Ever since I can remember, I’ve lived near the water. I started off big: My parents’ home in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was just 30 minutes from Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. Growing up on a peninsula where the largest city was comprised of 35,000 people was a bit constricting, so the lake was an escape, a place for quiet contemplation.
I fondly remember the days when I would walk the Presque Isle loop, find an isolated spot and sit on a rocky outcrop, writing poetry or other creative works for my college English classes. It was idyllic, and an endless source of inspiration. Lake Superior is also full of shipwrecks, although, at about 550, it has one of the lower totals in the Great Lakes (by comparison, Lake Erie has more than 2,000 shipwrecks).
Lake Superior, however, may have the most famous. If you’ve ever heard the song, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot, it’s about a real Lake Superior shipwreck. at quest to be on or near the water spurred the idea for this month’s main feature, “In Smooth Waters.” According to the City of Orlando, there are more than 100 lakes in Orlando (but no shipwrecks that I know of). So how did we cull our field of neighborhoods on a lakefront or with a large lake feature? Turn to p. 34 to find out.
No doubt, being on the water in summer is where I want to be. It brings back memories of summer fun at my family’s cabin on Lake Michigamme (also in Michigan). Part of those lazy summer days was my dad grilling steak and hamburgers. I’m a carnivore, so I was all over that. My mouth waters for this delicious cooking method every year once we get to Memorial Day weekend. ank goodness I have Brendan O’Connor’s “The Art of Barbecue” piece at the ready, because the only way I’m going to cook a steak at home is to slap it under the broiler. Join me in learning more about various BBQ styles and where to find them on p. 102.
2025 marks the 150th anniversary of Orlando. The City Beautiful was incorporated on July 31, 1875 with just 40 people. Today, more than 300,000 residents call Orlando home. To celebrate, flip through our “en and Now” photo essay, and catch our interview with Mayor Buddy Dyer, who details special city happenings, shares what he loves best about The City Beautiful and additional thoughts about our fair city. It all begins on p. 20.
Until then, I’ll be lounging near a lake and looking for the fancy meats with a cool beverage in my hand. Hope you have a fabulous summer!