The good …

• Selecting your seat(s) when you purchase your ticket(s) means you won’t be battling the crowd for your spot
• Food portions are generous, making it possible to share an app and/or an entree
• Food prices are very reasonable, especially for a movie theater
• Service is quick, courteous and on-call throughout the movie
• Seats are plush and provide all the necessary comforts

The not so good …

• The extra lighting in the theater (so you can see your food) is a bit distracting
• Service never stops, meaning there’s always somebody walking by

The unknown …

• Will any of the theaters support 3-D movies?
• Will the quality of food and service remain when they are fully booked?
• Will audiences be any better behaved with a meal in front of them?
• Will AMC try to compete with Enzian by showing independent films?

Overall, I give the experience a thumbs up and will surely be back for future night’s out.

Slated to open in July 2011, the innovative new attraction will be the first of its kind in the United States.  Guests will set off on a one hour journey as they pedal along on specially designed SkyCycles; think of them as reclining bicycles suspended from a network of high tension steel cables.  The course will take guests on a winding journey over the pine flatwoods and through Turkey Slough, a beautiful area of forested wetland.  Guests will also get to pass over a pond housing George, a popular thirteen foot alligator that has called Forever Florida home for the last sixty plus years.

Located east of Kissimmee and just one hour southeast of Orlando, Florida EcoSafaris has carved out a unique nitch for itself as Central Florida’s premier eco-tourism attraction.  They made history back in January 2009 when they opened the first full scale zipline canopy tour in the state of Florida.  Known as the Zipline Safari, the attraction has since hosted tens of thousands of guests from around the world on a thrilling journey through the conservation lands reaching speeds up to 25 mph and heights of 55 feet.  The new Cypress SkyCycle is designed to complement the Zipline Safari, providing amazing new views of the conservation lands, relaxation and plenty of fun.

“Our goal is to provide our guests with outrageously fun adventures first and foremost but at the same time get them an up close and personal view of this vitally important area that we’re helping to conserve”, said Ken Wilshire, General Manager of Florida EcoSafaris at Forever Florida.  The conservation efforts at Forever Florida are largely funded by the revenue generated by visitors to Florida EcoSafaris.  Forever Florida has been identified by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a biological hotspot hosting one the highest concentrations of endangered and threatened species in the state.  Said Wilshire, “It’s our hope that our guests have an amazing time and develop a personal connection with this special place, ultimately joining us in working to protect Florida’s natural wonders.”

The ride technology for the new Cypress SkyCycle was developed by ECO-Adventure Technologies and has been successfully operated for 4 years at the Hidden Worlds Adventure Park in Tulum, Mexico.  When it opens in July 2011, the Cypress Skycyle will be the second SkyCycle in the world and the very first in the United States.

Tickets for the new Cypress SkyCycle will be $45 per person.  Participants will need to be at least 10 years old and weigh no more than 275lbs.  Adventurers will be able to save with a combination Zipline Safari and Cypress SkyCycle ticket for just $120, a $10 savings.  Other adventures offered by Florida EcoSafaris at Forever Florida include the fully guided Horseback Safari and Coach Safari.  Advance reservations are required and can be made by calling 407-957-9794 ext 1.  For more information, visit www.FloridaEcoSafaris.com.

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 be great!”

I sent the included link to my wife and she immediately became interested in the writing workshops and events that Mary Ann de Stefano (the woman behind @MADAboutWords) was organizing.

So here we are today, sitting at a table in the Dandelion Communitea Cafe, writing about whatever. There are a couple dozen people here, some with laptops, others with little notebooks. A few are in conversation about non-writing topics. Others are just here for dinner.

My wife and I just finished “Eve’s Revenge”, a salad combining apples, walnuts, raisins, feta cheese and red onion on a bed of mixed greens with a well-named “Balsamic Razzmania” vinaigrette on the side. Served with chips and hummus, my wife and I shared it as a quick bite to eat while writing.

The sketch artist Thomas Thorspecken is here, too. Or at least I think that’s him. We’ll have to wait and see if this sketch makes it up on his blog, “Analog Artist Digital World”.

The room we’re in is decorated with bright colors. Yellow walls. A yellow and orange fabric hangs from the ceiling, with a disco-ball-like chandelier in the center. A few teas are available, including Tropical Ice Black and Buttercup something something on the back table.

Little pieces of art hang on the wall, all of them with an outdoorsy theme … birds, trees, rabbits and a fox eating a book. A sign is leaning up against the wall with the words “a tonic a day!” and lists some various “tonics”. One that catches my eye is “Liquid Yoga” … sounds like the perfect drink right before bed.

Well, time to go. Our first MAD About Words event is in the books.

We weren’t alone, however. I’d guess 600 or 700 people – grouped in varying numbers with picnic setups of all types – were camped out on the lawn by sunset. Even so, the atmosphere was very relaxed and offered a feeling of community that I find rare in our vacation destination of a city. The evening was so nice that we will be putting Date Night on our schedule permanently.

If you’ve never been to a Date Night, I highly recommend that you plan to attend soon. Date Nights occur on the first Friday of each month (weather permitting) and cost $7 per person ($2 per child), or free if you’re a Leu Gardens member.

Here are some things to bring:

• Blanket or low-sitting lawn chairs
• Picnic basket (anything you want, including alcohol)
• Camera (for photos of friends and the gardens)
• Bug spray or citronella candle
• Friends

NOTES: The photo above was taken about an hour and a half before the show. You’ll want to arrive at about 7pm in order to choose your spot. By the time the movie starts (8:30pm), there’s not much room to be had. Also, the bugs aren’t bad at all. We didn’t get a single bite and didn’t have either of the items listed above. Never hurts to prepare, though.

As a goal, I’m attempting to get through the first level of the Division of Forestry’s “Trailwalker” program. To become a “Trailwalker”, one must complete 10 different hikes in at least 5 different state forests. It shouldn’t be a difficult goal to achieve, but it does require some planning. Only certain trails have been selected for the program, a list of which is available on the DOF website.

Many of these hikes are simple, a few miles or less. All of them are well marked and rarely require any real navigation skills. As long as you get the trail map and can figure out which way your starting out, you’ll easily be able to find your way back. When you’re out on the trail, look for posts, trees or other markers with colored blazes on them. One blaze means you’re on the trail, two blazes mean there’s a change of direction.

As of today, I’ve completed six hikes in four state forests: Kolokee at Little Big Econ State Forest; Lower Wekiva at Seminole State Forest; Buncombe Hill at Tiger Bay State Forest; Bluffton Interpretive at Lake George State Forest; Bay Loop and Old Cabin at Lake Wales Ridge State Forest.

Of the six, I’d easily go back to the Kolokee, Lower Wekiva and Bluffton Interpretive trails. The Lower Wekiva trail offered me my first view of a Florida black bear in the wild. While that may sound dangerous (I don’t think it does), there is no record of a black bear attack in the state, and I was well separated from the bear by 20 yards of brush and trees. I simply stood and watched as the bear made its way down to the small stream for a drink of water.

Unfortunately, no good photo evidence of this exists.

If this sounds interesting to you, check out a local state park or state forest. You’ll want to bring a small backpack (no fannypacks, please) with a simple first-aid kit, water and a couple of snacks. Just be sure to bring the trash out of the woods with you and to always stay on or near the trail.

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 Taverna Opa is anything but relaxing.

The exuberant atmosphere can be felt the moment you walk through the door. With music filling the air and a belly dancer entertaining the entire room, Taverna Opa is a destination restaurant where friends and family come to have a fun time over a great meal. In fact, parties of 20 or more are not uncommon on any given night.

The menu includes a combination of traditional Greek cuisine and semi-Americanized fare. From what I tasted and saw around me, I can confidently say that the food doesn’t disappoint. I definitely recommend looking through the traditional Greek items first, but regardless of your food choice you’ll be in for a enjoyable evening. I wasn’t too sure what to expect on my first visit, but I’m happy to say that the festive – often spontaneous – atmosphere of the restaurant made for a wonderful celebration.

Photo is property of Taverna Opa

Like most drive-ins these days, the Silver Moon broadcasts the film’s audio over an FM station so you can tune in from your vehicle. They also have the old-school speakers set up in the last few rows for those who want to sit outside and enjoy the evening air. I reccommend using your car’s audio, though, since the quality is significantly better (a small stereo/walkman with good speakers/headphones is another good option).

If you get hungry during the movie, the snack bar is just a few steps away. The options are limited to hot dogs, pizza, popcorn, nachos, candy and soda, so you might want to sneak some of your own treats in if you’re looking for something healthy. The next time we go, I’ll plan a quick dinner in Lakeland followed by drinks and popcorn at the theater.

To get to the Silver Moon Drive In from Orlando, follow these directions. US 92 in Lakeland is the most confusing stretch of road in the world, so print out a map and keep your eyes on the road. A good landmark to look for is the giant Publix birthday cake that stands tall over the grocery store’s headquarters.

For complete information, including the movies currently being shown, check out the Silver Moon Drive In website.

This summer, however, there’s an activity that even the most introverted person can enjoy.

The Public Art Treasure Cache hunt features 13 hidden “treasure caches” near public art around Orange County. With clues provided by the Arts and Cultural Affairs office, the caches can be found fairly easily by anyone that’s even vaguely familiar with the area. There’s even a “grand tour” guide that starts in downtown and travels around the city to find each of the caches in relatively short amount of time.

Each of the caches includes a log book, unique stamp, and ink pad with which you can leave your mark. The stamps are related to the public art in the area and are great for keeping a personal log of your journey. They’re no pot of gold, but they are equally enjoyable to uncover in spots that most people would never look.

This past weekend, my wife and I decided to seek out a handful of the hidden caches, starting with the one in the Winter Garden public library. After entering the library at 10 AM, we first registered for our library cards and then looked around for a while before heading to the spot mentioned in the clues to find the cache. Our quick search was rewarded and we stamped the log to mark the beginning of our day’s quest. We re-hid the cache, checked out a few DVDs and made our way to a downtown parking lot to continue our adventure.

Our “treasure walk” would take us by Lake Eola, the Orange County Regional History Center, Wall St., City Hall and the Orange County Administration building. Lasting nearly two hours (we stopped for lunch on Church St.), we got some good sun, but managed to avoid any burn as the caches were all in well shaded or indoor locations. Overall, we had a really good time.

For complete information on the Public Art Treasure Cache hunt, check out the Arts and Culture Affairs section of the Orange County Government site. You’ll find a list of the locations along with information about how to find each of the hidden caches. As far as I can tell, there is no immediate end date for this event, but it’s always more fun to be one of the first in such adventures. If you head out tomorrow, maybe you’ll be right behind paged stamped, “Living Orlando”.

If you’re not familiar with the area, Rock Springs Run is a waterway that flows out of Rock Springs and into the Wekiva River nearly ten miles downstream. For canoeists and kayakers, it’s a stretch of water that offers great scenery, abundant wildlife and even some mildly challenging navigation.

In fact, we saw a couple of otters nearly as soon as we turned out of the canal. One of them dove off the bank and swam directly toward us before turning away. During the trip, we counted off dozens of turtles, a few baby gators, a couple of grown gators, and a wide-array of fish and birds.

While the water is only moving at 2-5mph, there are plenty of obstacles that will require your attention. For that reason, it’s probably smart to take it slow through the stretches that wind around downed trees and through the tall sawgrass. Branches, spider webs and more will be in your face in a heartbeat if you take your eyes off the water for more than a few seconds.

But don’t let any of that keep you from making a trip to this wonderful journey through some of Central Florida’s most well-preserved nature. If you bring a light lunch, you can stop at a few places along the way to take a break and have a look around. There are also a bunch of places where you can even stop and cool off in the water if you so enjoy (just make sure you can clearly see the bottom and are aware of any creatures in the area).

Before you go, visit the King’s Landing website for complete information and for directions to their location. You should probably check the weather, too, just to make sure no thunderstorms will be in the area during your journey (plan 3-5 hours for the full trip). Pack a light cooler with ice and water at a minimum. Bring a cell phone to make calls in case of an emergency and also to know the time. Finally, while portions of the run are well-covered by trees, you’ll definitely want to wear sunblock for the stretches that are out in the open and under the hot sun.