I like going to the Silverspot at Mercato to watch movies. It’s clean, the seats are comfortable and the theaters are small.
I’m guessing that a lot of people who have shelled out the extra dough to see a movie there, rather than the more cookie-cutter theaters in town, agree. But all of the things that make the movie-going experience great are reversed at the Silverspot’s restaurant. Full story »
I was tired of oatmeal or toast or cereal for breakfast. Eggs are wonderful, but who really has time to make eggs before work on a weekday? This week, I decided to hunt for muffin recipes, thinking that I could stockpile muffins in the freezer and pop one in the microwave to thaw for breakfast. Full story »
St. Joseph’s Day is celebrated on March 19 in many Christian faiths to honor Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary and foster father of Jesus. Joseph is said to be a model for fathers and throughout his life displayed humility and holiness; among the countries that observe it, the holy day is often spent by visiting friends and eating a variety of meatless dishes, including bread baked in various shapes. In Italian homes, especially Sicilian ones, zeppoles (fried dough) and a St. Joseph cake made with ricotta cheese are standard. Full story »
One of the greatest ways of entertaining friends and family during this busy season is entertaining at a brunch. Most of us think of brunch as strictly an American invention. Not so, according to H. L. Mencken, who wrote, “Brunch, designating a combination of breakfast and lunch, eaten about noon, appeared in England about 1900. It was 30 years later before it began to make any headway on this side of the water.” Full story »
We really like pasta. We must. What else could explain the seemingly endless number of Italian restaurants that sprout up like weeds on side streets and strip malls? How else would every other new restaurant opening have a name that ended in a vowel? Full story »
There are those who love Tommy Bahama and those who love to hate it and call it a tourist trap. The reasons both groups have for harboring such strong feelings, incidentally, are the same: the place is always packed, out-of-towners dig it and the restaurant has that cheerful Caribbean ambience people expect when vacationing in Southwest Florida.
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You don’t have to fall down a rabbit hole like Alice to have a Mad Hatter tea party. Teavana at Coconut Point, Estero, offers all the makings for magical happenings. The store is part tea bar and part tea emporium, where Rene Brown, general manager, offers a tea education and taste samples. Full story »
Here is this week's "The Dish" ... a conversation with Annie Prizzi. Full story »
It has been two weeks since the beginning of Lent. The 40 days of this religious event marks a period of enforced deprivation and a time for internal, as well as external cleansing. Full story »
It's a sweet deal for area residents awaiting the long-anticipated opening of Sweet Tomatoes in Naples. The restaurant is hosting a fund-raising event to preview its new location in the Granada Shoppes. Full story »
With the motto “You’ve tried the rest, now try the best,” La Villa Pizzeria and Café is determined to prove that their cafe, featuring New York style pizza, will make the North Naples corner café the go-to spot for locals, nearby NCH hospital staff and area visitors Full story »
Soon, Lee County will be able to claim one more Pelican. It’s not the feathered variety, but it does have wings. And beer. And peel-and-eat shrimp, too. Uptown Larry’s, a sister restaurant to the popular Naples-based restaurant group Pelican Larry’s Raw Bar & Grill, will open its doors in Estero at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Pelican Larry’s has three Naples locations, including the original on Pine Ridge Road, which opened in 1998. Full story »
“Eat pasta. Live longer” is the catchphrase of Sophia’s Ristorante Italiano. While eating pasta may not extend your lifespan, eating at Sophia’s will certainly make living more enjoyable. Jay and Camille Cherr, who also own and operate Susie’s Diner on Marco, own the Naples restaurant, and the Cherrs have put noticeable effort into their new endeavor, even going so far as to name the place after their 4-month-old daughter, Sophia. Full story »
