The 25th Annual Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk

I met up with Amber and Justin at Lake Eola to support their family at The 25th Annual Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk. It was a fun day of games for the kids and a lovely stroll around Lake Eola. 

Ava ready to go down the slide.

Peyton and Ava shooting hoops.

Ava practicing her swings.

Peyton and Ava.

Peyton having fun bouncing around.

Peyton and Ava playing a game with help from mom.

Peyton and Justin.

Ready to start the walk.

Ava.

Peyton crossing the finish line with mommy and daddy.

All of Peyton’s supporters.

Avy

Lovely little Avy, the daughter of my friends Mariko and David.

A walk around Lake Eola with momma.

Beanie baby.

My first time babysitting for this inquisitive little lady.

Marked

The week after the shooting in Orlando was an emotional one. Going to Chris's funeral was not easy. The church was full of shocked people still struggling to understand what happened. I ran into a few friends from high school and we got to catch up and share memories of Chris. 

I have to admit I had some concerns about going. The Westboro Baptist Church had members that were going to picket the funeral. That would never have prevented me from going but it was upsetting to think that anyone would go so far as to disrupt a funeral. When I got out of my car I saw a crowd and prepared for the worst. Luckily, the crowd was actually people from Orlando who were counter protesting the Westboro Baptist Church. They were covered in rainbow colors and had signs spreading messages of love. Some even wore angel wings to block the hateful messages from the funeral goers. Between the large crowd and their singing of Amazing Grace I never saw or heard anyone from the Westboro Baptist Church. 

I found out later that there were over 300 counter protesters from the City of Orlando and only four people from the Westboro Baptist Church. Apparently they left after only one hour because they were completely overwhelmed. 

The following day the City of Orlando held a vigil at Lake Eola Park. 

The crowd beginning to gather. 

The memorial at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. 

People wrote loving messages in the sand outside the center. 

The memorial for Chris and his boyfriend Juan. 

In the wake of this whole mess I was immensely proud of my city. We had come together in overwhelming support of each other. As a whole, we had made it clear that we would continue to fight for LGBT rights. This is our City and we will not stand for hate. That left a huge impression on me. 

Between loosing Chris, struggling with the funeral and feeling a great since of pride in Orlando, I was a powerful mix of emotions. I decided I wanted to be marked on the outside the way I felt marked on the inside. 

The things that stood out to me the most were love, compassion, and the fight for equal rights. I loved the geometric heart design featured on hundreds of shirts around town.

I took my idea to Little Joe's Primrose Tattoo Parlor and they helped me come up with a gorgeous design.  

It was so much more than just loosing Chris. It was about the amazing person that he was. The way he fought for others. Spending the day on Amber's couch crying and eating mac and cheese. All the texts and calls I got from friends who were okay. Its about walking to a funeral surrounded by strangers willing to keep you shielded. It's about the way this entire city fights for equality in all its rainbow coated glory. Its working for two jobs and how they both embrace diversity unapologetically. It was about letting yourself hurt so you had the strength to make it better. So the inside can match the outside.

Orlando Skyline

I took this photograph of the Orlando skyline shortly after the sunset. You can still see the faintest remnants of fading light to the far left. All the city lights are flickering in the reflection of Lake Eola. 

Dramatic Dusk

I took this photograph on a walk through Lake Eola park near sunset. Even though the sun remains hidden the sky is still breathtaking. The swirling clouds and the slight tint of peach create a sensational skyline. 

The Tower and The Tree

A while ago I was strolling around downtown Orlando. I happened to look up and take this beautiful shot.

 

This is the Waverly, one of the high-rise condominiums lining Lake Eola. Covering the trademark turquoise balconies was a giant tree. I thought to myself: The people who live in these condos have a beautiful view of downtown. They can see for miles, able to take in the city, the lake, and the tops of all the trees. How perfectly in place everything must look from that perspective. 

But from where I stand the high-rise is covered by the tree. Only small glimpses of the balconies are visible between the intricate winding of the branches and leaves which command my attention. This city claims to be made of steel and concrete, but from where I stand, I see something completely different. I see Florida running wild. 

4th of July With A View

Myra invited me to her friends house to watch the fireworks this year. Little did I know that her friend happened to live on the 30th floor of the Aspire, one of the high rise apartments in downtown Orlando. His balcony had a perfect view of the lake.

Lake Eola right before dusk. The Orlando Orchestra was warming up to perform in the amphitheater. 

The view from his back patio overlooked the highest rooftop pool in the city and the gorgeous view that comes with it.

A sparkling explosion over the glittering cityscape. 

This one reminded me of a Palm Tree.

Crackling as it fell back down toward the lake.

Another firework over the city. That pale orange orb in the sky to the right is the full moon slowly climbing up to meet the night. 

I love this one. I caught a firework in full bloom, its reflection over the lake, and the moon all in one shot.

Overlooking the city facing the South. If you look closely you can see the crowd filing the streets on the way back to their cars. 

A clear view of the city with the fountain lit up in red, white and blue. 

I love the way the moon lit up the surrounding clouds. 

One last look at the pool with the city shimmering behind it. 

Mom's visit to Orlando

My mother's birthday is always close to Mother's Day so she decided to come visit me in Orlando and make an event out of it. I enjoy having her around so we hit the town.

For her birthday dinner I took her to Lake Eola Wine Bar. We had some samples of white wine and split a cheese plate with three fancy cheeses from all over the world. We felt very cosmopolitan as we sat on the patio and enjoyed some people watching. The clouds above were thick and gray but only a light mist of drizzle fell from the sky. The small glistening lights hung throughout the awning pointed the way to the heart of downtown. 

After dinner we took a walk around Lake Eola and got to enjoy seeing the many small baby swans who had recently hatched. The colorful and stormy clouds above the city provided for a beautifully impressionistic reflection over the water. 

The following day we went walking around the Antique District of North Orange Avenue. We found ourselves in Washburn Imports - a store specializing in wooden imports from Asia. I found this serene statue in front of one of the windows toward the back of the store. The bottom half is rough wood and the top half blooms into this intricate carving. The screen behind the statue gives the impression that it is radiating its own life force. 

The outside patio of Washburn Imports. If you look very closely you can see the reflections of my mother and I in the piece of glass behind the chairs. 

An ornately jeweled chandelier handing from the warehouse ceiling. At first I was disappointed that the image came out a bit blurry, but the more I looked at it the more I loved it. The angle and slight blur help ignite some fire and life into a traditionally static object. 

Some large pots on display outside of a garden shop. I love the look of the rich clay against the glossy  sheen of the cobalt blue glaze.