We didn’t really pre-promote it here on the blog (we set-up a Facebook event) but klynn and I went to see Missy Higgins in concert this past Thursday night, at House of Blues Orlando. It was a phenomenal show, and it was probably the only time I’ve ever seen an artist sound better live than on their recordings. Truly amazing.

If you’re not familiar with Missy Higgins I urge you to look for some of her music online, or go buy her latest CD, “On a Clear Night.” And check-out some of the upcoming shows at House of Blues – klynn and I actually got a great deal on the Missy show, “2 for Tuesdays.”

Here are a couple of photos I took with my little phone:

And here is a live version of Missy’s latest single, “Where I Stood”

I saw this little guy while walking down Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando yesterday afternoon, and couldn’t help stopping to take a picture:

I took some time earlier this afternoon to check-out the arts festival in downtown Orlando. It was a gorgeous day. Perfect for arts, crafts, music, corn dogs and pizza! There was even a swing dance competition (video at the bottom of this post).

Here are a few of my favorite photos I took. For more you can view the the gallery I created on our Facebook fan page.

Did you have a chance to experience the festival this weekend?

Wow, my nuts smell yummy!”

(Location: Lake Eola at the arts & living expo.)

Wickety, wickety wack, yo! (What the heck is a wicket?)

And here I thought they’d moved back to Texas:

I used to love truck stops!”

(Location: Lizzy McCormack’s in downtown Orlando.)

We’ve just learned that two of downtown Orlando’s favorite upper-scale restaurants have closed their doors for business. Said restaurants are Harvey’s Bistro and Manuel’s on the 28th. Reportedly, the economy coupled with unagreed lease negotiations were the cause. Both closed this past Saturday (but neither have updated their websites).

Here is information on where these downtown Orlando places were located:

Harvey’s Bistro
390 North Orange Avenue
Suite 110
Orlando, FL 32801

Manuel’s on the 28th
390 North Orange Avenue
28th Floor, Bank of America Building
Orlando, FL 32801

To read the entire article on OrlandoSentinel.com click here. Thanks to @alicialm for Tweeting this information out to the Community.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a full year since “Pulse of Central Florida” launched. One of our first posts was titled “Feeling artsy fartsy?” about the downtown Orlando art & living expo. The expo is one of my favorite things in Central Florida and I look forward to it every year.

The 2009 Orlando Art & Living Expo is this coming weekend, and there’s certainly going to be enough arts, crafts, music, and more to keep the whole day occupied.

If you plan on going to the festival in downtown Orlando, hours of operation are 11:00am-6:00pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Remember, too, that parking can often be tricky. There are several public parking garages located in the downtown area but many of the surrounding streets are closed because of the event (Robinson included).

Visit MySpace.com/orlandoartexpo to get all the information you need about the 2009 Orlando Art & Living Expo event. We’ve also set-up a Facebook event page so if you’re going why not let your fellow Central Floridians know. Who knows, you might end-up running into each other!

Central Florida blogger peep Hojin published a post today titled “25 Most Powerful in Orlando for 2009″; the content originated from OrlandoSentinel.com. Many of the folks on the list are expected, and are names most Central Florida residents should be familiar with. What’s most shocking is there are only three women making the cut. THREE! C’mon chicks, get in the game and represent!

To view the full list and weigh-in click here.