August 2017 LAKE NONA | NARCOOSSEE | LEE VISTA | ST. CLOUD | CONWAY | HARMONY | KISSIMMEE
what’s
INSIDE: LIVING IN HARMONY is as sweet as the name itself
I LIVE HERE: LAURALYNN PREWETT real estate AUG. rental listings
EVENTS
BECAUSE YOU
live, work & play in the EAST ORLANDO AREA Publisher/Owner
STEVE FUSILIER steve@realtygroupfl.com
Editorial
MORE ABOUT YOU,
please !
Connect with others who live, work and play in the East Orlando area. Meet new people, discover new places and learn new things.
EDITOR’S note Hi
there, neighbors. A lot of good things came out of the 1970s—Star Wars, platform shoes, and vinyl records, to name a few. But one of my favorites evolved from good old fashioned community activism. One volunteer paved the way to provide community watch groups “the necessary resources and assets to stay informed, interested, involved, and motivated.”
And in 1984— alongside Purple Rain, Trivial Pursuit and parachute pants—the National Night Out campaign was born. According to the NNO website, “Neighborhoods across the nation began to host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and various other community events with safety demonstrations,
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LYNNETTE FUSILIER lynnette@cfmonthly.com
Sales
KELLY MOE kelly@cfmonthly.com SHANNON SMILEY shannon@cfmonthly.com
Photography
AMI BROWN shearosefoto@aol.com
Graphic Design
AUDREY MORAN audreymdesigns@gmail.com
seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, exhibits and much, much more. Today, thirty-eight million neighbors in sixteen thousand communities across the nation take part in National Night Out.” And like David Bowie, the VW Beetle and Donkey Kong, getting to know your neighbors will never go out of style. It’s still the best way to create a safer, more caring place to live.
Warmly,
lynnette P.S. I’d love to see how you celebrate National Night Out. Please share your photos and stories on CFM’s Facebook page.
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THE BEST VALUE IN ORTHODONTIC CARE
Dr. Kimberly Carlyle
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Clear, colored and metal braces Insurance claim filing Flexible payment plans available FREE CONSULTATIONS
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ADDRESS: 8255 LEE VISTA BLVD. ORLANDO, FL 32829
PHONE: 407-447-9060 WEB: WWW.CARLYLEORTHO.COM
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FEATURE PROPERTY eagle creek
13648 Budworth Cir, Orlando, FL 32832 4 BED • 3 BATH • 2273 SQ FT CUSTOM HOME Lisiana Dutka 248.563.9889 Step inside this spacious totally upgraded "Pinehurst" custom home built by Jones Homes. It has all the bells and whistles, including updated GE Profile stainless appliances, a Chef's dream kitchen; engineered hardwood flooring in library/4th bedroom, formal dining room & master suite with separate walk in closets. The dining room also offers gorgeous custom cabinets with glass lit shelving.
1660 Marina Lake Dr, Kissimmee, FL 34744 5 BED • 3 BATH • 3676 SQ FT • LAKEFRONT Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
12155 Aztec Rose Ln, Orlando, FL 32827 4 BED • 3 BATH • 2455 SQ FT • VILLAGE WALK Lisiana Dutka 248.563.9889
13215 Minshull Pt, Orlando, FL 32832 5 BED • 4 BATH • 4144 SQ FT • GATED Lourdes Valdes 407.234.1955
16431 Tudor Grove Dr, Orlando, FL 32828 3 BED • 2 BATH • 2160 SQ FT • GATED Patrick Pixley 352.516.4427
20880 Ortega St, #2A, Orlando, FL 32833 4 BED • 3 BATH • 2986 SQ FT • POOL HOME Peter Rodriguez 407.233.6724
608 S Main Ave #35, Minneola, FL 34715 2 BED • 2 BATH • 1492 SQ FT • REMODELED CONDO Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
5331 Carson St, Saint Cloud, FL 34771 5 BED • 5 BATH • 5772 SQ FT • POOL HOME Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
20529 Quinn St, #3A, Orlando, FL 32833 4 BED • 3 BATH • 2409 SQ FT • 1-ACRE LOT Patrick Pixley 352.516.4244
13661 Granger Ave, Orlando, FL 32827 5 BED • 4.5 BATH • 4650 SQ FT • POOL HOME Haji Shimabukuro 407.435.1910
1141 Audubon Way, Maitland, FL 32751 4 BED • 3 BATH • 3376 SQ FT • PRIVATE LAKE ACCESS Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
111 Monument Ave. #803, Kissimmee, FL 34741 3 BED • 3 BATH • 3052 SQ FT • LAKEFRONT Kelly Moe 407.791.9180
4974 Lazy Oaks Way, Saint Cloud, FL 34771 4 BED • 4 BATH • 3268 SQ FT • LAKEFRONT Amy Platon 321.230.7190
RESIDENTIAL 6 R E S I D E N T I A L • CO M M E R C I A L • V A C A N T L A N D • I N V E S T M E N T S • L E A S I N G • 407.281.8455 • WW W .REALTYGROUPFL. COM
R E S I D E N T I A L • CO M M E R C I A L • V A C A N T L A N D • I N V E S T M E N T S • L E A S I N G • 407.281.8455 • WW W .REALTYGROUPFL.COM
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FEATURE PROPERTY conway
0 Seminole Dr, Belle Isle, FL 32812 4 BED • 3.5 BATH • 3800 SQ FT • LAKEFRONT Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
2772 Mead Ave, Saint Cloud FL 34771 4 BED • 2 BATH • BRAND NEW HOME • $1795 Keith Race 407.476.0476
7830 Holiday Isle Dr #101, Orlando, FL 32812 3 BED • 3 BATH • PRIVATE BOAT RAMP • $2350 Joey Guest - Text "4RENT" to 43506 for more info
12010 Ginkgo Dr, Orlando, FL 32827 3 BED • 3 BATH • LAKEFRONT TOWNHOME • $1995 Laura Alves 407.496.7616
1452 E Michigan St, Unit 8, Orlando, FL 32806 OFFICE • 500 SQ. FT. • WATER & PARKING LOT • $750 Keith Race 407.476.0476
7902 Daetwyler Dr, Belle Isle, FL 32812 5 BED • 3.5 BATH • 2400 SQ FT • LAKEFRONT Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
0 Nela Ave, Belle Isle, FL 32812 4 BED • 4.5 BATH • 3850 SQ FT • LAKEFRONT Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
Don’t miss your chance to own this Immaculate, Custom Built Home on the Lake Conway Chain! Entering the home, you’re greeted with a huge Open Floor Plan with a combined Kitchen and Great Room overlooking the lake. The Kitchen features High-End Stainless Steel Appliances, a large Island and Beautiful Quartz Counters. The home sits on a large Peninsula Lot offering tons of privacy and a Huge Backyard with plenty of room for family fun on the lake.
4091 Conway Place Cir, Orlando, FL 32812 5 BED • 5.5 BATH • 3908 SQ FT • LAKEFRONT Bree Buswell 407.408.4192
2414 Hoffner Ave, Belle Isle, FL 32812 3 BED • 2 BATH • 1647 SQ FT • UPDATED Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
7041 Buttonbush Loop, Saint Cloud, FL 34773 3 BED • 2 BATH • HARMONY COMMUNITY • $1650 Ryan Smith 407.616.3301
6354 Rolden Ct, Mount Dora, FL 32757 4 BED • 3.5 BATH • GATED • $1850 Ryan Smith 407.616.3301
5205 Oak Island, Belle Isle, FL 32812 2 BED • 1 BATH • 1125 SQ FT • LAKE ACCESS Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
7830 Holiday Isle #302, Belle Isle, FL 32812 3 BED • 2 BATH • 1808 SQ FT • LAKEFRONT Chris Pixley 352.267.4244
2590 The Oaks Blvd, Kissimmee, FL 34746 4 BED • 3 BATH • POOL HOME • $2325 Ryan Smith 407.616.3301
8461 Greider Way, Orlando, FL 32827 4 BED • 3 BATH • LAUREATE PARK • $2500 Ryan Smith 407.616.3301
RESIDENTIAL 8
R E S I D E N T I A L • CO M M E R C I A L • V A C A N T L A N D • I N V E S T M E N T S • L E A S I N G • 407.281.8455 • WWW.REALTYGROUPFL.COM
RENTALS R E S I D E N T I A L • CO M M E R C I A L • V A C A N T L A N D • I N V E S T M E N T S • L E A S I N G • 407.476.0476 • WWW.FMGREALESTATE.COM
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flavor ADD SOME
TO YOUR NETWORK
August 9, 6-8PM at 407 Cafe 9161 Narcoossee Rd Ste 108, Orlando RSVP:
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harmony LIVING IN
is as SWEET as the NAME ITSELF
F
Text by Chad Walsh rederick Meek had the most modern of dilemmas: how to survive the commute to work and back again.
The father of two is a drone operator and commercial diver for an engineering firm in St. Cloud that inspects bridges. It’s a great job and he loves it, but the hour-and-a-half drive to and from work to his Kissimmee home was consuming three hours a day that he would rather be spending with his wife and two sons instead of being trapped behind the wheel. His wife, Jacqueline, says they’d been thinking about moving closer to St. Cloud for some time—they just didn’t know where. And then in 2010, on a fateful drive to nowhere in particular, she found exactly where they’d spend their days: The small community of Harmony, which is encircled by a white picket fence. That long, loping fence piqued Jacqueline’s interest and she wanted to know more about what lay behind it. What she found was a self-sufficient community that’s nestled on 11,000 acres of protected lands flanked by a chain of lakes. “It’s an amazing, quiet community,” Jacqueline says. It’s the kind of place where her boys, ages 8 and 11, can stay out playing and safely exploring the neighborhood until the streetlights come on. It’s the kind of place where they can walk, as a family, down to the pier after supper for their nightly evening ritual of casting lines and lures for bass as they perch in the fading daylight. And it’s the kind of place that puts water sports front and center. (In fact, when we reached her, Jacqueline was on the lake watching her sons wakeboard.) Jessica Rockne, a friend and coworker of Jacqueline’s (she works in the front office of the Community School, where Jacqueline teaches fourth grade), echoes those sentiments. “When Harmony was getting started, the developer hired an event director who put on events so everyone could get to know each other,” Jessica says. And while that position was 86’d years ago, the community stepped up by creating a volunteer committee to make sure some of those same events continue to happen.
Harmony is the kind of place that puts water sports front and center.
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Jessica, her husband and their three kids now know everyone who lives in Harmony. She’s never lived anywhere like it, adding that in past neighborhoods where she and her family lived, it wasn’t uncommon to not even know your neighbor’s first name, let alone what their lives were like. “Our neighbors have become our best friends,” she says. “People here are invested in where they live.” And Jacqueline says that like many Central Florida communities orbiting the city of Orlando, located just 45 minutes away, “You’re not in the mix unless you want to be.” Still, Harmony is somewhere, and Jacqueline and Jessica point out the community itself is so chockablock with amenities, both natural and planned, that it makes sense that people would want to stick close to home, since home has so much to offer. First of all, there’s the golf course: The Harmony Golf Preserve is the only Johnny Miller Signature course in Central Florida, and its environs are so natural that you’ll hardly see a home visible when you’re teeing up, driving and chipping your way across its 260 acres.
Then there’s the Town Square, which is Harmony’s family-friendly, public gathering space. The square is home to a salon, a doctor’s office, a pizzeria, an exercise center, and the pro shop where the Meek family stocks up when it needs fishing gear. It also houses a market where you can pick up fresh vegetables, and a restaurant, Champions Grill, which cooks up pub classics like chicken wings, nachos, burgers and fish and chips when you don’t want to cook at home. There are also playgrounds, parks, a dog park, and 12 miles of trails to walk or jog on throughout Harmony’s neighborhoods. And there are plenty of lakes, too, including Buck Lake, which permits visitors to use communityowned boats like kayaks and canoes to explore its calm waters.
And because the community’s built on a preserve, nature is both welcomed and respected—and only occasionally feared: In addition to deer, turkeys, otters and owls, Harmony is often home to bobcats and alligators—it being Central Florida and all. Of course, Jacquline says that it’s her neighbors who make living in Harmony that much sweeter. “We know our neighbors, and my boys have created strong bonds with the friends they’ve made here,” she says. It’s a place where the community celebrates its days together, whether on the lake or on land, via ice cream socials and beach volleyball tournaments, or while watching their children splash around in the Town Square fountain. n
People here are invested in where they live.
DID YOU KNOW?
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NATURAL
LAKES:
• Buck Lake (511 acres) • Cat Lake (430 acres)
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NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS (K-8 and high school)
Say hello to the Meek family (left to right): Maddox, Frederick, Jacqueline and Zippy.
The town of Harmony was carefully planned to preserve and welcome nature into its backyard. And while it’s spread across 11,000 acres of land, two-thirds of that land has been set aside as green space. Bordered by lakes, Harmony is a prime place to fish, swim, wakeboard or boat. (The community keeps a fleet of canoes and kayaks, which anyone can use at any time.) With 12-plus miles of biking and jogging trails, it’s not uncommon to happen upon all walks of wildlife, from deer, owls, otters and turkeys to the occasional bobcat or alligator sighting.
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COMMUNITY POOLS
within walking distance of every home
ZIP CODE
34773 TOTAL HOMES SOLD in 2016
73
$220,000
12.5
miles of walking, hiking and bicycle trails
7,700
acres of conservation areas
20 MINUTES FROM MEDICAL CITY • 25 MINUTES TO THE AIRPORT 30 MINUTES TO DISNEY WORLD • 40 MINUTES TO THE BEACH
M E D I A N H O M E P R I C E 2 016
$228,108 AVERAGE HOME PRICE 2 016
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AMENITIES: Championship golf, natural lakes, trails, parks, top-rated schools, Town Square Marketplace, pools and full calendar of social and planned activities CENTRAL FLORIDA MONTHLY
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Meet St. Cloud resident Lauralynn Prewett and her man Richard Roth.
Do you hold an annual pass? If so, to which park?: Nooooo no no no no. We have a boat so ... whether it’s our local lakes or the coast ... I’m blessed to be able to swim, explore islands, and soak up all that nature offers. What is the last book you read?: “Eat That Frog!” by Brian Tracy. It has positive lessons for the development of self-discipline and good habits. I’ve always joked about myself being the queen of procrastination although it hasn’t always served me so well. This book has offered me a new way of looking at some things and ideas to improve them.
i live here Q&A with LAURALYNN PREWETT
Name and age: Lauralynn Prewett, 43 Hometown: South shore of Boston—home of the champions and the wicked come back! I grew up in Whitman, Massachusetts...and yes, I pahk my cah. Current neighborhood: St Cloud, unincorporated Osceola county off Nova Rd. How do you pay the bills?: I’m still so amazed that I get to work with the citizens of Orange county as an Animal Services Officer. I love the camaraderie of my team as
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we spread out across the county each night protecting and educating citizens and animals. From bringing lost dogs and cats in for reunification with their owners or adoption and taking injured animals (domestic & wildlife) for medical care to educating pet parents as to our county ordinances...my nights are never boring. I’ve learned so much, and yes, I have conversations with the animals. Just kidding...not kidding. What do you create?: I create memories with my grown children as well as opportunities for myself to grow and learn personally so that I might share the joy I find along the way. How did you land in St Cloud?: I landed in St Cloud after meeting my man. When we decided to enjoy the rest of our lives together there was no question as to where we would live. He already had a home in St Cloud, and I had gotten to truly appreciate the quiet and the kindness of St Cloud.
Name your favorite tattoo: My favorite tattoo is on the back of my shoulder. Its meaning is extensive and emotional, but it is meaningful. Also, it’s one of my own original sketches. Last thing you ate at a food truck? Mac’n’cheese grilled cheese from the Big Cheese! Yummo! Central Florida has some fantastic and creative food trucks. What is your favorite farmers’ market and why? I haven’t yet explored any farmers’ markets in St Cloud. I want to though.
How you can participate: There are three simple rules to participate in CFM’s I Live Here Project. You must: 1. answer all of the questions. 2. be willing to be photographed in your neighborhood.
Butterbeer, Dole whip, or _______? Ok I admit, I had to google butterbeer which will be a ‘no.’ Dole whip sounds delicious and refreshing though. Springs, lakes, or oceans? All of the above. I love water...hearing its waves, feeling its coolness, floating...all of it. Oceans are my favorite though. That’s why I enjoy St Cloud’s lakefront so much with its own beach and peaceful walking paths for my dog Milo and I. Only in St Cloud moment? Pulling up to a restaurant for breakfast and being the only vehicle in the lot that’s not a lifted 4x4 truck. True story. Dog person or cat person? Dogs or cats? Definitely dogs in my house. They’re pure love. If you could change one thing about Orlando, what would it be? If I could change one thing about Orlando it would be its proximity to the beach. I’d just slide it a bit further east. Where can we find you on the web? Facebook. I use it to keep up with friends and family from all over. Facebook also helped me reunite with my youngest daughter after 10 years. n
3. live, work or play in one of the zip codes we cover: 32812, 32827, 32829, 32832, 34741, 34771 or 34773. Sound good? Great. Send us an email (lynnette@cfmonthly. com) and we’ll send you the questions. After you return your answers to us, we’ll schedule your photo shoot and put you in the queue for publication. And, of course, we’ll give you the heads up when we publish your Q&A in the magazine or online. Because #InternetFamous.
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The Social
S
At the July Social, you noshed cupcakes, drank, and networked—poolside. And you hooked up with Lake Nona’s best resources. Well played, work baes, well played. You really know how to Network & Chill.
Thanks to our host, American Pools and Spas, for the chill vibe. Props to Sweet By Holly for the delicious cupcakes, STEVE F∆ME for the poolside tunes, and to Shea Rose Photography for capturing the night in photos. And most of all, thank you for making the night memorable. n
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LAKE NONA SATURDAY MARKET
9AM-1PM • Valencia College: 12350 Narcoossee Rd facebook.com/LakeNonaFarmersFreshMarket
FOOD TRUCK MEETUP at Sam’s Club Lake Nona
5-8:30PM • Sam’s Club (parking lot) 11920 Narcoossee Rd, Orlando facebook.com/events/836878686478368
SATURDAY
The food truck gods have heard your cries, Lake Nona. On the first Saturday of every month, bring your own chair(s) to Sam’s Club and enjoy a moveable feast. Cousins Maine Lobster will be at this meetup, along with seven or so of its food truck pals.
LAKE NONA CARS & COFFEE
8-11AM 9681 Lake Nona Village Pl., Orlando facebook.com/lakenonacarsandcoffee
SATURDAY
Free event for car buffs of all ages. Auto enthusiasts will see exotics, classics, hot rods, muscle cars; show, race, and euro cars. And there’s coffee to start your engines!
(AND AUG. 6-7, 11-13, 18-20, 24-26) USTA CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKENDS 8AM Daily 10000 USTA Blvd., Orlando ustanationalcampus.com/en/home/watch/.html
Whether you love competition, people watching, or tennis, the USTA National Campus is serving up all three at its new Lake Nona digs. And it’s the perfect time for you to explore this facet of our burgeoning sports and performance district.
sundays
Tai Chi at Lakehouse 4PM • Lakehouse 13623 Sachs Ave.
lakenona.com/live/community/ events-venues/events
YOGA NONA Sponsored by Lake Nona Life Project
9AM • Crescent Park in Laureate Park: 8374 Upper Perse Cir. lakenona.com/live/community/events-venues/events
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WEDNESDAY
saturdays
5 5 5
SATURDAY
6PM • Crescent Park in Laureate Park 8374 Upper Perse Cir. lakenona.com/live/community/ events-venues/events
THE SOCIAL at 407 Cafe
6-8PM 9161 Narcoossee Rd., Orlando
Vanilla’s great but not when it comes to business. Add some flavor to your network by meeting new people and expanding your professional connections at Lake Nona’s coolest summertime event.
WEDNESDAY
facebook.com/Lakenona ymcafarmersmarket
LAKE NONA NIGHTS: LIVE + LOCAL
FEAST IN THE EAST at the Offices at Waterford Park
5-8PM 12301 Lake Underhill Rd, Orlando eocc.chambermaster.com/events/details/feast-in-the -east-attendees-7677
Does your holiday party or company event need a makeover? Explore options at East Orlando Chamber of Commerce’s Feast in the East, where member restaurants will be on hand with samples, menus and catering info. Admission ($25) includes food and non-alcoholic beverages. Purchase drink tickets for six bucks each to also enjoy wine or beer. Or both.
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THURSDAY
4-9PM • Lake Nona YMCA
thursdays
FARMERS MARKET at the YMCA
mondays
ON THE REGULAR
9145 Narcoossee Road, Suite 102, Orlando, FL 32827 407-259-2363 | www.CFMonthly.com
(AND AUG. 24) COFFEE CLUB NONA Lakehouse 13623 Sachs Ave., Orlando eocc.org/content.aspx?Id=78
You might think the draw of Coffee Club Nona is 1) good coffee or 2) cool location. But actually, it’s 3) GREAT people. On the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, connect with other local business owners and grow your business. The second Thursday is dedicated to high-octane networking activities and the fourth Thursday is reserved for high-caliber speakers.