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My 5 Favorite Non-Touristy Places to Eat in Orlando

Needless to say, we have quite a few friends and family visit Orlando every year. People know that Tammy and I enjoy finding places to eat in areas of Orlando that are far, far away from the tourist attractions. (We also love a number of places in and around the tourist attractions, but that’s another post for another time.) Orlando has come a long way since being a tourist mecca of chain restaurants like Chili’s, Olive Garden, and T.G.I. Fridays.

Restaurant Interior

Today Orlando boasts its own James Beard semi-finalists. Our city also has quaint areas filled with nice shops, eateries, and walking areas. If you come to Orlando and spend all of your time at Disney or Universal, you’re really missing part of the charm of our city. And if you leave here having only eaten at a chain restaurant you have missed some culinary delights.

So here are five places you won’t want to miss if you ever find yourself in Orlando:

  1. Prato This may just be our favorite place to eat not only in Orlando, but almost anywhere. Prato is a modern, Italian, farm-to-table restaurant. A rectangular bar sits right in the middle of the room. The reclaimed wood walls are covered with simple art and green plants. But it’s the food that’s the star. Some of the best pasta I’ve ever eaten has come out of this kitchen. The Campagna Salad is not to be missed. And don’t pass over the appetizer meatballs to start your meal. The fact that this restaurant is on swanky Park Avenue in Winter Park makes for fabulous people watching, as well.
  2. Armando’s Many of our family’s recent significant events have taken place at this other Winter Park Italian eatery. Our daughter and son-in-law’s rehearsal dinner for their wedding was here. We first met our son’s (now) fiancé here. After they got engaged we celebrated at Armando’s. This also happens to be my wife, Tammy’s, “happy place.” This corner restaurant has outdoor seating that perfectly fits our pleasant Florida evenings. The food is Italian “comfort food.” There are pizzas and pastas, as well as chicken, steak, and seafood entrees. We have never had a bad meal here. If you want a great place for an Orlando date night this is it.
  3. Osprey Tavern Baldwin Park is the site of a former Naval Training Center that has now been transformed into housing and retail development. Right in the middle of this development is a nice downtown where Osprey Tavern recently opened. They have a fantastic happy hour that includes some of their spectacular food at ridiculously low prices. The food is unique and innovative. Though some of the menu is a bit pricey, you can have a fantastic grilled peach pizza for $16. If I owned a restaurant I would want the interior to look just like this place.
  4. Canvas Out in the burgeoning eastern suburb of Lake Nona is this brand new, modern looking restaurant with an open kitchen and outdoor dining on a beautiful lake. As you sit there you can watch the jets landing at nearby Orlando International Airport. The menu is very limited, but in this case it means most anything you order is prepared well and watched over closely by the chef. Here you can have one of the best burgers in Orlando made of short rib and brisket. I have also, on occasion, enjoyed a perfectly done pork chop topped with mushroom ragu.
  5. Rocco’s Tacos I’m cheating a little bit on this one because it encroaches on the tourist side of town. Rocco’s sits on Orlando’s Restaurant Row (Sand Lake Road) and has a hyperactive atmosphere. But the opportunity to eat delicious Mexican food sitting on another one of Orlando’s gorgeous lakes is an opportunity I cannot pass by very often. If you go here, don’t miss the guacamole made right at your table side. You might want to avoid this place at prime time on Friday or Saturday night, or you’ll be waiting a long time. Be sure to request an outside table. You’ll be glad you did.

What’s your favorite place to eat in your home town?

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The One Thing Worth Really Celebrating

A great many things happen in the name of celebrating. It isn’t too difficult to find most any excuse to have a celebration — even a minor one. The end of a work week is enough reason to go out to dinner or have drinks with friends. But there is one thing in life to celebrate, perhaps, more than any other.

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This weekend I got to perform one of my very favorite tasks as a pastor. On Sunday I did baptisms for a pair of cousins. Although it’s a seemingly simple thing to do and quite uneventful to the naked eye (pouring a little tap water on a child’s head and speaking God’s Word), it is one of life’s most significant events. As St. Paul said:

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

The entire theology of baptism can be left to other posts and other writers. The point here is that baptism delivers forgiveness. It brings new life. It is God’s own delivery mode for salvation.

If that isn’t something to celebrate, I don’t know what is.

The families of those two cousins did it right. After church they invited everyone at the baptism to remain for lunch, eat some cake, and do some celebrating. It reminded me of all the celebrations our family has had over the years after a baptism. Family and friends gather to eat, pass around the baby, and celebrate.

Far too often I see families in church for a baptism then rarely, if ever, see them again. They are forgetting that Jesus said disciples are made when we both baptize and teach (Matthew 28:18-20). Baptism isn’t just some magic incantation. It delivers forgiveness of sins, brings life, and delivers faith and salvation. But that can all be snuffed out without regular connection to the Word of God.

It seems to me that the families who “get” baptism are the ones who celebrate. And they’re the ones I most often see in church again the next Sunday.

If there’s one reason for celebrating this is most certainly it. So here’s to celebrating baptisms more often and then turning around and going to church again the next week. And the week after that. And the week after that.

It’s all preparation for the greatest Celebration of all.

How do you celebrate life’s most significant events?

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Why We Need to Be Uncomfortable Once in a While

This week when we got home from vacation the first thing I did was unpack my suitcase. It’s always what I do the minute I get in the door from any kind of trip. I can’t wait to get my clothes and toiletries all back in their proper places. I love going on vacation. But I also love coming back to the comfort of my own home. I don’t like being uncomfortable.

Andy runs through Shenzhen Airport with check-in luggage.

We spend much of our lives searching for comfort. Thankfully air conditioning was invented. Cars provide an easy ride to and from work. Clothes are far more comfortable than they used to be. We now have “wicking” and fiber that stretches.

But sometimes being uncomfortable is a good thing. It keeps us from complacency. It propels us forward. It gives us motivation to move ahead.

Unpacking a suitcase after a trip leads to the comforts of home. But unpacking our thoughts can be uncomfortable. When we unpack why we feel a certain way it might lead to some discomfort about our background or why we are the way we are.

We’ve been doing some unpacking recently at our church. I don’t know about yours, but ours has seen a declining attendance over the past year or so. We have lost pillars of our congregation to a new life in heaven. And the new members that take their places often see regular church attendance as once a month or so. You can read more about that here.

Our church leadership has been ready, willing, and able to get out of our comfort zone and try new things:

  • We reworked the structure of our governance
  • We went to policy-based governance
  • We challenged people to put something in the offering plate every Sunday
  • We challenged people to focus on a statement of Jesus every day for forty days

We have been unwilling to unpack and simply put things back where they were. Though we value worship using the historic liturgy, we recognize that the things that go on outside of worship can have a great deal of variety. They might even bring some much needed discomfort to shake us out of our spiritual complacency.

So go ahead and unpack. But don’t get too comfortable.

Sometimes it pays to be uncomfortable. It might bring about something new and something you’ve never thought about doing before.

What value do you see in being uncomfortable?

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No, You’re Not Too Old to Be a Colorful Creative

Spring Hills Senior Community in Lake Mary, Florida, knows creativity. Residents in their Alzheimer’s unit engage often in colorful and creative activities. In a recent newsletter article they show how much creativity keeps minds engaged. They argue that it also keeps our demeanor calm.

Colorful Creativity

You might think that people with Alzheimer’s Disease would be hard-pressed to carry out any creative activities. It is actually just the opposite. Spring Hills’ newsletter article says:

We know that for some people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, creativity and an interest in the arts remain even after other skills and cognitive abilities are lost. Viewing art can promote relaxation, elevate mood, and encourage connecting with others socially. However, when people create the art themselves, the whole brain is stimulated. Additionally, creating art can help in recovering small motor skills. An increasingly popular art activity involves using adult coloring books.

In other words, all art is good. But making art is great. It’s good for the whole brain.

If it’s good for Alzheimer’s patients, it must be good for you, too. A great place to start is with a coloring book for adults. Here’s a really fun, cheap one.

But coloring isn’t just mindless activity. According to the newsletter article, it engages and activates your thinking:

Coloring may seem like a passive activity; the repetitive back-and-forth/up-and-down motion can be relaxing and calming, absorbing our minds and allowing us to let go of our worries. In reality, coloring is a purposeful activity. Choosing just the right color arouses the mind, as does concentrating on coloring within the lines.

There’s no need to wait until you’re older to carry out some colorful creativity. Your colorful creativity today will:

  • Engage your brain
  • Stimulate thoughts
  • Relax your body
  • Calm you down
  • Provide motivation for mundane activity
  • Provide something beautiful for the rest of us

No matter your age, take the time to make some art. It’s good for you. It’s good for your brain.

What keeps you from making (even simple) art?

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Better Alternatives to Coldplay’s “Collective Consciousness”

As serendipity would have it I ended up at the Chicago stop of the 2016 Coldplay tour. Thanks to our son who had two extra tickets, my wife and I were able to tag along. It was a storm-tossed night, but in the end Coldplay entered Soldier Field and put on a phenomenal show. The set was cut short by a torrential downpour. But we got to see fireworks, colorful magic bands beating to the music, and a throng totally engaged with each song.

Band

I love lead singer Chris Martin. I really do. But there was one thing he said during the concert that disappointed me a bit. He was introducing a song that he wanted to dedicate it to all the victims of violence around the world. So he implored the crowd to join together in “community consciousness” and send “good vibes” to Nice, France, Baton Rouge, and Orlando.

I don’t expect Martin to completely get it. He was doing his best with what he knew how to do. But “community consciousness” and “good vibes” are going to have about as much affect on our world situation as a wet noodle.

With all due respect to Mr. Martin, here are some better alternatives to bring positive change to our world:

  1. God’s Law. God’s Law is meant to afflict those who are comfortable in their sin. Though it may not seem like love, it is love of the highest kind. When people are on a path to destruction they need to be reminded of the terror and eternal consequences of sin. Without it they will do what they have always done: remain comfortable in their sin.
  2. God’s Gospel. When people are afflicted and completely uncomfortable with their sin and its punishment, they need comfort. The only real comfort comes from the Gospel. The Gospel is the Good News that Jesus Christ paid the price for all sins. It is given completely as a gift of grace. It comes through faith in Him. It is delivered into lives by the Word of God in all of its forms.
  3. Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Jesus is the only One who can bring about real and lasting change in this world of violence. Until everyone recognizes Him as Savior and Lord there will be the problem of evil. That’s why we work to introduce Jesus to anyone and everyone. There will be no complete end to evil and suffering as long as this world lasts. So we pray, “Thy kingdom come.”

Until it does, we bring love to any and every situation in one of the above three ways. It would be wonderful for Chris Martin to start proclaiming this at Coldplay concerts. But even if he doesn’t, hundreds of people who attend those concerts can certainly do far more than come together in “collective consciousness” or send “good vibes.”

Jesus is the real and only solution.

Would you add anything else to a list of things to bring positive change to the world?

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The Happy Sadness of Being Homesick

Driving north on I-94 I got my first glimpse of Milwaukee’s skyline. A wave of homesickness washed over me. I said to my wife, Tammy, “This is the city that really knows me.” When you live the majority of a lifetime in a place you take on its characteristics and identify with its traits. That’s why you feel homesick if you’ve been away for a while and then come back.

Milwaukee Art Museum

I was born and raised in Milwaukee. All but my post-graduate education was pursued there. I performed in college and community theatre. My youth was even sometimes occupied by being lead singer in various bands. Milwaukee saw me on stage, heard me speak at graduation ceremonies, and watched me play football. I can remember buying my first car there and securing our first apartment as a married couple.

We left for a while. When we came back to Milwaukee I served a church in the heart of the city for fifteen years. I taught at Concordia University – Wisconsin. For thirteen years I coached baseball. Our kids grew up in the city. I was privileged to be a part of a community organizing group called Common Ground. No matter where I went in town I was likely to bump into someone I knew. It was home.

There were connections I had. I knew upon whom I could call for certain projects. When I wanted to form a creativity club I knew the people that would jump at the chance. If I needed an actor, or a stop sign put on a certain corner, or a prof to answer a question, those people were a phone call away and very willing to help out. I guess I’m sometimes homesick as much for the people as I am for the city.

But now we live in Orlando, Florida. It’s a wonderful place with beaches, palm trees, and Disney. Only in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined I would live in such a warm and exotic place. I tell Tammy nearly every day: “I love living in Florida!” Our daughter, son-in-law, and soon to be grandchild also live there. We’ve made many wonderful friends and great connections during our relatively short time in Florida. But that doesn’t mean I can’t get homesick when I occasionally go “home.”

Orlando is now my “home.” But Milwaukee will always be home. It will take time, but I’m certain Orlando will one day know me in similar ways as does Milwaukee. In the mean time it’s up to me to get to know my new “home” and its wonderful people.

What causes you to be homesick?

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Why Every Generation Might Be the Greatest Generation

The so-called “Greatest Generation” is losing members every day. Those wonderfully brave men and women were the ones who quickly and quietly went away (or stayed at home) to fight World War II. They are now a rare breed. It is my joy to get to know members of the Greatest Generation. I love hearing their stories. I respect them more than words can say. But they aren’t the only great ones. There are other great generations, too.

Tennis Shoes

Long before World War II this country fought other wars. One of them was the Civil War, or the War Between the States. It was ugly. It was deadly. It separated families. It tore apart our country. And it was waged on the backs of another great generation. Both sides sent men to war who hadn’t yet reached twenty years of age.

One such young man came from my wife’s lineage. Her father’s great uncle was David Wallace Proudfit. He was 19-years-old when he volunteered for the 40th Illinois Infantry. David was killed in the Civil War battle of Shiloh on April 6th, 1862.

It happened like this: He was shot through one arm, one shoulder and through the bowels in the afternoon of that day. Proudfit crawled a short distance to a little stream. He filled his canteen. Then he crawled back with water for his Captain, Bright Shirley, who was shot through the knee.

After he took the water to his captain, Proudfit took off one boot. He put it under his head for a pillow. He died right there in that spot before sundown. When Captain Shirley was carried off of the field, Proudfit was still alive. But when men came back for him he was dead.

Captain Shirley, while recruiting, visited the Proudfit home to relate details of the sad story. He was incredibly appreciative for the thoughtfulness provided him by a dying young man.

What I can’t get out of my mind was that he was nineteen-years-old. At that young age he gave his life in our nation’s ugly civil war.

Young people have always contributed significantly to our nation’s freedom and our nation’s greatness. Sometimes they don’t even have to give their lives. I am so very thankful for all those who so willingly serve us to support and defend our freedom.

I am also thankful for all the great young people who contribute to our nation in other ways. They are the ones who:

  • Start businesses
  • Labor in our factories
  • Serve us in hotels and restaurants
  • Excel in school
  • Make great art
  • Inspire us with thoughtful writing

I guess what I’m trying to say is that one need not be past the age of thirty to significantly contribute to society. I, for one, appreciate the younger generations. Over the course of our nation’s history some have given their young lives; others have used their lives to serve us in other ways.

I appreciate them so much that I wrote a book featuring their stories. This book called Fully and Creatively Alive: How to Live a More Joyfully Fulfilling Life, is in the final stages of design. I can’t wait for you to read how young people continue to make our nation great. I’m looking forward to them showing us how they can become another “greatest generation.”

How excellent would it be if wouldn’t have to sacrifice one more young life in the throes of war?

What great things have you seen young people do?

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Why Pokemon Go Isn’t the Worst Thing in the World

If you haven’t yet heard of Pokemon Go you’ve been living in a cave. It’s a game you download to your phone by way of an app. It uses GPS technology and algorithms to send players on a mission. The mission is to capture, battle, and train virtual creatures who appear in the real world.

iPhone Kids

Pokemon Go was released in the U.S. on July 6th. Since then it has taken America (and other countries) by storm. We spent a day of our vacation in historic downtown Franklin, Tennessee, and were amazed that the majority (really!) of the people walking down the street that afternoon were playing the game. Rarely have we witnessed such a cultural phenomena. It was even featured on the network national news.

There is some negative publicity about the game revolving around accidents crime. But for the most part, considering the millions of players, the game is going well. I, for one, would say that this mostly harmless little game isn’t the worst thing in the world.

Here’s why:

  1. Some of the so-called “gyms” are at churches. It should come as no surprise to you that I think this is a good thing. The church I serve happens to be used as a “gym” (a place where Pokemon battles take place) for the game. Some churches have really taken advantage of this and have provided cold water for players, have had one-on-one conversations, and have used it as an opportunity to serve people.
  2. It gets people moving and interacting with their environment. In order to catch the little creatures you have to move. People are discovering their neighborhoods and seeing places they’ve never seen before. Granted, much of the time their face is in the screen of the phone, but they have to look up every once in a while to see where they’re going. It’s also getting people out for at least a little bit of exercise.
  3. It’s intergenerational. I’ve seen kids playing alongside their parents. Adults are playing and now have something in common with children. It’s bringing people together over an admittedly silly topic, but it’s bringing people together nonetheless.
  4. It’s fun. The world is a dark and serious place…especially lately. Why not use a popular game as a fun distraction from it all?
  5. It benefits local business. Museums, National Parks, and malls have seen an uptick in business. A little boost to the economy helps people keep jobs and businesses make profit.

Sure, there may be some negatives to this whole craze. But let’s just enjoy the fun for a little while. When Pokemon Go is played correctly and safely it can have a positive impact on people…maybe even a positive spiritual impact.

What do you think about Pokemon Go?

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How to Build a Business in 3 Years

The other night I went to a birthday party. It wasn’t a party for a person. It was a 3rd birthday party for a business. Our future daughter-in-law, Emily, started the jewelry business three years ago with an idea and a web site. She threw such a beautiful party. I wish you could have been there. If you want to build a business you could do worse than follow the trajectory of this Nashville-based shop.

Jewelry

Even the birthday party itself was a savvy marketing tool. The first 25 people to come to the party received a free gift, including a tote bag and a ring. There was a steady stream of people coming through the shop. They checked out all the new products and sampled some snacks and drinks. People purchased jewelry and got a sneak preview of new lines that are coming soon.

Emily built a business that now has a large studio, a retail storefront, and even her own employees. Her jewelry is sold at retail outlets and by wholesale. She sells on her web site and at craft fairs all over the country. The proceeds from the business are enough to provide Emily’s only income.

As I’ve watched Emily from afar, I have observed her keys to building a successful business:

  1. She has a vision. From the very start Emily had in her mind a vision to build a business. You see it in the jewelry she made from the very beginning. Emily would go to the local flea market, find interesting pieces, and turn them into jewelry. Re-purposed pieces became her brand which then evolved into a very simply eclectic line today. The vision also included mercy and giving. Ten percent of the proceeds of the business go toward helping Honduran women start jewelry businesses of their own to support their families.
  2. She has persistence. Emily doesn’t give up. Even when their are unhappy customers or the setback of financial loss she fiercely moves forward and uses the difficult times as a lesson to build her business in the future. Her persistence has moved her from her home, to a primitive studio, and now to a beautiful space for making jewelry with a retail store in the front.
  3. She has foresight. Emily is always two steps ahead of the game. She knows enough to be planning lines of jewelry for the future. When she plans ahead it gives her team the opportunity to get ready for marketing, future orders, and opportunities for more creativity.
  4. She has a positive attitude. Don’t think for a minute that Emily hasn’t had setbacks. They have come from time to time. But what I love about Emily’s attitude is that she never seems to pessimistic or down when she encounters a cranky customer or makes a business mistake. She literally shrugs these things off and takes another step forward. There is always something to learn when you build a business…
  5. She has a hunger to learn. Emily listens to business podcasts and reads the books that feed her desire to learn. When you walk into her studio you will see a stack of books that any respectable business person should be reading. Emily knows that any business owner should never ever think they know it all. She should continue to be a student each and every day.

Want to build a business or any kind of organization? Follow these five steps and you will be well on your way to success. Before you know it you’ll be throwing your own birthday parties.

What would you add to this list?

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How to Get Yourself Into a Creative Zone

A creative zone is a tricky thing to find. You sit at the blank computer, canvass, or craft table and find your brain whiter than the screen. I have gone through this same struggle as I carried out a writing assignment this summer for a publishing company. Sometimes The Resistance showed up as I sat down to write.

White Room

But I found that a simple little three-step process helped move me through that paralysis. Here’s what I do:

  1. Find a comfortable place. For me it’s in the middle of our open-concept front room. I have a large table where I can spread out books and paper to help with my research. There is a relatively comfortable chair. Finally, I have the comfort of the room and windows all around me letting in the great outdoors.
  2. Spend some time bringing your brain into focus. For me that involves a small amount of time poking around social media. It’s a way that I let others unknowingly help me brainstorm ideas. When I see what others are saying and posting it fuels my creative spirit.
  3. Set your mind to the topic at hand. Once I shut off the social media I find a way to condense my thoughts into a single, one sentence theme. While I literally stare at the blank screen I focus on that one sentence theme and come up with an opening sentence for whatever it is I’m writing. That opening sentence is usually enough for me to find myself completely in the creative zone. The typing starts and I find it hard to stop.

Distractions are sure to come. But when they do, a creative will sit back down and start the process all over again. Yes, it takes time. But time spent creating something is time well spent.

If I haven’t reminded you lately I’ll remind you again: The world needs the art you have inside of you. Please don’t hold it in. Be bold and share it with us today. We will be better for it.

How do you get yourself into the creative zone?