Thirty-two years ago, Cheryl Burke was on her first trip to China, where she found a pair of the last terracotta sculptures crafted from the same historic molds that made the famous Terracotta Armies of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in 210 BCE, shipping the sculptures out of the country just before those molds were designated major artifacts in themselves by the Chinese government and retired from use. Just a few years later, she was in Argentina, tracking down antique furniture passed down from French royalty to fleeing nobility pre-World War II, scattered and sold through the Argentine countryside in the post-war years and the Peron years. “It’s like a treasure hunt,” Burke says, and it’s all just a day in the life as the owner and curator of Burke Interior Design & Antiques over on Palm Avenue in Downtown Sarasota. Or at least it was.

After more than 30 years in the business, Burke has announced that she will be closing shop come the end of November, embarking on a new adventure in Tuscany. And while the antique French furniture is long gone, the terracotta warrior and his horse remain, along with a wide variety of antiques and artifacts on sale at a significant discount.

Walking into the shop today, Burke almost recreates that treasure hunt thrill, with the space full to bursting with antique chests and chairs, wardrobes and fixtures and furnishings, and every available surface covered with some sort of statuette or bygone rarity waiting for rediscovery by the proper eye. The terracotta sculptures hint at Burke’s impressive collection of East Asian antiquities, including a hand-carved wooden Guan Yin made in 1618 and a whole collection of Blanc de Chine figurines, known for both their delicate and intricate composition. Most don’t survive, Burke says, but the ones that do are testament not only to the craft of their creators but the love and care bestowed by their keepers. “That’s the story,” she says, “and the history.” But the shop holds much more than simply Asian antiques.

A quick tour unearths charming English coffee tables and mahogany sideboards, ornate Italian curiosity cabinets and porcelain chandeliers, foot stools, beds, oil lamps, European sconces, bronze temple bells, hand-forged andirons and even a primitive grinding stone wheel. And in the middle of the space, partially obscured by the treasures surrounding, a one-of-a-kind sculptural conference table created by Howard Werner, comprising a massive wooden pyramid inverted atop two ebonized wooden spheres with a mirroring wooden pyramid as its base. Signed by the artist, the piece represents the rare American addition to the collection.

And with the shop closing its doors this November, everything must go and everything is discounted. Burke is traveling light, heading to Tuscany, where she’ll open a bed and breakfast alongside her new antique shop, while making time to study Italian Baroque art. But until then, the doors are open. And as Burke says, “No one ever sells their best off first.”

Burke Interior Design & Antiques, 72 South Palm Avenue, Sarasota.

Pictured: A life-sized sculpture made from the antique molds used for the famous Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Photo by Phil Lederer.

“We get to read so many new plays here, both for children and adults. It’s a product of having great relationships with playwrights across the world and through our playwright’s collective,” says Caroline Saldivar, Director of Children’s Theatre at Florida Studio Theatre.“When I read this adaptation in particular I just fell in love with it, because I think that so many of us remember the classic stories from our childhood.”

Saldivar is speaking about The Velveteen Rabbit: A Toy Story, a brand-new adaptation of Margery Williams’ classic story, The Velveteen Rabbit, that is premiering in FST’s Weekend Children’s Theatre series this Sunday. The play, which has a run time of 50 minutes, follows a similar story arc to that of Williams’ 1922 British children’s book: a child, at first disappointed with the gift of a stuffed-animal rabbit, learns to love the toy as they journey through the child’s story books together. “This adaptation really focuses on the classic literature and storytelling of the book. Children naturally have the ability to tell stories and in this adaptation of The Velveteen Rabbit, the main character of the child acts out all of these famous stories that she has read with her rabbit,” says Saldivar. “Ultimately, the play tells their story of their life together and learning that love is the greatest force in the universe and that it can make things that seem impossible real.”

The Velveteen Rabbit: A Toy Story is one of four productions that will run throughout the school year as a part of FST’s Weekend Children’s Theatre Series. The program is designed to provide affordable family fun for children and adults throughout the greater Sarasota area. “We’re trying to make Florida Studio Theatre a destination for families.I want every family in Sarasota to know that they can come almost every weekend of the school year–from September until May– they can come and experience theater together as a family,” says Saldivar. “It’s different than taking your kid to see a movie and different than watching netflix on your couch–this is happening in this room just for you.”

Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Avenue, Sarasota, 941-366-9000. 

The Velveteen Rabbit, illustrated by Komako Sakai.

Masterful writing and granular research spun into a whodunit is reason enough to devour Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. But I had an even higher calling in preparation for the Script to Screen Movie Talk Back I’ll be moderating next month when the Martin Scorses Major Motion Picture comes out at our hallowed Burns Court Theater.

I am so impressed with Grann’s writing style and am grateful to have given tribute to the targeted Osage County Native Americans mercilessly assassinated in what is referred to as the Reign of Terror which began in 1924*. Not only is the depth of corruption shocking, but also the evil that comes from pure monetary greed.

If you are a mystery suspense person, you’ll love this book. Chapters are cleverly written to where it becomes tough to stop reading. If you’re a history buff, you’ll certainly learn an immense amount; everything from how detective’s got their start to how Leavenworth Prison came to be known as the hot house. Even if you simply like biographies, within Killers of a Flower Moon is the amazing life story of Tom White, the FBI Agent credited for finally having some justice served for the twenty-four Native Americans killed during this shameful time as well as the poignant biographies of the sisters originally used and abused for their Oklahoma oil field land rights.

I’ll definitely be reading more of David Grann (including his newest entitled The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder).

Both Grann books are available in store (117 S. Pineapple Ave) and online at sarasotabooks.com. 

Discover Sarasota Tours offers 16 different tours running daily in our air-conditioned trolley or van. Many specialty tours (Amish Experience, Leading Ladies of Sarasota, and Public Art), start up again in November running weekly during the season. These tours join the year-round City Sightseeing, Circus Secrets and Architecture daytime tours. BooMobile, our annual children’s Halloween adventure musical on the trolley runs Oct 19-30 at 6:30 PM. Haunted Sarasota, which runs every Friday night during the year, adds many extra shows for Halloween at 8 PM from October 13-31. Christmas Carol Trolley: Letters To Santa runs nightly in December at 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM and is intended for families. Murder Mystery Trolley: Who Killed The Circus Queen (with DIFFERENT endings!) continues on Thursday and Saturday nights and Sunset Cabaret: A Music, Trivia & Craft Beer tour with a stop at Sun King Brewery runs Thursday nights in November. “The holidays are my favorite time of year. I love greeting all the tour guests decked out in their holiday clothing coming onboard the trolley to celebrate with us as part of their family tradition,” says Discover Sarasota Tours Founder and CEO Tammy Hauser, M.B.A. In addition to tours, Discover Sarasota Tours has two special events coming up in November and December as well: the 6th Annual Trolley Bash customer appreciation party on Thursday, November 9 from 4:30-7 PM, and Sip & Shop at the Trolley Cottage — Gift Shop HOLIDAY Sale on Monday, December 4, from 4-7 PM. 

To learn more, visit

The 3rd Annual SRQ Magazine 35 Under 35 Competition recognizes and honors young professionals, innovators, scientists, creatives, entrepreneurs and philanthropists who have distinguished themselves with their leadership in the field. From pitching the next big idea to developing their bandwidth, young professionals are thriving in our region and leading the way for the next generation. Could you or someone you know be one of our 2023 Class of 35 Under 35 Honorees? 

Nominate Here!

A VERY LATE ARRIVAL | After a decades-long delay, the historic Circus Train Car Museum finally rolls into the station, September 2023.

Read Here!