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Give Toledo a digital hug tomorrow!

Just in case you haven’t figured it out… Yes, I love Toledo.

OK, I’m glad we’ve cleared that up.

And, I’m not alone. Last weekend JUPMODE – a local tee shirt company that also LOVES this city held an open house showing off some new murals in their working space. One large wall was flanked by work from Matt Taylor and “Mede”.

We also had the pleasure of touring the operations.

You may have seen this graphic, which I think may be JUPEMODE’s best selling, (insert Kanye West voice) of all time. The above is THE SCREEN that makes that shirt.

And this tee’s saying may call up memories from Toledo’s progressive roots, as in Toledo was seriously on the forefront of the American Progressivism movement. Rock on Samuel “Golden Rule” Jones!

Beer lovers might get a twinge in their hearts from this. And graphic designers/advertising folks will love how sweetly the message is presented. *Hugs* for the old days.

JUPMODE was founded in 2007 by John Amato. This is him, with his back against a mural by local talent Maura Meyers. Awesome! Just a really lovely mural.

And here it is. New jack city referencing the wonderful heritage of Toledo, with reverence. And making it work. I guess it’s not very new jack at all… is it.

Buy some shirts from people that really love Toledo, and are going to be around for a while. | JUPMODE

There’s a new blog in Toledo and I’m pretty excited about it… and if you enjoy food you’ll love this! Plate 21 hosted a well-attended launch party for Smash Toledo tonight. Smash is all about featuring the best of food and drink in Toledo with great tips from locals-in-the-know.

The event was full of area foodies, chefs, and restaurateurs… most of them young! Which is such a great thing because this is the generation that is championing culture, life, and, yes, economic development in Toledo.

Pictured above: John Amato (of Jupmode), Joshua Wagy (Smash Toledo), and D!

The highlight was a viewing of Smash Toledo’s video short featuring Barry’s Bagels—one of my favorite spots for a bite on weekend afternoons. I was happy to meet THE Barry tonight, but I am kicking myself for not using the opportunity to ask why their salt bagels have poppy seeds on them. Next time!

The Barry Bagels video is featured on the Smash Toledo site right now, so check it out and be sure to bookmark the site for those dreaded “where do you want to eat?” moments. I know D. and I aren’t the only people that have those!

Also, be sure to grab a cup of joe at Plate 21 next time you’re feeling caffeine-challenged. It’s such a great little coffee shop in South Toledo.

The Toledo Museum of Art’s Circle 2445 hosted their first “Behind TMA” event on Friday. The aim of this series is to inspire involvement and support of the Museum with a bit of an educational slant. Last night’s focus was the recently opened Wolfe Gallery for Contemporary Art.

After a bit of hors d’oeuvres, drinks and mingling, guests split up into groups and were given mini-tours of a few pieces in the gallery. One of my favorites is the above Petah Coyne sculpture–a massive glob of gothic birds and roses, striking in it’s stature, and casting a contrasting shadow of super flat graphic shapes.

The event was well attended and a nice alternative to the regular “meet me in a bar” social.

D. has taken on the role of Chair at Circle 2445 and there are several events planned for the future––including the Kentucky Derby Party (which was a total hit last year). You should join us!

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

Old West End Security hosted their 2nd Super Bowl party at The Attic on Adams earlier this month. D. and I joined our neighbors in the fun, non-stop game day snacks and yummy drinks. I’m not much into football but thought it was very cool that the coaches from both teams are brothers, and from Toledo! The half-time show was pretty epic, no?

A good night was had by all, and all proceeds benefited Old West End Security’s efforts to keep my favorite neighborhood’s streets well-patrolled. A huge thanks goes out to Amelia and everyone at The Attic for making sure everyone was well-fed and provided great cocktails!

Old West End Security | The Attic on Adams (Above Manos)

Last night I put my brave face on and headed to the Ottawa Park Ice Rink for a super fun night of skating and music. D. declined to partake, opting to stand by with his finger on the 911 button in case I fell on my face… which amazingly didn’t happen! The same can’t be said for our friend, K. — hope your wing heals soon!

The party was hosted by friends, Ben & Stacy; attended by great people who enjoyed evening skating and great tunes.

Ottawa Park Ice Rink | 2200 Bancroft | (419) 936-2997

This post is a long time coming, mostly because D. and I don’t get down to Bowling Green often. I’m happy to say we did so the other weekend with one goal in mind… a visit to the Happy Badger for brunch!

The Cohen siblings pulled out all the stops and served up a portabello-pesto egg scramble for D. (above) and an egg sandwich on a Zingerman’s croissant that I loved. The side of mixed greens with vinaigrette was very welcome. Ben and Sarah really know what they are doing and you can taste the care they put into each dish.

Speaking of Zingerman’s, The Happy Badger also sells a small selection of baked goods and bread from that famed Ann Arbor shop of yum. So I took the opportunity to walk away with a loaf of onion rye, one of my favorites.

Highly recommended. Take a road trip down to BG and enjoy the “cafe of deliciousness”.

The Happy Badger | 331 N. Main | Bowling Green, OH | (419) 352-0706

D. and I celebrated last night with dinner at Registry Bistro (which was absolutely amazing) and later met up with friends at the Graphite Design + Build space Downtown. A massive thanks to hosts D. and J. for the best post-apocalyptic new years party ever.

I hope your NYE was fun and 2013 is a fantastic year!

There once was a girl named Betty. Betty had a lot of interests; art, sewing, roller derby, teaching, and she also had a dream. Betty dreamed of an alternative/indie craft fair… a ”not your mother’s craft fair”… to happen in Toledo. So Betty got together with friends and fellow “extreme crafters”, reached out to the UpTown Association for their support, and started planning.

And Maker’s Mart happened! It was a one-day shopping extravaganza of modern crafts, art, clothing, food, and all sorts of one-of-a-kind objects originating from Toledo. The event was packed with people shopping for unique, local gifts and enjoying the afternoon. While perusing the boatloads of awesome, D. and I rubbed elbows with so many of you!

Betty deserves a big *high five* for making this event happen… and let’s hope it happens again soon.

Maker’s Mart | A pop-up indie craft fair in Toledo