Welcome to Monday Morning in Orlando
Hey-oooo. Glorious weekend weather. Fall (or a cold front, hehe) was out in full swing, and I was chilly on my morning walks!
Sidenote: I’ve got good news, bad news, then some more good news. Let’s go through it.
- Good news is, the inaugural Orlando Signal Dinner Club takes place THIS WEDNESDAY at 6:30pm. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Scroll further down.
- Bad news is, seat reservations close this evening (Monday) at 6pm! Be there or be square.
- 🔥 More good news is, I plan to attend the after-dinner gathering at the nearby venue that brings together all tables, and I hope to meet as many of you as possible.
In today’s issue: 👇
- Showalter Airpark
- Face-First Into the Future
- Ave Maria Gastro Lounge
- ….and much more
Did someone forward this email to you? If so, subscribe here.
Let’s dive in!
- Philip
P.S. 🍲 Want some hawt community sourced foodie recommendations? Check out the Orlando Signal Restaurant Guide, right here.
⚡ FINAL CALL: Orlando Signal Dinner Club
Adult friendships don't come with a manual.
Consider this your cheat code.
Newbies: Find your people. Oldbies: Break the routine.
Last chance for our inaugural dinner as seat bookings close today (Monday) at 6 p.m.
Take a quick quiz. Get matched with five OS readers based on your vibe, interests, and budget. Meet Wednesday, October 29th at 6:30 PM at a mystery Milk District spot (revealed that morning). Then, optionally, all tables come together at a nearby venue to keep the good times going.
Just 16 dollars books your seat (supports OS), you cover your meal at the restaurant, we handle everything else.
👇 Start the Quiz
🫵 Take the Quiz & Grab Your Seat →
ORLANDO REWIND ⏪
When Winter Park Had Wings
With propeller engines roaring overhead, grass runways stretched toward the horizon, and three ambitious war buddies determined to make Winter Park the coolest place to learn how to fly…. the Showalter Airpark.
Meet the dream team: Howard Showalter, his brother Sandy, and cousin Ford "Buck" Rogers. Fresh from World War II in late 1945, they snagged 100 acres of defunct golf course and transformed it into what they boldly called "the mecca for the private pilot," basically, a country club for the sky.
Thanks to the G.I. Bill's flight training bonanza, Showalter Airpark became a buzzing hub of Piper Cubs and aspiring pilots from 1945 to 1951. Aviation magazines gushed over it as one of America's finest private airports.
The party ended when corporate aviation demanded fancy paved runways. Their charming grass strips couldn't compete. Operations moved to Orlando Municipal Airport in May 1951.
Today? Winter Park Village Apartments, Showalter Field, and jogging trails occupy the old runways, reminders of when three ambitious cousins gave Winter Park its wings.
🛩️ Check out these old-school Showalter Airpark photos, right here.
THE SQUEEZE 🍊
A Bus Station That's Building Dreams: How Pine Hills Is Betting Big on Transit to Transform Its Future
Pine Hills' freshly opened $18 million LYNX transfer center is ditching those exhausting downtown detours and bringing something bigger: opportunity.
Tamara Johnson, Executive Director of Orange County's Pine Hills Neighborhood Improvement District, sees thousands of weekly visitors discovering the neighborhood for the first time, and that means business. Orange County chipped in $1.03 million as part of a whopping $67 million investment in Pine Hills.
Mayor Jerry L. Demings and local officials celebrated the August 28 ribbon-cutting, toasting infrastructure that actually works for people.
Johnson's dreaming big: a Pine Hills where people want to live, work, and play. Those buses? They're moving passengers and the community forward.
Orlando Airport's Food Drive Took Flight as Shutdown Drags On
While federal workers keep the airport humming without paychecks, Orlando's aviation community stepped up with a heartwarming food drive that's already gaining momentum.
Since launching over a weekend ago, donations flooded in for unpaid TSA, FAA, and Customs staff. The wish list included non-perishables, pasta, peanut butter, toiletries, baby and pet supplies, and $10 gift cards from major retailers.
Some generous travelers have tried slipping coffee or lunch to agents directly, but federal rules mean those kind gestures are a no-go.
With a few million holiday travelers expected, matching last year's rush, these dedicated workers could use the support.
(Learn more about this heartwarming help extended to Federal airport workers with Joe Mario Pedersen, right here)
Face-First Into the Future: MCO's Wild Plans for the Next Decade
And speaking of MCO…..
Say goodbye to parking lot demolition derbies at MCO. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority board just approved a desperately needed five and ten year plan that's about to make flying fun again.
First up: 8,000 shiny new parking spaces with guided systems and reservations, because circling garages is so 2024. By next summer, passengers will enjoy self-service luggage drop-off at any terminal counter.
Even cooler? Your face becomes your boarding pass, security clearance, and credit card as facial recognition takes over.
The airport's also adding outdoor hangout spots with killer runway views and bars, yes, bars!, plus a business incubator to boost small shops by 40%.
Buckle up, Orlando travelers.
❤️🔥 Check out this 3-minute video showing ALL the outstanding upgrades coming to MCO, right here.
(Learn more about MCO’s big plans with Sarah Winkelmann, right here)
Audubon Park Bets Big on Walkability, Corrine Drive Residents Aren't Sure
Orlando's bustling Corrine Drive corridor, where Infusion Tea, Drunken Monkey Coffee Bar, and East End Market draw locals, is getting a dramatic facelift that's sparking heated debate.
The $10-15 million project, launching around 2027, will slim down lanes and parking to make room for luxurious 10-foot-wide pedestrian-bike paths and speed-bumping raised crosswalks. With traffic hitting 11,900 vehicles daily, up 1,000 in just four years, something had to give.
Residents fear parking chaos spilling into neighborhoods, while business owners wonder how delivery trucks will squeeze through narrower lanes.
But walkability champions insist the trade-off is worth it: fewer parking spots might actually get more people strolling and cycling instead of circling endlessly for spaces.
(Learn more about this Corrine Drive corridor project with Natalia Jaramillo, right here)
✈️ Orlando’s best flight deal - Hot chicken and live music edition
Fall in Nashville brings Broadway to life in a whole new way. The neon lights glow a little brighter as the humidity breaks, live music spills out of every corner, and there's something magical about experiencing Music City when the crowds thin out and the locals reclaim their town.
Orlando (MCO) → Nashville (BNA) for 72 bucks, round-trip in early-December for a weekend. See the deal.
Price shown above is accurate as of the time this newsletter was sent.
TASTY NEWS 🧑🍳
Orlando Area Eateries Coming & Going
1️⃣ SOFT LAUNCH: Bawarchi Biryanis Indian Cuisine - Authentic Indian Flavors Hit Sanford
The aroma of slow-simmered biryanis has arrived in Sanford. Bawarchi Biryanis Indian Cuisine (Insta) soft-launched on Bellagio Circle, offering takeout while preparing for November's full debut. The fast-casual spot serves authentic South and North Indian dishes, from traditional biryanis to garlic naan and butter chicken.
2️⃣ NOW OPEN: Blue Coast Burrito - College Park Welcomes New Tex-Mex Spot
Blue Coast Burrito (Facebook) has planted roots in the Packing District plaza in the Publix plaza. The Tennessee chain delivers customizable Mexican cuisine, from personalized burritos to Pacific-inspired fish tacos, plus a DIY salsa station.
#ORLANDOSIGNAL 📸
Sensory overload - H MART
📷 via @orlandosignal |📍Orlando
Tag @orlandosignal to get your photo featured in the newsletter!
FOODIE FIND, FORK YEAH! 🤩
Ave Maria Gastro Lounge
📍1410 FL-436, Casselberry, FL 32707. Map to this location.
Just north of Orlando in Casselberry, Ave Maria Gastro Lounge (Insta) serves authentic Ecuadorian cuisine that's captured hearts across Central Florida, delivering bold flavors and generous portions.
Standouts include La Bandera trio sampler, Conchas Negras ceviche, and protein-packed platters. Creative tropical margaritas complement the menu perfectly.
The trendy yet cozy atmosphere and attentive, family-style service transform meals into memorable experiences worth venturing to.
👉 Check out the menu right here 👈
Source: Ave Maria Gastro Lounge
MORE PULP! 😎
Weekday things to check out
🎨 3rd Annual "itty bitty art" Expo
📅 Monday, October 6th - Friday, November 28th
📍 Historic Sanford Welcome Center, 230 E. First Street, Sanford
Exhibition of 100+ mini paintings available for purchase with People's Choice voting and free drawing to win artwork; Artist Reception October 23rd, 6-8 p.m.
👉 Tiny Treasures
🛒 Audubon Park Community Market
📅 Monday, October 27th | 5-8pm
📍 Stardust Video & Coffee, 1842 E. Winter Park Road
Weekly gathering featuring local growers, artisans, and musicians with fresh Florida produce, prepared meals, and live entertainment.
👉 Local Harvest
🎨 Primrose Market
📅 Monday, October 27th | 6-10pm
📍 Milk District - Se7ven Bites
Evening market featuring food trucks, artists, vendors, and entertainment in the heart of the Milk District.
👉 Market Night
🧠 History Center Trivia Takeover
📅 Tuesday, October 28th | 7-9pm
📍 RockPit Brewing & Distilling, 10 W Illiana St
Test your Central Florida history knowledge with themed questions covering citrus, theme parks, railroads, and hurricanes; no registration required.
👉 Brainy Fun
🎵 Matisyahu
📅 Wednesday, October 29th | 8pm
📍 Plaza Live Orlando
Grammy-nominated artist blends reggae, hip-hop, and alt rock in support of his latest release "Hold The Fire."
👉 Spiritual Sounds
🧘 Body Dialogue – Restore the Nervous System
📅 Wednesday, October 29th | 7:30-9pm
📍 Timucua Arts Foundation
Somatic wellness workshop with Janice Rous featuring embodied mindfulness through dynamic stretching, visualization, and breathing; pay-what-you-like tickets.
👉 Restore Balance
🎃 Halloween Bash at Winter Park Village
📅 Wednesday, October 29th | 5:30-8pm
📍 Winter Park Village park (across from Regal Cinemas)
Family-friendly celebration with DJ, stilt walkers, trick-or-treating at merchants, and Facebook costume contest with categories for all ages.
👉 Spooky Fun
🎸 Meet Loaf: The Tribute to Meat Loaf
📅 Thursday, October 30th | 5-9:30pm
📍 The Wharf
Halloween-timed tribute concert performing classic hits from "Bat Out of Hell" and Rocky Horror Picture Show.
👉 Rock Legends
🍷 Sip or Treat: Witch's Ball
📅 Thursday, October 30th | 5:30-8pm
📍 Oviedo Mall
Adults-only Halloween celebration with wine and beer samples, treats, live entertainment, and costume contest; 21+ with ID.
👉 Witch's Night Out
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THANKS!
✅ Want to connect with 19K+ curious Orlandoans for your business?, start a conversation here.
🌟 Know a community superstar? Tell me about them, right here.
Thanks for reading! I’ll see you again on Thursday’s weekend fun issue.
My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal
