Charles Runnells | Naples Daily News
It’s official: Famous car enthusiast Jay Leno headlines next year’s Naples Automotive Experience, the multi-day event that includes the popular Cars on 5th.
The comedian and former host of The Tonight Show will perform stand-up comedy Thursday, Feb. 6, at Hertz Arena for Jay Leno Charity Comedy Night. Southwest Florida’s popular Ben Allen Band opens the show.
Leno will also attend an exclusive display of curated cars for a Friday, Feb. 7 event called The Ultimate Garage Tour with Jay Leno. Guests can mingle with him, learn about the cars’ history and enjoy live music, food and drinks.
In addition to Leno, Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist Brenda Cooper hosts a fashion event Friday, Feb. 7, called Forever Fabulous Women. The 1960s’ British-themed event includes Cooper sharing her fashion and styling secrets, a fashion show featuring clothing from the St. Matthew’s House Thrift Store fashion department, an English-style tea, a silent auction and a book signing with Cooper.
Read the full article and enjoy automobile photos on naplesnews.com.
Jonah Hinebaugh
Jason Bays, general manager for the lodge, shows off teh adventure park area during a tour at the Great Wolf Lodge in Naples on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
View all the photos on naplesnews.com.
Diana Biederman | Naples Daily News
Emeril Lagasse.
Nancy Oakes.
Charlie Palmer.
Bryan Voltaggio.
Those prominent names comprise merely four of America’s most recognizable celeb chefs secured by The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) who are heading our way for the Foundation’s 25th Naples Winter Wine Festival set for Jan. 24 to 26.
But wait, there’s more
Other top toques on this all-star power roster joining the Festival’s honorary “Chef de Cuisine” Angelo Auriana of The Factory Kitchen and Brera Ristorante include Michelin-star winners, food TV personalities and James Beard Foundation (JBF) Awards winners and finalists.
Angelo Auriana is ‘Chef de Cuisine’ for the Naples Winter Wine Festival’s 25th anniversary.
Josiah Citrin of the two Michelin-starred Citrin and Mélisse in Santa Monica, California.
“Chopped” Grand Champion Stephen Coe of Dangerous Eats and The Early Bird Café in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
JBF’s Best Chef in the Southeast Award finalist Cassidee Dabney of The Barn at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee.
Read the rest of the list of power chefs who will be at the 2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival on naplesnews.com.
Dave Osborn | Naples Daily News
If only Artis―Naples could turn back time. Actually, it has for the upcoming 2024-25 Broadway season.
The five productions at the Naples venue offer a variety, from shows that pay homage to hit films to musical tributes of legends Cher and Michael Jackson.
Tickets to shows are available now with a subscription only. Then they will be sold to everyone else starting at 10 a.m. Sept. 17.
Here’s what to know about the new Broadway season.
‘Some Like It Hot’ brings movie classic to the stage
Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe co-starred in the 1959 classic film “Some Like It Hot,” and the Broadway version has won rave reviews in recent years.
The play has won four Tony Awards, including Best Choreography and Best Costumes. Set in Chicago during Prohibition, “Some Like It Hot” tells the story of two musicians forced to flee the Windy City after witnessing a mob hit. They catch a cross-country train with gangsters on their heels.
See “Some Like It Hot” at various times from Dec. 24 through Dec. 29
Read about Mamma Mia!, The Cher Show, Moonwalks and Thrills, and Pretty Woman, the Musical on naplesnews.com.
Don’t miss the great entertainment in Naples, find a home in southwest Florida, contact David at David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Phil Fernandez | Naples Daily News
Mercato this month will begin a reboot that we first told you about two years ago at the Naples destination near Vanderbilt Beach Road and U.S. 41.
Most anyone will tell you it can get a bit uncomfortable in the 450,000-square-foot shopping and restaurant district when cars converge with pedestrians or bicyclists, and its new owners a couple of summers ago promised us a reposition as part of “elevating Mercato (to) a people-oriented entertainment hub.”
Well, here’s what to know about what the honchos have tabbed as a more “walkable, experiential oasis (in) strengthening Mercato’s relevance and relationship with the community.”
What is Mercato in Naples, Florida missing? How will it be addressed?
“While Mercato does have a few small social gathering spots, it’s missing a central space that can host large-scale events and encourage guests to stay a while,” said Nick Lombardo, vice president of development at North American Properties, also known as NAP. “We’re looking forward to redefining the Piazza and creating a lively experience for our guests.”
The “reinvention” plans call for tripling the size of the 3,000-square-foot Piazza adjacent to Bravo Italian Kitchen and Narrative Coffee Roasters, and “creating a more connected, pedestrian-friendly environment” throughout the center, Lombardo said.
Get all the details, read the full story on naplesnews.com.
Find a home convenient to great restaurants and entertainment in southwest Florida. Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
By Naples News Now | June 4, 2024
Mercato, the popular mixed-use development in North Naples, is welcoming several exciting new additions to its dining and shopping lineup in 2024.
Birch Lane
Wayfair is opening a new Birch Lane furniture store at Mercato this summer, taking over the former 9,994-square-foot space of Z Gallerie. Birch Lane is a specialty brand from Wayfair that curates a selection of timeless home furnishings, seasonal decor, and classic anchor pieces.
Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar
Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar, a Florida-based casual dining concept, is targeted to open in the former AZN Azian Cuizine space at the end of June or beginning of July. Tap 42 will bring its expansive bar, boozy brunch offerings, and popular American fare like calamari towers and baby back ribs to Mercato.
Waxin’s
Shortly after Tap 42’s opening, Waxin’s, an upscale Swedish-American restaurant and bar, plans to launch in the former space of The Counter custom burger bar. Waxin’s is known for its classic Swedish and American cuisines, particularly its signature Swedish meatballs.
Beeline Ales & Spirits
Beeline Ales & Spirits, an upscale cocktail bar concept from Cincinnati-based 4EG (Four Entertainment Group), is coming to Mercato near the end of 2024. The 4,000-square-foot space at 9115 Strada Place, Suite 5155 will offer patrons a unique selection of craft cocktails, ales, and spirits. Beeline focuses on providing an elevated cocktail lounge experience with a curated drinks menu. Construction is anticipated to start this summer, with an expected opening in late 2024.
Read on for more on naplesnewsnow.com.
