So excited about this… Toledo-favorite Cake in a Cup gets invited to the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. AND WINS! We were happy to join them in a viewing party where their lips remained sealed about the outcome until it was shown on the TVs. What a night. Congrats to Lori and Dana… well done girls. Well done!

Cake in a Cup | 6801 W Central Ave # 2 | (419) 491-1104

My favorite weekend of the year is The Old West End Festival weekend! And to kick it off, our neighborhood hosts the King Wamba Parade. The best way to describe the parade is “eclectic!” I absolutely loved this old car.

For every antique beauty there were equally amazing art cars. I love the tiki wonder pictured above–a creation by OWE resident, Melanie Harris.

Parade watchers were serenaded by The Toledo Glassmen…

… and entertained by the dancing girls (and guys) of JJ Express!

This year’s King Wamba is Michael Szuberla of Toledo Grows and Queen Sancha is Rachel Richardson, activist extraordinaire.

I was most pleased by the visiting Detroit Party Marching Band.

And a party they were!

Great parade, great food, fun parties, golf carts!, and an all around great weekend. I will post video from the entire weekend shortly.

Here we go! 2011 Art Walks in Downtown Toledo… an ongoing Summer event I highly recommend. Every Third Thursday during May through September (May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15) from 6-9 pm.

Visit www.acgt.org often for updated event details. Maps available at the info stations, at all venues during the event, and at www.acgt.org.

Venues include: 20 North Gallery, Bozarts, Collingwood Arts Center, Downtown Latte, Gallerie 333 at TSA, Jack Wilson Gallery, Madhouse, The Offices of Paul Sullivan, Secor Studios, Shared Lives Studios, Space 237, Studio M Printmakers, Sur Saint Clair Gallery, Swank Gifts, Toledo City Paper Offices, Truth Art Gallery, Zyndorf Glass & Arts, Glass City Cafe… and many more!

Park your car, walk or bike, and enjoy.

The Toledo Museum of Art hosted a wonderful party in the Peristyle for the Kentucky Derby last week.

There were several local restaurants donating bites to eat and serving up their own versions of the hot brown while mint julips flowed from every crevice–thanks in part to Woodford Reserve Bourbon.

Both women and men were in their Derby Best.

And the hats were breathtaking!

When it was time for the race, a sea of bonnets rushed into the Peristyle.

It was an exciting race. Congrats to “Animal Kingdom!”

As the party began to end many Derby revellers were found on the front steps of our beautiful museum. It was a grand to-do… and one I hope happens again next year.

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

Last Friday the Original Sub Shop hosted a benefit for Toledo GROWs aptly named “Baghdad Cafe.” Toledo GROWs is the community gardening outreach program of Toledo Botanical Garden — and a really great cause!

The dinner I shared with D. started off with a bunch of darling little bowls (handcrafted by Lisa David from now on to be known as L.D.) that were filled with the yummy richness of roasted red peppers, hummus, vegetables in an incredibly fresh tasting pickle, and an unknown-until-that-day carrot dip. Have you ever had carrot dip?

We joined in at the 5pm seating (there was the 5pm and a 7pm). The windows were still fogged up… must have been all the great cooking that had been going on over the past day or two!

We indulged on a choice of two soups. D. chose the yogurt-based option but I went straight fot the one that mentioned meatballs. I was hoping to spare my tummy for the main courses so I only plated a couple of the meatballs. They were really fantastic.

And then came the motherload of deelish. I shot D.’s plate because it was much more filled with stuff than mine–look at it!!!–I don’t know enough about the names of the cuisine, but there was some little rolls of meat, chicken (shwarma?), grape leaves, pastries filled with meats and cheese, barley salads, rices… it was bonkers.

And what was really bonkers… ending with this…

Now, I don’t remember the name but it was a custard encased in filo, drizzled in honey and nuts and amazingness. No… it wasn’t baklava.

In my fantasy life I can host amazing cooks at my home to create important dinners whenever I like – and L.D. from the Original Sub Shop is at the top of my list. In my dreams… sigh. I am a huge fan of the Original Sub Shop and you should be as well!

Toledo Grows | Original Sub Shop

So much to see and do… it really does have to be split between three (3) Saturdays! The Ghost Hunt was a ton of fun – seriously do it. You can find your first clue on the second floor, at Studio Que’s space. We closed the day with live music at Bozarts and a post-post-party at the Ottawa Tavern with APB playing great record after great record. Counting the days till next Saturday!

So excited for this! The time has come once again for Toledo’s best art event of the year.

“For three consecutive Saturdays in April, more than 300 Toledo-area artists will take over two vacant buildings in Downtown Toledo, transforming them into the largest, most comprehensive and eccentric multi-media galleries in Northwest Ohio.”

Artomatic 419! is free, open to the public, and happening over the course of Three (3) Saturdays starting tomorrow–April 2nd, 9th, and 16th. Come on out! Check the website for schedules and more information!

Artomatic 419! | Downtown, in the Warehouse District | 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

This Saturday was the Vertical “Mix”, an annual fundraising party for The Arts Commission held this year at the top of the O-I/Fifth Third Bank building. Each year this party gets better and better, with amazing food and cocktails, live entertainment, and the best art auction in the city. As we arrived we were given complimentary binoculars so we could enjoy the amazing view to the fullest which included a “super moon”! The party was packed all night long with Toledoans in fancy attire. A big congrats to all the event chairs, volunteers, and to The Arts Commission!

The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo | 1838 Parkwood Avenue | (419) 254-ARTS

J., N., D. and I went to see some “monster trucks” at the Huntington Arena! It was really loud so we wore earplugs and it was stinky exhaust-filled air so I put my scarf over my face to breath. But man, was it crazy. I had never been to this sort of event. The people watching was pretty epic but nothing compared to the over-the-top vehicle mayhem. I’m at a loss for words.

Huntington Center | 500 Jefferson Ave. | (419) 255-3300

Going through old video from the Flip camera and found some fun footage D. took of last year’s Halloween party thrown by M., N., and B. at their huge Downtown loft. He managed to capture most of the revelers in costume as they entered the party. Despite wearing what will from this day on be called “the shoes that beat me”, I managed to have a totally amazing time. My costume? Think Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”.

D. and two of his aunts recently took over the family restaurant, Grumpy’s, so it was decided we would make use of the space for our Thanksgiving dinner. On the menu? A bib lettuce salad with goat cheese, spiced nuts and a new and amazing dressing that Aunt Jennifer (the Grumpy’s chef) concocted. Along with that was turkey (of course!), scalloped potatoes, roasted root veggies with a beurre blanc, two stuffings (one sweet and one savory), along with ham, cranberry sauce, several pies, and everything else you would expect.

The space was perfect for preparing, cooking, and hosting this favorite holiday of mine. Family and friends all took part in one way or another… if only by bringing wine or hors d’oeuvres to share. I hope all of you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving!

The Dragon Boat Festival was in it’s 9th year… yet this was my first attendance. The race was not only well attended by the public (as in the riverfront was PACKED) but it was also full of participants with 42 teams, and each team had 25 members. Do the math.

It was exciting to watch these boats moving swiftly over the water. The boats were lovely and you could feel the energy of of each team working hard to win. I applaud each and every “dragon boater” for the money they raised for a great cause. *High five*!

Partners in Education Dragon Boat Festival

For 92 years, the Toledo Museum of Art has exhibited a juried show of work from area artists. The openings I’ve attended have been a big to-do and this year was no different. D. and I first enjoyed a couple drinks while watching the “Falling Spikes”, a local Velvet Underground coverband, complete with a female drummer ala Maureen Tucker. It was great!

We then attended the awards ceremony for the best of the best of Toledo. Congrats to all of our friends who received much-deserved recognition.

And we finished the evening by touring all of the art… including a couple of pieces by D.–I’m very proud of him.

The 92nd Annual Toledo Area Artists Exhibition is up through August 22nd… so go view it!

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

Our friends S. & A. invited us to the Toledo Club’s 4th of July party on the Willis B. Boyer, which was retired in 1980 and opened as a museum in ’97.

There was food and a bar, but the most fun came from being able to tour the ship on our own. The river hosted “boatloads” of people waiting for the fireworks.

The sunset was beautiful from the prime spot we carved out for ourselves.

We were on the tippity top of the Boyer facing downtown and only meters from where the fireworks would happen. While waiting, maybe not so patiently, we took photos of the (what I am assuming were) non-legal fireworks happening within the inner-city.

And then… BOOM!

D. took video of the fireworks and then sped the 20-something minute footage up to fit into 3 minutes. It’s disorienting. But great.

My good friend F. came into town via the train from NYC on the same Friday morning that the Crystal Bowersox/American Idol parade was scheduled. His cab driver enthusiastically told him all the details.

Neither of F. nor myself actually watch American Idol but this being his third visit to Toledo, and my love of giving all of my visitors a truely Toledo-centric time, we walked to Summit Street after breakfast to enjoy the parade. Having a mayor on a motorcycle is as good a draw as any.

There were quite a few mascots, and aside from the baseball team and the hockey team I was unable to identify for F. the other, silly tube-shaped characters. Any clues?

The Toledo School for the Arts had a good deal of pride during the parade. And they should have! Crystal Bowersox is an alumni of that fantastic school located in uptown Toledo.

And at the end of the parade, there was Ms. Bowersox. As I post this we know that she is 2nd in place for American Idol. Congrats to you, Crystal! You have a great career before you and Toledo (and all of America) loves you!

Crystal is a positive ambassador for Toledo and the TSA.

Toledo School for the Arts | 333 14th Street | (419) 246-8732