Havana Sensation: A Cigar Lover's Paradise in Metrowest Orlando

Here it is, another weekend and I can't think of a better place to spend it than Havana Sensation in Metrowest Orlando.  A friendly, well stocked and inviting smoke shop/lounge, Havana Sensation has brought to Metrowest a flavor of Cuban food, music and passion for cigars that has livened up the area.
Owner Edson Santoro, opened the cigar shop just over a year ago and has been welcoming all who enter his establishment with a smile and an uncanny knowledge of cigars ever since.

 Shelves stocked with Gurkha, Hupmann, LFD, Oliva, Rocky Patel, Padron, Ashton, La Aurora, Don Pepin, La Gloria Cubana  and many more popular and boutique cigars, line the mustard colored walls while traditional cigar art is peppered throughout.  The seating is plenty and comfortable with leather couches and chairs and wooden tables and chairs arranged throughout to easily accamodate the single smoker looking to read in a corner or groups of people engaged in a tense game of dominos.
  In the back is an area with a bar and coolers stocked with an incredible selection of beer including, Bud Lime, Corona, Cigar City Maduro, Sam Adams IPA, Orlando Brewing Brown Ale, Blonde Ale, Shipyard, Shipyard Blue Fin Stout, Presidente, and Red Stripe Lager.
 The shop offers excellent customer service with people like Richard on hand to answer questions about cigar flavors, what is new or to make recommendations.  On a personal level, Richard has never steered me wrong and has turned me onto the likes of La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor, Rocky Patel, the Decade, Oliva O and G, Gurkha and countless other cigars with deep dark espresso and nutty flavors.
There are three flat screen televisions to watch sports or movies on and at one point they were offering a movie of the week night.  Music is piped throughout the shop, more as background so as not to deter from conversation and depending upon who is working can range from Cuban salsa to classical to jazz.  Music is also piped out to the patio area in front of the shop where several tables are available for seating.

Though not a restaurant, I have been pleasantly surprised by the frequency and caliber of the food Havana Sensation serves during special events.  I just missed an impromptu barbecue to welcome spring which featured barbecue and jerk style chicken, vegetable medley, pork and chicken sausage, steak kabobs and vine ripened tomatoes that I heard were sweet and delicious.  Anthony "Street" was the chef on hand who created the wonderful guava barbecue sauce and I hope not to miss the next one!  I did make it for a Saturday celebration back in November and stuffed myself with roast pork, rice and plantains.  Ed and his family were  there to prepare and serve the authentic Cuban cuisine and from the smiles on everyone's faces, it was a hit!

Havana Sensation has recently begun doing beer and cigar pairings on select Thursday evenings and has already featured Presidente beer with La Aurora cigars and Sam Adams paired with Montecristo Platinum. Check out their website at: www.Havanasensation.com   join them on Facebook or follow their blog at www.havanasensation.blogspot.com for the latest information.

Whether an aficionado or a beginner, Havana Sensation is a great place to stop in and enjoy a smoke in a very casual and friendly atmosphere!

Grapefruit League Comes Alive as Spring Training MLB Baseball Games Start in Florida

It is that time of year where I feel truly blessed to live in Orlando, Florida and no I don't mean because my friends and family in other parts of the country are experiencing sub zero temperatures. I'm talking about Spring Training MLB baseball games.  A time characterized by the 'thwack of the bat and thump of the glove.'  

For some of us who live in the land of the Grapefruit League and for those thousands of loyal fans who only come to visit, this is the time that we, the baseball faithful make our pilgrimages to see our teams rehearsing for the regular season and the quest for the title of World Series Champions. Being an avid baseball fan when I moved to Orlando some 5+ years ago, I decided to make it my personal quest to visit every spring training stadium and see every Grapefruit League team play. At that time there were 17 stadiums that peppered the Florida landscape from Dunedin in the western central part of the state to West Palm in the south eastern part of the state.                                       
Today the Grapefruit League is comprised of 15 teams playing in 14
different venues, (the St. Louis Cardinals and the Florida Marlins share the use of 9.Roger Dean Stadium located in Jupiter, Florida.)

Since that time, the Dodgers departed for Arizona, leaving the famed Dodgertown in Vero Beach a focal point for minor league baseball.  The Cleveland Indians headed to Arizona, leaving Winter Haven without any baseball at all and the Cincinnati Reds also moved west, leaving Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota vacant and what would become the perfect location for the Baltimore Orioles to move into for the 2011 season.  It is always sad to see a team leave for another state but it is especially sad knowing that they are gone and I never made it to the venue, as was the case with Dodgertown.  

On the upside, I was lucky enough to see the Indians play in Winter Haven, a facility that was originally built for the famed Boston Red Sox.  It was one of the last games the Indians played there and while they were warming up before the game I stood against the berm wall watching the famed Grady Sizemore field hits. Grady, ball in glove turned around and looked at me. I took my hat off and held it out and Grady tossed the ball into my hat. I thanked him and had to sit down as my knees went wobbly beneath me. It was the first time I had ever touched a major league baseball.  Today it is probably one of my most valuable possessions and it still has grass stains in the stitching.  Did I mention that I love baseball?

                                                                                                      

The other 13 teams and their venues are as follows: 1.Toronto Blue Jays/Florida Auto Exchange Stadium/Dunedin: 2.Philadelphia Phillies/Bright House Networks Field/Clearwater: 3.New York Yankees/Steinbrenner Field/Tampa: 4.Pittsburgh Pirates/Mckechnie Field/Bradenton: 5.Baltimore Orioles/Ed Smith Stadium/Sarasota:  6.Tampa Bay Rays/Charlotte County Sports Park/Port Charlotte: 7. Boston Red Sox/City of Palms Park/ Ft. Myers: 8.Minnesota Twins/Hammond Stadium/Ft. Myers: 10. New York Mets/Digital Domain Park/Port St. Lucie: 11. Washington Nationals/Space Coast  Stadium/Melbourne: 12.Houston Astros/Osceola County Stadium/Kissimmee: 13.Atlanta Braves/Champion Stadium/Walt Disney World: 14.Detroit Tigers/Joker Marchant Stadium/Lakeland.

Spring training generally starts around February 27th and goes through March 29th. Tickets are available through many of the teams websites on http://mlb.mlb.com/index.jsp and also through the links above. Pricing ranges anywhere from $10 to $40 a ticket, depending upon the team and venue.  The advantages of seeing baseball at these venues are many.  Most stadiums have seating capacities of 5000 to 10,000 which is a fraction of the size of professional ball parks, meaning that there is a small intimate feel to the games.  This affords fans the opportunity to stand a few feet away from not only the iconic players, but also managers and retired legends.  There are also plenty of opportunities to take great pictures and of course, get autographs.  There is nothing like the excitement of watching  non roster invitees go out and play with everything they have in hopes that they will be signed to a contract to play in the big leagues.  

Because of the amount of games and specific parks I want to visit, a  website I frequently use is www.springtrainingonline.com.  In November I start checking the site to see if the Phillies schedule or Red Sox schedule or any other teams have listed their spring training schedules and when and where tickets will go on sale.  The site has a calendar you can print with all the available teams and games listed, which is a great tool to use.  They also have a newsletter you can sign up for and a baseball digest you can order for a nominal fee. 

With pitchers and catchers reporting this week and position players reporting next week, spring training is around the corner!  Get your tickets, leave winter behind and embrace America's pastime in the glow of the warm Florida sun.  Maybe I'll see you at one of the MLB baseball games this year!

Uncle Jones B.B.Q. Back in Business Food Truck Style

Driving south on 436  just before 17-92 there used to be one of the greatest little restaurants for barbecue and soul food, Uncle Jones B.B.Q.  The restaurant was sold some time ago and the building was torn down, but Uncle Jones is still smoking his famous ribs and beef brisket and serving them with sides of collard greens, potatoes, baked beans or mac and cheese.  The difference?  Uncle Jones B.B.Q. is now a food truck located on the site of the old Uncle Jones B.B.Q. restaurant. 

I was on that end of Altamonte Springs the other day when I saw the smoker going and knew that after my errands were complete, it would be a lunch destination.  

I was not disappointed when I pulled into the lot and walked over to order from the window.  The menu written on the side of the truck contained such greats as the chopped pork sandwich, chicken sandwich, lunch specials that included meat, bread and a side and of course the famous ribs and beef brisket.

I ordered the chopped pork sandwich, a side of potatoes and a can of soda and with my choice of the mild sauce vs. the spicy sauce, sat down on one of the large picnic tables shaded with it's own colorful umbrella.  It was a beautiful Florida spring day with hot sun and a bit of a breeze blowing through the not so distant trees on the lot.  The sandwich roll was fresh and soft and the pork had the perfect smoked flavor that was accented by the tangy sweet b.b.q. sauce.  The potatoes were cubed with a blend of pepper, spices and sauce that were phenomenal.  It felt like I was on a picnic outside enjoying mother nature in all respects when a gentleman walked over to my table and brought some beef brisket that had just finished smoking.  He told me to give it a try and I thanked him.  If I thought the pork was good, the brisket was even better.  Still hot, full of that slow smoked flavor and very juicy.  I finished the brisket and couldn't eat another bite, so I decided to just sit there and relax for ten minutes.  In that time three other cars pulled up with folks ordering both lunch to go and lunch for there.  As I rose to go, I noticed a sign that said you can order smoked ham and turkey from Uncle Jones as well.  

It was the best lunch I've had in a while and can't wait to go back and try the ribs and collard greens!

Next time you are in the Altamonte Springs area or craving some good home b.b.q., stop by Uncle Jones B.B.Q. food truck and stay a while.

Orlando Home to the Tampa Yankees?

How close is the Orlando area to having minor league baseball?  Closer than you might think according to Armando Gutierrez Jr. President of Baseball Enterprises LLC and BasesLoadedOrlando.com.

Mr. Gutierrez has reportedly entered into negotiations with the Steinbrenner family and New York Yankees to purchase a partial interest in the Single A Tampa Yankees baseball club.  The deal could ultimately move the club to Orange County and open the doors for Orlando baseball fans to have their own local team to follow and support during the regular season.  At present the only professional baseball Orlando residents can indulge in locally happens during spring training which is typically four short weeks in March.  The closest place for fans to catch a game during the regular season, is Tropicana Field in St. Pete, home of the TB Rays.  For some,  the two hour drive, high ticket prices plus parking fees can be enough to make the venture either unaffordable or a once a year event.

Bringing minor league baseball to Orlando, would feasibly bring baseball closer with cheaper pricing.  Currently  Tampa Yankees ticket pricing starts at $4 each or $6 for reserved seating.  This type of pricing could give families the opportunity to enjoy a game together and show support for a great team that has spawned the likes of Derek Jeter, Tim Raines and Mariano Rivera.

The devil however is in the details and exactly where the team will play has not been determined, although it is reported that Mr. Gutierrez has expressed interest in the International Drive area. Favorite sites up for speculation include Tinker Field and ESPN near Disney where the Atlanta Braves currently hold their spring training.  A site that can taken out of speculation is Apopka where Mr. Gutierrez and his organization, Bases Loaded Orlando recently brought several Yankees coaches to teach a free youth workshop on baseball mechanics. Apopka is a bit too far north from the more tourist oriented sections of the city that are used to accomodating larger crowds.

Hopefully we won't have to speculate for too long and someday soon we can welcome the Orlando Yankees and minor league baseball to town.

For more information or to show your support, please go to www.basesloadedorlando.com or follow Baseball In Orlando on Facebook.

Bananas: A Modern American Diner

I recently stopped in to Bananas diner in the Mills 50 (East Colonial) area of Orlando and was thrilled with the place!

They are billed as, Bananas: A Modern American Diner, a name which most definitely fits given the traditional diner feel of red and black decor on everything from the ceiling tiles to the  booths and tables,  mixed with the modern element of red vinyl quilted kitchen doors and a curtain lined stage complete with a live dj mixing techno tunes.

When I walked in, the feel was very warm and inviting and my eye immediately caught a large dessert case on my right, bursting with a selection of cheesecakes, moist red velvet cake, gooey german chocolate cake and a variety of other mouth watering delights!

My friend and I were greeted cheerily and seated immediately at an end booth.  All of the other booths were filled, but the restaurant still had plenty of table seating  and hightop bar seating available.

We were given menus and had a hard time choosing a beverage, given the variety of choices.  Handspun Milkshakes with names like Death by Chocolate, Peanut Butter Jelly Time and Strawberry Fields Forever were hard to stay away from as we also considered their selection of Naked Juices,  Coke products, Red Bull and finally settled on a mango iced tea.

The food items were even more eclectic and included Funky Monkey Fried Goat Cheese, rolled in crusted almonds and served with sun dried tomato jam and french bread, Country Fried Steak, the Inside Out Burger which  on this day was called the Pizza Inside Out Burger and included mozzarella and pepperoni stuffed inside of the burger instead of on top.  With 16 other burgers to choose from as well a full breakfast menu,  that is available at all hours, we again found ourselves gawking.

I ordered the Funky Monkey Burger with a side of onion rings and could only finish half of the burger as the portions were huge. The burger was outstanding and the beer batter on the onion rings was so thick and full of flavor they were almost like eating hush puppies.

As a final surprise, along with our check our server brought us the complementary banana flavored cotton candy which was delicious!

I'm not sure what I liked the most, the food, the entertaining atmosphere or the prospect that after a night out, there is somewhere other than a Denny's to go to.

Bananas is open from 9 am until midnight Mon-Thurs and 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays so if you happen to be craving onion rings or a breakfast pizza at 2 am stop by for some good eats, music and fun!

For more information go to www.bananasdiner.com

                                                             

Shipyard Emporium A Taste of Maine in Winter Park

Winter Park has a history steeped in New England traditions, given that, where else in the Orlando area would you expect to see a live Maine lobster dinner for $18.95?

Welcome to Shipyard Emporium, Winter Park's newest hot spot!

  Shipyard Emporium, the brain child of Shipyard Brewing Company headquartered in Portland Maine, is the first of the company's brew pubs to open in Florida and if the crowds are any indication of it's success, then it looks like they are off to a great start.

Situated in a prime location on Fairbanks between New York Avenue and Park Avenue, they are sure to benefit not only from commuters and locals driving by, but also from the abundance of foot traffic that Park Ave and Rollins College are famous for.

I first heard about the place from a friend checking in on Foursquare.  Being from New England and familiar with the Shipyard brand I was thrilled with the prospect of a little piece of Maine in the Orlando area and knew that I had to venture there for dinner.

Expecting a restaurant, I was amazed to find inside the airy two story, open concept facility, a store with freshly made Maine dips, salsas and sauces, Moxie, a variety of smaller breweries bottled craft beer (Shipyard also acts as a distributor), Shipyard brand merchandise, tees, towels, magnets and bags and their very own Capt'n Eli's line of soda pop which comes in a variety of flavors and is made with real cane sugar.  Looking beyond the racks of goods, was the deli area with a line of deli cases packed with a variety of salami, cheeses, marinated artichokes, hummus and a goodies case featuring miniature cupcakes baked by The Bees Knees Sweet Treats, a local company.

Behind the counter were several shelves stocked with freshly baked loaves of bread for sale to the general public, and just when I thought I had seen it all, the test kitchen unfolded in front of me.  An open area with cabinets, wine racks an oven and a stove top built into a beautiful slab of blue/grey granite countertop complete with seating. This area is for special events such as the upcoming Beer vs. Wine Dinner and is also available for booking.

I was on my way to the brew pub area when I met the General Manager, Allison Stevens.  She took a few minutes to introduce herself and explain a little bit about the Shipyard Emporium and it's many facets. She took me on a brief tour and talked enthusiastically about a few of the events they would be scheduling from Bicycle Tours to Wine and Food pairings, Live Maine Mondays and The Mug Club.

 I hadn't eaten a thing and already I loved this place!  I left Allison to peruse the menu in the brew pub and order a flight of beer.  The four beers I chose were Shipyard Fuggles IPA, Pugsley's Imperial Porter, Menage a Palm and Shipyard Light.  The Fuggles IPA was well hopped and crisp. The Imperial Porter was swirling with flavor; hints of chocolate, caramel, vanilla and perhaps bourbon.  The Menage a Palm 3 oat stout was very smooth, lightly hopped and had a clean finish with a hint of chocolate. The Shipyard Light was slightly effervescent and refreshing with pretty full body for a light ale.  To pair with the flight I ordered the Dips and Sauces Try All Three which included White Bean Hummus, Tzatziki and Buffalo Chicken Dip served with croustades. Everything was delicious, but the Buffalo Chicken Dip was outstanding.  The service was very good with our server gladly making recommendations and helping with beer selection.

All in all, I had a wonderful first experience at Shipyard Emporium and have returned at least 7 times with friends. Though the parking is limited, they do have free valet service in the evenings which helps tremendously.

If you are looking for a piece of Maine in Winter Park, a bakery, a deli or a clean brew pub that is always serving up something new, I would give Shipyard Emporium a try.

Click here for a listing of Shipyard Emporium Events.  Click here to follow Shipyard Emporium on Twitter.  Click here to follow Shipyard Emporium on Facebook.  Click to follow Shipyard Brewing Blog.

Art Under the Stars - The Annual Maitland Rotary Art Festival

Autumn is here bringing cooler weather, less humidity and Art Under the Stars, the Annual Maitland Rotary Art Festival at Lake Lily.

The annual event, now in it's 34th year, brings artists from all over the United States to exhibit, sell and compete for $20,000 worth of prizes awarded by a panel of three judges.  This years show featured the works of 139 artists, done in a variety of media including, Fine Crafts, Graphics/Drawing, Jewelry & Metalwork, Mixed Media, Oils & Acrylics, Photography, Pottery, Sculpture and Watercolor. An array of exciting artworks captured the imagination in the tent lined show.

The Artist tents lined the walkway that wound around Lake Lily and gave event goers an opportunity to see several spectacular delights in the works themselves and to also enjoy a beautiful fall day or evening with the fountain, turtles and birds of Lake Lily as a backdrop.

As I wandered around the lake, the vibrant acrylics of Edward Sanderson grabbed my eye with his use of bright oranges, reds and blues in his Florida landscape images.  Sanderson, from Clermont Florida, is a Contemporary Impressionist painter who uses bright colors to portray buildings and trees in everyday urban landscapes.

A bit further down were the hand carved assortment of boxes done in aged hardwoods such as mahogany and cocobolo and stacked boxes carved from maple and walnut. The artist, Greg Thomas-Moore from Deltona Florida, many times uses spalted woods because of their natural beauty. The spalting, characterized by black lines that run through the wood and create unique patterns, is caused by fungi that have begun to age and decay the wood. To view each piece and understand not only the aging process in nature, but the mastery of each hand carving was amazing.

In the background the guitar music of two performers on the North Stage faded into the sounds of the crowd and people talking and soon turned to the melodic voices of a singing trio performing on the South Stage.  Culture, beauty and art were everywhere and families, young and old were out to enjoy it all.  The smell of chicken, hot dogs and pizza emanated from the food vendors and I saw several people with ice cream as well.

Art Under the Stars is an annual tradition for The Rotary Club of Maitland, the people and artists and not only provides a venue for professional artists to display and sell their works, but also gives the Rotary Club of Maitland an opportunity to enhance the community with a fun cultural event.  An event where live music can be enjoyed,  and where the works of Seminole and Orange County Elementary, Middle and High school students can be seen on display at the Civic Center building, near the venue entrance.

The event lasts for three days, this year October 1st, 2nd and 3rd and is free for the public to enjoy. I hope that you can come out to support the community and the arts and attend future events whose dates will be posted here.

For more information on the Maitland Rotary Art Festival please contactwww.maitlandrotaryartfestival.com

For more information on Edward Sanderson please contact www.originalsbysanderson.com

For more information on Greg Thomas-Moore and his business, The Little Wooden Box Company, please contact www.tlwbc.com