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All the best New Year’s Eve parties happening in Orlando
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Rally against Princeton Oaks industrial park planned for today
Back in November, we told you how local developers proposed an industrial park for a 123-acre parcel that contains 36 acres of wetlands near the intersection of WD Judge Drive and North John Young Parkway. Members of the predominantly African-American community have been fighting to preserve the wetlands, which are part of the Little Wekiva…
Cheap eats megamix: All of our 2015 “10 Under $10” restaurants in one place
4 Rivers Smokehouse multiple locations, 4rsmokehouse.com With the opening of 4 Rivers’ City Hall location, the smokehouse officially becomes lunch-appropriate. Any of the signature sandwiches (we like the burnt ends, $8.99) comes with two sides and will put you in a food coma back at your desk; consider a sideboard sampler instead – three of…
America’s Got Talent auditions coming to Orlando on Feb. 19
Perhaps you just learned that Simon Cowell has joined the esteemed judging panel (which also includes Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Mel B) for the next season of America’s Got Talent, and perhaps you have a fetish for being berated by middle-aged British men. If so, you might be interested to now that the reality/talent…
Heat map: Where to find the best mobile coverage at Walt Disney World
Global Wireless Solutions has released an analysis of wireless and cellular coverage at Walt Disney World, and basically, what we’ve learned is that you do not want to be rocking T-Mobile while you’re at the Most Magical Place on Earth™ … according to GWS, anyway. Global Wireless Solutions “specializes in wireless network benchmarking, providing network…
The most awkward photo ever taken at Disney World just got slightly better
The folks over at Reddit’s Photoshop Battles recently gave this awkward father and son photo a much needed Star Wars makeover. Thanks to Reddit user Blewish123, the once cringeworthy photo, which was shot on Disney World’s Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, is now a stunning masterpiece, perhaps better then the original still of Han and Luke.…
Monkey population spreading into Central Florida, UF biologists say
A group of rhesus macaques, a monkey population native to Asia, has lived at Silver Springs State Park for about 75 years, but lately they’ve been spotted farther from home than usual. University of Florida biologists say monkeys have been reported as far as Lady Lake and The Villages in Lake County, about 30 miles…
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah plays Stardust Video and Coffee Jan. 19
Remember when we told you back in November that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was coming through Orlando on their “Living Room Show” tour and seeking, well, a living room to play in? Turns out they’ll be playing what we think of as Orlando’s living room, not any one person’s: Stardust Video & Coffee. And…
Video allegedly shows Fort Myers police giving man a full cavity search on side of road
A video is making the rounds that allegedly shows authorities with the Fort Myers Police Department giving a man a full cavity search on the side of the road. In the video, officers can be seen cutting Fort Myers resident Michael McDonald’s pants off and declaring that drugs were found in his “hiney.” According to…
Kill your body with these secret Taco Bell menu items before those New Year’s resolutions kick in
Once upon a time, the Cheesy Gordita Crunch was a secret-menu hack known only to Taco Bell insiders, but the Bell saw how popular it was and added it to the regular menu. Then they stayed true to their stunt-food roots by taking it further and selling a Doritos™ Cheese Gordita Crunch. It’s hard to…
Florida congressman becomes just another hoverboard statistic
On Christmas Day, Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), a grown-ass man, became the latest adult to get absolutely wrecked on a hoverboard. After learning the hard way that hoverboards are deathtraps, the freshman Republican tweeted a picture of himself with his left arm in a sling. Confirmed – #hoverboard is for kids. My daughter got it.…
Squeeze into the crowd and check out floats made of fruit at the annual Florida Citrus Parade
Spirited high-school and college bands from across the country! Signature floats made from thousands of pieces of fruit! Familiar faces and characters from Orlando’s attractions! And specialty units, whatever those are! The website of the Florida Citrus Parade promises all of these things, though it doesn’t answer our most pressing question: Was any actual citrus…
Florida Department of Corrections battling to keep Prison Legal News out of prisons
Today, according to the News Service of Florida, the state Department of Corrections issued an objection to an attempt by the Florida Press Association, the First Amendment Foundation, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the press, the Society for Professional Journalists and the American Society of News Editors to file “friend of the court” briefs…
Local dog rescued from pool Christmas Eve looking for home
Three Orange County agencies worked together to save Hooch, a 13-year-old dog, from a swimming pool Christmas Eve and are now searching for his owner or a permanent home. The Orange County Fire Rescue Department received an emergency call through the Orange County Sheriff’s Office from a resident who kept hearing the cries of a…
A 12-foot great white shark was spotted off the coast of Jacksonville, and it wanted snacks
A 12-foot great white shark showed off it’s powerful snacking abilities off the coast of Jacksonville, a sobering reminder that big, hungry sharks are really really cool. Last Saturday, fishermen with the Team Buck Rogers Fishing Charters shot the impressive video below of the super predator snacking on a red snapper. Owner Jeffrey Schaefer recalled the…
The Orlando Fringe kicks off 2016 with the return of ‘Butt Kapinski,’ Jan. 1-3
The Orlando Fringe is celebrating its 25th year (just like us!), and they have been killing it in recent months with Fringe Year Round, which gives theatergoers the chance to catch the most popular shows they may have missed at Fringe Fest proper. At the last Fringe, Butt Kapinski won a buttload of awards – 2015…
Our restaurant critic’s 5 favorite food-related moments of 2015
There were moments in my culinary forays this year that really stood out, so much so that I felt compelled to play Oprah for a day and share (or re-share, as the case may be) five of the most memorable. 1. Sampling Matsusaka Beef (Jan. 22) Early in the year, Jessica Bryce Young and I had…
Last day for battery-powered SunPass transponder is Thursday
If you’ve still got a SunPass transponder device that beeps, it’s time to toss it. After Dec. 31, the old device will no longer be accepted to pay for tolls, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Battery-operated transponders are being replaced for new transponders that don’t use batteries as part of a federal program…
Prolific local musician Arkie Calkins bids farewell to Orlando with a marathon show at Will’s Pub on Wednesday
Arkie Calkins has been a prolific member of Orlando’s music scene for more than a few years. He brought depth to bubblegum-psych group Moon Jelly’s sound as their percussionist. His experiment with Moon Jelly bandmate Tim Murray, Zenas Fisk, utilized nothing but cell phones, pedals and Twitter to create atmospheric space jams of varying note.…
5 things you probably didn’t know about Mango’s Orlando
I-Drive’s newest late night entertainment recently opened, but Mango’s is much more than a restaurant with a dinner show. Here are some of the lesser known things about Mango’s. Mango’s has its own vodka, Pitbull loves it In partnership with Mango’s fan Pitbull, the restaurant has its own vodka. Voli Vodkas, the privately held vodka…
New bills in Florida Legislature could harm public records lawsuits
Two bills introduced in the Florida Legislature change one word in the state’s public records law, but it’s an edit that could make it harder to file lawsuits in records cases. Florida Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, and Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah filed HB 1021 and SB 1220 respectively, which instead of saying courts “shall” award legal fees…
Seminole County group protests panhandlers on Christmas Eve
While other people celebrate the holidays by volunteering in soup kitchens or buying necessities for the impoverished, a group of Seminole County residents has decided to take a different approach this year. Members of the group “Taking Seminole County Back” stood at intersections Christmas Eve with signs for drivers saying “The people below are not…
Watch the cast of Star Wars play a game of ‘Star Wars or Florida?’
Rotten Tomatoes sent Grae Drake to a press junket recently to ask questions of the various cast members of Star Wars: The Force Awakens about the movie. Presumably in an attempt to lighten the mood from the litany of redundant questions that the actors usually have to deal with at junkets, Drake decided to play…
Florida woman goes on embarrassing racist rampage, calls Brazilian filmmakers ‘terrorists’
On December 23rd, YouTube filmmakers from the channel UH-OH MONKEY were interrupted by an angry Florida woman who wanted to not only go out of her way to call them “terrorists,” but more importantly, find out who should be sucking off who. Apparently, what set her off was the fact that they were filming near…
The Baymax meet-and-greet moves to Epcot, kicks out pal Hiro
Star Wars has taken over Disney’s Hollywood Studios in many ways over the past few months, but one of the most impactful is the new Star Wars Launch Bay that replaced The Magic of Disney Animation. When the Disney Animation attraction closed, the popular meet-and-greet duo Baymax and Hiro, from Big Hero 6, stopped meeting…
Another massive tower ride is about to swing into I-Drive
At the beginning of December, the Orange County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the massive Skyplex development, which includes a nearly 600 ft. tall roller coaster-clad tower. At the very next BoC meeting the commissioners approved another impressively tall attraction for I-Drive. Clocking in at 425 ft. tall, the Starflyer at the Vue will tower over…
Van Halen Comedy Show promises an ‘Eruption’ of laughter at Backbooth on Saturday
The city tends to shut down for a few days around Christmas, mostly due to holiday parties and family time. But if you’re one of those hearty souls who’s ready to party as soon as the wrapping paper’s hit the floor, you could do worse than to party with Van Halen. And since that legendary…
Kitty and Grant host a throwback night to the distant days of MySpace and anime haircuts for Emo Night at Spacebar
Miss the days of raccoon eyeliner, black skinny jeans and too much semi-permanent hair dye? Of MySpace fame and Hot Topic shopping sprees? When Spencer Smith was still in Panic! at the Disco and Fall Out Boy wasn’t on the radio? Well, you’re in luck. Emo Night is commandeering Spacebar and creating a safe space…
Miami Heat come to town this weekend looking for revenge for the Magic’s preseason overtime win
For basketball fans in Florida who still care about in-state rivalries (or basketball at all, if you can manage to make out the arena through all that purple glitter every week), the first season match-up between the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat never fails to be a spirited part of the holidays. In a…
Celebrate the spirit of the season at St. Matthew’s Tavern’s annual Midnight Mass
Despite what Merry Christmas warriors want you to believe, Jesus is only one of the reasons for the season. Human beings have been getting together at this time of year for camaraderie and spiked punch for centuries before the Church officially made it the big J.C.’s b-day. But whether you celebrate Christma s, Saturnalia, Yule…
Chef Marc Murphy dishes on his new Tampa restaurant at the Hard Rock Hotel
Grey Salt, the new restaurant by celebrity chef and Chopped judge Marc Murphy, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, just opened about a month ago. I caught up with chef Murphy at the Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival to get the skinny on the new spot. OW: What made the…
PETA protester dressed as orca arrested at Orlando airport
A PETA protestor dressed in an orca suit was arrested after he and another orca protester climbed a baggage carousel at Orlando International Airport to call on tourists to stay away from SeaWorld Orlando. Bryan Wilson, of Winter Springs, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor trespass after he and another person in an orca…
Sonic is selling cheeseburgers for just 79 cents today
Today only, Sonic drive-ins are offering their deluxe cheeseburger for just 79 cents. So, “take a break from the holiday mayhem,” as they’re positioning this special deal, and also from the boundaries of good sense, if you’re thinking about how it’s possible to sell meat this cheap, and stuff all that holiday angst you may…
Florida woman dies after being kicked out of hospital and arrested
NAACP officials say a Bristol woman died Monday while trying to seek medical help at a Florida hospital after police arrested and forcibly removed her from the hospital. The Tallahassee Democrat reports Barbara Dawson, 57, was rushed in an ambulance Sunday night to Calhoun Liberty Hospital in Blountstown, located about an hour away from Tallahassee,…
Catch a wave of Christmas cheer at Cocoa Beach’s annual Surfing Santas event
One benefit of this mild winter is the fact that we can still wear our bathing suits to the beach with nary a goosebump in sight. Since 2009, this fact has brought a growing number of Santa-clad surfers to Cocoa Beach on Christmas Eve to shoot curls and hang 10 to the delight of onlookers.…
Michelin-starred chef Phillip Foss comes to Capa, 8 bar and restaurant openings and more in local foodie news
The good folks at the Four Seasons Resort continue to refine our culinary landscape with some great events. On Jan. 16, 2016, badass Michelin-starred chef Phillip Foss (EL Ideas in Chicago) comes to Capa to cook alongside Tim Dacey. Foss is the Honey Badger of the restaurant world; he just doesn’t give a … (see…
Two Pop Rocks cocktails that will bring the fireworks this New Year’s Eve
If your neighbors are anything like mine, you’ll be seeing (or, mostly, hearing) home-grown fireworks shows from sunset Dec. 31 until the wee hours of New Year’s Day. That gave me the idea to try and capture the New Year’s Eve whiz-pow-bang in an adult beverage – using Pop Rocks candy, which, after all, bears…
OMA hosts a trove of early images of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones
A stones’ throw from stardom
Predictions, prognostications and prayers for the coming year
Last week, we took a fond look back at some of my favorite 2015 moments in Orlando arts and attractions. This week, as we await the imminent arrival of Christmas and New Year, I’m putting a bow on yet another year of Live Active Cultures by shaking up my brand-new Magic 8 Ball (thanks, Hanukkah…
Aesthetics mask underlying emotions in Sorrentino’s Youth
Youth is old. Imbued with an almost overbearing maturity in both pacing and theme, the oddly titled labor of love by Italian writer-director Paolo Sorrentino is a unique – though often inaccessible – examination of what it means to age and what it takes to stay young. Michael Caine is Fred Ballinger, a classical composer…
Opening in Orlando: The Big Short, Concussion, Daddy’s Home, Joy and Point Break
The Big Short Adam McKay interprets the true story of several people who tried to benefit from the coming financial collapse of 2008. The movie has already been criticized in some corners as sexist, and I don’t get how that can happen. Co-star Christian Bale is the stepson of Gloria Steinem. And doesn’t she control…
All is right – Bill Murray’s Netflix Christmas special is a perfect moody mix of holiday riffs
The best Christmas specials blend bitter with sweet because it’s just not the holidays if you’re not feeling conflicted. Blame it on the year’s end or dare to go deeper than Santa’s pass/fail verdict, but Netflix’s A Very Murray Christmas Special offers a moody mix of Christmas riffs that resonates with authentic spirit that captures…
This Little Underground: Reading the tea leaves on Moonstone Music Festival
The Moonstone Music Festival is Orlando’s latest big-scale hopeful. Before last week’s media announcement event at the Orlando Eye (Dec. 15), however, I knew as much about it as you did: nothing. So upon arrival, I take in as much of the scene as I can. There are cops, cameras, news vans, even a couple…
Gimme Shelter (12/23/15)
Salt is a friendly 2-year-old cat who loves attention. She really enjoys being petted, especially scratched beneath her chin. Salt, like many kitties, enjoys stretching often, so she’d also make a great yoga partner. Salt know how to use a scratching post and is litterbox trained. She can’t wait to find a new best friend.…
Savage Love (12/23/15)
After spending some years in the doldrums after having kids, my husband and I are now enjoying hot kinky sex and the occasional free pass to fuck other people. We couldn’t be happier. I have a friend who was extremely keen for me to cage his cock with the same kind of locking male chastity…
Selections: Our picks of the week’s best events, Dec. 23 – 29
Wednesday, 23 Will’s Christmas Party MUSIC If you’re dreading another holiday party full of ugly sweaters and Bing Crosby, you may want to swing by Will’s Pub for a holiday party that eschews everything but the egg nog. Warm up (assuming it ever gets cold) with mariachi-style punk covers from ¡Controla Esto! – the south-of-the-border…
Free Will Astrology (12/23/15)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) The raw materials you have at your disposal in 2016 may sometimes seem limited. You might not have access to all the tools you wish you did. You could be tempted to feel envy about the vaster resources other people can draw on. But I honestly don’t think these apparent inhibitions…
Lulu Eightball (12/23/15)
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This Modern World (12/23/15)
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Best bar bites of 2015
