NOVEMBER 27, 2016

LET THE GAMES BEGIN....................................................................................

 UTC is once again crowded with shoppers!!!

If you took in last weekend's Craft Show at Five Points, and still have any money left, you are in for a treat.  Beginning Friday and running through Sunday, Robarts Arena is home for the American Fine Craft Show.  Now in its 8th year, it is bigger than ever.   Over 120 Jury selected Contemporary Artists and Designers.  Jewelry, wood, fiber, wearable art, photography,mixed media, ceramics, sculpture, paintings and more!!!  Open 10am-5pm Fri-Sat, 4pm Sun.  Tickets are $11 adults, $10 seniors. 

I have some exciting news for those of you shopping at Westfield Southgate Mall, Trader Joe's or many of the shops on or around US 41.  ANDREA'S, 2085 Siesta Dr., a very popular dinner spot for fine Italian cuisine is now OPEN for lunch. 

Serving from a large and diverse menu  11:30 AM-2:30PM  Monday-Friday.  Choose your favorite soup, salad, pasta, panini or piatti. 

Pasta...what else!

Nizzarda salad

 I am very enthusiastically recommending Andrea's, having been there for lunch with my Romeo group a few weeks ago.  Most of us had a Nizzarda salad which is similar to salad nicoisse; only better.  And you must have a side of the home-made potato chips; maybe the best in Sarasota.

Andrea is back from Longboat, and is in total supervision of restaurant.  For lunch or dinner reservations  call 941-951-9200.



The Nutcracker 2016, has not generated the publicity it's entitled to.  The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School is premiering their holiday season production of The Nutcracker at the historic Sarasota Opera House on Friday December 2 at 7pm.   Featuring  their students,  this holiday classic was conceived by the school's artistic directors and resident choreographer. 

A yearly tradition of the school,  this is  the first  time they have performed at the best venue in our community.   To order tickets call 941-328-1300 or click here to purchase tickets on line. A perfect venue for this traditional Christmas classic.

Another Christmas classic is returning to Westcoast Black Theatre, this time by "popular demand".  BLACK NATIVITY, adapted and directed by Nate Jacobs, has sold out each year, and 2016 should be no exception.

The show is a celebration of the Nativity story with gospel, blues, spiritual and Christmas music, paired with poetry of Langston Hughes and the creativity of WBTT.  This is a high energy performance; something we've grown to expect from this company.

Don't wait a moment longer to get great seats for this month long theatre experience. Just click here.  Or visit their box office at 1343 Main St.  Ste 402.

If your interest is classical music, then the Sarasota Orchestra's Masterworks program 12/2-4 is where you should be.  With Anu Tali, conducting and international phenom Vadim Gluzman on violin, this

Anu Tali with Vadim Gluzman

promises to be one of the season's best.  Music by Copland, Prokofiev, and Dvorak  should be recognizable to most of you.  With all three concerts at Van Wezel, tickets are still  available.  Call 941-953-3434 or click here to reserve your tickets on line.

I'm breaking a promise made two weeks ago re: NO MORE CUBS until next year.  However, for those of you who will not be going to ballet, symphony, or WBTT and will be at home on Friday read further.  

You must have access to FS-1 or a DVR.  If so, please join me as I watch the television premier movie  of the CUBS  World Series win over the Cleveland Indians.  Highlights and interviews with narration from long-time CUBS fan, Vince Vaughn.  The festivities begin at 7:00 pm.  You know I'll be watching and recording. 



Paul Charlesworth, neighbor and friend wants to thank all of you who participated a few weeks ago in the Sarasota Alzheimer's Walk.  Close to 1,200 of you walked,  raising  nearly $200,000.  Simply AMAZING!!!



JIM'S RANT....Grabbed Thursday's Sarasota Herald Tribune from driveway and boy was it heavy!!  With all those circulars, it was difficult to find the NEWS.  But I did, and much to my chagrin,  it was obvious the paper was printed at least 24 hours earlier.  No Wednesday stock closing numbers, no television sports schedule for Thanksgiving, nothing about the Trump appointments.  We're paying way too much money to have all those advertisements without any content to go along with them.







Hope you have a great week.....only 29 days until CHRISTMAS.......JIM