Iowa Baby Shower

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Pam’s sister, Jenni Schwartz and Roger Wood, are having a baby and we traveled to Iowa for several baby showers. Jenni lives in Des Moines, Iowa and that shower was held at the Raccoon River Nature Lodge. I was on task to help set up. Pam ordered several dozen tiny wicker baskets which were intended to hold thank you presents for this hot air balloon themed party. She ordered them online and had the boxes shipped to Jenni’s home. The baskets turned out to be VERY tiny only able to hold one candy. In desperation, she made a run to a party store which was going out of business. A few items were on the shelves but many items were scattered on the floor. It was a post apocalyptic scene.She did find some silk gift bags which fit three pieces of ganache and truffles, as opposed to the one that could be held by a basket. She wanted to leave the baskets behind to be returned, but I insisted they were a much needed decoration item.

The lodge had a gorgeous view overlooking a lake to the south. Floor to ceiling windows made the view amazing. We were responsible for all the set up and break down for the event. We rolled out 5 round tables and covered them with white plastic table cloths. Center pieces were rectangular blue place mats with a bowl of caramel/cheese popcorn and the candy bags scattered about. I discovered that the baskets were just big enough to hold 1 Starburst candy, so I raided all the candy to just find the Starbursts.

My main job was to build the balloon arch. I blew up most of the balloons. Jenni blew up the golden balloons since they were easiest to blow up. When they were inflated, golden confetti inside would blow around like they were in a tornado. All the other balloons were blue or white. That is a clue that baby Wood would be a boy. There was one very big blue balloon in the bag, so I tied a basket under it to make it onto a hot air balloon.

Pam designed cute cards with a fox and rabbit riding in a hot air balloon. She brought a stuffed red fox which sat on the serving tables and a metal basket containing baby diapers had balloons attached to it to make it resemble a hot air balloon. We also had paper hot air balloon decorations with a cloud and star hanging below each. I taped them to the blinds on each floor to ceiling window and they were raised or lowered based on how high or low the blinds were raised. The balloons didn’t have baskets, so I placed a basket on the window sill ledge below each making it seem like the balloons had launched without their baskets.

The cake was beautifully decorated reproducing Pam’s fox  hot air balloon cartoon. However the cake imploded when we were transporting it. It had a creamy salted caramel filling which caused the layers to slip like tectonic plates. By the end of the evening the cake had slipped and twisted making it look like a California earthquake had hit. It was still incredible delicious….when eaten with a spoon.

About 35 people RSVP’d to the party, but only 15 or so arrived on this Friday night. When they arrived they were invited to put a fingerprint on a hot air balloon image with the fox and rabbit, and sign it, for it to later hang on the nursery walls. The diapers were to be inscribed with messages so the mother could have a giggle when she had to change them in the middle of the night. I drew a poop emoji and signed it. Some of Jenni’s co-workers were giggling and writing on diapers for most of the party.

Orange County Regional History Center Auction

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The Orange County Regional History Center is getting a major redesign in the next few years with modern digital interactive displays and is basically being overhauled from head to toe to improve the experience. Several months ago the large ceiling mounted display in the lobby was dismantled. Alligators, manatees, huge mosquitoes, and other Central Florida flora and fauna came down. The manatees were sitting in the loading bay for the longest time.

The History Center decided to hold an auction to sell off items from the old displays to help raise money for the multi-million dollar renovations and improvements they are planning. This was a sketch opportunity I could not miss. The room was packed when The History Center’s chief curator, Pam Schwartz, and I arrived. I immediately tucked myself away behind some tables set up to hold items in the auction. To my right was a large steam engine train. To my left was a Conestoga wagon, some camping vehicles, a mermaid, some mastodon tusks, and a model of a theme park water slide.

I had seen this auctioneer in action before, he was highly polished and kept the action lively. The bidding was fast and furious. In the aisles were people who would yelp whenever someone bid. The guy closest to me had a thick New York accent and he was hilarious and gracious. The lots wold be sold as groupings, for instance, if you wanted a manatee you needed to buy three manatees. If you wanted a pink flamingo, you would have to buy 5 flamingos. The museum for some reason had quite a few antique toy robots. The cheapest item of the day was a set of golf clubs in a bag for only a dollar. Patty Sheehan bought a hilarious looking green frog wearing a crown modeled after a character at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. Brendan O’Connor brought home an antique robot.

After the bidding on the larger items, everyone who was left gathered at a back table to bit on smaller items. It was fun to watch as people struggled to take home the large items purchased. A wife scolded her husband for trying to carry a five foot model space shuttle all on his own. The women who brought the manatees, gators, and some large metal leaves were planning to create a Florida themed back yard pool area. The leaves would function as decorative access block for an outdoor shower. She and her partner were just out running errands at 7-11 when they decided to go to the auction.  Having never been to an auction before they were surprised with all they brought home.

As a fundraiser the auction turned out to be a huge success. Pam pitched the idea as a joke at one of the meetings since they thought most of the items should have been thrown out. Now they are being tenderly refurbished by their new owners. Two large Corinthian columns and the 4 foot high flamingos remained behind as the auction space quieted down. People must have planned to pick these items up later when they had a large enough truck to transport them.

Mikado Mixer

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Central Florida Vocal Arts Presented a Mikado Mixer at Seito Sushi Baldwin Park (4898 New Broad St, Orlando, Florida 32814).  Guest got a drink, a bite to eat and a cast meet and greet from the upcoming production of The Mikado. The Mikado is a comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Members of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra will be performing live at this upcoming production.

Theresa Smith-Levin the chief executive director of CFVA warmly introduced members of the cast and community collaborators. Part of the cast was missing for this event since they were performing in another production. Pam Schwartz the chief curator at the Orange County Regional History Center explained that the museum  had recently had an exhibit about the Vietnamese community here in Orlando. She and her staff will be setting up a pop up exhibit in the lobby of the Rep Theatre for the run of the Mikado with kimonos and other artifacts along with monitors showing oral histories that were done with members of Orlando’s Vietnamese Community. Ricky Ly of Tasty Chomps gave a lively discussion about Japanese fusion in the local food scene. Nicole Dupre of Opera del Sol is organizing an exhibit of art by Masami Koshikawa which will also appear in the Rep lobby. Thali Sigesawa wearing a blue kimono with a bright yellow sash, spoke about her mixed heritage being part Asian and part Brazilian. Growing up, she didn’t know quite where she fit in, but when she moved to Orlando she finally realized she could just be herself. She choked up a bit as she spoke of Sakado, her grandmother who used to tell her stories over and over again.  She caries her legacy as she grows older.

Gilbert and Sullivan remind us  that
“Virtue is only triumphant in theatrical performances”.  Enjoy an couple of hours of virtue, laughs and beautiful music as
Central Florida Vocal Arts, Opera del Sol and Space Coast Symphony come
together to present a modern concert version of The Mikado. 2019’s
Summer production marks the fourth year that Central Florida Vocal Arts
and Space Coast Symphony have joined forces and they plan to make this
production their most exciting to date!

Mark your calendar! The Mikado, a Concert Version is being staged August 9, 10 and 11, 2019 at the Orlando Rep Theater (1001 East Princeton Street Orlando FL). Ticket are $25 General Admission, $20 Student and Senior and $35 Box Office assigned front and center rows.

Friday,     August 9 2019  

7:30 PM
—
9:30 PM


Saturday, August 10 2019 

7:30 PM
—
9:30 PM


Sunday,   August 11 2019
 
3:00 PM
—
5:00 PM

After the mixer, Pam and I stayed to order diner. I had the Volcano Roll which consisted of a California roll topped with baked kani kama, bay scallops, tobiko, chives, and eel sauce. The sauce had just the right amount of bite setting off the sweet. Pam had the vegetarian ramen which consisted of a vegetable-dashi broth, roasted cherry tomatoes, bean sprouts, sweet corn, scallions, garlic oil, and sweet potato noodles  I tried one sip and it was delicious. She said the corn was the best she has had in Central Florida. She could tell it had been cut fresh off the cob. Seito Sushi, which has another branch in Dr Phillips, is well worth a visit.

12 Angry Jurors

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Having sketched a dress rehearsal for 12 Angry Jurors based on 12 Angry Men written by Reginald Rose I decided to also sketch on opening night. The jury box was reserved for audience members who wanted these front row seats. I decided I wanted to sketch the jury box and the cast, so I sat where media once sat during trials of the past. Behind the jury box, a small stage was set up for photographers and presumably court artists.

For this performance I knew when members of the jury would change seats so it gave me an advantage to catch each member of the cast in my sketch. Again the jury had to deliberate about the fate of a youth who was being tried for the murder of his father. When the jurors first entered they immediately took a vote with 11 votes of guilty and 1 vote not guilty. Elaitheia Quinn gave a strong performance as juror 8 who had doubts about the prosecutions case. She was seen as a bleeding heart liberal by Juror 3 (Rich Somsky) he got so angry at her reasoning and doubts that he could have punched her had others not stopped him.

Director Robin Olson did an amazing job casting this show. The show was set in the 1970s and the costuming reflected that time period. These were no longer just 12 angry men but an evenly split 6 men and 6 women. Each jurors age and cultural background brought a fresh perspective to the facts as presented in the trial. For instance when discussing how a switch blade is used juror 5 (Scott Browning) came from a disadvantaged neighborhood and had witnessed a knife fight in his back yard.

An added layer of drama came because I was seated next to the History Museum’s chief curator, Pam Schwartz who is in charge of preserving this courtroom which is considered an delicate artifact from Orlando’s past. The courtroom had been lovingly restored after a fire in the past. Some fire damage could still be seen on the floor. When a cup of water spilled on the table during jury deliberations she cringed. Elaitheia quickly mopped it up with tissues incorporating that into the natural flow of the show. When juror 3 punched the wall Pam cringed again. These jurors were so angry, they just might start throwing chairs, but it never went that far. After the show she inspected the table to be sure there was no damage.

Every juror was on edge. Anger bubbled over and they fought bitterly with the youths life in the balance. Racism and bigotry surfaced in Juror 10 (Rose Lamarre) and the rest of the jurors drew away from her as she spit out her monologue of hatred. Our president is embracing hatred and racism as the foundation of his campaign in 2020 making this show incredibly resonant. Thunder rumbled and ran pelted the courthouse. Outside the pavement was wet.

This is a great show in a great space with an important message. Don’t miss it.

12 Angry Jurors

The Orange County Regional History Center 65 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801.

Remaining show dates:

Saturday,  August 3 – 7:30pm 

Sunday,    August 4 – 3:00pm 

Thursday, August 8 – 7:30pm 

Friday,     August 9 – 7:30pm 

Saturday, August 10 – 7:30pm 

Sunday,   August 11 – 3:00pm

Tickets are $20 General Admission and $40 for Jury Box Seats. 

Arab Cultural Heritage Festival

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The Arab Cultural Heritage Festival was a celebration of Arabic art, food and traditions. It was held at Lake Eola near the Disney Amphitheater. A huge crane was parked on the street holding an American flag. The truck served a secondary purpose of blocking any vehicles from driving down Washington avenue straight into the park. Every outdoor event in Orlando these days had large trucks or buses blocking possible vehicular homicide.

Pam Schwartz and I ordered some Arab food from vendors and then sat on the grassy knoll next to the Amphitheater. I focused my attention on the American flag and the Orlando skyline. The fellow next to us on the grass was having a cigarette break. He was probably one off the vendors. The star of the festival though was a lady holding an ice cream sign over her head and shouting out to everyone who passes that they were hot and could cool down with an ice cold ice cream. She seriously shouted louder and longer that any other vendor at the festival. We ate shwarma and chicken kabobs with veggies, but the dishes weren’t memorable. In the end we ultimately didn’t get an ice cream from the screaming and animated vendor.

In among the food vendors was an mechanical rodeo bull surrounded by inflatable mats. Was this an Arab festival or the Silver Spurs Rodeo? It was very confusing. The mechanical bull would have been another great sketch opportunity but there was no shade by the bull. The grassy knoll was a peaceful place slightly above the crowd to have a picnic and a quick sketch.

Fish Fry

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While family was waking up and chatting in the kitchen and living room in the Iowa home, the men went out to the garage, work area to gut some fish and start a fish fry. Rather than stay inside with the woman and children, I felt it my manly duty to head outside as well. The space is set up for maintaining vehicles and farm equipment complete with a lift. Deer skulls decorated the walls and horns protruded from the bare light bulb fixture. A crossbow was hug on the wall with care, but most hunting was done with guns. Behind the propane fryer was the huge walk in freezer where the season’s venison was stored.

Pam Schwartz came out to watch and talk while holding a sleeping nephew. This is where some of the better family conversations happened as the fish were gutted. I love this utilitarian space, with cabinets and counter space, a true man space. Pam hates fish,  but I tried some later and it was good. This is where I would want to be to polish up survivalist skills of hunting, fishing and preparing the meat.  As I live now, I don’t think I could survive without a source of Mountain Dew.

Out of Bounds Comedy Festival

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Pam Schwartz and I went to The Hideout Theatre (617 Congress Ave, Austin, Texas 78701) for the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival, which traditionally takes that final blistering week before Labor Day and fills it with funny. There was improv, sketch, and stand-up by mirth makers from both the Austin and around the planet. Out of Bounds showcased more than 130 acts over the course of seven days. More than 500 performers brought on the laughter. Out of Bounds is Austin’s longest running comedy festival and the largest multi-disciplinary comedy festival in the south.

The theatre was small and intimate and the acts came fast and furious. It was a fun night of improv comedy and proof that Austin is indeed keeping it weird. After the performance the two performers I had sketched found me and asked to have a photo taken with the sketch. I don’t think I ever saw that photo but it was great to meet the performers face to face.

Flower Essence Yoga

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Kristine Iverson a founder of Crow Practice, invited me to sketch her Flower Essence and Yoga Class at Bloom Florist (325 West Gore Street Orlando FL). Crow Practice stands for Coordinated Response On Wellness. The focus is on Stress Management Workshops and yoga. (CROW)
practices the art of bringing unique experience to their
clients’ needs, while adhering to authentic traditions and practices.

Participants at this workshop got free water donated by Body Armor. Pam Schwartz joined me for  this invite only wellness workout. She did the yoga while I sketched. This was a very relaxing yoga practice session. Between yoga postures participants could pass around essences of floral scents in perfume bottles. They would rub the scent between their palms warming it up, and then inhale deeply. All the yoga mats were lines up in the back of the florist shop warehouse. Some areas of the warehouse were refrigerated rooms where thousands of blooms were stored. The building already had an enticing scent.

Since moving to Florida my sense of small has been dulled by allergies and the humidity. From where I was sketching, I could not catch the scent off the essences as they were passed around. I have taken yoga before so I was familiar with the yoga poses. I stretched a bit as I sketched in my artist’s stool. In my mind I was doing a very limited form a yoga as I sketched.

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.

Irish DNA & Genealogy

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Pam Schwartz and I went to a presentation about the use of DNA for genealogists. In humans, each cell normally contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a
total of 46. Twenty-two of these pairs, called autosomes, look the same
in both males and females. The 23rd pair, the sex chromosomes, differ
between males and females. Females have two copies of the X chromosome, while males have one X and one Y chromosome. Pam has been getting DNA test from all of her oldest living relatives. In particular it is a good idea to get tests from male relatives because they will have both x and Y chromosomes which means the results will be different that a females test.

I have done some family history research and, with the name Thorspecken, I figured that clearly my heritage goes back to Germany. I traveled to Germany and found the Thorspecken home which is now a museum in Wetterburg. A name plate for Jacob Thorspecken was still on an upstairs door. Pam encouraged me to do a DNA test. It involved spitting in a small test tube and sending that off to a lab. The results came back complete with a map that showed where my ancestors immigrated from. The results were surprising. 60% of my ancestors came from Ireland and Scotland with most from Northern Ulster Ireland. 36% came from England, Whales and Northern Europe which included a bit of Western Germany. Only 4% came from Germanic Europe.

Of course I have already proven that the Thorspecken name is from Germany, but this DNA test showed me that that one family name is just a small fraction of the DNA story that defines where I came from. I also see 2nd and 3rd cousins that I didn’t know existed before. DNA clearly sheds a whole new light on family history research.  I now have a far greater reason to celebrate my Irish heritage every Saint Patrick’s day. At a time when our country is trying to wall off our borders, it is good to look back at the ethnic diversity that makes this country great.