Living Orlando

The new “Fork & Screen” option is coming to AMC Downtown Disney 24, providing patrons a “casual movie theater restaurant experience.” Thanks to some free preview tickets, my wife and I got to enjoy the service ahead of the official opening (May 16, 2011) and a chance to provide the following review: The good … Selecting your seat(s) when you purchase your ticket(s) means you won’t be battling the crowd  [ Read More ]

Florida EcoSafaris at Forever Florida (www.FloridaEcoSafaris.com) announced today the upcoming addition of a groundbreaking new ecotourism experience.  The Cypress SkyCycle will take guests on a fun and relaxing cycle ride through the treetops of the 4700 acre Forever Florida Wildlife Conservation Area in St. Cloud, Florida.  Yes you read that right, cycling through the treetops. Slated to open in July 2011, the innovative new attraction will be the first of  [ Read More ]

After a two-year hiatus, I think I’ll give this another shot. Stay tuned …

I started using Twitter a few weeks back (find me @LivingOrlando) and immediately started to search for other Orlandoans using the service. Not surprisingly, I quickly found Orlando’s premier performance artist, @BrianFeldman, who was tweeting away about his current and upcoming performances. A few days later, I indirectly found @MADAboutWords when someone “retweeted” her post: “Only two spots left for Saturday’s workshop with Kerouac House writer-in-residence Brian Turner. It’s gonna  [ Read More ]

My wife and I went to Leu Gardens Date Night on Friday evening and had a blast. The movie was “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, but the night was more about enjoying each other’s company and a simple dinner picnic in the amazing outdoor setting that is Leu Gardens. We weren’t alone, however. I’d guess 600 or 700 people – grouped in varying numbers with picnic setups of all types – were  [ Read More ]

Over the past few months – in 90+ degree weather, no less – I’ve taken to being in the outdoors exploring the backwoods of Florida. I’m not doing this haphazardly, however, but instead on the trails of our State Parks and State Forests. These areas are quite possibly the most well-preserved and well-suited for hiking, and I find a great deal of enjoyment in the peaceful settings they offer. As  [ Read More ]

Opa! Just in case you read that last line as “opa”, let me write it again … Opa!!! Tucked away in a corner on the second level of Pointe Orlando, Taverna Opa nearly disappears between the bright lights of Hooters and B.B. King’s Blues Club. The unassuming exterior of the restaurant could put a person to sleep. But just as good things come in small packages, the dining experience at  [ Read More ]

A couple of weekends ago, my wife and I (along with our dog) made the “short” drive over to Lakeland for an evening at the Silver Moon Drive-In theater. Being the closest drive-in to Orlando (at 52.6 miles), the Silver Moon plays double-features on both of their screens seven days a week. They even do a triple-feature on Friday and Saturday nights, although the third movie is simply a replay  [ Read More ]

Back in April, the Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs office held the Great Public Art Challenge in Downtown Orlando. For that event, participants followed clues to public art where they then performed artistic acts like singing, dancing and drawing. Clearly, it was an event made for the outgoing among us. This summer, however, there’s an activity that even the most introverted person can enjoy. The Public Art Treasure Cache  [ Read More ]

Recently, my wife and I headed out to paddle Rock Springs Run on the edge of Rock Springs Run State Reserve and Wekiwa Springs State Park. We launched from the privately-owned, King’s Landing, and were on the water in less than 10 minutes from the time we arrived. If you’re not familiar with the area, Rock Springs Run is a waterway that flows out of Rock Springs and into the  [ Read More ]