Should I Take My Kids To See Pete's Dragon Mom Review

Disney's Pete's Dragon is a remake of Disney's classic Pete's Dragon (1977) with a whole new story about Pete and his dragon Elliot.

My daughters and I (ages 8 and nearly 5) had the fun opportunity to screen Pete's Dragon under the stars at Fort Wilderness Lodge. (Seriously, how cool?!) To make the evening even more special, we met Pete himself,… Read more →

Forklift Simulator Orientation & Assessment

When: Saturday, August 13, 2016 - 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Where: Melrose Center at Fork Lift Simulator

Learn to drive a forklift in lifelike warehouse conditions. Practice moving freight with realistic controls. Instruction will cover the use of the equipment and software. After completing the instruction take an assessment that will allow you to reserve the Forklift simulator during scheduled lab time.

ASSESSMENT REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT: To register for this orientation and/or assessment, cardholders must attend the General Orientation for the Melrose Center and must be at least 15 years of age. Children under 15 years of age must be accompanied by an adult (18+ years of age).

You must be present at the scheduled start time to be admitted.

#tic #simtic

Morning Mix recipe: Rum-Lime Chicken

Rum-Lime Chicken

The more the merrier in Heather's Florida Kitchen! That's why I have teamed with the fabulous folks over at Orlando's WOMX Mix 105.1 to offer the morning show's Recipe of the Week. Today's recipe is Rum-Lime Chicken. The sweet and tangy marinade enlivens the chicken with nuances of allspice, nutmeg and ginger. Every Thursday, you can find more recipes exclusively for Mix 105.1's Morning Mix here and at the radio station's website.

Rum-Lime Chicken

Yield: 8 servings

1 package McCormick Grill Mates Island Woodfire Grill Marinade (see note)

1/2 cup Florida rum, such as Wicked Dolphin, divided

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons oil

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup diced mango

1/2 cup diced avocado

Chopped mint leaves to taste

Pineapple wedges

 

1. Mix marinade mix, 1/4 cup rum, brown sugar, lime juice and oil in small bowl. Place chicken in large sealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.

2. Grill chicken over medium heat 6-7 minutes per side or until cooked through, turning occasionally. After 3 minutes place pineapple wedges on grill, brush with additional rum. Turn when grill marks appear. Brush with more rum and sear other side.

3. Combine mango, avocado and mint. Serve chicken topped with mixture

Recipe note: Make your own marinade mix by combining 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste). Combine with rum, brown sugar, lime juice and oil and use as directed.

Adapted from McCormick & Co.

Orlando Microbrewery Industry to Blossom with New City Code

Orlando is about to open the floodgates for the microbrewery, micro winery, brewpub, craft distillery industries with the approval of the City Code shown in full below. 

ORDINANCE NO. 2016-52

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ORLANDO, FLORIDA, RELATING TO MICRO- BREWERIES, CRAFT DISTILLERIES, MICRO- WINERIES, AND BREWPUBS; AMENDING SECTION 58.913, ORLANDO CITY CODE, CREATING SPECIFIC ACCESSORY SERVICE USE STANDARDS FOR MICRO-BREWERIES, CRAFT DISTILLERIES, MICRO- WINERIES AND BREWPUBS; AMENDING CHAPTER 66, ORLANDO CITY CODE, DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS, AND FOR SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER'S ERRORS, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

WHEREAS, there is a revival in “micro”, breweries, wineries, and distilleries nationwide; and,

WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Orlando, Florida (the “Orlando City Council”), has determined that it is desirable and in the best interest of the public health, safety, and welfare to amend the Land Development Code of the City of Orlando (the “LDC”), to encourage and promote such business activities in the City of Orlando; and,

WHEREAS, the City can encourage and promote such business activities by allowing such business to operate as a Specific Accessory Service Use; and

ORDINANCE NO. 2016-52

WHEREAS, the LDC currently allows an accessory service use to occupy up to 25% of the floor area of the building; and

WHEREAS, micro-breweries, micro-wineries, and craft distilleries may need to allocate up to 50% of their floor area to sustain production; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ORLANDO, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. SEC. 58.913. Section 58.913, Code of the City of Orlando, Florida, is hereby amended as follows:


Sec. 58.913. – Specific Accessory Service Uses.

Eating and Drinking Establishments. Eating and drinking establishments shall be permitted as accessory service uses in the IP (Industrial Park) district only if the establishment is located internally within the building site and is not located on a major thoroughfare. These establishments shall be considered under the Conditional Use provision of this Code.

Micro-breweries, micro-wineries, craft distilleries, and brewpubs. Manufacturing operations that produce alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption and off-site sales, and related uses, may be allowed as an accessory service use via zoning official determination for the following:

1) Up to 50% of the floor area in a non-residential zoning district for a micro- brewery, micro-winery, craft distillery or brewpub (or any combination thereof); or

2) Up to 50% of the floor area may be allowed as a restaurant, tasting room, or retail operation (or any combination thereof) in an industrial zoning district.

Any micro-brewery, micro-winery, craft distillery, or brewpub approved as an accessory service use by the zoning official shall comply with the following requirements:

3) Maximum Production. The maximum production per calendar year is as follows:

a. Micro-breweries-up to 15,000 barrels;
b. Brewpubs-as allowed by applicable licenses from the Florida
Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of
Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, not to exceed 15,000 barrels; c. Micro-wineries-up to 100,000 gallons; and
d. Craft distilleries-up to 15,000 gallons.

4) Hours of Operation. Micro-breweries, Micro-wineries, Craft Distilleries or Brewpubs located:

1. Outside the Downtown Entertainment Area as defined by section 42.07(6), Orlando City Code, or outside the commercial districts defined in section 64.321, Orlando City Code, must be closed to the public between midnight and 6AM.
   
2. Within the Downtown Entertainment Area as defined by section 42.07 (6), Orlando City Code, or within the commercial districts defined in section 64.321, Orlando City Code are subject to the operating hours in section 33.03, Orlando City Code. 

5) Parking and Loading. Parking and loading must be provided according to Part 3, Chapter 61, Orlando City Code, (e.g. the eating/drinking portion of the establishment provides 5.0 spaces/1,000 square feet and the manufacturing and processing operations provide 1.5 spaces/1,000 square

feet).

6) Classification of Use. For purposes of Figure 3, Chapter 58, Orlando City Code, micro-breweries, micro-wineries, craft distilleries, and brewpubs will be classified based on the use that constitutes the majority of the floor area, (e.g. a brewpub that has a restaurant use and a craft brewing operation in a commercial zoning district where the use devotes the greatest amount of space to a restaurant will be classified as a restaurant).

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, the following uses are hereby prohibited as accessory service uses:

1. Adult Entertainment Establishments
2. Body Scrub Facilities
3. Commercial Physical Contact Establishments
4. Escort Services
5. Fortune Telling/Psychic Service Establishments
6. Health Spas
7. Massage Establishments
8. Modeling Centers
9. Pawn ShopsTattoo Parlors/Body Art Shops
10. Temporary Labor Facilities
11. Pain Management Clinics

SECTION 2. Part 2, Chapter 66, Code of the City of Orlando, Florida, is hereby amended as follows:

Brewpub: A restaurant that is licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco to produce malt beverages for onsite consumption.

Craft Distillery: An establishment that is licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco to produce distilled spirits. The establishment may also include a tasting room and retail space to sell spirits produced on the premises along with related retail items and food.

Micro-Brewery: An establishment that is licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco to manufacture malt beverages. The establishment may also include a tasting room and retail space to sell malt beverages produced on the premises along with related retail items and food.
Micro-Winery: An establishment that is licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco to produce wine. The establishment may also include a tasting room and retail space to sell wine produced on the premises along with related retail items and food.

SECTION 3. CODIFICATION. The city clerk and the city attorney shall cause the Code of the City of Orlando, Florida, to be amended as provided by this ordinance and may renumber, re-letter, and rearrange the codified parts of this ordinance if necessary to facilitate the finding of the law.

SECTION 4. SCRIVENER'S ERROR. The city attorney may correct scrivener's errors found in this ordinance by filing a corrected copy of this ordinance with the city clerk.

SECTION 5. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this ordinance or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this ordinance are severable.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This ordinance is effective upon adoption. 

Every Florida Shark Attack on One Map

To celebrate Shark Week the Sensarie team has put together an interactive map of recorded Florida shark attacks from the early 1900's to early 2016. 

The shark attack data was sourced from the Global Shark Attack File (GSAF), compiled by the Shark Research Institute. Attacks date from early 1900's to early 2016. The location of each attack is approximate and accuracy may vary.

Click on the shark to learn about each shark attack. 

View the map here:

http://www.sensarie.com/florida-shark-attacks.html  

Mini carrot cupcakes big on flavor

Photo by Con Poulos for Food Network Magazine

April and May are prime harvest months for Florida carrots. If you buy carrots with green tops still attached, remove them before storing in a plastic bag. I found these baby carrot cupcakes on the Food Network Magazine blog. I tweaked the recipe a bit to suit my taste. That's the great thing about a good batter: You can easily add your own flavor profile. The candied carrot strands garnish add a touch of whimsy and elegance.

Mini Carrot Cupcakes

Yield: 48

Topping:

1 medium carrot

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup water

Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon spiced rum

Frosting:

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon fresh orange juice

1/4 teaspoon spiced rum

1. For the topping, peel ribbons from the carrot with a vegetable peeler, then slice the ribbons lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strands (you'll need about 48). Preheat the oven to 250F. Bring the granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the carrot strands and simmer until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Arrange the strands in squiggles on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until dry, 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely.

2. For the cupcakes, raise the oven temperature to 350F. Line two 24-cup mini-muffin pans with paper liners. Put the flour, almonds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Whisk the grated carrots, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs and rum in a large bowl until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Divide among the mini-muffin cups, filling each three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans to cool completely.

3. For the frosting, Beat the confectioners' sugar, cream cheese and butter with a mixer until fluffy. Beat in the orange juice and rum. Pipe or spread on the cupcakes. Top with the candied carrots.

Machines, Motion and Engineering Using Knex

When: Wednesday, April 13, 2016 - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Where: Alafaya Branch at Alafaya - Meeting Room 1

Use KNEX construction systems to build transmissions, drag racers, cranes, rocket launchers and more. Make learning about simple machines, motion and engineering fun! Ages 6-12. Registration required. Call 407.835.7323 to register. #science #tween