NOVEMBER 2026
Catherine
Randazzo Multitalented Multitalented Associate Associate Producer, Producer, Florida Florida Studio Studio Theatre Theatre
Also in this issue:
■ Season Preview, Part 1 ■ WIB: WeCare Senior Relocation ■ Dining Out: Ringside on Lido Beach ■ Dining In: all about Cranberries
Aging Proudly: A Wellness & Resource Series Monthly conversations about health, mental wellness, community resources, HIV prevention and care, and thriving Senior Friendship Centers • 1888 Brother Geenen Way, Sarasota 34236
November 19, 5-6:30pm
December 17, 5-6:30pm
Dr. Tanya Schreibman, CAN Community Health
Dr. Noah Lee, CAN Community Health
Current and proactive information on what happens after an HIV diagnosis and how modern treatment supports living long, healthy lives.
A whole-person approach to aging-withintention: maintaining health, wellness, independence, and abundant quality of life.
Registration requested via Eventbrite, here
Registration requested via Eventbrite, here
Understanding HIV Diagnosis, Care, and Treatment
Underwritten by:
Living Well as We Age with Intention
For more information, friendshipcenters.org/special-events
2 WEST COAST WOMAN
NOVEMBER 2026
NOVEMBER 2026
contents Editor and Publisher Louise M. Bruderle Email: westcoastwoman@comcast.net Contributing Writer Carol Darling
dining out
Contributing Photographer Evelyn England
Check out Ringside at Cirque St. Armands Hotel on Lido Beach. Fine dining with a circus theme.
Art Director/Graphic Designer Kimberly Carmell Assistant to the Publisher Mimi Gato
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West Coast Woman is published monthly (12 times annually) by LMB Media, Inc., Louise Bruderle, President. All contents of this publication are copyrighted and may not be reproduced. No part may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and artwork are welcome, but return cannot be guaranteed.
season preview
HOW TO REACH US: Email: westcoastwoman@comcast.net
Season Highlights:
Here are our columns: n Out & About: includes
fundraisers, concerts, art exhibits, lectures, dance, poetry, shows & performances, theatre, film, seasonal events and more.
events we think you’ll find interesting or unique.
n You’re News: job announcements,
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appointments and promotions, board news, business news and real estate news. FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ WCWmedia
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women in business: WeCare Senior Relocation
WCW Mailing Address: P.O. Box 819 Sarasota, FL 34230 email: westcoastwoman@comcast.net website: www.westcoastwoman.com
Meeting the special needs when seniors move with WeCare Senior Relocation and owner Kathy Parrish.
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west coast
WOMAN
departments 4 editor’s letter 7 Out & About: listings for things to do 9 get to know: Aravilla in Sarasota 12 healthier you: meet Deb Spinner, MS, APRN, Founder, The Vitality Experience
13 dining out: Ringside at Cirque St. Armands Hotel on Lido 14 west coast woman: Catherine Randazzo, Associate Producer at FST
16 season preview: our picks for the season 19 season preview: an artsy tour with Discover Sarasota Tours 20 season preview: art exhibits not to miss
■ on the cover: Catherine Randazzo, Multitalented Associate Producer at Florida Studio Theatre.
23 women in business: WeCare Senior Relocation 25 in your community: Senior Friendship Centers Programming 26 dining in: all about cranberries
■ PHOTO: Emiliano Mejías
NOVEMBER 2026 WEST COAST WOMAN 3
just some
thoughts Louise Bruderle Editor and Publisher
West Coast Woman This Month’s profile:
Catherine Randazzo
She’s has been a part of the Sarasota arts community since 1990 at various theatres and where she is most well known, with Florida Studio Theatre (FST) for over 30 years. Catherine has done it all related to theatre in our area - acting, improv, education, as a literary manager, directing, as a teaching artist and as a champion of new plays. Officially she is FST’s Associate Producer and has been a part of FST’s artistic team for more than a decade. As associate producer she’s the lead director of their cabaret but she also works closely with founder and Catherine Randazzo executive producer Richard Hopkins and executive Courtesy Image director Rebecca Hopkins on the management of FST’s artistic programming. But she’ll also have an active voice in directing, acting, and mentoring within the company. Catherine has also taught at SCF, served on the board of Theatre Odyssey and ALSO Youth and also been on the board of directors of the National New Play Network. I recall her being with Golden Apple Dinner Theatre where she was Production Coordinator and we shared some stories from when that theatre operated in downtown Sarasota. Also at FST, they’re adding to their five-theatre campus with the construction of their Arts Plaza building. It will have a new mainstage theatre to allow for expansion of the Mainstage and Stage III Series as well as new cabaret theatres to accommodate audience demand for FST’s most popular program. Which means Catherine will be even more busy.
Season is Back
The long summer wait and to a lesser extent, summer heat is behind us and now it’s time to open the windows, garden outside, walk the beach and enjoy the bonanza that is the arts season in Sarasota. We do our best to include as many arts events as possible with calendars and features all season long. Maybe you know that many of them have been hit with cuts from the state and county - in some cases both - and have had to find funding elsewhere mainly through their loyal donors and fans. So, take part in the area arts offerings. There’s everything form classical music to quartets, pops, choral music, classical ballet, contemporary dance, art galleries and art museums. And theatre, too beyond FST’s improv, mainstay and cabaret offerings running every week, there are classic plays, cutting edge new ones and lots of musicals. And, the arts cheer us up and make us think - sometimes in the same experience.
Ringside
When’s the last time a restaurant opened on Lido Key? I don’t know either. But I do know there’s a new restaurant that has opened called Ringside and it’s located inside Cirque St. Armands Beachside Hotel on Benjamin Franklin Drive indeed, on Lido Key. It’s upscale with a talented chef producing some really great entrees in a beautiful setting - and it’s not just the view of the Gulf. They created a circus theme to the interior which is elegant and tastefully done. Read our feature in this issue.
Hold The Wrecking Ball - for now
Seems that those colorful cottages on Fruitville Road in downtown Sarasota are safe from destruction - for now anyway. Bristol Development Group changed its mind and will not being developing that site into a 324 unit apartment building Over the summer we wrote about Wendy Goldberg, owner of The Breakfast House at 1817 Fruitville Road, who was fighting to find a new home for her popular Breakfast House restaurant as well as a smattering of other businesses who didn’t want to move. Not one to let the situation change her vision of a permanent home for the Breakfast House, Wendy went ahead after the original presumed sale to purchase land for her and other businesses there one mile to the east at the corner of Fruitville Road and North Briggs Avenue, something she now calls Sarasota Bungalow Village. Despite the curveball, we read that she is still moving and Discover Sarasota Tours owner Tammy Hauser will also be moving as planned. Tammy posted, “We are happy to have more time to relocate but this pause does not change our plans. We will be moving with the Breakfast House to our new location… to open the Sarasota Bungalow Village.
“Until then, we remain open for business and appreciate you coming on our 18 tours.” It’s hoped that the new space will be ready by fall, 2027 and will include dining, shopping, entertainment, and family-friendly activities, she adds. Keep up with their progress or make a donation at: SarasotaBungalowVillage.com.
The Spirit of Thanksgiving
Some volunteers go above and beyond for the neighbors they serve, says Meals on Wheels Sarasota. Recently, volunteer Tim helped make a very special evening possible by accompanying their client Dee to her 60th high school reunion. Dee shared: “I am so grateful for Tim. He is my hero, and I am so glad he agreed to take me.” It’s a wonderful reminder that being a Meals on Wheels volunteer can mean so much more than delivering a meal. Volunteers are always needed, but if you can’t make that commitment, consider donating to Meals on Wheels. Just $250 feeds one person for six months. Meals on Wheels of Sarasota provides daily nutritious meals, social interaction, and wellness checks for the homebound and elderly in our community - something they’re been doing since1971. Monday through Friday, volunteers deliver an average of 500 meals per day. www.mealsonwheelsofsarasota.org/. The City of Bradenton hosted a Journey to Legacy event at City Hall back in October recognizing Christine Olson and 20 years of To Inform Families First (TIFF). Christine founded TIFF after her daughter, Tiffiany, was killed in a motorcycle crash in 2005. Her advocacy led to the launch of Florida’s voluntary Emergency Contact Information program on Oct. 2, 2006, helping law enforcement reach loved ones more quickly following a serious crash or other emergency. Today, more than 20 million Floridians are enrolled in Florida’s emergency contact program, and similar programs have been modeled in at least 17 other states. As Christine prepares to retire, the work she started will continue through the TIFF National Public Safety Program. As she went to bed on December 7, 2005, Christine Olson was unaware that her daughter, Tiffiany, lay lifeless at the county medical examiner’s office. The phone rang around 11:20 p.m. “Mom, there’s been an accident; get to Manatee Memorial Hospital.” It was her 29-year-old son Derek, and he had received a call from a friend saying there had been a motorcycle accident in Palmetto. They were given no other information. As she raced to the hospital, Christine refused to believe anything could have happened to 22-year-old Tiffiany. No one at the hospital knew anything. Christine and Derek checked every local hospital. Nothing. Finally, a hospital security guard contacted the local police. At 1:30 a.m., a police officer arrived at Manatee Memorial Hospital. He held an evidence bag containing Tiffiany’s watch, lip-gloss, her broken earring and toe ring. “I’m sorry, but your daughter is gone.” When Christine asked where Tiffiany was, she was told, “Probably at the morgue, but they’re closed for the night. Call them in the morning.” Tiffiany and her boyfriend Dustin were northbound on U.S. 19 when a car traveling westbound pulled in front of them. Tiffiany died instantly; Dustin died approximately half an hour later. Tiffiany’s driver’s license did not have her current address, so the police had no way to contact the next of kin. Thank you, Christine, for your hard work. Learn more about TIFF at www. toinformfamiliesfirst.org
Louise Bruderle | Editor and Publisher | westcoastwoman@comcast.net
We welcome your thoughts and comments on this column and on other columns and features in this issue. You can reach us at westcoastwoman@comcast.net. We’re on the web at www.WestCoastWoman.com.
4 WEST COAST WOMAN
NOVEMBER 2026
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6 WEST COAST WOMAN
NOVEMBER 2026
out &about ▼
Eat Local Week runs November 1–15. This year’s theme is The Farmer and the Fisher. They’re offering opportunities to eat, learn, meet local producers, and celebrate the food of our region. Eat Local Week is their annual celebration of the Sarasota-Manatee foodshed — the farmers, fishers, chefs, restaurants, waters, and working lands that make truly local food possible. Growing Resilience: Cooking from the Garden is on November 7 at 11 a.m. at 4114 Bliss Rd., Sarasota. What can a garden teach us about resistance? Vicki Chelf connects the resourcefulness of the women celebrated in Women of Resistance with the simple pleasure of cooking delicious, and nutritious plant-based food grown locally. Cost: $55.20. www.sunshinecommunityharvest.org There will be an open house at Orange Blossom Community Garden in Sarasota on November 14, noon to 3 p.m. Connect with nature and each other in the garden. Enjoy a plant-based meal and smoothie station while learning about this unique outdoor nature-based classroom. www.eventbrite.com/cc/eat-local
are enhanced by an ever-changing set that seems to breathe and transform alongside the dancers. Rounding out the program is Alexei Ratmansky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Bursting with color and energy, the work is inspired by Mussorgsky’s piano score and the vivid watercolor imagery of Wassily Kandinsky. Repertoire will include: Solitaire (Company Premiere) - Choreography by Sir Kenneth MacMillan; music by Malcolm Arnold Lyric Pieces - Choreography by Jessica Lang with music by Edvard Grieg Pictures at an Exhibition (Company Premiere) - Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky with music by Modest Mussorgsky Held on November 20-21 at the Sarasota Opera House accompanied by the Sarasota Orchestra. www.sarasotaballet.org
At the Galleries
The Ringling’ Art of Performance continues Nov. 13 with Georgia Heers, Jazz vocalist and composer.
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“Voices of Azara” is on November 7-8. First introduced in 2024, “Voices” invites audiences to experience the passion and authenticity of artists creating from within the company itself. The opening program will feature three new works created by company dancers and emerging choreographers Baylie Dockins, Drew Travis Robinson, and Mackenzie Davis, alongside a new piece by resident choreographer Martin Flowers. Themes throughout the evening include connection, relationships, identity, and the courage to prioritize Their Sunday Best concerts are presented at First Presbyterian what matters most. Info: www.azaraballet.org Church in Sarasota at 4 p.m. and are followed by a reception with the artists. 94 Strings on November 22 Upcoming Events at features harpists Cheryl Losey Bookstore1Sarasota: Feder and Phoebe Powell playing Banned Book Club: “To Kill a Debussy’s Dances for Harp and Mockingbird” by Harper Lee on Strings, and Caplet’s Masque of the November 17 led by Bryn. To Kill Red Death for harp, string quartet a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is the and narrator. Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that has The Lunch and Listen series at become a cornerstone of American the Sarasota Yacht Club offers conliterature. Set in the Depression-era certs at 11 a.m. followed by lunch. South, the story follows Scout Finch Caroline Campbell – Without a Net as her father, attorney Atticus Finch, opens the series on November 12. defends a Black man falsely accused Violinist Campbell has worked with of assaulting a white woman. artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Paul Meet in person in the loft at the McCartney, and Beyoncé. With Jostore at The Mark. The book club is seph Holt at piano, her program in$16.99, which includes a copy of To cludes arrangements of The Magic Kill a Mockingbird to be picked up at Flute, West Side Story, and Pirates Bookstore1 any time before meeting. of the Caribbean. November 19—Indigenous VoicThe Lighter Fare series offers es Book Club. This month Elsie concerts outdoors at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Downtown Cam- Souza will lead a discussion of LaRose by Louise Erdrich, an inpus, and indoors at Plantation Golf and Country Club (PGCC) in Venice. timate story of two families bound The series kicks off November 17 together by an unimaginable loss, as at Selby Gardens with Biribá Union. anger, love, resentment, and forgiveThis trio is comprised of Mike Block ness ripple across generations. Register online at (cello, vocals), Christylez Bacon www.sarasotabooks.com/events. (beatbox, guitar, rhymes), and PaBookstore1Sarasota, 117 S. Pinetricia Ligia (electric bass, vocals) apple Avenue, Sarasota. whose original compositions draw on hip-hop and Go-go music, Brazilian forró and choro, American roots music, and jazz. Tickets: www.artKey Chorale has these perforistseriesconcerts.org mances:
has their annual “Champions for Children” Gala on November 21 at the Ora, located at 578 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. There will be live auctions and raffles, impactful storytelling and entertainment. Proceeds will benefit BGCSDC’s programs focused on academic success, leadership development, healthy lifestyles, and career readiness for thousands of youth across Sarasota and DeSoto Counties. This fundraising event will honor the legacy of Louis and Gloria Flanzer, whose lifelong commitment to philanthropy transformed communities across the region. Tickets: www.bgcsdc.org.
Tickets: 941-360-7399.
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Artist Series Concerts
Books
This festive collaboration brings together the 100 voices of Key Chorale, Key Chorale Orchestra, acclaimed soprano Jessica Beebe, and The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company. Blending music, expressive dance and holiday spirit, the program features Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Danses de Noël suite inspired by French carols and John Rutter’s joyful Magnificat. Visit: www.vianovachorale.org/ this-season/
The latest edition of the City’s Cultural Heritage Exhibit, “Echoes of Sarasota,” is on display. Sixteen pieces are being shown at City Hall and three at Van Wezel. Covering over 1,000 years of regional history, the collection features mural-size works by Frank Hopper and Regan Dunnick and highlights people, places, and traditions that have shaped the City. This free exhibit comes as communities around the country reflect on their shared heritage in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary. To learn more about the City of Sarasota’s America 250 celebrations, including upcoming events and opportunities to participate, visit the City’s America 250 page. Learn more: Sarasotafl.gov/ Echoes-of-Sarasota. ▼
Editor’s Pick:
Gala on December 4 at the Ora, 578 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. The evening includes cocktails followed by dining catered by Michael’s on East. Enjoy heartfelt narratives and powerful vocals by Allison Nash. There will be silent and live auctions. The evening culminates in an after party with dancing to the music by The Soul Sensations. For tickets, visit thefloridacenter. org/wonder.
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At Fogartyville
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At Art Center Sarasota: To November 14 Karina Yanes combines symbols of Palestinian endurance and identity with imagery drawn from her family’s stories of life in Palestine, reflecting on how cultural symbols and lived experiences intertwine to carry traditions and memories across generations. Their transforWine Women & Shoes returns mation into ceramic gives these narVia Nova has Voices: of The Peo- to The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota on ratives the power to endure. ple on November 6, at First Presbyte- November 13 for a day of fashion, St. Pete Ceramics is a commurian Church, 2050 Oak St., Sarasota. philanthropy, and fine wine all bene- nity clay studio founded in 2024 by fiting Forty Carrots Family Center. It’s a celebration of American freeceramic artists Beth Miranda and Guests will enjoy boutique wines dom, opportunity, and expression. Ethan Fielder. Built on the belief poured by visiting vintners, marketChoral and instrumental music by that creativity flourishes through place shopping, a fashion show, and collaboration, the studio welcomes Benjamin Britten, Anton Dvorak, and other American composers past a live auction. The always-charming everyone from first-time makers to and present, performed by choir and Solemen will add to the festivities, professional artists, providing the while a curated online auction will string orchestra. Tickets: www. space, tools, and support to pursue offer exclusive packages for bidding. ambitious ceramic work. vianovachorale.org/this-season/ The event is led by co-chairs LauThis exhibition brings together ren Dixon, Allison Imre, Renee Phin- functional ceramic works by Beth, ney, and Lauren Wohlwend. Fogartyville has these concerts: Tickets, visit www.WWSSRQ.com. Ethan, and members of St. Pete Ceramics, all created in the tempo November 5 — Joe Crookston is a The Big Waters Land Trust’s Par- rary studio that emerged from the force of nature on stage. He’s toured aftermath of the fire they experity in Paradise is on November 14. with Gordon Lightfoot an headlined enced. Alongside the artwork, the The not-for-profit invites you to join major US festivals. He’s played with them for an evening in support of their exhibition shares the story of resilSuzanne Vega, Dar Williams, David Francey, John McCutcheon, John Gor- mission to protect land and water for ience, rebuilding, and the remarkable community that carried the the benefit of people and nature. ka, Judy Collins and 100’s more. studio forward. A portion of all artTaking place at their Bay Pre November 15—A Tale of Two. work sales will support the ongoing serve headquarters in Osprey, the Combining the best of Americana effort to rebuild and permanently event will see the property infused and blues melodies with timeless On November 14 Key Chorale reestablish St. Pete Ceramics. with a lush, layered, vibrance celeSouthern storytelling, award-winning Chamber singers present “Radiance The original studio location will brating the renewal and resilience vocalist Stephanie Adlington and guiSarasota Ballet’s Program Two 2.0, Bradenton.” Bathed in the glow become the future home of The of the landscapes Big Waters proof hundreds of candles, the Chamber tarist Aaron Lessard draw influence brings together three works — two Clay Collective of Pinellas, Inc., a tects. There will be dinner and from the likes of Tom Waits and Ray Singers invite you into a world of of them company premieres — that LaMontagne, along with artists such dancing. For ticket, visit bigwater- nonprofit organization dedicated to beauty, reflection, and wonder. explore imagination and charactersupporting the creative, financial, as Patsy Cline and Hank Williams Sr. slandtrust.org/pip26. Organist Jeremy Filsell, violinist ization. Solitaire by Sir Kenneth and mental well-being of ceramic Big Waters protects Florida’s land A Tale Of Two has opened for artJeff Thurston, and cellist Susan DoMacMillan unfolds as “a kind of artists and small clay businesses and water for the benefit of people ists such as Mary Gauthier, Grayson bronsky join the choir for an intimate game for one,” following a solitary throughout Pinellas County. and nature. Through strategic colCapps, and Peter Mulvey. The duo’s experience sublime sacred and configure who drifts between observer • Jorge Blanco showcases a collection laborations with individuals, groups, songs frequently dabble in stories and participant in a series of elegant, templative music. Ethereal works by organizations, and government, they of drawings, prints, and sculptures of revenge, drinking and feature sinFauré, Paulus, Gjeilo, and Ešenvalds interconnected sections. Beneath that celebrate playfulness and joy. work to ensure all people have acners of all stripes and persuasions. the elegance is a sense of longing, as create an evening of serenity, inspiraJorge is a Venezuelan-American cess to clean water, fresh air, food, Visit www.wslr.org/fogartyville/. tion, and transcendence. the central character seems to never artist, internationally recognized for wildlife and natural areas to enjoy. November 29 marks the annual quite belong with the ensemble. his public sculptures, graphic deVisit bigwaterslandtrust.org. In Lyric Pieces, Jessica Lang cre- performance with Key Chorale and sign, and illustrations. The Sarasota Ballet Studio Compaates a sequence of poetic scenes The Boys & Girls Clubs of The Florida Center for Early Since relocating to Sarasota, Blanthat feel both playful and refined but ny, “Nowell, Nowell.” Sarasota and DeSoto Counties Childhood has its annual Wonder co has completed numerous public ▼
Choral Music
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Fun Raisers
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NOVEMBER 2026 WEST COAST WOMAN 7
out &about continued art commissions throughout the United States, Venezuela, Japan, and Europe. His large-scale sculptures have been installed in civic spaces, parks, museums, educational institutions, and private collections, and his work has been exhibited extensively in galleries and museums internationally. Location: 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Info: www.artsarasota.org.
Sunshine Community Harvest’s Eat Local Week runs Nov. 1-15.
bayfront sanctuaries. Luncheons are at Peridia Country Club. Tickets, visit: www.palm-airewomensclub.org
Growing Resilience: Cooking from the Garden is on Nov. 7 with Vicki Chelf.
Museums
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Meetings
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The Outdoors
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The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art has its Art of Performance season which runs to April. Here’s what’s coming up. November 13—Georgia Heers, long history of farming and ranching Jazz Vocals. Vocalist and composer by visiting some of the county’s diGeorgia Heers has sung at Mezverse agricultural operations. $75 in- zrow, Dizzy’s Club, and Minton’s cludes transportation, lunch, and en- Playhouse and performed with try into all hosting sites. Reservations musicians such as Terell Stafford, and advance payment are required. Cyrus Chestnut, and Camila Meza. Tour stops include: Underhill She was featured in George ClooRanch/Prescribed Burn, Fox Lea ney’s Broadway adaptation of GoodFarms, The Farm - McIntosh Middle night, and Good Luck School and SweetSong Groves December 18—Valerie June, Lunch will be served by the Neofolk, Appalachian, and Roots Sarasota County Farm Bureau and Rock. Genre-defying musician Valwill include hamburgers, hot dogs erie June’s work blends Appalaand sides. Knowledgeable speakers chian folk, blues, soul, gospel, and and guides will make the trip fun indie rock into a distinctive, deeply and educational. Register at www. personal sound. She performs eventbrite.com/e/sarasota-countyfarm-and-ranch-tour. Check in at the on the acoustic and electric guitar, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County five-string banjo, and banjolele. Call the Asolo box office at 941Office, 6600 Clark Road, Sarasota. 360-7399 for tickets. November 19—EcoWalk: Forest Bathing in the Parks - Urfer Family Park, 9-10:30 a.m. Join in for a contemplative walk and practice mindHansel and Gretel runs to Nofulness, breathwork, and using all the vember 14 with music by Engelbert senses to connect with nature. Join a Humperdinck.Inspired by the BrothUF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County ers Grimm fable, the story follows educator or volunteer for an explotwo siblings who stray into the forration of finding peace within nature est, encounter a beguiling Gingerand get healthier along the way. bread Witch, and find courage in Register for this event at ufsarathe face of peril. sotaext.eventbrite.com. For quesMusically sophisticated but accestion, call 941-861-5000. sible for all ages, Hansel and Gretel blends rich orchestration with folk-like melodies. The opera conveys a journey from hardship and temptation to wonder and homecoming, offering a timeless reflecTheir season brings legendary artists, acclaimed alumni and some tion on innocence, resourcefulness, of classical music’s most promising and the power of family. Sarasota Opera, 61 N. Pineapple young musicians to Sarasota for Avenue, Sarasota. (941) 366-8450. performances throughout the year. Karuna Quartet performs on No- Visit SarasotaOpera.org vember 10 at Venice Community Center, 326 Nokomis Avenue S., Venice, and November 12, 7:30 p.m., The Masterworks series takes at First Presbyterian Church, 2050 a journey through musical landOak Street, Sarasota. scapes both real and imagined. Featuring Sophia Werner and NiMasterworks performances take cole Yun, violin; Erin Emi Nishi, viola; place at Van Wezel. Isabelle Nichols, cello. Founded in November 7-8—Beethoven & 2025 at The Juilliard School, the Karu- Prokofiev with Giancarlo Guerna Quartet is already attracting nation- rero, conductor and Gil Shaham, al attention as a Gold Medalist and violin performing Lera Auerbach – Composer Prize winner at the 2026 Icarus; Beethoven – Violin ConcerSt. Paul String Quartet Competition. to and Prokofiev – Symphony No. 5 The ensemble takes its name from the December 5—Tchaikovsky & Sanskrit concept of karuna, or compassion, a principle its members bring Strauss – with Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor, Natalie Helm, Principal to their approach to chamber music. cello and Stephanie Block, PrinciAdditional information and tickpal viola performing R. Strauss – ets at PMPSuncoast.org. Don Quixote and Tchaikovsky – Act II from The Nutcracker The Chamber Soirées series offers the opportunity to get up close On November 14-16 they have “Born in the U.S.A.” featuring Alex and personal with Sarasota Orchestra Shillo. This season’s annual patriot- musicians as they perform small ensemble works. Chamber Soirées peric celebration roars to life as “The formances take place at Holley Hall. Boss” hits the Cultural Coast. Born in the U.S.A. features vocal- November 15—In the Mix ist Shillo performing the legendwith Bax – Quintet for Harp and ary music of Bruce Springsteen, Strings, Price – Octet for Brasses ▼
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Lifelong Learning
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Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design (SAM) has this exhibits: Something Borrowed, Something New features works by such Sarasota Orchestra’s Harmomodern and contemporary artny Gallery has Laurie Maves – ists as Louise Bourgeois, Chuck “Shapes of Resonance” running Close, Yoko Ono, David Hockney, November 2 – December 14; Ai Weiwei and more, this never-bereception November 12; meet and fore-seen exhibition offers a rare greet: December 10. glimpse into private collections Laurie Maves has spent more than held throughout Southwest Florida. three decades exploring the emoComplementing these borrowed setional language of shape, color, and lections, this show also features new abstraction. A graduate of the School pieces and creates a dialogue beof the Art Institute of Chicago with tween the works of late 20th-century a master’s degree in art therapy, she artists and today’s global artists. brings a unique perspective to paintThe exhibition challenges both ing shaped by a lifelong belief in the Info: www.sarasotaartmuseum.org/ the widely held ideas of the “anontransformative power of creativity. The Bishop Museum of Science ymous African artist” and asInspired by coastal landscapes, and Nature has Pristine Seas: sumptions that masquerade is an travel, and the natural world, Maves Bringing the Ocean Back that runs unchanging, static art form solely creates layered works where the to December 13. This is a photo rooted in the distant past. quiet geometry of nature, repeated exhibition curated by the National New African Masquerades shares forms, color, and gesture invite moGeographic Society, draws on over the stories of four masquerade artments of reflection and calm. Her a decade of global expeditions conists: Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa paintings are held in private collecducted by the National Geographic (Nigeria), David Sanou (Burkina tions throughout the United States. Pristine Seas project to document Faso), Sheku “Goldenfinger” Fofand protect the ocean so it can heal, anah (Sierra Leone), and Hervé SPAACES, 2051 Princeton rebound, and regenerate. Youmbi (Cameroon), exploring their Street Sarasota, has Bedroom The exhibition highlights the immotivations, their artistic choices, Communities: Artists Who Work the patronage and economic netWithout Witnesses showcasing art- portance of marine protected areas works with which they engage, and ists who work outside the public eye. (MPAs) as a mechanism for protecting and restoring the world’s ocean. how the artists adapt their respecIt runs to November 14. Through the exhibition’s narrative, tive genres in response to current Bedroom Communities brings photography, and film, visitors will circumstances and changing trends, together artists who maintain dedlearn how the Pristine Seas team locally and globally. icated, disciplined studio practices supports Indigenous Peoples, local Visit mfastpete.org. The Museum while choosing not to exhibit their communities, and governments in of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, 255 work publicly. Their reasons are creating MPAs. Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg. varied, ranging from personal prefFull schedules, showtimes, FAQs, erence and life circumstances to Tampa Museum of Art has and ticket information at: www. uncertainty about entering the art Avant Garde: Remarkable Women bishopscience.org. The Bishop world or a desire to create outside in the Permanent Collection the pressures of public recognition. Museum is located at 201 10th St through April 4, 2027. W, Bradenton. This exhibition offers a rare opThe Tampa Museum of Art’s perportunity to encounter work that The John and Mable Ringling Mu- manent collection of art continues to has largely remained unseen despite seum of Art has mixed-media visual grow. Many recent acquisitions highyears of thoughtful and passionate artist Andrea Carlson’s first museum light art made by women who are making. www.spaaces.art survey, Andrea Carlson: A Constant celebrated both nationally and localSky. The exhibition features 16 works ly for their creative achievements. which are on view through NovemThe exhibition Avant Garde: Reber 15, 2026, in the Keith D. Monda Adult & Community Enrichmarkable Women in the Permanent ment (ACE) at Suncoast Technical Gallery for Contemporary Art. Collection features works by Selina Carlson (descended from the Grand Román, Ya La’Ford, Nneka Jones, College offers lots of art classes. Portage band of Ojibwe and Europe- Wendy Babcox, and Lorraine GenoIn the last year alone, ACE had an an settlers, born 1979), creates works var—all artists with roots in the enrollment of approximately 4,000 that challenge the colonial narratives Tampa Bay area. Avant Garde also registrations in the arts. Their art presented by modern artists, museclasses run the gamut from Beginfeatures artists new to the museum collections, and cannibal genre ning Watercolor to Advanced Potum’s holdings including Tau Lewis, horror films. Utilizing a combination Mika Rottenberg, Hannah van Bart, tery - and everything in between. No matter whether you are a begin- of text and complex visual references Kirsten Hassenfeld, and Quisqueya ner or an experienced artist, instruc- to animals, art objects, and cultural Henriquez alongside artists such as tors work with you to maximize your belongings, Carlson creates prismatic Alma Thomas, Niki de Saint Phalle, skills. No supplies or not much time? landscapes that foil American landMarisol, Mernet Larsen, and Elisascape genre painting. Some classes supply all you need beth Condon. Known for her intricate, colorand some classes are just one or two Here and Now: Selections from sessions. If a class you are interested ful works drawn and painted with the Contemporary Collection runs in is full, join the waitlist. It’s free and many different mediums, Carlson to January 31, 2027. Here and recently expanded her practice to there’s no obligation. Register at Now: highlights key holdings and include sculpture. www.campusce.net/acesarasota new acquisitions of contemporary The John and Mable Ringling art in the Tampa Museum of Art’s Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore permanent collection. Rd., Sarasota. Visit ringling.org. The Palm-Aire Women’s Club Tampa Museum of Art, Cornelia has these upcoming events: Corbett Center, 120 W. Gasparilla The Museum of Fine Arts, St. November 13—Mary Bensel, ExPetersburg, presents New African Plaza, Tampa. www.tampamuseum ecutive Director of the Van Wezel, .org/current-exhibitions/ Masquerades: Artistic Innovawill discuss her role in managing tions And Collaborations through the Van Wezel calendar and preview January 3, 2027. highlights from the upcoming season. Masquerade has long stood as the UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota December 11—Dr. Aly Busse of iconic African performance genre, County has these events: the Mote Science Education Aquar- and yet the artists who create masium will discuss how Mote’s latest querades are often unacknowledged November 13—Sarasota County Farm and Ranch Tour: Learn changes will improve public access and under-represented in exhibiOur Agricultural Roots, 8 a.m.to marine science and technology in tions and publications. Southwest Florida and beyond. New African Masquerades: Artistic 4 p.m. See firsthand the farming January 8—Jennifer Rominiecki, Innovations and Collaborations show- and ranching operations active in COO of Marie Selby Botanical Gar- cases the artworks and voices of indi- Sarasota County and Southwest dens, will discuss the latest changes vidual creators and offers a fresh take Florida on a bus tour (with lunch). Learn about Sarasota County’s on the vitality of masquerade arts. and future plans for its 45 acres of
backed by the The Pops Orchestra. Audiences will experience iconic hits like “Dancing in the Dark,” “Glory Days,” and “My Hometown,” reimagined in orchestral arrangements that bring new depth and energy to Springsteen’s timeless sound. The concert then turns patriotic with a salute to our nation’s veterans, inviting patrons to clap, cheer, and wave their American flags to beloved traditional patriotic favorites. November 14 and 15 at Riverview Performing Arts Center and November 16 at Neel Performing Arts Center. Tickets: www.thepops orchestra
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8 WEST COAST WOMAN
NOVEMBER 2026
get to know
Aravilla in Sarasota
The area’s only all-female Memory Care Community
Aravilla for Her is located within the Aravilla campus which also offers Independent Assisted Living.
G
oogle “memory care facilities for women” Walls have artwork familiar to these residents - Life and plenty magazine covers, ‘50s memories and the like. show up - just none of them are womencentered. According to the National Institute for Health (NIH) dementia disproportionately affects women including persons living with dementia and caregivers. Almost two thirds of Americans living with Alzheimer’s are women. They go on to say “Personcentered care, rather than disease-focused, is recomExteriors of the rooms look like cottages as each unit mended to improve care for has its own distinct “homey” look and feel. affected persons including caregivers.” Opened this past February, Aravilla for Her and, as the name implies, is designed for women and is very much perMusic is also a part of the lifestyle at Aravilla. They have musicians performing at meals. son-centered. “Women make up the majority of individuals living with dementia, and they often visit and one popular activity is when they have specific emotional and Chorale come and peroffer root beer floats. social needs that deserve forms for residents. And yes, you can spend the rest of your specialized attention,” said Walking the corridors life here if you so wish. They are fully liTracy D’Andrea, President there are groups doing censed to provide for that. of Aravilla Sarasota. chair exercises while Music is also a part of the lifestyle at “Aravilla for Her is built another group is having a Aravilla. In addition to visiting arts groups, around the belief that memotea party - complete with they have musicians performing at meals. ry care should do more than fancy hats and a tea ser“We provide a higher level of specialty care support cognitive health. It vice. These thoughtfully designed to support every woman’s health should protect dignity, foster designed programs not Rooms are attractively decorated but you can bring and dignity. Music often awakens cherished calm, and honor the life story only help reduce anxiety your own items if you like. memories, sparking joy and emotional conbehind every resident.” Within and restlessness, but also nection, while art, movement, and social their campus, which also offers Indepencreate a strong sense of belonging and sisactivities provide meaningful ways to exdent Assisted Living, their dedicated womRooms are attractively decorated but you terhood among residents. press individuality,” says their website. en’s floor has an all female care staff—staff can bring your own items if you like. They There’s also a “lunch bunch” that heads The best way to learn more about who understand the unique journey of utilize the Amba system that gently supout for meals with friends or for sight-seeAravilla for Her is to come in for a tour. women with dementia. ing. “From leisurely walks in beautiful ports each woman’s well-being through disThey offer so much to women needing surroundings to engaging local adventures, Arriving on the floor, you don’t see creet in-suite sensors that monitor patterns their services and make the transition as each trip provides opportunities for social anything resembling a hospital or clinical like sleep and movement—never cameras smooth as possible. interaction, cognitive stimulation, and setting. As you walk the corridor, you pass or wearables—so staff can respond quickly physical activity—all of which enhance what looks almost like cottages as each unit and thoughtfully if something changes. ——————————————— overall health and well-being,” according has its own distinct “homey” look and feel. The walls have artwork familiar to these to their website. residents - Life magazine covers, ‘50s memThere’s soft lighting throughout and the 3251 Proctor Rd, Sarasota Activities can be high or low activity ories and the like. And there’s plenty to do. circular layout of the floor means women Call 941-770-4373 to arrange a tour levels, but the goal is to have residents out Tuesday they have non-denominational can easily walk - as many do- all the way Assisted Living Facility License #12551 of their rooms. Families are encouraged to church services and arts groups like Key around and back to their rooms. ———————————————
Aravilla for Her
NOVEMBER 2026 WEST COAST WOMAN 9
out &about continued and Piano, Akiho – LIgNEouS and Gounod – Petite symphonie. For more information, visit www. sarasotaorchestra.org.
at The Bay in Sarasota. Visit www. sarasotaspeakers.com ▼
Le Marche Marketplace returns to Downtown Sarasota. The Parisian-style outdoor art market will be at Five Points Park on November 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Orchid Show 2026: Christian Le Marche is located at the iconSampson is on view to December 6 ic Five Points intersection at Main at the downtown Sarasota campus. This year’s show will feature a collab- Street and Pineapple Avenue and is free and open to the public. The outoration between Selby Gardens and artist Christian Sampson, known for door marketplace features a curated creating playful installations of color, selection of local artists and makers, offering original artwork, handlight, and form using glass, acrylic, and dichroic film. A selection of Chris- crafted goods, unique gifts, artisan tian’s site-specific works will be exhib- products, and specialty treats. Beyond shopping, the event celited in the Richard and Ellen Sandor ebrates community, creativity, and Museum of Botany & the Arts. local talent. Guests are encouraged A number of these works draw inspiration from Selby Gardens’ out- to meet the artists, learn about their standing orchid collection. Addition- creative processes, and support the thriving arts scene that helps define al works by Christian will be sited downtown Sarasota’s character. in the gardens and in the Display Conservatory, where they will enrich Info: www.destinationdowntown a display of living orchids and other sarasota.com/join-the-dsea/ epiphytes, or air plants. The Living Arts Festival show New Feet Within My Garden Go: cases diverse art forms in Sarasota The Poetry of Emily Dickinson through performances, visual art, runs November 21 – August 29, family events, and live music Novem2027 at the Historic Spanish Point ber 8-15. November 8 has Harmony campus. Selby Gardens continues & Hue, the opening party at Art Ovathe literary theme by presenting a tion Hotel in Sarasota. Full schednew exhibition featuring the poetry of ule: www.sarasotarising.org/ Emily Dickinson. A selection of DickOn December 5 there will be Wininson’s best-known, nature-inspired ter Wonderland in Downtown Brapoems will be sited throughout the denton that transforms Bradenton’s Historic Spanish Point campus. historic Old Main Street into a festive Accompanying the poems will holiday destination filled with seasonbe illustrations by artist Abby al cheer and family-friendly fun. Wright and photographs of pages Guests can enjoy live holiday perfrom Dickinson’s own herbarium, formances, shop for unique gifts from featuring her personal collection local vendors, and savor a variety of of pressed plants. The poems will food and seasonal treats. As snow also be narrated by Selby Gardens’ falls from the sky, children can experiArtist in Residence, Patti Smith, who provided the inspiration for this ence the magic of winter in Florida by racing down the snow slide and playmulti-sensory experience. Info: 941-366-5731. www.selby.org ing in a winter-inspired wonderland. This annual celebration brings the community together to create lasting holiday memories in the heart of There is no single blueprint for downtown Bradenton. www.realizebuilding a successful business, and bradenton.com some of Sarasota’s most interesting The Morean Glass Studio steps companies have succeeded precisely because their founders were will- into the firelight for Glow and Gather, a theatrical glass blowing perforing to create their own. mance taking place on November 7. On November 16 at 5 p.m., the At the event, molten glass and glowSarasota Speaker Series presents ing movement take on a theatrical Building an Unconventional Busitwist. Local glass artists will transness, bringing together three local leaders at distinctly different stages of form the hot shop into an evening the journey: from a rapidly expanding fire-lit stage, creating intricate works of art before your eyes with no bright young brand, to an established company navigating growth, to a Sarasota lights other than the molten flame. As the furnace roars and sparks institution that has been making peofly, the studio shifts into an immerple laugh for nearly four decades. sive atmosphere of DJ-driven music, Featured speakers are Stacey moving party lights, and neon energy. Marks of Fly Dance Fitness, Bill Guests will settle into the bleachers Johnson of Brilliant Harvest, LLC, with complimentary glow accessoand Les McCurdy of McCurdy’s ries in hand for a front-row view. Comedy Theatre and Humor InstiThe evening unfolds in three acts, tute who will share the stories beeach showcasing a different style, hind businesses that, in very differtechnique, or collaborative challenge ent ways, challenge convention. in glassmaking. Between performancThe facilitated conversation will explore the risks, choices and unex- es, guests can enjoy refreshments. The show takes place at the pected challenges that shape a busiMorean Glass Studio at 714 1st ness, and how leaders must continually rethink as their companies and Avenue North. Tickets: MoreanArtsCenter.org. the world around them change.
lives, they realize how difficult the other’s world really is in this heartfelt and hilarious musical comedy. August: Osage County runs Nov. 19 – Dec. 13 in the Pinkerton Theatre. A father who has vanished. A mother addicted to pills. Three sisters harboring secrets. When the Weston family unexpectedly reunites, their Oklahoma homestead explodes in a maelstrom of dysfunction. At Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W. Venice. Info: www.venicetheatre. org/events
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10 WEST COAST WOMAN
Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island (AGAMI) has its Market Nights held the second Friday of the months to April 2027. Along with viewing the artwork of AGAMI Gallery artists, the public will be able to enjoy artists demonstrations and refreshments provided by AGAMI. During Market Night events, AGAMI will also include its Paint Arounds which will showcase 3-5 artists working together during the event on 3-5 paintings which are raffled off the same night so that the visitors could win a freshly painted original piece of art. ▼
From building and scaling to reinvention and longevity, each brings a very different perspective on what it takes to create a maintain staying power. The Sarasota Speaker Series, led by Judy Winslow, Lynn Kitchen and Michael Calamaras, brings business and community leaders together for candid conversations about the experiences, decisions and ideas behind building successful organizations and their impact on the community they call home. Building an Unconventional Business is at the Community Center
NOVEMBER 2026
Manatee Performing Arts Center has this shows: In Stone Hall— the holiday season brings Anastasia (Dec. 3–13), a sweeping musical adventure about a young woman seeking her past amid the backdrop of post-revolutionary Russia, blending romance, history, and memorable music. www.ManateePerformingArts Center.com/ Florida Studio Theatre has FST’s Mainstage Series opens with the five-time Tony Award-winning Kimberly Akimbo. Kimberly is a
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The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training Making its Florida premiere, Pronoun by Evan Placey is a love story about transition, testosterone, and James Dean. Josh and Isabella are childhood sweethearts. They were meant to spend their gap year together; they were meant to be together forever. But Isabella has now become Dean. Commissioned in 2014 as part of the National Theatre Connections festival, Pronoun is making its way from the UK to the Cook Stage. Also in November You Will Get Sick by Noah Diaz follows a man who hires a stranger to help him say something he cannot bring himself to say—that he is sick. You Will Get Sick is a new play in second-person that takes audiences on a surreal and emotional journey that explores illness, vulnerability, and the ways people care for one another. Both Pronoun and You Will Get Sick will perform in rotating repertory in the Jane B. Cook Theatre. At Asolo Conservatory Nov. 3-22. www.asolorep.org/show/pronoun/
Venice Symphony
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Asolo Rep has Singin’ in the Rain November 18-January 2 in the Mertz Theatre. Based on the classic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film. Set in 1927, this musical comedy is about Hollywood’s tumultuous transition from silent films to “talkies.” The story follows dashing silent film star Don Lockwood as he falls for an aspiring actress while struggling with his screechy-voiced co-star, Lina Lamont, who stands poised to sabotage both his love and his career. A hilarious send-up of Hollywood’s foibles, this beloved musical has it all: sweeping romance, show-stopping choreography, and some of greatest tunes ever written. www.asolorep.org
The Van Wezel has these upcoming shows: Blank Space - The Unofficial Taylor Swift Tribute (Nov. 13) Katharine McPhee (Nov. 14) Experience the music of Pink Floyd when Floyd Nation brings its Inner Light Tour. (Nov. 18) ROCKY in Concert (Nov. 22) The Bodyguard (December 1-2), the musical based on the hit teenager navigating first love, family film of the same name dysfunction, and a rare condition Emmy Award-winning comedian that causes her to age rapidly. As John Mulaney (Dec. 10) she confronts the uncertainties of Mystic Pizza ( January 6-8), a growing up, she discovers that life new musical based on the 1988 isn’t measured by the years you’re MGM rom-com given – it’s what you do with them. Performances begin November 18 Jay Leno ( Jan. 14) The Wiz ( Jan. 15-16) in FST’s Gompertz Theatre. Air Supply ( Jan. 24) Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org. Tickets at VanWezel.org, by calling November 18-22, I Never Saw the box office at 941-263-6799. Another Butterfly by Celeste Raspanti. Directed by Sharon Ohrenstein. Reprised from last season, On November 14 they have The Sarasota Jewish Theatre’s educaNew Voice of the Great American tional production, performing for Songbook. Celebrate the timeless over 3,000 middle and high school melodies of the Great American students, tells the true story of chilSongbook with guest artist Dandren and teachers interned at the ny Sinoff, a jazz pianist, singer, Terezín concentration camp during and bandleader with more than World War II. The production is based on Celeste Raspanti’s play and 20 years of captivating audiences a famous collection of art and poetry across Southwest Florida and beyond. He’ll be joined by the Venice created by the camp’s children. www.SarasotaJewishTheatre.com Symphony Big Band. Strauss and Surprises is on Westcoast Black Theatre November 20-21. This program Troupe’s 27th theatre season, brims with effervescent melodies, opens with “Sophisticated Ladies,” soaring solos and playful twists. a Tony Award-winning theatrical From lively dances to orchestral journey through Duke Ellington’s fireworks, the program features music. WBTT’s Assistant Artistic soloist Joseph Lovinsky, principal Director Jim Weaver will direct; horn of The Venice Symphony show runs to November 22. The Donelly Theatre is at WBTT, 1012 performing R. Strauss’ “First Horn Concerto,” and includes J. Strauss N. Orange Ave., Sarasota. Jr.’s “Emperor Waltz” and Haydn’s Visit: westcoastblacktheatre.org. “Surprise Symphony.” Urbanite has AHOY-HOY by Jen- Location: Venice Performing Arts ny Stafford running to November Center, 1 Indian Ave. Tickets theve29. It’s an audience favorite from the nicesymphony.org. 2025 Modern Works Festival. Two inventors. One telephone. A battle of beards and bell tones. A Voices of the People: America’s wildly funny race to make history as 250th Year is on November 6. Via Elisha Gray battles Alexander GraNova Chorale opens the season ham Bell in this absurd sprint with a celebration of the nation’s through ambition, ego, and innovation. 250th anniversary. Performed by Location: 1487 2nd Street, Sarasota choir and string orchestra, the prowww.urbanitetheatre.com gram features choral and instrumental music by Benjamin Britten, Tree Fort has The Reindeer and Anton Dvořák and American comI running November 27- December posers past and present. 13 on the Mainstage Theatre. When Voices of Forgotten Worlds: A a holiday ornament job suddenly Celtic Christmas is on December becomes a necessity just to get by, Kat realizes the true meaning of the 11-12. A holiday tradition returns with a 60-voice choir, The Lubben holidays. This play challenges our belief in family, faith, and forever and Brothers Band, First Presbyterian features Katherine Michelle Tanner. Church Choir, Porter Kavanagh Irish Dance Academy, bagpiper KevLocation: 3501 South Tamiami Tr., in Wiegand, dancer James Jordan Sarasota. www.treefortproducand actor Jeffery Kin. The program tions.com/ celebrates the music, dance and traVenice Theatre has Freaky Friday ditions of the Celtic nations. to Nov. 22 in the Raymond Center. All concerts are at First PresbyteriAn overworked mom and her teenage an Church, 2050 Oak St., Sarasota. daughter magically swap bodies with Tickets: ViaNovaChorale.org. just one day to switch back before mom’s wedding. Living each other’s ▼
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Special Events
The next Market Night is on November 13. The AGAMI Gallery is at 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.
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Register: www.campusce.net/ acesarasota
At the Van Wezel
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Adult & Community Enrichment at Suncoast Technical College offers lots of culinary classes.
2026 FALL SEASON
RICHARD RUSSELL, General & Artistic Director
E WITH TH TA SARASO THE TRA & ORCHES BALLET TA O S SARA AND SCHOOL ORY T A V R E S CON
Hansel and Gretel
Youthful wonder, courage, and strength in an enchanted forest.
Saturday, November 14 • 7 PM CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BRADENTON
Bathed in the glow of hundreds of candles, Radiance surrounds you with warmth, beauty, and inspiring music in an atmosphere of reflection and quiet wonder. FEATURING THE
Studio Company
THRU – NOVEMBER 14, 2026 Engelbert Humperdinck | Adelheid Wette
2027 WINTER OPERA FESTIVAL
Sunday, November 29 • 4 PM SARASOTA OPERA HOUSE
L a traviata
FEB 6 - MAR 20, 2027 Giuseppe Verdi | Francesco Maria Piave
H. M.S. Pinafore Ariadne auf Naxos FEB 27 – MAR 13, 2027 FEB 13 - MAR 19, 2027 Arthur Sullivan | W.S. Gilbert
Richard Strauss / Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Jenůfa
This festive collaboration brings together the 100 voices of Key Chorale, orchestra, and The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company.
MAR 6 – MAR 21, 2027 Leoš Janáček
All performances in the original language with simultaneous translations above the stage.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
G E T YO U R TI C K E T S N OW !
(941) 328-1300 SARASOTAOPERA.ORG
Sarasota Opera House | 61 N. Pineapple Ave, Sarasota
KeyChorale.org or 941.552.8768 get tic
kets no w!
urbanitet heatre.co m/ahoy-h oy
AHOY-HOY d by directe enthal s o R e n Céli
OCT 30 -
NOV 29 2026
VOTED #1
AUDIENCE FAVORITE
2025 MODERN WORKS
a battle of beards and bell tones...
urbanitetheatre.com/ahoy-hoy | (941) 321-1397 | info@urbanitetheatre.com NOVEMBER 2026 WEST COAST WOMAN 11
healthier you Nu Jazz Band
Get ready for an evening of smooth jazz, soulful Motown, R&B, and holiday favorites as NuJazz returns for its Annual Winter Holiday Show! Hailing from the Bradenton/ Sarasota area, NuJazz is a dynamic contemporary jazz band known for smooth sounds, captivating performances, and energetic stage presence.
My Journey to
November 7
Old Time Sailors
You’re invited to board the Sailorette and join the plentiful crew, ‘The Old Time Sailors’, for a night of footstomping, dancing, and singing! Sail back to the 19th century for an immersive experience of traditional seafaring music performed in a way you have never seen before.
November 17
Anastasia
Step into a world of mystery, romance, and adventure with the Broadway musical inspired by the beloved animated film and the legend of the lost Russian princess. Set against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution and the streets of 1920s Paris, this production follows a brave young woman named Anya on a journey to discover who she truly is.
“Symptoms are signals, not life sentences.”
I’m
December 3-13
The Nutcracker
Experience the timeless story of Nutcracker in this production, performed by pre-professional and professional dancers of International Ballet of Florida (IBF). Audiences of all ages will marvel at the magic and wonderment of this stunning holiday presentation.
December 22
Location:
Manatee Performing Arts Center Downtown Bradenton
The Vitality Experience
Scan for More Info
Box Office: 941-748-5875 Tickets:
ManateePerformingArtsCenter.com
Deb Spinner, and I’ve been a nurse practitioner for more than 25 years. I’ve cared for thousands of patients in that time, celebrated their wins, and sat with them through hard diagnoses. But the education that changed how I practice medicine didn’t come from being a clinician. It came from being a patient. A few years after having my children, the pain and fatigue started. Pain all over my body, every single day. I was convinced I had a terminal illness. I went to specialist after specialist, and after all of it, the only answer I ever got was a label: fibromyalgia. A name for my pain, and a lifetime of living with it. So that’s what I did, for years. I hurt every day, and I learned to live with it. Then I found integrative medicine, and for the first time, I asked why. What’s causing this? I changed how I ate. I changed how I moved. Eventually, I learned more and more about testing options and discovered I had things that no clinician had ever looked for: mold toxicity, a sensitivity to gluten, heavy metals my body had been harboring. With guidance, I worked on all of it, patiently. The pain that had run my life for years went away. Not managed, but gone! I will never stand in front of a patient and promise them a cure, or that their story will end like mine. Everyone is different. But I learned things no textbook ever taught me. Symptoms are signals, not life sentences. A diagnosis can be a starting point instead of the end of the search. Healing asks something of the patient, too: take control of your choices, your food, your exercise, your lifestyle. A clinician’s job is to find the root cause and guide the way. Then we walk it together. I know, because I have been that patient. That is the medicine I practice now. For years, I practiced integrative medicine in a private setting, caring for the patients who could reach me there. Recently, I opened The Vitality Experience, my own telehealth
integrative primary care practice, based in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. I can now expand that same care to adults throughout the state of Florida. Every new patient starts with a Deb Spinner, 45-minute consulMS, APRN tation with me. It Founder, The Vitality Experience, P.A. is a real conversation, because root causes don’t surface in seven minutes, and being heard is where healing starts. My care covers integrative primary care, hormone optimization, metabolic health, weight management, thyroid balancing, screening for toxins if warranted, healthy aging and performance. Evidence-based, and built around you and your needs. If you still have unanswered questions, are living with pain and fatigue, or aren’t feeling like yourself, I understand that road in a way I never asked to. I know it doesn’t have to end there. I would be honored to help you find your root cause, and to walk that road with you. It’s time to be heard.
More About Deb Spinner
Deb Spinner, MS, APRN — Founder, The Vitality Experience, P.A. Board-certified nurse practitioner with 25+ years of experience. Integrative Primary Care for Adults 18+ Based in Lakewood Ranch, Florida Serving patients across Florida via telemedicine Call to schedule: 941-770-2317 • www.YourVitalityExperience.com •
PAID AD V ER TO R IAL
12 WEST COAST WOMAN
NOVEMBER 2026
dining out
Ladieees and Gentlemen… Ringside at Cirque St. Armands Beachside Hotel on Lido Key The dining room’s color scheme is black and white: the floor, walls, tables and very large vintage circus photos on the walls.
Florida Gulf Grouper, pan-seared, with fingerling potatoes, arugula, goat cheese, roasted red peppers and black olive salad, salsa romesco and micro herbs.
Pan-Seared Diver Scallops ($48) sat atop toasted farro risotto, blistered cherry tomatoes and pea tendrils with a saffron beurre blanc sauce.
A scene from the lobby with its velvet curvy sectionals in bright orange rust color accented with circus-themed pillows
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hen’s the last time a restaurant opened on Lido Key?
I don’t know either. But I do know there’s a new restaurant that has opened called Ringside and it’s located inside Cirque St. Armands Beachside Hotel on Benjamin Franklin Drive indeed, on Lido Key.
A bit of head scratching took place as I couldn’t quite place it. Google Maps was useless but it did offer a hint. Was that the old Holiday Inn in the map? The one that had that restaurant on the top floor, a nice view and one of those Sunday beastly buffets? So I drove by, slowly, and indeed that’s where Cirque St. Armands Beachside is located, looking inside and out nothing like that getting kinda tired Holiday Inn. The folks at Opal who also have Zota on Longboat Key, The Resort at Longboat Key Club, Lido Beach Resort and now Cirque St. Armands Beachside, always do a beautiful job and in this case they chose a circus theme, reflecting of course on Sarasota’s circus history. But the circus theme is done nicely and not as a cliché. They call the decor “The Great Gatsby meets Moulin Rouge” and add, “…with grandiose billowing drapery, geometric and stripe patterns, ornate ostrich feather chandeliers, golden wall sconces, and pin-striped columns.” Indeed, it’s quite striking when you enter with its velvet, curvy sectionals in bright orange rust color accented with circus-themed pillows. Wisely, they kept terrazzo floors and added large windows to let in the light and a view of Lido beach. You’ll want to explore before entering the dining room. There’s a beautiful sitting area called the Midway Lounge and off to the back, a charming small bar. Throughout the lobby and inside the restaurant are large reproductions of circus photos, lots of velvet, lots of bright colors. The dining room’s color scheme is a theatrical black and white: the floor, walls, tables and very large vintage circus photos on the walls. That’s all accented with velvet curved-back
Blueberry Fog - a blend of blueberry vodka, pressed blueberries and lemon, and StGermain Elderflower Liqueur
romesco and micro herbs. Grouper calls for a light touch - cooked too long it’s bland and dried out. Instead it should be buttery and partnered with a great sauce like this one. Like buttuh! Other entrees include gnocchi, salmon, chicken, New York strip, rack of lamb and a bone-in ribeye (16 ozs. for $64.) They also have a seafood bar at the far end of the room where you can experience their Cirque seafood tower for two. It looks like a lot of fun and, a lot of food: lobster, shrimp, oysters and crab ($75 for 2) For dessert we had Tarte Tatin ($13) made of golden puff pastry, caramelized apples,
chairs in blue and red. Since this is within a hotel, food is served all day. There are a lot of familiar offerings during the day - wings, bowls, a Cobb salad, handhelds and burgers, but with unique touches that set them apart from the usual. Gulf Coast fish tacos come with pineapple chutney, wings, usually slathered in BBQ sauce, here come with a roasted garlic-honey glaze, Parmesan cheese and pesto ranch dressing. We’re here for dinner although we have already decided to come back for drinks and light bites in the Midway Lounge at a future date. We started with a drink - Blueberry Fog - a blend of blueberry vodka, pressed blueberries and lemon, and St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur topped with sea foam made from egg whites, blueberry purée, and more St-Germain. For apps, we started with Orange Honey Blossom Roasted Beets ($14) a really nice combination that included not just greens and vinaigrette, but touches like goat cheese, chives and pistachios. Someone in the kitchen said let’s jazz up those Brussels sprouts a bit and make them maple-glazed with raisins, bacon, pomegranate seeds, pistachios and chili flakes ($17). It was a three-ring circus on a plate and a very generous portion that works for 2 people. On to the center ring (entrees). Pan-Seared Diver Scallops ($48) are my go to as I love scallops. These were large scallops atop toasted farro risotto, blistered cherry tomatoes and pea tendrils with a saffron beurre blanc sauce. There’s a sitting area called the Midway Another fave is grouper. Here it’s Florida Lounge that has its own unique menu Gulf Grouper ($48) pan-seared, with fingerling potatoes, arugula, goat cheese, roasted red peppers and black olive salad, salsa STORY and IMAGES: Louise Bruderle
vanilla ice gelato and pistachio brittle. There’s also Crème Brûlée ($14) with Grand Marnier-scented vanilla custard, candied oranges and a burnt sugar crust. Next time: Blood Orange Cheesecake. Yes, dining is open to the public. And yes, there’s free parking in the back. As for the hotel, it has 135 rooms and, we’re told, some circus folks have come in for a visit no doubt taking in those large murals showcasing trapeze artists doing daredevil acts. Ringside is Opal’s first themed property and they clearly had a lot of fun creating it. You’ll enjoy it, too. There’s a Happy hour at the Midway bar from 4:30-6:30 and in season there will be live music.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily. 233 Benjamin Franklin Dr, Sarasota,
www.opalcollection.com/ cirque-st-armands/restaurants The restaurant has received consistently good review on Yelp.
Consider this for an enjoyable afternoon. Discover Sarasota offers a Circus Secrets + tour and lunch tour. The half-day tour of the circus legacy in Sarasota includes lunch while providing a historical perspective of the impact the circus has had in our area since it moved its winter headquarters here in 1927. On the tour they’ll stop by circus landmarks to learn about colorful circus characters, showmen, and performers who called Sarasota home. Lunch is included in the tour fee. https://www.discoversarasotatours.com/ all-tours/circus-secrets-of-sarasota/
NOVEMBER 2026 WEST COAST WOMAN 13
Catherine
Randazzo Multitalented Multitalented Associate Associate Producer, Producer, Florida Florida Studio Studio Theatre Theatre
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he’s had a career in theatre here since 1990 acting, doing improv, teaching, directing and also developing and producing plays. She’s been at Florida Studio Theatre for over 30 years and is FST’s Associate Producer and still wears many hats.
14 WEST COAST WOMAN
NOVEMBER 2026
AIR-CONDITIONED TOURS ENTERTAINING • INFORMATIVE
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he’s had a career in theatre in Sarasota since 1990 - acting, doing improv, teaching and directing and also developing and producing new plays at various theatres in our area. Where Catherine is most well known is with Florida Studio Theatre (FST) where she’s been involved for over 30 years. Officially, she is FST’s Associate Producer and has been a part of FST’s artistic team for more than a decade working in tandem with founder and executive producer Richard Hopkins and executive director Rebecca Hopkins. The August day we met she was working in her capacity as producer of FST’s Summer Cabaret Series and there to oversee the start of another FST production - this one a Motown review. More specifically, that job is called “line producer” for the many cabaret performances that ran all summer. These acts come into town more or less ready to go, but someone needs to oversee the production, making sure the stage, sound and lights are in place - something she does with the FST crew and to “put our FST shine on it,” she explains, adding that “cabarets are hot right now,” especially at FST. FST is a sprawling, dynamic artistic entity with a MainStage theatre, a Cabaret theatre, Improv and Stage III theaters. Like the former British empire, the sun never sets on FST programming which runs year ‘round. “FST never shuts down,” she agrees. And neither does she, it appears. Catherine wears many hats. She’s performed as an actor at FST going back 36 years and starting with Licensed to Bash, a political comedy group. Over the years, she recalls being in “Oh gosh, a dozen shows” on FST stages. Back then, she worked a day job and worked at FST at night adding, “It was fun,” she recalls of the double duty. She lived the itinerate life of an actor, doing not just local acting (including the Golden Apple where she was Production Coordinator for seven years), but also with regional and international touring productions. She somehow found time then to found a performing arts department at a startup charter school at State College of Florida. Catherine earned a BFA in theatre with a focus on musical theatre from Otterbein University in OH and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. As a kid she played piano, adding “I was always musically inclined.” But her deepest roots are with Florida Studio Theatre, now as associate producer working closely with Richard Hopkins and Rebecca Hopkins on the management of FST’s artistic programming for upcoming shows. It has to be an involved process since they have so many shows spread out over five theaters. Once she knows “what their [both
Hopkins] intentions are,” she helps them develop the programming. Her input is important and she clearly likes being part of that process. But she’ll also have an active voice in directing, acting, and mentoring within the company. The only thing she hasn’t done - and it’s a short list - is be a playwright, but she likes to help develop and encourage it in others. Before joining Florida Studio Theatre’s artistic staff, she actively contributed to FST’s New Play Development program for over 30 years. She’s again the lead director of their Winter Cabaret Series which started back in September and runs three shows through to June 2027. Three shows might not sound like a lot but it’s actually hard work, she explains. “It’s the prep work that takes so much time,” plus at the same time, she’ll also be vetting shows for next summer. To date, FST’s Cabaret has created over 40 FST original musical revues. One thing for sure with FST is their continuity in leadership. Richard Hopkins has been with FST since 1980. Catherine offers support to Hopkins, especially with contracts, the new play festival and special projects. Rebecca Hopkins has been with FST since 1998 and has helped develop more than 25 original shows. “It is a well-funded organization,” says Catherine, “They know their audience and community.” And then there’s their growth. FST is adding to their five-theatre campus with the construction of their Arts Plaza building. It will have a new mainstage theatre to allow for expansion of the Mainstage and Stage III Series as well as new cabaret theatres to accommodate growing audience demand for FST’s most popular program. In addition to directing FST’s Winter Cabaret series, Catherine has also directed for Stage III and the Summer Mainstage, and has appeared on the Winter Mainstage. In addition to producing the Summer Cabaret Series and she has served as a teaching artist, leading audience engagement initiatives, post-show forums, and community outreach efforts. Somehow she also finds space in her schedule to teach, be involved in FST’s annual gala, give speeches in the community and even be an occasional understudy. An advocate for new work, Catherine supports FST’s mission to champion new plays and represents the theatre as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the National New Play Network. Her 95 year-old mother lives in Sarasota and Catherine’s wife Maria (who grew up in Sarasota) is a detective with the Sarasota Police Dept. What does she like about her job(s)? “I like the creativity,” she says first. But adds she loves FST donors, the audiences and the community here. “It doesn’t feel like a business.” To her it’s a “partnership of art.”
★★★★★ Wonderful holiday music & light tour! - Katie
December 6-23 • 6 PM & 8 PM Tropical Holiday Tour! Carol Down Main Street, See Neighborhood Lights, Hear Musical Performances & Enjoy a Cocoa Bar Stop!
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DiscoverSarasotaTours.com 941-260-9818 1826 4th Street, Sarasota | FREE Parking!
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PIANIST DANIIL TRIFONOV Tues, Dec 1, 2026, 7:30 pm Sarasota Opera House Handel, Stravinsky & Schubert
CHANTICLEER HOLIDAY CONCERT Wed, Dec 2, 2026, 7:30 pm Sarasota Opera House Renaissance classics & holiday favorites
TAKÁCS QUARTET | Jeremy Denk, piano Sat, Jan 16, 2027, 7:30 pm Riverview Performing Arts Center Franck, Mozart, & Mendelssohn
PIANIST ARISTO SHAM
Wed, Feb 3, 2027, 7:30 pm Riverview Performing Arts Center Chopin, Beethoven & Rachmaninoff
ORPHEUS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano Mon, Feb 15, 2027, 7:30 pm | Van Wezel Mozart, Haydn & Handel
VIOLINIST MIDORI WITH FESTIVAL STRINGS LUCERNE
Sun, Feb 28, 2027, 2 pm | Van Wezel Tchaikovsky & Beethoven
THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
Semyon Bychkov, conductor | Alexandre Kantorow, piano Sun, March 14, 2027, 2 pm | Van Wezel Rachmaninoff & Elgar
Expect the Extraordinary SCAsarasota.org | 941-966-6161
STORY: Louise Bruderle
NOVEMBER 2026 WEST COAST WOMAN 15
season preview
Season Highlights:
events we think you’ll find interesting or unique Sarasota Conservation at Contemporary Dance’s The Ringling ake a peek behind-the-scenes and Murals in Motion learn about the tools, materials,
Emily Dickinson at Selby Gardens
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and methods of the Ringling Conservation Team as they preserve and restore works of art. You might even be able to observe their conservators in action, periodically working in the gallery space to examine, surface clean, and rehouse several large tapestries in our collection. To January 3, 2027 www.ringling.org/event/the-art-of-care
H
ow perfect for downtown Sarasota in the Rosemary District where there are so many murals. From December 11-13 Sarasota Contemporary Dance (SCD) deepens its connection to the Rosemary District, a community that has been their home, with a new type of performance. Inspired by the district’s vibrant murals and creative energy, Mural in Motion is a site-responsive performance series that activates three murals throughout the Rosemary District through contemporary dance and live music. Each mural will become a living stage for original choreographic works, inviting audiences to experience the neighborhood through movement, sound, and visual art. The project is a series of three curated performances with audiences moving together through the district, experiencing a guided journey of performances that reflect both the identity of the murals and the spirit of the community surrounding them. Director is Leymis Bolanos Wilmott with choreographers Samantha Miller and Jessica Obiedzinski Other performers include Melissa Rummel and Xuan Yang Dancingers and SCD Kids led by Sabine Dimante and Elisha Byerly. Tickets: www. sarasotacontemporarydance.org.
The Art of Care:
Exploring place, memory, and belonging at SPAACES
you into a world of beauty, reflection, and wonder. Renowned organist Jeremy Filsell, violinist Jeff Thurston, and cellist Susan Dobronsky join the choir for an intimate experience featuring sublime sacred and contemplative music. Ethereal works by Fauré, Paulus, Gjeilo, and Ešenvalds create an evening of serenity, inspiration, and transcendence. Tickets: www.keychorale.org or call (941) 552-8768
David Hockney in Tampa Inheritance of Place exhibition
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his two-person exhibition brings together the work of Isveydi Moreno and Luz Estrella Cruz in an exploration of place, memory, and belonging. Through painting, collage, artist books, paper-based processes, found ephemera, and mixed media installations, both artists examine how personal and collective histories are carried through objects, images, and cultural narratives. Drawing from familial histories, migration, community archives, and everyday materials, the exhibition considers how identity is shaped by the places we inhabit and the stories we inherit. Opening night is on November 20 at 6 p.m. The exhibit runs Tania to December Vergara 19. There will also be Dance Performance, Convergence by Tania Vergara Dance. SPAACES is located at 2051 Princeton Street Sarasota. Info: www.spaaces.art/
Key Chorale brings Radiance
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n November 14 Key Chorale Chamber singers present “Radiance 2.0, Bradenton.” Bathed in the glow of hundreds of candles, the Chamber Singers invite
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ampa Museum of Art’s newest contemporary exhibition, David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed, presents 60 years of work by the acclaimed British artist. The exhibition features 140 prints, collages, photographs, and iPad drawings. A comprehensive survey of Hockney’s groundbreaking explorations in printmaking, video, and new media, Perspective Should Be Reversed highlights the artist’s signature motifs. Intimate portraits of friends and family, bucolic landscapes, Los Angeles swimming pools, vibrant interior spaces, and stage designs present a unique glimpse into Hockney’s visual world. It’s organized in five sections: On Stage and Page, Interiors and Exteriors, Tradition and Innovation, Ordinary Objects and Extraordinary Renderings, and Portraits of Self and Others. The Tampa Museum of Art is located at Cornelia Corbett Center, 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza Tampa. Info: www.tampamuseum.org.
N
ew Feet Within My Garden Go: The Poetry of Emily Dickinson runs November 21 to August 29, 2027 at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus. Selby Gardens continues its literary theme by presenting a new exhibition featuring the poetry of Emily Dickinson. A selection of Dickinson’s best-known, nature-inspired poems will be sited throughout the Historic Spanish Point campus. Accompanying the poems will be illustrations by artist Abby Wright and photographs of pages from Dickinson’s own herbarium, featuring her personal collection of pressed plants. The poems will also be narrated by Selby Gardens’ Artist in Residence, Patti Smith, who provided the inspiration for this multi-sensory experience. www.selby.org/visit.
100th anniversary of John Ringling Circus at the Asolo
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he Day the Circus Came to Town is a new show at the Asolo directed by Peter
highlights continued 16 WEST COAST WOMAN
NOVEMBER 2026
☞
season preview
ATOMIC HOLIDAY BAZAAR A HOLIDAY CRAFT SHOW WEAR YOUR BEST AURA. COME SHOP WITH US.
SAT. DEC. 12 SUN. DEC. 13, 2026 NOON - 5PM ROBARTS ARENA AT THE SRQ FAIRGROUNDS, SARASOTA, FL $6 ADULTS - 12 & UNDER FREE
highlights continued
ATOMIC TOTE BAGS FILLED WITH FUN SWAG TO THE 1ST 100 ADULTS WITH A PAID TICKET AT THE START OF EACH SHOW.
while extensive dance experience is also welcome.
Van Wezel partners with Azara Ballet
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he Van Wezel is partnering with Sarasota-based contemporary ballet company Azara Ballet to launch a new series of free All Abilities Dance Workshops, creating an inclusive space where people of all ages, abilities, and experience levels can move, connect, and discover the joy of dance.
The workshops are held in the Education Room at the Van Wezel. Classes are free and open to the public. The program welcomes well-trained dancers, dancers with disabilities, seniors, teens who dance, and those who have always wanted to dance but never had the opportunity. No previous dance experience is required,
The collaboration builds on the Van Wezel’s commitment to arts education and community engagement “I am proud that the Van Wezel can amplify the incredible mission-based work that Azara Ballet is doing,” said Justin Gomlak, Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Van Wezel. “It is so important to reinforce that dance is for everybody who has a body, and the joy of expression that movement brings is an essential part of the work we are doing together.” “For us, inclusion is about allowing people the opportunity to be themselves and find that connection with dance. There isn’t one specific way that someone has to look, move or experience the world to be a part of dance,” said Joshua Stayton, Artistic Director of Azara Ballet. “When people feel comfortable and supported, they can find that joy within the work, and that’s something we want everyone to experience.” Registration: www.forms.cloud. microsoft/Pages/AzaraBallet
We LOVE The ARTS ARTS!!
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A OT M I C
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Rothstein. Asolo Rep will commemorate the 100th anniversary of John Ringling moving his Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus to Sarasota with a world premiere docu-musical. Inspired by dozens of interviews with legends in Sarasota’s Circus Community, The Day the Circus Came to Town is a celebration of the generations of Circus Artists who astonished, amused, and charmed the nation one train stop at a time. Through story and song, you get to peek behind the canvas at the back lot, clown alley, life on the road, and being center ring of the Greatest Show on Earth. It will featuring a cast of actors, acrobats, aerialists and of course, a singing Ringmaster accompanied by the Circus Band. Tickets: www.asolorep.org/show/ the-day-the-circus-came-to-town.
THE WORKSHOP SERIES DATES: t November 20 at 5:30 p.m. — Street/Hip Hop with Drew Robinson t December 11 at 5:30 p.m. — Ballet with Rebecca Kimsey t January 15, 2027, at 5:30 p.m. — Musical Theatre with Baylie Dockins t February 19, 2027, at 5:30 p.m. — Ballroom Dance TBD instructor t March 12, 2027, at 5:30 p.m. — Contemporary with Baylie Dockins t April 23, 2027, at 5:30 p.m. — Jazz with Drew Robinson
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928-2056
westcoastwoman@comcast.net
www. WestCoastWoman .com NOVEMBER 2026 WEST COAST WOMAN 17
season preview
2027 LECTURE SERIES ✱ PAINTING LANGUAGES ✱ QIGONG YOGA ✱ MEDITATION ✱ BRIDGE SAMBA ✱ CANASTA SUPREME COURT ✱ THEOLOGY WELLNESS ✱ AMERICAN HISTORY LITERATURE & POETRY MOVIE & BOOK GROUPS MUSIC & ART APPRECIATION
Take a Backstage tour of area theatres
Climb aboard Discover Sarasota Tours’ Backstage Sarasota Trolley Tour
A
s a way of celebrating Sarasota’s Cultural Coast, Discover Sarasota Tours (DST) is partnering with three local theater organizations: Asolo Repertory Theatre, the Van Wezel, and Florida Studio Theater (FST) to offer a new Backstage Sarasota trolley tour.
The tour will provide access to see how the magic of theater is created. This three-hour POP UP tour is offered November 7 and March 6, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and departs from the DST Trolley Cottage Gift Shop on Fruitville Road in downtown Sarasota.
WEEKLY FORUMS ✱ PIANO LESSONS WORLD POLITICS & CURRENT EVENTS FILM FESTIVALS ✱ JAZZ NIGHTS AUTOBIOGRAPHY iPHONE & iPAD ✱ NATURE WALKS BIRDING ✱ WOMEN’S GROUP SUNDAY CONCERTS BROADWAY BIOS ✱ WINETASTING SPECIAL ONE-TIME EVENTS & MUCH MORE! Programs Available In Person and on Zoom
Guests will begin with an exclusive visit to the state-of-the-art production and rehearsal facilities at the Asolo Repertory Theatre’s Robert & Beverly Koski Center to see exactly how stage magic is made. Behind every production is an exceptional team stringing the details together. “Guests will enjoy a firsthand look at the craftsmanship of professional theatre, exploring our massive, active scene shop where paint, prop construction, and scenic builds all happen,” said Delaney Eischen, Education & Engagement Manager. Traveling on Dolly The Trolley to the Van Wezel, guests will step onto the stage where a Van Wezel guide will allow you to get a peek behind the curtains to learn about the many hands that create thrilling shows.
567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, FL
www.TheEdCenter.org
email: Admin@TheEdCenter.org For a brochure call:
( 941 ) 383-8222
“You will see the ropes and pulleys that “fly” the scenery on and off the
stage, the movable orchestra pit, star dressing room, and loading dock where traveling shows back up their 18-wheelers load into the theater. All the while you’ll be dazzled by stories and anecdotes around the colorful world of show business,” said Mia Strickland, Assistant Director of Education and Community Engagement. The final stop is a chance to see improv performance and try out your skills. For more than 25 years, FST Improv has inspired audiences and students through world-class improvisation, offering classes, performances, and community programs for all ages and experience levels. “Join us for an engaging workshop and performance where you’ll discover the joy of saying ‘yes, and’ before watching FST Improv cast members turn audience suggestions into comedy,” adds Sarah Durham, Resident Artist/ Director of Improv. This interactive and engaging tour of the hidden aspects of theater can be booked at DiscoverSarasotaTours. com or by calling 941-260-9818. Tickets are $56.99 plus tax/handling and are limited to 30 people per tour.
Discover Sarasota Tours is a locally owned and operated tour company offering 18 different trolley tours of Sarasota and Venice. Their daytime informative and entertaining tours focus on the people, intriguing places, and stories that have shaped Sarasota’s and Venice’s rich cultural past. Their nighttime tour shows are original musical theater shows on wheels. Don’t miss their Trolley Cottage Gift Shop that carries a charming variety of Sarasota and Floridainspired gifts, cards, books and toys. There’s free parking in their spacious lot. Tour tickets and information available at DiscoverSarasotaTours.com or by calling 941-260-9818.
PA I D A D V E R T O R I A L
18 WEST COAST WOMAN
NOVEMBER 2026
season preview
DONATIONS NEEDED
The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton & Sarasota Offering two holiday concerts in December - plus lots more
Help a Survivor Start Over 1426 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota Mon-Sat | 10 AM-4 PM Drop-off behind building - honk at garage door
B
efore your holiday calendar fills up, leave a little room for the music! This December, The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton & Sarasota offers two ways to do that: a new Holiday Brass tradition and a collaboration with another local non-profit, Ring Sarasota, that puts handbells alongside the full orchestra. Both concerts are led by Dr. Robyn Bell, The Pops’ managing and artistic director. They share a love of holiday music, but each has its own sound and story. One brings a national tradition supporting women brass musicians to Sarasota for the first time. The other pairs the warmth of an orchestra with the clear, shimmering sound of handbells.
A new tradition
Holiday Brass Sarasota debuts Saturday, December 5, at 7 p.m. at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church, 6116 Crestwood Avenue, Sarasota. Presented by The Pops in collaboration with the International Women’s Brass Conference, the concert brings together professional musicians from Southwest Florida and beyond for an evening of holiday favorites. Trumpet soloists Amy Gilreath, Ginger Turner, and Vince DiMartino join a program featuring brass choir, bagpipes, steel drums, handbells, singer Stephanie Jabre, and members of the Bay Chorale. Rather than following a conventional stopand-start format, this continuous-flow concert lets one selection lead into the next, with performers appearing in different locations throughout the venue. There is always another sound to listen for! The celebration also supports a cause that reaches beyond the concert hall. Holiday Brass began in St. Louis in 1992 under Susan Slaughter, retired principal trumpet of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Today, concerts nationwide support the International Women’s Brass Conference, helping fund scholarships, new musical commissions, competition prizes, and programs that advance women brass musicians. Bell has twice served as guest conductor of Monarch Brass, an all-female ensemble of leading brass performers. For Sarasota audiences, the December concert is a chance to enjoy holiday music while supporting opportunities for the next generation. The inaugural event is sponsored by Amy Schachter.
Ring in the Holidays
On December 13 and 14, Ring in the Holidays brings The Pops together with Ring Sarasota, the area’s premier handbell ensemble. Performances take place
at Riverview Performing Arts Center on December 13 at 3:00 and 7:30 PM, and the Sarasota Opera House on December 14 at 7:30 PM. Handbells add a special sparkle to the holiday season. Their bright, ringing tones blend beautifully with the orchestra’s strings, winds, brass, and percussion. When else will you get to see a full orchestra and handbells live? It is also an easy invitation to extend: come with friends, make it a family outing, or share a musical afternoon or evening with someone who would rather spend time together than unwrap another thing. These concerts offer two entirely different experiences, so there is room to choose a favorite or enjoy both.
And the music continues
The Pops’ season carries on after the holidays with Broadway romance in Cheek to Cheek, a celebration of hitmakers in ‘80s Ladies, and an April finale, How Low Can You Go?, that gives the orchestra’s low voices their turn in the spotlight. December is full of fun with The Pops, with more reasons to return in the new year. For tickets, performance times, and the full season, visit ThePopsOrchestra. org or call 941-926-7677.
December:
Ring in the Holidays Featuring Ring Sarasota Handbell Ensemble Sunday, December 13, 3:00 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center Sunday, December 13, 7:30 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center Monday, December 14, 7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House
February:
Cheek to Cheek Featuring Tiffany Haas & Michael McCorry Rose Saturday, February 13, 3:00 p.m. at Neel Performing Arts Center Sunday, February 14, 3:00 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center Monday, February 15, 7:30 p.m. at Neel Performing Arts Center
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March:
‘80s Ladies Featuring Jazzmin Carson & Stephanie Jabre Saturday, March 13, 3:00 p.m. at Neel Performing Arts Center Sunday, March 14, 3:00 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center Monday, March 15, 7:30 p.m. at Neel Performing Arts Center
April:
How Low Can You Go? Sunday, April 11, 3:00 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center Monday, April 12, 7:30 p.m. at Neel Performing Arts Center
JOIN TODAY Be part of what’s next.
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PA I D A D V E R T O R I A L
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season preview
Major exhibits
with viewing in the U.S. and across the pond The Bayeux Tapestry Comes to England
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n view to July 11, 2027. For the first time since it was made nearly 1,000 years ago, the Bayeux Tapestry has returned to England. Following a historic agreement with France, the 70-metre-long tapestry, depicting events leading up to the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, is being loaned to the British Museum to July 2027. No year in the country’s history is more famous than 1066. It was the last time England was successfully invaded,
and it is the year from which the modern monarchy dates itself. One of the wonders of the medieval world, the Tapestry offers a vision of life in 11th-century England both before and after the Conquest, from castles, warfare and ships to clothing, food and furniture. The Tapestry is both a precious historical record and a remarkable work of art. Book way in advance to see the exhibit it has been selling out very fast. Visit www. britishmuseum.org
Mary Cassatt in Chicago to January 3
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ncompromising and fearless, Mary Cassatt (1844–1926) traversed a breathtaking artistic path. After training in Philadelphia in the early 1860s, Cassatt traveled to Europe largely on her own to study with noted teachers and experience the continent’s traditional and modern art firsthand. In 1877 she made the decision to join the French Impressionists—the only American to exhibit with them. It was in the years following the eighth and final Impressionist group show in 1886 that Cassatt produced some of her most innovative—and now celebrated—compositions.
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Met has Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock together
rasner and Pollock: Past Continuous at The Metropolitan Museum of Art charts the careers of Lee Krasner (1908–1984) and Jackson Pollock (1912–1956) in parallel, examining the distinct yet connected practices of these artistic peers and life partners. Running through January 31, 2027, it marks the first major New York presentation devoted to either artist in more than 20 years. Krasner and Pollock were emerging artists in New York when they met in 1942. They married in 1945 and moved to Springs, Long Island, where they remained entwined personally, artistically, and professionally until Pollock’s death in 1956. Pollock’s life’s work had secured his legacy, while the nearly three decades that
Krasner survived him marked some of the most transformative years of her career. The exhibition traces parallel lives and practices, first forged by lived experience and then shadowed by memory. It foregrounds the range and art historical significance of Krasner’s work while offering a sustained examination of Pollock’s rich and complex practice. www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/ krasner-and-pollock
Marking the centennial of her death, Mary Cassatt: After Impressionism examines her paintings, pastels, and prints of this pivotal period when she took her art making in new directions. In the prime years of her career—the late 1880s through the early 1900s—Cassatt pursued ambitious and experimental work, exploring the theme of mothers and caretakers with children, creating complex color prints, and undertaking an unprecedented mural commission for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Mary Cassatt: After Impressionism features over 75 paintings and works on paper. www.artic.edu/exhibitions
Roy Lichtenstein: Like New at the Whitney
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oy Lichtenstein changed the way we see images. One of the defining artists of the Pop art movement, he turned the visual language of mass culture, comics, advertising, consumer goods, and commercial
printing into some of the most recognizable images of the twentieth century. Roy Lichtenstein: Like New offers a bold reconsideration of Lichtenstein for the present. Bringing together 130 works made from the early 1940s through the 1990s, the exhibition traces how his early interest in perception and visual recognition shaped a career-long investigation into duplication, simulation, and image culture. The exhibition features many of Lichtenstein’s most celebrated works, including Look Mickey (1961), Girl with Ball (1961), Masterpiece (1962), Drowning Girl (1963), Happy Tears (1964), Little Big Painting (1965), Rouen Cathedral, Set III (1968-69), and more. Roy Lichtenstein: Like New also reunites, for the first time, all the works from Lichtenstein’s first exhibition of Pop-style work at Leo Castelli Gallery in 1962. whitney.org exhibits continued
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☞
season preview
exhibits continued The National Gallery of Art: Remember Me: Picturing African Americans in Early Photography
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ortrait photography served as a powerful means of representation for African Americans, capturing the depth and diversity of Black life and culture in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Remember Me highlights the roles of African Americans as both photographic subjects and creators by focusing on studio portraiture, an art form that relies on collaboration between photographers and sitters. Featuring approximately 70 works from the National Gallery’s collection, the exhibition illuminates how photography became an essential means for expressing community, aspiration, and personal identity. Many on view for the first time—the exhibition reveals how Black Americans embraced photography to define themselves, celebrate their communities, and challenge stereotypes during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
U.S. Retrospective of Marcel Duchamp in Philly
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Runs to March 14, 2027. https://www.nga.gov/
25th Anniversary Exhibition: Masterworks from the Neue Galerie
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his full-museum takeover will highlight some of the Neue Galerie’s most renowned artworks, including Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, 1907 as well as masterpieces from Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, and Richard Gerstl.
Know Before You Go: In May, the Upper East Side institution announced that it would merge with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2028. The merger won’t be complete until 2028, but the museum’s historic building has been closed this summer for restorations. This show will be your first chance to return to the museum’s galleries. Runs to January 11, 2027. www.neuegalerie.org
n 1912, the artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) began to question his occupation. He decided at the age of twenty-five to abandon the craft of oil painting. He also strove to make himself aloof from the art world in order to work as he pleased. Duchamp went on to become one of the most innovative and original figures in the history of modern art. Across six decades, he was associated with Cubism, Dada, and Surrealism. Yet Duchamp’s practice was one of continuous self-reinvention, impossible to categorize under any label. The first major U.S. retrospective dedicated to Marcel Duchamp in more than 50 years, this exhibition will explore the range and arc of this artist’s illustrious career. “Marcel Duchamp” will feature a chronological display of more than 300 works of painting, sculpture, film, photography, printed matter, exhibition design, and the unclassifiable works known as readymades. It will present Duchamp’s most renowned creations, including the provocative “Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2)” (1912); his magnum opus, “The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even” (1915-23); the iconoclastic “Fountain” (1917) and “L.H.O.O.Q.” (1919); “Box in a Valise” (1935-41), the artist’s portable museum of his own creations in miniature; and “Étant donnés” (1946-66), Duchamp’s final major work in which he reflected upon his lifelong artistic obsessions. the exhibition will be on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through January 31, 2027. A version of the exhibition will be presented in Spring 2027 at the Grand Palais in Paris, www.philamuseum.org
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women in business
Meeting special needs when seniors move WeCare Senior Relocation with owner
Kathy Parrish
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here have been many articles about children not wanting to take on their parents’ “stuff” like large furniture pieces from the ‘70s or equally large dish and silverware collections, assorted glassware, linens, pianos and lots and lots of knick knacks
Sadly, they’re seen as a burden and frankly, though they’re beautiful, expensive items, they don’t work with their children’s or grandchildren’s lifestyles who already have a houseful of “stuff” of their own. Then comes the day these same children find their parents need to move out of their large homes to a smaller residence or, in some cases, to an ALF for additional care due to declining health. It’s actually quite common and since there are so many details and “stuff” - that frustrates many a child or partner, it’s easy to see that outside help is needed. Enter WeCare Senior Relocation, a local company based in Englewood owned and operated by Kathy Parrish. Her company specializes exclusively on senior moves and situations like these. As owner, Kathy, has seen it all in her seven years in business in Florida and she’s got a tried and true process they put in play with each move. They will meet with families, parents or whomever to go over lots of details and prepare an estimate like all movers do. But there’s more to it than just an estimate. They make extra time to assure everyone that downsizing will be okay and can be worked out. It comes down to gently communicating that parents must
adjust to going to a smaller residence and that means parting with things that won’t work in their new location. This means that they may not need certain items any more like that heavy desk or grand piano. It’s a delicate conversation, different for every family or individual. “We’re a very personal mover. With seniors, especially frail ones, you have to have patience.” Kathy and her team will help with sorting and downsizing - and this is before they even lift a single box. They get the floorpan for the new destination and calculate how much will fit in a new location that’s often considerably smaller. This includes things like how much artwork will fit on the walls. She adds that they will communicate with all retirement facilities and ALFs - knowing, for example, where the elevators are and the easiest path to the new location. But Kathy also knows how to move through the emotional aspects that her clients are going through. Most people want to bring everything with them and they can’t part with cherished items they’ve had for decades. It’s a process for sure that involves gentle yet honest discussions that emphasize how life will be easier with less items and that starting anew with less will give them more time to enjoy life instead of taking care of rooms full of furniture. However, though many ALFs offer furnished units, “The majority take their own furniture,” she’s observed Through experience, Kathy has a suggestion that sounds like a brilliant solution. Throw a party, invite friends and neighbors, and put your items out and ask them to take what they like. This way things go to someone you know and who will continue to enjoy them. She and her team always emphasize the positives of starting anew with a fresh start, but admits it is hard. Her advice to families: start the process earlier and emphasize the benefits.
continued >>
NOVEMBER 2026 WEST COAST WOMAN 23
wib continued
After things have been sorted out and it’s time to pack up, WeCare Senior Relocation will take pictures of how things are placed inside cabinets and such so they can replicate what they’re used to something especially helpful with people dealing with early states of mental decline. After that, they calculate how much time and labor to pack and how to unpack and make the move to a new home go quickly and efficiently. Kathy offers some great tips to families going through this process. Tips like skip the garage or estate sales. Your keepsakes will go for pennies on the dollar and besides it’s a lot of work. And do not get a storage unit, that just delays the process and creates more work down the road. But if you insist on an estate sale, they offer that service as well and they partner with estate management companies. She and her team come prepared with the layout and dimensions of the new place individuals are moving to so they know what will fit - and won’t. It’s her belief that people often delay moving because they “have so much stuff. “Our job is to go in and work with them and offer downsizing help.” You name it Kathy has seen it: Hummel figurines, fine Lenox pieces and lots of collectibles. Most of her packers are female as that seems to work best. “We do one room at a time and say to them ‘just sit there and look beautiful.’” This means in addition to less furniture and knick knacks, but also less bedding, pots and pans and kitchen supplies. With that reduced or eliminated, she tells them, “You’ll be able to enjoy your life.” But if there’s that old chair they really like, “Let ‘em keep it,” she says. After everything has been packed, the move happens quickly and they set up everything as planned - they even make the beds. It’s very hands on and while they want to stay on track, her company is flexible. One client who was getting around with a walker said she could do her own packing. A few days passed and Kathy checked in with her and items weren’t packed. A course corrected was made. Some people still overpack and the items just won’t fit. They handle that, too. Kathy describes her service as “concierge - as much or as little as you need.” Kathy has been in the senior living business for 30 years. For 13 years she owned a Comfort Keepers franchise in the Kentucky area offering non-medical care. In Nashville, she worked as a sales
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director for a retirement community and later was a franchisee of A Place for Mom. What she found was that she really didn’t like working from home. Kathy is definitely a people person. So she and her husband started a seniors moving company in Nashville with just one truck and word of mouth kept them busy. Nine years go they moved to Sarasota and grew the business into the one it is today with 20 employees and four trucks. “I have my own trucks. I don’t outsource the mover. I am the mover, which is very unique about our business so my client is getting us from start to finish.” And she’s busy. While we were talking, three to fours moves were taking place that day alone. Kathy relies on her trusted team and prefers to do the bigger moves. She “loves managing moves. When you’re finished they [clients] can’t believe it they say this is home.” Some will even say why didn’t I do this sooner. Kathy’s company is usually set up in teams. There’s the team that meets the family, does the sorting and gives the estimate. Then there’s the team that packs and the team that does the literal heavy lifting. “Even after the move, we provide ongoing support, ensuring you’re settling in well and addressing any additional needs or concerns that may arise,” which has to be assuring after such a major life event. Kathy attributes her understanding of people’s lives as part of her upbringing in southeast Kentucky. It’s a rural area where family was important. “We were always taught to be good to people,” she says. Kathy also has a can do attitude and is high energy with the ability to manage many moving parts as is the literal definition of her business. And yes, there are associations in this field such as NASM, The National Association of Senior Move Managers. As for certifications, Kathy is a Certified Relocation Transition Specialist.
For more information: Kathy Parrish,CSA,CRTS,
Owner/WeCare Senior Relocation www.WeCareSeniorRelocation.com or call 941-380-6683
in your community
Senior Friendship Centers Programming
Upcoming “Joyful Journeys” Author Series and “Aging Proudly” Wellness Series for LGBTQ+ Older Adults Joyful Journeys
Senior Friendship Centers continues its “Joyful Journeys” author series that celebrates storytelling and regional authors, inviting them to share the ideas, experiences and inspiration behind their work. Programs include author presentations, lively discussions and Q&A sessions, with opportunities to connect with fellow book lovers. Sessions are on Thursdays, 5-6:30 p.m., at Senior Friendship Centers, 1888 Brother Geenen Way, Sarasota. Admission is free and light refreshments will be provided. Registration is required at www. friendshipcenters.org/specialevents. For more information, visit friendshipcenters.org.
Upcoming programs include: Thursday, Nov. 12, 5–6:30 p.m.: “Sarasota Sister Cities: Sixty Years of Citizen Diplomacy” by Raymond A. Young and Craig H. Hullinger. Young will explore the history of the Sister Cities Association of Sarasota, founded in 1963, and the people, exchanges and events that have helped connect Sarasota with communities around the world. “Sarasota Sister The book Cities: Sixty Years of also examines Citizen Diplomacy,” by how a mid-size Craig H. Hullinger and Raymond A. Young city manages international sister-city relationships and highlights the volunteers who have helped sustain the organization through the decades. Young served on the Sister Cities Association of Sarasota board for 15 years in several roles and wrote the book with fellow board member Craig Hullinger. An emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Young taught and conducted biomaterials research for 30 years. Thursday, Dec. 3, 5–6:30 p.m.: “Sarasota Audubon Society: An Historical Perspective” by Kathryn Young and Raymond A. Young. The authors trace the evolution of the Sarasota Audubon Society from the original Sarasota Bird Club of the 1950s through the development of the Celery Fields and construction of the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center. The book also recognizes the volun-
teers whose conservation efforts helped preserve the Celery Fields as a prime birding location and led to its designation as part of the Great Florida Kathryn Young and Birding Trail. Kathryn Young Raymond A. Young discovered a passion for birding after moving to Florida with her husband, Raymond, in 2004 and joining Sarasota Audubon Society. She has served on its board for many years in a variety of roles, including activities director, monthly programs and education chair, and currently serves as first vice president. Raymond Young is an emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a former Fulbright graduate student and Senior Fulbright Scholar.
“Aging Proudly” Wellness Series for LGBTQ+ Older Adults
Growing older can bring new health challenges for anyone. But for many LGBTQ+ older adults, decades of stigma, discrimination and social isolation can create additional barriers to finding trusted healthcare, support and community. This series is designed to help bridge those gaps through candid conversations, practical information and connections to community resources. “Aging Proudly: A Wellness & Resource Series for Older Adults” runs monthly through March, bringing together healthcare professionals and community partners for conversations about sexual wellness, HIV prevention and treatment, mental health, healthcare advocacy, healthy aging and community resources. Programs are free and open to everyone, with registration requested. Sessions are held 5-6:30 p.m. at the Senior Friendship Centers Sarasota Activity Center Library, 1888 Brother Geenen Way, Sarasota. For details and registration, visit www.friendshipcenters.org/special-events/. According to research cited by the Susan Terry Foundation, LGBTQ+ older adults may face health disparities, social isolation and barriers to healthcare rooted in a history of stigma and discrimination. The foundation also reports that approximately 54% of the more than 1.1 million people living with diagnosed HIV in the United States in 2023 are age 50 or older. “Older adults are dating, falling in love, enjoying intimacy at every age, and too often the healthcare conver-
sation hasn’t caught up with that,” said Declan Sheehy, chief advancement officer at Senior Friendship Centers. “Many LGBTQ+ older adults spent decades learning that a doctor’s office wasn’t a safe place to be fully honest. Aging Proudly is about changing that, with straight answers, affirming providers, and a room full of people who understand.”
Upcoming sessions include: Thursday, November 19: “Understanding HIV Diagnosis, Care, and Treatment” with Dr. Tanya Schreibman, CAN Community Health. The session will provide current information about what happens after an HIV diagnosis and how modern treatment can support long, healthy lives. Dr. Schreibman, medical director of CAN Community Health, is board certified in infectious diseases Dr. Tanya Schreibman, medi- with subspecialty cal director of CAN interests in HIV Community Health and hepatitis. Thursday, December 17: “Living Well as We Age with Intention” with Dr. Noah Lee, CAN Community Health. A whole-person approach to maintaining health, wellness, independence and quality of life. Lee is medical director of Dr. Noah Lee, medical director of Mid- Midland Medical land Medical Center Center in Fort Lauderdale, in Fort Lauderdale where his work focuses on primary care, prevention and wellness. Thursday, January 21: “Senior Behavioral Health and Resiliency” with Giselle Bolt and Tracy Burbine, CAN Community Health. A discussion about mental health, community connection
Giselle Bolt, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at CAN Community Health and Tracy Burbine, a mental health provider and qualified supervisor in Florida
and challenges that can arise with aging. Bolt is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with more than 20 years of experience, while Burbine has worked as a therapist and researcher in a variety of clinical settings. Thursday, February 18: “Advocating for Yourself in the Healthcare System” with Tamia Spearman, CAN Community Health. Participants will learn tools for communicating confidently, understanding healthcare options and seeking respectful, affirming care. Spearman has more than 20 years of experience in the medical field and holds a Master of Public Health degree. Thursday, March 18: “Navigating Your Lifelong Wellness and Community Resources” with Kate Quiros, CAN Community Health. The concluding session will connect participants with programs, people and resources that can support lifelong wellness. Quiros, a Ryan White Program coordinator, helps individuals navigate healthcare systems and connect with essential resources and affirming care. “Senior Friendship Centers, Project Pride and their partners have put together a programming framework that will speak directly to the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ seniors,” said Ray Carson, executive director of the Susan Terry Foundation. “It’s long overdue. This is an important step forward.”
About the Susan Terry Foundation
The Susan Terry Foundation was established to honor the life and legacy of Susan Terry, an advocate for equitable healthcare access, compassion in service, and community-driven wellness. The Foundation advances programs and partnerships that reduce health disparities, promote HIV prevention/care and support underserved populations. To learn more, visit www.susanterryfoundation.org.
About Senior Friendship Centers
The mission of Senior Friendship Centers is to build vibrant communities by advancing wellness, connection, and enrichment throughout the journey of aging. Since 1973 this organization has served people 50 and older in Sarasota, Charlotte, DeSoto, and Lee counties with programs and services including activity centers, lifelong learning, dining centers and meals delivered to the homebound, caregiver support, adult day services, supportive aging services, and volunteer opportunities. For more information visit www.friendshipcenters.org.
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dining in
All about the humble cranberry
Fun and surprisingly easy ways to use the seasonal berry
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n 2020, the U.S., Canada, and Chile accounted for 97% of the world production of cranberries. Most cranberries are processed into products such as juice, sauce, jam, and sweetened dried cranberries, with the remainder sold fresh to consumers. Cranberry sauce is a traditional accompaniment to turkey at Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners in the
Cranberry Coffee Cake with Almond Crunch This almond-scented cranberry coffee cake is not overly sweet and studded with bursts of tartness. Chopped almonds add some crunch to the already crisp crumbs, and almond extract provides aromatic nuttiness to the tender cake. YIELD: one 8" square or 9" round coffee cake Ingredients: CRUMBS 1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes; at room temperature 6 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted if lumpy 2 teaspoons Vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt cut into 1/2" cubes; at room 1/2 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen; temperature roughly chopped 2 teaspoons Vanilla *Whole milk or full-fat yogurt (about 5% 1/4 cup whole almonds, roughly fat) preferred for the most tender cake. chopped GLAZE CAKE 2 tablespoons cranberries, fresh or 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon Unbleached frozen; roughly chopped All-Purpose Flour, divided 2 tablespoons water, hot 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted if 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder lumpy 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 teaspoon baking soda *Or dust with confectioners’ sugar. Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8” square pan with a parchment sling or reusable silicone liner, then lightly grease the sides of the pan. Alternatively, line a 9” cake pan with a round piece of parchment or round reusable liner and lightly grease the sides. To make the crumbs: Measure flour by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Whisk together flour, sugars, and salt. Add butter and vanilla; toss to combine. Using a bowl scraper, a fork, or your fingers, work in butter until crumbs form and no dry spots remain. The crumbs should be irregular, ranging in size from a pea to walnut. Add almonds and toss until incorporated. Set aside. To make the cake: In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add butter and mix at low speed using an electric hand mixer or the flat beater attachment of a stand mixer until mixture looks sandy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in eggs and extracts, then mix until no dry spots of flour remain. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl and beater attachment as needed; the mixture will be thick. Add yogurt or sour cream all at once before starting to mix. Stir until the batter is smooth. Stop to scrape the bowl and then mix again at medium-low speed for 30 seconds-1 minute; this final mix is key to ensuring the best texture, so don’t skip it. Combine cranberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and toss to combine. Add floured-coated cranberries (and any residual flour) to the batter and mix until incorporated. To assemble cranberry coffee cake: Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly all the way to the edges. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over the top of the batter. Gently press to adhere. Bake cranberry coffee cake for 52-56 minutes, until it’s set in the middle and the crumbs are golden brown. The coffee cake is done when a toothpick or paring knife inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Remove cranberry coffee cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. While the coffee cake is cooling, prepare the glaze. To make glaze: Finely dice the cranberries and place them in a small bowl. Pour the hot water over the diced cranberries, then cover for 10 minutes. Strain cranberries through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the cranberry liquid. Press firmly to release the most vibrant and flavorful liquid; discard the diced cranberries. In a separate small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, and 2 teaspoons of cranberry liquid. Add additional cranberry liquid (1/2 to 1 teaspoon) as needed until the glaze is the consistency of molasses. Gently lift cranberry coffee cake from the pan using the overhanging edges of the parchment as handles. (If you used a silicone liner or parchment round, run a nylon spreader or dull knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake.) Place cake, still on the parchment if a sling was used, on a wire rack to cool slightly. Drizzle glaze over the cranberry coffee cake.
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U.S. but also in Canada, and at Christmas dinners in the United Kingdom. The name cranberry derives from the Middle Low German kraanbere (English translation, craneberry), first named as cranberry in English by the missionary John Eliot in 1647. Around 1694, German and Dutch colonists in New England used the word, cranberry, to represent the expanding flower, stem and petals resembling the neck, head, and bill of a crane.
Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Balls This easy appetizer recipe imbues the classic holiday cheese ball with jubilant pops of red and green and a twist: tangy cranberry chevre. Plan accordingly—the cheese mixture requires two hours of resting time in the fridge before assembly. Ingredients: 1 log Cranberry Chevre (seasonal - often sold at Trader Joe’s) 1 package cream cheese 1 teaspoon juice from a lemon Pinch sea salt
3/4 cup Dry Roasted and Salted Pistachio Nutmeats, crushed into small pieces 1/4 cup dried cranberries, very finely diced
Instructions: Add cheeses, lemon juice, and salt to food processor bowl. Pulse to bring mixture together, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Continue to process until mixture is smooth, 1-2 minutes. Lay a square of cling wrap large enough to cover cheese ball on work surface. Scoop cheese mixture into center of wrap, then gather wrap up on all sides, gently shaping the mixture into a ball. Twist the ends of the cling wrap tightly; refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Arrange pistachios and cranberries on a clean work surface. Remove cheese ball from fridge and unwrap. Scoop a heaping teaspoon of cheese mixture and gently roll into a ball shape. Coat with pistachios and cranberries. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate cheese balls until ready to serve.
Cranberry Mousse This light variation of a fruit mousse is made with sweetened cranberry puree folded into an Italian meringue. The purée is thickened by its own natural pectin and is firm enough to hold the mousse without using gelatin. Using meringue in place of whipped cream makes this dessert no fat, with the exception of the whipped cream topping, of course. Ingredients: 1 cup Sweetened Cranberry Puree 2 cup Italian Meringue 8 mint Leaves 24 Frosted Cranberries Whipped Cream ITALIAN MERINGUE: 1¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water 5 egg whites FROSTED CRANBERRIES: 24 cranberries ¼ cup superfine sugar 1 egg white, lightly beaten
Instructions: Servings: 8 Prepare Italian Meringue (see below). Prepare Frosted Cranberries (see below). Fold 2 parts Italian Meringue with 1 part Sweetened Cranberry Puree until fairly well blended. Spoon into decorative glasses. Chill for 1 hour. Just before serving top with whipped cream and garnish with mint leaf and frosted cranberries. Italian Meringue: Pour sugar and water into small saucepan and turn on medium heat. Place on medium heat and stir mixture until sugar is dissolved. Using pastry brush and water, brush sugar crystals from inside of pan. Once sugar has dissolved, bring to rolling boil. Do not stir sugar solution once it begins to boil. Boil to the soft-ball stage. Whip egg whites with electric mixer until they form soft peaks. Once sugar solution has reached soft-ball stage, remove from heat. Set aside for approximately 1 minute. Add sugar solution to egg whites while beating constantly. Beat until firm and glossy peaks form. Frosted Cranberries: Gather all ingredients. Paint each cranberry with egg white using small paintbrush, or place cranberries directly into small bowl containing the lightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle with superfine sugar. Set on parchment paper or wax paper. Chill until ready to use.
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