SRQ DAILY Jun 21, 2022
Tuesday Dining and Food Edition
"Our goal is to provide a sustainable impact on the lives of children. Facing hunger should not be another obstacle to overcome while struggling for a safe and happy home."
There’s something so satisfying in returning to places that I’ve loved. My family and I returned to the Sarasota area from Chicago in 2015, and we couldn’t be happier with that decision. This post marks my return to SRQ Magazine as contributing food writer and editor after a 16-year hiatus from its pages.
Sticking with the theme of returning to places I’ve loved, I picked two mainstays that I hadn’t visited in years: JR’s Old Packinghouse Cafe for a beery Saturday lunch, and Tommy Bahama for a sangria-y early Sunday dinner. What I found was a tale of two Sarasotas.
In terms of clientele, the joints couldn’t be further apart. The friendly regulars at Packinghouse loudly fling inside jokes across the room to the barkeep who’s slinging a mix of perfectly chilled beers. Tommy Bahama, meanwhile, takes in the tourists, some Longboat and Lido locals, and its share of preppy St. Armandsians. Its bartender wears an eponymous shirt and knows their way around a colorful garnish.
Each represents a piece of quintessential Old Florida. There’s a bit of unapologetic kitsch to both that make them part of the complete experience of living in and visiting this area. They are the two halves of Sarasota — Carhartt and khaki; FloGrown and Fendi; Budweiser and bougie.
To even the playing field, I opted for blackened fish at both — the blackened basa sandwich at Packinghouse (complete with a this-is-spicy warning), and the blackened mahi mahi tacos at Tommy B’s. One was served in a red basket with a pickle on the side, the other on an immaculate, bright white rectangular plate. One paired with a cold local lager from Big Top, the other with rather refreshing, keep-em-coming red sangria.
So close. Worlds apart. Different takes. Different approaches. Same outcome: Stuffed, satisfied, and thankful to be back in paradise.
Perhaps the three of us have more in common than we thought.
JR's Old Packinghouse Cafe, 987 S. Packinghouse Rd, Sarasota, 941-371-9358.
Tommy Bahama, St. Armands Circle, 300 John Ringling Blvd, Sarasota, 941.388.2888. 
Pictured: (Top) The Tommy Bahama blackened mahi mahi tacos overflow with flavor, photo courtesy of Tommy Bahama. (Below): The Packinghouse blackened basa fish sandwich is spicier than your average blackened fish sandwich.
Every month, Michael's Epicurean Adventures features cuisine from a different region of the world. The Epicurean menu this month, which is an extension of thier Savor sarasota menu, features some of thier most popular domestic and international dishes. In July, foodies will get a taste of Brazil followed by Morocco in August. These special menus are crafted by Executive Chef Jamil Pineda. The New Orleans Breast of Duck Ellen is currently featured in Michael's On East's Epicurean Adventure series. It is served medium rare with blueberry-infused port wine sauce, marinated blueberries, roasted fingerling potatoes and spiced grilled asparagus.
Michael's On East, 1212 East Avenue, Sarasota. 941-366-0007.
Pictured: Duck Ellen, currently featured in Michaels On Easts Epicurean Adventure series. Photo courtesy of Michaels on East.
Aqua Plumbing & Air, a local business has partnered with All Faiths Food Bank and the Food Bank of Manatee on a brigade during Child Hunger Awareness Week, June 19th through the 25th. The partnership helps to augment the summer hunger programs for both organizations. Aqua Plumbing & Air is using their vehicles to pick up non-perishable foods for The Food Bank of Manatee and/or All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota County. For children, food insecurity is particularly devastating. Not having enough healthy food can have serious implications for a child’s physical and mental health, academic achievement, and future economic prosperity. Research shows an association between food insecurity and delayed development in young children; the risk of chronic illnesses like asthma and anemia; and behavioral problems like hyperactivity, anxiety, and aggression in school-age children.
“Our goal is to provide a sustainable impact on the lives of children. Facing hunger should not be another obstacle to overcome while struggling for a safe and happy home,” said Skip Stanton, co-owner of Aqua Plumbing & Air. If you are interested in learning more how to help either organization, please visit https://www.aquaplumbingsarasota.com/community.
The Sarasota Memorial Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute has earned accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC). This recognition is only granted to those programs that are committed to providing the highest quality care to patients with rectal cancer. Sarasota Memorial demonstrated compliance with a rigorous set of standards held by the NAPRC that address program management, clinical services, and quality improvement for rectal cancer patients. This designation is a result of the work being done at the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute to provide patients on the Suncoast with treatments and support only found at the nation’s best cancer centers. The Sarasota Memorial Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute established a multidisciplinary rectal cancer team, including medical and radiation oncology, surgery, pathology, radiology and gastroenterology in order to achieve this accreditation. The care team works together, reviewing pertinent patient history and radiology and pathology reports, to determine the most appropriate course of treatment for all patients with rectal cancer prior to the initiation of any treatment, and every patient’s progress is continuously monitored by the team. The NAPRC conducts a site visit every three years for accredited rectal cancer programs, which are also accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
Pictured: Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute's Oncology Tower at the SMH-Sarasota Campus. Photo courtesy of SMH.
The St. Armands Circle Business Improvement District (BID) has announced the event dates for Yoga in the Park. Once a month on the fourth Sunday,
enjoy an evening of yoga led by instructor Liana Sheintal Bryant. Cap off your weekend the right way in St. Armands Circle Park while you relax, stretch, and gaze at a beautiful sunset. There is no cost to participate, and attendees are reminded to bring water, a mat, and a towel. The following dates for the remainder of the events are: Yoga in the Park – Sunday, June 26, July 24, August 28, and September 25, from 5 to 6 p.m.
Join The Florida Center for Early Childhood for a full-day, virtual course on understanding and supporting early childhood brain development and mental health on Wednesday, June 22 from 9am to 3pm. Learn to identify brain differences, their implications, and strategies to address them.
The Triumphs Artist Showcase will take place on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 4:30pm at Holley Hall. Explore the colors and sounds of individual instruments in the hands of our new Festival faculty members. Demarre McGill performs one of the most popular works in the flute repertoire: Francis Poulenc’s exquisite Sonata for Flute and Piano. When British-American composer Rebecca Clarke’s viola sonata was performed in 1919, the bias against women in classical music was such that critics refused to believe she had written such a “powerful work” herself. Clarke’s “one little whiff of success,” as she called it, has since become a mainstay of the repertoire; Teng Li will perform the groundbreaking piece. Robert DeMaine, Ani Kavafian, and Jeffrey Kahane join forces in Schumann’s First Piano Trio. From its expressive opening to its soul-searching slow movement and radiant finale, the trio brings to life every aspect of Schumann’s complex personality.
Holley Hall
The Women Contemporary Artists Members Spring Exhibition 2022 will take place at Ringling College of Art & Design Lois and David Stuhlberg Gallery, 1188 MLK Way, from June 3 – 24, 2022. The exhibition is open to active WCA members who may submit two entries only, $30 for one entry and $35 for two entries. Art specs are 2D - 36” x 36” max, mid-sized and smaller works preferred. All media. Diptych and Triptychs allowed, but must fit into size requirements and sold as one painting. 3D work 72” x 20” max. Pedestals are available. If accepted into the show, be prepared to sit for one sitting in the gallery, if needed, from 9-12 or 12-3 on Monday through Friday for the length of the show. You can do this with a friend. Awards are $600 for 1st, $400 for 2nd, $300 for 3rd, and 5 Merit Awards $100 each. Receiving on Tuesday, May 24 between 10 AM and 2 PM and Jurying on Tuesday, May the 24th at 3 PM.
Ringling College Galleries + Exhibitions invites you to attend two opening receptions for: Petticoat Painters, exhibiting June 3 - June 24 in the Willis A. Smith Construction Inc. Gallery and Women Contemporary Artists, exhibiting June 3 - June 24 in the Lois + David Stulberg Gallery. Join us on June 10th, 5-7 pm for the opening reception in each gallery and meet the artists. Both galleries are on the Ringling College campus and are open M-F 9-3 pm. While you're on campus don't forget to stop by Valetta's exhibition in the Thompson Gallery. Valetta will be exhibiting June 3 - August 12.
The 6th Annual Bob Rizi Memorial Golf Classic will take place on Friday, June 24 at The Meadows Country Club course only. Player check-in and breakfast will be from 7:30am to 9am, with a shotgun start at 9am. $800 per foursome, which includes continental breakfast, tee sign, and lunch. The tournament is limited to 36 foursomes on a first come first served basis and two golf carts will be provided to each foursome. For more information and registration, visit suncoastsummerfest.org or call 941-706-3685.
The Rising Stars Concert – 3 will take place on Friday, June 24, 2022 at 2:30pm at Holley Hall. Program: Mozart III. Allegretto from Piano Quintet in E-flat Major; Francaix Quatuor II. Andante and III. Allegro molto; Brahms II. Andante, un poco Adagio from Piano Quintet in F Minor; Schubert III. Scherzo from String Quintet in C Major; Brahms II. Scherzo from Horn Trio in E-flat Major; Barber Summer Music; and Schubert IV. Allegro moderato from Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat Major.
Holley Hall
The Mix and Mingle Festival Friday will take place on Friday, June 24, 2022 at 7:30pm at Sarasota Opera House. Festival faculty and fellows share the stage in this program featuring works that intermingle wind and string instruments. Amy Beach’s brilliant Theme and Variations is an early 20th-century Romantic treasure from the first American woman to publish a symphony. Jean Françaix’s superbly crafted music is bracingly witty and always entertaining. His Dixtuor for 10 players brings together the rarely seen combination of wind and string quintets. Beethoven’s Septet was an immediate success at its premiere in 1800 and quickly became one of his most popular works. This luminous piece is scored for a mixed ensemble with a notably challenging violin part, taken on in this performance by faculty violinist Martin Beaver.
Sarasota Opera House
The July Gallery for Art Uptown will exhibit "MOXIE by Rita Rust." Rust's watercolor action portraits capture the feeling of joy that can be found even in the darkest times.
The From America to Italy Festival Saturday will take place on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 7:30pm at Sarasota Opera House. The 2022 Sarasota Music Festival culminates with a program full of orchestral flair. The concert opens with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer George Walker’s tribute to his grandmother, a formerly enslaved person. Festival alumna and faculty violinist Francesca Anderegg, whose “virtuosic panache” has been hailed by The New York Times, performs Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2. The slow movement of the concerto gives rise to one of the composer’s most unforgettable and ravishingly beautiful melodies. The Festival concludes on a joyous note with Felix Mendelssohn’s beloved Symphony No. 4, a high-spirited tribute to Italy’s sunshine and warm breezes.
Sarasota Opera House
The most ambitious and expansive exhibition to date of contemporary artworks created with augmented reality (AR) technology will premiere at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, opening on September 25, 2021 and ongoing through August 31 2022, as one of 12 participating gardens across six countries. Seeing the Invisible features works by more than a dozen international artists such as Ai Weiwei, Refik Anadol, El Anatsui, Isaac Julien CBE, Mohammed Kazem, Sigalit Landau, Sarah Meyohas, Pamela Rosenkranz, and Timur Si-Qin—including several artists’ first work in AR. Visitors will engage with Seeing the Invisible via an app designed for the exhibition downloadable to smartphones and tablets. Forging new links between botanical gardens located in diverse biomes around the globe, the exhibition fosters collaboration between institutions, artists, and audiences, highlighting the power of art to connect people around the world.
The Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch is home to more than 90 curated vendors of the region’s best food and flavors, located at Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch. It takes place every Sunday from 10am to 2pm at Waterside Place. It’s your weekend destination for organic produce, meat, poultry, seafood, bread, pasta, juices and prepared foods. Stay up to date on vendors and events by visiting TheMarketLWR.com.
Sarasota Opera is pleased to announce the lineup for the 2022 summer movie series: HD at the Opera House and Classic Movies at the Opera House. HD at the Opera House featuring filmed performances of opera and ballet from around the world will open on Sunday, May 22nd at 1:30 p.m. with Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London, with tickets at $22, and $20 for Sarasota Opera subscribers. The Classic Movies at the Opera House series will open with In the Heat of the Night on Friday, July 8th at 7:30 p.m. with tickets at $12. (Tickets will go on sale starting Monday, May 2nd.)
Amore Restaurant has decided to extend Savor Sarasota Menu through December 18th (not combined with any other offer and, not available on special occasions). Savor Sarasota is a 3 course menu dinner for $35.00 per person. The restaurant offers a Portuguese and an Italian menu. They are open Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 9PM. Fridays and Sundays 5 to 9:30pm. With indoor and outdoor seating available. Easy and free parking. Menu can be viewed here:https://www.amorelbk.com/savor-sarasota/
The world’s sexiest thief. A pair of history’s greatest lovers. The Merry Band that made redistributing wealth cool. Here, finally, is the real story of the disgraced nobleman, forced into the wilderness, who seeks revenge not only for himself but against an unjust system. He rescues the damsel, or perhaps along the way, discovers she doesn’t need any rescuing. Five-time Tony-nominated playwright Douglas Carter Beane–who re-invented Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella so deliciously–reunites with Lewis Flinn, his Give it Up/Lysistrata Jones collaborator, to bring to life this hilarious and stirring new musical adventure. Contains mature themes. Recommended for age 14+. Hood will take place June 11 - June 26, 2022 with Previews June 3-10, 2022.
Athena by Gracie Gardner Directed by Summer Wallace will run from June 10 to July 10, 2022. Mary Wallace and Athena are brave young fencers training for the Junior Olympics. They practice together, they compete against each other, they spend their lives together. They just wish they were friends.
Circus fans of all ages, from near and far, can beat the heat at reasonable prices while experiencing the best of the circus arts. Some of the circus world’s most exciting acts have signed on for the annual show - a longtime partnership of the Circus Arts Academy and The Ringling - with performances presented over nine weeks this summer. The lineup for the Summer Circus Spectacular includes a wide range of acts, including duo lyra, adagio, hand balancing/contortion, rolla bolla, and more. Show times are 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Tickets are $18/adults, $12/children 12 and under. To complete their circus experience, Summer Circus Spectacular patrons can enjoy access to the Circus Museum on the day they attend a show for just an additional $5 – an incredible value for a full day’s entertainment. Go to Ringling.org or call the Box Office at 941-360-7399.
Historic Asolo Theater at The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
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