get your banana seat over to bikes, beans & bordeaux

This weekend, my good friends Jamie & Rob introduced me to a new place in Winter Park that's a real gem. Bikes, Beans and Bordeaux is located on Corrine Drive, in the strip mall just east of Winter Park Avenue. It's just skipping distance from Park Ave CDs and Stardust.

I met Jamie & Rob there for dinner before catching Spamalot at the Bob Carr. The show, by the way, was hysterical and was a definite crowd-pleaser. I've never seen a standing ovation begin immediately after the curtain falls. Usually at Bob Carr, it takes a while for people to start getting off their butts to show their appreciation. Apparently, British humor goes a long way with Orlandoians.

But back to Bikes, Beans and Bordeaux, which the owners refer to as B3 on the Web site. I got there a bit late thanks to the gridlocked parking lot known as I-4, but it was great timing for me, as the appetizer had just arrived. The Hummus Wheel. I love hummus. And this hummus was delicious. The pita bread was baked in some kind of buttery delight, and there were carrots, pickles, celery and zucchini all sliced and fresh for dipping. I had no idea how good carrots and hummus would be together. Yum!

I had half of a turkey sandwich (on the menu as Tyler Turkey, a.k.a. The Floyd) and a bowl of black bean soup. Both were good and filling -- not spectacular, but solid. After the show, we returned for dessert. My friends each enjoyed a cupcake, and I indulged in the best chai latte I've had outside of Starbucks. And dare I say, I think it was better than Starbucks.

The owners are big cycling fans, and the theme is evident in the decorations and the menu. Even the widescreen television is always tuned in to a bike race somewhere in the world. The location of the month's big race is also the home of the featured beers that month -- very clever.

BTW, B3 has a couple of comfy sofas and free wi-fi. And the employees there Saturday night were lovely. They fit in perfectly with the relaxed atmosphere of the cafe -- very laid back and kind. Just one thing to note -- you need to go up to the counter to order, and they'll bring your food to you. Yeah, I didn't realize that at first.

B3's hours
Monday - Closed
Tuesday-Thusday - 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Friday-Saturday - 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
Sunday - 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Support local businesses!

sarah + matt

I know this is old -- but I'm posting it because I'm playing catch up. You don't even have to have a crush on Sarah Silverman, like I do, to fully appreciate the fantasticness of it all. And has Matt Damon ever looked cuter? I laugh out loud each time I watch it.

Call your BFF, it's the FFF!

Hallelujah, a new post! I was beginning to get razzed about my lack of posts over the last few months, so I figured I needed to get a move on. I started a new job in January, and it has kept me busier than ever. When I come home each day, I have a hard time finding the creative umph to post. But I miss it, so here goes.

The Florida Film Fest is here! Here are just a few of the ones that make me want to get the popcorn ready. Go check out the official site and buy your tickets early -- this is one of the cultural events that make me happy about living in Orlando!!

Girls Rock!
Saturday, April 5, 9-10:30 p.m. at Regal
Sunday, April 6, 7:30-9 p.m. at Regal
I remember hearing about this camp because of Carrie Brownstein's participation. She's one of the members of Sleater-Kinney, one of my favorite bands, and one that I refuse to label as "now-defunct." I'll let the official film summary do its job ...

Portland’s Rock ‘n’ Roll camp for Girls isn’t just a week-long retreat where preteens learn how to become the next Joan Jett. It’s an incredible feminist project that reclaims the Spice Girls-tainted concept of girl power by helping young women ranging in age from eight to 18 love girlhood in all its awkwardness--while they play power chords with their amps set at 11. This doc focuses on the kids -- campers like Laura, a Korean adoptee obsessed by death metal; Misty, who is emerging from a life of meth addiction, homelessness and gang activity; and Amelia, an eight-year-old who writes experimental rock songs about her dog Pipi.


Young @ Heart
Friday, March 28, 6:30 p.m. at Enzian
Saturday, April 5, 6:30-8:20 p.m. at Regal

Since 1982, Young @ Heart, a New England senior citizens chorus, has been defying expectations and delighting audiences worldwide with its unique covers of songs--everything from The Clash to Coldplay, James Brown to Talking Heads, The Zombies to Dylan, has been part of their eclectic repertoire of punk, R&B, and rock. Led by Bob Climan, their strict but talented choral director, the group of retirees (average age: 80) are given the task of learning six new songs for their upcoming show titled Alive and Well just a few weeks away. Numbers such as Sonic Youth’s discordant “Schizophrenia” and Allen Toussaint’s tongue-twisting “Yes, We Can Can” prove to be particularly challenging.


Disfigured
Sunday, March 30, 6:30-8:05 p.m. at Enzian
Thursday, April 3, 4:30-6:25 p.m. at Regal

Lydia is a charming and confident overweight woman who belongs to a “fat acceptance” group that’s just a bit too unaccepting for her easy style. Along comes Darcy, a recovering anorexic who wants to join the group. Darcy sees herself as fat even if no one else in their right mind does, and wants to learn to accept her appearance. What she doesn’t say is that she’s pretty much starving herself and is reaching out for help. Lydia and Darcy fall into a rich, unlikely friendship. Even when Lydia starts a sexual relationship with Bob, an attractive overweight man, the real relationship is between the women.


Pageant
Sunday, March 30, 2:30-4:15 p.m. at Regal
Thursday, April 3, 9:30-11:30 p.m. at Enzian

Meet the men behind the makeup. This revealing film features five gay men competing in the 34th annual Miss Gay America Pageant, including Robert Martin (stage name: Chantel Reshae), an Orlando resident who works for Disney as a "Wellness Coordinator." They are all beautiful, talented, hormone-free female impersonators, and confident they will win. The film takes us behind the scenes as the men primp, practice, and otherwise prepare for the 2006 competition held in Memphis. Musical numbers are stunning, and interviews are engaging. The filmmakers go far beyond the typical drag show into the reality of how wigs, waxing, and wardrobes transform the not-so-common into the truly incredible. Not only do we get to know these people well, but also their friends, families and support mechanisms that will help them make their dreams come true.