Patty Parts Company
Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan and Jocelynn White have parted company. The couple was front and center when the City of Orlando began registering domestic partners back in January. And then Sheehan easily won re-election to a fourth term in March. When asked for a comment about the recent breakup, Sheehan predictably took the high road. â┚¬Å”After seven years our relationship has ended,â┚¬Â Sheehan said. â┚¬Å”I continue to believe in the importance of domestic partner registry, and I support those couples already registered and the many more that will be covered in years to come.â┚¬Â Sheehan met White during a speaking engagement at Stetson University in 2005. In a profile the following year, Sheehan told Watermark, â┚¬Å”I've always been the poster child for the single gay lifestyle. For me to be in a healthy, functioning, committed relationship is just amazing to me.â┚¬Â We wish both Sheehan and White well.
Gay Power
Need proof that Orlando is evolving? Look no further than the upcoming July issue of Orlando Magazine, which proclaims Ted Maines and Jeff Miller as the city's number one â┚¬Å”Power Couple.â┚¬Â They unseat Orange County Property Appraiser Bill Donegan and his politically active wife, Helen, atop the list, which also includes outspoken LGBT allies Scott and Susannah Randolph in the number five position. Maines just announced a new nameâ┚¬â€ÂTed Maines Interiorsâ┚¬â€Âfor his successful design firm. Miller is a respected attorney. The magazine noted that they are bundlers for the Obama campaign and actively support several other candidates and causes, including Equality Florida and the Hope & Help Center.
Tacky But Loveable
Travel + Leisure magazine readers rated Orlando as the fourth-worst dressed city. Destinations were ranked based on several factors, including style. While tourists spend a lot of money and drive Central Florida’s economy, all those Mickey Mouse ears, tank tops and flip-flops definitely don't scream couture. According to the magazine, “Orlando was voted the No. 1 family vacation destination, so visitors were likely focused on people seen around the theme parks, which aren’t exactly crowded with fashionistas â┚¬â€ enduring Disney World’s winding lines in stilettos would be crazy. The city did win raves for its weather and variety of hotel options. The worst-dressed city? Anchorage, Alaska.
While we didn't score points in the fashion department, Orlando did rank among the top 10 most romantic U.S. cities, according to MissTravel.com. Whether it's the theme parks or scenic Lake Eola, the city beautiful definitely has amorous appeal. MissTravel.com members were surveyed based on more than 20,000 trips they've taken since the website launched two months ago, Brandon Wade, the company's founder told the Orlando Sentinel. MissTravel.com is a dating website that launched in April. It pairs wealthy men seeking travel companions with women who want to travel, but don’t have the money to do it. Nice. Wade told the Sentinel that theme parks like Magic Kingdom, Universal Orlando, and Animal Kingdom are not just for families. “We’re finding that couples are attracted to Disney and Universal as much as families,” he said. “Couples are visiting Lake Eola for a romantic picnic or walk. It’s a great place to fall in love.” Tampa came in at number 17, Orlando at number 7 and Miami at number 2. New York was first.
