The "Fab" 4

A look at four hot summer patios

Gulf Coast Times

By Kristy Vaughn

Season may be over, but the “in crowd” is still in town and they are clamoring to get one of the high profile tables at some of the area’s chicest restaurants.

These cool cafés are not the usual same old spots. The true summer socialite is already privy to the not so obvious hot spots of the area that are as exclusive as they are discerning. These are places where one frequents if you are truly “in-the-know”.

Any average person can find their way to Fort Myers’ Bell Tower, Bonita’s Promenade, or Naples’ 5th Avenue. But forget those keg party bars filled with children or the plastic wannabe wine bars, we’ve got four patios you’ll want to become a usual at this summer.

So, sit back and relax with a cocktail, as you checkout “the sexiest patios” of Southwest Florida.

Best Patio to Sip Bellini’s and Lunch with the Girls:

On warm and breezy summer weekdays there is nothing more decadent than cutting work and lunching with friends. Brio, located in The Waterside Shops of Naples, offers the exact type of lunch time debauchery I have grown to adore since the invention of cell phones.

Work has never been so easy, making a two hour liquid lunch in Naples a social must!

Return your boss’ call later as you down Bellini’s with the girls and voyeuristically enjoy the carnival of taunt and tan flesh, which parades itself across the Brio patio.

Naples is the proud owner of some great adjectives such as “extravagant”, “lavish”, and even “expensive”. But once you experience Brio you will only want to know one: sexy. Make sure you look sexy and make your friends jealous by wearing some pricey piece of jewelry-- no knockoffs here!

Besides Bellini’s, Brio mixes up great martinis. Don’t be a spring wallflower by sticking with the ordinary variety of martinis. And please don’t bother with the passé City Cosmopolitan or the apple flavored martini that will make you look so 2004. Try a Lemon-drop martini to get a pucker like Angelina Jolie and a buzz like Charlie Sheen.

Like a South Beach nightclub, Brio has cascading pure white curtains that billow in the breeze while you sit in the cool comforts of shade, surrounded by the Naples elite. Investment banker boys, real estate ladies, and plenty of trust fund kids already know about the newest addition of this playful patio in Naples…so, why aren’t you there?

Cancel your appointments now and wet your appetite for some serious eye candy.Oh, and the food is good as well!

Best Patio to Impress Your Date:

You finally have a date. Don’t screw things up. Make sure the evening is not only romantic, but enchanting as well. Rumrunners, located in the Cape Harbour Development of Cape Coral, provides the unassuming air of romance mingled with elegance. Rumrunners is a quiet, urban oasis for waterfront dining that many often confuse with paradise. Set off the Calusahatchee River, you and your date will look radiant on the patio, as the sun is setting, and the pink and orange light reflects right off the water, enshrouding you both in a golden glow.

Best Patio to Unwind During Happy Hour:

It’s Friday and you have been watching the clock all day long. As soon as the 5pm whistle blows, grab your handbag, your shades, and hit the ATM as you head for happy hour cocktails at CinCin, located on the corner of McGregor and Cypress Lake Drive in Fort Myers.

Stretch out at a table under the enormous banyan tree, located on the sleek wooden patio, with the beverage of your choice. You and your co-workers should prepare to be treated like royalty as servers cater to your every gluttonous desire.

Drinks continually flow. And as the evening turns to night, the sexy sounds of a jazz diva lingers through the air of the place.

The CinCin patio and bar is wildly more favored than the restaurant, which is a mystery because the food is as delectable, as the outside atmosphere. Pair a few tapas with your cocktails, a cheese tray with your wine, or even the filet with any drink and you and your co-workers are sure to be revitalized after a hectic day at the office.

Try a Hypnotiq (that’s not a typo-- it’s pronounced “hypnotic”) at CinCin. The intriguing liquor will have you hypnotized with its blend of the purest cognac, premium vodka, and lush tropical fruit juices. The glow-in-the-dark liquor will make you look so suave while you’re drinking it, all of your tipsy co-workers will be envious.

Dress is anything and everything. However, if you are coming from the office, loosen your tie or let down your hair. While the patio is upscale, it’s not uptight.

Best Patio to Dock Your Boat:

Weekends are meant to be self-indulgent. Escape to the islands every weekend by docking your boat at The Sanibel Harbor Resort and Spa and patio hop between Pelican’s Poolside Bar and Charley’s Cabaña Bar. While boating around Sanibel you may crave a “cerveza” (beer), but make sure to drop your anchor into one of their fruity daiquiris or a creamy Bahama Mama.

Both bars are in equal vicinity and offer similar immoral experiences. Down at Pelican’s, sip frozen concoctions as you dip your toes in the aqua blue swimming pool and deviously flirt with a tourist. Or, hang back, above the action, in Charley’s Cabaña and relax in the shade as the tall and tan bar staff refill your mojito and feed you succulent hummus on flatbread.

You and your pals are certain to look like rock stars as you release every inhibition that has been pent up during the week.

The dress is super casual. Ladies sport your kitten heeled sandals and an itsy bikini. Guys make sure to look the part of the debonair jetsetter by wearing the latest in yacht club cool and sunglasses on suntanned skin. Oh, and don’t forget the wallets for the must have drinks!