Things To Do In SW Florida

A lineup of three original productions are on tap for Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas when it debuts from Port Canaveral next month, although the main stage won’t feature a Broadway show like some of its sister ships.

The sixth of Royal’s Oasis-class ships and currently the second-largest ship in the world behind Miami’s Icon of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas will begin sailing three- and four-night Bahamas itineraries starting July 19.

The cruise line this week revealed the names of the spate of entertainment coming on board including the title shows for its AquaTheater, ice rink Studio B and the main stage Royal Theater.

Aqua80Too, a sequel to an existing 1980s-themed show, will be the offering at the popular AquaTheater found at the aft of the vessel. The shows combine high-diving, aerobatics, music, dancing and a water-and-light show.

The Studio B ice skating rink will be home to a show called “Youtopia,” although details of what it will entail were not revealed.

While no licensed Broadway show is hitting the main stage in the Royal Theater, a show titled “All In,” an original production that promised to be “high-tech” is on tap. Previous shows in the main theater have taken advantage of drone technology, laser lights and suspension wires. read more

Seven years after spinning up in a Rosemont gas station, DaJen Eats, the Jamaican eatery that brought vegan food to Eatonville, has closed.

Speaking to the Orlando Sentinel from Pennsylvania, Chef/Owner Jenn Ross was reflective — and relaxed — on a vacation that began at May’s end and, for now, will continue indefinitely.

Although some were shocked when she dropped the news this week, those closest to her knew she’d been leaning toward change for some time.

“I’ve been thinking about closing since I opened!” she jokes, but along the way, Ross has inspired many.

She began her journey in proprietorship in 2017, bringing a challenging concept to a challenging location in a challenging neighborhood.

“One of the reasons we started in the gas station was to make sure that people of color were included in the vegan conversation,” she told the Sentinel in 2020. “We’ve always been there, but just like in so many other things, we are underrepresented.”

By 2020, though, she’d taken DaJen Eats beyond a one-burner, minimart operation into a bright and colorful space in Orlando’s historic Eatonville community, where on opening day in August 2018, the queue wrapped around the building. read more

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ (Associated Press)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Snapchat Inc. will pay $15 million to settle a lawsuit brought by California’s civil rights agency that claimed the company discriminated against female employees, failed to prevent workplace sexual harassment and retaliated against women who complained.

The settlement with Snapchat Inc., which owns the popular disappearing-message app by the same name, covers women who worked for the company in California between 2014 and 2024, the California Civil Rights Department announced Wednesday. The settlement is subject to court approval.

The agreement resolves a more than three-year investigation over claims that the Santa Monica, California-based company discriminated against female employees when it came to pay and promotions, the department said in a statement.

The bulk of the settlement money will go to employees who faced discrimination at Snapchat Inc., California officials said.

“In California, we’re proud of the work of our state’s innovators who are a driving force of our nation’s economy,” said Kevin Kish, director of California’s civil rights agency. “This settlement with Snapchat demonstrates a shared commitment to a California where all workers have a fair chance at the American Dream. Women are entitled to equality in every job, in every workplace, and in every industry.” read more

TALLAHASSEE — While saying Florida’s insurance market is improving, the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Board of Governors on Wednesday backed a proposal that would lead to customers across the state seeing double-digit rate increases in 2025.

The proposal, in part, would lead to an average 13.5 percent rate increase for the most-common type of Citizens policy, known as homeowners’ “multi-peril” coverage. Condominium-unit owners would see an average 14.2 percent increase.

Across all personal lines of insurance — a category that includes policies for homeowners, condominium-unit owners, renters and mobile homes — the average increase would be 14 percent.

The proposal will go to the state Office of Insurance Regulation for review and potential approval. Actual increases for customers would vary based on factors such as where properties are located. A state law will cap increases at 14 percent for primary residences and 50 percent for non-primary residences, such as second homes. read more

Buca di Beppo has shuttered its Maitland location this week after a run that lasted nearly 25 years. A statement from the company said the closing was due to the expiration of its lease.

Known for its red-sauce Italian cuisine, the Minneapolis-based chain proliferated during the 1990s, gaining popularity for its family-style service, kitschy decor — including the “Pope Room” — and themed holiday offerings, such as heart-shaped lasagna. There still are dozens of locations dotted throughout the United States and, per their website, one as far-flung as Manila in the Philippines.

The Maitland outpost, one of several around Central Florida, was located at 1351 S. Orlando Ave. near Enzian Theater and Park Maitland School.

Best Italian: 2023 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards

“Buca di Beppo has long cherished its role in the local community,” the company’s closure announcement read. “We extend our deepest gratitude to our patrons and staff who have created wonderful memories inside our restaurant. read more