Cooper Levey-Baker has written about food, politics, civic issues, the arts, and music in Southwest Florida for 15 years. His work has won multiple awards from the Florida Magazine Association and the Florida Society of Professional Journalists, as well as an honorable mention from the Julia Child Foundation. Follow him on Twitter: @LeveyBaker.

Step Right Up

The Greatest Show on Earth Gallery Opens at The Ringling

The latest addition to the Ringling Circus Museum brings the story of the circus all the way up to today.

04/05/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Awesome, Baby!

Dick Vitale Has a New Book Out, and It's All About Raising Money for Pediatric Cancer Research

"Cancer research is working," says the legendary college basketball announcer, "but more is needed to develop the more targeted therapies of the future."

03/19/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Neighborhood Guide

The Best Restaurants in Downtown Sarasota

From French to Vietnamese, there's something for every palate in downtown Sarasota.

02/22/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker and Lauren Jackson

Flashback

Did You Know That in the 1940s, Sarasota Had an Indoor Croquet Court?

This old-school Sarasota image by Joseph Janney Steinmetz set off a hunt to identify where it was taken.

02/15/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

History Lesson

A New Historical Marker Will Memorialize Victims of Lynching and Racial Terror in Sarasota

The marker will be installed at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota later this month.

02/06/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Preview

Announcing Views From the New Horizon: Portraits From Sarasota Magazine's 'Listening to Black Voices' Series

The photo exhibition, created in partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation, will feature the work of Michael Kinsey and will be on display at Art Center Sarasota March 14-April 20.

02/02/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

No Holds Barred

Liz Cheney Issues Dire Warning About Donald Trump and the 2024 Presidential Election

Cheney kicked off this year's Town Hall lecture series by calling Trump's actions on Jan. 6, 2021, not just a "dereliction of duty," but an act of "depravity."

01/16/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

We Will Miss You

After Just Four Months in the Rosemary District, Nancy's Bar-B-Q Is Permanently Closing

Guests are invited to say good-bye—and have one last helping of brisket—by Saturday, Jan. 6.

01/04/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Unity Awards

David Wilkins Brings Black History to Students Who Aren’t Learning It at School

Freedom School is a series of free lessons on African and African American history for students in grades K-12 that launched last February and was renewed and expanded last fall.

01/01/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Year in Review

If You Missed Any of These 10 Incredible Stories From 2023, You Should Fix That ASAP

In a year full of terrific Sarasota Magazine stories, these 10 stood out.

12/26/2023 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Essential Intelligence

The Sarasota Shell Club's Annual Show Happens in February

Here's how it became such a big deal.

12/26/2023 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Q & A

Cliff Roles Is Retiring. Sarasota's Social Scene Will Never Be the Same.

One of Sarasota's go-to photographers, Roles has decided to put down the camera after suffering a stroke earlier this year.

11/10/2023 By Cooper Levey-Baker

48 Hours in Sarasota

The Dog Lover's Guide to a Long Weekend in Sarasota

We’re a dog lover’s destination, with plenty of pet-friendly accommodations and eateries that will keep you and your furry friend busy.

11/06/2023 Photography by Cooper Levey-Baker

48 Hours in Sarasota

A Weekend Spent Exploring Sarasota's Arts Scene Is One Well-Spent

The arts are an essential part of Sarasota’s identity and a major draw for tourists and residents alike.

11/06/2023 By Cooper Levey-Baker

'Tis the Season

Sarasota's Best Holiday Shows and Events

There's no shortage of fun ways to celebrate the holidays in Sarasota. Here are our top picks.

11/01/2023 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Dream Homes

The 10 Most Expensive Homes in Sarasota

What all 10 share are prime waterfront locations and lots of square footage.

10/20/2023 By Susan Burns, Cooper Levey-Baker, and Kim Doleatto

Let's Get Together

Filmmaker Damon Gameau Headlines a Sarasota Conference on Nature and the Environment

December's EcoSummit and Green Living Expo will stimulate audiences with a wide range of speakers and activities, including talks by Gameau and novelist Carl Hiaasen.

10/17/2023 By Cooper Levey-Baker