| Promotion from Wild Florida | | 🐊 An unforgettable gift of the wildest experiences! The holiday season is all about spending time together, and what better way to bond as a family than going on wild adventures with them? Start your wild adventure today! | | | | 🗣 Here's what you missed in yesterday's "state of downtown"Plus, Orlando bids goodbye to Alex Morgan and MCO is abuzz with direct flights to Belize, the UK, and Canada By Katie Johnston Hey there and welcome to Tuesday. Just a week ago, we shared that we were losing Orlando Pride star players Ali Kreiger and Ashlyn Harris to Gotham FC. Now, sadly, we’re also saying goodbye to Alex Morgan. She is heading home to Southern California to play for the San Diego Wave, a new team that will begin playing in the National Women’s Soccer League next year. You can (and should) read this Orlando Sentinel article about Morgan’s departure, her wishes for the NWSL, her thoughts on the misconduct allegations made against the league this year, and her hopes for its future. What’s the Pride without three of its key players? That’s still TBD, but with a new coach at the helm and key trades still in the works, it’s okay to remain hopeful. Onward, shall we? | | | Have you driven by the house on Clemwood Street yet? It’s in the Curry Ford/Hourglass area and is a sight to see in person. The homeowners started the tradition last year of decorating their home using lights to represent those who have died from COVID-19. You can find it and other decorated homes down below. 📸: @akatiej for Pulptown | Wanna see your photo here? Tag either #pulptown or @pulptown on Instagram to be featured as our IG of the Day! | What Orlando is talking about🗣 Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer delivered the annual “state of downtown” at Exploria Stadium on Monday. A recap from WESH says he shared his support of the penny sales tax proposed by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings to help with transportation initiatives, rallied behind the city hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and spoke about making Magnolia and Orange Avenues two-way streets and downsizing lanes on Robinson to make it more pedestrian-friendly. (WESH) ✈️ So little time, so many direct flights to catch. That seems to be Orlando International Airport’s motto these days: OIA’s Twitter has been abuzz with news about Frontier’s new nonstop service to Belize City, Belize; Aer Lingus’ inaugural route from Manchester, UK to Orlando; and the resume of travel to Canada. (OIA on Twitter) ✨ If you’ve got an Orlando Sentinel subscription, you’re in luck because its team has put together a photo roundup of some of the best holiday light displays around town. From Baldwin Park to Winter Haven and Winter Springs to Curry Ford, locals have gone all out to celebrate the holidays. (Orlando Sentinel) 🎟 As for someone who’s NOT feeling the holiday spirit, this year’s Grinch at Universal’s Islands of Adventure is a viral sensation. The resident grump of Whoville has racked up more than 52 million views on TikTok and has become a must-see for any social media influencers visiting the park. (WKMG) 😷 More than 62,000 Florida residents have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began over a year ago according to the latest report from the state Department of Health. Seventy-five percent of those deaths involved people 65 or older. As of writing, Florida is currently 62% fully vaccinated. (Orlando Weekly) 🚰 Speaking of COVID-19, the omicron variant was detected in Orange County’s wastewater last week. Orange County Utilities said in a statement that beta tests waiting to be fully validated found that "the omicron variant has been detected in Orange County in the South Water Reclamation Facility and the Northwest Water Reclamation Facility." Meanwhile, Altamonte Springs city manager Frank Martz announced Saturday that the variant was detected in the city's wastewater after a sample was collected on Thursday. (WESH / Florida Phoenix) | | 🏆 Do you have the cutest pet in Orlando? | | | Prove it. Show us your pets in their holiday best. Are you one of those folks who wraps your pup in Christmas lights? Or perhaps you’re the kind who pesters your cat by putting antlers on them? Or drags your ferret to Lake Eola for a holiday photo op? No matter which way you get your furry friend into the holiday spirit, Pulptown’s Happy Paw-lidays Pet Photo Pageant is for you. Upload your pets’ cutest pic and you’ll have a chance to share your best friend’s best features with all of Orlando, although we all know their unconditional love is the best one! 😍 Details can be found at Pulptown’s Instagram page and you can submit your cuddliest contest entries right here. The winner will receive a $50 gift card and a dozen personalized homemade treats from Eola Pets. Nominations end tomorrow, Dec. 15 at noon, and voting begins at 5 p.m.! We’ll announce the winner on Tues, Dec. 21. May the cutest pet win! | | | Today🍿Make it a date and watch the holiday classic "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" at the Enzian (Maitland) | Tomorrow🍻 Don your ugly sweater and settle in for a night of drag bingo and local beers at Orlando Brewing (SoDo) 🎁 Enjoy a live production of the holiday classic, "A Christmas Carol", at Orlando Shakes (Loch Haven Park) 🎶 Rock out to The Chotchkies performing live at Uncle Lou's with special guests that don't even know yet (Mills 50) | Thursday🍷 Double up on the drag fun this week with Happy Holi-gays Drag Bingo at Pour Choice Taphouse (Mills 50) | Saturday🍻 Saddle up for an afternoon filled with ugly sweater contests, a round of white elephant gift exchange, and holiday music with your local vegan community (South Eola) | Sunday🛍 Shop 'til you drop at the Milk Mart Holiday Market (Milk District) 🛍 Head to Ace Cafe and peruse the monthly vintage market (Downtown) 🎄 Hop on your bikes and spread some holiday cheer to our neighbors experiencing homelessness for this annual Elves on Wheels bike ride (Downtown) | One more thing… | | | 🎥: @giphy Have you listened to this week’s episode of 15 Minutes in Pulptown yet? We talked about the future of Lake Eola, specifically the old 7-Eleven, and its adjoining green space; Walt Disney World's first Black Santa; Garth Brooks' return to the City Beautiful, Orlando's chicken sandwich scene, and so much more. You can check it out for yourself here. It's 14 minutes and seven seconds of me (and our producer Vic!) divulging the week's hot topics, the best events to attend, and the local accounts you should be following on the internet. Give it a go, wouldya? Meet you back here tomorrow, same time and place. – ✌️ Katie at Pulptown P.S. Don’t forget to share with us your bright spots of 2021. I’m looking to end the year on a high note — tell me something good that happened to you this year, whether it be a new baby, a new job, a new favorite watering hole — I wanna know it all. Reply to this email or drop it to me on Instagram or Facebook? 🎉 Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. 🎙Tune in to our podcast. 📩 Tell a friend to subscribe. 📎 Advertise with us. | | |
