Cover Story
How much do Orlando’s mayoral and City Council candidates know about running the city? Let’s test them and see.
If you aren’t aware that there’s about to be a city election in Orlando on Nov. 3, you can hardly be blamed. The election wasn’t supposed to even happen this year – it was originally scheduled for April 5, 2016, three weeks after Florida’s March 2016 presidential primary election. Earlier this year, though, Orange County Supervisor…
Meet the FWC’s commissioners – the men and woman who brought you Florida’s bear hunt
From time to time over the past few months, as people grappled with the fact that the agency dedicated to preserving the state’s natural resources decided to hold a bear hunt in Florida before it even had a final count on the number of bears actually living here, we’ve heard it said again and again…
VIDEO: Melodic indie rockers Odessos on Off the Avenue
The stars aligned this month when we were able to get local indie rockers Odessos into North Avenue Studios for a session just as they release their debut EP, Ursus Arctos Actos. Now we’ve got fresh new videos to offer you a taste before the band heads to Will’s Pub for their EP release party…
New downtown bar by creators of Hanson’s Shoe Repair to be called Herman’s Loan Office
Today’s best news: The humans behind Hanson’s Shoe Repair are opening a new downtown bar, which they hope to have open by end of November. We dig the Hanson’s crew’s simultaneous appreciation for cocktail history and architectural history, but the real reason this is the best news ever: The bar will be directly behind the…
Ever had lionfish sushi? Try it at East End Market on Oct. 28
Invasive species. You can’t live with ’em. You can’t eat ’em. Oh wait, sometimes you can, and that’s exactly the point of tomorrow night’s Sustainable Feast: Into the Lion’s Den event, happening at East End Market. IDEAS for Us, Hanson’s Shoe Repair and Kappo are teaming up to serve a Mottainai meal – that is,…
Mo’ money, mo’ ads being bought in Orlando’s mayoral race
It’s T-minus 7 days until Orlando’s municipal elections on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and the mayoral candidates (well, two out of three) are on a last-minute spending spree. According to the latest campaign finance reports, Mayor Buddy Dyer raised $70,225 in the first half of October, coming to a total of $442,798 for his campaign. He’s spent $279,158,…
The WildTones’ new music video is an air-humping romp
In terms of style, production and rhythm, the new music video for “Love Machine” by notable local rockabilly trio the WildTones has got to be the one of the best ever to come out of Orlando. Done by English comedian Greig Johnson (aka Lunge Dolphin), this burning, jumping rocker gets a visual treatment that appropriately channels mid-century…
The Orlando Eye, an attraction known for operating sometimes, is operating again
The Orlando Eye, a popular I-Drive attraction which is known to operate occasionally, is now open again after closing for an impressive 11 day stretch. On October, 26, at precisely 4 p.m., the Orlando Eye shocked the world by not only allowing guests to purchase tickets, but letting guests ride on the attraction. Parent company…
Magic tip off the new season against the Wizards on Wednesday
After the post-Dwight drought, fans are finally feeling refreshed and optimistic about the Orlando Magic this season. Since general manager Rob Hennigan has been molding this young pup team into true playoff contenders over the last two years, we’re curious to see how they hold up against playoff regulars the Washington Wizards. The overall success…
Creed from The Office is coming to Backbooth
Creed Bratton, known for his character of the same name on NBC’s The Office, will be bringing his live, one-man comedy and music show to Backbooth this February. Though Bratton’s backstory on the Office was a bit of a mystery (and weird), the real life version actually involves being on one of the founding…
Meat Puppets bring their legendary blend of psych, punk and blues to Will’s Pub
Meat Puppets are one of the stickiest bands to ever ooze out of the underground. The SST-launched band has been furiously experimenting for more than 30 years with immersive blends of punk, folk, psych and blues over a thrilling rock base that gives the listener a feast to chew on, kinda like that weird Willy…
Brinner alert! The Coop serves breakfast for dinner tonight
Breakfast food is undeniably great (see: our deep love of brunch), but the problem is that some us just aren’t quite conscious enough before noon to truly appreciate it. The Coop dishes up some of the better Southern-style breakfast around – in fact, we included their breakfast poutine in our list of the 20 Local Dishes We…
This Orlando man is already camped out at Best Buy for Black Friday
Kevin Sutton really, really wants a new TV. But this 37-year-old radio host hopes that camping outside the Best Buy on 1700 Sand Lake Road until Black Friday will do more than just nab him a low-cost flatscreen: He hopes it will bring attention to homelessness in Central Florida. “I want to bring awareness to…
FWC says controversial bear hunt will resume next year
Despite multiple protests and angry emails, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it plans to resume the state’s controversial bear hunt next year. Diane Eggeman, director of Hunting and Game Management Division, told the Sun Sentinel on Oct. 26 that the commission is expected to continue with bear hunting. “It’s our intent to have…
Senate bill may waive visitor fees from Florida state parks
A new bill aims to waive day-use entrance fees for most Florida state parks for an entire year beginning July 1, 2016. The bill, filed by Sen. Charles Dean Sr., R-Inverness, of District 5, is intended to “encourage the use and enjoyment of Florida’s state parks,” according to its text. The entrance-fee holiday does not extend…
Paulson campaign appears to have lifted a local designer’s work for political ad
Last week, a friend pointed something out to local designer Victor Davila: an ad for the Paul Paulson campaign with an illustration that bore a suspiciously strong resemblance to Davila’s own work. Davila did not grant the campaign permission to use the illustration, nor was he compensated for its use. “Its use by the campaign…
SunRail gets federal support to connect to Orlando airport
SunRail won the approval of the Federal Transit Administration to link the train to the Orlando International Airport, the Orlando Business Journal reports. The Orlando Sentinel reports the move would cost about $225 million, and the FTA could “make as much as $75 million available in grant money, with the remainder coming from state and…
Legoland Florida announces new ‘The Lego Movie’ 4D attraction coming this January
Merlin, the parent company of the Lego themed attractions and parks around the world (and of the Orlando Eye), announced details of a new “The Lego Movie” based 4D attraction that they’re planning to roll out globally. The new 4D attraction will be called “The Lego Movie 4D: A New Adventure” (such an original name)…
Sinkhole takes on car at I-4 and Maitland Boulevard
The eastbound Maitland Boulevard exit on I-4 is currently closed after a 15-foot wide sinkhole opened up in the middle of the offramp this afternoon. A car can be seen stuck in the rut caused by the sinkhole in these pictures from Fox 35. There’s no word yet on how long the exit is expected…
Early voting for Orlando mayor, city council starts today
If you don’t want to wait in line to vote for Orlando’s municipal elections on Tuesday, Nov. 3, early voting starts Monday, Oct. 26 through Sunday, Nov. 1 at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections office at 119 W. Kaley St. Mayor Buddy Dyer is being challenged by medical student Sunshine Linda Marie Grund and…
Soulful pop-rocker Emily Kopp shows signs of promise (Backbooth)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Emily Kopp has been playing around Orlando for a few years now but has been easy to overlook. Although certainly competent, she’s one of those artists who are full of heart and earnestness but whose square pop-rock sensibility is so pedestrian as to be lost in the crowd. Early this year, however,…
Tickets for Eddie Izzard at the Dr. Phillips Center go on sale Friday
Eddie Izzard, one of the most successful English comedians of the past 20 years, comes to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, Dec. 2. You may have seen Izzard in Velvet Goldmine, The Riches or The United States of Tara, or you may just know him from his numerous comedy specials…
Disney to preserve 3,000 acres of wetlands so they can destroy wetlands closer to park
Walt Disney World has plenty of new construction happening all across the property; including Disney Springs, Pandora at Animal Kingdom and major expansions at Hollywood Studios. In late 2014, Disney purchased the failed 3,000 acre Miralago residential development in Poinciana to expand the Disney Wilderness Preserve. The preserve has served as a way to shift wetland…
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission closes bear hunt after 48 hours
The FWC announced on Sunday that it would close its controversial bear hunting season, which was supposed to last one week, after just 48 hours. The agency’s official count for bears “harvested” is 295, but activists say that number was released before the day’s end, and bear check-in stations are going to be open through…
Foreign Dissent showcase brings a slate of European punk to Will’s Pub
With a talent pull that’s national and beyond, the Fest (Oct. 30-Nov. 1, Gainesville), over its 14 years of existence, has become the region’s monolith of punk-rock festivals. Organizing satellite shows that take advantage of the band influx around it has become a cottage industry unto itself. Orlando pop-punk promoter Punching Babies distinguished itself in…
That’s Entertainment! Andy Gill brings a new Gang of Four to the Social
It’s OK to feel conflicted about the restructured Gang of Four that released this year’s What Happens Next on the back of guitarist Andy Gill, the only remaining original member still in the lineup. We have no idea how our favorite post-punk lashings from Entertainment! will translate live under this new crew, since original vocalist…
Kaká makes a thrilling appearance at Halloween Horror Nights 25
Orlando City Soccer superstar Kaká came face-to-face with horror when he met Halloween Horror Nights madman, Jack the Clown, on Thursday, Oct. 22. After the two locked arms for a picture, Kaká made his way through HHN 25’s haunted houses and scare zones. This year’s Halloween Horror Nights is all about highlighting the most exciting…
Protesters rally in last-ditch attempt to stop Florida’s bear hunt
Hours before Florida’s black bear hunt was scheduled to begin, about 100 conservation and animal rights activists held a final protest on the corner of Washington Street and Rosalind Avenue. The Orlando protest against the bear hunt, which is set to begin this Saturday, Oct. 24 and end on Friday, Oct. 30, joined others across…
The Orlando Eye is closed for maintenance, as it is
Today, the sun rose in the east, squirrels scavenged for nuts and the Orlando Eye is closed for maintenance. On Oct. 16, the 400-foot observation wheel at International Drive stopped turning, and today, Oct. 23, is no different. Wheel officials sent out this statement regarding the attraction, “The Orlando Eye is currently closed due to…
When it comes to Halloween candy, Floridians are so basic
According to a recent survey, when it comes to choosing Halloween candy, it would appear that Floridians are sooo damn basic. The product review site Influenster polled its users and discovered that the most sought-after sweets in the Sunshine State are none other than Nestlé Crunch bars, the basic bitch of chocolate. Really? Crunch bars? A…
Bear-hunt protests scheduled in cities around Florida on Friday
Today, protests are planned in major cities across Florida to protest the state’s decision to hold its first bear hunt in 20 years. The hunt is scheduled to begin on Saturday, despite an organized effort and a lawsuit to stop it. Stop the Florida Bear Hunt has helped organize protests in Orlando, Tallahassee, St. Augustine,…
Clive Barker, Ben Templesmith and more contribute art to ‘Necromancy’ at Gods & Monsters
In what may be the event of the season for fans of gothic and macabre art, Gods & Monsters is putting on an exhibit featuring art from some of the brightest – er, darkest – talents in the field. The night is anchored by art and a personal appearance from horror legend Clive Barker, best…
Mayor hails downtown Orlando as one of nation’s best in State of Downtown speech
Amid some misty weather and winds, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer encouraged business owners and community leaders to drive downtown to be the best in America at Thursday’s State of Downtown address. In his speech, Dyer says venues, such as the Citrus Bowl, Lake Eola Park, Amway Center and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing…
Kitchen warrior Rick Bayless brings Frontera Fresco to Disney Springs
Another day, another celeb chef opens a restaurant in Disney Springs. On the heels of Disney restaurants by Masaharu Morimoto and Art Smith comes word that six-time James Beard Foundation Award and Top Chef Master winner Rick Bayless will bring his Frontera Fresco to that rebranded swath of land once home to Downtown Disney and Pleasure…
Protests held in Palm Beach Gardens over drummer killed by cop
Hundreds of protesters rallied this morning in front of the Palm Beach Gardens Police station asking for justice in the case of Corey Jones, a South Florida drummer who was killed Sunday by an undercover police officer, the Palm Beach Post reports. #JusticeForCorey rally protesters chant, "We want justice. We want answers" pic.twitter.com/CjKT1z6V1E — Nadege…
Mouth painter Mariam Paré gives demo and talk at OMA Saturday as part of Family Day
Ladies of a certain age – let’s call it the Judy Blume era – probably read (along with Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret) Joni Eareckson’s eponymous memoir of dealing with quadriplegia, particularly if there was any sort of Sunday school influence in their lives (it’s so much more godly a story than that…
Orlando Zombie Ball returns to Venue 578 for the biggest Halloween party of the year
You needn’t be one of the walking dead to enjoy the Orlando Zombie Ball, but you may well be shambling like one by the end of the night. This Halloween dance-stravaganza features the turn-of-the-century steampunk stylings of theatre troupe Phantasmagoria, spooky-good beats from DJ performance artist Power Infiniti and some straight-up circus madness courtesy of…
Central Florida Veg Fest serves up a delicious spread of food and fun at Festival Park
With the Central Florida Veg Fest approaching its 10th anniversary, it’s going to be a pretty big dill. If you carrot all about veganism or healthy living, then this is the event for you. The Veg Fest has only gotten bigger each year, so please, romaine calm when you get to the Orlando Festival Park…
Your sunscreen is killing coral reefs, says recent study
If you’re one of those people who prefers to lather on gobs and gobs of sunscreen, a recent study says you’re contributing to the mass depletion of coral reefs around the globe. Way to go, moms everywhere. The study, published Oct. 20 in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, claims that a common…
Florida Senate president wants to target fantasy sports
Florida Senate President Andy Gardiner is exploring what the state can do to shut down daily fantasy sports, even as federal prosecutors are probing the online industry that has taken the nation by storm and drawn accusations of illegal gambling. Gardiner has asked his lawyers to look into fantasy sports, in which players pay entry…
Amazon Prime same-day shipping now available in Orlando
Amazon announced yesterday that its new same-day shipping service for Prime customers is now available in Orlando. Now you no longer have to wait the usual two days – you don’t even have to wait one whole day – to get such vital items as: This black-and-white tapestry: This hunk of organic beeswax: This Rainbow in My…
Orlando Film Festival starts tonight with a movie about Orlando City Soccer Club
Tonight is the kickoff for the Orlando Film Festival, a four-day event that brings screenings of feature films, documentaries and short films to downtown Orlando’s Cobb Plaza Cinema Cafe. Although opening night is technically tomorrow (the festival opens with the feature film Blue, about a man with blue-tinged skin and a woman who learns to…
The precarious crossroads of Matt Pond PA and the blossoming of Laura Stevenson (The Social)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND It’s too early to be talking “post-prime” about respected indie-pop balladeer Matt Pond PA (Oct. 19, The Social). But his latest, somewhat curious drift has, at the very least, been a major pivot. And it’s not necessarily a surefooted step. Pond’s open-hearted melodicism has always had a centrist appeal, but his last…
Go back in time to 2007 by watching this POV footage of Back to the Future: The Ride at Universal Studios
Back to the Future: The Ride is long gone, and since today is Oct. 21, 2015, it seems appropriate to watch this old POV footage of one of Universal Studios Orlando’s favorite attractions. The simulator ride opened in 1991 and had a solid run until to 2007, when it was replaced with The Simpsons Ride…
Make like a tree and get to one of these 5 Back to the Future Day parties tonight
Back to the Future Day is finally here. In Back to the Future Part II, Marty McFly and Doc take the DeLorean to Oct. 21, 2015 to help Marty’s future son stay out of trouble. Fans of the film have been waiting a long time to compare Back to the Future’s 2015 with reality, and what…
Florida bear hunters are getting angry emails from protesters
Opponents of Florida’s upcoming bear hunt are now emailing the 2,920 people who have bought bear hunting licenses, urging them not to hunt. To the dismay of hunters, permits are public records under Florida’s Sunshine Law, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The email list, which was published on the Facebook page of a group called…
OMA celebrates Back to the Future Day with circa-1985 membership pricing
Back to the Future 2 made many wild predictions for the distant year of 2015, but they didn’t see this one coming: memberships to the Orlando Museum of Art for less than half-price. Per OMA: “To welcome Marty and Doc Brown to their future on October 21, 2015, the Orlando Museum of Art is rolling…
21 lunches under $10 you should be eating right now
Related Stories
Quirky rapper Hopsin loses faith but soldiers on for the hell of it
“I just don’t care no more,” says 30-year old rapper Hopsin, explaining the impetus for the provocative, God-doubting track “Ill Mind of Hopsin 7” off his new album, Pound Syndrome. “As I get older, I get more mature. I see life from a different perspective and it’s just like, ‘Why not?'” In the video, he…
Picks This Week: Big Sean, Cheap Trick and more
Big Sean Celebrate UCF’s Homecoming weekend with this blowout featuring Big Sean on his boldest and best record yet, 2015’s Dark Sky Paradise. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at CFE Arena, $25 Joey Bada$$ There’s no way you spun Joey Badass’ debut studio album B4.DA.$$ and didn’t immediately nestle into its old-school bump. The young…
Last weekend squeezed 31 days’ worth of art openings and events into just 31 hours
I’ve said September is my favorite month for Orlando arts, but this October is proving strong in both quality and quantity. Last weekend alone saw 31 days’ worth of openings and events squeezed into barely 31 hours. It began Thursday at City Hall’s Art Legends of Orange County kickoff, where Terry Olson hosted local pioneers…
Steve Jobs is a mediocre look into the man behind the Mac
Give screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and director Danny Boyle credit for making a biopic that skirts tradition. Give them demerits for the Aaron Sorkin-ness of it all, the non-Danny Boyle-ness of it all. Sorkin has written a screenplay that resembles a three-act play – he did start his career as a playwright, after all. And he has…
Opening in Orlando: Jem and the Holograms, The Last Witch Hunter, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and Rock the Kasbah
Jem and the Holograms A friend of mine works in an office with a lot of millennials, which is why she was recently afforded the delightful experience of hearing one of her co-workers query if the Jem and the Holograms movie is “based on something old.” (Why, yes it is. Know what’s even older? The…
Selections: Our picks of the week’s best events, Oct. 21-28
Monday, 26: Foreign Dissent 2 [MUSIC] With a talent pull that’s national and beyond, the Fest (Oct. 30-Nov. 1, Gainesville), over its 14 years of existence, has become the region’s monolith of punk-rock festivals. Organizing satellite shows that take advantage of the band influx around it has become a cottage industry unto itself. Orlando pop-punk…
This Little Underground: Overlooked ’90s bands Failure and Hum reunite
Our music community has always been extraordinary in its support of its own in times of need, and this is definitely one of them. Bryan Raymond – a guitarist in elite local heavy band Junior Bruce – was in a very bad motorcycle accident on Oct. 12. The good news is that his condition, though critical, is stable enough for surgery. The…
Free Will Astrology (10/21/15)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) According to the online etymological dictionary, the verb “fascinate” entered the English language in the 16th century. It was derived from the Middle French fasciner and the Latin fascinatus, which are translated as “bewitch, enchant, put under a spell.” In the 19th century, “fascinate” expanded in meaning to include “delight, attract,…
Gimme Shelter (10/21/15)
Looking for an adorable kitty? Orange County Animal Services has an adorable 1-year-old kitten who’d make the perfect house cat. Meet Shadow (Animal ID A332561). Shadow enjoys eating treats, cuddling, playing with toys and using scratching posts. Shadow’s a little shy at first, but she will warm up in no time. Orange County Animals Services…
Savage Love (10/21/15)
I’m a straight guy, married for 16 years, kids in school. My wife cannot find a way to be intimate with me. We’ve had therapy individually and together. I nearly divorced her, but we decided to stay together – we do love each other, and the economics and child-rearing favor it. After I asked for…
Lulu Eightball (10/21/15)
Related Stories
Seito Sushi is part of Baldwin Park’s restaurant renaissance
Long before his now-popular Osprey Tavern opened its doors, local restaurant impresario Jason Chin spent a decade nurturing, molding and steadily improving Seito Sushi into the slick joint it is today. Much like Baldwin Park’s dining scene, Seito Sushi languished for most of those years, but things seemingly took a turn for the better once…
This Modern World (10/21/15)
Related Stories
Hinckley’s Fancy Meats pops up inside East End Market, Frank & Steins closes in Winter Park, lunch now served at Morimoto Asia
Norman Van Aken’s yet-to-be-named Mount Dora restaurant now has a chef de cuisine – Camilo Velasco of Barnie’s CoffeeKitchen. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts hosts a farm-to-table Fall Harvest Farmers’ Market from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, in the college’s Cafe Technique. Hari Pulapaka of DeLand’s Cress restaurant will be an invited speaker and…
All vestiges of the old Peacock Room are erased at the Guesthouse
The Guesthouse 1321 N. Mills Ave., 407-630-6574 After work or after hours? Both Beer/wine or liquor too? Both 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 bottles (more than…
John Hodgman thinks Florida’s gotten a bad rap in the news lately, but he’s looking forward to his return
John Hodgman works a lot. He’s published three books. He’s in FX series Married. He’s still on The Daily Show (chiding those who fear change – as symbolized by Trevor Noah – not to worry, there’s still an old white man on the show). He was in Pitch Perfect 2 this year. He’s a PC…
“The beauty of honesty”: New Orlando Philharmonic music director Eric Jacobsen makes his debut
After a yearlong search, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra has a new music director, and what a breath of fresh air he is. Conductor and cellist Eric Jacobsen brings to Orlando the fluency in modern and avant-garde musics that a younger cadre of local classical fans has craved (yes, they exist) – he’s a founding member…
