JANUARY 12, 2019

ROLLING INTO THE ASOLO...........MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS........

Express Makes Stop in Sarasota

The story is familiar:  On an elegant train, a large cast of suspects is traveling from Istanbul to Paris when the train gets stuck in a snow storm and someone turns up dead!!  Sounds like a fun evening, and it is according the review I read in the Herald.  This Express is different than movie and previous efforts, and "...is fun for all."

Playing now through March 8, with good seats for ALL performances.  The Mertz Theatre , 5555 N. Tamiami Trail.  Call 941-351-8000 or asolorep.org.   Go and enjoy a night away from television.

On a beautiful January afternoon with two grandchildren in tow, had lunch on Circle at Venezia.  With more outside dining than any other Saint Armands Circle restaurant, Venezia is always busy on sunny warm days.  For eleven years, owner Rafel Miccio has been serving lunch and dinner at his highly visible location.

Their lunch menu offers classic Italian dishes including pizza, pasta, entrees and several different panini sandwiches which are served with french fries.  Also a wide variety of salads served cold and fresh.  You can have wine or your favorite beverage along with meal.  Leave room for dessert, as Venezia offers a wide variety of homemade goodies from apple pie to Tiramisu.

For reservations, inside or out, call 941-388-1400.  To view complete menus go to Venezia-1966.com.

While waiting for this year's SUPER BOWL teams to be determined,  you can start thinking SPRING.  By the time you read this, we will be 40 or so days away from the first pitch in what promises to be an interesting Baltimore Orioles season.  The box-office at Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th St. is now open at 10 a.m. daily through last game March 23.

You'll need a scorecard, as nearly the entire roster has been re-done in anticipation of a few years of a rebuild before competing again with the likes of Yankees or Red Sox.  For an afternoon of outdoor fun go to a spring game this year.


SILL'S Music Mondays series kicked off last week with tenor Anthony Dean Griffey and continues through March 23.  This year, a variety of classical and contemporary singers and instrumentalists  will take questions from either Ed Alley or Joe Holt.  Conversations and performances begin at 10:30, Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Road or 3:30 at Venice Presbyterian Church.  

 
 Tickets at both locations are only $10 per person and are available at door.  There is ample seating, so no one should be shut out.    For more information call 941-365-6404 or sillsarasota.org.  These programs are presented by the Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning.


Season is in full swing, just play in traffic around 3:30 each afternoon, and see for yourself.  With so many here for a short stay, weekly Festivals and Craft Shows are a good way to spend an afternoon away from that traffic.  Next weekend, one of the season's best Sarasota Seafood and Music Festival, begins Friday afternoon at 4PM until 10PM.  Saturday closing is same, while Sunday you'll have to get your shopping and eating done before 4PM.

If you're reading Blog on Sunday, you still have time to go to same location for this weekend's Fine Art Festival, also at JD Hamel Park.


Conveniently located at Hamel Park at Gulfstream and Main St. smack in downtown Sarasota.  All types of music and food for your entertainment and dining.  Sarasota favorite, Kettle of Fish perform on Saturday.  See you there!!







**************Many of you are going to be disappointed with not including SOL NYC DELI review this week.  I'll have plenty to say next week along with comments from several readers**********





JIM'S RANT.....you've been North on the Trail this week and were late for a meeting or plane arrival/departure at SRQ, you weren't the only one.  Never-ending construction, lane closures, accidents, and bad drivers, makes for a long and UNPLEASANT journey.  Best advice is stay off Trail at least until spring, when hopefully some of the work will be completed.  And if you're going to Van Wezel take Boulevard of Arts, and forego 41 altogether....JIM....Thanks for reading.  See you next week...............