Frankie’s Birthday Dance Party

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Frankie Messina held his Birthday Dance Party at The Imperial Wine Bar and Beer Garden at Washburn Imports (1800 N Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida 32804). Each year Frankie has a sock drive where he collects new socks for the homeless. A $$$ donation of any amount at the DJ booth, would be
used to buy brand new pairs of socks for homeless citizens on our local
streets. No middle man. The new socks would be handed directly to those in need of fresh warm
clean socks. People could also donate a pack of men’s women’s or
children’s socks. This is the least
donated item to homeless shelters. At the base of his DJ mixing station a small mountain of new socks began to gather.

Friends gathered around Frankie talking to him as he mixed the tunes. Another goal for the nights was to bring everyone
together for a  good cause and help keep our individual DREAMS alive. Which is why we get up every morning. Frankie was grateful for another
year of good health, and he felt blessed to have such love around him from some
beautiful friends. 

The music flowed non-stop from 6pm till Midnight! Giving is easy to do, and it is our duty as
humans to help each other along the way when we can. No presents for no presents for Frankie, yet socks for them! The sign on the front of Frankie’s mixing station said it all, “All that is not given is lost.”

Frankie has started sharing tunes locally on 91.5FM WPRK. Stream it live wprk.org,
or load up the free TUNEIN app on your phone and smart devises. Search
for Rollins Radio WPRK 91.5. Live fun. Drive Time Wednesdays 5-7 pm!

Pop Up Gallery at Nora’s Sugar Shack

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I went to Nora’s Sugar Shack (636 Virginia Drive Orlando
FL) to sketch the opening of a
Pop up gallery show for photographer Robert “Kap” Kaplinger. This was the debut
of a monthly series of shows at Nora’s. The shows are a collaboration between
Nora Booker and Frankie Messina of Apartment E. These pop up exhibits happen
every second Tuesday of each month.

Nora’s Sugar Shack is a quirky little white clapboard
bungalow with a red door, although the entrance is actually around back. The
place offers wine, beer and cigars. The gallery was in a small room maybe 10 by
15 feet in size. Frankie Messina set up his analog record DJ station at one end
of the room and I sat down beside him for my view of the event. The opening was
well attended. Nora stood behind the bar.

The photos were black and white featuring native Florida flora and fauna.
The crowd got so dense that they spilled out onto the patio which is where a
few puffed on cigars. One guy wore the same hat as Heisenberg in Breaking Bad,
so I ended up sketching him several times. Nora’s has the vibe of an antique
shop with fun nick knacks and vintage lighting. A small table in the corner
had some bottles of wine and some information about the photographer.

Paint the bride.

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So, what do you do with your wedding dress when the wedding is over? Most women pack it away in a box and store it for eternity in their closet or attic. Kimme Priddle married Ed Hernandez and she decided to turn her wedding dress into art.

Current Galleries right above The Imperial at Washburn Imports (116 E 1st Street Sanford,

FL

32771) is run by local arts promoter Frankie Messina of Apartment E. Frankie loves the arts and bringing people together. He let Kim and Ed use the Current Gallery’s round room to exhibit their photographs and mixed media art. The highest price was $225 and the lowest $50. 


In the center of the gallery was a small stage with a garden trellis acting as the framing curtains. White Christmas lights were spiraled around the trellis, shining like bright stars. Roses and yellow flowers along with fern and lace completed the elegant stage, along with a sign saying, “Paint the bride.” Wedding guests friends and artists took turns painting the dress being modeled by Kimme. I didn’t see who put the red hand print on her right breast. The room became quite crowded and I patiently waited for quick glimpses of the bride. The paint supplies sat a large wooden wire spool that acted as a table. Two bedside lamps illuminated the scene. 


A daughter of the couple played tunes on an electric keyboard beside me. As quickly as the scene grew crowded and chaotic, it then quickly became still as everyone left. How wonderful would it have been if the groom and officiant arrived, also were painted and then the ceremony took place as well. Unfortunately the wedding happened either before or after.

Frankie mixed the vinyl at the wedding reception.

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The wedding of local singer, songwriter Robert Johnson to Maria happened during a beautiful golden sunset at Playa Linda Beach. It is a place where they find peace and center themselves; to look to a new future, one far beyond earthly desires and wants. This stretch of pristine, protected beach is also where man has reached for the stars since NASA started. It is one of the longest stretches of undeveloped beach on the East Coast of Florida (24miles) and is breathtakingly beautiful. Robert has made a tradition of watching the sun rise on the new year for over a decade and shared this experience with Maria in 2014. Maria came to love this place when Robert was still only “this cool musician guy” singing Rainy Day over the stereo at her host family’s house.

The wedding reception was a home grown community effort. It took place at Kimberly Buchheit‘s Farm in Sorrento, Florida. This celebration of the couple’s love on the first day of their marriage was meant to kick off the rest of their life in a manner that hopefully will set the tone for all their future endeavors. They want to invest in experiences rather than objects and most importantly, experiences they can share with the people they love. The DIY party relied on the talents of everyone. Frankie Messina mixed the old school vinyl all night long a people danced on the grass. Early in the evening , h huddled under the tent with the support legs half retracted. It made an intimate compact music fortress. He taught others how to mix from one record to the other seamlessly.

Robert’s mom prepared an amazing spread of delicious Filipino food. A large tent was set up Amish style where everyone could eat drink and chat. The drinks flowed and the party got lively. After the sun set, the forest around Kim’s farm loomed black, and then a large bonfire was ignited, offering a tribal community circle with faces glowing orange in the night. After all the festivities, Frankie went to sleep under the table in his musical fortress. He had other worldly dreams that on the surface might seem scary, but he just went along with the flow.

The Last Speakeasy.

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The Speakeasy was an Orlando institution for decades. Tod Caviness organized the monthly showcase of poets, authors and storytellers who would converge on Will’s Pub (1042 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL3) once a month.A documentary was shot about the speakeasy when the first Will’s Pub shot down. The documentary covered the history of this spoken word event in Orlando. When Will’s Pub re-opened at a new location, the Speakeasy was also resurrected.

July 21st however marked the final evening for The Speakeasy’ The literary scene in Orlando has grown by leaps and bounds. Todd is now a married man with a young son. Whatever the reason might be, The Speakeasy has faded into history. Cardboard Tod Caviness masks were scattered on all the tables. On the all was a sign from the now demolished Coach Dining Room which was part of The Red Fox Lounge where Mark Wayne and Lorna Lamby used to perform their over the top camp and fun lounge act. The Red Fox Lounge was a beloved Winter Park watering hole for 50 years. Mark and Lorna entertained crowds for 23 years but sadly Mark passed away. Their act is rumored to have inspired a Saturday Night Live skit, “The Culp Family Musical Performances,” starring Will Ferrell and Ana
Gasteyer.

Michael Pierre read the most memorable piece on this historic evening. He walked among the tables rather than stand on the stage. His poem described the speakeasy history while lampooning many of the writers who had shared drinks and read over the years. I have sketched at The Speakeasy quite a few times over the years, and I’ve seen creative types drink and do things that are best left to the blurry reaches of unrecorded history. Michael couldn’t see his handwriting in the dark, so Frankie Messina illuminated the pages by following Michael with his his cell phone. Then Frankie covered his face with a Tod mask to add an extra touch of humorous magic to the moment. It was a somewhat sad evening but the best way to face that sadness is with a laugh and more than a few drinks.  

The curtain falls and time marches on but I’m thankful I got to witness just some of the magic and mayhem that each Speakeasy generated. 

The Mardi Gras Soiree at Dexter’s of Winter Park.

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I got to Dexter’s of Winter Park (558 W New England Ave, Winter Park, Florida) fairly early to get a table with a decent view of the band. I explained that I needed to sketch and the Maitra d’ set me up front and center.  Fat Tuesday was being celebrated in grand style with a fantastic celebration of life and music. The Brown Bag Brass Band was already playing New Orleans standards loud and proud. I had received a text from Frankie Messina earlier in the day about the Mardi Gras Soiree. A friend from my past who I worked with over 30 years ago at Zip Mailing, is snow birding in Winter Park for several months. I told her about the Soiree and she had to weight her options between a Condo Association meeting or Mardi Gras. She arrived as I was finishing up my first sketch.

One of the patrons at the table next to me had a decibel reading app on his smart phone. He pointed it out to me and the needle kept spiking to over 103 decibels. The woman with him liked my sketch and I typed my site URL onto her smart phone. She said she could set me up with new clients. I really should always carry business cards A woman seated next to my friend shouted in her ear. The two of them were the first to get up to dance as I kept sketching.

The second act was Louisianna’s own Beth McKee and the Local Brass Band Heroes.  Fat Tire Beer was offering specials all night, so that is what I drank to loosen up the line work. Beth’s band got everyone in Dexter’s on their feet. With my second sketch done, I had to get up and dance as well to “When the Saints Go Marching In“. Beth asked the Brown Bag Brass Band to join in and we were all dancing only inches from the musicians. Frankie got on the dance floor and gave me a high five.

When all the festivities died down, my friend and I got a chance to talk at length. Catching up on 30 plus years of history takes time. I had no idea that she had become an artist since the last time I saw her, and I scrolled through her art on my cell phone. She creates intricate worlds with flowing volumetric forms. Some feel like intimate looks inside of living organisms. Colors were vibrant and though abstract, the work seemed familiar and alive. Round canvases give some of the paintings a calming appeal. At Zip Mail in Tenafly NJ, we were trained to become machines who collated, tied and moved a constant stream of junk mail. From that industrial crucible it is amazing that art managed to take root and thrive.

Willer Newman performed at the Current Galleries in Sanford.

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The Home Show at the Current Galleries (202 E.1st Street Sanford Florida)  was the debut event in the new galleries. The venue welcomes new artists and edgy space for professional seasoned artists as well. Frankie Messina curated the show. He has an amazing ability to bring together talented artists of all disciplines. Wheeler Newman performed an earthy set of his original music. Abstract 60s patterns were animated on the screen behind him. His wife came up to sing one song with the solo acoustic guitar as back up.

In the background is a small conference room. Every wall had art on it. In the conference room one conceptual piece consisted of a blender filled with free water and a live gold fish. This piece made me uneasy and rather annoyed. It reminded me of the Japanese practice of self in small plastic key chains with live animals, like turtles and fish trapped inside. Once the oxygen runs out, the animals die. It is incredibly inhumane. In another way it reminded me of Sea World’s killer whales who have to live in enclosures rather than the open ocean. Art is meant to elicit an emotional response, and on that level, it succeeded

In front of the stage was an old fashioned type writer and some books. This hinted at the fact that the evening also featured some poetry. There were several chairs throughout the venue and once occupied, there would be an impromptu poetry reading. Naomi Butterfield sat down and read one of her poems. There was performance art and art installations in the back hall. There was something happening at every turn. , could have stayed all night, but the was already my second sketch, and I decided to call it a night.

On Saturday January 16th, The Current Galleries featured Paper Trail. The opening was from 5pm to 11pm. Frankie explained, “This is the first Installation, (a 4 month work in progress) of 27
year plus years of collected history of Central Florida’s growth in
Arts, Music, Writing, Film, Nightlife, Business, and all Culture as
captured in print media, newspapers, circulations, zines, newsletters,
chapbooks, novels, club flyers, art show posters. A cultural history
that you can touch! ” Featuring in the (soon to be) famous “round room” a special collaborative installation by newly married couple Kimme and Ededron.

Other upcoming shows at Current Gallery.  

January 23rd solo show. 

January 30th solo show. 

February 6th solo show.

February 13th solo show. February 20th Swan Song.

Home at the Current Galleries in Sanford Fl.

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Frankie Messina of Apartment E is something of an Orlando institution. For years he has brought artists together from all disciplines. Visual artists mingle with writers, musicians, an performers of all kinds. He has begun curating shows at The Current Galleries (202 E.1st Street Historic Sanford Florida). ” The theme of this show held in March 2015, was Home. “The road to a friend’s house is never long.” It was a collective art and performance show where pieces or expressions were of “your home” or what “home” means to you.

This was the debut event in in the new galleries and Frankie was excited to build new relationships and connections between Sanford, Orlando and all the cities around and in between. The new Gallery was kicked off with an amazing opening night during the monthly Sanford Art Walk  that featured poets, instillation art, musicians and of course visual artists.  Tais Phillips combined poetry with an overhead projector to create an interactive experience where poets could see their words projected large on the wall. 

In the room next to me, mailboxes were mounted on the wall. Patrons were invited to write an inspirational note and put it in one of the mailboxes for future patrons to read. Scott Pantke and his wife Nicole from Blast Studios occupied a studio space where they encouraged people to give air brush painting a try. Just dropping off a painting for the show was an adventure, because Frankie had artists meet him behind the gallery and a spiral staircase lead up to the second floor gallery.

Admission was to the public and the opening was more like a non stop party rather than a formal opening. A 10% commission off work sold went to Apartment E’s Blanket Orlando Project for the homeless, held every year in November. This in itself is an inspiring story of how one person with a pick up truck and a big heart, can make a big difference when they decide to make a positive change. Every year that true gets filled to overflowing to help people who need to battle the cold through Orlando’s winter months. One of Frankie’s favorite sayings is, “What you don’t give away, is lost.”

Tic Toc Thrift, Vintage and Vinyl Market

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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.

College Park’s Arts Scene.

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Frankie Messina organized an arts collaboration where artists could exhibit their work at a business in College Park each month. I placed the event on my sketch opportunity calendar and then set it to repeat each month. Many months went by and I wasn’t able to get out to sketch. Finally I made it out to do a sketch but I didn’t find any artists. I decided to just sketch the flamingo mural that was on the side of a bike store. I like the architecture of the stores on this corner.
It turned out that the art event I was hoping to sketch had long since run its course and died away due to lack of interest. This seems true of most arts events in town, a spark becomes a flame and then dies out in isolated venues around Central Florida and then fades away. The trick for me is to sketch these events while they burn bright.I missed the sketch opportunity this time around, but got to enjoy sketching as the sun set behind the Edgewater Drive retail stores to the west.

There is an art gallery on Edgewater Drive that carries paintings by “Paint the Trail“. I’ve never gone inside the gallery, but I always notice the portrait of Salvador Dali with the quote “Mad About Art” as I drive by. Once a month or so, Terry and I bring Zorro to a parrot gathering at Albert Park in College Park hosted by Parrot Adventures. These outings are when I enjoy street dining with plenty of parrots.