Sarasota is Florida's Arts and Cultural Epicenter

  It will come as no surprise to most people that Sarasota Florida, recently named the "#1 Small City in the Nation for the Arts", is the center of Arts and Culture of Florida. The arts scene in Sarasota rivals the arts environments of much bigger cities in other parts of the country.

  The genesis of involvement in the arts in Sarasota began with John and Mable Ringling who built their magnificent 56-room Venetian Gothic mansion, Cà d’Zan. Having amassed a significant collection of art and art objects, the Ringlings built the 21-gallery Ringling Museum of Art to house their collection in 1931. John Ringling bequeathed his collection and the Cà d’Zan mansion to the people of Florida at his death in 1936. After a tumultuous decade, the Cà d’Zan mansion and the Ringling Museum were taken over by the State of Florida in 1946, rehabilitated and eventually opened to the public.

  Performing arts of all kinds thrive in Sarasota. The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents travelling shows ranging from musical acts to Broadway revivals. The Asolo Repertoire Theater, which opened in 1960 as a summer acting studio is now a full repertoire theater where more than 100,000 people attend its diverse repertoire of theater experiences. The Sarasota Orchestra, the oldest continuing orchestra in the state of Florida, has been entertaining music lovers for over 60 years. The Sarasota Ballet has featured several world-premieres under the direction of internationally-recognized Ian Webb and a half-dozen smaller theater companies perform comedies, dramas and the like on a variety of stages. Live music from contemporary to jazz emanates from Downtown Sarasota pubs and clubs virtually every night.

  The Ringling College of Art & Design hosts a thriving community of visual artists who display their craft at many school-sponsored exhibits. S/aRt/Q is a non-profit group of Sarasota artists who engage the community with unique visual and print art experiences in numerous galleries around Sarasota.

  Sarasota's rich artistic atmosphere has spawned a host of festivals. Film arts are highlighted at the Sarasota Film Festival in April and the Sarasota Film Society Cine-World Festival in November. The Sarasota Music Festival brings together the best young musicians from around the globe for three weeks each June. Ringling Museum, in conjunction with the New York-based Baryshnikov Arts Center presents the Ringling International Arts Festival which brings together performers from around the world for a celebration of art in all forms. The Sarasota Blues Fest in September and funky arts and crafts highlighted at the annual Atomic Holiday Bazaar in December are two more popular events while the St Armands Arts Festival in Janaury and the Siesta Fiesta in April bring top-notch arts and crafts talents to Sarasota.

  In next-door Bradenton, the Village of the Arts is a vibrant community of artists living and working together in Florida’s largest art community. Over 30 galleries, studios, cafes, and jewelry, fashion and book stores fill a charming neighborhood of restored 1920's and 30's cottages.

  Whether the arts and cultural aspects of your life have been mainstream or a passing fancy you've just never quite had the time to pursue, Sarasota has something to awaken your interest and provide the atmosphere in which your artistic side can blossom and expand. If a lifestyle steeped in the arts is something you would enjoy, there no better warm and sunny place to live than Sarasota Florida.

  Contact Me at your convenience for more information, or for a more immediate response, call me at 941-266-1799.

Siesta Key's Secret, Some of Sarasota's Most Luxurious Homes

    Siesta Key is one of the major barrier islands off the Sarasota Florida mainland.  It is separated from the mainland by Sarasota Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway and toward its southern end by Roberts Bay.

    On the Gulf side of this 8-mile long island, Siesta Key has some of the whitest and softest beaches in America.  Dr. Beach (aka Dr. Stephen Leatherman, Director of Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research) who has rated America's beaches for 23 years, declared Siesta Beach the "#1 Beach in America" for, he said, " its world-famous soft, white, powdery quartz sand, unsurpassed anywhere in America in its beauty."

On the inland side, Siesta Key is bordered by dense mangrove forests where residents and visitors enjoy boating and fishing om protected waters.

    Mid-island, Siesta Village is a funky sort of place where artists and crafters operate galleries, dining spots and boutique shops featuring all sorts of casual fashions, beach accessories and souvenirs.   With all these casual, fun-provoking amenities, it is sometimes overlooked that Siesta Key also has some of the most exclusive and opulent homes in the Sarasota Florida area.

    As examples of the luxurious homes on Siesta Key, here are just three of the opulent homes currently available.

    $10,900,000 will bring you a home poised along shimmering Gulf of Mexico waters. This 6,300+ sqft, 5 bedroom with 4 1/2 bath residence invokes distinctive Asian-inspired aesthetics achieving a unique harmony with nature. A feeling of tranquility prevails as this private sanctuary rests on two acres from the white sands of the beach to a calm lagoon.

    Embellished with walls of glass and a dramatic open floor plan to accentuate its extraordinary beachfront placement, a calming impression permeates this estate home adorned with a modern French motif and striking Polynesian touches.

    The property includes the main residence plus a 2-story guest house and a lush Japanese garden.  Floor-to-ceiling glass doors in the huge master suite offer panoramic views of Gulf waters.  The home with its open courtyard pool and summer kitchen enveloped by wood decking is perfect for undisturbed reflection or entertaining with a sense of seclusion and quiet elegance.

    Priced at $8,990,000, this 9,200 sqft home with 5 bedrooms, 5 full baths and 4 half-baths makes a stunning statement of refinement and comfort on nearly an acre at the north end of Siesta Key directly on the water.  Spectacular living quarters, exquisite finishes, state-of-the-art systems and resort-like amenities; all within a private, walled and gated property.

    Venetian Gothic fuses with Mediterranean flair to create a gulffront haven that is distinctively stylish and tastefully eclectic.  Built in 2007, this gem is perfect for indulgent relaxing or entertaining.  An extraordinary master suite, expansive living/dining quarters, an exquisite kitchen, a home theater and a 2-story office with elegant stone, stained glass and painted murals throughout.  Outdoors there's 8 porches/patios with incredible views, a rooftop garden-terrace accessed by elevator, and a glamorous pool and cabana with a waterfall, spa, slide, and stage for entertainment.

    $ At $6,650,000 on a heavily treed 2.8 acre bayfront lot, this 7 bedroom home with 5 full and 2 half-baths is on one of the most wonderful locations possible.  This is truly "Old Florida" from the architecture to the ancient oaks.   Concrete block construction and solid poured floors make this an especially well-built home by renowned builder B.W. Saba.

    The 8,600 sqft of interior space melds casual and formal living spaces with its several outdoor terraces where you'll enjoy evenings by the fire and incredible Little Sarasota Bay views.  Interior appointments include intricate moldings, 4 fireplaces, elevator, wine room, a private master suite, and his & her offices/dens.  The grounds have century-old oaks, a lagoon style pool with a water fall. With a private dock and extensive grounds, there's still room for a tennis court. You must see this fine home.

If you're looking for an elegant Sarasota luxury home, Siesta Key is clearly a location you should see as you consider where to buy that "Little Piece of Paradise" you’ve been dreaming about. Call me at 941.266.1799 for an appointment to view these or other luxury homes for sale in Sarasota Florida.  I'd be plesed to be of service to you.

Introducing the Rosedale Golf & Country Club Community in Bradenton Florida

By Rich Stover

The beautifully landscaped entryway and manned gatehouse welcome you to a master planned golf and country club community which, while spacious, is small enough to feel neighborly.

Rosedale's signature boulevard of 80-foot tall pines and ancient oaks leads to captivating homes overlooking lakes and fairways and the magnificent country club clubhouse, which is the heart of the Rosedale golfing community.

Winding its way among sparkling lakes and woodlands, the 18-hole championship Rosdale golf course offers both challenge and breathtaking scenery to the lucky few who get to call Rosedale their home community.

The community offers:

• Just minutes from I-75 and convenient to Bradenton, Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota
• Gated entrance manned 24 hours/day
• Detached single family homes
• Maintenance-free neighborhoods
• A challenging and well-maintained 18-Hole championship golf course
• Elegant clubhouse with a full-service restaurant
• Fitness center, tennis courts, junior Olympic pool and bocci courts

If you would like to know more about the Rosedale golf course, the maintenance-free golf course homes available, or its many other amenities, I would be delighted to show you around this cozy Bradenton Florida golf course community. Providing you with Manatee County and Bradenton FL real estate information on golf course homes and condos in all price ranges is my goal.

I invite you to learn more about the several great Bradenton FL golf course homes and communities on my website. Contact Me today. or for an immediate response, call me on my cellphone at 941-266-1799.

Anna Maria Island - An Unnoticed Island Paradise

If you've ever dreamed about life in a secluded and peaceful island paradise where the average temperature year-round is in the 70’s, you’re surrounded by soft, white beaches and warm waters and where the natives are as friendly as any you’ll ever meet, you should definitely get to know about Anna Maria Island.

Anna Maria Island is one of several barrier islands on the west coast of Florida; this one off the coast of Bradenton, in Manatee County. The island has only less than 9,000 permanent residents although it's population grows considerably during winter months. The strangest thing about this delightful little island may be how few Americans know about it. Europeans and Canadians, however, have certainly noticed it.

Anna Maria Island is a narrow strip of land about 7 miles long, stretching from the waters of Tampa Bay on the north, the Gulf of Mexico on the west, by Longboat Key to the south and Anna Maria Sound and Sarasota Bay on the east. Anna Maria Island is comprised on three cities; Anna Maria to the north, Holmes Beach in the center and Bradenton Beach on the southern end. Each of its three cities boasts spectacular beaches and great areas for fishing and scuba diving but each city also strives to preserve the “Old Florida beachcomber lifestyle.” They do it by limiting the size and height of buildings that can be built. You’ll find no high-rise condo developments on this island. In fact you'll see nothing more than three stories high.

Whether you would like a multi-million dollar waterfront estate, a restored older beach cottage, a maintenance-free condo, or, yes, an upscale home in an golf and country club community, Anna Maria Island can fulfill your fantasy so long as you want to fulfill your dream in a secluded place where the term “laid back” really means something very special; where even the giant sea turtles choose to come ashore to build their nests and give birth to the next generation of baby sea turtles.

That golf course community we mentioned is called Key Royale. Within the city limits of Holmes Beach, Key Royale is one of Florida’s most prestigious waterfront golf country club communities. Actually a small island of its own attached to Anna Maria Island proper by the small bridge, Key Royale is something you'd never expect to find on a placid barrier island. If, in addition to enjoying a round of golf on a 9-hole par 32 course and its lovely clubhouse, you are also an avid power boater or sailor, this may your paradise. Virtually every home in Key Royale is either directly on the waterfront or has canal access to open waters.

The city of Holmes Beach, itself, is the largest of the 3 communities on Anna Maria Island and boasts three miles of gorgeous white, sandy beaches. While there's been serious pressure in recent years to take advantage of tourism, the city works to maintain its rustic flavor through attention to the types of buildings and homes permitted to be built. Home types in Holmes Beach include single-family homes, maintenance-free condos and villas offered in architectural styles from Old Key West to Bimini and Grand Cayman.

At the other end of the island, Bradenton Beach is ideal if you want the casual ambiance of a secluded waterfront village. Gulfside homes enjoy gorgeous Gulf of Mexico sunsets while those facing onto Anna Maria Sound and Sarasota Bay are separated from the waters by natural mangroves. Between is a charming village famous for its ultra-casual "beachcomber" lifestyle.

On the northern end of the island, the city of Anna Maria is a quiet, serene place most of the year with narrow roads and almost no street traffic beyond the local trolley. The entire city of Anna Maria is a protected bird sanctuary. While swimming or scuba diving in the waters off Anna Maria, you are as likely to run into a manatee as another swimmer.

For transportation, most locals get around Anna Maria Island on the trolley that runs the length of the island with connections to the bus service on both Longboat Key and across the causeway to Bradenton. Should you wish to leave the island, there are three bridges to the mainland; one at the southern end of the island connects to Longboat Key, another connects Bradenton Beach to the mainland at Cortez and the third connects Holmes Beach to the mainland in the Palma Sola section of Bradenton.

When you wish to liven up your days or evenings, you are a short bridge and causeway drive from the mainland city of Bradenton Florida, the largest city in Manatee County. In addition to being home to several of the best golf courses in Florida, Bradenton also offers every type of boating, fishing and sailing activity imaginable. There is also a constant flow of activities and events going on that will entertain the youngest to the oldest members of your family. Bradenton is as bustling and vibrant as Anna Maria Island is serene and laid back. Bradenton is also home to two major health care facilities, Blake Medical Center and Manatee Memorial Hospital.

We believe that after a single visit to Anna Maria Island, you, too, will refer to Anna Maria Island as "that Little Island Paradise in the Sun.”

My goal as a Sarasota real estate professional is to help you find that one home or condo here in the Sarasota - Bradenton area that fits your needs and desires perfectly whether its on the mainland, on Longboat, Lido, Bird, Siesta or Casey Key or on Anna Maria Island. Please call me with your questions or inquiries at 941.266.1799.