How did I get here?

How could all of this happen?

Are these some of the questions you are asking yourself? I know I am. It seems that in a few short months my life has been changed in so many ways and most of them was not what I wanted or expected to happen. I found out a few things and was thrown into some mildly difficult situations that I felt wasn’t fair to me or my family. I was hurt and I even felt unappreciated and insecure. I know what you are thinking….”That’s how I feel!” Yeah, yeah, I know, but this is my party, right? Wrong. All of us feel or have felt these same emotions and we need to remember that no matter how bad we feel we have been treated, there are many others going through the same thing or maybe even worse.

I’ve written before about ‘how you can’t keep a good man down’ or how ‘attitude is everything’; it seems now I need to put my money where my mouth is and live what I believe! So, what exactly do I do now? Keep on walking. Keep on believing. Continue to speak life into my world and realize what time it is; it’s Time For a Miracle! Miracles are the direct result of a life filled with faith. It is knowing something is about to happen when nothing around you looks like it will. So, if you are feeling like me, start speaking life into your situation and start believing that God has a miracle with your name on it. For the rest of you who have been through a time of difficulty such as this, spread a little ‘pick-me-up’ toward a struggling brother or sister. You will get extra blessings sent your way for your compassion.

You’ve probably heard before that ‘calm seas does not make a skillful sailor’ and the same can be said about how ‘easy living does not make a wise person’ so don’t see all of your troubles as a complete failure. Use every opportunity to grow and become quicker to bounce back from all trials and tribulations that come your way.

God can use your experiences to help a world full of hurting people. Take this time to stand up and declare that it is your Time for a Miracle!

What:  Marshall Tucker Band ‘Keep’s on Rockin’ Live Concert
When:  April 13,2012 – 8pm
Where:  Intersection of SR 436 and 17-92 in the Orlando Jai-Alai Fronton

Tickets Start at $45; On Sale Now at www.OrlandoLiveEvents.com or 407.339.6221 x 100

Featuring a definitive blend of rock, rhythm & blues, jazz, country and gospel, The Marshall Tucker Band is proving to a new generation of fans that good music knows no boundaries.

With hit singles like “Heard It In a Love Song,” “Fire On The Mountain,” “Can’t You See,” and “Take The Highway,” the band earned seven gold and three platinum albums as a Capricorn Records artist. Marshall Tucker Band’s debut album spawned numerous hits. Their latest CD, “Way Out West!”- Live from San Francisco 1973, is a time capsule from that period.

Still led by founding member and lead singer Doug Gray, The Marshall Tucker Band represents a time and place in music that will never be duplicated.
Current members also include slide guitarist Stuart Swanlund, the highly respected drummer B.B. Borden,  multi instrumentalist Marcus Henderson who also contributes lead and background vocals, Pat Elwood on bass guitar, and Rick Willis on lead guitar and vocals.  Together, they present a powerful stage presence as they continue to tour the country and serve as a powerful force in the world of music.

Today, the band records new material on its own RAMBLIN’ RECORDS Label which is distributed by SONY by way of a joint venture with SHOUT! FACTORY.

The Marshall Tucker Band plays live on April 13, 2012 in the Orlando Jai-Alai Fronton, which offers free parking, spacious stadium seating, and dynamic sound for a unique and convenient entertainment experience in the heart of Seminole County.

We will be offering two FREE tickets in the week before the concert through http://TheOrlandoBlog.com and it’s Twitter Account @TheOrlandoBlog

Be sure to watch for more info …

Downtown Food & Wine Fest Pairs Culinary Treats with National Celebrity

Chef Appearances and Live Entertainment

March 31 – April 1 at Lake Eola

More than 20,000 guests enjoy features mouth-watering dishes from 40 of Orlando’s premier restaurants, domestic and international wines, and live entertainment.

Celebrity Chef’s Stage*

Bright House Networks hosts live cooking demonstrations on the Chef’s Stage with fan meet-and-greet opportunities with the following celebrity chefs:

BRAVO’s Top Chef Just Desserts Season 1 Chef’testant Erika Davis (Saturday)

Food Network’s Extreme Chef Amadeus, winner of the “Mexican Showdown” (Saturday)

BRAVO’s Top Chef Season 9 Chef’testant Finalist Lindsay Autry (Sunday) (Photo Right Upper Side)

Live Entertainment*

 Saturday, March 31

Live Hart

Jon McLaughlin

John Smith and Tropical Steel

Simulcast with Scott McKenzie of MIX 105.1 FM and Bob Frier of FOX 35
American Idol Winner David Cook    

Sunday, April 1

CeCe Teneal

 My Generation

Little River Band

Tickets on Sale Now

• Visit www.DowntownFoodAndWineFest.com
• Like Downtown Food & Wine Fest on Facebook
• Follow @DTFoodWineFest on Twitter

• Coolers, food, drinks and pets are prohibited.
• Chairs and blankets will be permitted in the park by the performance stage only.  
• Maps and directions are available at www.DowntownFoodAndWinefest.com.
• ATM machines will be available for cash withdrawals.

Hope to see you there!

It’s a tough world we live in these days. It takes so much more to live nowadays than it used to.

The inflated price of gas has caused me to purchase a more fuel efficient car and I have scaled way back on unnecessary travels. I’m sure you all are feeling the pain of increased costs as well. I was reading in my local electric co-op newsletter about an energy audit. This is where someone comes into your home, sets up a fan in an outside doorway and determines where the inefficiencies are in your home. They say that a few small cracks around windows and doors can be the equivalent to having a window open 24 hours a day. I think my house is in pretty good shape but I am going to call and schedule an energy audit anyway. Why? Just because I think my house is in pretty good shape doesn’t mean it really is.

This is where I have a choice; I can go on believing something that may or may not be true or I can call in a professional to determine the truth.

I won’t like it if he tells me my house is inefficient, but I can’t fix it if I don’t know what is wrong or where my problems are. I do know this; if I make sure my home is running properly I can feel better about my heating and cooling bills, right? Besides, it will cost me less if I fix the problems than if I keep on paying for the wasted energy.

We are kind of like a house. We may think and feel like we are doing well, but until we have a professional check us out; we will never know for sure. Don’t take your body or your life for granted. Get yourself checked out by a doctor once in a while. Make sure you are doing your routine maintenance as well. This includes eating right and exercising. While we are doing our personal ‘energy audits’, let’s not forget the most important self-evaluation we need to perform daily; our spiritual well-being. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through God’s word and He will find all of the cracks and crevices that need to be sealed. This is an energy audit that can change your life and save you more than you could ever pay for by yourself.

“Southside” Johnny and the Asbury Jukes rocked the Orlando Jai-Alai Fronton

Last Thursday evening the Orlando Jai-Lai Fronton pulsated with the music of Jersey Shore Music icon “Southside” Johnny Lyons, and his Asbury Jukes band. At the last minute my editor asked me to attend the concert and write a review. Always an enthusiastic fan, I had been listening to “Southside Johnny” since the late 1970’s, but never had actually attended a live performance. Then less than 2 hours before the show, “simply attending” morphed into an actual interview opportunity. Arriving early at the venue, my guest and I were warmly welcomed by Ms. Laura Richeson of Richeson Communications. After exchanging introductions and getting our tickets Ms. Richeson turned me over to the friendly staff of the Jai Alai Fronton. We were then escorted backstage and upstairs to meet Mr. Lyons, who was gracious enough to share his downtime between sound checks and the show. It was great! Meeting with Johnny was like seeing an old friend and catching up with one another.

Not really prepared for an interview, I only asked two questions during the interview, and the rest was comfortable conversation. When I asked about how long he had been on the road he answered “forever”. What I meant was “this tour” and he told me that they had only been out for a few weeks, but that they were staying on the road for quite a while. The band had been in Vermont just two nights earlier and this was the first night of their Florida visit. He told me that he and the band were enjoying our Central Florida weather (complete with mosquitoes!). They were headed out for a full calendar of performances. When I mentioned that I had searched through my vintage vinyl collection to find his “I Don’t Want to Go Home” album (released in 1976), Johnny laughed, and we got into a discussion about turntables and how difficult it is to find needles. He said he still listens to vinyl on an old phonograph, remembering how the needle scores the track each time you listen to one, and how most of us “old-timers” can remember taping stacks of coins on to the tone arm to keep the needle in contact when an album became slightly warped or scratched.

My second question was about how the band still plays after all these years and still stays “fresh”. Johnny told me their set for an evening was dependent on the audience. While he and the band did plan ahead, they would often change an evenings set depending on the reaction of the audience. He said you can usually size up an audience after two or three songs. He spoke to me about creativity, and that the band would continue to perform as long as they felt they were being creative, and as long as it was still fun for the band. The creativity must still be there because he went on to say that he and the band had 3 albums in the works, including an acoustic album to be released this year.

Opening that evening was a trio of musicians: a percussionist, and a keyboard artist, fronted by guitarist Reuben Morgan of Daytona Beach. The guitar riffs were exciting, and the sound of the Hammond organ was warm, soulful, and almost spiritual. They did an excellent job of stirring up the intimate crowd that had assembled for an evening of classic rock & roll sounds.

Immediately after Johnny and The Jukes began to play I realized it must still be FUN, because “Wow!” what a great high-energy show. We all felt like we were on stage with them, maybe partially because Johnny came off stage a few times into the crowd, even pulling a concert-goer on stage with him, even handing over his microphone. When the band played “Talk to Me” (first released in 1978, on the Hearts of Stone album), the entire room was on their feet, with many concertgoers signing the lyrics to their dates. “Fever” from Johnny’s first album “I Don’t Want to Go Home” saw many of the ladies in the Fronton up on their feet and swaying to the music. I believe most of us attending that evening felt we had dropped away thirty plus years and we were back being rocking and rolling kids. Believe me, the next time this group comes close to the Central Florida area, I’m there.

http://www.southsideJohnny.com/

SET LIST

 Shake ‘em down

Passion Street

Gin Soaked Boy

Cross That Line

Be-bop-a-Lula

Love on the wrong side of Town

Paris

Umbrella in My Drink

Talk to Me

Sacrifice

I played a fool

Strange strange feeling

Nothing but a heartache

Lost

Under the gun

Fever

Trapped Again

Encore: On the Beach

We’re having a Party

Vocals & Harmonica: “Southside” Johnny Lyons

Keyboards: Jeff Kazzee

Bass: John Conte

Drums: Tom Seguso

Guitar: Billy Walton

Tenor & Baritone Sax: John Isley

Trumpet: Chris Anderson

Trombone: Neal Pawley

Additional FAQ’s:

• The Fever was from his 1^st album “ I Don’t Want to go Home” released 1976. The album helped establish the basis of the Jersey Shore sound.
•  3^rd Album “Hearts of Stone” was listed by Rolling Stone among the top 100 Albums of the 1970’s. And was said to be “The Greatest Album Springsteen Didn’t Record”  (Epic Label)
•  Love on the Wrong Side of Town from his 2^nd album “This Time It’s For Real” released 1977 on Epic Label.

Southside Johnny and Brian Ryan, Writer for The Orlando Blog

Be sure to watch for upcoming concert events at the Orlando Jai Alai Fronton …! The management team are planning to bring in a lot of GREAT entertainment. The Marshall Tucker Band is coming up in mid April … mark your calendars! Click here to be redirected to their event page

ORLANDO:  One night not that long ago in February, I ago I had the pleasure of attending a ‘media’ event for Internet Media Personnel, courtesy of The Orlando Blog, hosted by Firehouse Subs. Our hosts for the evening were the Co-Founders of Firehouse Subs, Mr. Robin Sorensen, his brother Mr. Chris Sorensen, and the company’s CEO, Mr. Don Fox. It was not held at a conference center on I-Drive, or in a boardroom downtown, but at a Firehouse franchise shop on Sandlake Road. The guests were a dozen internet bloggers, and I. When you think about it, what better place is there to show off your products if you have something you are proud of. This could have been a nightmare or a stroke of genius given that we were asked to be candid and report what we saw and experienced.

The evening was very cordial and casual. Our hosts wanted us to sample their menu, and listen to their story. I suppose in hopes that this and other stories by other attendees would get out to the local internet audience. It worked, … very well!

Founder Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs crew members, Founder Chris Sorensen, CEO Don Fox

The fare was of course subs. VERY GOOD SUBS. We started off with the signature Hook & Ladder sub (smoked turkey, and Virginia honey ham, with melted Monterey Jack  cheese on delicious bread). It was a delicious start. To accompany it I had an Orange-Coke. As we ate Robin described to us the lengths to which they go to serve the best meats and cheeses they can find. And how their process of steaming the meats releases the flavors of the cuts. He also told us of the selection process they went through to find just the right pickle to accompany their sandwiches. The pickles come in 5 gallon buckets from a company in The Bronx, New York. The buckets are for another paragraph.

The 2^nd course of the evening was the Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket. It is melt in your mouth smoked beef brisket from USDA Choice beef with melted cheddar and a “special sauce”. It was my favorite of the evening. Along with it I had a Peach-Sprite soda. A great combination. As we ate Chris told us about the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. The foundation’s mission is dedicated to improving the life-saving capabilities of emergency service entities in communities served by Firehouse Subs. The foundation donates advanced equipment, and training to local public safety organizations, as well as educational grants and scholarships.

The Pickle Buckets…..The idea to sell the empty pickle buckets came from a franchise owner. His suggestion was to sell the empty buckets and put the funds raised into the Public Safety Foundation, instead of sending the buckets to the landfill. It has been an outstanding success. If I heard Mr. Sorensen correctly, to date they have sold over 130 thousand buckets, and all the sales have gone into the foundation. The foundation has thus far donated over $3.9 million to public safety entities across the country, along with training. On the fountain drink cups you’ll see stories titled, “My life was saved by a pickle bucket”.

This brings me to the soda fountain. The soda fountain found in all Firehouse Sub locations is by the Coca-Cola Company and is called a “Freestyle Machine”. The dispenser offers 100+ choices to the customer, including more than 70 options that are low/no calorie. A sleek touchscreen on the front lets you sort through an almost unlimited menu of options to get the perfect pour, made just for you, from the 23 Coca-Cola Brands. While these are certainly going to be a pretty common thing as time passes, currently only two franchises in the area offer this and it is a big draw for a lot of people. Children love to experiment and try any number of drink choices.

Being from The Bronx the 3^rd course served that evening was a taste of home. The New York Steamer Sub is a tasty combination of corned beef brisket, pastrami, and provolone, with mustard, mayo, and Italian dressing. A Raspberry Coke complimented the NY Steamer nicely.

I was getting kinda full, but our hosts wanted us to sample one more gastronomic delight. Out came Firehouse’s twist on the classic Italian Submarine Sandwich. As Mr. Don Fox, CEO, spoke about the dedication of Firehouse Sub franchise owners to deliver a top quality product and dining experience to the public, and the company’s commitment to its franchisees, I enjoyed my Italian. The Genoa salami, pepperoni, and ham, with melted provolone cheese, Italian dressing and seasonings were awesome. I accompanied it with another Raspberry Coke. Hey, I like Raspberry.

When Mr. Fox asked if we had any other questions, I queried “When are we going to see you on Undercover Boss”? He replied that it wouldn’t work. He said that he and the Sorensen brothers visit the shops across the country so often it would be very difficult for them not to be recognized. Clearly, this is a ‘hands-on’ leadership team and relational with everyone to the degree that you felt as though the owners had a close bond with both the franchise owner as well as their team of servers. You can’t fake that kind of true appreciation for each other … it was very satisfying all around.

To top it all off, one must have dessert. Lastly we were served delicious, and large, Oatmeal Raisen, and Lemon Cookies containing white chocolate chips. I took several of each home with me. Pictures of the cookies …? Sorry, would, shoulda, coulda but they were so warm and looked so good that I sampled each as it hit the table. You know what, you need to check them out for yourselves.

I came away from the evening with a new found respect and appreciation for all the hard work and effort that these men have put into their company, and their product. The American Dream of creating a wildly successful business is possible with a good idea, a good product, and a lot of hard work. My sincere thanks to everyone involved that evening. And know this, … while John Litton (owner of the The Orlando Blog) and I were provided these samplings at no cost, there was never an expectation that we would do or say anything that was less than forthcoming.

As for sub sandwiches, … there are only two companies in the are that rise to the occasion that I would go out of my way to enjoy their offerings … FIREHOUSE is by far the best and my number one choice. You need to head to one as soon as you can and enjoy.

CLICK HERE to be redirected to the Closest Firehouse Sub Near You!

THIS EVENT HAS CONCLUDED

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
The Jersey Shore Sound comes to Orlando!!!!

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes have released dozens of classic hits such as “I don’t want to go home”, “We’re having a Party”, and “The Fever”. Backed by his impressive horn section, get ready for a night of R&B that is sure to get you out of your seats and prove once again why Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes are known as one of America’s best live bands!

One night only! Thursday February 16, 2012 at Orlando Jaa-alai  – Click HERE for Ticket and Event Info

***Special Guests – THE MIGHTY GROOVE MACHINE***

Valentine’s Day is February 14th, you know the love month; … a time we are supposed to show your true heartfelt feelings to our significant other by buying flowers, jewelry, chocolates, and dinner for two.

I know we have all been sucked into the trap of having to spend a lot of money just to let the world know how much we cherish our sweetheart. As you can probably tell by now, I am not too keen on the whole Valentine’s Day hype. It can be a happy time for many, but it can also be a sad time for many more. People who have lost their love either by separation or death can have their feelings of loss intensified by this time of year. Love can feel wonderful, but it can also hurt.

Let’s talk about love for a moment.

What is love?

Clearly, it is “a strong positive emotion of regard and affection” or “a beloved person”. It’s also a score of zero in tennis, but that’s another story. If it wasn’t for “it”, we wouldn’t have very many songs. Love songs are a staple in the music industry and have always been a way for people to express ‘their’ love for someone or something. What’s your favorite love song? We all have one, right? This February, we lost someone who sang one of the most powerful love songs of all time, Whitney Houston. When she sang “I will always love you”, we all felt the power and the hold that love can have on us. The world will always love Whitney and she will be missed. It would seem that love is somewhat of a familiarity emotion as well. It seems strange to me how we can miss someone like Whitney Houston now that she is gone and yet last week I didn’t miss her at all. Did you? I don’t say that to be mean, I just want to make you think a little. People have a limited ability to love and we need to nourish it to keep it strong. I think this is why so many marriages fall apart. It is sometimes easier to let love die rather than work to keep it vibrant.

There are many aspects of love as well. First, there is the love of your life. This is the one you marry and hopefully spend the rest of your life with. This is the person we should let know how much we love each and every day instead of just on Valentine’s Day. Second, there is the friendship kind of love. This can be a very strong love for someone who ‘has your back’ and is always there for you when you need a friend. I have written about some of these in my previous posts. Third, there is the God kind of love. This is the kind of love that we can’t possibly understand. This love is so big that God sent His son to die for a people that didn’t love Him. Jesus paid the price for our sins because He loved us and wanted us to have a way to spend eternity with Him if we chose to accept the call. He made the sacrifice and yet left the decision up to us.

As you consider the different aspects of love this month, please read about God’s love for you and see how easy it is to become a child of God; to have a place at the table of the Almighty and be called a child of the King.

Figuring out a Valentine’s Day plan can often be a stressful undertaking. So much of it involves individual preferences, whether the plans are a surprise or not and just what all you want to include on a holiday that celebrates love. Luckily, living in a city such as Orlando provides plenty of options to choose from, especially in 2012.

Valentine’s Day can be an important day for a relationship, especially if you’re involved in a long distance setup and your date is in town to celebrate. You will want to setup a night in Orlando with a lot of thought and preparation. One great thing to add to a Valentine’s celebration in Orlando this year will be a concert or theater performance, both of which there are plenty to choose from in Central Florida in February.

If you’re looking for a traditional, Broadway type theater performance this February a trip to the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre could be perfect. Starting on Valentine’s Day night, critically acclaimed Broadway musical “Billy Elliott” will call the Bob Carr home for 11 days. The musical, as you may remember from the movie which garnered attention years ago, follows the story of a boy learning to dance ballet, despite being a boxing protégé. It is set to include an outstanding cast, making for a great theater performance date around Valentine’s Day.

Out at House of Blues in Lake Buena Vista, Valentine’s Day can be spent dancing and jamming to great Latin music at the Menealo Martes event. The performances include a live set, by DJ Anthony who will be spinning excellent dancing music. Some Latin flavor and dancing could be the perfect post-dinner activity for Valentine’s Day and offers a great alternative to the simple food and movie type date this year in Orlando.

Right across from the House of Blues is Cirque De Soleil and their long running performance show La Nouba. While this is an attraction that’s year round, it makes for one of the most perfect Valentine’s Day events. The mixture of great music, acrobatics and stage performance coming together provides a great date option. Also, the location of La Nouba and Cirque De Soleil right in the Downtown Disney area is in perfect proximity to a number of different restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck’s and Fulton’s Crab House. You can be set for a late or early dinner with reservations as La Nouba takes the stage every night for two different time slots.

Of course, there will be plenty of other options in Orlando this Valentine’s Day as well, but these three choices offer a nice change up to usual February 14 celebrations. The best celebrations are often a combination of a nice dinner and post-activity. Taking in a theater performance or dancing concert is the perfect way to wrap up a Valentine’s Day celebration in Orlando.

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This article is a guest feature as provided by Paige Taylor

No matter what team you are rooting for … enjoy the game and if you are drinking and driving, … please use a designated driver.