SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

1 out of 4 children in SARASOTA will go to bed hungry tonight.  September is HUNGER ACTION MONTH.  I encourage you to take ACTION by donating food at any Goodwill location, making a contribution  or volunteering at all faiths food bank a few miles east of I75 on Fruitville Rd.  The backpack kids program has started.  To assure children are fed on weekends, they are given a backpack full of food so they can eat while not in school.   Help is needed packing and distributing those backpacks.   For more information on how YOU can help fight hunger now click here.

We have a wide variety of choices when it comes to Italian.  We all have our favorites from Puccini's, Mediterraneo, Carrabba's, Davino, Andreas, Caragiulos  and on and on. With the help of friends, I discovered still another Italian restaurant CHIANTI on Clark Rd. in the location once occupied by The Big Kitchen.  Totally remodeled with a bar at the entrance, and open for 5 months, Chianti has become a favorite for those who live in the Palmer Ranch area.  Granted, the noise level is probably as high as it gets here, the food is delicious and very authentic.  A good idea would be a back room reservation totally away from the bar and avoidance of Friday when happy hour fills most of the bar area.  My party would definitely go back; figuratively and actually.

If you are looking for an exceptional restaurant deal this month then STONEWOOD on University is offering   "FIFTY BY FIVE".  Be seated by 5:00PM to receive 50% off ANY entree.  I know for most of you this is a very early hour for dinner; however, with a new menu featuring several original as well as new dishes, you won't find a better deal  in all of SARASOTA.   If you do, let me know and I will add to next week's blog.

Neighbor and good friend, George Miles, has literally been living out of a suitcase this summer and has not contributed an item in months.  But now he is back with a vengeance, and you will be hearing from him for several weeks and hopefully all winter.  George hates the snow and ice of Pittsburgh, but also detests the rain of SARASOTA, but he is much happier with the latter.  He writes..."Contrary to Jim telling everyone that I was on a Sabbatical I was holding out for more money and a longer term contract...After weeks of serious negotiations Jim promised to Double my salary and guaranteed money for 3 years...So I am back....Fired up and Ready to go"...More from George next week.

We are just a few months away from Anu Tali's debut with Sarasota Orchestra, and though you can still get subscriptions for ALL of many series offered, SINGLE TICKETS are on sale now for what promises to be a very successful season.  Box office hours at Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center (formerly Holley Hall) are 10am-4pm Mon-Fri.  Pick three concerts in one transaction and save 15%.

Pierian Spring Academy recently sent it's 2013-2014 schedule of courses to former participants in their lecture and classes.  If you did not receive a catalogue and want to see a full listclick here.  From Art to Circus to Movies to Current issues, there are courses for every one's interest.  With several convenient locations offering free parking Pierian would be an ideal place to spend several hours this fall and winter.

If you love BBQ then join your friends at Lakewood Ranch for the 5th Annual MAIN STREET restaurant BBQ Cook-Off this coming Saturday, September 21 for tastings from 6-8pm.  Live music all evening by The Northwest with samplings from Polo Grill, MacAllisters, Ed's Tavern, El Lago Ranchero, The Trattoria, Station 400 and last year's winner, Pincher's Crab Shack.  Proceeds from the event will benefit the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund.  See you there.

TELEVISION ALERT......Dancing With The Stars kicks off the new season tomorrow 8-10 on ABC.  Highly touted Brooklyn Nine-Nine with Andre Braugher and Andy Samberg  joins the FOX lineup on Tuesday.  I will have much more next week including the first three hosts of Saturday Night Live and my predictions for this year's Emmy Awards a week from today.


Some of you may be familiar with New York's 92Y, a multifaceted cultural institution center located in Manhattan on the Upper East Side.  Beginning this week and running for several months they will be presenting lectures, musical events, comedy, literary and just about anything cultural you can think of.  Today at 5 the featured artists are Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg.  Many of the events are ON DEMANDand by clicking here you can watch some of the performances. Go to right of site to 92Y LIVECAST.  Unfortunately, today's is not one of them.  The site also has a listing of all performances.

JIM'S RANT this week is a recant of last week's!!!  As neighbor and friend Warren Cohen writes..."I went to the rowing event and was charged the $5 entrance fee.  It was NOT a parking fee.  I parked at Sports Authority and walked to the rowing event.  Everyone in the car was charged $5 to enter the rowing event.  When I go to Ed Smith Stadium I pay a parking fee per car and a ticket admission fee per individual.  Maybe the intent of the organizers was for the fee to be a parking fee.  The implementation looked and felt like an entrance fee.  I am not against the rowing event fee but call it what it turned out to be, an entrance fee..."  I stand corrected and disappointed at the organizers for not advertising the fee in advance.  To my knowledge, this was the first event at Benderson Park to have an admission fee.

There are not enough words to describe Diana Ross's performance Wednesday at the Van Wezel.  Ninety minutes of non-stop music from an era where great music was happening every day.  Lot's of great memories of the 60's-70's went through my mind as I stood through most of the concert.

Thanks again to Tracy for editing and George for returning.  See you next week......JIM