The Scenestress takes Sarasota
April 21st, 2009 by The Scenestress in NewsFRIDAY, APRIL 17 — ALL OVER SARASOTA
I can’t stay away from the multi-boutique sale over on Pineapple Avenue — you read about it on the blog last week, right? — so I return for happy-hour cocktails with the shop owners on Friday night.
I think it’s a great idea for these businesspeople to make themselves directly accessible to all the fashion-philes who love what they do. I sip a Szmabelan, say ciao to Olivia, Kim, Vinny, Wendy and Lissa, ogle pretty dresses, and then bolt to grab a slice.
Before abandoning downtown, I’ve got a few art receptions to visit, first Leslie Fry’s beautiful textures and colors at Allyn Gallup, and then Jack Dowd’s opening on Lemon Avenue. Mingling with art enthusiasts among the life-size sculptures of John John and local bar folk, the empty space across from Mattison’s is transformed into a living, breathing pop-culture museum.
Not content to sit on the sidelines of the local art scene I get proactive and join friends at the eMerge mixer adjacent to Art & Frame. I stroll in the door just as Sarasota Arts Council Executive Director Russ Crumley is finishing his speech, then chat with event organizer Michael Chokr and artist Virginia Hoffman, who share a bit of their vision for this arts collective and encourage me to join the discussion by taking marker in hand and adding to the big Post-It pads on the wall.
As it nears the 10 o’clock hour I swing back downtown and meet the charming John Zakarian (owner of Zak’s on Palm) on his terrace for a bottle of wine in celebration of his birthday and later rejoin the rest of my troop on the rooftop at Ceviche. I squeeze into the already-crowded elevator to jet to the top floor for a cocktail before being dragged to Witness (yet again) for booty shakin’ and shirtless boys. The night winds down with a packaged bottle of vodka in a local artist’s studio listening to Spoon among towering depictions of pin-up girls, horned heard animals and weapons of mass destruction.
Stay tuned for part two of my whirlweek weekend later this afternoon.
April 21st, 2009 at 2:52 pm
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April 22nd, 2009 at 11:19 am
[...] up where we left off earlier, The Scenestress heads back [...]