A nearly native Floridian, Ilene Denton has lived in Sarasota since her senior year in high school. Besides her long journalism career, she had a 10-year stint as deputy director of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. (Ask her about some of her backstage shenanigans sometime.)

Gardening

Five Free Summer Gardening Opportunities

Courtesy of the Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability program.

06/28/2017 By Ilene Denton

Weekend Planner

Your Top 5 Things to Do: June 22-28

Diana Ross returns to the Van Wezel, Shark Days at Mote, a new exhibit at The Ringling and more.

06/22/2017 By Ilene Denton

Weekend Planner

Your Top 7 Things to Do: June 15-21

Friday Fest at the Van Wezel, a Circus Sarasota send-off, Father’s Day at Oscar Scherer State Park and more.

06/15/2017 By Ilene Denton

Interior Design Awards 2017

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Announcing Our 2017 Interior Design Awards Competition!

The competition is open to area design industry professionals; winners will be published in the October issue of Sarasota Magazine. But hurry! The deadline to submit is July 14.

06/12/2017 By Ilene Denton

Weekend Planner

Your Top 5 Things to Do: June 8-14

The Sarasota Music Festival opens, summer family beach runs start, Bello Nock premieres his summer circus show at the Historic Asolo Theater and more.

06/07/2017 By Ilene Denton

Top Sale

A Bird Key Home is Sarasota County’s Priciest Residential Sale of 2017

The Mizner-influenced estate sold for $6.35 million on June 1.

06/06/2017 By Ilene Denton

Offers They Couldn't Refuse

Seaward Development Buys Out Tiny Downtown Condo Building

The price was right for former owners at downtown’s Versailles.

06/01/2017 By Ilene Denton

Top Sale

A Ritz-Carlton Residences Condo is May’s Highest Residential Sale

The 14th floor unit sold for $3,495,000.

06/01/2017 By Ilene Denton

Real Estate Preview

A Sneak Peek at Lakewood Ranch’s Newest Village, Waterside

South of University Parkway, it eventually will have 5,144 homes.

06/01/2017 By Ilene Denton

Weekend Planner

Your Top 6 Things to Do: June 1-7

For families, Asolo Rep presents Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea; Savor Sarasota kicks off; World Oceans Day at Mote and more.

06/01/2017 By Ilene Denton

Off the Clock

Dr. Randall Morgan Sings the Blues

Orthopedist Randall Morgan fronts the R&B band Soul Sensations.

05/31/2017 By Ilene Denton

Star Circus

Circus Sarasota Heads to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Our hometown troupe headlines this month’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

05/31/2017 By Ilene Denton

View Master

Home Tour: A Sleek New Golden Gate Point Condo

It’s all about the vistas.

05/30/2017 By Ilene Denton

Weekend Planner

Your Top 7 Things to Do: May 25-31

Idina Menzel at the Van Wezel, Memorial Day parade and concerts, Myakka River Blues Fest and more.

05/25/2017 By Ilene Denton

Weekend Planner

Your Top 7 Things to Do: May 18-24

Frankie Valli at the Van Wezel, a free Joys of Jazz concert in Venice, a musical tribute to Bob Dylan and more.

05/18/2017 By Ilene Denton

Village of Cortez

New “Cracker Cottage” Community Proposed for Historic Cortez

Plans for Hunter’s Point Resort & Marina have been unveiled.

05/17/2017 By Ilene Denton

Gardening

Eight Summer Classes to Sharpen Your Plant-Care Skills

How-to workshops at Selby Gardens, Historic Spanish Point, Crowley Nature Center.

05/17/2017 By Ilene Denton

Neighborhood Guide

Where to Live on St. Armands, Lido and Longboat Keys

Looking for a home on one of these beautiful keys? Here’s some inside info on neighborhoods to browse—and some of the neighbors, too.

05/15/2017 By Robert Plunket, Ilene Denton, Susan Burns, and Cooper Levey-Baker

Neighborhood Guide

What to Do on St. Armands/Longboat Key

Hit the beach, meet some manatees, admire outstanding architecture, sample some culinary treats and share our circus history.

05/15/2017 By John McCarthy, Ilene Denton, and Abby Weingarten

Weekend Planner

Your Top 6 Things to Do: May 11-17

Sarasota Orchestra plays at Ed Smith Stadium, the Harvey Milk Festival, Family Day at the Ringling and more.

05/11/2017 By Ilene Denton