People sometimes ask me why I am in Florida. Years ago when I was in 4th grade my parents made a trip to Florida with the idea of moving. That is when I got “sand in my shoes”. My parents decided not to make that move and stay in Boston instead.

My husband and I made that move when our three boys were 10, 8, and 4. We sure are glad we did. Let me share with you just a few reasons why we made that move and why you will want to join us.

• Siesta Key Beach, rated #2 beach in the United States
• Sunny and Blue Skies ALL year
• Christmas boat parade
• No more ice scrappers
• Coffee on the lanai (that is a screened -in area around the pool)
• Your kids can play outside all year
• If you birthday is in January, you can celebrate a summer birthday
• Winter tennis outside
• No more winter coats, boots and mittens
• School Choice
• No heating bill
• Year round tan
• Outside restaurants
• No more salt and sand and slush being tracked inside your house
• Boating anytime you want
• Golf, Golf, Golf
• Windows open and fresh air flowing
• No snow
• No more coat closets or coat racks
• Taking down Christmas lights in December and not having to wait until March when they thaw
• Sunsets on the beach with your honey and a bottle of wine
• Enjoying your flowers all year
• Never closing your pool
• Great homes on the lake or golf course or bay or beach
• The arts and entertainment
• Everybody is happy
• Staying healthy during the winter
• Great architecture
• Everyday feels like you are on vacation
• You don’t have to shovel sunshine
• Relaxation, sunshine, warm sand between your toes, warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico
• Great prices on real estate

Come on down from that frozen tundra and make sunshine and sand your best friend!

Contact me at (941) 586-4790 or visit my website at www.SaraSellsSarasota.com.

Posted by:Sara Leicht

Imagine waking up one morning and seeing clowns everywhere as you strolled around downtown Sarasota.

Suddenly in 2007, 49 life-sized clown statues appeared around downtown Sarasota and Selby Gardens. This was just another one of the great surprise events that occur in this wonderful city.

Here is a Sarasota Herald Tribune article summing up the “Clowning Around Town” event.

This event was controversial, but reflected the Circus history of Sarasota. We salute the artists who participated and Jay Yahnke who had the vision and drive to make it happen. Wether you call this “good art”, “bad art”, or “not art” it got peoples attention and was fun. It also raised a lot of money for a good cause.

Clowns: Please e-mail us at robertlindeman@michaelsaunders.com and let us know where you are. Don’t forget to include your photograph.

Click here to view more clown photos from photographer, David Fimbres.

Posted by:Robert Lindeman

Walk around downtown Sarasota at dusk and enjoy the magic as the sun is setting.

Views from Beau Ciel, Kanaya, 1350 Main, are representative of the fabulous evening vistas from all of the downtown condominiums. At the street level the condominiums themselves, such as Plaza at Five points and The Savoy on Palm, are a pleasure to see. The waterfront “sisters” (Embassy House, Essex House, Royal Saint Andrew, Tessera, Regency House, Sarabande, Gulfstream Towers, Dolphin Tower, Bay Plaza, and Marina Tower) have unrestricted views of the Bay, Bird Key, Golden Gate Point, John Ringling Bridge, and sunsets over the water.

View from a penthouse unit at 1350 Main.

Photo by Sylvia Feuerbach
View from the roof top terrace of Kanaya.

Read the rest of this entry

Nancy and I live in downtown Sarasota and really do enjoy the “Downtown Sarasota Lifestyle.”

Our 9 blogs to date have described popular sites within 3 or 4 blocks of the intersection of Palm Avenue and Main Street as well as from our home.

We love strolling to restaurants, movie theaters, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota Opera, Selby Library, numerous galleries, Selby Gardens, Marina bayfront, art along the Marina bayfront, Bayfront Park, Towles Court art area, John Ringling bridge, watching sunsets – all within a short walk.

Art Uptown is another of the downtown treasures. It is a co-operative venture by local artists who display and sell their works.

Please note: all artwork below is courtesy of www.artuptown.com.

	“Oil on Foil” by Laura Avery			“Florida Butterfly Orchid” by Cecile Moran
	“Quiet Quandary” by Cecile Moran			“Enro Raku Pottery” by Karen Case
	“Portraits“ by Tom Greely			“Pears” by Rita Rust
	“Cherries“ by Anne Abgott			“Red Peppers” by Jacquie Clark
	“Flamingo” by Joe Fletcher			“Medley” by Jackie Woolf
	“Plate of Cheese and Wine” by Pablo Rodriguez

Visit their Web Site at www.artuptown.com. Be sure to click on Shop by Artist to see all the artists and their works.

The gallery is open on the First Friday Gallery Walks.

Exhibits change regularly and a different artist is featured each week.

Make it a habit to visit often!

Posted by:Robert Lindeman

The Most Beautiful Block in Sarasota - Historic South Palm Avenue

Visit these Great Art Galleries (click on the hyperlinks to view photos):

www.galleriasilecchia.com

photo courtesy of www.galleriasilecchia.com

Galleria Silecchia has a marvelous and varied collection of paintings, sculptures, mobiles, chandeliers, antique pianos, etc. in two showrooms. Owner Louis Chalupa & Candice Sillechia have assembled art for the knowledgeable art lover.

www.mgalleryoffineart.com

photo courtesy of www.mgalleryoffineart.com

This gallery features multiple artists and has a different vision from the other galleries on Palm Avenue. It is worth spending some time here!

www.hodgellgallery.com

photo courtesy of www.hodgellgallery.com

Brian O’Connell has a world-wide following for his exquisite Art Glass collection. Don’t miss this gallery!

www.arttowalkon.com

photo courtesy of www.arttowalkon.com

Ellen Hampshire loves oriental rugs and her passion shows in this gallery. Come in and enjoy her conversation and knowledge.

www.dabbertgallery.com

photo courtesy of www.dabbertgallery.com

Another gallery to savor. David & Patricia Dabbert have a different and exciting vision of art complimenting the other galleries in the block of Palm Avenue. Spend time here!

And a Restaurant and more Galleries and Boutiques:

Italian Cuisine
Jewelry
Works of Artisans from Other Countries
Handcrafted Works of Art
Fashion Boutique

Plan to attend Palm Avenue’s First Friday Walks

First Friday of Every Month 6 - 9 PM

Wander through open galleries and specialty shops. Enjoy live music, street performances, food, and dancing.

This Season’s Schedule

November 6, 2009 - “A Prelude to Season”
December 4, 2009 - “35th Annual Holiday Walk”
January 8, 2010 - “Pops on Palm”
February 5, 2010 - “A Taste of Palm Avenue”
March 5, 2010 - “Romancing the Arts”
April 2, 2010 - “An Affair to Remember”
May 7, 2010 - “Jazz on the Ave”
June 4, 2010 - “Sunset Serenade”
July 2, 2010 - “An American Salute”
August 6, 2010 - “A Midsummer Night’s Stroll”
September 3, 2010 - “September Swing”
October 1, 2010 - “An Evening of Classics”

Come on down to Beautiful Downtown Sarasota!

Posted by:Robert Lindeman

As Good as it Gets at State of the Arts Gallery on State Street.. Artist David Steiner, his wife Tre, and daughter Sienna (pictured at right) own and manage one of the most exciting galleries in Sarasota.

An inside view of the gallery:

The following is a small selection of the works by David Steiner, Dan Strothers, Dasha Reich and Larry Forgard. Many other artists are represented.

Click on each thumbnail image for a larger image (this is only a small sample).

	Tangerine Twilight by David Steiner			Vintage 1957 by David Steiner
	Kimono by David Steiner			The Waves by David Steiner
	Abstract by Dasha Reich			Millenium Totem by David Steiner
	Essence by Dan Strothers			Jazz Totem by David Steiner
	Double Vision by Larry Forgard

View their Web Site at: www.SarasotaFineArt.com
Be sure to click on “inventory” to see all the artists and the full collection.

BETTER YET: Visit the gallery, follow their shows, and meet the artists.

Posted by:Robert Lindeman

This is a truly remarkable institution in the heart of Downtown Sarasota at Five Points. Five Points Park, Starbucks, many restaurants & shops, the Opera, and Whole Foods are near-by.

Here is a quote from the History Section of the Library web site: “The grand opening of the current Selby Public Library was held on Saturday, August 1998. Designed by architect Eugene Aubry, the two-story building is 74,000 square feet and has space for approximately 300,000 volumes.”

The inside is as beautiful as the outside.

Go with a child through the Aquarium Arch (Mote Marine) into the Youth Library and explore the children’s world of books, video, and internet.

Relax under the mobiles high in the rotunda. Numerous secluded areas to read or access a computer are all around the upper and lower levels. A competent staff is available to assist you. You can easily obtain a library card and take out books and other materials. Many public events are scheduled here.

Visit the Web site by clicking here.

Here is one of many surprises: (this one “a happening” from the Florida Studio Theatre)



Don’t miss this wonderful Sarasota experience!




Posted by:Robert Lindeman

Every Saturday 7AM to Noon

Mermaid Fountain at the corner of Pineapple and Lemon Streets – the southern gateway to the Farmers Market and Main Street.


Relax on the benches. Children love to climb on the fountain.






Stroll down Lemon Street.

Meet your friends.

Let your pets meet their friends.

Enjoy a coffee or pastry.

You will see a large variety of fruits, vegetables, seafood, organic and gluten free products, pastries, crafts, music and other art.

Visit neighboring stores: Whole Foods, Sur La Table, State of the Arts Gallery, Wearable Art.

Breakfast at Crepe Suzette or have a sausage or fish sandwich along the way.

Enjoy coffee & pastry the Old Heidelberg Pastry Shop next to State of the Arts.

Listen to the music. (FlakeSpear)

Carolyn & Bill Spear have been playing and recording “traditional accoustic music from the 1920s to the present” for the past 15 years according to Carolyn. They are one of the bright spots illuminating the downtown Sarasota lifestyle.

Walk up or down Main Street to visit more shops & restaurants.

Posted by:Robert Lindeman

Learn what we - the locals - of Sarasota love about our city by the bay.

This week in Sarasota gives you an insider’s view of the best places to dine, shop, live and play.

Stay up to date with weekly happening in and around Sarasota. New to the area? Go to the insiders guide for nifty videos of attractions and neighborhoods - it is the perfect introduction to Sarasota.

Posted by:Maureen & Pat Doherty

After a long and difficult negotiation, many Sarasotans were deeply relieved to learn that Sarasota County finally struck a deal with the Baltimore Orioles. It seems we were destined to have a Rays divisional opponent no matter what happened, and the cost of losing baseball in the Sarasota area would have been exceedingly dramatic. One of the best memories I have as a kid are the days that my Dad would come and get me out of school early to take in an afternoon game at the ball park when the Chicago White Sox were in town. Besides the intangible impact that losing baseball would have had on the county, the numbers the local economy would have felt are staggering. According to the linked report, the average impact on each local economy is about $47 million dollars. This makes the reported $31 million cost to get the Orioles here seem like a paltry sum. When contemplating all of the best reasons to live in Sarasota- spring baseball is at the top of my list. I believe that keeping baseball in town in the spring will far reaching and lasting effects on the local economy and housing market. For comments or questions about this post or the Sarasota real estate market, you can contact me at DrewRussell@MichaelSaunders.com.

Posted by:Drew Russell

As a visitor to Sarasota for the past 42 years and a fortunate full time resident for the past 10 years, I have seen a great deal of change in Sarasota, a few more buildings and a lot less green. Understandable change in one of the world’s most beautiful places to live! As a frequent visitor to Selby, I am forever grateful to Marie Selby for bestowing such a treasure to our community. There is never a visit where I have not learned something or walked away inspired. As things change so quickly in Sarasota, it is always a treat to go back in time and know it will carry on that way for generations to come. If you haven’t visited lately, do stop by.

Posted by:Denise Mattmuller

One of Sarasota’s best attributes is a quickly growing fitness and exercise scene. Every Tuesday night during June, July, and August, hundreds of athletes of various abilities gather at world-famous Siesta Key beach for run course that changes every week. Sometimes the run is a simple 5k, while last night’s run was an adventure race which had hills, obstacles, and finally a potato sack hop just before the finish.

The runs are generously hosted by the Manasota Track Club and start at 7pm. There is also a 1 mile kids fun run that starts at 6:30pm. For those who want even more of a workout, there is a large group that meets at 6pm for a group open water swim before the run. What makes this event so special are the people - by attending you will make many friends and get to see what makes Sarasota have such a special community.

If you are looking for more information on community life in Sarasota, Florida as you contemplate a move, feel free to contact me at 941.966.8000 or you can visit my personal website.

Posted by:Drew Russell