« Back To SRQ Daily Archive

SRQ DAILY May 21, 2019

Freshly Squeezed Content Every Morning

Freshly Squeezed Content Every Morning

"The craftsmanship, excellence and quality seen in these pools, spas and water features are a true testament to the builders."

- Wendy Parker Barsell, Florida Swimming Pool Association
 

[Business]  FSPA Announces Its 2019 Annual Design Award Winners
Brittany Mattie, brittany.mattie@srqme.com

Consisting of 16 state chapters, the Sarasota-based organization Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA) provides government relations representation on behalf of its members, including the Florida Building Commission, the Construction Industry Licensing Board, as well as other legislative bodies that regulate the swimming pool industry in Florida, i.e. the Department of Health. Every year, the FSPA hosts an annual awards competition, giving its members an opportunity to enter their latest, and most spectacular work. The Design Awards committee—made up of decorated professionals in the pool industry—judged, and selected, the projects based on workmanship, soundness of design, beauty, practicality and safety. 

The 2019 Design winners were recently announced, with nine companies across Florida taking home awards of pool building excellence this year at Everything Under the Sun Expo in Orlando. Seventeen awards were handed out during the event, based on the judges’ panel review. “The FSPA Design Awards recognizes some of the best pools being built in Florida by FSPA members,” says Executive Director Wendy Parker Barsell. “The craftsmanship, excellence and quality seen in these pools, spas and water features are a true testament to the builders.”

Categories customized for Florida pool construction divide the entries by size, type of construction and features. While ‘Best in Show’ was awarded to Almar Jackson Pools of Jupiter, FL, a number of local builders included Coast to Coast Pools of Sarasota, Superior Pools of Southwest Florida in Port Charlotte, AquaTech Pools GC of Nokomis and Tampa Bay Pools in Brandon. AquaTech represented the Gulf Coast, earning a Silver in the ‘Vanishing Edge’ infinity pool category. Superior Pools earned a Bronze in the ‘Pool/Spa Combination 701+ sq. ft.’ category, while both AquaTech and Coast to Coast captured awards in the ‘Residential Pool 701+ sq. ft.’ category. Award-winning pools are being submitted to national industry magazines for publication. 

Throughout the year, FSPA remains a beneficial online resource for recreational and commercial pools alike. Providing industry expertise and access to maintenance education and information on current trends and issues, pool owners can use its to help with the following: 

  • Weather and hurricane preparations/precautions (storm drainage, sufficient water levels, removing debris, reactivation, etc.)
  • Chemical care to prevent colonies of algae spores with appropriate chlorine concentration and pH scales
  • Finding a licensed contractor/builder, and hiring a pool professional
  • Basic sun safety
  • Energy-efficiency and new energy requirements for pool pumps
  • “Winterizing” pools in Florida
  • Helpful FAQ’s (how to keep pools running, pool finishes and lights, vacuuming and skimming the pool, dealing with evaporations or leaks, etc.)
 

Photo of AquaTech's 'Vanishing Edge' pool, courtesy of Florida Swimming Pool Association.

[GoodBite]  Sage Restaurant Tantalizes with Summer Offerings
Andrew Fabian

In an intimate media tasting that took place in their brightly lit third-floor event space, Sage staff unveiled a tantalizing array of Chef Chris Covelli’s prototypes of dishes from new, far-flung places that will add even more variety to Sage’s global repertoire. From Spain, an Andalusian gazpacho with a tomato tang and a light, garlicky aftertaste—a refreshing dish for sweaty days to come. Sweden enters the Sage experiment by way of Swedish meatballs that can be ordered a la carte or added to a salad. An Asian-inspired sea bass, cooked and served in clear parchment paper, features a delicate cut of fish submerged in Covelli’s expertly prepared miso broth that shows off his culinary experience in Japan. “We want to touch every country,” he says.

The pursuit of elevated dining also makes its way up the elevator to the rooftop bar, where spirits alchemist Connor Bert has devised inspired cocktails like the Ciel de Lavande, a refined gin cocktail topped with lavender and rose that satisfies as much as an aromatherapy potion as it does as a smile-inducing beverage. Bert also showed off his titular flair with The Deadline, featuring a house-infused butterfly pea flower gin medley, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice and rhubarb bitters. 

Pictured: The Deadline, a new summer cocktail at Sage restaurant. Photo by Andrew Fabian.

Sage, 1216 1st St., Sarasota, 941-445-5660.

[Business]  Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana Opens in Downtown Sarasota

Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria has officially opened at 27 Fletcher Avenue in Downtown Sarasota. Set in a beautifully restored historic building off of Main Street, East of 301, this 150-seat restaurant serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. The restaurant will also have live music on the outside patio, catering options and private room availability.

Bavaro’s opened the original restaurant in March 2009 as the first traditional Neapolitan Pizzeria in the state of Florida. From a restaurant in downtown Tampa that seats 50 guests to a global brand, Bavaro’s can be found in St. Petersburg, the Tampa International Airport, and now Sarasota.

Bavaro’s Sarasota is open daily from 11am to 10pm and Friday and Saturdays until 11pm. 

Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria

[Business]  JMX Brands Joins Sustainable Furnishings Council

On Earth Day, April 22, JMX Brands, the niche online retailer with the flagship Amish furniture brand DutchCrafters, applied to join the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC). JMX Brands also runs the eco-friendly and sustainable furniture and home décor website Eco Friendly Digs. The application was accepted on April 24, making DutchCrafters the first Amish furniture retailer accepted to the organization that helps companies reduce their environmental footprints and connect consumers with healthy furnishings.

This year DutchCrafters has committed to taking the following steps toward fulfilling its pledge: have an energy audit conducted at its Sarasota office to identify ways to reduce consumption, implement best practices and continually monitor; internally audit vendors’ sourcing practices to begin to develop plans to improve sustainability; identify areas the company is already making a difference with ecological sustainability and where improvement can occur; and begin development of a multi-year plan to reduce environmental footprint. 

JMX Brands

[Business]  SouthTech Named Workforce Excellence Business Partner of the Year

At this year’s State of Talent Conference, which invites speakers from all over the world to discuss the latest trends in human resources, with recruitment, employee development and retention being key topics, SouthTech was named Workforce Excellence Business Partner of the Year.

The award is given to organizations that invest time and resources to workforce and community development, and recipients are chosen by a panel of judges. SouthTech employs nearly 50 full-time employees, and many of those roles are held by individuals that first started at SouthTech as apprentices working through a 90-day program developed by senior engineers to prepare them for a full-time position. Apprentices are typically students fulfilling a credit requirement from a local institution, but this is not always the case.

The SOTC is presented by Career Source Suncoast, a nonprofit to help businesses grow by providing workforce solutions for talent recruitment and development and helping job seekers and workers manage their careers. 

SouthTech

[Museum]  Historic Circus Museum to Receive Summer Upgrade

The Historic Circus Museum at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art will be receiving a facelift this summer. Plans to update the galleries, reinstall exhibits and give the museum a new coat of paint will begin June 1, when the building closes with a reopening planned for Fall 2019.

The renovation will provide the opportunity to showcase items from the Circus Collection that have not been displayed in many years and to update the presentation of historic wagons and other historic artifacts from the history of the circus, including the 1905 Wisconsin Pullman Car. The lavish Wisconsin served as the personal train car for John and Mable Ringling as they traveled across North America. And a new installation of many of the museum’s wagons will include additional information about Sarasota’s role as the historic Winter Quarters for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

In the meantime, visitors can still enjoy the Circus Museum’s Tibbals Learning Center at The Ringling, home to the Howard Bros. Circus Model, the world’s largest miniature circus, and The Greatest Show on Earth Mural painted by William Woodward as well the family-friendly interactive exhibits exploring the history of the circus arts. 

The Historic Circus Museum



[TODAY]  GALLERY: Fur, Feather, Flora & Fauna , May 21 – June 21

An all media, open exhibition throughout all galleries. Includes Art & Animals on June 1—a fun family day with animals and art, nonprofit organizations, information, activities and photo opportunities. Guests are invited to bring their leashed, well behaved pets.

ArtCenter Manatee, 209 9th St W., Bradenton

[TODAY]  THEATER: Wednesday's Child , April 3 – May 24

A world premiere from Mark St Germain, when a young surrogate mother is found dead, a police investigation explodes the lives of everyone who knew her. As Detective aleece Valez and Walt Dixon begin to put the pieces together, secrets surface, alibis weaken, and lies are uncovered. This dramatic new play explores motherhood, passion, and the thin line between right and wrong.

Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota

[TODAY]  THEATER: The Wonder Years , February 6 – June 2

Take a musical ride through the Boomer Years! From the early days of Howdy Doody through the rebelliousness of The Beatles singing “She Loves You” on Ed Sullivan, television helped shape and reflect the Boomer journey. Featuring the greatest hits from Boomers’ experience.

Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota

[SOON]  FOOD: Sip and Savor , May 22, 5:30pm

Enjoy an extravagant wine tasting and food pairing where dress code is Field Club Casual (dress shorts acceptable, no jeans please). There will be a silent auction featuring wines from Argus member wine cellars!

Field Club, 1400 Field Road, Sarasota.

[SOON]  SCIENCE AND NATURE: Kokedama - A Different Bonsai , May 22, 10am-12pm

Kokedama is a style of bonsai in Japanese culture. In this class you will take a fresh plant (epiphyte) and wrap it in a peat-based soil recipe that is designed to hold its spherical shape; then you will fasten moss around it to make a gorgeous little green orb. You will make two of these plants to take home and display. Registration is $35 for members/$50 for non-members.

Selby Gardens, 900 South Palm Ave., Sarasota.

[SOON]  SCIENCE AND NATURE: Still Life & Flat Lay Photography , May 23, 10am-1pm

Learn how to photograph “top down” from above. Create vignettes, explore props to use, minimalist styles, what to use for backgrounds and how to create backgrounds. Hands on play and photographing. Focus on mobile photography but all cameras welcome. Open to all levels. Registration is $60 for members/$75 for non-members.

Selby Gardens, 900 South Palm Ave., Sarasota.

[SOON]  HEALTH: Warrior Pose For Warriors: A Yoga Fundraiser Supporting Veterans at the Sarasota Opera House , May 23

An evening with Operation Warrior Resolution (OWR) supporting military servicemembers with yoga, breath and body work and sound immersions on the stage of the legendary Sarasota Opera House. The event will be led by popular yogi master and Lululemon ambassador, Ms. Ashley Stewart. All proceeds will support OWR’s mission of providing immediate and effective mental health care at no cost for all U.S. military veterans and family members. Operation Warrior Resolution is a locally-based military nonprofit celebrating its first year as an officially recognized 501 c3 with a warrior pose for warriors – doing a downward dog on the same very stage a young Elvis Presley once shook his hips and sang “Hound Dog” at the Sarasota Opera House.

 

A variety of small eats and juices will be provided by local vendors in the courtyard immediately afterwards. Spots are limited, so get your ticket today and support our country’s warriors with a warrior pose yourself at the Sarasota Opera House!

Sarasota Opera House

[SOON]  SCIENCE AND NATURE: Gelli Plate Printing a la Gauguin , May 24, 10am-3pm

Experience the joy of mono-printing without a press thanks to the gelli plate, a product that looks and feels like gelatin and can be used again and again. In recognition of the Gauguin exhibit, special emphasis will be placed on printing leaves and flowers from Selby Gardens Botanical Paradise. Create one-of-a-kind prints using textures, stencils, household items and acrylic paint. Registration is $50 for members/$60 for non-members.

Selby Gardens, 900 South Palm Ave., Sarasota.

[SOON]  FESTIVAL: SRQ Margarita Festival , May 25, 2:00PM - 10:00PM

Join us for the inaugural SRQ Margarita Festival, the perfect combination of live music and margaritas. Enjoy a variety of margarita flavors, 5 great bands, the areas best food trucks, games, anda spectacular firework display to end the night. Tickets are limited and are on sale now. Proceeds from event will benefit Turning Points, Barking Out Loud Rescue, and Farm Dog Fosters. #SRQritafest

Van Wezel, 777 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota.

[SOON]  FOOD: Venice Brew Bash , May 25, 3:00pm-7:00pm

Sample over 60 different craft and import brews while enjoying great music. This event is the perfect opportunity for beer aficionados, beer lovers or just the casual beer drinker!

 

Centennial Park, 200 West Venice Avenue, Venice.

[SOON]  MUSIC: Annual Myakka River Blues Festival , May 27, 11am-6pm

Tune in for a great lineup of artists this Memorial Day, including The Kat Crosby Band, The Collaboration Band, Sarasota Slim, Ghost Mountain Revival Band and Ben Prestage. Snook Haven is located in a sedate area near the riverbed in a natural cove that holds the true old Florida ambiance. Enjoy two stages with non-stop music with styles from the Chicago blues scene to southern style blues. Tickets are $15 pre-sale and $25 at the door. 

Snook Haven, 5000 East Venice Avenue, Venice. 

[SOON]  GALLERY: Cycle 5 , May 30 – July 5

In Gallery 1, Monumental, a group show, features small-scale sculptures. Next door, local artist Keith Crowley will exhibit a recent series of his meticulously layered photographically-based oil and watercolor paintings in his first solo exhibition at Art Center Sarasota. In Gallery 3, and featuring incisive and satirical investigations of the ego, sexuality, and competitiveness found on full display at gyms, Caitlin Albritton’s paintings and drawings of contorted figures address questions of gender issues and body politics.

Art Center Sarasota, 707 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota

[SOON]  THEATER: The Niceties , May 31 – June 30

Zoe is called into her professor's office to discuss her paper about slavery's effect on the American Revolution. What begins as a polite clash in perspectives explodes into an urgent debate about race, history and power.

Urbanite Theatre, 1487 2nd St., Sarasota

[SOON]  FESTIVAL: Annual St. Armand's Seafood and Music Festival , May 24 – May 26

Take advantage of yummy seafood prepared fresh on site along with drinks. Enjoy your foodie experience while jamming to live musical performances on stage by some of Florida’s and the region’s top musical talents. Music will be from such genres as R&B, jazz, classical, calypso, reggae and more. General admission is free, VIP tent admission is $130.

 

St. Armand's Circle Park

[SOON]  FESTIVAL: Evolve Summer Social "Saturday Night Fever" , June 1, 7-11pm

Don't miss the Evolve Summer Social "Saturday Night Fever" benefitting the Children’s Guardian Fund on June 1st from 7-11pm at the Grove at Lakewood Ranch.  Each year, hundreds of children in foster care go without birthday presents or celebrations.  Through the proceeds from this event and  community donations, the Children’s Guardian Fund can provide $35 Walmart Gift cards to guardians for each child’s birthday.  Last year’s event “Havana Nights” raised over $13,000 providing over 370 gift cards. 

[SOON]  MUSIC: Artist Showcase (AS1): Fairy tales and Fantasy , June 6

Embark on a fantastic journey to faraway places. Various artist will perform to evoke a world of childlike imagination. Also, experience the world premiere of Andrea Clearfield's Ha-Galgal (The Wheel), a prayerful work inspired by the sound of the shofar, for solo horn.

Holley Hall, 709 North Tamiami Trl., 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

Copyright © 2024 by SRQ Media Group, 331 South Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236.
Powered by Sarasota Web Design | Unsubscribe

Read More

Where Oil Meets Water

Where Oil Meets Water

Phil Lederer | Mar 1, 2024

Freedom to Wander

Freedom to Wander

Laura Paquette | Mar 1, 2024

Drive and Dine

Drive and Dine

Laura Paquette | Mar 1, 2024

A Mesmerizing Journey

A Mesmerizing Journey

Barbie Heit | Mar 1, 2024