Orlando Ballet presents Beauty & the Beast | Orlando Family Magazine
"It’s one of the most beloved fairy tales of all time! Now, the entire family can follow Belle and all your favorite characters as she falls in love with the scary Beast. Orlando Ballet’s own Arcadian Broad, age 16, will compose and choreograph a unique interpretation of this classic tale of love and acceptance. His vision for this renewed performance is to create a classically based, structured show with fresh, visually stunning effects, while displaying the physically astounding abilities of the professional dancers..."
Complete article can be seen in the April edition of Orlando Family Magazine or visit their website.
- WHERE: Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
- WHEN: Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 11 am
Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 3 pm – NEW PERFORMANCE ADDED!!!
Grom: Social Networking for Youth | Orlando Family Magazine
"If your kids aren’t on Grom, they soon will be ─ if Zach Marks, a Melbourne Beach teen, has anything to say about it. The curly-haired, 13-year-old is the brainchild behind Grom Social (GromSocial.com), an online network for kids, by kids (for ages 5–16). He thought up the site after his parents, Sarah and Darren, kicked him off Facebook. “There wasn’t a fun, safe, educational site out there for kids,” Zach said. “I wasn’t allowed on Facebook. I’m a very social person and that’s why I always wanted to be on a social media site.”
In December, Grom Social celebrated its first anniversary with more than 300,000 users in 201 different countries and territories! Of those, 26,876 reside in the Greater Orlando area, including Orange, Osceola, Polk, Lake, and Seminole counties. “It’s crazy how many people are on the site now,” said Darren. “It’s been an incredible rollercoaster ride.”
The idea behind Grom Social – Grom is an Australian slang term for an apprentice surfer – is more than just a hub for children around the world to connect. The Marks wanted to create a site that teaches youth how to conduct themselves online, such as by keeping personal information (like home address and phone number) private. The site includes a curse word filter and is monitored 24/7 by multiple advisors. Parents approve all friend requests and get email updates and “report cards” about their child’s activities. Grom Social also strongly supports anti-bullying and encourages teens to say no to alcohol, tobacco, and drugs by promoting such messages throughout the site with the help of specially-designed avatars, aka Gromatars, such as Trevor, the anti-bullying character..."
Complete article can be seen in the March edition of Orlando Family Magazine or visit their website.
Orlando's Best Photographers | Babyourself Magazine
Baby Yourself Magazine sat down with Erika to learn what inspires her and how she became a professional photographer.
Your Motto?
A portrait session is more than rich colors and soft airy light, it’s about having fun and letting me capture pure unguarded LOVE.
Do you have kids?
Yes, I have an 8 month old little girl, she is the light of my life. She has completely changed my vision behind the camera. Love is an amazing thing, something you can’t really describe, and something so amazing it hurts.
Your perfect day.
The perfect day to me would be a simple outdoor day with my family. My arms wrapped around my husband and a happy laughing daughter equals perfection, as far as I am concerned!
Give us the who, what, when, and where for your photography, what is your specialty?
I specialize in Newborn, Maternity and Family Photography for the last 6 years with a primary focus in Central Florida, along with limited sessions in the Charleston and Charlotte area.
Describe the moment when you said, "I want to be a photographer... like for real!"
There wasn’t really a moment when I decided I wanted to be a photographer. You could say photography has been calling me, all along. From snapping 100s of shots with my first camera, at the age of 6, to photographing 100s of children per day; at my very first job. From the beginning, one thing is for sure, I have always had two loves: photography and children!
Night owl or early riser?
Night owl. I feel the most productive working into the wee hours of the night. There is something about the quite darkness that keeps me extremely focused. Plus, for every hour I work at night is an extra hour I am able to spend with my daughter!
Confession time, what reality show sucks you in every time?!
Rehab Addict on DIY Network. In my spare time, I enjoy taking old tired antiques and bringing them back to their glory days. Maybe in my next life I will rehab houses AND be a newborn photographer!
Balancing Hanukkah and Christmas Celebrations | Orlando Family Magazine
"Many interfaith families choose to observe both Hanukkah and Christmas. In fact, holiday joy can be doubled when you choose to light the menorah and decorate the Christmas tree to honor the cultural and religious traditions of both parents. So, don’t stress over the “December Dilemma!” When it comes to religion, families increasingly run the Judeo-Christian gamut. In our family, we have Orthodox Jews on one side of our family tree and Born-again Christians on the other. However, my husband and I both share the same beliefs about diversity, tolerance, and spirituality; and that’s what we intend to pass on to our daughter, in part by participating in both signature holidays.
As a woman who was raised Catholic and has been happily married to a Jewish man for the past thirteen years, I can attest that, once you become the parent in an interfaith family, you quickly become accustomed to not being able to please everyone. But since the wisdom of your hearts brought you and your partner together in the first place, why not call on that same source of wisdom to guide you through creating your own version of happy holidays? Here are a few tips based on what our family has learned over the years..."
Complete article can be seen in the December edition of Orlando Family Magazine or visit their website.