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“Quern” by B.L. Elkins will be displayed at the Creative Arts Association Fall Art Show Sat., Nov. 21

Ed. note: This piece was compiled by Danielle Favreau.

VISUAL ARTS: OPENING

ALLYN GALLUP CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY 1419 5TH St., Sarasota (366-2093 or allyngallup.com). William Nichols Enveloped Outside will be on display through Nov. 28.  Normal hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Free.

ARTCENTER MANATEE 209 9th St. W., Bradenton (746-2862 or artcentermanatee.org). On and Off the Wall, an open, juried all media exhibition will be on display through Dec. 4. Regular hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Free.

ART UPTOWN 1367 Main St., Sarasota (955-5409 or artuptown.com). Laura Avery’s solo show Atmospheric Abstracts will feature her foil on canvas works. Also on display will be Boots Culbertson’s ceramics. Regular hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Free.

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How can those America’s Cup yachts sail faster than the wind? Here’s what the San Francisco Chronicle has to say: “It’s physics.” Come on, Cecil, I know you can do better. —P. McCartney, Oak Harbor, Washington

I should hope. To give the Chronicle some credit, though, “it’s physics” was preceded by an accurate if somewhat murky explanation that, unfortunately, you didn’t get. Let’s try again.

The America’s Cup, for those whose taste in sports runs more to bowling, is the most prestigious prize in sailing. First awarded in 1851 and later named after the first ship to win the race, the ornate silver cup is pursued by sailing fanatics racing the most high-tech yachts in the world. The boats used in the original America’s Cup races were wood-and-canvas schooners, but over time they’ve evolved into computer-designed craft made of carbon fiber and epoxy. One thing hasn’t changed, though: all that makes them go is the wind.

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Ladies and gentlemen, let’s get ready to ruuuuuuumble!

It’s Saturday night and I’m at Stardust Event Center for the first ever Sarasota Roller Girls bout. As I wait for the match to kick off, a palpable feeling of getting ready to crush some bitches hangs in the air. I can’t wait. The MC builds anticipation with a detailed explanation of the rules of the game — something about “blockers” and “jammers” — as well as individual introductions of all the pun-tastic players on both teams. (I think “Smashley Whiplash” might be my fave.)

Sarasota is taking on the Fort Myers Derby Girls this evening, and gossip around the track is that Fort Myers expects an easy win over the newbies from SRQ. Nevertheless, the Roller Girls look primed and pumped. I’ve got my beer and found a spot in the “suicide seats” — the first ring of seating, just three feet from the boundaries of the track — when the girls take off at the whistle. The crowd erupts in cheers as these skating divas shove and skate their way ’round the room. (more…)

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The World Series of Beer Pong — “the largest, longest-running organized beer pong (aka Beirut) tournament in the world, created by beer pong players, for beer pong players” according to the WSOBP website — will start in less than two months, on Jan. 1 at the Flamingo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

But you knew that, right? You’ve been single-mindedly training since 2008, when team Chauffering the Fat Kid managed to snatch the suds from an all-but-victorious Iron Wizard Coalition by completing an amazing four straight sinks. Cinderella story? Yes. Biggest come-from-behind victory in the history of sports? Probably.

Don’t get the wrong impression about beer pong, though: it’s not all about beer consumption. (more…)

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COVER STORY

— Booze local: Two new ways to get your hands on locally made hooch.

NEWS & VIEWS

— Image of the week: Free Chipotle. Mmm…

— The week that was: The Sarasota Police Department reports hits the media.

— .Com-ments: Where the Wild Things Are, Gold Dynasty, a correction.

— Round two: Forced to find a new home, the Sarasota Boxing Club leans on supporters to forge a new path.

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Photographer Patsy Hall will have her work displayed at Artists’ Guild Gallery on Nov. 13

Ed. note: This piece was compiled by Danielle Favreau.

VISUAL ARTS: OPENING

ALLYN GALLUP CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY 1419 5TH St., Sarasota (366-2093 or allyngallup.com). Enveloped Outside, an exhibit by artist William Nichols, will be on display through Nov. 28. Normal hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat. Free.

ART CENTER SARASOTA 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota (365-2032 or artsarasota.org). Join Sean and Marina Colson for a Hungarian night of ethnic food, fun, culture and art. 6-9 p.m. Nov. 12. Normal gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Free.

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Ivan Valencia, Nelson Oliver and Tommy Pettiti (left to right) help the Sarasota Boxing Club get its new location in order

The door to the old Sarasota Boxing Club sits wide open, but not much is left inside. When I was here in August the place crackled with the energy of boxers, spectators and families.

It’s still hot in late October, but quiet. With one of the boxing rings and all the equipment now gone, ambitious weeds grow in through the gaps of the plywood hanging over the glassless windows. Footsteps echo off the concrete floor, metal walls and tin ceiling.

An orchard of dust and debris is scattered about the far side of the building. Coach Harold Wilen stands in the center of it all, talking on the phone. His old blue Hyundai has broken down in front of the Sarasota Boxing Club’s new location on the corner of 15th and Lime Avenue — on the edge of Newtown. He needs a tow truck before the sun goes down, and he needs a good mechanic.

My phone in hand, I rattle off the number to Jay & Dean’s and he taps it in. I mention he should save it and he looks up at me with a sheepish glance: “I’m not sure exactly how.”

He holds his phone out and I bend down, walking him through the steps of saving a contact. He thanks me, smiles and says: “Robin Givens was in for a private lesson last week.” No doubt about it the man knows how to take a punch. And he looks like he has gone a few rounds; losing the place where he’s lodged his heart for the past decade and a half to a man he trusted.

On top of that, he’s losing an ex-wife to cancer at any moment, someone still so close to him, that I feel the pain in his eyes when he tells me. The man needs to get to Lakeland, where she’s dying, and his car is not up for the trip.

A white pickup climbs backward up the ramp to the door. It seems official. They are taking the toilet — the SBC board of directors took a vote. They lost some serious donations: a boxing ring and the main support beam for all of the heavy bags, $15,000 worth of material given by their landlord, Harvey Vengroff, and revoked with their eviction. Put it all together and what do a bunch of guys with ricocheting emotions and a truck full of hand tools do? They talk about taking the damn toilet and leaving the brush, but I can see that Coach’s heart isn’t in it.

“She refers to him as ‘Michael,’” Wilen says. It takes me a second to snap back: He’s talking about Mike Tyson, Givens’ ex-husband. I nod. “She’s doing a movie here in Sarasota,” he shakes his head and looks up at me. “She’s a soccer mom, a very down to earth lady.” The man shows genuine wonder at the events that transpire around him. His ex will have died within 24 hours, and he will have buried more than her remains in the coming week.

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— City Manager Bob Bartolotta drove to Tampa Tuesday to retrieve the 2,000-page report on how the Sarasota Police Department handled the Juan G. Perez case, and we’re all just waiting to hear what the city’s response will be. Meanwhile, Perez himself is getting on with life, happy the unwanted attention has died down.

— City Commissioner Suzanne Atwell floats the idea of creating an economic development department that would market the city to employers.

— “The citrus business should be a bit sweeter for Dean Mixon this season. The owners of Mixon Fruit Farms expect to gain more orders for packaged fruit as a result of the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently lifting a ban on commercial citrus shipments from Florida.”

— The Lakewood Ranch hockey arena that never was is finally getting knocked down this week. Kudos to ABC 7 for the following line: “It was going to be a hockey arena, but after lawsuits and other financial problems - the puck stopped there.” (Emphasis most definitely added.)

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Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opens at Venice Theatre Nov. 10

Ed. note: This piece was compiled by Danielle Favreau.

VISUAL ARTS: OPENING

4TH BI-ANNUAL ESTERO FINE ART SHOW Miromar Outlets, 10801 Corkscrew Road, Estero (755-3088 or hotworks.org). This massive event will feature a juried art show and sale of works by professional artists as well as food and live entertainment. Please see this week’s See & Do for more information. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov 7-8. Free.

ART UPTOWN 1367 Main St., Sarasota (955-5409 or artuptown.com). Jacquie Clark’s still life and dog portrait watercolors will be displayed along with Jon Greeley’s oil on canvas portraits. Exhibit runs Nov.7-13. Regular hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Free.

THE DANCING CRANE GALLERY 1019 10th Ave. W., Bradenton (744-1333 or dancing-crane.com). The gallery will have their three-year anniversary celebration with an art giveaway and a showcase of the gallery’s featured artists. 6-9 p.m. Nov. 6. Regular hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. Free.

S/ART/Q INAUGURAL EXHIBITION 1549 State St., Sarasota (330-4838 or sARTq.com). This local group of professional artists will hold their Inaugural Exhibition of multimedia, painting, photography and more. Please see this week’s See & Do for more information. 5-10 p.m. Nov. 6 and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 7. Free.

SELBY GALLERY Ringling College of Art and Design, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota (359-7563 or ringling.edu/selbygallery). The People and Places Juried Photography Exhibition will be on display as well as the Annual Ringling College Faculty Exhibition and the College Staff and Instructor Exhibition. Regular hours are Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Tues. until 7 p.m. Free.

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The Safe Sex Halloween Bash will be at the Van Wezel on Oct. 31

Ed. note: This piece was compiled by Danielle Favreau.

HALLOWEEN EVENTS

6TH ANNUAL AMAZING COSTUME CONTEST GIVEAWAY Siesta Key Oyster Bar, 5238 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota (346-5443 or skob.com). This party is half football and half Halloween with three major prizes for the top three costumes. Oct. 31. Free.

CLANCY’S 9TH ANNUAL HOLLOWEEN BASH 6218 Cortez Road, Bradenton (794-2489). This party will feature a costume contest with cash prizes, Matt Brown on the tiki bar and Andrew’s Karaoke. 6 p.m. Oct. 30. Free.

COSTUME PARTY Honoluana Island Grill, 222 Airport Ave., Venice (483-3553). Costume party and contest featuring Koko Ray & the Soul Providers. 7 p.m.-midnight Oct. 31. Free.

EZRA HALLOWEEN PARTY Ezra Café, 5629 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton (792-0990 or ezrafinefoods.com). Come for dinner and stay for the after party with a costume contest and DJ Tasteman spinning killer dance tunes. 9 p.m. Oct. 30. Free.

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