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
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
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!
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
This Saturday and Sunday, June 6 & 7, the Old West End opens it’s doors (literally) and invites you to festival weekend. Come and enjoy The King Wamba Parade’s 100th Anniversary on Saturday, beginning at 10:00 am. Immediately following will be The King Wamba and Queen Sancha Coronation Ceremony at Mansion View. There will be a Classic and Antique Car Show in front of the Park Lane, Saturday from 9am to 3pm.
Both Saturday and Sunday, house tours will be featuring beautiful historic homes. Also to enjoy: an art fair, live entertainment on a stage at Woodruff, children’s activities, food, and of course yard sales.
More information is available on the Old West End Association’s site.
Below is a Google Map of the parade route on Saturday:
D. and I pulled the bikes out Friday afternoon and rode downtown. The city was full of activity, including a MudHens game.
We closed the night with a couple manhattans… at Manhattan’s.
Saturday was the second Artomatic 419! weekend for ‘09, so we spent our day with several hundred fellow Toledoans enjoying local visual and performing arts.
Artomatic has been a complete success… so do come out next Saturday for the final day (May 2nd).
Post-Artomatic activities included dinner at the Oliver House, more bike riding, and cocktails with friends on the back patio of Wesley’s.
D. started his Sunday with a visit to the Toledo Bicycle Co-op!
They have a gazillion bikes ready for you to claim and ride away with.
Next up…
The Ice Cream Social!
Thanks to everyone who came out, supported a great local business, and enjoyed some ice cream! I had a really great time celebrating the 1st birthday of this little Toledo blog with all of you.
… and this entirely pleasant dog! An extra special thanks to Marcia and co. at Lickity Split!
A few hours later had us enjoying R.’s birthday BBQ in the Old West End. A popular dish was the red hot sausages, but they frightened me a little so I declined.
All said and done, it was a great Toledo weekend–we have so many more to come!
Manhattan’s | 1516 Adams St | (419) 243-6675
Artomatic 419! | 201 Morris St | 419-254-ARTS (2787)
Wesley’s | 1201 Adams St | (419) 255-3333
Toledo Bicycle CO-OP | 2272 Collingwood (St. Mark’s Episcopalian Church) | (419) 386-6090
Lickity Split | 2021 Glendale Ave | (419) 382-3285
This Saturday was the opening weekend for Artomatic 419! so we spent a good deal of the day at the building looking at the work, listening to performances, and catching up with friends.
This year’s Artomatic 419! location is in the old “Blade Printing Co.” building. This huge space is filled with photography, painting, sculpture and ceramics, along with art cars, performance art, sketch books and installations.
Works are hung salon-style on the walls (many of which were constructed by volunteers in previous weeks). At the end of the day aprox. 1,500 visitors walked through the doors–fantastic turnout! Don’t miss the next Two (2) Saturdays of FREE art and entertainment.
We took a break later in the day for a bite to eat at The Oliver House, next door. The restaurant was quite busy so we ended up sharing our table with E., and his friends P. + B.–which was nice because the conversation was great, as was the food. I ordered an absolutely delicious white pizza and these curious little fried balls of sauerkraut which were great to share with the table.
The night was capped off with cocktails at Wesley’s on the back patio. Happened into a reader that emailed EnjoyingToledo.com last year, while she was still living in New York. And now she lives down the street in the Old West End. Small world!
In closing… Artomatic is great, the white pizza delish, and new friends wonderful.
Artomatic 419! | Two Saturdays remaining: April 25th and May 2nd
The Oliver House | 27 Broadway | (419) 241 – 1253
Saturday was the last scheduled day to hang work for Artomatic 419! We spent the afternoon with I-don’t-know-how-many fellow local artists, putting finishing touches on our respective works.
This Saturday the event opens to the public, FREE of charge. It will be the first Saturday of Three (3)–April 18th, 25th, and May 2nd–full of arts and entertainment. Check the online schedule for the poetry, music and dance happenings!
This year Artomatic is downtown, next door to the Oliver House (Maumee Bay Brewing Co.), so you can have dinner and a drink and make a day of it!
You’re invited to the first birthday party for EnjoyingToledo.com—and it’s not a birthday without ice cream so fittingly we are having it at Lickity Split, which happens to be the very first post on Enjoying Toledo. Serendipity!
Event details:
Sunday, April 26th, 2009
2pm -to- 4pm
at Lickity Split
2021 Glendale Avenue
off the Anthony Wayne Trail
I hope you can attend, have some ice cream, and support one of Toledo’s great local businesses in the company of other Toledoans enjoying our city.
This Saturday night was The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo’s annual “Mix UP” party which has been a hit every Spring for as long as I can remember (in my relatively short time in Toledo).
There was a good deal to see, experience, and taste at this event. We walked past fire breathers and jazz onto a tantalizing spread of food, incredible art being auctioned off, dancing people, a large-scale “photo booth”, and open artist studios on the upper floors of The Secor Building in downtown.
It was a veritable who’s who of Toledo, but if you missed it no worries. Simply attend next year’s party as this weekend set a strong precedent for years to come. As in the music was fantastic. The food was totally yummy and flowing. The art exhibited on the first floor, along with the open studios upstairs, was really great. And the energy was bonkers.
The Mix UP! | Presented by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo
Saturday afternoon we picked up R. and M. for a trip to the Chili Cook-Off at the Stranahan. This was the first cook-off D. and I have ever attended.
I didn’t get to sample all the chili’s because halfway through it I was stuffed—like so stuffed that as soon as we got home I had to nap for an hour. The chili I was able to down was great though! The event was packed with Toledoans who had “rented” their own tin trays for only $3 a pop.
The Great Chili Cook-Off was a benefit for Mobile Meals of Toledo—a fantastic local charity.
Last month the Toledo chapter of the AIGA held a design charrette benefiting a local non-profit, MLK Kitchen for the Poor. Approximately twenty graphic design professionals gathered to create a new visual identity with accompanying print materials and website in a one-day design marathon. Everyone split into specialized groups.
Some groups focused on brand identity, while others covered copywriting, stationary and business cards, and a the rest focused on a web presence that allowed for the ease of accepting donations online. It was great to see professionals from several agencies in town gathering together for a common cause, and it’s a testament that the notion of “too many cooks in the kitchen” is not always relevant. An updated branding with supporting materials concepted and implemented in one day! Printing was donated by Homewood Press of Toledo. Amazing work… and kudos to all the participants who volunteered their time on a Saturday afternoon.
Here is the press release for the charrette.
And here is the website the AIGA produced for MLK Kitchen for the Poor.
AIGA, the professional association for design, is the place design professionals turn to first to exchange ideas and information, participate in critical analysis and research and advance education and ethical practice.
Artists are picking their spaces and getting prepared for the 2009 Artomatic 419! event. How exciting! This year’s Artomatic is in an amazing building next to the Oliver House in the Warehouse District, Downtown.
This 100% volunteer-driven and coordinated event is one of the more successful programs supported by The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo. Local artists—both visual and performing—will take over this building and open it up to the public for 3 weekends in late April, early May. Do not miss out on this free cultural event featuring the talents of hundreds of Toledoans. And it’s not too late to get involved! Volunteers are always welcome and it’s a great way to meet other local creative-minded folk.
Artomatic 419! | April 18th, 25th and May 2nd, 2009
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.
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
My first visit to the Greek Festival in Toledo was on Saturday. The food was incredible!
I had mousaka, pastichio and a tiropita (cheese-filled philo). I was too busy stuffing myself with amazing food to notice what D. was eating. I think there was some chicken on his plate?
I left with a small box of pastries (think butter cookies and baklava) after we watched some darling children re-enact a greek monster myth.
Greek-American Festival | Downtown
On Saturday morning we drove down to Bowling Green for the Black Swamp Arts Festival. BG has one of the cutest Main Streets ever.
There were quite a few booths… most being more craft than art, but regardless there was plenty to see. One surprisingly cute booth had little animals and creatures formed of everyday rope.
We also spent some time checking out the shows at the electronic stage. Above is HMNLCD.
The Wookalar (from Wicked Lung and the Wookalar of Columbus) played. See above. Wicked Lung did a set too.
We made sure to catch the Secret Swords show before leaving the festival.
Cheers! And thanks for putting up with the poor video quality!
Black Swamp Arts Festival | Bowling Green, OH
Obama accepted the nomination last night. We ambled over to M. & K.’s house where the DNC was projected onto a huge screen outdoors. We watched the speeches in lawn chairs and on blankets and cheered and clapped. And, it was great.
I carry a bit of Bavarian blood in me and have visited Germany twice, BUT I’ve never been to a German-American festival. We’ve heard nothing but good things about the festival in Oregon and that raccoon mascot/logo is so damn nice… we grabbed our designated-driver/lawyer and drove over the river. The cornfield on both sides of the drive to the parking lot was a little ominous.
We ran into M. almost immediately, and of course, he was in lederhosen. He was also a few beers ahead of us so we got some tickets and started drinking. D. was able to finish the night off with a free glass mug by trying 7+ different beers. I tried to stick with old reliable Bitburger. Bitte ein Bit.
There was more to this festival than just beer. There was food, lots of it, pretzels and sausages and potato latkes/pancakes. There was quite a bit of dancing. And there was a parade!
But in the end, the real focus was on drinking bier. Except for our designated driver who had none. 
At one point, there were dancers on a giant cuckoo clock-styled stage. It was around this time that I started to realize the crowd was getting bigger.
Much bigger. And it was about this time that we decided it was time to go home.
But not without saying bye to the rollerderby girls. BYE!
German American Festival Society | Oak Shade Grove in Oregon, Ohio
I’m a big fan of slides and a bigger fan of big slides.
But I’m not such a fan of precarious heights… like those of a carnival ferris wheel. I was near tears on this one. Notice the pigeon toes vs. the confident placement of my toes in the former picture.
Yet there was plenty to see outside of rides, like the Chainsaw Massacre…
and a very large cow.
We missed the “Buffo — The Worlds Strongest Clown Show”. But really, does the world need a “strongest clown”?
I found the little piglets very amazing. I had no idea they played like puppies… and have a newfound respect for people who keep pigs as pets.
I talked myself into another scary (for me!) ride. D. had a lot of fun on this one.
It was a good time. This mild summer is getting high scores in my book.
Lucas County Fair | 1406 Key Street | Maumee
