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SRQ DAILY Apr 12, 2022

Tuesday Dining and Food Edition

Tuesday Dining and Food Edition

"The wholehearted support the community feels for our mission and work could not have been more evident; we are immensely grateful for the generosity of our sponsors and guests, which will translate into greater reach for our education programs."

- Julie Leach, WBTT Executive Director.
 

[The Dish]  Amore Galore for the Seafood Cataplana
Abby Weingarten. Abby@srqme.com

Tracking down authentic Portuguese cuisine is not an effortless task in Sarasota-Manatee, and even the best purveyors aren’t always overtly on the radar. Case in point: Amore Restaurant in Sarasota.

Titularly, this locale conjures up images of Italian food, but half of the menu is actually Portuguese. Here, owners Tito and Liana Vitorino serve a signature dish called the Cataplana de Marisco (Seafood Cataplana) with lobster tail, shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari with red bell peppers, onions and sliced boiled potatoes in a seafood broth. The Portuguese entrée is named after the copper pan in which it is cooked and served.

According to Tito Vitorino, who is also Amore’s chef, “Portuguese cuisine can be the simplest of Mediterranean to the earthy and eccentric of Brazil, Mozambique and Macua (thanks to the 15 th -century Portuguese explorers and the new ingredients they discovered during the Great Navigations).” Fascinating! And, while Portuguese cuisine is world-famous, many people still aren’t aware of the impact Portugal has had on worldwide fare. Other Portuguese delicacies at Amore include the salted cod and a Portuguese sausage that is flame-grilled right at the table.

Both Tito and Liana Vitorino—who previously ran the Amore on Longboat Key—are originally from Portugal, and they grew up within five miles of each other. They’re continuing to make regulars fall in love with both Italy and Portugal, all in one sitting, without ever leaving the Florida table.

Amore Restaurant, 180 N. Lime Ave., Sarasota, 941-383-1111. amorelbk.com. 

Pictured: The Portuguese Cataplana de Marisco (Seafood Cataplana) at Amore is packed with lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari and boiled potatoes. Photo by Peter Acker.

[Justice]  Colonel Graduates FSA Commanders Academy

Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is pleased to announce that another senior staff member graduated from the Florida Sheriffs Association’s Commanders Academy. Today, Colonel Brian Woodring, Hoffman’s Chief Deputy, completed the Academy at the Florida Sheriffs Association headquarters in Tallahassee. The Academy was designed by sheriffs to ensure upper-level criminal justice leaders have the background and training to carry out their responsibilities within the agencies they serve. The program was developed in conjunction with the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute. Woodring, along with commanders from 28 other Florida sheriff’s offices, participated in 64 hours of curriculum on topics including leadership, ethics, discipline, and other areas related to upper-level leadership as well as emerging trends and issues in law enforcement. 

Pictured: From left: FSA Director Steve Casey, FSA President Sheriff Bobby McCallum, Colonel Brian Woodring, Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman, and Gadsden County Sheriff Morris A. Young.

[New COO]  HCA Florida Blake Hospital Welcomes New Chief Operating Officer, Paige Laughlin, MSHA

HCA Florida Blake Hospital is pleased to announce the hospital’s new Chief Operating Officer (COO) Paige Laughlin, MSHA, joined the hospital team this week. Paige comes to HCA Florida Blake Hospital from HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital in Hudson, FL, a level II trauma center where she has served as COO since January of 2020. With over a decade of tenure serving in key leadership positions for HCA Healthcare, Paige’s previous roles have included vice president of operations at Sunrise Medical Center in southern Nevada and performance improvement manager in HCA’s Capital Division. While at HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital, Paige led several construction and renovation projects including, an expansion of the emergency department and a new tower to add medical and rehabilitation beds. A graduate of Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering, Paige also earned a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. Paige is looking forward to relocating to the Bradenton community with her 6-month-old golden retriever puppy, Honey, and playing some of the great golf courses in Manatee County. 

To learn more, visit

[Poetry Month]  Art in Common Places Presents Two free Programs to Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day

Art in Common Places is pleased to present two programs to celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day, April 27 to April 28, as well as National Poetry Month. The April 27 program, noon at Selby Public Library, features poets Melanie Lavender and Don McLagan and artist Ann Burroughs. The April 28 program, 6 p.m. on Zoom, features poet Danny Shot and artist Mara Torres González. Both programs include poetry readings and discussions about their collaborative works with Art in Common Places. Registration for these free events is required at scgovlibrary.librarymarket.com – keyword search “art in common places.” For more information, visit ArtinCommonPlaces.com. Art in Common Places was founded in 2020 by Cynthia Burnell, Leslie Butterfield, and Teresa Carson. The non-profit’s mission is to put art – in the form of broadsides that combine images and words – in public places such as laundromats, car washes, medical offices, and other common places for people to enjoy in their daily lives. For each broadside, an artist is matched with a poet, and they spend six weeks collaborating on a piece based on a theme they choose together. 

[Fundraising Event]  WBTT Raises Over $200,000 During Sold-Out Fundraising Celebration

On April 4, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe presented its lively and music-filled fundraiser, the April Fools Fête, in the ballroom at Michael’s On East. This year’s country-themed celebration was a sold-out success, with 300 community members in attendance – most of them wearing cowboy and cowgirl-appropriate attire. The event raised more than $200,000 in support of WBTT’s education programs. Guests were welcomed by WBTT board chair Doris Johnson, then event co-chairs Nancy Flanagan and Lois Wilkins recognized sponsors, committee members and the organization’s hardworking staff and consultants. After a barbecue dinner and classic dessert of apple pie a la mode, executive director Julie Leach, education director Jim Weaver, and founder/artistic director Nate Jacobs took the stage to focus on WBTT’s mission and education programs. One highlight of the evening was Jacobs’ emotional performance of “You’re Still the One” (Shania Twain), dedicated to WBTT’s Ambassador Circle co-chair and former CEO Christine Jennings, who has long encouraged Jacobs to direct a country-themed program.

"We could not have been more excited to be back in person with our supporters for our April Fools Fête this year," said WBTT's Executive Director Julie Leach. "The wholehearted support the community feels for our mission and work could not have been more evident; we are immensely grateful for the generosity of our sponsors and guests, which will translate into greater reach for our education programs.” 

Pictured: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's April Fools Fete committee Photo by Sorcha Augustine.

[Grant Awarded]  SRQ Strong Awarded Community Impact Grant from Community Foundation of Sarasota County

SRQ Strong has been awarded a Community Impact Grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County (CFSC) to support their ongoing partnership with Healthy Teens of Manatee County.
In 2021, with the help of CFSC, SRQ Strong and Healthy Teens developed a local youth trauma training team, called the Trauma Leadership Corps (TLC), to respond to the increasing impact of stress and trauma on youth mental health. This year, that team is putting everything they’ve learned into action. The grant will support the strengthening and addition of new material to the curriculum, training of a new group of Teen Health Educators and Young Adult Leaders (ages 15-25), and working alongside several local youth-serving agencies to provide trauma-based education and mentoring. The project will continue to raise community awareness about the power of youth peer-to-peer training and support. Funding for this stage of the project is provided in part by the Paul and Anne Finstad Fund 1 of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. 



[SOON]  SCIENCE AND NATURE: American Littoral Society: Eco-Tours Aboard the Carefree Learner , February 10 – April 14, 1pm-3pm

Enjoy wildlife and a hands on experience around Sarasota Bay from 1pm to 3pm. Departing from Bayfront Park near the LeBarge. Cost: Adults $20, Members $15, Children 10 and under $10. For reservations for February 10, March 3, March 24 and April 7 call John 941-966-7308. For reservations for February 24, March 10, March 31 and April 14 call Linda 607-423-9027.

[SOON]  THEATER: Florida Studio Theatre: The Grandma That Eats Everything & Other Winning Plays , March 26 – April 16, Varies.

Wise, heartfelt, and often comical, this anthology of award-winning short plays celebrates imagination. These winning plays, written by elementary school students from our community and around the world, are brought to life by a cast of professional actors. From a star who could not twinkle to a dragon plagued by hiccups, we've shined a spotlight on the magic of children's creativity through this beloved annual production for over 30 years. Join us in celebrating what stories young playwrights have imagined this school year in an all-new play filled with laughter, lessons, and learning for us all. The Grandma That Eats Everything by award-winning Young Playwrights will play Saturdays and select Sundays from March 26, 2022 - April 16, 2022 in FST's Keating Theatre. Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale and can be purchased by clicking the button above or by calling the Box Office at 941.366.9000.

[SOON]  GALLERY: Arts Advocates: Tony Reinemann , March 26 – April 16, 2pm-5pm

Tony Reinemann, Saturday, March 26 – Saturday, April 16, 2022. Fine arts painter Tony Reinemann’s oil paintings have been described as a blend of social and magic realism that evoke a highly exaggerated Edward Hopper in a Hitchcock film. With multiple themes running throughout his works, his sharply defined visuals tell stories limited only by the viewer’s imagination. Reinemann earned a B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts in New York. His paintings have been exhibited at the Museum of the National Academy of Design in New York and the Whitney Museum of American Art. His painting, “Long Island City,” won First Prize in Art Center Sarasota’s Staying Connected exhibition in 2021.

[SOON]  MUSIC: Sarasota Concert Association: Music Matinees: The GS Duo , April 13, 1pm

A longstanding community outreach program, Music Matinees feature accomplished area-based musicians who perform an array of musical styles. Concerts take place on Wednesdays from noon to 1pm in David Cohen Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center. The GS Duo will take place on April 13. The award-winning GS Duo formed in early 2010 during their undergraduate classical studies at Stetson University. Flutist Angela Galestro and guitarist Jonathan Smith offer a diverse repertoire of classical, jazz, Latin American and popular music. The group won second place in The American Prize Chamber Music Competition, making them the only two-person chamber music ensemble to earn a top prize in this category.

[SOON]  MUSIC: La Musica International Chamber Music Festival: From Darkness into Light , April 13, 7:30pm

Concert IV, From Darkness into Light, will take place on April 13, 2022 at 7:30pm at Sarasota Opera House. Single concert tickets are $50. There will be a pre-concert talk with Robert Sherman at 6:45pm. Mozart’s dark and stormy piano quartet may have deterred its publisher, but it showed the way from the Classical to the Romantic – so Tchaikovsky owes Mozart (and Florence) for his inspiration. This souvenir is beyond festive – think 1812 without the cannons. Wolfgang Mozart, Quartet for Piano and Strings in G Minor, K. 478, Zoltan Kodály, Serenade for Two Violins and Viola, Op. 12, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, String Sextet in D Major, Op. 70, Souvenir de Florence. Benny Kim, violin; Ruth Lenz, violin; Daniel Avshalomov, viola; Cynthia Phelps, viola; Dmitri Atapine, cello; Christine J. Lee, cello; Wendy Chen, piano.

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: The Ringling: Corporeal Decorum by Liony Garcia , April 14 – April 16, 11am and 7:30pm

Liony Garcia is a dancer and choreographer based in Miami, FL. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from New World School of the Arts. As a performer, he has worked with BodyTraffic (LA) performing choreographic works by Guy Weizman and Roni Haver (NL) and Barack Marshall. Locally he's worked under the direction of Alexey Taran with Bistoury Physical Theater and is a founding member of Rosie Herrera Dance Theater. Liony is currently a dancer in Brigid Baker’s WholeProject. He’s worked director Celia Rowlson-Hall on her latest short film entitled Swamp Lake. He's recently worked with filmaker, Claudio Marco Tulli on his film installation, Blasting Pixels. As a solo performer, Liony has performed at Mana Contemporary , International Noise Music Conference and most recently at Bas Fisher Invitational, along with modular furniture designer Deon Rubi. This performance will show on April 14, 15 and 16 at 11am and 7:30pm.

[SOON]  FOOD: Mote Marine: SEAsonal Tasting at Nathan Benderson Park , April 14, 6pm-9:30pm

Enjoy delicious food during this special event at Nathan Benderson Park celebrating restaurants of University Town Center (UTC) and benefiting Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA), your future neighbor in the UTC community on Thursday, April 14 from 6pm to 9:30pm, Finish Tower at Nathan Benderson Park (event takes place outside). Ticket price is $125.

[SOON]  GALLERY: SPAACES Gallery: The Queue: Beyond The Surface , April 15 – May 7, Gallery hours.

The Queue: Beyond The Surface, A Solo Exhibit by Nneka Jones. In this exhibition, Nneka Jones comments on topics such as identity, stereotypes and the digital age. Jones embeds and camouflages portraiture, making some of her subjects almost unrecognizable. Contrasting technological symbols, such as barcodes and QR-codes, with the soft edges and skin tones of the figure, Jones creates a timely discussion on humanism vs. futurism. She brings to light a growing struggle to maintain true identity in the face of our highly influential social media sites. Jones believes social technologies create a digital mask ultimately causing issues with mental health and social segregation. She aims to magnify these issues in the hope of starting conversations surrounding identity and unity. Opening Night Reception is Friday, April 15th, 2022 from 6pm to 8pm. Open Exhibition Dates are April 16th through May 7th By Appointment Only.

[WEEKEND]  DANCE: Sarasota Contemporary Dance: In-Studio Performance Series featuring Natalie Helm , April 15 – April 16, 7pm

"Bach Immersion III," A collaboration performance featuring Leymis Bolaños Wilmott and Anna Zwanzig (photographer). Natalie Helm explores J.S. Bach’s Six Suites for Solo Cello as they’ve never been experienced: through a multi-sensory interactive performance, which Helm titles Bach Immersion. Over the course of this three-part concert series, the audience will travel into each Suite’s unique world through a live musical performance alongside a myriad of other art disciplines, including dance, painting, photography, spoken word, fashion design, and food. With guest artists collaborating with Natalie and interpreting the music in conjunction with the audience, Bach Immersion will create a unique and one-of-a-kind experience. This performance will take place on Friday April 15th and Saturday April 16th 2022 at 7pm and its Virtual Stream will take place on Saturday, April 16th at 7pm.

[WEEKEND]  GRAB BAG: 1st Annual "Remember When" Vintage Car Show at Water's Edge of Bradenton , April 17, 10am-2pm

The 1st Annual “Remember When” Vintage Car Show will be held Saturday, April 17, 2021 from 10am to 2pm at newly renovated Water’s Edge of Bradenton. This event is FREE to the public! Come join us for Classic Cars, Great Food, Cool Beverages, Door Prizes & Free Giveaways, Craft Vendors and Classic Music from the 50's, 60's, and 70's. We also welcome you to take a tour of the 37-acre campus and experience the over 19,000 square feet of amenities that Water’s Edge of Bradenton has to offer residents. If you have any general questions about the event, please contact Helena at 941-757-2311. To schedule a tour of the property in advance, please contact Theresa at 941-705-4584. Vehicle Registration: If you would like to pre-register your classic car for the event, please download the event flyer at the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dqe7wcrSJoPfnVwE_SMn-Hziusnhm1DF/view?usp=sharing. Complete and return the form on the second page of the flyer along with your $10 donation. You may also register your vehicle on the day of the event at the show with a $15 donation. 

[SOON]  GRAB BAG: Discover Sarasota Tours: Sarasota's Leading Ladies , November 10 – May 18

A city tour led by one of Sarasota’s Founding Women: Rose Wilson, Mable Ringling, Marie Selby, and Bertha Palmer, as portrayed by actress and guide Kathryn Chesley. History comes to life on this Sarasota City Tour led by Rose Wilson, Mable Ringling, Marie Selby, or Bertha Palmer, as portrayed by actress and guide Kathryn Chesley. Each week’s 90-minute tour features a different leading founder and focuses on her contributions to Sarasota. Tour ticket includes FREE Parking.

[SOON]  FESTIVAL: Ranch Nite Wednesdays , November 10 – May 31, 6-9pm

Your favorite weeknight hangout has arrived at its new home, Waterside Place, the newest town center in Lakewood Ranch. Ranch Nite Wednesdays will take place from 6-9pm, every Wednesday, starting November 10, 2021 and through May, 2022. It will feature New food trucks + dessert truck each week, Weekly live music from local artists, Night market every 2nd Wednesday hosted by Main Street Market LWR, Outdoor bar hosted by Waterside Place tenant Good Liquid Brewing & Scratch Kitchen, and The 2nd largest recreational cornhole league in the nation hosted by MVP Sports & Social.

[SOON]  GALLERY: As long as there is sun, as long as there is light: Selections from the Bring Gift and The Ringling Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art , November 21 – August 13, Museum hours.

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is pleased to announce the opening of As long as there is sun, as long as there is light. Selections from the Bring Gift and The Ringling Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art. The exhibition will run Nov. 21, 2021 – Aug. 13, 2023, in the museum’s Searing Wing. In 2020, The Ringling received a significant gift of art from Murray Bring and Kay Delaney Bring, in support of the modern and contemporary collection. Highlights from the gift include an important minimalist work by Anne Truitt and a monumental work on canvas by Gene Davis, both artists affiliated with the Washington Color School, an art movement during the 1950s to 1970s in Washington D.C., made up of abstract expressionist artists Additional works in the gift represent a generation of prominent artists who work, or have worked, in abstraction, including Clement Meadmore, Jules Olitski, Beverly Pepper, Rebecca Salter, Kenneth Snelson, and Yuriko Yamaguchi, among others. Also on view are sculptures and paintings by distinguished African American and Latin American artists from The Ringling collection, including William Edmondson, Eduardo Mac Entyre, Omar Rayo, Baruj Salinas, and Joyce de Guatemala.  

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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