APRIL 5, 2015

HAPPY EASTER..... A DAY OF CHURCH GOING, CELEBRATION AND FESTIVE FAMILY MEALS AND EGG HUNTS!

Tonight (Sunday) also marks the opening of 2015 Baseball Season with a very nontraditional game at Wrigley Field between the Cubs and Cardinals.  I can only assume this event was created with a renovated Wrigley Field in mind.  Though there is one of those gigantic high-def scoreboards, the bleachers are nowhere  ready, and the Cardinal's players will have to shower elsewhere.

Here's good wishes to our immediate area teams, BALTIMORE ORIOLES, PITTSBURGH PIRATES and our neighbors to the north TAMPA BAY RAYS.  My predictions for this season are playoffs for Baltimore and Pittsburgh but not Tampa. Joe Madden has departed, pitching issues and no hitting continue to be an issue.  But who knows, I've been wrong before....lots of times.


A JIM KNOWS SARASOTA EXCLUSIVE!!!!!!.....Finally, the long awaited commitment by CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN to open in Sarasota!!.....Construction on an out parcel near UTC  begins this summer with a target opening early 2016.  This news has been confirmed by the people at their Tampa store. No formal announcement by Benderson Development.

Mark your calendar for a special performance of ARIEL QUARTET,  part of the Perlman Music Hear and Now series featuring PMP alumni.  Sunday, April 19, 3p.m. Sarasota Opera House.  Tickets are from $30-40 with a meet the Artists  Reception following the concert for an additional $40.  Call 941-386-8450 to purchase tickets Or you can simply click here and order the tickets on line.  

On Wednesday, April 22, AJC West Coast Florida is sponsoring a special ASOLO matinee of the recently opened Sotto Voice.  The performance is at the historic Asolo Theatre located in the Ringling Museum Welcome Center. Included with your $50 ticket is High Tea & Panel discussion with the cast and moderator Matt Walsh, owner and publisher of The Observer.

Sotto Voice  tells an all too familiar WW11 tragedy of the S.S. St.Louis, a ship carrying Jewish refugees fleeing Germany.  Refused entry by Cuba and US, the ship was forced to return to Europe where its passengers faced concentration camps.  The narrative comes from a German born novelist who lost the true love of her life on that ship.  She relives those days  years later when a young writer contacts her while doing book  research of the ship's tragic voyage.

To purchase tickets for this event,  contact the Asolo box office 941-351-8000 and use Discount Code SOTTOAJC. 

FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE/CABARET has again extended the run of AMERICAN PIE through May 3.   We have not seen this show yet, but are going to in a few weeks.  Everyone who has seen PIE tells us it is one of the best Cabaret shows in recent history.  You will experience the music of the 60's, 70's and 80's with artists including Neil Diamond, Carole King, Elton John and Billy Joel.  To purchase tickets for this show as well as other shows playing at FST click here.

Get your DVR ready for today (Sunday 4/5) when not only Mr. Selfridge and The Good Wife continue, but MAD MEN, on AMC, begins its final seven episodes.  This ground breaking series will be missed not only for its wonderful story but strict attention to detail.  Seven seasons, nine mistresses,and thousands of Lucky Stirkes!!  I was there in Chicago as a struggling time salesman when Mad Men began. Everything about it is true.  It really happened; the drinking, smoking, lusting and eating.  

And HBO, which at least can be seen On Demand with no commercial interruption,  commemorates the 100th birthday of one of our greatest entertainers Frank Sinatra.

This two part documentary event, with plenty of his actual performances runs tonight (Sunday) and Monday at 8PM.  For many of us who grew up with Frank, this one will bring back lots of memories.

You may ask why all of this great programming on Sundays??  Why not another night??   Simply put, more people watch television tonight than any other night of the week.  Sounds like one of the Four questions!!!

We  had an interesting dinner last week at CRAB & FIN.  Packed with diners both inside and out, it was a fun experience, and believe it or not, this was my first dinner at Crab & Fin after several years here. Not only is the food good, but I can only imagine the fun one has by sitting outside while listening to piano player and watching the crowds walk by.  There are several seafood restaurants I prefer, but you can't beet this one for atmosphere.


Also, we  paid a visit to LAZY LOBSTER  on Gulf of Mexico Drive.  They have a location on Lockwood Ridge in SARASOTA and a less elaborate but equally good spin off,  KACEY'S seafood and more on Fruitville Rd. East of McIntosh.  When we left after 8pm there was a 90 minute wait for tables.  My guess is isolated location and difficulty getting off the island this time of year adds to their popularity.  Quite frankly, the food is better at Kacey's.




JIM'S RANT.......Am I dreaming or is our traffic nightmare over?? Seems so; though The Herald Tribune disagrees.  The season may still be going strong, but many have left to go north for Passover and Easter.  April continues to be a busy tourist month with spring breakers, but I guess the snowbirds got tired of the sunshine and decided to gamble on the weather turning warmer in their neck of the woods. LOL.....have a good summer.  See you next year when all those new road projects kick in..OUCH

Tracy has done her usual great editing job even though she complained about the length this week.  Unfortunately I heard about CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN yesterday (Friday) and could not wait......Until next week.....JIM