FALL 2018
YourCOASTE.com
The Sky's the Limit LEARNING TO FLY
I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM WE ALL SCREAM SEAN CHAMBERS Blues Artist in Residence PLAY BALL Roy Hobbs Comes to Fort Myers THE CONSCIOUS KITCHEN SAND DOLLAR TREASURES
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ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS COASTE | EDITOR’S WELCOME
As I write this in late summer, Southwest Florida is just now slowly picking itself up off the mat from perhaps the most significant, pummeling unnatural disaster in our history. Yes, unnatural disaster. While red algae blooms have been reported as far back as themid-1800s andnaturally occur annually in the Gulf of Mexico from Tampa south — as well as the east coast of Florida toward North Carolina, and that’s it worldwide — there seems little argument that myriad man-made factors are, as David Bowie once sang, “putting out fire with gasoline.” While I’m not here to explain the science of red or green algae blooms, point fingers or propose solutions, I can comment with authority that the crisis that stormed our beaches, bays and canals has literally played out in distressing words and pictures across American media and around the world. This is one case where the saying “bad PR is better than no PR” doesn’t apply. The question we face — regionally, locally, individually — isn’t will we recover, but when? Images of our unnatural carnage of nature do more than stick in the mind of potential visitors, they create a window of doubt: is it safe, or smart, to go back? Studies have shown that in the past, 75% of persons who visited Southwest Florida once plan to come back. So as our fall issue welcomes the return of season and the upcoming holidays, all I want for our Christmas is this: to hit that number again, just as soon as possible. Yes, nature, science and government will need to cooperate greatly. But our return to “top islands destination” status also renews when each of us who love it here — residents and visitors alike — unite to elect leaders who’ll not just talk the talk, but fight the fight; unite to share our many qualities of life to everyone we know, every way we can; and unite to support each other on the journey back. That’s what I want for Christmas. How about you?
John Sprecher Founder | Editor
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Volume IV Number 4
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P.O. Box 869 Sanibel, Florida 33957 Editorial 239.395.3251 Sales 239.470.5611 YourCOASTE.com
COASTE | CREDITS 3
The Sanibel and Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Center conveniently sits just as you arrive on Sanibel Island— second driveway on the right. It’s where you’ll find everything necessary for a blissful time and don’t forget the essential Visitor’s Guide , a complimentary magazine- style guide to planning an unforgettable visit.
sanibel-captiva.org | 239-472-1080 | 1159 Causeway Road | Sanibel, Florida
Representing nearly 800 members, The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce provides opportunities to participate in a variety of meaningful networking, educational and community- and business-focused programs and events. Call today to learn how you and your company can play an active role in the community while driving business leads.
fortmyers.org | 239.332.3624 | 2310 Edwards Drive | Fort Myers, Florida
For your information, you can learn more about the many outstanding destinations to be enjoyed in Lee County via these organizations. Just click or call them today! Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce BocaGrandeChamber.com 941.964.0568 Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce BonitaSpringsChamber.com Chamber of Commerce CapeCoralChamber.com 239.549.6900 Estero Chamber of Commerce EsteroChamber.com 239.948.7990 Greater Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce FortMyersBeach.org 239.454.7500 Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce FortMyers.org 239.332.3624 Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau FortMyers-Sanibel.com 239.992.2943 Cape Coral
Breakfast & Lunch Open 7:00am - 3:00pm Carry Out | Kids Menu | Beer &Wine
Pet Friendly Patio
Olde Sanibel Shoppes 630 Tarpon Bay Rd.
Sanibel, FL 239.472.2625 www.OverEasyCafeSanibel.com
Captiva Cruises Island Hopping • Shelling • Dolphin Watching Sunset & Sailing Cruises • Private Charters
Cayo Costa State Park #1 shelling destination
Daily Dolphin Cruises with naturalist on board
Useppa Island picturesque island retreat
239.338.3500 Lehigh Acres
Chamber of Commerce LehighAcresChamber.org 239.369.3322 Sanibel and Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce Sanibel-Captiva.org 239.472.1080
Cabbage Key Cheeseburger in Paradise
Sunset Cruises wildlife, sailing or live music
Lady Chadwick
Come out to beautiful Captiva Island. Explore our amazing “out islands” and watch dolphins in the wild. First class tours and expeditions. Customized private charters. Captiva Cruises Will be Your Vacation Highlight! 239-472-5300 CaptivaCruises.com
COASTE | INFORMATION 5
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COASTE CONTENTS
FALL 2018
Flying high over the islands is a treat everyone
should enjoy. Photograph by Milissa Sprecher Photography
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TAKE FIVE Roy Hobbs is the biggest, baddest, best baseball league for all us wannabes. Coming to Fort Myers! HEALTHY COASTE Learn how diet, exercise and lifestyle changes can help create a new you. LIVING COASTE Dr. Bruce Neill of Sanibel Sea School shares the treasures of sand dollars. HAPPENINGS Sunday Yumday — it’s the annual “Taste of the Islands” to benefit CROW. BUZZWORTHY Kaleidoscope of the Arts works to turn broken lives around. Join them!
10 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE Sean Chambers is among the top 50 blues guitarists in the world — in Fort Myers.
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16 WE ALL SCREAM
There’s nothing like great ice cream to make us all scream for more. Here are three of Southwest Florida’s finest licks.
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24 SKY'S THE LIMIT
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COASTE 9
HE’S BEEN CALLED ONE OF THE “TOP 50 BLUES GUITARISTS IN THE WORLD.”
“Most of my influences are guitar slingers, so that’s what
you’ll hear. I love doing those slow burnin’ blues. The blues scene in Southwest Florida is solid and it’s growing. And yes, it’s also a great place to live.” — Sean Chambers
By John Sprecher
ean Chambers clearly remembers the moment. He was 15 years old, riding shotgun in his buddy’s green Pinto — just two kids off on an adventure to explore the night. Then, his friend inserted a cassette into the car’s player. It was Jimi Hendrix. The song was “Red House,” one of the most electric blues songs that Hendrix ever recorded. And just like that, traveling down that road, the direction of Chambers’ life changed forever. “I had started taking guitar lessons earlier that my parents were paying for, but I hated the music they were making me learn,” he recalls. “So I started learning on my own, playing the songs I loved. But when ‘Red House’ came on, well, I had never heard anybody play guitar like that before. The hair on my arms stood up. I was like, what is that incredible sound? It was the first blues tune I’d ever heard and that day, I knew I wanted to play the blues.” And play the blues Sean Chambers has done, to the tune of seven albums (his newest released October 19), national and international tours, and the high praise of being called “one of the top 50 blues guitarists of the past 100 years” by Guitarist magazine. And yes, this extraordinary talent can be found in our own backyard, calling Fort Myers home since 2012. For the record, Guitarist magazine isn’t the only member of the media that have come to discover and sings the praises of Sean Chambers. He’s been acclaimed in USA Today , Guitar Player magazine, Vintage Guitar magazine andmore. His albums and songs have soared high on the Billboard charts, been nominated and named “Best Blues Album of the Year,” and played extensively on BB King’s “Bluesville” on Sirius XM radio. That’s a long journey from a green Pinto almost 35 years ago, and the road he traveled to his artistic success today was, yes, long and winding and occasionally bumpy. In fact, it wasn’t until Chambers was almost 30 years old before he recorded his first album.
"I learned about the real blues, life on the road and staying humble." — Sean Chambers
“I was really drawn to the Texas blues artists as I was growing as a guitarist,” he says. “Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Gibbons,
Albert Collins, Freddie King. In fact, a year after he died I was invited to lead a Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute with my band. When I learned the proceeds went to his Memorial Foundation, I said yes and it was really successful. At the same time, I knew I wanted to create my own identity and finally, with the release of Strong Temptation in 1998, I had put my name on my own music.” The next time Chambers said “yes” was shortly after his first album debuted, when he had the opportunity to play with blues great Hubert Sumlin (guitarist for the legendary Howlin’ Wolf). The two connected so well that Chambers led Sumlin’s band for more than four years, learning invaluable life lessons “about the real blues, life on the road and staying humble” as they toured the world. In between it all, more blues albums and more touring followed for a good decade. Then one day, answering a call to audition for the classic Southern rock band Blackfoot in 2012, the course of Chambers’ life took another unexpected direction — this time, by a stylist Blackfoot had employed to evaluate the quality of his “rock hair.” Instead, she found his appearance and stage persona just fine. “They were talking about hair extensions and all I’m thinking is, thank you Karen,” he remembers. “Anyway, that’s how we met.” And that’s how Chambers came to call Fort Myers home, as he and Karen married and they relocated here, to her home. While Chambers is planning his next tour following the October release of Welcome to My Blues — which will see him traveling the East Coast, Midwest and Europe — he can also be enjoyed locally at venues such as Buckingham Blues Bar and the Barrel Room in Fort Myers. “Most of my influences are guitar slingers, so that’s what you’ll hear,” he says. “I love doing those slow burnin’ blues. The blues scene in Southwest Florida is solid and it’s growing. And yes, it’s also a great place to live.” { www.seanchambers.com }
COASTE | ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 13
“Some of Our Players Are 80-some Years Old”
If you’re a fan of classic literature or sentimental cinema, the name Roy Hobbs may seem vaguely familiar — as Hobbs is the heroic protagonist in Bernard Malamud’s 1952 debut novel The Natural, later portrayed in the movie of the same name by Robert Redford. But to hard-core baseball fans (of all ages) who truly love the game and love playing it, the name Roy Hobbs represents something altogether better. That’s because Roy Hobbs Baseball is a one-of-a-kind amateur athletic organization that, since 1993, has hosted hundreds of thousands of “older” ballplayers in an annual World Series that, for 30-plus days each fall among more than 800 games, literally takes over Fort Myers. Meg Giffen is the Sales and Marketing Director for Roy Hobbs Baseball, and daughter of Tom Giffen, who at age 48 quit his gig at the Akron Beacon Journal to purchase the fledging organization out of bankruptcy — and over the next 26 years, turn it into a home run.
{ www.royhobbs.com }
By John Sprecher
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Tell us about Roy Hobbs Baseball and what makes the organization so special?
Roy Hobbs Baseball is an amateur baseball league comprised of men and women 35 years of age or older, playing on hundreds of teams throughout the United States and the world really. We attract “serious” ballplayers in eight age divisions — up to 75 years or older — who love the game, play the game and take their fun seriously. After a four-year absence, the women’s division returns this fall. Roy Hobbs has a special relationship with Fort Myers? Yes, our first World Series was held here in 1993, and we hosted 50 teams. This year, we’ll have a record 260-plus teams from the United States, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Ukraine, Canada, Russia and more. In all, we expect 10,000 to 15,000 players and their families to visit Lee County. And for the record, our headquarters are here too, located at the Player Development Complex on Edison Avenue. Tell us about the World Series, how it’s played and where it’s played. Everything about Roy Hobbs Baseball is big league. All of our games are played on professional ball fields — JetBlue Park (Red Sox), CenturyLink Field (Twins), City of Palms Park (former Red Sox stadium) and the former Red Sox minor league complex, historic Terry Park. This year, because of the tournament size, we’ve added Charlotte Sports Park (Tampa Bay Rays). We’re playing up to 50 games a day, under the sun or lights. And tickets are only $1 for the day. It’s a great family outing. And how cool are the games? We have players of all ages, and now genders, all walks of life — many successful business people, former minor league players, former major leaguers, even former pro football players like Doug Van Horn and Doug Flutie and his brothers. Many of our players bring their families, parents and grandparents. Some of our players are 80 years old or older, and they’re in great shape. I want to be kicking it like they do when I’m their age! What is it about Southwest Florida that works so well for Roy Hobbs Baseball? For a lot of our players, this is their annual vacation — they love visiting Fort Myers, Sanibel and Captiva. This is one of the largest amateur sporting events in Lee County annually, and since 1993 we’ve brought in more than $100 million in economic impact. And we know that 20% to 25% of our participants wind up relocating here. Would we be as successful anywhere else? I don’t think so.
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COASTE | TAKE FIVE 15
We All Scream! Photography by Millissa Sprecher All S am!
Few taste sensations can rival the cool, silky, sweet bliss of the moment your taste buds encounter the delightful perfection of hand-made, homemade ice cream, concocted in your favorite flavors. Here’s your sample of some of Southwest Florida’s finest.
By John Sprecher
Love Boat Ice Cream
{ www.loveboaticecream.com }
A lthough not as elusive as the famed Junonia shell, finding confection perfection that is true, real ice cream isn’t necessarily an easy task. Every fast food chain and evenmany convenience stores offer up lesser, inferior versions of the original. Others have opted to switch out ingredients and proffer knock-offs by the names of custard and frozen yogurt. And of course, every grocery store’s freezer section is loaded with mass produced cartons of stuff that varies greatly in quality, texture and taste. That’s why we set out to find Southwest Florida’s perfect ice cream as we defined it: fresh, hand-made with only the finest ingredients, created with passion by the brand’s founders, or those carrying on the founding tradition, with a legacy of at least 10 years of tasty success. Of those who met our criteria for greatness, we present three Southwest Florida ice cream artisans (alphabetically) who answered our challenge. Dig in!
ALL ABOARD THE LOVE BOAT Founded in 1967, Love Boat is the oldie but goodie ice cream in Southwest Florida. Today, Love Boat scoops out of three locations: two within a mile of each other on San Carlos Boulevard in Fort Myers (the original is open seasonally), with a third on Sanibel Island. Brian Borst is the seventh and, he jokes, final owner of Love Boat, having purchased the company in 2014. As his sister and store manager Jenny Borst explains, Love Boat is as much a destination for locals and visitors as it is an ice cream lover’s treasure, with more than 70 homemade flavors from which to choose. “We sometimes have pretty long lines of customers here,” she notes, “but that’s part of our experience and something we’ve found most people truly enjoy. Standing in line, guests talk to each other, share their vacation or ice cream stories and meet people really from all over the world. It’s something of our signature.”
Love Boat Ice Cream
Love Boat Ice Cream
Love Boat Ice Cream
Pinocchio's Original Italian Ice Cream
Pinocchio's Original Italian Ice Cream
COASTE | ATTRACTIONS 19
{ www.pinocchiosicecream.com }
Part of the reason for the extended wait is Love Boat’s focus on customer service. “When people make it to our counter, we give their decision. It’s about great ice cream and great service.” That great ice cream is made
daily, following original recipes that date back over 50 years, choreographed by the capable hands of Jenny Roberts who’s led Love Boat’s homemade production for almost two decades. In season, that can amount to more than 100 two-gallon tubs each day — led by fan favorites Butter Pecan, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Coconut Almond Fudge. Love Boat also offers sundaes, shakes, malts, sorbets (for the lactose intolerant) and freezies (sorbets blended with fresh fruit). And while Love Boat can be found on the menu of select restaurants in the area, Jenny Borst encourages the full immersive experience. “Standing in line is kind of a thing with those who know us and love us,” she explains. “If they come in here and there’s no line, well, some of them are disappointed!” NO LIE: PINOCCHIO’S IS GREAT TomandDonna Puma began vacationing to Sanibel Island in 1984 when their daughter Stephanie was just six weeks old, enjoying regular excursions to the islands amid the comfort of their East End timeshare only a few steps from Pinocchio’s Ice Cream, an evening treat they would frequent with great regularity (when they weren’t vacationing at their North Captiva home). Those years, Tom led a highly successful dental practice inNewYork, while Donna traveled the world as a global consultant for IBM. It was a wonderful life, but a hectic one — until then, opportunities began to knock. The first came when Tom was unexpectedly approached to sell his dental practice to an associate —which he did, prompting his retirement “for exactly one year.” They moved full time to Sanibel, while Donna continued her rigorous travel schedule. And then, one day, Tom discovered that Pinocchio’s was for sale. And opportunity having knocked again, this time Donna answered too, as the Pumas in 2007 became the proud new owners of Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream.
Pinocchio's Original Italian Ice Cream
COASTE | ATTRACTIONS 21
Those brands include, of course, the 38-year-old Pinocchio’s with its legendary favorites Sanibel Krunch, Dirty Sand Dollar and other island favorites — in all, more than 135 unique flavors, among which more than 30 can be enjoyed daily — along with Geppetto’s Beach Foodies next door, opened in 2012, where delightfully unique baked goods, gelatos and Italian custards can be most thoroughly enjoyed. “Everything we make, it’s created by hand and with only the highest quality ingredients,” Donna notes. “And the only place you can get it, with our famous ‘over the top’ portions, is right here. No restaurants. No stores. Just our location.” That’s not to say, however, that someday there won’t be other locations. A year ago this November, the Pumas — operating as Gustare Foods, LLC— had yet another opportunity: they franchised the Sanibel location to Laurie Verme (another New York transplant with a varied, and highly successful, business background) and her daughter Alice. But with so much personally invested in their brands, and so much passion, the Pumas aren’t going far. “We think we have something that’s truly unique, something special,” Donna says. “We’ll continue to work hard to keep it that way, wherever the future may take us.” ALL HAIL QUEENIE’S Once upon a time, there was a woman named Vanessa Viglione who loved a specific brand of ice cream so much that she had it regularly shipped from its Ohio origins to Captiva Island, Florida. For her birthday, so this story goes, boyfriend Dave Jensen enrolled her in Penn State University’s famous “Ice Cream Short Course.” Armed with this knowledge and passion (she was voted “class president” of the course), Queenie’s Ice Cream was born in 1998 — and continues today, true to Queenie’s vision, led by the passion and dedication of Liz Marcantonio, who has
{ www.queeniesicecream.com } Queenie's Ice Cream
A true family affair in the beginning, Donna, Tom and Stephanie (with a culinary background and business degree from Johnson & Wales) worked literally very early morning, noon and night to bring their passion, artistry, demand for quality and marketing creativity to “the little green store” on Sanibel. “Every year we would travel to Europe for two weeks, and invest one of those weeks in advancing our craft,” Donna notes. “We still do that today. We’re truly learning from masters, and we always make sure we bring back unique flavors and ideas we can incorporate into our brands.”
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Queenie's Ice Cream
been associated with Queenie and the brand since 2007. Queenie has created its own unique recipe for success — focusing exclusively on but 10 core flavors, and distributing only through high end purveyors including boutique grocers, resorts, restaurants, coffee shops and marinas throughout Southwest Florida. “We’re all about doing what we do best,” Marcantonio explains. “That means staying true to what we started 20 years ago and using only the highest quality ingredients. We’re not looking for quantity, but quality, whether that’s our core flavors, seasonal flavors or sorbets.” Those original favorites include Key Lime Pie, Mint Chocolate Chip, Toasted Coconut, Very Strawberry and Cookies and Sweet Cream — while seasonal hits to be on the lookout for include Candy Cane, Georgia Peach, Fresh Pumpkin Pie and Pine Island Mango. And no matter what flavor you fancy, Liz Marcantonio makes everything by hand with this promise: “Nothing has changed over the years. We make ice cream, and we make it the same way, with the same quality, as we did in 1998.”
Olde Sanibel Shoppes | 630 Tarpon Bay Rd | Sanibel, FL 239-395-1464 - IslandPaws.com
Joey’s Custard Stay and Chill
Sanibel Island’s hottest place to cool off!
239-472-7222 2467 PERIWINKLE WAY - SANIBEL, FL JOEYSCUSTARD.COM
COASTE | ATTRACTIONS 23
Whether you're eight or eighty the sky's the limit and you, too, can learn how to fly.
By John Sprecher | Photography by Milissa Sprecher { www.paragonflight.com }
with his wife Nicole to Southwest Florida from Detroit. Following a poor experience from a flight school in the market at the time, he figured he could do better and opened Paragon Flight Training with three planes that same year, and watched his business literally take off during the economic downturn. In 2010, his son Chris — along with Chris’s wife Sarah and Jeffrey Wolf, Chief Flight Instructor — had the opportunity to assume control and carry on the school’s focus of providing state- of-the-art aviation and avionics for flight professionals, hobbyists and wannabes. “I learned to fly with my dad and got my license in 2009,” Chris Schoensee notes. “Our philosophy is all about customer service, a strong curriculum and high technology. Today, we operate 13 aircraft — none older than2006—and staff 15 instructors. The pilot community worldwide is less than one half of one percent, so you’re in a unique group. Acquiring these skills is a major confidence booster. The mystique of being a pilot changes you for the better and changes you forever.” At Paragon Flight Training, a variety of options exist to experience flying on a much more up close and personal level — whether you’re eight years old or celebrating 94 years on earth (true and true). If you’re simply curious, the “Discovery Flight” pairs you with an instructor for one hour — 30 minutes of pre-flight, and 30 minutes in the air where you actually pilot the craft with your instructor (with his or her own controls) at your side — for only $125. “These are really popular gifts for birthdays, anniversaries and other special events,” explains Brynn Polonitza, client ambassador and licensed pilot herself. “Sure, you can be one and done, but once I took my Discovery Flight here, I was hooked and I haven’t left.”
t’s a beautiful Friday early afternoon. It’s hot, it’s sunny, and the brilliant blue skies above Southwest Florida are polka-dotted puffy white with whimsical, picturesque clouds. At zero altitude, or specifically on the tarmac at Page Field in Fort Myers, my 13-year-old son is going through his first 30-minute pre-flight inspection with his instructor, in preparation of his first 30-minute “Discovery Flight” lesson — his pre- birthday gift for his official celebration to commence two days later. Needless to say, he’s excited — and so am I, the “passenger” on his maiden voyage (besides, of course, his instructor).
A lot of people experience various levels of angst when it comes to flying — by Google estimates, upwards of 25% of all Americans. But that’s sitting in the plane, and most often, sitting in a commercial plane flown by experience and supported by experts. Climbing into the cockpit and settling into the pilot’s seat? That’s a plane of a different color, and although there aren’t any statistics to cite, it’s safe to say most people would prefer passenger status. Paragon Flight Training exists to enable those daring people who wish to command their own flying machines with the sound, professional and accredited training, experience and expertise to take to the skies. For some, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. For others, it may be the course of their lifetime as a professional pilot. And Paragon has pretty much seen them all, and provided them all moments that they’ll probably remember for the rest of their lives. Kevin Schoensee is a highly successful entrepreneur, real estate developer and hobby pilot who in 2006, relocated
north up the coast to Captiva before bearing east again to the airport, where more experienced hands took over and guided us to our landing.
Individuals who wish to obtain their pilot’s license must log a minimum of 40 hours of flight time with an instructor (along with other book and simulator instruction) — and can solo as young as 16 years old. Stay with it another year and pass a “check ride” with a Federal Aviation Administration instructor (along with a variety of other tests), and you’re good to go — flying with passengers at the ripe old age of 17. Rather leave the driving to someone else? Paragon Flight Charter offers flight services for both leisure and business travelers too. If you’d enjoy a scenic flight over the islands and coastal communities, up to three passengers can partake of these breathtaking journeys, with sunset flights available. For business commutes, the charter company flies from the Keys to points north in Florida, carrying up to four passengers. “Flying is unique, beautiful, peaceful, serene. It never gets old.” — Chris Schoensee But flight instruction is where Paragon Flight Training excels, as witnessed by its 60 to 80 active students at any given time, and approximately 300 graduate pilots annually. Those who graduate are rewarded by being able to autograph a “Wall of Fame” at the school, along with their date of graduation.
That was it. Thirty minutes among the clouds. And just maybe, a young man’s destiny was discovered, as he’s now pursuing his private pilot’s license, researching colleges and universities specializing in aviation, and contemplating a profession. “That’s the bug,” Brynn Polonitza says. “The people who are bitten, it captures you and holds you forever. When you fly a plane, you never really look down again. You spend the rest of your life looking up at the sound of an engine.” “The third dimension is wild,” Chris Schoensee adds. “Once you fly, driving a car is so boring. On one of my first flights, I opened the window and touched a cloud. Flying is unique, beautiful, peaceful, serene. It never gets old.”
As for our birthday boy, once airborne our instructor relinquished control of the yoke to my son — with the assurance toworrynot, because “you really can’t do anything I can’t fix” — and like that, Jackson was a pilot, flying us westward across Fort Myers, over the Sanibel Causeway,
COASTE | ADVENTURES 27
By Nikki Rood
I invite you to imagine a huge, 100-year-old farm table set out in a field of verdant grass and wild flowers, somewhere in the magical rolling hills of Tuscany. The sturdy knotted pinewood is accented by simple mason jars filled with elegant purple flowers, all arranged in a long line, their moist stems leaning over the glass brims of their water- filled containers as if they were lazily laughing. If you’ve ever taken the time to listen to a flower chuckle, it’s a joy that shouldn't be missed. Personally, I think they get a kick out of feeling the dew settle on their petals at the same time that a warm breeze blows by, but that’s just me. The fact that the table used to be a tall majestic tree is worth a grateful thought. That table is set for 20 people — molded, well-used
benches on each side are waiting for their dinner party to arrive — veteran benches that know the meal will last well into the late hours of the evening, when full bellies and smiling faces will settle in more and more comfortably, bantering for hours under the stars and the rising moon. Rustic, well-used white pottery dishes are flanked by softest lavender cotton napkins lying under carefully cleaned silverware that has been lovingly handed down through the generations. A young child will eat tonight with the same spoon that her silver-haired great-grandmother used to stir some hearty soup in a cast iron pot over a century ago. Someone will mention great-grandma’s name — raising a toast — whereupon mirthful stories of her adventures will ensue,
connecting those present with their ancestral roots and their distant past. Family and friends will be enveloped in an energy of indelible gratitude for the memories of their people. Their blood, their tribe. The meal is made- from-scratch, with farm-to-table ingredients bursting with vibrancy and taste. The tradition ofmakingmeaningful meals is a very special part of life and is part of the very fabric of love. Food has the ability to unite us on so many unforgettably rich and nourishing levels. As a technological, fast-food culture, we’ve forgotten this basic ritual to a large extent, instead reaching for our soulless takeout food while checking our cell phones and updating our Instagrams. We barely have an awareness of chewing and swallowing our meal, while watching the latest episode of our favorite TV show or catching up on our workload while eating. It’s easy to send the kids out for fast food and ice cream because that’s what they want and it keeps them happy. But does it keep them healthy? The corn our grandparents harvested wasn’t sprayed with cancer-causing glycophosphates. The crops tilled weren’t genetically modified. There is so
much more to say on all of that, but for now, let's imagine our best world. People can taste the difference when food is made with love, prepared carefully and with the intent to nourish. In fact, our sense of smell directly connects to our body’s limbic system, our center of processing emotions, taste and memory. At every chance that presents itself, surround yourself with some roses and perhaps remind yourself of romance and love. Dot some jasmine oil on a warm lightbulb and breathe in sensuality. Place some sprigs of fresh aromatic pine branches out in the living room and feel how nature heals. Simmer some cinnamon sticks in a pot of water and notice how your home begins to feel like apple pie, family warmth and friends. Keep your favorite savory stew on low and notice how your dog curls up in the kitchen, fully content.
Let’s all slow down, take the time to create and share beautiful moments. Eat well, laugh well, sleep well and love well. Nikki Rood has had a deep interest in exploring the healing and nourishing arts for most of her life and is currently the Chef and Owner of The Sanibel Sprout.
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{ www.sanibelseaschool.com }
The Treasure of Sand Dollars la by J. Bruce Neill, Ph.D.
Besides these basic facts, relatively little is known about the biology and life history of sand dollars, so Sanibel Sea School is carrying out a long-term investigation of the populations around Sanibel. Often working with volunteers and students, our team’s goal is to better understand them and the community in which they thrive, meters from our white beaches. Next time you find a sand dollar test, take a minute to consider what a complex life it lived just below the surface of the sea.
their eggs and sperm directly into the ocean, relying on the chance encounters of the two for fertilization to occur. To increase the odds of successful spawning, almost every individual in an area spawns synchronously, usually around the time of the full moon. Any fertilized eggs develop into larvae, which are free-swimming for a period of weeks before they undergo metamorphosis and transform into their adult form. Near Sanibel, most sand dollars live for about seven years.
Sand dollars are iconic treasures for beachcombers in Southwest Florida. They are fairly rare, and do not often wash ashore fully intact. Most people can agree that finding one to take home is a treat, but there is so much more to know about these elusive creatures. Sand dollars are surprisingly active animals that live in the sandy sediments in the shallow, near shore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. What we find on the beach – typically a white, flattened disc — is the skeletal remains of a sand dollar. When they are alive, sand dollars are covered in moving spines, and the white skeletal disc (called the test) is covered with skin that is dark tan or greenish in color. When you go shelling, be sure to leave any live specimens where you found them. Sand dollars belong to the phylum Echinodermata, the spiny skinned animals, which also includes sea urchins, sea stars, sea cucumbers and brittle stars. They have internal skeletons, meaning their skeletal system is covered in skin. This is uncommon among marine invertebrates. Echinoderms are exclusively marine animals – there are no echinoderms that inhabit fresh water or live on land. They are the only animal group entirely restricted to the ocean. Sand dollars make their living by ingesting sand and extracting nutrients from the algal cells and organic matter it contains. This feeding strategy makes them very important members of the near-shore community because their burrowing action keeps the sediment well stirred and aerated. These animals reproduce by releasing
Dr. Bruce Neill is Cofounder and Executive Director of the Sanibel Sea School, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to vibrantly teaching children and adults about marine ecosystems — animals, people, plants, land, ocean and weather — giving students an opportunity to touch, feel and interact with natural surroundings.
Ocean Magic Happens Here
At Sanibel Sea School, each day is filled with moments of wonder in the water. We offer day classes, camps and experiences for kids, families, and grown-ups, so come with us and be amazed. For more information, visit sanibelseaschool.org or call (239) 472-8585.
A nonprofit organization.
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Taste of the Islands will be held on Sunday, November 11, at the Sanibel Community Park. Gates open at 12:30 PM and close at 5 PM. The event features live music and showcases the vibrant, diverse and creative Sanibel and Captiva Islands restaurant community. Returning this year, event attendees can get a ‘taste’ of CROW and meet the Animal Ambassadors in the Sanibel Community House. Admission to Taste of the Islands is $7 and children younger than 12 years of age are free. Guests purchase CROW Bucks to get their “tastes” from participating restaurants. Item prices range from one to six CROW Bucks. Admissions and CROW Bucks are available for purchase at the event and in SUNDAY YUMDAY Taste of the Islands advance through CROW’s website and can be picked up at the Will Call booth at
Taste of the Islands. Proceeds from Taste of the Islands ensure CROW’s continued success providing the highest quality care and treatment of injured, ill and orphaned wildlife through state-of-the-art veterinary care, including the many sea birds and sea turtles affected by harmful algal blooms like red tide. Funds also support public educational exhibits at the Visitor Education Center. Healthy wildlife means a healthy environment for all of us. Thanks to sponsors, Taste of the Islands will be a great time with great food and great friends that you won’t want to miss! Come on out to support CROW and local restaurants that have been affected by red tide this summer!
{ www.crow-clinic.org }
LOC AL LY GROWN PRODUCE • AGRICULTUR AL PRODUC T S • FRESHLY BAKED BRE ADS FARMERS MARKETS
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COASTE | HAPPENINGS 33
torytellers Creative Arts, Inc., invites all those with a heart for the arts and for those suffering fromaddiction, for the young, and for local underserved local communities, to an art-filled, colorful evening celebrating the healing power of the arts. The Kaleidoscope of the Arts will be held at the Naples, Florida Hilton, 5111 Tamiami Trail North, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Tickets are $175 per person. Individual and corporate sponsorships are available as well. Guests will enjoy a feast-for-the-eyes andmouth, four-course “arts” dinner. There will be high-value silent and live auctions; a kaleidoscope of entertainment headlined by the Dan Miller, Lew Del Gatto. HGTV favorite and chocolate sculptor Paul Joachim, “the Chocolate Genius;” storyteller and best-selling author, Dr. Robert Petterson;
muralist Marcus Zotter, and much Stacey Defffenbaugh will
more! Popular NBC2 news anchor host the event. Attendees
will also meet people outreach programs,
benefitting from SCA’s
and
hear
their
stories of hope
and healing.
BY JOHN SPRECHER
Since 2015, SCA has touched the lives of 4,000 in Southwest Florida and beyond, reaching the addicted, at-risk and the disabled with some 100 volunteers. The organization also partners with and serves organizations including the David Lawrence Center, St. Matthew’s House, the Lighthouse for the Blind, New Horizons After-School clubs, PACE Center for Girls, and many others. Storytellers Creative Arts, Inc., founded by President, Bill Barnett, is a faith-based non-profit organization serving Collier and Lee Counties and beyond, with a singular focus: Healing and transforming lives through the arts. It does so by creating healing and nurturing arts outreach groups for local artists, who then reach out through local community partners to teach, mentor and heal their served communities. For more information, to purchase tickets, or become a sponsor (tickets included), call (239) 591-6649 or visit www.storytellerscreativearts.com.
STORYTELLERS CREATIVE ARTS
{ www.storytellerscreativearts.com/fall-fundraiser }
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Annual Greater Fort MyerS Chamber Golf Classic Oct-Dec Taking place at the Fort Myers Country Club, the Annual Chamber Golf Classic is bound to be a great time! Golf starts at 12:30 PM and includes cart and green fees, foods, beverages throughout the day and on the course, cocktail reception, awards ceremony, shirt and goody bag. Not a golfer? Join the cocktail reception after party and helicopter ball drop at 6PM. Watch 500 golf balls be drop out of the sky, with lucky finder of the winning golf ball going home with $3,000 cash! {www.FortMyers.org} Newton Park Beach WalkS Oct-Dec Explore the natural treasures on Fort Myers Beach every Tuesday at 9AM through a guided walk along the shore. Participants should meet at Newton Beach Park under the thatched hut at 4650 Estero Boulevard. Wear sunscreen, appropriate clothing, shoes and hats. Weather permitting. {www.FortMyersBeach.org} Working Waterfront Tour Oct-Dec The Ostego Bay Marine Science Centers offers a guided tour of the Fort Myers Beach Working Waterfront. The Working Waterfront is a community of servicing organizations which supports the local commercial fishing industry. You’ll see first- hand what it takes to support this this multi-million dollar industry, from unloading to retail, welding shops to the net house. Join the effort to preserve the cultural heritage of this unique and historic maritime community. Every Wednesday weather permitting. {www.FortMyersBeach.org} 30th Annual Ding Darling Days Oct 12-14 Mark your calendars for this year’s “Ding” Darling Days birding and eco-festival! Let’s Get Outside Day kicks off the 30th annual celebration on Friday, October 12, with free admission to Wildlife Drive for cyclists and hikers and various free and discounted tours and eco-activities. Conservation Art Dayfollows on Saturday, October 13, with visits from Federal Duck Stamp and Junior Duck Stamp winners and nature art workshops. Family Fun Day culminates the weekend with free activities on Sunday, October 14. It features all-free refuge tours, live wildlife presentations, archery clinics, hot dogs, live music, and kids’ nature crafts. {www.DingDarlingDays.com}
FALL 2018 COMMUNITY EVENTS Art Walk Oct-Dec On the first Friday of eachmonth from6 PM-10 PM—and now, on the first Saturdays from 11 AM–4 PM — art fans can enjoy an evening of visual arts, art gallery openings and more! Over 11 art galleries invite locals and visitors to a self-guided tour throughout the Downtown Fort Myers River District core and Gardener’s Park area. Art enthusiasts can even meet the artists at most of the galleries and enjoy live art demonstrations! On the third Friday of every month from 6 PM-10 PM, the River District comes alive with local music! Numerous participating venues feature live music by local and regional talent. Restaurants, bars, art galleries and shops also showcase a wide range of music during the monthly Music Walk. Featuring jazz, blues, rock, drum circles, and piano, guests can expect to hear a wide variety of musical genres. Many venues will also feature additional attractions such as wine and food tastings. {www.FortMyersRiverDistrictAlliance.com} Mystery Walk Oct-Dec Join the Mystery every second Friday of the month in the River District from 6 PM-8 PM. Registration begins at First and Hendry Streets in front of Iberia Bank. Free to play, participants receive the first clue of the mystery location and scorecard! Leisurely stroll through the downtown area finding the mystery locations. Each location will confirm they are the quiz answer and provide your next clue. Finish by 8 PM and return your cards to registration to be entered for cash prizes! This is age friendly for all participants and no purchase is necessary at participating locations. {www.FortMyersRiverDistrictAlliance.com} {www.FortMyersArtWalk.com} Music Walk Oct-Dec
From Inspiration to Realty 239.472.6551 | COIN.DECORATINGDEN.COM | 695 TARPON BAY ROAD, SANIBEL Serving Sanibel, Captiva, Fort Myers & Cape Coral for 28 Years 8th Annual Gulf Coast Surfers For Autism Beach Festival Oct 27 The Surfers for Autism focus is to eliminate stigma through public awareness and education and to unite communities through volunteerism. Our surfers and their families are treated like rock stars and enjoy a day filled with a range of activities including stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, live music, face painting, games, bounce houses, fire engine tours and much more. A catered lunch is also provided, all at no cost. This is a very special day where children with ASD interact with typical peers and wow families with their capabilities. These events are examples of inclusion at the highest level. {www.FortMyers.org} Paddle Battle 2018 Nov 17 Join the fun at the Babcock Ranch Paddle Battle on Saturday, November 17. Participants will compete in a 3-mile or 6-mile race on Lake Babcock. Paddlers of all skills are welcome, beginners and advanced. Racers will be categorized by age, gender and paddle craft — canoes, kayaks and surf skis are welcome! Everyone is invited to enjoy a friendly competition or cheer on your paddler! {www.FortMyers-Sanibel.com}
WINK Taste of Lee County Nov 3 Held in beautiful Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers, WINKTaste of Lee County offers the best food vendors the area has to offer. Add to that some great live local entertainment, kid activities and refreshing beverages — and you’ve got a great
way to spend a Saturday in the park! {www.FortMyers-Sanibel.com}
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