Orlando couple featured on CNN
On New Yea’s Day, CNN aired a series of six stories about people whose benefits under the Affordable Care Act began on the first day of the year. Orlando couple Rob Domenico and husband Alan Meeks were featured. You can see a wedding photo of the couple on CNN.com with Meeks’ first person account of signing up for Obamacare. Meeks talks about needing an annual MRI after doctors found a benign tumor. Domenico, who was diagnosed with a heart condition, requires 14 medications. The couple found signing up on the healthcare website breeze. After having a job that required 75% travel in order to afford healthcare, Meeks, a system engineer, said he values the freedom to be able to work anywhere and take his insurance with him.
Funky Monkey chef cooks her way onto the Food Network
Using her stellar cooking skills and craftiness to sabotage her opponents, Funky Monkey Wine Company Chef Ashley Nickell, 26, made her way to the finals of Cutthroat Kitchen on the Food Network. Nickell, the daughter of restaurant owners Eddie Nickell and Nicholas Olivieri, applied to be on the show last year, but didn’t make the cut. Producers called her back this season. “They told her they had bypassed her because she was too nice,” Olivieri said. “She told them I’m not as nice as you think I am. Trust me. You can throw anything at me.” Alton Brown hosts the cooking show, a game that features a briefcase of cash, four competitors, three rounds of cooking and auctions where chefs bid on items to help themselves or hinder their opponents. A chef is eliminated after each of the three rounds, and the last competitor standing becomes a Cutthroat Kitchen Champion. Nickell’s challenges included whipping up won tons without the wrappers, creating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a novel way (she made PBJ bread pudding) and chopping up a block of frozen shrimp for Asian shrimp pasta. Though she didn’t win, Nickell and Olivieri had a watch party at the Funky Monkey on Dec. 29 and the younger Nickell had fun seeing her name trending on Twitter.
A few good voices
The Orlando Gay Chorus (OGC) is looking for a few good voices. Auditions for its spring concert are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 4-5, at First United Church of Christ, 4605 Curry Ford Road. OGC members pay annual dues of $50. Singing members pay an additional $35 in performance prep fees for each concert in which they perform. Periodically, singers may need to purchase concert attire, including clothing and/or shoes. Singers are expected to perform choreographed movement (choralography) while singing four to six pieces at each concert. Those songs must be memorized. No prior experience required. The concert is scheduled for May 17-18. To sign up, visit OrlandoGayChorus.org.
A few good men
If you have the body and not the voice, the Parliament House is looking for a few good men dancing men. The Footlight Players are holding open auditions at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15 at the Footlight Theater, 410 N Orange Blossom Trail. Anyone may audition. Only basic dance knowledge is required. For more information, call 407-425-7571.
