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SRQ DAILY Jun 10, 2016

Friday Weekend Edition

Friday Weekend Edition

"It's a visual for climate change. It's reef-wide and all throughout the Florida Keys for sure."

- Cory Walter, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium
 

[Public Art]  Schabbach Wins Award, Plans Sarasota Project
Philip Lederer, Phil.Lederer@srqme.com

German artist R.O. Schabbach will take a break from setting up his permanent residence in Sarasota for a brief sojourn home to receive this year’s Euro Culture Award from his native German district of Bernkastel-Wittlich before returning to Sarasota to construct his latest outdoor art installation amongst the industrial environs on 12th Street. The award, presented every two years, recognizes outstanding artistic achievement and international acclaim.

“Now that I’m ready to leave Germany, all of the sudden I get the phone call,” said Schabbach laughing. A painter and installation artist known for bold use of color and projecting the images large-scale across the built environment for immersive installations, Schabbach's work has exhibited in celebrated venues across the world, including museums in Malta, Cairo, Paris and Odessa, Ukraine and in US institutions such as the Guggenheim Collection. Beginning with the late actor Anthony Quinn, Schabbach's work also began finding its way into the private collections of such celebrities as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, pop icon Madonna and broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite. The Euro Culture Award, however, will be the first recognition of this sort from the artist's hometown. “This, for me, counts double because it’s coming from the region where I lived,” said Schabbach, who continually watched the award pass by, despite the proliferation of his public art and exhibitions. “You start wondering if what you’re doing is recognized. I’m very happy for this. Very honored.”

Schabbach flies to Germany to receive the award but is already eyeing his return to Sarasota and plans for his next installation. Sarasotans can currently view his smaller-scale work on display at Light Up Your Life on North Tamiami Trail but perhaps more vividly remember his most recent public exhibition, Love and Light for World Peace, on May 27, where Schabbach illuminated the Herald-Tribune building with multicolored projections on the ceilings and columns. With sharp lines demarcating geometric shapes into a busy but balanced composition and a color palette reminiscent of a circus aesthetic, the goal is always “to bring a little peace into this world,” he said. The lines tell the story, he added, “but the emotional part is the color.”

For his next project, Schabbach takes aim at an industrial lot on 12th Street between Gillespie Avenue and North Orange Avenue. The owners are game, he said, but possible complications could arise with use of the spacecomplications which could eventually involve the Department of Homeland Security. But the city has always been “very cooperative,” said an unconcerned Schabbach, waving away possible involvement of the federal government as though a gadfly. “We find ways. It’s no problem.” The planned unveiling for this latest project will be early to mid-July, according to the artist. 

Pictured: R.O. Schabbach amidst one of his light installations. Photo courtesy of the artist.

[Science]  Mote Preps Volunteers For BleachWatch
Philip Lederer, Phil.Lederer@srqme.com

With instances of coral bleaching rising worldwide, including a record-breaking event affecting Australia’s Great Barrier Reef last month, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium has again put out the call for volunteers for the annual Florida Keys BleachWatch program, conducted in partnership with The Nature Conservancy’s Florida Reef Resilience Program. Now in its eleventh year, the program tracks instances of coral bleaching through waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (home to the largest coral reef system along the continental US) to better understand the causes, effects and spread of this phenomenon.

A natural reaction from the coral animal, bleaching occurs when the animal is stressed and expels the symbiotic algae living in its polyps, exposing the bone-white "skeleton" and mimicking a bleaching effect. More than just an aesthetic concern, the breakdown of this symbiosis affects the coral’s ability to extract nutrients from the surrounding water and significantly weakens the animal. "This opens the door for disease," said BleachWatch Coordinator and Mote Marine Senior Biologist Cory Walter, "and if they don’t regain that algae, they’re not going to survive."

Common stressors include pollution, changes in water salinity or, in this case, rising water temperatures. "This thermal stress over a period of time really stresses the coral out," said Walter. If the problem remains unchecked, the fear is mass bleaching events such as the one which struck the Great Barrier Reef just weeks ago. "It’s a visual for climate change," said Walter. "It’s reef-wide and all throughout the Florida Keys for sure."

Through the month of June and beginning this coming Monday, Mote scientists will host a trio of training sessions down in the Florida Keys, preparing volunteers to act as a crowd-sourced data collection machine, keeping tabs on coral health as they go about their normal nautical activities and sending reports back to BleachWatch for collation. With the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration predicting escalating bleaching in late August, Walter hopes the teams will be prepared to not only document the phenomenon but also provide early warning to Sanctuary staff, possibly giving a chance to intervene. "It’s having eyes on the water," said Walter. "There’s not a lot of staff and we can’t get out every day." Off to a good start, in the two weeks since the project began this year, volunteers have already submitted 20 reports, she said. 

[Good Bite]  Let's Talk Tataki
Aviel Kanter, aviel.kanter@srqme.com

Chicken of the Sea, ahi, maguro—whatever moniker you choose to call your tuna by, it remains one of the most esteemed ingredients found in Japanese cooking. And Sarasota Sake House knows how to use it. Though only made from a handful of simple ingredients routinely found in any Asian kitchen, here they combine in such harmonious accord that Sake House's Tuna Tataki is rendered a thing of blissful beauty. Layers of sliced rare rosé-pink fish melt like butter at first bite—the added omega fattiness of thinly-cut avocado keeps the entire mouthful just creamy enough. The spicy mayo drizzled on top bleeds into the sweet ponzu sauce, cutting the subtle punch of Sriracha spice while a sprinkling of scallion provides a tiny crunch. Ready your chopsticks and reach nirvana.  

Sarasota Sake House, 1987 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, 941-312-6256.

[Recipe]  Exotic In One Bite
Diana Morales

With French and Moroccan inspired flavors, chef Thomas Grzybinski at Lolita Tartine shares his recipe for apricot and prune Lamb Tajine. The robust stone fruits paired with meaty chunks of lamb add a tangy and sugary kick to the plate. Lolita Tartine brings you an unforgettable dish that infuses your taste buds with an exquisite zest of exotic spices.

Ingredients: 2 tsp. olive oil; 2 tsp. blanched almonds; 2 finely chopped onion; 3 finely chopped garlic cloves; pinch of french ginger chopped; pinch of saffron; 2 tsp. coriander seeds; 2 sticks of cinnamon; 1 lb. boned lamb from shoulder or leg; 12 dried prunes soaked in water for one hour; 12 dried apricots; 4 strips orange peel; sea salt-pepper; fresh cilantro; cumin; ras el hanout.

Heat the oil in a heavy casserole dish and stir in the almonds. Add onions and garlic and saute until they start to get some color. Stir in the ginger, saffron, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, ras el hanout and cumin.

Toss in the lamb and saute for two minutes. Pour enough water to just cover the meat and let it boil. Reduce the head cover and let it cook for about an hour until the meat is tender. Add the dried prunes and figs and cover for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper, stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Add some cilantro and serve with couscous side. 

Lolita Tartine, 1419 5th St., Sarasota, 941-952-3172.

[Recognition]  Wyant Receives Certification

Betsy Garner Wyant, realtor at RE/MAX Alliance Group, has earned the New Home Specialist and Residential Construction certifications. Recognized as the premier real estate designations, the certifications represent professionalism in working with new home buyers and residential home builders. With 15 years of local real estate experience, she will be able to better bridge the gap between new home buyers and builders. 

RE/MAX Alliance Group

[Exec Moves]  J.E Charlotte Expands Centerstone

A Venice-based construction company that provides a full range of services, J.E. Charlotte Construction Corp. has begun the expansion for Centerstone of Florida Inc. J.E. Charlotte Construction is a not-for-profit organization that offers state of the art mental health and addiction care. The construction management team will perform a complete renovation that will be located in Bradenton.  

Centerstone of Florida

[Recognition]  Christy Honored With Community Award

Attorney with law firm Williams Parker, Erin Hope Christy was given the Active Community Impact Award by the Junior League of Sarasota. The Junior League is an organization that reaches out to women of all races, religions and national origins that demonstrate interest and commitment to voluntarism. Presented at The Francis, the award was given to recognize Christy as an active member of the organization who exemplifies the highest standard of non-League work in the community.  

Junior League of Sarasota

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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