Another night on the town
Pardon the Bruce Hornsby reference above, but that song title popped into my head this morning after spending several hours getting to know Sarasota last night. Steve Queior and Bob and Michelle Messick of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce toured a group of club officials (including Andy MacPhail and Dave Trembley) and media around a couple of the nice nightlife areas.
I think the point was to show us that you can have as much fun in Sarasota as we did in Fort Lauderdale, not that I ever had any doubts. I've been a fan of this area since the Orioles trained here briefly in the early 1990s, though the area certainly has grown up over the past couple of decades. The only downside was that Dave couldn't find any Notre Dame fans to commiserate with, but it's early.
The highlights: Happy hour at Libby's in Southside Village and a classy, impressive Italian meal at Mediterraneo on Main St.
We haven't even gotten out to the keys yet. There are some great spots -- and terrific beaches, of course -- a few miles west of Ed Smith Stadium. I don't go to the beach much, because I scare the tourists when I take my shirt off, but I love the powder-white sand along this part of the gulf coast.
Shameless Jeff Zrebiec plug: Our shiny-headed beat phenom did a nice package on the Sarasota facility and what it's going to look like when the renovation project is complete. Take a look at it right here.
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Comments
If you do go in the water don't forget to do the sting ray shuffle.
Posted by: bms | February 18, 2010 10:07 AM
Pete... make sure that powder white substance is actually sand.
Posted by: mdbdotcom | February 18, 2010 10:18 AM
Nice piece by Zrebeic. But wow. I agree w/ DC's comment earlier. It makes you appreciate how much work McPhail has had to do just to bring the basic functioning of the organization up to the level of other teams. If other teams won't play or practice on your spring training fields, maybe you should do something about it rather than sit on your a@$ for a decade. Pathetic. Hope better times are ahead.
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Pete's reply: It was actually two decades, but who's counting.
Posted by: Where's Nate Snell | February 18, 2010 10:31 AM
Pete - nice places, but they took you to the tourist houses. Come down to the other end of Main for better digs - Epicure, Cechiche, Selva, Caragiulos...
Siesta & Ldo too.
B-more in Sarasota
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Pete's reply: I'll be here for 50 more days, so I'll check them all out.
Posted by: Phil Johnson | February 18, 2010 10:53 AM
Wouldn't the old wayne have called this 'filler'? And new Wayne. Please stop telling us how much you know about baseball. Maybe let your words speak for themselves - something that hasn't happened yet by the way.
Posted by: Anonymous in honor of wayne | February 18, 2010 11:22 AM
I hate you so very, very much, Schmuck.
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Pete's reply: I totally understand.
Posted by: Chris | February 18, 2010 11:52 AM
Thanks Nate. It's really shocking. Not too hard to envision why no one has come to Baltimore (except Tejada and that crew) in years. Just appalling. And yes, I do appreciate what McPhail seems to have pried from ownership's hands in terms of cash for basic functioning at the scouting, minor league and sprint training level. Hope it pays dividends but remain skeptical.
Posted by: DC | February 18, 2010 12:10 PM
Pete - you need to find a Hawaiian shirt print with the Orioles colors. Or maybe you already own this?
Also don't miss out on Lido beach, great fun to swim with the pelicans.
Posted by: albumbry | February 18, 2010 12:21 PM
Pete,
Long time, no blog.
I was just down in Sarasota in January. I recommend you check out Yoders Amish Restaurant, they have by far the best pie I've ever had. Also, oysters in that region are fantastic.
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Pete's reply: Denny, thanks for the tip. Obviously, the diet is not going to go well.
Posted by: Denny | February 18, 2010 12:27 PM
Sissy Schmuck has flown the coop. At least, we still have a REAL Winter up here.
Posted by: CNC Orioles Fan | February 18, 2010 12:38 PM
Tell Dave to find Dicky V...he lives in the area, and when you can stop him from slobbering all over how great Dook basketball is, he and Dave can talk ND football for days.
Posted by: Joe W | February 18, 2010 1:07 PM
Pete, you need to go out to the beach one night (morning) and watch the MOON set into the Gulf. Now thats something you can't do in Baltimore or FtLaud.! You can even take off your shirt because there aren't too many tourist out there at that time to scare.....
Posted by: jongermany | February 18, 2010 9:33 PM
Any Crab spots comparable to Riggins in Fort Lauderdale?
Posted by: DonnyC | February 18, 2010 10:20 PM