Funny Feminist & Author Gina Barreca in Sarasota on Thursday

Gina Barreca,author of It’s Not That I’m Bitter: How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the World, will be speaking — and making the audience laugh out loud — on Thursday, Feb. 23 at Michael’s on East. The event, which is sort of a lead-up to the “big” 2012 Renaissance Luncheon: The Reinvention of Self, is a luncheon/fun-fest in support of the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County.

Barreca has appeared on 20/20, the Today Show and Oprah and, a woman after my own heart, she’s a weekly columnist for The Hartford Courant. She’s currently a Professor of English and Feminist Theory at the University of Connecticut.

For ticket information — visit www.thewomensresourcecenter.org.

Raccoony kind of afternoon

.There’s a family of about four or five raccoons who live near me. A while back, they came into my carport, with about three or four additional friends or extended family members, and pretty much threw a party in the ‘port.

As I looked out the kitchen window at them, one of them came right up to the door and stood on his hind legs and kind of waved his front paws at me beseechingly — I guess wanting food.

They start walking around the backyard most nights just before dusk. And I recently caught this one raccoon on camera as she – I think it’s the mother of the brood of youngsters – climbed up a tree.

Things to do in Sarasota over the next few weeks

Lots of interesting people to see and learn about over the next several weeks, and this week’s Sense and the City column gives my top picks. From the Author’s Luncheon put on by the Literary Council of Sarasota to the Sarasota County Democratic Party’s annual Kennedy-King Dinner to learning about African-American Sarasotans … just click here to read Fascinating People of — and in — Sarasota

.

My Pics for Sarasota’s Sexiest

Today’s Sense and the City column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune rocks my picks for Sarasota’s sexiest six people and six sexy/romantic/love-and-lust-inducing activities. I cover people like David Baas, Kerry Kirschner of the Argus Foundation, the former Scenestress Veronica Pastore, the Sarasota Film Festival, funny-woman Christine Alexander, and more!

Click on the hyperlink above to read Sarasota’s Sexy Six!

I ♥ Hart’s Landing

Honesty and integrity are the only things we leave behind when we die. Work on it today.”

I’d like to have met the man who thought like that. But Hart seems to have left one more thing behind: A much-needed legacy of a simpler time – and a place where the heart of Sarasota lives on.

That’s an excerpt from this week’s Sense and the City column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Hope you’ll take a moment to read it in its entirety either in the paper (Feb. 3 TICKET section) or online by clicking here: I ♥ Hart’s Landing

UFood Grill– Food U Might Like

I’m not a big stock market person, but over the past several months I’ve been buying some stock — not a ton, but just enough to make life interesting — in a penny stock called UFood.

UFood Grill (www.ufoodgrill.com) is a burgeoning restaurant chain based in Boston. This new restaurant brand was founded by the same guy, CEO George Naddaff who helped ignite the Boston Market franchise.

It’s a healthy fast-food choice — burgers, fries, sirloin, wraps, paninis. But everything’s baked, steamed or grilled — no frying! You can watch a video about the company and its food approach — just click here: I’m a UFood Fan!

Anyway, I’m having fun seeing what happens with the company. I don’t often have hunches about stocks, but have had two hunches in the past. One was just before Krispy Kreme went public and one was back in the earlier days of Chipotle — when the stock was still in the low 50s and affordable and long before it split and made a lot of people a lot of money.

Only wish I’d been one of them. Those were two times I didn’t follow my hunches and so now I have this third hunch and hey, we’ll see what happens.

If you’re interested in the stock, or just want to tell me how wrong I am — watch the video and/or leave me a comment. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to the day there’s a UFood Grill near me!

New Year, new me, new you … same old (wonderful) Siesta Key Beach

I love me some Siesta Key sand … read my homage to the #1 beach in the country in tomorrow’s Sense and the City column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Siesta Key, Florida beach rules!

Stop the Payola to Lure and Keep Businesses in Sarasota

“No one likes them. Every one hates them. Yet states and municipalities continue to offer monetary incentives to seduce companies to choose their communities over others. And, of course, we, the taxpayers, pick up the tab.” — That’s an excerpt from a great article in today’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune BIZ Weekly section by Jerry Chautin, a volunteer business counselor with Manasota SCORE. Click here to read the full story.

I AM … Who You Are

John Donne wrote, “every man is a piece of the continent”; Thoreau asked, “What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” Gandhi said, “Live simply so that others may simply live.” Tom Shadyac, in his new film, I AM, gives us reason to hope that people are still asking relevant questions, and working to find real answers. You’ve GOT to see this film! Read my Sense and the City about the new documentary, “I AM,” in today’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune (way in the back of TICKET), or online by clicking right here: I AM … Who You Are!

And then, I really would be interested in hearing what you think … if you have time, come back here and post a comment or drop me a note on FB.

To boldly go … to the Longboat Key Education Center!

Yesterday, I had an absolute BLAST at the Longboat Key Education Center. I was there to give a talk and had a wonderful time speaking to and talking with the audience.

The Center’s director Susan Goldfarb was super charming and the audience asked such great questions and added many great comments during the 30-minute Q&A session.

I was supposed to be there to inspire them to be bold in the new year … but they inspired me!

Thanks to all who came!