Dishes that Dazzle
True to its roots, Russell’s on Lake Ivanhoe not only serves exquisite cuisine but also a piece of Central Florida history. While the name belongs to an early settler of Lake Ivanhoe named George Russell, this shore-hugging eatery is brought to us by an Orlando-based restaurant group, VO Hospitality, which is co-owned by Kevin O’Donnell and Philippe Villain. The pineapple featured... Read More
Getting Personal
Melissa Wiggins, a former lawyer turned life coach and now podcast host, on creating the Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation with her husband Michael, their young son’s battle with the disease and her journey to find happiness. Eight years ago, while 38 weeks pregnant with twins, my husband and I heard the words no parent wants to hear, “Your child has cancer.”... Read More
Parenting Guide: Family Fun
With the COVID-19 vaccine more readily accessible, many people have confidently begun to return to their pre-pandemic routines. Now that summer is upon us and several travel restrictions have been lifted, some are wondering if it is truly a good time to start vacationing once again. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated that domestic travel is... Read More
Playing By Her Own Rules
Viola Davis was always an integral part of Denzel Washington’s plan. Having secured the rights to direct August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning plays, Washington knew Davis would bring some of Wilson’s most memorable characters to life. Davis won the 2010 Tony Award for best actress for playing Rose Maxson in the Broadway revival of Wilson’s play Fences, and an... Read More
Beating Burnout
The 2020-2021 school year was challenging for everyone involved. Due to the pandemic, administrators, teachers and students had to quickly revamp school protocols, teaching styles and learning methods. Parents struggled to decide between face-to-face instruction or at-home learning for their children. Even with the school year now over, many parents are still stressing over whether... Read More
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
BOUNCING BACK
As most residents would attest to, Central Florida is an incredible place to live. With its close proximity to major theme parks, beaches and world-class entertainment, there is always something exciting to see or do. Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic threatened the lives and safety of residents and caused major setbacks to the area’s much-relied-upon tourist industry. 2020... Read More
2021 Super Men
It takes a special kind of person to not only recognize a need in the community but to take action and do something to help, whether it’s working to end racism, assisting the homeless, bringing awareness to mental health issues or spreading a love for reading. It just comes naturally to these nine local individuals, who continue to go above and beyond on a daily basis to make... Read More
GETTING PERSONAL
Orlando resident Yuko Matsuzaki, a long distance swimmer and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Famer, on her Guinness World Record, admirable persistence and future goals. I was almost cut from my high school swim team, in Tokyo, Japan, for swimming too slow. That motivated me to work harder. I made sure I was always the first to arrive at practice and the last to leave.... 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
Special Guest
Billed as the largest humanitarian event in Florida history, the Special Olympics USA Games will arrive in Orlando 13 months from now and are expected to bring over 4,000 athletes, 10,000 volunteers and 125,000 spectators to the City Beautiful. Sanford’s own Brittany Tagliareni will almost certainly be one of the stars of the show, wowing fans both with her dominance on the tennis... 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
Let the Good Times Roll
Every spring in our April issue, we love to take a tour of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and the rest of the amazing amusement parks and attractions that make Central Florida one of the entertainment capitals of the world to shine a light on the latest rides, exhibits and events coming to each one in the months ahead. Following the unprecedented closures and changed park... 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
Money Matters
The term “unprecedented times” has been thrown around often in reference to the COVID-19 pandemic. As it relates to the economic crisis that struck early last year as a result of the coronavirus, and which the United States continues to fight its way through, it is true that we are facing unique conditions. “It’s completely different because of the circumstances. We’ve... Read More
