Midwest Reggae Fest

Midwest Reggae Fest
Clay's Park- North Lawrence, Ohio
August 1-3, 2014

The very first reggae band I ever saw was the Wailing Souls, for FREE at Nautica during FlatsFest way back in the summer of 1993.  They performed their radio hit ‘Shark Attack’ and I danced with reggae abandon as I did this weekend when the Wailing Souls were the Saturday headliner for the Midwest Reggae Fest.  Everyone in the crowd was loving the classic reggae groove- two-year-olds dancing with 80 –year-olds and people with cream, brown, gold and tan skin tones laughing and hugging and moving as one.  That feeling of unity reverberated through the crowd and throughout the weekend- this was easily the highlight of this year’s festie season.      

After music at the main stage was over on Saturday night we headed into the woods to a smaller side stage to catch a Florida rock/reggae band Sowflo’s set- it was late at night, there were probably a handful of people gathered, just chilling on the primitive benches.  It is hard to fully convey the magnitude of what happened next.  As soon as Sowflo started to play I turned to my sister and said ‘These guys rock!’  By the second or third song we were up and dancing, making our way to the front of the stage.  Before I knew it, what started out as like 20 people had turned into hundreds of people linked at the arms, singing together, swaying to the beat of the keys and horns and drums.  There was an energy running from the band and we could all feel it- we were truly connected by the power of the music and the harmony we felt with each other.

By the time SOJA headlined on Sunday night, I’d seen many of my favorite festie friends and met a lot of beautiful souls.  I sat around a campfire with some of my closest friends laughing hysterically about past experiences and planning future endeavors.  I could feel a special vibe the moment we pulled in and by the end of the weekend I’d had one of the most beautiful and transforming experiences of my life.  The attitude of everyone in attendance was one of unity which created an atmosphere of peace and comradery.  Reggae has a way of bringing together people of differing age, economic status, race or religion, giving us common ground and we can’t help but dance with each other.  I truly felt the meaning of ‘One LOVE’ that weekend.  

The Gathering at Chaffee's 2014

The Gathering At Chaffee's 2014
Girard, Pennsylvania
July 26-27, 2014

As soon as I arrived, everything fell into place.  I hadn’t been able to make it until Saturday afternoon but as soon as I pulled through the gate I found a friend, set up my chair at a campfire and headed up to the stage.  Although I was bummed to miss a bunch of great bands, I was really into seeing Jimkata that weekend and their set was spot on.  To make it even better, I was dancing through the crowd and came upon one of the most beautiful souls I know, Zach the nomad I met at Chaffee a few years earlier, the guy I was so thrilled to run into at Tribal a few months before.  I just love those chance encounters, especially when it’s with someone I adore.  Anyway, I spent the night dancing to Jimkata and Spiritual Rez and spending time with a few of my most favorite people- a wonderful way to spend a festie day!  

Girls' Trip- Geneva-on-the-Lake

Girls' Trip- Geneva-on-the-Lake
May 30- June 1, 2014
Geneva, Ohio

The first time I drove through Geneva-on-the-Lake was on a cold February afternoon but even with the piles of snow and most of the businesses closed for the season, I was struck by the atmosphere of the area.  The main strip reminded me of Key West with gift shops, arcades, bars and food stands mixed with clothing boutiques, wineries and a few upscale restaurants. Only an hour away, it was the perfect location for a girls' trip at the start of the summer.

Jan, Di and I drove together, arriving at Abigail's Cottages in the late afternoon.  Pulling up, it appears to be a small complex of cottages right on the main strip.  But just one step through the gate and the entire place opens to a huge grassy area surrounded by quaint cottages, all with breathtaking views of Lake Erie. There's a lower lakefront sundeck that offers a huge fire pit and a whole lot of places to sit, relax and watch the sunset.  Rocky steps lead straight out into the lake but in late May the water was still quite chilly.  Halfway up the hill, a gazebo perched on the hillside overlooks the lake, as well. That lakefront patio became our group's main hangout for the weekend.

Joanna, Megan and Tera arrived a few hours later after taking the 'scenic route' famished and demanding dinner. Luckily, there was a pizza place right across the street and we enjoyed a quick bite around the picnic table outside.  The cottage was perfect for a group of our size- Di, Jan and Megan all had rooms of their own, Tera slept on a couch and Joanna and I shared a room with 3 beds.  There were two bathrooms, one with a claw foot tub.  I don't know why- I'm not usually a bath-taker but for some reason whenever I see a claw foot tub I start to think I might enjoy it.

After dinner and watching the sunset we all set out to explore the strip a little.  Our first stop was a bar with dueling pianos and $4 shots of Patron.  After taking in a few awesome piano renditions of songs like 'Nuttin but a G-Thang' and 'Brick House', we moved up the strip to an arcade to play some ski-ball.  Now let me say that my Grampy was a ski-ball champion and that must be in our blood because I tore it up at ski-ball, too. I converted all my tickets into temporary tattoos and continued up the strip.  We found a cute little shop called Harmony Jade which offered just about all the hippie chick clothes a girl could want. Not to miss a hippie dress shopportunity,I dug through everything until I found a bright purple dress with a colorful tribal print to make my own.  We stopped for ice cream on our way back to the cottage and made wine floats.

The next morning we woke up, made breakfast and then headed down to the sundeck for a few Sun Salutations beside the water- what an invigorating way to start the day.  We drove to Geneva State Park and walked along the shore, following the coast away from the main beach to more secluded parts.  Then we jogged to the other end, crawled along the rocks and looked for sea glass before we strolled back to the car.  Megan and Tera went to do water slides while the rest of us stayed back to relax by the water after lunch.  Let me just say that I have a long track record of getting moderately to severely banged up on waterslides so when Tera returned with a harrowing tale of her own waterslide related incident, I was glad I'd chosen to relax on the sundeck.  In the late afternoon, most of us headed up the strip to play mini golf (I got a hole-in-one on the 18th hole!) and bumper boats while Di and Jan stayed back to grill up steaks and prepare a delicious dinner.

Now, I take all the blame for making a Tiramisu Trifle with so much homemade amaretto that it might have put us in an alcohol-induced slumber but shortly after consuming dessert and several bottles of wine, we all kinda headed up to bed early.  We woke up the next morning and took one last walk up the strip before packing up and moving out.

Geneva-on-the-Lake was a fantastic Girls' Trip destination- just a short drive away, the excellent location of our cottage enabled us walk almost everywhere we wanted to go but also provided a wonderful area to just relax if we wanted.  Gathering on the sun deck for morning yoga or evening chilling was the highlight of my trip and I'm looking forward to visiting again!

Tribal Connection 3 Art & Music Festival

Tribal Connection 3
Zane Shawnee Caverns- Bellefontaine, Ohio
May 15-18, 2014

I've been trying to think of a way to explain the events of this weekend for a while now. I guess I have to start way back at the Gathering at Chaffee 2012. While there, I met an awesome guy with a beautiful spirit and a love of travel and felt an instant affinity- i mentioned doing shots with a nomad in my Chaffee post- that was him!  So anyway, when I looked across the campfire at our site at Tribal and caught a glimpse of Zach's face on the first night I was instantly filled with a sense that this weekend was going to be amazing.

We reserved our usual spot- #63- and filled camp with a group of at least 15 friends. I decorated the campsite with lanterns I'd made of milk cartons so the whole place glowed at night. Every time someone wandered back and commented on the lanterns I just beamed.  One person said 'your spot just looks inviting!'- exactly the look I was going for! Even though the weekend was cold and rainy, our temporary community was warmed by a lot of LOVE... and a huge fire.  

Tribal always has an amazing lineup of musicians from many different genres performing on multiple stages- this year I enjoyed performances by many different acts including Tropidelic, Vibe n Direct, Minnesota, Funktional Flow and Crosby Sweater but I was most excited to see a band I LOVE- Moon Hooch- perform.  I danced and danced watching my green poncho spin around me and just loving the whole experience.  I was surrounded by friends and loved ones the entire weekend- amazing it was!

Coal Mines, Castles & Quilts- Alliance, Ohio

Ohio Day Trip
Coal Mines, Castles & Quilts
Alliance, Ohio
May 2014

I grew up about 25 minutes south of Alliance and never considered the college town to have many tourist attractions.  But when I started an extended project in the area and began looking for things to do during lunch and after work, I quickly learned that there’s quite a bit to do in the Alliance area.

 

I drive through Atwater, Ohio on my way to Alliance from Akron every morning and stopped to read the Historical Marker describing the events surrounding the Atwater Coal Company Mine Disaster of 1872.   When the entrance to the mine caught fire those who were able to jump through the flames sustained serious burns but survive.  Those that were trapped inside, including a 9-year old boy, 9 men and a mule, died.  This disaster led to Ohio being the 2^nd state in the nation to pass laws protecting miners.

Mount Union College expanded into the University of Mount Union in 2010 and has added quite a bit of housing and buildings to the campus in recent years.  A sign outside Beeghly Hall on State Street advertised a free exhibit of art quilts by Jean Evans, a nationally recognized artist.  As I love needle arts, I was thrilled to spend my lunch hour browsing the display of quilts.  I found quite bit of inspiration for my own projects in her work.

Another lunch hour was spent touring Glamorgan Castle ($5 donation/pp).  Once the home of Col. William Henry Morgan, it is now the administrative offices of the Alliance City Schools. Although much of it is converted into office space, many original or restored features remain to remind us of what a grand building and estate it once was- the stained-glass dome, the ornately carved woodwork of the library, the jovial sayings painted onto the beer cellar walls.  It was a sight to see everything done with such attention to detail. 

There are so many other attractions I hope to visit while in the Alliance area- the Troll Hole Museum, Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve, the Feline Historical Museum- the list goes on and on so I’ll check back in to update when do.  

Update:  I was able to visit the Feline Historical Museum one afternoon.  This FREE attraction offers just about everything you'd ever want to know about cats from their history- revered in Egypt, blamed for the Plague in Europe, grown to be loved internationally.  This exhibit features cats in advertisement, entertainment and other cultures.  

A Day at the Races

A Day at the Races
Mountaineer Casino & Racetrack
New Cumberland, West Virginia
April 12, 2014

I’m not much of a gambler but I feel like I get a lot of bang for my two bucks ($2 minimum bet on horse racing) and I’ve always enjoyed horse races like the Kentucky Derby so making the short drive to Mountaineer Racetrack to bet on a few horses is a fun way to spend an evening.  My sister Jo, who also loves horses, and I decided to make a day out of going to the races.

After stopping at our dad’s on the way down, we stopped at Grinders Above & Beyond in Minerva, Ohio, for a family favorite of sharing a grinder and potato skins.  After devouring lunch, Jo and I headed on, having a chuckle about the giant cow installed along the road near the dairy in town.

 

The drive down to Mountaineer is scenic and quick- we were paying $1 to drive across a bridge over the Ohio River in no time.  As we made our way along the route my sister Joanna told me that her boss had visited a Feistaware Outlet Store in Newell, WV- minutes later we saw a sign for the store and decided to stop.  Jo and I bypassed the front and went to the back where giant crates held big piles of Fiestaware.  After closely inspecting a few handled soup bowls, I decided to pick them up at a deep discount.  Jo and I also each purchased $2 grab bags and were surprised and happy with our bargain finds!

From there we headed onto Mountaineer.  We stopped at the casino first, just to look around and put a little money on #11 on the roulette table for Neil.  We bought a scratch sheet and selected our horses based on criteria such as odds, number and cuteness of name- things like Serrated Edge, Ten Tequilas or Campfire- things I like. We took in the first races from the outside deck so we could feel their power as they raced by, then found a table in front of the Mountaineer Club and enjoyed drinks and snacks as we cheered for our horses. 

Jo experienced one crippling defeat when her horse won the race and Jo won about $80 only to lose it when her horse was disqualified.  Still, Joanna left up at least $10 while I was down about $9 but the fun that went with those hours of anticipation and excitement in the atmosphere was worth every penny. 

We stopped at another family favorite on our way home- the Steel Trolley Diner, of course- for the Hodge Podge fried veggie platter and sodas, then drove home exhausted after our big day.  I’m really looking forward to a day when we can gather a large group of people to head over and make a party out of betting on a few horses!

Day Trips to See Orchids

Day Trips to See Orchids
Phipps Conservatory and the Cleveland Botanical Gardens
Winter 2014

We had a long, cold winter!  I enjoy winter activities so I usually make the most of a snowy season but even I was getting the winter time blues brought on by the bleak weather.  However, my friends and I came up with a way to get out of the freezing temperatures and escape to a tropical climate if only for a few hours.  The Cleveland Botanical Gardens in Cleveland, Ohio and Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA both hosted orchid displays during the winter months.

My friend Scooter (from Pennsylvania) and I decided to meet up at Phipps Conservatory ($15/pp- free parking along street) in Pittsburgh on a Friday evening to take in their Orchids & Bonsai Show.  Phipps has several large connected glasshouses with various themes like the Palm Court or the Tropical Room with many varieties of orchids placed along the walkways.  There was also a room displaying bonsai trees in various shapes and sizes.  Because we were there after dark, many of the greenhouses were dim, lighted with simple strings of white twinkle lights and illuminated paths and walkways.  The whole display was stunning.  The heat and humidity of the India Room was especially invigorating for me.  Scooter and I made our way along the garden walkway through all the rooms, pointing out our favorite orchids, plants and trees. 

We headed over to the Thunderbird Café next to see a band called Cello Fury.  The place was packed!  We ended up sharing a veggie quesadilla and talking the whole night.  Luckily we were stationed in front of a telecast of the stage so we could at least see the band on screen.

The next weekend Meg, Neil, Holly, Red and I headed to Cleveland Botanical Garden’s ($11/pp, $9 parking in deck) Orchid Mania show.  Cleveland’s glasshouse is smaller than Phipps but it seemed as if they packed just as many orchids into a smaller amount of space- there were orchids everywhere I looked.  So many different varieties and vibrant colors were displayed that I literally took 100+ pictures.  The warm mist and sunlight of the rainforest room felt energizing and the butterflies that filled the air were a delight.  What a lovely way to get out of the cold for an afternoon!

We headed to lunch at Melt in Cleveland Heights on our way home and enjoyed huge gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and hangover fries.  Both excursions were the perfect ways to get out of the frigid winter and recharge with friends for a few hours.  

Canton Classic Car Museum

Ohio Day Trip
Canton Classic Car Museum
Canton, Ohio
November 10, 2013

I was excited to visit the Canton Classic Car Museum ($7.50/pp) when I thought it was just cars.I was thrilled when we walked in and saw all the movie memorabilia, pop cultural artifacts, antique toys, local history- pretty much everything a person would need to evoke a nostalgic feeling of the way things were way back when.

Neil, Megan and I spent a chilly Sunday afternoon exploring the museum.  The building used to be an old car dealership and although it is not huge, it does house quite a bit of neat stuff- one could spend hours taking everything in.  I spotted a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, a PeeWee Herman doll and an RCA Dog display.  Neil loved all the antique neon signs. Megan pointed out every Lincoln automobile and emblem she saw.  There really is something of interest for every person of any age.