VISIT CHURCH STREET... and other Orlando, FL General Tips

Favorite Thing: VISIT CHURCH STREET STATION:Church Street Station is specifically an entertainment complex in the vein of Universal’s CityWalk and Downtown Disney. But the area known as CHURCH STREET is simply the streets in the vicinity and they are aesthetically pleasing with cobblestones and interesting period architecture. Its a joy just to walk around the area.

The Church Street Station complex was originally constructed around Orlando’s original train station. The restored station along and old-fashioned bar Rosie O’Grady’s Good Time Emporium swelled in popularity until eventually a whole 10 block area of restored buildings was created with TONS of things to do.

The designers paid a lot of attention to detail and historical accuracy. The Train Depot is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places and contains numerous historical artifacts. The most impressive artifact is 'Old Duke', a steam locomotive that was in the movie 'Wings of Eagles' with John Wayne.

Like Pleasure Island, you pay a fee at the entrance to the complex and you are admitted to all the shows. Food and drinks are not included and seem to be especially priced for tourists. Weekend nights are usually very crowded, but in that good way.

Besides just bars, Church Street Station offers live entertainment, fine dining and the Church Street Exchange Shopping Emporium - a three story complex that has over 50 shops, restaurants and midway games.
Its free to enter and has great atmosphere.

Here is a list of some of Church Street Station’s more popular attractions:

1-Rosie O’Grady’s Good Time Emporium
This is Church Street Station’s original bar, and in many ways it’s still the best. It evokes the feel of turn of the century San Francisco with a dark wood bar and brass fixtures. The two real draws at Rosie’s are the Dixieland Jazz Revue (complete with bartop Can-Can girls) and a specialty drink called the Flaming Hurricane. Although you won’t be in Disney, if you have more than one you’ll see (and be) Goofy.


2-Phineas Phogg’s Balloon Works
This is where the 20&30/something tourist should go to dance the night away. Weekend nights are crowded with a good mixture of tourists and locals. The sound system is incredible.

3-Cheyenne Saloon and Opera House
This immense building is one of the staples of Church Street Station. Built inside a former opera house, the Cheyenne Saloon attracts a large crowd almost every night. It is spread out over three levels and is decorated with tons of old west memorabilia. It is worth it just to look at the inside of this cavernous edifice! There is plenty country music and you won’t feel out of place with a ten-gallon hat.

*To get to Church Street Station take I-4 to Downtown Orlando Exit 38-Anderson St. Turn left on Boone St.; left on South Street; right on Garland Ave. It’s not an easy route , but there are lotsa signs.


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Favorite Thing: VISIT SEA WORLD By the mid-eighties SEA WORLD was starting to lose it’s appeal. The park was beginning to look shabby so Sea World began to add rides and shows to the usual stuff.

1-Sea World Sea Lion and Otter Stadium
'Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island' features sea lions, otters and walrus .

2-Terrors of the Deep Exhibit
four large Plexiglas tubes. Within the tubes lurks the world’s largest collection of venomous and/or carnivorous life-threatening sea creatures. .

3-Sea World's Journey to Atlantis
water-flume ride . The theme of the ride is that the lost city of Atlantis has resurfaced

Shamu Stadium
the usual ..Sadly, in 'Shamu Adventure,' the whale is joined by animal 'guru' Jack Hanna in simulated trips to Alaska and Norway. To me Jack Hanna has to be the worlds dumbest animal 'expert' because all I ever hear on his TV shows and Letterman when he is asked questions is..'Dunno'...or 'Gee I dunno' and I find it irritating at best. No thanks ';-)



you can easily cover the highlights in an afternoon and be well on your way to Disney World!!!


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Favorite Thing: VISIT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS(comming soon/scanning pics)


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Favorite Thing: CityWalk is one of the best entertainment options. Built to compete with Downtown Disney in the 'nightlife arena.

Disney seems to be for families while Universal caters to everybody else. The attractions in CityWalk are billed by Universal as 'entertainment definitely more for adults. Universal Studios substituted Mickey Mouse with Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffet. LOL

CityWalk itself doesn't have an entrance fee, but the individual clubs have a cover. If you're only going to stay for one drink, go to CityWalk.



1-Bob Marley - This restaurant and nightclub is an authentic replica of Marley's home in Kingston, Jamaica.
21 and Over after 10:00 p.m.
Open 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
$4.25 between 7pm and 2 am ...other times are free



2-CityJazz-Even if you're not a jazz aficionado, you'll appreciate CityJazz. The food is terrific. For more information call 407-224-2189.
For tickets or reservations call 407-224-JAZZ.
daily 7:30 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Cover:$5.25



3-Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville-It's a great place to have a cheeseburger in paradise. three bars, outside patio and balcony seating.
11 a.m. - 2 a.m.


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Favorite Thing: On a map of Greater Orlando (which we'all refer to as Central Florida)...the Ocala National Forest is the green area in the middle to the right of Ocala. St Augustine is north on I-4 to I-95 north of where you see Flagler, just barely out of the picture. DISNEYWORLD is 20 miles southwest in Kissimmee. Hey you guys are world travellers.............piece of cake, right?;-)


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Favorite Thing: From here on I will list Orlandos BEST according to ORLANDO WEEKLY. Its meant to be both INFORMATIVE and FUN.

BEST PLACE TO RID YOURSELF OF DEMONS
The Labyrinth at the First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St., (407) 898-3621
www.fuconet.org

Fondest Memory: Instead of visiting an Orlando pub the next time the stress bug bites, you may want to try the ancient tradition of walking a labyrinth. Based on the 13th-century labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral near Paris, this local labyrinth is tucked beside the Unitarian church off Robinson Street. It's shaped in the design of a winding circular path; once inside the labyrinth, the meditation-minded carefully follow its spirals to the center, then back out again. The goal is to gain a greater awareness of the self and one's spiritual side. Either that or to make yourself really dizzy.

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Favorite Thing: BEST RADIO STATION
Real Radio 104.1 FM
www.realradio.fm

Fondest Memory: Talk radio is hideous. But if you have the choice of suffering the wagging tongues of right-wing pundits or Monster (truck) rednecks, the latter are certainly more entertaining for your busy ears. Between the Monsters, Jim Philips (and Moira!) and our own bad sport, Drew Garabo, the town seems none the wiser ... literally. The old stalwart of Real Music Weekends — basically the Loverboy-free side of hip '80s retro — provides a fitting antidote to a long week of jabberjawing.

Website:
www.realradio.fm

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Favorite Thing: Orlandos BEST MOVIE THEATER
Enzian Theater
1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland,
(407) 629-0054,

www.enzian.org

Fondest Memory: Lax industry standards make this an easy category to win: To distinguish yourself, you merely have to book movies that someone with half a brain might be interested in seeing, project them in focus and maintain a physical environment that's homier than downtown Beirut.

More often than with any of the competition, that's the Enzian, still the area's best bet for an evening at the movies that won't leave a patron ruing the state of cinematic entertainment. Intelligently selected indie fare is of course the place's continuing calling card, though its popularity also has a good deal to do with the availability of food that's miles beyond the usual nuclear-buttered nonsense.

Secret weapon: that big ol' tree out front, which establishes a mood diametrically opposed to multiplex hell.

Website:
www.enzian.org

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Favorite Thing: BEST LIVE THEATER

Carr Performing Arts Centre
401 W. Livingston St. (407) 849-2020,

www.orlandocentroplex.com/bobcarr.shtml

National tours of all the Broadways...from Phantom, to Oklahoma, to Cats, to Les Mis.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mad Cow Theatre
105 S. Magnolia Ave., (407) 297-8788, www.madcowtheatre.com
nine shows on two stages (often in overlapping runs)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Theatre Downtown>after 15 years is still undervalued as a resource for dramatic art.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Outta town>>>> ICEHOUSE Theater
Mt Dora 352-383-4616
www.icehousetheatre.com

Fondest Memory: My best memory is the ICEHOUSE Theater where yours trully has done 28 plays;-)

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Favorite Thing: BEST RAVE BAR FOR METALHEADS and COWBOYS(not kidding)

"Onyx"

Previously at :08, 100 W. Livingston St.,
(407) 839-4800,

www.8-seconds.com

Fondest Memory: Back around the end of last year, noted hillbilly hangout :08 attempted to resurrect the Edge's glory days by opening up Club ONX within its cozy confines. Looking to cater to the alternative/radio-rock crowd, the space hosted about two months' worth of metal shows before hastily rechristening itself the easier-to-pronounce Onyx. Apparently, people were reading a little too much into the misspelled title (like us, for instance).

Everyone knows that metalheads and cowboys do not generally mix well, but add in some manglers looking to rave all night and you've got a riot in a box. Even with a new sleek name, though, the room couldn't rebound from dismal attendance and promptly shut its doors.

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