Pat Greene is Bungalower Media’s first sponsored Resident Reporter. Greene has joined our team as our Arts and Culture Correspondent for the next quarter, supported by the efforts of Interstruct Design + Build, an award-winning Orlando-based design and build firm.
This week, I am excited about activities that combine my love for art, sports, community, and small businesses.
This Friday night the locally and nationally celebrated runner and coach Seth Funderberg will be celebrating the Olympic Marathon in a night filled with excitement and appreciation for the sport called Run It Back.
Easy Luck Coffee and Bodega (Website) has been my go-to for the past 15 months. It’s not just a coffee shop; it’s a community hub. Its proximity to my home adds to its charm, but the welcoming staff and great coffee make it a comfortable place for everyone.
Tanner Jones, the owner, and I have had a few conversations about running as we share a love for running and coffee. I was excited when he told me he would have an Olympic Men’s Marathon viewing party this Friday night/Saturday morning at 2 a.m. inside Easy Luck Coffee Shop and Bodega, which is shared with Whippoorwill Beer House (Website), which has an excellent craft beer selection.
The night’s activities include:
- 9:30 p.m. – Free Shake Out Run with HOKA at Kyle’s Bike Shop
- 10:30 p.m. – Milk District Mile Race (starts and ends at Kyle’s Bike Shop)
- 11:30 p.m. – After Party at Easy Luck
- 2:00 a.m. – Men’s Olympic Marathon Viewing on a large screen
The event will likely be over by around 4:30 a.m. so take a nap so you can head to the Enzian a few hours later where they will be showing Tokyo Olympiad, one of the greatest, if not the greatest, sports films ever made. Director Kon Ichikawa’s 1965 documentary about the 1964 Tokyo Olympics is a work of art. It is beautiful, all 170 minutes of it. The film explores the accomplishments and personalities of the athletes. It’s a brilliant examination of their humanity. The screening is at 11 a.m. and tickets are just $11. Click HERE to purchase.
On Saturday night, be sure to visit McRae Studios (Website), a central Florida institution with 22 professional artist members. This art collective has been going strong since 1987. If you don’t know about them, and you like art, this is a great introduction.
Saturday night is a big event for them and a chance for community members to purchase great art on the cheap at their annual show, 8 x 10. It’s held on the tenth day of the eighth month and all art measures 8” x 10” and is priced between $100 and $200.
On-site framing will be available from Flamingo Framing during the event and it opens at 6:30 p.m. for a preview of the artwork before sales start at 7 p.m. sharp. Admission to the event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be available.
McRae Art Studios is located at 1000 Arlington Street [GMap] in Parramore.