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India

Mount Dora: A charming way to spend a day

October 18, 2017 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Arriving in Mount Dora is like walking onto a movie set: sparkling Lake Dora provides the backdrop. Panning out from the lake, front-porched homes, American flags flying, line shady streets, an easy walk from main street shops, parks and even a candy cane-colored lighthouse.

The Mount Dora Lighthouse on the shores of Lake Dora draws visitors with its candy cane colors. It is 35 feet tall and was dedicated in 1988 over the Port of Mount Dora. (Karen Haymon Long)

In the daytime, visitors – like movie extras – fan out to the lake on scenic boat tours, hikes on lakeside boardwalks, then strolls to downtown shops and cafes. They can even take seaplane rides over the lake or rent their own pontoon boat to watch for gators, turtles, otters, herons, egrets and other wildlife.

In the evening, they’re back at the lake to witness salmon-colored sunsets over the water and maybe later to stroll to historic Lakeside Inn for a nightcap.

Mount Dora, a town of 12,534 residents in Lake County, 40 minutes northwest of Orlando, looks like small-town USA, with its moss-draped oaks, flowering magnolias, hilly terrain and higher-than-normal – for Florida anyway – elevation of 184 feet above sea level.

“It’s an extra friendly town. Everyone is really welcoming,” says Henry Ollendick, who co-owns one of downtown’s most charming shops, Papilio, which is Latin for butterfly.

Renninger’s Antique Center in Mount Dora offers all kinds of interesting treasures. You never know what you might find at the center and at one of its antique extravaganzas. The next one is Nov. 17 to Nov. 19. (Karen Haymon Long)

When he and his partner, Joel Maas, opened their shop in 2013, other shop owners welcomed them and asked if they needed anything, which made them feel at home, Ollendick says.

That friendliness, as well as “the hills, the big oaks, the Spanish moss hanging from the trees – so different from the rest of Florida,” convinced them to leave Key West and move to Mount Dora. Now, they walk to work.
“You get to know your neighbors that way,” Ollendick says. “It’s very homey.”

The two were also drawn by the town’s many festivals, which earned it the nickname “Festival City.” Its 33rd annual Craft Fair, coming up on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29, features the work of 400 crafters and artists. Its antique extravaganzas at Renninger’s Antique Center, — the next one is Nov. 17 to Nov. 19 — draws treasure hunters from around the world.

Years ago, the antique center and sister flea market next door helped make Mount Dora a darling of travel guide book authors. The flea market is open weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and the antique center Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Vendor Stan Lawson, who owns Triple LLL Treasures in the antique center, says he meets people from all over the U.S., and from around the world in his shop. Not long ago, he sold his Native American jewelry to visitors from Iceland, and he often sells to Germans and Brits, he says.

His shop sells jewelry made by Native Americans in the Southwest who he’s known for years. In another area in the center, Steve and Barbara Gretchko sell hard-to-find barrister’s bookcases, wood filing cabinets and other early 20th century office furniture.

Dozens of other booths sell everything from antique glassware and furniture to books, toys, linens, sports

Mount Dora’s downtown shops and restaurants remind visitors of what they would think of as ‘downtown USA.’ (Karen Haymon Long)

memorabilia and paintings. Outside, vendors sell old birdbaths, yard statuary, vintage signs, plants and more, while the flea market next door sells plants and produce, garage-sale-type items, T-shirts and other new clothes.

Downtown shops vary from home decor to paintings and other art, clothing and even dog bakery items. At Papilio, Joel Maas sells his artwork made with real butterflies, as well as stationery, jewelry, garden and home decor, plants and other items.

Like their visitors, downtown restaurants span the globe, with cuisine representing Cuba, Peru, Great Britain, Mexico, India, Italy, China and the Caribbean, along with the usual pizza and pub grub. Florida celebrity chef and cookbook author Norman Van Aken owns a restaurant in a house built in 1921, called, appropriately enough, 1921 by Norman Van Aken.

We chose Magical Meat Boutique for lunch, partly because of its kooky name and partly because it got raves on the online travel site Trip Advisor. Housed in a British pub-style space, it specializes in British fare – think bangers and mash, and shepherd’s pie. It also attracts British tourists. On our visit, two parties at nearby tables had British accents and talked nostalgically about how happy they were to find a little home so far away from their homeland.

Next time, we thought we’d try The Goblin Market Restaurant & Lounge, a fancier place with a book-lined dining room and delicious sounding rack of lamb, duck, quail, Idaho trout, and jumbo lump crab cakes with peach and chive chutney on its menu.

The Goblin Market Restaurant & Lounge in Mount Dora looks as friendly inside as out. Its menu offers lamb, duck, quail, crab cakes and other fare. (Karen Haymon Long)

Visitors need at least two days — or three, four or five — to take a boat ride, go out fishing, hike along the lake or just drive around and look at some of the neighborhoods and some of the old Victorian houses, such as the Donnelly House, built in 1893 and now owned by the Masonic Lodge, and open to the public for special occasions.

The old railroad depot, built in 1915, now houses the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce offices and visitor center at the corner of Third Avenue and Alexander Street. The picturesque Lakeside Inn, opened in 1883, is an elegant place to stay and dine, get married or take a boat ride off its shores.

Some 36 years ago, Mount Dora was the setting for the movie “Honky Tonk Freeway,” starring Jessica Tandy, Beau Bridges, Teri Garr and Beverly D’Angelo. Townspeople were extras. The plot: The town – named Ticlaw – already has a wildlife safari park and a waterskiing elephant named Bubbles, so when residents hear a freeway is about to be built, they hope an off-ramp will lead to more riches. But, when the new freeway bypasses them without an off-ramp, they paint their downtown buildings pink to get people to come.

Today, Mount Dora doesn’t have to paint itself pink. It has charm enough to attract visitors – even without a waterskiing elephant.

Tips for the Trip
How to get there: The easiest way to get to Mount Dora from Pasco County is to go north on Interstate 75. That way, MapQuest says it’s an hour and a half, and 80 miles, from Wesley Chapel. Another route is Interstate 4 toward Orlando, then north to Mount Dora. For details, see MapQuest or another directions site.

Where to eat: We liked Magical Meat Boutique, at 112 W. Third Ave., where we had bangers and mash, a stilton, pear and walnut salad, and two Scottish beers for $37. For menu, visit MagicalMeatBoutique.com.

Where to stay: We’ve stayed at Lakeside Inn before and enjoyed its quiet elegance. The town also has a variety of bed and breakfast inns, and other hotels. See the chamber of commerce’s MountDora.com for options.

Festivals: This city of festivals has all sorts of offerings, including Renninger’s Antique Extravaganzas Nov. 17 through Nov. 19; Jan. 19 through Jan. 21 and Feb. 16 through Feb.18 at its antique center, 20651 U.S. 441. For details, visit Renningers.net.

Other events include:

  • 33rd Annual Craft Fair, with 400 vendors, Oct. 28 and Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 510 N. Baker St.
  • Christmas Lighted Boat Parade, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., begins on Lake Dora at the lighthouse across from Gilbert Park on Tremain Street and Liberty Avenue, downtown.
  • Christmas Tour of Homes, Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., $20; for details, visit WCFAMountDora.com.
  • 43rd annual Arts Festival, Feb. 3 and Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., downtown, with park and ride options; for more, visit MountDoraArtsFestival.org.

For a more extensive list of festivals and events, go to MountDora.com, and click on annual events.

For a more extensive list of festivals and events, go to MountDora.com, and click on annual events.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published Oct. 18, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Local News, News Stories Tagged With: Alexander Street, Barbara Gretchko, Beau Bridges, Beverly D'Angelo, Brits, Caribbean, China, Cuba, Donnelly House, Festival City, Florida, Germans, Great Britain, Henry Ollendick, Honky Tonk Freeway, Iceland, India, Italy, Jessica Tandy, Joel Maas, Key West, Lake County, Lake Dora, Lakeside Inn, Magical Meat Boutique, Masonic Lodge, Mexico, Mount Dora, Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce, Native American, Native Americans, Norman Van Aken, Orlando, Papilio, Peru, Renninger's Antique Center, Spanish, Stan Lawson, Steve Gretchko, Teri Garr, The Goblin Market Restaurant & Lounge, Third Avenue, Trip Advisor, Triple LLL Treasures, Victorian

Trekking to Iowa to compete at World Finals

May 4, 2016 By B.C. Manion

After competing together for years, a local Odyssey of the Mind team has finally accomplished its goal of qualifying to compete at the World Finals in Ames, Iowa.

Now, the team is busy raising the $5,000 they need need to make the trip.

They’re doing car washes, a garage sale and restaurant fundraisers, and are hoping for the community’s support to help make their dream come true.

The four-member team is made up of students attending three different high schools.

Two of them — Kaden Robinson and Donovan Snider — attend Wesley Chapel High School. Another — Kayla Gutierrez — attends Wiregrass Ranch High School. And, Alec Guillen attends Eastlake High School.

The coaches for the team are Kayla’s mom, Tammy and Kaden’s brother, Devin.

Coach Tammy Guitierrez, left, will be accompanying a local Odyssey of the Mind team who is making the trek to the World Finals in Ames, Iowa, at the end of May. From left are three members of the team, Kayla Guitierrez, Kaden Robinson and Donovan Snider. Alec Guillen, the other member of the team and Devin Robinson, the other coach, are not pictured. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Coach Tammy Guitierrez, left, will be accompanying a local Odyssey of the Mind team who is making the trek to the World Finals in Ames, Iowa, at the end of May. From left are three members of the team, Kayla Guitierrez, Kaden Robinson and Donovan Snider. Alec Guillen, the other member of the team and Devin Robinson, the other coach, are not pictured.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The students from Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel have been competing together since they have been in middle school.

Other team members have come and gone, even as late as this year.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international program that encourages youths to work together as teams to use their creative and analytical skills to solve problems.

Last year, the team was on the brink of qualifying for the World Finals. They placed third at state, but only the top two teams advance to the world stage.

The year before, they came in fifth.

The core group has been together for five years, and that’s an advantage, Gutierrez said.

“We’re able to get working faster because you know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. You know who works well with what and who doesn’t, so you’re really able to divide and conquer the workload and get things done quickly,” she said.

Robinson noted another benefit: “It’s much easier to motivate each other, as well. Being together for so long, you tend to form a bond, like family.”

It’s a bond that extends beyond Odyssey, Robinson said. “We’re there in support for each other, whenever we’re going through anything in life.”

Snider agreed: “We’re a family first and a team second.”

The team has done most of the preparation it needs to do before making the 20-hour trip to Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, for the competition that will be held May 25 through May 28.

Now, they’re focusing mostly on fundraising and have a number of events planned in coming weeks.

At the world competition, they’ll be testing their skills against teams who are converging on Iowa from all over the globe. About 800 teams are expected to compete and countries that will be represented there include Russia, China, India, Poland, Japan and Morocco, to name just a few.

During one part of the competition, they’ll be presenting a play. The theme of their presentation will be “Saying Goodbye to Odyssey,” which draws on their years of competing in the competition, and which draws on their creativity and problem-solving.

“We have 8 minutes for set up and performance,” Gutierrez said. “We’re bringing past Odyssey into the present so we can move through to the future because we’re all moving on,” she said.

The entire team plans to shift into judging OM after this year because Robinson is graduating and will no longer be able to compete with them.

Snider said he’s grateful the team has held together for this long and is happy to be going out on a high note by competing at the international level.

“We’ve been trying for five years,” Snider said.

For more information about the team or the competition, or to help the team, contact Tammy Gutierrez at

Fundraisers for Odyssey of the Mind Team

Carwash: 5811 Ehren Cutoff, Land O Lakes, May 14 and May 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Moe’s fundraiser: 28211 Paseo Drive Suite 100, Wesley Chapel. May 7 and May 14, 3 p.m. to closing

Texas Roadhouse fundraiser: 26409 Silver Maple Parkway, Wesley Chapel, May 16, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Buffalo Wild Wings fundraiser: 26725 State Road 56, Wesley Chapel, May 9 and May 18, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Garage Sale: 30546 Eastcourt Drive, Wesley Chapel, May 7 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Published May 4, 2016

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Alec Guillen, Ames, China, Devin Robinson, Donovan Snider, Eastlake High School, India, Iowa, Iowa State University, Japan, Kaden Robinson, Kayla Gutierrez, Morocco, Odyssey of the Mind, Poland, Russia, Tammy Gutierrez, Wesley Chapel High School, Wiregrass Ranch High School, World Finals

In Print: Spending $119,000 on a campaign with no opponent

March 19, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

State Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, may find his return to Tallahassee an easy one in the November election, especially if he doesn’t draw an opponent.

But the man in-line to become the House Speaker in late 2015 has spent more than $9,000 a month on his re-election campaign, and far more than any other House candidate, whether they have an opponent or not.

Corcoran knows he’s spending a lot, but he’s using the election as a way to connect with constituents, a lot of the nearly $119,000 already spent on events like tele-town halls that draw thousands of people.

“If there’s any chance you get where you can communicate with the voters and get their input, we do it,” Corcoran told reporter Michael Hinman. “Anytime you get input from the voters, that just makes you much more effective.”

But what are election observers saying about the spending spree? You’ll have to find the print edition of The Laker/Lutz News this week to learn more.

Amy Deeb also wants to make some people connections, but in a completely different way.

The 16-year-old Sunlake High School student will spend her summer in India as part of a U.S. Department of State program that encourages young people to learn different languages. Deeb will immerse herself in Hindi.

“I figured if I’m going to go for it, I may as well pick something that’s so, in my mind, different from what I could ever experience in America,” Deeb told reporter B.C. Manion.

And it will be the first language outside of English Deeb has learned since she picked up American Sign Language.

While Deeb is preparing for her trip to a new continent, B.C. as her own trip idea a little closer to home. As part of her “Worth the Trip” series, B.C. introduces us to Gamble Mansion near Ellenton.

Gamble Mansion in Ellenton is the only remaining antebellum plantation house in South Florida. The park is open to visitors every day. The mansion is open to visitors, by guided tours only, Thursdays through Mondays. (Photo by B.C. Manion)
Gamble Mansion in Ellenton is the only remaining antebellum plantation house in South Florida. The park is open to visitors every day. The mansion is open to visitors, by guided tours only, Thursdays through Mondays. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The house and surrounding park is open to the public, and carries with it a significant amount of history, especially around the Civil War era. Among other things, it is said to be a place where some of the leaders of the Confederacy hid out in the aftermath of that conflict.

All of these stories and more are in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: Amy Deeb, B.C. Manion, Civil War, Ellenton, Gamble Mansion, Hindi, India, Land O' Lakes, Michael Hinman, Richard Corcoran, Sunlake High School, Tallahassee, U.S. Department of State

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