July2015

REAL ESTATE

SELLING LUXURY

Custom home trends Realtors of Distinction JULY 2015 $3.95 U.S.

Summer Cool Downs | Beach Reads

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Improving outdoor living STABIL Concrete Pavers has become a trusted name in the Sarasota/Manatee area for the all your paving needs. Our showroom features many products in a variety of shapes and colors for your selection along with samples for you to bring home. We carry both thin and thick pavers as well as 4 sizes of coping giving STABIL the ability to handle any job from new construction to a remodel of your current pool deck. Our well trained staff will work with you from start to finish ensuring your complete satisfaction.

Showroom: 7080 28th St. Court East Sarasota, Florida 34243/ Off Whitfield Ave 941.739.7823 StabilConcretePavers.com

Life Reinvented Make Esplanade your new tomorrow.

Esplanade offers an array of beautifully appointed homes with California Tuscan architecture in gated, maintenancefree communities. However you’ve envisioned indulging your dreams, participating actively or relaxing extravagantly, Esplanade offers a range of resort-quality amenities in Florida’s most desirable West Coast locations.

GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB AT LAKEWOOD RANCH Located in the highly sought after Lakewood Ranch area, this community features an 18-hole championship golf course.

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For more information, please visit TaylorMorrison.com or call us at 866.495.6006 Offer void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law. Prices may not include lot premiums, upgrades and options. Community Association and other fees may be required. Prices, promotions, incentives, features, options, amenities, floor plans, elevations, designs, materials and dimensions are subject to change without notice. Square footage and dimensions are estimated and may vary in actual construction. Community improvements and recreational features and amenities described are based upon current development plans which are subject to change and which are under no obligation to be completed. Floor plans and elevations are artist’s conception and are not intended to show specific detailing. Floor plans are the property of Taylor Morrison, Inc. and its affiliates and are protected by U.S. copyright laws. For further information, please see a Taylor Morrison Sales Associate and review our Terms of Use. This is not an offering in any state where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law. © 2015 Taylor Morrison of Florida, Inc., All rights reserved. FL GC#CBC1257822

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Established 1976

REAL ESTATE July 2015

Volume 58 No. 7

38

56

44

30 HOMEBUYERS & SELLERS BEWARE:

49 REALTORS OF DISTINCTION

New Regulations Will Affect Your Sale

Profiles of Local Real Estate Professionals

By Sue Engelhart

38 MARKET UPDATE: SELLING LUXURY

By Sue Cullen

44 BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

56 CITY COOL Ways to Beat the Summer Heat Photography: John Revisky Assistant: Davie Boyette

Custom Builder T.J. Nutter

74 BEACH READS

By Sue Cullen

Mr. & Mrs. Johnson

By Julianna Blackwell

cover

Casey Key beachfront estate with dazzling Gulf views, which take center stage amid the soaring architecture and stately double staircase. The estate is offered for sale by Stephanie Church, Broker Associate with Michael Saunders & Co.

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July 2015

DEPARTMENTS 68

28 18 EVENTS CALENDAR SOCIALS

72 EDUCATION

26 PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR

77 BEHIND THE SCENE

By Jacqueline Miller

32 GET INSPIRED Upcoming Cultural Events from the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County

35 GIVING A Friend of Education: Elizabeth Moore

By Steven J. Smith

62 SCENES FROM AN INTERVIEW

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July 2015

Engagement and Wedding Announcements

23 Woman’s Exchange Awards Celebration 24 Gulfcoast CEO Forum’s A Night in the Shark Tank

28 DESIGN

10

68 SCENE TOGETHER

The Sarasota Ballet’s Outreach Programs

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

Sarasota’s Society Maven Gives the Latest Scoop

By Debbi Benedict

83 SCENE LOCALLY News Shaping Our Community

85 LITERARY SCENE

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

HEALTH 88 PAP Testing…What’s Changed and Why?

By Therese E. Goode, PA-C

89 Advanced Care for Digestive Health

By Donald Garrow, MD

Actress Katherine Michelle Tanner

90 REWIND

By Gus Mollasis

Archival Memories

july 2-12

FREE RING* with purchase of any two rings

*Free ring(s) must be of equal or lesser value to the least expensive ring purchased. Valid at participating retail stores only. While supplies last. Void where prohibited. Not valid with other PANDORA offers or prior purchases. No rain checks. Restrictions apply. See store for details.

MALL AT UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER CENTER COURT • 941.893.3948 Some jewelry displayed patented (US Pat. No. 7,007,507) • © 2015 Pandora Jewelry, LLC • All rights reserved • PANDORA.NET

Locally Owned, Operated & Printed Since 1957

MORE THAN JUST RUGS!

CEO/President

Ronald Milton

Publisher & Executive Editor

Julie A. Milton

Vice President Sales Account Executives

Steve Slocum Dave Davis Jennifer Mayforth

Art Director Special Issue Coordinator Distribution Contributing Writers

Michelle Cross Debbi Benedict Dick Jackson Debbi Benedict Sue Cullen Gus Mollasis Steven J. Smith Ryan G. Van Cleave

Photographers

Nancy Guth Daniel Perales Enrique Pino John Revisky

Address

5939 Approach Road, Sarasota, FL 34238

Phone Fax

Rugs As Art ...And More!

6650 S. Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34231 941.921.1900 rugsasart.com 12

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July 2015

2015

Website

941-365-1119 941-954-5067 www.scenesarasota.com

SCENE Magazine publishes 12 issues a year by RJM Ventures, LLC. Address editorial, advertising and circulation correspondence to the above address. Sufficient return postage and self-addressed, stamped envelope must accompany all manuscripts, art work 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. ISSN 1535-8895.

IN 2014

51.4 MILLION SURGERIES

WERE PERFORMED IN THE UNITED STATES 200,000 shoulder surgeries

1 Million back injuries per year

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Physical Therapists require 9 years specialty education.

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

W

ith a population growing twice as fast as the national average;

historically

low

interest rates; and, nearly one million international visitors coming to Sarasota County last year, there’s no doubt about it, soon we will be busting at the seems!

Michelle Crabtree

For the first five months of 2015, there were 5,374 homes sold, taking an average

Broker Associate, Realtor®

of 75.8 days to sell, and having an average

CLHMS, CRS, CIPS, GRI, ABR, SRES

sale price of $294,718, a 4.4% increase over the same period a year ago.

A third generation local and Broker Sales Associate since 1982, Michelle is dedicated to serving your needs in Sarasota, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch.

Downtown Sarasota has 15 new residential projects completed or nearly completed, or in the planning stages, totaling 736 additional condominiums and townhomes, and 977 residential rental apartments. Add to that number six new hotel projects with a total of 979 rooms, and you can readily see that things are booming here.

• 2014 Five-Star Real Estate Agent “Best in Client Satisfaction” – 8 years

communities are selling well with new ones sprouting all over town, one of the market segments also enjoying resurgence is the luxury market. In this issue, leading luxury

• 2014 Florida Realtor Honor Society – 8 years

Realtor Stephanie Church gives us insight into luxury market trends relative to waterfront

• Women’s Council of Realtors 2013 “Entrepreneur of the Year” & 2009 “Business Woman of the Year”

finishes are taking precedence over home size as clients trend toward a more modern and

• 2013 & 2007 SAR “Meritorious Service Award”

for the best results and customer service.

• 2010 Director, Sarasota Association of Realtors (SAR) - 3 year term

they were gone for the summer, there is still a lot going on in our town. Check out our

• 2008 WCR Sarasota Chapter President • 2005 WCR Sarasota “Realtor of the Year”

c 941.724.4663

properties and custom building. Custom builder T. J. Nutter shares that higher-quality sleek home design. Also in this issue are profiles of several Realtors who would very much like to work with you. Please read what they offer – they are all professionals who strive And contrary to the past when people hung signs in their storefronts telling patrons events and performing arts calendars and patronize our arts and culture venues. They’re a cool place to hang out in more ways than one! Fab photographer John Revisky captured some ways to cool down and enjoy Sarasota in July and be sure to read Debbi Benedict’s column in which locals share their summer reading choices. It is always one of Debbi’s more popular columns. There’s also a short story by Bradenton author, Julianna Blackwell, for our Beach Reads this month.

Lastly, All Faiths Food Bank’s Summer Hunger Campaign may be over, but there is still

michelle.crabtree@sothebysrealty.com

time to help feed children and families this summer. Go to allfaithsfoodbank.org to find

www.crabtreehomes.com

out ways to help.

Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity. Property information herein is derived from various sources including, but not limited to, county records and multiple listing services, and may include approximations. All information is deemed accurate and neither suggests nor infers that Sotheby’s International Realty participated as either the listing or cooperating agent or broker in the sale or purchase of the properties depicted.

14

In case you haven’t guessed, this is our Real Estate issue. And while the more affordable

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July 2015

Happy July 4th!

julie@scenesarasota.com

Stuart J. Roth Founder and President

Salt & Light Productions is the award winning non-profit organization dedicated to providing multi-media program services to charities across the nation.

Salt & Light Radio WITH

Stuart J. Roth

Saturdays at Noon

WSRQ

1220 AM/106.9 FM

Salt & Light Radio with Stuart J. Roth shares compelling testimonies from people in our community who inspire us to greatness and action.

We strive to address many of the social, economic and spiritual issues confronting families and individuals in life’s most challenging situations. Our radio program reflects the same commitment to public service that has been exemplified by our video program services at Salt & Light Productions.

Our mission is to serve others and be a source of inspiration and encouragement to those less fortunate.

We remain cognizant that “to whom much is given, much is required.”

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July Calendar For a complete listing of community events please visit scenesarasota.com

Photo by John Revisky

The Ringling Art After 5 Every Thursday through December 31 5 pm. Explore the art in the Museum of Art and Circus Museum or catch a romantic sunset on Sarasota Bay. Enjoy music and insights into the collection through gallery discussions. Discount admission. 941.359.5700 | ringling.org Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix Festival Through July 5 This weeklong celebration is filled with fun, excitement and a variety of events up to and around the powerboat race. Benefits the Suncoast Charities for Children. 941.706.3795 x101 | suncoastpowerboatgrandprix.org The Ringling’s Summer Circus Spectacular Through August 2 Annual Summer Circus Spectacular at the Historic Asolo Theater. Presented in collaboration with Circus Sarasota, this on-stage exhibition of circus artistry provides delightful summer entertainment for children of all ages. Tickets: $12 - $15 | 941.360.7399 | ringling.org Gloria Musicae’s American Tapestry July 4 First United Methodist Church, 4:30 pm. Enjoy rousing patriotic songs and the vocal fireworks that Gloria Musicae presents. Tickets: $35 | 941.953.3368 | gloriamusicae.org Selby Gardens All American Barbecue July 4 Selby Gardens, 6 pm. Listen to live music, savor American inspired cuisine, and lounge all day enjoying family-friendly activities ending with a giant fireworks extravaganza. Tickets: $30 - $150 | selby.org

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July 2015

Gala

Reflections Celebrating 30 Years

with a Caring Community December 13, 2015 at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota Gala Co-Chairs Debbie Haspel & Susan Mallitz

featuring the

Sarasota Orchestra To receive your invitation: Contact: Monica Caldwell | 941.366.2224 | mcaldwell@JFCS-Cares.org

25th Annual Siesta Key Fireworks July 4 Siesta Key public beach, 9:15 pm.

Family Law Attorney

Angela D. Flaherty Practicing in every aspect of

Bring your beach blanket and beach chairs to enjoy the Siesta sunset. Viewing is anywhere along Siesta Key Beach, Crescent Beach.

Family Law within the Sarasota,

Art Center’s 3nd Annual

Manatee and Venice Circuit since

Florida Flavor

1997 including divorce, paternity,

July 9 – August 14 Art Center Saraso-

all child-related matters, distribution of assets and debts,

ta, 10 am. Statewide juried exhibition across all four of the Art Center’s galleries, which showcases the exception-

spousal and child support and

al artists who live and work in Florida.

domestic violence.

941.365.2032 | artsarasota.org

434 South Washington Boulevard

Florida Studio Theatre’s

Sarasota, FL 34236

Sarasota Improv Festival

941-706-2860

joy some of the hottest groups on the

angela@srqfamilylaw.com

July 9 – 11 Florida Studio Theatre. EnImprov scene nationwide. Acts from all over the country and internationally will perform. Tickets $10 – $15/passes available | 941.366.9000 | floridastudiotheatre.org Van Wezel Friday Fest on the Bay July 10 Van Wezel, 5:00 pm. Free concert. The Gamble Creek Band is fronted

by Kim Betts, daughter of Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band. They’re a high energy, top notch band with amazing vocals, harmonies, and solos. They feature popular country/southern rock/ classic rock hits appealing to audiences of all ages. vanwezel.org Historic Downtown Venice’s Christmas in July July 17 – 18 Historic downtown Venice. More than 50 downtown stores and sponsors participating. Santa will be there and the trolley will be available. venicemainstreet.com

20

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July 2015

We are proud to present unique culinary creations built around fresh ingredients and familiar flavors. No matter where you're from, our approach to dining will make you feel at home.

Downtown Sarasota’s cosmopolitan culinary experience pays homage to a provocative era, when well-mixed cocktails, sophisticated food and good company were status quo.

Louies Wedge with Nueske Bacon, Heirloom Tomato, Egg and Gorgonzola

Wasabi Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Wakame Cucumbers and Sweet Ginger-Thai Chili Emulsion

1289 N. Palm Ave. 941.552.9688 louiesmodern.com

1917 S. Osprey Ave. 941.487-7300 libbyscafebar.com

Louies Modern and Libbys Cafe+Bar are Tableseide® dining concepts.

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Social Woman’s Exchange Awards Celebration The board of directors of the Woman’s Exchange awarded $252,000 in grants and scholarships at its annual celebration. The executive directors from 23 of Sarasota and Manatee counties largest local arts and cultural organizations and a number of its board members were on hand to accept their grants, as well as 29 students who received scholarships and their families.

Mike Holmes, Anne Johnson, Sue Sweeney & Suzanne Raymond

Photos by Nancy Guth

Jonathan & Madelyn Sams

Available for immediate delivery.

Matthew & Jared Flagowski

Dennis McGillicuddy & Sarah Wertheimer

Jennifer O. Rominiecki

PAMARO SHOP F U R N I T U R E

Complimentary in-home design consultations.

For The New Look Of Florida

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Pamaro South

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thepamaroshop.com July 2015

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Social A Night in the Shark Tank Gulfcoast CEO Forum presented “A Night in the Shark Tank”, appropriately held at Mote Aquarium, featuring guest speaker Kevin Harrington, one of the original “sharks” on ABC’s hit show Shark Tank.

Harrington shared his story of entrepreneurship and then moderated a panel of investors as they discussed what they look for when investing in a company. The event was sponsored by Gulf Coast Community Foundation, BIG - Bright Ideas on the Gulf Coast, the Business Observer, and SCENE Magazine.

Photos by Nancy Guth

Christine Olson with Elisha & Linda Robertson

Kevin Harrington & Nadine Jackwin

Sharon Hillstrom & Jackie Dezelski

Judson Villa & Tom Wentzel

Steve Slocum & Mark Clark

Scrumptious

Summer Colors MK Designs and The Golden Image Jewelry Store Stunning, Unique and One of a Kind 30 South Palm Ave., Downtown Sarasota 941.364.8439 |

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July 2015

www.mymkdesigns.com

SARASOTA DESIGN CENTER

Local ownership, excellent and friendly customer service, and an extensive collection of top line, quality products

The Ultimate Kitchen & Bath Experience Featuring American and Canadian-Made Brands: Medallion, Design Craft, Plain & Fancy, Marsh and Elmwood Fine Custom Cabinetry.

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PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR

Six Guitars

Banyan Theater Company

Florida Studio Theatre

Kings of Country

941.358.5330 / banyantheatercompany.com

941.366.9000 / floridastudiotheatre.org

Art

Six Guitars

Through July 12 Serge, indulging his penchant for modern art, has purchased a large, expensive, completely white painting. His longtime friend Marc is horrified, which causes considerable strain in their relationship. Yvan, caught in the middle, tries to please and mollify both of them.

Through July 11 A pitch perfect blend of music, comedy, and characters, as Chase Padgett becomes six different guitar players each with their own distinct voice, views, and musical style.

July 14 – August 15 Spanning four decades of music royalty with songs woven into the fabric of American music history. Featuring artists such as Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, and more.

The Amish Project July 16 – August 2 One woman portrays all seven roles in this play, which compels us to question the paths we take at the crossroads of grief, rage and clemency. Inspired by the 2006 school shootings in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania.

26

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July 2015

The Hound of the Baskervilles Through August 2 Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were never so funny. The game is afoot as three actors take on multiple roles to poke fun at the mystery and melodrama of the moor.

Over the River & Through the Woods July 22 – August 9 Faced with a life-changing career decision, Nick must navigate the scheming shenanigans of all four of his grandparents to make him stay.

Manatee Performing Arts Center 941.748.5875 manateeperformingartscenter.com

Copenhagen July 9 - 19 In 1941, nuclear physicists Neils Bohr and Werner Heisenberg had a clandestine conversation that changed the course of history. Won 2000 Tony Award for Best Play.

Gloria Musicae

Art

The Players Theatre 941.365.2494 / theplayers.org

I Hate Hamlet July 9 - 19 A young and successful television actor relocated to New York, where he rents a marvelous, gothic apartment. With his television career in limbo, the actor is offered the opportunity to play Hamlet onstage, but there’s one problem: He hates Hamlet.

Sarasota Opera 941.366.8450 / sarasotaopera.org

Opera in HD: Andrea Chénier July 9 & 12 A fictionalized account of the last years of French poet André Chénier, guillotined during the Reign of Terror in 1794.

Opera in HD: The Comedy of Errors July 23 Take one pair of estranged twin brothers

(both called Antipholus), and one pair of estranged twin servants (both called Dromio), keep them in ignorance of each other and throw them into a city with a reputation for sorcery, and you have all the ingredients for theatrical chaos.

American Idol® Live!

July 8 Get up close and personal with the Top Five Idols from Season 14.

Come Back Alice July 25

Opera in HD: Peter Grimes July 26 The bleak, enclosed world of a fishing village provides the backdrop for the story of fisherman Peter Grimes and his uneasy relationship with the other inhabitants.

Venice Theatre 941.488.1115 / venicestage.com

Godspell July 23 – August 9

Summer Cabaret Festival July 9 – August 30

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall 941.955.7676

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

Gloria Musicae

941.366.1505 / wbttroupe.org

July 4 Star-spangled choral fireworks highlight the annual patriotic salute to America on its birthday.

The Cotton Club Cabaret July 8 – August 9 High spirited, high stepping musical revue featuring favorite songs from the greatest Harlem Renaissance era entertainers.

July 2015

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27

DESIGN

WILL IT BE RED OR WHITE

By Jacqueline Miller

Having your wine bottles on display gives your home an inviting and welcoming feel, and there is nothing that makes a guest feel more special than their host pulling a fine wine from a beautiful wine rack and opening it in their honor.

W

ith warm thoughts of sipping a great bottle of wine surrounded by good friends, I set out to find wine bar organizational solu-

tions in town that catered to personalized needs for the home entertainers among us. I found limitless and beautiful solutions to fill an empty wall at California Closets on Clark Road (941.922.7779).

While marveling at various configurations, material, and design options, I learned that if you are considering creating a wine storage space in your home, there are important factors to consider: • Temperature: A space that is too warm could spoil your wine. While a refrigerated space isn’t strictly necessary, temperatures above 70°F will age wine more quickly than is desirable. Conversely, you don’t want a space that is too cool. Though cooling white wine before serving is second nature, storing it in a refrigerator permanently isn’t ideal for longevity.

• Oxidation: Too much light can spoil your wine over time. Furthermore, storing your wine sideways ensures oxygen doesn’t enter the bottle, which over time can spoil the wine. Storing wine sideways leaves the cork or screw cap covered with liquid, closing it off to unwanted oxygen.

So whether your wine collection features a few cases or hundreds of bottles, showcasing and protecting your wine in perfect conditions, and making it a focal point in your space, will become a source of pride, pleasure, and enjoyment for a lifetime. © Copyright 2015 California Closet Company, Inc. All rights reserved

28

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July 2015

WHERE GREAT MEMORIES, INNOVATIVE CUISINE AND IMPECCABLE SERVICE COME NEATLY WRAPPED.

So good, you’ll look for reasons to celebrate.

941.388.4415 | 431 St. Armands Circle | cafeleurope.net

Everyday Early Dining 4:00pm–5:30pm – 3

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Eric R. Hoonhout, Peter Z. Skokos, Sam D. Norton & Michael P. Infanti of Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos, P.A.

Photo by Enrique Pino

Homebuyers & Sellers Beware:

New Regulations Will Affect Your Sale

By Sue Engelhart

Beginning in August, significant changes to federal rules and regulations for residential loan transactions are taking effect that will change the residential closing experience for buyers and sellers any time a lender is involved. These changes were enacted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), an agency created by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act of 2010 (“Dodd-Frank”). The CFPB enacted the Integrated Mortgage Disclosure Rule (the “Rule”) to provide greater protection for consumers in residential loan transactions. As is the case with any complex change, there can be unintended consequences of the Rule, which means awareness of the changes and getting the right professional assistance will be crucial in order to avoid unpleasant and potentially costly surprises.

30

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“Anyone with a residential real estate closing involving

The Rule is one of them. Some key changes are intended to

a loan applied for on August 1 or later will have a different

slow down the closing process and create more transpar-

experience than in the past. It could be a great source of

ency for the consumer. Under current practices, closing

anxiety for our clients and agents working in residential real

agents often don’t get loan documents until the day of the

estate,” said Michael Infanti, an attorney and member of

closing, meaning that the final HUD-1 Settlement State-

the Real Estate Practice Group at the law firm of Norton,

ment and other documents are often not completed until

Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos, P.A., a Sarasota business

just before the parties sit down at the closing table. Conse-

transactional and litigation law firm. “How the changes will

quently, the first time consumers see many of these crucial

be initially implemented is not totally known or understood,

documents is at that time. Anyone who has experienced

so professionals are going to have to get used to the new

a closing like this knows the impossibility of thoroughly

process and procedures to assist their buyers and sellers.”

wading through a mountain of paperwork under this type

The CFPB is responsible for enacting rules and regula-

of time pressure. The result is a lack of transparency for

tions to implement the relevant portions of Dodd-Frank.

the consumer. The Rule will result in various significant

July 2015

changes to process and procedure.

have. The common procedure has been for the lender to

The Rule does not pertain to reverse mortgages, home

provide loan documents to the closing agent and to ap-

equity lines of credit, mobile home purchases, commer-

prove the final HUD-1 Settlement Statement. The closing

cial purpose loans, and certain other special purpose

agent, a law firm or title company, produces the HUD-1

loans. It applies principally to residential loan transac-

Settlement Statement and issues the title insurance, with

tions. “The Rule does away with the Truth-In-Lending

that entity shouldering most of the liability for the accu-

Disclosure, or the TIL, as well as the Good Faith Esti-

racy of those documents. When the Rule goes into effect,

mate form, or the GFE, and replaces them with the new

the lender bears responsibility for everything. “This is a sea

Loan Estimate form,” said Eric Hoonhout, an attorney and

change within the industry,” Infanti said. “Banks have nev-

member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. “The

er had this type of responsibility or these duties before.

lender must provide the consumer with the Loan Estimate

Because of the changes enacted as a result of Dodd-Frank,

within three days of the original loan application, and at

the banks are ultimately liable for insuring compliance with

least seven days before the closing.” The items and fees

all of the regulations pertaining to these types of closings.”

provided in the Loan Estimate, as a general matter, will

As a result, Norton Hammersley has taken steps to

bind the lender and closing agent. Only in the case of

prepare for this change. “We have put together a best

certain limited circumstances can these numbers change,

practices manual and various other materials to submit

and this is good for the consumer.

to lenders in order to satisfy their in-house requirements

“The familiar HUD-1 Settlement Statement is going

resulting from Dodd-Frank and to get approved to close

away, and will be replaced with the Closing Disclosure,”

their loans,” Hoonhout said. “The big banks are now in-

said Infanti. “This is also good for transparency, though

dividually approving the closing agents that they will do

perhaps not for the convenience of the parties to the clos-

business with.”

ing.” Starting August 1, the Closing Disclosure must be in

Realistically, though, a change of this magnitude likely

final form and provided to the consumer at least three days

will involve a period of adjustment. “Our firm will adapt to

prior to closing. “This means that all adjustments and fi-

the changes seamlessly,” said Infanti, “but the banks will

nal changes worked out between the closing agent, the

surely be slower to adapt, and this could means delays and

parties, third-party vendors, agents, and the lender need

inconvenience for the parties. One thing we have already

to be done and over with ahead of that three day point,”

done is develop an addendum and an amendment for real

said Hoonhout. The Rule also provides that the consumer

estate contracts that allow the parties to extend the closing

can’t waive the three-day requirement for the benefit of

date in the event of delays caused by the new rules and

the closing or the convenience of the parties, or, in other

regulations. Hard dates may be a thing of the past.”

words, simply to close as scheduled. The consumer can

Dodd-Frank also contains provisions that, in a very new

waive the three day period for a bona fide financial emer-

way, prohibit or severely restrict private financing secured by

gency, but it is not yet known what this could be.

residential mortgages. “These are loans are from one person

“Any changes that need to be made within the three day

to another, in many cases involving family members,” Infanti

window will reset the clock,” said Infanti, “and could re-

said. “The new rules and regulations spell out if and when

sult in delays and serious inconvenience to the parties who

a private loan can be secured with a residential mortgage.”

may have arranged plane flights or moving trucks around

The changes here are comprehensive and complex, with

the closing date.” It is not yet understood how the Rule

the result being that unless a loan falls within a specific ex-

could impact these types of commitments. Theoretically,

ception, such a mortgage won’t be allowed. “These types

any number of routine events, like the consumer applying

of loans and mortgages have been a bread and butter item

for additional credit after the loan application was made,

for industry professionals and have allowed innumerable

or a survey not being completed in a timely fashion due to

people to participate in their loved ones’ lives in a mean-

weather, would trigger at least a three day postponement of

ingful way,” said Hoonhout. “Understanding what can and

the closing. “Where this can become a problem,” said Infan-

cannot be done now will require professional assistance.”

ti, “is where the contract provides for a specific closing date.

The bottom line is that while the Integrated Mortgage

We will be telling our clients and referral sources that they

Disclosure Rule will be implemented with the best of in-

might want to plan ahead to account for the unexpected.”

tentions, it will have its challenges. “The changes will be

Another major change in the residential loan closing

complicated”, Infanti said, “and we will be doing every-

business is that the CFPB’s rules and regulations shift a lot

thing we need to do to ensure that our clients have a posi-

of responsibility for the closing and the issuance of title

tive experience and really understand what has happened

insurance to the lender–responsibility it did not previously

when they walk away from the closing table.”

Connect: Real Estate Practice Group — Eric R. Hoonhout, Peter Z. Skokos, Sam D. Norton & Michael P. Infanti

Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos | 1819 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34236 | 941-954-4691 July 2015

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GET INSPIRED Upcoming Cultural Happenings brought to you by the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County

“The arts in Sarasota inspire me because they helped me remember who I am.

Before moving to Sarasota, I had always performed, but seeing other people doing what they love everyday is overwhelming. It pushes you to do what you love as well, no matter what other people might think. Established organizations that grew from small groups, to new ones just getting on their feet, to artists that showcase their work in lobbies or restaurants, it’s inspiring to see that passion abound” -Amanda Heisey, Communications Manager of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County

Cotton Club Cabaret Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe July 8 – Aug. 9, 2015 Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s sizzling 15th anniversary season concludes with Cotton Club Cabaret, a reprise of its first-ever official production in 2000. The joint will be jumpin’ with this high-spirited, high-stepping musical revue featuring favorite songs from the greatest entertainers of the Harlem Renaissance era, including Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Cab Calloway. Theatre patrons will be transported back in time to the legendary premier nightclub of old Harlem, right here in Sarasota. Nate Jacobs, WBTT's founder, artistic director and creator of the show, will direct.

Choreographer is Donald Frison. Costume designer is Cristy Owen. westcoastblacktheatre.org

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Copenhagen Little Grey Hat Productions July 9 – 19, 2015 The Manatee Players and Little Grey Hat Productions present the area premiere of the play, “Copenhagen” by Michael Frayn, in the Bradenton Kiwanis Theater at the Manatee Performing Arts Center.

“Copenhagen” explores the complex relationship between Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, two of the world’s greatest atomic scientists. Their lives entwined with World War II, as Heisenberg worked on the German atomic program while his mentor, Niels Bohr, was instrumental in developing the atomic bomb for the United States. The play won the 2000 Tony Award for Best Play. manateeperformingartscenter.com

As We Fall Moving Ethos July 9 – 11, 2015 “As We Fall” is an evening length piece that exposes the struggles of contemporary life. What happens when we become slaves to our likes and dislikes? What happens when our sense of right and wrong gets clouded by what feels good and what doesn't? What happens when we become so self-involved that our actions no longer reflect a sense of empathy or love? “As We Fall” depicts the falling of our human intellect as we become emotionally driven beings, and sheds light on all that gets torn down on that path. It demonstrates the emptiness that is unveiled when impulsive behavior takes over and we become animals. https://urbanite.tixato.com/buy/moving-ethos-presents-as-we-fall

Appalachia USA The Ringling July 10 – Sept. 13, 2015 Appalachia USA is an epic documentary project by the New York-based photographer Builder Levy (b. 1942) that presents life and labor in coal mining communities through lush black and white photographs. Levy connects us to the heart of coal mining, bringing us deep underground where miners toil at the arduous and sometimes perilous work.

Through Lev y’s adept , empathetic portraiture, we also connect to the miners on a personal level, and throughout the series, we come to experience a sense of cultural and social space. His lens captures the intimate interiors of family homes, takes in the natural beauty of the landscape (even as it is marred through mining) and captures the distinctive rural vernacular and material culture that marks the region’s unique identity. ringling.org

New Play Festival The Players Theatre July 20 – 25, 2015 Don’t miss five days of local and original play readings written by playwrights from all over the Suncoast. The playwrights compete to have their play produced on The Players main stage the following season. The winner of last year’s New Play Festival Bernie Yanelli with Not Our Time, will have his play produced at the end of August with a poignant look at the segregated 1969 South from the point of view of an African American football star. theplayers.org

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A Friend of Education Elizabeth Moore

M

By Steven J. Smith | Photo by Nancy Guth

ention the name Elizabeth Moore on the campus of Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton, and you’ll get a knowing nod for a woman who has made a lasting mark on the institution — as both a philanthropist and a distinguished member of its board of trustees.

Originally from Manchester-by-the Sea in Massachusetts, the Moore family moved to Bradenton seven years ago. Moore said a big part of what drew her and her family (which includes five children) to the area was Saint Stephen’s and its impressive curriculum, aimed at grades Pre-K3-12, as well as its phenomenal record of graduates getting accepted to college — not to mention a nine to one student to teacher ratio. As Head of School Dr. Jan Pullen has said, the school “is proud of its rich academic offerings that go hand-in-hand with a strong college counseling program, a wide variety of competitive sports teams, a creative fine arts program, many service learning opportunities, and weekly chapels that allow for individual spiritual growth.”

The Moore family has been particularly generous to Saint Stephen’s, especially through a $2 million donation it made toward the $5 million Moore Athletic Complex at Turner Fields and the school’s soon-to-open Marine Science Center. Moore said her interest in children’s education began in Massachusetts, where she sat on the board of directors at Manchester-by-the Sea schools for nine years, as well as the board for the Boys and Girls Club.

“After two or three years of sending the kids to Saint Stephen’s, several current board members at the school approached me to be a member of the Saint Stephen’s Board of Trustees,” she said. “It seemed I was a natural fit for the development and community outreach committee, which I am now chairing, as well as serving on the facilities committee. In fact, with all my involvement since I have been on the Board, I was recently voted to be the incoming vice president of the Board.

I truly enjoy patronizing organizations that support children’s well-being and education.”

She also believes Saint Stephen’s represents excellence in education in Manatee and Sarasota counties. “I believe in what Saint Stephen’s is doing for all the students in the school and my support of their efforts allows for the academic and athletic programs to be enhanced even more,” Moore said.

“Saint Stephen’s not only offers wonderful educational opportunities, but also a lot of really good initiatives, such as the

global initiative and the iPad initiative. In addition, there is the Mac computer lab and the new LEED-certified middle school.

I wanted to get behind some of those to make the school an even better place.”

Moore added to her interest in the school by contributing to its newest project, the Marine Science Center, which was spurred by her own children’s interest in oceanic studies. “My whole family scuba dives,” she said. “We dive all over the world, and we are really interested in saving oceans and creating more awareness about the importance of preserving our marine life.

I love supporting Mote Marine, and my daughter Meredith actually wants to become a marine scientist.” When completed in December, the Saint Stephen’s Marine Science Center, which will be located on the campus near the banks of the McLewis Bayou, will feature three classrooms and an open deck area.

One classroom will accommodate the elementary program, one will include a wet lab, and the third will serve middle and high school students. “In the open area classroom outside each of the three other rooms, we’ll have a holding tank for marine life,” Moore said. “The kids will have access to the bayou a few yards away to bring marine samples back in to study them.”

Another of Moore’s science passions is paleontology — the study of fossils — a passion that has sent her family on a number of digs. “We’ve gone all over Montana, which is a great source of dinosaur fossils,” she said. “We’ve also taken my daughter to Mongolia, to the Gobi Desert, to dig dinosaurs.

We found 37 of them there, dating back to 120 million years ago. What an experience, to dig in dirt that hasn’t been moved in 120 million years. It intrigues me that there was a whole world of creatures that dominated the earth well before human beings arrived. You know, this earth is on a mission of its own, and we represent just a small portion of its existence.”

She added Saint Stephen’s is “on a roll”, and she envisions great things for its evolution over the next five to 10 years. “We have an amazing, inspirational and hardworking visionary in Dr. Pullen,” she said. “And the Board works so cohesively, like clockwork, to be forward thinking and mindful of important strategic initiatives that we undertake. Our strategic plan takes us to the year 2020. We envision having a $10 million endowment, we envision having the Marine Science Center built, and we’re planning on building a performing arts center. We all get along very well and are dedicated to making things happen.” For more information about Saint Stephen’s, visit saintstephens.org or call 941.746.5699.

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Summer

CafĂŠ Gabbiano

Treats!

Our new Bellini menu pairs our private label Prosecco with fresh fruit for a delicious and refreshing array of flavors such as strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and more!

Back by popular demand is our Savor Sarasota Tasting Menu!

This is a three

course tasting menu with appetizer, entrée, and dessert for only $29 per person. Better yet, add a white or red wine pairing to each course for just $11 more.

Our delicious four course Truffle Tasting Menu for $45 per person features mouth watering escargot, freshly made sacchettini pasta, Allen Brothers steak or seared salmon accented with truffle flavor.

Each tasting menu, just like each and every dish expertly prepared at Cafe Gabbiano’s, is crafted using fresh, seasonal ingredients of the highest quality and authentic Italian flavors.

Need to host a party? Work with the talented team at Café Gabbiano to design a menu of your own for the next special event in your life. The Cafe’s sought after wine cellar and open air patio provide the perfect backdrop for weddings, showers, corporate and social networking events, and other celebrations.

5104 Ocean Blvd. | Siesta Key | 941-349-1423 | cafegabbiano.com Open Daily 5pm-10pm. Tasting Menus available Sunday to Thursday.

Photo of Stephanie Church by John Revisky

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MARKET UPDATE:

SELLING LUXURY

By Sue Cullen

A

sure sign that Sarasota’s cachet still has its special sparkle is the resurgence of the luxury sector in the local real estate market. Multi-million dollar sales and the bustle of new construction along our sugar-white shorelines are validation that

Sarasota’s charms still hold an irresistible allure for affluent homebuyers–because nothing says luxury like a sweeping Gulf view.

And while gazing at expanses of baby blue skies, azure waters, and pristine white sand are perennial attractions, today’s luxury market is seeing trends heading in interesting directions.

Stephanie Church, a Broker-Associate with Michael Saunders & Company, is one of the area’s leading agents in luxury real estate both on the resale side and new construction. As the top selling agent in the Michael Saunders St. Armands Circle office for the past two years, Church has some savvy insights into luxury housing and the current market.

“The luxury market has gotten back as close to its pre-recession state as it can be. One sign is that we’re seeing a lot more new construction being built on spec,” says Church, who holds the listings for a number of properties by Modus Custom Residences, a luxury residential waterfront developer and builder. “I recently sold two Modus pre-construction opportunities side by side within three months of listing. That has been unheard of. People are taking advantage of these opportunities where before they just sat.”

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OPENING PHOTO & ABOVE:

Privately nestled on 149 ft. of protected sandy walking beach, this 9,000 sq. ft. Casey Key estate with deeded Bayfront dock offers unparalleled Gulf-front living. $8,000,000

RIGHT & NEXT PAGE:

This newly constructed British West Indies home by Modus Custom Residences with views of New Pass on Lido Key blends intricate detail, fine craftsmanship and luxurious details. $6,500,000

Movement at the very top tier price-wise is another indicator of the market’s resurgence.

Church has an $8 million property listed at 2305 Casey Key Road. With 9,048 square feet, the home offers amenities like a 500-bottle walk in wine cellar, Hollywood-inspired theater, exercise studio, heated saltwater pool, and dock with a 24,000-pound lift. It’s 149-feet of walking beach is protected from erosion by a geotextile system as are the adjacent properties. “Getting permitted for a system like this is extremely difficult and requires an engineer to install,” she says. “But with the system in place, if sand is lost, the homeowner automatically has permission to replenish their beach. Without this system, they would be unable to obtain approval to remedy the situation.”

This example illustrates one of the complexities of buying waterfront properties and navigating the many state and local regulations, including Coastal Construction Control Lines, that can impact homebuyers’ intended use of a property as well as their ability to rebuild. “Working with developers, builders, and investors gives me a deeper understanding, especially regarding waterfront properties,” says Church, who has 20 years of real estate experience here and in Georgia. “Working with investors has allowed me to see beyond the current transaction to the funds that need to go into the property, and what the return might be in the future.”

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One interesting trend that she has noticed locally is an increasing interest in modern home styles. A more minimalist, sleek look is appealing to more buyers. “I was meeting with a kitchen designer who said they are seeing a move toward transitional styles rather than traditional,” Church says. “People are saying they like a cleaner look. Instead of building larger, they want more quality.” Examples of this trend are three pre-construction homes Modus has planned on Lido Key at 305 Benjamin Franklin Drive, 171 Whittier Drive, and 165 Whittier Drive, all with modern lines. Common elements for these sleek beauties are multiple balconies and broad expanses of glass, just perfect for framing scenic water views. Proving that not everyone is going with the trend to (relatively) smaller living spaces, the Whittier Drive home, situated on a secluded three-quarter-acre parcel, will have 10,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor living spaces showcasing panoramic Gulf views, including a romantic rooftop terrace perfect for sunset viewings. One of Church’s listings at 1320 Point Crisp Road on Siesta Key is a stunning example of contemporary living with a grand glass entrance, expansive spaces, and full bay views from the home and waterside terrace.

Coastal contemporary and British West Indies styles also remain very popular. “Many people love the British West Indies look with its warm wood tones, rich crown moldings, solid maple July 2015

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ABOVE & LEFT:

Designed by luxury waterfront builder, Modus Custom Residences, this brand new Lido Key 3-level beachfront residence offers relaxed coastal contemporary opulence and a rooftop terrace for unforgettable sunsets. $2,799,000

and hickory hardwoods,” Church says. “We’re seeing kitchens with clean white along the perimeter with center islands of black walnut. It’s a stunning look.” An example is a $3.99 million pre-construction home Modus is building at one of Sarasota’s premier addresses on Westway Drive in Lido Shores. The property overlooks the Gulf and New Pass, has a new seawall, permitted boat dock, and private deeded beach access.

And while homebuyers are loving 30-inch porcelain tiles, beautiful wood ceiling decks, and outdoor kitchens, one real estate truism still stands out – location, location, location. Church says Lido Key is very appealing to buyers right now, and so are prestige addresses like Westway Drive and the historic Sanderling Club on Siesta Key where she has two properties listed, including one at 8306 Sanderling Road, which is really more of a beach compound than a residence. Situated on almost two acres with 200 feet of Gulf beach on one side and Heron La-

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July 2015

ABOVE & RIGHT:

This 2006 stunning custom-built Point Crisp contemporary exudes luxurious coastal style. $2,790,000

For information on all properties featured, call 941.724.5448

goon on the other, it includes a main residence, two-bedroom guesthouse with a private pool, a beachfront cottage, and private Har-Tru tennis courts. The list price is $7.45 million. Churchs’ other Sanderling listing ($5,700,000) is an extraordinarily rare and beautiful 201 ft. beachfront property large enough for construction of a true coastal estate.

Church’s success with luxury properties is due in part to the network of national and international contacts she developed in her years as Director of International Sales/Broker Relations with Michael Saunders, and also her attention to detail, tenacious follow up, and focus on always keeping the lines of communication open in the interest of customer service. Even though most of her listings have lofty prices, Church says she likes to work with all price points. “There are people who don’t have a team of advisors,” she says, “and I can really help them.”

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July 2015

Building Relationships

By Sue Cullen

Building a custom home is a process of bringing someone’s dream to life. And while any custom builder worthy of the name should be able to deliver quality construction, T.J. Nutter, of Nutter Custom Construction, has built a thriving boutique-style luxury custom home and remodeling company by building relationships as well as homes.

“We are a hands-on, quality-driven custom builder. What we enjoy are unique projects with like-minded people who are willing to engage with us to go outside the box with their thinking. Just because someone has done something one way before doesn’t mean it’s best to continue doing it the same way,” says Nutter, founder of Nutter Custom Construction. “Our goal is not to become a large production builder. We value our clients, and we take on only a limited number of projects in order to provide clients with the level of service we hold ourselves accountable for.” So while the excellence of the design and workmanship are critical, successfully bringing someone’s dream home into reality can depend equally on the quality of the relationship and the client experience.

Nutter has had 20 years of custom building experience, and he also literally grew up in the local construction industry. Both his grandfather and father were roofers, and while attending the University of South Florida,

July 2015

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Nutter spent his summers remodeling beach

what today’s homebuyer wants has shifted.

condos and found he has a true love for the

“The market has really dictated that clean

construction business. And his college ed-

lines are preferred and that size is second-

ucation in organizational communication

ary to finishes, feel and livability,” he says.

helped shape the approach to clients that

“Livability includes the efficiency of design

has helped him build a successful local, fam-

and the way the spaces interact with each

ily-run custom residential construction firm.

other. People want more open spaces without compromising privacy.”

“Communication in our business is a very important part of an overall concierge ap-

Nutter Custom Construction’s latest mod-

proach. We provide a lot of tools and sup-

el home at 16424 Daysailor Trail in The

port for our clients, but everyone, and that

Lake Club in Lakewood Ranch incorporates

includes me, is accessible to them at any

many of the trends appealing to today’s

time,” he says. “They can reach us in per-

buyer as well as the out-of-the-box thinking

son or by phone, text, email, Facebook,

for which Nutter is known. “We’ve taken a

whatever way they like. It takes a team to

modern twist on the timeless British West

deliver the level of service we do, and ev-

Indies style to create a contemporary West

eryone here buys into that philosophy.”

Indies home,” he says. “Our model retains the design’s reliance on wood as an import-

Nutter Custom Construction offers tech-

ant design element, for example, but we’ve

nology-minded clients the opportuni-

brought it into today’s world without being

ty to keep up-to-date with their homes’

heavy or dark.” That includes rich wood

progress through a secure dedicated on-

kitchen cabinets designed with the clean

line portal. There they can ask questions,

lines of Shaker style. Ceiling treatments

make requests, check their selections,

help create a dramatic look that offers a

view a daily log of the work done, and see

stunning impression, such as a tented ceil-

photos, all of which are updated week-

ing in the generously-sized outdoor kitch-

ly. “A lot of clients love it, but everyone

en and living area and a unique suspended

is different,” Nutter says. “We adapt our

ceiling in the great room.

communication style to what works for them. If they prefer to come to us directly,

The 4,000 square foot home also is rich in

we’re always accessible.”

amenities like a master bedroom shower that opens to the outdoors, an oversized

Of course, a key part of communication is

outdoor living area including a pool/spa

the willingness to listen, and Nutter says

area with a built in fire pit, and a flex space

that is the secret to being able to building

that could be used as another master, media

a successful client/builder relationship. And

center, activity room or casita. A refresh-

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July 2015

ingly different touch, and an example of

the pool deck and other areas.” The homes

Nutter’s out-of-the-box thinking, are beau-

also are available for U.S. Green Building

tifully practical, white terrazzo floors. “Ter-

Council and Florida Green Building Coali-

razzo floors were once popular, but kind of

tion certifications.

disappeared, which is unfortunate because they are a great product. They are durable,

Nutter’s aim is literally to provide clients

have a lengthy lifespan, and an incredible

with everything they need for their homes.

versatility with the look,” he says. “We also

“From help selecting the building site to

used terrazzo with crushed shell on the

caring for the property after the home is

exterior surfaces, which is really beautiful

complete, we’ll do whatever is needed.

and provides a slip-resistant surface around

Not everyone has time to deal with window

July 2015

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treatments or silverware, and we are here

information, develop solutions as a project

to take care of the final touches,” he says.

team, and get through it together.”

An affiliated company, NCC Property Services also will do maintenance such as pool

That attention to creating a strong work-

cleaning, lawn care, pressure washing, and

ing relationship from the start has translat-

window cleaning.

ed into connections with clients that last through the years. “Our clients come back

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July 2015

The litmus test for any business, however,

to us repeatedly. For one client, we built

is often what happens when things don’t

their home, remodeled a different home,

necessarily go according to plan, and with

did a build out on their office, and have

the complexities–and the number of de-

worked on their beach condo,” Nutter

tails that must be managed–in new con-

says. “In custom construction, we are deal-

struction, issues and challenges can arise.

ing with very sophisticated people, and

“While we do all we can to avoid them, if

when we earn their repeat business, that

challenges do arise, we try to keep things in

lets us know we are delivering the quali-

perspective. This is something we talk with

ty and service that we aspire to achieve.”

clients about ahead of time so that they un-

For more information about Nutter Custom

derstand we strive to be excellent, but if we

Construction, call 941.924.1868 or visit

do run into something, we will present the

nuttercustomconstruction.com.

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PHOTO BY LEO MAYRINCK PHOTOGRAPHY

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July 2015

Michael Holderness The Sarasota area is home to thousands of Realtors, but very few can say they literally grew up in the real estate business the way Michael Holderness, Jr., can. While Holderness has been licensed for 20 years, he is a thirdgeneration Realtor in a family brokerage, SaraBay Real Estate. He has always had a fascination with the real estate business, having helped his parents with open houses while he was still in high school. Holderness is particularly attracted to the investment aspects. That, and his desire to provide his buyers and sellers with the best available information, has made him a student of the local market, studying data and trends to stay one step ahead.

Holderness’ extensive experience and his devotion to all things Sarasota has kept him consistently in the top 1 percent of real estate agents in the area. He also has a genuine desire to help others and enjoys equally helping buyers find their perfect homes and sellers find their homes’ perfect buyers. His enthusiasm, and willingness to work very hard, pays off for his clients and results in a steady stream of referrals.

Sarasota had an extremely successful season, which Holderness sees continuing. He is so convinced of the market’s strength that he is developing a project on an “amazing” beachfront property on Siesta Key where he will build custom coastal contemporary condos on spec. He also has recently transformed the boutique resort now known as Siesta Key Beachside Villas. Holderness’ optimism about the market is borne out by his research and observations. This past season, he saw continued strong interest in the area from international buyers and baby boomers who are moving here, particularly from the Midwest. That interest has been fueled by the extremely positive publicity the area has been receiving and a harsh winter that spurred many potential buyers to make the move south. While the area is renowned for pristine white beaches and the arts, Holderness says it also offers a healthy lifestyle year-round. Gallup’s Well Being Index ranked the area No. 1 for well-being in the U.S. Although residents tend to think in terms of “in season” and “off season”, when it comes to real estate, Holderness sees two distinct seasons. Winter season brings a host of visitors seeking seasonal homes and investments with an emphasis on Siesta, Lido and Longboat keys. And the area is attracting more, what he terms, “modest millionaires” who understand the financial advantages of moving to a state with no income tax (increased adjusted gross income) and other tax advantages, such as the homestead exemption, estate, and capital gains.

In addition, housing prices compare very well with other areas as does cost of living. Holderness says this area also is attractive to successful business owners who can operate from anywhere thanks to today’s interconnected global digitized workplace.

Holderness considers the “real” season begins with local buyers and sellers in the summer, which also is a great time to purchase vacation rentals or seasonal dream homes because they are more readily available for showings.

Many year-round residents don’t have time during season to house-hunt and want to get settled in a new place before the next season begins or the children need to start school. These buyers tend to look more inland.

With so much emphasis on bringing new attractions to the area like the opening of the Mall at University Town Center and Nathan Benderson Park, Holderness is hoping government officials will be directing investments to spruce up areas that traditionally have attracted visitors and residents to the area. That includes expanding support beyond revitalizing public beach areas to beautification and infrastructure projects that aid other businesses important to the tourist trade.

Although working hard is part of his make-up, Holderness also believes in finding time to give back to the community and to enjoy its natural beauty. He has been helping with the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix’s beach party for children and adults with disabilities from Community Haven, served as a “sole man” for the Wine, Women & Shoes fundraiser benefitting Forty Carrots Family Center, and has participated in Making Strides for Breast Cancer for many years. Holderness, an avid boater, also can often be seen cruising Sarasota’s waterways.

Realtor, SaraBay Real Estate, Inc. 7333 N Tamiami Trail | Sarasota, FL 34243 | 941.725.0338 | mike@mikeholderness.com | www.mikeholderness.com July 2015

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PHOTO BY JOHN REVISKY

Dawn Neaverth & Stan Perkins For Dawn Neaverth and Stan Perkins, the team approach amplifies their individual passion for making a difference in others’ lives through their work as buyer and listing agents and in the community. The two founded Florida’s Most Wanted Realty Group with Keller Williams Realty of Manatee. Both agents delight in being a trusted resource for customers, even after the sale, readily referring professionals from roofers to real estate attorneys. Customers have found it so beneficial that Perkins and Neaverth have started a YouTube channel, Talk of the Town, to provide a guide to area resources.

Each agent brings complementary skills to the team. Perkins has led an entrepreneurial business life, having started as a franchise owner at age 25 and, over the years, building and selling 13 businesses. That entrepreneurial spirit led him to real estate investing and renovation and ultimately into sales where customers benefit from his business acumen. Neaverth

has a strong background in sales and marketing and a master’s degree in education. She gained an almost intuitive ability to discern what people truly want and need while working with speech and language impaired individuals. This gives her the ability to find properties that customers’ love.

The agents offer value added services, such as customers’ choice of free lawn maintenance, home warranty, pressure washing, or staging, where Neaverth can use talents in visual merchandising gained by working with greats like Preston Bailey, Ralph Lauren, The Knot, and WE tv. Both also are very giving to those in need. Among other fundraising, Perkins is a National Certified Firearms instructor who has used his skills to raise funds for a young girl with leukemia. They are involved with Dream Oaks Camp, Habitat for Humanity, Southeastern Guide Dogs, and active with a number of business organizations.

Realtors, Keller Williams Realty 4520 State Road 64 East | Bradenton, FL 34208 | Dawn: 941.400.0264 | Stan: 941.953.9735

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PHOTO BY JOHN REVISKY

Holly Pascarella finds it easy to sell what she loves, and what she loves is the Lakewood Ranch area that she calls home. Born and raised in Manatee County, Pascarella has extensive knowledge of the area along with a background in sales and marketing and a mortgage broker’s license, which allows her to provide added value to clients. Pascarella can help buyers understand the complexities of borrowing in today’s market and offers sellers insight into whether or not potential buyers are likely to be qualified. Her marketing savvy means that she understands the importance of ample budgets for promoting her listings.

Pascarella formed The Pascarella Group at the Keller Williams Realty Lakewood Ranch office to provide a concierge level of service tied directly to meeting clients’ needs, whether she is working with resale or new construction. She places a strong personal emphasis on integrity and trust with an eye to clients’ well-being.

Since clients often become neighbors with in the Lakewood Ranch community, many have become friends and send Pascarella a steady stream of referrals.

Also known for her sense of fun, Pascarella combines expertise with a winning personality that helped her win Miss Manatee and Miss Sarasota titles while earning a business/finance degree from Florida Southern College.

That powerful combination also helped her become the Lakewood Ranch office’s top performing agent for two years. With sales of $25 million in 2014, she also is among the top agents regionally. Pascarella holds Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist and Certified Negotiation Expert designations and is a member of the Million Dollar Guild. She and her husband, Mark, a mortgage lender who owns Fairway Funding Group, chair an annual celebrity golf tournament to benefit homeless and disabled veterans, support the Upside Down Foundation, and turn spare time into family time with their three daughters.

Realtor, Keller Williams Realty Select 8210 Lakewood Ranch Blvd | Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 | 941.225.3218 | holly@thepascarellagroup.com | thepascarellagroup.com

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Deftly engaging a finely tuned sense of customer service, entrepreneurial flair, and her solid connections to the community, Denise Mei is the epitome of what the ultimate Broker Associate is all about. Denise spent 22 years as a flight attendant perfecting her skills at dealing with people and her 25-plus years in Sarasota and community involvement have given her a deep knowledge of the area. Her service and dedication to her clients has helped rank her among the top tier of producing agents at Michael Saunders & Company. Among her designations, Denise is a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, an important certification for dealing with the multi-million dollar transactions she has successfully closed.

PHOTO BY CLIFF ROLES

Navigating a situation where low inventory and higher demand works to a seller’s advantage, sometimes with multiple offers for properties, requires a skillful hand. Offering good advice ensures sellers’ pricing reflects the market and that buyers find the right property at the right price. “I am a very good negotiator, and I find challenges equally motivating. I understand what it means to be accountable and how to be someone who solves problems. I try to see problems before they become an issue and resolve them before closing,” she said.

“My ultimate goal is for the seller and the buyer to walk away from the table happy, and they do.”

“The market is really moving at a rapid pace,” Denise says. “Clients are relying on my advice to help them achieve their goals. I listen to what they want, and they are comfortable opening up to me. Many times we become friends. I enjoy matching a buyer’s criteria with the perfect home, and that’s where I have a lot of success.”

When she isn’t working with her clients, Denise enjoys family time and can often be found at her popular family restaurant, Café Baci, which she and her husband, Roberto, have owned for 24 years.

Broker Associate, Michael Saunders & Company 1801 Main St. | Sarasota, FL 34236 | 941.951.6660 | denisemei@michaelsaunders.com | meiteam.michaelsaunders.com

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PHOTO BY CLIFF ROLES

For Michelle Crabtree, happy clients are the most rewarding part of her profession. As a seasoned Realtor, she understands how to provide great customer service. Her success has been built on her love of the community, growing up as a third generation Sarasotan. One of her clients, a British author and international speaker on evaluating customer experience, acknowledged her with a blog “Building advocacy – a good example from a Realtor.”

Michelle is a leader in her field. She is a graduate of Florida Realtors® 2014 Leadership Academy and a member of the state Honor Society for eight years.

In addition she has earned Five Star Agent “Best in Client Satisfaction” for the eighth year, a distinction only held by the top 6% of Realtors. She was honored by Sarasota Association of Realtor ® with the Meritorious Service Award in 2013 & 2007 and Women’s Council of Realtors® as 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Michelle has extensive knowledge of the area from the Manatee River to Venice, and she also knows the Lakewood Ranch area very well, having spent four years working with the developer and as manager of the Visitor Center. She has expertise in relocation, resale, waterfront, new, and golf course communities and notes that her affiliation with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty provides extensive services with marketing worldwide.

Education has always been a priority for Michelle, who has been a broker associate for over 30 years and has a marketing degree from USF. Her continued education includes Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, Certified International Sales Professional Specialist, Certified Residential Specialist, Graduate Realtor Institute and more.

Michelle is a believer in giving back and volunteers her time regularly. She chaired Habitat for Humanity fundraiser 2014 & 2013, serves on its Board, and has worked on homebuilding projects. She also has co-chaired Salvation Army’s fundraiser in 2014 and 2007, and is a fundraiser for SPARCC and USF. She is a member of the Junior League, the Sarasota Chamber and Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance.

Realtor, Broker Sales Associate, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty 8141 Lakewood Main St., Ste. 101 | Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 | 941.724.4663 | sales@crabtreehomes.com | crabtreehomes.com July 2015

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City Photography:

JOHN REVISKY

Assistant:

Explore Mote Aquarium and cool off watching manatees, sharks, creatures from the reef, sea turtles, and lots more. Be sure to visit “Oh Baby! Life Cycles of the Sea,” to explore ocean animal romance.

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David Boyette

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Cool your palette with Shore Diner’s Lobster, Shrimp & Crab Cobb Salad with Avocado, Bacon, and Egg tossed in Meyer-Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette.

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Skim? Surf? Paddle? Hit the water and get wet. Compound Boardshop has classes and gear for everyone.

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The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota Beach Club on Lido Key is a magical place to catch cool breezes, a great piĂąa colada, and see the best sunset ever.

You need to stay the night at the hotel, but it’s worth it.

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With our sweltering summer temps, beat the heat and enjoy liquid nitrogen-frozen ice cream.

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Scenes from an Interview

Katherine Michelle Tanner

By Gus Mollasis

Like her fellow Minnesotan, Judy Garland, who was destined to play a big part on the stage that was her life, Katherine Michelle Tanner also seeks the footlights, but with a different path. “Show Biz” is literally in her blood – she is related to an Academy Award winner on her father’s side and an iconic TV star on her mother’s side.

But that’s not why she acts. She acts because it is her joy and her way of sharing every part of herself with her audience. Her requirements are simple. Challenge her with an honest and demanding script and a part she can sink her teeth into, and you are guaranteed an authentic and exquisite performance every time. Known in the business as a triple threat – she can act, sing, and dance – Katherine is a true renaissance artist and professional with enough talent to fill the Mississippi River of her youth. This 2004 Florida State/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training graduate brings her acclaimed award-winning performance in The Amish Project by Jessica Dickey to the Banyan Theater in which she brilliantly plays no less than seven parts in this stunning one woman show. Katherine humbly says, “It is ultimately a play about forgiveness.” One thing is sure. You won’t forgive yourself if you miss this remarkable performance when it comes to Sarasota for the first time. I recently sat down with Katherine Michelle Tanner and we talked about her life, her art, and took a look at some truly remarkable scenes from an interview of her life.

Where were you born?

Hastings, Minnesota south of St. Paul. Lock and Dam number 3 on the Mississippi River.

with eight-year-olds and was cast as Clara in The Nutcracker. I used to watch the Gelsey Kirkland and Mikhail Baryshnikov version all the time. I was so mesmerized by their performances. Finally, one day in elementary school, I saw a musical that had singing, dancing and

Portray your playtime in a typical scene from your childhood.

I never had shoes on and could often be seen playing dress up

words and I thought that’s what I want to do – that is what spoke to me. I didn’t make the official decision until later in life.

with a cane and hat as I ran around my backyard putting on productions. I played a lot by myself in all of our 17 silver maple trees.

What is the most important thing you learned from each of

Each one was a different scene. I would go into the trees and play Sir

your parents?

Lancelot quite often. I would play Smurfs, Annie, Little Women and the Boxcar Children, which totally changed my life.

From my mother it was to be a good person. She taught me that no matter whatever you do, give it your very best and be kind. My humor comes from her, as does my work ethic (tearing up). One

You share similar traits with fellow Minnesotan Judy Garland

of the most interesting things my dad ever taught me was that no

in that you started singing, dancing and acting during your

matter how perfect something is it will never be perfect. He was an

childhood.

artist and used to tell me that artists in India would weave a mistake

Yes. I don’t remember a day where I wasn’t singing, dancing or acting.

into their rugs in acknowledgement that nothing on earth is perfect. From the two of them I learned that you strive for perfection

When did you first know you wanted to be an actor?

but there is more to be lived after this life.

As a child I was very petite and was in the ballet world. Somehow my ballet master let me dance up three years. At five I was dancing

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As you got older, a few experiences further proved you were

on the right road to fulfilling your destiny of becoming an actor.

and Yale. I went to the final sit down for Yale and they pushed the

Two experiences happened very close together during middle

papers in front of me and they said, “This is how much it will be.” I

school. One was an HBO movie, called Hometown Boy Makes Good

could not afford to go to Yale. I knew that wasn’t going to work for

starring Anthony Edwards, who will always be Goose from Top Gun to

me because I still had undergrad loans to pay. That’s when I met the

me. This sweet little movie came to Hastings, Minnesota and I was cast

incredibly talented Jim Wise from Asolo. At the same time, I met both

as an extra. Somehow I kept getting bumped up into other parts. Final-

Lucinda Holshue and Brant Pope, who were pivotal in my acting fu-

ly they put me in the front, and I’m on screen during this pivotal scene

ture. They met with me and told me I would be great for their program

where this man is on the railroad tracks attempting to commit suicide.

and that I had a lot to offer, but that I was green. I said, “I am very

The scene was shot at 4 a.m. in the morning. I’m in my pajamas and

green, but I’m interested.” Months later I was in grad school following

thought this is great and I can do this. To me I wasn’t in the business.

my path in Sarasota.

I was a kid falling out of trees. I never went on auditions or had an agent; I was just a kid all the way up to high school. I had just finished

How difficult and challenging were those days in rep at Asolo?

my middle school choir concert singing a solo and the next minute my

Very demanding. The program at that time used the Meisner Act-

parents brought me to set, which was downtown Main Street. It was

ing Technique, yet it covered many styles. It was not strictly anything,

freezing. The hospital brought in Kraft services (laughs).

which is what I wanted. It was also a rotating repertory company

Your next experience involved a brush with two Hollywood legends.

for The Crucible for a matinee, go home for dinner and then return in

Filmmaker Mark Johnson, a fellow Minnesotan, was shooting his

the evening to do The Diary of Anne Frank. These were the types of

where I would rehearse A Flea in Her Ear in the morning, be on stage

film Grumpy Old Men around various towns in Minnesota including

actors I looked up to and wanted to learn from. I didn’t know where it

my hometown of Hastings. The set for the most part was outdoors

would take me, but I wanted that work ethic of how do you find your

and I got a chance to witness two great actors going back and forth

way in and out, and how do you manage your life alongside all of

with each other, making sure they were both comfortable with their

your acting. Most of the company members were never really close to

scenes. They didn’t look at the playback in the camera. They just ad-

me. Jimmy Clarke was so kind to me and took me under his wing and

justed their performances accordingly with a “maybe my timing was a

taught me about film. Jimmy Hoskins was also very kind to me, but

bit off here.” There were no drastic big changes, just subtle ones that

my closest friend there was David Howard. David and I talked about

they felt they needed to do. They already had a long working relation-

everything but acting. We talked about life. He was my dearest friend

ship and chemistry and were like two old roommates who were living

there. David Howard and Jimmy Clarke were my two mentors who I

together again. I didn’t know exactly what they were doing. I was still

would talk to all the time.

a kid taking all my classes, but I just knew that they were great. They kind of took to me on the set and it was really exciting. I ended up

Your time at Asolo Conservatory prepared you for your life as

playing cards with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau (smiling hum-

both an actor and a person.

bly). When I look back at that, I think I was entertaining them for a

It did. I am shy and I had a lot to learn and the person who was

few moments and they were excited to have the load off for a little bit.

assigned as my mentor never really spoke to me. These other people

I was just being me. I really didn’t know the depth of who they were.

stepped up and were my mentors without being assigned. I hope that as I move forth I can do the same for young actors.

What was the most important thing you learned from your days in undergrad at St. Olaf in Minnesota?

Since graduating, you’ve landed a number of roles around the

I learned I wanted to study a lot of things and I didn’t want anyone

state including playing Catherine in Proof for which you were

to stop me. At St. Olaf, no one stopped me. Everyone encouraged

named best actress in the Weekly Planet’s Best of the Bay issue.

me. I had a triple major in Theater, Dance, and Secondary Education,

It was remarkable because I always felt tied to that script. Some-

which was a challenge. During that time I formulated a strong work

one handed me that script years before and told me that I would be

ethic, which I still have to this day.

really great in this role. Many years later I got to play it at American Stage in St. Petersburg. I remember the day after the call back think-

How did you decide on going to the next phase of your acting career?

ing that I did everything I could possibly do and if comes down to

My mentor and one of my best friends, Gary Gisselman, sat me

me, great, and if it doesn’t, it’s not meant to be. All you can do is

down one day and said, “I really think you have a future in acting.” I

your best as my mom always told me. I remember the amazing Todd

looked at him like yeah, right, okay. I had auditioned at the Minneap-

Olson brought in Kate Warner from Atlanta to direct. I remember him

olis Children’s Theatre Company and received an acting apprentice-

saying, “This is a female story and I feel a female should direct it.”

ship there. Gary advised me that after six months I should go to grad

I thought that was so intelligent and I felt that really helped. I really

school. So I auditioned.

trusted her. Kate came ready to go. She pushed me in ways that I needed and yet never really directed me at all. That experience was

There were many places that you were considering for grad school.

extremely magical. It was interesting because I was working with a

What helped you choose FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training?

man who played the dad in Proof before and I was thinking he had a

I had a lot of offers that included NYU, Florida State University

leg up on all of us, but instead he said it was all brand new because July 2015

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Kate was looking at it in a different way. Julie Rowe was impeccable

e-mails from theatergoers who expressed how moving the play was.

as was Brian Shea who I trusted so much, and of course the incom-

He shared with me that no response like this had ever happened to

parable Tom Nowicki played my dad. We all became fast friends and

him in his whole career. In my initial run, the Boston bombing hap-

are friends to this day.

pened and I felt everyone needed to hear this message. All colleges including Anthropology, Sociology, Religion, Women Studies, Histo-

Theatre Tampa Bay Awards recently recognized you as best lead

ry, Theater and English departments need to hear this message. I hope

actress for your work in The Amish Project in which you play

that it’s required viewing for every high school student in America.

seven parts. Tell us about that experience.

I continued to express desire to take this show on the road. Todd

After I was cast as Nora in A Doll’s House at American Stage, I

told me, “This show is yours. You need to go out and share this.” He

was asked if I was available to do The Amish Project. I immediately

started talking to other artistic directors, many of whom were cautious

said yes. I knew the playwright but not as well as I knew her hus-

about doing the play. We both got busy on other projects, but even-

band who I worked with in Sundew at Florida Studio Theatre. A Doll’s

tually Todd came to me and said, “We booked it in Oklahoma for the

House opened and after a matinee performance, I turned on the TV to

20th Anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing at the Murrah Fed-

the horrific news of the massacre at the Sandy Hook School in New-

eral Building and we’re going to go.” I still want to get it funded so that

town, Connecticut. I couldn’t believe it. I remember texting Todd Ol-

we can take it on a national tour. It must happen. I’m not going to give

son, the Artistic Director of American Stage, telling him that now we

up. Before the tour started, I worked on it for 10 weeks, three hours a

have to do The Amish Project more than ever. The board at American

day. I also immersed myself in the Sarasota Amish community. When

Stage had concerns about producing the play, and were asking all the

we mounted it at Oklahoma City Rep we received an overwhelmingly

pertinent questions including if it was too soon to do a play like this.

moving response. We then took it to The Columbia Festival of the Arts

I had to step back. I felt that it was up to the board and the theater. I

in Maryland and now we are bringing it to the Banyan Theater.

know that they had another show ready to put in its place, but I always felt that we should do The Amish Project. Finally Todd called me and

The Amish Project starts July 16 at The Banyan. What is the one

said, “Are you ready to do it?” And I said, “I was always ready to do it.”

thing you hope people bring into the theater with them and the

A Doll’s House closed just before Christmas and right after New Year’s

one thing that they all leave with after seeing The Amish Project?

Day, I picked up the script for The Amish Project and never let it out

I hope they come in with an open mind and open heart. When

of my hands for four months until we opened in late spring. Someone

they leave, I hope they are stronger than they ever thought possible.

asked me if I was tentative about the content. I said, “Othello is about

It is up to us to set a new standard of softness. Just try forgiveness

murder. He murders his wife. It’s never a good time to do a play about

because life doesn’t have to be that hard. I’ve never seen this play that

murder or a school shooting, but it’s always the right time to do a play

I perform. People say, “How can you do that night after night?” I say,

about forgiveness.” And that’s what this play is about.

“I don’t know. I have no idea what you’re going through as an audience but I’m determined to be specific in what I guide you through.”

Please tell us about The Amish Project for those who don’t

I have to take you on this path and I hope that all along the way you

know the story.

experience all the things that Todd, Jessica Dickey and I want you to

It’s based upon the shootings that occurred in Nickel Mines,

experience. I hope that in the end you realize just how strong you are

Pennsylvania. A local milkman went to the West Nickel Mines Amish

and just how much better of a human being you can choose to be.

School and proceeded to barricade the doors holding many young

You have to be a leader in being good. I tell everyone when I’m doing

Amish girls hostage while carrying out an ungodly massacre. Author-

this play that I feel like an athletic angel since it is like performing in

ities arrived but not in time to save all the children inside.

the ‘Angel Olympics”. It is the most gratifying play I have ever done in that every second of what I put into it, I really feel somehow it is

In the play you portray a number of characters that all shed

resonating in the room. Whether or not the person’s heart is open, I

light on the story from their unique points of view.

can’t do that for them, but I can put it all out there, and it’s echoing in

Jessica Dickey took all the emotions running through the town and

the room when I’m done. I can hear it resonate.

transformed this tragedy into words that are The Amish Project. She wrote seven distinct characters as well as many other character voices. The first

What feeling does acting give you?

character is Velda, a six-year-old little girl; her 12-year-old sister, Anna;

It’s like playing in my backyard without my shoes on; I forget to

Carol Stuckey, the murderer’s wife; Bill North, a professor of religion at

have lunch or dinner; I’m dirty as heck and suddenly my mom calls

the local University; Sherry Local, a church secretary; America, a young

me in as the sun’s going down. I look up and say, “Shoot, I forgot to

Hispanic girl; and, Eddie Stuckey, the murderer. All the names are fiction-

eat and I can’t wait to get up tomorrow and do it all again.”

alized. I also portray Anna and Velda’s father, Aaron, and many others.

Finish the following sentences: Recently you took The Amish Project on the road to Maryland and to Oklahoma with your original director. How gratifying was that?

I love acting because… it uses all of me.

After our initial run at American Stage, Todd Olson received many

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Theater is good when it … is honest.

Jane in Jane Eyre True to herself.

The most important thing a playwright can do is… ask the question.

The most important thing an actor can do is…. be honest.

Ivy in August Osage County Finally stopped clinging to everyone and took my own path.

Catherine in Suddenly Last Summer Wild abandon – she’s exposed.

The most important thing a director can give me is… truth.

Ophelia in Hamlet Oh, deep, deep, deep love.

The most important thing an audience can do is…

You have had the honor to premiere and workshop plays in your career, one being Charm and the other being Buffalo

stay open.

Kings. Tell us a little bit about that process.

I know a scene is working when…

I’m not thinking about it.

I just finished the world premiere of The Buffalo Kings by Natalie Symons at Free Fall Theatre in St. Petersburg. It was a wonderful experience with great writing, direction and a fabulous ensemble

What is the greatest joy of your profession?

cast. I also debuted in the regional premiere of Charm at Orlando

The greatest joy of my profession is knowing that I’ve had it in my

Shakespeare Theatre. It was a thrill. First, it was a play reading. A

heart since I was little to do this, and knowing that I still have it in my

year later I got a chance to workshop it for a month. A year and half

heart to do this today.

later I got a call to be a part of the production. I was with that play for three years and feel playing Margaret Fuller was a pivotal role for

You give back in your other profession of teaching.

me as an actress in speaking up for what I feel as an artist and seeing

When I’m not on stage, I teach students at the incredible Soul

a project through to the end. Playing Olive in The Buffalo Kings was

Studio Dance Company, where Jamie Davis has given me, and my

a shock in that I almost pulled out of that of couple of times because

production company, Tree Fort Productions, a home. Tree Fort Pro-

I had to say the word dad a lot. I had just recently lost my dad. So

ductions just finished a successful run of a new musical version of

for me I was fighting this battle that no one knew about. But doing

Pippi Longstocking, which I wrote. I like to train young actors to be

that play healed that word and feeling and gave me the power to say

organic and follow their instincts and not try to fit the mold, all while

it again (tears up).

finding the truth of the story.

This acting thing is really in your blood, both figuratively and literalWhat is your greatest challenge?

Finding the balance between art, work and life. I want to be in things that I can’t say no to.

ly, as you have relatives who have graced both the stage and screen.

On my mother’s side, I’m related to Chuck Connors, who played The Rifleman on TV. On my father’s side, I’m related to Wallace Beery who ran away with the circus and went on to become an

What is the first thing that pops into your head when I mention

Academy Award winning actor for his role in The Champ in 1931.

some of the iconic roles that you’ve played?

Myrrha in Metamorphosis Beautifully exhausted and having conversations with Richard Hopkins about Myrrha.

You’ve made appearances in many Indie films including an Oscar nominated student film in which you lent your talent.

I was so blessed to do the voice over in French for the animated film, Respire Mon Ami directed by Chris Nabholz from Ringling. I always

Laura in Glass Menagerie Subtle beauty. Transparency. You have to tell everything while

enjoy acting on film and have had the pleasure of working with Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, and many others.

hardly saying any words.

When you are working on a role especially as challenging as Nora in A Doll’s House

The Amish Project, what is your process?

Untethered. Nora gave me a new strength I was not prepared for.

How long do you have? I treat my body like an athlete. I’m rou-

Jim Wise and Gary Gisselman told me to play it not thinking of it as Nora

tine-based. I know how long it takes me to wind down and then

in A Doll’s House, but play it as merely a woman leaving her husband.

wind up. I eat well. I sleep well. I don’t socialize. I stay on task, because I’m the cast. Just now I came from rehearsal where I ran

Catherine in Proof Fear of her own strength.

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the show walking the beach. I try to set myself up for a comfortable and passionate run of a show.

Is there a bell that goes off in choosing what parts to audition for and which ones to pass on?

Yes. I love to pick roles that scare me.

Who are some of the people you most admire who you would love to share a scene with?

Cate Blanchett, Blythe Danner, Gabriel Byrne, Chris Cooper, Paul Giamatti, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet and from the past, Katherine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart.

Before you graduated from Asolo Conservatory, you wrote and performed a one-woman show Idiot Servant. Now many years later you’ll be performing another one-woman show, The Amish Project, on the same stage. How different is today’s Katherine from Katherine back then?

I hope I’m not that different. I hope I’m still the hungry actress I’ve always been. I’ve lived more life, but I hope I’m the same me, just further down the path.

As a renaissance woman who is a singer, songwriter, dancer, director, composer, painter, and of course an actor, is acting still your top focus or do your other talents compete for your creative attention?

It’s acting. It’s always going to be acting. But when I’m not acting, I still love creating.

What are some of the parts that you would love to play that you have not played yet?

I would love to play Catherine in The Heiress and Juliet from Romeo and Juliet, or for that matter, any of Shakespeare’s women. I’m aching to do anything by Chekhov or Ibsen as well.

And I’m always interested in modern roles that are being created today.

Is Sarasota a great place for the arts?

I thought about this a lot especially when I was getting ready to move many years ago. It’s a great town that has the arts and the beach. It has calming places and is a well-rounded city, which attracts well-rounded people. This artistic community has been so open and embracing that I owe them what I have inside of me. I owe them this chance to show them what I’m feeling because they’ve given me a chance. I really feel I have opened up here and this city continues to embrace what I have to offer.

What is your favorite way to spend the day when you’re not in a play?

I don’t like that day when I’m not in a play (laughing). I love the beach and hanging out with my cats. But when I’m not in a show I’m creating and making steps toward the next show.

If you had to do something other than acting, what would it be?

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Work really hard and give back.

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Many, many years from now how do you want to be remembered?

I would like them to say she was a really lovely actress but even a better person.

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Together

Scene

Weddings

SASHA FIELDS + BRIAN GOODRICH The tropical, romantic Marie Selby Botanical Gardens was the stunning setting for the joyous wedding of Sasha Fields, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Fields of Sarasota, and Brian Goodrich, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goodrich of Plantation, Florida. The bride, who is the Public Relations Manager at Asolo Repertory Theatre, and the groom, who is an attorney at Bentley & Bruning P.A., met as Gators at the University of Florida and, after six years of dating, were married on March 21, 2015.

As the sun slowly melted into a sea of sailboats nestled on Sarasota Bay, Sasha and Brian shared their everlasting love for one another through personal vows in an intimate ceremony helmed by Rabbi Peter Kasdan, of Longboat Key. The newlyweds were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. for the first time in the Garden’s Great Room, where floor-to-ceiling windows framed breathtaking views of the Bay. As guests dined on Mattison’s gourmet cuisine, Jonathan A. Cortez (The JAC of All Trades) serenaded the crowd with soulful love songs.

The bride wore a strapless ivory lace and silk Paloma Blanca gown from Malindy Elene Bridal of Tampa, and the groom wore a classic Vera Wang tuxedo. Kim Frazier, of The Perfect Settings of Sarasota, transformed the Great Room with gold mercury glass votives sparkling with soft candlelight, lush periwinkle hydrangeas and shimmering champagne linens.

Guests danced the night away and, as the exquisite evening came to a close, the newlyweds departed through a canopy of sparklers to officially begin their new journey as husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich honeymooned at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Venue: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens | Photography: Ryan Joseph Photographs | Music: Jonathan A. Cortez | Event Coordination & Flowers: The Perfect Settings of Sarasota

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SLOANE SAPAN + WILL McCOMB Twelve years ago, at a fraternity function, friends connected Will McComb and Sloane Sapan. Will proposed to Sloane at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami, where Sloane had always thought she wanted to get married. But as life and tastes change, the couple decided on a much more intimate wedding.

The ceremony was held on Ralph Twitchell’s former property where his house sat before it was torn down. Among his many accomplishments, Twitchell was one of the founding members of the Sarasota School of Architecture. The beauty of the property was the perfect setting for the simple and elegant ceremony, which took place at sunset.

Sloane, resplendent in black, decided to use only candles to light the aisle in between the black ghost chairs.

Following the cocktail hour, a fireworks sendoff told guests it was time to cross the street for the reception, adeptly handled with the help of Sloane’s good friend, Patrick Adams of Gourmet Design, at the couple’s Mid-Century Modern home. The home’s backyard was transformed into a secret garden. To enhance the magical “One Love” theme of the wedding (their first dance was to “One Love” by Bob Marley), setting the right mood was achieved through carefully planned lighting. Elegant neutral flowers, up lighting, candles and bistro lighting created the vision they had hoped for with lights bouncing off Venetian mirrored tables purchased especially for the wedding. Kind and accommodating neighbors blessed the late night merriment as the celebration lasted into the wee hours of the morning.

Will, the son of Elle and Dr. William McComb, graduated from the University of Central Florida and obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Florida State University. He is a real estate litigation attorney at Berlin, Patten, Ebling. Sloane, a graduate of the University of Central Florida, is the daughter of Dr. Christine and Robert Sapan, and works in sales. The couple will honeymoon in Bali and the Maldives in September.

Photography: Tony Gajate Photography | Floral Design & Catering: Gourmet Design | Dress: Inbal Dror | Hair: Alchemy Salon, Orlando | Make-up: Styles by Kelly Ann

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ALLISON OLINGER + CHRISTOPHER HESTER When Chris decided it was time to pop the question, he first told Allison to pack her bag for a weekend getaway in the Bahamas. Packing bikinis and sunscreen is easy but on the day they were leaving, Chris surprised Allison and told her to repack since they were now going to a place where temperatures would be in the high 60s. As she boarded the plane and saw she was headed for San Francisco, she knew Chris was taking her to her dream spot – Napa! Chris proposed at Domaine Carneros overlooking the picturesque vineyards.

For their special day four months later, Allison selected The Oaks Club, where her parents are members, and enlisted the help of wedding planner Nicole Kahney of NK Productions.

The intimate ceremony, officiated by Allison’s uncle, Michael Harding, was held in the exquisite ballroom with white roses and orchids surrounding the altar. As a thunderstorm began, the bride, wearing her sister’s bridal gown, and her father walked down the aisle to "Great is Thy Faithfulness", sung by Ben Hammond, which was in theme with the central focus of the ceremony, which was, according to Allison, “to reflect God's love and His faithfulness as we entered into covenant with one another sealing our love on each others hearts forever before God.” The rain stopped and the skies cleared just as the reception commenced in a draped tent over the croquet court warmly lit by candlelight. The black linen tablecloths were dressed with crystal candelabras overflowing with a variety of white flowers. Over the black and white checkered dance floor, two sparkling chandeliers hung dressed with raining orchid blossoms.

Chris and Allison danced their first dance to Steven Curtis Chapman's “I Will Be Here.”

The bride and groom departed through a sparkler sendoff in a Rolls Royce and honeymooned at both Little Palm Island and The Ritz Carlton in South Beach.

Chris, a USF graduate, works at JP Morgan and is the son of Rhonda Hester. Allison, a graduate of Adrian College, is assistant to Jesse Biter of Biter Enterprises, and she is the daughter of Dean and Debbie Olinger.

Venue: The Oaks Club | Music: Ben Hammond | Makeup: Eri Vincent | Hair: Raquel Leigh | Flowers: Flowers by Fudgie | Event Coordination: NK Weddings | Photography: Tara Tomlinson Photography and The Fancy Booth | Graphics: Spotlight Graphics | Rentals: US Tent Rental

July 2015

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EDUCATION

Sarasota Ballet School students

The Sarasota Ballet

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

The twenty-five year story of The Sarasota Ballet is one of professionalism, excitement, and success. What’s most intriguing is that they’re doing so much to make dance in general, and ballet in specific, something that everyone can enjoy.

“It’s not an elite art form,” says Iain Webb,

ages 8 to 18 isn’t designed to create profession-

the former Royal Ballet dancer who now serves

al dancers so much as help the 165 students in

as Director for the Gulf Coast of Florida’s only

this program develop self-discipline, physical fit-

professional ballet company. “It’s absolutely for

ness, and self-esteem. “If you’ve got your body

everyone. With every performance, I guarantee

in control,” explains Lisa Townsend, the group’s

that something will please each audience mem-

Program Director, “your mind is also in control.”

ber.” That’s certainly a philosophy that’s in line

Sara Sardelli, the Ballet’s relatively new Out-

with their mission statement: “We enrich lives,

reach Coordinator and a former dancer herself,

captivate emotions, and strengthen community

also points to the success of The Secret Garden

through the art of dance.”

performances given last season in conjunction

There might be no better example of this

with The Kennedy Center’s Any Given Child Ini-

than Dance-The Next Generation, begun in 1991,

tiative. With a commissioned score, new sets,

which provides dance education opportunities for

and new costumes, plus puppets and a voice ac-

minorities and economically disadvantaged chil-

tor narrating the story based on Frances Hodgson

dren — two populations most at risk of dropping

Burnett’s popular children’s book, over 2000 el-

out of school. This full scholarship program for

ementary school students got the chance to see

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the ballet. “And they saw it for free, too,” Sardelli adds, which is crucial because more people are willing to give dance a chance that way, and when they do, they witness the magic firsthand. Plus the teachers are pleased since the Ballet keeps the school’s curriculum in mind so art truly becomes a way for students to learn.

This coming year, the Ballet will continue to work with teachers to provide curriculum-connected performances for free to area third grad-

Director Iain Webb teaches a Sarasota Ballet School class

ers. Veronica Van Cleave, who’ll be a third grader at Tatum Ridge Elementary School next year who saw this past season’s finale and was especial-

Jessica Cohen, Patrick Ward, Calvin Farias and Edward French in Will Tuckett's The Secret Garden. Photo Frank Atura.

ly taken by Michael Fokine’s Les Sylphides, exclaims, “I hope my school participates and we get to see the show. I LOVE watching the dancers!”

Webb glows about the dancers, too. “We train our bodies to the most incredible degree. It’s an instrument, and we push it to the limit. We are without a doubt the equal of any professional sports athlete.” He jokes about how a professional soccer player runs around all week, kicking a ball, and practicing for a single match on the weekend, or perhaps a midweek one too. For a dancer?

“The physical output we do is immense. We have to be ready to do 6, 7, 9 shows a week and be at the top of our game for each of them.” But that

“The ballet

dance festival in the U.S. — in mid-August before opening their own season on October 23. This

type of training and commitment pays off when

needs to tell its

the children and audience burst into applause af-

own story in

is sure to excite dance fans. With a lineup of Bal-

ter the performances.

such a way

anchine’s Stars and Stripes, Ashton’s Marguerite

Sardelli also points out that the Ballet delivers unique experiences to more than just kids. For

that it can

example, this past season’s finale featured accom-

be received

paniment by the Sarasota Orchestra. To be clear, including live music as part of the ballet is not the

without having

coming season looks to be another good one that

and Armand, MacMillan’s Concerto, Ashton’s A Wedding Bouquet, Wright’s Summertide, Ashton’s Jazz Calendar, and Balanchine’s Emeralds, we’ve got a lot to look forward to!

Still, there are those who believe ballet and

norm. “I was over 25 when I first was able to dance

to be translated

dance is something they won’t get since there

to live music,” Sardelli says. “It’s an amazing expe-

into language.”

aren’t words, Webb says. “But if we do our job

rience to collaborate with musicians on stage like that.” The musicians, too, appreciated the opportunity to play Fokine’s Petrushka as it was meant

– Twyla Tharp, American dancer, choreographer & author

well, the audience should be able to understand it. All the different elements working together — dance, design, music — come together to create

to be played — with dancers. “We’ve played it

a magical experience.” And the Ballet proves this

before,” one musician remarked after the moving

again and again for audience members and par-

performance, “but having the ballet here was a to-

ticipants of their outreach and education efforts

tally different thing than us playing the music in a

every single day.

concert.” Clearly Veronica Van Cleave agrees!

The Ballet wraps up their summer by performing at Jacob’s Pillow — the oldest summer

For more information about The Sarasota Ballet’s outreach and education efforts, please visit www.sarasotaballet.org or call (941) 359-0099.

July 2015

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73

beach reads

Johnson

Mr. & Mrs.

By Julieanna Blackwell

He remained silent.

“Really?” she continued through pursed lips. “You’re actually going to go through with this thing, aren’t you?”

“Uh-huh.” Her husband stood there, smack in the middle of the lawn, like a fireplug.

Even the fiercest neighborhood alpha male dog would think twice before taking a sniff of his leg. The fury growing within him had removed the rosacea from his cheeks and dragged the red across to his earlobes. She knew he would never back down.

“Honestly.” She dropped her hands to her hips. “You’re deluded! You think this is going to solve something?”

“Nope.” He twisted the stub of a lottery pencil tucked in the corner of his mouth while staring at the wall with a perfect Clint Eastwood glint. “This is going to correct a grave wrong. And if Donaldson’s friggin’ cat crosses in front of me, I’m going to shoot it too.”

From over her shoulder, she noticed Mr. Miller’s bald head, and by the sound of a wheezing Boxer she knew Mrs. Betty Wilson stood behind them. “It seems you have an audience,” she huffed and waved at the clutch of neighbors gathering across the street.

“Compatriots,” her husband whispered, twisting the gun in his hand, eyeing the wall. “See?” “I don’t understand,” she hissed, trying a threat, hoping no one would hear her, hoping no one would mind if he marched back inside the house, thus ending the show.

“This is not vigilante-ism, this is self-vandal-ante-ism. You know it’s probably against the law. And understand this, my bone-headed husband, if you’re arrested I’m not bailing you out.”

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“Oh, no one is going to be arrested because this is a matter of justice.”

He chewed on the pencil as if it were a real stogie. Maybe, in his mind he stood on a movie set, maybe in his imagination he thought he scratched at a genuine two-day stubble growing on his clean-shaven chin. He cleared his throat and started his

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monologue in a stilted loud voice. “What we’ve got here is a form of communication…”

She rolled her eyes. “…It is justice for all the good hearted, law abiding, family loving, dog walking, lawn cutting, Little League coaching guys, the real guys of the world, real men who own homes in American neighborhoods. Country Oaks Subdivision is not God’s green little acre, owned and operated by just one man.

It is a subdivision. A planned-unit-development governed by a standard set of warranties, covenants, and restrictions.”

“But there are rules…” she whined.

“Real rules.” Each syllable within his voice seemed to amplify,

COULD ONE OF THEM BE SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT?

not only the volume of his growing speech, but also the intensity of his conviction, his need for her to accept his argument. “Don’t you understand; legitimate and acceptable rules, voted upon and agreed to by the masses. Not the rules set by one single man. No, allow me to rephrase that—the mandates created by a single knuckle-dragging bully’s interpretation of the rules. We never voted Donaldson in as president of the association. It was a bloody coup. Am I right, Betty?”

He threw his arm back towards Mrs. Wilson as if expecting to catch her answer in his bare hand; she harrumphed in agreement, causing her Boxer to flinch.

“Donaldson just took over,” he continued. “I mow my lawn, I keep up my house, I take care of my fellow neighbors, do the watch thing, keep my porch light on, and yet, everything I do is wrong—not good enough. I’m not only doing this for me, I am doing this thing for you sweetheart, for our family, and for everyone standing behind me. Why don’t you join me, babe?

We are doing this for the good of the neighborhood, for Country Oaks Subdivision.”

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There was applause from across the street. Mrs. Wilson giggled. Mr. Miller hooted. Behind her husband and she could see the shadow of the line of neighbors getting longer and longer. She felt her embarrassment, along with her patience wearing thinner and thinner. Yet, her husband continued staring at the wall, jiggling and fingering the loose trigger of the gun.

“OKAY, big guy, so what are you waiting for?”

“I am waiting,” he answered, “for the beginning notes to the theme of The Good, Bad and the Ugly to start in my mind.”

“Good God.” She diverted her eyes to the heavens to plead her case but stopped when she heard a familiar hacking cough from the crowd. “Oh great, now Rudy’s here.”

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July 2015

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“Fantastic.” Her husband smiled, puffing on the pencil. “He is here as our attorney.”

“You.” She pointed a shaky finger at him. “You are on your own. I’ll have nothing more to do with this.” She folded her arms, shifted her weight away from him, stared at a crack in the sidewalk, and pouted. It was a little used tactic, but it always worked before.

There was a long pause.

“Angie.” He quietly said her name with a hint of his bedroom voice, the one that held the power to melt her in an instant. “Do you remember the bake sale at St. Bart’s Church Day celebration?

And how proud you were that your applesauce cookies were the first to be purchased. Hmm? Well, I never told you this, but our subdivision’s fair first lady pitched them. According to Betty Wilson back there, Mrs. Donaldson tossed them out because they were an embarrassment and didn’t belong on the same table with beautiful cakes and tarts made by women who can bake. Sweetheart, that woman, Donaldson’s wife, threw out your cookies.”

Mrs. Wilson gasped.

Mr. Miller stepped forward.

Mrs. Wilson’s Boxer licked the slobber from his jowls.

Her husband switched the pencil to the opposite side of his mouth.

She remained silent.

There was a very, very, long, long pause.

“Really.” She reached for and put on a pair of safety goggles, then simply said, “Turn on the air compressor.”

Her husband spit the gnarled pencil off to the side, landing somewhere in the center of the lawn.

It only took ten gallons of Sex on the Beach Pink to cover the front and side walls of their house. The combination of Fairy Love Blue and Lemony Sticky Yellow polka dots enhanced the flare of the Concord Grape front door. The fluorescent hue was so bright under the late Florida sun that they resorted to wearing sunglasses to finish. However, it was the pink paint dripping off the back end of Donaldson’s cat as it jetted across every driveway down the block which made her smile.

“Really?” her husband said. “I knew you had it in you, babe.

Damn good shot!”

Julieanna Blackwell is a short story writer and an essayist. Naples Daily News published her humorous column of personal essays. Besides here in SCENE Magazine, her short stories have appeared in Crack the Spine, and soon in Lunch Ticket and Thrice Literary Journal. She is also an editor for Manatee County Public Library System’s 805 Literary and Arts Journal.

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Behind the Scene

Society Maven Debbi Benedict Gives the Latest Scoop “I never understood people who don’t have bookshelves”, said George Plimpton, and I would have to agreed, though nowadays, you can store thousands of books on an itsy-bitsy Kindle taking up no room at all. My house rule has always been that we have to have more space for bookshelves than we do for TVs and now we have about 20 times the space for books than we do for TVs! Let’s see what others are filling their bookshelves with this summer, Poodle…

Newly installed president of the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange and its first female president, Mary (Bambi) Forristall, just finished reading Atchafalaya Houseboat: My Years in the Louisiana Swamp by Gwen Roland, an autobiography from her life in the 1970s. Mary watched a PBS special on Gwen Roland that told her story, and was immediately captivated. She shared that it was one of those obscure little gems that won’t make it into the mainstream, but is definitely worth the read. I did a little research on it myself and now find I must also read this story, placed deep into Bloody Bayou! It was a story originally told in National Geographic by photographer C.C. Lockwood, who met Gwen and her partner Calvin Voisin after they had rebuilt a slave structure into a floating houseboat and who shared their back-to-the-land values. Amazon said of this book, “With quiet wisdom, Gwen recounts her eight-year voyage of discovery – about swamp life, wildlife, and herself. A keen observer of both the natural world and the ways of human beings, she transports readers to an unfamiliar and exotic place.”

Williams Parker attorney, Dan Bailey, shared he was reading Made in America by Bill Bryson.

He said, “It was written 21 years ago, and it examines how and why American speech came to be the way it is – the social context in which it was formed. This allows us to grasp the richness and vitality of the words that characterize Americanese. It analyses how our language has evolved from the establishment of our government, our monetary system, our quest for Manifest Destiny, our immigrant roots, our food, entertainment, sports, shopping, etc., all of which have molded us into a unique, and some might say, exceptional, nation.” I, too, have heard of this is a wonderful book, full of historical

July 2015

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will supply you with interesting facts and cocktail chatter for a year or more! That right there is reason enough for social Sarasotans to read this book!

Junior League volunteer extraordinaire, Cady Ferguson, is a big fan of Erik Larson and especially recommends his true account of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, The Devil in the White City: A Saga of Magic and Murder at the Fair that Changed America. She told me it is a real

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anecdotes and also, that Made in America

page turner, exhaustively researched and beautifully written and shared that, “The story is a bit gruesome and shocking! It is not the prettiest of tales about the Fair, but it’s all true!” Also in her book pile is

®

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Lawson’s Thunderstruck and his latest, Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania. But back to The Devil in the White City… Cady says there’s quite a bit about Mrs. Palmer, as in Sarasota society icon, Bertha Honore Palmer – rancher, art collector, and Chicago socialite, and not all of it flattering. This past season’s Historic Spanish Point luncheon, had A Fair Legacy – Luncheon in the White City, as its theme, so as I was writing my blog after the luncheon, I read quite a bit about the Fair and it was fascinating. I had had no idea about how much impact the Fair had on America. I also had no idea about the ancillary story surrounding it and the murders committed by Dr. H.H. Holmes, the first American equivalent to Jack the Ripper! This is what was said on one of the Amazon reviews, “The book is structured as a dual biography of Daniel Hudson Burnham, the steadfast architect who was the prime mover in making the World’s Fair an astounding success; and of Dr. H.H. Holmes, the diabolical psychopath who operated his own killing chamber in a hotel he built not far from the fairgrounds.” If you love true murder mysteries and American history, this one

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might be for you.

Former Doubleday book editor and current Lemur Conservation Foundation

board member, Pat Pantello shared that the next candidate on her nightstand is Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s controversial new work

entitled

Heretic:

Why

Islam

Needs a Reformation Now. Since the issue of religion is evergreen and the Muslim faith is at the top of our news, she feels it necessary to hear this brave woman’s thoughts on her fellow Muslims

Service

Quality

Trust

(1.6 billion strong), terrorism, and the repression of women by their own religion. Some of you may remember that Ayaan Hirsi Ali was recently in Sarasota for Ringling College Library Association’s Town Hall lecture series where she was interviewed by Katty Kay, the lead anchor for BBC World News America. This is an important subject for our times. For lighter fare, Pat plans to revisit Watership Down

by Richard Adams, the phenomenal worldwide bestseller. It is a timeless classic. The 40-year old adventure story is about lost habitat, survival, and our vastly important commitment to nature.

941-377-8777

These themes resonate with Pat, as they are the same elements of the true, current day story of critically endangered lemurs, of which she is passionately working to aid in their survival. A different, but also important subject for our times.

“Janeite” (fans and devotees of Jane Austen) and lead attorney for Williams Parker’s health law and litigation practice, Carol Ann Kalish, always reads all of the works of Jane Austen every summer, a habit she has had for the past several years and of which she has no desire to shake. I, too, am a big Austen fan, though I prefer mine on TV and starring Hugh Grant and Colin Firth! Carol Ann also plans on reading Kazuo Ishiguro’s new book The Buried Giant, because she is an enormous fan of The Remains of the Day and is looking forward to seeing what Ishiguro does with fantasy. She also told me she is just starting Astonish Me, a novel by Maggie Shipstead. She confessed that this book came to her attention when Sarah Jessica Parker,

July 2015

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her shoe icon, was seen reading it at a hockey game recently. I think I might do the same thing as SJP if I were at a hockey game! Of Astonish Me, Booklist had this partial review, “Readers who reveled in Shipstead’s sardonic comedy-of-manners debut (Seating Arrangements, 2012) will rejoice in the emotionally nuanced tale of barre-crossed lovers and the magnetic, mysterious world of professional dance.

A supple, daring, and vivid portrait of desire and betrayal.” Amazon says it is, “ a gorgeously written, fiercely compelling glimpse into the demanding world of

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professional ballet and its magnetic hold over two generations”. As a ballet lover myself (and of portraits of desire and

Life is complicated.

betrayal!), this one is going to the top of

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my “to buy” list!

Suncoast Communities Blood Bank’s Director of Community Development, Jayne Giroux’s book group in Bradenton

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(The Book Babes) is reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Martel (currently a PBS series) and Girl on a Train by Paula Hawkins. Of Wolf

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Hall, Publishers Weekly says, “Henry VIII’s challenge to the church’s power with his desire to divorce his queen and

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marry Anne Boleyn set off a tidal wave of religious, political and societal turmoil that

reverberated

throughout

16th-

century Europe. Mantel boldly attempts to capture the sweeping internecine machinations of the times from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell, the lowborn man who became one of Henry’s closest advisers.” And of Girl on a Train, People magazine says “Gone Girl fans will devour this psychological thriller.

Hawkins’s debut ends with a twist that

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“Love my portrait Smile!”

no one – least of all its victims – could

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is reading In the Kingdom of Ice: The

– Erin (actual patient)

have seen coming.” Personally, Jayne Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette, a true story by Hampton

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Sides about the trials and tribulations of

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bankrolled by New York Herald owner,

the brave men of the USS Jeannette, led by the US Navy, who explored the North Pole in the late 1800s and which was

James Gordon Bennett and led by George De Long. The book is a detailed account of the eventual losing of the ship and the desperate 1000 mile crossing into Siberia that the crew made to try and save their lives. Sounds like the perfect read for a scorching hot Sarasota summer day! For fun, Jayne is also reading Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture, by Andy Cohen. Jayne said, “My personal choices are about as polar as it gets (no pun intended!).” Indeed they are!

Another Erik Larson fan, Community AIDS

Network’s,

Scott

George,

is

currently reading In the Garden of the Beasts, a vivid portrait of Berlin during the first years of Hitler’s reign, brought to life through the stories of two people: William E. Dodd, who in 1933 became America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s regime, and his scandalously carefree

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an unassuming and scholarly man, is an odd fit among the extravagance of the

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daughter, Martha. Ambassador Dodd,

Nazi elite. His frugality annoys his fellow Americans in the State Department and Dodd’s growing misgivings about Hitler’s



ambitions fall on deaf ears among his peers, who are content to “give Hitler everything

he

wants.”

Martha,

on

the other hand, is mesmerized by the glamorous parties and the high-minded conversation of Berlin’s salon society – and flings herself headlong into numerous affairs with the city’s elite, most notably



the head of the Gestapo and a Soviet spy.

Both become players in the exhilarating

 

(and terrifying) story of Hitler’s obsession for absolute power, which culminates in the events of one murderous night, later known as “the Night of Long Knives”, as an Amazon reviewer writes. Scott then shared that while he is sitting poolside at The Colony in Palm Beach on summer weekends, he will finally get to his Christmas presents, the auction catalogs from the estates of Jacqueline Kennedy, Bunny Mellon and Yves Saint Laurent.

Oooh, I’d like to see those myself!

Chair of many fabulous charity

  

     

 

  July 2015

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events, Peggy Abt, recently reread Tony Kushner’s Angels in America as she prepared herself for Jeffrey Wright’s April visit and talk at Ringling College of Art + Design. Jeffrey played the part of Belize on Broadway and on HBO’s six hour mini-series with Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, and Emma Thompson. Now she is returning to We Were Liars by E. Lockhart and said it is hard to put down! Entertainment Weekly said, “Liars details the summers of a girl who harbors a dark secret, and delivers a satisfying, but shocking twist ending.” Up next is current bestseller and Pulitzer Prize winner, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. Peggy shared with me that she has at least a dozen other books waiting on Kindle for her for her summer in Vermont, where she will finally have some real time to read.

At the beginning of every summer, I make a trip to my local Barnes & Noble and settle in for a couple of hours of browsing, knowing that when I leave, I will have a pile of new books to read and a very happy smile on my face. This year’s haul included, of course, my most looked forward to summer read, Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin, her true-to-life take on her Upper East Side neighborhood and its inhabitants.

The “wife bonus” part has been most talked about. I bet there are a few “wife bonuses” in this town, don’t you think? Other books include Look Away, Look Away by Wilton Barnhardt, a

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Southern novel about old and new money in Charlotte, North Carolina and a family trying to preserve its legacy; A Place Called Hope by Philip Gurley, which reminds me of Jan Karon’s Mitford series, but takes place in Indiana – I love a sweet Midwest story; The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty, which was a NY Times bestseller a couple of years ago that I have wanted to read for awhile now; Madame Picasso by Anne Girard, the untold story of Eva Gouel, a costumer at Moulin Rouge who starts a torrid affair with the rising star of the art world; The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg, a fun, humorous telling of a little-known-aspect of America’s twentieth-century story; and finally, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, of which the Wichita Eagle says, “…it includes the joys and heartbreaks that happen in most of our lives and the books that make our lives richer. Anyone who loves books, bookstores, and the world that reading opens up will love this book.” That’s high enough praise for me.

I hope you enjoy a summer of magical reading, as I intend to do!

Until next time…TaTa!

Historic Southside Village 1924 South Osprey Avenue Sarasota ∙ (941) 955-9856 MortonsMarket.com 82

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Debbi Benedict is SCENE’s society maven and Special Issues Director. Contact Debbi at 941-468-2782 or debbibenedict@verizon.net

LOCALLY

NEWS SHAPING

OUR COMMUNITY USF Sarasota-Manatee Opens Second Biological Lab USF Sarasota-Manatee has received a $50,000 grant from the Selby Foundation to support construction of a second modular laboratory for biological research. The grant helps narrow the university’s fundraising target to support the new lab after funds provided to the university financed a 600-square-foot modular lab this past spring. University officials regard the two facilities critical to enhancing students’ understanding of biological sciences, prompting fundraising efforts that began last fall and are continuing. usfsm.edu

Nathan Benderson Park to Host Olympic Rowing Team Trials Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla., has been selected as the site for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Rowing, USRowing announced Friday. According to USRowing director of high performance Curtis Jordan, the trials are scheduled to take place April 18-24, 2016, on the course that will also be the venue for the 2017 World Rowing Championships.

Seven Olympic-class rowing events will be contested during the weeklong regatta including the men’s and women’s single sculls, men’s and women’s double sculls, lightweight men’s and women’s double sculls and men’s quadruple sculls.

10 Advisors Recognized For Referring Major Endowed Gifts Gulf Coast Community Foundation recently recognized 10 professional advisors who facilitated philanthropic gifts for their clients that have resulted in charitable endowments of more than $1 million at the foundation. The endowed funds created through these gifts will benefit the causes and organizations of the donors’ choice in perpetuity. The 10 local advisors honored

by Gulf Coast are: Gary Chmielewski, Raymond James Financial Services; David Dunkin, David A. Dunkin P.A.; Bruce Haltinner, Wells Fargo Advisors; James L. Hinck, Wells Fargo Advisors; Thomas J. Hinck Wells Fargo Advisors; Peter O. Mason, Raymond James Financial Services; Jay McHargue, Merrill Lynch; Stephen Picazio Sr., Merrill Lynch; Scott Pinkerton, Wells Fargo Advisors; and Merrill Wynne, Habif, Arogeti, and Wynne, LLP. GulfCoastCF.org

Community Foundation of Sarasota County Awards Traditional and Adult Learner Scholarships From June 2014 to May 2015, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County awarded 575 college scholarships to local area students and residents, totaling $1,602,296. 451 graduating high school seniors from Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties received scholarships from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County this spring, totaling $1,386,649 in funding.

Each year, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County also awards scholarships to adult learners, those returning to college or vocational school after being out of high school for a number of years. Since June of 2014, the Community Foundation awarded 124 Adult Learner Scholarships, totaling $215,647. CFSarasota.org

SunCoast Blood Bank Receives Grant for X-ray Technology The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation awarded SunCoast Blood Bank (SCBB) $75,000 to help fund the purchase of a blood irradiator. An irradiator is a vital piece of technology necessary to operate the transfusion services of a blood bank. With the Selby gift, the goal of $327,000 to fund the irradiator is complete.

In addition to private donations, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation awarded $75,000, The Harry Sudakoff Foundation gave $30,000, SunTrust Foundation donated $3,000 and an anonymous donor provided $20,000 in funding. scbb.org

“Age-Friendly Sarasota” Multi-Partner Survey and Initiative Announced Sarasota County residents ages 50 and older can now participate in an online survey offered by “Age-Friendly Sarasota,” the multi-partner initiative aimed at making Sarasota County agefriendlier for people across their lifespan. The survey – for county residents only – is now available at www.agefriendlysarasota. org. Several partners are collaborating on Age-Friendly Sarasota: The Patterson Foundation, AARP Florida, the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, Sarasota County Health and Human Services and the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging at USF. The initiative is led by USF Sarasota-Manatee professor Dr. Kathy Black. Survey results will help develop a blueprint, or series of recommendations, for the future.

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Literary Scene

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

Flip Flops After 50: And Other Thoughts on Aging I Remembered to Write Down Most people aren’t as funny as they

longer bother her as they used to. Either

think they are, and most writers who

that or she’s forgotten what bothers her!

think they write funny don’t. Cindy East-

“I think that’s part of the flip-flop

man, though, does funny well. There’s

mentality... being happy and grateful for

an everyday wit to what she observes in

what you’ve got and who you are,” says

her writing. From her thoughts on New

Eastman. “It took a long time to create

York City artists in the 1950s (“not the

the person you are today; you might as

Bohemian, absinthe-sipping, hanging-

well enjoy it.”

out-with-de Kooning kind, but the paint-

Eastman surely seems to be enjoying

family-portraits-on-the-side-while-draw-

life, which likely accounts for the hon-

ing-for-the-Montgomery

Ward-catalog

esty and openness to this book which

kind”) to her support of the Dixie Chicks

readers find so compelling. Whether

for stating during a London event that

she’s writing about laundry, empty nests,

they were ashamed President Bush was

menopause brain, or the passing of an

from Texas, Eastman carefully examines

old high school friend, Eastman gets at

life’s quirks, questions, and quandaries.

something worth finding. And she does it

The Introduction to this essay col-

with a conversational, just-us-pals style.

lection does a great job of establishing

Consider going with her on this journey

her voice. “If I can’t wear flip-flops to a

through life’s little trials and triumphs.

place, it’s probably not a place I want to

If you like Flip Flops After 50, keep

go. I have ‘good’ flip-flops (those I clean

an eye out for her follow-up book which

up after each wearing) and ‘everyday’

will tackle hitting age 60. She’s also

flip-flops (which I don’t). These allow

working on a book about co-parenting

me to enjoy a wide spectrum of events.

based on experiences with a supervised

So, that’s my goal: flip-flops after fifty. I

visitation service she provides with her

think it’s doable.” She says that things no

husband’s counseling practice.

For more information about Flip Flops After 50: And Other Thoughts on Aging I Remembered to Write Down (She Writes Press, softcover, 200 pages, $16.95) or the author, please visit www.cindyeastman.com July 2015

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Bright Blessed Days: Slices of Life in America from 1895 to 1967

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Colvig Hildreth isn’t at all what I expected. Not so much a single person’s memoir but rather a multi-generational story comprised of letters and memories of three generations, Bright Blessed Days serves as a montage of history that comes alive on the page. Add in the many photos — some more than a

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(all places her ancestors/relatives lived).

Detailing family history from the 1890s to the author’s own wedding in 1967, Bright Blessed Days shows what life was like back when people actually took

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the time to handwrite letters. Hildreth’s annotations and running commentary

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July 2015

help provide a useful context to fill in the If you’re interested in an intensely

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collection might be just for you.

For more information about Bright Blessed Days: Slices of Life in America from 1895 to 1967 (Peppertree Press, softcover, 168 pages, $20.00) or the author, please visit www.facebook. com/BrightBlessedDaysBook

The Perfect Game: A Novel I’ve been anti-baseball since the 1994 strike which lasted 232 days, so Leslie Dana Kirby’s debut novel The Perfect Game (which features a baseball on the cover!) didn’t grab me. But despite that resistance, once I gave it a chance, this book worked. It IS kind of about baseball — Lauren is living in the shadow of her more fabulous sister, Liz, who is married to Arizona Diamondback pitcher Jake Wakefield.

But then Liz is murdered and it’s Lauren who’s the prime suspect. The only person who’s supporting her in this awful time is the hunky athlete Jake.

This quickly turns into a courtroom drama that’s as taut as a Grisham thriller.

The dialogue is smart, the characters aren’t puppets, and the emotional textures are believable and welcome. It’s hard to believe this well-wrought mystery is the first book by Kirby.

I’ll resist calling this a “grand slam” or “home run,” as so many other reviewers couldn’t help but do. I’ll simply say it’s worth a good long look whether you’re a baseball fan or not.

For more information about The Perfect Game: A Novel (Poisoned Pen Press, hardcover, 332 pages, $24.95) or the author, please visit www.poisonedpenpress.com/leslie-dana-kirby/

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87

HEALTH

PAP Testing…What’s Changed and Why?

By Therese E. Goode, PA-C

People often ask me “what happened to having a PAP test every year?” The short answer is you don’t need PAP testing annually, here’s the long answer………..

Cervical cancer screening is an essential component of women’s health. With the improvements in PAP testing methods and the addition of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) testing, the guidelines for PAP smears have changed. Up until about 3 years ago, PAP testing began within a year of first sexual intercourse or at age 18 and was performed annually Therese E. Goode, PA-C

throughout a woman’s lifetime. Now, PAP testing begins at age 21 and can be stopped at

Ob/Gyn Women’s Centre of

age 65. The testing interval has changed to every 3 years for PAP testing alone or every 5

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gynecological cancer, or weakened immune systems also require more frequent screening.

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These guideline changes are based on reliable scientific studies and are aimed at reducing unnecessary procedures and treatments.

Screening before age 21 is unnecessary as cervical cancer is extremely rare in adolescents. Screening in this age group can lead to “over treatment” of cervical abnormalities that will most likely spontaneously resolve. Over treatment of teenagers can lead to later reproductive problems. HPV vaccination is an important prevention strategy in this age group.

Women who have undergone hysterectomies for non-cancerous gynecological problems no longer require PAP screening. Women with partial hysterectomies, who still have a cervix, should continue with routine cervical screening.

Women 21-24 years of age with low risk abnormal PAP screening tests can be observed with repeat PAP testing for 12-24 months to allow their immune system adequate time to repair the cellular abnormality. Once 2 consecutive negative PAP smears are obtained, testing can go back to every 3 years. If after 24 months the PAP result is still abnormal, or the initial PAP abnormality is high risk, then a colposcopy procedure is performed.

Women 25-29 years of age should have HPV co-testing only for abnormal PAP results.

If the PAP is mildly abnormal and the HPV is negative, the PAP test is repeated in 3 years.

If the mildly abnormal PAP is accompanied by HPV, or the PAP shows a low grade lesion or worse, then a colposcopy is performed.

In women 30-65 years of age PAP and HPV co-testing is the preferred method of screening. Any PAP abnormality accompanied by HPV, requires a colposcopy procedure.

A mildly abnormal PAP without HPV, or a normal PAP with low risk HPV, can be followed closely with repeat testing.

All women 21 years of age and older should have yearly gynecological (gyn) exams whether they are due for a PAP test or not. Sexually active teenagers and adolescents should have annual gyn exams as well. During this annual visit a pelvic exam is performed and age appropriate screening tests are discussed and ordered. Preconception counseling, family planning and contraception, and other women’s health issues are also addressed at the annual office visit.

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July 2015

HEALTH

Advanced Care for Digestive Health

By Donald Garrow, MD

Doctors Hospital of Sarasota has added equipment and physicians capable of cutting-edge gastrointestinal medical care. Dr. Donald Garrow, an attending gastroenterologist at Doctors Hospital and the director of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy of Gulf Comprehensive Gastroenterology, shared this update on the new treatments and equipment within the gastrointestinal department which enhance the hospital’s ability to achieve better outcomes for its patients: Donald Garrow, MD Gulf Comprehensive Gastroenterologist 5741 Bee Ridge Road Sarasota, FL 34233 941.473.8881

“With the addition of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with fine needle biopsy to the Doctors Hospital endoscopy unit, we are able to provide university-level diagnostic and treatment procedures not previously performed in Sarasota. This technology allows for early detection

For more info on staff at Doctors Hospital

of many gastrointestinal cancers, including those of the esophagus, pancreas, bile duct, liver

of Sarasota, visit DoctorsofSarasota.com

and stomach among others. Once these cancers are identified, the patients may undergo curative cancer treatments which may not have been possible without this equipment.”

Dr Garrow further explained that, “In addition to early cancer detection, EUS technology provides treatment for patients with chronic abdominal pain due to chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer by means of a celiac plexus injection. These nerve blocks take only minutes to perform and often greatly reduce or eliminate the need for long-term pain medications.”

Dr Garrow brings the experience of a large university center to Doctors Hospital of Sarasota. He previously spent six years at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina, one of the leading Digestive Disease Centers in the country. It was there he learned and provided the most state-of-the-art endoscopic treatments for patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. He now brings that training and teaching to Sarasota, where he lives with his wife Danielle.

At Doctors Hospital, Dr. Garrow performs routine diagnostic procedures such as screening colonoscopy for colorectal cancer and polyps as well as endoscopy for evaluation of heartburn and abdominal pain. His advanced training allows him to perform these simpler diagnostic procedures with a higher level of modernization, for example increasing the number of pre-cancerous polyps found during routine colonoscopy. Dr. Garrow receives referrals from other doctors across Florida for endoscopic evaluation and treatment of the pancreas, bile duct, small bowel and other areas of the GI system not routinely performed by community gastroenterologists. His skill combined with the latest in endoscopic equipment available at Doctors Hospital means patients will not receive better care or a more complete examination of their colon and other portions of their GI tract anywhere else in Sarasota.

July 2015

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REWIND

90

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July 2015

1964

With this our Real Estate issue, lets “rewind” to the annual Distinguished Home Tour in 1964 showcasing homes on Casey Key, Longboat Key, Bird Key, and this “round medieval castle” in Oyster Bay.

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