Ace Cafe Orlando.

Posted on by Thor

This was my first time going to Ace Cafe Orlando which opened in the former offices of the Orlando Weekly across from the main Lynx Bus Terminal. Pam Schwartz had been here before and she told me that the BLT sandwich was rich and recommended. The menu cover had old historic photos with some of the history of the place. Ace slowly filled up until it was packed around the time the sun set. Ozzie Osborn and other heavy metal bands were shouting on the TVs that lined the dining area. With all the noise, I couldn’t actually pick out any lyrics.

The Over the Top BLT was indeed a monster of a sandwich. The thickly cut Applewood Smoked Bacon was caramelized along with Iceberg lettuce, herb mayonnaise, and vine ripened tomatoes. The Texas Toast was super thick and covered in an extra layer of crispy cheddar crust on the outside of the sandwich which made it particularly messy to eat. I ended up cutting it up and eating it with my fork. The bacon tasted like candy. The sandwich was served in a metal mesh bread basket which made it tough to cut the sandwich up. The solid crust of cheddar cheese on the bottom of the sandwich was particularly hard to cut through. Despite the eating logistics, it was quite delicious. Pam ordered the buffalo chicken empanada appetizer, which she stated were pretty run of the mill. She ordered based on the plan to enjoy one of their alcoholic ice cream shakes. The waiter didn’t inform her until after the meal that the coffee bar/milk shake area was out of commission. That was a huge disappointment. 

After sunset, trucks began to line up outside the restaurant. This was simply an opportunity for gear heads to check out other 4 X 4 rigs. Small jeeps were predominant, but there were several rigs with lifted suspensions and even lights underneath the chassis. I used to own a yellow 4 X 4 Xterra which I rigged up with an Australian deer guard and winch. The winch got me out of several tight spots. I dented up that truck when I was going over a log between two trees and the truck leaned over and hit a tree which smashed a tail light and dented the back chassis. I filled and sanded the dent with Bondo but had to pay to get a decent touch up paint job. Owning a 4 X 4 is expensive, especially if you go mudding often.

My little Toyota Prius got stuck in the mud several weeks ago when Pam and I went to the Thai Festival. She managed to rock the Prius free by pushing on the hood as I eased the accelerator. From my 4 X 4 experience in soft sand, I knew not to gun the accelerator and dig my tires deeper into the mud.

Santa at the LYNX Bus Terminal

Posted on by Thor

Debbe King tipped me off that Santa was going to be in the LYNX Bus Terminal. When I arrived I sat on a terminal bench straight across from Santa. Mrs. Claus was there as well but she was constantly on the move. She shouted out, “Hey! How about another announcement!” The loud speakers crackled, “Mr. and Mrs Claus are in the bus terminal. Come meet Santa.” Mothers and children must have taken buses just so they could meet him. A new mom had her two week old baby with her. She gently placed the baby in Santa’s lap. He smiled at the baby that cooed playfully. A slightly older daughter was frightened of him. The man seated next to me was also watching and he laughed.

A man with a dark straggly beard and wild dark hair was muttering and cursing to himself as he shuffled by. He must have been the anti-Santa. He continued to curse after he sat on a bench. Two OPD officers soon walked in and insisted that he had to leave or get on a bus. Santa was loitering as well but his jolly laughter and good cheer left the officers laughing as well. “Ho, Ho, Ho! Write me a ticket! Ho, Ho!” As they walked away, they were smiling. A face painter created intricate holiday masks for the children. One boy left as Spiderman and his sister had delicate butterfly wings over her eyes.

A fan was pointing at Santa constantly since he is used to much cooler weather at the North Pole. A group of teenage girls approached him. “Your never to old to sit on Santa’s lap!” He chuckled. The girls giggled. One of them sat next to him and whispered in his ear. He asked a little boy what he wanted for Christmas, and the boy said, “A car for my parents.” “You’d be amazed at how many requests I get for cars.” he replied. “I’ll see what I can do.” I was touched that the boy didn’t ask for anything for himself. Santa’s beard was real and his red nosed complexion was real as well. Perhaps families across Central Florida will experience a New Year with the freedom of the open road. If only gas was less expensive.