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How an aging generation is going to make us change how we think about health care
“Field trip time if you want to go to a death house,” Scott Boggs, 57, says in a late January voicemail. “I’m referring to the Winter Park Towers hospice center where my mom is going be for the next three days. I have to go deliver a folding deck chair so that it can be…
Drink like a boss: Presidential cocktails for Presidents Day
When I heard an interview with Brian Abrams, author of Party Like a President: True Tales of Inebriation, Lechery and Mischief from the Oval Office this morning on the radio, the penny finally dropped: I realized all those puzzling references to three-day weekends I kept hearing were because today is Presidents Day and some people…
30 free concerts this week in Orlando (2/11-2/17)
If you’re looking for a cheapy date for your sweetie this week for Valentine’s Day, you lucked out with some great options in Indie-Folkfest (an outdoor picnic affair with music from the likes of JunoSmile, Eugene Snowden, PaleFace and Thomas & Olivia Wynn), Chris Charles’ Valentines Special and Orlando Brewing’s Valentine’s Day with Lauren Galant, Drew…
Jeb Bush email dump includes thousands of Floridians’ private info
Thanks a ton, Jeb. In his steady march toward the 2016 presidential campaign trail, Jeb Bush yesterday released hundreds of thousands of the “millions” of emails sent to him when he was governor of Florida. “In the spirit of transparency, I am posting the emails of my governorship here. Some are funny; some are serious;…
Nude Nite lets it all hang out in an annual celebration of NSFW art
Nude Nite is back this year and bigger than ever: Spanning three nights and based in a 25,000-square-foot industrial warehouse, one of Orlando’s signature art parties has finally come into its own. It seems the culture has evolved to meet Nude Nite; what used to elicit a red-faced giggle seems perfectly mainstream now. We’re talking…
Hank & Cupcakes put on an authentic, edgy bounce house of a show
If you are foolish enough not to check into Hank & Cupcakes’ insanely special riot before their show this week at Will’s Pub, then you deserve to miss out on this abrasively unique pop duo. Bassist Hank drives the show with furious pedal work while drummer-vocalist Cupcakes stands at her kit, banging out songs from…
Shallow Grave gives your creepy Valentine a Night to Dismember
Suspense, guts and bloodcurdling screams – how else would you want to spend your Valentine’s Day weekend? The Shallow Grave, our pick for the best Halloween scare-to-dollar ratio in the area, hosts a special haunted house for all you creepy lovebirds out there. A Night to Dismember consists of two houses: Haunted Hills and ADHD…
Orlando Indie-FolkFest brings a picnic full of love to the Mennello for Valentine’s Day
If your perfect Valentine’s Day involves having a picnic with your loved ones while surrounded by art and music, the folks at the Mennello have you covered with this Loch Haven Park extravaganza. East End Market is well represented, with provisions for sale from Fatto in Casa, La Femme du Fromage, Olde Hearth Bread Co.,…
Dads bring all the feelings to Backbooth
Valentine’s Day is a day for feelings, and Dads knows just how to give them to you with their particular stripe of emo punk. John Bradley’s intimate and yearning vocals mix with the craftsmanship of guitarist Scott Scharinger, creating a mathy sound that stays true to punk with fast riffs, call and response, and lyrics…
St. Matthew’s Tavern sets the stage for Ralph and Gina’s kitschy Valentine’s Day Special
From the very kitschy hearts of those lovable loungey lovebirds, Ralph and Gina (the alter egos of real-life couple Bethany Avello and Jasper Bleu), this Valentine’s Day-themed show features a theatrical conceit. St. Matthew’s Tavern will be turned into a fake restaurant called M.O.M.s (Matthew’s on Mills), where Ralph and Gina perform their lounge act.…
Day Joy turns the Space into a magical forest for A Walk in the Woods
When Day Joy released Go to Sleep, Mess in 2013, we listened and in a rush of reverb and enchanting pop melodies, immediately felt the loom of trees overhead and were transported to an isolated mind-state, as if the album were written specifically for an introverted adventurer on a walk alone in the woods. Now…
‘Division: The Trayvon/Jordan Project’ at Valencia: Black lives matter
Division: The Trayvon/Jordan Project The past few years will be noted in history books for unjust occurrences taking place right in Central Florida’s backyard, as the unfortunate deaths of Trayvon Martin in Sanford and Jordan Davis in Jacksonville awoke a nation. Valencia College’s theater program has written a new docudrama titled Division: The Trayvon/Jordan Project,…
Tasty Links: a device that lets you snort chocolate, another scary mashup food, and which Orlando bar is on a national high-earners list?
For the couple whose Valentine’s Day is less Sleepless in Seattle, more Requiem for a Dream: a device that lets you snort chocolate. The chef who invented it says “he’s sold 25,000 of the devices since he invented it back in 2007 for a party for two members of the Rolling Stones.” Yikes! Mashup food…
This Little Underground: JMSN at Backbooth
Despite some dubious beginnings, Detroit musician Christian Berishaj may finally be on his most serious – and most able to be taken seriously – project yet. After some years in the biz doing toolish pop stints as Love Arcade and Christian TV, he’s now rising up in the deeper alternative R&B tide as JMSN (pronounced…
This Little Underground: Kelley McRae at Maxine’s
With its live events, Orlando promoter Modern Music Movement makes perhaps the most consistent noise in quiet music. Besides the regular Acoustic Soundcheck series at the Imperial, MMM does one-off events all around town. But landing an Americana artist of international profile for a special free show at an intimate neighborhood bistro was a nice…
This Little Underground: Glen Hansard at the Beacham
With all due respect and apology to Glen Hansard but it was neither his longtime work in the Frames nor in the Swell Season but rather some work that won’t fully see public light until next month that drew me to his recent Orlando show (Feb. 6, The Beacham). On Mar. 17, Hansard will release…
Valentine’s Day stuff to do: 30 ways to satisfy your craving for romance
Since Valentine’s Day dinner is traditional for dating couples and marrieds, this list is mostly food-related, but not all. Scan through for places to eat, sweets to nibble, cards to buy, shows to see and more — all local. Valentine’s Day Brunch at Enzian – Special V-Day showing of Sleepless in Seattle. For $100, each…
Did you see Alton Brown at your favorite restaurant this weekend?
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COUNCIL WATCH: Staring at city government so you don’t have to
Greetings and salutations, dear followers of the civic tail-chase and everything else draped in itemized futility in the interest of the appearance of the greater good for the City Beautiful! You have a home here. We are just like you. Niceties aside – well, except for the fact that this is the VERY LAST Council…
For Orlandoans, Asian-Americans, and hip-hop heads, “Fresh off the Boat” is a giant step
“When you live in a Lunchables world, it isn’t always easy being homemade Chinese food. This also makes you special. My family was going to make our place in Orlando, and we’re going to do it our way. Because you don’t have to pretend to be someone else in order to belong.” These are the…
Filmmaker makes Florida Man documentary, which you can watch right now
Filmmaker Sean Dunne made a documentary about the infamous Florida Man – that guy you see pretty much everywhere in the state, riding his bicycle along unsafe highways, drinking beers in his front yard with his shirt off, tripping out in a hotel room with his bros. It’s … well, it’s about as depressing as…
Help Orlando City Soccer #fillthebowl for its first game of the season + preseason kickoff events
The MLS season kicks off in Orlando at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 8 when the Orlando City Soccer Club plays its first major league match against the New York City Football Club at the Citrus Bowl. The club wants to “fill the bowl” for its inaugural MLS game, so leading up to the season, it’s…
This Little Underground: Swamburger Presents Ceschi Ramos at the Social
If you’re in the local scene to any meaningful degree, you know Swamburger by name, face or reputation. He’s best known as one of the city’s most visible and accomplished artists in the worlds of both hip-hop and visual art. But he’s always been one of the more community-minded shakers out there and has in…
Psych safety at Disney: five tips for your trips
You know the drill. “You’re from Orlando? Oh wow! I bet you go to Disney World all the time! I’ve always wanted to do psychedelics at Disney!!!” Folks fly into our beautiful state every day to get their rocks off at Central Florida theme parks. (Don’t deny it.) I’m an old man now, so the only…
Worth the Drive: Dope Entertainment’s Rolling Loud in Miami (featuring Schoolboy Q, Juicy J and more)
When it comes to Florida’s festival scene, there are some pretty great events that take place in the Sunshine State. Whether it’s here in Orlando (Florida Music Festival, Total Fuck Off Weekend, Electric Daisy Carnival), Tampa (Big Guava, Gasparilla) or Miami (Ultra, III Points), the variety of all-day concerts available to us is vast. However,…
Ice, ice, paradise: Coolio and Vanilla Ice headline Tin Roof’s outdoor concert in March
Tin Roof opened up last month, introducing a new live music option aimed mostly at tourists on International Drive. And while their primary focus is in support hyper-local artists in a sort of Nashville dive-type format, they also told us they’d occasionally bring in major artists, and the first big show they’ve announced is Saturday,…
For Valentine’s Day, nothing says “I love you” better than rotting table scraps
In honor of Valentine’s Day, the city of Orlando is holding a very special promotion. Visit the city’s website, fill out a short form and you’ll be put on a list to receive a free composting bin, as well as a Valentine’s Day e-card. The “Get dirty this Valentine’s Day” promotion is part of Mayor…
What if the new Walking Dead spinoff were set in Orlando?
We already know that the spinoff to AMC’s zombie serial, The Walking Dead, is going to take place in Los Angeles. But real estate search engine/blogger of random things Movoto is making the case that Orlando should have been the city to play host to the next iteration of zombie-survival TV shows. Movoto says that it…
Jacque Vaughn out, Scott Skiles in? Magic in flux after firing head coach
Today, Chris Broussard reported on ESPN that the Orlando Magic have let Jacque Vaughn go after the team has continued to struggle this season on his watch. Vaughn was definitely a ray of hope when the Magic brought him on after Dwight abandoned the Magic franchise (and the Magic franchise ousted lovingly uptight former coach…
Please don’t eat these words: Best NSFW #RejectedCandyHearts
There are some candies that, even though they totally suck, are inextricably linked with a holiday. It doesn’t matter how they taste; they’re just a visual cue to remind you what month it is. Waxy, awful candy corn = Halloween, flimsy hollow rabbits made of low-quality chocolate = Easter, and chalky conversation hearts that…
Sibling indie-pop quartet Echosmith talks growing up, turning points and “Cool Kids”
Even if you’re the kind of person that turns on pop radio once a year, chances are you’ve heard Echosmith’s “Cool Kids.” The sibling quartet from Chino, California, aren’t past the age of 21, but listening to them, you’d never even know that the youngest member is 16. They’ve got a stylistic edge, and their…
‘Cabaret’ at the Abbey: a superior staging
Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret is one of those classics of the musical theater canon that has grown so familiar (via both Bob Fosse’s Oscar-winning 1972 film with Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli and multiple Sam Mendes-helmed revivals starring Alan Cumming) that you forget how powerful the show can be. That is, until a superior staging,…
Sexting screw-up: Poorly written law leads to non-functional law
image via wetv.com In the grisly world of socially networked puberty – especially in the somehow prude, somehow slutty state of Florida – the whole “sexting” phenomenon of sending pics of your minor bits to other minors is clearly a gray area (gross). How gray? Well, as the Miami Herald reports, Florida lawmakers, in their…
Rick Scott feigns new call for transparency amid lawsuits and lies
Gov. Rick Scott, in what can best be described as a pathetic attempt at “hey, let’s move on from here, ok?,” today delivered remarks to his cabinet that directly address the failures of his administration in the current Florida Department of Law Enforcement scandal. “The buck stops here, and that means I take responsibility,” he…
IT’S HUGE! White Castle comes to Fun Spot Orlando, for two days only
Confession: I’ve never tried White Castle. I know it’s one of those chains that inspires fanatic loyalty, though (as per the Harold & Kumar franchise), and I know that the closest one to Orlando is in Tennessee, so I imagine the feelings of a White Castle maniac must be similar to mine about In-N-Out Burger:…
Tasty news: More pizza coming soon to College Park
We’ve been hoping someone would take over the space last occupied by the Hangar Grille (2305 Edgewater, at Vassar Street), and now we hear our wish has come true: Armando’s Cucina Italiana & Pizzeria, currently a Hannibal Square hotspot, will open a second location there in College Park. When we reviewed Armando’s back in 2012,…
R. Kelly headlines Funk Fest in Orlando in April
Things are about to get freaky at the Fairgrounds as Funk Fest rolls into town Saturday, April 18. With opening acts such as Whodini, SWV, Silk and Mint Condition, it’s only right to have your Funk Fest headliner be no other than the King of R&B himself, the Pied Piper, R. Kelly! Gates open at…
State considering a “sin tax” on strip clubs
Patrons of strip clubs and adult theaters would have to pay a state surcharge before going in, under a proposal being looked at by state lawmakers who also want to close a tax loophole enjoyed by roll-your-own cigarette shops. The House Finance & Tax Committee, which is usually more averse to tax hikes, agreed Tuesday…
Concert pic of the week: You Blew It! signing shit at Park Ave CDs
This week’s best concert pic may not seem that action-packed or crazy, but watching You Blew It! perform their first official Park Ave CDs in-store (and get a little misty-eyed) and then awkwardly shrug off the after-show signing (because everything is eternally no big deal to the emo revival band whose dark poetic lyrics sets…
Nikki Painter deconstructs reality Friday night at Twelve21 Gallery
Virginia-based artist Nikki Painter has a somewhat morbid turn of mind. “I have been interested in demolition sites because they appeal to my ideas about the natural world’s tendency toward chaos,” she says in her artist’s statement. “Ambiguous places, exploded imagery, broken motifs … a constant state of flux.” With that emphasis on destruction, it’s…
Art and the afterlife collide at the Maitland Art Center Ghost Tour
If you like being scared while looking at art, you’re in luck: American Ghost Adventures leads this two-hour-long behind-the-scenes tour plenty full of spooks and frights to keep you entertained and on your toes. TripAdvisor ranks AGA the 10th best activity in Orlando; they even have the paranormal equipment to confirm your suspicions. (Dare we…
Cask & Larder brews up a bock for Bach
We love a good collaboration, and it’s even better when both parties are local favorites. In honor of the 80th Bach Festival in Winter Park (which: wow), Cask & Larder has brewed a beer that Johann Sebastian himself would have appreciated. The Bach Festival Society showed C&L head brewers Larry Foor and Garrett Ward a…
Cooking star Alton Brown brings culinary chemistry to Dr. Phillips Center
If you ever need a guy to cut through the bullshit and explain to you why butter is better than margarine, Alton Brown is your man. The scientifically minded host of Food Network classics like Good Eats, Iron Chef America and Cutthroat Kitchen excels at explaining the Why of cooking in addition to the How,…
Michael Parallax debuts new double EP early at release party with Rich Aucoin at Will’s Pub
Michael Parallax is a machine, turning out new music and bumping it when the party demands, which is the case this week when he releases his new double EP How We Were/Who We Are (out Feb. 14, but available early to attendees of this show). While Parallax’s pop is difficult to pigeonhole, it’s bright and…
Sonic Graffiti, Bellows and the Dull Blades rock What’sit Records Wonder Showzy Block Party in the Milk District
What’sit Records is a misleading name for a group that focuses more on events than records, but their party-planning skills are definitely on point. Last year’s Little Econ Love Fest out in Lakeland was successful enough to warrant another iteration and a bigger headliner (Toubab Krewe) this coming March. For this one-night mini-festival, though, they’re…
Fresh off the Boat premieres tonight, but – no surprise – it’s already ruffling feathers
[View the story “ABC’s “Fresh Off The Boat” Floats Over Some Hot Water ” on Storify] Related Stories
Glen Hansard reminds us of his sweet, singular force at the Beacham
The emotion that Glen Hansard packs into a single note ought to make his surging songs exhausting, but instead it’s a genuine enchantment to hear him project so effortlessly, and live, it’s even more unreal. A lesser singer could not convince the way he does, and while it’s always a special treat to see his…
Orlando Mixtape Volume 3 mixes Skynyrd with bourbon to bring Southern Harmony to the Social
Turn it up. The Orlando Mixtape series returns to the Social with a focus on Southern rock. With a setlist that promises to include lots of audience requests (there’s a form over at orlandomixtape.org), Brian Chodorcoff, Thomas Wynn, Giti Khalsa and the rest of the band will probably be playing lots of Allman Brothers, Molly…
The Abbey turns into the Kit Kat Klub for their production of ‘Cabaret’
If you really want to get the full experience out of this local production of the legendary 1960s musical (which was later adapted into a film starring Liza Minnelli and directed by Bob Fosse), don’t miss the immersive preshow experience. Arrive two hours before curtain time and see the Abbey transformed into the seedy Kit…
Winter With the Writers: renowned authors onstage at Rollins every Thursday in February
It’s February, and the weather is briefly mellow in Central Florida. It’s the time of the year when Orlandoans dig out our favorite sweaters, our flannel shirts, our hats that look like they’ve been shoved into the back of a closet for nine months, because, you know, they have been. At the same time, like…
Lulu Eightball (2/4/15)
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Gimme Shelter (2/4/15)
This pretty girl is Gracie (A310214). She is a 2-year-old energetic pup who loves to play fetch outside and will drop the ball right in front of your feet and wait for you to throw it again. She was recently found as a stray and she’s heartworm positive. We encourage potential adopters to learn more…
Opening in Orlando: ‘Jupiter Ascending,’ ‘Seventh Son,’ ‘The Spongebob Movie: Sponge out of Water’
Jupiter Ascending: Saying that the Wachowski sibs make commercial disappointments is like calling the Holocaust “regrettable.” Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas … their list of expensive flops is longer than Michael Fassbender’s inseam. Into that tradition walks Jupiter Ass Ending (bless you, Autocorrect!), a sci-fi actioner that puts Channing Tatum on the trail of a princess…
Gazing into the abyss: ‘Black Mirror’ looks at you as much as you look at it
Black Mirror may have been released back in 2011 on the U.K.’s Channel 4, but it’s becoming more familiar to American audiences since its release on Netflix. An anthology series, each episode has nothing to do with the others as far as plot or characters go, but they all share a thematic unity focused on…
The Cowfish’s eccentric eats make dining at Universal CityWalk fun again
Sometimes bringing together two polar opposites works: creamy, fatty peanut butter and tart, acidic jelly; nerdy, awkward Ross and sexy, flighty Rachel. In the case of the Cowfish, an outpost of the home-grown North Carolina-based resto, it’s burgers and sushi. And it works. In the midst of celebrity-branded restaurants and kiosks slinging theme-park kitsch, the…
Remix: The really, really Black Russian
As the usual beginning-of-the-year preoccupation with cleanses and detox fads swirled around my FaceTwitstagram in January, I was intrigued by one of them: activated charcoal. Touted as the key to everything from a cleaner liver to clearer skin to a hangover- and gas-free existence, the inky-black powder also just, well, looks cool. Mix it with…
Florida Legislature hard at work trying to approve more guns in more places
Quote of the Week: “And, if you leave firearms to looters and criminals, that makes the situation even more dangerous for law enforcement and first responders. In a hurricane-prone state like Florida, this bill is a no-brainer. When families are ordered to evacuate their homes, they must take children, pets, personal valuables and flee. They…
With just four productions under their belt, Dark Side of Saturn is shaping up as a theater company to watch
As I said in my last column, it’s been an incredibly busy week in Orlando culture. In the past few days, I saw the national tour of Disney’s Newsies (read my less-than-glowing review on our blog), attended the opening night of Cabaret at the Abbey (you can also find that more positive review online) and…
Multitasking, mom-avoiding and monumental success: Free Will Astrology for Feb. 4-10
This week, our syndicated astrology columnist incorporates fun facts about fashion maven Ben Franklin, Monty Python’s John Cleese, Kill Bill, and Queen Victoria’s overbearing mom. It’s our most educational gallery of the week, Free Will Astrology. Related Stories
Picks This Week: JMSN, Uncle Lou’s Birthday Show and more
Kongos This band of four brothers rose to popularity on hits like “Come With Me Now” and “I’m Only Joking” off their sophomore album, Lunatic, which was re-released on Epic last year. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the Beacham, $22-$25 Michael Parallax Michael Parallax is a machine, turning out new music and bumping it…
This Modern World (2/4/15)
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DJ Y-Not returns to town to celebrate Lazy Afternoon, Orlando’s brainiest dance party
Don’t sleep: That’s the best advice DJ Y-Not has for anyone who mistakenly believes nothing good ever happens in Orlando. Early in his DJ career, the sought-after Miami DJ – whose recent gigs include opening for legends like DJ Premier and spinning at NBA star Dwyane Wade’s birthday party by personal request – released the…
Savage Love (2/4/15)
My husband and I are a straight couple in our early 50s, and we’ve been married for more than 30 years. We were raised to wait for sex till we got married – this was back in the early ’80s – and we did. Our wedding night was pretty disappointing since neither of us knew what…
This Little Underground: Mark Kozelek’s maybe not such a dick
Yes, that was the music of Gainesville indie meteor Hundred Waters on the Coca-Cola Super Bowl commercial. Landing one of the world’s most primetime spots is an impossible idea for an esoteric homegrown band, but it just happened. Congratulate them when they return (March 13, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts). The Beat With…
Carl Knickerbocker’s ‘suburban primitive’ films are a poetic protest against unchecked development
Carl Knickerbocker is an Oviedo-based filmmaker and painter who has claimed for himself the sobriquet “surburban primitivist.” His exploration in this self-defined genre concentrates on the tension between urban affluence and the perils of modern consumerism that he surveys from his Oviedo redoubt. Knickerbocker has lived for many years on a sprawling family property overgrown…
