Dr. Philip Phillips has a school, a hospital, a performing arts center and a whole neighborhood named in his honor. But who was he exactly?

Dr. Phillips put Orlando on the map for OJ.

Well, Dr. Phillips was a major early player in the citrus game in the late 19th and early 20th century when he purchased thousands of acres of orange groves here in Orlando, eventually spanning nine Central Florida counties. His company was the first to successfully can juice without the metallic taste by creating a process called “flash” pasteurization, further solidifying his spot as the largest citrus producer in the world. His work made Florida’s name synonymous with orange juice, what he coined as “liquid sunshine”.

And was a benevolent philanthropist.

If changing the juice game wasn’t enough, he was also a benevolent philanthropist. When he wasn’t busy being one of the most successful innovators and marketers of his time, he devoted his life to philanthropy. In 1953, the The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation was born, with a motto of “to help others help themselves”. The foundation primarily provides grants and aid to organizations that support education, programs for kids and families, cultural programs and social services.

And now his name is everywhere?!

The Dr. Phillips community actually grew from his growing need to bring in temp help to work on the groves. After they arrived, housing was established, a post office sprung up, and the beginnings of a community formed. In the 1950s, he was instrumental in developing the Dr. Phillips Memorial Hospital after recognizing that proper healthcare was not being provided to black citizens, becoming a “benefactor to African-Americans in the age of segregation”.

From schools to hospitals, the CineDome at the Orlando Science Center, to the state-of-the-art Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center, you can find Dr. P. Phillips name everywhere around Orlando. After all the work he did for Orlando, we’d say he earned that honor.

Also here’s a look at Dr. Phillips and his work by the Orlando Sentinel. Two fun facts: After conducting a study, the American Medical Association actually endorsed the health benefits of Doctor Phillips’ OJ back in the 1930s AND the jury is still out on how much of a doctor Dr. Phillips truly was. He actually never practiced medicine in Florida, and practiced only briefly in his home state of Tennessee.

In honor of #NationalGrilledCheeseDay, we rounded up a few favorite grilled cheese places in town.The list is in IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER and includes key ingredients, just in case you want to get Kraft-y at home (see what we did there?).😜

• Pom Pom’s Cheese Melt – honestly, never met a sandwich we didn’t like here; you-pick up to four cheeses (or more). (The Milk District)
• Hammered Lamb’s Grilled Cheese made with cheddar, mozzarella, and goat; topped with caramelized onions and spinach (you can always add bacon!) (Ivanhoe)
• Toasted – The Fig and Goat made with Havarti and Goat Cheese, mission fig, basil and honey was nominated more than a few times. (They also offer vegan options AND have to-die-for rosemary truffle fries). (Winter Park, Windermere)
• Le Femme du Fromage – So this one was a toss up between the Le Grand Fromage, (voted the“Best of Orlando”) with prosciutto, tomato, basil, and a 4-cheese blend on garlic bread  vs. the Dirty Elvis – a sweet treat with Gjetost cheese, bacon and banana on cinnamon raisin bread. 🙏 (Audubon Park)
• Gnarly Barley’s Great Grilled Cheese, you can pick your cheese, then enjoy a bowl of their tomato bisque for dipping. (Edgewood) 
• F&D Kitchen & Bar’s Artisan Grilled Cheese made with Mobay cheese and white cheddar. (Lake Mary/Heathrow)
• 33 & Melt’s Melt made with cheddar, mozzarella, muenster and swiss. (Windermere)
• Village Inn’s Grown Up Grilled Cheese comes with mixed cheese, tomato and bacon (and on Wednesdays, you also get a free slice of pie!). (Seaworld)
• YardHouse Grilled Cheese (and tomato bisque) is an awesome four cheese combo of cheddar, blue cheese, swiss, fontina, and tomato between two slices of artisan bread. (I-Drive)
• Enzian’s Grilled Cheese – made with fontina cheese and then dipped in their tomato soup. Don’t sleep on this one! (Maitland)
• Honorable Mention: Big Momma’s Grilled Cheese (okay so this isn’t a real restaurant, BUT my (Katie’s) big momma reads this newsletter and her grilled cheeses are quite possibly the best in the business so I can’t not mention her!) (Sweet Home Alabama)

Do you feel like your favorite place to order a grilled cheese was cheated? Send them over to hello@pulp.town!

Also, while on the topic of cheese, can someone PLEASE tell us where to find the best Halloumi cheese in Orlando? Because we’ve been searching for a LONG time.

Smothered, covered, and slathered. As seen by our cheesy post above, it’s National Grilled Cheese Day. This new restaurant in Winter Garden was completely inspired by the owner’s love of cheese. All of his dishes are finished off with a slathering of melted raclette cheese, a concept he says he learned from the Alpine-region. (Orange Observer)

Natives have a bone to pick with developers. Central Florida developer has plans to build high-end lakefront estates in Bay Hill, but Macey Mound has other plans. While this might be the biggest development since the recession, it could be a dead plan (at least for a little) if human remains are found in what looks to be a Native American burial site. Only time will tell, well that and the National Register of Historic Places. (Orlando Sentinel)

Feels on wheels. Tommie Studstill first appeared on Orlando’s radar in 2016 when he was feeding and clothing the homeless in Brevard County after Hurricane Matthew, carrying all that he could fit into grocery bags that he attached to his bicycle. Last year, a Channel 6 viewer donated a van to Tommie. While the van died, Tommie’s vision hasn’t. He’s now delivering to 300+ people a day by way of his 2001 Buick Century in the name of his nonprofit Greater Love for the Homeless. (News 6 WKMG)

Back to school. Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs just announced that she is running for Orange County School Board Chairperson. With her limited-term coming to an end, Mayor Jacobs says this is a natural transition for her. After working in the community for sixteen years (eight as mayor, eight as county commissioner), she said that she wants to take the skills and relationships she has formed and “bring that, to harness all of the energy that we can in this community, to make our school district the best in the nation.” (News 13)

We’ll drink to that. Washburn Imports and Imperial Bar are expanding to (off) Park Ave. This new location will operate most similarly to their Orlando location (Ivanhoe/Antique Row), a high-end and eclectic furniture store by day that transforms into a bar at night – an idea that spawned from a customer lamenting that they wish they could sit, drink and stay a spell. Thank G for their bright idea, as Imperial is the ultimate date spot. Looking forward to seeing what they do in Winter Park. (Orlando Sentinel) 

Hasta la vista!

Til’ tomorrow!