365 Things - #24 - The Circus!

The circus as a first date? Don't laugh until you've tried it. I had a crush on a girl in college and living in Cleveland at the time, wondered what there was to do for a first date. Dinner at Chipotle was probably the most offered suggestion by my friends. I thought that was weak so checking the paper (yes, when people read the paper to see what was going on), I discovered that the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus was coming to the Gund (before it became the Q; I know I'm dating myself here - no pun intended). Well, I asked, she said yes and the rest is history. We've been together almost ten years and married for two. I take no credit for this lasting; it all belongs to the circus.

That same magic is coming to Youngstown. Take your first date or the kids you conceived on your first date and head down to the Covelli Center on March 25, 26, or 27. The Ringling Brothers are bringing their latest show Fully Charged and thanks to the awesome people involved with the circus (bearded ladies, perhaps?), use the discount code FAMFUN for $5 off. It's the 141st edition of this awesome show (the Red Tour, for those of you who know what that means.)

Fully Charged - The latest show by the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus

March 25-27

Covelli Center

Save $5 on tickets! - Use code FAMFUN in person at the Covelli Centre Box Office, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000

365 Things #23

Who	The Valley Listens! Enlightened community dialogue @TheLemonGrove
When	Monday, February 7, 2011 7:00pm - All Ages
Where	Lemon Grove Cafe (map) 122 W Federal St Youngstown, OH
Other Info	Think nobody cares about your ideas for a better Youngstown? THINK AGAIN! This is your chance to disagree without being disagreeable. Come together for a worthwhile exchange of ideas and solutions. This is some talk that really matters. The Valley Listens begins at 7 PM on the first and third Monday of every month! Sponsored by the Midwest Spirituality Center and the Lemon Grove Cafe.

365 Things #22

Get a shave! Sorry, ladies. This one is for the men. William Leonard Extraordinary Gentlemen at West Federal Street and Phelps is the perfect place to relax, get a haircut, shave and massage. The owner, Lisa Reali, has turned a dumpy storefront into a magnificent and affordable spa for men. The prices are inexpensive, the service great, and even better, it keeps your money in the Yo.

Hours:
Monday thru Friday, 11am to 7pm
Saturday, 10am to 2pm

For an appointment:
330-480-0444

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

365 Things on the iPad

So after some requests I'll be slowly bringing back the 365 Things. I may not hit 365 right away but I'll get there eventually. Maybe one new post week? If anything, it will kill time on my commute and give me a reason to play with my ipad. I'll be starting back in the new year. Until then, happy new year Youngstown.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:NE Ohio

365 Things #21

Visit the Arms Museum. The Arms Family Museum of Local History in Youngstown is an early 20th Century Arts & Crafts-style home built by the Arms family, known formally as "Greystone". The first floor is furnished in period, creating the medieval ambience it must have had when Olive A. and Wilford P. Arms owned the home. When walking through the house, one will find many bronze animal statues and feel a sense of naturalism in each room. The second floor of the museum is filled with artifacts and history from others that have lived in the Mahoning Valley.

Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for college students. The house is a beautiful place to spend a few hours on a sunny afternoon in downtown!

648 Wick Avenue
Youngstown, OH 44502
(330) 743-2589

365 Things #20

Help beautify Youngstown! On June 5, 2010 (that's tomorrow!) the city of Youngstown will be holding CityScape's 13th Annual Planting Day. Over 400 volunteers help out at CityScape each year, and you should be one of them! Registration begins at the information booth of the Central Square Tent at 7:45am and there are free t-shirts to the first 400 people registered. Planting begins at 8:00am and ends at 12:00pm. Local dignitaries, including Congressman Tim Ryan (D-17th), will be in attendance.

If they can, volunteers should bring the following to the Streetscape 2010 event:
• Small Hand Tools
• Shovels
• Rakes
• Hoses
• Buckets
• Wheelbarrows (if possible)
• Hand Tools
• Gloves
• Sunscreen or other protection against the sun
• Insect repellent
• Beverages/Snacks

Questions about Planting Day? Please contact Sharon Letson (330) 742-4040 or e-mail: cityscapedirector@sbcglobal.net.

After you green and beautify downtown Youngstown, stay down there and enjoy lunch at one of the city's fine establishments. Perhaps a sandwich and sparkling soda at the Lemon Grove (see #3) or a pizza and schooner at the Golden Dawn (see #1).

365 Things #19

Attend a spaghetti dinner on Sunday! (There is nothing more 'Youngstown' than spaghetti dinners, fish fries and pirogi dinners, anyway). This one is for an incredibly good cause. I went to high school with Taylor. She was incredibly talented in speech and debate and theatre at Ursuline High School before graduating in 2000. She was killed by a drunk driver while driving on Salt Springs Road in 2001.

From the Vindy:

The Taylor Lee Veisz Memorial Scholarship Fund’s 6th annual Spaghetti Dinner and Chinese Auction will run from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 122 S. State St. ( U.S. Route 422).

Tickets, at $8 for adults and $5 for children, will be available at the door. Carry out is available.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the fund can send a check made payable to the fund in care of Sherron Jackson, 921 Birch Hill Drive, Youngstown, Ohio, 44509. The fund provides assistance to young women and men pursuing a career in the fine and performing arts.

365 Things #18

One of my many nicknames as a child was Bud Light. It has nothing to do with my love of beer, but was a take on one of my dad's nicknames, Bud. (Get it? I can explain, if necessary). Unfortunately, both Bud and Bud Light have worn off as nicknames. My love of beer, however, remains strong. It's nice to be able to satisfy that love with a beer brewed a mere two miles from home. Rust Belt Brewing Company moved into the old B&O Station and has ensured that Youngstown's history as a brewing town continues strong (Anyone for a Renner?) If you've never had a Rust Belt beer, make today the day you toss one back. You can visit the B&O for tours of the brewing operation or have a pint at the Boxcar Lounge. See their website for more details.

Rust Belt Brewing Company

534 Mahoning Avenue

330-747-3232

365 Things #16

As we head down the list, #16 is something that should be required for every Youngstown resident: A visit to the Museum of Labor and Industry. It reminds me of a quote that's been tossed around, including by this blogger a number of times and even appeared on our mast head for a while. "Everybody breathing dirt, eating dirt-they call it 'pay dirt,' for Youngstown clean would be Youngstown out of work." When he uttered the words in 1915, Frank Bohn had no idea how true those words would ring. While a clean Youngstown is an opportunity to reinvent ourselves, the 'Steel Museum', as the museum is often known, takes us back to the soot covered days of Youngstown, when steel was king. It should make any Youngstown resident born after 1980 appreciate the hardwork and sweat that their fathers and grandfathers literally poured into building America. I made my pilgrimage in December.


Museum of Labor and Industry
151 Wood Street (across from St. Columba Cathedral)
330-743-5934

365 Things #15

So I'm a bit behind. If you ran a blog and had to post every single day, you would probably miss one or two (or five) as well.

The weather tomorrow is going to be beautiful. With the exception of some rain in the morning (thanks, Weather.com!), it should be an awesome day for a hike. Why not head to Mill Creek Park, strap on your hiking boots, grab a Clif bar and go hiking?

You can find the complete maps and routes here.

PS: You can plan on seeing a lot of Mill Creek Park in my 365 Things to Do Around Youngstown series. If you think only one or two visits to the park is enough, shame on you.

365 Things #17

Try taking in the Calvin Center for the Arts Grand Opening Festival! Artists of the Rust Belt will be holding a show at this new location tomorrow (12-7) and Sunday (12-5). The show will feature local artists, food and beer. Check it out at 755 Mahoning Avenue, Youngstown. Find out more about this group and event at their website.

365 Things #14

Youngstown's personality and place in history allows it to have some of the greatest cultural wonders not thought of in the average city of 70,000. One of those wonders is the Butler Institute of American Art. If you haven't been there in a while (and I haven't), you should check out the Jackson Pollack piece on loan, 'Silver and Black,' or the paintings of John Stobart, a leading artist of ships under sail. Being a guy who loves ships and yet has never been sailing, Stobart's work is right up my alley. (I'm really sounding cultured here, aren't I?)

Butler Instutute of American Art

524 Wick Avenue

330-743-1107

365 Things #13

(I realize that I'm a few days late, but the beauty of Blogger is being able to backdate my posts... Thanks, Blogger Team!)


It's Wednesday (err... Monday). How about heading over to Salsita's for margaritas? Youngstown is blessed with some great ethnic restaurants. In fact, you can't find a respectable chain joint that people will go out of their way to get into to. The same can't be said for the locally owned restaurants. Salsita's is one of those places. Stop in for a margarita, some tacos or enchiladas!

3031 Mahoning Ave

Youngstown

330-270-9151

365 Things #12

When I was a child, I had a minor fascination with rocks and minerals after a visit to Discovery Place. Think COSI but in Charlotte, North Carolina. I had no idea that we have a mineral museum in Youngstown, but incredibly, we do. How about a visit to the Clarence R. Smith Mineral Museum which is located at YSU and sponsored by the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences. The museum is located in the atrium of Moser Hall and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Have a science class or tour group? Give them a call and they can set up something personalized.

Moser Hall atrium

On the campus of Youngstown State University

(330) 941-3612

365 Things #11

Today is a pretty dreary day in Youngstown. So if you don't get out to see anything today, put on some coffee and hang around the house. But before the summer is out, you've got to see (and taste) what is going on right here under your nose.

In the past few years a number of community gardens have started up in Youngstown. I'll just mention a few and if there is not one near you, feel free to start one. Jubilee Gardens, Inc. is located on Lafayette Street in Briar Hill and has been around since the 1980's. Fairgreen Garden, operated by GROW Youngstown, is located at the corner of Fairgreen and Ohio Avenues, and Avondale Garden (pictured) is located on the south side, on Avondale Street, just east of Southern Blvd.

Their goal is to bring fresh produce to the city and help people to garden sucessfully.

365 Things #10

It is my favorite day of the week. Why not eat my favorite food? Ice cream. Stop by the original Handel's Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt on off Market Street. There is nothing better than the atmosphere of the yellow lights of Mrs. Handel's flagship store and a sugar cone full of chocolate pecan.

3931 Handel's Court
Youngstown
330-788-0356

(The menu is from Handel's Williamsburg, VA location. I saw a familiar awning from almost 1/4 mile away and thought it could be and it was. They lack chocolate marshmallow.)

365 Things #9

Two words: DiRusso's sausage. I try and promote those awesome things about Youngstown, even if it causes a run on sausage sandwiches. John Slanina (owner/operator of Shout Youngstown) is setting up camp downtown for an hour today in front of the Youngstown Business Incubator with some free lunch. Check it out between noon and 1-ish where he promises sausage, boca burgers, turkey burgers, kelbasi, paprika-rubbed slanina, and some chevapchichi. Will have some sides, chips, chairs, and plant-life. No word on whether he means palm trees or lettuce for the burgers.

(No word on when OSHA stepped in due to lack of a hair net)

The deets:

Pop-Up Park in the Parking Spot

241 West Federal Street

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

He'll be bringing some plates and silverware, but it's B.Y.O.P. (plates!) as we are trying to minimize on trash.

Look for the big green carpet on West Federal.

365 Things #8

There is nothing I love more than finding a new book to read. With my new Kindle, I miss turning the pages but can carry hundreds of books in a nice little package. There is nothing better than browsing the stacks, however. Take 20 minutes and head over to the library. The main branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County is open until 5:30 today. For those hipsters who like their internets, the Library can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.

365 Things #7

Have you ever considered getting involved with community support agriculture? Now is the perfect time to look into a CSA in the Youngstown area. If you aren't in the know, a CSA (and its members) provides financial support to local agriculture and in exchange, you get some of the goods dropped at your door every week. Want some fresh swiss chard, strawberries, or peaches? Join one of the several CSA's in Youngstown. Grow Youngstown has all the details on this awesome and totally affordable program.

365 Things #6

Get rid of the Monday blues with some kolachi! Ghossain's Mid East Bakery on South Avenue has a wide variety of Lebanese and other Middle Eastern foods, including fresh baked pita and lavash, desserts and confections. Check out their website for a full list of options. Not in the Youngstown area? They will ship to you!

Ghossain's Mid East Bakery
3990 South Avenue
(330) 788-6003