The Hospitality Homes of Orlando Uniting Strangers

There are places in Florida where neighbors still know their neighbors, and people wave to each other on their way to work. Reminiscent of the popular movie, The Truman Show, which was of course filmed in Florida’s very own beach town of Seaside, people are genuinely friendly, welcoming, and joyful in the Sunshine State. It’s the old Florida way. Blame it on the sunshine, or the endless entertainment possibilities that the state has to offer, people in Florida are good at welcoming strangers because we are constantly bombarded by them. In fact, 126.1 million tourists visited Orlando in 2018. That is a lot of new people in one place. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, Orlando boasts a few places that I call, “hospitality homes.” These are private residences that open their homes to well, complete strangers.

One of these homes is located near Universal Studios Resort, where the owner, Lucky Meisenheimer, hosts a daily swim (except Sundays) on his lakefront property, called Lucky’s Lake Swim. This 1-kilometer swim on Lake Cane is open to the public, free of charge, and is listed by the World Open Water Swimming Association as one of the top 100 open water swims in America. The swim started in 1989, and throughout the following decades has gained in popularity.

Since 1999, swimmers who have completed the full lake crossing for the first time, sign their names on the back of Lucky’s house. The once whitewashed wall is now filled with thousands of names written in black sharpie. Some of these names include Olympic swimmers, Olympic water polo players, world record holders, and national swimming champions. Then you have amateurs like me. I first signed my name on Lucky’s wall in 2009. After that first swim, everyone there was invited to swim in Lucky’s private swimming pool, or just hang out in his backyard and munch on the breakfast that was provided. It was good old-fashioned hospitality from a man who is as eccentric as he is hospitable.

Lucky Meisenheimer, is an American physician, author, actor, and of course, an accomplished swimmer. He was born in Florida, grew up in Kentucky, but eventually made his way back to the state of his birth. As an All-American and world record holder in masters swimming, perhaps his most fascinating swimming accomplishment was a stunt that was recognized by Ripley’s Believe It or Not, in which he swam a half-mile with his foot in his mouth.

There are many more things we could mention concerning Mr. Meisenheimer, like his Guinness World Record for owning the largest collection of Yo-yo’s (the world’s biggest wooden yo-yo is on display in his yard), or the many literary awards for his sci-fi novel, The Immune, or even his numerous movie and TV appearances. But perhaps the most important thing about Lucky is his simple gesture of hospitality.

Somewhat related to Lucky’s Lake Swim is another “hospitality home” that hosts a lake swim race once a year from their backyard. This time we move over to Winter Park, to the banks of Lake Maitland. The annual Jack Beattie Swim invites any abled swimmers, many of whom swim Lucky’s Lake swim, to compete in a 1- mile swim around what is known as, “The Isle of Sicily” on Lake Maitland. Much like Lucky’s Lake swim, the Beattie’s open their property and offer free pancakes and mimosas at the end of the race. I competed this past weekend, and quickly realized my navigational skills around the Isle of Sicily needs improvement. Needless to say, I did not place, which meant I didn’t have the honor to receive a medal from the one and only, Carrot Top. Yes, everyone’s favorite, curly-red-headed comedian, who is also a Florida native. Carrot Top gives out the awards each year, offering some funny anecdotes in between.

Finally, I must mention another Orlando “hospitality home” that has nothing to do with swimming. This home is all about culture. It is somewhat rare to hold professional music concerts for complete strangers in one’s own living room, but that’s exactly what happens at least a few times each week at the home of Benoit Glazer. Starting in 2000, Benoit held free concerts on Sundays for an audience of 20-40 guests, but the concerts grew so popular he had to expand to accommodate the growing demand. He eventually expanded his living room space to accommodate 125 people, in an atrium style, three-story “concert hall” in the home where he lives with his wife and children. He named his home the Timucua White House, which evolved into the Timucua Arts Foundation. The foundation officially provides the concerts each week.

The Sunday concerts are usually the most popular, and each concert listed on their website tells you if it has a cost, or if donations are accepted. It is highly encouraged to bring a bottle of wine to share with others, or your favorite homemade dish, adding to the communal spirit of these intimate, informal concerts. I went to my first performance this past Thursday, being a newbie to the experience, I wanted to follow the customs as best as I could. So, I brought a bottle of wine to share, along with a plastic cup and bottle opener. To my chagrin, the cup and bottle opener was not needed. In fact, the procedure is to leave your bottle of wine at the wine bar. The bartender will then open the bottle for you and provide you a wine glass. But be warned, the pours are meager. It was probably for the best though on a Thursday night. Paper plates and utensils were also provided for the food. Someone bought a pan of baked ziti that was delicious.

Upon entering the living room, I was surprised to see the performers talking with some of the guests before the show. The intimacy of the venue allows for everyone to interact with the performers if they so choose. I then found my seat in one of the balconies so I could get a view from the top. Scattered around the living room were paintings from local artists that change regularly. Some were being given away through a contest. After the show, the performers hung out with the guests, talking, drinking wine and sharing stories. It was perhaps one of the best community building experiences through arts performance that I have ever experienced.

Benoit Glazer, a Quebecois, was the conductor of the long-running Cirque du Soleil show “La Nouba” at Disney Springs, he is also an accomplished musician, arranger, inventor, and professional trumpet player. He invented brass instrument concepts, along with other patents for home and boat innovations. Benoit founded his in-home concert venue to bring a free opportunity to experience culture and art in the community, but to also allow musicians to perform what they wanted without limitations set by the often stifling tourist industry.