Cats, animal prints and burlesque … I refuse to be called a cougar but my topics are working against my argument! I guess I can live with the consequences; these events are worth it. I hope to see you there. Meow! Music on Main in Lakewood Ranchlakewoodranch.com/events/event.cfm?eveID=1234Manasota Budsmanasotabuds.org/Mike Harvey, Eureka California and The Send-Offs at Growler’s Pubfacebook.com/events/425407657505903/Westfield Sarasota Square WFamily Fun Daysfacebook.com/events/322508027846291/facebook.com/events/279764642137639/Cat Depot’s Cat Socializer Leash Walking Workshopcatdepot.orgwww.facebook.com/events/456449694388580/Ivory Lounge’s 1st Annual Animal Print Partyfacebook.com/ivorysarasota?ref=tsfacebook.com/events/131782056966976/Black Diamond Burlesque’s Sexy Anniversary Showfacebook.com/pages/McCurdys-Comedy-Theatre/72227951316facebook.com/events/330071047085223/?ref=ts9/9 celebration at the Cock & Bull Pubfacebook.com/CnBpubfacebook.com/events/339397436153366/

Carmel Café & Wine Bar brings a new experience to this town of foodies that has surely seen it all. Together with the time-honored qualities that we have come to expect of our local restaurateurs — great food, outstanding service and a convivial atmosphere — this latest in a local restaurant group presents the innovative MenuPad. This nifty device is provided tableside in the form of an iPad that allows diners to browse the extensive menu, complete with gorgeous high-resolution photos, before placing their order and even controlling the timing [...]

Lee Wetherington Homes is pleased to welcome Amy Baldwin-Smith, ASID to the design team as Director of Design. An interior design graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Baldwin-Smith has lived in Sarasota for 18 years. She will lead the design team at the expansive 5,000 square foot Lee Wetherington Homes Design Center located in Lakewood Ranch, FL. Baldwin-Smith’s extensive experience includes working at Robb & Stucky furniture store and design center, and she has designed model homes for builders including WCI Communities and Taylor Morrison. “Amy brings a wealth of experience and [...]

Neal Communities has risen to #67, up from last year’s #94, on BUILDER magazine’s top home builder rankings, based on number of closings in the United States in 2011. With 384 closings, the new ranking represents a 41% increase from 2010, which was the first year Neal Communities made the top 100 list. “To make such a giant leap on this list is a remarkable accomplishment for my team,” said Pat Neal, president of Neal Communities. “We have had three years of tremendous growth, which has allowed us to move forward [...]

Sarasota police chief to retire in October → Sarasota Police Chief Mikel Hollaway is a member of the state’s Deferred Retirement Option Program, which mandates that an employee receives additional pension dollars for five years before they must retire. Interim City Manager Terry Lewis announced at Monday’s Sarasota City Commission regular meeting Monday that Sarasota Police Chief Mikel Hollaway will retire in October. Hollaway, hired to replace former police chief Peter Abbott, has served two years as police chief and has 30 years of service with the department. Hollaway, 52, [...]

John Neal Homes is launching a new division that will offer a custom experience for buyers looking to create a uniquely designed home on their own lot. Taking advantage of the turning point in a recovering real estate market, the custom lot experience will be ideal for people who either already own their own site or are looking to purchase a site and need assistance. “After the market contracted, the ‘on your lot’ building industry all but vanished,” said John Neal, President of John Neal Homes. “Now is the perfect [...]