Happy New Years Eve, everyone! We stocked up for the night at Joseph’s Beverage Center. It’s bonkers out there!
Josephs Beverage Center | 4129 Talmadge Rd | (419) 472-1421
ps. Don’t drink and drive! ABCO services is offering free towing and a ride home from midnight to 3 a.m. The number is 419-536-6123. Jot it down.
We enjoyed dinner at Calvino’s last night. I had only visited once before for lunch, several years ago. It was pretty great! I ordered a small white pizza with sausage and D. had a stromboli. We also asked for a small garlic bread as an appetizer, but it was unnecessary as the Calvino’s house bread was totally tasty.
I’m eating cold, leftover pizza for lunch today. Yum.
Calvino’s | 3143 W Central Ave | (419) 531-5100
The Rosary Cathedral was on the Tours de Noel OWE home tour this year. It was beautiful, moving and I’m surprised at myself for not visiting earlier. We arrived in time to catch the beginnings of their Advent Lessons & Carols Service.
Whitaker-Casper Home
A little over a week ago D. and I took our first home tour in the Old West End. Tours de Noel is an annual event produced by The Women of the Old West End featuring 7 homes and sites in one of this country’s largest historical districts.
Our first stop was Mansion View, a property the Old West End neighborhood association owns and runs as a bed and breakfast and is rented out for parties and events. It is a beautiful house, like many in the neighborhood, featuring amazing architectural features like woodwork you simply don’t see in cookie-cutter modern homes.
We enjoyed each stop on the tour, including Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral and the Park Lane Luxury Apartments which held a holiday boutique and “cookie walk” as part of the event. I did have a favorite… the Whitaker-Casper home (pictured above).
Keep an eye out for the home tours that usually accompany The Old West End Festival in June of each year!
More about The Women of The Old West End.
Visit our local animatronic utopia and cacotopia combined.
It’s all sorts of epic. Including wonderful antique diatribes.
And injection molded toy machines. Wow. Kids love it.
Children’s Wonderland | Lucas Co. Rec Center in Maumee | Runs through New Year’s Eve.
Friday night was the Second Annual ‘Tis the Secor Show at the Secor Building downtown. Highlights included an exhibit of works from 40+ local artists, open studios and live music.
One of my favorite pieces was front and center in the lobby — a portrait by Richard Reed of his friend Marty.
It’s beautifully done.
There was live music in the lobby including Toledo’s best experimental group, KDB.
After leaving the Secor show we met up with friends for drinks at Wesley’s in uptown. It’s a sure bet on Friday nights and features some of my favorite pro-Toledo decor, including the infamous “You Will Do Better in Toledo” sign, the original of which is sadly long gone.
We finished things up with a nightcap at The Attic on Adams the new hotspot above Manos. Hope to see you there soon!
The Secor Building | 425 Jefferson St @ Superior | Downtown
KBD | myspace.com/kbdtoledo
Wesley’s | 1201 Adams Street | 419-255-3333
The Attic on Adams | 1701 Adams St. | 419-243-5350
A few years ago I was pleasantly surprised to learn of a restaurant that does dim sum in Toledo. We’ve been doing weekend brunches at New Empire ever since & only for the dim sum. I haven’t actually eaten off the regular menu.
New Empire doesn’t do the carts thing but they do have a little menu with pictures for people who are unaccustomed to dim sum. Every dish is delish. My favorites are the taro dumplings and various steamed dumplings. The little pork buns and fried shimp balls are great too. It’s easy to end up ordering too much. If you like spicy be sure to ask for a side of chili paste.
New Empire Restaurant | 6540 Centers Drive | Spring Meadows | (419) 868-6565
My favorite cuisine is French. Hands down. But in Toledo that’s not the easy to come by. Fifi’s is close but according to Fifi herself, her restaurant is “continental”.
Eating a dish called “margarita”-something isn’t exactly French either. But it was crazy good. I’ve had my share of great food here and decided to go out on a limb during my last visit. Yay for me. D. ordered some sort of a scallops dish and couldn’t stop raving about it. This is all coming from resident chefs Tad and Jeremiah (the latter being an ex-chef from Manhattans in Uptown Toledo).
A bottle of Pelee Island Pinot at a totally reasonable price is a good way to start dinner. When ordering be sure to ask for the “house” salad dressing. The first time we visited, we left with a pint(!) of the house dressing because I wouldn’t leave without it. So freaking good.
Anyhoo, the menu is pretty much proper French fare with adventurous specials. It’s also easy on the wallet, easy as it would be the same cost as some of those crappy chain restaurants that are unfortunately packed on a Friday. Keep it local ($$$), people!
Frog Leg Inn | 2103 Manhattan St | Erie, MI 48133 | (734) 848-8580
