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Suncoast Jazz Classic
There will be music all day and night from November
17th through the 19th when the 27th annual Suncoast
Jazz Classic comes to several locations in Pinellas County.
A special performance by Louis Prima Jr. will be on
Wednesday, November 15th and a VIP Gala will take
place on Thursday, November 16. Groups such as the
Al Downing Allstars, Cornet Chop Suey and Wally’s
Warehouse Waifs will make this a music festival not
to miss. Professor Cunningham and His Old School,
which just won an international competition in Europe
for Best Swing Dance Band, will play throughout
the weekend. For tickets, call (727) 248-9441, or visit
suncoastjazzclassic.com.
Holiday Lights in the Gardens
Disney’s
Wilderness Lodge
Inspired by turn-of-the-century National
Park lodges, Walt Disney World’s Wilderness
Lodge with its rustic elegance captures the
beauty and majesty of the Great Northwest.
With lovely places to dine and two pools,
everyone will find something that delights
them. The new Geyser Point Bar & Grill
serves incredible miso-lime shrimp, while
Indian fry bread and smoked pork ribs at
the family-friendly Whispering Canyon
Café cannot be topped. For more classic
dining, the attractive waterfront Artist
Point restaurant serves gourmet selections
such as wild halibut en papillote and Ricotta
Agnolotti, along with more than 130 wines
from the Pacific Northwest. For reservations,
call (407) 824-3200.
42 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017
The Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo
opens its annual Holiday Lights in the
Gardens on November 24.
The Ricotta Agnolotti at Artist Point
perfectly combines petite eggplant,
English peas, whey vinaigrette, ramps
and mustard greens.
Cornet Chop Suey will be one of the featured bands at the Suncoast Jazz Classic
to be held from November 17-19 in Clearwater Beach hotels.
The Florida Botanical Gardens’
annual Holiday Lights in the Gardens
will be from Friday, November 24th
through Sunday, December 31st
from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. nightly.
LED and laser lights will transform
the gardens into a stunning holiday
wonderland that you will not want
to miss. Dance troupes, local choral
groups and musicians will entertain
every night, and Santa Claus will visit
through December 23. For 17 years,
this event has been a major fundraising
event for the gardens. Entrances are
at 12211 Wallsingham Road and at
12520 Ulmerton Road in Largo. For
information, call (727) 582-5800 or visit
flbgfoundation.org.
Cooking Florida Style
Norman Van Aken, the only Floridian inducted
into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of
Food and Beverage in America, has written his newest
cookbook for the University Press of Florida. Once
again, Norman has created a useful book that can
guide even novice cooks to greatness. His recipes
are easy to follow and almost foolproof. The eleven
chapters start with soups and stews and end with
an amazing catch-all of relishes, salsas, sauces and
things such as Johnny Bread and Plantain Chips.
Norman Van Aken’s Florida Kitchen is available
wherever books are sold, or from the University
Press of Florida at upf.com/book. 9
NORAA