Nude Nite had a stellar opening night.

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Nude Nite is a dazzling art and entertainment event celebrating the beauty of the nude. It brings together hundreds of artists for three evenings of visual art, performance and a cast of characters both in costume and out. Open to the public, tickets can be purchased at the door. This year the event took over an empty warehouse at 5051 LB McLeod Rd. Orlando FL. Tree trunks outside the venue gave a visual clue that you had arrived along with the line of cars waiting to park. Valet parking is $10 so I drove down the road a distance to find self parking.

Once inside, I quickly walked around searching for a subject to sketch. Since most performers were nude or partly nude, the choices were overwhelming. On a stage with butterfly wings as a backdrop, a figure squirmed inside a dark fabric cocoon. Later in the evening she was free of the cocoon and gracefully flapping her wings. There was a staging area for Marla E. Artist who began a life sized nude painting of a nude female model on one of her thick impasto canvases.

In the furthest reaches of the warehouse, I found these two men hard at work. A large ball of electric wiring sat between them. They were pealing away the plastic casings from wires to expose the inner copper wire. The copper wire was then cut into one foot lengths and stacked in a neat pile. A video camera taped the whole process and a black and white projection filled the back wall. As I sketched, I realized that the projection showed a different time. It didn’t sync with the live action performance. What does it all mean? Who knows. Art I guess. The crowds weren’t too dense on opening night, but I’m always amazed at how many people are shooting photos. You can tell the amateurs with their red laser beams and flashes. They should learn to sketch, it is far less disruptive.

After my sketch was done, I packed up to get right back home. As I left, there was a huge crowd with their cell phones raised to take photos of some unfolding action. Linda Saracino who was with her friend Lillian Verkins explained that there was a clothed couple standing on display in front of the mob. People standing in line were given a chance to take a pair of scissors and cut away a one inch square of fabric. As each square was removed, the couple was slowly unclothed. I would think two strategic snips could make the outfits quickly fall to the floor, but I suppose the cuts were supervised in a grid pattern. I never did see over the crowd to find out. Before I left, I was once again tempted by a sketch opportunity when I saw a nude woman painted silver and elevated on stilts which were hidden under a graceful silver skirt. She was Voguing for photographers however which made her an unpredictable twisting turning subject to sketch. Oh well perhaps I’ll catch her tomorrow night. Parking near a large event like this I always fear that my car might get towed for profit. Thankfully it was where I left it.

Magic and Mayhem brings laughter and amazement to resort guests.

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Ilene Lieber  made me aware of Magic and Mayhem which is an award winning dinner show at Sheraton Vistana Resort in Lake Buena Vista (8800 Vistana Centre Drive, Orlando, FL 32821). The Resort was just one block away from where Disney
put me up when I first came to Orlando as an animation intern. The show is in a new venue, the Fountains Recreation Center, home of the Tacky Tiki Grill and Bar. The magic happens in  the Fountains Room just inside the main doors. I arrived about half an hour early to get a jump on the sketch. James Songster, the show’s founder and director was at the door to welcome me. Performing with James that night was Art Thomas the managing producer of Magic and Mayhem. 0n some nights James’s son Joshua performs in Art’s place. Both James and Art worked at Disney and that background inspires the family friendly show.

James founded Magic and Mayhem in 1997. Each year, Magic and Mayhem Productions presents over 400 performances
of engaging, family-friendly and theatrical comedy magic at a variety of
venues including festivals, special events and banquets. In addition,
they also offer corporate workshops and seminars where they provide
custom magic-based team building exercises. Before the show, James and I had a talk about how magic is experiencing a bit of a revival on TV. The winner of last season’s “America’s Got Talent” was a magician. He didn’t do lavish show stopping tricks but rather interacted one on one with the judges. In an age of constant social media, I think people are hungry for more direct and intimate forms of entertainment. This is exactly what Magic and Mayhem offers.

Just before the doors opened, someone wished James,”Good luck.” A waitress was putting out large pitchers of drinks on the tables. She set a tray on a table and lifted the pitcher which was keeping the tray in balance. Drinks, glasses and ice cubes crashed to the floor. This was clearly the Mayhem portion of the show. Never tell a performer “good luck” the results can be disastrous. Tell them “break a leg” or “merde” instead. Broken glass was still being swept up as guests arrived.

The show itself went off without a hitch. Art worked as James’s straight man and at times a doubting Thomas. One particularly humorous act involved James recreating a vaudeville act his father used to do. It involved two yellow cylinders. Inside one cylinder James placed a wine bottle and in the other he placed a cup. After shouting a magical invocation, he glanced in the cylinders and dramatically announced that the glass and bottle had switched places. He took a dramatic bow. Art however, pointed out that the audience had never seen the items after the switch. As they argued about it, the magic became real.

One act involved the participation of a beautiful female volunteer. It was essentially a card trick in which James guessed which card his volunteer had picked. What astonished me was that a clear balloon was blown up and somehow the card appeared inside the balloon. Little kids in the audience would shout with delight. I was just as swept away. It is the little things that amaze me.

For more information on Magic and Mayhem’s comedy magic show offerings,
appearances, workshops and for booking inquiries to be a part of your
next special event, call 407-222-4412 or visit www.MagicandMayhemShow.com. Sadly, only guests who are staying at the Sheraton are able to see the Dinner show. It would be nice if there was a venue where locals could experience some magic for themselves.

Magic And Mayhem was named #1 Dinner Show By Orlando A-List.

Trying to escape from the Sydney Holiday Inn.

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We left for Australia on October 14th and arrived on the morning of October 16th. With all the time zone changes and the date line, we managed to loose a whole day while in the air. Since I couldn’t sleep a wink, it felt like I had been awake for two whole days. We arrived in Sydney exhausted and spent. There was a long line, or as Aussies refer to it, a quay for the taxis. Since the country is on the opposite side of the world, everyone drove on the wrong side of the road. I flushed a toilet in the airport as well to see if the water drained down in the opposite direction. It did. I verified this by texting a friend and asking which way the draining tornado twisted in Orlando.

Most of the foliage is similar to tropical plants in Orlando. It was Fall in Orlando but Spring in Australia. Flowers bloomed everywhere but there were plenty of billboards to break up the beauty. Sydney has plenty of old historical buildings. I loved the old, well established neighborhoods we passed as we drove into the city proper. Downtown Sydney is modern, with new skyscrapers rising up everywhere. The newer buildings seem to defy gravity being slender slivers of glass and metal.

The Sydney Holiday Inn (55 George Street Sydney, 
2000
Australia) is located right near the famous Sydney bridge and from the roof of the hotel it is possible to see the opera house. Terry and I just needed to rest and unfortunately the hotel didn’t have a room ready for us. The lobby had lime green 6O’s styled couches. I tried to nap on the couch but the urge to sketch took over. Terry got annoyed and started looking for other hotels downtown that might have a vacancy. She worked her iPhone diligently calling one hotel after another. The clerk behind the desk noticed her making the calls and soon enough we were given room keys. When we got in the room, I dropped my suitcase, pulled back the sheets and fell asleep in seconds. The sights would just have to wait.

Leaving on a jet plane.

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On October 14th, Terry and I left for a month long trip to Australia. Terry was an exchange student for her senior year in high school and her Lauriston Australia class mates were holding their snurfurtieth reunion. I went along for the ride. Australia is about as far away from Florida as you can get. Getting there is an all day affair involving a stop over in Los Angeles California. My one view of LA on this trip was the Scoreboard bar in the airport. Sports events played on the ten or so TV screens above the bar as tired travelers drank in an attempt to relax.

I wish I could sleep in flight. I tried every possible way to rest my head against the bulk head or on a pile of clothes. My neck hurts, just thinking about that flight. I keep thinking that a large beach ball would be the perfect way to wedge myself into a rest full position.  Terry seemed to slumber through most of the flight thanks to the pills she popped right before take off. I spent most of my idle time watching movies on the seat back screen in front of me. It was a 24 hour entertainment marathon. There even was a camera mounted on the tail of the plane, so you could watch the flight as if it was a video game. That camera view is nerve wracking however if you watch as the plane lands. I’ve used quite a few flight simulators and I began to question the pilots flight pattern on the approach into LA. He weaved left and then right. I was so thankful that he did finally manage to find the runway.

Division The Trayvon/Jordon Project opens a discussion on bridging the divide.

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“Division The Trayvon/Jordon Project” was one year in the making. John DiDonna co-wrote and directed the production in which his students conducted about 140 hours of interviews with people who were intimately involved in the aftermath of the two killings. The students had to learn the important art of listening. Most people only listen with the intent of coming up with an abrupt response. With some interviews the students might have wanted to argue points being discussed. As one character in the production noted, “You have to check your shit at the door.”

This is the second installment in a trilogy of theatrical productions that examine these Central Florida events. Part one was a Beth Marshal production called “The Trayvon Martin Project” which was staged in the same Valencia Black Box Theater in October of 2014. Division is the second installment and the third will be a production called “Hoodies” which will be staged at this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival.

What was incredible about this world premiere, is that many of the people interviewed showed up to see the production.  Francis Oliver is the Sanford activist who managed to bring in 50,000 demonstrators into Sanford as people reacted to Trayvon Martin’s death. She sat in the front row with her blond curly locks setting her apart from the crowd. John DiDonna told me several times about what a beautiful person she is. It turns out that her son is moving into a home right next to John. Avis-Marie Barnes plays Francis’s part in the play and her steadfast determination echos throughout the production.

Photo Journalist Barry Kursch is played by Dean Walkuski in the production. He started taking pictures for the media at the tender age of 17 but after years of documenting violence, he has grown tired of documenting the dark side of human nature. The media have become more interested in clicks and views on the internet. Stating an opinion is now more important than accurately covering the news. He shot photos of all the demonstrations in both Sanford and Jacksonville.

Also in the audience was Ron Davis, who is the father of Jordon Davis who was shot and killed while seated in the back seat of a car in a gas station because Michael David Dunn didn’t like the music that was playing.  Ron Davis was born in Harlem. His son saw a photo of Trayvon with a hoodie on and he said, “Dad, that looks like me.” Six months later, Jordon was shots. Ron Davis has been fighting the stand your ground statute. “It has brought us back to the dark ages” he said. People with guns have no responsibility to retreat. It was first written with the intention that a gun in a home would keep you safer. Then it was extended to people having guns in their glove compartments in their cars. Whenever shots arc fired, there is often collateral damage, people are killed who were innocent bystanders, like a girl who was recently shot in a club in downtown Orlando. Stand your ground means families of people shot for no good reason can not seek criminal or civil damages. Ron wants us to seek to change the statute from “Stand your ground” to Duty to retreat.”

This show addresses stereotypes and Florida itself has become a national stereotype. A student who was considering going to college in Florida was told by friends, “don’t go there, you’ll get shot.” People from all walks of life were interviewed for this play. What emerged was a very human story, not just a black and white issue. Ron found that other countries consider the United States is guilty of human rights violations. We need to teach the next generation the principles of love and acceptance. We are all traveling through life on this tiny sphere together. We are stronger when we work together rather than being divided. This play had me choked up quite a few times. It is a good first step towards opening a dialogue towards change.

WHAT:
“Division: The Trayvon/Jordan Project”
A World Premiere Docudrama

WHO:
The Valencia College Theater
Written and Directed by John DiDonna
Written in collaboration with Valencia students

William Adkins, Aidan Bohan-Moulton, Carolyn Ducker, Phillip Edwards,
Nathan Jones, Anneliese Moon, Elina Moon, Dennis Ramos, Stelson Telfort,
Michael Sabbagh.


WHEN:
Only 2 Performances Left
Feb 14 and 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Feb 15 at 2 p.m.
WHERE:
Building 3, Black Box Theater
Valencia College East Campus, Performing Arts Center
701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando, FL.

TICKETS:
$12 general admission
$10 for Valencia students, faculty, staff and senior citizens
Box Office: 407-582-2900
Online: www.valenciacollege.edu/arts

Weekend Top 6 Picks for February 14th and 15th.

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Saturday February 14, 2015 Valentines Day!

10:30am to 5pm Free. Old Florida Outdoor Festival. Northwest Recreation Center 3710 Jason Dwelley Parkway Apopka, FL.  Puppet parades, workshops and crafts, and our musical garden in Apopka, Florida for a weekend highlighting the outdoor lifestyle! The Old Florida Outdoor Festival will feature birding, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, Highwaymen art, kids activities, a local farmer’s market, backyard chili cook-off, Dock Dogs, and Florida Barbecue Association BBQ cook-off.

2pm to 7pm Free. Indie-Folkfest. The Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 East Princeton Street, Orlando, FL. A new Valentine’s day twist on an old tradition! The Mennello Museum of American Art updates the traditional Orlando Folk Festival with a new Valentine’s Day family affair, with music, special picnic-box cuisine, craft cocktails, music and art. A free sweetheart of an afternoon and evening, from 2 p.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, February 14th in the Sculpture Gardens, overlooking the lake. The very best aspects of the annual Orlando Folk Festival come together for the debut Indie-Folkfest at The Mennello Museum – and it will all be squeezed into one special afternoon and evening on Valentine’s Day 2015.

Mark your calendar for this free affair that’s a gift from the museum’s City of Orlando Board of Trustees. The festival is produced by Genevieve Bernard, also producer of the Kids Fringe Festival that arrives in May to the same grounds of the Mennello Museum. Holding down the music stage is the irrepressible Joseph Martens and his sweetheart of a wife, Jessie. The couple will play emcees to the string of local musicians, as well as perform as their duo project, Juno Smile. Also confirmed to play is Eugene Snowden of The Legendary JCs. And there will be a special Twilight Concert to finish off the evening! The artist marketplace will take on a sweeping Valentine theme, with art and crafts for sale by longtime festival favorites, as well as newcomers. Create custom Valentine’s Day cards and ribbon sticks at the make-and-take art station. Bring a picnic basket or indulge in our special picnic-box cuisine developed by local establishments, which will be available for sale, along with extraordinary craft cocktail.

6pm to Midnight $25 Nude Nite. Warehouse 5051 LB Mcleod Rd. Orlando FL.

TICKETS: Available online or at door  (ATM onsite) $25

WHO: 21 and Over, ID Required

PARKING: Valet/Self Parking

FOOD: Provided for Purchase by Uncommon Catering

Beef
Tenderloin Slider, Portabella Mushroom Slider, Cheese Plate, Antipasti
Plate, Crab Cakes, Tuna Nachos, Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

Sunday February 15, 2015.

 5:30pm to 7:30pm $7 Southern Fried Sunday’s After-Folk Fest Show w/ PALEFACE, Hannha Harber (Band), Heckfire & Joseph Martens! (Thomas Wynn & Daniel Hanson at Indies). Will’s Pub 1042 N Mills Ave, Orlando, Florida. We are thrilled that we’re teaming up with The Mennello Museum of American Art’s Indie-Folk Fest to make February 14th & 15th a sweetheart weekend of music! Southern Fried Sunday at Will’s Pub on 2/15 will feature sets by touring duo, indie ­folk icon, Ramseur Records recording artist PALEFACE, along with Hannah Harber with a full band, HECKFIRE & an opening set by Indie-Folk Fest host Joseph Martens PLUS after show sets at lil indies by Thomas Wynn and Daniel Hanson! SFS BBQ Dinner provided by Will’s Pub, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s NOONER Pilsner is included in the $7 Cover and will be yumm’d up by Mykal Williams and Poca’s Hottest Sauces.
SFS will have a booth at Saturday 2/14’s packed full of talent event at The Mennello (details below). We hope to C’ya for an entire weekend of Folk Art and Music, Love and Community Fun! 5:30pm Doors, 6:00pm Show & Dinner (served til it’s gone).

7pm to 10pm Free. The Kerouac House Book Club discusses Dharma Bums! Kerouac House 1418 Clouser Ave, Orlando, Florida. The first quarterly Kerouac House Book Club discussion. For our first, we’ve selected Dharma Bums, the book Kerouac wrote while in the house on Clouser.

Dharma Bums will be available for purchase at Bookmark It, so grab a copy and join us in our discussion in the very space the book was written! That’s right — Rob Metcalf, the current writer in residence, has graciously invited us into the house for the discussion of the book.

“Happy. Just in my swim shorts, barefooted, wild-haired, in the red fire dark, singing, swigging wine, spitting, jumping, running—that’s the way to live. All alone and free in the soft sands of the beach by the sigh of the sea out there, with the Ma-Wink fallopian virgin warm stars reflecting on the outer channel fluid belly waters.”
― Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

9pm to 11pm Free. Emily Ellyn’s Cutthroat Kitchen Viewing Party! Tin Roof Orlando 8371 International Dr Suite 100, Orlando, Florida. Emily invites you to join the fun while we watch her appearance on Food Network’s hit show “Cutthroat Kitchen.” Enjoy food and drink specials while the action unfolds on 10+ large-screen televisions – all at Orlando’s newest (Emily approved) Retro-Rad joint! 

It’s a reunion of sorts, between Emily and (her Food Network mentor) Alton Brown, who haven’t seen each other since filming Next Food Network Star. Don’t miss the action as Emily competes for a chance to win $25,000 and be crowned winner of Cutthroat Kitchen. Special surprise guest judge too! PLUS, Emily will be giving away 2 tickets to the culinary event of the year “Appetite for the Arches” benefiting Ronald McDonald House – a $400 value.

Division The Travon/Jordan Project is based on hundreds of hours of interviews.

Posted on by Thor

On February 10th I went to the final dress rehearsal for the original docudrama, written and directed by John DiDonna, called “DIVISION The Trayvon/Jordan Project”. For those unfamiliar with the incidents that hit so close to home, Trayvon Martin was a young black man walking home from a store who was shot to death on the evening of February 26, 2012 by a neighborhood watch coordinator named George Zimmerman. The shooting of Jordan Davis occurred on November 23, 2012, at a gas station in Jacksonville, Florida.
He was a 17-year-old African American high school
student, who was fatally shot by Michael David Dunn, a 45-year-old software
developer from Brevard County. The incident began when Dunn asked Davis and his companions to turn down the loud music. George Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder and of manslaughter charges. The Michael Dunn jury was unable to return a unanimous verdict on a charge of first-degree murder, the judge declared a mistrial on that count. Dunn was convicted, however, on three counts of attempted second-degree murder for firing at three other teenagers who were with Davis and one count of firing into a vehicle. Dunn’s retrial for first-degree murder began the week of September 22, 2014. Dunn was found guilty October 1, 2014, and was sentenced to a mandatory
sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole on October 17, 2014.

To create this project, students conducted over 150 hours of interviews with people involved in the cases.  What results is an open raw dialogue about Division and racism in America. I identified deeply with a female reporter played by Danielle Marie Irigoyen who covered the story. She confided that she cried when she listened to 911 calls made the night Trayvon was shot. I remember having the same gut wrenching reaction when I listened to them to help write about events as they unfolded. As a journalist you are supposed to be dispassionate when you report the news. This story was different. She had a sound technician analyze the audio and he concluded that Trayvon Martin could be heard pleading for his life moments before the gunshot silenced the night. This evidence wasn’t allowed in court because not everyone is convinced that the new technology is 100% accurate.

“That’s Just the Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby was playing on the sound system as the audience arrived, followed by “Imagine” by John Lennon. The large cast began their discussion about division, with everyone shouting while no one listened. projected on the screen was “We are…” anyone in Sanford or Central Florida knows the response is “Trayvon”. In a riveting moment, the entire cast turned to the screen to read the “Stand Your Ground” statute. It was Machiavellian with every word seeming more insane. It is a license to kill. Much of the production felt like an intimate, heated class discussion. Barry Kirsch a talented local photographer was the official photographer of the Trayvon Martin case. It was fascinating to see his opinions molded around a character played by Dean Walkuski in the play. Some actors were built around the opinions of many different people while others stood expressed one person’s opinion. The show isn’t about reliving the horrors of each case, but instead focuses on how those events influenced communities both near and far.

The play opens a much needed discussion. After each performance there will be a talk back with the audience so the discussion can continue. Staying silent and hoping that these violent acts will stop isn’t a solution. Change only comes from the concerted efforts of a few. When Sanford was torn by the Trayon Martin shooting many people felt the incident would pass quietly away. However, one local woman played by Avis-Marie Barnes worked the phones and ultimately over 50,000 people converged on Sanford to demonstrate. Even if one person listens, and you change their mind, then you’ve changed the world. What are you going to do to help change the world? Don’t miss this production. Join the discussion.

WHAT:
“Division: The Trayvon/Jordan Project”
A World Premiere Docudrama

WHO:
The Valencia College Theater
Written and Directed by John DiDonna
Written in collaboration with Valencia students

William Adkins, Aidan Bohan-Moulton, Carolyn Ducker, Phillip Edwards,
Nathan Jones, Anneliese Moon, Elina Moon, Dennis Ramos, Stelson Telfort,
Michael Sabbagh.


WHEN:
Only 6 Performances
Feb 11, 12, 13, 14 and 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Feb 15 at 2 p.m.
WHERE:
Building 3, Black Box Theater
Valencia College East Campus, Performing Arts Center
701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando, FL.

TICKETS:
$12 general admission
$10 for Valencia students, faculty, staff and senior citizens
Box Office: 407-582-2900
Online: www.valenciacollege.edu/arts

She went in like a lamb and came out like a tiger.

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The make up preparation work by  Nick Herrera on Anya took hours to do. All of their patient work would be used for a poster photo shoot for Nude Nite. Since it was only mid-afternoon, I took the luxury of starting a second sketch. This time I moved in closer to the model so I could catch all the detail work being done on her face. Nick used an airbrush to add the subtle coloring on her facial fur. He added longer sheets of fur around her jaw leading up to her ears and blended it in. Make up on the table sported the label “SFX” which was the only visual clue that Nick had been on SYFY’s Naked Vegas and Face Off shows. Actually SFX or “Special Effects” might be a generic brand of make up, but I choose to think he won it from his time on those reality shows.

I finished this sketch just as Nick was about to start doing the body painting on Anya’s torso. Before they started, I got up to shake Nick’s hand and thank him for letting me sketch the creative process. Nick asked me to wait a moment and he rushed off. He came back with a little milk crate and placed it beside me. He gave Anya his cell phone and asked her to take a photo of the two of us. He then stood on the milk crate beside me. I joked that he had been in LA for too long. He replied “If it is good enough for Tom Cruise, its good enough for me.”

Mark your Calendar and don’t miss Nude Nite! All artwork on display is of the nude figure. There are also burlesque
dancers body painters and experimental art that defies description. The
event runs from February 12 to 14th in Orlando in a warehouse (5051 LB Mcleod Road, Orlando FL). Each night, festivities begin from 6pm to Midnight. Tickets are $25 online or at the door. Spice up your Valentines Day at Nude Nite.

Nude Nite Poster required hours of make up preperation.

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Kelly Stevens, the director of Nude Nite let me know that Nick Herrera the body painter (who is known for his roles on SYFY’s Naked Vegas and Face Off shows) was sculpting a tiger prosthesis for our Model Anya’s face. It takes 3 hours to create the effect.  The photo shoot would be at the Orange Studio (1121 North Mills Avenue, Orlando, FL). When I walked in the back door, there was a small section of the space that was blocked off with movable walls and curtains. It was a bit like a temporary triage area. Anya and her mom were waiting for Nick to begin. He already had the face prosthesis made that would give Anya a tiger’s shaped nose.

Nick had borrowed a several thousand dollar toy that somehow adds fur to any surface using static electricity. The device looked like a large policeman’s flashlight. The fur was cut up and put in the head of the device. It was then plugged in and Nick tapped it like he was a chef adding pepper to a dish. As if by magic the fur appeared on the prosthesis. It could then be combed and  trimmed if needed. I’ve never seen anything like that before.

Anya sat in the model’s chair and Nick took much care in getting the edges of the prosthesis to flow smoothly into her skin. He had a photo of a tiger’s face on a tablet and he quickly blocked in the orange and white color pattern on her face. Anya seemed rather quiet and reserved, but as Nick worked his magic, she began to look fierce and menacing. Nick took about 5 hours to create the Tiger, so he was there
from approximately 3pm until shoot time at 7pm preparing her. Body painting,
tiger glowing contacts, prosthesis (ears, cheekbones, nose, etc.) The photo shoot was supposed to happen by 7pm, so Nick had to work fast. The photographer was Charity DeMeer and Art Director Jeff Matz of Lure Design.

Mark Your Calendars! Nude Nite is one event in Orlando and Tampa that you really have to experience.  All artwork on display is of the nude figure. There are also burlesque dancers body painters and experimental art that defies description. The event runs from February 12 to 14th in Orlando in a warehouse (5051 LB Mcleod Road, Orlando FL). Each night, festivities begin from 6pm to Midnight. Tickets are $25 online or at the door. Spice up your Valentines Day at Nude Nite.

A thunderous ride in an urban assault vehicle.

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October 7th was the 31st anniversary of National Night Out which is an opportunity for police, firefighters and EMS to share their toys with the community. I went to the Winter Park Police Department, (500 N Virginia Ave, Winter Park, Florida), to see what this evening was about. The national event sponsor “ADT” was on site along with a multitude
of corporate and local businesses to present various items and ideas to
aid in crime prevention.The first thing to catch my eye was this huge urban assault vehicle. It looked like a cross between a Humvee and a tank. Every kid who saw it wanted to scramble inside. Parents would joke that they just wanted to take it out for a quick spin. The tiny port holes were bullet proof. Once behind the driver’s seat the kids could imagine themselves driving through Winter Park’s war torn streets.

A clown burst a balloon which set the K-9 German Shepard on edge.  There was free soda and hot dogs and officers were on hand to answer any questions. There was a heavy flack jacket that people could try on. A ten year old boy put it on and it hung down to his knees. I’m surprised he didn’t fall over from the weight. Winter Park Lost Pets sponsored the Pet Safety Section of the event. They offered micro chipping, nail trims and giveaways. A fire truck was outside the station and kids scrambled around it as well. On a table next to me there were assault rifles and battering rams that people could handle. There was however no ammunition and I assume the safety’s were on the rifles.

With my sketch done, I ordered a hot dog off the grill and enjoyed it on my walk back to my car.