The Orlando Shine Show

Jeff Thompson is a native Orlandoan, an 18-year member of the Historic Preservation Board, and someone who helped renovate a bunch of Thornton Park homes before it was even a historic district. He spent 30 years as a senior landscape architect at Disney and built a house in Lake Eola Heights he jokingly calls "turn of the century" — even though it was finished in 1999. He knows this city, its buildings, and its history like the back of his hand.

So when he says the city is about to gut Orlando's oldest historic district, it's worth listening to. So we did!

Brendan sat down with Jeff at Eola General this week to talk about the proposed 36-month moratorium on historic preservation review for downtown projects — what it means, why he thinks the board only found out about it days before the first council vote, and what he thinks is really driving it. They get into the Plaza building, the Lubbe House, Church Street, land banking, Disney Springs, and why a city celebrating 150 years of its own history is moving to strip protections from the neighborhood where that history all started.

The second reading of the moratorium ordinance is June 22.

Episode 53 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at Goblin Studios (Website) in Parramore, a super cool fabrication studio that is also home to a menswear designer, a pottery studio, a bookshop, and a Van Gogh/goblin-themed coffee shop.

Topics this week include an update on Uncle Lou and his deportation back to Jamaica, the sudden closure of Holy City Zoo in Longwood, Sanford Porchfest putting out a call for sponsors, the return of Bite30, and Winter Garden passing that shady development project.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Enzian Theater, JustCallMoe.com, Legacy Life Project, and the Orange County Library System.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]

Episode 52 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at Blackbird Comics and Coffeehouse (Website) in Maitland, where you can find a cute little coffee shop in the center of a smattering of comics, board games, and nerd stuff.

Topics this week include an update on this year's Orlando Fringe numbers, some shady-looking paperwork at the City of Winter Garden, Science Night Live at Orlando Science Center, the closing of two more downtown watering holes, and a school in Orlando that is teaching students about how to run space hotels.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Enzian Theater, JustCallMoe.com, Legacy Life Project, and the Orange County Library System.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]

Orlando Science Center's Science Night Live returns this Saturday, May 30, from 8 to 11:30 p.m. for adults 18 and up, and this edition will feature a special edition of "Game Night Unleashed," which will take over the Founder's Room on Level 3. Three local tabletop game designers will be set up with their original games, and we sat down with the makers ahead of this weekend's event to hear all about the stories behind their games and what it takes to publish something you've created.

Episode 51 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at Ziggie's Pizza (Website) in Ivanhoe Village, after a big fancy media night for the Orlando return of The Blue Man Group, at their fancy new theater behind ICON Park on International Drive. Oh, and Scottie Campbell is back subbing in for Jon.

Topics this week include a chat about the new president of Walt Disney World Resort, the pausing of sloth imports into Florida, Florida Attorney General Uthmeier says the NFL is racist, a WWE wrestler being arrested for aggressive kissing, Maitland banning golf carts, an "ex-gay" pervert being caught trying to solicit a minor, and Tanquerays is for lease.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Enzian Theater, JustCallMoe.com, Legacy Life Project, and the Orange County Library System.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]

Episode 50 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at Primrose Bowling and Skating (Website) in The Milk District, to check out the newly added skating rink, adjacent to the bowling lanes and sports bar.

Topics this week include a barber who was arrested for allegedly firing a crossbow into a competing business, a student who was arrested for putting cameras in a public restroom on Park Avenue, a local bar owner who was arrested and detained by ICE for allegedly overstaying his visa, the pausing of the Lake Eola swan program, and the alleged reversal of Publix's stance on open-carry guns in their grocery stores.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Enzian Theater, JustCallMoe.com, Legacy Life Project, and the Orange County Library System.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 49 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at the newly opened Oviedo Bowling Center (Website) ahead of this weekend's 3rd Annual JustCallMoe Celebrity Bowl-o-Rama, in support of Rosie's Adventures.

Topics this week include who won Mount Dora Taste, that epic match where Orlando City clawed back from a three goal gap to beat Miami in their fancy Nu Stadium 4-3, Spirit Airline giving up the ghost, a 7-story parking garage proposed for Mills 50, White Castle opening a third location, Chuy's closing its Winter Park location, and hot events this weekend.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Enzian Theater, JustCallMoe.com, Legacy Life Project, and the Orange County Library System.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 48 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded at the newly opened Holy City Zoo BBQ (Website) in Longwood, a new chef-driven concept helmed by Greg and Kristina Gaardbo, who came from Chicago to open their dream restaurant. And man, was it delicious.

Topics this week include a lawyer who was put in Orange County Jail for not revealing the names of his clients to the HOA trying to recover legal costs from a dismissed lawsuit, an update on the Sloth World murders, neighbors fighting against Orange County Public Schools opening an arts magnet in Lake Cherokee, and the Orlando City Council selling eight new homes in Parramore.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Enzian Theater, JustCallMoe.com, Legacy Life Project, and the Orange County Library System.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 46 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded sans Brendan this week as he is up in Pensacola working on a story about the annual Mullet Toss event. So Jon and Moe take the show into their own hands to talk about ... whatever it is those two talk about.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Enzian Theater, JustCallMoe.com, Legacy Life Project, and the Orange County Library System.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 46 of "The Orlando Shine Show" was recorded on the patio at Boxi Park (Website) in Lake Nona, with special guests Chris Lindauer, Boxi Park's General Manager, and Yusila Ramirez, Director of Communications for Tavistock U.S. Boxi Park is a 30,000 SF outdoor entertainment venue that's been built with repurposed shipping containers, that acts as a community hub for all of Lake Nona with chef-driven quick-service food stalls, bars, live music, a playground, and beach volleyball court. And some of the best tacos we've had in years.

Topics this week include the new playlist for the Muppet-themed Rock 'n' Roller Coaster overhaul, the closing of a fancy Burger King that people are upset about for some reason, OCPS eliminating 200 positions, Seminole County banning smoking and vaping in county parks, a lifeguard shortage in Brevard County, and that Winter Garden billionaire adding another property to his collection.

Holler at this week's sponsors, Enzian Theater, JustCallMoe.com, Legacy Life Project, and the Orange County Library System.

Tune in to "The Orlando Shine Show" every Friday at 8 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM or catch the podcast to keep up with all of the top headlines in Central Florida each week. Want to invite us to your restaurant or business for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]!