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SRQ DAILY Aug 26, 2016

Friday Weekend Edition

Friday Weekend Edition

"My job is to find a solution that is doable."

- Rick Levine, State Senate Candidate
 

[Gallery]  Art Center Sarasota Closes Season, Debuts Four Exhibits
Philip Lederer, Phil.Lederer@srqme.com

With an opening reception last night, Art Center Sarasota has unveiled a series of new exhibits populating all four of the center’s galleries with everything from painting to sculpture to photography and showcasing the talents of both local and visiting artists as well as the results of the latest juried show.

The trip begins in Gallery One, where Full Fathom Five puts the sculptural works of interdisciplinary artist Tasha Lewis on full display. Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest and the literal “sea change” visited upon Greek marble statues recovered from the ocean floor, the Indianapolis-based artist explores the aesthetic in her own soft sculptures using cotton muslin for marble and pearls, beads and cordage in lieu of actual aquatic colonists. Gallery Two is given over to the Miami-based duo Monica Uszerowicz and Pia Love-Toribio, whose exhibit Rite of Passage engages the viewer in a multi-faceted investigation of life as a series of transformations and personal renewal. Through sculptural installation, video projections and photography, the artists illuminate the beauty and drama inherent to even the mundane.

Local artists get the spotlight in Gallery Three, where SNAP presents the work of seven Sarasota-based photographers in a group exhibition where each “turns their lens to their surroundings, documenting a subject and in turn documenting their own point of view and experience,” says Dustin Juengel, exhibitions coordinator at Art Center Sarasota. For photographer Shane Donglasan, it represented a chance to expand her repertoire in an unconventional way. Trained in photojournalism and with a background in both documentary and commercial work, for SNAP Donglasan turned to something more akin to experimental portraiture, featuring friends in highly produced images playing with abstraction and purposeful juxtaposition. “This is something different,” she says. “Its not your typical portraiture.” Joining Donglasan include photographers Jenny Acheson, Karen Arango, Ferenc Beleznay, Audra Locicero, Sophia Schultz and David Wyant.

And in Gallery Four, Art Center Sarasota once again puts the community’s wide array of artists on display with its latest juried show Blurred Lines, juried by James Martin, fine artist and Ringling College instructor.

All exhibits are on view through September 30. 

[Politics]  Senate Primary Contest Draws Near
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Editor’s Note: Second of a two-part story. Read about candidates Nora Patterson, Ray Pilon and Greg Steube in yesterday’s edition of SRQ Daily.

The contest for state Senate this year has proven the most contested and hardest to predict. Five Republicans—Doug Holder, Rick Levine, Nora Patterson, Ray Pilon and Greg Steube—fight in a primary right now, and until polls close next Tuesday, few political observers will guess who might appear on the November ballot this year.

Holder, who was term-limited from the state House in 2014 after eight years there, has been running as the free market conservative—and doing so relentlessly. “I’ve had very little sleep and a great deal of coffee with a little Red Bull sprinkled in,” Holder jokes. Endorsed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and an ally of Gov. Rick Scott, Holder has eyed this seat for years and hopes his record as a conservative voice in Tallahassee pays off. Central to his message, his work on behalf of Scott with the plan to create 700,000 jobs in seven years; in the six years since Scott’s election Florida has seen 1.2 million new jobs. He promises to keep state government more efficient than Washington. “We have term limits. We have part-time pay. We have a balanced budget that is constitutionally required. The federal government has none of those things,” he says. Additionally, Holder has committed to stop sanctuary cities in Florida and stopping any benefits from going to immigrants in the US illegally, and he would like to emulate Texas-like tort reform here. 

Levine, CEO of Potomac Financial, runs as the political outsider. Never elected to a previous office, he instead runs on a 40-year private sector career, much of that in financial services. “Being in the personal service business and helping people have their problems solved, that’s the key thing,” he says. “My job is to find a solution that is doable.” Following the path of CEOs-turned-pols like Gov. Scott, he feels the current Florida Legislature needs an outside perspective, noting the body couldn’t even draw legal boundaries for this district that wouldn’t be thrown out of court. But he’s been disappointed that even campaign attacks have avoided him. While Levine is frustrated that career politician opponents don’t have the same professional limitations impacting his own campaign—Levine can’t solicit donations from clients, and financial firms donating to a campaign have to make note of potential conflicts of interest—he hopes voters are impressed he has largely self-funded the race. And at least other candidates have heard his message at forums. “I'm the one who is laying out the agenda,” he says. “They are following me based on their postcards.”

The Republican primary for state Senate District 23 is August 30. The victor will face the winner of the Democratic primary, either Frank Alcock or Frank Cirillo, in the November general election. 

Photo by Norm Schimmel.

[Good Bite]  Pop Up at the Park
Aviel Kanter, aviel.kanter@srqme.com

At last night's pop up restaurant series at Cafe in the Park, Chef Christian Hershman celebrated the notion that simple is beautiful. Unfussy pairings met farm-raised ingredients, with Hershman, formerly of State Street, sending out wholesome foods that warmed the belly. Oven-roasted crostinis topped with sweet butternut squash and walnuts, white beans and basil, bleu cheese and dates sailed first out of the open kitchen on wood chop blocks. The standout found in the main course of brined and slow-cooked organic chicken with savory herbed skin falling from the white meat, flanked by no-salt-needed French-style whipped potatoes, roasted king oyster mushrooms, rosemary, sugar snap peas, carrots and juicy yellow corn. All in all, the meal was an exercise in unpretentious, simply good preparation and flavors. Be on the look out for next month's family style pop up.  

Pictured, left to right: Date and goat cheese crostini, butternut squash, walnut and spinach crostini, white bean, tomato, basil and Parmesan crostini.

Cafe in the Park, 2010 Adams Ln., Sarasota, 941-361-3032.

[Recipe]  Mango Mania
Diana Morales

Refreshing strips of mango with an added crunch from carrots and cabbage all wrapped in romaine lettuce with almond cream drizzled on top–Green Zebra Cafe prepares a mango Thai wrap with almond cream that makes for a revitalizing summer bite. Gluten free, vegan, raw, packed with protein and light and filling at the same time, this dish will have your taste buds kickin’.

Mango Thai Wrap 

1 ripe mango, cut in strips (French fry size); 1 carrot, julienned; ½ head small cabbage (any kind), shredded; 12 large romaine lettuce leaves for wrapping; 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro.

Almond Cream  

2 Tbsp. chopped ginger; 1 tsp. Himalayan sea salt; 1 cup almond butter; ¼  cup maple syrup, honey, coconut nectar or agave; 1 tsp. chili powder; ¼  cup lemon juice; ⅛  cup water.

Blend all of the almond cream ingredients in a powerful blender. In a mixing bowl, mix the shredded cabbage with the almond cream. Evenly divide the mixture between the lettuce leaves. Top with julienned carrot, 2 to 3 of the mango strips and a pinch of cilantro. The almond cream can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. 

Green Zebra Cafe, 476 John Ringling Blvd, (941) 388-2848

[Exec Moves]  Probstfeld Leads Executive Committee

Dr. Carol Probstfeld, president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota has been named the president of the Florida College System Activities Association’s Executive Committee (FCSAA). The FCSAA is a statewide, nonprofit corporation regulating, coordinating and promoting activities, including athletics, brain bowl, music, student government and student publications. 

The FCSAA

[Philanthropy ]  Children First Receives Grant

The Sarasota County Foundation gave Children First a $10,000 grant to provide tuition assistance for preschool-age children from low-income families for the 2016-2017 school year. The grant will allow Children First to extend services to more local families living in poverty.  

Children First

[Exec Moves]  Fowler-Hermes Presents To Joint Meeting

Attorney with Williams Parker firm, Jennifer Fowler-Hermes presented to a joint meeting of the Southwest Florida Paralegal Association and Sarasota Manatee Association of Legal Support Specialists. Fowler-Hermes discussed the new Department of Labor regulations regarding overtime pay and best practices for ensuring compliance with the new rules.  

Williams Parker

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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