This past Friday was the opening night of Har Simrit Singh’s one-man-show at Bozarts Gallery, downtown.

The gallery was packed with people nibbling food, drinking wine, and enjoying some really great artwork.

The works were a mix of portraits and fine lettering with strong color choices, in a nice flat graphic style.

You can check it out for yourself at the closing party on Saturday, March 27th, from 6pm on. Sometimes the closing parties at Bozarts are even more packed!

Bozarts Gallery | 151 S. St. Clair | Downtown in the Warehouse District

The gallery is across the street from the Erie Street Market’s parking lot.

I made these guys earlier in the week. And now there’s more snow… to make more men!

The little guy reminded me of Colonel Kurtz, hence the Apocalypse Now reference.

R, M, and D met us for Thai food on the East Side this Saturday. Bangkok Cafe was a suggestion of R & M’s… and it was a GREAT suggestion.

It’s been a long time since I last had Thai beef jerky. Bangkok Cafe served it up perfectly warmed and with a small dish of sriracha.

They allowed me to order off the menu–holy basil with ground pork–and I loved this dish that I had been missing terribly. Everyone shared, with D.’s green curry being my second favorite taste of the night. Highly recommended!

We finished the night with a couple cocktails at Andre’s Lounge on Summit Street. The papier-mâché busts are really something.

The drinks are strong and cheap… and I had fun playing awful music on the jukebox.

Bangkok Cafe | 3401 Woodville Road | on the East Side | (419) 697-7979

Andre’s Lounge | 1337 North Summit Street | (419) 248-9201

The Ottawa Tavern, along with the rest of Adams Street, celebrated Mardi Gras this year with beads, silly hats, “hurricane” drinks, and lots of dancing lights… in the bottoms of the glasses.

Golab played live, as did Detroit’s Charlie Slick. And it was a pretty wild and fun night.

Ottawa Tavern (use < and > arrow keys)| 1817 Adams Street | (419) 725-5483

Last week was spent in Sarasota, helping out my grandparents… it was a LONG week and I was happy to return home. To help me detox, D. took me to Eddie Lee’s for dinner on Saturday. This was our first visit to this “Toledo Tradition”.

While we waited for our table (about 30 minutes), cocktails were enjoyed in the retro-decorated bar. Service from the bartenders was quick and pleasant, and before we knew it the host showed us to our table. A nice touch was the host carrying my drink for me while I could have easily done so myself.

We ordered a couple appetizers–escargot (which was nice, but should have come with some toasts… the bread on the table was too soft as an alternative) and some fried RED tomatoes (not green) served with a side of cocktail sauce.

Eddie Lee’s was packed with folks on the older side of the spectrum, and outside a couple babies we were easily the youngest diners. Still, the dining room was lively… some of those gray hairs could even be described as rowdy.

The highlight of the evening was my petit filet (yum) and the smaller portion of prime rib that D. absolutely loved. The prices are incredibly good; dare I say cheap? Both of our entrees were priced well under 20 bucks and our bill was close to half of a typical “nice” night out.

Eddie Lee’s | 4700 Nantuckett Drive, Toledo | (419) 882-0616

Located in a plaza off Monroe street, next door to Hobby Lobby.

Friday night was a blast! We started at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion for a wine tasting. After a flight of 4 wines and some tasty cheese, we wandered around the building.

The TMA plays host to live glass blowing all the time. And the wine tastings are going on every Friday, for weeks in a row. Check out the calendar. The house was packed with familiar and unfamiliar faces… all enjoying a wonderful piece of Toledo’s cultural pie.

Our next stop was Space 237 Gallery for the unveiling of Toledo’s Urban Forest Project, another wonderful AIGA Toledo project.

The attendance was impressive, as were the banners designed by a sliver of Toledo’s talented graphic designers. By mid-April these 50 banners, promoting the environment, will be scattered about Downtown Toledo thanks to support from the AIGA and The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo.

And once the banners come down, they will be made into tote bags and sold to benefit the Arts Commission of Toledo’s Young Artists at Work program. Good deal, all around.

Toledo Museum of Art | 2445 Monroe Street | Old West End | (419) 255-8000

Toledo’s Urban Forest Project | Downtown Toledo

UPDATE! There is a fantastic video about the Toledo Urban Forest Project filmed at the opening by Toledo.com and viewable here.

Following up from our post on June 18, 2008, we had a chance to visit Koreana again with our friend T., who happens to be Korean. We were excited to have her help in ordering off the menu for us.

One of my favorite things about Korean food are the multitude of side dishes… kimchi, beans, vegetables, tofu… the tiny fried fish, I can do without. T. and the owner talked back and forth for a bit in Korean and before we knew it, little plates began covering our table.

The ownership of Koreana switched at some point since our last post, and that switch has brought some improvements. The menu is more robust (offering table-side cooking), the atmosphere is killer with hand-made custom woodwork throughout, and the new owner is really fantastic. Not sure what to order? Tell him what you like, don’t like, and he’ll sort it out for you.

I’m a big fan of the kimchi soup, full of great veggies, tofu, and pork. Flavorful Korean food, Asian beers, and an ever-evolving atmosphere all equals one of our newest faves in Toledo’s dining repertoire.

Koreana | 536 South Reynolds Road | (419) 535-6666

We met up with J. & A. and some new friends at Calvino’s this week for a celebratory dinner. J. & A. had just come off a 3-day fast… and if you haven’t enjoyed real food for a few days this was a fantastic way to bring back the yum.

D. and I arrived early and bought a bottle from the wine shop next door with the silly name “Got Wine”. The prices were really great, so great that a corking charge of $10 to bring upstairs wasn’t outrageous (considering bottle prices at most restaurants). But we will have to go back and pick up wine for home.

The group all ordered individual pizzas and shared. I got the white pizza, one of my faves, and D. made his own with red sauce, ricotta, jalepenos, and red bell peppers. I need to remember that D.’s the best. Hands down. We also shared more bottles of wine. It was a top notch night in Toledo.

Calvino’s | 3143 W Central Ave | Cricket West | (419) 531-5100

Yesterday, D. asked what we should get for lunch and I replied, “sandwiches”! We had just read about a relatively new sandwich shop, featuring Boars Head Meats, in The City Paper and decided to give it a go!

I had a turkey with brie, romaine, tomato and dijon. The first half, enjoyed in the well-packed-for-a-Sunday cafe was great, as was the second half I ate later on. No complaints outside that I would like a little hot-sauce (ie. TABASCO®) bar.

Also, if they are to represent English sandwiches, I think it’s a shame to not offer some sort of a ploughmans. But maybe that’s just me.

D. really loved his “cuban” sandwich. I used quotes because it’s not quite spot on, but it’s close–the closest we’ve found in the area. We’ve both spent time in Miami (me more so than D.) and like anything, it’s the small things that count; not judging. I smuggled a real cuban home (Miami to Toledo) last month for D., while I was there for work… it would have been a crime not to.

In closing, while I really don’t care for Levis Commons, we’ll probably be back. My own personal message to JB’s is “move to Downtown Toledo.” And my personal message to the rest of Toledo is “SUPPORT LOCAL SANDWICH SHOPS!” (note: each linked word above brings you to a different Toledo gem).

Oh, one last note. The pickles are particularly awesome–fresh and crispy–so when you are asked, “pickles or chips” get the pickle!

JB’s Sarnie Shoppe | 4195 Levis Commons Blvd. | 419-931-1080

If you do find yourself in Miami at some time, South Beach in particular (old stomping grounds), get yourself a “cuban” at either Davids Cafe, or Puerto Sagua. Trust me.

This cute little coffee shop saved the day last weekend. We really needed coffee.

And a little scoop of gelato was a good accompaniment for my espresso on ice.

D. enjoyed a petit quiche and then we were off. Our visit to Caffeinis was short and sweet.

Caffeinis | 1471 Secor Road (inside the Campus Village Center) | (419) 536-9724

Friday night, J. hosted a group of friends in her office’s suite at the new arena. This was more than my first time seeing the Walleye play–it was my first hockey game ever.

There were people dressed like furries, posing for photos.

And a fight… someone should break it up!

Snacks were yum, and the Lucas Co. Arena is very nice.

D. and R. had their minds set on walleye sandwiches. Supposedly, the condiment bar is epic. That’s a lot of mayo!

And at the end of the night, Toledo Walleye won the game! Great job!

…but stop all the fighting.

Toledo Walleye | at the Lucas Co. Arena | Downtown Toledo!

Hope everyone has a great 2010!

I’m really not a comedy fan. But it’s good to push yourself to do things you wouldn’t normally once in a while. Right?

Friday night, our friends M. and K. invited us out to see M.’s cousin do stand up. Jon Ueberroth is originally from the East Side so his routine was very Toledo-centric. Several funny cheap shots were tossed towards the East Side, of course.

More friends joined us, like R. and M. — who happened to have gone to high school with one of the opening comics, Andy Peters. Andy was very amusing, especially when the question had arisen of whether there was a Potbelly sandwich shop in Toledo.

There there were plenty of laughs, cheap drinks, and outside the outbursts of what we called “the stoned table” it was a pretty great time.

Connxtions Comedy Club | 5319 Heatherdowns Blvd. | (419) 867-9041?

It is crazy freezing outside, so in the efforts of keeping warm we invited a few friends over for a make-your-own-pizza-dinner on Tuesday. That means we stayed in! And invited J. and A. (thanks, A. for the photos), T. and A., and M.

The pie crusts and fixings came from Sofo Foods on Monroe. I picked up a bunch of nicely sized pre-made crusts, sauce, a bunch of cheeses, fresh veggies (roma tomatos, olives, peppers, mushrooms, etc), fresh basil, garlic…

… and anchovies–not my thing, but it was a hit.

Sofo Foods is perfect for pizza parties–everything is packaged ready to go. And pizza parties are great for spending time with friends; where everyone gets to have their little pies how they like. Thanks to our guests for bringing appetizers and wine.

We ended the night with that great game called Uno (I hadn’t played in more years than I care to admit). And guess who didn’t win a single round… moi.

Keep warm, have fun, love your friends, and do it in Toledo.

Sofo Foods | 5400 Monroe Street | (419) 882-8555

We visited the Toledo Zoo a couple weeks ago. My favorite animal is the polar bear…

He played with a large plastic trash bin for a while.

And there was much more to see. The colubus monkeys (above) were very Alexander McQueen.

This fish was acting curious.

I made some new friends and it was all around an enjoyable afternoon. We plan on going back soon for The Lights Before Christmas, which runs through December 31st.

First I saw the white bear, then I saw the black;
Then I saw the camel with a hump upon his back;
Then I saw the grey wolf, with mutton in his maw;
Then I saw the wombat waddle in the straw;
Then I saw the elephant a-waving of his trunk;
Then I saw the monkeys—mercy, how unpleasantly they smelt!

–William Makepeace Thackeray

The Toledo Zoo | 2700 Broadway Street | (419) 385-4040

October 31st was the Glass City Rollers first home game in Toledo–at the SeaGate Convention Centre and the venue was packed. This was my first ever roller derby experience and it was much more fun than I imagined.

It was Halloween so a lot of attendees showed up in costume, including our friends J., J., and M. (above). Keeping in the spirit, there was a costume contest during half-time.

The Glass City girls kicked major butt… but in the end it was the away team (Fox City Foxz) that skated away with the win. Booooo.

Glass City Rollers | This website kicks major butt, too!

On Friday we enjoyed a stroll through The Toledo Museum of Art before dinner (Mac & Tong’s). The TMA is home to a great permanent collection, including Josef Albers…

… curious African masks, and much more.

The museum also plays host to some epic international exhibitions. Currently there is some Dale Chihuly in the Glass Pavilion, award-winning illustrations from children’s books, typographic-charged works in Word Play (including an Ed Ruscha who is one of my all-time faves), and LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel (runs from through January 3rd).

The TMA extends open hours on Friday until 10pm for their FREE “It’s Friday!” programming. Check the calendar for tours, live music, etc.–it’s a great date night and the cafe is open until 7:30 on Fridays in case you’re feeling peckish.

The Toledo Museum of Art | 2445 Monroe Street | 419-255-8000

I dragged D. out to the mall parking lot for some haunted house fun last weekend. It was scary enough to make me scream but not scary enough that I wasn’t also laughing through all four (4) of the tents. A little pricey at $20 per adult, but there are more options in the area (see below). Hope your weekend is frightful!

Terror Town — Lucas Co. Fairgrounds

Hells Gate Haunt — Alexis Road

Chainsaw Creek — Franklin Park Mall (parking lot)

The Summer months were kind to our garden. Above is only a fraction of the gastronomic delights produced. Note the odd, round, yellow “thing” in the very left of the above picture–apparently it’s a pumpkin (I failed to recognize). I put it back outside where it has turned color into a pretty orange, my poor little preemie pumpkin.

I made numerous batches of tomato sauce over the past few months. Once cooled, I packaged, dated them, and placed them in the freezer where they will rest until being devoured this chilly Winter. I’ve also made some delicious pesto… which is incredibly simple and fresh-tasting over linguini.

There remain tomatoes, peppers both hot and mild, leeks, onion, and a ton of herbs–but it’s getting colder and colder and it will all be gone sooner than I’d like.

This Summer was full of great festivals, but due to travel D. and I missed many of them. Luckily we were able to visit to the Birmingham Festival on the East Side of Toledo. We were treated to a tour from resident superstar B. R. U.–her family has been in the neighborhood for generations. She showed us all the hotspots and cute churches while relaying stories of dancing during hot sweaty summer fests as a child.

The festival is one of Hungarian roots and featured some really amazing foods. Foods that D. and I had never tried before, let alone heard of, like the “hunky turkey”.

Hunky turkey is sliced bread topped with bacon drippings, tomato, onion and green peppers. Pretty epic. But, my favorite dish of the day would have to be the cabbage and egg noodles that came in a little styrofoam bowl at the VFW–best 2 dollars I have ever spent.

Next Summer do not miss out on this festival. Great people watching (like woah), music, dancing, drinking, and food. AND, a hilarious Tony Packos pickle-eating contest.

Birmingham Ethnic Festival | Consaul and Front Street on Toledo’s East-Side

D. has been talking about Soul food for a while now. Both of his favorite soul-spots have shut down over the past 2 years and he thought he was out of luck. But the other day D. spotted a thread on a local Toledo message board mentioning a place called Ruby’s. We decided to check it out! More from D…

The atmosphere of Ruby’s was unexpected. It sits inside an unassuming strip mall on Door street in a quiet part of town. As we walked inside, we immediately felt as if we might be in someone’s home. The lighting was just right, everyone seemed happy, and diners were watching Jeopardy on the television.

The menu offered so many choices we were a bit overwhelmed with what to pick. J. ordered a hot “polish” sausage sandwich, and I ordered the catfish dinner. Let me tell you something… that catfish was some of the best fish I’ve ever had in Toledo and I’ve eat a lot of fish. The cornmeal crust was crispy and the fish was perfectly cooked–hot and flaky. I ordered fried okra as a side and it was unbelievable. I normally steer clear of okra, but I had a feeling it was going to be good and boy-oh-boy was I right.

All the side dishes were as expected… from the home-style mashed potatoes to mac & cheese. The only disapointment was the corn bread. It tasted as if it was made with bad buttermilk, or maybe spoiled shortening. But, with all of the regulars coming in and out, I assured myself that it must be a rare mistake and something we shouldn’t experience again.

Toledo, I’m happy to report that Soul-Food is alive and well.

Ruby’s Kitchen | 4933 Dorr St | (419) 578-5388

This weekend began with an opening party at The Bozarts Gallery for the “B” Collective. It’s the first group show at this new-ish Downtown spot.

The “B” Collective works include paintings, drawings, ceramics, and mixed media by Adam Russell, Har Simrit Singh, Yusuf Lateef & Kelly Lever.

The show runs through Saturday, October 17th–when there will be another party for the closing. Bozarts was started by local artist Jerry Gray and I think he’s done a really great job with the space.

After leaving the gallery we drove by the Art Tatum Memorial at the Arena to see it at night, finally. The changing lights inside the Arena are pretty nice.

Last night, we met up with friends at the Ottawa Tavern for drinks and a few bands. The closing band was The Falling Spikes, a Velvet Underground cover band complete with a girl drummer ala Mo Tucker and projections while they played. Well done.

Bozarts  Gallery | 151 S St Clair Street | (419) 464-5785

Ottawa Tavern | 1815 Adams Street | (419) 275-LIVE