Happy New Me!

Happy New Me

It has been quite some time since I posted to my personal adventure blog. So much has changed and I have experienced so much. I almost feel like I need to write a few posts just to play catch up. I just may. 

I want to start by saying I am in between two states. I call both Ohio and Georgia home. I have spent equal parts of the last year in both states, traveling back and forth, month to month. I met a wonderful person who has changed my life so much and she is part the catalyst for this back and forth life. 

I am working on a lot of changes in my life, while trying to to enjoy my life to the fullest. I expect that 2020 will be the craziest and most productive year of all. I am looking forward to picking up where I left off and sharing these changes and newest adventures in both homes and beyond with you.

Happy New Year!

Be Blessed! Be Free! Be Adventurous!

Kris,

Holiday In Glass City

Sometime ago, I started a notebook with places I wanted to visit in Ohio. Some places were exciting and new to me and others were places I needed to return to in hopes that the city would redeem itself. Toledo made up part of the negative half of my list because my previous experiences in the city were not pleasant. I remember going that way for Christian Camp as a child, which I did not enjoy. My last experience was with a work friend to check out the night life. I was maced by police in a club where people were fighting. That same night my dress was ruined by a bleach leak inside the designated driver's car. Since then the word Toledo has left a very sour taste in my mouth. Thank goodness I am mature enough not to let experiences like that keep me from EVER revisiting a place. 

 Monday was the Fourth of July holiday, so Sunday my companion and I headed to Toledo with a plan to get a feel for Glass City life. Toledo is nicknamed 'Glass City" because of it's long history and continued innovation in all areas of the glass business. One thing I was curious about was the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium. Being from Columbus,  which is considered the city with the number one zoo ( when Toledo isn't snatching the the title away from us) I had to see what all of the fuss was about. On my to do list was also Tony Packo's and visiting a local brewery. The rest we made up as we went along.

The Toledo Post Card Mural project by Victor Ving & Lisa Beggs  Located on Front & Main

The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium

In Columbus, we like to always think that we have the best zoo. It is one of the largest zoos in the world and we have Jack Hanna. We are always one of three Ohio zoo's in the top ten list in the US, but the Toledo Zoo is the number one zoo on a few lists and has been rated number one for the last few years over Columbus, Cincinnati and other Metropolitan cities such as Chicago, San Diego and  Dallas. Sunday I got a better understanding of why Toledo tops the list though I only have the Columbus Zoo and Disney's Animal Kingdom to compare it to. 

Toledo's Zoo & Aquarium offers a few things that you will not find in Columbus like the Hippo Aquarium, African Elephants (Columbus has Asian elephants) and a Conservatory. The zoo's location, smack in the middle of the city, even makes it a little more interesting. It felt strange looking at cars traveling the street as I navigated over the bridges and paths through the zoo. I really loved the old buildings that house the indoor exhibits, beautiful stone buildings built in the 1930s, most of which are still being used for their original purpose according to the zoo's website. What I loved most about the zoo, other than the African elephants and the hippos, were the grounds. The landscape is very well maintained. The flowers were impressive, especially the ones all around the Conservatory. They had a vegetable garden with a path through it. The Aquarium and the Aviary are also very impressive with enough species in each that they could stand against lone aquariums and aviary sanctuaries. 

Rhinoceros Hornbill located in the Toledo Zoo Aviary

Moon Jellyfish located in the Toledo Zoo Aquarium

Hippos playing at the Toledo Zoo.

African Elephant at the Toledo Zoo

The Toledo Zoo Conservatory.

The Original Tony Packo's 

Made famous by Jamie Farr when his character in Mash mentioned the restaurant in several episodes of the show. After constantly hearing about Tony Packo's food on the show, the people came in droves. So, like those people, I decided that if I was ever going to Toledo for a day or weekend, I had to check out the famous place. I am glad I did. While it isn't the healthiest fare, it was better than I imagined. I had the fried pickle appetizer and the Tony Packo's Feast which included a cup of chili, the homestyle cabbage roll and a famous Tony Packo dog with shredded cheese. I was stuffed before I could finish. The customer service was impeccable, my tea never reached the middle of my glass. Going to Toledo for the first time and not having Tony Packo's would have be like going to Philly and not having the steak sandwich named after the city. Another good reason is the many famous people who have sat in those same booths and signed the hotdog buns that decorate the walls of the cafe. I snapped a few photos of some of the buns signed by comedians, movie and television stars.
 

The Original Tony Packo's located on Front Street Toledo.

The Original Tony Packo's Interior decor.

Famous comedians who have eaten at Tony Packo's.

The Tony Packo's Feast plus fries. My cup of chili was previously devoured.

The famous Tony Packo's dog!

Maumee Bay Brewing Co.

I had two brewing companies on my list, but Maumee Bay was familiar and they had parking. Located in the Warehouse District and far enough away from the Mud Hens baseball game on Sunday, we were pleased to easily find a parking space. The brewery is housed in The Oliver House. The building is the oldest remaining structure in the downtown area. They were out of a few of their beers, so I tried six of the seven they had available. My favorite beer was the very first taste I tried, Willie MacDougal's Wee Heavy Scottish Ale. I am not yet a seasoned beer drinker but I know what like. I liked a solid three out of six. Not bad! We got there half an hour before closing, so I didn't get to hang out as long as I wanted but the place had a lot of cool things to look at. They have a small museum and there are old brewery collectables all over the place, including the bar area where I spent the 45 minutes I was there.

The Historic Oliver House. Home to Maumee Bay brewing Co.

Taking a few moments at the entrance of the Maumee Bay Brewery.

A Maumee Bay Brewing Co. flight

Maumee Bay State Park 

I do not know much about the park since I arrived just in time to see the sun set. Let's just say this is a beautiful place to watch that happen. There are deer all over the place, hanging out and people watching. There is a beach. There are cabins, cottages and a lodge. We hung out with a couple families roasting marshmallows for s'mores at a fire pit by the water. I enjoyed my free dessert with a side of natural beauty. It was the perfect end for my day trip to Glass City. It was everything I needed to see to want to return. I am not finished with you Toledo.  

 

Sunday's sunset at Maumee Bay State Park.

Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous! 

Kris,

Frostine The Snow Woman 2016

Last winter I made my first snowman, well snow woman. After living in Ohio for most of my life, I realized I'd never really played in the snow. I  remember seeing snow for the first time after moving to Columbus from Fort Lauderdale. It was so beautiful. Then as I became an adult, snow somehow turned into a nuisance. It was something that got in the way of me enjoying a day, my life even. I remember when I was in school and a snow day was celebrated. I was so happy to have a day off from school. As an adult it caused me to feel depressed and trapped.

My attitude about snow has changed. I see the beauty in it again. Even though I prefer warmer weather, I celebrate the snow. This week we finally got enough snow to build my snow woman. So here she is, Frostine 2016.

Just because we are adults, it doesn't mean we are too old to have play time. Enjoy the simple things in life and create beauty and fun when ever you can. It improves our lives, our moods and in this case burns calories. Really, building a snowman burns close to 300 calories. The next time it snows again, think about it.

This year's Frostine supplies:wax lips, broken Betsey Johnson Glasses, JLo hat, Target Scarf, Carnations and of course lots of snow

If you missed my first Frostine from last year , you can click on the Frostine 2015 below.

Frostine 2015

Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous!

Kris,

2015 In the Rear View

I feel like this year has flown by so rapidly! As I get older, it seems like New Years Eve and birthdays come back to back, hardly giving me time to rest in between. The saying is that " time flies when you are having fun." So, I guess I must be enjoying my life. Well, I can certainly say I have had a good year but it has also had it's not so great moments. For quite some time now, I have tried to keep a positive attitude and go with the flow when ever possible. This year I didn't get to do everything I wanted to do but I did a lot. I am ever so grateful for the great things I got to experience but also for the chaos because it turned into opportunities to bond with my family and friends.

In 2015 I made my first snowman who was actually a snow-woman. She was fabulous! I treated my guy to a Tesla concert in Troy, Ohio. It was my first Tesla concert and our first time in Troy. The city of Troy is beautiful, by the way. I saw Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Tyga in concert with my sister. I started a list of 101 Cool Places & Things in Ohio. I saw the legend,Stevie Wonder,in concert and was surprised by his special guest India Arie. I saw White Snake & Scorpions in concert. I got to hang out with my nephew all summer for the second year.  I took my nephew to his first concert to see Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa where I blushed and cringed at the sight of large blow up joints being thrown around. I grew great tasting vegetables and fruits in my garden and my parents garden. My family took a trip to Orlando and introduced my nephew to Disney World. I saw my grandpa Robinson who I hadn't seen in ten years also while I was in Florida. My sister and I started a sister trip tradition. We spent a weekend in the Cincinnati area where we checked off four places on my to do list: Loveland Castle, Newport Aquarium, Jungle Jim's International Market & Findlay Market on a tour with Cincinnati Food Tours.  I took a meditation class to introduce the art of meditation into my daily life. To end the year I did my second list of residential holiday light displays and it became the most viewed blog post of any of the ChristinaKristin blogs in three days. Yay!

left to right: Frostine the Snow-woman, Tesla concert, Wiz Khalifa, My veggies, Epcot, Disney, Newport on the Levee with my sister, Findlay Market in Over the Rhine & Columbus KTC Buddhist Center

It has been an amazing year, full of love and color and hope. I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store for me, other than a trip to the dentist next week. Lol. I look forward to spending more time with my friends home and away. I look forward to more travel and more learning. I look forward to really living my life and learning to be more independent.

What were your 2015 highlights?

My Holiday Wish List (Foodie Gifts)

Happy Holidays to you all! It has been a month since I posted here, so I thought I'd share with you my holiday wish list. The items I am sharing are things that I absolutely love and wouldn't mind getting as gifts this year. I am in no way affiliated with these brands, nor am I being compensated for the items I selected. If you read my blog often, some of these brands will be familiar to you because I have written about them in previous posts.  I love food!  I also love to celebrate the businesses in my city and state. All of these items represent foods, drinks and businesses from the Buckeye State.  If you are looking to buy gifts for me, yourself or the foodies in your life, all of the links are attached to the brand names.

5. Al's Delicious Popcorn

I tried Al's Delicious Popcorn over the summer while exploring the city with my nephew and fell in love with the Dill Pickle popcorn. I have been craving the flavor ever since. Pretty please someone slip a gallon bag under my tree! (mouth waters) You can find some of Al's Delicious Popcorn at Celebrate Local, but to see everything that Al's has to offer you have to go to their shop at
1500 Bethel Road.

 

photo credit

4. Tommy's Old Fashion Jerkey

I came across this brand watching a local television show a couple months ago and decided to check this place out. I have been sending people there for jerky and smokies ever since. I am not a huge jerky fan, but I love their  Sweet & Sassy Smokies. They are the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. I went through an entire bag in two days the first time I bought some. You can order the jerky online or visit the Grove City location at 3461 Broadway.

 

3. Ohio Amish Country Wine

  

 I discovered two of my favorite wines in Dover, Ohio at two different wineries. The two wineries also happen to be across the street from each other. Though I love all kinds of wine, full bodied to sweet, reds and whites; these two wines are the traditional sweet Ohio wines you would expect. I am thirsty just thinking about them!

Breitenbach Winery

I have sworn by Breitenbach Winery's Dandelion Wine since I first tasted it about four years ago. It is a delicious white dessert wine made from Dandelion blossoms. It can only be purchased at the winery or online.

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Swiss Heritage Winery

I tried this wine a year ago while on a Christmas cookie tour in Amish Country. As many times as I had been to the winery directly across from Swiss Heritage, I never thought to stop in Swiss Heritage Winery until last year. I am glad I did because I discovered their Doggone Good Sweet Red wine. I am always looking for a good sweet red and this one is in my top three. It is a blend of Concord and Chamberson grapes.

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2. Marie's Candies

  

Every time I visit West Liberty, Ohio, I pay a visit to Marie's Candies. While everything I have

 tasted from there has been phenomenal,  my favorite Marie's treats

 are the dark chocolate potato chips. I have even gotten my mother hooked on them. I had them sent  to her this year for her birthday. This is the ultimate treat for chocolate lovers and the chips can be purchased in milk or dark chocolate. You can order the chocolate covered chips online or visit the West Liberty store at 311 Zanesfield Rd. (also US St. Rt. 68).

 

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1. Columbus Food Adventures

I feel like I write something about Columbus Food Adventures every other month. Well, it is because I love love love, this food tour company. The number one thing I would love under my tree or in my stocking is a gift certificate for a food tour with CFA. There are 11 tours to choose from and there are five that I have not done yet. My favorites tours of the six I have taken are: the Taco Truck and the Dessert tours. I would certainly love to check out the Brunch Tour or the Grandview Walking Tour in the near future.  Gift certificates can be purchased for any of the 11 tours or you can let the one you are shopping for decide by purchasing general gift certificates in increments options of one (The Wildcard), three (The Wanderer) or five (The Grand Tourist). You will find these great gift options on the website.

 

I hope this is helpful to someone out there struggling to find special gifts for people who love food and wine. Family and friends, this is really my personal wish list as well. LOL! 

Happy Holidays!

Kristin, 

July Concert Wrap Up

Yesterday I did reviews on the three Ohio wineries I visited. This month I did so much. In addition to the wineries I visited, I went to a couple of concerts. I love music as much as I love my wine. So today's post is about the concerts I attended this month.

I have a broad selection of music that I listen to. This year I have seen Chris Brown, Trey Songz, Tyga, Stevie Wonder and Tesla. This month I added Whitesnake, Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa to the list.


WHITESNAKE

My beau loves 80s hair bands, so I went to see Whitesnake with him, his brother and his friend a few weeks ago near Dayton. Songs you may be familiar with are, Still Of The Night, Is This Love and Here I Go Again. I was impressed with the energy of lead singer David Coverdale. He is in his 60s and moves just as he did when I was wearing cloth diapers and Huggies. The band's songs are still being used in the soundtracks of current shows and movies.

The show was great! All though I was not familiar with every song, I still had a good time. I danced, sang along to the songs I knew and drooled over guitarist Joel Hoekstra. I also met a couple who got engaged at a Whitesnake concert many years ago. The husband celebrated seeing his 100th Whitesnake concert that night.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Photos

The Whitesnake Set

David Coverdale

Joel Hoekstra

THE BOYS OF ZUMMER TOUR

I took my preteen nephew to his first concert two weeks ago. It was a festival style concert where Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa were the headliners. It also featured Hoodie Allen and a few other acts I was not familiar with.

It may not have been the best concert to take a twelve year old because of the the glamorization of a certain natural drug that Wiz Khalifa refers to often; no judgement to those who appreciate it. His set even included giant inflatable joints that the crowd tossed around. The concert itself was entertaining and lively. I forgot how many Wiz Khalifa songs I actually knew. We went because my nephew was a Fall Out Boy fan but he left more of a fan of Wiz. Aside from the second hand smoke we inhaled during his entire show, it was a good time.

Fall Out Boy sounded just as they do on their tracks. Their set used a lot of graphics, laser lights and pyrotechnics. I felt like an old lady, jumping every time there was a big boom.  My nephew got a kick out of my skittishness. We sang along to Centuries, Light Em Up, Uma Thurman and older hits like Thanks For The Memories. Hopefully the concert will be a lasting memory for my nephew. You only get one first concert.

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The tour banner

Samsung Camera Phone Photo of us at the concert

Wiz Khalifa

Wiz

Patrick Stump & Pete Wentz

Joe Trohman & Andy Hurley

Light Em Up played as we headed toward the exit.

Until next time,
Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous!
Kris,

July Winery Wrap Up

It's almost the end of July and this will be my first post of the month. My apologies! Sometime I get busy with activities and that is great, but my schedule leaves me tired or without time or motivation to write. We also celebrated the third anniversary of the style blog that this blog was spun from. This week I will sum up the last few weeks with  the events of the month. I will share the photos I took, some of which made it to instagram.

In the month of July I visited three new Ohio wineries, so in today's post,  I am doing a few short reviews of my visits. 

My Ohio Winery Visits

I love Ohio wine, so I  travel to new wineries every time I have the opportunity. This month I got the chance to visit Buckeye Lake Winery, Three Oaks Vineyard and Hidden Lakes Winery.

BUCKEYE LAKE WINERY

I spent July 4th at Buckeye Lake Winery. It is a beautiful place, even by the low lake water. They offer mostly dry wines, so those sweet Ohio wine drinkers may not appreciate the selection as much. I thought the wine was decent but the cheese plate, scenery and live music were my favorite parts. I recommend visiting just for a nice day by the lake. Supporting the businesses in the area will help them to survive while the city works on the issues with the dam.

Photo from the patio.

The cool tasting carrier at Buckeye Lake Winery.

Cheese and fruit! Delicious!

THREE OAKS VINEYARD

A week ago, Christina, my guy and I went winery hopping and Three Oaks was one of our stops. We were rushed because it was really busy that day. The inside and outside were both packed, so we did our tasting standing up in the middle of their tasting room. We tasted three wines each. The winery offers both sweet and dry wines. I found the Peggy's Pink to be interesting. It was sweet and citrusy. They have special events once a month with live music and food vendors. It just so happened we visited on that day, which is their busiest day. We were not prepared for the situation since we were winging everything that day. I look forward to returning in the near future, on a quieter day.

Christina at Three Oaks Vineyard

My tasting glass

HIDDEN LAKES WINERY 

The second stop that day was Hidden Lakes Winery in Canal Winchester. They were hosting a wedding party so we didn't get to see the grounds outside but we had dinner and did a tasting. The wines are mostly sweet. They offer flavors that come dangerously close to wine coolers in taste. My favorite was a sweet red called Red Velvet. It tasted like chocolate. We tasted five wines each and we're given two free wine slushy drink samples. I don't think there was anything that I didn't like. The food menu was simple, offering pizzas , subs and appetizers like artichoke dip. The Italian sub I had was good and filling. We also shared the artichoke dip, which was good as well. I plan to return to try the wines I didn't taste, check out the grounds and get a Red Velvet bottle to take home.

The front entrance of Hidden Lakes Winery.

My tasting at Hidden Lakes.

I will continue my July wrap up tomorrow, so come back to check in.

Thanks!

& 

Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous!

Kris,

Yay! Ohio Wine Month 2015

Monday marked the first day of Ohio Wine Month and I am super ecstatic about it! I am a a die hard oenophile (lover of wine or wine connoisseur), so I thought the first post of the month should be all about wine. This is only the third official celebration of Ohio Wines since the month of June was declared Ohio Wine month in 2012.  Every year the celebrations grow larger. Wineries all over Ohio plan special activities and events in celebration of Ohio Wines. I have done some research and wanted to share with you a few ways you can celebrate.

Wines in my collection from some of my favorite Ohio wineries.

THE AMAZING RACES

(For the Dedicated Oenophile!!!)

Photo Credit

For those of you like me, there are two 'Winery Races' going on in Ohio. There could be more but these are the two I know about. This will take a few days or weekends, lots of dedicated winery hopping and definitely some wine tasting,(wink,wink).  Central Ohio Wine Region has 'The Amazing Winery Race' which started the first of May and ends June 30th. Get your Official 2015 Race Card and when you visit 12 wineries listed on the card and follow the instructions, you can turn in your card to receive a wine glass etched with their logo. In Northwest Ohio there is 'The Amazing Grape Race'. Once you get your card signed by all the participating wineries, you will receive a complimentary gift and a chance to win additional prizes. The cards are available at the participating wineries. Even if the prizes aren't very exciting to you, you will enjoy just drinking the wine.

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

WINE FESTIVALS

(For the Weekend Wino!!!)

 

Valley Vineyard's Wine & Beer Festival

This weekend! Friday June 5th- Saturday June 6th

Get a taste of Warren County when you join the Valley Vineyard's family for their 45th Anniversary. Enjoy cookout food and beer and wine from local producers.

Wine, Jazz & Art Fest

Saturday June 20th

Sample wine from over a half dozen wineries at once. Grab a blanket and listen to some live jazz and enjoy festival food and work by regional artists. The festival will be on the land across from the Old Firehouse Winery.

Fayette County's Toast to Summer Wine & Arts Fest

Saturday June 27th

Enjoy a day of art and wine at the Toast to Summer in Washington Court House, Ohio. Taste wines from eight Ohio wineries and indulge in food from four local restaurants. Art will be displayed for purchase. There will be live entertainment all day and after 7, take a hot air balloon ride or watch the glow of the balloons from below.

One Last Thing!!!

If you have gotten this far, you must really love wine. I wanted to share one of my favorite phone apps with you, if you haven't discovered it already. I love to have ways to keep track of my wine accomplishments and the wines that I enjoy after tastings, so that I can reference them later. The Winery Passport App is free. It allows you to find wineries all over the U.S and Canada. You can stamp your passport, rate the wines and record details. Check it out at the website or app store.

The Winery Passport App menu on my phone.

I plan to celebrate Ohio Wine Month all month long! Feel free to celebrate with me! Check out the many winery events offered this month at the Ohio Wine Association site, or buy some Ohio wine and create your own event. Have a dinner party or cookout and encourage everyone to bring their favorite Ohio wine for tasting.  Either way you will be supporting local producers and businesses. That is just as important as the wine itself. 

Cheers!!!

Until next time,

Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous!

Kris,