Gulf Girl
Stay + play in Southwest FloridaGulf Girl Approves: Friday, Sept. 5
Fie on these looming hurricanes: The 2nd Annual Naples Craft Festival is evidently canceled. Fortunately, like hurricanes, there’s always another one waiting to roll out of the Windward Islands. Eh, you know, figuratively speaking. Point is: Whole Foods is open!
And these other things are happening this weekend, too:
- The 2008 Percussion Summit will be held at 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts. Members of the Naples Phil orchestra percussion section, Florida Orchestra and Jacksonville Symphony join celebrated hand-drummer Taku Hirano and drummer Gorden Campbell. Hirano is currently performing in Las Vegas with Bette Midler; Campbell has worked with Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and Herbie Hancock. $28 for adults, $15 for students.
- Ronald McDonald Kids Fishing Tournament and Fishing Clinic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at Cape Harbour in Cape Coral. First 100 kids registered will receive a fishing rod, trophy, show and lunch with Ronald at RumRunners restaurant; no fee, but your donation benefits the Ronald McDonald House.
- You helped the kids, now let’s save the wolves: It’s the Sticky Paws Ice Cream Social and Silent Auction from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Hilton Naples and Towers. Benefits the Shy Wolf Sanctuary ; $20 donation includes souvenir ice cream glass. But wait! Help a child AND and an animal by attending the Dog (and Cat) Days of Summer Animal Awareness Event from 9 a.m. to noon at the Frieda B. Smith Special Populations Center in Cape Coral, where Senior Girl Scout Ariel Chomey of Cape Coral plans to complete her Girl Scout Gold award requirements by hosting a large-scale service project. Event includes live demonstrations and representation by rescue and adoption agencies, animal service groups, and vendors of pet-related products. And food, prizes, etc. Free!
- It’s a Basically Bluegrass Concert and Pick-in, starting at 1:40 p.m. on Sunday at the Lee Civic Center. With musicians Dick Spottswood, Bill Metts, Skeeterland Band, The Fleas and Larry Wilson and Thunder Mountain Railroad. Concerts sponsored monthly by the Acoustic Music Society of Southwest Florida; acoustic musicians are invited to bring their instruments and take part. $5; free to society member and kids 16 and under. (Gulf Girl’s pretty sure Naples’ Bayshore Coffee Company has a new bluegrass band on Sunday night too, but couldn’t find the info online; apologies all around).
Happy Weekending!
News Feed, Sept. 5
I don’t like Ike … A traveling Vietnam War memorial will come to Naples starting Sept. 23 … For serious: The Bay House really is one of Naples’ best-kept secrets; it’s romantic and unique, and the crème brûlée is an absolute Approve … Art Walk will arrive in Fort Myers in October … Your Theater Briefs! Your Critics Picks! You’re welcome! … Chris Isaak at the Mann on Tuesday, with Lisa Loeb … WGCU’s format change provokes classical music questions … Interview with Port Charlotte band Pushmower … The Miracles make a move for the FSL title … Calusa Blue Paddling Festival information will be at Coconut Point in Estero on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.; register to win a free kayak! … Sanibel might get a new fishing pier; tourists to pay … Peace River Wildlife Center is this week’s daytrippage … Shells restaurant chain (Fort Myers location) to close … Travel was down at SWFLA International in July. (NDN, NP, Wink, FW)
Today in Tapas: Bella Maria celebrates Chilean Independence Day
Bella Maria Café on Fifth Avenue South in Naples will mark Chilean Independence Day (Sept. 18, which Gulf Girl fully admits she had to look up online) with its 3rd Annual Chilean Independence Day Celebration at 6: 30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16 and Wednesday, Sept. 17.
Cost is $45, which includes food and drink. (Sangria!) Limited seating, RSVP to 403-7222 or bellamariacafe@hotmail.com
News Feed, Sept. 4
‘Island Fallfest’ means discounts on Lee County accommodations, Sept. 2 to Nov. 15 … Hot, molten cheese and crusty bread sounded promising, but maybe not so much … Painter Trinh Mai returns to Naples, at the Sona Gallery until Sept. 12 … It’s high school football season! Here are your schedules, plus stories about the Sharks, Trojans and, of course, the Golden Eagles … Naples’ Rocco Mediate won’t join the Ryder Cup team … A new special events permit ordinance is passed in Bonita … Some budget travel links, courtesy of Wink TV … Proposed Lake O water releases worry Sanibel leaders … Gulf Girl just found this wonderful website, which helps you find the perfect hotel room. Tips, scoop, newsletter sign-up, too. (NBC2, NDN, NP, WINK)
It’s a very Naples daily, after the jump! Read the rest of this entry »
Midweek Madness: Miami Spice
This week’s Midweek Madness is the 7th Annual Miami Spice.
Last month and in September, there’s a whole long and impressive list of Miami’s best and brightest restaurants offering reduced dining rates; lunch is $23 and dinner is $36. There are some restrictions about when you can dine, but not too many; Gulf Girl attended Spice last year and went to the Sagamore on a Saturday night with zero problems. (And, asking for the Spice menu right off is a good way to spare later awkwardness.)
Since you’re probably going to have to spend the night, here’s a relatively serviceable Miami hotels site. (Gulf Girl has a longtime soft spot for The Raleigh.) Read the rest of this entry »
News Feed, Sept. 3
Fort Myers location of clothing chain Steve and Barry’s will close … Season tix now available for Cultural Park Theatre … Sway gives you your MTV … A very comprehensive where to dine with the little ones … A chat with the chef of Naples’ Handsome Harry’s … Another review of Theatre Conspiracy’s 21A … VP nom Joe Biden is in Fort Myers today to campaign, collect canned goods … Sex and the Reef … Lake O water releases are mulled … Baby sea turtles are on the road again … Go MIA from MIA: Brazil’s TAM airlines is now offering Orlando to Sao Paolo, direct. (NP, NDN, NBC2, Gadling, MDN)
Percussion tickets on special and a sunset celebration, after the jump! Read the rest of this entry »
That exciting site news
As promised on Friday, Gulf Girl returns today with some exciting site news.
So far, this blog has subsisted mainly on a diet of daily news feeds and weekend recommendations. But starting Oct. 1, it’s going to expand to include original content, including interviews, reviews and features — that is, it’s going to become a full-fledged staying + playing in Southwest Florida site!
Tell a friend!
News Feed, Sept. 2
A change is planned (again) for Naples’ beach parking stickers … Smaller, speciality eateries struggle in economic downturn … Whole Foods at Mercato opens Sept. 5; here’s your sneakster … Commuter rail, ‘Ocean World’ and retirement at 82: It’s the Florida of the Future … Paddle on in to the Capri Fish House … Why, here’s a little story on restaurant health violations in Lee County. Complete with convenient searchable database, so you’ll never dine with impunity again … A Bonita backyard BBQ? Please post permit … It’s an art gallery! It’s a tattoo parlor! It sounds awesome! Also, daas Gallery and La Casa del Arte … A recipe for Cuban-style glazed sweet potatoes … Law & Order: Lido Deck. (NDN, FT, NP, MH)
Let’s start the September daily, after the jump! Read the rest of this entry »
Gulf Girl Approves: Friday, Aug. 29
It’s Labor Day weekend, which is such a wonderful thing. Gulf Girl hopes you have a safe and merry one. See you in September!
- The Big F’N Show will be tonight at 8 p.m. at the Elks Lodge (3231 Coconut Road) in Bonita Springs. Hosted by Merge World Records and 239Nights, with five bands to play: Absentee Ballot, Hot House, Alive Inside, Today We Sleep and Category Five. $10 at the door, drink specials for attendees 21+. With after party at Ultra. (For sexy people, natch.)
- Ballroom Dance Party, tonight, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Dance Life in Bonita Springs. This is a weekly thing, and a good time to practice your West Coast Swing, LA-style Salsa, etc. And if you don’t know anything, that’s OK, too. $10, light refreshments.
- The Killers of Comedy Tour is at 8 p.m. tonight through Sunday at Captain Brien’s Seafood & Raw Bar on Marco Island. Features cast members and regulars from the Howard Stern Show; $30, 21+.
- Everglades photographer Clyde Butcher’s much-anticipated annual Labor Day weekend Muck-About, from Saturday to Monday. Unfortunately, it’s booked (even the t-shirts are sold out!), but they will take walk-ins if there are openings. But since it’s also an open house for his studio, there’s other stuff going on all weekend, too: music, food, environmental information and, of course, camera demonstrations.
- Photographer Chip Hoffman’s exhibit about childhood poverty in the Dominican Republic has moved to a gallery at Florida Gulf Coast University, especially appropriate since part of the proceeds from it benefit injured FGCU prof Ingrid Martinez-Rico. Opened Thursday; ongoing daily through Sept. 26. New this week also is the von Liebig’s ‘A Decade of Collecting,’ showcasing 10 years of the center’s works. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
- Sun n’ Fun Lagoon at North Collier Regional Park in Naples will hold a Labor Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free food from Chick-fil-A, entry fee of $5.50 and $10. Related: Kids are free this weekend at the Naples Zoo. Here’s the coupon.
- In honor of Labor Day, Ultra is holding a pajama party. Not to be outdone, Sway is holding a toga party. And Neo is holding a ‘glow party’ (that’s ‘wear white’ to the uninitiated). So if you sleep wrapped in a white sheet — and that’s probably a good percentage of us — you can hit all three with no worries! Except being arrested!
Happy Weekending!
