Who Says There’s Nothing to do in Orlando? – Baldwin Park Food and Wine Festival

The Food & Wine Festival at Baldwin Park
is this Saturday March 2nd from 6-9 pm!  The festival benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and we at Keller Williams at The Parks had the honor of helping gather donations for the Silent Auction this year.

Your ticket includes food, drinks (beer, wine, champagne, water, and signature drinks), desserts, and entertainment for the evening.  Please stop by the silent auction and bid on one of the items!  This is for a great cause and we have had so many generous people donate for the event.   

Purchase your tickets today! 

A special thank you to these businesses who contributed an item or several for the auction:

Mucho Tequila and Tacos Thornton Park main street district

Jenn Lenos at Bonne Vie Salon in Winter Park

XL Gallery in Thornton Park main street district

Mother Falcon in Thornton Park main street district

M2 Enterprises in Winter Park

Briana Dunning at Lambs Eat Ivy Salon in Thornton Park

Fish Out of Water food truck

Fatica Designs graphic design (P.S. one of Orlando’s 20 coolest people!)

 

 

Go Local Wednesdays – Hammered in Ivanhoe Village

I tried to post this last week after I visited the new bar in Ivanhoe Village last week; but I got busy with selling homes.  The blog takes the back seat sometimes.

The new hot spot in Ivanhoe Village is called The Hammered Lamb.  They had a soft opening early last week and then officially opened the doors on Friday.  The location is perfect with beautiful views of  Lake Ivanhoe from the large outdoor patio bar.  Inside there are video games, tons of TVs, plenty of spots to sit and chat or listen to the awesome 90′s set-list.  It’s a relaxed neighborhood bar vibe that is just right for the area.

They will be serving light dishes in the future but for now it’s a great place to have a drink and enjoy the Florida weather on the outdoor patio.

Thinking of moving to the area?  Search nearby homes for sale in Lake Highland, Colonialtown North , Eola Heights, and College Park or call me to learn more about Downtown Orlando real estate at 407-494-2820.

 

Image Credit:  from window from Hammered Lamb instagram

 

 

New Year’s Resolutions + Cupcake Happy Hour

I don’t know about you but 2012 was a great year.  These last few weeks have been extremely crazy and often times the blog is the first thing to slack when I get busy.

My New Year’s Resolution is to be consistent with the blog.  I hate going to people’s blogs and the last post was from 2010!  I have been working hard trying to provide daily content.  Since I personally write all of my posts that can be a little time consuming for a busy agent like myself.   My goal for 2013 is to provide three posts a week to keep you up to speed on the real estate market in Downtown Orlando and Winter Park and the other events and local businesses who drive these communities.

My most popular categories in the last year have been the Monday Market Reports, Go Local Wednesdays, and the Friday posts titled “Who Says There’s Nothing to do in Orlando?”.  And so I look forward to providing you more of these types of posts 3 times a week so I can keep it consistent and relevant!

I hope you have enjoyed your holidays and I look forward to bringing you more content in the New Year!

P.S. It’s the first Friday of the month and that means Cupcake Happy Hour at Blue Bird Bake Shop in Audubon Park from 5-7 pm.  What a great way to  start the first weekend of the New Year?! Enjoy!

Image:  Personal Image taken of the Sanctuary Condos in Downtown Orlando 

 

Go Local Wednesdays – Yummy Treats in Ivanhoe Village

Just the other day my boyfriend stopped off in Ivanhoe village to meet with someone about a logo design.  He stopped by Yalaha bakery on his way home.  It’s a place we have passed by many times but never gone inside.  I have always been curious what kind of treats they had!

He brought home a beautiful Tuscan bread, a key lime tart, and some kind of chocolate treat that seemed to be filled with ganache.  It was so tasty that once I took a bite I forgot what it was actually called!

This delightful bakery serves German breads and old world tortes and pastries, they offer lunch, and coffee beverages.  It is open Monday through Sunday from 8 am - 6 pm.  I highly recommend stopping by and will probably make this a weekly routine for myself!

What’s your favorite local Orlando bakery?

 

Go Local Wednesdays – The Salt Room

A while back I visited the Salt Room in Orlando for a Mills 50 networking event.  The Salt Room is a member of the Mills 50 main street district as are we, so we went in support of another business right in our backyard.

To give you a little background, The Salt Room is a salt therapy and wellness center.  Salt Therapy or Halotherapy has been used to treat upper and lower respiratory problems such as allergy and sinus problems – among other things.  Salt Therapy is very popular in Europe where they are known as Salt Caves.  The owner of the Orlando Salt Room, Ashley Lewless, decided to bring this unique treatment to Florida.

I have to say it is an interesting experience – something I’ve never seen before.  The room is covered in natural rock salt, and by covered I mean literally covered on the ceilings and floors!  You recline in a relaxing chair during your 45 minute session as the halogenerator crushes up pharmaceutical grade salt into small particles for inhalation.  You can just relax and close your eyes or even read a book while you simply inhale.  I left feeling refreshed as if I could breathe clearer.  It really seems to open up your air ways!  As for the salt, it is so fine you almost don’t even notice it.  Your skin and lips feel a little salty like as if you’ve been at the beach all day. They also offer yoga, massage, acupuncture, and skin care.
P.S. They are offering a Buy One Get One Free for an adult membership -Buy a 3 Month Adult Membership for yourself, get one FREE for a family member or friend.*

Have you been to the Salt Room?  What other unique local places have you tried lately?

** disclaimer – I’m not a doctor and you should talk to a doctor before starting any new therapy.

 

Go Local Wednesdays – Prato in Winter Park

A few weeks ago I visited Prato in Winter Park for a business lunch and was very impressed with the entire experience.  I wouldn’t consider myself a food expert by any means of the imagination, but I like to think I know good taste!  And I have to say the design and menu of Prato were put together in very good taste.

My business partner suggested the location because of the central location and from the minute I arrived I was pleasantly surprised.  Without having even taken a bite to eat I was already swooning over the place.  The exterior features amazing arched window-paned doors and flickering lanterns.  The interior is the perfect mix of modern and rustic with exposed beams on the ceiling, exposed brick and horizontal wood panels on the wall, an expansive open bar, and a wall of indoor plants.  They have truly created an environment that is comfortable and perfect for sharing a stone fired pizza and enjoying a craft cocktail.  They describe the menu as Italian classics with modern techniques and seasonal ingredients and I would have to say that pretty much nails it!

It was lunchtime so I skipped the cocktail, but I have been told they are tasty and hope to head back and try one soon!  Have you tried Prato yet?  The New York Times listed Prato as one of the spots to be sure to dine when in Winter Park!

What other great places have you tried lately?

Want to live the Winter Park lifestyle?  Contact us about buying a home in Winter Park.
ThinkLiveBe Properties
Kathryn Stelljes PA – Selling Downtown Orlando, College Park, and Winter Park
1-800-859-5714 ext. 0
info@ThinkLiveBe.com

 

Who Says There’s Nothing to do in Orlando? – Home & Garden

If you are anything like me you spend most weekends stopping into a Lowe’s or Home Depot.  We always have projects going on to improve our house.  Owning a bungalow in Downtown Orlando built in 1930 requires a lot of upkeep and maintenance.  The photo to the left is a 2011 project – sod went down but the backyard is still a work in progress.

Even Memorial Day weekend, I will probably stop into one of these two stores at least one time.  Home and garden projects are part of my life and part of many homeowners lives.  It makes us feel good to improve our home and have pride in our homes.

This weekend the Annual Central Florida Home and Garden Show is taking place at the Orange County Convention Center.  It’s a  great place to check out tons of vendors and get ideas from some celebs from HGTV.  Enjoy!

Dates/Times

May 25th 10 am – 9 pm
May 26th 10 am – 9 pm
May 27th 10 am – 6 pm

Location

Orange County Convention Center
North Hall B

Adults: $10.00
Children (12 and under): FREE
Seniors (60+): $5.00 at the box office only.
(Single Tickets valid for 1 day of show)

 

Go Local Wednesdays – Sushi Lolas

I tried Sushi Lola’s for the first time since it opened in Audubon Park this week.  I was pleasantly surprised!  We missed the lunch specials – which looked very good and affordable – so I opted for a bento box because I like to sample a lot of different things.  It was tasty and at $10.95 it was really filling and worth the money.  I think with one extra sushi roll it was enough food for two people for sure! There was also a huge menu of sandwiches available as well which I will definitely be trying in the future. There is something for everyone here and from what I tasted you won’t be disappointed.

Have you tried Sushi Lola’s yet?  I definitely recommend checking out this little spot in Audubon Park.  Support the small businesses in our area, that’s what makes these Downtown Orlando neighborhoods unique and so desirable!

 

 

Go Local Wednesdays – Keller Williams Cleans Up Mills 50

Tomorrow morning Jeanette and I along with about 40 other volunteers from the Keller Williams Realty at the Parks office will be taking over the Mills 50 District!  We will be there removing graffiti and cleaning things up as part of our company’s annual Red Day initiative.

Keller Williams International created RED DAY (Renew – Engergize – Donate) as an annual event in which Keller Williams offices across the country have the opportunity to give back to their communities.  Each office selects a charity or organization to work with and this year our office has selected the Mills 50 Mainstreet District in coordination with the Keep Orlando Beautiful staff.

We will be removing graffiti from OUC light poles throughout the district.  Once the poles are sparkling clean, Mills 50 businesses will be able to “adopt” them to make sure the graffiti will be removed quickly in the future.  I particularly love this one because this is my backyard!

 Interested in joining us?  Contact Us today for directions and time!

Image Credit:  Urban Jungle via Creative Commons

 

Go Local Thursday – Make Your Own Jewelry

A few weekends ago my friend took me to make some jewelry as a birthday gift.  We started the day by stopping into Chewy Boba in the Colonialtown neighborhood.  This coffee/tea/smoothie shop has all kinds of delicious options.  I got a Vietnamese Iced Coffee for a quick caffeine boost.  It was delicious by the way!

We then headed to Dear Prudence, a super cute clothing boutique in Audubon Park Orlando where you can design and create your own jewelry.  The store used to be called American Bead Lounge I believe, but recently the owner combined the clothing and jewelry store into one.  I’m not sure if the new place is named Dear Prudence after the Beatles song – but either way I love this place.  They offer adorable clothes and pre-made jewelry for purchase.  I have purchased several necklaces from this store in the past; but this was my first attempt at creating my own!  We had a lot of fun trying to design something of our own and of course I couldn’t leave without purchasing a really cute scarf on display as well.  I recommend stopping by if you have not seen this place or haven’t visited in a while.  Everything is very affordable and just a great example of the local Orlando.

Have you visited either of these places?  What did you think?