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SRQ DAILY Jun 20, 2023

Tuesday Dining and Food Edition

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Tuesday Dining and Food Edition

"We are so excited and proud to have served our community for 25 years."

- Laurie Moretti, Owner of Paisano's Italian Bakery
 

[The Dish]  Celebrate 25 Years of Italian Comfort Food at Paisano's Bakery
Laura Paquette, laura.paquette@srqme.com

This August, Paisano’s Italian Bakery will celebrate its 25th anniversary of serving up Italian comfort food to the Sarasota community. Husband and wife David and Laurie Moretti opened Paisano’s in 1998. David, the son of Italian immigrants, began his career working as a cleaner in a bakery. He gained skills at a variety of different bakeries, with the goal of opening up his own business, a desire echoed by Laurie, who wanted to be self-employed.

Founding Paisano’s not only allowed the pair to pursue their passions but also presented them with an opportunity to combine beloved recipes with culinary techniques learned through years of experience. “David learned to cook with his grandmother,” says Laurie, “and our eggplant calzone is an old recipe from his family, as are our stuffed shells.” Originally from Rhode Island, the couple brought Italian staples, like pizza strips, from New England to Sarasota. Pizza strips are thick rectangles of dough topped with tomato sauce and are popular amongst both New Englanders and Paisano’s patrons. “I remember when my husband threw me a surprise party for my 21st birthday, and on top of the table was a plate of pizza strips,” she adds. “They’re the kind of food that goes with every occasion.”

Aside from savory options, the bakery carries a wide variety of sweets, from delectable cakes and cookies to flaky pastries. Many flavors of biscotti line the display cases, paying homage to David’s previous work in other bakeries. Laurie’s favorite is the chocolate chunk pistachio biscotti, and she credits her team for producing high-quality baked goods. “I have a diverse team of talented decorators,” she says, “including Ritz-Carlton-trained decorators and a baker who used to own a famous restaurant in town.” A quick glance into the shop’s display showcases colorful cookies with vivid details, scrumptious cakes and more.

Laurie hopes that Paisano’s guests will leave having experienced the love that she and her team put into their food, a legacy of Italian culture. “It comes from our hearts,” she adds, “and we are so excited and proud to have served our community for 25 years.”

Paisano's Italian Bakery, 2732 Stickney Point Rd. Sarasota, paisanositalianbakery.com. 

Pictured: The display case at Paisanos Italian Bakery features a plethora of options to satisfy your sweet tooth. Photo courtesy of Paisanos Italian Bakery.

[Holiday Event]  Wellen Park Hosts Great American Picnic Event to Celebrate Fourth of July

Wellen Park invites the community to an all-day Great American Picnic celebration Saturday, July 1, in Downtown Wellen. The Great American Picnic, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., marks the beginning of the Fourth of July holiday weekend with live music, family friendly activities, a pie bake-off and plenty of food and drinks for everyone to enjoy. The festival will also debut Wellen Park’s new augmented reality experience showcasing the vibrant, playful spirit of Downtown Wellen. Guests will enjoy a new level of entertainment that blurs the line between virtual and realty, including a virtual bike or kayak ride around the Grand Lake, see the blue heron’s come to life on the massive mural wall or be surrounded by a carnival of circling colorful Florida butterflies while taking a selfie with them landing upon your extended arm. By completing the augmented reality experience, guests receive an exclusive prize offer that's most definitely a reality. The festival begins at 11 a.m. and will feature live music throughout the day by Rob Hazen, Derek Lersch Country Band, Queen Kay Duo and the Nightbreakers. Family-friendly activities include a water balloon toss, face painting, carnival games, cornhole and more. Once the sun sets, guests will enjoy a special projection art show at select locations through Downtown Wellen. As a Fourth of July tradition, there will also be a watermelon eating contest. Interested participants must pre-register here. The event will also have a pie bake-off contest, offering both youth and adult categories for contestants of all ages. Contestants must register beforehand here. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for seating on the Great Lawn and pack their own picnic baskets, or purchase picnic eats from The Yard food containers and restaurants throughout downtown. The event is open to the public. For more information, visit wellenpark.com/events/great-american-picnic. 

[The Dish]  Music Bingo at Hamlet's Eatery

Get ready for Music Bingo Friday, June 23rd at Hamlet’s Eatery from 5-8pm. Music Bingo is a fun and exciting take on classic bingo where anyone can play. Hostess Myra Mains will entertain you while you enjoy great food and drinks from Hamlet’s Eatery. Free to play and open to all ages and dog friendly. Hamlet’s Eatery will open at 5pm for food and the games will be begin at 5:30pm. Prizes include gift certificates from The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, Hamlet’s and more! Hamlet’s Eatery has a great menu including vegan options. They also have craft beer, wine, and Prosecco on tap. Located outside with seating under a covered patio, 821 Apricot Ave in Sarasota. For more information visit www.hamletseatery.com or call 941-445-1938. 

[Arts & Entertainment]  Change to Sarasota Music Festival Conductor and Soloist

Sarasota Orchestra has announced a change of conductor and soloist for the closing concert of the 2023 Sarasota Music Festival this Saturday, June 24. Due to illness, Jeffrey Kahane will be replaced by conductor Nicholas McGegan and piano soloist Robert Levin, for the concert formerly titled “Kahane Plays Beethoven.” The concert will retain the same program and is now entitled “Beethoven and Schumann.” Conductor Nicholas McGegan—long hailed as “one of the finest baroque conductors of his generation” (The Independent) and “an expert in 18th-century style” (The New Yorker)—leads the final Festival orchestra performance of the season. The orchestra is joined by Robert Levin as the soloist in Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto. Levin has been a SMF faculty artist since 1979, Festival Director from 2006-2017, and is an internationally celebrated pianist and scholar. The unchanged program features Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, Emily Cooley’s Argo and concludes with Schumann’s joyous “Spring” Symphony. Other changes include pianists for the Thursday, June 22 “Fairy Tale” Artist Series concert. Festival Associate Faculty Artist Jean Schneider will replace Levin on the Schubert Trout piano quintet. Associate Faculty Artist Michael Adcock will replace Kahane on the scheduled performances of Falla’s Spanish Dance No. 1 and Kreisler’s Liebesleid. Tickets are available for both concerts at www.SarasotaOrchestra.org/Festival or by calling the Box Office at (941) 953-3434. 

[Arts & Entertainment]  FST Extends Shear Madness for A Third Time

Due to overwhelming audience demand, Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is extending the run of its Summer Mainstage opener, Shear Madness, for a third time. Critics write that FST’s production “Keeps the laughs coming” and is “A delight” (Sarasota Herald-Tribune), saying “It would be madness to miss FST’s Shear Madness” (Venice Gondolier-Sun). Written by Paul Pörtner, Shear Madness is a comedic murder mystery where the audience helps solve the crime. FST’s production of Shear Madness will now run in FST’s Gompertz Theatre through July 9, 2023. Tickets are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or 941.366.9000. Audiences are raving about FST’s production of Shear Madness, calling it “Fabulously funny and quick witted,” “Delightfully hilarious,” and “The funniest show we have seen in all the years we have attended FST.” Audience member Nancy B. said of Shear Madness, “It’s a laugh-out-loud-a-minute show. Very well performed as well—no one should miss this!” 

[Workshop]  Uniting the Community Through Creative Problem Solving

On June 5, at our community resource center, LaunchPad4U, we welcomed in youth-serving organizations, licensed mental health professionals, district student support staff, teachers, students, and volunteer community members to identify solutions in strengthening resiliency in students through a creative problem-solving approach. Led by volunteer and design-thinking expert Len Brzozowski, it was the final workshop after a three-month period in which the community conducted extensive research and interviews and problem solved collectively and creatively, helping to guide our work to support students and teachers. It was the culmination of three months of inspiring, collaborative work. A huge thanks to everyone involved! Interested in making a difference with the Education Foundation? There are many ways to get involved. 

[Airport News]  SRQ Passenger Growth Continues in May 2023

For the month of May, 342,837 passengers traveled through the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, a 3% increase compared to 332,431 passengers in May 2022. The 12-month activity through May 2023 totals 4,123,848 passengers, an 8% increase compared to 3,820,705 passengers for the 12 months through May 2022. SRQ has seen a 15% increase in passengers for the calendar year to date as compared to the first 5 months of 2022. “As we enter the summer season, we continue to see strong travel demand at our airport. Future airlineflight schedules show additional seats and flight availability through the remaining calendar year. With COVID now behind us, and passengers eager to travel, we expect our passenger counts to maintain a positive trajectory for the foreseeable future,” stated Rick Piccolo, President, CEO of the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. Upcoming New Service July 2, 2023 Providence (PVD) – Breeze Airways. 

[County News]  Manatee County Invites Public Input to Proposed Impact Fee Changes

Manatee County is seeking public input for a new set of proposed impact fees, a one-time charge the County imposes on new development to cover the costs of providing public services to the new development. Manatee County collects impact fees to pay for multimodal transportation (including new roads), parks and natural resources, law enforcement and public safety equipment and libraries. Impact fees are restricted to funding growth-related capital improvements and may not be used for replacing infrastructure, maintenance or operations. A draft copy of the Manatee County Impact Fee Update Study can be downloaded from mymanatee.org/impactfees. The County's current impact fee schedule and the study those fees are based on from 2015 can also be found on this Webpage. The Florida Impact Fee Act and Manatee County’s Land Development Code require the county impact fee administrator to recommend whether any changes should be made to the Impact Fee Schedule. The Impact Fees Act also requires that impact fees be based on the most recent and localized data. A Manatee County consultant recently completed a local impact fee study documenting the data and formulas used to calculate a new set of proposed impact fees. As part of the update study process, citizens are encouraged to review the proposals and offer feedback as appropriate. Manatee County will host an online public comment period from June 19 through July 19. After the public comment period, the proposed impact fee schedule will be discussed by both the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners. Public comments or questions can be emailed to nicole.knapp@mymanatee.org or sent to Nicole Knapp, Impact Fee Administrator, PO Box 1000, Bradenton, FL 34206, or call her at (941) 748-4501, ext. 7824. For more information about Manatee County Government, visit mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ManateeGov. 



[Feature]  Following The Footprints

Following The Footprints | Eric Bendick on Path of the Panther, the documentary about the Florida panther, May/June 2023. 

Read Here!

[SOON]  FOOD: SIN Nights at Geckos on Hillview , May 12 – August 31, 10 pm to midnight

Enjoy SIN Nights for Geckos Hospitality and Service Industry Colleagues. Join Geckos on Hillview Street in Southside Village and let us serve you late at night after your shift on Friday and Saturday nights. We will keep the light on late for you and offer Geckos food and drink specials just for you from 10-Midnight. Come in wearing your uniform or bring in your schedule and enjoy the camaraderie of friends at Geckos on Hillview. 1900 Hillview Street, Sarasota, www.GeckosGrill.com.

[SOON]  GALLERY: 55 Frida Project , June 18 – August 18, Various times

Maverick, Mexican painter Frida Kahlo painted 55 self-portraits in her short and tragic life. View the commemorative exhibit by artist Beck Lane of her work at UUCS Lexow Wing Gallery, her artwork merges extraordinary creative vision and innovative technique and has been collected and shown in pop-up galleries, solo shows, galleries, and private collections in Boston, California, New York City, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Miami, Brussels, Switzerland, South America, and Israel. On her YouTube Channel, Catalyst and Co., Beck records herself painting live, while offering encouragement to fellow artists, and sharing her experiences as an artist and her painting process and techniques. These mixed medium works pulsate with powerful, vibrant energy, fluid color and rare style. On Sunday, July 16, Lane will be painting live from 12-2 pm at the Lexow Gallery. UUCS Lexow Wing Gallery, 3975 Fruitville Rd., www.uucsarasota.com, www.becklaneartist.com.

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: The Surfer Boys at Florida Studio Theatre , June 13 – August 13, Various times

Florida Studio Theatre kicks off its Summer Cabaret Series with The Surfer Boys,an energetic tribute to the music of The Beach Boys. Featuring such hits as California Girls, Good Vibrations, Barbara Ann, and Surfin USA, The Surfer Boys is filled with the honey-tinged harmonies and unforgettable melodies that defined 1960s California and pop music. The Surfer Boys begins playing June 13 in the FST Goldstein Cabaret. Tickets are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or at 941.366.9000.

[SOON]  DANCE: Saltare Mortis In Studio Series at Sarasota Contemporary Dance , June 9 – July 17, 7pm
At the Saltare Mortis In-Studio Series, come take a glimpse into our lives as detectives as we attempt to solve a mystery in a town where crime is next to none. Though detectives in training, we have many tools up our sleeve to help us solve the mystery. But we could use your help. Put your detective skills to the test to help us unmask the criminal. You never know what surprises we will run into along the way. Shows will run in person on June 9 and 10 and July 14 with virtual options on June 19 and July 17. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit sarasotacontemporarydance.org.
[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: The Summer Circus Spectacular , June 9 – August 12, Various times

Circus fans of all ages, from near and far, can beat the heat this summer at reasonable prices while experiencing the best of the circus arts, thanks to the continued partnership of The Circus Arts Academy and The Ringling. The Summer Circus Spectacular returns this year, with exciting acts signed on for the one-hour, action-packed show. The 2023 Summer Circus Spectacular, which has become a seasonal highlight for locals, visitors, families and groups alike, takes place from June 9 through August 12. Tickets are $20 for adults, $13 for children 12 and under, and tickets for the 7 p.m. opening night performance and celebration on Friday, June 9, which includes a gala reception with the artists, are $50. To complete their circus experience, Summer Circus Spectacular patrons can enjoy access to the Circus Museum on the day they attend a show for an additional $5. Visit Ringling.org or call the Box Office at 941-360-7399 to purchase tickets and learn more. The Historic Asolo Theater at The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota.

[SOON]  FESTIVAL: Sarasota Music Festival , June 5 – June 24, Various times

The Sarasota Music Festival returns for the 2023 Festival season, centering around a special theme that ties together the 12 concerts highlighting the power of storytelling through music. Student fellows, who come from top conservatories and music schools, are afforded the opportunity to perform alongside world-renowned faculty artists on Friday and Saturday evening concert programs. The three-week Festival runs from June 5 to 24 and features a schedule of 12 different concerts, as well as a wide range of masterclasses, coaching sessions, and rehearsals. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.sarasotaorchestra.org/festival.

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: Comedy Lottery at Florida Studio Theatre Improv , June 3 – July 29, 7:30pm
It is the lottery where everyone wins. Twelve lucky audience members determine the fate of our team by selecting the nightly lineup of games. Our cast of funny people are off to the races spinning scenes, sketches, and songs to win your laughter. Bownes Lab, 1265 First St., Sarasota, floridastudiotheatre.org.
[SOON]  THEATER: Shear Madness , May 31 – July 16, Various times

There has been a murder in a local hair salon, and it is up to the audience to solve the crime. Everyone is a suspect when the old lady living above Shear Madness salon is mysteriously offed. Join two police officers to piece together the clues behind this strange, scissor-stabbing homicide. Chock full of up-to-the minute spontaneous humor, Shear Madness has slayed the hearts of audiences around the world. Now it is up to Sarasota audiences to outwit the suspects and catch the killer in this interactive comedy whodunit. FST Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.
Sarasota, floridastudiotheatre.org.

[SOON]  MUSEUM: Lorna Bieber, Natural World at The Ringling , May 20 – October 15, Museum hours

The Ringling presents a solo exhibition of works by Lorna Bieber in May that includes two new pieces making their debut in the Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Gallery for Contemporary Art. Her artwork first and foremost encourages us to indulge in the pleasures of looking and discovering anew the details of the visual world. Her artistic practice is grounded in appropriating, recycling, and manipulating imagery. The work reminds us of the image world that inundates our daily existence. Our experience of reality is mediated through a barrage of photographic digital images that supplants our connection to the natural world. Yet, Bieber is less interested in a critique of this condition than she is in offering her work as an antidote, a way to inspire viewers and reconnect with our shared sense of wonder. Included with museum admission. The Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, ringling.org.

[SOON]  MUSIC: Reel Music at the Florida Studio Theatre , February 15 – June 25, Various times

Florida Studio Theatre presents the original music revue, Reel Music, celebrating the movies that helped create the soundtrack to the last century. Featuring classics like “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Circle of Life,” and “My Heart Will Go On,” this new Cabaret traces how films—and the music highlighted in them—have evolved over the past one hundred years. Created by Richard Hopkins, Rebecca Hopkins, and Sarah Durham with musical arrangements by Jim Prosser, Reel Music begins playing February 15, 2023, in FST’s Court Cabaret. Single tickets for Reel Music
range between $18-39 and are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or at 941.366.9000.

[SOON]  SCIENCE AND NATURE: Conservation Foundation Trivia Nights , June 9 – August 11, 5 to 8 p.m.

Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is excited to announce a monthly trivia series this summer at their Bay Preserve headquarters in Osprey on June 9, July 14 and August 11. The free community events will take place from 5pm to 8pm with trivia beginning at 6pm. Each month a different food truck duo will be onsite offering a variety of tasty options the whole family can enjoy. The public is invited to come watch, play, or simply enjoy nature and food with family and friends. Each monthly event will have a different theme with a variety of questions covering categories ranging from movies and music to science and nature. Teams can have up to eight members and multi-generational teams are encouraged. The winning team for each individual monthly event will receive a prize package in recognition of their win. Points will also be accumulated across the series, with the overall winning team receiving their choice of a private, guided hike or kayak trip for up to ten people. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to sit upon for this outdoor, picnic-style gathering. In the event of rain, the trivia component will be moved to an area under cover. Learn more and RSVP at conservationfoundation.com/events. Conservation Foundation, 400 Palmetto Ave., Osprey.

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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