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People We Love 2020: Our annual list of people making Orlando a better place
Our annual list of people making Orlando a better place includes those who bring delight to our eyes and ears, safety to our streets and respect to our city. VAL DEMINGS, UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE, FLORIDA’S 10TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Oh, brother (and sister), this era of Trump has been noisy. Distinguishing truth from lies among the…
Every detail at new Baldwin Park restaurant Sorekara will be chosen with ‘purpose and intention,’ says chef William Shen
Meals at Sorekara, a Japanese word that means ‘and then,’ will comprise 20-plus tasting plates and last a few hours
Orlando nonprofit Skate Bud looks to expand and improve Florida’s skateparks for youth
Their Legalize Wheels initiative works with local governments to help empower at-risk kids
Orange County poised to use federal pandemic relief funds to cancel medical debt
If approved, Orange County would be the first county in Florida to move forward with such an initiative.
Legal Public Notices 2/21/24
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices DISTRICT COURT CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA In the Matter of the Parental Rights of: Giulia Parmigiani Davila, Minor(s). Case No.: D-23-679759-R, Department A, AMENDED NOTICE OF HEARING TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS TO: Davila, Darberlis, Parmigiani, Viancarlo. To: all other persons claiming to be the mother or father of the children, the…
Goo Goo Dolls, Righteous Brothers, more added to SeaWorld’s Seven Seas Food Festival concert lineup
The performances are free with park admission
Japanese concept Sorekara to finally open in Baldwin Park in March
Sorekara will embody ‘the Japanese philosophy of culinary arts re-created with European imagination’
Florida legislators agree to use hundreds of millions in gambling money to pay for wildlife corridor
The corridor is envisioned as connecting 18 million acres of publicly owned land and agricultural properties
Florida is one step closer to making it easier to kill bears
People would not be allowed to possess or sell bear carcasses after the killings
Orlando City Council likely to extend moratorium on new nightclubs downtown
It’s likely that no new nightclubs will be coming to downtown Orlando for at least another six months.
Los Angeles chain Fatburger opens first Orlando location this week
The restaurant announced plans for 10 Florida locations
Orlando gets a new Italian resto when Grazie moves into the old Bem Bom space
Nazih Sebaali, the man who ran Cafe Annie downtown, is behind the Audubon Park project
Florida House unanimously approves bill to designate A1A as ‘Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway’
Lawmakers have moved to honor Buffett after the musician died in September
Florida elected officials challenge new law requiring them to disclose finances
The new law has caused an uproar among local governments, with more than 100 municipal officials resigning because of it
Orlando theater review: ‘She Kills Monsters’ scores a critical hit at Valencia
Qui Nguyen’s award-winning dramedy set in a role-playing game like Dungeons & Dragons is not mere nerdsploitation
Ride rumors, construction updates and everything else to know about Universal’s Epic Universe theme park
Universal Orlando’s newest theme park is gearing up to be, well, epic
Leatherette play a homecoming show opening for Psychic Death and it’s sure to be a wild night
Stacked lineup with excellent touring band surrounded by heavy local underground talent
Disney’s Animal Kingdom welcomes new baby elephant Corra
Corra made her first appearance with her family at the park’s Kilimanjaro Safaris exhibit
Gov. DeSantis wants to limit ‘bad-faith objections’ to Florida school books
‘If you’re somebody who doesn’t have a kid in schools and you’re going to object to 100 books — no, I don’t think that that’s appropriate,’ DeSantis said
Farmers, businesses push back on Florida Republicans’ efforts to restrict THC products
Critics of the legislation maintain that it is driven by medical-marijuana operators to cut off competition
William Elliott Whitmore brings his death-folk hymns to Will’s Pub
An evening of ‘grit, gravity and blues’
New College Park restaurant and bar Mid Drive Dive will open in March
Serving up bites and spirits at the former Graffiti Junktion in College Park
Few students apply to Florida universities after DeSantis order to help Jewish students, others
The governor’s order announced last month waives application fees and, in some instances, grants in-state tuition to transfer applicants
Lin-Manuel Miranda added to lineup of MadSoul Festival happening at Orlando’s Loch Haven Park in March
Miranda joins the lineup of Maxwell Frost’s day blending music and progressive politics
Jennifer Lopez will kick off her summer tour right here in Orlando this summer
Orlando gets first dibs on seeing JLo’s newest stage show
Florida bill would give college aid to people who have dropped out of high school
Colleges and career centers would be required to waive 100 percent of registration, tuition, laboratory and exam fees
Florida bill that would allow for more teen labor on construction sites heads to the full House
The Florida bill fits into a trend of child labor rollbacks being proposed or enacted in state legislatures across the country
Controversial Florida bills to ban Pride flags and protect Confederate monuments could be dead
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo doesn’t expect to move forward on the monuments bill and the flags bill is stuck
Five Orlando-area restaurants added to the 2024 Michelin Guide
A total of 19 Florida eateries joined the ranks
Federal appeals court orders another look at pro-DeSantis immigration ruling
The jurisdiction issue involves whether Florida had legal standing to challenge the immigration policies
Orlando concert calendar, Feb. 14-20: James McMurtry, Keb’ Mo’, Machine Head, Andrea Bocelli and more
Live music around town this week
Florida environmental groups target EPA over phosphate regulations
The issue drew heavy attention in 2021 when massive amounts of wastewater were discharged into Tampa Bay
‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ brings a two-week run of glitz and glam to the Dr. Phillips Center
You’ll be saying “oui oui oui” all the way home
Orlando’s Gamma Waves release raw new single — helped out by a grunge legend
The legendary Jack Endino mastered their ‘brawniest work yet’
Florida bill would require schools to teach about communism starting in kindergarten
The requirement would take effect in the 2026-2027 school year, and lessons would have to be ‘age appropriate’
Orlando calls Broadway Calls, who play Conduit with Teeenage Bottlerocket Wednesday
If you can make it here …
New on Netflix: Vince Staples plays himself in a series that exaggerates and distorts the details of his real life
Plus everything else debuting this week on Hulu, Max, Peacock, Apple TV+, Prime Video and the rest
When Zeitgeist has thoughts about the future of Orlando’s biggest economic engine, we listen
Ryan Harmon and Joe Lanzisero collectively boast nearly 80 years of experience in the themed entertainment industry
Peace, Love + Vans rolls back into Central Florida for a vanlife weekender
Forget tiny houses; is vanlife the life for you?
Gemma Correll and Pinkie Orlando want you to be ‘Best Fiends Forever’ on Friday
Signature, comic, nail art, flash tattoo — the mind boggles
Stand-up comic Nate Bargatze headlines the Kia Center Saturday
‘Ay get outta here, wolf’
Latin pop star Julieta Venegas plays the Dr. Phillips Center on Friday
Platinum-selling, Grammy-winning Mexican musical icon
Swoon over Evan Dando’s lovelorn anthems during Valentine’s Day show at The Social
Come on, feel this Lemonhead
Here Come the Mummies bringing tightly wrapped funk to the Plaza Live
It’s a February monster mash
Checking in with Jenn Ross, vegan food mastermind behind Eatonville’s DaJen Eats
When you walk into DaJen Eats Café and Creamery in Eatonville, you can expect to be greeted with two things: the smell of traditional Jamaican jerk and curry, and Chef Jenn Ross’ smiling face. That is, if she isn’t busy in the kitchen whipping up her next vegan recipe. With a glowing 4.8 star rating…
Spin scooter squad at UCF inspires nighttime hijinks
Under King Buddy Dyer’s decree, the city of Orlando has started seeing more and greener alternatives for transportation in 2020. With the start of the new year, downtown Orlando got electric scooters, as did the University of Central Florida. Spin, a micro-mobility company from California, started the semester with the launch of 450 Spin scooters…
Six Flags becomes first theme park chain to make all locations Certified Autism Centers
Along with an increase in understanding of autism and how to address the needs of guests on the spectrum, Six Flags has become the first chain to have every location designated an Certified Autism Center. As the world’s largest regional theme park company, the designation means more than two dozen North American theme parks are…
Human Hacking Conference in Orlando teaches criminal strategies to corporate executives
The most frequent lie we tell is when we agree we’ve “read the terms and conditions” before clicking. Because, well, we haven’t. Veteran social engineer Chris Hadnagy is about to show Orlando how extremely evident that is. Beginning Thursday, a three-day gathering called the “Human Hacking Conference” will offer comprehensive training on criminal hacking strategies in…
Voice actors behind ‘Halo’ and ‘Super Mario Bros.’ join MegaCon Orlando lineup
Amid the costumed delights and animated sights at this year’s MegaCon Orlando will be the voices of beloved video game characters, performed by the very actors who bring them to life on your PC or console. The two most notable are from the Super Mario and Halo franchises. Charles Martinet, the voice actor behind Mario,…
Seminole County alligator flips inflatable kayak, stranding two boaters
Imagine your nice, relaxing kayak ride being rudely interrupted by an alligator who flipped over your inflatable boat. That’s exactly what happened to two kayakers on the Econlockhatchee River on Monday, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents. The kayakers, who ended up getting lost after the incident, had to be rescued by the Alert…
Legal Public Notices 2/19 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 540 Cypress Parkway Kissimmee, FL 34759, on 03/03/20 @ 11:45AM, 863-240-0879 Abraham Cuevas household items, Jorge Oquendo Jorge household items, Kiah Alisa Nunes household items, Monique Shenay…
Dochi and RoyalTea join the East End Market in Audubon Park
Orlando foodies will be delighted to hear that Dochi and RoyalTea are teaming up to take residence on the second floor of East End Market. Dochi (formerly Mochi Dochi) has capped their string of pop-ups at East End Market by making a home there. The irresistible mochi doughnuts are made with Japanese rice flour to…
Maitland’s Enzian Theater seeks second screen in scaled-down improvement plans
The Enzian Theater still wants a second screen. Maitland’s art-house theater surprisingly abandoned their ambitious “Enzian Forever” expansion in 2018 because of parking issues. However, the cinema is now seeking to add an additional screen by walling off the back of the existing auditorium, in addition to renovating its kitchen and restrooms. This change would…
Eatonville’s DaJen Eats keeps hauling forward, with food truck debut on Tuesday night
Chef Jenn Ross of DaJen Eats & Creamery has been serving up Jamaican-inspired classics since 2017, first out of a Citgo gas station on North Orange Blossom Trail and then at her Eatonville eatery starting in 2018. Now she’s bringing her all-vegan meals to the masses, with a new food truck debuting at Tuesday’s Tasty Takeover. Born in Jamaica, Ross, whose…
Primus to pay tribute to Rush with live ‘A Tribute to Kings’ show in Orlando this June
Primus have announced dates for a big North American tour starting in May, and the band’s sole Florida appearance on this trek will be here in Orlando. Now, that’s notable news enough on its own, but there’s more to this particular tour. These shows, dubbed “A Tribute to Kings,” will see Primus covering the 1977…
Sunset Music Festival returns to Central Florida this May with a heavy lineup of EDM and dance music stars
Sunset Music Festival, or “Sunset 2.0” as it’s being rebranded now, dropped its first wave of 2020 artists early Monday, Feb. 17. All-star DJs and EDM producers like Rezz, Seven Lions, Adventure Club, Champagne Drip and Green Velvet are just a handful of artists that will fill the Raymond James Stadium with their deep bass…
Massive bird migration captured on radar over Florida
On Monday, the radar from the U.S. National Weather Service captured a massive swarm of birds migrating from South America over Florida. The agency posted a clip of the radar to its official Twitter account Monday morning, showing the giant swarm of birds flying over Key West. “Key West radar has had a busy night,…
Philadelphia noise-rock contenders Plaque Marks ravage Will’s Pub with Wreath and Throwin Up
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Plaque Marks, Wreath and Throwin Up at Will’s Pub, Feb. 16 Shining yet another bright spotlight into the heavy rock netherworld, Orlando promoter Endoxa Booking just featured Plaque Marks from Philadelphia, the capital of heavy music it seems these days. Of all the bands in the collective résumé of this group –…
Apopka preacher and Trump spiritual advisor tells churchgoers to pay her instead of their bills
Paula White-Cain has one of those remarkable rags-to-riches American stories, rising up from a poor, rural Mississippi upbringing and teenage pregnancy to preaching before megachurches in Apopka, making and giving $8 million “to God” in 2009, and landing a job in the White House. (And marrying a guy from Journey!) Now, some – actually, quite a…
Insomniac addresses the future of EDC Orlando, and it could mean good news for the city’s music scene
In his annual State of Insomniac post, Electric Daisy Carnival founder Pasquale Rotella confirmed the massive electric music festival will be headed back to Orlando this fall. This will be the 10th year of EDC Orlando. In that time, the parent company behind the festival has rapidly expanded, becoming a global music festival powerhouse. With…
Ska lifer Chris Murray, Florida guitarist Walter Parks, NYC’s Lauren Flax and more live shows not to miss in Orlando
Chris Murray Solo ska lifer Chris Murray (formerly of King Apparatus) throws a punky reggae party at Will’s with Eastern Standard Time, Control This and the Ambassadors. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Will’s Pub, $10 Malevich Malevich, Atlanta’s purveyors of “Grinding Blackened Angst,” head to Lou’s with Devalued and local openers C0mputer and Gillian…
New rumor points to Pixar Pier-style redo heading to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
With Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge now fully open, and the opening of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad attraction just weeks away, the future of Disney’s Hollywood Studios still has very little actually confirmed by Disney. But new rumors point to even more dramatic changes heading to the park in the coming years. After years of…
Larry Ochs returns to Orlando with his improv-jazz group the Fictive Five in March
Free-jazz wildman and saxophonist Larry Ochs is returning to the City Beautiful soon with his Fictive Five ensemble, an all-star brigade of savvy players that includes Nate Woolley and Harris Eisenstadt. Ochs has become a thankfully familiar face on Orlando stages, appearing in the last couple of years with Nels Cline and his most famous…
Disney has big plans for Tomorrowland beyond Tron. Here’s everything we know right now
As the new “TRON Lightcycle Run” motorbike roller coaster readies to open at the Magic Kingdom later this year (or early next year), the rest of Tomorrowland is in the midst of a multi-year update that may be far larger than most fans had previously realized. Even before Tron was confirmed for the Magic Kingdom…
Florida man with hepatitis A sues Denny’s
A Florida man who contracted hepatitis A is suing the restaurant chain Denny’s, Inc. and the company that operates a Denny’s franchise in Osceola County. The lawsuit alleges that William Reyes ate at a Denny’s restaurant in Kissimmee in October and “within a few days began experiencing nausea, constipation, fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, and significant…
Florida court allows prosecution over AR-15 photo
A state appeals court Friday said prosecutors can pursue a case against a former North Marion High School student who sent a Snapchat photo to a student showing an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and the caption, “Show and Tell @NM on Monday.” The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 5th District Court of Appeal overturned…
Florida man upset he can’t bring life-sized Donald Trump cutout to dialysis
Dialysis really sucks for everyone involved – the patients, their families and their caregivers. What makes it bearable is the environment, little details like soft lighting and a good-humored medical team. So leave it to a Florida man in Port St. Lucie to somehow make it worse, by insisting on bringing along his life-sized cardboard photo…
‘Masked Singer Live’ comes to the Dr. Phillips Center in June
The characters are rudimentary (Egg, Ice Cream, Eagle, Panda …), but America loves Fox’s reality game show and singing competition The Masked Singer so much that a live version is touring nationally. Orlando couch potatoes are getting lucky, too, since “The Masked Singer Live” is coming to the Dr. Phillips Center’s Walt Disney Theater on Friday,…
‘Kona dub rock’ stars Pepper to play the Plaza Live this month
Crossover reggae stars Pepper are currently on their “Step to the Local Motion Tour” and they’re on a collision course with the City Beautiful – one of only two Florida dates – later this month. The band are bringing their self-described “Kona dub rock” sound to the masses on a headlining tour after years of putting miles…
Snake orgy in Lakeland closes portion of city park
Officials with the City of Lakeland have taped off an area of Lake Hollingsworth after residents noticed a large number of horny snakes. “Regarding snakes spotted on Lake Hollingsworth near the roundabout,” began a Feb. 13 post on the official City of Lakeland Facebook Parks & Recreation page. “It appears they have congregated for mating.…
Alt-rockers Better Than Ezra to play exclusive gig at Hard Rock Hotel’s Velvet Sessions this month
Nineties alt-rockers Better Than Ezra are set to be the next headliners for the intimate Velvet Sessions show series at Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel. And this isn’t even part of a tour, this is a one-off just for Orlando. You’ve got a couple of weeks to re-learn the lyrics to “Good” and “Desperately Wanting” for…
Famous Sanford water-skiing squirrel act draws ire from wildlife activists
Go-to TV-news filler – fluff – is inoffensive, crowd-pleasing stuff, like video of a water-skiing squirrel. Anchorman, a movie making fun of local newscasts, has a scene in which Will Ferrell’s character narrates video of a squirrel water-skiing. “How about that,” chuckles Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy, “that squirrel can water-ski.” The video used in the movie…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Friday, Feb. 14, 2020
Every morning on Magic 107.7 FM, Leslye Gale discusses the most interesting Orlando Weekly stories of the day on “Chad & Leslye.” Check out Leslye’s picks today. Takin’ It All Off For Valentine’s Day Okay, so maybe I mentioned it yesterday but ICYMI – LINK Do you fancy yourself a matchmaker and do you have a…
Study shows Orlando among the cheapest destinations for spring breakers
A new study by travel website Wanderu has ranked the most popular spring break destinations in the U.S., and trusty ol’ O-Town turns out to be one of the most cost-friendly options. The study used pricing data published by several online booking platforms, and ranked each city in North America, including those in Canada and Puerto Rico.…
Jaleo by Chef José Andrés will celebrate first anniversary with ‘Paella Block Party’ at Disney Springs
An authentic taste of Spain is taking over Disney Springs in March. To celebrate their one-year anniversary, Jaleo by José Andrés, a Spanish restaurant known for its tapas and flare, is holding the ultimate Paella Block Party on Saturday, March 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sidewalks in Downtown Disney will be filled with food,…
OG reggae upsetter Lee “Scratch” Perry plays Orlando fresh on heels of his first Billboard No. 1 spot ever
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Lee “Scratch” Perry and Jah Steve & the Counteract Crew at the Social, Feb. 11 A few others may be able to also qualify as a living musical legend, but absolutely no one save for the singular Lee “Scratch” Perry can claim to be the freak lion king of reggae’s wild side.…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020
Every morning on Magic 107.7 FM, Leslye Gale discusses the most interesting Orlando Weekly stories of the day on “Chad & Leslye.” Check out Leslye’s picks today. Just When You Thought Disney Had It All, This Happened If you want to know what’s going on down at Disney, follow their patent process. A process that…
Central Florida educators bring Tally rally to Lake Eola Park this weekend
Following the January teacher rally in Tallahassee to demand higher wages, which saw tens of thousands of participants, Central Florida educators are holding another rally at Lake Eola Park for more funding for public education. Some 1,500 people are expected to join in, according to rally organizers, including educators, teachers, students and union reps from…
Republican lawmaker wants to merge Florida Polytechnic, New College into other universities
A far-reaching proposal that includes merging universities was backed by a House committee on Wednesday, following emotional testimony from students and leaders at public and private colleges who oppose the measure. In addition to the mergers, the bill would revise the rules of three college scholarship programs, which led two Republicans on the House Education…
OnePulse Foundation unveils medal design for fourth annual Orlando Rainbow Run
The OnePulse Foundation unveiled the official medal design for the Fourth Annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run Commemorative Run earlier today. The OnePulse Foundation, which was established after the June 2016 attack at Pulse Nightclub, supports educational programs, endowed scholarships and a memorial and museum that honors the legacy of the 49 lives lost. The organization was founded by Pulse club…
New patent filing reveals something that could shake up Walt Disney World, literally
Walt Disney World could be shaking things up, according to a patent filed by its parent company with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in October. The new invention would create momentary earthquakes under the feet of park guests, whenever a character stomped or pounded on the ground. The patent application is called “Haptic Floor System with…
Florida House wants to regulate vape shops amid teen ‘epidemic’
Vape shops would have to be permitted and regulated by the state, under a House effort to combat an “epidemic” of electronic-cigarette use by teens. Under the proposal, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which oversees sales of tobacco products, would also have authority over retail establishments that sell e-cigarettes and other vape products.…
Three-day weekend in Orlando means the return of old-school bass at Ace Cafe
For those of you who don’t operate on press deadlines and have President’s Day off, this is a three-day weekend. And in Orlando, three-day weekends mean the retro breaks squad is back with another throwback blowout party with the hottest underground DJs of the ’90s. Ace Cafe hosts Devotion 2, the sequel to last year’s…
Black Heart Social Club returns to Will’s Pub to bring Valentine’s heartache to Orlando
Valentine’s Day can be a bummer if you find yourself without someone to celebrate with. That’s why Will’s Pub and Mike Dunn have teamed up yet again to bring the broken-hearted a night to soothe their pain, or at least commiserate. Black Heart Social Club, billed as “an anti-prom for lovers and losers,” brings together…
Play Cupid at Orlando’s Ivanhoe Park Brewing for their Pitch-Your-Friend Valentine’s event
Setting our friends up on romantic encounters – with varying degrees of success – seems to be a universally beloved hobby. Pulptown and Ivanhoe Park Brewing team up this Valentine’s Day to turn matchmaking into a competition – because what could go wrong? Enjoy a new canned beer release from Ivanhoe Park to get your…
Nude Nite Orlando gives you what you really want for Valentine’s Day
Leave it to the annual Nude Nite event to really get to the essence of what we’re all thinking about on Valentine’s Day weekend. The three-night event features traditional art, body painting, sculpture, aerialists, dancers and more, all celebrating the beauty of the naked human form. Well, the idealized naked human, not necessarily your naked…
Florida resident discovers 7-foot alligator in garage
A 7-foot-long alligator found its way into a Florida resident’s garage yesterday. “One local resident on Hobblebrush Drive in North Port had a seven-footer trying to catch a ride this afternoon,” says the North Port Police Department in a Facebook post. According to police, the confused gator was safely removed from the garage and crept…
Someone is shooting Florida dolphins, and authorities are offering $20,000 for info
Dolphins are being stabbed and shot in Florida. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is offering a $20,000 reward to anyone who offers information that leads to a civil penalty or criminal conviction of the dolphin killer or killers. Last week, biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found a dead dolphin…
Comedian and podcast king Marc Maron spends Valentine’s Day at Orlando’s Hard Rock Live
Although the notoriously neurotic comedian would probably deny it, Marc Maron is one of the internet’s great success stories. In 2009, after losing his gig as a radio host on the newly defunct Air America network, Maron dumped his savings into creating a podcast as a last-ditch effort to save his career. The result was…
Celebrate Black History Month at Winter Park’s 1619 Fest in Hannibal Square
Celebrate Black History Month with an entertaining and educational event being held in Hannibal Square. The 1619 Fest is inspired by the New York Times’ 1619 Project, an effort to re-examine the legacy of slavery in the United States, named after the year in which 20-30 Africans kidnapped from the Kingdom of Ndongo arrived in…
Hop Along’s Frances Quinlan to play solo show in Orlando this May
Frances Quinlan has tread the boards in Orlando before with her superlative indie rock outfit Hop Along, but now Quinlan is stepping out on her own with a new solo album, Likewise, and a solo East Coast tour that includes a return to the City Beautiful. Worth noting as well is that this is the…
Modular on the Spot brings synthetic sounds to Winter Park’s Mead Garden
Last year, the reissue on Sacred Bones of a little-known 1976 electronic LP by Mort Garson of “warm earth music for plants … and the people that love them,” called Mother Earth’s Plantasia, made a pretty big splash in the underground. And even if Modular on the Spot isn’t a direct homage, we’d like to…
Indie-Folkfest returns to Orlando’s Mennello Museum of American Art
The Mennello Museum of Art presents the sixth annual Indie-Folkfest, which brings together the Central Florida community by celebrating art, food and music from local artists. Vendors like Voodoo Kitchen, Rick’s Dog Deli and Catered by Bruno are gathering around Mennello’s gorgeous lakeside sculpture garden while musicians like Oak Hill Drifters and Beth McKee play…
Cupid’s Undie Run brings dozens of scantily clad runners to downtown Orlando this weekend
Most of us enjoy sitting around in our underwear. Well, how about running around in your underwear? For a mile. Outside. With hundreds of other people. Cupid’s Charity is holding their annual Cupid’s Undie Run the day after Valentine’s. This fundraiser aims to aid in the research for a cure for neurofibromatosis, a progressive genetic…
Swamp jazz guitarist Walter Parks to ramble into the Blue Bamboo Center later this month
Florida native and guitarist Walter Parks has a long and impressive musical resume, including a stint as sideman to legendary guitarist Richie Havens. But Parks is very much a creative force in his own right, and is coming to Florida later this month with a bag full of swampy, jazzy originals and long-lost hollers, work…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020
Every morning on Magic 107.7 FM, Leslye Gale discusses the most interesting Orlando Weekly stories of the day on “Chad & Leslye.” Check out Leslye’s picks today. Yummy Food News Folks If you love Loation food (and it’s yummy) you only have to go as far as a strip mall in Sanford. – LINK When it…
Florida asks federal court to continue blocking felons from voting
Warning that allowing plaintiffs to vote would “inflict irreparable harm upon the state,” lawyers for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to block felons from casting ballots until the court resolves a legal battle. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Jan. 28 heard arguments in the state’s appeal of…
Trump doesn’t need to shut down dissenting voices — he can use social media disinfo to drown them out
A decade after World War II, the journalist Milton Mayer – an American of Jewish and German lineage – set out to determine how an educated, Western people gave themselves over to fascism. The German people, Mayer reckoned, hadn’t woken up one day and decided to be evil, nor was there anything qualitatively different about…
Percussionist William Hicks makes a joyful noise as Bl_ank at CityArts Monday night
Order and chaos are the twin poles that guide what is generally accepted as music and that which is dismissed as noise. If Plato is correct and “rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of soul,” where then does the atonal, the distorted, the accidental, or the arrhythmic take us? What comes…
The Orlando Phil, Garden Theatre and Winter Park Playhouse all announce new season schedules, plus more in local performing arts news
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, which appointed Paul Helfrich as its new executive director late last year and recently received a $250,000 endowment from June and Dr. Jefferson Flowers for the principal viola chair, will perform 10 programs at the new Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, opening the venue in…
Local police remain confident in Ring partnerships as the security company suffers data leak incidents
I always feel like somebody’s watching me
Phoresh brings Vietnamese food to Chickasaw Trail, plus more in local food news
OPENINGS: La Hacienda, the market and taqueria on the corner of Aloma Avenue and State Road 436, has expanded into the space next door and now offers a full-service restaurant with a liquor bar … Phoresh, a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant specializing in pho, bun, pad thai and fried rice, has opened in the old Pizzeria…
The city’s best Laotian dishes can be found in a Sanford strip mall
Dali’s Lao Thai Cafe
A Valentine’s Punk Show, Plaque Marks, and more live music picks this week
Eric Nam K-Pop solo star Nam headlines a showcase gig at the Beacham to support new album Before We Begin. Trust us, in K-Pop terms, this is an intimate gig. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Beacham, $20-$150 Keegan Matthews & Nikki Om Pianist Matthews accompanies singer Om on this dinner engagement at the…
Love Your Shorts Film Festival, Music Monday, FilmSlam and more movie events this week
After Parkland After the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 that killed 17 people and launched a nationwide student movement, filmmakers embedded with students and families whose lives were forever transformed. Wednesday, 6:30 pm; Enzian Theater, 1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland; $12; 407-629-0054; enzian.org. Death to the N Word Narrative documentary by…
‘Sonic the Hedgehog,’ ‘Fantasy Island,’ and more movies opening this week in Orlando
Opening this week: Downhill Valentine’s Day is a great time to find out what movie studios think of the American romantic mindset. For example, some muckety-muck at Searchlight Pictures apparently said, “You know what couples would really like to see this year? A remake of a Swedish black comedy about selfishness and betrayal.” The black comedy…
Savage Love: The Girls
My boyfriend and I were having relationship issues until we tried something new: pegging. He wanted to try it, but he was afraid and sometimes said the idea disgusted him. Then we tried it, and it was better than normal vanilla or even kinky bondage sex. It was the most emotionally connected sex we’ve ever…
2020 Love Your Shorts film festival brings a slew of international movies to Sanford
Turning 10 years old this year, Sanford’s Love Your Shorts Film Festival has always been a local favorite thanks to its commitment to Orlando filmmakers. But with a new emphasis on international selections, the event is drawing increased interest from around the globe. Turns out it’s a short world after all. “We have long had…
Fifth Third Bank funding anti-LGBTQ schools again, rising ticket prices at Disney, and other Orlando news you might have missed
‘Plastic monster’ trolling Florida Publix stores to highlight the retailer’s plastics problem: A group of Greenpeace activists and citizens brought a 15-foot tall “plastic monster” to the state capitol in Tallahassee last week, to spread awareness about plastic pollution. While Florida’s favorite local grocery store, Publix, continues to maintain single-use plastic within their facilities, as…
Meet Aria! She’s 5 years old and friendly with women, men, children and other animals
Meet Aria (A446907)! This sweet girl is 5 years old and was surrendered by her owner because they no longer had time to care for her. Aria is friendly with women, men, children, and cats and dogs. She is housebroken and knows basic obedience commands. Aria has been a joy to have at the shelter…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020
Every morning on Magic 107.7 FM, Leslye Gale discusses the most interesting Orlando Weekly stories of the day on “Chad & Leslye.” Check out Leslye’s picks today. Two Mega Shows Coming To Town Without a doubt one of the hottest summer concerts to ever come to the city beautiful. – LINK Okay, so they’re not coming…
Kristen Arnett’s scalpel-sharp prose kicks off Winter Park literary festival
Only two things are certain: death and taxidermy
