Welcome to Monday Morning in Orlando
Whoo-whee. Did Christmas come and go that quickly?? For those who celebrate, I hope you had a wonderful time off and enjoyed your downtime. I did some traveling with the fam, and a lot of eating, both in Orlando and on our journey up the east coast.
Next up is New Year’s Day. I’m ready! Are you? Enoy today’s issue, and I’ll catch you back here on Thursday!
In today’s issue: 👇
- Divine Real Estate
- Back in the Game
- The Pinery
- ….and much more
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Let’s dive in!
- Philip
P.S. Loving the Signal? Contribute here!
ORLANDO REWIND ⏪
Divine Real Estate: One Priest's Search for the Perfect Building
The white columns at 24 North Rosalind Ave have faced Lake Eola since 1928, but the prayers inside have completely switched teams. Architect George Foote Dunham designed the Classical Revival beauty for Orlando's First Church of Christ, Scientist, which held services there until 1975.
Enter Father John E. Hamatie, who arrived in Orlando on April 15, 1973, with a mission: build an Orthodox community from scratch. After three years of searching, he was driving down Central Avenue with his sister in 1976 when he spotted the empty building. "This church looks like an Orthodox Church," he declared.
They leased it for $500 monthly, a steal. To buy it outright required some creative financing: $23,000 from fundraising, plus a $27,000 interest-free loan from Hamatie's mom, which they dutifully repaid over 22 years.
Five decades later, Father Hamatie still presides over St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church. Each January, congregants dive into Lake Eola to retrieve a blessed cross—because why not make your faith traditions memorable?
Sometimes, the perfect building just needs the right prayers.
👉 Check out photos of St. George’s, inside and out, right here.
THE SQUEEZE 🍊
A Fresh Coat of Hope
When a local homeowner got the chance to repaint his house for free, the color choice was easy: his late wife's favorite shade of blue.
The Fixin' Up the Neighborhood Program rolled into Lockhart's Riverside Estates in late November, bringing new life to 15 homes. Orange County funded the project while Habitat for Humanity provided the muscle and expertise.
Fresh paint and minor repairs might sound simple, but for residents who'd weathered years of hardship, the makeovers delivered something bigger: a reminder that their community hasn't forgotten them.
Turns out hope can arrive with ladders, brushes, and the perfect shade of blue.
🔥 Check out this short video clip to see the program in action, right here.
Like Hurricane Radar, But for Opioids: Florida's New Early Warning System
Think Doppler radar, but for drugs. Florida law enforcement now has a high-tech crystal ball that spots dangerous narcotics hitting their neighborhoods in real time.
DrugAlert.Ai, created by Central Florida nonprofit Project Overdose, analyzes blood and urine samples from private health labs to detect what's circulating, without naming names.
The platform's algorithms crunch demographics and historical data to predict trends, refreshing every 24 hours.
Project Overdose founder, Andrae Baily, likens it to finally getting weather forecasts for hurricanes. The system proved itself earlier this year when Orange and Seminole county sheriffs used it to identify carfentanyl-laced methamphetamine at Orlando's Electric Daisy Carnival, allowing them to issue timely warnings.
Two more Florida counties are jumping aboard.
(Learn more about Florida's drug monitoring efforts with Joe Mario Pedersen, right here)
Back in the Game: Special Needs League Returns to Refurbished Field
For nearly two decades, a special needs baseball league has called Trotter's Park in Orlando home. But this year, their beloved field had become a safety hazard, torn turf and poor drainage made games impossible.
The league faced a tough choice: raise $273,000 for a new field, or close down. After years of sluggish fundraising, media attention changed everything. Donations flooded in, ranging from $5 to $40,000, surpassing the goal by over $100,000.
Now, with a pristine new diamond ready for spring play, the community's generosity has given these athletes their field of dreams back, a place where the crack of bats and victory cheers will ring out for years to come.
(Learn more about Orlando's special needs baseball field restoration with Justin Warmoth, right here)
Orlando's Holiday Hotspot Wraps Up Its Debut Season Soon
The Frontyard Holiday Festival at the Dr. Phillips Center has become downtown Orlando's newest hotspot for festive fun. You can still catch it through Jan. 4, with the free event serving up entertainment from 11 a.m to 11 p.m. daily, with a break between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Born from the pandemic-era Frontyard Festival, this seasonal celebration packs in tasty treat, games, live music, and a spectacular 6 p.m. light show complete with a dazzling Christmas tree finale. Guests toast s'mores at 10 fire pits and hop between pop-up vendors.
Many visitors stumbled upon the festival while cruising through downtown, with families raving about its cheerful vibe and kid-friendly attractions.
👉 There’s still time to check out this festival, right here.
(Learn more about this festive downtown celebration with Silas Morgan, right here)
✈️ Orlando’s best flight deal - Turquoise waters and Mayan ruins edition
Late January in Cancún is your official escape from winter. Eighty-degree days, impossibly blue water, and street tacos that'll ruin you for life. Skip the resort bubble: hit the cenotes, explore Mayan ruins, maybe ferry over to Isla Mujeres. You've earned this.
Orlando (MCO) → Cancún (CUN) for 246 bucks*, round-trip Thur through Sun in late-January. See the deal.
*Price shown above is accurate as of the time this newsletter was sent.
TASTY NEWS 🧑🍳
Orlando Area Eateries Coming & Going
1️⃣ COMING 2026: Mecatos @ The Coop - Colombian Flavors Coming to Winter Park
After nearly two and a half years sitting empty, the former home of The Coop in Winter Park has found its next tenant. Mecatos Bakery & Cafe (Insta), Edwin Lurduy's homegrown Colombian chain, plans to open at the corner of Morse Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue in 2026, bringing buñuelos, empanadas, and locally-roasted Colombian coffee to the iconic red-barn space.
2️⃣ COMING JANUARY: Dougie’s Dog Bar - Paws, Pizza, and Cold Pints
Orlando's Packing District is getting Dougie's Dog Bar (Insta) this January. Think pizza, 12 beers on tap, and a members-only off-leash yard complete with splash pads and a massive 16-foot Jumbotron. Leashed pups can hang on the patio while weekday happy hour keeps the after-work crowd coming back.
😢 Dearly departed/departing: Colibrí Mexican Restaurant closed its doors in Baldwin Park on December 21st, capping nearly 20 years of serving a community where owners Omar and Fabi didn't just run a business, they raised their family.
#ORLANDOSIGNAL 📸
Birthday dinner at The Pinery
📷 via @orlandosignal |📍Ivanhoe Village
Tag @orlandosignal to get your photo featured in the newsletter!
FOODIE FIND, FORK YEAH! 🤩
The Pinery
📍295 NE Ivanhoe Blvd Suite A, Orlando, FL 32804. Map to this location.
Where George Russell's pineapple sheds once ruled 20+ acres in 1885, The Pinery (Insta) now serves up Lake Ivanhoe's tastiest history lesson.
My birthday feast last week: chicken dumpling pot pie, shaved prime rib, and pineapple upside-down bread pudding for dessert, washed down with Ivanhoe Brewing's pineapple craft brew, proved owner Carol Sizer Holladay knows how to honor the past deliciously.
The 150-seat lakefront spot dishes out Southern-coastal comfort on a sunset-soaked patio, transforming old resort vibes into Ivanhoe Village's hottest gathering place.
👉 Check out the goodies right here 👈
Source: The Pinery
MORE PULP! 😎
Weekday things to check out
🎨 Pangarap: Espero Reimagined
📅 Tuesday-Wednesday, December 30th-31st | 11am-4pm
📍 A&H's Maitland Art Center
Filipino artist Isobel Francisco transforms gallery into speculative storytelling exploring alternate reality of Jules André Smith in 1937 Philippines.
👉 Dream Vision
🍔 Tasty Takeover in The Milk District
📅 Tuesdays | 6:30-10pm
📍 The Milk District – 2424 E Robinson St
Orlando's premier weekly food truck block party featuring diverse culinary offerings behind the shops and bars.
👉 Dine Alfresco
🎉 Family New Year's 2026 at Boxi Park
📅 Wednesday, December 31st | 4-8pm
📍 Boxi Park - Lake Nona
All-ages celebration with 7pm countdown and ball drop, DJ Lady Shay, balloon artist, and face painters; kids 5 and under complimentary.
👉 Early Countdown
🎨 BOXED OUT at ArtCube
📅 Wednesday, December 31st | 5pm-11:55pm
📍 Parramore Arts at Interstruct
Shannon Rae Lindsey's multimedia installation reimagining construction materials; final night of 24/7 display, best viewed dusk to dawn.
👉 Last Chance
🎊 Thornton Park New Year's Eve Block Party
📅 Wednesday, December 31st | 7:30pm
📍 Thornton Park, 808 E Washington St
Street party featuring DJs, cocktails, food vendors, dancing, and Orlando's Orange Ball Drop at midnight.
👉 Ball Drop Party
🎮 Arcade Time New Year's Eve
📅 Wednesday, December 31st | 9pm-1am
📍 Arcade Time Orlando, International Drive
All-night arcade access, live DJ, open bar (10pm-1am), hors d'oeuvres, and complimentary valet for $50.
👉 Game On 2026
🎊 Ball Drop Soirée - Two Locations, Double the Fun
📅 Wednesday, December 31st | 12pm-1am
📍 Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company & Ivanhoe Park Lager House
Ring in 2026 across two locations with special events and countdowns. Lager House: noon-8pm with 6pm countdown and complimentary champagne at German midnight. Brewing Co: 4pm-midnight with midnight countdown, keg drop, and fireworks.
👉 Toast to 2026
🎨 Midnight on Magnolia
📅 Wednesday, December 31st | 9pm-1:30am
📍 CityArts Orlando
Premier New Year's celebration with live art, DJs, Blacklist Band, champagne toast, gourmet bites, and stilt walkers; ages 21+.
👉 Artistic Countdown
🏮 Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild NYE
📅 Wednesday, December 31st | 5:30-8:30pm
📍 Central Florida Zoo, 3755 U.S. 17, Sanford
Family-friendly New Year's with live DJ, handcrafted lanterns, and countdowns at 7pm and 8pm.
👉 Light Up 2026
🎆 Avalon Park's New Year's Eve Fireworks
📅 Wednesday, December 31st | Midnight
📍 Downtown Avalon Park
Ring in 2026 with live music, restaurant specials, and fireworks over Avalon Lake at midnight.
👉 Fireworks Finale
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THANKS!
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Thanks for reading! I’ll see you again on Thursday’s weekend fun issue.
My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal
