- Trina Gregory-Propst has certainly been busy lately. In addition to her popular Se7enbites, a bakery that could also qualify as a password because it has at least 8 characters, one capital letter and one numeral, she and her wife, Va, recently opened Sette in Ivanhoe Village. And now, in collaboration with Barnie’s Coffee & Tea, she’s created the Se7en Bites Special Blend coffee. Gregory-Propst, shown at top with Barnie’s chief sales & marketing officer, Scott Uguccioni, said in a statement announcing the release, ““I knew if the original Orlando coffee company was willing to make a special blend just for us, then we’ve made it.” The Se7en Bites Special Blend was created by Dustin Finch, Barnie’s director of coffee programing, a position that really exists. It will be available freshly brewed and by the pound at the bakery.
- You know what goes with coffee? Pie. And Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13, the 25th National Pie Championships are taking place at the Renaissance Orlando SeaWorld. Last year’s competition had 714 pies baked by 71 piesters. The event is sponsored by the American Pie Council, an organization that really exists.
- Orlando Business Journal is reporting that Publix is considering putting in a pleasurable grocery store in the Church Street train depot, which was most recently occupied, poorly, by Ferg’s Depot. If this happens, you can expect a Lucky’s Market to open across the way in the space held briefly, and just as poorly, by California Tortilla.
- Mark Baratelli, a person who really exists, owner of the Daily City and Orlando Flea (and a co-presenter on WMFE’s Spotlight, Fridays at 5:50 p.m.) will test a new project, the Downtown Indoor Farmers Market, on June 9th from noon to 4 p.m. Celine at 22 S. Magnolia Ave. will provide the indoor part. Orlando Meats, Fleet Farming, Wild Ocean Seafood, and Pizza Bruno, are some of the participants he’s lined up so far. Find out more at the website.
- The people who own Agave Azul Cocina Mexicana restaurants are slapping that name on to Saint Anejo Mexican Kitchen + Tequileria, but not until October.
- Bungalower’s Brendan O’Connor, whose existence could not be confirmed at the time of publication, reports that Vinyl Arts Bar has evolved into Vinyl Tapas Lounge. VTL opened softly on Wednesday at 75 E. Colonial Drive with a menu of hot and cold tapas and a selection of flatbreads. I would love it if the flatbreads were served on a 33 RPM LP. Extra points of it’s by The Platters.
- Yuki Hana Fusion Sushi, an Oviedo restaurant that soon will not exist, announced on its Facebook page that it was closing after six and a half years. Last day is Saturday, April 13. One commenter on the post expressed his disappointment about the closing because he had always meant to try it but now wouldn’t have a chance. There’s no way for the owner to respond to such a comment without having the person standing there so he could be properly grabbed by the collar and shaken.
