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16 new Orlando restaurants you need to try in 2016
State of the plate
Trials of some of the suspects arrested in connection with Apopka dog-fighting bust have begun
According to documents from State Attorney Jeff Ashton’s office, the trials of eight of the defendants arrested in connection with the May 2014 dog-fight bust that took place in Apopka began on Monday, Jan. 25. According to court documents, there were 26 co-defendants in the case; two have already pled and others are on appeal. …
New bill would make performing an abortion a felony in Florida
Despite the fact that U.S. Supreme Court justices affirmed that women have a right to abortions in Roe v. Wade, some Florida lawmakers are ignoring this 43-year-old ruling and proposing a bill that would pretty much ban abortions in the state. The Miami Herald reports the Florida House’s Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted to advance HB…
Meet the 12 Orlando puppies appearing in Puppy Bowl XII
It’s time once again for the greatest showcase of passion, strength and sportsmanship in America: The Puppy Bowl. This year, Florida Little Dog Rescue is contributing 12 pint-sized Orlando pups to Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XII. Florida Little Dog Rescue, located in St. Cloud, has had puppies in the bowl since Puppy Bowl X in 2014. Last…
A hidden safe was found at Pablo Escobar’s Miami Beach mansion
A safe that may have belonged to the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was recently unearthed during the demolition of his former Miami Beach mansion. At about 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 25, construction worker Miguel Mato was operating an excavator when he found a metal combination-locked safe hidden in the concrete foundation of a wall,…
6 upcoming tap takeovers and beer events for Orlando suds lovers
You know what’s super awesome about modern beer culture? You don’t have to travel more than a couple of miles to still get to taste brews from all over the country (nay, world!), including smaller breweries who don’t have their own brick-and-mortar storefronts yet (or who don’t intend to get one ever). Here are a…
Watch these Florida swimmers nearly collide with a pelican
Last weekend a brown pelican, a gregarious bird who doesn’t give a damn about aquatic sports, decided to crash a Florida swim meet. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the bird understandably attempted to use the heated pool twice during a youth swim meet in St. Petersburg last Saturday, Jan. 23. The bird’s second attempt…
![[UPDATE] Date set for Wahlburgers grand opening party, and yes, Mark will be in attendance](https://i0.wp.com/www.orlandoweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/screen_shot_2016-01-21_at_1.21.58_pm.png?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1)
[UPDATE] Date set for Wahlburgers grand opening party, and yes, Mark will be in attendance
Wahlburgers, the burger chain founded by three burger-loving brothers with a reality show, has finally set an opening date for its new downtown Orlando location, and, of course, A&E is filming the party. The new location will be located at 200 S. Orange Ave. and, according to the event page, the grand opening celebration will…
Insane Inflatable 5K is about to blow up this weekend in Kissimmee
This weekend, joggers can test their inner 12-year-old in an approximately three-mile long bouncy house course in Kissimmee, Florida. Making its way across the country in more than 115 cities, the Insane Inflatable 5K will take place Saturday, Jan. 30 at 8:30 a.m. in Osceola Heritage Park. The course incorporates more than 11 inflatable obstacles…
Orlando Meats not opening on Colonial Drive
We’ll start with the bad news. Orlando Meats, the purveyor of local grass-fed and pasture-raised meats, will not be moving into the Euro Living/Cruises Only building on East Colonial Drive as previously reported. That deal, it seems, fell through. The good news: Orlando Meats will set up shop on Virginia Drive next to Santiago’s Bodega,…
Tech workers file lawsuit against Disney, claim company replaced them with immigrants
Last year, we told you how Walt Disney World laid off 250 of its technology workers and replaced them with workers employed by HCL America, a branch of a company based in India that helps American companies hire cheap foreign labor. Not only did these 250 workers lose their jobs – they also had to…
Falcon’s Creative Group will spearhead Fun Spot’s new long-term vision plan
Fun Spot recently announced a long-term vision plan for their Orlando location that is being spearheaded by Orlando’s very own Falcon’s Creative Group. The Orlando location, in recent years, has seen a major expansion that featured the addition of two roller coasters, including Orlando’s only wooden coaster. (The only other operating one in Florida is…
Orlando City Commission votes to buy Constitution Green Park for $5.9 million
Orlando City Commission voted Monday to approve the purchase of Constitution Green Park and the giant oak tree that sits on the 1.87-acre property. The city agreed to pay the current owners $3.34 million in cash from the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, and a bank property on Gore Street valued at about $2.5 million. Downtown…
Study unsurprisingly ranks Florida as best place to retire
In case it wasn’t already obvious, people love to retire in Florida. A recent study from financial website WalletHub shows that the Sunshine State ranks No. 1 in the U.S. for states to retire in, again. Various aspects — life expectancy, the 65-plus population in the area, etc. — were analyzed when looking at what makes a location…
FSU settles with Jameis Winston’s sexual assault accuser for $950K
Florida State University has agreed to pay $950,000 in a federal Title IX lawsuit to settle with a former student who says she was sexually assaulted in 2012 by FSU quarterback Jameis Winston. In exchange for agreeing to drop the lawsuit, the student will receive $250,000, and her lawyers will get $700,00 in attorney fees, according…
With World of Coke opening at Disney Springs, will Club Cool remain?
Disney Springs is continuing its transformation, with most of the focus on the new restaurants and higher-end retail. While these aspects are a part of the move from the 1990s Downtown Disney to the more aesthetically pleasing Disney Springs, the transformation also means the addition of new tenants. A World of Coke now looks to…
Your Epcot trip is about to have a bit more Joy and Sadness
Baymax recently took up residence at Epcot in the former Innoventions West. The new meet-and-greet, sans Hiro, is across the breezeway from the Character Spot where other meet-and-greets are located. Well, poor Baymax won’t be lonely for long. Disney is expected to announce within the next few days that Joy and Sadness from last year’s…
Florida might say goodbye to red light cameras
A Florida without red light cameras may be a reality closer down the road than expected. The House Economic Affairs Committee has passed HB 4027: Traffic Infraction Detectors, which restricts local governments from using red light cameras. Before the bill goes to the full House, it needs to get passed by the House Appropriations Committee…
Baltimore noise act Jeff Carey brings digital attack to Torche bill (Will’s Pub)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Rising new Tampa murderers Meatwound were the band I was most pumped to see on this bill (Jan. 22, Will’s Pub) but I’ve written tons about them since getting demolished by them last year – like this and this – and don’t have much new to say about them so soon. Same…
Oblivion Taproom closing at end of January
Super-sad news for lovers of craft beer and ridiculous burgers: Oblivion Taproom has announced that they will close almost immediately. Sunday, Jan. 31, is their last day in operation, according to this post on their Facebook page today. It is with heavy hearts that we announce Oblivion will be closing our doors, our last day…
Florida House to vote on bill that would lay groundwork for fracking
Lest you think that the state Legislature’s attempt to permit fracking in the state of Florida is only hypothetical, here’s a scary tidbit we learned today: Both houses of the Legislature are considering an industry-friendly bill that would lay the groundwork for fracking to happen in the state, and at least one version of that…
Bill Nelson requests federal probe of Florida’s mortgage assistance program
After a Tampa Bay Times story last week shed light on Florida’s Hardest Hit Fund, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is asking for a federal investigation into the mortgage assistance program. The Times’ story reports tens of thousands of Florida homeowners are still waiting for help. The $7.6 billion fund was created by the Treasury Department to…
FSU researchers claim excessive selfie posting leads to relationship issues
Although the front camera showers selfiers of the world with unconditional love, they might find romance in the real world is more than just a battlefield. According to a recent study by Florida State University researchers, individuals that post more selfies on Instagram have a greater chance of facing conflict and dissolution in their romantic relationships.…
Brevard man arrested for trying to save his dogs from burning house
Wendell Joyner was trying to save his three dogs from his burning home Wednesday when Brevard County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested him for ignoring firefighters’ commands, WKMG News 6 reports. Joyner escaped from the house fire, which apparently started in his television, and realized his dogs were still inside. Brevard County Fire Rescue, who responded…
An 8 foot crocodile was found in a Florida man’s pool
A Florida Keys resident received an interesting housewarming gift in his backyard Thursday morning. After moving from Pennsylvania into a $6 million Florida Keys home less than a week ago, the man found an 8-foot-long American crocodile in his pool. While local Fish and Wildlife officials were deciding what they wanted to do with the…
15 things you want to eat at the Vietnamese New Year festival, Jan. 30-31 and Feb. 6-7
We’re still a couple of weeks out, but it’s high time you started planning your culinary sojourn around the Central Florida Fairgrounds to celebrate the Year of the Monkey. Lunar New Year celebrations start the last weekend in January and continue through President’s Day Weekend, and even though the two weekend events at the fairgrounds…
Enzian Theater expansion plans draw questions and complaints from neighbors
Enzian Theater presented their expansion plans to the Maitland Planning & Zoning Commission on Thursday night, drawing questions from commissioners and criticism from about a dozen citizens who live near the theater. The plans – similar to those first revealed by The Orlando Weekly in 2013 – call for the addition of two theaters (both…
A Burmese python bigger than two Shaqs was captured near Miami
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer found a beast of a Burmese python on Monday, Jan. 18. While on duty in Miami’s Rocky Glades Small Game Area, the officer came across a 16-foot-10-inch python lying out in the sun, reports the organization’s Facebook page. The reptile goliath was caught and euthanized as part of the…
Lake Nona’s Canvas Restaurant to open Jan. 25
We first told you about the Tavistock Restaurant Collection’s plans to open a lakeside resto in Lake Nona’s Laureate Park last July. Then in November we told you its name — Canvas Restaurant and Market. Now we can tell you that the restaurant plans to open Monday, Jan. 25. Judging from these photos, Canvas paints…
Sriracha lovers, rejoice: to-go packets are available now
Even though the red rooster sauce is pretty ubiquitous these days, there are some places where you just might think, “I really want to put sriracha on this,” but there’s no green-capped bottle to be found. Or, even more dire, for driver’s-seat breakfast sandwiches. Instant McMuffin upgrade. That problem is no more. Sriracha2Go, the company…
Shannon & the Clams anchor a killer bill for Norsekorea’s fifth anniversary Saturday at Backbooth
As if a visit from Oakland, California’s dreamy retro-steeped Shannon and the Clams weren’t significant enough in its own right, this show happens to be the first of two five-year anniversary parties for local promoter powerhouse Norsekorea. Known for bringing quality talent to an area often neglected by touring bands, Norsekorea has developed a reputation…
The Temptations and the Four Tops throw back to Motown’s heyday at the Dr. Phillips Center Sunday
What started out as a “battle of the bands” set piece for the now-legendary Motown 25 TV special way back in 1983 has, over the last 30-plus years, turned into an ongoing and appropriately wonderful series of tours featuring Motown’s two greatest vocal groups. Of course, the years have taken their toll in various ways,…
Red Priest breathes some life into Vivaldi at Rollins College Sunday
When one imagines a baroque concert, the image that comes to mind is that of a hundred elegantly dressed musicians performing as still and upright as possible, and while there is nothing wrong with such an event, Red Priest – whose name is a reference to the ordained ginger composer Antonio Vivaldi – tends to…
Scott H. Biram blends country, blues, punk and metal at Will’s Pub on Saturday
Early in his career, Scott Biram was nearly killed in a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer. He ended up wheelchair-bound for more than four months as he recovered from multiple surgeries to install rods and plates in his limbs and remove a foot and a half of lower intestine. “I played a show a week…
Tickets for Mac Sabbath, world’s only McDonald’s-themed Black Sabbath tribute, go on sale today
Internet celebrities Mac Sabbath, the band that pays equal tribute to McDonald’s mascots and Black Sabbath, will play the Social on Wednesday, March 9, it was announced this week. The California band’s popularity exploded this past year after clips went viral on sites like Paste and Consequence of Sound. Their elaborate stage show features parodies…
State Attorney Jeff Ashton is running for re-election
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Jeff Ashton announced Thursday he filed paperwork to run for re-election this year, according to a press release from FOCUS Strategies. “I’m very proud of the work we have done over the past three years to bring the office into the 21st century,” Ashton, who was elected in 2012, says in a statement.…
Orange County prepared to weather next financial downturn, economic experts say
At the 2016 Orange County Economic Summit, the financial picture painted is not as bright as last year, but strong enough to weather the next economic downturn. Central Florida is in better shape because it has diversified its economy from hospitality to technology and health care, says Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central…
S. Orlando Avenue is about to close, brace yourself for impending inconvenience
Future plans to travel on S. Orlando Avenue (or US Highway 17-92) may need to be put on hold as southbound lanes are set to close in the near future. “We’re rehabilitating that section of road in that area, which includes removing the existing concrete slabs, replacing the earth work down there and repaving the…
New fare-free LYNX bus route to connect Downtown and Parramore
The City Beautiful is adding two more LYMMO bus routes to connect the Orlando area. Beginning on Sunday, Jan. 24, the fare-free bus service will include the new LYMMO Lime Line, which will connect Parramore residents to the LYNX Central Station, the SunRail and the Downtown core, according to a City of Orlando press release. …
Kick the tires and light the fires: Monster Jam returns to the Citrus Bowl this weekend
Wham, bam, the Monster Jam. Get up everybody and do the freak. Or just scream enthusiastically at giant trucks. Like the dreams-come-true of a 7-year-old, the Monster Jam combines ridiculously impractical trucks with all of the pageantry and spectacle of professional wrestling to create entertainment that’s larger than life – and tons of fun to…
Kick off Zora! Fest on Saturday with a dinner inspired by dishes mentioned in her work
If you’ve lived in Orlando for long, you’ve probably heard of Zora Neale Hurston, the Harlem Renaissance writer who grew up in Eatonville and later immortalized it in her stories. In her ethnographic masterwork Mules and Men, Hurston collected and preserved not just the folk tales but also the folkways and traditions of early 20th-century…
Women photographers of NatGeo show stunning work at OMA’s ‘Women of Vision’
Even though the long, slow “death of print” resulted in it being sold to Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox global media empire, National Geographic is regarded as the source for thought-provoking, eye-opening and heartbreaking images from around the globe. Whether it’s wildlife, war, day-to-day life of human beings around the globe, or the silent majesty…
Anti-fracking activists descend on Tallahassee
Yesterday activists from across the state descended on Tallahassee to ask legislators to protect Florida from fracking. The Legislature, as you may recall, is set to consider bills this session that would actually ban local governments from restricting or banning fracking within their borders. Just last month, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted…
Clockwork Time Travel: The Steampunk Industrial Show comes to Renninger’s this weekend
If you’re a digital detractor, spouting contempt for modern technological advancement and its role in the demise of world values and culture, you may find solace in the steampunk subculture. Steampunk blends the technology, aesthetics and social standards of the industrial era with Jules Verne-esque sci-fi to create a retro-modern fantasy world. Think clockwork time…
Florida Opera Theatre changes name to Opera Orlando, announces new leadership
Seems like that fat lady is shutting up for now. Far from an end for Florida Opera Theatre, the group today announced an exciting new direction. They’ve changed their name to Opera Orlando and announced new leadership, and John Wettach, president of the Opera Orlando’s board of directors, promises, “There will be powerful changes in every…
Jacksonville firefighters deliver 1,000 gallons of water to stranded, thirsty Ringling Bros. performers
A couple hundred Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey performers were stuck without any water Wednesday afternoon because of a broken down train. While at a stop on the westside of Jacksonville, the circus troupe’s train was unable to access the fire hydrant needed to refill its water supply because of a malfunctioning train…
League of Women Voters releases report pointing out just how expensive Florida’s refusal to expand Medicaid really is
Remember last year when Gov. Rick Scott made such a fuss over the federal government’s decision not to renew low-income pool funding (aka LIP, a pot of money used to help hospitals offset the cost of caring for the uninsured) at the same rate it had offered in the past? You probably haven’t heard much about…
3 local spots to celebrate National Cheese Lovers’ Day
National Cheese Lovers’ Day is today (yes, that’s a thing) and there are at least three spots around town where you can enjoy your perfectly melty, creamy comestibles however you like them. Here are our picks: Toasted (two locations, Winter Park and Lake Nona) For those who love the salty-sweet thing, the two must-picks at…
German artist Mark Gmehling helps Snap open up their new downtown galleries on Thursday
First things first: Snap! Space is not moving out of the historic Cameo Theatre building on Colonial Drive. That location will continue to host the high-quality exhibitions and events you’ve come to expect (like the current Wild Is the Wind exhibit, which you should hit up before it closes on Jan. 30). The new Snap!…
Florida wants to decline 4,460 refugees from settling in state
Despite the federal government’s request to increase the number of refugees going to Florida, state officials have decided to follow the lead of Gov. Rick Scott and are refusing to support the settlement of 4,460 refugees this year. The Tampa Bay Times reports Patti Grogan, the director of refugee services for the Department of Children and…
Old-school rap battle featuring Edo. G at the Social Jan. 21
Let’s travel back to the year 1991. Operation Desert Storm was in full-force, the New York Giants won Super Bowl XXV; unemployment stood at 6.8 percent and Edo. G and Da Bulldogs broke out onto the hip-hop scene with their debut album, Life of a Kid in The Ghetto. Off the album came the group’s…
This Modern World (1/20/16)
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Strikeouts is an unpretentious boozy oasis inside Fashion Square Mall
Strikeouts 3201 E. Colonial Drive, 407-730-9808, orlandofashionsquare.com After work or after hours? After work. Beer/wine or liquor too? Beer, wine and liquor. Check all that apply: ☐ fancy cocktails ☒ make ’em strong and keep ’em coming ☒ wine list (5 choices or more) ☐ craft beer ☒ beer: the usual suspects ☒ wide selection…
Taco Tuesdays at 4 Rivers Smokehouse, 7 new restaurants and more in local foodie news
From Feb. 10-15, Capa Steakhouse at the Four Seasons Resort offers Matsusaka wagyu beef to guests in a tasting menu dubbed “From Matsusaka With Love.” Cost is $250 per couple and will feature a trio of 3-ounce cuts (ribeye, tenderloin, strip loin). Taco Tuesdays at 4 Rivers Smokehouse will get you three brisket tacos and a…
Annual festival honoring writer Zora Neale Hurston invigorates Central Florida Jan. 23-31
Eatonville renaissance
Miami-born quartet Torche eschew metal convention to find their own hard-hitting sound
Heavy as they wanna be
Picks This Week: Arlo Guthrie, Fat Gold Chain Chronicles and more
The Howlin’ Brothers Americana fans will want to check out this traditional Nashville trio, along with one-woman opening act Renee Is a Zombie. 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, at Will’s Pub, $7 Fat Gold Chain Chronicles Swamburger’s competitive hip-hop series brings in special guest Ed O.G. of ’90s hip-hop group Ed O.G. and da Bulldogs.…
In Orlando, many different kinds of entertainment fall under the heading of “nightlife”
Writing Live Active Cultures, I’ve grown conversant with many Central Floridian life forms: theater life, theme park life, artistic life, geek life. But one kind of life I’ve never quite gotten is nightlife. Twenty years ago I dabbled in Orlando’s legendary rave culture, but the closest I’ve come to being a habitual nightclubber was when…
Opening in Orlando: The 5th Wave, The Boy and Dirty Grandpa
The 5th Wave Right now, you’re probably wondering what happened to the world you knew, with the passing of David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Beverly Hillbillies star Donna Douglas (for the second year in a row!) making you doubt that anything is going to keep life worth living in 2016. Well, take a chill, because…
Free Will Astrology (1/20/16)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) The next four weeks could potentially be a Golden Age of Friendship … a State of Grace for Your Web of Connections … a Lucky Streak for Collaborative Efforts. What can you do to ensure that these cosmic tendencies will actually be fulfilled? Try this: Deepen and refine your approach to…
Gimme Shelter (1/20/16)
For the month of January, Orange County Animal Services has reduced all pet adoption fees to $20.16 in celebration of the New Year. For less than you probably spend at happy hour, you can adopt a dog or cat, and it’ll come spayed or neutered, microchipped and up to date on all shots. Orange County…
This Little Underground: Farewell salute to Miami cult hero Blowfly
There’s been far too much tragic music news swirling about recently and, sadly, the latest is about a Florida guy. On Jan. 17, soul provocateur and hip-hop influence Clarence Reid succumbed to liver cancer. He was a serious and credentialed hit songwriter for noted artists like Betty Wright, Gwen McCrae, Sam & Dave and KC…
Savage Love (1/20/16)
I am no longer sexually active, but I have a significant collection of sex toys from earlier years. I’m thinking of getting rid of most of them, and it seems such a waste for them to end up in the landfill. What’s an environmentally responsible way to dispose of dildos? I wish there was a…
Selections: Our picks of the week’s best events, Jan. 20-26
Thursday, 21 Snap! Downtown Grand Opening ART First things first: Snap! Space is not moving out of the historic Cameo Theater building on Colonial Drive. That location will continue to host the high-quality exhibitions and events you’ve come to expect (like the current Wild Is the Wind exhibit, which you should hit up before it…
