People of Orlando discuss New Year's Eve plans

Austin Mayer, 22, web developer
What’s your favorite drink? Dos Equis
What’s your favorite bar? Sportstown. There’s so much to do there, the atmosphere is my type of people and they play awesome music.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? More than likely I’ll just head downtown.

Kate Phillips, 30, counselor
What’s your favorite drink? Stella Artois
What’s your favorite bar? Probably Bar Louie around here [in the UCF area]. It’s conveniently located and they also have a nice variety of drinks.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? I have a 3-year-old! So I’m going to be having a glass of champagne at home.

Tamarra Michel, 24, advertising account executive
What’s your favorite drink? Anything with rum
What’s your favorite bar? Independent Bar, and we used to go to SkySixty a lot.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? We have this tradition where we do a bonfire, and we do a game called Dare where everyone puts their dare into a cup, and we go in a circle and pick one, but you have to be careful because you might get your own dare.

Rebecca Wilczak, 26, insurance employee
What’s your favorite drink? Black Russian
What’s your favorite bar? The Woods downtown. They have a lot of good drinks, the selection is great.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? I have no idea! I haven’t thought that far ahead.

Mike Offbenack, 26, business developer for a rifle-manufacturing company
What’s your favorite drink? Guinness
What’s your favorite bar? Lil Indies on Mills. I love that little bar. I can walk there from my house. It’s got a cool atmosphere and cool people. That and I always talk to somebody there. I meet somebody new every time.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? I’m probably going to see the Orange Drop [on Church Street].

Marie Reiterova, 24, graduate student in mass communications
What’s your favorite drink? Depends on what mood I’m in. I love mojitos, martinis and sweet wine.
What’s your favorite bar? Bar Louie. It’s a good place you can just chill and hang out with friends.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? Every year, I go to Europe. I have lots of family there, so I celebrate overseas.

Loren Cory, 23, recent UCF graduate
What’s your favorite drink? Mojito
What’s your favorite bar? Wine Bar on Park Avenue in Winter Park. You can taste a bunch of different wines and it’s just a nice atmosphere, it’s relaxed.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? I’ll probably be here in Orlando. I’ll hang out with a bunch of friends, and we’ll figure something out last-minute.

Javon Alexandre, 25, academic advisor
What’s your favorite drink? Old Rasputin
What’s your favorite bar? Hanson’s Shoe Repair, a speakeasy above NV Art Bar. The vibe is amazing. It’s like a 25-person max, but you have to call to get the password to get in, it’s crazy. It’s always a good time. The drinks are expensive, but they always have live bands so I feel like I’m paying $8 for cover and $4 for my drinks.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? Hanging out with my friends. We have this bonfire every year, so hopefully we’ll do that.

Evris James, 27, network engineer
What’s your favorite drink? Dubhe Imperial Black IPA
What’s your favorite bar? Well I just moved here, but I’m definitely a fan of Redlight Redlight. I like the feel.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? I’m actually going to be overseas! So we’ll see.

Daniel Harris, 25, coffee slinger at the Drunken Monkey
What’s your favorite drink? Gin
What’s your favorite bar? I probably go to Wally’s most frequently, but I really enjoy Stardust. The bartender, Lily, makes the most baller drinks I’ve ever had. She made me one of the craziest coffee drinks I’ve ever had in my entire life that also got me drunker than I’ve been in a long time.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? I’m playing a house show at an undisclosed location called Cloud 9 (ask a punk if you need to know) with a band called Forms.

Cydnea McKinzie, 25, employee at Winter Park Community Center
What’s your favorite bar? Independent Bar. They play a whole bunch of indie music, and I love independent music.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? I’ll probably be hanging out with friends.

Cody Zeigler, 23, no one likes me
What’s your favorite drink? Sailor Mule: A Moscow mule made with Sailor Jerry
What’s your favorite bar? I don’t really like any of them, I just go wherever it’s cheapest.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? We’re gonna make something happen. It’s gonna be a lot more work than fun, but it’s gonna happen.

Christina Pomales. 23, audio production engineer at Adrenaline Films
What’s your favorite drink? If we’re talking beer, pumpkin beer. But if we’re talking liquor, I like screwdrivers. I like anything with vodka.
What’s your favorite bar? I like going to downtown Orlando. I love Tanqueray’s. They always have good bands. And the old Bar-BQ-Bar.
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? I’ll probably go to downtown Winter Park. Downtown Winter Park is amazing.

Brittany McKee, 24, graduate student at Rollins pursuing an MBA
What’s your favorite drink? Malbec or gin
What’s your favorite bar? I’m really new to the area, so I don’t have a favorite bar yet, but I really like this place [Redlight Redlight].
What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? I don’t plan that far ahead.