Orlando Life March 2014

SPRING FASHION: LIGHTEN UP! ■ MIKE THOMAS: WILL THE WOLVES DEVOUR VAL?

THE BEST OF CENTRAL FL ORID A

$3.95

Ma rch 2014

14OL_Mar14_Cover.indd 5

Simply the Best THE REGION’S COOLEST NEW PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS

Commisioner Patty Sheehan: Best New ’Do

HISTORY LESSONS WITH KEN BURNS 2/14/14 2:57:04 PM

cancer care

STROKE 60+years STROKE 60+ EMERGENCY cancer care

cancer care

Full Service

EMERGENCY Full

yea

Serv

Trauma

STROKE for Patient Care and Safety* CARE cancer care

Full Service

EMERGENCY STROKE Full Service Cardiac Care

60+ yea

PrimaryC

60+ y

Trauma

STROKE

On campus 60+ years

Cardiac Care

60+YEARS

EMERGENCY

STROKE

Among the Nation’s 60+ years PrimaryCare Top Hospitals

On campus

Cardiac Care

60+years

Cardiac Care cancer care cancer care cancer ca STROKE On campus Cardiac Care On cam

Full Serv

Trusted by the West Orange community for over 60 years, Health Central Hospital provides full-service, on campus healthcare including: Acute Care Facility

On Campus Emergency Department backed by the Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) Trauma Center Lifesaving Cardiac Care and STEMI Program (Among Florida’s fastest programs in treating heart attack with blocked coronary artery)

Intensivist Program featuring Robodoc Joint Commission Accredited Stroke Receiving Center supported by ORMC’s Comprehensive Stroke Program

State-of-the-Art Cancer Care Primary Care – Over 48 Specialties on campus * Top 10th percentile in the nation: 100% Core Measures / Patient Safety (www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare)

Continuing to care for the Health of the Community: on campus and close to home.

10000 West Colonial Drive, Ocoee FL 34761 | 407.296.1000

1OL_Mar14_TOC.indd 14

2/14/14 4:56:30 PM

years

Service

ncer care

campus + years

maryCare

60+ years CGC027598

PHOTO Š EVERETT & SOULE

Full Service

Outdoor Living Addition

Victor Farina is pictured with his father Mario on the cover of Remodeling Magazine, honoring the nation’s 50 most distinguished remodeling companies. Farina & Sons is family owned with a tradition of award winning renovations, additions and custom homes since 1950. Regardless of size, each project receives Farina’s trademark attention to detail and teamwork approach.

('*(:$7(5 '5 ‡ 25/$1'2 )/ 3+21( ‡ )$5,1$$1'6216 &20

1OL_Mar14_TOC.indd 1

2/14/14 10:43:05 AM

CONTENTS

march

Volum e 15

Issue 3

DEPARTMENTS 8 JAY BOYAR’S LIMELIGHT

Jay takes an early look at long-term Enzian plans as its Florida Film Festival draws near; plein air artists gather in Winter Park; Paul Simon teams up with Sting at the Amway; Evita and her swan song alight at the Bob Carr; and Downtown Disney preps for St. Paddy.

16 CONVERSATION

America’s best-known documentary filmmaker, set to lecture for the Winter Park Institute in April, expounds on one of his favorite subjects, America’s national parks. by Harry Wessel

52 FLAVOR

It’s attention to the little details, and the dedication of its young chef-owner, that makes Kabooki Sushi a hit. by Rona Gindin • photographs by Rafael Tongol

60 PEOPLE & PLACES

Paula is out and about at birthday parties for the Orlando Ballet and the Orlando Museum of Art, plus a housewarming for the Philharmonic and an event celebrating some courageous children. by Paula Wyatt

64 RESTLESS NATIVE

32

FEATURES 26 SPRING FASHION Spring fashion is on display in dazzling pastels and patterns. by Marianne Ilunga • photographs by Rafael Tongol

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 47 BEST REALTORS

As the economy picks up, more people are hopping off the fence and buying or selling homes. But who can you trust to to navigate you through the residential real-estate market?

34 SIMPLY THE BEST

It’s the Year of the Newbie in Orlando. Change is in the air, and our annual compendium of the region’s top people and places reflects it. by Michael McLeod and staff • photographs by Rafael Tongol 2

ORLANDO LIFE

1OL_Mar14_TOC.indd 2

ABOUT THE COVER: City Commissioner Patty Sheehan has the best new ’do in town, courtesy of stylist Robert Brings.

Photos: (top right and left and bottom LEFT) rafael tongol; (bottom right) courtesy winter park institute

Mike welcomes Val Demings to the realities of Central Florida politics. by Mike Thomas

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 3:38:45 PM

1OL_Mar14_TOC.indd 3

2/14/14 10:43:34 AM

FIRST

from the editor

Little Big Town F

LEARNING TO APPRECIATE COVERING A SPECIAL NICHE THAT MOST NEVER SEE.

or most of my career as a journalist, I moved methodically and unquestioningly from smaller publications to bigger ones. I wanted to interview national celebrities, earn more money, reach more readers, write about major issues and events. That was what I wanted and that was what I got. And I’m grateful.

But I feel even better about letting it all go.

Orlando is a big place on the way to getting bigger. But as editor of a lifestyle magazine, I cover what is essentially a town within a town: the concentric circle of people and events involved in arts, entertainment, philanthropy and hospitality. I get to know the people and see a side of Orlando that goes largely unseen, not only by the tourists who come and go, but by most of the people who live here.

Oddly enough, it reminds me of my first job in journalism, as a small-town police reporter.

Lately I’ve been seeing a woman who moved here from Washington, D.C., where she was a teacher at a Montessori school with an elite clientele. Now and then she’d see parents twice during the day — in the morning, when they were dropping off their children, and then in the evening, when they were being interviewed on CNN. Our experiences parallel. We are happy we had a glimpse of the larger stage but have decided we like the small one better.

Last month, for example, she and I traipsed all over town attending a three-day series of concerts called Ralph Fest, commemorating Ralph Ameduri, a local musician who was slain in 2011 in a senseless, botched robbery attempt outside a Winter Haven lounge.

It’s an annual celebration tinged with sadness but not overwhelmed by it. Though my date and I were both newcomers, by the end of the weekend we didn’t feel that way at all. We’d been embraced by a talented, grieving community.

We had heard great music, close up, in venues large and small. And the heart that went into the music came out in a different way in the one-on-one encounters we had between sets. We heard story after story from family members and musicians alike about Ameduri’s creativity, his rattletrap car, his adeptness at collaboration, his reputation as a bassist, his gift for candid critiques.

Not that you could put a price on what we experienced, but imagine what you’d pay to see a big-venue concert, then compare it to what our weekend cost us: $10 apiece at the door the first night; $15 the second. The after-party at The Lucky Lure was open to everyone, and free.

Somewhere in the midst of it, my date told me a story or two of her own about the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the various scenic venues at the Wolf Trap National Park. We agreed that they have their place, and that we much preferred being right where we were.

Take Note What’s SOCIAL

Follow us on twitter: @Orlando-LifeMag and Facebook at: facebook.com/orlandolifemagazine. We’re on Google+ and 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 Head for Jai Gallery in downtown Orlando to check out the abstract expressionist paintings of Harold Garde, a 91-year-old artist who still paints daily, dividing his time between his two homes in rural Maine and on Florida’s east coast.

What’s ON DECK In our May issue we’ll feature our top doctors listing, a young man’s healing journey, and a travel story about a nearby treasure you won’t want to miss.

L

Michael McLeod Editor in Chief mmcleod@orlando-life.com 4

ORLANDO LIFE

1OL_Mar14_TOC.indd 4

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 2:13:01 PM

Ulbarri Feb1

Build this Tuscan 4,600 sq. ft. custom home in a desirable neighborhood near you.

Lots available in Lake Forest, Magnolia Plantation and Heathrow’s The Reserve.

Call JORGE

1OL_Mar14_TOC.indd 5 Ulbarri Feb14.indd 1

ULIBARRI CUSTOM HOMES today for lot prices.

407-733-5500 www.imyourbuilder.com

2/14/14 AM 1/16/14 10:43:53 4:56:29 PM

Michael M CLE OD Editor in Chief

HA RRY WESSEL

Managing Editor

LA URA BL UHM

Art Director, Social Media Director, Style Editorial Director

JAY BOYA R Arts Editor

RONA GINDIN Dining Editor

Ma ria nNe Il unga, Ka ren L eBla nc mike th oma s Contributors

raf ael t ongol

Senior Photographer

L eah Ki rche r, A lexi s Merritt , Ja rred Pal uzzi Editorial & Photography Interns Editorial: mmcleod@orlando-life.com

Lorn a O sborn

Senior Associate Publisher Director of Marketing & Public Relations

KATH Y BYRD

Louis Comfort Tiffany’s

LAURELTON HALL

Associate Publisher Advertising: LOSBORN@orlando-life.com KATHYB@orlando-life.com

ORLANDO LIFE

2700 Westhall L ane, Suite 128 Maitland, FL 32751 Phone: 407-647-0225 F ax: 407-647-0145 Subscription questions: 941-487-1136 or (800) 881-2394 ext. 1136 or visit our Web site: orlando-life.com

FLORIDA HOME MEDIA, LLC

Da niel De nt on President

Ra ndy Nole s

Group Publisher

Cell Phone Audio Tour Now Available The Morse Museum’s exhibition on Tiffany’s grand Long Island estate includes the restored Daffodil Terrace and 200 surviving art and architectural objects from important rooms.

PA Mela FLA NAGA N

Vice President and General Manager

www.morsemuseum.org follow us on

445 north park avenue winter park, florida 32789 (407) 645-5311

6

ORLANDO LIFE

1OL_Mar14_TOC.indd 6

C opyright 2014 by F lorida Home Media, LLC . All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part prohibited without written permission of the copyright holder. ORLA NDO LIFE ISSN: 2326-2478 (USPS 000-140) (Vol. 15/Issue No. 3) is published six times a year by F lorida Home Media LLC, 2700 Westhall L ane, Ste 128, Maitland, FL 32751. Periodicals Postage Paid at Maitland, FL and at additional mailing offices. POST MASTE R: Send address changes to Orlando L ife Magazine, 330 S. Pineapple Ave., Suite 205, Sarasota, FL 34236.

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 10:44:02 AM

1OL_Mar14_TOC.indd 7

2/14/14 10:44:08 AM

A JACKET THAT GETS 38% OF ITS FIBER FROM RECYCLED WATER BOTTLES. A SILK TUNIC DYED WITHOUT HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS. CHANGING THE FASHION INDUSTRY—ONE GARMENT AT A TIME. #THISISECO

THIS IS ECO

LIMELIGHT

jay boyar

Coming Attractions ENZIAN’S PUSHING FOR TWO NEW SCREENS.

Enzian’s comfy interior delights film fans. The only problem is, the not-for-profit theater needs more space and more screens.

8

ORLANDO LIFE

2OL_Mar14_Agenda.indd 8

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 10:49:32 AM

A

t this year’s Florida Film Festival, the hottest topic may

not be the films themselves. Naturally, those films — as well as the usual fancy parties and celebrity programs — will be on the minds of festivalgoers at Enzian’s 10day movie orgy, which begins April 4.

But I’m guessing that a lot of the people standing in lines for those films, parties and programs will be talking about the Maitland movie house’s expansion plans.

Enzian has always been different from other movie theaters in that it’s a not-for-profit enclave and presents alternative cinema (including independent American movies, foreign films and classics). But there’s another difference between Enzian and most other theaters: It has only one screen.

That’s always been a bit of a problem — and one that has become more pronounced as Enzian’s patronage has increased.

“All of a sudden we find ourselves just bursting at the seams,” says Enzian’s president, Henry Maldonado, who cites increasingly popular film programs as a reason. “To do the things we’re already doing — and do them right — we need another screen.”

The estimated $6 million plan calls for Enzian to add not just one but two screens, as well as a second lobby and additional parking.

Enzian’s current auditorium seats 220; the new, smaller ones would seat something like 80 and 50.

I wouldn’t call those big numbers. The expansion could, however, make an enormous difference to the theater, its loyal audience and just about anyone hereabouts who loves movies.

Right now, because of Enzian’s unusual single-screen status, an especially popular film might be booked for a much longer than average run, limiting the theater’s ability to offer new fare.

“We’re really happy that a film’s doing well, but we hate to have our only screen stuck with one single film for such a long period of time,” explains Elizabeth Tiedtke, Enzian’s executive VP, who is organizing the expansion project.

Additional screens in two auditoriums — even small ones — would provide much more flexibility, not only in terms of regular bookings but also for the many specialty programs and mini-festivals that the theater currently tries to squeeze into its jam-packed schedule, often at odd times of day.

“I don’t think people realize how amazing the possibilities are,” says programming director Matthew Curtis. “Every single week I’m turning down special programming because we don’t have the screen availability to do it.”

Adds Maldonado, “It is a big deal. It would give us the ability to give everybody what they’re telling us they’re really enjoying, and to do it during times that are best suitable for their needs.”

Maldonado notes that the expansion could be completed by sometime in 2015 — Enzian’s 30th anniversary year. And while the project is not quite a sure thing, he estimates that he’s 90 to 95 percent sure it will happen.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

2OL_Mar14_Agenda.indd 9

Besides, on a recent daytime visit to the theater I happened upon a group of people, including Tiedtke, sitting around tables and working on expansion plans.

That has to be a good sign. And it’s certainly something to talk about at the 23rd Festival. n 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 Reel Romance: The Lovers’ Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies.

Florida Film Festival Celebrates Cinema Now heading into its 23rd year, the Florida Film Festival is Central Florida’s most prestigious celebration of cinema — and among the most admired in the country. The 10-day event attracts an audience of more than 20,000, including both confirmed movie-centrics and casual filmgoers.

In other words, it’s not just for film snobs.

Produced by Enzian in Maitland, this year’s festival will open April 4 and will present 50 to 60 feature-length movies and about 100 shorts.

Films will be shown at both Enzian and the nearby Regal Winter Park Village multiplex. As usual, gala parties and celebrity guests should be part of the fun.

Independently produced American films “dominate about half of our programming,” says programming director Matthew Curtis.

And yet the selection is typically diverse.

This year’s program will include films that are music-themed and food-themed, as well as documentaries and “no holds barred” midnight movies. Foreign, family-friendly, Floridabased and retro films (i.e., vintage cinema) will also be presented. There are always animated films at this festival, but this year, says Curtis, may see a greater emphasis on them.

Visit floridafilmfestival.com for further information.

ORLANDO LIFE

9

2/14/14 10:49:41 AM

LIMELIGHT

plan on it

Orlando Ballet Uncorked!

March 4 The Abbey

Get an intimate, behind-the-scenes tutorial about how choreographers work as Orlando Ballet’s artistic director, Robert Hill, and his dancers work out steps, then discuss their work in a candid Q&A session.

abbeyorlando.com

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

March 5-May 18

The 21st annual celebration of plants, flowers and topiary comes to the World Showcase Lagoon. A bevy of HFTV and DIY celebrities will be making appearances.

allears.net/pl/events.htm

Date Night at Leu Gardens

March 7

Bring a blanket, a picnic basket and your significant other to an outdoor showing of To Have and Have Not, starring classic Hollywood’s classy couple, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Becall.

leugardens.org

The Broadway Tenors

March 22 Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre

Three of Broadway’s top male singers, Brent Barrett, Matt Cavenaugh and Norm Lewis, join forces with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra to belt out songs from classic musicals such as West Side Story, South Pacific and Phantom of the Opera.

orlandophil.org

2014 Stars On Ice Tour

April 6 Amway Center

The Winter Olympics skating competition may be history, but its stars still need to make a living. For fans who couldn’t make it to Sochi, it’s a short drive to the Amway to see world-class talent.

amwaycenter.com

Darius Rucker’s True Believers Tour

April 24 UCF’s CFE Arena

The former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman not only made the difficult transition from rock to country music, he’s now an official member of the Grand Ole Opry. Also on the bill: the Eli Young Band and singer/songwriter Corey Smith.

cfearena.com 10

ORLANDO LIFE

2OL_Mar14_Agenda.indd 10

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 10:49:52 AM

2OL_Mar14_Agenda.indd 11

2/14/14 11:53:36 AM

LIMELIGHT

music

Long-Time Friends, Song-Time Partners: Simon, Sting at Amway Awards between them, are fellow members of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and once even lived in the same Manhattan apartment building.

Longtime buddies Paul Simon and Gordon Sumner, better known as Sting, will be together again March 16 at the Amway Center, the last scheduled stop on their two-month North American On Stage Together tour.

Each will bring his own band and perform both separately and as a duo during the Orlando concert. Early reports are that the songs they’ll perform together include such classics as Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “America,” and Sting’s “Fields of Gold” and “Fragile.”

It’s their first tour together but not the first time they’ve shared a stage. They played acoustic versions of “Fields of Gold” and Simon’s “The Boxer” at a New York charity concert last year. Afterward, Si-

12

ORLANDO LIFE

2OL_Mar14_Agenda.indd 12

mon told the New York Times, “We both looked at each other and said: ‘Wow. That’s pretty interesting.’”

Visit amwaycenter.com for more information.

— Harry Wessel

PHOTO: Theo Wargo WireImage

Like most friends, they have a lot in common. They’ve won 28 Grammy

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 10:56:13 AM

LIMELIGHT

art

At Polasek, a Painterly Tribute to Winter Park PHOTO courtesy Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture gardens

It isn’t every day you get the chance to watch professional landscape artists at work. But during

the last week of April you’ll have a host of such chances at the Sixth Annual Winter Park Paint Out. Later on, if you like, you can buy what you see.

Hosted by the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Paint Out will feature 25 “plein air” artists — open-air painters — capturing vistas from various scenic Winter Park locations, including the museum’s own grounds.

The finished paintings will literally be hung out to dry in the museum’s gallery for immediate display and purchase.

Although the event is a fundraiser, entry to the museum, gallery and sculpture gardens will be free during Paint Out week, which begins April 20.

Special events will include daily artist demonstrations at the museum, a sunset “Paint-In” at a nearby lake on April 23, and a closing Paint Out Garden Party on the event’s last evening, April 26.

Visit winterparkpaintout.org for more information.

— Harry Wessel

Lapis Lillies by Hiu Lai Chong

MaryStuart Day and

Megan Cross

MARYSTUART

Ranked Top 100 Realtors in Central Florida - 2008- 2013

407.620.8683

marystuart@fanniehillman.com

MEGAN

407.353.9997

megan@fanniehillman.com

Double the Knowledge.

Double the Detail.

Double the Service.

When you’re looking for the VERY BEST in real estate service and expertise, call Megan and MaryStuart.

www.fanniehillman.com

#1 Real Estate Partnership at Fannie Hillman 2013

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM Fannie Hillman WP OL .5H .indd 1

2OL_Mar14_Agenda.indd 13

ORLANDO LIFE

13

2/14/14 10:48:02 AM

2/14/14 10:53:49 AM

LIMELIGHT

theater

Eva Perón packed plenty of life into her 33 years. Growing up poor and

illegitimate in rural Argentina, she left her family at age 15 for Buenos Aires and the dream of becoming an actress.

By her early 20s she was a nationally known performer. By her late 20s she was Argentina’s first lady. And by the time she died of cancer in 1952 she had become the most powerful woman in South America, popularly known by her oneword nickname: Evita.

Not surprisingly, this irresistibly epic story made its way to the stage. Evita, a rock opera by lyricist Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, debuted in London in 1978 and shortly thereafter began an eight-year Broadway run.

It was adapted as a film starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas in 1986 and was successfully revived on Broadway in 2012.

A national touring production of Evita, directed by Michael Grandage and choreographed by Rob Ashford, comes to the Bob Carr on March 25 for a six-day run, with six evening and two matinee performances.

Over the years the show has inspired countless debates over whether Perón is fairly portrayed. But “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina,” a perennial showstopper, has been uniformly enshrined as one of the greatest songs ever written for the theater.

It falls to Caroline Bowman, seen most recently in the Broadway production of Kinky Boots, to deliver that iconic swan song of the madre de todos los niños in this, the first U.S. touring production of Evita in 10 years.

Visit orlando.broadway.com for more information.

— Harry Wessel

PHOTO: RICHARD TERMINE

Evita’s Enduring Swan Song at Carr

MARCH Photo Michael Cairns

For Tickets Call 407-426-1739

14TH - 16TH

Sponsored in part by

Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre | OrlandoBallet.org 14

ORLANDO LIFE

2OL_Mar14_Agenda.indd 14

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 10:56:23 AM

LIMELIGHT

events

The Sound of (Irish) Music

PHOTO: RAFAEL TONGOL

Painting the town green sounds too much like

work. We’re inclined to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with food, drink and song.

If it’s an early start you’re wantin’, Downtown Disney might do. From March 7-17, a variety of bands ranging from old-school Irish to classic rockers will perform at various venues.

That includes Elevation, a U2 tribute band (March 15 and 17), and the Willis Clan, which has a rather strange distinction: The group won a national competition as America’s closest approximation to the Von Trapp family in The Sound of Music.

You’ll run across special stages in various locations, but the Irish epicenter will be, as always, the Raglan Road pub. You’ll not only get to enjoy top-flight professional Irish dancers, you’ll also have the satisfaction of imbibing in a pub that sells more Guinness annually than any other watering hole in the U.S. Visit raglandroad.com for more information.

— Alexis Merritt ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

2OL_Mar14_Agenda.indd 15

COLOR US GREEN Read Orlando Life anywhere, anytime on your iPad, Mac or PC, with nothing left to recycle.

issuu.com/orlandolife ORLANDO LIFE

15

2/14/14 10:56:33 AM

CONVERSATION

16

ORLANDO LIFE

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 16

ken burns

MArCH 2014

2/14/14 2:07:56 PM

America Untamed FILMMAKER: PARKS ARE A PRICELESS LEGACY.

by Harry Wessel

Ken Burns and his Florentine Films crew spent more than six years filming and editing The National Parks, which first aired in 2009. Among what Burns calls “the most spectacular, most beautiful places on Earth” is Yosemite National Park, here photographed by one of the documentarian’s longtime collaborators, Paul Barnes. Burns will discuss the National Park System at an April 7 appearance at Rollins College.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 17

ORLANDO LIFE

17

2/14/14 2:08:50 PM

CONVERSATION

A

ken burns

merica’s best-known maker of documentaries shows no signs

of slowing down. Since his Emmy Award-winning Brooklyn Bridge aired in 1981, Ken Burns has turned out more than two dozen historically themed works for PBS, including The Civil War in 1990, Baseball in 1994, Jazz in 2001, Prohibition in 2011 and The Central Park 5 in 2013.

Burns, who pretty much redefined the documentary genre, isn’t slowing down, with numerous additional projects at various stages of planning and production. In the meantime, the ever-enthusiastic Walpole, N.H., resident enjoys public speaking, particularly when it comes to one of his many passions, the National Park System.

He’ll focus on that subject when he appears at the Alfond Sports Center on the Rollins College campus April 7 as part of the Winter

18

ORLANDO LIFE

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 18

Park Institute’s series of free public lectures.

Burns, whose resumé includes two Academy Award nominations and a dozen Emmys, turns 61 this summer. He spoke by phone with Orlando Life from his home office on what was, for him at least, a bone-chilling January morning.

Q: You’ve done so many documentaries, including several since The National Parks aired in 2009. Why are you focusing on that one at Rollins?

A: It had a rather provocative subtitle, America’s Best Idea. I want to develop that and why I think it’s so. It’s really this incredibly American idea, that for the first time in human history, land could be set aside for everybody and for all time. Yet we kind of take it for granted.

Q: The series required a lot of filming in extreme conditions.

MArCH 2014

2/14/14 2:09:00 PM

PHOTOS: (OPPOSITE PAGE and TOP) Craig Mellish; (Bottom) QT Luong/terragalleria.com

How did you prepare for that?

A: Our entire crew braved those extremes. More often than not we had the luxury of a warm bed at night. Sometimes we had to sleep out in the cold or the extreme heat, but we’re in good shape; we’re filmmakers. We’re used to picking up the camera and running this way or that way.

It’s hard to get to the Gates of the Arctic [National Park] and other Alaska parks. You have to fly in many places, and most Americans don’t have the time or the resources to be able to do that. Our underwriters gave us the luxury to be able to go in there. But what was great is that we didn’t get special treatment.

Q: The Great Smoky Mountains, a day’s drive from Orlando, has an overnight lodge accessible only by strenuous hiking trails. I brought my kids up there when they were young, and they loved it as much as I did. Have you been there?

A: I haven’t. But your key comment was, “I brought my kids there.”

We’re talking about the most spectacular, most beautiful places on Earth. And yet our descriptions of them are always accompanied by who we saw them with.

I remember a trip when I was 6 years old, in 1959, when my dad took me to Shenandoah National Park. I can remember what it felt like to have my little hand in his, and him pointing out things.

That’s one of the joys of this amazing legacy of the national parks. So you ask the question, what would happen if they weren’t there? And you realize that Yosemite and Zion would be gated communities, ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 19

Facing page: Burns is flanked by chief cinematographer Buddy Squires and The National Parks writer/co-producer Dayton Duncan in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. Above: A stunning vista from Washington’s Olympic National Park. Below: Squires films in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park. If not for their designation as national parks, Burns says, such places might have become gated communities or for-profit tourist attractions.

ORLANDO LIFE

19

2/14/14 2:09:08 PM

EN rk!

OP Pa W ter NOWin in

Your Winter Park Health Assessment...is the ultimate health

experience - a comprehensive evaluation that addresses everything from clinical care XS ½ XRIWW RIIHW EPP MR SRI WIEQPIWW HE] comprehensive, convenient and personalized.

YSYV LIEPXL =SYV [E] -R 32) (%= 23; 3**)6-2+ +)231-' 8)78-2+ SRI VITSVX — E PMJIXMQI SJ EGXMSREFPI MRJSVQEXMSR ;SQIR´W ,IEPXL %WWIWWQIRXW 'SQTPIXI WEQI HE] VIWYPXW VIZMI[ ERH PMJI MQTVSZIQIRX TPER )\XIRWMZI SRI SR SRI XMQI [MXL ]SYV TL]WMGMER 'SQTVILIRWMZI LMWXSV] TL]WMGEP I\EQ 4VIZIRXMZI GEVHMSPSK] SRGSPSK] FLH1491

*MXRIWW EWWIWWQIRX RYXVMXMSREP EWWIWWQIRX 3R WMXI PEF XIWXW MQEKMRK 1IR´W ,IEPXL %WWIWWQIRXW EPWS EZEMPEFPI

407-303-4461

Located inside Florida Hospital for Women Winter Park 100 North Edinburgh Drive | Winter Park, FL 32792

*MRH YW SR *EGIFSSO SV ZMWMX WinterParkHealthAssessment.com

FLH-1491-WPHA-OrlandoLifeMagazine_Half_Vert_Mar2014.indd 1

2/11/14 9:28 AM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY and receive your copy of Orlando Life by mail.

It’s quick and easy.

Just visit our website and click on the cover.

orlando-life.com 20

ORLANDO LIFE

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 20

CONVERSATION

ken burns

that Yellowstone would be a down-on-itsluck tourist attraction called Geyser World, that the Everglades — which has one of the most diverse habitats anywhere in the world — would have long ago been drained.

If we hadn’t had this good idea, who would we be? And what would we be like?

Q: Maybe we’d be like Central Florida, with lots of theme parks. Have you been to any of them?

A: Of course I have. I’ve taken my kids there and I love them, just like I’ve taken them to the Everglades. There’s room for everything.

If you look at a map of the United States that shows where the national parks are, it ain’t that much. There’s room for golf courses; there’s room for theme parks.

But we also have to make room for places where, on a snowy winter January day in Yellowstone [National Park], you can round a corner and see something that you could have seen 10,000 years ago: a herd of buffalo — which would be extinct if Yellowstone hadn’t been invented — asleep with snow on their backs by the Yellowstone River.

Q: Speaking of snowy winter mornings, your Rollins audience is going to wonder why a guy who could live anywhere chooses to live in rural New Hampshire.

A: If you could look out the windows I’m looking out right now, you would see such extraordinary beauty. I like to have four seasons. We like to say here that the seasons, particularly the winter, weed out the nonserious. I enjoy the challenge.

Q: With all the cold weather up there, you have lots of time for reading and watching movies. Do you stick with nonfiction and documentaries?

A: I’d say my books are two-thirds, threequarters non-fiction, and the rest are eclectic novels people hand me. My movie tastes are just like everybody else’s. I watch everything from foreign to action to art house to you name it.

The best film I’ve seen in the past year, by far, is Twelve Years a Slave. It’s epic in the way Gone With the Wind is epic, only this time it’s telling you a much truer story of what was MArCH 2014

2/14/14 2:09:27 PM

W

Th e c B

F

E A W

©

NEW PER SONALIZED TRE ATMENTS. LUXURIOUS AND SOPHISTICATED SERVICE.

WALDORF ASTORIA SPA EXCLUSIVE

Lavender Body Scrub 50-Minutes for $99

The ultimate expression of luxury is realized at the Waldorf Astoria® Spa. Experience soothing environments, a holistic harmony of complete physical and emotional well-being and a new collection of customized offerings. From the innovative HydraFacial therapy to the lavish Diamond Body therapy, every treatment is tailored to your specific characteristics and aesthetic expectations.

For reservations, please call 888.220.5079 EXTRAORDINARY PLACES. A SI N G U L A R E X P E R I E N C E .

At each of our landmark destinations around the globe, experience the personalized Waldorf Astoria® Hotels & Resorts service that creates unforgettable moments.

©2014 Hilton Worldwide

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 21

*Based on availability. Cannot be combined with any other offer, and is not applicable to group or negotiated rates. A 20% service charge will be added for your convenience.

2/14/14 2:09:39 PM

CONVERSATION

DON’T MISS WINTER PARK Beginning this year, award-winning Winter Park Magazine will be sent to its own readers and not included automatically as a bonus for Orlando Life subscribers. But if you’d like to continue receiving Winter Park Magazine, free of charge, log onto orlando-life.com, click on the Orlando Life cover image and fill out the form.

22

ORLANDO LIFE

16th sub adsH WP.indd 1

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 22

ken burns

going on. Part of that story is very difficult, but it’s important for us to understand that we tend to gloss over parts of our past that we don’t want to look at too clearly.

Q: I know you have two grown daughters. Do you have any grandchildren?

A: I do. I have a granddaughter who is 3 and a grandson on the way. It’s the best thing ever. And I’ve got two little ones [ages 8 and 3] at home; I have four daughters. Both my [grown] daughters are in film, and my oldest daughter works with me.

Q: How is it working with a family member?

A: It’s terrific. She is a smart gal and I just do whatever she says.

Q: What do you have in the works?

A: A film called The Address, that will be broadcast on April 15, about a group of dyslexic and ADHD boys at a tiny school in Vermont memorizing and publicly reciting the Gettysburg Address.

In the fall are The Roosevelts, a seven-part, 14-hour series. In early ’15 I’m the executive producer of a three-part, six-hour series called The Story of Cancer: The Emperor of all Maladies. In the fall of 2015 I’ll have a twopart, four-hour biography of Jackie Robinson, produced and directed with my sonin-law, David McMahon, and my daughter, Sarah Burns.

In 2016 we’ll have probably our most ambitious film to date: a history of the Vietnam War — at least eight episodes and 16 hours.

If it goes to 10 episodes and 20 hours, as we think it might, it will probably be delayed to 2017, because we’re a small shop and we don’t want to rush anything.

We’re also shooting a massive series on the history of country music called I Can’t Stop Loving You, which will be out in either 2018 or 2019, depending on what Vietnam does. Then we’ll have a biography for either 2019 or 2018 — two parts, four hours — on Ernest Hemingway, which we’ve already started shooting.

Fundraising for all those projects, shooting and writing and arithmetic, it’s a busy life.

MArCH 2014

1/17/14 12:30:22 PM

2/14/14 2:09:49 PM

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 23

2/14/14 3:47:40 PM

ken burns

PHOTO: Craig Mellish

CONVERSATION

24

ORLANDO LIFE

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 24

MArCH 2014

2/14/14 2:10:28 PM

As Burns sees it, the National Park System kept Yellowstone National Park — the home of “Old Faithful” — from being turned into “Geyser World.” Yet, he says, many Americans still take the country’s natural splendor for granted.

Q: How do you manage it all?

A: I’m working all the time, and yet I’m talking to you from my office, which is above my garage-barn 50 feet from my house. My editing room is a mile and a half away in the center of this little village I live in. I do a lot of traveling, but more days than not I can get home for dinner. Usually I’m the one who gets my kids up, feeds them breakfast and gets them to the bus or drives them to school.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

5OL_Mar14_Profile USE THIS.indd 25

I’ve lived in the same house for 35 years — slept in the same bed — and have this extraordinary town where they could care less the number of Oscar nominations you’ve had or the number of Emmys you’ve won.

Q: You’re only planned out through 2019, so how about a suggestion for a future project?

A: We’re already thinking about what to do in the ’20s, so get your order in now.

Q: OK. How about a biography of baseball’s all-time greatest player, Willie Mays?

A: Here’s my feeling: When you start having arguments about which is the best president, or best rock group or best baseball player, the best thing is to say, “You mean besides George Washington? Besides The Beatles?”

And, I would submit, besides Babe Ruth. You

have to put Babe Ruth ahead just because of how transformative he was. I don’t believe baseball would have the centrality it does in American life without Babe Ruth.

But growing up, Willie Mays was my guy.

My brother and I used to imitate everything he did. I especially liked to imitate his voice, how he said “the San Fan-wisko Giants.” I’ve been out to dinner with him, and I did it in front of him. I thought, “Oh, God, I’m going to die now,” but his wife just cracked up and said, “It’s perfect, Willie.”

Q: Willie was my guy, too, and I’ve always appreciated the lengthy segment on him that was in your original Baseball series.

A: Oh yes. Not enough for me, because Willie Mays was my favorite of all. But I felt like I had to be fair and not just put my thumb on the scale. n

ORLANDO LIFE

25

2/14/14 2:10:38 PM

With the pool at the Aloft Hotel in downtown Orlando beckoning, James R of AbFab Management wears a paisley shirt

by Etro, $415; and linen pants by Incotex, $375; all from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia. His black Gucci sunglasses, $245, are from Gucci, The Mall at Millenia.

Melissa J, also of AbFab Management, catches a cool breeze in pants by Alice + Olivia, $297; crop top

by Parker, $253; and Jimmy Choo sandals, $750. She’s wearing a silver panther bangle, $295; and gray lucite bangles with silver and diamond details, $275 each; all by Alexis Bittar.

All are from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia.

Editorial intern: Leah KIRCHER

Lighten Up! TIME TO DIVE RIGHT IN TO PASTELS AND PATTERNS.

by Marianne Ilunga • photographs by Rafael Tongol • hair and makeup by Elsie Knab 26

ORLANDO LIFE

6OL_Feb_14_Spring Fashion.indd 26

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 3:37:59 PM

Sunning on the pool deck at the Aloft, Melissa wears jogger pants by Joie, $168; and a blouse with blue tribal patterns

by Parker, $198. Her frameless cat-eye sunglasses, $500, are by Dior; her “hope” bracelet, $95; white stone bracelet, $80; beige bracelet, $80; gold bracelet, $90; and black embellished bracelet, $115; are all by Tai. She carries a navy tote

by Prada, $2,670. All are from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia. The gold hoop earrings are the stylist’s own.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

6OL_Feb_14_Spring Fashion.indd 27

ORLANDO LIFE

27

2/14/14 11:09:17 AM

Near the Aloft’s Orange Avenue entrance, Melissa wears cropped white pants with a bright floral pattern, $735, and a matching long-sleeve button-up shirt, $450, both by Etro. Her blue strappy heels with turquoise and acid gem details are by Sophia Webster, $695; her gold dangle earrings with fuschia colored stones are

by Devon Leigh, $295; and her orange “2Jour” tote is by Fendi, $2,350. All are from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia.

28

ORLANDO LIFE

6OL_Feb_14_Spring Fashion.indd 28

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 12:09:42 PM

In the Aloft lobby, Melissa wears a silk blouse, $128; a skyline full skirt, $168; chunky sandals, $128; a chain cuff, $68; screw gold bangle bracelets, $48 each; and a gold stacking ring set, $38; all by C Wonder at The Mall at Millenia.

James wears a cotton pullover

by Peter Millar, $125; a blue and green striped shirt by Peter Millar, $198; white pants by Incotex, $375; and a blue detailed tie by Zegna, $205; all from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia. His brown Monk Strap leather shoes, $475, are by Donald J Pliner at The Mall at Millenia.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

6OL_Feb_14_Spring Fashion.indd 29

ORLANDO LIFE

29

2/14/14 12:15:28 PM

Melissa’s gray tank top with pink tiger appliquÊ is by Stella McCartney, $385; the light-pink leather jacket is from the Lamarque Collection, $400; her pink blush pants are by Rich & Skinny, $154; the platform sandals are by Yves Saint Laurent, $875; the fringe oversized clutch is by Stella McCartney, $1,145; the pink rose bead bracelets are by Lagos, $250 each; the gray karma bead bracelet is by Tai, $140; the pink leather wrap bracelet is by Balenciaga, $195; and the chandelier earrings are by Oscar De La Renta, $395. All are from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia.

30

ORLANDO LIFE

6OL_Feb_14_Spring Fashion.indd 30

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:09:58 AM

Melissa is poolside near the Aloft bar in a metallic silver dress by Cut 25 by Yigal AzrouĂŤl, $385 (worn as a top); a black and white floral pattern skirt, $1,120; and a black and white jacket with floral pattern, $1,580; both by Peter Pilotto. The Falabella Shaggy Deer black backpack is by Stella McCartney, $1,295; the gray chain necklace with square crystals is by Maurice Mac, $275; the double gray chain necklace with square crystals is by Maurice Mac, $325; and the silver shoes with silver metallic fringe details are by Brian Atwood, $425. All are from Neiman Marcus at The Mall of Millenia.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

6OL_Feb_14_Spring Fashion.indd 31

ORLANDO LIFE

31

2/14/14 11:10:09 AM

32

ORLANDO LIFE

6OL_Feb_14_Spring Fashion.indd 32

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:10:24 AM

With the illuminated stairs leading to the Aloft meeting rooms as a backdrop (opposite page), Melissa wears a dress by Herve Leger, $1,050; ice cream cone heels by Charlotte Olympia, $995; and pink and white sunglasses

by Tom Ford, $395; all from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia. Her silver and rose-gold bangles are by Kate Spade, $58-$88;Â as is her blush-pink purse, $498.

All are from Kate Spade at The Mall at Millenia. James relaxes in seersucker pants and matching jacket by Hugo Boss, $795; a checkered shirt by Hugo Boss, $155; and a kerchief with blue piping by Edward Armah, $65; all from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia. The blue suede belt is by Donald J Pliner, $80; and the indigo suede loafers are by Donald J Pliner, $135; both from Donald J Pliner The Mall at Millenia.

In a conversation area near the Aloft bar, Melissa wears a fuchsia sweater, $298; a bright pink dress, $448; a longsleeve top, $148; black and white striped pumps, $358; a skinny mini purple bow bangle, $78; a mix and mingle polka dot bangle, $78; a pink spade bangle, $48; a white spade bangle, $48; multicolor chandelier earrings, $98; and a heart-shaped pink minaudière, $248; all by Kate Spade at The Mall at Millenia.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

6OL_Feb_14_Spring Fashion.indd 33

ORLANDO LIFE

33

2/14/14 11:10:35 AM

SIMPLY THE E TRACKING DOWN THE TOP NEWBIES IN RAPIDLY CHANGING CENTRAL FLORIDA.

by Michael McLeod and Staff photographs by Rafael Tongol

34

ORLANDO LIFE

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 34

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:13:15 AM

E BEST 2014 W

hat is it about this town these days?

You can’t turn your back on the skyline without having somebody slip in and rearrange it on you.

A new performing arts center on the rise. An old stadium being demolished to make way for another. A new train for muggles and another for would-be wizards comin’ down the tracks. Eight huge, high-tech sculptures popping up in downtown Orlando like portobellos after a hard rain: You can hardly take a walk around Lake Eola without banging into one of them.

Well, we here at Simply the Best International Headquarters don’t need somebody to drop a 10-foot-wide, LED-illuminated aluminum globe on our heads. We know trending when we see it. If the Chinese are saying this is the Year of the Horse, that’s their business. We’re calling it the Year of the Newbie around these parts, and our Simply the Best selection reflects it.

Oh, we rounded up a few of the usual suspects. Mainly, though, the people and places in this year’s lineup mirror rapid changes in the community and its culture. So: welcome to Simply The Best, 2014 Edition. New and Improved.

URBAN ART IMPRESARIO: The See Art Orlando campaign, which placed sculptures around Lake Eola Park, was the brainchild of its chairwoman, Jennifer Quigley.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 35

ORLANDO LIFE

35

2/14/14 11:13:30 AM

SIMPLY THE THE PHOTO GALLERY: Patrick Kahn and his wife, Holly, at Snap! Orlando

PEOPLE SONG AND DANCE MAN

You won’t see Ron Legler singing a showstopper or doing a grand jeté any time soon. But when a Broadway musical cast or a corps of ballet dancers takes the stage, chances are Orlando’s multitasking showbiz king helped put them there. Legler engineers the Broadway Across America series, which is in the midst of delivering arguably its best-ever selection of shows to the Bob Carr in the last season for the series at that vintage venue. Legler is also co-owner of The Abbey nightclub just south of Lake Eola, which hosts a range of smaller but often well-polished productions, such as this month’s Spank. Apart from all that, he has recently taken on a temporary troubleshooting post as executive director of the beleaguered Orlando Ballet. Backers are counting on him for a much-needed reorganization. We say: merde, Ron. orlandobroadway.com or orlandoballet.org

URBAN ART IMPRESARIO

The See Art campaign to beautify downtown Orlando with eight carefully chosen sculptures was a group effort, but it was the campaign’s chairwoman, Jennifer Quigley, who visualized the beautification project as a two-mile walking tour and nursed it along from 36

ORLANDO LIFE

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 36

start to finish. Quigley, a principal at WBQ Design & Engineering, oversaw both the creative end of the project and the inevitable nutsand-bolts headaches of the installations. “We’re such a young city,” she says. “We just haven’t had the historic foundation for public art that other metropolitan areas have enjoyed.” Well, we do now. seeartorlando.com

BAR MAID

Not long ago, Krystal Edwards was a court stenographer, cranking out a steady diet of starchy legalese. That all changed last October, when she and her husband, Devin, opened Skyebird Juice Bar & Experimental Kitchen at the new East End Market on Corrine Drive.

Named after their daughter, Skye, the health-food haven offers Kombucha (fermented tea) on tap; other healthy concoctions such as Thai hot juice (blenderized spinach, cilantro, orange, apple, lime, jalapeño and lemongrass); and an array of fresh-food entrées. Last time we saw Krystal, she was perched on a stool at the juice bar’s counter, delivering an impromptu lecture about probiotics while munching on her own invention: a “raw taco” made of walnuts, kale, romaine lettuce and diced mushrooms. She was glowing, and not from fluorescent lighting. facebook.com/skyebirdorganic MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:13:43 AM

E BEST 2014 STAND-UP POET

Yes, Billy Collins is an artist in residence at Rollins College and a former poet laureate of the United States. Don’t let the stuffy titles fool you: He’s closer kin to Jerry Seinfeld than William Wordsworth.

There’s a punch-line flair to his compositions, which are often both sophisticated and funny as hell. Take “Why I Don’t Keep A Gun In The House,” which is about both the pleasures of classical music and the aggravation of a neighbor’s barking dog. The Manhattanborn Collins decided to put roots down in Central Florida after being charmed by the area’s attractions during a stint as a guest speaker for the Winter Park Institute’s lecture series. billy-collins.com

DIVA WITH A DEN

It was common knowledge that Blue Star could rock the house. Who knew that one day she’d own it? Star has a long-standing rep as a workaholic dancer, DJ, model, burlesque troupe maven, benefit organizer and all-around wham-bam, thank-you-glam performance artist.

But since moving into a former yoga studio on Virginia Drive and turning it into a small-scale performing space a year and a half ago, she has officially joined the ranks of the city’s power lesbians. Star and her new place, called The Venue, are a perfect mesh-stocking fit to the community fabric of the young, hip, rapidly changing Ivanhoe Village neighborhood. venueorlando.com

GOLD MINER

Champagne corks popped last April when UCF landed the largest grant in its 50-year history: $55 million to the school’s Florida Space Institute for its “GOLD” project. The brainchild of UCF physicist Richard Eastes, the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk satellite will measure changes in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, which can have dramatic effects on radio waves and satellite communications. As one of Eastes’ colleagues put it, GOLD “represents a new paradigm for observing the boundary between Earth and space.”

The GOLD satellite, which will be built over the next few years, is tentatively scheduled to launch in 2017. fsi.ucf.edu

DIVA WITH A DEN: Blue Star

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 37

ORLANDO LIFE

37

2/14/14 11:13:52 AM

SIMPLY THE THE MAGIC MAN: Kostya Kimlat

NEW ’DO

The truth is that her bright, spiky, faux-wildfire hairdo, designed by stylist Robert Brings, is the result of a “Time For A Whole New Me” decision by Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan. We prefer to think of the high-rise ’do as her civic-minded tribute to all the new construction going on around town. It also reminded us somewhat of that burning Yule log video that they run on cable television every Christmas season. We were so pleased with this festive little metaphor that we shared it with the commissioner herself, wondering if we should include it in our story. “Go ahead,” she said. “I can take the heat.” facebook.com/thecitybeautiful4

MAGIC MAN

He moves in a blur when he has a deck of cards in his hands. But that’s just how Kostya Kimlat rolls, regardless. He always moves in a blur. Born in the Ukraine, he came to Orlando with his family, earned a degree in philosophy at the University of Central Florida 38

ORLANDO LIFE

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 38

and then set about turning himself into a specialist in sleight-of-hand magic and theatrical mind-reading. He also runs a training program for fellow magicians. A corps of local apprentices appears with him at monthly dinner shows at Christner’s restaurant, during halftimes of Orlando Magic home games, and for several nights when Halloween nears in a venue he dubs “Magic Mansion.” In his spare time, Kimlat does motivational speaking, addressing “the role of perception in business and communication.” magicshoworlando.com.

MOM-AND-POP ARCHAEOLOGISTS

It’s been nearly 30 years since the husband-wife team of Arlen and Diane Chase began traveling to Central America to excavate the once-bustling Maya city of Caracol. The project has gone on long enough that the infant son they once brought with them to the dig is now an archaeologist himself. Their efforts have turned the University of Central Florida anthropology professors into world-renowned experts on all things Maya. Most recently, they’ve uncovered new information about ancient sustainability strategies. It’s all thanks to MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:14:03 AM

E BEST 2014 their continuous exploration of the overgrown metropolis, which had been buried beneath hundreds of years’ worth of rainforest growth in what is now central Belize. caracol.org

SKETCH ARTIST

Apparently, Thomas Thorspecken is one of those rare souls who actually keeps his New Years resolutions. Well, one of them, at least.

In January of 2009 he vowed to do a sketch every day. The former Disney illustrator and Full Sail animation art teacher has kept his promise. If you’re out and about a lot, you may have seen Thorspecken sketching various Central Florida events and social functions: weddings, parties, fundraisers, wine-tastings, protest marches. It usually takes him two hours, more or less, to complete a sketch. If you aren’t out and about a lot, you’ll find many of the works on his website.

Thorspecken lives in the Dr. Phillips area with his wife, Terry, and a lively cockatoo named Zorro. analogartistdigitalworld.com

CUISINE COLLABORATORS

If the United Nations had a taco stand it would be called Tako Cheena. One of the two proprietors, Edgardo Guzman, is from Costa Rica. His business partner, Pom Moongauklang, is from Thailand.

They have combined their cultural and culinary backgrounds to create tacos with a global reach. (Indian Yellow Curry Dusted On Crispy Tofu Taco, anyone?) Their specials now include spinoffs of traditional dishes from all over the world, and they’re working on a third-generation menu that will introduce more ethnic curries and proteins.

Not surprisingly, Tako Cheena’s extremely diverse menu attracts an extremely diverse crowd to the Mills 50 eatery. takocheena.com

BRAWNY BRAINS

The University of Central Florida Football Team made history this school year by finishing the season with a Top 10 ranking. But by another, perhaps more important measure, the fighting Knights were No. 1. As noted by UCF administrator Richard Lapchick, if the Top 10 teams on the Associated Press Poll were ordered by their players’ average graduation rates over the past four years, No. 1 Florida State drops to No. 9 while No. 10 UCF — with an average player graduation rate of 83 percent — rises to the top. ucfknights.com

PLACES NERD NESTS

All those nerds who suffered through various forms of ridicule and solitude in high school continue to exact their revenge. They’ve done such a great job of crossing over into mainstream society, in fact, that they’re being catered to by a burgeoning array of overtly nerdy gatherings and marketing ploys. Orlando offers nerdy.fm, an online nerd radio station, and Orlando Nerdfest (orlandonerdfest.com), a gathering of geeks. There are also a couple of nerd hotspots where, honORLANDO-LIFE.COM

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 39

SONG AND DANCE MAN: Ron Legler estly, anybody with a sense of curiosity and/or fun can have a good time. A bountiful collection of video games and weekly nerd-centric trivia and karaoke are offered at a recently opened bar called The Geek Easy (facebook.com/thegeekeasy) on Semoran Boulevard in Winter Park. Tell them Wil Wheaton sent you. And at Stardust Video & Coffee in the Audubon Park neighborhood (stardustvideoandcoffee. wordpress.com), NASA engineer Josh Manning has staged a monthly Nerd Nite (orlandonerdnite.com) for the past year, featuring speakers on various subjects. Last month’s Nerd Nite combined Nerd Speed Dating with talks on the realities of online relationships and the science of sexual subcultures. Previous lecturers included a NASA researcher who had been involved in growing plants in outer space, whose topic was whether or not marijuana can flourish in a weightless environment. Talk about getting high …

DRIVE-IN

The historic Ocala Drive-In is one of only a few remaining tributes to open-air, cinematic Americana in the country. It’s always been ORLANDO LIFE

39

2/14/14 11:14:11 AM

SIMPLY THE THE NEW ‘DO: Patty Sheehan

nostalgic. Now it’s up to date. Thanks to Honda’s Project Drive-In Initiative and more than 2.6 million votes cast electronically, the drive-in now has an $80,000 digital projection system. The system brings the sound and picture quality up to modern indoor standards, but the prices are still old-school: $6 adults, $3 children, 5 and under free. ocaladrivein.info

PHOTO GALLERY

For years, Patrick Kahn and his wife, Holly, have staged Snap! Orlando — an annual festival that spotlighted great photography from all over the world. The festival was spectacular, assuming you could find it: The Kahns had to stage the gathering of photos, photographers and fans in whatever vacant warehouses they could find because the event had no permanent home. Now it does. A few weeks ago the Kahns moved the operation into the Cameo Building on Colonial Drive. It’s a perfect fit: The enchantment of fine-art photography fits right into the bohemian vibe of the rapidly changing Mills 50 district. snaporlando.com

T-SHIRT SITE

CUISINE COLLABORATORS: Tako Cheena 40

ORLANDO LIFE

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 40

When Alex Lenhoff and Andi Perez decided to start a things-youcan-do-cheaply-in-Orlando blog back in 2010, they wanted to call it “Orlando Doesn’t Suck.” Talked out of it by their moms, they first named it “Alex in Orlando,” changing it last year to the more conventional “The Orlandoan.” But there’s little conventional about the couple’s blog, website or Facebook page, and when they introduced their Orlando Doesn’t Suck T-shirt last fall — designed by Perez — it was an instant hit. Initial limited runs of the T-shirts sold out quickly, but they’re still available, for $18 a pop, at theorlandoan.com.

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:14:30 AM

E BEST 2014 ART COLLECTION

The Orlando Museum of Art may be packing them in with its exhibit of Old Masters, but if you’re looking for Central Florida’s best contemporary art collection, you won’t find it in a museum. It’s at the new Alfond Inn, which is owned and operated by Rollins College.

The collection of more than 130 works of 21st century art, donated

by Rollins alumni Barbara and Ted Alfond, includes works by Maya Lin, Tracey Emin and Joseph Kosuth. The paintings, photographs and sculptures are rotated every few months, and you don’t have to stay at the Alfond to see them. Free guided tours are offered daily, with reservations requested. thealfondinn.com

ONLINE MATH CLASS

Orlando entrepreneur Steve Goldman, a long time supporter of the Orlando Science Center, has financed a free adaptation of one of the center’s exhibits into a resource for math students around the

world. Why U, an educational YouTube channel that was developed in partnership with University of Central Florida professors, features cleverly animated and easily grasped explanations of the underlying principles of mathematics. Over the past two years it has generated 2 million views from high school and college students from all over the world, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and Saudi Arabia. Circling back to home base, the Florida Department of Education recently signed a licensing agreement to use the videos in Florida classrooms. why.org

NEW TRAIN (TIE)

Two commuter trains make their Central Florida debuts this year, one for harried commuters and another for Harry commuters. Both are meant to link passengers to a bustling city, and both will have a lot riding on them. There’s the Hogwarts Express (universalorlando.com/harrypotter) which in the Harry Potter series of fantasy novels connects downtown London — specifically Kings Cross Station

NERD NESTS: Orlando Nerdfest, The Geek Easy, Stardust Video & Coffee, Nerd Nite

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 41

ORLANDO LIFE

41

2/14/14 11:14:39 AM

SIMPLY THE TH — to the rural village of Hogsmeade. Details are still scarce about the theme park’s version of the Express, which will run between the two Harry Potter Wizarding Worlds — one at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, the other at Universal Studios Florida. Meanwhile there’s SunRail, the commuter train for mere muggles that in its initial phase will run from DeBary to Orlando. The hope is that the passenger rail system will eventually stretch from the far end of Volusia County to the Kissimmee/St. Cloud area. SunRail will carry bike racks, luggage compartments, free Wi-Fi and the dreams of countless commuters who hope relief from I-4 traffic jams isn’t just a fairy tale. sunrail.com

FOOD TAKE YOUR PICK

NEW TRAIN(S): Hogwarts Express and SunRail

What if you could go green and throw in a little red, white and blue along with it? Yes, you’d clash. But we’re not talking about your ensemble here. What we mean is that you can pick your own strawberries, beans, snow peas, radishes, cucumbers and more at Hydroeats Farms in Groveland. Clem Masih-Das, a retired Air Force officer, laid out his farm in 13 cultivated rows to represent the 13 original colonies. Check hydroeats.com for what he has in season. Other pickyour-own options: Lake Meadows Naturals Farm for eggs, (lakemeadownaturals.com); Blue Bayou Farms for blueberries, (bluebayoufarms.com); and Red Shed Strawberry Farm for, well, you know. (pickitfarmfresh.com).

WINE-TASTING

Ahem. Sir? Madam? May we suggest a formidable Jimi Hendrix melody to go along with the full-bodied Reisling Trockenbeerenauslese? Yes, you can be rockin’ with that Trocken at the area’s latest wine-pairing event. Dubbed Wine Riffs by the Hard Rock Hotel, it features an elegant, five-course meal, held in one of the resort’s ballrooms and supervised by an expert guest speaker who pairs each course with an appropriate wine. Meanwhile, the hotel’s “vibe manager” — that is, indeed, her formal title — sits in a corner at a hightech console and plays a selection of rock music meant to complement the course. Prices start at $125. universalorlando.com

MOVEABLE FEAST

It may be the classiest all-you-can-eat event around. Several times a year, the merchants on Park Avenue set out wine and hors d’oeuvres in their shops and stage the Winter Park Sip, Shop & Stroll. Buying a “passport” for $25, which is best to do online because the event does sell out, gives you entrée up and down the avenue. It’s fun to shop and chat with the merchants as you eat and drink your way along the signature thoroughfare. And you can always rationalize that the walk works off the calories. winterpark.org 42

ORLANDO LIFE

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 42

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:14:51 AM

E BEST 2014 JAMS

When Wendy Read was laid off from her corporate job six years ago, she decided to pursue her passion: jams. She cooks them in her own kitchen and concocts them from her own recipes: Peach Lavender, Jalapeño Apricot, Wildflower Honey, Balsamic Strawberry. Through her company, Sunchowder’s Emporia, she sells them at the Winter Park Farmers’ Market on Saturdays and the Lake Eola Farmers Market on Sundays. You can also order them online at sunchowdersemporia.com.

VINEGAR AND OIL

There’s a mystique to high-end vinegars and olive oils, which in the right combination can come close to making cardboard taste like chateaubriand. At The Ancient Olive on Park Avenue, true believers can choose from a broad range of the elixirs housed in rows of stainless steel containers that line the shop’s walls. The Black Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar and the Persian Lime Fused Olive Oil are big sellers. The establishment offers cooking classes at least once a month. theancientolive.com

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

PHOTOS: (TOP LEFT) UNIVERSAL ORLANDO; (BOTTOM RIGHT) ©DISNEY

Let’s just put it this way: If the Girl Scouts ever get their hands on the peanut butter cookies the Olde Hearth Bread Company serves up daily at its East End Market location, they will rule the world.

We’re talking black-magic, OMG, Say-My-Name! quality here. The sandwich-style cookies are the circumference of a silver dollar, with just the right slightly crunchy texture in the dough and just the perfect level of fluffiness in the peanut butter filling. If it happens that they’ve sold out — and they do — you can put in a special order. And you will. oldehearthbreadcompany.com

VINEGAR AND OIL: The Ancient Olive

COBB SALAD

The Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios serves up the area’s best evocation of the delicious concoction of romaine lettuce, watercress, tomatoes, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, chives, cheese and French dressing invented in 1937 by Bob Cobb, owner of the iconic Brown Derby in Hollywood, Calif. The salad was a favorite dish of entertainment industry legends such as Sid Grauman and Jack Warner. disneyworld.disney.com

FLATBREAD

The lavash at Bosphorous (two locations) arrives as an enormous, steaming pillow and has a welcome heartiness even after it deflates.

It’s the ideal heft for the twin restaurants’ Turkish appetizer spreads. bosphorousrestaurant.com

COBB SALAD: The Brown Derby ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 43

ORLANDO LIFE

43

2/14/14 11:15:00 AM

SIMPLY THE THE MOM AND POP ARCHAEOLOGISTS: Arlen and Diane Chase ONLINE MATH CLASS: Why U

CHERRY PIE

BISCUITS

Southern fare is the theme at Cask & Larder, but, really: How do they pull off those crazy-flaky biscuits? Turns out they use finely ground White Lily flour, add in heavy cream with a touch of lard, cut in butter, fold the dough twice, brush them with heavy cream so they’re golden on top and then serve them with red pepper jelly. caskandlarder.com

INTERACTIVE DESSERT

At Emeril’s Tchoup Chop, the Hawaiian Style Malasadas Donuts are served with plastic squirt bottles containing coconut haupia, passion fruit curd and chocolate-peanut butter fillings.

Insert the tips into the ball-shaped donuts. Squeeze. Eat. Repeat. emerilsrestaurants.com 44

ORLANDO LIFE

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 44

PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY UCF; (BOTTOM) COURTESY WHY U

At Sister Honey’s, proprietor Evette Rahman bakes a cherry pie with tartness added via extra cherry juices. The slightly salty, buttery crust has crumbs from an almond streusel sprinkled on top. sisterhoneys.com

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:15:08 AM

E BEST 2014 PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY ROLLINS COLLEGE; (BOTTOM) COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

STAND-UP POET: Billy Collins

ARTISAN CHOCOLATE

David Ramirez Chocolates puts Russell Stover to shame. The pastry chef’s chocolate confections such as the hand-dipped soft caramel and the cinnamon habanero, are edible art. You can find David’s confections at his Hunter’s Creek location, and also at Le Macaron in Winter Park. davidramirezchocolates.com

RUDE SERVICE

That’s right. That’s what we said. Rude service. You got a problem?

The shtick at Dick’s Last Resort, a franchise that just opened its first Orlando restaurant and bar in the Premium Outlet Mall, is that the staff is trained to be snarky, or at least to seem so. A server might plop down mozzarella sticks with the comment, “Here’s your second appetizer, fatties!” or put a floppy, oversized paper hat on your head that reads: “I wear granny panties.” Funny, sure, though it’s no comparison to the authentic attitude you could get, back in the day, from the curmudgeonly proprietor (and a few hard-core waitresses) at the old Ronnie’s deli. dickslastresort.com ■ ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

7OL_Mar14_Best Of.indd 45

SKETCH ARTIST: Thomas Thorspecken ORLANDO LIFE

45

2/14/14 11:15:17 AM

HAN N I BAL SQUAR E WI N E TASTI NG W. NEW ENGLAND AVE.

MARCH 20 th

5 7 to

30 pm

Featuring Beer, Wine Samples and Appetizers from Local Eateries, and Live Entertainment.

$25

IN ADVANCE

H

a n n i b a l Square

Historic Neighborhood

$30 AT THE DOOR

WWW.WINTERPARK.ORG 407.644.8281 PRESENTED BY

Art of Wine_Orlando Life_7.875x4.75_Half Pg.indd 1

46

ORLANDO LIFE

10OL_Mar14 Realtor Profiles.indd 46

2/7/14 4:01 PM

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 3:50:25 PM

BEST REALTORS

I

n the increasingly complex and competitive world of buying and selling homes, it’s more important than ever that you have a professional in your corner. That means a Realtor. Only real estate licensees who are members of the National Association of Realtors are properly called Realtors. They are committed to treating all parties in a transaction honestly and subscribe to a strict code of ethics.

Real estate transactions are the largest most of us will ever make, usually exceeding $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would risky, at best, to consider a entering into a real-estate transaction without the professional assistance of a Realtor.

A Realtor can help you determine your buying power, assess the value of the home you’d like to buy or sell, explain financing options, implement a marketing program and make certain the closing process goes smoothly. The Realtors on the following pages are among the region’s most savvy and customer-focused professionals. For more information about hiring a Realtor, check out the Orlando Regional Realtor Association (ORRA) at orlandorealtors.org.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

10OL_Mar14 Realtor Profiles.indd 47

ORLANDO LIFE

47

2/14/14 3:58:20 PM

BEST REALTORS KIM ARENA Exceptional Service Paired With Award-Winning Professionalism.

Kim Arena’s reputation is built on dedication to excellent customer service.

Her can-do attitude, combined with years of experience and market knowledge, have led her ranking among the top 1% of all Coldwell Banker associates worldwide. Kim’s attention to detail, strong negotiation skills, impeccable ethics and professional manner make her consistently successful. “As a customer, I expect the highest quality of service and expertise,” she says. “So in return, I give only the highest quality of service and expertise to my clients.” In addition to being listed among the Top 100 Realtors in Orlando, Kim is one of an elite few to be honored with a prestigious Five Star rating for customer satisfaction. Always committed to increasing her knowledge and honing her business skills, Kim has earned the titles of Certified Negotiation and Marketing Specialist, Accredited Luxury Home Specialist, Accredited Home Staging Specialist and Certified Relocation Specialist. “I work very hard to earn the trust and confidence of my clients, showing them that I treat each sale or purchase as if it were my own,” Kim says.

“To all my wonderful clients, thank you for entrusting me with the sale or purchase of your home. To all my future clients, I can’t wait to help you.”

48

ORLANDO LIFE

Realtor advertiorials 2 48 10OL_Mar14 Realtorbase.indd Profiles.indd

(407) 701-1621 KimSellsOrlandoHomes.com MARCH 2014

3:55:08 PM 2/14/14 3:58:26

BEST REALTORS FRANK BENEVENTO Luxury Home Specialist Serves a Worldwide Network of Clients.

Frank Benevento is a well-respected name in Central Florida’s luxury-home niche. He has conducted business in most of the region’s most upscale communities, and is renowned for his ability to bring high-networth individuals into his personal sphere.

Year after year, Frank produces a steady stream of buyers from not only Florida but throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Frank, who moved to Central Florida from New York in 2000, has a diverse background that includes building and selling businesses in the manufacturing and commercial sectors.

Since relocating, he has used his finely honed business savvy and people skills to help people find their dream homes and enjoy lucrative returns on their real estate investments. In his first year with Coldwell Banker, he received the “Rookie of the Year” award. In his second year, he was named to the International President’s Circle, representing the top 10 percent of all Coldwell Banker associates worldwide.

In his third year he was inducted into the International President’s Elite Circle, a designation reserved for the top 3 percent. Frank, who graduated Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a degree in marketing and management, makes a simple pledge to his clients: To work very hard and accomplish their goals with an unrelenting spirit.

. s

r

s

s

me on

or of t

(407) 492-5153 orlandoestatesforsale.com

m

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

3:55:08 PM

Realtor 10OL_Mar14 advertiorials Realtorbase.indd Profiles.indd 4 49

ORLANDO LIFE

49

2/14/14 5:03:16 5:04:29 PM

BEST REALTORS VICKY MCVAY-FROOM A Passion for Celebrity-Level Service for Discerning Clients.

Vicky McVay-Froom is an International Luxury Home Specialist at Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty’s Orlando/Dr. Phillips Marketing Center. She’s earned a reputation as a dynamic and hardworking Realtor with a passion for quality and a knack for providing “celebrity-level service” to with both buyers and sellers of upscale properties. And it works — more than 75 percent of the business handled by Vicky’s team is a result of repeat business or referrals.

Vicky knows that focus will get the job done. A native of St. Petersburg, Vicky has lived in Central Florida since 1967and attended the College of Nursing at the University of Florida. She later attended graduate school at Rollins College, and her prior career was in pediatric nursing.

She has also worked in manufacturing and sales, commercial and residential real estate and futures and options trading in the stock market, so her breadth of knowledge is vast. For relaxation, she’s a sailing and Harley motorcycle enthusiast. She also enjoys skiing in Colorado and Utah, summers in Highlands, N.C., physical fitness training, golf and even competitive ballroom dancing. Vicky loves animals and has always owned dogs. She’s well known and respected locally, nationally and internationally, and has forged an expansive network of partnerships. She is driven by a discipline of hard work including commitment, ethics and civility.

50

ORLANDO LIFE

10OL_Mar14 Realtor Profiles.indd 50 Realtor advertiorials base.indd 3

(407) 620-0952 vmcvay@stirlingsir.com

MARCH 2014

2/14/143:55:25 3:58:41 2/14/14 PMPM

Realtor adv

BEST REALTORS MARIA VAN WARNER

M

:55:25 PM

It Comes Naturally to Always Put Her Clients’ Need First.

For more than a decade, Maria Van Warner has earned a reputation as a Realtor who always puts her client’s needs first. A former social worker and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), she brings this same spirit of helping others to her real estate career.

“My background taught me how to really listen and learn about peoples’ needs and desires,” she says. “And then I can help them find exactly what they’re looking for.”

Whether she’s working with relocators, firsttimers, investors or well-established sellers facing difficult real estate decisions, Maria, a consistent multi-million-dollar producer, understands how to help her clients achieve their goals. It’s an approach that has made her the #1 top individual producer two years in a row and has earned her five consecutive Five Star ratings for exceptional service and overall satisfaction. Five Star recipients are among the top 2 percent of Realtors in any given market. Maria’s extensive knowledge of the schools and neighborhoods throughout the Winter Park, Maitland and Orlando areas is based on personal experience. She has raised four children locally, attending countless sporting, musical and other activities enjoyed by her kids. She’s also involved in the community, graduating from the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce Leadership Winter Park program. Said one past client: “Maria was personable, knowledgeable and persistent — I would follow her anywhere.”

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

10OL_Mar14 Realtorbase.indd Profiles.indd Realtor advertiorials 1 51

(407) 256-8066 maria@fanniehillman.com ORLANDO LIFE

51

3:58:48 PM 2/14/14 3:54:51

FLAVOR

rona gindin photographs by rafael tongol

Sushi With a Twist STYLISH KABOOKI SUSHI REDEFINES THE FAMILIAR.

52

ORLANDO LIFE

8OL_Mar14_Flavor.indd 52

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 12:36:32 PM

I

f you see a server carrying a pale pink

brick topped with fish rushing across Kabooki Sushi’s narrow dining room, get out of his way. Quickly. He’s delivering a “cold tasting” called crudo, and it’s spectacular — for 20 minutes.

The blushing block that’s used as a plate is pure Hawaiian pink salt, you see, providing a theatrical presentation and just the right spritz of flavor for the tender fish. Dig in as soon as the dish is delivered and you may become a Kabooki convert on the spot.

But if anybody dallies en route, the citrusy, garlicky raw cobia will surrender its texture and flavor as the temperature drops and the salt level rises. Hence the bustle from kitchen to table.

That’s a lot of work and worry for one small menu item. But it’s how Kabooki Sushi operates. Chef-owner Henry Moso takes details seriously, from buying high-quality ingredients to avoiding preparation shortcuts.

The rules apply for the entire small-plates menu, which incorporates flavors from several Asian cuisines.

“We pay extra for the highest quality, and we take the time to make foods look pretty,” Moso says. “Some people question why one fish dish is $15. I tell them it’s because the item is really well prepared.”

Yada yada yada. Every restaurateur gives that “quality” line, but Moso backs it up.

To make the lemon confit that enlivens the Hawaii X.O. sushi roll, the Kabooki culinary team cuts lemons into quarters, cures them with salt and sugar for three to four months — months! — then peels off the skin and dices it into tiny pieces.

For the “house-cured Scottish salmon” in Tsunami Sailboats to be special, the fish is vacuum-sealed with peppercorns, orange rind, mirin and soy sauce, and chilled for a full week at 35 degrees.

Moso uses five types of soy sauce, among them a super-pricey variety that complements sashimi and a white version that won’t discolor ceviches and tartares. The sushi rice is Tamaki Gold, a premium product, and the nori seaweed and sushi vinegar are equally ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

8OL_Mar14_Flavor.indd 53

high-end. “We do not cut corners to save $20,” Moso says.

Kabooki Sushi is a bright, stylish restaurant named for a theatrical mask that is both traditional and modern. The look is all Moso, whose home is outfitted similarly. After working in traditional Asian restaurants for a decade, he was determined not to have “old school” elements like “sushi boats and wood floors” in his own establishment.

The modest storefront has been converted into an upbeat wonderland. Playful round chandeliers that look like yarn hang over white upholstered booths and a long banquette. Modern, color-rich patterns appear above the open kitchen, and artwork decks the walls.

From the color scheme to the recipes, Moso had been plotting his dream restaurant for quite some time before opening it last April, at the tender age of 22. Born and raised in Laos, he moved to Orlando 10 years ago and began helping his mother, who worked in Japanese and Thai restaurants on the eastern end of town.

Their diet in Laos had been simple: “We were eating sticky rice with our bare hands.”

But the flavors, though heavier, were similar to those of Japan, which tend to include more soy and wasabi. Over time, Moso fell in love with everything Japanese, including “creating edible art, the attention to detail, the culture.”

He knew better than to tell anyone of his plans: “They’d say, ‘You’re only 18.’” So he put in long hours, foraged all his meals at work to save money, and spent his earnings traveling to places like Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore to explore their cuisines.

Facing page: Kabooki Sushi’s modern dining room is a departure from the “sushi boats and wood floors” found in many traditional Asian eateries. Right: Serving bowls for soup (top) and sake (bottom) bracket Kabuki masks, which give the stylish restaurant, located near Fashion Square, its name.

ORLANDO LIFE

53

2/14/14 12:36:42 PM

FLAVOR

54

rona gindin

ORLANDO LIFE

8OL_Mar14_Flavor.indd 54

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 12:36:55 PM

He opened Kabooki on a nondescript stretch of East Colonial Drive. But the location has its advantages. The nearby Fashion Square Mall is being revamped, which will likely attract a hipper crowd. The restaurant also draws guests from nearby Baldwin Park and Winter Park.

Kabooki Sushi is an izakaya restaurant: The dishes are small, meant for tasting in no particular order and not designed as entrées.

Start with that crudo, in which the cobia is tossed with garlic oil, orange, micro basil, yuzu citrus vinaigrette and pickled radish before it’s placed on that dramatic salt brick.

Then try that house-cured salmon in the sailboat. It’s wrapped with blue lump crab and finished with miso aioli and orange-chili sauce. Thin slices of Fuji apple make tasty sails.

Raw fish dominates the menu, but the raw-wary customer will find lots of options. If there’s a “kama” dish the day you visit, get it. The cobia kama is a grilled wedge of fish presented with the fin jutting out. The flesh is drizzled with a sweet soy-based kabayaki sauce and served with scallion-ponzu dipping sauce. It has a bit of spice.

Pan-seared scallops benefit from a rich coconut sauce, while duck is cooked in a light tempura batter and mixed in a stir-fry, then served with ginger rice. Be bold and sample the grilled marinated baby octopus, which, lined up along a skewer, looks too cute to eat. The tagarashi spices add a satisfying flavor, though the texture is a tad firm.

Like the rest of the menu, the sushi roll selections evolve regularly.

Get that Hawaii X.O. with the lemon confit if you can. It complements the yellowtail, avocado, Tobanjan (hot bean) aioli, tempura shallots and seasonal fish beautifully.

For spice, choose the Smoking Double T. Spicy, made with tuna tartare and escolar. It’s cooked via blowtorch and paired with Sriracha hot sauce, avocado, cilantro, jalapeños and spicy mayonnaise.

And so on. The Kabooki menu has a few dozen cold, hot, sushi, salad and soup offerings. Oh: And get dessert. The homemade sweets are worth their calories.

The C-4 is a rich, flourless chocolate cake with bourbon vanilla ice cream, and the Drunkey Monkey is banana bread pudding with banana bread-beer ice cream and bourbon sabayon sauce. Those are American dishes, not Asian. But Kabooki does bill itself as a fusion restaurant. Now you know why. ■

Facing page, clockwise from top left: Salmon sailboats with apple sails; Drunkey Monkey desserts feature banana bread-beer ice cream; Cobia crudo, served atop a brick of pink salt; chef-owner Henry Moso, slicing cobia, makes certain every item meets his exacting standards Above: Kabooki Sushi offers a variety of beers on tap. Below: The Hawaii X.O. sushi roll, topped with lemon confit and an edible nasturtium. Dishes at the restaurant are small, meant for tasting in no particular order and not designed as entrées. That means you can try a wide variety of offerings at one sitting.

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.

WHERE: 3122 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando HOW MUCH: $$ WHERE TO CALL: 407-228-3839 • kabookisushi.com

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

8OL_Mar14_Flavor.indd 55

ORLANDO LIFE

55

2/14/14 12:37:06 PM

FLAVOR LISTINGS AFRICAN

Nile Ethiopian 7048 International Drive, 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. $$

Sanaa 3701 Osceola Parkway, Lake Buena Vista, 407-938-7400 / dis-

neyworld.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

The Bistro on Park Avenue 348 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-644-

2313 / bistroonparkavenue.com. Located in the Hidden Gardens, this low-key eatery’s glass-enclosed garden room offers one of the prettiest settings on Park Avenue. Specialties include chef crab cakes, shrimp or crawfish étouffée and bistro-style pot roast. Breakfast is served on Saturdays with an excellent brunch featuring a variety of eggs Benedict made with salmon and soft-shell crab. It’s German Night on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. $$-$$

Briarpatch Restaurant 252 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-628-8651.

This Park Avenue institution is crowded during breakfast and lunch — and on Sunday for brunch — and incredibly noisy. Fare includes fancy burgers, such as the Grafton white cheddar and sugar-cured bacon burger, as well as sandwiches, salads and omelets. But most patrons are particularly fond of the oversized homemade desserts, including an array of ice creams and such super-rich treats as chocolate layer cake. A bit of trivia: The restaurant’s marble counter once topped the soda fountain at Irvine’s Pharmacy, an even more venerable Park Avenue institution that operated from 1925 to 1973. $$-$$$

The Cask & Larder 656 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 407-6282333 / caskandlarder.com. From the folks who brought us Ravenous Pig comes this “Southern Public House” in the former Harper’s Tavern location. “Cask” is for the beer that’s brewed on site and “larder” is an arcane term for a pantry used primarily in the South, so the cuisine is Southern-inspired, locally sourced and encompasses the general categories of sausage and country ham; vegetables and grains; fish and oysters; and such delectable oddities as grilled lamb heart, pork belly and foie-gras stuffed quail. Snout-to-tail specials for parties of eight or more involve serving up an entire animal, usually a pig. Now open for lunch Wednesday through Saturday. The midday menu offers more salads and sandwiches along with more substantial entrees such as rabbit meatloaf and trout. Menus change often to reflect local harvests and fresh catches. $$$ Chatham’s Place 7575 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando, 407- 345-2992 / chathamsplace.com. For an old-fashioned dining experience — a subdued dining room and doting personalized service by a veteran staff — check out this hidden Restaurant Row eatery. Locals return regularly for Chef Tony Lopez’s classic dishes such as black grouper with pecan butter, rack of lamb and filet mignon. $$$ 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 herb-marinated 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 — where else? — New Orleans at this always-bustling Universal CityWalk institution. 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. $$$$

Hamilton’s Kitchen. 300 E. New England Ave., Winter Park, 407-

645-6675 / thealfondinn.com. Named for the innovative former Rollins College president, Hamilton Holt, the warm and welcoming restaurant at the newly opened Alfond Inn boasts an early 1900s ambience, with a hearth-inspired kitchen window, exposed beams,

56

ORLANDO LIFE

8OL_Mar14_Flavor.indd 56

farmer’s table and Dutch oak floors. The cuisine features traditional Southern offerings using locally sourced ingredients. Hamilton’s is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Chef Christopher Windus, former executive chef of Todd English’s bluezoo at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel, is in charge of the kitchen. $$$

Hillstone 215 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-740-4005 / 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 / amwaycen-

ter.com. Watch a Magic game in style at this well-appointed buffet restaurant located on the Amway Center’s exclusive club level. The reservations-only 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. $$$

Marlow’s Tavern 1008 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-960-3670 / marlowstavern.com. Classic American tavern fare, including an array of big and juicy burgers, served in an upscale pub environment, with exposed-brick walls, dark wood accents and leather-upholstered booths. The appetizers are wonderful, especially J.T.’s Kettle Chips which include gorgonzola cheese and bacon, are to die for. Outdoor seating is under a sizeable covered patio, where there’s sometimes live entertainment. $$ Matilda’s On Park 358 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-951-5790.

That seemingly cursed corner of Park and Canton avenues most recently occupied by Galopin and perhaps a half-dozen eateries going back a decade or so is now Matilda’s. The logo features a kangaroo and a “Roo Burger” is offered on the menu, but that’s about as far as the Australian theme is carried. Otherwise it’s an eclectic assortment of traditional pub food such as chicken wings along with tacos, sandwiches and varieties of mac and cheese. The upstairs space, as it was during Galopin’s run, is a lounge with a casual but contemporary vibe. $$$ Park Plaza Gardens 319 S. Park Ave., 407-645-2475 / parkplaza-

gardens.com. Located adjacent to the historic Park Plaza Hotel, this Winter Park institution boasts a clubby, cozy bar and sidewalk café for leisurely drinks, casual meals and unparalleled people watching.

Café specialties include appetizers, soups, sandwiches, burgers and a lovely array of salads. At the rear of the building is the elegant atrium dining room, a posh, patio-style space where you are surrounded by large trees and lush vegetation beneath a soaring ceiling of glass. The food is worthy of the setting, melding American, European and Asian flavors and cooking techniques. Specialties of the house include beef carpaccio, filet of beef tenderloin, chicken curry salad and crab-stuffed grouper. Bananas foster is a showy but delightful dessert. $$$-$$$$

Rusty Spoon 55 W. Church St., Orlando, 407-401-8811 / therustyspoon.com. Foodies flock to this Church Street gastropub, a warm and welcoming space in 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. $$-$$$ Seasons 52 7700 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, 407-354-5212; 463 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs, 407-767-1252 / seasons52.com.

Business dinners, ladies’ luncheons and date nights abound at these ever-popular Darden concept restaurants, that boast big, bustling spaces with satisfying food and comprehensive wine lists. It seems incidental that the food happens to be healthful and low in fat, with no menu item topping 475 calories. So if you want that clam chowder, go for it. It will be cleverly produced without cream, butter or roux. $$-$$$

The Table Orlando 8060 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. $$$$

THE KEY $ Inexpensive, most entrées under $10 $$ Moderate, most entrées $10-20 $$$ Pricey, most entrées over $20 $$$$ Very expensive, most entrées over $30

310 Park South 310 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-647-7277 /

310parksouth.net. New American cuisine featuring fresh seafood, beef, pasta dishes, signature salads and sandwiches. Dine outside along the Avenue and enjoy daily lunch and dinner specials, a children’s menu or Sunday brunch. Steak, chicken and pasta entrées dominate the menu, but there’s also a very nice, slowly roasted half duck finished with a plum demi-glace. If you prefer to dine at home, call ahead and pick up your favorite dish. $$-$$$

Tibby’s New Orleans Kitchen 2203 Aloma Ave., Winter Park, 407-

672-5753 / tibbysneworleans-kitchen.com. If you’re looking for a quiet, intimate dining experience, this is not the place for you. Tibby’s is loud, raucous and fun, with Crescent City favorites like shrimp Creole, crawfish pie and, for dessert, powdered beignets. Tibby’s was named for the late Walter “Tibby” Tabony, a Big Easy native and great-uncle of restaurateur Brian Wheeler, who also founded Tijuana Flats. The old man, whose colorful biography is on the menu, would certainly have approved of the shrimp and andouille cheddar grits and the handbattered fried pickle slices, which are expertly fried and served with a rich rémoulade sauce. $$

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 Florida-based 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. $

ASIAN

Dragonfly 7972 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-370-3359 / dragon-

flyorlando.com. Stylishly attired 30-somethings regularly pack this ohso-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 shiso-wrapped spicy tuna. $$

Hawkers Street Fare 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 per-

haps 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. $

Orchid Thai Cuisine 305 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-331-1400.

Enjoy authentic Thai food — with orchids (what else?) garnishing many dishes — in a primo Park Avenue location. Traditional offerings include green curry highlighted by coconut gravy infused with kaffir lime and Thai basil, larb chicken, tom yum soup and curry puffs. For a light and refreshing dessert, try the Thai doughnuts, sweetened by a peanut-sprinkled dip of condensed milk. The cozy restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating. $$-$$$

Sea Thai 3812 E. Colonial Drive, 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. $$ Sushi Pop 310 W. Mitchell Hammock Road, Oviedo, 407-542-5975 / sushipoprestaurant.com. Oviedo is an unlikely location for this cuttingedge restaurant, a popular spot for sushi. The food is serious and often experimental, as chef-owner Chau uses molecular gastronomy to create some of the fusion fare. The aura is fun: Asian anime on the walls, playful colors, and servers who dress in outrageous themed outfits. $$ Tasty Wok 1246 E. Colonial Drive, 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. $

CONTINENTAL

Venetian Room 8101 World Center Drive, Orlando, 407-238-8060 / thevenetianroom.com. Walk though a run-of-the-mill convention hotel to reach this AAA Four-Diamond treasure, an elegant, domedservice, continental restaurant that pays homage 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 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-

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:35:57 AM

course, prix-fixe meal and Laurie helps choose the wine. Adjacent, the Tasting Room offers tapas-size portions of international dishes and a full bar. $$$

Fresh 535 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, 321-295-7837/fresh-

cafe.wp.com. You’d expect globally inspired cuisine in a restaurant owned by partners who are Filipino-Italian and Panamanian-Lebanese, respectively. And that’s what you get at aptly named Fresh, where the ingredients are uniformly fresh and largely locally sourced. The everchanging menu features such entrees as seared scallops with limeginger beurre blanc, butternut squash ravioli and succulent beef tenderloin. The grilled peach with mozzarella, prosciutto, lemon honey vinaigrette and mint is an out-of-the-ordinary salad. $$$-$$$$

K Restaurant 1710 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, 407-872-2332 / kres-

taurant.net. Kevin Fonzo, the go-to chef in College Park since 2001, owns this homey eatery, which is, in fact, located in a converted house. 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. $$-$$$

Le Rouge 7730 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando, 407-370-0909 / ler-

ougewinebar.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. $$$

Luma on Park 290 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-599-4111 / luma-

onpark.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 under the passionate direction of Executive Chef Brandon McGlamery, Chef de Cuisine Derek Perez and Pastry Chef Brian Cernell. $$$

Norman’s 4012 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando, 407-393-4333 /

normans.com. Celebrity Chef Norman Van Aken’s restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes, turns out artistic New World cuisine com-

bining 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. $$$$

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 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. $$$

Victoria & Albert’s 4401 Floridian Way, Lake Buena Vista, 407-9393862 / victoria-alberts.com. Indulgent, multicourse prix-fixe feasts are served in the serenely elegant main dining room, accompanied by live harp music, while yet more courses are offered in the more intimate Queen Victoria’s Room and the private Chef’s Table. Chef Scott Hunnel, Maitre d’ Israel Pérez and Master Pastry Chef Erich Herbitschek travel the world to learn the latest 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. $$$$

FRENCH

Café de France 526 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-647-1869 /

lecafedefrance.com. Dominique Gutierrez, who’s from Vendée, on the Atlantic coast of France, still greets Café de France diners as if they’re old friends. At this point, many are. Despite a kitchen staffed with chefs, she still prepares the house-made pâtés the way her mother taught her years ago. Look for classics such as garlicky escargot and au courant entrées such as rack of lamb with mint, eggplant purée and crisp wild mushrooms. $$-$$$

Café 906 906 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 407-975-0600 / ca-

fe906.blogspot.com. Within this nondescript freestanding building is a friendly, low-key little restaurant where French expat Vincent Vallée will brew you a cappuccino, warm up a slice of quiche Lorraine or indulge you with a peanut-butter filled lava cake — dark chocolate or

white. Be sure to try the “salted” pound cake, a savory snack made with goat cheese, walnuts and raisins stirred in, or the bacon quiche, a light, fluffy delight with a delicate and flaky crust. $

Chez Vincent 533 W. New England Ave, Winter Park, 407-599-2929 / chezvincent.com. Orlandoans have headed to chef Vincent Gagliano’s Hannibal Square hideaway for 15 years, dressing up for formal evenings made even more special with trout in lemon-butter and pork tenderloin slathered with Dijon sauce. The intimate space has two sister enterprises: a below-ground wine cellar that hosts private meals for up to 30, and a lounge known as Hannibal’s that dishes up American and French favorites. $$-$$$

Croissant Gourmet 120 E. Morse Blvd., Winter Park, 407-622-7753 /

croissantgourmet.com. Tucked onto a side street behind simple glass walls, Croissant Gourmet is so small you might not notice it. Seek it out. Under the expert guidance of pastry chef François Cahagne, this simple spot turns out tray after tray of the region’s finest croissants and pastries. Quiches are superb here, as are the grilled croque monsieur and madame sandwiches. $-$$

Dylan’s Deli 1198 N. Orange Ave., Winter Park, 407-622-7578 / dy-

lansdeli.net. In a disjointed little space featuring warm fresco colors and distinctive touches such as arched doorways, Dylan’s Deli offers not only the pastrami sandwiches you’d expect but also a wondrous assortment of French fare. Crêpes and paninis filled with an array of Gallic and international flavors make for satisfying lunches, while montaditos (platters of meats, cheeses, nuts and more) and charcuterie plates pair well with French wines and beers after dark. $$-$$$

Le Macaron French Pastries 216 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 321-2957958 / lemacaron-us.com. Le Macaron serves up 16 flavors of petite pastel cookies, each made primarily with frothy meringue and ground almonds. The noshes are delicate yet filling, and come in varieties such as black currant, pistachio and chestnut-ginger-chocolate. These are nothing like similarly named macaroons, made with coconut. $ Paris Bistro 216 N. Park Ave., 407-671-4424, Winter Park / parisbistroparkavenue.com. Paris Bistro is a restaurant divided: Some seats are tucked away behind Park Avenue’s Shops on Park building, past a koi pond. The others beckon along a bustling stretch of sidewalk.

“BEST ITALIAN” — 2013 Silver Spoon Awards

Follow us on FaceBook for menu specials and special events.

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

8OL_Mar14_Flavor.indd 57

W inter Park 400 South Orlando Avenue s 407-644-7770 Reservations online at www.roccositaliangrille.com ORLANDO LIFE

57

2/14/14 11:36:14 AM

B

FLAVOR LISTINGS

e the new you.

Wherever you choose to indulge, you’ll find French classics (coq au vin, beef burgundy) plus a slew of daily specials (roasted rack of lamb flambÊed with brandy and topped with a porcini mushroom sauce) created by chef and co-owner Sebastian Colce. $$-$$$

$-$$

HAWAIIAN/POLYNESIAN

Raglan Road 1640 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, 407-938-

Emeril’s Tchoup Chop 6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando, 407-503-2467

/ emerils.com. Emeril Lagasse’s Polynesian-fusion fare is executed within a dramatically decorated space. Diners enjoy tropical cocktails, steamed dumplings and creative entrÊes such as pan-roasted duck breast with gingered pear chutney and umeboshi (pickled) plum glaze. $$$$

hen in a pot, Irish stew and, of course, fish and chips as well as a wide selection of Irish beers. The ambience is enhanced by dark wood, cozy clutter and rowdy groups of “footballers� cheering televised matches.

0300 / raglanroad.com. Irish foods go a wee gourmet at this raucous Downtown Disney megapub, where watching Irish dancers and tasting imported beers are all part of the family fun. $$

a large portion of pasta served in a lasagna pan and filled with mussels, calamari, clams and shrimp drizzled with an olive oil sauce. The pizzas are excellent, too. $$$

Enzo’s on the Lake 1130 U.S. 17-92, Longwood, 407-834-9872 / en-

zos.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. $$$

Stylissima

Roy’s 7760 W. Sand Lake Road, 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. $$

S

Memories of India 7625 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando, 407-370-3277;

3895 Lake Emma Road, 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; 691 Front St., Celebration, 407-566-2233 / antoniosonline.com. Fine Italian fare comes in three price ranges at Antonio’s, proprietor Greg Gentile’s trio of culinary homages to his ancestors. In Maitland, the upstairs Ristorante is somewhat formal, although the open kitchen provides peeks of the chefs in action. Its downstairs counterpart, Antonio’s Market & CafÊ, is a more casual spot that doubles as a market and wine shop. And in Celebration, the casual, lake-view Cafe d’Antonio hits that center sweet spot. $$-$$$

O’Stromboli 1803 E. Winter Park Road, Orlando, 407-647-3872 / ostrombolis.com. 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. $$

Palma Maria 1015 E. Semoran Blvd., Casselberry, 407-339-2856 / palF ASHION C ONSULTING mamaria.com. You’ve got to love a restaurant where the same family

Bice 5601 Universal Blvd., Orlando, 407-503-1415 / orlando.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 Gorgonzola-demi sauce. $$$$ Brio Tuscan Grille 4200 Conroy Road, Orlando, 407-351-8909 / 480

has served the same food with the same smiles for more than three decades — but will cook up whatever you ask for on a whim. $$

Pannullo’s Italian Restaurant 216 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407629-7270 / pannullos.com. Housed in one of Park Avenue’s oldest buildings, Pannullo’s is approaching its 20th anniversary and has become something of a fixture itself. The menu features everything from pizza to classic pasta dishes, but you can’t go wrong with the lobster ravioli or the chicken gorgonzola. And check out the veggie-heavy salad bar. $$

N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-622-5611 / brioitalian.com. Lotylissima is a full service fashion consulting company that provides individual cated in Winter Park Village, Brio is a Tuscan treasure. Try the roasted lamb chops, a full rack, or the filletto di manzo toscana, an 8-ounce, personal shopping, wardrobe assessment, travel packing as sandwiches well asasGlam center-cut filet.

Lunch features paninis and well as Squad or special lunch-sized servings of popular dinner dishes. Pastas are made inRaga 7559 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando, 407-985-2900 / ragares7988 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-440-2856 / pepPeperoncino house are baked fresh in an Italian oven. The ambience is occasion Stylissima’s goalandisbreads complete enhancement - creating an empowered taurant.com.

From its stylish consultation. dĂŠcor to its inspired, somewhat global eroncinocucina.com. The menu changes every night at this cozy Dr. upscale, but kids have their own menu. $$ menu, Raga is a step above most local Indian restaurants. $$-$$$ Phillips restaurant, where chef-owner Barbara Alfano puts out plates you inside and out with a special focus on color preferences, body shape and personal style. of fried pecorino drizzled with honey, pear and four-cheese pasta and Buca di Beppo 1351 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland, 407-622-7663 / bu-

IRISH

Fiddler’s Green 544 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 407-645-2050

/ fiddlersgreenorlando.com. This is as authentically Irish as you’ll find in Orlando, with a menu featuring bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie,

cadibeppo.com. This national chain is owned by Orlando resident (and Planet Hollywood founder) Robert Earl, who has remade it onto a fun, kitschy place for family dining. The portions are humongous, and the food is served family style. A standout entrĂŠe is linguine fruitti di mari,

‡ CLOSET ASSESSMENT ‡ WARDROBE STYLING ‡ SPECIAL OCCASION STYLING ‡ TRAVEL PACKING e the you. ‡ FASHION SHOWnew PRODUCTION

B

Stylissima OFF 20% B

S

Wardrobe styling Ä“ Travel packing Ä“ Fashion production Closet assessment Ä“ Personal shopping

Stylissima I F

ASHION

S

Rocco’s Grille & Bar 400 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-6447770 / 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 inF ASHION C ONSULTING clude 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 ‡ CLOSET ASSESSMENT Mi Tomatina 433 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, 321-972-4881 / mitomatina.com. This eatery bills itself as a paella bar, and indeed ‡ WARDROBE STYLING guests share a half-dozen varieties of the signature Spanish rice dish.

Yet others come for a mellow meal over tapas (garlic shrimp, potato ‡ SPECIAL OCCASION STYLING omelet, croquettes) and sangria, enjoyed while seated within a small contemporary dining room or outdoors overlooking Hannibal Square. ‡ TRAVEL PACKING $$-$$$ ‡ FASHION SHOW PRODUCTION International Drive, Orlando, 407-248-6424 / mypiPio-Pio 5752 opio.com; 2500 S. Semoran Blvd., Orlando, 407-207-2262 / piopios. com; 11236 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, 407-438-5677. Latin American-style marinated roast chicken is a mainstay at this trio of Peruvian-Columbian restaurants, where families fuel up on heaping platters of pollo along with garlicky salad, fried plantains (sweet and green), and rice and beans. $$

20%OFF

ANY SERVICE

C ONSULTING

MEDITERRANEAN Free Consultation

STYLISSIMA FASHION CONSULTING

‡ WARDROBE STYLING ‡ SPECIAL OCCASION STYLING 8OL_Mar14_Flavor.indd 58 ‡ TRAVEL PACKING

e the new you.

Stylissima

D

‡ CLOSET ASSESSMENT .STYLISSIMA COM tylissima is aWWW full service fashion consulting company that.provides individual ‡ WARDROBE STYLING personal shopping, wardrobe assessment, travel packing as well as Glam Squad or special consultation. Stylissima’s goal is complete enhancement - creating an empowered occasion .,

a %%

‡ SPECIAL OCCASION STYLING you inside and out with a special focus on color preferences, body shape and personal style. ‡ TRAVEL 58 ORLANDO LIFE PACKING ‡ CLOSET ASSESSMENT ‡ FASHION Stylissima from flyer.indd 2 SHOW PRODUCTION 1/3/14

S

B

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. $$-$$$

to antipasto and veal saltimbocca. Be sure to try the bruschetta. $$

with noconsulting obligation tylissima is a full service fashion company that provides individual personal shopping, wardrobe assessment, travel packing well as Glam Squad or special (please present this brochure forasdiscount.) occasion consultation. Stylissima’s goal is complete enhancement - creating an empowered you inside and out with a special focus onLUNGA color preferences, body shape and personal style.

ARIANNE IOUF

M

Prato 124 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-262-0050 / prato-wp.com.

tylissima is a full service fashion consulting company that provides individual Tolla’s Italian Deli & CafÊ 240 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Winter Park, personal shopping, wardrobe assessment, travel packing as well as Gary GlamTolla Squad or special 407-628-0068 / tollasitalianrestaurant.com.

Chef-owner occasion consultation.

Stylissima’s goal isItalian complete - creating cooks up authentic home-style fare enhancement in this small cafÊ in a qui-an empowered of Winter Park.focus The offerings from hotbody subs and pizzas you inside eter and part out with a special on colorrange preferences, shape and personal style.

F ASHION C ONSULTING ANY SERVICE

e the new you.

Free Consultation

fish steamed in parchment paper. $$$

alFresco 146 W. Plant St., Winter Garden, 407-654-5889 / alfrescowwith no obligation intergarden.com.

Locally sourced foods take on a Mediterranean bent at this present upscale-casual restaurant hidden behind downtown Winter (please this brochure for discount.)

Garden’s charming Plant Street. $$

MBARIANNE ILUNGA DIOUF osphorous 108 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-644-8609; 7600 Dr.

STYLISSIMA ASHION C/ONSULTING Phillips Blvd., F 407-352-6766 bosphorousrestaurant.com. This is the

.

.

place for flavorful Turkish fare inCOM either a white-tablecloth setting or WWW STYLISSIMA

.,

a %%

MARCH 2014 10:49:04 AM

2/14/14 11:36:21 AM

alfresco along Park Avenue or Dr. Phillips Boulevard. 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 Drive, Orlando, 407-351-8660 / 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

Border Grill Fresh-Mex 5695 Vineland Road, Orlando, 407-3520101 / bordergrillorlando.weebly.com. The flavors are crazy-fresh at this tiny Mexican restaurant near Universal, where Veronica Starling and her mother, Esther Fragaso, run the kitchen and dining room with the help of assorted relatives. $ Cantina Laredo 8000 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-345-0186 / 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 vegetarianfriendly treat. $$ Cocina 214 151 E. Wellbourne Ave., Winter Park, 407-790-7997.

The area code of Dallas is 214, so this stylish eatery’s name makes sense when you consider that its menu offers creative, gourmet interpretations of traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes. The huevos rancheros, flanked by Mexican rice and black beans, makes an ideal brunch, with fried eggs served atop corn tortillas and topped with melted queso blanco and red rancheros sauce. Also notable: the truffle mushroom quesadilla and braised pork tacos with mango as well as pescado rico, a large serving of mahi-mahi, wilted spinach and grilled veggies in a roasted poblano cream sauce. The main dining room encompasses freestanding tables and banquettes and there’s a spacious patio where pooches are welcome. $$

P.R.’s Taco Palace 499 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 407-645-

2225. This charmingly dumpy but iconic Winter Park eatery, located adjacent to the railroad tracks, serves up hearty portions of Tex-Mex fare including chimichangas, fajitas, tostadas and, of course, tacos.

A specialty of the house is the outrageously proportioned fundido, a deep-fried flour tortilla filled with your choice of shredded or blackened chicken, shredded or ground beef and cream cheese. Many, many margaritas are consumed on the premises, and discounted tequila shots are offered whenever a train rumbles past. $-$$

SEAFOOD

Flying Fish Café 2101 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista, 407-

939-2359 / disneyworld.com. Creative seafood — and some great steak — are on the menu at this upbeat eatery in Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. For a special experience, enjoy a five-course Chef’s Tasting Wine Dinner while seated at the food bar. $$$$

Mitchell’s Fish Market 460 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-3393474 / mitchellsfishmarket.com. A high-end seafood chain that prides itself on being “absolutely, positively obsessed with freshness,” the family-friendly restaurant also offers a gluten-free menu and special meals for kids. Signature dishes include charbroiled oysters, Maine lobster bisque and a “Fish Market Trio” of blackened salmon, broiled salmon and sea scallops. $$-$$$ Ocean Prime 7339 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando, 407-781-4880 / 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 wellprepared 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 14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, 407-5975500 / bullandbearorlando.com. Orlando’s Bull & Bear looks similar to

ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

New York’s legendary steakhouse (except for the pool and golf course views), but ours has its own ambitious menu. Guests of the Waldorf Astoria’s fine-dining restaurant can feast on traditional items such as veal Oscar and prime steak that’s dry aged for 21 days, and intriguing ones such as appetizers of gnocchi and escargot with crescents of black garlic. The chocolate and lemon desserts are superb. $$$$

Capital Grille 4200 Conroy Road, 407-351-2210; 9101 International Drive, 407-370-4392 / thecapitalgrille.com. Capital Grille tries to oneup 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 Prime Steak & Lobster 729 Lee Road, Orlando, 407-6454443 / christnersprimesteakandlobster.com. Locals have been choosing this prototypically masculine, dark-wood-and-red-leather enclave for business dinners and family celebrations for more than a decade.

Family-owned since 1993 yet under the Del Frisco’s banner until mid2013, 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. $$$$

Chicken

Linda’s La Cantina 4721 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, 407-894-4491 / lindaslacantina.com. An Orlando icon, this style-free, windowless restaurant is always packed, and that’s because it serves top-quality steak dinners at wallet-friendly prices. Namesake Linda’s daughters Karen Hart, Debra Tassoni and Lori Coley, run the establishment today. $$-$$$ Nelore Churrascaria 115 E. Lyman Ave., Winter Park, 407-645-1112 / neloresteakhouse.com. This is one of two Nelore Brazilian all-youcan-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 Road, Orlando, 407-226-3900;

610 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-622-2444; 80 Colonial Center Parkway, 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; 2974 International Parkway, Lake Mary, 407-531-3567 / donshula.com.

Coach Don Shula, who led the Miami Dolphins to a perfect season in 1972, is now in the restaurant business. One of his Orlando outposts, located in Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin resort, is a dark, tastefully sports-themed 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. Up in Lake Mary, Shula’s 347 Grill is more of a sports bar with ambitious food. $$-$$$$

Healthy Meals Start Here!

VEGETARIAN

Café 118 153 E. Morse Blvd., Winter Park, 407-389-2233 / cafe118. com. Raw foods—none cooked past 118 degrees—are the focus of this health-conscious niche café, which attracts raw foodists, vegans and vegetarians. The spinach and beet ravioli stuffed with cashew ricotta is an impressive imitation of the Italian staple. Thirsty Park Avenue shoppers might stop by for a healthful smoothie. $$ Ethos Vegan Kitchen 601 S. New York Ave., Winter Park, 407-2283898 / ethosvegankitchen.com. Ethos is a vegan restaurant with a menu that also satisfies open-minded carnivores. Fuel up on pecancrusted eggplant with red wine sauce and mashed potatoes or a meat-free shepherd’s pie, if salads, sandwiches and coconut-curry tofu wraps won’t do the trick. $-$$ Infusion Tea 1600 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, 407-999-5255 / infu-

sionorlando.com. College Parkers have umpteen options for lunch and dinner, yet Infusion Tea always has a buzz. It sells tea, sure, but also healthy, flavorful, meat-free paninis, pizzas, salads, wraps and quiches. $

*Minimally processed.

No artificial ingredients. ®/© 2014 Tyson Foods, Inc. ORLANDO LIFE

129-0016 Tyson-3rdPage-OrlandoLife-01.indd 1

8OL_Mar14_Flavor.indd 59

59

2/10/14 4:58 PM

2/14/14 11:36:28 AM

1

PEOPLE & PLACES

with paula

Artsy Birthdays

I

PLUS COURAGEOUS KIDS AND A GREAT HOUSE WARMING.

f you’re going to celebrate your birthday in style, you might as

well invite a legendary French fashion designer to the event, n’est-ce pas?

Well, Christian Lacroix wasn’t exactly on the guest list of Exposé, the gala celebrating the Orlando Ballet’s 40th year. But then, neither was Mikail Baryshnikov. Both had a presence in the

PHOTOS: RAFAEL TONGOL

Costumes from the American Ballet Theatre’s 1988 production of Gaîté Parisienne were on full display at the Exposé gala celebrating the Orlando Ballet’s 40th anniversary

celebration just the same.

As part of the festivities, the American Ballet Theatre was kind enough to send the colorful costumes created for its 1988 production of Gaîté Parisienne to go on display — first at the Neiman Marcus store at The Mall at Millenia, then as part of the Exposé soiree at the new Aloft Hotel.

The costumes were designed by Lacroix at Baryshnikov’s request.

Sending them to Orlando was a generous gesture on behalf of ABT. It was one heck of a birthday present and a sentimental moment for Orlando Ballet’s artistic director, Robert Hill, a former principal dancer at ABT who was in the cast of Gaîté Parisienne.

60

ORLANDO LIFE

9OL_Mar14 Paula.indd 60

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:42:57 AM

14FOR004_ORLANDO_LIFE_FP4C_MARCH_RTH-PRESS.pdf

1

2/11/14

12:54 PM

Hope is the sparkle we bring.

P h o t o co u r t e s y o f t h e Nielsens Photography & Design

For tickets, sponsorships and additional information, please contact us at 407-802-1544 or info@runwaytohope.org.

S AT U R DAY, M AY 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 , a t R O S E N S H I N G L E C R E E K Join us at Runway to Hope’s Spring Fashion Soiree for an unforgettable evening celebrating the bravery, hope and beauty of more than 90 children fighting pediatric cancer.

Let’s hold hands. Let’s walk together. Let’s end childhood cancer.

r u n wa y t o h o p e.o rg

Benefitting pediatric oncology programs at:

9OL_Mar14 Paula.indd 61

2/14/14 11:43:02 AM

PEOPLE AND PLACES

with paula

2.

1.

5.

Spoon Full o f Sugar

When I heard that I could dust off my hat and break out my pearls to join a ballroom full of the coolest ladies in Orlando for a classic afternoon of tea and sweets, I sweetly clicked “yes” on the invite from Kids Beating Cancer’s Spoon Full of Sugar event.

There was a lovely spring fashion show provided by Macy’s, whose emcee was my friend and WFTV Channel 9 anchorwoman Vanessa Echols, who always arrives emanating a built-in style and grace all her own.

The event, which was held at the new Alfond Inn in Winter Park, boasted a long list of partners: Florida Pediatric Associates, Embraced by Grace and Florida Child Neurology, just to name a few.

And, of course, my heart melted at the sight of the kids, who were not only in attendance but were also part of the fashion show. As they shared tea with committee chair Donna Boyer, I enjoyed chatting it up with Shane Nguyen Barr and Bob Delvecchio.

Kids Beating Cancer was created in 1992 by Margaret Voight Guedes in memory of her son, John, who lost his battle with leukemia earlier that year. I love being around Margaret. She brings an elegant passion to all she does.

3.

1. Emily Scotson, Donna Boyer, Tari Kazaros 2. Kaitlin Silviano, Desi Garrison, Patsy Kruppenbacher, Logan Finney 3. Joshua Chambers, Erica Barr 4. Shane Nguyen Barr, Donna Boyer, Paula Wyatt, Erica Barr 5. Margaret Guedes, Donna Boyer, Dawn Mateer 6-8. The Party at the Plaza raised big bucks for the Orlando Phil

6.

7.

PHOTOS: (bottom left and top right) jarred paluzzi

4.

8.

Par ty at the Plaza

This year’s annual fundraiser for the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra doubled as a housewarming party.

A crowd of more than 400 attended the Party at the Plaza — meaning the Plaza Live Theatre, a renovated, two-screen movie theater that the Phil purchased last year as its office, rehearsal and 62

ORLANDO LIFE

9OL_Mar14 Paula.indd 62

MARCH 2014

2/14/14 11:43:27 AM

1.

2.

4.

performance space.

Previous galas were seated dinners with full-orchestra performances. This one offered more of a variety-show format, and included musical performers ranging from folk to funk to classical.

The evening was topped off by long-time favorite Michael Andrew & The Atomic Big Band.

David Schillhammer, the Phil’s executive director, said the event netted over $70,000 — more than any of the orchestra’s past three galas.

1. Derrick and Stacey Cox; Brenda and Jim Wetmore 2-3. Guests admire the Old Masters at OMA’s 90th birthday celebration 4. Jennifer Gordon, Tyra Dance, Linda Santiago, Betty Ross, Joseph Rosier 5. Harry Sykes

OMA’s 90th

We were impressed by the ballet’s costume party, but in terms of the guest list — well, you couldn’t have a more distinguished roster than the Orlando Museum of Art welcomed at its 90 birthday party.

Let’s just take a peek at that guest list: Peter Paul Rubens and Thomas Gainsborough were on hand, for starters. And we’re all on a first-name basis with that other fellow that nobody could keep their eyes off of: Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.

One of the most lively crowds ever to gather at the museum savored snacks and conversation in the lobby, listened to opening remarks, then filtered in to see the exhibit: Rembrandt, Rubens, Gainsborough and the Golden Age of Painting in Europe.

Talk about great birthday presents: The exhibit, which is on loan from the Speed Museum in Louisville, will be on display through May 25. n ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

9OL_Mar14 Paula.indd 63

5.

THERE’S MORE ONLINE

Using your mobile device, scan the QR code or go to orlando-life.com and see more pictures and stories from these and other events held throughout Central Florida.

Native Floridian Paula Wyatt is an Orlando event planner, social-media expert and entrepreneur whose companies include Posh Able Events, Posh Able Image Builders and the nonprofit Posh Abilities. You can reach her at paula@ poshableevents.com.

ORLANDO LIFE

PHOTOS: jarred paluzzi

3.

63

2/14/14 11:43:39 AM

RESTLESS NATIVE

mike thomas

Climbing Jacobs’ Ladder R

NO MATTER HOW VALIANT, DEMINGS HAS A TOUGH RACE.

eelections tend to be coronations in this town. The incumbent

announces he or she is running again. Supporters and special interests who want something sign on as fundraisers. They raise a gazillion dollars. The media finds out.

Indignant columnists lash out at the mass infusion of special-interest campaign money and list a few of the top offenders. And everyone at campaign headquarters exchanges high-fives because that was just their intent — a blinking billboard that says, “Hey, look who’s on our side.’’

The effect is akin to the alpha wolf howling at the top of the mountain to scare away challengers.

Everybody uses this strategy, even Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. Most everyone who was against her in 2010 is for her in 2014 because everyone understands the system. But this time, at the last moment, a potentially serious candidate ignored the howl and entered the race: former Orlando Police Chief Val Demings.

Full disclosure: I worked for Mayor Jacobs and admire her. But former political minions always are commenting on campaigns. I’ll try to refrain from blatant spinning because I have great admiration for Demings, though I don’t think she has a lemming’s chance in this race. She is up against a very good politician.

Consider our little world back in 2011. Jacobs had just entered office. In her official first act, she responded to a request for more money for the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts by publicly ripping the project to shreds, citing mismanagement and cost overruns.

This put Jacobs on a war footing with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the Democratic, downtown establishment. Meanwhile, the future for the Citrus Bowl project, which also hadn’t gotten off the ground because of insufficient funds, didn’t appear much brighter.

This made Buddy one-for-three on his coveted venues.

Fast forward to today. The performing arts center is rising. The Citrus Bowl not only is under construction, but the plans have been upgraded. Add to those plums a new soccer stadium and MLS franchise.

Now, instead of one-for-three, Buddy is four-for-four. Everybody is happy, even the I-Drive hoteliers, who are getting a major renovation of the Orange County Convention Center.

Such is the magic that can be produced when, like Jacobs, you have the most say over how the resort tax on hotel rooms is spent.

64

ORLANDO LIFE

You can speculate about how much politics had to do with some or all of this, but I would respond that politics have something to do with everything. What matters are results.

Turning our attention back to Demings, she is not acting like a very good politician. She pre-announced her intention to run for mayor, undermining the official announcement, which otherwise would have been a huge, front-page photo-op.

She has not been endorsed by Dyer, who appointed her police chief. Jim Pugh, the driving force behind the arts center and perhaps the top Democratic fundraiser in town, is working for Jacobs, who has also been embraced by the downtown establishment.

Not one A-team Democrat has backed Demings, whose entire strategy is based on making this a partisan race.

This has left her with a ragtag assortment of B-teamers — all with various gripes against Jacobs — who hope to cobble together a grassroots campaign. Their complaints include Jacobs’ handling of a domestic-partner registry and the so-called “textgate” scandal, in which special interests appeared to be lobbying some commissioners on their cell phones during a meeting on the paid-sick-days referendum.

This progressive coalition may be joined by some Republicans, mostly those unhappy with how Jacobs has battled with Gov. Rick Scott’s appointees over control of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority. All in all, it’s a disgruntled coalition without focus, professional direction or traction with the public at large.

And Demings is in something of a box. She never has objected to her former boss’ venues, so she can’t go after Jacobs on that. If she supports the paid-sick-days proposal, Jacobs would get $5 million from the tourism, restaurant, retail and transportation industries the very next day.

All this is readily apparent as Demings struggles to find a message to ignite her campaign. The longer that struggle continues, the more this race becomes less about winning, and the more about salvaging a respectable enough loss so that she stays in the political picture afterward. n Native Floridian and longtime Orlando columnist Mike Thomas is a freelance writer. You can reach him at miket@orlando-life.com.

MARCH 2014

ORL_LIFE

12OL_Mar14_Restless Native.indd 64

2/14/14 3:14:01 PM

Introducing...

Why did we join together? So leading researchers can share their discoveries with top doctors. So you can have access to the latest treatment options, new targeted therapies and advanced clinical trials. Close to you.

STRONGER. TOGETHER. FOR YOU. Call 321.843.7770 or visit UFHealthCancerOrlando.com

ORL_LIFE full (doctors_new).indd 1

12OL_Mar14_Restless Native.indd 73

1/23/14 10:15 AM

2/14/14 12:39:29 PM

M A L L AT M I L L E N I A . C O M

NEIMAN MARCUS BLOOMINGDALE’S MACY’S CHANEL PRADA GUCCI LOUIS VUITTON SAINT LAURENT SALVATORE FERRAGAMO EMPORIO ARMANI HUBLOT DAVID YURMAN ROLEX BURBERRY APPLE SEPHORA MICHAEL KORS TORY BURCH THE ART OF SHAVING TUMI 7 FOR ALL MANKIND KATE SPADE NEW YORK DIESEL SPLENDID MICROSOFT VICTORIA’S SECRET BROOKS BROTHERS H&M SONY FINISH LINE C. WONDER ALLSAINTS ABERCROMBIE & FITCH TOMMY BAHAMA PINK THE CAPITAL GRILLE THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO BLUE MARTINI

MAM-4168-A01F AD2 9x10.75 Ad Production RESIZE.indd 1 12OL_Mar14_Restless Native.indd 74

2/5/14 4:18 PM 2/14/14 12:40:00 PM