Srqjune PDF

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R O B E R T D AV I E
941-924-6629
Please visit us at
ROBERTDAVIE.COM
& ASSOCI ATE S LANDSCAPI NG
Thinking green
for over 35 years.
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IN THIS ISSUE
JUNE 2015
BECOME A SUBSCRIBER AT SRQMAG.COM/SUBSCRIBE.
contents
Features
56 LIVE SUMMER
LIKE THE LOCALS

Explore our list of summertime
diversions during the season of
sand, sun and seabreezes.
66 FRESH GLAMOUR,
PROVEN STARS
This years Sarasota Film

Festival introduced a new
programming director and
highlighted homelessness.
Out&About
16 IN STUDIO
The painters process
with James Griffin.
18 IN BRIEF
LIVE
SUMMER
LIKE THE
LOCALS
pg. 56
20 POLITICO
Analyzing Sarasotas recent
city election outcome.
22 CULTURE CITY
The inner workings and
illustrious past of The
Players Theatre.
THIS PAGE (clockwise from left): Stay Frosty with PopCraft

artisan treats. Actress Jane Seymour with Sarasota Film Festival
President Mark Famiglio. Cinema Tropicale at Michaels On East.
Sculpture from Black Bird Home Gallery.
Saks Fifth Avenues new

general manager Terri
Najmolhoda shares
what inspires her.
SRQ | JUNE 2015
26 CATCH
Bring the outdoors in with these
nature-inspired elements for
your home.
28 SHOPTALK
Architectural Revival brings
reclaimed and repurposed design
to the Rosemary District.
30 SB2 REPORT
Wrap up quotes from
the March 2015 SB2
Symposium sharing insight
on the topic of regional
waterfront development.
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contents
IN THIS ISSUE
JUNE 2015
10
12
14
31
HAPPENINGS
INSIDE THE BRAND
MAILBAG
MEET ME AT THE CLUB
FREEDOM BOAT CLUB
SARA BAY COUNTRY CLUB
HEALTHFIT
SARASOTA LAWN BOWLING
WAVES BOAT CLUB
45
TRIBUTE TO BUSINESS
ALL FAITHS FOOD BANK
CHILD PROTECTION CENTER
HALL ARCHITECTS
INSIGNIA BANK
JFCS
PPI TECHNOLOGIES GROUP
SIR SPEEDY
TABLESEIDE
55
83
EDITORS NOTE
GREEN ROUNDTABLE
GOODWILL MANASOTA
TROPEX PLANT LEASING
Sportinglife
Body&Health
QuidProQuo
36 KAYAK COASTING
86 ADHD IN FOCUS
96
Paddle your way through

the Gulf Coast and try our
top five kayak trails.
@theTable
39 SINGULAR SENSATIONS
These eateries are more than
just one-trick ponies.
44 OSCAR-NOMINATED
If they gave Oscars for
food, these would bring
home the award.
SRQ | JUNE 2015
More than ever before, doctors

and counselors are getting a grasp
on what causes ADHD and how to
productively manage the
symptoms.
ABOVE: Louise Converse of

Artisan Cheese Company. RIGHT:
Licorice from Dulcefina.
WHAT BOOKS ARE

ON YOUR SUMMER
READING LIST?
92
94
MENU
COCOTELE
COUTURE CUTS | HAIR COLOR | BROWS & LASHES | NAILS | BRIDAL | FACIALS | MASSAGE | MAKE UP
FUN PEOPLE
FABULOUS HAIR
When you experience our Salon for the first time, you will receive a full-size Kerastase Shampoo chosen just for you! A $42 value.
SPAHOLLYWOOD.COM
5780 Swift Road | 941-209-1940
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OurTeam
LIVE LOCAL. SARASOTA | BRADENTON
LISL LIANG
CEO, PRESIDENT & EDITOR IN CHIEF
Senior Editor
JACOB OGLES
Art Manager / Senior Photographer
EVAN SIGMUND
Assistant Editor / Production Coordinator
SHANE DONGLASAN
Staff Writer
PHIL LEDERER
Contributing Editors JOHN HARDY, KAYE WARR
Editorial Interns ROSIE ROBINSON, HOLLY MASTAY
Photography Intern AUDRA LOCICERO
WES ROBERTS
EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER, VICE PRESIDENT
Vice President of Strategic Partnerships
ASHLEY GRANT
Client Development Manager
ASHLEY RYAN
Marketing Manager
MARY DARBY GUIDROZ
Contributing Creatives JESSICA MCKNIGHT,
GENE POLLUX, WOODY WOODMAN, ERI VINCENT
Marketing/Advertising Interns SHYAMALI MAHURE,
ANTHEA ROKOP AND NATALIE SCHULTE
SRQ MEDIA GROUP

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MAGAZINE, SRQ ACCESS GUIDE AND SRQ DAILY.
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Phone | 941-365-7702 Fax | 941-365-0853 SRQMAG.COM
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Sign Up for SRQ DAILY

The magazine in your hands
offers enormous insight into
our community, but the most
informed in our community
follow our constant coverage
of Southwest Florida in SRQ
Daily. The electronic newsletter is a must-read in thousands of inboxes. Check our
special Monday Business
Edition for coverage of commerce, our Friday Weekend
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newsmakers. Sign up at
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Origins of SRQ
The SRQ in SRQ
magazine originates from
the designated call letters for
the local Sarasota Bradenton
International Airport. SR
was the original abbreviation
for the airport before the
growth in total number of airports required the use of a
three-letter code. Letters like
X and Q were used as
filler, thus the original SR
was revised to SRQ, much
as the Los Angeles airport
became LAX. As a regional
publication committed to the
residents of and visitors to
both Sarasota and Manatee
counties, SRQ captures the
place that we call home.
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SUBSCRIBE TO THE PRINT AND DIGITAL MAGAZINE Join our readers in the pleasurable experience of receiving SRQ magazine in your mailbox every month. To reserve your subscription, provide your
information and payment online. You can set up multiple addresses, renewals and special instructions
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Vol. 18, Issue 172. Copyright 2015 SRQ MEDIA GROUP. SRQ: Sarasotas Premier Magazine is published 12 times a year.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The entire contents of SRQ are copyrighted by Trafalger Communications, Inc. Column and department names are property of Trafalger Communications, Inc. and may not be used or reproduced without express written permission of the publisher. SUBSCRIPTION: Subscriptions to SRQ are $20 for 12 issues. Single copies are $4.
Happenings_JUN15_Layout 1 5/19/15 4:59 PM Page 10
Happenings
JOIN US THIS JUNE.
ASHLEY GRANT
MAGAZINE
SPONSORED
EVENTS
PARTNER.
ENGAGE.
COLLABORATE.
SRQ Gives Back, a
program of the SRQ Media
Partnership Division, forms
strategic alliances with notfor-profit and charitable organizations to connect them with the
SRQ audience, engage support
for their missions and collaborate with each in a strategic way
to ensure success for their
goals. As a facilitator for growth
and market health in the community, SRQ is invested in
ensuring the economic prosperity and positive brand image of
our nonprofit partners so they
can continue to do the good
work that benefits so many.
Series and event corporate
sponsorships available.
SRQ Sponsorships, an
integrated marketing
program of the SRQ Media
Partnership Division, leverages
its event channels and sponsorship opportunities to connect
clients with their target audiences. By sponsoring the SB2
Regional Symposium Breakfast
and Luncheon series, clients
directly engage Sarasota and
Bradentons top thinkers and
decision-makers in print,
online and in person.
Contact Vice President of
Strategic Partnerships Ashley
Grant at 941-365-7702 x204 or
at ashley.grant@srqme.com.
10
SRQ | JUNE 2015
6/7 MOTE WORLD OCEANS DAY

An ocean celebration is on the horizon.
The events Dr. Seuss theme will spotlight the oceans deep connection to
the human spirit and the boundless
inspirational power of our natural
worlds greatest resource. World
Oceans Day, officially celebrated on
June 8, was created in 1992 at the Earth
Summit and declared a holiday by the
United Nations in 2009. Motes World
Oceans Day celebration received the
2010 Big Fish Award for Best Aquarium
World Oceans Day Event from Dr.
Seuss Enterprises and the Association
of Zoos and Aquariums. The event will
feature games and crafts.
6/13-8/1 SPLASHIN
SELBY SATURDAYS
6/16 SUMMER CIRCUS

SPECTACULAR
Get ready for Splashin Selby

Saturdays this summer at Selby
Gardens! Kids will love the water
activities and games happening each
Saturday from 11:30am to 3:00pm
from June 13 to August 1. The Great
Lawn becomes a fun zone with water
spray sprinklers and slip and slides,
fishing games, water noodle hockey,
water basketbal, scavenger hunts, a
shark tooth hunt and frog games.
Explore the Ann Goldstein Childrens
Rainforest Garden with its beautiful
waterfall and lagoon. Splashin Selby
Saturdays is free to members. Regular
admission applies to visitors.
On June 16, the curtain goes up on the

annual Summer Circus Spectacular at
The Historic Asolo Theater. Presented
in collaboration with The Circus Arts
Conservatory of Sarasota, this onstage exhibition of circus artistry provides delightful and affordable summer entertainment for children of all
ages. Dont miss the hilarious antics of
performer Kirk Marsh, award-winning
13-year-old juggler Sebastian St. Jules,
the daring teeterboard acrobatics of
the Alvarez Family, world-renowned
risley act stars the Anastasini Brothers,
the magnificent Queen of the Air
Dolly Jacobs and much more.
www.mote.org
www.selby.org
6/19 VAN WEZELS FRIDAY FEST

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Halls
free, family-friendly outdoor summertime concert series returns this year
with a lineup that is sure to get your
feet moving! The events take place
once a month from June through
September from 5-9pm and are located on the Bayside Lawn of the Van
Wezel. Bring your blankets or lawn
chairs, take in the music and the sunset, and enjoy food and beverage from
local vendors. Emceed by the energetic Dan Kriwitsky and Ray Collins,
its sure to be a blast. Friday Fest takes
place rain or shine.
6/20 TURTLE INC. MINIATURE

GOLF TOURNAMENT
6/27-7/5 SUNCOAST SUPER BOAT

GRAND PRIX FESTIVAL
Turtle Inc. is hosting the First Annual

Miniature Golf Tournament to benefit
the sea turtle programs at Mote Marine
Laboratory. Turtle Inc. is committed to
helping the sea turtle programs and
educating young people about the environment and sea creatures, and encourages todays youth to get involved, volunteer and pay it forward. Turtle Inc. was
founded by 11 year old Lexi Mariash and
is in partnership with Positive Tracks, a
national, youth-centric nonprofit that
helps young people get active and give
back using the power of sports.
www.vanwezel.org
www.turtleinc.org
The 31st Annual Suncoast Super Boat

Grand Prix Festival gets underway on
June 27 to benefit Suncoast Charities for
Children. The 2015 festival launched
this year with a new name and logo, and
plans for two full days of powerboat racing on July 4-5 off Lido Beach with televised coverage from CBS Sports
Network. This years race format will
include racers from around the world
and offer a more spectator-friendly
venue with race team classes running
together at one time, an expanded VIP
area on Lido Beach and a race awards
area on Lido Beach.
www.ringling.org
www.suncoastoffshore.org
ITB_JUN15_Layout 1 5/19/15 7:46 PM Page 12
FOR MORE STORIES, SIGN UP FOR OUR ONLINE ITB BLOG AT SRQINSIDETHEBRAND.COM
BEHIND-THE-SCENES
WITH SRQ MAGAZINE
InsidetheBrand
SRQS INAUGURAL HEAR ME ROAR WOMEN IN BUSINESS LUNCHEON
PAM VAN DER

LEES GUIDEPOSTS
TO SUCCESS
As her Women in Business
Luncheon keynote address
concluded, Pam van
der Lee charged all in
attendance with a few
challenges:
1 Feel passionate about
something that you do. Identify
and engage in the activities,
situations and/or environments
that thrill you, that make you
giddy or even a little scared.
2 Surround yourself with
people whom you admire
and connect.
3 Be fair and decent.
4 Lead by example. Be the
driver of your success and help
others along the way through
setting a good example, bringing others to the table to participate in decision making
and by valuing others.
ON APRIL 23RD, SRQ MAGAZINE HOSTED THE INAUGURAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS HEAR ME
ROAR LEADERSHIP AND AWARDS LUNCHEON to a sold-out audience at The Francis in downtown
Sarasota. The event featured an awards ceremony for the 2015 Women in Business competition, an
inspiring keynote address from Pam van der Lee, Chief Marketing Officer for iMatchative in San
Francisco and honored local fashion icon Adrienne Vittadini with the inaugural Women in Business
Trailblazer Award. As guests arrived, they were greeted to champagne and shopping in the pop-up boutique, featuring wares from Saks Fifth Avenue, Diamond Vault, Pecky, Philosophy & Vines, Paint Nail Bar
and Lilly Pulitzer. The program began with a stirring address from Pam van der Lee, which paid homage
to following your passion not just the sure bet to success. Early in her career, van der Lee rejected the
allure of Wall Street and took a job with a then-smaller company, Nickelodeon Studios, and as the company grew, became the head of marketing for Viacom. I believe that passion is the very best driver and the
most reliable predictor of success, said van der Lee. Throughout her address, luncheon guests were
moved by her thoughtful honesty and a summation of her life that is familiar to many women navigating
their own road to success: My career path can resemble the freeways in LA. Confusing, circuitous, busy,
sometimes terrifying and not terribly well marked. Moving from entertainment marketing to the world of
non-prot, to a start up that straddles both nance and technology, I think most would agree that my path
doesnt follow the a straight line is the shortest distance between two points rule. But the one thing that
has been clear in all of my choices is that passion has been my driver. Moved by van der Lees words, the
luncheon warmly congratulated Adrienne Vittadini as the very rst recipient of the SRQ Women in
Business Trailblazer award. Accepting her award, Adrienne attributed a great deal of her success to reinventing herself. Taking risks, being adventurous and not being afraid are all actions she encouraged us to
takeand to take often. SRQ was incredibly proud and honored to introduce new inductees to the 2015
Leadership Circle, comprised of the nalists and winners of this years Women in Business Competition.
As each recipient was recognized, a quote from their application was projected to the attendees, allowing
each nalist and winner to be celebrated in a very personal way. We look forward to getting to know each
of the winners and nalists and learning about their incredible and unique success stories in the coming
year. SRQ Magazine would like to thank our incredible sponsors for their support of the Women in
Business initiative and the incredible nominees, nalists and winners: The University of South Florida
Sarasota-Manatee, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sophies, and The Resort at Longboat Key Club. www.srqinsidethebrand.com. For photos from the luncheon, visit us at www.clicksrq.com.
SB2: PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE July 23 2015; 7:30-9am; The Francis, Downtown Sarasota
We take a look at how local non-profits are engaging their philanthropic engines to help our local community. In People
Helping People panelists will look at the changing landscape of volunteer and donor development and trends in their
industries. Thank you to sponsors: CS&L CPAs and Cool Today. TICKETS ONLINE AT WWW.SRQSB2.COM
12
SRQ | JUNE 2015
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to:Mailbag
YOUR LETTERS
Never Settling
Affordable Solutions for Furry Family
On behalf of Gulf Coast Community Foundations Board of

Directors, I appreciate SRQ speaking with several of us for
your new On Board department in the December issue.
Volunteering for a nonprot board of the caliber of Gulf
Coasts comes with great responsibility and high expectations. I think the article showed how deeply we care about
this community and how seriously we take our role. Never
Settling was a tting headline, too, as we never slow down
nor accept the status quo in our work to transform this
region. Since your December issueand thanks in large
part to our donorsweve seen the opening of a second
emergency haven for homeless families in Sarasota
County, nished raising funds to technologically transform
every middle-school math and science classroom in the
county and launched a community indicators website
thats the rst of its kind for our region. We also learned
that our CEO, Teri Hansen, who has set the tone for achieving Gulf Coasts transformative work, will take a new role
with a major family foundation here in Sarasota this summer. The same dedication expressed by our board members
in your interview piece is now manifest in our search for
Gulf Coasts next chief executive. Teri has set the bar
incomparably high, and we will not settle in our job of nding a leader who will continue the exponential growth of
Gulf Coasts regional impact. Our donors and our community expect nothing less.
Thank you to SRQ Magazine for their insightful article on

Animal Advocates in the December 2014 issue, featuring
the Humane Society of Manatee County. Many people dont
realize the magnitude of this issue in our area and the
efforts made by those of us in the animal welfare community to save lives. As Abby Weingarten mentioned, we will be
expanding our services starting with the renovation of our
newly acquired 10,000 sq.ft. building. By early July, capacity for spay/neuter will increase signicantly and the opening of a wellness clinic will serve all pet owners. One of the
most important components of helping people keep their
pets is educating them on spaying and neutering as well as
proper care. The launching of a bi-lingual community outreach initiative has begun in 2015. It is a grant-funded program designed to communicate this message to pet owners
in communities where this information may have been limited, whether by cultural or economic conditions. Our role
as animal advocates is tested every day, when pet owners
tell us they have no resources to properly care for their pets
or feel overwhelmed and think their only option is to turn
their animal in to a shelter or rescue. We will be in a position to not only assist them, but also provide affordable
solutions to those who love their four-legged family members. Please continue to advocate for those precious animals who cannot speak for themselves, as they bring so
much joy to this otherwise chaotic world in which we live.
Benjamin R. Hanan
Hildy Russell
Chairman of the Board, Gulf Coast Community Foundation
Finance and Communication Director,

Humane Society of Manatee County
Animal Advocates
Its kitten season, and hundreds of newborns have entered
our doors since SRQ featured Animal Advocates in
December. In fact, over 125 kittens are in volunteer foster
homes with more arriving daily. The Rose Durham Cat
Care Clinic offers alternative low cost veterinary care and
is expanding its hours to include six days a week. Skilled
veterinarians are providing quality care to anyone who
cannot afford traditional veterinary prices. We are proud
to work hand-in-hand with local veterinarians to aid cats
who may not have received previous care. Four weeks of
summer camp activities will help teach the need for kindness to animals and one week is donated to girls of Girls,
Inc. Our community efforts include onsite and offsite
weekly events for children, adults and seniors.And, for
those of you who remember Budd, the kitten who had neurological issues, he is now playing happily in the loving
home of his adopters. We urge everyone to learn more,
become involved, and help us make a difference for the
homeless cats and kittens in our community. Thank you,
SRQ Magazine, for spreading the word.
Shelley Thayer
Executive Director, Cat Depot
14
SRQ | JUNE 2015
Pet Adoptions
Thank you SRQ Magazine for promoting awareness about
animal advocates in the December 2014 issue. UnderDog
Rescue continues making a positive difference for
unwanted/abandoned dogs. The December article demonstrated not only concern for homeless animals, but featured local rescue groups whose volunteers give of themselves. The recognition SRQ provided is invaluable. It
brought additional opportunities to feature dogs who need
stable, loving homes. On March 7, UnderDog was included
in the Village Walk of Palmer Ranch Health Fair, which
resulted in wonderful adoptions. UnderDog was elated
when contacted by the staff of Cesar Millan and invited to
participate in Cesar's live show at Van Wezel on March
26th. Cesar himself selected several UnderDogs to be
included in the show. Again, this resulted in positive exposure and quality adoptions for deserving dogs. UnderDog
attended the Celebration of Pets on April 11th at the
Sarasota Fairgrounds and continues to offer several adoption events per month. Recently, UnderDog was able to
POSTS AND
CHIRPS
FACEBOOK POSTS
From Selah Freedom
Selah Freedom President/CEO
Elizabeth Melendez Fisher was
recognized as a finalist at the
2015 SRQ Magazine Women
in Business Annual Hear Me
Roar Awards! It is an honor to
be included in this amazing
circle of finalists! So grateful for
SRQ Magazine CEO Lisl Lang
and Vice President of Strategic
Partnerships Ashley Grant for
continually highlighting Selah
Freedoms work with sex
trafficking survivors!
TWEETS
A huge honor this week: Jo
Ann won #SRQMags 2015
Women in Business Award!
Check her out in the May
issue! @SRQChirps
@KoontzLawFirm
Honoring Adrianne Vittadini as
the winner of the Trailblazer
award at @SRQChirps
Women in Business
@joy_randels
Many thanks @SRQChirps
@jacobogles for the article
about my documentary film
"The Last Great Circus Flyer"
#MySFF @philipweyland
Great chat with Phil Lederer of
@SRQChirps today at
@MySFF about
#CinemaPurgatorio. Key to a
local film scene: a vibrant local
media scene.
@ChrisWhiteHQ
Mailbag_JUN15_Layout 1 5/19/15 5:03 PM Page 15
help a severely injured dog hit by a car and

brought to Manatee Animal Services.
UnderDog provided the necessary surgery
and the dog is now recuperating in a foster
home. Lately, there has been an influx of senior dogs. UnderDog is grateful to local residents who open their hearts and homes to the
older dogs. It is important for pet owners to
have a secure plan for their pets in case of
death or emergency. Adopters should be cognizant and make age appropriate decisions
when selecting a dog as a companion. Dogs of
all ages need forever homes. A dogs love is
unconditional and they want to stay with
their owners for a lifetime. Thank you for
helping UnderDog Rescue help them.
Sherri Rayburn-Fields
Director, UnderDog Rescue of Florida
Future Conservationists
The animal advocates article in the December
2014 SRQ Magazine helped bring awareness
to the lemurs fragile state on the planet. Our
local community is now aware that both
domestic and exotic animals are in need of,
and have found, a safe haven in the greater
Sarasota area. Many people are not aware that
our private conservation habitats are nestled
in Myakka City creating a low stress and highly enriching environment for these threatened and endangered animals. The Lemur
Conservation Foundations focus is on science and education, using our natural environment as a classroom for students to learn
how to conduct fieldwork and behavioral
observations. It is our goal to inspire and train
future conservationists who will help to
spread awareness about our organization and
one day help to save the lemur. We engage students minds and inspire compassion and conversation while educating about this 60 million year old animal. Lets not let them go
extinct on our watch. Heres to a life filled
with lemurs.
Lee Nessler
CEO, Lemur Conservation
Foundation
OutAbout_JUN15 _Layout 1 5/19/15 6:01 PM Page 16
Out&About
IN STUDIO Inside the divided mind of James Griffin.
SARASOTA | BRADENTON PEOPLE, IDEAS AND STYLE
CREATIVEchaos
VERDANT LANDSCAPES, MARKET SCENES AND MYSTERIOUS FIGURES with inquisitive eyes all meet the same fate under James
Griffins brush, frozen in time with their stories and secrets laid bare in explosive color. Playful, poignant and at times fantastical,
they read as a history of one artists ever-present sense of wonder in a world where mundanity lies in the eye of the beholder. It
comes as no surprise as I stroll up to Griffins home-studio one morning in the neighborhoods anking the Ringling Museum and
nd the man already at the easel, sunlight and birdsong streaming through the open windows, working on a series of increasingly
abstract paintings based on a single photograph of a wilting bouquet. The house is in mid-renovation and the furnitures wrapped
in plastic, but the studio is clear, the bathroom functions and the coffeemaker works. BY PHIL LEDERER | PHOTO BY EVAN SIGMUND
16
SRQ | JUNE 2015
CLOCKWISE:
James Griffins Shades of White,

Bach Sonata with Palms and
Griffin in the process of his Messy
Brush Technique.
I LOVE PAINTING, says Griffin with a broad

smile. He compares the art to meditation. Theres
so much negativity, and people can spend their
whole lives looking at negative things, but I see the
sunlight and you put the music on and Im transported. With the rst in the series complete and
standing to the side, Griffin is just beginning on
the second. His process reveals an intriguing
dichotomy and seemingly contradictory reliance
on precision and chaos.
At the easel, Griffin works with an exuberance
bordering on madness. He stands and claims the
canvas with great sweeps of his brush, throwing
his body into the effort as the spirit moves him. A
small stereo in the back pumps out Beethoven,
Brahms and Afro-pop, as Griffin dances and paints
and the distinction between the two becomes
unclear. Working primarily with oils, he employs
what he calls the Messy Brush Technique, which
enables him to paint quickly and spontaneously,
without time for uncertainty or second-guessing.
By mixing colors with his brush as he paints
instead of pausing to mix and switching brushes,
Griffin cannot completely control how the colors
will mix or even when a hidden red or blue from his
bristles may come forth, but he can adapt and create. As Friedrich Nietzsche once said, One must
still have chaos within oneself to give birth to a
dancing star, and from Griffins chaos energy is
bestowed upon the canvas. People have said thats
not the way youre supposed to do it, says Griffin.
Well, it works for me.
But before the music starts and the madness
begins, Griffins process is less Dionysian play and
more Apollonian rigor. Underpinning the irrepressible energy of his painting lies a carefully
constructed scaffolding to guide the brush.
Usually beginning with one of his photographs,
Griffin will nalize the composition on his computer before superimposing a grid over the image
and blowing it up to the size of his canvas. With an
identical grid on his canvas, Griffin can more

accurately judge the proportions of his early
sketches. Its an ancient technique to assist in
realism, but far from constraining. He nds the
grid simultaneously serves to free his vision. It
makes you think abstractly, says Griffin. Instead
of looking at the whole thing, youre just looking at
where lines intersect, and eventually youre just
looking at shapes.
Beginning from his yellow ochre-toned, gridded canvas, he sketches the basic outline of his
piece with more yellow ochre, nding shapes and
adding bits of texture, but moving quickly. With
the grid set, theres no need or desire for preliminary pencil sketching. A brush is more expressive, says Griffin, lost in the feel and weight of the
brush in his hand. He sweeps the brush through
the air, before giving a grin. Targeting the darkest
areas of the scene, bringing them forward and lling them in, the painting starts to gain weight. I
ask him what the proper way to hold the brush
would be. Any way that feels right.
Despite his apparent easygoing attitude
towards his creation, Griffins artistry seems to
thrive in the midst of opposing forces, evidenced
not only in his process, but also in the nal compositions, which often straddle the line between realism and abstract. Landscapes and subjects are
always identiable, but each canvas has the
Griffin Touch, that touch of the abstract, often in
the form of near-hidden geometric patterns and
shapes emerging from the construct, such as a
hexagonal grid peeking from the forest depths of
one, lending an air of the techno-fantastical to an
otherwise pleasant scene. Others are more overt,
like Flamingo Waltz, which places the stilted
subjects against a backdrop so abstracted they
appear to be standing in music. The battle between
realism and abstract is one that Griffin has taken
part in his entire artistic career, and one he continues to explore today with his latest series. Im try-
ing to get at the other stuff thats part of our reality,

says Griffin. Like the bouquet of wilting roses, the
subject has the power to communicate more than
itself. Griffin feels art was meant to explore. What
else can I do to trigger those thoughts? Lately Ive
been more conscientious about trying to say what
it is that Im after, what Im trying to do. Still,
Griffin seems careful not to take too much control.
Evaluating his nished composition, the Messy
Brush Technique leaves his palette looking like
the remains of a box of crayons left in the sun, but
the bouquet stands clear as day in a vibrant color
that puts Dorothys shoes to shame and Griffin
expresses a certain amount of surprise. I was
splashing away, he says almost accusingly. It just
came out that way. SRQ
JUNE 2015 | SRQ
17
Out&About
The Family Unit

My father had a large family
but I was the only daughter and
only granddaughter in my family.
Growing up with 10 or 11 boys,
it helped me know there were
no boundaries. I could do everything they could do.
Peter Diamandis
I am in deep in his book,
Abundance: The Future is Better
Than You Think. His perspective
is fascinating. I just love it. I heard
him speak for 30 minutes and I
was impressed. He had everyones
full attention, and his whole message is that we need to embrace
what is really going on in the world
and form our own opinion based
on data instead of relying on other
sources and only stopping there.
Troy, Michigan
I began at Saks in Troy as designer
manager, and started right on the
designer floor. It was a great opportunity to be on the front line and
involved with everything. Later
I returned to that store and dedicated myself to the community.
IN BRIEF
Cocofor
FASHION
Coco Chanel
Her tenacity. Her courage.
She was taking risks during her
time. She introduced trousers, and
she helped women understand that
in times of war you can still be
fashionable and practical. She celebrated fashion with simplicity at
a time when it was about abundance. Think of the little black
dress that now hangs in every
womans wardrobe in some way,
shape or fashion.
First Chanel Bag

Every woman remembers her
first Chanel handbag purchase.
My first one is absolutely beautiful
and inspired by vintage. It reminded me of a handbag my great
grandmother carried. Its lavender
and has a beautiful camellia, the
flower of Coco Chanel, made in the
same toile she wrapped the back of
the bag. I absolutely treasure it.
Tapas
Barcelona is a city that really
stayed with me. It has great
culture and great people, and the
foodso many types of tapas. The
tradition there is eating much later
at night. Its almost as if Barcelona
goes to sleep for just a few hours
and then everyone just wakes up.
That was fascinating.
Marriage
Im celebrating 20 years of
marriage with my husband, Vahid.
His parents are still together,
and my parents are still together.
Its about understanding each
other and supporting each other.
I wouldnt be able to travel all
over unless I had a husband
supportive of that.
Kayaking
I was recently living in
Washington, D.C. and took up
kayaking. I grew up around the
Great Lakes in Michigan. But
when I was growing up, everyone
was paddle boating, and then jet
skiing was a big deal. I like kayaking because its an independent
sport. I relax by the water. Its a
great escape, and at the same time,
its a good physical workout.
Finley
My No. 1 hobby is walking
my dog, Finley. He was a fourmonth-old rescue when we got
him. Hes a purebred Yorkshire
Terrier. We got lucky. SRQ
FASHION LOVERS ALWAYS LOOKING for the latest thing can
count on Saks Fifth Avenue at The Mall at University Town

Center. In addition to the first full-line retail store opened by Saks
in the last decade, Saks in Sarasota now has a new general manager to help shoppers navigate through the world of couture
dresses and designer shows. Terri Najmolhoda spoke with us
about a few of the favorite things in her own life. BY JACOB OGLES
18
SRQ | JUNE 2015
PHOTO BY EVAN SIGMUND.
Out&About
POLITICO
Endof the
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
The May elections in Sarasota delivered stunningif not exactly shockingupsets as two city commissioners
were unseated by significant margins. So how did newly sworn Commissioners Liz Alpert and Shelli Freeland
Eddie secure their seats while challenging establishment favorites Eileen Normile and Stan Zimmerman? While
the town buzzed with talks of partisanship or of a rebuke of old political bosses (depending who you asked), an
analysis of early precinct shows solid get-out-the-vote operations employed methodically by the winning
campaigns determined the outcome. BY JACOB OGLES| ILLUSTRATION BY WOODY WOODMAN
NEVER STOP CAMPAIGNING
On election night, Alpert campaign manager Gabriel
Hammett declared with exuberance, Sarasota has
changed forever! Only time will reect if indeed a longterm change in policy preference was reected or ushered
in this election cycle, but one change that proved apparent
was a recognition that no successful campaign can stop
expanding the base until the last vote gets cast.
Alpert, the winning candidate in District 2, came into
the May elections as the favorite, having been the top votegetter in a three-way race held on March 10. Her disciplined and targeted efforts led to every precinct she won in
March also going her way in May. Opponent Normile also
defended the precincts she won in March, and notably
pressed hard to get new voters to polls that had not come
out for the initial contest, but she was unable to expand
her base at a greater rate than Alpert. The result was an
identical precinct map and outcome in May with the
swearing in of Alpert to a four-year term.
Meanwhile, Eddie pulled a more difficult feat in
swinging District 3 her way in the May runoff after trailing
incumbent Stan Zimmerman by 10 percentage points in
March. She made up that decit and then some, winning
the seat by taking four of ve precincts, even after failing
to win a single precinct in the rst election.
While some media outlets noted a low turnout for the
electionjust 18.7 percent citywidemuch of that was
because of dampened turnout in District 1, where there
was no City Commission contest and voters only had to
vote on two non-controversial charter amendments. Both
District 2 and District 3 saw an increase in votes cast in
the May election compared to March.
It must be noted that Normile matched Alperts efforts
between elections nearly vote-for-vote. Alpert between
March and May grew her base of supporters from 1,656 votes
20
SRQ | JUNE 2015
to 2,124 votes, an increase of 468 votes. Comparatively,

Normile went from winning 1,449 votes in March to 1,882
votes in May, a growth of 433 votes. Through the campaign,
both candidates fought hard to win the supporters of thirdplace nisher David Morgan, who won 689 votes in March,
but they also brought in new voters who had stayed out of
the rst election altogether. In the end, a total of 4,006 ballots were cast in the District 2 race during the May election,
while just 3,794 were cast for the March contest.
In District 3, the boost in voters can be ascribed
almost entirely to Eddies campaign. Eddie ultimately
received 894 votes, which was 310 votes more than she
received in March. That margin was more votes than
Matt Woodall, the third-place nisher eliminated in the
March race, received in that contest; he earned 297 votes.
Meanwhile, Zimmermans campaign expanded its base
very little. Zimmerman won 774 votes in May, just 24
votes more than the 750 votes he received in March. A
total of 1,668 votes were cast for the District 3 race in May
as opposed to 1,631 in March. The 37-vote difference is in
fact greater than the growth in Zimmermans vote total,
even without accounting for any of Woodalls supporters
going for Zimmerman in the second contest.
On Election Day, Zimmerman told SRQ he was relying
on his long-term standing in the community and on a hefty
push for early and absentee votes to carry him to victory.
That wasnt entirely misguided, as he had heavily outperformed Eddie in votes cast in advance of the March election, but thanks to the push by the Eddie camp leading into
the ultimate contest, the strategy showed itself as folly.
DECIDED BEFORE ELECTION DAY
In fact, a look at vote totals showed that even if no votes were
cast on Election Day itself, the outcome would have been the
same. While Normile in District 2 saw more supporters
Out&About
Much of the discussion around this
years election did center around partisan
involvement. Indeed, Normile said before
the election was done that political parties
would decide the results of the races,
which is a shame, she added.
show up for early voting at the Supervisor of Elections office,

winning 327 early votes to Alperts 286, a successful absentee voter drive assured Alperts victory. Some 1,078 absentee
ballots were cast for Alpert, compared to just 885 for
Normile. To top it all off, Alpert also won at the polls, taking
760 votes cast in the booth to Normiles 670.
In District 3, Eddie outperformed Zimmerman in all categories. She won 480 absentee votes to Zimmermans 426,
early votes 78 to 54 and Election Day votes 336 to 294. That
was a big shift from the March election, when Zimmerman
would have won the three-way race outright based just on
early and absentee voteshe had 509 pre-Election Day
votes to Eddies 292but Eddie forced a runoff by winning
Election Day with 291 poll votes to Zimmermans 241. The
change in voter totals can be attributed largely to a more
sophisticated absentee voter drive on behalf of Eddie, by
both her own campaign and outside supporters.
Much of the discussion around this years election did
center around partisan involvement. Indeed, Normile said
before the election was done that political parties would
decide the results of the races, which is a shame, she
added. That said, more Republicans came out in District 2
on Election Day than Democrats, yet Democrat Alpert won
on the polls over Republican Normile. In the end, a coalition
of party interests and neighborhood opponents on Alperts
side out-organized the counterforce of Republican regulars
and neighborhood leadership working on Normiles behalf.
In District 3, however, the presence of party support
was indicated more clearly in the nal numbers. Of note,
Eddie in March also had to contend with a fellow
Democrat in Woodall, an obstacle to full-throated party
support that Alpert did not have to overcome. In the nal

days before the March election, party leaders left Woodall
behind and threw their force behind Eddie, which may
explain her Election Day surge. Much more important in
the May contest, though, was complete access to party
resources in the push for votes before Election Day. With a
campaign team led by Zach Morrison and Ed James III,
two experienced Congressional campaign workers from
Democratic operations, the team successfully pushed voters to cast absentee support and come out for early voting.
So while Zimmerman saw the number of absentee votes on
his behalf go down in May, even with Republican party
leaders funding robocalls on his behalf, Eddies absentee
totals leapt upward.
STILL AN OLDER DEMO
For all the talk of new forces at play this election cycle, the
electorate itself still largely resembled that of past contests. Full demographic information was not available at
press time, but numbers from the March election showed
the voter pool to be older and whiter than the city as a
whole (and the city as a whole is old and white).
Voter turnout among 70-somethings in District 2 was
above 47 percent, and among 80-somethings was over 46
percent. In District 3, 70-somethings turned out at rates of
40 percent. Of the 1,628 voters to participate in the District 3
race in March, 1,521 were white. Out of 3,787 who voted in
District 2 in March, 3,609 were white. In both districts about
300 more female voters than male voters came out for the
races. Of course, white voters in districts 2 and 3 severely
outnumber minority voters, as older voters in both districts
severely outnumber younger ones. Still, the difference in
turnout only made the edge that much more apparent.
As for party make-up, District 2 actually has more registered Republicans than Democrats, about an 800-voter
edge. But in March, 1,621 Democrats actually voted compared to 1,592 Republicans. In District 3, Democrats have
the edge in registered voters, and had 780 voters come out
in March compared to 642 Republicans. SRQ
JUNE 2015 | SRQ
21
Out&About
CULTURE CITY
PLAYING TO THE CROWD

From humble beginnings, The Players Theatre finds success putting the community on stage. BY PHIL LEDERER | PHOTO BY EVAN SIGMUND
WHEN THE PLAYERS THEATRE was founded in 1929, it
had no home and played its rst seasons in a series of
abandoned clubhouses, furniture stores and warehouses.
86 seasons later, The Players has its own theater, a
national reputation and just last October was recognized
by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce for its
extended service to the community.
A bunch of people got together and said, Hey, lets do
some shows, says Jeffery Kin, artistic director for The
Players, of the theaters humble beginnings, stage-less and
underfunded. But thats what they did and thats how it started. Founded by Out-Of-Door School (now Out-of-Door
Academy) owners Fanneal Harrison and Catherine Gavin,
the theaters rst seasons productions were directed by
school faculty such as Adelaide Beane and V. Fredrika Gray.
The Players moved from space to space, including the old
Siesta Key Club house. An early break came in the form of a
donated warehouse on Main Street, which provided all the
amenities a growing theater could ask for, as well as an old elevator shaft running smack dab through the middle of the
22 SRQ | JUNE 2015
stage. Not until 1936 did The Players get its own building, and
by then the group had already made a name for itself. Beane
had gone on to Broadway, as had a young Players actor named
Montgomery Clift, and the City of Sarasota donated the land
to give The Players a permanent home.
In the years following, Clift went on to become one of
Hollywoods rst great method actors, garnering multiple
Oscar nominations and rivaled in his day only by Marlon
Brando. The Players grew as well, adding musicals to the
repertoire and childrens programs to the calendar.
Working with schools, other theaters and even the local
radio station, The Players became an indispensable community resource and the hub around which artistic enterprise could grow. Were denitely the fabric of the arts
community, says Players Managing Director Michelle
Bianchi Pingel. With Kin, Pingel takes charge of the 15 staff
members and over 700 volunteers that make The Players
possible today, and its to them that she and Kin give the
lions share of the credit. As a community theater, The
Players stands tall, rivaling the big guns from across the
ABOVE: Players Theatre

Managing Director
Michelle Bianchi Pingel
and Artistic Director
Jeffery Kin. Productions
Cabaret and Urinetown.
Out&About
country, but with the amount of funding available, that would be entirely impossible without
the steady stream of volunteers that staff the
halls, build the stages and bring it all together
come curtain call. The Sarasota community
itself is on stage. The show isnt their job, says
Kin. Its their passion. They have the love of theater and the desire to live their dream, and that
comes through in our shows.
One of the biggest challenges, according to
Kin and Pingel, is that with nearly 85 percent of
its income arriving in the form of ticket sales, The
Players operates under more pressure than most
to stay connected to the community and on top of
the changing times. One underperforming show
can have a marked impact on the whole season
and the theater itself. With that in mind, operating in Sarasota appears both a blessing and a
curse. On the one hand, Kin reports that the
Sarasota audience is a sophisticated one, exploring and experimenting with the idea of what can
be shown on stage. Were producing plays that I
dont think my predecessors ever would have considered, he says. The resulting effect is that he
must continually ride that ever-changing balance
between progressive and safe. What worked
eight or even ve years ago doesnt work anymore, says Kin, who spends at least six months
planning each season. Sometimes theres backlash, such as at a recent showing of Cabaret,
where Kin says they showed a little naked butt.
Some folks didnt appreciate it and said so, but
there was an equal, if not greater, response from
those who enjoyed it. In the end, Kin feels condent bringing the fringe to the stage a few times a
season, knowing the audience will at least give it a
chance. You might never have heard of it, but
that might be the play that speaks to you, says
Kin. Its my job to produce it.
24
SRQ | JUNE 2015
LEFT: Players Theatre production Tenor.
Expanding programming to meet the needs

and wants of the community has been a central
mission. Eight years ago, the Broadway Series
was all musicals, says Kin, who fought to bring
straight plays into the series, which proved to be
successful. It was a challenge to get people to
buy into the fact that we could do [non-musical]
plays and they would sell well. The audience was
there and now The Players annually produces
two straight plays during the Broadway Series
and a slew through the summer. It proved to be
an economic benet as well, as musicals, on average, cost more to produce.
Though audiences and theater professionals
may wish it could be all about the art, economics
plays an essential role, and any institution that
can survive for 86 years in the business has to
know how to achieve balance between artistic
and nancial success. The 2008 recession took
its toll on the country, and the Suncoasts theater
scene was no exception. With stages and companies closing down, The Players had to adapt to
survive. An unexpected bright spot came from
The Players reliance on day-to-day ticket sales.
When the grant money dried up and philanthropic giving fell to the wayside, many institutions were hit hard, but not The Players. We
never banked on that money, says Pingel. A true
community theater, The Players lives on the
ongoing enthusiasm of great swaths of the population, each giving their bit for each show, not the
deep pockets of a devoted and generous few.
Still, The Players tightened its belt along with
the rest of the nation, slashing production budgets by 30 percent twice in two consecutive years.
Pingel and Kin took voluntary pay cuts to keep the
lights on, as did the rest of the staff, on the promise from Kin and Pingel that it would be a temporary situation. Today, pay has long been restored
and the theater is again on the path to expansion.

We made good on our promise, says Pingel. This
speaks to one of Kins favorite aspects of The
Players, its professional nature. Its not the number of people in your audience and its almost not
about the quality of your shows, he says. Being a
professional is how you treat people.
And its this reputation for professionalism
and perseverance that The Players is known for
across the nation, spreading as far as community
theaters in Alaska. People know us, they know
our history and they tend to look to us for guidance, says Pingel, regarding the yearly conferences that both she and Kin attend, where community theater professionals swap stories,
advice and trade secrets. I was thinking I was
going to be taking notes, says Kin, but theyre
asking me questions.
One of the things theyre most often asked
about is the new split-management system that
made Kin and Pingel dual heads of The Players,
separating the roles of artistic and managing
director and placing them on equal footing at the
top of the organization. We can let [Kin] be creative and artistic and get us where we need to be
with our product, says Pingel, who holds the
pursestrings and directs the more overtly business-related aspect of the theater. I dont have to
worry about that. I know shes got it, says Kin.
Still, they rule the roost as a pair, consulting
together on all major decisions, with creative and
business suggestions owing freely from both.
You can see that taking hold across the nation,
says Pingel, including in Sarasota itself, where
Florida Studio Theatre runs under the dual management of Richard and Rebecca Hopkins and
Asolo Rep Theater under Michael Donald
Edwards and Linda DiGabriele. The exact balance of authority may differ, but the concept
remains the same. Thats made our theater
strong over the past couple years.
With that strength came the announcement
of the rst endowment for the theater, launched
last season with the aim of eventually providing a
secure and sustainable future for The Players.
Staring down the 100-year mark, Pingel is also
excited at the possibility of building a new theater, but its still very much discussion.
With alums such as Charlie Barnett recently
landing a role on NBCs Chicago Fire, Drew Foster
in Dr. Zhivago on Broadway and Syesha Mercado
leading Dreamgirls on a national tour and appearing in the Chicago run of the acclaimed Book of
Mormon, The Players remains a local springboard for the national stage, but Kin and Pingel
say its still all about the community. Thats what
makes us different from any other theater or arts
organization in town, says Kin. We dont bring
in talent from out of state or out of the city even.
Thats why people still call us and say, My mom
was in a show in 1957, can I look at that playbill?
It comes down to that feeling of community. SRQ
Out&About
1
3
natural
instincts
CATCH
Its a force that reveals all our curiosities, enveloping our

sight to the left and right. Nature. Bring the outdoors in by
incorporating natures elements into your home whether it
be nature-crafted or nature-inspired. BY SHANE DONGLASAN
Going Against the Grain From tableware to jewelry, agate has been
permeating the design world, blending together earthy and modern elements.
This large agate coaster features one-of-a-kind designs by mother nature herself. Wine Bottle Coaster, $69, Envie Home Decor, 1411 1st St., Sarasota, 941366-7027. 2 Calm and Coastal Embrace the elements of our oceanic oasis
in unexpected tones of lavender. Made of metal, acrylic and a crystal base,
this sculpture will add a touch of vibrancy anywhere in your home. Arteriors
Home Capri Barnacle Sculpture, $285, Black Bird Home Gallery, 1540 Main
St., Sarasota, 941-366-0941. 3 Pretty in Petri The beauty of untouched
nature is captured in this visually compelling light fixture which features a natural rectangular silk shade that meets black petrified wood atop sleek stainless steel. The result of wood turning into stone through permineralization
over thousands and even millions of year, petrified wood artfully blurs the line
between marble and wood. Petrified Wood Lamp, $1,200, Stylish Living by
Chasen Reed, 1425 1st St., Sarasota, 941-363-7975. 4 Dropping Jaws
Draw drama and excitement to any space with this cast aluminum sculpture in
an antique brass finish. Keyhole hangers allow ease in hanging in any location. Arteriors Kanye Wall Scuplture, $660, Black Bird Home Gallery. 5 Sea
Change Working Title by Soicher Marin, a line of decorative plates and trays
by Sarasota-based Soicher Marin features hand-collaged nature-inspired
images encased in glass. This artisanal-chic pressed seaweed plate adds just
a touch of coastal sophistication. Working Title Plate, $44, Black Bird Home
Gallery 6 Shimmering Shells Pale capiz and mother of pearl iridescence
grace the exterior of this vase. Elegant arrangements of your favorite blooms
will vie for attention. Zodax Vase, $173, Envie Home Decor. 7 Branching
Out This side table is so glaringly hip your eyes will sharpen. The eclectic
piece features a harmonious clash of elements found in different natural settingsa black and white striped top made of bone and horn rests on a gold
base in a branch-inspired silhouette with a hand-hammered finish. Tressa
Side Table, $1,450, Black Bird Home Gallery. SRQ
26
SRQ | JUNE 2015
PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SIGMUND.
Out&About
SHOP TALK
RevivedDESIGN
Bringing back to life whats long been forgotten.
BY SHANE DONGLASAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SIGMUND
INSIDE ARCHITECTURAL REVIVAL, THE OLD MINGLES SEAMLESSLY WITH THE NEW. A vintage metal olive bucket from Italy, repurposed as a
light xture, hangs handsomely above the register. The walls of a century-old barn have been reclaimed and turned into a stately wooden
door. These are just a few of the pieces that store owners Edward and Lesa Stroop have to offertheir love for design translated into a newly
opened storefront featuring carefully curated reclaimed and repurposed furnishings and cleverly designed custom furniture. With a background in architecture, Edward and Lesa also helm Stroop Design and Construction, but Lesas passion for interior design led the way for the
Stroops to start Architectural Revival, which also involves their oldest son Taylor, who recently graduated from the Savannah College of Art
and Design and now is the stores lead furniture designer. Since 2014, Architectural Revival has been based online, but the Stroops expanded into a storefront at the end of last year. We decided to open up a storefront to have a communal presence, and what better way to do that
than in the up and coming design district? Edward says of opening the store in the Rosemary District. Their arrival to the area has been a
welcoming one, and the Stroops are excited to collaborate with local designers and artisans to take pieces sourced from all over the world or
brought in by clients and redesign them into something truly one-of-a-kind, a design that is uid, transparent and intertwined with nature.
While reclaimed pieces have been growing as a trend for being environmentally sustainable and visually intriguing, the Stroops were also
drawn to their nostalgic appeal. The aesthetic is warm, even with its imperfections, Lesa says. Sometimes that entrenched history within
an object inspires new life. We had a client who had a vintage sewing table that she didnt know what to do with, but it had been in her family for years, and we turned it into a table she could use, Lesa describes. A few of Architectural Salvages pieces feature particular functions
one might not nd at another store, such as a bookshelf made of reclaimed wood and iron that folds into a coffee table. Their son Taylor is
also working on a prototype design that will make storing and organizing medications easier. As a child, he was diagnosed with cystic brosis, a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and other organs, causing severe breathing issues and frequent lung infections. Ten percent of
the proceeds at Architectural Revival will go to ghting cystic brosis. Apart from preserving the character of reclaimed pieces through
Architectural Revival, the Stroops also offer interior design services and assist clients with space planning and decoration. SRQ
28
SRQ | JUNE 2015
Out&About
SB2 REPORT
VIBRANTBayfronts
partnership with lots of non-prot engagement from Realize
Bradenton. We believe that downtown is everyones neighborhood, and we all worked together to make it work. Because of the
Riverwalk, were nding other investments in other cultural
facilities to expand and grow.
The topic of Sarasotas Bayfront seems to find its way into headlines quite frequently. With the recent development of Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa and
Bradentons Riverwalk, the master plan of our bayfront seems more relevant
than ever before. In March, we hosted SB2: Creating Vibrant Bayfronts in order
to explore what we can learn from our neighbors in merging public and private
spaces. Renowned landscape architect Thomas Balsley, the principal designer of Thomas Balsley New York, presented a keynote address on preserving
culture, celebrating the natural beauty of the water and incorporating the
needs of the city within waterfront parks.
SRQ: What were the major challenges of design and funding
for the Bradenton Riverwalk? JOHNETTE ISHAM, Executive
Director, Realize Bradenton: Realize Bradenton is a very close
partner with the Downtown Development Authority (DDA).
We recently won an award for community process and societal
benet, and the challenge was that the space along the Manatee
River was known as the sand pile for 60 years. There were
multiple plans, dreams, ideas (some of which failed) and the
DDA had a vision and secured money that they put aside for
Realize Bradenton to work with high school kids, elementary
kids, hip-hop dancers, skateboarders, retireesthe full range of
the community. We had city council members sitting next to
skateboarders and graffiti artists, so the public process was
actually asset-based. We didnt talk about problems; we talked
about opportunities. The sand-pile terminology quickly turned
away and the process took only about nine months. At the center of the process were graduate students from the University
of South Florida in architecture and community design.
Seventy-ve percent of the Riverwalk is actually from their
vision and was totally embraced by the communityby elected
officials, by businesses and non-prots. In terms of civic pride,
it convinced people that Downtown Bradenton has a thriving
future. This was a catalytic project. It was a public-private
Where do we stand now on the development of the Sarasota

Bayfront? DRAYTON SAUNDERS, President, Michael Saunders
and Company: We are primarily concerned with engaging the
community in this discussion. I think many people in Sarasota
think that the community conversations about the Bayfront are
the biggest challenge. With that in mind, we wanted to do things
different this time. There has been a conscious effort to engage
multiple parts of the community with Bayfront 20:20. It is not
one voice that will make this happen, it is many. That does not
mean we will design as a committee, but it will be a community
process. We are proud that ideal has been rmly established. We
arent constrained about what the Bayfront should look like, but
more of what it will feel like. The next step is our choices. How
do we inspire? How do we get rid of old prejudices to talk about
inspiration for the next generation? How we now gauge what is
inspirational and aspirational is going to be turning those principles back into specic things of what people want to see. We
are now in that process so that what we develop is inventive,
bold, courageous, but also community oriented.
Could you describe the planning, development and master
plan of Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa?: THOMAS BALSLEY,
Founder and Principal Designer, Thomas Balsley Associates:
Originally, the plan called for a lot of cultural institutions. The

master plan was missing one thingthey forgot about the park.
To make room for the park, the city decided to knock the old
museum down and build a new museum. It was a great idea,
except they hired an architect that proposed a long narrow museum running parallel to the boulevard. With a different perspective, the new mayor took a look at the project and realized they
didnt have the money and the design was bad urban planning.
She scrapped the entire project. We were hired right about then
and they asked us for other ways to move the pieces around to
ensure that a park would be the centerpiece of the site. We came
up with this master plan that called for the two museums, a small
park building, a visitors center and a waterfront restaurant on
the other edge of the park framing it. It is a central civic green
open space in which just about anything can happen. Thats what
should be the prime goal of all of your planning at the bayfront.
Make sure that space, whatever shape it takes, is the centerpiece
of the site. If you design things right, there can be an area of a park
that is very civic that is also child and family friendly. What is
important to us is that there is always someone in this park and
people nd a reason to be here. Those kinds of elements are in
play in the designing and thinking of this park. SRQ
FOR FUTURE SB2 SYMPOSIUM TOPICS AND TICKETS, VISIT SRQSB2.COM
30
SRQ | JUNE 2015
Roundtable-Club_JUNE15_Layout 1 5/19/15 2:24 PM Page 31
SRQ MAGAZINE WELCOME TO OUR REGIONS BOATING, GOLFING AND LAWN BOWLING CLUBS JUNE 2015
MEET ME AT THE CLUB

R O U N D T A B L E
Take the plunge this summer! With so many ways to enjoy the Gulf Coast, take advantage of long days and summer
nights. These great clubs will have you out enjoying the outdoors with special memberships or summer rates.
MEET ME AT THE CLUB | Special Marketing for Regional Recreational Clubs | SRQ Magazine June 2015
AFFORDABLE BOATING
WITH FREEDOM BOAT CLUB
If youve dreamed about boating in Southwest Florida, Freedom Boat Club has the
perfect solution! As the worlds oldest and largest boat club with 10,000 members
coast-to-coast in 19 states and nearly 90 franchise and corporate-owned locations,
Freedom Boat Club is the leader in affordable boating. There are multiple year
round, seasonal and special Friends n Family/Corporate membership plans
available to meet your boating lifestyle and budget. For Summer 2015, a special
promotion is available featuring six months free when you join the club! With 14
corporate-owned club locations from Bradenton to Marco Island sporting a robust
fleet of more than 300 boats, there are plenty of boats to choose from including late model inshore and offshore fishing boats, pontoons, dual
consoles, daysailers and deck boats. Fish today, wakeboard tomorrow, and take the whole crew out picnicking on a party-sized pontoon this
weekend! A popular reciprocal program is also available, allowing access to boating wherever Freedom Boat Clubs are located nationwide.
Freedom Boat Club strongly advocates boating safety and provides FREE 1:1 on-water training for members, taught by licensed U.S. Coast Guard
instructors. Our goal is to ensure members are both comfortable and confident at the helm! Each of the clubs feature fun monthly social events,
plus free fishing seminars in partnership with West Marine. With Freedom Boat Club, boating is simple. Make your reservations in advance, show
up at the dock and cast off for a great adventure! When you return, simply drop off the keys. No muss, no fuss! Its the ultimate boating
experience! The boat is waiting. Why are you? Call 941 584-8338 today to speak with a membership executive in your club location of choice. Ask
about upcoming Open House dates featuring free boat rides; or visit www.freedomboatclub.com
The course is one of the finest

I have ever seen. It is what I
call a true championship layout
and Donald Ross sure extended
himself in the design.
Bobby Jones
SARA BAY COUNTRY CLUB

Founded in 1926, Sara Bay Country Club is a private, member-owned golf club located just
north of downtown Sarasota. Designed by legendary architect Donald Ross, the Club is
recognized as one of most historic and venerable golf clubs in Florida. Sara Bays professional
golf staff provides instructional guidance to improve your gameand your lookwith the
very best equipment and apparel. With options for casual and fine dining, members can enjoy
after-golf socializing, special member events featuring live music, dancing and delicious
gourmet meals. Full service locker rooms for both men and women, including private card
rooms, further enhance the traditional atmosphere of the Club. Golf is our passion!
For membership opportunities, please call Sara Bay Country Club at (941) 355-7658.
Sara Bay Country Club; 7011 Willow Street, Sarasota FL 34234; 941-355-7658; www.sarabaycc.org
SARASOTA LAWN BOWLING

Founded in 1927, the Sarasota Lawn Bowling Club is one of the oldest sporting
clubs in Florida and a historical landmark. Located on the Bayfront adjacent to
the Memorial Auditorium in front of the Van Wezel visitors and club members
have friendly year around play, access to one-on-one coaching, top ranked
international competition, but most of all the health and wellness benefits of an
enjoyable easy to learn sport on the beautiful Sarasota Bayfront.
The sport is great for everyone. Clubs members come from around the
globe, have varied levels of physical ability, and range in age from 12 to 96 years
old. Sarasota Lawn Bowling Club offers some of the most affordable membership
fees of any Sarasota Sport. It even including FREE LESSONS to all new players.
Bowls as it is called worldwide is a sport that has a broad international
following and a likely candidate for an Olympic Event especially since curling is a
direct descendent of the sport. In some nation, the sport has a larger following
than soccer. Think of it as combining bowling, billiards and chess into one game.
It's exciting, strategic and takes about an hour and a half to play a typical game.
In November 12-19, 2016, Sarasota Lawn Bowling Club will serve as the host
organization for the US Open tournament. With invitees from over 50 nations,
this tournament will turn the Lawn Bowling audiences attention to Sarasotas
world class bowling greens and facilities. Sarasota Lawn Bowling; 809 North
Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-316-1123; www.sarasotalawnbowlingclub.com;
admin@sarasotalawnbowlingclub.com
WAVES BOAT CLUB

Carissa Dressel founded Waves Boat & Social Club and concept in 2004 as part of her vision to bring the joy of boating and watersports
to the greater Sarasota area. With over 25 years of experience, Waves Boat & Social Club has grown to be southwest Floridas premier
boating club! With 5 locations in spanning Englewood, Venice, Sarasota and Bradenton, Waves Boat and Social Club provides an
affordable and hassle-free alternative to owning or renting a boat. Waves maintains a vast fleet in a variety of over 40 spotless boats. Our
500+ members receive unlimited access of all boats and locations and concierge service to get you on the water easily. Waves also
provides training to safely navigate the intra-coastal waterways to restaurants and places of interest. Members enjoy access to social
events, such as fishing charters, fishing clubs, beach parties, sight-seeing tours, sunset cruises, dolphin sightseeing and more! As a
member, theres not need to clean once you return, simply walk away and leave the rest to us. Call or visit our website today to chart a
course to fun and relaxation on the water! Prices range from $129-$229 per month. Seasonal and full time memberships are available.
For locations in Bradenton, Phillippi Harbor, Stickney Point, Venice and Englewood, visit www.wavesboartclub.com or call 1-866-857-1018
SportingLife_JUN15_Layout 1 5/19/15 7:23 PM Page 36
Out&About
SPORTING LIFE
KAYAK
COASTING
As far as we can tell, there is no such thing as being up the mangrove without a paddle, but for a growing
number of Suncoast residents and visitors, kayaking in the Sarasota area is a hotter than hot pastime.
BY JOHN HARDY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SIGMUND.
ITS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORLD, a relaxing

and fascinating sensation. Gliding, swooshing or oating in a
kayak, one can explore many sights overhead, all around and
just below the tip of the paddle. Few know better than
Sarasotas soft-spoken and friendly kayaking guide and
nature expert, Scott Whitehead, owner and chief paddler of
Bay and Gulf Adventures. Whether leading a small group or
solo adventuring through the mangroves and other areas just
off the coast, Whitehead is passionate about kayaking
Sarasotas open and obscure waterways. The 53-year-old
nature and wildlife authority enjoys sharing his expertise and
explaining the thrill of experiencing the Suncoast from a
kayak. He offers a relaxed, low-key and unpredictable kayaking experience, often complete with guaranteed gator-spotting, possible frolicking manatee and dolphin sightings,
glimpses of egrets, pelicans, ospreys, turtles, sea stars and sea
urchins, and maybe some tarpon brushing up against the
kayak as it oats in the mangroves, bayous and the out-ofthe-way nooks and crannies of Sarasota Bay.
Of course most people want to see manatee and dolphins, he says with a smile and a shrug, adding that Lido Key
would be your best bet to spot them. Sometimes the timing
may not be right. It all depends on the season, the time of day
and feeding patterns. Many people want to learn about
36
SRQ | JUNE 2015
wildlife and theres lots of marine life and shore birds to make
it interesting. Recently, we saw some juvenile devil rays; even
I was surprised. Its always a hit when I reach down and pick
up whelks, conchs and different types of jellysh.
For various reasons, the increasingly popular pastime of
kayaking (and its grueling and rugged distant-cousin sport of
whitewater kayaking) have made a subtle, but resounding
comeback. Maybe its the return of quiet and peaceful outdoor hobbies, like repelling down baron cliffs or enjoying the
adventure of kayaking along Sarasotas wetlands.In Sarasota,
as in other popular coastal and beach areas, water-lovers are
abandoning the high-pitched whir of jet skis and opting for
the solitude and intimate pleasure of experiencing nature
and the outdoors in bright orange, red, yellow or blue single or
double-seater kayaks that are surprisingly lightweight.
Most recreational kayaks are now made of rotomolded
polyethylene, a tough, exible and relatively soft plastic, and
are, on average, about 11 feet long and weigh from 35 to 45
pounds. The new kayaks have much better seating and better foot braces, Whitehead points out. They are much more
user friendly. And although its a common question and
worry, kayaks very rarely, if ever, tip over. At least not during
the leisurely kind of kayaking we do in Sarasota. SRQ
ABOVE: Local
kayakers Devin Myers
and Emily Meyer
paddling through the
Lido Key mangrove
tunnels.
SportingLife_JUN15_Layout 1 5/19/15 7:23 PM Page 37
TOP 5 KAYAKING TRIPS

LIDO KEY MANGROVE TUNNELS Theres not quite
another kayaking experience in Sarasota like gliding
through the mangrove tunnels around Lido Key, says
Bob Nikla, founder of I Kayak Sarasota. The kayak trail
is considered one of the most diverse in Southwest
Florida. Launch your kayak from South Lido Park where
youll make your way into Little Grassy Lagoon, a shallow body of water with rich seagrass beds where manatees graze. At the far southern end of the lagoon, the
trail continues east down a tunnel that was originally
constructed as a mosquito ditch. Paddling down the
narrow passage, you can better view the complex root
system of the red mangroves and the dynamics of mangrove ecosystems. One of the highlights of this kayak
trail is drifting quietly down Brushy Bayou.
SUNSET ON ANNA MARIA ISLAND Experience the
sublime tranquility of sunset on your own little floating
island off Anna Maria Island. Launch off Manatee Avenue
Bridge or at the south end of the island at Coquina
Beach and see everything from modern beachfront
homes to untouched wilderness. On the waters east of
islands, youll be sheltered from prevailing winds. The
transition between day and night is a stirring, scuttling
time along the shoreline as the creatures of the day
make way for the critters of night. Move along further
north to view the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the distance. Along the way is a mangrove island where during
the day you can view fish eggs, hermit crabs and mullet jumping in the seagrass.
ROBINSON PRESERVE Undergoing an incredible
transformation, this environment recently went from disturbed farmland to coastal and wetland habitats, the
largest habitat restoration in the Sarasota Bay Estuary
Program. Native plants now flourish as numerous exotic invasive species have been cleared. Discover the narrow waterways, coves and shady mangrove enclosed
streams that take you from Robinson Preserve to the
Manatee River. In the clear waters of the bay, youll spot
sea eagles, osprey, herons, rare sandhill cranes and
roseate spoonbills. Once off the water, climb the lookout tower above the canopy.
MYAKKA RIVER A trip along the Myakka River will take
you through the beautiful blackwater river and an extensive freshwater marsh. Most kayakers choose a six-mile
loop around Upper Myakka Lake, which is an ideal day
trip for bird watchers, or a short stretch to the south in
the wilderness preserve above Lower Myakka Lake. The
river begins in a hardwood swamp and runs through
more than 60 miles of diverse terrain before emptying
into the fertile fishing grounds of Charlotte Harbor. The
area is home to an incredible array of wildlife including
about 250 species of birds and over 50 kinds of reptiles. Curious otters, cautious fawns, wild turkeys and
foxes often make their way to the rivers edge, but the
main Myakka attraction is alligators.
JIM NEVILLE MARINE PRESERVE The Jim Neville
Marine Preserve is a 35-acre protected area that surrounds Midnight Pass in Little Sarasota Bay. Youll only
see other kayakers and canoeists along this preserve,
which is closed off to motorized engines. Made up of several small islands known as the Bird Keys, this spot is a
bird watchers paradise with unobstructed views for bird
watching great blue herons, kingfishers, anhinga, great
egrets, snowy egrets, wood storks and night herons. You
can launch right there at Turtle Beach and the shallow
water allows you to collect shells and observe dolphins
and manatees up close. S. Donglasan
ATT_JUN15_Layout 1 5/19/15 4:32 PM Page 39
CULINARY BEAT
@theTABLE
THE FOODIES LIFE
singular
SENSATIONS
Were fascinated by the level of dedication and passion it takes to start a

company singularly focused on one kind of product: a catering company
that only makes pizza, a shop focused on specialty cheese and an experimental first-time donut franchise. These three husband and wife teams
have perfected their craft through trial and error, extensive research and
intensive boot campsand the results are nothing less than sensational.
WRITTEN BY KAYE WARR | PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SIGMUND
JUNE 2015 | SRQ
39
@theTable
THIS PAGE: Tom Baril and

Danni Bleil of Polpo Pizza.
Baril preparing a woodfired pizza. OPPOSITE
PAGE: Louise Converse of
Artisan Cheese Company
and selections from her
shop. PREVIOUS PAGE:
Assorted donuts from The
Donut Experiment.
anni Bleil shades

her eyes against the
Sarasota sunshine
and reaches over to help her husband, Tom
Baril, as he pulls a 12-inch Luau Pie out of the
pizza oven and places it on a wooden block.
The pizza oven is located inside the vintage
Ford truck parked here at Nathan Benderson
Park. The wooden block is a relic of Bleils days
as a freelance food stylist in New York. Bleil
and Baril are the driving force (pun intended)
behind Polpo Pizza, Sarasotas premiere
mobile pizza catering company, and business is
booming. Were at the Florida Scholastic
Rowing Association (FSRA) Sculling
Championships on a blazing hot Sunday morning, The Sarasota Scullers have just won one of
their events, and theres a hunger in the air for
personal pizza pies and fresh basil lemonade.
Bleil and Baril hail from Bucks County,
Pennsylvania where they were passionate
home cooks with careers in the creative eld
Bleil, a food stylist, and Baril, a ne art photographer. Bleil has a culinary degree from
Delaware Valley College. When she and Baril
decided to escape the Pennsylvania weather,
they agreed that opening a food-centric business made sense. The idea of a pizza truck was
40
SRQ | JUNE 2015
born when they shadowed a pizza truck business owner in New Jersey and knew there wasnt a similar business operating in Sarasota.
Bleil went on to take a 10-day intensive
Neapolitan pizza making class taught by
famous pizza chef Roberto Caporuscio of
Kest Pizza and Vino in Greenwich Village.
Caporuscio teaches 300-year-old Neopolitan
pizza making techniques according to the
strict practices of the Association of
Neapolitan Pizza Makers (APN). Armed with
this newfound pizza prowess, Bleil set about
perfecting her dough, taking into consideration Sarasotas heat and humidity. Bleil also
tasted over 25 different varieties of tomatoes
for use in her sauce before nding organic
crushed tomatoes that didnt taste like a can.
Everything at Polpo is made in-house. They
have a great relationship with Geraldsons
Farm, who Bleil praises for their community
involvement and ability to connect the food
community. Dakin Dairy Farms provides the
cream that they use to stretch their mozzarella.
Bleil is full of praise for fellow members of the
Sarasota food community, chief among them
are Chef Darwin Santa Maria of Darwins on
4th and Chef Steve Phelps of Indigenous, who
are themselves big fans of Polpo Pizza.
@theTable
I like to play nice in the sandbox. Why compete when we can collaborate?Danni Bleil, Polpo Pizza
Bleil is grateful for the warm welcome and

spirit of camaraderie she and Baril have
encountered. I like to play nice in the sandbox,
Bleil says. Why compete when we can collaborate? Baril worked closely with a carpenter to
make the tables and design the front of the truck
using reclaimed wood from Sarasota
Architectural Salvage. The wood-burning oven
burns 100 percent oak, efficiently cooking pizzas in a mere 90 seconds. Polpo has a catering
menu, but often they work with event planners
to gear the ingredients to the crowd.
The FSRA is made up of youth rowers
from all over Florida, and todays pizzas
include the aforementioned Luau, Polpos version of a Hawaiian pizza, and Peppy Roni, for
the kids. Bleil asks if I want to try a slice of her
breakfast, a bacon and egg pizza. I watch,
enthralled, as Baril pulls the pizza out of the
oven and breaks the perfectly fried egg in its
center, using a spoon to drizzle the yolk over
the whole pizza. The dough is thin and crusty,
the egg yolk a saucy complement to the bacon,
and the tomato sauce is so good that Im glad

Bleil had the patience and passion to try 25
times to get it this right.
ARTISAN CHEESE COMPANY
Louise Converse has an exceptionally subtle
British accent and friendly blue eyes. Converse
and her husband Parker are the proprietors of
Artisan Cheese Company, a cheese shop located on Main Street in Downtown Sarasota that
looks like the library of a particularly stylish
manor house, but is lled with cheese, and
cheese accoutrements, instead of books. The
beautiful wood shelves and hand-crafted rocking chair are courtesy of Parker, a former venture capitalist, sea captain and boat builder,
who now builds bespoke rocking chairs.
Converse is from England and Scotland, which
explains the trace of an accent, but shes lived
in America since 1978. Converse attended
Hartford Arts School before doing graduate
work at Harvard University. This incredibly
talented couple met in Massachusetts at a time
when Parker was living in Key West. Parker

convinced his love to move to Florida, but she
refused, feeling that Key West was too
escapist. I wasnt running from anything in
particular, she says with a smile.
The couple lived in Sarasota from 2002 to
2008 before the recession, and an invitation
from Harvard lured them back to
Massachusetts, but Louise longed to return.
They wanted to own a business together and so
began a quest to nd their niche. Louise noticed
that no matter her moodbored, sad or glad
she found a certain comfort in visiting a cheese
shop. Parker pointed out that their fridge contained a problematic amount of cheese, and
suddenly the answer seemed clear. Louise
began to take classes at a local cheese shop in
Massachusetts before enrolling in a boot camp
in New York for people interested in getting
into the cheese business. Louise and Parker
were delighted to nd their location at the end
of Main Street and have transformed the space
into their idea of the perfect cheese haven.
JUNE 2015 | SRQ
41
@theTable
BELOW: Preparing donuts at The Donut Experiment. Owners Shawn and Cecilia Wampole.
Recent pop-up cheese dinners by a talented

young visiting chef, as well as a series of popular
cheese classes, have introduced even more people to the popular shop. Louise hugs a regular
who will soon be leaving to return up North for
the summer and she explains to me that she had
no idea she would form such close relationships
with her customers. Artisan Cheese Company
has also partnered with Kelly Drost and Jackie
Singleton of Brown Bag Provisions to form a
kind of shop within the shop to provide a rotating weekly lunch menu of fresh creative food,
which often features some of Louise and
Parkers specialty cheeses. Louise is thrilled to
support local artisans like Drost and Singleton,
as well as feature small-batch and micro-batch
specialty items she curates in her store.
THE DONUT EXPERIMENT
Shawn and Cecilia Wampole shocked their
close-knit family in Philadelphia when they
quit their respective jobs in November of 2012,
relocated to Anna Maria Island and opened a
gourmet donut shop. Cecilia had been working
as a buyer for QVC and Shawn as a police officer. Insert joke here, Cecilia says with a laugh;
42
SRQ | JUNE 2015
obviously, shes heard that one before. The

Wampoles met at Temple University, where
Cecilia was studying mass communications
and Shawn was studying journalism. The couple often spoke of owning a business together.
Unbeknownst to their family at the time,
Shawn and Cecilia did a lot of research and
planning before uprooting their three small
children to move to Florida.
It started as a joke, really, Cecilia
explains. We vacationed on Anna Maria Island
and we noticed that there was no donut shop on
the island, and we said we should quit our jobs
and move here to open one. Shawn took the
joke and ran with it; he did some research and
then told his wife their idea was more than feasible. They met Michael Coleman and discovered that Pine Avenue had some retail space
interested in featuring food establishments.
Shawn and Cecilia penned a letter describing
what they wanted to do and why they wanted to
do it, and opened Anna Maria Donuts in
December of 2012. The shop was an immediate
hit, popular with locals and tourists, and at the
time of press is currently listed as No. 1 out of
83 restaurants in Anna Maria Island by
TripAdvisor, even besting perennial favorite

Beach Bistro. The interactive shop is set up like
an ice cream store. You watch the donut cook
and then pick your toppings. The ingredients
are sourced locally and theres always a daily
special. Toppings include such tasty treats as
maple icing, sea salt and bacon. Fruity pebbles
and graham crackers lend a touch of whimsy
and nostalgia. Sometimes the specials are so
popular they make the permanent menu, such
as the Key Lime Donut and the inventive and
strangely addictive Sriracha Donut.
Shawn and Cecilia want to open more locations, but they realized that the name Anna
Maria Donuts only worked on Anna Maria
Island. Instead, theyve decided to turn their
business into a franchise and encourage likeminded entrepreneurs to take part in their
dream, and thus The Donut Experiment was
born. It took the Wampoles less than three years
to turn a wistful joke into a serious business
with the potential to become an empire. If youre
looking for a change of pace and cant decide
what your dream might be, consider joining The
Donut Experiment and share the sweet smell of
success with Shawn and Cecilia. SRQ
@theTable
PANTRY
OSCARNOMINATED
WITH JON FAVREAUS LATEST FILM, Chef, injecting some renewed enthusiasm in the food truck
scene, were reminded yet again of the great power of film. Film can change our livesopening our
hearts, broadening our minds and, most importantly, making us hungry. In that spirit, this foodie took
an Oscar-inspired trip through Suncoast stops looking to recapture a bit of those memorable
moments. WRITTEN BY PHIL LEDERER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SIGMUND
THE GOLDEN TICKET Dulcefina
PAST THE WHISTLE STOP

Sage Biscuit Caf
Fried Green Tomatoes. Nothing puts this southern delight on

the map or in the public consciousness like the 1991 film of the
same name, based on a novel by Fannie Flagg. In the midst of
an unassumingly dark tale, its the comfort food fare at the local
Whistle Stop Caf that brings the characters together and
forms the delicious heart of the journey. For all those hankering
for the areas brand of down-home cooking with an upstart
kick, check out the Eggs Benedict with Jalapeo Bacon and
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Sage Biscuit Caf in Bradenton.
Starting with the eponymous buttermilk biscuit, blended with
sage for that herby, earthy flavor, chef and co-owner Joseph
Moreta turns to the green tomatoes not yet fried, but sliced
and soaked in buttermilk, tenderizing. He pats down the tomato slices with flour seasoning and fries them up. Putting it all
together with house-made Hollandaise, Moreta tops it off with
jalapeo-smoked bacon powdered with cayenne pepper.
Thats one of our more popular benedicts, says Moreta. Its
a little different; it has a little bite to it.
Top to bottom: Licorice from Dulcefina, Sage Biscuits Fried
Green Tomatoes Eggs Benedict and Paisanos Cannoli.
TAKE THE CANNOLI. Paisanos Italian Bakery
So youve gotten your mafia fix marathoning Godfather Parts One and Two (its up
to you whether you include Part Three) and now you need your cannoli fix. Its one
of the most memorable ad-libs in cinema historya young Michael Corleone is
steeling himself to commit double murder in the name of his dear old pops, and the
old warhorse Peter Clemenza drops some sage advice, Drop the gun. Take the
cannoli. Well Paisanos Italian Bakery has you covered, where co-founders and
owners Laurie and David Moretti oversee a vast array of culinary creations, including pastries, cookies, cakes and good old-fashioned cannolis. The filling is what
sets it apart, says David. A lot of people buy premade. We make our filling from
scratch. Made from impastataricotta with the water drainedand granulated
sugar, the Morettis keep the recipe simple and the tastes pure. The shell paperthin dough wrapped into a cone and friedgives the creamy filling a nice counterpoint. But the real secret, says Laurie, We fill them as people buy them, which
means no soggy shells in the display case, just fresh, crispy cannolis. SRQ
44 SRQ | JUNE 2015
Though the majority of Willy Wonka and the

Chocolate Factory takes place in the aforementioned factory, the films early depiction
of the sweet shop, crowded by shrieking
and sugar-fiending children, sets the bar for
what a candy shop should be: exciting,
unruly and packed floor-to-ceiling with all
manner of sweets in vibrant wrappings.
Sarasota may not have any reclusive,
sweet-toothed industrialists on the map, but
it does have Dulcefina, nestled in a strip off
South Tamiami Trail, attracting candy connoisseurs like moths to a flame. With an
international focus, Dulcefina brings in
chocolates, licorice and assorted candies
from over 35 different countries, including
England, Brazil, Ukraine, Italy, Holland and
Finland, filling the racks and bins with
licorice buttons and glass jars of individually wrapped chocolates. In business for a little over a year, Dulcefina is already making a
name for itself as the place to go for those
who have a curious or discerning palate,
especially for licorice. If they have a specific type that they are looking for, they come
here, says Dorcas Dee Chiyadza, on staff
at Dulcefina. The selection is staggering,
but careful organization allows one to take
stock and make sense of the surroundings.
Tribute2ChamberSmallBusiness_JUN15_Layout 1 5/19/15 2:36 PM Page 45
RECOGNIZING THE FINALISTS AND WINNERS OF THE GREATER SARASOTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCES 2015 FRANK G. BERLIN SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS
As the local economy continues to grow and expand, SRQ Magazine congratulates the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce 2015 Frank
G. Berlin Sr. Small Business winners and finalists. These organizations represent dedication to a positive business climate in our region.
JUNE 2015 / SRQ
45
NON-PROFIT FINALIST |
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
TRIBUTE TO FRANK G. BERLIN SMALL BUSINESS AWARD FINALISTS
We believe that children should be thinking about fun

not food over the summer and we are grateful to our
donors and friends who have made it possible to feed
thousands of children this summer. But we still need help.

No child should go hungry in a community so graced with
the capacity and resources to end hunger.
Sandra Frank,
All Faiths Food Bank

SANDRA FRANK, CEO
All Faiths Food Bank is the hub of hunger relief for children and families
throughout Sarasota and DeSoto Counties. Working with 195 agency partners including soup kitchens, pantries, churches, schools and programs, All
Faiths provides food to more than 51,000 residents in need. All Faiths
recently garnered attention from the Executive team of the national hunger
relief organization, Feeding America, who came to Sarasota to tour the Food
Bank and talk about its leadership, accomplishments, and the Campaign
Against Summer Hunger. Weve been aware of the incredible growth and
leadership here in Sarasota and wanted to see for ourselves, said Feeding
America CEO Bob Aiken. From its vision of a broader mission statement,
to the culture All Faiths embodies and the impact it is making, they bring
excellence and passion to their work. The Campaign Against Summer
Hunger raised food and funds to feed the 21,000 children who face hunger
when school is out for the summer. Working in collaboration with the school
district, libraries, arts community, and more than 100 food assistance agencies, the summer programs include nutritious served meals, backpacks of
food for kids, and mobile pantries with stops in neighborhoods with the
highest need. Donations to help feed children this summer are welcome at
any time. It is an honor to be nominated for the nonprofit organization of
the year, said All Faiths CEO Sandra Frank. We see food as the first step
in a holistic approach that helps our neighbors in need move toward independence. This nomination acknowledges the hard work of our partners and
the dedicated team at All Faiths Food Bank.To learn more about All Faiths
Food Bank, the Campaign, child hunger, or its summer food assistance programs call 941-379-6333 or visit allfaithsfoodbank.org. 8171 Blaikie Ct.
Sarasota, FL 34240; 941-544-5878 allfaithsfoodbank.org
46
SRQ / JUNE 2015
NON-PROFIT FINALIST |
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
The Child Protection Center is a local non-profit, social

service organization focused on protecting children and
breaking the cycle of child abuse. As a business, if we are
serious about reducing child abuse we must engage, support
and educate everyone. Many advocates - individuals, groups,

and business partners - have been pivotal in spreading
the word and continuing the discussion about the
reality of child abuse that exists in our
community. Doug Staley, Executive Director
Child Protection Center

DOUG STALEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND
GRACI MCGILLICUDDY, BOARD CHAIR
For 35 years the Child Protection Center has served children

and families in the prevention, intervention, and treatment
of child abuse. CPC envisions a community in which children are safe from abuse and free to thrive. CPCs five
core programs reaches 38,000 individuals in Sarasota and
DeSoto Counties. The Child Protection Team serves children under the age of 18 against whom child abuse may
have been perpetrated. Last year CPT helped over 800
children. The Sexual Abuse Treatment Program is available
to children ages three to 18 verified as victims of sexual
or physical abuse. The Kid Kindness Program serves children who have been identified as at risk for, or perpetrators of, some form of sexual misconduct and/or aggression. Over 5,000 hours of therapy was provided at no
cost to these clients in 2014. Personal Safety and
Community Awareness Program reaches all children
enrolled in public and private schools, day cares,
preschools, community at large and professionals. Over
35,000 students are taught the touching rule, Internet
safety, and anti-bullying, along with professionals who
work closely with children are trained on how to identify
and report suspicions of abuse. The Children and Families
Supervised Visitation Program serves children between the
ages of birth and 18 whom the courts has ordered supervised visitation between the non-custodial parent and
his/her child(ren).
The program also provides Safe
Exchange for families who are separated and share time
with their child(ren). Over 500 visits were safely conducted last year. Information about CPCs programs, events
and activites, and needs are available online at www.cpcsarasota.org or by calling 941-365-1277, Ext. 103. 720
South Orange Avenue, Sarasota FL 34236. 941-365-1277
www.cpcsarasota.org
JUNE 2015 / SRQ
47
FINALIST | SMALL BUSINESS OF

THE YEAR UNDER 50 EMPLOYEES
Hall Architects
GREGORY HALL, PRESIDENT AND PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT

AND ELENA HALL, CFO AND BUSINESS DEVELOPER
Our goal is to inspire your world through good
design that is both beautiful and functional.
We listen carefully and respond thoughtfully so

as to enhance the natural beauty of our envi-
ronment through the expression of architectural

ideas. We consider all citizens of our community to be Hall Architect clients because so
many of our designs are in the public purview.

We take our oath to protect the health safety
and welfare of our citizens a step further by
pledging design that enriches the entire community experience. Gregory Hall, AIA
Hall Architects is an award winning architectural firm founded in

2003 with a practice specializing in commercial, institutional
and residential design. The firm is the project architect for many
notable commercial and institutional campuses that populate
our landscape. Our clients include Tervis, PGT, Mote Marine
Laboratory, the Catholic Diocese of Venice in Florida, Sarasota
County, and the Ringling College of Art and Design. At Hall
Architects we view our role not only as architect and designers,
but also as stewards of the communitys physical assets. The
cornerstone of our mission is to imbue every project with a
designers eye balanced by the technicians precision. We believe
what most distinguishes us is our passion for innovative design
that enriches the entire community. Our passion to serve and
enhance the community greater good is evidenced through our
leadership roles in the Sarasota business consortiums. We are
committed investors and supporters in the Economic
Development Corporation of Sarasota, Greater Sarasota
Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Sarasota Association, and
City and County Historic Preservation boards. Our participation
in those organizations informs our commitment to design that
benefits all members of our community by our awareness of the
changing needs and goals of the various stakeholder groups. We
believe our nomination and selection as finalists for the
Sarasota Chamber Small Business Awards for the past two years
recognizes this commitment. Our firm motto can best be
expressed as Hall Architects/Innovative Designers/Community
Partners. 513 Central Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236; 941.917.0883
www.HALLARCHITECTS.com
48
SRQ / JUNE 2015

We are truly honored to be nominated as a Small
Business of the Year Award Finalist because it is coming

from the community in which we work and live. This
recognition is a testament to the amazing local business

community as well as the dedicated staff and board of
Insignia Bank. It is the hard work of these individuals
that makes us as successful as we are. Charlie Brown
Insignia Bank
CHARLIE BROWN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Insignia Bank is truly honored to be nominated Insignia Bank is truly honored to be nominated as one of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of
Commerce Small Business Award Recipients. As a result of the support
we have received from the business community, we are proud to be one
of only two locally-owned banks in the market with a Five Star Bauer
Rating and this additional recognition is further proof that our high quality customers, staff, shareholders and Board of Directors truly make a difference. While we are focused on our local market, we offer worldwide
service by giving our customers the truly unique benefit of FREE ATMs
around the planet. That is right, you can use any ATM, ANYWHERE, and
we pick up whatever fee was charged. A customization for our customers
we launched on day one and continue to do offer today. We continue to
carry this customization over to our deposit services for businesses and
in both residential and commercial lending. We truly believe no two situations are entirely the same so they shouldnt be treated in a cookie cutter manner. In addition, our investments division, Insignia Investment
Services, provides convenience rarely offered in community banking. Now
you can manage your daily finances, and plan for your future under one
roof. So, if you want a locally-owned bank, with local management and
a board of directors that understands your business or your project, we
invite you to visit our offices, or contact us by cell phone by calling our
CEO at 941-993-6849. 333 North Orange Ave., Sarasota FL 34236. 941-3667100, www.insigniabank.com
JUNE 2015 / SRQ
49
NON-PROFIT FINALIST | SMALL

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR- UNDER 100
We envision a community
where all members are
cared for, safe, and
strong, said Rose
Chapman, president &
CEO of JFCS. Our tradition of caring has allowed

us to positively impact
and touch the lives of

the entire community.
JFCS of the Suncoast, Inc.

JFCS mission is to empower individuals and families toward self-sufficiency. During the 2013-2014 year, 23,984 individuals were provided services at JFCS. Children, adults, families, seniors, caregivers, and veterans benefited from our
services including case management, individual and group counseling, life skills education and food and emergency
financial assistance. JFCS provides a safety net for the entire community serving anyone who turns to the agency
for help. The staff go by the old adage, Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you
feed him for a lifetime. Each JFCS client receives personalized attention and care that addresses their barriers and
challenges to be self-sufficient.
Homeless are not just housed; they are found homes and taught skills to sustain housing and employment.
Families are not just served; they are fostered and educated on how to communicate and stay together.
At-risk youth are not just counseled; they are taught to cope and given a second chance.
People suffering with addiction are not just in sobriety; they are flourishing one day at time.
Our Veterans are not just educated; they are housed and trained to reintegrate back into civilian life.
JFCS has been serving the Suncoast region since 1985 responding to the needs of the community with intervention
and prevention resources. To the staff and those they serve, the organization becomes extended family and a place
to turn when in need. For more information, visit JFCS-Cares.org or call 941-366-2224. 2688 Fruitville Road, Sarasota FL
34237; 941-366-2224; www.JFCS-Cares.org
50
SRQ / JUNE 2015
FINALIST | INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR
PPi Technologies Group

CHARLES MURRAY, CEO
R. Charles Murray first moved to the United States in 1979 to attend Michigan
State. Returning later to start a small company in Chicago, the cold weather
inspired a relocation to Sarasota. Charles and his wife and son founded PROFILE Packaging, Inc. (PPiTechGroup) in 1996. With roots in contract packing and
delivering creative packaging concepts to market, Murray never doubted that the
future of the packaging industry would come in the form of his StandUp pouch
with a zipper or spout. At the beginning, PPiTechGroup packaged products at a
rapid 120 pouches per minute. Today the company is able to package 1,100
pouches per minute and fill them at 500 per minute. PPiTechGroup manufactures
the StandUp pouch, tray, single dose and end-of-line systems to fill and pack
products to small and multi-national food and beverage firms. Under its Redi-2DrinQ and ShotPak brands, the company manufactures and fills their own products in pouches: focusing on water, alcohol and spirits.
In coming weeks, new products are slated for national launch: the new Htwo
Hydrogen water, which offers both hydration and an energy boost with no additives, sugars or preservatives. A new insect repellent for those working and playing outdoors has potential as well. If its in a box or bottle, Murray likes to
say, We can put it in a pouch.The world is taking note of PPiTechGroups
accomplishments. Statewide economic development program Growl named
PPiTechGroup one of 50 Florida Companies to Watch last year. Ernst & Young
recognized Murray as an Entrepreneur of the Year in distribution and manufacturing in 2013. Holding over 175 patents, the company expects growth. PPiTech
has a new home in a facility with production capabilities of 1 billion pouches
per year. The company has grown to 48 valued employees, is home to a play
area for pool, table tennis, reading and a 9-hole golf course designed by
employees. Murray is proud that PPiTech has remained a family business with
his son, daughter, stepson and several nephews as part of his talented team.
1712 Northgate Boulevard; 941.359-6678; www.ppitechnologies.com
Our goal is to keep every customer happy and the message to
employees is very clear, the customer is king. Our aim is to deliver

machines and products that are above average and allow our
customers to lead the industry and markets they participate in.
The range of machine models offered is truly global stretching from

Germany, Japan, Korea, South Africa and Italy. New products
being packed have a common theme in that they contribute to

peoples lifestyle in a positive way. Charles Murray
JUNE 2015 / SRQ
51

Sir Speedy Sarasota is honored to be recognized as a

finalist for Small Business of the Year.
We have the best
employees in the industry, and we are incredibly grateful

for their hard work and dedication to helping our
customers grow their businesses!" Jackie Sanderson (left)

and Eileen Rosenzweig (right)
Sir Speedy
EILEEN ROSENZWEIG, CEO AND OWNER AND
JACKIE SANDERSON, CO-OWNER
Sir Speedy Sarasota, owned by sisters Eileen Rosenzweig and
Jackie Sanderson Sir Speedy Sarasota, owned by sisters Eileen
Rosenzweig and Jackie Sanderson, is an independent franchise
founded in 1981 by Jackie and Eileen's parents. Over the last
34 years we have grown to become a leader, not only in the
Sir Speedy network of franchises, but among all "Quick
Printing" companies nationally. We are the fourth highest volume Sir Speedy out of over 500 locations world-wide. We
have 23 employees and a 7,000 square foot state-of-the-art
facility in central Sarasota. Our production is housed on-site,
giving us full control over the speed and quality of our customers' jobs. Our success can be attributed to our ability to
adapt and change with technology and the needs of our customers. Over the years we have consciously transformed ourselves from a traditional quick printing company to a digital
print, sign, and marketing company.
Our in-house production includes digital and offset printing,
graphic design, mailing services, posters, banners, large format sign printing and routing. Our goal is to be a one-stop
shop for our customers' print, sign, and marketing needs. Our
reputation and reliability are second to none, as exemplified
by our growing, long-term customer base. We have vast experience, specifically, in implementing web-to-print solutions for
multi-location organizations. We are experts in helping companies organize their printed materials, ensuring brand consistency and controlling costs.Our customer service culture is pervasive, and our employees are empowered to do whatever it
takes to get the job done and meet our customers' needs.
3939 S. Tamiami Trail; Sarasota, FL
SirSpeedySarasota.com
52
SRQ / JUNE 2015
34231. 941-922-1563

They say You are what you eat, but we like to think that where
you eat is equally important. As a family owned and operated business,
we understand the importance of community. As such, we enjoy working
diligently to create vibrant atmospheres for folks to gather for great food,
TableSeide
STEVE SEIDENSTICKER
great drinks and great service. That sense of family spills over into our
restaurants, our second homes. At TableSeide establishments, we dont
have customers, we have guests. Steve Seidensticker
You only need to be alive for a few minutes before you realize just how important food is. As we develop, so do our tastes. Food still serves
as nourishment, of course, but it also becomes the backbone of your life. Memories become associated with mealtime and food choices
(whether it be vegetarian, gluten-free or glutton) become part of your identity. We understand. We love food. In fact, we love everything
associated with dining. The perfect bite is more than a mouthful. Ambience, ingredients, cutlery, wine pairings, napkin folding, friendly
staff, and comfy seats all marry to create that magic moment when fork meets face. We are TableSeide, a restaurant group thats been in
Sarasotas backyard for years now, though you may know us by other names. The Seidensticker family unified their establishments, Libbys
Cafe + Bar, Louies Modern, The Francis, and Modern Events Catering, under a single brand by creating TableSeide, the corporate presence and underlying foundation for all edible efforts moving forward. This platform focuses on culinary harmony by paying attention to
the details, big and small, and working diligently to enhance the city of Sarasota through great food, knockout events, philanthropic contributions and unique collaborations. Weve been growing steadily over the years, taking the town one bite at a time. We began as a neighborhood mecca with a stellar wine list and evolved into several locations, including a full-fledged catering company and event venue, a
downtown hotspot with a beautiful, open kitchen, and a private dining room perfect for intimate parties. TableSeide is taking on a few
more projects this year, expanding our offerings into the museum district by taking over all things culinary at the Ringling Museum. From
decaf to dessert, galas to Gulf oysters, if it involves eating or events, we hope it involves us. Louies Modern, The Francis and Modern Events
Catering, 1289 North Palm Avenue, Sarasota. Libbys Caf & Bar, 1917 Osprey Avenue, Sarasota. www.tableseide.com
JUNE 2015 / SRQ
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EdNote_JUNE15_Layout 1 5/19/15 8:42 PM Page 55
FOR MORE BEHIND-THE-SCENES STORIES, SIGN UP FOR OUR ONLINE ITB BLOG AT SRQINSIDETHEBRAND.COM
JUNE 2015
EditorsNote
EXPLORE THIS SUMMERS FINDS
FROM KAYAKING AT AT ROBINSON PRESERVE
TO SAVORING JACK DUSTYS SULTRY LA PALOMA
Special Edition
MODERN HOME
From architecture to
modern furnishing, from
modern real estate to interior
design, Modern Home brings
the joy of nesting modern to
our readers. This summer the
SRQME team will be cultivating
stories that reflect our heritage,
legacy and innovation in creating modern spacesfrom
commercial to residential.
Living modern represents both
a historical legacy as well as a
future-focused relevance that
embraces the synergies
between sustainability and
luxury, conveniences and
function and the art of living
both indoors as well as outdoors. Modern Home will arrive
in mailboxes in late June as a
special edition of your SRQ
Magazine. And, join us this fall
for the Modern Home
Symposium and Tour
of Modern Homes.
Look for schedules and
tickets for the Modern Home
Symposium and Tour of
Homes this fall at
SRQMAG.COM
This summer unleash your curiosity on a bevy of tremendous summer treats. Brown pelicans, hermit crabs,
mullet and alligators are waiting to greet you around the bend. We share why locals love spending the day on the
water in their kayak and our top five kayaking trips from the Little Grassy Lagoon off the Lido Key mangrove tunnels
to the Bird Keys of the Jim Neville Marine Preserve. Get your kayaks hitched up to your SUV and explore a lush piece
of paradise. We track down the best of the summer arts scene from the return of the pioneering SARTQ artists to the
launch of the Skyway Film Festival and Banyan Theater Companys The Amish Project, a one-woman drama exploring the events of 2006 West Nickel Mines School shooting. Youre in lucksome of our local farms and are open if
youre quick enough this month including a festival at Dakin Fairy the first weekend in June. And for the kids, you
cant go wrong with Splashin Selby Saturdays and host of provocative new hands-on science, history and mystery
camps. Go behind-the-scenes with our intrepid reporters to find out why this years Sarasota Film Festival was rife
with glamour and star power. Enjoy! Next month youll receive a special edition
of SRQ Magazine, MODERN HOMElook for it in your mailboxes!
Lisl Liang
EDITOR IN CHIEF / DESIGN DIRECTOR
JUNE 2015 | SRQ
55
FEATURE_30Summer_JUN15 v2_Layout 1 5/19/15 6:57 PM Page 56
When it comes to summertime in sunny Sarasota, there are always two main objectives: stay
cool and have fun. Our list of summer to-dos is filled with suggestions to satisfy both goals
explore a hidden oasis of succulents in bloom, splash around with the kids at Selby Gardens,
gather farm fresh greens at a hydroponic farm or chill out with a Hawaiian-style snow cone
at the Hukilau Hut. The temperatures might be heating up, but these summer diversions will
make it your coolest summer yet.
LIVE
SUMMER
LIKE THE
LOCALS
BY SHANE DONGLASAN, PHIL LEDERER AND ROSIE ROBINSON.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SIGMUND AND SHANE DONGLASAN.
Beer Garden Fun

Right: The Skyway Film
Festival poster. Below:
A still from the festivals
Opening Night film Walt
Before Mickey.
As the temperature heats up, the beer garden turns into the
quintessential gathering place as craft breweries around
the Suncoast are opening up their beer gardens for a
plethora of events. Darwin Brewery, through a partnership
with Geraldson Community Farm, hosts The Local
Evolution Craft Evolution, a craft fair held on the second
Friday of each month. The event was inspired by the passion to bring the community together for a night of everything local, Jordyn Croe of Geraldson Community Farm
says. The Local Evolution provides a pop-up shop for local
crafters, artisans, bakers, baristas, musicians and brewers
to come together and support one another. Regular vendors
have included Rays Vegan Soul, Kombucha 221BC, Sugar
Cubed, Sunshine Canning, Cheesecake Me Desserts and
Kelley Love Designs. Over at JDubs Brewery, beer and tness make an unexpected pairing every Wednesday
evening with yoga in their newly expanded beer garden.
Yogi extraordinaires from Sarasotas Yoga Shack lead hourlong yoga sessions welcome to anyone at any level . Once
youre feeling nice and limber, enjoy the brewerys everevolving selection of craft beers. Every Thursday, JDubs
also hosts a Not Quite Friday 5K Run around Ed Smith
Stadium and neighboring communities. S.Donglasan
Skyway Film Festival

Duck the sun for a few days this summer and dip inside the Manatee Performing Arts Center, where from June 12-14, the inaugural Skyway Film Festival will be
underway, screening lms of all types and hosting panel discussions and creative workshops to explore the many sides of the lmmaking process.
We hope to be a festival that ultimately brings all communities together, says Eric Lunseth, who founded the festival with Joseph Restaino, in which they serve
as executive director and artistic director, respectively. Both veterans of the Gasparilla International Film Festival, Restaino as president and head programmer and
Lunseth as treasurer and member of the board, its no surprise the Bradenton Area Film Commission gave them a warm reception and a multi-year commitment.
Were very excited about being in Bradenton, Lunseth continued. Sarasota and Bradenton have a great arts community and we couldnt be more thrilled to be a
part of it. In addition to the more than 50 feature-length and short lms, narratives and documentaries, one of the things setting Skyway apart from other festivals
is its devotion to supplemental programming from the get-go. With a masters acting workshop directed by Andre Holland (Selma) and Ryan ONan (The Blacklist),
a lm-nancing workshop with a representative from Jeff Rice Films and panel discussions on topics ranging from the craft of lmmaking to social issues such as
women in lm, Skyway promises a varied and packed schedule for festivalgoers. One of the great things about a lm festival is that the audience gets to interact
with the lmmakers and learn about the process, says Lunseth. Its a wonderful way to engage everybody, and lmmakers love talking about their process too. It
wouldnt be a festival without a little competition, and at Skyway they play with high-stake prizes. Among the many audience and juried prizes available, the winners of certain contests, such as Best International Short, will see their lms receive digital distribution through IndiePix Films. Their partnership is wonderful,
says Lunseth. Being able to offer any distribution at a lm festival certainly sets yourself apart. Also catching eyes is a teleplay competition that includes HBOs
vice president of lm programming on the jury and a winning prize of a table read by a professional actor.We dont want to be a one and done festival, says
Lunseth. We want to grow this over time, build it up and showcase not only what were able to do, but what Sarasota and Bradenton are able to do. P. Lederer
58
SRQ | JUNE 2015
Stay Frosty
Top off a blazing hot day at the beach with some frozen delights, as the culinary-minded ice
sculptors at the Baltimore Snowball Factory, Pop Craft and Hukilau Hut vie for top spot among
Sarasotas icy alternatives. P.Lederer
I had the young me in mind when I was planning my

menu, says Eric Gareld, owner and operator of
Baltimore Snowball Factory, where he and his Baltimore
machine crank out nely crushed ice waiting to be topped
by one (or many) of his more than 150 avors. Gareld
remembers the disappointment he felt as a kid walking
into stores with only three avors; thats not going to happen under his watch. I want to make sure no kid leaves
here thinking, This guy doesnt have what I want, he says.
And truly, Garelds menu is staggering, with avors from
fruity to sour, and Factory Originals such as The Baltimore
Oriole and the Sarasota Suntan. For the decadent, marshmallow cream lling and topping is available.
Across town, the Hukilau Hut sits on Bee Ridge, where
for the last ve years (seven if you count the food truck)
Juan and Renee Gutierrez have been dishing out the only
Hawaiian-style shaved ice around. Using a machine of the
original design brought by the Japanese 60 to 70 years ago,
Juan meticulously shaves blocks of ice for an extremely
ne result. Most people dont want to do it this way
because it takes a little technique, he says, but the result is
more than a fair trade a uffy, sticky snow that feels perfect for molding and throwing, or, more importantly, holding avor. Snow cones are like ice cubes, and the syrup
runs over it and into the bottom, says Juan. This absorbs
it. It also allows a single cup of ice to contain multiple avors without any interference, Juan continues, before artfully dividing one into thirds, pouring one with starfruit
syrup, another with a mora (a South American fruit) and
the last with a syrup made from bananas roasted with
chocolate and cinnamon. The ball of snow remains solid
and the avors separate, like stripes down the side. Using a
secret recipe, Juan makes all his own syrups, using fresh
fruit and no preservatives. The roasted banana only has 60
calories, so Juan drizzles the top with whipped marshmallow and sweet cream.
Of course, if you prefer your frozen treats served at the
end of a stick, Pop Craft waits just a couple doors down
from Hukilau. Known for its diverse and creative menu,
Pop Crafts singular and signature avors are reinvented
almost daily, and all popsicles are made from whole fresh
produce that rotates with the season, taking advantage of
whats best at the time. The end result is a popsicle carefully sculpted both in presentation and enjoyment.
Clockwise from the top: Hukilau Hut, Baltimore

Snowball Factory and Pop Craft.
Summer Spice
Summer is a great time to spice up the kitchen with bright avors. Here are three quintessential summer tastes, according to Paulette
Callender, proprietor of The Spice and Tea Exchange of Sarasota. CITRUS The stores Florida Sunshine Spice Blend, which balances
orange, lemon and lime zest with sea salt, ginger and rose petals, is light and citrusythe perfect summer addition. Sprinkle it on corn on
the cob, salads or sh. Callender even loves it on her popcorn. COCONUT Providing a tropical getaway from the comfort of home, the cool
avor of coconut works well with the summer heat. Its easy to create a sauce from coconut milk and a mix of spices like the Spice and Tea
Exchanges coconut Thai, which incorporates coconut akes with garlic, ginger, red pepper akes and more. Just add to shrimp or chicken for island air. Or use coconut sugar to garnish the rim of a summer cocktail. Try adding rum to an herbal iced tea, like the Bonita peach
rooibos, for an easy twist on a classic mojito. LEMON VERBENA As a lighter alternative to the usual basil, substitute the herb for lemon
verbena in a summertime style pesto. Need a recipe? Combine a cup of lemon verbena, two garlic cloves, cup of grated Parmesan cheese
and cup of pine nuts in a food processor. Slowly add cup of olive oil and continue mixing until the pesto thickens. R.Robinson
The Amish Project

Bodies in Motion
For those looking to stay active in the off-season, Fuzion Dance
Artists is hosting its annual Fuzion Summer Dance Intensive,
bringing in a series of guest choreographers and instructors for
eight days of workshops and workouts exploring a number of
different styles and techniques, including urban contemporary, hip-hop and countertechnique. P.Lederer
The way that we coordinate this is to empower and train dancers to be versatile
and smart thinkers in their bodies, says artistic director and Fuzion co-founder
Leymis Bolaos Wilmott, who not only organizes, but participates in the workshops, which this year include the return of Kira Blazek, one of only four dancers
in the United States certied to teach countertechnique. Shes such a generous
teacher and its delivered so beautifully, says Wilmott of Blazek and her rare
method. Its so accessible and its so clear. This summers participants will also
get the chance to study urban contemporary dance under Terrence Henderson,
who comes to the program with a background including musical theater, ballet
and modern jazz. This man has amazing technique, says Wilmott, and pours
out his here for dance and for people. But its not all work. Amidst the instruction, participants will have the chance to observe and engage in a number of visiting performances, such as the Bubble Dance, something Wilmott calls a little
more alternative, a little more edgy, and involves a vacant racquetball court. In
addition to the annual intensive, this year marks the debut of the Fuzion Kids
Summer Intensive and the Fuzion Juniors Summer Intensive, bringing in the
younger crowds, ages 6-9 and 10-13 respectively, for abbreviated ve-day programs in the weeks before the annual intensive. It will also be the rst year with
repertory classes on the schedule, cycling in a higher volume of guest choreographers than previous years. Its about community, how we can learn from
each other and how everyone has something to offer, says Wilmott, who
stresses that although the name may be daunting, the intensive is
more of a festival and open to dancers of all skill levels. We have
people who dont have much experience and then we have people
that dance with the San Francisco Conservatory.
The Fuzion Summer Dance Intensive runs from July 25 to August
1, preceded by the Fuzion Kids Summer Intensive from July 13-17
and the Fuzion Juniors Summer Intensive from July 20-24.
60
SRQ | JUNE 2015
The Banyan Theater Company returns this summer for its traditional three-show
run, including The Amish Project, a one-woman drama written by Jessica Dickey,
exploring the events of the 2006 West Nickel Mines School shooting and the
response from the stricken Amish community through a series of ctional
moments and monologues. Directed by Todd Olson and starring Sarasota actress
Katherine Michelle Tanner, The Amish Project maintains the Banyan tradition for
thought-provoking theater. I feel it should be required viewing from high school
on up, says Tanner, who rst encountered the show through Olson, but was
daunted by the prospect of playing such a diverse range of characters. Through the
course of the show, Tanner must be a college professor one moment and then a
clerk the next, and even take on the personas of the gunman himself and two of his
young victims. It was after the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut
that Tanner remembers telling Olson in a text, We have to do this now more than
ever. The Amish Project opens July 16 at the Banyan Theater and runs until
August 2. P.Lederer
Summer Blaze
Sarasota adds a few pizzerias to the summer scene this year, including the arrival
of Blaze Pizza, serving up personalized pizzas with a fast-re stone grill and just
enough frills. An experiential pizza parlor, Blaze is more than just another hub for
high-velocity delivery boys, instead offering a quick, casual and active but
unrushed dining experience that nicely balances speed and personalization.
While the menu offers specialty pies with names like Meat Eater and Art
Lover, the real Blaze experience lies in building your own. Starting with an 11inch thin crust, don a Pizzasmith hat and sift through over 35 meats, veggies,
cheeses and sauces, including all the staples and more than a few oddities, throwing on whatever looks good. Vegan and gluten-free diners will nd friendly menu
options as well. Whether its applewood bacon and Italian sausage or arugula and
artichokes, Blaze has the breadth to satisfy even the most cynical pizza-vores.
Everybody likes different products, and in todays world its about individualization, says Dennis Sherer, a managing partner for Blaze Pizza in North Central
Florida. It just continues to reinforce that the right thing to do is to allow people
to make pizza the way they want it. But even with all the customization, lines
move at a good clip, thanks in large part to the stone-oven hearth that reaches
temperatures up to 800 degrees and fast-res each pizza in roughly 180 seconds.
But according to Sherer, the fast-re process is about more than just speed. That
high heat brings out the caramelization in the food, he says, and gives you that
great taste prole between the product, the stone and the high heat. Lending to
that prole, Blaze sources its produce locally whenever possible, says Sherer,
meaning that much of what can be found at the UTC location comes from the
Florida market. Its an economic and culinary decision. Any time you can do
business locally its benecial to the local economy, says Sherer. And any time
the produce is closer to the consumer, its a good thing. With beer and wine available, as well as Blazes own Blood Orange Lemonade, which Sherer reports has
been a big hit, Blaze is looking to a be a popular spot to chill out and beat the heat
this summer. P.Lederer
Blaze Pizzas
Splashin Selby Saturdays

The Great Lawn of Selby Gardens every Saturday from June 13 to August 1 will be transformed into
an oasis of water fun with sprinklers and slides, shing games, water noodle hockey and water basketball. Kids can also enjoy shark tooth hunts, frog games and scavenger hunts while exploring the
childrens rainforest garden. It is a great way to introduce Sarasota families to the gardens in a new,
unexpected way, says Grace Carlson, Selbys director of marketing. For families who are looking to
connect and engage without the distraction of technology, these Saturday events provide cool, carefree entertainment. Get lost in the rainforest with a garden that features a 100-year-old Banyan
tree and 12-foot waterfall, as well as swinging bridges, caves and research stations. Selby Gardens
wants to help people better understand nature and its impact on our lives, but fun and learning dont
have to be mutually exclusive, Carlson says. The splashing fun lasts from 11:30am to 3pm. The event
is free for members and included with the regular Selby Gardens admission price.R.Robinson
JUNE 2015 / SRQ
61
Pet Paradise
Dogs are social creatures, too, and the Suncoast has plenty of pet-friendly places for our furry friends to roam.
Ken Thompson Park on Lido Key provides a beautiful view of Sarasota Bay and the John Ringling Bridge. There
are no fences at the park, but poop bag stations are available, as well as tables and barbeque pits to have a picnic
as your pets frolic in the water. For a chance to swim with your pets, further south in Venice is Brohard Paw Park,
the only beach area in Sarasota County where dogs are allowed. Shaded by towering oaks, the park features two
fenced play yards, dog showers and drinking fountains for thirsty pups. Farther north in Bradenton is De Soto
National Memorial Beach, where you can learn some local history about Hernando De Soto while leashed dogs
explore the waters of Tampa Bay. S.Donglasan
Summer Quenchers
ANTS ON A LOG, ANYONE? At Pangea Lounge, sweet summer nostalgia is
calling with the Show Me Yours and Ill Show You Mine cocktail. Innovative
cocktail crafter Brad Coburn was inspired by one of his favorite childhood eats,
ants on a log, a simple classic snack of peanut butter spread on celery sticks
topped with raisins. House-infused peanut Irish whiskey is combined with celery
juice and local artisanal honey to add just a hint of sweetness. The nal touch is a
peanut rim, straight and simple. LA PALOMA Perhaps the perfect tequila cocktail, Jack Dustys La Paloma is here to give the much-revered margarita a run for
its money. Having the same sweet-and-sour DNA as a margarita but just a bit bitter and bit bubbly, the paloma is actually Mexicos most popular tequila drink. I
wanted to show people a drink that wasnt as common, but also delicious, Jack
Dustys Lead Bartender Ingi Sigurdsson says. The drink is traditionally made with
tequila, grapefruit soda and capped off with a salted rim and lime. Sigurdsson
decided to focus on fresh, vibrant avors by using freshly squeezed grapefruit
Left to right:
Buddy Brews Iced
Cappuccino and
Jack Dustys
La Paloma.
juice mixed with simple syrup and bit of lime to balance out the acidity. Its a great
summer drink because its effervescent and has less alcohol per sip, so you can
enjoy its mellowness, Sigurdsson adds. ICED BUDDY BREW Whether youre
spending your summer on-the-go and need to reinvigorate or just want to hit
pause and cool down to with a bold brew, Sarasotas latest craft coffee shop, Buddy
Brew, has the answer. Our iced cappuccino is the perfect summer drink, Master
Barista Josh Bonanno says. Forever in the pursuit of coffee excellence, Buddy
Brew sources specialty-grade beans and hand-roasts each bean to perfection. The
iced cappuccino is made with their Double Dog Espresso, which is two-thirds
Brazilian coffee and one-third Ethiopian, giving it low acidity, rich body and a
touch of fruitiness. The espresso is iced with whole milk and house-made
caramel. The concoction is shaken up nice and hard and poured into a chilled
glass. No unnecessary frothiness or ice here, just a cold, luxuriously creamy, semisweet beverage for the coffee-minded masses. S.Donglasan
Adventures in Mystery
Summer Picks
June is the last chance to enjoy some of the areas freshest
fruits and vegetables firsthand, so head out to the farm for
fun, family activities and local food. R.Robinson
Hunsader Farms
The Hunsader Farms season ends June 6, but before then
youll nd fresh cantaloupes, watermelon, hard squash
varieties like butternut and spaghetti, sweet onions and
tomatoes. You can also personally pick your own tomatoes
and eggplant. The farm also features a playground and petting zoo full of farmyard animals, including deer, emus,
goats and a llama.
If you want the chance to explore foreign lands while keeping it local, all within an unexpected air of mystery, then Bookstore1 has what you are looking for. Striving to be more than
just a bookstore, the downtown shop is a gathering place for Sarasotans with a passion for
reading and discussion, frequently hosting author readings, book signings and book
clubs. This years book club led by Event Manager Elsie Souza, Boarding Pass to
Murder, will be hosting two nal events in June. Im fascinated by mysteries, Souza
says about why she chose the foreign mystery theme. I wanted to nd authors from
around the world whose work was translated. Weve had a really good time so far. Her
selections have taken readers to China, Norway, Spain and Turkey. It might be a genre you
might not be initially interested in, but they are easy reads and thoroughly enjoyable, she
adds. On June 9, the club will be discussing Simon Mawers The Glass Room, which follows a
young optimistic couple through central Europe in the 1920s, but the radiant honesty and idealism of
the time quickly evaporate beneath the storm clouds of World War II. Then moving eastward, the
book club travels to Iceland on June 18 through Icelandic author Arnaldur Indridasons novel Jar
City, a thrilling look into the world of Inspector Erlendur Sveinnson as the murder of a lonely old man
unravels some dark secrets. For those who delight in intrigue, be sure to add these books to your summer reading list. The next book club series doesnt start up again until October. S.Donglasan
Sweetgrass Farms
Because of their hydroponic gardening techniques,
Sweetgrass produce will be available all summer. It really is
the farming of the future, says Kathy Demler, who co-owns
Sweetgrass Farms with husband Jim. They provide Harvest
Boxes, which offer a selection of the farms fresh produce at
$25 for a half-bushel and $45 for a full. For a hands-on experience, pick-yourself green beans are also available. We
have the cleanest produce available, Demler says. It really
doesnt get cleaner than this.
Dakin Dairy
To celebrate National Dairy Month and mark the end of
the season, the farm will hold its annual Dairy Day Festival
on June 6 from 10am-6pm. This years theme is milk does
the body good, and focuses on bone and muscle building
activities that include everything from mechanical bull
riding and rock climbing to giant water slides and a moogician. Food vendors Polpo Pizza, Chefs2U and Lulus
Nitrogen Ice Cream will be serving up fare featuring the
farms dairy products. Itll be a different day, co-owner
Karen Dakin said. Its not your normal festival.
Left to right: Sweetgrass Farms and a design by SARTQ artist Javier Rodriguez.
SARTQ Boomerangs
Sarasotas local art collective SARTQ left an impression upon its return this past March with the SARTQ Print Party, and now co-founder Tim Jaeger says the collective is ready for its inaugural exhibit, taking place this August in the State of the Arts Gallerys newest space, two doors down from the main gallery. As the rst
exhibit since SARTQs reconception, the show will be an introduction of sorts. Each member artist will have a handful of pieces in the show, with a nal result of
somewhere around 45-50 works total on display. Tampa and St. Petersburg-based curator and art critic Danny Olda will curate the exhibit. We feel its important
to have an outside-looking-in perspective on what will be featured, says Jaeger, letting Olda decide the theme of the show based on the submissions from member
artists. Therefore SARTQ will be roughly dened in this rst show, not strictly through its own voice, but through the eyes of an outsider. The idea with a curated
exhibition is that theres a reason those things are there besides the fact that this organization is displaying who they are. Theres more of a dialogue. In addition,
Jaeger reports the collective is still accepting membership applications from artists in the community. Its free to apply and prospective portfolios will be reviewed
by member audiences come August. And if you cant wait that long to see what the artists in SARTQ have been cooking up, the collective has been tapped by RBC
Wealth Management to decorate its newly renovated offices on Main Street with original art from the collective. They approached us because they felt the need to
supply their offices with local art and that speaks volumes, says Jaeger. Between community projects such as this and engagement like the Print Party, SARTQ
seems to be off to a running start and Jaeger shows no signs of slowing. Splitting into four separate subcommittees, the artists are currently at work writing grants
and looking to sustainable fundraising. Theres a lot of desire for success growing in the group and were already moving forward. P.Lederer
JUNE 2015 / SRQ
63
Hot Doggin
Something about a hot dog seems so inescapably summer. They bring to mind vivid memories of
cookouts, good old days and warm nights with reworks and friends regardless of whether or not
these things ever actually happened. Its a rare gustatory magic, red up somewhere between the
baseball games and backyard grills, that elevates the hot dog to something Scott Pastor, owner and
operator of the new Webber Hot Dogs, calls an American pastime. Hailing from Buffalo, New York,
Pastor wasnt able to nd the New York-style hot dogs he remembered when he came to Sarasota, or
in all of Florida for that matter. Were the rst people in the state of Florida that have a hardwood
charcoal pit, says Pastor of his kitchen, where he char-grills dogs in an oven that reaches 1,500
degrees Fahrenheit. It adds avor and makes them pop. But the search for New York avor doesnt
end there, Pastor sources his dogs special-made from a company in Buffalo. For the specialty Webb
Dog, Pastor adds a hot relish from his own secret recipe and a dash of yellow mustard.
For a little more snap, upgrade to the Chicago Fire Dog and add a healthy dose of giardinera, a vegetable and pepper mix served in spicy oil. As the name would suggest, Tonys Chicago Beef Co. specializes in the Chicago-style hot dog. What makes it a true Chicago-style, says Tony Fricano, owner
of Tonys Chicago, is that the hot dog is from Chicago. Shipping the all-beef dogs in from a Chicago
sausage company, Fricano imports poppyseed buns, green relish and sport peppers right alongside,
bringing all the Vienna ingredients, as he calls them, straight from the Windy City. At Tonys youll
nd your dogs steamed, not grilled. Its a snappy dog, Fricano says, and when you bite it, you get
that nice little snap to it. For those more comfort food-inclined, the Suncoast has it covered with more
than a couple dogs served up in what could only be called Southern-style battered and fried. Eat Here
offers the Heart Attack Hot Dog, which according to the menu comes with a complementary short form
will. Starting with an all-beef hot dog, Eat Here chefs wrap the dog in bacon before deep frying the whole
mess and topping with truffle butter. Served with barnaise on a buttered roll, its worth the cardiac contest. Not to be outdone, The Old Salty Dogs eponymous dog sports a quarter pound of hot dog dipped in
house beer batter and fried to a crisp. Fully loaded with four types of cheese, sauerkraut, bacon, grilled
onions and grilled mushrooms, The Salty Dog is a force to be reckoned with. Unsurprisingly, its the dog
that put this restaurant on reality-food show Man v. Food. P.Lederer
Tongue Teasers From Chillers to Coolers

One of the best details of any season is the food, and summer is no exception. With a summer by the sea, you must think of seafood dishes. Here are three of our
favorites, along with desserts to finish off. R.Robinson
CRAB AND FINS TUNA TARTARE Sushi-grade tuna is served raw with aji panca
(a Peruvian pepper), fresh cilantro, scallions and a sweet soy sauce. The tuna tower
is paired with homemade guacamole, crispy lo and a special sriracha aioli. Heat
from the chile and sriracha elements juxtaposes against the creamy guacamole and
cool sh to create a nice, light dish - perfect for sitting outside with a glass of wine.
LIDO BEACH RESTAURANTLOBSTER ROLL Its unusual for concession food to
be good, let alone worth writing about. But at Lido Beach Restaurant, located in
view of the Gulf of Mexico on the Lido public beach, is the popular exception. Their
lobster salad, mixed with mayonnaise,
Left to
sour cream, celery, black pepper, celery
right:
salt and just a little bit of sugar, is placed
Crab and
on a butter-grilled, split-top New England
Fins Tuna
Tartare
roll. Its then topped with iceberg lettuce,
and Selvas
sliced avocado and a wedge of lime. Its
Tuna
really all about timing, says Cook Zack
Tiradito
Bencomo. Making sandwiches fresh
Nikkei.
means the hot, buttery bun stays hot, and
the cold lettuce and lobster salad stays
cold, making it the essential beachside
meal. SELVAS CEVICHES Featuring a
medley of corvina, mussels, shrimp and
octopus, the traditional Mixto, a Peruvian
dish, is dressed with a lime marinade and
garnished with sweet potato, red onions, cilantro and a hint of yellow pepper for
spice. The fresh Tuna Tiradito Nikkei layers cubes of summer favorite watermelon with sushi-grade tuna marinated in ginger and soy, and garnished with tomatoes. SUMMER SWEETS No summer evening should end without dessert. For a
break from the traditional chocolate, try Eat Heres Polynesian pineapple cake, a
dense base of pineapple, coconut and pecan avors, topped with a ginger glaze.
For something cooler, try Soma Creeksides blood orange mojito popsicle, made
with fresh mint and rum. R.Robinson
Sunny Succulents
Tucked away in the middle of the Bayou Oaks neighborhood in northern Sarasota is a
rich and thriving garden waiting to be explored. Rare and exotic succulents, which
bloom gloriously during the summer months, cover the Sarasota Succulent Society, a
rare and welcoming retreat for visitors and those who want to learn more about the
architectural plants. Originating from desert and tropical regions, popular succulent
varieties include cacti, aloes, agaves and sedums, but there are hundreds in cultivation.
The society was founded in 1950 by Walter Sparkman, who lled his gardens with
plants from around the world, studying and observing which ones could grow in the
Florida climate. The society continues to experiment with different succulents and
their ability to grow in the surrounding environment. Its a beautiful oasis here in the
middle of the city, Society Treasurer Wilda Meier describes. Succulents are good to
have because they dont require the water that a lot of other plants do, especially in
todays environment with the water shortages we are experiencing. The garden opens
9am-noon on Mondays and on the third Saturday of each month, and offers educational meetings and sales throughout the year. S.Donglasan
JUNE 2015 / SRQ
65
FridayFest
This years lineup for the Van Wezel
Performing Arts Hall outdoor concert series was made for dancing.
Each month features a different
band, with the free events running
from 5-9pm and featuring local food
vendors. R.Robinson
JUNE 19 KETTLE OF FISH Known for
rocking the blues, Kettle of Fish combines
heavy blues with Southern rock n rock,
incorporating touches of reggae and New
Orleans soul. Covering musicians from the
Rolling Stones to Otis Redding, Hank
Williams Jr. to Jimi Hendrix, Kettle of
Fish loves to play a little of everything.
JULY 10 KIM BETTS AND THE
GAMBLE CREEK BAND We gon tear it
up, Band Manager Kim Betts says, promising some good, clean country fun. The
Gamble Creek Band covers hits from stars
like Blake Shelton, Florida-Georgia Line and
Betts personal favorite, Miranda Lambert.
Combining strong vocal harmonies with guitar, ddle and mandolin solos, the audience
can expect powerful renditions like the
Carrie Underwood and Lambert duet
Something Bad.
AUG. 21 YESTERDAYZE
Billed as the ultimate 60s experience,
Yesterdayze plays classic hits of the decade,
from Motown to the Bristish Invasion. Decked
out in tie-dye, the band plays covers from
favorite musicians including The Beatles,
Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash and The
Rolling Stones. This concert will be lled with
peace, love and the best of rock n roll.
SEPT. 18 REVEREND BARRY AND
FUNKTASTIC SOUL FT. THE HELLACIOUS
HORNS Voted best musical group in the
Herald-Tribunes readers choice awards, the
band performs high-energy dance music from
the 60s, 70s and 80s, featuring a four-piece
horn section. With favorites from musicians
like Earth, Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson,
Aretha Franklin, Kool and the Gang and original songs, its an experience perfect for those
who want to sing and dance along. Our entire
objective is to keep people dancing, keep people partying all night, says Lead Vocalist
(Reverend) Barry Nicholson.
66
SRQ | JUNE 2015
Films of Summer
Its a pretty stacked summer for franchises and their gilded cousin, the cinematic
universe, with big installments like Jurassic World, Terminator Genisys, Ant-Man
and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation promising enough special effects extravaganzas for even the most frenetic viewers. But amidst the roars and explosions,
several quieter yet quality lms are coming to screens. P.Lederer
DOPE Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker lends his star power to this coming of age indie ick getting rave reviews across the festival circuit. Newcomer Shameik Moore stars as Malcolm, a decidedly uncool
kid from a bad neighborhood in Inglewood, California, with dreams of getting out and going to Harvard. With
his senior year winding down, the ever-cautious Malcolm receives a mysterious invitation to one of LAs
biggest underground parties, setting off a night of misadventure and tough choices for a young man balancing his future, his present and who he really wants to be. Zoe Kravitz, already having a good summer with a
meaty role in Mad Max: Fury Road, co-stars. INSIDE OUT With a stunningly consistent track record
including The Incredibles,, Wall-E and the Toy Story trilogy (forgiving Cars 2), its hard not to get excited for a
new Pixar production and this years animated adventure, Inside Out, is no exception. Taking the audience
into the mind of a young girl adjusting to her familys latest move, the story unfolds as her emotions joy, disgust, fear, sadness and anger, each voiced by comedy heavy-hitters such as Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling and
Lewis Black struggle to make sense of the ensuing chaos and regain control. IN THEATERS JUNE 19.
MR. HOLMES Sherlock Holmes has received more than his fair share of modern updates, from Robert
Downey Jr.s action-packed upstart to Benedict Cumberbatchs troubled genius, but this summer Ian
McKellen reunites with director John Condon for the rst time since the Oscar-winning Gods and Monsters,
to throw his hat in the ring with an interpretation both classic and unusual. Opening in the twilight of the
great detectives life, Mr. Holmes focuses more on the man than the mystery, as Holmes goes about setting the
legend straight (He never wore the hat, he says), befriending an inquisitive young boy along the way.
IRRATIONAL MAN Woody Allen assembles another A-list cast for his latest comedic exploration of love
in the age of neurosis, with Joaquin Phoenix taking the role of Abe, a philosophy professor famously lost in
boundless despair who, upon moving to a new school and striking an unconventional relationship with a
woman decades his junior (Emma Stone), begins getting his life together to the amusement and puzzlement
of his small town neighbors. IN THEATERS JULY 17.
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E From Superman to superspy, Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) stars as CIA hotshot Napoleon Solo in this modern reboot of the classic espionage series, seeing CIA and KGB agents teaming up amidst the Cold War to take down a sinister secret organization. Written and directed by veteran
crime-comedy writer/director Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Sherlock Holmes), U.N.C.L.E. promises all the stylish fun
and quickwit dialogue audiences have come to expect from Ritchie, along with his trademark plotting and a
hearty dose of that classic spy ick nostalgia. Armie Hammer (The Social Network) co-stars as Cavills KGB
counterpart. IN THEATERS AUGUST 14.
FridayFest
This years lineup for the Van Wezel
Performing Arts Hall outdoor concert series was made for dancing.
Each month features a different
band, with the free events running
from 5-9pm and featuring local food
vendors. R.Robinson
JUNE 19 KETTLE OF FISH Known for
rocking the blues, Kettle of Fish combines
heavy blues with Southern rock n rock,
incorporating touches of reggae and New
Orleans soul. Covering musicians from the
Rolling Stones to Otis Redding, Hank
Williams Jr. to Jimi Hendrix, Kettle of
Fish loves to play a little of everything.
JULY 10 KIM BETTS AND THE
GAMBLE CREEK BAND We gon tear it
up, Band Manager Kim Betts says, promising some good, clean country fun. The
Gamble Creek Band covers hits from stars
like Blake Shelton, Florida-Georgia Line and
Betts personal favorite, Miranda Lambert.
Combining strong vocal harmonies with guitar, ddle and mandolin solos, the audience
can expect powerful renditions like the
Carrie Underwood and Lambert duet
Something Bad.
AUG. 21 YESTERDAYZE
Billed as the ultimate 60s experience,
Yesterdayze plays classic hits of the decade,
from Motown to the Bristish Invasion. Decked
out in tie-dye, the band plays covers from
favorite musicians including The Beatles,
Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash and The
Rolling Stones. This concert will be lled with
peace, love and the best of rock n roll.
SEPT. 18 REVEREND BARRY AND
FUNKTASTIC SOUL FT. THE HELLACIOUS
HORNS Voted best musical group in the
Herald-Tribunes readers choice awards, the
band performs high-energy dance music from
the 60s, 70s and 80s, featuring a four-piece
horn section. With favorites from musicians
like Earth, Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson,
Aretha Franklin, Kool and the Gang and original songs, its an experience perfect for those
who want to sing and dance along. Our entire
objective is to keep people dancing, keep people partying all night, says Lead Vocalist
(Reverend) Barry Nicholson.
66
SRQ | JUNE 2015
Films of Summer
Its a pretty stacked summer for franchises and their gilded cousin, the cinematic
universe, with big installments like Jurassic World, Terminator Genisys, AntMan and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation promising enough special effects
extravaganzas for even the most frenetic viewers. But amidst the roars and explosions, several quieter yet quality lms are coming to screens. P.Lederer
DOPE Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker lends his star power to this coming of age indie ick getting rave reviews across the festival circuit. Newcomer Shameik Moore stars as Malcolm, a decidedly uncool
kid from a bad neighborhood in Inglewood, California, with dreams of getting out and going to Harvard. With
his senior year winding down, the ever-cautious Malcolm receives a mysterious invitation to one of LAs
biggest underground parties, setting off a night of misadventure and tough choices for a young man balancing his future, his present and who he really wants to be. Zoe Kravitz, already having a good summer with a
meaty role in Mad Max: Fury Road, co-stars. INSIDE OUT With a stunningly consistent track record
including The Incredibles,, Wall-E and the Toy Story trilogy (forgiving Cars 2), its hard not to get excited for
a new Pixar production and this years animated adventure, Inside Out, is no exception. Taking the audience
into the mind of a young girl adjusting to her familys latest move, the story unfolds as her emotions joy, disgust, fear, sadness and anger, each voiced by comedy heavy-hitters such as Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling and
Lewis Black struggle to make sense of the ensuing chaos and regain control. IN THEATERS JUNE 19.
MR. HOLMES Sherlock Holmes has received more than his fair share of modern updates, from Robert
Downey Jr.s action-packed upstart to Benedict Cumberbatchs troubled genius, but this summer Ian
McKellen reunites with director John Condon for the rst time since the Oscar-winning Gods and Monsters,
to throw his hat in the ring with an interpretation both classic and unusual. Opening in the twilight of the
great detectives life, Mr. Holmes focuses more on the man than the mystery, as Holmes goes about setting the
legend straight (He never wore the hat, he says), befriending an inquisitive young boy along the way.
IRRATIONAL MAN Woody Allen assembles another A-list cast for his latest comedic exploration of
love in the age of neurosis, with Joaquin Phoenix taking the role of Abe, a philosophy professor famously lost
in boundless despair who, upon moving to a new school and striking an unconventional relationship with a
woman decades his junior (Emma Stone), begins getting his life together to the amusement and puzzlement
of his small town neighbors. IN THEATERS JULY 17.
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E From Superman to superspy, Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) stars as CIA
hotshot Napoleon Solo in this modern reboot of the classic espionage series, seeing CIA and KGB agents
teaming up amidst the Cold War to take down a sinister secret organization. Written and directed by veteran
crime-comedy writer/director Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Sherlock Holmes), U.N.C.L.E. promises all the stylish fun
and quickwit dialogue audiences have come to expect from Ritchie, along with his trademark plotting and a
hearty dose of that classic spy ick nostalgia. Armie Hammer (The Social Network) co-stars as Cavills KGB
counterpart. In theaters August 14. IN THEATERS AUGUST 14.
Awesome Kids Camps

HANDS-ON SCIENCE The Suncoast Science Center is
offering a summer of science for students about to enter
fourth through eighth grade, giving students a chance to
learn by doing. Whether kids are getting to use machines to
create something new, or programming a robot to complete a task, these hands-on experiences are crucial to fostering a true understanding about the world around us and
how the puzzle pieces of science, technology, engineering
and math t together. We encourage curiosity about how
things work and provide kids with the tools to be able to
continue their journey of exploration on their own, says
Jennifer Holt of the Suncoast Science Center. The camps
focus on technology-driven fabrication, engineering and
programming. How often does a kid get the chance to
design their own working lamp, fabricate those pieces,
wire and solder all of the electronics, and put it all together
with their own two hands? adds Holt. There are also
camps involving Legos, electronics, programming and
robotics. TEAM BUILDING ON THE WATER For a more
physically invigorating camp, the Sarasota Scullers host
summer sessions for both middle and high school students
at the intercoastal waterway from Blackburn Point. Using
all your energy to keep moving forward, getting wet from
the sweat of your effort and the water that's all around you,
rowing is a low impact sport and provides aerobic conditioning as well as strength training. Along with teambuilding and playing games on land, beginner rowers will
learn the basics of the rowing stroke, how to balance a boat
and how to navigate a rowing shell. Exposure to the sport
of rowing gains awareness of healthy living, says Rosa
Kemp, Sarasota Scullers coach. GETTING CREATIVE
Innovation and creative instinct go hand-in-hand, and fostering that connection at a young age is the goal behind
Sarasota Arts Centers summer camp for kids. Going on for
a decade, this year will be the rst year the camp will have
two separate age groupsone for kids ages six to 10 and the
other for kids 11 to 14who will create art projects through

various mediums including clay, paint and upcycled materials. Past participants particularly love creating assemblage pieces, building their own little universes with action
gures and other three-dimensional pieces. Art is a medium that is supposed to be about free expression,
Education Director Elizabeth Goodwill says. At the end of
each week, campers present artwork in the Arts Center
where friends and family can appreciate their work.
SCIENCE, HISTORY AND MYSTERY The South Florida
Museum jams its doors open a little wider for the young
and the inquisitive with a series of six-week summer
camps running through June and July for elementary and
middle school students. Dedicated to experiential and
hands-on learning, the Junior and Senior Science Camps
respectively cater to students entering grades 1-2 and 3-5
and explore six distinct topics over the course of the camps,
while the Middle School Science and History Camp
devotes its entire run to the study of Native American culture through six geographical regions of North America.
For kids in the Junior and Senior Science Camps, each
week will be devoted to a different area of interest, such as
storm chasing, dinosaurs, Gross!-ology and crime scene
forensics, utilizing museum resources and nearby facilities
for weekly projects. Kids studying dinosaurs, will handle
real fossils collected from the Badlands by SFM faculty
and Rodgers, and those attending the CSI: Forensics portion will visit the neighboring Bradenton Police
Department, see the labs and talk to forensic technicians,
in addition to solving mysteries of their own. The camps
begin June 15 and run until July 24, 9am-4pm Monday to
Friday. Students can attend on a weekly basis, picking and
choosing according to interest, or opt for the full six-week
experience. THRILLING BIG QUESTIONS Ever wonder
what its like to plan a city on Mars or how to build a trebuchet? Find out this summer at NewGate Schools
Hands-On Science Camp for children entering 4th to 8th
grade. Throughout July, participants will engage in four
thrilling weeks of activities :
Martian City Planning, Rube
Goldberg and the Laws of
Motion, Laboratory Techniques
and Projectiles. Each topic follows a week-long discovery curriculum. Call 941-922-4949 to
reserve a spot S.Donglasan
and P.Lederer SRQ
JUNE 2015 / SRQ
67
FEATURE_SFF_JUNE15_Layout 1 5/19/15 3:13 PM Page 68
FRESH
GLAMOUR ,
PROVEN
STARS
BY JACOB OGLES, PHIL LEDERER AND SHANE DONGLASAN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SIGMUND AND SHANE DONGLASAN
EXCITEMENT OF THE NEW GRIPS THIS YEARS FESTIVAL

As movie lovers crowd into the Sarasota Opera House donned in the most glamorous formal wear available, Michael Dunaway and
Mark Famiglio stand backstage preparing to give opening remarks for the Sarasota Film Festival (SFF). Legendary actor Ben Vereen and
celebrated director Oren Moverman chat at the side while technicians adjust sound. Peering through the curtains, I get a view of people scooting
past one another in the aisles, discussing what will happen, not just in the film screening tonight, but during the 10-day extravaganza to come.
68
SRQ | JUNE 2015
Ben Vereen
ts the rst time in seven years of covering the

festival that Im backstage on Opening Night,
but that must be the least signicant rst taking
place. Dunaway, a few months after being
announced as the new artistic director for the
festival in nearly a decade, is about to step into
his rst major address as the public face of the
event. He wears a white pinstripe suit, a look
that will show up again in the next week and a
half, and sports a faux hawk that brings a certain level of excitement to proceedings on its
own. As for Famiglio, he has served as festival president for
years, but just oversaw a huge change in staff at all levels of the
organization. But both men seem unphased for now, and breezily coast through the standard thanking of sponsors and hyping of
events. Famiglio celebrates the health of the organization, while
Dunaway promises programming this year that not only entertains, but illuminates social issuesmost notably homelessness,
the controversial matter at the center of opening night lm Time
Out of Mind and a number of other lms.
Of course, none of this seems to matter once Vereen hits the
stage. A simple bow before the screening is all it takes for the lm
star to inspire the largest applause of the night. After the screening is done, it is Vereen who sends the crowd to an awed hush as
he pulls out a recorder, plays a few simple notes, and then sings
from the stage as the pipe music echoes against the Opera House
walls. Dunaway will quickly say if nothing else good happens at
the festival this year, he will feel the event was a success for bringing Vereen into this hall for one magical moment.
Oren Moverman
>>
Moments with Michael

Pow-wowing with Mark Famiglio at the Sarasota
Opera House about opening remarks.
Of course, there were plenty of moments for the SFF staff to

celebrate this year. Appearances by Jane Seymour and Blythe
Danner. An over-the-top celebration at Michaels On East. A
musical exhibition by local singer-turned-Broadway star
Syesha Mercado. There were disappointments as well, with
Cloris Leachman cancelling an In Conversation event and
expected visits by Jason Ritter and Malcolm McDowell falling
through. But in a year when everyone wondered how a change
in programming staff would impact the tone of the event overall, it seemed difficult to nd complaints.
Time Out of Mind proved a thought-provoking lm that
established early that the festival this year sought to encourage
dialogue as it entertained. The lm, starring Vereen and
Richard Gere as homeless men in New York City, could feel
dirge-like at times, but it did reconsider viewers image of the
homeless. That struck me in a moment shortly after the lm as
I walked from the Opera House back to the SRQ offices and
passed by three transients sleeping in the mermaid fountain on
Pineapple Avenue. It was a sight so commonplace most
passers-by wouldnt inch, but on this night, as hundreds partied a couple blocks away discussing a lm chronicling characters who live very much like these real men, an empathy and
sympathy missing from Sarasotas normal conversation on the
homeless rushed through the body.
When the Sarasota Film Festival screened Time Out of Mind to open the Sarasota Film
Festival, they consciously dove into a social issue Sarasota struggles withhomelessness.
The film, starring Richard Gere and Ben Vereen, follows a homeless man through the streets
and shelters of New York City. SRQ asked director Oren Moverman about the film.
How did you shoot almost
this entire film with hidden
cameras? It was about
planning. When you do a
movie, you go on location
scouts. For us, it would only
work if we could find a vantage point. Sometimes we
lost a location because we
had no place to put the
camera that would be out of
the way. So we changed a
little of the rhythm on how
to make a movie.
Richard Gere approached
you about making this film.
Would it have worked without him in the lead? I dont
think anyone could have
done it. Richard was harvesting this obsession for so
many years, which gave me
the confidence he could do
it. The spiritual part of his
life, which is key to his character, I dont think someone
could walk into it and execute it with the soulfulness

Richard has.
This almost condemns all
sides on the homeless
debate for failing to adequately address the problem. But condemning all
sides also means absolving
all sides. If everyone is
participating in the problem, thats actually hopeful.
The only way to fix it is for
everyone to work together
with that intention. I spoke
to a lot people in the shelters, and its very easy to
be cynical, but I didnt
meet any bad guys.
Everyone has their reasons
for the way they behave
and why they make decisions. Its just about consciousness and getting
people to be aware that
there are ways to change
this. It doesnt have to be
combative or contentious;
it can be collaborative.
Was it a conscious decision
to introduce Ben Vereen
where you dont see his
face? We filmed it almost
like Richards character is
making up this invisible
friend. There is a scene
where Dixon goes, You and
I, we are cartoons. We dont
even exist. Now, in the film
he is a real human being,
but we wanted him to come
in where you are not sure
who this guy is, but
Richards character pays
attention. Thats the story of
the dispossessed on the
margins of society.
Does the shelter system
enable or is it a crutch? Its
both. This system doesnt
work. It provides beds for
people and it provides some
services, but it cannot solve
the problem. It costs thou-
sands per month to keep one

person in a shelter, and it
would cost much less to put
the same person in an apartment, give them some dignity
and some services, and it
would still cost the taxpayer a
lot less than it does to keep
them in shelters. The Housing
First program has been very
successful and very promising.
We dont know how far it is
going to go, but 95 percent of
people in the program stay off
the streets and get treatment
and become members of society. Before you can deal with
substance abuse, mental illness,
job training, give someone four
walls and a roof. Thats where
you start. Most people are good
people. Most want to do well in
life and have dignity and want
dignity. Give them the opportunity for that and you can solve
a lot of these problems. And
its economically feasible.
Time Out of Mind

Culture lovers may remember 2015 as the year Ben Vereen blessed the Suncoast with powerful
works of expression on both stage and screen. The Broadway legend is working on a Venice
production of Hair and starred alongside Richard Gere in Time Out of Mind. We spoke with the
Miami native about the socially conscious movie and the classic musical. J.Ogles
How much time are you
spending in Southwest
Florida these days? I am
staying in Venice for Hair. Im
there all the time now. Its a
lot of work. Im taking us
into the 60s and bringing
you here today [with my film
Time Out of Mind] and asking, what have we done? My
generation, we were going
to make things better for
you guys. Im sorry. How
much can we face what we
have done and what needs
to be done? That is the
question.
So why have things gone
astray? We are wounded as
a human race, and its a
wound that needs to be
cared for, and the only way
is with love. Unconditional

love. Im talking about agape
love. Back in the day when
we were doing Hair, we were
caught up in the love syndrome, but it became carnal
love. What happened was
the drug culture took over.
That confused everything
and made everything hallucinatory instead of reaching
for that upper, higher development of consciousness.
In Time Out of Mind, you
and Richard Gere play transients. How do two stars
pretend to be homeless in
New York and no one
notices? We didnt go to
work in limousines and trailers. We were in the streets.
When you are going to do
something as real as this,

youve got to be as real as
you can be. Being in a skin
and watching how society
deals with the homeless, it
was horrifying. Some were
gracious, some were loving
and some wanted to do
something but didnt know
what to do, but some just
didnt want to see it. We
were in peoples faces and
they did not even know.
Richard would walk up to
them and ask, Can you help
me out? Theyd say, No, I
cant help you. There was
no eye contact. A few would
sit and talk, but even talking
they didnt know it was me.
One lady offered me food
and said, I havent got the
money so please take this,
TREES COURTESY OF SHO FU BONSAI SOCIETY OF SARASOTA. PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SIGMUND.
with tears in her eyes.

This is a big issue in
Sarasota now. How should
we deal with homelessness? Get our egos out of
the way and get to work.
There are so many organizations out there, but nobody
seems to be talking to one
another. Its time we put our
egos aside, talk about the
solution and make it happen.
As an actor, how can you
change peoples perceptions? I cant. All I can do is
give them the information.
Its their choice to do something. Im just the messenger. We as actors are mirrors
of society. We are the ones
to tell you or show you what

you consciously have to correct. Thats my jobto go
through the pain we go
through as people, then put
in on stage and say heres
what it looks like. Every
emotion you go through,
someone in China and
Afghanistan or Peru is going
through the same emotion.
Those emotionsjoy, pain,
sorrow, happiness, enlightenmentcome from the same
spot within. As an actor, its
for me to portray those
emotions and actions, and
for you as a society to look
at it and say I get it, or
I dont get it.
APRIL
71 2012
SRQ /| SRQ
JUNE 2015
43
A lot of us are trying to figure out how to deal with the homeless challenge, including the homeless
themselves. Hopefully this [screening of Time Out of Mind] will provide some insight. Around the country,
there are communities going through a sort of education curve. I think weve learned a lot in the last nine to
twelve months, and hopefully we will learn more today. I think potentially this will help not just here, but
around the country when this is released nationally. I hope it will help to manage this very daunting
challenge. Tom Barwin, Sarasota City Manager
Thats actually exactly what some movie-goers hoped

would occur. Movies help put a face on an issue, City
Commissioner Susan Chapman told me minutes before going
into the screening. The following morning, the festival set out
to do more, hosting a series of short lms on homelessness programmed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Other
lms, including the narrative feature Homeless, about a
teenage transient stuck in the system, and documentary
Homme Less, about a New York socialite who secretly lives on
a rooftop, furthers that agenda.
I dont know any festival anywhere in the country that
has decided to focus in on a single social issue like this,
Dunaway boasts. I was very proud we did that. Only time will
tell what kind of impact the programming might have on community conversation, but this year was the rst time the
Sarasota City Commission, after the festival, openly discussed
the lms and their possible impact.
Opening weekend at the festival can be a foreboding experience. On Saturday morning in Giuseppes, lmmakers and
journalists crowd every table on the side of the downtown
restaurant reserved as a lmmakers lounge. Moverman, who
wants to do a series of sit-downs with reporters, is forced into a
separate corner just so television cameras can pick up everything he says. A lot of lmgoers on Saturday were able to enjoy
Q&As with lmmakers. It feels like every lm programmed for
the weekend came with some kind of talentdirector, actor,
even documentary subjectin tow.
But down the road later that same day, a crowd gathers to
get into the most buzz-worthy lm shot in Southwest Florida
in years. The premiere of a nal cut for Paradise, FL packs the
Opera House and inspires loud applause at its conclusion. It
might be hard to put to words how much anxiety has surrounded this movie within Southwest Floridas lmmaking community. Institutions including the Asolo Conservatory, Ringling
College of Art and Design and the Sarasota County Film and
Entertainment Office all have reputations staked in this lms
future. At least in terms of quality, the movie doesnt disappoint. Producer-writer Tony Stopperan as of press time was
still in discussions about distribution.
72
SRQ | JUNE 2015
But perhaps what was most notable for this festival was
the play given to a movie lmed in Sarasota and Cortez with
local talent in front of and behind the camera. Famiglio made
this one of just three screenings he personally attended during
the festival. The Opera House, the largest venue at the festivals
disposal this year, was a heck of place to program the lm.
Compare this to the very public snub two years ago of Steve
Tatones Blind Pass and it shows either a dramatic shift in the
quality of local lms or a major change in the philosophy of the
festival on how it treats local lmmaking. While Paradise, FL
should be recognized as a quality lm worthy of inclusion in
festival line-ups around the country, area lmmakers throughout the week make note to me that the festival has been much
more supportive of local work. Dunaway, for the record, says he
can see an erupting lm scene here on par with what he witnessed in Atlanta over the course of a decade, and he wants the
festival to be part of the wave.
>>

In a trademark guayabera and khaki shorts,
Dunaway intoduces the screening of Paradise, FL.
The weekdays of the lm festival can be a bit of a no-mans

zone. Early in the week, there is a break from parties and
events, and other than the Opening Night lm, the tentpole
lms for the festival tend to screen closer to the festivals close.
This year, however, there was plenty of fun to be had with lmmakers hosting premieres and screenings.
By Tuesday, all press had been moved out of the lmmakers lounge for fear of the crowds. Instead, interviews would be
conducted at World of Beer, a challenging site as the restaurant
had not yet opened and still sometimes had construction going
on outside. But there was always enthusiasm among the lmmakers there, many of which were given the opportunity in
Sarasota to premiere movies for the rst time. A Florida
Showcase featured short lms from student directors coming
in from the University of Central Florida (check out Amanda
Steeles Freeform) and important documentaries (Leslie
Gaines Moods of the Myakka just might relaunch Expedition
Florida as a PBS wildlife documentary series).
Mark Reay, subject of documentary

Homme Less (left), Jane Seymour with
SFF President Mark Famiglio (right),
Tyke Elephant Outlaw filmmakers
Susan Lambpert, Stefan Moore and
Meghan McMurchy (above).
Paradise, FL
Fresh off the premiere at the Sarasota Film Festival, cast and
crew behind the Florida-based drama reflect on the project
and their experiences. P. Lederer
On the Origins
Tony Stopperan, writer:
The film is based on true-ish
events in my life. It started
as a one-man monologue I
developed when I was in
London, and I brought that
to Sarasota, up at the Asolo.
Nick [Morgulis] was in attendance and approached me
afterward saying, Write that
movie, so I can direct it.
Nick Morgulis, director:
It was probably a 15-minute
thing and 5 minutes into it
I had goosebumps. And then
the next three days I just
walked around like I was
full of electricity. I couldnt
stop thinking about it. I
could see the color palette.
I could already see the
shots. It was like a flood.
On the Craft
Morgulis: I always thought
being a director was having
great ideas on set. Thats
what a great director does,
has great ideas. But I figured
out that being a director is
also being able to block out
74 SRQ
SRQ| JUNE
/ APRIL
2015
2012
42
all the external things that

can interfere with the atmosphere that youre trying to
create on the set. Basically,
its figuring out how to block
out everything else so that
everyone can do their best
work. Im a cinematographer
and camera operator first,
and that really influences
everything I do visually.
I always want the camera
to have a relationship
with the characters.
these boats and real

fishermen coming in. I wish
I worked more there. I love
Cortez.
On Cortez
On Dark Characters
Morgulis: We filmed at
a working fish plant, Killer
Bait, who were amazing
and gave us full access.
The whole place smelled like
rotting fish. Theres no pretending when youre there,
for [Higgins and Miller].
Jon-Michael Miller, actor

(Tommy): For me, as an
actor, I love it. Im a very
positive person and I smile
a lot. One of the rules that
Tony gave me the very first
night I got here was I do
not want to see your big
smile ever in this film. Ever.
And within maybe the second day acting with Kris, I
just started to feel that
undertone and that rhythm
about Tommy that would
just explode. Higgins: I like
going to that place. Its very
hard, its very taxing and its
definitely on a more emotional level than anything
Kristopher Higgins, actor

(Sean): Its very real. It
makes it a lot easier
because youre just living
within the world. Youre not
going from a trailer to a lot.
Its more fun because youre
there, within the world of
what youre shooting. Its all
around you and there are
Stopperan: It presents
all these wonderful opportunities to inform an actor and
a director of how to realize
the life inside that frame.
And then also presents a
lot of technical difficulties
because you are filming in
a functioning icehouse.
Ive ever done before. So

going to those places and
having to stay, shooting
them, can be exhausting.
I found that to be really
challenging, being comfortable showing that emotional
depth. The line I had to toe
with Sean is that hes an
everyday guy but hes a very
selfish, sociopathic type and
at the same time theres
something about him, a different side. It was hard to
walk that line. And I know
Sean. Ive known people like
that and so I know what
scares me about those people so that its very easy to
know where to bring it out.
Stopperan: Tommy and
Sean do such horrible things
to themselves and to other
people, that if in real life the
actors arent good people
then well never have a performance that an audience
will want to follow, so we
were fortunate to cast actors
to play these dark parts who
happened to be fantastic
human beings. Higgins:
Within me, I have very dark
thoughts and dark feelings.
We all do. Its just tapping
into those and feeling safe
to go there.
On the Audience
Morgulis: The best indicator for me was the reactions
and comments from people
throughout the night [of the
premiere] or people stopping
me on the street, telling me
that they were moved by the
film. Theres something honest about this film that people are relating to. It feels
really good that our vision
for the film is as accessible
as it has proven to be.
Above from left to

right: Nick Morgulis,
Kristopher Higgins
and Jon-Michael
Miller.
When I start a new project, Im always ambitious. Thats importantto want to do something more than you did before and challenge
yourself in some way. We knew we had written a funny movie. We knew that we had shot a funny movie. We got performances out of
people that were just outstanding and I knew they were going to be great. The film is a good festival movie because what weve found
is people who are fans of film like Cinema Purgatorio, but weve also found this real rich connection with an audience of filmmakers
because we all realize the ways in which were funny, from the outside looking in, and its always funny to watch it happen to other
people, so that allows us to laugh a little more. Im really proud that we were selected to be at the Sarasota Film Festival because this is
a legit festival and were honored to be around the films we are. By selecting the film, Michael Dunaway and his team have sent a signal
to other festivals that this is a film thats good for your festival; this is a crowd-pleasing film. Thats why were proud to be here.
Chris White, co-writer and director of Cinema Purgatorio, on screening at the Sarasota Film Festival
It also helped to showcase the broader reach the festival had

this year in attracting filmmakers. Donal Foreman brought the
Irish film Out of Here, which has seen theatrical release across the
pond, to American audiences for the first time in Sarasota, while
L.A. filmmaker Philip Weyland thought Sarasota was the perfect
venue for the circus documentary The Last Great Circus Flyer.
We tried to be diverse in every way, Dunaway said. That included geography. Its something Famiglio lauded as well, conceding
that an enormous percentage of films in past festivals came from
directors living in New York City.
But its also noteworthy that the festival overtook a larger
chunk of geography in Downtown Sarasota as well. While screenings have usually been confined, outside a few major filmsto a
handful of dedicated screens at the Regal Hollywood 20, more
than a dozen films played at the Opera House this year including
everything from the Centerpiece documentary Brand: A Second
Coming to the protest-inspiring Tyke: Elephant Outlaw. The festival also hosted screenings at Florida Studio Theater and at
McCurdys Comedy Theatre, not to mention arranging a guest
lecture at State College of Florida for documentary producer Josh
Braun (Citizenfour, Sunshine Superman) and hosting a special
waterfront In Conversation with Blythe Danner event. The fact
these events were scheduled throughout the week ensured all of
downtown felt touched by the festival, where in many years people who dont walk around East Main Street might never realize a
major event was underway.
>>
Michael Dunaway
on the Opening
Night red carpet
(top), Thomas
Nudi and Trishul
Thejasvi (bottom).

With director Ondi Timoner running behind
schedule to get to the screening of Brand: A Second
Coming, Dunaway ended up in the streets around
Five points Park directing traffic in order to
get the filmmaker inside in time.
When the festival did reach the moment when centerpiece

films got a moment in the sun, enthusiasm from filmmakers
and audiences only perked. A Regal Hollywood 20 red carpet
for End Of The Tour signaled a cacophony of camera and
smartphone clicks when actress Mickey Sumner (Frances Ha)
and director James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now) walked
the red carpet. Appearances by actresses like Jess Weixler and
Alicia Witt and by directors David Gordon Green and Sam
Brewer would inspire similar enthusiasm.
75
SRQ | JUNE 2015
I remember coming to this Sarasota Opera House

as a kid. Every time I perform, I always hope someone leaves feeling moved or inspired for the better,
encouraged and uplifted. My first film Dreams was
an independent film, which is completely different
from working on Broadway. Success is different for
everybody. For some its working in community theater, or independent film or bigger films. I just did a
Broadway debut with Book of Mormon, which was a
dream come true getting to work with Matt Stone
and Trey Parker, who are comedic geniuses. Right
now, I am focused on opportunities in music.
Syesha Mercado, Book of Mormon, American Idol,
Booker High grad.
(Top to bottom) SFF Volunteer

Anastasia Nikitin. American
Idol Finalist Syesha Mercado.
Homme Less Director Thomas
Withenson. Triforce Pictures
Edward Fagan and
Brooke OMalley.
The most exciting red carpet all week, though, may not
have featured a single person whose roots arent rmly planted
in Sarasota. The world premiere of Newtown at 100, a documentary produced by Booker High School students with support from the festivals Education Program director Samuel
Curtis and local lmmaker Charles Williams, drew together
community leaders, lmmakers and socialites for a gala and
screening of a student lm. Sarasota Mayor Willie Shaw
walked the carpet with Famiglio and boasted about the longreaching benets of the particular event.
It bonds us as a community, Shaw said. It brands us as a
palate for other communities to exemplify. Finally, we have a
chance and an opportunity. The student lmmakers at the event
were treated like young Spielburgs and Scorceses as they moved
from microphone to television camera, and Williams optimistically hoped the event could be replicated in future years, though
he could not guarantee similar fanfare each time. The event also
showcased local Booker grads who have gone on to national stardom. Sam Shields, a cornerback for the Green Bay Packers, ew
in for the event, and Syesha Mercado, the American Idol nalistturned-star of Broadway productions of Book of Mormon and
Dreamgirls, performed on stage before the screening.
Perhaps the biggest name in the festival this year arrived
on Friday afternoon. Jane Seymour, in town with the Spotlight
lm Bereave, picked up an award at the Sarasota Yacht Club,
attended a screening at the Opera House, spoke at an In
Conversation event at Florida Studio Theater and mingled
with locals at Michaels On East for the Cinema Tropicale
party, all on the same Friday when her plane landed.
Moving a party back to Michaels was, for some festivalgoers, a return to form long missed. Festival organizers made sure
to take advantage of the venue, putting scaffolding inside the
landscaped alleyway that runs through the legendary local venue
so that two layers of performances and parties could happen
before even stepping inside. A rock band took over the main din-
Documenting a
Messiah Complex
The idea of coming on as the seventh director helming a documentary about Russell Brand sounds intimidating,
but Ondi Timoner, the only documentarian to ever win Sundance twice, was up to the task. Timoner sat down with
SRQ as her film, Brand: A Second Coming, screened to audiences at the Sarasota Opera House. Between writing
emails about the films sale and considering the seafood options at Duvals, Timoner told us how to make an honest film about a man with a messiah complex. J.Ogles
Whats it like dealing with a
single subject for a documentary? Do you have to
play by Russell Brands
rules when you make a film
like this? He asked me to
make a film he didnt want
to make, a film that has
been this albatross in his
life, this monster where he
has spent millions of dollars
of investors money over
years that gone through
many directors and he never
given up creative control. He
had made it about the
search for happiness, and
yet its the thing that makes
him the most miserable.
Everything had to be negotiated. But he likes me personally and he respected me
and likes my films. I also
raised the stakes and said
this film has to be about
younot you interviewing
other people. I have to know
your life story and interview
you, your mom, your dad,
your best friend, your exwriting partner and your exgirlfriend. And I demanded
creative control. That made
it all the more terrifying and
exhausting and just I love
you Ondi, and this aint per-
sonal but get the hell out of

the car, in a nice British way
where he does it through
third parties. Yet when you
roll on Russell Brand, you
are rolling on gold 90 percent of the time. He would
call me his ginger ninja
shadow. I would be respectful of his time and privacy,
and he would just look up
at me, and nod a little bit
and I would pick up the
camera and he would start
talking.
Why did so many directors
leave this project before?
He thought they were phoning it in. They were allowing him to control them. I
was rebelling at every turn,
and he likes that. We
picked up on a live mic in
Heathrow [Airport] when he
was talking to his manager.
I was running backwards,
100 yards ahead, rolling. If I
am given access I am
rolling, and rolling with as
many cameras as possible.
Thats the key to filming a
good documentary in the
moment. I heard him say,
Thats why I love Ondi. She
never stops. You build
credibility that way.
Brand at the last second

backed out of the premiere
of this film at South By
Southwest. Why do you
think that happened? He
wrote me privately that he
didnt know how to stand
there and talk about a
movie where he wasnt playing another character or talking about policy. He is about
to do a movie at Tribeca
that he shot in three months
with Michael Winterbottom,
and hes like Michael Moore
in that movie, running and
knocking on doors. I wouldnt have wanted to make
that film with him. At the
end of day, our film is going
to last forever. Hes going to
come around to it. He wanted me to not include vulnerable moments, and I
explained that vulnerability
is how the audience relates
to you. But hes a performer
who is used to performing,
coming on stage and presenting a show, or showing
up on a set and not sharing
his humanity in that way.
How do you keep a big personality in check while you

are filming? You dont want
to be as big a personality,
but you have to rise to their
level. You dont want to
show that you are intimidated. Ive dealt with a lot of
intense subjects, the likes of
Bill Clinton and Steven
Spielberg. Barbra Streisand
that was a challenge. Ive
had my fair share of divas,
accomplished people and
celebrities in front of my
lens. When they challenge
you, you have to challenge
them or hit them back without any hesitation whatsoever. I had a fight with Russell
and didnt know if he was
ever going to film with me
again, but he did, and the
next time, he gave me the
best interview. What I
expressed was, I am not just
taking the crumbs you are
giving me. Im not satisfied
and you arent going to
make a great film if you
dont give me more. I put it
back on him, he gave me a
lot more. He understood I
am not just thrilled to be in
the presence of Russell
Brand. I am here to do
something important.
APRIL
77 2012
SRQ /| SRQ
JUNE 2015
43
Seymour Stuns in Bereave

In Bereave, a Spotlight film at this years Sarasota Film Festival, Jane Seymour plays opposite Malcolm McDowell in a film that explores a couple facing the prospect of death.
Seymour spoke with SRQ about bringing the picture to Sarasota. J.Ogles
How does this movie fit
within your catalog of
films? Everybody I know
who has seen it has told
me its probably the best
performance I have ever
given, so as far as I am
concerned it was a great
role in a very unusual love
story. It affirms relationships and life, and its a
very different take on it. It
was a wonderful role and
its just amazing to play.
A lot of people in Sarasota

have retired here and may
face similar situations in
their own lives. Do you think
it will mean something special for this audience? Ive
seen people in that age
group really love the movie.
It affirms life and love and
family and marriage. It
makes you laugh and cry.
Its a different kind of film,
but I think the audience
here will really love it.
Browne and
Weisz
In addition to the hundreds of films
screened, this years festival ushered in a new level of auxiliary programming, with workshops and
panels for cinephiles to enjoy,
including an In Conversation event
with Tom Browne, the actor turned
writer and director making his
debut at the festival with Radiator,
and actor Rachel Weisz, who served
as executive producer P.Lederer
78
SRQ | JUNE 2015
Your career has spanned

from being a Bond girl to
roles like this about older
characters. How have you
managed to always stay
engaged in work in that
period? At the same time
as I have the opportunity
to play my own age in
Bereave and do something
serious like this that has
all the ups and downs, I
also am doing Jane the
Virgin, where I am playing
quite a different kind of

character. Another movie I
have done that will coming
out soon is called High
Strung, in which I play a
dance teacher. So I get to
play a lot of different
things. I have done an
enormous amount of comedy recently, and a lot of
sort of seductive older
ladies. Its a nice change to
do something a bit more
meaningful.
Which is the real Jane

Seymour? I would say
there are elements of
Jane Seymour in Bereave.
I am not that woman, but
I think I could be driven
to the emotional kind of
responses she has. Its a
different Jane Seymour but
it all comes from the
same well.
Filmed within Brownes parents old house, Radiator tells the partially autobiographical story of a middle-aged man
returning home to care for his increasingly frail parents, only to find things far worse than imagined. Its about the
end of life and how your parents marriage is essentially private to you, and how you are and are not a part of your
parents lives, particularly the end, said Browne to moderator David Edelstein and the crowd gathered in Florida
Studio Theatres Bownes Lab. It wasnt an easy process, and Browne says it was some of the slowest writing hes
ever done. I lacked the distance, said Browne, whose own parents health was failing as he wrote. When the
script was finished, I was terrified that it was the most self-indulgent thing ever made.
Enter Weisz, childhood friend to Browne and the Hollywood heavy-hitter who took on the mantle of executive producer to help champion the film and Brownes vision. I read it and said, This is fantastic, said Weisz,
who warned Browne away from studios, telling him that he needed to just make the film his way and she would
help. If you take it to producers, theyll change it. It was his own voicedeeply personal. Theres intense naturalism and truth. As for the shift from lead actor to executive producer, Weisz reported it was an enjoyable one. Its
just using different muscles, said Weisz. When I act, I turn off my brain. Its about getting into the moment. Being
an executive producer meant taking a broader perspectivekeeping track of narrative consistency and throughlines, and always keeping an eye on the bigger picture.
We always got good notes, said Browne of working with Weisz creatively. The clincher was that not only
could Weisz point out potential problems, she could offer solutions. Very few people can help you put it right, and
thats what we got. Weisz downplayed her contributions. Its his voice, its his vision, she said. She would offer
suggestions, but more to spur Browne on in his own thinking, not to insert her own ideas. By disagreeing, said
Weisz to Browne, you bolstered what you really wanted to say, before turning to the crowd. You never know
whats in an auteurs head. One particular aspect of the film and Brownes craftsmanship that Weisz had much
praise for was the overall tone. Tone is a huge thing and you cant act tone, said Weisz. Tone is about writing
and directing. Its unquantifiable, but any director can either handle tone or they cant.
New Models for Women in Film

Females made up 12 percent of protagonists featured in last years top 100 grossing films. In Academy Award history, only four female
filmmakers have ever been nominated for best director, but only Kathryn Bigelow in 2010 has won. Debra Graniks 2010 film Winters
Bone-which emerged out of the Sundance Film Festival -was nominated for four Academy Awards in 2011 including Best Picture and
Best Actress for Jennifer Lawrence, catapulting Lawrences career. The films writer-director Granik, on the other hand, hasnt had the
same deserving mainstream success. Did Hollywood come knocking at Graniks door? Several of her male competitors in the 2011
Best Picture category have gone on to launch multiple blockbusters since-David Fincher with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and
Gone Girl, and Christopher Nolans The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar. This is the climate of the mainstream film industry that
female filmmakers are up against, creating the ultimate culture of scarcity for women, said filmmaker and founder of Seed&Spark
Emily Best during a womens filmmakers symposium at this years Sarasota Film Festival. In this culture, everyone must be against
everyone else with no room for friendship or collaboration. In a culture of scarcity, it is a perfectly natural response to clamor to
survive by the rules as you understand them, said Best, the founder of crowdfunding and distribution platform Seed&Spark. If the
business models inside the studio system is not built for women, who is its intended beneficiary? For Best, the simple answer is
white men conceived to be impervious and whose perspectives have shaped the tools within the filmmaking industry. But what if
we found new models to help us define and collectively reimagine what we want the industry to become over the next decade? Every
woman who has made a film on her own terms, raising her own independent film financing is the basis of a new empowered mythology, Best said. We aren't paving the road for future generation of women who will benefit from our sacrifice, we already are the
solution. What Best calls for is the embracing of independence film, a class of film that contributes to the rise different voices in
which filmmakers share resources and audiences, teaching what they learn to create films made on the most efficient budget possible on the greatest possible return. Within this culture of plenty, filmmakers ruthlessly hold each other to standards of excellence.
Who better suited to lead this collective effort of independence film and raise new and larger audiences that women? S.Donglasan
Distribution Digital Domain

For many filmmakers, the festival circuit serves as means to a particular end: distribution. But changes in digital
media happen rapidly. Theatrical release still seems the brass ring for filmmakers. J.Ogles
Film broker Josh Braun of Submarine Entertainment came to the Sarasota Film Festival both as executive producer of Sunshine Superman and to scope out features making big-screen premieres. Even small festivals, he says, mean a great deal to distributors picking up films. Opening at Sundance or South by Southwest
carries shorthand about intended audience for a film, and regional fests test films ticket-selling mettle. But filmmakers must also be careful, especially with a
growing number of outlets. When structuring finance, do not give too much control over a films distribution to people who may only be looking for a fast
return on investment, Braun stressed. Of course, outlets like Netflix have given life to some small films, but long-time director Ondi Timoner (Brand: A Second
Coming), says that also dilutes the quality pool. It means there is a lot more to wade through, she says. Films get made to match Netflix analytics, which can
be hard on filmmakers seeking out original subjects. But an online deal can also bring what filmmakers want even more than financial security, namely an audience. Donal Foreman, whose film Out of Here already enjoyed a theatrical run in Ireland, was pleased to screen for an American audience in Sarasota, but his
goal stateside is a distributor putting his film on television screens. That could be a cable channel like IFC or HBO or a streaming service like Amazon. Obviously
I see possibilities for digital distribution, he says. The Sarasota Film Festival itself has also adapted, now programming movies already available through videoon-demand. The festival took another step this year with a shorts program of made-for-web films. For consumers, however a film gets distributed post-festival,
it gives a chance for repeat viewings, or maybe even a first glimpse to those that missed screenings the first time.
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SRQ | JUNE 2015
I dont think everyone knows who I am, but I like it

that way. Ive learned celebrity is really an awful thing.
[My daughter] Gwyneth Paltrow is an extraordinary
person and she is constantly being bombarded by
the press so unfairly. Its painful to see it. You have
to have a very thick skin to be in our business, any
business, especially as a female. Women have to have
parity with men. Its taken me a long time to feel like
a stronger woman. I was raised in an era where you
were a good girl and you didnt make waves. It wasnt
until I met my husband, who is irreverent, outspoken
and a great caring man that I became more so of a
stronger woman. Blythe Danner
Nick Sandow and Tamara

Malkin-Stuart (Houses).
ing room for Michaels, entertaining the stars, including

Mercado and Seymour, who ventured into the VIP room. A funk
band played the banquet hall while body-painted models walked
an indoor runway. And for the guests seeking a more silent celebration, Michaels Wine Cellar poured drinks all night.
>>

Official events are one thing, but any SFF
regular knows the crazy moments happen at afterparties each night, like when Dunaway busted out a
karaoke cover of Baby Got Back at Growlers Pub.
The festivals second Saturday historically serves as a climax for

the 10-day event, and this year was no exception. Danner arrived
in town to movie star treatment, but so did Oscar-winning
actress and Radiator producer Rachel Weisz. Audiences of different generations crowded around the Opera House before the
80
SRQ | JUNE 2015
awards banquet trying to sneak a peak at the two superstars.

Weisz made sure to turn attention to lmmaker Tom Browne
(Radiator director) and Danner showered praise on Brett Haley,
the director of the Closing Night lm Ill See You In My Dreams,
in which Danner appears in every scene.
The program for Closing Night is overstuffed, with major
award being handed out even without considering jury and
audience awards for lms. Weisz gives an emerging artist
award to Browne. Haley gives the Impact award to Danner.
Timoner and Williams both receive honors, and director
Antonia Bogdanovich (Phantom Halo) gives a producer award
named for her mother Polly Platt to Hollywood producer Lynda
Obst (Interstellar). In an evening with no time to spare, technical glitches result in two lm clips starting without sound. And
just for fun, a portion of the crowd boos when the Narrative
Award is announced for White God, a lm that depicts abuse of
dogs, and is about a mutt who leads a pack of dogs in an uprising against the cruelty of humans.
OPPOSITE PAGE: IMAGES COURTESY OF FILMMAKERS.
8 Ones to Watch
Cartel Land
Following the parallel stories of Tim Nailer Foley, the leader of
Arizona Border Recon, and Dr. Jose Mireles, leader of the
Autodefensas in the Michoacan province, as they take on the
Mexican drug cartels on either side of the US/Mexico border, this
award-winning documentary made quite the splash at Sundance,
winning the awards for both Directing and Cinematography,
before arriving in Sarasota as a Spotlight Film for this years festival. With an astonishing level of access providing compelling
footage, director Matthew Heineman brings a true artists touch
to the project, weaving together a beautiful film both engaging
and informative, where the stories of those involved illuminate
the greater narrative explored.
Bloodsucking Bastards
Horror-comedy fans can rejoice with actor Fran Kranz, known for
the 2012 cult hit The Cabin In The Woods, returning for another
shot at cult stardom with this satire of corporate soullessness
and its vampiric tendencies written by the LA-based comedy
group Dr. God. Kranz stars as Evan, just another nib in the corporate clockwork, whose life takes a turn for the bloody when
he uncovers an undead infestation in the office and seeks to
save both his friends and his career. Game of Thrones fanfavorite Pedro Pascal shines as Evans office rival, Max, in this
bloody and hilarious film.
Love and Mercy

The buzz has been constant around this film chronicling the life
and artistry of Beach Boys songwriter and musician, Brian
Wilson, from his days with the band to his breakdown and
retreat from public life. John Cusack stars as the older Wilson,
while Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood, Little Miss Sunshine) gives
another remarkable performance as the younger. The ever-reliable Paul Giamatti (Sideways) co-stars as Dr. Eugene Landy, the
therapist whose controversial relationship with Wilson became
highly publicized. Love and Mercy also marks Oscar-nominated
producer Bill Pohlads first time in the directors chair in 25 years.
Written by Oscar-nominated scribe Oren Moverman, the film is
currently in theaters.
The End of the Tour

Starring Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) as late author
David Foster Wallace, The End of the Tour follows the true story
of Rolling Stone reporter David Lipskys time with the author on
the last leg of a promotional tour for his latest book. With Oscarnominated Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) as Lipsky, the
two spar and swap stories on the nature of art and life, lending
a fitting philosophical edge to the operation. Audiences have
been waiting to see Segels dramatic chops in action, and if early
reviews are any indication, he does not disappoint. The End of
the Tour also heralds award-winning director James Ponsoldts
return to the big screen, after his 2013 hit The Spectacular Now.
White God
The winner of this years Narrative Feature Prize at SFF, the
Hungarian White God has been garnering acclaim since its first
appearance on the festival circuit, including winning the Un
Certain Regard Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Told from the
point of view of a mixed-breed dog named Hagen, the hero finds
himself abandoned by his masters father after a mongrel tax
is levied on all dogs not of pure blood. In his quest to reunited
with his master, Hagen enlists the help of fellow mongrels to
organize a resistance against their human oppressors. Its like
Homeward Bound meets Watership Down.
81 2012
SRQ /| SRQ
JUNE 2015
43
APRIL

Radiator
A semi-autobiographical tale, Radiator is the first film from seasoned actor and now writer and director Tom Browne and what
a debut it is, garnering the Emerging World Cinema Auteur Award
for Browne at this years Sarasota Film Festival. Executive produced by actor Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener), Radiator
stars Daniel Cerqueira (Rome) as a middle-aged man called home
by his mother (Gemma Jones), to help care for his increasingly
frail and ornery father (Richard Johnson). Once home, things are
far worse than expected and the son must face the mystery his
parents have become and a past he tried to ignore. Intimate and
thoughtful, Browne shot the film in his parents old house, and
it brings an ineffable and heartfelt authenticity to the final film.
Jones and Johnson give award-worthy and nuanced performances, both stoic and emotional, proud and vulnerable.
Ill See You In My Dreams

Blythe Danner was awarded the Impact Award from the Sarasota
Film Festival for her portrayal of Carol Petersen, an aging and
recently widowed songstress torn between two suitors genera-
>>
tions apart. Playful and thoughtful, Ill See You In My Dreams is

a heartfelt look at rediscovering love late in life, with charming
performances from Martin Starr (Silicon Valley) and Sam Eliott
(Tombstone), as the young, sweet Lloyd and the rugged, mischievous Bill respectively, each vying for Carols affections. The
Closing Night film for this years Saraota Film Festival, Ill See You
In My Dreams was directed by Florida filmmaker Brett Haley, who
won the Audience Award at the festival in 2010 with his debut,
The New Year.
Slow West
Writer/director John Maclean enters the scene in bold fashion
with this years oddball Western, Slow West. Kodi Smit-McPhee
(The Road) plays Jay Cavendish, a naive boy striking out into the
West in search of his lost love, but encounters a mysterious and
deadly companion played by Michael Fassbender (12 Years A
Slave). As the travelers venture deeper into the wild, suspicions
and strange figures emerge, including a memorable turn from
award-winning veteran character actor Ben Mendelsohn (Killing
Them Softly), all leading to a thunderous and beautiful climax on
the open plains of the American West.
P.Lederer

Clearly exhausted from a day of entertaining guests and managing an impossible schedule,
Dunaway leaves the Opera House afterwards to find 30 minutes by himself during an extended
walk around the block. He comes back energized to close out the night.
Nevertheless, the crowd stays engaged, and a patient line

outside awaits the chance to ow in and watch Ill See You In
My Dreams, a lm Haley wanted to shoot in Southwest Florida,
but the cast 70-year-olds preferred lming near their homes in
Los Angeles. The movie seems perfect for this Baby Boomer
crowd, exploring the romantic challenges of retirees in what
could best be described as an indie-lm take on the Golden
Girls. My lm is not edgy, Haley will later tell SRQ, but I do
think its a little bit brave. The movie proved to be a crowdpleaser, one that drew frequent laughs. After awards are handed out, lmmakers gather for a non-publicized event at
Caragiulos, chitchatting about how this festival compares to
others. Comments are standard year-to-yearthe crowds here
love movies and ask great questions, different restaurants line
Main Street each year, short lms are treated as reverently as
features here. The ones with enough energy head over to the
Francis for a manic affair at the 1137 Party, a celebration that
starts just 23 minutes before the witching hour and continues
until most other haunts in town have closed.
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SRQ | JUNE 2015
The festival in earnest concludes on Saturday, though

plenty of Sunday events keep locals entertained, from a triplered carpet for young lmmakers at the grade school-level celebrating at the Hollywood Nights event to a comedy-bolstered
screening at McCurdys Comedy Theatre. When all was said
and done, the festival saw increases in ticket sales, though
some of that was to be expected considered the festival featured 278 lms this year. Come Monday morning, Dunaway is
still entertaining visiting lmmakers at a beach event (press
werent invited, so sorry, we have no details). The artistic director prepared for a three-day unwrap session to discuss the
highlights and lowlights of the festival. Still unsigned for a second year in charge of SFF, he was cautious about sounding too
celebratory. But Famiglio was bullish about the festivals success. Some of the most respected people in the industry are
looking to Sarasota to be at the vanguard of independent lm,
and whatever develops from that in the future, he said. The
event was bigger than ever, and on this side of the transition,
the future looks as bright as ever. SRQ
FBO_JUNE15_Roundtable_Layout 1 5/19/15 2:33 PM Page 83
SRQ MAGAZINE ROUNDTABLE MARKETING SECTION LEADERS IN REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY JUNE 2015
LEADING GREEN
R O U N D T A B L E
Going green for a cleaner environment is a big undertaking for businesses and organizations. Fine tuning operations to limit
waste and offer creative solutions that save energy and resources is a daily challenge. Thanks to a number of Sarasota and
Bradenton companies, our community is cleaner, greener and poised to contribute to an eco-friendly future.
GREEN BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
CREATIVE MARKETING SECTION :: SRQ MAGAZINE JUNE 2015
GOODWILL MANASOTA
ROB MORRIS, CHAIR OF THE BOARD (LEFT) AND BOB ROSINSKY, CEO AND PRESIDENT (RIGHT)
While Goodwill
Manasotas mission is changing lives through the power of work,
they are also a constant leader in green efforts. Thanks to forward
thinking and intuitive programs, Goodwill successfully diverted 39
million pounds from reaching local landfills last year creating jobs,
incentives and meaningful partnerships in the process.
We search for innovative ways to transform our local economy
and continue our mission. One of the most effective ways for impact
is through partnerships with like-minded companies, said Bob
Rosinsky, Goodwill President & CEO. Goodwills White Glove Service
for moving or downsizing was designed as a concierge donation
service. When donation isnt an option, Goodwill partners with Junk
King for an environmentally conscious alternative. We take
whatever Goodwill cant and are able to send approximately 60
percent of the collected materials to be reused or recycled in some
way, said Michelle Postell of Junk King.
Goodwill works with ReQuip Stores to facilitate the donations
and resale of commercial machinery. ReQuip handles all aspects of
the process and proceeds benefit Goodwill and the donor through
tax benefits. ReQuip president Larry Anderson is in favor of teaming
up to give back to a great mission, If companies donate their
surplus equipment to a great cause, everyone wins.
With the help of Publix Super Markets, Goodwill has prevented
20,000 pounds of materials from entering local landfills. Beginning
at the end 2014, this partnership is already an incredible success.
Our partnership with Goodwill allows us to expand our recycle
efforts to items that might otherwise be discarded, said Brian West
of Publix Super Markets. Donated items are predominantly
recyclable and include seasonal items as well as shelving and
fixtures, which can be used in Goodwill resale stores.
Thanks to innovative partnerships and a focus on diverting items
from landfills while moving towards a goal of zero waste, Goodwill
Manasota is forging an environmentally friendly future.
HOW IS SUSTAINABILITY GOOD FOR GIVING BACK?
Goodwill Manasota
2705 51st Avenue, East, Bradenton, FL 34203

Phone: 941.355-2721 www.experiencegoodwill.org
Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With the sales
of donated goods and philanthropic donations, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities and other barriers to employment by
providing job skills training and employment opportunities. In 2014, Goodwill Manasota served more than 16,000 people, placed 680
people in jobs and assisted 520 veterans as they reintegrated back into the civilian workforce. Goodwill Manasotas economic impact back
to the community is worth $81.3 million. Goodwill is one of the pioneers of the reduce-reuse-recycle movement and this past year diverted
39 million pounds out of the landfill. We accomplish our mission through a network of Good Neighbor Centers in Sarasota, Manatee,
Hardee and DeSoto counties and our Mission Development Services (MDS) around North America. Goodwill Manasota is accountable to a
local Board of Directors. Goodwill Manasota in essence belongs to this community, and is not owned by any individual or company. For
more information, visit www.experiencegoodwill.org.
GREEN BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
CREATIVE MARKETING SECTION :: SRQ MAGAZINE JUNE 2015
TROPEX PLANT LEASING

HOW IS YOUR COMPANY GREEN? Tropex contributes to the
greening of our community, quite literally, by beautifying indoor

environments with live foliage. Not only are our interior
landscape designs aesthetically pleasing; plants have proven
psychological and physiological benefits that help reduce stress
and increase productivity in the workplace. We select plant
varieties that are well suited to indoor environments. Sustainable
design practices minimize required maintenance and ultimately
conserve our natural resources. Thats what going green is really
all about. We source our supplies locally whenever possible.
Offering unique plants and decorative containers can affect our
carbon footprint. We are aware and compensate in other ways.
Emitters both inside and outside our greenhouses prevent
wasteful overflow; proper irrigation not only saves water, but is
one of the most important plant care practices for avoiding pest
and disease problems. Yard trimmings and unwanted
vegetationapproximately 50 tons a yearis transported to our
neighbor, Consolidated Resource Recovery (CRR), where they
weigh, grind and convert it into energy and landscape products.
Employees drive fuel-efficient Scions, Yarises and Ford Transit
Connect vehicles, and our corporate office keeps inside workers
comfortable and productive with a new energy-efficient AC
system and a double tin insulated roof. Tropex has been installing
green living wall systems for several years. An array of airpurifying plants is set in a customized design from small
decorative planters to full walls. This unique display conserves
space while improving air quality, insulating sound, lifting
moods, increasing productivity and providing a striking art
feature. Our patent-pending design is a complete, stand-alone
system with flexibility for any vision and site situation.
Tropex Plant Leasing
3220 Whitfield Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34243

Phone : 941-753-5066 www.tropex.com
Sustainable design practices minimize required

maintenance and ultimately conserve our natural
resources. Thats what going green is really all about.
Since 1981, Tropex Plant Leasing has been creating award-winning interior landscape designs for hotels, resorts, country clubs, offices and
luxury residences in Florida from Tampa to Marco Island and beyond as the company grows. Creating indoor landscapes with live foliage
helps companies achieve LEED certification through the U.S. Green Building Council and offers a healthy indoor environment. The biophilic
connection is a term coined by Erich Fromm to describe a psychological orientation of being attracted to all that is alive and vital. Social
ecologist Stephen Kellert wrote that people learn better, work more comfortably and recuperate more successfully in buildings that echo
the environment in which the human species evolved, says Charlie Lenger of Tropex. Research argues that human beings need to feel
connected to the natural environment in order to enjoy a sense of psychological, physical and social well being. Plants filter Volatile
Organic Compounds (VOCs), uptake carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and release fresh oxygen into the atmosphereall of which
support a healthy indoor environment. Simply said, its natural that people love plants. Tropex offers complimentary consultations by
professional design consultants to help you create your indoor green space at work or home. Expert staff members provide installation
and regular maintenance to insure that you continually enjoy all the benefits live plants have to offer.
Body&Health_JUN15 _Layout 1 5/19/15 4:50 PM Page 86
Body&Health
ADHD IN FOCUS
THOUGH RECOGNIZED AS A SERIOUS DISORDER, fewer than 1 in 3 individuals aged 6 or older with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) receive the recommended treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sifting supposition from science regarding mental health can be confusing enough, but presentation in a child can make helping even more difficult.
Suncoast doctors and therapists shed light on the current state of ADHD diagnosis and treatment. COMPILED BY PHIL LEDERER
SRQ: Is there a formal definition of ADHD? Kristine L.

Vallrugo, Comprehensive MedPsych Systems: Theres no
such thing as ADD, we can all agree on that. Its all Attention
Decit Hyperactivity Disordereven if a child isnt hyperactive, its still considered ADHD. There are different subtypes of ADHD. For example, theres the inattentive type, in
which the child doesnt necessarily have hyperactivity but
is inattentive, and then theres children that have both. It
depends on the patient but its all considered ADHD.
About ten years ago, ADD was all over the news as the
thing for parents to look out for. What changed?
Jeffrey Kanter, Comprehensive MedPsych Systems: What
they found was that all the kids had some level of hyperactivity anyway, and that was not a differentiating aspect. So it
86
SRQ | JUNE 2015
changed from ADD with multiple subtypes such as a hyperactive subtype versus non-hyperactive subtype, to ADHD.
The hyperactivity piece was pretty much present in most kids
so at one level or another the impulsivity and the hyperactivity are part of the syndrome. Ann Taylor Roman, Center for
Integrated Therapies: It just might be expressed differently.
Do we know what s happening inside the brain when
someone has ADHD? Patricia Jo Ryan, Mind, Body
Wellness Center: Generally speaking, ADHD children have
a lot of slow wave activity in their head, in terms of slow
brain waves, and that often interferes with their focus and
their concentrationgenerally, they dont like things
changedand so consequently there is some neurological
base to ADHD as well. Kanter: Dr. James Hale has done
most of the research on brain-based ideology

for ADHD and what he found is that there are
actually two different circuits in the brain that
result in different types of behaviors, which
then respond to different levels and types of
medications. So the impulsivity type of behavior is much more frontal lobe-based and the
kids who have the inattentive piece actually
have a different circuit. Depending on how you
evaluate this, how you look at executive functions and how you assess for impulsivity and
attentiveness, an evaluation can lead you to guring out which types of medication can be
used and what effect its going to have. You want
to have medication that affects both the attention side as well as the impulsivity/hyperactivity side. There are some brain-based behavioral
correlates there.
What signs do you look out for during diagnosis and what do you have to be careful of?
Kanter: So many different disorders will look
like attentional problems. On the outside were
obviously looking at attention, distractability,
poor focus, restlessness, dgetiness, difficulty
transitioning from one task to the next, higher
level problem solving, independenceall those
types of things. A good evaluation is going to
look at is this truly a biological and neurological
issue or is this actually anxiety, depression, sensory integration issues, trauma, family problems, learning disabilities or just low IQ. There
are so many different things, so one of the
things that we do is the neuropsychological
evaluation, which is typically a six-hour evaluation that looks at every different piece to gure
out exactly what is going on. A neuropsychological evaluation in and of itself doesnt diagnose
ADHD. What it does is check out all the other
things that it could be and either rule them out
or say that they are important in the childs
presentation. Ryan: One is that things easily distract them, like noises or just a variety of outside
stimuli. As psychologists we have to distinguish
between differential parenting and ADHD
because that can be a very important factor. If you
have parents that have a different idea of childrearing, then sometimes the childs confused by
what is going on and the type of parenting that the
child is getting. And so consequently, we have to
differentiate between those kinds of things.
Roman: Working along with medication to support the family system is one of the really important things we can do as therapists. So if the family system is really disorganized or if its impulsive
itself and doesnt follow a regular schedule
those kinds of things can help soothe the child
and help them to work effectively within their
family system. There was originally a big debate
about ADHD and about blaming parentsdo you
have an overactive child because of the diet youre
Body&Health
CONTACTS
Viktoria Bakai-Toth, M.A.
A registered mental health
counselor intern with the
Jewish Family and Childrens
Service of the Suncoast,
Bakai-Toth is heavily involved
with Emmas Dream Team, an
early prevention program at
Emma E. Booker Elementary
that helps children curb problematic behavior and find
success in the classroom.
Jeffrey Kanter, Ph.D
Board-certified neuropsychologist and President
of Comprehensive MedPsych
Systems, Kanter holds a
doctorate in psychology from
the University of Virginia,
where he also completed
his pediatric internship, following a clinical internship
in Massachussetts. Kanter
is also a fellow of both the
American College of
Professional Neuropsychology and the
American Academy of
Pediatric Neuropsychology.
Kristine L. Vallrugo, M.D.
A board-certified psychiatrist
with Comprehensive
MedPsych Systems, Vallrugo
received her medical degree
from Rush Medical College,
before moving on to an internship and residency in adult
psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic
in Rochester, Minnesota.
At Northwestern University
Medical Center, Vallrugo
completed her fellowship
in child and adolescent
psychiatry.
88
SRQ | JUNE 2015
feeding them or the behavior that youve taught themand

there actually is a real cause to this and we have to tease out
the nurture aspect of it. What environment are we providing
our child to help sooth them and help them to work effectively with what they have and what we can provide to
them? Viktoria Bakai-Toth, Jewish Family and Childrens
Service of the Suncoast, Inc.: Its important to mention that
its not just the diet and the parenting that we have to look
into, but also sensory integration disorders. We have to look
into trauma. All those can present as easily distracted or
unfocused or oversensitive. Just because someone is easily
distracted, does not mean we can say that this child has
ADHD and needs medication. Kanter: If the child does
poorly on the attention tests and they have the behaviors
and they dont have anxiety or depression and the family
structure seems to be intact and theres no other sensory or
trauma issues, absolutely this could be an ADHD diagnosis.
focus and take in the information around you. So I always

help to coach parents to balance acceptance and change in
what the child really needs to be effective. Vallrugo: One
nice thing about the stimulants is that theyre very exible.
You take them, they work and then theyre out of your system. Its very different from an antidepressant that needs
to be taken every day. There is one medication thats FDAapproved for ADHD and you have to take it every day,
although its not a stimulant. That would be another
option, but in my experience its not as effective. But the
stimulants are good because theres so much exibility.
Kanter: You have to be very careful about medication noncompliance, selling medications, giving it away to other
kids, having college kids use it just to do papers late at
night. Thats where the contact with the psychologist or
the counselor is really important, so that you dont lose
control over the whole scenario.
Once you have a diagnosis, what are the first avenues

of treatment or management that you explore? How
early does medication enter the equation? Vallrugo: I
nd that children sometimes not only have ADHD but they
also do have another disorder. Its very common to nd kids
that have anxiety or depression and ADHD. Thats where
the testing can be very helpful, to differentiate because concentration is a notorious symptom of depression in adults
and children. Sometimes I see a patient with all three, so
the medication issue is challenging because you need more
than one type of medicine. I usually try to deal with the
problem thats most interfering with the childs life rst,
whether thats ADHD or depression, and try to go from
there. If you try to start two medicines at once, you dont
know whats working and what isnt. Kanter: The comorbidity of other disorders in addition to ADHD is remarkably
high. Fifty to 60 percent of kids have ADHD and another
disorder such as anxiety or depression.
What is neurofeedback and how is it used to treat

ADHD? Ryan: Neurofeeback is a computer-based method
basically measuring brainwave patterns, and youre feeding
back the brain its own state. And the brain is a wonderful
organ in that it can change itself, and this is based on what
is called neuroplasticity. Back in 1965 it was discovered that
our brains could develop new neural pathways and that it
wasnt just static. In fact, it can do its own work and take
care of itself if you give it the right information, and I call
neurofeedback brain food. You give that brain the right
feedback and it will change itself. Its very much like learning how to ride a bicycleyou dont cognitively learn how to
ride, your brain directs you how to gain stability.
Neurofeedback has become a wonderful tool to enhance
that process. They sit in a comfortable chair, sensors are
placed on the head very similar to how a physician might
use a stethoscope to measure heart rate and we measure
brainwaves. We break those brainwaves down into slow
wave activity, alpha wave activity, beta wave activity
which is the normal awake and alert stateand high-beta.
We look at all those patterns and we give the brain back the
information it needs to self-correct. Kanter: Youre teaching
people how to change their brainwave patterns. Ryan: The
brain is learning. The brain is actually learning how to
change itself based on the information that it gets. Thats
why its called biofeedback, because youre feeding back a
biological system to itself. Kanter: You show the child the
actual brainwave patterns in different ways with games or
graphic designs. Basically you use that to have the child
learn how to change his own brainwaves, which can actually change their ability to pay attention, focus, deal with anxiety and other things as well. Its a pretty powerful technique. Ryan: Its very rewarding, but unfortunately its a
slower process because the brain takes its time to change.
Is there a causal link between the disorders, one root

cause or are they unrelated? Ryan: Theres rarely one
root cause to any psychological problem. Generally speaking, its multiple causes that combine to create those kinds
of behaviors.
What medications are available now for children with
ADHD and how effective are they? Vallrugo: Stimulants
are by far the best drugs for ADHD in terms of effectiveness. There are many types of stimulants and they all work
generally in the same manner, but theyre all different as
well. Sometimes a child will respond to one but not another. Side effects tend to be a big problem with stimulants.
Appetite seems to be the biggest problemall those drugs
notoriously decrease appetite. So although they may be
benecial, youve got a child then whos not eating, especially during lunchtime. You have to deal with weight loss
sometimes. It can be a really challenging situation to try
and gure out, balancing how effective the medicine is versus the side effects. Sleep is sometimes impaired, too, by
these drugs. Roman: When its the right medication, its
extraordinarily effective. Ive sat in a playroom with a child
unmedicated and the next time medicated, and its dramatically different. Its an enormous disadvantage to not
treat. Imagine being in a classroom and unequipped to
How long does the process usually take? Ryan:

Generally speaking, Ive found its somewhere between 40
and 60 sessions, and actually the brain will need less medication as it stabilizes. Theyre generally half hour sessions. Bakai-Toth: About neuroplasticity and food for the
brain, working in the school system and seeing that the
children are in that setting for eight active hours of their
day, which is a long time for them, with articial lights,
articial temperature, lots of time in front of a monitor
Body&Health
CONTACTS
Ann Taylor Roman, Ed.D.
A licensed mental health
counselor with the Center for
Integrated Therapies, Roman
holds her Bachelors in
Psychology from Michigan
State University and earned
her Doctor of Education
degree in Counseling
Psychology from Argosy
University Sarasota.
Patricia Jo Ryan, Ph.D.
President and clinical
director of Mind/Body
Wellness Center in Venice,
Ryan is a board-certified psychologist and neurofeedback
expert. An associate fellow
and approved supervisor of
the Albert Ellis Institute, Ryan
also trains graduate-level students in clinical techniques.
this is far from the right food for the brain. They are
deprived from natureI work with children who have
never been to the beach although that is hard to imagine
around here. There are very basic things they dont do anymore. What education is putting on them is just not congruent with biology at all. Its good to talk about medication, its good to talk about all those things that we can do,
but I also think that parents have to make an effort to go
back to the basics and take their children to the park and
let them hang upside down. Get them out of the room and
away from the computer.
What s the connection between those physical activities and brain health? Bakai-Toth: This all goes back to
the sensory piece. Experiencing different texturesdigging through the sand, going into the waterand in general physical activity give the input that the body needs and
the brain craves for those healthy patterns. Its helping the
brain develop those healthy patterns instead of getting
everything through visual monitor stimulus.
How do you define successful treatment or management? Can a patient ever be rid of ADHD? Ryan: Well
you dont get rid of things; you manage various kinds of
behaviors. The brain is what it is, but you can give it information so it can change itself. Theres a really good book that
parents may want to read called The Brain That Changes
Itself, by Norman Doidge, a psychiatrist who has written
quite extensively about neurofeedback. Kanter: The issue of
whether it gets better or you grow out of it is a good one and
its a little complicated. There are certain kids who dont
need medication after a while or by the time they hit 14, 15 or
16 if theyve been treated correctly, then they dont need as
much medication. On the other hand, you have a different
set of life circumstances as you go from grammar school to
elementary school to high school to the job market as a
young adult, and so youll also see adults with ADHD. But you
typically do not suddenly develop ADHD when youre 30
years old without any history of learning problems.
How effective are treatment methods besides medication and neurofeedback, such as talk therapy or other
sorts of physical therapy? Kanter: The research on it is
pretty clear that aside from neurofeedback, which is a separate intervention and has a very good efficacy rate, a combination of medication and counseling produces the best
effect in terms of ADHD. Ryan: Even if youre doing neurofeedback, you want to work with the physician whos seeing
the patient so youre working congruently. Kanter: Youre
dealing with kids who dont have fully-formed brains to
begin withso youre asking their brains to do something
that they may not be capable of. But its talking with them
about what happens when they feel they want to do something and how to stop it. The other side is emotional
because these kids are teased; they dont do well in school
and they feel like failures. Ryan: Or theyre called retards,
very often by their own classmates. Kanter: The emotional
and self-esteem issues youve got to deal with as well, to
really help these kids realize that they have very unique
capabilities and they can channel some of this activity and
impulsivity into something positive instead of always
90
SRQ | JUNE 2015
being seen as a negative. Roman: Never underestimate the

power of behavioral reports. When we set up a system and
one goal for the weekthat every time the teacher gives
you an instruction you respond in this wayand if you get
a star each time you respond in that way, by the end of the
week youre going to be responding. Whats most important to you? Set that as your goal. Children are highly motivated to please. We cant have 20 goals at once for a sixyear-old, we set three for the whole week, and when we
work specically towards that goal, we will reach it.
How do you help children develop those strategies?
Ryan: It takes time. Lots of time. Kanter: Its really important. Therapy is focused on developing coping strategies
how do they deal with their impulsivity, with when they
want to act without thinking, when theyre going to get
themselves in troubleand getting them to slow down and
focus on their own behavior so that they can catch themselves and stop and think.
How important are external support systems to your
work with the patient? How involved can you get? Ryan:
I also work with the parents; I dont just train the child. This
child is in a system, and frankly, if the parents arent willing
to work with me, I wont work with the child. Kanter: With
difficult and disruptive kids that have a hard time paying
attention, you get stressed-out parents. So which one
causes the other is always a question, but they come as a
package and you have to deal with both. You dont just treat
the child for ADHD and not work with the parents. How
the parents work together as a team is a critical piece of the
intervention. Ryan: There are times when the child can
change even though there may be more chaos in the family, but its rare. We are a social organization and the family
is a social organization, and the family is where the child
basically gets their early education about how to be social.
Kanter: Parent involvement is critical. You can do all the
intervention in the world and if they go back to that house
with conict with the parents or siblings that doesnt get
resolved, then it can be very disruptive to the child and
make symptoms much worse. Bakai-Toth: And hopefully
the school as well. In general, schools are very accommodating if you keep that conversation going and youre willing to communicate. They have their own processthe
504 plan, a very common accommodationand parents
can talk to their Education Advisory Committee liaison in
the school and theyll be willing to help you out. Kanter:
The 504 plan, which allows the child to have extra time
and other types of accommodations that help the child
deal with what is, in effect, a disability. There are other private schools out there like the Pinnacle Academy that specializes in children with learning disorders and ADHD.
Roman: Dreams Are Free is another program at St.
Marthas that offers special programs with small classrooms. Most teachers are really well-educated on it now,
so they are willing to say What can we do for help?SRQ
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Menu
RESTAURANT LISTINGS
THE BIJOU CAF

1287 1st St. at Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, 941-3668111. Continental-American Award-winning cuisine
reflects Chef Jean-Pierre Knaggs South African and
French heritage. Whether you opt for the Australian Rack
of Lamb, Bijous Famous Pepper Steak, Chicken Paillard
or other delectable entrees, add a side of the Pommes
Gratin Dauphinois, mouthwatering layers of potatoes,
cream, garlic and Gruyere. Award-winning wine list.
Reservations recommended. Lunch MF 11:30am
2pm, dinner nightly from 5pm.
CAPTAIN BRIANS SEAFOOD MARKET AND
RESTAURANT 8421 N. Tamiami Trl., Sarasota,
941-351-4492. Seafood If you talk to the locals about
where to go for the freshest seafood in town, you will
undoubtedly hear Captain Brians name. Captain
Brians offers the freshest seafood around for sale by
the pound in addition to serving outstanding seafood
dishes in the family-style restaurant. For oyster fans,
start with the famous Fried Oysters. For dinner, the
Swordfish Steak is divine. As the menu states, it will be
the most flavorful and tender youve ever had. The
market is open M-Sa, 9am-8pm. Lunch 11am-4pm.
Dinner 4pm-9pm. Closed Sunday.
CHART HOUSE
201 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key, 941-383-5593.
Seafood From fresh seafood to succulent steaks to
decadent desserts, the renowned chefs of Chart
House have tailored a menu to complement the local
cuisine with a hint of exotic. Try the seared peppered
ahi tuna, served rare with tangy mustard, ginger and
wasabi. Choose from the restaurants famous entrees
such as Snapper Hemingway, shrimp fresco and the
slow-roasted prime rib. Su-Th 5-9pm., F-Sa 5-10pm.
DUVALS. FRESH. LOCAL. SEAFOOD.
1435 Main St., 941-312-4001. Seafood Fresh.
Local. Seafood. is excited to announce: Duvals Free.
Local. Shuttle! Your experience at Duvals should be
what youre expecting. A tasty libation from the bar?
Yes! Amazing menu selections to tantalize your taste
buds? Absolutely! Worries about finding parking or
getting caught in the rain? No way! Try the Perfect
Start Signature Crab and Shrimp Cakes, pan-seared
golden brown and served with rajun-cajun remoulade
and creole slaw. For dinner, try the Chef-Selected
Fresh Catch, which offers the freshest fish in the mar-
92
SRQ | JUNE 2015
ket and fillets your fresh catch in-house. Duvals also

features a 3-5-7 Happy Hour and Late night. MTh:
11am9pm; FSa: 11am10pm; Su: 10am 9pm.
HOTEL INDIGO H20 BISTRO
1223 Boulevard of the Arts. 941-487-3815.
Continental-American The H20 Bistro is located
inside the lobby of Hotel Indigo Sarasota, Sarasotas
No. 1 boutique hotel. The bistro offers the perfect
location for breakfast, lunch, dinner or private parties.
The H20 Bistro is committed to bringing the freshest
local produce, seafood, meats, dairy and eggs that
Sarasota has to offer. In addition to the menu, Chef
Sol Shenker creates delicious daily specials. Private
dining rooms are available to accommodate eight to
30 people. Reservations available. Bistro hours Su-Th
6:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat 7am-11pm.
JPAN
3800 S. Tamiami Trl. (Paradise Plaza), Sarasota,
941-954-5726. Japanese-Sushi Whether you want to
play it safe with a California sushi roll or dive into a
dish of marinated baby octopus, JPAN will provide
you with a boundless variety of Japanese fusion cuisine that will have you coming back for more, and a
flowing assortment of Japanese beer, sake and wine
will keep you there. Be sure to try the Volcano Roll,
which is filled with fresh tuna, asparagus, cream
cheese, avocado and topped with a baked crab and
shrimp salad. Lunch MF 11:30am2pm and dinner
MTh 59:30pm and F-Sa 510pm.
LIBBYS CAF AND BAR
1917 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota, 941-487-7300.
Modern American Family Fare Libbys creates simple perfection with its seasonal menus and dishes such
as Brisket-Shortrib Chopped Steak, Four Cheese and
Pear Tortelloni, Cajun Roasted Gulf Grouper and
Deviled Eggs with Mote-grown Caviar. Libbys dcor
and food are sophisticated enough to accommodate
date nights, celebrations, lunch meetings and everything in between. Lunch: 11:30am-3pm M-Sa. Dinner
3-10pm daily. Brunch 10:30am-3pm.
LOUIES MODERN
1289 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota, 941-552-9688.
Classical Modern Culinary ingenuity in a contemporary urban setting is showcased at one of downtown
Sarasotas newest dining venues. More advanced
dishes, including Boneless Beef Shortrib Bourguignon,

Kale Caesar, Buratta, Curry Roasted Cauliflower, Lamb
Chop Milanese with Sweet Potato Agnelotti and flatbread pizzas, are prepared in an inviting open-air
kitchen with a wood-burning oven. Showcasing freshness and quality, the experience is equally approachable with price points from $4 to $24.
MADFISH GRILL
4059 Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota, 941-377-3474.
Seafood and Steaks Dine casually at a seafood
restaurant that also serves premium steaks, pasta,
sandwiches and salads. There is a hint of Caribbean in
most dishes, from Benny Jamaicas Jerk Wings to the
coconut-macadamia chicken breast. Be sure to try one
of the Madtinis, a refreshing twist on classic cocktails. Full bar, extensive wine list and half-price happy
hour daily until 7pm. M-Sa 11am-close, Su 10am-9pm.
MARINA JACK
2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, 941-365-4232. Seafood,
Steaks and Pasta The Sarasota landmark offers its
customers exceptional food and great atmosphere
while dining on the water. Come to the dining room
on the second floor and try some great new items on
the dinner menu. Start with braised mussels in a
Chorizo broth or short rib tostadas, which feature
gouda cheese and pulled slow-braised short rib.
Then delve into a Grilled Whole Maine Lobster stored
fresh in a live saltwater tank. For dessert, try the seasonal Wild Berry Trifle, which features fresh seasonal
berries over Chambord- accented pastry cream,
topped with whipped cream and blackberry coulis.
Open daily for lunch and dinner.
MORTONS GOURMET MARKET 1924 S. Osprey
Ave., Sarasota, 941-955-9856. Gourmet Grocer Its
the place where you can spend a lazy Sunday morning sipping coffee and breaking off pieces of a scone
or a frenetic Friday evening collecting rare cheeses,
meat and wine for Saturdays soiree or a quick
lunchtime bite to go. For the latter, Mortons freshmade sushi, salad bar or ready-to-go tea sandwiches
are longstanding local faves. MSa 7am8pm, Su
9am6pm. SRQ
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CocoTelegraph_JUN15_Layout 1 5/19/15 4:56 PM Page 94
Cocotele
PARTNER AND CLIENT NEWS
FARM FRESH AND SUMMER RUM

Sweet Shack on McAnsh
Sift Bakehouse has been a downtown staple at the Saturday
morning Sarasota Farmers Market for the past seven years,
where owner Christine Nordstrom, a graduate of the prestigious Johnson and Wales University in Providence,
Rhode Island, has been whipping up delicious cookies,
muffins and scones and establishing a customer base from
a stand that always has a deep line of fans. The companys
methodology is founded on baking in small batches using
local and high quality ingredients, such as cage-free grainfed eggs, aluminum-free baking powder and locally harvested honey. Now devotees of Sifts addictive treats can
indulge their tastebuds daily with the opening of the bakerys new retail space. Located at 1383 McAnsh Square, Sift
Bakehouse boasts a rustic modern design nished with
Americana decor collected from all over the country. Sift is
take-out only and serves muffins, scones, cookies, coffeecakes, a mix your own granola bar, a signature line of
naked cakes, rustic pies and individually jarred desserts.
Sift also features goods from other local producers including vintage handmade kitchen apparel by The Blue Peony,
jams and canned local produce by Sunshine Canning and
fresh fudge by Stewies Fresh Fudge. Visit www.siftbake-
house.com.
Veterans Emergency Assistance

In response to a growing need for emergency assistance for
veterans and their families, Goodwill Manasotas Veterans
Services Program launched the SERV initiative, which will
provide Special Emergency Resources for Veterans
(SERV). When a veteran is in need, the Goodwill Manasota
Veterans Services team assigns each individual a case manager who works with the veteran and his or her family to
create an individual plan, assessing need and identifying
community resources to meet those needs. If the veteran
and his or her family have emergency needs, the Goodwill
team attempts to identify community resources through
partners and collaborative organizations who can assist. If
no other avenues to help are available, SERV assists the veteran and the family with the problem. The case managers
also help in other areas that enhance integration into the
community or the civilian workforce while addressing
these emergency needs. The criteria for a veteran to receive
assistance through SERV are dened on a case-by-case
basis and include issues relating to housing, education,
medicine and food. Visit www.experiencegoodwill.org.
Sprout Mobile Farm Market
Sprout is a custom-made, refrigerated mobile farm market
that brings an array of fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies to
the families that count on All Faiths Food Bank (AFFB) for
food. Sprout is a wonderful source of nutrition and education
that encourages healthy eating choices. In its rst year,
AFFBs Sprout Route brought more than 240,000 pounds of
fresh produce to families in need. Because Sprout is able to
get produce to clients quickly, the food bank has reduced food
waste by 90 percent. Grocers and local farms help support
94
SRQ | JUNE 2015
BY ASHLEY GRANT
Sprout by donating fruits and veggies. Donations to the

Sprout program helps AFFB keep the shelves stocked with
healthy choices for our neighbors in need. To become a sponsor of this program please call (941) 379-6333. If you are
interested in becoming a farm or grocer able to donate fresh
produce, please contact Ryan Beaman, rbeaman@allfaithsfoodbank.org. Visit www.allfaithsfoodbank.org.
Sugar Sand
The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
recently announced that Coquina Beach on Anna Maria
Island has been named one of the worlds top island beaches for perfect sand by Conde Nast Traveler Readers. The
magazine recently released the winners of its annual
Readers Choice Awards, which ranks top cities, hotels,
resorts, spas and cruiselines in the world, based on readers
votes. The only U.S. island beach on the list, Coquina
clinched the No. 5 spot. Coquina is described by Conde Nast
Traveler as The opposite of South Beach: Its laid-back,
bordered by towering pines, and boasts perfect, unspoiled
sand as ne as powder. Its also the longest stretch of sand
on Anna Mariauninterrupted, but for remnants of old
piers jutting out into the water. Says Elliott Falcione, executive director at the Bradenton Area Convention and
Visitors Bureau, This ranking conrms how special
Coquina Beach is not only to our community, but to visitors
as well. We are thrilled that it continues to set us apart from
others around the state, country and the world while maintaining its authentic Florida charm. Visit www.bacvb.com.
Summer Rum
Rum connoisseurs rejoice! The next batch of Siesta Key
Distillers Reserve Rum will be available in July or August.
This limited available, coveted rum has been rated 94 points
by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, a rare rating for a spiced rum.
The rum is aged in a traditional solera method in which the
oldest rum is never fully emptied from the barrels, resulting
in a nal product inuenced by older rum each year. Dont
miss a sip of the hometown liquid gold spiced rum that was
also recently named the best available anywhere by the
Caribbean Journal. Visit www.drumcircledistilling.com.
Camp Fishy
This summer, kids can get involved in something shy:
ocean-themed summer camps from Mote Marine
Laboratory and Aquarium. Mote is a world-class marine
research facility offering informal science education that
goes beyond the textbook and into the water. Campers can
discover the wonders of marine animals and environments
studied by Mote scientistsa great way to gain steam in
STEM education (science, technology, engineering and
math) even when school is out. A variety of camps are available including Mommy and Me, Aquakids, Sea Sleuths, PM
Camps, and overnight camps in the Florida Keys, but sign up
early as reservations are on a rst come basis and ll up
quickly! Visit www.mote.org
QPQ_JUN15 _Layout 1 5/19/15 5:09 PM Page 96
QuidProQuo
COMPILED BY JACOB OGLES
What books are on your summer reading list?

CAROL PROBSTFELD State College of Florida
President The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, All the
Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Dead Wake by
Erik Larson, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
by Malcolm Gladwell. My interests vary, as do the books.
DR. MICHAEL P. CROSBY President and CEO of Mote
Marine Laboratory Scientific Freedom: The Elixir of
Civilization by Donald Braben. Never before in marine science, conservation and sustainability has there been a
more urgent time for leaders who will shake up the system, liberating it from limitations of established bureaucracies and establishing fundamentally new paradigms.
Scientific freedom enabled in great part through altruistic
sponsors is fundamental for producing potentially transformational outcomes and ensuring the long-term vitality of
our shared ocean resources. Sea Change: 2015-2025
Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences by the National
Research Council of the National Academies. Federal
agency funding for marine research that is focused on
helping support long-term conservation and sustainable
use of marine resources has become extremely challenging to secure over the last two decades. There is a grow-
96
SRQ | JUNE 2015
ing concern in the marine research community that a more

healthy balance of federal marine science funding priorities and strategies is needed over the next decade. This
could help address lack of support for marine scientists in
developing solutions to grand challenges such as ocean
acidification, sustainable fisheries and restoration of coral
reefs, and steer our national ocean science enterprise
towards a more vibrant future.
JEFFERY KIN The Players Artistic Director Most people do not know that I am a pretty big sci-fi fan. I still have
the original book of the first Star Wars I was given as a gift
in the mid-70s. Im really excited that Chuck Wendig is
coming out with Star Wars: Aftermath. To break my mind
free of the drama of running a theater, nothing beats going
to a galaxy far, far away.
GEORGIA COURT Bookstore1Sarasota Owner H is
For Hawk by Helen Macdonald is a fabulous non-fiction
book that is so beautifully crafted that it reads like a novel. Of
course I always love poetry. And one of the most readable
poets I know is Billy Collins. His latest is Aimless Love. SRQ

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