Street scene and Words on the Street

ORLANDO

Boutique owner Wendy Ricchi shares her favorite destinations on and around North Summerlin Avenue.

1 Lambs Eat Ivy Salon • 804 E Washington St
This hub for musicians, artists and jewelry designers is where Ricchi goes for a new ’do. www.myspace.com/lambseativysalon

2 The Spa of Thornton Park • 23 N Summerlin Ave
Ricchi loves the hot stone massage here: “It’s super-relaxing and instantly loosens up my tight muscles,” she says. www.spaorlando.com

3 Urban Body Men’s Clothing Studio 12 N Summerlin Ave Catering to the stylish man, it stocks edgy fashions and footwear from upand-coming designers. “It’s the perfect place to pick up designer denim, an unusual shirt or the perfect pair of super-cool shoes for my husband,” she says. www.urbanbody.com
4 Zou Zou Boutique 2 N Summerlin Ave Ricchi may be a little biased—after all, she owns the store—but ask anyone in town and they’ll agree: Zou Zou is heaven for fashion-lovers. Browse stylish foot-wear and handbags, as well as new duds by designers from around the globe. www.zouzouboutique.com
5 UrbanThink! Bookstore 625 E Central Blvd The consummate indie bookstore, it boasts a huge selection of best sellers, local interest titles and periodicals, and hosts monthly art exhibits. Ricchi recommends the Pineapple Bliss green tea at the on-site Infusion Tea shop. www.urbanthinkorlando.com

WORDS ON THE STREET

A puzzling form of public expression has haunted Philadelphia for decades.

This is the message found on the bizarre tiles—dubbed “Toynbee tiles”—embedded in the streets of cities around the world. An urban mystery for more than 25 years, the first confirmed sighting was in Philly, where the majority of them can be found. But who is responsible for planting them? And what does the message mean? Local artist Justin Duerr, who’s been investigating the mystery since 1997 for a documentary film titled Resurrect Dead, may have the answers. (The movie has a tentative release date of summer 2010.)

What do you think the message means?
“I think it’s meant to be taken literally—to publicize that there is a concept (inspired by historian Arnold J. Toynbee) within the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, whereby dead bodies can be molecularly reconfigured on the planet Jupiter. The tiles gain people’s attention because all these ideas (the mysteries of outer space and of death/rebirth, and the hope that this life may not be ‘all there is’) speak deeply to the human psyche.

Why do you think people are fascinated with the tiles?
“The fact that the message seems a bit open to interpretation— due to being so totally abstruse—helps to cultivate discussion and speculation.”