Orlando Home & Leisure June 2012

TOP WOMEN LAWYERS • ORLANDO’S SINGLES SCENE

June 2012

Tough Enough

$3.95

CASEY ANTHONY’S PROSECUTOR OPENS UP ON LIFE, WORK AND THE TRIAL THAT TRANSFIXED A NATION. Linda Drane Burdick

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Something very unusual has been spotted rising from the shores of Lake Berry. While Loch Ness is famous for its mysterious inhabitant, Loch Berry will soon be famous for setting 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 same breathtaking views enjoyed by our residents, with new levels of distinction in its 54 lovely apartment homes.

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

Loch Berry hugs the shores of Lake Berry, with many apartments enjoying superlative lake views. Inside, residents more information or to arrange a personal tour! will appreciate the custom-feeling touches included in the cost, such as granite countertops, hardwood cabinets and the security of garage parking. It’s a great value, brought to you by financially stable, not-for-profit Westminster Communities. OH&L05/12

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

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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 61 year tradition of award winning renovations, additions and custom homes in Orlando’s finest neighborhoods.

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32 FEATURES: JUNE 2012 Orlando can be a great place for singles. We bypass all Internet algorithms to factor in a few of the more unusual dating and socializing options for the solo set, from intercontinental romances to relationship possibilities that might be waiting right around the corner. Plus, local author Liz Langley on how love can make you crazy. by Michael McLeod • hair and makeup by Elsie Knab • photographs by Rafael Tongol

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Unlike most of the other key figures in the Casey Anthony murder trial, prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick avoided the spotlight, did her job and kept her opinions to herself. In an exclusive interview with Orlando Home & Leisure, she opens up for the first time about her life, her career and the explosive trial she’s trying to put behind her. by Randy Noles • hair and makeup by Elsie Knab • photographs by Rafael Tongol

ON THE COVER: Linda Drane Burdick, the icy but efficient prosecutor who became a reluctant celebrity during the Casey Anthony trial. Hair and makeup by Elsie Knab; photograph by Rafael Tongol. 2

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Photo: rafael tongol

32 THE SINGLE FILE

JUNE 2012

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©2012, Florida Hospital. All rights reserved.

In gynecologic oncology surgeries,

we lead the state. And, the

state–of–the–art.

Welcome to Florida Hospital Orlando, where the nation’s best surgeons are constantly revolutionizing gynecologic oncology procedures. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, they’ve revolutionized surgical robotics for our patients while teaching these skills to surgeons at other hospitals and around the world. With outcomes and survival rates among the best in the nation, Florida Hospital Orlando continues to be a national destination for gynecologic oncology surgery.

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Call (407) 303-1700 or visit FloridaHospitalGYNCancer.com to learn more.

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JAY BOYAR’S AGENDA George Hamilton stars in La Cage aux Folles at the Bob Carr; drum corps compete at the Citrus Bowl; a painter brings Paris to the Polasek; Roger Waters walls up the Amway; a tribute to Queen comes to Plaza Live; night life emerges at the Central Florida Zoo.

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TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS An old deli gets a new life and a new name; the revived Winter Park Plaza goes from vegetative to vegetarian; Baldwin Park Village Center is under new management; authentic Mayan fare is in the future for South Park Avenue. by Willow Shambeck

Suiting up for summer? Options range from nostalgic to glamorous, from timeless to bohemian. One way or the other, we’ve got you covered. by Marianne Ilunga • hair and makeup by Elsie Knab • photographs by Rafael Tongol

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One look at the edgy costumes and the creative menu and you’ll know Sushi Pop is not your standard suburban susheria. by Rona Gindin • photographs by Rafael Tongol

The childhood obesity epidemic is family business. Here’s what you can do about it. by Dr. Deborah German

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Orlando Home & Leisure is out and all about benefits for the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, Seminole State College scholarships, the American Cancer Society, Orlando Regional’s Level 1 Trauma Center, Rollins College scholarships and the Kids House of Seminole. Plus, the Central Florida Women’s League’s May Luncheon.

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It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s Supermoon. photograph by Rafael Tongol

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TOP WOMEN LAWYERS In partnership with LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, Orlando Home & Leisure recognizes the region’s top-rated female attorneys.

Photos: rafael tongol

DIRECTORY

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Salvaging a Moral From a Tawdry Tale

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crawl, I’ll give you two words right now that will always do the trick: tot mom. Somehow it all comes down to that for me. Like everybody else, I kept waiting for something good, or final, to come out of the Casey Anthony story. But, of course, it just kept getting worse. When the trial rolled around, it was like seeing a terrible wound overtaken by a secondary infection. Horror gave way to disgust. There were the fights that broke out in the line outside the courthouse among no-life gawkers scrambling to see the show. There was the creepiness and incompetence of the lead defense attorney, Jose Baez, who turned out to be a bumbling deadbeat dad who owed $16,000 in child support. His cocounsel, Cheney Mason, gave a crowd of onlookers the finger. (When a man in the courtroom audience made the same gesture at the prosecutor, he was arrested and sentenced to six days in jail.) There was the bizarre upstairs-downstairs atmosphere in the two-story courtroom, where celebrity journalists like Greta Van Susteren watched the proceedings from the balcony, like royalty at the ballet. And there was the endless and often brainless analysis that came down to a poisonous point for me the first night I heard queen-ofthe-damned commentator Nancy Grace use that sniggering tabloidian phrase to describe Casey Anthony: tot mom. I thought: Somebody somewhere sat around dreaming up that obscene sound bite. Somebody somewhere is proud about boiling all the insanity and grief into a sitcom-suitable catchphrase. I sure never thought I’d ever read a story coming out of the Casey Anthony trial that would remind me of my dad. But that’s how 6

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Take Note What’s ONLINE For your guide to the region’s leisure activities and cultural events, check out our expanded listings of Central Florida happenings at ohlmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at orlandohlmag.

Randy Noles’ exclusive profile of lead prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick strikes me. My father always told me: Don’t blow your own horn. I had an inkling of what he meant when I was young, and the message has marinated in me over the years as I ran into people who epitomized it. People who just work. People who just focus on a job and don’t make a big fuss over themselves for doing it. I don’t want to discourage you from reading our story, but all you have to do is study Rafael Tongol’s photographic portrait of Burdick on our cover to get a sense that she’s one of those people. My dad’s long gone, but if he were around, he’d like her. And I actually got through reading a story relating to the Casey Anthony trial that didn’t turn my stomach. It’s been a long time coming.

Michael McLeod Editor in Chief mmcleod@ohlmag.com

What you CAN DO Check out Simon Cowell’s pet project: a multinational quartet of pop/operatic singers he calls Il Divo (it’s Italian for “The Divine”) at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre on June 12. Visit bobcarr. orlando-theatre.com. What’s ON DECK Coming in July, an insider’s guide to the best Orlando has to offer in a wide array of high-end services, plus a preview of the month’s coolest events. What’s ON FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE LIKE us on Facebook and check out our YouTube channel at youtube.com/user/ orlandohomeleisure. CORRECTIONS Credit was inadvertently omitted in our May issue for the photos of the “surreal circus” event at the Art & History Museums – Maitland. The photos were taken by Kristen Wheeler, of KHPhotographics.

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JUNE 2012

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Let us find a beach where the world disappears.

AbadiMTStd-Italic_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz`1234567890-= [] \;’,./≠ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}|:”<>? å∫ç∂´ƒ©˙ˆ∆˚¬µ˜øπœ®ß†¨√∑≈¥Ω`¡™£¢ §¶•ªº–≠“‘«…æ≤ ÷≠ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿ Á¸`⁄‹›fifl‡°·‚—±”’»ÚƯ˘¿|áéíóúâêîôûàèìòùäëïöüÿãñõÁÉÍÓÚÀÈÌÒÙÄËÏÖÜŸÑÃÕÂÊÎÔÛ ”“’‘ '" € $‚Ǩ¬£¬•‚Ç©‡∏ø—Ä—É–±

Let us stoke the fire for one more s’more. Let us find tide pools on horseback. Let us turn a taste of the good life into a memory of a lifetime.

Discover With You—The ideal package to create fond memories for the entire family includes breakfast and a daily resort credit. For reservations, please contact your travel professional, call The Ritz-Carlton at 800-241-3333 or visit ritzcarlton.com/ameliaisland.

*Offer may vary over select dates, and are valid per room/per night, based on single or double occupancy, exclusive of taxes, gratuities, fees and other charges; do not apply to groups; and cannot be combined with any other offer. Advanced reservations are required. Offer valid through December 30, 2012, subject to availability. Credit applied per night, may not be applied toward room rate, has no cash value and must be used during the dates of the reservation. Experiences vary by hotel. ©2012 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.

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CONTRIBUTORS JAY BOYAR is arts editor

of Orlando Home & Leisure and a former longtime movie critic for the Orlando Sentinel. He teaches film at the University of Central Florida and at Rollins College.

Elisabeth Dabbelt

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WILLOW SHAMBECK is president of the Winter Park commercial real estate firm, Cursor Realty Corp. She is active with Rollins College, the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and the Park

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Avenue Area Association. MARIANNE ILUNGA is an Orlando image and fashion consultant who holds a bachelor’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. 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. 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.

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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. 6) is published monthly by Florida Home Media LLC, 2301 Lucien Way, Ste 190, Maitland, FL 32751. Periodicals Postage Paid at Maitland FL and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine, PO Box 5586, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310-5586 JUNE 2012 12ORH045

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AGENDA •

Christopher Sieber as Zaza and George Hamilton as Georges

Plan On It 12

Next to Normal

June 6 through July 8 Mad Cow Theatre A rock musical about bipolar disorder pairs a suitably frenetic score with the story of a suburban mom struggling against her illness. madcowtheatre.com

ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

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Sanford Art Walk

June 22 Downtown Sanford Live music, food and drinks bring art- and antique-lovers to the city’s historic district, with its folksy array of shops, taverns and restaurants for this monthly event. sanfordwelcomecenter.com

Harvest Festival

June 22-24 Lakeridge Winery It’s a winery’s version of audience participation: Visitors get the chance to stomp grapes, listen to live music, browse local arts-and-crafts displays and, of course, taste wine. Wear your purple socks. lakeridgewinery.com

JUNE 2012

5/21/12

9:21:17 AM

BY JAY BOYAR

La Cage aux Folles: For Perpetually Tan George Hamilton, It’s Where the Boys Are

PHOTO BY PAUL KOLNIK

“I THINK I’M DOUBLE-PARKED,” SAID GEORGE HAMILTON,

almost as soon as he answered the phone. Naturally, I assumed he was talking about his car. But then, after a considerable pause, he added the words, “in my life.” “I don’t know if you know that feeling,” he continued, as I began to realize that he was explaining what it’s like to be starring in the road-show production of La Cage aux Folles, which arrives at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre June 5 for an eight-show run. “Doing a show like this is all-consuming. It’s a very hard thing for anybody to do at any age.” The 72-year-old actor, as well known for his perpetual tan as for his film career, was actually in his dressing room in Houston, getting ready for that evening’s performance. He plays Georges, the owner of a nightclub in the south of France, a club where a drag show is always on the bill. Georges’ high-strung partner is usually its star, and the plot of La Cage concerns the couple’s attempt to conceal their gay relationship from the conservative parents of Georges’ son’s bride-to-be. Hamilton describes his own character as “the anchor,” someone who “has to keep all of these characters together and move it along.” Moving things along, and doing so quite smoothly, is nothing new to Hamilton. Despite his relaxed, almost indolent image, he is a hard-working actor who takes pride in making it all look effortless – a strategy he learned by observing a certain iconic dancer.

Suds

June 21 through July 1, July 12-21 Winter Park Playhouse Suds , a jukebox musical set in the ‘60s, takes place in a laundromat – who saw that one coming – and follows the story of a young woman and her guardian angels. Good, clean, frothy fun. winterparkplayhouse.org

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Cinderella

“I remember watching Fred Astaire dance on the set one day, and I thought to myself, ‘How can anyone dance that well and that easy?’” Hamilton told me, in his familiar, bouncy voice. “Then I came onto this rehearsal hall and I watched him, for two hours, practice one little move. I realized he was a total perfectionist, and it had taken him weeks to put together this number that I had just seen shot.” Over Hamilton’s 50-plus years in show business, he’s relied on both his work ethic and his wits to reboot his career more often than Madonna. “I’ve had my career stop about 10 times,” he admitted. “You re-invent yourself, and you use whatever tools to do it.” As a young actor, he appeared in ambitious films such as All the Fine Young Cannibals and Light in the Piazza. Among his early hits was Where the Boys Are, which, despite its spring-break setting, is a more serious movie than you may recall. Later he scored in facetious films such as Zorro: The Gay Blade and as Dracula in Love at First Bite. “I had to make people believe I could do comedy,” he said. In recent years, Hamilton has appeared on Dancing With the Stars and in numerous musical stage shows. Taken as a whole, that is one wide-ranging body of work. “There isn’t an actor alive who doesn’t tell you that they want to be something else than they are, even if they’re the most successful,” he explained. “My theory was to try it all.” Visit orlando.broadway.com for more information.

June 21 through July 29 Lowndes Shakespeare Center The wicked stepmother of all fairy tales features a pre-show singalong and, to keep the little ones engaged, audience participation throughout. orlandoshakes.org

Central Florida Black Expo

June 29-30 Orange County Convention Center The family-oriented event, geared toward health, education and financial well-being, features a “literary café,” free health screenings and live entertainment. Ray Parker Jr., who wrote and sang the theme song for Ghostbusters will perform. cfblackexpo.org ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

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AGENDA

Sometimes there’s a lot more

to a drum-and-bugle corps than drums and bugles. You can see for yourself June 23, when Drum Corps International presents some of the top drum corps in North America at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Yes, each corps features scores of uniformed percussionists and brass players. But there are also legions of costumed color-guard performers brandishing flags, wooden rifles and assorted paraphernalia. A handful of accompanists remain stationary while playing, but most of the musicians are on the move, often running full out from place to place, with no room for error in either their notes or their steps. No offense to your alma mater, wherever it may be, but these routines make the average halftime show look like a slow stroll to the concession stand.

The high-stepping Orlando matchup is one of more than 100 competitive performances to be held throughout the summer, as more than 40 independent drum corps in the U.S. and Canada face off in various locations across the country. The Citrus Bowl event will feature five competing drum-and-bugle squads, including The Cadets of Allentown, Pa., the current “world-class� champions, and The Cavaliers of Rosemont, Il., a perennial powerhouse. The Cadets were founded in 1934 and The Cavaliers in 1948, making them two of the oldest groups of their kind. It takes years to establish a world-class corps, which by DCI rules can have up to 150 performers. Most are college music majors who hold weekend practices during the school year, with a week or

two of intense rehearsals in the spring before the eight-week summer tour. Also performing at DCI Orlando: Carolina Crown of Fort Mill, S.C. (which placed fourth at last year’s worldclass championships); Crossmen of San Antonio, Texas; and Florida’s own Teal Sound of Jacksonville. The series of competitions will culminate with the 2012 championship in Indianapolis in mid-August. Visit dci.org for more information. – Harry Wessel

photo: drum corps international

Drum Corps High-Step to Citrus Bowl

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Take a Winter Park Stroll Through Lonely Parisian Streets PHOTO: COURTESY ALBIN POLASEK MUSEUM & SCULPTURE GARDENS

YOU ARE BEING USHERED THROUGH THE COBBLE-

stoned streets of Paris by a guide who obviously knows them well. There’s just one thing. As you drift by romantic alfresco cafés, quaint shops and hidden courtyards, there’s not a soul in sight. That’s because Andre Renoux wanted it that way. “People come and go,” he once told a friend. “I am more compelled to preserve the antiquity of this beguiling city.” Renoux was so good at doing just that with his oil paintings, lithographs and hand-painted wine bottles that by the time the artist died in 2002, he was considered a national treasure in France. A selection of his works, A Parisian Affair: The Art of Andre Re-

noux, is on display at the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens in Winter Park through Sept. 23. Renoux, who studied at L’École des Arts Décoratifs in Nice and L’École des Arts Modernes in Paris, is considered the father of France’s Urban Realist movement. He began gaining recognition in the ’60s for cityscapes not of grand, sweeping monuments, but of tattered newsstands and intimate bistros. His advice for those who prefer such scenes to be filled with colorful characters? “You’ll have to envision them yourself.” Visit polasek.org for more information. – Chelsea St. John

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AGENDA

Of all the lonely images that

helped to infuse ’70’s supergroup Pink Floyd with its you are only coming through in waves mystique, there was one that rose, literally and figuratively, above all the others: a wall. Actually, the Wall. The Wall was the title of an epic 1979 concept album, which has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, and a 1981 rock-opera film that the album inspired. A real-life wall made of cardboard bricks served as a 40-foot-tall, on-stage centerpiece during the band’s legendary, elaborately conceived early ’80’s tours. Now there’s a bigger-than-ever version of the wall, resurrected by Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters for his concert tour, entitled – what else? – The Wall, which will make a stop at Orlando’s Am-

way Center on June 16. Waters will perform all the songs from the eponymous double album – including the hauntingly sublime “Comfortably Numb” and the darkly jaunty schoolyard anthem “Another Brick in the Wall.” The set this time around includes a 250-footwide wall of photos. The montage features portraits of civilians and soldiers who were killed in wars, one of whom is Waters’ father, who died in World War II. Waters, who has said this tour will be his last, will sing and play lead guitar. He’ll be without his longtime collaborator, David Gilmour, performing instead with a backup group. Clips from the original concert tour are also worked into the performance. Though Gilmour had a hand in writing some of the songs, most notably

“Comfortably Numb,” the core concept of The Wall, which revolves around a self-destructive rock star who retreats into a world of benumbed isolation, is from Waters. But he had hecklers to thank for it – specifically an unruly group of fans during a 1977 Pink Floyd concert. The group’s jeers made him so angry he found himself fantasizing about constructing a wall separating himself from them. Visit amwaycenter.com for more information. – Chelsea St. John

photo: courtesy orlando venues

All in All, Just Another Tour For The Wall

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AGENDA

ONCE YOU’VE HEARD THE SIGNATURE SOUND OF

new and old fans of Mercury, who was born in Africa, reared in India and became one of England’s most celebrated rock stars. He died of complications from AIDS in 1991. Devotees who long for the days when Queen was king will recognize their favorite songs, from “Killer Queen” to “Bohemian Rhapsody.” That inventive fusion of rock and opera was assured a place in pop culture by a head-banging scene in the nerdy 1992 rock spoof Wayne’s World. Taylor hopes The Queen Extravaganza will spark that kind of enthusiasm. “It’s a brand-new show specially designed to enable these new fans, together with fans of old, to celebrate the music of Queen in a heart-stopping event,” he says. Party on, dude. Visit plazaliveorlando.com for more information. – Michael McLeod

Queen – grandly operatic, yet charged with a fist-pumping pop sensibility – it’s hard to forget. Flamboyant frontman/songwriter Freddie Mercury had a four-octave range as a singer and an encyclopedic reach as a lyricist, referring to Galileo in one song and to Möet & Chandon champagne in another. There’s a word for a star like that: irreplaceable. That may explain why four vocalists and five musicians appear in The Queen Extravaganza, which will be staged at the Plaza Live on June 17. The production, billed as “the official Queen tribute show,” was developed by Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, who hope the effort will rekindle a ’70s-era nostalgia among 259-120 PM - OrlandoHome&Leisure.pdf

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PHOTO: COURTESY PLAZA LIVE

The Queen Extravaganza: An Invitation You Can’t Decline

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JUNE 2012

5/22/12

4:01:37 PM

After Sundown, Zoo’s Stars Come Out

photo: courtesy central florida zoo & botanical gardens

Perhaps, in the midst of a

sweaty summer afternoon at the zoo, you found yourself noticing that all the smart creatures were taking comfy little naps in the shade while you and the rest of your bipedal kind were schlepping around in the heat. Kinda makes you think. Apparently it has also occurred to the folks at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, who have arranged for the Sanford-based facility to stay open late now and then, as it will on June 9 from 7 to 10 p.m. Visitors can experience the zoo under cooler conditions, while observing the behavior of its nocturnal creatures – that is, the kind of animals that sleep by day but go bump in the night. Tour guides with flashlights conduct the tours, with scheduled stops to observe

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predators such as alligators, leopards, cougars, black-footed cats (the smallest species of wild cats in Africa) and – of course – owls. The zoo’s flying squirrels, kangaroos and an African crested porcupine (the largest kind of porcupine there is) are likely to be up and about as well. Night Hike guests will also get an exclusive look at the herpetarium, where the reptiles are housed. The June 9 “Night Hike at the Zoo!” is open to adults and children 5 and up. For older kids (12 and up), there are two other evening offerings this month: a “Snake Awareness” session on June 12, and an “Alligator Awareness” session on June 19. Both run from 7-9 p.m. Visit centralfloridazoo.org for reservations and information. – Elizabeth Prats

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TA K I N G C A R E O F B U S I N E S S

An Old Deli With a New Name Opens on the Avenue

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his month’s opening of TIFFANY DELI in the former location of BRANDYWINE’S DELICATESSEN, a Park Avenue fixture, comes as welcome news to the old deli’s

Kelly and Laina Shockley

many fans. The space occupied by Brandywine’s – which celebrated its 40th anniversary before closing its doors at the end of April – was leased by BOBBY SIMMONS, owner of Park Avenue’s oldest continually operating retail store, the 60-year-old SIMMONS JEWELERS. Simmons not only is retaining many of Brandywine’s familiar offerings, he’s also adding a dinner menu, more outdoor seating, live music on some evenings and an expanded selection of beer and wine. In addition, Simmons plans to work with his co-tenants to spruce up all of BRANDYWINE SQUARE, including a renovation of the public restrooms and new landscaping. Among the other businesses in the complex: CIDA’S CONSIGNMENT, ROSEY WRAY’S ROOST and THE PAPER SHOP.

ETHOS SHIFTS ITS KITCHEN TO FAIRBANKS AVENUE

Ethos Vegan Kitchen

Vegetarians, vegans and open-minded carnivores will soon have a new place to indulge in Winter Park. ETHOS VEGAN KITCHEN has leased the 4,800-squarefoot former URBAN FLATS building in the WINTER PARK PLAZA, which ROLLINS COLLEGE purchased in January. The prime restaurant space has been

empty since Urban Flats closed its Fairbanks Avenue location in early 2010. Ethos not only should fit in well with fellow Fairbanks retailers such as SHIPYARD BREWERY, it also complements Rollins’ focus on health and sustainability, says BEVERLY MCNEIL, the college’s leasing and property-management representative. Ethos, a fast-casual vegan restaurant that opened in 2007, will move later this sum-

by Willow Shambeck

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mer from its current location on Antique Row in Orlando, according to husbandand-wife owners KELLY AND LAINA SHOCKLEY. (ethosvegankitchen.com)

9:41:49 AM

NEW LEASE ON LIFE FOR FADING VILLAGE CENTER After many years of struggling with high vacancy rates and frequent tenant turnover, the future’s looking brighter for the BALDWIN PARK VILLAGE CENTER, now under new ownership. WELLS FARGO BANK foreclosed on RP REALTY PARTNERS in March, and the property is now controlled by MCKINLEY INC., one of the nation’s largest property-management companies. THE REAL ESTATE CONSORTIUM is also assisting with management and leasing. Reportedly, there are more than a dozen prospective tenants ready to lease in the neo-traditional community’s retail and professional hub. (baldwinparkfl.com/villagecenter)

HANNIBAL PROPERTY GOES ON THE BLOCK Many know DAN BELLOWS as a visionary Winter Park developer who owns some of the best-known and attractive buildings in the area. But as Bellows works on his newest venture – RAVADAUGE, a 50-acre 22

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SHORT TAKES

David Richard

project at Lee Road and U.S. Highway 17-92 bordering Winter Park and Maitland – he has let his holdings on New England Avenue go back to the bank. The 70,000-square-foot building at HANNIBAL SQUARE, home to FLORIDA FRAME HOUSE, ACE METRIC CYCLES and VENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY, along

with office and apartment space, has been re-claimed by BANK ATLANTIC. And it’s up for bid, with an asking price of $12.5 million. (hannibalsquare.com)

A MAYAN TURN FOR SOUTH PARK AVENUE A new Mayan restaurant, CASA MAYA, is taking over the former TRATTORIA TOSCANA location on South Park Avenue. Trattoria Toscana closed after its wellknown owner, ARMANDO MARTORELLI, opened another restaurant, ARMANDO’S in HANNIBAL SQUARE. Casa Maya is the brainchild of three business partners, ALLAZZAR CATO, CHRIS ZIELONIS and KEN BROWN, and will feature an inventive, healthful menu with a focus on organic items. Casa Maya will offer authentic Mayan fare minus the fried foods – yes, even the chips will be baked. “We are all trying to be healthier, so why not have something you can also enjoy?” says Brown. WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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DAVID RICHARD, a professor of psychology at ROLLINS COLLEGE, has been named dean of the HAMILTON HOLT SCHOOL, where he has taught since 2005. Hamilton Holt is the evening degree program for Rollins. “We’re going to try some new things, see how they work, listen to our faculty and students, and provide an educational program that capitalizes on all the things that Rollins does well,” Richard says. … Word has it that businesses next to the OLIVE GARDEN on East Colonial Drive have been ordered to move. The rumored reason: WAL-MART has signed a contract for the 8-acre site, which includes the abandoned TOYS R US building along with a small strip center on East Colonial that houses MAGIC MASTER TAILORS, among others. … THE CHEESE SHOP ON PARK, a well-known mecca for cheese heads, has closed its doors after four years in business on Park Avenue. “It is with both sadness and relief that we have closed The Cheese Shop. Thank you,” tweeted owners KIRSTEN and ALAN NUSSBAUM. The space already has been leased to a new but unnamed tenant, reports MIKE WINN, leasing representative for THE ELIZABETH MORSE GENIUS FOUNDATION, which owns the building. … Burgeoning LAKE NONA continues to attract new business. PGA Tour player and Lake Nona resident GRAEME MCDOWELL has partnered with BISTRO CONCEPTS to debut NONA BLUE, an upscale tavern. The group has leased a 5,600-square-foot space at LAKE NONA VILLAGE. Nona Blue is tentatively set to open this fall. ●

Join us for the OMA’s Art of the Picture Book Series! From Alice to Zeus: The Art of John Rocco July 14-October 28, 2012 Rocco’s dynamic illustrations include the cover art of the Percy Jackson series and other exciting books such as Blackout and The Kane Chronicles. Enjoy a special reading area and gallery activities. Special Event July 14 / noon Meet John Rocco Hear how this award-winning artist creates his images, and have your book signed. For more information call 407 896 4231 x262 or visit www.omart.org. Orlando Museum of Art 2416 North Mills Ave Orlando, FL 32803

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How to Select the Right Home Builder

By Jorge Ulibarri, Custom Home Builder

I

n the hyper-competitive new-home market, you’ll find great deals everywhere. The recession has weeded out many sub-par builders, and the ones who remain find themselves fiercely competing in terms of price and service. With new construction prices at an all-time low and attractive interest rates, it’s tempting for buyers to make their decisions based on the lowest price-per-square foot. However, price alone doesn’t guarantee a successful project. Hiring a builder is like entering into a short-term marriage; it’s a commitment with much at stake financially and personally. For the partnership to succeed, buyers must do their “homework.” “I tell my customers that building a custom home is going to be a 12-month marriage,” says custom-home builder Jorge Ulibarri, owner of Cornerstone Custom Construction. “There has to be a good rapport between the buyer and builder. Above all, there has to be trust. The buyer is making one of the largest investments of his or her life.” Jorge has been in business for 12 years, and has designed and built custom- and estate-homes throughout Florida. He says asking the right questions is crucial when searching for the best builder for your project, and offers the following tips:

Hire a Builder You’re Sure You Can Trust. Jorge says trust is the most important criteria in selecting a qualified builder. “The buyer needs to feel confident that the builder will perform to the expectations set, and will be fair,” he notes. He advises buyers to spend time researching builders. 24 2

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This includes checking references and speaking with clients – including clients not listed by the builder – to get an accurate and honest appraisal of his or her work. “A good, honest builder wants to make sure every client is 100 percent happy, because client satisfaction leads to future work,” Jorge adds.

Beware of Change Orders That Add to the Price. The lowest bidder isn’t always the best choice. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a low bidder to try and “make up the difference” with change orders throughout the construction process. “The buyer should be wary of paying for change orders for items that he or she thought were included in the original agreement,” Jorge says. Prior to signing a contract, the buyer should research the products and finishes included. “Make sure that the specs are very specific, so there are no loopholes that add to the sticker price of the home,” he adds.

Determine Your Involvement in Selection of the Team. Sometimes the buyer wants to bring in his or her own subcontractors or vendors. But few understand the time, effort and expertise required to intelligently make these selections. Decide in advance how involved you want to be in team selection and let the builder know ahead of time. JUNE MAY 2012

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Promotional Feature

And remember – the builder likely already has a team of dependable, quality-oriented professionals with whom he or she is accustomed to working. Still, Jorge doesn’t object when clients want to suggest some subcontractors and vendors. “It’s not uncommon for clients to have friends or family in the industry,� he says. “If it can save them money, I’m supportive.� However, he notes, issues such as sub-par work, missed deadlines or cost overruns may arise as a result of using subcontractors not recommended by the builder. “If that’s the case,� Jorge says, “the buyer must understand that he or she will be 100 percent responsible, and the builder will not be held accountable.�

+NOW THE $IFFERENCE "ETWEEN #USTOM AND 0RODUCTION A custom home is designed from a blank page, and it’s one of a kind. A production home is built from a group of predesigned plans, and the buyer is limited to a handful of options for the home’s features and finishes. Typically, the roles of a production builder and a custom builder are clearly defined. Neither wants to be the other. “This is why it’s so important that the buyer knows what to expect,� Jorge says.“You can’t hire a production builder and expect him or her to perform like a custom builder for the price of a production home.� Throughout the design and construction of a custom home, the buyer may decide to make many changes for a variety of reasons. A custom builder, therefore, expects to spend literally hundreds of hours on a project.That kind of personal attention is included in the price. For a production builder, however, changes, upgrades and modifications erode the profit margin. After all, a production builder makes money from volume, and simply doesn’t have the time to significantly alter plans.

%STABLISH A #LEAR #ONSTRUCTION 4IMELINE Typically, the construction of a custom home spans 10 to 12 months depending upon the size, level of detail and finishes involved. The design and permitting process can take three to six months. It’s important that the buyer and the builder establish a clear timeline, with specific benchmarks for work performed. If both sides understand what work is to be performed, and under what deadlines, considerable frustration can be avoided. Open, honest communication, a clear understanding of the building process and adequate research will ensure that the building experience meets both expectations and budgets. Above all, it’s important to keep in mind throughout the builder-selection process that price alone does not guarantee a successful partnership. For more information go to imyourbuilder.com.

"ROUGHT TO 9OU BY *ORGE 5LIBARRI #USTOM (OME "UILDER s IMYOURBUILDER COM s WWW.OHLMAG.COM WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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STYLE

Suit Up for Summer by Marianne Ilunga hair & makeup by Elsie Knab photographs by Rafael Tongol Start with a bronzer or a tanning tuneup at your favorite spa. Add sunblock and light makeup with a hint of pink and coral. Then it’s time to find the right look – from nostalgia to glamour, from timeless to bohemian – and head for the water. One way or the other, we’ve got you covered. ModelScout’s Julie Anderson wears a floral print L Space bikini top by Monica Wise, $77; a bright fuchsia color maxi skirt by Riller & Fount, $238; Palm Beach Classics sandals by Stephen Bonanno, $95; all from Thread Boutique, Winter Park. Her multicolored karma beads bracelet, $69-$76; multiple-strand green glass necklace, $130; green bead strands with gold chain detail, $78; all by David Aubrey, are also from Thread Boutique.

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MAY 2012

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Julie is retro from head to toe in a vintage 1960 swimsuit by Oleg Cassini, $140; swim cap by Jantzen, $32; red Bakelite bracelet, $175; two-piece yellow with dots and stripes Bakelite bracelet set, $175; Lucite ring with flower detail by Bakelite, $42; all from Orlando Vintage Clothing Company.

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STYLE

Simple pastel lines work well with a touch of the bohemian, as with this peach bikini by L Space – $77 top, $70 bottom – from Thread, Winter Park. The suit is worn with a wooden bracelet, $28; wooden link necklace, $38; and large wooden hoop earrings, $18; all from Tuni, Winter Park.

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White and gold combine for a bold, dramatic look with this white bikini set by Bandita Couture, $152, from Thread, Winter Park. White and gold statement medallion necklace, $58; two sets of bone and gold bangles, $28 each; and white leather cuff with gold studs, $38; are all from Tuni, Winter Park.

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A plunging fringe lends a dramatic, tribal element to a teal, one-piece L Space swimsuit by Monica Wise, $135; worn here with a teal and white pareo by Echo, $48; both at Thread in Winter Park. The teal and yellow necklace, $54; and gold hoop earrings, $18; are from Tuni, Winter Park.

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MAY 2012

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Join the Patron Circle Each year art enthusiasts help support the tradition of producing a world-class fine art festival that features Florida artists exclusively. Join this elite group for an unforgettable weekend in downtown Winter Park for only $350.

Benefits Include: $200 in Art Dollars VIP Lounge in Central Park Exclusive Event Invitations Membership to CrealdĂŠ School of Art Passes to Local Museums Free T-Shirt & Poster Winter Park

39th Annual

October 13 & 14, 2012 Central Park, Winter Park, Florida produced by:

Autumn Art Festival

Learn more at www.autumnartfestival.com or call (407) 644-8281.

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THE

Orlando can be a good place to look for love. Just be sure to leave room for it to find you.

SINGLE FILE by Michael McLeod hair and makeup by Elsie Knab photographs by Rafael Tongol Timing is everything. Until they met by chance at a birthday party in an Orlando bar, Aaron Bean and Katie Merrigan counted themselves among the thousands of singles in Orlando. “We’ve talked about it. If we hadn’t met just then, it wouldn’t have worked out,” says Aaron. WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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But these stories are generally cobbled together out of statistics and polls compiled and analyzed by journalists who never set foot in the towns they’re writing about. So we consulted with some dating experts and single people who are here in Orlando for a few firsthand observations and options from the front. nnn

Shared joy is a double joy. Shared sorrow is half a sorrow. – Swedish proverb

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t’s a wonder anybody stays single anymore.

The Internet bristles with an arsenal of dating apps and surefire matchmaking algorithms. Magazines and websites produce periodic “Best Cities for Singles” stories that judge communities mainly on how easily their unattached residents can become attached. Orlando usually winds up in the middle tier of such lists, as it did in a recent Forbes.com story measuring life in general and love in particular for solo souls in 40 American cities. The rankings were based on job availability, cost of living, nightlife, “coolness,” culture, online dating activity and the number of singles in the area. The good news is, we’re cool. Cooler than Miami, cooler than Chicago, cooler than Los Angeles. So says a Harris public opinion poll that Forbes.com cited in awarding us sixth place in that category. We dropped the ball elsewhere, however, and wound up sneaking into the roster at a modest 27th overall.

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It struck Rochelle Peachey as somewhat “fetishy.” The Windermere resident, born and raised in London, couldn’t help but notice how often people in the States focused on her accent. She knew that her fellow Brits were equally taken in when Yanks did the talking. So just like that, she decided two years ago to create a crosscountry dating site she calls I Love Your Accent. Singles from both side of the pond have been paying $20-$30 monthly to log onto iloveyouraccent.com in pursuit of transcontinental romance ever since. The distance factor lends a bit more weight to that fundamental dating question: My place or yours? Peachey, who says she has 16,000 members on the site (60 percent of whom are female), highly recommends several rounds of pre-trip Skyping, in addition to phone calls, emails and texts, to weed out the dweebs. The site draws in singles not only from Orlando but from all over the U.S. From the other direction, Aussies have begun joining up with the Brits. At least one member, a British woman who has visited seven men in seven different states so far, seems to be using the site as both a romantic resource and her own personal travel agency. Peachey says part of the overall dynamic of the site is the grass-is-always-greener syndrome. Americans have an idealistic notion about Great Britain: “They think it’s all Hugh Grant and capes in the fog.” To many Brits who know better, the States look great by comparison. “Great Britain is going to the dogs,” says Peachey. “The economy is down, the prices are outrageous and the weather’s horrific.” But there’s at least one fundamental male fixation that transcends both geography and linguistics. Says Peachey: “Women in England tell me: ‘All the men around here want to do is drink beer at a pub.’ And women in the U.S. tell me: ‘All the men around here want to do is drink beer at a bar.’ ” nnn Singles uninterested in piling up frequent-flyer miles can use a cell-phone application to find romance literally right around the corner. The app makes it possible, using a matchmaking website and the location feature in a mobile phone, to go out on JUNE 2012

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a date night, contact an eligible someone who happens to be on the ’net and in your immediate vicinity, and arrange to meet. Hardly as romantic as a random, some-enchanted-evening glimpse of a stranger across a crowded room, but who has time to wait for something like that in this era of instant gratification? Even baby boomers have caught on to the various hurry-it-up iterations of online dating: Sites such as SeniorPeopleMeet.com are among the fastest-growing. Elizabeth Dabbelt is unimpressed. “The Internet is deceitful,” she says, with a dismissive wave of an impressively bejeweled hand. Dabbelt is the grand dame of Central Florida matchmaking, an elegant woman with a thick French accent that makes “pragmatic” sound as if it is spelled pragmatique. She has been catering to upscale singles and retirees for 25 years with her high-end Altamonte Springs dating service, Elite Introductions & Matchmaking. She won’t discuss the price of the service apart from saying that it depends upon whether the companion search is local or nationwide. But she does claim there’s no substitute for the one-on-one attention she provides. She can’t imagine, for example, that the logarithms of an Internet dating site could factor in what a retired professor meant when he recently told her: “To find someone for me, you’re going to have to understand the difference between an intelligent person and an intellectual.” As for the Internet being a big fat liar, Dabbelt is correct. There is data galore to back her up. Researchers at OKCupid.com, a free dating website that attracts a million visitors a month, have documented how chronically would-be daters dissemble, and what they’re likely to fudge about: weight with women, income and height for men. Both sexes begin shaving years off their real age once they get beyond their 20s, posting photos of themselves that are, on average, two years old. Though the matchmaking websites continue to thrive, all that online fibbing has triggered a backlash, driving some singles to real-world dating help. The latest face-to-face dating service fad to turn up in Orlando: Lock and Key Events (lockandkeyevents.com). Singles pay a cover charge to meet up in a club where each male gets a key and each woman gets a lock to wear around her neck. Some of the keys open some of the locks. The ostensible object of the game is to match them up, but it’s all just a clever icebreaker. The latest Orlando club to try it out, appropriately enough, is the Icebar. As for the club scene in general: Let’s just say that if you spend any time at all trying to make your way down Orange Avenue downtown on a Saturday night, it’s hard to figure how WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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There are days when you need someone who just wants to be your sunshine and not the air you breathe. – Robert Brault

that Forbes.com singles survey stuck us in 30th place in the “nightlife” category. Generally speaking, you can break the Central Florida lounge and club scene down into age brackets and geographic zones. The night is for the young downtown, where 20-somethings mix and match at a variety of clubs on Church Street or Wall Street in the urban core, or gravitate to Firestone Live further up Orange Avenue. Older singles tend to turn up in Winter Park, to socialize at places such as Prato and Luma on Park, Dexter’s in Hannibal Square, Brio’s at Winter Park Village or at Hillstone on Highway 17-92. For gays, there are three major clubs in Central Florida: the venerable Parliament House, with its raucous female impersonators; Pulse Orlando, for themed nights and creative décor; and Revolution Nightclub, for the entertainment and drink specials. ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

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THIS IS YOUR BRAIN IN LOVE Local author Liz Langley explains how romance can make us do some crazy things.

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IZ LANGLEY, AN ORLANDO JOURNALIST WHOSE quirky and provocative writings on relationships have established her as something of an authority on this vexing subject, has a new book called Crazy Little Thing: Why Love and Sex Drive Us Mad (Cleis Press). It’s a layman’s guide to the chemistry of love – the sizzling stew of endorphins, hormones and neurotransmitters that make otherwise rational people behave in ways that defy logic. But it’s also about people. Langley traveled around the country to interview those whose strange-but-true romantic adventures took turns toward the repugnant and the violent, but also toward the sublime. The book is charming, told in Langley’s edgy voice that longtime readers of the Orlando Sentinel, the Orlando Weekly and her blog (lizlangley.com) know well. Langley, whose book was honored this month with an Independent Publisher Book Award, spoke with Orlando Home & Leisure about her book and how it came to be. Q: What inspired you to write a book about love, sex and madness? A: At the time I started the book, I was writing primarily about sex and relationships – far more about sex than relationships, because sex is so much less complicated. But one day I read a story that really threw me. It was about a man and woman who dated in the 1950s. When they split up, he hired some goons to beat her up. They threw lye at her face, which eventually made her blind. He went to prison for the attack, and when he got out they were married. That was it: I thought, I’d really like to talk to some people who’ve had extreme experiences, good and bad, and to talk to some experts who could help sort out why love makes us so crazy. I ended up interviewing 24 people altogether, and it was a tremendous experience. Q: How so? A: First of all, having people let you into their lives to discuss their most personal, sensitive moments and feelings is an intense, intimate experience. No one is interested in a subject like this unless they’re trying to figure it out themselves. I’ve

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done things in love that ended in the classic “what was I thinking?” moment. Writing it helped me figure a few things out, and I hope it will help other people figure themselves out and possibly engender a little more compassion on the subject. People can be terribly judgmental of each other when it comes to love and relationships. Q: Your book includes a lot of over-the-edge characters. What was it like to interview them? A: It was great. I went to a vampire convention called ‘Draculacon,” in the foothills of Pennsylvania mining country, to interview a forensic psychologist. I went to a Florida prison to interview a young woman who had committed murder, and I did a phone interview with the happiest woman I think I’ve ever talked to: a former nun who married a former priest. They now have a grown daughter and own an inn and vineyard. The gamut of human experience is stunning, and as a writer I get to drop in on all these different worlds. Q: Your book gives some credence to the notion that “love at first sight” really happens. Do you believe that? A: I do, and I also think our intuition on first meeting people – whether we feel instant kinship, distrust, respect, wariness, happiness – is something we should at the very least pay attention to. Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink talks about rapid cognition, how we make a lot of our decisions in about two seconds. It’s a fascinating study on our instant reactions, and it makes you really reflect on how right – or wrong, depending on the circumstances – those quick responses can be. In any event, I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to fall in love. It can happen over a period of years or in a moment. Q: Whether it’s at first sight or not, what does it mean to fall in love? A: Mark Michaels, a Tantric sex instructor I interviewed for the book, defined love as “profound interest.” I love that definition. There is a smitten stage of love where you think the sun rises and sets around that other person. I think that’s the classic “falling in love.” JUNE 2012

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But there’s another state that can grow out of that, or arrive independently. It’s when you really care about what that other person is doing, how he or she is feeling, and whether or not his or her needs are being met. I think this definition works for all kinds of love – not just sexual relationships, but friendships and other kinds of partnerships. Q: You’re one of the betterknown “committed” single people around town. Did writing this book change your outlook? A: I’m single and have never wanted to be married, but, if anything, my work has only made me more convinced that there is no one right way to have a relationship. Discovering what works for you is what will make you happy, and I want people to be happy. Happy people make my life better. They don’t yell at me in traffic, and they’re nice to talk to at parties. If marriage makes you happy, great – get married. But understand that it’s not the only way of doing things. There are multipartner relationships, serial monogamy, open marriages and lasting partnerships not based on sex. You have to do things your way. If you were meant to do them someone else’s way, you would have been someone else.

matchmaking site, I Love Your Accent (iloveyouraccent.com), that gives Americans and Brits a chance for transcontinental romance. The site has 16,000 members, she says, 60 percent of whom are female.

PHOTO: (ABOVE) C. JORDAN HARRIS

Liz Langley WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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British-born Windermere resident Rochelle Peachey created a

Whatever their interests or orientation, it can be tough, particularly in larger cities, for newcomers or new singles to establish themselves socially. But Orlando isn’t locked down into hidebound social cliques the way some cities are, and sizewise it’s a Goldilocks town: not so big as to be intimidating, not so small as to be claustrophobic. For someone who wants to get in on the ground floor and get involved, there are always a few new, and/ or innovative ideas floating around. A couple of examples: Pastor Karl Roberts is developing a “church with singles in mind” to be called Gracepoint Orlando (gracepointorlando. org). He’s been holding weekly meetings with a small group of volunteers to plan the church, which he hopes to establish by the end of the year. Roberts, who developed a ministry

called Orlando Christian Singles, says that traditional churches are still so preoccupied with family life that singles inevitably feel isolated. He talks of a church that will include socializing options such as sky diving, speed dating and laser tag. “I believe God has placed it in the hearts of single people to hang out in big crowds and do fun things,” he says. Volunteering is always a good way to get involved and make connections. “It’s a great way to meet other people,” says Jessica Schwendeman, community partnership manager for Hands On Orlando (handsonorlando.com). “I’ve personally gone on dates that way.” The nonprofit organization coordinates volunteer efforts such as sorting food for Second Harvest, visiting at nursing homes and setting up birthday parties for the homeless. ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

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Relationship is an art. The dream that two people create is more difficult to master than one. – Don Miguel Ruiz

One of the best resources for single socializing rarely gets publicity, perhaps because it doesn’t need it. Meetup is a socialnetworking portal that makes it easy to set up clubs and activities around a common interest. A few random examples: Paddleboard Orlando; Orlando Blues Meetup; Oviedo Motorcycle Riders; Social Dating for Orlando Professionals (a new, private club); Downtown Orlando Circle of the Sublime Elm (a pagan group); and Orlando Nerds and Geeks, who meet weekly at Acme Comics, Cards & Collectibles to channel their inner Sheldons. If you’re single, the good thing about getting out and joining a group involving something you like to do is that, well, you get out and you join a group involving something you like to do. You can’t enjoy life if every move you make is about finding a mate. A circle of like-minded friends is important, too. 38

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Besides, in the end, chance is the best matchmaker there is. You can up your odds, but from time immemorial romance has been all about meeting a special someone in the right place and at the right time. That’s what happened for Margot Knight, former president of United Arts of Central Florida. After a divorce, she tried Internet dating sites for months. But she grew weary of the longwinded emails and virtual dead ends. So she tried It’s Just Lunch (itsjustlunch.com), a service that sets up restaurant encounters. And suddenly the stars aligned. On her first time out, she walked into Sam Snead’s Tavern and met her future husband, web designer Nick Walsh. He was tall. He had nice blue eyes. She was enchanted. “You can tell within the first 30 seconds if somebody’s got curb appeal,” she says. “You can’t figure that out on the Internet.” l Additional resarch by Jessica Inman and Katie Lewis. JUNE 2012

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IRON LADY For the first time, Casey Anthony prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick opens up about her life, her icy image and the case that riveted a nation.

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mong the colorful cast

of characters who gained prominence during last summer’s Casey Anthony murder trial, few emerged unsullied. Those whose reputations were actually enhanced as a result of that sordid, six-week circus included Belvin Perry, the no-nonsense judge who refused to suffer fools, and Linda Drane Burdick, the stoic assistant state attorney whose riveting rebuttal to the defense’s closing argument seemed certain to seal Anthony’s fate. Anthony, as the world now knows, was the hard-partying, 22-year-old “tot mom” who was charged with murdering her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, simply because the child had become a hindrance to her active social life. The trial transfixed the nation and, for better or worse, made celebrities of feuding lawyers and dysfunctional family members. Anthony was revealed to be, at the very least, a boozy sociopath whose apparent callousness made her arguably the world’s most hated woman. “What do guilty people do? They lie, they avoid, they run, they mislead,” Burdick, a seasoned prosecutor, told the jury. “Whose life was better without Caylee? That’s the only question you need to answer in considering why Caylee Marie Anthony was left on the side of the road dead.” Courtroom observers judged Burdick’s rebuttal a home run. “Fabulous,” said WKMG-Channel 6 legal analyst Mark NeJame. “Really damning,” said WOFLChannel 35 legal analyst Diana Tennis. “Far stronger than even her opening statement, which was powerful,” said WFTVChannel 9 legal analyst Bill Sheaffer. But none of the talking heads were serving on the jury. Anthony, who Burdick called “the most well-documented liar ever seen in a courtroom,” was found

not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child and aggravated child abuse. She was convicted only on four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to a lawenforcement officer. In the angry aftermath of the trial, Burdick’s voluble co-counsel, Jeff Ashton, 53, retired and hit the talk-show circuit. He wrote a bestselling book, Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony, and announced that he was running for state attorney against his longtime boss, Lawson Lamar. The book is being adapted into a Lifetime Original television movie in which Emmy-winner Rob Lowe will play Ashton. There is a certain irony to all this hoopla, because it was Burdick, not Ashton, who was the lead prosecutor on the case. Burdick, however, shunned the spotlight – “I have no desire or need for attention,” she said repeatedly – which is not at all surprising to those who know her. Following the verdict she returned to her job as deputy chief of the Felony Bureau,

trial. Nor had she revealed much about herself, despite continuing media interest in the intensely private single mom whose tenacity and professionalism had won kudos despite the shocking verdict. She agreed to appear in this issue because of its focus on female attorneys and because, a year removed from the Anthony trial, “it won’t look as though I’m exploiting the case.” Even so, that Burdick would speak at all caused some eyebrows to be raised. “Is Linda cooperating with this story?” asks a skeptical Ashton when contacted for comments. “She’s actually one of the most private people I’ve ever met. Her life is her work and her daughter. Our styles were kind of like fire and ice.” Adds Jay: “It isn’t that Linda is indifferent about receiving attention. She just doesn’t like being in front of the camera, and she doesn’t like talking to the media. She’d rather be the person silently working hard outside of the spotlight.” And that’s fine with Lamar, who’s locked in a nasty and surprisingly per-

‘Let’s put it this way. I’m about 6-foot-6, and I’m intimidated by her. She’s very daunting and incredibly intense. But she’s a great leader.’ – William Busch where she supervises other assistant state attorneys and continues to try cases. “Linda reacted to the [Anthony] verdict just as I would expect her to react,” says William Jay, an assistant state attorney in the Homicide Division, a unit of the Felony Bureau supervised by Burdick. “She was ready to move on to the next case the next day.” In fact, until this interview with Orlando Home & Leisure, Burdick, 48, had not spoken publically about the Anthony

sonal political race. He has harshly criticized Ashton’s “immature” demeanor during the Anthony trial as well as his lucrative post-trial business ventures. His praise of Burdick, therefore, appears intended to draw contrasts: “Linda has no problems with ego and is always a professional in the courtroom and outside it. She’s all about ethics and justice.” Those who have worked with Burdick describe her as resilient, meticulous, driven, dogged and even a bit aloof. But,

by Randy Noles hair and makeup by Elsie Knab • photographs by Rafael Tongol WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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Jeff Ashton (right) was recruited by Burdick as co-counsel in the Casey Anthony trial. Also shown examining evidence is Frank George, another assistant state attorney.

they add, a certain amount of emotional distance is to be expected from anyone who has remained sane after 23 years prosecuting alleged child abusers, sexual predators, murderers and rapists. “Let’s put it this way,” adds William Busch, another assistant state attorney who reported to Burdick when she headed the Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Division. “I’m about 6-foot-6, and I’m intimidated by her. She’s very daunting and incredibly intense. But she’s a great leader.” Others close to Burdick, whose blonde good looks attracted significant male commentary in the blogosphere, insist that she possesses a “wicked” sense of humor that isn’t always apparent to casual acquaintances. At times, however, even in routine conversations, she evidences a subtle sarcasm that comes as a surprise when she displays it. Asked about her button-down image, Burdick’s deadpan reply is: “It’s true, I’m no fun at all.” 42

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Then she smiles. Not a big grin, mind you, but a wry smirk that lets you know she’s kidding. Sort of. nnn Linda Burdick was born in Lower Burrell, a small town northeast of Pittsburgh. Her parents, who divorced when she was 10, both worked for one of the region’s largest employers, Alcoa. As a little girl, she recalls romping with her sister, Cindy, on the family’s wooded, 7-acre homesite. “There was a pond on the property, and we’d ice skate in winter,” Burdick says. “I played softball in high school, but I got good grades and I liked to read. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but since both my parents worked for a multinational corporation, I thought I wanted to do something that allowed me to travel.” When it came time for college, Burdick considered international relations or social science. Instead she earned her

undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Pittsburgh, then graduated from its highly regarded School of Law in 1989. A lousy Rust Belt economy brought Burdick to Orlando, where she was hired by the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office as an assistant state attorney handling misdemeanors and, later, general felonies such as drug possession. By 1992, she was working on sex crimes and child-abuse cases. “The case that stands out for me was an early one, where the parents of two little girls, ages 5 and 7, disciplined them by putting lit matches between their fingers,” Burdick recalls. “Neighbors called the police when they noticed the wounds. These were the sweetest little girls, who just wanted somebody to love them.” As she gained experience, her cases become more high profile. In 1997, Aaron Campbell, a black Miami-Dade police major, got into a scuffle with Orange County sheriff ’s deputies who stopped his Ford Explorer on Florida’s Turnpike. The subsequent controversy landed Burdick her first appearance on Court TV. Campbell, who contended that the stop was a result of racial profiling, ar-

photo: red huber, orlando sentinel

Because of his expertise in forensics, Assistant State Attorney

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gued with deputies and fled before he was tackled, pepper-sprayed and taken to jail. A videotape of the altercation, made by a camera installed in a deputy’s car, was shown on television and sparked a national debate. Campbell, meanwhile, was charged with two counts of battery on a law-enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence. The stop was ultimately ruled illegal, and Campbell was acquitted of felony charges. He was convicted only of resisting arrest without violence, a misdemeanor. Burdick, however, managed to persuade a judge that Campbell should reimburse the county $7,000 for the cost of prosecuting him, arguing that “Mr. Campbell chose to use this case as a soapbox, and that cost the taxpayers money.” Ironically, Campbell was represented by J. Cheney Mason, the bearded stemwinder against whom she would face off during the Anthony trial. In 1999, several years after transferring to the Homicide Division, Burdick got her first death-penalty case. She prosecuted Kevin Robinson, who carjacked a woman in Eatonville and stabbed her repeatedly before leaving her body in a burning car. Several days later, he fatally shot another woman in Brevard County. Jurors recommended that Robinson be put to death, but the judge overruled them and sentenced him to life in prison. “By the time I began handling homicide cases, I’d already had years working in sex crimes,” Burdick says. “I had seen the horrible things that people do to one another, and to children. I guess I had become desensitized. That’s not to say that I don’t feel these things, but you can’t let yourself get too emotionally involved.” What followed for Burdick was a succession of notably grisly cases, each of which she dispatched with her usual deadly efficiency. Circuit Judge Bob LeBlanc remembers marveling at her laser-focused approach during his days as a lawyer in the Orange-Osceola PubWWW.OHLMAG.COM

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Burdick is known for her meticulous preparation and dogged determination. But she generally shuns the spotlight and considers it “unbecoming” for lawyers to get more attention than the cases they try.

lic Defender’s Office. “Linda and I each won and lost our share of cases and always maintained a mutual respect,” LeBlanc says. “She is a bit obsessive about trial preparation, I will say that. Most attorneys have an idea of how they want their line of questioning to go, but Linda would have a script. Now, that’s preparation.” In 2001, she prosecuted Theodore Rodgers Jr., who on Valentine’s Day shot and killed his wife at a day care center because, he said, he believed she was having an affair with her ex-husband. Rodgers was sentenced to death. In 2005, she prosecuted Derek Pelto, who killed his girlfriend by stabbing her and then striking her repeatedly with a hammer. Pelto was sentenced to life in prison. That same year, she prosecuted Clyde Blount, who shot and killed a 16-year-old who he said had been bullying his son.

Blount was convicted of manslaughter. Most recently, in 2008, Burdick prosecuted Aurlieas McClarty, who walked into an Orlando U-Haul, shot two employees dead and fled with $200. McClarty was sentenced to life in prison. Those cases and others further enhanced Burdick’s reputation as a tough and savvy prosecutor. She was less successful in her prosecution of Orlando Magic TV analyst Jack “Goose” Givens, who was accused of multiple sex crimes by a girl, then 14, whom he coached. Givens was acquitted after a tawdry trial in which the girl’s credibility was called into question. Despite the long hours and stresses inherent in her job, Burdick married in 1999, to an Orange Country deputy sheriff. That union lasted seven years and produced a daughter, Kaitlyn, now 10, who lives with her mother and plays ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

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fast-pitch softball in the East Orange Little League. “I’m really invested in my daughter’s interests,” Burdick says. “I obviously have a great job, and the work I do is important. And when someone who deserves it gets punished as a result of what I do, there’s a certain amount of gratification in that.” nnn Casey Anthony was first arrested on July 16, 2008, and charged with giving false statements to a law-enforcement officer, child neglect and obstruction of a criminal investigation. The judge denied bail, saying Anthony had shown “woeful disregard for the welfare of her child.” The Anthony case was not yet a murder case when Burdick got it. But when a meter reader named Roy Kronk discovered

overwhelming, was largely circumstantial. Most notoriously, Ashton appeared barely able to conceal his laughter during Baez’s closing argument. “I told Jeff that he needed to calm down,” says Burdick. “What I recall him saying was, ‘You can’t force me not to be me.’” Burdick adds, however, that she doesn’t believe Ashton’s antics impacted the results of the trial. Lamar is less sure: “Did it make a difference? The answer is, I don’t know.” Burdick employs her usual lawyerly caution when discussing Ashton’s book and movie deals. She will only say that she hasn’t read his book and doesn’t intend to. “I lived it,” she says. “Nobody on the planet knows more about the case than I do, including Jeff.”

“Not only is she a great lawyer, but she also has a passion for understanding the law and applying it. Plus, that icy demeanor would be a good one to have as a judge.” –Jeff Ashton Calyee’s skeletal remains in a trash bag, the child-neglect charges were dropped and first-degree murder charges were filed. “I assigned it to myself,” says Burdick, who then recruited Ashton as co-counsel because of his expertise in forensic evidence. Anthony was represented by Jose Baez, an inexperienced lawyer with a checkered past, assisted by the far more credible Mason. Baez, whom Ashton criticized in his book as “smarmy,” opened by accusing Anthony’s father, George, of sexually abusing his daughter while offering no evidence to support his contention. Burdick, meanwhile, struggled to keep Ashton on an even keel. He frequently clashed with Baez, for whom his contempt was obvious, drawing admonishments from Perry and, quite possibly, annoying jurors already worried that the evidence against Anthony, while 44

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Regarding the movie, Burdick has declined requests to meet with the screenwriter and professes not to care who portrays her. As it happens, the actress is Elizabeth Mitchell, best known for her role as Dr. Juliet Burke on ABC’s Lost. Mitchell does, in fact, resemble Burdick. Even so, the Orlando Sentinel has conducted its own tongue-in-cheek casting exercise on its website, matching trial participants with celebrity lookalikes. Ashton is paired with Ben Stein, while Burdick is paired with Heather Locklear. “Whatever is produced, I don’t expect it to necessarily resemble reality,” Burdick adds. When reminded that the movie is based on Ashton’s book, she replies with a simple, inscrutable “yes.” Burdick remains disdainful of and a bit embarrassed by her own celebrity, saying that it’s “unbecoming for lawyers”

to seek publicity. “That is simply foreign to me. I just wanted to do a good job for Caylee. During the trial, I watched and read absolutely nothing. I didn’t need to hear any more opinions.” She refuses to comment on the verdict, except to say, “I’ve learned never to be surprised by anything a jury does.” She insists that she isn’t consumed by the trial and doesn’t understand why some people still are. To Burdick, who has handled dozens of horrific cases, the Anthony trial was unique mostly for the attention it attracted. “I’ve had child homicides before,” she notes. “It seems as though the media controls what people are interested in.” In what little spare time she can muster, Burdick, who lives with her daughter in the Waterford Lakes area, enjoys reading historical non-fiction, particularly books about the Civil War. She and Kaitlyn enjoy watching Castle, a detective show in which a hunky mystery writer helps a beautiful female detective solve crimes. She will not, however, watch CSI, which she describes as “laughable and completely unrealistic.” What’s next for Burdick? She was recently one of 23 applicants seeking the judicial seat left open by the ouster of former Orange-Osceola Judge James Turner, who was removed due to inappropriate behavior around a female staffer. She was passed over for the job, but expects other judicial openings will present themselves. “I’ve always thought that eventually people achieve their goals based on merit,” she says. One attorney who would support Burdick for a judgeship is Ashton. “Not only is she a great lawyer, but she also has a passion for understanding the law and applying it,” he says. “Plus, that icy demeanor would be a good one to have as a judge.” Says Burdick, momentarily dropping the hard-edged veneer: “I just want to make my daughter, my mom and my dad proud. If I can do that, then I’m happy.” l Additional research by Jessica Inman. JUNE 2012

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TOP WOMEN LAWYERS

TOP WOMEN LAWYERS

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ot too long ago, female lawyers were so unusual as to be a bit of a novelty. In fact, as recently as 1980, only 8 percent of practicing attorneys nationwide were women, according to the American Bar Association. Today, nearly a third of practicing attorneys and more than half of law school students are women, which means the ratio of male to female attorneys is likely to continue to increase. That’s why Orlando Home & Leisure, in an exclusive partnership with LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, is recognizing the region’s top-rated women lawyers. It’s a list you can trust. Generations of lawyers have relied on LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell as the authoritative resource worldwide for information about the legal profession. With a history spanning 140 years, the Martindale-Hubbell Legal Network is empowered by a database of more than 1 million lawyers and law firms in more than 160 countries. Thousands of people use the network every day to find local attorneys, confirm their credentials and select firms that provide services tailored to their personal and professional legal needs. To create this list of top lawyers 
in Central Florida – which includes 
Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties –

LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell tapped its comprehensive database of Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings to identify those who have been rated by their peers to be AV Preeminent. That’s the highest rating available. Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings are driven by the confidential opinions of lawyers and members of the judiciary who receive invitations from LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, via an online survey or by mail, to provide 
reviews of lawyers of whom they have professional knowledge. Peer Review Rated lawyers are not required to have a paid listing on lawyers.com or martindale.com. To learn more about Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, visit martindale.com/ratings. These lawyers can be found online at lawyers.com and martindale.com, in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory in print and CD-ROM formats, and online through the LexisNexis services and at lexis.com. The list of AV Preeminent Lawyers on the following pages is subdivided by specialty, with each attorney listed alphabetically by last name. In cases where a lawyer works for a firm that is also called by her name, only the lawyer’s name is shown. In cases where a lawyer works for a firm that is called by a different name, the name of the firm is shown beneath the name of the individual.

photographs by Ken Lopez location courtesy Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.

(Left to right): Jacqueline Bozzuto, Teresa B. Finer, Mary Ann Morgan, Ava Doppelt, Carolyn S. Crichton, Lynne M. White WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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TOP WOMEN LAWYERS ADMINISTRATIVE LAW

Kristen M. Jackson Jackson Law

ADOPTIONS

Mary B. Meeks

Kathryn L. Kasprzak Linda J. Barnby

Beth W. Miller

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Rosemary O’Shea Baker & Hostetler

Alyson Innes Cole, Scott & Kissane

A. Michelle Jernigan Upchurch Watson White & Max

Lisa Marschall Young

CIVIL PRACTICE Mayanne Downs GrayRobinson

Carla R. Pepperman

CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION

Amy S. Tingley Stovash, Case & Tingley

Jeanelle G. Bronson Grower, Ketcham, Rutherford, Bronson, Eide & Telan

CASH MANAGEMENT

CIVIL TRIAL PRACTICE

Louise B. Zeuli

Lynn F. Nelson SunTrust Banks

APPELLATE LAW

Lynn J. Hinson Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth Kathryn Bessmer Hoeck Akerman Senterfitt Nichole M. Mooney Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth Lisa R. Patten Patten Durham

Dawn Berlanga-Helms

Barbara B. Smithers Michael C. Sasso, P.A.

Kimberly A. Ashby Akerman Senterfitt

CIVIL FRAUD

Rebecca Sirkle Office of the Attorney General

Rutledge M. Bradford Bradford Cederberg

Virginia B. Townes Akerman Senterfitt

COMMERCIAL LAW

Jamie Billotte Moses Fisher, Rushmer, Werrenrath, Dickson, Talley & Dunlap

Vicki L. Berman Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth

Christi L. Underwood

Elizabeth J. Starr Office of the Attorney General Kristen L. Davenport

Jerri Ann Blair

Kelly Parsons Kwiatek Cobb Cole

Carolyn S. Crichton Lewis & Crichton

S. Renee Stephens Lundy Dean, Ringers, Morgan & Lawton

Jennifer S. Eden Latham, Shuker, Eden & Beaudine

Robin Uricchio Byrd The Byrd Firm

Angelia J. Sheridan

Suzanne Barto Hill Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell

Claramargaret H. Groover Becker & Poliakoff

Barbara Anne Eagan Eagan Appellate Law Susan W. Fox Fox & Loquasto Marcia K. Lippincott Bonnie Jean Parrish Office of the Attorney General

Kathryn D. Weston Cobb Cole

Judy Taylor Rush

Charlotte L. Warren Carlton Fields

CONSUMER FINANCE Alana C. Brenner

CONTRACTS

Wendy S. Toscano Valencia College

Sharon Lee Stedman Rebecca Roark Wall Elizabeth C. Wheeler

BANKING LAW

Grey Squires-Binford Killgore, Pearlman, Stamp, Ornstein & Squires

BANKRUPTCY

Denise D. Dell-Powell Burr & Forman Elizabeth A. Green Baker & Hostetler Laurie K. Weatherford Aubrey Harry Ducker Jr., PLC

BUSINESS LAW

Vivian P. Cocotas Brown, Garganese, Weiss & D’Agresta Donna L. Draves The Draves Law Firm Denise Morris Hammond Wright, Fulford, Moorhead & Brown

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TOP WOMEN LAWYERS CORPORATE LAW

Sheri Lund Kerney

Suzan A. Abramson Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed

EMINENT DOMAIN Tracy A. Marshall GrayRobinson

Pamela O. Price GrayRobinson

Felecia G. Ziegler Harris Harris Bauerle Sharma

Ellen F. Parker

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Penelope M. A. Gianelli Gianelli & Gianelli

Robyn D. Neely Akerman Senterfitt

Jessica Captain Novick Baker & Hostetler

Laura P. Robinson The Nature Conservancy

Paula J. Shives Darden Restaurants

Alison Margaret Yurko

ESTATE PLANNING

CRIMINAL LAW Patricia A. Cashman

Barbara C. Davis Office of the Attorney General Cynthia A. Hawkins Leigh R. Meininger Kellie Anne Nielan Office of the Attorney General

ELDER LAW

Heidi W. Isenhart Shuffield, Lowman & Wilson

Norma Stanley Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed Janet M. Strickland Strickland & Donadio

FAMILY LAW

Paula E. Pratt Pratt & Morrison Elaine T. Silver Lisa A.G. Smith The Smith Family Law Firm

Wendy L. Aikin The Aikin Family Law Group

Ana Tangel-Rodriguez Tangel-Rodriguez & Associates

Sandra Kia Ambrose Stenstrom, McIntosh, Colbert, Whigham & Partlow

Diana M. Tennis Lynn Walker Wright

Valerie W. Evans West, Green & Associates

GENERAL PRACTICE

Jennifer C. Frank

Tracy Duda-Chapman

Carol M. Bast

Gwen D. Bloom

N. Diane Holmes

Ellen S. Collins

Carla DeLoach

Neva M. Kelaher

Valerie A. Davis

Lauren Y. Detzel Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth

Wendy S. Loquasto Fox & Loquasto

Jacqueline H. Dowd

Carol E. Donahue Donahue and Associates Julia L. Frey Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed

Mary A. Nardi Nardi & Nardi Nancy S. Palmer Rebecca L. Palmer Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed

Vivian Feist Garfein Karen Baust Gilmartin Kelley, Kronenberg, Gilmartin, Fichtel, Wander, Bamdas, Eskalyo & Dunbrack Barbara Croft Hipple Sun Trust Private Capital Group Sherry A. Lambson-Eisele Erica J. Leiser Lewis & Leiser Beth A. Moriarty Moriarty Law Ruth C. Osborne McEwan, Martinez & Dukes Heather Pinder Rodriguez Holland & Knight Melanie Males Ruta Michaela D. Scheihing Boehm, Brown, Fischer, Harwood, Kelly & Scheihing Janice Wichrowski

GOVERNMENT

Linda Sumner Akins-Weinberg Suzanne D’Agresta Brown, Garganese, Weiss & D’Agresta Miranda F. Fitzgerald Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed Amy Thomas Iennaco

(Left to right): Marybeth L. Pullum, Elizabeth J. Starr, Rebecca H. Sirkle, N. Diane Holmes, Wendy S. Toscano, Dawn Berlanga-Helms WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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TOP WOMEN LAWYERS Donna L. McIntosh Karen Raby Monson Lee Hecht Harrison Gretchen R. H. Vose Vose Law Firm

Christine Q. McLeod Beusse Wolter Sanks Mora & Maire

Joanne Braddock Lambert Jackson Lewis

Suzanne E. Gilbert Holland & Knight

Suzanne D. Meehle The Meehle Law Firm

Jody Mateer Litchford

Melanie S. Griffin Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth

Lori T. Milvain Latham, Shuker, Eden & Beaudine

Yvonne M. Yegge

GUARDIANSHIP

Jill Riola Carlton Fields

Kathleen Flammia

Heather Bond Vargas Cobb Cole

Sara Caldwell

Nicolette C. Vilmos Broad and Cassel

HEALTH CARE Mary A. Edenfield Mateer & Harbert

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

Susan K. McKenna Jackson Lewis M. Susan Sacco Ford & Harrison

Linda C. Hankins Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed

Cynthia N. Sass

Elizabeth Hawthorne Faiella Faiella & Gulden

Jill S. Schwartz Jill S. Schwartz & Associates

Michele L. Johnson Greenberg Traurig

Patricia R. Sigman Sigman & Sigman

Judith M. Mercier Holland & Knight

Laurie J. Levin Florida Hospital

Lori R. Benton Ford & Harrison

Susan Tassell Spradley GrayRobinson

Sage Morris-Webster Webster Law Group

Deborah S. Platz Nemours Children’s Hospital

K. Kaye Collie

Kay L. Wolf Ford & Harrison

Mary D. Solik John L. Di Masi, P.A.

LITIGATION

MARITAL AND FAMILY LAW

Joyce Ackerbaum Cox Baker & Hostetler

Jeanette Carpenter Schreiber UCF College of Medicine Kelly R. Sullivan Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth

IMMIGRATION

Teresa Brickman Finer Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed

Dorothy F. Green Latham, Shuker, Eden & Beaudine Mary Ruth Houston Shutts & Bowen

Debra S. Babb-Nutcher Brown, Garganese, Weiss & D’Agresta Sheila Gupta DeCiccio DeCiccio & Johnson Karen C. Dyer Boies, Schiller & Flexner

Ingrid A. Keller

Nancy S. Weber Sasser and Weber Leigh A. Sigman Sigman, Sigman, Notari & Sigman

Catherine R. Henin-Clark

INSURANCE LAW

Janet L. Brown Boehm, Brown, Fischer, Harwood, Kelly & Scheihing Susan B. Harwood Boehm, Brown, Fischer, Harwood, Kelly & Scheihing Janice Averill Kelly Boehm, Brown, Fischer, Harwood, Kelly & Scheihing Mary Pappas Munsey Brenda J. Newman Killgore, Pearlman, Stamp, Ornstein & Squires Dyana L. Petro Nicole D. Ruocco Rissman, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue & McLain Lyzette SanGermain Fraxedas Mediation Firm

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Ava K. Doppelt Allen, Dyer, Doppelt, Milbrath & Gilchrist

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TOP WOMEN LAWYERS Debra Wilkinson Botwin

Patricia L. Strowbridge

MEDIATION

Pamela Mark Burke Paul & Perkins

Susan W. Gibson

Leticia J. Marques

PUBLIC FINANCE LAW

Jan Albanese Carpenter Latham, Shuker, Eden & Beaudine

REAL ESTATE

Lisa J. Long Mediation Services of Central Florida Pamela Rogers Masters

Marybeth McDonald

Jacqueline Bozzuto Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed

Wendy Vomacka Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell

Mary Ann Morgan Billings, Morgan & Boatwright

Wanda L. Brown

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Tracy L. Troutman-Cheek Billings, Morgan & Boatwright

Martha Anderson Hartley Greenberg Traurig

Donna C. Wyatt Morgan & Morgan

Deborah H. Johnson Broad and Cassel

PRODUCTS LIABILITY

Patricia P. Jones Attorneys’ Title Insurance Fund

Janet W. Adams Hill, Adams, Hall & Schieffelin Kelly Gardner Hamer Mateer & Harbert Launa K. Rutherford Grower, Ketcham, Rutherford, Bronson, Eide & Telan Terese M. Latham McIntosh Sawran & Cartaya Deborah Gallagher Warner Warner & Warner

Lori J. Caldwell Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell Johanna Wills Clark Carlton Fields

Donna N. Maloney Hansen Dean, Ringers, Morgan & Lawton Jennifer B. Locke McDonald Toole Wiggins

PERSONAL INJURY

Karel L. Averill Fisher, Rushmer, Werrenrath, Dickson, Talley & Dunlap

Sarah A. Long McDonald Toole Wiggins

Marybeth L. Pullum Pullum & Pullum Lorraine M. Sheehan Lynne M. White Lynne R. Wilson Shuffield, Lowman & Wilson

Nancy S. Freeman Winderweedle, Haines, Ward & Woodman Laura Kristin Sundberg Zimmerman, Kiser & Sutcliffe

SOCIAL SECURITY LAW Carol J. Ponton Hill & Ponton

TAXATION

Janet E. Martinez Penny Kfare Jacobs Elan R. Kaney Cobb Cole Jane Dunlap Callahan Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth

WORKERS COMPENSATION Seliena K. Crampton Banker Lopez Gassler

Pamela Lynn Foels Zimmerman, Kiser & Sutcliffe

TRUSTS & ESTATES

Stacie B. Greene Rissman, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue & McLain

Stacey L. Cole

Margaret Sutherland Hewitt Jones, Hurley & Hand

Victoria H. Carter

Lisa Jones Hurley Jones, Hurley & Hand Lori Pearson-Wise Kristin Swanson-Mace Teri Alpert Zarrillo Goodman McGuffey Lindsey & Johnson

ZONING, PLANNING AND LAND USE Cecelia Bonifay Akerman Senterfitt Allison E. Turnbull Baker & Hostetler

(Left to right): Kristen M. Jackson, Dorothy F. Green, Donna L. Draves, Mary Doty Solik, Debbie Platz WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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FLAVOR •

(Clockwise from above): Sushi Pop’s Kurobata tacos are tender and flavorful; its ceviche rolls are among dozens of sushi offerings; the Oviedo restaurant’s top-selling dessert features peanut butter and molten chocolate.

Sushi Goes ‘Pop’ With Fare That’s Fascinating Fun 50

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On the surface, Sushi Pop is a wacky little

restaurant that serves fascinating food. You’ll be instantly intrigued by the offbeat decorative elements and dazzled by servers wearing pink wigs and clashing neon clothing. It doesn’t take long to figure out that this is not your standard suburban susheria. No matter. Shrug that off and poise those chopsticks. You’ll soon find that there’s much more to Sushi Pop than meets the eye. The ambience, from the displays of manga comic art to the outrageous SoHo-meets-Laugh-In outfits, is an homage to Japanese counterculture. And the food, even the simplestsounding appetizer, is artistic and complex, frequently requirJUNE 2012

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by rona gindin

(Clockwise from top left): Chef-owner Chou – he uses only one name – takes a playful approach to his menu; Sushi Pop’s interior celebrates Japanese counterculture; the Hamachi Hara Kiri

PHOTOS: rafael tongol

blends silky fish and caramelized shallots.

ing hours of advance preparation. If there’s a serious foodie find in any Central Florida strip mall, this is it. Sushi Pop’s concept goes back to 2007, when chef-owner Chau – he goes by only one name – was the culinary force behind Thornton Park’s Shari Sushi. While visiting Japan, Chau explored the town of Harajuku, where he’d heard that “the girls dress up in really funky outfits.” However, the more time he spent talking with locals, the more Chau grew to realize that Harajuku was far more than a center for forward-thinking fashion. “It is the epicenter of all things that are unique,” Chau says. WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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“It is more about a movement. Japan is a very formal, repressed society, and in Harajuku the younger generation is saying, ‘Screw you guys. We don’t care about tradition. We’re going to do our own thing.’” Consequently, the town has become famous for its edgy style and decidedly non-traditional culture. Chau had not even finished his tour when he announced to his wife, Jessica Trinh: “The next restaurant we do is going to be inspired by Japanese pop culture, by that energy.” Enter Sushi Pop, which opened in December 2011. And do enter Sushi Pop, even if you don’t have time to eat. You’ll enjoy ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE

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F L AV O R

(Clockwise from above): Deep-fried Tuna Tataki has a browned exterior but raw fish inside; servers at Sushi Pop wear colorful outfits that celebrate edgy fashion; the Sugi Sugi roll features

the sight of a service team dressed in Day-Glo blouses, or kimonos, or creative takes on rock ’n’ roll outfits, depending upon the night’s theme. The décor is equally interesting. One wall is adorned with yellow and white “hokusai” waves, another with a black-pinkand-white design, and still another with lotus blossoms. Above the sushi bar, pink “chasing lights” mimic a busy street at night. The comic characters on the walls represent manga’s styles, such as Kawaii – cute Pokemon-like personalities with 52

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big eyes. Flat-screen TVs play Japanese anime cartoons. Sushi Pop’s menu represents a powerful blend of thought, effort and skill. You can, of course, order a simple sashimi assortment, or maybe two pieces of raw salmon atop rice. You can step it up and order each nigiri-style fish with its own topping, such as salmon belly with shallot-ginger sauce and cilantro sprouts. Yet among the appetizers, the rolls and even the desserts are selections that further distinguish Sushi Pop from its competi-

PHOTOs: rafael tongol

lump crab, cobia and lemon confit.

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PHOTOS: RAFAEL TONGOL

tors: A huge amount of from-scratch cooking goes into each item, while international elements offer a fusion of flavors from Chau’s native Vietnam, from Latin America and from France. Here and there, “modernist cuisine,” also known as “molecular gastronomy,” is used to create dishes like none you’ve ever had before. This creative science experiment-like approach is generally found in high-end restaurants, yet Chau joyfully weaves it into his reasonably priced bill of fare. “Food is fun,” he says. “I wanted this progressive form of cooking to be on the menu, but I didn’t want to highlight it. I didn’t want it in your face. That’s not what we’re about.” So, while the dishes are complex, the menu descriptions are simple and barely hint at the artistry required to prepare them properly. Chau’s goal: For guests to love what they taste even if they don’t know why. Since Sushi Pop is about breaking rules, I’ll do it, too, and begin by describing the end of my meal rather than its beginning. The finale was the provocatively named P.M.S., described on the menu as “peanut butter, molten chocolate and salted caramel ice cream.” What arrives is a warm chocolate lava cake, a scoop of ice cream – and a tan powder. That’s the peanut butter, in an altered state. The once-creamy substance is whipped with tapioca maltodextrin, which turns it into dust – temporarily. “When it hits your mouth,” Chau explains, “the moisture reconstitutes it to its natural form.” Bizarre, yes, but quite the taste treat. Be bold and try it. It’s Sushi Pop’s best-selling dessert. With his culinary friskiness and zeal for experimentation, Chau may bring to mind a mad scientist set loose in a B-movie laboratory. But it’s all carefully calculated. Take the Kurobata tacos. They may look like arrivals from Acapulco, but they’re actually a loving tribute to a standard Chinese-American staple: Peking duck. Chau takes pork from Idaho’s Snake River Farms and brines it with a blend of soy, mirin, star anise and Saigon cinnamon, which is spicier than the common variety. Then he braises it in the same ingredients for six to eight hours, until the meat is gloriously tender and flavorful. Once it’s in the soft tortilla, which substitutes for Peking duck’s standard pancake, it’s doused in a robust hoisin sauce and topped with scallions, avocado and micro cilantro. Hamachi Hara Kiri is another notable appetizer. The name is a mischievous reference to hamachi, the Japanese word for yellowtail belly, and hara-kiri, suicide via a sword to the midsection. “Play on words is a part of Japanese pop culture,” Chau says. Here the silky fish is served with caramelized shallots, Thai basil, toasted peanuts, shallot oil and a special chili garlic sauce made with an extra-virgin, first-pressed fish sauce imported WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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from Phu Quoc, a Vietnamese island. Chau waxes poetic about this gourmet condiment, saying that, in comparison, standard Vietnamese fish sauce is like downscale beer, “watered down and made for the masses.” It is indeed a revelation. Tuna tataki, another small plate, is usually chopped raw tuna blended with flavorings. At Sushi Pop, the fish is deep-fried so it’s uniformly browned on the outside but still raw within. Among the flavorings is myoga ginger, a Japanese plant that Chau describes thusly: “If ginger and shallot had a baby, it would be myoga ginger.” In any case, it’s crunchy and gently flavored, served grated and raw along with shichimi pepper, chives, kaiware (daikon radish sprouts), sesame oil, ponzu sauce and garlic chips. Sushi Pop offers a couple of dozen rolls, many with intriguing names such as Lobster and Almonds, Drama Queen, Romesco (with tomato chutney!) and Cobra Kai (look for Winter Park Dairy’s Tomme cheese). I particularly enjoyed the ceviche rolls, an homage to one of Chau’s culinary darlings, Mexican cuisine. The Sugi Sugi roll has as its foundation tempura-fried lump crab along with cobia, which, in the wild, eats crab. You’ll taste spicy mayonnaise, pink salt, smelt roe and basil sprouts, yet it’s the “lemon confit” that elevates this dish to another realm. Here’s how that happens: The kitchen crew submerges lemons in salt and sugar and lets them ferment for a full month. Then the zest (the yellow part of the rind) is grated and worked into vinaigrette that’s drizzled onto the Sugi Sugi. It’s a vibrant flavor with no hint of bitterness. “The name is our joke on suki suki, which means ‘like a lot, or love,’” Chau says. We could go on. There’s It’s No Yolk, a sunny-side-up egg look-alike consisting of a coconut milk capsule standing in for the white part and mango purée for the yolk. And there’s the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sorbet, the composition of which involves liquid nitrogen and marshmallow foam. Perhaps Chau is right to serve up his fresh, artistically presented, distinctly flavored dishes without too much explanation. Just grab a pair of chopsticks and let your taste buds bop to the pop.

SUSHI POP WHERE: 310 W. Mitchell Hammock Rd., Oviedo WHEN: dinner Tuesday-Sunday HOW MUCH: $$ WHERE TO CALL: 407-542-5975 sushipoprestaurant.com

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R O N A’ S F L AV O R L I S T I N G S AFRICAN

Nile Ethiopian 7048 International Dr., Orlando, 407-354-0026 / nile07.com. Locals willingly navigate International Drive to dine at Nile, a family-owned restaurant specializing in the exotic cuisine of Ethiopia. Order a few dishes to share and scoop up the intriguing concoctions with the eatery’s signature spongy bread. End with a strong cup of aromatic, brewed-toorder coffee. $$ Sanaa 3701 Osceola Pkwy., Lake Buena Vista, 407939-3463 / disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/sanaa. Sanaa, one of Disney’s most interesting restaurants, offers dishes based on cuisine from the Spice Islands, a coastal African area rich with Indian influences. Flavors are intense, but spicy only upon request. (Curry, the chefs insist, is a melding of flavors, not one particular spice.) The marketplace-style dining room boasts picture windows overlooking the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s savannah, so you might spot zebra or wildebeest while lunching on tandoori chicken or a vegetarian platter with stewed lentils and a vegetable sambar (stew). $$

AMERICAN

Bananas 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. $$ Citrus 821 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, 407-373-0622 / citrusorlando.com. A clubby yet stylish restaurant in a convenient downtown Orlando location, Citrus features modern American cuisine with a nod toward regionally grown and produced ingredients. International influences also highlight the menu, from smoked chili aioli complementing herb-marinated chicken to balsamic rum glaze topping juicy pork chops. $$$ Dexter’s 808 E. Washington St., Orlando, 407-6482777; 558 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, 407629-1150; 950 Market Promenade Ave., Lake Mary, 407-805-3090 / dexwine.com. Central Florida has three Dexter’s locations, and each has become a neighborhood 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 alwaysbustling Universal CityWalk. You’ll find classics from celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, including the signature barbecue shrimp, andouille-stuffed redfish, doublecut pork chops and banana cream pie. The service, of course, is superb. Consider sharing appetizers at the bar area. $$$$ Graffiti Junktion 900 E. Washington St., Orlando, 407-426-9503; 2401 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, 407377-1961 / graffitijunktion.com. The Graffiti Junktions in Thornton Park and College Park are loud and purposely grungy looking, hence “graffiti” in the name. But this ultra-casual duo dishes up great burgers, wings and zucchini fries. Live entertainment ranges from performance art to trivia contests. Watch for daily happyhour specials. $

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Hillstone 215 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407740-4005 / 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

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a cocktail in Adirondack chairs overlooking Lake Killarney. Many proposals have been popped during dinners for two on the boat dock. $$$ Jernigan’s 400 W. Church St., Orlando, 407-4407000 / www.amwaycenter.com. Watch a Magic game in style at Jernigan’s, a well-appointed buffet restaurant located on the Amway Center’s exclusive club level. The reservations-only eatery, open to ticket holders, serves wholesome meals for about $40. The menu of the day might offer slow-smoked barbecue ribs, grilled rib-eye steak, pasta pomodoro and Chinese chicken salad. Jernigan’s is run by Chicago’s Levy Restaurants, the team behind Downtown Disney’s Portobello Yacht Club, Fulton’s Crab House and Wolfgang Puck Grand Café. $$$

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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 consist 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. $$-$$$

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Seasons 52 7700 Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407354-5212; 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 ittybitty desserts encourage sampling without guilt. $$$ Shipyard Brew Pub 200 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 321-274-4045 / shipyardemporium.com. This ultra-casual brewpub has been packed night and day since it opened in 2011, and not just because it pours a great lager. To complement suds brewed both inhouse and elsewhere, a from-scratch menu offers Buffalo chicken dip, amazing white-bean hummus, sandwiches, flatbreads and entrées, including étouffée and pot roast. Stop in any time to pick up a loaf of some of Orlando’s best bread. $-$$ 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. $

Dragonfly 7972 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407459-1892 / dragonflysushi.com. Stylishly attired 30somethings regularly pack this oh-so-hip restaurant, where groups share sushi, grilled “robata” items, and tapas-style Asian foods such as soft-shell crab tempura, crispy black pork belly and shiso-wrapped spicy tuna. $$

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Hawkers 1103 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, 407-2370606 / 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 sensational beef skewers with peanuty satay dip. $$ Ming Bistro 1212 Woodward St., Orlando, 407898-9672. Enjoy perhaps Orlando’s best dim sum for dinner or, on a weekend morning or afternoon, select shrimp dumplings, beef balls, turnip cakes, sticky rice, barbecue pork buns and egg tarts one small dish at a time from carts that roll between tables. The a la carte menu features Hong Kong-style staples from stir-fry beef to chicken feet. $ Sea Thai 3812 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-8950985 / seaorlando.com. Start with a green papaya salad and beef yum, then feast on steamed whole fish with garlic chili sauce, pad Thai and green curry chicken. But you can’t go wrong with any of the Thai classics offered at this welcoming East Orlando eatery. $$ Tasty Wok 1246 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-8968988 / 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. $

BARBECUE

4 Rivers Smokehouse 2103 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park; 1869 W. S.R. 434, Longwood; 1047 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden / 407-474-8377, 4rsmokehouse.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 oldfashioned malt shop featuring homemade ice cream. $

Yellow Dog Eats 1236 Hempel Ave., Windermere, 407-296-0609 / yellowdogeats.com. It’s the lunch locale for the Windermere-Gotha crowd, who come for scratch-made sandwiches, hearty barbecue and wholesome baked goods. The menu also has a significant vegan-friendly section. The dining rooms are scattered throughout a funky, historic building that was once a country store. $

BURGERS

ASIAN

Pine 22 22 E. Pine St., Orlando, 407-574-2160 / pine22.com. Burgers go chic at this fast-casual downtowner, where every ingredient is special. The burgers 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. $$

Anh Hong 1124 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 407-9992656. You’ll receive a bundle of fresh herbs to tear into your soup at this Mills 50 Vietnamese eatery, and another 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 Vietnamese-Americans longing for a taste of home. $

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 2011 Silver Spoon winner (Judges’ Choice).

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

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 FourDiamond 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. $$$$ JUNE 2012

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CREATIVE/PROGESSIVE

Chef’s Table at the Edgewater Hotel 99 W. Plant St., Winter Garden, 407-230-4837 / chefstableattheedgewater.com. Husband-and-wife team Kevin and Laurie Tarter are your personal servers at this intimate 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. $$$ Finesse 7025 County Road 46A, Lake Mary, 407805-9220 / finesse-therestaurant.com. Talented chef Alex Brugger runs a remarkable kitchen at Finesse, a stylish Lake Mary restaurant with an ambitious menu. Begin with the tender duck confit encased in puff pastry, the complex black bean soup and whatever raw tuna appetizer happens to be on the menu. Continue with the creamy seafood paella, made with risotto, or the steak or pork with chimichurri and duck fat French fries. End with the chocolate-orange soufflé served with peanut butter anglaise. $$-$$$ Funky Monkey 912 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, 407427-1447; 9101 International Dr., Orlando (Pointe Orlando), 407-418-9463 / funkymonkeywine.com. Every meal begins with complimentary lime-garlic edamame at these eclectic eateries, known as much for sushi and intriguing wine lists as for creative American cuisine and an ever-changing menu. FMI Restaurant Group also owns Bananas, Nick’s Italian Kitchen and Prickly Pear as well as a catering arm and the Funky Monkey Vault, a wine shop that also sells gifts, apparel and furniture. $$ 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. $$$

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K Restaurant 2401 Edgewater Dr. Orlando, 407872-2332 / 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 constantly changing menu, bring back regulars for singular experiences. $$-$$$ Le Rouge 7730 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407370-0909 / 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 winelemon-dill sauce. $$$

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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 passionate direction of Executive Chef Brandon McGlamery, Chef de Cuisine Derek Perez and Pastry Chef Brian Cernell. $$$

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Norman’s 4012 Central Florida Pkwy., Orlando, 407-278-8459 / normans.com. Celebrity Chef Norman 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. $$$$ Park Plaza Gardens 319 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-645-2475 / parkplazagardens.com. After 30-plus years, Park Plaza Gardens is practically an institution on Winter Park’s tony Park Avenue. People-watchers gather at the small bar and sidewalk tables to linger over casual meals and cold beers, while those looking for an indulgent experience dine in the garden-like back dining room, which boasts atrium windows and plush décor. The menu features a melding of American, European and Asian flavors and cooking techniques. $$$-$$$$

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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 reservations have been tough to snag ever since. The ambitious menu changes daily based on the fish, meat and produce that’s available, and it’s executed by a dedicated team that abhors shortcuts. Besides daily specials, The Pig always serves up an excellent burger, soft pretzels, shrimp and grits and a donut dessert called Pig Tails. $$$

W inter Park 400 South Orlando Avenue s 407-644-7770 Reservations online at www.roccositaliangrille.com WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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R O N A’ S F L AV O R L I S T I N G S EASTERN EUROPEAN

Hollerbach’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 Hollerbach 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, 352324-3366 / 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/POLYNESIAN

Emeril’s Tchoup Chop 6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando, 407-503-2467 / emerils.com. Emeril Lagasse’s Polynesian-fusion fare is executed by locally renowned chef, Greg Richie. Within a dramatically 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. $$$$

homemade ravioli stuffed with chicken and spinach, veal with artichoke-caper-white wine sauce and possibly the best spaghetti carbonara in town. $$$ O’Stromboli 1803 E. Winter Park Rd., Orlando, 407-647-3872. This innocuous neighborhood eatery isn’t fancy, but the food is filling and fresh. That’s why it has become a favorite of residents of Merritt Park, Rose Isle and Baldwin Park. The carbonara is particularly hearty and the fettuccini Alfredo is rich, buttery and more than you should eat in one sitting. The homemade soups are always a dependable starter. $$ 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 Brandon 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 satisfying 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. $$-$$$

Roy’s 7760 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-3524844 / roysrestaurant.com. Hawaiian-fusion flavors enhance familiar and exotic fish dishes at this Restaurant Row pioneer, a link in a Honolulu-based chain owned by namesake chef, Roy Yamaguchi. $$

Rocco’s 400 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-6447770 / roccositaliangrille.com. Calabria native Rocco Potami oversees this romantic Italian eatery, where fine authentic fare is presented in an intimate dining room and on a secluded brick patio. Classics include carpaccio (raw, thinly sliced beef with white truffle 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 find it, you’ll be back. $$$

INDIAN

LATIN

Aashirwad 5748 International Dr., Orlando, 407-3709830 / aashirwadrestaurant.com. Begin with kashmiri naan, a slightly sweet bread stuffed with nuts, coconut and raisins, and continue with chicken biryani, cauliflower in exotic Manchurian gravy and a mixed tandoori grill. Whole spices are roasted and ground daily on site, further enhancing the cuisine’s authenticity. $$ Memories of India 7625 Turkey Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-370-3277; 3895 Lake Emma Rd., Lake Mary, 407-804-0920 / memoriesofindiacuisine.com. Exceptionally good Indian fare draws diners in Dr. Phillips and Lake Mary to these twin restaurants, where dishes such as palek paneer (creamed spinach) and lamb masala in rich ginger-garlic gravy always satisfy. $$

ITALIAN

Antonio’s 611 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland, 407-6455523 / antoniosonline.com. Fine Italian fare comes at reasonable prices at Antonio’s, proprietor Greg Gentile’s culinary homage to his ancestors. The upstairs restaurant, recently remodeled and expanded with a balcony overlooking Lake Lily, is somewhat formal, although 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. $$$ Bice 5601 Universal Blvd., Orlando, 407-503-1415 / orlando.bicegroup.com. Bice, with 50 locations around the world, has a local outpost of ambitious Italian cuisine at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal. Homemade egg pasta is used for several dishes, such as spaghetti Bolognese; other choices include veal piccata and steak with a Gorgonzola-demi sauce. $$$$ 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 56

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Mi 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 others come for a mellow meal over tapas (garlic shrimp, potato omelet, croquettes) and sangria, enjoyed while seated within a small contemporary dining room or outdoors overlooking Hannibal Square. $$-$$$ Pio Pio 2500 S. Semoran Blvd., Orlando, 407-2072262; 5752 International Dr., Orlando, 407-248-6424; 11236 S. Orange Blossom Tr., Orlando, 407-4385677 / piopiointernational.com. Latin American-style marinated roast chicken is a mainstay at the three Orlando locations, each a dark, mid-scale den where families fuel up on heaping platters of pollo along with garlicky salad, fried plantains (sweet and green) and rice and beans. $$

MEDITERRANEAN

Anatolia 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando, 407-3526766 / anatoliaorlando.com. Sensational Turkish food in an upscale-casual setting makes Anatolia a popular choice in the Dr. Phillips area. Start with any of the “cold salads” and a piping hot puffy lavash bread, then try chargrilled whole fish, tavuk doner (Turkish gyro), lamb chops or spinach-feta pide, sort of like a boatshaped flatbread. $$

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Bosphorous 108 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-644-8609 / bosphorousrestaurant.com. This is the place for flavorful Turkish fare in either a whitetablecloth setting or alfresco along Park Avenue. Many couples fill 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. $$ Tavern Opa 9101 International Dr., Orlando, 407351-8660 / opaorlando.com. The food is excellent, but that’s only half the reason to visit Tavern 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/ SOUTHWESTERN

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

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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 flavorings 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 Orlandoans make El Tenampa part of their Costco shopping 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. $

SEAFOOD

Ocean 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 fish 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. $$$$ Todd English’s Bluezoo 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista, 407-934-1111 / thebluezoo.com. Creatively prepared seafood is served in an over-thetop undersea setting at this fine-dining restaurant, located in Disney’s Swan and Dolphin hotel. The fashionforward choices might be a miso-glazed Hawaiian sea bass or fried lobster in a soy glaze. The desserts are among the best in town. $$$$ Winter Park Fish Co. 761 Orange Ave. Winter Park, 407-622-6112 / thewinterparkfishco.com. Fish and seafood dishes are fresh and well-prepared at this humble Winter Park spot, where a counter service format helps keep the prices reasonable. Crab cakes, lobster rolls, mahi-mahi sandwiches and more ambitious dishes such as grouper cheeks in parchment and stuffed grouper are among a day’s assortment. $$

STEAK

Bull & Bear 14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, 407-597-5410 / bullandbearorlando.com. Orlando’s Bull & Bear looks similar to New York’s legendary steakhouse (except for the pool and golf course views), but ours has its own ambitious menu. Guests of the Waldorf Astoria’s fine-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 aromatic smoke. The chocolate and lemon desserts are superb. $$$$ Capital Grille 4600 N. World Dr., Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-3463 / thecapitalgrille.com. Capital Grille JUNE 2012

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tries to one-up its upscale steakhouse competitors by dry-aging its beef, an expensive process that results in especially flavorful 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. $$$$ Del Frisco’s 729 Lee Rd., Orlando, 407-645-4443 / delfriscosorlando.com. This Del Frisco’s, owned by the Christner family since its founding in 1993, is only marginally related to the national chain of the same name. Locals have been choosing this prototypically masculine, dark-wood-and-red-leather enclave for business dinners and family celebrations for a decade, ending meals of USDA Prime, corn-fed Midwestern beef or Australian cold-water lobster tails with a slice of the restaurant’s legendary mandarin orange cake. And there’s a loooong wine list (6,500 bottles). On select nights, Kostya Kimlat hosts magic shows along with a prix-fixe menu in a private dining room. $$$$ Fleming’s 8030 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, 407352-5706; 933 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407699-9463 / flemingssteakhouse.com. Fleming’s puts a younger spin on the stately steakhouse concept, featuring sleek décor and 100 wines by the glass along with its prime steaks and chops. The tempura lobster “small plate” with soy-ginger dipping sauce is a worthy pre-entrée splurge. For a taste of the old-fashioned, visit on Sunday, when prime rib is served. $$$$ Ruth’s Chris 7501 W. Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, 407-226-3900; 610 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-622-2444; 80 Colonial Center Pkwy, Lake Mary, 407-804-8220 / ruthschris.com. With three stately steakhouses and corporate headquarters by Winter Park Village, Ruth’s Chris, a native of New Orleans, has become an Orlando special-occasion mainstay. Its service-oriented restaurants specialize in massive corn-fed Midwestern steaks served sizzling and topped with butter. $$$$

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Shula’s 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Orlando, 407934-1362 / donshula.com. Coach Don Shula, who led the Miami Dolphins through a perfect season in 1972, is now in the restaurant business. His Orlando outpost, located in Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin resort, is a dark, tastefully sports-themed steakhouse where the menu is painted on a football. Offerings include Premium Black Angus beef as well as barbecue shrimp, wedge salad and crab cakes. $$$$

VEGETARIAN

Dandelion CommuniTea Café 618 N. Thornton Ave., Orlando, 407-362-1864 / dandelioncommunitea.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, filling and healthful enough to be a meal. $ Café 118 153 E. Morse Blvd., Winter Park, 407-3892233 / cafe118.com. Raw foods – none cooked past 118 degrees – are the focus of this crisp Winter Park café, attracting raw foodists, vegans and vegetarians. The spinach and beet ravioli stuffed with cashew ricotta is an impressive imitation of the Italian staple. Thirsty Park Avenue shoppers might stop by for a healthful smoothie. $$ Ethos Vegan Kitchen 1235 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, 407-228-3899 / ethosvegankitchen.com. Orlando’s Ivanhoe District is home to Ethos, a vegan restaurant with a menu that also satisfies open-minded carnivores. Fuel up on pecan-crusted eggplant with red wine sauce and mashed potatoes or a meat-free shepherd’s pie, if salads, sandwiches and coconut-curry tofu wraps won’t do the trick. $-$$ WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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D I S C O V E R H E A LT H

I

Some Fun Ways to Get Serious About a Chronic, Weighty Problem

​’m not here to make you feel guilty. But the

simple truth is that most of us sit too much and move too little. It’s time we all faced a corollary to that simple truth: We’re teaching this habit to our children, and that’s not fair to them. Because the results could be disastrous. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than a third of all children and adolescents in this country are overweight or obese. In the last 30 years the prevalence of obesity has tripled among children ages 6 to 19. In a recent survey, 23 percent of high school students had not participated in a physical activity for 60 minutes or more anytime in the last week. What makes this problem all the more serious is that childhood inactivity has consequences that last a lifetime. Obese children have a 70to 80-percent greater chance of becoming overweight or obese adults, putting them at higher risk for premature death, heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer. So no, it’s not my intent to give parents something new to feel guilty about. Instead, I’d like to a offer positive approach to get us moving. Here’s my suggestion: Incorporate physical activity into your family’s daily activities. Take the dog on a family walk. Start a tradition of sharing the day’s activities during an after-dinner family trek down the street or through the park. Organize a family badminton tournament or compete in a game of driveway basketball. For some families, the answer is organized sports and classes. There are many choices such as baseball, basketball, soccer, dance, martial arts and more. But physical activity doesn’t have to be organized. It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, either. I like to start my day with a walk/run and sometimes end

it that way, too. I’ve got a word for it: “fun.” The UCF Health Physicians Group (Pegasus Health) is our College of Medicine’s new medical practice, where faculty physicians care for patients. Every month the physician team holds “Walk With A Doc,” a one-mile noon walk around UCF’s main campus. The idea is to help people fit exercise into their busy schedules and to share the experience with others. We walk and talk about our lives, our work and our families. We share wellness ideas and inspiration. We enjoy the sunshine and our beautiful campus – and we improve our health together. You and your family can do the same. Walking, biking and rollerblading were favorites for my family when my two girls were young. Gardening on the weekends during the growing season was another activity we all enjoyed. Tilling, planting, weeding, fertilizing, watering and harvesting provide an appreciation for nature and for each other. ​Sure, we can all go to the gym and work out alone to improve our health. But physical activity is an opportunity for the family to have fun together. Most of us have learned to multitask in other areas of our lives, and you might as well incorporate that philosophy into your home life. In a friendly, high-energy family badminton tournament, everybody wins – in more ways than one. ​We know that regular physical activity helps reduce our risk of becoming obese and suffering from conditions related to obesity. We know that regular exercise helps keep our bones, muscles and our minds healthy. We know all that. The challenge is to “just do it.” So let’s make physical activity fun, let’s make it a family affair – and let’s all stay well together. l Please contact Dr. German at deangerman@mail.ucf.edu.

by Deborah German, M.D.

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Black Tie & Tennies Gala The Orlando Magic Youth Foundation’s annual fundraiser at the Amway Arena raised more than $500,000. 1. Jameer Nelson, Ryan Anderson, Larry Tobin, Dwight Howard, Laurie Tobin, Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson

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2. Pamella DeVos, Rich DeVos, Dan DeVos 3. Dwight Howard, J.J. Redick 4. Imani Nelson, Jackie Richardson, Miya Manuel, Andrea Duhon, Megan Bowen, Chelsea Redick

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5. Trish Chard, Rick Walsh, Dr. Richard Lapchick 6. Linda Landman-Gonzalez, Mayor Buddy Dyer, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Alex Martins

6 Dream Gala The Foundation for Seminole State College raised nearly $300,000 at its annual fundraiser, held at the Orlando Marriott Lake Mary.

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7. John Hillenmeyer, Craig Bair, Michael Hsu, Ray Gilley

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8. C.T. Hsu, Gale and John Hillenmeyer 9. Alex Setzer, Scott Howat, Oviedo City Councilwoman Cindy Drago, Wendy Brandon, Catherine Howat, Chuck Drago 10. Ann and David Fuller

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3 Cattle Barons’ Ball Cowboys, cowgirls and Elsie the Cow herded to Rosen Shingle Creek for the annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society’s Central Florida chapter. 1. Amy Leniz, Harris Rosen, Al Harvey 2. Trey Vick, Bill Sullivan

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3. Ashely and Cathy Bacot 4. Borden’s Elsie the Cow with Harris Rosen 5. Mary Deatrick, Tina Ashton, Becky Altmeyer 6. Elsie the Cow with Pearleen Buchala 7. Juan Coriano and Janice Abrew 8. (Front): Trey Vick, Alberta Masmoudi, Amy Leniz; (rear): Michael Feldman, Rona Gindin, Al Harvey 9. Matt Brown (with $400,000 check), Harris Rosen

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One Night

3. Stacey, Sherrie and Marshall Sitarik

The Mall at Millenia hosted Orlando Health’s annual gala and silent auction to benefit Orlando Regional Medical Center’s Level 1 Trauma Center.

4. Robin Kundrick, Susan Kundrick Ono, Glen Kundrick

1. Bethe and Ray Sandhagen, Steve and Deborah Schrimsher, Jeremy Gamble

6. Jane, Tom and Janelle Sittema

5. Gavin and Annette Ford 7. Dr. William and Phaedra Steele

2. Harriett Lake, Shelby Lake WWW.OHLMAG.COM

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4 Starry, Starry Night The annual benefit to fund scholarships for Rollins students was an “Adventure to India” at the school’s Alfond Center. 1. Alan Ginsburg 2. John Sinclair, Kelly Ginsburg, Lewis and Paula Duncan, Gail Sinclair 3. Michael Poole, Laurie Wack, Leslie Poole, Becky Dreisbach, Mary Ruth Houston 4. Ray and Debra Wellman, David and Tere Richard 5. Sam Click, Nancy Schwalb, Sue and Randy Fields

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3 Field of Dreams More than 700 guests gathered at the UCF Arena for the annual gala to benefit the Kids House of Seminole. 1. Dale and Debbie Bennett, Tara and Mike Halaychick 2. Dr. Dan Holsenbeck and Amy Clampitt 3. Dr. Ed and Kristy Magee 4. The World Classic Rockers 5. Tim, Mathy, Michael Hogan

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5 Central Florida Women’s League’s May Luncheon The League held its final luncheon meeting of the season at Rosen Shingle Creek. 6. Suzy Ohara, Julie Thompson, Kitty Mary, Jo Vaughan 7. Pam West, Linda Cardilli 8. Michelle Green, Mickey Cook, Sabrina Samuels

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9. Edi Cronin, Cindy Schooler, Teresa Bernstein, Janet Morrow

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VIEW

On Saturday, May 5, Orlando Home & Leisure photographer Rafael Tongol heard friends and family members talking about that night’s “supermoon” – the moon turning full as it reached its closest approach to the Earth – and decided to post himself at Lake Ivanhoe with his dog, Harlow, and his Canon 7D camera with a 70-200 millimeter lens. He took several photos as the moon rose, then went back to his studio to make a composite. He used Adobe Photoshop to combine three photographs shot within minutes of each other. To share the supermoon LIKE us on Facebook.

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Photo: rafael tongol

SUPERMoon

JUNE 2012

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12:19:30 PM

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