TRT for Men in Maitland, FL

MAITLAND, Fla. — Several former employees for the Outpost Kitchen Restaurant in Maitland told Channel 9 that they felt blindsided after the business was shutdown -- leaving them without a job.

The Maitland restaurant was permanently closed on Thursday, leaving many wondering what happened.

On Thursday, when employees showed up for work, they found “for lease” and “permanently closed” signs on the doors and windows.

Attorneys for the property told Channel 9 that it wasn’t until Thursday that the sheriff’s office came to enforce the eviction.

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“Right now, I’m just trying to figure it out, trying to apply to jobs, and you know, get myself back on my feet,” said former employee Briana McVay.

McVay had just started as a line cook last month.

Hannah Schaeffer was the kitchen manager of the restaurant and told Channel 9 that employees are completely in the dark right now.

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They’re two of about 30 people out of a job after restaurant owners Julie and Kevin Casey were faced with an eviction notice on Oct. 25.

Attorneys for the property told Eyewitness News that eviction notice came after months of trying to work out a payment plan with the restaurant.

Employees told Channel 9 that every time they brought up their concerns, they were reassured everything would be okay.

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The Casey’s release a statement saying: “they did everything they could to make the outpost a special place for employees and guests... And they appreciate the love and support.”

“I just pray that they make this right. They, they know what they’re doing. They know if they’ve done. We have a really good team here. That’s all supporting each other,” McVay added.

The employees said they’re not looking for handouts; they’re looking for opportunities from another business to take on their team.

Read: New documents show investigation into Park Maitland School’s alleged connection to Communist China

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Posted on August 15, 2023

Orlando's nightlife continues to impress. And we are fortunate enough to have a new tiki bar that you've got to see to believe. Located inside Copper Rocket Pub in Maitland, Florida, Permanent Vacation is a serious tiki bar that enthusiasts are already worshipping at the altar.

After securing a reservation for 11:45pm on its third night of operation, my husband and I are already making plans to visit again, and again, and again. Here are a few quick things to know before you go. Keep reading for reservation info too.

You can also browse 18 Unique Bars in Orlando.

Permanent Vacation Tiki Bar in Maitland

This immersive tiki bar is located in Maitland, Florida which is one of the closest suburbs of Orlando. Years of labor went into crafting this place. There are details, decorations, artifacts, and even special effects. And the drinks are the real deal.

Patrons are encouraged to arrive 5-10 minutes prior to their reservation. Any earlier than that and you may find yourself waiting at Copper Rocket Pub. This is not a bad thing necessarily, but the vibes could not be more different. Copper Rocket is a beloved neighborhood watering hole with a great pub grub menu.

The night of our reservation we did in fact arrive too early and endured the dueling pianos at Copper Rocket at 11:30pm on a Saturday night. Not awful, but not the mood we had settled ourselves in as we anticipated an evening at an enchanted tiki bar.

The cocktails at Permanent Vacation are legit. Handcrafted ingredients elevate the quality of each cocktail. And there are three mocktails too.

Like other traditional tiki bars, the menu indicates the potency of each drink. Symbols on the menu show the strength and alcohol level. Plus your bartender or server will gladly steer your ship in the right direction based on what you're looking for.

My husband started with the Mai Tai, of course. This classic tiki drink is generally a good indicator as to if a tiki bar knows their stuff, or not. We're happy to report the Mai Tai is strong and satisfactory. Other classics include the Painkiller and Zombie of course. And there are plenty of original concoctions if you're ready to swim in adventurous waters.

If you're not up for strong concoctions with flavors you may not be used to, then be sure to let your bartender know. It's totally okay, and the staff want you to have a good time. If something fruity and tropical, like you're on a cruise ship, is the drink you're after you may not find it on the menu, but there are plenty of options.

The mocktails each have a tea base, two that are caffeinated, and one that is not. I started with the X Marks the Hand mocktail which has some sweet notes, but is mostly light and refreshing. At the second round I went with the Low and Slow which is akin to a smoked Old Fashioned, but in mocktail form.

Both mocktails are crafted with the same care as their alcoholic brethren. And the garnishes are just as impressive. I did not feel left out by taking the non-alcoholic route in this thematic tiki bar.

Any night out at a tiki bar requires fuel. Permanent Vacation tiki bar has a great food menu including flatbreads and appetizers. After 11pm the bites portion of the menu is all that is offered. We nibbled on Prawn of the Dead, which is essentially four coconut shrimp. The sweet coating crumbled right off, but overall the flavor was spot on.

And we kept in mind that Permanent Vacation is currently in soft opening, meaning they are still learning and adjusting. Our initial visit was in May, and now Permanent Vacation has been open a few months and settled into a rhythm.

To enter Permanent Vacation tiki bar you first enter Copper Rocket Pub. I suggest entering the pub through the entrance on the right because the large wooden door just inside that righthand entrance is what leads you to the host stand of Permanent Vacation.

We provided our name for our reservation and needed to wait a few minutes outside, and finish our drinks from Copper Rocket, for our table to be ready. There are only 40 seats inside.

As soon as the hostess opened the doors to lead us to our table our jaws dropped. I wish someone had been on the other side to record our reactions. I am getting goosebumps as I think back to that moment. We also happened to walk in right as one of the special effects moments spread throughout the bar.

Details and decorations are everywhere. It's a small space so it is hard to see it all. Our late night 11:45pm reservation afforded us the ability to enjoy a quieter night at the second round of drinks as other patrons wrapped up their tiki journey. We are rarely out on the town this late at night, but it was absolutely worth it. We're both fans of tiki bars and tiki culture and fell in love with this atmosphere instantaneously.

The quirky Orlando treasure map mural on the wall by the restroom is a must-see for anyone with a sense of humor. Be sure to take a moment to check out this mural featuring places and people that are iconic to Orlando. I also love the name of this tiki bar itself, Permanent Vacation. As someone who is born and raised in Orlando, I often feel like we live in a permanent vacation state of mind – and so many people flock here in hopes of such a lifestyle.

Some of the special effects are quite loud, and there are even a few moments with fog effects – so be aware if loud noises or such effects could be bothersome.

As we wrapped up our evening we chatted with the bartenders. It is evident the amount of dedication and love that went into making Permanent Vacation an Orlando destination. What a treasure!

Explore more hidden bars in Orlando

Permanent Vacation Tiki Bar 106 LAKE AVENUE, MAITLAND, FL 32751 Reservation strongly recommended – book a reservation here

Florida yanked four private school campuses, including the top-rated Park Maitland School, from its voucher programs because of “direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party,” Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said late Friday.

The announcement by DeSantis — who has called the Communist Party of China the United States’ “greatest geopolitical threat” — did not provide any evidence of the ties it found between China and Park Maitland and two private schools in South Florida.

But Park Maitland, which serves students in preschool through eighth grade, says on its website that it is part of Spring Education Group, “a network of more than 230 private schools.” Spring Education, the website says, “is controlled by Primavera Holdings Limited, an investment firm (together with its affiliates) principally based in Hong Kong with operations in China, Singapore, and the United States, that is itself owned by Chinese persons residing in Hong Kong.”

DeSantis this spring signed a bill that prohibits private schools that take part in state voucher programs from being owned or controlled “by a person or entity domiciled in, owned by, or in any way controlled by a foreign country of concern or a foreign principal.” The new law lists China as one of the countries “of concern.”

Park Maitland officials could not be reached late Friday. The school, founded in 1968, has its main campus on U.S. Highway 17-92 in Maitland.

A news release from DeSantis’ office said the schools’ connections to China “constitute an imminent threat to the health, safety, and welfare of these school’s students and the public.”

For that reason, it suspended Park Maitland and Parke House Academy — a once separate private school in Winter Park now owned by Park Maitland and operating under the Park Maitland name — as well as Sagemont Preparatory School’s upper and lower campuses in Weston from the voucher programs, which provide state scholarships that can be used at private schools.

Park Maitland School denies Chinese ties; parents decry DeSantis’ stripping of vouchers

Park Maitland School said Saturday that it does not have any connection to the Communist Party of China and does not know why Florida yanked it from participating in its school voucher programs claiming it had “direct ties” to the Chinese leadership.

Sagemont also is part of Spring Education, according to its website, and also includes the same statement on its website about a controlling investment firm based in Hong Kong but owned by “Chinese persons.” Spring Education operates schools around the country, including ones in Arizona, California and Georgia, its website says.

“The Chinese Communist Party is not welcome in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said in a statement. “We will not put up with any attempt to influence students with a communist ideology or allow Floridians’ tax dollars to go to schools that are connected to our foreign adversaries.”

Park Maitland charges tuition of more than $20,000 a year for its first-to-eighth-grade program, according to its website. It boasts that it offers “a challenging and robust curriculum, innovative instruction, and a vibrant school community.”

It has an A+ rating and enrolls about 640 students, according to the school search website Niche.

Last school year, fewer than 50 of its students used state vouchers, according to Step Up For Students, which administers most of Florida’s scholarships. The school received more than $329,000 in scholarship money, Step Up’s data shows.

Its current scholarship numbers were not available, but Park Maitland may have more students using them this year because the scholarships, worth about $8,000 a year, were once targeted to low-income families but this year became available to everyone.

A spokesman for DeSantis did not respond late Friday to a request for more information on what the state discovered during what it called a “thorough investigation.”

The Chinese Communist Party has been a focus of DeSantis for the past two years, including his time on the presidential campaign trail.

In his economic plan revealed in August, DeSantis said he would “end our abusive relationship with the CCP, reverse our ever-increasing trade deficits, ban imports of goods made from stolen intellectual property, strengthen protections to stop child and forced labor, and end China’s preferential trade status.”

Sentinel staff writer Jeffrey Schweers contributed to this report.

MAITLAND, Fla. — A former student nominated A+ Teacher Rachael Hodges, describing the Lake Sybelia Elementary School instructor as the perfect combination of a brilliant teacher and mentor who is extremely patient and thoughtful.

What You Need To Know

The student said during online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hodges kept students engaged, learning and feeling a part of a team.

While Hodges loves her career in the classroom, she wasn’t always convinced that teaching was a good fit for her.

“Well, it started out rocky. My whole family are teachers and I’m like, ‘I’m never being a teacher. I don’t want to do that. It sounds really annoying,’” she said.

But babysitting in her youth changed her views forever and a former student headed into the eighth grade now nominated her and couldn’t be happier that she had a change of heart.

Hodges says she’s become hooked on watching children develop and learn.

When Spectrum News 13 visited the school, Hodges was giving a big bear hug to one of her students and cheering others on in the car line as fellow students were being dropped off to start their school day.

Once a week, students and teachers hold up posters with positive affirmations. They wave pom-poms and there’s even a bubble machine and high-energy music to welcome other students coming to school.

Hodges wouldn’t have it any other way.

She takes that same positive energy into her classroom, where she teaches fifth grade math.

“It has been such an awesome opportunity for our kids to get involved in our school to not only learn about each other but to be kind to one another and learn what being a kind human being is,” she said.

She said laughter is the key to keeping her students engaged.

“Laughing, laughter, lots of learning, cheering one another on constantly and letting them know that mistakes are okay to make as long as you learn from them,” she said.

Hodges said learning is really what it’s all about here.

“I was just like, ‘wow. I’m home.’ Like this is really what I’m supposed to be doing. This is so rewarding and seeing all of these kids just really light up and when they finally get it and have that confidence, it’s just the best thing ever,” she said.

The student who nominated Hodges said she made the classroom feel like a family and that’s why she’ll remember her as the best teacher she’s ever had.

Owner Jonathan McKinney hopes to have new location open by end of summer 2023

MAITLAND, Fla. – A Mount Dora restaurant with a huge social media following is getting ready to open a second location, this time setting up shop in Maitland.

The city of Maitland announced on social media Wednesday WAVE Asian Bistro & Sushi would be opening up in a former one-story bank building at 360 E. Horatio Ave.

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“The Maitland area just kind of made sense after shopping around at a few different places and the opportunity fell into our lap and we capitalized on it,” said Jonathan McKinney, the owner of WAVE.

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The city said WAVE would occupy a 1,400-square-foot space in the building with an outdoor patio. Other businesses moving into he area will include Vitality Bowls Superfood Cafe, Foxtail Coffee Co. and Urban Body Works, according to the social media post.

McKinney said he hopes to have the Maitland location opened by the end of next summer.

The Lake County native first opened WAVE in April 2017.

“I’ve been working in the restaurant for a long time,” he said. “Growing up, it was just on the weekend — we didn’t have a babysitter — I would just have to kind of tag along the restaurant on the weekends and when I would get bored, I would just start to learn different things and over the years, I started putting that to use.”

McKinney said his father worked in several Kobe Steakhouses and eventually opened three of his own hibachi restaurants.

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“That’s where I started getting more involved because that’s where I kind of grew up,” he said. “I worked in restaurants for 15-20 years and got all the knowledge that I needed.”

WAVE sets itself apart from other sushi restaurants with its innovative menu items.

“We take traditional sushi and kind of push that envelope a little bit and make it a little bit more fun to eat,” McKinney said. “So you’ll see sushi in the shape of you know, like a sushi hot dog, sushi hamburger, crunch wrap and things of that nature.”

McKinney said the sushi hot dog is one of their top sellers.

“That sushi hot dog is definitely one of my favorites as well. It’s a fan favorite out there,” he said.

The wild designs of WAVE’s sushi have garnered it significant following on social media, racking up millions of views on Instagram and TikTok.

“We have an in-house (social media) team,” McKinney said. “It’s just myself, Kelly — my girlfriend who has been running our social media the entire time we’ve been open — and we work directly with our staff and one of my lead cooks. We’ve worked with her directly with some of the more creative things like the baby Yoda sushi, the Santa of sushi.”

While the creative sushi designs have garnered a lot of attention for WAVE, McKinney said the business has also received a pushback from traditionalists.

“We do and I feel like that almost pushes us to be even more creative to see how much further we can push that envelope. How much further we can take an idea and I think that’s the fun in it,” he said.

Now, McKinney is eager to expose a new population to what WAVE has to offer.

“The concept of WAVE has just been a really fun project to work on overall and (it has) kind of always been a dream of mine to spread that out as much as I can,” he said.

The new restaurant is smaller than the Mount Dora location, but the owner said people will still be able to get their favorites there.

“We’re still going to be creative. We’re still pushing that boundary and seeing how far we can take it. So definitely look for some new items that may be exclusive to Maitland,” McKinney said. “There will be slight differences between the two but you can definitely still expect to get like your favorite things over at the Maitland location.”

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