Nona Magazine - August 2021

NONA

L A K E N O N A S O C I A L M AG A Z I NE V O L U M E 2 | I S S U E 5 | 2 0 21

LAKE NONA PERFORMANCE CLUB NOW OPEN

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BEST DATE NIGHT SPOTS IN LAKE NONA

WELCOME

N ONA

LETTER FROM THE

PUBLISHER

L AK E N O N A S OC I AL M AGAZ INE

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 5

A publication of LAKE NONA SOCIAL

Publisher Omar Hickman Graphic Design Renée Blair Blair Creative Group, Inc.

We would like to thank our readers, influencers and small businesses who support our magazine.

Quality content is what we strive for, living in such a beautiful and influential community. Looking through this issue, I was amazed at how much has happened. The opening of the Lake Nona Performance Club is an incredible facility... read all about it on page 4!

Omar Hickman Publisher

Contributing Writers Katherine Foote Vernice Gasper Denee Hickman David Plowden Alpa Rama Maxine Sudarma Photography Denee Hickman Omar Hickman Henry Lim

ADVERTISING Shy Guthala 321.514.3069 Shy@lakenonasocial.com

Read the Digital Edition of Lake Nona Social Magazine at

©2021 Lake Nona Social. All Rights Reserved.

www.lakenonasocial.com/magazine

LakeNonaSocial.com DENEE HICKMAN

NONA

Nona Magazine is published by Lake Nona Social.

The publisher disclaims all liability for any and all advertisements, promotions, articles, and other affiliated content contained within this publication.

The opinions of the authors are those alone. We do not accept any liability for information or advice provided by any advertiser, sponsor, or associated business provided in this magazine.

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L AKE N ONA

SOCIA

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PERFORML AKE NONA ANCE NOW OCPLUB EN

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BEST DA TE NIG SPOTS IN L AKE NO HT NA

LAKENONASOCIAL.COM | NONA MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

6

10

12

1 Welcome

HOT TOPICS

AROUND ORLANDO

4

Lake Nona Performance Club

10 Summertime Fun

in Orlando

Summer events in

By Maxine Sudarma

6

Best Date Night Spots in Lake Nona

Cover Story

By Katherine Foote

LIFESTYLE 8

The Digital Influencers of Lake Nona

Interviews with a popular

YouTuber and Social Media Influencer

By Alpa Rama

Central Florida

By David Plowden

HEALTH & WELLNESS 12 Returning to Exercise

After a Global Pandemic

Personal trainer Vernice

Gasper offers four tips for

getting back into your fitness routine

By Vernice Gasper

EAT LAKE NONA 14 Sunday Funday at Chroma

New Sunday Brunch menu

By Denee Hickman

ON THE SCENE 18 Medical City Mixer —

Havana Nights 20 Southern Belle Brunch

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ON THE COVER

4 Lake Nona Permformance Club Photo: Omar Hickman

NOW OPEN

EMERGENCY CARE

CLOSE TO HOME. Anyone can find themselves needing emergency care at a moment’s notice. Opening soon in your community is Orlando Health Emergency Room - Randal Park, a 24-hour state-of-the-art ER. With the experience and expertise to treat any medical need – from pediatric emergencies, to stroke and cardiac issues – our board-certified physicians and expertly trained clinical team are close to home and ready to safely care for you. We have 13 convenient locations throughout Central Florida, so should you need us, trust you’ll be treated in the safest environment possible.

OrlandoHealth.com/RandalPark

A service of Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital.

This is not an urgent care. Its services are billed at emergency department rates.

HOT TOPICS | COVER STORY

LAKE NONA

PERFORMANCE CLUB

T

he much-anticipated Lake Nona Performance Club opens to the public in August! Lake Nona residents are excited for this innovative, stateof-the-art performance center reshaping the fitness experience for Central Florida with its leading-edge workout equipment, unique group classes, and interactive programs with the latest performance technology.

This awe-inspiring 130,000-square-feet facility will be one of the most comprehensive performance centers in the nation, focusing on the whole well-being of its members, no matter their age or skill level. l

Experience all of the must-see features when you visit— schedule a tour with one of their friendly performance associates and witness the movement today!

6775 Chopra Terrace • Orlando, FL 32827 info@lakenonaperformanceclub.com www.LakenonaPerformanceClub.com

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OMAR HICKMAN (TOP); HENRY LIM (BOTTOM)

BY MAXINE SUDARMA

OMAR HICKMAN

Above and Left: The Aquatics Center has a 6-lane pool and a family-fun splash zone with zero entry and an interactive water bucket slide.

Above: The ROX Climbing Gym boasts a 42-foot rock climbing tower with kid-friendly, professional-level bouldering, top-rope climbing, and rappelling.

Right: The Group Cycling Studio features the world's first indoor and tracking cycling bike that enables performers to improve their cycling experience and fitness goals.

LAKENONASOCIAL.COM | NONA MAGAZINE

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HOT TOPICS

BEST DATE NIGHT SPOTS

IN LAKE NONA

BY KATHERINE FOOTE

L

iving in Lake Nona, there are so many fun things to do for a date night. But I’m going to share with you my favorites! If you haven’t been to Lake Nona for a date night yet, you NEED to. And here’s your agenda!

Next, head to Chroma for dinner. When I say that this is one of my favorite restaurants ever, I mean it! It's a fun, tapas-style restaurant with all sorts of amazing food. Plus, you can pretty much try something new every time you go!

Some of our personal favorites are the brussels sprouts (seriously, they're amazing – even if brussels sprouts aren't usually your thing, you HAVE to try these), patatas bravas, and roasted beet hummus. But really, you can't go wrong with anything on their menu.

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DARIOUS EAST

Start with drinks at Boxi Park. If you're looking for recommendations, our personal favorites are the local beer and wine selections over at Hops and Vine or the Flo'rita and Spicy Cilantro Jalapeño Margarita from La Cajita. We'd recommend getting there early (between 5-6 pm), so you can grab a table, enjoy the rest of the sunlight, and walk around before it gets too crowded.

DARIOUS EAST

After Chroma, it's dessert time. On Friday nights, the "Art After Dark" market is set up just outside the restaurant.

There are all sorts of fun art, jewelry, and local finds, including baked goods. The last time we visited, we picked out these amazing macarons from Dolc I Salat by Romina, and a cupcake to split from Andrea's Cakes. The pistachio macarons and chocolate caramel ganache cupcake were to die for, seriously, so decadent and yummy.

Not only were these treats super tasty, but it's always fun supporting local businesses.

Follow Katherine's Blog, Creatively Katherine: www.creativelykatherine. com/living-in-lake-nona and on Instagram: @katherine_foote Follow photographer, Darious East: @darious.east

Plus, the Lake Nona Town Center is always hosting fun, seasonal events – most of which are free to attend! Be sure to follow along on their Social Media. l

LAKENONASOCIAL.COM | NONA MAGAZINE

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LIFESTYLE

THE DIGITAL INFLUENCERS OF LAKE NONA

Social media has become the beating heart of the media. Today we are interviewing a famous YouTuber and a Social Media influencer that will answer ten questions for you to get to know that world better.

BY ALPA RAMA

ALPA RAMA

not let it impact you because anxiety, bullying and depression has been some issues noticed amongst users.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in France. I majored in Marketing at an international business school in Paris. I moved to Lake Nona about 8 years ago.

How long does it take to create content? What are the steps?

It depends; sometimes, I could wrap a shoot/video in 15 minutes, and sometimes it would take more than one hour for various reasons (weather, lighting).

My expertise is fashion, more especially the effortlessly chic French style, along with occasional beauty, travel, and lifestyle content.

Where do you see yourself with Instagram in 5 years?

How it works is: • Receive the clothes of your choice from the collaboratiom.

• Ensure it fits well and has an amazing quality; otherwise, I re fuse the partnership.

• Start thinking about creative ideas, whether it is video content or photoshoot.

• Create the content.

• Some brands require content ap proval, so in that case, I will share it with them, but most of them don't.

• And then the content goes live.

What is your favorite collaboration?

One thing to keep in mind is you have to ensure your feed has a certain harmony with colors, so I usually plan the content ahead of time.

How do you generate income?

The way I generate income is from collaboration with various brands (the brand pays you to create content and post on your social media) and affiliate links.

What inspired you to be an influencer?

I wanted to bring that French "Je ne sais quoi" flair into the Floridan fashion style.

I hope to continue to inspire my audience with creative, fun, and genuine content.

When I partnered with Vogue Magazine and Disney; it was a pretty sweet collaboration.

Best/worst about Instagram?

Alpa Rama

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Any advice for a new Instagrammer?

Be authentic and honest, do not give up, and keep working hard on it!

Instagram has been such a fantastic tool to inspire with fashion and mass share information rapidly, and create awareness about various causes happening in the world.

What are your favorite spots in Lake Nona?

I would say the worst would be to ensure you enjoy the application and

Follow Alpa on Instagram: @alpa.rama

My hangout spots are Canvas, Chroma, and Lime Fresh.

COURTESY ALPA RAMA

What is your Instagram about?

JULIA AND JP What is your channel about?

Our channel, HellthyJunkFood, is a comedy cooking and travel show where we share recipes, cooking competitions, food science, food tours and experiences.

How does it work/generate income?

Income can potentially come from advertisements, sponsorships, crowdfunding and sales of merchandise.

Julia & JP

How long have you been a YouTuber?

JP started making videos in 2002 and began uploading projects to YouTube in 2006.

HellthyJunkFood was created officially on January 26, 2013, when Julia joined the team cooking up junk food videos with JP.

What inspired you to start making videos?

Our inspiration came from our passion for food, travel, comedy, and love for video creation.

Where do you see yourself with YouTube in 5 years?

with new recipes.

What is your favorite collaboration?

Our favorite collaboration was when we made a restaurant in an elevator.

It combined all of our friends who have supported us during our journey on YouTube. Everyone played an intricate role in the production of one of our proudest videos of all time.

Best/worst about YouTube?

The best part about YouTube is that the platform allows no boundaries to your creativeness.

Since we've been on the platform for nearly a decade, we've reached a point where we simply want to make videos we're truly passionate about.

The worst part about YouTube is that it can be bad for your mental health if you don't manage expectations properly.

In five years we hope to continue traveling, trying new food worldwide, and experimenting in the kitchen

How long does it take to create content for youtube? What are the steps?

Creating a YouTube video varies

based on complexity. We will spend one to two days filming and one to two days editing for our average video.

In order to upload two videos a week, you'll find there's very little time off.

The steps include brainstorming an idea, researching how to execute the concept, film the idea and execution, edit the film into a watchable video, and choose an engaging thumbnail and title in hopes to have people watch.

After the video goes live, then several iterations get shared across other social media platforms.

Any advice for a new YouTuber?

Our advice for a new YouTuber is to create something you can repeat that you love to do. Keep your vision broad and enjoy every moment.

What are your favorite spots in Lake Nona?

COURTESY JULIA & JP

Julia's favorite spots in Lake Nona for food are Park Pizza (Best Margherita Pizza) and Canvas (Best Burger & Atmosphere).

JP's favorite spots are Giovannis (Best Pan Pizza & Chicken Francese), Sweet Mama's Restaurant (Best Local Diner) & Canvas (Best Ceviche & Fish & Chips).

Subscribe to Julia & JP's YouTube channel: youtube.com/HellthyJunkFood

LAKENONASOCIAL.COM | NONA MAGAZINE

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AROUND ORLANDO

SUMMERTIME

FUN in Orlando

BY DAVID PLOWDEN

S

Heading over to Windemere, Florida, the Asian street food-inspired restaurant Hawkers recently celebrated their 10th anniversary and decided to launch an entirely new summer drink menu for their patrons—yum!

And lastly, Disney Springs, which sits comfortably in the heart of Kissimmee, Florida, decided to join in on the summertime fun.

The Grand Bohemian Hawkers

The Edison—an industrial gothicstyled restaurant that's also a part of the Disney Springs restaurant lineup—recently released a new summer Red Bull cocktail menu to celebrate the annual holiday Independence Day. With all that's going on around Orlando this summer, there's absolutely no reason not to have a little fun in the sun this season. l

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COURTESY DAVID PLOWDEN

ummertime in Orlando has everyone itching to get out and enjoy the warm weather.

And with the city of Orlando getting back into its social groove, many summer events are going on across Central Florida for visitors and natives to indulge. The Grand Bohemian, an opulent hotel located in Downtown Orlando, hosted its first Tiki Summer launch party on their glamorous rooftop pool deck. The event sported a Hawaiian theme and even included live performances and delicious tropical hors d'oeuvres.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

COMING BACK FROM COVID

RETURNING TO EXERCISE After a Global Pandemic

F

or most of us, 2020 was a year full of uncertainty, challenges, and a lot of change. Our daily routines were disrupted by the closing of businesses, the loss of employment, the need to socially distance, lockdown requirements, and the increased use and reliance on social media and technology to carry out our day-to-day tasks.

As a personal trainer, I experienced first-hand what the Covid-19 pandemic did to the fitness industry and, subsequently, people's health.

Gyms were forced to close, gathering in groups was restricted, and people's routines were significantly disrupted. All of this can contribute to increased weight gain due to lack of movement and emotional eating.

Fortunately, some passionate and innovative fitness professionals pivoted to a virtual approach to reach their clientele and continue to serve them from a distance. For some, this was an effortless and convenient change; however, this was a difficult change for others, and lack of space, equipment, and motivation made it very difficult to adhere to a healthy exercise routine.

Getting back into a good exercise routine takes effort, discipline, and a positive mindset. If it were easy, we would not be facing a global obesity crisis. Initially, there is some internal friction and possibly some physical limitation; however, I assure you that the rewards will be life-changing with enough discipline and effort.

Here are four tips for getting back into your fitness routine: 1. Plan and schedule your work out time. Know when you're go ing to work out, what you’re go ing to doing and even what you are going to wear. Pack your bag

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or set up your workout space and commit to this appoint ment with yourself. Planning this the night before will facili tate your success.

2. Get a friend or a community around you. Research shows that those that belong to a fit ness community are more likely to adhere to their fitness pro gram.

3. Start small. If you have been away from physical activity for an extended period, don't go all in too hard and fast. This has proven to lead to burnout. Make sure that you are successful with your fitness goals and make sure they are achievable and sustainable. Only 30 mins per day (210 mins) of moderate intensity exercises has proven to have profound health benefits.

4. Allow yourself to recover; how ever, DO NOT quite adequately.

When you return to exercise from a long hiatus, it is very com mon to experience DOMS (de layed onset muscle soreness), and it can be pretty uncomfort able post-exercise. It is essential to understand that this is nor mal, and returning to light exer cise can aid in recovery.

Vernice Gasper CPT Franchise Owner - Lake Nona @campgladiator

PHOTO COURTESY OF VERNICE GASPER CPT

BY VERNICE GASPER CPT

EAT LAKE NONA

Clockwise, l-r: Molten Strawberry French Toast, Ke Aloha, and Steak Au Poivre

SUNDAY FUNDAY AT CHROMA

BY DENEE HICKMAN

With indoor and outdoor seating you are sure to find a spot to vibe out. Speaking of vibes, Chroma's brunch menu current with food trends, while also including a few fun dishes of their own.

Of course, we begin brunch with a cocktail. The Ke Aloha is a non-alcoholic creamy drink with taro, coconut milk, blueberry bursting boba balls. This drink reminds me of a fun sherbet punch. Now, it is very filling so do not forget to save room for food.

After going through the new brunch menu, we decided to try the Molten Strawberry French Toast and the Steak Au Poivre. If you do not get to try anything else, at least try one or both of these!

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The Molten Strawberry French Toast was the most delicious French Toast I have ever taste. A crisp outer shell delicately covers a soft layer of bread with a strawberry cream cheese filling, top with torched fresh local strawberries. These dishes remind me of a strawberry shortcake, lite & creamy.

If you are looking for something more on the savory, hearty side of brunch, then the Steak Au Poivre is for you. This peppercorn-crusted NY strip cooked to perfection with one of their fan favorites, hand-cut frites, and watercress on the side.

Both of these meals can easily be shared between two people or indulged individually.

So stop by Chroma for brunch to begin your Sunday Funday. You will not be disappointed! l

DENEE HICKMAN

O

ur Sunday Funday started with a bang! Chroma in Lake Nona is now offering Sunday Brunch, which happens to be my favorite meal!

Certified Nurse Midwives offering Women’s Health Care in the comfort and safety of your home.

Services include Annual Exams, Menopause Management, Birth Control Consult, as well as problem visits at a time convenient for you.

Bringing our experience of over 15,000 deliveries to you, providing the safest home birth option in the Orlando area.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call:

407.974.7171 Tracy Cowart, APRN, CNM Michele Anderson, APRN, CNM LAKENONASOCIAL.COM | NONA MAGAZINE

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BEHAVIORIAL FEEDING DISORDERS AND FEEDING THERAPY • END MEALTIME MELTDOWNS • STOP FOOD FIGHTING WITH YOUR TODDLER • DE-STRESS YOUR DINNERS

CALL US FOR AN EVALUATION TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP YOUR LITTLE ONE BECOME A HAPPY EATER 321.388.2924 • Kelly@pickyeatersonline www.PickyEatersOnline.com

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ON THE SCENE

DENEE HICKMAN

MEDICAL CITY MIXER— HAVANA NIGHTS

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Networking Events

Join us for the next Medical City Mixer at Drive Shack Lake Nona and connect, learn, golf and network with Lake Nona Healthcare, Wellness, and Business professionals and industry authorities from across the city.

Want to make new connections, create partnerships, explore collaborations, nd a new job or look for new employees ... maybe you just want to have a nice conversation with some like-minded adults - come join us!

www.MedcialCityMixer.com

ON THE SCENE

DENEE HICKMAN

SOUTHERN BELLE BRUNCH

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see what we see @nonatv_ | @nonatv1