YOUR NEIGHBOR: Adrienne Wagner

NEIGHBORHOOD: Bay Plaza, downtown
NEIGHBOR FOR: 1.5 years

Adrienne Wagner’s Bay Plaza condominium is adorned with Oriental decorations: lamps, ikebana flower arrangements; tea sets; and a traditional Japanese wedding kimno that hangs on her living room wall.

The Buffalo, N.Y., native moved in 1997 to Sarasota with her husband, John, after living in Japan and traveling throughout Asia for 11 years. The couple lived in Japan from 1975 to 1977, and from 1984 to 1993, for John Wagner’s job as a chemical engineer for the Union Carbide Corp.

“Living in Japan was not only a great adventure, but also a great educational experience,” Wagner says.

While living in Japan, Wagner became involved with ikebana, the ancient tradition of Japanese flower arranging. She has continued to practice ikebana stateside and has even been invited to Disney’s Epcot Center three years in a row to give flower demonstrations with fellow Ikebana International members.

The Wagners moved to Sarasota after John Wagner retired. They’d grown tired of living between homes in Connecticut and Boynton Beach. They fell in love with Sarasota’s cultural scene and decided to sell both homes and move here.

The couple lived at University Park Country Club before moving about two years ago to Bay Plaza, to be closer to downtown and the arts. Wagner misses Tokyo, but is happy to be close to family and the cultural art scene of Sarasota.

IN HER OWN WORDS
“Other than the location — which is spectacular — we have the city view; we have the water view; and we can walk everywhere.”