Moments not to miss
The sunny glow from a copper-mesh skeleton catches the eye in a small room that houses an otherwise unsensational collection of art at Cornell Fine Arts Museum. The shimmering bones are the work of a woman who spends her professional life studying skeletons, and is one of 12 artists invited to take part in a…
Moments not to miss
Too many visitors to Orlando make the mistake of taking in only those stops that require a ticket at the turnstile. But moving beyond the obvious are a wealth of overlooked outings. So step out. Get to know us a little. Man-made attractions have their appeal, but there is in Central Florida so much else…
Controlling the elements through feng shui
Thousands of years ago, in the latitude of dragons, a Chinese sage happened upon an extraordinary turtle whose shell displayed a perfect, magic square; from it evolved the oldest book in the world — the “I Ching” and, among other mystical insights, the art of placement: feng shui. Feng shui (pronounced “fung shaway”) means “the…
Spectacular solar relief
The sun is the mother of all fires, and while minions flock to Florida to worship her powerful rays, sooner or later the solar queen becomes a nemesis to all — sweat, sunburn, dehydration, literal burn-out. Relief comes only when the sun goes down, and locals know that’s when it’s time to play in the…
The fire in the belly
A good hot sauce marries fire and flavor, igniting a Roman candle of spiciness on your tongue and dotting your forehead with rivulets of perspiration. One theory has it that hot climates tend toward fiery cuisines because a good sweat cools you off (not to mention that, with the right lighting, adds a sheen of…
Burning down the souse
Homer Simpson was betrayed over one, and Ford Fairlane was perpetually in search of one that would meet his exacting standards. I speak of the flaming cocktail — that unique combination of liquid refreshment and pyrotechnic display that takes the concept of the novelty drink to new heights of thrills and danger. On a recent…
Return of the native
Weather prognosticators say that, thanks to La Nina, another extra-dry summer is looming. That means a nasty impact on your water consumption, water bill and the environment. Fact is, say U.S. Environmental Protection Agency statistics, Floridians’ addiction to landscape irrigation accounts for up to 70 percent of all residential water consumption, and in-ground irrigation aggravates…
The buck doesn’t stop here
Kissimmee Sports Arena’s Rodeo takes place every Friday at a corral of dirt just south of Highway 192. On a recent rodeo night, when he wasn’t coaxing animals or conferring with ranchers, horse trainers and miscellaneous cowboy-hat wearers, Jed Suhl, whose father owns the rodeo, explained the goings-on and delivered friendly warnings. “You come to…
Reach for the sky
Wayne Hosking sees something spiritual in kites. “They’re really very uplifting,” he says, not intending the obvious. He notes that in Japan, kite festivals lasting several days swiftly become raucous outlets for collective frustration. But reverence returns, and at the festivals’ end, the kites are destroyed, “so their spirit can be reborn in next year’s…
What floats your boat
“Women and entrepreneurship, because I’m an entrepreneur. I just licensed the patent for my product.”(Shows pamphlet for Top Secretª, a bra with hidden pockets for storage.) Lausanne Lee, entrepreneur and writer, Orlando “I’ve been in America 26 years. Believe me, my brother, these are the toughest times.” Robert Curry, homeless, Orlando “Hurry, stay calm. Need…
Attracting the wings of desire
Butterflies, those silent, soaring works of art, have long touched the poet’s heart, even as generations of children chased them with nets, and collectors stilled their wings with glass-jar euthanasia and pinned-down displays. Happily there is a sea change in attitude among lepidoptera aficionados: As butterflying becomes a hot hobby, binoculars and cameras are replacing…
How to beat the elements
A classics-heavy list of literature that’s just too dangerous for your kids to read. Censorship: The change in the access status of material, made by a governing authority or its representatives. Such changes include exclusion, restriction, removal, or age/grade level changes.— as defined by the American Library Association In the past year more than 100…
Sink into history, buy the perfume
In Orlando you can go on rides that simulate earthquakes, faulty elevators and runaway trains. Public appetite for safe, controlled near-death experiences seems to be limitless. It was only a matter of time before the Titanic joined the “you are there” ranks of disaster-related fun. Titanic: Ship of Dreams at the Mercado doesn’t have a…
Have a melon ball
There are millions of peculiar uses for watermelon, and Heidi McIntyre has heard every one. As marketing director for the Orlando-based National Watermelon Promotion Board, she has spoken to thousands of watermelon farmers and connoisseurs. One of the most bizarre uses for watermelon revolves around a jar of Vaseline, a swimming pool and a blindfold.…
What floats your boat
At first glance, airboats look like something Wile E. Coyote might drive. Picture an oversized Acme fan strapped to the back of a rowboat. The major difference between reality and Road Runner cartoons: An airboat is less likely to go over a cliff. Airboat tours are a popular draw for tourists tired of theme parks,…
Drowning in cleavage
Cue Enya music. Imagine that you’re floating, buoyant, held aloft by the placid, pacifying calm of cool, soothing water. OK, now imagine it’s just your breasts hovering around like that. That’s the principle behind the Water Bra, which shoots for the same enhancing effect as the Wonderbra. Water trapped inside the garment is strategically placed…
Sink into history, buy the perfume
Let Rumsfeld worry about the remnants of Saddam’s regime — homeland security requires that these enemies of the Sunshine State be captured or killed at all costs. Her boyfriend’s band finally played that career-making Tuesday-night gig at Kashmir, and now all of us luckless spuds on her e-mail list are going to spend the next…
Come out and clay
One of the cooler ways to enjoy playing with clay is to allow someone else to do the muddy part for you. At All Fired Up (364 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park; 644-9363) you get to do what many consider the most fun part of pottery: the painting. When we arrive at All Fired Up…
