Animal Kingdom

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Because I taught a workshop at the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, I was issued two free tickets to the Disney Theme parks as a thank you. Cleaning up around the house, Pam Schwartz and I found the tickets and realized that there was just one week left before the tickets expired. We decided to go the next day which was a Sunday. The Animal Kingdom was our destination which I had only been to once before. We watched the movie Avatar the night before, and made a commitment to go to the new Pandora Land in the Animal Kingdom.

As we drove south toward Disney it started to rain. We wanted to get some breakfast at Panera Bread, but when we got there the restaurant had evacuated the building. We got crummy overpriced breakfast sandwiches at Starbucks instead. I checked the radar and realized that it would be raining all morning. We put a positive spin on this by thinking the park might be empty when we arrived. We were dead wrong. Nothing stops the flow of humanity to the theme parks. Parking was $25. As I had my bag checked by security, a waterfall suddenly poured down on my shoulder from an umbrella that gave way its weight of water.

The first order of business was to get a plastic bag to protect my sketchbook. With that done, we wandered the park towards Pandora – The World of Avatar. The land is impressively designed and landscaped. The floating islands were amazing and I wanted to sketch, but not in the rain. The wait time for Avatar – Flight of Passage was like 190 minutes, How many hours is that? We skipped that ride and decided to find rides with shorter wait times. Every ride we tried was shut down. We also had fast passes to some rides. The fast passes kept getting canceled. As we got turned away from attraction after attraction we both got pretty grumpy. WTF.

Then we decided to get some food to get away from the rain. All the sit down restaurants we approached had insane wait times. Clearly every family in the park had the same idea of using the restaurant as a place to stay dry for a bit. The smaller food carts weren’t much better, I couldn’t stomach the idea of paying $15 for a hot dog. A majority of the “affordable” quick grab food stands were also closed. We would have to hide under a gutter overhang to try and stay dry as we ate. We finally did split a macaroni and cheese.

My sketch is of Up, a Great Bird Adventure in Asia. We went in simply because the audience had cover from the rain. The stage however was still getting soaked. The announcer wasn’t sure the show would go on. The Disney cast did come out and performed at the front of the stage which was barely under the awning. Russel and Doug from the Pixar movie, Up were amongst the cast. A bird flew out and turned on the radio on stage. A green parrot did manage to belt out a tune. But the peacocks were divas and refused to go out on stage in the rain. The show was cut short and everyone was ushered back out into the rain. I kept working on the sketch until the cast practically had to drag me out.

Theme parks are a special kind of hell. Screaming children were having tantrums everywhere. You got to see the worst in parenting. We were on a theme park death march from land to land in the endless rain. My feet were soaked all day. We sought cover in every stage show we could find. In the afternoon the sun finally broke through. We waited for an eternity going through endless switchbacks to get on the back of a Banshee and fly. I have to admit that the all too brief ride was the best thing we did that day. It was a 3D motion simulation ride that really did an amazing job of making it feel like we were flying. I kind of wish there was truly some control so that each ride was unique, but it is what it is. We ended the day at Rivers of Light which was impressive, but could have used a story line to tie together the animal-themed projections. Would I return to Animal Kingdom any time soon? Hell no. Disney would have to pay me (again) to return.

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.

Corsets and Cuties Holiday Kick-off at the Venue

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Pam Schwartz and I went to a dress rehearsal for Corsets and Cuties at The Venue (511 Virginia Dr, Orlando, FL 32803). With all the development in Ivanhoe Village, the Venue’s days are numbered. It will soon be demolished to make way for more development. This rehearsal was for a Christmas Holiday Kick-off. This Burlesque Cabaret troupe is not for the faint of heart, but for those with a sense of humor and adventure.

The Christmas tree was fluffed and decorated with care and the Cuties marquee was hung by the boys. An opening number featured Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. All the dancers wore red antlers and pranced with innocent charm. Rudolf came with a glowing red nose until it too was stripped and left to the wayside to allow for some flowing gyrations.

Lady Jaimz explained that they had bought some Disney Costumes at a Lake Howell High School sale, so everyone had matching green holiday garb for the final number. A dancer wasn’t at the rehearsal, so We didn’t see every act but what ensued was the usual chaos and fun anarchy.

The December 1st performance promises a chance to start the season with some fun and teasing with Corsets and Cuties.
Doors and bar open at 9pm.
Showtime 10pm.
Special gifts from sponsor Premier Couples Superstore.

Tickets are $18 by pre-order or at the door. 

Cemetaries as Museums

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Pam Schwartz and I went to the Osceola County Welcome Center and History Museum (4155 W Vine St, Kissimmee, Florida 34741)to listen to guest speaker Kevin Gidusko from the Florida Public Archaeology Network as he spoke about the preservation of historic cemeteries.

His talk covered, the archaeological process in cemeteries, the use iconography and headstone styles to date sites, and preservation and dating techniques. Cemeteries are a rather recent phenomenon when compared to the entire history of the world.  Cemeteries have had an important place in our culture since the beginning of recorded time. Taking special care to honor our ancestors and have a proper final resting place for them is one of the things that makes us uniquely human.

Many cemeteries are now being documented online on Find a Grave making finding distant relatives for genealogy increasingly easy. Any cemetery is a  place where we can see the people who helped shape our history. Weathering, vandalism, neglect, and encroachment by development and plant growth threaten the fate of historic cemeteries. Because of this it is important to systematically survey and document these historic sites before they are forever lost.

The intricate carvings on headstones can tell much about the beliefs of the person buried. Common designs in the 19th and early 20 centuries included urns, Latin crosses, willow trees, doves, lambs, hands bibles, flowers and vines. For instance the symbol of a weeping willow reflected the interest in the United States in ancient Greece. The most obvious meaning is the “Weeping” or mourning for the loss of a loved one. A willow is a fast growing tree that is easy to grow from cuttings and often is the first tree to grow on a disturbed site. Thus the tree is known as healing. In many cultures the willow tree is a symbol for immortality.

Kevin let us know that there are many opportunities to volunteer should we want to take part in the preservation of cemeteries.

The event was sponsored in part by Gatorland.

VegFest

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This year’s VegFest was held at Festival Bay Park. This festival has grown exponentially since I started sketching it back in 2010. Pam Schwartz and I did a full walk about and ordered some vegetarian food for lunch. I ordered a Dosa which was much larger than I expected. A dosa is an Indian version of a pancake but much thinner. Mine was filled with some mashed potatoes and spices. It was tasty, but honestly I couldn’t eat the whole thing.

The food tents were set up on a narrow pathway through the center of the park. This arrangement created a major traffic funnel with line of people blocking traffic in every direction. Had they move the tends back off the pathway then strolling by could have been a more pleasant experience. Pam’s  dog, Sprout came out too the festival with us and he and a great time. There were so many scents and things to see. He also got to meet so many other pups.

There was a cute little pig that people could pet but when I returned to do a possible sketch he was being taken for a walk. I settled instead on this tent full of people meditating. Pam warned me that they would stop meditating once I started sketching and she was right. Regardless I stayed committed and got some semblance of a sketch.

We walked around some more once my sketch was done. There were a few politicians since Mid Term elections were right around the corner. It seems Florida is the laughing stock of the country again since there is a major recount for three of those mid term election races. In the 2006 election there were hanging chads to contend with but today there seems to be inefficiency and an inability to count quickly. Hopefully every vote will count. We all need to take a moment and breath deeply. Ohmmmmmm……..

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.

Horror in the Milk District

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I went to a Drink and Draw in the Milk District and parked on a side street. When I left the event I noticed a bright orange glow and decided to change my route home and drive towards the light. On Kilgore between Primrose and Graham I found this lawn littered with graves and a skeletal dragon. Since I had already done a sketch for the night I wanted to get home but I made a mental note to return the next night.

On Hallows Eve I returned and parked a short distance away, not wanting to block the view. I considered sketching from across the street but a neighbor had on a bright light which I considered a distraction. Instead, I sat right on the curb and started to catch as much of the scene as I could. Fairly early in the sketch, I noticed the owner of the home walk out looking at his cell phone. I figured he must have seen me from inside and wanted to see what I was up to.

He later related that his cat had been acting strange and so he wanted to see why. He then noticed birds chirping which was strange since it was nighttime. When he got to the end of his driveway I decided to say hello. He nearly jumped out of his skin, a reaction I hadn’t expected. He hadn’t seen me until I spoke up. He later said that he thought I was seated in a wheel chair. I must have been a ghostly apparition. Then we joked and talked for a while. I told him about my childhood memories of carving hundreds of pumpkins each Halloween for my families annual display.

Most of the figures on his lawn are action motivated. The dragon’s eyes light up and he opens his mouth to hiss. The skeletal cat and skeleton leaning against a gravestone do much the same. Neighbor walked by to check out the display, and Pam Schwartz joined me to check out the display. She chatted to people as I sketched. It was a friendly relaxing neighborhood gathering.

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.