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.

Food Lovers' Guide

Why Aren't There More Local Farmers at the Downtown Market?

The Sarasota Farmers Market has over 50 vendors; only a handful grow and sell their own food.

10/27/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Food Lovers' Guide

Why I Spent a Day Killing Chickens

Cooper Levey-Baker on owning up to what eating meat entails.

10/27/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Food Lovers' Guide

Niche Markets: Your Best Bets for Global and Local Specialties

From local beef to Middle Eastern specialties, our region's got it all.

10/27/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Food Lovers' Guide

Stock Your Kitchen with These Locally Grown and Made Products

Our region boasts milk, honey, bottarga, jellies and more.

10/27/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Notes From the Candy Corn Test Kitchen

We Made It: Candy Corn Bacon, Candy Corn Liqueur, Candy Corn Latte

Can Halloween's most controversial candy improve the flavor of bacon, booze and coffee?

10/26/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Made in SRQ

L-3 Aviation Products Manufactures Black Boxes Right Here in Sarasota

The company produces around 5,000 recorders here each year.

10/26/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Tourism Beat

Visitor Bureaus are Creating Strategies to Ease Drive Time in Season

Think traffic in Sarasota and Manatee counties gets worse every year? You’re not wrong.

10/20/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

No Time to Rest

How This Supreme Court Marriage Equality Plaintiff Went From "Accidental" Activist to Just Plain Activist

"The opponents of equality know they're losing and they're lashing out in every way they can," says LGBT activist Jim Obergefell.

10/12/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Going Up

The Coolinary Opens in Second-Story Main Street Space

Main Street's newest restaurant blends high and low with both its cuisine and its design.

10/11/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

We Beefin'?

Your New Source for Local Beef

Meet the Sarasota Beef Company, which sells Myakka City meat directly to customers and supplies it to dozens of local restaurants.

10/05/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Cup, Cup and Away

Made in Sarasota: Tervis Tumbler

The nearly indestructible cup is the ideal sipping device.

09/28/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Who You Going to Call?

Waiting for Bigfoot

A Tampa Bay investigator checks out local Bigfoot sightings.

09/28/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Mexico in a Texaco

10 Bucks or Less: Taco Jalisco

Checking out a newish Mexican restaurant in a South Trail gas station.

09/28/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Fall Getaways

4 Perfect Fall Getaways

We're going leafing.

09/28/2016 By Megan McDonald, Cooper Levey-Baker, and Kay Kipling

Fall Getaways

Head to Chattanooga for an Urban Escape

The former dirtiest city in America has come a long way, folks.

09/28/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Location 2: Electric Vindaloo

10 Bucks or Less: Curry Station

Yes, yes, I know Curry Station's lunch buffet costs more than $10, but you'll more than get your money's worth.

09/21/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Walk This Way

Two Sarasota Spots Ranked in List of Top 10 Most Walkable Florida Neighborhoods

The real estate brokerage firm Redfin on Tuesday released its ranking of Florida’s 10 most walkable neighborhoods and Sarasota earned two spots in the listing.

09/14/2016 By Cooper Levey-Baker