the 941

This just in: Old record night at Canvas Cafe has been canceled for the rest of the summer. Bummer. It was just two weeks ago we were grooving on their front porch to Ravi Shankar, The Count Five, and other forgotten goodies.

They tell us that the Wednesday-night routine will start up again in September. Until then, Canvas DJ Miranda Zimmer will be spinning the oldies at Sarasota Olive Oil Company every Thursday night. Tomorrow night’s in question since Miranda’s out of town, but next week fo’ sho’.

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Every summer, local restaurants unveil incredibly inexpensive prix fixe specials designed to drag locals in and fill up seats during the slow months. It’s a great opportunity to experience some of Sarasota’s best restaurants at a discount, all while helping servers, bartenders, cooks, managers and restaurateurs make it through some especially lean times. Here’s a short list of some of the current specials, courtesy of the Herald. (They beat me to it, darn it.)

Know about some deals that aren’t on the list? Let us know.

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Happy Friday, sports fans,
A few late-breaking options for your weekend…

First Annual Taste of Newtown
Sat., June 21, 2-8 p.m.
Fredd “Glossie” Atkins Park and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way from Links Ave. to Washington Court, Sarasota
Free admission
373-7764

Just thing: Six whole hours of cuisine from over 20 local eateries and neighborhood chefs, plus the usual assortment of arts and crafters, live jazz, R&B, gospel and hip-hop. There’s also an Open Air Market from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and a “Play With Your Food Artstravaganza” with Ringling College of Art and Design students. We’d go but, as we’ve mentioned before, we’re on a cleanse/fast and all of that Southern-style cooking would prove far too tempting. Can we live vicariously through you? Thanks.

Z-Edge One-Year Anniversary Celebration
Sun., June 22, noon-midnight
Z-Edge Tattoo & Body Piercing, 2095 Siesta Drive, Unit B., Sarasota
951-1399 or zedgepiercing.com

Free food, free health screenings, live music courtesy of local rawkers Warfield, Faceplant, Odium, BarrelHead, Burn the Kingdom, plus $5 tee-shirts. And ink and piercings — lots of those. $10 piercings, $30 tattoos. Makes us wanna get another one.

Kass Cause Benefit
Sun., June 22, 1-4 p.m.
The Backyard Getaway Store, 5004 15th St. E., Bradenton
$5 donation
321-6181 or kasscause.com

Kassondra Cotton was recently stricken with her second brain tumor. Help out this single, uninsured mom to an infant son by forking over five bucks. There will be a “bouncy house,” face-painting and games for the kiddies; for the adults, live music by the Git R Dunz, Vin Lamar and Rafferty, plus raffles, silent auctions and a bake sale.

Have a good one, folks.

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As you kick off your work week, here are a few things To Do that didn’t quite make print…

Tonight, Mon., June 16, 7 p.m.
Auditions for parts reading The Play’s The Thing contest winners
The Players Theatre, 838 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 365-2494

Get your thesp on. Roles require actors from teenagers to seniors. Come prepared with a one-minute monologue, either memorized or read. RSVPs are appreciated.

Tomorrow, Tues., June 17, 6-7:30 p.m.
“Organic Foods: A Consumer’s Guide”
Fruitville Library, 100 Coburn Road, Sarasota, 861-5000

Join Robert Kluson, Ph.D. and Agriculture/Natural Resources Extension Agent, for this free discussion and film presentation. Topics include “The True Cost of Food” and “Good Food, Good Business.”

Wed., June 18, 5 p.m.-?
Gecko’s Grill & Pub’s 16th Anniversary Party
Gecko’s original location at the Landings, 4870 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 923-8896
The Two Mikes are good guys. Celebrate their long-standing midtown watering hole and eatery with a free barbecue, drink specials, a DJ and more.

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Get down, downtown, tonight, when Digital 3 and Orange Press present a shindig in celebration of the O.P.’s latest issue, its Coloring Book edition (yep, with color, too - a first for the pub).

The party starts at 7, with live music gearing up shortly thereafter and a DJ taking over at 11 p.m. There’s a $10 cover, discounted if you come dressed “richer or poorer.”

D3’s at 1419 Blvd. of the Arts in the SRQ. Contact # is 330-9159. See ya there.

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Greetings and salutations from the home office in Sarasota… Just a reminder that tomorrow marks Gibfest 2008. Make plans to be there, and click here to leave your thoughts on a dear friend and talented musician. Many thanks again to all who have shared their memories this past month. See you Saturday.

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A few late-breaking options for your weekend… Have a good one, folks.

Jaszy’s Jewelry Trunk Show & Eco-Fashion Event
Sat., May 31, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Simply Spoiled, 100 Central Ave., Sarasota, 364-3337

Do you prefer your bling eco-friendly, or just wanna find out what that means? Check out designer Jasmine McAllister’s creations at Simply Soiled, er, make that Simply Spoiled (c’mon, it sounded environmental and earthy and what not). Learn about off-setting carbon emissions while accessorizing responsibly, and discover the decorative beauty of Fair Trade and recycled gold at a 1 p.m. Q&A. The first 20 guests get a free pair of earrings — run, but tread lightly.

BioHaven Floating Island Launch
Sat., May 31, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. “planting,” launch at approx. 4 p.m.
Sarasota Bay Club, 1301 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 351-2591

While on the eco-tip, check out this “floating island” — a 22-foot in diameter beautification project planted with salt tolerant flowering species — when it’s launched into the boat basin behind the Sarasota Bay Club. This marks the first Florida coastal installation. We don’t know exactly what it means either, but it sounds cool.

Suncoast British Car Club’s Car Show
Sun., June 1, noon-4 p.m.
N. Lemon Ave. and Main St., downtown Sarasota, 955-5253

On the other side of the enviro-spectrum, celebrate British car week — and stomach-churning petrol prices — by perusing over 20 veddy British automobiles, alongside this weekend’s Sarasota Craft Festival. Never fear, there will be a Green Market featuring plants, orchids, and OOOH!!! kettle corn. Actually, we hate kettle corn, but go anyway.

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The party is still going on, but here are some shots from the early evening festivities at White on State. More details to follow in Amanda’s Schurr’s gossip column in next week’s Creative Loafing. Pick it up Wednesday and turn inside the back page to read “The Morning After.”

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The unease over the potential looming bloodbath in the fall elections has recently bloomed into all out panic for Republicans nationwide. That said, Christine Jennings, the Democrat running to unseat first-term U.S. Representative Republican Vern Buchanan here in Sarasota, is poised to pick up a major endorsement from the Sarasota Classified/Teachers Organization on Monday. Plenty more about the Jennings/Buchanan battle upcoming here in The 941.

• The U.S. government is violating the rights of children in Afghanistan and here at home.

• Who is to blame for the recent spike in world food prices? U.S. pundits are quick to blame the burgeoning middle classes in India and China, but the Indians are turning that finger right back aroun at us Americans.

•  See you at White on State Saturday night!

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“Just got paid, Friday night, party hoppin’, feelin’ right…”
With that lame 80’s Johnny Kemp song quote out of the way (later redone by N’Sync - hey-o! Double lame!), if you’re ready to spiff up (or not) and head out, whatcha gonna do? Here are a few options…

Jazz Juvenocracy CD release party for “Strange Noises are Coming From Those Kids Over There”
Fri., May 2nd, 8:00 p.m. at Glenridge Performing Arts Center (7333 Scotland Way, Sarasota, 552-5325), Tix are $5.

These kids are great - enthusiastic, talented, driven and did I mention super stoked to be playing music? Six local players with an average age of “14.3,” they tear into everything from Duke Ellington to The Commodores, but I think they really had me at Tower of Power. They’ll likely charm the pants off of you, too.

I’m informed that all proceeds go toward the band members’ ongoing musical education, and “not the latest video game, no matter how much they whine.” If you can’t catch ‘em tonight, they’ll be at The Bungalow (301 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, 365-4430) tomorrow beginning at 7 p.m.

(more…)

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