REAL Exclusive Magazine

Dr. Herbert Silverstein

An Ear For Music

By Ed Bertha

Photography by Giovanni Lunardi

Layout by Christian Lunardi

Medicine

Raised in the center city of Philadelphia, Herbert Silverstein was the number one son in the family. His father, a Neuro-Psychiatrist and Professor at Temple University, had big ideas for the boy. On Herb’s tenth birthday, his father informed him that he was going to be a doctor. Herb recalls, “In those days you did what you were told. And back then doctors were revered.”

That being said, Herb’s future was slated to become a Neuro-Surgeon because, as his father had shared, “A surgeon can do more than a neurologist.” During his internship, Herb discovered that he really didn’t like the role. It was depressing. He was frustrated. “The tools and procedures then were nowhere near the same that we have today.”

When Herb first saw an operating microscope, his future changed. Keeping within the realm of becoming a doctor, he decided to specialize in Otolaryngology, the science of the ear, nose and throat (ENT). The field was exciting. The operating microscope was just beginning, and its use opened so many more doors. Research was hot and one of Herb’s greatest passions. Read More

19429 Ganton Avenue

Masterpiece At The Concession

By Ed Bertha

Photography by Ryan Gamma

A true masterpiece, this custom built estate rests majestically on almost an acre at The Concession, a prestigious golfing community that offers a life defined by timeless elegance and exclusivity. An extraordinary home of unparalleled architectural detailing, classical Mediterranean elevations set the tone for this palatial residence, where a host of opulent living spaces envelop you in luxury from the moment you step in.

From the Portuguese Napolini Limestone flooring indoors to the outdoor entertainment area’s Philippine Shellstone this home presents the best in architectural details, materials and craftsmanship. Coffered, tray, wood, tin, Venetian plaster or fauxe paint capture your gaze upwards. The granite counters throughout are a sight to behold; Mongo Bordeaux, New Cambria Black and more. The kitchen contains all of the requisite chef appliances and is trimmed in Typhoon Bordeaux granite featuring a Durango Castelli stone farmer’s sink highlighted by a walnut Habersham island. Whether it is living or entertaining this home graciously has it all. Read More

When Life Throws You A Curveball…

By Ed Bertha

“Do not try to dodge them. They are meant to hit you, to mould you and to shape you to become the person you are meant to be. Enjoy the impact, smile and move on.”

Zainab Hussain

Well that curveball was ultimately caught by Christian Lunardi. Our last issue was incredibly difficult to produce as the person trusted with final design and layout just dropped the ball and disappeared. Not professional by any means but the show must go on, and it did.

We (Giovanni & Christian Lunardi and I) spend some serious time discussing where the magazine is going. At times it is difficult to incorporate these ideas with individuals who don’t want to integrate themselves into our inner circle.

This issue is the beginning of REAL’s seventh year and the 48th issue that Giovanni shot the cover story photography and Christian designed the story’s layout. This issue also marks another milestone: Read More

Purmort & Martin

The Value of Excellence

By Lalaena Gonzalez-Figueroa

A fixture within the communities of Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Purmort & Martin Insurance Agency is in the business of providing individuals and independent business owners with the information and professional consultation they require to protect their assets. But at its heart, the agency is so much more: it’s a locally-based group of highly qualified individuals committed to providing resources to the community they call home.

A native of Sarasota, Jamie Purmort is a fourth-generation insurance professional. While he grew up in the business, he didn’t launch his career after earning a Political Science degree from Lenoir Rhyne College. Instead, he served his country in the United States Marine Corps. When his active duty ended, Jamie accepted his father’s suggestion that he leverage his talents and experience in the insurance industry. There was an immediate connection. “I saw that I had the opportunity to help others, to protect them and to assist them in making the decisions that would best position them for ongoing success,” he recalls. “I was hooked.” Read More

Bagni Di Lucca

The Bagni di Lucca Art Festival in Ponte a Serraglio, Italy is born for the love of art.

It creates a haven for artists to fully express themselves through the making, exhibiting or performing of their work to the enrichment of the local community and a wider audience. A revival of the former glory of Bagni di Lucca featured Pavel Kapic and Alyssia Lazin, seasonal Sarasota residents.

Kapic and Lazin, husband and wife, combined their art as a painter and a photographer to create a body of work titled Confluence. The work embodies an interdisciplinary approach that shifts the traditional boundaries. Lazin’s photographs, printed on watercolor paper, are the inspiration and the initial imagery for Kapic’s mixed media painting. The result is Confluence – converging, meeting, flowing together.

Click HERE to download event collage. Read More

The New Magical Anti-Frizz Smoothing Treatment

By Sheila Venancia

I recently started using a new product from Europe that is FANTASTIC. It was developed by a company that cares about the hairdresser and their clients. No nasty smells or eye watering fumes, 100% Formaldehyde and Urea free formula which has been certified by an internationally recognized testing laboratory and it is gentle enough to use on all hair types.

This amazing product smoothes and de-frizzes the hair, conditioning each strand from inside out to leave your hair glossy, smooth and beautifully conditioned when it is blow dried. It has the ability to repair chemically damaged hair and hair damaged from the over use of straightening irons. It is packed full of amino acid, proteins and superior UV protection. This product and process is not a straightening solution. It works by softening and bending the disulfide bonds of the hair, not by breaking and re-setting them as is done by strong permanent straighteners. It seals in the cuticles to leave hair smooth, soft and shiny. Read More

Fashion Color Report

By Becca Smith

Colors will transcend time and place with a diverse color palette this season. They take us on an adventure to various vantage points from past and present. You will see untypical colors – more reflective of the imagination and ingenuity, which makes for an artful collection of colors not bound by the usual hues for the season. There is a feminine mystique that is reflected throughout the color pallet, inspired by the increasing need for women to create an individual imprint.

Let’s raise our glass to one of my favorite colors Sangria, an exotic red that evokes a sense of faraway destinations. Also look for Aurora Red, a more sophisticated shade that adds verve & spark. These reds are followed by two extremes of the purple family that intrigue the eye and inspire the imagination. Mauve Mist, a romantic and elegant purple shade, reminds us of the deco era and stimulates a sense of feminity and empowerment while Radiant Orchid, a captivating and adaptable shade, enchants the complete spectrum. It is recommended that you pair with Cypress, a majestic and powerful green. Indicative of its name the shade has towering presence and serves as a stunning perennial. Read More

Something Old, Something New …

By Patricia Tan

. . . Something Borrowed, Something Blue . . .

We are all familiar with this old English rhyme which gives advice to brides, but what does this have to do with real estate? In today’s real estate market, many areas have few homes being offered for sale. As the availability of resale properties tightens we are seeing a surge in interest in newly constructed homes, and I thought it might be useful to examine the pros and cons of older homes versus their new-build cousins.

When purchasing a home, a buyer will consider what is important to them. These factors may include: Read More

Does Title Insurance Really Protect a Property Owner from Zoning Issues?

By William Henry, PhD

Title Insurance is a policy to protect and/or indemnify against loss or damage resulting from defects in the title and deed to the property.

What does Title insurance cover? The basic title insurance policy that is not “overly endorsed” includes the following: 1) Representation as to the actual owners of the property, 2) Representation that the property is free of encumbrances, i.e. other mortgage liens, mechanics liens, and potential claims that have not been recorded, and 3) Representation that there is access to the property that will allow the current use to continue in operation.

Potential purchasers of property in Florida are often mistakenly led to believe that the title insurance purchased warrants that the zoning and land use entitlements in place conform to the existing or intended use. For instance, unbeknownst to the seller and/or his agent, a property zoned multi-family residential may be in the process of undergoing a government initiated land use change. Local planning officials could be planning a change which would affect the entitlements to build additional improvements or to rebuild after a catastrophic fire or storm. Read More

Val Vasilef

Rags To Riches
1971 Elvis Aron Presley

By Ed Bertha

Photography by Giovanni Lunardi

Layout by Christian Lunardi

Acquaintance by Christine Vester

If I Can Dream
1968 Elvis NBC-TV Special

Val’s father, Bob, was from Bulgaria. His mother, Anna, was from Russia. At 16 they ran from oppression to the states and established the good life. Raising four children the good life suddenly changed when Val’s father was severely injured, plunging the family into a life of poverty and a journey of hardship. Without income the Vasilefs were moved from their comfortable home and found themselves without electricity and running water. Pumpernickel bread spread with peanut butter, garnished with tomato and mayo, was consumed by the family like a gourmet meal.

Determined to make the best of the situation Val’s mother assured the kids they would survive. Her first goal was to become self-sufficient and grow their own food. A shed on the property held shovels, axes and buckets, all weathered and splintered. Wondering what they would plant Val’s mother surprised everyone by producing packages of vegetable seeds. Read More

6927 Westchester Circle

Pitching A Perfect No Hitter

By Ed Bertha

Photography by Detlev von Kessel

Motoring down idyllic Bayview Street one comes upon a private traffic circle where the road meanders to the left. Off to the right sits a smartly styled two story home, highlighted by stone trim, spanning two over-sized lots. Eschewing the left we turn to the right and enter the pavered drive. Approaching the estate the expansive driveway flows into a lushly landscaped 360 degree motor court.

Walking up the motor court my eyes are drawn to a particular area of the landscape where the number 47 is formed by the shrubbery. Enquiring, I learn that this is the home of former professional baseball player Wilson Alvarez, whose number was 47 when he played for the LA Dodgers. I immediately sense something special is about to transpire.

Gazing up at the home another key characteristic of the home catches my attention, the entryway. Set into the home and reaching far skyward, the entryway frames a set of double doors. These aren’t just any doors, they contain a beautiful inset of Tiffany Stained glass. I push the latch on the door and it gently glides open revealing the exquisite, rich and lush interior starting with the continuous use of highly desired 18”x18” marble floors. Read More

Blondie’s, Goldie’s and Bertha’s

By Lee Volpe

ReaLee… I leave town for a month, Ed is now a BLONDE, and Elvis is on the cover?!
And there’s more…

In one month, my friend and Editor, has become some sort of, “Man about town.” Every night he’s out with this “pretty” blonde and that “frisky” blonde, dancing till dawn. I’m exhausted just hearing about it. Now he’s training with Val Vasilef, Mr. American (a.k.a. Elvis), and who better to get you into incredible shape?

I am not saying the above mentioned is happening because of Mr. Bertha’s golden locks, and I don’t want to imply anything negative toward my fellow “fair-haired’s” when I point out the “moment’s” have been piling up since his transformation.

For example: Read More

Around The Corner With The Niemanns,
Surviving The Phantom 9 Crash One Year Later

By Lee Volpe
Photos Tom MacKnight Post Crash, Rodney Olson Crash Sequence

Many of you already know, and for those of you who don’t, I am a humor writer. Imagine my surprise when Ed Bertha approached me about doing the one year anniversary story of the Phantom 9 Offshore Racing crash during Sarasota’s 2013 Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix? ReaLee?! How a boat crash is funny I have no idea, but…never judge a book by its cover, or the story, before you’ve met its characters.

I met the Niemanns on Dan Lawrence’s (The Hulk – throttles) yacht…in the head (bathroom) to be exact. Mark Niemann, Ed Bertha, and myself spent forty-five minutes talking about the sport of offshore racing, the crash, and safety precautions. Though it’s not football, I must say I was fascinated. I was also fascinated by the size of the bathroom, Dan was right, “Very spacious!”

After the potty talk, and hearing Kim Niemann’s role, I decided I needed to sit down and get the scoop from these two…and preferably somewhere without a toilet as the room’s only seat. After this year’s 30th Annual Suncoast SuperBoat Grand Prix Festival, that’s exactly what I did. Read More

Suncoast Superboat Grand Prix

Benefiting:
Suncoast Charities for Children

The direct and indirect overall economic impact of the 2014 Suncoast Superboat Grand Prix was calculated at $17,228,300 (a 10.8% increase from 2013’s $15,549,300) and generated 15,900 room nights in area lodgings (up from 13,400 in 2013). 89.1% of out of county attendees surveyed said they visited the area due to the race and festival and not the July 4th holiday. A special thanks to Kelly Gotha and the crew of the super yacht, Algorythm, for a fun day!

Click HERE to download event collage. Slideshow below. Read More

Pearls & Punches at Harbor Acres

Hosted By:

Peter Laughlin
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty

Featuring:
Suncoast Charities for Children

Click HERE to download event collage. Slideshow below. Read More