Monday, September 22, 2008

Fall TV Season in Sarasota Florida

Balancing Sarasota Real Estate with Fall TV Schedule

It's that time again -- football season and the new lineup for fall TV. Between watching SEC and LSU footballs games on the weekends, awaiting tonight's star-studded Dancing With the Stars three night premier, Grey's Anatomy this week and the new HBO hit True Blood, it's hard to focus on all the new Sarasota FL real estate on the market.

I wasn't so sure I'd like True Blood, even though my son's childhood friend, Sam Trammell, is one of the lead actors in the show. Sam plays Sam Merlotte, the bartender who protects or seems to protect Sukie, one of the waitresses who works at Merlotte's. True Blood is a world of vampires with the show's setting in Louisiana. Sam Trammell's entire family hale from Bayou Country, and his mother, the former Betsy Foote who was an LSU beauty, and I went to LSU together. Sam's Dad and I were in a wedding together in the late 1960s when my roommate married Carl Jory, Sonny Trammell's best friend. Such a small world!

Betsy Foote, mother of Sam Trammell
Sam and Bill, my oldest child, played on the Berry Hills Country Club golf team together in junior and senior high school. They both attended George Washington High School in Charleston, West Virginia, and at some point during those years Sam met Nick Nolte who was married to the former Becky Linger of Charleston. The Noltes were neighbors of the Trammells, and Sam and Nick became friends. Somewhere along the way the acting bug bit Sam.

Sam Trammell and Annette Smith, Lincoln Center, New York City 1998 In 1998, Marsha Albert, a Sarasota resident, whose daughter, Lesli Kay of the Bold and Beautiful, invited me to visit her Princeton, NJ home. Marsha and I took the train into the city to have lunch with Lesli and attended Sam Trammell's performance in the Eugene O'Neil remake of Ah Wilderness. Sam received a Tony nomination for his outstanding performance. Since 1998, Marsha and I have followed Sam's career. Congrats to Sam as True Blood has just been renewed for its second season. View video clip from YouTube below:


Charleston, WV was a great place to live, raise my kids and develop lifelong friendships. Most of those close friends now live in Sarasota, FL and have helped me create a network for my real estate business across the United States and Europe. If you are one of those Charleston folks that are still dreaming of a Sarasota home, contact Annette Smith as Florida's having a nice sale here with thousands of properties in the Sarasota Florida MLS. You can enjoy the 2009 TV season in a new waterfront home, along with all the cultural events Sarasota offers.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

St. Armands Circle for Lunch

Recently, I met friends whose home is near St. Armands Circle at Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe for lunch. It's always fun to visit the Circle and a treat to have feast at Tommy Bahama's.

Before joining my friends, I always browse the shop below the restaurant and can't seem to get out without purchasing one of their fabulous shirts for my son. For island wear, the inventory in the shop on St. Armands is outstanding.

Tommy Bahama's offers a relaxed atmosphere and excellent cuisine. One of my favorites is Crab Calloway, yummy! Try the Trinidad tuna for a mouth watering experience too.

Tommy Bahama's is located on John Ringling Blvd. on luxurious St. Armands Circle. We stop at Tommy Bahama's often when showing Sarasota FL real estate.

After lunch, the shops of St. Armands await!