Paul (of Inside fame), Casey and I stopped by the new Funky Monkey Wine Company the other night, and this place is far from funky. Located off of Mills Avenue (next to the Chevron before you hit Virginia) the purple and yellow paint job outside may give you a different idea, but this place is fancy schmancy, but not so much we were uncomfortable in the slightest.

We enjoyed our wine and our conversation and so did everyone else around us, the menu rocked as well:

http://www.funkymonkeywine.com/documents/monkeymenu.html

We didn't eat, the wine was dinner enough but Casey and I both agreed we're definitely coming here for our anniversary. Seriously folks, this is a fantastic edition to the bar hop that is fast becoming this section of Mills Avenue in Orlando.

Funky Monkey is at 912 N. Mills Ave.

For those of you concerned about Copper Rocket Pub in Maitland closing, rest assured. Turns out the sign out front stating the Village Plaza coming in spring of 2008 is not a sign of doom for the pub. I placed a call to the Rocket and was told the shopping plaza will be getting a facelift to make it look a little more up to date to coincide with the new shopping plaza going up across the street. We can all agree the shopping center was dated to say the least, but Copper Rocket's lease is still good for a couple of more years so they're confident they'll be there for at least that long.

That said, turns out Brix downtown may have closed down. One of my spies caught a "For Sale" sign out front and what appeared to be realtors checking out the joint. I placed a couple of calls only to have ringing but no answer. No disconnect message either so I'll swing by and see what the story is.

Holy crap! Heath Ledger is dead. I know it shouldn't be that shocking, happens all the time, but still kinda is.

Here's the link to the wire story:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/ats-ap_entertainment10jan22,0,2267766.story

It seems Pleasure Island in Downtown Disney will be losing one of its oldest clubs, the Rock 'n' Roll Beach Club will be shutting its doors on Feb. 3, according to this article in the Sentinel:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-tourism2108jan21,0,4781822.story

It also states there are no plans to wreck the building. What I thought was most fascinating in my wonderfully morbid way is the fact it used to be a roller skating rink. I would pay money to see people loaded listening to some Huey Lewis cover band falling all over each other under those stage lights. They changed the concept for that exact reason -- some people just don't have a sense of humor.

Here's this week's column you guys, enjoy!

Some things don't change, and then, some change a lot. Years ago, when I was a wee lass, all I cared about when going to teen night at a club called JJ Whispers was that they played "Tainted Love."

That's when JJ Whispers was located in a strip mall on Lee Road in Orlando, and the DJ dominated the night with predominantly '80s music. I grew up and so did JJ Whispers, apparently -- after it closed on Lee Road many, many moons ago. it reopened a few years back, again in a strip mall but this time on South Kirkman Road.

Well, not necessarily reopened -- new owners opened it with the same name but with more of an urban vibe. I never went but heard good things; soon another name change took place and Club Whispers was born. Recently the club has undergone a face-lift, but they're still playing the R&B and hip-hop that has become the club's signature sound through the years. I was happy to hear a bit of the past was still sneaking through when I stopped by last Saturday night.

Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It" was thumping through the speakers as I tried to order a drink at the first bar in the club. Ah, I guess the '80s aren't totally gone. Either I was too busy looking around or I wasn't pushing it enough because it was almost impossible to get a bartender to look in my direction. The place was packed, but I was standing front-and-center for more than five minutes. Moving on to the next bar, my hands still empty, I had a bartender in seconds. Not a minute later, I was shaking it back and forth to "It Takes Two," happily with drink in hand.

The hip-hop of my youth continued for another hour, mixed in with more recent artists, but for the most part I felt like I was 14 again, except with a buzz. And the crowd was impressive, given that I showed up about 10:30 p.m. (still a dead time for most clubs). This place was a sea of heads.

Once I got a better look at those heads, I saw they topped some well-dressed bodies. Slacks, sport jackets, dresses and heels seemed to be the norm, and my jeans weren't cutting it, although my low-cut blouse seemed to pass the "turn-the-head" test.

Because of the fun music and packed house, there was no lack of movement on the dance floor, which takes over the whole center of this large club, or anywhere else in the space. My friend made it through the crowd to the opposite side of the club, where a spacious VIP section is located looking over the dance floor, and even there people were dancing more than sipping and talking. A refreshing change from most places, where VIPs drink from their bottle and whine to their friends -- here people were actually dancing at a club. What a concept!

One downside is, you're putting out a good amount of scratch to even enter the front door -- it was $10 each for my friends and me, although the $30 they asked for VIP was more than reasonable. We all went the liquor route at the bar which averaged $5-$6 a person; if it weren't for the cover at the door I probably would have stayed for more than two drinks because the music had me moving the entire time I was there.

In the end, if a club can keep 90 percent of its patrons dancing and drinking, that's a success right there, a feat few clubs in town have mastered. I have a feeling Club Whispers may be sticking around for a little while longer this time.

Club Whispers is at 4732 S. Kirkman Road in Orlando, call 407-290-9896.

The night before the Pistons and the Magic bounce the ball over at Amway Arena, they'll be at CityArts Factory supporting a good cause.

"A Taste of Motown" will have Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups and the whole team along with Magic players signing autographs, chatting it up, dancing and partying. A red carpet entry will take place from 8:30 - 10:30 p.m. for invited guests only, then the doors open at 10 p.m. for $10 entry to the general public. Proceeds benefit the On It Foundation, providing free computers, computer training and Internet acces to low-income famililes.

Sounds like a hoot. CityArts Factory is at 29 S. Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando. Call 407-648-7060.

Also, for those of you paying close attention to the Will's Pub reopening watch, I know I said toward the end of January a week or so ago, but now it's looking like beginning of February. If anything changes you know I'll keep you updated.

I got a chance to stop by Rix last weekend, I wrote about it in my column today:

My friends and I braved the tourist corridor last weekend and made our way to the Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World. Our mission was to check out a new lounge there called Rix.

The week before, the marketing juggernaut that is Disney's PR machine sent me beautiful photos of the new lounge that piqued my interest. There hasn't been a lot of Disney time in this column as of late, so I decided to stop by. After showing my ID to the dude at the door, I was stamped on the underside of my wrist with a red ring, which my friend Paul found very disturbing for some reason but I liked. I hate having some ink blob on top of my hand for everyone to see after getting ready to go out; this way it's quite well-hidden.

The lounge inside the Disney resort was as visually pleasing as in the pictures -- like most tourist traps it was expensive too. Unless you consider domestic bottles for $7 a pop the standard. Yeah, I didn't think so. You could get away with grabbing a beer for $6 if you go the Corona or Heineken route, but there isn't enough pixie dust in the Magic Kingdom for me to do that.

So, instead I grabbed myself a vanilla vodka with pineapple juice for the bargain price of $8. The pour was decent, and the bartender was very friendly, as he should be.

Drapery hangs from ceiling to floor throughout the bar, which is a bit larger than your average hotel lounge -- probably more like hotel bars you'd find in Las Vegas, which this place reminded me of.

That's probably because Coronado Springs is also part convention center, with wide-open spaces toward the back of the complex. Even when I asked the bartender where the bathroom was, he told me to leave the bar, make a left, go about 30 yards and it would be on the left-hand side.

As I walked toward the rest room I expected to be waltzing through a sea of slots, but instead I encountered a group of high school football players who were attending a conference. Way too young. Moving on.

But really, it was as well- done as something you would see in Vegas -- of course, still with that over-the-top air to it. Disney and Vegas do have that in common.

The theme is carried throughout the bar, with lighting from candles and chandeliers and oversize lamps. Reds and oranges warm the furniture and walls, as well as hanging leather bench seats and the drapery. A small dance floor sits in the back corner of the bar, where a DJ played a fun mix of '80s and current Top 40. There was no one on the dance floor, but it was only shortly after 10 p.m. I spotted a lot of folks -- besides at the bar -- watching football on the few flat screens scattered around the lounge. All in all, everyone looked cozy and as if they were enjoying themselves.

I, however, can pop for only one $8 drink, otherwise my wallet gets very cross with me. Unless I'm on vacation, then are all bets off. A lucky thing for Rix, which at the end of the day is a very pretty hotel lounge designed for convention-goers and tourists staying at the resort, not necessarily locals like me.

Rix Lounge is inside Disney's Coronado Springs Resort at 1000 W. Buena Vista Blvd. in Lake Buena Vista. Call 939-3806 or go to: rix-lounge.com. 

What else?

Leave it to the folks at Shipyard to bring its product to the green. On Sunday they'll be pairing up beer and golf for the Shipyard One-Club Challenge. Folks meet up at Lizzy McCormack's Irish Pub in downtown Orlando at 6 p.m.; for $40 you'll enjoy a Shipyard bus ride with free beer over to the Links at 434 golf course in Altamonte Springs. There, participants will receive one putter, one iron, two golf balls and a score card. Shipyard vehicles will be set up at holes one and five so you can keep enjoying the product during your game. Grand prize is $100 in cash, but even if you don't win, $40 isn't bad for nine holes of golf and free beer. Go to myspace.com/orlandobeergolf.

Go to the thrift store and be sure to purchase their best polyester because the Saturday Night Fever Pub Crawl happens Saturday at 8 p.m. For $10 in advance and $15 at the door you can enjoy a free Bacardi or Miller Lite at one of the four pub-crawl stops that include Independent Bar (where the crawl begins), Zinc, Slingapours and Big Belly Brewery. This is one of the cheaper crawls I've seen, so if you haven't been

Faster than you can say HA HA HA HA HA, Club Dolce on Church Street in downtown Orlando has closed its doors only a couple of months after its grand opening. Actually I shouldn't laugh, I rather liked the facelift on the old Club Paris, but I'm certainly not mourning its loss. And rumor has it, they're looking to turn that space into a hotel -- who has their bets on it being a Hilton?

Just thought I would post my column on the new Scruffy Murphy's that ran today in the Orlando Sentinel:

"Scruffy Murphy's is back, just not exactly the way you may remember it.

Gone are the gorilla out front, those horrid restrooms inside and its downtown Orlando location. Now on Edgewater Drive in College Park, the reincarnated Scruffy's is a more polished and beautiful pub, from its hardwood floors to its cozy booth seating. And the restrooms? I can speak only for the ladies room: There was granite tile and a brass sink, for crying out loud. Not sure if it was real brass, but, still, talk about a 180!

And the gorilla, according to co-owner Brian Milmoe, is returning as well.     

I spent most of my time on the outside front patio that serves as a huge welcome mat -- it just looks like a good time. When co-owner Donie Burke told me he was concerned they don't have a sign out front yet, I told him between the college kids packing the front of the place the first time I stopped by and the bikers celebrating a birthday on my second visit, a sign is really not missed. The folks eating dinner or drinking out front are marketing enough.

At first, I did miss the old back room with its pool tables and dartboards; however, after taking a walk around, there really is no place to put a dartboard except possibly out on the front patio, which may look a bit tacky. But the pool table was sitting in the back corner across from the stage on my return visit. There were no bands either time I stopped by, but Burke says it's another part of the old Scruffy's that will be coming back.

For anyone who had been to Gio's or Adair's, the restaurants that formerly inhabited the space, you know this place is big. Now with two bars, one in the front room and one in the back part of the pub, plus tons of seating, it gives off a similar vibe to the new Cricketers Arms on I-Drive.

In fact, the pub is adding to the nightlife landscape in College Park already set in motion by Jax 5th Avenue Deli & Ale House, Alfonso's Pizza & More, Taste and Harmoni Market. Burke and Milmoe, who also own a Scruffy Murphy's in Columbus, Ga., along with Breda Gleeson, hope that landscape keeps growing.

The inclusion of food means no smoking inside, but with that large outdoor patio, no one is really suffering. Plus, there may be more outside seating in the back, according to Burke, in the months ahead. But really, the front area is quite nice and serves everyone's needs. The prices are about what they used to be, a smidge higher than I would normally pay but not highway robbery by any means, with Guinness drafts coming in at $5.25 a pint and Murphy's Irish Red at $5.

I'm curious to see if much of the old Scruffy's crowd returns to its new location or if it finds a new crowd with its College Park neighbors -- either way I don't see the bar suffering from a lack of business.

Scruffy Murphy's is at 2625 Edgewater Drive in Orlando. Call 407-835-7158."
 

Looks like Disney has got itself an ultra-lounge, the pictures are pretty impressive but I haven't received permission yet to post them so you'll just have to wait. This is what the press release says, I'll be braving the tourists this weekend to check the place out for myself and let you know what I think.

"LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Rix Lounge, offering an upscale nighttime experience with house music, specialty drinks, tapas-style appetizers and rotating entertainment, has opened at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World Resort.

The 300-seat, 5,000 sq. ft. venue with a Mediterranean-inspired atmosphere is 'a unique, sophisticated lounge for the conference guests that visit Disney each year,' said Richard Debler, president of Springs Foods Service, which operates the location.

Debler, whose 25-year association with Walt Disney World Resort began with the opening of the San Angel Inn at Epcot in 1982, scoured the world to combine the right elements for the perfect lounge to open at Disney's Coronado Springs, a 1,921-room resort that specializes in hosting meetings and conventions. "Over the years, there has been an increased demand for an evening experience at convention locations," he said.

The bar serves as a focal point with its multi-colored backlit display and glowing onyx countertop. More than a dozen specialty cocktails such as the Rix Royale and the Rix Bouquet (champagne with rose petals and limes mulled up) may be paired with tapas-style appetizers such as the chorizo flat bread and the seafood cappuccino. State-of-the-art lighting and sound systems combined with high-backed banquettes, stylish couches and other furnishings create a first-class, fresh, contemporary and sophisticated ambience. There is also a private room -- accommodating up to 80 persons -- ideal for meetings, private receptions and other special events.

'We've created an atmosphere where guests can go unwind after work or a day at the park, celebrate a special event or party all night," said General Manager Lee Viersen. "It's truly a VIP experience.'

Rix Lounge is open daily from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. A nightly DJ plays a variety of Top 40 music and on select evenings a percussion band will perform."

I hope everyone had a happy happy whatever you celebrate. I had a swell time, especially since Scruffy Murphy's reopened in College Park. Much more fancy schmancy than the old joint which overall was a positive move (especially when you're located in yuppie central College Park). I won't dive too much into this topic since I write about it in my column this week, but I did like what I saw (and ate, the Irish stew was delish, as was my pint of Guinness). But, if you want to check it out before then the pub is at 2625 Edgewater Drive in Orlando.

Another bar that's been sorely missed in this town will be reopening at a new location this month. The long-awaited grand opening of Will's Pub will be taking place at the end of the month. It's still up in the air if it will be the weekend of the 18th or the 25th because of a fundraiser taking place at the Social during the weekend of the 18th, but owner Will Walker will know shortly.

Speaking of that fundraiser, it's for a well-liked bloke in this town by the name of Brian "Cannonball" Maguire. The drummer for Big Jef Special was in a motorcycle accident in the beginning of December that left him in a coma.

In order to help with his hospital bills these fundraiser events have been set up to make things a bit easier for when Maguire wakes up.
 
See Terri Binion and The Bible Belt Orphans, Thomas Wynn and The Believers, The Hindu Cowboys and Florganism at The City Arts Factory on Saturday for $10 at the door. This is a 21-and-up event only and there will be a silent auction and vendor tables featuring work by local artists. The City Arts Factory is at 11 E. Pine St. in downtown Orlando, call 407-648-7060.
 
If you're busy Saturday then you can come out to Taste in College Park on Tuesday to see The Legendary JC's and Brown Note at 9 p.m. Again, this is 21-and-up only and there is a minimum $10 donation at the door. Taste is at 717 W. Smith St., call 407-835-0646.
 
On Jan. 18 the good music and good intentions keep coming at the Cannonball Relief at The Social. A Disco Biscuit reunion will take place along with performances from The Attack, Bughead and The Ludes. This time their letting those of you 18-and-up through the doors, again for $10. Music starts up at 9 p.m., The Social is at 54 N. Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando, call 407-246-1380.