Writes of Passage

7113 South Tamiami Trl,
Sarasota, FL 34231

… more pix on Google Maps, Yelp, FB

Definitely will return.

A full Asian supermarket that opened 13 months ago, with excellent service. The staff I’ve conversations with all spoke Mandarin.

They post their site map by the entrance, which is rare and greatly appreciated.

They’ve got a butcher and a few live fish tanks, but they don’t clean the fish for you. I only got a few crabs.

Edit: two comments on FB said they do clean the fish. All the better for me.

Boulevard of the Arts & N Tamiami Trail.
Sarasota, FL 34236

… a few more pix here

A new residential building (condo or rental?) under construction is diagonally from the Voco (former Indigo) hotel, by the corner of Boulevard of the Arts & N Tamiami Trail. Their office maybe at 21 N Lemon Avenue, (941) 225 4888.

It looks out to their Van Wezel on the Sarasota Bay.

This time is four Shirazs, or Syrah, Petite Sirah … They’re the darkest of the red wine.

By the Raymond James Stadium,
Tampa

Hillsborough County Florida

DREW FIELD

(Continued from other side)

Bombers began operating at Drew Army Airfield in mid-1940 and included 500 service personnel by August 1941. Combat bombing crews trained at Drew Field during the war, and over 100,000 soldiers were stationed there between 1940-45. During that period, the base was developed with nearly 3.000 buildings, including barracks, classrooms, hospital facilities, libraries, theatres and rec- reation halls. The base also included a complex to house prisoners of war.

Shortly after the war ended in 1945, Drew Field was deactivated as an army air corps base and some of its property was converted to a municipal airport. National Airlines and Eastern Airlines both served the airport by mid-1946. In 1947. the city of Tampa bought the Drew Field property from the federal War Assets Administration. Serving as the municipal airport, its name changed to Tampa International Airport in 1952. Over the years it was deeded from the City of Tampa to the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority. Other property, formerly part of Drew Field, is the site of Hillsborough Community College and Steinbrenner Field. The neighborhood of Drew Park also occupies property that had been included within Drew Field.

ERECTED 2016

DREW PARK COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HISTORICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

We dined at this restaurant a little too frequently this December.

I forgot to make a reservation for a 1:00 p.m. lunch and had to wait an hour.

The server said, “The fire marshal says this restaurant can seat 1,700, but we’ve never tried before.” Not 7,000 I thought I heard.

The water glass is dirty.

We had:
– Peñaclara
– Casimiro Sauvignon Blanc
– Casimiro red blend
– Lechón asado
– Merluza a la rusa
– Mahi
– Cuban sandwich with soup

All were good, but the eggplant and shrimp we had last week in Sarasota were better.

Peñaclara is a Spanish brand of natural mineral water sourced from a deep artesian spring in the Sierra de Cameros, La Rioja region. This sprarkling water tastes pretty good.

While waiting, we looked closer at the sidewalk pavers, some are black while others white, along 7th Avenue in front of the restaurant, that features engraved personalized messages, from love notes to tributes to wedding anniversaries.

325 N Florida Ave,
Tampa, FL 33602

… more pix on Google Maps, Yelp, TA

Will return.

Hyatt House Tampa Downtown is a pleasant and efficient hotel in a convenient location.

I had never stayed at a Hyatt House before—this one is wonderful, from the location to the lobby and the room. The lattice screens add a touch of elegance. Coffee & tea are available 24/7.

The room is nicely laid out. The kitchenette—with a refrigerator and dishwasher—may be a bit more than necessary, but it is certainly appreciated.

• location: 5/5
• lobby: 5
• shower pressure: 4
• toiletries: KenetMD
• towels: 4
• bed: 4

Our room was made up promptly the following day—thank you. Breakfast is decent and included. The gym on the 4th floor is spacious, and the small pool is an added bonus.

Sarasota, FL

City Island is a neighborhood, and a peninsula on Sarasota Bay, with a substantical downtown, around St. Armands Circle.

It has a few waterfront parks (like Ken Thompson Park), marine research (Mote Marine Laboratory’s main campus), dining (Old Salty Dog); Lido beach, etc.

• Columbia Restaurant
• Lido Beach
• St. Armands Key Lutheran church

@ Sarasota Opera House

… more pix on Reddit.

The Nutcracker is one of Tchaikovsky’s most beloved ballets—a holiday ritual and a time for family. As always, the score is magnificent. However, in this production the music was played through boomboxes, which seriously diminished the beauty and richness of the melodies.

I googled the top 5 ballets, 1-3 are Tchaikovsky’s:

1. Swan Lake
2. The Nutcracker
3. The Sleeping Beauty
4. Giselle, and
5. Romeo and Juliet

My rating for this production

(Music scores: 6/5)
Music playing: 2/5
Performance: 3/5
Audience: 2/5

From the outset, the opera house feels chaotic. Will Call is mandatory, and even eight minutes before curtain, the line still stretches around the block—why?

One female staff member is outright rude, thrusting her arm across my face without the slightest apology.

I knew exactly where my seat was, yet an usher insisted otherwise. Two steps later, she conceded I was right. “My first time here,” she said.

The performance, unsurprisingly, started late, followed by a good five minutes of acknowledgements and speeches.

There are many kids in the product. Two looks to be little more than toddlers, who are cute and adorabale. It’s a great way for the young apprentices.

There are over-exuberant clap excessively throughout the performance. Are they the parents?

The woman seated to my left, accompanied by a young girl, checks her phone nonstop. Behind me, a family with children around ten years old speaks Russian, talks excessively, and makes constant noise—candy wrappers, water bottles—and in the second act, one of the children repeatedly kicks my chair.

I’ve been to a few Nutcracker elsewhere but never was this unsettling.

• Dinner at Columbia @ City Island is wonderful
• streetscapes
• Lido Beach
• Tiramisu gelato @ Fresco Italian caps the day

The Nutcracker (1892) two-act ballet by Tchaikovsky

老柴的《胡桃夹子》（1892年） 节日应景的节目

谷歌 前5芭蕾
1. Swan Lake
2. The Nutcracker
3. The Sleeping Beauty
4. Giselle, and
5. Romeo and Juliet

前三都是老柴的 👍
想不通这么美丽音乐的作者怎么会出生在…

Lido Beach @ City Island
Sarasota

Lido Beach is a beautiful barrier island beach known for its soft white sands, clear water, and proximity to St. Armand’s Circle, a popular shopping/dining area on Lido Key. It offers family-friendly amenities like lifeguards, restrooms, concessions, rentals, and ample free parking, plus distinct areas like the more secluded North Lido and nature-focused South Lido (Ted Sperling Park) with kayaking/fishing. It’s a relaxing alternative to Siesta Key, good for strolls, shelling, and watching beautiful sunsets.

… the white powder sand

… and the beach

411 St Armands Cir.
Sarasota, FL 34236

… more pix on Google Maps, Yelp, TA

Will return.

Thanks for having this branch out in City Island. We come to Sarasota often: have subscriptions to the operas and come to concerts @ Van Wezel, and ballet, but never ventured out to this corner.

This branch is in St. Armands Circle, a busy location, with good service and delicious food. We’ve

Love the tiles. We sit by the open door/windows, enjoying both indoor ambience and outdoor lazy December sunshine.

we’ve

• Cuban tamale-ts
• Shrimp & yellow rice
• Eggplant riojana

The bread and all of the above are red hot, which differ from last week’s at Ybor City where food was warm to a little cold. The two main courses are delicious – could be a bit saltier (?) … ok, I’m overdoesing on salt.