Buying … drinking … thinking … local

Ah, the words on everyone’s lips these days are “Buy Local!” I agree with the sentiment, for the most part, and if you haven’t been to Local Coffee & Tea out on Siesta Key … well, it’s a great place to buy, sit, sip, and enjoy all things local.

Sarasota voters — bah, bah, bad sheep

Good grief. I think I heard on the news today that less than 7% of registered voters in the City of Sarasota bothered to vote in yesterday’s election. On the ballot were the issues of whether to have a strong mayor and which people the citizens of Sarasota want governing them and making laws and […]

Bradenton’s Village Bookshop … I think I’m in love!

Last night the Village Bookshop in Bradenton was kind enough to have me in its bookstore for a signing of my book, Sideways in Sarasota. The signing coincided with the monthly Village of the Arts First Friday walk and the crowds meandering through the bookstore were OUTRAGEOUS!

Weighing in on Sarasota’s political dog and pony show

Folks I run into on the street and readers of this blog keep asking me why I haven’t weighed in on the raucous ranting and raving going on all over town about the question of having a so-called Boss Mayor. I haven’t weighed in because, frankly, I’m a bit under-whelmed with the brouhaha.

Sideways in Sarasota … and in Bradenton this Friday night

In 2007, I wrote a column — see below — that later launched my book — Sideways in Sarasota — a compilation of newspaper columns from my Reality Chick days at the Pelican Press. The Village Bookshop in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts is kindly hosting a book signing event for me this coming Friday […]

Beach fires

On the road I’m driving Barely nothing Between me And the mortal coil

Sarasota County buses — a good deal for most; a GREAT deal for some …

At 75 cents a ride — almost a third of what folks pay in many other parts of the country — Sarasota County Transit Authority (SCAT) offers local folks one of the few good deals they get in this ever-more-expensive town. And the fare used to be even lower. Up until fall of 2007, the […]

The downside of seeking … and speaking … the truth

I’ve always prided myself on being a truth-seeker, if not always a truth-speaker. I’ve written about truth and lies and integrity to the point of possible tedium for some of my readers, and to the certain fatigue of some of my friends and family who must, I’m sure at times, find my mini-obsession to be […]