This is an interesting piece of public art located in front of a government building not far from…read moreLake Eola Park. I am a huge fan of these displays of public art. It adds to the personality of a community and expresses the hopes and aspirations of that community. If you are in the downtown Orlando area vy Lake Eola Park, come check this out.

Astrogenesis is one of 9 sculptures that are part of See Art Orlando, a permanent contemporary…read morecollection of art that was unveiled by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the See Art Orlando Board of Directors on November 18, 2013. The art project was launched by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and art lover Jennifer Quigley. They hoped that adding public art to downtown Orlando would bring pride, boost the economy, and strengthen the city's cultural core. The art is mainly displayed around Lake Eola but Astrogenesis is one of two works not around the lake. You can find it 2 blocks away from the lake on the corner of Orange Ave. and Church Street. Astrogenesis II is a 25 foot sculpture created by Maryland artist Wendy Ross. It resembles a dandelion and is lit with LED lights. The ball at the top has only four points of support so it moves in the wind. The sculpture is meant to evoke botanical while representing energy. It represents the flowering of the possible. Astrogenesis I is located at the University of Tennessee. It is fun to go on a scavenger hunt to find all of the See Art Orlando installations. With its large scale, it is hard to miss this one.

One of the two pieces that is in DT Orlando, not on Lake Eola. It is located at corner of Orange…read moreAve. and Church St. downtown. The artist, Wendy Ross is known for working with a variety of materials, including steel, aluminum, bronze, and ceramic tile. She is committed to LEED and sustainable approaches using innovative, state of the art LED lighting applications. This specific piece is a 25 foot sculpture that reminds you of a Dandelion lit by LED lights. I appreciate that this piece is located downtown and doesn't take away from the foliage at Lake Eola but adds to the industrial feel of downtown. It's II as the first installment, not as colorful, is located at the University of Tennessee.

To paraphrase Ricky from Trailer Park Boys: WestArt District used to be so f*ckin cool and now it's…read morebig time fucked up! Maybe I'd think this was better if I hadn't experienced the glory of WestArt in 2017 and didn't know it's now a shadow of it's former self. Maybe I'd give it more than 2 stars if they even allowed me onto their property to take photos on an overcast Saturday afternoon in February when half a dozen people were hanging out by somebody's car and nothing much at all seemed to be going on. I knew this place was too good to last. It was this total laissez-faire anti-elitist explosion of positive energy last time I was down in the City Beautiful. WestArt 2017 had highly detailed murals, abstracted conversation pieces, stencils, cartoon graffiti characters, wild style graffiti, more basic 2 or 3 color tags, hollows, throwies, Folk art, child-produced flowers and stuff. A wide variety of styles and skill levels was present. No wall was left plain and boring. A thousand wildflowers bloomed. Walls were painted and repainted and re-repainted. Even the ground was gradually getting painted up. The afternoon I was there the place was a beehive of activity. A couple of women barbequed chicken and were selling it for cheap. 2019 WestArt looks to have less than a dozen murals. (Hard to tell since I was quickly shooed out of the parking lot by a guy who, to his credit, clearly felt sheepish about the owner's directive.) Many walls are plain white, bearing only some spraypainted labels that read "no tagging". (Ironic, since this anti-graffiti graffiti technically counts as a tag itself.) Any graffiti-looking work is gone, apart from 2 well known character pieces. Rap letters have been hunted to extinction here. All the work looks to be technically proficient and alive with bright colors. And a mural of MLK is, well, pretty much immune from criticism. But there's just too much empty space these days. And it's damn sure in no way inviting like it used to be. I can't imagine people teaching kids how to paint here now. I've stayed in touch with the guy who used to run the place, so I had already gotten a heads up and didn't expect to just roll up and paint like before. But I thought I'd at least be able to walk around and take photos. I'm told most of this is due to the city. I imagine the old WestArt was too feral looking to certain people, and too much of an encouragement to go produce similiar looking work elsewhere around town. It's deeply disappointing but sadly understandable. I just hope this never happens at Recycle Here! and the Lincoln Street Art Park back home in Detroit.

Awesome art area about the size of a block with several warehouse type buildings all painted up…read more There's a fence around the entire thing so I don't know it's closed up or how to get in. I did see a gate you could probably push open that was unlocked but didn't want to chance it plus it was raining. Cool to drive by and look at though.

Found a cool walk in tattoo shop called Old Florida Electric Tattoo at 1223 N. Orange Avenue,…read moreOrlando 32804 . Beautiful inside, and clean, plus a super nice group of artists that really about their craft. Dakota @funeral.noise did my tattoo. Excellent quality and a genuinely nice guy. I Felt so comfortable and at ease. Ivanhoe Village is where all the locals go to shop eat drink and tattoo! , it is beautiful there.

Ivanhoe Village is a cool neighborhood in Orlando, Florida that has a cool overall vibe with bars,…read morerestaurants, and shops that makes it a cool neighborhood to spend some time in. I would definitely recommend making a trip to this cool, hip neighborhood and see what Ivanhoe Village has to offer.

What a quaint little area located near Lake Eola…read more Free 2 hour parking Lots of mom & pop restaurants & bars They even have a local psychic ready to tell you your future and clear your cluttered chakras:) Oh, and let's not forget a laundromat! ~ and that's all I have to say about that...

A very nice neighborhood in downtown Orlando and close to Lake Eola. I went for a food event…read moreyesterday. The blocked the main square due to the event, so it was a bit difficult to find parking. I was able to get parking within walking distance for 10 dollars. I loved the nice shops, bars, and restaurants inside. The small fountain in the center in a very touch, and quite relaxing. My favorite restaurants there include Jinya, and F&D Cantina. There is a parking garage as well, but it can get expensive. If you plan on eating in downtown Orlando, this is one of the nicer areas to be in. Walking in the street is pretty safe, even at night. And since it's close to Lake Eola, you take a short walk over there and enjoy a lap around the park. Definitely a nice area worth visiting. Overall: B+

5 stars for only THE BEST neighborhood in Orlando! I've lived in the Mills 50 District/Colonialtown…read moreNorth for almost 10 years and I never want to leave (that is if the increasing already sky-high rent prices don't push me out, haha). Not joking though. I can't get enough of this diverse, inclusive family-friendly community that I hope to one day raise my own kids in. I've watched so much growth happen here over the last decade and it's been beautiful to be a part of. So many new restaurants, bars, and businesses have popped up and I'm happy to see them thriving. Mills 50 is also one of the more walkable neighborhood streets in Orlando, and I'm so fortunate that I can easily hop over to some of my favorite local gems like The Strand, Black Rooster Taqueria, Hawkers, Qreate Coffee, Pig Floyd's, House on Lang, The Sunroom, Sampaguita Ice Cream... this list goes on and on! I was also thrilled to learn that Mills 50 was also featured on Yelp's list of the most LGBTQ-friendly neighborhoods in the U.S. this year. It's truly a magical place to live where everyone is welcome and I'm lucky to call it home!

Mills 50 is it neighborhood that is set around the corner of Mills Avenue and East Colonial drive,…read morecommonly known as 50. It is a hip, trendy neighborhood located on the edge of the downtown Orlando, Florida area. There is plenty to do in this area with there being a lot of bars, restaurants, parks and stuff like that. The restaurants are a good mix of cuisines and they also have a lot of little specialty shops where you can go do some shopping. I would definitely recommend coming to visit here or if you are looking to move in, understand that there are a lot of positives to move over here.

I was surprised how large downtown Sanford is. You could walk it but I would recommend driving if…read morepossible. If you are on foot I recommend starting at 1st street. One of the things I really love is that parking is free. I found a large lot on 1st Street that had plenty of spaces but there is also parking on the street too. Another thing I really enjoyed about the downtown area was all of the public art. I started at the beautiful Sanford Fire Department 150th Celebratory Mural and then made my way through downtown along the sculpture walk. In addition to the great art, downtown Sanford has a variety of breweries, coffee houses, cafes, and restaurants to satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst. Not sure where to go? Stop in at the Sanford Welcome Center in the historic post office for friendly suggestions. Hollerbach's German Restaurant is always a popular choice as is The Station, a casual bar and restaurant located in Sanford's first fire station and The Old Jailhouse Kitchen & Spirits. There is also shopping in a number of charming galleries and antique, gift, clothing, and book shops. Don't miss Magpie's General Store and Hollerbach's Outfitters for unique shopping experiences. I only had a short time to spend in downtown Sanford but I could have easily spent the whole day. There is so much to explore and sample. I love the historic architecture and welcoming vibe. This may have been my first visit but definitely not my last.

Downtown Sanford is a hidden gem. There is so much to do…read morebut also a wonderful place to unwind and watch amazing sunsets from the marina. There are so many local shops, restaurants, breweries and even a food hall to visit so come hungry ! The St.Johns River Boat Cruise is also a fun thing to do with family and friends , make sure to book your tickets online as they have a ton of new themed cruises coming up for spring and summer. What I love about downtown Sanford is the parking is free and easy unlike hectic downtown orlando. Plus it's a lot quieter. Sanford has so many gems , it's definitely worth coming too.

I love Lake Eola, the fountain, the swans, the public art, and the monuments. Right now they have…read moreit decorated for the holidays. Every time I go I see something new that I have to check out. This trip I discovered this small, unassuming monument. I bent down to look closer and learned something interesting. It turns out that of the most popular theories of how Orlando got its name was that it was named in honor of an actual person, Orlando Reeves who was a soldier during the Seminole Wars. Orlando's modern history dates back to 1830's and the Second Seminole War. The U.S. Army built Fort Gatlin southeast of present day downtown Orlando to protect settlers from the Seminoles and the city grew around it. One night in 1835 during sentry duty Orlando Reeves spotted the Seminoles sneaking up on the sleeping troops camping around the fort. He fired his gun to warn them but was killed by arrows near where this monument now sits. It is believed his warning saved his regiment and Orlando was buried on the south side of Lake Eola. A marker was put in place in 1939 by students from Cherokee Junior High. Is it correct? Historians aren't so sure. There is no Orlando Reeves listed as having died among the names of the 1,466 soldiers killed during the Seminole Indian Wars on the war department records. It may just be a history mystery lost to time.

I have been coming to Lake Eola Park for years, in fact, decades. And prior to today, I have never…read morenoticed this memorial plaque on a stone here in this park. Orlando Reeves is who Orlando, Florida was named for and this plaque was placed by the students of Cherokee Junior High School in 1939 to remember Orlando Reeves. According to the plaque, Orlando Reeves was killed in this general vicinity by Native Americans back in 1835. We need to remember the past to where we stand today. It is by the footballs that were made yesterday that made us who we are today. I love finding these little historic treasures in my wanderings. If you find yourself in Lake Eola park, seek this out. It is by one of the children's playgrounds and it's just a simple stone with a plaque. However, we need to remember that Orlando Reeves lived and died. He had joy and sadness in his life he made an impact so much so, that the city of Orlando was named after him.