How can you walk on First Street without ever noticing the beautiful window displays at Juno & Jove?  Not only are they extremely creative, but they also display a fresh take on style. Olivia Bono is the owner of this eco-friendly boutique, which launched in 2006 and has since acquired amazing reviews and a local and international fan base. I love the store’s ethnic pieces and bold accessories; the hard-to-find designers bring luxury without harming Mother Earth. I caught up with Olivia this week and asked a few questions as she [...]

Hi Sarasota! I’m back at home bathroom … um, base today with an update on what’s happening this weekend. Not only will downtown host yet another free live music festival, but it’s the kickoff to Savor Sarasota Restaurant week! Watch the video for all the details. Something tells me this summer in Sarasota is going to rock. You all with me? Something catch your fancy? Here are links to Kirsten’s mentionables: – Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week savorsarasota.com – Best of Downtown Boutiques facebook.com/events/416632008376381/ – Mote Marine’s World Oceans Day mote.org [...]

Months ago, I jumped at the proposal that each of us TWISlers take on a story in the form of a love letter to one of their favorite places or people in Sarasota. As my “love interest,” I chose my neighborhood, Gillespie Park. Well, little did I know that this would be the spark to fan a flame that has been sleeping down deep in me, and that this flame would flare up mightily in the coming months, consume all of my previous plans and priorities and leave me here: [...]

Many adults fondly recall the day that they received their first driver’s license, which afforded them the independence to get behind the wheel of a car and go … well, anywhere! Suzy Wilburn, Director of Admissions and Student Services at Southeastern Guide Dogs, remembers that rush of exhilaration well. In an interview with This Week in Sarasota, she recounted “that feeling you get of giddiness, where you think, ‘I’m in control and I can do what I want, and I have this unfound freedom that I had no idea was [...]

City of Sarasota utilities director resigns → Interim city of Sarasota City Manager Terry Lewis said Utilities Director Javier Vargas resigned Wednesday over a difference of opinion on how the utilities department should be run. Sarasota interim City Manager Terry Lewis confirmed for the Sarasota Observer Thursday that city Utilities Director Javier Vargas resigned Wednesday afternoon, effective immediately. “There was a difference of opinion on leadership expectations and how I believe his department should be operated,” Lewis said. Asked if Vargas had any other options other than to resign, Lewis [...]

Now in its seventh year, the Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week, presented by Visit Sarasota County, starts on June 1, 2012 and runs through June 14, 2012. A foodies’ favorite enjoyed by visitors to Sarasota and the people who live here, participating Savor Sarasota restaurants offer specialty0priced multi-course lunches for $15 and dinners for $25. With more than 35 restaurants participating, the breadth of cuisines, style of restaurants and the various locations within Sarasota County provide a range of selections sure to please your palate and dining budget alike. Are you [...]