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From neon to napalm, OMA’s Florida Prize exhibition is loud, chaotic and totally gorgeous
Last year Glen Gentele, Orlando Museum of Art’s director, inaugurated the Florida Prize in Contemporary art. It’s a simple scheme: three or four judges look at 10 selected regional artists, and the best wins a cash prize. Sounds easy, but comparing paintings to videos to neon lights to napalm … not so easy. This year,…
David Siegel is putting pressure on UCF to start drug testing students
David Siegel, a Florida time share mogul and co-star of the 2012 documentary The Queen of Versailles, wants the University of Central Florida to start forcing mandatory drug tests on students. Besides drug testing on the collegiate level, Siegel also believes drug tests should be in Florida middle schools and high schools. He plans to…
Anti-abortion group protests Nelson, Grayson over Planned Parenthood
A group of anti-abortion activists rallied outside of the Orlando offices of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson Tuesday urging them to take actions against Planned Parenthood. The group, known as Women Betrayed, lists on its website members of Congress who have “benefited” from Planned Parenthood’s sale of fetal tissue for medical…
This Little Underground: Culture Club wraps North American Tour in Orlando (Hard Rock Live)
Culture Club (Aug. 16, Hard Rock Live) is both the quintessence of ‘80s pop flash and something very much beyond it. There are few poster icons as emblematic of that generation than Boy George, but even fewer as deeply and seriously gifted. The truth in that voice was deep enough to outlast any hidebound critique…
Orange County Sheriff’s Office says these dogs from animal cruelty case are in good shape
On July 23, law enforcement officers responded to a call about some dogs living in a yard in Winter Garden – all pit bulls, the dogs were chained to trees and kept in homemade pens and coops. According to affidavits and reports filed with the Orange County Clerk’s office, animal control officers and the Orange…
Market report: Cotton Candy grapes have arrived at Publix
As you can see, people get pretty excited when the designer Cotton Candy grape hits the shelves at Publix, and they’re there now. If you’ve never had them, close your eyes, pop one in your mouth, and prepare to be transported to wherever your favorite spun-sugar memory resides: the fair, the beach, a sports game.…
Watch Marco Rubio hit this kid in the head with a football
Marco Rubio, one of 17 Republican presidential candidates currently hamming around the Iowa State Fair with the hopes of appearing as “regular folk,” hit a little kid in the head with a football Tuesday afternoon. It’s difficult to say who’s to blame here. On one hand, Rubio’s mechanics are terrible and he should have led…
Cupcakes, cheesesteaks, and cheeseburgers in paradise: a roundup of the latest restaurant openings
Cupcake goddess Hollis Wilder (of Sweet! By Holly fame) has acquired the sadly inactive Yum Yum Cupcake Truck, which hasn’t rolled since Joey and Alex sold up and moved to Philly. Wilder will rebrand the vintage silver wagon as Sweet Wheels, and we hope to see it soon again at food truck gatherings. Another Another…
We just added 6 new watering holes to Wednesday’s Drink Around The Hood and you’re invited
Drink Around The Hood, our monthly neighborhood block party where we were literally pour drinks all over Ivanhoe Village, is already a booze-fueled takeover on a massive scale. However, we decided it’s just not big enough, and so we added six new stops for Wednesday’s madness. Got Karma, The Hideaway, The Venue, White Wolf Cafe, The…
Osceola County passes Human Rights Ordinance
Last night, Osceola County became the 11th Florida county to pass a law that prohibits discrimination against gay and transgender Floridians in the workplace, in housing and in other public accommodations. That means that in Osceola County, employers can’t fire someone, businesses can’t refuse to serve someone and landlords can’t refuse to rent to someone…
Tonight at the Mennello: Folk art gallery talk by local collector CJ Williams
If you haven’t made it to the Mennello Museum for their current exhibition, Standing in the Spirit: Selections of Folk Art by Southern Women, tonight’s gallery talk should tempt you. Winter Park folk art collector CJ Williams loaned several pieces to the show, and tonight he’ll discuss the artists and stories behind the works. Williams…
George Zimmerman is raffling a Confederate flag painting to support ‘Muslim-free’ gun shop
George Zimmerman has come out of the woodwork again, this time to support a “Muslim-free” Florida gun store by selling his artwork. Andy Hallinan, the owner of Florida Gun Supply in Inverness, Florida, posted a weird YouTube video in July declaring his store a “Muslim-free zone” because of the recent Chattanooga shootings. The Council on…
Orlando church files petition opposing planned high-rise near Lake Eola
The drama surrounding a planned 28-story tower near Lake Eola Park continues as the Cathedral Church of St. Luke filed a petition Monday opposing the Orlando Municipal Planning Board’s decision to allow the project. In July, the board approved partial plans for the City Centre project, a 215 residential unit high-rise near Lake Eola Park,…
Disney launches new app that gives users full access to its theme park gift shops
Don’t worry, Disney has finally solved the problem of you not spending enough money in their parks. Introducing, the ‘Shop Disney Parks’ app. Available for both iPhone and Android as of August 15, the new app allows Disney fans to remotely shop at the different theme park gift shops, many of which have souvenirs sold…
Guy Fieri, Ina Garten and Emeril Lagasse headline new live chef series at Dr. Phillips Center
As we reported in early June, three of TV’s most popular chefs will appear on the stage of the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, launching the inaugural Chefs at Dr. Phillips Center series. Tickets for the three-part series go on sale 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 21, but as…
Planned Parenthood files emergency injunction to continue abortions near end of first trimester
Planned Parenthood has asked a Leon County judge to intervene and allow some of its Florida facilities to continue to perform abortions near the end of the first trimester. The emergency injunction, which was filed Monday, Aug. 17, comes after Gov. Rick Scott ordered Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration to inspect 16 Planned Parenthood…
Winter Park residents protest in front of dog shooter’s home
Several Winter Park residents and their dogs held a protest Sunday at the home of a 70-year-old man who shot a pet dog in the eye last week. George Allan Burdock told the Winter Park Police Department on Thursday, Aug. 13, that he was walking his two smaller dogs with his wife on Kenwood Avenue…
This Little Underground: Renee Is a Zombie (Ethos), Olde 64 begins free live music Mondays
Renee Is a Zombie (Aug. 14, Ethos Vegan Kitchen) is the solo vehicle of Renee Arozqueta, a now-local multi-instrumentalist originally from the Florida panhandle who is self-described as “anti-folk.” I’m not sure about the fidelity of that tag – in not just her case but ever – but she is a singer-songwriter. Although that’s one…
Will Big Thunder Mountain Railroad receive a thunderous rehab?
Rumors have been circling for some time around updates to Frontierland in Magic Kingdom. With the ever increasing attendance numbers and now New Fantasyland, the thought is Disney needs to do something in Frontierland to even out the crowds in the park. While some speculation has been made on a new boardwalk linking to Haunted…
QUIZ: Which Publix sub are you?
The Publix sub is a beloved Florida institution, and we at Orlando Weekly are far from immune to its charms. This quiz will divine your true, inner Publix sub. #pubsub4lyfe /**/ Related Stories
Surprise! Orlando Indie Comedy Festival tickets go on sale this weekend
Good news for all of you with new paychecks in your bank accounts: Tickets for the Orlando Indie Comedy Festival go on sale at noon Saturday, Aug. 15. The headliners, Sean Patton and Eddie Pepitone, have already been announced and we should have a list of the other participating comics soon, though some of the…
Lawmakers refile bill to allow guns on Florida’s college campuses
Florida Republican legislators have filed a bill that would allow guns on college campuses again after the same bill died in the last legislative session. News 13 reports that universities and law enforcement officers joined the League of Women Voters to speak against the bill, which would allow people over 21 who have concealed carry…
Drink this now: Passion fruit tea at Quickly Boba
By this time in the summer, we’re all #overit. Tired of the heat. Tired of the afternoon showers. Tired of the futility of blow-drying our hair. The only thing that’s gonna get us through the last few weeks of this turbid heat are some seriously refreshing sippers. Enter the passion fruit tea with boba at…
The rap video University of Florida football fans hope no one ever sees
Drake and Meek Mill can step aside because this Gator fan is spittin’ some serious heat, sort of. Lawyer Mike – a sleeveless, Gator football-lovin’ emcee – dropped his new rap video on YouTube today entitled, “Gator Haters – Hear This!” and, not surprisingly, the University of Florida fanbase hates it. One Redditor on the…
Disney’s Flying Fish Café will close for most of 2016
Flying Fish Café, one of the original restaurants of Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, will close down for an extensive updating next year. The restaurant closes Feb. 1, 2016, and will remain closed until Nov. 12, 2016. The restaurant has always been a bit of a second option for Disney fans, due in part to its close…
Universal’s Incredible Hulk Coaster will close for nearly a year for upgrades
According to Universal Orlando’s official blog, The Incredible Hulk Coaster will soon receive a significant facelift, which will shutdown the popular ride till next summer. Few details regarding the upgrades have been released, but Universal claims the coaster will receive, “new enhancements to its storyline, ride vehicles” and “the overall experience is going to feel…
Take a trip to Sanford on the Murder Bus to see My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
Though industrial (the music genre) has charmingly retro cachet now, concerned parents were up in arms over the tongue-in-cheek satanic symbolism, drug references and overt BDSM-tinged sexuality back in the early ’90s. My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult no longer features simulated blowjobs on mock-crucified models in their stage show, but there’s still a…
‘The End of the Tour’ is this summer’s best conversation
4 out of 5 stars Summer was once the domain of family reunions, outdoor adventures and long, lazy conversations. Now it’s the season of the action blockbuster, filled with fake people from fake worlds who lack both a fear of death and the power to converse intelligently. It’s films like Me and Earl and the…
The bravest human in all of recorded history was recently caught on film
Without question, the bravest human in all of record history was discovered off the coast of Guadalupe Island, Mexico on June 11, swimming alongside a massive 20ft Great White shark. In the video below, you can clearly see mankind’s bravest human (past or present) casually swimming around and generally not caring that his life could…
Same-sex couples sue Florida over who’s allowed on birth certificates
Three same-sex couples have filed a lawsuit in federal court against Florida because they say the state’s Bureau of Vital Statistics doesn’t let hospitals put both parents’ names on their child’s birth certificate. Cathy Pareto and Karla Arguello were the first couple to be married when same-sex marriage was legalized in Florida, and they just…
#TBT: Listen to the first-ever commercial for Will’s Pub from 1996
Earlier this week, we picked up a package from Will’s Pub owner Will Walker. A heavy steel time capsule that contains a ton of old memorabilia from the bar’s 20 years: We will share some highlights from the rest of the suitcase’s treasures in our issue due out Sept. 9 (which is a badass issue…
Worth the drive: Bern’s Steak House in Tampa
National food blog Eater praised Bern’s Steak House this week for its “retro decadence,” so the secret is out, but Central Floridians have known and loved the place for years. When I saw the note at the bottom of the menu reading, “Well Done is not a recommended temperature,” I knew Bern’s and I were…
This Little Underground: Blackalicious’ new inspiration, with New Breed Brass Band (The Social)
After many years of pursuing individual efforts, West Coast underground rap kings Blackalicious are back in effect and will be dropping their first album in a decade on September 18. Imani Vol. 1, the first of a trilogy to be rolled out in the next two years, is a class return that features a notable…
Review: Weird Al’s Mandatory World Tour is a torrential downpour of showmanship
The only break “Weird Al” Yankovic fans got during the torrential downpour of showmanship on Tuesday night at Hard Rock Live (Aug. 11) was at the very start during his theatrically elongated entrance. Fans sat back and watched as he recreated the beginning of “Tacky” by having cameras follow him in his loud get-up as…
Wander through a forest of mobile kitsch at Renninger’s Vintage RV and Antique Show this weekend
Long before customizing your ride caught on with the kids, wise old drifters started tricking out their campers and RVs with little touches to make their homes-on-the-go a little more homey. This weekend, Renninger’s hosts a gathering of vintage RV and camper enthusiasts for a weekend of glamping – that’s glam camping, for those of…
Get a taste of Cuban literature and cuisine at Functionally Literate at Avalon Island
As if emulating our nation’s diplomats, this installment of the award-winning literary series establishes formal relations with Cuba. Not that there was any embargo in place, but after tonight, your understanding of our newly alluring neighbor to the south will go beyond tasty pressed sandwiches and Ricky Ricardo jokes. (Stop doing that accent, by the…
See a retrospective of local artist Toni Taylor’s fantasy and sci-fi inspired art at Gods & Monsters
Though South Park famously reduced the importance of the seminal science fiction and fantasy magazine Heavy Metal to the phrase “major boobage,” it’s been a springboard for tons of respected artists and writers since 1977. One such artist, local resident Toni Taylor, had her first Heavy Metal cover on the August 1985 issue, and went…
So far, about 150 million tourists have visited Florida’s virtual beaches
Before you go on vacation, it’s probably a good idea to research where you’re going to be staying, and it seems Florida’s tourists are doing just that. Visit Florida reports that more than 150 million web browsers have walked on Florida’s beaches virtually via Visit Florida’s website, according to Miami Today. Called the Florida Beach…
The Morgan & Morgan building was just evacuated because of a suspicious package
The offices of Morgan and Morgan were evacuated early afternoon on Wednesday, August 12, because of a suspicious package, says the Orlando Police Department. Employees of the law firm, as well as the rest of the Wells Fargo building, were forced to exit as a precautionary measure at around 12:15 p.m. The Orlando Fire Department…
Incredible drone footage shows 10ft sharks swimming next to surfers
Last Saturday, a group of surfers launched an aerial drone to grab early morning surf footage– however, to their surprise, they also managed to catch a few 10 ft sharks lurking below the surface. Though the video was shot at Pismo Beach, California, it’s still a nice reminder that sharks are usually nearby every…
New website matches pets with potential owners based on personality
The Match.com for pets and their prospective owners is finally here. PawsLikeMe.com is a new pet adoption website launching Wednesday, and, according to the Orlando Sentinel, the site “uses a series of questions about your personality, lifestyle, likes and dislikes to find your ideal pooch from adoption listings across the country.” The company’s CEO and co-founder…
This Little Underground: ’90s redux with Basement, LVL UP and Adventures
You know you’re eyeballs-deep in the ‘90s revival when you think you’ll – sorry – blow your brains out if you hear another mention of Nirvana. Well, we are in the exact center of the 2010s so, according to the 20-year nostalgia cycle of the rock & roll era, we should be in total ‘90s…
Off-duty sheriff reels in 50 pounds of cocaine while fishing near Englewood, Florida
An off-duty deputy with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Department found 50 pounds of cocaine last weekend near Englewood Beach, Florida. The deputy, whose name is being withheld for safety concerns, was fishing about 25 miles from the beach when he spotted the 25 bricks of uncut yeyo, which is worth up to $12 million dollars, reports…
‘Walt Before Mickey’: Local production can’t capture essence of Walt Disney
1 out of 5 stars Despite what the wonderful world of Disney teaches us, when you wish upon a star, your dreams don’t always come true. And so it is for the creators of Walt Before Mickey, whose hearts were in the right place but whose skills were lacking. The film, which premieres at Downtown…
This Little Underground: Face to Face upgrades Orlando’s pop-punk diet
Like Wilco in many ways, My Morning Jacket (Aug. 4, Hard Rock Live) has more or less transcended genre. That freedom to indulge your whims unchecked, however, can make your constitution lose its shape, rigor and vigor – just look at the America around you. And MMJ’s career has had its spells of nebulousness where…
Savage Love (8/12/15)
I’ve been reading your column for a while, and you always advise kinky people to go seek the same within the kink community. But in my experience, the kink community is very “sex right away, get to know you later”-oriented. So I have two questions. First, as someone who’s a bit of an old-fashioned romantic,…
Free Will Astrology (8/12/15)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) To ensure the full accuracy of this horoscope, I have been compelled to resurrect an old-fashioned English word that isn’t used much any more: “gambol.” It means to cavort and frolic in a playful manner, or to romp and skip around with mad glee, as if you are unable to stop…
Gimme Shelter (8/12/15)
If you’re looking for a loving dog, Orange County Animal Services’ Biscuit is the dog for you! He’s a friendly 1-year-old dog who loves to spend time outside. He gets along well with other dogs, and he walks nicely on the leash. Biscuit also enjoys having his long fur brushed and groomed. He would be…
Lulu Eightball (8/12/15)
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Our Artlando arts festival returns to Loch Haven Park Sept. 26, more Fringe Year Round Sept. 4-6, plus 5 upcoming shows
It seems like only yesterday that we were preparing for Orlando Weekly’s first-ever Artlando arts festival, and already the second annual edition is right around the corner. This year’s Artlando is 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sept. 26, and will once again bring the best of Orlando’s performing and visual artists to Loch Haven Park for a…
This Modern World (8/12/15)
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Animal welfare advocates want to know why county left neglected dogs at property
There’s a change.org petition circulating right now asking the county to remove “more than a half dozen dogs” from squalid conditions after the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Orange County Animal Services were called to a Winter Garden home 12 times in the past four years. On July 23, law enforcement officers removed one dog…
State officials clash with critics over controversial DEP secretary appointment
“Three-time gold medal winner.” Over and over again, Gov. Rick Scott and his cabinet members repeated this phrase during the Tuesday, Aug. 4 state cabinet meeting, boasting about how Florida’s state parks have been recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association. The state park system, which hosts about 27 million visitors a year and…
Jerk connoisseur? You’ll pat yourself on the back for visiting Mark’s Caribbean Cuisine
“Evuh-ree ting eye-ree mawwn,” my dining comrade deliberately sounded out in a neutral, and unintentionally hilarious, Arizona accent. He was reading a small sign posted on the colorful wall of this UCF-area Jamaican restaurant, and had it not been for the dishes we greatly enjoyed, the recitation might very well have been the highlight of…
Late-night Thai and sushi in Thornton Park, Lucky Lure expands, menu tweaks around town and 7 new restaurants
Oudom’s Thai & Sushi will try to make a go of it in the South Eola space that’s chewed up and spit out the likes of such restaurants as Graze, Prickly Pear, Mingos and Lotus. Oudom’s has successful spots in DeLand and Mount Dora, but Thornton Park is a whole different story. A bright spot:…
Gazing back at Boy George and Culture Club’s enduring legacy of celebrating individuality
Dye your hair in an ombré. Pop your collar. Don active wear until the day you die. Shape your eyebrows like a tadpole, guppy. Stick to trending topics. Never spook your sensibilities. Assimilating is safe. Not in a stuck-up way, like those frequently rehashed New Yorker cartoons where a shape repeats until it doesn’t. In…
Picks This Week: Rey Pila, Department of Correction and more
The Velvet Teen Topshelf is determined to keep a certain tasteful strain of early emo bands alive, and among the litter of strays they’ve taken in is the Velvet Teen, whose lineup and aesthetic has shifted since their initial releases (following the loss of original drummer Logan Whitehurst), but whose intrigue remains solid with their…
‘Clybourne Park’ at Mad Cow Theatre and ‘Dog Sees God’ at Parliament House both demolish icons
I’m all about original homegrown works, but it’s also great seeing Orlando companies mount polished versions of published works. This week we look at two dramatically different local productions that both demonstrate how deconstructing cherished icons of the past can help us face current challenges. Clybourne Park at Mad Cow Theatre Here we are, eight years…
Opening in Orlando: The End of the Tour Watch, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Straight Outta Compton, Underdogs Having
The End of the Tour Watch journalist David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) conduct a five-day interview with novelist David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel). Witness the two men play a game of intellectual cat and mouse with each other, only for the interview to never see print. Realize that Wallace had only been dead for seven years…
‘Return to Sender’: Rosamund Pike is the only bright spot in this cheesy thriller
2 out of 5 stars Fresh off her breakthrough role in Gone Girl, Rosamund Pike returns in the rape-revenge tale Return to Sender. Well, not really “returns.” Fouad Mikati’s film was actually shot before Gone Girl and now that Pike has garnered well-deserved acclaim, this Lifetime-style cheapo has been yanked from its shallow grave. Coincidentally,…
