Trends with Friends

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Wendy Wallenberg told Terry about a fashion show at Bloomingdale’s and I decided to tag along. Terry was worried that we might not get in since our names weren’t on the list. I was going straight from work and felt under dressed with jeans and a five o’clock shadow. The event wasn’t crowded and anyone could get in. We arrived long before people got seated on either side of the runway. I decided to stand at a table facing two manikins with a sweeping view of the runway. I noticed when the models arrived with their small roll along luggage and slender figures like flight attendants. Terry scouted for food and drink while I sketched. She brought back some smoked salmon on a slice of bread. It looked delicious. I’m not sure what drinks were offered, but she went back for more.

Wendy hadn’t arrived yet and Terry was getting bored. When Wendy did arrive, just before the show started, she texted me, “I’m here, don’t forget to put me in the sketch”. I looked up and waved to her seated next to Terry. Ten percent of all sales that night would go to MD Andersen Cancer Center of Orlando thanks to the efforts of Women Playing for TIME. Melanie Pace who was the wardrobe stylist, announced the models as they went down the runway. The runway presentation involved transforming “Daytime Wardrobe into Evening Chic“. I focused on Hope each time she strutted down the runway. I mixed and matched her wardrobe each time she modeled. Fashion models seldom stand still.

I was still applying color as the fashion show wrapped up. A server offered me a peach cobbler and man was it delicious.  I finished up the sketch so I could leave with Terry. Wendy wanted to shop. None of the outfits modeled appealed to Terry.

Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival

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Clyde Moore, AKA I Luv Winter Park, invited me to sketch the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival from the second floor French windows of, Downeast (130 North Park Avenue). The second floor of the store, owned by Don and Lettie Sexton, has been dubbed “The Attic.” The attic features art from local Orlando artists as well as a wall devoted to Winter Park themed art. The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is a huge three day event that features art from talented artists from around the country.

I had never been to “Downeast” before so I watched building numbers closely. When I saw 130, I walked upstairs, but the place didn’t have a retail vibe. I felt like I was entering a home. The kitchen had dishes stacked in the drainer. I walked down a hall towards an office. It was a lawyer’s office and the elder statesman informed me that his firm was at 130 South Park Avenue. He said North Park Avenue started one block further north.

Downeast had racks of women’s clothes out on the sidewalk. I walked inside and quickly found the staircase to the attic. Clyde greeted me upstairs. He pointed out what he felt might be the best sketching angles. I chose to sit in the center French window which had an unobstructed view over the vast field of artist’s tents. It was a beautiful day. Foot traffic was light as I started, but by the time I finished the sketch, there was a steady stream of pedestrians. Some women crossed the street to flip through the racks of clothes simply because the building cast a nice pool of cool shade. A piano player was tickling the ivories the whole time I worked, adding to the festive feeling of the day.

A huge stuffed Teddy bear named Parker stood in the window next to me. Occasionally children would notice Parker and they would shout and point. A couple of people noticed me sketching and they stopped and waved. I don’t have the anonymity I once had. I could hear Clyde taking an endless series of photos as I worked. He must have enough photos to create a stop motion time lapse of this sketches creation.

I had to get to work at Full Sail as soon as my sketch was done, so I only was really tempted to linger for a moment to inspect the quirky and fun found object sculptures of John Whipple. Anna McCambridge Thomas was there and she introduced me to her mother in law who actually has one of my calendars. That made my day. The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival continues today Saturday, March 17th, from 9 AM to 6 PM and then on Sunday, March 18th, from 9 AM to 5 PM. Be sure to stop into Downeast and say hi to Clyde or Lettie who were so gracious to share their “Room with a View.”.

Phoenix from the Ashes

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Sixty five years ago, Bill Palmer’s grandparents first established the Palmer Feed Store at 912 West Church Street in Parramore. The business was passed down from generation to generation as the city of Orlando grew and developed. I remember driving past several times when I was sketching the Police Equestrian Unit heading downtown for a parade. I heard chickens clucking in front of the store. The place had a nostalgic feel.

On March 28th of 2011, the Palmers got a phone call in the middle of the night. The store was on fire. There was a firehouse only a block away and firemen smelled something burning and began patrolling the neighborhood. They called in the blaze. Bill rushed to the store. He could see the flames from many blocks away. An electrical socket had caused the blaze which burned out of control. It was a two alarm fire with chemicals and fertilizers feeding the intense flames. Everything was lost. The computer which had all the costumers and years of information was burnt as well. They had backup disks but they were also on site and burnt. Anything below the one foot high mark only had smoke damage.

Michelle Palmer related how over one hundred friends, neighbors, costumers and bible study group members showed up after the blaze. There were tears of hopelessness but friends held them and volunteered to begin moving things out of the burnt shell. Although overwhelmed by the monumental task of starting all over again, they found that assistance and unexpected aid kept them moving forward. When she got home after that first day, she found that friends had left flowers on her kitchen table. She still gets choked up just talking about it.

The fire occurred right after their peak inventory time. They had to pay off inventory that had been burned while trying to start fresh. Once the burnt product was moved out to the yard, the Palmers drove a mobile home into the parking lot and they sold items like dog food, bike tires and insecticides to local residents who relied on them. The first new product to arrive at the store were fresh green vegetable plants.

Friends and neighbors shared their gifts and talents to help the Palmers rebuild. Doors opened that they didn’t know existed. They were told to apply for a grant from the City of Orlando and they got the grant. Thankfully the walls of the building were structurally sound. The front porch was rebuilt to look just like it did in 1947. Michelle was a full time mom before the fire, but now she is helping built and shape the business as they move into the future. The family had to re examine their hopes, dreams and passions. Merchandise that didn’t move is no longer being stocked. They are carrying more organic insecticides and more modern, sustainable farming practices like hydroponics. She said the store plans to “honor the past while embracing the future.”

Folk art is now gracing the walls of the store. Behind the checkout counter there is chicken wire framed in reclaimed wood with photos from the store’s long history held in place with wooden clothes pins. Each clothes pin has the year that the photo was taken written on it. A 500 pound concrete chicken will soon be perched in the yard next to the store. Michelle is now searching for rusty hand saws to decorate the store clock, and old vintage Orlando post cards.

Michelle and her family feel blessed. Friends and neighbors offered endless gifts and emotional support to keep her family’s spirit lifted after the fire. The love shown was overwhelming. The outpouring of community support is something that has changed her family forever. Now she wants to give back and share the same gift with others. The store is celebrating its Grand Opening on March 3rd. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Buddy Dyer and a City Commissioner. A local neighborhood choir will kick off the event and there will be music all day. There will be a food truck and free product giveaways. This business is back and better than ever.

Spirit Halloween

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I had planned to sketch a dance rehearsal but the instructor was sick and I didn’t get the note. On the drive home, down Colonial, I saw a large sign for Spirit Halloween ( Colonial Promenade 4628 E Colonial Dr.) I turned into the shopping complex. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I decided to see how many people were shopping for costumes this early in the month. I leaned back against a metal pillar in the store. Within a minute a store clerk asked if he could help me. I explained about the blog. He decided to get the manager. Betty Ruocco came out and said she was delighted to see how the sketch turned out.

In the center of the cavernous store was the “Spirit Playland.” A large scary swing spun carnival like. Each swing held a different demonic baby. One baby held a human brain which it was eating and another baby was chewing on its own foot. A fortune teller booth had a red haired, green skinned baby whose head would periodically spin around, exorcist style. Many of the displays were large mannequins that were for people’s front porches. One display had a telephone where people could scream into the receiver as they were threatened by Ghost face. Many people posed here for photos.

Little pads that said, “step here” were scattered in front of displays on the floor. One little boy must have assumed I was an employee because he kept asking me what would happen if he stepped on a pad. I would tell him what I had observed and then he would tentatively approach the display and step down. A ghoul rose from the grave growling with smoke wafting up over the tombstone. The boy screeched and ran away looking for his sister. He coached her to step down and then they both screamed. This game held an endless delight for them.

At the check out counter Betty rang a cow bell. Every time a customer bought a purple pumpkin or a brightly colored rubber wrist bracelet for a dollar, the cow bell was rung. All the money raised from those sales went to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital. On October 18th Spirit Halloween employees are going to the hospital with costumes for the children to celebrate Halloween in style. Over 4.6 million dollars in cash and merchandise were donated to children’s hospitals since 2007. What a great cause. Go down and keep that cow bell ringing!

Apple Store Line

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Terry suggested I go to the Millenia Mall to see if there was a line of people waiting for the latest iPhone release. I don’t go to the mall very often so this was an adventure. I had been to the store before and I swore it was on the second floor. I walked the full length of the mall and had to double back. It was actually on the first floor and I had walked over it in the first five minutes of my quest. I decided to stay on the second floor and look down at the long steady line of people waiting. A brick of a security guard stood by, should any riots break out.

It was less than a week since Steve Jobs died. A storefront window was turned into a shrine. There were flowers and a small box of candy at the store’s display window. Colorful stickie notes covered the glass with short notes like: “Keep thinking different.” “RIP Steve, the world loves apples.” “iCame, iSaw, iMiss you.” As I sketched, two former students stopped to say hello. I asked Phil if he was here to get an iPhone. “Are you kidding? Those things cost like $400. I have a student loan to pay off!”, he said. My old iPhone is working just fine. I will not upgrade unless the glass breaks or I drown it. The new iPhone apparently has loads of new features but I just need a phone that works, and sometimes I feel a little too connected. Most people I draw have their eyes plastered to that tiny screen. I want my eyes to keep taking in the bigger picture.

In 1984 Steve introduced the world to a new form of computer. I desperately wanted one of these early Macintosh’s. Terry had a contest going at her new job at Shearson Lehman Hutton. If she brought in enough clients through cold calls, she could win a Macintosh. She worked incredibly hard in part because she knew I lusted for that machine. She got it. I used that tiny Mac to design a whole book, which I self published. I knew this new digital age would change everything. I still have that old tiny Mac. I brought it to Full Sail in Steve Jobs honor the day after he died. I plugged it in and the machine hummed to life sounding like a 747 after 20 years of hot storage in our garage. Terry and I have worked together to bring our dreams to life. Today is our 20th wedding anniversary. It was my dreams that brought us to Central Florida. Dreams change, but my hope for an ever brighter future never dies. “Maybe all the plans we made would not work out, but I have no doubt, even though it’s hard to see. I’ve got faith in us and I believe in you and me.“

Lowe’s Paint Department

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I needed outdoor house paint for painting the Mennello Museum mural. I painted small one inch squares of color using each of the 11 colors I carry in my pocket sized Winsor & Newton watercolor set. The plan was to get one quart of each, which should be more than enough to paint the mural. When I got to Lowe’s, the paint department was deserted. I considered leaving and going up to Home Depot up the street, but I needed to start painting immediately. I approached two store clerks who were standing near the self checkout registers. One of them, named Tyrone, said he could make the paint for me. He told me to find color swatches that matched my sample palette colors.

After searching for the proper color chips for sometime, I finally asked him to make a quart of each in outdoor house paint. As he worked, I sketched. A woman was ordering paint to touch up a room in a house she was going to rent. She became curious about the sketch and took a peek. Her father is an artist so she respected what I was doing. I gave her a card hoping to gain a new reader.

Tyrone worked quickly and deliberately. The number on the paint chip card was entered into the computer and various pigments squirted into the base paint matching the colors exactly. The cheapest paint was Olympic brand so I ordered that. Cheaper paints simply have a higher water content. I planned to thin the paint down even more to recreate a watercolor look to the mural, so the cheapest paint made sense. The cans were each hammered shut and placed in a plastic shell of a holding case which fit snugly into a paint agitator which shook the can like a mechanical bull. He would dip his finger in the paint and dab a bit on the label on top of the can. A hair dryer was used to quickly dry the sample. I checked each of the colors to be sure they matched. I proudly shot a picture sending it out on Facebook announcing that I was ready to paint. Christie Miga had offered me endless advice on what type of paint to buy. She saw the photo and made one more suggestion, “Double check and make sure it is outdoor house paint.” Of course it is, I thought, that is what I asked for. I went out to the truck to check anyway. She must have ESP, because sure enough, it was indoor paint. She let me know that indoor paint would fade quickly in the intense Florida sun.

The next day I returned the 11 cans of paint I had ordered, and I reordered outdoor paint. Apparently the folks who usually staff the paint department were instructed to check inventory on the day I first ordered my paint. No harm done, the mural is now progressing at breakneck speed.

Fill the Grill Cook off 2

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The second “Iron Chef” style Cook off at Whole Foods matched chef Tuan Tran from Crave against chef Steve Saelg of the Crooked Spoon Food Truck. The chefs were given $2o to spend and 20 minutes to shop. They then had 20 minutes to prepare a healthy summer meal using an electric grill. The event was again held at Whole Foods Market at Phillips Crossing (8003 Turkey Lake Road). When I arrived the chefs were arranging their respective cooking areas. With a minute to the start of the throw-down, two shopping carts were rolled out for the chefs. An announcer began a countdown to the start of the competition. As the chefs shopped I sketched the grilling area.

Chef Tuan Tran arrived at his grilling station first. He prepared a Korean grilled beef marinated in soy sauce with a pepper paste, sesame seeds and sugar. He also made cellophane noodles marinated in soy, sesame seed oil and garlic, all grilled in butter. He also grilled tomatoes with olive oil, garlic and minced cilantro. The crowning touch was that he also bought several bottles of Vietnamese beer to serve with his dish.

Chef Steve Saelg was busy preparing a chili crusted chicken thighs with ginger, fennel served with couscous. He also grilled avocado and sliced orange wheels sprinkled with a ginger fennel vinaigrette. The chefs moved with swift deliberation. Before I knew it they were done.

I continued sketching as the three judges tasted the dishes and deliberated. Chef Steve Saelg was declared the winner. He will go to the final competition against the winner of the previous throw-down, Alec Cheak of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.

Hot in the City Party

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Alchemy (2812 Edgewater Drive) is a hair salon in College Park. Together with TheDailyCity.com they hosted a summer party in the lot behind the business. The first thing I wanted to see was “Sea of Green” by Doug Rhodehamel. Cardboard fish with green fluorescent eyes were hung every where from the metal roof beams of the shop. The shop interior was pitch black and black lights illuminated the fish creating an hypnotic and playful deep sea space to swim through. Thankfully the shop was also air conditioned.

Outside in the alley between shops there were several cardboard boxes full of vinyl records. There were always people searching that music treasure chest. Other vendors and artisans had vintage clothing and jewelry. Mark Baratelli of theDailyCity.com arrived and handed out swag bags to the first people to arrive. A photo booth was set up by EnnaAnne Photography under a red tent behind Alchemy. Drawing the graffiti I tried to decipher what the tag spelled out but I never did figure it out. Several people introduced themselves to me. Steph has been reading for some time and she was honestly thankful for what I do. Meeting people like that really helps keep me going.

Several food trucks were on the far end of the lot and a stage was set up. Stage lights were sand bagged to the roof tops aimed at the stage. At one point a guitarist was playing musical chairs. When the music stopped everyone sat down. Two people were sitting on one chair neither one giving up. A judge had to be called in to see who had the highest cheek to chair ratio. When Terry arrived we considered getting a bite at the food trucks. One truck was sold out and the other had a long line. Wendy Wallenburg and Carl Knickerbocker and Mark Baratelli also were considering getting a bite. We all decided to go across the street to Paxia alta Cocina Mexicana(2611 Edgewater Drive), a Restaurant with really good Margaritas. The ice cold Margaritas were a great way to cool down after being on the hot asphalt for so long.

Faery Festival

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On Saturday July 30th Avalon held it’s annual Summer Sale and Faery Festival. It was a hot day. Six or so crafts vendor tents were set up in the parking lot next to Avalon (1211 Hillcrest Street.) Faria Maieed was painting a henna dolphin on a little girls hand as her father watched. I contemplated a sketch but the dolphin was almost complete. People were relaxing on massage benches. The massage looked particularly tempting. I went inside Avalon and looked at the wide array of crystals, spices, enchanted crafts and incense. The store wasn’t as crowded as it was last year so it was easy to browse.

Back outside, Florida Tribal Dancers were gathering in one of the tents. People started gathering in a semi circle around them in anticipation of a performance. I set up my stool in the shade of a tree and started blocking in a sketch. Lacey Sanchez, dressed in her gorgeous blue tribal dress, asked the assembling crowd to back up to give the dancers room to perform. Once the dancers came out, people stood right in front of me. I had to move out onto the hot pavement to re-start the sketch. I had to sketch quickly since the dancers twirled constantly. A huge gust of wind lifted one of the tents and people caught it’s poles to keep it from toppling. Lauren E. Lee pointed to the sky. I glanced up as a clear plastic bag danced in the wind swiftly rising up towards the clouds. When the performance was done, I was still adding color washes to the sketch. A woman walked up behind me and said, “You’re neck is going to be crisp as a lobsters hide if you keep sitting in the sun.” After I assured her I would be done soon, another woman approached and warned me about skin cancer. I was getting annoyed since in an ideal world I would of course be sitting in the shade, but life keeps pulling me out into the sun.

Fill the Grill Cook-off

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Whole Foods Market at Phillips Crossing (8003 Turkey Lake Road) hosted the first of three celebrity chef cook-offs. In this high stakes battle, renowned local chef John Rivers of 4 Rivers Smokehouse competed against Alec Cheak of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. Each chef was given $20 and 20 minutes to speed shop for ingredients. They then had 20 minutes to make a delicious, creative summer meal using only a grill. They stood side by side with their shopping carts as the announcer counted down to the start. As the chefs wandered the aisles, I remained behind sketching the grilling area. Oriane Lluch who helped organize the event, gave me a press release. A Sentinel reporter video taped the competition.

Both chefs spent $19 and change on their ingredients. John Rivers hit an unexpected snag when he realized that the calamari steaks he had purchased were frozen. They were sent back and fresh steaks were ordered. Then John discovered that his grill wasn’t working. Unfazed, he ran to a grill in the far corner of the kitchen to grill his fresh vegetables. I began to wonder if the competition was rigged. Whole, fresh, local and seasonal ingredients were used by both chefs. Alec grilled a Pacific Cod over a bed of grilled spring leaks, jicama and mango, accompanied with a balsamic orange, blackberry reduction. John prepared a grilled calamari steak with cilantro along with grilled red and yellow peppers and fresh carrots, topped with a ginger BBQ sauce.

Three judges tasted the light summer dishes deliberating with each taste. The announcer stirred the crowd raising the excitement. After some deliberation, chef Alec Cheak was declared the winner. He smiled broadly. On August 16th Chef Tuan Tran of Crave will face off against Chef Steve Saelg of the Crooked Spoon. The winner of that cook-off will then face off against chef Alec Cheak in the final cook-off on August 30th. The cook-offs all happen at Whole Foods at 6:30pm. I realized as I was leaving that I was hungry. I went home and popped a frozen diner in the microwave.