The Strand, Framework Coffee, and Being (and Demanding) the Change You Want to See in the U.S.
So originally for the day of the National Strike I had this giant article planned about how we should tank the U.S. economy on select aspects in order to truly stick it to MAGA and truly make headwinds in order to stop the current bigoted agenda from continuing.
Instead, I want to shine a light on a couple places that represents the change I would love to see in people and businesses and the nation overall. I want to highlight the sort of business that deserves your money, the kind of places that should earn the dollars that otherwise would be spent on mega corporations that have helped bring about the downfall of the quality of life in the U.S..
Whenever I discuss supporting local, supporting small, supporting folks worthy of your hard-earned money under the extreme capitalism that persists in American society, I am discussing radical consumer changes that need to happen among all of us if we plan on funneling and cycling money through the right people and the right circumstances.
The Strand is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever visited. It is the true-blue definite example of a local, neighborhood restaurant. They have a tight-knit crew, they have extended moments of leave to catch a breather, they work with local vendors and businesses for their ingredients, and lastly make excellent meals in a laid-back atmosphere. Recently, their reopening date was delayed because their main chef was still recovering from surgery. Rather than chase the easy money, they decided to trust that their loyal customer base will be understanding and supportive and waited until mid-January to reopen to allow full recovery of their staff. In a capitalist world where places will remain open even during hurricanes, it’s refreshing to see a business value health and quality of staffing over money.
I don’t take pictures of the menu because it changes often depending on availability and the season. There are some classics that will likely never leave, which includes their epically delicious Alabama chicken with fried macaroni and cheese. On my visit I ordered their guava pork belly that was served on a salad of citrus and cilantro, which was spectacular. As previously mentioned, the customer favorite Alabama chicken was also available, and it most certainly didn’t disappoint. Served on a small salad and topped with Alabama white sauce, this remains my favorite dish.
But let me discuss this dessert, which is my favorite dessert in all of Central Florida. It’s a butterscotch pudding with coffee jello on top. It doesn’t sound like much, but I assure you that I could eat a dozen of these if not for the fact that my bank would call me and begging for me to stop. Its creamy, its rich, has a nice kick of coffee with each bite, and then add a slight salty edge with the toffee crumbles. 15/10, no notes, absolute perfection.
Close to The Strand on the Mills District is the delightful Framework Craft Coffee House. Another great example of what kind of business we should be pouring our money to, this coffee shop uses local ingredients, works with local vendors and artists, persists a commitment to using organic ingredients and trying to remain environmentally friendly, and even will work with you price-wise if you’re financially having a hard time and just need a coffee or tea to survive. Local, friendly, compassionate, and without sacrificing quality.
Coffee is spectacular, the pastries are awesome, the breakfast sandwiches were on point, and the vibes were peaceful with plants in one corner, and beautiful photography on the other side for purchasing, with a published profile of the artist in case you want to follow their artistic journey. Similar to The Strand, the menu undergoes changes depending on the season and availability, and it appears that even the art displays change in order to diversify the artists involved, and keep you interested in what might pop up on your next visit.
Often, I have pondered opening my own place, in order to comply with the notion that sometimes you have to be the change you want to see in the world. Maybe I need to participate alongside all these nice examples on what businesses should be moving forward under the extreme capitalist system with little signs of changing under the current cluster of disappointing politicians. Maybe the solution is to ignore and refuse to work with all the shoddy companies that continue the status quo despite middle America slowly dying of debt and economic depression and try to make it on my own.
But what I do know is this, if I actually bite the bullet and participate as a local business owner, my inspirations will be The Strand and Framework Coffee, two places that have been a cornerstone of the Orlando foodie scene and shining examples of establishing deep connections within the local markets. What has hurt the United States is that all of the big companies snatching up space, resources, and opportunities are also accomplishing their takeovers without actually working with local economies and local providers. We need fewer Amazons and more The Strands; we need fewer Starbucks and more Frameworks.
Extreme capitalism and the unchecked power of billionaires and their giant corporations has led to the situation we find ourselves in today, hence the National Strike. The MAGA Administration led by psychopaths is one that caters to billionaires, the upper class, and nobody else. ICE has been kidnapping, maiming, injuring, killing innocent U.S. citizens because rich people are backing and sponsoring the violence, while pitting angry lower-class folks to hunt other folks they believe are actually responsible for their problems.
So while the infighting continues, the military contracts, for-profit prison systems, and use of technology keeping the U.S. economy afloat will feed into the ginormous bank accounts of the wealthy. The bounty hunting format that has turned ICE agents into participants in a free-for-all combined with the violent crackdowns on Los Angeles, Portland, Memphis, Chicago, and especially Minneapolis is essentially the upper class declaring war on everyone else that isn’t agreeing with the 1%’s hostile takeover of the White House and American politics.
This is why Venezuela, Canada, Greenland, Cuba, Panama, and even Mexico (among other countries I’m sure we’ll hear about in the coming months) remains in the crosshairs of angry rich folk, these countries have resources the richie riches want, and will turn to Trump becoming a rabid military dog in order to achieve the absorption of their essentials. The violence is a moneymaking machine for some, a white supremacist wet dream for others, while making life dangerous for the vast majority. And it all needs to stop.
Once the cult finally dies down, once the heathens responsible finally start actually getting their punishments (hopefully), then we will start turning our focus towards how we got to this point and how we can prevent ourselves from falling into such a disgusting trap again. It starts with respecting and loving our neighbors, it starts with trying to actually ensure that our money remains within our cities, our counties, our states. This is the richest country in the history of the world, but because of extreme capitalism and ruthless competition, we have several swaths of our territory looking like third-world nations. We have had far too many regions neglected, ignored, stripped of its parts and left to rot, and if the people aren’t financially strong enough to uplift their surroundings, then we have chaos. If we continue trying to take basic rights and monetize them to hell, then you have poverty and crimes of desperation.
The National Strike is primarily about ICE but it’s the tip of the iceberg.
ICE is part of this military industrial complex that has literally taken trillions of taxpayer money that could otherwise have been used to ensure healthcare for all, housing for all, parental leave for all, advanced education for all, and other basic functions we had taken for granted as they slowly slipped away over the years and as a result made the United States a middle-tier country instead of the top-tier nation it should be. Americans deserve better, a better future is indeed possible, and it starts with examples like the places I’ve mentioned that proudly represent the neighborly foodie scene known as the Mills 50 district.
ICE should be defunded and abolished, and its beyond time to demand better from our representatives.