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The ocean supplies the food we eat, the air we breath, the water we drink. It’s our planet’s life support system. And it’s at risk. Pollution is changing the basic chemistry of the ocean. Overfishing is damaging fish stocks. The trickle down effect is huge: people’s livelihoods, the food on our plates, the health of our planet, and the entire eco-system, all in danger. But you can make a difference.
Join volunteers from around Sarasota County to collect trash polluting our waterways. This is an Ocean Conservancy initiative which began in 1986. More than 18 million pounds of trash was collected by nearly 500,000 volunteers during the 2016 International Coastal Cleanup.
This year’s event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. Registration will open in August 2018.
For more information or to sign up to volunteer visit Sarasota County Government
Whole Foods just opened recently at University Parkway and Honore Avenue (near UTC) in Sarasota. The grocery part of the store is set up like you would expect but in the front corner they have a café named Brasserie Honore. It is a French themed menu and a very casual space. There are quite a few tables and a bar with beer and wine service. All of the food is prepared behind the bar.
We checked it out and were able to take advantage of their Happy Hour (4-7 pm) which offers a $2 discount on beer, wine, personal pizzas and burgers if you sit at the bar. They feature several beers from local breweries. The menu has selections that would be good any time of day from Toast & Egg in the morning to Main Courses for dinner. I ordered the Moules-Frites (mussels served with black truffle fries) and my husband ordered a Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich.
I wouldn’t call this fine dining but it was certainly good food and convenient to grab a bite before shopping…you don’t want to grocery shop hungry!
Summer is in full swing and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall continues to host Friday Fest which is a free outdoor concert series. On August 17th from 5-9pm the band Rebel Heart will be performing. This is a fun event on the south bayside lawn where you can bring a chair, blanket or whatever to sit on. Many vendors are available for food and drink purchase. Outside food and drinks are not permitted.
Rebel Heart’s music features some of today’s most popular country songs, mixed with a healthy dose of hits from pop, rock, dance, and the blues. Rebel Heart’s 5-piece band puts on a high-energy, powerful and melodic country rock act that is a must-see!
The bayside lawn is the perfect spot to enjoy a Sarasota sunset so come out and join in the fun!
For more information visit: http://www.vanwezel.org/boxoffice/rebel-heart/
The Sarasota and Manatee market stays on trend with increasing home sales, rising median prices and low inventory in June 2018. Sarasota County and Manatee County reported a total of 2,097 closed sales in June 2018, a 5.2 percent increase from last year. In the condo market, Sarasota sales increased by 3.8 percent to 384, while Manatee condo sales increased by 20.9 percent to 278. As for single-family homes, Manatee sales increased by 4.8 percent to 637, while Sarasota increased by 1.7 percent to 798.
Combined pending sales, or the number properties that went under contract this month, increased by 3 percent from June of 2017. In Manatee County, condo pending sales are up by 7.3 percent, while single-family pending sales are up by 9.9 percent. As for Sarasota County, there was no change in the condo market and a 2.3 percent decrease in single-family home pending sales.
Overall, inventory is down compared to June 2017. Sarasota single-family homes decreased by 3.4 percent, while Manatee single-family homes decreased by 1.1 percent. Sarasota condo inventory increased by 1.9 percent, while Manatee condo inventory is down by 2.8 percent in the two-county area.
Median sales prices continue to rise. Sarasota single-family homes increased by 1.6 percent to $279,500, while Manatee increased by 0.8 percent to $300,000. Condo prices in Sarasota increased by 2.7 percent to $221,250 and Manatee increased by 4.9 percent to $191,500.
At less than 5 months to deplete the current inventory, the two counties represent a seller’s market in June 2018. Manatee condos are at a 4.1-month supply, a 6.8 percent decrease from last year. Sarasota condos are at a 4.5 month-supply, a 6.3 percent decrease. Both Manatee and Sarasota single-family homes decreased to a 4.1-month supply of inventory.
To view the full press release or to view the statistical charts visit: Sarasota Manatee Realtors
There are so many things to do in paradise this month. It’s a great time to get out and enjoy all that our area has to offer. Here’s just a few of the activities happening in the area during the month of August:
| Date | Event or Activity | Location | Click Link for
More Information |
| Aug. 1-4th | Sarasota Slam Fishing Tournament | Sarasota | SarasotaSlam.com |
| Aug. 1-5th | Florida State DanceSport Championships | Sarasota | Florida State Dance |
| Aug. 2-4th | 6th Annual Summer Cabaret Festival | Venice | Venice Theatre |
| Aug. 3rd | Palm Avenue Art Walk | Sarasota | Palm Avenue |
| Aug. 3rd | Music on Main | Lakewood Ranch | LakewoodRanch.com |
| Aug. 3rd | Live Music in the Park | Sarasota | Cafe in the Park |
| Aug. 3-5th | Tampa Bay Comic Con | Tampa | Tampa Bay Comic Con |
| Aug. 4th | Art Making at the Children’s Welcome Center | Sarasota | Ringling Museum of Art |
| Aug. 4th | Aquapalooza | Sarasota | MarineMax |
| Aug. 4th | Venice Farmers Market | Venice | Venice Farmers Market |
| Aug. 4-5th | Sarasota Swap Meet | Sarasota | Sarasota Swap Meet |
| August 4th | 4th Annual Manatee County-Wide
Pet Adopt-A-Palooza |
Palmetto | VolunteerMatch.org |
| Aug. 4-5th | ReptiCon | Sarasota | ReptiCon.com |
| Aug. 5th | Very Merry Jerry Day | Sarasota | WSLR Sarasota |
| Aug. 7th | Final Kids Summer Beach Run | Siesta Key | Manasota Track Club |
| Aug. 8-19th | “On Golden Pond” | Sarasota | The Players Theater |
| Aug. 9-26th | “Newsies” | Bradenton | Manatee Performing Arts Center |
| Aug. 11th | Tiki Fest | Punta Gorda | Fisherman’s Village |
| Aug. 16th | Venice Wine Walk | Venice | Venice Calendar |
| Aug. 17th | Rebel Heart @ Friday Fest | Sarasota | Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall |
| Aug. 17-19th | Gem, Jewelry & Bead Show | Sarasota | Sarasota Municipal Auditorium |
| Aug. 18-28th | 62nd Annual Englewood Pioneer Festival | Englewood | Englewood Pioneer Days |
| Aug. 21-31st | “Gilbert & Sullivan Unplugged” | Sarasota | Florida Studio Theatre |
| Aug. 21-26th | Bradenton Marauders Home Games | Bradenton | Bradenton Marauders |
| Aug. 25th | Bradentucky Bombers Roller Derby | Bradenton | Bradentucky Bombers |
| Aug. 25th | Historic Venice Train Depot Tour | Venice | Venice Historical Society |
Call us when you are ready to make your move! To search for homes in the area go to View Homes On The Gulf Coast. We’re here to help you every step of the way…call us today!
We recently took a day trip down to Englewood as we had never had an occasion to check out the town. Since we arrived close to noon we found a great lunch spot called Farlow’s On The Water. The owner, Keith Farlow, grew up in the Caribbean and you can find dishes on the menu that have that influence. His wife has a passion for Southern cooking so there is also a southern twist on the menu like fried green tomatoes. All of the food is made fresh daily and the herbs used are grown in their garden right at the restaurant. We ordered the fish tacos and a grouper sandwich which were well prepared and delicious. You can check out their menu here: http://www.farlowsonthewater.com
Farlow’s participated in the Savor Sarasota promotion in June and has extended that special menu through July so you can have a multi-course lunch for $16 per person and dinner for $32 per person. They have inside and outside dining and a cozy bar with a great selection of specialty cocktails. They are open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.
After lunch we headed over to historic Dearborn Street. On the first Saturday of every month they have a car show called Cruisin’ On Dearborn. The event actually doesn’t start until 5pm but cars arrive much earlier to get the best spot. There are many quaint shops and restaurants along the street and it’s just a fun place to stroll around. They frequently have events on Dearborn Street so check out this website to see what’s happening now: https://oldeenglewood.com
The 10th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival is coming to Florida Studio Theatre in July on the 12th, 13th and14th – that’s THREE days of non-stop comedy coming your way. Troupes are coming from all over the country – and from as far away as France and Spain – all ready to bring their best spontaneous hilarity to the Gulf Coast.
Featuring not one, not two, but an unprecedented THREE headliners – Baby Wants Candy (Chicago), Impro Madrid (Spain), and Impro Theatre (LA) – one for each day of the Festival. Plus, several returning favorites including North Coast (NYC), Parallelogramophonograph (Austin, TX), ImprovBoston (Boston, MA), STACKED (Chicago, IL), and Available Cupholders (Austin, TX).
Click the link below for the full Festival lineup. Passes and workshops are all available for purchase at the link below, or by calling the FST box office at 941.366.9000.
The Realtors Association of Sarasota and Manatee reports that both counties have closed more home sales so far in 2018 than sales in January through May of 2017. Inventory is still tight and median prices continue to rise year-over-year. Overall, this month reports more closed sales and pending sales across the two counties.
The two-county area reported 2,191 total closed sales, a one percent increase from May 2017. In the condo market, Sarasota sales increased by 6.4 percent to 452, while Manatee condo sales increased by 16.8 percent to 278. As for single-family homes, Manatee sales increased by 2.6 percent to 641, while Sarasota County decreased by 0.2 percent to 820.
The number of properties that went under contract this month increased by 8.2 percent from May of 2017. In the two-county area, condo pending sales increased by 6.6 percent, while single-family homes increased by 9 percent. Pending sales can be a good indicator of future closed sales.
Inventory remains tight in the two-county area. Sarasota single-family homes decreased by 5.9 percent, while Manatee single family homes increased by 0.8 percent. As for condos, Sarasota inventory increased by 1.8 percent, while Manatee condo inventory is down by 0.9 percent in the two-county area.
Median sales prices continue to rise in Sarasota and Manatee. Manatee single-family home prices increased by 2 percent to $305,000 and Sarasota increased by 8 percent to $280,750. Condo prices in Sarasota increased by 4 percent to $234,675 and Manatee decreased by 1.3 percent to $183,750.
Year-over-year, the month’s supply of inventory continues to decrease, indicating a seller’s market. Manatee condos represent a 4.5-month supply and Sarasota condos are at a 4.8 monthsupply.
Manatee single-family homes are at a 4.3-month supply and Sarasota single-family homes are at a 4.2-month supply. Inventory may be tight, but the median time to contract showed an overall increase this month.
Sarasota condos spent 63 days on the market, a 3.3 percent increase from this time last year. Manatee condos also increased with a 14.9 percent jump to 54 days. For single-family homes, the median time to contract is up by 12.8 percent in Manatee to 53 days, while Sarasota is down to 45 days, a 2.2 percent decrease.
Monthly reports are provided by Florida REALTORS® with data compiled from My Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service. For comprehensive statistics dating back to 2005, visit www.MyRASM.com/statistics.
Celebrate our nation’s independence this month by getting out and enjoying all that our area has to offer. Here’s just a few of the activities happening in the area during the month of July:
| Date | Event or Activity | Location | Click Link for
More Information |
| July 1-28th | Summer Circus Spectacular | Sarasota | Ringling.org |
| July 1-4th | Grand Prix Super Boat Race and Festival Downtown | Sarasota | Sarasota Power Boat Grand Prix |
| July 3rd | Charlotte Stone Crabs Minor League Baseball & Fireworks | Port Charlotte | Charlotte Stone Crabs MLB |
| July 3rd | Fireworks on the Lake | Sarasota | Nathan Benderson Park |
| July 3rd | Bradenton Marauders Baseball Game & Fireworks | Bradenton | Bradenton Marauders MLB |
| July 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 | Kids Summer Beach Runs | Siesta Key | Sarasota County Parks & Recreation |
| July 4th | Fourth of July Fireworks 25th Anniversary Celebration | Siesta Key | Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce |
| July 4th | 6th Annual Fourth Festival | Palmetto | City of Palmetto |
| July 4th | “Patriotic Spectacular” | Sarasota | Choral Artists of Sarasota |
| July 6th | Music on Main | Lakewood Ranch | LakewoodRanch.com |
| July 6-7th | Summer Artwalk | Bradenton | Village of the Arts |
| July 6, 13, 20, 27 | “Live from Downtown, It’s Friday Night” | Sarasota | Downtown Sarasota Alliance |
| July 7, 14, 21, 28 | Selby’s Splashing Saturdays | Sarasota | Selby Gardens |
| July 7-8th | Dig the Beach Volleyball Tournament | Siesta Key | Dig the Beach |
| July 8th | Siesta Farmer’s Market | Siesta Key | Siesta Farmer’s Market |
| July 12-14th | 10th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival | Sarasota | Florida Studio Theatre |
| July 14th | Bradentucky Bombers Roller Derby at Ellenton Ice & Sports Complex | Ellenton | Bradentucky Bombers |
| July 20-21st | “The Little Mermaid” | Bradenton | Manatee Performing Art Center |
| July 21st | Christmas in July | Venice | Venice Main Street |
| July 25-28th | Shark Days at Mote | Lido Key | Mote Aquarium |
| July 25th –
August 11th |
“Rockin’ Down Fairytale Lane” | Sarasota | West Coast Black Theatre |
| July 27th | “Friday Fest” at the Van Wezel | Sarasota | Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall |
| July 28th | Antique Flea Market | Arcadia | Arcadia Antiques |
| July 28-29th | 8th Annual Mystic Faire | Sarasota | Mystic Faire |
| July 28th | Downtown Sarasota Farmer’s Market | Sarasota | Sarasota Farmer’s Market |
Call us when you are ready to make your move! To search for homes in the area go to View Homes on the Gulf Coast. We’re here to help you every step of the way…call us today!
I had the pleasure of dining at Capital Grille last night and took advantage of their Savor Sarasota menu which was a great deal and an excellent dining experience. The ambience is very classy with low lighting and many booths which create an intimate experience. They also have a cozy bar and an outdoor patio. The regular menu is what you would expect for a fine dining evening but I have to say it’s worth it because of the quality of the food and service.
We started out with drinks and were not rushed to order. The wait staff is very attentive without being intrusive or pushy. Once we did order the first course came out quickly and to order. We had the wedge with bleu cheese & smoked bacon and the Caesar salad with Grana Padano croutons. They were both plentiful and tasty.
Main courses we had were the 8oz. filet mignon and seared citrus glazed salmon with Marcona almonds & brown butter…both were excellent. Side dishes come out family style to share and the quality there was also good. Dessert choices on this special menu were a flourless chocolate espresso cake and classic crème brulee…YUM!
Even though Savor Sarasota only lasts for two weeks during the summer for most restaurants I would still go to Capital Grille for a nice date night. If you haven’t been I highly recommend it!
Capital Grille is located at the University Town Center Mall. You can make reservations through Open Table on their website below or call them at 941-256-3647. They are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
