Plus, hurricane debris pickup.
 
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6AM City In-House pt 2

Today’s Forecast

90º | 50% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:21 a.m. | Sunset 7:10 p.m.
 

🍽️ There’s a lot on our plates
The exterior of the former First National Bank's front entrance on a downtown street.
This spot was most recently a Wells Fargo Bank — next, it will be a new restaurant. | Screenshot via Google Maps
Our readers are always hungry for fresh dining options, but those who are starving for a taste of something new are in luck. Several more Swan City restaurants are coming soon — grab your forks as we dig right in.

Prima 135

Restaurateur Bill Freeman, former CEO of Shula’s Restaurant Group, is planning a swanky new spot in the former Florida National Bank building downtown. Expect steakhouse staples, along with upscale Italian fare.

The owners plan to include a glass-walled kitchen and bank vault wine cellar while restoring the building to its original art deco design. In today’s Community Redevelopment Agency meeting, the Advisory Board will consider approving $195,000 in incentives for the project.

The facade of a new Chicken Salad Chick restaurant.

Chicken Salad Chick serves a variety of Southern-style chicken salads.

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Photo by RALtoday

Chicken Salad Chick

We don’t know if the chicken or the egg came first, but we do know that many of our readers have been hoping for this Southern-style, fast casual spot to open in Lakeland. Consider your wishes answered — it’s going into the space formerly occupied by Red Elephant Pizza & Grill on South Florida Avenue, along with a Dunkin’ Donuts that’s soon to open.

First timer? Our followers recommend the Fancy Nancy, Sassy Scotty, or Jalapeno Holly in a salad or sandwich.

A stack of souffle pancakes with a matcha tea sauce and fruit, with a boba tea and cakes in the background.

Order a stack of pancakes with flavors like matcha white chocolate, Biscoff, and creme brulee.

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Photo by @kichitaiyaki

Kichi Taiyaki

Sweet tooths are going to love this news: a new dessert shop is opening its second location in the former Twisted Sugar space on South Florida Avenue. The menu includes mostly sweet options (like fish-shaped cakes, soft-serve ice cream, and souffle pancakes) as well as a few savory bites.

You can try out the menu at its original location in Brandon, about 45 minutes west of Lakeland.

Keep making your to-dine list below with 20+ more spots that are newly opened or coming soon.
 
Asked
 

How many new openings did we help you discover?
A. Barely any — I’m the first to know everything.
B. There were a few I hadn’t heard of.
C. Most of them.
D. These were all new to me.
 
 
Events
 
Thursday, Oct. 3
  • Night Market | Thursday, Oct. 3 | 6-9 p.m. | Union Taproom, Winter Haven | Free entry | Shop from local vendors while you pour your own drinks.
  • Florida Lecture Series | Thursday, Oct. 3 | 7 p.m. | Florida Southern College | Free | Kevin Kokomoor will take you back to the state’s beginnings in “La Florida: Catholics, Conquistadores, and Other American Origin Stories.”
Friday, Oct. 4
  • Octoberfest at CRAVE | Friday, Oct. 4-Sunday, Oct. 6 | Times vary | Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ | Free entry | Enjoy German-inspired food + beers with a weekend-long celebration.
  • Fall Contemporary Band Outdoor Show | Friday, Oct. 4 | 7 p.m. | Southeastern University | Free | SEU School of Music students will take their talents outdoors with a concert in Kelly Gardens.
Saturday, Oct. 5
  • FCA Sports Pickleball Tournament | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 8 a.m.-6 p.m. | Kelly Recreation Complex | $75+ | Play pickleball round robin-style before playing in a bracket with your doubles partner.
  • Historic Cemeteries Walking Tour | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 9 a.m. | Evergreen and Palm Cemeteries, Bartow | Free | Walk through two cemeteries to learn the history behind this Polk County Heritage Site.
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Naples Hotel Group
 
▼SPONSORED▼
Asked
 

☂️ Ask an expert: When do you need umbrella insurance?
A person holding a red umbrella facing away from the camera under a rainy sky.
Umbrella insurance is highly recommended for homeowners who have pools + trampolines. | Photo via Pexels
In our rainy city, owning an umbrella is non-negotiable. But what about umbrella insurance?

According to local insurance expert James Boley, umbrella insurance provides an extra layer of liability protection beyond the limits of your current policies.

Think of it as insurance for your insurance.

If you:
  • Own rental properties
  • Possess valuable physical assets
  • Have a higher risk of lawsuits
Consider connecting with your Local GEICO Office on South Florida Avenue for a free, no-obligation quote.
 
News Notes
 
Weather
  • If Hurricane Helene took a toll on your yard outside city limits, call 863-284-4319 to be added to Polk’s hurricane debris pickup list. The Roads and Drainage Division will pick up county customers’ debris, and Solid Waste will collect regular yard waste as usual.
Biz
  • Lakeland Linder will auction off what’s left of Waco Kitchen after the airport’s on-site restaurant closed suddenly in April. Everything not physically attached to the building, from equipment to kitchenware, will be up for bid at LAL on Monday, Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. (The Ledger)
Cause
  • Local organizations are having a big impact on the areas hit hardest by Helene. The Freedom Tour has distributed 200,000 pounds of food + water, and One More Child has sent out 100,000 diapers and wipes. Both are accepting donations to continue to provide relief. (Fox 13 News)
Community
  • Whether you know it as the RP Funding Center or still call it the Lakeland Center, November will mark 50 years in business for Lakeland’s largest event complex. Celebrate with music + food at a free anniversary party there on Friday, Nov. 15.
Ranked
  • Mocs on top. Florida Southern College ranked in the top 20 across three categories on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges lists. FSC ranked No. 9 in Most Innovative Schools, No. 11 in Regional Universities in the South, and No. 20 in Best Value Schools in the South.
Health
  • Support patients with breast cancer at Lakeland Regional Health’s Hollis Cancer Center at the 9th annual Puttin’ On The Pink fundraiser. This year’s dinner is set for Friday, Oct. 11 at the Winter Haven Moose Lodge 1023, and tickets are now available.
Shop
  • 1833 Historic Venue Space will hold its first Sip and Shop event of the season on Thursday, Oct. 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Shop artwork, permanent jewelry, flowers, and beauty products — or reach out to become a vendor yourself.
Eat
  • Holiday flavors are already on the shelves in Publix’s ice cream freezers. We recommend starting with Pumpkin Pie and Caramel Mountain Tracks now, then adding a carton of Peppermint Stick or Santa’s White Christmas as we get closer to winter. (Fox 13 News)
Number
Festival
Travel
 
Flysnf
 
History
 

We couldn’t help but Wonder
Add a heading (30)
There’s plenty to marvel at in the Wonder House. | Photo via @merineitsi
Nestled on two acres of land in Bartow is the Wonder House, a four-story stone and steel construction built by Conrad Schuck and his nine children in the 1920s.

Here are some of our favorite fun facts regarding the mysterious + mystical house on Mann Road:
  • Conrad never drew up blueprints for the house — it was completed entirely from scratch using only his mind’s eye.
  • The Wonder House’s walls are 18 inches thick in some places.
  • Conrad was known for collecting unique trinkets and oddities like snakes in jars, taxidermy, and a coffin.
  • Most of the construction was done by hand by Conrad’s children, who used chisels and hammers to dig out the basements.
  • It was purchased in 2015 for $162,750 by current owners Drew Davis + Krislin Kreis.
Go inside the fabled mansion to hear stories of secret chambers, tunnels, inventions, and relics by booking a Halloween tour. Be warned: These tickets fly off the shelves.
 
The Buy
 
This stretchy knit lounge set. Take this versatile, v-neck tracksuit with you on your next travel adventure or wear at home for maximum comfort and style.
 
 
The Wrap
 
Connor Jacobson

Today’s edition by:
Connor
From the editor
On Tuesday, we asked you how many times you’ve been to the Silver Moon Drive-In, and I was shocked to see that almost half of those who chimed in have never been. Plan a retro date night and head there this weekend to see “Joker: Folie a Deux” and “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”
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