Writes of Passage

I saw these two lists on FB, for fun I’m sharing it below. Do you own diligence. I don’t know if Vietnam ($1,000/month) and Thailand ($650/month) differs this much.

15 Most expensive places to retire in 2025 

1. Monaco: $5,500+/mo
2. Bermuda: $5,000+/mo
3. Singapore: $4,800+/mo
4. New York City, USA: $4,500+/mo
5. Cayman Islands: $4,500+/mo
6. San Francisco, USA: $4,300+/mo
7. Switzerland: $4,200+/mo
8. Iceland: $4,100+/mo
9. Denmark: $4,000+/mo
10. Norway: $3,900+/mo
11. Honolulu, USA: $3,800+/mo
12. Australia: $3,800+/mo
13. United Kingdom: $3,700+/mo
14. Ireland: $3,600+/mo
15. Netherlands: $3,500+/mo

… and 12 cheapest countries for retirement in 2025:

1. Portugal: $2,500/month
2. Spain: $2,200/month
3. France: $2,000/mo
4. Greece: $1,500–$2,000/month
5. Panama: $2,400/month
6. Costa Rica: $2,500+/month
7. Mexico: $1,000/month
8. Colombia: $1,500/month
9. Ecuador: $1,500/month
10. Malaysia: $1,500/month
11. Vietnam: $1,000/month
12. Thailand: $650/month

1100 N Tuttle Ave #8,
Sarasota, FL 34237

… more pix on Google Maps, Yelp & TA

Probably will return to Mariscos Azteca Mexican Seafood Restaurant

Hearty home cooked food. Tight door. The confetti (?) from the ceiling make the room looks like a kiddie party.

The west facing front has shades, which makes the small hall dark. But it maybe necessary: we sat at the last table facing the door. Every time the door opens I need to readjust my eyes.

Heavy-duty corn chips are good. Thin stem; steaming hot food. Good service. Large portion. We’ve:

• Mariscada Azteca
• Carne a la Mexicans

Both are steaming hot and yummy, and doggie bags.

Teppanyaki (?) makes the room smoky.

I also visited The small Latin Brother’s Market next and purchased their chicken flavor bouillon … why?  Pix here.

Off to The Barber of Seville.

Sarasota Opera

The 2nd production of the winter season: The Barber of Seville is an opera buffa (comic opera) in two acts by Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868), premiered in Rome, 1816. Cesare Sterbini (1784-1831) wrote the Italian libretto, based on Pierre Beaumarchais (1732-99) French comedy of the same name (1775). 

Rossini named the main character – the barber – Figaro, which made me think of next opera: Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro (1786), which was based Pierre Beaumarchais’ comedy of the same name, staged in 1784. But it wasn’t a tribute Rossini paid to Mozart.

Rosina, the rich ward of Mr. Bartolo is played by mezzo-soprano Lisa Marie Rogali (her site). I thought she did a marvelous job, portraying the title role, spontaneity and agile, giving the part a youthful look.  

A wacky love story. 一个古灵精怪的爱情故事.

巴托洛先生的富家女罗西娜由女中音丽莎·玛丽·罗加利 (Lisa Marie Rogali)扮演. 我认为她演得非常出色, 既自然又敏捷, 让这个角色看起来年轻富有有活力.

爱情是永恒的主题

这几天教皇病重. 教皇们和天主教神父不可以结婚. 百分比非常高的教父们副业是性骚扰. 是刚需? 那教皇有没有? 有时怎么办? 如果解禁 性骚扰幼童会不会减少?

Dinner at Mariscos was good.

Sarasota opera House 

It’s the first opera of the 2025 winter season.

They’re offering two operas this autumn. The staff is asking if we’ve gotten the insert (of the fall season) at exit. 

The two Italian operas are pretty Shakespearean: both are about love, jealousy, and betrayal, ending in death, the kind of death that doesn’t drag on:

1. Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni (1890)
2. Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo (1892)

Both are enjoyable: Cavalleria Rusticana is a well known one act opera, Pagliacci has some familiar tones. 

Dinner at Sushi Ramen is ok.

希腊悲剧

两部意大利歌剧, 讲述爱情,嫉妒和背叛, 都以死亡告终 不拖泥带水的那种

– 皮埃特罗·马斯卡尼的《乡村骑士》（1890 年）
– 鲁杰罗·莱翁卡瓦洛的《丑角》（1892 年）

…非常莎士比亚风格

935 N Beneva Rd Suite 401
Sarasota, FL 34232

… more pix on Google Maps, TA

May return.

L shaped space in a strip mall. Good and light hearted service. Good food. Many regulars: mothers with kids. Couples. Girls / boys night out.

Black and white kid comedy show Monsters is on.

The sake is so hot, I can’t hold the cup for a while.

We’ve Seaweed salad Takoyaki – squid Spicy edamame 4 rolls Seaweed is nice, not sweet. Squid balls are good, different. The edamame is not spicy. I was hoping for some marinated but it isn’t. The sushi rolls are good.

I think the staff is SE Asian, fun and goofy.

Off to the opera.

6226 Ohio Ave,
Gibsonton, FL 33534

… more pix n videos on Google Maps, Yelp, TA

Probably will return.

The River’s Edge Bar & Grill is average. Casual. Relaxing. Pool tables. Bikers. I don’t think they’ve deck guys to help boaters, on the Alafia River.

We’ve BLT and stuffed crab: all good. P.S.: they’ll take $1 off if you don’t want coleslaw & fries.

Bikers vests are beautiful.

Live music is about to start as we’re leaving at 1:30.

Their bathrooms are between permanent and port-a-potty: they’re outside but they have regular toilets and sinks. Not sure they’ve a/c too, during the hot days.

1633 W Snow Ave,
Tampa/Hyde Park, FL 33606

… more pix n videos on Google Maps, Yelp, YT, OpenTable, TA

Definitely will return.

We pass by this restaurant all the time. So decided to come here for my celebratory dinner: the frivolous lawsuit filed by Hales Blackbrick of Tampa against me over my review in December 2023 has just been dismissed without prejudice this morning. They sure will come back and try again, but that won’t deter me from celebrating my first milestone: defending my right to speak truth.

Forbici has high ceiling, industrial decor, with great service and delicious foods. It has mixed clientele: dressed up women, and family/mothers with kids.

I particularly like

– deliciously red sauce
– good stems
– hot and frothy milk with hot coffee
– tiramisu – the best in Florida so far

The hot coffee claim: this may sound petty and bewildering but it’s NOT: the coffee at Hales Blackbrick was lukewarm – enough, resting my case here.

The hot milk – it’s the best because I love my milk hot and NO One that I’ve been to does this – this alone worth returning.

The wines – the super Tuscan is just super.

The staff is helpful and genuine – thank you.

We’ve
– Suppli: tasty and soft, filling.
– Meatball: yummy but not fluffy
– lasagne: yummy
– mussels: chubby and clean
– coffee: hot
– tiramisu: the best in Florida – both texture and taste

The meatball is rather dead – this is in light of me comparing it to Chinese lionhead which are large and soft. Silly me.

Hope they won’t forget the container for the mussel shells next time. The young kid did say that he’ll bring one but I’d rather use their bread plate – pretty.

The bathroom – neat and handsome. But the first two stalls are messy – one has toilet tissue on the floor and the second one has a plastic cup in the toilet bowl – hey patrons, pls pick up after your self, your cleaner isn’t there to do it for you.

Being at one end of the chichi street, it makes parking easier.

Holley Hall
709 N Tamiami Trl
Sarasota, FL 34236

… more pix & videos on Google Maps,

This 400 seat hall is one of Sarasota Orchestra‘s performing venue.

The hall is decent, one level, a parking lot away from Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

• William Yang

The touchiness faucet in the bathroom dispenses burning hot water. Good heaven, in Florida, why do they need hot water.

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Sarasota, FL

Sarasota Orchestra began in 1949, with efforts from music teacher Ruth Cotton Butler, businessmen Dr. W.D. Sugg and J. Lorton Francis of Bradenton, and George Gibbs, an amateur musician from Venice.

Paul Wolfe was the artistic director and conductor for 35 years in 1961. Giancarlo Guerrero is the current one since 2025.

• Hilary Hahn @ Van Wezel
• William Yang @ Holley Hall

… they’ve several venues

1. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center
2. Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
3. Sarasota Opera House
4. Neel Performing Arts Center
5. North Port High School Auditorium

777 N Tamiami Trl,
Sarasota, FL 34236

One of the venues for the Sarasota Orchestra.

They’re on the Gulf of Mexico, west of the barrier island Longboat Key.