16 minute read
WHAT A GREAT
WHAT A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD WE LIVE IN!
Welcome to our new normal
WILL CAMPBELL PRESIDENT, BALWIN PARK JOINT COMMITTEE
Hello, neighbors! I am writing to you from some point in April. I’m not really sure what day it is anymore or where we’ll be once you read this. Whatever day it is, I think we can all agree that we’re all experiencing a #NewNormal each day. Things that we took for granted — such as going into an office each day or sitting down for a happy hour with friends at one of the restaurants in the Village Center — are gone for now and have been replaced with decisions like, “Should I shower today?” Although this new normal isn’t something any of us asked for, it’s something that we have to adjust to, because it will undoubtedly have long-lasting effects. I thought, “What better way to help each other improvise, adapt and overcome than sharing ideas and our stories?”
WORKING FROM HOME
We’ve all wondered about those calls and meetings that could have been an email, and now we know the truth: They could have! Businesses that could transition to work-from-home have and possibly could continue the trend into the future after this calms down. As someone who has worked from home for years, watching people who haven’t done it is akin to watching “Survivor.” One of the hardest parts of working from home is deciding when to start and finish the day. It’s easy to get sucked into early and/or late hours, but it’s not beneficial to you or your work in the long run. Set boundaries or start-and-end rituals for the day. Start your at-home “work day” when your coffee is ready and end it at an appropriate time with a walk around the neighborhood (socially distanced, of course).
STAYING IN TOUCH
Although introverts such as my husband have been waiting for the day when staying home and limiting in-person contact with people was expected and socially acceptable, we extroverts who love group dinners, parties and general hugging have struggled. We have had to find new ways to connect with our friends and families, sans hugs. Zoom and FaceTime meetups (or happy hours) have become a great way to stay in touch with those that we care about. In some cases, people have used this time to reconnect with friends they haven’t seen in years.
STAYING HEALTHY
Gyms are closed, boot camps are canceled, and people just have no idea what to do. I’ll let you in on a secret: People found ways to work out well before group classes and multi-national chain gyms existed. We are fortunate to live in a neighborhood full of parks to walk around or to play ball with our kids, furry or otherwise. Although carbs don’t count during stay-at-home orders (I totally made that up, but I believe it), now would be a good time to start your personal fitness journey, whatever that entails. Staying healthy involves more than just physical fitness, but also mental. These times are hard on all of us, so don’t be afraid to connect in whatever way is best for you with friends, family or a professional.
A wise friend and mentor once said to me, “Nothing changes if nothing changes,” and that has stuck with me through all of this. No matter how things are going now or how much things change, life hasn’t been canceled — it is merely paused. Whatever you do, be kind to ALL those around you, support local when you can and above all else, remember …
We will travel again. We will dine and drink inside restaurants again. We will celebrate milestones again. We will be together again.
Until then, be safe and stay well!
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Songs at
SUNSET
Local musician Mike Lynch has been spreading some cheer and supporting front-line workers through performances on his balcony in the Village Center.
MIKE LYNCH MUSIC
DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR
14 BALDWIN PARK LIVING | MAY 2020 As a full-time musician, Mike Lynch is used to playing anywhere as many as eight gigs every week.
But the coronavirus pandemic changed all of that.
With every event canceled, the Baldwin Park musician hasn’t been able to play in front of a crowd. However, he’s found a different way to play music, share his talents and give back to the community — through livestreams.
Lynch, who grew up in New Jersey and moved in 2005 to Florida, began playing guitar when he was 13. Three years ago, he quit his job as a restaurant server and began playing music full-time.
“I work now at Disney and Universal,” he says. “My main gigs are House of Blues, Margaritaville, Tin Roof and Splitsville. I’ve done some private stuff for Universal and NBC and still have my bar gigs, but that’s my main thing. I do love what I do; I’m super grateful.”
With the theme parks and concert venues — as well as restaurants — shut down for the time being, he needed to find some outlet for his love of music. It wasn’t until his girlfriend, Marie Gilmore, pushed him to play some music out on their balcony that he discovered just what that was.
Lynch has lived in Baldwin Park — above CVS Pharmacy in the VilDuring these times, Lynch regularly livestreams from inside his home and on his balcony. Everyone is welcome to join virtually and request songs they would like to hear. Donations are appreciated, and a portion goes to Front Line Appreciation Group. Keep up with Lynch and his gig schedule by following him on social media. FACEBOOK: facebook.com/ MLMusic3333 INSTAGRAM: @MikeLynch_Music
lage Center — for two years, and his balcony recently has become his stage. The first time he performed a livestreamed balcony gig, he was playing music with a friend. Ever since the stay-at-home order was enacted, he’s been the solo act.
“We went out here, some people showed up, and then I just started doing it by myself,” he says. “I did like four or five by myself, and there was a good amount of people out there. I kind of give (Marie) credit for it, because I would’ve been just as fine doing it inside, but we have this beautiful sunset on our balcony — we face west and the sun sets right behind it, so it’s a beautiful setting and good-looking backdrop.”
Word spread through his Facebook and Instagram pages, but Lynch says it really took off in Baldwin Park thanks to the NextDoor app.
Currently, Lynch is abiding social-distancing advice and is streaming his gigs from inside his home. For any sunset gigs on the balcony, he encourages people to watch through Facebook Live for the time being.
Those who tune into his streams can chat and make song requests. They also can show their appreciation by donating via Venmo, or at the very least by sharing the video. Lynch donates 10% of his proceeds to Front Line Appreciation Group, also known as FLAG.
“What FLAG basically does is they’re helping the mom-and-pop places out — and the big restaurants, too,” he says. “They go buy,
Courtesy photo
say, 100 plates of spaghetti and meatballs and they bring it to a hospital. Those nurses and doctors, the janitors, everybody that’s working there gets a meal. It’s helping the restaurants, but the main goal is to help the people on the front lines.”
Aside from his own streams, Lynch has been participating in Tin Roof’s 50/50 project. He’s played a few gigs there recently — sans the crowds — and half of what he makes is donated to the Tin Roof staff to help them through these tough times. He can’t wait until the day that empty room can once again be filled with people.
“We’re supposed to be playing in front of crowds,” he says. “That’s what we do. I think what it comes down to is everybody got dealt a bad set of cards. We’ve just got to get out of it and figure it out. Everybody’s doing the best they can.”
When it comes to his opportunity to do these livestreams, he is grateful for the opportunity to play music, bring people together and, most importantly, make a difference.
“The best word I would use would be unexpected,” he says of the balcony gigs in particular. “I did it because I wanted to play music, and I have a beautiful balcony so I wanted to play.
“I feel blessed that I’m able to help someone by singing a song on my balcony and getting requests,” he says. “I think it’s cool to bring people together and forget about how bad everything is right now.”
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Groups & gatherings
Connect with like-minded neighbors. Choose from dozens of activities every month. For a complete list of groups, visit baldwinparknetwork.com. We’re also now on Facebook! Find Baldwin Park Groups and Gatherings and ask to join today.
Even though groups are not currently meeting face-to-face because of social distancing, many of Baldwin Park’s clubs are meeting online, via Zoom and through email. Now is a good time to reach out to the group you’ve been wanting to connect with and find out more about what they do!
BALDWIN PARK ART
Baldwin Park’s art club is a mixture of art classes, studio tours and gallery openings for art lovers. It’s open to everyone! Contact Pat at plremingt@ gmail.com.
BALDWIN PARK KIDS CLUB
Activities for children ages infant to 5 years old. Parents and kids enjoy a variety of casual get-togethers, including story time, play dates, park picnics, mom’s night out and more. Contact bpkidsclub1@gmail. com.
COOKING AROUND THE WORLD
Learn the artful craft of cooking ethnic foods with hands-on cooking demonstrations. Contact Dianne at dianne.brownmorin@gmail.com.
ETHNIC FOOD ENTHUSIASTS
Explore exceptional epicurean dishes every month. Experience a chef talk or food flights and bites at local restaurants. Singles and residents new to the area are encouraged to jump in and enjoy incredible food and conversation. Contact Shannon at sfaith14@gmail.com.
GAMES GALORE!
Adults are invited to play a variety of games on various Saturdays. Learn new games like Settlers of Catan or play the classics. Contact Robyn at rhzgrodin@gmail.com.
MAHJONG
Ready, set, play Mahjong. Mahjong is a tile-based game played by four people at a time. All levels are welcome. Contact Christopher at cfc106@gmail. com.
MIGHTY MOMS STROLLER WALKS
Baldwin Park moms doing something good for themselves while building friendships. Children must be willing to sit in a stroller or be worn for the duration of the walk. Contact Dana at dana@drobinfitness.com.
NIFTY FIFTIES PLUS
Socials for active couples and singles, age 50 and up, meet several times a month for a variety of social activities including ladies coffee, happy hour, luncheons, parties and more. Reach out to niftyfiftiesplus@ gmail.com.
NOVEMBER PROJECT
Unlike the name, this group meets all year round. Run, squat, plank and laugh while you work out with this all-levels fitness group. Meets at 6:29 a.m. every Wednesday at Harbor Park. Contact Dyani at novemberprojectorlando@ gmail.com.
PICKUP BASKETBALL
Basketball enthusiasts meet at Blue Jacket Park basketball courts at 8:15 a.m. Saturdays for five-on-five play. Contact Rick at rickschreiber2@gmail. com
WIN! WOMEN INNOVATORS NETWORK
This new group is for Baldwin Park women who own or manage a business – big or small. Come for lunch to exchange ideas and hear guest speakers. Reservations can be made by contacting Bekah at beautifiedbybekah@gmail.com.
WRITERS’ BLOCK WRITING GROUP
For bloggers, poets and aspiring authors. This group will discuss many topics to help writers, like thinking outside the box, preventing stagnation, practicing new vocabulary words, research and more! Come with a desire to meet other writers and learn to hone your writing skills. Contact Rich at powerofselfentertainment@gmail.com.
What kind of Baldwin Park residents’ group would you like to join? Community service? Golf? Single moms and dads? Empty nesters? Sailing? Cigar club? Optimist club? Speakers round table? Wine tasting? Frisbee football? Friends of animals? If you don’t see your interests reflected in the groups listed here, consider spearheading a new group. Contact Becca Schmidt at lifestyledirector@baldwinparkpoa.com for directions on how to get started. All book clubs listed below welcome new members! Find the day of the week and type of book that best suits you. Book clubs meet once a month at a member’s home.
BOOK BUDS
This fiction book club welcomes new members. Book Buds meet at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month at various members’ homes. For May’s selection, contact Audean at audean63@gmail.com.
HOOKED ON BOOKS
This club is welcoming new members who love fiction. They meet on Mondays at various members’ homes. For May’s book selection and location for their gathering, contact Melissa at melissajay522@gmail.com.
REAL DEAL NON-FICTION BOOK CLUB
This group reads and discusses biographies, memoirs, business books and contemporary non-fiction. For May’s book selection and location for this month’s gathering, contact Kathy at klhgibbons@gmail.com.
PAGE TURNERS BOOK CLUB
This club meets on the second Monday of each month to discuss a variety of books. New participants are always welcome! Ask about the next book selection and the location of the May meeting by contacting Genie at bsrocky@hotmail. com.
VIRTUAL FITNESS
So many people find friendships at the gym. Baldwin Park-area fitness and yoga studios are continuing the connection with live Zoom classes, Instagram feeds and Facebook Live.
n BLUE MOON YOGA — Live Zoom yoga classes at 8:30 a.m. Friday mornings. Meditation classes are available to whoever needs a one-on-one session! Classes are 100% donation based. Contact Becca Schmidt at becca@bluemoon. yoga.
n CHAMPION MARTIAL ARTS — Zoom classes take place directly from the studio so kids don’t miss a thing! Visit championshipmartialarts.com/baldwin-park.
n MIGHTY GIRLS FITNESS — 32 live classes a week are offered on Zoom, Facebook Live and Instagram. Classes include Go With the Flow Yoga, Pilates, Barre and Burn, Cardio Hip Hop Fit, Core and Cardio, Restorative Yoga, Self Care and Mighty Mobility. Classes cost $7 per drop in. Newcomers welcome! Sign up for classes at mightygirlsfitness.com or on the Mindbody app.
n 9ROUND FITNESS — Online workouts are being offered on Instagram and more. For information, visit facebook. com/9RoundOrlandoJakeSt/.
n NOVEMBER PROJECT — This group is offering free weekly workouts online. Visit november-project.com.
n ORLANDO METRO GYMNASTICS — Current students are being accommodated with 30-minute online instruction. For more information, visit facebook.com/orlandometrogymnastics.
n ROCK HARD FITNESS — Daily Zoom fitness classes are available. Visit rockhardfitnessorlando.com.
n SPECTRUM PERFORMANCE & PHYSICAL THERAPY — Spectrum offers three virtual workouts each day. Visit spectrumsp.com.
n WARRIOR ONE YOGA — The studio offers 75 virtual classes each week. Choose classes on the Mindbody app or online at wearewarriorone.com.
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