Sarasota Recomendations

[kansasskydiver 0]

Need some help from any peeps in Sarasota. I'm meeting with a friend of mine there this evening and looking for a good place to eat and some things to do. Could anyone offer some recommendations? Neither one of us have been there before so we'd be completely lost, just a half way point for the two of us.

Thanks mucho

<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist!

[skymama 35]

I grew up there, but haven't lived there in awhile to know the area restaurants. But, my recommendation for something to do is to go to Siesta Key beach and see the sunset. The sand is like baby powder there and it's a beautiful beach.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[kansasskydiver 0]

Thanks momma I'm sure she'd enjoy that, all romantic and stuff

[SpecialKaye 0]

Go down to Venice (south about 45 mins or so) for shelling and sharks teeth...there's some great restaurants for food & livations and the sunsets are spectacular...there's also some great antique stores in the village.

Around and about Sarasota, I second Siesta Key. There's also Coquina Key, nice beach...right next door is Holmes Beach and they have a quaint little village...ice cream shops, antiques and such. Anna Maria and Sanibel are great. There's the Ringling Museum and the mansion. There's some plantations you can visit.

If you come north on I75, you can go across the Sunshine Skyway and visit Fort DeSoto....nice park, beaches and lots of history. Just off of Fort DeSoto, there's Treasure Island Beach in very south St. Pete Beach...plenty to do and eat there, too.

[kansasskydiver 0]

Thank you for the advice. I live down in Naples and my friend in Tampa so we decided to meet for dinner, drinks and what ever else in Sarasota but neither of us know the area at all there so finding a place to meet and somewhere decent to eat is a problem lol.

<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist!

[brierebecca 0]

There is an AMAZING little hole-in-the-wall Italian place called Ca Rina downtown. The owners are from Italy. Great wine selection, and the food is really authentic (I felt like I was back in Florence). It's a teeny tiny little place, though - maybe seating for 20, so I would get there a little early.

Edit: found a link http://sarasota.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A131594

Brie

"Ive seen you hump air, hump the floor of the plane, and hump legs. You now have a new nickname: "Black Humper of Death"--yardhippie

[kansasskydiver 0]

Thanks a lot, that's where we're going to go

<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist!

[marcandalysse 0]

huh, I never even heard of that little street before....that's a new one for us!

marc

"The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton

[happythoughts 0]

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I'm sure she'd enjoy that, all romantic and stuff

Go to the Holiday Inn, Lido Key.
It is across the street from the beach.

They have a rooftop dining room that overlooks the beach. Can't beat it.

[Samurai136 0]

Marina Jacks or Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar (Sarasota) or Sharky's On The Pier (Venice).

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[marcandalysse 0]

He ended up at Mediterraneo, across from the hollywood 20 theater. Carinas is really hidden away, on a half block long street its the only house.

mp

"The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton

[popsjumper 2]

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...Go to the Holiday Inn, Lido Key.
It is across the street from the beach.

They have a rooftop dining room that overlooks the beach. Can't beat it.

Figures you would know about Lido Beach.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[skymama 35]

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Figures you would know about Lido Beach.

I know about it, because I grew up there. Obviously, you know about it too. What's your excuse?

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[popsjumper 2]

Uh...uh....I got some binoculars for Xmas and had to try them out?

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[SpecialKaye 0]

Sharky's is a great little place for sure. There's also the Daquiri Deck on Siesta Key...lotsa fun there. There's also the Crows Nest across from the marina in Venice...great food, drinks and sunsets.

There's plenty to find...a friend of mine and I used to go, drive around and look for what tickled our fancy at that particular moment.

[kansasskydiver 0]

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He ended up at Mediterraneo, across from the hollywood 20 theater. Carinas is really hidden away, on a half block long street its the only house.

mp

Yeah we couldn't find Carinas, had a poor map and honestly I was getting tired of bottoming out my car every time I had to turn around somewhere to try and find it. So finally I just did a search for Italian on my phone and we ended up at Mediterraneo. Had a bottle of wine, some grappa, really good food then walked around on Main st. Was a good time, just tired, not used to waking up at 6am to jump on the road and drive home somewhere lol.

Thanks again all for the help

[skymama 35]

Ok, you did nothing which was recommended to you. See if we help you again, we know you won't listen anyway.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[happythoughts 0]

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Figures you would know about Lido Beach.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean...

One of my jobs was renting sailboats at the Longboat Key Holiday Inn.

There is something to be said for a job like that. The women who hit on you already have a tab at the bar and a motel room.

[marcandalysse 0]

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Figures you would know about Lido Beach

NorthLido Beach was a nude beach in the late '70s-early '80s.....
It was shut down when families would see too many guys going at it in public....

"The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton

[kansasskydiver 0]

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Ok, you did nothing which was recommended to you. See if we help you again, we know you won't listen anyway.

I totally did. We drove around forever trying to find the place to eat that was recommended! Without a map and proper directions (no ones fault but mine) we couldn't find it.

And by the time we ate dinner etc it was already past sunset, so we couldn't go down to the beaches

[marcandalysse 0]

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it was already past sunset, so we couldn't go down to the beaches

The late nite submarine races off siesta beach are particularly romantic!

Next time bring a new cellphone and maybe we can connect up!

ate a proxima!
marc

"The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton