Great Dates Orlando

ArtsFest = 302 Free Dates Nights in February

From February 1 – 29, the United Arts of Central Florida presents ArtsFest, a free smorgasbord of the area’s cultural offerings at 87 venues across 4 counties.

This annual affair, designed to get locals to sample the arts, brings together an enormous number of events from the ballet to the symphony, from creative writing workshops to improvisational shows. 

All 302 events have been outlined in this digital brochure, but here are a few of my favorites: 

Bach Festival Concert
Outdoor Big-Band concert
Central Park, Winter Park
Feb 18 from 1pm – 2:30pm

The BLU-TET
Live musical group
Enzian’s Eden Bar
Feb 22 and Feb 29 from 6pm – 8pm

Uptown Art Expo
125 art and craft vendors
Crane’s Roost, Altamonte Springs
Feb 18 and 19 from 11am – 6pm

DRIP
Indescribable performance dance experience
8747 International Drive, Orlando
All weekends in February

To learn more, visit www.artsfestfl.com.

 

New Paint & Sip Experience in Altamonte Springs

I have zero artistic talent. Seriously, I can’t even doodle. But there’s a part of me that hopes, just maybe, given the right circumstances and the perfect amount of liquor, I might be able to create something people might think is slightly cool. 

Fine. I’ll settle for not awful.

I’ve tried painting courses but the trouble is I always end up spending all kinds of money trying to “learn” how to paint only to heartbreakingly realize, once again, that I’m just no good. Sigh.

SOLUTION: Creative Canvas and Wine in Altamonte Springs! These geniuses have designed a painting for dummies sort of experience where even I can walk away with something frame worthy.  

You start by going to their online calendar and registering for a piece du jour. This will be the painting you and the other participants will work on over the 2.5-hour session. Upon arrival, you’ll receive a canvas followed by step-by-step instruction by the friendly facilitators who guide the group from colorless canvas to masterpiece. 

But wait… you’re thinking, “didn’t you say this was called Creative Canvas and WINE?” Yupper. Wine is served at $3 a glass or $12 a bottle!! Wowza. And I’m not talking Barefoot either… this is classy vino. (No offence Barefoot… I still love ya!).

A couple of things to note… Snag your sweetie ‘cause Friday and Saturday nights are unofficially date night. Oh, and every other week they plan a Sangria Saturday, which means they serve Sangria (duh!) and the first glass is on the house (yeah!). 

Cost is around $35 per person and classes are scheduled multiple times during each month. 

Let the creative juices... and the wine... flow at Creative Canvas and Wine!

 

 

 

Five Reasons To Love The Festival of the Masters… This Weekend!

For more than 30 years, Disney has hosted a spectacular open-air art festival known as the Festival of the Masters. Located at Downtown Disney, this 3-day event features over 150 award-winning local and national artists from all different genres including photography, pottery and watercolor. But it’s no ordinary art festival and here are five reasons why you should grab your main squeeze and get there this weekend:

1) In order to qualify for the exhibition, each artist must have won a primary award in a juried art festival within the last three years. Translation: the art is damn good.

2) There’s live entertainment throughout the event, which is just as eclectic as the art. Don’t be surprised if you also see some of the performers from Cirque de Soleil wandering around.

3) The chalk art sidewalk displays are one of the best elements of the festival. Here you’ll see dozens of artists change 6,000 square feet of sidewalk into a giant canvas. The final product is unreal.

4) The festival also features various interactive activities and live artists at work, which enable you to experience artists creating their masterpieces right before your eyes.

5) It’s FREE… wonderful free. And there’s plenty of free parking too.

I suggest you take at least a couple of hours to visit all of the booths that are set up on every spare inch of space Downtown Disney has available. And maybe even decide ahead of time how much you might like to spend on a special original piece to take home.

Friday, November 11, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 13, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

First Fridays Art Stroll at Ivanhoe Village

You may be asking yourself two questions.... where the heck is Ivanhoe Village and what's an art stroll? Ivanhoe Village is the new name for the Antique District since this area of downtown Orlando received a revitalization grant. In the last few years, efforts have been made to perk up the little district and bring a hip, urban crowd back to shop, wine and dine. It's a fun and funky little area, worth a visit any weekend. 

But with its sidewalk artists and street corner musicians, the First Friday Art Stroll makes a visit that much more intriguing. From 6pm - 9pm, Orange Avenue between Princeton and New Hampshire will welcome artists from near and far to share (and sell) their work. Make a night of it. As you stroll along the district, be sure to make stops at food and drink favorites like White Wolf Cafe (mmmmm, lobster mac and cheese) and The Imperial Bar (love this imported furniture store/wine bar!). 

 

Orlando Arts Sampler

Sometimes the best way to commit to date night is to pre-schedule a handful and write them in your calendar (in pen!).

That's why I'm liking the new Orlando Arts Sampler that was recently unveiled by Red Chair Project. This "greatest hits" package supplies you with eight evenings out and the chance to sample arts organization from across Central Florida.

For $99 each, you and your sweetie will get tickets to the Bach Festival Society, Fairwinds Broadway Across America, Mad Cow Theatre, Orlando Ballet, Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando Repertory Theatre, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and Orlando Shakespeare Theater. Not bad, huh. 

The featured events take place from now through July 2012 and all tickets can be purchased online.

Want more info? Go here: http://redchairproject.com/redchair/event.aspx?id=6879

 

Culture and Cocktails

Sip and snack at Maitland Art Center's signature art and music event, Culture & Cocktails, on the second Friday of each month between October and April. For a few hours, enjoy the artful setting and live music soundtrack while you connect with your sweetheart.

Tickets, available at www.redchairproject.com or at the door, are just $5 and include your first cocktail. 

Next event....

Friday March 11
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Maitland Art Center
231 West Packwood Avenue, Maitland, FL  32751
407-539-2181   
www.maitlandartcenter.com/upcoming-events.html

 

 

 

Culinary Canvas

Nothing inspires your inner Picasso like a charming setting and a glass of vino. Unleash the artist within at Culinary Canvas, a twice-monthly event that allows budding painters to enjoy nibblies and wine while an artist guides guests through creating their own masterpiece.

Classes are held every other Tuesday @ 6pm at Harmoni Market in Longwood.

The painting class fee of $30 includes a 16x20 canvas ready to hang, all paint supplies and instruction from the artist. 

Come early to have dinner and drinks… Harmoni’s menu features delish Mediterranean cuisine including fabulous flat breads. www.harmonimarket.com

Need more info:
EMAIL: culinary.canvas@yahoo.com

BLOG: http://culinarycanvas.blogspot.com/

Music at the Casa - Free Live Music Series

Try, but it's going to be tough to find a more blissful setting in which to enjoy live music than Casa Feliz. This restored Spanish farmhouse in Winter Park with its whitewashed century-old bricks and sweeping oaks is both beautiful and serene. Casa Feliz will be presenting an ongoing series of live music performances throughout the winter and spring.  Best of all - these performances are FREE (donations gladly accepted)!! Here are the details:

"Music at the Casa"
Free Live Music Series
Weekly Sunday Open House 12-3
656 Park Avenue North
Winter Park, Florida
www.casafeliz.us

SCHEDULE 2010
January
24 Catherine Way Harp
31 Opus 5 Woodwind Quintet
7 Lisa Ferrigno Violin
February
7 Catherine Way Harp
14 Beautiful Music "Focus on Valentine's Day"
21 Christine MacPhail Harp
28 Lisa Ferrigno Violin
March
7 Michael Kahn Saxophone
14 Beautiful Music "Celtic Concert"
21 Catherine Way Harp
28 Peter Thatcher Jazz Guitar
April
4 Beautiful Music
11 Catherine Way Harp
18 UCF String Quartet with Eladio Sharron
25 Lisa Ferrigno Violin
May
2 The Olde Noyes Chamber Music
9 Joe Young Guitar Duo
16 Peter Thatcher Jazz Guitar
23 Beautiful Music - Victoria Schultz Harp
30 Jim Carlton Solo Guitar

3rd Thursday Downtown Gallery Hop

On the third Thursday of every month, head to Orlando's Downtown Arts District for the 3rd Thursday Gallery Hop. The 'Hop' consists of a self-guided tour through a series of galleries, restaurants and boutiques that feature the works of established and emerging Orlando-based and international artists.

Adding to the allure of this unique and inexpensive date night are the many street artists and performers that park themselves on corners to provide the musical and visual entertainment for the evening.

The Gallery Hop officially starts at 6pm and runs to 9pm. The next event is scheduled for Thursday, January 21st. Click here for more info:

www.orlandoslice.com/page/3rd-thursday-gallery-hop

Awesome Arts and Theater Package

Known more for Mickey's PhilharMagic than the Orlando Philharmonic, Orlando certainly doesn’t get the recognition it deserves for offering everything from opera and symphonies to musicals and ballets. I always have the best intentions of taking advantage of Orlando's many cultural and theatrical offerings, but somehow, when the time comes something always gets in the way.

This year will be different ‘cause hubby and I are buying an entertainment package from Real Orlando. For just $99/person, we get tickets to the following:
- Orlando Philharmonic
- Orlando Shakespeare Theater
- Orlando Opera
- Orlando Museum of Art
- Festival of the Orchestras
- Broadway Across America
- Orlando Ballet

That's not $99 per show... it's $99 for all seven shows. So, for about $200 we're set for SEVEN AWESOME DATE NIGHTS. Granted, I’m sure we’re not going to be sitting in the best seats in the house, but even the nosebleeds at Bob Carr really aren’t that bad.

For more information visit www.realorlando.org or call 407-426-1700