February, 2012
Ringling in Bloom Flourishes in its Second Year
By Jessi Smith on February 29, 2012
Our summer wardrobes were only in retirement for the blink of an eye, making it difficult to tell whether or not winter actually came to Sarasota at all this year. Spring, however, has clearly begun to blossom, and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art’s 2nd annual Ringling in Bloom festival served as a delightful welcoming
Jon Hamm and the Sarasota Film Festival
By Blonde out of Water on February 28, 2012
I was a late bloomer, and I thank my lucky stars every day that I was. I’m from a small town in Mississippi between New Orleans and Biloxi. We’re famous for meth, teenage pregnancy and spawning Brett Favre. I was a straight-A student and champion swimmer. When the other kids were going to dances and proms, I was swimming 300 laps a day and
Home, Heart and You!
By Kimberly Braun on February 28, 2012
Walking up to Laurel Phipps’ house, we are greeted by prayer flags and a patio set with chairs opened outward, seeming to say, "Sit here, sit here." We decline the unspoken request and ring the doorbell, which brings our hostess’ warm smile and open heart. The first colors meeting our eyes upon crossing the threshold are blue-greens and warm
The Dating Duo Does Blu Que Island Grill
By The Dating Duo on February 28, 2012
The last time we saw The Dating Duo they were on their way from the James Turrell Skyspace at the Ringling Museum to Blu Que Island Grill on Siesta Key in search of a pleasant atmosphere and pretty colors. When the Dating Duo arrive at Blu Que it is raining. But have no fear, Blu Que has valet parking and the wrap-around deck is dry;
Get to Know the Sarasota Opera: Lee Poulis
By Kaye Warr - The Dining Diva on February 27, 2012
Tall, dark and handsome, Harvard graduate Lee Poulis is serious about three things: opera, food and the law. I had the privilege of attending a performance of Lucia Di Lammermoor at the Sarasota Opera House on Thursday, Feb. 23, and Lee’s incredibly commanding performance (as Lucia’s cruel and selfish brother Enrico) was one of the reasons
Sharing a SAM: How a Hotel Regular Renewed my Faith in Mankind
By Keely Carney - New Girl in Town on February 27, 2012
Forget Team Edward versus Team Jacob, Team Angelina versus Team Jennifer; today I am voting for Team Human. I choose this team for the increasingly rare opportunity to celebrate my membership. I celebrate the good I see that remains, and the ways man can enhance the life of another. And all of my celebrating is due to a simple interaction that I
This Weekend with Kirsten!
By TWIS Street Team on February 24, 2012
Kirsten shares her expertise on fun in the pub, fun in the studio and tons of fun in the sun. She knows how to kick off spring break season right! Come back next week for a video recap of all the
Get to Know the Sarasota Opera: Joshua Kohl and Sarah Asmar
By Kaye Warr - The Dining Diva on February 24, 2012
Joshua Kohl has a kind smile and a frank manner. His wife, Sarah Asmar, has a generous smile, a warm energy and a playful sense of humor. It’s a pleasure to interview the vivacious couple and I am intrigued by their backstory: Sarah and Josh were introduced to each other by a mutual friend named Maria D’Amato who happens to be performing the
Nine New Businesses to Open on Main Street LWR
By Candice McElyea on February 23, 2012
After a very successful 2011 on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch, nine additional new businesses will be added to the popular shopping and dining center over first few months of 2012. Soma, a national franchise owned by Chico’s, will open in March. Soma sells lingerie and intimates for women and will open right next door to Chico’s. Premier
The Ins and Outs of Restaurant Menu Planning
By Jack Littman-Quinn on February 23, 2012
People rarely think about the time and attention a chef puts into planning a restaurant’s menu. After all, how hard can it be to create a list of the items being served? In reality, the days of a legal-sized sheet of paper with a listing of dishes are gone. Today’s chefs see their menu as an extension of their culinary vision: something
Last Weekend in Sarasota Hits the Salon, the Pub and the Luau
By Sara Stovall on February 22, 2012
Kirsten and Blonde Out of Water drop in at MarkAngel Salon to show a peek of the royal treatment they received there on Valentine's Day, then Kirsten shows us the sights and sounds of Saturday's show at the Cock & Bull Pub with Room Full of Strangers, Villanova Junction, Physical Plant and Buffalo Wizards. Finally she takes us to a lush
Love, Sex and Bodypaint at St. Pete’s ArtPool
By April Doner on February 22, 2012
When folks ask me what it was like going to New College, the one thing I'm always able to say is, "It was the kind of place where there was such a concentration of unique, independently-spirited and creative people that it was easy to take them for granted. It only hits you when you leave school and start to hear about the wonderful things they're
He Sez: My Date With Blonde Out of Water
By A Man Immersed on February 21, 2012
What?! I walked in to a boutique … something I have literally never done, let alone on a Friday night with a name tag that had a little sparkly pink heart on it. All right, let’s be honest: they had me at "open bar." Two buds and I were the only younger fellas there, a scene we’ve become all too familiar with in
She Sez: The Night Someone Decided to Man Up
By Blonde out of Water on February 21, 2012
A few weeks ago I wrote a column about my complete frustration with the dating scene in Sarasota. I’m newer to Sarasota, four months out of the gate, single for the first time in 10 years. I’ve noticed a peculiar dynamic afoot that I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s as if the men in this town have lost their ability to hunt. Are we women
A Diptych, Adventures in Licensing, and “Mass Art” vs. Originality
By April Doner on February 21, 2012
About a month ago I met a friend of a friend by chance while hanging out at Cafe Palm who has offered me an exciting and philosophically provocative opportunity. Here is the tale, and some beginning stages of two paintings to come: This delightful fellow got ahold of my Aprilart "flippy books" (always in my purse to help me answer the
Ringling Picnic – Food Truck Lot in Downtown Sarasota!
By TWIS Street Team on February 21, 2012
Ringling Picnic - An Outdoor Dining Experience - is a collection of the area's finest food trucks. No fair food here - just artisan, gourmet food served simply, to be eaten outside at our picnic tables or taken with you. They keep things interesting with new menus and trucks rotating in and out, so like their page so you can keep up with
This Weekend With Kirsten!
By TWIS Street Team on February 17, 2012
Mardi Gras! Birthdays! Exotic cars! LGBTQ potlucks! Rock and roll! And a really cute giggle at 2:02. All this and more in store for you in today's weekend preview from our darling hostess, Kirsten Sponseller. Come back and see us on Tuesday for the video
