SIESTA KEY
SEASON SPRING 2020
Observer
Y R TS A N D S O C I E T G U I D E TO T H E A T H E O B S E R V E R ’S
INSIDE
MUSIC DANCE K TIE ART THEATER BLAC
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 50, NO. 33
FREE
YOUR TOWN
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020
Sure signs of springtime Siesta businesses prepare for break time while noting it’s not the rush it once was. PAGE 3A
Whitney Elfstrom
One big surprise for 90-year-old
Barry Napshin eats dinner at Joey D’s Restaurant every Tuesday before watching NBC’s “This Is Us” with his daughter, Audrey Quale. But this week when Napshin walked through the restaurant door, 20 familiar faces yelled “Surprise!” Napshin turns 90 on Friday, Feb. 28, and Quale wanted to honor her father, principal of Alta Vista Elementary from 1968-1995. Teary eyed with a smile on his face, Napshin went around the room to hug and chat with the people whom he had hired over the decades. “You shouldn’t surprise a 90-year-old like this,” he joked.
ART IN THE STREETS The 26th annual Siesta festival welcomes artists and art lovers alike. SEE PAGE 9B
Whitney Elfstrom
Viviana Bermudez creates eco-friendly jewelry for Vibelo Designs. Courtesy photo
The powers of flowers
Toby Jaffee wanted to make everyone feel wanted. So Jaffee bought 91 carnations and handed them out to classmates at Booker High on Valentine’s Day. It’s the second year the sophomore saved up for the surprise. The flowers were passed out by the Key Club, with Jaffee intending to stay behind the scenes. Still, word got out. “I really wanted to make other people feel less alone,” Jaffee said. “Most of the time I feel pretty alone, and I didn’t want others to feel that way, especially on such a special day.”
A push to switch to tree lights David Conway
Cheryl Burke believes the addition of tree lights to Palm Avenue will be beneficial for stores and restaurants on the downtown street.
Palm Avenue merchants see benefits to brighter surroundings. SEE PAGE 10A
A+E Entering Dalí’s dream. INSIDE