Best Bets

Voting continues through February 28th for the Orlando Sentinel's Best Bets. I hope you will vote for Analog Artist Digital World in the Best Local Blogger category. They encourage people to nominate in as many categories as possible. Since the list is dauntingly large, I thought I would share my votes. I voted for places I have sketched, and spots that I return to often. This sketch is of Stardust Video and Coffee which I nominated as the Best Local Bar and the Best Local Restaurant to bring clients. This list should give you a running start. Of course mold this list to suit your tastes. For instance you might actually know who the best cosmetic surgeon is in town. If you disagree with any of my Best Bets, let me know!

Best Chain Restaurant..........Firehouse
Best Local Bar........................Stardust Video & Coffee
Best Local Nightclub .............I-Bar
Best Local Bar/Restaurant to see Live Music .....Tanqueray's
Best Local Wine Bar...............Cavanagh's Fine Wine
Best Local Beer Selection......Redlight Redlight
Best Local Martini Bar...........Bone Fish Grill
Best Local Hole in the Wall....Back Booth
Best Local Happy Hour..........Will's Pub
Best Local Brunch...................Dandelion Communitea Cafe
Best Local Burger....................Hamburger Mary's
Best Local Steak......................Dexter's
Best Local Seafood..................Bonefish Grill
Best Local Pizza.......................Mellow Mushroom
Best Local BBQ.........................Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ
Best Local Frozen Desert........Tutti Frutti
Best Local Sushi........................Amura
Most Local Romantic................Social Chameleon
Best Local Thai..........................Viet Garden
Best Local Cuban.......................Cuban Sandwiches to go
Best Local Mexican....................De La Vega's
Best Local Italian.......................Antonio's La Fiamma
Best Local Indian......................Spice Cafe
Best Local Chinese....................Ming Court
Best Local Sub Sandwich.........Publix
Best Local Wings........................Buffalo Bill's Wild Wings
Best Local Vegetarian................Loving Hut
Best Local Dessert......................Rhapsodic Bakery
Best Local Outdoor Dinning.......310 Park South
Best Local Place to Bring Fido...Doggie Door, Winter Park
Best Local Coffee..........................Austin's Coffee
Best Local Caterer.......................Bubbalou's BBQ
Best Local Restaurant to take Clients.....Stardust Video and Coffee
Best Local Bachelor/bachelorette....Brian Feldman, Hannah Miller
Best Local Gay/Lesbian Bar.........The Parliament House
Best Local Radio Personality.......Jim Phillips
Best Orlando Sentinel Columnist.....Matthew Palm
Best Local TV Personality...........Peter Murphy
Best Meteorologist......................I don't have time for TV
Best Local Celebrity...................Mark Baratelli
Best Local Blogger............Analog Artist Digital World
Best Local Band.........................Kaleigh Rose Baker and the Absinthe Trio
Best Theme Park Ride..............Carousel of Progress
Best Water Park........................Wet and Wild
Best Live Show...........................Orlando Live
Best Annual Event at Theme Park.....Food and Wine Festival Epcot
Best Local Resort......................Wilderness Lodge
Best Wildlife Encounter............Manatee Festival Blue Spring State Park
Best Community Festival.........Fringe Festival
Best Museum.............................Orlando Museum of Art
Best Weekend Getaway...........DeLeon Springs
Best Wedding Venue................Orlando Shakespeare Theater
Best Golf Course.......................Bay Hill
Best Movie Theatre..................Enzian Theater
Best Concert Venue..................Plaza Theater
Best Video Gaming Spot..........Aloma Bowl
Best Shopping Mall....................Mall at Millenia
Best Arts and Crafts Store.......Michael's
Best Sporting Goods Store.......Bass Pro Shops
Best Home Furnishing Store...Rob and Stucky's
Best Local Bookstore................Bookworm
Best Specialty Food Store........Rhapsodic Bakery
Best Local Wine/Liquor Store.....Eola Wine Room
Best Day Spa..................................Baden Baden Germany
Best Local Hair Salon....................I cut my own hair
Best Cosmetic Surgeon.................You are kidding, right?
Best Mens Clothing Store.............The Gap
Best Womens Clothing Store........The Gap
Best Jewelry Store .........................P.J. Abramson Inc
Best Department Store..................Stein Mart
Best Discount Department store.....K Mart
Best Shoe Store..............................The Track Shack
Best Fitness Facility......................Anytime Fitness
Best Tattoo Parlor.........................Black Chapel

Interview at Infusion Tea

Monday, I met Elizabeth Maupin the theater critic for the Orlando Sentinel, at Infusion Tea. Elizabeth wanted to interview me for the print edition of the paper, and I am always happy to talk about this blog and how it is changing my life.
As is my habit I showed up early and ordered some lunch and an iced tea. I decided I would try and get a sketch done before she showed up. But like a true professional, she had the same idea of showing up early so she ordered and we ended up having lunch together. I did not sketch her since I wanted to focus on our conversation and getting the facts right. Yes even I know when to put the pen down.
I admired her analog approach to the interview, she took notes with a pencil and paper and she came up with questions as we talked. I hope to learn from her example and improve my own interviewing skills for the blog. I might not have related all the joys and heartaches that have come about on this journey but I think she understands the pleasure to be found from taking the time to listen and sketch in a world that is moving way to fast.
When she left I sat back and continued this sketch. The guy working on his laptop was there when I arrived and he remained when I left. Several others sat staring at laptop screens and working in this relaxing setting. Perhaps it is a sign of the times that people are now truly mobile and work where they feel most comfortable. I feel like I have joined those ranks, minus the laptop.

The Orlando Newseum

I went to the home of Jeff Kunerth who has a sizable collection of all things news related. Jeff has worked for the Orlando Sentinel for 35 years and his life's work has always been journalism. His father taught journalism for 30 years at Iowa State University and at an early age Jeff was hitting the streets before sunrise to deliver the local paper. Since he didn't like having to collect paper money door to door, he recruited his brother who enjoyed the work. His brother now runs a small paper in Idaho, of course handling all the finances.
Jeff collected press passes and desk name plates from employees as they left the Orlando Sentinel. He has about 30 press passes and 50 name plates. He finally stopped collecting as reporters were being layed off 30 to 40 at a time. Instead he has the long lists of names that appeared in the paper the week of the layoffs.
Jeff builds miniature newsstands with humorous themes out of cigar boxes. Here he is making an Obama election day themed newsstand. In the box in his lap are hundreds of newspaper front pages which were reduced multiple times on his laser printer. He carefully cut and trimmed these until they fit into the overall newsstand layout. The newsstand he is building is sitting on the card table. You can see the small shelves he has built on which the newspapers will be stacked. A small TV set is on and a black and white Film Noir movie is playing. Jeff never glances at the TV but the period music perfectly compliments the nostalgic feel of the news related miniatures.