Welcome to Monday Morning in Orlando
And just like that, the weekend has evaporated like it never happened, and we’re back at Monday. 👎
In today’s issue: 👇
- Moving a House by Ox-Cart
- It's Time to Get Dirty
- The Strand
- ….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 ⏪
He Moved a House by Ox-Cart. Florida Noticed.
Few stop in Gotha (just west of Orlando). Blink and you've already passed it, unless you know to look for Palm Cottage, a two-story wooden house lurking behind the live oaks with a resume longer than most museums.
Henry Nehrling rolled into town in 1885, a Wisconsin naturalist who treated subtropical Florida like a personal science experiment.
He tested upward of 3,000 plant species on his six acres, and roughly 300 of them went on to define Florida's ornamental horticulture industry. Those caladiums brightening up porches and flowerbeds across the state? The bamboo towering over gardens across the Sunshine State? That's Nehrling's doing.
As for Palm Cottage itself, he didn't build it. He bought a cottage a mile away, had workers saw it into pieces, and dragged it to his garden on ox-carts. The Orlando Architecture Foundation calls it one of the oldest surviving homes in Orange County, which feels like an understatement for a house that survived being sawed in half.
Today it lives on as Nehrling Gardens. Still standing. Still surprising people.
🔥 Want to learn a ton more about Palm Cottage’s history? Check out my expanded version, right here.
THE SQUEEZE 🍊
Bagels, Wine, and One Very Deserving Teacher
Every weekday, Central Florida teachers show up with lesson plans, patience, and classroom supplies they bought themselves.
Two local brands think it's time someone showed up for them.
The Good Pour has teamed up with Jeff's Bagel Run and the BOHO Foundation to launch the Extra Credit Giveaway, a Teacher Appreciation Contest handing one outstanding Central Florida K–12 educator a prize package worth $3,745.
We're talking a private wine tasting for 24 guests, a full year of free bagels, $500 in classroom supply dough (hehe), and bagel catering for 100 people at the winning school.
👉 They're looking for the teacher who goes beyond the job description. The one who thinks creatively, builds community, and makes students feel genuinely seen.
Nominations are open right now through April 24th.
‼️ Know a bad-ass, deserving teacher? Nominate them, right here.
From 1907 to 2027: Maitland's Library Turns the Page
After 119 years of loyal service, Maitland's beloved public library is trading its aging walls for a shiny new address.
The city greenlit a 20,000-square-foot facility at Quinn Strong Park, a $16 million project expected to open by fall 2027. The original 1907 building, patched together through three expansions between 1959 and 1989, had simply run out of road.
The new space will have dedicated zones for all ages, kid-sized shelving, tech hubs, and plenty of room for its ever-growing "library of things."
The books, the staff, and the good vibes? All making the move.
I may need to do a deep-dive on the library for an upcoming Orlando rewind. 🤔
✅ Check out this short video rendering showing what the new digs will look like!
(Learn a lot more about what's coming to Maitland's brand-new library with Sarah Winkelmann, right here)
Orlando, It's Time to Get Dirty
Every year, thousands of Orlando residents do something quietly heroic: they put on gloves, grab a trash bag, and take back their city.
Keep Orlando Beautiful Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit and local affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, makes it happen, from kayak cleanups pulling plastic out of local waterways to hauling off thousands of pounds of electronic waste.
This April, they've got three Earth Day cleanups ready for you.
On April 19th, volunteers rally at Inter&Co Stadium before hitting the streets of City District.
Then on April 22th, it's a morning shoreline cleanup at Lake Eola Park, followed by an evening sweep through Ivanhoe Village.
Three events. One week. Glory awaits.
🚮 Get more info and register to volunteer, right here!
💼 This Week’s Curated Jobs
Sourced from the Orlando Signal Job Board!
🎪 Event Management Supervisor Orange County Convention Center | Orlando
Run the show at Orlando's massive convention center. Lead the event team making conferences, trade shows, and epic gatherings happen flawlessly at one of the nation's busiest venues.
💰 $36.38-$47.30/hour | 👉 Learn More & Apply
🚇 Senior Communications Specialist AtkinsRéalis | Orlando
Turn Florida's futuristic transportation projects into stories people actually care about. Craft press releases, plan VIP tours, and make infrastructure sound sexy (yes, really).
💰 $65.8K-$109.6K/year | 👉 Learn More & Apply
🎓 Kelly Education Recruiter Kelly Services | Orlando (On-site)
Be the talent matchmaker connecting great teachers with schools that need them. Hit job fairs, build community relationships, and change students' lives one hire at a time.
💰 $51.3K-$60K/year | 👉 Learn More & Apply
🍹 Restaurant Manager The Stubborn Mule / RusTeak | Orlando
Run the floor at a craft cocktail haven with CIA-trained chef owners. Manage teams, curate Wine Spectator-winning lists, and keep the vibes (and mules) flowing nightly.
💰 $50K-$58K/year + benefits | 👉 Learn More & Apply
📞 Call Center Operations Director Hiregy | Orlando (On-site)
Command a 300+ seat call center empire, leading managers and optimizing vendor performance while crushing KPIs. Big team, bigger impact, serious bonus potential.
💰 $135K-$145K/year + 15% bonus | 👉 Learn More & Apply
Tap/click here for lots more opportunities. Over 100 added last week!
✈️ Orlando’s best flight deal - Deep dish and lakefront breezes edition
Mid-May Chicago is like watching a city come back to life. Everyone's been inside for six months, and suddenly the lakefront's packed, rooftop bars are doing their thing, and the whole place has this "we survived another winter" party vibe. The architecture's legitimately stunning, the food scene goes way beyond deep dish (though you should still get deep dish), and Lake Michigan somehow makes this massive city feel breathable. It's got New York's energy without the attitude, and you'll leave wondering why you don't visit more often.
Orlando (MCO) → Chicago (O'Hare International Airport) for 135 bucks*, round-trip Thursday through Sunday in mid-May. See the deal.
*Price shown above is accurate just prior to this newsletter getting published.
TASTY NEWS 🧑🍳
Orlando Area Eateries Coming & Going
1️⃣ SOFT-OPEN: UMA Sushi & Ramen - Downtown Orlando's New Ramen Obsession
Ramen lovers, sushi fans, and everyone in between…..Uma Sushi & Ramen (Insta) has soft-opened on North Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando. Expect fresh sushi, gyoza, tonkotsu, shoyu, and miso bowls, and boba tea to wash it all down. Grab a reservation online. Excuses not accepted!
2️⃣ NOW OPEN: Nic & Luc Downtown - Your New Weekday Brunch Fix
Nic & Luc (Insta) has arrived in downtown Orlando, and your weekday mornings will never be the same. Swing by Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., for toasts, sandwiches, salads, and house-made pastries, all built around sustainably sourced ingredients.
#ORLANDOSIGNAL 📸
This feathered d00d (or d00dette) posed for me on Lake Eola
📷 via @orlandosignal |📍Lake Eola
Tag @orlandosignal to get your photo featured in the newsletter!
FOODIE FIND, FORK YEAH! 🤩
The Strand
📍807 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.
The Strand (Insta) didn't arrive in Orlando's Mills 50 district so much as settle into it. Two New Haven transplants, 27 years in the neighborhood, and a shared conviction that the best food is the kind you already know by heart. That's the whole origin story.
They call their approach the "New Old": seasonal, scratch-made New American cooking with something familiar underneath. Craft beers, natural wines, mid-century bones. No announcement necessary. Just a quiet, honest meal done right.
👉 Check out the menu, right here 👈
Source: The Strand. Gochujang & Maple Glazed Salmon
MORE PULP! 😎
Weekday things to check out
Presented by OrlandoJobs.com: 80 employers. 3,000 jobs. Free headshots. Free parking. Yeah, it's that kind of event.
Hire Day Orlando is Central Florida's largest job fair, and it's pulling out all the stops. Meet hiring managers face-to-face, get your resume polished by the pros, snap a LinkedIn-worthy headshot, and walk out with real career momentum. All for free.
Register now for April 16th (Thursday), 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. @ the KIA Center. Dress to impress. The hiring managers are waiting!
Tap/Click here for more info & to register.
🎨 Keg (Crafty) Social
📅 Monday, April 13th | 6-8pm
📍 Keg Social - Waterford Lakes
BYO non-messy craft project to reserved seating area at entertainment venue featuring bowling, axe throwing, arcade, billiards, and karaoke.
👉 Craft & Socialize
🍔 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
🎺 Golden Flower
📅 Tuesday, April 14th | 7pm
📍 Judson's Live, Dr. Phillips Center
Progressive jazz ensemble blending rock, funk, South American, South Asian, and electronic dance music with adventurous improvisation.
👉 International Fusion
🎵 A Night of the Harp & Friends
📅 Wednesday, April 15th | 7pm
📍 The Plaza Live
OPO Principal Harp Haley Rhodeside showcases the harp's beauty with pieces by Lizotte, Burtzos, Corelli, and Renié; college night at 6pm with food and panel.
👉 Celestial Strings
🌿 Paint & Plant
📅 Wednesday, April 15th | 6:30-8:30pm
📍 Great Southern Box Company
Paint your own pot and choose a plant to take home; all supplies included plus curated goodie bag.
👉 Create & Grow
🪡 Sew a Bow Bag Charm Workshop
📅 Thursday, April 16th | 6-8pm
📍 Van Goghblin Cafe, 805 W Central Blvd
Beginner-friendly sewing on Bernette machines creating bow-shaped keychain/bag charm; includes drink ticket and all materials.
👉 Sew Confident
🎬 "Women of Carbon" Film Screening
📅 Thursday, April 16th | 6-8pm
📍 Downtown Orlando
Documentary featuring visionary women reshaping construction and climate action as built environment accounts for 40% of global emissions; $10 admission.
👉 Sustainable Future
🎭 Anastasia: The Musical
📅 Thursday-Saturday, April 16th-19th
📍 Annie Russell Theatre
Post-Revolution journey from St. Petersburg to 1920s Paris following Anya's quest to discover her mysterious past with enchanting score.
👉 Find Your Way Home
🎭 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
