Orange Rocket Podcast – Curating the Florida Exper

This bridge tender’s house (pictured below) was built in Astor in 1926 and is one of the last still in existence in Florida. The men who lived here over the years operated the bridge’s swing span to allow boat traffic on the St. John’s River to safely pass. In 1980, the structure was moved to its current location. Drive through the house’s porte cochere at the entrance to the Barberville Pioneer Settlement and it feels like you’re going through a time portal to a much simpler time. This is what Florida was like in the 1800s and early 1900s. The Astor Bridge Tender’s House is one of 18 historical structures that make up the 30-acre campus just off State Road 40 between Ormond Beach and Ocala. Barberville Pioneer Settlement was established in 1976 when a group of  Volusia County art teachers had the vision to preserve the Old Barberville Central High School, a 1919 building at the heart of the property. They also wanted a facility where traditional arts and crafts could be preserved and taught to younger generations. Today, the old high school has been restored top to bottom and serves as a learning center for youth groups that travel from across the state to get a taste of pioneer life. Students are often broken into smaller groups, taken into classrooms and given demonstrations on everything from candle making and weaving to quilting and pottery making. Other buildings on the property include: the Pierson Railroad Depot, an old country store relocated from Bakersburg, an 1890 Methodist church, post office, blacksmith shop, firehouse, log cabin, woodworking shop, print shop and a turpentine still. Most of the buildings are original with a few reproductions mixed in. After 40 years in operation, the settlement’s associate director Gudrun Benson says they’re starting to see an interesting phenomenon. She explains young parents are now bringing their children to the settlement because they experienced the unique facility as a kid and want their offspring to have the same experience. “That to me is a sign we’re doing something really, really right,” Benson says. Listen to the Orange Rocket Post Audiocast from Barberville Pioneer Settlement Most revenue generated at Barberville Pioneer Settlement comes from school field trips. The campus also hosts a number of yearly events that attract large crowds from music and dance festivals to chili cook-offs, a pioneer Christmas celebration and a country jamboree in the fall. Watch our Vlog from the Barberville Pioneer Settlement.

Four times a year, the alleyway between West New York Avenue and West Georgia Avenue in downtown DeLand comes alive with a one-of-a-kind market you won’t find anywhere else in Florida. Event planner Courtney Ford Hamil, along with her husband Rusty, started the DeLand Indie Market at Artisan Alley four years ago. Their mission – to shine the spotlight on small local businesses. The highly-curated event features everything from vintage and artwork to handcrafted items, stuff for your pets, gourmet foods and live music. Listen to our podcast from the DeLand Indie Market at Artisan Alley The next DeLand Indie Market is slated for Sunday, May 22, 2016 starting at 11 a.m. Scheduled vendors include: Handmade Lotus Kate Dolamore Twisted Nature 8 FABU Pottery Just Give Me Peace Redneck Candles and More Gypset Collective Rocker Bands Fourteen Eleven Designs Twice Upon A Stitch La Brujita Brott’s Beard Care BoTy Boutique Centro Tea Co. Deli Fresh Threads The Owl’s Attic Nature’s Patina Newfangled Modern Market And dozens more! Photos from the March 2016 DeLand Indie Market at Artisan Alley Check out our video story from the March 2016 DeLand Indie Market at Artisan Alley May 17, 2016

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Some might say the Florida Citrus Tower is an early roadside attraction that’s sadly lost its purpose and relevance. And they would be correct – for the most part. Ask anyone if they know where the city of Clermont is on the map and you’ll likely get a bewildered look. But say the name “Citrus Tower” and they might respond, “Oh yeah. I’ve heard of that.” Or, “I went up in that as a kid years ago.” The Florida Citrus Tower is Clermont’s claim to fame. The brainchild of A.W. Thacker and Jack Toole, it opened on one of the town’s hilltops in 1956 as a tribute to the region’s citrus industry. From the observation deck, visitors were awed by the 360-degree views of the area and the bountiful supply of orange groves below. In the years that followed World War II and before the development of Florida’s interstate system, U.S. Highway 27 was the main north to south route for vacationers desperate for sunshine. Attractions like Silver Springs north in Ocala and Cypress Gardens south near Winter Haven were already popular and a few miles off the highway. The Citrus Tower became the third “must-see” stop along U.S. Highway 27. During the early years, the parking lot was always packed. Up to 500,000 visitors a year took the elevator ride up to the top of the 226-foot-tall building. But in 1964, the Florida Turnpike was extended north providing a faster route through the center part of the state. Tourists started bypassing Clermont and the Citrus Tower. Attendance started to decline. Perhaps the biggest blow came in the 1980s when a series of hard freezes severely damaged or killed many of the citrus groves. Growers were forced to move further south. As the citrus industry continued to fade from the landscape, property around the once-proud tower fell into the hands of developers and the crowning jewel of Clermont became a relic. Ownership changed many times over the years and small things were done to try to boost attendance – like adding a tram tour through the tiny orange grove behind the tower. The minor improvements were informative, but not enough to boost numbers and revenue. When visitors stop in today, they’re greeted by an attraction that’s a shadow of its former self. The once massive parking lot that was always full during the late 1950s has been taken over by retail and office space. All that’s left is the tower, which was given a fresh coat of paint in 2015, and the building’s lobby that houses a gift shop, a meeting room and a few offices. A ride to the top costs $6. The view remains spectacular. Out one set of windows, you can clearly see the Orlando skyline in the distance. Glistening lakes dominate the view looking westward. And if you squint real hard, you might be able to make out Walt Disney World. Reality starts to hit when you look at the old black and white framed photographs posted on the support columns. Each one shows directional views from when the tower first opened. Miles and miles of orange groves have given way to commercial and residential development. To the north, a Publix grocery store and shopping center. To the south, houses and subdivisions. Not an orange grove in sight. What was built as a tribute to Florida agriculture is still scenic and educational in a different way. It shows what the region has become post-Disney. All of the change hasn’t been for the better. I would take hillsides covered in trees any day over another generic strip mall. But that’s not the destiny the people of Clermont and this state have chosen. Taking a ride to the top of the Florida Citrus Tower is the best history lesson there could possibly be. It’s still a relevant roadside attraction – just with a different purpose of reminding us what we once were and who we are now. Watch Our Snapchat Story

Seaworld Orlando released a statement Tuesday explaining its killer whale Tilikum is suffering from major health issues. You might remember the name Tilikum from a few years ago. The orca made international headlines in 2010 when he killed trainer Dawn Brancheau and became the focus of the 2013 documentary Blackfish. The controversial film suggested his captivity made him lash out at Brancheau and unintentionally drown his longtime caretaker. Tilikum has been at Seaworld for 23 years and is estimated to be around 35 years old. According to the theme park, Tillikum has a serious bacterial lung infection that’s continuing to worsen. This news will certainly resurrect the debate about Seaworld and calls for the company to end keeping killer whales in captivity. What do you think? Should Seaworld return its whales to the oceans? I posed this question on Anchor and here a few of the comments.

The craft beer industry is growing so much in the burgs of Volusia that it gets a week-long, county-wide celebration. Kicking off January 29, Volusia Beer Week showcases some of the county’s up and coming craft breweries along with brands from across the state and the nation. According to event coordinator Ann-Marie Bays who owns Odd Elixir Meads in downtown DeLand, there are seven craft breweries currently in Volusia County with several others in the works. Additionally, a building that used to house a laundromat in Holly Hill is being converted into a craft distillery that will make vodka, rum and bourbon. Listen to the Volusia Beer Week Audiocast   Bays says the hope is that one day Volusia County will be seen as a destination for travelers who seek out locations where they can have a robust craft beer experience. “We’re seeing more and more travelers every weekend coming in and saying, ‘We never knew all this was here.’ With seven breweries now in Volusia County, it makes it a great weekend trip for people wanting to take the brewery tours and who are looking to have a beer-centric mini vacation.” This year’s Volusia Beer Week Premier Events include the #DrinkVolusia Bus Tour on January 30, a beer pairing dinner called Brews & Bowties that includes 12 area restaurants partnered with 12 rare and unique beers on February 4, and the signature event on February 6, the DeLand Craft Beer Festival. Proceeds from the three premier events benefit the MainStreet DeLand Association, which promotes and protects the town’s historic charm and character, and the Craft Beverage Community in Volusia County. Visit the DrinkVolusia.com website for a complete schedule of Volusia Beer Week events.

The great manatee migration is underway at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Florida. Each year, weather depending, hundreds of the mammals take refuge in the warm 72-degree waters at Blue Spring. The winter months draw visitors from all over the world looking to get a glimpse of Florida’s beloved icon. And every year, Orange City celebrates its most famous resident with a weekend festival. Jeff Allebach heads up the event and joined us by phone for this interview. Listen to the Blue Spring Manatee Festival Audiocast   The Orange City Blue Spring Manatee Festival runs 9am-5pm January 23 and 24 at Valentine Park. Here’s what you need to know before heading out. Admission is $8 for adults, $2 for children ages 4-10 and children three and under get in free. If you want to bring Fido, he’s an extra $10. The Central Florida Zoo will have animal ambassadors and special presentations. There will be plenty of arts & crafts, dancing, face painting, fair food, shows & rides, sand sculpting, bounce houses, and a zip line. You can also get your kids fingerprinted. Live entertainment includes: Jeff Howell, Bubba Whoopass and the Whoopoffs, Caerbannog, Karegan Wodz, and Disc Connected K9s – World Famous Frisbee Dogs. Proceeds benefit “Friends of Blue Spring State Park”, Educational scholarships, and other Greater Orange City Organizations.

Each year in January, the population of tiny Fellsmere, Florida swells from 5,300 to well over 80,000. People come from all over to experience one of the most unusual festivals in the nation – the Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival. Former mayor Susan Adams grew up exploring and playing in the marshes where the frogs are caught and says the festival is a great way to celebrate the town’s rural character. Listen to the Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival Audiocast The idea for the festival started with Susan’s mother and a small group of residents who were looking for a way to raise funds for the town’s recreation needs. Fellsmere had a lot of kids, but not much for them to do in their free time. “They started thinking, what does Fellsmere have that makes us unique? What would bring people here?” Susan says that’s when the lightbulb went off. “Oh, we have frog legs. That’s unique. I bet people would travel to a frog leg festival, at least enough to raise some money to buy some equipment for the softball teams and that type of thing.” Organizers called on local froggers to help out with the first festival in 1990. Within two hours, all the frog legs were gone. “They had a record crowd beyond their imagination of what they thought would show up for a frog leg festival. They called everybody in town to let them know we were out of frog legs. They sent everybody out to the marsh to get more frogs. The next morning they had a couple hundred pounds.” Since those humble beginnings, the Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival has grown into a nationally-recognized event. The same festival that ran out of frog legs in its first year now holds two Guinness Book of World Records for The Most Frog Legs served in the course of one business day and the Largest Frog Leg Festival in the world. This year’s Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival runs January 21-January 24 and will feature live entertainment, arts & crafts, midway rides, a zipline course, plenty of fried foods, and the most frog legs you’ll see anywhere else on earth.

You might call Erica Group a 21st century renaissance woman. Interior designer, collector, artist and now the owner of a business called Nature’s Patina inside the new South of New York (So.NY) Market in downtown DeLand, Florida. It’s a place where Group is able to display her collection of vintage items and showcase her artistic talents. Erica’s journey to being one of Central Florida’s top creatives started a few years ago in college. Listen to the Erica Group Audiocast She started out in architecture school at the University of South Florida, but later decided she wanted to pursue something more creative. Erica moved to upstate New York, enrolled in college and received her degree in interior design. While in New York, she started working in an antique store and would visit flea markets and weekend antique shows every chance she got. This is where she got the bug for collecting unique items from the past. Two years later, Erica drove a U-Haul packed with treasures back to Florida and has been here ever since. “Of course, some of those (New York antique pieces) I’m keeping. But a lot of them I’ve sold already. I think I only have one New York piece left in my booth.” While Erica believes there’s a place for mass-produced furniture, she often contemplates what types of pieces will be handed down to future generations. “What are our antiques going to be? There’s just not that sustainability of the furniture. It’s not lasting.” Erica says the reason why vintage is so big right now, especially with the younger generation, is because furniture was “just made better” in the 18th and 19th centuries. Interior design may always be first in her heart, but Erica says she’s been “dabbling” in graphic design recently with the creation of invitations and signage. She developed the minimalistic logo for So.NY Market and sketched a black and white representation of the market’s exterior. But what Erica is most known for around DeLand is an art project that wasn’t supposed to be permanent. In mid-2015, she was inspired to draw a large set of angel wings on the side of the West Volusia Beacon newspaper building in the alleyway behind So.NY Market. She wanted to use them as a backdrop for a model photoshoot. Erica asked permission from Beacon CEO and publisher Barb Shepherd and drew the wings in chalk. The wings lasted a while, but eventually started to fade during Florida’s wet season. “When they washed away, I was getting so much interest and attention from people asking where they were.” That’s when Erica says Shepherd came to her with the idea of making the wings a permanent fixture in the alleyway using paint instead of chalk. “I had already been daydreaming about that. I jumped at the chance.” Instagram – @milansal Now, #DeLandWings is a popular hashtag on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Models, kids, tourists, city leaders, and even dogs have posed in front of the wings, sometimes in very unique ways. “They really have grown. So many people come in asking where the wings are. It’s so fun to see all the different photos and what people do with them. They mean a lot to a lot of people.” Courtesy Erica Group  

Florida entrepreneur Cam Amici has made her mark in her hometown DeLand. She first brought her keen fashion sense to historic South Woodland Boulevard when she opened the hip women’s boutique, Dressed. Following the shop’s overwhelming success, Cam then set her sights on the storefront a few doors north. Along with her business and life partner, local real estate developer Solomon Greene, Cam opened South of New York Market in a building that has great historic significance to DeLand. When DeLand was a rural outpost and the streets were covered in dirt, Fisher Drug Store occupied the corner property. The landscape of the town forever changed following a devastating 1886 fire that wiped out both sides of the 100 block of Woodland Boulevard. Leaders mandated all new buildings be constructed using masonry material, not wood. Touchton Drug Co. was housed in the current structure during the mid 1900s. The shop’s soda fountain was a popular gathering spot for residents like Betty Gregg Black. “This was a major meeting place for ladies to have a Coke when there really wasn’t any place else to go,” she says. “Touchton’s Drug Store was an important corner place.” Amici and Greene spent six months renovating the interior of the building, scraping away layers of paint and plaster, to reveal the true roots of the building. The original tin ceiling, patterned tile floor and exposed brick are now on display in the new brick and mortar vintage market nicknamed So.NY. “The building loves us and thanks us,” Amici says. “Every single time we would peel away one more layer, it’s like the building would say to us, “Here you go. Here’s something more wonderful!”   Listen to the Orange Rocket Post Audiocast   The original wood structure served as Fisher Drug Store before the fire of 1886. Archive photos show the evolution of the building. Owners Cam Amici and Solomon Greene unearthed many of the historic building’s original features during renovation, including the tin ceilings and beautiful tile floors. Artist and interior designer Erica Group rents space in So.NY for her business called Nature’s Patina. Group says it was the perfect business opportunity. South of New York Market (So.NY) is located at 100 South Woodland Boulevard in DeLand, Florida. South of New York Market Facebook South of New York Market Instagram

With 663 miles of beaches in Florida and nearly 1,200 miles of coastline, it’s no secret the Sunshine State is a good place for shelling. Enthusiasts can spend hours on the beach looking for just the right shell to take home. Shell collecting has also turned into big business. Various shows are held across the state each year where collectors can meet other members of the growing community and display their unique collections. One of the largest shows happens each year on the third weekend in January. Now in its 51st year, the Broward Shell Show takes place January 16 and 17 at the Emma Lou Olsen Civic Center in Pompano Beach. It’s a free event and open to the public. On this episode of the Orange Rocket Post Audiocast, we talk with the show’s chairwoman, Alice Pace, and discuss a number of topics related to one of Florida’s favorite hobbies.   Listen to the Audiocast   Photos courtesy of Alice Pace, Broward Shell Show

Ever want to bring that unique, custom furniture piece you saw on Pinterest to life? That’s exactly what Dorothy Featherston does at her shop in Holly Hill, Florida called Artsy Fartsy Antiques & Such. With the help of a carpenter and artist, Dorothy repurposes old doors, windows, hardware and ordinary everyday items into functional design pieces that are truly works of art. Come along as she gives Orange Rocket Post a shop tour! CLICK THE PLAY BUTTON ABOVE TO HEAR THE PODCAST WATCH THE SHOP TOUR SHOW NOTES Artsy Fartsy Antiques & Such | Website | Facebook | Pinterest Listen | iTunes | SoundCloud Watch | YouTube      

Sometimes, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 seem like a distant memory. It’s hard to believe that it was 14 years ago when the world changed. As time continues to pass and the horror of that day starts to fade for some of us, the simplest of reminders can bring it all rushing back. Listen to the story that did it for me.  

Heading west on Daytona Beach’s Seabreeze Boulevard, the vintage 1970 Ford pickup truck parked on the street definitely grabs your attention. A sign on the back reads, “Now Open: Fresh Coffee and Donuts.” That weathered truck belongs to Donnie Summerlin, the namesake of Donnie’s Donuts which opened on Seabreeze during the summer of 2015. The little shop with its hip industrial-modern vibe was an instant hit with locals and beachgoers alike. The morning we popped in to speak with owner Matt Manning, the place was buzzing with people looking to get their donut and coffee fix. Click the Play Button Above to Hear the Podcast Show Notes Donnie’s Donuts | Facebook | Twitter Listen | iTunes | SoundCloud

The year 1972 was the start of a life-long mission for Peter Wolf Toth. For almost three decades, this Hungarian-born sculptor was driven by what he calls his real work – bringing awareness to social injustice by carving large wooden sculptures of Native Americans and donating them to communities. Peter says the mission was born out of the injustice and violence his family suffered during the Soviet occupation of his homeland following World War II. After two years of being shuttled from one refugee camp to another, Peter and his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Akron, Ohio. I spoke with Toth at his studio on U.S. 1 in Edgewater, Florida.

Ahh…the sound of coffee brewing first thing in the morning. It’s the way most of us start the day. But for Frank Garafolo, the art of roasting coffee is a passion. Just a few years ago, Frank sold his FedEx Ground operation in Gainesville and moved south to Groveland where he started a new business called Golden Hills Coffee Roasters. Three years later, it’s a family affair involving his wife and 15-year-old son. But what truly makes a good coffee blend and why are so many Central Floridians starting mom and pop roasting operations like he did. I spoke with Frank to find out.

Of the 150 or so people who live in Evinston, Florida, just about all stop by the Wood & Swink Community Store and Post Office at least once a week. Since the late 1800s, this old weathered pine building has been the heart of the community. On any given day, you might find residents catching up on the latest news over a game of checkers or shopping for raw local honey and freshly-picked produce. Not much has changed here over the decades, and that’s just how people like it.

Lacey McLaughlin grew up in Florida’s Panhandle and has a passion for getting off the beaten path and exploring the state’s hidden gems. Her day job is working as a features reporter for the Daytona Beach News Journal. But in her free time, she writes about her Florida journeys on ParachuteJournalist.com – her travel blog. Lacey is not afraid to dive into the Florida experience head-first and is full of advice for first-time visitors and locals alike. She joins me on the Orange Rocket Podcast to talk about her travels around this great state of ours. SHOWNOTES 1:08 – Diving Into Travel Head-First 2:11 – Research & Planning 3:08 – Panhandle Recommendations 5:05 – Favorite Places in Florida 5:36 – Seeing Manatees for the First Time 6:17 – Visiting Vero Beach 7:10 – Punta Gorda 7:39 – Tarpon Springs, Greek Food & Sponges 8:28 – Guide to Visiting New Smyrna Beach 10:00 – Is New Smyrna Beach Getting Too Big? 11:57 – Beach or Natural Spring? 13:33 – Shark Bites 14:42 – Becoming a Sign Spinner 18:50 – Lacey’s Florida Bucket List 21:10 – Flipping a Quarter & Ending Up in Cedar Key 23:52 – Wonderlust 24:50 – Ponce Inlet & Hidden Treasure Restaurant 27:23 – “Don’t Spend All Your Money at Theme Parks” GUEST LINKS ParachuteJournalist.com Your Guide to New Smyrna Beach ORANGE ROCKET LINKS Subscribe on iTunes Listen on Stitcher Radio Watch on YouTube

Daytona Beach newspaper journalist Lacey McLaughlin had always wanted to travel to Cuba, but thought it might be a trip she would make later in life. Then, in December 2014 when President Obama announced trade and travel restrictions on Cuba would be eased, Lacey saw her chance. After doing a little groundwork, she made contact with a Florida travel agency that specializes in legal tours of the “Forbidden Island” through cultural and religious exchange programs. In April 2015, Lacey boarded a flight out of Tampa and set foot on the streets of Havana a short time later. For the self-described “parachute journalist,” the contradictions on how she felt about this isolated country started immediately and continued months after her return. To this day, she still doesn’t know what to make of this mysterious place trapped in a 1950s time warp. But there are two things about Cuba this adventurous writer knows for sure – she loves the people and their culture. On this episode of the Orange Rocket Podcast, Lacey McLaughlin from ParachuteJournalist.com drops by to discuss her adventures in Havana and provides helpful tips for Americans who might be looking to have a Cuban adventure of their own. GUEST LINKS ParachuteJournalist.com Daytona Beach News-Journal HotCubaTravel.com ORANGE ROCKET LINKS Twitter @OrangeRocketPo Facebook @OrangeRocketPost Instagram @OrangeRocketPost Subscribe on iTunes Listen on Stitcher

Independent filmmaker Jerry Orzel drops by to discuss his latest project; “Defending Lizzie” takes a fresh look at the 1892 murders of Lizzie Borden’s father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts. The movie is being shot at locations in Central Florida and New England with a target release date of Fall 2016. During this intriguing Q&A, we delve into the many bizarre theories surrounding the heinous murders and the public’s ongoing fascination with the case. SHOWNOTES 1:15 – Why a Movie About Lizzie Borden? 2:02 – Borden Background 3:12 – Hollywood & Lizzie 5:35 – Shooting in Florida 7:00 – “Defending Lizzie,” a Prequel 8:45 – Shooting in Fall River, Mass 11:07 – Death Pose Selfies 12:01 – Challenges 13:06 – Attention to Detail 14:24 – 1892 Timeline 15:34 – Bizarre Theories 17:35 – Hating on Mr. Borden 20:35 – The Takeaway 21:27 – Artistic License 22:45 – Closed Case? 24:40 – Florida Cast 27:34 – The Wrap GUEST LINKS Defending Lizzie Official Website Defending Lizzie Facebook Page Defending Lizzie Twitter ORANGE ROCKET LINKS Listen On iTunes Listen On Stitcher Listen on YouTube