Diversions 8.28.14

Diversions

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014

A&E

Any Given Child ensures art education for area youth.

PAGE 4

A&E

Highlights: ‘Flying a Sign’ opens at Two Columns PAGE 6

HOME&GARDEN | HOME OF THE MONTH

BLACK TIE

Beyond the Business: Asparagus PAGE 7

by Robert Plunket | Contributing Writer

the music and the

MEMORIES A Siesta Key home masterfully embodies the Sarasota art world.

Photos courtesy of Premier Sotheby’s

The Rouchers’ airy living room was the location of many great Jazz Club parties. A triptych by Syd Solomon, at right, adds color to the space. The painting at center is by David Shapiro.

HOME&GARDEN COVER STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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DIVERSIONS

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014

// HOME&GARDEN : HOME OF THE MONTH

by Robert Plunket | Contributing Writer (continued from page 1)

the music and the

A

recent late summer morning found Nancy Roucher sitting in her living room, looking out at the spectacular view of Roberts Bay. It’s a bittersweet moment. She’ll be moving soon, relocating to a new apartment she’s purchased downtown in Bay Plaza.

“I hate to leave this house,” she said. “But I plan to make the most of it.”

Being closer to the Sarasota arts scene is an important consideration. After all, it’s a scene Nancy helped create. Twice director of the Arts Council and a nationally recognized authority on arts education, Nancy has been a reliable presence at every major — and many minor — arts events around town for 28 years.

She and her husband, Jerry, who died in October, were a power couple in the local arts world, a bridge from the inspired volunteer leadership of the old days to the highly polished professional arts administrators of today.

The home she and Jerry shared is quintessential Sarasota. Located on north Siesta Key, it has a view of mangrove islands and the north bridge. The clean lines of the Sarasota School of Architecture are clearly evident in its simple design and walls of glass.

And looking around the living room you can see that all the classic Sarasota names are represented. Animating one wall is a Syd Solomon triptych, one of his most colorful. A rare Jon Corbino ceramic plate hangs nearby. The piano Dick Hyman played every New Year’s Eve is in a corner. As midnight neared he would begin his own jazz improvisation of “Auld Lang Syne.”

There are more personal

MEMORIES A Siesta Key home masterfully embodies the Sarasota art world.

Photos courtesy of Premier Sotheby’s

Above, the home has a double dock on Roberts Bay. Near right, a two-story addition added a new master bedroom, with a shaded patio below. Far right, a dramatic staircase, looking out at tropical vegetation, connects the two levels.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014

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// HOME&GARDEN

lined private road, was designed in the early 1960s by William Zimmerman. It was a Sarasota School of Architecture classic — elegant, luxurious, and highly livable.

But it wasn’t quite perfect. With the help of designer Anne Folsom Smith, they enlarged and reconfigured the home to make it a haven for entertaining and family visits. And a recent redesign by Wilson Styles pared it down to an understated simplicity, with the subtle, high-end materials and pieces of furniture that have become his trademark.

The home’s star power is most evident in the living room. It has a high vaulted ceiling of bleached cypress, with the walls covered in neutral grey linen. Two matching Knoll sofas, in an eye-popping red, face each other across a coffee table Styles designed especially for the house. Looking down on the seating area is the Syd Solomon painting, an anniversary present from Jerry to Nancy. Annie Solomon, the painter’s widow, helped them pick it out.

The addition of a two-story wing helped make the house more flexible for visiting children — two daughters, Barbara of St. Louis and Roslyn, who lives in Israel — and five grandchildren. An outdoor living area next to the pool offers plenty of shade, while upstairs is an elaborate master suite with a balcony overlooking the view. There are two master baths, both exceptionally large. Nancy’s is 10 feet by 16 feet and is decorated with custom tiles by ceramicist Elle Leonard. *** But for all its features, there is something missing from the house. Jerry died last year after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease. If his presence isn’t there, though, his spirit is certainly felt.

Jerry was a Sarasota original who pretty much defined the word “mensch.” He was indeed

The vaulted living room opens directly to the swimming pool. In the background, the spacious dining room.

“someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character.” He was involved with a variety of local groups, including the Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee and Season of Sculpture, and he served as a docent at the Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg. But his pride and joy was the Jazz Club, which he ran for 10 years during its glory days.

Though Jerry played the clarinet and came from a musical family — his father, in his youth, played with a circus band — his true passion was the exalted enthusiasm he lavished on the American-born art form. He loved everything about it — the music, the people, the excitement of putting performances and festivals together.

Nancy is in the process of clearing out Jerry’s office, tucked away behind the living room. It’s full of pictures and mementos of his Jazz Club adventures, but

what stands out the most is an old photograph. It was taken the night Jerry’s father took him to Chicago to see Louie Armstrong perform. There, backstage after the show, is Jerry at age 13, his father and the great Satchmo.

“It was a seminal moment in Jerry’s life,” Nancy said.

Nancy is busy packing now, deciding what to take, what to sell and what to give away. The home has just been placed on the market and there are a million details to attend to. Outside, seabirds swoop and dive, and an occasional boat passes. Inside it’s cool and bright and quiet, a peaceful home full of memories of lives well lived, good times, and — if you listen carefully — just the faintest echo of jazz.

842 Mangrove Point Road is priced at $2,975,000. For more information, call Joan Koplin of Premier Sotheby’s at 315-3221.

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touches, too. An ornate brass samovar, which Nancy’s grandmother brought from Poland when she immigrated in the late 1800s, sits in the dining room. It’s a reminder that this is first and foremost a home where family counted most. *** The Rouchers discovered Sarasota when Jerry retired from the family-owned liquor distribution business back in Decatur, Ill. They were young for retirees, barely in their 50s.

“We could have gone anywhere,” Nancy said. “But we were small-town people, and we wanted a sense of community.

And Jerry wanted someplace warm.”

They worked their way across the state, scoping out properties and towns, until they arrived in Sarasota.

“We knew exactly one person here,” Nancy recalls, “but this is where our interests were. And the minute we drove down this street, we fell in love.”

The Roucher house, on an oak-

The house is set on two-thirds of an acre, with mature trees and many exotic tropical plants. There is 177 feet of water frontage.

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The master bedroom features bleached ash floors and a wall of windows overlooking the view.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014

// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT: SPOTLIGHT

Any Given Child paints a bright future for students

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This year, the Sarasota County Schools system is fostering creativity even more.

Venice Middle and Woodland Middle offer new orchestra programs. Heron Creek Middle has a new chorus. In October, 2,000 third-grade students will see Sarasota Ballet’s production of “The Secret Garden.” And Sarasota County Schools’ fourth-grade students will take a field trip to The Ringling.

All these occurrences are happening through Any Given Child Sarasota. It’s a program that ensures arts education for

kindergarten through eighth-grade students and is one of 14 similar programs around the nation.

Cities apply for the partnership program with The Kennedy Center, which provides professional guidance, strategic planning and resources but no financial assistance. Sarasota’s program funding comes from arts organizations and places such as the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Brian Hersh, based out of the Sarasota County Schools headquarters at The Landings, runs Any Given Child in Sarasota.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014

5

// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Equal opportunities through arts programs

When Hersh first evaluated the county’s art programs, he noticed Venice High School had an orchestra, but the middle school didn’t.

“You can’t just all the sudden start in high school,” he says. “They have to be sequential.”

His goal is to have every arts discipline represented at every school.

Equal opportunities of cultural experiences

Hersh explains that 52% of Sarasota students are on free and reduced lunches — a program students can qualify for based on family income.

Hersh says students from lower-income families might not get the opportunity to see cultural events with their parents, due to expense. These cultural experiences (i.e. seeing an opera, ballet, orchestra performance or the museum) need to happen during the day.

Hersh hopes that within three years, every grade will have its own cultural experience so students can have at least one cultural experience per year.

Arts integration

Arts integration means learning two disciplines simultaneously. For instance, Kennedy Center teaching artist Eric Johnson led a workshop to county dance teachers in how to teach fractions or percentages using their bodies, which they will apply in the classroom.

That’s another thing Any Given Child does — through a partnership with the Van Wezel, 125 teachers are signed up for a series of workshops on arts integration.

REAL-LIFE EX AMPLE Brentwood Elementary Principal John Weida has seen the impact of arts education in multiple instances.

One was when he worked at Booker Middle School and he taught a difficult male student. When Weida asked what would make him want to participate, the student said he wanted to join the File photo band. So Weida and the student reached John Weida an agreement: If the student joined the band he would give it his all. Two years later, the student no longer has disciplinary issues and was playing solos at school concerts.

“He found his meaning — music,” Weida says.

Weida hired a part-time coordinator of arts integration for the school to help link teachers and art programs and to support and organize arts-integration projects.

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In addition to that, Any Given Child sends educators to conferences. For instance, Brentwood Elementary Principal John Weida, one of his teachers and his newly hired arts-integration coordinator will attend an Arts Integration Conference June 23 through June 25, at The Kennedy Center.

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When Any Given Child came to Sarasota in 2011, Hersh was on the community arts team to help shape the vision and goals of the program. He’s a well-suited advocate for arts education: He’s the former Asolo Rep education and outreach director and before that worked with education programs at Lincoln Center in New York. He started the job in May 2013. He explains the three ways in which the program is working.

Importance of art

But why promote arts in the schools in the first place?

“That’s the big question,” Hersh says.

Aside from being proven to keep kids in school, that children are more likely to succeed in school, which brings them success later in life. Art also helps with critical thinking, which makes learning more enjoyable.

“Art makes the classroom an exciting place students want to go to school, and we can’t overlook that,” Hersh says.

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DIVERSIONS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014

// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT: HIGHLIGHTS

Join chef Tommy Klauber, of the Sarasota-Manatee Originals, on a field trip to farm fresh local clams with Two Docks Shellfish. Then head back in the kitchen as he prepares a lemongrass clam pan roast.

For the video and recipe visit:

YourObserver.com/InTheKitchen

Sally Pettibon’s “Flying a Sign” exhibition features photographs of unique signs from people asking for money on the side of the street. Right: Trulee Jameson, Pettibon and Jamie Jameson

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Photos by Heather Merriman

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SEASON Magazine is the area’s most comprehensive calendar of art performances, exhibitions and society events. SEASON will be inserted into the Longboat, Sarasota and East County Observers and Pelican Press. The publication is also available at local, freestanding racks and on YourObserver.com in a page-flip e-Edition.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014

// BLACK TIE: SOUTHERN CHARM

7

by Heather Merriman | Black Tie Editor

BEYOND THE BUSINESS:

ASPARAGUS S

ince her days working in an antique store on Park Avenue in Orlando, Elizabeth Bentley has had a dream to own a store. The southern raised mother of two, who moved to Sarasota 19 years ago after marrying her husband, Morgan, opened the store of her dreams, called Asparagus, in January 2013 in Towles Court.

This gem of a store, located downtown in the Historic Artists Colony on Links Avenue, is charming from the instant one walks up the porch steps of the building.

This charm continues though the shop, which offers personalized gifts and décor.

With the undeniable southern hospitality and warmth the store exudes, Black Tie wanted to go beyond the business. BT sat down with Bentley to get to know more about her — her family, her interests and her exceptional knack for gift-giving.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHAT TO SELL IN YOUR STORE?

First of all, I try to find things that not everyone in town has, something really unique, and then I really gear my choices towards entertaining, things I would use, things that I love. I love to cook, so when I buy things, I look for pure ingredients and gifts with great packaging and an artisan feel.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GOURMET FOOD ITEM?

Right now I’m obsessed with pickled ramps. Ramps come from the wild leek family and are only available for a short period of time during early spring. I was first introduced to these delicacies by my good friend Jan Bullard, when she brought me some pickled ramps back from her visit to Blackberry Farm, and I’ve been

in love ever since. In fact, I visited Blackberry Farm (wonderful culinary vacation destination) in June and in turn picked up some to share with some of my foodie friends. I love to share a good obsession.

WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS ON GIFTING?

I really get a kick out of gift giving. I think it’s a wonderful way to let someone know that you were thinking of them. I don’t think gifts have to be extravagant, but I think they should make the person receiving the gift feel special.

I always try to think of what the person is interested in and then search for something unique.

WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO GIFT?

Right now, some of my favorite go-to-gift items are the Turkish T Beach Candy wraps, Michael Aram candles and Bella Cucina Artichoke Pesto in a ceramic baking dish.

WHAT IS YOUR NEW FAVORITE ACCESSORY TREND?

The monograms — the bracelets, the necklaces, the key chains, I have them all. When I was growing up everyone had things monogrammed and I love that it’s coming back.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR FASHION STYLE? WHAT ABOUT YOUR INTERIOR DECORATING STYLE?

I would say I tend to be attracted to a more tailored, classic look. I’ve always been crazy about shirtdresses and think they have so much versatility. You can easily go from day to evening in a shirtdress. For interiors, I definitely lean towards a neutral palette with pops of rich colors with either accessories, pillow or artwork.

EVERYONE HAS A FAVORITE THING THEY LIKE TO BUY, WHAT IS YOURS?

Butter shoes — I just ordered another pair last week. I was initially attracted to the name, Butter, being one who loves butter, so I just had to check this shoe line out and I happily discovered that they were just my style. I love their flirty, feminine designs.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? I love doing anything creative. I love to try different recipes; I enjoy exploring different sites and reading magazines — I love my magazines. I get Garden and Gun, Traditional Home, Bon Apetit, Food & Wine, Southern Living, to name a few. I love to just sit with a glass of wine and go through them — that’s where I get a lot of my ideas.

Photo by Heather Merriman

YOUROBSERVER.COM // Visit our website to read more of this Q&A. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS?

We love to cook together. I have had them in the kitchen experimenting with recipes since they were both around 3 years old. I have always enjoyed cooking, so I naturally tried to incorporate my time in the kitchen with family time. As a result, my son’s favorite things to make are homemade pesto with walnuts and homemade pizza. My daughter is more into the artistic aspects of cooking, and as a result, she likes to bake and decorate.

YOU CAN’T START YOUR MORNING WITHOUT …

Oh my gosh, a latte — a grande latte, non-fat with two raw sugars — that and sunglasses.

WHAT ARE YOUR GUILTY PLEASURES?

Hors d’oeuvres — I love anything that involves gourmet cheeses, chutneys and a smooth pate. This is my favorite time of the day because, I’m not much a morning person and by the time cocktails and hors d’oeuvre hour arrives, it’s the perfect time to socialize with family and friends.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE?

I love inspirational quotes and certainly any quote from Lilly Pulitzer is a favorite in my book.

However, one of my all-time favorites that always stays with me is from one of my favorite movies, staring Rosalind Russell, Auntie Mame, “Life’s a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!”

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I named the store Asparagus after my maternal grandmother.

She had a love for Limognes Asparagus French porcelain boxes.

She had the most incredible taste and was a very social person, always hosting parties, and I felt like this was a tribute to her. I wanted to incorporate my family as much as possible — my dad did the logo.

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WHY ‘ASPARAGUS?’

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