Winter in the Park Ice Rink Opening

Posted on by Thor

On Friday November 16th at 3pm there was a Winter in the Park Ice Breaking Ceremony for the outdoor rink at the Central Park West Meadow.  I was running late to the opening which would involve breaking a large peacock ice sculpture in the most dramatic way. That sounded like an enticing sketch opportunity. Walking through Central Park, I saw Emma Kuch Morris and Betsy Dye chatting on a park bench. I considered stopping to congratulate Emma on her recent marriage, but I was late! I heard then laughing as I rushed on with my art supplies slapping against my leg. After all that rush, I missed the peacock crushing. I didn’t even see any shards.

People were crowding around the rink to watch performers from the RDV Sportsplex Ice Den who began a special performance of “Babes in Toyland.” The performances were a bit too Saccharine sweet for my taste. The ice was then opened up for anyone to skate and I found far more entertainment in watching deep southern beginners falling repeatedly. A mom braced her little girl who was laughing with delight. Two teenage boys held on to the edge rails the whole time, moving in fits and starts.

The Ice Rink will be open till January 8th.  This is a great way to warm up to the holiday season, even if you’re a Grinch like me who delights in the carnage.
Info: (407) 599-3203, Skating includes skate rental $10. 

Hours:

• Monday to Thursday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Friday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sunday, Noon to 8 p.m.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Posted on by Thor

As part of the Florida Film Festival there was a free outdoor screening of “To Kill a Mockingbird” in Winter Park’s Central Park. The film is 50 years old, which makes us both the same age. I drove to the park straight from Full Sail when it let out at 5PM. The movie wasn’t going to start till around 8PM when it got dark. That left me a whole lot of time to sketch before the movie started. I invited my wife, Terry, to the screening but she was swamped at work. She then changed her mind saying she would meet me for a drink or dinner. I started this sketch to see how far I could get before she arrived. When she did arrive, I abandoned the sketch and we looked for a bar or restaurant. We ended up eating at a Tai restaurant a block away on Park Avenue. The price for a cup of wine was too high so the idea of a drink was abandoned. I ordered Pad Tai and I didn’t particularly like the dish. I had 3 cups of Coke so I would be buzzing like a humming bird when I returned to finish the sketch.

Film Festival staff and volunteers were on the stage setting up the portable movie screen. A series of aluminum struts were pieced together as the outer framework for the screen. Several ropes were threaded over the band shell roof supports and the ropes were pulled tight to raise the screen. The vintage black and white movie was actually a DVD which was inverted and then projected onto the back of the screen. When my sketch was done, I moved closer and watched the movie from backstage. A policeman, two stage hands and later a waitress were the only other people who watched from this vantage point. On the Central Park lawn, couples had picnics with wine and candle light. It was actually chilly and I rubbed my bare arms for warmth.

When the 14 year old Atticus Finch was given a gun by his father, he was told that the urge to shoot at birds would become too great. He could shoot all the Blue Jays he wanted, but he should never shoot a Mockingbird. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy… but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

It felt good knowing this film about racism and courage was being shown in Central Florida. When I first moved here over 17 years ago, I went to a counter demonstration, because the KKK were demonstrating at the Jewish Community Center in Maitland. I ended up face to face with the Grand Master or Poo Bah, whatever he was called. He held a huge can of mace, aiming it at my face. Angry, I muttered, “Go ahead.” There were a few police on hand and it would have been nice to see him arrested. Turning the other cheek doesn’t always work but never throw the first punch.

Orlando Holiday Pops Concert

Posted on by Thor

The Orlando Philharmonic performed a free Holiday Pops concert in Winter Park’s Central Park. The lawn in front of the band shell was crowded with families with blankets and lawn chairs. In order to sketch the stage up close I sat next to the stage with a few others. The sun was setting so I made sure to sit in the shadow of a tree. Within a half an hour the sun shot out below the canopy of the band shell. I was blinded every time I looked at the performers. I shifted my attention to the audience in the grass.

Children scampered around playing tag. A young boy was seated against a tree and he was startled when a frantic squirrel charged at him through the crowd. At the last second the squirrel saw the boy and changed course to leap up another tree trunk. The music was your standard holiday fair. A youth chorus and an adult chorus joined the orchestra. Chorus members lounged on the band shell steps waiting to go on stage. Two tiered bleachers were set up on stage left for the chorus.

Of course all the upscale stores on Park Avenue were open to attract the Holiday hoard after the concert. Let the shopping season begin.