Gwen MacKenzie It wasn’t the weather that drew Gwen MacKenzie, 50, from Detroit to Sarasota this May, she emphasizes. Instead, she came to serve as the new chief executive officer of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System because SMH is known as an outstanding hospital. She cites a U.S. News & World Report article that ranked [...]

At a recent edible flower seminar at the Crowley Museum & Nature Center, Joan Kershaw, owner of Floral Concept, demonstrated that the proof is indeed in the pudding-or, in this instance, in the delectable floral delights she served. A peppery gazpacho strewn with arugula blossoms, nasturtium stuffed with savory cream cheese, an herb and flower [...]

Tres Chic Give your windows a chic European vibe with these retractable awnings from Durasol. With non-corrosive hardware and acrylic fabrics in more than 200 colors and patterns, these shady beauties cool interiors and decrease energy consumption. Options such as wind sensors and remote control access make operating the awnings a breeze. Durasol SunGuard Elite [...]

When I noticed a new French restaurant had "Sylvie" in its name, I wondered if the proprietor knew that the French name (and its owner) had a long and respected culinary history in this town. But when I visited the eatery, I discovered that the new Sylvie is the original Sylvie, this time joined by [...]

Rollover DJ New musician of the moment is DJ Rus Deep, whose "tribal house" music is being heard at cool parties in venues around Sarasota. Deep is just in from New York City to start up a production event company, Plush Entertainment, which will feature music from Deep and two other DJs and catering from [...]

When my daughter was seven, she returned from a weekend with her father and his new wife, who had entertained guests while she was there. Kate was used to my parties, which tended to be rowdy gatherings of artists, writers and ne’er-do-wells, and her father’s event had been a little staid for her tastes. "When [...]

Eighteen-year-old Benjamin Dictor raised a ruckus last year when he founded Mobilized Youth, inspiring hundreds of Sarasota teens to rise from their Playstations and work for voter registration, keeping Planned Parenthood educators in public schools and more. The group recently opened its first headquarters, and Dictor, who graduated in May from the Law and Public [...]