OCTOBER 13, 2019

HONORING THE MAN WHO DISCOVERED AMERICA.......

COLUMBUS DAY commemorates his Arrival in America October 12, 1492.  The holiday began in 1937 and has grown into one of the biggest shopping days of the year; especially with the holiday season now less than two months away.  See you at UTC.

While there, treat yourself to Taste of UTC, their semi-annual lunch and dinner promotion.  At participating restaurants a 3 course meal is being offered at $16 and $32.  Season's 52, California Pizza Kitchen and Brio Tuscan Grille are just a few of the more than 14 restaurants participating.  For more details and menus go to MallatUTC.com  

Available now at newsstands around Sarasota is the Fall 2019 SEASON brochure.  Complete with a calendar of day by day events October through December.  From opera to symphony to lecture to black tie, it's all here for season planning or just a good read.  SEASON was distributed with last week's Observer, but is still available wherever you pick up copies of the paper. 

Spent this past weekend with family in Baltimore.  After many meals at new and old favorites, we landed at PAPPAS, home of Baltimore's best crab cakes.  Several Sarasota restaurants feature "Maryland style crab cakes" on their menu.  None come close to authentic Maryland crab cakes.  Eight ounces of lump crab meat blended with a family recipe and served with choice of sides and salad.  


Since most of you are not planning a trip to Baltimore, you can do what we do a few times a year and order 6 or 12 and store in your freezer.  They come next day fed-ex delivered in dry ice and taste just as good as being there.  Call 888-535-2722 or go to PappasCrabCakes.com for a full menu of goodies

 A bright and cheerful new restaurant has opened on The Trail across Westfield Mall, home to several popular Sarasota restaurants.  IRISH 31, along with its standard fare of salads, burgers, wings, Reuben sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese, offers traditional Irish pub food like pot pie, fish and chips, bangers and mash and Shepperd's pie.

The bar serves all your favorites including beer, wine and a drink list with everything from Ciroc vodka to Parrot Bay run and its own signature bottle of whiskey-131.

The main dining room is open with a large bar on one end and tables and booths lining the walls and interior.  Their interior design will remind you of Oak&Stone and Napule.  Open daily 11 a.m.-midnight with weekend closings 2 a.m.  If you can wait, IRISH 31 will be expanding with their next location planned for Lakewood Ranch.

SARASOTA  ORCHESTRA series kicks off its Great Escapes series this week with a Salute to Arthur Fiedler.  An iconic former conductor of the Boston Pops, our orchestra celebrates the 125th birthday of his birth.  Music scheduled to be performed over the 4 nights are Saint Louis Blues March, theme from The Godfather, Mary Poppins, Leroy Anderson's Syncopated Clock and many more.

Not Announced But Scheduled

Wednesday at 5:30 and continuing through Saturday at various times.  Performances take place at Holley Hall.  Tickets start at $42, but series tickets are still available.  Purchase tickets at 709 N. Tamiami Trail or by calling 941-953-3

Mark your calendar's for the 30th annual CINE-WORLD FILM FESTIVAL.  This year's event runs November 1-10 and includes films from recent Toronto Festival.  No schedule yet, what else is new, but members can pruchase advance passes at  filmsociety.org.  Passes start at $90.

JIM'S RANT......Temple Emanu-EL was full with worshipers Tuesday night as we ushered in the holiest night of the year with Kol Nidre Service.  Listening to the haunting music I could not stop my mind from wandering to the police presence outside and the possibility of  a crazed gunman targeting our Temple.  Fortunately the service concluded without incident.  On that day,  German Synagogue almost  fell victim to a crazed shooter and two people outside the synagogue were shot dead.  When will love and compassion replace hate in our world?????JIM.....Thanks for reading...see you next week....

 Jim& Roberta With Family in Baltimore