Starting right now, you can vote for Larry The Alligator from Gatorland® to be the featured Florida animal on a plane of Frontier Airlines. The contest, sponsored by Frontier Airlines and Visit Orlando, will highlight Central Florida animal conservation and provide chances to win free flights.
Larry the Alligator is an amazing story. In early 2019, Larry was a resident of the Villages retirement community in Lake County, Florida. He was very popular with the folks living in the community and even had his own Facebook page where his “fans” would post pictures, stories, and news about him. The residents of The Villages loved Larry but unfortunately some people would illegally feed him, causing Larry to lose his natural fear of humans. Being a 12-foot alligator and weighing 800 lbs., this created the potential for a dangerous clash between Larry, the residents, and their pets. Nuisance alligator trappers working for the state were called to remove Larry, a process that normally results in euthanizing the alligator. Gatorland heard about Larry and worked with the trappers to catch him alive and bring him to Gatorland, which is ALLIGATOR PARADISE. Larry was released in Gatorland’s huge main lake with other alligators and hundreds of birds, fish, and turtles. He has several girlfriends and spends his days sunning on the grassy banks of the lake, eating lots of fresh meat from the keepers and watching all the people that come to the park to see him.
Larry is just one of the many, many success stories surrounding the efforts of Gatorland’s conservation arm, Gatorland Global, with a mission to Protect, Conserve and Educate. Gatorland staff works with researchers and conservationists in South Florida, Jamaica, Cuba, Australia, and India to protect endangered crocodilians and their sensitive habitats. Here at home in Central Florida, Gatorland has worked with trappers for over 10 years to rescue dozens of big alligators destined to be euthanized as nuisance gators, and provide them a “forever home” at the Alligator Capital of the World. These alligators, like Larry, may have just been “in the wrong place at the wrong time,” and are now able to safely live out long, healthy lives in one of Gatorland’s huge lakes with other alligators, birds and turtles, and most of all, an endless supply of great food.
Please vote for Gatorland’s Larry the Alligator and enter to win one of 10 prizes featuring $400 in flights from Frontier Airlines, click here.
Gatorland is a 110-acre theme park combining Old Florida charm with exciting experiences, exhibits, and entertainment. Named Best Non-Theme Park Attraction by the readers of Orlando Magazine in the Best of ORL 2020 Reader Poll and the winner of four awards in Orlando Weekly’s Best of Orlando® 2020 Reader Poll, including Best Place To Show People the Real Orlando, Best Local Big Shot Who’s Not An Elected Official – Gatorland’s Savannah Boan, Best Attraction That’s Not A Theme Park, and Best Zip Line or Ropes Course, Gatorland’s Screamin’ Gator Zip Line. Orlando Weekly Staff Pick also named Gatorland as Best New Theme Park Attraction this year for its Social Distancing Skunk Ape.
Originally opened as a roadside attraction in 1949, the park celebrated its 70th Anniversary in 2019. Today, it provides affordably priced family fun featuring thousands of alligators and crocodiles, breeding marsh with observation tower, free-flight aviary, nature walk, petting zoo, educational wildlife programs, award-winning gift shop, Florida's best train ride, Gator Gully Splash Park, on-site restaurant, and one-of-a-kind shows including Gator Jumparoo, Alligators-Legends of the Swamp, and Up-close Encounters. Popular adventure experiences inside the park include the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line and Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure.
Squeeze the day, coffee lovers! Add a little zest to your morning routine or savor a guilt-free treat any time with Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Co’s newest limited-time flavor, Lemon Cookie medium roast coffee.
A medium roast blended from 100% Arabica coffee, Barnie’s new Lemon Cookie offers a creamy, buttery, sugar cookie taste punctuated with a hint of sweet lemon. Delicious served both hot and iced, a 6-ounce cup has less than five calories, is sugar-, fat-, nut- and gluten-free, and available in decaf. When paired with touch of cream and a sweetener of choice, Barnie’s latest flavor delivers a guilt-free treat.
While traveling may still be postponed for many due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the familiar aromas of Italy is as close as the kitchen and a coffee maker with Barnie’s newest brew. “Our research found that dessert coffee is very popular among today’s consumers and our customers. We wanted to create a coffee that is a little lighter on the palate than decadent chocolate or caramel, and a bit sassier, too,” explained Barnie’s Director of Coffee Programming Dustin Finch.
“Surprisingly, coffee and lemon go very well together,” Finch continued. “Lemon is one of the flavors that has been mixed with coffee since the beginning of, well, coffee. Italians have embraced the combination of coffee and lemon cookies; they’ve been enjoying them with their espresso forever. For example, a Café Medici consists of lemon rind, sugar and an espresso. The lemon sweetens up the coffee and gives it a little zing.”
Lemon Cookie joins a long history of innovative, award-winning flavored roasts and more than 20 flavors now available online at www.barniescoffee.com, including Cool Café Blues®, Creamy Buttery Caramel, Barnie’s Café Blend® and America’s favorite holiday blend, the wildly popular Santa’s White Christmas®. The price is $10.24 per 12-oz bag, and other discounts are available depending on quantities purchased. Barnie’s is also offering free shipping on orders of $30 or more in the month of May.
Central Florida residents and visitors can enjoy Lemon Cookie and other familiar flavors during Barnie’s Cappy Hour at its Winter Park Café, held each week Monday through Friday between 2-4 PM. Customers save $1 off any single coffee or tea beverage order or 50 percent off when they buy two or more beverages. Furry friends can join in the fun during their own Yappy Hour with a free Doguccino and special treats from Winter Park neighbor Woof Gang Bakery. Live outside of Orlando? Order a bag online then mix up a batch of Iced Coffee Margarita.
About Barnies Coffee & Tea Co.: Founded in 1980, Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Co. is a worldwide leader in premium coffee and tea. One of the first gourmet coffee brands in the U.S., Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Co. is steadfastly dedicated to its 40-year mission: pioneering the most dramatically delicious flavored and premium roasts, then delivering them wherever consumers are exploring new grounds. With an ongoing passion for innovation, Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Co. provides category-wide consumer products at a variety of price points and taste profiles in diverse channels, from delectable flavored coffees to its Crop•Ex line of single-origin, small batch roasts, and from single-serve and wholesale solutions to Fueled by Barnie’s licensed cafes. Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Co.’s products can be purchased online, in select grocery stores, at licensed foodservice providers, and at its company-operated café in Central Florida, where it headquarters. To learn more, visit www.www.barniescoffee.com. Follow the beloved coffee roaster on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@barniescoffee). #noonedoesflavorlikebarnies
Central Floridians are invited to enjoy an evening of food, fine wine, spirits, beer, and entertainment at Corks & Forks on May 13 in support of the Venue on Lake Lily in Maitland.
Founded and funded in the 1960's by individual members, the Maitland Civic Center has thrived for decades as the epicenter of social, civic and cultural life in Maitland. As with all places that enjoy rare tenure, the civic center, now known as Venue on Lake Lily is continuing its journey as a vital member of the community by exploring ways to evolve and redefine its purpose, position and promise within the community.
Guest will enjoy samples from local restaurants, great wines, good music all in support of the local arts and civic community. Signature dishes from some of the finest local chefs and restaurants in the area compliment fine wines, spirits and beer from favorite local and national brands.
Tickets range from $45 for general admission to $800 for a VIP club table for eight guests. All proceeds benefit the historic Maitland Civic Center, known as Venue on Lake Lily.
Thursday, May 13, 2021
6 – 9 p.m. (rain or shine)
Venue On Lake Lily
641 S. Maitland Avenue
Maitland, Florida 32751
Additional information and safety protocols: www.corksandforksmaitland.com
“Our mission is to identify trends that can be used to activate and market Venue on Lake Lily, while reframing its time-tested place as an invaluable community asset for generations to come. We seek to celebrate its history, charm and future, while aiming to ensure that the promise of the Venue touches all generations and maximizes its reach to inspire new members, supporters and patrons,” said Maitland Civic Center Executive Director Bobby Neal.