This time of year, finding an open restaurant is not hard to do, but it wouldn’t hurt to call ahead, if only to save gas. Here’s a partial list of what’s open and when:

– Arturo’s is closed until Sept. 19.

– Bayview’s schedule is complicated because it’s doing a makeover, including new signs to reflect its the new name. Bayview will close at 3 p.m., Sept. 14, for two days. From Sept. 16- 21, the indoor restaurant will be closed but the outside Esplanade bar will be open for food and drink. The venue will open under its new name Sept. 22.

– Blue Heron on Isles of Capri will reopen Sept. 24.

– Breakfast Plus will open again Sept. 20.

– Café de Marco, closed all this month, will reopen Oct. 1.

– Capri Fish House on Isles of Capri remains open on schedule, featuring its Sunday brunch from 11 a.m.

– Capt. Brien’s Seafood restaurant and his Off the Hook Comedy Club will feature headliner standup comedy on weekends through the fall and beyond.

– Cocomo’s will remain open as usual.

– Da Vinci too remains open at Marco Walk.

– Fortune’s restaurant is closed for now but the bar is open.

– Guy Harvey’s Island Grill is open on a normal schedule.

– House of Mozart is on a break, but will re-open Oct. 3.

– Island Café is open Tuesday-Saturdays this month.

– Joey’s Pizza and Pasta will be open through the fall, featuring a new indoor-outdoor bar.

– Kretch’s is open now after a summer hiatus.

– Marco Polo’s September schedule is to be open only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

– Marek’s Collier House is closed until mid-October.

– Nacho Mama’s at Marco Walk is open as usual, with live music Fridays and Saturdays.

– Olde Marco Inn will be closed until Oct. 10.

– Old Marco Pub & Restaurant, as its message says, “is open all summer long.”

– Porky’s Last Stand is staying open all year as usual, so karaoke fans, not to worry.

– Sasso’s enjoyed a break but re-opened Sept. 2.

– Snook Inn has been closed since Sept. 8 for maintenance but will reopen this coming weekend.

– Sunset Grille is open weekends only through September.

– Vandy’s 5 Brothers remains open year-round.

– Verdi’s American Bistro will re-open Oct. 7.

– Snook Inn will re-open this weekend after a few days for maintenance.

My favorite recorded phone message from a restaurant is the one at the Little Bar in Goodland. It goes something like this: “The Little Bar restaurant is closed and will remain closed until it reopens. When it reopens then it will be open. In the meantime Little Bar is closed until sometime in late fall, when it will reopen. Please call back in late fall to find out when that will be. Thanks for calling the Little Bar.

What’s the name of that place again?

Some tourists think Marco is for the birds — in a good way

Life has been pretty good this summer for Marco’s feathered friends.

“The summertime nesting birds, least terns, skimmers and Wilson’s Plovers, seemed to have a successful nesting season,” says Debbie Roddy, president of Friends of Tigertail.

The Friends of Tigertail organization also has some achievements to crow about.

“We have about 150 family memberships and it grows steadily as more people find out about us and what we do,” Debbie says.

She has noted a significant increase in international visitors here, since Tigertail was placed on the Great Florida Birding Trail in January of 2006.

“When these tourists come to see our wonderful birds, they also eat in our restaurants and stay in our hotels or rent houses or condos. Their presence helps our local economy.”

Friends of Tigertail has a beach cleanup scheduled for 8 a.m. until noon, Sept. 20. Volunteers will be fitted out with gloves, garbage bags and free bottled water.

“If you call early, you might get a free T-shirt. Call Susan LaGrotta at 394-1470.”

Go a round or two ‘In The Round’ with the Marco Eagle

As Orion Bank Manager Keith Dameron put it, announcing his next In The Round event’s focus on the Marco Eagle:

“The Eagle has been the connective tissue that has helped make Marco a cohesive community for much of its 40-year history. So, what about the next 40 years?”

If seats are still available for the Sept. 15 event, you can be part of the discussion about the future of our island’s major newspaper and its role in our daily lives.

Experts taking part in the give and take that evening include:

Phil Lewis, editor of the Naples Daily News; Bob Sandy, Eagle general manager and Scripps Southwest Florida customer relations manager; Russell Tuff, executive editor for Scripps Southwest Florida Group Community Publications and Bill Green, editor of the Eagle and marconews.com.

“No question is off limits,” Green says. “This is their (Marco citizens) newspaper and their opinions matter. Our job is to give the people the newspaper they want and deserve week-in and week-out.”

To reserve a place for this In The Round, phone Orion Bank at 403-5169.