101 Cool Places And Things In Ohio (Part IV 31-40)

Thank you to those who have returned to check out the fourth part of my very long list of Ohio attractions, you can skip the next paragraph! For those who missed the first few parts of my list,you should read the next paragraph. It explains what this list is all about. Thank you, to you as well!

If you have been following me on instagram @krisofohio, you have seen my posts from the first day of spring last year. I posted over a month's worth of cool places and things in Ohio using #101CoolPlacesAndThingsInOhio. These posts have included Ohio attractions that have made World and National best lists, places off the beaten path and exceptional Ohio brands. I have two months of posts left to go. I have posted a good portion of my favorite places and things in Ohio and I will continue my list as I explore throughout the next few seasons. On this post you will find the fourth group of ten attractions from my list. Feel free to help me with suggestions to complete the list. Leave your favorite Ohio attractions in my comments and they may just make my list. To the Ohio tourist, whether you are visiting from out of state or a resident exploring your home state, there is so much to do in Ohio. Use my list to start your Ohio adventure. I have posted only places I have experienced and all photos are mine unless otherwise specified.

Happy Exploring!

Kris, 

31. The Crystal Cave at Heineman Winery

Below Heineman Winery,you will find a cave that houses the worlds largest geode. The Heineman family used the under ground discovery to stay a float when they could not sell wine during Prohibition. For a very reasonable fee, you can get a tour of both the cave and the winery. The fee also includes a cup of either wine or grape juice after the tours.

32. Tecumseh! Outdoor Drama

On June 10, the outdoor drama about the life of Tecumseh begins and shows continue until September 3. The drama is performed outside using the natural surrounding with real elements including a stream and live horses. Since the show is outside expect to see squirrels and birds in the scenes as well. You may also need to plan for some very real mosquitoes, unfortunately. Tours are given before the show and after the show you can meet the cast. If you get hungry, you can dine at the Terrace Buffet before the show or have snacks at the Snack Shack before the show and during intermission.

33. Marblehead Lighthouse

The oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes is found in Marblehead, Ohio. It's been lighting the way since 1821. The light house is the most photographed landmark on Lake Erie. You can tour the lighthouse from the day after Memorial Day until the September 2. You can view South Bass island, Kelley's Island and Cedar Point from from the tower and the viewing scopes around the park. Take part in activities like fishing, picnicking or just walking the park. You can also explore the Marblehead Historical Society Museum on site.

  

34. Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum

The largest railroad museum in Ohio is found in Bellevue, Ohio.It opened in 1976 as a community bicentennial project in honor of Bellevue's  history in the railroad industry. Climb aboard and walk through the railcars and engines starting from from the 1800s. Displays include a former troop sleeper car from WWII, a dining car and a refrigeration storage car. The museum is open daily from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

 35. Krema Nut Company

Did you know that the oldest peanut butter company in the world is in Ohio? They have been whipping up nut butter since 1898. You can stop in for lunch any day of the week but Sunday, for a gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwich off their menu or create your own. They also serve milkshakes and sundaes. You can choose from several kinds of nut butters including cashew and almond. The butters are all natural with no additives or preservatives. Tours are offered to adult groups with a reservation.

36. Vectren Dayton Air Show

We call Dayton, Ohio the Birthplace of Aviation, so it makes sense that it would be the host of one of the best air shows in the world. You can walk through aircraft, take helicopter rides and enjoy scheduled air performances like the Blue Angels. The show will take place in 2016 on June 18th through 19th.

37. Short North Columbus 

Columbus has a huge art scene and in the past was voted in the 25 big cities for art by American Style Magazine. The Short North is the best places to experience Columbus art culture. The area is lined with galleries and on the first Saturday of each month, you will find performance artists on the streets performing. Visual and performing arts aren't all the area is known for though. Culinary is also a big deal in the Short North. The area is blessed with an abundance of restaurants with different cuisine and price points. They share one commonality, delicious beautiful food.

38. The Motts Military Museum 

 You can find Warren Mott's collection of American War History in Groveport, Ohio. The museum covers all of the wars of America's past with artifacts and antiques from the time periods. They have one of the largest collections of Holocaust history and incredible items from 9/11 including a fire engine that was crushed by the second World Trade Center twin tower that belonged to Ladder 18 of the New York Fire Department. You can also walk through a replica of Eddie Rickenbacker's childhood home.

 39. Dublin Irish Festival

Dublin, Ohio hosts the largest Irish Festival in the United States. It brings people from all over the U.S and other parts of the world. Musicians come from Dublin, Ireland to perform at the festival. The festival includes Irish fare and vendors selling Celtic art, leather goods and clothing. There is plenty of beer drinking happening as well. This year's festival takes place August 5-7th.

 

40. Loveland Castle 

The Loveland Castle aka Castle Laroche, was the home of Harry Andrews, who built the castle with his own hands stone by stone. He worked on the castle with a group of young men called the Knights Of The Golden Trail. They are the same men who Andrews left the castle to after he died. The castle is located in Loveland, Ohio, not far from the Cincinnati.

Look for my next ten cool Ohio features, coming soon. Thank you again for checking out my list! Follow me on instagram to get daily Ohio posts about restaurants, wineries and breweries. You can also get the next features from my list before I post them to the blog. Look for me @krisofohio  or search the hashtag #101CoolPlacesAndThingsInOhio.

Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous! 

Kris,

Tasty Travels

Living in Ohio is really a treat because we have so much great food! The Buckeye State knows good food. We have birthed celebrity chefs like Michael Symon, Guy Fieri and Susan Feniger.  We are the birthplace of some of the best ice cream in the world with Jeni's and Graeters. Ohio is a state that offers so much variety in culinary experiences. I have experienced fine dining at white tablecloth establishments in both the big cities and in the smaller towns. I have had some of the best meals at greasy spoon eateries, like diners and country style restaurants. Don't let me get started on our Amish Country buffets! Ohio has established an impressive food truck culture, so much so that a festival was started in Columbus a few years ago, to celebrate the diverse food truck offerings in the city. My favorite thing though, is the growing number of Food Tours being offered in Ohio. You can visit several cities in Ohio, big or small and taste your way through their best restaurants and local delicacies with tour companies like Columbus Food Adventures, Cincinnati Food Tours, Canton Food Tours and Wooster Food Tours. I have been taking tours with Columbus Food Adventures for years now and I got to check out Findlay Market (one of the first markets in the US)  with Cincinnati Food Tours last year. The food scene in Ohio is so strong, I believe that is why I have never had a bad experience on a food tour. Ohio is also one of the states that hosts the most festivals. More than half of the festivals are food festivals using a particular subject matter in interesting ways like: The Pawpaw Festival, Dandelion May Fest, and the many festivals whose subject matter are the produce we grow locally like corn, berries and grapes.

 Because of all of the reasons I offered above I wanted to start a new series. This series will feature places in Ohio, in Columbus and away, that are worth the drive. I will travel for good food or an interesting dining experience. If you call yourself a foodie or love a road trip with a side of food, these posts are for you! I hope you enjoy reading Tasty Travels as much as I enjoy doing the delicious research for it.

 Five of My Favorite Ohio Restaurants

For my series premier I thought it would be cool to start with a handful of my favorite places to eat in Ohio. Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Maybe instead of taking your love to the dimly lit romantic cliche places you frequent every February, you may want to spice things up with a road trip to a place you have never been. You can take a day trip and drive up to these places in a few hours or less or make a weekend of it by staying at a local Bed & Breakfast. These places have good food and or offer great Ohio history. Some of them even have gorgeous scenery.

1. Malabar Farm Restaurant

 3645 Pleasant Valley Rd

Lucas, Ohio 44843

Malabar Farm Restaurant is a white tablecloth establishment with lots of history. It is even connected to the romantic Hollywood story of Lauren Becall and Humphrey Bogart who were married at Malabar Farm, the historic landmark and state park where some of the restaurant's produce is grown. If you are looking for fine dining, this is your place. The restaurant celebrates farm to table culture. Everything they serve is produced locally. Even the exceptional cuts of meat are delivered from a butcher in the area.  They are my number one pick because there I had one of the best meals I have ever had, but also because they have impeccable service. I showed up without a reservation on a busy weekend one warm fall day and requested to sit on the patio like so many other people who had indeed made reservations and they made it possible. They also treated me like Hollywood royalty.

A lamb steak with carrots and red skin potatoes from my meal.

2. The Golden Lamb Inn & Restaurant 
27  S. Broadway
Lebanon, Ohio 45036

I have mentioned the Golden Lamb before. It made my list of #101CoolPlacesAndThingsInOhio on the blog and under @krisofohio on instagram. The hotel is the longest running business in Ohio, so the history is extensive. The establishment has hosted 12 presidents and literary greats such as Charles Dickens and Mark Twain. The hotel restaurant also happens to be a place I have had one of my better dining experiences. I enjoyed brunch one Saturday some time ago then explored the hotel to check out the rooms that former presidents slept in. The hotel is set up like a museum, so if the rooms are vacant they are open for viewers. This place would make a great weekend getaway next month. The place is cozy and charming. The restaurant has planned a prix fixe three course menu for Valentine's Day weekend with wine pairings or you can just order off the regular dinner menu which includes: prime rib, a lamb shank and fried chicken among other offerings.

Part of my brunch included smoked salmon with capers, fresh greens and potato salad.

3. Rhapsody Music & Dining
18 Public Square
Nelsonville, Ohio

Rhapsody is a farm to table restaurant that is run by Certified Master Chef  and Executive Director of Culinary Operations of Hocking College,  Alfonso Contrisciani. With the help of the culinary students of Hocking College they prepare what they describe as "cutting edge comfort food". Don't be alarmed, these students  are well trained and create dishes that taste like they certainly know what they are doing. My meal looked and tasted "cutting edge" and I was ever so "comfortable" eating it. Lol!  I went before the fire that temporarily shut the place down and I had the Chicken Coq au Vin.  I still see the meal sometimes in my dreams. They only just reopened fall of last year and the menu concept has changed since I ate there last. This is probably the most romantic place on my list.  It's fine dining, the ambiance is perfect for a date and on weekends they have live music.

Fresh golden beets and greens grown in Athens County.

4. Red Brick Tavern 

1700 Cumberland Rd (Route 40)

Lafayette, Ohio

The building is deceiving because it's been standing for well over a hundred years. It has quite the history as Ohio's second oldest stagecoach stop. The place has also hosted six presidents. The food speaks for itself though. It is in my top five places for prime rib and they offer some delicious country fare like chicken livers. The menu is the most diverse in food offerings and price. You can order hot sandwiches and salads as low as $4.99 to beef selections like New York Strip and Prime Rib at $18.99 to $22.99. Other menu items include pasta, fish and chicken dishes. The dining room ambiance is country charm.

A appetizer of chicken livers with onions from my last visit.

5. Hussey's 

8760 West Broad St.

Port Jefferson, Ohio 

My final feature is more of a greasy spoon but they have a variety of  items on the menu. I haven't been to Hussey's in quite some time but it is on my to do list for the near future. Even though it's been a while, I am still hearing great things about the restaurant. I don't have any food photos from Hussey's since it has been a few years but they make my list because they prepared the best prime rib I have ever eaten in my lifetime. I did not even know I liked prime rib until I ate Hussey's. Even though this may not be the best date food, I must also mention they have a delicious blooming onion. In addition to the food, the restaurant rests along some old locks of the Little Miami River. The scenery includes a pond that is beautifully equipped with koi fish, ducks and geese all year long.  The restaurant has recently been remodeled but the atmosphere is still country casual.  The photo above is the place today. My second photo is the back of the property before it changed hands, was painted and remodeled. 

Watching the ducks and geese swim around the pond.

If you are interested in any of these establishments, the live links to their menus and contact information for reservations are attached to their names above. These places would make great locations for your Valentine's Day weekend. Unintentionally, I also managed to get a couple cool Presidents Day sites in as well.  I hope you enjoyed this 'Tasty Travels' introduction. I promise future posts will not be as long. Have a great week!

Kris,

photos courtesy of: Hussey's facebook Page, Malabar Farm Website & Flicker

Made In Ohio

Tommy's Jerky

3461 Broadway
Grove City, Ohio 43123
614.875.0028

After a cold and rainy Saturday, I was excited to get out, enjoy the weather and explore this past Sunday. Not wanting to travel very far, my guy and I decided to check out a jerky place that was featured a few weeks ago on the show 'Out and About Columbus'. While I am not a jerky fan, I am certainly glad we stopped in.

The store was immaculate and decorated with Western style touches. There were animal skins, antlers, taxidermy and lots of barrels. We were greeted right away by a dark haired beautiful woman named Stephanie. She promptly gave us a few pieces of information about the store and told us that we could taste whatever we wanted as long as we followed a couple simple rules to encourage proper sanitation. All of the rules made sense of course and made me feel secure about tasting the samples. The barrels housed the samples and toothpicks for tasting. The samples went from mild to spicy going toward the back of the store. I tasted my way through the barrels of the smokies first.  Just as things started to get a little spicy, I found my favorite smokey. The Sweet & Sassy was sweet with a little kick.  I continued to taste and found a couple more flavors I enjoyed such as the Jalapeno & Hot Pepper Cheese and the Roasted Jalapeno Beef.  Then I swapped sides and tasted the actual jerky. The jerky had even more flavor options which weren't limited to just beef. They also carry elk, turkey, buffalo, venison, alligator, kangaroo and when available, salmon jerky. I tasted everything from the game section except for the salmon because they were out of it. Stephanie offered to put me on a list so that I would be informed when the salmon came back in.

This was such a fun experience. I loved tasting my way through the store. I especially loved the grilled warm summer sausage.  I personally never thought about cooking summer sausage since I have always seen it sliced and eaten cold on a cracker. Stephanie suggests mixing it into eggs for breakfast. Yum! What I appreciate most about Tommy's Jerky, is that the jerky is made in Ohio. If you are a jerky lover, the jerky is delicious and they have A+ customer service. With the holiday season coming, I encourage you to keep your jerky lovers in mind. Tommy's Jerky will build gift baskets onsite. I wouldn't mind getting some smokies in my Christmas stocking this year or in a gift basket mixed with more of my favorite Ohio things. They also sell hot sauce, BBQ sauce, salsas and kettle corn, all made in Ohio. Just some ideas!

 

Until next time,

Be blessed! Be free! Be adventurous!

A Festival For Pawpaw

I love a festival anytime of the year but in the warmer seasons the selections are plenty. I checked out a festival this past weekend that was on my to do list. I read about it some time ago in a article that listed some of the strangest festivals in the world and never forgot about it. Saturday I walked through the gates of the Ohio Pawpaw Festival and learned so much about the forgotten fruit that this festival is all about.  The pawpaw is not something you can find in your grocery store and few fruit markets carry it. Most times, access to this fruit means you have picked it straight from the tree it grows on. I learned this week that you can find pawpaw at the North Market in Columbus when it is in season. Had I not gone to the festival, I may not have had the courage to try or purchase the fruit otherwise. Once at the festival,  I was intrigued by the idea of a tropical like fruit that grew in the Midwest, mango like in look and part banana and  melon in taste. The foodie in me went straight for the pawpaw vendor options. Food vendors are required to incorporate pawpaw in their menus for the Festival. I wanted to taste the fruit in as many possible ways as I could. I tried pawpaw salsa, pawpaw pulled pork, pawpaw beer and fresh pawpaw. I purchased some fresh pawpaw and some pawpaw salad dressing to take home . Other than the unique object of the festival, a totem pole and the hippie atmosphere, the festival seemed familiar. There was live music, food, artisans, animals and a kiddie activity area.


I enjoyed my experience at the festival. I discovered I love pawpaw. I bought a cool bracelet and recycled tote. Most importantly, I crossed another festival off my to do list.



A FEW PAWPAW FACTS

1. Chilled North America Pawpaw was George Washington's Favorite

 Dessert

2. It is North America's Largest Native Fruit

3. Pawpaw has a short season that starts in September and ends in October

 

Be Blessed! Be Free! Be Fashionable!

Be Adventurous!

Kris,

Eating My Way Across Ohio

Eating My Way Across Ohio

Do you really love food? Would you call yourself a foodie? Those who know me well enough, know that I am a foodie. I am constantly thinking about the next thing I am going to eat sometimes while I am eating. I regularly read food blogs,reviews and I currently have a subscription to Bon Appetit magazine. Whether I am cooking or eating out, food is a huge part of my life.

image courtesy of amazon.com

Recently while watching an episode of Out & About Columbus, I came across a book called 'Eating Your Way Across Ohio' by Karen A. Patterson. One of the restaurants featured in the book was advertising on the show and mentioned the book during their ad. The next day I was on Amazon ordering myself a copy. The book is 101 mom and pop spots from diners to fine dining. There are no chains in this book. I especially love that aspect being that I am kind of an anti-chain snob. I have already checked out two of the featured restaurants. 

2.22.14 Chicken Marsala with Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus at CJ's HighMarks Celina, Ohio ( the specific location featured in the book is closed)

3.16.14 Smokey Mountain Chicken with Ribs and Baked Beans at Werner's Smokehouse Jeffersonville, Ohio

 With the warmer weather just ahead of us, I am already planning many road trips through Ohio. Being originally from Florida, I remember hating Ohio for a long time even after growing up here. Then circumstances and people around me inspired me to want to explore my state. I have learned there is more to Ohio than meets the eye. Sometimes you have to do a little research to find things worth checking out. This book makes one great way to experience O.H.I.O.

If you are interested in this book, you can find it online at Amazon. If you are anything like me, don't be surprised if you have already dined at a few of the places featured. When I got the book, I marked seven restaurants that I'd already been to, most of which I dined at with my beau. Since I got the book we have been using it as a means to bond, sharing a love for food and being on the road. In the book I keep track of the dates when we visit a place. I have also included notes of things we ordered and receipts. Kentuckians, the guy who wrote Karen's forward wrote Kentucky's version of the book and is the reason the Ohio version exists. 'Eating Your Way Across Kentucky' can also be found on Amazon.

 For those of you who believe Ohio or your home state is boring and you say there is nothing to do, look for future posts on road trips and the travel/history books I have been reading. Anywhere you live, you can find information about places worth while through blogs, state travel sites and books if you do the research. Also check back for future 'Eating My Way Across Ohio' posts. There is so much more to share and I would love to prove you wrong.

What is your favorite place to eat in your home state?

Until the next time, 
Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!
Kris,