10 Reasons Living in Sarasota is Easier

Every time I return to Sarasota, FL, from a trip "up north", I appreciate how much easier it is to be living in Sarasota:

1. For basic shopping needs, it's only a 10 minute walk from my house. By car, I can find every kind of daily or special shopping I need within a 5-15 minute drive from my neighborhood. For example, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Earth Origins, Richard's Natural Foods, Joann Fabrics, Michael's Crafts, Walmart, Target, Ross Stores, Bed Bath & Beyond, Marshall's, T.J. Maxx, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, Macy's, Petco, Petsmart, Office Max, Pier 1 Imports, and numerous Publix supermarkets, CVS and Walgreen stores. . . all within 10-15 minutes. That's it. Up north, it seems any shopping expedition takes 20 - 45 minutes in the car . . . to each store. For fresh produce, prepared foods, plants, and artisan wares, Sarasota boasts 4 weekly farmers markets. For more elaborate shopping goals, the University Town Center is a huge new upscale shopping mall 20 minutes away, in Lakewood Ranch.
2. For live music, there are more musicians and venues here than one can count. To see the extent of this, check out gotonight.com, which lists most of them.
3. If Sarasota is your primary residence, you can request a Homestead Exemption, which deducts $50,000 from the taxable value of your house, as well as limiting by 3%/year the amount your property taxes can increase. There's also a further exemption for seniors 65 and older with limited income, as well as exemptions for widowed, disabled, blind, and veterans. For more info: Sarasota County Property Appraiser
4. This is obvious but bears repeating: NO SNOW!
5. Small but efficient Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) is 20 minutes away, an easy, no-highway drive. 
6. It's only 15 minutes to 2 different world-class beaches, and another 15 minutes to beautiful and tranquil Anna Maria Island, with several more gorgeous beaches.
7. For culture -- theater, outdoor arts and craft festivals, special events and celebrations -- it's hard to beat Sarasota's ongoing roster of fun, people-filled activities. Herald Tribune Ticket
8. For a wide choice of various types of neighborhoods and lifestyle options, Sarasota is truly a community of neighborhoods. What I really like is that I can "hide out" in the peaceful quiet of my neighborhood, yet have easy access to busier districts with restaurants, nightlife, parks and events.
9. Sarasota creates--and maintains--beautiful parks, from extensive multi-acre environments, to dog parks, to vest-pocket parks carved into unexpected spots. 
10. All of the above is available within Sarasota. No need to ever get on a highway if you don't want to drive fast or far.

I'm sure there are more examples . . . and I'll add them as I think of them!

Art & Crafts Supplies in Sarasota

Sarasota is a convenient place for arts and crafts supply shopping. Michaels and Joann stores are just minutes apart, and several other local stores offer unique product options.

Michaels 6659 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34231
The crafts superstore. Located at Sarasota Pavilion, in the Gulf Gate shopping area. There's also a Michaels in the University Park area.

Joann Fabrics 4934 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34231
The other crafts superstore. Located in The Landings shopping center. There's also a Joann Fabrics in the University Park area.

Art & Frame of Sarasota 1055 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34236
A fully-stocked fine arts supply store and frame shop. Located across Bahia Vista street from Midtown Plaza.

Picasso's Moon 1524 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota FL 34236
Owner Debra Lambert winds her own fabulous yarn combinations and carries a wide range of yarns for knitting and crochet. Knit and bitch is on Wednesday evenings.

A Good Yarn Sarasota 7418 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34231
The newest of Sarasota's yarn shops, and recently expanded in size. A Good Yarn offers many yarns, pattern books, tools, and classes.

Blue Line Inc 301 Central Avenue, Sarasota FL 34236

Architectural and engineering drafting supplies, as well as art supplies. Located near the corner of Fruitville Road.

Yia Yia Beadworks 5263 Ocean Blvd, Siesta Key, Sarasota FL 34242

A small bead shop located one block from the beach in Siesta Key Village. Beads, casual jewelry, and classes.

Beadalgo 5537 Palmer Crossing Circle, Sarasota FL 34233
Gemstones, pearls, crystal beads, jewelry findings, pewter beads, watch heads, and other jewelry-making components.

Donna's Beads 2717 Beneva Rd, Sarasota FL 34232
Small local bead shop.

Jewelry Design Center 4225 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34231

Gemstone beads, pearls, jewelry tools, findings, and classes. Located near Ace Hardware near Glengary Street. 

Beauty & the Beads 422 S. Pineapple, Sarasota FL 34236

High-end, high-style gemstone beads and jewelry. Lcoated in the Burns Square neighborhood.

Gem & Jewelry Show Municipal Auditorium, 801 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34236

In Sarasota once a month during winter season. A Frank Cox Productions show with many wholesale and retail vendors offering gemstone, pearl, glass, porcelain, and precious metal beads and findings. Also a wide range of jewelry, from costume to high end. $4 admission, $3 with ticket from previous show or if you mention the Web site.

Downtown Sarasota Shopping Streets

Downtown Sarasota FL offers several shopping streets, each one with its own character. 

There's a lot to discover at Whole Foods Market Centre on First Street, which is a mixed-use complex with stores and restaurants on the ground floor and condominium apartments above. 

Looking east from Selby Public Library, you can stop into each shop along the way to see what's new and interesting.  

At the end of the block is Whole Foods Market, with convenient parking on ground level across from the entrance.

You can select tasty items from the hot, cold, and soup bars inside and enjoy eating and people-watching from the cafe tables located out front. 

Main Street is a multi-block Sarasota shopping district that runs from the Sarasota Bayfront Park to the west, to Rte 301 (Washington Blvd) to the east.  

The blocks in the immediate downtown area are lined on both sides with local shops and international restaurants.

Sarasota is an outdoor cafe town, from the ever-popular Mattison's City Grille at the corner of Main and Lemon,   

to Pastry Arts diagonally across Main, to Epicure at the corner of Main Street and Palm Avenue.

Lemon Avenue is the site of the weekly Downtown Farmers Market on Saturdays from 7AM to 12PM, year-round. 37 years old, this popular market is chock-full of fresh local produce, including a lot of organics, flowers, crafts, prepared foods, baked goods, live music, etc. 

During Season, to add variety to your Sarasota shopping , there are numerous arts and crafts shows on Main Street, as well as street fairs and festivals.

Palm Avenue, which runs perpendicular to Main Street, is the center of the gallery scene in Sarasota FL, with a regular First Friday evening art walk that takes place during Season.