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March Edition ©


Ohio's Most Popular Magazine Online
Ohio tourism guide to free & affordable attractions on roads less traveled

   


IMAGINE THAT! – Science is fun

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Don't know much about history, don't know much biology, don't know much about a science book, don't know much about the French I took. But I do know that I love Imagination Station! 

The tell-tale sign of a good time is smiles on faces and on a recent trip to Toledo’s Imagination Station they were worn ear-to-ear from toddlers to teens to seniors alike. It was infectious! 

In the past 20 years it seems as if science centers have popped up all over the place. Few stand out. This is one of the standouts. 

In an age of technology and everyone trying to get 15 minutes of fame on one screen or another, the LIVE Report! at Imagination Station is like fly paper to flies. This mock television studio makes sportscasters of anyone willing to step in front of the green screen, face the camera and read the teleprompter. Then, on a delay screen, the budding television stars can view their newscast as if they were on location at an area sporting event. Imagine that! 

Sticking to the screen theme, enter Simulator Theater. But hold onto your seat. It moves! In fact, it hovers more than 20 feet off the ground facing its riders toward a big screen that sucks everyone into a ride of their life. To put it in perspective, you must be 42 inches or taller for this thrill ride. 

Now that the adrenaline is rushing, it’s time to heat up a screen. The Infrared Camera sees the thermal spectrum in colors. Roy G. Biv has never been so cool. Know your science, get the joke. Moving on.  

Time to defy gravity.  

You too can be a human Yo-Yo so hop up to BOYO. Just add energy and before you know it, you’re bouncing 13 feet into the air. After your body chemistry is grounded again, you just might absorb a science lesson. Imagine that! 

Or perhaps while you’re head is still floating, you may want to trust your life to a two-inch cable and take a spin on the High Wire Cycle. No worries, it’s safe. Strap in and pedal away. You’re only 20 feet high with no mat, no net, just hard floor below.  

In order to experience these gravity activities and science lessons first-hand, you must be 54 inches or taller.  

But there is mind-bending fun for everyone just around the corner.  

Sometimes you have to see it to believe it, but in Mind Zone that may be a stretch even for the best of imaginations. Here you'll discover how we process, interpret and create illusions and perceptions. Are you getting curiouser and curiouser? Then step into a wonderland of learning fun! 

Inside the Distorted Gravity room, doors, windows, etc. seem perfectly normal at a glance. But the floor is tilted 25 degrees. And that’s enough to throw off anyone’s perspective!  

While your mind is trying to recover from that experience, enter another room where in just a few steps, you can grow big or shrink small depending on which end of the room you stand. Line up with friends and at one end, a person needs to bend over so their head doesn’t hit the ceiling and at the other end a person can wave their hands freely overhead. All those who pass by can see the irregularity on a TV monitor or through peep holes.  

Okay, let’s really shake things up and step inside a hurricane. The Hurricane chamber is a simulator that puts you in the middle of windy mayhem. Anyone can step inside and face category 1 winds of up to 95 MPH. But here’s a little-known tip, you may have a chance to withstand the horrific cat-5 hurricane winds of 156 MPH. Just ask! 

With that, we’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg.

Imagination Station teaches how water, nature’s most powerful resource, works. It's wet. It's fun. It's for everyone. A Science Studio teaches biology, chemistry and physics in ways that won’t be forgotten. The Energy Factory explores our world’s natural resources using stimulating hands-on exhibits. For those who really want to get their hands on science, they can Engineer It! This open-ended discovery process allows you to think it, build it, test it …and do it again. There’s even a little KIDSPACE, complete with story time. It’s a land of make-believe while learning science fundamentals about forces, motion, math and science. Imagine that!

Back for a limited time is The Big Dig where visitors can chisel shale to reveal fossils they can take home. Also, there are periodic workshops designed for the whole family’s involvement.

You can Fling It on March 5 and 19 from 1-3pm when you can design and build a catapult and compete against other family launchers. Don’t Crack Up is April 2 & 16 from 1-3pm where your challenge is to send an egg down a zip line and drop it from a balcony …without cracking it. On May 7 and 21 from 1-3 pm, gather your pit crew for Vroom, Vroom, Zoom and build cars to race against others.  

March, April and May family workshops cost $15/member’s kids and $20/ non-member’s kids. Guardians are free, limit two. Open for all ages but recommended for kids ages 7 to 13. RSVP to 419-244-2674 ext. 158 or ext. 159, or sign up on the day of the workshop.

Imagination Station not only provides learning opportunities on site, but also reaches out in many ways, including events, workshops, activities and a toolbox of resources for educators. To learn about the outreach programming through Imagination Station or to plan your visit to experience pure science, pure fun on site, call 419-244-2674 or log onto www.imaginationstationtoledo.org.

Operating hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm and Sunday from 12-5pm. (Closed Mondays, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Years Day). Imagination will be open everyday in April. Admission is $9 for ages 13-64, $7 for ages 3-12 and $8 for ages 65 or older.

By Frank R. Satullo, The OhioTraveler

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TREE TAPPIN' MAPLE MADNESS 

Roll away, half sashay, star promenade and separate! Don’t know what that all means? Don’t worry, all will be taught and fancied during the 23rd annual old-fashioned square dance to celebrate Geauga County Park District tappin’ season.

 

Join the Tree Tapper’s Ball on Saturday, March 12 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Parkman Community House located at 16295 Main Market (U.S. Rt. 422) in Parkman Township.  

 

“If you square danced in middle school or junior high, now’s a good time to thank your old gym teacher for making you hold hands and dance with members of the opposite sex,” Senior Naturalist Dan Best joked. 

 

“It’s the most fun dance west of the Appalachians!” declares Bob Smakula, a professional instrument repairman from Elkins, West Virginia, who has called 21 of the past 23 balls. 

 

A Few Brix Shy – brix being syrup’s sugar content – is tuning up to provide rip-snortin’ old-time string band music for the whole family on fiddle, clawhammer, banjo, mandolin, guitar and bass. Steps will combine square and line dances (though not Western-style costumed square dancing or modern country line dancing). 

 

Old-time string music descends from British, Scotch and Irish traditions with regional variations in North America, but the Tree Tapper’s Ball tends to be a bit more southern in flavor, Dan added. Instrumentation registers in many people’s minds as “bluegrass,” which combines musical traditions including blues and country. Past musical acts have included Buddy Sap and the Sour Notes, Hotcake Hank and the Griddle-Greasers, Lost Sausage Lou and the Missing Links, Eddie and the Evaporators and the Maple Town Tune Maulers. 

 

Registration is open for this free event, limited to eight per registering party, at http://geaugaparkdistrict.org or 440-286-9516. Dancing is upstairs at Parkman Community House, which is not equipped with a ramp or elevator. Don’t be a square, dress casually.  

 

Maple Madness Drive-It-Yourself Tour is March 12, 13, 19 and 20th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Swine Creek Reservation, Sugarhouse, 16004 Hayes Road, Middlefield/Parkman Townships.  

 

It features historical displays and hands-on activities, including an opportunity to help gather sap from the sugarbush. It’s no wonder Geauga Park District’s Sap’s-A-Risin’ setup is a featured stop on this statewide tour of local maple sugaring operations. 

 

Touring maple sugaring operations across Ohio’s beautiful countryside will provide the entire family with the opportunity to see first-hand how clear and sweet sap from the maple tree becomes golden, delicious maple syrup. This year’s tour includes 40 stops in 16 counties; some are backyard operations while others are large commercial sugarhouses, with several Amish sugarbushes included on Saturdays. 

 

Registration is not required for this free, all-ages opportunity, which is wheelchair/stroller accessible at Swine Creek Reservation, though other sugarhouses on the tour may not be. Don’t forget your boots and warm outerwear! 

 

Descriptions of all stops are available at http://ohiomapleproducers.com.

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Come to Your Senses with
DINING IN THE DARKE

Main Street Greenville is happy to announce its fourth annual “Dining in the Darke” event to be held on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.  The event will be a unique expedition into a world of sensuous flavors, smells, and texture using fresh local food from Darke County. 

Arriving to a warm welcome and a few words of orientation, guests will be given a uniquely constructed blindfold called a “Mindfold”.  Once everyone is immersed in total “darkeness”, guests are gently guided into the dining room where a decadent, three-course meal will be served. 

Without vision, information from other senses becomes more noticeable and conversation becomes more intimate.  Guests will discover the mysteries of the menu – designed by The Bistro’s chef Lisa Voisard – by using their senses of smell, taste, and touch. To ensure that participants enjoy the full experience, the menu will not be revealed until the evening’s close. 

“This year we bring local Darke County foods to the palette to really make flavors and freshness apparent. We encourage participants to explore our downtown while in our community, so we have created an itinerary of sorts of our favorite spots and stops in and around downtown to make for a great afternoon excursion,” stated Becky Dynes, Main Street Greenville volunteer and event coordinator.      

Individual tickets are now available for $35.  A private table for eight may be reserved for $260. Tickets and tables can be purchased at The Bistro Off Broadway located at 117 E. Fifth Street, Greenville, OH 45331, or by dialing 937-316-5000. Day trip itinerary and past Dining in the Darke experiences can be found on DowntownGreenville.org. For more information contact Main Street Greenville by dialing 937-548-4998.  

Main Street Greenville would like to thank the event sponsor, KitchenAid Experience® Retail Center, the only KitchenAid® brand store in the world located in downtown Greenville. 

Ohio Historic West is pleased to be highlighting Darke County and their unique dining experience that takes place in April.  Be sure to mark your calendar and get tickets in advance!  See www.ohiohistoricwest.com for other wonderful ways to explore Western Ohio and its treasure chest of unique sounds, sights and tastes.   

Whether stopping for confectionaries at the Winans in Miami County, a wine sampling in Versailles in Darke County, picking up award winning gourmet foods from Robert Rothschild in Champaign County or following George W. to “The Spot,” in Shelby County, there is something for every palate.  Add to your day by stopping in Van Wert for an event at the spectacular Civic Threatre, or catch a show at the Historic Holland Theatre in Logan County. 

After a peaceful stay at one of the many B&B’s or hotels, be sure to catch a sunrise at the three light houses located on Grand Lake St. Mary’s, including the English Channel Beacon replica and certainly don’t forget to add the Armstrong Air and Space Museum to your list of places to see, not to worry, it is open year round!

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TICKET TO RIDE 

Join the Cincinnati Railway Company as three of their luxury railcars travel to Washington, D.C. for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival.  This excursion goes from Cincinnati to D.C. on Friday, April 1st and returns Monday, April 4th.   

Private cars, The Observatory, Birch Grove and Chapel Hill will travel behind Amtrak on the beautiful Cardinal Route through Kentucky, West Virginia & Virginia. 

Enjoy the use of the dome lounge which affords you a 360-degree unobstructed view of the countryside as you enjoy the ride from Cincinnati to Washington, D.C.  Retire to your private bedroom on the Birch Grove or The Observatory. 

Gourmet meals will be prepared by a private chef and served en route in the dome and lounge of The Observatory.  A professional chef, porter & servers will attend to your every need.   

Stay aboard the railcars at night in Washington D.C.’s Union Station as they serve as your rolling hotel. 

Itinerary: 

Thursday, March 31st, 2011:

Board the cars at McCullough Yard in Norwood, Ohio any time after dinner but before 10:00pm.  Feel free to have family members or guests tour the cars and to see you off.  Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as the trip kicks off with a Bon Voyage Party in the lounge of The Observatory.  Later that evening as you retire to your private sleeping quarters for the night, the cars are moved to the Cincinnati Union Terminal and hooked up behinds Amtrak’s eastbound Cardinal for an early a.m. departure.  

Friday, April 1st, 2011:

3:29 a.m. Depart Cincinnati behind Amtrak’s Cardinal from Cincinnati Union Terminal and travel eastward towards Washington, D.C. Enjoy a gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner as you travel towards your destination. At 5:55 p.m. arrive at Union Station in Washington, D.C. 

Saturday, April 2nd, 2011:

Layover in Washington, D.C.  After a light continental breakfast, passengers are free to de-board the rail cars to spend the day enjoying the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. 

Sunday, April 3rd, 2011:  

Passengers are free to de-board and enjoy some more time in Washington, D.C. before re-boarding by 10:00 a.m. for the return trip to Cincinnati. At 11:10 a.m. depart Washington, D.C. Enjoy a gourmet lunch and dinner as you travel towards your destination. 

Monday, April 4th, 2011:  

At 1:03 a.m. arrive in Cincinnati at Cincinnati Union Terminal.  Passengers may de-board here if they choose or stay on board and continue sleeping comfortably in their bedrooms as the rail cars travel back to McCullough yard in Norwood to wake at their leisure in the morning.  Enjoy a light continental breakfast before de-boarding.  

FARES: 

The Observatory Master Double Bedroom (includes private bathroom/shower) - $1850/person Double Occupancy. 

The Observatory Double Bedroom - $1650/person Double Occupancy 

Birch Grove Double Bedroom - $1450/person Double Occupancy 

Birch Grove Roomette w/ Toilet - $1450/person 

Birch Grove Roomette w/o toilet - $1350/person 

If interested in taking this 4 day, 3 night excursion hurry and book soon.  Sales for this trip will close Monday, March 7, 2011. 

Call 513-791-RAIL (7245).

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Impossible Realities 

You’ve seen the posters, now see the originals. As the last of only two venues in the United States to show this once-in-a-lifetime loan from Athens, Greece, M.C. Escher: Impossible Realities, on view at the Akron Art Museum through May 29, 2011, presents the rare and thrilling privilege of examining first-hand the masterworks of Maurits Cornelis Escher. 

One of the most brilliant yet enigmatic artists of the 20th century, Escher delighted in creating visual puzzles that challenge our perception of reality. 

“Are you really sure that a floor can’t also be a ceiling?” asked Escher. “Are you definitely convinced that you will be on a higher plane when you walk up a staircase?” Such musings led to “mind-bending” qualities in his spatial illusions and have lent his imagery an enduring place in pop culture iconography. 

“We are so excited to offer viewers the chance to become enchanted with Escher’s unique vision of the world,” said Curator of Exhibitions Ellen Rudolph. “Spending time with his exquisitely executed prints will undoubtedly yield wonderful discoveries and, as Escher hoped to inspire in his viewers, pure astonishment.” 

Impossible Realities provides the opportunity to survey the breadth of Escher’s career from the 1920s to the 1960s. The exhibition showcases 130 of the artist’s finest works, starting with his early book plates, moving on to landscapes, tessellations and impossible worlds, and concluding with his very last print, Snakes (1969). Featured in the exhibition are seminal and instantly recognizable works such as Drawing Hands and Reptiles, as well as the extremely rare lithographic stone for the making of Flatworms and wood blocks, study drawings and single-color prints that illustrate Escher’s artistic process from concept to finished print. The exhibition comes from the Herakleidon Museum in Athens, Greece, which houses one of the world’s largest collections of Escher’s work. The Akron Art Museum is one of only two U.S. venues for the exhibition. 

About the Artist: 

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) has been received varyingly over the last half-century by art critics and historians, mathematicians, scientists, crystallographers and educators. Regarded by some as an ingenious mathematician, Escher has also been critiqued within the art world as more of an intellectual than an artist. 

Born in Leeuwarden, Holland, Escher was never an outstanding student. He began his university studies in architecture but quickly changed courses to pursue the graphic arts. Upon finishing school, Escher traveled throughout southern Europe, concentrating much time in Italy, where he was deeply inspired by the landscape and lived until 1937. His career as an artist began with landscapes derived from sketches he made while traveling. 

Printmaking was Escher’s chosen medium. His pencil and ink drawings and sketches were merely a way to record what he saw during his travels or to work out spatial and structural relationships. Escher favored the woodcut, although he experimented widely with wood engravings, lithographs and mezzotints. Before carving his woodblocks, Escher spent weeks or even months working out each tiny detail of his compositions. 

Decorative patterns that Escher encountered while traveling had a profound impact on his career, sparking a lifelong obsession with tessellations (repeating patterns that fill a plane). Majolica mosaics and stucco patterns at the Alhambra, a 14th century Moorish palace in Granada, Spain, enthralled him, as did cathedral decorations in Ravello, Italy, along the Amalfi coast. Tessellations figure prominently in Escher’s oeuvre, and his work with these patterns captivated mathematicians and crystallographers, who continue to use them to illustrate complex concepts and theories. 

Escher left Italy in 1937 due to mounting discomfort with Mussolini’s Fascist regime. Less inspired by his surroundings in Brussels, Belgium and later Baarn, Holland, where he settled permanently, he began to turn inward for ideas, delving into the concepts of relativity, infinity and metamorphoses.  

During his lifetime, Escher created a total of 448 lithographs, woodcuts and wood engravings, and over 2,000 drawings and sketches. The diverse offerings  in Impossible Realities allow the viewer to chart the progression of Escher’s career, including early Italian landscapes, book illustrations, rare ink drawings, impossible worlds, tessellations, renderings of infinity and more. Included in the exhibition are three-dimensional models of two of Escher’s “impossible buildings” Belvedere and Waterfall. Viewers will be able to observe how these impossible constructions would exist in three dimensions—the elements only align in one location in space. There will also be an entrancing video animation of Print Gallery, a mind-bending spiral-form composition with a mysterious void in the center.

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STOMP

STOMP, the international sensation, is making its triumphant return to Cleveland’s PlayhouseSquare’s Palace Theatre, March 18-20 for five performances only!  The return of the percussive hit also brings some new surprises, with some sections of the show now updated and restructured and the addition of two new full-scale routines, utilizing props like tractor tire inner tubes and paint cans.  STOMP is part of the U.S. Bank Star Performance Series at PlayhouseSquare. 

 

“After creating new routines for STOMP OUT LOUD in Vegas, [co-creator] Luke Cresswell and I decided it was time to rework elements of our main production, STOMP,” said co-creator Steve McNicholas. “STOMP has evolved a great deal ever since its first incarnation at the Edinburgh Festival. Every reworking has involved losing some pieces and gaining new ones, but has always stayed true to the original premise of the show: to create rhythmic music with instantly recognizable objects, and do it with an eccentric sense of character and humor.”

 

The changes that can now be seen in the tour of STOMP are the biggest since the late 1990’s. A new piece “Paint Cans” evolved out of the “Boxes” routine in the Las Vegas show and “Donuts” is a piece that implements huge tractor tire inner tubes, worn around the waist on a bungee cord. For many years, the creators had looked for a STOMP equivalent of the Latin percussion instrument the guiro, a gourd-shaped open-ended instrument with ridges along the side that are rubbed by a wooden stick to create its sound. The climactic trashcan sequence “Bins” has been restructured to include a guiro-like new found instrument: strip-lighting recycling containers.

 

From its beginnings as a street performance in the UK, STOMP has grown into an international sensation over the past fourteen years, having performed in over 350 cities in 36 countries worldwide. STOMP continues its phenomenal run with the ongoing sell-out Off-Broadway production at New York's Orpheum Theatre, a North American tour, and two productions overseas - a London company and a European tour.  

 

STOMP, an overwhelming success marked by rave reviews, numerous awards and sell-out engagements, is the winner of an Olivier Award for Best Choreography (London's Tony Award), a New York Obie Award, a Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatre Experience, and a Special Citation from Best Plays. The young performers “make a rhythm out of anything we can get our hands on that makes a sound,” says co-creator/director Luke Cresswell. Stiff-bristle brooms become a sweeping orchestra; Zippo lighters flip open and closed to create a fiery fugue; wooden poles thump and clack in a rhythmic explosion. STOMP uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – trashcans, tea chests, plastic bags, plungers, boots, and hubcaps – to fill the stage with compelling and infectious rhythms.

 

PlayhouseSquare encourages all guests to “Plan Your Visit” ahead of time by visiting www.playhousesquare.org and clicking the “Plan Your Visit” tab where directions, parking information, dining options, lodging, ticketing policies and other useful information designed to enhance guest experiences at PlayhouseSquare exist. Whether their visit is the first or one hundred and first, PlayhouseSquare is committed to making guest experiences both as memorable and hassle free as possible.

 

This performance engagement is a part of the Smart Seats program at PlayhouseSquare that offers smart entertainment at a smart price. For more information on Smart Seats, visit playhousesquare.org/smartseats.

 

The smash hit returns to PlayhouseSquare’s Palace Theatre from March 18-20.  Tickets range in price from $10 - $55 each.  Tickets are available by calling (216) 241-6000, via the PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office, online at PlayhouseSquare.org or by logging on to www.stomponline.com.  For discounts on groups of 15 or more, please call (216) 664-6050 x1. 

 

Performance Schedule: March 18 @ 7:30 p.m., March 19 @ 4:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. and March 20 @ 1p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

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FREE FOR ALL! 

Understanding many people don't have the discretionary income they may have had as little as a year ago, OhioTraveler.com's focus is on admission-FREE tourism. Most sections of OhioTraveler.com feature places with FREE ADMISSION at the very top of menu options. Find your free fun now:

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Great Indoor & Outdoor Fun

In addition to featuring freebies and places worth the price of admission, OhioTraveler.com seeks the more interesting and unique in Ohio tourism. Instead of endless listings of events, lodging, restaurants and stores, we veer away from mainstream and choose the road less traveled.  Take a look:

Lodging & Getaways
Restaurants & Eateries
Unique Shops & Shopping
Interesting Ohio Towns
Performing Arts

Wineries & Vineyards
Festivals & Events

Or search all attractions by region:

 

Northeast Ohio
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Thank you for visiting OhioTraveler.com.

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March Festivals & Events

Imagine That!
Tree Tappin' Maple Madness
Thrill Ride Build-Off
Impossible Realities
Dining in the Darke
STOMP
Ticket to Ride
Celebrate the Sixties
MM-MMM Good!
Beyond Ohio ...cRAZy wAS...
FREE 4 ALL!
Editor-In-Chief: Frank R. Satullo





Sponsored Content by
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Thrill Ride
Build-Off
 

K’NEX, the construction toy company headquartered in Hatfield, Pa., and Cedar Point amusement park/resort in Sandusky, Ohio, have joined forces to launch the first-ever Cedar Point K’NEX Great Thrill Ride Build-Off. 

The Cedar Point K’NEX Great Thrill Ride Build-Off pits classrooms and other student groups in competition to build the most innovative and thrilling amusement park ride model using K’NEX building sets.   

“Amusement park rides aren’t just fun to ride, they are also fun to create and a great way to teach important math and science principles,” said K’NEX President and CEO Michael Araten.  “We are excited to partner with Cedar Point to award creative young builders through this unique building contest.” 

Running through April 3, the Cedar Point K’NEX Great Thrill Ride Build-Off is designed for middle and high school classes and student organizations such as a science clubs.  Upon registration, participants will receive a discount coupon that can be used for the purchase of materials from knex.com.  However, no purchase is necessary to compete. 

Participating schools must design and build a ride and submit a photo/video of the project on www.knex.com.  The five winners will have their rides displayed at the park during Cedar Point’s Math and Science Week, scheduled from May 16-20. 

Prizes include K’NEX building sets and gift certificates and complimentary admission tickets to Cedar Point. For more information, official contest rules, and to enter, visit www.cedarpoint.com or www.knex.com

About Cedar Point’s Math and Science Week 

During Math & Science Week, special educational programs, demonstrations and activities designed for middle and high school students are presented at the park.  Other exhibitors include NASA’s Glenn Research Center of Cleveland, COSI (Center of Science and Industry) of Columbus, the Detroit Science Center and others.  A Weather Education Day will also be held during the event.  For additional information about Math & Science Week at Cedar Point, please visit www.cedarpoint.com/
mathscience

About K’NEX Brands 

Founded in 1992, K’NEX Brands, the world’s most innovative construction toy company, was established to make and sell what has become one of the world’s leading integrated construction systems for children.  Recipient of more than 200 international awards and recognitions, K’NEX is America’s building toy company focused on building worlds kids love and encourages youngsters to “imagine, build and play.” 

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CELEBRATE
THE SIXTIES
 

The McKinley Presidential Library & Museum will explore one of the most turbulent decades in American history in the new exhibition Celebrate the Sixties, on view in the museum’s Keller Gallery through June 5, 2011.  

Celebrate the Sixties features the fashions, toys, household items, magazines, books and music that defined a decade — and a generation.  This exhibit will be a walk down memory lane for those who lived through it, and a fascinating look at the past for kids today.   The exhibit includes a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 convertible, an above-the-knee wedding dress, Jacqueline Kennedy paper dolls, a majorette uniform from the very first Pro Football Hall of Fame Parade, a vintage Barbie, Batman collectibles, and much more. 

While the 1960s are a nostalgic nod to the past for some, Celebrate the Sixties also takes a look at the more serious side of the decade.  Sharon Lane’s Aultman School of Nursing uniform will be featured.  Sharon was the only American woman to die from hostile fire in the Vietnam War.  Her mother recently donated her uniform to the museum.  The exhibition explores the war in Vietnam, the civil rights movement, and the tragic assassination of President Kennedy. 

“The museum is working to build our 20th century collection,” said Curator Kim Kenney, “particularly the post-World War II era.  If you have an item from the 1950s-1980s that you would like to donate, please contact the museum.  As we move forward in time, the ‘stuff’ of our lives becomes more and more ‘historic.’  Take time to preserve those things now, before it’s too late.”  

The Museum is located at 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW in Canton.

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MM-MMM GOOD!

Having explored Ohio for years covering the roads less traveled, I get hungry. Any road warrior knows that discovering something mm-mmm good is a big part of the tourism experience. In this space, each month, I'll add a taste of our favorite Ohio.

If you’re ever in Cleveland, the West Side Market is a must-see! While you're there, grab a bite at Johnny Hot Dogs. It's a must-eat! Not only will you be treated to the best darn hot dog in Ohio, you can people watch as an amazing and vivacious scene unfolds before your eyes. You can’t buy better dinner theater entertainment. The market is filled to the rafters with all walks of life.

Johnny Hot Dogs opened with the West Side Market 99 years ago making it the oldest hot dog stand in Cleveland. They serve handmade, all-beef hot dogs still in their natural casings. You can top it with spicy chili, diced onions and yellow mustard among other combinations. Other specialties include a variety of burgers, fish, grilled cheese, chicken sandwiches and BLTs. But clearly, custom made, all beef, cooked to order hotdogs are the most famous of Johnny's offerings.

Cleveland’s melting pot has more than a dozen ethic groups residing within walking distance of the West Side Market. People regularly come from the suburbs by car or Rapid Transit light rail to stock up on the freshest food at cheaper prices than area supermarket chains. The spice on top is the personalities at each stand selling produce, meat, fish, baked goods, you-name-it. This old-world market hasn’t changed much generation after generation. Many stands are in their 3rd, 4th and even 5th generation of family operation. The conversation is rich with accents, enthusiasm and drama.

After you get your order at Johnny Hot Dogs, zip up a flight of steps by the doors on the west side of the market to get to the balcony. There, you’ll settle in for some entertainment as a sea of people mingle from one stand to another. Beware, personalities can get very animated at times and that is when this drama is at its best!

Johnny Hot Dogs is located at 1979 West 25th Street in Cleveland, Ohio 44113. It is on the corner Northeast corner of W25th & Lorain Ave. inside the Southwest corner of the West Side Market. This Cleveland neighborhood is known as Ohio City.  

For more information, call Johnny Hot Dogs at 216-696-6834 or the West Side Market at 216-664-3387. The West Side Market is online at www.westsidemarket.org. It is open Friday & Saturday from 7am – 6pm and Monday & Wednesday from 7am – 4pm. If you drive, there’s plenty of parking. You may also take the Rapid Transit light rail system as there’s a stop directly across the street from the market.

By the taste buds of Frank R. Satullo, the OhioTraveler

If you have a favorite eatery, please contact us so we can give it our taste test. 

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Thank you for visiting OhioTraveler, an online Ohio travel magazine and Ohio travel and tourism guide to Ohio tourist attractions and vacation destinations in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and all Ohio featuring travel information on festivals and events, museums, arts,  restaurants, lodging, wineries, parks, historic sites, outdoors, as well as other recreation and leisure activities and occasionally offering entertainment coupons, discounts and other travel deals along Ohio's roads less traveled.

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