Gourmet on wheels

The latest gastronomic trend recently rolled into Lake Mary, at least for a trial run: food trucks.

Shortly before Christmas, a collection of culinary coaches opened their windows and offered their wares in the city’s downtown park. Decising what to eat was no easy task (below).

Among the vendors was Bryce Balluff of Fork in the Road. The classically trained chef – he studied at the French Culinary Institute and has worked in some of the finest kitchens from New York to south Florida – is shown (up top) with one of his creations: truffle mac-n-cheese on a stick. Big hit with the dining public.

Other participants included Kona Dog and Baxter and Tilly’s Cafe on Wheels.

Is Lake Mary ready for regular occurrences of the gastro-sensation that draws fervent crowds in Apopka, Maitland, Winter Park, the UCF area and elsewhere?

Bob Jones, one of the founders of the Florida Food Truck Association, is working on that. His group is negotiating with the city for a monthly event, possibly on a Sunday. It would be family-friendly, he says, and might include a band or a movie.

That’s Bob on the left with Keri Ureski, Jimmy Nelson and Bonnie Lease of the Nubu truck. And notice the TV screens in the side of the vehicle – local businesses were offered the chance to have their ads displayed during the event.

Sanford also is expected to get a taste of food truck mania on Jan. 7. Watch our Lake Mary Health & Wellness Facebook page for details.

Happy Holidays!

From all of us (and a friend) at Topper Publications!

Heathrow Women’s Club in the Holiday Spirit

If holiday treats and gift-giving can’t get you in a festive mood, I don’t know what can. Maybe a chorus -- like this one from Seminole High School, under the direction of Bob Maguire.

The Heathrow Women's Club held its annual holiday get-together recently at Heathrow Country Club. Participants brought unwrapped toys for donation to Friends of Abused Children of Seminole County – and there was a satisfyingly large pile of thoughtful presents that will bring smiles to the faces of youngsters who need a little kindness in their lives.

Over the past few years, Heathrow Women’s Club Charities Inc. has donated $500,000 to charities benefiting women and children in Seminole County.

Another money-raiser at the event – a table full of homemade desserts! Cookies, cakes and pies, oh my! And baklava – that’s Roslyn Sellers with a plate full of that she made from scratch.

More photos will be posted soon here on our website.

Fields dealership grand opening

Fields Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram near the mall in Sanford is opening its doors with a party in the parking lot this weekend.

The kids are loving the Power Jumps (a bungee-trampoline combo that lets you safely jump two stories high), the bounce house, the kiddie train and the climbing wall, said General Manager David Simoni (that’s him standing in front of his brand new building).

Also on hand: food trucks! Local faves are there, including Firehouse BBQ, Tree House Truck, Gastro Truck, Monsta Lobsta, Yum Yum Cupcake Truck, The Batter Bowl and Jeremiah’s Italian Ice.

Participants can also ride a mechanical bull, have a caricature done or watch Jeremy Possman rassle a reptile – that’s him and his gator co-star below.

The party continues Sunday from noon to 4.

FIT for Golf... Golf for FIT

...speaking of Families in Transition (you did read my last blog post, didn’t you? If not, here it is), more than 60 golfers turned out at Mayfair Country Club in Sanford for the first annual FIT Golf Tournament.

Not bad for the first year, said Danny Trosset, who organized the event. Funds raised will go toward enrolling a homeless child in community sports and paying for registration fees, equipment, uniforms and other sports necessities.

And that’s FIT Liaison Beth Davalos in the photo with County Commissioner John Horan, who golfed in the event, and Trosset.

We’ll have photos on the website soon.

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Also, check out the latest issue of our sister publication, Lake Mary Health & Wellness, where you can read more about Families in Transition... and be inspired to cook up a Cuban-themed holiday dinner. Recipes and wine pairings courtesy of Finesse Restaurant in Lake Mary.

Another Day in Paradise

Did you see that piece that 60 Minutes did on homeless kids in Seminole County? (If you didn’t, click the link above for the video.) It did a great job of telling the story of kids and their families who live in cars and of showcasing Families in Transition, an organization that works with homeless students to make sure they get their education – and have a childhood. Updates here and here.

Our December-January issue of Lake Mary Health and Wellness also looks at the issue of homelessness here in Seminole County. We’re not talking bums on park benches. You can’t just look at someone and say with any certainty, “Oh, he’s homeless.” Or, “She lives in her car.”

People without a space to call their own are in line with you at Walmart. Their kids go to school with your kids. And the problem is growing, especially here in Florida, home – ironically speaking – to one-third of the homeless families in the nation.

Our fantastic writer, Kristin Harmel, introduces us a family that lives in a budget motel in Sanford.

Kristin also spoke in-depth with Beth Davalos of Families in Transition. FIT works with families of more than 1,200 homeless kids – 30 percent more than this time last year.

Read this story. It’s an eye-opener. The magazine will be out in a couple of days and posted online as well -- check our website for updates.

Healthy and Delicious

Congratulations to Dr. Lawrence Vallario, winner – for the second year running! – of the Iron Heart Cookoff.

The friendly culinary competition, which pitted a quartet of heart docs and their helpers against each other, was held at the Westin Lake Mary. The task before the cardiologically inclined chefs was to create a heart-healthy meal of either chicken or salmon in half an hour or less.

While they slaved over a hot skillet, guests enjoyed appetizers and drinks delivered by local celeb “waiters,” including Dr. Todd Husty, shown below with Kathryn Breazeale and Seminole County Commission Chair Brenda Carey.

Judges included “Biggest Loser” finalist Hannah Curlee (that’s her in the middle in the photo below) and Shula’s 347 Grill Exec Chef Isaiah Simon Jr.

The finished dishes were both attractive and tasty, if the “yum” noises coming from the judges’ table were any indication. With that kind of competition, what put Vallario’s dish over the top?

“He had a very fantastic aioli,” said Curlee, who still eats right and works out to keep off the 120-plus pounds she lost on the TV show. “And he blanched the almonds.”

And the plate was pretty (above), courtesy of Dr. Vallario's wife and sous chef, Daria. (Though some say she's the real boss in the kitchen.)

Watch for more photos on our website.

Wild party, arty party

Clarissa the llama -- that's her on the right in the top photo -- was the most popular girl at the Central Florida Zoo’s Safari Soiree last weekend. Everyone wanted their picture taken with her – including Sanford Commissioner Patty Mahany (above) and her husband Sean. Thanks to Commissioner Mahany for returning the favor and snapping the little photo on the right. Cute Clarissa is the one with the hat.

The annual fundraiser is generally a sellout, attracting local movers, shakers and ...board members in gorilla costumes. That was Bob O'Keefe in the mask -- you can see his picture on our website, along with guys in safari hats and women in animal prints. Oh, and there was an American bald eagle and a baby gator there too.

Next up at the zoo: breakfast or brunch with Santa on Dec. 10

Just down the road (and during daylight hours) was the Lake Mary-Heathrow Festival of the Arts. We caught up with some of the organizers -- Steve Nelson, busy out and about, and Lesli Riggan and Greg May taking care of business in the VIP tent. (below). We’ll have more shots from that event on our site too.

Do U BBQ? And make (Seg)way

Yep, that’s yours truly... on a Segway.

I was at the Lake Mary Rotary’s Chompin’ Stompin’ BBQ the other night at Seminole Harley Davidson in Sanford. Great event, but since I’m a vegetarian, I left the chompin’ to my friends and went to check out the alternate activities. And ran into Josh, who runs the Segway tours at the Central Florida Zoo. They had a little obstacle course set up in the Harley parking lot and I had to give it a try.

Those Segways are great fun. I'll be ready for the zoo tour any day now. And I was just clowning for the camera there. Really.

Back in the main event area, several area restaurants – including 4 Rivers, Route 46, Rivership Romance and even, believe it or not, Central Florida Regional Hospital – offered samples of their cuisine.

Local dignitaries were on hand as well, among them Judge Linda Schoonover (in the red, dishing up food), Judge Fred Schott (on the left in the center photo) and Lake Mary Mayor David Mealor (bottom photo.)

But what about the food? There was plenty for a plant-eater -- salads and chips and salsa and some ice cream from Mama Loca’s. As for the BBQ, judging by the sauce dripping off the chins of my dining companions, I’d have to say it was pretty good.

We’ll be posting more photos of the event on our website soon.

I am Dragon, Hear Me Roar

Cancer will be feeling the hot breath of dragons this weekend at the 2011 Walgreens Orlando International Dragon Boat Festival.

Designed to raise money to defeat cancer as it affects women, their family and friends, the annual event gets under way this Saturday, Oct. 15, at Downtown Disney West Side.

Never heard of dragon boat racing? It’s a big deal worldwide and here in Central Florida. This particular race attracts recreational and competitive teams from all over North America and has been the catalyst for many new team start-ups in the Orlando area. Want some history? Here you go.

The folks to know: Orlando Health Foundation and Women Playing for T.I.M.E., which stands for Technology, Immediate Diagnosis, Mammography and Education. Also known as WPFT, the organization partners with MD Anderson Cancer Center to raise funds to fight cancer.

And of course there’s a breast cancer survivor division, which will include such local teams as Warriors on Water and Scorch Red and Scorch Black. You can read more about dragon boating and the local teams in this article from the Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Sweetwater Wekiva Springs Magazine.

Last year’s event raised $50,000.

The first race starts at 8 a.m. and contests go on until about 6 p.m.

The photo above, taken a couple of months ago to (ahem...) drum up support for the event, features Orlando Health president and CEO Sherrie Sitarik (second from right) with Orlando Health executives and team members.

Professional Women's Luncheon

Glenda Hood may not have held elected office for more than six years, but she can still draw a crowd -- a gratifying 104 RSVPs for her talk to the Seminole Chamber's Professional Women's Quarterly Luncheon earlier this week. Organizers said the lunch crowd was the biggest they had seen for a long time -- possibly the largest ever.

The former secretary of state and mayor of Orlando -- shown above with Lake Mary Health & Wellness Magazine publisher Judith Topper -- shared her story of how she made history in her 10 years in the top job at City Hall and in Tallahassee.

A fourth-generation Central Floridian and graduate of Rollins College, Hood was first elected to the Orlando City Commission in 1982, a post she held until being elected mayor in 1992. With her focus on city neighborhoods and parks, she enjoyed strong community support and usually won re-election in a landslide. In 2003, then-Gov. Jeb Bush appointed her secretary of state.

Check out more photos of this event at the Lake Mary Health & Wellness website.

Reclaim Your Brain: Get Cultured

Theaters and Galleries and Movies, Oh My! Discover Seminole’s Myriad Cultural Opportunities

What better way to engage your brain than to feed it with culture? Here in Seminole County, there are many artistic opportunities readily available. “Each community here within Seminole County has its own distinct cultural emphasis and interests,” says Nell Gyenes, the executive director of the Seminole Cultural Arts Council. “You can sense the community taking a stakeholder’s interest in these very community-centric happenings and institutions.”

Here are some cultural opportunities available in our own back yard.

The Casselberry Art House: Located on Lake Concord, this 2,500-square-foot space features art exhibitions, musical performances, lectures and classes. “Not only do they have ongoing shows year-round, but it’s free and open to the public,” says Gyenes. “It has a deep footprint here and roots within the community.” 127 Quail Pond Circle, Casselberry

The Sanford Art Walk: On the fourth Friday of each month, downtown Sanford comes alive with art and culture. Galleries, restaurants and other venues throughout the downtown corridor host art displays and feature visiting artists for you to meet. “The various businesses offer refreshments and gallery tours,” explains Gyenes. “There’s always something new. You can stroll from one place to the next.” Downtown Sanford, beginning at 6 p.m. on the fourth Friday of each month

Longwood Historic District: Longwood’s 190-acre historic district became part of the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. From the 1873 Inside Outside House to the 1879 Christ Episcopal Church, visitors can explore architecture as art in Seminole County’s oldest city. Additionally, says Gyenes, the city offers frequent arts events and historic heritage days in the historic area. Begin near the intersection of State Road 434 and County Road 427, Longwood

“The Art of Healing” exhibit at Florida Hospital Altamonte: “This is a juried exhibit of two-dimensional art on the first floor of the hospital,” explains Gyenes. “It’s free to visit and many of the artists have come through treatment and have used art as part of their healing process.” 601 E. Altamonte Drive , Altamonte Springs

The Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center: Incorporating a famed 1920s theater, which is listed on the National Register, Sanford’s premier performing arts center is, in itself, a work of art. It also features an art gallery, a full season of live performances, its own repertory company and even frequent movie nights that return the original theater to its heyday. 201-203 S. Magnolia Ave, Sanford

Cranes Roost Park: The Altamonte Springs park hosts weekly, monthly and annual events open to the public, including Friday Night Live, a weekly outdoor music series, and Uptown Open Mic, which takes place on Thursday evenings. 274 Cranes Roost Blvd., Altamonte Springs

Festivals:

• Sanford hosts Alive After 5, which features live music, food and art, on the second Thursday of each month in its downtown area.
• Casselberry hosts an annual Jazz and Art Festival behind city hall each year.
• This year will mark the 25th anniversary of the annual Heathrow Lake Mary Festival of the Arts, which will take place Nov. 5-6 just off the Lake Mary Boulevard exit from I-4.
• Gyenes will be hosting the fifth annual Hoooowl for the Arts fundraiser, featuring local artists, hand-designed masks and the local band Simulcast (featuring Mix 105.1 deejay Scott McKenzie and WOFL-Channel 35 anchor Bob Frier) on Oct. 22 in Sanford. The event will benefit the Seminole Cultural Arts Council.

There are many other cultural opportunities available throughout Seminole County. Keep your eye on the events calendar in Lake Mary Health & Wellness, visit your city’s website for information about local happenings or check out the Seminole Cultural Arts Council’s website at www.SeminoleCulturalArts.org.

“Discover the arts,” says Gyenes. “Add color to your life by going out and exploring new and different happenings that you may not have considered before or even known. Each community has unique and special offerings and the majority of them are low-cost and exist to improve your quality of life.

“Enjoy and savor these opportunities,” she adds. “That’s what the arts are for.”