9 minute read
VACATIONLAND
The luck of the Irish is coming to SeaWorld Orlando! Get in on all of the St. Patrick’s Day fun at the park from March 17-20, 2022 as part of our Seven Seas Food Festival.
Enjoy Irish-themed food and drinks, live music, and more. Don’t miss the celebration of everything Irish – it’s going to be a blast!
STOP & SMELL THE ROSES
Brilliant gardens, fresh flavors, lively entertainment and more!
By Devyn Le
Starting on March 2nd to July 4th, Walt Disney World’s Epcot will be having its International Flower and Garden Festival once again. This year will mark the festival’s 29th year on display and the blooms will be full speed ahead. There will be Garden Rocks Concerts that occurs three times a night in the America Gardens Theatre within the park, and the World Showcase will be hosting over 20 different booths. This 90-day festival displays an immense amount of color and artwork that visitors are able to relish in. It includes flower towers, a butterfly garden, and 30-million blooms. You don’t have to be a professional florist or topiarist to enjoy the wonderful sights and smells of the park during this time. Not only are there flowers and topiaries of your favorite characters, the menu that Disney has procured for Epcot’s festival is also immaculate and worth attending for. Visitors can sample southern style food at Magnolia Terrace with their seafood boil or honey inspired food at The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by the National Honey Board. There is even a plant-based booth called Trowel & Trellis which is hosted by IMPOSSIBLETM Foods.
Don’t miss out! Plan your trip to Epcot for this year’s International Flower and Garden Festival.
BEWARE OF THE DRAGONS!
Join the hunt for the hidden treasure!
The Harry P. Leu Gardens are an Orlando favorite for those who enjoy a nice walk in the park, or for those looking for something to do away from the screen. They aim to “inspire visitors to appreciate and understand plants.” And right now, they are having a mythical journey through the 50-acre botanical gardens to find the dragons’ hidden treasure. Each guest, a “seeker,” will receive a special map with information on finding legendary artifacts and clues. Each clue will help guide the “seeker” to decipher the meaning and find the location of the hidden treasure. Beware of the Dragons! Dragons are in the gardens. Keep watch on your quest and remember dragons are protectors of their treasure. Dragons Hidden Treasure Quest is included with your daytime garden admission. Face Masks are required for indoors only.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRION PRICE
Museum of Illusions Event
Im In Event @ Mia’s Italian Kitchen
Social Event at Feilds
Socialize
Social Event at Feilds
Im In Event @ Mia’s Italian Kitchen Comedy Show Event @ Quantum Leap
ARTEFACTO - Art Fashion Deco
SPOTLIGHT ON WD INVEST
Before Doni Marangon and Werner Macedo became founders of WD Invest, they were living different lives. Marangon was a professional soccer player in Europe and Macedo was specializing in accounting & finance in New York. What brought the two together ultimately, aside from the mutual friend and former partner who connected them, was the mutual interest they both shared in the real estate market. After living in Brazil for many years and spending some time in Italy and England, Marangon immigrated to the United States where he had done extensive research in the real estate market. Macedo simultaneously shifted his focus from accounting and started investing in the real estate market in 2013. It was in 2017 the two Brazilian born immigrants came together and founded WD Invest.
WD Invest has three partner companies that sit under the umbrella including D32 Builder, I4 Developer and Rome Reality Management. The company focuses on the investment, development and construction of properties ranging all over the state of Florida. Projects include commercial real estate, apartment communities and multi-family homes.
The company has expanded undoubtedly in the last five years of its existence. To date, WD Invest has over 1.28 billion in project sales and 3,590 units under construction. They just started the construction of 419 single family homes in the Greater Ocala area and plan to have 120 apartments in Deltona completed in the next month. Macedo projects that with the continuous growth in Florida, the demand for housing will continue to increase. Due to the continued demand, WD Invest is undergoing several upcoming projects including plans to create 630 units in Belleview, and more 536 units in Deltona, among others.
Despite the continued growth of the company, Macedo and Marangon agree that the values will always remain the same, as WD Invest was founded on the premises of the workforce.
“The DNA of our company will always be the truth to our nature, and it will always be an entrylevel home type of company,” Macedo says.
For Macedo and Marangon, their business is more than just a company, it’s family. In fact, some of the communities they have built together were named after their children and wives. The founders value the strong ties with their partners and colleagues and are very grateful to be a part of their growing community.
“I could never imagine the depths of how far we have gotten,” says Macedo.
The two partners went from flipping homes, to buying single-family homes, to present day where they are managing, developing and building 3,590 units throughout. The secret to their ongoing success? According to Macedo, it’s their willingness to go where others may not and seeing what can be done.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRION PRICE Socialize
Im In Event @ Mia’s Italian Kitchen
Social Event at Feilds Museum of Illusions Event Im In Event @ Mia’s Italian Kitchen
BEAUTY
Eyeshadow Made Easy
NARS
HARDWIRED EYESHADOW A rare combination of highpigment with high-shine, ultrafine blends of shimmer, glitter, and pearl reflect light for eye-catching effects. Glides on smoothly and evenly. Layers and intensifies. Lasts through the night. $22 / Narscosmetics.com
Face cream from the Gods
TATCHA
INDIGO OVERNIGHT REPAIR A cushiony, fragrancefree soothing serum-inmoisturizer treatment that visibly calms irritation, strengthens skin’s barrier, and balances the microbiome so you can awaken with skin as strong as you are. $88 / Tatcha.com
PROTECT YOUR FACE
By Devyn Le Everything you should know about protecting your skin from blue light.
You probably already have a skincare routine that you do religiously, but have you considered adding an extra step for blue light protection? In this age of digitalization and technology, many people are unaware about the effects that the blue light from their phone or computer screen has on their skin. Blue light contains high-frequencies and short wavelengths that are detrimental to your skin cells. The effects are not immediate but are long term. It has been found that blue light causes cell shrinkage, speeds up the aging process, and adds excess stress to the skin.
Recently, many brands have released creams and serums focusing on just blue light protection alone. Before the release of these blue light focused protectants, many professionals recommended just wearing sunscreen or SPF. Unfortunately for the consumer, many of these common sunscreens leave a white cast or a thick and sticky feeling on your face. That’s why brands like Soleil Toujours and Goodhabit have deterred away from the common sunscreen, introducing other products of protection.
The Goodhabit brand, released in 2020, is a leading skincare company in the protection from blue light. They provide on their brand website (goodhabitskin.com) that SPF is not enough to fight the visible blue light. Their best seller is the Water Jelly Dew Cream which is supposed to provide “heavyweight hydration with a lightweight feel” utilizing their BLU5 technology. This technology they have created is from the extraction of a marine active off the coast of Greenland. This active ultimately creates a light protective film on the skin while neutralizing the effects of blue light.
Furthermore, luxury brand, Soleil Toujours, has also released an anti-blue light formulated mist. Soleil Toujours announced their mission to “erase the divide between luxury skincare and serious suncare, making protection from the sun’s harmful rays a daily routine, not just a beach-day consideration” (soleiltoujours.com). However, their Organic Set+ Protect Micro Mist SPF 30 also provides protection from the blue light with the inclusion of the EcoSun Complex. This is their blend of red algae, ascorbyl pamitate (oil-soluble form of vitamin C), vitamin E, and bisabolol (extracted from chamomile) that is included in their products. ßThey also focus on sustainable packaging and environmental responsibility, so you don’t have to feel guilty when purchasing their products knowing that they are vegan and environmentally friendly.
Make the choice to add the extra step of blue light protectant skincare to your routine and you’ll realize that’s what you’ve been missing.
PRATO
ENRICHING NIGHT CREAM $73 / pratobotanico.com
111SKIN
ROSE GOLD BRIGHTENING FACIAL TREATMENT MASK $32 / 111skin.com
ALL THINGS FACE
CHANEL
LE LIFT FLUIDE $165 / Chanel.com
SHISIEDO
TOTAL REGENERATING CREAM $285 / Shisiedo.com
BEACH FAVORITES
PETER MILLAR
MEN'S SWIRLING DOT PRINT SWIM TRUNKS Peter Millar swim trunks in swirling dot print. Elasticized drawstring waistband. Side slip pockets. Classic fit. $98 / Neimanmarcus.com
LOUIS VUITTON
2054 PACKABLE SWIMWEAR These swimshorts are adorned with an all-over printed Monogram motif. Crafted in a regular fit from quick-drying technical fabric, they feature a 3D LV 2054 signature on the side, and can be packed away into their back pocket. $900 / Louisvuitton.com
ETRO
MEN'S HIBISCUS PATTER SWIM TRUNKS Etro swim trunks with colorful hibiscus print with drawstring elastic waistband. Side slip pockets and hem hits above the knee. $269 / Neimanmarcus.com
