Less Scrooge, More Hallelujah -- celebrating our city

TWIS the season to be jolly, and nothing makes us happier than celebrating our city. Sarasota tends to be home to a lot of carping and grousing when it comes to discussing place: dysfunction this, ugly facade that and parking picayune without end. We'd like to point out that most cities would DIE for what we have, and we don't just mean the weather, water and palm trees. So in this season of joy, here are some elements of our fair city worth celebrating:

1) Urban Spaces - Yes, we have them, and they are fabulous.

2) Whimsy - This is one of those aspects of city life that escapes definition.  Whimsy is what makes you stop and do a double-take. A tractor landscaping project, ballerinas, small-scale graffiti ... things that make you smile.

3)  Art - Art is everywhere, and it's clear we care about it. Art is making largely-dismissed parts of the city, such as alleys, come alive.

4) Design - Sarasota is so attached to design we even have our own architectural style.

5) Signs - Cities around the country fight over signs: where they are placed, what they look like and whether Business A is getting a bigger sign than Business B. Perhaps our design cred lifts us above the fray. We have some damn great signs around town.

6) Newtown - Sure Newtown has had its problems, but there is a quiet renaissance underway. There are new buildings, entrepreneurs (happily a lot of BBQ entrepreneurs) and energy on the street. The Orange Blossom Park has become a hub.

7)  The North Trail - The North Trail is undergoing a slow-cook kind of revitalization. Last Friday, would-be patrons of the new Chinese restaurant Yummy House had to wait for parking spaces to open up.

8) The Finale - Nothing says "celebration" like a waving guy on a bike riding around a highly controversial roundabout, next to a highly controversial park with a big ole grin on his face. Happy Holidays!