A&E Picks and Highlights

Performance: Sarasota Orchestra’s Great Escapes series concert “A Wink and a Smile,” Thursday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26

Hometown: Hampton, Va.

If you could be anything other than a musician what would you be? I would be a professional golfer, or head brewer at a brew pub. I am not talented enough to be very successful at either of those, so I better stick with music.

What’s your least favorite sound? The sound of someone scraping a metal fork against their teeth. Thankfully, I have yet to run across any piece of music that calls for that.

What’s a song that always gets stuck in your head? I don’t really have that problem. Several years ago I learned a great trick to get rid of them. If you hum the tune to “The Girl from Impanema,” it will clear your mind of any other song that might be stuck there. I don’t know why it works, but it does. If I ever decide to get a Ph.D., maybe I will write my dissertation about it.

What’s your guilty pleasure band? Any ‘80s hair metal band, when I started out, my dream was to play in one of those bands. It is probably better that it didn’t work out, because I no longer have the hair for it.

What’s your favorite piece on this concert and why? Carmen’s Hoedown, because I get to play electric bass on that one.

What makes you smile? My kids.

From: Carmel Café and Wine Bar, 8433 Cooper Creek Blvd.

Description: Two pan-seared filets served with angel hair pasta tossed in herb oil, sautéed broccolini and topped with fire-roasted tomatoes, olives and capers.

Why it’s special: The dish evolved through a tasting session. The chefs wanted to create a fish entrée that encompassed several of the best Mediterranean ingredients complemented by the simple flavor of angel hair pasta drizzled with herb oil. This dish was clearly our winner.

Drink pairing: We pair this dish with both Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2011; and Chateau Greysac, Bordeaux Blend, Medoc France 2009 — either way you can’t go wrong.

A&E Editor’s Picks

Thursday, April 24
Musical Mornings South — Sarasota Brass Quintet
11 a.m. at Venetian River Club
Tickets $45. Visit SOAssociation.org.

Art After 5
5 p.m. at The Ringling
Tickets $10. Call 359-5700.

Spring Fling Concert ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’
SCF Music. 7 p.m. at Robert C. Wynn Baseball Field
Tickets $8, students/employees $4. Call 752-5252.

Great Escapes Series: ‘A Wink and a Smile’
Sarasota Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. at Holley Hall
Runs through Saturday
Tickets $29 to $49. Call 953-3434.

‘Men Are From Mars – Women are From Venus LIVE!’
8 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Call 953-3368.

Friday, April 25
Bayfront Gardens Walk and Talk: ‘The Hidden Value of Trees’
9:30 a.m. The Ringling. Tickets $20, $10 members. Call 359-5700.

‘Jazz at Two’ The Kevin Celebi Quartet
The Jazz Club of Sarasota. 2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church
Tickets $7 to $12. Call 366-1552.

Drag Queen Bingo Bonanza, Church/Gospel Theme
8 p.m. at The Players Theatre
Tickets $5. Call 365-2494.

Program 7 — The Sarasota Ballet presents Johan Kobborg, Alina Cojocaru & Friends
8 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House. Runs through Saturday.
Tickets $35. Call 359-0099, Ext. 101.

Saturday, April 26
36th annual Siesta Fiesta
American Craft Endeavors
10 a.m. at Ocean Boulevard in Siesta Key Village
Runs through Sunday. Free. Call 561-746-6615.

Sunday, April 27
‘Luminosity’ Ola Gjeilo Premiere Concert. Key Chorale
2:30 and 7 p.m. at St Boniface Church
Tickets $25 to $35. Call 921-4845.

‘Remember.’ Suncoast Concert Band. 3 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church
Tickets $5. Call 907-4123.

Monday, April 28
Base/Flight Partnering Technique Intensive for Modern Dance with Tampa Bay artists Erin Cardinal and Brian Dean Fidalgo
Fuzión Dance Artists
10:30 a.m. at New College of Florida Fitness Center. Runs through Thursday.
Tickets $25, $10 observation. Call 345-5755.

‘Voices of the Holocaust’
Gloria Musicae, Sarasota Jewish Chorale, Sarasota Young Voices, Booker High Music Program, Sarasota-Manatee Dance Alliance, Chroma Quartet. 7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Tickets $25 to $70. Call 953-3368.

Tuesday, April 29
Opening Sir Frederick Ashton Festival. Sarasota Ballet
Runs through May 2. Call 359-0099, Ext. 110.

‘Hero: The Musical’ (Preview)
7:30 p.m. at Asolo Repertory Theatre. Runs through May 31.
Tickets $21 to $76. Call 351-8000.

‘The Elephant Man.’ 8 p.m. at Venice Theatre. Runs through May 11. Tickets $10 to $28. Call 488-1115.

Wednesday, April 30
‘Annie Get Your Gun’
7 p.m. at Booker VPA. Call 355-2967.