Getting over the hump of a long flight.

Posted on by Thor

Terry and I have been traveling quite a bit this year. Back in June and July we flew to the Rockies in Canada and in October we disappeared for a month to go to Australia. Flying to the opposite side of the world is exciting until you are half way into the flight. Terry takes some medication right before take off that cuts the edge off of her fear of flying. Not only can she relax, but she can pass out on a dime. While we were waiting on the runway to take off, she got annoyed at the delay. She then fell asleep and several hours later she woke up and called over a stewardess. She asked the stewardess why we hadn’t taken off yet. The stewardess calmly explained that we WERE in the air and had been for quite some time.

I can never fall asleep when flying. This was a real curse of the flight to Australia. I watched all the animated films on the entertainment list. I believe John Hurst, a former Disney colleague got an award for his storyboard work in the opening sequence of Rio 2. It is a pretty impressive sequence with Parrots performing a complex Busby Berkeley Song and flight routine. I just saw a live action film I did early storyboards for. It was exciting to see compositional ideas incorporated in the final film. Some of the cast had changed but the action was true to what I remember.

Sketchbooks, clothes and my carry on were all used in an attempt to create a comfortable sleeping position. The delicate house of cards would always collapse and I would nod awake.

Warming up on Valentines Day at the Mennello Indie-Folkfest.

Posted on by Thor

Most of Valentines Day I was running around town. In the afternoon I taught a two hour Urban Sketching workshop. From there, I drove downtown to drop off several paintings at City Arts Factory. Then as the golden hour lengthened shadows, I rushed to the Mennello Museum‘s Indie-Folkfest. I bumped into Cole Nesmith and his friends on the walk to the museum. He assured me that there were still plenty of people there. I could hear the music as I walked over a foot bridge toward the museum’s sculpture garden. The lawn was covered with people sitting on blankets and lawn chairs.

JUNOsmile was performing on stage so I sat down and immediately got to work on a sketch. JUNOsmile is a collaboration between husband and wife veteran musicians Joseph and Jesse Martins. As they performed, the sun set over the lake behind them. For a few minutes the setting sun was right behind them causing a blinding light. I believe I saw Jesse Martins perform once before with Bubba Whoop ass Wilson out behind Bubalou’s Bodacious Barbecue. She performed a mean fiddle. Children love to approach the stage. They love music and know how to celebrate it. A little girl tapped me on the leg, I suppose I was “it”. Genevieve Bernard who produced the event let me know that earlier in the day the crowds were insane. The day was an undeniable success. People discovered the museum, some of them for the first time.

Eugene Snowden and friends took over the stage at 6pm. By that time the sun had set and he needed to warm up the crowd. There is an unwritten law in Orlando that if you are a musician then at some point you will perform with Eugene. Right from the start he was pulling friends out of the audience so they could play guitar or sing with him. The kids were dancing up a storm now, doing somersaults and cartwheels. Snowden pumped up the energy to a fevered pitch. With my sketch done, I bundled up my sweatshirt sleeves over my fists to make mittens. I clapped my clenched fists and swayed to the beat. Is it odd that I should feel so comfortable being alone at this concert on Valentines day? As the children danced with wild abandon, I felt at peace. The sketch might be hampered by the cold fingers that executed it, but I was doing what gives me the most pleasure on this day by creating.

In the midst of sketching a young woman asked if I was an Urban Sketcher. She knew of my work and said it was an honor to meet me. I’m always shocked when anyone knows about my sketching obsession. She shook my hand and then left me to continue my work. That simple exchange warmed me on that cold night. The final song for the evening was “Lean on me.” Jesse and Joseph Martins returned to the stage to sing along with Jessica Pawli. You could tell that all these musicians were dear friends as they huddled close to the mics to share their love in song. On that note I decided to head home. Joseph shouted out, “Remember we have far more similarities than differences. If you make one person’s day brighter than you are making the world a better place to live. Spread the love today and everyday.”

Weekend Top 6 Picks for February 21st and 22nd.

Posted on by Thor

Saturday February 21, 2015

9am to 3pm Free. The Orlando Wetlands Festival. Orlando Wetlands Park, 25155 Wheeler Rd, Christmas, Florida. The Orlando Wetlands Festival promises to be the “Best Wetlands Festival in the United States!” In addition to numerous guided wildlife and plant life tours, there will be bird-banding and mist-netting demonstrations, as well as live music and wildlife shows. IBEX Puppetry brings  our endangered species puppets to life for your family at the  Orlando Wetlands Park .

6pm to 8pm Free.  Brewery Tour. Orlando Brewing, 1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, Florida.

8am to 10pm Free. Robert Metcalf’s Farewell Reading. Kerouac House 1418 Clouser Ave, Orlando, Florida. Please join us in saying a very fond farewell to our writer-in-residence Rob Metcalf. He will be reading at about 8 p.m. at the Kerouac House.

Sunday February 22, 2015

10am to Noon Free. Super Joy Riders. Eastern entrance of the Lake Eola Farmers’ Market.

 Participants dress as superheroes and ride en masse around the city as they check off their scavenger hunt-like list of Do Gooder Duties; collecting litter, helping senior citizens cross the road, returning shopping carts, basically performing small acts of kindness for an hour and a half of hilarity and love.

The Super Joy Riders: Do Gooder Bike Ride is an exercise in community organizing and active engagement. We hope to use the ride as an opportunity to show how helping people can be simple, fun, and easy, especially while wearing a cape. You + Superhero Costume + Bike = Best Sunday Ever

11am to 5pm Free. Dragon Parade Lunar New Year Festival 2015. Orlando Fashion Square 3201 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, Florida. Lunar New Year is the most important festival celebrated in Asia. In countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States, although Chinese New Year is not an official holiday, many Asian organizations hold large celebrations and parades to share the culture. Cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney and London have already held many successful Lunar New Year Parades which attract thousands and thousands audiences.

This year, Asia Trend Magazine together with Mills 50 – Orlando Main street District, REACH of Central Florida (Recognizing Educating Asian Cultural Heritage) and Y.E.S.S. (Youth Enrichment and Senior Services) joined hands to organize the Central Florida local community Dragon Parade Lunar New Year Festival on February 22th, 2015 to celebrate the Year of the Goat. The festival starts at 11am with a community parade (begins at Orlando Fashion Square Parking lot and ends at Orlando Fashion Square front entrance) followed by a 5-hour festival which takes place at Orlando Fashion Square lobby stage. Come experience the Asian culture with cultural performances, exotic Asian food, Arts and Crafts and exhibitions. Admission is free.

You are invited to be part of this community event by becoming a sponsor, a vendor, or a participant. For vendor and parade information, please email DragonParadeCFL@gmail.com or 407-205-2808.

6pm to 8pm Free, just get a drink or a bite.  Shut Your Face! Poetry Slam by Curtis Meyer! La Casa De La Paellas 10414 E Colonial Dr Orlando Florida. The only current ongoing slam in Orlando officially certified by Poetry Slam Incorporated, IE. Send a team to Nationals as well as poets to The Individual World Poetry Slam & Women of The World Poetry Slam! $50 to the winner! If you’ve never seen or been in a slam before, it’s definitely worth checking out!

INFO: curtisxmeyer@hotmail.com

Nude Nite with a live painting by Marla E. Artist.

Posted on by Thor

On Valentines Eve I went to Nude Nite to get a second sketch. I parked in the same place about a quarter mile up the road and walked to the warehouse venue. On this hike however I tried to jump over a roadside drainage ditch and missed. My right hiking boot sank into the muddy slop up past my ankle before I pulled it out with a slurp. I arrived at Nude Nite with one boot soaking wet and covered in mud. Nude Nite is a pretty swanky affair with women in high heals with sleek low cut dresses. My boot debacle made me feel like Frankenstein. I reassured myself that no one checks out a guys shoes. I tend to cross my legs when seated and drawing and that left the boot dangling out in front of me.

Enough about the slop. I decided to sketch Marla E. Artist who was doing a larger than life painting of a stunning nude model. Marla prepares her canvases with a thick gesso that makes the surface smooth as plaster. She also incorporates even thicker circular patterns that create a surface you are tempted to want to touch.  Marla actually used champagne to thin out her paints. The model had on a long pearl necklace that accentuated the curve of her back. Marla’s painting from the evening before was stored off to the left. When the model took a break, I sketched her one more time as she checked her phone for messages.

Orit Reuben had a pastel nude on display and it sold on the first night. I really should consider hanging work in next year’s show. Then again, the only time I sketch nudes is at Nude Nite. I checked out the couple that were allowing people to snip away one inch pieces of fabric from their outfits. I considered doing a second sketch. The scene was chaos and the crowd so thick that I decided to pass on the sketch opportunity one more time. I needed to get home and slip out of my sopping wet boot.

Nude Nite had a stellar opening night.

Posted on by Thor

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.

Posted on by Thor

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.

Posted on by Thor

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.

Posted on by Thor

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.

Posted on by Thor

“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.

Posted on by Thor

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.