wcw SEPT 2023
Our September issue has a profile with Carla Nierman, Executive Director of ArtCenter Manatee. Features news of Forks & Corks, the Arcadia Opera House, Key Chorale, Good News Dept., Calendars, You're News, Travel News, smoking cessation and more!
Our September issue has a profile with Carla Nierman, Executive Director of ArtCenter Manatee. Features news of Forks & Corks, the Arcadia Opera House, Key Chorale, Good News Dept., Calendars, You're News, Travel News, smoking cessation and more!
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<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong><br />
CEO at<br />
ArtCenter Manatee<br />
A NEW BUILDING<br />
is on the Horizon<br />
Also in this issue:<br />
■ Arts: Key Chorale’s<br />
Season<br />
■ Good News Dept.<br />
■ Preserved: Arcadia’s<br />
Opera House
Named Best Local Countertops<br />
by SRQ MAGAZINE for the 2 ND YEAR!<br />
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VISIT US AT OUR DESIGN CENTER AT 601 6TH AVENUE WEST • BRADENTON, FLORIDA<br />
2 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong><br />
contents<br />
Editor and Publisher<br />
Louise M. Bruderle<br />
Email: westcoastwoman@comcast.net<br />
Contributing Writer<br />
Carol Darling<br />
Contributing Photographer<br />
Evelyn England<br />
Art Director/Graphic Designer<br />
Kimberly Carmell<br />
Assistant to the Publisher<br />
Mimi Gato<br />
West Coast Woman is published<br />
monthly (12 times annually) by<br />
LMB Media, Inc., Louise Bruderle,<br />
President. All contents of this<br />
publication are copyrighted and<br />
may not be reproduced. No part<br />
may be reproduced without the<br />
written permission of the publisher.<br />
Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs<br />
and artwork are welcome, but return<br />
cannot be guaranteed.<br />
HOW TO REACH US:<br />
Email: westcoastwoman@comcast.net<br />
Here are our columns:<br />
n Out & About: includes<br />
fundraisers, concerts, art exhibits,<br />
lectures, dance, poetry, shows<br />
& performances, theatre, film,<br />
seasonal events and more.<br />
n You’re News: job announcements,<br />
appointments and promotions,<br />
board news, business news and<br />
real estate news.<br />
FOLLOW US AT:<br />
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/<br />
WCWmedia<br />
focus on the arts<br />
Key Chorale announces Season 39 – experience a U.S.<br />
premiere by an Iranian composer based on an ancient<br />
Persian love story, be swept away by the Argentine Tango,<br />
be immersed in Johann Sebastian Bach, and experience<br />
the harmonies of Eric Whitacre and Morten Lauridsen.<br />
p18<br />
feature<br />
The 2024 Forks & Corks Food and<br />
Wine Festival is back. The five-day<br />
epicurean event now runs Jan. 25-28<br />
Get the details and ticket info on<br />
p13<br />
dining in<br />
September is Mushroom Month -<br />
go beyond the Basic Button.<br />
p24<br />
EARS<br />
WCW<br />
35<br />
YEARS<br />
WCW Mailing Address:<br />
P.O. Box 819<br />
Sarasota, FL 34230<br />
email:<br />
westcoastwoman@comcast.net<br />
website:<br />
www.westcoastwoman.com<br />
west coast<br />
WOMAN<br />
feature<br />
Read about how the Heard Opera House has<br />
been recovered as an Arcadia Landmark.<br />
More than a century old, it serves as a<br />
resilient reminder of town’s history.<br />
p28<br />
departments<br />
4 editor’s letter<br />
7 Out & About: listings for things to do<br />
13 feature: Forks & Corks<br />
Food and Wine Festival<br />
14 healthier you: The Renewal Point<br />
15 health: all about craniosacral therapy<br />
16 west coast woman: Carla Nierman<br />
18 focus on the arts: Key Chorale<br />
19 your health: e-cigarettes and vaping<br />
20 good news in our community<br />
22 you’re news<br />
24 dining in: Mushroom Month<br />
26 travel news: Mello on Anna Maria<br />
28 feature: Heard Opera House<br />
Recovers as Arcadia Landmark<br />
29 healthier you: Meet Dr. Cifra<br />
■ on the cover: Carla Nierman<br />
■ Image: Louise Bruderle<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 3
just some<br />
thoughts<br />
Louise Bruderle<br />
Editor and Publisher<br />
West Coast Woman<br />
Carla Nierman,<br />
Executive Director<br />
at ArtCenter Manatee<br />
Congratulations to Carla Nierman, the executive director<br />
at ArtCenter Manatee and her hard-working staff, volunteers,<br />
donors, funders and fans. This month they will break<br />
ground on their new building which will not only transform<br />
the ArtCenter, but also downtown Bradenton.<br />
So it’s fitting we are profiling Carla in this month’s<br />
WCW. She’s been a stalwart at ArtCenter Manatee having,<br />
Carla Nierman as she puts it, worked every job there and thus knows the<br />
Photo: Louise Bruderle<br />
organization very well. When we met months ago, there<br />
was excitement in the air as the architect’s drawings showed a beautiful and<br />
striking design that will also increase their space from the current 10,000 sq. ft.<br />
to a 28,000-square-foot facility renamed the Herrig Center for the Arts.<br />
ArtCenter Manatee has been around for 86 years and the nonprofit visual<br />
arts center offers, “a platform for artists of all age and experience levels to<br />
create, exhibit, and market their work,” according to their website. They also<br />
“connect artists with the skills, information and services they need to make a<br />
living and a life.’<br />
And there’s more, by staying downtown, they will contribute greatly to<br />
Manatee County’s and Bradenton’s goal of becoming “a destination for the arts<br />
by making art accessible to individuals and businesses through our classes,<br />
exhibits, events, and artisan gift shop.”<br />
Read more about the woman who has been at ArtCenter Manatee for 17 years<br />
— 10 as Executive Director — and who is leading the way in a very exciting<br />
time for not just the Center, but also for Bradenton.<br />
Kudos to the Players of Sarasota<br />
The Players has formed The Stage at Payne Park LLC (The Stage), a wholly-owned<br />
subsidiary nonprofit organization of The Players, Inc. The new<br />
organization intends to remodel the existing Payne Park auditorium for its new<br />
home at a cost of $8 million. The Players<br />
will match dollar for dollar all community<br />
donations up to $4 million, reducing<br />
the future capital campaign fundraising<br />
amount to $4 million.<br />
The Stage will offer “an inclusive environment<br />
that inspires cultural creativity,<br />
acts as an incubator for the performing<br />
arts community to thrive, and gives aspiring<br />
performers a platform to produce<br />
left to right: Brian McCarthy, board member for<br />
The Players; William Skaggs, CEO of The Players;<br />
Bill Porter, chair of The Players Board of Trustees;<br />
Bill Rusling, co-chair of facilities committee for<br />
The Players; Steven Butler, artistic director for<br />
The Players<br />
and showcase original productions,”<br />
according to a press release. The 299-seat<br />
auditorium will feature flexible space for<br />
a diverse lineup of performances, workshops,<br />
and community events. To learn<br />
more, visit TheStagePaynePark.org.<br />
A year ago - Ian wreaked havoc<br />
Hurricane Ian made landfall near Sanibel and Captiva islands with 155 mph<br />
sustained winds just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28 as a Category 4 hurricane.<br />
Winds were just under the cut-off for a Category 5 distinction, which is 157<br />
mph or higher.<br />
Hurricane Ian was the third-costliest ($113 billion) weather disaster on<br />
record, the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935<br />
Labor Day hurricane, and the<br />
strongest hurricane to make<br />
landfall in Florida since Michael<br />
in 2018. 150 people died in Florida<br />
due to Ian.<br />
Due to some amazing luck, if<br />
that’s the word, Sarasota County<br />
was mostly unscathed by Ian<br />
though there was damage in<br />
south county most notably Venice<br />
Theatre, which lost its main stage.<br />
Much of the damage was from flooding brought about by a storm surge of<br />
10–15 ft. The cities of Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples were particularly hard<br />
hit, leaving millions without power in the storm’s wake and numerous people<br />
forced to take refuge on their roofs.<br />
Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, and Pine Island bore the brunt of Ian’s<br />
powerful winds and its accompanying storm surge at landfall, which leveled<br />
nearly all standing structures and collapsed the Sanibel Causeway and<br />
the Matlacha Bridge to Pine Island, entrapping those left on the islands for<br />
several days.<br />
WCW is printed by Breeze Printing in Fort Myers, just 30 minutes from Fort<br />
Myers Beach. They hardly skipped a beat even though it took awhile for power<br />
and internet to be restored to the plant. Trucks couldn’t get in or out due to a<br />
large stretch of I-75 being underwater.<br />
And they did this with the staff and general manger having to deal with homes<br />
without power and internet while some were flooded out. It was hard to reach<br />
the plant’s manager since her phone service was on and off and also because<br />
there were few locations to charge up.<br />
Long story short, I helped her navigate how things were going down there -<br />
when power would come to her plant and her home - from up here in Sarasota.<br />
She gave me zip codes, I went online and looked up when power would be<br />
restored to the plant and to her home. I also told her about the status of roads —I-<br />
75 for one — being shut down. She had no idea it was flooded.<br />
I also posted nonstop —perhaps annoyingly to some — updates that I received<br />
from local and state authorities on to my personal and business Facebook pages.<br />
I knew that many people couldn’t access news except for an occasional glance on<br />
their phones. How fragile we are and how weak we are when faced with nature’s<br />
full force.<br />
Nonprofits: Need Help with<br />
Communications?<br />
Local PR chapter launches pro bono<br />
program, ‘Mission Mavericks’<br />
The Central West Coast chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association<br />
(CWC-FPRA) launched a new endeavor, as part of its commitment to “give back”<br />
to the community. In the coming program year, the chapter will provide pro<br />
bono communications<br />
support in an area of<br />
acute need to nonprofits<br />
and/or eligible for-profit<br />
companies through the<br />
“Mission Mavericks”<br />
program. The application<br />
window is now open.<br />
The program is open<br />
to 501(c)(3) nonprofits<br />
and for-profit companies<br />
(considered on a<br />
case-by-case basis, with<br />
priority going to newly-established<br />
entities The 2022-<strong>2023</strong> Board of Directors of the Central West Coast chapter<br />
with a social purpose or<br />
of the Florida Public Relations Association. Photo by Nancy Guth<br />
intention) in need with limited or no PR, communications and/or marketing<br />
staff. The organization or business must be based in or conduct significant<br />
business/activities in Sarasota, Manatee and/or DeSoto counties. In order to be<br />
considered, the organization must demonstrate an acute PR, communications,<br />
or marketing need.<br />
Applications will be accepted through October 1; applicants will be notified<br />
of their status by October 31. All project work will be conducted between November<br />
1, <strong>2023</strong> through February 28, 2024.<br />
Learn more and apply at cwcfpra.com/mission-mavericks. Direct any questions<br />
to Hunter Carpenter, CWC-FPRA Community Liaison, at community@<br />
cwcfpra.com.<br />
Coming Up in West Coast Woman<br />
Here’s what we’re working on now:<br />
■ October: Lifelong Learning Issue<br />
■ October: Women’s Health<br />
■ November and December: Focus on the Arts<br />
If you want to be a part of any of those issues, email us at westcoastwoman@<br />
comcast.net.<br />
Louise Bruderle | Editor and Publisher |<br />
westcoastwoman@comcast.net<br />
We welcome your thoughts and comments on this column and on other columns and features in this issue.<br />
You can reach us at westcoastwoman@comcast.net. We’re on the web at www.WestCoastWoman.com.<br />
4 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
<strong>2023</strong> - 2024 Season<br />
Subscriptions &<br />
Single Ballet Tickets<br />
Now Available<br />
Venice Performing Arts Center<br />
December 8th and 9th, <strong>2023</strong><br />
Sarasota Opera House<br />
December 17th and 18th, <strong>2023</strong><br />
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This advanced certification is provided in<br />
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<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 5
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FOLKS STILL ASK, “Do you cater?”<br />
That’s how I launched Nancy’s<br />
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number one independent BBQ caterer in<br />
the Sarasota/Manatee area.<br />
Our menu showcases fresh smoked meats and fillet of salmon, plus<br />
many vegetarian, gluten friendly and vegan choices to accommodate<br />
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From an intimate dinner for twelve to a church picnic for 700:<br />
Our 20 years of experience assures your peace of mind and a delicious<br />
and memorable occasion. In short, we are the catering choice<br />
requiring no explanation.<br />
Y<br />
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through pick up or delivery. It will be my pleasure to talk with you!<br />
Call me at 941-955-3400, or email me at NancysBarBQ@verizon.net.<br />
nancy’s<br />
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CLOSING HOURS:<br />
MON-THURS 9PM DINING ROOM / 12PM BAR<br />
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6 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
out &about<br />
Someone say Fall?<br />
The 12th Annual Tour de North<br />
Port “It’s the Green Pumpkin!” is on<br />
October 22. Registration is open for<br />
this organized on-road scenic bicycle<br />
ride that offers routes of 15, 35, or 65<br />
miles through some of North Port’s<br />
most beautiful, natural settings featuring<br />
the Florida pine flatwoods and<br />
the parks that border the Myakkahatchee<br />
Creek.The Tour de North Port<br />
is not a race. Breakfast, catered lunch,<br />
homemade desserts, fully-stocked rest<br />
stops, mobile SAG. More information<br />
and $50 pre-registration available<br />
at www.peoplefortrees.com. Doors<br />
open at 7 a.m. for breakfast and checkin.<br />
Group starts begin at 8 a.m. from<br />
Imagine School, 2757 Sycamore St. in<br />
North Port. Contact: Alice White, 941-<br />
468-2486.<br />
▼<br />
Artist Series<br />
Concerts<br />
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota<br />
will present 26 concerts during<br />
its 28th season, Stars Ascending.<br />
The season – runs from October 1<br />
through May 14, 2024 and offers<br />
a diverse range of intimate musical<br />
experiences featuring emerging<br />
and established classical, jazz,<br />
pops, and chamber artists presented<br />
at eight venues throughout Sarasota<br />
and Manatee counties.<br />
The season opens October 1 with<br />
a concert in the new Sunday Best<br />
Series presented at First Presbyterian<br />
Church in Sarasota. Chicago-based<br />
collective Nexus Chamber<br />
Music creates unique and engaging<br />
classical music experiences; this<br />
program features piano trios by<br />
Haydn, Brahms, and Ravel.<br />
For more information, visit Artist<br />
SeriesConcerts.org or call (941)<br />
306-1202.<br />
▼<br />
Key Chorale<br />
The season kicks off on September<br />
23 with “Tango.” Billboard Top<br />
10 Duo Ben & Winnie join Key Chorale<br />
to celebrate the passion and<br />
sizzle of the Argentine Tango. Bandoneonist<br />
Ben Bogart, pianist Winnie<br />
Cheung, and 4 traditional tango<br />
dancers take you to the streets of<br />
Buenos Aires.<br />
On October 13-15, Key Chorale<br />
Chamber Singers and Church of the<br />
Redeemer presents its unique take<br />
on Oktoberfest, with a 3-day festival<br />
celebrating the music and genius of<br />
Johann Sebastian Bach. Enjoy four<br />
amazing concerts featuring the stunning<br />
virtuosity of soprano Mary Wilson,<br />
trumpeter Aaron Romm, vocalists,<br />
and chamber orchestra. Concluding<br />
with a Biergarten Experience<br />
of German food, beers from Calusa<br />
Brewing, and music from Bill Milner’s<br />
Oompah Band. For more information,<br />
visit www.keychorale.org.<br />
▼<br />
Special Events<br />
“Step Into the Light: A Mental<br />
Health Summit” is a free event presented<br />
by Sunshine from Darkness<br />
that will empower attendees to learn<br />
new coping skills, promote mental<br />
health wellness, and reduce the stigma<br />
of mental illness.<br />
The event is on October 28, 9 a.m.-<br />
▼<br />
2:30 p.m. at Robarts Arena (3000<br />
Ringling Blvd., Sarasota). The goal of<br />
Step Into the Light is to create a safe<br />
and welcoming environment where<br />
attendees can connect with others<br />
and access valuable community<br />
resources. Keynote speaker Linda<br />
Larsen will speak on “Breaking the<br />
Silence: One Woman’s Ongoing Journey<br />
to Mental Well-being.”<br />
Other speakers will delve into<br />
a wide range of mental health<br />
approaches and topics such as anxiety,<br />
depression, children’s mental<br />
health and generational trauma;<br />
guests also can take part in a wide<br />
range of interactive experiences,<br />
including yoga, art and music therapy,<br />
virtual reality and more.<br />
Whether you’re a client, clinician,<br />
parent, or advocate, you won’t want<br />
to miss this opportunity to learn from<br />
experts, connect with others, and<br />
access valuable community resources.<br />
The Summit is a prelude to the<br />
Sunshine from Darkness 2024 Inspiring<br />
Hope Dinner, which will be held<br />
on January 12, 2024 at the Ritz-Carlton,<br />
Sarasota. For more information,<br />
visit stepintothelight.sunshinefromdarkness.org.<br />
The Roots of Black Music in<br />
America is on September 30 at<br />
Selby Library at 2 p.m. in the Jack<br />
J. Geldbart Auditorium. Producer,<br />
songwriter, teacher, and troubadour,<br />
Karlus Trapp presents his delightful,<br />
educational and entertaining presentation<br />
“The Roots of Black Music<br />
in America.”<br />
It is a 100 year journey back<br />
through time, and offers a fresh perspective<br />
through song, story, and history<br />
to learn about the music of America’s<br />
black musical giants. Hear Scott<br />
Joplin during the birth of Ragtime.<br />
Dance to the Charleston in the 1920’s.<br />
Play air guitar with Chuck Berry or<br />
sing along with the Supremes in the<br />
60’s in the motor city. From public<br />
libraries and arts centers, to school<br />
groups, to senior centers, Karlus has<br />
presented this show solo or with<br />
ensemble to thousands of people<br />
since its inception.<br />
▼<br />
“Sights and Sounds at Waterside<br />
Place” is at Lakewood Ranch. It’s a<br />
new performing and fine arts series.<br />
▼<br />
The Van Wezel’s final Friday Fest concert is on September 22 and features Jah Movement. Bring blankets or lawn<br />
chairs, take in the music and the sunset by the bay, and enjoy food and beverages from local vendors.<br />
Upcoming performances include<br />
West Coast Black Theatre Troupe in<br />
September; the Sarasota Ballet Studio<br />
Company. In October: Asolo Repertory<br />
Theatre, in November; Outof-Door<br />
Academy’s group concert<br />
featuring sounds of the season from<br />
chorus, band and orchestra students.<br />
Coming up:<br />
• The Westcoast Black Theatre<br />
Troupe performs on September 15,<br />
6:30 p.m.<br />
• The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company<br />
performs on October 13, 6 p.m.<br />
The events are free and open to the<br />
public; there is limited seating at the<br />
Plaza, but attendees are welcome to<br />
bring their own seats. Food and beverages<br />
available from Waterside Place<br />
merchants.<br />
For more information on shows,<br />
dates, and times, visit lakewoodranch.<br />
com/sights-sounds.<br />
Fun Raisers<br />
Girls Inc of Sarasota County has<br />
its 6th Annual Totally Tailgate on<br />
Saturday, September 9, 6:30 p.m.<br />
at Michael’s on East. Enjoy tailgate<br />
food, competitive corn hole, beer garden,<br />
multiple screens to watch your<br />
favorite sports teams and live music.<br />
girlsincsrq.org/totally-tailgate.<br />
▼<br />
ALSO Youth “Expressions Exhibition”<br />
is an art showcase featuring the<br />
works of youth artists in Sarasota and<br />
Manatee Counties. “Expressions Exhibition”<br />
is on September 7, 5-7 p.m. at<br />
the Sarasota Opera House.<br />
The Expressions Exhibition will<br />
include a silent auction of local artists’<br />
works, live music, free lite bites, and a<br />
cash bar. Artwork in various mediums<br />
submitted by youth from Sarasota and<br />
Manatee County will also be showcased<br />
in celebration of their creative<br />
expressions. Info: givebutter.com/<br />
expressionsexhibit.<br />
▼<br />
At The Bay<br />
Ride and Paddle at The Bay.<br />
Experience the flora and fauna at The<br />
Bay through a guided kayak nature<br />
tour. Offered every Saturday at 8:30,<br />
a.m. join in for a free, 2-hour, intermediate-level<br />
tour through The Bay’s<br />
restored mangroves and to the north<br />
▼<br />
and south of the park, allowing paddlers<br />
to explore Sarasota Bay and<br />
learn more about The Bay Park from<br />
Ride & Paddle’s experienced guides.<br />
Next dates: September 9, 16, 23<br />
and 30. Location: The Bay Park- Kayak<br />
Launch, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts,<br />
Sarasota. Reservations: www.thebaysarasota.org/.<br />
Get to Know<br />
Southface Sarasota<br />
Southface has a Green Drinks<br />
Meetup on September 21, 5-7<br />
p.m. Join them at Sun King Brewery.<br />
It’s a sustainably good time every<br />
third Thursday of the month. Join<br />
Southface Sarasota members and<br />
local experts to talk sustainability and<br />
network over drinks at the Sun King<br />
Brewery. No registration required.<br />
The event is offered in partnership<br />
with Green Drinks Sarasota and the<br />
USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council).<br />
Held at Sun King Brewing, 1215<br />
Mango Ave., Sarasota. Information:<br />
www.southface.org/sarasota/<br />
▼<br />
Van Wezel Updates<br />
and Friday Fest<br />
The Van Wezel has its free, outdoor<br />
summertime concert series, Friday<br />
Fest. The final concert is on September<br />
22 and features Jah Movement.<br />
Bring blankets or lawn chairs, take<br />
in the music and the sunset by the bay,<br />
and enjoy food and beverages from<br />
local vendors.<br />
The Van Wezel has The Rocky Horror<br />
Picture Show, the longest-running<br />
theatrical release in film history,<br />
on September 30 at 8pm. Fans will be<br />
able to meet and talk with Barry Bostwick,<br />
star of this original cult classic in<br />
person. His iconic portrayal of “Brad<br />
Majors” has thrilled generations of<br />
fans for nearly 50 years.<br />
The show will also feature a costume<br />
contest, a performance by the<br />
local Shadow Cast and a memorabilia<br />
display with artifacts and costumes<br />
from the movie. The Shadow Cast<br />
acts out the movie on stage while the<br />
movie plays on screen. VIP tickets are<br />
available and include a meet and greet<br />
with Barry Bostwick.<br />
Bored Teachers: We Can’t Make<br />
▼<br />
This Stuff Up! Comedy Tour is on<br />
October 13 at 7 p.m. Bored Teachers,<br />
presents the funniest teacher-comedians<br />
in the world all on one stage. The<br />
tour includes the most hilarious and<br />
well-known teacher comedians in the<br />
business with millions of combined<br />
followers as well.<br />
Fresh off the success of another<br />
Backstreet Boys world tour, pop icon<br />
Nick Carter has announced his “Who<br />
I Am” U.S. tour. The tour will mark<br />
Carter’s return to the stage as a solo<br />
artist after seven years, with the singer-songwriter<br />
set to perform tracks<br />
from his solo catalog–along with select<br />
Backstreet Boys favorites and new solo<br />
music–for audiences across the United<br />
States. The “Who I Am” Tour at the VW<br />
is on October 20.<br />
Pre-show dining for both shows is<br />
available through Mattison’s at the Van<br />
Wezel which is located inside the theatre.<br />
Reservations can be made on Van-<br />
Wezel.org or through the box office.<br />
Tickets: www.VanWezel.org<br />
Family Eco Walk<br />
UF/IFAS Extension has Take<br />
a Child Outside Week – Incredible<br />
Insects EcoWalk. Join UF/IFAS<br />
Extension Sarasota County to look for<br />
and learn about insects on September<br />
26, 9-10:30am. Held at Sleeping<br />
Turtles Preserve, North 3462 Border<br />
Rd., Venice. Minors must be accompanied<br />
by an adult guardian.<br />
Join a UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota<br />
County educator on a tour through the<br />
Preserve while we look for and learn<br />
interesting facts about insects, as well<br />
as how to collect, identify, and appreciate<br />
all the six-legged crawlers among us.<br />
Learning more about insects is vital,<br />
as they are essential for the proper<br />
function of all ecosystems, serving as<br />
food for other creatures, pollinators,<br />
nutrient recyclers, and more.<br />
Register only at ufsarasotaext.<br />
eventbrite.com. For questions or further<br />
information, call 941-861-5000 or<br />
email sarasota@ifas.ufl.edu.<br />
▼<br />
Farmer’s Markets<br />
Fresh Harvest Farmers Market<br />
at Wellen Park runs to December 29<br />
and is open 9 am to 1 pm. They’re the<br />
newly launched weekly farmers market<br />
in Downtown Wellen. Fresh Harvest<br />
offers a selection of local goods<br />
from nearly 40 local vendors.<br />
Vendors offer a wide variety of locally<br />
grown and produced food, including<br />
herbs, spices, cut flowers, teas, canned<br />
and preserved fruits and vegetables,<br />
syrups, baked goods, pickled foods,<br />
fresh seafood, meats, poultry, eggs,<br />
milk and prepared food and beverages.<br />
A limited selection of craft vendors<br />
also participate in the farmers market.<br />
For a listing of participating vendors<br />
and more information on Fresh Harvest<br />
Farmers Market, visit wellenpark.<br />
com. Downtown Wellen is at 19745<br />
Wellen Park Blvd., Venice.<br />
▼<br />
Bishop Museum<br />
of Science and<br />
Nature<br />
The Bishop has SHE ENGINEERS<br />
through December 31, <strong>2023</strong>. SHE<br />
ENGINEERS is a bilingual (English<br />
and Spanish) poster exhibition<br />
highlighting eight women in<br />
▼<br />
continued on page 8<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 7
out and about continued<br />
various engineering fields. In their<br />
own words, the women share their<br />
passion and what inspired them to<br />
become engineers.<br />
The Bishop Museum of Science and<br />
Nature, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Information:<br />
bishopscience.org.<br />
Sarasota<br />
Art Museum<br />
Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling<br />
College presents Stephanie J. Woods:<br />
my papa used to play checkers runs<br />
through September 17. In her first<br />
solo museum exhibition, Woods presents<br />
new multidisciplinary works<br />
inspired by her firsthand experience<br />
of West Africa and with themes focusing<br />
on transatlantic cultural continuity<br />
and memories.<br />
• Also on display is The New Black<br />
Vanguard Photography Between<br />
Art And Fashion though September<br />
17. The exhibit presents artists whose<br />
vibrant portraits and conceptual<br />
images fuse the genres of art and fashion<br />
photography in ways that break<br />
down long-established boundaries.<br />
The New Black Vanguard: Photography<br />
between Art and Fashion,<br />
presents artists whose vibrant<br />
portraits and conceptual images fuse<br />
the genres of art and fashion photography<br />
in ways that break down<br />
long-established boundaries.<br />
Their work has been widely consumed<br />
in traditional lifestyle magazines,<br />
ad campaigns, and museums, as<br />
well as on their individual social-media<br />
channels. The images open up<br />
conversations around the representation<br />
of the Black body and Black<br />
lives as subject matter; collectively,<br />
they celebrate Black creativity and the<br />
cross-pollination between art, fashion,<br />
and culture in constructing an image.<br />
This exhibition includes select<br />
works from these groundbreaking<br />
contemporary photographers: Campbell<br />
Addy, Arielle Bobb-Willis, Micaiah<br />
Carter, Awol Erizku, Quil Lemons,<br />
Namsa Leuba, Renell Medrano,<br />
Tyler Mitchell, Jamal Nxedlana,<br />
Daniel Obasi, Ruth Ossai, Adrienne<br />
Raquel, Dana Scruggs, and Stephen<br />
Tayo. A salon wall also features images<br />
created by other young Black photographers<br />
contributing to this movement<br />
while simultaneously proposing<br />
a brilliant re-envisioned future.<br />
Visit sarasotaartmuseum.org/<br />
visit to learn more. Sarasota Art<br />
Museum is located at 1001 S. Tamiami<br />
Trail, Sarasota.<br />
▼<br />
Hermitage Sunsets<br />
@Selby Gardens<br />
The first installment of five “Hermitage<br />
Sunsets @ Selby Gardens”<br />
programs will feature award-winning<br />
writer, actor, and Hermitage Fellow,<br />
Halley Feiffer.<br />
The Hermitage Artist Retreat ’s popular<br />
series, “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby<br />
Gardens,” continues into its fourth year<br />
as part of the Hermitage’s <strong>2023</strong>-2024<br />
season. The outdoor series — a continuing<br />
collaboration between the Hermitage<br />
and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens<br />
— features performances and explorations<br />
of works-in-progress by Hermitage<br />
artists-in-residence and alumni.<br />
“Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens”<br />
events are currently scheduled<br />
to take place at Selby Gardens’<br />
▼<br />
Downtown Sarasota campus<br />
and its Historic Spanish Point<br />
Campus in Osprey. The first of<br />
these events is “The Blurred<br />
Line Between Humor and<br />
Heartbreak: A Playwriting<br />
Workshop,” where award-winning<br />
writer, actor, and Hermitage<br />
Fellow Halley Feiffer will<br />
invite participants into the<br />
creative process on Thursday,<br />
October 5, at 6pm, at Selby<br />
Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota<br />
Campus, 1534 Mound St.,<br />
Sarasota. Admission is free,<br />
but registration is required ($5/<br />
person) at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.<br />
Feiffer is a WGA, Drama<br />
Desk, Drama League, and<br />
Outer Critics Circle-nominated<br />
writer and actor. She is currently<br />
writing and show-running<br />
Season 12 of Ryan Murphy’s<br />
hit television series American<br />
Horror Story, starring Emma<br />
Roberts and Kim Kardashian. She is<br />
also writing the book for the Broadway-bound<br />
stage adaptation of Thelma<br />
& Louise with Neko Case composing.<br />
Her television and film roles include<br />
HBO’s Mildred Pierce, Flight of the<br />
Conchords, and Bored to Death, and<br />
the films The Squid and the Whale,<br />
Gentlemen Broncos, and He’s Way<br />
More Famous than You, which she also<br />
co-wrote. She is currently developing a<br />
film adaptation of her play The Pain of<br />
My Belligerence with Lena Dunham’s<br />
Good Thing Going for her to direct.<br />
“Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby<br />
Gardens” events include:<br />
• October 5, Downtown Sarasota<br />
Campus<br />
• November 30, Historic Spanish<br />
Point Campus<br />
• January 25, 2024, Downtown Sarasota<br />
Campus<br />
• March 28, 2024, Downtown Sarasota<br />
Campus<br />
• May 23, 2024, Historic Spanish Point<br />
Campus<br />
Art Galleries<br />
▼<br />
The first installment of five “Hermitage Sunsets @<br />
Selby Gardens” programs will feature award-winning<br />
writer, actor, and Hermitage Fellow, Halley Feiffer on<br />
October 5 at Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota<br />
Campus.<br />
At Art CenterSarasota: On view to<br />
September 30:<br />
• Lauren Mann, solo exhibition.<br />
Artist Talk: September 7, 5:30-7 pm.<br />
Registration: $5. Lauren Mann is a<br />
portrait artist based in Clearwater,<br />
FL, who specializes in colored pencil<br />
drawings inspired by pattern, color,<br />
and the personalities that surround<br />
her. Mann has exhibited in shows<br />
including “Fresh Squeezed” at the<br />
Morean Arts Center, “Intimate Interiors:<br />
Figures in Space” at the Gainesville<br />
Fine Arts Association Gallery, as<br />
well as “The Nonseniors” and “Realize”<br />
at the 4Most Gallery in Gainesville,<br />
Florida. Mann’s drawings seek<br />
to express familiar emotions through<br />
unique and intimate portraits<br />
• Iren Tete, solo exhibition. Tete is<br />
an artist originally from Sofia, Bulgaria<br />
who is currently based in Gainesville,<br />
FL. Iren is a Visiting Assistant<br />
Professor at the University of Florida<br />
and was recently Visiting Faculty in<br />
Ceramics at Alberta University of the<br />
Arts in Calgary, Canada.<br />
Tete has had solo exhibitions at<br />
Galleri Urbane (Dallas, TX), Gallery<br />
371 (AUArts, Calgary, Canada), and<br />
The Lee Dam Art Center for Fine Art<br />
(Marysville, KS), among others. Her<br />
work has been exhibited in Nebraska,<br />
Texas, New York and Florida. In<br />
2020, she was selected as an Emerging<br />
Artist by Ceramics Monthly Magazine.<br />
Iren has completed residencies<br />
at the Archie Bray Foundation for the<br />
Ceramic Arts (Helena, MT), Zentrum<br />
für Keramik (Berlin, Germany), Northern<br />
Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN),<br />
among others. Her work was featured<br />
in the Latvia Ceramics Biennale and<br />
beinnale Officine Saffi (Milan, Italy)<br />
• Ry McCullough, solo exhibition.<br />
Artist Talk: Thursday, Sept 14, 5:30-7<br />
pm. Registration: $5. McCullough is<br />
an artist and educator, working in<br />
Tampa, FL. He earned his BFA from<br />
Wright State University in Dayton,<br />
OH, where he concentrated in areas<br />
of printmaking and sculpture. Upon<br />
completion of his undergraduate<br />
work, he served as the Director of<br />
Sculptural Studies as well as teaching<br />
printmaking at Stivers School for<br />
the Arts. He has exhibited nationally,<br />
internationally and is the founder of<br />
the Standard Action Press Collaborative<br />
Zine Project.<br />
Location: 707 N. Tamiami Trail,<br />
Sarasota, www.artsarasota.org.<br />
▼<br />
from walking the beaches of<br />
Florida’s west coast searching<br />
for shark teeth.<br />
Paul will be at Island Gallery<br />
and Studios on September<br />
26, from 10 am to 6 pm.<br />
Island West Gallery and<br />
Studios is located at 456 Old<br />
Main Street in downtown<br />
Bradenton. Visit www.islandgalleryandstudios.org.<br />
At The<br />
Ringling<br />
The John and Mable<br />
Ringling Museum of Art<br />
has Mountains of the Mind:<br />
Scholars’ Rocks from China<br />
and Beyond which runs<br />
through June 23, 2024 in<br />
The Ringling’s Ting Tsung<br />
and Wei Fong Chao Center<br />
for Asian Art. The exhibit<br />
features a selection of scholars’<br />
rocks and related paintings and<br />
prints, including rocks recently donated<br />
from the extensive collection of<br />
Nancy and Stan Kaplan, a new acquisition<br />
funded by Lucia and Steve Almquist<br />
and paintings on loan from the<br />
Dongguan Lou Collection.<br />
Scholars’ rocks are collected from<br />
remote geographic locations, where<br />
they have been formed by natural<br />
elements over millions of years. The<br />
stones may then be carved, polished<br />
and inscribed before being displayed<br />
in a custom-made stand to enhance<br />
their visual appeal. Scholars’ rocks are<br />
both natural objects and products of<br />
human creativity.<br />
Mountains of the Mind will feature a<br />
wide array of scholars’ rocks in various<br />
shapes, textures and geological properties.<br />
The rocks are further contextualized<br />
by paintings, prints and texts that<br />
illuminate their cultural importance<br />
for scholars across the centuries. The<br />
stones have been appreciated and admired<br />
in China for more than a thousand<br />
years; historically, connoisseurs<br />
displayed their stones in their studios<br />
alongside paintings and other treasures,<br />
where they served as a focus for<br />
meditation or creative contemplation.<br />
In addition to Chinese objects,<br />
Mountains of the Mind includes Japanese,<br />
Korean, Canadian and Italian<br />
objects, demonstrating how the<br />
appreciation of scholars’ rocks has<br />
diffused from China across East Asia<br />
and beyond.<br />
The John and Mable Ringling<br />
Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd.,<br />
Sarasota. Info: www.ringling.org.<br />
Island Gallery and Studios has<br />
“Expressions of Anna Maria Island<br />
Sunsets: A Retrospective” Drawings<br />
by Larry Paul, September 1-30.<br />
Paul’s sunset series drawings are<br />
expressions of the sun setting over<br />
Anna Maria Island. This retrospective<br />
reveals the evolution of the series’<br />
drawings from the very first drawing<br />
completed in 2017. Personal, yet open<br />
and outwardly expressive, the series<br />
presents an abstract expressionistic<br />
quality with an overlapping and abutting<br />
color technique that contrasts and Theatre<br />
brings the movements together at the At Florida Studio Theatre: Divas<br />
same time. The typical colors are easily Three, a celebration of the artists<br />
inspired by a wild brilliance afforded whose musical impact earned them<br />
by the mix of sunsets, storms, essences the coveted title of “Diva.” In this<br />
of sailing, and open, blue water. dazzling Cabaret, three powerhouse<br />
female vocalists deliver the<br />
Paul is an award-winning artist<br />
who creates unique works of art using biggest hits by some of music’s most<br />
Prismacolor colored pencil, inks, and influential women, such as Aretha<br />
graphite. His art bears a talent that Franklin, Carole King, Celine Dion,<br />
currently includes multiple series and Whitney Houston. Featuring<br />
and sub-series of numbered “experiments”<br />
embracing impressionistic the Name of Love,” “Total Eclipse of the<br />
classics like “We Are Family,” “Stop! In<br />
realism and abstract expressionism Heart,” and “It’s Raining Men.” Divas<br />
drawing styles. From impressionistic<br />
old doors and windows, realistic September 10.<br />
Three runs in the Court Cabaret to<br />
plant drawings, and expressionistic Tickets at FloridaStudioTheatre.org<br />
interpretations of sunsets, Paul’s art<br />
derives from decades of inspiration FST Improv Presents: As Seen on<br />
▼<br />
▼<br />
▼<br />
TV, an original sitcom created on the<br />
spot. Featuring a never-before-heard<br />
theme song and commercials, As Seen<br />
on TV includes all of the elements of<br />
one of America’s favorite forms of televised<br />
entertainment. Runs Saturday<br />
nights through September 30.<br />
Visit www.floridastudiotheatre.org/<br />
The Players Sarasota has Ruthless!<br />
Runs September 28 – October<br />
15. Eight-year-old Tina Denmark<br />
knows she was born to play Pippi<br />
Longstocking, and she will do anything<br />
to win the part in her school<br />
musical. “Anything” includes murdering<br />
the leading lady.<br />
▼<br />
Held at 1130 Theatre, 3501 S. Tamiami<br />
Trail Suite 1130, Sarasota. Tickets: theplayers.org<br />
Manatee Performing Arts Center<br />
has Songs For a New World. This contemporary<br />
song cycle weaves characters<br />
and history together, illuminating<br />
the timelessness of self-discovery.<br />
With a rousing score that blends elements<br />
of pop, gospel and jazz, featuring<br />
tight harmonies and daring vocals,<br />
Songs for a New World transports its<br />
audience from the deck of a Spanish<br />
sailing ship bound for a new land, to<br />
the ledge of a New York penthouse.<br />
▼<br />
Runs September 14-24. Box<br />
Office: 941-748-5878. Manatee Performing<br />
Arts Center is located at<br />
502 Third Avenue W, Bradenton.<br />
Venice Theatre has Reefer Madness<br />
running September 8 to October<br />
8. The campy, over-the-top musical<br />
Reefer Madness, last seen at VT in<br />
2008, pokes hilarious fun at the 1936<br />
cult film. Don’t eat the brownie, and<br />
don’t smoke the demon W**d.<br />
▼<br />
At the Pinkerton Theatre, 140<br />
Tampa Ave. W., Venice. Info: venice<br />
theatre.org/<br />
Selby Gardens<br />
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens<br />
has Diving Into Nature with the iconic<br />
art of Sarasota designer and illustrator<br />
John Pirman. The exhibit will<br />
feature Pirman’s celebrated artwork<br />
inside the Museum of Botany & the<br />
Arts and outside in the Gardens of the<br />
Downtown Sarasota campus.<br />
John Pirman: Diving into<br />
Nature will be on view through<br />
September 17. The show comprises<br />
works spanning Pirman’s long career<br />
in New York City and now in Sarasota,<br />
along with pieces from his formative<br />
years growing up in Ohio.<br />
Several images of Selby Gardens<br />
scenes will be printed in large format<br />
on aluminum and set directly in the<br />
locations that inspired them. Selby<br />
Gardens downtown location is at 1534<br />
Mound Street, Sarasota.<br />
Selby Gardens at www.selby.org.<br />
The virtual gallery is on view through<br />
Sept. 30.<br />
▼<br />
Summer Movies<br />
at Sarasota<br />
Opera House<br />
Sarasota Opera again has its<br />
Summer Classic Movies at the Opera<br />
House.<br />
• From Here to Eternity: September<br />
15 at 7:30 p.m. This Best Picture<br />
winner is a portrait of life on a Hono-<br />
▼<br />
continued on page 10<br />
8 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
<strong>2023</strong><br />
2024<br />
NOV 9<br />
NIGHT OF BROKEN GLASS<br />
<strong>2023</strong><br />
SEASON<br />
Intimate musical experiences.<br />
Season 28 | Stars Ascending<br />
Join us for a diverse range of 26 concerts featuring emerging and accomplished<br />
classical, chamber, jazz, and pop artists from around the globe.<br />
DEC <strong>2023</strong><br />
MORT SKIRBOLL Z”L JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL<br />
MAR 2024<br />
DEC <strong>2023</strong><br />
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK SERIES<br />
APR 2024<br />
JAN 28<br />
INT’L HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY<br />
2024<br />
For more information,<br />
visit jfedsrq.org/events<br />
FEB 25<br />
FEDERATION CELEBRATES 65 YEARS<br />
2024<br />
FEB 28<br />
TEVYE IN NEW YORK! BY TOM DUGAN<br />
2024<br />
MAY 19<br />
ISRAEL INDEPENDENCE DAY<br />
2024<br />
NEXUS Chamber Music<br />
October 1 • 4 pm • First Presbyterian Church<br />
Back by popular demand!<br />
This Chicago-based chamber music collective creates unique and engaging<br />
classical music experiences. NEXUS co-founder Alexander Hersh and<br />
Marlboro Music Festival alums Stephanie Zyzak and Evren Ozel<br />
perform piano trios by Haydn, Brahms, and Ravel.<br />
ILYA YAKUSHEV<br />
October 10 • 7:30 pm<br />
Historic Asolo Theater<br />
Winner of the 2005 World Piano Competition,<br />
Russian pianist Ilya Yakushev has astounded<br />
audiences with performances at Weill Recital<br />
Hall at Carnegie Hall, Davies Symphony Hall in<br />
San Francisco, and with major orchestras across<br />
three continents. He will be joined by a string<br />
quartet, including concertmaster Daniel Jordan,<br />
for Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet and<br />
Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.”<br />
ArtistSeriesConcerts.org | 941-306-1202<br />
This project is supported in part by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County; Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council of Arts and Culture and the State of Florida (Section 286.25 Florida Statutes);<br />
The Exchange; Gulf Coast Community Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; the Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax Revenues; and the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.<br />
EMBRACE<br />
THE NATURAL<br />
YOU<br />
(with a little help.)<br />
Implant Removal — Breast Lift — Fat Grafting<br />
Breast Augmentation<br />
Tummy Tucks — Liposuction — Body Sculpting<br />
Arm & Thigh Lifts — Breast Reduction<br />
Sovereign Plastic Surgery<br />
Alissa M. Shulman, M.D., F.A.C.S.<br />
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon<br />
1950 Arlington Street • Suite 112 • Sarasota<br />
941- 366-LIPO (5476)<br />
www.sovereignps.com<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 9
out and about continued<br />
lulu Army post just before the attack<br />
on Pearl Harbor and focuses on two<br />
rebellious privates and a tough but<br />
fair-minded sergeant who’s swept into<br />
a torrid affair with his Commanding<br />
Officer’s wife. Starring Burt Lancaster,<br />
Montgomery Clift Deborah Kerr, Frank<br />
Sinatra, and Donna Reed.<br />
• The Treasure of Sierra Madre: September<br />
29 at 7:30 p.m. This film is a<br />
treatise on greed and what gold does to<br />
the souls of three miners, circa 1920s,<br />
as they set out to find the precious<br />
mineral in the mountains of Mexico.<br />
Oscars went to John Huston for Screenplay<br />
and Direction, and his father, Walter<br />
Huston, who won Best Supporting<br />
Actor for his performance as an old<br />
prospector. Starring Humphrey Bogart,<br />
Tim Holt, Walter Huston, Alfonso<br />
Bedoya, and Bruce Bennett.<br />
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit: October<br />
13 at 7:30 p.m. This “cartoon noir”<br />
follows detective Eddie Valiant as<br />
he seeks to clear the name of a toon<br />
rabbit framed for murder. A blend of<br />
live action, animation and allegory<br />
set in 1947 Los Angeles. Starring Bob<br />
Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna<br />
Cassidy, Charles Fleischer, and Kathleen<br />
Turner.<br />
• The Addams Family: October 27<br />
at 7:30 p.m. When long-lost Uncle<br />
Fester reappears after 25 years in the<br />
Bermuda Triangle, Gomez and Morticia<br />
plan a celebration to wake the<br />
dead. But Wednesday barelyhas time<br />
to warm up her electric chair before<br />
Thing points out Fester’s uncommonly<br />
“normal” behavior. Starring Anjelica<br />
Huston, Raúl Juliá, Christopher Lloyd,<br />
and Dan Hedaya.<br />
Information and tickets can be<br />
found at SarasotaOpera.org.<br />
Art Around<br />
the State<br />
The Norton examines two artforms<br />
which have maintained worldwide<br />
popularity for centuries: Chinese<br />
and Japanese blue-and-white<br />
porcelain and indigo-dyed textiles.<br />
Including more than 20 porcelain<br />
objects, dating from the 1500s to<br />
the 1900s, and seven textiles, dating<br />
from the 1700s to the 1900s, Classic<br />
Blues highlights the decorative techniques<br />
of hand-painting and stenciling<br />
used across both media. Other<br />
techniques featured include ceramic<br />
design transfers, known as decals, and<br />
resist dyeing methods utilizing woodblocks,<br />
tie-dye, batik, and applique for<br />
textiles. Runs to November 19.<br />
Examples from this exhibition<br />
include four methods of resist-dyeing<br />
and the applique technique which<br />
artisans traditionally used to make<br />
humble fabrics into works of art.<br />
https://www.norton.org/exhibitions/<br />
classic-blues-cobalt-blue-porcelainand-indigo-dyed-textiles.<br />
1450 S.<br />
Dixie Highway West Palm Beach.<br />
▼<br />
The Boca Raton Museum of Art<br />
has Benn Mitchell Photographs:<br />
Hollywood to NYC. From the age of<br />
13, when he received his first camera,<br />
Mitchell produced photographs<br />
that capture a particularly American<br />
vitality. Born in New York City<br />
in 1926, he sold his first photograph<br />
to “Life” magazine when he was<br />
16. Then, at age 17, he headed west,<br />
gaining permission from Warner<br />
Brothers to frequent the studios,<br />
▼<br />
shooting Hollywood<br />
stars on various sets<br />
and sound stages. One<br />
of his most valued<br />
photographs in this<br />
exhibition features<br />
Humphrey Bogart in a<br />
rare moment of respite,<br />
having a cigarette<br />
break between takes.<br />
After two years of<br />
duty as a navy photographer,<br />
he returned<br />
to New York City and<br />
worked as a photographer<br />
in a large commercial<br />
studio. In 1951<br />
he started a commercial<br />
studio. Finally, he<br />
retired to Boca Raton,<br />
where he and his wife<br />
Esther avidly supported<br />
the Museum, donating many of<br />
Mitchell’s photographs to the collection.<br />
The Museum is located at<br />
501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Runs to<br />
October 22.<br />
More info at: bocamuseum.org<br />
▼<br />
Island Gallery and Studios has “Expressions of Anna Maria<br />
Island Sunsets: A Retrospective” Drawings by Larry Paul,<br />
September 1-30.<br />
An exhibition showcasing Salvador<br />
Dalí’s rarely seen drawings,<br />
“Where Ideas Come From: Dalí’s<br />
Drawings” features newly conserved<br />
works on view for the first time in more<br />
than three decades.<br />
Experience the opportunity to see<br />
Dalí’s fragile works on paper, highlighting<br />
the artist’s creative process<br />
throughout the many phases of his<br />
career on view through Oct. 22 at The<br />
Dalí Museum.<br />
The exhibition chronicles the movement<br />
of the Surrealist’s imagination<br />
through more than 100 pencil, pen,<br />
charcoal, watercolor and gouache<br />
works, many of which have been<br />
secured in the Museum’s vault for<br />
more than three The Dalí Museum<br />
organizes “Where Ideas Come From”<br />
chronologically, presenting works that<br />
date from 1916 to 1974. Four sections<br />
— Early Period; Surrealism; Nuclear<br />
Mysticism, Classicism and Religion;<br />
and Late Period — feature studies for<br />
major oil paintings, portraits, experimental<br />
drawing techniques and commercial<br />
projects, including film.<br />
The Early Period opens with student<br />
sketches, book illustrations, poster<br />
designs and self-portraits that demonstrate<br />
Dalí’s journey from Classicism<br />
to Cubism and eventually anti-art.<br />
The works also showcase his natural<br />
mastery of drawing and painting techniques.<br />
Dalí learned to draw at a young<br />
age and adopted the approach of Old<br />
Master painters in his work.<br />
The Dalí anchors the Surrealism<br />
section with studies for such<br />
works as “The Weaning of Furniture<br />
Nutrition” (1934), illustrations for<br />
the poetic novel “Le Chants de Maldoror”<br />
(1940) and examples of Dalí’s<br />
experimentation with various Surrealist<br />
drawing techniques. This section<br />
also features “Study for ‘Disappearing<br />
Images’” (1939) which marks<br />
the beginnings of “Old Age, Adolescence<br />
Infancy (The Three Ages),” a<br />
significant 1940 double image oil<br />
painting in The Dalí’s collection.<br />
Following World War II, Dalí coined<br />
himself a classicist and “Nuclear Mystical<br />
painter.” This section includes<br />
illustrations for works by the Italian<br />
poet, writer and philosopher Dante<br />
Alighieri and the ballet “Tres Picos,”<br />
familiar motifs of exploding watches,<br />
flies, disintegrating figures and<br />
religious-tinged images of dissolving<br />
angels. In “Study for Soft Watch<br />
Exploding” (1954), the sketch for “Soft<br />
Watch at the Moment of the First<br />
Explosion,” Dalí presents an object<br />
that has disintegrated into nearly<br />
unrecognizable particles. Transformations<br />
and studies for “The Sacrament<br />
of the Last Supper” (1955) and<br />
“Christ of St. John of the Cross” (1951)<br />
round out this section.<br />
The final section, Late Period,<br />
includes diverse selections with<br />
small studies of “The Hallucinogenic<br />
Toreador” (1969-1970) and<br />
“Galacidalacidesoxiribunucleicacid<br />
(Homage to Crick and Watson)”<br />
(1962-1963), both in the Museum’s<br />
oil collection. The exhibition concludes<br />
with the 1974 “Iceberg”<br />
sketch, a self-portrait Dalí gifted to<br />
the founders of The Dalí Museum, A.<br />
Reynolds and Eleanor Morse.<br />
Visitors to The Dalí can try their<br />
hand at drawing like the Surrealist<br />
icon. A series of instructional videos,<br />
sketchpads and pencils are available<br />
for visitors to create symbolic Dalinian<br />
imagery or other ideas inspired by<br />
the exhibit. Visit TheDali.org.<br />
▼<br />
Season<br />
▼<br />
At The Baker Museum—“Naples<br />
Collects 2022-23.” As a follow-up<br />
to the Naples Collects exhibition of<br />
2016, this exhibition is developed<br />
with the intention of sharing the<br />
most inspiring and engaging art<br />
from among the collections found<br />
in Southwest Florida. The paintings,<br />
sculptures, works on paper and<br />
mixed media pieces in this exhibition<br />
allow us to share with the museum’s<br />
visitors some of our community’s<br />
most prized possessions.<br />
They also provide a rich overview<br />
of artistic production, ranging from<br />
modern masters to cutting-edge<br />
contemporary artists. Many of these<br />
objects complement the strengths<br />
of The Baker Museum’s permanent<br />
collection, while others propose new<br />
areas of exploration and inquiry.<br />
Most importantly, these works showcase<br />
and celebrate the interests,<br />
tastes and experiences of collectors<br />
in the area, all while underscoring a<br />
shared passion for the visual. Runs<br />
to October 15. Location: 5833 Pelican<br />
Bay Boulevard, Naples. Info:<br />
https://artisnaples.org/about/<br />
Also at the Baker Museum - Prison<br />
Nation. Organized by Aperture,<br />
New York, this exhibition addresses<br />
the unique role photography plays<br />
in creating a visual record of incarceration,<br />
despite the<br />
increasing difficulty<br />
of gaining access<br />
inside prisons. Featured<br />
artists include<br />
Nicole Fleetwood,<br />
Lucas Foglia, Bruce<br />
Jackson, Emily Kinni,<br />
Jesse Krimes, Jack Lueders-Booth,<br />
Deborah<br />
Luster, Zora Murff,<br />
Nigel Poor, Joseph<br />
Rodriguez, Jamel<br />
Shabazz, Sable Elyse<br />
Smith and Stephen<br />
Tourlentes. On view<br />
through September<br />
17.<br />
Sea Turtle<br />
Nesting<br />
It’s that time of year, when sea<br />
turtles make their way to the shore<br />
for nesting season. Despite spending<br />
the majority of their lives in the<br />
ocean, adult female sea turtles lay<br />
their eggs on dry land. Between their<br />
ocean home and sandy nesting sites,<br />
they travel hundreds or even thousands<br />
of miles each year.<br />
As you walk along the beach during<br />
this season, keep your eyes peeled for<br />
any signs of turtle tracks leading up<br />
to the dunes. Remember to give these<br />
amazing animals plenty of space and<br />
respect their nesting areas.<br />
Sarasota County beaches play host<br />
to the largest population of nesting<br />
sea turtles on the Florida’s Gulf<br />
Coast. Sea turtle nesting season<br />
runs through Oct. 31. In this time,<br />
residents are urged to keep light out<br />
of sight and remove unused beach<br />
furniture and coastal structures<br />
during that time.<br />
Each season, there’s an average of<br />
more than 200 sea turtle nests per<br />
mile along Sarasota County’s coastline;<br />
however, only one out of every<br />
1,000 hatchlings survive to adulthood.<br />
Most die from predators, and<br />
the exhaustion and starvation caused<br />
by disorienting bright, artificial lights.<br />
Here’s how to help sea turtles beat<br />
the odds:<br />
• Each night, remove all furniture<br />
and recreational items from the<br />
beach and store them in an area<br />
landward of the beach and dunes.<br />
• Properly dispose of trash. Sea turtles<br />
ingest plastic bags, and garbage attracts<br />
predators that eat turtle eggs.<br />
• Knock down sand sculptures and<br />
fill in holes before you leave the<br />
beach so turtles have direct access<br />
into and out of the water. A turtle<br />
that falls into a hole cannot get out.<br />
• Reduce use of flashlights on the<br />
beach at night.<br />
• Recreate in locations away from<br />
marked nesting areas.<br />
• Property owners must either extinguish<br />
all white lights visible from<br />
the beach or replace them with<br />
amber or red light-emitting diodes<br />
(LED) or low-pressure sodium vapor<br />
(LPS) bulbs and pair them with<br />
shielded fixtures.<br />
For questions or assistance, visit<br />
scgov.net.<br />
Coming up:<br />
<strong>2023</strong> Brunch on the Bay, the<br />
fund-raising event for the University<br />
of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee<br />
campus is on Sunday, Nov. 5, 11:30<br />
▼<br />
a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Chairs are Lisa Krouse<br />
and Rod Hershberger.<br />
Brunch on the Bay again will feature<br />
fine cuisine from area restaurants<br />
and caterers served on the<br />
campus courtyard, with proceeds<br />
supporting student scholarships and<br />
campus expansion initiatives.<br />
The USF Federal Credit Union is<br />
returning as the title sponsor of the<br />
<strong>2023</strong> Brunch on the Bay, as part of<br />
the credit union’s pledge of $1 million<br />
in new support for scholarships,<br />
event sponsorships and other programs<br />
at USF.<br />
Earlier this spring, architects began<br />
designing the $61.7 million Nursing/<br />
STEM building, which will be home<br />
to a myriad health, engineering and<br />
other academic programs.<br />
No construction timeline has<br />
been set for the Nursing/STEM<br />
building, which will be built on the<br />
north side of the campus courtyard.<br />
Already under construction on the<br />
south side of the courtyard is a $42<br />
million student center and residence<br />
hall. The first-ever residence<br />
hall on the Sarasota-Manatee campus<br />
will be home for as many as 200<br />
students when it opens for the fall<br />
2024 semester.<br />
Tickets for Brunch on the Bay:<br />
www.sarasotamanatee.usf<br />
Show off your sustainable products<br />
and services at the <strong>2023</strong> Green Living<br />
Expo. Join us on December 2-3 for a<br />
unique opportunity to connect with<br />
Suncoast residents who are ready to<br />
take the next step to go green. Showcase<br />
your green solutions for energy<br />
conservation, waste reduction, water<br />
protection, local food, and nature conservation.<br />
Apply online now to save<br />
$250. ufl.qualtrics.com.<br />
▼<br />
A new exhibit is coming to The<br />
Ringling this October: Guercino’s<br />
Friar with a Gold Earring: Fra<br />
Bonaventura Bisi, Painter and Art<br />
Dealer, an international loan exhibition<br />
exploring a rare portrait of Fra<br />
Bonaventura Bisi by the Italian Baroque<br />
painter Giovanni Francesco<br />
Barbieri, also known as Guercino.<br />
The Ringling acquired the portrait<br />
in 2015. Through 35 works from<br />
institutions in Italy and the United<br />
States—including oil paintings, miniatures<br />
in tempera on parchment,<br />
drawings, prints, and published writings<br />
of the period—the exhibition<br />
explores the portrait by revealing the<br />
fascinating life of Bisi, who was also<br />
known as Il Pittorino. A Franciscan<br />
friar from Bologna whom Guercino<br />
depicted wearing his religious habit<br />
and a gold hoop earring, Bisi was also<br />
an artist, art dealer and connoisseur-adviser<br />
to important collectors,<br />
including Prince Leopoldo de Medici.<br />
The exhibition also examines Bisi’s<br />
artistic training, his painted miniatures,<br />
his relationships with Guercino<br />
and other Bolognese artists and<br />
intellectuals, his tenacious pursuit<br />
of artwork for his patrons, and his efforts<br />
to promote the appreciation and<br />
collecting of drawings as an art form.<br />
The Ringling’s portrait of Fra Bisi<br />
by Guercino will be joined by other<br />
paintings, drawings and prints from<br />
the museum’s Italian Baroque collection.<br />
A related exhibition, 500 Years of<br />
Italian Drawings from the Princeton<br />
University Art Museum, will also be<br />
on view in adjacent galleries of the<br />
Searing Wing.<br />
▼<br />
10 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
4420 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota<br />
941.260.8905<br />
www.shellysgiftandchristmasboutique.com<br />
Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 11
SPEAKERS TO DATE<br />
KEYNOTE SPEAKER:<br />
“Breaking the Silence: One Woman’s Ongoing<br />
Journey to Mental Well-Being”<br />
LINDA LARSEN, BSW, MFA, CPAE<br />
Transform Your Mental Health<br />
Journey at Our Empowering Summit!<br />
OCT 28, <strong>2023</strong> • 9 am - 2:30 pm • DOORS OPEN/INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES AT 8 am<br />
ROBARTS ARENA, SARASOTA • FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC<br />
INTERACTIVE<br />
EXPERIENCES:<br />
• Art Therapy<br />
• Restorative Yoga<br />
• Music Therapy<br />
• Virtual Reality<br />
Therapy<br />
• Mindfulness<br />
• Neurofeedback<br />
• EFT (Emotional<br />
Freedom<br />
Technique/Tapping)<br />
• Child-Centered<br />
Therapy/<br />
Centerness for<br />
Children<br />
Discover a brighter path to mental health and wellness at the Step Into<br />
the Light: A Mental Health Summit! Join us for an empowering and<br />
transformative event on Saturday, Oct. 28, <strong>2023</strong> at Robarts Arena in<br />
Sarasota, Fla.<br />
Open to the Public, Free Admission<br />
Seize the opportunity to manage your mental health and connect<br />
with a supportive community. This summit empowers clients,<br />
clinicians, parents, and advocates with insights, coping skills, and<br />
resources.<br />
Engaging Speakers and Inspiring Talks<br />
Keynote speaker Linda Larsen shares her journey from despair to<br />
hope. Experts discuss anxiety, depression, trauma, children’s mental<br />
health, and navigating the system. Gain knowledge and guidance.<br />
Connect and Learn from Experts<br />
Step Into the Light for an immersive mental health experience.<br />
Learn from experts, engage in critical conversations, gain coping<br />
skills, and access transformative community resources.<br />
Step out of the darkness and into the light.<br />
Together, we can make a difference.<br />
Register today at SunshineFromDarkness.org<br />
Scan the QR code with the camera on your phone, visit<br />
SunshineFromDarkness.org or email Marlene@SunshineFromDarkness.org.<br />
“Have No Fear! Taking Steps Toward<br />
Understanding and Coping with Anxiety”<br />
REBECCA ETKIN, PH.D.<br />
Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine<br />
“It Wasn’t Supposed to Happen to Me”<br />
DAVID ROMANO<br />
Mental Health Advocate and Therapist<br />
“What, How and Why to Stop the Cycle”<br />
SIDNEY TURNER, PH.D.<br />
Founder Resilient Retreat<br />
“State of the Union, Coping Skills and How<br />
Parents Can Help”<br />
JENNIFER KATZENSTEIN, PH.D., ABPP-CN<br />
Co-Director Center for Behavioral Health, Pediatric<br />
Neuropsychologist, Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital<br />
“System of Care”<br />
LAURA CARSON, M.A.<br />
Behavioral Health System Coordinator Florida<br />
Department of Health in Sarasota County<br />
“Lived Experiences: The Family Consumer Voice”<br />
SARAH MILLER, CRPS-F<br />
Family and Peer Services Director and Family<br />
Navigator at NAMI<br />
“Seeking Help with Accessing Children’s Mental<br />
Health and Behavioral Health Resources”<br />
KIMBERLY KUTCH, MA, MS, ED.S, CPM<br />
Human Services Manager<br />
Sarasota County Health and Human Services<br />
12 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
feature<br />
The 2024 Forks &<br />
Corks Food and<br />
Wine Festival is back<br />
The five-day epicurean event now runs Jan. 25-28<br />
The 2024 Forks & Corks<br />
Food and Wine Festival,<br />
hosted by the Sarasota-Manatee<br />
Originals,<br />
will take place January<br />
25-29. Grand Tasting tickets<br />
go on sale in October.<br />
A full five-day slate of food-andwine<br />
themed fun is planned, including<br />
the always-popular University Master<br />
Classes (January 27), a bountiful selection<br />
of wine dinners at area restaurants (January<br />
25-28), oodles of wine shop tasting events<br />
(January 25-27), a trade tasting (January 29)<br />
and the much-anticipated Grand Tasting at<br />
The Ringling Museum of Art (January 28).<br />
“We are thrilled to announce that due to<br />
survey responses, guest comments and popular<br />
demand, Forks and Corks Food & Wine<br />
Festival is moving to January in 2024,” said<br />
Sarasota-Manatee Originals Board President<br />
and Café Gabbiano Owner Marc Grimaud.<br />
“This year will mark the 17th anniversary of<br />
Forks & Corks, which has become one of the<br />
top food and wine events in the Southeastern<br />
United States.”<br />
“We are excited to be registering 60+ owners<br />
and winemakers from across the globe to<br />
participate in our 2024 events. Over fifteen<br />
of the world’s most famous wine producing<br />
countries will be represented at the event,<br />
along with delicious tastings from the Gulf<br />
Coast’s Sarasota-Manatee Originals Members,”<br />
said Sarasota-Manatee Originals Winery<br />
Chair and Co-Proprietor of Michael’s On<br />
East - Michael Klauber.<br />
Forks & Corks’ most sought-after event<br />
is the Grand Tasting which will take place<br />
on Sunday in the historic courtyard of The<br />
Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota. Guests<br />
will savor delicious dishes presented by over<br />
50 Members of the Sarasota-Manatee Originals,<br />
while sampling from a collection of<br />
more than 300 unique wines from around the<br />
world. There will be live, local musical entertainment,<br />
and a wine shop is also available,<br />
where patrons can purchase the various<br />
wines, making Forks & Corks one of only a<br />
few festivals in the Southeast to provide the<br />
opportunity to purchase their favorite wines<br />
onsite during the event.<br />
Due to the unprecedented demand for<br />
tickets, ticket sales for The Grand Tasting<br />
launch on two consecutive Tuesdays:<br />
On October 10 at 9 a.m. there is a pre-sale<br />
of the VIP and Early Access tickets<br />
• VIP ticket holders ($450+ each) receive<br />
a variety of perks including a $150 wine<br />
voucher for the onsite wine shop and<br />
complimentary valet parking, as well as<br />
entry into the Forks & Corks VIP Tent<br />
presented by The Scout Guide Sarasota<br />
with covered seating, and exclusive VIP<br />
tastings and engaging demonstrations<br />
• Early Access tickets ($350+ each) include<br />
a $50 wine voucher<br />
• Both VIP and Early Access Ticket<br />
holders will enjoy expedited early access<br />
to the Forks & Corks wine shop with a<br />
Champagne Reception as well as early<br />
event entrance into the Grand Tasting in<br />
the Ringling Courtyard<br />
On October 17 at 7 p.m. General Admission<br />
tickets ($175+ each) will be available and<br />
historically have sold out in a matter of minutes.<br />
All Forks & Corks Grand Tasting tickets<br />
will be available online only. For more<br />
information, visit www.eatlikealocal.com<br />
The Online Food and Wine Auction will<br />
include a collection of lots featuring rare and<br />
exquisite wines, travel, and one-of-a-kind dining<br />
and party experiences. The Auction opens<br />
for bidding on Monday, January 22 at 8am and<br />
ending on Sunday, January 28 at 3pm.<br />
About Sarasota-Manatee Originals<br />
The Sarasota-Manatee Originals (SMO)<br />
is a community collaborative<br />
of over 60 independently<br />
owned and operated restaurants<br />
in the Sarasota and<br />
Manatee Counties on the<br />
central Gulf Coast of Florida.<br />
Their mission is to promote<br />
the community's local,<br />
unique, independent dining<br />
establishments. SMO supports our Member<br />
Restaurants who help define the Suncoast,<br />
give it character and make it a memorable<br />
region to visit and live. SMO urges the community<br />
to support our local independent<br />
restaurants here and across the country and<br />
we encourage the general public to always<br />
“Eat Like A Local.”<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 13
healthier you<br />
3 Possible Causes<br />
of Persistent Brain Fog<br />
It’s a common complaint in our modern world<br />
Brain fog is a common complaint<br />
in our modern world.<br />
At The Renewal Point, we often<br />
see patients with brain fog as their<br />
major complaint. While brain fog is not<br />
considered a medical condition, it is a<br />
term for a specific group of symptoms<br />
that can affect your ability to think.<br />
An Integrative/Functional approach<br />
involves determining the patient's exact<br />
root cause and addressing it with an<br />
individualized approach, based on an indepth<br />
intake consultation and specialty<br />
lab results.<br />
Brain fog is typically characterized<br />
by a constellation of several symptoms<br />
including:<br />
• Difficulty concentrating<br />
• Difficulty multitasking<br />
• Forgetfulness<br />
• Short-term and long-term memory loss<br />
• Cognitive impairment<br />
• Feeling spacy or confused<br />
• Difficulty finding words<br />
• Mental exhaustion<br />
It is important to recognize that these<br />
symptoms can be attributed to many<br />
health conditions or may be a signal of a<br />
more serious underlying health condition.<br />
Please discuss any concerns you have with<br />
your Integrative Healthcare Provider.<br />
Possible Underlying Causes<br />
of Brain Fog<br />
There are numerous root causes of brain<br />
fog. Here are three of the most common<br />
reasons:<br />
1. Mold and Heavy Metal Toxicity<br />
External toxicants such as mold or<br />
heavy metal can cause brain fog. Some<br />
molds produce chemicals that can lead<br />
to brain fog. Heavy metal toxicity, such<br />
as too much mercury, aluminum and/or<br />
lead, has long been linked to brain fog<br />
symptoms.<br />
2. Post-Viral Syndrome<br />
Viruses can cause systemic inflammation.<br />
Recently, we have found Epstein<br />
Barr virus acutely active in many<br />
patients. There are many other varieties<br />
of viruses and parasites that can be included<br />
in this category, i.e. Lyme, West<br />
Nile Fever, Babesia, etc.<br />
3. Menopause and Perimenopause<br />
Brain fog is a common complaint for<br />
women going through perimenopause<br />
and menopause. Fluctuating hormone<br />
levels, particularly estrogen and progesterone<br />
shifts, not only affect energy<br />
levels but can cause symptoms such as<br />
forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating,<br />
and brain fog.<br />
Functional Medical Labs<br />
to Find the Root Cause<br />
of Brain Fog<br />
• Toxin and toxicity testing would include<br />
mold and heavy metal testing.<br />
• Viral and parasite testing can often<br />
tease out a pesky biologic poison affecting<br />
the body.<br />
• Comprehensive hormone panels, done<br />
at appropriate timing in a patient’s menstrual<br />
cycle, many times reveal hormone<br />
imbalances. When these hormones are<br />
rebalanced, it often helps immensely.<br />
Summary<br />
There are many potential causes of brain<br />
fog and uncovering what may be the root<br />
cause is key to reversing the symptoms.<br />
Utilizing a Functional/Integrative Medicine<br />
approach, reducing toxins, balancing<br />
hormones and squelching dangerous<br />
biologic organisms can help improve<br />
brain fog symptoms. For more information<br />
about our services or to schedule a<br />
consultation, please give us a call at 941-<br />
926-4905. We are here to help!<br />
—————————————————<br />
SOURCE: Dr. Watts,<br />
MD, ND, MSNM and<br />
Deb Spinner, ARNP,<br />
MSN, are experts in<br />
Integrative Medicine.<br />
With over 25 years<br />
experience in Hormone<br />
Balancing, a<br />
Post-doctoral Certification<br />
in Metabolic<br />
Dr. Dan Watts<br />
Endocrinology, and a MD, ND, MSMN<br />
Fellowship in Anti- The Renewal Point<br />
FOUNDER/DIRECTOR<br />
Aging, Regenerative,<br />
and Functional Medicine, Dr. Watts<br />
has put together programs that have<br />
helped thousands of patients renew<br />
their love and vigor for life.<br />
4905 Clark Road, Sarasota<br />
Phone: 941-926-4905<br />
www.TheRenewalPoint.com<br />
PAID ADVERTORIAL<br />
14 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
your healthier health you<br />
Craniosacral Therapy Can Be Life Changing<br />
CST treats the whole body physically, physiologically, mentally, emotionally and energetically<br />
Clients come to me because they are in physical<br />
pain such as neck, back, pain and TMJ as well as<br />
for chronic headaches and migraines.<br />
Pain and stress caused by<br />
shortened Fascia<br />
Fascia (strong connective tissue) encases all<br />
our muscles, organs, brain and spinal cord.<br />
Whenever fascia shortens any place in the<br />
body, the entire network of fascia creates an<br />
increased tension affecting the functioning<br />
of our physical body as well as our organs,<br />
our brain and spinal cord.<br />
Our body is the history of every major<br />
trauma we have experienced physically and<br />
emotionally beginning with birth issues, falls,<br />
head trauma, car accidents, childhood abuse<br />
issues, death, divorce and other emotional<br />
issues. Our body tries to minimize each trauma<br />
by shortening fascia to isolate the energy<br />
coming into the body from that trauma.<br />
Shortened fascia results in pain, loss of mobility<br />
and range of motion, organs becoming<br />
less efficient and with parts of the brain and<br />
spinal cord becoming stressed.<br />
To keep the brain functioning, the body<br />
transfers some of your functional work play<br />
energy (7:00 AM-10:00 PM) to the brain resulting<br />
in less energy to make it through each<br />
day. As we age, the accumulation of all the<br />
tightened fascia, from every major trauma<br />
in life, begins to restrict every aspect of our<br />
body’s functions resulting in pain, loss of mobility,<br />
mis-functioning organs, loss of energy,<br />
as well as our brain losing some its sharpness.<br />
How Craniosacral<br />
Therapy Works<br />
The Craniosacral Therapist creates a safe<br />
place, with gentle holding techniques, that<br />
engages your body’s ability to self correct,<br />
reorganize and heal itself with the release<br />
of some of that tightened fascia during<br />
each session. As the Craniosacral Therapist<br />
engages your body, you will feel fascia releasing.<br />
As the fascia releases, pain begins to<br />
decrease, range of motion and mobility improve,<br />
organs begin functioning better and<br />
with less stress on the brain feels, it returns<br />
the energy it borrowed at the time of each<br />
trauma resulting in an immediate increase in<br />
your energy levels. Rarely does anyone leave<br />
from my first session not feeling better.<br />
Short Leg Syndrome<br />
Eighty-five percent of my clients have one<br />
of their legs pulled up 1/2 to 1 by shortened<br />
fascia. The tension from short leg syndrome<br />
on the sacrum (5 fused vertebrae at bottom<br />
of the spine) is transferred up the dural tube<br />
that encases the spinal cord into the lower<br />
and upper back, the neck, the cranium and<br />
The physical stress in bodies caused by shortened<br />
fascia (connective tissue) shuts down<br />
energy flows to certain organs. Short leg syndrome<br />
by ½ to 1 in (where one leg is pulled up<br />
by shortened fascia) shuts down energy flow to<br />
the spleen (an important part of your immune<br />
system) and the small and large intestine. With<br />
the release of that shortened fascia, energy returns<br />
to these organs.<br />
the brain. Headaches, migraines, TMJ and<br />
neck problems can originate from the fascial<br />
stress in the sacrum.<br />
Releasing this sacral stress increases energy<br />
in the bladder, sex organs, kidneys and<br />
the chakras as well as releasing major stress<br />
in the upper part of the body.<br />
Cause of Shallow Breathing<br />
A great majority of the clients who come to<br />
me for various problems are also shallow<br />
breathers. Fascial stress in the diaphragm<br />
restricts the depth of breathing by restricting<br />
energy flow to the lungs, the pericardium<br />
and the heart. With the release of fascial diaphragm<br />
restriction, the client immediately<br />
starts breathing deeply and energy is restored<br />
to the pericardium and the heart.<br />
Shoulder blades that are cemented to the<br />
body also restricts how much the rib cage can<br />
open and thereby also restricting depth of<br />
breath. Without proper breathing, your cells<br />
do not get enough oxygen. Everyone, especially<br />
people suffering from bronchitis, asthma<br />
and COPD as well as shallow breathing can<br />
benefit when the fascial stress is released.<br />
Specialized Training<br />
to work with Brain<br />
Dysfunctions<br />
Just as the body physically gets stressed from<br />
physical and emotional trauma, the functioning<br />
of the brain is also affected by fascial stress. For<br />
our brains to remain healthy, we need dynamic<br />
production of craniosacral fluid which performs<br />
the important function of bringing nourishment<br />
to all the cells in the brain and spinal<br />
cord as well as cleansing all the metabolic<br />
wastes given off by those same cells.<br />
Once the craniosacral fluid cleanses these<br />
metabolic wastes, efficient drainage of these<br />
metabolic wastes into the lymph system is<br />
absolutely necessary. Research has shown,<br />
that at night, craniosacral fluid cleanses amyloid<br />
plaques from the brain. If the drainage<br />
is inefficient, then the brain is being bathed<br />
in a toxic slurry. How does 15 or 20 years of<br />
your brain being bathed in a toxic slurry<br />
affect you: senile dementia, Parkinson’s,<br />
Alzheimer’s and other brain dysfunctions?<br />
A Craniosacral Therapist, who has received<br />
training in working with the brain, can reverse<br />
that stress on the brain that eventually can<br />
result in those brain dysfunctions. As we all<br />
know, the proper functioning of the body is<br />
dependent on a healthy functioning brain.<br />
Babies and Children can benefit<br />
■ Our little boy Leo, four years of age, had a<br />
difficult birth and at 7 months was put on antibiotics<br />
for an ear infection and as a result developed<br />
c-diff. His development came to a stop.<br />
At 3 years, with the help of an OT, he started<br />
to walk and talk. In spite of the improvements,<br />
he was unable to answer questions and his<br />
communication skills were very poor. Leo<br />
had very poor muscle tone, a lot of stress in<br />
his body and physical activities such walking,<br />
jumping and climbing were difficult for him.<br />
Beginning with the first session with Terry,<br />
he began showing improvement and with each<br />
following session. Everyone from his teachers<br />
to his grandparents noticed an increase in his<br />
■ “I was in awful pain and the<br />
MRI showed 2 pinched nerves<br />
and stenosis. I scheduled surgery.<br />
My daughter suggested Craniosacral therapy.<br />
After only 2 visits the pain was reduced to<br />
advanced craniosacral about 80% and therapy I canceled the surgery. I went<br />
for a 3rd visit and I am about 90% better.”<br />
■ “Simply Amazing! One visit was all it took for<br />
Terry to relieve 85% of my year long, nagging<br />
(sometimes severe) neck/shoulder tightness/<br />
pain!! My breathing improved tremendously.”<br />
physical strength, as well as improvements in<br />
comprehension, speech and communication<br />
skills. For the first time, he started participating<br />
in class lessons and interacting with his<br />
classmates. Terry has made a huge impact on<br />
getting Leo to a place a little boy should be at<br />
age four. We cannot thank Terry enough.<br />
■ Terry’s treatment helped our 6 week old<br />
baby boy from recent hospitalization into<br />
the first series of healthy bowel movements<br />
when seemingly nothing could help. Our son<br />
was able to latch onto the breast and for the<br />
first time completed his feeding. He was much<br />
calmer after working with Terry.<br />
■ “He was able to relieve tension that I have<br />
been carrying around for 15 years or more.<br />
I left his office table with more energy than I<br />
have had in years.”<br />
■ “I began working with him because I was<br />
dealing with anxieties, depression and lots of<br />
emotional pain inside and out. You don’t realized<br />
how much stress can cause damage to<br />
your body, mind and soul. I can say Terry was<br />
a big help.”<br />
Terrence Grywinski<br />
of Advanced<br />
Craniosacral Therapy,<br />
B.A., B.ED., LMT #MA 6049<br />
Testimonials from Clients<br />
SOURCE:<br />
■ Terrence Grywinski of Advanced Craniosacral Therapy,<br />
B.A., B.ED., LMT #MA 6049. Terry has specialized in Craniosacral<br />
Therapy since 1994 when he began his training at the Upledger<br />
Institute. Described by his teachers, clients and colleagues<br />
as a “gifted healer”, Terry’s intuitive sense and healing energy<br />
provides immediate and lasting relief from injury, pain, mobility<br />
issues as well as dysfunctions of the body and the brain. Part<br />
of Terry’s ongoing education, he has completed 4 craniosacral<br />
brain and peripheral nervous system classes which enables him<br />
to work at a cellular<br />
level and with brain<br />
dysfunctions.<br />
Call 941-321-8757<br />
for more information,<br />
Google Advanced<br />
Craniosacral<br />
Therapy.<br />
■ “On a recent vacation to Siesta Key, I re-injured<br />
my back. I found Terry online. I can say<br />
with complete joy that was the best decision<br />
I made in the history of my back pain. I have<br />
sought many modalities and visit a CST regularly<br />
and never have I had such a healing in<br />
my entire body.<br />
After 3 sessions, I made a 16-hour drive<br />
home with no pain or discomfort in my entire<br />
body. Unbelievable. My body has a sense of<br />
moving freely and that is completely new. I’m<br />
advanced craniosacral therapy<br />
so grateful to Terry for his knowledge, for his<br />
sensitivity to my needs and his kind generosity<br />
in healing my body. I will see him when I return<br />
next year.”<br />
■ “I am a snowbird who spends 7 months<br />
in Sarasota. I have had back problems for 25<br />
years. Terry’s techniques have led to a great<br />
deal of release and relief in areas that have<br />
been problematic. I have been seeing him over<br />
the years when my body says ”it’s time”. Usually<br />
after a few sessions, I can tell a huge difference.”<br />
PAID ADVERTORIAL<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 15
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,<br />
ArtCenter Manatee<br />
In the illustration above Carla Nierman is imagined in the new home of ArtCenter Manatee which breaks ground this month.<br />
Downtown Bradenton will have a beautiful new addition when ArtCenter<br />
Manatee opens its new center in 2024. The center has been fortunate<br />
to have steady, constant leadership in Carla who has been there 17<br />
years and has done it all at ArtCenter Manatee with the past ten years as executive<br />
director. “I’ve seen art transform lives. Art is so healing on so many levels…<br />
it’s about expressing our hearts and souls.”<br />
16 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
Time to Review Your Financial Plan<br />
Amanda can help you assess and<br />
assist with a “check-in” on your<br />
personal finances.<br />
Call today 941-914-1560.<br />
Amanda E. Stiff, MBA<br />
Financial Advisor<br />
owntown Bradenton will<br />
have a beautiful new addition<br />
when ArtCenter Manatee<br />
opens its new center<br />
that’s set to break ground<br />
this month.<br />
And it will be striking, like<br />
a beautiful work of art that will<br />
draw more visitors to their exhibits and<br />
more to their classes while sending a clear<br />
message that the arts are vibrant in Manatee<br />
County and in downtown Bradenton.<br />
I had the opportunity to visit their<br />
current location at 209 Ninth Street West<br />
in downtown Bradenton. I’d been there<br />
before a few times, especially to see their<br />
watercolor exhibits, but this time it was<br />
behind the scenes, where the offices are.<br />
It’s a bit cozy there on the back end, and it’s<br />
obvious top priority are the exhibits and<br />
classes, but even they’re small for such a<br />
growing community.<br />
The center has been fortunate to have<br />
steady, constant leadership in Carla who<br />
has been there 17 years and has done it all<br />
at ArtCenter Manatee beginning at “ground<br />
level” as she calls it, with the past ten years<br />
as executive director.<br />
“The beauty of it is I learned all about the<br />
organization” and that means she’s worked<br />
with artists, collectors, members, and the<br />
community at large while assuming more<br />
responsibilities over the years.<br />
The ArtCenter was founded in 1937,<br />
moved a few times and has been at their<br />
current location since 1953 where they<br />
have a nearly 10,000 sq. ft. building with<br />
three galleries with exhibits that change<br />
monthly, and five classrooms that offer<br />
over 300 classes every year (all summer<br />
<strong>2023</strong> classes sold out).<br />
They also have a gift shop, the Live Artfully<br />
Artisan Boutique, and an art library<br />
featuring over 3,000 art volumes. In all, Art-<br />
Center Manatee receives over 30,000 guests<br />
a year. Currently, staff totals five and all are<br />
masters of the multi-task.<br />
That will change when a new<br />
28,000-square-foot facility, renamed the<br />
Herrig Center for the Arts, will emerge. They<br />
won’t be moving to another location. Instead,<br />
the new two-story building will be built adjacent<br />
to the existing facility at the intersection<br />
of Ninth Street West and Third Avenue<br />
West. This will push the physical structure<br />
back from the street, opening up an “Artist’s<br />
Plaza” to Ninth Street West and creating a<br />
sculpture garden and green space.<br />
This green space, according to their<br />
website, “becomes a catalyst for artist<br />
exposure; it is an exterior market space<br />
where artists can present their work to the<br />
pedestrian walking by, creating an area of<br />
conversation and commerce.”<br />
The plaza will lead directly to the main<br />
entrance of the building. This in turn opens<br />
up to the Instructor’s Gallery, “which is a<br />
linear core of visual transparency, and connects<br />
to the other spaces of the building.”<br />
Construction is estimated to be completed<br />
by the end of 2024.<br />
What got the ball rolling was back in June<br />
2022, when the Center received a $1 million<br />
gift for its building fund from the Bishop<br />
Parker Foundation. The Center has received<br />
support from the Bishop Parker Foundation<br />
for its children’s education programs<br />
for over 10 years. The new art center will<br />
triple its space for children, she adds.<br />
Since then, Carla and her team have<br />
worked hard to raise the estimated $15<br />
million needed to build, with $9 million<br />
already raised. The new art center will be<br />
named the Herrig Center for the Arts in<br />
honor of the Steve and Natalee Herrig Family<br />
Foundation, which donated $2 million<br />
to the cause.<br />
“A gift of this level will help to move the<br />
Center’s campaign forward and will allow<br />
us to continue to impact lives through our<br />
classes, exhibits, and other programming,”<br />
Carla notes. The fundraising has now<br />
launched the public part of the campaign.<br />
The new facility will double the amount<br />
of space available at the center's current<br />
building and will include not just the interior<br />
courtyard, but nine classrooms, a large<br />
gallery, office and storage space, as well as<br />
updated technology and utilities. Many arts<br />
organizations, especially in Sarasota, are<br />
moving out of downtown. By staying downtown,<br />
ArtCenter Manatee will help in redeveloping<br />
downtown as an arts center. “We<br />
like being downtown,” Carla notes as the<br />
center is halfway between Lakewood Ranch<br />
and the beach. While they did explore other<br />
locations, her board voted unanimously to<br />
stay downtown.<br />
Already in the area are the Bishop Museum,<br />
the Manatee Performing Arts Center, Island<br />
Gallery & Studio and the Bradenton<br />
Riverwalk - the latter being just a five-minute<br />
walk to the north. With more space, the<br />
center can expand its programming. Day,<br />
evening and weekend art classes for adults<br />
and children will be offered year-round. And<br />
their classes, she adds, are intentionally affordable<br />
adding, “this is not an elitist sport.”<br />
If you’ve never been, the Center attracts<br />
artists from all over the state. Their watercolor<br />
exhibits draw artists from around the<br />
world. They offer open juried shows where<br />
anyone can submit, and curated shows<br />
where artwork is chosen. Every year they<br />
have an exhibition by the Florida Suncoast<br />
Watercolor Society. The touring International<br />
Watercolor Society exhibit makes its only<br />
Florida stop at ArtCenter Manatee.<br />
Words that Carla uses frequently are,<br />
“shared experience or art” and “making art<br />
accessible to all.” Carla also feels strongly<br />
that, “The arts are a powerful tool that help<br />
communities grow and individuals connect<br />
with each other across all boundaries.”<br />
The mission of ArtCenter Manatee is “to<br />
provide a welcoming, professional environment,<br />
educate novice and experienced<br />
artists of all ages, provide galleries to exhibit<br />
and market original artwork and enhance<br />
the visual arts in Manatee County through<br />
special events and outreach programs.”<br />
Originally from Michigan, Carla lived on<br />
Siesta Key in the seventies then in New York<br />
City, then back in the eighties to care for her<br />
elderly parents. Her mother was an artist<br />
who painted in oils while raising six children.<br />
Carla recalls that she “grew up with<br />
artists and at art shows” and several of her<br />
siblings are artists as well. “I just take care<br />
of artists,” she says, smiling.<br />
Actually, Carla has had a career not just<br />
at the Center, but also as a businesswoman<br />
who owned her own business. So with<br />
the family arts DNA combined with her<br />
business acumen, it’s helped her to, “think<br />
outside the box…be a bit more experimental…using<br />
both sides of the brain.” The<br />
new building will be a melding of form and<br />
function with what’s called a “pre-patina<br />
copper” that will change over time. Floors<br />
will be polished stained concrete.<br />
It’s never easy to raise large sums of money<br />
especially for a new building. Researching<br />
a new space started back in 2018 after she<br />
and her board concluded it was time. Building<br />
anew was also more cost-effective than<br />
doing a retrofitting of the current space.<br />
The campaign launched and ran right<br />
into the start of the COVID pandemic. “No<br />
one wanted to talk to us,” she recalls. They<br />
created e-cards and videotaped a tour that<br />
were sent out. Donations started to come in.<br />
“I’ve seen art transform lives. Art is so<br />
healing on so many levels…it’s about expressing<br />
our hearts and souls.” “We are all<br />
different but art brings us together.”<br />
For more information, visit artcentermanatee.org<br />
or call 941-746-2862.<br />
STORY & PHOTO: Louise Bruderle<br />
AccessAdvisorsLLC.com 941 914-1560 | Astiff@AccessAdvisorsLLC.com<br />
1800 Second St. Suite 895 Sarasota, FL 34236 | 1305 Langhorne Rd. Lynchburg, VA 24503<br />
Securities are offered through Level Four Financial, LLC a registered broker dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services are offered<br />
through Level Four Advisory Services, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Level Four Financial, LLC, Level Four Advisory Services, LLC<br />
and Access Advisors, LLC are independent entities. Neither Level Four Financial, LLC, Level Four Advisory Services, LLC nor Access Advisors,<br />
LLC offer tax or legal advice.<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 17
focus on the arts<br />
Key Chorale announces Season 39 –<br />
ONE OF A KIND<br />
ey Chorale, the<br />
Suncoast’s premier<br />
symphonic chorus,<br />
under the baton of<br />
Artistic Director<br />
Joseph Caulkins, announces<br />
Season 39. This season you’ll<br />
experience a U.S. premiere by<br />
an Iranian composer based on<br />
an ancient Persian love story,<br />
be swept away by the Argentine<br />
Tango, be immersed in<br />
the genius of Johann Sebastian<br />
Bach, and awe-struck by<br />
the spine-tingling harmonies<br />
of Eric Whitacre and Morten<br />
Lauridsen. Combine that<br />
with dynamic collaborations<br />
with The Sarasota Ballet, The<br />
Circus Arts Conservatory,<br />
Artist Series Concerts, Modern<br />
Marimba, and The Venice<br />
Symphony and Key Chorale<br />
knows you will agree, Season<br />
39 is truly “One of a Kind.”<br />
Season 39, concerts at a glance:<br />
2 September 23 – Tango, celebrating the Argentine Tango<br />
2 October 13-15 – Bachtoberfest – 3-day festival with<br />
Bach & Beer<br />
2 November 18 – CEASAR: Power. Fate. Conquest. –<br />
An Artist Series Concerts collaboration<br />
2 November 26 – Wintertide, with The Sarasota Ballet’s<br />
Studio Company<br />
2 February 10 – Triumph of Love, U.S. Premiere of a<br />
Persian Love Story<br />
2 February 20 – Tomorrow’s Voices Today, High School<br />
Choral Festival<br />
2 February 23 & 24 – Disney’s Maestro, A Tribute to<br />
Alan Menken – A Venice Symphony collaboration<br />
2 March 22 & 23 – Cirque des Voix ® with The Circus<br />
Arts Conservatory<br />
2 April 7 – Light & Gold: Luminous and lavish settings<br />
by Eric Whitacre & Morten Lauridsen<br />
2 April 23 & 24 – The Crown Jewel Finale – A Venice<br />
Symphony collaboration<br />
Purchase your tickets today at:<br />
KeyChorale.org • 941.552.8768<br />
Artistic Director, Joseph Caulkins<br />
18 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
your health<br />
What You Need to Know<br />
About E-Cigarettes and Vaping<br />
as Smoking Cessation Tools<br />
TRY A THERAPY<br />
THAT WORKS!<br />
Immediate Relief Beginning<br />
with the First Session:<br />
Chronic Pain: Sciatic, Back, Neck and TMJ<br />
Migraines, Foggy Brain and<br />
Lack of Concentration<br />
Sight and Eye Problems<br />
Asthma, Bronchitis, COPD, Shallow Breathing<br />
Digestive and Constipation Issues<br />
Leaky gut and Autoimmune problems<br />
Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Depression<br />
Concussions, Brain and Spinal Cord Health<br />
Mobility and Energy Issues for Seniors<br />
T. Grywinski specializes in difficult issues with great success<br />
A<br />
re you looking to quit<br />
smoking? Have you tried to<br />
quit several times with little to<br />
no success? Are you frustrated<br />
and running out of ideas that could help<br />
you kick the habit for good? You are not<br />
alone! In fact, 7 out of 10 tobacco users<br />
want to quit and may struggle with these<br />
same questions.<br />
Some tobacco users might be tempted to<br />
turn to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes,<br />
vape pens, and other vaping devices) to<br />
ease the transition from traditional cigarettes<br />
to not smoking at all.1 Though this<br />
may seem like a novel option for some,<br />
the question we must ask is whether using<br />
e-cigarettes or vaping is better for you than<br />
using tobacco products.<br />
According to Michael Blaha, M.D., M.P.H.,<br />
director of clinical research at the Johns<br />
Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention<br />
of Heart Disease, there are several<br />
important factors to consider:<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
E-cigarette aerosol is NOT harmless<br />
“water vapor.” 2 The aerosol used in<br />
e-cigarettes contains chemicals that<br />
can be harmful to health, including:<br />
• Nicotine 2<br />
• Ultrafine particles that can be<br />
inhaled deep into the lungs 2<br />
• Flavorings such as diacetyl, a<br />
chemical linked to a serious lung<br />
disease 2<br />
• Volatile organic compounds 2<br />
• Cancer-causing chemicals 2<br />
• Heavy metals such as nickel, tin,<br />
and lead 2<br />
The nicotine in tobacco and vaping<br />
products is addictive. According<br />
to Dr. Blaha, nicotine is a toxic substance<br />
that raises your blood pressure<br />
and spikes adrenaline which increases<br />
your heart rate and the likelihood of<br />
having a heart attack. 1 Emerging data<br />
also suggests links to chronic lung disease<br />
and asthma. 1<br />
Electronic cigarettes are just as addictive<br />
as traditional ones. 1 Many<br />
e-cigarette users get even more nicotine<br />
than they would from a combustible<br />
tobacco product as many vaping<br />
devices offer extra-strength cartridges,<br />
which have a higher concentration of<br />
4<br />
nicotine to get a greater hit of the substance.<br />
1 This can be counterproductive<br />
to an individual’s goal to quit as higher<br />
doses of nicotine result in a stronger<br />
nicotine addiction.<br />
E-cigarettes are not an FDA approved<br />
cessation tool. 1 E-cigarettes<br />
have not received Food and Drug Administration<br />
(FDA) approval as smoking<br />
cessation devices. 1 There are many<br />
FDA approved products on the market<br />
that are effective for quitting nicotine<br />
including the nicotine patches, gum,<br />
and lozenges.<br />
If you are a tobacco user looking to quit<br />
smoking, help is free! Gulfcoast South<br />
Area Health Education Center (GSA-<br />
HEC), as part of the Group Quit option<br />
of Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way<br />
program—offers free tobacco cessation<br />
sessions that are available to help someone<br />
quit all forms of tobacco.<br />
These group cessation sessions, held virtually<br />
and in-person, provide information<br />
about the effects of tobacco use, the benefits<br />
of quitting, and will assist you with<br />
developing your own customized quit<br />
plan. Free nicotine replacement therapy<br />
in the form of patches, gum, or lozenges (if<br />
medically appropriate and while supplies last)<br />
are provided with the session.<br />
Attendees will also receive a participant<br />
workbook, quit kit materials, and follow up<br />
support from a trained tobacco treatment<br />
specialist. Contact us today at 866-534-<br />
7909 or visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.<br />
com/groupquitcalendar to schedule a<br />
class or learn more about the program!<br />
References:<br />
1 Blaha, M. J. (2022, January 20). 5 vaping facts you<br />
need to know. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved<br />
August 5, 2022, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-truthsyou-need-to-know-about-vaping#:~:text=2%3A%20<br />
Research%20suggests%20vaping%20is%20bad%20<br />
for%20your%20heart%20and%20lungs.&-<br />
text=It%20causes%20you%20to%20crave,of%20<br />
having%20a%20heart%20attack.<br />
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022,<br />
June 23). Quick facts on the risks of e-cigarettes for<br />
kids, teens, and young adults. Centers for Disease<br />
Control and Prevention. Retrieved August 5, 2022,<br />
from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_infor-<br />
mation/e-cigarettes/Quick-Facts-on-the-Risks-of-<br />
E-cigarettes-for-Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults.<br />
html?s_cid=OSH_emg_GL0004&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_7KXBhCoARIsAPdPTfhcsghfeM1Nt942E9T9NEC5ZacheqTfaRJoU10p52M2wpiyEe8h-<br />
9pQaAqhPEALw_wcB#why-is-nicotine-unsafe<br />
How Craniosacral Therapy Can Be Life Changing<br />
“Doctors, physical therapists, massage therapists and chiros<br />
gave me little relief. Terry relieved my pain, after all these years!<br />
He has also helped four of my other friends. The man is an angel,<br />
with a gift from God....thank you Terry!!”<br />
“After 3 sessions, I had more range of motion and mobility in my<br />
neck, shoulders and hips. I was getting to the point where walking<br />
and moving was difficult. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my<br />
shoulders, my voice is stronger and my energy is greatly increased.<br />
I feel much calmer and more grounded!!”<br />
“I no longer feel physically sick each morning. No gastroenterologist<br />
or physician has ever properly diagnosed my mucus build up until<br />
now. As well as bringing about healing in my gut, he released an<br />
incredible amount of tension in my upper body.”<br />
“The question is where has he been all my life? Terry is a true healer<br />
and if you are serious about being well, you are in luck.<br />
He is effective and lovely.”<br />
advanced craniosacral therapy<br />
Terrence B. Grywinski<br />
B.A., B.Ed., LMT MA6049<br />
25 Years of Experience<br />
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See full page explanation of Craniosacral Therapy and<br />
how it can help you in another section of this issue<br />
Downtown Sarasota • 941-321-8757<br />
Google “Advanced Craniosacral Therapy Sarasota” for more info<br />
PAID ADVERTORIAL<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 19
good news department<br />
Safe Children Coalition awards scholarships to<br />
<strong>2023</strong> Achievers<br />
Bishop Parker Foundation Awards $ 400,000 to<br />
Second Heart Homes<br />
Achievers program graduates Ariel (second from left) and Anastasia Samedi (far<br />
right) with mother Kanani (center), an Achievers PUSHY Parent Award recipient, and<br />
other family members.<br />
The Safe Children Coalition’s Achievers<br />
program recently honored graduates and<br />
awarded $31,800 in college scholarships<br />
to “Class of <strong>2023</strong>” high school graduates<br />
as well as returning college students who<br />
were engaged with the program as teens<br />
and have continued their involvement<br />
through Zoom career cluster sessions and<br />
community service during the holidays.<br />
A total of 38 scholarships – 12 incoming<br />
freshmen and 26 continuing college students<br />
– were awarded. Contributing to<br />
this year’s program and scholarship funding<br />
were: the Harry Sudakoff Foundation,<br />
Bay First National Bank, the A. Jean Battie<br />
Scholarship, Marilyn & James Heskett<br />
Charitable Foundation, Tracy Ross Memorial<br />
Scholarship, and others.<br />
Addressing the guests were Kathleen<br />
Cowan, SCC’s VP of Child Welfare, and<br />
Chief Rex Troche of the Sarasota Police<br />
Department as well as several program<br />
alumni, who spoke about their Achievers<br />
experience and how it helped them to<br />
succeed in college.<br />
The Achievers program empowers atrisk,<br />
minority and other disadvantaged<br />
students to set and achieve goals in both<br />
their educational and personal lives, encouraging<br />
continuous growth in the areas<br />
of personal development, college preparation,<br />
community service and leadership,<br />
cultural enrichment, and career options.<br />
The program ultimately increases student<br />
participation in school programs, decreases<br />
school absenteeism and dropout<br />
rates, and prevents delinquent behavior.<br />
The program, which has served thousands<br />
of students in the community for<br />
over 30 years, is open to all middle and<br />
high school students in Sarasota County.<br />
Approximately 113 students participated<br />
in the Achievers program during the 2022-<br />
<strong>2023</strong> school year.<br />
Neal Communities Supports Venice Main Street<br />
Neal Communities has donated<br />
$15,000 to Venice<br />
MainStreet to sponsor its<br />
Friday night concert series<br />
and marketing efforts. It<br />
is the second consecutive<br />
year that the homebuilder<br />
has supported the entertainment<br />
series in downtown<br />
Venice.<br />
For more than 35 years,<br />
Venice MainStreet has<br />
hosted special events like the Friday night<br />
concert series in the city of Venice’s historic<br />
downtown district. On the 2nd and<br />
4th Fridays of each month, free music performances<br />
take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.<br />
in Centennial Park. Last year, the concert<br />
series, which is open to the public, drew<br />
an attendance of 15,000.<br />
Last year, Neal Communities was the<br />
first corporate sponsor of the event and<br />
donated $15,000. This year’s sponsorship<br />
makes a total of $30,000 that the homebuilder<br />
has put toward the event.<br />
Venice MainStreet is an accredited Main<br />
Street organization through the Florida<br />
Main Street Program and Main Street<br />
America. Its mission is to preserve and enhance<br />
the character, beauty and economic<br />
vitality of historic downtown Venice. The<br />
organization achieves its goals through<br />
marketing, promotions, special events<br />
and historic preservation advocacy.<br />
For information about Venice Main-<br />
Street’s events, visit www.VisitVeniceFL.org.<br />
Adell Erozer, Executive Director of the Bishop Parker Foundation and Megan Howell, executive<br />
director and founder of Second Heart Homes<br />
The Bishop Parker Foundation recently<br />
authorized a $400,000 grant to Second<br />
Heart Homes, which provides housing,<br />
support services and love to homeless<br />
adults with mental-health challenges.<br />
The grant – the largest single gift to<br />
Second Heart Homes since its founding<br />
in 2019 – will be used to purchase a third<br />
home dedicated to taking homelessness<br />
people off the streets of Manatee County.<br />
An additional home will complement the<br />
organization’s six properties in Sarasota:<br />
All told, more than 50 homeless people<br />
will be off the streets.<br />
“We are so grateful, from the bottom<br />
of our hearts, for this generous gift from<br />
the Bishop Parker Foundation. It will help<br />
us make a true impact on homelessness<br />
in Manatee County,” said Megan Howell,<br />
executive director and founder of Second<br />
Heart Homes.<br />
Human services and health are among<br />
the Bishop Parker Foundation’s focus areas.<br />
During their years in Bradenton decades<br />
ago, Edward and Lillian Bishop, and<br />
Mary Parker, supported many institutions<br />
– and often individuals – responding to direct<br />
human needs, especially those dealing<br />
with hunger and homelessness.<br />
“Our Foundation has long recognized<br />
food insecurity, homelessness and lack of<br />
accessibility for mental health services as<br />
major challenges in our community. We are<br />
excited to partner with Second Heart Homes<br />
to address these complicated issues in our<br />
community,” said Adell Erozer, Executive Director<br />
of the Bishop Parker Foundation.<br />
For more information, visit Bishop-<br />
ParkerFoundation.org and Second-<br />
HeartHomes.org.<br />
Sarasota Memorial Recognized as Role Model<br />
for Best Practices and Life-Saving Care<br />
Sarasota Memorial Hospital received top<br />
awards from the American Heart Association<br />
(AHA) for providing life-saving care<br />
to patients experiencing heart and stroke<br />
emergencies.<br />
Part of its national “Get<br />
With The Guidelines” annual<br />
quality review, the AHA recognizes<br />
hospitals not only for<br />
following best practices, but<br />
for doing so consistently, year<br />
after year, ultimately leading<br />
to more lives saved, shorter<br />
recovery times and fewer readmissions<br />
to the hospital.<br />
James Fiorica, MD, chief<br />
medical officer of Sarasota<br />
Memorial Health Care System,<br />
credits the hospital’s superior performance<br />
and patient outcomes to the<br />
expertise of clinicians, as well as the<br />
commitment of hospital leaders to research-based,<br />
high-quality care. This year,<br />
Sarasota Memorial’s Sarasota and Venice<br />
campuses received awards with multiple<br />
honors for their dedication to best practices<br />
and life-saving care for cardiac arrest<br />
and stroke patients.<br />
continued on next page<br />
20 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
good news department continued<br />
Grants to All Faiths Food Bank support Mobile<br />
Pantry program<br />
Caldwell Trust Company Trustees Select Tidewell<br />
Foundation<br />
All Faiths Food Bank volunteer Arlene Hull loads a community member’s car with food<br />
during a mobile pantry.<br />
Recent grants are supporting All Faiths<br />
Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry program,<br />
which provides access to healthy foods<br />
to community members in Sarasota and<br />
DeSoto counties who are experiencing<br />
food insecurity.<br />
Two recent contributors to the food<br />
bank’s Mobile Pantry program are Ameriprise<br />
Financial, $5,000, and the Masala<br />
Giving Circle, $10,000 (for mobile pantries<br />
in Newtown).<br />
Mobile pantries provide community members<br />
with fresh produce, meats, and groceries<br />
at sites throughout the community, all<br />
year long. Some mobile pantries distribute<br />
pre-packed grocery boxes and others offer<br />
the opportunity to shop, farmers’ market-style,<br />
and choose what they want.<br />
“Through our Mobile Pantry program,<br />
and by working together with partner<br />
agencies and programs, we are able to<br />
meet people where they are and reach<br />
underserved populations,” said All Faiths<br />
Food Bank CEO Sandra Frank. For more<br />
about All Faiths Food Bank, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.<br />
Hermitage Artist Retreat Receives Regional and<br />
National Grants<br />
Andy Sandberg, Hermitage<br />
Artistic Director and Chief<br />
Executive Officer<br />
The Hermitage Artist Retreat has received<br />
several grants that will support<br />
the Hermitage’s mission and community<br />
programming. The Hermitage offers oneof-a-kind<br />
artistic programming with a focus<br />
on community impact,<br />
education, and social justice.<br />
The Hermitage provides<br />
artists the opportunity<br />
to create new works<br />
of art across all artistic<br />
disciplines.<br />
These artists give back to<br />
the community by presenting<br />
their works in progress<br />
to audiences throughout<br />
our region before they go<br />
on to national and international acclaim.<br />
The Hermitage welcomes nearly 100 of the<br />
world’s leading artists to Sarasota County<br />
each year. Their free community programming<br />
now includes over 50 events annually<br />
at locations throughout the Gulf Coast region.<br />
Gulf Coast Community Foundation<br />
(GCCF) is continuing its support of the<br />
Hermitage with a $40,000 Arts Appreciation<br />
Grant in support of the Hermitage’s<br />
mission: to inspire and foster the most influential<br />
and culturally consequential art<br />
and artists of our time.<br />
The Hermitage became one of Gulf<br />
Coast’s “Arts Appreciation” grantees in<br />
2021, following multiple years of ongoing<br />
support and partnership. This grant<br />
was made possible through the Venice<br />
Endowment Fund, the Agnes Gnewikow<br />
Charitable Fund, and the Margaret Lehman<br />
Endowment Fund.<br />
An additional $15,000 in<br />
community program support<br />
came from The Exchange<br />
of Sarasota, which<br />
awarded a grant for “Hermitage<br />
North” programming<br />
and the Hermitage’s arts<br />
education initiative. Part of<br />
these funds were awarded<br />
through The Exchange’s<br />
new Elizabeth Lindsay Arts<br />
in Education grant program.<br />
Additional gifts of support include a<br />
grant for improvements designed to enhance<br />
artist facilities from the Frank E.<br />
Duckwall Foundation, a Capacity Building<br />
Grant from the Community Foundation of<br />
Sarasota County (CFSC) to support professional<br />
development, a grant from the<br />
Camilla & Earl McGrath Foundation toward<br />
the Hermitage’s nationally renowned artist<br />
residency program and free community<br />
programming, with continuing grants<br />
from the Amphion Foundation, Sustainable<br />
Arts Foundation, and Plantation<br />
Community Foundation to show support<br />
for special Hermitage programs in dance,<br />
music, family residencies, and more.<br />
Delesa Morris, M.S., CFRE, Interim President of Tidewell Foundation, stands between Caldwell<br />
Trust Company board members CEO/president R.G. “Kelly” Caldwell, Jr., Tom Stuhley, Giving<br />
Project Chair Mack Reid, and Marge Maisto.<br />
In its 30th year, Caldwell Trust Company,<br />
has selected the Tidewell Foundation<br />
as the recipient of the Trustee’s annual<br />
$5,000 donation. Tidewell Hospice provides<br />
comprehensive care and support to<br />
individuals and families facing advanced<br />
illnesses, grief, and loss.<br />
To date, Caldwell trustees have donated<br />
a total of $43,000 and have supported<br />
these local organizations:<br />
• Sarasota Military Academy, Cadet to Cadet<br />
Training, $3,000 (2015)<br />
• State College of Florida, BSN Nursing<br />
Scholarship, $5,000 (2016)<br />
• Take Stock in Children, Two-Year Florida<br />
Prepaid Scholarships, $5,000 (2017)<br />
• Children First, Inc., Families First Institute<br />
Grant, $5,000 (2018)<br />
• Take Stock in Children, Scholarships,<br />
$5,000 (2019)<br />
• All Faith’s Food Bank, Covid-19 Response<br />
Feeding Program (Boys & Girls<br />
Clubs, Girls Inc., and Children First),<br />
$5,000 (2020)<br />
• Easter Seals SW Florida, Inc., $5,000<br />
(75th Anniversary Gala, 2021)<br />
• Church of the Redeemer, Barnabas Aid,<br />
$5,000 (2022)<br />
• Tidewell Foundation, Children’s Grief<br />
Blue Butterfly Program, $5,000 (<strong>2023</strong>)<br />
The $5,000 donation from Caldwell Trust<br />
Company will be utilized by the Tidewell<br />
Foundation to expand the bereavement<br />
support programs, enabling them to<br />
reach more individuals and provide vital<br />
assistance during their most vulnerable<br />
moments. This contribution will further<br />
empower the foundation to continue<br />
making a meaningful difference in the<br />
lives of those they serve.<br />
Helping to Reduce the Digital Divide<br />
How do disadvantaged youth and low-income<br />
families compete without a computer<br />
or laptop in today’s world? According<br />
to Mark Sharff, a Guardian ad<br />
Litem volunteer in Manatee County and a<br />
member of the Sarasota Technology Users<br />
(STUG), it means that most are left behind,<br />
unable to easily access educational<br />
and career training opportunities.<br />
Sharff explains that’s why, in 2004, The<br />
Children’s Guardian Fund teamed up with<br />
the Sarasota Technology Users to collect<br />
and refurbish used computers and laptops.<br />
Since the launch of the STUG Refurb<br />
Project, 20,689 renovated digital devices<br />
have been donated to residents of Sarasota,<br />
Manatee, and DeSoto counties.<br />
The recipients include disadvantaged<br />
school children, low-income adults and<br />
seniors, individuals in recovery programs,<br />
veterans and others trying to emerge<br />
from homelessness. In 2013, the program<br />
was expanded to provide computers directly<br />
to students in the Sarasota County<br />
Bill Crowe and Mike Hutchinson with the<br />
Sarasota Technology Users Group.<br />
Photo courtesy of STUG<br />
school system.<br />
The group partners with more than 25<br />
regional nonprofits to assist in distribution,<br />
including The Children’s Guardian<br />
Fund, Goodwill, Women’s Resource Center,<br />
Career Source, SPARCC, Take Stock in Children,<br />
Janie Poe, Literacy Center, and dozens<br />
of other area charities.<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 21
you’re news<br />
Accolades<br />
■ Carey Beychok of RE/MAX<br />
Alliance Group was recently recognized<br />
in the<br />
<strong>2023</strong> “America’s<br />
Best<br />
Real Estate<br />
Professionals”<br />
rankings<br />
by Real-<br />
Trends<br />
+ Tom<br />
Ferry. That<br />
Carey Beychok<br />
places her<br />
among the<br />
top 1.5% of 1.6 million real estate<br />
professionals in the United States.<br />
Beychok generated more than $23<br />
million in sales in 2022.<br />
To qualify for the “America’s Best<br />
Real Estate Professionals” list, individual<br />
agents must have completed<br />
at least 50 transactions or closed<br />
$20 million in sales volume during<br />
the year.<br />
A lifelong resident of Southwest<br />
Florida, Beychok’s entire career has<br />
been in the real estate industry, first<br />
as a new home sales representative<br />
for several area builders, and now<br />
as a Broker-Associate with RE/MAX<br />
Alliance Group after running her own<br />
brokerage firm for many years. Her<br />
family has been building and developing<br />
real estate locally since 1946.<br />
Beychok is a Certified Luxury<br />
Home Marketing Specialist<br />
(CLHMS) and has earned the Certified<br />
New Home Specialist (CNHS)<br />
and Residential Construction<br />
Certified (RCC) designations. She is<br />
based in the Sarasota office at 2000<br />
Webber Street.<br />
Board News<br />
■ ArtCenter Manatee has announced<br />
the election of three new<br />
board members. Jan Pullen, former<br />
Head of School at St. Stephens in<br />
Bradenton. Jan is an accomplished<br />
and respected administrator and<br />
educator. She served at St Stephens<br />
for 35 years before retiring in <strong>2023</strong>.<br />
Jan is a sustaining member of Service<br />
Club of Manatee County.<br />
Joining Jan is Carol Bintz. Carol<br />
is a retired COO of the Toledo<br />
Museum of Art where she held<br />
executive positions for 25 years. The<br />
Ohio Museum Association voted<br />
Carol Professional of the Year for<br />
her leadership and service. Carol is<br />
also a member of Bradenton Rotary.<br />
Andrew Gerth joins Jan and<br />
Carol on the Board. Andrew is a<br />
financial advisor with Merrill Lynch.<br />
Andrew follows the Merrill tradition<br />
of participating in the communities<br />
they serve.<br />
Other members include: Rob Moran,<br />
President; Christine Meyer, 1st<br />
Vice President; Bruce Body, Treasurer;<br />
Carol Krah, Secretary; Roberto<br />
Andreos, Member-at large; James<br />
Brandys; Ted Camp; Linda Enberg;<br />
Mary Hoagland; Donna Morrison;<br />
Daryl Shepherd; Kathy Simon-Mc-<br />
Donald; and Jacquelyn Taylor.<br />
For more information visit www.<br />
artcentermanatee.org<br />
Laura Spencer<br />
■ William G. and Marie Selby<br />
Foundation has elected Laura<br />
Spencer as its newest board member<br />
of the private<br />
foundation.<br />
Spencer<br />
retired in 2022<br />
after a career<br />
spanning<br />
almost 40<br />
years and is<br />
known for her<br />
business acumen,<br />
financial<br />
expertise,<br />
thoughtful focus on problem solving,<br />
and knowledge of our community<br />
and foundations.<br />
Most recently, Spencer was the<br />
Chief Financial and Administrative<br />
Officer for the Community Foundation<br />
of Sarasota County for 10 years.<br />
She began her career with<br />
Deloitte, Haskins & Sells in Tampa,<br />
followed by nine years at Kerkering,<br />
Barberio & Co. CPA’s before joining<br />
Tervis Tumbler Company in 1997.<br />
She spent 14 years at Tervis, where<br />
she held several key leadership<br />
roles during a significant period of<br />
growth in the organization, including<br />
the role of President and Chief<br />
Executive Officer from 2006-2010.<br />
Spencer joins current board<br />
members Barbara Zdravecky, Keith<br />
DuBose, Susan Hines, Carolyn<br />
Johnson and Tom Tryon. Susie<br />
Bowie is President and Chief Executive<br />
Officer. Visit SelbyFdn.org to<br />
learn more.<br />
■ The Board of Trustees of Selby<br />
Gardens has elected Dr. Joel<br />
Morganroth as Chair and Teri A<br />
Hansen as Vice Chair for its 2024<br />
fiscal year. The<br />
Selby Gardens<br />
Board also<br />
elected Bruce<br />
E. Sorensen,<br />
a managing<br />
director with<br />
financial-services<br />
firm<br />
Baird, to a<br />
Teri A Hansen<br />
three-year<br />
term as a trustee,<br />
and it reelected seven members<br />
to new three-year terms.<br />
Morganroth is an academic cardiologist<br />
who last year served as Vice<br />
Chair of Selby Gardens and chaired<br />
the Board’s Finance Committee.<br />
Hansen is president and CEO<br />
of Charles & Margery Barancik<br />
Foundation, a private foundation<br />
in Sarasota. She has more than 30<br />
years of experience in philanthropic<br />
leadership, including previous roles<br />
as president and CEO of Gulf Coast<br />
Community Foundation. Hansen<br />
chaired the Selby Gardens Advisory<br />
Committee for the past several years.<br />
New Selby Gardens trustee<br />
Sorensen is managing director of<br />
Baird’s public finance group. He has<br />
over 30 years of industry experience,<br />
including expertise in local<br />
government, economic development,<br />
and charter school finance.<br />
He previously served on Selby<br />
Gardens’ Advisory Committee.<br />
The Selby Gardens Board also<br />
reelected Jean Weidner Goldstein,<br />
Katherine Martucci, and Margaret<br />
Wise to their third three-year terms<br />
as trustees and Daniel “Pat” Ball,<br />
Keith Monda, Mike Quillen, and<br />
Jeannie Russell to their second<br />
three-year terms. The other members<br />
of the Selby Gardens Board<br />
of Trustees are Aaron Bellamy, Morgan<br />
Bentley, Mary Braxton-Jospeh,<br />
Ariane Dart, Norbert P. Donelly,<br />
Renée James Gilmore, Marcy<br />
Klein, Cornelia Matson, Marianne<br />
McComb, Audrey Robbins, Pauline<br />
L. Wamsler, and President & CEO<br />
Jennifer O. Rominiecki.<br />
■ The Hermitage Artist Retreat<br />
has announced that Carole<br />
Crosby has been elected President<br />
of the Hermitage Board of Trustees<br />
after four years as a member<br />
and two seasons as Chair of the<br />
Hermitage Governance Committee.<br />
Crosby succeeds Robyn Citrin,<br />
who concludes her two-year term<br />
as President and will remain on<br />
the Hermitage Board. Both Crosby<br />
and Citrin became trustees in<br />
the same season Andy Sandberg<br />
was hired as Artistic Director and<br />
CEO. The Hermitage also this year<br />
welcomes Terry Brackett as a new<br />
member of the Board of Trustees.<br />
■ Aviva Senior Living, a not-forprofit<br />
senior rental residential community<br />
located in The Meadows<br />
of Sarasota, has welcomed Patrick<br />
Mulva and Meredith Dropkin to its<br />
Board of Trustees.<br />
Originally<br />
from Wisconsin,<br />
Patrick<br />
Mulva served<br />
as an executive<br />
at ExxonMobil,<br />
including his<br />
most recent<br />
role as Vice<br />
Meredith Dropkin<br />
President,<br />
Controller<br />
and Officer of the Corporation, for<br />
nearly 38 years.<br />
With an undergraduate degree<br />
from the University of Notre Dame<br />
and a Master of Business from the<br />
University of Texas-San Antonio,<br />
Mulva brings with him decades of<br />
business knowledge and strategy.<br />
In addition to his professional work,<br />
he is an avid supporter of not-forprofits,<br />
having served on the boards<br />
of the Toronto United Way, Dallas<br />
United Way, Washington’s Institute<br />
of Flight, the Edmonds Center for<br />
the Arts and most recently serving<br />
as a Board Trustee for Florida<br />
Studio Theatre. After retiring from<br />
ExxonMobile in 2014, Mulva spent<br />
time in Washington state before<br />
relocating to Sarasota in 2018.<br />
Joining Mulva on Aviva’s Board of<br />
Trustees is Meredith Dropkin, Director<br />
of Public Relations at Sarasota-based<br />
marketing firm Grapevine<br />
Communications. Dropkin graduated<br />
from Syracuse University, where<br />
she studied marketing and public<br />
relations. Her early career was spent<br />
as a reporter for Sports Illustrated<br />
before she transitioned into communications.<br />
As a public relations<br />
expert, Dropkin has helped companies<br />
and organizations achieve<br />
record-breaking profits and secure<br />
national and local press coverage.<br />
With their addition, Aviva’s Board<br />
grows to 15 individuals and the<br />
community’s President & CEO, Jay<br />
Solomon. For more information<br />
visit www.avivaseniorlife.org.<br />
■ Hershorin Schiff Community<br />
Day School – a Jewish day school<br />
that serves children of all faiths in<br />
preschool through eighth grade –<br />
has announced its <strong>2023</strong>-2024 board<br />
of trustees. President of the Board<br />
is Rachel Saltzberg, Vice President<br />
is Barbara Rodkin, Melissa<br />
Walsh is Treasurer, and Robert<br />
Landman is Secretary.<br />
New to the board this year<br />
are Colleen Blumenthal, MAI, Benjamin<br />
Edelman,<br />
Nikhil<br />
“Nik” Joshi,<br />
Esq. and<br />
(returning<br />
member) Dr.<br />
Wendy Katz.<br />
They join<br />
continuing<br />
trustees Lori<br />
Colleen Blumenthal<br />
Dorman,<br />
Esq., Gregory<br />
Farrington, Ph.D., Lillian<br />
Lincoln Lambert, Rabbi Michael<br />
Shefrin, Rick Siegel and Fred<br />
Starling. Richard Hershorin is a<br />
Lifetime Member; with the recent<br />
and untimely death of former board<br />
President Mitch Blumenthal, the<br />
board granted him Lifetime Member<br />
status posthumously.<br />
In the wake of Blumenthal’s passing,<br />
longtime CDS leader Rachel<br />
Saltzberg has returned to the role of<br />
President of the Board. Saltzberg has<br />
been involved with the school since<br />
arriving in Sarasota in 2004 with her<br />
husband and newborn daughter.<br />
Colleen Blumenthal, MAI, who<br />
has been appraising real estate and<br />
consulting owners and investors for<br />
over 30 years, specializing in seniors<br />
housing and healthcare since 1992.<br />
In addition to her duties as Chief<br />
Operating Officer of HealthTrust,<br />
she has served as the task force lead<br />
on the American Seniors Housing<br />
Association’s State of Seniors Housing<br />
for the last 15 years.<br />
Benjamin Edelman is a newscast<br />
producer at WWSB ABC7 News in<br />
Sarasota, where he produces the 5<br />
p.m. show. He’s a Sarasota native<br />
who graduated from Community<br />
Day School in 2011. In 2020, he<br />
directed the horror/comedy feature<br />
film “Santastein,” which is currently<br />
gearing up for a <strong>2023</strong> festival<br />
run. Edelman can also be seen on<br />
ABC7’s morning lifestyle show,<br />
“Suncoast View,” every month for<br />
his movie review segments.<br />
Nikhil “Nik” Joshi, Esq. is a<br />
Florida Bar, Board Certified as a<br />
specialist in Labor and Employment<br />
Law. Practicing since 1997, he has<br />
over two decades of experience representing<br />
employers and business<br />
owners, and takes pride in providing<br />
thoughtful, pragmatic advice<br />
and counsel to his clients.<br />
Returning to the board is Dr.<br />
Wendy Katz, B.S., M.A., ED.S, Ed.D.<br />
For more than 40 years, Katz has<br />
served as a teacher, principal, mentor<br />
and administrator at the K-12<br />
level in the public school system in<br />
Sarasota County as well as serving<br />
as a consultant to multiple independent<br />
schools from pre-K-12.<br />
For more about Community Day<br />
School, visit communityday.org or<br />
call 941-552-2770.<br />
■ Child welfare agency Safe<br />
Children Coalition has announced<br />
its <strong>2023</strong>-2024 board of directors.<br />
Brian D. Goodrich is the new<br />
chair of the board, Lee Lipton is<br />
vice chair and Tony Gamelin is<br />
treasurer. New directors are Arlene<br />
Buckmaster and Rob Goldstein;<br />
(From l-r) New Safe Children Coalition<br />
chair of the board Brian D. Goodrich<br />
with new directors Arlene Buckmaster<br />
and Rob Goldstein<br />
they join continuing directors Ken<br />
Alexander, Jamara Clark, David<br />
Fairey, Ann Marie Jones, and Michael<br />
Rahn (immediate past chair).<br />
Brian D. Goodrich is an attorney<br />
and shareholder at Bentley Goodrich<br />
Kison, P.A., a commercial litigation<br />
law firm located in Sarasota.<br />
Arlene Buckmaster is a real estate<br />
professional with HouseMax Realty.<br />
She serves in her community as a<br />
sustaining member of the Junior<br />
League. Rob Goldstein is the former<br />
Chief Executive Officer of Menorah<br />
Life in St. Petersburg, Fla. Recently<br />
retired, he spent the past 24 years<br />
directing operations, managing a<br />
major expansion, and developing<br />
new programs and services for the<br />
Jewish-sponsored senior living<br />
community.For more information,<br />
visit sccfl.org.<br />
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22 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
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<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 23
dining in<br />
September is Mushroom Month<br />
F Lion’s Mane Mushroom “Crab” Cakes<br />
Lion’s mane mushrooms are<br />
large, white, shaggy<br />
mushrooms that resemble<br />
a lion's mane as they grow.<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
INSTRUCTIONS:<br />
Shred the Lion’s Mane mushroom to resemble lump crab meat. Transfer them to a large<br />
skillet with 2 tablespoons of water and pinch of salt.<br />
Cook the mushrooms over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes<br />
until all the water from the mushrooms has released. Set aside and allow the mushrooms<br />
to cool.<br />
In a large bowl, add mayo, Dijon mustard, egg, Worcestershire sauce, onions, parsley,<br />
Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined. Set aside.<br />
Once the Lion’s Mane has cooled, strain/squeeze out any excess moisture from the<br />
mushrooms. This will help avoid any soggy crab cakes.<br />
Fold the mushrooms into the mixture until well combined. Stir in the panko breadcrumbs<br />
then form the mixture into 4 patties that are 1/2-inch thick. Set aside.<br />
In a large skillet, heat olive oil at medium heat. Pan fry the patties for 3 minutes on<br />
each side until golden brown. Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce. Garnish with<br />
chopped parsley.<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
2 tablespoons vegan<br />
butter<br />
3/4 cup walnuts,<br />
toasted and finely<br />
chopped<br />
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs<br />
2 tablespoons minced shallots<br />
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme<br />
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano<br />
INSTRUCTIONS:<br />
Lion’s Mane Mushroom “Crab” Cakes T<br />
Yield: 4 patties<br />
8 ounces Lion’s Mane mushroom<br />
2 tablespoons mayo<br />
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard<br />
1 large egg<br />
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce<br />
1/4 cup diced sweet onions<br />
1 tablespoon finely chopped<br />
fresh parsley plus more for<br />
garnish<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay<br />
seasoning<br />
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil for pan<br />
frying<br />
Lemon wedges and tartar sauce<br />
for serving<br />
Cremini mushrooms<br />
are wonderful to use<br />
in pastas, soups, casseroles,<br />
risottos, omelets,<br />
quesadillas, tacos, tarts,<br />
bruschettas and salads, as<br />
well as for making sauces<br />
and gravies.<br />
F Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms<br />
Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms T<br />
Go beyond the Basic Button<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
12 large cremini mushrooms,<br />
cleaned, stems removed<br />
Olive oil for drizzling<br />
Preheat the oven at 375ºF. Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet. Set aside.<br />
In a skillet, melt the butter at medium heat. Add the toasted and chopped walnuts,<br />
panko bread crumbs, minced shallots, spices, salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes.<br />
Evenly spoon the filling into each mushroom (about 1-2 teaspoons each). Drizzle extra<br />
olive oil on top of the stuffed mushrooms. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the mushrooms<br />
are cooked and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm.<br />
F Chorizo and Mushroom Blended Burgers<br />
Combine Mexican chorizo,<br />
beef and mushrooms for an<br />
umami-packed burger.<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
8 ounces crimini mushrooms,<br />
finely chopped<br />
1 lb ground beef<br />
4 ounces Mexican chorizo,<br />
casing removed<br />
1 teaspoon smoked paprika<br />
1 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili<br />
powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
Salt + pepper to taste<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
4 hamburger buns<br />
INSTRUCTIONS:<br />
In a large bowl, add finely chopped crimini mushrooms, beef, chorizo, paprika, garlic<br />
powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix together until well combined.<br />
Form into 5 patties.<br />
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook blended burger patties approximately<br />
2-3 minutes per side, or to your preferred level of doneness.<br />
Remove blended burger patties from heat and toast buns in the same skillet. Assemble<br />
blended burgers with your favorite toppings.<br />
Here’s a creative twist<br />
with these vegetarian<br />
“scallops” made from<br />
trumpet mushrooms.<br />
The mushroom scallops<br />
are browned and cooked<br />
until tender. Then drizzle<br />
of nutty, caramelized<br />
brown butter and vibrant<br />
thyme.<br />
Yield: 4 servings,<br />
3 scallops each<br />
INSTRUCTIONS:<br />
Yield: 5 burgers<br />
F Trumpet Mushroom Scallops w/ Brown Butter & Thyme<br />
Trumpet Mushroom Scallops w/ Brown Butter & Thyme T<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
Chorizo and Mushroom Blended Burgers T<br />
5 tablespoons unsalted<br />
butter<br />
16 ounces trumpet mushrooms<br />
4 sprigs of thyme, plus extra for garnish<br />
To make the brown butter, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium<br />
heat. Swirl the butter in the pan as it begins to foam and continue to cook about 2<br />
to 3 minutes. When brown specks start to appear in the butter remove it from the heat<br />
and set aside.<br />
Slice the mushroom into 1-inch thick rounds, for 12 total mushroom scallops.<br />
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high<br />
heat. Add the thyme sprigs and stir them around the flavor the butter.<br />
Add the mushroom scallops. Spoon half of the brown butter over the scallops and cook<br />
3 to 5 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and spoon the remaining<br />
brown butter over the top of each. Cook 3 to 5 more minutes, until tender.<br />
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves before serving.<br />
Optional toppings: Mexican crema,<br />
guacamole, queso fresco, sliced<br />
red onions, cilantro leaves, sliced<br />
jalapeños<br />
Fine sea salt<br />
Ground black pepper<br />
Mushroom Myths Versus Facts<br />
• You should throw out the stems<br />
when preparing mushrooms.<br />
Let’s clear the air on this one. You<br />
should be SAVING your stems and using<br />
them for stocks or sautéing them<br />
with the rest of the mushroom.<br />
• Mushrooms aren’t substantial<br />
enough to be healthy.<br />
FALSE. Mushrooms are full of vitamins<br />
and minerals, such as selenium, potassium,<br />
and niacin.<br />
• You should only cook mushrooms on<br />
low heat.<br />
Don’t be afraid to crank up the heat<br />
next time you cook with mushrooms.<br />
A higher heat will result in savory,<br />
golden brown mushrooms.<br />
Source: www.mushroomcouncil.com<br />
24 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
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<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 25
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26 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
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<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 27
feature<br />
Heard Opera House Recovers as<br />
ARCADIA LANDMARK<br />
More than a century old, it serves as a resilient reminder of town’s history<br />
Major repairs have been<br />
completed, and the Heard<br />
has been restored<br />
to its original form.<br />
The two windows in the main room of the<br />
opera house are being filled in<br />
to prevent future<br />
hurricane damage.<br />
The Heard takes up half of the<br />
100 block on W Oak St.<br />
Krissy Constantino (left)<br />
and Danny Mastrodonato<br />
stand at the bottom<br />
of the Heard’s steps.<br />
The antique shops lining<br />
the streets of Arcadia’s<br />
town center attract their<br />
share of visitors, but a<br />
short walk up a flight of<br />
stairs to the Heard Opera House is<br />
the fastest way to a trip back in time.<br />
The Heard, recently restored to its<br />
early 20th century glory and repaired<br />
after damage done by Hurricane Ian,<br />
stands again as a symbol of resiliency<br />
in this DeSoto County town 45<br />
minutes east from coastal Manatee<br />
and Sarasota.<br />
The Heard, built in 1906 by J.J. Heard<br />
originally with a bank on the ground<br />
floor and theater space upstairs, has a<br />
history of leading Arcadia back from disaster.<br />
A fire swept through the downtown<br />
a year before the Heard opened,<br />
leveling virtually every building.<br />
Ever since, such diverse tenants as a<br />
theater, an antique shop, a dentist,<br />
the tax collector and others have<br />
done business in the Heard, which<br />
occupies half of the 100 block of West<br />
Oak Street in the historic district.<br />
A music school occupies space there<br />
now, along with an event planner<br />
and more. An instrument shop and<br />
screen printing business also reside<br />
in the site Trip Advisor calls DeSoto’s<br />
No. 1 visitor attraction.<br />
Danny Mastrodonato, the building’s<br />
42-year-old live-in caretaker who occupies<br />
an apartment below the Heard<br />
with his family, said history is repeating<br />
as the Opera House returns to its<br />
glory and its place as a gathering spot<br />
in DeSoto County’s biggest town.<br />
“The whole entire town started here<br />
again,” he said. “After the hurricane,<br />
we got damaged really bad. A lot of<br />
people did, so we had to do the same<br />
thing. We had to become the central<br />
place again.”<br />
Principally, Ian’s winds blew in the<br />
two windows in the main theater<br />
space. The pressure, once inside,<br />
crumbled a wall, sending cement<br />
blocks smashing through the floor<br />
and surrounding walls.<br />
“The back wall of the stage fell and<br />
crushed our apartment,” Mastrodonato<br />
said. “We lost our apartment.<br />
We lost our business. We lost our<br />
building all in a few hours.”<br />
Mastrodonato almost lost his family,<br />
too. He said his wife, 41-year-old Krissy<br />
Constantino, had a last-minute<br />
notion to evacuate, likely saving their<br />
lives. Constantino owns the on-site<br />
music school and works as the building’s<br />
second caretaker. The damage<br />
sustained in the storm was so severe<br />
that the building was condemned for<br />
two months. After working with city<br />
officials to create a list of necessary repairs,<br />
the building has reopened and<br />
restoration work has been completed.<br />
All repairs were paid for out of pocket<br />
and with the help of local donations,<br />
according to Mastrodonato. Because<br />
the building is owned outright, no<br />
federal or state assistance was available<br />
for repairs, he said.<br />
The owner, Marginy, Inc., which is run<br />
by 80-year-old Jean Vavrovsky, has<br />
had to pay upwards of $920,000 so far<br />
to rebuild. With these repairs, the decision<br />
was made to restore the building<br />
to as close to original as possible,<br />
including keeping 117-year-old ceiling<br />
tiles and wood floors. They are even<br />
able to use wood sourced from the<br />
same forest used in the original 1906<br />
construction. The building and the<br />
land have an assessed value of about<br />
$258,600, according to the DeSoto<br />
County Property Appraiser.<br />
But the value to the community is far<br />
greater, said City Administrator Terry<br />
Stewart. “Most communities work<br />
very hard to take care of the basics,<br />
you know, water, sewer, trash pickup,<br />
you know, keep your roads in good<br />
shape, open, things of that nature,”<br />
Stewart said. “But when a community<br />
gets to the point that they can begin<br />
investing or people are investing<br />
in bringing things like arts and cultural<br />
activities to a community, that’s<br />
one of the things that truly adds to<br />
the quality of life.”<br />
To ensure the Heard remains a lasting<br />
investment, the two windows that<br />
were blown out during the storm were<br />
not replaced, as an engineer suggested<br />
this would be best for structural integrity.<br />
As all major repairs have been<br />
completed, Mastrodonato wants people<br />
to know that the doors are open,<br />
and business is in full swing.<br />
Visitors can enjoy various activities,<br />
and new ideas are always welcome.<br />
Wednesday nights are band nights,<br />
with dozens of people coming together<br />
to enjoy and play music. People can<br />
play pool, record a podcast, learn to<br />
play an instrument or just hang out in<br />
the space, according to Mastrodonato.<br />
“Come up these stairs and it’s going<br />
to change your life,” Mastrodonato<br />
said, leading the way from the street<br />
level to the space once popular with<br />
local performers until Hurricane Donna<br />
ripped off the roof in 1960. “Everyone’s<br />
welcome up here.”<br />
Life returned to the opera house in<br />
1989 when it was made into an antique<br />
store that doubled as a museum.<br />
In 2021, Mastrodonato and his<br />
wife, started a petition to return the<br />
opera house to its original use. The<br />
petition garnered over 1,000 signatures<br />
and was presented to Vavrovsky,<br />
at which time he agreed to turn the<br />
space into a community center.<br />
To keep up with the opera house’s<br />
most recent happenings, follow<br />
them on Facebook at https://www.<br />
facebook.com/OperaHouseArcadia/.<br />
The opera house is open Monday<br />
through Saturday and located at 106<br />
W Oak St.<br />
SOURCE: This story is courtesy of the<br />
Community News Collaborative, made<br />
possible by a grant from Charles &<br />
Margery Barancik Foundation. Written<br />
By Sarah Owens, Community News<br />
Collaborative. You can reach Sarah<br />
Owens at slowens@cncfl.org<br />
28 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2023</strong>
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