Savor the Flavors coming May 21

09. May 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Businesses In Celebration, Community, Events

Celebration will be hosting a unique event on May 21 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm called Savor the Flavors. Dine with friends and neighbors in the open air of Market and Front Streets in downtown Celebration. All the dining establishments downtown are offering prix fixe meals, with the price including dinner, listed complimentary alcoholic beverages, gratuity, taxes, and a charitable donation to benefit Florida Hospital – Celebration Health.

A nice-looking flyer, including the menu for each restaurant, is available at savortheflavors.net. Questions can be answered by calling (407) 566-1200, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CelebrationRecreation.

The hardest part is deciding which terrific Celebration restaurant to choose!

Theater space available

05. May 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Businesses In Celebration, Real Estate

Just a reminder that there is 11,150sf of prime movie theater space available for sublease in the heart of Celebration, should you happen to be looking. :)

It’s in-between Kilwin’s, a busy ice cream and candies shop, and The Columbia, a busy Spanish/Cuban restaurant. A lot of people here like movies, both first-run and classic, and would support you by buying your tickets and food.

Celebration Easter Egg Hunt 2011

23. April 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Community, Events, Photos, Uncategorized

Every year the Parks & Recreation department puts on an Easter Egg Hunt down at Lakeside Park. This was our first year going, now that our little one is old enough.

The “hidden” eggs:

Overall there were over 20,000 eggs for this year’s event. Filling this many plastic eggs with treats is no small task.

People lined up at the starting gate awaiting the countdown.

The event was well-attended and, besides a few meltdowns, everyone appeared to be having a good time. Chick-fil-a was there, as was the Easter Bunny and a Balloon Animal Artist.

A great job by Celebration Parks & Rec!

Happiness is…

11. April 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Businesses In Celebration, Photos

Pad thai and a beer at Thai Thani.

20110411-062820.jpg

Raising our child in Celebration

02. April 2011 · 1 comment · Categories: Uncategorized

I’ll start with a disclaimer: This is not an exhaustive look at raising a child here. We only have one child and he’s still a toddler. We have zero experience with any of the schools here. Take what I say here with a grain of salt (as opposed to usual, where you’re hanging on my every word, right?)

We love raising our son in Celebration. We moved here from Chester County, PA, a few months before our son was born. Back in PA we lived in a suburb of older homes, on a horseshoe street with no sidewalks that led to a busier street with no sidewalks. Winters were… well… what you would expect from living in Pennsylvania. So the climate and neighborhood here in Florida provide us more quality time outdoors, running and playing.

When we arrived here, two months before our due date, we had almost nothing in the way of baby supplies. There were a few books, but none of the essentials. Within weeks, we found everything we needed from neighbors who were a little further along than us. Our son’s crib was purchased from a couple around the corner. His change table from someone nearby in a condo. Many, many books and toys were acquired through the Front Porch or during one of the community-wide yard sales. And so on.

We feel fortunate to live in a community with so many generous other parents. We’ve made friends with other couples with children around our son’s age. There are well-maintained parks for children a short walk away from everywhere in Celebration. It’s safe here. It’s home.

Spring Art Festival

01. April 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Events

This weekend, April 2 and 3, marks the return of the Spring Art Festival in downtown Celebration. More information on this event is available on the Celebration Town Center website.

Celebration Home Improvement Expo this weekend

24. March 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Community, Events

The title says it all. From this page:

Spring Cleaning! It’s not just inside that needs a little elbow grease and polish. After a cold winter there’s plenty of work to do both inside and outside. Need some help?

Come to the Expo to arrange to dispose of those closet-cleaning castoffs!
Come to the Expo to find help with interior cleaning, like carpet shampooing!
Come to the Expo to meet folks who can clean up and spruce up your yard!
Come to the Expo to talk to designers who can reinvigorate your spaces!
Come to the Expo to learn about saving energy and money!
Come to the Expo to experience fragrances that can soothe your jangled nerves!
Come to the Expo to see the newest technology offered in Celebration!
Come to the Expo to enjoy a little lunch, have some fun, and maybe win some prizes!
Come to the Expo to chat with your friends and neighbors!

It’s at the Town Hall Building at 851 Celebration Ave., from 9a to 2p.

Another community-wide yard sale over

07. March 2011 · 4 comments · Categories: Community, Events, Photos, Socializing

Celebration’s semi-annual, community-wide yard sale was last Saturday. The homeowner’s association does a terrific job at organizing it, and I think everyone — buyers and sellers alike — have a decent time. We left our house in the East Village at 7:45am; I returned at a little after noon, and my wife about an hour later. That should give you an idea of the distance we covered on foot.

Traffic is always a concern for this event, as you have a confluence of factors conspiring to make the day miserable:

  • The number of people

  • That the people are looking sideways, trying to peek at people’s stuff, instead of paying attention to the road
  • That many people simply can’t drive well, even on a normal day
  • Some Celebration streets that aren’t fun, even on a normal day (*cough* Nash *cough*)
  • Lots of pedestrians, some of who have children and pets

As with the Halloween issues every year, I don’t know that there’s any good solution. Certainly strategically-placed No Parking signs and off-duty sheriff’s deputies would help, but this is another situation where the Homeowner’s Association has to expend time and money on something where there is no possibility to recoup those resources.

Personally, I look forward to these community yard sales. They’re a terrific excuse to wander the neighborhoods, meet fellow residents, and pick up cheap books (me) and baby stuff (wife).

Seen at AMC Pleasure Island 24

17. February 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Community

Looks fun, doesn’t it? Unfortunately I spotted this sign at AMC Pleasure Island instead of (the now-former) AMC Celebration.

Grouchos Comedy Celebration first night

09. February 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Businesses In Celebration, Community, Events, Photos, Socializing

We attended the first night of Grouchos Comedy in Celebration on Feb 5. My wife’s parents do the Canadian snow bird thing, so we were fortunate enough to have trusted help in town to watch our 17 month old for a night. We started at around 7pm at Cafe D’Antonio, me with wine and a kick-ass Caprese di Bufala and the wife choosing to fill up on bread and Bruschetta alla Romana. Hunger sated, we strolled over to Thai Thani for the show.

Now… it was the first night for Grouchos at Thai Thani, so I didn’t know what to expect. I heard about it from Mike Nunez with Lexin a few weeks prior, but didn’t have any insight into how widely it was advertised, how well advanced tickets were sold, or how many people would actually show.

We didn’t do the Dinner & Show deal, which meant we wouldn’t have priority seating. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised to be seated at the back of the room — meaning they had done very well in selling the package and filling the place. There were ‘Reserved For…’ placards posted on most of the tables. Sure enough, by show time the room was packed, a great environment for comedy. “Trailer Park Diva” Michelle Harrington had a great set, and headliner Dean Napolitano absolutely killed.


Notice on the very left of the photo that Nat seems quite happy about things.

All expectations were exceeded — even on an opening night, where glitches are expected — and we shall definitely be repeat visitors. Thanks to Nat with Thai Thani, Larry with Grouchos, Mike with Lexin, and whoever else was involved in bringing this to Celebration. If you’re around Celebration on a Saturday evening, I encourage you to take advantage. The dinner & show package is a tremendous value:

Tickets- $12.00 or $25.00 Dinner Package (includes show, dinner, beverage, and choice of seats)
Menu Includes
Choice of one of the following:
Egg Roll (2-piece)
Crab Rangoons (3-piece)
Chicken Satay (2-piece)

Plus Choose One Entree
(Choice of: Chicken, Beef, Pork, Tofu or Veggies)
Fried Rice
Phad Thai
Sweet & Sour
Garlic Meat
Mixed Vegetables
Cashew Nut
Pepper Steak

All Entrees include choice of soda or Ice Tea.

You can tell them you read about it here, but it won’t get you anything special beyond funny looks. :)

« Older articles
Newer articles »