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By Jane Bartnett ’Tis the season for holiday shopping! We’re dedicating this month’s column to highlighting a number of local specialty stores right in our own back yard. We’ve discovered some hidden gems that hold quite an array of unique offerings for your holiday gift giving. Why not play Santa to yourself while you’re at […]
By Jane Bartnett Welcome to November, the start of the “season” in Sarasota. A number of exciting new restaurants are making debuts this fall, just in time for those special get-togethers with family and friends. In Gulf Gate, the long-awaited Opus SRQ restaurant and lounge has opened its doors as a new upscale eatery offering […]
By John Morton There’s nothing like enjoying Florida in an open-air vehicle, Ed Arsenault says, and with an ongoing push to create more parking for golf carts there may also be nothing more convenient. “The businesses and the county have been meeting to discuss the importance of creating more spaces for carts,” said Arsenault, owner […]
By Jane Bartnett “We’re the Cheers of Siesta Key,” said Clayton Thompson, the long-time owner of Clayton’s Siesta Grille, as he relaxed in the restaurant that bears his name. The Siesta Key landmark, found at 1256 Old Stickney Point Rd., has been a cherished dining establishment for close to 18 years. “People know us as […]
By Jane Bartnett Strolling the white sands of Siesta Key often brings people inspiration. For entrepreneur Chad Ramsey, founder and owner of the year-old Siesta Key Bikinis, a walk on the beach during the dark days of COVID-19 gave him the inspiration to launch a business in a brand new field.Newly relocated to the Sarasota […]
By Jane Bartnett Sassy … the Little Day Spa has opened its doors in Davidson Plaza, in the heart of Siesta Key Village. A sister business of the Sassy Hair salon next door to Foxy Lady on Beach Road, the new spa is “a dream come true” for co-owner Bobbie Tuccinardi who, along with her […]
By Hannah Wallace Rachel Paverman hadn’t left New Jersey in two years. She’d undergone three brain surgeries in 2019, and then the pandemic hit. This summer, when she and her boyfriend finally felt comfortable traveling again, the 27-year-old began researching potential low-key vacations. Her mother directed her to the Tiny House Siesta Instagram page. They […]
By John Morton The idea of 52 vendors on a 60-acre estate is a big thing, but it’s the little things that make the Phillippi Farmhouse Market so special. For starters, it’s run by volunteers. And Fred and Grace Whitehouse have served as managers of this massive production for 11 of its 12 years. “We […]
By Jane Bartnett Welcome to October. The fall and winter seasons begin, the days grow cooler, and the pace in our small corner of the world begins to pick up. There’s been a lot going on around town during the late summer months and, as the weeks go by, there will be more to come. […]
By Phil Colpas It was trial by fire Sept. 2 for newly sworn-in Sarasota County Planning Commissioners Martha Pike, Donna Carter and Jordan Keeler, as the board recommended approval of the second of four proposals for hotel construction on Siesta Key. The team representing Gary Kompothecras (of 1-800-ASK-GARY fame) presented his plans for a seven-story, […]