Who Says There’s Nothing to do in Orlando? – Adventures in Audubon Park

Looking for something fun and unique to do this weekend?  Look no farther than Orlando’s Audubon Park neighborhood.  This Saturday from 2-5:30 pm they will be having a combination scavenger hunt / trivia contest challenge!

Contact Jennifer Marvel to register!
407-212-7321
audubonparkgardendistrict@gmail.com

The inaugural British Isles Adventure Race will start at 1601 East Winter Park Road in the Audubon Park Garden District.  Teams of two or three compete to decipher clues, answer trivia questions and have a bloody good time.  Participants who compete in a UK-themed costume will receive bonus points that will help save them time.  The better the costume, the more points earned.  Use your smartphone along the way to phone a friend, look up clues, and take photos!

At the end of the challenge, each participant will enjoy a free beer, fine wine or cane sugar soda to wait out the results.  Prizes include free tickets to the 2014 Scottish Highland Games, tickets to a regular season Orlando City Soccer game, two free tickets to The Gothic Cotillion, gift certificate from Liam Fitzpatrick’s, and an APGD gift basket, with more prizes being added all the time.

After party at Redlight Redlight, beginning at 5:30.

Want to live in Audubon Park?  Search Homes today!

Image credit:  UK-London via wallyg on Everystock via creative commons

 

Go Local Wednesdays – Lodge 10 Year Anniversary this Weekend

I have a special place in my heart for The Lodge in Downtown Orlando.  If you can believe it they are 10 years old – wow I feel old!  If you have not been to The Lodge – where have you been living the last 10 years?  Congrats to the awesome guys who own this establishment on their 10 year anniversary!  

The Lodge is just a fun place to go any night of the week if you’re looking for a good beer or a stiff drink and it’s a great example of successful Downtown businesses.  The guys recently opened up another bar right upstairs called The Woods.  The new place offers a more intimate atmosphere with craft cocktails made with fresh juices and unique spirits and the beer menu is excellent as well.  Hope to attend the 10 year anniversary for this new spot in the future!

Be sure to check out the Lodge 10 year Anniversary Festivities at their Facebook Event Page or stop by and ask one of the friendly bartenders!  There’s no cover for the main bar with $2 PBRs and $3 Jagers.  The best part is the VIP Beer Garden with 16 of the Best Craft Beers available

Come Celebrate 10 Years of Debauchery! NO COVER, $2 PBR’s, $3 Jagermeisters, Get Served by Bartenders Past, a Beer Garden with 16 of the Best Craft Beers Available(Limited Space for the Beer Garden, so get your tickets asap!).  The VIP tickets are only $25!  Oh and last but not least, my favorite DJ in Downtown Orlando will be playing some old Lodge classics.

 

Who Says There’s Nothing to do in Orlando? – Spring Weekend

As we head into the Spring, there are more and more outdoor events in the Orlando and Winter Park area.  This weekend is no exception!  Whether you are looking for something to spruce up your exterior or interior there is a place for you this weekend.

If you want to get your front yard ready for spring, stop by the Leu Gardens annual plant sale this weekend near Audubon Park.  I have personally purchased many things and it is a great way to spend a spring day!  Bring a cart if you plan on buying anything so you can transport the plant back to you car.

Saturday, March 16 & Sunday March 17
9:00 am – 5:00 pm

If you are in the mood to change things up in your house, stop by the Annual Winter Park sidewalk Art Festival.  ”The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most prestigious juried outdoor art festivals, consistently rated among the top shows by Sunshine Artist and American Style magazines.”  Each year more than 350,000 visitors enjoy the show.  It’s a great place to find some inspiration for an interior space.

Friday, March 15th, 9 AM to 6 PM
Saturday, March 16th, 9 AM to 6 PM
Sunday, March 17th, 9 AM to 5 PM

Do you have any weekend plans?

Image credit:  personal

 

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 – Manicures and Mimosas in Thornton Park

This weekend you can enjoy a mimosa, get a manicure, and people watch in Downtown Orlando’s favorite neighborhood for locals!  Lambs Eat Ivy Salon located at 804 E Washington St  will be featuring Manicures and Mimosas on their front patio from 11:30 am – 3 pm.  The weather is just right to enjoy a manicure alfresco in Thornton Park!

Stop by this Saturday from 11:30 am – 3 pm and enjoy a relaxing weekend in Downtown Orlando.  First come first serve!  For more info visit their Facebook page or call  (407) 245-7006.

The Thornton Park area is full of small businesses to check out – make a day of it!

 

Who Says There’s Nothing to do in Orlando? – Outdoor Fun

The weather outside is gorgeous for this time of year!  Tomorrow the high is 70 and sunny!  It is a perfect Saturday to get outside and enjoy living in Orlando.  I don’t know if you have seen the street banners in Winter Park lately; but there is a website address posted on them called FindActiveFun.org.  I checked out the website and it is pretty neat.  You select your zip code, date, neighborhood, budget, environment, and whether or not you want to include pets.  Then the site filters active events in Orlando for you based on your criteria!

There are plenty of great ways to get active and/or enjoy the outdoors in the Central Florida area.  Get out and have some fun this weekend!  There are plenty of local farmer’s markets in Orlando to check out.

In full disclosure, for those adverse to cold weather, it’s supposed to be pretty chilly on Sunday but a nice jacket and you’ll be just fine.

Enjoy your weekend!

 

Image credit:  photo taken by Jessica Ruthardt in Downtown Orlando 

 

 

Go Local Wednesdays – Valentine’s Day Ideas

What are your plans for Valentines Day?  I’m not a huge fan of the holiday myself.  It might be the worst night of the year to make dinner plans so I think my significant other and I will order a yummy stuffed pizza TO GO.

If you aren’t a home body like me, here are a few ideas to enjoy Valentine’s Day in Orlando!

Winter Park:  A movie under the stars sounds like a romantic date for v-day.  Enzian’s Popcorn Flicks in the Park will start at 7 pm tomorrow at Central Park in Winter Park.  The movie of the night is a classic From here to Eternity.

Downtown Orlando:  Thornton Park’s 2nd Thursday wine walk is a pretty inexpensive date and sure to be enjoyable.  You can stroll through the new Thornton Park Main Street district from 6:30 – 10 pm and stop at various shops, restaurants and bars.  For only $10/person you complimentary wine/beer/little bites at various stops.

If you’re recently single or just hate Valentine’s Day, the Love Stinks Party at Neighborhood Rogue sounds interesting.  Stop by the fire pit and burn pics of your exes.  Check out more info on the Facebook event page.  This is just around the corner from the wine walk so there are discounts available for wine walk participants.

Hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

image credit:  The finished product via Creative Commons

 

Who Says There’s Nothing to do in Orlando? – Audubon Park Deserves it’s Own Cocktail Contest

Don’t miss the “Audubon Park Deserves it’s Own Cocktail, Dammit Contest”!   Tonight at The Glass Bar at Stardust Video and Coffee enjoy an evening cocktail Audubon Park style.

There will be a variety of Fresh picked, organic fruits and herbs to temp your taste-buds and locally produced spirits from Winter Park Distilling Company.  Attendees will vote on the best cocktail and it will become the official cocktail of Audubon Park!  The fundraiser will support Beautify Spring 2013.

The City of Orlando will match every dollar earned at this event and put it towards Beautify Spring 2013, which will provide bike racks and trash cans to make the area nicer and more bike friendly!

Tonight at Stardust at 1842 E Winter Park Rd.  Runs from 5 — 8 pm. $20 in advance $17.50 for APGD and Slow Food members. $25 at the door.
Buy Tickets Now 

 

Who Says There’s Nothing to do in Orlando? – From Mills 50 to Winter Park

This Monday Orlando artist Patrick Fatica will exhibit his newest work at the Peacock Room in the Mills 50 District near Downtown Orlando.  The show starts at 8 pm and marks his 6th annual exhibition at the Peacock Room.   The work will be an exciting look into black and white with pastels and graphite.  The subject matter has a unique fun quality with works that look into the “cult” pop culture I know I love (such as a few familiar sci-fi characters and of course Bill Murray – who doesn’t love that guy)!  Stop by the night of the show when the artist will be present.  He’s a great guy – tell him I sent you!

There will be plenty of other unique items for sale that are perfect holiday gifts for any art lover. The Peacock Room is located at 1321 North Mills Avenue.

If you’re looking for something else to do this weekend Winter Park will host the annual Winter Park Harvest Festival.  The Harvest Festival features cooking demonstrations, homesteading seminars, and DIY gardening demonstrations from some of Florida’s best.  There is food, music, plenty of vendors, and a beer garden.  What a great way to spend a Saturday this Fall?!
FREE
10am-4pm Saturday Nov 17th
Central Park’s West Meadow
150 N. New York Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789

Image credit:  Patrick Fatica original artwork – permission given by the artist
Winter Park Harvest Festival screen shot from website

 

Who Says There’s Nothing to do in Orlando? – Howl’oween

This Saturday in Thornton Park, we celebrate Halloween for the dog lovers in Downtown Orlando.  The dog party starts at 11 am tomorrow at Graffiti Junktion at 900 East Washington Street.  There will be prizes for pets and owners for best costume!  So grab your pup and head on down to Thornton Park from 11 am – 12:30 pm.   More Info

Oh the things we to do our pets!  This is one of my furry children.  Her name is Ziti, like the pasta.  Isn’t she adorable in antlers?!  Enjoy your weekend!