Parenting Guide: Education
This past school year was by far one of the toughest years for learning. The challenges posed by the pandemic resulted in some degree of social and academic loss for all grade levels. Though teachers and administrators worked tirelessly to create as normal of a year as possible, many kids have fallen behind. Now many schools are looking to help students regain what was lost before... Read More
Special Needs
No two children are the same and no diagnosis manifests in the same ways, as parents of children with special needs know well. As if parenting weren’t already fraught with doubt, worry and frustration, the added stressors of tirelessly advocating for a neurodiverse or disabled child in order for their needs to be satisfied—in school, at the doctor’s, on vacation, or anywhere... Read More
The Right Notes
One month before the pandemic, Paul Helfrich became the new executive director of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra after a nationwide search. The year had a lot in store as the Philharmonic prepared for its 28th season and the much-anticipated move into Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts, but COVID-19 had cast a shadow over it all. “In hindsight... Read More
Defying History
“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Jenni L. Walsh can certainly relate to this truism. She spends her days—and, more often, her nights—in the glow of her computer, dreaming up vivid characters and the tribulations those characters need to grow, learn and change the world around them. Walsh once enjoyed a fruitful career as a copywriter... Read More
Taking the Right Steps
It’s well known that when it comes to men, there are a lot of places they’d rather be than inside of a doctor’s office. Unlike their female counterparts, males are more reluctant to look after their personal health and often put off medical visits, opting instead to manage symptoms or simply live with the pain. But, of course, that “manly” mentality can lead to even bigger... Read More
It Just Takes One Storm
A disturbance with the potential to become the year’s first named tropical storm developed in the Atlantic Ocean days before the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) formally issued its predictions for the 2021 hurricane season. The National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Florida-based division of NOAA/National Weather Service dedicated to tracking and predicting... Read More
Super Women 2021
If the past year has taught us anything, it’s the importance of lending a helping hand to those around us, and that gestures both large and small can go a long way toward impacting our community. For these 14 local ladies, standing up for what they believe in, assisting people in need and trying to lift up others just seems to come naturally. They have not started nonprofits or... Read More
Reaching for Resources
Spring has brought much hope to the country. More than 200 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increasing number of schools are reopening for in-person learning and families are reuniting after too many months apart. However, just as the COVID-19 pandemic seems as if it’s under control, there is another wave to be aware of, according to mental health professionals. In... Read More
True to Life
Photo by Casey Curry/Invision/AP/Shutterstock When Kate Winslet first considered playing a detective in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, she knew the role would pose more than a few potential stumbling blocks. To start, she would need to learn how to speak “Delco,” a peculiar accent native to the suburban Philadelphia county. She would also have to go makeup free, walk with a... Read More
Newfound Hope: Advancements in Reproductive Medicine
For those who dream of becoming parents, there is no obstacle too big to overcome in the quest to bring forth their very own bundle of joy. As writer Eda LeShan once said, “A new baby is like the beginning of all things—wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.” However, for many individuals and couples, infertility issues can add major physical, emotional and financial roadblocks... Read More
Prime Performer
From life on Broadway to her iconic performance as the voice of Elsa in Frozen, Idina Menzel has always looked for the next challenge in her career and the multi-talented performer has checked off plenty of boxes along the way. After bursting onto the scene as Maureen in the original cast of Rent, Menzel has gone on to give several memorable stage performances, including a star... Read More
Top-notch Care for Our Furry Friends
Check out this year’s list of Central Florida’s Top Veterinarians. Read More Read More
The Man of the Hour
Blake Shelton talks new music, The Voice, getting engaged during the pandemic and why the party never stops at his new Orlando restaurant. The pandemic may have brought the world around Blake Shelton to a screeching halt, but the country superstar and television personality has still found plenty of ways to occupy his time over the course of the past year. This month, he’s returning... Read More
Seizing the Moment
After the spring season was cut short last year due to the pandemic, these standout student-athletes from Central Florida are making the most of their opportunities in 2021. When the coronavirus pandemic first struck last year, one of the first casualties was the scholastic spring sports season. Instead of chasing championships or personal milestones, student-athletes were faced... Read More
Warm Welcome
While most NBA teams have not yet allowed fans back into their arenas, the Orlando Magic have rolled out the red carpet. Local residents are thrilled to be seeing live basketball again in a safe environment. Jan. 11, 2021 will not go down as a significant date in the history of the Orlando Magic. Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the visiting Milwaukee Bucks pinned a 121-99... Read More
2021 Year in Review
Orlando Family Magazine Year in Review Quotes “I’ve been very blessed to play some of the most iconic venues in the world and be on those stages. But the gratitude I have for Orlando for the quality of training and what I was able to do here, I couldn’t be prouder to be from the city.” Michael James Scott, Broadway star and Orlando native “I’ve had times where... Read More
Orlando Family Magazine: Year in Review 2019
A look back at our best interviews from 2019, along with a recap of all our top lists, from physicians, attorneys and dentists to Best of the Best and much more. THEY SAID IT! Memorable quotes from our best interviews in 2019. “As an actress you’re always expected to look perfect, wear the latest design, and always look your best. Sometimes you want to wear a T-shirt and... Read More
Best of the Best 2019
Each year, we like to take inventory of some of Orlando’s BESTS. From the best food to the best shops to the best places for pampering yourself to the best activities for family fun. After a number of years of packing our Best of the Best list with all this goodness, you’d think we’d have run out of recommendations by now? But as always, compiling this feature reminds us that... Read More
Best of the Best 2018
113 Winners: Retail, Food & Drink / Lifestyle, Health & Beauty / Plus: Reader’s Choice Over the course of the past year, we have scoured Greater Orlando in search of the very finest things it has to offer. From mouthwatering meals and craft cocktails to indulgent spa treatments and fine jewelry, we covered lots of ground and had some very passionate debates in order to... Read More
Super Women
Get to Know These 11 Remarkable Ladies Who Strive to Make Central Florida a Better Place Tere Brun Senior vice president-community core solutions at FIS Brun has been with FIS, a global provider of financial technology solutions, for 29 years. During her tenure, Brun has held multiple leadership roles and she currently leads the FIS Orlando campus of more than 800 employees. Mentoring,... Read More
Orlando Family 2017 Year in Review
As 2018 arrives and anticipation grows for another great year, we wanted to take a moment and revisit all the things that made 2017 so special… Read More Read More
