Cover Story
Money, connections and political promise helped prime former Florida governor Jeb Bush for a presidential run
In Texas, a Focused Jeb Bush Stood Out From the Crowd by Ryan McCrimmon, The Texas Tribune March 17, 2015 Before Jeb Bush was a likely White House contender, or the governor of Florida, or a wealthy real estate broker, a banker, a college tennis player or even a pot-smoking prep school student — before…
Explore racial stereotypes and try to drink past them at Backbooth for White Trash Bash III: Cinco de Drinko
If you’re like us, you appreciate the American co-opting of the minor Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo because it’s a reason to pound Patrón on a Tuesday and that’s basically like half your job, but you’re a little skeeved out by all the casual racism that surrounds the usual celebration: sombreros, fake mustaches, dickheads decked…
Snap Space hosts the arty, boozy finale of Art & Craft Week
Today’s the grand finale of a chill cocktail fest that’s been happening since last Sunday. The first iteration of what we hope will be an annual tradition, Art & Craft is a tripartite matchmaker, tying a spirit to a bar to a local artist for the week, then leaning back to see the sparks fly.…
The Fleshtones slosh their stylistic mop through punk, garage and rockabilly at Will’s Pub
Formed in 1976, the Fleshtones are nearly 40 years into their career of confusing genre purists by sloshing their stylistic mop through punk, garage, New Wave and rockabilly (and anything else that goes completely nuts) in order to achieve their unclassifiable energy. Their album output has been remarkably steady since their full-length debut in 1982,…
Watch a bunch of bug-eyed, apple-headed dogs run around at Cocina 214’s Running of the Chihuahuas
Pamplona can have its Running of the Bulls – give us 100 tiny, bug-eyed, apple-headed dogs running down a racetrack relay-style any day. The event, sponsored by Cocina 214, allows anyone to register their Chihuahua to run the race, and the proceeds benefit Winter Park Lost Pets and A Cause 4 Paws Rescue. Registration begins…
It’s hard to say no to the Naysayer’s look at nature in ‘The Understory’ at Stardust
It’s hard to believe in our post-camera-enabled smartphone culture, but there was a time when the only way to know what a certain species of animal, insect, plant or whatever looked like was to check out detailed drawings made by people who actually had seen that thing. Though scientific illustration doesn’t really get the respect…
Tigers Jaw charms their way from pop punk to indie rock at the Social
This spring, Tigers Jaw released Charmer, securing their transition from pop punk to indie rock. They’ve come a long way since their first album, Belongs to the Dead, released by Summersteps Records in 2006. Since then, three original members have left the band, leaving only Ben Walsh and Brianna Collins to keep the group together…
Uncle Tony’s Donut Shoppe invites DJ Kemit to share his favorite records at their grand opening
Though the newest entry to the city’s list of vinyl purveyors technically opened a few weeks ago, tonight is their real, full-fledged inaugural soiree. The shop caters to the hard-core collector, offering deep cuts and first pressings with an ear toward the funk, soul and jazz sections of the musical spectrum. To highlight that, the…
The Orlando Philharmonic and Florida Opera Theatre bring Puccini’s ‘Tosca’ to the Bob Carr this weekend
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra presents one of the biggest opera events of the season this weekend, as they perform Giacomo Puccini’s beloved opera Tosca at the Bob Carr Theater with the assistance of Florida Opera Theatre. This fully staged production will keep you on the edge of your seat as you’re taken on an intense…
Gringos Locos in the Milk District adds patio, repaves parking lot
Praise the lord and pass the guacamole! Gringos Locos in the Milk District is adding a new patio and, AND, repaving their hellscape parking lot. That makes us pretty happy. We got a few pictures of the WIP: It’s a little stark at the moment, but they’ll be adding seating soon. In the meantime, we’ll…
Photos: Demolition of Tinker Field begins
Today demolition began on historic Tinker Field. In May, the City Council voted to give the field “historic designation,” meaning that it would be recognized as a historic spot and could end up getting a plaque or a marker to explain its significance, and that some portion of it would be preserved. But that doesn’t save…
Sweaty unitards: Disney must reinstate three workers fired after refusing to wear dirty costumes
We’ve always wondered how gross it might be to suit up in one of those costumes Disney cast members share, and it turns out the answer is: It can be pretty gross. Three Disney performers were fired last June when they refused to put on sweaty, dirty spandex unitards and perform in the “Festival of…
Catch Alanis Morissette at Hard Rock Live before she’s really gone
If you’re still singing singles from Jagged Little Pill into your hairbrush on occasional mornings (or self-pitying/self-indulgent evenings, not judging), you should head (over feet) to Hard Rock Live for Alanis Morissette, who comes to town for an acoustic evening this week. (Be warned: Tickets are kinda pricey.) Morissette took a break from music and touring after her…
Thank you, Saiyan Jesus! We’re getting a brand new ‘Dragon Ball’ series!
In a blaze of Super Saiyan glory, Toei Animation announced today that the first Dragon Ball series in 18 years will be debuting in July. What?! I KNOW. Titled Dragon Ball Super, the new show will take place some time after the events of the film Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection “F” as our hero Goku…
Hood billionaire Rick Ross comes to Gilt Nightclub in May
Gilt Nightclub can be a tricky club to track if it’s not your default party place, but they’ve got posters plastered all over downtown alerting Orlando that Miami rapper Rick Ross will be movin’ bass on Sunday, May 24 at Gilt. (Info here.) Show starts at 9 p.m. and goes on all night in lavish Gilt…
Half off all vinyl at Rabbitfoot Records in Sanford until Wednesday
Last month, we got an update from Rabbitfoot Records – the coffee lounge and vinyl shop that’s making all kinds of Sanford buzz – and found out they’d be opening a second location and that they had resumed record-cutting services in the shop (from when they used to be located in Titusville; they’ve since split…
This just in: Florida House takes its ball and goes home three days before session ends
We just received a notification from the News Service of Florida that the state House of Representatives adjourned its session “sine die,” which means they don’t plan to come back until they have to, at 1:15 p.m. today, three days before session is even supposed to end. This while the Senate is struggling to come…
According to a recent report, senior citizens are getting wrecked at Orlando theme parks
Long lines, excruciating heat and mobs upon mobs of happy children can tear down even the most robust individuals, and so, it should come as no surprise that according to a recent quarterly injury report to the state of Florida, a large portion of theme park injuries are happening to our nation’s elderly. Harry…
What does Florida have more of than any other state per capita? Hint: It’s not Ron Jon shirts
Do you want to know which state has the most property crime per capita, or how about which state is riddled with the most student loan debt? Well, thankfully, the number crunchers over at Estately, a real estate company that churns out state-specific viral content like an SEO assembly line, have compiled this helpful list…
Walt Disney World announces free dining plans for 2015
One of the priciest things about visiting Walt Disney World, as anybody who’s spent any time there can attest, is dining. The food is part of the experience, so you don’t want to eat too many of your meals out of your hotel microwave. And the best (and most cost effective) way to sample the…
Watch this Florida sheriff painfully explain “black culture”
Escambia County Sheriff Thelbert “David” Morgan posted this video last week in an effort to discuss his feelings on “Black Culture” and, presumably, to see how far he can jam is loafers into his mouth. The 30-year law veteran kicked things off by condemning the term “African American,” stating, “First off, let me take issue with…
Catch a free screening of ‘The White House Overture,’ the documentary about Timucua, tonight
Have you been to the White House? No, not 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. We’ve written a lot about the Timucua Arts White House over the years (like this, and this, and this, and lots more) and from firsthand experience, we can tell you: People are generally gobsmacked the first time they walk in, whether they’re random…
The ‘Bob’s Burgers’ cookbook is a real thing and we will be wanting it for Christmas, thanks
Speculation was rampant at the beginning of the year that the man behind The Bob’s Burger Experiment, Cole Bowden, would actually publish a cookbook collecting his recipe tributes to the Fox animated show. Finally he’s announced that the rumors are true: Rizzoli has signed on as publisher, though no publication date has been announced. Bob’s Burgers creator…
This Little Underground: Sage Francis & Solillaquists of Sound reunite (The Social)
It’s always a little extra special when alt-rap icon Sage Francis comes to town. His talent and power of presence alone makes any return a welcome one, and the latest appearance (April 23, The Social) was a reaffirmation of his mastery as one of game’s most eminent thinkers and expressionists. With heat and conviction, he…
Orange County Animal Services is full, so now would be a great time to adopt a pet
Orange County Animal Services is full – so full that the shelter is running out of room, and it needs adopters to come adopt some dogs and cats just to make room for the insane number of animals it’s taking in daily. The shelter usually averages about 50 animals coming into the shelter daily, but…
Beer 30 Friday: Florida Legislature finally approves 64-ounce growlers
The biggest beer news in the state this week was the unanimous passage of a growler bill in both the State house and Senate. The bill, SB 186, only has to be signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott, who we’re hoping takes the aisle-bridging bipartisan support for this bill as a sign that he…
Film Review: ‘See You In Valhalla’ is tolerable at best
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before—an estranged family is reunited through tragedy and after 90 minutes at each other’s throats they learn to love one another, warts and all. Such is the familiar case with See You in Valhalla, a by-the-numbers family “dramedy” with a few meager surprises and even less personality. Previously,…
You can do magic: Kostya Kimlat to lead magic classes at Dr. Phil summer camp
This summer, the Dr. Phillips Center Florida Hospital School of Arts & Wellness (say that in one breath) will partner with Kostya Kimlat and his “team of certified and trained magicians” in a weeklong session at their inaugural summer camp. According to the Dr. Phil communiqué we just received, Kimlat’s See Magic Live program: ……
Floridaman tries to kiss venomous snake and is immediately bitten on the lips
Last Saturday, Wimauma resident Austin Hatfield, a man whose hobby is kissing snakes, was not surprisingly bitten in the face by a cottonmouth he kept in a pillow case. It was originally reported that Hatfield was bitten after the snake (also known as a water moccasin) escaped the pillowcase. However, his friends told Fox 13…
Alafaya Trail McDonald’s lets customers create their own burgers
A McDonald’s located on Alafaya Trail has become the first one in the area to launch a new create-your-own burger concept – and it’s not just any McDonald’s either. This one has a tie to Winter Park gastropub the Ravenous Pig, so the willingness to be inventive should come as no surprise. But more on…
15-Minutes of Fame Film Festival to hit I-Drive
The Florida Film Festival has been over for less than a week. But if you’re a festival junkie and can’t wait for Fringe, fear not, for the 15-Minutes of Fame Film Festival has relocated from Cocoa Beach to Orlando and will be screening roughly 50 short movies this weekend – for free – at the…
Two words: Taco cannon
You're reading this tweet correctly: taco cannon at the new arena. https://t.co/BcmUCO17Bk — UNO (@UNOmaha) April 22, 2015 I bet you never thought you’d actually want to go to Omaha, Nebraska, did you? Well, that was probably true until you heard about the latest feature at University of Nebraska-Omaha’s brand-new Mavericks Stadium: a taco cannon.…
Neil Young’s upcoming album will be named after agribusiness giant Monsanto
Rocker Neil Young has a new album dropping this June. Its name? The Monsanto Years. And, no, that’s not a tribute to the giant agriculture and chemical company. Young is not a fan, to put it mildly. Rolling Stone first reported in January that Young said he was working on an album called The Monsanto Years,…
This Little Underground: Peter Hook & the Light play Joy Division (Plaza Live)
As the man whose bass lines essentially defined the sound of the post-punk generation, Peter Hook is as big of an indie legend as they come. For the past five years, he and his current band the Light have essentially functioned as a Joy Division and New Order cover band, and their current tour brings…
Universal Orlando hosted #Floridaman twice this week
It’s not often that Floridaman makes public appearances at Orlando’s theme parks, but this week, he showed up at Universal Orlando. Twice. In the first incident, 41-year-old Sean Englemann was allegedly caught trying to climb over a fence to get into Universal for free on Sunday. He didn’t get far – he was stopped by loss…
Don’t pet the poison oak: Free Will Astrology for the week of April 23-29
Are you itching to know what the future holds, or do you just want to scratch beneath the surface of everyday tedium and find some underlying meaning? Either way, Rob Breszny has a list of fun facts that may soothe your burning urges, including tidbits about the F-word, gift cards, and the benefits of taking…
Theater review: ‘Pippin’ at the Dr. Phillips Center
“Join us,” plead the opening lyrics of Steven Schwartz’s Pippin, which opened last night at the Dr. Phillips Center (now through April 26), and from the striking first image of silhouetted jazz hands, we’re sorely tempted to run away and join this sumptuous circus. Director Diane Paulus reimagined the 1972 show for its Tony-winning 2013…
Orange County Property Appraiser’s office unveils new Prius fleet
While walking down Orange Avenue today, the cutest little white Toyota Prius wrapped in Orange County Property Appraiser official logos and officialness rolled on by. Then another one. Then another. Prii. Lots of them. They were headed to the Amway Center for Property Appraiser Rick Singh’s Earth Day event, at which he unveiled a whole…
Letters to a Satanist: Will a proposed 10 Commandments monument in Arkansas inspire another Satanic statue?
Arkansas recently introduced a bill to place a 10 Commandments monument on their Capitol grounds. Does The Satanic Temple have plans to petition for their own monument in reply? Arkansas is a state that has risen solidly into the upper rankings for violent crimes (11th of 50), while in the course of the past 2…
Wilco’s career restrospective What’s Your 20? favors songs obsessed with drugs, heartache and identity crisis
A new generation of music fans checked the mirror for gray hairs last November when Wilco dropped their career retrospective double album, What’s Your 20? Essential Tracks 1994-2014. The imaginative, genre-leaping instrumentation and thought-provoking poetry in Jeff Tweedy’s lyrics – which can be staggeringly simple or epiphany-inducing from their complexity – launched the band to…
Picks This Week: Earthday Birthday, Ben Prestage and more
Ben Prestage Florida native Ben Prestage knows a thing or 20 million about swamp blues, and his stretched-out sets stomp through country, blues and folk until the music gives in and bows out, showing his mangrove roots. 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, at Will’s Pub, $8 Sage Francis and Solillaquists of Sound Having think-rap giant…
Sexy Spanish steakhouse Capa soars to the top of our list of must-eat restaurants
I’m not going to deliver a diatribe on levels of service at restaurants in this city, but just know that the “good help is hard to find” dictum is as common an utterance among chefs and owners as the general dining public. So it’s always nice to go to a place where they understand and…
Savage Love (4/22/15)
I’m an American woman living abroad and have started a relationship with a wonderful man from a Middle Eastern country. We are having a great time exploring what is a foreign country for both of us. The looming issue is sex, of course. He is a moderate Muslim, but he grew up in a strict…
This Little Underground: A new dawn for FMF?
We could be looking at a whole new era for the Florida Music Festival (April 16-18) here. By ditching big-name headliners and showing the music for free, the city’s longest-running music festival made a seismic pivot this year. The organizers were pretty frank with me in admitting that the headliner business had become a headache,…
Ivanhoe development project the Yard proceeds
On the agenda for the Orlando City Council this week was an item that requested that the city “abandon” sections of Alden Road in Ivanhoe Village to make way for the Yard at Ivanhoe Village, a multistory mixed-use project proposed by Real Estate Inverlad. Abandonment of the roadways would turn them over to Inverlad, which…
President Obama to make Earth Day speech in the Everglades
Perhaps President Barack Obama’s trip to the Everglades on Earth Day this week to talk about climate change is his way of flipping the bird to Gov. Rick Scott for all of the jackassery he’s engaged in recently. Obama will be in the Everglades April 22 to talk about how climate change and rising sea…
Gov. Scott threatens to sue Obama over program he was informed would be canceled a year ago
Quote of the Week: “From where I sit, it is difficult to understand how suing CMS on day 45 of a 60-day session regarding an issue the state has been aware of for the last 12 months will yield a timely resolution to the critical healthcare challenges facing our state.” – Senate President Andy Gardiner,…
Gimme Shelter (4/22/15)
Meet the lovely Kimber. Kimber (Animal ID #A301435) is a very sweet 2-year-old dog who loves to be petted. She was surrendered to the shelter by her owner a few weeks ago, and she’s still looking for a new home. She absolutely loves treats, and she can do some tricks for you as well. She…
Florida Anime Experience is “the only 100 percent pure anime convention in Florida”
Need proof that the nerds have had their revenge? Just look at your Facebook feed. Between last week’s The Force Awakens trailer release at Anaheim’s Star Wars Celebration and Orlando’s convention center-stuffing MegaCon the week before, it’s clear that pop culture cons have become an Internet-breaking cash cow. The time to gawk at geeks is…
Selections: Our picks for the best events this week
Having think-rap giant Sage Francis back in town would be occasion enough, as would having our own hip-hop superheroes Solillaquists of Sound electrify the stage like they especially do for their transcendental hometown shows. But having them both back together? Well, this is gonna be huge. Orlando knew the Solillaquists’ worth early on, but it…
Opening in Orlando: Age of Adaline, Little Boy Roma, The Water Diviner
Age of Adaline: Having to appear in a shitty Green Lantern movie is the sort of experience that can really age an actress, right? Apparently not! In Age of Adaline, Blake Lively plays a woman who develops a condition that allows her to go through the 20th century without growing any older, affording her the…
To look at the work of Byron Browne and Peter Reginato is to see the armature for contemporary abstraction
DeLand’s leafy mien is a welcome respite from the hot chaos of the city, reassuring the visitor there is still order in this world. On Woodland Boulevard’s busy sidewalk, a nude on a large banner boldly proclaims the Museum of Art’s new show, and this small Southern town is swinging enough to go with it.…
Belle Isle Yacht Pub is a lot like drinking at a friend’s house
Belle Isle Yacht Pub Address/phone/web: 7521 S. Orange Ave., 407-850-3491 After work or after hours? Both Beer/wine or liquor too? Beer 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 of…
Alex Garland takes an all-too-familiar plotline and makes it his own in Ex Machina
The Frankenstein template has endured as one of the most retread themes in literature and art since Mary Shelley first conjured her modern Prometheus in the early 19th century. A brilliant, troubled scientist creates an intelligent robot that becomes self-aware. The creator fails to acknowledge the individuality of its creation and yadda yadda yadda, the…
