Party All The Time! | iluvwinterpark
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iluvwinterpark
Party All The Time! Posted on May 8, 2013
Not exactly news, but I LUV big events. I’m not someone who shies away from a crowd. I enjoy them, the people watching, meeting new people and chatting. Good – or better yet, GREAT – food is a bonus. This past Saturday evening I attended the 21st annual Chef’s Gala for the Heart of Florida United Way. The event had 1,100 attendees and took place at the Epcot World Showplace. It raised a record $296,000 for the United Way and all the many programs it supports in A truly wonderful event, congratulations to Heart of Florida United Way on such a grand, fun and delicious success!
Central Florida. It had lots of people, great food and so much more. I rode to the event with Rebekah Brown from Winter Park’s own The
Marketing Square. As much as I enjoy big events, I loathe driving to and from them, so if I did not say it enough on Saturday night, THANK YOU, Rebekah! We got to the event, parked in the far eastern portion of the Epcot lot, boarded a bus to go into the park. Our bus was to be “volunteers”, but included bloggers / media types like ourselves and others who should get there early. I was sitting on the bus as Rebekah talked on her phone and greeted a few of our fellow coach companions,
Heart of Florida United Way President Robert “Bob” Brown and his wife, Mary, at Saturday evening’s big event.
complimenting one woman’s dark black with blue sequin-paisley jacket and then her husband’s colorfully cubist, Missoni-esque tie. Once we were at the facility, entered via the red carpet I began checking out the two long tables presenting 190 silent auction items donated for the event and saw LOTS of names I know from Winter Park and will detail below. But I was a bit amused as Lisa Junkerman, the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, came around and said she wanted to introduce me to the President of their organization, Robert (Bob) Brown. I walked over as he turned around and it was the guy with the great tie. He said he already knew me and I remarked again on his great tie. It’s a little thing, but I think provided great synchronicity for the rest of the night, as I interacted with Bob and his wife, Mary, others I’d met during casual conversations early on. It’s important to have people to joke around with no matter the event. Laughter, raving about amazing food, most else is best in groups. A few observations about the early evening . . . . First, when you see the employee lot behind the scenes you understand – if you didn’t know already – just how many people Locally Mickey Mouse employs. Living in Winter Park, it’s easy to forget Mickey and Minnie, their neighbors Hulk and Spiderman, Shamu and all the rest are down there. Even as I will surely lull back into that state of obliviousness, I will Follow
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Party All The Time! | iluvwinterpark
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surely also be thankful they ARE there, not just for the thousands of jobs they provide, or the fun for us and our visitors, but also the good works and amazing contributions they make to groups like the Heart of Florida United Way. Second, well, the backs of those “country” buildings – whether Scandinavian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, etc. – all look just like other buildings from behind.
Guess I knew that. But it looks weird
seeing them from that angle! The young ladies from the Longwood 4Rivers Smokehouse Sweet Shop helped guide my ice cream choice with topping and it was DELISH!
Attending the Chef’s Gala, with so many well-known Central Florida and “attractions” restaurants, I
have to say I felt a bit like I was attending an away game supporting the home team, as two Winter Park establishments – Cask & Larder and 4Rivers Smokehouse Sweet Shop – were there. And, I have to say, the home teams were the stars. Honestly, I think James Petrakis and his Cask & Larder offerings had the longest lines all night, until maybe 45 minutes to an hour before the end. And then, the baton was handed
Cask & Larder’s country ham biscuits and their Florida shrimp sausage and grits were SPECTACULAR. And I might be under-selling them.
to 4Rivers Smokehouse Sweet Shop. The line for the Sweet Shop then circled around, overtook a few other lines nearby. Their offerings were incredible. The country ham biscuits from Cask & Larder would have been familiar to their fans, and one of my absolute favorites, but they also served grits – I began describing as molten cornbread – with Florida-sourced shrimp sausage and just a bit of fried chicken skin on top. These guys worked non-stop all night trying to keep up, ran out of the biscuits and then put even more effort into the grits and shrimp sausage. They were amazing from start to finish. AMAZING. Then, there was the Sweet Shop. While they had a number of ice creams to select from, I went for the salted Bourbon caramel ice cream and received a nod of approval from the young ladies serving it. They also suggested a pecan covering. The taste was stunningly intense,
As the evening concludes I catch Orlando’s Vasaj Communications‘ Vel Johnson (left) with Vonda Simmons who was such spectacular entertainment all evening. She sings beautifully and the song choices, the band, all wonderful!
delicious. The home team ROCKED on Saturday night. I couldn’t help but feel just a bit like a proud parent. Yeah, like I had anything to do with it!
But proud I was, of these two amazing restaurants, that they were there representing the community I
LUV. This is completely and totally unrelated, but I have to say I LUVed seeing guys there on Saturday in seersucker suits with bow ties. One guy finished that off with white bucks! Classic is classic for a reason and it is back in style. I hope he didn’t get any food on it. Again, the event much exceeded its goals for the evening, bringing in almost $300k in one evening for Heart of Florida United Way’s support of Local food and shelter programs, and more. Many Local Follow
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Party All The Time! | iluvwinterpark
Winter Park’s celebrity Chefs John Rivers and James Petrakis talk on stage just before the big toast including all participating chefs during the 2013 Chef’s Gala.
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businesses contributed to that with donations and I’d like to acknowledge them here, will have many (most?) in the accompanying photography gallery.
Those businesses are: 310 Park South Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens Alkemy Skincare and Day Spa Blu on the Avenue Café 118° Citrus Cocina|214 Coralia Leets Jewelery Design Del Frisco’s Dubsdread Elite Strength & Fitness Euro Day Spa & Salon Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Harry P. Leu Gardens Toasted LaBella Intimates on Park Avenue Lilly Pulitzer mi Tomatina – Paella Bar Morse Museum of American Art Ranger’s Pet Outpost and Retreat Scott Laurent Collection The Ravenous Pig The Tap Room at Dubsdread Tibby’s New Orleans Kitchen Timothy’s Gallery Tuni’s of Winter Park Winter Park Laser & Anti-Aging Center
Scott Laurent, Tuni & La Macaron
Citrus & Dubs Dread
La Bella Intimates on Park Avenue
Toasted
The 310 restaurants, including the new Blu
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Del Frisco’s & Fleming’s
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The Albin Polasek Museum &
Steakhouse
Coralia Leets Jewelry Design
Gardens Cocina 214
James & Julie Petrakis’ Ravenous Pig
Elite Strength & Fitness
Cafe 118 Degrees
Winter Park Laser & Anti-Aging Center
The whole evening was so well done, so much fun. I’d like to again THANK Lisa Junkerman for the kind invitation. Those plates which allow you to sit you wine glass easily on the side are genius and I want one to take to any and every party I ever attend! And, I’d like to thank the anonymous gentleman in the black and white hounds tooth sports jacket who was casually walking in front of me with his plate and wine glass, but when the music and the superb vocals of performer Vonda Simmons struck him, he proceeded to do a series of three twirls, dancing along to the next station. It was a good time all around, yet he may be the surprising random memory which lingers, reminds me of just that. THANKS to everyone who worked so hard to put the evening together, for all those who helped to raise so much for Local causes. It was a true privilege to attend, my honor to write about. Earlier on Saturday there were many events in Winter Park, including the Cocina 214 Running of the Chihuahuas, which went on despite some light morning rain. My money was on Foster, who apparently sort of phoned it in. Little Paxton, a long-haired Chihuahua, was the winner, after 10 heats with 60 participants. No question this is going to be a yearly thing now, fun for adults, kids and, yes, pups alike! And owner Lambrine Macejewski, catering coordinator Madeleine Glascock and the whole staff did such a GREAT job! Paxton, a long-haired Chihuahua was crowned champion at the 2013 Running of the Chihuahuas by Cocina 214.
Later on Saturday I briefly attended the Derby on Park event at the Winter Park
Country Club, organized by Anthony Dinova’s Winter Park Annual. Big, fun and colorful hats were plentiful, as well as some great bow ties. There were two terrific bands, art from Jessilyn Park and food from both Fleming’s Steakhouse and John & Shirley’s Catering. Winter Park Annual has a barbecue event coming up this summer I anxiously anticipate. YES, you CAN do events during the SUMMER!
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Thank you, Anthony, for acknowledging that and doing so. And, hey, you’ve got to admit Anthony has the luck of the Irish since the rain we’d dealt with for days ended just a few hours before his event. Great job,
With the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, HATS were in. Caught these ladies and their gorgeous hats at the Derby on Park party by Winter Park Annual. I especially LUVed the one with peacock feathers.
Anthony! This weekend was packed with events, and Sunday’s Cinco de Mayo at Cocina 214 was a blast. It wasn’t just the loud music and margaritas, corn hole-tossing and inflatable Corona bottles hanging overhead. It was also the characters. What is a party if not at least in part all about people watching? I met Brad and his friend from College Park. Brad danced all around while I was there, was obviously having a great time and promoted it in others, as he kept me smiling. The margaritas were yummy . . . and contributed to my very slow Seis-o de Mayo. Aye yi yi, Cocina 214′s Cinco de Mayo block party was lots of fun! Maybe a bit too much. But not for this little one I caught
oy! Again, I had fun. Maybe more than was required.
with their fun burro and face cutout below a sombrero.
A few quick shot outs in closing. We had such a terrific dinner at Pannullo’s on Park Avenue on Friday to begin the weekend. I finally got to meet Richard Pannullo in person and I learned they just recently celebrated their 20th anniversary! A well-deserved congratulations on such a milestone. You do not last that long without doing what you do well. I commented to Richard that when I go to new Italian restaurants I always first try the spaghetti and meatballs because it’s such a simple dish, and how good it is indicates to me how good all other dishes are likely to be as well. And, well, when it’s as good as what I get at Pannullo’s, yeah, I tend to stick with it! I’m a creature of habit. Pannullo’s is a great habit to have. CONGRATS, again, Richard and crew! Congratulations on 20 years to Richard Pannullo and crew!
As I TRIED to finally finish this blog last evening I was sitting in the backroom – oyster bar – at The NEW Bistro on Park Avenue in the Hidden Garden. The time was just after five o’clock and I was feeling pretty good about FINALLY getting it done. Beware finishing up anything in a space where a networking event is about to break out. Soon I was surrounded by lots of Locals talking Local business, introducing myself and handing out cards. Erika Boesch & Shirley Stamper‘s new networking group is definitely going well! I met some very nice new people and I’ll always make time for that. One of those new people, Ana Lacey, who owns A Bella Boutique, a ladies’ upscale The old Vegas Cuban sandwich shop on Colonial is to be a second location for the Black Bean Deli SOON! Congrats!
consignment store on 17/92, informed me of a new Black Bean Deli which will soon be opening on Colonial in the old Vegas Cuban sandwich location. Congrats to them! Their Cubans are amazing and it’s nice to know they’ll be nearby if I’m on Colonial and get that craving!
Till tomorrow – and I WILL write tomorrow, as I’m leaving stuff out here – holy bricks and Spanish moss, I LUV Winter Park! Follow
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One Response to Party All The Time! Shirley Stamper says: May 8, 2013 at 8:00 pm
Well, I see now that you really were working last nightâ&#x20AC;Śgreat job! <3 Reply
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