Mount Dora Business and Real Estate

MOUNT DORA TEEN ENCOURAGES STORES TO SWAP PLASTIC FOR PAPER

9/1/2018

ABOVE: Zoe Mueller

The little things can make a big difference. Zoe Mueller, a 13-year-old Mount Dora Girl Scout, noticed how many plastic bags her family brought home from the grocery. The curious eighth-grader began to research the use of these bags and became disturbed about the problems they pose to marine life and the environment.

“I was struck by how plastic bags are so hard to get rid of, so as time passes the problem gets bigger,” said Mueller.

Mueller jumped into action and created a proactive approach to reduce the number of plastic bags and increase awareness of the environmental problem. The bright-eyed teen went to work to design a website, logo and decal to place in windows of local retailers who adopt a policy not to use plastic bags. Many downtown Mount Dora merchants already only provide paper bags and they, too, will be given the decal.

The eighth-grader plans to kick off the program the first week in September by approaching downtown Mount Dora businesses and handing out decals. The impressive teen is hoping her local effort will be used as a pilot program for other communities.

ABOVE: Logo designed by Mueller to appear on window cling.

Mueller, who has been in the Girl Scouts for six years, earned a Silver Award, one of the highest awards the organization bestows, for creating this program. The award requires scouts to identify a problem in their community and create a sustainable solution.

Waste Management immediately signed on to sponsor Mueller’s effort by printing the decals and offering her assistance.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here .

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NEW MOUNT DORA RESTAURANT BRINGS THE CARIBBEAN TO DOWNTOWN

9/1/2018

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Owner Joan Reidenbaugh in front of Jamaica Gardens as renovations are in progress.

(Article updated 9/10/18)
Tropical cuisine, fruity cocktails adorned with umbrellas and the relaxing beat of reggae music are headed to Mount Dora. Jamaica Gardens, a new downtown eatery, is expected to have its soft opening in October.

Like a lot of visitors to the quaint Central Florida town, Joan Reidenbaugh fell in love with Mount Dora when she married her husband, Mark, twelve years ago at the historic Lakeside Inn.

“I saw a need for a great Caribbean-style location in the beautiful city and have been dreaming about this since,” said Reidenbaugh.

Fast forward and she is now busy transforming the large space at 322 Alexander Street into Jamaica Gardens, a restaurant offering authentic Caribbean cuisine. After painters finish turning the drab exterior into a vibrant sky blue, Reidenbaugh will add new awnings and a “beach area” to the outside to help bring an authentic island vibe to the location.

The cuisine will be mostly Jamaican with a touch of other Caribbean flavors. There will be plenty of the traditional jerk dishes, along with Jamaican-style oxtails and Escovitch fish and conch fritters, plus coconut shrimp, fried chicken, salads and soups.

A temporary 'Stop-Work' order was recently issued to the business by the City of Mount Dora so the owner can seek the required review and approvals by the city's Historic Preservation Board at a future public hearing. The owner also must secure the required building permits, according to a City of Mount Dora official.

Reidenbaugh, a certified chef who majored in hotel and restaurant management, will be the primary chef until she trains a replacement. The Jamaican native of Christiana, Reidenbaugh said her authentic Caribbean recipes draw from her island roots just like her other restaurant in Longwood.

The interior of the restaurant, formerly The Pineapple Place, is also changing to provide an atmosphere that diners would find in Jamaica. The bar will feature specialty cocktails and a happy hour on Monday through Thursday. Jamaica Gardens will feature a live reggae band and steel drums Wednesdays through Saturdays.

The restaurant will be hosting a series of job fairs in September at the location for servers, bartenders, hosts and kitchen staff. One event will be the middle of September and the other at the end of September. Watch for dates on the Mount Dora Word of Mouth Facebook page.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here .

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Business & Real Estate

MOUNT DORA TEEN ENCOURAGES STORES TO SWAP PLASTIC FOR PAPER

NEW MOUNT DORA RESTAURANT BRINGS THE CARIBBEAN TO DOWNTOWN

BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE

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