On Monday, June 20th, Cafe Venice is hosting a Wine Tasting with Tom Devine.  The menu includes five wines from Sur de los Andes (and five course of paired food). The cost is just $35 per person plus gratuity.  Call 941.484.1855 for reservations.  Don’t forget that the Lunch Bunch continues through the end of October (and stay tuned for a new “terrace menu” full of lighter summer fare).  Cafe Venice is located at 116 West Venice Avenue.

On Thursday, June 23rd, the Crow’s Nest is hosting a Wine Tasting with Rob The Wine Guy.  World wine values will be featured during this casual, dockside, marina event.  Taste wines and snack on hors d’oeuvres from 6:30pm until 8:30pm for just $15 per person (complementary take-home wine glass included).  Wines featured will also be available for retail purchase.  No reservations needed, just show up!  Call the Crow’s Nest (located at 1968 Tarpon Center Drive) for details:  941.484.9551.

The Legacy Trail Overpass, which will provide safe passage over the Tamiami Trail for users of the Legacy Trail bicycle route, and complete the Legacy Trail from Sarasota to Venice, will open later this year.  In anticipation of the completion of this important project new bike racks are being installed throughout the Historic District.  Twelve racks will be conveniently located on Miami, Nokomis, Tampa, and Venice Avenues within easy walking distance of recreation, shopping, and dining opportunities downtown.  They will have a total capacity of 67 bicycles.  The new racks should be installed by June 17, 2011.  This project is collaboration between the City of Venice, Venice Area Beautification Inc., and Venice MainStreet Inc.  “This project wouldn’t be possible without the efforts of all three groups.  We appreciate everyone understanding bike racks to be a necessity for our community and look forward to residents and visitors alike enjoying the additional safety and convenience that the racks represent”, says Mindy Pieper, director of Venice MainStreet.

Join us in the Gazebo Friday, June 24th for a local favorite of the Friday Night lineup ~ The Gator Creek Band! Known for playing at the Venice Yacht Club, this contemporary country band will surprise you with a few classics, too!  The music starts at 7pm in Centennial Park.  Bring your blanket or your lawn chair & we’ll see you there! In the meantime, check out their website atwww.gatorcreekband.com.

The Friends of the Lord-Higel House has entered the 2011 National Trust Challenge grant contest.  Go online to the National Trust website to VOTE for the Lord-Higel House Restoration Project, and the Friends can receive one of three grants to put towards the restoration.  To VOTE, visit  www.lord-higelhouse.com & click on “2011 National Trust Challenge” and follow the directions from there.  You must vote by June 30th, 2011!

Did you hear that Siesta Key Beach has been rated the #1 beach in the USA!  We are just a short 20 minute drive to the pristine sands of Siesta Key beach.  So, when you have collected all the Shark’s Teeth you can off our beautiful Venice beaches you can drive 20 minutes north of Venice and spend a day enjoying Siesta Key!

We are a AAA approved accommodation!

This month’s featured things to do in Venice and surrounding areas

Link to Venetian Waterway Bike Trail Map

http://www.vabi.org/map.htm

Link to The Legacy Trail Map

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.scgov.net/LegacyTrail/documents/LegacyTrailSystem032309.pdf

Sharks Tooth Hunting Dive Charter that we recommend:

http://aristakatcharters.yolasite.com/

Here is a list of upcoming events in the Venice and Sarasota areas:

Downtown Venice Farmer’s Market, Venice, Florida, Every Saturday 8AM – Noon

Venice Art Chalk Festival, Venice, Florida, June 4, 2011

Cruzin on Dearborn, Englewood, Florida, June 4, 2011 to December 2, 2011

10th Annual ST Armands Circle Craft Festival, Sarasota, Florida, June 11-12, 2011

19th Annual Downtown Venice Craft Fair, Venice, Florida, June 18-19, 2011

Grand Prix Festival Golf Classic- Heritage Oaks, Sarasota, Florida, June 25, 2011

Grand Prix Festival Kickoff Party, Sarasota, Florida, June 25, 2011

Grand Prix Festival Car Show- Main Street Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota, Florida, June 26, 2011

Grand Prix Festival Parade of Boats, Sarasota , Florida, June 30, 2011

Grand Prix Festival Kilo World Speed Record Run, Sarasota, Florida, July 1, 2011

Event Title: Fourth of July Pet Parade, Venice, Florida, July 2, 2011

27th Annual Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix Boat Race, Sarasota, Florida, July 3, 2011

A Star Spangled Tropical July 4th Celebration Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Venice, Florida, July 4, 2011

Businesses that are nearby:

PGT Industries

Tervis Tumbler

Fox Lea Farms

The Sharks Tooth Festival is at the Venice Municipal Airport Festival Grounds Friday April 8 through Sunday April 10.  The festival starts at 5PM Friday and ends at 9PM.  On Sat. the hours are 10AM – 9PM and Sun the hours are 10Am – 5PM. There are lots of fun things for kids and adults alike.

The 21^st Annual Collector Car Show is Sunday, April3rd at Centennial park. Walking distance from both of our locations!

If you like to sit outside and enjoy live music you will want to make note of the following:

• The first 3 Tuesdays in April the Happy Time Band will be playing a free concert at Centennial Park starting at 3PM.
• On Thursday April 7^th, Slim and Friends will be playing a free concert at Centennial Park at 3PM.
• On Friday April 8^th and Friday April 22^nd there will be free concert at Centennial Park staring at 7PM

The Suncoast BBQ Bash is at the Venice Airport festival grounds on Saturday, April 16^th from 11:30AM – 7PM.  Net proceeds from the event benefit the Suncoast Foundation for Handicapped Children.  There will be live music, cooking demonstrations, folk dancing and BBQ cook-off and Chili cook-off contest,

Island Nights is Thursday April 21 from 5:30PM – 8PM.  The shoppes will be open and there is music and fun on the sidewalks of downtown!

The Eggstravaganza is April 23^rd at Centennial Park from 9:30AM – 11AM.  Kids, bring your Easter basket to fill up with goodies!

We still have some rooms available for many of these events so give us a call at

1-800-542-3404!

Since we are the Shark’s Tooth Capital of the World, there is always good shark’s tooth hunting on our beaches. Currently, according to many of our recent guests, the best hunting is done at low tide on Casperson Beach which is south of the Venice Fishing Pier and Sharkey’s Restaurant. We have shark’s tooth sifters for our guests’ use at both of our locations! If you are a scuba diver, the best shark’s tooth hunting right off the beach is at Service Park Beach . Swim straight out from the large pine tree out past the end of the pier and circle back to the south towards shore. Or, you can go out diving with Aristakat Charters….see their link on our website.

The Triangle Inn Association has begun their 2011 Historic Trolley Tours. Tours are available at 9:30am and 11am on the following Saturdays: 1/8, 1/22, 2/12, 2/26, 3/12 & 3/26. Tickets are $15 each, payable via cash or check. Call the Triangle Inn for more details at (941) 486.2487.

Take a JustDucky sightseeing tour on an amphibious vehicle. Drive right down the boat ramp and into the intracoastal for a waterway tour and then drive right back up the boat ramp and down Venice Ave ! $23.50 for adults and $21.50 for seniors and children. Call Capt. Stewart at 941-485-6366

January 20th – Island Nights – 5:30 to 8PM with music and shopping on the Avenues of downtown Venice .

January 22 and 23rd – Miami Avenue Craft Festival 10am – 5pm

Special rates now through February 5th. Check out our new “Book Now” button on our website and make your reservation! Or as usual, you can always call 1-800-542-3404 as well.