Author: admin

Are you an avid Christmas decorator in your neighborhood? Do you pass by dazzling holiday displays on your way to work? Are you an ambitious Clark Griswold who brings out thousands of twinkling lights each year? The Orlando Sentinel is searching for the best holiday light displays in Central Florida for the 8th Annual Twinkle Awards. “Yuletide Yoda’s Galactic Adventure” is a Star Wars-themed holiday showcase coming to 110 Arla Court in Winter Park in 2024. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel) Eventually, I plan to make a list of my favorite holiday displays and name the awards accordingly. Entries must be from…

Question: Anthuriums are my favorite houseplant, but I don’t like growing them in planters or vases. Do you have any recommendations? Answer: Gardeners who want their houseplants to bloom for a long time should consider anthuriums, also known as flamingo flowers or pigtail plants. The waxy spatula-shaped flowers, which can be red, pink, purple, or white, can last for more than a month. The plants can be used as accents in your home or as outdoor flower beds. The trick to making your plants last longer is to avoid direct sunlight and store them in a humid place with bright…

yearbook Average temperature: high 73 degrees, low 53 degrees |Winter arrives December 21st Rainfall: 2.31 inches 1.Moon phase Full moon: December 4th Last quarter: December 11th New Moon: December 19th First quarter: December 27th 2. Moon Sign Planting Date Ground crops: 2, 3, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30 Underground crops: 6, 7, 10, 11, 15, 16 Control weeds and pests: 4, 5, 22, 23, 24, 31 Pruning trees and shrubs: 1, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 27, 28 When to plant 3.Flowers: Alyssum, baby’s breath, bacopa, begonia, bush daisy, calendula, California poppy, candytuft, carnation, chrysanthemum, delphinium, dianthus, dusty miller,…

Some of us love having friends and family over for the holidays. Some of us are so grateful that others want to do it. For the latter, read on for three great options that satisfy three mantras: small stores, local stores, and “never go empty-handed.” For the former, enjoy the sweet spoils at dessert time. Sit back, take a break from hosting, and enjoy a snack. I hope someone gets up and cleans while you’re at it. Have a great vacation! Blue Amphora Baklava (pictured with pistachio) makes a gorgeous ghee-filled host gift for the holiday season. (Courtesy of Lisa…

Browse Florida-focused gifts and shop local this holiday season. Gifts may also support a good cause. The Sunshine State is offering merchandise supporting the Save the Manatee Club, Surfing Santa T-shirts and hats, and ResortPass gift cards to sponsor your loved one’s sun-kissed vacation at a Florida hotel. Purchasing a Manatee Calendar is one way to support Save the Manatee Club this holiday season. (Courtesy of Save the Manatee Club) save the manatee club Save the Manatee Club has worked tirelessly to protect Florida’s beloved sea cows since it was founded in 1981 by the late former Governor Bob Graham…

This list of holiday shopping suggestions includes past, present, and future themes. And depending on how seriously you take soccer, each item could have historical significance. Or you could call it a featured list, with some space adventures and some serious weather fronts, both real and imagined. burst Central Florida’s biggest theme park story of the year is the opening of Epic Universe at Universal Orlando. There is a lack of park goods bearing the 2025 brand, but this would be a touch typical of the debut year. Instead, look for gifts, specifically popcorn containers, from the Mysteries of 2020s…

Central Florida executives and attractions are well-represented on the 2025 list of Top 50 Theme Park Influencers, compiled annually by Blooloop, a website covering the global attractions industry. People connected to the opening of Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe theme park dominate the rankings, but Walt Disney World cast members and leaders of Orlando-based small businesses involved in attractions in central Florida and other areas also feature. According to the Blooloop website, reader nominations have formed a list of the 100 people whose “creativity, passion and drive” have most influenced them in the past 12 months. A panel of judges will…

1. Army vs. Navy Only one college football rivalry brings together so many Americans to serve their country and have the president toss a coin each year. Neither team has competed for a national title in decades, but no other college rivalry is as deep and long-running as Army and Navy. 2. Alabama vs. Auburn If Alabama fans and Auburn fans had a cigar smoking contest, fans would pay to watch. Typically, at least one of the two teams is competing for a national championship or a top-10 finish for the season. With no professional sports teams in the state,…

While Christmas and Halloween have countless entries in movie rankings, Thanksgiving is ignored by Hollywood. You can find a small number of high-quality Thanksgiving-themed movies. Here are three Thanksgiving movies worth considering for your family gathering after a big feast. Movie 1: Planes, trains and cars Two of the most talented comedic actors team up in John Hughes’ classic film about two men trying to get home in time for Thanksgiving. Movie 2: Home for the Vacation Directed by Jodie Foster, this holiday drama focuses on the chaos and awkwardness of Thanksgiving family gatherings. The star-studded cast includes Holly Hunter,…

As a journalist, I don’t ask questions to get what I want to hear, but as a food journalist, it often works out by accident. This morning I got on the phone with Kaya co-owner Jamilyn Salonga Bailey to ask about the new desserts coming at her Mill’s 50 Boy, a 2024 James Beard Foundation Award finalist for Best New Restaurant. “Well, we also have Adobo Caramel Apple Tart, Silvana Alaska, Calamansi Coconut Cream Pie…” She continues to list them, but I get distracted and find myself floating on a dreamy cloud of ube marshmallows. That happened to be another…