december 2012 orlando home & leisure

NEW-HOME TRENDS: SMALLER, SMARTER, MORE BELLS AND WHISTLES

D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 2

$ 3 . 9 5$ 3 . 9 5

MASTER MIXOLOGISTSSHARE SECRET RECIPES LET’S DECK THE HALLS(AND THE TABLES, TOO)

PHILANTHROPY FOR THE DIGITAL AGE

MASTER MIXOLOGISTSMASTER MIXOLOGISTSSHARE SECRET RECIPES

HolidaySpirits

14OHL_Dec12_Cover.indd 1 11/16/12 4:50:29 PM

Something very unusual has been spottedrising from the shores of Lake Berry.

While Loch Ness is famous for its mysteriousinhabitant, Loch Berrywill soon be famous forsetting a new standard for senior living in central Florida.

Loch Berry is the newest addition to Winter Park Towers,central Florida’s premier active living continuing care retirement community. Loch Berry will provide the samebreathtaking views enjoyed by our residents, with new levelsof distinction in its 54 lovely apartment homes.

Loch Berry hugs the shores of Lake Berry, with many apartments enjoying superlative lake views. Inside, residentswill appreciate the custom-feeling touches included in thecost, such as granite countertops, hardwood cabinets and thesecurity of garage parking. It’s a great value, brought to you by financially stable, not-for-profit Westminster Communities.

Just steps away at Winter Park Towers are the flexible dining options and resort-style amenities that make life here sorewarding. And our full slate of services will keep you out andabout, with no worries about everyday tasks—freeing you takefull advantage of the fashionable shopping, cultural events andfine dining opportunities of nearby downtown Winter Park.

If you own your own home, you are likely to find this wonderful way of life to be quite affordable.

“Unloch” the delight of a secure retirement in a beautiful place.

Call 407-647-4083 for more information or to arrange a personal tour!

1111 South Lakemont Avenue • Winter Park, FL 32792 • www.westminsterretirement.com

OH&L05/12

WPLB-CRA-1204 Orlando Homes & Liesure_Layout 1 4/30/12 1:27 PM Page 1

Victor Farina is pictured with his father Mario on the cover of Remodeling Magazine, honoring

the nation’s 50 most distinguished remodeling companies. Praised for his professionalism and high

aesthetic standards. Large or small, each project receives our trademark

attention to detail and teamwork approach. Farina & Sons is family

owned, with a 62 year tradition of award winning renovations, additions and custom homes in Orlando’s finest neighborhoods.

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1OHL_Dec12_TOC.indd 14 11/16/12 9:04:15 AM

Something very unusual has been spottedrising from the shores of Lake Berry.

While Loch Ness is famous for its mysteriousinhabitant, Loch Berrywill soon be famous forsetting a new standard for senior living in central Florida.

Loch Berry is the newest addition to Winter Park Towers,central Florida’s premier active living continuing care retirement community. Loch Berry will provide the samebreathtaking views enjoyed by our residents, with new levelsof distinction in its 54 lovely apartment homes.

Loch Berry hugs the shores of Lake Berry, with many apartments enjoying superlative lake views. Inside, residentswill appreciate the custom-feeling touches included in thecost, such as granite countertops, hardwood cabinets and thesecurity of garage parking. It’s a great value, brought to you by financially stable, not-for-profit Westminster Communities.

Just steps away at Winter Park Towers are the flexible dining options and resort-style amenities that make life here sorewarding. And our full slate of services will keep you out andabout, with no worries about everyday tasks—freeing you takefull advantage of the fashionable shopping, cultural events andfine dining opportunities of nearby downtown Winter Park.

If you own your own home, you are likely to find this wonderful way of life to be quite affordable.

“Unloch” the delight of a secure retirement in a beautiful place.

Call 407-647-4083 for more information or to arrange a personal tour!

1111 South Lakemont Avenue • Winter Park, FL 32792 • www.westminsterretirement.com

OH&L05/12

WPLB-CRA-1204 Orlando Homes & Liesure_Layout 1 4/30/12 1:27 PM Page 1

Victor Farina is pictured with his father Mario on the cover of Remodeling Magazine, honoring

the nation’s 50 most distinguished remodeling companies. Praised for his professionalism and high

aesthetic standards. Large or small, each project receives our trademark

attention to detail and teamwork approach. Farina & Sons is family

owned, with a 62 year tradition of award winning renovations, additions and custom homes in Orlando’s finest neighborhoods.

CGC027598

PHOTO

GRA

PHY

© E

VERE

TT &

SOULE

PHOTO

© P

HEL

AN M

. EB

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Natural elements of stone, wood and iron inspired the design of this whole

house renovation.


2 ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE DECEMBER 2012

&

V o l u m e 1 3 I s s u e 1 2

FEATURES: DECEMBER 2012P

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ABOUT THE COVER: Our toast to you and yours for the holiday season. Glass courtesy Entwined, Winter Park. Photograph by Rafael Tongol.

32 38PHILANTHROPY GETS PERSONALAs governmental and corporate generosity shrinks, nonprofit organizations are adapting accordingly, with an array of tempting, one-on-one appeals. by Michael McLeod • photographs by Rafael Tongol

HOME DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2013 Oversized, overpriced homes are on the wane as buyers look for value, energy efficiency and wise use of space, both indoors and out. by Randy Noles

32

GIVE THE GIFT OF RELAXATION.

Purchase a $250 gift card before 1/31/13. May not be combined with any other offers. Visit peabodyorlando.com/spa for complete details.

The perfect day of pampering begins with a stress-melting massage, refreshes with

one of our specialty facials or body wraps and concludes with a visit to our full-service salon.

Choose one complimentary spa treatment with the purchase of a $250 gift card*Sole Soother Massage, Revive Facial, Tension Tamer Massage

For the perfect holiday gift, please call 407.345.4431.

• 22,000-sq.-ft. spa & fitness center

• Private serenity pools

• Indoor and outdoor treatment rooms

• Outdoor aquatic massage therapy

• Co-ed Relaxation Lounge

• Separate male/female relaxation areas

• Full locker room amenities including indoor

whirlpool and steam room

1OHL_Dec12_TOC.indd 2 11/16/12 2:09:12 PM

GIVE THE GIFT OF RELAXATION.

Purchase a $250 gift card before 1/31/13. May not be combined with any other offers. Visit peabodyorlando.com/spa for complete details.

The perfect day of pampering begins with a stress-melting massage, refreshes with

one of our specialty facials or body wraps and concludes with a visit to our full-service salon.

Choose one complimentary spa treatment with the purchase of a $250 gift card*Sole Soother Massage, Revive Facial, Tension Tamer Massage

For the perfect holiday gift, please call 407.345.4431.

• 22,000-sq.-ft. spa & fitness center

• Private serenity pools

• Indoor and outdoor treatment rooms

• Outdoor aquatic massage therapy

• Co-ed Relaxation Lounge

• Separate male/female relaxation areas

• Full locker room amenities including indoor

whirlpool and steam room



JAY BOYAR’S AGENDAThe Grinchmas Wholiday Spectacular is a whoot at Universal Or-lando’s Islands of Adventure; a spirited twist on Dickens’ Christ-mas classic makes a visit to Orlando Shakes; country superstar Carrie Underwood breezes into the Amway Center; Gaylord Palms’ annual ICE! display makes merry with Merry Madagas-car; a new “soundsuit” sculpture suits the Orlando Museum of Art nicely; a baroque-era coffeehouse concert warms up the Shake’s Margeson Theater.

A FEW MOMENTS WITHChristopher Wilkins still has two years left as music director of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, but he’s already wistful about his tenure. by Harry Wessel

DESIGN STYLEInterior decorator Francia Fusic transforms two rooms for the holidays and offers tips on classy Christmas decorations. by Laura Bluhm • photographs by Rafael Tongol

FLAvOR - HOLIDAY SpIRITSThe making of a perfect cocktail for any season is more art than science, as three local mixologists clearly demonstrate. by Rona Gindin • photographs by Rafael Tongol

DISCOvER HEALTHTaking yourself to a doctor shouldn’t be like taking your car to an auto mechanic. Or should it? by Dr. Deborah German

SEEN Orlando Home & Leisure is out and about, rubbing shoulders at the Athena Women’s Leadership Luncheon, the Orange & White (& Blue) Gala, and an intimate fundraising “salon” for the Orlando Philharmonic.

vIEWFrank Pohl’s Winter Park law firm features a huge collection of framed black-and-white photographs, all taken in Florida by Florida photographers. photograph by Rafael Tongol

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ANOTHER AWARD WINNING HOMEBy JORGE Ulibarri

IMYOURBUILDER.COM | 407.733.5500AS VOTED BY - ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE MAGAZINE

HOME OFTHE YEAR 2012Runner Up

BEST KITCHENOF THE YEAR 2012

Ulbarri Dec12.indd 1 11/14/12 2:30:08 PM1OHL_Dec12_TOC.indd 4 11/16/12 2:00:09 PM

ANOTHER AWARD WINNING HOMEBy JORGE Ulibarri

IMYOURBUILDER.COM | 407.733.5500AS VOTED BY - ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE MAGAZINE

HOME OFTHE YEAR 2012Runner Up

BEST KITCHENOF THE YEAR 2012

Ulbarri Dec12.indd 1 11/14/12 2:30:08 PM1OHL_Dec12_TOC.indd 5 11/16/12 9:06:54 AM


F I R S T

DON’T KNOW HOW PEOPLE STAND EACH other in hot weather. In summertime I’d just as soon the rest of you keep your body heat to yourselves. But now that it’s cool,

I’m as snuggly as one of those dorky body blankets that make people look like mental patients.

In short: I have actual social interactions to write about this month.

Somehow I got invited to a party at the Isleworth home of time-share big shot and would-be political operative David Siegel and his buxom wife and would-be reality TV show star, Jackie. A fi lm crew followed Jackie – and anyone who tried to talk to her – throughout the course of the evening.

And please do not ask me to explain why the Siegels complain about publicity and then turn around and seek it out. It’s too complicated.

I felt a bit more at ease having dinner at the new Burger Fi on Park Avenue in Winter Park with my friend, Nina Streich. She lives in New York City’s Upper West Side but darts in and out of Orlando periodically to organize the Global Peace Film Festival that is held here every year.

Between the cool evening air and the onion rings, I was reminded of ‘50s burger joints with circular parking lots and how we spent our Sat-urday nights driving around them back in the day. en Nina made a slip of the tongue that reminded me that New Yorkers might as well be from another planet. ey certainly think of themselves that way.

Nina was talking to me about what a child-hood is like in New York City when she said, “I don’t know how they do it in the country.”

I could tell, from context, that by “the coun-try” she meant “the rest of the United States, with the possible exception of Chicago, Los Angeles and the Catskills.”

It reminded me of that old New Yorker cover

that was a map of the world from a New York-er’s point of view, with the grid of the city laid out in detail in the foreground and a hazy de-piction of the rest of the country depicted as a big wheat fi eld, strewn with a couple of rocks.

You can’t do much socializing in this town without running into irrepressible arts patron Harriet Lake, a goddess of generosity who turned 90 in August. I believe she has adopted me as one of her charities. Ever since she dis-covered that I lost my wife earlier this year, she’s taken it upon herself to fi nd a new mate for me.

“Give me an age range,” she whispered in my ear when I ran into her at a recent charity ball. I kissed her on the cheek and said: “Find me a hottie in her 90s.”

I’ll have more on the social scene next month, weather permitting.

Michael McLeodEditor in [email protected]

I’m Not So Snarky in Sweater Weather

Take NoteWhat’s ONLINECheck out our expanded listing of arts organizations and their schedules of events for the upcoming season. Follow us on Twitter at orlandohlmag.

What you CAN DO Check out the exhibition of vintage telephones at the Art and History Museum-Maitland, which opens Dec. 20 and runs through the summer. It features a display of antique telephones, telephone-related memorabil-ia and a chance for collectors and the general public to sell, buy or swap.

What’s ON DECK We visit Southwest Florida’s Gasparilla Island, a watery haven that stubbornly clings to its Old World charm.

What’s ON FACEBOOKLIKE us on Facebook and get fun updates and sneak previews.

CORRECTIONJones Clayton Construction was the builder of the “Tuscan Sun” home, which was the co-winner in Orlando Home & Leisure’s Kitchen of the Year category. The builder was misidenti-fi ed in the October 2012 Home of the Year issue.

I



RONA GINDIN is a

freelance writer and

editor specializing in

restaurants and travel. A

native New Yorker, the

award-winning journalist

contributes regularly to

national publications and

is the author of The Little

Black Book of Walt Disney World.

RAFAEL TONGOL

OHL’s Senior Photo-

grapher is a longtime

Orlando resident. His

photographs have been

published in Newsweek,

Women’s Wear Daily and

the Los Angeles Times, among other publications.

JAY BOYAR is arts editor

of Orlando Home & Leisure

and a former longtime

movie critic for the Orlando

Sentinel. He teaches fi lm

at the University of Central

Florida and at Rollins

College.

MARIANNE ILUNGA

is an Orlando image

and fashion consultant

who holds a bach-

elor’s degree in fashion

merchandising and

retailing. She has served

as a fashion contributor

for magazines and as

a wardrobe stylist for modeling agencies in Los

Angeles, New York and Chicago.

CONTRIBUTORS

DEBORAH GERMAN,

M.D. is the founding

dean of the University of

Central Florida College

of Medicine and UCF’s

vice president for medical

affairs.

SINGLES?With Whom ARE YOU

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Elite .33 Dec.indd 1 11/15/12 11:07:13 AM

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Let us escort you to a private rooftop for a hammock massage.

Let us create an aromatic blend perfectly suited to your senses.

Let us introduce you to the excitement of total serenity.

Let us show you how one day can erase an entire week.

Escape to a spa where the subtle, refreshing bouquet of citrus inspires

renewal. The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Orlando features 40 treatment rooms, a private

heated outdoor lap pool, a boutique and a café. Enjoy our local resident

savings of 15 percent valid Monday through Thursday. To book your spa

package, please call (407) 393-4200 or visit ritzcarlton.com/orlando.

Offer is valid through December 31, 2012. Spa offers are not valid with any other packages or discounts; subject to availability. ©2012 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.


CONTRIBUTORS

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package, please call (407) 393-4200 or visit ritzcarlton.com/orlando.

Offer is valid through December 31, 2012. Spa offers are not valid with any other packages or discounts; subject to availability. ©2012 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.



MICHAEL MCLEODEditor in Chief

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Copyright 2012 by Florida Home Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part prohibited without written permission of the copyright holder. ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE (USPS 000-140) (Vol. 13/Issue No. 12) is published monthly by Florida Home Media LLC, 2700 Westhall Lane, Ste 128, Maitland, FL 32751. Periodicals Postage Paid at Maitland FL and at additional mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine, PO Box 5586, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310-5586

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ALL-NEW 2013 SHOWWITH LIVE ORCHESTRA

JANUARY 15–17BOB CARR CENTRE

BUY NOW FOR PREMIUM SEAT SELECTION

Phone: 1) 800-745-3000 (press 0 for a rep) 2) 888-884-6707

Online: 1) Ticketmaster.com (search “Shen Yun”) 2) FLShows.com

ShenYun2013.org

TICKETS

Orchestra

Balcony

$150

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$150 $60

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After its run of sold-out shows in March and May 2012 in the Tampa Bay area, Shen Yun Per-forming Arts will return to Orlando’s Bob Carr Centre with an unparalleled blend of energy, grace, and originality January 2013.

The New York-based Shen Yun is the first com-pany to present classical Chinese dance on a global scale and has taken the world by storm. In a collection of vignettes, audiences journey from ancient legends to contemporary tales of courage, from the highest heavens to the dusty plateaus of the Middle Kingdom.

SHEN YUN is traditional Chinese culture as it was meant to be experienced. Dozens of danc-ers in dazzling costumes move in seamless, flowing patterns. China’s ethnic and folk dance styles fill the stage with color and energy. A full, live orchestra blends East and West like no oth-er. Thunderous battle drums, masterful vocal-ists, and spectacular backdrops transport you to another world. “Fantastic!” says Joy Behar, of ABC’s The View. “If you ever get a chance to see it, you should.”

“I probably have reviewed over 3,000 to 4,000 shows since 1942, that still cannot compare to what I saw tonight,” says Richard Connema, Critic for Talkin’ Broadway. “I will give this pro-duction 5 stars, that’s the top! The best word to use was ‘mind blowing’!”

“An extraordinary experience! Exquisitely beautiful.” —Cate Blanchett, Academy Award-winning actress

“So inspiring! I may have found some ideas for the next Avatar movie.”—Robert Stromberg, Academy Award-winning production designer

“5,000 years of Chinese music and dance in one night!”—The New York Times

5,000 YEARS OFDIVINELYINSPIREDCULTURE

Presented by Florida Falun Dafa Association, Inc.


ALL-NEW 2013 SHOWWITH LIVE ORCHESTRA

JANUARY 15–17BOB CARR CENTRE

BUY NOW FOR PREMIUM SEAT SELECTION

Phone: 1) 800-745-3000 (press 0 for a rep) 2) 888-884-6707

Online: 1) Ticketmaster.com (search “Shen Yun”) 2) FLShows.com

ShenYun2013.org

Phone: 1) 800-745-3000 (press 0 for a rep)Phone: 1) 800-745-3000 (press 0 for a rep)Phone: 1) 800-745-3000 (press 0 for a rep)

TICKETS

Orchestra

Balcony

$150

$50

$150 $60

$100

$200

$80

After its run of sold-out shows in March and May 2012 in the Tampa Bay area, Shen Yun Per-forming Arts will return to Orlando’s Bob Carr Centre with an unparalleled blend of energy, grace, and originality January 2013.

The New York-based Shen Yun is the first com-pany to present classical Chinese dance on a global scale and has taken the world by storm. In a collection of vignettes, audiences journey from ancient legends to contemporary tales of courage, from the highest heavens to the dusty plateaus of the Middle Kingdom.

SHEN YUN is traditional Chinese culture as it was meant to be experienced. Dozens of danc-ers in dazzling costumes move in seamless, flowing patterns. China’s ethnic and folk dance styles fill the stage with color and energy. A full, live orchestra blends East and West like no oth-er. Thunderous battle drums, masterful vocal-ists, and spectacular backdrops transport you to another world. “Fantastic!” says Joy Behar, of ABC’s The View. “If you ever get a chance to see it, you should.”

“I probably have reviewed over 3,000 to 4,000 shows since 1942, that still cannot compare to what I saw tonight,” says Richard Connema, Critic for Talkin’ Broadway. “I will give this pro-duction 5 stars, that’s the top! The best word to use was ‘mind blowing’!”

“An extraordinary experience! Exquisitely beautiful.” —Cate Blanchett, Academy Award-winning actress

“So inspiring! I may have found some ideas for the next Avatar movie.”—Robert Stromberg, Academy Award-winning production designer

“5,000 years of Chinese music and dance in one night!”—The New York Times

5,000 YEARS OFDIVINELYINSPIREDCULTURE

Presented by Florida Falun Dafa Association, Inc.



August: Osage CountyThrough Dec. 23Mad Cow TheatreThe Pulitzer Prize-winning play, loosely based on Alexandre Dumas’ , is a dark comedy that revolves around the dying, drug-addled matriarch of a large Oklahoma family. madcowtheatre.com

Plan On It

AGENDA

FIFTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, WHEN DR. SEUSSwrote How the Grinch Stole Christmas, he probably could not have imagined that his hi-lariously heartwarming holiday tale would one day inspire a classic television special, let alone a big-budget feature fi lm.

And it’s even less likely that he’d have predicted anything like Universal Orlando’s annual Grinch-mas celebration, now headed into its 12th year at Seuss Landing in Islands of Adventure.

Like its inspiration, Grinchmas is entertain-ing in a self-aware (and semi-campy) way. The main event is the Grinchmas Wholiday Spectacu-lar, which retells Seuss’ tale as a stage musical. The approximately half-hour production is per-formed by actors playing the sinister Grinch, sweetie-pie Cindy Lou Who and golden-throat-ed Martha May, the head of the Whoville deco-rating committee, among other characters.

Everyone’s favorite songs from the TV special – including “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” with its snaky melody and clever lyrics, and the lovely, inspirational “Welcome Christmas” – are performed, as are additional tunes includ-

Now’s the Time for You to Goto Universal’s Grinchmas Show

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2OHL_Dec12_Agenda.indd 12 11/16/12 2:31:51 PM

WWW.OHLMAG.COM ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE 13

The Mysterious Content of SoftnessThrough Dec. 30Cornell Fine Arts MuseumExplore the potential of fiber to “capture the fluidity of life” through the creations of 11 world-class artists who work with fabrics.rollins.edu/cfam

Babes in ToylandDec. 13-16Wayne Densch Performing Arts CenterMother Goose nursery rhymes are brought to life in this family-friendly, Christmas-themed musical.wdpac.com

A Classic ChristmasKnowles Memorial ChapelDec. 15-16A Rollins College holiday tradi-tion features specially arranged seasonal music from the Bach Festival Choir, Orchestra and Youth Choir. bachfestivalflorida.org

The NutcrackerBob Carr Performing Arts CentreDec. 20-23Orlando Ballet’s version of Tchaikovsky’s tender child-fantasy dreamscape features artistic director Robert Hill’s trademark blend of humor, modernity and reverence for the original’s grandeur.orlandoballet .org

AGENDA BY JAY BOYAR

ing the sultry and seasonal “The Man With the Bag.” As for the show’s original score, it was recorded by that mechanical-sounding musical marvel, Mannheim Steamroller.

Immediately following the show, audience members can meet the Grinch and the Whos in person (or whatever they are). You and your kids can also meet them at various times and locations throughout Seuss Landing.

And if that’s not enough Grinchiness for you, you can arrange to have breakfast with the great green grouch himself on select dates. (But, no, “roast beast” is not on the menu.)

Meanwhile, over at Universal Orlando’s other theme park, Universal Studios Florida, the season will be celebrated in more squarely traditional fashion with Macy’s Holiday Parade, now in its 11th year. The parade is a version of the New York event you’ve seen on TV, with those giant balloons, fantasy fl oats and Santa himself – who also participates in a post-parade tree-light-ing ceremony.

Some balloons and fl oats from the New York parade are not part of the theme-park experience, but it’s a colorful produc-tion, anyway.

My favorite part of Universal’s holiday celebration is Man-nheim Steamroller (them again!), which will perform at Uni-versal Studios Florida. Among the songs on the program are “Carol of the Bells” and “Let It Snow,” the latter accompanied by a snowfall of sorts.

The Grinchmas show and the Macy’s parade will be present-ed Dec. 1 through Jan. 1. Mannheim Steamroller concerts are scheduled for several days this month. All three productions are included in your admission to the respective parks, with an ex-tra charge for that Grinchy breakfast.

Whether you choose Grinchmas at Islands of Adventure, the parade and Mannheim Steamroller at Universal Studios Florida, or all three, it’s hard to go wrong. Your heart may not actually grow three sizes, but you should have fun.

Visit universalorlando.com/holidays for more information.

Dickens’ Classic RetooledBy Funny FarceOVER THE YEARS I’VE SEEN SO MANY VERSIONS OFA Christmas Carol that I sometimes forget one important thing about Dickens’ original, 1843 story: It’s funny. Yes, it contains a serious message about how we should live our lives. And, yes, those three ghosts can be a little scary. But Scrooge’s blustery “Bah! Humbug!” is meant to be humor-ous, and so is much of the tale.

The version of the story being staged at Orlando Shake-speare Theater through Dec. 30 is also a comedy, but not in that sophisticated, dark-toned, Dickensian way. The daffi -ness of the play is hinted at by its preposterously overlong, and insistently prosaic, title: The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of “A Christmas Carol.”

“We just refer to it as Farndale,” says Matt Pfeiffer, the show’s director, with a chuckle. He adds that the play, written by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jr., is not so much a comedy about Dickens’ original as it is a farce that pokes affectionate fun at the foibles of a small-town theater troupe – in this case, a company of marginally talented North London women. Even those of us who have seen numerous versions of A Christmas Carol may fi nd something fresh here.

“I like the idea of presenting Dickens’ tale, but present-ing it in a way that’s inherently silly,” says Pfeiffer. “What Farndale does is, it shows people attempting to put on A Christmas Carol – but failing miserably at it.”

Visit orlandoshakes.org for further information.

Farndale

Camille



A G E N D A

Overachieving Underwood Bearing Down on AmwayWHEN CARRIE UNDERWOOD STORMS THE STAGE, she really storms the stage. In an impressive but largely un-necessary bit of stagecraft, the fi ve-time Grammy-win-ner is enveloped in a tempest of confetti and smoke as she performs her latest hit single, “Blown Away.”

It’s just one of the highlights of the country ingé-nue’s 2012-13 Blown Away Tour, which whooshes into the Amway Center Dec. 21.

Truth is, Underwood has been blowing away fans all by herself ever since she won Season 4 of American Idol, going on to become ar-guably its most successful alum, selling more than 15 million albums and registering 15 hit singles.

“In the beginning, it was like, ‘Oh, I have a No. 1. That’s awesome!’ I didn’t really un-derstand what that meant,” Underwood says in her website biography. “I realize now what hard work it actually is, and I feel like I can appreciate those victories even more.”

Underwood, born in Muskogee, Okla., impressed Idol judge Simon Cowell so much in 2004 that he accu-

rately predicted she would not only win the competi-tion but that her recordings would outsell those of all previous winners.

Though her songs stay true to her laid-back coun-try roots, Underwood always adds an element of edginess to her music, ever so slightly blurring her

good-girl image. Her debut album, Some Hearts, went plati-

num seven times over and remains the best-selling solo album ever by a female country artist. Underwood went on to make three more albums, Carnival Ride, Play On and her latest release, Blown Away.

Hunter Hayes, the so-called “Justin Bie-ber of country music,” will open for Under-wood.

Visit amwaycenter.com for information. – Emily Blackwood

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WHEN CARRIE UNDERWOOD STORMS THE STAGE, storms the stage. In an impressive but largely un-

necessary bit of stagecraft, the fi ve-time Grammy-win-ner is enveloped in a tempest of confetti and smoke as she performs her latest hit single, “Blown Away.”

It’s just one of the highlights of the country ingé-, which whooshes

Truth is, Underwood has been blowing away fans all by herself ever since she won Season

, going on to become ar-guably its most successful alum, selling more than 15 million albums and registering 15 hit

“In the beginning, it was like, ‘Oh, I have a No. 1. That’s awesome!’ I didn’t really un-derstand what that meant,” Underwood says in her website biography. “I realize now what hard work it actually is, and I feel like I can

Underwood, born in Muskogee, Okla., impressedjudge Simon Cowell so much in 2004 that he accu-

rately predicted she would not only win the competi-tion but that her recordings would outsell those of all previous winners.

Though her songs stay true to her laid-back coun-try roots, Underwood always adds an element of edginess to her music, ever so slightly blurring her

good-girl image. Her debut album,

num seven times over and remains the best-selling solo album ever by a female country artist. Underwood went on to make three more albums, latest release,

Hunter Hayes, the so-called “Justin Bie-ber of country music,” will open for Under-wood.

Visit amwaycenter.com for information. – Emily Blackwood

Since 1968, Park Maitland School has been growing the leaders of tomorrow. We offer

a proven foundation of excellence in education and provide children the tools they need

to realize their dreams!

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Untitled-1 1 1/12/12 9:47:23 AM2OHL_Dec12_Agenda.indd 15 11/16/12 9:08:53 AM


A G E N D A

THE CAST OF CHARACTERS CHANGES every year for ICE!, the winter won-derland crafted out of 2 million pounds of just that – ice – which overtakes the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee every Christmas season.

This year it’s the animated animals of the 2009 DreamWorks fi lm Merry Mad-agascar: Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, Melman the Giraffe and company.

In previous years, freeze-frame shows have been inspired by characters from Shrek; the comic-strip cast of Charlie Brown and his pals from Peanuts; and

the classic Christmas poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

But there’s a constant: Among the 40 Chinese artisans who travel to Orlando annually to sculpt the fi gures from pre-dyed slabs of ice in the 20,000-square-foot installation, the greatest honor is to sculpt a fi gure that never changes from year to year: an angel.

“Every year we have the big Nativity scene,” says Gaylord Palms spokesman Jeff Abbaticchio. “And it’s such an honor for the guy who gets to carve the angel.

That’s considered the most prestigious position. It’s a big deal.”

The raw ice building blocks are man-ufactured and dyed at a Florida factory. The artisans – each arrives with his own set of tools – carve the ice and fuse the blocks into place by melting it with hot water.

ICE! opened last month and runs through January 1.

Visit gaylordhotels.com for more in-formation.– Emily Blackwood

An Icy Menagerie At Gaylord Palms

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JUST BECAUSE IT’S CALLED A “soundsuit” doesn’t mean it comes with speakers – though the latest acquisition on display at the Orlando Museum of Art may speak to you, just the same.

Soundsuit, 2011, by Chicago fabric sculptor and performance artist Nick Cave, is a joyous, childlike creation that in and of itself makes a visit to the mu-seum worthwhile. A fi gure much like a department-store manikin is encircled by a massive, globe-shaped mesh hung with found objects. A pink wig hov-ers like some ghostly apparition among a riot of beads, plastic fl owers, ceramic owls and an antique gramophone.

Cave, who is African-American, began making a series of fi gures such as this one in 1992 as a personal reaction to the Rodney King police brutality scandal. He covered his own face and body with a sculpture of twigs. When he moved, they rustled; hence the name: soundsuit.

That fi rst creation was crafted out of sadness, but the ensuing series of sculp-tures has developed a broader and often more rambunctious emotional range.

Cave creates the soundsuits in a former tire factory, which doubles as his home, on Chicago’s Near North Side. Dancers have donned wearable soundsuits and performed works choreographed by the artist, combining two art forms in im-promptu, artistic test-drives.

But OMA’s soundsuit won’t be mak-ing jetés through the museum any time soon. Cave appeared convinced, on a recent trip to Orlando to explain his cre-ation, that the museum’s resident sound-suit can stand on its own two feet.

“This is the world he lives in,” he said of the sculpture, whoever and whatever it represents. “It’s a fabulous place, and he is hidden within it.”

Visit oma.org for more information.– Michael McLeod

OMA Making Noise with ‘Soundsuit’

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JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, ARGUABLY WESTERN music’s greatest composer, is inarguably among its most pro-lifi c. Even with several hundred works lost to history, more than 1,000 of his compositions have survived.

Bach, who died in 1750, spent his last 27 years in Leipzig, Germany, where his primary job was composing liturgical mu-sic for the town’s four largest churches while teaching music at a church school. But he also had an important secular job: hosting chamber music concerts at a well-known Leipzig coffeehouse.

Bach was responsible for more than 500 two-hour performances at Zimmermann’s Coffeehouse, leading a mix of professional and amateur musicians in his own works as well as those of other composers he admired.

Audiences “came to know Bach

as an entertainer, an inventive programmer, and even a dramatic humorist,” says Christopher Wilkins, music director of the Or-lando Philharmonic Orchestra.

Wilkins will conduct the Philharmonic’s chamber music or-chestra in a Bach’s Coffeehouse performance at the Orlando Shakespeare Center’s Margeson Theater on Dec. 10.

In addition to a couple of Brandenburg Concertos and a “Coffee Cantata” from the mas-ter himself, the program features a trio of baroque composers Bach favored: George Philipp Tele-mann, Pietro Locatelli and, es-pecially, Antonio Vivaldi, “whose music played an important role in the development of Bach’s own style,” Wilkins says.

Visit orlandophil.org for more information.– Harry Wessel

Orlando Phil’s Chamber Orchestra Brews Up Some Bach

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That fi rst creation was crafted out of sadness, but the ensuing series of sculp-tures has developed a broader and often more rambunctious emotional range.

Cave creates the soundsuits in a former tire factory, which doubles as his home, on Chicago’s Near North Side. Dancers have donned wearable soundsuits and performed works choreographed by the artist, combining two art forms in im-

But OMA’s soundsuit won’t be mak-ing jetés through the museum any time soon. Cave appeared convinced, on a recent trip to Orlando to explain his cre-ation, that the museum’s resident sound-suit can stand on its own two feet.

“This is the world he lives in,” he said of the sculpture, whoever and whatever it represents. “It’s a fabulous place, and

Visit oma.org for more information.

OMA Making Noise with ‘Soundsuit’

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A F E W M O M E N T S W I T H

Christopher Wilkins is a study in concentration as

he conducts the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.

The itinerant music director announced earlier this

year that he’ll leave the Philharmonic in 2014.

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Have Baton, Will TravelThe Orlando Phil’s frequent flyer reflects

on his seemingly endless musical journey.

Like many world-class con-ductors, Christopher Wilkins is a migrant worker. Apart from his post as Music Director of the Or-

lando Philharmonic Orchestra over the past six years, he holds the same posi-tion with the Akron Symphony and the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, serves as Music Advisor to the Opera Theatre of the Rockies in Colorado Springs and is one of six finalists vying to lead the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.

He served past lengthy stints as Mu-sic Director of the San Antonio Sym-phony and the Colorado Springs Phil-harmonic.

During his Orlando workweeks, Wilkins, 55, lives in the Maitland home of an Orlando Phil volunteer. But his home base is Columbus, Ohio, where his daughter, Julia, attends Ohio State University’s School of Public Health. His son, Jimmy, who hopes to become a professional skateboarder, lives in San Diego and attends Full Sail University as an online student in computer animation.

Wilkins, who announced earlier this year that he will leave the Orlando Phil-harmonic when his contract expires in August 2014, spoke with Orlando Home & Leisure about his time in Orlando and his life as a conductor.

Can you listen to a favorite classical piece without moving your arms?

[Laughs.] I can. I can sit there perfectly still and in utter rapture at the same time. But, it’s also nice to move.

Do you practice conducting?Not really. You can’t really do that with-out an orchestra, which ends up being your instrument. Conducting has much less to do with waving the baton than it does with study and preparation. It re-quires intensive listening, and you can’t do that without an orchestra.

What you can do is the studying part, and 90 percent of conducting is actually preparation for that first rehearsal.

That’s how I spend my time, and it’s something I think is probably little un-derstood by concertgoers.

Are there rules when it comes to con-ducting, like which hand movement means what?There’s sort of an international code that’s quite universally recognized. I could go to Korea, speak no Korean and give gestures that the orchestra in Seoul would understand perfectly well.

It has to do with indicating the meter – the organization of the beats, what number of the beat we’re on at any given time.

And rhythm, cueing, dynamics – how loud and soft. That’s about it. The rest is black magic.

You’re currently leading three major orchestras in three different cities,

with a possibility of adding a fourth. Is there a limit to how many orchestras one conductor can simultaneously lead?Oh, absolutely. It’s a limit defined both by the orchestra and by the conductor. From the orchestra’s point of view, the question is both the quantity and qual-ity of time together. From the conduc-tor’s point of view, we’re like other mu-sicians: If you’re a violinist, you don’t want to put your violin down and play it only once a month.

Staying involved, keeping the juices flowing, is essential. It’s a kind of bal-ance from both sides of the equation.

Having said that, my orchestra in Bos-ton is just a summer orchestra, so it’s not really a matter of conflicting schedules. The Akron and the Orlando orchestras have roughly similar levels of activity, but we’re able to plan far enough out in advance that I don’t feel they’re in con-flict at all.

And there have been some advantages: We’ve been able to share some produc-tions, some commissions of new work. The Norman Rockwell collaboration with the Orlando Museum of Art [in 2008], for example, was actually a four-way project between both orchestras and both mu-seums. The Akron Museum was the first stop on that Norman Rockwell tour.

You’ve played professionally as an oboist. Do you still practice the oboe?

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On rare occasions, but my jobs cur-rently keep me really occupied around the clock. I’m never not working, and the oboe in particular is rather tough to keep going as a side act. It’s sort of a technical issue, but it’s almost impossi-ble to pick up the oboe for just an hour a day because you have to constantly make reeds.

Was that your childhood instrument?I started piano lessons at the age of 5,

and oboe at the age of 8. I’ve studied other instruments along the way, but those were the primary ones. The oboe was my main instrument, but I play the piano considerably more than the oboe now, because it’s useful to do so.

A photo of you conducting the Orlan-do Philharmonic shows your face in intense concentration. What’s going through your head at such moments?I’m listening intensely. In the end that

is what conducting is about: listening so intensely that you cause the orchestra to listen better. If you can do that, they will become an ensemble.

Conducting is much less active than people imagine. It’s not about doing, so much as being present to what’s happening and lining that up against your vision.

You have a certain vision for how you think you want it to go, which is completely based on how you think the composer wanted it to go. And that’s what happens in performance.

You recently conducted a concert with the Akron Symphony featuring the


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music of ABBA. Isn’t such pop music a bit pedestrian for a serious classical musician?Oh, no. We’re all working with same 12 notes and most of the same chords. Mu-sic is a way to celebrate what’s best in life, and there are lots of different ways to do that.

It’s true that the purpose of ABBA and the purpose of a Mahler symphony are utterly different. The purpose of an ABBA song has largely to do with feel-ing good in the moment, with emotions that are quite basic and usually not very complicated; there’s only so far you can get into it in three minutes.

The purpose of a Mahler symphony is to reveal the deepest secrets of life, on ev-ery plane. That’s why it takes 90 minutes.

They just have different goals, but I wouldn’t say one is better than the other or of higher quality or more profound.

Still, there’s good and bad music in every genre. Are there pop groups you particularly admire?I love The Beatles. Maybe what I love best is that combination of inevitability and surprise, the fact that every Beatles song has a little bit of a different take and yet sounds as if it’s always existed. That’s a sign of greatness.

I’ve done a lot of pops music over the years. I’ve been involved every year with the Orlando Philharmonic’s pops pro-gram, and with all my orchestras I’ve done that. This spring we’ll do music of James Taylor at The Springs [in Long-wood]. I love James Taylor; I love Paul Simon; that’s an era I grew up with.

I’ve also done shows with classic rock. Certain types of songs blend extremely well with a symphony orchestra. Some get all messy and confused, but when you find the right song, like “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” and cut the orchestra loose, there’s nothing like it.

I’ve also done a gospel concert in Ak-ron every year for the last seven years,




and that’s been a fabulous experience.I also love the classic Broadway shows.

There was a time when orchestras were a fixture in Broadway houses. The clas-sic Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, even George Gershwin shows had orchestras in the pit.

We’ve had a wonderful time in Orlando performing some of these classic Broad-way shows, I would say even beyond the way they were originally intended, which was for small theater orchestras. We’re giving them a kind of grandeur in the Bob Carr [Performing Arts Centre] by putting a symphony orchestra under-neath these glorious scores.

It’s obvious what you’ve devoted your life to, but do you have any interests that have nothing to do with music?

I love to travel, and I get to do a lot of travel in my profession. I’ve spent a lot of time in the Rocky Mountains, both in Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City, and I love a lot of the mountain sports. I did a lot of skiing, a lot of hiking. I learned how to fly fish when I was living out there, and I really enjoy that.

Neither of your children appears to be heading for a career in music. Did you try to steer them toward music when they were growing up?Their mother and I were intent on giv-ing them exposure to lots of different things. They both studied violin in grade school. My son went on to play some guitar, and he still plays some guitar. My daughter did dance. But for whatever reason they both wound up

being athletes. The music didn’t take, but that’s fine.

Did you play any sports as a kid?I did a little of everything. I was actu-ally fairly small until I finally had my growth spurt in the middle of high school. I played football and hockey but would get knocked around a lot. Then, after I broke my third bone, I gravitated more toward the racket sports.

Tennis, anyone?I haven’t played tennis in ages. I do yoga on a fairly regular basis. That’s become more my means of exercise. And con-ducting itself is pretty terrific exercise.

Although you still have two full sea-sons with the Orlando Philharmonic



to complete, a search is under way for your replacement. How does it feel to be a lame duck?[Laughs.] Well, I’ve got a lot of wonder-ful concerts and activities to look for-ward to, and I can look back at some fabulous times with the orchestra. I’ve really enjoyed the musical performances on every level, but also the innovative things that we’ve been able to do, partly because of the rather unique nature of the Philharmonic itself, and also be-cause of the community of Orlando.

It’s so deep in talent, especially the singing, acting, dancing type of talent that the theme parks have attracted. On top of that, UCF is doing an amazing job of training singing performers, and many of the other local schools are, too. It’s with certainly a tinge of regret but also a great deal of satisfaction that I look back at the years in Orlando.

Do you plan to stay connected to Or-lando after your departure?We’ll see how it all plays out. I probably have more friends in Orlando than I do in any other city I’ve worked in. I know in some way I’ll stay connected with them. I’ll also want to spend time in Florida itself, at the beach and in some of the incredible natural settings. I’ve enjoyed canoeing, for example, in Blue Springs and some of those other beauti-ful spots. I’m sure I’ll stay connected in some way. l

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by Laura Bluhmphotographs by Rafael Tongol

D E S I G N S T Y L E

Home (Décor) for the Holidays

When Francia Fusic was asked to deco-rate a client’s living room and dining room for the holidays, she had a pretty good idea what direction she needed to take. Fusic, owner-operator of All in

One Decorating Solutions, had redesigned the same home for the same client three years ago, changing its overall look from Old World to Contemporary. Her task, then, was to find decorative elements that would match the clean, airy style the owners had requested in the redesign.

For the living room, she decided to use simple silvers, pew-ters and mercury glass, punctuating the metallic hues with just one red stocking and one burgundy stocking hung on the mantle. “This is a color pallet that brings simplicity and a touch of elegance to a room,” says Fusic. For the dining room, where seasonal entertainment would be taking place, she chose warmer tones – oranges, reds and golds.

Cast aluminum speakeasy round tray, $49.50; jewel-cut cocktail shaker, $39.50; jewel-cut martini glasses, set of four, $49.50; gold sequin star, $10.50 (top). Noël bronze-finish stocking holders, $99 for the set; white feather owl, $12.50; stockings, $19.50 each (bottom).

All living room items are from Pottery Barn, The Mall at Mil-lenia. All dining room items are from Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia.

5OHL_Dec12 Style.indd 26 11/16/12 2:54:40 PM


FireplaceNoël bronze-finish stocking holders, $99 for the set; white feather owl, $12.50; silver bay leaf trees: medium, $89, large, $99; clear glass angels: small, $24.50, large, $29.50; white and gold pillar candleholders, $59 each; beaded birch pillar candle, $29.50; silver bay leaf tree: small, $69; stockings, $19.50 each.

coFFee tableJeweled crystal twig tree, $69; cast aluminum speakeasy round tray, $49.50; jewel-cut cocktail shaker, $39.50, jewel-cut martini glasses and jewel-cut double old-fashioned glasses, both $49.50 for a set of four; gold sequin star, $10.50; decanter, $29.50; antique mercury glass trees: small, $12.50, medium, $29.50, large, $39.50; etched mercury glass pillar holder, $79; metallic bark pillar candle, $29.50; etched mercury glass vase (large), $99.

table in windowEtched mercury glass pillar holder, $79; metallic bark pillar candle, $29.50; antique mercury globe (large), $26.50; twig metal reindeers: small, $19.50, medium, $29.50, large, $39.

Available at Pottery Barn, The Mall at Millenia.

5OHL_Dec12 Style.indd 27 11/16/12 10:56:24 AM



Blue-glitter glass pine cone ornament, $10.50; silver bay leaf tree (small), $69 (right).

Silver bay leaf trees: large, $99, medium, $89; clear glass angels: large, $29.50, small, $24.50 (below).

Available at Pottery Barn, The Mall at Millenia.

Etched mercury glass vase (large), $99; etched mercury glass pillar holder, $79; metallic bark pillar candle, $29.50; antique mercury glass trees: large, $39.50, medium, $29.50, small, $12.50; antique mercury globes: large, $26.50, small, $16.50 (below).



Serving area, front of tableParchment Check enamel butterhouse, by MacKenzie-Childs, $75; gold coral charger, by Kim Seybert, $54; olive-branch wood serving bowl with fork and spoon, $99; triple compartment dish, $159; and pomegranate salt and pepper shakers, $99; all by Michael Aram.

Center of tableParchment Check mug, $115; teacup, $115; saucer, $75; all by MacKenzie-Childs; napkin, $30; coral napkin ring, $20; both by Kim Seybert; Parchment Check dinner plate, by MacKenzie-Childs, $115; gold-rimmed clear charger, handmade by Annieglass, $97; iron charger, $108; short cone glass with leaf embellished and brown wooden base, $76; tall goblet with leaf embellished and brown wooden base, $96; tumbler, $40; tall iron candlestick, $260; short iron candlestick, $250; all by Jan Barboglio; centerpiece flower arrangement, by Diane James, $595; gold and silver mesh table runner, by Chilewich, $57; coral and gold table runner, medium length, by Kim Seybert, $420.

Available at Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia.




Parchment Check teacup, $115; saucer, $75; both by MacKenzie-Childs; napkin, $30; coral napkin ring, $20; both by Kim Seybert; Parchment Check dinner plate, by MacKenzie-Childs, $115; gold-rimmed clear charger, handmade by Annieglass, $97; iron charger, by Jan Barboglio, $108; short cone glass with leaf embellished and brown wooden base, $76; tall goblet with leaf embellished and brown wooden base, $96; both by Jan Barboglio; gold and silver mesh table runner, by Chilewich, $57; coral and gold table runner, medium length, by Kim Seybert, $420 (left).

Available at Neiman Marcus, The Mall at Millenia.

Gold-beaded charger, by Kim Seybert, $75; black olive-branch wine rest, by Michael Aram, $98; bouquets, by Diane James, range from $230 for small arrangements to $495 for large arrange-ments; stemware is the designer’s own (right).

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Olive-branch triple compartment dish, $159; salt and pepper shakers with holder, $99; pomegranate salt and pepper shakers, $99; all by Michael Aram (left).

Gold-rimmed sauce bowl, handmade by Annieglass, $58; olive-branch gold-plate and black-granite cheese board with knife, by Michael Aram, $119 (right).

HOLIDAY DECORATING TIPS FROM FRANCIA FUSIKArrange items in groupings to cre-ate a point of interest. Take scale and proportion into consideration.

For dramatic effect, use tall candle-holders and oversized candles.

Use different finishes of decorative metallic elements in the same room.

Choose a color scheme in advance of everything you do. Color should flow and shift from room to room.



Welcome to Philanthropy 2.0

DO GOOD.

by Michael McLeod • photographs by Rafael Tongol

Have Fun.

6OHL_Dec12_Philanthropists.indd 32 11/16/12 10:58:18 AM


Imagine having a beer with “the most interesting man in the world” – the bearded, über-confident international adventurer played by actor Jonathan Goldsmith in those

“Stay thirsty, my friend” commercials. Now take it up a notch or two. You’re

chatting with Barbra Streisand over din-ner. Or taking a few acting lessons from Ben Stiller. Or bouncing ideas for a new superhero epic back and forth with com-ic-book icon Stan Lee.

That’s not fantasy. That’s philanthro-py. It’s all within the realm of possibility for anyone with a charitable soul and a bank account to back it up, from a few hundred dollars to $25,000 or more – all to be contributed to a worthy cause.

Celebrity encounters represent just a few of the options that are available 24/7 at Charity Buzz (charitybuzz.com), a fundraising site where dozens of non-profit causes offer vacations, merchandise and face time with assorted luminaries in exchange for your generosity.

The site represents several recent trends in nonprofit fundraising. It’s

creative. It’s engaging. It makes use of a social media resource instead of the tra-ditional hotel-ballroom fundraiser. And most of all: It’s personal.

Of the $300 billion that was donated to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. last year, only 5 percent came from cor-

porations. The rest came either from individuals or from foundations and be-quests set up by individuals.

As governmental and corporate gen-erosity shrinks, nonprofit organizations are adapting accordingly, with an array of fresh, tempting, one-on-one appeals directed at a new generation of givers.

These days, even time-honored tools such as the collection basket are in dan-ger of being phased out by digital alter-natives such as mycharitybox.com, which allows donors to contribute online.

Tyger Danger is an account executive with Uproar PR Orlando, which works

Welcome to Philanthropy 2.0

DO GOOD.

by Michael McLeod • photographs by Rafael Tongol

Patrons of the Orlando Philhar-

monic Orchestra gather at the

Isleworth home of John and

Audrey Ruggieri for a “Behind

the Curtain” event featuring

face time with Executive Direc-

tor David Schillhammer (above)

and a chance to meet – and

listen to – soloists such as so-

prano Twyla Robinson (left).



with a number of small, local charities to help them raise awareness about them-selves and connect with a new generation of contributors.

“We’re not necessarily sitting in a church pew when we’re inspired to give these days,” says Danger, whose father is a Lutheran minister. “We might just see a video online that touches us.”

But whether they’re reaching for their cell or their checkbook, the key to connect-ing contributors with causes these days is engagement. That’s why charity golf tour-naments drive Emily Furlong crazy.

“My husband goes off to play in one of those things, and when he comes back I ask him what the charity was. He can’t tell me,” says Furlong, senior program manager at the Rollins College Philan-thropy and Nonprofit Research Center.

The center’s mission is to help charita-ble organizations raise funds effectively. “Today’s donors need that personal satis-faction that tells them they have made a difference in the world,” she says. “That’s the reward. That’s what the generation that’s coming up now is looking for.”

Ideally, Furlong says, a charity event should be connected as intimately as

Florida Opera Theatre’s Robin

Stamper (above) accompanies

bass-baritone Peter Strummer

(left), who sang the role of Dr.

Bartolo in the Phil’s production

of Mozart’s The Marriage of Fi-

garo, in a private performance

for boosters. Co-founders Paul

Till and Sean Siepler (right)

developed Clean the World, a

shrewdly conceived Orlando

nonprofit company that sani-

tizes and reconditions leftover

hotel-room soap bars and do-

nates them to remote, impover-

ished or disaster-struck com-

munities.

6OHL_Dec12_Philanthropists.indd 34 11/16/12 2:00:55 PM


possible to the cause itself – like a recent marathon on behalf of a Pensacola chil-dren’s hospital where the photos of young patients were posted at all 26 mile mark-ers to remind participants of why they were running – and who was benefiting from their efforts.

Glamour and glitz have long been a staple of charity balls stocked with inspi-rational speakers, guests decked out in formal attire and silent-auction treasures. That’s not going to change anytime soon.

But there, too, you can find examples of events that offer fewer frills in favor of being tied more organically to the cause itself.

The Neanderthal Ball, the Orlando Science Center’s annual fundraiser, is a prime example. Not only is the ball any-thing but black tie – guests are invited to come up with ensembles that owe more to Fred and Wilma Flintstone than Gu-ccio Gucci and Coco Chanel – it takes place at the Science Center itself.

It’s definitely the only charity ball in town where you can not only sample delec-table hors d’oeuvres but inspect 3 million-year-old hominid skulls while a volunteer walks you through the differences between homo africanis and homo habilis.

“We make science fun. That’s what we do. It’s in our DNA,” says Jeff Stanford, the Center’s vice president of develop-ment. “It just makes sense for us to tie the event to our mission.”

It makes sense for the Orlando Philhar-monic Orchestra, too, where a donor might make a contribution in exchange for having a glass of wine and a brief conversation with a guest conductor such as JoAnn Falletta.

Lory Lippert and Even Hyatt

(above, left) illustrate the lat-

est in cave-dweller couture at

the Orlando Science Center’s

Neanderthal Ball, while Chris

Hurst and Nabil May (left, with

Heidi Hurst) sport prehistoric

hairstyles.



Philharmonic supporters also arrange a series of intimate gatherings each year, usu-ally held in private homes, where donors are entertained by musicians performing selections from upcoming concerts.

But there are plenty of donors out there who don’t mind rolling up their sleeves to participate in a humble but eminently noble cause – especially if it’s based on an idea that’s so specific and ingenious that you can’t help but pick it out of the crowd.

No need to look too far from home for examples.

Feeding Children Everywhere is an Orlando-based charity founded two years ago by a former contractor and youth pastor, Don Campbell. His organization ships casserole mix packages consisting of lentils, dehydrated vegetables, rice and a special mineral-rich salt to underprivi-leged families around the world.

So far, 1.2 million meals have been pro-vided. Dozens of volunteers assemble regu-larly at Campbell’s makeshift assembly line to weigh the ingredients for the casseroles and seal them in plastic bags for shipping.

Clean the World is an Orlando-based nonprofit organization that recycles those tiny hotel-room soap bars and sends them to where they are needed most – particularly in third-world coun-tries where the availability of soap can save lives. More than 2 million children die each year from illnesses that could be prevented if their parents had access to something we take for granted and thoughtlessly discard.

Orlando entrepreneur Sean Siepler, who had been trying to come up with ideas for a green-oriented business, was actually stay-ing in a hotel room when the inspiration to salvage hotel room soap bars hit him.

Three-and-a-half years later, Siepler’s and co-founder Paul Till’s operation, based in Orlando and Las Vegas, has sent 11½ million bars of soap out to communities in 55 countries, including the U.S. – most re-cently to victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Dozens of volunteers turn up each week at a downtown Orlando processing center, wielding potato peelers to strip the soap bars of paper and residue so they can be processed and shipped. They’re drawn there by what is, in the end, the most pow-erful element of all in the philanthropi-cal universe: the simple, straightforward power of a worthy cause. l

Jacqui Potter and Gary Potter

bone up on prehistoric formal

wear in a Neanderthal Ball

fashion contest judged by age-

less social-scene matriarch

Harriet Lake.



New-home treNds iNclude smarter space, upgraded techNology aNd far greater value.More BaNg For the Buck

This backyard transformation included the addition of a covered porch extension and a covered

outdoor living room with a summer kitchen, a spa, a water feature and a raised lap pool surrounded

by new landscaping. With an outdoor living area, you can increase your home’s usable space without

the cost of construction. This project was created by Farina & Sons and Lucia Custom Home Designs.

7OHL_Dec12_Home trends.indd 38 11/16/12 4:23:11 PM


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NeIGhBorhooDsBuyers want eclectic styles, walkability and amenities. Whether the target mar-ket is Generation X, Generation Y or a mix of baby boomers and younger first-timers, the most appealing communities are conveniently located and offer a vari-ety of housing types.

In fact, if one thing about real estate has remained constant through boom and bust, it’s that buyers still rank location, lo-cation, location at the top of the list when looking for new homes, followed by ar-chitectural style and price range.

Buyers are also attracted to safe, walk-able neighborhoods with plenty of open space and nearby town centers that offer retail and professional services – hence

the popularity of such neotraditional en-claves as Celebration and Baldwin Park, as well as the newer Horizon West and Laureate Park projects.

As far as amenities are concerned, buyers want perks that enhance their enjoyment of life and allow them to play near where they live. That means resort-style water parks, playgrounds and tot lots, hiking and biking trails, community clubhouses, wellness centers and sports fields are bigger selling points than ever before.

Infill development, in established resi-dential neighborhoods or gentrified ur-ban areas, is also gaining in popularity. One reason: Close-in projects are likely already near such conveniences as parks, shopping, schools and medical facilities, as well as entertainment venues and em-

by Randy Noles

Many boom-era buyers accepted less than they truly want-ed. Homes were pricey, supplies were short and no one was eager to be left behind when it seemed that a home – almost any home, really – was about the best and most lucrative investment you could make.

Now, many of those buyers find themselves stuck in homes they don’t love, homes that may be worth less than they owe. Yet, as a nation we

haven’t soured on home ownership. It remains the American Dream, even if that dream has been tempered by reality.

People are still willing to buy, and want to buy. But they’re no longer willing to over-spend, and are less willing to compromise or settle for a home that doesn’t measure up to their expectations. Builders realize this, and are more sensitive than ever to changing expectations and skittish attitudes. They are, after all, now required to satisfy a far more discerning market.

Consequently, those who make their living designing, building and decorating homes spend considerable time and resources trying to figure out what buyers want – and how to deliver it at an acceptable price. Clearly, pampering amenities, bold colors, open floorplans, outdoor living areas and energy-efficient construction have supplanted sheer square footage in desirability, as far as buyers are concerned.

But that’s not all. Smaller and smarter is important, but buyers seem to be developing very specific ideas about everything, from such big-picture concepts as neighborhood design to such small but significant details as kitchen and bath fixtures and finishes.

Orlando Home & Leisure discussed new-home trends for 2013 with a wide network of local industry pros. The story on the following pages summarizes their opinions and those of national experts and trend-spotters.



ployment centers.Most older neighborhoods feature

homes in eclectic architectural styles and a variety of price points. Likewise, new developments are also offering an assort-ment of housing types, appealing to mul-tiple buyer segments.

In short: Buyers are increasingly turned off by cookie-cutter subdivisions. They expect the view from the street to be interesting and original. “It’s important to focus on streets as part of the open space amenities,” says Tony Weremeichik of Ca-nin Associates, an architectural firm spe-

cializing in planning master-planned com-munities. “The street is an amenity. How do you enhance the street experience?”

HOME EXTERIORSSimplicity is back and curb appeal mat-ters. Less cluttered facades are not only cleaner and more visually appealing, they’re also less expensive to build. That’s why today’s designers often operate us-ing the KESS principle: Keep Elevations Simple and Smart.

Locally, Phil Kean of Phil Kean De-signs has been a leading proponent of the KESS approach. His Winter Park home, Via Palermo, which was Orlando Home & Leisure’s 2012 Home of the Year, is a relatively modest 3,280 square feet with a sleek, mid-century exterior that exudes a Zen-like calm.

Kean used the same retro styling on his 2012 New American Home, also built on an infill lot in Winter Park. The home, which was showcased during the International Builders Show sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), is also notable for its clean lines and emphasis on open space and technology over ornamentation.

Enhancements can be accomplished inexpensively using landscaping and bolder exterior colors. Bi- and tri-colored paint palettes, for example, provide vari-ety and enhance curb appeal – and can be changed at a later date without em-barking on a major remodeling project.

Although Kean’s ultra-modern designs represent the leading edge, simplicity is finding its way into even the most tra-ditional architectural genres. Transitional styles, which draw heavily from familiar looks while incorporating some modern twists, are on the rise. Laureate Park, near Lake Nona’s Medical City, is an ex-ample of a project in which the homes mix Norman Rockwellian elements with high-tech materials and technologies.

Mixed-material accents have become more popular lately, although unnecessary

Ashton Woods Homes’ “Big Red,” located in burgeoning Laure-

ate Park near Lake Nona’s Medical City, is attracting attention for

its whimsical color scheme and its surprising design, which has

been likened to a Midwestern barn. This popular master-planned

community, a relative newcomer, combines a broad range of

home design styles with the coziness and convenience of its lo-

cal predecessors, including Celebration and Baldwin Park.

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7OHL_Dec12_Home trends.indd 40 11/19/12 10:36:23 AM


cosmetic elements, such as faux dormers and extra gables, are passé. Gingerbread adds cost but doesn’t enhance function.

“Clients want exterior design that has interesting movement and lines, but without all the twists, turns and unusual spaces that overdone design creates,” says Jorge Ulibarri of Jorge Ulibarri Custom Home Builder, who specializes in Old World European showplaces.

Mediterranean architecture, long a Florida mainstay, remains popular but is being challenged for supremacy by such styles as West Indies, English Cottage and Prairie-style. Also, more attention is be-ing paid to entryways, particularly doors, which come in a variety of styles and col-ors and offer outsized visual impact.

Buyers want their homes to be unique, not just a slightly modified version of the home next door. That’s why even produc-tion builders, some of whom previously employed a one-plan-fits-all philosophy, are offering more liberal customization options.

FLOORPLANSIt’s back to basics in floorplans, with the trend shifting toward more efficient use of space rather than vast expanses of square footage that have no practical use.

“I think that people right now are trying to get the most value out of their home as possible,” says Greg Hardwick of Hardwick General Contracting. Hard-wick, who’s also president of the Home Builders Association of Metro Orlando (HBA), builds custom homes and tackles remodeling projects.

“From a design standpoint, buyers are open to using materials and products that can get them the square footage and the floorplan they’re looking for within their budget,” Hardwick adds.

Ulibarri agrees: “Clients want practi-cal, functional space as opposed to the voluminous, showy square footage of the past. As a result, formal living rooms are

disappearing from floorplans, replaced by grand family rooms. Some clients also are eliminating formal dining rooms, opting instead for dining/breakfast nook areas.”

What’s in: smaller, smarter floorplans; larger everyday rooms; and simply de-signed house shapes. What’s out: unneces-sary luxury features; seldom-used formal rooms and excess square footage added simply for the sake of resale value.

Gone are the days of boxy rooms with squared off walls and limited views. To-day’s homes should create the illusion of expanded indoor space by using sliding or retractable doors and pass-through areas. And a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living areas can in-crease usable space without building more square footage.

“Some of my clients are moving from the Northeast, where they’re used to hav-ing small cubicle rooms,” says Jim Lucia of Lucia Custom Home Designers. Lu-cia designs new homes for private clients and custom builders, and retrofits older homes for improved energy efficiency.

“What they really want to see is a radical departure from what they had in the past,” Lucia adds. “That means less walls, more space.”

And “space” no longer refers to just interior space. Outdoor living areas are

getting almost as much attention as in-door living areas these days.

“No matter what style of house I’m working on, I like to integrate the out-side and the inside,” says Kean. “I think it warms up a contemporary space when you can bring in surroundings.”

New, more durable fabrics mean out-door furnishings can be as stylish and comfortable as indoor furnishings.

“I’m talking about a new breed of out-door living, where the finishes, fixtures and décor match the interior,” says Uli-barri. “Outdoor living areas in the past were completely distinct with defined themes, and weren’t necessarily in synch with the interiors.”

And the sky’s the limit as far as equip-ping summer kitchens, the most elaborate of which would wow any gourmet chef. Commercial-quality gas ranges and cook-tops, rotisserie systems, extra-deep burner boxes, stainless-steel sinks and cabinetry, wood-burning stoves, wet bars and, of course, refrigerators are manufactured specifically for outdoor use. Even weath-erproof high-definition televisions can en-hance the outdoor living experience.

And don’t forget the pool, which is the centerpiece of most outdoor living areas. Kidney and lagoon shapes are giving way to simpler, elongated designs that lend

Contemporary kitchens, with high-sheen appliances and fixtures

and sleek lines, are becoming more popular. People who own

more traditionally themed homes, however, often opt for transi-

tional styles, which marry contemporary and traditional elements.

This kitchen was designed by Central Kitchen & Bath.

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themselves to lap swimming for exercise. Social features such as swim-up seating and water platforms for sunbathing also increase a pool’s usefulness.

Also, buyers are asking for more stor-age space. Garages, for example, should be big enough to hold bikes, kayaks and sports equipment as well as vehicles. But garage doors shouldn’t dominate a home’s facade.

A standard 18- or 19-foot-wide garage is no longer adequate for many buyers. There simply isn’t enough room, and ve-hicles end up stowed on the street, there-by making an otherwise lovely residential thoroughfare resemble a parking lot.

Closet and pantry organizational sys-tems also help buyers get maximum use from the space they’re buying. And to cut down on clutter, builders and de-signers are creating “drop zones” where shoes, backpacks and other items can be stowed on benches and in lockers.

Flexible spaces are also in demand. A home office, for example, can convert

into a bedroom; a laundry room can double as pet suite, with feeding and sleeping areas for furry family members. Floorplans that include guest bedrooms with private entryways are increasing in popularity because of the trend toward multigenerational living.

In the kitchen, space for multiple functions – eating, gathering and cook-ing – is important. Family-sized kitchen islands and breakfast nooks with lots of seating allows family and friends to gath-er comfortably.

Technology is a must throughout the home. Not only for energy efficiency but also for security systems and the ability to monitor and control home mechanical systems from a PC or a Smart Phone.

KITCHENSCentral Florida has generally been a tra-ditional market, and Tuscan- and New England-style homes don’t lend them-selves to sleek contemporary kitchens. But that’s changing, say local experts.

“We’re doing more contemporary kitchens than we’ve ever done in Or-lando,” says Rick Caccavello of Central Kitchen & Bath. “The minimalist look is really growing.”

Caccavello adds that owners of more traditionally themed homes, in which a gleaming ultra-modern kitchen would look out of place, are often opting for transitional styles that incorporate con-temporary touches with enough tradi-tional elements to keep the overall look more consistent.

Julie Collier of Signature Kitchens agrees: “The style is definitely more con-temporary. There is more appeal for slab doors, veneers and laminates. People are leaning toward cleaner lines and less em-bellishments.”

Cherry cabinets used to be the gold standard, but designers are now using other woods, such as walnut, birch, bamboo or alder. And new, more durable and more attractive laminates are com-ing on strong and finding their way into the most upscale homes.

Light natural finishes on cabinets are also falling out of favor. Among painted cabinets, white continues to be the most popular option, with distressed finishes often preferred in traditional kitchens.

A nice backsplash can tie any kitchen together. Interestingly, however, the most popular material right now is not tile, as you might expect, but glass. Glass pro-

This year’s Orlando Home & Leisure Home of the Year, the Via Pal-

ermo by Phil Kean Designs (above), reflects a trend toward simple,

unadorned design with a mid-century attitude. Centerline Homes’

Generation X concept home (facing page) showcases a transi-

tional style, taking elements of Mediterranean architecture but

limiting unnecessary adornments to make the look cleaner and

more streamlined.

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vides a sheen that meshes with another trend: surfaces – and even appliances – that carry a polished high gloss.

Other commonly used backsplash ma-terials include natural stone tile, ceramic, granite and quartz. Granite and quartz are popular because those same materials are also frequently used for countertops. Caccavello says Carrara marble, with its distinctive white or blue-gray surface, is coming back in kitchens because modern sealers have made it less prone to staining.

With colors, gray, white and off-white continue to be the most popular color kitchen hues. Other hot colors include beige and “bone.” Caccavello notes that brighter, more splashy colors, such as green and orange, are being used to ac-cent the grays and beiges.

After years of losing the popularity contest to brushed metal finishes, pol-ished chrome and bronze finishes are on their way back, at least in contemporary kitchens where a high sheen is preferred.

As for lighting, LEDs are more expen-sive than traditional bulbs at the outset, but they’re also more efficient and can save money on energy bills in the long run.

Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) don’t fare as well, despite using roughly one-quarter of the energy of an incandes-cent bulb, due mostly to the poor qual-ity of light they emit and the presence of mercury inside the bulbs.

BATHROOMSIn master bathrooms, oversized soaker tubs are out. Today’s homes feature large, luxurious showers with multiple shower-heads, rain heads and spa jets.

The tried-and-true medicine cabinet had been swept aside over the past sever-al years, replaced by decorative wall mir-rors. However, as homeowners seek more efficient use of space, designers are now using this old reliable bathroom staple as a means of gaining additional storage without the need for separate shelving or cabinetry.

Pool bathrooms are being built with floors that double as drains, which makes the space ideal for changing out of wet bathing suits. And kids’ bath-rooms are being fitted with “helper steps” at the sink, which allows easier access and fewer messes.

GREEN BUILDINGLike “all-natural” in the food industry,

the terms “green” and “eco-friendly” have been used quite a bit in marketing materi-als. Consequently, certifying organizations have been formed to set standards and help consumers separate reality from hype.

The Florida Green Building Coali-tion has developed green certification programs that apply to homes as well as commercial buildings, land development and even local governments.

In addition, NAHB offers a Certified

Green Professional (CGP) designation, which recognizes builders, remodelers and other industry pros who incorporate green building principles into homes. You can find a directory of CGP desig-nees online at nahb.org.

“Net-zero” homes, while not as com-mon, take green building a step further and actually generate more energy than they consume. “Watching a power meter run in reverse is really a gratifying experi-ence in an era of high energy prices,” says Lucia, who has built one net-zero home in Central Florida and has another one under construction.

But not every buyer is willing to go entirely green. “Clients are building with tighter budgets these days because they don’t want to invest all of their net worth into their home after experiencing the housing bust,” says Ulibarri. “Many green features cost extra upfront. Clients still want energy-efficient appliances, windows, and heating and air systems. Those green features are affordable, but other green features are still considered upgrades in most budgets and therefore not essential.”

All in all, efficiency and technology – combined with depressed but slowly rebounding prices – are making homes a better value than ever. Best of all, no matter the price range, you no longer have to settle for a home that isn’t abso-lutely right for you. lP

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44 ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE DECEMBER 2012pROMOtIONAL fEAtURE pROMOtIONAL fEAtURE

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HOLIDAY SPECIALSTaking Reservations for our New Year’s Eve Champagne Dinner and Midnight Celebration

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Galopin FP Dec12.indd 1 11/16/12 5:04:50 PM9OHL_Dec12_Home Ad Section.indd 50 11/16/12 5:05:22 PM


FLAVOR

Team SpiritsScotch & sodas and bloody marys are as passé as TV dinners.

These mixologists will freshen up

that drink for you.

GONE IS THE BOTTLE OF SOUR MIX, the carton of Tropicana, the jar of maraschino cherries. At today’s tony imbibing establish-ments, bartenders are mixologists, and they

use fresh, premium and often surprising ingredients in their delightfully daring drinks.

Surprisingly enough, they aren’t overcharging for them. The ultra-lounge fad, with its high-tech décor and overpriced libations, “has gone back down to South Beach where it belongs,” notes Gary Tupper, operations manager at The Wine Barn. That means you can sip, slurp or swig at “entry-level price points” in less pretentious settings.

Here’s a look at four local mixologists and their favorite concoctions.

•BY RONA GINDIN PHOTOGRAPHS BYRAFAEL TONGOL

8OHL_Dec12_Flavor.indd 51 11/16/12 11:51:53 AM


F L AV O R

Amanda Gibbons

HUE RESTAURANTOther folks might spend their downtime watching Mad Men or playing Apples to Apples. Not Amanda Gibbons. She creates beverages. “It’s a hobby at home,” she says. “I infuse different liquors and things like that.”

So it was with a certain inevitability that Gibbons, who started waiting tables at Hue two years ago, recently became resident mixologist at the trendy Thornton Park hangout, where the philosophy toward both food and drink has recently shifted in an “everything fresh” direction.

In Gibbons’ world, a gimlet contains no venerable, bottled Rose’s lime juice. Instead, depending upon the season, you might fi nd yourself sipping straight-from-the-citrus lime juice, scratch-made Concord grape purée and agave syrup blended with vodka. “Things always taste so much better when you have fresh juices and herbs,” she says.

The drink Gibbons refers to as “the most favorite drink we ever made” is called The End of Summer. First, she infuses Four Roses bourbon with fresh peaches for three to fi ve days. When someone orders the cocktail, she muddles mint, mashing it up at the bottom of the glass, adds a splash of simple ginger syrup made by boiling and reducing fresh ginger, stirs in the bourbon and tops it with a splash of soda.

That’ll warm you up on a chilly evening.

8OHL_Dec12_Flavor.indd 52 11/16/12 2:19:04 PM


Rick Giannasi

OCEAN PRIMEAt 50, Rick Giannasi is an old-school bartender with 30 years experience mixing scotch and soda. So it’s ironic that the old-timer in Ocean Prime’s lounge recently won the sort of mixology competition popular with pros half his age – and it’s downright funny that his Italian Nonna helped.

A year ago, Chatham Imports invited Florida’s spirits corps to develop recipes using its vegetable-fl avored liquors. Giannasi chose the Crop Organic Tomato Vodka, but then was stumped. “So I spoke with my grandmother in Italy, and she said, ‘Throw in a little red pepper, toss in some celery, add some basil.’”

Giannasi dutifully muddled red bell pepper and celery, made a basil-infused simple syrup and then added fresh lemon juice and the tomato vodka. He served it in a martini glass with salt and pepper on the rim and called it the Skinny Mary.

The drink earned him a weekend trip to New York City.

Although Giannasi appreciates the local renown earned by the Skinny Mary, he maintains an affection for “a well-balanced cocktail” and fi nds the changes in his profession amusing.

“There was no muddling or whipping,” he says, chuckling, of his early days as a bartender in the 1980s. “Most of the job was a handshake, a hello and a pouring of the drinks. Having three brands of vodka was a fully stocked bar.”

The veteran bar jockey has a following at the swanky Restaurant Row eatery, where a signature drink is the corporate-wide offering called Berries & Bubbles. This fruity mix is literally smoking, thanks to dry ice, as it’s delivered.

Adds Giannasi: “That’s not just a drink. It’s a cocktail and a show.”



Nikos Henry

COCINA 214Nikos Henry was happily working at a tequila bar until he took a trip to Charleston, S.C., two years ago and was enlightened about a whole ’nother way of doing business. “All of the bartenders were mixologists,” he noted.

Inspired, Henry started tinkering with infusions, such as jalapeno- and habanero-infused tequila. Then he moved over to Cocina 214, a contemporary Tex-Mex restaurant in Winter Park, and “brainstormed on what I thought would go good with margaritas,” which is, not surprisingly, the restaurant’s top-selling cocktail.

The key, Henry found, is fruit. “That’s because people think of tequila as such a harsh thing, so everyone’s scared to drink it,” he says. Fruit is the featured attraction in a drink he created called the Fresharica, muddling strawberries and basil, then adding in the juices of lime, orange, cranberry and pineapple before stirring in Patrón tequila, Grand Marnier and agave nectar.

Candy works, too. Henry may be 31, but the Pop Rocks in the neighborhood’s Sassafras Sweet Shoppe not only sparked his inner 6-year-old but got him thinking that the confection, ground up, might make a “cool rim.”

In observance of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Henry served blush Pop Rocks margaritas with pink candy rims. The liquid was a blend of tequila, Grand Marnier, and lime, cranberry and orange juices.

During the holidays, Henry will sweeten tequila still more. The S’mores Margarita will combine Kahlua, Baileys Irish Cream and Patrón tequila in a martini glass. The rim will be coated in chocolate syrup, and a skewer of miniature marshmallows will sit on top.

Sweet.

F L AV O R



Elise Ciungan

THE COURTESYElise Ciungan was on the leading edge of Florida’s fresh cocktail wave when she worked at a club in Tampa, a city where handcrafted cocktails have been popular for more than a decade.

So when she realized that such tempting treats were hard to fi nd in Orlando, and met some folks who were starting up a local cocktail bar, she packed up her shakers and strainers and moved to the City Beautiful.

Ciungan is a glamorous young woman with a refreshingly retro appreciation for “really boozy” cocktails such as Manhattans, Negronis and Old-Fashioneds. So it’s no surprise that the recipes she’s developed for The Courtesy’s upcoming new menu are not for spritzer sippers.

Consider Ciungan’s Cocci Mezcal Manhattan. She pours Mezcal, a Mexican spirit, in a glass with equal parts of Cocci vermouth and a Cocci-fortifi ed white wine. “Then I add a couple of dashes of lemon bitters, and stir in a pinch of dried hibiscus leaves to give it a fl oral sweetness that matches the smokiness of the bitters. I top it with a lemon twist so you get a big noseful of the essential lemon oil.”

When Ciungan isn’t working magic with lemon rinds at The Courtesy, she’s doing her shtick independently as one of four partners in Sling Bar Company. She and her fellow mixologists create custom cocktail menus for bars, restaurants and lounges.

Sling also writes the cocktail lists and trains the staff in such skills as proper stirring, pouring and serving. “It’s a lot of fun,” says Ciungan. “It keeps you on your toes. You get to work with new people and see new faces.”



R O N A’ S F L AV O R L I S T I N G S

AFRICANNile Ethiopian 7048 International Dr., Orlando, 407-354-0026 / nile07.com. Locals willingly navigate International Drive to dine at Nile, a family-owned res-taurant specializing in the exotic cuisine of Ethiopia. Order a few dishes to share and scoop up the intrigu-ing concoctions with the eatery’s signature spongy bread. End with a strong cup of aromatic, brewed-to-order coffee. $$

• Sanaa 3701 Osceola Pkwy., Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-3463 / disneyworld.disney.go.com/din-ing/sanaa. Sanaa, one of Disney’s most interesting restaurants, offers dishes based on cuisine from the Spice Islands, a coastal African area rich with Indian influences. Flavors are intense, but spicy only upon re-quest. (Curry, the chefs insist, is a melding of flavors, not one particular spice.) The marketplace-style dining room boasts picture windows overlooking the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s savannah, so you might spot zebra or wildebeest while lunching on tandoori chicken or a vegetarian platter with stewed lentils and a vegetable sambar (stew). $$

AMERICANBananas 942 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, 407-480-2200 / bananasdiner.com. Bananas has a split personality. It’s a wholesome, family place to grab higher-quality versions of such classics as burgers, shakes and pancakes (the Buffalo Benedict is a surprise pleaser). Other times, it’s a delightfully outrageous experience for more adventurous diners who enjoy the antics of cross-dressing servers. The Sunday drag gospel brunch (“Sinners welcome!”) is like no church service you’ve ever attended. $$

• Cask & Larder 565 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 321-280-4200 / caskandlarder.com. Billing itself as a “Southern Public House,” this casual Winter Park eatery serves up modern twists on traditional favorites. Look for a three-ham platter with pepper jelly; pimento cheese; and seasonal favorites such as grilled pork belly and chicken-and-biscuits. Many beers are made on the premises. $$

• Chatham’s Place 7575 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlan-do, 407- 345-2992 / chathamsplace.com. For an old-fashioned dining experience – a subdued dining room and doting personalized service by a longtime staff – dine at this hidden Restaurant Row establishment. Locals return regularly for Chef Tony Lopez’s classic dishes such as black grouper with pecan butter, rack of lamb and filet mignon. $$$

Dexter’s 808 E. Washington St., Orlando, 407-648-2777; 558 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, 407-629-1150; 950 Market Promenade Ave., Lake Mary, 407-805-3090 / dexwine.com. Central Florida has three Dexter’s locations, and each has become a neigh-borhood magnet, drawing diners of all ages for hearty portions of creative American fare (at fair prices), good wine and, in some cases, live music. Casual dress is the rule. The brunches, and the pressed duck sandwiches, are especially popular. $$-$$$

Emeril’s Orlando 6000 Universal Blvd. Orlando, 407-224-2424 / emerils.com. Get a taste of New Orleans at Emeril’s, a fine-dining restaurant at always-bustling Universal CityWalk. You’ll find classics from celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, including the signature barbecue shrimp, andouille-stuffed redfish, double-cut pork chops and banana cream pie. The service, of course, is superb. Consider sharing appetizers at the bar area. $$$$

• Hillstone 215 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-740-4005 / hillstone.com/hillstone. Formerly known as Houston’s, this Winter Park mainstay is part of a high-end chain. Still, it grows its own herbs, bakes its own bread, grinds its own meat, cuts its own fish and

whips its own cream. In nice weather, guests relax with a cocktail in Adirondack chairs overlooking Lake Killar-ney. Many proposals have been popped during dinners for two on the boat dock. $$$

• Rusty Spoon 55 W. Church Street, Orlando, 407-401-8811 / therustyspoon.com. Foodies flock to this Church Street gastropub, a warm and welcoming space at which meals are described as “American food. European roots. Locally sourced.” Your salad will con-sist of über-fresh greens, your sandwich will be filled with slow-braised lamb, your pasta will be hand-rolled and your meat will be robustly seasoned. $$-$$$

• Seasons 52 7700 Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-354-5212; 463 E. Altamonte Dr., Altamonte Springs, 407-767-1252 / seasons52.com. A Darden concept founded in Orlando, the two local locations turn out creative and tasty meals in grand, bustling spaces. The food happens to be low in fat and calories; that’s just a bonus. The wine selection is impressive and the itty-bitty desserts encourage sampling without guilt. $$$

Shipyard Brew Pub 200 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 321-274-4045 / shipyardemporium.com. This ultra-casual brewpub has been packed night and day since it opened in 2011, and not just because it pours a great lager. To complement suds brewed both in-house and elsewhere, a from-scratch menu offers Buf-falo chicken dip, amazing white-bean hummus, sand-wiches, flatbreads and entrées, including étouffée and pot roast. Stop in any time to pick up a loaf of some of Orlando’s best bread. $-$$

• The Table Orlando 9060 Via Dellagio Way, Orlan-do, 407-900-3463 / thetableorlando.com. For special occasions, book a place at The Table, a tiny restaurant that serves a five-course gourmet meal with wine pair-ings. Up to 22 guests at a time share the repast around an oversized table. The New American menu chang-es regularly and is comprised in large part of locally sourced foods. The price is a set $100 including tax and tip. Groups can host private events here. $$$$

TooJay’s Various locations / toojays.com. When it’s time for a taste of Jewish Brooklyn – pastrami on rye, latkes, blintzes, knishes – the six local outlets of this South Florida-based chain have it all. You’ll also find diner foods such as omelets, sandwiches and pot-roast dinners. Take home some black-and-white cookies. $

ASIANAnh Hong 1124 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-999-2656. You’ll receive a bundle of fresh herbs to tear into your soup at this Mills 50 Vietnamese eatery, and an-other bunch for a roll-your-own entrée that’s like a DIY summer roll. Asian classics, such as grilled meats and scallion pancakes, are done exceptionally well here, which makes Anh Hong a top choice for local Vietnam-ese-Americans longing for a taste of home. $

Dragonfly 7972 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-459-1892 / dragonflysushi.com. Stylishly attired 30-somethings regularly pack this oh-so-hip restaurant, where groups share sushi, grilled “robata” items, and tapas-style Asian foods such as soft-shell crab tem-pura, crispy black pork belly and shiso-wrapped spicy tuna. $$

• Hawkers 1103 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, 407-237-0606 / facebook.com/hawkersstreetfare. This Mills 50 mainstay, named for street vendors of Asian fare, serves up generous tapas-size portions of curry laksa

(an aromatic Singaporean soup), roti canai (Malaysian flatbread with a hearty curry sauce), five-spice tofu, chilled sesame noodles, smoky mussels and sensa-tional beef skewers with peanuty satay dip. $$

Sea Thai 3812 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-895-0985 / seaorlando.com. Start with a green papaya sal-ad and beef yum, then feast on steamed whole fish with garlic chili sauce, pad Thai and green curry chicken. But you can’t go wrong with any of the Thai classics offered at this welcoming East Orlando eatery. $$

• Seoul Garden 511 E. Horatio Ave., Maitland, 407-599-5199 / orlandokorearestaurant.com. Seoul Garden is so Asian-focused that the “about us” section of its website is written in Korean. That authenticity ex-tends to the food. Barbecued meats are grilled to order in the dining room. Be sure to try the marinated beef short ribs and the soft tofu stew. $

• Sushi Pop 310 W. Mitchell Hammock Rd., Ovie-do, 407-542-5975 / sushipoprestaurant.com. Oviedo is an unlikely location for this cutting-edge restaurant, a popular spot for sushi. The food is serious and often experimental, as chef-owner Chau uses molecular gas-tronomy to create some of the fusion fare. The aura is fun: Asian anime on the walls, playful colors, and serv-ers who dress in outrageous themed outfits. $$

Tasty Wok 1246 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-896-8988 / yelp.com/biz/tasty-wok-orlando. True, it’s a humble spot, but Tasty Wok offers an array of satisfying dishes, among them roast duck and steaming soups. Try the beef chow fun, eggplant with minced pork, and salt and pepper ribs. A smaller menu of American-style Chinese dishes is also available. $

BARBECUE4 Rivers Smokehouse 1600 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park; 1869 W. S.R. 434, Longwood; 1047 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden / 407-474-8377, 4rsmoke-house.com. A diverse array of barbecue specialties – from Texas-style brisket to pulled pork, smoked turkey and bacon-wrapped jalapeños – has gained this rapidly growing homegrown concept a large following. The Longwood outpost even includes a bakery and an old-fashioned malt shop featuring homemade ice cream. $

BURGERS Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille 110 W. Church St., Orlando, 321-219-0600 / hamburgermarys-or-lando.com. A colorful crowd is part of the fun at this Church Street hotspot, where bingo games, trivia con-tests and cabaret shows are among the events that vie for guests’ attention beside the enormous and creative-ly topped burgers. $

Pine 22 22 E. Pine St., Orlando, 407-574-2160 / pine22.com. Burgers go chic at this fast-casual down-towner, where every ingredient is special. The burg-ers are from happy cows, the eggs from free-roaming chickens, the pork from lovingly raised pigs. Mix and match your toppings over a patty of beef, turkey or black beans (or pulled pork), with options ranging from mango salsa to sautéed mushrooms. $$

CONTINENTAL• Venetian Room 8101 World Center Dr., Orlando, 407-238-8060 / thevenetianroom.com. Walk though a run-of-the-mill convention hotel to reach the AAA Four-Diamond Venetian Room, an elegant, domed-service, continental restaurant that hearkens to the heyday of unapologetic, butter-and-cream-enhanced fine dining. The lobster bisque is an absolute must. After that, try the filet mignon, duck a l’orange or Dover sole. $$$$

CREATIVE/PROGESSIVE• Chef’s Table at the Edgewater Hotel 99 W. Plant St., Winter Garden, 407-230-4837 / chefstable-

THE KEY$ Inexpensive, most entrées under $10$$ Moderate, most entrées $10-20$$$ Pricey, most entrées over $20$$$$ Very expensive, most entrées over $30

• indicates the restaurant is a Silver Spoon winner (Judges’ Choice).



attheedgewater.com. Husband-and-wife team Kevin and Laurie Tarter are your personal servers at this inti-mate Winter Garden hideaway, where Kevin prepares the evening’s three-course, prix-fixe meal and Laurie helps choose the wine. Both stop by every table to chat with guests. Adjacent, the Tasting Room offers tapas-size portions of international dishes and a full bar. $$$

Finesse 7025 County Road 46A, Lake Mary, 407-805-9220 / finesse-therestaurant.com. Talented chef Alex Brugger runs a remarkable kitchen at Finesse, a stylish Lake Mary restaurant with an ambitious menu. Begin with the tender duck confit encased in puff pas-try, the complex black bean soup and whatever raw tuna appetizer happens to be on the menu. Continue with the creamy seafood paella, made with risotto, or the steak or pork with chimichurri and duck fat French fries. End with the chocolate-orange soufflé served with peanut butter anglaise. $$-$$$

• Funky Monkey 912 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, 407-427-1447; 9101 International Dr., Orlando (Pointe Or-lando), 407-418-9463 / funkymonkeywine.com. Every meal begins with complimentary lime-garlic edamame at these eclectic eateries, known as much for sushi and in-triguing wine lists as for creative American cuisine and an ever-changing menu. FMI Restaurant Group also owns Bananas, Nick’s Italian Kitchen and Prickly Pear as well as a catering arm and the Funky Monkey Vault, a wine shop that also sells gifts, apparel and furniture. $$

Hue 629 E. Central Blvd., Orlando, 407-849-1800 / huerestaurant.com. Hue is a progressive American restaurant on a busy corner in trendy Thornton Park. Well-dressed 30-somethings sip colorful martinis at the bar and dine, indoors and out, on of-the-now items such as tuna tartare, duck breast with cranberry

reduction and amaretto risotto, and grouper with smoked paprika olive oil. $$$

• K Restaurant 2401 Edgewater Dr. Orlando, 407-872-2332 / kwinebar.com. Kevin Fonzo, the go-to chef in College Park since 2001, owns this homey eatery, which is, in fact, located in an erstwhile residence. The menu is mostly creative-American, along with Italian favorites celebrating Fonzo’s heritage. Casual wine tastings and themed special dinners, along with a con-stantly changing menu, bring back regulars for singular experiences. $$-$$$

Le Rouge 7730 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-370-0909 / lerougewinebar.com. This Restaurant Row hot spot is a sexy lounge with backlit lighting, a long bar and comfy sofas. It also features fine food. Guests can choose from among three-dozen tapas, including garlic shrimp and sautéed wild mushrooms, or enjoy traditional entrées such as seared salmon with wine-lemon-dill sauce. $$$

• Luma on Park 290 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-599-4111 / lumaonpark.com. If there’s pancetta in your salad, the salumi was made in the kitchen, by hand, starting with a whole pig. Most herbs are from local farms, fish from sustainable sources, pickled vegetables jarred in house and desserts built around seasonal ingredients. Luma’s progressive menu, which changes daily, is served in a sleek and stylish dining room in the heart of Winter Park, under the passion-ate direction of Executive Chef Brandon McGlamery, Chef de Cuisine Derek Perez and Pastry Chef Brian Cernell. $$$

• Norman’s 4012 Central Florida Pkwy., Orlando, 407-278-8459 / normans.com. Celebrity Chef Nor-man Van Aken’s restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Grande

Lakes, turns out artistic New World cuisine combining the flavors of Latin America, the Caribbean, the Far East and the United States. The dining room is dramatic, the food astounding and the service polished. Be sure to begin with a Norman’s classic: foie gras “French toast.” And you’ll be delighted with the Mongolian veal chop. $$$$

• Ravenous Pig 1234 N. Orange Ave., Winter Park, 407-628-2333 / theravenouspig.com. After leaving their hometown for serious culinary training, Winter Park natives James and Julie Petrakis returned to open the region’s first genuine gastropub. Dinner reserva-tions have been tough to snag ever since. The ambi-tious menu changes daily based on the fish, meat and produce that’s available, and it’s executed by a dedi-cated team that abhors shortcuts. Besides daily spe-cials, The Pig always serves up an excellent burger, soft pretzels, shrimp and grits and a donut dessert called Pig Tails. $$$

• Victoria & Albert’s 4401 Floridian Way, Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-3463 / victoria-alberts.com. Indulgent, seven-course prix-fixe feasts are served in the serenely elegant main dining room, accompanied by live harp music, while 10 courses are offered in the more intimate Queen Victoria’s Room. But what the heck? Why not go for 13 courses at the Chef’s Table? Chef Scott Hunnel, Maitre d’ Israel Pérez and Master Pastry Chef Erich Herbitschek travel the world to seek out impressive food and service trends, then adapt the golden ones locally. That’s why V&A, at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, is Orlando’s only AAA Five Dia-mond restaurant. $$$$

W i n t e r P a r k400 South Orlando Avenue 407-644-7770

Reservations online at www.roccositaliangrille.com

Reserve Now For Your Holiday Parties

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EASTERN EUROPEANHollerbach’s Willow Tree Café 205 E. 1st St., Sanford, 407-321-2204 / willowtreecafe.com. If you like to indulge in a good schnitzel with a liter of hearty beer, head to Sanford. There you’ll find Theo Holler-bach overseeing the gemütlichkeit while serving up authentic German foods from sauerbraten to a wurst sausage platter. Live music on select evenings gets the whole dining room swaying together in a spirit of schunkel abend. $$

Yalaha Bakery 1213 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, 321-800-5212; 8210 County Road 48, Yalaha, 352-324-3366 / yalahabakery.com. Fans of hearty German breads and scratch-made German pastries can drive to this homey outpost in rural Lake County, or they can pick up their loaves and sweets at an Ivanhoe District storefront. The Yalaha unit also sells sandwiches and hot lunches. $

HAWAIIAN/ POLYNESIANEmeril’s Tchoup Chop 6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando, 407-503-2467 / emerils.com. Emeril La-gasse’s Polynesian-fusion fare is executed by lo-cally renowned chef, Greg Richie. Within a dramati-cally decorated space, diners enjoy tropical cocktails, steamed dumplings and creative entrées such as pan-roasted duck breast with gingered pear chutney and umeboshi (pickled) plum glaze. $$$$

Roy’s 7760 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-352-4844 / roysrestaurant.com. Hawaiian-fusion flavors en-hance familiar and exotic fish dishes at this Restaurant

Row pioneer, a link in a Honolulu-based chain owned by namesake chef, Roy Yamaguchi. $$

INDIAN Aashirwad 5748 International Dr., Orlando, 407-370-9830 / aashirwadrestaurant.com. Begin with kashmiri naan, a slightly sweet bread stuffed with nuts, coconut and raisins, and continue with chicken biryani, cauli-flower in exotic Manchurian gravy and a mixed tandoori grill. Whole spices are roasted and ground daily on site, further enhancing the cuisine’s authenticity. $$

Memories of India 7625 Turkey Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-370-3277; 3895 Lake Emma Rd., Lake Mary, 407-804-0920 / memoriesofindiacuisine.com. Excep-tionally good Indian fare draws diners in Dr. Phillips and Lake Mary to these twin restaurants, where dishes such as palek paneer (creamed spinach) and lamb masala in rich ginger-garlic gravy always satisfy. $$

ITALIANAntonio’s 611 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland, 407-645-5523 / antoniosonline.com. Fine Italian fare comes at reasonable prices at Antonio’s, proprietor Greg Gen-tile’s culinary homage to his ancestors. The upstairs restaurant, recently remodeled and expanded with a balcony overlooking Lake Lily, is somewhat formal, al-though the open kitchen provides peeks of the chefs in action. Its downstairs counterpart, Antonio’s Café, is a more casual spot that doubles as a market and wine shop. $$$

Bice 5601 Universal Blvd., Orlando, 407-503-1415 / orlando.bicegroup.com. Bice, with 50 locations around the world, has a local outpost of ambitious Italian cui-sine at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal.

Homemade egg pasta is used for several dishes, such as spaghetti Bolognese; other choices include veal pic-cata and steak with a Gorgonzola-demi sauce. $$$$

Enzo’s on the Lake 1130 U.S. 17-92, Longwood, 407-834-9872 / enzos.com. Long before Orlando became a serious foodie town, Enzo’s was serving up lovingly prepared Italian specialties inside a converted Longwood home. Little has changed. Split a bunch of antipasto to begin your meal. After that, you pretty much can’t go wrong, but standout dishes include homemade ravioli stuffed with chicken and spinach, veal with artichoke-caper-white wine sauce and possi-bly the best spaghetti carbonara in town. $$$

• Peperoncino 7988 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-440-2856 / peperoncinocucina.com. The menu changes every night at this cozy Dr. Phillips Italian, where chef-owner Barbara Alfano puts out plates of fried pecorino drizzled with honey, pear- and four-cheese pasta, and fish steamed in parchment paper. $$$

• Prato 124 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-262-0050 / prato-wp.com. This is one of Orlando’s very best Italian restaurants, but don’t expect a classic lasagna or chicken parmigiana. Executive Chef Bran-don McGlamery and Chef di Cucina Matthew Cargo oversee an open kitchen in which pastas are made from scratch, pizzas are rolled to order, sausages are stuffed by hand and the olive oil is a luscious organic pour from Italy. Try the chicken liver Toscana, a satisfy-ing salad Campagna with cubes of sizzling pancetta tesa, shrimp tortellini and citrusy rabbit cacciatore. Begin with a Negroni cocktail; it’s possibly the best around. $$-$$$


At Caribe Royale, it takes all night to ring in the New Year.

Join us for our New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet from 6–11 pm while enjoying the sweet sounds of live jazz from

The Falls Lounge. For reservations, 407-238-8020.

Or enjoy contemporary continental cuisine in The Venetian Room from 6–10 pm, and toast the

New Year in style with a complimentary glass of wine or sparkling wine. Regular menu will be available.

Seating is limited. Reserve your spot today, 407-238-8060.

Plus, you can always slide over to The Falls Lounge for cocktails and lively entertainment. Jazz from 5–10 pm and

dueling pianos from 10 pm–1 am. And there’s a free glass of the bubbly waiting for you at the stroke of midnight!

Also, don’t miss our Christmas Day Buffet from 1–7 pm.

New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet

in The Tropicale $49 adults,

$15 ages 3-9, kids under 3 eat free

All guests and visitors to the

Caribe Royale may enjoy the New

Year’s Eve entertainment and a

Champagne toast in The Falls

Lounge at no charge.

8101 World Center Drive, Orlando, FL 32821

cariberoyale.com

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Rocco’s 400 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-644-7770 / roccositaliangrille.com. Calabria native Rocco Potami oversees this romantic Italian eatery, where fi ne authentic fare is presented in an intimate dining room and on a secluded brick patio. Classics include carpaccio (raw, thinly sliced beef with white truffl e oil and arugula), ricotta gnocchi and a breaded veal chop topped with a lightly dressed salad. It’s easy to miss, tucked away in a Winter Park strip center, but once you fi nd it, you’ll be back. $$$

LATINMi Tomatina 433 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, 321-972-4317 / mitomatina.com. This eatery bills itself as a paella bar, and indeed guests share a half-dozen varieties of the signature Spanish rice dish. Yet oth-ers come for a mellow meal over tapas (garlic shrimp, potato omelet, croquettes) and sangria, enjoyed while seated within a small contemporary dining room or out-doors overlooking Hannibal Square. $$-$$$

MEDITERRANEAN• Bosphorous 108 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-644-8609 / bosphorousrestaurant.com. This is the place for fl avorful Turkish fare in either a white-tablecloth setting or alfresco along Park Avenue. Many couples fi ll up on the appetizer sampler with oversized lavash bread. For a heartier meal, try the ground lamb “Turkish pastry,” a shish kebab or a tender lamb shank. Outdoor diners can end their meals by smoking from a hookah. Or not. $$

Taverna Opa 9101 International Dr., Orlando, 407-351-8660 / opaorlando.com. The food is excellent, but that’s only half the reason to visit Taverna Opa. On busy nights, the place is festive indeed: Some guests join a Zorba dance around the dining room while others toss white napkins into the air, joyously shouting “Opa!” Then there’s the belly dancer. $$

MEXICAN/SOUTHWESTERNCantina Laredo 8000 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407-345-0186 / cantinalaredo.com. Modern Mexican cuisine in a spiffy setting draws lovers of cilantro, ja-lapeño and pico de gallo to this Restaurant Row eat-ery, where the margaritas fl ow, the guacamole is made tableside and the portions are generous. The spinach enchilada is a vegetarian-friendly treat. $$

• Cocina 214 151 E. Welbourne Ave., Winter Park, 407-790-7997 / cocina214.com. Tex-Mex food is top quality here (214 is the Dallas area code), with salsa, savories and even margarita fl avorings made from scratch. The spinach-mushroom quesadilla and braised pork tacos with “orange dust” are especially noteworthy. $$

El Tenampa 11242 S. Orange Blossom Tr., Orlando, 407-850-9499 / eltenampaorlando.com. Many Or-landoans make El Tenampa part of their Costco shop-ping ritual, since the restaurant is located only a block from the OBT warehouse store. This authentic eatery features fresh fruit juices, spicy chicken chilaquiles (a Mexican breakfast, available all day long, made with fried tortilla pieces and a green sauce) as well as a satisfying shrimp quesadilla in addition to the standard enchiladas and fajitas. $

SEAFOODOcean Prime 7339 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-781-4880 / ocean-prime.com. Designed to evoke the ambience of an old-time supper club, Ocean Prime’s white-jacketed servers offer sensational steaks and fi sh dishes along with creative options such as sautéed shrimp in a spectacular Tabasco-cream sauce, crab cakes with sweet corn cream and ginger salmon. End with the chocolate peanut butter pie. $$$$

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get a $10 GUEST CARD* for youwhen you purchase $50 in gift cards.

*While supplies last. Guest card valid Jan. 1, 2013 - Feb. 28, 2013. No cash value.Limit 2 guest cards per person, per day. Not available with on-line purchase.

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Todd English’s Bluezoo 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista, 407-934-1111 / thebluezoo.com. Creatively prepared seafood is served in an over-the-top undersea setting at this fi ne-dining restaurant, lo-cated in Disney’s Swan and Dolphin hotel. The fashion-forward choices might be a miso-glazed Hawaiian sea bass or fried lobster in a soy glaze. The desserts are among the best in town. $$$$

Winter Park Fish Co. 761 Orange Ave. Winter Park, 407-622-6112 / thewinterparkfi shco.com. Fish and seafood dishes are fresh and well-prepared at this humble Winter Park spot, where a counter service format helps keep the prices reasonable. Crab cakes, lobster rolls, mahi-mahi sandwiches and more ambi-tious dishes such as grouper cheeks in parchment and stuffed grouper are among a day’s assortment. $$

STEAK• Bull & Bear 14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, 407-597-5410 / bullandbearorlando.com. Orlando’s Bull & Bear looks similar to New York’s leg-endary steakhouse (except for the pool and golf course views), but ours has its own ambitious menu. Guests of the Waldorf Astoria’s fi ne-dining spot can feast on traditional items such as veal Oscar and prime steak that’s dry aged for 21 days, and intriguing ones like appetizers of gnocchi and escargot with crescents of black garlic, and shrimp and grits presented under a dome that, when removed, introduces a waft of aro-matic smoke. The chocolate and lemon desserts are superb. $$$$

Capital Grille 4600 N. World Dr., Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-3463 / thecapitalgrille.com. Capital Grille tries to one-up its upscale steakhouse competitors by dry-aging its beef, an expensive process that results in especially fl avorful meat. Try a beautifully unadorned chop or a more creative dish, such as citrus-glazed salmon or Kona-crusted sirloin. The setting is clubby; the wine selection is generous. $$$$

Christner’s Del Frisco’s 729 Lee Rd., Orlando, 407-645-4443 / christnersprimesteakandlobster.com. Locals have been choosing this prototypically mascu-line, dark-wood-and-red-leather enclave for business dinners and family celebrations for more than a de-cade. Family-owned since 1993, Christner’s features USDA Prime, corn-fed Midwestern beef or Australian cold-water lobster tails with a slice of the restau-rant’s legendary mandarin orange cake. And there’s a loooong wine list (6,500 bottles). On select nights, Kostya Kimlat hosts magic shows along with a prix-fi xe menu in a private dining room. $$$$

VEGETARIANDandelion CommuniTea Café 618 N. Thornton Ave., Orlando, 407-362-1864 / dandelioncommu-nitea.com. Proprietor Julie Norris meant to open a crunchy teahouse, but her organic, locally sourced foods were such a hit that the Dandelion is now a hot spot for lunch and a mecca for the “OurLando” movement. Even carnivores can’t resist Henry’s Hearty Chili, Happy Hempy Hummus, and wraps and sandwiches. As for dessert, Razzy Parfait’s vanilla soygurt is delicious, fi lling and healthful enough to be a meal. $

Ethos Vegan Kitchen 1235 N. Orange Ave., Or-lando, 407-228-3899 / ethosvegankitchen.com. Orlando’s Ivanhoe District is home to Ethos, a vegan restaurant with a menu that also satisfi es open-minded carnivores. Fuel up on pecan-crusted eggplant with red wine sauce and mashed potatoes or a meat-free shepherd’s pie, if salads, sandwiches and coconut-curry tofu wraps won’t do the trick. $-$$


6 ORLANDO AREA LOCATIONS

The holidays are upon us, the lists are being made.

*Open Christmas Day

W W W. T O O J AY S . C O M

Parties at home and the office, family in town, all celebrating the joy of the season.

Take a break at TooJay’s. Buy your gift cards and order your catering while relaxing over lunch or dinner.

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Be the new you.

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Stylissima from flyer.indd 2 1/5/11 9:41:49 AM



Staying Healthy in a Digital UniverseN

ext time you take your car in for a tuneup or repairs, chances are your mechanic will know with-out ever lifting the hood when it was last serviced and whether you’ve had previous problems or accidents. All

he has to do is check his computerized records. But what about keeping you running smoothly? Just as tech-

nology can provide vehicle maintenance information for your mechanic, it can provide personal health information for your doctor. And it can do so when time is of the essence.

Let’s say a popular pain medication is recalled because it in-creases the risk of heart disease. How can your doctor quickly determine if you’re taking the drug? Bear in mind that he or she must identify every patient who is taking the medication.

Combing through hundreds or thousands of individual pa-per charts is time-con-suming and error-prone. Electronic records make it possible to track down the needed information and communicate with every-one who’s impacted.

What happens if you’re injured and the ambulance takes you to a hospital where you’ve never been before? What do the doctors know about your health, your al-lergies, your medications? Electronic records can be crucial in such emergencies.

Now a Central Florida program is exploring just that.The Central Florida Regional Health Information Organiza-

tion (RHIO) is a health information exchange that provides a way for healthcare providers to share records securely, accurately and instantly, giving doctors the information they need to make better decisions. Recently, founding RHIO partners Orlando Health and Florida Hospital began to share electronic patient records – with the patients’ consent – at 13 emergency rooms across Central Florida.

By having access to this information, ER doctors didn’t need to order unnecessary procedures. A RHIO survey showed that 72 percent of ER doctors ordered fewer lab tests, and 85 percent ordered fewer imaging studies than they would have otherwise. Patients were saved from unnecessary radiation exposure and blood draws, meaning both they and their insurance programs saved money.

The RHIO experience shows that we can improve healthcare through connectivity, providing more seamless care and making life easier for patients.

Perhaps you’ve gone to a specialist without knowing whether your primary-care doctor had forwarded your records. Cancer patients, in particular, must often lug a notebook packed with charts and reports from one specialist to another simply because

their doctors don’t have an efficient way to share data.

With shared electronic records, your doctors are better informed, making medical decisions based on current, relevant data. But for many solo physicians and small practices, switch-ing from paper records can be a daunting, costly and time-consuming task.

With the help of a federal grant, the UCF College of Medicine is working with 1,400 local primary-care doctors to

help them implement electronic systems. They’ll need to: Fed-eral healthcare reform legislation has declared that all physicians should adopt electronic health records by 2014.

If all goes well, the mounds of paperwork once needed to see the doctor will be a thing of the past. Of course, technology will never replace hands-on, personalized medical care. But it will enable our physicians to provide safer, efficient and more cost-effective care for all of us. l

Please contact Dr. German at [email protected].

D I S C O V E R H E A L T H

by Deborah German, M.D.

11OHL_Nov12_Discover Health.indd 61 11/16/12 3:21:34 PM


Athena Women’s Leadership LuncheonThe gathering at the Country Club of Orlando raised money for schol-arships for female students attending the University of Central Florida.

1. Deborah German, Yolanda Londono, Ellen Titen-Wojcik, Vanessa Welch, Sherrie Sitarik, Eunice Choi, Leslie Hielema, Linda Landman-Gonzalez, Martha Mertz, Martha Haynie, Beverly Marshall-Luney, Carolyn Fennell, Helen Donegan, Ann Sonntag, Roseann Harrington, Leila Nodarse, Mary Demetree, Carmenza Gonzalez.

2. Seiya and Tina Yamada, Ann and Robert Sonntag

3. Yolanda Londono, Deborah German, Ellen Titen-Wojcik, Teresa Jacobs, Sherrie Sitarik, Martha Haynie, Linda Landman-Gonzalez, Leslie Hielema, Beverly Marshall-Luney, Roseann Harrington

4. Beverly Marshall-Luney, Frank Guerriero

5. Metz and Dwain Deville

6. Helen Donegan, Ann Sonntag

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10OHL_Dec12 Seen.indd 62 11/16/12 11:04:43 AM


Orange & White (& Blue) GalaThe 14th annual fundraiser for the Art & History Museums-Maitland, which included a live and silent auction, was held at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel.

1. Andrea Bailey Cox, Beverly Reponen

2. Howard Schieferdecker, Butch Charlan, Renee Charlan, June Flowers, Bo Outlaw, Jefferson Flowers

3. Howard Schieferdecker, Beverly Reponen, Bill Taulbee, Joelene Schieferdecker

4. Andrea Bailey Cox, Bill Ran-dolph, Linda Landman Gonzalez

Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra fundraising “salon”Opera singers serenaded delighted guests at the Isleworth home of John and Sarah Ruggieri.

5. Mary Palmer, Kristy Doyle Turner, Bob Turner

6. Cynthia Elitzer

7. Hal and Lleana Worrall

8. Judy Noble, Richard Beavers

9. Terry Thorspecken, Carrie Patterson

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10OHL_Dec12 Seen.indd 63 11/16/12 2:01:48 PM


V I E W

LegaL eyeAttorney Frank Pohl poses in front of one of the 175 landscape photographs that grace the walls of his Winter Park law firm, Pohl & Short. All of the framed photographs were taken in Florida by Florida photog-raphers, says Pohl, and all are black and white as an ironic reminder to his staff “that nothing in the law is black and white.” Most of the photographs were taken by well-known Florida photographers such as Clyde Butcher and Marilyn Brown. The photo that’s behind him was taken by another of Pohl’s favorites, Steve Vaughn.

Since 1974

2 3 2 N o r t h P a r k A v e n u e W i n t e r P a r k 4 0 7 . 6 4 5 . 2 2 w w w . R e y n o l d s J ew e l e r . c o m

Holidays a madefor Giving

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12OHL_Dec12_View.indd 64 11/16/12 5:30:04 PM

Since 1974

2 3 2 N o r t h P a r k A v e n u e W i n t e r P a r k 4 0 7 . 6 4 5 . 2 2 w w w . R e y n o l d s J ew e l e r . c o m

Holidays a madefor Giving

Reynolds and Co FP OHL Nov12.indd 1 10/22/12 10:33:52 AM12OHL_Dec12_View.indd 97 11/16/12 9:10:12 AM

If you’re looking for a special holiday gift that is sure to impress – whether for a beloved family member or an important business associate – consider the Waldorf Astoria® Orlando & Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

resort gift card. Choose to give the gift of luxury and flexibility – as this card can be used toward overnight stays at either resort, dining in our world-class restaurants including La Luce® by Donna Scala and the legendary

Bull & Bear®, rounds of golf at our Rees Jones-designed championship Waldorf Astoria® Golf Club and spa experiences at the rejuvenating Waldorf Astoria® Spa. It’s truly a gift of extraordinary experiences.

Gift cards may be purchased online at either WaldorfAstoriaOrlando.com or HiltonBonnetCreek.com

MORE THAN JUST A GIFT CARD…

THE GIFT OF EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES.

©2012 Hilton Worldwide

12OHL_Dec12_View.indd 98 11/16/12 9:10:21 AM

december 2012 orlando home & leisure

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