PROHIBITION

January 18, 2024

Reading time: 4.5 minutes

Good afternoon, Orlando! I know it’s “Dry January,” but there’s a few beer related recs in this issue. I just share the recs, I don’t drag you to’em. 🤣

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

  • Science on Tap

  • PROHIBITION

  • Abstract Orlando

  • + lots of weekend recs

Let’s roll!

- Philip

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3 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
Charging Up Florida's School Buses

The aptly named Sunshine State is seeing rays of hope for greener transportation as federal funding charges electric buses into two Florida counties. Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) struck gold with $5 million to expand Florida’s pioneer electric fleet, while Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS) generated a spark with over $500,000 to purchase more than 15 zero-emission buses.

According to University of Central Florida’s Jim Fenton, electric buses could supply backup electricity to power schools when parked, serving as emergency shelters with rooftop solar. Fenton reassures that despite high upfront prices, long-term savings from electric buses will be transformative, as gas buses guzzle expenses while electric buses invest in the future.

With nearly 18,000 buses transporting Florida’s students last year, this support accelerates their district toward a cleaner fleet and builds on their milestone achievements.

More communities may soon feel the spark of renewable transportation, but for now, Central Florida’s school districts absorb rays of hope on the state’s horizon for greener buses.

Discounts and Solidarity: Ivanhoe's Construction Club Card

The sounds of construction have become familiar in Ivanhoe Village, as ongoing road work at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Virginia Drive—the hub of this historic Orlando neighborhood—has brought more than noise.

For small businesses like Gnarly Barley, The Hammered Lamb, Lucky Lure and The Pinery, the blocked roads and limited access have threatened survival. Revenue has sharply declined and some have cut staff or hours.

But Ivanhoe residents are resilient. Business owners have banded together to help each other stay afloat, launching the Ivanhoe Construction Club Card. For just $10, locals can purchase a card that unlocks a 10% discount at participating shops and eateries until March 11th, with proceeds covering losses.

As Pinery owner John Baker puts it, Ivanhoe has weathered storms before as a community. But this road construction has been especially painful. The card brings more customers so businesses can keep lights on and people employed.

With card in hand, you can save a few bucks while supporting neighbors in need. That's a win-win for all.

Orlando Charity Delivers Fresh Start for Injured Vet

James Klingensmith’s life path dramatically changed in 2009 when a rocket-propelled grenade took part of his left leg during combat in Afghanistan. Forced into medical retirement, he wondered what the future held.

This past Saturday, over a decade later, Klingensmith received the keys to a newly built, donated home in Orlando equipped with over 40 customized adaptations to meet his needs. The home is a gift from Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit helping injured veterans rebuild independent lives.

Klingensmith expressed profound gratitude not only for the home but for the charity’s selfless support of veterans. The fully accessible home represents restored freedom and independence sacrifices he made for our country. Homes for Our Troops CEO Tom Landwermeyer stressed the duty we have as citizens to care for injured veterans.

In November, over 130 volunteers gathered to finish the home’s landscaping in a remarkable display of gratitude. With this fresh start, Klingensmith can finally look ahead to better possibilities, thanks to an organization dedicated to giving post 9/11 veterans like him the best possible new beginning.

WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
Orlando Science Center - Science on Tap

📍Loch Haven Park. Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, January 20, 2024

Science and suds collide at Orlando Science Center's "Science on Tap" beer festival on January 20th, an alluring blend of experimentation and fundraising. For 4 hours, from 1pm (12pm for VIPs), revelers can sample lip-smacking libations from over 30 brewmasters unlocked with an event ticket. Imbibers interact with engaging exhibits between sips, with VIPs gaining early entry and extra pours.

Beyond beer, live music and lawn games let all partakers play. Food trucks line up to serve snacks for purchase to would-be physicists and chemists.

Funds raised fuel the science center's mission to unveil science's marvels through transformative, skill-building experiences.

So raise a glass to the intersection of hops, hydraulics, and Newton's laws at this yeasty celebration! With your designated driver secured, let the ale alchemy and scientific discovery flow.

Just don't get so carried away you forget Avogadro’s number!

💥 Mea Culpa on the not-so-dry January rec above: Leader Brewing, a non-alcoholic craft brewery is sampling their beer at this event.

TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
PROHIBITION

📍STEINMETZ HALL. 445 South Magnolia Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801 Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, January 20, 2024. 3:30 & 7pm

Embark on a captivating journey through the dimly lit cabarets and clandestine speakeasies that once thrived in the heart of New York, Paris, Berlin, London, and Atlantic City. Picture yourself time-traveling to the mesmerizing 1920s, a decade steeped in decadence, where Prohibition fueled the rise of Gangsters, Ingenues, and a web of Intrigue.

Let the allure of PROHIBITION sweep you away and navigate the musical landscape from crooning melodies. Experience the soulful compositions of Kurt Weill and the ground-breaking jazz of King Oliver, all brought to life by the masterful orchestration of GRAMMY-winner Jeff Tyzik. Every note, every beat, authentically arranged to transport you back in time.

PROHIBITION is not just a show; it's a vivid tapestry woven with the threads of history. An era that defined an unforgettable chapter in the world's cultural narrative.


📍Enzian Theater. 1300 Orlando Ave, Maitland, FL 32751 Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, January 20th at 11am

Enzian Theater invites you to step out of the present and into a tangled web of time travel and apocalyptic intrigue during their upcoming screening of the 1995 sci-fi thriller 12 Monkeys.

On Saturday, January 20, the theater proudly presents Terry Gilliam’s award-winning tale of a convict named James Cole who unwillingly becomes humanity’s final hope. Played brilliantly by Bruce Willis, Cole is sent barreling back through time from the 2030s to the 1990s to gather clues about a soon-to-come plague guaranteed to decimate Earth's population.

Inspired by director Chris Marker’s avant-garde 1962 film La Jetée—which also served as the muse for entrepreneur Joseph Todd's atmospheric Ivanhoe Village perfumery La Jetée—Gilliam’s movie masterfully fuses a Hitchockian wrong-man plot with the ethical dilemmas posed by the possibility of time travel.

Following the screening, physics lecturer Dr. James Cooney from the University of Central Florida will transport the discussion even deeper into the film’s philosophical framework. As co-host of the popular astronomy podcast Walkabout the Galaxy, Cooney enjoys guiding cosmic explorations, making him the perfect guide to unravel 12 Monkeys’ mind-bending science and speculative fiction.


📍11062 International Dr #148, Orlando, FL 32821. Map to this location.

🕐 Wed & Thu: 12 pm - 7 pm, Fri & Sat: 12 pm - 9 pm, Sun: 12 pm - 7 pm

Budding Picassos and Monets alike have found their creative haven at Abstract Orlando's wildly popular Fluid Art Classes. Taught by their expert art instructors, these workshops reveal the secrets behind the spellbinding Dutch pour painting technique. Students watch in awe as instructors demonstrate how common acrylics can transform into dazzling fluid art pieces with mesmerizing swirls, texture and depth when layered and poured.

After custom mixing an array of vivid paints, students apply their newfound skills while receiving hands-on guidance. Wave swiping, precise paint pouring and striking color combinations all culminate into stunning abstract creations that exceed expectations.

The studio's special touch? After class concludes, students' one-of-a-kind pieces remain onsite for professional resin coating – the finishing detail that enhances visual pop and preserves the artworks.

MORE WEEKEND HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁 

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

ORLANDO WEATHER 🌤️

Friday

73🌡️ 44 | 🌩️ | Cloudy, becoming breezy in the afternoon with a thunderstorm

Saturday

58🌡️ 35 | 🌤️ | Cooler and less humid with sunshine and a few clouds

Sunday

62 🌡️ 49 | 🌤️ | Breezy and cool with partial sunshine

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THANKS! 🙏

We’ll see you on Monday!

My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal