Tic Toc Thrift, Vintage and Vinyl Market

Posted on by Thor

True Serenity at 1100 Montana St. Mills 50, Orlando FL, is the site of a weekly pop-up market with merchandise, fine art, performers, outdoor film screenings, lots was also the of vintage items and a huge selection of vinyl records from Apartment E‘s massive collection. Stop by on Wednesdays, 3-10 p.m. through Novembers 25th.

I rather liked the quiet neighborhood of bungalows around True Serenity, and I was surprised to see several empty lots which added to the open green space.  As I approached I could hear the music, and I knew to simply follow it to the source. Frankie Messina who organized the Tic Toc Thrift Vintage and Vinyl Market, was also the DJ, for the evening, spinning vinyl records and projecting documentaries on a portable movie screen. There was a massage station in the corner near the cascading waterfall. Right next to True Serenity there is a grass covered empty lot, and next Wednesday Frankie plans to project the movies  over there so that bicyclists can just stop by and relax on the lawn and watch a movie. I got to meet True Serenity’s owner, Tara Chiavetta who was our hostess for the evening. If you haven It been to True Serenity, then to u are missing a hidden gem just off Mills Avenue.

Besides the records for sale inside, there were original T-shirts, and some art for sale in the back yard which had a meandering stone path. Overall the space had a rustic soothing as an vibe. True Serenity offers gentle yoga, Chakra healing workshops, energy readings, and Reiki Circles. I looked around inside, and the place is amazing. There is a fresh water fish tank in the front entry and cherry blossom murals covered several walls. The mural was illuminated by a black light which made the blossoms glow a magical iridescent pink. Ray Rodriguez, a local musician gave a pop-up performance on his saxophone. It is spontaneous acts of creativity and kindness that make this type of evening so magical.

As The event was winding down and the vendors started packing up, I got a chance to talk to Frankie and his Co. director Brian Barnett.  Frankie told me that he plans to have a UHaul truck set up at the upcoming Creative City Project in downtown Orlando on October 17th. Plans are still in flux, but he had to give the organizers a title for the installation. His first thought was a patriotic red, white and blue but the exhibit is about how Orlando has been documented over the years. So he blurted out read, write and blue. As he thought about it over night, blue didn’t make sense, so he revised the title to Read, Write and Drew. There will be a staggering number of performances and art installations at the Creative  City Project. La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil, Orlando Ballet, Central Florida Community
Arts Orchestra, Orlando City Soccer Club, a 1000 student marching band,
the Downtown Arts District, and dozens of other artists and performers
bring the streets of Downtown Orlando to life.

500 Days of Summer

Posted on by Thor

While traveling I’ll be posting sketches from that were not posted from 2009. This sketch was done at the Enzian Theater before seeing 500 Days of Summer. The film was about a summer romance. The guy was head over heels in love but the girl didn’t believe in love. She went through the motions but in the end dumped the guy after 500 days. It was an annoying premise. Soon after, she did fall head over heels in love but with someone else. I wanted to see the movie because it showed the guy sketching on the movie poster. In the final scene the unlucky lover was sketching buildings with contentment like a true Urban Sketcher. Who needs love when you have a pencil and paper? A sketch is sure to meet expectations.

At a gas station yesterday I spoke with another guy pumping gas. He was heading to New Orleans, having come from Miami. His brother worked as an armored car driver in New Orleans. Several days ago, his brother was shot dead the second he opened the armored truck door by three gunmen. There is a $50,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to the arrest of the killers and thieves.  So this guy and his wife were on their way to his brothers funeral a few days before Christmas. The killing was senseless and the couple at the gas station had many more miles to drive before meeting family at the funeral. He showed me the news footage on his cell phone. I’m not sure why he shared so much. Perhaps that much grief needs to be shared. Live every moment. Life is precious and short.

Wedding of Jonathan David and Anna Marie West

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Jonathan David West invited me to sketch his wedding to Anna Marie. I met the couple for the first time at the Day of the Dead festivities at City Arts factory. The wedding took place at The Springs Gated Community (400 Woodbridge Road Longwood, FL).  I arrived early as groomsmen were getting dressed in their tuxedos. Jonathan, still in a T shirt, saw me and explained that the wedding would take place at the gazebo down by the spring.

I walked down to the water’s edge. The gazebo was dark. I picked my sketching spot because I liked the way a weather vane stork silhouetted against the sky. A Renaissance trio of musicians set up in the gazebo and Christmas lights flickered on.

The wedding was short, sweet and to the point. When the couple was pronounced man and wife, someone pulled out the plug by mistake and the gazebo wend dark. They must have scrambled fast because soon the lights came back on. The couple then ignited a flame that filled a paper bag hot air balloon. The glowing orb floated up, just missed some tree branches and then floated up to the clouds. Everyone was given sparklers. I decided my sketch was done, so I joined everyone forming a double sided line. All the guests raised their sparklers and the newly wed couple ran under the sparkling canopy.

The reception was held at the top of the hill in a club house. There were perhaps fifty guests but I didn’t do a head count. Every puppeteer in Orlando seemed to be there. Jonathan and Anna are both puppeteers. After guests had their meals, Jonathan and Anna put on a puppet show. They had made puppets in their own likeness and they told the story of how they met. They were childhood friends, that used to talk for hours on the phone and play together. For Anna’s 16th birthday, Jonathan took her out. She hoped he would kiss her that night, but the moment slipped by.  Once Jonathan walked an incredible distance, crossing townships, to see Anna. When she asked him why he had come, he unfortunately replied that he just wanted to go for a walk.

College sent the kids to different states.  They each got married starting separate lives and families. Anna had seven children. Those marriages eventually both lead to divorces. Many years later, Jonathan and Anna both moved to Orlando for different reasons. After so many years apart, there was still a spark that remained from their adolescent romance that burned bright. Once again Jonathan and Anna were inseparable. Their respective puppets took a bow and everyone in the room stood and applauded.