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.

Arts and Crafts

Atomic Holiday Bazaar Returns for Year 12

Atomic Holiday Bazaar features more than 200 independent vendors selling clothing, jewelry, furniture, prepared food and more.

11/28/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Annals of Spiritous Beverages

Whiskey Obsession Tickets Go on Sale Friday

One new highlight: a brunch tasting event that celebrates prominent whiskey-making women.

11/27/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Two for one

Two New Main Street Restaurants Open Today

Element and PBnT share the same owner, but are very different.

11/15/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Get Well Here

Sarasota's Medical Tourism Sector Faces Opportunities and Challenges

Florida sees between 300,000 and 400,000 medical tourists each year—activity that generates $6 billion in medical expenditures alone.

11/15/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Cheers!

The i-Ride is Downtown Sarasota's Newest Ride-Sharing Option

The low-speed cruisers make for a fun way to let you pack as many destinations as possible into that narrow happy hour window, without having to drive with a buzz.

11/01/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Cheers!

Best Happy Hours

Let the workday slide off your shoulders at these 12 great hotspots.

11/01/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker and Megan McDonald

Cheers!

Sarasota's Best Happy Hours

Let the workday world slide off your shoulders at these 12 great hotspots. Plus: top drinks, fantastic food, priceless pick-up lines—and more.

11/01/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker and Megan McDonald

Cheers!

The High-Proof Smarts of Lila's Low-Proof Cocktail Menu

You don't need high-proof liquors to fix a memorable cocktail.

11/01/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Cheers!

How Sanitary Are Those Communal Bar Snacks?

We scooped up some nuts from a bowl at a local happy hour and had them analyzed. Here are the results.

11/01/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Cheers!

10 Cocktails to Drink Right Now

Consider this the happy hour hot list.

11/01/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker and Megan McDonald

Cheers!

The Best Happy Hours in Sarasota

A dozen hotspots where the drinks, food and deals will elevate your late-afternoon attitude.

10/31/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker and Megan McDonald

Masterpiece Theater

From a Fashion Empire to a Cherry Pie, Eugene Stutzman Lives to Create

Sarasota's Eugene Stutzman was the founder of a fashion company that dressed Whitney Houston, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda and many more.

10/30/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Second Coming

Wicked Cantina Opens on the North Trail Next Week

Mike and Janice Dolan are bringing their hit Bradenton Beach spot to Sarasota.

10/30/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Made in SRQ

Made in SRQ: Chris-Craft's Catalina 30

Sarasota is a natural place to boat and make boats.

10/27/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Top of the Shops

Four Cool Things About Sarasota's New Lucky's Market

A grocery store with beer on tap? Why yes, I would enjoy that, thanks.

10/13/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Top of the Shops

Four Cool Things About Sarasota's New Lucky's Market

A grocery store with beer on tap? Why yes, I would enjoy that, thanks.

10/10/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Tourism

How Local Travel Agents Stay Relevant in the Era of Online Everything

Ryan and Malaka Hilton say travel agents offer plenty of advantages.

10/06/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Entertainment

Siesta Key Reality TV Show Extended

MTV is shooting an additional eight episodes of the reality show Siesta Key, set in and around Sarasota.

10/03/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Hut check

10 Bucks or Less: Tacos - To Go

A newish Bee Ridge taco shack gets it right.

10/03/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Honk!

Five Migraine Inducing Intersections—and What to Do About Them

We've identified the region's most horrific traffic hot spots.

09/28/2017 By Cooper Levey-Baker