Bay Archives - Espresso Martinifest

7 downtown Sarasota restaurants, bars near Van Wezel, Mangrove Walkway, The Bay

April 9, 20211 min read Ferri Sulu

It’s an exciting time for downtown Sarasota’s iconic Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

The purple palace overlooking Sarasota Bay, which has hosted everyone from Bette Davis to Dave Chappelle, celebrated its 50th anniversary in early 2020 – and then remained almost entirely closed for the following year. Now, the famed waterfront theater is finally ready to return to business with a show by Brian Regan on April 15 (read our interview with him). The star comedian’s performance will be the first event on the Van Wezel’s main stage since last March.

But even if you have not procured

Kitchen

Model sold in Spice Bay, Lake Club receives many honors

March 20, 20211 min read Ferri Sulu

London Bay Homes has sold its 5,000-square-foot West Indies-inspired Somerset model in Spice Bay, leaving one remaining waterfront homesite in the gated community on Sarasota Bay.

Offering a location near Siesta Key Beach and direct access to the Intracoastal Waterway, Spice Bay blends prime waterfront access with an intimate setting, near the cultural activities of St. Armands Square.

The eight-acre gated Spice Bay community of 14 homesites is enhanced with tropical foliage and cobblestone roads. All Spice Bay homes have dock access, with 11 boat slips available to residents.

The one remaining homesite offers buyers an opportunity for the ultimate

Restaurant

The best Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area

March 11, 20211 min read Ferri Sulu

In 1975, the first major wave of Vietnamese refugees came to the United States, and since then, they have made an indelible mark on American politics, art and food culture, especially in hot spots like San Jose, a city that houses the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam itself. Bánh mi, the Vietnamese phrase for bread or sandwich, is now included in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, and phở shops proliferate from New Orleans to Portland, Ore., to Des Moines, Iowa. No matter where I’ve lived, finding the best place for phở has always been among my top priorities; only then could