Welcome to Monday Morning in Orlando
Alright, Fam. I have good news, and I have bad news.
The good news is, this is Christmas Eve/Day week! Hopefully, some rest and relaxation are in the cards.
The bad news is, I’m taking off for Thursday’s issue so I can also participate in some of that rest and relaxation I speak of.
Have a wonderful Christmas holiday for those who celebrate, and I’ll see y’all NEXT Monday!
In today’s issue: 👇
- Free Beer and Fine Meats
- Make Musicians Heard
- The Baker’s Son
- ….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.
ORLANDO REWIND ⏪
Free Beer and Fine Meats: The Longwood Store That Refuses to Quit
In Longwood, Petty's Meat Market is the scrappy survivor of a nearly 50-year family adventure built on exceptional food and the lost art of actually knowing your customers' names.
Jay and Mary Alysson Pettigrew kicked things off with Petty's Meats in Melbourne in February 1977, serving up expertly cut meats, fine wines, and fancy imports. Nine months later, they opened the Longwood spot on W State Road 434.
Their best marketing idea? Pure accident. A desperate "Free Beer" sign during a slow 1980 day sparked a tradition that endures today. Customers still enjoy complimentary tastings on the honor system, and reportedly, almost nobody cheats.
When big chains started copying their gourmet lineup, Petty's had an ace up their sleeve: staff who remember your name, slip you recipes, and nail the perfect wine pairing.
After selling their other stores in 2019, the family kept Longwood independent. Now at 49 years strong, it draws customers from 90 minutes away, proof that genuine connection beats corporate efficiency every time.
🔎 Check out some old photos and an ad from the late 70’s here.
(Learn more about Petty’s Market with Jason Byrne, right here)
THE SQUEEZE 🍊
From Indiana to Orlando: One Man's Mission to Make Musicians Heard
From a wheelchair in East Orlando, Atticus Allen is building bridges between undiscovered artists and the world that needs to hear them.
His independent record label, Deuterium Label Group, runs from his home, no gleaming high-rise, no platinum records on the wall, just pure heart. Allen and his fiancée support musicians across all genres, offering free mastering, professional artwork, and streaming distribution while artists keep full rights to their music.
Founded in 2006, Deuterium has weathered medical storms and a 2023 move from Indiana to Florida. Allen, making music since age 14, still presses limited-edition cassettes and vinyl because streaming isn't everything.
At 42, he's a former record store owner, anthropology major, and library music studio leader who once ran a 42-episode podcast.
Now he's giving Florida artists what they need most: someone who handles the technical maze so they can focus on the art.
🔥 Check out Atticus Allen’s music label, right here.
👉 Know a community superstar? Tell me about them, right here.
Where Orange County Residents Find More Than Help
Nearly 300,000 residents visit Orange County's nine Community Centers annually, seeking everything from job leads to hot meals to a friendly ear. These bustling hubs, spanning Pine Hills to Tangelo Park to the freshly minted Multicultural Center, distributed 87,000 food boxes last year while connecting 800 people to employment and loading up 1,500 students with school supplies.
Born from a 1960s insight that poverty looks different in every zip code, these centers offer vocational training, energy bill assistance, air-conditioning repairs for seniors, and computer labs where residents polish résumés and chase new skills.
Volunteers rack up thousands of hours helping neighbors navigate everything from weatherization programs to post-secondary education.
It's proof that smart investments in people pay dividends that echo for generations.
🔥 Check out Orange County’s Community Action Division, right here.
Trading Up: Local Farm Gets Room to Flourish
Special Hearts Farm, which teaches adults with disabilities farming and gardening skills while creating real jobs, is trading up. The current Winter Garden spot along Maple Street hosts 50 farmers caring for more than 80 animals, but that's just the beginning.
The organization snagged a sprawling 19-acre property through a land swap, and it's packed with potential: bigger pastures, more greenhouses, space for farmers markets, and even housing for some participants.
Farmers have already checked out the new digs, and the excitement is palpable. With all that extra room, there's no telling what they'll accomplish next. The big move is slated for early 2027.
🐐 Ever heard of Special Hearts Farm? Have a look, right here.
(Learn more about Special Hearts Farm's big move with Emma Delamo, right here)
CFX Drops $218M to Fix One of Orlando's Most Frustrating Commute
Central Florida drivers know the drill: crawling along State Road 408 between Orange Blossom Trail and I-4, watching brake lights multiply like a never-ending game of red light, red light.
The good news? The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) just approved a $218 million construction project to break up the party. The plan adds an eastbound lane while sprucing up interchanges, ramps, and gantries.
Local commuters report burning 15 to 20 minutes daily in that stretch alone, with the downtown corridor staying packed from sunrise to sunset.
Business owners along OBT describe the current traffic situation as nothing short of nightmarish, a sentiment anyone who's white-knuckled through rush hour can appreciate.
(Learn more about State Road 408’s overhaul with Stephanie Rodriguez, right here)
✈️ Orlando’s best flight deal - Southern soul and skyline views edition
Most people think of Atlanta as a layover city. They're missing out. January puts this Southern powerhouse in sharp focus. You have the King Center & Carter Center to yourself, the food scene is absurdly good (someone explain why the fried chicken here is different), and between the street art, the music venues, and neighborhoods that each feel like their own city, you'll wonder why you waited this long to actually stay.
Orlando (MCO) → Atlanta (ATL) for 68 bucks*, round-trip Friday through Sunday in mid-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 OPENING EARLY 26: Fluffy Fluffy - Souffle Pancakes Hitting UCF Campus
Fluffy Fluffy (Insta) is bringing its jiggly, Instagram-famous Japanese souffle pancakes to the University of Central Florida. Expect cloud-like stacks in strawberry, tiramisu, and matcha flavors, plus breakfast sandwiches that swap boring buns for those pillowy pancakes. Perfect fuel for cramming between classes.
2️⃣ SOFT OPENED: Haraz Coffee House - Generations-Old Traditions Meet Winter Park
The aroma of Yemeni coffee has soft-opened in Winter Park. Haraz Coffee House (Insta) opened its doors, inviting the community to discover authentic flavors perfected over generations. Guests can enjoy signature Yemeni coffee and fresh pastries in what promises to become a beloved neighborhood gathering spot. The soft opening begins now.
#ORLANDOSIGNAL 📸
Mirrored man inside the Wave Hotel sculpture garden
📷 via @orlandosignal |📍Lake Nona
Tag @orlandosignal to get your photo featured in the newsletter!
FOODIE FIND, FORK YEAH! 🤩
The Baker’s Son
📍797 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, FL 34746. Map to this location.
At The Baker's Son (Insta), a Filipino-American bakery in Kissimmee, Chef Jun Valerios rises at 3 a.m., continuing a three-generation baking legacy that began with his grandfather.
His son Arvin manages the shop, while brother Jelo crafts fusion dishes like sinigang popcorn chicken and loaded longanisa fries. Traditional pandesal meets ube cloud lattes, bridging tatays and Gen Z.
Jun's father's wisdom still holds: "Make good bread, and they will come."
👉 Check out the goodies right here 👈
Source: The Baker’s Son
MORE PULP! 😎
Weekday things to check out
🎨 Ornament Painting
📅 Monday, December 22nd | 1:30-2:30pm
📍 Orange County Library System: Eatonville Branch
Fun, festive family program where you can paint and decorate your own ornament to take home.
👉 Create & Celebrate
🎮 Game & Hobby Night at The Burrow
📅 Tuesdays | 5-8pm
📍 The Burrow Cafe & Play, Mills area
Weekly gathering for games, crafts, reading, and relaxation with drink specials available.
👉 Play Together
🎄 Christmas Trivia
📅 Tuesday, December 23rd | 7-9pm
📍 The Porch, South Orange
Prove your Christmas expertise with festive questions, merry fun, and prizes; bring your holiday spirit.
👉 Test Your Knowledge
🍔 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
🎨 Christmas Eve Celebration
📅 Wednesday, December 24th | 9:30am-4pm
📍 Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
Complimentary gallery admission with live music from 1-4pm on Christmas Eve.
👉 Holiday Culture
🎵 Fridays on the Plaza Holiday Music
📅 Friday, December 26th | 7-9pm
📍 Downtown Winter Garden
Paul Q-Pek performs classic holiday sounds serenading shoppers at the downtown plaza.
👉 Holiday Melodies
✨ A Merry Winter Garden Light Show
📅 Friday & Saturday, December 26th-27th
📍 Winter Garden City Hall on W. Plant Street
Light show at City Hall with Winter Wonderland area for children throughout festive downtown.
👉 Magical Lights
🎤 Straight No Chaser: Holiday Road
📅 Saturday, December 27th | 8pm
📍 Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center
Male a cappella phenomenon performs special holiday show featuring classic favorites and more.
👉 Vocal Magic
🎸 The Upside Down: 80s Night
📅 Saturday, December 27th | 8pm
📍 House of Blues, Disney Springs
Party featuring best of the 80s, Stranger Things, and soundtrack anthems; ages 18+.
👉 Totally Radical
🎬 Enzian Theater's Christmas Movie Series
📅 Saturday, December 27th | 11am
📍 Enzian Theater
"The Apartment" screens as part of holiday film series with special cocktails at Eden Bar.
👉 Classic Cinema
🎬 Sunday Movie Nights: A Christmas Story
📅 Sunday, December 28th
📍 Seneff Arts Plaza at Dr. Phillips Center
Classic holiday movie under the stars with two showtimes; no tickets required.
👉 Cozy Cinema
🎭 Want to share an event? Use this link.
✅ Want to connect with 20K+ 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
