In the 1970s, thousands of Vietnamese war refugees fled their native land, desperately seeking a new beginning, free of political persecution for themselves and their children. Many of those refugees settled just north of downtown Orlando and began opening businesses and revitalizing a fairly lackluster part of the city.

We’ve all developed an unusual symptom at some point, which is generally followed by frantic phone calls to friends and family and hours spent online searching for a diagnosis. Even if you’re not a hypochondriac, it’s normal to be weirded out by a bizarre new symptom, especially if you’ve never heard of it before.

Independent creatives in Central Florida increasingly turn to community investors instead of traditional financing routes to fund their latest projects. Louanne Walters and her wife Sharon Saraga of St. Petersburg are working on a film about eating disorders in gay males, an issue that affects more than 15% of gay and bisexual men, according to a study conducted at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

The Stetson Mansion, a stunning 10,000-square-foot Victorian listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, was Florida's first luxury home. When John B. Stetson (he of hatmaking fame) wanted a large winter home for his family, first he chose the central Florida town of DeLand as its location and then he chose architect George T.

White sand beaches, championship golf courses, world-class shopping, and pristine nature preserves: picturesque Naples has it all. And right in the heart of the city's historic downtown stands the European-style Inn on Fifth.

Some historians believe the artsy, seaside city of New Smyrna Beach is the original St. Augustine, the Spanish-colonized town in Northeast Florida known as the nation‘s oldest city. While claims that New Smyrna predates St. Augustine delight or frustrate history buffs, depending on whom you talk to, there's no way to prove it true or false more than 500 years after the Spanish first stepped foot in Florida.

Though the portions are quite generous—and the food’s freshness and flawless execution will undoubtedly have you cleaning your plate—don’t leave without having one of the exceptional house-made desserts. In the two years since Downtown Disney rebranded as Disney Springs, its dining options have doubled, and there’s been an obvious effort to elevate their overall quality.

The good news for your skin? Natural remedies are just as (and even more) effective for keeping skin nourished and youthful, no harsh chemicals required.

After living together for just a few months, David’s boyfriend started to change. “He became very controlling, losing his temper over stupid things and … physically getting in my face when we’d argue,” says David, who lives in Port Orange. “I figured it was some sort of stress or it was because he’d had a few beers, but instead it got worse over the next few months until one day he snapped and threw me against the wall. When I told him I was leaving, he called me a faggot and said he’d tell my parents I was gay. I was only out to my sister and a couple of friends at that point.” Over the next several months, David’s boyfriend became increasingly demanding and abusive, but David was scared of being outed and didn’t have anywhere else to go. In need of information and support, he called a domestic violence shelter in Daytona. “I just wanted to know if there was help with moving out and I wanted to know if I had any legal rights to our furniture and art and dog,” David says. “They didn’t seem to know what to do with a man needing help. They gave me another number to call, but I don’t think I bothered. I just dealt with it until my boyfriend found someone else and moved out.” David believes he was lucky, even though he still suffers from occasional nightmares and has had trouble trusting men since his relationship ended almost seven years ago...

Magnificent mansions, coconut palm-lined streets, and a warm ocean breeze welcome guests arriving at The Brazilian Court Hotel in beautiful Palm Beach, often referred to as "America's Riviera." Just blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, the historic hotel features 80 elegant studios and suites, lushly landscaped courtyards, and enviable amenities, offering a secluded oasis for vacationers, business executives, and pop culture icons. The library with books and boardgames for guests, small art gallery, and multi-screen television lounge set The Brazilian Court apart from other boutique hotels in the area. Designed and built by Sicilian architect Rosario Candela in 1926 and expanded just 10 years later, the hotel was designed in a Spanish-Mediterranean style, with a barrel tiled roof and two stories surrounding an interior courtyard. The current owners completed a $45 million renovation during the 2000s to accentuate the property's residential feel and revive some charm of the 30s and 40s. They added a few modern amenities to cater to today's guests, but the upgrades, which include a wine cooler and large jet tub in the guest rooms, have not detracted from the historic feel. Mahogany crown molding and beams, oversized furniture, Provence-style wood shutters, and king and queen-sized beds immerse guests in the rich history of the hotel's early days when stars of the screen and stage frequented the grounds. The standard rooms are quaint and cozy, but for truly luxurious accommodations, book one of the suites named after some of the biggest stars of the early and mid-twentieth century, such as Fred Astair, Greta Garbo, Katharine Hepburn, and Marlon Brando, all of whom spent time in The Brazilian Court Hotel. Of course, you'll need to make reservations far in advance to secure one of these limited, high-demand spacious suites; the hotel is as popular with celebrities and dignitaries now as it was many decades ago. Ian Black, the director of group sales for the hotel, thinks The Brazilian Court remains so fashionable because it offers celebrities and high-profile guests what other hotels in the area don't. "The hotel became popular during the 30s and 40s with the rich and infamous on the island, but also with a lot of the celebrity clientele who were looking for something a...

Some of my Orlando Style stories... those published online.