Meet Alexandra Schneider

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Schneider.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I moved to Orlando in 2010 which is a much different Orlando than the one that exists today. As the food and culture scene grew I was excited to participate in the new local love for this town. I’m a new experience seeker so I’ve always been on the lookout for interesting things to do, as well as trying to visit newly opened businesses as quickly as possible. It got to the point that every Friday my coworkers would ask what my weekend plans were to hear about what was new and exciting. At that time there were a few food pages for Orlando on Instagram, but nothing really about the lifestyle. When I travel I love to find great local food but I also want to do so much more than that. I want to know what are the best activities, coolest bars, instagramable walls, cute local shops, and more.

Orlando has all that as well but I felt like no one was really talking about it, so I decided to try and become the resource that I would’ve liked to see. I asked two of my friends if they wanted to do it with me and the account was born. It started off really as a side hobby, just something fun and a way to capture the activities we were already doing anyway. The posting was definitely sporadic in the beginning as it’s easy to go out and have fun, while scheduling time for editing and consistently posting takes more dedication. As life got even busier for all of us I ended up continuing the account solo. When Covid first hit is when I really started to take the account seriously. I suddenly had more time to focus on what I wanted to build out of the page and I felt like highlighting local businesses was more important than ever. Fast forward to today and so much has changed. I’ve stumbled into this great community of other Orlando bloggers. I’m grateful for all that I’ve gotten to do so far and I’m always excited for what’s next.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m a pretty positive person so I don’t tend to focus too much on the negatives. There are definitely some learning curves to get used to though. Going from being pretty shy to busting out a ring light in a crowded place is a big 180 for me. I feel like this account has definitely helped me grow as a person and become more outgoing. Even though I may still feel shy inside at times, people tell me they’d never expect that I feel that way. This page has also helped me learn how to say no. I want to make sure I’m always staying true to myself and only posting about things that I genuinely like.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My full time job transitioned me to work from home this past September. It’s been a great help as I’m able to have more time to dedicate to my Instagram account. I spend my time keeping track of all the new businesses that are opening and planning out when I can visit and get content. I’m also always researching unique experiences to do. Just the other weekend I was able to play with a raccoon! I didn’t previously know that was something Central Florida had and now I’m able to share that with my followers. I enjoy being able to be a resource or answer questions when people are asking for recommendations.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I still remember when the lockdown was first announced. It wasn’t long after that I would see on social media some businesses posting a GoFundMe, or bars selling to go cocktail kits, etc. I donated where I could and I definitely increased my takeout orders. I went from only eating out on weekends to ordering takeout almost daily. I even would send food to some friends! Same with coffee. I used to go get local coffee on Sundays after grocery shopping but would get Starbucks during the week. Now I pretty much only drink local coffee. We lost some good local businesses including some of my favorites over these past two years. Supporting local has definitely become more of a priority for me.

Contact Info:

• Email: theorlandho@gmail.com
• Instagram: @theorlandho
• TikTok: theorlandho