Jill Martini, combining her passions for interior design and the event industry, has just launched her newest business, The Cottage Conservatory—an intimate, boutique-style venue for private events and community gatherings.

Martini attended Ringling College of Art and Design, which brought her to the Sarasota area, and studied interior design and photography. After working with several interior design firms, she decided to branch out and put her skills toward opening her own business six years ago. She started her first company, The Wandering Whale, in a converted horse trailer—using her love for design to create a fleet of mobile bars.

As The Wandering Whale grew, so did Martini’s love for the event industry. “All while I was working with The Wandering Whale and growing that business, I was putting money aside to save for what I knew I wanted to be the next chapter,” says Martini. Finally, in August 2024, she was able to purchase a 1948 cottage in Downtown Sarasota, which would eventually become the new event space.

“It was a really neglected cottage, but I thought it had good bones. We've been working on fixing it up slowly, just updating it little by little. And currently, we feel like we're at a stopping point for now,” says Martini. Although she plans to continue working on smaller projects, she says the cottage is ready to begin hosting events after the broad upgrades they’ve already done.

Martini has designed the cottage with a garden look and describes the space as having a natural and organic feel. Her favorite part of the venue is a pergola she had built off the side of the cottage, which serves as the primary gathering space. “We have vines growing up the pergola and above-ground planters with flowers and herbs. It definitely has this quaint, farmhouse feeling to it amongst the downtown setting,” she says.

In the future, Martini plans to build a conservatory to complement the cottage—the property is situated on two lots, one of which is currently vacant. With this lot, she plans to create a space adjacent to the cottage that has the look and feel of a greenhouse but functions as an additional event space.

Martini says that in her experience with The Wandering Whale, she’s noticed that smaller event spaces are difficult to find in the area—she hopes that her venue, which holds up to 30 people, will fill that need. “I really hope it serves a niche for people who want an intimate experience that's special and unique, and that's within a reasonable price point,” she says. “It's local, it's easily accessible, and it gives people that really quaint, charming experience.”

The Cottage Conservatory, 701 N. Lime Avenue, Sarasota, FL, 941-650-9950, thecottageconservatory.com 

Pictured: Jill Martini aims to offer an intimate and unique event experience with her new venue, The Cottage Conservatory. Credit: Jen Godshall Photography

HCA Florida Blake Hospital, HCA Florida Braden River Emergency and HCA Florida Venice Doctors Emergency hosted their annual “Crush the Crisis” prescription drug take back day on Saturday. The event raises awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and the importance of safe and proper disposal of unused or expired medications. More than 160 pounds of medication was turned in. The events offered the community an opportunity to safely and anonymously dispose of medications that may be left over from previous procedures or other medical visits. National drug overdose deaths decreased by nearly 27% in 2024, however, prescription drug misuse remains a public health crisis in the United States. Research shows a significant number of drug addictions and overdose deaths come from individuals accessing unused medications from family and friends. Since 2019, HCA Healthcare has helped safely dispose of more than 88,000 pounds of unused or expired medication. The journey continues this year as the Company continues the road to 100,000 pounds of collected medication. 

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People living with end-stage kidney disease require safe and dependable hemodialysis access. Common complications with existing dialysis access include infections, blood clots, and stenosis (narrowing of blood vessels). Sarasota Memorial’s Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute is now exploring a new treatment option in a clinical study aimed at providing a safer, more reliable access point for dialysis patients. For more information or to find out if you are eligible to participate in the local study, contact the research team at (941) 917-2225 or researchinstitute@smh.com. For information about the trial, visit clinicaltrials.gov.     

Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources completed the 100th land acquisition through the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program (ESLPP). On Friday, Oct. 17, the county closed on the property formerly known as Camp Venice RV Resort, 4085 E. Venice Ave., Venice. Located adjacent to Sarasota County’s Snook Haven Park and near Sleeping Turtles Preserve South, another ESLPP site, the 20-acre property has operated as a campground for the past 40 years. Approximately six acres consist of mesic hammock and riverine habitat along the Myakka River, with native vegetation including oaks, southern red cedar, cabbage palm, beautyberry and wild coffee. For more information on Sarasota County’s Land Acquisition and Management Program or Sarasota County’s Environmental Lands Celebration, please visit  SarasotaCountyParks.com/LandAcquisitions or call 311. 

The Manatee Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller will host its fall Clerk's Community Shred Day on Saturday, November 15, from 9 to 11 a.m., or until the shred truck reaches capacity, whichever happens first at Manatee Technical College, 6305 SR 70 E, Bradenton. This free drive-thru event allows Manatee County residents and individuals to safely dispose of personal documents containing sensitive information and destroy hard drives removed from computers or laptops—helping protect against identity theft and fraud.

Saturday, November 15, 2025, 9-11 a.m. or until the shred truck reaches capacity. Manatee Technical College, 6305 SR 70 E, Bradenton. Free to the public Limit: Two standard-sized bankers' boxes or copy paper boxes (approximately 12" x 10" x 15") per vehicle. Drive-thru. 

This delightful quartet bonded over their love of Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 59 No. 2 at the 2025 PMP Chamber Workshop. Beethoven dedicated this quartet to Count Andrey Razumovsky in 1808, which inspired the Razuma String Quartet over 200 years later.

Thursday, November 13, 7:30pm, First Presbyterian Church 2050 Oak St, Sarasota. 

The Florida Center for Early Childhood announces its second annual Wonder Gala, the organization’s signature fundraising event benefiting the region’s youngest children and their families. The celebration takes place Friday, December 5, 6:30 p.m., at The Ora, 578 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Individual tickets are $375, with a variety of sponsorship opportunities available. To learn more or to purchase tickets, visit TheFloridaCenter.org or call 941-371-8820.