Guide to Giving 2024

Giving us good for you (really)! Plus, 25 amazing under-the-radar restaurants, the history of Mar-a-Lago, how a local program is helping pregnant teens, home tours, restaurant news and more.

In this issue:

Arts & Entertainment

Flashback

Did You Know That Bob Dylan First Recorded 'Mr. Tambourine Man' on Siesta Key?

Dylan was staying at the home of friend and fellow musician Eric von Schmidt when the recording was made.

09/01/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

The Show Must Go On

Now in Its 75th Season, Venice Theatre Looks Back to Its Very First Show—and Forward to a Restored Theater

The theater is still struggling to get its mainstage space, the Jervey Theatre, in working order after 2022’s Hurricane Ian wrought major havoc.

09/01/2024 By Kay Kipling

Under the Sea

Meet the Woman Behind Downtown Sarasota’s Mermaid Fountain

Nancy Goodheart Matthews' iconic fountain is included in the Smithsonian Institution's registry of public art. The City of Sarasota will celebrate the recognition with a gathering on Friday, Sept. 13.

07/30/2024 By Megan McDonald

Eat & Drink

Heat Check

How to Embrace 'Florida Fall'

Pumpkins? For autumn? Groundbreaking. Here's how we Floridians make this season our own.

09/01/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Restaurant Review

EnRich Bistro Has Returned, and It's a Triumph

If you’re a Sarasota resident, EnRich Bistro is worth a trip to Bradenton. And if you’re a Bradentonian, congratulations on finding your new favorite spot.

09/01/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Holy Guacamole

Dynasty Guacamole Is a Top Draw at Local Farmers Markets

Owner Assiel Landa attracts a huge online audience, with nearly hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok who eat up videos of his colorful guac prep.

09/01/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Strip Mall Superstars

Sarasota's Best Under-the-Radar Restaurants

Our guide to out-of-the-way, hiding-in-plain-sight, if-you-know-you-know restaurants that will knock your socks off.

09/01/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Corner Shops

The Best Strip Mall Food Stores in Sarasota

Eight strip mall suppliers with terrific take-home goods.

09/01/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Origin Stories

Four Sarasota Chefs Share the Stories of Their Restaurants

Here's why they love doing business in Sarasota.

09/01/2024 By Lauren Jackson

🫧 Bubble Up 🫧

Here's Where to Get Great Boba in the Sarasota Area

These spots will satisfy your craving.

08/30/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Fashion & Shopping

Siren Song

How to Wear the Mermaidcore Trend

This trend is big on aquamarine metallics, iridescent pearls, white crochet and shells, shells, shells. Here’s how to get the splashy look.

09/01/2024 By Elizabeth Djinis

Health & Fitness

Guide to Giving

Giving Is Good for Your Heart (Really!)

The act of giving back can help buffer the effects of one of the body’s most lethal enemies: stress.

09/01/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Home & Real Estate

Only in Sarasota

The Chapell Residence Is an Architecturally Significant Gem

John Pirman illustrates this curvy, colorful Lido Shores home.

09/01/2024 Illustrations by John Pirman

Island Escape

Home Tour: A Polynesian-Inspired Compound on Jewfish Key

Accessible only by water, it's a stunning beach getaway that guarantees no solicitors and maximum privacy.

09/01/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Crown Jewel

The History of Mar-a-Lago

How the mansion of a great Florida philanthropist became ground zero for one of the most consequential elections in American history

09/01/2024 By Robert Plunket

News & City Life

From the Editor

Why Do We Give Back?

Being generous with your money and your time isn’t just great for the nonprofits you’re supporting, it also improves your physical and mental well-being and deepens your connection to your community.

09/01/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Guide to Giving

Why Giving Is Good for You

By giving, we not only improve the lives of others—we enrich our own, creating a ripple effect that can transform the world.

09/01/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Guide to Giving

Donating Money Helps Charities and Your Bottom Line, Too

Savvy donors know that strategic philanthropy can lead to bottom-line benefits—and sometimes even boost their business reputations.

09/01/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Guide to Giving

Being Generous Boosts Your Brain

People who engage in generous behaviors report higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of depression.

09/01/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Mister Fix-Its

Sarasota’s Bike Boys Perform a Valuable Community Service With Plenty of Laughs Along the Way

In total, they’ve restored and re-donated at least 3,800 bikes—693 last year alone—and approximately 70 percent of their fixed-up bikes go to the Salvation Army.

09/01/2024 By Hannah Wallace