Honey . . . . It's Christmas!

Okay, it’s the Christmas season! So . . . . why today has Jack Nicholson been in my head saying: Honey, I’m HOME!

Could be my extended sabbatical. There were a few reasons for it, but among them was that I knew I was going to go full throttle all December! I may need to stock up on some energy drinks.

It’s started and I was right. I’m doing things differently these days, plan to have a website which matches how it works, one which will give Local residents lots of fun, different reasons to go there. I want it to be a true celebration of Local, a great opportunity for Local small businesses who believe in the power of focusing Locally to come on board for a fun ride with that big Owl (with an even larger head) and lots of other Local businesses. Then, not just let them sit there on a screen together, but to find ways for them to work and promote themselves together, for me to help. If I could snap my fingers right now and make it all happen, I’d be one happy camper! Alas, that will take some time. Great ways for artists and other businesses, not usually on such a site, to get involved as well.

This month I’m starting more things with Parker, my mascot and alter ego, as the catalyst. Let’s face it, he’s more fun than I am. Perhaps you saw him in this past weekend’s Christmas parade? He now REALLY looks forward to it! The nice folks at Peterbrooke Chocolatier even included him in their new video blog (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YNro-NoWnUI), put together by Chocolatier Danny Holt. THANKS, Danny, for the visual shout out to the Owl guy.

Tomorrow evening that big Owl will be at Legacy Fitness on Orange Avenue. Legacy Fitness is a place I’ve been a few times recently . . . . and yeah, should probably consider visiting a lot more and actually sweating. Erika Eberly and her husband, Joe, who own Legacy Fitness, are as guilt-inducing as they are inspirational! They have a great story about getting out of shape and then snapping back, taking charge and literally running with it. They now do triathlons and MORE, including operating this gym. Legacy Fitness has a great urban personality, great for the committed athlete, is the sort of gyma professional boxer is proud to train at. They even do boxing events IN the gym, with the next one coming up in February. But it's also quite welcoming to the couch potato who’s ready to reform. Watch this space tomorrow night, as I introduce them a bit more, tell their story. Part of my new commitment to the people and businesses I work with is to do just that: Tell their uniquely American story. And this is a good one!

On Wednesday night, another one of my Parker’s Happy Owlidays partners will have the biggest Owl in town playing Parker Claus. Tuni’s holiday party will include drinks and food, fabulous clothes and, yes, this year, Winter Park’s own answer to Big Bird! Oh, Lord, I hope he doesn’t drink too much. I’ve seen him fall right off a branch and if you think drinking and driving is dangerous, try drinking and flying. But I think he’ll be the designated flyer – and party animal – Wednesday night, 5 to 9, at Tuni! Come join in the fun!

I’m excited to say I’m going to be spending ALL DAY Wednesday hanging out with all the individual people who make the Christmas in the Park event happen with those glorious Tiffany windows from the Morse Museum. I wrote my column in the Winter Park Maitland Observer about it this week, my own discovery of the event; and, I am excited to see it from behind the scenes on Thursday and to share that experience in the column next week. I feel like I just won some sort of lottery! In writing this week’s column I learned each window weighs 500 pounds! And the number of people it takes to put on this event each year? LOTS! Can’t wait to write the article based upon what I’ve learned, seen, enjoyed. Sure to be an interesting blog that night, as well!

Parker’s now been requested to hop aboard one of the boats in the Winter Park Boat Parade this weekend, also. He’s apparently going all ‘argh, me matey’ for that one. I will NOT trust him with a sword, so, please, no one suggest it. Those talons are dangerous enough, not to mention the propensity for that enormous head to tip him over.

Before that, on Friday evening, I’ll be attending a truly unique event in what is now dubbed the 1350 West Art Gallery. It’s a new art gallery to be part of the Carey Hand Cox-Parker Funeral Home on Fairbanks Avenue. I LUV the idea of bringing color and the vibrancy of art into this space. I was there last week and got a tour with Lisa Lyons Coney. I really like the softer edges they’re adding to a time which is surely part of life, but difficult for those involved. I’ll admit I avoid funerals if at all possible, but it’s always been about the overall feel . . . that they're rarely a celebration of the life you should be paying tribute to, honoring in a manner similar to the life they lived, but something very different. I have to say Lisa’s comments about what they are doing in the room for memorial services actually put a smile on my face, as she described their desire to individualize a difficult event to the person being remembered. An art gallery in such a space is surely not the norm, but one I LIKE! Art can touch the soul, speak to it, lift it. Maybe it’s something they all should have.

Over the weekend, of course, Saturday was all about the Christmas parade. I think I heard it was longer, had more floats and participants, but I swear it went by a lot faster. Parker felt a bit like he was sprinting at times . . . . with a big Hummer limo behind, you don’t argue about the speed. You just GO! Friday night was the tree lighting and Elf in the park. I have NEVER seen so many people sitting quietly watching anything. THAT was a little piece of holiday magic right there. It really was a treat!

Sunday night I attended the grand opening celebration for Nature in Beauty, the newest business in and just around The Hidden Garden Courtyard. Sister business to Marvaldi Hair & Makeup, it’s owned by Douglas & Liz Marvaldi. Health meets beauty at Nature IN Beauty in the Hidden Garden, with certified organic beauty products, natural aromatics and elixirs to scent you and your environment, allplant-based and plant stem cell anti-aging skin care and more. Soon they will carry SpaRitual which offers the only vegan, paraben-free system of treatments for hand and foot rituals. In addition, all of their nail polish and nail care products are vegan and free of DBP, toluene formaldehyde and formaldehyde resin. All that and fabulous colors, too!

Tonight's Give A Dog A Home is from Pet Rescue by Judy. Brewster came to them after being found wandering the streets. He looks healthy and must have belonged to someone. After inquiring around the neighborhood, the people who found him realized that he had been abandoned by a person who had moved out. He is so sweet but still very much a puppy and needs basic training. He loves to play with other dogs and has an outgoing personality. For more on Brewster or other dogs and cats needing furever homes, check out the Pet Rescue by Judy website.

Til tomorrow . . . Holy bricks & Spanish moss . . . Happy Owlidays from me & Parker!