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THE LIST
thelist
PHOTOS: NUVA PHOTOGRAPHY
shop & pop in
While you are out doing your holiday shopping at The Mall at Millenia you can also experience a pop-up art exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist JEFRË, featuring several works from his highly reviewed Points of Connection exhibition and debuting his new work called Contour Series, art tracings inspired by his connection of the land and human engagement — 100% of proceeds from sales of the heart mediums will benefit the AdventHealth Trina Hidalgo Heart Care Center. The exhibition is presented by The Mall at Millenia in partnership with AdventHealth featuring visual master works of JEFRË and Soundscapes presented by Grammy Award winning artist AYO The Producer.
ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD
LOCAL JEWELRY EXPERTS PROVIDE THEIR TOP FINE JEWELRY GIFT PICKS FROM THEIR PERSONAL COLLECTIONS OR THEIR RETAIL STORES.
ALMUT BELOTE, OWNER,
ALMUT BELOTE JEWELRY
Beginning a full-time apprenticeship in 1989, Almut Belote is now a recognized master goldsmith originating unique pieces in her workshop and boutique showroom in Thornton Park, Orlando. Almut’s extensive travels throughout Europe and South America, and her time as a goldsmith in the U.S. Virgin Islands have influenced her outlook and approach to aesthetics and design.
Luxury handmade solid gold bracelet cuffs with diamonds; available in 18k and 14k gold, $3,900 – $9,800. One of Almut’s signature pieces, designed with a unique hinge closure.
Gemstone Cubes: A truly ‘unique’ rare-cut gemstone handselected by Almut. Beautiful colors and varieties available; can be worn as earrings or added to fine-quality chains. Shown here: Gemstone Cube pendants in 18k and 14k gold, $295 – $990 each.
Gifts for the man in your life! Almut unveiled her Mens Collection in October. These designs are superbly elegant and minimal, a modern collection of mixed metals and textures that appeal to women and men. Shown here: Conjunction band, $1,775; Pendant in 14k white gold, $995.
Almut Belote Jewelry
520 E. Church St., Suite 105, Orlando 32801 almutbelotejewelry.com
EMILY WILLIAMS, OWNER, BE ON PARK
Emily Williams’ hands-on approach to finding and curating the selections at Be On Park comes from her unique background in the interior design and retail industries, as well as her long love of jewelry. Her keen eye for trends and passion for color is what keeps the selection unique, all the while, maintaining classic pieces that have made Be On Park stand out over the years.
Emily’s picks for great holiday gifts are: Fred Leighton cushion white topaz silver topped gold collet solitaire ring, $1,950, paired with a white topaz silver topped gold collet solitaire pendant, $1,650.
Suzanne Kalan 18k rose gold rainbow sapphire and diamond bar necklace, $1,500. Shy Creation 14k white gold pave diamond heart necklace, $1,110.
Be On Park
152 S. Park Ave., Winter Park 32789 beonpark.com
Start a holiday tradition with these Lauren Sigman Collection Gemstone & Diamond Stacking Bands, $700 – $3,200. Purchase one and add to it each year.
Give the gift of a classic, wardrobe staple with a twist: Lauren Sigman Collection Diamond Clover Studs, $1,550. Create a colorful and fashionable monogram with these Lauren Sigman Collection Jumbo Initial Gemstone Letters in 14k yellow gold, $600 each.
LAUREN SIGMAN,
OWNER, LAUREN SIGMAN COLLECTION
Lauren Sigman has been crafting jewelry since 2009 when she followed her dream after a 20-year corporate career. She studied under a master gemologist and metalsmith to hone her craft. Her first collection carried a flower theme, still a signature of her collection today. In 2019, she opened her first retail store inside The Grove Winter Park.
Lauren Sigman Collection
341 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Winter Park 32789 laurensigmancollection.com
Fun, colorful, stylish: Lauren Sigman Collection Gemstone Chains & Flowers, $210 – $700.
STACEY PAPP, OWNER,
BAY HILL JEWELERS
Community leader Stacey Papp opened Bay Hill Jewelers 17 years ago in Dr. Phillips. It has been recognized as one of the top 12 designer jewelry stores in the country and is a favorite among locals for its stunning collection of fine jewelry and custom designs. Stacey personally designs one-of-a-kind pieces, but also brings in world renowned collections.
Stacey recommends these four stunning, conversation starting rings from Gabriel & Co.
Classic three-stone ring with a modern twist. This ring features pear-shaped sapphires, a graduated halo with an oval center stone that is bezel and prong set, $2,850. Center stone not included.
Side set oval diamond ring set in rose gold with a white gold prong set with diamond insert to enhance, $3,665. Center stone not included. Stacey can reset your diamond in this ring!
Bay Hill Jewelers
Venezia Plaza, 7782 West Sand Lake Rd., Orlando 32819 bayhilljewelers.com
The Wedding Ring Store
329 N. Park Ave., Suite 101A, Winter Park 32789 321-422-0948
14k white-yellow gold Bujukan diamond and metal bead criss cross ring, $1,565; 14k yellow gold five-row Bujukan ball and diamond station ring, $2,425.
Golden Gala: 40 YEARS OF ENTERTAINING EVENINGS CELEBRATING HEALTHCARE & COMMUNITY
Each year the Sunday before Thanksgiving heralds in the season in stellar style. As the longest-running gala in Orlando, Golden Gala, to benefit AdventHealth Foundation, is a magical super-sized evening filled with heartfelt healthcare messages, community camaraderie and dazzling performers. To successfully produce it takes a machine with muscle and hustle led by the Golden Gala Circle of Friends formed more than 40 years ago to bring in the sparkle, shine and detailed touches.
Although 2020 meant a pandemic hiatus, this November the Gala is back in an entirely new format at the Amway Center with superstar Carrie Underwood. Past entertainers have included Michael Bublé, Martina McBride, Jay Leno, Rascal Flatts, Josh Groban and John Legend.
This sell-out, exclusive weekend event (there is also a golf tournament hosted by PGA professional and former Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger) annually attracts more than 2,400 attendees and has generously funded essential programs and historic projects including AdventHealth for Children’s Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Cardiovascular Institute’s Intensive Care Unit, Cancer Institute’s Cellular Therapy Lab and more. This year’s proceeds will benefit a wholistic mental health program at AdventHealth for Children.
Many of the past Golden Gala chairs recently gathered for photos, conversation and remembering golden moments. Here are some of their comments and what was special about their chair year.
Jeannie Moorjani with her year’s entertainer John Legend
Beth Hercules, Renuka Sivanesan, Nicole Stewart and Kuni Tran
Sharon Holder, 1990 Golden Gala Chair: We had the Bos-
ton Pops, and it was a very special year. I am a charter member of the Circle of Friends and have worked on the Gala for 40 years. I loved the decorating — we all used to come early to do that.
Sharon Stieg, 1998 Golden Gala Chair: My year the
entertainer was Kenny G. He was really good and went around the room so everyone could see him. But John Tesh was my favorite. He gave back half of his fee to us.
Renuka Sivanesan, 2006 Golden Gala Chair: I had Jerry
Seinfeld and it was the first year we had a sold-out Gala. We had 400 people on the waiting list. It was very magical to chair the Gala that year.
Vanessa Ketcham, 2007 Golden Gala Chair: It is won-
derful for everyone to come together and enjoy the evening. Lionel Ritchie got everyone up and it was pretty exciting.
Beth Hercules, 2008 Golden Gala Chair: The entertain-
er was Michael Bublé and it was really exciting — it was also the 100th birthday of Florida Hospital [now AdventHealth]. The collectiveness of all the ladies coming together to make something really special is awesome.
ory is all being together, making auction baskets and having fun. And having Vanessa [Ketcham] tell us we couldn’t make very good bows.
Martina McBride, and she was so sweet; she gave me a guitar pick with her name on it.
entertainers that year — Smokey Robinson and Gladys Knight. Woo… it was awesome!
Kuni Tran, 2015 Golden Gala Chair: Kristin Chenoweth
was the entertainer, and she was amazing to watch.
Sharon Steig, NiCole Barry, Jeannie Moorjani and Whitney Michaels
Shannon Connelly-Gunn, 2017 Golden Gala Chair: It
was epic raising a million dollars in the room that night!
memories are just working together with the community to provide excellent healthcare in Central Florida so families who need great healthcare do not have to leave the area.
Whitney Michaels, 2019 Golden Gala Chair: It was just
the community aspect, supporting the community and the funds we were able to raise.
For information visit: adventhealthgoldengala.com
GREEN GIVING:
Vintage is the Sustainable Option
With decades of experience in the industry, Lisa Smith has owned and operated Orlando Vintage, a retail showroom filled with fabulous fashion finds, since 1995. As a recognized vintage expert, she also consults with television and film productions and has provided period-appropriate clothing and accessories for dozens of shows and movies including Men In Black III and Mad Men.
Since it is gift giving season, we stopped by to see beautiful accessories and clothing that have history and style — but also give something back to the earth as the ultimate in sustainability. Lisa says it’s more than just a trend though. “Back in 2018 I was in New York at the Coterie Show and I was selected to be part of the UN installation to talk about sustainable fashion. That’s when I really started to hear the term sustainable as opposed to vintage. I think it’s a cultural awareness that’s worldwide being pushed by the younger generations demanding actions to stop global warming. Fashion as an industry is the number one user of valuable resources in the world. And once people realized that, the draw to vintage was even greater,” she explains.
Indeed, more and more well-known designers are using vintage fabrics or pieces of items to create new fashions. Recycle, reuse, repurpose has become a mainstay mantra. And it’s a far cry from the old monikers of second-hand and used. But not all
From left: Orlando Vintage has a huge selection of designer clothing, including highly coveted Chanel pieces; turquoise jewelry is statement-making and on trend; below: Even LBDs can be found among the display cases and curated racks.
things labeled vintage are worthy of the tag. That’s why buying from an established professional will yield better quality in both design and construction. And there is nothing better than seeing the item up close and personal as savvy shoppers know.
So how do you go about purchasing a sustainable gift that will be precious to the recipient? “There’s nothing better than reminding someone about the past that was precious to them. Maybe your grandmother gave you her locket when you got married. Seeking out really lovely treasures that are made better is special. Here, we ask a lot of questions to find out what the person really likes, what they already have, and if this will be the only gift for them. I will see if they have an image of something they have in mind,” Lisa adds.
It’s really personal shopping that values the client’s time and budget — they even gift wrap. “Although we do not offer refunds for gift purchases, we do offer exchanges — we try to accommodate people,” she says. Green gifts may not be for everyone on your list, but there is bound to be a fashionista or two who would be thrilled with a fabulous find.
ORLANDO VINTAGE
1500 Formosa Ave., Winter Park, 32789 407-599-7225 | orlandovintage.com
OLIVIA MYERS:
WHEN OLIVIA MYERS “FINISHED” HER BACHELOR’S AT ROLLINS
COLLEGE (there was no graduation ceremony with pomp and circumstance) in spring 2020 during a global pandemic, she didn’t know what she was going to do next. Because of the quarantines and lockdowns, she didn’t have a job lined up. Her nephew had gotten her into sustainability, specifically when it came to fashion, and she developed a knack for thrifting. She decided to start a business, Overchill the Label, a website reselling vintage clothing.
“I basically got an email saying your college experience is over. So, I hadn’t applied for any jobs and my parents were like, what are you doing? I told them I’m going to start a company,” she says. Hesitant at first, her parents are now extremely supportive and her biggest cheerleaders.
Olivia has two older half sisters and six nieces and nephews who are close to her in age. Her oldest nephew, Chas, introduced her to thrifting, emphasizing the importance of sustainability. “We had a bunch of vintage merchandise and we started a website reselling it,” she explains. Rather than selling through Instagram and social media only, Olivia wanted the website to be the foundation for the business, with the possibility of expanding into designing and selling sustainable clothing.
They worked on the site during quarantine and launched on June 8, 2020, with a collection of carefully curated vintage pieces. “We had a strong start in terms of orders, but it’s challenging selling one-ofa-kind items and keeping up with customer satisfaction and demand,” she admits.
Fast forward to February 2021 and Olivia got an email with an opportunity to be featured in British Vogue. Overchill the Label ended up being featured in three issues of British Vogue and Vanity Fair in its retail pages.
“We’ve had a few months of trial and error and just learning what our specific audience wants. After Vogue, we decided to make the jump from reselling to producing, so we designed a fall collection, but it took away the one aspect people really wanted which was vintage. I want to be on the forefront of sustainable fashion. Basically, you can get these items, but you have to look for them, so we’re going to do it for you. And it’s giving people something no one else has, which for me is extremely important,” she explains.
She’s deeply committed to the cause, wanting Overchill the Label to be more than just a resell site, she wants it to spread awareness about sustainable fashion. “I was that girl in college that ordered a new outfit for every single occasion and didn’t really care where it came from or how it was made, but now I’m much more conscious about it and I like having a unique style and look,” she says. According to a Newsweek article, the volume of clothing Americans throw away each year has doubled in the last 20 years, from 7 million to 14 million tons.
Olivia understands that her business is still in its infancy and there are going to be growing pains and challenges to overcome. While her nieces and nephews help out when they can, she’s the sole proprietor. She recently hired a middle school friend, Madison Papalini, on as her partner, who is helping with digital design and development. At the time of this interview, Olivia was getting ready to launch her fall drop, which included a full collection of vintage items as well as some 100% organic cotton t-shirts and sweatshirts that featured the Overchill logo.
As for the unique name, Olivia explains: “Ironically, I put Olivia and Charles (her nephew) into a word generator and Overchill came out. I thought it was kind of cool, so we went with it. We’re still young but we have very high aspirations and are trying to figure out how to get there, but we know we’re headed in the right direction. The people are there, you just have to find the audience.”
SERIOUS ABOUT SUSTAINABLE FASHION
Olivia (standing) with her nieces and nephews, Chas, Lilly, Richard and Kate.
Committee for a Cause
A dedicated group of local ladies — Annette Ford, Lynn McKinney, Helen Cairns, Maureen Hall Dearden, Patrice Abufaris, and Ann Farrell — organizes a sanctioned duplicate bridge tournament to benefit the Foundation for Foster Children each year. The popular event, presented by Panera Bread, will return this year to kick off the holiday season.
“In the season of giving, it’s a great opportunity for bridge players, through their generous donations, to help neglected and abused children in our community while enjoying a lovely afternoon of bridge in a festive holiday setting,” says event chair Annette Ford.
Annette and the other committee members have been long-time supporters of the Foundation for Foster Children, which serves children in foster care, ages 0-24, who are living with foster families, relative and non-relative families, and foster youth living in group homes or transitional homes in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. Programs aid with tutoring, extra-curricular activities and sports, educational supplies and equipment, mentorship and guidance, and transition to adulthood services. All proceeds from the Holiday Bridge Tournament will benefit the organization.
Bridge players are invited to dress in their most festive attire and enjoy a luncheon and afternoon of bridge, with cash prizes, at Interlachen Country Club on Friday, December 10.
For more information on sponsorships or registration, contact Susan Zettler at szettler@ffc.org or call 407-422-4615.
From left: Maureen Hall Dearden, Lynn McKinney, Annette Ford and Helen Cairns. (Not pictured: Patrice Abufaris, Ann Farrell)
HIGHLANDERS HAVE A HEART FOR SERVICE
Every year Lake Highland Preparatory School (LHP) students volunteer their time and talents to make a difference in the Central Florida community during a schoolwide day of service.
Now six years running, “Heart of a Highlander” is an annual tradition for the school’s prekindergarten through 12thgrade students to voluntarily devote one student holiday during the first semester to engage in community service.
“You can’t learn to lead unless you first learn to serve,” says current LHP President
Alfred G. Harms, Jr. “Serving our community is essential to who we are as Highlanders, and we make it a priority by dedicating this time for students to engage in sweat equity and contribute to a greater good.”
Over the last five years, 5,750+ Highlanders have served 65 charities in the
Central Florida area, totaling 15,760+ hours. A few ways Highlanders have impacted the community include:
Y 2020: Assembling 21,000 meals for
Rise Against Hunger; packing 300 bags for Miles to Go, a charity providing necessary supplies and dignity to the Central Florida homeless community; and creating videos and cards for high-risk senior citizens during the
pandemic who were not able to see their loved ones. Y 2019: Providing thousands of pounds in supplies for Bahamian hurricane relief and creating handmade soup bowls for homeless Central Floridians. Y 2018: LHP Boys Basketball team installing a new basketball court at
Devereux home for foster boys in Pine
Hills, and elementary students
working with the City of Orlando to improve Kayley Square. Y 2017: Packing 8,500 hygiene kits for
Clean the World to benefit victims of
Hurricane Irma, and painting inspirational quotes and murals at Freedom
Middle School to motivate and encourage students every day . Y 2016: Sorting eight tons of potatoes to feed six counties; hosting an ice cream social for residents of The Mayflower
Retirement Community; serving meals to terminally ill children through Give Kids the World; and mentoring homeless children in the
Early Learning Center of the Orlando
Rescue Mission Union.
Even during the pandemic, students found ways to help their peers, neighbors, community, and essential frontline workers. Highlanders handmade masks; offered online collaborative tutoring when schools were closed; fabricated face shields; sent letters, baskets and medical supplies to residents and hospitals; and organized food and supply drives to help families in need.
The Lake Highland Parent Association works with students to coordinate Heart of a Highlander volunteer projects that align with the school’s mission and that are particularly meaningful for students.
“We knew we had to help when we heard a fire at Pet Alliance destroyed the cat wing,” said LHP senior Mia Castro, who has participated in Heart of a Highlander since she began attending LHP five years ago. “Our student club ‘Paws for a Cause’ is devoting our day of service to efforts that will benefit cats in particular this time. We’re donating food and making blankets, so the cats don’t have to sleep on the cold floor.”
This year, the Heart of a Highlander Day of Service took place on October 22, with more than 1,500 volunteers serving 48 charity partners. Students helped remove debris and beautify several Orange County parks; penned letters to Grace Medical Home patients; cleaned and organized freezers for United Against Poverty; decorated and filled ‘kindness kits’ for veteran families staying at the Fisher House; built and assembled a wheelchair ramp in partnership with the Center for Independent Living; and sewed pillowcases for critically ill children at the Give Kids the World Village, among many other volunteer opportunities.
“While we formally dedicate one school day to volunteerism, we encourage all Highlanders to participate in additional service opportunities throughout the year,” Alfred adds. “The goal is to create a service mindset in our students that continues throughout their lives as they become leaders in their families, businesses and communities.”
From August to May, Highlanders log 40,000 hours of community service each school year.
