Orlando Home & Leisure magazine March 2011 by Orlando Life

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42 FEATURES: mARch 2011 SET FOR SPRING 32 ON 42 For generations, fashion and film have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship. So, to salute spring 2011’s hottest trends and the upcoming Florida Film Festival, Orlando Home & Leisure visited the Hollywood-style back lot at Full Sail University, the festival’s primary sponsor. by Leigh Duncan • styling by Marianne Ilunga and Elsie Knab • photographs by Rafael Tongol

ThE hEART OF A WOmAN Heart disease is now the No. 1 killer of women age 20 and older. But three young survivors are sharing their stories as American Heart Association volunteers – and celebrating second chances with inspiring makeovers at Winter Park’s Salon Ciseaux. by Leigh Duncan • photographs by Greg Johnston

ON THE COVER: Model Caroline Lowe, of ModelScout Inc., on location at Full Sail University’s back lot. Fashions by Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia; jewelry from Violet Clover, Winter Park; wardrobe styling by Marianne Ilunga, stylissima. com; and hair and makeup by Elsie Knab, elsieknab.com; photograph by Rafael Tongol 2

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

MARcH 2011

PHOtOS: (LEft) GREG JOHNStON; (tOP RIGHt AND cENtER RIGHt) RAfAEL tONGOL; (cENtER LEft) cOURtESy AMERIcAN HEARt ASSOcIAtION; (bOttOM RIGHt) EvEREtt & SOULÉ

DEPARTMENTS 8 AGENDA

Charm’s transcendent woman at Orlando Shakes; Winter Park’s avenue of the arts; open-air clubbing at Chillounge; a tribute to U2 at Raglan Road; the science of chocolates at the Orlando Science Center; and Kathy Griffin’s slice and dice at Bob Carr.

16 PAGES

Tales of a threatened Florida swampland outpost and the tragic Adam Walsh saga, retold. by Nancy Pate

20 LUXURY HOME & DESiGN: THE fUN HOUSE

A Winter Park lakeside enclave combines Old World style with a rock ‘n’ roller’s spirit. by Kaleena Thompson

26 DESiGN fiNDS: bAck TO bASicS

Old fashioned is in fashion at Saxon-Clark’s new showroom. by Kaleena Thompson

29 STYLE: SPRiNG iNTO fASHiON

Step out in style with the season’s hottest products and accessories. compiled by Marianne Ilunga • photographs by Rafael Tongol

64 WELLNESS: HEAvY TO HERO

After his wife’s double mastectomy, a local surgeon calls upon fat – yes, fat – for its restorative, reconstructive powers. by Michael McLeod

70 SEEN

From a tribute to Sinatra and inspirational speaker Joe Manno’s comic stage show for kids to Disney’s half marathon and its Disney Dream benefit cruise for the Boys & Girls Club, OH&L is out and about.

72 NATivE SON

14 29

Bob Morris on the most breathless golf moment of his life.

fLAvOR 51 ScOTT JOSEPH’S GUiDE TO DiNiNG iN cENTRAL fLORiDA

Reviews of Remy on the new Disney Dream, India Kitchen and Greek Flame Taverna; Irish pubs for St. Paddy’s Day fare; a hearthealthy shrimp stir-fry recipe; the perfect wine pairing for Remy’s smoked bison; and Scott’s exclusive listing of Central Florida’s finest dining spots.

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FIRST

Rock-Star Dreams Rekindled at a Neighborhood Karaoke Bar

few years ago I wrote a story

about karaoke in Orlando. I tried to be nice about it, but you can tell how well I succeeded from this passage: There are around 50 Central Florida bars that feature karaoke for a night or two each week... tone-deaf drunks, speakers turned up way too loud and couples far too old to be making out in public. I remember that couple. Eewww. Anyway, I am now in a position to give you this progress report: Not much has changed on the karaoke front. I know this because I am now a part of it. I have fallen among those I once mocked, like one of those preachers who rails against evil and then succumbs to it. Being a rock star is the go-to fantasy of my life. All it took for it to come out into the open was for the tiny, blue-collar bar just down the street to bring a once-a-week karaoke night to my neighborhood. Suddenly a 10-minute walk on a Friday night was all that stood between the safety of my own living room and the destruction of any vestige of personal dignity I still have left. The bar has a great ambiance for rock ‘n’ roll singing, though not as great as it was just a few weeks ago, when they hadn’t yet replaced the row of windows that had been broken out by a disgruntled ex-employee. There are just tan stucco walls, a concrete floor, a pool table, a few chairs and 20 or 30 patrons, most of whom are half lit by 9. A nice Korean lady behind the bar knows the brand of beer I drink. And the young woman who operates the karaoke machine offers moral support. After one of us goes up and sings, no matter how poorly, she always says the same thing, Nice job, in a velvety, caring, pre-schoolish voice. It’s like t-ball, the musical, where you can be the kid who runs around the bases the wrong way or gets hit in the head with every fly ball that comes your way and still get a trophy at the end of the year. 4

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

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I sing Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, the Clash, Foo Fighters, Jim Morrison, Soul Asylum and some Beatles now and then. Mostly the other people in the bar ignore me. Now and then someone staggers up and gives me a compliment, which is a lot worse, since most of the compliments tend to start off good but then wind up bad, like the time a guy said to me: “When I see somebody like you singing rock ‘n’ roll, it reminds me of how old everybody in the audience looked the last time I went to a Jimmy Buffet concert.” Then there was the Monday morning when I still had a song by one of my favorite singers running through my head as I bought my morning coffee. “I want to be Chris Isaak,” I blurted out to the girl behind the counter. “You can,” she said. “On Halloween.”

What’s ON DECK A celebration of the great outdoors, from designing to entertaining and landscaping to green living; plus celebrity designer tips, eco-chic fashion and accessories, and a naturalist’s view of Old Florida.

Michael McLeod Editor in Chief mmcleod@ohlmag.com

MARcH 2011

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& Michael McleOD Editor in Chief leiGh DUNcaN Senior & Managing Editor scOtt jOseph Editor at Large laURa BlUhM Art & Production Director NicOle pasKOWsKY Editorial Assistant allisON MilleR, haNNah MOBaReKeh, GiaNNa WYatt Editorial Interns MaRiaNNe ilUNGa, BOB MORRis, elsie KNaB, NaNcY pate, KaleeNa thOMpsON Contributors GReG jOhNstON, Rafael tONGOl, allaN saltMaN Contributing Photographers Editorial: press@ohlmag.com

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copyright 2011 by Florida Home Media, LLc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part prohibited without written permission of the copyright holder. ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE (USPS 000-140) (Vol. 12/Issue No. 3) is published monthly by Florida Home Media LLc, 2301 Lucien Way, Ste 190, Maitland, FL 32751. Periodicals Postage Paid at Maitland FL and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine, PO Box 5586, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310-5586 6

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Philosophers, Poets and a Transcendent Woman

They grew long hair, promoTed peace, worshipped

nature, formed communes, supported racial and gender equality and adopted a new-age philosophy incomprehensible to most and ridiculed as utopian nonsense by others. They weren’t the hippies of the 1960s. They were the transcendentalists of the 1840s, who clustered in Concord, Mass., to be near their financial patron and ambassador to the outside world, poet and lecturer Ralph Waldo Emerson. Some of the names you may remember: Bronson Alcott (father of Louisa Mae, author of Little Women), Henry David Thoreau (author of Walden and Civil Disobedience) and Nathaniel Hawthorne (author of The Scarlet Letter and Twice Told Tales). But another important figure has been largely forgotten. Margaret Fuller was a journalist, pioneer feminist and likely the model for Hester Prynne, the embattled, branded adulteress of The Scarlet Letter. Fuller’s ties to the transcendentalists are the basis of a Pulitzer Prize-nominated comedy, Charm, which will be performed at Orlando Shakespeare Theatre March 23 through April 17. Charm debuted in Orlando as a workshop at the Shakes several months ago and was so well received that the company decided to bring it back as a full production.

Plan On It 8

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

Barbershop Documentary by Penny Jordan

Feb. 5- April 23 Crealde School of Art In a charming slice-of-life exhibition, photo hobbyist Penny Jordan showcases local barbers and barber shops in black and white photographs. crealde.org

International Flower & Garden Festival

March 2 Epcot Toy Story 3 and Cars 2 characters will join leafy Disney favorites in the attraction’s annual topiary extravaganza, which includes floral displays and celebrity gardening guests. disneyworld.disney.go.com

Florida Strawberry Festival

March 3-13 Livestock, fine arts, crafts, horticulture and, yes, strawberries are celebrated in a Plant City tradition that dates back to the 1930s. flstrawberryfestival.com

MARCH 2011

photoS: (left) CourteSy orlando ShakeSpeare theatre; (far right) CourteSy winter park Sidewalk art feStival; engraving CourteSy rainbow SolutionS

The play was written by Kathleen Cahill, who once lived in Concord and as a girl went swimming in Walden Pond, the body of water Thoreau made famous by doing much of his solitary ruminating along its shores. Fuller, the daughter of a United States congressman, defied many of the gender-based conventions of her time. In the mid-1800s, it was against the law for a woman to give a public lecture. Fuller found a way around that restriction by discussing her views at a Boston bookstore and advertising the gatherings as “conversations.” The sometimes self-important transcendentalists weren’t exactly known for self-deprecating humor. But apparently Fuller was. Emerson declared that “she made me laugh more than anyone I have ever met.” Playwright Cahill, who now lives in Utah, said in a telephone interview that she tried to capture that playfulness in the script of Charm. At one point in the comedy, she has her protagonist dryly proclaim: “My father taught me Latin. It turned out to be a form of birth control.” Fuller had yet another persona, apart from that of a witty intellectual with a passionate cause: She also had a taste for adventure, sailing to Italy to write about the Italian Revolution. While there she fell in love with a 26-year-old Italian nobleman and had a child out of wedlock. That’s one reason why Cahill says she counts herself among those who are convinced that had there been no Margaret Fuller, we might never have had a Hester Prynne. “There is a piece of writing near the end of The Scarlet Letter where Hawthorne says, ‘Someday a woman will come along and she will teach us how men and women go together,’” she says. “That’s what Margaret talked about all the time.” For more information, visit orlandoshakes.org. – Allison Miller

Amazing Women of WWII

March 4-5 Fantasy of Flight Heroes come in all genders. In honor of Women’s History Month, World War II-era female Air Force pilots will appear and share their stories. fantasyofflight.com

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SHOUT! The Mod Musical

March 4-27 Winter Park Playhouse Hey, boomers! This coming-of-age musical features ‘60s classics such as “Downtown”, “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” and “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me”. winterparkplayhouse.org

It’s an Avenue of the Arts Of all the sidewalks in Central flOrida, the

stretch that flanks the park, shops and bistros of Park Avenue in Winter Park may be the most charming. On March 18, the three-day Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival will kick the thoroughfare’s legendary appeal up another couple of notches. At least, that’s what Steven Matijcio expects. “I’ll be looking for work that’s confident, captivating and poetic. It needs to be in the moment, and forever beyond it,” says Matijcio, who is a curator at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, and one of the venerable annual festival’s judges. Prizes totaling $67,500 will be awarded to the best among 225 artists whose works will be on display. Sculpture, photography, drawings and paintings will line the streets and fill the park, along with jewelry and even clothing. Other judges this year are Gene Koss, an art instructor and artist at Tulane University, and Inez S. Wolins, chief of the division and interpretation and education at the Boston National Historical Park. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For information, visit wpsaf.org. – Hannah Mobarekeh

Diamond Rocks

March 12 Garden Theatre Don’t be a solitary man or woman. Sing along to “Sweet Caroline” (bum, bum, bum) at a tribute concert honoring legendary hitmaker Neil Diamond with lead vocalist Donn Lamkin. gardentheatre.org

Rashomon

March 18-April 17 Mad Cow Theatre Based on a Japanese folk tale, this play depicts the rape of a woman and the murder of her samurai husband through the widely differing accounts of four witnesses. madcowtheatre.com

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

AGENDA

You’re draped across a white

chaise lounge on the shore of iconic Lake Eola, cocktail in hand. Samba dancers glide by. Models strut along a runway. A jazz band plays, drowning out honks from the resident swans. It’s Chillounge Night Orlando, an instant, one-night, open-air nightclub that returns to the city March 26 for its second local incarnation. Chillounge is the glitzy brainchild of Rainer Scheer, a Sarasota native who’s been staging it in his hometown for the past decade. “We create a beautiful atmosphere and provide an experience that combines music, fashion, dance and great food,” he says. “It’s all within an elegant setting that offers a perfect place to have fun, meet people and chill.”

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

The local organizer, an Orlando-based fashion show coordinator who goes by the name Roquois, sees Chillounge as a

“transformative” event for the city. “I feel like Orlando needs to be one of those main cities, like Miami,” she says. “We have a lot of culture here, and we definitely need to celebrate it.” Chillounge attractions will include such big-city stuff as opera singers, a body-painting exhibition, a cigar lounge, tango dancers, a fireworks show and a Cleopatra Parade featuring beefy male models carrying platforms bedecked with beautiful women in exotic costumes. Chillounge starts at 6 p.m. Guests must be 21 years or older. Tickets are $20 online or $25 at the door. Uh, gate. Uh, rope. Whatever. For information and advance tickets visit chilloungenight.com. – Hannah Mobarekeh

MARCH 2011

photo: courtesy chILLouNGe

Open-Air Clubbing: Chill Out at Chillounge Night Orlando

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Shawn Brady iS iriSh 365 dayS a year. it’S not only

by blood but by profession. For the past nine years, as part of the tribute band Elevation, he has played the role of Bono, lead singer of U2. The band – Elevation, not U2 – will be performing at Downtown Disney’s Raglan Road Irish Pub at 10 p.m. on March 17, Saint Patrick’s Day. Bono is, more than most rock stars, a political animal. Several of U2’s hits – from “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” to “In the Name of Love” – were inspired by current events. Brady dates his own fandom to the moment when, as a 12-yearold, he first259-038 heardPM“Where - OrlHome&LeisureNOV.pdf 1 10/7/10 4:28

the Streets Have No Name” – more or less U2’s answer to John Lennon’s “Imagine.” “I definitely have a huge amount of respect for Bono in terms of his humanitarian efforts,” says Brady, whose band makes it a point to play charitable events when possible. “But being a tribute band, we’re first and foremost entertainers. We’re paid to ensure people have a good time, so we tend to leave political and humanitarian messages at the door.” That may be so. But like U2, Elevation has global appeal. To date, the group has played more than 400 shows in 12 countries. For information, visit raglanroadirishpub.com. – Hannah Mobarekeh

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MARCH 2011

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U2 Fans: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day With a Faux Bono

AGENDA

Festival Blends the Art and the Science of Chocolate Anyone cAn visit A sweet shop in seArch of

is made, produced and distributed. Chocolate facials will be available; despite what you were told as an acne-phobic teenager, the stuff is actually good for your skin, thanks to antioxidants and softening ingredients. Visitors will also learn how to make various chocolate treats at home. Award-winning pastry chefs will host demonstrations and in-depth classes for would-be confectioners of all skill levels. A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best of Chocolate Indulgences in Central Floridaâ&#x20AC;? competition on Saturday will encompass nine categories, judged by a panel of pastry experts, local celebrities and self-proclaimed chocoholics. Admission is free with general admission to the Orlando Science Center. For more information, visit osc.org. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; GiAnna Wyatt

Godiva and Ghirardelli to die for. But who goes to a science center to salivate? Pretty much anybody who loves chocolate, at least for two days this month, when the Orlando Science Center stages its Festival of Chocolate, March 5-6. Yes, the festival will feature a â&#x20AC;&#x153;mallâ&#x20AC;? lined with chocolate delicacies for sale. But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also be chocolate-related activities that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily involve stuffing your face. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a chocolate film festival â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and no, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not talking Willy Wonka. Local filmmakers will compete in a chocolate â&#x20AC;&#x153;fairytale film competition,â&#x20AC;? and the fan favorite will garner a $500 first prize. Lectures about the history of chocolate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually an extremely complex, engaging, and, yes, bittersweet tale â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will include an explanation of how chocolate

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ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

MARCH 2011

Griffin Brings the Slice and Dice to Town Willow Palin’s life as miserable as possible. Mean? Of course. But Griffin says most of her targets are asking for it. “A lot of celebrities, especially when you’re talking about the really big ones, live in what I call the fame bubble,” she says. “Nobody ever says no to them, or challenges them or even teases them.” Well, almost nobody. Griffin usually gets away with it, though some celebrities, particularly Paula Abdul, genuinely shun her. So it’s no surprise that there were a few sighs of relief in Hollywood when the mouthy redhead announced in January that she planned to discontinue her cable reality show, My Life on the D-List, which had aired on the Bravo network. “Reality is great, but I really didn’t set out to be a reality star,” Griffin says. “So it’s time

White House workers offer a rare and intimate look at life inside our nation’s most famous household.

All the Presidents’ Pastries Artists & Authors Thursday, March 31 Enjoy dinner as Roland Mesnier shares stories from 25 years as White House pastry chef.

Details at thehistorycenter.org. 65 E. Central Blvd. (407) 836-8500

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to spread my wings and show I’m a little different than Kate Gosselin.” To that end, she says she’ll be performing in four stand-up specials on Bravo over the next year. Visit orlandovenues.net for more information. – GiAnna Wyatt

A Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition March 19-May 29, 2011

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her style of entertainment. She calls it “vulgar-in-your-face-brand-of-hate-speech.” That’s a fairly accurate description of the extended celebrity roast around which Griffin has gleefully built her career. It’s a moveable feast for the slice-and-dice stand-up comedian, who will appear, alone with her scathing sense of humor, at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre on March 31. There’s one sure bet: the reality-show star and perennial A-list wannabe will be trashing assorted celebrities during her Orlando performance. That’s her meat and potatoes – skewering the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Paris Hilton, Clay Aiken and various members of the Palin clan. In fact, she has vowed to devote the rest of the year to making young

ORANGE

Photo: courtesy orlando venues

Kathy Griffin has a name for

Floral designer Rusty Young, 1966. Courtesy the White House Historical Association.

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

PA G E S

ack in the early 1930s,

an Ohio timber mill worker bought what he thought was prime Florida farmland and wound up as the owner of 100 acres of soggy Florida swampland instead. Unlike most of the real-life innocents who fell for the shady Florida real estate schemes of that era, he adapted, staying to take advantage of a tropical wonderland. Such is the genesis of Karen Russell’s picaresque debut novel, Swamplandia! (Random House). Her resourceful timber mill worker begins calling himself Grandpa Sawtooth Bigtree, dubs his 100-acre plot “Swamplandia!’’ and creates a tourist attraction out of it. Soon his son, “The Chief,” is wrestling gators, all of whom Grandpa has dubbed “Seth,” while his daughter-in-law, Hilola, is “swimming with the Seths’’ by starlight in the silky black water. Ava Bigtree, Grandpa Sawtooth’s 13year-old granddaughter and the novel’s narrator, tells us all this by way of summarizing the glory days of airboat rides, reptile walks and cheesy souvenirs. Then she brings us, with a jolt, into the threatening present, noting: “The

Tales of a threatened swampland outpost — and the Adam Walsh saga, retold.

Beginning of the End can feel a lot like the middle when you are living in it.’’ Swamplandia! is under siege, threatened by suburbs and Big Sugar on one side and the invasive melaleuca woods on the other. The Bigtrees are beginning to fall, as well. Grandpa Sawtooth, slipping into senility, is exiled to assisted living. Hilola succumbs to cancer. The grieving Chief and his own children – brainy Kiwi, beautiful Osceola and Ava herself – do their best to carry on, but then the death knell tolls in the form of a macabre modern theme park that arises nearby. It’s called “The World of Darkness,” and it offers “escalator tours of the rings of Hell, bloodred swimming pools and easy access to the mainland roads.’’ Russell charts the rise of that strange attraction and the decline and fall of Swamplandia! with the sure hand and silver tongue of a born storyteller. As the situation grows more tenuous, the Chief goes AWOL. Kiwi defects to the dark side by working for the competition and going to school. And Osceola, obsessed with the spirit world, runs away with what may be a phantom lover. Meanwhile Ava sets out on a perilous journey with the mysterious Bird

by Nancy Pate

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

MARcH 2011

COVER: (LEFT) COURTESY RandOm hOUSE; (RighT) COURTESY haRpERCOLLinS

A Florida Paradise Lost; A Family’s Tragic Legacy

the photo of the grinning, freckle-faced 6-year-old wearing a red baseball cap. Still, Adam Walsh, who was abducted from a South Florida shopping mall on July 27, 1981, didn’t become the country’s most famous missing boy overnight. This was before Amber Alerts and milk cartons, before America’s Most Wanted and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It was just two distraught parents, John and Reve Walsh, looking for their son with the well-meaning help of family, friends and law enforcement agencies at a loss without centralized communication. Two weeks after Adam disappeared, fishermen found his decapitated head in a canal more than 100 miles away. By then, the case had captured public attention. But the kidnapper/killer was

Man to try and rescue her family. A rare red alligator may yet save the day. Russell’s inventive novel grew out of one of the short stories in her acclaimed first collection, St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves. A Miami native, she’s just 29 and already honored as one of Granta’s Best Young American Novelists and a New Yorker “20 under 40’’ writer. Swamplandia! dazzles as bright as the sun even as it casts an unsettling shadow of doomed innocence and paradise lost.

 The empty swing on the cover of Bringing Adam Home: The Abduction That Changed America (HarperCollins) provides an arresting image of a lost child. But what I’ll always remember is

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ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

PA G E S

never officially caught and the rest of Adam’s remains have never been found. A serial killer named Otis Toole eventually confessed to the murder, but he confessed to a lot of murders, and he recanted more often than not. He died in a Florida jail in 1996. It wasn’t until December 2008 that the Hollywood police department announced that it had concluded that Toole was indeed the killer. In Bringing Adam Home, noted Florida writer Les Standiford and Joe Matthews, a retired Miami Beach detective and experienced polygraph expert, detail the mistakes made in the original investigation, such as the loss of bloodstained evidence crucial for DNA testing and the waste of valuable time on less promising suspects. Matthews was hired by the Walshes to conduct an independent investigation, and he spent frustrating years retracing leads, interviewing witnesses and tracing Toole’s whereabouts. Intertwined with this true-crime chronicle is the important story of how Adam’s abduction turned his parents into powerful advocates for crime victims and how law enforcement agencies across the country changed their response to missing children cases. Now, there are toll-free numbers, national databases, registries of pedophiles, fingerprinting programs and trained searchand-rescue teams. Such is the legacy of one family’s torment. Or as John Walsh tells Standiford: “It’s not about closure; it’s about justice.’’ l Nancy Pate is an author of southernthemed mysteries and a long-time book reviewer, including nearly two decades for the Orlando Sentinel. Her column appears courtesy of her books blog, “On a Clear Day I Can Read Forever,” located online at patebooks.wordpress.com. 18

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ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE 11/8/10

9:46:43 AM

LUXURY HOME & DESIGN

The Fun House

hen Winter Park architect Mark nasrallah

met with a family to plan their new lakeside home, he left the discussion knowing exactly what they had in mind: A place where they could entertain friends and party like rock stars. The husband was an entertainment-industry CEO and would-be rock musician, and he and his family “entertain and enjoy life to the fullest,” says Nasrallah. “They wanted something fun.” The family, which wants to remain anonymous, also told him they wanted a home that would evoke a region they had just visited: the Mediterranean. So Nasrallah designed a rambunctious, Tuscan-themed showplace that looks out across Lake Virginia toward Rollins College. It is elegant. It is irrepressible. It is Old World. And it rocks. The 17,848-square-foot, two-story villa represents a collaboration between Nasrallah, the architect; Maroon Fine Homes,

the builder; Redmon Design, the landscape architect; and Design Specifications, the interior designer. It encompasses jewellike living and dining rooms and four bedrooms, including a master bedroom complex with a two-story “walk-up” closet designed to resemble a Beverly Hills boutique. It also boasts eight bathrooms; a multipurpose outdoor patio and recreation area that features a hot tub the size of a swimming pool; a wine room divided into two temperature zones to accommodate red and white wines – and a rock-band music room with an adjacent office/mixing studio. The guest suites are retreats in their own rights. “They’re such an adventurous couple that they wanted the guest suites to each have individual personalities, tailored for kids or grown-ups,” says Wendy Kensler, president of Design Specifications. The house assumes more of a rock ‘n’ roll feel as it transitions from the formal areas to the casual dining and living areas. The contemporary kitchen features granite countertops, smooth

by Kaleena Thompson

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

MARcH 2011

Photos: EvErEtt & soulÉ

A lakeside Winter Park enclave brings an Old World style to a rock ‘n’ roller’s paradise.

veneer cabinets with Macassar veneer accents, two stainless-steel refrigerators and a glass tile backsplash. Blue, teal and orange hand-blown glass vases make eyepopping accents. Four of the rooms in the home are what the architect calls “specialty rooms.” Translation: unconventional, tailor-made spaces to accommodate specific creative pursuits. The upscale comfort and the quirky whimsiness combine to send a message: In a place like this, nobody has to fight for the right to party.

Team members: Architect: Nasrallah

Design Group; builder: Maroon Fine Homes; interior designer: Wendy Kensler and Denise Pfeifer, Design Specifications; landscape architect: Scott Redmon, Redmon Design; kitchen designer: Jack Busby, Busby Cabinets; lighting designer: Nasrallah Design Group.

The music club room (above) was set up for jam sessions or private concerts. Blue, green and gold velvet curtains add pizzaz and set the stage for the drum set, guitars, speakers and microphones. The room can accommodate about a dozen people in movable lounge chairs and tables, which can be rearranged to facilitate dancing or listening. A large curved window separates the music room from the office (right), which doubles as a sound-mixing studio. Furnishings include an African sapelli and bird’seye maple curved desk and credenza, custom-designed and built by Busby Cabinets, along with Swaim accent chairs and a Georgio desk chair with a high-gloss curly sycamore finish. Illuminating the space from a domed ceiling is a Eurofase chandelier with cascading glass bubbles.

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Photos: EvErEtt & soulÉ

A wine room (left) meshes with the overall theme of the home, combining old World style with creativity and a sense of fun. A long, narrow, free-form wood table extends through the glass wall that separates the wines from one another – the reds on one side at 72 degrees, the whites on the other side at 58 degrees. the family room (above) boasts handblown glass ogetti ceiling pendents; muted creams and caramels are enlivened by pops of red and chocolate. the room is outfitted with Adriana hoyos furniture: a swaim sofa, a rectangular table for 12 and a chocolate daybed sofa for two. Glass mosaic tile surrounds the tv and the built-in fireplace. Also note the bar nook, with glass back-lit shelves, granite countertops and caramel and black leather bar stools. “the bar area is designed to function for parties and to have the bartender serve without interrupting traffic flow,” says Kensler.

A contemporary bar (right) flanking the family room is highlighted by an illuminated case to display the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection of unique bottles. The focal point of the game room (left) is a custom-designed dark maple entertainment center with a central television surrounded by monitors. The space is canopied by a wave coffer ceiling with LED lighting that can sync with sounds, themes, colors and seasons. Caramel carpets and lounge chairs and sofa with red animal print ottomams add panache to a room that also includes a refreshment bar, a lounging couch and foosball and game tables.

A wine room (left) meshes with the overall

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ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

LUXURY HOME & DESIGN

A lanai (left) with granite countertops and a slate and a glass-mosaic backsplash is at the heart of a 1,200square-foot playground that includes an outdoor kitchen, custom LED lighting and a swimming pool and spa, both of which are oversized to accommodate large gatherings. Neoteric sectionals, small and midsize tables and Sunbrella cushions in onyx and sea blues circle this inviting outdoor living space.

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

PhoToS: EVERETT & SouLĂ&#x2030;

The media room (right) was designed by Curtis LeMaster of Control Designer and includes a 7.1 Meridian digital surround-sound system with sub-woofers and speakers hidden behind Auralex acoustically designed fabric. The walls were constructed with Acoustiblok for added bass response and soundproofing. A 110inch Stewart Luxus Deluxe screen coupled with a JVC Reference Series DILA 1080p projector allows multiple-format motion picture playback. A two-tiered viewing area features a casual reclining couch with ottoman on the first level and six electrically controlled reclining chairs on the second.

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For the master suite (right), Nasrallah designed a haven meant to evoke the snug stylishness of a Beverly Hills boutique. It encompasses a two-story closet, a morning bar, a master bathroom, a massage area and a separate parlor with a sitting area. All of the bedroom furniture was custommade, including the bed and headboard and the nightstand. The Balinese-inspired swing bed in the sitting area (below) is an ideal place to relax and unwind. “The homeowners didn’t see themselves relaxing in traditional chairs,” recalls Kensler. “So the idea for a swing bed came to me later in the process. I envisioned them lying on the bed on a Sunday afternoon. Needless to say, they loved it. They were extremely open to creative ideas.”

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DESIGN FINDS

Back to Basics

A consumer trend inspires Saxon-Clark to return to its design roots with timeless classics.

ast year, in a concession to economic realities, Donnie

Saxon and Tom Clark vacated their 60,000-square-foot showroom, Saxon-Clark Furniture Showcase and Design, in favor of a 7,500-square-foot design center, Saxon-Clark Interiors by Design. “Design was the foundation of our success when we started our business several years ago,” says Saxon, who envisions the new center as a resource for customers who are looking to get back to basics in their home décor, including the timeless luxury of heavy carved wood, wing-back chairs, classic prints and vintage-inspired tables and lamps. by Kaleena Thompson • photographs by Rafael Tongol

reaDy to roar This bronze-colored decorative box (above) topped by a vigilant lion is typical of Saxon-Clark. “We always incorporate some sort of animal piece,” says Saxon, who’s the head designer and part owner of Saxon-Clark Interiors. “Animal themes and prints never seem to go out of style – cheetahs, lions and any botanic motif.” He also notes that the studio carries an array of boxes covered in animal prints for homeowners who want live on the wild side. The box is by Wildwood.

croco crocoDile comFort There’s nothing like the look and feel of fine leather. Saxon says this Bradington Young embossed black and red crocodile recliner (left) is perfect for either the family room or office. “I like to use recliners that don’t have a recliner feel,” he notes. “We rely on a design that gives interest to the chair and doesn’t call attention to the fact that it’s a recliner.” an asian insPiration Saxon says it doesn’t take a Zen-inspired aesthetic to understand the appeal of a John Richard table lamp (left). “We use this Asian-inspired lamp quite frequently in rooms,” Saxon notes. It’s fashioned of wood and copper and boasts deep rich colors, combining rustic influences and enhancing Old World décor. “If the client has a chest table, we’ll add the lamp because the size marries so perfectly. If I do a formal dining room with a buffet, I’ll put two lamps on both sides of the buffet table. It adds subtle flavor.” 26

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ECLECTIC AND EMBRACING “I want the owners to feel enveloped in a grand bed when they go to sleep or just sit and relax with good book,” Saxon says. This headboard (above), with a dark wood finish and leather paneling, is grand indeed. To finish the design, Saxon picked eclectic accents, such as a rustic burnt-red Raoul James chest of drawers. Painted pieces add color and interest.

GOING BY THE BOOK This Fleur de Lis bookend by Wildwood (above) adds character to any office or library. “We like to use this style to represent Florida in simplistic, yet regal fashion,” says Saxon. “And it’s a great set of decorative bookends for organizing books or magazines. Rather than just shelving books, we prop the books or magazines into a bookend. It’s a clean, no-clutter accent piece.”

TIMELESS AND SOPHISTICATED Saxon notes that the small scale of this rich mahogany dining set (left) can fit comfortably in a breakfast nook, where it can also serve as a game table. The chairs have leather seats and fabric backs; comfortable yet sophisticated. “My clients love the look of the delicate top and apron because it has that hand-crafted look, and it epitomizes timelessness and gracefulness,” says Saxon. The square shape adds smartness to a dining room or kitchen nook. The table and chairs are by Ambella. WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE march 2011

STYLE

Spring Into Fashion

Produced and edited by Style editor leigh duncan

From whites to brights and florals to pastels, some of the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest trends are in full bloom.

Compiled by Marianne Ilunga, stylissima.com Photographs by Rafael Tongol BOLD COLORS ARE MAKING EVEN BIGGER STATEMENTS Carrera purple sunglasses, $120, and Kate Spade colored bangles, $28-$42, all from Bloomingdales, The Mall at Millenia; and a Lady Dior red quilted bag, $3,100, Brian Atwood special-order orange pumps, $580, and Toy Watch yellow watch, $195, all from Saks Fifth Avenue, The Florida Mall. WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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STYLE

BOHO CHIC IS BACK, AND WHITE IS THE NEW BLACK Prada canvas bag, $895, and Michael Kors straw clutch, $178, both from Saks Fifth Avenue, The Florida Mall; Boutique 9 rope wedge, $140, and Helen Kaminski straw hat, $148, both from Bloomingdales, The Mall at Millenia. 30

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FLORALS ARE BLOOMING ON FASHION RUNWAYS THIS SPRING Fendi bag with floral print, $765, and Bindya multicolored floral scarf, $125, both from Bloomingdales, The Mall at Millenia; Lancome Color Fever glosses, $26 each, Lancome Butterflies Fever blusher, $40, and Marc Jacobs Lola perfume, $68, all from Bloomingdales, The Mall at Millenia. WWW.OHLMAG.COM

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

premiering The season’s hottest fashion trends

ON SET

By Leigh Duncan Wardrobe Styling by Marianne Ilunga, stylissima.com Hair & Makeup by Elsie Knab, elsieknab.com Photographs by Rafael Tongol

Photographer’s assistants Doug Cupid and Justin Pile, and Full Sail’s Alex Camman; Props courtesy of Full Sail University; Additional crew in photo: Elsie Knab, and Full Sail’s Alex Camman and Travis Newman.

or generations, fashion and film have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship. What celebrities wear on the silver screen and on the red carpet instantaneously impacts style worldwide. In celebration of spring’s cutting-edge fashion and in honor of the 20th annual Florida Film Festival, Orlando Home & Leisure visited the Hollywood-style back lot of Winter Park’s Full Sail University, now in its eighth year as primary sponsor of the star-studded celebration of independent film-making. The festival, slated April 8-17, is produced by Enzian, the region’s only not-for-profit alternative cinema. Like the eclectic array of works presented at the popular Maitland theater, spring fashion trends run the gamut, with everything from modern military to boho chic and reruns of pastels, wide-leg trousers, long necklaces and cat eyes and kitten heels. Whites, brights, florals and stripes are also in the spotlight. Check out the highlight reel on the following pages.

ABOUT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY’S BACK LOT Full Sail’s 2,078-linear-foot back lot offers 19 distinct outdoor environments available for industry and student use. Here you’ll find such iconic locations as the Seattle Fish Market, New Orleans’ French Quarter, downtown Amsterdam and, of course, brownstones in New York City. There’s also a futuristic setting, a studio water tower and a Venetian-style bridge. For more information, visit fullsail.edu.

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE march 2011

FOR SPRING

THE FUTURE OF FASHION IS BRIGHT, WHITE AND CORAL. Caroline Lowe of ModelScout Inc. is wearing a Diane Von Furstenburg silk tie-dyed mini skirt, $345, a Theory salmon wool jacket, $395, an Elie Tahari sour-lemon silk tank, $168, and Valentino beige t-strap sandals with flowers, $895, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia. Jewelry courtesy of Stylissima Fashion Consulting. See page 35 for more on Brent Tinsleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attire.

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NAUTICAL OR NICE: BOHO CHIC, BEIGE AND STRIPES ARE EASY, BREEZY. Caroline is wearing an Ali & Ro navy and nude striped tank dress, $215, Christian Louboutin rope wedge sandals, $545, a Miriam Salat bubble ring, $175, an Ashley Pittman authentic horn-accented cuff, $775, drop earrings, $725, and is carrying a Prada straw bag with canvas tote straps, $880, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia. Founded in 1979, Full Sail University in Winter Park is a world-class educational institution offering 33 degrees in disciplines such as computer animation, film, recording arts, digital arts and design and many more. Its campus encompasses a full-scale back lot, soundstages, concert venues, recording studios, art and design studios and a postproduction dubbing stage.

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WHITES, PASTELS AND STUDDED ACCESSORIES LIGHT UP THE RED CARPET. Caroline is wearing an Akris Punto white dress, $995, Valentino studded white sandals, $995, and three pearl and rhinestone bracelets, $105-$190, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia; a Linea Pelle gold-studded white belt, $215, Thread, Winter Park; and a coral and pearl necklace, $50, and a coral statement ring, $18, both from Violet Clover, Winter Park. Additional jewelry courtesy of Stylissima Fashion Consulting. Brent Tinsley of BMG Models & Talent is wearing an Armani Collezioni babyblue linen jacket, $395, Seven For All Mankind organic-cotton jeans, $168, an Armani Collezioni orange and white striped shirt, $245, a Ferragamo reversible belt, $290, and Prada white loafers, $470, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia. Many of Full Sailâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 34,500 graduates have gone on to win or be nominated for Grammy, Emmy, Oscar and Academy awards. Graduate credits also include work on best-selling video games and top-grossing concert tours.

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ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

SCRIPTED FOR SPRING: TRUE AMERICAN STYLE WITH A HINT OF FATIGUE. Brent is wearing Paperbacks cargo pants, $115, a Michael Kors white linen, buttonsleeve shirt, $125, TOMS espadrilles, $85, RayBan sunglasses, $139, an Orefici black watch, $795, a David Yurman dog tag necklace, $345, a braided black leather bracelet, $295, King Baby black bead bracelets, $165 each, and a King Baby white beaded bracelet, $440, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia. Black karma beads necklace and bracelet courtesy of Stylissima Fashion Consulting. The Amsterdam back-lot set is located behind Full Sail’s Blackmoor Studios, which houses a newly constrcted video-game development facility and is named for the role-playing game associated with “Dungeons & Dragons.” Thirteen Full Sail graduates were recently recognized for their work on Red Dead Redemption, which won Game of the Year at the 2010 SPIKE Video Game Awards.

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UPTOWN CHARACTERS COME TO LIFE IN CAT EYES AND KITTEN HEELS. Caroline is wearing a Prada blouse with hearts, $795, a Dolce & Gabbana polkadot pencil skirt, $575, Christian Louboutin kitten-heel pumps, $595, Tom Ford cat-eye sunglasses, $360, and a Dolce & Gabbana red-jeweled brooch belt, $625, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia. The reversible pearl and coral necklace, $50, and jeweled statement ring, $18, are both from Violet Clover, Winter Park. Notable Full Sail graduates include three-time Oscar nominee Gary Rizzo, who worked on such films as Inception, The Dark Knight and The Incredibles; Emmy-award winner Marc Fishman, who worked on the HBO miniseries John Adams; and Emmy-nominated supervising producer Troy DeVolld, who has worked on Dancing With the Stars, The Bachelor, The Surreal Life and The Osbournes.

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ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

WHITES, BRIGHTS AND LONG BEADS BRING ON CHIC STREET STYLE. Caroline is wearing wearing a Lela Rose top with braided beads, $795, a Robert Rodriguez white onebutton jacket, $425, Robert Rodriguez white pants, $295, Christian Louboutin multi-colored, peep-toe sling-back sandals, $895, a Glam Rock white patent watch, $425, and Nancy Gonzalez orange crocodile bag, $3,600, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia; orange and gold chandelier earrings, $38, and ring, $18, both from Violet Clover, Winter Park; and an orange leather chain bracelet, $285, from Thread, Winter Park. Full Sailâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 191-acre campus and online education platform serves more than 13,000 students from 50 states and 49 countries.

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FLORALS, CORALS AND CHECKERED PRINTS ARE IN FULL BLOOM THIS SEASON. Caroline is wearing an Elizabeth & James floral skirt, $325, an off-white tank top, $145, a coral tweed jacket, $465, Chanel black and white tweed shoes with flowers, $795, and carrying a white ostritch Prada bag, $6,100, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia; white and gold shrimp earrings, $55, a white and gold statement necklace, $86, and a white studded bracelet, $48, all from Thread, Winter Park; and a coral beaded bracelet, $28, and multicolor bead bracelet, $35, both from Violet Clover, Winter Park. Hat courtesy of Stylissima Fashion Consulting. Brent is wearing an Etro blue checkered shirt, $285, Zanerobe khakis with blue checkered cuffs, $125, a Ferragamo reversible belt, $290, Prada blue patent velcro shoes, $380, a King baby blue beaded bracelet, $440, and a Brera blue chrono watch, $650, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia.

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Full Sailâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Full Sail Live Venue is a 500-seat performance hall with worldclass lighting and concert sound, a green room for VIP performers and stateof-the-art audio and video editing suites.

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

OLD HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR COMES ALIVE IN HOT SHORTS AND MODERN LEATHER. Caroline is wearing Isabel Lu black metallic dress shorts, $180, from Violet Clover, Winter Park; a Milly sheer off-white top, $245, a Sue Wong off-white bolero, $350, Christian Louboutin peep-toe pumps, $795, a Miriam Salat ivory quilted cuff, $295, and Ippolita silver chandelier earrings, $275, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia. Brent is wearing a Dolce & Gabbana white tuxedo shirt, $265, Theory black tailored pants, $195, a Dolce & Gabbana black leather motorcycle jacket with zipper cuffs, $1,095, and Magnanni patent lace up shoes, $325, all from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia. Black skinny tie courtesy of Stylissima Fashion Consulting. Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles, Edwin McCain and MUTEMATH are among the performers who have appeared at the Full Sail Live Venue since it opened in 2010.

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THE Heart Of A WOMAN

entral Florida residents

Laura Lee Shields, Jessica Parker and Sue Nichols know first-hand the dangers of heart attack and stroke. They’re indicative of an alarming trend, as women – even very young women – are falling victim to what was once perceived as a man’s disease. The three survivors have begun sharing their stories as volunteers for the American Heart Association (AHA) and its ancillary organization, the American Stroke Association. “When you’re young, you think you’re invincible,” says Shields. “Because of my age, I never even considered that I was having a heart attack.” Like Shields, many women ignore the symptoms of heart attack or stroke, according to AHA research. What’s worse, even when women seek medical attention, they’re often misdiagnosed. At the age of 26, Shields – who had exhibited no prior symptoms – ignored a key warning sign: chest pain that she assumed was indigestion. Parker spent weeks nursing what doctors first thought was a bug bite. It was actually a blood clot that would cause a critical stroke at age 32. And Nichols spent more than a year in pain after receiving a misdiagnosis of costochondritis – an inflamed chest wall. Then, at the age of 27, she suffered multiple heart attacks and underwent quadruple bypass surgery. With both heart disease and stroke, when treatment is delayed the consequences become more severe. Had Nichols been correctly diagnosed when she first began feeling chest discomfort, her massive heart attack and the resulting damage could have been prevented. “Heart discomfort is rarely a sharp, stabbing pain,” according to Dr. Arnold M. Einhorn, a cardiologist and past chief of staff at Orlando Health. “Angina is a feeling of heaviness, pressure, tightness or

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

Laura Lee Shields, Sue Nichols and Jessica Parker.

THREE YOUNG SURVIVORS SHARE THEIR STORIES – AND CELEBRATE SECOND CHANCES WITH INSPIRING MAKEOVERS by Leigh Duncan • photographs by Greg Johnston

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feeling of heaviness, pressure, tightness or aching in the chest usually accompanied by shortness of breath. The pain generally goes away when you stop exerting yourself, and it frequently isn’t particularly severe. Perhaps that’s why the warning signs are ignored.” Also, Einhorn says, when family practitioners hear that women are stressed, tired and experiencing shortness of breath or chest pains, they might offer a diagnosis of panic attacks instead of ordering the appropriate tests designed to detect heart disease. “Listen to your heart,” he says. “If it doesn’t feel right, get a second opinion.” The biggest problem with heart disease, Einhorn notes, is that you often don’t know you have it until it’s too late: “If you don’t pay attention to your risk factors and family history, or if you don’t lead a healthy lifestyle before symptoms show up, then you’re already in trouble.” It wasn’t until about a decade ago that researchers began to focus on cardiac problems in women, who exhibit symptoms differently than men. Doctors now know how important it is to understand those differences and to develop more effective strategies for education, diagnosis and treatment. For example, a study released by the National Institute of Health found that in women, cholesterol-related plaque often spreads throughout the artery wall instead of forming a blockage, as it usually does in men. Frequently prescribed diagnostic procedures, such as cardiac stress tests, may not detect the problem. According to the AHA, cardiovascular disease is the No.1 killer of women age 20 and older, claiming more lives than the next four causes of death combined – including all forms of cancer. Women who hold high-stress jobs are 40 percent more likely to develop heart problems. Yet nearly two-thirds of women who die suddenly as a result of heart attack or stroke had displayed no previous symptoms. Publicizing such alarming statistics has helped to dramatically heighten awareness. A recent AHA survey showed that 55 percent of women now view heart disease as a threat. Although that’s up from just 13 percent in 2004, it’s still short of where AHA officials would like to see it. So educational programs continue. The AHA “Go Red for Women” campaign slogan, “Know Your Numbers Like You Know Your Dress Size,” refers to cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure. And volunteers such as Shields, Parker and Nichols, have been recruited to tell their stories and make young women more conscious of the risks. “You’re never too young for heart disease,” says Einhorn. “Family history is always with you. And your youth doesn’t outweigh your risk factors, such as smoking, excess weight and high cholesterol. You may be fine today, but how will your heart be WWW.OHLMAG.COM

10 years from now? Because unlike many other forms of disease, heart disease is largely preventable.” You can do a quick 10-minute, 10-question “My Life Check” assessment of your current health status and your risk factors at the AHA website, heart.org. AHA even works with companies to implement wellness programs and sells its own cookbooks, including Recipes for the Heart, so the whole family can eat heart smart. Check out its shrimp stir-fry recipe on page 58 of this issue. The Central Florida chapter recently held its annual Heart Ball in February, and is hosting an exclusive “Men Go Red For Women” event March 24. It’s also funding three major research grants at Florida Hospital South, the Sanford Burnham Institute and the University of Central Florida.

INSPIRING MAKEOVERS In partnership with the American Heart Association, Orlando Home & Leisure honored our three volunteer survivors with a day of makeover madness, including lunch, gifts and a celebration of new life at Salon CiSeaux (salonciseaux.com) in Winter Park. Their new looks and inspiring stories follow. The salon’s 20-plus member staff works with the Salvation Army for Women, Locks of Love, Toys for Tots and other charities. Co-owners Catherine Imbesi and Arlene Weber and stylist Taylor Meyers were given carte blanche to cut, color and style hair while aesthetician and nail technician Orla Anderson provided a mini facial and a manicure. Makeup artist Bekka Vania then added the finishing touches. Winter Park jewelry artist and Harriett Lake’s Winter Park Fashion Week People’s Choice Artist of the Year winner MiChal Yakur (michalyakur.com), whose work has been featured in OH&L, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar magazines, presented each woman with a handmade Swarovski crystal, lucite flower hairclip. See pages 35, 36 and 38. OH&L wardrobe stylist Marianne ilunga of StYliSSiMa FaShion ConSulting (stylissima.com) offered styling tips for the ladies’ new looks while AHA’s Central Florida Director of Communications nanCY DeVault documented the special day for the organization’s website (heart.org). The trio also received goodie bags from Salon Ciseaux and the AHA. OH&L photographer greg JohnSton (gregjohnston. com) will be donating professional portraits. An exciting day was capped off with a heart-healthy lunch provided by tooJaY’S gourMet Deli (toojays.com) located at 2400 E. Colonial Drive in Colonial MarketPlaza.

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

SUE NICHOLS

Heart Attack Survivor

It’s been just over six years since doctors at Leesburg Regional Medical Center had to perform quadruple bypass surgery on Sue Nichols. She was only 27 at the time. Nichols is ambivalent about the visible reminders of the surgery she still bears: the faint scars on her arms and legs left by incisions to obtain blood vessels for the bypass; the long, pink scar down the center of her chest. “Sometimes I wish they were gone, sometimes not,” says Nichols. “I’ve come to wear them more as a badge of honor. For the longest time, I thought I was alone. The AHA put me in touch with others my age, gave me answers I needed and a vehicle to help others.”

Sue and Ray Nichols and their 3-year-old, Tyler. 44

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At 32, Nichols – now the happy mother of an adopted 3-yearold, Tyler – doesn’t smoke, sticks to a healthy diet and exercises regularly. Her blue-gray eyes come alive with passion as she tells her story. For a year prior to her heart attack, she was plagued by fatigue, shortness of breath and a dull ache in the center of her chest. The symptoms prompted a visit to the doctor, who diagnosed it as costochondritis – an inflamed chest wall. As time passed, she began to feel heart spasms, palpitations and heaviness in her chest when lying down and even when sleeping. After sitting up, the symptoms abated. “It was a frightening feeling,” Nichols says. “When you’re waiting for your heart rhythm to stabilize, it feels like an eternity, even if it’s only a few seconds.” She later learned that her symptoms, which continued over a two-week period, indicated a series of minor heart attacks. Even when she finally felt the proverbial “elephant on my chest,” she didn’t believe she was having a major heart attack. Nichols’ husband, Ray, who works for the Lake County Sheriff ’s Department, was in the middle of Hurricane Wilma cleanup. So he asked a friend to take her to Florida Hospital Waterman. She had two more minor heart attacks en route. Initial tests showed her cardiac enzymes were high and her good cholesterol was low, so doctors immediately performed a catheterization and a balloon angioplasty to open clogged arteries. Surgery was scheduled for the next day. “The doctors said if I had not been as healthy as I was, I would have died,” Nichols says. “They said most women would have.” Doctors also told Nichols that family history – heart disease and high cholesterol on her father’s side – were genetic predispositions for a heart attack. Today, Nichols and her husband still live in Eustis, where her grandfather, a former police chief, has a road named after him: Jesse Burrow Avenue. She takes medication daily and sees her cardiologist, Dr. Samuel Goss of Cardiovascular Associates of Lake County, every six months. She spends her time volunteering for the AHA, working a few hours a week as a paralegal, sticking to an exercise regime and chasing after her toddler. In fact, she considers motherhood to be a particular blessing. “The doctors said my heart couldn’t handle the strain of carrying and delivering a child,” Nichols says. “There’s a high risk of death, and I didn’t want to test that statistic. We see this as a divine grace because Tyler is the child we were truly meant to have. We can’t even imagine our lives without him.”

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SUE’S NEW LOOK

CATHERINE IMBESI, SALON CISEAUX STYLIST

“Sue is a natural beauty who needed to update her style. I used a dark auburn color for an intense red that would pop and show off her beautiful blue eyes. I also gave her some peek-a-boo strawberry blonde highlights to add dimension to her new layers. She has naturally wavy hair so I layered it with disconnected layers to build up volume at the crown and take away bulk at the sides. Then I gave her some sexy, swoopy bangs to frame her face.”

BEKKA VANIA, SALON CISEAUX MAKEUP ARTIST

“Sue was being transformed into a redheaded bombshell. She has beautiful lips, so I chose MAC Rocker for her dramatic red mouth. Red hair plus red lips equals ‘wow.’ Red lips are hot right now. Notice how her eyes really pop, too.”

MARIANNE ILUNGA, STYLISSIMA FASHION CONSULTING WARDROBE STYLIST

“Sue is now the total hot mama. High-cut, sleeveless tops will elongate her torso, while long pants with a wide leg and high waist, and fitted pants or jeans with a long inseam, will help define curves. Her mile-long legs would look amazing in a fitted pencil skirt, which rests just below the knees, and kitten heels. Turtlenecks during the fall or off-the-shoulder tops during the summer will show off her shoulder line and long arms. She looks stunning in harvest colors, reds and fuscias, and pretty much any color that brings out her eyes.”

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JESSICA PARKER Stroke Survivor

Jessica Parker wasn’t feeling well. And she had a small red dot on her leg that she thought was a bug bite. At 32, she hadn’t considered the possibility of stroke and didn’t know that stroke symptoms may include discolored spots or swelling and pain in the leg. When the “bug bite” really started to bother her, Parker went to the doctor. He sent her for an ultrasound to rule out a blood clot. The results were negative, so her doctor diagnosed it as a staph infection and put her on a series of antibiotics and steroids. “I was young and trusting, so for weeks I did whatever the doctor ordered,” says Parker. “It wasn’t until about a week before my stroke that the itching, warmth, pain, swelling and redness got so uncomfortable that I called the office three or four times in one week.” She went back to the doctor on a Friday, received a diagnosis of a superficial clot and was given compression socks to wear. But she got progressively worse over the weekend, plagued by headaches, vomiting and dizziness.

Jessica Parker and her husband, Richie. 46

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By Wednesday, Parker’s husband, Richie, noticed odd, childlike behavior. He took her back to the doctor, who believed the symptoms were the result of a bad reaction to the steroids. He ordered her to Winter Park Memorial for IV flushing. Parker’s last memory before passing out was settling into her room. She awoke in Florida Hospital South’s Intensive Care Unit, with no recollection of how she’d gotten there, and was told that she’d suffered a stroke early Wednesday that left her partially paralyzed on the left side of her body, from her face to her toes. She was barely coherent and found it difficult to move, but she was lucid enough to absorb the news. The doctors said that her youth and excellent physical condition worked in her favor and would make it easier for her to eventually recover. They determined that Parker’s stroke, a hemorrahagic venous infarct, was caused by a hereditary blood disorder, Factor V Leiden. “At first there was depression, then motivation,” says Parker. “I’m a very determined, type-A person, so I wasn’t going to let this beat me mentally or physically.” Parker spent four-and-a-half weeks in the hospital, undergoing grueling physical rehabilitation and occupational and speech therapy. Such daily activities as walking, talking and feeding herself had to be relearned. Upon her release, she continued therapy at Florida Hospital South Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation in Orlando. Parker was back to what she considered 100 percent within six months. But her fight is far from over; she’ll require various medications for the rest of her life and must follow a strict diet, which includes no alcohol or vitamin-K-rich foods, such as green leafy vegetables, grapefruit and cranberries, which can interfere with the effectiveness of the medications. She sees Dr. Stefanie Capone of Hematology and Oncology Consultants every three months and has her blood-clotting capacity checked monthly. “I learned that being here, being alive, is a privilege, not a right,” says Parker. Now a healthy, vibrant 35-year-old, Parker enjoys her favorite form of exercise: playing Wii. She and Richie live in Winter Springs with their dogs, Cosmo and Sammi. She’s even learning to play guitar like her husband, whose band, Iced Down, performs occasionally at Dexter’s and Route 46. The couple also owns their own marketing business, Go Getter Marketing in Winter Springs. “I was never involved before. I never knew the signs of stroke,” says Parker. “I’m very passionate about it now and want to make a difference. Stroke is not discriminatory when it comes to age, race or gender. If you don’t feel right or have any doubts, get a second opinion. It just may save your life.”

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JESSICA’S NEW LOOK

ARLENE WEBER, SALON CISEAUX STYLIST

“Jessica came in with bland, faded, mousy brunette hair. I cut and colored it to fit her bubbly personality and to show off her beautiful facial features. I used deep reddish tones to bring out her amazing hazel eyes and skin tone. The cut is also easy for a busy professional to maintain. I gave her a certified Ouidad Carve & Slice technique haircut exclusively for curly hair, and used all Ouidad products for intensive conditioning, styling and humidity control.”

BEKKA VANIA, SALON CISEAUX MAKEUP ARTIST

“Jessica has stunning skin and eyes. I used a quad from MAC called Burmese Beauty to give her dramatic, smoky eyes a hint of green. I used more neutral tones to complete the look. She looks amazing, and now her beautiful skin and features really come to life.”

MARIANNE ILUNGA, STYLISSIMA FASHION CONSULTING WARDROBE STYLIST

“Jessica’s new look is as fun and perky as her personality. She has a voluptuous, hour-glass shape and should use belts to accent those curves. Slim-cut shirts or tailored dresses help define her waist. V-neck tops or button-down blouses can also help elongate her neck. While her hair is shorter, it’s still long enough to have fun with hot hair accessories. She looks dynamite in royal purple, pink and the season’s hottest trend, white, which sets off her new hair color.”

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LAURA LEE SHIELDS

Heart Attack Survivor

March 25, 1996, began as a typical day for 26-year-old Laura Lee Shields, a law student at Barry University in Orlando. She was getting ready for a date, but had a hard time focusing because of discomfort she believed to be chronic indigestion. When a series of home treatments had no effect, and her symptoms escalated into chest pain and vomiting, her boyfriend took her to the emergency room at Florida Hospital at Lake Underhill, where she was whisked into a treatment room at the mere mention of chest pain.

Laura Lee Shields and friend. 48

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“I knew the risk of heart attack, but I just couldn’t fathom it was happening to me because I was so young – I really thought it was just bad heartburn,” says Shields. “So I was in complete shock when my cardiac enzymes came back high and a catheterization showed severe blockage.” Shields was transferred temporarily to Florida Hospital South for a stent placement to open the blocked artery. She then endured six weeks of recovery followed by months of rehabilitation – a difficult adjustment for an on-the-go, athletic individual. She credits her family, friends, law-school colleagues and her cardiologist for amazing support. “Even my ‘scary’ professors at Barry became not-so-scary,” jokes Shields. “They were much more approachable and most helpful after my heart attack.” Her drive and ambition helped get her through recovery: “I was in and out pretty quickly compared to most. Because I was in relatively good health and good shape, my body was able to handle a serious traumatic event.” Though she was a social smoker with slightly elevated cholesterol prior to the heart attack, Shields says she was never told she was at risk. She had no family predisposition to speak of, but had gained a few extra pounds after slacking on diet and exercise to get through her studies. She quit smoking immediately, focused on a healthier diet and got back to exercising regularly as soon as she was cleared. She started running again, participating in several organized runs, from 5Ks to marathons, and began playing adult recreational soccer three times a week with the Orlando Sports and Social Club. More importantly, Shields adopted techniques to reduce stress, such as yoga, office stretching, birdwatching and calling her mother regularly. “My mother is my best friend,” she notes. “She’s a great listener.” Now, Shields – a 2007 Barry University graduate – is an attorney for The Bodiford Law Group in Orlando, specializing in personal injury and auto product defects. She sees her cardiologist, Dr. Glenn K. Harris of Personal Heart Care, every four months. “Something like this has a way of changing your perspective on things. Not just mine, but the people around me as well,” says Shields. “I’m much more even-keeled than I used to be, less emotionally affected by things. Don’t sweat the small stuff is especially true in my case.” She views her experience and AHA volunteering as a way to help others: “When you’re young, you think you’re invincible. But you’re not. Trust your instincts and get checked out, because this can happen to anyone at any age. I’m living proof – thank goodness for that.” l

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LAURA LEE’S NEW LOOK

TAYLOR MEYERS, SALON CISEAUX STYLIST

“Laura is beautiful with great features, so I wanted to give her a more natural, creamier blonde look. I toned down her bleachy, brassy blonde with a darker root color and low lights for contrast, but kept some of her highlights. An all-over natural blonde gloss pulled it all together. She had some broken pieces in the back from ponytails, so I gave her a lot of shorter layers to blend it all in and give her hair some volume. Then some long, sexy bangs in the front to frame her face and let those eyes shine.”

BEKKA VANIA, SALON CISEAUX MAKEUP ARTIST

“Laura has beautiful lips and eyes, so I used a neutral shadow with a pop of green eyeliner to really make them stand out. I balanced the rest of her face with a slightly brighter than neutral shade of blush and a very moist lipstick rather than gloss, since her complexion is on the dryer side.”

MARIANNE ILUNGA, STYLISSIMA FASHION CONSULTING WARDROBE STYLIST

“Laura is now a sophisticated blonde bombshell. Her petite, athletic frame supports a wide variety of styles. Anything above the knee shows off her fit legs and makes her look taller. Her skin tone is perfect for soft colors and pastel hues, and blues and greens will really make her eyes pop. She can never go wrong with basic black, but red is definitely her ‘IT’ color.”

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MARcH 2011

FLAVOR PHOTO: cOurTesy DaviD rOark, Disney

SCOTT JOS E PHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CE NTRAL FLOR I DA DI N I NG G U I DE

Wining and Dining Guide to 53 Top Restaurants on the Disney Dream PLUS India Kitchen, Greek Flame Taverna

A FRESH DINING EXPERIENCE

THAT CELEBRATES LIVING WELL C51C?>1<<I 9>C@9B54 49>9>7 38?935C 31CE1<<I C?@89CD931D54 1=291>35 1G1B4 G9>>9>7 G9>5 <9CD <9F5 =EC93 9> D85 @91>? 21B >978D<I

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ORLANDO AT THE PLAZA VENEZIA 407.354.5212 ALTAMONTE SPRINGS BY THE ALTAMONTE MALL 407.767.1252

For details on group and event dining, visit www.Seasons52.com 11637 S52 Orlando Leisure AD.indd 1

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La Fiamma, Maitland A Fabulous New Look 611 South Orlando Avenue 407.645.5523 www.AntoniosOnline.com 52

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We are celebrating our 20th anniversary in Maitland with major remodeling to our second floor dining room. We have doubled the size of the lounge and added an open balcony overlooking Lake Lily. Come visit us for a drink, or dining, and experience our new balcony and more casual interior. MARcH 2011

2/11/11

3:53:23 PM

REVIEWS Taittinger, the French winemaker, created a signature champagne to celebrate the inaugural year of the Disney Dream and Remy, its finedining showplace.

PHOTOS: (TOP) KenT PHilliPS, diSney; (bOTTOm) PreSTOn macK, diSney

AT DISNEY’S REMY, HIGH-STYLE DINING ON THE HIGH SEAS With a 4,000 passenger capacity, the Disney Dream, the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, is loaded with restaurants. The one that’s generating the most buzz, however, is Remy, and not just because it’s named after a rat. That would be the rat of Ratatouille, the animated Disney film about a rodent who aspires to be a good cook. A noble ambition, no doubt. Still, it seems odd for any restaurant, especially an ultra-chic shipboard venue, to adopt a rat-related theme. Yes, I realize we’re talking about Disney, which, as Walt was fond of saying, “all started with a mouse.” Luckily the rodent motif doesn’t dominate, although it isn’t entirely absent. More about that in a moment. Just be thankful that they don’t wheel around a foot-tall animatronic Remy, as they do at Epcot’s Chefs de France. No, this is upscale dining at its finest.

The dress code not only specifies jackets for gentlemen but also dress slacks and shoes. No jeans and sneakers. Remy occupies a space aft on the ship’s 12th deck and large windows overlook the water. But after sunset you might imagine that you were dining in an elegant restaurant on land, perhaps Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian, or l’Assiette Champenoise near Reims, France. That would be fitting because Remy’s menu is the result of a collaboration between V&A’s Scott Hunnel and Arnaud

Lallement of l’Assiette Champenoise, a Michelin two-star restaurant. The two chefs are classically trained, but Lallement’s style is more classic French while Hunnel’s is more modern. Both men were present on the recent christening cruise from Port Canaveral, but that won’t happen often; the executive chef in residence is Patrick Albert. It was a treat to have all three present when I dined there. Dinner started with a cocktail, prepared tableside, featuring Taittinger Champagne. The winemaker from Lallement’s region has forged a partnership with the Dream and bottles of the sparkling wine feature a rendering of the ship on the label. I couldn’t decide among the many items on the menu, so I asked our server to request that the chefs each select two of their favorite dishes. I started with Lallement’s declinasion tomate, a mini

The delicious veal tenderloin, served with sweetbreads and potatoes, was created by chef Scott Hunnel of Victoria & Albert’s. WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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REVIEWS

dining room features upscale touches including Frette linens, Christofle silverware and china made specifically for the restaurant.

festival of all things tomato, including a tomato tart, goat cheese and tomato and eau de tomate – tomato water served in a champagne flute. Sounds odd, but it was delicious. Next, from Hunnel, was wild loup de mer – a small bit of sea bass in an intensely flavored cannellini bean sauce with jamon Iberico. I could have made a meal out of the bean sauce alone. The next course was pigeoneau, which sounds more romantic than pigeon pie, which is essentially what it was. The Lallement specialty featured a young bird – a tiny, tiny bird – with foie gras, spinach and tomato. It was interesting and it was good – but it wasn’t something I would order again. Instead I would order the veal tenderloin, a Hunnel creation, that my friend was having. It was everything a veal tenderloin should be, soft and flavorful, served with sweetbreads and potatoes. Heavenly. Desserts are an intercontinental collaboration as well, with offerings from Matthieu Siegrist of l’Assiette Champenoise and Erich Herbitschek of V&A’s. 54

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It was easy to spot Herbitschek’s creations because they displayed his trademark whimsy. In fact, the winner at our table was Herbitschek’s vanilla poached pear, although I very much liked the croquant acidule. All of the desserts, however, were wonderful and creative. There was also a cheese course, presented from a cart on which a variety of soft and hard cheeses were on display. And I was very much impressed with the coffee service, which included several varieties of sweeteners – though not a blue or pink packet among them – presented in polished silver. And the cream was served warm, also in a silver pitcher. I haven’t seen that much thought go into a coffee service in years. The room, which seats only 80, boasts a lovely understated art nouveau decor. Tulip glass light fixtures give the room a golden glow and makes the polished woods in the room luminescent. Insinuated throughout the room – on the chair backs, in the fabric on the booths and in a larger design of ironwork over the glass fronting the wine room – is a pattern that looks at first like a free-form squiggle. But look closely and you’ll eventually make out the profile of the restaurant’s namesake. You’ve heard of hidden Mickeys? Meet hidden Remys. Other fine details include crisp white Frette linens, Christofle silverware, Riedel stems and china made specifically for the restaurant.

INDIA KITcHEN DELIVERS HEAT, SPIcES UP OBT South orange BloSSom trail

is becoming quite a hub for Indian restaurants. Over the course of a few miles there are numerous establishments offering Indian cuisine, with varying degrees of competence. But I knew I was going to like India Kitchen before the food had even arrived. And it wasn’t something the server did; it was something she didn’t do: she didn’t ask me how spicy I wanted my food. Nothing rankles me more – at least nothing in an Indian restaurant; plenty rankles me in a more general sense – than being asked how spicy I want it. I want it plenty spicy, obviously, or I’d be dining someplace else. Thankfully, many of the dishes at India Kitchen really bring the heat. MARcH 2011

PHOTO cOurTesy TOdd AndersOn, disney

Remy’s art nouveau-style

All of this finery comes at a price, or, as it’s referred to here, a supplement. Cruise ships, of course, include meals as part of the package. But it’s not unusual for specialty dining on a ship to come with an added fee. The $75 per person supplement for Remy, however, may be a new high in high-seas dining. When I dined at Todd English on the Queen Mary 2 seven years ago the supplement was $30; as far as I can tell it hasn’t risen much since. And if you’d like to add the wine pairings, that’s another $99. Worth it? Yes, I think it is. To dine in such opulence while cruising along on a magnificent ship, to be transported back to an era when such dining was in style, to savor the food of not one but two talented chefs – four with the pastry chefs and five with Patrick Albert at the helm – well, 75 bucks is a bargain. This is going to be the most coveted “get” on the Disney Dream. And with such limited seating, getting in is going to be tough. But try. Visit disneycruise.disney. go.com for sailings from Port Canaveral.

REVIEWS ST. PADDY’S PUBS FOR PARTYIN’ We’re all a wee bit irish on march th’ 17th. Here a few places for some green beer and irish kisses this st. Patrick’s Day: Kitty O’Shea’S, lake Buena Vista kittyosheaspub.com FiddlerS Green, Winter Park fiddlersgreenorlando.com haGan O’reilleyS, Winter garden haganoreilleys.com The mutton at India Kitchen isn’t, strictly speaking, mutton at all. It’s goat. Still, the mutton thali, a platter that includes a

PHOTO: allan jay images

variety of tastes, is delicious.

The restaurant specializes in Chettinad cuisine, from the Tamil Nadu state in South India. Its regional cuisine is considered among the country’s spiciest, which is saying something. But this isn’t food that’s hot simply for the sake of being hot. The spiciness of the food at India Kitchen is part and parcel of a multitude of seasonings and layers of flavors. And, for the record, it’s not unbearably hot. I measure a cuisine’s spiciness by how much my scalp sweats when I eat it. This food rated only one damp napkin. And it was good. I had the mutton thali, a platter with tastes of several dishes, including biriyani, kurma, mutton bone soup, masalai, poriyal, pickles, raita and papadam, all served with fluffy basmati rice. The most unusual thing about this mutton platter was that it was goat, not lamb. I first got an inkling of this when I encountered the chunks of bone one usually encounters when eating, say, a curried goat dish in a Caribbean restauWWW.OHLMAG.COM

rant. Upon receiving confirmation, I was told that everyone in India eats goat, not lamb. That’s news to me – and probably to a lot of Indian people, as well. Still, good is good, and you’ll have to decide if it’s more important for your dishes to contain an old lamb or an old goat. Actually, my favorite item on the thali – named for the round silver platter the dishes are served on – had no meat at all. It was the dhal, a porridgelike soup made with pureed lentils. It was, ironically, also one of the mildest offerings we were served. In addition, there are a number of vegetarian offerings on the menu. The dining space is spartan and brightly lighted, but it’s tidy and comfortable. Service was accommodating and friendly. In fact, several employees passed my table during the course of my meal and welcomed me, or asked me if everything was okay. And this was one of those rare times when I could be absolutely certain they had no idea a restaurant critic was present.

IndIa KItchen WheRe 6215 s. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando When: lunch and dinner daily. hOW MUch: $$ WheRe tO caLL: 407-438-4985

harp and Celt, Downtown Orlando harpandcelt.com Kitty O’Shea’S, Orlando kittyosheaspub.com Kate O’Brien’S, lake mary kateobriens.com liam FitzpatriCK’S, lake mary liamfitzpatricks.com lizzy mCCOrmaCK’S, Downtown Orlando lizzymccormacks.com luCKy lepreChaun, Orlando luckyleprechaunirishpub.com paddy murphy’S, Baldwin Park originalpaddymurphys.com SCruFFy murphy’S, College Park scruffymurphysorlando.com raGlan rOad, Downtown Disney raglanroadirishpub.com

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REVIEWS IT’S GREEK TO ME, AND THAT’S OKAY AT FLAME TAVERNA I had stopped In to the Greek

The souviaki sampler at Flame Taverna features chicken and lamb kebabs, which are grilled and served with a rice and pine nut mixture.

both better have some. For my main course I had the mousaka, the traditional Greek dish made with layers of eggplant, potatoes and ground beef topped with bechamel and parmesan cheese. It’s the creamy bechamel that keeps this dish lighter than you’d expect it to be. My guest had the souvlaki sampler, which included both chicken and lamb kebabs seasoned with a variety of herbs, grilled and served with a rice and pine nut mixture. Both meats were delicious, but the lamb was especially tender and tasty.

The creamy bechamel accounts for the lightness of the mousaka, a traditional Greek dish made with layers of eggplant, potatoes and ground beef. Flame Taverna attracts a loyal clientele with its good food and a lively atmosphere.

For dessert we shared the kataifi, a pastry made with phyllo dough that comes out looking like rolls of shredded wheat. It has nuts on the inside and is sweetened with syrup – nice with a cup of coffee. Service was friendly and efficient. Greek Flame Taverna has been around for years, but only recently moved from Casselberry to the former Tang’s Thai space in the Dr. Phillips Marketplace. It’s a slightly more upscale space than the erstwhile Pizza Hut it formerly occupied, with white tablecloths enhancing the ambience.

Greek Flame Taverna WHere: 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando WHen: Lunch and dinner daily. HOW mUCH: $$ WHere TO Call: 407-370-4624 56

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PHOTO: aLLan jay images

Flame Taverna’s grand opening, but it was so crowded with people enjoying the buffet service and Greek music that I wasn’t able to get a good feel for the place – although having a restaurant so packed with fans is rather telling in and of itself. I returned later to the popular eatery, located on Dr. Phillips Boulevard’s Restaurant Row, to enjoy a more relaxed, less boisterous lunch. And “enjoy” is, indeed, the operative word. I liked the flaky crust of the spanakopita, a turnover-like spinach pie with feta cheese. Ditto the dolmades, stuffed grape leaves with rice and beef. Greek Flame also serves an array of Mediterranean dips, including hummus, tzatziki, taramosalata, melitzanosalata and skorthalia. The latter is a garlic dip, so if you’re on a date, you’d

THE HEALTHY CHEF HEALTHY CHOICE: IT’S A HEARTFELT STIR-FRY RECIPE Looking to keep your cardio-

vascular system in shape? Recipes for the Heart, an aptly titled cookbook from the American Heart Association (AHA), offers 47 quick and easy recipes that will help you do just that. Sales of the 96-page book, just released in its eighth edition, supports the AHA’s “Go Red for Women” campaign. Recipes for the Heart also contains a nutritional analysis for each recipe, an “Ask the Expert” column and information about leading a heart-healthy lifestyle. You can buy the book at supermarket checkout counters nationwide or order it through the AHA website, heart.org. In the meantime, check out this recipe for a delicious shrimp, asparagus and mushroom stir-fry: Serves 4: 1-1/2 cups shrimp mixture and 1/2 cup rice per serving. ingredientS

1/4 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth 2 tablespoons plain rice vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce (lowest sodium available)

PHOTO: COURTESY THE amERiCan HEaRT aSSOCiaTiOn

1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

16 ounces asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagnol into 1-inch slices (about 2 1/2 cups) 1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled, rinsed and patted dry

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup uncooked instant brown rice 1 1/2 teaspoons canola or corn oil plus a second 1 1/2 teaspoons canola or corn oil, for divided use 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, thinly sliced 2 teaspoons grated peeled gingerroot 2 medium garlic cloves, mixed WWW.OHLMAG.COM

procedure

In a medium bowl, whisk together the broth, vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil and salt, then set aside. Prepare the rice following the package directions, but omitting the salt and margerine. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of canola oil with the setting on high, swirling the contents to coat the

bowl’s bottom. Cook the mushrooms, gingerroot and garlic for 2 minutes, stirring constantly while adding the asparagus. Cook for 2 more minutes, transfer the mixture to a large bowl, then set aside. Add the shrimp to the broth mixture while stirring. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of canola oil with the setting on high, swirling the contents to coat the skillet’s bottom. Cook the shrimp mixture for 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through. Stir in the asparagus mixture and cook for 1 minute, or until the vegetables are heated through and the sauce is thickened. Serve over the rice. ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

WHAT’S MY WINE

DINING LISTINGS AFRICAN

Jiko The Cooking Place $$$ Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Orlando, 407-939-3463 Jiko is the Swahili word for cooking place. Therefore, the full name of the restaurant translates to The Cooking Place The Cooking Place. Whatever. Jiko’s food may not be entirely authentic African cuisine, but it’s good. Be sure to try the ostrich schnitzel and the lamb shank, which, on my visit, was rubbed with a sauce spiced with berbere, a mixture of spices used in Ethiopian cooking. Service was about as good as I’ve seen at Disney restaurants. Menu knowledge was first-rate, and all the servers were attentive and prompt. Even more impressive was the servers’ grasp of the wine list, which boasts the largest collection of South African wines in North America.

REMy, thE Disney Dream’S SiG-

nature fine-dining restaurant, clearly offers a world-class fine-dining experience. But in addition to the wonderfully creative food, Remy features an extraordinary pair of wine lists. The French list boasts more than 200 selections while Remy’s Vault stores vintages from around the world. Diners at Remy may choose a winepairing package for $99. That’s in addition to the $75 supplement fee required to dine there instead of one of the ship’s other dining rooms. So at those prices, some selection assistance is certainly appropriate and welcome. Indeed, some of the more complex menu items make expert guidance all but mandatory. Take, for example, the smoked bison with melted fennel and leeks, hearts of palm salad and blood orange-tangerine vinaigrette. You need a little more wine advice than “red or white” to do it justice. The dish features cold-smoked bison, which can have intense flavors on its own. But then throw in fennel and leeks, jicama, radishes, citrus and various seasonings, and you have multiple layers 58

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Remy’s smoked bison with melted fennel and leaks is a complex dish, which makes choosing a suitable wine to accompany it a challenge.

of flavors that must be considered. So I asked Salah Chetbi, consistency manager for Disney Crusie Line, if smoked bison is my dish, “What’s my wine?” “I recommend the 2008 Chateauneuf du Pape,” Chetbi says. “It’s capable of doing justice to the complexity of this dish.” The wine, he adds, features a prominent taste of red plum and a mass of other fruit aromas and flavors from the blend of syrah and granache grapes. “It has a little bit of spiciness on it,” notes Chetbi, “with exquisite balance.” He also says the wine goes well with the texture of the bison – a factor most people don’t consider when pondering pairings. “People don’t usually eat and drink at the same time,” he says, explaining that diners usually have a bite of food and then a sip of wine. “But the match has to be in the mouth.”

AMERICAN

The Boheme $$$ Grand Bohemian, 325 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, 407-581-4700 The Boheme has grown into a more consistent finedining experience but now is trying to position itself as more accessible. Try the Kessler calamari, a silly name for a delicious appetizer, and follow with the lamb duet or the Chilean sea bass. The kitchen also has a way with scallops. Citrus $$$ 821 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, 407-373-0622 The kitchen has improved greatly since the restaurant first opened and is now turning out some pretty tasty dishes. There’s a very popular citrus salad named for Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. Skirt-steak flatbread and the bacon cheddar burger are other favorites. Dexter’s $$ 558 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, 407-629-1150 808 E. Washington St., Orlando, 407-648-2777 950 Market Promenade Ave., Lake Mary, 407-805-3090 There are three distinct Dexter’s, but all offer the same basic menu, which is un-ambitious but functional. Much more emphasis is placed on producing a lively atmosphere, which often includes live music. For food, the pressed duck sandwich is a classic. And the chicken tortilla pie, a tall, layered affair, is one of those things you feel guilty for liking but keep ordering each time you go.

THE KEY

$ Cheap eats, most entrées under $10 $$ Moderate, dinner entrées $15-20 $$$ Pricey, most entrées over $30 $$$$ Many entrées over $30 Full review at scottjosephorlando.com MARcH 2011

PHOTO: COURTESY DAvID ROARK, DISNEY

HAVING REMY’S SMOKED BISON? THEN YOU’LL NEED cHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE

Sanaa $$$ Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-3463 The menu is African with Indian influences, but not to the point of excluding beef or pork. Look for those touches in the spicing. The food may be a bit more exotic than most people are willing to try, but it’s almost all done expertly. And you can’t beat the atmosphere, with a ground-level view of the grazing area where you’re likely to see giraffes galloping by.

DINING LISTINGS COMpILED by SCOtt JOSEpH fEAtURED LIStING

LIam FITzpaTrIck’S What: An Irish pub in Lake Mary Where: 951 Market Promenade Ave., Lake Mary When: Lunch and dinner daily Why: It’s the Ides of March, and time for St. Patrick’s Day. Some people will be quaffing green beer and munching corned beef and cabbage, sometimes to excess. If you’re one of them, you might make a stop at Liam Fitzpatrick’s. Plus, there’s a piano bar and a welcoming outdoor dining area. If beer isn’t your drink of choice, try the cider on tap. ContaCt: 407-936-3782

emeril’s tchoup Chop $$$ 6300 Hollywood Way, Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, 407-503-2467 Chef Gregory richie has turned emeril Lagasse’s troubled restaurant around. The menu now has more focus — and the food is consistently good. Try the grilled oysters or the salmon napoleon appetizer. The scallops entrée is good but the shrimp risotto that comes with it is better. The grilled filet of beef is a study in tenderness. Manager and wine expert jeff Kundinger keeps the dining room running smoothly. hUe restaurant $$$ 629 E. Central Blvd., Orlando, 407-849-1800 A centerpiece of Orlando’s vibrant Thornton Park neighborhood, Hue has been an important part of downtown Orlando for more than seven years. Although the name is pronounced hyoo and not the Asian hway, the menu adds confusion with its Asian touches. The fried oysters served in ladle-shaped spoons are a good starter. There are more elaborate entrées, but I think the burger is one of the best in town.

PHOTO: GreG jOHnSTOn

K restaurant $$$ 1710 Edgewater Drive, Orlando 407-872-2332 Kevin Fonzo, who turned this College Park eatery into a nationally known destination restaurant, recently combined K and his second restaurant, nonna Trattoria, into one. The towering presentation of three fried green tomatoes layered with crab and corn salad is wonderful. The filet mignon is still a good choice, but so many other things on the ever-changing menu are too. You can scarcely go wrong. La Coquina $$$$ Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, 1 Grand Cypress Blvd., Orlando, 407-239-1234 La Coquina has been relegated to use only during Sunday brunch. But oh what a brunch it is, with a wall full of awards and accolades to attest to it. The various food stations are set up in the kitchen, where guests enter to load up on salads, soups, cold seafood, salumi, cheeses and such. When you’re ready for your entrée, step up to the chef’s station and place your order from among the day’s options. The chef then prepares it for you on the spot. no steam tables here. LUMa on Park $$$ 290 Park Ave. S., Winter Park, 407-599-4111 Under the direction of Chef Brandon McGlamery, this stylishly chic restaurant on trendy Park Avenue has become a real jewel in Central Florida’s culinary corona. The dining room can be a bit noisy. The decor is WWW.OHLMAG.COM

still modish, even after four years. And the automated restrooms with their sliding glass doors and confusing washbasins still annoy me. A fun thing to do here is make a feast of small plates, but if you want to have a full entrée try the flank steak or the black grouper.

filet mignon. If you start feeling too goody-goody, go crazy and order all the mini desserts. There is a second location at 463 e. Altamonte Drive Altamonte Springs (in front of Altamonte Mall); 407-767-1252.

norman’s $$$$ Ritz-Carlton, 4000 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando, 407-393-4333 Owner norman Van Aken is one of the founders of Floribbean or new World Cuisine and arguably one of Florida’s most celebrated chefs. Van Aken and the ritz-Carlton have teamed up to present the sort of fine-dining experience seldom seen in Orlando. The menu changes regularly, but if it’s your first visit, ask your waiter for some of Van Aken’s signature dishes. A dinner at norman’s is pricey — it’s the ritz for crying out loud! — but it’s worth an occasional splurge.

toojay’s $-$$ Various locations, including: Colonial Market Plaza, 2400 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, 407-894-1718 Whenever I feel a cold coming on, I head right for Toojay’s for some chicken soup. The rich golden broth, with or without noodles, may not cure the cold, but it doesn’t hurt. Others go here for the big overstuffed sandwiches, potato pancakes and blintzes.

Park Plaza Gardens $$$ 319 Park Ave. S., Winter Park, 407-645-2475 Once upon a time, Park Plaza Gardens was one of the few fine-dining places in the area. The food was superb and the setting — an indoor dining room that had an outdoor appeal — was special and elegant. Then it sort of lost its way. But now Park Plaza Gardens seems to be on a path leading back to its original splendor. The kitchen is helmed by chef john Tan, and he’s doing some wonderful things. Steak and fish are both highlights, but the crab-stuffed grouper is a stunner. the ravenous Pig $$$ 1234 N. Orange Ave., Winter Park, 407-628-2333 The ravenous Pig calls itself “an American gastropub,” gastropub being a British term for a pub that serves more than a basic bar menu. This wonderful restaurant goes way beyond that. Chef/owners james and julie Petrakis met while attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, and they obviously learned a lot while there. The menu changes regularly, but everything is worth trying. Have the pork belly if it’s available. Seasons 52 $$ 7700 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, 407-354-5212 The original conceit of the restaurant was that something somewhere was coming into season every week of the year. The kitchen has gotten away from following that concept too closely but continues to offer entrées with lots of flavor and fewer calories. You won’t notice a difference when you taste the grilled pork with polenta or the

the tap room at Dubsdread $$ 549 W. Par St., Orlando, 407-650-0100 Finally, a good restaurant at Dubsdread. It’s Sam Snead’s-like (the owners here were involved in developing the Sam Snead’s Tavern concept) with an emphasis on simple foods. The pot roast and filet mignon are standouts, and if you get the Buffalo shrimp ask the kitchen to make them spicy. The rustic dining room is fronted by a wraparound porch that overlooks the Dubsdread Golf Course. It’s a lovely spot to enjoy Sunday brunch, and as luck would have it, the Tap room serves an excellent one. the Venetian room $$$$ Caribe Royale Hotel, 8101 World Center Drive, Orlando, 407-238-8060 This fine-dining holdout is pricey, but Chef Khalid Benghallem’s French/American food is very good. I enjoyed the appetizer of foie gras, which had two seared lobes layered in an alternating stack with cakes made with smoked polenta. My favorite among the entrées was the tenderloin of beef, two thick slabs of seared meat served with marrow, barley, rhubarb, chard, fennel strudel and red-wine reduction sauce, tinged with black truffles. For dessert, share the soufflé.

eDitor-at-LarGe SCott JoSePh haS been reviewing Central Florida restaurants for more than 20 years. He is a past winner of the james Beard Award for food writing and also presides over a dining-oriented website, scottjosephorlando.com. ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

DINING LISTINGS Victoria & Albert’s $$$$ Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-3862 This not only is one of the best restaurants in Central Florida, it’s one of the best in the Southeastern United States and could easily hold its own with some of the top-rated restaurants in the world. The cuisine, under the direction of Chef Scott Hunnel, is creatively American with classical roots. V&A now offers two dining experiences: the main dining room, with its quiet elegance and six-course menu; or the chef’s table, with its own menu offering at least twice as many courses. The chef’s table, previously available only in the kitchen, now is offered in the newly christened Queen Victoria Room. Vineyard Grill $$$ Ritz-Carlton, 4012 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando, 407-206-2400 A hidden gem among the jewels, the Vineyard Grill does a better than expected job with its American cuisine of steaks and seafoods. Its Sunday brunch is developing a loyal local following.

BARBECUE

Blackwater Bar-b-q $ 3405 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, 407-447-9511 I prefer the College Park location to the South Orlando spot, but that’s just me. Blackwater does a little bit of everything. You’ve got pulled pork. You’ve got sliced beef or sliced chicken. There are baby back ribs and St. Louis style ribs. I liked most of everything I sampled at Blackwater. The pulled pork was especially good, moist and tender with a taste of smoke that made extra sauce superfluous. And the baby back and St. Louis style ribs were pretty tasty too. I especially liked the spiciness of the dry rub on the ribs. 4 Rivers Smokehouse $ 2103 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 407-474-8377 Open a good barbeque joint and the world will beat a path to your door. And in the case of Four Rivers Smokehouse, they will then line up outside that door and wait more than 20 minutes to be served, with a minimum of complaining. Brisket is the specialty here, but spice rub tends to be a bit salty. The pulled pork is moist and comes in generous proportions.

CHINESE

Eastern Pearl $$ 5749 T.G. Lee Blvd., Orlando, 407-373-6888 This is the second location for the acclaimed Altamonte Springs Chinese restaurant, winner of more than a few Foodie Awards, including several Critic’s Choice nods. The atmosphere is more stylish and the food is more creative than at many other local Chinese restaurants. The decor is pleasant and so is the staff. Ming’s Bistro $$ 1212 Woodward St., Orlando, 407-898-9672 Ming’s Bistro not only serves good Chinese food but also does a full complement of dim sum, including traditional cart service on weekends. Be adventurous and point to something you’ve never had before. I had some very nice entrées from the main menu, none better than the ginger scallion fish fillets.

CUBAN

Padrino’s Cuban Bistro $$ 13586 S. John Young Parkway, Orlando, 407-251-5107 I’m prepared to call this the best Cuban restaurant in 60

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Central Florida. It’s really that good. A family operation out of South Florida, Padrino’s features both traditional Cuban dishes and some more stylized bistro items, and they’re served in a bright pleasant dining room. The owners are usually at the restaurant tending to the customers and making sure that everything is first-rate. And it usually is.

FRENCH

Café de France $$ 526 Park Ave. S., Winter Park, 407-647-1869 Café de France is a Park Avenue mainstay, surviving the iconic thoroughfare’s slump in the ‘90s and prospering during its recent revival as one of the area’s premier dining destinations. Locals love the quaintness of its small dining room and the charm of its hostess and owner, Dominique Gutierrez. Though not everything on the menu is strictly French, the ingredients are always fresh and specials change daily. Le Coq Au Vin $$ 4800 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, 407-851-6980 New owners Sandy and Reimund Pitz are continuing to serve some of the area’s best food regardless of cuisine type. The namesake dish is one of the best but the menu changes with the seasons. In winter the cassoulet is a treat. I really like that Coq Au Vin offers half portions of most of its entrées. It’s a smart thing both nutritionally and, in the current financial climate, economically. And the half-portions here are ample enough to satisfy.

GERMAN/ EASTERN EUROPEAN

Chef Henry’s $$ 1831 W. State Road 434, Longwood, 407-331-4836 It’s technically a reincarnation of the former Chef Henry’s Café. Henry is in the kitchen and his wife, Estera, is still making the sort of strudel you’d commit a felony to taste. But this time it’s their daughter, Simone, who is the owner. Most everything rises to the level of the strudel, so it doesn’t matter what you have as long as that’s how you finish. Polonia $ 750 S. Highway 17-92, Longwood, 407-331-1933 You don’t have to be Polish to admire Polish food. You need only an appreciation for hearty fare whose origins come from the necessity to make do with what the earth and the seasons give you. This is farmland food, Eastern European style, where root vegetables like beets and carrots and cured meats like kielbasa are used in abundance. And simple ingredients like flour, water and potatoes can be turned into something as splendid as pierogi. This is the sort of establishment where something with a reputation as unflattering as a stuffed cabbage can be made into a delicacy that will change your mind about it forever. The small dining room is rather plain with white walls decorated with a couple of colorful Polish costumes and undistinguished paintings. No, this is not a fancy dining experience. But for those who enjoy Polish food it’s as fine as it gets.

GREEK

Greek Corner $$ 1600 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, 407-228-0303 It’s Greek, and it’s on the corner; you can’t get more succinct than that. But no corners are cut on the quality. All your Greek favorites are here, served in a small unassuming space. I supped on the

melitzanosalat, a dip made with roasted eggplant, and followed with a bowl of tangy avgolemeno, the chicken soup thickened with a lemony egg sauce. For my main course I had the moussaka, a big brick of seasoned beef, eggplant and potatoes topped with a fluffy bechamel. Substantial and delicious. If it’s a warm day — it’s Florida; the odds are in your favor — sit on the patio across the street from Lake Ivanhoe. Mykonos $$ 2401 W. State Road 434, Longwood, 407-788-9095 Mykonos was part of a small Greek revival in 2000 when Central Florida, previously Greek deficient, finally started to get good Greek restaurants. Mykonos is one of the best, and was a recipient of multiple Critic’s Foodie Awards on my watch. Have the patatokeftedes or chargrilled squid appetizer, avgolemono soup and entrées of chicken Mykonos or the combination platter of moussaka, pastitsio and stuffed grape leaves. Even if you can’t pronounce it, order the galatobutoko for dessert.

INDIAN

Memories of India $$ Bay Hill Plaza, 7625 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando, 407-370-3277 Memories of India is a delightful place with wonderful food served in a pleasant atmosphere. One of my favorites among the many entrées was the chicken saagwala, which featured tender chunks of chicken breast meat plus potatoes in a creamy curry made of spinach and spices. I also liked the lamb vindaloo, cubes of lamb marinated in a vinegary gravy and cooked with potatoes and pearl onions in freshly ground spices. Be careful: hot means hot. Order accordingly. And be further warned: food comes out of the kitchen at a snail’s pace. Slow means slow.

ITALIAN

Antonio’s La Fiamma $$$ 611 S. Orlando Ave., Matiland; 407-645-1035. When Greg Gentile opened this massive two-story restaurant in a renovated family steakhouse, everyone thought he was crazy and that the place would close in one year. That was about two decades ago. Why did it succeed? Simple: good food, good service and an atmosphere for everyone; fine dining upstairs and a casual deli down. The upstairs has recently been expanded to include patio dining. Antonio’s Ristorante $$$ 7559 West Sand Lake Road, Orlando; 407-3639191. Think of it as Antonio’s La Fiamma without the deli downstairs. The Restaurant Row outpost offers an elegant Italian dining option. BiCE $$$$ Portofino Bay, 5601 Universal Blvd., Orlando 407-503-1415 Dinner at Bice is not an inexpensive night out. But when you consider cost vs. quality, you’ll find that Bice is not overpriced. Just consider the restaurant’s signature dish, ravioli stuffed with beef short ribs and spinach. The pasta was delicately thin and tender, and the braised meat inside had a rich, fatty mouthfeel that blossomed with the sauce of mushrooms and Marsala wine. Absolute heaven. Desserts are worth lingering over. Café d’Antonio $$$ 691 Front St., Celebration; 407-566-2233 A smaller version of Greg Gentile’s flagship restaurant Antonio’s La Fiamma, Café d’Antonio is a consistently good choice for residents and visitors in Celebration.

MARcH 2011

DINING LISTINGS Enzo’s on the Lake $$$ 1130 S. Highway 17-92, Longwood, 407-834-9872 Enzo is gone, but his restaurant continues on. Let your server put together an antipasti selection from the table in the dining room. One of my favorites was bucatini alla Enzo; costaletta di vitello was as good a veal chop as you’re likely to find anywhere in town. Go before sunset and enjoy the gardens before going inside. Primo $$$-$$$$ JW Marriott, 4040 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando 407-393-4444 A second restaurant for celebrity chef and James Beard Award winner Melissa Kelly. The food is only ostensibly Italian, with more creative touches menuwide. Kelly was one of the first to promote the use of local ingredients. Most of the herbs used in the restaurant are grown outside the kitchen door. The lamb is good, and so was the pork saltimbocca. Have the banana Napoleon for dessert. The décor is upscale, and although jackets are not requested, you wouldn’t feel out of place wearing one. Rocco’s Italian Grille $$$ 400 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-644-7770 This old space, which has held Italian restaurants for decades, has been re-imagined into a beautiful restaurant. The menu is classic, and some things are done very well. The veal Milanese was brilliant. Fritto misto alla Ligure was a terrific appetizer of lightly floured calamari and shrimp and spears of zucchini. The breading was crisp to a precision point and the sun-dried aioli — from Sardinia in the other direction from Liguria — was a nice complement.

JAPANESE

Hanamizuki $$ 8255 International Drive, Orlando, 407-363-7200 Hanamizuki’s menu features Kyoto-style cooking, which tends to be more elegant and formal than many of the dishes served in most American Japanese restaurants. It also focuses more on fresh vegetables and seafood other than sushi, although that’s also available. Don’t be surprised to find a predominantly Japanese clientele here. No small wonder when the restaurant’s website is written in Japanese (you can opt into a translation).

MEXICAN

Paxia $$ 2611 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, 407-420-1155 Paxia touts itself as “alta cocina,” which is Spanish for haute cuisine. The food is a little more upscale than the average Mexican restaurant, at least in presentation, but we’re talking fine dining in relative terms. For an appetizer, try the queso fundido, a cheesy dip topped with cubes of spicy chorizo sausage and served with warm flour tortillas. Just scoop the deliciously greasy cheese and sausage into the tortillas and gobble the whole thing down. For entrées, have the tamales or skirt steak fajitas.

MIDDLE EASTERN

Cantina Laredo $$ 8000 Via Dellagio Way (one block west of Dr. Phillips Blvd.), Orlando, 407-345-0186 The menu isn’t exactly authentic Mexican – the nachos, fajitas and crepes wouldn’t be found on many menus south of our border, unless it was a restaurant specializing in Ameri-Mex cuisine. But the food done here is very good, especially the guacamole, prepared tableside. The chile relleno is a menu standout, but the chicken enchilada is pretty good, too.

Bosphorous $$ 108 Park Ave. S., Winter Park, 407-644-8609 Bosphorus is a delightful restaurant with stylized Turkish classics. My favorite from the list of entrées was the hunkar begendi or sultan’s delight, a classic Ottoman dish. It featured hunks of seasoned beef sauteed with onions and tomatoes in the center of the plate surrounded by a moat of creamy-textured puree of smoked eggplant. The etli guvec, a meat casserole with cubes of lamb mixed with green beans, was good, too. The desserts are worth sampling.

THE KEY

SEAFOOD

$ Cheap eats, most entrées under $10 $$ Moderate, dinner entrées $15-20 $$$ Pricey, most entrées over $30 $$$$ Many entrées over $30 Full review at scottjosephorlando.com

Cityfish $$ 617 E. Central Blvd., Orlando, 407-849-9779 The people at Urban Life Management Restaurant Group have always appeared to have a goal of bringing a bit of big city life to downtown Orlando. After all, Urban Life is part of the company’s name. They’ve

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SCOTT JOSEPH’S 2011 ORLANDO RESTAURANT GUIDE From the most trusted food critic in Central Florida. Now in paperback, available at Amazon.com

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DINING LISTINGS hit it just right with Cityfish. Why? Instead of trying to emulate a city like New York or Miami, they’ve created an urban environment for Orlando. Seems fitting, doesn’t it? Cityfish offers a variety of seafood options in a pleasant atmosphere. Try the shrimp and bacon poppers or some freshly shucked oysters to start. Fresh fish options are good, and the lobster roll is authentically prepared. The Oceanaire Seafood Room $$$ Pointe Orlando, 9101 International Drive, Orlando, 407-363-4801 The promise of a good seafood restaurant has sailed into Central Florida aboard The Oceanaire. The Oceanaire Seafood Room is meant to take you back in time with an interior that suggests a 1930’s ocean liner. Sample some of the fresh fish selections after you enjoy the crab cake appetizer. It’s a bit pricey, but quality is worth paying for.

STEAKHOUSE

Bull & Bear $$$$ Waldorf Astoria, 14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, 407-597-5500 The first Waldorf Astoria to be built outside of Manhattan also features a steakhouse called Bull & Bear, just like New York. Well, not exactly like New York. The decor here is less dark and clubby; it’s actually quite an attractive room with windows overlooking the resort’s pool area (and Disney fireworks in the distance). The menu features steak, of course, but also does some fine fish, including a lovely Dover sole filleted tableside. Also performed tableside is a traditional Caesar salad. Curiously, there is no Waldorf salad. And the veal Oscar (another invention of the New York hotel’s) is a stylized version. 2:48:53 PMFrisco’s Prime Steak & Lobster Del

$$$$ 729 Lee Road, Orlando, 407-645-4443 The steaks here are always high quality. The atmosphere isn’t quite as posh as some of the other topdrawer steakhouses, but it at least rises to meet the price point, which is high. Since you’ll probably be having meat for your main entrée — and if you’re not, why are you here? — have the fried oysters for your appetizer. What, you’re worried about the cholesterol? Again I have to ask: Why are you here?

SUSHI

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Izziban $$ 1700 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando, 407-850-5088 Really good sushi, if somewhat unorthodox. For something really special, try the restaurant’s namesake Izziban roll. It has tempura shrimp and asparagus with cream cheese rolled in rice. The cream cheese alone would be enough to give sushi purists the shudders. But then the chef topped the sliced sushi coins with a sauce of sorts comprised of mayonnaise, fish eggs, crab and cheese baked so the cheese 9:38:00 AM was melted and the sauce hot. Unusual and amazingly delicious. If you’re a purist, you’ll find the traditional items just as satisfying. Seito Sushi $$ 510 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-644-5050 4898 New Broad St., Orlando, 407-898-8801 8031 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando, 407-248-8888

EMAIL: MIMI@OHLMAG.COM

THE KEY

$ Cheap eats, most entrées under $10 $$ Moderate, dinner entrées $15-20 $$$ Pricey, most entrées over $30 $$$$ Many entrées over $30 Full review at scottjosephorlando.com

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DINING LISTINGS

THE HEART OF A DELI

671 Front St., Celebration, 407-566-1889 Seito Sushi is becoming its own little local chain, but it keeps its quality high, both in terms of the sushi and the elegant surroundings.

THAI

Chai Thai $ 2447 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, 407-898-1181 This new location is in a small, nondescript strip mall across from SoDo. The inside has a fresh newness about it, from its slate-like flooring to the highly polished dark wood tabletops. There is a sincere friendliness from the staff, and the food is always top notch. Orchid Thai $$ 305 Park Ave. N., Winter Park, 407-331-1400 A splashy and elegant restaurant with a hip vibe that befits its Park Avenue milieu. Short rib massamam featured a large beef short rib braised and then sautéed with potatoes and small pieces of sweet bell peppers with a chili sauce and a bit of roasted peanuts. And part of the enjoyment of this entrée, and indeed most every dish served here, was the elegant presentation, which almost invariably included luminous purple orchid blooms as plate garnish. (Yes, orchid petals are edible, but, frankly, I enjoy looking at them much more than ingesting them.)

VEGAN/ VEGETARIAN

Café 118º $$ 153 E. Morse Blvd., Winter Park, 407-389-2233 If veganism can be defined as extreme vegetarianism, the raw food movement could be classified as extreme veganism. The 118 in the restaurant’s name refers to the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit to which some of the foods here are heated. I stew myself in temperatures higher than that in the steam room at the Y. Going above that temperature, aficionados of raw cuisine profess, saps foods of their vitamins, enzymes and minerals. Raw foods, they assert, aid in digestibility and cell reconstruction, among other things, according to information on Café 118’s menu. I can’t attest to any of that. But I can tell you that the food I had at Café 118 was all quite delicious, and presented in a stylish and even (dare I say?) gourmet fashion.

MY MOTHER SAID I

GOT MY RED HAIR FROM EATING SO MUCH CARROT CAKE.

Smartphone 2011 Still me. Still at my favorite restaurant TooJay’s.

Polaroid camera 1981 Me at my favorite restaurant - TooJay’s.

Orlando Colonial Marketplaza (407) 894-1718 Southwest Orlando The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips (407) 355-0340 East Orlando Waterford Lakes Town Center (407) 249-9475 Altamonte Springs Palm Springs Shopping Center (407) 830-1770 Lake Mary Lake Mary Centre (407) 833-0848 Ocoee Shoppes of Ocoee (407) 798-2000

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VIETNAMESE

Lac Viet Bistro $$ 2021 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, 407-228-4000 Lac Viet Bistro isn’t exactly fine dining but, relatively speaking, it’s finer than you’ll find at most other area Vietnamese restaurants. The menu features dishes from all over Vietnam, but its Northern specialties might be less familiar to even those who frequent area Vietnamese restaurants. Try one of the banh cuon or the vermicelli soups. And start with one of the crispy shrimp cakes.

729 Lee Road, Orlando, 2 blks W. of I-4, Exit 88. Open 5 PM. Closed Sundays. Coat/Tie Optional. Major CC’s. Valet Parking.

RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED 407.645.4443 www.delfriscosorlando.com

Pho Vinh $ 657 N. Primrose Drive, Orlando, 407-228-0043 Like most of the other Vietnamese restaurants in the area, Pho Vinh’s menu is larger than you would think it needed to be. With over 180 items, the menu is a lot to take in and, well, digest. I selected the bun mang vit, or what is more commonly referred to as ol’ number 72. It was a beef-based soup with slender rice vermicelli noodles the meat of a duck leg (sans bones) and miniature planks of bamboo shoots. A good filling soup — especially nice on cold days. The decor is pleasant, bright and tidy. Service was friendly and welcoming.

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Michelle and Jeffrey Hartog

After his wife’s double mastectomy, a local surgeon calls upon cosmetic surgery’s newest ally – fat. by Michael McLeod

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MARcH 2011

Photo: courtesy jeffrey hartog

From Heavy to Hero

uch of what Michelle hartog has gone

through since last September will be familiar to any woman who has either worried about the ordeal or faced it firsthand. The discovery of a malignant growth during a routine mammogram. The decision to undergo a double mastectomy. The chemotherapy, the discomfort, the cold company of fear and loss. It’s the next few months that will set Michelle apart. Rather than the usual approach of using implants or flaps of muscle to rebuild her breasts, her plastic surgeon will do it on an outpatient basis, using her own fat, removed with simple liposuction. The surgeon, in this case, is her husband, Jeffrey. He and Michelle, a registered nurse, work alongside one another at their Winter Park cosmetic surgery facility, the Bougainvillea Clinique. “Obviously, I could have had any kind of reconstruction I wanted,” says Michelle, who’s also director of the clinic’s aesthetic technologies division. “But this is what I chose.”

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For decades, cosmetic surgeons have been using fat as a tool, mining it from one part of the body as a means to beautify another. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s different now is that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned so much more about fat in the F ASHION C ONSULTING last few years,â&#x20AC;? says Dr. Hartog, who is a board-certified plastic surgeon. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ANY SERVICE now better able to take care of it and use tylissima is a full service fashion consulting company that provides individual Wardrobe styling â&#x20AC;˘ Travel packing â&#x20AC;˘ Fashion production it much more efficiently. I think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re personal shopping, wardrobe assessment, travel packing as well as Glam Squad or special Closet assessment â&#x20AC;˘ Personal shopping going to see its usage increase dramatioccasion consultation. Stylissimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goalno is complete enhancement - creating an empowered with obligation cally over the next few years.â&#x20AC;? you inside and out with a special focus on color preferences, body shape and personal style. (please present this brochure for discount.) The irony is obvious: In an arena where patients clamor for the latest Â&#x2021; CLOSET ASSESSMENT ARIANNE LUNGA IOUF sure-fire shortcut to beautiful faces and F ASHION C ONSULTING Â&#x2021; WARDROBE STYLING figures, fat, once the enemy, has been enSTYLISSIMA FASHION CONSULTING rolled more and more as an ally. What Â&#x2021; SPECIAL OCCASION STYLING WWW STYLISSIMA COM has shifted the scales â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and placed cosÂ&#x2021; TRAVEL tylissima is a full service fashion consulting company that provides individual PACKING metic surgery squarely in the midst of personal shopping, wardrobe assessment, travel packing as well as Glam Squad or special Â&#x2021; FASHION SHOW PRODUCTION ., a %% one of modern medicineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most promis- occasion consultation. Stylissimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal is complete enhancement - creating an empowered ing frontiers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is a growing understand- you inside and out with a special focus on color preferences, body shape and personal style. ing of fatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restorative powers. Stylissima from flyer.indd 2 1/5/11 Fat grafting has been used for recon- Â&#x2021; CLOSET ASSESSMENT structive and cosmetic purposes since the early 1900â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, but with unpredictable Â&#x2021; WARDROBE STYLING ANY SERVICE Free Consultation results. The problem was that much of Â&#x2021; SPECIAL OCCASION STYLING with no obligation the transplanted fat died or was absorbed Â&#x2021; TRAVEL PACKING (please present this brochure for discount.) by the body. Â&#x2021; FASHION SHOW PRODUCTION But in the 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Dr. Sydney Coleman, MARIANNE ILUNGA DIOUF a New York City plastic surgeon, began STYLISSIMA FASHION CONSULTING using micro fat grafting to fill out the WWW.STYLISSIMA.COM faces of his patients, reducing creases ., a %% and sagging skin. Coleman refined ANY SERVICE techniques that produced a more reliable outcome: 75 percent of the fat Free Consultation with no obligation that was grafted could be counted on (please present this brochure for discount.) to survive. Then, an unanticipated but even more MARIANNE ILUNGA DIOUF remarkable result: Coleman noticed that STYLISSIMA FASHION CONSULTING the skin above the grafted fat in his paWWW.STYLISSIMA.COM tients became denser and took on a ., a %% younger-looking hue. Research since then has suggested that stem cells and ALLAN JAY other regenerative cells within the fat were orchestrating the renewal. IMAGES Stem cells are most often in the news because of embryonic stem cells and the ethical debate about their use in mediwww.AllanJayImages.com - 407.252.8094 cal research. But stem cells are also pres-

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WELLNESS

NEW AND NOTABLE COSMETIC TRENDS CosmeCeutiCals. These encompass products such as Retin-A, Obagi and Vivate: glycolic acids and chemical peels that penetrate the first layer of skin. “They can increase collagen, working with the scaffolding of the skin across the board to improve uneven skin tone, minimize fine wrinkles and make the face look brighter, says Dr. Helen Kraus, a plastic surgeon in Kissimmee. the Kardashian effeCt. Because of a sudden surge of celebrities with shapely derrieres, more women than ever are looking to enhance that part of their bodies. “You can thank J. Lo.,” says Winter Park plastic surgeon Clifford Clark. “All of a sudden everyone wants a little junk in the trunk.” One procedure with that end in mind: the Brazillian Butt Lift. Developed by South American plastic surgeons, this approach uses liposuction to take fatty tissue from the waist or inner thighs, then transplants it to the buttocks. Simple as it sounds, it requires a skilled specialist. In the right hands, the results, according to the web site of Miami cosmetic surgeon Constantino Mendieta, “have inspired songs, artwork and even motion pictures.” the Big freeze. One new, non-invasive method, Cool Sculpting by Zeltiq, can reduce subcutaneous fat. The procedure involves chilling parts of the body to the precise temperature that triggers cell death. Board certified Orlando plastic surgeon Dr. Armando Soto – who is also adept at the Brazilian Butt Lift – says that the painless procedure will never replace major liposuction but works extremely well as “spot reduction” to alleviate such problems as so-called muffin tops and love handles. Body sCulpting. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery says that contouring surgeries for patients who have dieted successfully and experienced massive weight loss is on the rise. New forms of the surgery, known as corset trunkplasty, targets not only the lower abs, buttocks and thighs but love handles in men and the upper abdomen in women.

ent in adults, where, like their embryonic counterparts, they’re blank slates, cellular shape-shifters capable of transforming themselves into specialized tissue. But stem cells aren’t just building blocks. They’re building superintendants, capable of working in unison with a cast of other regenerative cells when the body is in need of repair. And they are particularly numerous in fat. “Fat is not just a storage 66

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organ, it is a repair organ,” Coleman says. Thanks to his research, plastic surgeons now routinely use fat in facial procedures on cheeks, jaw lines, temples and around the eyes. Fat has the advantage of lasting longer than other “fillers” such as Juvederm. The effect of the cells also lingers. “The quality of the skin continues to improve for months or even years,” says Coleman. As other cosmetic surgeons adopted Coleman’s fat-grafting techniques, a phrase that may sound like the tag line from a late-night, miracle-cure infomercial became popular: “Stem Cell Facelifts.” Partly because there are so many other rebuilding cells involved, and partly because stem cells are a hot-button issue, plastic surgeons prefer stodgier-sounding but far more accurate terminology. They speak of “adipose derived regenerative cells.” (“Adipose” is the medical term for fat tissue.) Studies are under way worldwide for other medical usages of such cells, which show great promise for treating heart failure and Crohn’s Disease. Orthopedic, urologic and neurological problems may also some day be alleviated with adiposederived cells. In cosmetic surgery, fat has been used mainly in facial procedures or in small quantities elsewhere in the body, including the breasts. But most plastic surgeons have been hesitant to use fat in large quantities for breast reconstruction or breast enhancement until the safety of the procedure is established. One concern is that fat grafting might increase the risk of breast cancer. Another is that dead fat cells on subsequent mammograms could be misinterpreted as breast cancer. But studies documenting more than 2,000 cases of breast augmentation with fat have shown no increased risk of breast cancer. Concerns about mammogram changes resembling breast cancer have also been largely discounted. Other surgeons in the U.S. and worldwide, including Miamibased plastic surgeon Roger Khouri, have now shown that reconstruction of breasts with fat alone can achieve equivalent or even superior results to other methods of breast reconstruction using implants and complex tissue transfer. Dr. Hartog, in collaboration with his colleague, Orlando plastic surgeon Dr. Kendrick Spence, has established the Adrecyte Regenerative Medicine and Surgery Center. The facility will use technology that allows separation of stem and regenerative cells from fat using a sophisticated centrifuge device. These cells can then be used in a number of ways. They can be added back to fat to enhance the efficiency of a graft and to help heal problematic wounds, such as tissue that has been irradiated in cancer treatments. Fat enriched with stem and regenerative cells will be used to rebuild Michelle’s breasts. Breast reconstruction using fat removed by liposuction usually requires three fat-grafting procedures, six weeks apart from MARcH 2011

each other. Michelle has already undergone one, which was performed at the time of her mastectomy to create the foundation for her breast reconstruction and to relieve some of the uncomfortable retraction of scar tissue. At the next procedure, enough fat will be removed via liposuction to perform the second procedure. Still more will be extracted and sent to Biolife Cell Bank in Dallas, an FDA-approved frozen tissue bank. This fat will then be retrieved for the third procedure and will be available for any additional procedures that may be required. All of this is being handled by the Hartogs, particularly Michelle, with a level of calmness that might seem strange to an outside observer. One clear advantage she has is her own knowledge of several relatively new resources and strategies. She used a special cap to keep her scalp cold during chemotherapy: By restricting the flow of blood and chemicals to that part of her body, it enabled her to retain a good portion of her hair instead of going bald. She also used a medication meant to makes eyelashes grow longer: She hoped it would keep her from losing them during the procedure, and it did. But of course, her primary advantage is an enviable level of access to her doctor. “Jeffrey and I talk about this all the time. Here. At home. Whenever it pops into my head.” Recently, she turned to him in the midst of a work-day conference and wondered aloud: “Where are we going to get my nipples?” From her casual tone you might have thought she was a shopper in a mall, idly trying to track down a boutique. “My friends tell me to call me if I need to talk,” she said. “They want to know if I am afraid, or angry, and I need to cry or scream. I am not angry. It was a bad cell mutation. Who can I be angry at? And it may sound crazy, but I am grateful for the situation I am in. Who better to take care of me than my own husband?” l

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Medical makeovers Q & A

Richard O. Gregory, MD Institute of Aesthetic Surgery www.iasurgery.net Research has found that just about every aspect of your life – your relationships, your finances and your career – is affected by the way you feel about yourself. Many times, cosmetic surgery can help. We discussed recent trends with Richard O. Gregory, M.D. Q. What can be done for facial rejuvenation that requires little downtime? A. The latest in facial rejuvenation is the True Fractional Co2 laser “Sellas.” The Sellas Laser provides a safer, more effective method of restoring softer, smoother and youthful-appearing skin with little downtime. Q. What Is Sculptra? Where would it be used? What results would it give me? A. Sculptra Aesthetic is a new type of facial injectable made from poly-l-lactic acid. It helps correct shallow to deep facial wrinkles and folds that appear with aging by replacing lost collagen. Sculptra can last up to two years. Q. What’s the latest technology for tightening and smoothing my skin? A. For tightening the skin, there’s a new procedure called the Ulthera Ultrasound. Ultherapy lifts, tightens and tones loose skin to counteract the effects of time and gravity. It’s non-surgical and there’s no downtime. We’re the only plastic surgery practice in Central Florida using it. Q. How should I choose a plastic surgeon? A. You should always want to know several pieces

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of key information about the physician. Are they board certified in plastic surgery? How long have they been in practice? There are websites for the various specialties that you should visit to research their qualifications. Q. What’s the mission of your practice? A. Our mission is to help every person live up to their potential by providing the very best care and the latest techniques in the most caring and efficient manner. We are here for you.

MeDIcAl MAkeovers Q & A

Breast reconstruction using fat instead of implants offers numerous advantages, both in health and aesthetics. Locally, Dr. Jeffrey Hartog is helping to pioneer this procedure. Here’s what he had to say about its growing popularity. Q. What are the advantages of breast reconstruction with fat over traditional methods? A. The main advantage of breast reconstruction with fat is that the resulting breast is composed entirely of your own fat tissue. As the normal breast is composed largely of fat, this results in the most natural breast possible, without the need for implants or complex flap reconstruction. The procedures can be conducted entirely as an outpatient, with low complication risk, rapid recovery and even the possibility of return of normal sensation to the overlying skin. An added benefit for many women is the liposuction of areas with unwanted fat.

Q. Does fat-grafting to the breast last? A. Newer techniques of

fat-grafting developed over the last 15 years have been shown to be much more predictable than previous attempts at fat-grafting. With careful harvesting of the fat and utilizing micrografting injection techniques, it’s now possible to achieve long-term graft survival of the graft volume exceeding 80 percent. The techniques of fat-grafting continue to be improved, and with the addition of newer modalities, such as external tissue expanders and Adipose Derived Stem and Regenerative Cell enrichment, the results are expected to be even better in the future. Q. Is fat-grafting to the breast safe? A. In various clinical studies performed

over the last 10-15 years, which involved over 2,000 cases of breast reconstruction, fat-grafting has proven to be extremely safe, with no major complications reported. There’s no evidence of increased recurrence

of breast cancer. Studies have also addressed concerns regarding mammograms, and it’s been shown that there’s no increase in abnormalities that can be confused with breast cancer. In fact, other routine breast procedures such as breast reduction may actually cause a higher incidence of abnormalities on routine mammograms than fatgrafting.

Dr. Jeffrey Hartog The Bougainvillea Clinique Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Day Spa 4355 Bear Gully Road Winter Park, FL 32792 407-678-3116

sEEn

An Evening of Elegance: A Tribute to Sinatra Held at Leu Gardens, the event featured a silent auction, dinner and live entertainment, all benefitting Fertile Dreams. 1. Terrie Purdum, Florida Golf Central Magazine; Blair Davidson, KFORCE; Kevin Davidson, UBS Wealth Management and FORE Charities. 2. Dennis Mitchell, U.S. Olympic sprinter, and wife Damu Cherry-Mitchell, U.S. Olympic hurdler; Preya Shivdat, Fertile Dreams director. 3. Sandy Harmon and Jack Swope, Orlando Magic. 4. Michael Lewellen, Central Florida Urban League; Dorcas Dillard, Prudential Florida Realty; Gail Paschall-Brown, WESH Orlando.

4 A Fighting Chance Actor Joe Mannoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comedic stage show, which encourgages kids to stay away from drugs, gangs and violence, came to Hard Rock LIVE recently. More than 10,000 local youngsters saw the show, sponsored by HTC Entertainment. 5. School-age kids arrive at Hard Rock LIVE for the free event.

6. Joe Manno prepares to address another full house.

Walt Disney World Half Marathon Females in Training (F.I.T.) raised more than $11,000 for Florida Hospital for Children during a 13.1-mile half marathon. The event was held in January. 7. Participants completing the half marathon display their medals. 8. Florida Hospital Executive Director Samantha Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Lenick crosses the finish line.

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

8 MARcH 2011

Disney Dream Inaugural Voyage and Boys & Girls Club Fundraiser Disney Cruise Line made dreams come true for members of Boys & Girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Clubs of Central Florida during a Benefit Cruise Preview that marked the debut of its new cruise ship, Disney Dream. 1. As part of a Disney Friends for Change activity, a giant mural was painted that will be donated to a Boys & Girls Club location. 2. Disney Channel stars including Mickey Mouse help with the painting project.

3. Disney Channel stars Brandon Mychal Smith, Doug Brochu and Allisyn Ashley Arm hang out with various Boys & Girls Club children. 4. Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz presents a $750,000 check to Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida. 5. The Abram family, selected from the Walt Disney World Branch of the Boys & Girls Club, gets ready to sail on the Disney Dream cruise.

4 OH&L Giveaway Winners 6. December giveaway winner Samual Merritt took home a $500 gift card and VIP perks from The Mall at Millenia. 7. November giveaway winner Adrianne Wordsman will embark on a spa-tacular weekend getaway for two at The Peabody Orlando.

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Of Foresomes and Finality

said C.B. “And he’s dead.” he call from Kinsey came late, We laughed in the way you can laugh after 10 p.m. He was asking if I He gave it a tap, and it was the about those things and still respect the wanted to join him for golf early the next morning. most breathless recently departed. C.B. and Horace had played just a few weeks earlier, on Horace’s “I’m not much on golf,” I said, golf moment 82nd birthday. which is shorthand for: I play rarely of my life. “Horace shot an even hundred,” C.B. if ever, and when I do, I don’t really enjoy said. “He found that encouraging.” it, and besides that I’m pretty awful, and...” “What, like he’d one day shoot his age?” said Kinsey. “I know all that,” Kinsey said. “But here’s the deal...” “Yeah, something like that,” said C.B. “He wasn’t getting The deal was Kinsey had put together a foursome early, but any worse. Not his golf game anyway.” then one of the group, a man named Horace, had, well, died. We were coming down the back nine then, and no one That very afternoon. He was 82. I was his replacement. wanted to talk about it, for fear of a jinx, but C.B. was The other part of the deal: It was Kinsey’s father’s birthsitting on a 45, playing strong, and looking like he just day. His name is Charles, but everyone calls him C.B. He might do it. The rest of us, well, it doesn’t matter, parused to own a hardware store, and it still shows in him. He ticularly not my score. Let’s just say Horace was showing knows a little something about everything. Go to him with me up that day. a problem and he can generally figure out a way to fix it. The 18th was a par-4 and C.B. could bogey it and still He is, as they say, good people. make 89. I was watching Kinsey and Rick. They weren’t “C.B.’s turning 89 tomorrow,” said Kinsey. “And he on their knees, their eyes weren’t closed, and their hands thinks he’s finally going to shoot his age.” weren’t folded, but I knew they were praying. Man, if C.B. “I’ll be there,” I said. could somehow pull this off, wouldn’t that be glorious? Tee off was 7:15 a.m., and they were waiting for me when It all came down to the last shot – a 12-foot putt. I arrived, taking practice on the putting green. The other C.B. lined it up. He stood over the ball. He gave it a tap. player in our foursome, Kinsey’s son, Rick, had played golf And it was the most breathless golf moment of my life, in college on a scholarship and toyed briefly with the idea watching that ball roll straight toward the cup, then edging of going pro until a ripped rotator cuff did him in. But he the lip and stopping 2 feet past it. still plays a lot of golf. And he’s good. Rick hung his head. Kinsey turned away, pretending he “You’re slumming today, huh?” I said. hadn’t seen it. He said, “When’re you gonna shoot, Dad?” “Yeah,” Rick grinned. “I just want to witness C.B. do the The subtext being: Take a mulligan. mighty deed.” But C.B., the man who knows a little something about “And I damn sure intend to do it,” said C.B. everything, was smiling. He tapped in the ball and took his “Last year on your birthday, you shot a 92,” said Kinsey. 90. Then he said: “You think you’re three strokes better this year, Dad?” “Wait ‘til next year.” l C.B. said, “Why don’t you stop talking and let’s play golf.” Bob Morris is an author and fourth-generation Floridian. He Things went about the way I expected, meaning I played lives in Winter Park and teaches at Rollins College. my typical game and the Kinsey trio played theirs, and they were fairly gracious about it. “Horace would give you a run for your money today,”

by Bob Morris

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