Monday, September 21, 2009

Shop til you drop at the End of Summer Sidewalk Sale!

Bidding adieu to the Summer and welcoming in our Fall and Winter Season is just one good reason for Mount Dora's Downtown shops and merchants to hold the End of Summer Sidewalk Sale!! Many merchants and store owners will be putting sale items on display outside their storefronts for visitors and potential buyers to better view the unique items available for purchase at special discounted prices! From Friday, starting at 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. that night, and Saturday from 10 until 8 and Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. Mount Dora's shops and sidewalks will be overflowing with an abundance of many wonderful and terrific savings for the shopper in all of us!! To add to the excitement of all of these fantastic shopping opportunities, many of our restaurants will be hosting live entertainment for your listening enjoyment and dining pleasure!

So make plans to come to Downtown Mount Dora and SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP on Friday, Saturday and Sunday September 25th, 26th and 27th!

For more information about the event, call 352-383-2165

This End of Summer Sidewalk Sale is sponsored by The Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce and the Mount Dora Village Merchants and Business Association.

Source: Mount Dora Village Merchants & Business Association

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Piglet's Pantry receives "Outstanding Merchandising Award!"


Congrats to our very own Piglet's Pantry and owner's Carla & Edson Pereira on their most recent accomplishment. Pet Products News International has awarded them the prestigious "Outstanding Merchandising Award." This award is one of eleven given annually as part of of the "Retailer of the Year Award Program" administered by Pet Products News International.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Social Media, are you missing the boat?

The basic tenants of advertising, marketing and promotion are being redefined as we move into 2010 and beyond. According to advertising agencies around the country a presence on emerging social media platforms is a "top priority" for most businesses! See this fabulous article in Online Media Daily by Joe Mandese, Study Finds Social Nets 'Realistically' Near Top Of 2010 Media Buying Plans.

Funny thing is, I was told just over a year ago by someone considering himself an online expert in Mount Dora that this stuff was for 14 year old's and insomniacs! I just smiled and thought of IBM boardroom execs telling Bill Gates/Microsoft that his software was not important in comparison to the hardware! Nothing like a little closed mindedness to help your company completely "miss the boat!"

Nothing is certain in regards to Social Media except for the obvious fact that it has caught on like wildfire and many of the world's largest corporations are embracing it now and into the future. And you can bet on the continuing evolution of Social Media with changes happening almost daily. My hats off to the many Mount Dora residents and businesses that have gotten on board and taken up the challenge of Social Media.

I was recently interviewed for an article that has made it's way around the online world and kept me busy answering questions from folks who have read the article (Mount Dora man proves Twitter is powerful marketing tool by Rori Paul) and are now contacting me trying to figure this whole thing out. Rori Paul (@roritravel on Twitter), a freelance travel and travel marketing writer, found me on Twitter a few months back and began to follow me. I recall that when I first became aware of her I had less than 2,000 followers on my @MountDora Twitter account. As you can see I am now over 10,000 followers and growing steadily.

What does it all mean? For me the simple answer is "bookings" for Tremain Street Cottages and "lots of internet traffic" for WhatToDoInMountDora.com. And the cost of this style of marketing, a cup of coffee and few pennies a day of electricity and hi-speed wireless internet! But the intangible part of the equation, the stuff that money cannot buy, the connections, the public relations aspect, let me share that with you:


The Twitter connection made with on-air TV personality, Tampa Tribune columnist and top 50 food blogger (in the world), Jaden Hair, has proven to be an ongoing cornucopia of public relations with no end in sight! Jaden is a regular on the syndicated network TV program "Daytime." On September 21st our very own Janet Craig from Mt Dora Sushi Co. (@MtDoraSushi on Twitter) will be on "Daytime" with Jaden exploring the intricacies of Miso soup, and on September 22nd our very own Rachelle Lucas (@Travelblggr on Twitter) will be on "Daytime" making muffins from the recipe of one of our Mount Dora BnB's. Janet and Rachelle will be promoting Mount Dora in a big way on national TV to over 106 stations. How do you put a price on that???







Jaden has posted two blogs (Steamy Kitchen is her blog site) about Mount Dora since visiting us twice now. Her blog receives 150,000 unique visitors per month which is no small number to be sure! She did a nice story on the Uni Shooter recipe from Mt Dora Sushi Co. and a great story on Jim Tuttle's savory souffle recipe. Jim's story and recipe also ended up in the Sunday edition Life section of the Tampa Tribune last weekend in addition to their online version one week prior to that. The Uni Shooter story has an eco-friendly side that will likely get it into the prestiguous "Florida Aquarium" magazine. As I write this even more fabulous opportunities with Jaden are emerging, stay tuned for exciting details.




Freelance writer and Twitter contact Rori Paul (@roritravel on Twitter) has written a number of Mount Dora related articles that I will list below:
1. Mount Dora man is role model for using Twitter marketing.
2. Mount Dora man proves Twitter is powerful marketing tool.
3. Mount Dora's Tremain Street Cottages: In the heart of things!



Mount Dora Examiner and Twitter contact Jeff Titelius (@JeffTitelius on Twitter) has written six Mount Dora articles which you may read on his Examiner page.





Orlando Sentinel "Animal Crazy" columnist and Twitter contact Daphne Sashin (@DSashin on Twitter) wrote about "Yappy Hour" in Mount Dora after accepting our invitation on Twitter to come up and check it all out.

And these are just a few of the examples I can point to regarding the ongoing promotion for Mount Dora resulting from Twitter contacts I have made in the past six months. It is difficult to put a dollar amount on all of the above and the continuing promotion we are receiving 24/7 resulting from all of this Social Media interaction. Especially since all of the above was unknown and unintended. Now that "what is possible" is a known quantity you can bet I will ride this promotional horse as far as it will go! Stay tuned for updates and more exciting opportunities on the horizon!

Ciao from Mount Dora,
Brian

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Put on your shoes & relax at Donnelly Euro Footwear.

September Super Savings for V.I.P.'s

We have to make room for thousands of new shoes coming in the store starting in October.

Greetings!

This is your chance to save REALLY BIG on the brands you love most. The BUY 3 GET 1 FREE special can be used on any Mephisto, Rieker, NAOT, Birkenstock, UGGS sandal, or Simple footwear.

There are even steeper discounts on discontinued styles and colors. 20% to 60% OFF. Even these sale shoes can be used in the BUY 3 GET 1 FREE event. Hurry in because they are going fast.

Sale ends when they are all gone!

Thanks and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Jim and Mary Ella Timberlake
Donnelly Euro Footwear

Monday, September 14, 2009

Gluten Free Pizza is Cooking in Mount Dora, FL


PizzAmore, downtown Mount Dora, has introduced a gluten free pizza, in addition to its made to order, full pizza & pasta

menu, with its recent relocation. PizzAmore is nestled in the heart of historic downtown. For more info, call

352.383.0092 or click www.YouLovePizza.com

* * * * * * *

PizzAmore has moved to its new location at 622 North Donnelly Road between 6th and 7th Avenues in the

heart of downtown Mount Dora. With the change of location, PizzAmore has also expanded its business

hours and is now open 7 days a week.

Celebrating its first year in business this past June, PizzAmore serves authentic, fresh made, hand tossed

pizzas, pastas, salads and sweets. PizzAmore also features Italian wines, along with domestic & imported

beers. “We’re so excited with our new location”, says Leigh Love, “we’ve been able to keep the casual,

warm and inviting feel to our place, plus improved our overall dining space and experience for our

customers.” Love co-owns the bistro together with Jesse Thomas, the chef who created PizzAmore’s

widely popular, hand-tossed dough, made fresh daily.

PizzAmore uses garden fresh veggie toppings, along with a wide selection of favorite pizza toppers, and

has now introduced a pizza crust just for gluten-free pizza lovers. “It took us quite a while to find just that

right recipe for our gluten-free crust; we held off until we were sure that we could create a crust that both

tastes and provides that same experience as its wheat counterpart” said Thomas. “There’s a growing

segment of our customer base that have a sensitivity to or an intolerance for wheat, yet still want their

pizza”, said Love, “so we’re excited to be able offer this option for our customers”.

Thomas says that PizzAmore will be hosting pizza & beer pairings and creating other special events at the

bistro, as they settle into their new location.

For more about PizzAmore, please call 352.383.0092 or click www.youlovepizza.com

###

Business: PizzAmore

Contact: Leigh Love

Email: leigh@youlovepizza.com

Phone 352.383.0092

Address 622 N. Donnelly Street

City/Town Mount Dora

State/Province Florida

Zip 32757

Country United States

Link to Press Release: Guten Free Pizza in Mount Dora

Monday, September 7, 2009

Green Certified Tremain Street Cottages in historic, downtown Mount Dora.




Trip Advisor has given the Tremain Street Cottages a nice "seal of approval" recently by providing them a "badge of excellence" to be placed on their marketing materials and website. This badge links directly to the reviews for the Tremain Street Cottages which average 5 stars.

The cottages are conveniently located in the historic district within easy walking distance of every point of interest in town. The two ground floor cottages are pet & child friendly so bring the entire family along. If a quiet getaway is more your style then the upstairs cottages offer solitude and quaintness.

Consider Tremain Street Cottages for your next Mount Dora getaway!















Thursday, September 3, 2009

Mount Dora Center for the Arts Presents: "A Textured Sense of Time" by Arthur Natale

Our dear friend and artist neighbor Arthur Natale will be the featured artist in the gallery at the Center for the Arts this month and next.

Opens September 4th
Art Stroll Opening Reception October 9th, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Exhibit concludes October 30th

In New York City Arthur Natale’s developed his art and has exhibited in multiple group shows. Now living in Mount Dora his ultimate desire is to stimulate the imagination. His paintings explore the metaphysical. Liking the way poetry and music create a world full possibilities, he incorporates those feelings into his work. Each piece has its own logic which challenges the notion of "objective" experience. In this exhibit viewers will experience ambiguous space where abstract forms set up a unique dialogue. Arthur uses wax and oil layered and incised for a textured sense of time. These paintings take time to do and take time to see.

Click here for more information on Arthur Natale.

Mount Dora Center for the Arts Presents - Florida Highwaymen Artist R.L. Lewis



SUMMARY: ORIGINAL HIGHWAYMEN PAINTING RAFFLE FUNDRAISER

Mt. Dora, FL---- Artisans on Fifth, the artists’ cooperative affiliated with the Mt. Dora Center for the Arts, is holding a fundraising raffle for an original highwaymen painting by R. L. Lewis, Jr. Tickets for the raffle, which are on sale now in the Artisans’ gallery shop, are priced at $1 each, or 6 for $5. The winning ticket will be drawn on the evening of October 9th, which is the date of the next Art Stroll in Mt. Dora.

“We are excited and pleased that Mr. Lewis has donated one of his paintings to support our efforts here at Artisans on Fifth,” said Joyce Brady, the co-op’s Committee Chairperson. She added, “Our retail gallery shop provides a unique environment and opportunity for emerging local artists to showcase and sell their work. It is entirely run by the participating artists, and part of the proceeds generated by the shop’s sales is returned to the Mt. Dora Center for the Arts to support the children’s programs.” The fundraiser will benefit the cooperative’s general operating fund and overall mission. Ticket sales are being held at the Artisans’ location at 134 East Fifth Avenue in downtown Mt. Dora, which is immediately adjacent to the Mt. Dora Center for the Arts’ main gallery space. The shop’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. The store may be reached by calling 352-383-0880, ext. 107.

Highwaymen Workshop

R.L. Lewis, one of the original Florida Highwaymen artists, will offer a workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 12 at the Mount Dora Center for the Arts, 138 E. Fifth Ave.

The Highwaymen were self-taught artists who painted more than 150,000 Florida landscapes and peddled them all over the state in the late 1950s and '60s.

The purpose of the workshop is to preserve the historical legacy of the Highwaymen's painting style and tradition through art instruction. Participants will complete a painting during the workshop.

Space is limited. Cost is $175 for MDCA members and $200 for nonmembers.

To register, stop by the center or call 352-383-0880.

For further information,

Contact: Jackii Molsick

(352)459-3585

For further information on R.L. Lewis, Jr., please visit his website at: rllewisartist.com

For further information on Mt. Dora Center for the Arts, please visit: mountdoracenterforthearts.org