Orlando’s 5th Annual Celebrity Bartender Night

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The Center, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka presented Orlando’s 5th Annual Celebrity Bartender Night was held at SAVOY Orlando (1913 North Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida 32804.) Some of Orlando’s most well known local celebrities were serving from behind
the bar. Pam Schwartz, the Chief Curator at the Orange County Regional History Center was invited by the Center to be one of the Celebrity bartenders.

While Pam served drinks, I sketched as the crowd filled in at the bar. At several spots along the bar there were illuminated boxes which would act as the stages for dancers. Unfortunately no one was dancing while I sketched. It honestly seemed like a rather slow night at the Savoy.

Of course, on June 12, 2016 the scene at Pulse was much like this one, with people out having a good time. I still check for back entrances and possible escape routes. We live in crazy times, but it is good to see that isn’t stopping anyone from getting out and having a good time. All of the celebrity tips went to provide lifesaving health and counseling programs for the
LGBTQ community at the Center. It felt good having a drink and a buzz for a good cause.

Food Share

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The Saint George  Orthodox Church on Lake Eola (24 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL 32801) holds a a weekly food share in the parking lot behind the church.

I had gone to the Library to sketch a game night event but there was no one there. Instead I sketched the food share from the library window. Behind me was a rainbow of books. It was a rainy day and the clouds loomed steel grey on the horizon.

 Chairs were set up in the parking lot for people coming for food. There was music and a sermon. Hunger seems to be a motivator for saving souls.

The Straight Street program, gives anyone who has interest an opportunity to “get in where you fit in”. They currently host food shares on Tuesdays at 5:30pm and every Sunday at 4pm. The
Tuesday food share takes place in downtown Orlando at the St. George
Orthodox Church parking lot.  The Sunday
event is a Pop Up Food Share that requires a bit more participation from
volunteers.

Food shares were shut down by a city ordinance in Lake Eola Park in 2006. Volunteers from Food Not Bombs were arrested for feeding the 50 to 100 people in the park.  In April of 2011, the Court of Appeals ruled in a unanimous decision to uphold the city limit of twice-yearly food-sharings in public parks. After the decision, food-sharing groups can only serve meals in the
specified parks twice a year. Parties caught without a permit could be
convicted of violating the city ordinance. Individuals or groups could
be fined $500 or spend two months in jail if they continued to
distribute weekly meals.

The St. George
Orthodox Church food shares have stayed strong despite the city ordinance. The Styrofoam food containers tend to be left all over the place in Heritage Square park in front of the Orange County Regional History Center. The History Center and the Library have to do much of the clean up work.

Emily’s Tattoo

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Emily Arnold used to be the assistant curator at the Orange County Regional History Center. She decided to get a tattoo on her right bicep of a gorgeous bird. Since she is an artist she was very discerning about who should create the tattoo. She decided that Steve Roberts of The East Tattoos was the man for the job. One of Steve’s major influences is the work of John James Audubon which made him the perfect artist for the job. Her boyfriend who also worked at the History Center kept her company through the long agonizing process.

The East is an appointment-only private tattoo studio located just north of Downtown Orlando in Ivanhoe Village. Overlooking beautiful Lake Ivanhoe, The East offers a completely personalized experience in a relaxed and comfortable space. Each of the artists work independently; scheduling our own appointments, setting our own prices and corresponding with our own clients.

Two of the tattoo artists from The East stopped by as I was working on a mural on Ivanhoe Park  Brewing. They asked how I planned to do the line work on the mural, and I explained that I was debating about using Krink markers or acrylic paint applied with a brush. One of the artists did graffiti and he said the Krink markers fade quickly over time. He had first hand experience from work he had done in the past. Because of that conversation I abandoned the Krink brand and have been doing the line work with a brush. 

Since getting the tattoo, Emily and her boyfriend both left Orlando. The arts in Orlando left their mark.

Wild Hogs Roam the Streets of Winter Park

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Pam Schwartz, the head curator at the Orange County Regional History Center needed to do some research for History in a Glass which is a fun event where local craft bartenders compete for bragging rights by creating libations inspired by historical themes and artifacts.

The theme for History in a Glass was going to be about Winter Parks history of having to deal with wild hogs wandering the streets of downtown at the turn of the century. The city had to pass an ordinance banning these wild hogs from the streets.

In 1903, animals were doing a lot of damage, so five-day permits were
issued to
kill squirrels and destructive birds. Permission was also granted to kill
alligators in the town’s lakes. Another ordinance levied a $25 fine
and or 25 days at hard labor for persons found guilty of playing games
on Sunday. At the same time, the sale of intoxicating liquors was
prohibited, except by a physician’s prescription.

In 1905, the Travelers Insurance Company asked town officials to protect
their property from damage by hogs running wild inside the town. A
committee was appointed to look into the matter. The committee learned that state law authorized towns with more than 500 residents
to pass an ordinance that prohibits hogs running wild. As Winter Park
had only 461 residents, it was powerless to stop the problem. (Such and
ordinance successfully passed two years later after a petition drive.)

A recent ordinance prohibits the creation of art on the streets of Winter Park. Sec 70-10 Regulation of Street Performers. “The City Commission finds that street performers in certain  areas of the City defined herein and designated as prohibited public area have interfered with and have a substantial likelihood of interfering with pedestrian and vehicular traffic of the City, including residents, business owners and occupants, and visitors and tourists by, among other things, attracting audiences which congest the prohibited public area, increase the likelihood for conflict and disorderliness, and may impede the ability of emergency personnel to reach various locations. Moreover, such street performers may cause or contribute to pedestrian and vehicular safety risks through increased congestion, sight obstruction, and obfuscation, and obstruction to pedestrian right of ways and crosswalks. The city finds the existence of street performers in the prohibited public area adversely affects the City’s interests in maintaining the aesthetics of the prohibited public area and character of the same in the city with a unique historic downtown district.”

(1) “Perform and performance means to engage in any of the following activities: Acting; singing; playing musical instruments; puppetry; pantomiming; miming; performing or demonstrating magic or acts of illusion; dancing; juggling; or the public display of and composition or creation of crafts, sculpture, artistry,writings, or compositions, including the application of brush, pastel, crayon, pencil, or other similar objects applied to paper, cardboard, canvas, cloth or to other similar medium.”

To celebrate these historic ordinances the History Center shared this strange history while tasting some amazing craft cocktails. Patrons got to laugh at Winter Park’s long history of absurd ordinances which continues today. Winter Park is working hard to keep the streets clear of wild pigs and artists. Bottoms up.

Making Ribbons at the Center

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On May 22, 2017 there was a suicide bombing at the The Manchester Arena in the United Kingdom. An Islamic terrorist
detonated a shrapnel-laden homemade bomb as people were leaving the
Manchester Arena following a concert by the American singer Ariana
Grande. The incident was treated as an act of terrorism. 22 innocent concert goers died. 59 were injured.

A year before in Orlando we had suffered an act of terrorism that took 49 lives at the Pulse Nightclub. As an act of solidarity with the City of Manchester, people gathered at The Center (946 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803). A video crew was on hand to record a video of support and love for the city of Manchester. Members of the Orange County Regional History Center had gone to the event to show their support. They all sat around the conference table waiting for the event to begin.

Someone mentioned that there was a bag of pins and unfolded ribbons that were waiting to be made. Pam Schwartz, the chief curator at the History Center suggested they get the bag out since there were many idle hands. Soon everyone was folding the ribbons and securing them with pins. I tried a few myself and it is a tricky process at first, which quickly becomes routine. Ribbons began to pile up on the table. I am sure the safety pins pricked more that a few fingers.

Soon members of the community were being recorded with their words of support and this impromptu ribbon making session became the backdrop for this video of solidarity. What the world needs now is love sweet love, now more that ever.

Jorge Estevez DNA Test

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Jorge Estevez, a WFTV Channel 9 news anchor, was invited by Pam Schwartz, the Orange County Regional History Center Chief Curator, to take an Ancestry DNA test to learn more about his family history. She also researched the family histories of other well-known Central Floridians, including
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer; 
journalist Brendan O’Connor of the Bungalower; Toni Pressley, Orlando
Pride soccer team defender; and Geraldine Thompson, state
representative and senator and founder of Orlando’s Wells’ Built Museum.

Jorge met Pam at the History Center Research Library where she asked him about what he did know about his family history. To do the DNA test he had to spit into a test tube which was a great photo opportunity for Melissa Procko, History Center Research Librarian, who was documenting the moment with video and still photography.

A line of Jorge’s family tree comes from Cuba which turned out to be problematic for online research since Cuban records must be researched from the courthouses and archives on the island. Pam was afraid she might have bit off more than she could chew, but she enlisted the help of a genealogist who specializes in Cuban research. This genealogist also does research for a TV program called Finding Your Roots.

It turns out that Jorge comes from a family line which is renowned for being public servants who notarize documents. Being a notary in those days was a position of high honor. She even found their notary stamps. The family line was researched way back into the 1500s. Jorge joked that he has never had a tattoo, but he is considering getting a tattoo of one of those ancient hand-drawn stamps since it means so much to him.

FOX Station

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Pam Schwartz was asked to go into the FOX News Station for an interview about an exhibit at the Orange County Regional History Center. The exhibit was Things come apart which featured photos by Todd McLellan that showed everyday objects like smart phones and lawnmowers blown apart to show all the parts.

Things Come Apart has ended and has been replace by Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code. This is another Smithsonian traveling exhibition but the History Center staff has created a section that uses the Genome to tell something about Central Florida history. Five Central Florida celebrities were asked to give DNA samples and Pam used that information and online resources to research their family trees. Mayor Buddy Dyer found out that is family has ties back to the Revolutionary War making him and his sons eligible for admission into the Sons of the American Revolution. Former Senator Geraldine Thompson found a relative she never knew about. A man had been trying to find his father for many years. When Geraldine’s DNA went online it became clear that he and she were related. Her brother was this man’s father. Unfortunately her brother has died so this man can never meet his father in person, but he has an aunt he has never met, and they have stories to share.

The TV cameras had just one operator. For the most part the cameras were fully automated wandering from mark to mark like Roombas. The cameraman didn’t seem to have much to do. An hour of waiting, and a quick recording session resulted in just moments on the final cut shown on TV.

ODD at Lake Eola Wine Company

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ODD (Orlando Drink and Draw) is a monthly sketch event I host where I invite artists to go to a different bar each month. There is no model and no instruction, it is just a chance to get out and meet other artists while working on a sketch. I was living near Lake Eola and Eola Wine Company (430 E. Central Blvd Orlando, FL 32801) was just a block from my studio, so this was a convenient location to hang out and sketch.

I ordered a red wine and sketched the length of the bar. It was early in the evening so the place was just starting to fill up. There is a certain refined atmosphere to the place as patrons sip glasses of red wine rather than mugs of beer. Well, they do have beers, but wine is the usual drinks of choice. This was a rare evening where no other artists came out for the night. I think the prospect of downtown parking scares off artists. Regardless, I had fun blocking in my sketch and when done, I simply walked the block or so back to my studio.

The next night, I was interviewed by Pam Schwartz of the Orange County Regional History Center about my experiences in the weeks following the Pulse Nightclub Massacre. Since that night, she tends to join me on many of these types of sketch outings. I tend to keep my head in the sketch for the entire hour or two until it is done, so she can chat with artists or patrons while I work and when I am done, I join the conversations. For me this is the best of both worlds, I get absolute focus and then come up for air and enjoy the company of the artists around me.

Genome VIP Opening

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Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code opened at the Orange County Regional History Center (65 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801) with a VIP opening reception in the lobby. The traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution is presented by Orlando Health and is open through January 6, 2019.

This special exhibit examines the complexities of the
genome—the genetic or hereditary material of a living organism—through
cutting-edge displays, animation, and fascinating real-life stories that
reveal the links between generations and how our histories begin long
before we are born. The exhibit also examines both the benefits and
challenges the study of genetics presents to our society.

The exhibit also contains a special area, custom designed by History Center staff, that
explores three genomic ties to Central Florida – in the fascinating
findings at the Windover Bog archaeological site in Brevard County, in
the development of citrus, and through the family histories of some
well-known Central Floridians, including Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer; Jorge
Estevez, WFTV Channel 9 news anchor; journalist Brendan O’Connor of the
Bungalower; Toni Pressley, Orlando Pride soccer team defender; and
Geraldine Thompson, former state representative and senator and founder
of Orlando’s Wells’ Built Museum.

At the VIP reception all the participants in the family tree project were given time to discuss their feelings about the project. Buddy Dyer took time to thank Pam Schwartz for her contributions in spearheading a collecting initiative of memorial items after the Pulse Nightclub massacre. Geraldine Thompson gave the most moving testimony as she described her feeling after discovering that she had a close relative that she didn’t know existed. A man who was searching for his biological father contacted Pam and she was able to prove through DNA and family history who his father really was. Unfortunately the father had died a few years prior. But the man and Geraldine are both seem excited to meet one another.

The exhibit features large interactive displays with projections and video. You can literally spend hours learning about DNA and life’s code if you read every text panel. The evening was winding down before I could finish my explorations.

Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code

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The Orange County Regional History Center (65 E. Central Blvd. Orlando, Florida 32801) has installed and opened a new exhibit called Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code. 

This special exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Institutes of Health examines the complexities of the genome – the genetic or hereditary material of a living organism – through cutting-edge displays, animation, and fascinating real-life stories that reveal the links between generations and how our histories begin long before we are born. The exhibit also examines both the benefits and challenges the study of genetics presents to our society. The exhibit runs from October 13, 2018 to January 6, 2019.

Pam Schwartz, the History Center’s chief curator, along with her staff, have added to the exhibit to make it tie into our Central Florida human history. As part of the project they asked five local Orlando celebrities to take DNA tests to track their heritage through Ancestry.com. She then began the painstaking process of researching their family trees.

Long-time mayor John “Buddy” Dyer has several generations of roots in Central Florida, so he was a natural choice. Research lead Pam to discover his family’s roots in colonial America. In 1758 his fourth and fifth great grandparents were in Fort Seybert, a frontier fort in the Allegheny
Mountains in what is now Pendleton County, West Virginia. They were caught by surprise by an Indian raid. The fort fell and those inside were lined up in two rows, one to be taken captive and the other to be murdered and scalped (at least as the European settlers story goes). Buddy’s distant grandfather was tomahawked in the mouth by a Shawnee warrior, sending his teeth flying. He died instantly. His daughter fainted, her life was spared as she was taken captive. 20 settlers died that day. By a stroke of luck, a small boy from the Dyer family was away at a distant village when the massacre happened. This is the boy who kept the family lineage alive and why Buddy is here today. Pam was also able to prove that Buddy and his sons are eligible to apply for the Sons of the American Revolution status since the Dyer family was actively engaged in the Revolutionary War up several branches.

Jorge Estevez, a news anchor from Channel 9 News, discovered that his family was a prominent part of Cuba’s early history. Documents contained signatures and seals from his distant relatives who were very prominent notaries in Havana. Cuban documents are not available online so a possible trip to Cuba could further bring this research to life. Channel 9 is considering sending Jorge there

 to dig deeper into his family’s past.



Geraldine Thompson, a former State Senator, may be united with a close relative she has never met before. Pam was contacted by a man who has spent his life – 47 years – searching for his biological father. The man he had been told was his father took a DNA test, but the results confirmed that he wasn’t this man’s biological father.  Through her research, Pam was able to confirm the father was, in fact, the Senator’s brother. Though he passed away in 2003, Pam was still able to unite the man with this new-to-him side of his family

Other family histories were for Toni Deion Pressley from Orlando Pride, and Brendan Bunting O’Connor the editor of The Bungalower. Each participant will receive a binder showing the breadth of what has been discovered so far. The rainbow colored tabs are a gateway to an amazing vibrant multicultural past. Each family tree will be part of the Genome Exhibit at the Orange County Regional History Center, check it out for more fascinating stories from these individual’s families.

If you are curious about finding out about your family History, you should stop out to Lunch and Learn, which will  discuss Genealogy on November 2, 2018 at Noon at the Orange County Regional History Center. Guest speakers will include Elaine Hatfield Powell of the Central Florida Genealogical Society and Allison Ryall of the Orange County Library System’s West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center. Bring a lunch or let them order one for you by calling 407-836-7046 – lunch orders must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Members are free; non-members $5. With lunch: Members $8; non-members $13.