Sarasota, Florida 2009

When I visited Sarasota, Florida “Circus City, U.S.A.” in conjunction with an American Theatre Critics Conference, I experienced a whirlwind of tours, lunches, dinners and plays.

I literally spent a day at the circus when we toured the Ringling estate which is the legacy of circus entrepreneur, collector of art and financier John Ringling.  First, we toured “Ca D’Zan” (house of John), a large Venetian-Gothic mansion which strongly reminded me of Hearst Castle with its lavishly decorated rooms and gardens situated right on Sarasota Bay.  This is where Mabel and John (in 1925 one of the 12 richest men in U.S.) entertained friends and dignitaries such as Will Rogers and Flo Ziegfield.

The couple also traveled extensively in Europe and amassed a world class art collection of masterpieces including Rubens, Titian, Velasquez, El Greco and other painters which makes Sarasota a cultural destination.

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