Author Archives: Chuck Gregory

The Magic of Mozart – AICMF

Friday, January 19 at 7:00 PM
The Ritz Carlton, 4750 Amelia Island Pkwy, Fernandina Beach, FL

Experience the timeless allure of Mozart with the Festival Favorite Dover Quartet and master clarinetist David Shifrin, Artistic Director of the Chamber Music Society of Yale and “Yale in New York” concert series. The evening will showcase Mozart’s Quintet and the dramatic Piano Quartet in G Minor with AICMF Artistic Director William Ransom.

For more information click here

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Frida – Opera Orlando

music by Robert Xavier Rodríguez
book by Hilary Blecher
lyrics and monologues by Migdalia Cruz

Friday | January 26, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday | January 28, 2024 at 2 p.m.

Steinmetz Hall at Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts

sung in English with some Spanish with English and Spanish supertitles

For more information click here

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PICANTE THE PARTY ! | Orlando’s Spiciest Taco Tuesday Party

THIS SH*T GETS SPICY ! Welcome To Orlando’s Spiciest Taco Tuesday Party At Euphoria

PICANTE TUESDAYS Powered by @PicanteTheParty

Picante The Party Starts at 7pm DJ’s Show Up at 8pm. The Atmosphere is An Outside Experience in a Beautfully decorated Patio under the stars. During rainy or Cold Weather The Party will be Moved Inside.

Reservation Are Highly Recommended.
Reservation Can Be Setup Very Simply by Texting (347) 981 9548 or Direct Messaging @PICANTETHEPARTY On Instagram

Special notice: Our Unlimited TACO Package is $19.99

Bottle Service is available.

The Tuesday Crew Has Brought On Orlando’s Finest DJ’s as Well As DJ’s From All Around The United States Playing the Best in HipHop , R&B , Reggaeton , Dembow , Reggae + More

We love to celebrate you! Celebrating something special? Have a large party? Wanting bottle service?
Message us for packages: (347) 981 9548

For more information click here

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St. Cloud Food & Art Festival

Friday, January 26 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Historic Downtown St Cloud, FL New York Ave St. Cloud, FL

Join us for a delectable and artistic experience at the Downtown St Cloud Food & Art Festival! Enjoy walking & sampling foods from Downtown eateries- savory, sweet, drinks and more. Local artist will be on display along with live music to enjoy amongst your culinary experience.

For more information click here

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Orlando Flamenco Gala

Saturday, January 20 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre 600 North Lake Formosa Drive Orlando, FL

Join us for an electrifying night of flamenco at Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre, to benefit Orlando Flamenco, a noprofit organization dedicated to making the art of flamenco accessible to all Central Floridians through master classes and workshops, performances, and scholarship opportunities. Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic of flamenco right here in Orlando ! Grab your tickets now and get ready to be swept off your feet!

For more information click here

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Orlando Whiskey Festival

Saturday, February 3 at 6:00 PM
Orlando Science Center, 777 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL

The Orlando Whiskey Festival is the first-ever Whiskey Festival to hit Central Florida. Features include single malt, blended Scotch, and American whiskies including Bourbon and rye, flavored whiskies, beer, and wine.

For more information click here

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Jerry Douglas Band – AICMF

Sunday, February 25 at 5:00 PM
The Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island, 4750 Amelia Island Pkwy, Fernandina Beach

Join us for a night of innovation and musical exploration with Dobro master and 15-time GRAMMY winner Jerry Douglas. Renowned for transforming the resonator guitar, Douglas blends elements of country, bluegrass, rock, jazz, blues, and Celtic into a distinctive musical vision.

For more information click here

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Paddington Bear and The Emperor’s New Clothes – AICMF

Saturday, February 3 at 3:30 PM
Fernandina Beach Middle School Auditorium 315 Citrona Drive Fernandina Beach

Delight in two enchanting Musical Stories, “Paddington Bear’s First Concert” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Perfect for young listeners and audiences of all ages, the dazzling Julie Coucheron, pianist, will perform alongside Susan Dodge’s incredible Amelia Island Dance Festival dancers, adding a touch of magic to the festivities.

For more information click here

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Meet the Artistic Director – William Ransom – AICMF

Sunday, January 14 at 5:00 PM
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 2600 Atlantic Avenue, Fernandina Beach, FL

Pianist William Ransom, AICMF’s Artistic Director, will grace the stage, accompanied by his wife, violist Yinzi Kong. Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring the works of Debussy, Franck, and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” in its original solo piano version.

For more information click here

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Dry January: Mindful drinking tips & healthy mocktails from a functional doctor

To stay healthy and mentally sharp, you should embrace a Dry January this year, says Dr. Stacie J. Stephenson, bestselling author of Glow: 90 Days to Create Your Vibrant Life from Within and a recognized leader in functional and integrative medicine.

Alcohol is damaging to the brain and excessive drinking can lead to irregular heart rhythms, coined as “holiday heart syndrome”. Immune function and liver function can be affected, as well as your mental health. Add in the extra calories and sugar from drinks with very little nutrition, and the advice is clear: make every decision to drink a purposeful and considered decision.

Taking a month off for Dry January can significantly improve your cognitive functioning, memory, and sleep quality. Dry January reshapes your cravings for alcohol, changes your neurotransmitter levels, and improves cerebral circulation in areas of the brain that have been impaired by these toxic substances.

Try the Rule of Halves, a moderation technique to cut your vices. Cutting out vices cold-turkey can be tough, so the Rule of Halves starts with 50%: one glass of wine instead of two, a single shot instead of a double. After you’ve adjusted to the new amount, you can cut your vice in half again, then again, etc. until you have eliminated it from your life. Another easy way to cut back is by crafting healthy mocktails, and Dr. Stephenson has plenty of delicious recipes using fresh ingredients:

Mindful Margarita – antioxidant boost of vitamin C from lime and grapefruit, as well as calming, anti-anxiety properties in cilantro
Sweet and Serene Sangria – non-alcoholic red wine, cranberry juice, orange juice, apples, plums, and oranges make this drink burst with vitamin C and other free-radical-wrecking antioxidants, as well as flavonoids like resveratrol that have anti-inflammatory, cholesterol-lowering, blood-sugar-stabilizing, brain-strengthening properties
Guiltless Gin and Tonic – go heavy on the freshly squeezed lime juice, which will dose you with immune-backing vitamin C, as well as calcium and potassium

Apple Ginger Crush – full of soluble fiber (helps keep you regular and bring down cholesterol) and brimming with polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties

For more information click here

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Frida – Opera Orlando

Friday, January 26 to Sunday, January 28
STEINMETZ HALL at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts 445 S Magnolia Avenue | Orlando, FL 32801

No one was more “All for Art” than the incredible Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo, and her life story takes Steinmetz Hall by storm this January as Opera Orlando presents Robert Xavier Rodriguez’s operatic celebration of the artist in Frida. This poetic and beautiful retelling of Frida’s life reveals a woman of extreme magnetism and originality, an artist whose sensual vibrancy came straight from her experiences: her childhood during the Mexican Revolution; a devastating accident at age eighteen that left her crippled and unable to bear children; her tempestuous marriage to muralist Diego Rivera and intermittent love affairs; her association with the Communist Party; her absorption in Mexican folklore and culture; and her dramatic love of spectacle.

Robert Xavier Rodríguez’s score, written for chamber orchestra, mixes mariachi-style orchestrations, classical opera, and hints of Mexican folk songs for an authentic, alluring musical reflection of Frida all played masterfully from the pit by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Argentinian maestro Jorge Parodi, who makes a return to the Company. Collaborating with maestro Parodi in developing this all-new production will be stage director John de los Santos making his Company debut. Opera Orlando welcomes back Mexican-American soprano Cecilia Violetta López to sing the iconic title role, and Venezuelan baritone Bernardo Bermudez makes his Company debut as Frida’s formidable husband Diego Rivera.

Full of life, full of death, full of wonder, full of pain: Frida is an operatic ride of the most satisfying sort—a sweeping tale of a woman who fulfills her most passionate desire and remains true to herself. Hardly any woman of the 20th century is as unique as Frida Kahlo, and hardly any work captures Frida’s spirit as completely as this opera’s intricate and proud portrait of the iconic Mexican artist’s life.

The cast also includes 2023-24 studio artists, members of the Opera Orlando chorus, and members of the Opera Orlando Youth Company. Frida will be sung in Spanish and English with Spanish and English supertitles and have a run time of approximately two hours and twenty minutes with one intermission.

For more information click here

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A TOAST! A TOAST! A TOAST! – Opera Orlando

Saturday, May 11 at 5:00 PM
The Citrus Club – Orlando, FL

Celebrate the end of the 2023-24 All for Art season with a party like no other at the Citrus Club in downtown Orlando. With appetizers, desserts, and drinks aplenty, raise a glass with the Opera and hear some of your favorite singers as we relive highlights from our biggest season yet. THEN, after the party join us for the closing performance of The Juniper Tree at Dr. Phillips Center, right across the street.

For more information click here

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