to San Francisco to Estonia, and having Kevin Harrington on board gives us a huge advantage,” said Stuart Dickson, co-CEO. Also on the team is Edwin Burton, a Cornell-educated Professor of Economics at the University of Virginia. Burton is a finance executive and pension fund manager who now teaches courses on behavioral finance and theory of financial markets.

Vimvest’s leadership is interested in creating a strong company culture and growing local employment. “We currently have 18 employees, and if we grow at the same rate as last year, we should be around 50 employees by the end of 2018,” he said. “It’s important for us to create a strong business, a great work culture, and provide employment in our community.”

Phillip Dickson

Margaret Hixon

Hixon, with 30 years of experience in financial planning along with experience starting her own financial company, concurs with this view of Vimvest’s potential for success. “Based on our research, there is nothing else like this on the market,” she said. “Our day-today wealth management operations have been very successful, and what we are creating is only an expansion of that success. I am confident that we are 100 percent on the mark with the Vimvest app.”

Kevin Harrington Lead Marketing Consultant

Justin Bailey Stuart Dickson

Please join us for Mote Marine Laboratory’s 2018 Special Lecture Series Mondays at 6:30 p.m. | Mote’s WAVE Center | 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway | Sarasota, FL 34236

FEBRUARY

26 MARCH

5 MARCH

12 MARCH

19 MARCH

26

GRETCHEN LOVEWELL Mote Stranding Investigations Program Manager “The good, the bad and the smelly: An overview of Mote’s Stranding Investigations Program” DR. ROBERT NOWICKI Mote Postdoctoral Research Fellow “Heat waves, hurricanes and diseases, oh my! How extreme events and animal behaviors shape the marine world around us” DR. PHIL GRAVINESE Mote Postdoctoral Research Fellow “Responding in a pinch: Determining the impacts of man-made stressors on the Florida stone crab” DR. VINCE LOVKO Mote Phytoplankton Ecology Program Manager “Eyes in the sky: Advances in remote sensing for detecting Florida Red Tide and other harmful algal blooms” BRIAN SKERRY Wildlife Photojournalist for National Geographic Magazine “Luminous Seas”

$10 for non-Mote Members (per ticket, per lecture) $5 for teachers and students All lectures are FREE for Mote Members* RSVP required online at mote.org/lecture *All attendees, including Mote Members, are required to make reservations

Presenting Sponsors:

BOB & JILL WILLIAMS 90

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Corporate sponsor:

on the town

Education MATTERS

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS AT MOTE MARINE LABORATORY One of the goals of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Education Program, says Community Engagement Coordinator Elaina Todd, is to share what they’re doing with the community beyond the boundaries of their 10.5-acre base campus and aquarium out on Ken Thompson Parkway that 200 staff members, including 30 Ph.D. scientists, call home.

At Mote, they believe that conservation begins with education, and with their many programs, people are able to “dive in and get your feet wet and your hearts inspired.”

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Eugenie Clark and the initial philanthropy of Anne and William Vanderbilt as well as William R. Mote and many others, they’ve come a long way since it all began as a tiny one-room building back in 1955. They’ve now got field stations and public exhibits throughout Sarasota County, the Keys, and Boca Grande. As Todd says, “We want to bring Mote to people who haven’t had an opportunity to experience what we do and learn about our research.” To that end, they work with a host of local schools, after school programs, and community partners to better reach underserved populations. “From guppies to adults,” she explains.

While the primary target demographic is K-12, they also offer some early childhood education and adult education with an emphasis on adults with special needs. This past year alone, Mote’s Education Program engaged with close to 10,000 participants. Many of those come from supplemental STEM programming with existing organizations, such as Boys & Girls Clubs in both Sarasota and Manatee counties, Girls Inc, Just for Girls, AMIkids, and numerous YMCA locations.

One particularly successful partnership is at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, where they work with— among other groups—HARD:NOC, a unique teen program that invites 13-15 year olds to participate in an 8-month comprehensive program where they receive mentoring, academic support, life skills training and more.

Since 2015, Mote has been helping programs like this at

the community complex get first-rate STEM education. “A lot of the kids we’ve seen there keep coming back,” says Todd.

“They remember what we’ve taught before. They retain it because it’s fun and exciting.”

Mote works directly with schools, too, such as the Triad Alternative School, which is part of the YMCA in Sarasota.

It’s a place where kids who haven’t been successful in traditional schools can get back on track with their education.

As part of their science curriculum, a group of students comes out to Mote each month for a guided tour, where they engage in a lab activity or help with field sampling.

One of the challenges of serving so many different populations and meeting their various needs is that Todd and the rest of the Mote education team want there to be personalization with each partner. The cookie-cutter this-is-what-you-get approach isn’t the goal here. The Mote

team has found that it’s not what makes learning fun or memorable. “We strive to reach out to students wherever they are and help make science matter.”

Keeping it fresh, real, and relevant isn’t always easy when you have 40+ different locations to work with, but passion and philanthropic support make it possible.

When Todd started working at Mote three years ago, she more or less had to run the Community Engagement Program by herself (along with volunteer assistance). These days, she has the help of two full-timers, Kayla Keyes and Alison Goldy, and the way things are trending, they’ll need more help in 2018 in addition to the valuable efforts of an incredible volunteer support staff. Together, Todd and her colleagues do weekend onsite work, evening events, and regular-businesshours programs as well. “It’s a crazy schedule sometimes,” Todd admits, “but it’s worth it.

The kids are so enthusiastic.”

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on the town

“We strive to reach out to students wherever they are and help make science matter.”

- Elaina Todd

While Todd has been involved in environmental education since 2004, she’s surprised and pleased by how the spirit of collaboration seems to be everywhere in Sarasota. Organizations are happy to recommend other groups for Mote to work with, and they help, too, with networking. “They’re all so easy to work with. They’re willing to try new things—it makes starting partnerships far easier than it might otherwise be,” says Todd.

The result of those efforts? They’ve pretty much got a science education opportunity for anyone. Want a camp? They’ve got

Winter Break, Spring Break, and Summer camps. Want something for the wee ones? The Mommy & Me program. How about something for the homeschool kids? They’ve got Homeschool Days @ Mote twice a month for ages 6-13 and an advanced version for students age 9-16.

Want something just for girls? There’s Gills Club, which harnesses girls’ passion for sharks, nature, and the environment by giving them the opportunity to engage in projects focused on making a significant impact on the way sharks are perceived by the public.

Want to be part of all this? There’s always room for Community Engagement volunteers as well as with Mote in general. Plus, there’s a robust, hands-on internship program for college students.

For those who complete that internship, the opportunity exists for another year-long program that allows students to conduct scientific research alongside a Mote research staff member.

Quite simply, Mote is where science education matters. And as it says in their Vision Statement: “Over the decades since Mote was created, the world has learned many things about its ocean. One lesson has remained constant: there is still much to discover.”

F O R M O R E IN F O R M AT I O N

AMIkids (Associated Marine Institutes) go out on the boat in Tampa Bay for a floating classroom session, where they discuss the environment around them. Pictured: Elaina Todd, Mote staff

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on Mote Marine Laboratory’s Community Engagement Programs, please visit mote.org/education, call 941.388.4441 ext 348, or email educate@mote.org.

14th Annual

CHE FS only

$100

Golf Challenge Calling all birdies, twosomes, foursomes!

Get your friends together and play for a good cause, then join us under the tent for an evening of food, drinks & entertainment!

Tuesday, March 20, 2018 The Resort at Longboat Key Club Food & Wine: 5:30 – 8:30 Event Chairs: Eve & Marc Kanoff Golf Challenge Chair: Barbara Brizdle 11:30 Registration, 12:30 Shotgun Start

25+ Local Restaurants Live Band Wine & Beer Martini Bar Silent Auction

a fundraiser benefitting:

JFCS-Cares.org For more information, contact Laura McManus-Mesia at 941-366-2224 or lmcmanusmesia@JFCS-Cares.org

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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Voted Best Mover in Sarasota every year since 2009 by the US Small Business Commerce Association!

941-922-4466 | AAAMovingSarasota.com

CIRCUS SARASOTA presents

OVATION! CELEBRATING 250 YEARS OF CIRCUS!

FRIDAY, FEB. 9

SUNDAY, MAR. 4

UNDER THE BIG TOP! at Nathan Benderson Park behind the Mall at UTC

TICKETS: 941.355.9805 I CIRCUSARTS.ORG 94

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

20% OFF OPENING WEEKEND TICKETS!

Rugs As Art ...And More!

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Celebrating great years of savings, selection and service!

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Pops

goes the

Orchestra

BY STEVEN J. SMITH

A

s baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Banks would say, let’s play two.

Grab yourself a hot dog and some popcorn and sit back for some “Orchestra in the Outfield” on May 11 and 12 as the Sarasota Orchestra will play two Outdoor Pops concerts at Ed Smith Stadium, showcasing Broadway stars Deedee Magno Hall and her husband Cliffton Hall.

Principal Pops Conductor Andrew Lane said the concerts will feature a wide range of popular music including songs from Broadway musicals and movies, scores from Disney films, samplings from legendary composer John Williams (of “Star Wars” fame) and some good old American standards.

“The first half of each concert will feature Broadway and movie songs with our talented singers,” Lane said. “But in the second half we’ll switch over a little to the pop side as Deedee will sing ‘I Will Survive,’ made famous by Gloria Gaynor and Donna Summer, among others. We want to offer as much variety as we can so the audience can see what the Sarasota Orchestra is all about.”

Lane added the lineup will feature John Williams’ “Bugler’s Dream,” “Olympic Fanfare” and his movie score from

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Far and Away along with “La La Land Concert Suite,” “I Dreamed a Dream” and “Bring Him Home” from Les Miz, “You’re The One That I Want” from Grease, themes from Silverado as well as patriotic songs such as “America The Beautiful” and “Stars and Stripes Forever.” Also, each concert will end with a spectacular fireworks display.

“We had worked with Deedee before in another program we played at the Van Wezel called The Leading Ladies of Broadway,” Lane said. “We wanted to feature her again, so that was our starting point in plotting out our musical selections for this concert. We looked for songs she wanted to sing, songs that really worked well for her and for Cliffton, then crafted them into a program that had some excellent variety.”

Both Deedee and Cliffton Hall are no strangers to the stage, he added. Cliffton appeared on Broadway in the hit Les Miz and the couple teamed together in the rock musical Next to Normal and in the touring production of Miss Saigon.

Deedee also appeared as Nessarose in the national tour of Wicked and as Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular soundtrack. In addition, she currently voices the role of Pearl in the animated series Steven Universe.

“It seemed like a really good idea to pair Deedee and Cliffton up on our stage,” Lane said. “They’re going to do a couple’s concert and it’s a nice opportunity for them to perform together.”

He added the concert will feature a little something for everyone.

“If you’ve never heard the Sarasota Orchestra before, you’re going to get a really good sampler by attending this concert,” he said. “And this is our fifth season in performing the Outdoor Pops concerts. We’ve grown 100 percent over the last couple of years, offering two concerts a year instead of one, because our audience has doubled. I’ve also got to credit Ed Smith Stadium and the Baltimore Orioles, who have really helped grow this event, which we now call ‘Orchestra in the Outfield.’

Bringing the orchestra and the ballpark together has made it unique and very special.”

Cliffton Hall

Lane added a complete sound system is in place at the ballpark with 45-50 microphones set to maximize the orchestra and singers.

Andrew Lane

“We’re miked better than in a studio,” he said. “As a result, you’re hearing a very powerful sound. It’s a challenge to get that right and a lot of energy and talent goes into getting it to come off without a hitch. Our lighting is also first-rate and the stage is built specially for this event. It’s something people work a lot of hours on so we can make our two-hour concert a memorable one.”

Lane concluded there is something special about enjoying an outdoor concert as opposed to one in a concert hall.

Deedee Magno Hall

“People love to sit outside, look at the stars and hear concerts,” he said. “It’s a great combination not only for our orchestra, but for orchestras all over the world. You’ve got great seats in the stands and everyone has a perfect view of the orchestra. It’s a sublime outdoor experience.”

The concerts will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12 at Ed Smith Stadium, located at 2700 12th Street in Sarasota. Tickets start at $15 each and can be obtained through the stadium box office or by calling 941.893.6300. For more information, log on to sarasotaorchestra.org and click on “Concerts.”

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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arts&culture

Best SEATS

Laura Rook and Jordan Brown in Asolo Rep’s SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE. Photo by John Revisky.

Larry Hamm’s “The Clown” from Theatre Odyssey’s 10-Minute Play Festival

PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR ARTIST SERIES CONCERTS 941.306.1200 / ArtistSeriesConcerts.org Dueling Pianos February 6 Plantation Golf & Country Club King of Ragtime Writers – Scott Joplin February 10 Historic Asolo Theater The Celluloid Guitar – The Katona Twins February 18 First Church of Sarasota Global Jazz & Exotic Chamber Music February 2 & 25 Venice Performing Arts Center

ASOLO REPERTORY THEATRE 941.351.8000 / asolorep.org Main Stage Morning After Grace Through March 4 Shakespeare In Love Through March 28 Rhinoceros February 7 - April 14 FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training The Rehearsal February 20 – March 11

THE CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY 941.355.9805 / circusarts.org Circus Sarasota 2018 Winter Performances February 9 – March 4

FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE 941.366.9000 / floridastudiotheatre.org Cabaret Mack The Knife Through February 4 Blue Suede Shoes Through April 1 Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits February 7 – June 10 Mainstage Heisenberg Through March 4 98

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

“This is historical fiction, but the story it tells is true: art has the power to transform people — and communities, and cultures. Art inspires people to rise up against oppression, against prejudices, and bigotry.”

– Rachel Rockwell, Director, Shakespeare in Love, Asolo Rep Native Gardens Through March 25 Children’s Theatre Series The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe February 3 – March 31 Stage III How to use a Knife Through February 11 Constellations February 21 – March 15 Special Performance A Time For Love: Synia Carroll February 12

KEY CHORALE 941.921.4845 / KeyChorale.org Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy February 17

LEMON BAY PLAYHOUSE 941.475.6756 / lemonbayplayhouse.com Crimes of the Heart Through February 11 No Cryin’ In Your Beer Old-time Country Music by John Tuff & Friends February 24

MANATEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 941.748.5875 / manateeperformingartscenter.com Studio Series Bradenton Kiwanis Theatre Driving Miss Daisy Through February 11

Private dining & off premise catering available...

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asolorep New patient appointments are available within

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Whether it be robotic surgery, MRI fusion prostate biopsy, or HIFU, our physicians at

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seriously exhilarating, haunting, breathtaking theatre

Feb 7 - Apr 14

by EUGENE IONESCO Translated by DEREK PROUSE Directed by FRANK GALATI 1 S. School Ave, Suite 200, Sarasota, FL 34237 FLUrologySpecialists.com A Division of 21st Century Oncology, LLC 1 00

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

941-351-8000 • ASOLOREP.ORG Sponsored by HAMPTON INN & SUITES SARASOTA-BRADENTON AIRPORT

arts&culture SARASOTA ORCHESTRA 941.953.3434 / sarasotaorchestra.org Masterworks Impressions February 2 – 4 Midori Honors Bernstein February 22 – 25 Great Escapes It’s Been Reel February 14 – 17 Chamber Soiree Trout February 8 & 11

STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA NEEL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Broadway Series Stone Hall Hunchback of Notre Dame February 15 – March 4, 2018

THE PERLMAN MUSIC PROGRAM/ SUNCOAST 941.955.4942 / PMPSuncoast.org PMP Alumni: Around Town & In Schools Through April 23

THE PLAYERS CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS 941.365.2494 / theplayers.org Backstage at The Players Shirley Valentine February 8 – 18 The Players Centre Main Stage Singin’ in the Rain Through February 4 Love Letters February 14 Bullets Over Broadway February 22 – March 11

THE POPS ORCHESTRA 941.926.7677 / thepopsorchestra.org Audrey Landers: From Dallas With Love February 11 – 12

Sarasota Orchestra’s Impressions

RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART 941.359.5700 / ringling.org Historic Asolo Theater Somi February 16 – 17

THE SARASOTA BALLET 941.359.0099 / sarasotaballet.org FSU Center for the Performing Arts Inside the Studio Series: Vernon and Irene Castle – Paragons of Dance and Entertainment February 7 The Sarasota Ballet Presents Ballet Hispanico February 23 – 25

SARASOTA OPERA 941.328.1300 / sarasotaopera.org Winter Season Puccini’s Manon Lescaut February 10 – 24 Artists Round Table February 17 Bizet’s Carmen February 17 – 27

941.752.5586 / scf.edu Symphonic Wind Ensemble A Divine Comedy February 15 Bradenton Symphony Orchestra Twice as Nice February 23 Guitar Concert We Tell the Story February 27 Sundays at Neel The New Christy Minstrels February 11 The Jersey Tenors February 18 Events Guitar Master Class in conjunction with Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota February 19 Piano Master Class in conjunction with Key Chorale February 16

THEATRE ODYSSEY 941.799.7224 / theatreodyssey.org Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival February 3 – 4

URBANITE THEATRE 941.321.1397 / UrbaniteTheatre.com Northside Hollow Through March 11

VAN WEZEL PERFORMING ARTS HALL 941.955.7676 | vanwezel.org For a complete list of performances, visit our online event calendar at scenesarasota.com.

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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arts&culture

What do you want to be when you grow up?

New Christy Minstrels

THE VENICE INSTITUTE FOR PERFORMING ARTS

Help nurse Anna achieve her dream.

Invest in our community’s professionals one graduate at a time.

Investments can be made in the form of recurring or one-time donations, equipment, supplies, and/or scholarships to help students reach their graduation milestone.

Contact Barbara Bourgoin 941-752-5398 or bourgob@SCF.edu

SCF-Foundation.org 1 02

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

941.218.3779 / VenicePerformingArtsCenter.com Shen Yun February 3 – 4 New Christy Minstrels February 9 Kings of Dance February 22 Clyde Butcher – Florida: Where Water, Earth & Heaven Meet February 23 Jazz Masters: The Symphony of Broadway featuring Dick Hyman & Ken Peplowski February 24 The Venice Chorale 941.484.8491 / TheVeniceChorale.org Breaking the Glass Ceiling: A Celebration of Women Composers February 11 The Venice Symphony 941.207.8822 / TheVeniceSymphony.org Beethoven to Broadway February 16 – 17

VENICE THEATRE 941.488.1115 / venicestage.com Main Stage Smokey Joe’s Café: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller Through February 4 Dreamgirls February 20 – March 18

Stage II The Toxic Avenger February 8 – March 4

WESTCOAST BLACK THEATRE TROUPE 941.488.1115 / venicestage.com The Mountaintop Through February 18 Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill February 28 – April 8

Abdul-Khaliq ‘A.K.’ Murtadha stars as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s production of ‘The Mountaintop’

For a full list of this season’s performing arts events, view our annual Arts & Culture Guide.

SCENESARASOTA.COM

To submit your performance season, please send information to SCENEMAGAZINE@SCENESARASOTA.COM

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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SAVE THE DATE FOR GLASSER/SCHOENBAUM’S

GS-HumanServices.org/event/Celebration2018 Tuesday, April 24th, 11:30a-1:00p Luncheon at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens

1750 17th St Bldg J-1 Sarasota, FL 34234 (941) 365-4545

of

20+ 1 04

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

Different nationalities represented in our student body

F

or nearly 50 years, Sarasota residents have turned to Morton’s Gourmet Market for their fine foods. Shopping at their Osprey Avenue store is always a culinary adventure with new goodies to be discovered and savored. Delicious scents abound – freshly baked cookies and breads in the bakery, exotic coffees brewing in the coffee bar, and from-scratch soups simmering in the hot deli. Gourmet carry-out is a big part of their business as customers love the convenience of popping in after work to select a chef-prepared meal ready to take home for easy weeknight dinners. Freshly made salads, deli sandwiches and wraps, brickoven pizzas – the options are endless and delicious. Stop by their butcher counter for custom cuts of prime meats and seafood, or consult with their in-house sommelier to choose the perfect bottle of wine or craft beer.

Eddie & Todd Morton

Morton’s Market is the place for entertaining. They have everything one might need to throw an intimate dinner party or a big crowd-pleasing shindig. During the holidays, their complete dinners and ready-made entrees, sides and desserts are extremely popular among hosts who’d prefer to spend less time in the kitchen. Their award-winning catering department is the best in town and is equipped to handle events of all sizes with a full menu of party favorites, full bar service and custom planning options.

Morton’s is also known for their amazing customer service. Customers are greeted like friends, and the staff is always happy to offer samples or answer questions. The family-owned business is headed by father/son team Eddie and Todd Morton and supported by a host of other relatives working behind the scenes. In recent years Morton’s has expanded its reach to include two storefronts on Siesta Key. Siesta Market is a smaller version of their original store, with an island twist, and offers a variety of staple groceries and fresh produce, meat and dairy. They stock a wide selection of beer and wine, as well as to-go prepared foods for easy picnics. Siesta Village Liquors is located next door to Siesta Market. The shop carries a complete line of bar accessories as well as top shelf and name brand liquors, and is the Village’s only full-service liquor store.

Historic Southside Village . 1924 South Osprey Ave (941)955-9856 . MortonsMarket.com

MARCH 8-18, 2018

Naiditch Family Foundation

TICK E TS ON

SA

LE M

ID FEBR

U A R Y 2018

SPONSORED BY

9TH ANNUAL • CELEBRATING ISRAEL @ 70

W

e are exceedingly proud to present a premiere line-up of twelve truly outstanding and diverse films that will excite, enlighten and provoke you, our audience. This year, the JFF will celebrate Israel @ 70 by screening films that explore the creation of the State of Israel and modern life in Israel today.

A HEARTBEAT AWAY

Our Opening Night screening will feature the Southwest Florida premiere of Ben-Gurion, Epilogue, and we are honored to welcome the film’s director, producer and scriptwriter, Yariv Mozer, to Sarasota-Manatee as our special guest.

Our Closing Event will feature the classic film, Exodus with an Israeli meal served during the intermission. Produced and directed by Otto Preminger, Exodus is a screen adaptation of the best-selling novel by Leon Uris.

FEDERATION TORCH SPONSORS EDIE AND DAVID CHAIFETZ | LEON R. AND MARGARET M. ELLIN ROBERT AND ESTHER HELLER COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE | NAIDITCH FAMILY FOUNDATION BUNNY AND MORT SKIRBOLL | LOIS STULBERG

CO-CHAIRS: FRAN BRAVERMAN AND EVANS TILLES ROZ GOLDBERG JOEL AND GAIL MORGANROTH

LEAD SPONSOR

AMOR AN ISRAELI LOVE STORY BEN GURION, EPILOGUE BETWEEN WORLDS EXODUS IN BETWEEN

JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL FOUNDER AND HONORARY CHAIR OPENING NIGHT SPONSOR

A QUIET HEART

MEDIA SPONSORS

MR. PREDICTABLE OPERATION WEDDING THE WEDDING PLAN

This project is sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council of Arts and Culture.

THE WOMEN’S BALCONY

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SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

Tickets available at jfedsrq.org/jff18 or 866.465.3995

arts&culture Photo by Billy Elkins

GET Inspired CULTURAL HAPPENINGS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE ARTS AND CULTURAL ALLIANCE OF SARASOTA COUNTY Charismatic, hilarious and smart, Christine Alexander is known locally for providing entertaining productions and making people laugh. An awardwinning improv actor, instructor, producer and owner of Lazy Fairy Improv, she’s a founding member of FST Improv, and has been a standout at the Sarasota Improv Festival for nine years.

Christine is a master teaching artist at FST and McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre & Humor Institute, and performs cutting-edge comedy with troupes nationwide for nearly two decades.

Christine’s improvbased training sessions have been recognized by national corporations (Bealls, Pepsico/ Tropicana, Saks Fifth Ave, lululemon) and

academic organizations (Florida State University, University of South Florida, New College and Ringling College of Art and Design) where she leads customer service and sales training, communication, team building and collaboration workshops, called “Laughing Lunches.”

She’s worked with healthcare professionals at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Blake Medical Center, the Department of Health, and Jewish Family and Children’s Services to develop a base program called “Laugh to Feel Good.”

Christine’s favorite accolade is hearing her audience laugh. Her motto: “If it feels good to laugh, then laugh to feel good.”

We asked Christine how and why the arts in Sarasota influence and inspire her:

“When I was four, I insisted my parents move to Sarasota, so my mom could get a job at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. They agreed and moved our family here in the late 70s. My Twitter is @christinesaidso - my demanding ways started at a young age.

Close to 20 years ago, I took the very first improv class that FST offered. That day, my life changed. There is nothing like living and playing in the present moment, failing big time, and still being supported 100 percent!

Sarasota has supported me tremendously, from Annie Morrison believing in me so much that she asked me to do a onewoman improv show multiple times at the SaraSolo Festival and then gave me an Extempore Award. The HuB gave me many video producing and acting opportunities. Home Resource and The Players offered space for us to play over the years. At JFCS every month, I donate my time to the Wellness Program where one participant told me, ‘For that hour, I didn’t think about cancer at all.’ We get asked back to perform, teach, produce and laugh a lot, and we have the lovely arts supporters in Sarasota to thank.

And now I’m leading workshops at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Just bringing it full circle, people!”

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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arts&culture

THROUGH FEB 23 Art Uptown Gallery Reflections in Glass and Gold A collaboration of works in glass and gold leaf painting by artists Esther Jensen and Cecile Moran.

941.955.5409 | artuptown.com

FEB 1 – 28 Island Gallery West The Color of Sunlight Daily, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Joanna Karpay’s oil and pastel paintings.

941.778.6648 | islandgallerywest.com

FEB 1 – MARCH 9 Art Center Sarasota Four New Exhibitions Exhibits feature works by John Pirman, George Pratt, member artists of the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History, and Art from the Heart, an open, juried exhibit.

941.365.2032 | artsarasota.org

“Placid Moment” by Cecile Moran

FEB 3 – 28 Dabbert Gallery Exhibition featuring James Griffin, Bill Farnsworth, Jeff Cornell, and Robert Baxter, all successful illustrators turned outstanding fine artists.

941.955.1315 dabbertgallery.com

FEB 11 – JUNE 30 Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Warhol: Flowers in the Factory Living plant display and original artwork by Andy Warhol.

Additional events, lectures and classes offered throughout the five-month exhibition.

941.366.5731 | selby.org

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SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

“Love and Wings” by Bill Farnsworth

over

Broadway

Written by

Woody Allen

“An uproarious, giddy feast, boy, does it hit the spot!”

NY Post

Tickets $32 / $27 / $14 student

Shirley Valentine

Feb. 7 - 18, 2018 One EXTRAORDINARY journey can change an ordinary life!

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Evening Races Friday & Saturday 7:30pm

50¢ Friday Matinees* 50¢ Admission • 50¢ Bud Beer • 50¢ Hot Dogs & Sodas

Super Saturday $1 Night* $1 Bud Beer • $1 Hot Dogs & Sodas *concession stands only

Clubhouse reservations & more info call: (941) 355-7744 5400 Bradenton Rd. Sarasota 34234

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Extended Hours: Monday - Thursday 9am - 2am Open 7am Friday thru 2am Monday Vegas Style Games!

Daily High Hand Jackpots State-of-the-art poker room located on the 2nd floor of the Sarasota Kennel Club. Live action cash games and tournaments offered daily.

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts & Culture

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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arts&culture

Ocean Vuong

PoetryLife at Florida Studio Theatre presents: FEB 19 Coffee, Conversation & Lunch: The Poetry of Activism 11:00 a.m.

PoetryLife presents two prolific poets: Juan Felipe Herrera (former US Poet Laureate) and Ocean Vuong.

FEB 19 Live on Stage - Juan Felipe Herrera and Ocean Vuong 7:00 p.m.

Poets Juan Felipe Herrera (former US Poet Laureate) and Ocean Vuong in a reading of their own work.

FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE, COURT CABARET 941.366.9000Â | POETRYLIFE.ORG

Juan Felipe Herrera

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arts&culture FEB 23 – 24 American on the Couch with Bestselling Author Carol S. Pearson Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota 7:00 p.m.

Insights from Pearson’s forthcoming book, America on the Couch: What Story Do You, Want Us, to Live address how to thrive as individuals and groups in today’s challenging global context.

941.952.8188 | cgjungsarasota.org

Carol S. Pearson

MICHELLE CRABTREE Broker Associate, REALTOR® A third-generation local and broker associate since 1982, Michelle is dedicated to serving your needs in Sarasota, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch.

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FEB 25 – MAY 20 The Ringling Museum Toni Dove: Embodied Machines Daily 10:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Thursday until 8:00 p.m.

New York-based Dove brings together artists of all mediums through collaborative practice.

941.359.5700 ringling.org

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Toni Dove: Embodied Machines

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Musical Theater | Comedy | Drama Concerts | Special Events

arts&culture

LITERARY Scene

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

THIS MONTH, RYAN REVIEWS A LEGAL THRILLER, A HISTORICAL SAGA OF OLD FLORIDA, AND A BOOK ON DIGITAL CULTURE. SHAME NATION: THE GLOBAL EPIDEMIC OF ONLINE HATE

by Sue Scheff with Melissa Schorr Author, parent advocate, and cyber advocate Sue Scheff’s third book, Shame Nation, deals with a reality none of us want to face: in today’s digital world, disaster might be a single click away. Personal attacks on Facebook. Political troll tweets. Public shaming. Scheff reports that 38% of adults confirm they’ve been cyberbullied in the last year alone.

In Scheff’s mind, what awaits us on the Internet? “A nation of finger-wagging vultures who delight in tormenting us and tearing our reputations to shreds,” writes Scheff. “This culture of destroying people with the simple stroke of a keyboard has become much more than a fad—it’s the new norm. In a 2014 survey conducted by YouGov, 28 percent of Americans admitted to engaging in malicious online activity directed at somebody they don’t even know.”

But this thoughtful book is far more than a collection of digital horror stories. It also offers practical guidance on how to prevent and protect against cyber blunders and faceless bullies. Thanks to input from top professionals in fields such as law, psychology, and reputation management, readers can find actionable ways to take charge of their digital lives today.

A generous Resources page and ample End Notes round out this fine book, making it a solid read for any parent, teen or tween who wants to avoid virtual cruelty and know how to react effectively when it does happen despite our best efforts. This is a first-rate, useful book that’s timely and smart.

Highly recommended.

Rating:

www.suescheff.com

A CORNER IN GLORY LAND

by Janie Denos Though author Janie Denos now lives in a log cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains, she was born and raised in Florida, which serves to be the inspiration for A Corner in Glory Land, the first in her new trilogy about Old Florida. “When I was a little girl, my family spent time at Lake Weird, specifically at an old fish camp named Johnson’s, and it was those sweet old memories that helped bring A Corner in Glory Land to life,” explains Denos.

Set in the 1880s, this novel follows the Stewart family’s days as settlers in Florida—around Silver Springs and Lake Weird—where Hap Stewart works on a steamboat while his four children all learn to make their own way in the oftenharsh world of river life and the wilds of central Florida. The book puts a spotlight on young Eve, a restless girl with the dream of being a writer who has her work published in the newspapers and journals of the world. Her twin, Ivy, chases a future in the world of medicine women and herbal healing. Upon uncovering a family secret, Eve has to decide whether to head out and find Ivy or stay home and protect the Stewart family.

While there are moments of tenderness as well as historical tidbits that Florida fans and historical fiction enthusiasts might well find effective, the book has room for far more. That’s likely where books 2 and 3 in the trilogy come into play, one assumes.

Rating:

www.JanieDevos.com

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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arts&culture

LAW AND VENGEANCE

by Mike Papantonio A senior partner at one of the nation’s largest law firms and the host of a nationallysyndicated radio show, Mike Papantonio knows the legal world as well as anyone. And Law and Vengeance, his latest novel, again reveals his intimate knowledge of the criminal justice system with a power and precision that is compelling.

The story follows attorney Gina Romano, whose law firm is after a gun manufacturer that knowingly put defective weapons into the marketplace.

Enter a soldier wrongfully on trial for murder. A gun rights lobbyist. A hightech assassin (a genius, no less!). The US Department of Justice. Disappearing witnesses. And then there’s the murder of one of Gina’s law partners who happens to be a former lover.

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Now Gina’s tough as nails, but will she be able to uncover the truth behind what should’ve been a regular torts case that has snowballed into a dangerous world of corruption, violence and fraud?

She’s got to win both in the courtroom and outside of it to come out on top.

It’s refreshing to see such a strong, vibrant, capable female lead in a thriller. She leaps off the page again and again. This is a lively story with just enough action and humor to keep things fresh. The final word? This is a solid legal thriller that will make many want to read Papantonio’s other novels.

Rating:

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SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

on the town

Eat &Drink DELICIOUS DISHES AND DRINKS + THE PERFECT PLACES TO PARTAKE

Artisan Cheese Company FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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on the town

OfKors Bakery

Artisan Cheese Company

Delicious Delicacies in Downtown Sarasota

By Rick Dakan As downtown blossoms and explodes with new condos and retail space, more and more Sarasotans get to live a “typical” city life: a dense panoply of options, including specialty food shopping within walking distance. Two of those options deserve a little special attention right now, one old and one new.

ARTISAN CHEESE COMPANY For almost six years, Artisan Cheese Company has been at the forefront of that kind of specialized, urban shopping experience.

Located at the bayside end of Main Street, Louise Kennedy Converse’s gourmet cheese shop has weathered the recession, street construction, and now the building boom. Through it all they’ve built a dedicated customer base that prizes quality and service in addition to their delectable cheeses. “I’m so grateful to the many customers who try hard to come every day,” says Louise. “They know we provide a little extra service and expertise.

We’re storytellers. We educate our customers as we help them navigate all the crazy names and different animals and find what’s right for them.”

Artisan Cheese Company focuses on American artisanal cheeses, made from raw ingredients that are seasonal and handled with love and care by small cheesemakers. “The American cheesemaker movement is having a renaissance, with thousands of cheesemakers all over the country making amazing cheeses,” Louise explains.

“Seventy percent of our cheese is American Farmhouse, where 1 16

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

the animals and farm are part of the cheesemaking operation.”

The rest of the cheeses are select favorites from Europe. “We’ve brought some cheeses that have never been sold anywhere in Florida before, a couple never in the entire United States.”

As they reach their sixth year, Artisan Cheese Company is giving up its Main Street roots and moving a few blocks north, to the new Rosemary Place. “It’s a little scary and exciting being first to market, but I believe Rosemary will be the new Main Street. Year-round residents we want to serve, who want to shop locally.” The new location will be significantly larger than the Main Street shop, with more room for an expanded selection of artisanal charcuterie, ice cream, and specialty packaged goods. Thanks to a recently successful Kickstarter campaign that raised almost $50,000, they will also be opening an Apprentice Kitchen and mentoring program, where they can train future chefs and food purveyors for the next generation.

OFKORS BAKERY While Artisan Cheese Company is forging a new path in the Rosemary District, just a block up Main Street a new specialty food shop has just opened its doors. Located in the space formerly occupied by Bookstore1 (which has moved a few hundred feet down the street), OfKors bakery is the latest offering from Marie and Alex Korsykov. The family moved to

on the town the area from Ukraine four years ago and brought Alex’s expert baking skills and a mutual love of great, fresh food with them.

They opened K&K Bakery in North Port, which continues to serve happy customers in the south of the county, but, as Marie Korsykov says, “Main Street was our dream, it just took time to find the right fit.” That right fit came when local realtor Barry Seidel, who knew and loved their food from the North Port bakery, clued them into to the new location opening on Main Street. “It took us nine months to set up and get everything perfect,” Marie says, “We opened in December.”

The European-style bakery makes elegant, delicious baked goods from a variety of different culinary traditions. “We bake daily, from scratch, with no preservatives.

Everything is homestyle and fresh,” Marie notes. You can certainly taste the highquality ingredients, but even eager homebaking enthusiasts like myself would be hard-pressed to produce such beautiful and finely crafted pastries and treats at home.

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OfKors serves a wide variety of goods, from bakery mainstays like sourdough breads and croissants to harder-to-find Slavic and Scandinavian treats like poppy seed loaves and the intriguing Swedish layered sandwich cake, with layers of turkey, bread, and cream cheese icing. The delightful strudels are some of my favorite sweet treats at OfKors, along with classic patisserie offerings like eclairs, macarons, and chocolate croissants. Every time I’ve gone in, the bakery is offering something new and exciting to try, and promises to be a vibrant new addition to Main Street.

FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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insider

Laughing MATTERS

by Ryan Van Cleave

“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”

—Hunter S. Thompson I know people are concerned. They’re quietly wondering: “Did Ryan blow his entire humor arsenal with his inaugural Hey-look-at-me-I’m-like-Dave-Barry column last month?”

And by “people,” I mean “mother-in-law.”

By “humor arsenal,” I mean “the weird stuff that keeps happening to me that I intend to share on these pages for money.”

I told her that I’d have to get back to her on that after I finished deep-frying a key lime pie while waiting for my pirate outfit to come out of the spin cycle as I unpacked a pair of lavender plastic lawn flamingos that I ordered from Amazon. Yep, I live in Florida, all right.

Now it’s true that I’ve been living in Florida since 2009, but that’s not the same thing as being a Floridian. And not five minutes before the idea of this humor column came into being, I made the decision—I’m going to be a Florida resident for real. I’m going to embrace the weirdness that makes Florida...well, Florida.

“But how do you know that Florida is weird?” you might be asking. Because native Floridian and award-winning journalist Craig Pittman seems to believe that it’s so. The evidence? My first clue was when I reviewed his book Oh, Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country in the April 2016 issue of Sarasota Scene in my Literary Scene column. The clue? How he admits that his role as author in this book was “a cross between squint-eyed Rod Serling and one of those patter-drunk boat captains on Disney’s Jungle Cruise.” I mean, c’mon! Disney renames the Zambezi Zelda boat into the “Fruitcake Zelda” during Christmas time. So weird!

But hey, it’s all good now that I’m a bona fide member of the Gunshine State, where the motto appears to be “senior discounts available.” Plus, if I’m being honest here, it’s not hard to be strangely pleased to know Florida is where: • A 24-year-old man is arrested for assault with a deadly weapon by tossing a 3½-foot gator through the drivethrough window of a Wendy’s • A would-be mermaid gets in trouble with a homeowner’s association thanks to her fake tail violating the community pool’s “no fins” policy • A 22-year-old woman claiming she’s a vampire bites off part of the lip of a 68-year-old man (in a motorized wheelchair, no less) outside a Hooters

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SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

Even in a state where weirdness is par for the course, things still surprise me, however. Like the other day when I saw a woman in a wedding dress driving a Jeep on Fruitville Road. To be clear, “driving” might not have been the most relevant word since while piloting her stick-shift 1990s-era clunker through traffic, she simultaneously smoked, gabbed on a hands-required cell phone (a flip phone, no less!), and smeared on purple lip gloss while adjusting what might’ve been a push-up bra beneath all that white tulle. I couldn’t help myself—I rolled to a stop next to her at a red light then lowered my window to ask, “Excuse me, but would you have any Grey Poupon?”

That’s when I realized the Jeep’s driver was a dude. Weird, right?

Who gets married in December, after all?

I share all this by way of getting to the real point of this month’s column.

Beavers.

Let me explain. Out of professional curiosity, I was researching “rodent problems in Florida” and a website from a professional wildlife removal outfit just came out with this shocker: “There are no beavers in Orlando, Florida!”

And it all became clear. This is a Serious Problem for Florida— we suffer from a deficiency of aquatic rodents. Who doesn’t appreciate a good engineer? And what’s not to like about swimming? Or paddling? Not to mention that these furry fellows mate for life. No 50+% divorce rate among the Castor Canadensis, no sirree! And they just so happen to own the title of “Largest Rodent in North America.” Talk about impressive!

And weird!

But my issue with beavers—or Florida’s lack thereof—is perhaps more financial, if I’m being truthful. We have this Foxtail Palm in my backyard, and during my first year in Florida, a once-ina-lifetime frost killed it. Who knew I was supposed to go out and toss winter coats on all of my foliage in the middle of a January night that doesn’t even register on my Chicago-honed sense of cold? This isn’t even to take into account that Wikipedia promises that “Sarasota averages LESS than one frost annually.”

In any case, the aftermath of Mother Nature murdering my tree is that I’ve had this knee-high stump there for years, and I’m finally tired of mowing around it. So I called up a grinding service and two guys in official-looking t-shirts came out and eyeballed the

insider offending stump. They offered to grind it to smithereens for $250. The look of horror on my face must’ve translated well because the one guy—I sensed that he was in charge by his authoritative Florida Marlins cap—said he’d consider renting me the grinder for a half-day for $125, which basically meant that for half the price of them doing the work, I could shred my own leg by my tool-challenged self and still keep the stump as a bonus. He punctuated the offer with tobacco spit.

To which I said, “The stump is only maybe yay big,” then I held my hands apart, as if this might prove persuasive.

“I mean, c’mon—a beaver could handle that lickety split.”

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The head honcho grinder guy nodded, saying, “Find yourself a beaver willing to do the job, and you’re in business.”

There’s no limit to the BARGAINS you’ll FIND!

Here’s the problem. There are no beavers in Orlando. There are no beavers in central Florida at all. I know it’s true—I read it on the Internet.

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Have something special you want to share with Ryan about life, liberty and the pursuit of laughter? Email him at ryan@scenesarasota.com.

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insider

InHEALTH

By Dr. Alissa Shulman

2018: THE YEAR OF ACCEPTANCE Alissa Shulman, MD, FACS

It seems to be the “it” concept of 2018...and a seemingly unlikely statement from a plastic surgeon.

However, my happiest patients are those who accept the things that I cannot change and most of what they cannot change.

During a routine new consultation, we talk about healthy diet and active lifestyle. There is no point in investing money into your body if the results are not going to be maintained. Let me make this clear—I am NOT talking about working with only “skinny” patients (besides, I think insurance weight charts are ridiculous); I simply think that a healthy diet and lifestyle that makes you feel good should be the goal. The be-all and end-all is NOT a dress size or the number on a scale!

We discuss basic body shapes (athletic/voluptuous; long/short torso; fat distribution; skin excess; hidden/visible scars).

Depending upon the answers 1 20

combined with my 18 years of experience, we will figure out if surgery is a good option. A patient needs to recognize and accept their own basic body shape. Surgery won’t change that—it will only encourage a better version.

A patient needs to be in a good place emotionally before we talk surgery. It is important to be able to have a frank discussion about what I can change and what I cannot. Too many people are unhappy because of life situations and they expect plastic surgery to make their whole life better. The hope is that our patients will like their results and, therefore, feel better about their appearance and have more self-confidence to face and improve their situation.

Certain surgeries can give the illusion of a shapelier torso.

Liposuction is best for a stable weight (no point in paying to remove fat if you are not going to maintain it). I can reduce the accessible fat around the waist and flank area. If some of this fat could be used elsewhere, you may want to consider fat grafting. The best area for fat graft placement is the breast—the feel and look are more natural than implants. An even more impressive change is fat grafting done in conjunction with a mastopexy (breast lift) and liposuction to the axilla (bra area fat). This gives more length at the torso and less width at the chest. For those who never had need for implants, a breast reduction can have a similar effect.

It is important to be very mindful of the visceral (internal) fat. It won’t matter how much fat is removed from the outside if the inside fat determines the overall shape (apple body). Even if some excess lower abdominal skin is removed, it usually does NOT change the overall shape.

Acceptance is something we find easier as we get older. This may be a good time to get rid of your old implants and see

SARASOTA SCENE | FEBRUARY 2018

did you know?

It’s the visceral (internal) fat that determines your overall body shape. what Mother Nature has left you. With a little “tweaking” (lift, liposuction, fat grafting), you would be amazed at how good you can look and feel!

There are no standard “recipes” for plastic surgery.

Over years of experience with learned techniques, doctors perfect their own procedures. You can speak to five different plastic surgeons and get five different opinions. You need to choose the procedure and surgeon with whom you are most comfortable.

Dr. Alissa Shulman practices at Sovereign Plastic Surgery located at 1950 Arlington St., Suite 112, Sarasota, Florida. 941.366.5476 |

www.sovereignps.com

2 - 3 M A R C H 2018 | VA N W E Z E L

AC C O M PA N I E D BY T H E SA R A S OTA O R C H EST R A

FEATURING Sir Frederick Ashton's

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David Bintley’s ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café | Photography Bill Cooper

Love & Chocolate is in the air!

SARASOTA

DOWNTOWN SARASOTA www.peterbooke.com 76 S. PALM AVENUE 941-330-7616 FEBRUARY 2018 | SARASOTA SCENE

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REWIND A LOOK BACK THROUGH SCENE’S ARCHIVES

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1970

HMMM…WASN’T DON JUAN A LOVER AND A “PLAYER?” ONLY IN THE 70s WOULD A BALL WITH THIS NAME FLY! TOO FUNNY.

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