Welcome to Monday Morning in Orlando
Long-time readers know two things about me: I love ice cream, and I love local! So when my favorite spot, Kelly's, is partnering with First Watch to literally serve Ice Cream for Breakfast, that alone gets my attention. But add in 50% of Scoop Shop sales on February 18th going to kids fighting cancer at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer? Yeah, this one's for you too.
In today’s issue: 👇
- Out of Programs
- Three Digits, Countless Solutions
- Mis Antojitos Street Food
- ….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 ⏪
Out of Programs, Never Out of Music: The Bach Festival of Winter Park
Nobody sat down and said, "let's build one of America's greatest classical music institutions." There was just a chapel, a choir, and so many people who crashed a March evening in 1935 at Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College that the programs ran out before everyone could snag one.
Organizers Christopher Honaas and Herman F. Siewert chose the date deliberately, the 250th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach's birth. What they didn't plan for was the crowd.
Or the near-riotous enthusiasm that followed.
Or Isabelle Sprague-Smith, the sharp-elbowed New York philanthropist who locked down 96 sponsors and single-handedly turned a scrappy Sunday concert series into a proper institution.
Or John Tiedtke, the sugar entrepreneur who served as president for 50 years and casually covered deficits out of his own pocket like it was nothing.
Or Dr. John Sinclair, who somehow convinced a volunteer choir from Central Florida to perform at the Vatican, Leipzig, and the Royal Albert Hall.
Ninety-one years on, the Bach Festival of Winter Park has compounded that one chaotic, program-less evening into something extraordinary, a festival that ranks third in the nation for longevity among Bach festivals and holds the title of Central Florida's longest-running performing arts organization.
And isn't remotely done yet.
Check out the Bach Festival for tickets and the full schedule.
👉 Learn more about the Bach Festival, right here!
💥 Orlando Signal Dinner Club is where the city’s hidden foodie gems and big stories come alive over dinner.
We're doing it again, this time in College Park on Thursday, February 26th at 6:30 p.m.
Take the quiz, get matched with five locals who match your vibe, and meet up at a great restaurant (revealed that morning). Mid-dinner, we'll text everyone the spot where all tables regroup to keep the night going.
🤩 New or longtime locals, it doesn't matter. Just show up ready to eat, form new connections, and have a fun night!
THE SQUEEZE 🍊
600 Hours, 7 Books, One Very Good Dog
Our Community Superstar feature typically celebrates incredible people, but sometimes the most impactful members have four legs instead of two.
Meet Lacey, a rescue dog who clearly didn't get the memo that Australian Shepherds are supposed to be caffeinated tornadoes. Instead, she came pre-programmed with zen energy that kids instantly recognize and gravitate toward.
Over eight years, this Certified Therapy Dog has racked up 600+ volunteer hours across Central Florida schools, UCF de-stress days, hospitals, the R.E.A.D. Program, and helping people navigate natural disasters and emotional distress. Through "Lacey's Adventures," she's basically become our region's four-legged therapist, working for treats and belly rubs instead of a 401(k).
Neat-o!: she's even inspired seven children's books. SEVEN.
After nearly a decade of professional-level adorableness and comfort, Lacey's retiring this year. Her legacy? Proving that being the calmest dog in the room with "I've got you" energy can change countless lives.
🐕 Check out Lacey’s Adventures, right here!
👉 Know a community superstar? Tell me about them, right here.
That Empty Room Could Soon Help Alleviate the Housing Crunch
Rents in Osceola County have exploded nearly 29 percent since 2021, and Tallahassee may have finally found an answer hiding in plain sight, possibly in your spare bedroom.
Senate Bill 48, which sailed through the Florida Senate unanimously last week, would let homeowners rent out space inside their own home in single-family zones by December 1st of this year.
Local governments would be required to allow it, and homeowners who play landlord get to keep their homestead exemptions too. Not a bad deal.
This could throw a lifeline to seniors, students, and fixed-income renters while helping cash-strapped homeowners turn spare space into serious extra cash.
It takes effect July 1st if signed.
(Learn lots more about this big housing move with Jordan Mead, right here)
Three Digits, Countless Solutions: Inside Central Florida's 211
Sometimes life throws curveballs. Rent's due, the power bill's stacking up, or you're just not sure where to turn next.
In 2025, Central Floridians reached out to Heart of Florida United Way's 211 crisis line 242,110 times, and the helpers on the other end were ready.
Housing topped the list at 41% of calls (53,865 requests), with utility assistance close behind at 18%. Across Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties, trained specialists connected folks with food banks, healthcare, job resources, and mental health support, 24/7, every single day.
For anyone facing crisis, three digits offer hope: 211. Just dial, text, or chat. Someone's always listening.
💼 This Week’s Curated Jobs
Sourced from the Orlando Signal Job Board!
🚀 Partnering with JobOwl. 90% of resumes never reach human eyes. JobOwl makes sure yours does by tailoring it to get through ATS systems. Discover JobOwl.
🍞 West Orlando Territory Account Executive Toast | West Orlando (Field Sales)
Become the hero of local restaurateurs by selling them game-changing POS tech that makes their lives easier, uncapped commissions mean your hustle pays off big.
💰 $129K-$206K total comp (uncapped commissions) | 👉 Learn More & Apply
💰 Finance Customer Service Charles Schwab | Orlando
Break into finance with zero experience required. Schwab pays you to get licensed, trains you up, and sets you loose helping clients build wealth.
💰 $54K-$61K/year + 10% bonus | 👉 Learn More & Apply
📚 Education / Teaching Coordinator, Elementary School Insight Global | Orlando Area (7-8 school districts)
Road trip across Central Florida school districts coaching math tutors and turning data into wins for elementary students who need it most.
💰 $65K-$75K/year | 👉 Learn More & Apply
📞 Communications Representative Alphabe Insight Inc / Park 6 Logistic | Orlando
Be the voice that keeps a fast-growing logistics company humming, coordinating messages between teams and making sure everyone's on the same page.
💰 $55K-$62K/year | 👉 Learn More & Apply
Tap/click here for lots more opportunities. Over 140 added last week!
✈️ Orlando’s best flight deal - Hot chicken and live stages edition
Early March in Nashville is when the locals start reclaiming their city. The weather's perfect for rooftop bars, Broadway's still buzzing but not suffocating, and you're discovering that this place is way more than just bachelorette parties and cowboy boots. Hit the Gulch for dinner, catch live music somewhere you've never heard of, maybe explore East Nashville where the real scene is. This city's got depth if you look past the neon.
Orlando (MCO) → Nashville (BNA) for 184 bucks*, round-trip Thursday through Sunday in early March. 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 SOON: Vines by H. - A Classic Returns, Reimagined
Vines by H. (Insta), reimagining the beloved Vines Grille & Wine Bar. Expect Mediterranean and European flavors woven into a menu of homemade past, meat and fish, all while live jazz plays and the warmth longtime regulars adore stays exactly where it belongs. The grand opening is this Thursday.
#ORLANDOSIGNAL 📸
Luna’s Digital Twin found on our socials
📷 via @orlandosignal |📍Catistan
Tag @orlandosignal to get your photo featured in the newsletter!
FOODIE FIND, FORK YEAH! 🤩
Mis Antojitos Street Food
📍1113 W State Rd 436, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714. Map to this location.
At Mis Antojitos Street Food (Insta), a husband-and-wife team serves up childhood memories one delicious bite at a time.
Inspired by the owner's father, a home cook who knew food brings pure joy, the menu bursts with freshly made tacos, addictive golden empanadas, and hearty sopes crafted from local ingredients.
They're serious about food safety too, with carefully prepared gluten-free options featuring dedicated fryers and separate prep areas to keep things safe.
It's where tradition meets flavor, and everyone's welcome at the table.
👉 Check out their menu, right here 👈
Source: Mis Antojitos Street Food. Pozole 👆
MORE PULP! 😎
Weekday things to check out
👨🍳 Cooking with Confidence: Essential Skills
📅 Tuesday, February 17th | 6-7pm
📍 Center for Health & Wellbeing, Winter Park
Culinary Health Institute class teaching cooking techniques, knife skills, and kitchen management with plant-forward samples for $35.
👉 Kitchen Mastery
🌮 Taco Tuesday at BarkHaven
📅 Tuesday, February 17th, 4-9 p.m.
📍 BarkHaven, 724 Brookhaven Dr
Weekly dog-friendly taco night featuring taco-and-margarita combos and ice-cold micheladas in a laid-back atmosphere.
👉 Sit. Stay. Eat Tacos.
🎹 MindTravel Silent Piano Concert
📅 Tuesday, February 17th | 6-8pm (arrive 20-30 min early)
📍 Lake Eola Park, East Lawn
Composer Murray Hidary's live-to-headphones improvisational piano journey for mindfulness and connection; bring blanket or chair.
👉 Mindful Music
🍔 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
🎺 Swamp Xistas Mardi Gras Mambo
📅 Tuesday, February 17th | 6-9pm
📍 Will's Pub, Mills-50
Fat Tuesday celebration with Beth McKee and Her Funky Time Band, Brackish Horns, Cajun flavors, and costumes benefiting Swamp Sistas La La Foundation.
👉 Laissez les bons temps rouler
🤝 FPN 2026 Summit
📅 Tuesday-Thursday, February 18th-20th | 11:30am-7pm
📍 Winter Park
Florida Philanthropic Network's annual statewide gathering for grantmaking organizations to learn, collaborate, and design transformative community solutions.
👉 Register Early
🎸 Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes
📅 Wednesday, February 18th | 8pm
📍 Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center
Grammy-winning legendary band performing vibrant fusion of Catalan rumba, flamenco, salsa, and pop spanning 30+ years.
👉 World Music Icons
🎨 3rd Thursday Opening Night Reception
📅 Thursday, February 19th | 6-9pm
📍 CityArts, 39 South Magnolia Avenue
Explore seven new gallery exhibitions featuring abstract minds, celestial themes, and young artists with drink specials and live music.
👉 Meet the Artists
🎭 Want to share an event? Use this link.
THANKS!
✅ 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
