• Joe on the Go: Making the rounds on Election Night

  After all the hoopla leading up to it, Election Night turned out to be a rapid-fire affair in terms of learning who won and who lost. Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent and her staff released the early voting and absentee numbers at 7 p.m. on May 14 and posted the final results 15 minutes later in what Dent described as “record time” for a city election.

  

• This Weekend in Sarasota with Kirsten

  “Can you feel the love?” Kirsten asks. “If not, then come a little closer. I choose to be happy, so take my advice and be a part of what’s going on this weekend. I love you too much to steer you in the wrong direction.”

• The First Brass of Sarasota helps provide troops with free calls home

  The First Brass of Sarasota and non-profit organization Cell Phones for Soldiers are asking Sarasota residents to help troops call home by donating their gently-used cellular phones. By donating used cellular phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers, Sarasota residents can provide troops with a precious connection to loved ones back home.

  

• In Sarasota, a good Cuban restaurant is hard to find

  Offering authentic Cuban cuisine in a quaint, simple, casual, cafeteria-like setting, with large portions and wallet-friendly pricing, Rincon Cubano is one of the best-kept secrets in Sarasota. However, whenever authenticity, quality and value come together like this, it is hard to keep it a secret!

  

• Memorial Day concert breaks out the brass, pipes and drums

  The Jacobite Pipe and Drum Band and its partners will collaborate on the 7th Annual Memorial Day Concert, to be presented May 26 at 3 p.m. in the Church of the Palms. This spirited afternoon concert will honor veterans, inspire patriotism and embrace freedom, with music to entertain, stories to educate and cell phones to provide communication tools for soldiers to talk to their families while serving our country.

  

• Local filmmakers blend fact and fiction in tragic fairytale

  In an interview with Van Jazmin, independent film director and writer VIncent Dale says, “I want audiences to realize that when you walk out of the theater, you’re not walking away from the story; you’re walking deeper into it. … If I can make life more exciting or more connected for people, I’ve fulfilled my job as a storyteller.”

  

• Young playwrights descend on Sarasota

  This week, the Florida Studio Theatre finished this season’s “Write A Play” program, in which 21 winning plays from over 3,000 submissions were staged by a small FST cast. Over 300 people, including the winning young playwrights and their families, traveled to Sarasota to watch their plays and receive recognition at an awards ceremony.

  

• TWIS = This Week Is Steamy

  Chef Judi attests that the steamer clams from Lotsa Lobster are the real deal and well worth a trip down the South Trail, even if you live in Lakewood Ranch. Order ahead, and trust us—this summer is going to be filled with good eatin’ clams from the shores of New England.

  

• 2013-14 community theater auditions and season at a glance

  Whether your a seasoned thespian or want to try out for your very first on-stage experience, you’ll find the Backstage Blogger’s guide to the upcoming community theater season and rounds of auditions very useful!

  

• PREEN & CHIC: Party town!

  Eduardo Anaya takes a look back at a social season that gave us great memories, outstanding events and exciting new ventures to look forward to. But just because the tourists are taking off doesn’t mean the locals are shutting down! Check out Eduardo’s list of three must-attend events coming up this week.

  

Other News

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Joe on the Go: The final push — and does it really matter?

by Joe Hendricks / on May 10, 2013 at 5:57 am /

With less than a week remaining in the hotly-contested campaign for the two at-large Sarasota City Commission seats, the debate between candidate supporters is running at a fever pitch, with emails flying, online debates raging and allegations of campaign improprieties contributing to the last-minute political maneuvering leading up to the May 14 election.

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This Weekend in Sarasota with Kirsten

by Kirsten Sponseller / on May 10, 2013 at 1:46 am /

Mothers’ Day is coming up this weekend. If you haven’t made any plans by now, Kirsten Sponseller has some great suggestions for you.

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Andres Colin brings diversity to Sarasota’s original music scene

by Sara Moone / on May 8, 2013 at 7:24 pm /

If you hang out in the bars and restaurants of downtown Sarasota and Siesta Key, chances are you’ve heard Andres Colin. This Friday, Colin, his songs and a backup band of his favorite fellow musicians will take center stage during a special concert at The Cottage Restaurant to celebrate the release of Colin’s second album, Universal Universe.

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4th annual Harvey Milk Festival ready to rock downtown

by Anthony Paull / on May 7, 2013 at 12:37 am /

The 4th annual Harvey Milk Festival (HMF) is slated to return to downtown Sarasota for three days of music, film and art in celebration of LGBTQ equality. Last year, the festival stole the national spotlight thanks to performances by indie music heavyweights, drawing over 5,000 festival-goers. This year, it promises to be even bigger with film, art and a lineup of nine emerging local and national music acts.

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PHOTO GALLERY: Ladies Relax After 5

by Emarie & Petr Marcan / on May 7, 2013 at 12:16 am /

Aphrodisiacs were theme of this free evening of relaxation, a collaboration between hostess Dayle Hoffman, The HuB and many local businesswomen. All the senses were turned on by decadent appetizers, both sweet and savory, cool music, fashions by Jockey and inspiring talks by some of the city’s most fascinating women.

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The Backstage Blogger sets sail again with “Vocal Vixens”

by Kathryn Parks / on May 6, 2013 at 11:59 pm /

After a few weeks of being “without a sail” in her life as an actress, Kathryn Parks returns to the stage on June 8 in a performance style she’s never explored before.

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