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 Sarasota.   We quickly befriended the most important person in the room—the bartender—ate some chocolate, flirted with obviously-married grandmas and mistook some tightly-wrapped lady unmentionables for [...]

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 making it too easy for them? Since the breakup, my girlfriends have attempted three set-ups, all of whom had supposedly expressed interest in [...]

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 question “what kind of art do you do?”) and, after some serious flipping, declared that he liked my style. He gave me his business card, explaining that he’s an agent for artists to [...]

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 them! http://www.facebook.com/RinglingPicnic Video by Stephen McFadden

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 recap!

Everything old is new again … such is the case with Maximo. Originally located on Siesta Key, Maximo was a local favorite which closed a number of years ago. Now reopened  in a charming old building next door to the Sarasota Opera House at 1296 1st St., Maximo is serving fresh, flavorful fusion cuisine combining South African and Italian influences in a casually elegant setting. Recently, the Dining Diva and I had the opportunity to visit Maximo with our respective partners to share a meal and talk about our experiences. [...]