Orlando has obviously more to offer than only theme parks. Sure, Orlando will never compare to NYC, Washington D.C. or Chicago but we shouldn’t overlook culture and art in the City Beautiful. So I encourage everyone to visit the Orlando Museum of Art this Fall to learn a bit more about art and enjoy one of the current exhibitions.
First Thursdays is a great event that takes place every first Thursday of the month at the Orlando Museum of Art. Every month it’s a different theme and local artists are encouraged to enter their work for a chance to be exhibited at the museum that night. There is foods and drinks available and music in the back area of the museum. If you ever wanted to experience how it is to party at a museum, this is your chance! The next First Thursdays, “Orlando’s Original Art Party” will take place on October 1st, 2009 (info below). Check out the OMA web site for more information about First Thursdays.
October 1, 2009 “Rach”-tober: Music Meets Art From Rachmaninoff to Rockabilly. How do sound and vision unite in your world? The focus is on music, musicians and art influenced by music.
The Orlando Museum of Art is located in Winter Park. Here is their complete information. Be sure to visit their site to learn more about current exhibitions and programs. They really have a lot to offer!
One of my favorite condo buildings in Orlando downtown is The Waverly. Every 4th of July in fact I wish I knew someone in the building to watch the fireworks over Lake Eola from here ;o)
The Waverly has about 230 units and features great amenities. Prices here start in the mid 100s for a 1 bedroom unit. Not a bad price to experience the urban lifestyle of Orlando ;o) More info about available units can be found here.
This weekend we went out to celebrate a friend’s b-day in Downtown Orlando. Our first stop was Sky 60, one of my favorite bars/clubs in Orlando. It is a rooftop bar with great music and “South Beach flair”. Nice outdoor couches and white cabana booths create a summer like trendy atmosphere. You will also have great views of the Orlando skyline (looking up) or Orange Avenue. Sky 60’s Saturday drink special is 2 for 1 drinks until 10pm so it is always a great spot to start the night in Orlando (of course only if it doesn’t rain)…
Our next stop led us to Bar-BQ Bar and then over to Wall Street Plaza.
That night the weekly street party at Wall Street Plaza was featuring mechanic bull riding so Jose jumped on and tried his luck. He didn’t last very long, I think the bull threw him off after only 10 seconds. Not that I would have lasted any longer, but it was still very fun to look at ;o)
It was a fun summer night in O-town and I look forward to the next time. Hopefully it will still be warm because I enjoy going out so much more with tropical night time temperatures…
The Shakespeare Theater (with its 3 main theaters and other facilities inside) is located across from the Orlando Museum of Art, next to Loch Haven Park and the Orlando Science Center (which was previously located in the current John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center).
UCF, the University of Central Florida is a partner of the professional Orlando Shakespeare Theater which serves as a faculty member for UCF’s Conservatory Theater and also teaches classes. UCF students often participate in the plays of the Orlando Shakespeare Theater.
What better way to explain what the Shakespeare theater is all about than by quoting the mission statement from their web site:
With Shakespeare as our standard and inspiration, the Orlando Shakespeare Theater produces bold professional theater, develops new plays, and provides innovative educational experiences that enrich our community.
Inside the Orlando Shakespeare Center
There are some very promising plays on the list for the new season and I hope I get to see at least a couple of them. The 2 Shakespeare plays will take place between January and March 2010.
Basti is back in Orlando to celebrate his b-day with Lupe and us, so after a day of shopping at the Prime Outlet Mall in Orlando we decided to eat at McCormick & Schmick’s by the Millenia Mall. I had never been to this elegant seafood restaurant so I was quite excited to be able to try something new. Honestly, the plan though was to go to P.F.Chang’s right next door but the waiting time for a Friday night were just too long… McCormick & Schmick’s on the other hand though was empty! We thought that was quite suspicious so were wondering if it was because of their food… But hey, how could you afford staying in business for so many years in such a hot area as the Millenia Mall if your food isn’t pretty good? So we were quite confident we would get good seafood – and luckily we were not disappointed.
Halibut on Mushroom Couscous
It was quite a challenge to select from their more than complete seafood menu. I finally decided to have the halibut, but there was also a mahi mahi, trout, salmon and sword fish that I would have enjoyed just as much. We all ordered different dishes so we were able to try a bit of each other. Each of us was more than happy with their entree. The serving sizes were just right and flavors were paired to perfection (I rarely say that but this is how I felt about it!). The halibut came on a mushroom couscous with asparagus and fennel. Delicious!
Now, the only thing I have to mention here is that we weren’t too happy with the service and the fact that there was hardly any light outside. Sure, it brought up a bit of a “candle light” atmosphere but honestly, I think if you own a restaurant in Florida you should offer a decent dining option on the outside patio just as much as inside restaurant. Nevertheless, the excellent food made up for this shortcoming and we will gladly return whenever we feel like seafood in Orlando ;o)
The Citrus Club is one of Orlando’s most exclusive and upscale clubs. I was lucky enough to be invited for lunch and dinner at the restaurant in the citrus tower (BB&T building on Orange Avenue) several times in the past and have always enjoyed the amazing views of Orlando from up here. It is not easy to dine here since you have to be a member of the Citrus Club or be invited by a member of this private business club in order get into the restaurant. Needless to say, the membership is quite pricey, if you are interested, check out their web site for more info.
When one of our friends called us today to let us know about a diner invitation he wanted to share with us we were obviously quite excited. And I was even more excited because I knew that I would bring my camera this time to share the experience with everyone People must have been quite amused seeing me running all over the place like a little girl, taking as many pictures as I could. I had to be quick though because in this upscale atmosphere it was maybe not too appropriate…
The service and dinner was exquisite, as expected, and we left happy and stuffed. Below are some more pictures I took on this great evening.
Here is their information:
Citrus Club
255 South Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407.843.1080
BTW, gentlemen, if you are dining here, bring a jacket! Jose did not have one (who could blame him – in this heat?) so he was given a jacket that he had to wear while dining.
The Plaza Cinema Cafe on Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando is a great place to watch the newest movies. But this place is more than just a regular movie theatre. Besides its 12 auditoriums it also offers 2 wine bars/cafes with a complete menu and 2 art galleries. With a location right by Orlando’s nightlife hot spot it makes this cinema complex the perfect place to start a night out in Orlando. You should check it out sometime and sit on those leather seats while enjoying a good movie.
Another attempt at skyline shots of Orlando – this time out of the driving car. I still have to try a shoot from the Lake Ivanhoe location that was suggested, just haven’t had the time yet…
The Colombian cuisine is one of my favorites – of course I am a bit biased here because Jose is from Colombia and I have been there twice now and enjoyed their food and culture very much. Nevertheless, I think a Colombian restaurant is worth your visit so you can from your own opinion. There are quite some Colombian restaurants in the Orlando area. I had previously mentioned “La Antioquena” in Lake Mary, and a favorite of mine is Pollos Marios by the Florida Mall. Today however, we went to Oh Que Bueno on Semoran (there is another one in the Kissimmee area).
This time I ordered one of my favorite Colombian meals: Bandeja Paisa. A bandeja paisa consists of meat (I chose beef), rice, beans, plantains, avocado, an egg (sunny side up, on top of the rice), chicharron (fried pork skin) and an “arepa“, a typical Colombian rice bread. At Oh Que Bueno the dish also includes 2 types of sausage, a morcilla and a regular sausage, both delicious. We ordered some Chimichurri to go with it (this is originally from Argentia, consisting of garlic, oil and parsley it adds some great taste to your meat). With the meal I enjoyed a cold Aguila beer, one of Colombia’s most popular beers, great light taste and very refreshing. The food was phenomenal, the service outstanding! We had a wonderful dinner experience.
In case you still have room after this huge meal (servings really are more than generous), you could also try one of the desserts. We chose the Tres Leche dessert. It was quite good, but I have to say I think entrees are their specialty.
Also, if you like fruit juices and drinks, try one their fruit smoothies, they are delicious and truly a taste of Colombia. I love the mango smoothie (only didn’t have room for it this time…)
Here is their complete info:
Oh Que Bueno Restaurant
1125 S Semoran Blvd
Orlando, FL 32807-1480
Phone: (407) 447-5026
On weekends there is also latin music and dancing. If you are in the mood for some Colombian party life check out Oh Que Bueno on Thursday nights for Spanish karaoke until 2 am, or Fridays and and Saturdays (Ladies Night) for a fun Latin party night, also until 2am. There definitely is plenty of space – this restaurant is quite large and also has a nice covered outside patio area.
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People must have been quite amused seeing me running all over the place like a little girl, taking as many pictures as I could. I had to be quick though because in this upscale atmosphere it was maybe not too appropriate…
