orange appeal november/december 2015

Mark & Jennifer O’Mara

118 Faces of PhilanthropySome call them angels, others call them heroes, but at the end of the day they are true philanthropists —people who practice their love of humanity through caring, nourishing, developing and enhancing lives. We salute these representatives who are making our community and the world better every day through their acts. But for Annette and Gavin Ford, Deborah Linden, Jennifer and Mark O’Mara, Amy and Dan Fields, Josie and Mark NeJame, Kay and Phil Rawlins, and the Massey and Holm families, giving back is just what they do.

127 National Philanthropy DayThis annual event produced by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Central Florida Chapter, recognizes the profound impact philanthropy has on our community. The program honors individuals, corporations, foundations, civic and service groups, and nonprofit organizations whose efforts change the face of our community. This year’s honorees include John Lord, Kenneth F. Murrah, Doug Spencer, Jay Ryon, Valerie Mardle, Wells Fargo, Michelee Puppets, Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation and Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers.

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on the cover: Jennifer and Mark O’Mara photographed by Karen Smutz at The Alfond Inn. Story on page 118.

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10 THE LISTPeople, places and things: Fashionable, functional gifts; Gala gowns designed to be noticed; Ferragamo, Gucci and Neiman Marcus take the stage at Runway to Hope’s brunch; Fab fall fashions from Bloomindale’s; Women to Watch: Chief concierge Patricia Clifton and former Miss Floridas’ Forevers Foundation; Art on the Green returns to Central Park; A New Year’s Eve extravaganza at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts; Plans announced for Morgan & Morgan Home — A Safe Haven for Families at Harbor House.

48 BEAUTY, BODY & SPIRITBody and soul soothing gifts; Dr. Deborah Harding explains what you need to ask about your prescriptions; Bonnie Pierce and Tammy Smith: finding the time to work out is time well worth the investment.

62 TASTES & EXPERIENCESDelectable and festive gifts. Disney cruises are not just for the kids — there are plenty of adult options on board; the glitter and glamour of the annual Festival of Trees at the Orlando Museum of Art and other holiday happenings.

72 HOME & DESIGNHostess and gourmet gifts; Chef Jamie McFadden shares his home for the holidays memories and recipes; Designer Mary Margaret Vasquez illustrates the art of setting the table with some different resources.

80 AGENDACommunity and charity events: Orange Appeal’s birthday bash; Camaraderie Founda-tion’s American Patriot Gala; Shakespeare Theater’s season opening gala; Women’s Resource Center’s Summit Awards; Kids Beating Cancer’s Hats & Heroes Ball; Bridges of Light Foundation’s An Emmie Affair; Mennello Museum’s fashion luncheon; Nemours Children’s Hospital’s La Vie en Couleur; Spa Invitational to benefit Grace Medical Home; Assistance Fund’s Carnavalia; and more.

Orange Appeal makes a great gift any time! Subscribe at orangeappeal.com. Get all the event info by signing up for the e-newsletter or visiting our interactive website. For changes of address, please e-mail [email protected].

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this is a magical time filled with moments that will turn into mem-ories. It is probably no coincidence that it also marks my favorite few weeks of the year. Yes, there can

be hustle, bustle and that darn pie that fell apart, but in the end the sharing of meals among family and friends makes the crazy seem sweetly sane.

My immediate family was pretty small — my mother was an only child and my dad only had one sister. So for me, there was one aunt, one uncle and one set (although there were five) of cousins. So our holidays were often spent with just my parents and two sisters. It might have been fun to have more members in the mix, but we somehow carried on all the traditions of larger family reunions.

On Thanksgiving we got out the good china, crystal and sterling flatware, and set the table as nicely as we could. Food was plentiful — turkey with cornbread dressing,

pecan pie, and something called beans French — and after consuming countless calories we would go to the carnival for rides when I was younger, and gathered for football games and poker (only nickels, dimes and an occasional quarter) when I was older.

a season for

family

Christmas was not much different — except for the presents. And now, my immediate family has grown — I have two sons, two daughters and a grandson due to arrive on Christmas Eve. As the family has evolved the traditions have changed and adapted — we sometimes celebrate our Thanksgiving meal the evening before. The dishes have gotten a bit health-ier. And it’s less about presents and more about presence.

This season we haven’t even thought of the details as we will surely be gathering around a hospital bed to welcome Evan Robert Ashby. It’s a miracle and joy that’s truly priceless.

Wishing you all the miracles, joys and peace of the season!

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EDITOR & PUBLISHER

Christi [email protected]

ASSISTANT PUBLISHER

Kate [email protected]

MARKETING ASSOCIATE

Wendy [email protected]

CIRCULATION CONSULTANT

Mollie O’Shea

BUSINESS MANAGER

Robert Ashby

CONTRIBUTORS

Deborah Harding, MDChef Jamie McFaddenBonnie Pierce, CPT, RYTTammy Smith, RN, CPTMary Margaret VasquezAllison Kreiger Walsh

PHOTOGRAPHER

Karen Smutz

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Rita Tyrrell

FOR ADVERTISING:[email protected]

FOR EDITORIAL:[email protected]

FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS:[email protected]

orangeappeal.comCopyright 2015. No materials may be reproduced without permission. Please do not send unsolicited articles or photographs. Publisher not responsible for individual opinions contained herein.

Orange Appeal (Permit #201) is published bi-monthly by Appeal Media & Events Group, 1111 Charming St., Maitland, FL 32751. Printed in USA. Standard post-age paid at Harrisburg, PA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Orange Appeal, 1111 Charming St., Maitland, FL 32751

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Rita AdlerJane AshleyAndrea BatchelorLisa BlackwelderCynthia BlackwellBarb BowdenJill BussAnne ChinodaTricia EarlAnnette FordAnne KelleyGabriele GannawayShannon GravitteMichelle GreeneLaura GuitarLanette JarvisDr. Deborah HardingStephanie HenleyJuli JohnsonSusan JohnsonMary KennyEva KrzewinskiWendy KurtzHarriett LakeDeb LindenBeverly Marshall-LuneyMeredith McWatersAnna MobleyShelly MorganMegan MorrisLucille O’NealPamela J. PenrodSibille PritchardLeah ShepherdMarla SillimanPam SmithKimberlee StrongMargie SuppleeMelinda TinsleyWendy TramellCarla WarlowCarol WickAnnetta Wilson

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thelist Gifts — fun, fashionable and functional. Clockwise from top: TechCandy Selfie Snappin’ Stylus, $28, The Pink Chalet, Turkey Lake & Sand Lake roads, Dr. Phillips; Vera Bradley “Confetti Stripe” tech envelope, $40, Walk On Water, Colonial Town Park Lake Mary and Winter Park Village; Susan Shaw pearl tassel necklace, $65, Magnolias & Vine, Edgewater Drive, College Park; Betsy Johnson “Be My Sweetheart” wallet, $38, Mimi’s Boutique, The Grove at Isleworth; Spartina Style “Forever Friends” bracelet gift box set, $60, The Pink Chalet; Olivia Riegel “June Pearl” compact, $55, Owen Allen, Winter Park Village; Leatherock genuine leather mini handbag, $182, Magnolias & Vine.

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Neiman Marcus hosted a lovely luncheon and trend report show to benefit Kids Beating Cancer. And the fall/winter fore-cast calls for folkloric details (embroidery, lace and fringe), the last layer (dusters, ponchos and capes), white out (a wintery mix), modern fur (real or faux), and ear candy (cuffs, dangles and feathers). But we couldn’t resist the collection of gowns, perfect for gala season.

Flowing chiffons, rich brocades, full satin skirts, intricate beading, embroidered embellishments, simmering metallics and exquisite details were in abundance, meaning there is a style for everyone. The evening bags, wraps and delicious gems complemented, but did not take away from the eye-catching dresses.

Photographs by the Canovas

gala gowns

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THE LUXURIOUS PRESENTATION IN THE MALL AT MILLENIA’S GRAND COURT, part of the Mall’s 10th Anniversary Fashion Week, celebrated haute style and philanthropy. Hosted by Laura Brown, executive editor of Harper’s Bazaar, who added her own insightful and humorous commentary, the show featured elegant and on-trend ensembles from several major fashion houses including Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emporio Armani, Jimmy Choo and Neiman Marcus.

The special program benefitted Runway to Hope, which assists children and families facing pediatric cancer, and began with a champagne toast and gourmet brunch before Runway to Hope founders, Mark and Josie NeJame, took to the stage to introduce the program.

Afterwards guests continued to shop and enjoy champagne at participating retailers who also contributed a portion of sales proceeds to the organization.

FALL COLLECTION SPOTLIGHT

FERRAGAMO

GUCCI

NEIMAN MARCUS

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NEIMAN MARCUS

NEIMAN MARCUS

GUCCI

FERRAGAMO

All photographs by Cristy Nielsen

The Nielsens Photography

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the art of fashionholiday parties, soirées and galas

are in full swing and this sea-son’s options provide a variety of silhouettes and lengths. Stylist Tammara Kohler, Fused

Fashion, presented a white carpet show at The Art of Fashion, a gourmet luncheon at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando to ben-efit the Mennello Museum of American Art. The big takeaway? Whether flowing, structured, fitted, embellished, metallic, cut-out or illusion, magical moments are surely in store. All ensembles from Bloomingdales.

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PATRICIA CLIFTON EXUDES EXCELLENCEAs a world traveler, chief concierge and Les Clef d’Ors, USA, mem-

ber, Patricia Clifton has used her life experiences to navigate through

her career and amass a knowledge base that she now utilizes to help

others in the customer service industry. Her passion is teaching

excellence, and she recently shared her journey to this point in her

life at an Orange Appeal sponsored luncheon.

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Fresh out of high school and unsure of what to do, Patricia began working at a dental office in Winter Park. She would often faint at the sight of proce-

dures, so her boss recommended her for a position at the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, where she says she gained invaluable work experience.

But her first big adventure came when her husband got a work contract in Saudi Arabia, and so off they went with their two young sons. “We lived in this little town, and I was bored out of my mind,” she reveals. Because of her visa creden-tials, she was not allowed to work.

So she decided to start a travel company to see everything there was to see in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “I organized an ex-patriot travel group for women only within the kingdom of Saudi Arabi because I knew if we ever left there we would never be able to get back,” she explains. “We had to have letters of per-mission to travel from our husbands.”

While some considered the idea a risky one, Patricia explained that it was a very different situation back then and the women were welcomed with open arms at many of the hotels. “We got to see the most amazing things and when I tell you that they rolled out the red carpet for us they literally rolled a red carpet at our feet and helped us off the bus. They were so gra-cious,” she says. “They thought we were really special, and we were!”

During that time, her husband’s com-pany would pay for all the families to travel home once a year. Well Patricia figured out a way to take their tickets to Florida and turn them into around-the-world flights for just $200 more per person. They visited Africa, Egypt, Thailand, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Bali, and all of Europe. “That gave me a lot of knowledge about travel and it really gave me a lot of knowledge about hotels,” she explains. “Especially with young children, you real-ly learn how to work the system.”

The family ended up back in Orlando

for a bit before a stint in Dayton, Ohio and then to San Francisco for four years. “Dur-ing that time, I was bored to death again and I decided I wanted to learn another language,” she says. So Patricia learned sign language and still practices it today — often while driving in her car. “It gave me lots of animation that I didn’t really need but now with my business I use it a lot to get people’s attention,” she explains.

Eventually she divorced her husband and reveals she was really scared and at a loss for what to do next. She took some classes at Valencia College that at the time were for “displaced housewives.” She did some temp work and marketing and pub-lic relations jobs following that before landing at the Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando as the chief concierge.

She was hired by the general manager at the time Stuart Newmark. “Stuart is like the hospitality king of Central Florida,” she says. “Little did I know that I would be so incredibly lucky to be chosen by him to be his concierge. But I wasn’t sure what to do

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so I went to the library and I found the book on concierge called Ultimate Service. It was by a woman named Holly Stiel.”

Holly was a member of Les Clefs d’Or, USA, the only national organization of hotel lobby concierges. So Patricia thought to herself, “I know I can do this. At that point in my life I was 50 years old and I thought if I’m going to have a career with a title this is going to be it,” she adds. She found out she had to work in her position for five years before she could even qualify to apply. Her mentors, including Holly, encouraged her to get involved in her com-munity so she joined the Central Florida Concierge Association and worked her way up to president.

She used her position to garner spon-sorships and recommendations that lead to her Les Clef d’Or, USA, membership. “I just took it to heart. And with all the peo-ple that were already Les Clef d’Ors, I knew excellence was something that was so important to me,” she says.

Patricia knew she had a passion and gift for teaching excellence to young peo-ple, so she established a company, Great 2 Excellent, LLC. “I take a person that is great and I teach them how to be excel-lent,” she chimes. “I just go in and talk to them about the basics; about being hum-ble, sincere; and having that attitude of gratitude.”

She has already trained employees at Florida Hospital, The Mall at Millenia, City of Orlando and City of Winter Park, and The Alfond Inn, where she serves as the chief concierge. “I feel like I’ve come full circle,” she says. “I just feel like karma is so real because all those years I did things and learned. I don’t have a college degree. I just have life experiences and I’ve been so blessed to be living my passion.”

– Kate Slentz

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A LIFETIME OF SERVICE: Once a Miss Florida, Always a Miss Florida

by Allison Kreiger Walsh, Miss Florida 2006

“And your new Miss Florida is…” the seconds between the announcement feel drastically longer than reality. The only thing you can hear is your heart racing. The outcome will undoubtedly change your life forever.

For 80 women in the state of Florida those words catapulted us into a privileged role representing and serving our state. To be entrusted with such an honor and responsibility is both humbling and gratifying.

The job of Miss Florida is full time. Titleholders take a year off from school or their job to travel the state advocating for their personal platform, the Miss Florida Organization, the Everglades Foundation, and Children’s Miracle Network, the national philanthropy of Miss America. It is a whirlwind of a year! Thousands of miles are traveled fulfilling hundreds of appearances. Life-changing experiences occur and priceless memories are formed. I always said it was “a dream job with an expiration date” and this still holds true today.

Upon completion, you transition to a different role and become part of a lifelong sisterhood. Former Miss Florida titleholders, affectionately referred to as “Forevers,” gather annually to cel-ebrate the crowning of a new sister. Twelve Miss Floridas, including our reigning titleholder, MaryKatherine Fechtel, call Central Florida home.

Top: Allison Kreiger Walsh, left of Miss Florida 2015 MaryKatherine Fechtel, and several other Forevers at the annual crowning luncheon.

Bottom: The crowning sequence of the new Miss Florida 2015 MaryKatherine Fechtel

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The level of gratitude for the opportu-nity to be Miss Florida is evident in each of us. During preparations for the 80th anniversary in June, the Forevers decided to become more involved in supporting the newly crowned Miss Florida. As a result, The Forever’s Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit, was formed.

Miss Florida depends on the income generated through appearances, but often-times this is not enough to cover her extensive travel and financial obligations. Many generous sponsors help support Miss Florida and the Miss Florida Organi-zation through scholarship and in-kind donations. As Forevers we wanted to add to this support. To accomplish this, 32 Paths to the Crown and the Life Thereafter, a compilation of former Miss Floridas’ stories and most precious advice, helped generate funds for the Foundation. The money from book sales and online dona-tions at theforeversfoundation.org went partially toward the scholarship fund for the new Miss Florida; the remainder will be used to help supplement an apartment. Additionally, when searching for a car sponsor, Mary Sullivan, executive director of the Miss Florida Pageant, asked the Forevers for assistance. Miss Florida 1996, Jamie Bolding Becker, was successful in securing a car for the year so MaryKather-ine can fulfill all of her travel obligations.

As the pageant moves from St. Peters-burg to Lakeland in 2016, we are excited about continuing to raise funds to support the organization and the young women who will join our sisterhood. While the public perception of pageantry can some-times be skewed, the reality is that the experiences gained are transformative and provide a springboard for each title-holder’s future. We are thrilled Central Florida is the new home of the Miss Florida Pageant and hope we can create and foster additional support from our community to provide opportunities for many Miss Floridas to come!


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A SCULPTURAL CELEBRATION R E T U R N S TO WINTER PARKThere has been an ongoing focus on outdoor art in public places and one of the first exhibits of note will be back on display in November. Art on the Green, which takes place every three years in the 11-acre Central Park on Winter Park’s famed Park Avenue, will feature seven Miami-based artists: Lydia Azout, Robert Chambers, Maria Cristina Carbonell, Edouard Duval Carrie, Emmett Moore, Cristina Lei Rodriguez and Frances Trombly.

This year’s guest curator is Suzanne Delehanty, a nationally recognized consultant, who provides strategic planning and art advisory services to museums, foundations, government agencies as well as artists’ estates, individuals and corporations.

Love Life, 2011Maria Cristina CarbonellFiberglass, stainless steel and acrylic5'3" by 5'4"Courtesy of Tanya Brillembourg Capriles, Miami

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The seven sculptures will be on display from Sunday, Novem-ber 1, 2015 through Tuesday, March 1, 2016, concurrent with park hours. Visitors can begin their outdoor sculpture tour at the Cen-tral Park Rose Garden, located near the intersection of Park and New England avenues, or from anywhere in the park.

Members of the city’s Public Art Advisory Board, composed of leading citizens and patrons of the arts, launched the series in

La Porte d’Haiti, 2014Edouard Duval CarrieWood, aluminum and paint12' by 12' by 12'

Points of Pine, 2014Emmett MoorePine decking, hardware and aniline dye8' by 16' by 5"Courtesy of Gallery Diet, Miami

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2006 to mark the 100th anniversary of Central Park as part of the city’s long-standing commitment to the arts.

Art on the Green is a public/private partnership with substantial funding coming from the private sector. Art on the Green 2012 included eight sculptures selected by curator Olga Viso, director of the internationally recognized Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, which were exhibited in Central Park and City Hall lawn to cele-brate the renovations of City Hall and its surroundings.

In celebration of the improvements to Central Park, Art on the Green 2010 featured the exhibition of two sculptures: Dwellings in Red by Barbara Sorensen near Park and New England avenues, and Trailer by Chris Scala near the Emily Fountain.

Currently on permanent exhibition in Shady Park, Art on the Green 2008 feature Molecular Dog/C3H8 by renowned sculptor Robert Chambers. This “dog” is actually a strategically configured sculpture of a propane molecule showcasing art and science, and designed to bring attention to the importance of ecology in today’s world.

For more information, visit cityofwinterpark.org/aog.

Guardian Solar 5 of 2003Lydia AzoutSolid steel9'5" x 7'2" x 7'2"

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thelistRing in the New Year in Grand StyleIf big sounds and bright stars are your idea of a grand celebration, your wish has been granted. Emmy and Tony Award winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth will headline a New Year’s Eve event presented by Dr. Phillips Charities at the Walt Disney Theater in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. She will be joined on stage by actor, singer and songwriter Cheyenne Jackson.

A diminutive diva (in the true sense) full of spunk and pizazz, KRISTIN CHENOWETH may be most remembered by

Broadway lovers everywhere for her origi-nation of the role of Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked, which earned her a Tony Award nomination. She received an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the ABC series Pushing Daisies and lit up the stage of McKinley High as a former student, who returned to town with more than the baggage from her flight, on Fox’s hit com-edy, Glee.

In her role as Glee’s quirky ex-song-stress, April Rhodes, she was nominated for two Emmy Awards and a People’s Choice Award in the category of “Favorite TV Guest Star.” In July, Kristin received the coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Live Theatre/Perfor-mance. She recently made her return back

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thelistto Broadway, playing the glamorous film star Lily Garland in the Roundabout The-atre Company’s On the Twentieth Century, which has received rave reviews and earned her several awards, including Dra-ma Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Broadway.com Audience Choice Award.

CHEYENNE JACKSON starred on Broadway opposite Henry Winkler, Ari Graynor and Alicia Silverstone in David West Read’s play The Performers. He also appeared in Steven Soderbergh’s movie Behind The Candelabra, a Liberace biopic with Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, as well as the NBC TV pilot Mockingbird Lane. On and off Broadway, Cheyenne has starred in 8, Finian’s Rainbow (Drama Desk nomination), Damn Yankees, Xanadu (Drama League and Drama Desk nomina-tions) The Agony & the Agony, All Shook Up (Theater World Award, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle nominations) the pre-miere cast of Altar Boyz, Aida, Thoroughly Modern Millie, On the 20th Century, and The 24 Hour Plays.

On television, he has recently signed on to Ryan Murphy’s fifth season of American Horror Story and was seen on NBC’s 30 Rock, portraying series regular Danny Baker, and he played Dustin Goolsby, the new coach of Vocal Adrenaline on the TV series Glee. Other television credits include Family Practice, Life on Mars, Ugly Betty, It Takes a Village, Curb Your Enthusi-asm, CSI, Full Circle, and Local Talent.

The doors open for guests at 8pm, the show starts at 10pm and the after-party in the lobbies of the arts center goes until 2am. Tickets start at $110 and include: show, two drink tickets, champagne at intermission, party favors, after-party entertainment and after-party desserts. Tickets may be purchased by calling 844-513-2014, by visiting the box office or going online (drphillipscenter.org).

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IRIS APFEL and BAJALIA’STRUNK ofTREASURES

Locally-based Bajalia, a global fair trade retail and wholesale provider of home, fashion and jewelry goods handmade by artisans in underdeveloped economies, founded by Debbie

Farah in 2009, recently realized the ulti-mate collaboration with the fashionista’s fashionista Iris Apfel.

Debbie has worked with a variety of designers, celebrities, diplomats, CEOs and political leaders, but she considers partnering with friend Iris Apfel as the ultimate collaboration. “I have had so much joy working with her on several projects including the Neiman Marcus fantasy gift. She is one of those women who only needs a first name, you know them — Cher, Madonna, Hillary and a few more,” Debbie says.

The Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, known for its fantastical — and often one-of-a-kind — offerings features the Iris Apfel for Bajalia Trunk of Accessories on page 41 for $80,000. Its description includes: “More is more, less is a bore!” is the style man-tra of 94-year-old fashion icon Iris Apfel. Her souk-meets-haute-couture style earned her a 2005 Metropolitan Museum of Art retrospec-tive. This Ikat-embellished trunk comes filled

Debbie Farah (on right) with Iris Apfel in the background

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How the two women got to this point is a great story of mutual admiration and respect. Debbie explains she had followed the fashion icon from afar until they met about eight years ago at an international trade show when she tried to buy the jew-elry off of Debbie’s neck.

“I said no, as I was wearing an antique piece from my collection. I was amassing

my own global treasure trove as I traveled internationally. One day I thought I would have a collection that would be the baby sister to hers. I promised her that when I traveled back to that area in India I would seek out a similar piece for her, yet she never gave me her contact information,” Debbie explains, thinking nothing would come of the encounter.

with accessories and vintage finds hand-crafted by women globally and inspired by her own personal collection. With purchase of the Iris Apfel Trunk of Accessories, Neiman Marcus will donate $5,000 to The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation. This gift includes lunch and a styling session with Iris.

For Debbie the second thrill came when Iris and the fabulous trunk were recently showcased on the Today show. She had to be on set to begin the process of filling and decking out the trunk at 4am, but that was a small price to pay for the priceless exposure. And Iris was happy to participate in every way.

“I have always had a passion for ethnic jewelry, and the jewelry Debbie is able to bring in is helping to keep the art of so many cultures alive. Working with Debbie and Bajalia on this collection for Neiman Marcus and helping women globally keep their art and craft alive while providing for their families, I see this as a great responsibility, and a great honor,” Iris says.

Iris Apfel and Debbie Farah


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you already seen everything, you are 94?’ I would also have to remind her as we col-laborate, when she says ‘I’ve seen that,’ ‘Iris there are other younger women who haven’t seen as much as you have.’”

Debbie feels she has learned so much from Iris — and continues to do so. But this fantasy gift the ladies concocted was their first real project together.

“As Iris and I talked about who we could do a collection for we created a bucket list, and of course the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book was at the top of that list. On my first trip overseas to volunteer and work with women I saw some incredible products. And I thought to myself if these items were not on a floor in a remote village, but instead were in the Neiman Marcus catalog this picture would look very differ-ent. Since starting my company after working at Neiman Marcus as a creative director, I knew that would be a bar I wanted to reach. So now we launch not only a collection, but the most fabulous fantasy gift of all,” she says.

While this holiday fantasy may be one season only, Debbie has even bigger dreams. “My fantasy to help employ women glob-ally is a reality, but the good works will continue. This collaboration has been one of the most creative of my career,” she adds.

Yet two years later the women connected again at a New York event. “She asked if I ever bought her that piece from India. Never have I underestimated her memory again. Lucky for me I had picked up some antique pieces, and that began a friend-ship and working/shopping relationship with Iris,” she adds.

The women launched their HSN collec-tions about a year apart with no knowledge

the other was doing the same and began to see each other in the hotel in Florida, at the HSN studio, and when Debbie trav-eled to New York.

“She always asks me for ‘the old stuff’ as if we are making some secret deal. As we shopped together at trade shows, I would ask her, ‘What are you looking for?’ She would say ‘something new and differ-ent.’ I wondered out loud to her, ‘haven’t

Iris Apfel

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A NEW SAFE HAVEN FOR FAMILIES

The Morgan family, longtime philanthropists John and Ulti-ma have now made a dream a possibility for thousands of families in need of safe harbor.

The ground has been broken on a new 119-bed emergency housing facility named the Morgan & Morgan Home — A Safe Haven for Families at Harbor House of Central Florida, Orange County’s only state-certified domestic violence organiza-tion. The nonprofit also launched the pub-lic phase of the capital campaign to finish the building.

“Going into this project, we had a vision of a ‘temporary home’ filled with light and hope,” says Ruffin Rhodes, project archi-tect and Harbor House board member from Rhodes+Brito Architects. “This new home will provide a shining light at the end of the tunnel for domestic abuse survi-vors, showing them help is here and they really can dare to hope for a better life — a life where they regain their dignity and provide a peaceful, loving home for their children. We call the project ‘Building Courage,’ because it takes such incredible courage for survivors to leave their abuser.”

Last year, Harbor House reached more than 15,000 domestic abuse survivors through its outreach services. The current shelter includes 102 beds, but has averaged 147 temporarily living on the campus, nightly, over the last year.

“Because our survivors face life-and-death situations, we always find a place for their families to stay,” says Carol Wick, CEO of Harbor House of Central Florida. “When we’re over capacity, they often-times have to sleep on cots, sofas and air mattresses located in common living


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areas with no privacy and no private bath-room. There’s no doubt that we keep fami-lies safe and secure; but the original build-ings (dating back to 1976) are dark, dingy and dilapidated. It’s critical to increase the number of beds and provide a place where survivors can immediately begin to regain their dignity.”

The new facility was designed to bal-ance two distinct needs: the survivors’ psychological needs for a warm, healing, home-like environment; and a cost-effec-tive facility that can be built and main-tained efficiently without feeling cold or institutional.

The new emergency home is 27,500 square feet and will house up to 136 par-ents and children in 20 bedrooms. Each bedroom will have built-in bunk beds with stairs, and will sleep six people because of the bunk beds’ unique trundle design. Every survivor will have their own bed behind a locked bedroom door, allow-ing for the privacy and dignity anyone would require to heal.

The new home also includes four pri-vate bedrooms, which Orlando Health helped to design, for moms with new-borns. These rooms will also meet the spe-cial needs of guests with disabilities; and provide a private living space when men with children seek safety.

“We’re much more than a shelter; we help survivors find safety through court advocacy, a 24-7 crisis hotline, and 12 com-munity outreach offices in Orange County,” Carol adds. “Even so, today our focus is on the groundbreaking for this new, innova-tive building, designed by survivors for survivors to reduce trauma and meet their unique needs. Each investment in this new temporary home for survivors will also help other survivors around the world.”

For more information about the organi-zation or the capital project visit harbor-housefl.com.

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beautybody&spiritGifts — beauty, body and spirit. Clockwise from top: Lisa Anderton Art “Psalm 91:11” original artwork, $70, Magnolias & Vine, Edgewater Drive, College Park; Mangiacotti “Clementine” whipped body lotion, $16.95, The Pink Chalet, Turkey Lake & Sand Lake roads, Dr. Phillips; Olivia Riegel gold crown soap dispenser, $30, Owen Allen, Winter Park Village; Eclectic by Tom Dixon “Cell” tea light holder, $60, Ted Maines Interiors, Orange Avenue, Winter Park; Abyss & Habidecor Fine European Towels makeup towel, $72, The Paper Shop, Park Avenue, Winter Park; LaBella Bath & Body all-natural, handmade, organic soaps, $8 each, LaBella Intimates & Boutique, Park Avenue, Winter Park; Ecelectic by Tom Dixon “Etch” tea light holder, $85, Ted Maines Interiors.

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How does this medicine work?So many people are willing to take pre-scription medications without having any clue as to what those pills are actually doing inside their bodies. Your doctor is the best source to give you an understand-ing about how particular medicines work. So ask your doctor to explain to you what goes on inside your body and the best time to take the pills. For instance, cholesterol medicines are best taken at night and thy-roid medications in the morning, before food, on an empty stomach.

What kinds of side effects, negative interactions, or other issues are possible?You must understand that all pharmaceu-ticals have the potential for side effects.

tions, physical activity, etc., so make sure whatever you’re taking will help you rather than harming you.

If I don’t take this medicine, what will happen?Frequently, a doctor will notice what may appear to the patient to be a minor ailment during a routine checkup and prescribe a pill to counteract it. Talk with your doctor about why you need this medication. Find out the pros and cons of the medicine. Is the ailment potentially vitally important, or is it minor? If taking the medicine will lead to little or no positive changes, you should seriously consider whether it’s worth it or not. On the other hand, if the medicine might save your life, you should consider putting up with some adverse

Prescription Medications: THE QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK

These days you will frequently walk away from an appointment with your

doctor with a prescription in hand, but do you really know what it is you are

supposed to be taking? There are thousands of different medications out

there, and while it would be hard to know about all of them, you should

have at least a basic knowledge about the ones you’re taking. Just like the

ingredients of a good recipe, you must know the health implications of your

prescribed medications, particularly when you may be taking them for a

long period of time.

Also, you should do your own research to learn as much as you can about your

health condition, and find out about conventional lines of treatment and also

possible non-prescription, natural, alternative therapies that may be available

to try before prescription medications. This way you and your doctor can

work as a team to make important health decisions. Before you agree to

start taking any medications, you should ask your doctor these questions:

by Deborah Harding, MD, Harding Medical Institute

The likelihood and severity of any side effect can differ from person to person. Doctors typically prescribe a medicine when they feel that the benefits are much greater than the potential side effects. Usually, the last thing you want is to start taking a medication that makes you feel horrible, brings on awful side effects, or has a bad reaction with something else you are taking.

Drug interactions and allergies to spe-cific drugs can significantly harm your health. Make sure to tell your doctor about your existing supplements, medications and drugs that can possibly interact and cause harmful side effects. This question is all about safety and should be one of your top priorities. Some medications don’t mix well with alcohol, other medica-

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effects. Is there a better alternative, even if it might be more costly or not covered by some insurance plans?

Is there a natural option or holistic alternative available?Doctors can often overlook natural reme-dies for the sake of pharmaceutical solu-tions. However, if you directly ask about

available holistic alternatives, they may be more willing to talk you through your options. Diet changes, physical activity changes, and other lifestyle changes can sometimes have a greater effect on your health than any medications. The best part is that these solutions usually don’t come with side effects! Sometimes they may augment the effects of a medication.

Will this medicine fix the problem or treat the symptoms?Do you want to take a medicine that will just disguise the problem rather than fix-ing it? In some cases this can be very help-ful, such as taking pain medications after a surgery, but in others it might actually be causing other unnecessary issues for you. This is especially true when you are prescribed one pill to deal with the side effects of another pill. Once this slippery slope has started, you have to ask yourself if the original medication is necessary or not. If it is, there might be other ways of taking care of the negative symptoms it gives you. Your body is an amazing work of art that can take care of itself fairly well if you just give it the right tools. Are your medicines improving the state of your body or just changing how it feels in cer-tain situations?

Did you schedule enough time with your doctor to allow enough time to communicate effectively with you?Many doctors have thousands of active patients. Because of this, it is sometimes difficult to spend quality time with each individual patient. Schedule a longer appointment. Choose a practice that pro-vides frequent, unhurried appointments with plenty of time to answer your ques-tions.

Communication with your doctor and being actively involved in your care is criti-cally important and will result in a better understanding, fewer complications, im-proved compliance, and a healthier you.

Dr. Deborah Harding is board certified in

internal medicine, sleep disorder medicine

and anti-aging medicine. The Harding

Medical Institute is located in MetroWest.

Learn more at hardingmedicalinstitute.com.

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FINDING TIMEDo a two-day inventory and keep track of exactly how you spend your time. You might find you have more downtime than you think. Often those extra moments are hidden in little chunks throughout the day making it easy to miss, but writing it down helps you to see the time lapses. Okay, 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there… and then, perhaps you accumulate a total of 30 min-utes. Experts say to do 2 1/2 hours of mod-erate activity a week. Decide to harvest that extra time and chop it into 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week. Now break down those 30 minutes a day into three 10-minute intervals. Surprisingly, you’ll reap the same benefits as those dedi-cating themselves to the longer workouts. According to the latest science, not only do multiple short sessions of exercise gener-ally provide the same health and fitness benefits as a comparable amount of exer-cise completed in one uninterrupted work-out, but by some measures, the briefer bouts are better.

WHY MAKE TIME TO EXERCISE?If we could bottle the benefits of exercise, it would be one of the major ingredients of a magic elixir concocted to cure most of our ailments. Exercise has been known to boost your mood; helps control your weight and combat health conditions and diseases; pro-motes better sleep and may even improve your sex life. Committing to one half hour of exercise isn’t a burden if you take the sug-gested 10-minutes-at-a-time approach. Now, when you see yourself exercising, you can forget about the intimidating stock images of “healthy women” trotting on a treadmill or looking tired and sweaty leaning on a piece of gym equipment (you know what I’m talking about — she’s usually a brunette, in a ponytail with a towel casually draped over one shoulder). Take the knowledge you’ve gained from your two-day time inven-tory and imagine a healthier version of yourself, perhaps walking around the field where your child practices soccer. See yourself nodding confidently as you pass the

people waiting in their cars knowing that you’re smart enough to take advantage of this small amount of spare time to improve your health and well-being.

Other opportunities to log in your workout time can be found in many of the things you do during the day. Many house-hold chores, for example, will get your heart rate going faster. A faster heartbeat and increased breathing are what define moderate-level activity. But if you’re lucky enough to have a housekeeper, don’t fire them, there’s other ways of fitting short bursts of activity into your day:

At Home• Take a few 10-minute walks or bike

rides during the day. • Use an exercise DVD for a little while in

the morning and a little while in the evening.

• Use a free smartphone app or online exercise video.

• Take a 10-minute dance break with your husband or children.

FITTING IN FITNESS:Making Time to Care for Yourselfby Bonnie Pierce, CPT, RYT, and Tammy Smith, RN, CPT

“I don’t have time” is the grown-up version of “the dog ate my homework.”

Putting yourself first doesn’t mean you don’t care about others. It means

you’re smart enough to know you can’t help others if you don’t help

yourself first. As personal fitness trainers, we encourage our clients to

realize the importance of this mantra. We’ve found that “lack of time”

is the common excuse most women give for skipping exercise. Time

maybe one of the ultimate limited resources but finding the time to

work out is time well worth the investment.

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bb&s• Push the lawn mower, pull weeds or

clean your pool.• Wash the car or clean the garages.• Play Frisbee, hopscotch or jump rope

with your (or your neighbors’) children.• Walk or bike to the store.• Read the newspaper on the treadmill

or a stationary bike.

At Work• Use your commute to do some extra

walking. Park several blocks away, or get off the bus a few stops early.

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.• Suggest holding meetings with

colleagues during a walk inside or outside the building.

• Go the extra distance when possible: Get your coffee on another floor (use the stairs) or use the restroom that's the farthest from your office.

• If you need to speak to a coworker, walk to that person's office or station

rather than using e-mail or the phone. • Use your morning and afternoon

breaks to take quick 15-minute walks.

Anytime• Try to add accidental exercise into

your day. Stand during phone calls, take the elevator instead of the stairs, or park in the very back spot at the grocery store.

• Use a pedometer (or any of the newer fitness-tracking technologies) and get your steps up to 10,000 per day. Make these steps into greater calorie burners by doing some interval walking. In other words, as you are out for a walk, speed walk for a block and then slow yourself down for the next block. This is a great way to increase the intensity of your walks and get your heart pumping which will help you lose weight faster.

• Incorporate simple exercises using natural opportunities throughout your

day to sneak in exercise. For example, do some squats when you are waiting for water to boil, lunge down the hallway to get the laundry or do crunches as you are watching TV.

Mini workouts are a quick, efficient way to burn calories and promote muscle growth as fast and efficiently as possible. By enhanc-ing your life with the benefits of exercising, you and your family will have a longer time to share all the love and support you’ll have to offer in the years to come...

Bonnie Pierce, certified personal trainer and

fitness instructor, and Tammy Smith, RN, certi-

fied trainer, and certified wellness and food

coach, operate Lifestyle Management Group,

located at the Village at Lake Lily in Maitland.

To contact: call at 407-252-6541, email Bonnie

at [email protected], or Tammy at

[email protected].

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tastes&experiences Gifts – indulgent, delicious and festive. Clockwise from top: Barnie’s Coffee Kitchen Peppermint Bark and Santa’s White Christmas 20th Anniversary Celebration! 10 oz bags ground coffee, $10 each, Barnie’s Coffee Kitchen, Park Avenue, Winter Park; Kate Spade “Salut!” tidbit plates, $35, Mimi’s Boutique, The Grove at Isleworth; Peterbrooke holiday milk chocolate pops (also available in white, dark, bittersweet and sugar-free), starting at $2 each or part of a gift basket, Peterbrooke Chocolatier, Park Avenue, Winter Park; Michael Aram “Olive Branch” mini pitcher, $100, The Paper Shop, Park Avenue, Winter Park; Owen Allen Christmas wine towel, $12, Owen Allen, Winter Park Village; MacKenzie Childs “Bon Bon” bottle stopper, $26, Owen Allen; MudPie spoon rest, $17, Walk On Water, Colonial Town Park Lake Mary and Winter Park Village; Two’s Company “Oh Dear” ceramic mug with deer spoon, $15, The Pink Chalet, Turkey Lake & Sand Lake roads, Dr. Phillips.

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DISNEY CRUISING: It’s Not Just for the Kidsby Christi Ashby

So one recent Friday we boarded the Disney Dream for a quick three-night trip that would stop in Nassau one day and Disney’s own island, Castaway Cay, the next. We could be back at work before noon on Monday.

Since Disney has its own terminal at Port Canaveral, registering and board-ing were fairly quick and easy. A technological marvel, the ship has a classic,

stream-lined shape with distinctive coloring, unlike the big boxy look of many large liners. Fun fact: At 1,115 feet, the Disney Dream is longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (1,063 feet) and of New York City’s famous Chrysler Building (1,047 feet).

And the Disney magic is everywhere — even the horn which is able to sound the first musical line of “When You Wish Upon a Star” as well as the second line of the song (“makes no difference who you are”), plus several measures of “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me),” “It’s a Small World,” “Be Our Guest,” “Hi Diddle Dee Dee (An Actor’s Life for Me)” and “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.” This makes the sail away quite different.

We took to the top deck for the celebratory departure from shore — and found there was an adult area with a bustling bar and lively conversation. I even spotted HGTV star David Bromstad among the revelers, and he was happily posing for selfies (no sticks in sight).

Before our dinner — we were scheduled for the late seating — we took some time to study our state room, which was fairly large with the veranda view (and open balcony). Full of high-tech features and comfortable ones too, the two bath areas (one with sink and toilet and the other with a sink and shower/tub) definitely make getting ready easier. All the linens are upgraded with plush bath towels and deluxe bed linens by Frette.

Before dinner we headed to Meridian, a surprisingly cozy spot with spectacular views and authentic nautical décor. It is just one of several adult lounges that are tucked away and quite intimate for such a large vessel.

The thought of experiencing a Disney cruise with no children seemed a little, well, silly at first. I imagined lots of characters intertwined with boisterous groups of kids, juvenile menus and few adult activities. But I wanted to check it all out before becoming a grandparent.

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t&eOur first dinner was at Animator’s Pal-

ate, a whimsical environment — pillars are fashioned like huge pencils and brushes that come to life through animation. At one point the screens around the room feature characters that interact with the diners. And even though this is a family dining restaurant, we were graciously seated in a quiet corner to enjoy our multi-course meal.

The next morning we slowly cruised into port and the early morning skies were like paintings as the sun peeked out turn-ing them from deep blues and pinks into golden hues. There are several options for breakfast, but we preferred full service versus buffets and landed in the Royal Palace. Inspired by Disney classics Cin-derella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, and Sleeping Beauty, the restaurant features the lavish sur-roundings of an elegant dining room fit for a grand palace. Everywhere were homages to glass slippers, coaches and tiaras.

We did finally disembark and quickly made some stops in Nassau, but decided there was more to offer on the Dream. Lunch was at the all-day dining Cabanas wrapped around the upper deck with full ocean views and a variety of food stations. We had day passes for Senses Spa & Salon’s Rainforest area with a steam bath, steam room, tiled sauna and aromatic showers, evoking everything from a waterfall to tropical rain to a refreshing mist. We had to wait a bit for an available whirlpool hot tub right on the ocean deck, but it was worth it. After the peaceful soak we napped in the heated mosaic tile relax-ation chairs before heading back out to the adult pool area to spend the rest of the afternoon.

We were especially excited about our dinner in Palo, a Venetian-inspired space with modern Italian cuisine, an extensive wine list and very romantic setting (adults only). The food and service were excep-tional. The other adult restaurant is Remy, a very sophisticated, art nouveau setting and French-inspired, gourmet cuisine by two award-winning chefs: Chef Arnaud Lallement from l’Assiette Champenoise, a Michelin three-star restaurant just outside Reims, France, and Chef Scott Hunnel from award-winning Victoria & Albert’s here at Walt Disney World Resort.

The best day by far was the next when we arrived at the Disney-owned Castaway Cay, where we swam, soaked and floated in the most beautifully clear waters for most of the day in Serenity Bay — the adult portion of the island with servers out on the beach to pamper you. The tram rides to and from the area gave us a chance to see the other activity areas. If lounging is not your thing, you can charter a boat for offshore recreation like snorkeling, fishing, parasailing and sightseeing.

With our last night looming we decided to visit the adult clubs in the District — the District Lounge with live music; the 687 Pub sports bar; Skyline, a chic bar with changing views of world-famous skylines; and dance club Evolution. But we settled in Pink for a champagne toast before din-ner in the Royal Palace. Afterward we found ourselves back at Meridian for a final night cap.

On day four we awoke to find we were already back at Port Canaveral. We were not sure how long it would take to disembark and get through customs so we decided to grab breakfast first. Once we had our lug-gage ready the process was so expedient we were on the road by 9:15am. And I had no excuse not to get back to work!

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, visit disneycruise.com.

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’O Christmas Tree, ’O Christmas Tree!Growing up my favorite holiday pastime was decorating the Christmas tree.

I seemed to be the only family member that took interest in this holiday tradition

besides my mother (I will give my dad credit for helping haul in the fresh-cut

tree). Mom would string up the lights and I would spend hours meticulously

placing each ornament (they have to be evenly spaced and placed) as Aaron

Neville or Michael Bublé crooned holiday classics from our stereo.

by Kate Slentz

Today, I carry on the tradition in my own home. While it doesn’t compare to the fresh firs from my childhood, I still get excited about decorating our fake, pre-lit tree purchased a few Black Fridays ago. I start by placing the mean-ingful ornaments first — the ones that were gifted to me by parents and rela-tives or were collected on various travels or shopping excursions. Then I fill

in the gaps with glittery red, green and gold bulbs until the tree sparkles just so. The tradi-tional star topper adds the final touch as I sit back and admire my handiwork all season long.

For me, Christmas trees signify the season and remind me to reflect on my many bless-ings. Every year I look forward to Festival of Trees, presented by Council of 101, at the Orlando Museum of Art. During the fundraising event, the halls of the museum are filled with extravagant, designer-decorated trees, breathtaking displays of wreaths and tabletop trees, and gingerbread masterpieces. These items are created, decorated and generously donated by community volunteers. We asked a couple of long-time tree designers to share they thoughts on why they participate.

KATHY GRIMES, STEINWAY PIANO GALLERIESWhy do you participate in Festival of Trees every year?Because it’s so much fun!!! And for such a good cause.

How long have you been involved? How did you get involved?We have been involved since 2002. We first attended the gala in 2001 and decided it was such an awesome event that we wanted to be involved. We also provide the pianos for the Museum’s use at the gala.

Tell me about your decorating process. How long does it take? How many people? The tree is usually finished in one day. I have done it by myself as well as had a helper or two. We have a vignette, so I work on that a day or two depending on what my theme is that year.

Where do you find/get inspiration for your trees?I have a sales rep that comes around March or April with his truck full of Christmas decorations. I usually get a catalog beforehand so I have an idea of what I am wanting. His trailer was stolen one year, so now I have to rely strictly on the catalog. I plan my vignette around whatever tree theme I have chosen.

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Share a little about your tree for this year.My tree this year will be “whimsical.” It is, I suppose, a traditional tree with a snow-man theme.

ALICE GRIBBLE, GRIBBLE INTERIOR GROUPWhy do you participate in Festival of Trees every year?We enjoy participating because it’s some-thing different than our day-to-day proj-ects and we like the fact that we are help-ing the Museum raise money.

How long have you been involved? How did you get involved?We have been involved in the Festival of Trees since 1994. It has been so long that we don’t remember how we got involved but we are happy to be a part of it.

Tell me about your decorating process. How long does it take? How many people? We start by finding an inspiration piece, which could be a fabric, furniture or an accessory, and we develop a theme from that. Our process for a tree and vignette takes about four to six weeks and involves three to four people.

Where do you find/get inspiration for your trees? We are inspired by objects, magazines and furniture/accessory shows that we attend. We don’t really have a signature theme or item, but we always try to have a good mix of styles.

Share a little about your tree for this year.Our theme is a bit more fun this year with traditional pieces but a more modern color scheme. Our inspiration came from a painted mantle in our showroom.

This year’s Festival of Trees Jingle All the Way takes place November 14 – 22 at the Orlando Museum of Art. It will be open daily


t&efrom 10am-5pm with several special events throughout the week, including an opening gala on Friday, November 13. For the full schedule of events, visit omart.org/events/fes-tival_of_trees.

OTHER HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Christmas at the CasaCelebrate the holidays with Casa Feliz at its sixth annual holiday open house, “Christmas at the Casa,” taking place Wednesday, December 2 from 6-8:30pm. The event is sponsored through a generous grant from Commerce National Bank and Trust in Winter Park. As in years past, guests can have photos taken with Santa, enjoy hot cocoa and cookies, admire the beautiful Christmas decorations at Casa Feliz (courtesy of Lee Forrest Design), and enjoy a quartet of Dickensian Carollers. There is no charge to attend, but a donation of $2 per person, or $5 per family is suggested. Professional Santa portraits are available for $10. For additional information visit casafeliz.us.

IMAGES: Holiday Tour of Homes The IMAGES Tour of Homes, presented by Atlantic Center for the Arts, features six very different, must-see homes fabulously decorated for the holidays by area florists and showcas-ing the unique charm of New Smyrna Beach. This is a favorite event of the Central Florida community, and groups of friends attend year after year as a kick-off to the holiday season. The popular IMAGES Boutique is included in your tour and features handmade items created by ACA’s Volunteer League. The event will be held Saturday, December 5 from 9am-3pm. Tickets: $25, ACA Members $20. For full details visit imagesartfestival.org or call 386-423-4733.

Check orangeappeal.com for a complete listing of events all

season long!

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Gifts – exquisite, detailed, conversation pieces. Clockwise from top: Monograms for the Home by Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, $40, Owen Allen, Winter Park Village; Shiraleah Chicago photo frames, $47.50 and $52.50, Magnolias & Vine, Edgewater Drive, College Park; Beatriz Ball “Croc” square bowl, $45, Magnolias & Vine; Tom Dixon “Air” scented candle, $115, Ted Maines Interiors, Orange Avenue, Winter Park; Shiraleah Chicago coasters, $19.50, Magnolias & Vine; Ralph Lauren “Broughton” vodka glasses, $395, set of 4, The Paper Shop, Park Avenue Winter Park; Lladró “The Guest” ceramic figure, $905, Ted Maines Interiors.

home&design

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home for the holidaysIf you take a moment to reflect on the holiday season, what it represents and truly means to each of us, this joyful time can often be summarized with one word: memories.

by Chef Jamie McFadden

memories that take us back to holidays past, or the memories we long to create in the future are everlasting

and the building blocks for creating tradi-tion. For most, the roads we travel through life twist and turn — addresses change, families grow, time seems to fly by. I often ask friends to share a holiday memory by reflecting back to the road, street, avenue or boulevard where they celebrated holi-days early in life.

So often these were the places where tradition had true meaning and was rep-resented in many things, but most often in the kitchen. Holiday food memories frequently were created from cherished recipes passed down from generation to generation, and sometimes there were no recipes at all. Boxed mash potatoes, canned cranberry sauce, frozen pies — for many these food memories live in the hearts of people we know, and more often than not put a smile on their faces when thinking back.

For me personally, aromas are what trigger holiday food memories, particular-ly the aroma of bourbon-soaked cheese-cloth. Observing my mom's autumn ritual of the weekly "feeding" of homemade fruitcakes with a good bourbon, whisky or brandy will forever resonate with me. You see, these time-consuming little cakes were given out to family and friends as Christmas gifts around the second week

of December, so the preparation normally began mid-October. Once a week over an eight-week period we would transport the cakes from our cool basement cellar to our dining room table. The cheesecloth that encased these delights would be gently folded back and jiggers of bourbon would re-moisten their dense texture. The final product would be placed in artful holiday tins and distributed to a select few — the folks who my parents knew would truly appreciate the time that went into this labor of love.

This is just one small example of a tra-dition that I recall, and am starting again this season in my own home. These sorts of delicious, time-consuming creations sometimes get forgotten about or brushed aside in our "oh so very busy lives." I believe, however, that we are in the midst of another culinary Renaissance and that now more than ever recipes based on tra-ditions and loving memories will again be cherished by those nearest and dearest to us all.

It truly is a commitment when you decide to take on fruitcake production, so please read the following notes and re-read the recipe a few times to ensure that all of your ingredients and equipment are in place prior to starting. Fruitcakes should be made well in advance of the time that they will be used. One month of storage is a necessity. Two, three, or even four months is not too long a time if the storage facilities are cool and dry.

Fruitcakes freeze very well. However, they must be aged at least four weeks before freezing, as they do not mellow while they are frozen. Take several days to make your cake or cakes. Prepare the nuts and fruits, pour the liquor to be used over them, and let the mixture stand well cov-ered for two or three days. Then make the batter and bake your cakes.

Always bake fruitcakes at a low tem-perature, no higher than 325 degrees, but I prefer 275 degrees. Always grease and flour pans or line the pans with parchment paper to prevent the cakes from burning during the long baking time. Always place a pan of hot water on the floor of the oven; this prevents the cakes from drying out. If the cake is browning too fast place a sheet of foil on top of the cake until the baking is complete. Test for doneness with a tooth-pick inserted into the center of the cake. It will come out moist, but not doughy, when the cake is done.

Dinner and serving ware, linens and stemware from the Nina Home by Nina Campbell collection exclusively at Stein Mart

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Cool fruitcakes on a rack in the pans in which they were baked. When cakes are cooled, turn them out of the pans and care-fully peel off the paper. Wrap in cheese-cloth and seal the cakes in plastic wrap or in plastic storage bags. Once a week, brush the cakes with more liquor. Use fresh dried fruits and nuts.

Fruitcakes taste better with age. This is called ripening. Liquor-based cakes may be stored several months in advance in a cool place prior to serving. Non-liquor soaked cakes may be kept in a cool place, or in a refrigerator for short-term storage or a freezer for long-term storage. Note: in Florida I keep my cakes in the refrigerator during the entire ripening process. As a twist on my mom's recipe, I incorporated our local Winter Park Distillery's delicious whisky.

My absolute favorite beverage to enjoy while savoring fruitcake is the classic Tom & Jerry’s. There are so many variations to this recipe, many with shortcuts. Howev-er, this recipe was created by my Uncle Jim Schaffer who co-owned an Irish Tav-ern in Norwalk, Ohio, The Shamrock. What a delight it was for me every Christ-mas evening to be in his home in the kitchen, licking the beaters from the mix-er and watching him smile and laugh as he mixed this holiday cheer for family and friends. Again, the recipe is a bit time con-suming, but oh so delicious.

From my home to yours... Happy Holidays!

bear gully fruit bundt3 cups Winter Park Distillery Bear Gully Classic Reserve whisky

1 cup golden raisins

2 cups sun-dried cherries

1/2 cup currants

3/4 pounds sweet butter

2 cups white sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

6 each egg yolks

6 each egg whites

2 cups brown sugar

2 teaspoons nutmeg

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

3 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup applesauce

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups pistachios, lightly chopped

Soak raisins, cherries and currents in the 3 cups of whisky for 72 hours in the refrigerator.

Before adding fruit to cake mix, drain fruit and reserve liquid.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Grease two bundt pans. In a medium size mixing bowl,

combine flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, salt and baking powder, and set aside. In a small

bowl cream the butter and white sugar using a handheld mixer. In a third bowl cream yolks,

brown sugar and molasses until very light.

In a fourth bowl of good size combine the two sugar mixtures and add in the applesauce.

In intervals of 1/2 cup measure add the flour into this mixture alternating with the reserved

fruit marinade whisky. Next add in the fruit and pistachios.

In a clean medium bowl whip egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold this into the above batter

until evenly distributed. Divide this mix between the two bundt pans. Place a pan of water

in the bottom of the oven and place cakes in oven baking for 3–4 hours. After the third hour

test cake with a wooden pick to check for doneness.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out. When almost cool,

brush sides and inside hole heavily with whisky. Wrap cake with whisky-soaked cheesecloth,

then wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight and saturate again with liquor. Re-cover

with plastic wrap and continue this "feeding" or curing process every third day for nine days.

For storage after nine days leave cake wrapped in cheesecloth and plastic and wrap with foil.

Store in the refrigerator for up to three months.

To serve, remove from refrigerator one hour prior to service. Slice and plate, garnishing with

equal parts sweetened whip cream and sour cream.


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uncle jim’s tom & jerry’sIdeally a stand mixer with two work bowls works best for this recipe.

To begin:

Crack and separate 6 eggs.

Place the 6 egg whites, room temperature, in the first mixing bowl and whip until

soft peaks form. Set aside.

Remove and wash the whip attachment and in a separate mixing bowl combine:

6 egg yolks and whip with 1 pound powdered sugar, 1 ounce vanilla extract,

3/4 teaspoon allspice, 1 tablespoon nutmeg and 1 1/2 ounces of cream sherry.

With a plastic spatula gently combine the above two mixes and fold gently.

Fill a tea kettle with water and bring to a boil.

Fill coffee mugs with 1 ounce each brandy, rum and whisky. Pour in 1-2 ounces of the

boiling water. Top with up to 1 cup of the egg mix. Gently mix and lightly dust the

tops with freshly grated nutmeg. Serve immediately.

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THE ART OF

SETTING THE TABLETurkey with mole, chilaquiles, and guacamole are my idea of Thanksgiving dinner. These selections reflect my hometown state of Texas rather than the pilgrims’ banquet. Not all holiday guests, however, embrace this grievous break from the traditional meal of turkey, gravy, and sweet potatoes blanketed with marshmallows.

Depending on the guest list, the expected menu may have to pre-vail, but the table is one place that I can break from tradition and have some fun without upsetting

anyone. Fortunately, there isn't one set way to decorate a holiday table. It can be elegant, extravagant or eccentric. One way to add unexpected interest is by incorporat-ing some antiques as they are individual; sometimes more affordable than the new equivalents; and a great way to recycle. Buying antiques also helps support our local businesses.

Creating a table setting from scratch can be quite costly, but putting a twist on existing dinnerware doesn’t require much. Adding a few unexpected items can alter the mood of a table quite easily. Many designers source antique stores for this purpose. They carry singular items unlike

those seen in the chain stores at the mall, so one can never predict what will be dis-covered walking down the aisles peering into the different booths.

On a recent visit to The Antique Center, located on Orlando Avenue, some unex-pected finds include a brass scalloped tray and interesting textured rug, both Moroc-can, which could bring a touch of the exotic to your dining experience. There are numerous dishes and platters which could interject color and pattern to your existing set. The expected vase of flowers could be substituted for a beautiful Chinese pot filled with lemons or a modern cornucopia with gourds and vegetables.

Lovers of blue and white frequently get lucky scouring antique stores, particularly if they have no aversion to mixing and matching the various patterns. Using a variety of glasses and patterned plates on

top of patterned cloths and napkins can create a festive background for the edible feast that sits on top.

Buying antiques can also be affordable. Some items are so inexpensive that amass-ing a set would not damage your pocket-book during this season of gift buying. While there are certainly pricey items such as majolica platters or delft plates in the mix, splurging on even one of these items can be a worthwhile investment and may be all that is needed to achieve a fresh look. Purchasing individual pieces is espe-cially cost effective. Individual place settings can be created from single items giving each guest their signature space.

Looking around your home at existing items can provide inspiration as well. In lieu of a tablecloth, try putting a rug from your floor or a throw from your sofa on top of your table. Peruse your bookshelves for

by Mary Margaret Vasquez

Blue and white pieces from The Antique Center. Large Chinese pot, $175; large bowl (holding pears), $495; pair of ginger jars, $450; set of 4 cups, $50; and set of two smaller cups, $35.

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decorative items such as frames, statues or beads and tuck them in between glasses and vases. A full table can provide a visual feast for your guests and can serve as an icebreaker if needed.

Purchasing locally helps our neighbor-hood businesses to thrive. Shipping costs and packing material are eliminated. It feels good to take one person’s beloved possessions and incorporate them into your own home instead of always buying new objects likely made outside of the United States.

Living in lush tropical Florida enhances this “green” way of thinking by providing us the benefit of fresh decoration that can be brought indoors. Pinecones, palm fronds, camellias, kumquat branches can all be culled from your garden (or maybe your nice next door neighbor’s garden) to bring a natural look to your table.

Lastly, this green attitude can be stretched to your holiday wardrobe as well. For a one-of-a-kind dress that won’t be seen on any other guests at the neigh-borhood party, try searching through a vintage clothing store. My sister found the perfect New Year’s Eve dress at Orlando Vintage Clothing when she was in town visiting. White and silver with fur sleeves, it was a standout dress and far less expen-sive than buying a dress of equal quality made today.

SOURCES:The Antique Center 1155 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park407-622-1422

Antiques on the Avenue505 Park Ave. N., Winter Park407-657-2100

Orlando Vintage Clothing & Costume2117 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park 407-599-7225


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PHOTOGRAPHED BY

KAREN SMUTZ

AT THE ALFOND INNHAIR AND MAKEUP ASSISTANCE BY

GARY LAMBERTGARY LAMBERT SALON

BY KATE SLENTZ

DEBORAH LINDEN has called Central Florida home for the last 35 years. “As a CEO in the community for 30 years and as an entrepreneur, I want to give back; I always have enjoyed helping people,” she shares.

She’s been a resident of West Orange County for the last 17 years and has been really focused on certain chari-ties in that area. “I work with several organizations and I have a foundation that actually started 10 years ago with my company,” she explains. “It started with helping disaster victims of Hurricane Katrina. I resigned from the company four years ago and took the foundation with me and renamed it DL Foundation.”

Through her foundation, she supports veterans, educa-tional programs, homeless families and disaster victims. “I really want to focus on family — women and children. I do that through Matthew’s Hope with the homeless,” she says. “And I do that with the veterans through the Camaraderie Foundation; helping families when soldiers come back from war.” She has also been a member of the Central Florida Women’s League for 15 years.

But her true calling is connecting people. “I like taking my resources to the various charities and connecting them with people whether they be volunteers, mailing lists of contributors, potential donors, etc.,” Deborah says. She is also known for opening her home for fundraising events.

Deborah is working on a new project with a charitable component that she’s excited to announce in the near future. “There is such a strong sense of compassion and a desire to help in the Central Florida community. It’s why I love living here so much — people hear of a need, and rally to the cause, helping so many worthy charities in our region. Sharing and caring will never go out of style in Central Florida — we have too much collective heart!” she says.

faces of philanthropySOME CALL THEM ANGELS, OTHERS CALL THEM HEROES, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY ARE TRUE PHILANTHROPISTS — PEOPLE WHO PRACTICE THEIR LOVE OF HUMANITY THROUGH CARING, NOURISHING, DEVELOPING AND ENHANCING LIVES. WE SALUTE THESE REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE MAKING OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD BETTER EVERY DAY THROUGH THEIR ACTS.

DEBORAH LINDEN

Louvre 2008Carrie Mae WeemsDigital e-printThe Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art


HARVEY MASSEY and his wife of 52 years CAROL moved to the area in 1985 with their chil-dren, Angela, Tony and Andrea. “To tell you we have a love affair with Winter Park, Orlando and Central Florida is an understatement,” he says.

Harvey left a corporate career and bought a busi-ness that we all know today as Massey Services, where Tony currently serves as president and COO. “We often say we take a lot out of a community when we do business in it and what’s important is to put something back in,” Harvey explains. “With that thought in mind we’re very much involved in the community as a family. Many of our top people and executives are involved in most of the organizations in town.”

Last year, the company established the Harvey & Carol Massey Foundation, in which Andrea serves as president and CEO, to further Massey’s mission of being a “contributing member to our community.” Their giving history showcases a primary focus on arts and culture as well as education. The Massey family was among the first major supporters of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts; made a significant contribution for the Central Florida Veterans Memorial; and sponsored “The Union Sculpture” as part of See Art Orlando, in addition to being a key contributor to United Arts each year.

“And our goal for the future is to do more than we’ve done in the past but still focus in on education, arts and culture, and in certain cases in health ser-vices like we did with Nemours [Children’s Hospital] — we made a $500,000 contribution for research and development in the study of autism,” Harvey says.

“We just love the community and I’ve seen so many great things happen over the years,” he con-tinues. “We are very pleased with Central Florida; we’re pleased with the community; and we’re pleased with our involvement.”

THE ARTISTIC SETTING WAS THE (PHILANTHROPIC) ALFOND INN, WHICH WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT TO SUPPORT

AN ENDOWED FUND FOR THE ALFOND SCHOLARS PROGRAM AT ROLLINS COLLEGE.

CAROL & HARVEY MASSEY, TONY MASSEY AND ANDREA MASSEY-FARRELL


ANNETTE and GAVIN moved to Central Florida in 1989, where they began franchising Panera Bread stores in 1998. Today their company consists of 34 stores in Central Florida and a total of 75 in the Tampa, Orlando and East Coast markets.

“We feel that when you have a business in the community that you have the opportunity to give back to the people that are patronizing you and making you successful,” Annette explains.

She and Gavin have a personal passion for women’s and children’s causes. “I am very commit-ted to the Foundation for Foster Children as well. I want to take that to another level. I would really like to get more involved,” Annette says. “We also work with New Hope for Kids. Anytime that someone approaches me and I feel that there is a worthy cause it’s hard for me to say no.”

A secondary focus for the Fords is the hungry and homeless. They partner with Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida around Christmas and throughout the year. But their latest focus has been on the Proton Therapy Center at UF Health Cancer Center — Orlando Health, where they made a contribution to the installation of a superconduct-ing sychrocyclotron proton accelerator that will treat adult cancers, especially tumors that are located near vital organs, and in pediatric cancer patients whose bodies are still growing. “We are really invested in making a kid-friendly waiting room so there is less anxiety for the children who use the proton accelerator,” Annette explains.

Annette, who grew up in a very philanthropic family and passed that spirit onto her children, hopes to continue the good works and as the busi-ness expands, will continue to expand community contributions. “We feel it’s a true commitment on our part to do that,” she says.

GAVIN & ANNETTE FORD

Blue Debris 2010Kate ShepherdOil and enamel on wood panelsThe Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art


JENNIFER and MARK feel blessed to be able to give back to their community, especially children’s causes, and strive to participate in the organizations they support.

The couple is committed to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and will be honored at the Central Florida Chapter’s gala in November. “I’ve been on the committee for the past nine years.” Jennifer explains. “Good friends of ours have a daughter with Type 1 [diabetes] so we became involved several years back, basically to help her however we could. We love the organization because it gives an enormous amount of money directly to research so we see the efforts.”

They’re also strong supporters of several pediat-ric cancer organizations. “My nephew Jessie had cancer when he was 7. He’s 13 now, and doing well, which, sadly, is the exception to the rule,” Mark says. “I’ve had cancer throughout my family — I lost my sister at age 46, and both Mom and Dad. The cancer causes are a real focus because of my personal con-nection.” As an avid animal lover, he helps local shelters as well.

Jennifer and Mark are dedicated to continuing a more hands-on approach, saying it’s more than just writing a check. “We are incredibly busy, so time is crucial for us. But I do think in the bigger picture that time is really the best thing that you can give somebody,” she says.

Mark moved here from New York to attend school at the University of Central Florida and has been practicing law for the last 30 years. Meanwhile, Jennifer is a Florida native, born and raised in Miami, but ended up in Orlando for an internship and never left. “I’ve been here for 20 years now and I love it. It’s the place we call home and so we want to help out” she shares.

JENNIFER & MARK O’MARA

Stadium 2012Daniel RichAcrylic on dibondThe Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art


As the proprietors of 32 local Golden Corral restau-rants, among other ventures, the HOLM FAMILY is dedicated to giving back to the community that’s given them so much. “We are passionate about help-ing organizations who embrace the challenge of helping those who are less fortunate and/or medi-cally challenged,” Diane says.

Eric Holm was born in Punta Gorda and spent most of his life in Gainesville, while Diane has lived in Central Florida her entire life, mostly in Winter Park. Daughter, Danielle, son-in-law, Travis, and grandson, Eric Colton, live close by, also in Winter Park. Danielle works alongside Eric at Metro Corral Partners, while Diane leads their philanthropic efforts.

Every year the family along with 1,200 commu-nity volunteers serves 25,000 free Thanksgiving dinners through Golden Corral’s Helpings from the Heart. “This will be our 23rd year serving a tradi-tional Thanksgiving dinner downtown at the Salvation Army gymnasium to anyone in our community who would like to join us,” Diane explains. “Our family has the utmost respect and gratitude for the Salvation Army.”

Another organization the Holms are deeply com-mitted to is Camp Boggy Creek, which is a medical camp for seriously ill children in Florida. “We are amazed and humbled by doctors and nurses in our community who give so much of their time and tal-ents to children who are medically challenged. We admire these children and their parents,” Diane says.

Inspired by the extraordinary care received during the birth of Eric Colton, the family has recently joined the board of the Winter Park Memorial Hospital Foundation. “As board members we look forward to the expansion goals for Winter Park Hospital,” Diane adds.

“Our family is committed to the above organiza-tions. We know we are blessed to have each in our family life and in our community. Helping them help so many is truly rewarding,” Diane says.

DIANE & ERIC HOLM, DANIELLE & TRAVIS PAYNE AND ERIC COLTON PAYNE


As the founders of Orlando City Soccer, Kay and Phil Rawlins are on a mission to not only run a suc-cessful sports team, but also, “we have a duty to give back to our community so that’s why our foundation was born,” Kay says.

The Orlando City Foundation is a 501c3 organi-zation committed to improving the lives of children in the Central Florida area. “Our primary focus is tackling childhood obesity. It’s a problem here in the U.S.,” Kay explains. They tackle this through offer-ing free soccer programs in schools and neighbor-hood community centers. While soccer is the focus, nutrition is another key component. “We actually bring our players in to talk about healthy eating, exercise, and why it’s so important,” Kay says.

The Foundation also supports other community initiatives including Parramore Kidz Zone, Howard Phillips Center Healthy Families Orange program, and Fifth Third Bank’s Summer of Dreams, which is a free summer camp for homeless children. “Again a very vulnerable time of year for these kids because they get their breakfast and lunch at school and when school’s out they have 12 weeks to figure it out. So Summer of Dreams is just an awesome pro-gram,” Kay adds.

Kay and Phil’s goal is to continue to reach more children and really focus on the nutrition side, help-ing get fresh foods in the homes of impoverished neighborhoods. “I hope we can help on the educa-tion piece, not just for the children but for the fami-lies as well, because that’s when it really hits home,” Kay shares.

The community has already felt the impact of Kay and Phil’s hard work and both are thankful for the opportunity to bring their team to Orlando. “It’s definitely been one of the best decisions we ever made,” Kay reveals. “We came with a community attitude and we still have it, and I think that’s one thing that’s kept us in the hearts and minds of peo-ple here in Central Florida.”

KAY & PHIL RAWLINS(Phil was unavailable for the photo shoot)

Red Ground 2013Terry WintersOil on linenThe Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art


For JOSIE and MARK, it has been a dream come true for them to found their own pediatric cancer charity, Runway to Hope, and they are humbled by its success since inception in 2010. “There is a spiri-tual requirement of giving back and one learns that you get your greatest joy from giving so it’s what we do,” Mark says.

As Runway to Hope continues to grow, the couple wants to put more focus on meeting immediate needs. “With Runway to Hope we focus on pediatric cancer and finding a cure for childhood cancer. But what we can do in the meantime is also find better treatments,” Josie explains. “Another area that we’ve focused on in the last couple of years is how children and families are being affected at home.” Through the Runway to Hope Family Assistance Program, families can apply for help with gas to and from treatments, meals and groceries, and house-hold bills.

While the vast majority of their time and resources go to Runway to Hope, Josie and Mark also support numerous other charities and causes, including their latest commitment to the Zebra Coalition. “Our hearts went out to a lot of these [transgender and homosexual] kids who are abandoned by their fami-lies. With our two girls, we just could not fathom such a thing,” Mark shares.

Josie has lived here for 20+ years and doesn’t see them going anywhere. “I really think that Runway to Hope is so successful because we’re here in Central Florida and so many people want to do something to make a difference,” she says. Meanwhile, Mark was born and raised in Central Florida and admits there was a time when he almost gave up on Orlando because of widespread prejudice. “It’s a multi-cul-tural city that I’m immensely proud of now and I’m ecstatic to have my daughters grow up here,” he says.

JOSIE & MARK NEJAME

Barnett Newman: The Unfinished Painting 2013David DiaoAcrylic on canvasThe Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art


With its beginnings on the North Shore of Chicago, Fields Auto Group, with 15 Florida locations, is not only committed to selling quality cars but also to contributing to the community it serves. Amy and Dan Fields moved to Winter Park from Chicago and have been doing just that ever since.

“In my opinion, it’s really important to give back to the community you live in because you see the change and just a little bit can make such a big dif-ference,” Amy says. “When we moved down here we felt like it was really important to be invested in the community through charity.”

The company’s foundation, in which Amy heads, donates to a wide variety of organizations, including Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Easter Seals of Florida, New Hope for Kids, Community Based Care of Central Florida, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida, Foundation for Foster Children, Howard Phillips Center, Hamilton Holt School at Rollins College, March of Dimes and BETA Center, among others.

“We tend to put an intense focus on the charities we believe make a big difference in the communities we’re in,” Dan says. “When Amy and I moved to Orlando we made a personal commitment as a couple to help Arnold Palmer Hospital and their mission because we thought it was very much in line with our goals in helping children and health care.”

Amy does a lot of volunteer work, so it’s beyond financial. And they donate a lot of their facilities for fundraising events. “We jumped right in is the best way to put it and Amy’s done a great job volunteer-ing at places like Easter Seals at Camp Challenge and attending a lot of events and contributing when we’re there,” Dan says. “It’s a fantastic town for char-ity; everybody contributes and there’s so many events. And for its size, I think it’s got a big heart.”

AMY & DAN FIELDS


orange appeal november/december 2015

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