Best Bets


Voting continues through February 28th for the Orlando Sentinel’s Best Bets. I hope you will vote for Analog Artist Digital World in the Best Local Blogger category. They encourage people to nominate in as many categories as possible. Since the list is dauntingly large, I thought I would share my votes. I voted for places I have sketched, and spots that I return to often. This sketch is of Stardust Video and Coffee which I nominated as the Best Local Bar and the Best Local Restaurant to bring clients. This list should give you a running start. Of course mold this list to suit your tastes. For instance you might actually know who the best cosmetic surgeon is in town. If you disagree with any of my Best Bets, let me know!

Best Chain Restaurant……….Firehouse
Best Local Bar……………………Stardust Video & Coffee
Best Local Nightclub ………….I-Bar
Best Local Bar/Restaurant to see Live Music …..Tanqueray’s
Best Local Wine Bar……………Cavanagh’s Fine Wine
Best Local Beer Selection……Redlight Redlight
Best Local Martini Bar………..Bone Fish Grill
Best Local Hole in the Wall….Back Booth
Best Local Happy Hour……….Will’s Pub
Best Local Brunch……………….Dandelion Communitea Cafe
Best Local Burger………………..Hamburger Mary’s
Best Local Steak………………….Dexter’s
Best Local Seafood………………Bonefish Grill
Best Local Pizza…………………..Mellow Mushroom
Best Local BBQ…………………….Bubbalou’s Bodacious BBQ
Best Local Frozen Desert……..Tutti Frutti
Best Local Sushi……………………Amura
Most Local Romantic…………….Social Chameleon
Best Local Thai……………………..Viet Garden
Best Local Cuban…………………..Cuban Sandwiches to go
Best Local Mexican………………..De La Vega’s
Best Local Italian…………………..Antonio’s La Fiamma
Best Local Indian………………….Spice Cafe
Best Local Chinese………………..Ming Court
Best Local Sub Sandwich………Publix
Best Local Wings……………………Buffalo Bill’s Wild Wings
Best Local Vegetarian…………….Loving Hut
Best Local Dessert………………….Rhapsodic Bakery
Best Local Outdoor Dinning…….310 Park South
Best Local Place to Bring Fido…Doggie Door, Winter Park
Best Local Coffee……………………..Austin’s Coffee
Best Local Caterer…………………..Bubbalou’s BBQ
Best Local Restaurant to take Clients…..Stardust Video and Coffee
Best Local Bachelor/bachelorette….Brian Feldman, Hannah Miller
Best Local Gay/Lesbian Bar………The Parliament House
Best Local Radio Personality…….Jim Phillips
Best Orlando Sentinel Columnist…..Matthew Palm
Best Local TV Personality………..Peter Murphy
Best Meteorologist………………….I don’t have time for TV
Best Local Celebrity……………….Mark Baratelli
Best Local Blogger…………Analog Artist Digital World
Best Local Band…………………….Kaleigh Rose Baker and the Absinthe Trio
Best Theme Park Ride…………..Carousel of Progress
Best Water Park……………………Wet and Wild
Best Live Show………………………Orlando Live
Best Annual Event at Theme Park…..Food and Wine Festival Epcot
Best Local Resort………………….Wilderness Lodge
Best Wildlife Encounter…………Manatee Festival Blue Spring State Park
Best Community Festival………Fringe Festival
Best Museum………………………..Orlando Museum of Art
Best Weekend Getaway………..DeLeon Springs
Best Wedding Venue…………….Orlando Shakespeare Theater
Best Golf Course…………………..Bay Hill
Best Movie Theatre………………Enzian Theater
Best Concert Venue………………Plaza Theater
Best Video Gaming Spot……….Aloma Bowl
Best Shopping Mall………………..Mall at Millenia
Best Arts and Crafts Store…….Michael’s
Best Sporting Goods Store…….Bass Pro Shops
Best Home Furnishing Store…Rob and Stucky’s
Best Local Bookstore…………….Bookworm
Best Specialty Food Store……..Rhapsodic Bakery
Best Local Wine/Liquor Store…..Eola Wine Room
Best Day Spa…………………………….Baden Baden Germany
Best Local Hair Salon………………..I cut my own hair
Best Cosmetic Surgeon……………..You are kidding, right?
Best Mens Clothing Store………….The Gap
Best Womens Clothing Store……..The Gap
Best Jewelry Store …………………….P.J. Abramson Inc
Best Department Store………………Stein Mart
Best Discount Department store…..K Mart
Best Shoe Store…………………………The Track Shack
Best Fitness Facility………………….Anytime Fitness
Best Tattoo Parlor…………………….Black Chapel

An Uncomfortable Evening with Lulu Eightball

Emily Flake who has a weekly cartoon called Lulu Eightball in the Orlando Weekly, was going to sign books and was going to offer “PowerPoint assisted hilarity and general hijinks.” I had several hours to kill between 5pm when I got off work and 7:30pm when Emily was supposed to speak at Park Avenue CD’s. I decided to ask Terry out for dinner at Stardust Video and Coffee. She at first refused saying she had work to do and wanted to go home when she was caught up. She called right back however and decided to join me when she was done. At Stardust I ordered a humus plate and sat down to enjoy Doug Rhodehamel’s “Sea of Green”. The corrugated green fish with large plastic cup top eyes were suspended everywhere, some swimming just above the floor. As I sketched one twirled slowly right beside my head. The sun set and the darkening dusk sky made it harder for me to see what colors I was using. Ironically I often like sketches I do in the semi-darkness since I am unable to focus on minor details and the colors become richer since I can’t see what I am doing. By the time Terry arrived I was finished with the sketch. I put the book away and focused on her.

She agreed to join me when I walked across the street to Park Avenue CD’s (2916 Corrine Drive). She drove her car over and I walked. There was a crowd of maybe 15 to 20 people passing the time flipping through albums and CD’s, waiting for Emily’s talk, I set up my stool and started sketching in the stage which had rows of tiny drink umbrellas hanging above it. There was a cute young woman standing beside a projector and I assumed she must be the cartoonist. I was pleased that my artist radar had been eight. When she got on stage I was happy that she faced me rather than the people out among the isles since she needed to glance at the screen behind her.

What followed was a very humerous account of her dashed expectations of luxury when she was asked to cat sit in uptown NYC. I am not sure if what she read was fact or fiction, but regardless it was very funny. It is a shame she is from Canada because this was someone who’s brain I would love to pic about publishing and syndication. Her second story had to do with horrific places she had pooped. When she was finished she hurried off the stage probably sure she must have offended people. Instead there was applause. She sheepishly climbed back on stage to take questions. When asked to name a favorite contemporary cartoonist, she she loved the work of Sherri Flanigan.

When the event was over, the screen was quickly rolled up along with a mat on the stage. Calvin who was the one taking care of all this, introduced himself to me. He asked, “Aren’t you that artist who always is sketching and has work in the Orlando Weekly?” he was right on one hand but the Weekly doesn’t publish my sketches, so I had to correct him. Regardless he said he loved my work which is always heart warming to hear.