Tampa’s premier Halloween event returns earlier than ever for 28 killer nights with scare zones and haunted houses, including two ALL-NEW houses. Fear returns to its most immersive form as guests are invited back inside iconic haunted houses, including two ALL-NEW horror-filled houses at Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream, Tampa Bay’s BIGGEST haunt event. Park guests will find nowhere to hide as zombies, deranged clowns, werewolves and more stalk their prey throughout eight scare zones while unpredictable roaming hordes lurk in the darkness. Beyond the haunts, killer entertainment can be found on stage with “Fiends!” returning to the Festival Field and last year’s best-kept-secret “The Rolling Bones” performing electrifying rock covers at Dragon Fire Grill. Howl-O-Scream tickets are on sale starting now, at the lowest prices of the year! The separately ticketed nighttime event runs on select dates from Friday, Sept. 10, through Sunday, Oct. 31. Creeping closer each day, Howl-O-Scream returns to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay with a hair-raising, skin-crawling celebration of ghoulish delights, including:
Tickets to Howl-O-Scream are available NOW, including exclusive discounts for Fun Card and Annual Pass Members at the LOWEST PRICES OF THE YEAR. Fans of fear can sign up for emails at HowlOScream.com to be the first to receive news of more dark details on new houses, experiences and more coming to Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Fans can feed their appetite for fear by following Howl-O-Scream on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Howl-O-Scream is intended for a mature audience. This event contains intense adult content such as violence, gore, and blood. Howl-O-Scream 2021 is a separately ticketed nighttime event. No costumes are allowed. I am a Busch Gardens blogger ambassador. In exchange for sharing upcoming information sometimes I receive complimentary admission to events. As always, all opinions are my own.
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Rosen Plaza Hotel is declaring June National Heroes Month, in honor of all of the Dads and father figures that we treasure as the special heroes in our lives. Jack's Place Restaurant To celebrate, on Father’s Day or any Sunday in June, treat your favorite leading man to the hotel’s popular Jack's Place restaurant where he can relish an award-winning multi-course meal and, as an added treat, “meet up” with some of his own favorite heroes, too. First, reward Dad’s amazing feats of patience and support with a free succulent Jack’s Place entree (free with entree purchase of equal or greater value). Hearty selections include the 20 ounce Bone-In Rib Eye, Grilled Rack of Lamb, Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin and a 6 ounce Filet Mignon. For the fresh seafood lover, seasonal favorites include Pan-Seared Sea Bass, Broiled Lobster Tail, Carmelized Chimichurri Scallops and Sesame Crusted Tuna. Entrees are accompanied by Chef’s fresh market vegetables and Jack’s Place Au Gratin Potatoes. Plenty of additional menu options include inventive sides like Lobster Mac ‘N Cheese and sweet endings like Junior’s “Most Famous” Cheesecake. A children’s menu is available. While dining, Dad can revel in the hotel’s unrivaled gallery collection of autographed celebrity caricatures penned by owner Harris Rosen’s father Jack while working at the Waldorf Astoria during the hotel’s tony heyday in 1930s-50s. Gracing the walls are home run kings Hammerin’ Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth, astronaut and moon walker Neil Armstrong, heavyweight boxing champ Muhammed Ali, first flighter Charles Lindberg, WW II hero General Douglas MacArthur and stoic Western actor John Wayne -- just a few of the hundreds of historic icons mesmerizing guests. For your own hero's portrait, an in-house artist will pen complimentary caricatures of the man of the hour and your party as cherished keepsakes. Just make sure to get Dad’s autograph before framing. To make your reservation and for more details, please call 407-996-1787. Or book on OpenTable.com using the code Heroes21. For more information, the menu and a list of caricatures, please visit JacksPlaceRestaurant.com. Parking is complimentary for dining guests. '39 Poolside Bar & Grill For the father who enjoys his day in the sun, Rosen Plaza’s ’39 Poolside Bar & Grill is ideal for a scenic outdoor celebratory brunch for the entire family. Reserve a comfy shaded table next to the hotel’s glistening tropical pool. Then sip chilled Mimosas or a cold Rosen’s own Alligator Drool Beer while perusing an extensive menu of breakfast and lunch delights where Dad enjoys a free entree (free with entree purchase of equal or greater value). Choose from guest favorites like ‘39 Shrimp & Grits, Chicken & Waffles, French Toast Stack and ‘39 Crab Benny. Or enjoy more traditional fare like Sixty South Grilled Salmon Salad, Poolside Brunch Burger with fried egg, smokehouse bacon and cheddar cheese, Poolside Chicken Fajita or Shrimp Tacos and more. Plenty of special brunch accompaniments include Chicken Apple Sausage, Crispy Onion Rings and Made-Fresh-to-Order Poolside Guacamole. The free entree offer is available throughout the month of June during the Poolside Brunch, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at ‘39 Poolside Bar & Grill at Rosen Plaza. To book this dining opportunity, please visit OpenTable.com and use the code Heroes21 or call 407-996-3899 to book or for more details. For more information and for the brunch menu, please visit RosenPlaza.com and click on the dining tab for ‘39 Poolside Bar & Grill. Parking is complimentary for dining guests. For guest safety and security and that of our associates, Rosen Plaza implements Rosen’s Total Commitment. For more information, please visit RosenHotels.com/RosensTotalCommitment. Rosen Plaza Hotel is located at 9700 International Dr., Orlando, FL 32819. For more information, please visit RosenPlaza.com. I'm a Rosen Hotels Blogger Ambassador. In exchange for sharing upcoming information, sometimes I receive complimentary admission to events. As always, all opinions are my own. Now Open and Brimming with Thrills, SeaWorld Orlando is unveiling the brand NEW Bakery and Café—the Coaster Coffee Company. Guests can start their day at SeaWorld Orlando with some extra jolt before they bolt to the thrills of world-class coasters at the brand-new Coaster Coffee Co. Serving Starbucks® crafted hot and iced favorites and new items such as Mango Dragonfruit & Kiwi Starfruit Refreshers® the new space is the perfect place to start your day or recharge before an afternoon of rollercoaster riding. This new space includes amazing working scale roller-coaster models and historical depictions of SeaWorld coaster history. With café-style seating and a great location near Manta and the park entrance, this new hot spot is brimming with thrills. In addition to amazing food and beverage offerings, Coaster Coffee Company is also the only place to get exclusive Coaster Coffee Company merchandise like Coaster Coffee Company branded souvenir mugs, cups and t-shirts. The café will also offer exclusive items from your favorite SeaWorld Orlando coasters. With the addition of Coaster Coffee Company, SeaWorld is raising the bar of the park’s food and beverage offerings, opening five new culinary locations in the past year. The cafe is open DAILY! Check out the FULL menu here: https://seaworld.com/orlando/dining/coaster-coffee-company/ I am a Seaworld blogger ambassador. In exchange for sharing upcoming information sometimes I receive complimentary admission to events. As always, all opinions are my own.
I'm back with another spotlight on a small (and local!) business. This small business is a bit different than you might expect, as Michelle Holly Recommends doesn't just sell things - she is actually an educator turned blogger turned mother turned children's book author! I mean, aren't most mothers a whole bunch of things rolled into one? I thought it would be really cool to highlight what Michelle Holly has been doing, as I felt it was unique and might be something some of you out there might be interested in learning about. So, before I give anything else away, here is her story:
Before we get started, can you introduce yourself and tell everyone a bit about your background? Thanks for this opportunity to share my passion for writing. I’m Michelle Holly, a Mommy Blogger, applying 18 years of professional education expertise to raising my own one-year-old daughter! I’ve been an elementary and middle school teacher, a dean, testing coordinator, instructional coach and am currently on a leave of absence to stay home with my daughter. I started blogging about two years ago. My latest blog is called Michelle Holly Recommends and it’s based on activities, games and books I use with my daughter. With my background, I naturally include learning into what we are doing. I started this with my sister’s daughters seven years ago. She would always be in awe of the questions I would ask or things I would do and told me I should share this knowledge with others, so that’s the inspiration for sharing what I know on my latest blog, Michelle Holly Recommends. I know moms are busy, so I keep my blogs to the point, with some ideas to share, in the hopes that at least one idea can be applied to help our kids be the smartest on the block!
Your family life changed not that long ago, can you tell us a bit about this exciting change?
Yes, such an exciting change! My husband and I adopted our daughter about a year and a half ago. During our journey to parenthood, I started my first blog to share our story. I just had two miscarriages, three unsuccessful IUIs, and we were at a place of discouragement. There’s a very talented spoken word artist named Hosanna Wong who came to speak at our church, First Orlando. In her message, “I have a new name” I felt led to be a “messenger” and share my story and our journey to parenthood, whether it was going to be biological or through adoption. Once I did, I had about twenty women who privately shared their stories with me, of either miscarriage, infertility issues, or were also considering adoption. While I was experiencing heartache, my heart was also sparked because I was able to offer encouragement to others in my situation. I had an undeniable hope in God that He had the best plans for me and I sincerely wanted to share with others where my hope came from and that they too, could have the same hope. I started a Mommy Monday Prayer Wall, where I prayed for other women who wanted to be a mommy, and mommyhood came to fruition for about ten of us!
So now you have published TWO children’s books. Is your daughter the reason for this or was there another reason? Can you tell us about these books?
When my husband and I flew out to the city where our daughter was born, one of the first things we did was buy Jimmy Fallon’s Mama and Dada books. We read them to our daughter each day we were in the hospital together and she has had at least one book read to her every day since. I didn’t find too many picture books about adoption that were simple enough to read to my baby and that would express how much I love her. So I wrote, “The Moment I Met You” which is a book about the reminders I have all day long of how much I have loved my daughter ever since that first moment I saw her in the little baby carrier in the hospital. It is a moment that floods me with so many happy emotions and memories. I wanted to capture it in a book that I could read to my daughter at any time, but also for other adoptive parents to have as well. My younger sister, Melanie, illustrated the pictures in such a way that represents the diversity of adoptive families.
My second book, “Counting Time with an Easter Rhyme” was inspired by my mom’s crocheted creations she makes for her three granddaughters. My other sister, Melissa, photographed the crocheted Easter eggs and bunny. I love reading rhyming books to my daughter because they are easy to sing and my daughter loves music. Being an educator at heart, I love adding a learning aspect to what we do, so this book can be used for counting 1-12, identifying colors, and I touch upon the meaning of Easter in a simple way for children. I even include five tips to help parents engage with their children as they read. Put this all together, and my second book came to life! It’s going to look perfect in my daughter’s Easter basket! (Blogger note - this interview was before Easter)
Do you have any plans for writing any more books?
Yes, I would love to get a book contract with a book publisher! I also hope to continue reaching others through my blog so that I can share what I know to help others. I noticed that you shared on Instagram that I was a “Local Author” and that really meant a lot to me. Until recently, I wouldn’t have really claimed that title! I was able to be part of a Bible study group focused on writing at my church and it was led by a (for real!) Local Author, Stacey Thacker. We all met weekly to talk about our writing, and she had us say out loud, “I am a writer!” She was extremely encouraging and through her leading, I felt that this is a path God has led me on and it was good to be reminded of that.
Do you have anything else to share with us?
About twenty years ago, I wanted to be a children’s book writer. I put the dream on the back burner for a while, or so I thought. What I didn’t realize was this whole time I was writing in various ways. When I think someone needs encouragement, I listen for what God might tell me that they need to hear and I write notes and thank you cards to others that make them cry happy tears. My social media posts and comments hopefully spread positivity. As an educator, I write emails, tutorials and presentations for students, teachers and parents. I started a professional Twitter account and blog because I truly enjoy sharing what I learn with others. I felt most impactful when I was able to share my journey to parenthood and see how it helped and encouraged others. I hope I can always use the writing talent God gave me to inspire hope in others and to help families engage together.
Where can we find your books for purchase?
Both books, The Moment I Met You and Counting Time with an Easter Rhyme are available on Amazon in paperback and kindle form. The Moment I Met You: https://amzn.to/3mXliyo Counting time with an Easter Rhyme: https://amzn.to/3aguKYD
If we want to follow you to see more that you have to offer in the future or things that you recommend, where can we do that?
Thanks for asking! I have been able to expand upon my adventures with my daughter and two nieces in my blog, www.MichelleHollyRecommends.blogspot.com. In this blog, I share my recommendations for toys and books. I talk about various developmental stages of children’s learning and how to incorporate learning into the toys we play with and books we read. Recently, I started blogging about places we are visiting with ideas of things to do before, during and after your visit. My goal is to share with parents how we can spark learning and engagement in everyday things we do. Follow me on Instagram @Michelle_Holly_Recommends And I’d love for you to like my Facebook Page @MichelleHollyRecommends YouTube: More Time to Gather
Personal message from The Orlando Millennial: Michelle here! Michelle Holly has been someone I have known on a personal level for 4 years now. She is someone I call a mentor, a friend, a neighbor, and just one of the most amazing women I am honestly blessed to have met in my life. I was so elated when I learned she was going to be adopting her daughter and I've been so happy to see all that has happened since. In a world where many are learning that not everyone fits into cookie cutter norms, I felt that her book telling an adopted child how much they are loved was something special that many others might want to learn about. I love that she shares her story about her pregnancy struggles pre-adoption, but also lifts up those that are going through similar struggles. I highly recommend following Michelle Holly Recommends, whether you have a child or not, because she is sure to show you some great new things to teach a child or some awesome places to visit around Central Florida! I hope that this story brought a smile to your face and that you will share with someone that you know. Thanks for reading!
As Busch Gardens continues to prioritize the health and safety of its guests, ambassadors and animals in its care, soon guests will be able to enjoy indoor world-class entertainment beginning Friday, May 28. From “Turn It Up!”, the park’s award-winning ice-skating production to an all-NEW acrobatic show, “Cirque Electric,” modified operations in the park’s theaters will make it possible for guests to once again enjoy incredible shows as they explore Busch Gardens’ 300 acres of exhilarating rollercoasters and fascinating animal habitats. In addition to the park’s already strict health and safety measures, which include enhanced cleaning and sanitization, temperature checks, and face covering requirements, many modifications will be in place at Busch Gardens’ theaters upon reopening, including:
“Bringing more live entertainment safely back to the park is another huge step in returning to world class entertainment at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay,” said Neal Thurman, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Park President. “Since our reopening in June, our park teams have been incredibly innovative and adaptable with bringing our productions to life in new ways and we’re thrilled to expand our offering to include new programs in addition to fan-favorite shows.” Just in time for Memorial Day Weekend, guests will be able to enjoy the following productions on select days beginning Friday, May 28: Turn It Up! Thursday – Monday, multiple shows per day The Moroccan Palace Theater will once again be home to Busch Gardens’ spectacular, year-round ice-skating shows, including “Turn It Up!” With contemporary performances, dazzling aerial moments and eclectic pop music, it’s no wonder this production has earned a spot on “USA TODAY’S 10Best” Readers’ Choice Awards. ALL NEW: Cirque Electric Friday – Monday, multiple shows per day For awe-inspiring feats that spark the imagination, the dynamic performance of “Cirque Electric,” an all-new acrobatic stunt show exclusively produced for Busch Gardens, will soon thrill guests at the Stanleyville Theater. From the daring airborne aerialist to stunning displays of balance and strength and a fascinating act on wheels that cannot be missed, guests will be dazzled by world-class performers. Best Way to Play – Busch Gardens Fun Card and Annual Passes Enjoy each show again and again with a Busch Gardens Fun Card, where guests can pay for a day and play all year!* For the price of a single-day ticket to Busch Gardens, the Fun Card allows access throughout the year, so you can visit again and again, and experience great events like the Food & Wine Festival, Summer Nights, Christmas Town and more! For the best value and benefits, guests can upgrade to a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum Annual Pass to enjoy the perks they want most throughout 2021. Annual Pass Members* receive 12 months of visits with the best benefits ever, including FREE parking, up to 6 free guest tickets, and up to 50-percent savings on merchandise, Quick Queue, and more! Guests can visit www.BuschGardensTampa.com for more information, reservations and tickets. Fans can stay up to date with park events, attractions and more by following Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Expanded Health and Safety Measures: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is committed to the health and safety of our guests, employees, and the animals in our care. The park has worked diligently with state and local health experts, outside consultants and attraction industry leaders to enhance our already strict health, safety, and cleanliness standards. These protocols and guidelines will be modified based on evolving industry standards and methodologies, public health, and governmental directives, and advancing scientific knowledge on the transmissibility of COVID-19. For detailed information about the measures that guests can expect when visiting the park, including key operational changes, visitbuschgardens.com/tampa/safety I am a Busch Gardens blogger ambassador. In exchange for sharing upcoming information sometimes I receive complimentary admission to events. As always, all opinions are my own. Our next local business to be featured in the Support Local Businesses section of The Orlando Millennial is a SWEET one! This business is actually ran by a middle school student in the Horizon West area of Central Florida, and readers - you must try her treats! I think the interview below speaks for itself, so I won't give too much away. Enjoy learning more about Averi's Mane Treats! What is the name of your business? Averi's Mane Treats What type of business is it - what do you offer? I'm a baker and I offer different pastries or treats. I also make treats for horses/dogs. What made you decide to create a business at such a young age? I wanted to help raise money to help pay for horses, lessons, showing, and all the items needed for horse riding is very expensive. Since starting Averi’s Mane Treats, what have you been able to accomplish? Have you reached many of your goals? I have been able to accomplish raising money, but I have not yet reached my goal for my saddle or shows. I have paid for many items such as riding boots, bags, clothes, and more. Averi’s Mane Treats has been around for a while now, what is your favorite part about this business of yours? My favorite part of my business is baking and learning how to accomplish anything I dream up. I know horses are very expensive, so I turned my favorite hobby (baking) into a business. Do you think you will continue this business past the pandemic? Do you ever think about opening up a shop in the future? I will continue this after the pandemic to continue horses, but I don't want to open a shop, I just want to stay small. I would, however, love to partner with a local coffee shop or restaurant, or even farm market. It would be great if they could place an order or two a week and I could deliver it then they can serve it by the slice! What else would you like to share with us? I can also do custom orders for parties or small events. Where can we find out more on how to order or what you are offering for the week? My St. Patrick's Day menu will be up tomorrow, and I'm offering rainbow cupcakes and Guinness cheesecake brownies. You can visit Averi's Mane Treats by visiting Facebook or Instagram! Personal message from The Orlando Millennial: Michelle here! I personally have purchased many delectable sweet treats from Averi's Mane Treats since the beginning of the pandemic and I can highly recommend! I have ordered both off her weekly menus and ordered custom treats. Averi is great to work with and can even make items according to dietary restrictions - like Keto or sugar-free friendly! With it being Pi day and St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, be sure to check out Averi's Mane Treats and please be sure to tell them that The Orlando Millennial sent you!
The next local business that I am featuring does not have a brick and mortar location. I love how many people have started to go out on their own and start their own small businesses with all of their personal creations! What is the name of your business? Kreations by Kelz What type of business is it - what do you offer? It is a t-shirt business, but I make tote bags and masks as well. I specialize in sports mom shirts, but I do make others as well. What made you get into this? Whenever my family has a party or get together we get shirts made. It started to get pricey so I learned how to do it and I absolutely love it, now I make all our shirts. What else would you like to share with us? I am very passionate about my products and each one is made with love. Where can we find out more, purchase, or see your product? You can find my products on: IG: @kreationsby_kelz Facebook: Kreations by Kelz Personal message from The Orlando Millennial: Michelle here! Thank you for reading this installment of Support Local section! I am very happy to be bringing these businesses to the forefront and making others aware of them. Please note that although I have not personally purchased from Kreations by Kelz as of yet, I still recommend checking out her pages listed above and supporting local businesses such as hers. Thank you!
The Orlando Millennial was invited to attend Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Food & Wine Festival this year and it sure did not disappoint. Just like the past few festivals, this one required a park reservation, social distancing, and masks. Y’all, the food at each festival just keeps getting better. I have been to Food & Wine at Busch Gardens before, but hands down, this one was THE BEST. I thought Mardi Gras had the best food and drink- NOPE - this one did! Never have we at The Orlando Millennial eaten or drank so much while at one of the events - but we used THREE sampler cards. Two 5 stamps, and one 12 stamp. Yes… it’s true. The drinks were wonderful and honestly, the festival area was empty as everyone was on the rides, which made it even better. FAVORITE DRINKS: Hungry Elephant [Frozen] (Giraffe Bar), The Posh Puffin (Giraffe Bar), Chandon Sparkling Brut (Napa Nook), Main & Vine Blood Orange Mango (Vino, Vidi, Vici), Bud Light Seltzer Lemon Lime (#CorksandCoasters Draft House), and the grape Jell-O Shots (XCursions) . FAVORITE FOODS: Fried Chicken & Biscuit Slider (Southern Kitchen), Lobster, White Cheddar KRAFT Mac ‘N’ Cheese (All American Eats by KraftHeinz), Drunken Shrimp Tostada *This is listed as beer battered but it is actually not fried* (West Coast Catch), Baileys Bliss Cupcake (XCursions), Hand Carved Espresso-Rubbed Tenderloin (Yuengling Butchery) As always, I highly recommend getting the sampler card. This is a GREAT way to save some money. The drinks will be smaller, but if you want to try a bunch, it's also a great way to do that while saving room in your belly and saving a penny - plus once you know what you love, you can then go back and grab a big one! The food portions stay the same size, which is great. There was tons of seating and tables for eating for this festival. My absolute favorite spot for sure though, was the #CorksandCoasters Draft House area. It is a little hidden gem. We sat there for about an hour or more. Very peaceful in that area and close to drinks if needed. Starting this weekend bands will be playing, so I’m sure it will change, but in the evening a live musician was playing, which also made it nice. Busch Garden’s Food & Wine Festival will be taking place on weekends until April 25th. It is included with park admission, but food and drinks are sold separately. Park reservations are required, as are masks and social distancing. I am a Busch Gardens blogger ambassador. In exchange for sharing upcoming information sometimes I receive complimentary admission to events. As always, all opinions are my own.
I'm very excited to announce our first ever "Support Small" blog post for our new section on the blog, Support Small Businesses! Just like supporting local businesses has been important to me, supporting small has been important as well, and even now more than ever I have been trying to support small - whether it is local, or all over the United States. Many people are being hit hard because of COVID - whether they lost their job, took on extra bills, or are just trying something new, there are so many ways we can support small businesses these days from the comfort of our homes! To start off our very FIRST post in this series, we have Enchanted Etc. Enchanted Etc. is a small business located in Florida. What is the name of your business? Enchanted Etc. What type of business is it - what do you offer? Floral Inspired Mouse Ears What made you get into this? In June 2016, Tina (owner, designer, and creator of Enchanted Etc.) and her mom spent an afternoon enjoying the topiaries and blooms at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival. Excited to participate in the magic, Tina searched the park for a pair of floral mouse ears but unfortunately found nothing that matched what she envisioned. After some thought, Tina decided to design her own pair, posted them on social media, and received a ton of compliments. That’s when Enchanted Etc. blossomed! Tina uses her creativity and imagination (sprinkled with a little magic), to design her beautiful and unique inspired floral mouse ears. What is your favorite part of doing what you do? I love seeing all the cute pictures our customers post of their floral inspired mouse ears at the parks. I also enjoy hearing how much people love them; it makes me happy to hear all of the positive feedback. What else would you like to share with us? Enchanted Etc.’s mouse ears are handmade for special occasions, holidays, sports teams, characters, etc ... the list is endless. You can find Enchanted Etc. on Facebook and Instagram. Personal message from The Orlando Millennial: Michelle here! I personally used to be a product ambassador for Enchanted Etc. a few years back and have continued to wear these gorgeous ears! I get SO many compliments when I do as they are unique and beautiful! There are so many different styles and the band does not give me a headache. Be sure to follow Enchanted Etc. on social media and check out the Etsy page!
I'm very excited to announce our first ever "Support Local" blog post for our new section on the blog, Support Local Businesses! Supporting local businesses has always been important to me, but during this last year I think it has really opened my eyes even more so. I have been trying as much as possible to support as many local businesses, local entrepreneurs, furloughed and laid off cast members, and more rather than the larger companies. Central Florida has SO much to offer, and my hope with these posts is to show you just that! And to start off our very FIRST post in this series, we have Yoga instructor Ashley McNairy and local Yoga Studio, Elevate Yoga Center. What type of business do you offer? Elevate Yoga Center is a yoga studio that offers a wide variety of classes and services so there is truly something for everyone. Our studio offers traditional mat classes as well as aerial yoga and fitness. Both styles of classes are available in the studio or online. What made you interested in Yoga? How long have you been practicing? Years ago when I first got into fitness programs I found that yoga day was always my favorite. I began watching videos, following instagrams and reading blogs that all revolved around yoga. I loved feeling that natural physical progression as I was slowly able to hold my balance in poses and achieve harder variations. Eventually, I started attending Elevate and began to learn the philosophy and roots of yoga. Before I knew it I had a regular yoga and meditation practice of my own which has truly helped me find balance and peace in my own life. What made you choose to take the leap and become a Yoga instructor? I’ve always had an interest in becoming a yoga instructor, and finally last year the timing seemed right. My studio was starting a yoga teacher training that was led by my favorite instructors and I felt I had to take that leap. COVID hit which was a rude awakening for all of us, but this training honestly saved me. It really helped keep me active (physically and mentally) as well as maintain my inner peace throughout the experience. The training was hybrid due to COVID, we started off virtually at home and eventually moved back to the studio. I learned so much more from this training than I ever expected to, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Many who have not practiced yoga before have this idea that it will be too hard for them - too many difficult poses. Do you think this is true? Do you feel yoga is only for one type of person? As someone considered “overweight” I would definitely say NO! Yoga is for every body! Not to say that every single human would enjoy a yoga practice, but every single human body is capable. Yoga is more about connecting to your truest self than it is about handstands. There is no pre-requisite for a yoga class. In fact, when I first started I couldn’t even touch my toes (and I still can’t do a hand stand). Part of being a good yoga instructor is making sure to offer enough options so that every student in class can participate and feel comfortable. There is also many different styles of yoga. One of my favorites, Yin and Restorative, incorporates the use of pillows and blankets to reach maximum comfort. What made you choose to be an instructor at Elevate Yoga Center? I’ve attended this studio for years and really fell in love with the community there is here. All the teachers are wonderful and I’m honored to be teaching among them. I continue to learn from them every day and enjoy sharing what I’ve learned with my own students. What types of classes does Elevate Yoga Center offer? With COVID, are there any special classes that they offer or any changes that have been made? Most classes are offered with the option to attend from home and there is a large variety. From all-levels flow, yin, restorative, yin-yang, aerial, aerial fitness, aerial yin, BUTI and more. Check out our website to read the details of each style to determine which would fit your needs the best! Is there anything else we should know? Any upcoming events, promotions, or more happening at Elevate Yoga Center? How can we help support YOU and Elevate Yoga Center? Yes! Elevate has events every month, sometimes every weekend! Whether you are looking for a glow in the dark yoga dance party or some quiet time to spend in reflection with guided meditation there is an event for you! Sound healing, nutritional education, manifestation and even astrology are some of the topics that are covered in the events. Starting in April I will be hosting monthly workshop series titled “Yoga with the Stars” where you will learn the impact of the zodiac season on you as an individual, and enjoy a zodiac themed yoga practice for each sign. It is going to be so much fun, I can’t wait! As far as trainings, there is teacher trainings offered year around for both mat and aerial. I encourage you to join us for the next teacher training that begins in March, even if you are a yoga newbie it would be a great way to learn all the foundations of yoga and the philosophy behind it. You don’t have to become a teacher to enjoy or benefit from the program. Where can we find out more and visit your classes? (include:website, phone, social, etc.) You should definitely check out our website: elevateyogacenter.com as well as follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more info! Download our app on your mobile device, searching for “elevate yoga center” to sign up for classes. Have questions? Feel free to follow me and reach out on Instagram as well. I’m always happy to answer and share the tools I’ve learned in my own self-healing journey. @lunar.yogini Elevate Yoga Center is located at: 3150 S Orange Ave. Orlando, FL 32806 Personal message from The Orlando Millennial: Michelle here! I personally have attended some of Ashley's (as well as some of the other instructors') classes via Zoom since the start of COVID and I can highly recommend this for those that are new to Yoga, as I was. I have not attended in person, but I have also recommended these classes to others that have since gone in person and even tried the aerial classes and they are in LOVE with them! I have done both yoga and meditation classes from home and its just a great way to feel connected to an actual local business while being in your home. I hope that you will give Elevate Yoga Center a chance and please be sure to tell them Orlando Millennial sent you!
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Hey Ya'll!Hi all! I'm Michelle and I have been a lifestyle blogger since 2017. I used to host fun networking events around Orlando and now I've decided to take a step back and continue to focus on my favorite part - bringing you all the fun happenings around Central Florida, plus filling you in on my travels, life, and more! I'm a foodie, selfie-taking Millennial that loves spending time at the theme parks, traveling, and spending time with her dog, and trying new wine. I hope you enjoy reading my blog!
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