Ringling’s Town Hall: Inspirations in Creativity

In today’s Sense and the City column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune I write about what I learned by going to the Ringling College Library Association’s Town Hall lecture with General Stanley McChrystal. And I give a shout out to Ringling alumnus Brandon Oldenburg whose short film “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” has been nominated for an Academy Award. The film is a “love letter to books” — sounds like my kinda flick.

Click here to read my column or look for it in today’s TICKET section. Town Hall: Inspirations in Creativity.

Click on the image below to watch The Fantastic Flying Books …

Funny Feminist & Author Gina Barreca in Sarasota on Thursday

Gina Barreca,author of It’s Not That I’m Bitter: How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the World, will be speaking — and making the audience laugh out loud — on Thursday, Feb. 23 at Michael’s on East. The event, which is sort of a lead-up to the “big” 2012 Renaissance Luncheon: The Reinvention of Self, is a luncheon/fun-fest in support of the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County.

Barreca has appeared on 20/20, the Today Show and Oprah and, a woman after my own heart, she’s a weekly columnist for The Hartford Courant. She’s currently a Professor of English and Feminist Theory at the University of Connecticut.

For ticket information — visit www.thewomensresourcecenter.org.

Things to do in Sarasota over the next few weeks

Lots of interesting people to see and learn about over the next several weeks, and this week’s Sense and the City column gives my top picks. From the Author’s Luncheon put on by the Literary Council of Sarasota to the Sarasota County Democratic Party’s annual Kennedy-King Dinner to learning about African-American Sarasotans … just click here to read Fascinating People of — and in — Sarasota

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My Pics for Sarasota’s Sexiest

Today’s Sense and the City column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune rocks my picks for Sarasota’s sexiest six people and six sexy/romantic/love-and-lust-inducing activities. I cover people like David Baas, Kerry Kirschner of the Argus Foundation, the former Scenestress Veronica Pastore, the Sarasota Film Festival, funny-woman Christine Alexander, and more!

Click on the hyperlink above to read Sarasota’s Sexy Six!

I ♥ Hart’s Landing

Honesty and integrity are the only things we leave behind when we die. Work on it today.”

I’d like to have met the man who thought like that. But Hart seems to have left one more thing behind: A much-needed legacy of a simpler time – and a place where the heart of Sarasota lives on.

That’s an excerpt from this week’s Sense and the City column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Hope you’ll take a moment to read it in its entirety either in the paper (Feb. 3 TICKET section) or online by clicking here: I ♥ Hart’s Landing

New Year, new me, new you … same old (wonderful) Siesta Key Beach

I love me some Siesta Key sand … read my homage to the #1 beach in the country in tomorrow’s Sense and the City column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Siesta Key, Florida beach rules!

Stop the Payola to Lure and Keep Businesses in Sarasota

“No one likes them. Every one hates them. Yet states and municipalities continue to offer monetary incentives to seduce companies to choose their communities over others. And, of course, we, the taxpayers, pick up the tab.” — That’s an excerpt from a great article in today’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune BIZ Weekly section by Jerry Chautin, a volunteer business counselor with Manasota SCORE. Click here to read the full story.

To boldly go … to the Longboat Key Education Center!

Yesterday, I had an absolute BLAST at the Longboat Key Education Center. I was there to give a talk and had a wonderful time speaking to and talking with the audience.

The Center’s director Susan Goldfarb was super charming and the audience asked such great questions and added many great comments during the 30-minute Q&A session.

I was supposed to be there to inspire them to be bold in the new year … but they inspired me!

Thanks to all who came!

Nourish Your Noggin in Sarasota

Is it possible to nourish your noggin in Sarasota without breaking the bank? The answer is yes. And this week’s Sense and the City column tells you how!

Click here to read my column online — or check it out in today’s Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Connecting Selby Scholars and Sarasota Movers and Shakers

Last week, I had the pleasure of participating in the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation’s 11th annual Selby Scholar Symposium, which pairs mentors from the community with scholars who are currently attending college in Florida and beyond. To read the rest of this Sense and the City column in today’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune, click here: Connecting Selby Scholars and the Sarasota Movers and Shakers.