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I was blinded by color as soon as I stepped of the elevator.  Not just one color, but all of them, all at once.  It was great!  But first, lunch.

We stopped at Bombay Street Kitchen (www.bombaykitchenorlando.com) on Orange Blossom Trail for lunch.  It was close to our destination, and we both had a hankering for Indian food.  This was another hot day in Florida, and we were both feeling the heat.  This kind of day called for something cool and refreshing, so Mango Lassi’s were our priority.  A mango lassi is made with mango, yogurt, milk, sugar, and a hind of cardamom and is one of the most satisfying drinks for a hot day.  Our thirsts quenched, we looked over the menus and decided on lunch.  Bob went with Hara Teekha Murg Tikka (a chicken dish) and I had the Chicken Tikke Bao.  Of course we had to have the wonderful Marsala Naan, which is a soft and savory bread.  Satisfied and full, we headed to the Crayola Experience, located in the Florida Mall about two miles down the road.

Before I tell you about this extraordinary place, let me fill you in on my relationship with color.  I’ve decided that when I die, there should be a dress code for my funeral.  It would be something simple, and it would go like this:  you must wear a bright color.  If you’re going to wear black, gray, white, beige or brown then just stay home.  I mention this because of my entry into the Crayola Experience where I was literally overcome by color.  It was so incredible that I had to stand there for several minutes to take it all in. 

It wasn’t just a visual experience, it also had that signature crayon scent.  Did you know that a Yale University study shows that Crayola crayons are one of the most recognizable smells in the world?  Did you also know that American artist Grant Wood won a Crayolla coloring contest as a young child in the early 1900s and won?  Wood is most famous for his “American Gothic” painting.

Back to the Crayola Experience.  There are so many activities that it’s tough to decide where to go first.  We used our free tokens to make our own crayon and name the color whatever we wished.  I made “skybluish,” a pleasant medium blue and “RoyaltyBarbara,” a fetching royal purple.  Next up was Drip Art, which involved melted wax and spin art.  We then sat through an educational talk about how crayons were made. 

We weren’t done, yet.  Bob and I wandered into an area where you design/color a dress or a track suit.  Scan it when finished, and see it come alive on the big screen.  Still not done seeing and doing everything.  We posed for a selfie made by a computer-driven pen.  The finished product is appropriate for coloring, as one would expect. 

One last stop at the “Cartoon Creator” brought us face-to-face with the Crayola Bot, which in turn made us into a cartoon sketch-up.  Again, suitable for coloring.

Even the ladies room was ablaze in shades of orange tile.  I wanted to get a photo of it, but it never cleared out long enough for me to snap a photo.  I would have felt awkward if anyone would have seen me.  I tell you, the Crayola Experience is serious about their use of color.

All in all, we had a blast at the Crayola Experience, because there’s something for kids of any age.  I mean, who doesn’t like to color?  This place is set up to hold birthday parties, large groups, or just a couple of curious adults like ourselves.  It’s a busy place, but the wait is never long.  We spent two hours there, but could have easily spent more time.  It’s a stress-free good time for all involved.

After all of the excitement and coloring, we decided to stop for an adult beverage.  Brewlando Brewing (www.brewlando.com) was on the way home, and a perfect place to use our PubPass.  Let me take a moment to tell you about PubPass.  it’s similar to a coupon book for beer.  There’s twenty five breweries and bars located in and around Orlando, and each one has a buy one get one offer.  Brewlando was listed in our 2026 PubPass, so off we went.This is our third year of traipsing around the greater Orlando area drinking “free” beer.  PubPasses are usually available on Facebook around Christmas, but you can also go to www.getpubpass.com if you don’t want to wait until December.  There’s PubPasses available for a bunch of cities across the U.S. , so check the website to see if there’s one near you. 

Would I recommend this adventure?  Definitely, yes.  There’s plenty to do and experience and it leaves you with that warm, fuzzy childhood glow.  We headed for home and I was content that if my funeral was as colorful as the Crayola Experience, I’d be a happy camper.