BALDWIN PARK L IVING
October/November 2009
RUNNING TO BALDWIN PARK! BALDWIN PARK 101: A Short Military History MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS: North Park Baptist Church
INTRODUCING THE TROPHY OF AWESOMENESS
On the Waterfront: Colibri, Lago & Paddy Murphy’s
FALL 2009 Events Calendar Saturday, October 10th NORTH PARK BAPTIST CHURCH FALL FESTIVAL 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Corrine Commons
Friday, October 16th ART STROLL OF BALDWIN PARK 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Village Center
Saturday, October 24th BALDWIN PARK PLAY CLUB 2ND ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARADE 5:30 p.m., Union Park Playground
Saturday, October 24th RESIDENT HALLOWEEN PARTY 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Corrine Commons
UPCOMING EVENTS NORTH PARK BAPTIST CHURCH FALL FESTIVAL Saturday, October 10th 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Corrine Commons North Park Baptist Church invites all its neighbors to a community-wide Fall Festival in the park. There will be carnival games, prizes, kettle corn, and much more.
ART STROLL OF BALDWIN PARK Friday, October 16th 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Village Center Please see the center spread pull out section for more details.
Thursday, October 29th MOVIE NIGHT OF THE GREEN 7:00 p.m., Village Center
THE BALDWIN PARK PLAY CLUB 2ND ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARADE
Saturday, November 7th
Saturday, October 24th 5:30 PM Union Park Playground to Corrine Commons
HARVEST HUSTLE 5K 6:30 a.m., 1838 Jake Street
Saturday, November 7th ANNUAL HARVEST FEST & SILENT AUCTION 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Audubon Park Elementary School
Join The Baldwin Park Play Club in costume to parade to the neighborhood Halloween Party. The parade starts 30 minutes prior to the party, at the Union Park Playground. Get there early to help decorate a parade banner and participate in a “wagon float” contest. The parade will go two blocks down Upper Union to the party in front of Grace Hopper Hall.
Saturday, November14th BALDWIN PARK HALF MARATHON & 5K 7:00 a.m., Audubon Park Elementary School
RESIDENT HALLOWEEN PARTY
Thursday, November 27th
Saturday, October 24th 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM Corrine Commons
MOVIE NIGHT OF THE GREEN 7:00 p.m., Village Center
It’s that time of year, the festivities are here!
Saturday, December 5th WINTERFEST 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Glenridge Middle School
Saturday, December 12th FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Village Center
CLIP & SAVE See the Community Network
www.BaldwinParkNetwork.com
Gather your costumed children and plan to spend a fun time at the 7th Annual Resident Halloween Party. The Baldwin Park Residential Owners Association will host Halloween fun at Corrine Commons, in front of Grace Hopper Hall on Saturday, October 24th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This event is a good way to meet your neighbors. There will be games and music sponsored by Baldwin Park ROA, activities sponsored by KI Martial Arts, Tiny Toes, Trish’s Teas and My Art Studio, and goodies donated by Reflections Dermatology and Images Auto Spa. Have your Halloween picture taken, courtesy of New Broad Street Realty. It is a party you can’t miss!
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for more details on these events. 4
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Letter from the Community Director
Fall Events Calendar & Upcoming Events... 4 Letter from the Community Director...5 Letter from the Association President...7
Dear Resident,
Baldwin Park 101: A Short Military History...10
In the last edition of the Baldwin Park Living there was a call out to share special memories of the autumn season. I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky which is in the middle of the state so we Lexingtonian’s could choose to be southerners or mid-westerners depending on which way the wind was blowing. In the fall, the wind does blow at times and the mornings can be brisk so we would become mid-westerners.
This is My Spark: Lisa Rosenberg & Harry Lim/Trophy of Awesomeness...12 Meet Your Neighbors: North Park Baptist Susan Comisky
I miss the changing of the leaves and my family’s drives to view the fall foliage throughout the mountains of eastern Kentucky. I miss going to Keenland racetrack on a chilly afternoon and eating burgoo (Google it if you don’t know what it is, yum!) and the excitement as my #9 horse rounded the track (usually not in first place). I miss the excitement of a Saturday afternoon gearing up for the UK-Florida football game which they always lost. I miss the smell of wood burning from a bonfire while roasting marshmallows and drinking hot apple cider. But mainly, I miss spending time with family and friends sharing in these autumn traditions.
Church...14 On the Waterfront...18 Special Merchant Section....Center Spread Training For the Long Run...24 Running to Baldwin Park...26 Get You Home Ready For the Holidays...28 October is National Pizza Month...30 Water: A Life Giving and Sustaining Force ...32 Green You Can Use: Water Conservation...36
Even though I get homesick every autumn because it is my favorite time of the year, my family has formed new traditions after living in Florida for 13 years. Living in Baldwin Park offers the opportunity to create your own family autumn traditions. Check out North Park Baptist Church’s Annual Fall Festival on Corrine Commons, the 7th Annual Resident Halloween Party, Audubon Park Elementary’s Annual Harvest Fest & Silent Auction or a Winter Park High School football game on a Friday night. You can find more details about these events on the Calendar of Events on Starting on Page 4 or by visiting the Community Network at www.BaldwinParkNetwork.com. Enjoy the season and friends and family. I hope to see you out and about!
Business Directory...38 Featured Club: The Baldwin Park Play Club...39
Publication Info Baldwin Park Living is published by Baldwin Park Joint Committee, Inc. (Joint Committee), a Florida not-for-profit corporation. The publication is for the purpose of commercial and merchant advertising and is circulated to all owners and tenants of the residential and commercial units within Baldwin Park. All advertisements are subject to approval, revision, or rejection by the Joint Committee, which decisions may be made in the sole judgment of the Joint Committee. The presence of an advertisement in this publication for products or services which affect the exterior appearance of your home or lot does not in any way imply that Baldwin Park’s Architectural Review Committee will approve of such items. Any and all planned modifications to the exterior of your home must be approved by the Architectural Review Committee in advance.
Desoto State Park, Fort Payne, Alabama (Photo by Shari King, Editor)
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®Baldwin Park is a registered service mark of Orlando NTC Partners, a joint venture d/b/a Baldwin Park Development Company.
Editor: Shari King 407.365.3128 sharik214@aol.com
Advertising Sales: Creative Printing & Publishing 407.302.9147 kevin@cpponline.us
2008 Festival of Lights Parade Continued from Page 4
WINTERFEST
MOVIE NIGHT OF THE GREEN
Saturday, December 5th 11:00 AM. to 3:00 PM Glenridge Middle School
Thursday, October 29th 7:00 P.M. Village Center Mark your calendar and check the Community Network at www.BaldwinParkNetwork.com for more details on this event.
ANNUAL HARVEST FEST & SILENT AUCTION Saturday, November 7th 3:00 PM. to 7:00 PM Audubon Park Elementary School
This event is held on the Glenridge campus immediately following the Winter Park Christmas Parade, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Come enjoy the carnival atmosphere with food, entertainment, games, vendors and a silent auction. For more information, please contact a PTSA Board Member at glenridgeptsa@yahoo.com.
BALDWIN PARK FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
This community-building event includes carnival games, bounce houses, food from O'Boys Bar-B-Q, bake sale, spirit store, live interactive DJ and Audubon Park’s successful Silent Auction with many sought-after products, services and events! The Harvest Fest is being held at Audubon Park Elementary School, located at 1750 Common Way Road, Orlando, FL 32814, in Baldwin Park. Donations from individuals, families, and family businesses are also welcomed. Please contact Nancy Stephens at n1stephens@aol.com for more information. The deadline for donations is Wednesday, October 28th. Sponsorships are also available to individuals and businesses who would like to help support their local school. Please contact Jennifer Jordan at jenjordan@cfl.rr.com for more information.
MOVIE NIGHT OF THE GREEN Friday, November 27th 7:00 P.M. Village Center Mark your calendar and check the Community Network at www.BaldwinParkNetwork.com for more details on this event.
Saturday, December 12th 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Village Center Enjoy horse and carriage rides starting at 5:00 p.m. Then line up for Baldwin Park’s Holiday Parade, sponsored by New Broad Street Realty, which steps off at Jake Street at 6:00 p.m. and continues down New Broad Street to Common Way, then over to Lakemont Avenue. Parade participants have included Winter Park High School’s Band and ROTC, the Orange County Sheriff Pipe & Drum, Girl Scouts/Brownie Troop 1750, Audubon Park Marching Band, and of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus at the end of the parade, along with a host of other participants. Afterwards, the Village Center will be alive with activities for everyone including Merchant Open Houses, visits with Santa, face painters, carolers, and a movie on the green at 7:00 p.m., as the carriage rides continue until 9:00 p.m. Mark your calendars now! The Color Guard for the parade will be the 3-347th “STINGER” Battalion headquartered on Corrine Drive. They are also bringing some pretty cool vehicles! Thanks to LTC Steve Thomas, resident and Battalion Commander and the rest of the Battalion for all of their help with this event. Please remember all of our troops this holiday season and especially those who can’t be with their families.
Get connected and be up-to-date on community events by visiting www.BaldwinParkNetwork.com for future updates.
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Letter from the Residential Owners Association President
What a Great Neighborhood We Live In!
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very day, I meet great people who love living in Baldwin Park and who are supportive of our neighborhood. I encourage everyone to come out for our community events and to find other ways to participate in our community. Speaking of which, please participate in our Annual Activity Survey which will be coming in the Baldwin Park Weekly email to you in December. The Residential Owners Association (ROA) ActivityCommittee uses the survey results to make recommendations to the ROA Board for events for next year. It is your activity money; tell us how you would like us to use it. Participate in the survey! Okay, now for some good news and some bad news. First, here is the good news. The current economic crisis and its effect on ROA assessment collections have caused your ROA Board to review the 2009 budget situation virtually every month this year to see what could be done to keep services and facilities at the level expected by residents despite the decline in collections. While the Board had projected a drop in assessments and had approved a 2009 budget that took that into account, the drop exceeded what was projected. The good news is that our on-site Sentry Management Company
folks have successfully negotiated with some of our contracted vendors to lower costs. Also, the Denny O'Neil Board has been able to hold off on some purchases, remodeling, new installations, etc. These actions have offset the collections shortfall. Therefore, we have not had to do a special assessment on residents and/or to make big cuts in services. So, when you see a Board Member (Jim Schritzinger, Tina-Marie Otto, Jesse Vickey, Diana Pienaar, Mike Kozel and Damon Kinton) or our Sentry Management folks (Susan Comisky and Stacey Fryrear) please thank them for working together as a Board and as a team to keep Baldwin Park a great place to live. Now, for the bad news. As the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator for Baldwin Park since 2004 (one of my other hats), I have been telling residents for what seems forever that if they would do a few simple things, we could prevent most crime in Baldwin Park. Sadly, apparently not everyone has gotten the memo. Most crimes committed in Baldwin Park are
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Continued from Page 7 crimes of opportunity. Most of the crimes could have been prevented if a resident had removed valuables from their vehicle, locked vehicle doors, closed the garage door, or taken other easy prevention measures. Below, I have listed preventive measures that you should implement to help deter crime: Lock your vehicle. Use reliable vehicle anti-theft devices (i.e. car alarm, The “Club”, etc.) Don’t leave valuables in your unattended vehicles. (Remove GPS’s, wallets, cell phones, laptops, etc.)
Don’t leave your garage door open unless you have the garage under observation. Lock your home doors. If you have a home alarm system, use it as appropriate. Put on your front and back porch lights, as well as your garage outside light(s), during hours of darkness. Become involved with Neighborhood Watch and Business Watch. Check the area where you will be walking for suspicious persons or cars. If you witness a vehicle burglary or any
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other crime in progress, do not risk physical harm; call the police immediately. Report suspicious activity and person(s) as well as all crime. Basically, don’t make it easy for the bad guys. Just do it! Finally, I have to admit that I am at a loss for an explanation of the newest crime in Baldwin Park - the stealing of garbage cans. A thief or thieves have stolen four garbage cans in the last two weeks. What is up with that?
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BALDWIN PARK 101: A Short Military History me to all the indignations that a soldier can bear, and then I spent many more months in technical school enduring an early morning ritual of searching for dust balls under my bunk bed with a flashlight before marching to classes at 6:00 a.m. across dark, frozen, wind swept Texas plains.
By Jim Schirtzinger
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he property that we now know as Baldwin Park has a strong military history, from its start as the Orlando Army Air Base in 1942 through the closure of the Orlando Naval Training Center in 1999. In 1941, as World War II expanded in After a brief visit home, I started Europe, the Orlando my journey down to my new Municipal Airport (now the Jim Schirtzinger as “young dude” in the Air Force in assignment in Orlando. I drove Orlando Executive Airport) the 1960s (left photo) and today (right photo). through a cold, gray, was taken over by the military and quickly expanded to meet the needs of a country at war. impersonal winter landscape towards my southern destination. The land that is now Baldwin Park was developed as part of that I had no idea what was awaiting me. As I crossed the Florida expansion and served as support for the training mission of the border the world started to immediately change. There was Orlando Army Air Corps. Many of the buildings that were built sunshine and the gray landscape gave way to shades of green. at that time were one story, concrete block structures, When I got to Orlando, I began checking my map to try to find remaining examples of which can still be found directly behind the airbase. Most airbases are remote from the urban the Veteran’s Administration Outpatient Clinic north of Lake environment but this route was taking me through the city of Orlando. Was I lost? Baldwin. During World War II, the base served as the Air Corps Tactical School, a training field for the B-29 Superfortress bomber crews as well as other training missions. The ordnance from this bomber training was dropped at the Pinecastle Jeep Range where the United States Army Corps of Engineers is currently cleaning up bombs still buried in the soil. After the war, in 1946, the airport was returned to the City of Orlando but the land that is now Baldwin Park remained in the hands of the military for training missions that continued over the years. Sometime after the Air Force was split off from the Army, this land became the Orlando Air Force Base. During the 50s and early 60s, the Orlando Air Force Base was home to the Tactical Missile School among others. Some missiles were transported over to Cape Canaveral where they were launched. Another main tenant of the base was the Aerospace Audio Visual Service. Its function was to create training films for the Air Force. While stationed here in the mid-60s, I often heard the base referred to as the “Country Club of the Air Force.” As opposed to most bases, this base had no airfields and was located in a residential neighborhood and was contiguous to Winter Park. Beyond being located in Orlando, a popular vacation destination, base amenities included two lakes with available canoes, a golf course, beach, tennis courts, movie theater, clubs, bowling alley, base hospital and gymnasium. There was also a base exchange that provided food at lower prices to active and retired military personnel in the area. For a young airman in the mid-60s, I thought I had landed in heaven. About eight months prior to arriving at the Orlando Air Force Base, I had been ripped from my comfortable but monotonous civilian lifestyle in Columbus, Ohio. Basic training had subjected
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When I finally arrived at the main gate of the Orlando Air Force Base at the intersection of Corrine and Bennett, the warm sun kissed my face and my nose was filled with the perfume of orange blossoms. I was waved through, turned right and found my home for the next year and eight months until I was sent to Vietnam. I left paradise in December, 1967, just in time to enjoy the TET offensive in Saigon. Before leaving Orlando, I had heard a rumor that Walt Disney was buying a lot of property south of Orlando. I also heard that the Navy might be taking over the airbase. In 1968, the Navy started converting the old airbase to the Orlando Naval Training Center (ONTC). It was commissioned on July 1, 1968. The property would continue as a training ground for our soldiers, but in a far different capacity. Many of the World War II facilities were torn down and the property was rebuilt with sparkling new facilities. They renamed Lake Corrine to Lake Baldwin. The new base was used for basic and advanced training, as well as the sole place of recruit training of women of the Navy. In 1993, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission chose the ONTC as one of the bases to be closed. The final class to graduate was in December, 1998. The training center was, for a time, home to 650,000 recruits. To many Baldwin Park residents, it is just home. To many others, who spent some important years of their lives here, it is a place where their youthful memories reside. To me, it's both. Jim Schirtzinger is the vice president of the Residential Owners Association. He returned to Orlando and settled in Baldwin Park in 2004.
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THIS IS MY SPARK: Lisa Rosenberg & Harry Lim By Lisa Rosenberg TSAC Committee member Baldwin Park resident since 2007
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very morning, I get up early and walk my dogs around the neighborhood. It is very quiet as the sun isn’t quite peaking over the horizon. Our walk takes us through the town center, where the morning deliveries have just begun. It is so serene and peaceful, like the old time pictures of small towns just waking up to the new day. I pick up newspapers as we walk, tossing them onto front steps and porches. Sometimes I wonder if anyone notices, but mostly I just enjoy the extra exercise. It is the best part of my day, this early morning traverse through Baldwin Park. We see joggers and walkers, other dog people, and early risers getting a start on their day. It’s why I love living here so much, this small town feeling in the middle of the city. The manicured lawns and clean streets, the feeling that I can walk in the early morning without fear, the smell of fragrant flowers and new cut grass, brings me back to my childhood memories growing up in Central Florida before Disney and the tourists. It is a taste of old Orlando, truly the City Beautiful. All photos front and back cover, and this page by Harry Lim www.harrylimphotography.com
By Harry Lim Spark Volunteer
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began my career in broadcast news. As a videographer I learned the principles of lighting and composition. I apply those principles to still photography and remain passionate about capturing a moment and telling a story with a single frame.
TROPHY OF AWESOMENESS: Katherine and Alex Barnes hold the new Trophy of Awesomeness. Katherine guessed the closest to the number of M&Ms in the jar at the Ice Cream Social in August and earned the right to introduce the Trophy of Awesomeness on the front cover of this month’s Baldwin Park Living. The Spark Committee will award the trophy to an outstanding resident or event on a quarterly basis.
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I enjoy photographing people, pets, architecture, food, landscapes, wildlife and more. With the wonderful mix of landscaping, charming homes and natural areas in Baldwin Park, I am never at a loss of subjects or locations to take pictures! I hope to foster long lasting relationships with the families and business owners of the community and provide high quality services in the areas of commercial, environmental portraiture and event photography. You can learn more about me and see some of my work by visiting www.harrylimphotography.com.
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MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR: North Park Baptist Church
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n general, in Baldwin Park, if you see a new home being built, you expect to see a new family move into it. This is true of the new home being built on the corner of Prospect Avenue and Kenan Lane, except, when it is completed, a congregation of more than 100 will move in! Founded in 1922, North Park Baptist Church’s congregation met for many years in a prominent structure on the east side of Mills Avenue, just north of Colonial Drive, until the property became part of Lake Highland Preparatory School and the congregation, in 2005, moved to temporary quarters as they awaited the building of their new home in the new community known as Baldwin Park. Construction began in 2008 and Pastor Clif Ingram expects that services will be held in the new building before the close of 2009. “It’s a case of having a vision of how we are going to reach people, and touch the lives of people,” Clif says of the new home of North Park Baptist Church, the first church to be built in Baldwin Park. “All churches have to re-envision.” North Park’s vision will unfold in three phases. Phase one includes the new building under construction. This facility will primarily be an educational space, said Clif. The new 450 seat sanctuary will come in phase two. “We actually have an additional foot print, where we can build additional space in the future, but we don't have any plans for that at this time,” said Clif. Part of that new vision for North Park is to provide a preschool for the community, which will be housed in the educational
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The Ingram Family: Clif, Sarah, Grace and Laurie. (Photo by Chris Otto www.yourpictures.biz)
building. Clif says the church is enrolling now for the accredited preschool, which will open in January 2010. There will be 70 to 80 spots available for 3 and 4 year olds. Clif said the facility will also offer to the community the use of meeting space and class space on the second floor. He said financial seminars and other self-help classes are already in the planning stages. “We certainly want this building to be used by the Baldwin Park community,” said Clif. “We want it to be accessible and available to the community. We want to touch the community spiritually, but realize that there are other needs in the community.” Clif found his calling in what he calls a “vocational ministry,” which eventually became focused on starting new churches. He and his wife, Laurie, have lived in Belgium and South Africa.
Clif and Laurie have five children. Their oldest, Caleb, is married to Hannah, and they are both currently serving in the US Marine Corps. Bethany, who is married to Daniel, is a music therapy major in Mississippi. Joel, who graduated from Winter Park High School, is a beginning student at Union University in Tennessee. Clif and Laurie adopted Grace and Sarah in South Africa, where they were working with black Africans to start new churches. Clif and his family moved to Central Florida in December of 2006 and he took over as pastor of North Park. “We had originally been asked to go (to South Africa) for two to three years for a very specific job,” said Clif. They ended up living there for eight years. “It really came to a point that we felt that we had done all that we could do there,” Clif said of his move to Central Florida. “We went from planting new churches to helping a church go through the re-envisioning process,” said Clif. “There are a lot of similarities.” For more information on North Park Baptist Church, please go to www.northparkbaptist.org. Watch for news of North Park’s grand opening celebration on the Community Network.
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PADDY MURPHY’S he restaurants line the Lake Baldwin waterfront at Harbor Park like little ports of call. They are as much the same as they are ethnically different. Whether Mexican, Italian, or Irish, each is a family run operation with old family recipes and old family traditions that go back into the generations. Take a trip with us now around the culinary world and meet some of the interesting folks who make their “home” on the waterfront! 1ST Port-of-Call - IRELAND: The Dublin City Ramblers, Ireland’s best folk and ballad band, calls Paddy Murphy’s their “southeast home” when touring in the United States. “They love playing here, because it gets them back to where their roots are,” Paddy Murphy’s owner Tom Murphy says. “They normally play at Carnegie Hall or Irish festivals. It’s a unique situation that they’ll even play in a pub. They don’t normally play in a venue of this size.” But come they do, at least twice a year, says Tom. Pretty high praise for the new pub on the Baldwin Park waterfront. But the kudos don’t stop there. Paddy Murphy’s was recently voted “Best Irish Pub” by My City Eat, which is awarded by popular vote. Food is an important element in the Irish pub experience and Tom hired Tom Suprenant, a Disney trained chef, to assure that the traditional Irish recipes handed down through his family were translated and adapted accurately for the restaurant setting, such as fish and chips with homemade batter, Irish stew, and shepherd’s pie, which is a location favorite.
COLIBRI “Everything is pretty much homemade,” said Tom, “that’s what sets us apart from most pubs.” Signature dishes include wings, which are grilled and covered with a “secret sauce,” and Irish nachos, made with fried red potatoes. “It’s Irish traditional, with an American flair,” said Tom Suprenant. They also have a plaque that declares they serve one of the best pints of Guinness in the area. “We have a mixing system that most pubs don’t because it costs a little more,” said Tom. “It gives an exact blend of nitrogen to oxygen, so it’s perfect every time.” Paddy Murphy’s also has an extensive list of Irish whiskeys, “some that you won’t find anywhere else.” Tom’s parents were born in the United States but his grandparents emigrated from Mayo and County Cork in Ireland. Tom grew up in an Irish neighborhood in New York. “I think I was 12 years old before I found out that everyone wasn’t Irish! “We listened to Irish music when we were growing up, whether we wanted to or not,” said Tom. “Now my kids have to go through that same thing!” For more information about Paddy Murphy’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, please go to www.originalpaddymurphys.com. 2ND Port-of-Call - MEXICO: It’s tough to take family vacations when every one in the family works in a restaurant. Such is the case for Omar and Fabiola Martinez, who own and operate Colibrí.
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LAGO “We can’t all leave at the same time,” said Fabiola. Besides Omar and Fabiola, there’s Fabiola’s brother, who tends the bar at Colibrí, as well as three of Omar’s brothers who run two restaurants in St. Augustine. “Before Colibrí, when their mother died, we closed down the two restaurants,” said Fabiola. “but we can’t do that here!” After working with Omar’s brother, Asdrubal, for 15 years, Omar and Fabiola decided to open Colibrí in September 2007. Rather than leave their home in St. Augustine, they commuted almost daily. They left the Baldwin Park location in the hands of a competent manager, but soon realized that in order to give their customers the kind of dining experience they had cultivated in the St. Augustine locations, they would have to spend more time in Central Florida. So, Omar and Fabiola, along with their children, Sofia and Ethan, moved to Ender’s Park about three months ago. “It didn’t work out the way we thought it would. But, now that we are here, we can really see the changes,” said Fabiola. “It’s been getting better and better. “We want you to like the food and enjoy your evening,” said Fabiola. “We’ve
traveled a lot and we know what it’s like to have a nice dinner and we want to provide that.” She said in order to make the restaurant successful they added Tex-Mex items to the menu, like chips and salsa and fajitas. But their goal, she said, is to continue to introduce their customers to traditional Mexican entrees, some from family recipes and some from popular Mexican dishes they enjoyed growing up in Mexico. Colibrí is Spanish for hummingbird and the restaurant is named in honor of Omar’s grandmother, who loved the tiny birds. Omar cooks and runs the kitchen and Fabiola runs the rest. She said they both enjoy the extra attention they can now give to their customers. And she especially enjoys the convenience of being able to leave the restaurant and pick her children up from school at Audubon Elementary, and to be home within five minutes of locking the door of the restaurant. But they miss their family and lifestyle in St. Augustine. “It was a big step moving and leaving our house,” she said, “but it’s the price we are ready to pay to make this restaurant one of the best.” On the upside, when the Martinez’s get the opportunity to return to St. Augustine, it’s like going on vacation! For more information about Colibrí Mexican Cuisine, please go to www.www.colibriorlando.com. Third Port-of-Call - ITALY: Designed to embrace and enhance the waterfront dining experience, the interior decor of Lago, which is lake in Italian, reflects curves and motion, says owner Tiffany Acireala. Rich woods and fabrics, sculptural millwork and original art from Florida painters add an ambience of a comfortable family dining room. For the Acireala’s it is all about family. Moving to Central Florida from Jacksonville 12 years ago, Tiffany and Gianni Acireala missed the “extended family” feeling they had know at the family restaurants they grew up with in Ponte Vedra and Jacksonville Beach. Lago is owned and run by Tiffany and
her father-in-law, Giovanni, who is the executive chef. Giovanni also owns and runs a namesake restaurant, Giovanni’s, a 38-year Jacksonville Beach favorite with residents and visitors alike. “We had a lot of year round residents and we had a lot of occasional residents that would come in the summer or the winter,” said Tiffany. “We knew them. They are the people that came to my wedding. They are the people that came to baby showers. They were our extended family. “We missed that here,” said Tiffany. “So that is what we are trying to do in Baldwin Park.” Serving as executive chef for now, Giovanni commutes between Orlando and Jacksonville Beach, keeping an eye on two kitchens - one “traditional” Italian and one “nouveau.” Lago’s menu focuses on coastal dishes with fresh seafood and lighter sauces, said Tiffany. Fresh seafood is brought in everyday and the menu changes on the season, every three months. “We are trying to keep it fresh for our regular customers,” said Tiffany. “It’s not always going to be the same. “Of course, a lot of the focus is on wine,” said Tiffany. And she gets help with that aspect of the restaurant from her husband, Gianni, who is the Florida general manger for Opici Wine Company of Florida. “He helps us with our wine program!” Lago has a 14-seat wine room separate from the main dining room, fashioned after tasting rooms seen at wineries in Napa or Europe. They also have wine lockers that are leased to “members” on an annual basis, and ownership affords members the opportunity for free tastings for wines that are not readily available in Florida. For more information about Lago, please go to www.lagobaldwinpark .com. Photos, left hand page: Entree from Lago. Upper photo, this page, from left: Asdrubal, Natalia, Fabiola and Omar Martinez. Middle photo: Paddy’ Murphy’s exterior. Bottom Photo: Lago’s interior.
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Art Stroll of Baldwin Park Friday, October 16th 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Village Center A collection of local talent exhibiting their work and creating it live for your visual pleasure, more than 40 artists are involved with this unique, open forum exhibition. Come by and converse with the creators of thought provoking imagery and beautiful ideas. This Art Stroll will feature “Totally Tubular,� a raffle of bikes painted by local artists to raise money for the Audubon Park Elementary School arts program, located in Baldwin Park. Live music will be performed in the Village Center courtyard. Artists will be displaying along New Broad Street and Lake Baldwin Lane. This event is brought to you by the Baldwin Park Merchant Association, The Arts Hub, Images Auto Spa and LocoMotion Bikes.
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TRAINING FOR THE LONG RUN On May 28th, Katie Merrigan announced to the world, via Facebook, that she was going to run a marathon. And not just any marathon… but the New York City Marathon.
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hrough word of mouth, Dr. Chris Brouillette caught wind of Katie’s endeavor and it piqued his interest that the owner of Merrigan’s Boutique and Baldwin Park’s resident fashionista had a harder side. He was intrigued enough to offer his services to do what he could to get Katie ready to run a distance longer than any she had run before. Chris is a family practitioner with an office in the Neighborhood Office district, which offers not only family medicine but “lifestyle medicine.” By the time Chris got involved, Katie had only three short months to ramp up her training schedule. So Chris set up a meeting with Katie to discuss her goals and needs. He also set up appointments for her to meet with members of his staff; Erin Troy, Wellness Director, and Mary Lou Williams, the dietitian on his staff.
her runs, eating the right food and eating at the right times. And getting plenty of sleep. “That’s going to be tough for me,” said Katie. “Pushing myself to go to bed at 10 or 11 rather than 1 a.m. or later is tough but I know it’s good for me. Of course, the social life has not completely ended, but Chris wants me to stay disciplined during the week so I can let my hair down on the weekends.” Active in the Orlando social scene, Katie spends a lot of time promoting her boutique at local fashion events, and she is a tireless fund-raiser for local charities. In fact, Katie’s ticket to run in the New York City Marathon is being bought through raising funds for “Team For Kids,” a New York-based organization that helps to prevent obesity in children. “This year I decided to set a personal goal, choose something that I really wanted to do whilst helping others
He said the areas that Katie needed to focus on were running on a regular schedule, increasing the length of
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along the way,” said Katie. “One of the most exciting parts about the race is that in order for me to have guaranteed entry I have to raise $2,500.” After the initial meeting, Chris and Katie went on a couple of runs together. “We ran six miles in just under an hour which means we were doing just over nine minute miles. This is a little faster than I normally run but I had something to prove!” said Katie after the first run. Katie is hoping to be able to run the first 15 miles of the 26.2 mile marathon at a pace of 9.5 to 10 minutes per mile. “Chris’ main concern for me was that I wasn’t getting enough mileage in each week,” said Katie. “I’d like to see her get more comfortable with her longer runs,” said Chris. He she recommended that Katie run about 30 miles during the course of the week and then increase her runs on Saturdays to 14 miles. “She is very committed and eager to improve,” Chris said after a couple of runs with Katie. “We have her on a pretty regimented training schedule. We have discussed the importance of gradually increasing her miles each week. On the days in between her runs, we have her working on ab work for core strenght and some cross-training. I expect she will excel once she gets into a little better groove with the training regimen and her diet. “Assuming no major glitches, she should be peaking by the time of the marathon,“ said Chris. “She has a very good attitude and has the ambition to do well...both of which are critical for success.” EDITOR’S NOTE: We will follow Katie’s progress up to race day, Sunday, November 1st. Interviews with Chris Brouillette, Erin Troy, and Mary Lou Williams will be featured on the Community Network (www.BaldwinParkNetwork.com). Look for notification of the posting of those interviews in the Baldwin Park Weekly resident updates. To help Katie meet her fund-raising goal, please go to http://www.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/marprograms/nyrrf/team/2009/donations.htm. Type in her entry number, 415274, and make a donation. Photo oposite page by Harry Lim (www.harrylimphotography.com). The first New York City Marathon, in 1970, was four-plus laps of Central Park. In 1976, in celebration of the U.S. bicentennial, the marathon was moved to the streets of New York’s five boroughs: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. The course (see course map to the right) unites dozens of culturally and ethnically diverse neighborhoods, crosses five bridges, and finishes at Tavern on the Green in world-famous Central Park. The course continues to challenge thousands of athletes every year and has become a model for big-city marathon courses around the world. Before the New York race began, marathons were modest events attended and run by a few athletes and sports fans interested in the limits of human endurance. Now, the race attracts many world-class professional athletes, not only for the more than $600,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and 315 million worldwide television viewers. (Source: http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/)
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Running to Baldwin Park!
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reat location in a beautiful area! Central to many people and shops. According to Kim Buttar, these are just two of the things that have race organizers running to Baldwin Park as a venue for their events. “We love using the trails and there is so much natural beauty that the area has kept,” said Kim, who with her husband, “Z”, hold the annual Orlando Triathlon at Baldwin Park each summer. This fall, their company was responsible for the Lightning Run in September and for the upcoming Half Marathon, that benefits Audubon Park Elementary School. If you have fleet feet and you are interested in participating, check out these upcoming events.
HARVEST HUSTLE 5K - RACE TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER - Saturday, November 7th. Packet pick up opens at 6:30 a.m., 5K run starts at 8:00 a.m., 5K walk starts at 8:05 p.m., Kiddie Run starts at 9:30 a.m., 1838 Jake Street. Benefits Junior League of Greater Orlando. For more information or to register, please go to https://secure.closerware.com/orlando/ npo.jsp?pg=event&eventid=1083.
BALDWIN PARK HALF MARATHON & 5K - Saturday,
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Lightning Run 5 mile & 2.5 mile participants run around Lake Baldwin in the September race. (Photo by Harry Lim www.harrylimphotography.com)
November 14th. Half Marathon starts at 7:00 a.m., 5K starts at 7:15 a.m., Kids Miles starts at 8:00 p.m., Audubon Park Elementary School. Benefits Audubon Park Elementary School. For more information or to register, please go to. http://buttar.com/events/running/baldwinparkhalf/index.htm
JINGLE BELL RUN/WALK ORLANDO - Saturday, December 19th. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., race begins at 8:30 a.m., 4892 New Broad Street. Benefits the Arthritis Foundation. For more information and to register., Please go to http://2009jbrorlando.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent =313448.
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guest bedrooms that are being neglected because they are not used on a regular basis. They often end-up being a storage room and the room where the ironing board is left open permanently. They often serve as a home office, which is fine if you consider your guest’s comfort when they are staying with you. Paintings or poster on the walls make a room warmer, less sterile, more inviting. Make sure to free some hangers and room in the closet.
ith the holidays comes decorating, but where do you begin? Here are some tips from Baldwin Park resident pros that will help you get off to a good start. GET READY: Your decorating efforts will look better against a clean fresh background, so first, you have to clean. Michael Ostheim, of Michael Ostheim Painting and Renovations has a few tips on how to freshen your home without taking on a major remodel. Start in the first place your guest will see - your front porch and sidewalk. Pressure wash the exterior of your home with a low pressure washer. The object is to clean the paint, not strip it off. Don’t forget your garage door, your windows and screens, and your outdoor furniture. Be careful to check the composition of the ceilings of your porch before cleaning them with water. Pressure washing will damage drywall ceilings. Fences can be cleaned with a 50/50 solution of bleach and water.
If it is a real guest bedroom with a bed, a nightstand or a small table with a lamp on each side will make your guest comfortable to read in bed and put their book down and their small items. A nice touch is to add a picture of them at previous holidays with you so they can see how much you are appreciating their company. A small basket with essential toiletry of the scent of the season in the bathroom makes a nice gift to use or to bring back home when they leave.
(Please read and understand the instructions on the operation of the pressure washer before you begin any project. Also, take precautions when using ladders to reach upper level walls and window.)
Bring special attention to the front door. It is the mouth of any building and how you represent yourself to others. Plants or statues on each side of the door will act as guardians. If you had thought of re-painting it, now is the best time especially if you use the color red, which is festive in both our cultures and brings good luck and happiness in Feng Shui.
Touch up damaged paint where necessary. Inside, take a look at the walls of the common rooms and inspect them for soil and discoloration. Clean walls painted with eggshell or semi gloss with a soft cloth and lukewarm water. It is important to test your sheen first in an inconspicuous place. Do not rub hard. If touch ups are necessary, this is easier to accomplish on a sheen flat , but again, do a test patch first. Baseboards and stair risers can best be cleaned with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. GET SET: Not only does your home have to look right, but it has to feel right. Jill Terral, a certified feng shui consultant, has a few suggestions on how to make you and your guests comfortable in your home during the holidays. The best thing you can do before thinking of decorating is to take a good look at your home and see what has been accumulating throughout the year in the areas you can see and the ones you don’t, like in your closets, drawers and cupboards. Clutter symbolizes a constricted flow of energy that leads to a constricted flow of well being and getting rid of it will be a great stress reducer. Look at your home like a visitor would. Look at the sitting arrangements in the living room and in the family room, the chairs where you don’t usually sit; are there too many pillows on them, are they facing the television or arranged in a way to encourage conversation? Do some re-arranging and it will redirect the ch'i, the positive flow of energy. Don’t forget the guest bedroom. In my practice, I see a lot of
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A wreath is the best touch for giving the tone of the seasons and the beginning of the holiday season in particular. Start your decorating outside and continue inside at the threshold to greet yourself and your guests. This is the best time of the year to honor your culture and your religion so, show it off without overdoing it; remember, less is more. NOW GLOW: Now that your home is clean and in order, it’s time to add those special touches that make your home glow for family and friends. Betty Cameron, of Cameron’s Design, offers this short list of holiday decorating essentials. Our interiors reveal much about ourselves. By designing and filling our homes with what we love we unveil our personalities bit by bit through our choices of colors, furniture, window coverings and accessories. As the holidays arrive, preparing for the joyous season of the year can be stressful. Relax, it is possible to enjoy the holidays without being overwhelmed. If you choose a decorating theme for your Christmas décor you’ll see a really unified look. Creating a theme is less stressful and makes it easier to pull a room together; for example modern, traditional or rustic. Pick one piece as your focal point and decorate around it. Your
For more information on Michael Ostheim (left photo) please go to www.michaelostheimpainting.com. For more information on Jill Terral (center photo), please go to www.feng-shui-connection.com. For more information about Betty Cameron and Meredith Burris (right photo), of Cameron’s Design, please go to www.cameronsdesigns.com.
ultimate priority is not to over do it. In each room have one decorated focal point, whether it be a fireplace, dining table or coffee table. Every inch of the room does not need to be visually overloaded. In place of a traditional table runner, place a holiday placemat on the table with varying heights of glass vases, fill them with ornaments that tie into your color scheme. For the rustic look, use berry twigs to fill the perimeter and middle, then use pinecones as your filler. This is a great look and adds extra ambience if the pinecones are scented. For a
more modern look, beautiful yet inexpensive, place
mirrors on your table. You can then scatter opalescent confetti on the glass mirror, add a few small, white votive candles in shallow holders about the mirrors. A beautiful table is something your guests will appreciate. For your fireplace mantle, fill it with glittering leaves and various evergreen branches and then add an assortment of candles. The taller candle holders might have pine branches running up the length while the shorter gets nestled in the leaves. Quick and easy and naturally elegant is to spray long strands of ivy with gold spray paint. You can drape them on your Christmas tree as garland or use them on the mantle for color in your evergreens.
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ADVERTORIAL
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hat could be better than a whole month devoted to an American favorite, pizza. Begun in 1987, National Pizza month celebrates Americas love of Italian food, which is the country’s favorite ethnic food. According to PizzaWare.com, pizza is a $30 billion industry and Americans eat three billion pizzas a year. That averages out to 46 slices of pizza per person every year. Thirty six percent of all pizza orderers want pepperoni on their pizza and Americans consume around 251,770,000 pounds of pepperonis every year. There are approximately 69,000 pizzerias in the United States and pizzerias represent 17 percent of all restaurants. Here are two fine examples close to the Baldwin Park community
Café Italiano: Antionette and Salvatore Lauro of Brooklyn, New York opened Café Italiano in April 1965 serving some of the finest southern Italian cuisine in Central Florida. After 40 years of service, the restaurant continues to serve authentic dishes and thrive having survived decades of construction, recessions, Disney and changes throughout Orlando. Antionette and Salvatore retired in 2003, and now their son, James, continues the Italian tradition. If you want to experience some of the best pizza and cuisines straight from the hands of
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Italians, they invite you to Café Italiano. Try some of their recession specials: 2-for-1 dinners, pizza and weekly specials, $4 wines and more. The Semoran Boulevard restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The restaurant is also available for large parties, bridal and rehearsal dinners, take out, catering, special events and more. Food critic Scott Joseph said, “The Lauros can attribute their staying power to one thing: they serve very good food.” For more information visit their web site at www.cafeitlaiano.biz.
Pizzeria Del-Dio: Family owned and operated, Pizzeria DelDio is well known for its authentic Italian dishes and award winning pizza. A central Florida favorite since 1994, Del-Dio’s is now operating in its new location at the Colonial Landing Plaza in Orlando. Del-Dio’s is critically acclaimed and most recently recognized for having the best pizza in the area. DelDio’s has once again established itself as the neighborhood eatery where families and friends come together to enjoy meals that are fresh, hot and delicious. Del-Dio’s invites you to come and experience the tasty food foods and friendly hospitality that makes their restaurant unique and special. Pizzeria DelDio serves lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Please visit www.PizzeriaDelDio.com for additional information.
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WATER: A Life Giving and Sustaining Force here is a substance in the universe that has been revered by many cultures throughout history and integral in the creation and support of life. All life forms depend on it and without it will perish. It is the substance that space agencies throughout the world are in search of on other planets throughout the universe. The life giving, sustaining and most valued and important commodity to life is - water. In past cultures water conservation, storage and reverence for the clear liquid was of utmost importance as our ancestors understood its life giving and sustaining force.
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two gorgeous natural lakes. Although we as residents don’t drink out of these lakes and fountains they are there for our wellness and pleasure. Throughout history people have sat and watched water fall from one place to another enjoying a very peaceful and relaxing past time. It gives us an opportunity to go within and be mesmerized into thought, meditation and self reflection. Sitting along one of the lakes allows us to commune with nature by watching and listening as the animals that make their home in the lake and on the shore go about their daily activities.
In today’s culture it is so easy for us to obtain water through the faucet, or visit the local supermarket and pick up some bottled water. Water is so common to our culture and readily available that we have no reason to believe that clean drinking water may be scarce in the near future. However, there are many countries that report having no clean drinking water and therefore must have it trucked in by governments or aide organizations to be rationed. Countries are now seeing diminished levels of water in their lakes and rivers and some have dry ground where water was once plentiful. Desalinization plants are cropping up all over the world in arid lands struggling to keep the ever increasing population hydrated. Our complacency has created global warming creating more arid lands. Phoenix, Arizona had record highs of 120 degrees and above with an outcome of bone dry and baked land. Mother Nature is not happy with our habitual complacency toward her.
In the past lakes and fountains would have been a revered commodity. But today when I see the Baldwin Park fountains being vandalized by having mounds of bubbles pouring out of them due to soap being maliciously added to entertain a few who have no regard for nature I question whether we as a community are focused enough on the importance of water and how precious a commodity it is. Conservation seems to be low on the totem pole as well when I see yards and street foliage being watered while it is raining or the lack of watering on days and hours in which St. Johns River Water Management District has specified. We as residents must understand that if we don’t take care of our most important resource soon there will be no water. What are the ramifications of this?
Living here in Baldwin Park located in a subtropical region we tend to be sequestered from such rampant water shortage. However, a portion of the year we experience very dry conditions and our lakes, rivers and water table experience significant decreased levels. Currently we are experiencing ample water in the form of rain on an almost daily basis so water conservation is not at the forefront of our minds. Should it be? Baldwin Park boasts three beautiful man made fountains, and
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As residents of Baldwin Park we can take walks through the community admiring and enjoying its beautiful foliage and water features which promote the stress of a hectic day to melt away. It is up to us to use these assets for our well being and preserve it by being vigilant in assuring that our water resources continue to create beauty, calm, and serenity which is why many of us were attracted to Baldwin Park. It doesn’t take much effort or time to make sure that water conservation is taking place at your home, condo, or townhome. Check the sprinkler timer on a regular basis to ensure it is working properly. If you see some questionable action at any one of the three fountains immediately contact
authorities as this will deter vandals. I encourage you to walk and enjoy the health, calm, serenity and happiness that the water features of Baldwin Park promote within your being. Baldwin Park has received many awards based upon the importance of nature and how people flourish and prosper in natural environments. Enjoy the Water of Baldwin Park.
HEALTH TIP: Headaches are often a signal that your body is dehydrated. Try this simple approach to quickly rid yourself of a headache without drugs. Drink two 8 ounce glasses of water and wait 15 minutes. If you still have a headache drink one 8oz. glass of water and wait 15 minutes. If you still have a slight headache drink one final 8ounce glass of water and wait 10 minutes. Most headaches will be relieved by this method even if you are a migraine sufferer as I have found in my practice that 98 percent of all headaches are relieved with the above formula. Dr. Richard Betts practices Euro-Asian Medical Acupuncture, Chiropractic and Nutrition. His passion is to help people get healthy by eliminating their disease and pain.
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GREEN YOU CAN USE: A Guide to Water Conservation By Lawrence Hefler
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o you know how water gets to your tap? Fresh, clean, available water is a resource we are blessed to take for granted in our community. Did you know that The Floridan aquifer system is one of the most productive aquifers in the world providing water for several large cities including Orlando? However, conserving Florida’s water resources is a critical responsibility that requires everyone's participation. One of the most important ways to help meet our water supply needs for today and in the future is through the efficient and effective use of water. Although we depend on water to always be available, it is in fact a limited resource. As one percent of the planet’s water is available for us to use, there are three major issues of water conservation. The first is sustainability. We want to make sure that there is enough water around for our grandchildren. The second is the preservation of habitat for the natural ecosystems of which we are a part. The third is, not surprisingly, energy conservation. Water pumping, delivery and wastewater treatment facilities consume a significant amount of electricity. Electricity by fossil-fuel methods contributes large amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. (It is hard to imagine the connection between flushing toilets and the shrinking polar bear habitat, but it is there.) While the United Nations estimates that an average human needs a minimum of eight gallons of water a day, the average American uses about 112 gallons of water a day. It is projected that many states will face water shortages in the coming years. Florida, for one, may not have enough water for a continuing population growth. This where you can go green starting with water conservation. There are many small steps that can be taken around your
house to dramatically decrease water usage. Your lifestyle does not have to be impacted to make a difference.
Leaks, Drips and Laziness: Much household water is wasted through leaks, drips and laziness. A dripping faucet, for example, can waste up to 2,000 gallons of water a year. The first step is simple awareness of the water coming out of your tap. How much goes down the drain when you brush your teeth or wait for your shower to heat up? Is your sprinkler watering your driveway as well as your lawn? Do you have a faucet that constantly drips? Have any of your children ever left the faucet running all night long?
The Drain of the Bathroom: More
taps off tightly each and every time.
water is used in the bathroom than any other place inside the house. Start by checking your indoor faucets for leaks. Fixing one leak could save 2,000 gallons of water a year. Do your showerheads leak?
Plug the bathtub before you start the water. Adjust the initial burst of cold with more hot water later. You can waste 10,000 gallons a year waiting for hot water to reach the tap.
A low-flow showerhead can reduce water usage by half without changing the “feel” of the water pressure. Some will even reduce the flow to a trickle once the shower has warmed to the ideal temperature…until you are ready to step in. Naturally, taking shorter showers is always an option. Aerators can be installed in all your kitchen and bathrooms faucets. This is an inexpensive way to decrease water usage without sacrificing the feel of good water pressure. Aerators work by decreasing water flow, increasing pressure and mixing in air. They will cut your water usage at the sink by 40 percent. The quickest way to lower your bathroom water consumption is by training children, and yourself, not to leave water running. Turn it off while you brush your teeth. Fill the basin to shave instead of running the tap. Turn
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Tankless Water Heaters are a Hot Topic: If you are building, or remodeling, consider a tankless on demand hot water circulation system. Instead of heating water and storing it in a tank where energy is lost throughout the day, tankless systems heat water on demand, only as hot water is actually needed and used. A substantial reduction is energy costs can be achieved - generally 30 to 50 percent.
Flushing It Down the “Crapper”: It isn’t relevant to conservation, and I wouldn’t want my children to use the word, but couldn’t resist throwing in the urban legend that Thomas Crapper first popularized flush toilets in London in the 19th Century. To check your 20th century flush toilet for leaks, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Don’t flush. Wait 20 minutes. If the dye seeps into the bowl, you have a leak and could be wasting
600 gallons of water a month. Toilets manufactured before 1992 use between 3.5 and 7 gallons a flush. Fortunately, in Baldwin Park, we all have newer low-flow toilets that probably use 1.6 gallons or less. A dual flush toilet sports two flush buttons - one for liquids that uses less water per flush, and one for solids which uses more. Just one of these toilets will conserve 7000 gallons a year of water.
lawn is watered, not your house, the road, or the sidewalk. Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler and winds lighter. A rain barrel system efficiently catches the run-off from your downspouts. This is perfect water to use on your plants and to wash your car. It’s also a perfect spot for your children to fill their water balloons.
The Cleaning Machines: Much of our home water usage
Don’t Be a Drip: Conserving water saves energy, saves our
goes to dishwashers and washing machines. Only use these appliances when you have a full load. The dishwasher uses the same amount of water no matter what is inside. Adjust your washing machine water level to the specific load. If you are considering new appliances look for Energy Star labeled products.
available supplies, and keeps natural habitats intact. We can teach our children how very lucky we are to be able to turn on a tap at will and show them respect for the global water crisis others face. We can increase their awareness, and our own, for the many ways we need clean water for the essentials of life and also, the many ways we use it for luxuries. Years from now, they will be proud of you for your responsible water habits. In the meantime, go tell them to turn off the faucet and stop playing in the sink!
How Green Is Your Garden?: The largest percentage of your water usage is outside your four walls. This is an area where water is not going toward the essential functions of eating, drinking and sanitation. We are primarily talking about lawns and gardens here, with an occasional car washing. If your green lawn is a top priority, learn how to water in the most conservative way. The first step to conserve water outside would be to carefully check your faucets and hose connections. Drips outside tend to go unnoticed as they are not keeping you awake at night.
Lawrence Hefler is an Eco-Consultant and resident of Baldwin Park. He helps families and businesses Go Green to save energy, save water, reduce waste, and save money in their homes, offices, and lifestyle. Research for this article was provided by Green Irene.
Check your sprinkler system frequently to be sure that only your
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For more information on these businesses, please go to
www.BaldwinParkNetwork.com
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
and click on Directories in the side menu bar.
VILLAGE CENTER RETAIL
KRG&G, LLP
Amy Ridge Allstate Agency
MSCW, Inc.
Artistic Expressions Photography
Post Properties
Human Development - Dr. Mary Travis
Baldwin Bark & Meow Supply
The Majestic Apartments
Kay Green Design
Baldwin Nails & Day Spa
The Rosenthal Law Firm, P.A.
Lake Baldwin Dental - Dr. William Dunn
Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Company
VOA Associates, Inc.
Lamm & Company Partners
Best Cleaners
Websolvers
Marchena & Graham, P.A.
Hoskins Quiros Osborne & LaBeaume, CPA, LLC
BullFish
Mark Rash Interiors
Chi Pan Asian Restaurant
VILLAGE CENTER LIVE/WORK
Martin Orthodontics - Dr. Jeff Martin
Cold Stone Creamery
Access LLC
McCorkle Construction Company
Colibri
American Home Companions
MSI Design
CVS Pharmacy
American Mortgage Company
Nishad Kahn P.L. Attorneys & Advisors
Dental Excellence at Baldwin Park
Ana Ivonne Aviles, CPA, LLC
New York Life Insurance - Larry B. Rash
Farris & Fosters Famous Chocolate Factory
Anh’s Nails & Skin Care
Orlando Pediatric Dentistry -
Fitness Together
Baldwin Granite - Focus Builders
Five Guys Famous Burgers & Fries
Belle Vie Day Spa & Gifts
Park Avenue Group
Hair Cuttery
Blue Fox Services
Park Place Title, Inc.
Jack’s Steak House
Cameron’s Design
Physician Associates - Dr. Penny Danna
Kennedy’s All American Barber Club
Charis Counseling Center
Complete Health & Wellness -
Ki Marital Arts Academy
Crystal Clear Concepts
La Bella Luna
FRS Planning Associates - Frank Arnall
Lago Restaurant
GW Financial
Loco Motion
Hearing Associates of Central Florida
Lulu Belle Baby Boutique
IE Site Designs
Merrigan’s Boutique
In Florida Mortgage
New Broad Street Realty
Interior Talent Inc.
Orlando Metro Gymnastics - Coming Soon!
Joyce Ducas, PhD
Paddy Murphy’s Irish Pub
Lake Baldwin Church
Planet Beach Tanning Salon
My Stage Dance Studio
Planet Smoothie
Pro-Active Family Chiropractic -
Publix
Dr. Chris Brouillette Psychological Services, LLC Dr. Becky Eades
Dr. Luke Peterson
Regions Bank
Rosa’s Design and Alterations
Seito Japanese Restaurant
Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk
Subway
Solodev Internet Software
SunTrust Bank
Dr. Maubashir Chaudhry
Psychotherapy Works, LLC Maria Darcy, Ph. D., ABS R.W. Block Consulting, Inc. Reflections Dermatology Dr. Dimitry Palceski Rey Group SaJune Medical Center SGM Engineering, Inc. Smart Start Learning Center State Farm Agents Jim Ackerman & John Psomas Sweet Glides Segway Tours of Florida
The Home Mag
Therapeutic Hands of Steele
Tiny Toes Children’s Shoes
Wade P. Luther P.A. Law Firm
Trish’s Teas
NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE
Uptown Park Wine Bar
AdepTech, Inc.
Victoria Jewelers
Animal Hospital at Baldwin Park
VIBE Center for Performing Arts
Architects in Partnership
OTHER COMMERCIAL
Weight Watchers
Beattie Family Orthodontics
Cuhaci & Peterson Architects
WineStyles Wine Bar & Market
Bird Eye Institute - Dr. Eugenio Bird
Fairwinds Credit Union
Brown Cooper Architects
Florida Institute of Technology
Central Florida Foot & Ankle Specialists -
Nature’s Table
VILLAGE CENTER OFFICE Centerline Homes
WomenCare - Dr. Brenda M. Barry
Dr. Victor McNamara
North Park Baptist Church St. Paul Travelers
Commerce Financial Group
Dyer, Riddle, Mills & Precourt, Inc.
Executive OfficeSuites of Baldwin Park
Florida Retina and Vitreous Center
J Martin Black & Associates
Hanover Capital Partners
(Baldwin Park Merchant Association
Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC
Hess & Hess CPAs, P.A.
members are noted in bold.)
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FEATURED CLUB: The Baldwin Park Play Club
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TRAINING DAY: Katie Merrigan recently committed to take on one of the biggest challenges of her life...the NYC Marathon. With only a few weeks to train, Dr. Chris Brouillette took on the challenge of helping her get ready. See their story on Page 24.
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