TINKER BELL SPEAKS ■ UCF TURNS 50 ■ MIKE THOMAS STAYS PUT
T H E B E S T O F C E N T R A L F LO R I DA
MUSIC MAN
WHY BENOIT GLAZER TURNED HIS HOME INTO A CONCERT HALL
A BUILDER’S LEGACY PLUS: REMODELING 101
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PHOTO Š EVERETT & SOULE
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Victor Farina invites you to tour this College Park Historic Estate in the 2013 Parade of Homes Remodelers Showcase April 20 - 21 from 10 am - 6 pm Family owned since 1950, Farina & Sons award winning projects include historic restoration, renovations, additions and custom homes. See for yourself how seamlessly old and new blend in this magnificent designer’s home. Call us or visit our website for more information.
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CONTENTS
april
N L VOLUME 14
ISSUE 4
DEPARTMENTS 8 JAY BOYAR’S LIMELIGHT
The annual Florida Film Festival spotlights Alfred Hitchcock’s favorite leading lady; a visit with the real Tinker Bell; Epcot’s annual Flower & Garden Festival is in full bloom; the Orange County Regional History Center peeks behind the scenes at Universal Studios; Miss Nelson plays the field at Orlando Shakes; a Queen of the Desert reigns at Bob Carr.
20 STYLE/DESIGN
Seasonal accessories feature a cornucopia of colors, from blacks to blues to brights. by Marianne Ilunga • photographs by Ken Lopez
44 FLAVOR
Good family-owned restaurants never go out of style, especially old-school Palma Maria. by Rona Gindin • photographs by Rafael Tongol
52 A FEW MOMENTS WITH: JOHN HITT
FEATURES 26 A MUSICAL MECCA The Glazer family of Orlando built a unique, three-story home that doubles as a one-of-a-kind concert hall. Best of all, you’re invited. by Michael McLeod • photographs by Rafael Tongol
32 A BUILDER’S LEGACY
The late Orlando remodeler, Stephen Gidus, left a legacy that continues to guide homeowners and industry pros. Plus, a remodeling primer. by Randy Noles
2
ORLANDO LIFE
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64 RESTLESS NATIVE
For a confirmed loner, working at home offers plenty of fringe benefits. by Mike Thomas
ABOUT THE COVER: French-Canadian trumpet player Benoit Glazer’s passion for music extends to his home. Photograph by Rafael Tongol.
TINKER BELL SPEAKS ■ UCF TURNS 50 ■ MIKE THOMAS STAYS PUT
MUSIC MAN
WHY BENOIT GLAZER TURNED HIS HOME INTO A CONCERT HALL.
A BUILDER’S LEGACY PLUS: REMODELING 101
PHOTOS: (TOP LEFT AND RIGHT) RAFAEL TONGOL; (BOTTOM LEFT) COURTESY PSG CONSTRUCTION; (BOTTOM RIGHT) KEN LOPEZ
32
As the University of Central Florida celebrates its 50th anniversary, President John Hitt looks back and looks ahead. Plus, a comprehensive guide to higher education in Central Florida. by Harry Wessel
APRIL 2013
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FIRST
from the editor
Waiting for Sir Patrick: It’s Quite the Drama at Shakes Take Note
N
o doubt you’ve heard the stories about the outlandish backstage demands
that some celebrities require when they make an appearance. Just wait until you hear what one of the world’s most noted actors wanted from the Orlando Shakespeare Theater last month in exchange for showing up for a question-and-answer session: a glass of water. That was all Sir Patrick Stewart requested when a jittery Jim Helsinger, the Shakes’ artistic director, asked the 72-year-old actor what he needed. Stewart, who among the world’s badass baritones ranks right up there with James Earl Jones and the late, great Barry White, is best known in this country for his extended run as Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Starship Enterprise in television’s Star Trek: The Next Generation. But for the happy few of more than 300 Shakes loyalists who saw him appear at the Margeson Theater, he is and will always be Sir Patrick. Stewart, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II three years ago, is a veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he shared the stage with such legends as Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sir Ian Richardson and Sir Ian Holm. If there is anything more engaging in a celebrity than the combination of brilliance and humility, I don’t know what it is, and as you may have heard by now, that is precisely what characterized Stewart’s appearance. What you probably don’t know is how anticlimactic his request was after all that went into beaming him down to the Margeson Theater that night. Stewart, who with Ian McClellan is currently in rehearsal to revive a West End production of Waiting for Godot on Broadway, was actually in Orlando to appear at MegaCon, a convention for science-fiction fans, along with several other members of the Next Generation cast. (Fellow cast members Marina Sirtis and Michael Dorn were here, too, and not only slipped into the audience to hear Stewart speak but chatted briefly with Helsinger about someday working with the Shakes themselves.) When Helsinger had first heard about the MegaCon appearance, he spent the better part of a year in touch-and-go email discussions trying to get Stewart to visit the Shakes while he was in town. The whole enterprise was nearly scuttled by a last-minute discovery that Stewart’s contract with MegaCon prohibited other, nearby appearances. But Stewart, Helsinger and MegaCon’s management worked it out, and the star wound up on a Friday night flight to Orlando that got him to the Shakes with an hour or so to spare.
What’s SOCIAL
Follow us on twitter: @OrlandoLifeMag and Facebook at: facebook.com/orlandolifemagazine. We’re on Pinterest too: pinterest.com/orlandolife/.
What’s ONLINE Check out our expanded listing of arts organizations and their schedules of events for the upcoming season.
What you CAN DO Take in the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly April 5 and 7. It marks the first time the opera has used projected sets.
D
What’s ON DECK In our May issue, we’ll be on the lookout for excellence, scouring Orlando for the people and places that are Simply the Best. We’ll also introduce a new columnist who’ll be covering the social scene in town.
CORRECTION
Michael McLeod Editor in Chief mmcleod@orlando-life.com 4
ORLANDO LIFE
1OL_Apr13_TOC.indd 4
Interior designer Catherine Sands is owner of Blue Daze Designs in Orlando. Her company was misidentified in the March 2013 Spring Fashion issue.
APRIL 2013
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MICHAEL MCLEOD Editor in Chief
HARRY WESSEL
Managing Editor
LAURA BLUHM
Art and Social Media Director Style and Home Editorial Director
JAY BOYAR Arts Editor
RONA GINDIN Dining Editor
MARIANNE ILUNGA, MIKE THOMAS Contributors
RAFAEL TONGOL
Senior Photographer
KEN LOPEZ
Contributing Photographer
ASHLEY ANNIN, DANNY ROMERO Editorial Interns
Editorial: press@orlando-life.com
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Copyright 2013 by Florida Home Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part prohibited without written permission of the copyright holder. ORLANDO LIFE (USPS 000-140) (Vol. 14/Issue No. 4) is published monthly by Florida Home Media LLC, 2700 Westhall Lane, Ste 128, Maitland, FL 32751. Periodicals Postage Paid at Maitland, FL and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Orlando Life Magazine, PO Box 5586, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310-5586 APRIL 2013
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LIMELIGHT
jay boyar
Eye-Opening Flicks and a Harrassed Hitchcock Blonde Highlight Film Fest
A
lfred Hitchcock has never
Alfred Hitchcock became obsessed with Tippi Hedren during the making of The Birds. So when Hedren (left) appears at Enzian, she may have a few choice anecdotes to offer. 8
ORLANDO LIFE
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really gone out of style, but lately he’s moved back to center stage. Just last year there were two films about the Master of Suspense: Hitchcock, which chronicled the making of Psycho, and The Girl, on the making of The Birds. And now I’m psyched (so to speak) that Tippi Hedren, the star of The Birds, is coming to the Florida Film Festival this month to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that classic. An Evening with Tippi Hedren will include a screening of Hitchcock’s avian-themed thriller and a Q&A session with its star. I’m expecting some fireworks there: Not long ago, Hedren said that Hitchcock was a brutal misogynist who was obsessed with her and ultimately ruined her career. The actress’s apperance at Enzian’s annual movie orgy may be the glitziest offering of the event’s 22nd edition, but it is hardly the only one with a dash of flash. There is also “Brunch With Cary Elwes,” featuring the star of The Princess Bride and a showing of that funny fairytale film from 1987. “An Afternoon With Zoe Bell” features the celebrated stuntwoman/actress and a showing of Death Proof, Quentin Tarantino’s half of Grindhouse, the action-packed 2007 double feature. An assortment of other actors, directors and various film-world types will be on hand at the 10-day festival, which begins April 5 and will include panel discussions, parties and, of course, the films themselves. APriL 2013
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PHOTOs: (opposite pag e) Courtesy florida film festival, (inset) bill dow; (top rig ht) © 2013 Disney
At last count, the program contained about 170 of those, including more than 50 feature-length ones, carefully culled by the festival’s 16-member selection committee from some 1,500 submissions. “Frequently we feel like it’s looking for a needle in a haystack,” says Matthew Curtis, the festival’s longtime programming director, about the painstaking selection process. “Our focus is to be as diverse as possible.” He adds that this year’s festival theme, “Open Your Eyes,” plays into that focus by inviting festivalgoers to explore a range of cultures and approaches. The event’s cultural diversity may be most obvious in its foreign films, which represent 23 countries including France, Australia, Denmark, South Korea and Great Britain. A certain diversity is evident, too, in the documentary-feature lineup, which this year includes several selections about various kinds of artists. Twenty Feet from Stardom, the opening-night presentation, is a nonfiction film about the often-underappreciated work of backup singers who harmonize in relative obscurity behind the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Bette Midler, Sheryl Crow, Darlene Love, Stevie Wonder and Sting. In addition to The Birds and The Princess Bride, the festival’s classics category includes 40th anniversary presentations of The Sting, the Paul Newman/Robert Redford caper flick, and Sleeper, Woody Allen’s sci-fi farce in which Diane Keaton does a brief but great Marlon Brando impression. There’s also a new digital restoration of Federico Fellini’s 8½ to mark its 50th year. Among the new works that strike me as promising are Love Is All You Need, a romantic comedy starring Pierce Brosnan; Unfinished Song, a sentimental tale of a seniors’ chorus starring Vanessa Redgrave and Terence Stamp; and Mud, which Curtis describes as a “coming-of-age fable” starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey. There’s even a quirky new comedy called Free Samples that revolves around a food truck and features Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Jason Ritter and — hey now! — Tippi Hedren. I guess that means Alfred Hitchcock didn’t totally ruin her career, after all. Visit enzian.org for more information. Jay Boyar, arts editor of Orlando Life, has written about film and travel for the Orlando Sentinel and numerous other newspapers. He’s the author of Films to Go: 100 Memorable Movies for Travelers & Others and a contributor to ReelRomance: The Lovers’ Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies. ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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Uncle Walt’s Tinker Bell Morphed From a Beam of Light to a Leggy Sprite Not only is Peter Pan an amazing play, it’s a triumph of stagecraft. The mere sound of a ticking clock represents a crocodile, a scrap of dark cloth becomes Peter’s shadow and a simple spotlight is the feisty fairy called Tinker Bell. But when Uncle Walt and his team set about adapting J. M. Barrie’s 1904 play as a movie cartoon, they realized that those theatrical effects wouldn’t translate all that well. So one thing that came out of Disney’s more literal approach was that Tinker Bell was promoted from a beam of light to a leggy, blonde, 3½inch sprite. There’s a questionable rumor that Marilyn Monroe was the inspiration for Disney’s pixie. One thing we do know is that Margaret Kerry is the woman whom the animators filmed as their model for the drawings in the 1953 movie. “I would go over to the soundstage in my one-piece bathing suit, and they would show me the scenes that they wanted her to do,” recalls Kerry, now 83, from her California home. “I played her as an 11-year-old girl who is very unsophisticated and very enthusiastic about life — and very much wanting her own way.” The actress did have her doubts about the assignment. “Now remember: In those days, there was no female on the film crew, ever,” she points out. “So here I am, pretty cute, in a one-piece bathing suit. … It could have been very raunchy. At a couple of other studios, it would have been.” But, she adds, not at Disney. To mark the 60th anniversary of Peter Pan, the studio has recently released a three-disc Diamond Edition set that contains a DVD, a digital copy and, for the first time, a Blu-ray version. (Pixie dust not included.) ORLANDO LIFE
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LIMELIGHT
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Through April 14 Mad Cow Theatre
Based on a 1922 novel, this romantic comedy follows four disillusioned but dissimilar English women who get their mojo back after spending a spring holiday together at an Italian villa.
madcowtheatre.com
African American Art: Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Era and Beyond
Through April 28 Mennello Museum of American Art Taylor Swift
Social and political changes are explored through paintings, prints, photography and sculpture by 43 prominent African-American artists.
mennellomuseum.com
PhilKeanDesigns.com
Taylor Swift
April 11-12 Amway Center
The multiplatinum recording artist and six-time Grammy winner, all of 23 years old, brings her Red Tour to Orlando, with special guest singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran.
amwaycenter.com
Carmina Burana
April 12-14 Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
In collaboration with the Bach Festival Society’s orchestra, choir and youth choir, the Orlando Ballet performs Carl Orff’s classical masterpiece, choreographed by Robert Hill.
orlandoballet.org
Brews Around the Zoo
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April 13 Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
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Sample craft beers, select wines and local cuisine while enjoying live music with an audience of exotic animals. Proceeds benefit the zoo and its educational programs.
centralfloridazoo.org Rush
April 28 Amway Center
After 45 years on the road, the iconic Canadian rock band shows no signs of slowing down. Its 2013 Clockwork Angels tour will visit more than two dozen cities in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
amwaycenter.com
PHOTO: c ou rtesy orlando v enu es
Enchanted April
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407 / 599 / 3922
Phil Kean, Architect AR95091/CRC1327855
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Off ap inCo 6/14/12 APriL 1:18 PM 2013
3/18/13 10:52:36 AM
�������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ marriot_light_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;’,./ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" €$€£¥₩฿руб ≠ marriot_light_italic_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;’,./ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $€£¥₩฿руб ≠ marriott_med_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;’,./ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $€£¥₩฿руб ≠ marriott_med_italic_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;’,./ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $€£¥₩฿руб ≠ marriott_bold_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;’,./ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? åç´ƒ©˙ˆ˚¬µ˜øœ®ß†¨¥`¡™£¢§¶•ªº–“‘«…æ÷�ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜،‰Íˇ¨„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" €�$€£¥₩฿руб marriott_bold_italic_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;’,./ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? åç´ƒ©˙ˆ˚¬µ˜øœ®ß†¨¥`¡™£¢§¶•ªº–“‘«…æ÷�ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜،‰Íˇ¨„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" €�$€£¥₩฿руб marriot_condensed_light_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;’,./ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $€£¥₩฿руб ≠ marriot_condensed_medium_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;’,./ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $€£¥₩฿руб marriot_condensed_bold_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-=[]\;’,./ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $€£¥₩฿руб ≠ AbadiMTStd-Light_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-= [] \;’,./≠ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥�`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $‚Ǩ¬£¬•‚Ç©‡∏ø—Ä—É–± AbadiMTStd-LightItalic_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-= [] \;’,./≠ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥�`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $‚Ǩ¬£¬•‚Ç©‡∏ø—Ä—É–± AbadiMTStd_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-= [] \;’,./≠ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $‚Ǩ¬£¬•‚Ç©‡∏ø—Ä—É–±
Let us introduce your kids to the loggerhead turtle.
AbadiMTStd-Italic_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-= [] \;’,./≠ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $‚Ǩ¬£¬•‚Ç©‡∏ø—Ä—É–±
Let us stoke the fire for one more s’more. Let us tell them pirate stories almost as good as the ones they’ll take home. Let us turn a taste of the good life into a memory of a lifetime.
Comfort You – The ideal package to create fond memories for the entire family. Includes breakfast and daily resort credit. For reservations, contact your travel professional, call The Ritz-Carlton at 800-241-3333 or visit ritzcarlton.com/ameliaisland.
Offer valid at participating hotels through December 31, 2013, subject to availability. Rate is per room/per night based on single or double occupancy, exclusive of taxes, gratuities, fees and other charges; does not apply to groups; cannot be combined with any other offer and is not applicable for Rewards redemption. Advanced reservations are required. Daily breakfast is available in select hotel restaurants and not valid for in-room dining. Credit is applied per night, has no cash value, and is not valid on room rate, alcohol, or third-party services. No refund or credit for unused portion. Void where prohibited. ©2013 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
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3/18/13 10:51:48 AM
LIMELIGHT
events
Ordinarily, the biggest year-to-year
changes in Epcot’s annual International Flower & Garden Festival involve the debut of various leafy masterpieces created by the topiary team and another round of colorful flowerbed facelifts. This year — the 20th for the event — a dozen “Garden Marketplaces” have been tossed into the mix to beckon the palate, as well. First, the topiary: It’ll be an Ozinspired landscape wrapped around a playground area complete with a “tornado tunnel” and a balloon-crash site that will double as a shaded deck for weary parents. Nearby, one of those Garden Marketplaces will distribute refreshments blended from watermelon, passion
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fruit and mango. There’ll be a similar outpost on the World Showcase Promenade that will offer carrot and tomato wines. Dozens of other garden-fresh goodies will be available at each of the 11 Epcot pavilions. A few examples: Spring pea and mushroom bread pudding at Germany’s Bauernmarkt; country pâté with cherry compote at France’s L’Orangerie; spring vegetable lasagna at Italy’s Primavera Kitchen; strawberry-infused Rosita margarita at Mexico’s Jardin de Fiestas; desert rose cocktails at Morocco’s Taste of Marrakesh; fruit sushi at Japan’s Hanami. For more information visit disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours. — Ashley Annin
photo: c ou rtesy © 2013 D is ney
A Floral Feast of Topiaries and Tomato Wine
APriL 2013
3/18/13 10:51:56 AM
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LIMELIGHT
theater
This Outback Gender Bender is No Drag friends — two of them drag queens, one a transsexual — who reunite at a funeral, she liked it so much she wanted a part in it. “I’d be starring in it — if I were a gay man,” she said. Instead, Midler did the next best thing, importing Priscilla, Queen of the Desert from Australia to the U.S. and producing it on Broadway. A touring production of the raucous musical comedy, which features such dance-floor hits as “I Will Survive,” “It’s Raining Men” and “Material Girl,” makes a stop at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre April 16-21. Based on the 1994 movie of the same name, Priscilla follows the adventures of three friends who are invited to perform at a drag show in a resort town in the Australian Outback. Led by the tart-tongued drag queen Anthony “Tick” Belrose, whose stage name is Mitzi del Bra, the trio sets out
aboard “Priscilla,” a rickety tour bus. The journey is sprinkled with strange characters, colorful insults, assorted disasters and surprising revelations — one of those being the truth behind Tick’s reasons for going on the trip. Although Priscilla is loaded with laughs, the gang also encounters homophobia and violence along the way. Not surprisingly, the play has been praised for its message of tolerance and acceptance, and criticized for fostering stereotypes. Visit orlando.broadway.com for more information. — Danny Romero
MaryStuart Day and
Megan Cross
phot o: orlando v enu es
When Bette Midler saw a jukebox musical about three close
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APriL 2013 3/18/13 9:57:07 AM
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3/18/13 11:07:56 AM
Š2013 California Closet Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Franchises independently owned and operated.
Designs for every room.
For over 30 years, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been helping people define the most important spaces inside and around their homes. Call us today for a complimentary design consultation and see what California Closets can do for you.
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2/25/13 4:02 PM 3/18/13 10:55:20 AM
LIMELIGHT
exhibitions
Universal Appeal in ‘Backstage’ Display Gras. Now he has his very own museum exhibit, as well. Mannarino, director of art and design for Universal Studios Entertainment Division, oversees the staging of seasonal events such as the park’s Mardi Gras Parade. For the next few months, those projects will be part of a revolving exhibit at the Orange County Regional History Center’s A Year in the Life: Backstage to Onstage at Universal Orlando Resort. If you’ve ever wondered just how the stilt walkers walk in the Mardi Gras Parade or what makes the Halloween Horror Nights’ ghouls so gruesome, wonder no more. This yearlong exhibit, which continues into January 2014, gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the paintings, props, sculptures, set pieces and mannequins involved in the process. For Mannarino, it also doubles as a recruiting opportunity. “It’s great to be able to talk to the youth and see them excited and inspired about our exhibition, and to hear them say,
‘That’s kind of cool, maybe I can do that,’” Mannarino notes. “Our goal is to say, ‘Yes you can.’” The Mardi Gras Parade exhibition will be featured through May. Subsequent displays will feature other Universal special events such as the Universal Cinematic Spectacular, Halloween Horror Nights and Macy’s Holiday Parade. Visit thehistorycenter.org for more information. — Danny Romero
phot o: c ou rt esy u niv ers al orlando
T.J. Mannarino sometimes feels like he has his very own Mardi
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APriL 2013 1
1/18/13
10:15:32 AM
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3/18/13 10:55:40 AM
Photography ©Cucciaioni, ©Everett & Soulé, ©Joe Laperya
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3/14/13 1:19 PM 3/18/13 10:55:48 AM
LIMELIGHT
theater
Think back to elementary school. Maybe you remember a
crotchety lunch lady, an ineffectual coach, a sweet-as-sugar teacher or an evil substitute who bore a striking resemblance to the Wicked Witch of the West. If these characters seem all too familiar, get ready to relive old times at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater’s production of Miss Nelson Has a Field Day, which runs April 4 to May 5. Oh, you can bring the kids, too. This musical romp follows the Horace B. Smedley Elementary School Tornadoes as the team tries to turn its dismal season around under the iron hand of Miss Viola Swamp, who has been recruited by Principal Blandsworth in a desperate effort to rack up at least one win. Coach Swamp, described as “the meanest substitute teacher ever,” begins to
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mold the Tornadoes into winners — but will it be enough to defeat the top-ranked Werewolves at the end of the season? Show up at least 10 minutes in advance of showtime and you’ll find cast members suited up and waiting in the lobby to cheer, dance and play games with young theatergoers. On April 27 there’ll be a special American Sign Language performance. This same cast of characters made an appearance at the Orlando Shakes last year in Miss Nelson is Missing, the prequel to this football-themed musical romp. Both plays were written by Joan Cushing, who adapted them from the children’s book series written by Harry Allard and James Marshall. Visit orlandoshakes.org for more information. — Ashley Annin
post er art: c ou rt esy O rlando S h ak espeare T h eat er
A Turnaround for the Tornadoes?
APriL 2013
3/18/13 10:55:59 AM
Crossville Tile and Stone draws on the insight and expertise of artisans who have a gift for designing with tile and stone. Our knowledgeable team will help you create spaces that reďŹ&#x201A;ect your personality, style and good taste. For the inspiration and know-how to bring your design ideas to life, visit Crossville Tile and Stone. Our showrooms are open Monday through Friday at the location listed below.
See the latest collections from Crossville at our showrooms located at: Daytona 1740 S. Segrave Street S. Daytona, FL 32119 386 761-7454 ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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Showroom Hours: 9 AM - 5 PM Mon. - Fri. crossvilletileandstone.com
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DESIGN STYLE
accessories
A Hue for You ACCESSORIZE WITH SEASONAL COLORS by Marianne Ilunga photographs by Ken Lopez
Black and white tassel earrings by Oscar de la Renta, $395. Multistrand onyx bead necklace, $1,495; white bead necklace, $285; both by Elizabeth Showers. Black spike pumps by Christian Louboutin, $1,195; crocodile fl ďŹ&#x201A;oral laser-cut clutch by Nancy Gonzalez, $2,200. All from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia.
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APRIL 2013
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Navy and sky-blue handbag by Coach, $328; blue and navy Jelly Bean watch by Michele Watches, $325; navy sunglasses by Prada, $290; turquoise patent leather pump by Jimmy Choo, $525. From the sterling silver and quartz collection by Ippolita: aqua bangle, $950; indigo bangle, $950; aqua small bangle, $595; aqua drop earrings, $550; indigo ring, $595. All from Saks Fifth Avenue at The Florida Mall.
SHADES OF BLUE ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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ORLANDO LIFE
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DESIGN STYLE
accessories
White top-handle purse by LoefďŹ&#x201A;er Randall, $395, from Saks Fifth Avenue at The Florida Mall. Gold studded T-strap sandal by Prada, $950. From the gold vermeil and mother-of-pearl collection by Dina Mackney: cuff, $695; drop earrings, $385; statement ring, $335; squarehinged bracelet, $415. All from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia.
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APRIL 2013
3/18/13 10:57:26 AM
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 27 TH & 28TH CONROY RD. & MILLENIA BLVD. (ACROSS FROM THE MALL AT MILLENIA)
JOIN US FOR THE GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION OF OUR STORE IN ORLANDO AND SHOP THE WORLD’S MOST CELEBRATED COLLECTION OF STORAGE AND ORGANIZATION PRODUCTS! WE’LL GIVE AWAY PRIZES EVERY HOUR, ON THE HOUR, INCLUDING $1,000 ELFA® SPACE MAKEOVERS* ON BOTH DAYS! WE’LL AMAZE YOU WITH OUR LEGENDARY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INSPIRE YOU WITH NEW WAYS TO ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE. IT’S A ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE — YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT!
THE CONTAINER STORE IS PROUD TO DONATE 10% OF GRAND OPENING WEEKEND SALES FROM OUR ORLANDO STORE — SATURDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 27TH & 28TH — TO WINNIE PALMER HOSPITAL.
STORE HOURS: MONDAY – SATURDAY, 9 AM – 9 PM; SUNDAY, 11 AM – 6 PM 4 07- 95 6 -2 9 8 0 59 LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE 800-733-3532 CONTAINERSTORE.COM OUR BLOG STANDFOR.CONTAINERSTORE.COM ©2013 The Container Store® Inc. All rights reserved. 18383 3/13 * No purchase necessary.
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Orlando Home and Leisure April Issue - insertion date 4/1/13 due to pub 3/4/13 3/18/13 10:57:31 AM
Orange tote by Fendi, $2,260; multiprint slide sandal by Manolo Blahnik, $865; bright yellow zip wallet by Balenciaga, $595; multicolor chandelier earrings by Oscar de la Renta, $450; no-heel ankle-strap yellow Giuseppe Zanotti suede sandal, $895. All from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia.
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APRIL 2013
3/18/13 10:57:49 AM
Benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
Sip
Shop
Support
SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2013 2-3 p.m. VIP Hour | 3-6 p.m. Event | Ports of Call at SeaWorld Wine tasting s &OOD BITES s &AB SHOPPING s 3HOE 'UYS s !UCTIONS s &ASHION SHOW FOR TICKETS & INFORMATION, VISIT WINEWOMENANDSHOES.COM/ORLANDO
Be there. Be giving. Be fabulous! &OLLOW US ON FACEBOOK WWW FACEBOOK COM 773/RLANDO
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3/18/13 10:57:55 AM
BENOIT GLAZER TRANSFORMED HIS HOME INTO A CONCERT HALL. YOU NEEDN’T BUY A TICKET TO GET A SEAT. by Michael McLeod photographs by Rafael Tongol
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APRIL 2013
3/18/13 4:34:03 PM
a
J
ust west of Boone High School and straight across Sum-
merlin Avenue before it dead-ends into Wadeview Park, a row of older homes is interrupted by a tall, white building that looks a little out of place. For one thing, here at the edge of a vintage Orlando neighborhood graced with front-porch charm and dotted with “Boone Pride” signs, the blockish, modern design of the home gives it the look of a fortress. Then there’s its living room, which doubles as a concert hall. Roughly once a week since 2007, when the 4,800-squarefoot, three-story structure was completed, its doors have been opened to total strangers and music lovers for free concerts. On a performance night, which is nearly always on a Sunday, an anteroom off the kitchen serves as a lobby. Folding chairs are lined up across the 1,500-square-foot living room’s Brazilian granite floor. Two landings off a winding staircase that leads to the family’s second- and third-floor bedrooms serve as mini-balconies. And the brick-lined and lapped-cypress walls and slanted ceiling — along with $300,000 worth of soundproofing throughout the home — provide warm, professional-quality acoustics. All the musicians need do is to step past the grand piano and onto a small platform in the front of the room, and play. The White House, as it’s come to be called, has hosted folk-singers, jazz trios, blues bands, classical ensembles and experimental musicians. Some of the performers are relatively unknown. Others have been local but nationally recognized, such as jazz-fusion guitarist Larry Coryell and drummer/percussionist and vibraphone virtuoso Marty Morel of the Bill Evans trio. Some have come from out of town or even out of the country, including Pulitzer Prize-winning American rock minimalist David Lang, Japanese avant-garde jazz pianist Satoko Fujii and German saxophonist Frank Gratkowski. Sometimes the crowd is small — two dozen or so. Sometimes as many as 200 listeners squeeze in. They are welcome to bring hors d’oeuvres to share and a bottle of wine if they like. They can also donate money to the musicians and to the owner’s nonprofit organization (its website, timicua.com, includes a calendar of events) to help defray the cost of the concerts if they are so inclined.
Or not. All that is really asked of them is to respect the musicians and enjoy the evening. That message is conveyed to the audience, before each performance and with characteristic élan, by the orchestrator of this sophisticated yet unpretentious enterprise: Benoit Glazer, an animated, 48-year-old French-Canadian citizen who lives here with his wife, Élaine, and their three children, Édouard, Camille and Jean-Marie. “I don’t like to lie,” Benoit will say to the crowd, speaking with a soft French accent, sounding a bit like a solicitous maître d’. “I tell the musicians that our audiences are very polite, very appreciative. So please, don’t make me a liar.” And though there are a few exceptions here and there, for the most part, they don’t. Though Benoit (pronounced Ben-WA) may sound debonair — he sometimes characterizes the concerts by saying, with a nonchalant shrug, “It’s just a hobby” — he’s also determined: In high school, he chose the trumpet as his primary instrument because it was the most difficult one for him to play. Eventually, he not only mastered the instrument but patented a design that improves it. (If you have an interest in such things, there’s information about it at benoitglazer.com.) The Glazers moved to Orlando in 1998 from Montreal, where Benoit had helped to write award-winning film scores, written commercial jingles, directed big bands and taught music as an adjunct professor at McGill University. He gave all that up when he was hired by Cirque du Soliel to be musical director of La Nouba, the ongoing circus-arts attraction at Downtown Disney. The job provided him with a steadier income than he had managed in Montreal. Benoit likes his role at La Nouba, where he is half-hidden
Benoit Glazer (left) spends most of his evenings as music director of La Nouba, the circus-arts spectacle at Downtown Disney. The modern home he shares with his family doubles as a state-of-the-art concert hall. ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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above the stage in a tower from which he directs the band and plays his trumpet. He keeps the instrument it in a plexiglass box to protect it from the occasional flurries of chalk dust that filter down from the high-wire artists, who use it to ward off sweaty palms. But from the beginning, he’s missed what he had in Montreal. He and Élaine had been spoiled by the city, one of the live-music capitals of the world, with a celebrated jazz festival and dozens of thriving venues, including Metropolis, Club Soda the Bell Amphitheatre. On his two nights off from La Nouba, he was restless, filled with pent-up creative energy, missing his old haunts. And so it was that soon after settling into their first home in the Hunter’s Creek subdivision, he and Élaine decided to begin networking with local musicians to stage performances in their home. After a few years, the increasing number of followers and the limitations of their single-story house prompted the Glazers to seek out a more central location and build a more music-worthy headquarters. They worked with Orlando architect Richard Barrette on the unusual design of the $900,000 home. An accomplished carpenter and electrician, Benoit did the finishing work, paying particular attention to acoustics. He insisted on creating a labyrinthian pathway for the home’s air-conditioning ductwork to mute the sound of rush28
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ing air. Then he wedged the adjustable vents in place so they wouldn’t rattle. He had interior walls made that were as thick as exterior walls. The windows had to be double-glazed, hurricaneproof and argon-filled. He even considered topping the home off with an earthen “living roof” covered with grass — “it’s a great insulator” — to further shield the music from screeching sirens and passing planes. “Sound is a pernicious enemy,” says Benoit. House concerts are not unusual, particularly in larger, culturally rich cities. In fact, thanks to avid music lovers weary of clubs and bars cluttered with loud talkers, clanking beer bottles and flickering television sets, their numbers have increased across the country over the past few years. But none of them measure up to White House standards. “I don’t think Orlando understands what they have down there,” says Jenny Wilson. She is the namesake of the Jenny Wilson Trio, a motherfather-son jazz ensemble from Morgantown, W.Va., who packed up their 2005 Dodge Caravan with 140,000 miles on it a few weeks ago and headed for the Glazer homestead. The trio played “Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me,” a clever Duke Ellington song after Jenny hinted broadly to the audience to expect a surprise ending. Benoit stepped in with his trumpet for an improvisational run at “Days of Wine and Roses.” APRIL 2013
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The Glazersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; brick-and cypresslined living room makes it a perfect setting for both musicians (facing page) and artists, who are invited to paint creations during the concerts. The landings of a winding staircase leading to the second- and third-story bedrooms serve as mini-balconies during performances. Some featured musicians are talented locals while others are seasoned pros who come from across the country and the world to play for aficianados of jazz, folk, classical and other genres.
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Jenny played some of her own compositions, explaining how she came to compose each of them: a soothing, uplifting melody inspired by the Sandy Hook tragedy; a lively number inspired by her cat; selections from a majestic suite inspired by the countryside around her home. The Glazers always invite an artist to bring along a dropcloth and easel and to paint while the musicians play. On that night it was David Gillespie, a Sanford artist who paints impressionist landscapes with his fingertips. Soon those fingers, like many others in the room, were tapping in time to the music. Near the end of the concert the Glazers’ greyhound, Spock, managed to best Benoit’s obsessive soundproofing and could be heard, just barely, as he barked in hopes of being let out of his cage so he could come out to forage for scraps. Afterward, as the crowd mingled with the performers, Linda Mose Meadows, a White House regular who was there with her husband, Richard Meadows Jr., pastor of Saint Richard’s Episcopal Church, sought out Jenny Wilson. “I had to tell you — some of what you played — it sounded like gospel music to me,” she said. She gestured to her husband. “We know power when we hear it.” Though familiar to regulars and to most of the city’s serious musicians, the concert house is an unadvertised, word of 30
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All of the Glazers – well, with the exception of their dog, Spock – are musically trained. Performing for the dozing greyhound are (left to right) Élaine, Jean-Marie, Benoit and Camille. The living room/concert hall (facing page) is filled with instruments and artwork. Message boards crafted from the corks left behind by wine-loving patrons are for sale to defray the costs of staging the free concerts. mouth phenomenon that has somehow remained one of the best-kept secrets of Orlando’s cultural landscape — which is, perhaps, an essential part of its charm. “I’ve been around quite a number of years now, and I’ve never encountered anybody like Benoit and the Glazer family,” says Christopher Wilkins, music director of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. “They bring in people who are world-famous. They’re such generous spirits, and so committed to making their home a gathering point. With them, it’s so much more than being just about the music.” That may be because of something you won’t find on Benoit Glazer’s résumé. His childhood home was a Swiss chalet he helped his father build out of swamp-ash timber in deep woods north of APRIL 2013
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Montreal. For years there was no television in the home, and when his father finally bought one, it was reserved mainly for Saturday night hockey games. And it didn’t replace the primary source of entertainment, which was music. Both of Benoit’s parents played the fiddle. They sang folk songs passed down from generations when French Canadians lived under British rule, and music was not a luxury but one of the only means of self-expression left. Benoit remembers hearing those subversive, cleverly disguised and often ribald songs sung when his family made stealthy forays to the banks of the St. Lawrence River to poach salmon, fishing for them illegally, with rod and reel, along closely guarded shorelines that had been purchased by wealthy Americans as sports havens. He remembers sitting on the stairs of the chateau, listening to his parents and their friends play the same songs, too shy to ask if he could join in. “My father was a very patient man,” Benoit says. “He was just waiting for me to express an interest. Finally, when I said I wanted to play, he took me to a jazz guitarist in town. I never touched an instrument. I spent all summer learning music theory. Everything: the keys, the scales, clef. My mother still has my workbook.” Given his background, you might say that it makes perfect sense for the Glazers’ home to look a little out of place. In its own way, the home is a small-scale, grassroots Epcot pa-
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vilion, preserving and reflecting the culture of another time and place. All three of their children have been musically trained: Édouard on violin, bass, and piano; Camille on viola, French horn and piano; Jean-Marie on cello, voice and piano. In the early years, at the house in Hunter’s Creek, all three would perform during the weekly concerts, often accompanied by their parents, in what amounted to a French-Canadian, PBS version of The Brady Bunch. But the children have grown. Édouard is a freshman studying math at Florida State University. He has an interest in aerospace science, and was part of a team of students who won a competition held at the Johnson Space Center in Houston that required them to design an interplanetary research facility that could safely orbit Venus. Camille recently was chosen as a member of the National Youth Orchestra, which will make a world tour this summer. She will enroll at Colorado State University next year to study veterinary medicine. Jean-Marie, a freshman at Boone, wants to be an actor and has already had roles with Orlando’s Empty Spaces Theatre Company. Benoit continues to conjure up big plans for The White House, including next month’s “string night,” an ambitious concert featuring string players from the Orlando Phil playing music written by local composers. And lately, he’s been entertaining the notion of a ship that would travel from port to port, bringing music everywhere it went. Perhaps it could be self-sufficient, totally off the grid, generating its own electricity, carrying passengers who grow their own food. It sounds like a crazy dream. But it would probably be unwise to bet against it. n ORLANDO LIFE
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Stephen Gidusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; multifaceted program helps guide consumers through the remodeling process, from start to fi ďŹ nish. He completed it just days before he died.
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WHAT A BUILDER LEAVES BEHIND WITH TIME RUNNING OUT, ORLANDO REMODELER STEPHEN GIDUS DECIDED HE WANTED HIS LEGACY TO TRANSCEND BRICKS AND MORTAR.
D
by Randy Noles
eath doesn’t respect our dreams or evaluate
our worthiness. It arrives in arbitrary fashion, sometimes mercifully and sometimes tragically. When Orlando remodeler Stephen Gidus died late last year at age 50, he stood at the brink of a new career that combined his twin passions for building and mentoring. Gidus had much to live for: a gorgeous and accomplished wife, Tara; two beautiful children, Basil, now 3, and Levi, now 5; and a close-knit, extended family that included his brother and business partner, Paul. He was also an athlete who competed in 17 marathons, including the Boston Marathon, and a volunteer who supported Rebuilding Together Orlando, a nonprofit organization that rehabilitates homes free of charge for low-income homeowners who are veterans, disabled or elderly. He was an active parishioner at the Orthodox Church of St. Stephen in Longwood, where he served as a reader and a member of both the parish council and the building committee. ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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An industry leader, he was a past president of the Home Builders Association of Metro Orlando and a past chairman of its Remodelers Council. He had also been named that organization’s Remodeler of the Year and had, over the years, earned 15 first-place or grand awards during the annual Parade of Homes. Had Gidus died at 80 instead of 50, his friends and family could have tempered their grief with the knowledge that he had enjoyed a long and productive life. Instead, they’re left to wonder how much more he might have accomplished, how many more lives he might have touched, if he’d only had a little more time. However, unlike many people who are struck down in the prime of life, Gidus had some advance warning that the end was approaching. He used his final months, and drew upon his last reserves of energy, to finalize his legacy. That legacy is REMODology, a multifaceted educational program that helps building-industry professionals improve their operations and guides consumers through the complex process of remodeling their homes. Gidus ORLANDO LIFE
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The Pain and the Gain remodeling can be
a hassle, but often it’s
By 2015 remodeling is expected to outpace new construction for the first time ever, according to the Harvard University Center for Housing Studies. In fact, the poor economy and the collapse of the housing market in 2008 and 2009 may have hurried the process along. “As more consumers remain in their homes rather than move in this economy, remodelers have benefited from a gradual increase in home-improvement activity, taking us to a five-year high,” says Bob Peterson, chairman of the Remodelers Council of the National Association of Home Builders. “People are very loyal to their neighborhoods,” adds Victor Farina of Farina & Sons in College Park. “We’ve done several projects for people who actually bought the home where they grew up.” Still, a remodel or addition is only as good as the company responsible for the project — and choosing the right remodeler requires a bit of research. So where do you begin? Here are some commonly asked question and answers from the experts. Q. What kind of qualifications should a remodeler have? Do all those fancy-sounding certifications really mean anything? A. Yes, they do. In recent years, the remodeling industry has worked hard to differentiate professional, credentialed contractors from the ubiquitous guys in trucks that local TV stations so love to confront. Both the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry offer certification programs. NAHB programs include Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR), Certified Aging-inPlace Specialist (CAPS) and Certified Green Professional (CGP). NARI programs include certification for five distinct groups of remodeling professionals. For example, a specialist in kitchen and bathroom rehabs may earn a Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler (CKBR) designation on his or her résumé. At the very least, a remodeler should be licensed by the state as a contractor. And membership in one or more trade associations is usually a good sign that the remodeler cares about professionalism and continuing education. Locally, the Home Builders Association of Metro Orlando has an active Remodel/Design Council.
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the best option
.
Q. How much should I spend on remodeling my home? Will I ever recoup my investment when I sell? A. The days of buying a home, remodeling it and flipping it a few months later for a fat profit are gone, probably for good. If you choose to remodel, do so because you want to make your home a safer, stronger and more comfortable place to live. “If you’re planning to stay in your home five years or more, and you want to build your dream kitchen or a spa-style master bathroom, then you should do it,” says Marion McGrath of Jonathan McGrath Construction in Longwood. “Maybe you’re doing it 75 percent for investment value and 25 percent for pure enjoyment. Long after you’ve forgotten about scrimping and saving a few dollars, you’ll be enjoying having your home the way you really want it.” Of course, when remodeling you shouldn’t over-improve for the neighborhood you’re in. A good remodeler or a knowledgeable realtor can help you assess what’s reasonable for where you live. Still, if you’re the sort who must quantify everything, Remodeling Magazine publishes a Cost vs. Value Report that estimates the cost of various improvements and the likely return at resale. Among relatively major projects, a basement remodel is the best investment, returning 92 percent of the cost, followed by a minor kitchen remodel (89 percent) and an attic remodel (88 percent). Replacing siding and windows and installing a wood deck return more than 80 percent of the cost. Q. The contract with my remodeler is 25 pages long. I need a lawyer to review it. What really needs to be included? A. A detailed contract is for everybody’s protection. But you should be certain that you understand it and that it includes, among other things, these elements: a timetable for the project, a price and payment schedule, detailed specifications for all products and materials, insurance information, permit information, procedures for handling change orders, provisions for conflict resolution and notice of your rights under the Fair Trade Commission’s “Cooling Off Rule” (your right to cancel the contract within three days if it was signed someplace other than the remodeler’s place of business). APRIL 2013
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Q. I want to go green when I remodel. What all does that entail? And is it more expensive than a conventional remodeling project? A. You’ll have plenty of company. Green building will balloon from about $20 billion this year to as much as $114 billion in 2016, according to The Green Home Builders and Remodelers Study, a report spearheaded by NAHB. But what does “green” really mean? Like “highfiber” and “all-natural,” it’s a phrase that gets thrown around in marketing campaigns, but there are as yet no uniform standards defining “green building.” Consumers, therefore, need to educate themselves. The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC has 78 local affiliates, more than 20,000 member organizations and more than 130,000 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credentialed professionals. LEED for Homes is the most established green building program in the country. It’s the most difficult certification to achieve because LEED homes are green in every way, including energy, indoor air quality, building materials, land use and landscaping. Every LEED home is a green home by any definition. But higher-scoring LEED homes may earn Silver, Gold or Platinum certifications. In the Sunshine State, the Florida Home Builders Association has endorsed the Florida Green Building Coalition Green Home Standard, a statewide green building program that addresses Florida’s climatespecific issues. Visit floridagreenbuilding.org for more information on FGBC’s Green Home Standard. For more information on LEED, visit usgbc.org. As for expense, that depends on how green you want to go. Some green materials and technologies are more expensive, but provide a payback over time in lower energy bills. A good remodeler can give you a cost vs. benefits analysis. — Randy Noles
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began developing the program in 2007, when the economy collapsed and remodeling work dried up. “Stephen decided he needed to do something else to take care of us,” says Tara Gidus, a nutritionist and media personality. “It’s tough for a man, sometimes, when he isn’t the provider that he used to be and his wife is supporting the family. But I believed in Stephen and I believed in what he was doing. I wanted him to have the freedom to see it through.” So Gidus, in typical obsessive fashion, went to work, methodically writing instructional manuals, designing online courses and conceiving promotional campaigns to spread the word. He was healthy when he started, but he finished with scarcely a moment to spare. An aggressive stomach cancer, which had been diagnosed only 10 months earlier, took his life on Oct. 7, 2012. The first REMODology textbooks were delivered from the publisher three days later. Now, Gidus’ widow and an erstwhile friendly competitor are working together to make certain that his dream doesn’t die with him. n n n Remodeling is a business fraught with pitfalls, for both consumers and contractors. Consumers who don’t know the right questions to ask can easily find themselves either embroiled in litigation over shoddy workmanship or mired in unanticipated debt as a result of cost overruns. Contractors who may be skilled at building but deficient at business can just as easily find themselves wasting valuable time bidding on pie-in-the-sky jobs or taking on work that provides little or no margin. Both were situations that Gidus, who moved to Orlando from Ohio in 1982, resolved to avoid when he and his brother founded PSG Construction. “Stephen learned the business from the ground up,” says Tara Gidus. “A lot of people don’t know this, but Stephen didn’t finish college. He started out wearing the tool belt, doing carpentry, and then he took the plunge and became a self-taught, successful business owner.” During that time, Gidus developed what he called “the PSG Method.” A key element of his philosophy was the conviction that he, as well as every other professional remodeler, should be paid for his time during preconstruction or exploratory phases. Many remodelers, Gidus noted, invest countless hours working with homeowners, brainstorming ideas and sketching plans, only to have the would-be client back out or choose someone else to do the work. “Just the act of requiring a small deposit meant that the owner was serious about the project, and Stephen was serious ORLANDO LIFE
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Among PSG Constructionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most high-profile projects was the Renewed American Home, a rehabilitated 1909 relic near Lake Eola in downtown Orlando. The home was restored and opened for tours during the 2007 International Builders Show, sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders. Gidus hoped that after he was gone, REMODology would provide for his family, including wife, Tara, and children Basil and Levi. 36
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about the project,” says Tara Gidus. “And homeowners who ended up working with Stephen saved a lot more because he was so good at what he did, and so thorough.” In fact, one of the five books in the REMODology series — and the only one of the books intended exclusively for the trade — is titled Get Paid for Your Time. In it, Gidus writes: “Consumers have no problem spending $100 or more at an appliance-repair shop, an auto-repair shop or a computer-repair shop for 30 to 60 minutes of an expert’s time to tell them what’s wrong … in most cases, they pay for this time regardless of whether or not the expert eventually produces something.” Get Paid for Your Time also outlines the problems inherent in bidding — Gidus did not believe that traditional competitive bidding was a smart way to approach a project, for either the homeowner or the contractor — and describes how to create internal processes to guide everything from the feasibility study through planning, construction and post-construction. To accompany his book, Gidus also developed a 12-hour online course called The Conflict-Free Remodeling Process. Contractors who completed the course had the opportunity to list themselves on the REMODology website, where potential customers were to be directed through Gidus’ consumeroriented books and other promotional efforts. The goal: to create an online resource that had value to both industry professionals and homeowners seeking their services. His consumer-oriented books — Up-Front Remodeling, How to Avoid the He Said/She Said Syndrome, Peaceful Home Remodeling and Conflict-Free Remodeling — are primers on how to select a remodeler, how to set expectations, how to choose products and how to finalize a financial agreement. Conflict-Free Remodeling, a tome as hefty as a doorstop, also includes sample budgets, sample product-selection forms, sample specification sheets and sample allowance schedules as well as a glossary of terms. Remarkably, Gidus did much of the work while he was gravely ill. Tara Gidus says there were no warning signs of the disease that would eventually claim her husband, so it wasn’t diagnosed until it had metastasized and spread. But he never gave up. The Giduses traveled to Germany six times, where Stephen underwent a treatment regimen not yet approved in the U.S. that involved a combination of hyperthermia — heating the body to the highest temperature possible — and conventional chemotherapy. For a time, it appeared to be working. Gidus, minus his signature mane of unruly black hair, appeared at various industry events seemingly chipper and unfailingly thankful for the prayers that he believed had helped to pull him through. “We talked about things like funeral arrangements, but Stephen never admitted, even to me, that he didn’t think he’d ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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make it,” says Tara Gidus. “Still, even when he was in a lot of pain, tired and sick, he kept working.” When the cancer returned with a vengeance, Gidus redoubled his efforts. “This will be my legacy,” he told his wife. “This will take care of you and the kids if something does happen to me.” Gidus was working during his final visit to the hospital for treatment of a blood clot that ultimately proved fatal. There, before slipping into a coma, he finalized a business deal with his friend Marion McGrath, who with her husband, Jack, owns Jonathan McGrath Construction in Longwood. McGrath always considered Gidus to be her mentor. Now he was asking her to take over REMODology and to debut it at the 2012 Remodeling Show at the Baltimore Convention Center. “To me, Stephen was the professional remodeler,” says McGrath, who’s also a past HBA president. “He was so dedicated to raising the industry’s professionalism, even to the extent of helping his competitors. He always said to me, ‘Marion, there’s enough business for all of us.’” Gidus told McGrath that she was “the angel God sent to move this forward.” Although McGrath agreed to fill in for Gidus at Baltimore, she hoped he would be able to bounce back one more time. However, he died just days before the convention. “Whenever Stephen spoke, he packed a room,” says McGrath, who’s now the director of development for REMODology LLC. Tara Gidus is the president and Gidus’ sister, Ann Marie Mecera, is the marketing director. “It was the same way in Baltimore. People just flocked around us. It was such an honor for me to do it. I really feel like this was a gift from Stephen, to the industry and to homeowners.” As REMODology gets set to go into full-scale launch mode, Tara Gidus has resumed her career, consulting with individual and corporate clients on nutrition and appearing on the nationally syndicated television program, The Daily Buzz. She still has some rough days, like the one recently when she decided to sell her husband’s unused car and found herself sitting in the front seat, sobbing. And the kids, of course, still ask unanswerable questions, as kids are prone to do, about their dad. “I told Stephen we were an ideal couple in a lot of ways,” she recalls, smiling wistfully. “My business was all about feeding people, and his was all about housing them. When you get right down to it, that’s the two basic needs.” n For more information about REMODology, go to remodology.com. There are portals for both consumers and industry professionals. ORLANDO LIFE
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DREAM TEAM
All in One Decorating Solutions
If you are thinking about remodeling, consult with the pros who know. ALL IN ONE DECORATING SOLUTIONS 7450 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Suite 312, Orlando, FL 407-492-7895
Ready to create the home of your dreams? All In One Decorating Solutions, based in Orlando, specializes in interior design, re-design, home staging, space planning, color coordinating, lighting and accesorizing. The company is known for designs that thrill clients and stand the test of time. The professionals at All In One create stylish interiors that are physically and psychologically comfortable as well as uniquely attractive. The design team will bring charm and individuality every step of the way during your project, creating a pleasing transition of unity, harmony and balance with color texture and form. All In One specializes in residential, commercial and event interior design. As a full-service interior design firm, the company also offers remodeling coordination, custom window treatments, custom upholstered furniture, complete installation and site supervision among many other services.
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BUSBY CABINETS
1711 33rd Street, Suite 104, Orlando, FL 32839 800-654-7090
Busby Cabinets specializes in new construction or remodeled custom kitchen and bath cabinetry, built-in entertainment centers, hidden rooms, professional offices, theaters,
libraries and more. Each of the company’s four showrooms — located across the state in Alachua, Naples and Tampa as well as Orlando — provides an inviting design center experience created especially for homeowners, architects, builders and interior designers. The showrooms also offer full-room displays showcasing the company’s custom manufacturing capabilities, including a full complement of sample doors, finishes and decorative hardware. Busby Cabinets, a first-generation, family-owned and operated business for nearly 40 years, designs, manufactures and installs everything it sells That means clients are buying directly from the factory to get the highest quality product for the lowest possible price. The staff will help you create a custom design to suit any style or budget. Each project is engineered, manufactured, hand-finished, hand-delivered, installed and overseen from start to finish by an experienced, in-house project manager. This, coupled with a 45,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art factory, ensures consistent quality and timely delivery and installation. Service after the sale is also important, which is why the company offers an exclusive five-year warranty. Call or stop by a showroom to see how Busby Cabinets can serve you. Or visit busbycabinets.com for a virtual tour of the factory and the four showrooms as well as a gallery filled with images of completed projects.
busbycabinets.com
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SPEcial promotional section 38 ORLAN DO LI FE A PRIL 2013
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Busby Cabinets
California Closets
CALIFORNIA CLOSETS
769 Big Tree Drive, Longwood, FL 32750 407-865-5440
Do you ever wonder where to start when it comes to getting organized? Sometimes tackling your whole house at once is simply too much to handle. So California Closets has compiled five tips — one for each main room. These simple measures can have a big impact — and once they’re completed you can move on to the next round of organizing. n Bedroom closet. Take shoes off the floor and put them on shelves. This will make the closet seem less cluttered and create a “home” for shoes where they can be returned. n Home office. Create a notebook for recipes, bills, receipts, magazine articles and assorted documents. This will prevent an unwanted accumulation of paper. n Kitchen. Store canned goods and spices on their side to prevent a “food museum” in the back of the cabinet. This also helps prevent the purchase of duplicate foods and spices that were hidden from view n Kid’s room. Make certain rods and shelves are low enough to reach; an adjustable system can change along with a child’s needs, and as he or she grows. n Garage. Use containers, racks, baskets and wall hooks to keep garage contents off the floor for safety and easy access. California Closet, the leader in the custom storage industry, invites you to call or stop by the showroom to schedule a free in-home consultation.
californiaclosets.com/orlando.com ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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See ad on page 15
CENTRAL KITCHEN & BATH
935 Orange Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789 407-629-9366
Central Kitchen & Bath has a long history of providing superior design, unwavering customer service and exceptional products. Since 1989, the company’s team of professional designers has provided each and every client with unmatched personal attention, inspired creativity and an uncompromising commitment to detail. These qualities allow CK&B to achieve maximum value from the budget while respecting the budget’s parameters. Each design is a unique, one-of-a-kind work of art intended to exceed even the highest level of expectations. The CK&B showroom, located in the heart of Winter Park’s aptly named Designer Row, provides an interactive experience for clients and showcases an extensive array of cabinetry, surface materials and interior design products. The collection encompasses a wide variety of design styles, including contemporary, transitional and traditional, in an assortment of brands to accommodate diverse preferences and budgets. CK&B has been honored with a collection of industry awards. Locally, the company has won numerous Design Specialty Showcase Grand Awards during the annual Parade of Homes. National recognitions include Remodeling Magazine’s “Big 50” Award as one of the top 50 companies in the remodeling industry. In addition, during the Southeast Building Conference CK&B was honored with the Grand Aurora Award for the Best Kitchen Remodel in the 12-state Southeastern region and the Eastern
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Central Kitchen & Bath
Charles Clayton Construction
Caribbean. If you’re building a new home, or remodeling your current home Central Kitchen & Bath offers a rich tradition of excellence.
centralkitchen.com
See ad on page 12
CHARLES CLAYTON CONSTRUCTION 2250 Lee Road, Suite 120, Winter Park, FL 32789 407-628-3334
Charles Clayton Construction continues a family tradition of homebuilding that spans more than 60 years. Whether it’s new construction or a remodeling project, the company approaches every assignment with the goal of blending the client’s needs and wants into a dream home that will endure for generations. Founder Charlie Clayton III, an award-winning builder and past president of the Home Builders Association of Metro Orlando, has seen a resurgence in remodeling as homeowners evaluate the cost of rehabilitating their existing home versus starting from scratch with new construction. As a result, the company has been involved in some spectacular transformations. If the home has “good bones,” Clayton says, remodeling can be a wise choice. When deciding, it’s important to look at your home objectively. Assess the floorplan to see if it meets today’s standards. If not, can a wall be shifted or removed to change the size and the purpose of a room? Can a new room be added? Do the kitchen and bathroom need an overhaul to reflect new styles, trends and technologies? How’s the color palette? Fresh new colors 40
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alone can make a world of difference. While evaluating the interior, don’t forget the exterior. Many times a pool can be made to look like new with waterline tiles and travertine decks. Landscaping can transform an average yard into an impressive sanctuary. Of course, carefully consider the front façade. How is the curb appeal? Is it in need of a facelift? After going through this process, many homeowners discover that remodeling makes dollars and cents.
charlesclayton.com
See ad on page17
CROSSVILLE TILE & STONE
4000 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32804 407-292-0441
For years, we’ve been trained to consider resale value first and foremost before embarking on a home-improvement project. But now that many of us are staying in our homes longer, it’s time to start choosing colors, styles and materials that our families can appreciate today and every day. Tile is a surfacing choice that hits all the marks. It adds lasting value to your home, thanks to its beauty, durability and ease of cleaning. And it provides the kind of style and luxury your family deserves. Make the Crossville Tile & Stone showroom your first stop as you gather ideas and inspiration for your next remodeling project. Each location is staffed with interior design specialists who are knowledgeable in the use of tile and in all aspects of project creation. They can help you plan your budget to enjoy the timeless custom tile and
SPEc ial promot ional sect ion
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3/18/13 2:30:11 PM
Crossville Tile & Stone
Farina & Sons
stone looks that you’ll love right now, and it’s a smart investment if you decide to sell your home sometime in the future. Crossville’s Bluestone line, recently named a Best Buy by Consumers Digest, offers a classic appearance in a range of versatile colors. Coupled with modular size selections, the line is ready for customization to reflect your family’s unique style while offering the superior performance of porcelain tile. Visit your Crossville Tile & Stone selection center for ideas and inspiration today.
more in keeping with the Spanish style. A low-profile privacy wall was placed around the front of the property, and an old swimming pool was removed and replaced with a more interesting fan-shaped design. An open breezeway connecting the main house to the “rumpus room” was enclosed, and details were added such as antique iron lanterns and elaborate iron gating. Farina & Sons, family owned since 1950, specializes in historic restorations, renovations, additions and custom homes. Victor Farina has earned a reputation as one of the best remodelers, not only in Orlando, but in the U.S. Among his many accolades are 19 consecutive wins in the annual Parade of Homes. Grand or modest, all Farina & Sons projects receive the careful attention to detail and fine craftsmanship that your home deserves.
crossvilletileandstone.com
See ad on page 19
FARINA & SONS
3432 Edgewater Dr Orlando, FL 32804 407-849-1731
Farina & Sons transformed a 1920s estate in the heart of College Park, returning it to its original Spanish style. The front entry was enhanced with a new porch while the backyard now boasts a gorgeous pool, fountain, breezeway and travertine patio. New landscaping, stucco walls, custom ironwork and landscaping complement the home. The spectacular interior received a new master closet and bath appointed with many luxury details.The home, once occupied by W.H. Reynolds of the Reynolds tobacco family, had undergone several additions and renovations, including a 1960s “modernization” project that eliminated some of the architectural detailing. Farina removed a front porch that wasn’t original to the home and replaced it with a new porch
farinaandsons.com
See ad on page 1
JONATHAN MCGRATH CONSTRUCTION 1681 Powell Street, Longwood, FL 32750 407-260-8077
You love your neighborhood; but you’re busting at the seams. What do you do? You’re not alone; millions of people face this classic housing dilemma every day. Do you remodel or do you move? Here are three reasons you should consider remodeling: n Location. In real estate it’s all about location, location, location. Being in the right neighborhood, in the right school district, with the right neighbors is important to the quality of
SPEcial promotional section ORLAN DO -LI FE.COM ORLAN DO LI FE
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Jonathan and Marion McGrath
Jorge Ulibarri Custom Homes
your life and the value of your home. So, instead of uprooting your family, give your home a makeover and stay in the neighborhood you love. n Expense. There’s a misconception that remodeling costs much more than moving. This is simply not true. When you work with an experienced and qualified remodeler, one of the first things he or she will do is work with you to create a plan that fits your budget. n Customization. When you choose to remodel your home, seldom-used areas are transformed into vibrant, livable spaces for work, play or just relaxation. Do you have a formal dining room that never gets used? Why not turn it into an entertainment/media room? Remember, your home is an extension of you and your family — a place where memories are made. For more than 25 years, Jonathan McGrath Construction has been remodeling homes for their clients throughout Central Florida. Call for a complimentary consultation. Together, you’ll achieve your dreams and create your masterpiece.
neighbors and their school districts,” says Ulibarri. “I’ve rebuilt several homes without having to tear down and start over. The end result is a brand-new home, but with its original bones.” For example, he recently remodeled a 4,000-square-foot home in Heathrow’s Bristol Park neighborhood. The home was built in the 1980s and needed a complete facelift. So Ulibarri complemented the French provincial roofline with a stone façade and added a custom wrought-iron front door to enhance the curb appeal. Inside, he adopted a Tuscan theme and transformed outdated floors, countertops, cabinets and built-ins. He replaced popcorn ceilings with wood beams and faux finishes, and transformed an oversized guest bathroom into a wine cellar. Travertine floors were added throughout, and the home’s three fireplaces were rebuilt in stone and marble. Ulibarri has some tips for anyone considering a remodeling project: Prioritize your budget to improve the home’s front elevation and update the kitchen. Both will add value. Also, eliminate popcorn ceilings and resurface outdoor living spaces with pavers or stone instead of painted concrete. Add a water feature, or embellish an existing one. For a new custom home or to make an older home like new again, Ulibarri has the experience and the expertise to make your dreams come true.
jonathanmcgrathconstruction.com
See ad on page18
JORGE ULIBARRI CUSTOM HOMES
1525 International Parkway Suite 3031 Heathrow, FL 407-733-5500
imyourbuilder.com
See ad on page 5
Custom builder Jorge Ulibarri says his clients are reluctant to leave their homes in highly desirable, well-established neighborhoods. But they still want the modern technology and state-of-the-art materials found in today’s new homes. “People have roots in their communities, and don’t want to leave their 42
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SPEc ial promot ional sect ion
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At all times; On all occasions...
ALWAYS.
Formerly Del Frisco’s, Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster offers the same great service and steak you and yours have always known. For nearly 20 years the Christner’s have been rooted in the Central Florida community and have always been dedicated to ingredients, service and tradition. 729 Lee Road | Orlando, FL | 407.645.4443 | www.christnersprimesteakandlobster.com
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FLAVOR
rona gindin
It’s All in the Family PALMA MARIA IS A MOM-AND-POP, SISTER-AND-BROTHER TREASURE.
An old-fashioned flair prevails both in décor and desserts, such as the delectable homemade cheesecakes. The welcoming ambience is magnified by the presence of family knickknacks and a chalkboard greeting from the Rosinola clan (opposite page). 44
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APRIL 2013
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PHOTOS: rafael tong ol
I
f you ever try to interview a group of family members
who’ve worked together for decades, you can count on one thing: They will interrupt each other. When one starts a sentence, another one finishes. Often a third takes it from there. It’s impossible, at least for me, to separate the family member who began the discussion of lasagna noodles (“We used to make all our pasta from scratch ...”) from the sibling, spouse, parent or grandparent who continued it (“… now it’s just the wide noodles, you know, for the lasagna and the manicotti.”) That’s particularly true when related restaurateurs try to share their story with a curious outlier. In this case, the delightfully lively family members own and operate Palma Maria, an unpretentious local favorite with a fiercely loyal clientele. The homey eatery, named for the owners’ late grandmother, has been turning out chicken cacciatores and shrimp scampis in the same modest Casselberry strip center for 32 years. The family’s original restaurant, founded by Peter Rosinola Sr. in rural Pennsylvania, lasted three-and-a-half decades. Their current restaurant is run by Peter Rosinola Jr. “I’ve been in the business 60 years,” Anna Rosinola says proudly. “I’m 73 now. When I was 13, my mom got pregnant with Pete [her younger brother] and couldn’t work with my dad anymore. I quit school to step in.” No prom for Anna. No girly Saturday night sleepovers. Just work, work, work. But she has no regrets. “I really loved working with my father,” Anna says. “ It was like going to a party all the time. And I made good money back then.” Younger brother Pete has been at the helm since 1990, when his father passed away. He has no title and isn’t, family members agree, the bossy type. He helps chef/brother-in-law Bobby Yatsko in the kitchen during the day and oversees the dining room at night. Meanwhile Pete and Anna’s sisters — Palma Yatsko and Maryanne Forester — wait tables. Bussers and a dishwasher are the only non-clan employees, and even they tend to attain quasi-family status and stay on staff for years. The overall feel at Palma Maria is calm and comfortable. The sisters appear to know their customers well, asking after kids they’ve probably watched grow up. Pete wanders from table to table, chatting with guests as if they’re dear friends who’ve come to visit. And the siblings never, ever fight in front of the guests. When a situation gets tense, they move away from the dining room and keep any exchanges brief. “We’ll have an argument sometimes, but we don’t hold grudges,” Anna says. “Dad said never to talk about religion and never to talk ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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FLAVOR
rona gindin
MORE FAMILY-OWNED FAVORITES Palma Maria isn’t the only restaurant in town run by a mix-and-match of family members. Here are three more, each encompassing what appears to be a loving mix of relatives.
Border Grill Fresh-Mex
You won’t find a single employee at Border Grill Fresh-Mex, a 12-seat Mexican restaurant near Universal Studios. “It’s just family,” says Veronica Starling, who owns the 2½-year-old “tiny little place” with her mother, Esther Fragaso. “We all do everything — the cooking, the serving.” Starling’s husband, Chris, is on hand often, as are her cousins and even her daughters, 13 and 19. No one has an assigned job, says Starling, who’s also working toward a degree at UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. None has taken on the task of marketing. Border Grill has no website, no Facebook page, no advertising budget. Instead, the restaurant relies on the positive feedback guests post on Yelp and other social media sites. “We just cook family recipes,” Starling says. “We love to eat and we love to cook.” 5695-A Vineland Rd., Orlando, 407-352-0101, no website. $
Christner’s Pri
me Steak & L o bster
At long last, Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster has the name it should have had all along. The upscale steakhouse just west of Winter Park had been called Del Frisco’s since 1993. It was the second unit in what grew to be a national chain, but the Orlando operation never quite adopted a chain restaurant culture. Instead, original owners Russ and Carole Christner kept their Midwestern beef supplier, their recipes, their traditional dark décor, their mandarin orange cake — and their longtime devoted followers. This year, Carole and her son, David, who runs the restaurant, severed all Del Frisco’s ties and proudly put their name on the marquis. Carole visits customers a couple of nights a week. David’s wife, Alice, assists with décor and community events. Daughters Ellen and Diana are part of the team, too. Old-timers miss Russ, who roamed through the dining room with his trademark dishtowel draped over his shoulder. But his friendly spirit clearly lives on through his family. 729 Lee Rd., Orlando, 407-645-4443, christnersprimesteakandlobster.com. $$$$
L ind a’s L a Cantina
This timeless east Orlando steakhouse, owned by the same family since 1947, has been serving aged, grain-fed Midwestern beef to old-school carnivores for most of its history. At the helm today are three sisters: Karen Hart, Debra Tassoni and Lori Coley. They divvy up duties, with Hart heading up purchasing, Tassoni overseeing the dining room and Coley handling office responsibilities. Hart’s husband, Steve, helms the kitchen. Family members have been involved from the beginning, including the current owners’ grandfather, Rudy Seng; their father, Al; and their mother, Linda, for whom the establishment is now named. 4721 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-894-4491, lindaslacantina.com. $$-$$$
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about politics, and if you want to fight, go home to finish,” Palma adds. The restaurant is old-fashioned, with white linens, paisley wallpaper and dark carpeting. Crisp green salads and warm homemade bread come with each meal. The clientele tends to be older and, as one recently said to Pete, “90 percent have been here before, and the other 10 percent showed up on a recommendation.” Bobby has been cooking the same dishes since he joined his father-in-law in the kitchen 30 years ago, although he’ll make just about anything to order upon request. “The menu doesn’t really change because it may have a few chicken dishes on it, but Bobby can make chicken 20 different ways,” Pete says. Nightly specials tend to sell out by 8 p.m. The recipes involve scratch cooking. Bobby buys veal loins, “the filet mignon of veals,” from a small company in Daytona Beach. He makes fresh red sauce every day from expensive California crushed tomatoes. “I use lots of onions because onions are naturally sweet. It simmers all day with garlic and salt,” says Bobby. “And a little Parmesan cheese,” adds someone. “And parsley,” adds someone else. Bread, cheesecake, pie crust and fillings, and those wide pasta noodles, are made in the kitchen. Fried calamari is coated in a beer batter that’s so light and non-greasy it’s like a Japanese tempura. The mozzarella appetizer is a must: a slab of fresh mozzarella between two slices of “store-bought bread,” dipped in “egg and flour, egg and flour,” Pete says. Then it’s deep-fried and served with tomato and alfredo sauce dips. Don’t bother asking the servers assigned to your table about signature dishes. We tried. “The pasta, the chicken, the veal,” Maryann said, dismissively. We laughed: Her suggestion encompassed fully half the menu. APRIL 2013
3/18/13 10:59:24 AM
PHOTOS: RAFAEL TONGOL
Do you have a glass of wine? we asked. “Chianti. You want a glass?” she responded. She didn’t mention the full wine list — with notably low prices — nor did she explain that no other vintage is sold by the glass. So we drank the house chianti. The Rosinola team tries, sort of, to embrace modern marketing techniques. Two years ago Pete began compiling an email list, which now has more than 2,000 names. He also put up a Facebook page. “Aww, I started it,” he says. “I don’t maintain it. I should.” He reached out to new customers by offering a Living Social deal a few months ago. That’s all. But change doesn’t seem necessary at Palma Maria. It’s a family restaurant. When the family goes — no time soon! — the restaurant, sadly, will probably follow. ■
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Vintage oil paintings adorn the cozy dining room, where the chicken Francese and the homemade bread earn raves from regulars. Chef Bobby Yatsko “can cook chicken 20 different ways,” according to brother-in-law Pete Rosinola.
WHERE: 1015 E. Semoran Blvd., Casselberry WHEN: Dinner Tuesday–Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. HOW MUCH: $$ WHERE TO CALL: 407-339-2856, palmamaria.com
Rona Gindin, dining editor of Orlando Life, has written about Orlando’s restaurants for Fodor’s and Zagat, among many other publications. She’s the author of The Little Black Book of Walt Disney World. ORLANDO LIFE
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FLAVOR LISTINGS
rona gindin
AFRICAN
Nile Ethiopian 7048 International Dr., Orlando, 407-354-0026 / nile07.com. Locals willingly navigate International Drive to dine at Nile, a family-owned restaurant specializing in the exotic cuisine of Ethiopia. Order a few dishes to share and scoop up the intriguing concoctions with the eatery’s signature spongy bread. End with a strong cup of aromatic, brewed-to-order coffee. $$
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Sanaa 3701 Osceola Pkwy., Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-
3463 / disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/sanaa. Sanaa, one of Disney’s most interesting restaurants, offers dishes based on cuisine from the Spice Islands, a coastal African area rich with Indian influences. Flavors are intense, but spicy only upon request. (Curry, the chefs insist, is a melding of flavors, not one particular spice.) The marketplace-style dining room boasts picture windows overlooking the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s savannah, so you might spot zebra or wildebeest while lunching on tandoori chicken or a vegetarian platter with stewed lentils and a vegetable sambar (stew). $$
AMERICAN Bananas
942 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, 407-480-2200 / bananasdiner.com. Bananas has a split personality. It’s a wholesome, family place to grab higher-quality versions of such classics as burgers, shakes and pancakes (the Buffalo Benedict is a surprise pleaser). Other times, it’s a delightfully outrageous experience for more adventurous diners who enjoy the antics of cross-dressing servers. The Sunday drag gospel brunch (“Sinners welcome!”) is like no church service you’ve ever attended. $$
the Amway Center’s exclusive club level. The reservationsonly eatery, open to ticket holders, serves wholesome meals for about $40. The menu of the day might offer slow-smoked barbecue ribs, grilled rib-eye steak, pasta pomodoro and Chinese chicken salad. Jernigan’s is run by Chicago’s Levy Restaurants, the team behind Downtown Disney’s Portobello Yacht Club, Fulton’s Crab House and Wolfgang Puck Grand Café. $$$
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Rusty Spoon 55 W. Church St., Orlando, 407-401-
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Seasons 52 7700 Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-354-
8811 / therustyspoon.com. Foodies flock to this Church Street gastropub, a warm and welcoming space at which meals are described as “American food. European roots. Locally sourced.” Your salad will consist of über-fresh greens, your sandwich will be filled with slow-braised lamb, your pasta will be hand-rolled and your meat will be robustly seasoned. $$-$$$
5212; 463 E. Altamonte Dr., Altamonte Springs, 407-767-1252 / seasons52.com. A Darden concept founded in Orlando, the two local locations turn out creative and tasty meals in grand, bustling spaces. The food happens to be low in fat and calories; that’s just a bonus. The wine selection is impressive and the itty-bitty desserts encourage sampling without guilt. $$$
Shipyard Brew Pub 200 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park,
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321-274-4045 / shipyardemporium.com. This ultra-casual brewpub has been packed night and day since it opened in 2011, and not just because it pours a great lager. To complement suds brewed both in-house and elsewhere, a from-scratch menu offers Buffalo chicken dip, amazing white-bean hummus, sandwiches, flatbreads and entrées, including étouffée and pot roast. Stop in any time to pick up a loaf of some of Orlando’s best bread. $-$$
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Tap Room at Dubsdread 549 W. Par St., Orlando, 407650-0100 / taproomatdubsdread.com. One needn’t play golf to dine at this historic course-side tavern, a College Park icon offering a varied menu – and a reputation for fine burgers. Options other than the famous half-pound patties include steaks, salmon, tequila-citrus chicken and a dandy Reuben sandwich. $$
Cask & Larder 565 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 321-280-4200 / caskandlarder.com. Billing itself as a “Southern Public House,” this casual Winter Park eatery serves up modern twists on traditional favorites. Look for a three-ham platter with pepper jelly; pimento cheese; and seasonal favorites such as grilled pork belly and chicken-and-biscuits. Many beers are made on the premises. $$ Chatham’s Place 7575 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando, 407- 345-2992 / chathamsplace.com. For an old-fashioned dining experience – a subdued dining room and doting personalized service by a longtime staff – dine at this hidden Restaurant Row establishment. Locals return regularly for Chef Tony Lopez’s classic dishes such as black grouper with pecan butter, rack of lamb and filet mignon. $$$ Citrus 821 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, 407-373-0622 /
citrusorlando.com. A clubby yet stylish restaurant in a convenient downtown Orlando location, Citrus features modern American cuisine with a nod toward regionally grown and produced ingredients. International influences also highlight the menu, from smoked chili aioli complementing herbmarinated chicken to balsamic rum glaze topping juicy pork chops. $$$
Dexter’s 808 E. Washington St., Orlando, 407-648-2777;
558 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, 407-629-1150; 950 Market Promenade Ave., Lake Mary, 407-805-3090 / dexwine. com. Central Florida has three Dexter’s locations, and each has become a neighborhood magnet, drawing diners of all ages for hearty portions of creative American fare (at fair prices), good wine and, in some cases, live music. Casual dress is the rule. The brunches, and the pressed duck sandwiches, are especially popular. $$-$$$
Emeril’s Orlando 6000 Universal Blvd. Orlando,
407-224-2424 / emerils.com. Get a taste of New Orleans at Emeril’s, a fine-dining restaurant at always-bustling Universal CityWalk. You’ll find classics from celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, including the signature barbecue shrimp, andouille-stuffed redfish, double-cut pork chops and banana cream pie. The service, of course, is superb. Consider sharing appetizers at the bar area. $$$$
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Hillstone 215 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-7404005 / hillstone.com/hillstone. Formerly known as Houston’s, this Winter Park mainstay is part of a high-end chain. Still, it grows its own herbs, bakes its own bread, grinds its own meat, cuts its own fish and whips its own cream. In nice weather, guests relax with a cocktail in Adirondack chairs overlooking Lake Killarney. Many proposals have been popped during dinners for two on the boat dock. $$$ Jernigan’s 400 W. Church St., Orlando, 407-440-7000 /
www.amwaycenter.com. Watch a Magic game in style at Jernigan’s, a well-appointed buffet restaurant located on
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The Table Orlando 9060 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-900-3463 / thetableorlando.com. For special occasions, book a place at The Table, a tiny restaurant that serves a five-course gourmet meal with wine pairings. Up to 22 guests at a time share the repast around an oversized table. The New American menu changes regularly and is comprised in large part of locally sourced foods. The price is a set $100 including tax and tip. Groups can host private events here. $$$$ TooJay’s Various locations / toojays.com. When it’s time
for a taste of Jewish Brooklyn – pastrami on rye, latkes, blintzes, knishes – the six local outlets of this South Floridabased chain have it all. You’ll also find diner foods such as omelets, sandwiches and pot-roast dinners. Take home some black-and-white cookies. $
Yellow Dog Eats 1236 Hempel Ave., Windermere, 407-
296-0609 / yellowdogeats.com. It’s the lunch locale for the Windermere-Gotha crowd, who come for scratch-made sandwiches, hearty barbecue and wholesome baked goods. The menu also has a significant vegan-friendly section. The dining rooms are scattered throughout a funky, historic building that was once a country store. $
ASIAN Anh Hong
1124 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-999-2656. You’ll receive a bundle of fresh herbs to tear into your soup at this Mills 50 Vietnamese eatery, and another bunch for a rollyour-own entrée that’s like a DIY summer roll. Asian classics, such as grilled meats and scallion pancakes, are done exceptionally well here, which makes Anh Hong a top choice for local Vietnamese-Americans longing for a taste of home. $
THE KEY
$ Inexpensive, most entrées under $10 $$ Moderate, most entrées $10-20 $$$ Pricey, most entrées over $20 $$$$ Very expensive, most entrées over $30 indicates the restaurant is a Silver Spoon winner (Judges’ Choice).
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Dragonfly 7972 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-459-1892 / dragonflysushi.com. Stylishly attired 30-somethings regularly pack this oh-so-hip restaurant, where groups share sushi, grilled “robata” items, and tapas-style Asian foods such as soft-shell crab tempura, crispy black pork belly and shisowrapped spicy tuna. $$
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Hawkers 1103 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, 407-237-0606 / facebook.com/hawkersstreetfare. This Mills 50 mainstay, named for street vendors of Asian fare, serves up generous tapas-size portions of curry laksa (an aromatic Singaporean soup), roti canai (Malaysian flatbread with a hearty curry sauce), five-spice tofu, chilled sesame noodles, smoky mussels and sensational beef skewers with peanuty satay dip. $$ Ming Bistro 1212 Woodward St., Orlando, 407-898-9672. Enjoy perhaps Orlando’s best dim sum for dinner or, on a weekend morning or afternoon, select shrimp dumplings, beef balls, turnip cakes, sticky rice, barbecue pork buns and egg tarts one small dish at a time from carts that roll between tables. The a la carte menu features Hong Kong-style staples from stir-fry beef to chicken feet. $ Sea Thai 3812 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-895-0985 / seaorlando.com. Start with a green papaya salad and beef yum, then feast on steamed whole fish with garlic chili sauce, pad Thai and green curry chicken. But you can’t go wrong with any of the Thai classics offered at this welcoming East Orlando eatery. $$
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Seoul Garden 511 E. Horatio Ave., Maitland, 407599-5199 / orlandokorearestaurant.com. Seoul Garden is so Asian-focused that the “about us” section of its website is written in Korean. That authenticity extends to the food. Barbecued meats are grilled to order in the dining room. Be sure to try the marinated beef short ribs and the soft tofu stew. $
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Sushi Pop 310 W. Mitchell Hammock Rd., Oviedo, 407-542-5975 / sushipoprestaurant.com. Oviedo is an unlikely location for this cutting-edge restaurant, a popular spot for sushi. The food is serious and often experimental, as chef-owner Chau uses molecular gastronomy to create some of the fusion fare. The aura is fun: Asian anime on the walls, playful colors, and servers who dress in outrageous themed outfits. $$ Tasty Wok 1246 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-896-8988 / yelp.com/biz/tasty-wok-orlando. True, it’s a humble spot, but Tasty Wok offers an array of satisfying dishes, among them roast duck and steaming soups. Try the beef chow fun, eggplant with minced pork, and salt and pepper ribs. A smaller menu of American-style Chinese dishes is also available. $
BARBECUE
4 Rivers Smokehouse 1600 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park; 1869 W. S.R. 434, Longwood; 1047 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden / 407-474-8377, 4rsmokehouse.com. A diverse array of barbecue specialties – from Texas-style brisket to pulled pork, smoked turkey and bacon-wrapped jalapeños – has gained this rapidly growing homegrown concept a large following. The Longwood outpost even includes a bakery and an oldfashioned malt shop featuring homemade ice cream. $
BURGERS Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille
110 W. Church St., Orlando, 321-219-0600 / hamburgermarys-orlando.com. A colorful crowd is part of the fun at this Church Street hotspot, where bingo games, trivia contests and cabaret shows are among the events that vie for guests’ attention beside the enormous and creatively topped burgers. $
Johnny’s Fillin’ Station 2631 S. Fern Creek Ave.,
Orlando, 407-894-6900 / johnnysfillinstation.com. Neighbors gather for hearty burgers, along with wings, subs and wraps, at this homey spot in a residential downtown neighborhood. Beer flows, TVs broadcast big games, and families love the pool tables and dart boards. $
Pine 22 22 E. Pine St., Orlando, 407-574-2160 / pine22.
com. Burgers go chic at this fast-casual downtowner, where every ingredient is special. The burgers are from happy cows, the eggs from free-roaming chickens, the pork from lovingly raised pigs. Mix and match your toppings over a patty of beef, turkey or black beans (or
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pulled pork), with options ranging from mango salsa to sautéed mushrooms. $$
CONTINENTAL
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Venetian Room 8101 World Center Dr., Orlando, 407-238-8060 / thevenetianroom.com. Walk though a run-of-the-mill convention hotel to reach the AAA FourDiamond Venetian Room, an elegant, domed-service, continental restaurant that hearkens to the heyday of unapologetic, butter-and-cream-enhanced fine dining. The lobster bisque is an absolute must. After that, try the filet mignon, duck a l’orange or Dover sole. $$$$
CREATIVE/ PROGRESSIVE Chef’s Table at the Edgewater Hotel
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Funky Monkey 912 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, 407427-1447; 9101 International Dr., Orlando (Pointe Orlando), 407-418-9463 / funkymonkeywine.com. Every meal begins with complimentary lime-garlic edamame at these eclectic eateries, known as much for sushi and intriguing wine lists as for creative American cuisine and an ever-changing menu. FMI Restaurant Group also owns Bananas, Nick’s Italian Kitchen and Prickly Pear as well as a catering arm and the Funky Monkey Vault, a wine shop that also sells gifts, apparel and furniture. $$ Hue 629 E. Central Blvd., Orlando, 407-849-1800 / huerestaurant.com. Hue is a progressive American restaurant on a busy corner in trendy Thornton Park. Well-dressed 30-somethings sip colorful martinis at the bar and dine, indoors and out, on of-the-now items such as tuna tartare, duck breast with cranberry reduction and amaretto risotto, and grouper with smoked paprika olive oil. $$$
99 W. Plant St., Winter Garden, 407-230-4837 / chefstableattheedgewater.com. Husband-and-wife team Kevin and Laurie Tarter are your personal servers at this intimate Winter Garden hideaway, where Kevin prepares the evening’s three-course, prix-fixe meal and Laurie helps choose the wine. Both stop by every table to chat with guests. Adjacent, the Tasting Room offers tapas-size portions of international dishes and a full bar. $$$
K Restaurant 2401 Edgewater Dr. Orlando, 407-8722332 / kwinebar.com. Kevin Fonzo, the go-to chef in College Park since 2001, owns this homey eatery, which is, in fact, located in an erstwhile residence. The menu is mostly creative-American, along with Italian favorites celebrating Fonzo’s heritage. Casual wine tastings and themed special dinners, along with a constantly changing menu, bring back regulars for singular experiences. $$-$$$
Finesse 7025 County Road 46A, Lake Mary, 407-805-9220 /
Le Rouge 7730 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-370-0909 /
finesse-therestaurant.com. Talented chef Alex Brugger runs a remarkable kitchen at Finesse, a stylish Lake Mary restaurant with an ambitious menu. Begin with the tender duck confit encased in puff pastry, the complex black bean soup and whatever raw tuna appetizer happens to be on the menu. Continue with the creamy seafood paella, made with risotto, or the steak or pork with chimichurri and duck fat French fries. End with the chocolate-orange soufflé served with peanut butter anglaise. $$-$$$
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lerougewinebar.com. This Restaurant Row hot spot is a sexy lounge with backlit lighting, a long bar and comfy sofas. It also features fine food. Guests can choose from among three-dozen tapas, including garlic shrimp and sautéed wild mushrooms, or enjoy traditional entrées such as seared salmon with wine-lemon-dill sauce. $$$
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Luma on Park 290 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407599-4111 / lumaonpark.com. If there’s pancetta in your salad, the salumi was made in the kitchen, by hand, starting with a whole pig. Most herbs are from local farms, fish from sustainable sources, pickled vegetables jarred in house and desserts built around seasonal ingredients. Luma’s progressive menu, which changes daily, is served in a sleek and stylish dining room in the heart of Winter Park, under the passionate direction of Executive Chef Brandon McGlamery, Chef de Cuisine Derek Perez and Pastry Chef Brian Cernell.
$$$
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Norman’s 4012 Central Florida Pkwy., Orlando, 407-278-8459 / normans.com. Celebrity Chef Norman Van Aken’s restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes, turns out artistic New World cuisine combining the flavors of Latin America, the Caribbean, the Far East and the United States. The dining room is dramatic, the food astounding and the service polished. Be sure to begin with a Norman’s classic: foie gras “French toast.” And you’ll be delighted with the Mongolian veal chop. $$$$
Park Plaza Gardens 319 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407645-2475 / parkplazagardens.com. After 30-plus years, Park Plaza Gardens is practically an institution on Winter Park’s tony Park Avenue. People-watchers gather at the small bar and sidewalk tables to linger over casual meals and cold beers, while those looking for an indulgent experience dine in the garden-like back dining room, which boasts atrium windows and plush décor. The menu features a melding of American, European and Asian flavors and cooking techniques. $$$-$$$$
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Ravenous Pig 1234 N. Orange Ave., Winter Park, 407-628-2333 / theravenouspig.com. After leaving their hometown for serious culinary training, Winter Park natives James and Julie Petrakis returned to open the region’s first
Featured in
Orlando Restaurant Guide 2013
W inter Park 400 South Orlando Avenue s 407-644-7770 Reservations online at www.roccositaliangrille.com ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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FLAVOR LISTINGS
rona gindin
genuine gastropub. Dinner reservations have been tough to snag ever since. The ambitious menu changes daily based on the fish, meat and produce that’s available, and it’s executed by a dedicated team that abhors shortcuts. Besides daily specials, The Pig always serves up an excellent burger, soft pretzels, shrimp and grits and a donut dessert called Pig Tails. $$$
Bice 5601 Universal Blvd., Orlando, 407-503-1415 / orlando.
Victoria & Albert’s 4401 Floridian Way, Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-3463 / victoria-alberts.com. Indulgent, sevencourse prix-fixe feasts are served in the serenely elegant main dining room, accompanied by live harp music, while 10 courses are offered in the more intimate Queen Victoria’s Room. But what the heck? Why not go for 13 courses at the Chef’s Table? Chef Scott Hunnel, Maitre d’ Israel Pérez and Master Pastry Chef Erich Herbitschek travel the world to seek out impressive food and service trends, then adapt the golden ones locally. That’s why V&A, at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, is Orlando’s only AAA Five Diamond restaurant. $$$$
Enzo’s on the Lake 1130 U.S. 17-92, Longwood, 407834-9872 / enzos.com. Long before Orlando became a serious foodie town, Enzo’s was serving up lovingly prepared Italian specialties inside a converted Longwood home. Little has changed. Split a bunch of antipasto to begin your meal. After that, you pretty much can’t go wrong, but standout dishes include homemade ravioli stuffed with chicken and spinach, veal with artichoke-caper-white wine sauce and possibly the best spaghetti carbonara in town. $$$
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EASTERN EUROPEAN Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café
205 E. 1st St., Sanford, 407-321-2204 / willowtreecafe.com. If you like to indulge in a good schnitzel with a liter of hearty beer, head to Sanford. There you’ll find Theo Hollerbach overseeing the gemütlichkeit while serving up authentic German foods from sauerbraten to a wurst sausage platter. Live music on select evenings gets the whole dining room swaying together in a spirit of schunkel abend. $$
Yalaha Bakery 1213 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, 321800-5212; 8210 County Road 48, Yalaha, 352-324-3366 / yalahabakery.com. Fans of hearty German breads and scratchmade German pastries can drive to this homey outpost in rural Lake County, or they can pick up their loaves and sweets at an Ivanhoe District storefront. The Yalaha unit also sells sandwiches and hot lunches. $
HAWAIIAN/ POLYNESIAN Emeril’s Tchoup Chop
6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando, 407-503-2467 / emerils.com. Emeril Lagasse’s Polynesian-fusion fare is executed by locally renowned chef, Greg Richie. Within a dramatically decorated space, diners enjoy tropical cocktails, steamed dumplings and creative entrées such as pan-roasted duck breast with gingered pear chutney and umeboshi (pickled) plum glaze. $$$$
Roy’s 7760 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-352-4844 / roysrestaurant.com. Hawaiian-fusion flavors enhance familiar and exotic fish dishes at this Restaurant Row pioneer, a link in a Honolulu-based chain owned by namesake chef, Roy Yamaguchi. $$
INDIAN Aashirwad
5748 International Dr., Orlando, 407-370-9830 / aashirwadrestaurant.com. Begin with kashmiri naan, a slightly sweet bread stuffed with nuts, coconut and raisins, and continue with chicken biryani, cauliflower in exotic Manchurian gravy and a mixed tandoori grill. Whole spices are roasted and ground daily on site, further enhancing the cuisine’s authenticity. $$
Memories of India 7625 Turkey Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-
370-3277; 3895 Lake Emma Rd., Lake Mary, 407-804-0920 / memoriesofindiacuisine.com. Exceptionally good Indian fare draws diners in Dr. Phillips and Lake Mary to these twin restaurants, where dishes such as palek paneer (creamed spinach) and lamb masala in rich ginger-garlic gravy always satisfy. $$
ITALIAN Antonio’s
611 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland, 407-645-5523 / antoniosonline.com. Fine Italian fare comes at reasonable prices at Antonio’s, proprietor Greg Gentile’s culinary homage to his ancestors. The upstairs restaurant, recently remodeled and expanded with a balcony overlooking Lake Lily, is somewhat formal, although the open kitchen provides peeks of the chefs in action. Its downstairs counterpart, Antonio’s Café, is a more casual spot that doubles as a market and wine shop. $$$
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bicegroup.com. Bice, with 50 locations around the world, has a local outpost of ambitious Italian cuisine at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal. Homemade egg pasta is used for several dishes, such as spaghetti Bolognese; other choices include veal piccata and steak with a Gorgonzolademi sauce. $$$$
O’Stromboli 1803 E. Winter Park Rd., Orlando, 407-6473872. This innocuous neighborhood eatery isn’t fancy, but the food is filling and fresh. That’s why it has become a favorite of residents of Merritt Park, Rose Isle and Baldwin Park. The carbonara is particularly hearty and the fettuccini Alfredo is rich, buttery and more than you should eat in one sitting. The homemade soups are always a dependable starter. $$
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Peperoncino 7988 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-440-2856 / peperoncinocucina.com. The menu changes every night at this cozy Dr. Phillips Italian, where chef-owner Barbara Alfano puts out plates of fried pecorino drizzled with honey, pear- and four-cheese pasta, and fish steamed in parchment paper. $$$
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Prato 124 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-262-0050 / prato-wp.com. This is one of Orlando’s very best Italian restaurants, but don’t expect a classic lasagna or chicken parmigiana. Executive Chef Brandon McGlamery and Chef di Cucina Matthew Cargo oversee an open kitchen in which pastas are made from scratch, pizzas are rolled to order, sausages are stuffed by hand and the olive oil is a luscious organic pour from Italy. Try the chicken liver Toscana, a satisfying salad Campagna with cubes of sizzling pancetta tesa, shrimp tortellini and citrusy rabbit cacciatore. Begin with a Negroni cocktail; it’s possibly the best around. $$-$$$
Rocco’s 400 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-644-7770 /
roccositaliangrille.com. Calabria native Rocco Potami oversees this romantic Italian eatery, where fine authentic fare is presented in an intimate dining room and on a secluded brick patio. Classics include carpaccio (raw, thinly sliced beef with white truffle oil and arugula), ricotta gnocchi and a breaded veal chop topped with a lightly dressed salad. It’s easy to miss, tucked away in a Winter Park strip center, but once you find it, you’ll be back. $$$
LATIN Mi Tomatina
433 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, 321-972-4317 / mitomatina.com. This eatery bills itself as a paella bar, and indeed guests share a half-dozen varieties of the signature Spanish rice dish. Yet others come for a mellow meal over tapas (garlic shrimp, potato omelet, croquettes) and sangria, enjoyed while seated within a small contemporary dining room or outdoors overlooking Hannibal Square. $$-$$$
Pio Pio 2500 S. Semoran Blvd., Orlando, 407-207-2262;
5752 International Dr., Orlando, 407-248-6424; 11236 S. Orange Blossom Tr., Orlando, 407-438-5677 / piopiointernational.com. Latin American-style marinated roast chicken is a mainstay at the three Orlando locations, each a dark, mid-scale den where families fuel up on heaping platters of pollo along with garlicky salad, fried plantains (sweet and green) and rice and beans. $$
MEDITERRANEAN Anatolia
7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando, 407-352-6766 / anatoliaorlando.com. Sensational Turkish food in an upscale-casual setting makes Anatolia a popular choice in the Dr. Phillips area. Start with any of the “cold salads” and a piping hot puffy lavash bread, then try chargrilled whole fish, tavuk doner (Turkish gyro), lamb chops or spinach-feta pide, sort of like a boat-shaped flatbread. $$
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Bosphorous 108 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-6448609 / bosphorousrestaurant.com. This is the place for flavorful Turkish fare in either a white-tablecloth setting or alfresco along Park Avenue. Many couples fill up on the appetizer sampler with oversized lavash bread. For a heartier meal, try the ground lamb “Turkish pastry,” a shish kebab or a tender lamb shank. Outdoor diners can end their meals by smoking from a hookah. Or not. $$ Taverna Opa 9101 International Dr., Orlando, 407-3518660 / opaorlando.com. The food is excellent, but that’s only half the reason to visit Taverna Opa. On busy nights, the place is festive indeed: Some guests join a Zorba dance around the dining room while others toss white napkins into the air, joyously shouting “Opa!” Then there’s the belly dancer. $$
MEXICAN/ SOUTHWESTERN Cantina Laredo
8000 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407345-0186 / cantinalaredo.com. Modern Mexican cuisine in a spiffy setting draws lovers of cilantro, jalapeño and pico de gallo to this Restaurant Row eatery, where the margaritas flow, the guacamole is made tableside and the portions are generous. The spinach enchilada is a vegetarian-friendly treat. $$
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Cocina 214 151 E. Welbourne Ave., Winter Park, 407-790-7997 / cocina214.com. Tex-Mex food is top quality here (214 is the Dallas area code), with salsa, savories and even margarita flavorings made from scratch. The spinachmushroom quesadilla and braised pork tacos with “orange dust” are especially noteworthy. $$
El Tenampa 11242 S. Orange Blossom Tr., Orlando, 407850-9499 / eltenampaorlando.com. Many Orlandoans make El Tenampa part of their Costco shopping ritual, since the restaurant is located only a block from the OBT warehouse store. This authentic eatery features fresh fruit juices, spicy chicken chilaquiles (a Mexican breakfast, available all day long, made with fried tortilla pieces and a green sauce) as well as a satisfying shrimp quesadilla in addition to the standard enchiladas and fajitas. $
SEAFOOD Cityfish
617 E. Central Blvd., Orlando, 407-849-9779 / cityfishorlando.com. Feast on slabs of grilled, blackened or fried fresh fish at this hip Ts-and-flip-flops Thornton Park hangout. The atmosphere is ultra-casual and the sidewalk seating is great for people-watching. $$
Ocean Prime 7339 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-7814880 / ocean-prime.com. Designed to evoke the ambience of an old-time supper club, Ocean Prime’s white-jacketed servers offer sensational steaks and fish dishes along with creative options such as sautéed shrimp in a spectacular Tabasco-cream sauce, crab cakes with sweet corn cream and ginger salmon. End with the chocolate peanut butter pie. $$$$ Todd English’s Bluezoo 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd.,
Lake Buena Vista, 407-934-1111 / thebluezoo.com. Creatively prepared seafood is served in an over-the-top undersea setting at this fine-dining restaurant, located in Disney’s Swan and Dolphin hotel. The fashion-forward choices might be a miso-glazed Hawaiian sea bass or fried lobster in a soy glaze. The desserts are among the best in town. $$$$
Winter Park Fish Co. 761 Orange Ave. Winter Park, 407-622-6112 / thewinterparkfishco.com. Fish and seafood dishes are fresh and well-prepared at this humble Winter Park spot, where a counter service format helps keep the prices reasonable. Crab cakes, lobster rolls, mahi-mahi sandwiches and more ambitious dishes such as grouper cheeks in parchment and stuffed grouper are among a day’s assortment. $$
STEAK Bull & Bear
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14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, 407-597-5410 / bullandbearorlando.com. Orlando’s Bull & Bear looks similar to New York’s legendary steakhouse (except for the pool and golf course views), but ours has its own ambitious menu. Guests of the Waldorf
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Astoria’s fine-dining spot can feast on traditional items such as veal Oscar and prime steak that’s dry aged for 21 days, and intriguing ones like appetizers of gnocchi and escargot with crescents of black garlic, and shrimp and grits presented under a dome that, when removed, introduces a waft of aromatic smoke. The chocolate and lemon desserts are superb. $$$$
Capital Grille 4600 N. World Dr., Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-3463 / thecapitalgrille.com. Capital Grille tries to one-up its upscale steakhouse competitors by dry-aging its beef, an expensive process that results in especially flavorful meat. Try a beautifully unadorned chop or a more creative dish, such as citrus-glazed salmon or Kona-crusted sirloin. The setting is clubby; the wine selection is generous. $$$$ Christner’s Del Frisco’s 729 Lee Rd., Orlando, 407645-4443 / christnersprimesteakandlobster.com. Locals have been choosing this prototypically masculine, dark-woodand-red-leather enclave for business dinners and family celebrations for more than a decade. Family-owned since 1993, Christner’s features USDA Prime, corn-fed Midwestern beef or Australian cold-water lobster tails with a slice of the restaurant’s legendary mandarin orange cake. And there’s a loooong wine list (6,500 bottles). On select nights, Kostya Kimlat hosts magic shows along with a prix-fixe menu in a private dining room. $$$$ Fleming’s 8030 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-352-5706;
933 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-699-9463 / flemingssteakhouse.com. Fleming’s puts a younger spin on the stately steakhouse concept, featuring sleek décor and 100 wines by the glass along with its prime steaks and chops. The tempura lobster “small plate” with soy-ginger dipping sauce is a worthy pre-entrée splurge. For a taste of the oldfashioned, visit on Sunday, when prime rib is served. $$$$
Nelore Churrascaria 115 E. Lyman Ave., Winter Park, 407-645-1112 / neloresteakhouse.com. This is one of two Nelore Brazilian all-you-can-eat steakhouses — the other one is in Houston — where the servers, or “gauchos,” come to your table as often as you’d like bearing skewers of premier beef, chicken or pork. There’s a world-class salad bar and Brazilian cheese bread to keep you happy between meat courses. $$$$ Ruth’s Chris 7501 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-226-
3900; 610 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-622-2444; 80 Colonial Center Pkwy, Lake Mary, 407-804-8220 / ruthschris. com. With three stately steakhouses and corporate headquarters by Winter Park Village, Ruth’s Chris, a native of New Orleans, has become an Orlando special-occasion mainstay. Its service-oriented restaurants specialize in massive corn-fed Midwestern steaks served sizzling and topped with butter. $$$$
Shula’s 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Orlando, 407-934-1362 / donshula.com. Coach Don Shula, who led the Miami Dolphins through a perfect season in 1972, is now in the restaurant business. His Orlando outpost, located in Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin resort, is a dark, tastefully sportsthemed steakhouse where the menu is painted on a football. Offerings include Premium Black Angus beef as well as barbecue shrimp, wedge salad and crab cakes. $$$$
VEGETARIAN Dandelion CommuniTea Café
618 N. Thornton Ave., Orlando, 407-362-1864 / dandelioncommunitea.com. Proprietor Julie Norris meant to open a crunchy teahouse, but her organic, locally sourced foods were such a hit that the Dandelion is now a hot spot for lunch and a mecca for the “OurLando” movement. Even carnivores can’t resist Henry’s Hearty Chili, Happy Hempy Hummus, and wraps and sandwiches. As for dessert, Razzy Parfait’s vanilla soygurt is delicious, filling and healthful enough to be a meal. $
Ethos Vegan Kitchen 601 S. New York Ave., Orlando,
407-228-3899 / ethosvegankitchen.com. Orlando’s Ivanhoe District is home to Ethos, a vegan restaurant with a menu that also satisfies open-minded carnivores. Fuel up on pecan-crusted eggplant with red wine sauce and mashed potatoes or a meat-free shepherd’s pie, if salads, sandwiches and coconut-curry tofu wraps won’t do the trick. $-$$
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A FEW MOMENTS WITH
john hitt
Faculty, students and community leaders packed the UCF Student Union’s Pegasus Ballroom last March to celebrate President John Hitt’s 20th year leading what is now the nation’s second-largest university. Hitt and his wife, Martha, were lauded by an array of speakers.
T
he state’s largest university celebrates its 50th
After 20 Years at the H elm, Jo h n H it t R em ain s UCF ’s Knight in S hining Armor. by Harry Wessel
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Q. In the two decades you’ve spent at UCF, what are the most significant changes you’ve seen in the highereducation landscape? A. Clearly the development of UCF is one of the biggest things. When I got here we had about 21,000 students, and this past fall it was over 60,000. We’ve also become a much more well-developed and comprehensive institution. We’ve added doctoral programs. When I got here we gave
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Big Man on Campus
anniversary this year. At its helm is Florida’s longest-serving university president, Dr. John Hitt, who took over the helm of the University of Central Florida back in 1992 — when student enrollment was just a third of what it is today. Hitt spoke with Orlando Life about the school he loves, the challenges faced by the region’s higher-education institutions, and the benefits of having a fire station nearby when a medical emergency strikes.
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SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN
YOUR
BUSINESS
FUTURE IS WORTH EXPLORING Take the Campus Tour
FILM & WRITING GAME MUSIC WEB
fullsail.edu
Campus Online Degree Programs 3300 &University Boulevard
Winter Park, FL 3300 University Boulevard • Winter Park, FL 800.226.7625
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PHOTO: COURTESY UCF
Hollywood-style sets, live venues, game, animation, and recording studios, acres of creative spaces – it’s all inside the Full Sail campus in Winter Park. If you’ve got a dream in entertainment and media that’s worth following, book your tour today.
Financial aid available for those who qualify • Career development assistance • Accredited University, ACCSC To view detailed information regarding tuition, student outcomes, and related statistics, please visit fullsail.edu/outcomes-and-statistics.
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A FEW MOMENTS WITH
john hitt
Hitt, one of Central Florida’s most high-profile community leaders, is warning that increasing enrollment and declining appropriations could stunt UCF’s progress and impact the quality of education. out about 25 or so doctorates a year, and now it’s over 250. We have over 200,000 alumni now, and I think I’ve conferred over 75 percent of those degrees. At the same time we’ve seen tremendous growth in our community and state colleges. Valencia was already a very large and well-developed community college when I got here. Seminole less so, but when Ann McGee came in [in 1996] she really started things moving. So that’s been a big change. You’d have to mention as well the tremendous growth of Full Sail [University]. They were a fairly small operation and right on the edge of bankruptcy when I arrived. They’ve done a remarkable job building that brand. You’ve got a large metropolitan area dominated by just a few institu54
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tions. There isn’t much duplication or competition at the top end. Most metropolitan areas this size would have more than one traditional university, and we don’t. Q. Is that why UCF is so big? Instead of having two or three competing universities, we’ve got one big one? A. Yes, especially with state universities. If you look at what it would cost if you just broke us in half and had two 30,000-student universities: You’d have two presidents’ offices, two registrars, two provosts, two libraries, two everything. We’ve been able to meet the demand pretty well, and we’ve developed a statewide reach. We’ve got a much more cooperative relationship in Central Florida’s higher-ed market than is true in a great majority of places in this country, and probably in the world. We built the DirectConnect to UCF program with Valencia, Seminole, Brevard, and Lake-Sumter [state colleges], and I expect we’ll add a couple more consortium partners in the next six
Q. With admission to UCF much harder than it used to be, will you be able to continue to guarantee open admission to graduates of your consortium partners? A. We’ve talked about that. The leaders of those institutions will tell you that the certainty of admission [to UCF] makes a big difference. And part of the goal here is to up the percentage of our local workforce who have a bachelor’s degree or higher. No one can guarantee that we’ll continue to be able to do that. If we see a change back to the growth patterns that the community colleges were experiencing just a year or two ago, we could be swamped. We’ve got a real problem right now because our state appropriation has been cut by $144 million — about 49 percent over the last six or seven years. We’ve made up some of that with tuition increases, and we’ve optimized everywhere we can. Average class size has gone up, up, up. Our student-faculty ratio is now higher than sustainable: 31.7 to 1. We can’t do it anymore. We’re being told not only do we not get the state appropriation, but we can’t raise tuition, either. We’re 45th, maybe 47th among the 50 states in terms of our tuition and fees. So we’re a low-tuition
Ph ot o: c ou rt esy UC F
months or so: We guarantee to take their A.A. and A.S. graduates, and they agree to work with us cooperatively on choosing areas where they’ll offer fouryear degrees. It’s not uncommon for there to be bitter disputes between the public universities and colleges in an area over who will offer what. We really haven’t had that here. Not to say it couldn’t develop. If there’s a change in the presidents’ offices at these places, who knows? But we hope we’ve institutionalized it well enough where it would survive a transition of leadership.
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The Hitts, who are known as friendly and accessible, enjoy participating in campus activities such as a recent Homecoming Parade. state, and we’re also now becoming a low-appropriation state. Long story short, we’re going to have to call a halt to the rapid growth, and that’ll take some creative management if we’re going to keep the door open for these [DirectConnect] transfer students. Q. It’s still surprises some people to hear that UCF is the second biggest university in the U.S. by enrollment, close behind No. 1 Arizona State University. A. Oh, no. We’re more than 10,000 behind Arizona State. They’re at 70 some thousand, and we’re at not quite 60,000. Q. Do you hope to eventually catch and pass them? A. No. We’ve never really had a fixation on just size. What we’ve tried to do is 56
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john hitt
meet a need and a demand. We’re big now. But because of our campus layout, and because we’ve really done a lot with distance or distributed learning, we’ve been able to handle that growth. If you look at our campus with its concentric circles, you’re not looking down some long, straight line. We often hear, “I just fell in love with the campus when I visited; it just doesn’t feel that big.” That’s part of how we’ve been able to manage it. And 28 percent of our credit hours are now done online, with distance learning. That’s grown about 2 percent a year. That’s let us continue to grow with what otherwise would be totally inadequate classroom space. Q. Is there a physical limit to the number of students? A. The clearest limitation is the capacity of the arterial road supply. Even if you stacked the parking decks to unmanageable heights, or paved over every green space, how many can you on and off the campus?
We’ve got branch campuses and we certainly can add more. We certainly can add more distance learning, but we’re already at 28 percent. What is the optimum percentage: 30? 35? 50? I don’t think we or anybody else really know where the optimum is. You’ve got these so-called MOOCs — Massive Open Online Courses — and so far the business model is, you give that away and somebody makes money testing to see what somebody has learned in your course. I’m not a business guy; I was trained as a neuro-scientist and physiological psychologist, so I may be missing something here. But I have yet to figure out how you make any money if you give it away. We’re doing a limited amount of it, just because we don’t think we can afford not to have some experience in it. Q. This is the 50th anniversary year for UCF. Does that mean it’s old or it’s young? A. We’re still young, but it is a milestone, like when my wife and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary [in December 2011]. But when you think of a university that has done everything this one has, then it’s only 50 years old. And remember, that’s 50 years from the 1963 charter. We didn’t start offering classes until 1968. If we’re like Disney, we’re going to have a number of celebrations. Q. Do you remember some of your first impressions when you were interviewing for the UCF job back in late 1991? A. I was coming from the University of Maine; the biggest enrollment they ever had was like 13,000. I stepped on this campus and looked around and said, “My gosh, the possibilities here are enormous.”
Ph ot o: c ou rt esy UC F
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A FEW MOMENTS WITH
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Then I started meeting some of the people, and there was a kind of energy and almost a palpable pragmatism. They weren’t caught up in a sense of limitation. It’s not, can we do this? It’s, how are we going to do this? After two or three visits, my wife, Martha, and I agreed that we wanted this job badly. If we hadn’t have gotten it, we would have just been devastated. I think there were 150, 160 candidates, and some of them were very good. I wasn’t at all sure I would be selected, but thank the Lord I was. It took me about one-thousandth of a second to say yes. Q. You’re in your 70s now. Any idea of how long you want to keep this up? A. Well, my contract runs another three years. We’ll see then. I guess if I could figure something else I’d rather do, I’d do it. I wouldn’t say every day is a great pleasure, but on balance it’s a great opportunity to make a difference. If the board wants me to stay through the end of the contract, I certainly will. At that point I’ll be 75 years old, and I don’t know many presidents who are 75 or older. But whether that’s the end or not, it’s clear I’m a whole lot closer to the end of my term than I am to the beginning.
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Q. Newcomers to Orlando may not realize that during your early years at UCF you were much larger man, over 300 pounds. A decade ago you dropped more than a third of your weight. How is your health now? A. I’ve put some of that weight back, but it’s good. Q. Are you still following the rigorous regimen that helped you lose so much weight? A. No, I got away from it, and that’s part of the reason I’ve put some weight back on. I had a heart attack in 2006, APRIL 2013
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after we had gotten the medical school done. If they hadn’t gotten to me pretty quickly, I wouldn’t be here today. It’s kind of a funny story. I was riding my bike over in the Research Park, and one of the first partnership deals we did when we got here was to put the fire station out on the edge of our campus. It’s a joint operation between Orange and Seminole counties. Guess where the EMTs came from who got me on the helicopter and over to Florida Hospital? I had enough blockage to where I wouldn’t have survived, but they got to me right away. A lot of people say, “Gee, you lost all that weight and you still had a heart attack,” and my answer has always been, “Yeah, and I lived through it.” Another thing, I was carrying a cell phone. I’ve gotten paranoid about that. Even when I walk the dog now I’ve got the cell phone with me. Q. Palm Pilots aren’t around anymore, but are you still using a handheld device to count calories? A. I’ve gone to Weight Watchers Mobile, which I like pretty well. I need something like that, because I really enjoy a good meal, or a bad meal. If I don’t have something that reminds me of portion size and what’s really most inappropriate for me, I put weight on. I’ve also got a problem with my right knee, which has been bothering me for the past year or so. I may have to get that replaced before I get back to doing much exercise. Q. Does your bum knee have anything to do with your having played football in college? A. It probably didn’t help any. I got blindsided on a punt and limped around for a while. It was small-college football, at Austin College, north of Dallas. I wasn’t a great player, but I’m glad I had the experience. ■ ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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Montessori at Roseborough Est. 1983
education as a preparation for life
Early Childhood Elementary Middle School This 3 1/2 year old is building the Pink Tower using her sense of vision. She determines which cube goes next, from largest to smallest. This activity assists the child in developing coordination of intentional movement and visual discrimination. The Pink Tower is found in the Sensorial Area which is one of the four main areas that can be found in a Montessori classroom.
Now Enrolling Children 3 Months - 15 Years 352-735-2324 AMI Accredited
751 East 5th Avenue, Mount Dora, Florida 32757
www.montessorinest.com
License# C05LA0124
Montessori at Roseborough does not discriminate on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin.
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HIGHER-EDUCATION directory Under gr ad uate de grees
SC HOOL Nam e
Adventist University of He S ciences Orlando 407-303-9798 / adu.edu
al t h
Gr ad uate de grees
*C ost
N otes
BA
MA
PCH: $340
Adjacent to Florida Hospital’s main Orlando campus, the college offers a wide range of nursing and medical tech degrees and certifications.
An a G. MÉndez University S yste m Orlando 407-207-3363 / suagm.edu
BS, BBA, BSN, BA
MBA, MPS, MS, MEd, MA, MPA
Undergraduate PCH: $334 Graduate PCH: $390
The 61-year-old private university, based in Puerto Rico, opened its Orlando campus in 2003; offers accelerated, dual-language undergraduate and graduate programs.
Barr y University S c hool of La w Orlando 321-206-5600 / barry.edu
N/A
JD
PY Part Time: $25,900 PY Full Time: $34,300
Opened in 1999 and fully accredited since 2006; recently opened a new Legal Advocacy Center on its 20-acre east Orlando campus.
Beacon C olle ge Leesburg 352-787-7660 / beaconcollege.edu
AA, BA
N/A
PY Full Time: $29,510
The first accredited U.S. college offering associate and bachelor degrees exclusively for students with learning disabilities.
Bel haven University Orlando 407-804-1424 / orlando.belhaven.edu
BA, AA, BBA, BS
MA, MBA, MEd, MS
Undergraduate PCH: $445 Graduate PCH: $560
A private Christian liberal arts university designed for busy professionals, with classes held one night per week.
Bet hune- C ook man University Daytona Beach 386-281-2950 / cookman.edu
BA, BS
MS
PY Full Time: $14,410
Founded in 1904 by civil-rights legend Mary McLeod Bethune, and one of just three historically black colleges in Florida, B-CU has been a full-fledged university since 2007.
C ol umbia C olle ge Orlando, FL 407-293-9911 / ccis.edu
AA, AS, BA, BS, AGS, BGS
MBA
Undergraduate PCH: $180 Undergraduate (online) PCH: $240 Graduate PCH-$320 Graduate (online) PCH: $325-$340
The Orlando campus, one of 34 nationwide, was established in 1975; the main campus in Missouri was founded in 1851.
Th e D AVE S c hool Orlando 407-224-3283 / daveschool.com
Certificate of Completion
N/A
PP: $33,500
The Digital Animation and Visual Effects school at Universal Studios Orlando offers training in computer graphics; one of only two educational institutions granted membership in the Visual Effects Society.
D eV r y University Orlando (two campuses) 407-345-2800 / 407-659-0900 / devry.edu
AA, BBA, BA
MBA, MPA, CERT
PCH: $609-$766
The 80-year-old university has 90-plus locations nationwide; offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees at its five colleges, including the Keller Graduate School of Management.
Embr y-R iddle Aeron autic al University Daytona Beach 386-226-6000 / erau.edu
BAS, BS, BBA, AS
PhD, MS, MAE MBA, MSE, MSA
Undergraduate PY: $30,720 Graduate PY: $15,960
The world’s oldest and largest university devoted to aviation and aerospace; boasts a fleet of 92 instructional aircraft and 41 flight simulators.
Everest University Orlando (2 campuses) 407-628-5870 / 407-851-2525 / everest.edu
BA, BS, AA
MBA
Varies by program
More than 100 campuses nationwide, including two in Orlando; offers degrees and certification programs in fields ranging from accounting and nursing to massage therapy.
Ever gl ades University Altamonte Springs 407-277-0311 / evergladesuniversity.edu
BS
MA, MBA
Undergraduate PP: $67,650 Graduate PP: $20,700
Offers bachelor’s degrees in such fields as construction management and alternative medicine, and graduate degrees in business administration and aviation science.
F lorid a A&M University C olle ge of La w Orlando 407-254-3286 / law.famu.edu
N/A
JD
PY Part Time: $10,029 PY Full Time: $14,132
Celebrating its 11th anniversary in Orlando; has 700 students at its four-story, downtown Orlando campus.
F lorid a Ch risti an C olle ge Kissimmee 888-847-8966 / fcc.edu
AA, BA, BS, BT
N/A
PCH: $475 PS: $5,700
Requires “a Bible emphasis” of all its students; degrees offered include a five-year Bachelor of Theology.
F lorid a Ch risti an University Orlando 407-896-0101 / fcuonline.com
AA, AS, ASBA, BA, BS, BSBA
MA, MSEd, MS, PhD, MSBA
Undergraduate PCH: $80 Graduate PCH: $100 Doctoral PCH: $120 Post-Doctoral PCH: $130
Founded in 1985 in Orlando as Florida Theological Seminary, FCU offers classroom and online degrees – from associate to post-doctoral levels.
F lorid a S o ut hern C olle ge Lakeland 863-680-4111 / flsouthern.edu
BA
MA
PY: Full-Time Undergraduate: $26,600
Founded in 1883, the school features several Frank Lloyd Wright buildings and was ranked as one of the Top 10 colleges in the South by U.S. News & World Report.
*PCH: Cost per credit hour, PS: Cost per semester, PY: Cost per year, PP: Cost per total program, PC: Cost per course. Note: Costs are for in-state residents. 60
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HIGHER-EDUCATION directory SCHOOL Name
Under grad uate degree s
G rad uate degree s
*Cost
Note s
For ti s College Winter Park 407-843-3984 / fortis.edu
AA
N/A
Varies by program
Part of a network of 42 schools in 15 states; the Winter Park campus offers certification training in health care and cosmetology.
Full Sai l Univer sity Winter Park 407-679-6333 / fullsail.edu
AS, BS
MS
PCH: $453-$850
Offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs for careers in film, music, gaming, animation and other forms of interactive entertainment.
Herzi ng U niver sity Winter Park 407-478-0500 / herzing.edu
AS, BS
MBA, MN
Varies by program
One of the first post-secondary institutions founded to prepare students for careers in the computer industry
Hind u Univer sity of A meri ca Orlando 407-275-0013 / hua.edu
N/A
MA, PhD
PCH: $300
Yoga, Sanskrit, Hindu philosophy and astrology are among the subjects taught at the only institution in North America offering master’s and doctoral programs related to the Vedic Hindu.
Inter nati ona l Ac ademy of D esig n a nd T echnology Orlando 407-278-7988 / iadt.edu/Orlando
AS, BS, BFA
N/A
PCH: $300-$400
Founded in 1977 in Chicago as an academy of merchandising and design, IADT now has 10 campuses nationwide and offers degrees in cutting-edge technologies.
ITT T echnica l Instit ute Orlando & Lake Mary 407-371-6000 / 407-660-2900 / itt-tech.edu
AA, BA
MBA (online)
Varies by program
Focusing on technology-oriented programs at its 140plus U.S. locations, including two in metro Orlando, ITT offers associate and bachelor’s degrees.
Keiser U niver sity Orlando 407-273-5800 keiseruniversity.edu/orlando.php
AA, BA, AS, BS
MBA, MA, MS, PhD
N/A
Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale; has 14 campuses in Florida, including Orlando; classes are small and are taken one at a time.
Le Cord on Bleu College of Culinar y A r t s Orlando 407-278-7653 / chefs.edu
AS, BA (online), CERT
N/A
PY Full Time: $19,200
The Orlando campus is one of 17 in the United States; focuses on culinary arts, hospitality and restaurant management.
Mountai n State U niver sity Altamonte Springs 407-774-6200 / mountainstate.edu
BS, RN-TOBSN,
MSN, MS
PCH: $320-$725
Formerly known as Beckley College, the West Virginia university now has branch campuses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Central Florida.
Nova S out hea ster n Univer sity Orlando 407-264-5601 / nova.edu
AA, BA, BSN, RN, BS
MA, MS, MBA, MEd
Average Undergraduate PCH: $575
The Fort Lauderdale-based school, founded in 1964, has grown into the nation’s eighth largest, not-for-profit independent university.
Pri nce of Pre stige Ac ademy Maitland 407-245-7355 / ppa-edu.us
CERT
N/A
PC: $295
The School of Digital Motion Picture Production offers online diploma programs in filmmaking, preparing students for entry-level positions in the motion picture industry.
R eformed Th eologi ca l Seminar y Oviedo 407-366-9493 / rts.edu/orlando
CERT
M.Div, MA, D.Min
PCH: $405-$435
The virtual campus started in Orlando in the 1990s and became the first online seminary offering accredited degrees.
Roll ins College Winter Park 407-646-2000 / rollins.edu
BA
MA
PS: $19,950 PCH: $411-$551
For five years running ranked No. 1 among Southern master’s level universities by U.S. News & World Report.
Roll ins College Cr ummer G rad uate S chool of Business Winter Park 407-646-2000 / rollins.edu/mba
N/A
MBA
PP varies between: $49,000-$66,000
Offers three different MBA degrees, one tailored for recent graduates, another for working professionals, and a third for mid- to senior-level executives. Ranked No. 1 by Forbes.
Roll ins College Hami lt on Holt School Winter Park 407-646-2405 rollins.edu/holt
BA
MEd, MA
Undergraduate PCH: $399-$411 Graduate PCH: $417-$551
Named for Rollins’ eighth president; offers evening classes for working adults pursuing bachelor’s or master’s degrees.
Sa nford-Br own Instit ute Orlando 407-393-1464 / sanfordbrown.edu/Orlando
AA
N/A
Varies by program
Offers short-term programs, many from 12 to 24 months, with coursework from medical assisting to paralegal studies to business administration.
*PCH: Cost per credit hour, PS: Cost per semester, PY: Cost per year, PP: Cost per total program, PC: Cost per course. Note: Costs are for in-state residents. ORLANDO-LIFE.COM
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HIGHER-EDUCATION directory SCHOOL Name
Under grad uate degree s
G rad uate degree s
*Cost
Note s
Seminole State C ollege Sanford 407-708-2050 / seminolestate.edu
AA, AS, BA, BS
N/A
PCH: $85-$119
Four campus locations; offers five bachelor’s degrees in addition to scores of associate degrees, certification programs and continuing adult education.
Stet son Univer sity DeLand 386-822-7100 / stetson.edu
BA, BS, BBA
MEd, MBA, MS, MA, MAcc, JD/MBA
Undergraduate PS: $19,146 Graduate PCH: $755$1,205
Founded in 1883; boasts Florida’s first School of Business Administration, first School of Music and the first college newspaper, now 125 years old.
Stra yer U niver sity Orlando & Maitland 407-926-2000 / 407-618-5900 / strayer.edu
AA, BS, BBA, CERT
MBA, MS, MPA, MEd, MHSA
Undergraduate PC: $1,700 Graduate PC: $2,325
Founded in 1892; has more than 90 campuses in the U.S.; offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certification programs, in subjects ranging from accounting to public administration.
T r oy U niver sity Orlando 407-219-5980 / orlando.troy.edu
BS, BAS, ASB
MS, MPA, MBA
Undergraduate PCH: $230 Graduate PCH: $315
Main campus in Troy, Ala.; the 126-year-old school has branch campuses in several Southeastern states, including seven in Florida.
Univer sity of Ce ntra l Flo rida Orlando 407-823-2000 / ucf.edu
AA, BA, CERT, BFA
MA, MFA, MSA, MBA, MS, MEd, MPA, PhD
Undergraduate PCH: $208 Graduate PCH:367
Opened in 1968 as Florida Technological University in the outskirts east of Orlando; now the second largest university in the U.S., offering more than 200 majors.
UCF Center f or Emergi ng Media Orlando 407-235-3616 / cem.ucf.edu
BFA, BA, BS
MFA, MA
Florida Resident PP: $33,000 Non-resident PP: $55,000
The downtown center houses a host of undergraduate and graduate programs in digital media, plus an art studio, a printing press and the University of Florida’s graduate architectural program.
UCF College of Medi cine Orlando 407-266-1000 / med.ucf.edu
BS
MS, PhD, MD
PY: $26,815
Opened in 2009, with its first class of medical students all receiving full four-year scholarships; a main anchor for Orlando’s burgeoning Medical City in Lake Nona.
UCF Ros en College of H ospita lity Ma nageme nt Orlando 407-903-8000 / hospitality.ucf.edu
BS
MS, PhD
PCH: $208
Offers bachelor’s and graduate degrees in hotel, event, restaurant and food-service management and a PhD in hospitality education.
Univer sity of Phoenix 3 Orlando-area campuses 866-766-0766 / phoenix.edu
AA, BS, RNto-BSN
MBA, MPA, MS, MEd, MHA, MIS
Undergraduate PCH: $440-$470 Graduate PCH: $565
More than 200 locations nationwide; now the largest private university in the U.S.
Va lencia C ollege Orlando 407-299-5000 / valenciacollege.edu
AA, BA, BS, AS
N/A
PCH: $99
Named in 2011 as the top community college in the U.S. by the prestigious Aspen Institute; guarantees its graduates admission to UCF.
Webster U niver sity Orlando 407-869-8111 / websterorlando.com
BA, BS
MA, MBA, MHA, MS, CERT
Undergraduate PCH: $405 Graduate PCH: $515
The St. Louis-based university has more than 100 campuses worldwide, including two in Orlando, with classes starting five times per year.
*PCH: Cost per credit hour, PS: Cost per semester, PY: Cost per year, PP: Cost per total program, PC: Cost per course. Note: Costs are for in-state residents.
DEGREE Key AA: Associate of Arts
AAS: Associate of Applied Science AGS: Associate of General Studies AS: Associate of Science ASB: Associate of Science in Business
BGS: Bachelor of General Studies BS: Bachelor of Science BSBA: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration BSE: Bachelor of Science in Engineering BSN: Bachelor of Science in Nursing BT: Bachelor of Theology
ASBA: Associate of Science in Business Administration
CERT: Certificate program
ASGE: Associate of Science in General Education
JD: Juris Doctor
BA: Bachelor of Arts BBA: Bachelor of Business Administration BFA: Bachelor of Fine Arts
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D.Min: Doctors of Ministry JD/MBA: Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration MA: Master of Arts
MAE: Master of Aerospace Engineering
MPA: Master of Public Administration
MBA: Master of Business Administration
MPS: Master of Professional Studies
MD: Doctor of Medicine
MS: Master of Science
M.Div: Master of Divinity
MSA: Master of Science in Aeronautics
MEd: Master of Education MFA: Master of Fine Arts
MSBA: Master of Science in Business Administration
MHA: Master of Health Administration
MSE: Master of Science in Engineering
MHSA: Master of Health Services Administration
MSEd: Master of Science in Education
MHSc: Master of Health Science
MSN: Master of Science in Nursing
MIS: Master of Information Systems
PhD: Doctor of Philosophy RN: Registered Nurse
MAcc: Master of Accountancy
APRIL 2013
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28th Annual
Presented by
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 from 5-8 p.m. Winter Park Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Market Featuring 40 local restaurants and caterers, unlimited food and beverage samples and live entertainment in downtown Winter Park. Tickets and Info at www.winterpark.org or 407-644-8281 PRIMARY
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RESTLESS NATIVE
mike thomas
I
’m sure not going to work for Marissa Mayer. She’s the
new CEO and president of Yahoo who recently told the company’s employees that they are no longer allowed to work at home. Forcing people to go to the office in the 21st century? What’s next at Yahoo — bringing back typewriters? Ash trays? Secretaries named “Hon”? Ten percent of employed people now work from home. Ten years from now, all those Orlando office towers are going to be empty shells, just like all the abandoned box stores, stadiums and schools. They’re all anachronisms in the digital age. I started doing the home gig last year after three previous office gigs and have never been a better worker, spouse, parent and pet owner. When you have Wi-Fi, who needs humans? Take this column, for example. I’ve never seen it edited. I’ve never met the publisher of the magazine. Don’t know where the office is. I just get a note once a month telling me I’m a week past deadline. I shoot it over a week later in an email. And they shoot over a check that I convert to digits, send to my bank and then order something on Amazon. Employer and employee don’t even know if we like each other. And isn’t that better in the long run? If there was some compelling need to see each other, well, that’s why they invented Skype. But this was in the corporate memo Yahoo sent out to its employees: “To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side.’’ The more people you work side-by-side with, the greater the odds you’ll end up in Human Resources for offending one of them. I bet Marissa has an office the size of Wekiwa Springs and hasn’t worked side-by-side with anyone since she left Stanford University. And speaking of Stanford, researchers at that institution actually studied working from home, which now goes by the acronym WFH. As opposed to WFO (Work from Office). What Stanford discovered was that call center employees for a Chinese travel company who were allowed to work from home worked 9 percent more minutes per shift and handled 4
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percent more calls than their WFO counterparts. “Home workers also reported substantially higher work satisfaction and psychological attitude scores, and their job attrition rates fell by over 50 percent,’’ says the study. But this is what the Yahoo memo said: “Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home.” Seriously? How can you do better than the quality of this column? And I wrote it in 13 minutes. In the old newsroom, it would have taken me two days. When you WFO, you smell leftover fish in the microwave. You get the flu. You get hit up for Girl Scout cookies. At the office when you get really tired, you sit there for hours trying not to fade into unconsciousness, snapping your head back every time you catch yourself doing it. So you become a bob-a-tron, denying a basic human instinct that refuses to be suppressed. Like the gay gene. Can you imagine saying that in an office environment? Here at home, when I get tired, I just walk into the next room, sprawl out in the La-Z-Boy and fall into a blissful 15minute nap. I wake up fully refreshed and have a completely productive afternoon until about 4 p.m., when I take the Labrador for a walk. She’s so cute with the tennis ball in her mouth and her little blond bob. I call her “Hon.’’ My WFH day begins at 6 a.m. and ends at about 10 p.m. I get in nine or 10 good hours, and it feels like five or six hours. I see my kids in the morning. I see them after school. Man, do they hate WFH. Compare this with getting up, showering, shaving, dousing my head with Consort Extra-Hold Hair Spray, putting on seven or eight articles of clothing, throwing two packages of Pop Tarts at my latchkey kids, getting in the Subaru, turning on the NPR fundraiser, emitting carbon for 45 minutes in an I-4 traffic jam and getting to the office just in time for the last Maxwell House dregs in the coffeepot. It’s not that I don’t like being around people. Just not that much. n Native Floridian and longtime Orlando columnist Mike Thomas is a freelance writer. You can reach him at miket@orlando-life.com.
Photo: RAFAEL TONGOl
Working From My Home Is a Win-Win: They Don’t See Me, I Don’t See Them
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BREITLING 7 FOR ALL MANKIND
OPENING
SPRING 2013 A LL NEW: LOFT M AY O R S J E W E L E R S BOSS STORE MICHAEL KORS CACHE NEIMAN MARCUS BLOOMINGDALE’S MACY’S CHANEL GUCCI LOUIS VUITTON EMPORIO ARMANI SALVATORE FERRAGAMO CARTIER APPLE DAVID YURMAN ROLEX BURBERRY TORY BURCH THE ART OF SHAVING H&M* BANANA REPUBLIC VICTORIA’S SECRET BROOKS BROTHERS HENRI BENDEL SEPHORA* FINISH LINE SWAROVSKI TAG HEUER POTTERY BARN TEAVANA FOREVER 21 LULULEMON ATHLETICA MAC AIX ARMANI EXCHANGE ABERCROMBIE & FITCH TOMMY BAHAMA SONY PINK TUMI THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY BLUE MARTINI BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO
*COMING SOON
MAM-3172-A01F AD1 8.25x10.875 ORLANDO MAGAZINE & HOME & LEISURE APRIL.indd 1 12OL_Apr13_Restless Native.indd 66
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