Breakfast+Lunch=Brunch!

Nothing says the weekend like a good brunch, right? Waking up on a Saturday or Sunday morning, and heading to your favorite eatery for delicious coffee and mimosas (ok, let’s skip the coffee….)

Well, there are loads of places throughout the Central Florida area offering yummy brunches, but we recently stumbled across a great list of downtown restaurants, put together by Orlando Sentinel’s Food Editor Heather McPherson. This list comes at the perfect time – great to ring in the New Year this coming weekend!

The list includes faves like Dexter’s of Thornton Park, Hue (which we love, but haven’t yet covered here on the blog), and White Wolf Cafe (my personal fave; their Bloody Mary’s are tha bomb!). You can check-out the full list here.

Enzian’s Annual “Dress To Kill” Event

Ever wondered what it’s like to chase spies, seduce gorgeous women, and dress to the Nines? Well, me too!

Now you don’t have to wonder any longer because you can do all those right in Central Florida’s backyard at The Enizan’s annual New Year’s Eve event, “Dress To Kill.” Here’s a teaser:


Fun, right?!

Full info on dress attire, ticket packages, drink menus and more can be found here. Festivities begin at 8pm and last ’til 2am. Just be careful not to drink and drive. We’re watching….

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays, Peeps, and most of all Happy New Year! 2010 has been such a great year of growth for our blog–with regard to traffic, media, audience, Community awareness–and we have you to thank!

We hope you have a safe and wonderful New Year, and we look forward to providing you with even greater information and insight about Central Florida in the coming year.

Rock on!

Lookout Winghouse and Hooters, Brick House Tavern + Tap is here with some stiff (hee hee) competition.

Located in the heart of International Drive, Brick House Tavern + Tap combines a fun menu complete with favorites like Tater Tots and Sloppy Joes with an enormous selection of beers all served up by lovely “Brick House Girls.”

Since I’ve already compared it to Hooters and Winghouse, I feel it at least somewhat necessary to defend Brick House to the swarms of ladies who might be turned off by scantily clad girls serving them. First of all, there are no ’80s nylons or Orange shorts to be had … but the girls aren’t wearing turtlenecks either.

Second, although the main dining area is referred to as the “Man Cave,” it was also a super-comfortable and chill place to have dinner.

I had the opportunity to attend their preview night, and even for a soft-opening, the service was pretty decent save the appetizer arriving after the main course.

So, if you’re looking for a fun, light-hearted place to grab good food and a beverage or two, check out Brick House.

Opening Day is today, December 22.

Brick House Tavern + Tap
8440 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819

One of my favorite things about living in Central Florida are the festivals we have. Particularly those around the Lake Eola area (we’ve written about several here on the site). So I’m always looking forward to the annual Downtown Art Living Expo, coming up in its seventh year!

If you’ve never been to the Expo you’re seriously missing out. For next year’s event you can get info (details on events, pricing, entertainment, etc.) here.

In addition to all of the great vendors, music, food and more, 2011′s event (2/19 & 2/20) will also feature a new Chalk Street Painting Section! So cool! Wonder if our buddy Bob Kodzis will be one of the featured artists?

Our good friends over at The Daily City are official sponsors.

Apparently all my posts are about beer … what can I say, tis the season!

Anyway, next week, just in time for pre-New Year’s celebrations, Orlando Brewing is having its monthly Beer:30 event.

What’s Beer:30, you ask? Simply, $2 beers ALL DAY.

I happened upon a Beer:30 a couple months ago and let me tell you, it was packed, but also a ton of fun.

Orlando Brewing
1301 Atlanta Avenue
Orlando, FL 32806

Check out more Orlando Brewing events here.

Not much time left! I have so much to do before May!

(Location: Downtown Orlando.)

If you frequent Winter Park’s Park Avenue area for either shopping or eating…or both, you’re probably familiar with Hot Olives. Hot Olives has been around for quite some time, a staple on the Winter Park eating scene located just down the street from Dexter’s. Well…out with the old and in with the new!

Hot Olives recently moved locations, to [what seems to be] a more convenient, higher-trafficked area next to the old Urban Flats. The new space affords for a much, much larger dining area than the previous venue, including patio seating out front.

The menu looks to be about the same; however, when I went last night with Kim and another friend, my food didn’t seem to be quite as good as it normally is. Perhaps the new location means a new chef as well? Or perhaps I just had an off night and need to head back for another try.

New location deets:

Hot Olives
601 S. New York Ave.
Winter Park, FL 32789
407.629.1030
HotOlives.com

Huh?

Happy New Year to Us!!!  I have been eagerly awaiting more details on this opening since we first got word of it back in August.

The brand-spanking-new Shipyard Emporium in Winter Park opens January 28! Shipyard will open the brew pub in the space that was formerly occupied by Strollo’s Cucino Due near Park Avenue in Winter Park.

Even cooler, is the event they’re planning for the grand opening … inviting folks from Portland, Maine, to join them on the Ship of Fools adventure!

Kinda makes me wish I lived in Maine!  Almost.

Be sure to follow Shipyard on Twitter, or head on over to their Facebook page for more details.