Author: Mike Boslet
Our Neighbor, Tiger Woods
Other than a few autographed items he’s donated for silent auctions there is scant evidence of him personally giving back to the place he calls home.
About Next Year, It’s Predictable
All the kids appearing in TV commercials with their dads, including Grace “What’s the Bottom Line?” Dance, form a union.
A Desperate Ploy to Rescue SunRail
The SunRail supporters in the room . ...couldn’t have asked for tougher talk had they scripted LaHood’s comments themselves.
Our Town
People and places that define Orlando
Our Town
People and places that define Orlando
'Chain-Saw Murderer'
By day, Carl Roberts, 50, is an attorney. By night, from September 25 to October 31, he’s a character in Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights.
High Flier
UCF’s new Pegasus once starred in the Lipizzaner touring show.
The Story of a…Chain-Saw Murderer
By day, Carl Roberts, 50, is an attorney. By night, from September 25 to October 31, he’s a character in Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights.
Lucky Day
The opening date of the Waldorf Astoria Orlando may seem less than ideal, but October 1 has a good track record.
The Story of a…
Wakeboard Champion
Dallas Friday, 23, has won more than 60 professional wakeboarding titles, making her the all-time leader among women in the sport.
Stuck in Transition
The bankrupt 55 West development plans to open as an apartment building, biding its time for the condo market to come back.
Mr. Big
There is more to timeshare kingpin David Siegel than living fabulously large and being in charge. He says he is the ‘most misunderstood person in Orlando.’ We’ll leave that for you to decide.
The Reserve at Lake Butler Sound is an address for people with conspicuous wealth, but the homeowners in this enclave of fashionable Windermere don’t want their mansions on display for every-one to see. To enter the neighborhood means you either belong here or your name is on the list with the gatehouse guard.
Once waved through by the polite man in uniform, a visitor takes Bridge House Road past custom-built homes of Mediterranean, contemporary and English Tudor influences. Each is different from its neighbor, yet almost all the homes flow into a rhythm of size, proportion and curb appeal, with manicured lawns and palms, and brick-paver driveways.
On a mild, blue-sky morning in The Reserve, two young mothers dressed in active wear push strollers at a hurried pace while chatting at a similar speed. Just past Kirkstone Lane, a cul de sac off of Bridge House, they stop to answer a visitor’s inquiry about a distant blue-and-gray building that dwarfs all the homes around it, standing out in both size and architectural design.
Twitter Dee, Twitter Dumb
My boss instructed me some time back to begin Twittering—or is it Tweetin’?—as part of my job. I struck a confident pose and told her I would get right on it. I had no idea what she was talking about. A few hours of Internet research and discussions with people under age 30 educated me about Twitter. It is a short message system, via Internet or cell phone, that carries a running commentary of subscribers’ random thoughts and observations. A Twitterer follows other Twitterers’ Tweets. A Tweet can go up to 140 characters in length. I can’t write a “please excuse” school-absence note in so few characters. But try I must, so here are some Tweets I would have posted on Orlando magazine’s Twitter page had I been able to figure out how to do it.
Alan Grayson
He’s the newly elected U.S. representative for Florida’s 8th Congressional District. Grayson, 51, lives in Orlando with his wife and five children, ages 4 to 14.
Scandalous Behavior, of That I’m Positive
"Crotty and Demings dealt from the bottom of the deck, turning up the “denial” and “victim” cards, respectively, when they reacted to scandals involving them."
Hank Fishkind
He’s an economist who researches and forecasts Florida’s economy. Fishkind, 59, has offices in Orlando, Naples and Port St. Lucie.
One for the Road
Known for serving stiff drinks, the late owner of ‘Wally’s’ is remembered for his soft side.
The $13 Billion Paper Shredder
Short on resources and squeezed for cash by its corporate master, the Sentinel no longer has the bark of a vigilant public watchdog.
Michelle Valentine
The cutely named Valentine has been a professional matchmaker for more than 10 years. Her office is in Winter Park.
Feeding the Fire at the Anthonys’
Sometimes I couldn’t tell whether I was watching a news broadcast or an episode of Big Brother.
Earl K. Wood
He’s been the tax collector of Orange County since 1964. He’s 92.
[Spotlights] They Own the Night
Business partners run six downtown bars that cater to various demographics.
My Train of Thought: Let’s Derail SunRail
"A result of SunRail would be more cars on more pavement, contributing to global warming and further preventing rainwater from seeping into the aquifer."
The Paradox of Government
"Other than bailed-out banks and Wall Street brokerage houses, I can’t think of any private companies that gave raises this year after their revenues fell."
Kevin Beary
He served 16 years as Orange County sheriff. Beary, 51, lives in Apopka.
