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A truly wonderful event, congratulations to Heart of

Florida United Way on such a grand, fun and delicious

success!

Heart of Florida United Way President Robert “Bob”

Brown and his wife, Mary, at Saturday evening’s big

event.

Party All The Time!Posted on May 8, 2013

Not exactly news, but I LUV big events. I’m not someone who shies away

from a crowd. I enjoy them, the people watching, meeting new people

and chatting. Good – or better yet, GREAT – food is a bonus.

This past Saturday evening I attended the 21st annual Chef’s Gala for

the Heart of Florida United Way. The event had 1,100 attendees and

took place at the Epcot World Showplace. It raised a record

$296,000 for the United Way and all the many programs it supports in

Central Florida. It had lots of people, great food and so much more.

I rode to the event with

Rebekah Brown from

Winter Park’s own The

Marketing Square. As much as I enjoy big events, I loathe driving to

and from them, so if I did not say it enough on Saturday night, THANK

YOU, Rebekah! We got to the event, parked in the far eastern portion of

the Epcot lot, boarded a bus to go into the park. Our bus was to be

“volunteers”, but included bloggers / media types like ourselves and

others who should get there early. I was sitting on the bus as Rebekah

talked on her phone and greeted a few of our fellow coach companions,

complimenting one woman’s dark black with blue sequin-paisley jacket

and then her husband’s colorfully cubist, Missoni-esque tie. Once we

were at the facility, entered via the red carpet I began checking out the two long tables presenting 190 silent

auction items donated for the event and saw LOTS of names I know from Winter Park and will detail below. But I

was a bit amused as Lisa Junkerman, the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, came around and

said she wanted to introduce me to the President of their organization, Robert (Bob) Brown. I walked over as

he turned around and it was the guy with the great tie. He said he already knew me and I remarked again on his

great tie. It’s a little thing, but I think provided great synchronicity for the rest of the night, as I interacted with

Bob and his wife, Mary, others I’d met during casual conversations early on. It’s important to have people to joke

around with no matter the event. Laughter, raving about amazing food, most else is best in groups.

A few observations about the early evening . . . . First, when you see the

employee lot behind the scenes you understand – if you didn’t know

already – just how many people Locally Mickey Mouse employs.

Living in Winter Park, it’s easy to forget Mickey and Minnie, their

neighbors Hulk and Spiderman, Shamu and all the rest are down

there. Even as I will surely lull back into that state of obliviousness, I will

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The young ladies from the Longwood 4Rivers

Smokehouse Sweet Shop helped guide my ice cream

choice with topping and it was DELISH!

Cask & Larder’s country ham biscuits and their Florida

shrimp sausage and grits were SPECTACULAR. And I

might be under-selling them.

As the evening concludes I catch Orlando’s Vasaj

Communications‘ Vel Johnson (left) with Vonda

Simmons who was such spectacular entertainment all

evening. She sings beautifully and the song choices, the

band, all wonderful!

surely also be thankful they ARE there, not just for the thousands of jobs

they provide, or the fun for us and our visitors, but also the good works

and amazing contributions they make to groups like the Heart of Florida

United Way. Second, well, the backs of those “country” buildings –

whether Scandinavian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, etc. – all look just like

other buildings from behind. Guess I knew that. But it looks weird

seeing them from that angle!

Attending the Chef’s Gala,

with so many well-known

Central Florida and

“attractions” restaurants, I

have to say I felt a bit like I was attending an away game supporting the

home team, as two Winter Park establishments – Cask & Larder and

4Rivers Smokehouse Sweet Shop – were there. And, I have to say,

the home teams were the stars. Honestly, I think James Petrakis and

his Cask & Larder offerings had the longest lines all night, until maybe

45 minutes to an hour before the end. And then, the baton was handed

to 4Rivers Smokehouse Sweet Shop. The line for the Sweet Shop

then circled around, overtook a few other lines nearby.

Their offerings were incredible. The country ham biscuits from Cask &

Larder would have been familiar to their fans, and one of my absolute

favorites, but they also served grits – I began describing as molten

cornbread – with Florida-sourced shrimp sausage and just a bit of fried

chicken skin on top. These guys worked non-stop all night trying to keep

up, ran out of the biscuits and then put even more effort into the grits

and shrimp sausage. They were amazing from start to finish. AMAZING.

Then, there was the Sweet Shop. While they had a number of ice

creams to select from, I went for the salted Bourbon caramel ice cream

and received a nod of approval from the young ladies serving it. They

also suggested a pecan covering. The taste was stunningly intense,

delicious. The home team ROCKED on Saturday night. I couldn’t help

but feel just a bit like a proud parent. Yeah, like I had anything to do

with it! But proud I was, of these two amazing restaurants, that they were there representing the community I

LUV.

This is completely and totally unrelated, but I have to say I LUVed

seeing guys there on Saturday in seersucker suits with bow ties. One guy

finished that off with white bucks! Classic is classic for a reason and it is

back in style. I hope he didn’t get any food on it.

Again, the event much exceeded its goals for the evening, bringing in

almost $300k in one evening for Heart of Florida United Way’s

support of Local food and shelter programs, and more. Many Local Follow



Winter Park’s celebrity Chefs John Rivers and James

Petrakis talk on stage just before the big toast including

all participating chefs during the 2013 Chef’s Gala.

Scott Laurent, Tuni & La Macaron

La Bella Intimates on Park Avenue

Citrus & Dubs Dread

Toasted The 310 restaurants, including the

new Blu

businesses contributed to that with donations and I’d like to

acknowledge them here, will have many (most?) in the accompanying

photography gallery.

Those businesses are:

310 Park South

Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens

Alkemy Skincare and Day Spa

Blu on the Avenue

Café 118°

Citrus

Cocina|214

Coralia Leets Jewelery Design

Del Frisco’s

Dubsdread

Elite Strength & Fitness

Euro Day Spa & Salon

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Harry P. Leu Gardens

Toasted

LaBella Intimates on Park Avenue

Lilly Pulitzer

mi Tomatina – Paella Bar

Morse Museum of American Art

Ranger’s Pet Outpost and Retreat

Scott Laurent Collection

The Ravenous Pig

The Tap Room at Dubsdread

Tibby’s New Orleans Kitchen

Timothy’s Gallery

Tuni’s of Winter Park

Winter Park Laser & Anti-Aging Center

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Del Frisco’s & Fleming’s

Steakhouse

Cocina 214

The Albin Polasek Museum &

Gardens

Coralia Leets Jewelry Design

James & Julie Petrakis’ Ravenous

Pig

Elite Strength & Fitness Cafe 118 Degrees Winter Park Laser & Anti-Aging

Center

Paxton, a long-haired Chihuahua was crowned

champion at the 2013 Running of the Chihuahuas by

Cocina 214.

The whole evening was so well done, so much fun. I’d like to again THANK Lisa Junkerman for the kind

invitation. Those plates which allow you to sit you wine glass easily on the side are genius and I want one to take

to any and every party I ever attend! And, I’d like to thank the anonymous gentleman in the black and white

hounds tooth sports jacket who was casually walking in front of me with his plate and wine glass, but when the

music and the superb vocals of performer Vonda Simmons struck him, he proceeded to do a series of three

twirls, dancing along to the next station. It was a good time all around, yet he may be the surprising random

memory which lingers, reminds me of just that. THANKS to everyone who worked so hard to put the evening

together, for all those who helped to raise so much for Local causes. It was a true privilege to attend, my honor to

write about.

Earlier on Saturday there were many events in Winter Park, including

the Cocina 214 Running of the Chihuahuas, which went on despite

some light morning rain. My money was on Foster, who apparently sort

of phoned it in. Little Paxton, a long-haired Chihuahua, was the winner,

after 10 heats with 60 participants. No question this is going to be a

yearly thing now, fun for adults, kids and, yes, pups alike! And owner

Lambrine Macejewski, catering coordinator Madeleine Glascock

and the whole staff did such a GREAT job!

Later on Saturday I briefly

attended the Derby on Park

event at the Winter Park

Country Club, organized by Anthony Dinova’s Winter Park Annual.

Big, fun and colorful hats were plentiful, as well as some great bow ties.

There were two terrific bands, art from Jessilyn Park and food from

both Fleming’s Steakhouse and John & Shirley’s Catering.

Winter Park Annual has a barbecue event coming up this summer I

anxiously anticipate. YES, you CAN do events during the SUMMER! Follow



With the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, HATS were in.

Caught these ladies and their gorgeous hats at the

Derby on Park party by Winter Park Annual. I especially

LUVed the one with peacock feathers.

Cocina 214′s Cinco de Mayo block party was lots of fun!

Maybe a bit too much. But not for this little one I caught

with their fun burro and face cutout below a sombrero.

Congratulations on 20 years to Richard

Pannullo and crew!

The old Vegas Cuban sandwich shop on Colonial is to

be a second location for the Black Bean Deli SOON!

Congrats!

Thank you, Anthony, for acknowledging that and doing so. And, hey,

you’ve got to admit Anthony has the luck of the Irish since the rain we’d

dealt with for days ended just a few hours before his event. Great job,

Anthony!

This weekend was packed with events, and Sunday’s Cinco de Mayo at

Cocina 214 was a blast. It wasn’t just the loud music and margaritas,

corn hole-tossing and inflatable Corona bottles hanging overhead. It was

also the characters. What is a party if not at least in part all about people

watching? I met Brad and his friend from College Park. Brad danced all

around while I was there, was obviously having a great time and

promoted it in others, as he kept me smiling. The margaritas were

yummy . . . and contributed to my very slow Seis-o de Mayo. Aye yi yi,

oy! Again, I had fun. Maybe more than was required.

A few quick shot outs in closing. We had

such a terrific dinner at Pannullo’s on

Park Avenue on Friday to begin the weekend. I finally got to meet Richard

Pannullo in person and I learned they just recently celebrated their 20th

anniversary! A well-deserved congratulations on such a milestone. You do not last

that long without doing what you do well. I commented to Richard that when I go

to new Italian restaurants I always first try the spaghetti and meatballs because

it’s such a simple dish, and how good it is indicates to me how good all other

dishes are likely to be as well. And, well, when it’s as good as what I get at

Pannullo’s, yeah, I tend to stick with it! I’m a creature of habit. Pannullo’s is a

great habit to have. CONGRATS, again, Richard and crew!

As I TRIED to finally finish this blog

last evening I was sitting in the

backroom – oyster bar – at The NEW Bistro on Park Avenue in the

Hidden Garden. The time was just after five o’clock and I was feeling

pretty good about FINALLY getting it done. Beware finishing up

anything in a space where a networking event is about to break out.

Soon I was surrounded by lots of Locals talking Local business,

introducing myself and handing out cards. Erika Boesch & Shirley

Stamper‘s new networking group is definitely going well! I met some

very nice new people and I’ll always make time for that. One of those

new people, Ana Lacey, who owns A Bella Boutique, a ladies’ upscale

consignment store on 17/92, informed me of a new Black Bean Deli

which will soon be opening on Colonial in the old Vegas Cuban

sandwich location. Congrats to them! Their Cubans are amazing and it’s

nice to know they’ll be nearby if I’m on Colonial and get that craving!

Till tomorrow – and I WILL write tomorrow, as I’m leaving stuff out here – holy bricks and Spanish moss, I LUV

Winter Park!Follow



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One Response to Party All The Time!

Shirley Stamper says:

May 8, 2013 at 8:00 pm

Well, I see now that you really were working last night…great job! <3

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