A New Era

Brian Wilson is excited to be trying to fill the shoes of Bess! He moved back to Central Florida last year after taking a few years off in Portland, Oregon. He is inspired by community, sharing, small business and culture. The Big News.

Dena Davis, Associate Contributor: After working in sports media for 12 years, Dena changed career paths to become a personal trainer. It was a natural fit for the Florida native who loves sports and fitness. While working in TV, she was a writer and editor for GolfChannel.com. She also produced her own TV show in New Orleans last year for the former SuperBowl Champion New Orlean Saints: “The Sean Payton Show.” She enjoys inspiring people and challenging them to get the most out of their life through healthy living and recently started “Get There Boot Camp” classes at Lake Eola. You can follow her facebook at www.facebook.com/GetThereBootCamp.

More writers soon …Follow @CentralFLTop5

The Central Florida Top 5

Upcoming events are submitted to us to be evaluated and voted upon. We choose the Top 5 “best bets” in these categories:

• Performing Arts
• Visual Arts
• Family
• Charity
• Special Events
• Sporting
• Fitness
• Music

Locals and tourists alike use this website and calendar to plan their schedules and to find things to do.

So, if you would like your event to be considered for the Top 5 calendar, be sure to submit it here by the 25th of the previous month!

Top 5 Blog

Voted Best Events Blog by TheDailyCity.com readers for 2012! Winner of “Best Neighborhood Blog” from the Orlando Sentinel in December 2009, the Top 5 blog is updated several times a week and features a variety of topics, ranging from reviews of concerts and shows to featuring artists and upcoming events. I also blog about personal views, such as Obama and the space shuttle program or the day we had a possum in the house!

I am always looking for interesting guest bloggers, so if you have an idea and a desire, drop me a line to tell me about it. I’ve also guest blogged on several travel and marketing sites such as the Orlano Sentinel’s “Tech for the Rest of Us,” FareCompare.com and CostaDevault.com.

Twitter

As @centralfltop5, I tweet all day long, climbing my way to being ranked a Top 10 Power Tweeter in Central Florida by Twitterholic and #2 “Most Influential” in Central Florida by WeFollow.  I not only tweet about upcoming events and specials my readers find useful, but about good news for Florida, such as job growth, citizens winning awards, doing good, etc.

Facebook

The Top 5 is on Facebook, so perhaps consider becoming a fan? I promise not to “junk up” your wall or pester you with notifications! My Facebook fan page acts as a “one-stop-shop.”  Here you can view my latest Youtube videos, assorted photo albums, my many tweets, and other information about what’s happening in Central Florida.

Youtube

The Top 5 has its own channel on youtube, creating quality videos of places I’ve visited. My videos have been uploaded over 10,000 times, and views of the individual videos vary according to the topic, with some receiving over 5,000 views.

Founder Background

Both Bess and her husband and grew up here in Winter Park. In fact, her family’s Central Florida roots date back to the 1800s, with her grandmother being born right there on the banks of Lake Howell.  And although she knew lots about the Central Florida area, this website was allowing them to discover even more about the place they loved to call home.

Alas, the performing arts were not passed down through the generations, as my big debut at the Bob Carr was as a 6th grader in Park Maitland School’s production of Oliver. (Yes, every student got a part. No, mine wasn’t much bigger than the third tree from the left.)

I did come full circle to Park Maitland School, though, because that’s where I currently teach sixth grade English. And through my association with Park Maitland–the school that helped produce names like Mandy Moore, Beth Littleford, and even Will Shadley–I’ve gotten to know  a few working professionals like Mad Cow Theatre’s co-founder Trudy Bruner, regional actresses Darby Ballard and Kathy Baker-Wood, and even United Arts’ Cory Warren. (Yes, all these names have an association with Park Maitland in one way or another!)

I’m a Writer

But make no mistake, I am not a critic, but simply a lover of anything being performed or happening here in the Orlando area. I am a writer first, having written several novels. My first, Soul Conspiracy, was a finalist in the 1998 International Hemingway Novel Competition, while my second, Confessions of a Gator Cheerleader, received great reviews from the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Magazine.  (I admit it, I was a cheerleader at the University of Florida…Gator Nation!)

I also have written articles for Orlando Style Magazine and covered NASCAR as a staff writer for the Professional Sportswives Magazine. (Yes, I got to meet The King and interview his daughter and her family!)

And so, this website and accompanying blog, founded in the summer of 2009, were the result of marrying my writing skills with my love of Central Florida. I hope you enjoy perusing the information!

What is she doing now ?! Follow Bess at @Bess_Auer and find out!