All Shook Up

February 29, 2024

Good morning, Orlando! I hope you’re sitting down when you read this, because it’s more relaxing than standing up. Har har.

In today’s Orlando Signal, Thursday (weekend fun) issue:

  • Free solar panels?

  • A taste of history

  • All shook up

  • + lots of weekend recs

If you enjoy this issue, please forward it to a friend. If you’re that sexy friend, subscribe here.

On with it!

- Philip

P.S. Happy birthday to John Efird 🎉

3 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
Orange County’s Great Solar Give-Away

A unique opportunity has emerged for Orange County residents seeking shelter from climbing electricity costs. Nearly 6,000 solar panels, rescued from the rooftop of the Orange County Convention Center, are being offered absolutely free to anyone who can put them to good use.

These capable panels are the leftovers of a 2009 solar array. Now, the convention center plans an upgrade, and rather than landfill the old panels, sustainability advocates are giving them new life through "The Great Solar Giveaway 2024." Clayton Ferrara, CEO of IDEAS For Us, says this may be the first event of its kind and that the response so far has been incredible.

The giveaway is timely given solar's rapid rise yet Florida's lag in adoption, partly due to utility resistance to incentives. Ferrara hopes this giveaway will inspire more small-scale solar projects statewide.

Though aging, the panels can still enable creative, carbon-free energy solutions off-grid. Jeff Benavides, a former county sustainability officer, joined IDEAS For Us specifically to champion this waste-reducing, solar-spreading initiative.

Fueling Dreams: Immigrant Entrepreneurs Find Yummy Footing at Gas Station

A gas station might seem an unlikely place to find phenomenal food, yet that's what Donna Fang and Franceella Martin have created at East Colonial's Marathon Gas station at 13150 E. Colonial Drive in Orlando.

Under harsh neon lighting, these women draw loyal regulars with Asian fusion and Caribbean flavors honed through family traditions.

Fang carefully folds potstickers behind the counter of Lan's Kitchen, finally building something of her own after years supporting her family's restaurants.

Mere steps away, the rich aromas of Martin's oxtail and curry goat fill France-Ella's Caribbean Cuisine where she channels treasured cooking memories from her Jamaican childhood.

Growth awaits both eateries, though ambitions differ: Martin eyes brick-and-mortar expansion, even franchising her buffet concept, while Fang seeks stability so her boyfriend doesn't have to Uber to support them.

It's been an uncertain path, but resilience lives here too. Old friends and university partnerships offer support, seeds of hope that dreams can flourish even between aisles of snacks and coolers of drinks. Because that's where Fang and Martin shine, that's precisely where dreams start - one noodle bowl, one side of rice at a time.

So next time you fill up, consider filling yourself up too on some unexpectedly phenomenal food. Let your gas station visit be a small detour into these women's remarkable journeys.

A Taste of History at Pine & Oak Tavern

Tucked inside the recently renovated Rio Pinar Golf Course, the new Pine & Oak Tavern marries delicious eats with walls that transport you back in time, lined with trophies and photos of legends like Arnold Palmer who once graced these storied fairways.

Greg Allowe, President of Delaney Hospitality, partnered to modernize the long-shuttered club, while preserving its rich history as home to champions like Lee Trevino and Hal Irwin. More than a stuffy clubhouse, he envisioned Pine & Oak as a stylish gastropub locals would flock to, golfers or not.

Allowe tapped friend and corporate chef Anthony Albino to craft a from-scratch menu unique to the neighborhood. Albino found his passion for cooking from his Puerto Rican grandmother, who filled her kitchen with joy and mouthwatering aromas.

After first working as a mortgage broker, the 2008 market collapse led Albino to reboot and attend Le Cordon Bleu. Today he aims to continue that same spirit of wholesome joy at Pine & Oak. Judging by the empty plates and smiles, he's doing just that - while paying homage to the legends on the walls and fairways that came before.

WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
45th St Patrick's Day Parade 2024


📍Park Ave. 251 Park Avenue South, Winter Park. Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, March 2nd at 9am

For 45 years running, Winter Park has hosted its own world-class St. Patrick’s Day celebration. This year's festivities kick off sharp at 9AM on Sunday, March 2nd as floats, dancers, musicians and more decked out in green wind through downtown for the annual parade.

Leading the pack as Grand Marshal is Father Richard M. Walsh of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, beaming even brighter than the Florida sunshine. Bagpipers fill the air with Irish ballads while the tantalizing aroma of sizzling sausages and stew drift from the parade route's food stalls.

After the parade, the party shifts to Central Park's Main Stage where quick-footed step dancers and authentic Irish bands perform Irish jigs well into the afternoon. From wee toddlers to great grandparents, locals and visitors alike join together each year on this day to celebrate Ireland and get in touch with their Irish roots.

So don your greenest garb and top hats on Sunday for Winter Park's world-class St. Patrick’s Day celebration. You’re sure to find the luck o’ the Irish here!

TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
All Shook Up - An Elvis Presley Musical

📍Garden Theatre. 160 West Plant St, Winter Garden, FL 34787. Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, March 2nd at 2 pm & 7:30 pm

Get ready for a hip-swinging good time down at Winter Garden's historic Garden Theatre, as "All Shook Up" is in town through March 10th.

This fun-loving musical tells the tale of Chad, a motorcycle-riding, guitar-slinging heartthrob who rides into sleepy Smallville. He shook up the upright citizens with pulse-raising hits from the king himself - Elvis!

Even no-nonsense Sylvia, can't resist falling for Chad's charm. Chad rocks the establishment and gets the town dancing to a new tune. As poodle skirts swing and blue suede shoes strut across the Garden Theatre's stage, this rockin’ musical reveals how opening your heart to new rhythms can set your soul free.

Based on Twelfth Night and jam-packed with the King's greatest hits, "All Shook Up" promises a toe-tapping, raucous good time for all ages.

This rock n’ roll fairy tale plays at Winter Garden’s Garden Theatre from now until March 10, so catch it before Chad rides out of town for good!

Courtesy of Bagwell Photography

2024 Orange County Garden Festival & Plant Sale


📍UF/IFAS Extension Orange County, 6021 S. Conway Road, Orlando, 32812. Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, March 2nd from 8:30 am to 3 pm

Prepare to be captivated at the 2024 Orange County Garden Festival & Plant Sale on March 2nd! Centered on the theme "Sustainable Garden Paradise," this lively event celebrates the beauty and resilience of nature through vibrant displays of Florida native plants.

Horticulture experts will be on hand to share advice on crafting thriving, eco-friendly backyard sanctuaries.

Discover the latest sustainable products and techniques for reducing your environmental impact without sacrificing visual splendor. From hands-on workshops to food trucks, inspiration awaits around every corner.

By attending this botanical wonderland, you support local nurseries, vendors, and our dedicated Orange County Master Gardener Volunteers.

Ari Hoenig Trio with Brad Miller and Nick Hetko

📍Timucua, 2000, S Summerlin Ave, Orlando, FL 32806. Map to this location.

🕐 Friday, March 1st at 7:30 pm

Come bear witness to an icon in the making!

Legendary jazz drummer Ari Hoenig is bringing his astonishing rhythmic artistry to mesmerize audiences tomorrow at the Timucua Arts Foundation. Accompanying Hoenig on stage are the dynamic bassist Brad Miller and pianist Nick Hetko, forming an explosive trio guaranteed to bring the house down.

Hoenig's unconventional and intensely musical drumming has earned him global recognition in jazz circles. Growing up immersed in music with a conductor father and pianist mother, Hoenig began nurturing his unique style at age 12 in Philadelphia's vibrant jazz scene. Now 47, he's perfected an unparalleled technique making percussion an integral and elevated part of his compositions.

Prepare to be dazzled when these three versatile virtuosos take the stage! Their chemistry and individual mastery promises a spectacular evening of jazz performance you won't find anywhere else.

MORE WEEKEND HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁 

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

ORLANDO WEATHER 🌤️

Friday

80 🌡️ 65 | 🌤️ | Periods of clouds and sun

Saturday

80 🌡️ 63 | 🌦️ | A thundershower in parts of the area; cloudy in the morning, then clouds and sunshine in the afternoon

Sunday

82 🌡️ 65 | 🌦️ | Periods of clouds and sunshine with a couple of thunderstorms in the afternoon

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THANKS! 🙏

We’ll see you on Monday!

My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal