GREAT-GRANDMOTHER BECOMES CAREGIVER

INFUSION TEA

Since opening its doors in 2004, as Central Florida’s first vegetarian restaurant, Infusion Tea has brewed into an integral part of the community. Owners Christina and Bard Cowherd not only serve up healthy, flavorful dishes, (don’t miss the vegan pimiento cheese tea sandwich!), and interesting loose-leaf tea, you also can find unique gifts inside and pop-up vendors in the parking lot.

LAKE IVANHOE PARK

This 125-acre park is a nature lover’s dream. From its dog-approved lush lawns to its walking paths to its calm waters beloved by paddleboarders, fishers and some tree-swing enthusiasts, there’s something for everyone. Keep your eyes peeled in the early mornings and evenings for the lake’s family of freshwater otters. It also hosts a variety of migrating birds, including a flock of pelicans each winter.

THE TAP ROOM AT DUBSDREAD

This is not a stuffy country club restaurant. With its wide veranda, perfect for happy hours and milestone celebrations, and its lively bar filled with locals, this is the kind of place where you’ll quickly feel like a regular. The restaurant overlooks the historic Dubsdread Golf Course, which has hosted everyone from the late Sam Snead to Bubba Watson. ORLANDO FLORIDA

College Park

Jackie Carlin

College Park, or 32804 as locals call it, sits just north of downtown Orlando. Named for its collegiate-inspired street names (Princeton, Yale, Harvard and Vassar, to name a few), this neighborhood is beloved for its many lakes and parks, live oak and Spanishmossed lined brick streets, and its vibrant shopping and restaurant district on Edgewater Drive. It’s also been the stomping grounds of some famous faces, including astronaut John Young and Beat writer Jack Kerouac. The old orange groves were replaced by bungalows in the 1940s and ‘50s, but this community still retains its small-town, Old Florida charm. THE KEROUAC HOUSE

In 1957, Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” was released, forever defining the Beat Generation. At the time, Kerouac was living with his mother in this small bungalow at 1418 ½ Clouser Ave. while writing, “The Dharma Bums.” Today, this 100-year-old home hosts writers for three-month residencies through the Kerouac Project.

THE GOOD CROWD

This little shop has it all. With a passion for social justice and flat-out funny gifts and greeting cards, owner Sarah Johnson-Markve curates gifts you won’t find anywhere else. Whether it’s the latest design from Orlando’s own Corkcicle, or a candle homage to Dolly Parton, you’ll find the perfect item you never knew you needed.

EMBELLISH FX

Need a killer costume for a party or cosplay convention? Check out this magical little shop on Edgewater Drive, featuring stage and film-worthy wigs, makeup, costumes and accessories. Co-owner Ben Johansen is also the creator of the Orlando Ribbon Project, a tribute to the 49 killed in the Pulse shooting. Since 2016, more than 1.3 million ribbons have been made and sent to all seven continents and even into space.