Maya James

I am a writer, information gatherer, resident cat lover and multimedia specialist. I believe that words move people and this belief is strengthened by my background in journalism. 

Orlando Weekly

Orlando Weekly •

Orlando Shakes production of 'The Three Musketeers' opens this week

Orlando Shakes production of 'The Three Musketeers' opens this week Revisit the tale of adventurer D’Artagnan and his gang of fellow fighters in the Orlando Shakes adaptation of the French classic The Three Musketeers. Splendid sword fights between the band of swashbucklers and the villainous Cardinal Richelieu are sure to accelerate the heart rate of all those in attendance. Producing artistic director Richard Rose is responsible for bringing this witty adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ handspun s
Orlando Weekly •

Grand opening of new Orlando airport 7-Eleven might be a lame Valentine's date, but it could save lives

Looking for aValentine's Eve date?On Thursday, Feb. 13, Orlando will get its latest 7-Eleven, when another one opens up at the Orlando International Airport's South Cell Phone Lot. It will be their 4,365,386,208th store in Central Florida.At the grand opening party, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be product raffles and giveaways, alongside a NASCAR racing simulator. Classic 7-Eleven cuisine like Big Bite hot dogs and pizza slices will be sold for $1, and small Slurpees, medium coffees, and B
Orlando Weekly •

Winter Park's La Hacienda expands into building next door, adds full restaurant and liquor bar

After eight months of preparation to create a restaurant and market combo, Mexican taqueria La Hacienda has expanded into the space next door.Formerly just a supermarket serving fresh food from the counter within, La Hacienda's bright and shiny expansion adds a full-service restaurant next door with a liquor bar. La Hacienda now has a seating capacity of 150 customers.Manager Ana Garcia was able to confirm that the expansion was a long time coming. Heavy customer demand and limited kitchen space
Orlando Weekly •

Take a look at Florida's natural beauty at the annual Orlando Wetlands Festival

Take a look at Florida's natural beauty at the annual Orlando Wetlands Festival The City of Orlando is allowing Orlando residents to dive deep into the natural beauty of Orlando’s wetlands by getting up close and personal with native wildlife. At the Orlando Wetlands Festival, guests will find lots of fun for the whole family while learning about the essential efforts to protect Florida’s ecological and water resources. There’s a little something for everyone: a bounce house for children, local
Orlando Weekly •

Eatonville's DaJen Eats keeps hauling forward, with food truck debut on Tuesday night

Chef Jenn Ross of DaJen Eats & Creamery has been serving up Jamaican-inspired classics since 2017, first out of a Citgo gas station on North Orange Blossom Trail and then at her Eatonville eatery starting in 2018. Now she's bringing her all-vegan meals to the masses, with a new food truck debuting at Tuesday's Tasty Takeover.Born in Jamaica, Ross, whose first name is short for Jenneil, is known for her eclectic spin on vegan food, incorporating what she calls a "Jamaican flair." We've written a
Orlando Weekly •

Dochi and RoyalTea join the East End Market in Audubon Park

Dochi and RoyalTea join the East End Market in Audubon Park Orlando foodies will be delighted to hear that Dochi and RoyalTea are teaming up to take residence on the second floor of East End Market.

And soon to join Dochi upstairs at East End, the teahouse masters at RoyalTea brew up exciting beverages such as fresh fruit tea (made with pureed fruit), cheese mousse tea (tea topped with thick whipped cream cheese), traditional bubble tea, matcha and coffees.
Orlando Weekly •

Orlando is UNHhhhlando on Wednesday, when Trixie Mattel comes to the Plaza Live

Orlando is UNHhhhlando on Wednesday, when Trixie Mattel comes to the Plaza Live Trixie Mattel is the quintessential larger-than-life modern American drag queen and the creation of Brian Michael Firkus, who has been performing drag since 2008. The champion of the third season of hit show RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Mattel and her giant bouffant of blonde hair and dramatic black eye makeup were visually unforgettable. Mattel isn’t a one-trick pony, either. She’s a singer-songwriter – with a new
Orlando Weekly •

Orlando's Black community is invited to a peer support event destigmatizing mental health struggles

Various organizations in the Orlando community are rallying together in an effort to promote mental health within the Black community through the first Black Mental Health Matters Movement on Thursday, March 5.There will be a dinner at no cost and a panel event featuring mental health professionals and people sharing their lived personal experience of mental health struggles.The Black Health Matters Movement prioritizes demystifying mental illness in the Black community and provides outreach for
Orlando Weekly •

U.S. Rep. Val Demings vows support for presidential candidate Joe Biden

U.S. Rep. Val Demings, known for serving Florida's 10th Congressional District, publicly endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in his bid for the presidency on Thursday.Demings, who is part of the Congressional Black Caucus, Women’s Caucus, and New Democratic Caucus, appeared on CNN and voiced her support for the former VP."If we look at the records, if we look at what Vice President Biden has done, he has walked the walk and not just talked the talk," said Demings.Demings' endorsement comes
Orlando Weekly •

Iconic vintage Orlando porcelain sign preserved by Dominos Pizza under with red vinyl

The new Domino's that popped up on E. Colonial Drive isn't quite like any other – it holds a little nugget of Orlando history, a retro sign that has stood in place for almost 65 years.The historic sign attached to the building donning the bold lettering of "Porter Paints" on a dynamic orange and beige background is now covered with red vinyl.As the new owner of the building, Domino's requested last year for the sign to be removed from the landmark sign program, which grants it protection since 1
Orlando Weekly •

Watch a short doc about Florida humanitarian Gloria Lewis' quest to treat all homeless people with dignity

Los Angeles filmmaker Tony Montana has directed a documentary about Gloria Lewis, a Black humanitarian who has committed to helping the homeless in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Hailing from Barbados, Lewis arrived in the U.S. in 1987 in search of a chance to grab hold of the American prosperity she had grown up watching on television. In her words, the United States seemed like "the land of milk and honey" in comparison to the poverty she had been experiencing on her island.

When she made Fort La
Orlando Weekly •

This week's SpaceX launch in Cape Canaveral could have larger significance for Central Florida

Elon Musk's aerospace manufacturer, SpaceX, successfully launched 60 non-reflective internet satellites late Monday evening from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.Unlike previous reflective satellites, the latest space-bound devices are clad in a new dark coating, so as not to disrupt astronomers and stargazers from viewing the stars.It was their first official launch for the Space Force, the new sixth branch of the U.S. military, which is bringing new opportunities to the people and economies of
Orlando Weekly •

Pizza Bruno will finally expand its Curry Ford location

After releasing the news that their long-awaited Mills 50 location would unfortunately not be opening last September, Pizza Bruno has another restaurant expansion in the works.Instead of finding another location to serve pizzas, Pizza Bruno will be expanding into the space right beside its 3990 Curry Ford Road location, as confirmed by restaurant owner Bruno Zacchini III."We have tossed around a few ideas from a takeout-specific space to just adding more in-house seats, a walk-in, and potentiall
Orlando Weekly •

Cast of Disney's 'Aladdin' perform special benefit cabaret at downtown Orlando's the Abbey

Cast of Disney's 'Aladdin' perform special benefit cabaret at downtown Orlando's the Abbey Emerging fresh from the mind of Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw, Disney’s Aladdin comes to the Dr. Phillips Center this week. But the cast is also offering a fresh cabaret spin by presenting “Songs From a Whole New World” for a good cause. By teaming up with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, company members are breathing new life into Broadway hits and original works while gen
Orlando Weekly •

Enormous inflatable poop descends upon Lake Eola Park

A giant poo has plopped down right in the middle of Lake Eola Park.Inflatable poo, that is. It's a marketing stunt by the poop-positive toilet spray brand Poo-pourri. They're promoting their product by encouraging customers to, um, let go – both physically and mentally – with their "Let That Sh*t Go" event, taking place 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.As part of their "Giant Poo Tour" (no, I'm not making that up), Poo-pourri has been proudly setting up giant inflatable poop piles al
Orlando Weekly •

SeaWorld reveals the lineup of its Seven Seas Food Festival, and crickets are on the menu

uests can send their tastebuds on a journey

SeaWorld's Seven Seas Food Festival is making a return Feb. 7 through May 3, along with a new music lineup and a few new menu options. GAsian, Latin, European, Polynesian and North Atlantic flavors for the third year in a row. But it's the first time that guests can wine and dine at the festival on Fridays, not just Saturdays and Sundays.The international offerings will be served at stations throughout the park . Expect to see scrumptious fan favorite
Orlando Weekly •

'Out of the Darkness' Orlando walk aims to create community and prevent suicide

The Central Florida chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host their 13th annual Out of the Darkness Community Walks for suicide awareness on Saturday, Feb. 1.The 2.6-mile scenic walk around Lake Baldwin will serve as a fundraiser fueled by Facebook backers, sponsors, and direct donations to AFSP. Over 83 cents of every dollar raised through the walk is invested towards suicide research, education, and advocacy for those affected by suicide. As of Jan. 26, the walk has r
Orlando Weekly •

Despite bankruptcy proceedings, Orlando's Bar Louie locations plan to stay open

Bar Louie may have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but fear not; all four Orlando locations, including the popular UCF spot, are staying open.In an effort to "reorganize their assets," Bar Louie closed 38 underperforming locations nationwide and announced on Monday that they would be selling the chain to its lenders. However, Bar Louie fans may be relieved to hear that the company will continue to operate more than 90 locations across the U.S. "in the normal course of business."We called all fo
Orlando Weekly •

Fashion and compassion collide at Orlando's annual Trash 2 Trends gala

Local artists are bringing a new meaning to “reduce, reuse and recycle” with Trash 2 Trends, the exuberant fashion show curated from the upcycled clothing of Orlando residents. Mixing sustainability with ingenuity, this event of recycled fashion is hosted by Keep Orlando Beautiful with the aim of raising money for local environmental initiatives. Each ticket’s proceeds go from your pocket right back into the community toward recycling initiatives, city beautification and green spaces. If you wan
Orlando Weekly •

Peer Support Space in Kissimmee to offer a 'Respite' from life's hardships on Saturday

Nonprofit mental health advocacy group Peer Support Space will be launching the first-ever Peer Respite in Central Florida on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will also mark the organization's first anniversary.As "respite" is defined as a break from hardship, the Peer Respite is just that. Described by Peer Support Space executive director Yasmin Flasterstein as a "welcoming space" in the community for individuals living with mental health challenges, the Peer Respite is design
Orlando Weekly •

'It was a shock to everybody,' says Lucky's Market manager

In light of grocery giant Kroger announcing their divestment from the Lucky's Market chain – and Monday's announcement that Earth Fare will be closing completely – supermarket employees in Orlando have been left reeling from the impending loss of their jobs.spoke to a Lucky's store manager in the Orlando area who expressed her love for the chain, and disappointment that the doors will soon be closing. To her, the biggest source of her dismay was seeing all of her and her colleagues' hard work se
Orlando Weekly •

Orlando Shakes production of 'The Three Musketeers' opens this week

Orlando Shakes production of 'The Three Musketeers' opens this week Revisit the tale of adventurer D’Artagnan and his gang of fellow fighters in the Orlando Shakes adaptation of the French classic The Three Musketeers. Splendid sword fights between the band of swashbucklers and the villainous Cardinal Richelieu are sure to accelerate the heart rate of all those in attendance. Producing artistic director Richard Rose is responsible for bringing this witty adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ handspun s