Best of Sarasota 2017

The 256 absolute best things to taste, buy, do and love in Sarasota-Manatee. The 256 absolute best things to taste, buy, do and love in Sarasota-Manatee.

In this issue:

Arts & Entertainment

Best of Sarasota 2017

Best of Sarasota 2017: Best New Arts & Entertainment

Our editors' top picks from Sarasota's arts and culture scene.

04/26/2017 By Staff

Breakthrough Bands

Catch Some Rising Musical Stars at the Harvey Milk Festival

The festival runs May 11-13 at Five Points Park in downtown Sarasota.

04/26/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Heart Beat

Beatsville Premieres at Asolo Rep This Month

A husband-and-wife team brings beatniks back in a new musical at Asolo Rep.

04/26/2017 By Kay Kipling

Fond Farewell

A Fond Farewell to Longboat Key Center for the Arts

After six decades, the art center closes this month.

04/26/2017 By Kay Kipling

Act II

A Local Singer Discovers Her Half-Brother—and Revives Her Career

Twinkle Schascle Yochim and her half-brother Tony LeClerc make beautiful music together.

04/26/2017 By Dennis Maley

Best of Sarasota

Best of Sarasota 2017

The Best of Sarasota 2017

The 256 absolute best things to taste, buy, do and love in Sarasota-Manatee.

04/26/2017 By Staff

Eat & Drink

Best of Sarasota

Best of Sarasota 2017: Best New Food & Drink

The best new steakhouses, sushi, pizza, dessert, brunch, bakeries and more.

04/26/2017 By Staff

Libations

The Margarita Is So Perfectly Local, We're Willing to Rewrite History

In the month of Cinco de Mayo, we celebrate the margarita and other cool tequila drinks.

04/26/2017 By Hannah Wallace

Fashion & Shopping

Best of Sarasota 2017

Best of Sarasota 2017: Best New Shops & Services

The best things to buy in Sarasota right now.

04/26/2017 By Staff

Fairy Godmother

Christine Mayer Helps Girls' Prom Dreams Come True

Mayer spends much of prom season in a room in a school board building she calls “The Closet,” helping hundreds of girls find the dress of their dreams.

04/26/2017 By Pam Daniel

The Feel Factor

Trend Report: Texture

Texture added visual weight and balance to fashions on the spring runways, and it can do the same to living spaces.

04/26/2017 By Alicia King Robinson

Health & Fitness

Saving Babies

Infant Swimming Resource Helps Kids Learn Water-Survival Techniques

Every parent’s nightmare, especially in Florida, starts with a young child falling into a pool, or off a dock, or into a pond. What happens next is the difference between life and death.

04/26/2017 By Hannah Wallace

Home & Real Estate

Tiny House

Tour a Historic Burns Court Bungalow

This pint-sized home has outsize appeal.

04/26/2017 By Ilene Denton

Tiny House

Home Tour: A Historic Burns Court Bungalow

This pint-sized home has outsize appeal.

04/26/2017 By Ilene Denton

News & City Life

Ghosts of the Circus

All Over Our Region, Haunting Relics of the Greatest Show on Earth Remain

After a long goodbye, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is going out of business.

05/01/2017 By Robert Plunket

Best of Sarasota 2017

Best of Sarasota 2017: Readers' Poll

Drumroll, please: here are the results of our annual readers' poll.

04/26/2017 By Staff

Ghosts of the Circus

All Over Our Region, Haunting Relics of the Greatest Show on Earth Remain

After a long goodbye, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is going out of business.

04/26/2017 By Robert Plunket

Only in Sarasota

Only in Sarasota: Alfred R. Goldstein Library, Ringling College

Sarasota's newest library has a Florida view.

04/26/2017 Illustrations by John Pirman

People Person

Populism Inspires Sarasota Resident Jerry Springer's TV Show—and His Politics

Springer estimates that he’s done 200 shows a year for 26 years, with an average of 10 guests a show, which means roughly 50,000 Americans have appeared on TV with him.

04/26/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Made in SRQ

PGT Makes Storm-Resistant Windows

The company can manufacture some of the biggest windows in the industry without sacrificing strength and stability.

04/26/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Why I Care

Why I Care: Gene Rose Feeds the Homeless

An encounter with a homeless man caused Gene Rose to start volunteering at the Salvation Army.

04/26/2017 By Ilene Denton

Mr. Chatterbox

Our Humor Columnist's Picks for the Best of Sarasota 2017

Joe Gruters, Steve Bannon, Jesse Biter, Betty Schoenbaum and Katherine Harris all make Mr. C's list.

04/26/2017 By Robert Plunket

From the Editor

From the Editor: Celebrating Sarasota

As we roll out our Best of Sarasota Issue, we win some awards of our own.

04/26/2017 By Pam Daniel

Liquid Highways

Can a New Ferry and Water Taxis Help Reduce Our Growing Gridlock?

Can a new ferry and water taxis help reduce our growing gridlock?

04/26/2017 By Ilene Denton

Time Bombs

The Clock is Ticking on Florida's Mountains of Hazardous Phosphate Waste

Phosphate has also seeded Florida with the environmental equivalent of ticking time bombs.

04/26/2017 By Craig Pittman

Travel & Outdoors

Crystal Vision

The Amateur Sand Sculpture Competition Returns This Month

Sand sculptors turn Siesta’s quartz sand into magical creations.

04/26/2017 By Pam Daniel