After the success of the James Beard Dinner, Chef Jose Martinezis holding a reception on Thursday, November 15th at 6 PM ( midnight in France) for the uncorking of the Beaujolais nouveau 2012, Joseph Drouhin.
Followed by the burgundy dinner:
Pumpkin soup, grilled octopus and hazelnut
Meursault, louis jadot, 2009
Rock shrimp risotto and lobster bisque
Chassagne Montrachet, joseph drouhin, 2009
Frogs legs fricassee, garlic puree and parsley
Gevrey chambertin, joseph drouhin, 2009
Braised wild range chicken, bacon and mushroom
Pommard, louis jadot, 2010
Pear clafoutis
Blanc de blancs, cuvée jean louis, charles de frere
Those who may be interested should stop by Maison Blanche, 2605 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key. In order to make a reservation call, (941) 383-8088; maisonblancherestaurants.com.
Sarasota Immigration Attorney P. Christopher Jaensch
One viable strategy for qualifying for a US visa is to invest in or buy an existing US business. There are several visas that an investor can qualify for including the E2 Investor Visa, the L1 Intra-Company Transfer Visa, and the EB-5 Investor Green Card. For those who might be looking for these types of visas, the Adkins Florida Group can help you find an appropriate business to purchase or invest in.
Based in Bradenton, FL, this 5-member team of real estate and business brokers brings a wealth of international experience and industry expertise to the table. The Adkins Florida Group was founded five years ago by James P. Adkins and his father, James E. Adkins.
Mr. Adkins the younger worked as a surveyor for many years, travelling the globe. Australia, Western Europe, and Canada are just a few of the places he’s called home. He always returned to the Sarasota-Bradenton area after his travels and so it was a natural choice of location to start his business.
The Adkins Group is Based in Bradenton, FL
Mr. Adkins and his partners are members of the Business Brokers of Florida (BBF) Association. Out of 100,000 licensed real estate professionals in Florida, only 900 are part of the BBF. Being one of the few real estate brokerages in the Sarasota-Bradenton area that is part of this association means the Adkins Florida Group has expertise and specialized knowledge that few other firms in the area can match. They have been connecting entrepeneurs and investors to sound businesses for 5 years now.
In addition, the Adkins Florida Group helps their clients take advantage of the many new business incentives that are available in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Such incentives include tax breaks for new business owners and for hiring local workers. Mr. Adkins ensures that new business owners are introduced to the appropriate contacts to help them take advantage of these programs.
Florida, and Manatee and Sarasota Counties in particular, have much to offer a prospective business owner or investor. The road and rail network is first rate, with Interstate 75 passing through both counties. The additional presence of Port Manatee is making the area a hub for intermodal shipping. Florida enjoys a multi-cultural and well-educated workforce, and the Florida lifestyle attracts even more talent to the state. None of these factors take in to account Florida’s geographic advantage of being the gateway to Latin America.
To contact Mr. Adkins call 941-713-0635 or visit their office at 5239 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, Florida 34209.
For the 6th year in a row now, the Sarasota Association of Realtors is holding the Real Estate Congress and Sarasota Showcase. This year it is being held on November 4, 5 and 6 with an impressive lineup of events and speakers.
Events kick off on November 4 with a boat tour of Sarasota Bay aboard the Marina Jack II from 4:30 to 7:00 pm. Buffet dinner included.
Events continue on November 5:
8:15-9:00 AM: Congress Registration and Continental Breakfast. Lido Beach Resort.
9:00-9:50: The Global Economy and Real Estate. Talk by Dr. john Tuccillo.
10:00-10:50: The Story of Sarasota. Talk by Jane Kirschner and Jon Thaxton.
11:00-11:50: Panel on Sarasota Architectural Styles. Moderated by Phil Cmielski, Guy Peterson, Steve Ellis and David Nash.
Noon-5 PM: Board buses for home tours. Lunch and refreshments provided.
November 6 is just as busy:
9:00-9:50 AM: Panel on the Market from a Broker’s Perspective
10:00-10:45: Panel on the Sarasota Lifestyle
11:00-11:50: International Panel
Noon-5 PM: Board buses for home torus of Lakewood Ranch. Lunch culminating in cocktails provided.
This is a good event for realtors from all over the country to learn about all that Sarasota has to offer. Our small town ambience enriched with a big-city abundance of visual and performing arts, education institutions, medical facilities and natural wonders makes the area a popular destination for for domestic and international tourists. Many people, after spending a few winters here, decide to settle down, further enriching area.
Recent articles in “The Economist” point out the fact that America is losing its competitive advantage when it comes to attracting global talent. Countries such as Canada, Australia, and Singapore are making it easier for foreign nationals to enter and set up a business. In America, the immigration process is rife with inconvenience and uncertainty. The number of visas available for skilled workers, or H1-Bs, has decreased from 100,000/year in 1999 to 65,000/year. Green Card processing time has increased from as little as 18 months in the 1980s to up to 10 years. Unlike other countries who have special visa categories for entrepreneurs, America has no such entrepreneurial visa.
Even Chile is doing more to attract global talent. The small Latin-American nation has a new program, called Start-up Chile, that selects young firms and gives their founders the equivalent of $40,000 and a visa for one year. The idea is to raise Chile’s profile as a hub for entrepreneurs and to foster entrepreneurialism among Chileans. The program aims to bankroll 1,000 new companies by the end of next year. Does anything like this exist in the United States? No.
There are some options but they are circuitous and difficult, and there is never a guarantee of success. One is the H1-B visa. This visa is for skilled workers who are hired by U.S. companies. But it is temporary and it’s validity is tied to the applicant’s original job. If an H1-B immigrant wishes to apply for permanent residency they must keep their original job while they wait for their Green Card to be issued, which can take up to 10 years. If the immigrant finds a better opportunity or wishes to start a new business they lose their H1-B status.
Another option for enterprising foreigners is the E2 Investor Visa. To qualify, a prospective immigrant must invest a “significant” amount of money in an existing business or start a new business that promises to support the immigrant and employ Americans. This is a good option for entrepreneurs but not every immigrant with a good idea has enough capital to start a new business upon arrival in the U.S. In contrast, Start-up Chile is lending capital to promising companies upon arrival.
In today’s global economy, powered by the internet, businesses can serve their customers from anywhere. Entrepreneurs are searching globally for attractive locations for their start-ups. Basic infrastructure, peace, and a relatively wealthy and educated population are all elements for prosperity that make the United States attractive to foreign investors and entrepreneurs. But our complicated immigration system is turning into a disadvantage, especially as other nations with the same basic elements for prosperity are making it easier to immigrate there and start a business. The United States should do more to enable foreign entrepreneurs to see their dreams come true here.
Cesar Gomez received a law degree from the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia. He practiced law in Colombia for several years, advising corporations and non-profits, before coming to the United States.
From 2007 to 2010 Cesar was executive director of the Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce. During this time the chamber’s membership more than doubled.
In 2010 Cesar began studying for a Masters in International Law (LLM) at Stetson. While at Stetson he served as the LLM liason to the International Law Society and as the school’s representative to the Committee on Foreign Relations in Tampa.
In addition to working with Jaensch Immigration Law Firm, Cesar currently serves as the Vice Chair of ABA Section of International Law: Young Lawyers Interest Network and on the board of the Community Leadership Council of USF.
We are very pleased to have Mr. Gomez working with us.
Sarasota Immigration Attorney P. Christopher Jaensch
Sarasota is very attractive to international home-buyers. Foreigners visit during the winter, decide they want to stay, and begin the process of finding a way to do so legally and purchase a home. Many times, Sarasota real-estate agents are the first professional point of contact for these immigrants. While very knowledgeable about the Sarasota real estate market, they are not always equipped to inform their clients on the finer points of immigration law.
We want Sarasota to continue to be an attractive location for immigration. Immigrants bring a richness of diversity and entrepreneurial spirit that keeps this area vibrant. For examples read about how Nayda Cattin is opening our skies, or how Chris Coutelle is expanding our palettes. We want our local real estate agents to be well-informed about immigration law. That way, not only can they be more likely to succeed in procuring a home for an international prospect, but the area can benefit from a continual influx of diverse investors and job-creators.
Informing Sarasota Real Estate Agents
On October 18th, 2012, Sarasota Immigration Attorney Chris Jaensch spoke at the International 301 seminar. The Sarasota Association of Realtors (SAR) organized it with around 40 realtors from across the region attending. During this seminar, which was SAR’s last educational seminar of the year, attendees split in to groups to listen to individual panelists present case studies. Chris’s case study followed a hypothetical family from Australia. The “father” is a successful businessman and the “daughter” is an excellent tennis player. The family is looking for ways to move to the Sarasota-Bradenton area but still maintain ties to Australia. As it turns out, there are quite a few options in immigration law for doing so.
Please enjoy a video recording of Chris speaking at the seminar below.
We hope that this information helps local real estate agents as they continue to entice international home-buyers to call the Sarasota-Bradenton area home.
To see more, check out another video explaining how a real-estate based investment strategy can help an immigrant qualify for an E2 investor visa.
Last Friday, a representative from Jaensch Immigration Law Firm attended UnidosNow’s inaugural “Gala de las Americas” in Bradenton’s Municipal Auditorium. The Gala featured leaders from Southwest Florida and UnidosNow who spoke about the strength and potential of the Latin community. The keynote speaker was Marco Davis, Acting Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. He spoke at length about the many endeavors the White House is undertaking to improve the educational opportunities of Hispanics. Marco Davis’ presence and the event itself were testaments to the leadership of UnidosNow.
Jaensch Immigration Law Firm was pleased to support the event by sponsoring a student for UnidosNow’s Florida Leadership Academy.
White House representative Marco Davis was the keynote speaker.
The Gala featured some great entertainment including this Mariachi Band
Today, October 22, the State Department made the final release of Green Card Lottery 2013 results. Check to see if YOU won!
The registration period for Green Card Lottery 2014 is closing on November 3rd at 12 noon!
Jaensch Immigration Law Firm has created a downloadable Registration Form for those who would prefer to register on paper. Please print out, fill out completely, and return to us either by scanning and emailing to liz@visaamerica.com or by submitting the form at our office:
2198 Main St
Sarasota, FL 34237
We will take final requests for registration on Friday, November 2nd. Please visit our Green Card Lottery page for more information.
One could say that the United States has no food of its own, only the foods that immigrants bring with them when they come here. Upon arrival, these recipes and traditions undergo a process of experimentation and combination with what they find in this country. This leads to the many culinary choices we have today. It also sometimes decreases the authenticity of the food. We don’t get to taste the REAL DEAL because all the variations cloud over the original.
Giuseppe Prestia has set out to dispel those clouds when it comes to Sicilian food. His Supernova Cafe will be opening soon on Main St. and will serve authentic and healthy Sicilian food.
Mr. Prestia took a very interesting path to where he is today. He first came to the United States in 1993 as a member of a Sicilian Folk Dance group and performed at Disney’s Epcot Center and in Tampa. The experience led him to resolve to move permanently to the United States. He spent a year in Italy saving the money to make the move and then, as promised, returned to the United States.
For a few months he moved around Florida, picking up jobs at Italian restaurants and looking for the right place to settle down. He was a plumber by trade and he always kept the goal of starting his own plumbing business in mind. Eventually he found Sarasota and decided this was the place to start his plumbing business.
In order to get his state license Mr. Prestia had to work for another plumbing company for four years. This he did, and as soon as he could get his license, Prestia Plubing was incorporated. That was in 2001.
Giuseppe Prestia in the Prestia Plumbing Van
As Mr. Prestia’s plumbing business grew he found himself on the road a lot and he noticed that it was hard to get a quick meal that was also healthy. In addition to having a plumbing business, owning a restaurant had also been a dream of his. He had spent time in the kitchens of Italian restaurants and knew how they were run. In addition, his family owns a bakery chain in Sicily. He found that there was demand for quick, healthy meals and decided to capitalize on his ideas and experience. Together with his father he decided to open an authentic Sicilian bakery and cafe on Main St.
Supernova Cafe is scheduled to open in November. Mr. Prestia plans for it to be open for lunch and dinner. It will serve traditional Italian meals and it will introduce the “Tavola Calda”. This is an authentic Sicilian bread stuffed with almost anything the customer could want. If you are a vegetarian you are going to love Supernova’s many vegetarian choices. If you work downtown and are always looking for a place to get a quick meal that is also healthy, Supernova Cafe will be the place to go.
Mr. Prestia also plans on catering and delivering his authentic Sicilian creations all over the Sarasota-Bradenton area. In fact, he bought a classic white 1962 Vespa just for that purpose.
Supernova Cafe Logo
So far Mr. Prestia has been able to fulfill all his dreams here in the United States. He plans on continuing to manage both businesses until he retires. We wish him great success!
Look out for the white Vespa with the Supernova logo driving around town or visit the Supernova Cafe at 1900 Main St. Ask for Giuseppe Prestia and see if he will show you some of his moves from his folk dancing days!
Sarasota Immigration Attorney P. Christopher Jaensch
Sarasota immigration attorney Chris Jaensch was asked to speak at today’s educational seminar for realtors who want to work with international clients. The seminar is put together by the Sarasota Association of Realtors and is the third in a series of seminars on working with international buyers.
In a slight change from previous seminars, the 301 seminar will offer a series of case studies. Case studies will cover topics such as international finance/currency exchange, international accountancy, Immigration Law, and interpersonal relationships with foreign buyers/sellers.
Chris Jaensch was asked to provide a case study on immigration law and we look forward to participating in the seminar. Buying real estate can be a very viable strategy to qualify for a visa.
Christophe Coutelle knew what he was doing when he moved to Sarasota to start a business. When you talk to him you can’t help but note his intelligence and deliberateness. Back in France he owned and managed a food industry-related construction and repair company. He built and maintained large food industry warehouses and factories.
One night, he, his wife, and some friends were talking about the future and the idea of starting a business in the United States came up. For a long time it was just an idea but, with a little push from his wife, Mr. Coutelle began to get more serious. He started looking for a market to start a French restaurant. At first he had his eyes set on California but import restrictions made it difficult for him to ship the French kitchen equipment he wanted. Desiring some place warm, he next looked at Florida.
At this point Mr. Coutelle was closing in on the idea of starting a French bakery. He had a good friend in Normandy who owned a large bakery and the two of them worked together. Instead of charging the baker money, Mr. Coutelle would take payment in the form of baking lessons and recipes.
Mr. Coutelle went on a fact-finding trip around Florida. He realized that there was room for a high-quality, yet affordable French bakery in Sarasota. Thus, C’est La Vie was born.
C’est la Vie Exterior
It opened at 1553 Main St on December 6, 1997. Mr. Coutelle and his partner made all the pastries for the opening themselves! Today, C’est la Vie continues to serve quality French food at fair prices, maintaining quite a loyal following, as evidenced by the staff at Jaensch Immigration Law Firm.
But Mr. Coutelle is not resting on C’est La Vie’s success. He has plans to open another restaurant in Sarasota’s Rosemary district. Again, he is leaving nothing to chance. The new restaurant will be called Lolita Tartine and will serve breakfast lunch and dinner. Visitors will order their food up front and either sit down to eat in or take the food home. Those who eat in will receive a number and their food will be brought to them. The idea is that the service will be rapid yet the food will be of high quality, at a fair price of course.
C’est La Vie Interior
The restaurant will serve a continental breakfast and provide salads and tartines, or uncovered sandwiches, as well as other prepared foods, for lunch. Lolita Tartine will be located right next to two local fitness centers and Mr. Coutelle is hoping to work with the nutritionists to develop healthy meals. There will also be a Menu Degustation where diners can try 3 different entrees on one plate. Lolita Tartine will also provide pastries from C’est la Vie. Mr. Coutelle is also planning on offering pastry-making classes at the new restaurant!
By bringing quality French food to American diners at fair prices Mr. Coutelle has found success in Sarasota. As his businesses grow he thinks someday he might even develop a C’est la Vie franchise. We hope he does, and that his success follows him wherever he goes.
Check out other immigrants who are working to make Sarasota a better place:
Sarasota Immigration Attorney P. Christopher Jaensch
It seems like recent court cases in California and Texas have expanded the applicability of the Child Status Protection Act.
The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) addressed the large numbers of children who are “ageing out” – reaching the age of 21 before their parents received a green card. CSPA protects the “child” status despite ageing out due to excessive processing times. It can apply in certain family-based, employment-based and humanitarian immigrant cases.
Under the new rule, once the parent gets the green card, they can apply for the child as an adult unmarried child of a permanent resident. Instead of getting a new priority date for this application (which would require a wait of about 2 years or more), they child would “inherit” the original priority date of the application. This would mean that the child would most likely be eligible for a green card soon after the parent gets their green card and would not have an additional waiting period. I would estimate that children who apply in this way would wait about a year after their parents receive their green card, because there still needs to be time allowed to file the green card application and conduct the background check.
Children of legal permanent residents (green card holders) can take advantage of this whether they are in the U.S. or out of the U.S. If they are in the U.S., they would have to remain here in lawful status after they turn 21 (by having a F-1 student visa or E-2 investor visa).
This is good news because it means that children of green card holders would ultimately be able to get a green card around the time their parents get one.
We would like the share the latest statistics on Deferred Action:
Deferred Action applications accepted for processing: 179,794
Number of biometric services appointments scheduled: 158,408
Number of Deferred Action requests under review: 6,416
Number of requests approved: 4,591
Sarasota Immigration Attorney Victoria Jaensch Karins
Lou Robbio was born to an Italian father and a Polish mother in Providence, RI. After graduating from high school he spent some time in the Navy before going to Suffolk Law School in Boston. At first he planned on applying to the FBI but, in his first year of law school, decided to become a defense attorney. He worked for many years in Providence’s Federal court as a criminal defense attorney, and he argued some very high-profile cases.
His transition to Florida began rather dramatically when he had a heart attack several years ago on the courtroom floor in Providence. To him, it was a sign to retire. He moved to Florida where he remained active in criminal defense cases as a consultant.
Immigration Law: Removal Proceedings
Recently, Mr. Robbio has become more involved in immigration cases. He’s passionate about helping the under-served, especially those who arrived in the United States without inspection while they were still children. When people in this situation are served with a Notice to Appear for removal proceedings, Mr. Robbio will take on their case. The case resembles a normal court case; part of the reason Mr. Robbio enjoys the work. It starts with a Masters Calendar where Mr. Robbio enters the accused’s plea and relief claim and continues with a series of hearings, much like in a trial. Mr. Robbio’s criminal defense experience lends itself to removal proceedings cases.
Every defendant in a removal proceedings case is entitled to an interpreter and Mr. Robbio often has an interpreter with him when meeting with clients in order to ensure full comprehension on both sides. He serves clients from Miami to Orlando and can be reached via telephone: (941) 429-2194.
Mr. Robbio believes that every person in this country, regardless of how they arrived here, is entitled to the rights we have enshrined in our Constitution. He is devoted to defending those rights. He would be a good person to have on your side.
A South Florida hotel project is seeking funds from foreign investors who want to live in the United States. A group renovating the 42-room Hotel Astor in Miami Beach aims to raise $5 million from 10 foreign investors — or $500,000 each — through the U.S. employment based visa program called EB-5.
Those investors will get equity in the Art Deco gem and can sign up Aug. 17 through Sept. 30.
A different group of developers had looked to EB-5 investors to raise $75 million for construction of the 17-story, 349- room Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort. But their efforts failed, leaving the future of that project uncertain.
It is believed that a $5 million goal for the Astor’s renovation is achievable, because the amount needed is smaller, the Art Deco hotel well established and South Beach better known for investment than Hollywood beach.
EB-5 investors in the Astor project will most likely come largely from Colombia, Venezuela and other South American nations, whose affluent residents are familiar with Miami Beach.
Renovation of the Astor, located at 956 Washington Ave., is expected to create 110 direct jobs. To qualify for U.S. residency visas, EB-5 investors must create 10 jobs each in the United States.
Contact David J. Hart for more information: 305 577 9977 or dhart@immigrateusa.com.
21 SE First Avenue 10th Floor Miami FL 33131 www.immigrateusa.com www.AstorEB5.com
Recent Comments