Pre-Pandemic: Pirate’s Dinner Theater

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Pam’s parents were in Orlando with her niece and nephew. They wanted to see pirates so we headed to International Drive. Before being let in the theater, guest have to wait in a crowded waiting area. A fringe performer had injured himself at one of these shows since he does some of the more daring acrobatics. I can see how that might happen ad pirates swung down on to the stage for upper platforms. I couldn’t see the food that was served. The story line was built around the premise that a princess was kidnapped. It was definitely set up for the kids entertainment.

The World Health Organization announced the Covid-19 Pandemic on March 12, 2020. I was shocked that Pirates stayed open until March 20, 2020. This is definately not the place I would want to eat dinner during a pandemic.

The Pirates website says, “At Pirates Dinner Adventure we care deeply about the health and well-being of our team members and our guests. Like many of you we are closely monitoring the impact of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 and are committed to keeping you and our team safe.

Our shows have temporarily been suspended in Orlando, FL, in accordance with local official advisements.

Covid-19 Refunds

As a standard industry policy due to Covid-19; the reservations that booked a showtime while we are closed from March 20, 2020 – May 31, 2020 we’re offering two (2) options:

  1. Reschedule for a future date to be used within a year
  2. Issue a gift card at the same value of the original booking to be used for tickets at Teatro Martini or Pirates Dinner Adventure Orlando, FL, within a year.

Being that our sales policy is “all sales are final” and “no refunds” we wanted offer options during this difficult time. We have not addressed any reservations beyond May 31, 2020. Should we continue to stay closed we will update this page with the options we will offer.

Please continue to check back here for dinner show information and updates that may take place.”

Bosphorus

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A friend of Pam’s came to Orlando for a nursing conference at the convention center. She was staying on International drive so we picked her up and took her to Bosphorus down by Dr Phillips. Bosphorus (7600 Dr Phillips Blvd Suite 108 Orlando, FL 32819) is well known for its large puffy Lavas or hollow bread. While Pam and her friend were catching back up I started to sketch before the food arrived. We ordered an appetizer sampler with A combination of humus, babaganoush, sauteed eggplant, tabbouleh, esme, tarama, haydari, and stuffed grape leaves. There was a pile of pita wedges to dip and try a bit of each.

After we ate, we decided to go to a bowling alley on International Drive. Pam and her friend needed socks so they went shopping at Walgreen’s. No one would ever want to put on bowling alley shoes without socks. Who knows where those shoes have been or what they have seen. While they were inside I remembered I had socks in my bag that I save as back up paint rags. I ran inside to let them know I had an extra pair of socks. I often take my Crealde students to a bowling alley in Winter Park, so I have grown accustomed to sketching the gestures of different bowlers when they release the ball. The Winter Park alley hosts leagues so I get to see some really talented bowlers. However I have not bowled for probably 20 of so years. The bowling alley on international drive seemed smaller than the lanes I have grown accustomed to sketching. At the end of each alley are TV screens plying advertisements and lights project the American flag onto the lane itself. Anyway I account my low score to these visual distractions. Actually each of us won one game that night. so no one went home feeling like a looser.

Though we avoid International Drive like the plague, I have to admit it was a fun night out.

DRIP Date Night

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DRIP Date Night was held around Valentines day at the former grunge bar on International Drive. The black lighting in the venue was a challenge, since I couldn’t judge values or color. It was a grand experiment to sketch that night. DRIP has unfortunately closed so the colored beer bar is a thing of the past.

The evening featured interactive stations, gorgeous performers, a full DRIP show with dancers performing in paint, flying water, colored sand, a live rock band, and a Miracle Berry after party, experimental taste testings, dancing, and a 10 foot paint shower.

The Interactive Stations included:

BLUE STATION: A new twist on Paint and Take. You could be your own artist and show off what you got.

RED STATION: Guests were blindfolded and relaxed as they experienced the touch of your partner. Can it get spicy? Maybe….

YELLOW STATION: Word smiths helped guests refine and express their thoughts and affections. We make it easy.

KISSING BOOTH: A photo booth filled with X’s and O’s was set up for selfies and group shots.

CREATE YOUR OWN VALENTINE: Guests use up cycled materials to craft their own special valentine.

T-SHIRT PULL WALL: Guests could take their chances by picking a crop top to see if they could win the grand prize.

FULL THEATRICAL SHOW: 

The show featured a sordid love story with dancers performing in paint, flying water, and sand to a LIVE rock band. It’s a standing room experience.

THE COLOR BAR: Guests cold enjoy drinks by the color! DRIP’s Color Bar had Red, Blue, Orange and Yellow beer, cocktails, shots, wine and non alcoholic beverages for sale. On Valentine’s Day, a special flight of shots was added that would shock taste buds.

DRIP added some real grit and color to the Orlando night life. It was a shame to see it go.

Artegon is Long Gone

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I did a series of sketches when plans were made to open Artegon Market Place on International Drive. I was fascinated by the idea of a thriving market similar to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul Turkey. What appeared in the first weeks were a series of cages filling the empty space of a former mall. Those cages were eventually replaced with mini themed store fronts but the place felt fractured and cut up. I had been toying with the idea of renting a space in the market to sell my art because they promised low cost rents for artists to start. RV, a local artist rented a large gallery but soon left because of broken promises by the management.

Being across from many of International Drives Premium Outlet malls where tourists spend plenty of money before heading back home, I thought there might be a ready market. For whatever reason, the market place never thrived. The center first opened in 2003 as Festival Bay Mall, but that only lasted until 2011. Artegon opened in 2014. The place seemed cursed. In the open inner court area a large Aerial Adventure Course was built with rope bridges, zip lines, suspended disks. The first week the course was opened, Robert Belvoir, 52, fell 30 feet to his death.

Lightstone Group ended its two-year experiment to take the
“property in a new direction.” Bass Pro Shop and Cinemark Theaters remain open since their buildings aren’t owned by Lightstone. Artegon’s owner recouped its $25 million investment, selling
the properties for Bass Pro Shops and Cinemark Theaters for a combined
$30 million. In the Noor Salman trial, footage was shown of Pulse Nightclub shooter Omar Mateen buying ammunition for the rifle used in the Pulse Nightclub attack along with some candy from Bass Pro Shops in the weeks before the massacre.

Senor Frogs on Interntional Drive.

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I drove down to International Drive thinking I might sketch a monthly Drip Artist showcase event. Unfortunately the events are now bimonthly so the venue was closed. Rather that just leave, I decided to sketch Senor Frogs the restaurant that is in front of Drip. This place is always bustling with tourists who go for the sweet drinks and balloon hats. I have never eaten at Senor Frogs but I have always been curious as to what the appeal is.

The last Drip artist event I am aware of was in April. There is a Facebook page for artists interested in future events at Drip. If you haven’t been to a Drip show yet, you really need to make the trip to International Drive. It is a sexy dance experience that will rock your world. Water, sand colored light, a live rock band and plenty of dancing provide an amazing interactive experience. Every member of the audience is in the splash zone. If Orlando is now known for its rainbows, Drip explodes that rainbow with a wild splash.

Drip Art Nights are full surprises.

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Drip Local Art Night features visual artists, Performance artists, burlesque troupes, body painters, dancers, belly dancers, and art installations. I love sketching this monthly event because I always find something new and exciting to draw. Drip is Orlando’s grunge version of the Moulan Rouge. I arrived as artists were setting up their booths and focused on the bar. One Drippy was getting her T-shirt cutting station set up. She cuts up the whip Drip T-shirts and bees the fabric creating a unique pattern of flesh and brilliant day glow blue.

A drip dancer Roxanne Faye LeBlanc had just died her hair a deep red in purple. She dances the part of the lusty Red in the Drip show. I sketched he as she filled out paperwork a the bar and again when she did something a the left end of the bar. I do this quite often, populating a sketch with one person’s activities. I do believe the guys seated at the bar were on person at different times as well. Soon enough however, the place was so packed that you couldn’t even s the bar. The main Drip Show is no longer performed on Art Night, which means The re is more room for artists to set up their wares.

Set-up for artists started at 6:30 and the doors opened at 8 PM. My favorite performance was by BalaChandra Belly Dance. I run into these dancers a love town. I have to learn to sketch faster to catch their fast moving hips and fluid motions. Since I function at a much slower pace when I sketch, I sometimes miss some acts as I rush to complete a sketch that was started.

Mark Your Calendar! The next Drip Local Art Night is Thursday, March 24 with the doors opening at 8pm. If yo u haven’t been to Drip then what are yo u waiting for. Get out and experience some local art.
8747 International Dr Suite 102 (Behind Denny’s and Senor Frogs) Orlando Florida. Art nights are every other month. 

The Tin Roof is a new live music venue on International Drive.

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Event Planners from around the country descended on the Orland Convention Center for an event planner’s conference. I was invited to sketch at a lunch time event of some of the countries top planners. The event was to take place at The Tin Roof (8371 International Dr, Orlando, FL). Stacey Paul Barbie was the event planner who asked me to help out. She asked me to join her for lunch at the Tin Roof in order to make plans. 

We were offered a sampler of the restaurant’s best appetizers. I was told that the chief had whipped together a new macaroni and cheese dish that had chicken and a crumble crust. I ordered that and it was amazing. I also sampled some raw tuna which was quite good as a lite bite. 

The Tin Roof has a down home country feel to it. Antique signs from the 1950s adorn the walls and the furniture feels like it was lifted straight out of a 1950s diner. I had to meet in with the venue’s tech guy and we set it up so that I could sketch on my tablet and the image would appear on every TV screen in the venue. On the day of the event, my logo flashed on the screens as an event sponsor. That was a proud moment.

After the meeting, I relaxed and sketched the venue. Being right next to the Orlando Eye Ferris wheel, there was a light crowd of tourists who would stop in for lunch. The venue probably gets much more crowded at night when live music acts hit the stage. I need to get on their mail in list so that I can return sketch some performances.

The Eye is open on International Drive.

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The skeletal structure of “The Eye” is visible from miles away. It is as large as the huge Ferris wheel in London.It is part of a large new development which includes many new stores, restaurants, and an aquarium. When I did this sketch, the eye wasn’t yet completed, but now it has all it’s cars in place and the neon lighting illuminates the structure at night. It is clearly visible from I-4 although it is a quarter mile from the high way The Pirates Cove Adventure Golf course is right next to all the development on International Drive and it was business as usual with families battling with each other for bragging rights. International Drive does tend to showcase an International assortment of tourists. If you sit in one spot for several hours, you will hear languages from around the world.

The water in the lagoons on the course are an u n-natural shade of turquoise even in the cascades of a water fall. I didn’t notice any pirates but their ship had run aground so they must have been either on board, or on the course swilling liquor from the many wooden barrels. Landscaping on the course was immaculate, and there was a steady stream of players.

DRIP never fails to amaze.

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DRIP (8747 International Drive Orlando FL) is an in-your-face explosion of color and movement backed by a live rock band, all in an industrial bar. You may get wet … you may get messy … you WILL have an awesome time. Grab a colored beer (orange, yellow, red or blue!) or glass of wine from our bar and let DRIP assault your senses. For this sketch, I thought I might be out of the splash zone because I was standing close to the stage. I was wrong. This sketch was hit multiple times by uncontrolled tsunamis of color from the show.

This explosive dance show follows the story of three dancers, Yellow, Blue and Red. Yellow and blue fall for each other and when they touch their colors mingle to create green. Blue cheats and has a hot purple affair with Red. In a ferocious strobe scene Yellow discovers the truth and trashes the place in anger. In the spotlight she experiences isolation and sorrow. In the end though, she recovers as she washes away the residue of her former relationship in a bright yellow shower.

This local dance company has been bringing this show to tourists on International Drive for over a year. This is a place where adults can get away from the child themed parks and get a little nasty. DRIP is much like a speakeasy. It is located in a dark alley behind a Denny’s and Senior Frogs. You enter via a loading dock.  If you haven’t experienced DRIP yet, what are you waiting for. Spring Break shows are coming up starting March 6th. DRIP will blow the roof off. Be sure to dress down.

Tickets:

Student with ID $35.00

Party Rate for groups 8+ (includes DRIP t-shirt) $39.00

General Admission $44.00

Florida Resident with ID (includes DRIP t-shirt) $49.00

General Admission (includes DRIP t-shirt)$54.00

Drip opens its doors to local artists.

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Drip Local Art Night invites artists and musicians
to represent Orlando art to local, national and international travelers! On the evening I went there was a packed house in the bar and the dance performance then drew the crowd into the main performance area giving artists the opportunity to set up in the bar area. Future local art nights will no longer be on the same night as a performance.  This should allow more artists a chance to set up and share their art.

This event will be held on the 4th Thursday of every month. The Drip organizers will keep a running list for this monthly event.

On the night I went, I set up framed sketchbooks in a spot next to the bar. The bar area is now illuminated wit black lights which makes all the Drip shirts glow an eerie blue color. I discovered that the paper in my early sketchbooks doesn’t glow under black lights, so they were hard to see.  I want to go back and do a digital sketch since that is probably the best way to catch those colors. This sketch was sort of done blind because I couldn’t see the page in the low light plus the page glowed blue making colors a guess in the dark. I should have had a book light. Ashlyn Bapst used this end of the bar to create intricate woven Drip shirts. Her nimble fingers worked quickly to create these sexy, much sought after collectors items.

If you haven’t been to Drip yet, what are you waiting for? It is an explosion of color, light and dance set in a grunge back alley bar on International Drive. The story revolves around a love triangle. Dancers get covered in primary colors of paint and when they hug they change colors. It becomes a story of redemption and empowerment all set to the beat of a live rock band. Don’t wear your Sunday best. It is wiser to dress down for Drip. While Sea World has front row seats in a splash zone, the entire venue is a splash zone at Drip. You will get wet.

Drip Local Art Night

Who: Open to everyone 21+ (Artists can be 18+)

What: Local Art Night @ DRIP

When: 4th Thursday of every month
Set Up 6:30 PM; Doors open to public from 8-10 PM.

Where: DRIP 8747 International Dr #102, Orlando, FL 32819

How to apply: Send a link to your portfolio/samples to kristen@ILoveDRIP.com

Mark your calendar! The next Drip Local Art Night is February 26th 6:30pm to 11pm.