Goodbye to kitsch
WTF is going on in Orlando? After the Trader Joe’s opened in Winter Park, news spread that Mount Vernon Inn, home of the Red Fox Lounge, was closing to make room for a new complex and parking to assist with overcrowding. The unintentional vintage kitschy bar was a favorite for many in town thanks to the talents Mark and Lorna, who would sing and dance. Also recently announced, the Peacock Lounge closes at the end of the month. The Peacock Lounge was one of the first ambiguously gay martini bars that had opened in Orlando but then transitioned to more of an art bar, but still attracting a very diverse crowd. And lastly, Theatre Downtown’s Frank Helgenberg posted an announcement to its website announcing that after 25 years and over 300 performances, it’s Orange and Princeton location is closing. That’s thanks to a clause in the lease allowing Florida Hospital to end the relationship two years ahead of schedule. Frank went on to say the theater still plans on closing out its 2014 season and Theatre Downtown is seeking a new location to host the 2015 season.
Something Lil’ and something Grande
Parliament House Resort certainly drew in the crowds on the night of Come Out With Pride by hosting rapper Lil’ Kim, despite the Twitter storm of confusion that had many questioning whether or not she would perform. Before arriving in Orlando, the rapper was scheduled to perform and attend a meet and greet in Wilton Manors, which never happened. Social media was ablaze with complaints following that gig. To add to the confusion, Lil’ Kim reposted a tweet saying she would not be appearing at the P-House due to a conflict with her promoters. But the P-House quickly rectified the situation and verified her performance. Boca Raton’s own Frankie Grande was also in attendance at P-House Pride weekend and made a special appearance. The Big Brother star was well received. Rumors also circulated that talk show host Wendy Williams might pop in, but she was never spotted.
The Super Moon is back
When the word got out the new owners came in and purchased the Old Full Moon Saloon, many were excited to see what was to come. The fur flew when we were advised it was going to be named Woodstock bar and rebranded as outdoor music venue rather than a Levi/Leather club. But die-hard fans can rejoice. One owner told us this week that a decision was made to rebrand and rename yet again. The main bar will be the Full Moon while the outside venue will remain Woodstock. Owners hope to open in late December.
Bullies Back Off the Space Coast
When the Westboro Baptist Church planned to picket a local Cocoa Beach high school and the nearby UCF campus, Space Coast Pride assisted in getting the word out via their social media. In true Westboro fashion, only a small handful of protestors showed up for so-called church, but twice as many came to counter protest and drown out hateful anti-LGBT speech. Space Coast Pride previously organized a group to rally at a Bye Bye to (Pam) Bondi event when she appeared in Melbourne.
