Children’s Book Author and Illustrator Jennifer Beaver

November 9, 2021

By Lisa Alleman

Dinder isn’t your average family dog; she is a 120-pound, joyful and mischievous St. Bernard. Most dogs don’t motivate their humans to come together to launch a company, but that is just what Dinder did for the Beaver family.

Helping fellow creatives

At the center of the project is a children’s book called Dinder’s Big Day, written, illustrated and self-published by her mom, Jennifer Beaver. Jennifer used her law degree and marketing and graphic design skills to figure out how to navigate the self publishing world and now wants to help others see their dreams become realities.

Out of the Dinderdog book, Dinderdog Publishing was born. Jennifer turned this into a family project by appointing her 14-year-old daughter, Piper, Chief Merchandising Officer and 18-year-old son, Brad, Creative Consultant. Ethan Dabish, a family friend, is Chief Communications Officer and husband Bob is her Number One Fan. Together they plan to turn Jennifer’s newfound knowledge of the self-publishing world into a local company that fellow creatives can go to for guidance and promotional support.

Being Creative/Doing Good

At the heart of Dinderdog Publishing is a mission to support creativity while doing good. “I grew up poor in South Toledo,” says Jennifer. “I have memories of the Salvation Army helping our family, so I am passionate about making sure we give back locally.”

At present, 10 percent of her sales from Dinder’s Big Day are donated to Humane Ohio. In addition, Dinderdog Publishing has helped raise money for the Aurora Project and canned goods for the SeaGate Food Bank. Jennnifer is eager to find other area nonprofits to work with as well. As the services she provides at Dingerdog Publishing expand, she plans to continue to donate 10 percent of profits back to the community.

The whole Beaver family is working hard to get the word out about Dinder’s Big Day and Dinderdog Publishing. You can learn more by going to their website, Dinderdog.com, liking Dinderdog Publishing on Facebook and following Dinderdogpub on Instagram. Dinderdog’s Big Day is available at Gathering Volumes Bookstore in Perrysburg, Live Lively Boutique in Oregon and at Barnes and Noble, Target and Amazon.

Q&A

As a busy mom, when do you find the time to write?

Mostly early mornings and weekends. I work full-time, so once I started this project something had to give. Last year I had a garden; this year I have weeds.

How long did it take to write Dinder’s Big Day?

Once I started, I was pretty determined. I began working on the book in March 2021 and received the first shipment of printed copies on June 15.

Do you plan to write other books?

Yes, there are a couple of additional Dinderdog books in the works. I also have some ideas inspired by my young nieces that someday may turn into children’s books.

Are you a writer who illustrates or an illustrator who writes?

That’s really hard to say. If I were talking to you on the phone right now I would be doodling, so I am always creating illustrations, but then I love to rhyme too. From the time I was young I enjoyed coming up with little rhymes about the world around me.

Where do you see Dinderdog Publishing five years from now?

I would love to see us in a building in downtown Toledo employing people who are promoting and showcasing other people’s work.

Is there a lesson in Dinder’s Big Day?

There is no lesson. It’s just fun. Kids can just be kids and have fun for no bigger reason.

New 419 Businesses and Marketplace Changes

Toledo Parent Staff

November 8, 2021

The art lab formerly known as Uncork the Artist

Formerly known as “Uncork the Artist,” a popular art studio recently changed its name to “Art Lab 419.” Established in 2011 as the first paint-and-sip art studio in the Toledo area, the past ten years has been a major growth period for Art Lab 419. Not part of a chain or franchise, the local aspect is what makes Art Lab 419 truly unique along with its mission to connect the community by providing an outlet to ignite, inspire and foster creativity. Art Lab 419 is the perfect place to introduce children to artistic self-expression through a variety of mediums. From open studio sessions to registered events and family fun days, Art Lab 419 has something going on and they want you to be a part of it! Art Lab 419. 5380 Monroe St. 419-283-2484. uncorktheartist.com —Taylor Viers

Callisto Terra lights the way

Entrepreneur and single-mother-of-four Taylor Holloway has launched the new Callisto Terra Candles at the Art on Market Shoppes in the former Erie St. Market at 201 S. Erie St. The shop offers homemade soy candles and melts that will make perfect gifts for the holiday season! Check out the variety of specialty candles and information on candle-making classes at Callistoterra.com. – Jeff McGinnis

Stilla Salon Spa & Boutique

The luxurious salon opened in March, 2021 and already the business is seeing major growth. Stilla unveiled a significant expansion to their 4900 N. McCord Rd. location, doubling the size of the shop. Stilla offers nail, hair, massage and esthetician services on site. Book a pampering session for yourself at stillasalonspaboutqiue.com. -Jeff McGinnis

New ways to save

Columbus-based closeout retailer HomeBuys will soon open its first location in the Toledo area at 4701 Talmadge Rd., across the street from the Franklin Park Mall at the former Anderson’s site, offering home decor, holiday decorations, food, wine and more, all at favorable prices. Check out what’s new at homebuys.com. -Jeff McGinnis

New at Levis Commons

Two new stores will open this month at Levis Commons in Perrysburg. Athleta, a performance apparel retailer for women and young girls, will open near Sephora, while Lush Cosmetics will open a pop-up store next to Clean Juice. Perfect timing for holiday shoppers! Start making your wish list now by browsing athleta.gap.com and lushusa.com. -Jeff McGinnis

A sad farewell

After 20 years of providing equine-assisted therapy and learning programs, Serenity Farm Equestrian Center in Luckey has closed with the retirement of its founder, Debra DeHoff. Those who’ve benefited from Serenity’s services appreciate the kind support the Center has provided over the past two decades. -Jeff McGinnis

All aboard the new Learning Express

Customers will always find the perfect toy for their little loved ones at Learning Express Toys and Gifts! The local business, located on 5577 Monroe St. within the Promenade Shops, is happy to announce that Rene Rusgo is their proud new owner. The remodeled location reopened on October 8, and Rusgo is excited to help visitors find everything they need for the holiday season. Follow Learning Express Toys and Gifts on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok for the latest news. —Autumn Vasquez

Let the games begin

BG geeks rejoice! The area’s newest gaming shop and play space, Black Swamp Games, offers plenty of card and board games for sale, as well as supplies for the role-playing-gamer in your life. The store is located at 124 W. Wooster St. blackswampgames.com —Jeff McGinnis

Let them eat Kake

The delicious baked goods of Kim’s Kakes LLC have come to 480 Dixie Hwy., Unit B, Rossford, across from Marco’s Pizza. Featuring signature cakes, pies and cheesecakes, all offerings are housemade. kimskakes.net —Jeff McGinnis

Where a kid can be a kid
The North Toledo Chuck E. Cheese just celebrated a grand reopening after an epic remodel of the facility. Kids can look forward to brand new games, the latest technological advances, and a new look for the popular children’s entertainment and dining venue. Check it out for yourself at 5077 Monroe St. 419-841-9714. chuckecheese.com —Erin Holden

Sensory-Friendly Holiday Shopping

Taylor Viers

November 7, 2021

Bittersweet Farms will be hosting a sensory-friendly holiday shopping event at two Target stores in the area. Each store will open an hour early to provide a time for individuals with autism to shop with the lights dimmed, music turned off and limited foot traffic.

Holiday shopping can be overwhelming, especially in public settings. This annual event is held by Bittersweet Farms to give all individuals the opportunity to shop in a comfortable environment.

The shopping event will take place on Wednesday, November 10 from 7-8am at both the Rossford and Holland Target store locations. The event is free and open to the local autism community.

For any questions or more information about the event, contact Development Director Julie Champa at 419-875-6986 ext. 1272 or by email at [email protected].

To learn more about Bittersweet Farms and for a full list of their upcoming events, visit their website.

7 Movies to Watch with Your Teenage Daughter

Katy Clark

November 7, 2021

By Katy M. Clark

The nights are getting longer and the temperatures are dropping, which makes it the perfect season to cozy up with a good movie. Luckily, my 13-year-old daughter enjoys mother-daughter movie night as much as I do! For years, we have delighted in donning our most comfortable pajamas, snuggling under blankets on the couch, and munching on the biggest bowl of popcorn possible while we watch flicks on the small screen.

Now that she’s a teenager, we like to choose movies that feature female leads and storylines. From recent releases to classics from my younger days, there are plenty of perfect movies for mother-daughter bonding time at home. Here are the movies I’m sharing with my teenage daughter this holiday season:

Enola Holmes

This 2020 Netflix mystery presents a unique twist on the legacy of Sherlock Holmes by introducing us to his younger sister, Enola, played by Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things fame. In 19th century England, the teenage Enola has been raised by her mother to be an independent, spirited young lady. When her mother disappears, Enola strikes out on her own to find her. She goes undercover as a boy, fights off bad guys, and solves a related mystery faster than her famous older brother. Girl power indeed.

Crazy Rich Asians

This 2018 romantic comedy stars Constance Wu as Rachel, an economics professor in New York who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick, to attend his best friend’s wedding. She is surprised to learn that Nick belongs to one of the richest and most prominent families in the country. She is also surprised when his family disapproves of her. As she faces rejection and adversity, she perseveres with support from her college friend (the hilarious Awkwafina), digs deep to believe in herself and her love for Nick, and gets her happy ending. Available now on Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Max.

Twister

Way before it became trendy to encourage women to pursue careers in STEM, Helen Hunt played a brilliant-but-flawed scientist chasing tornadoes in this 1996 box office hit. Besides inspiring future female scientists, Twister sparks conversations about technology and special effects. After all, the movie’s whirling tornados and flying cow were considered cutting-edge when the movie debuted. This is a fast-paced, fun action movie for those nights when you just want to be swept away (pun intended). Find it on Amazon Prime and HBO Max.

Hidden Figures

Based on a true story, 2016’s Hidden Figures tells the tale of a trio of Black female scientists working at NASA in the 1960s. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe are inspiring as the scientists facing gender bias and racial injustice. With intelligence and grit, the women help the United States win the space race, propelling astronaut John Glenn into space. This feel-good drama encourages young women to reach for the stars—or calculate how to get there. Stream it now on Disney+, or rent it through Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, or Vudu.

Miss Congeniality and Miss Congeniality 2

These comedies starring Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart, a top-notch FBI agent turned bumbling beauty pageant contestant, are perfect when you need a laugh. In the first film, released in 2000, Gracie goes undercover as a Miss United States contestant in order to foil a plot to blow up the pageant. In the 2005 sequel, she struggles with her newfound popularity while proving herself to her FBI partner (Regina King) and saving her pageant bestie from a kidnapping. Both films include plenty of physical comedy and an emphasis on female friendships. Stream both on HBO Max.

Fried Green Tomatoes

This 1991 classic shares the story of two meaningful friendships set decades apart. In 1920s Alabama, Ruth and Idgie bond over their love for Ruth’s fiancé and Idgie’s brother, Buddy. Their relationship buoys them through heartbreak, domestic violence, racism, and a health crisis. Meanwhile in the 1990s, a bored middle-aged housewife, Evelyn, befriends Ninny during visits to a nursing home. Ninny tells Evelyn about Ruth and Idgie’s adventures, inspiring Evelyn to make changes in her own life. Evelyn’s infamous scene of female empowerment leaves me shouting “Tawanda!” for days after watching. Rent or buy it through Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, or Vudu.

I hope these movies will set the scene for several entertaining—and inspiring—mother-daughter movie nights in your home this season!

This article originally appeared in Your Teen for Parents: the premier resource for parents of teenagers. at yourteenmag.com.

Food Fights: Mayberry Diner is a Toledo Area Staple

Erin Schoen Marsh

November 6, 2021

Mayberry Diner

333 N. 8253 Mayberry Square S, Sylvania | 2155 S. Byrne Rd. / 3606 Sylvania Ave., Toledo

Mon. to Sat. 6AM-3PM | Sun. 7AM-2PM

Mayberrydiners.com

When brunching with small children, two details are of utmost importance: length of the dining experience and kids menu options. Slow service with children translates to missed naps, tardy game arrivals and/or hangry children. Perhaps worse is stumbling upon a menu that doesn’t offer any options for the picky eaters.

And if you have one of those toddlers who eats everything, I urge you not to become overly confident. Both my kids ate everything from guacamole by the spoonful to grape leaves by the handful. Once they started preschool, they began to (I’m presuming) emulate the other kids and now live off of mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. That’s what I get for internally gloating about my worldly toddlers eating habits.

Ticking the boxes

Mayberry Diner checks the boxes for speed and kids menu options. We had less than one hour to eat lunch between soccer games at Pacesetter Park, and we rushed over to Mayberry Square at noon, crossing our fingers that we could eat in time for the next game despite it being the middle of the lunch hour.

Not only did we make it to the second game on time, but we ordered, ate and paid within 35 minutes of sitting down. In awe of the speedy service, my kids insisted it was “super fast” because their lunch lady was one of the servers. They had a valid point: If you can wrangle and serve dozens of elementary students in 20 minutes, then feeding a family of four in half an hour is a cakewalk.

We all chose breakfast items for lunch: my six-year-old ordered pancakes while my eight-year-old chose French toast sticks with bacon (and then helped with his sister’s bacon as well). I ordered the #2 — two eggs with hashbrowns and a biscuit — and my husband picked a breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese and bacon on an English muffin.

I love breakfast foods, and Mayberry Diner did not disappoint. The spindly hashbrowns brought me straight back to childhood memories of dining with my dad on the weekends at one diner or another. The eggs were cooked perfectly “over-medium” (a feat I still cannot successfully manage despite 30 years of trying) and the buttery biscuit melted in my mouth.

My husband, who does not dole out compliments easily, exclaimed, “I’d eat here again!” My kids gobbled up their food, and I had to remind my eight-year-old to slow down.

A mom and pop diner with three Toledo area locations

Despite Mayberry Diner serving delicious diner food for years, we had never visited — simply because it was a hike from where we live. There are now three locations: one in western Sylvania in Mayberry Square by Pacesetter Park, another in West Toledo off of Sylvania Ave. by Monroe St,, and a third in South Toledo off of Byrne Rd..

In the current stages of the global pandemic, with restaurants closing their doors and/or struggling to find staff, successfully maintaining three different locations says a lot about Mayberry Diners. Perhaps it’s the great prices, the reliable food and the speedy service that has allowed them to flourish. Whatever the secret, add Mayberry Diner to your list of places to take your clan.

Bottom Line:

Mayberry Diners now has three locations: Sylvania, West Toledo and South Toledo, all serving diner food at reasonable prices and with speed and efficiency. The variety of both breakfast and lunch options will satisfy every craving — and appease even the picky eaters. Breakfast is available any time, including several gluten-free and dairy-free options.

The short course:

Outdoor dining: No.

Online ordering: No.

Carryout: Yes.

1. Delivery: No.

Kids’ Menu: Yes.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Kimmie

November 5, 2021

This month brings out the passion and creativity for your mysterious and sometimes quiet Scorpio child. Do you ever get that feeling that inside that mysterious mind is a creative genius? This is the blessing of being the parent of a Scorpio child. They want you to get closer to them by letting them discover their talents through experience.

This month Scorpio illuminates their inner passions. Here’s a suggestion: take a trip to your local Dollar Store and pick up some art canvas, colored pencils, stencils, an art apron, a table cover and paint. Then stop at a craft store and get some good paint brushes and a sponge. The cost will be less than $50 ! Put the tablecloth over your table, and set up a creative space for them to express themselves. Scorpio children love to explore new things. Tell them that you just wanted to have some fun drawing, painting and that they can too. Leave it set up for a week and you will see them (on their own time) delving into their inner expression.

For moms and dads who like to keep everything neat and tidy, let go of the OCD. Your Scorpio child is independent and will surely develop their own ways of organizing. This month their minds are focused on expression and, as a parent, the best way to understand them is to let them find ways to express themselves! Don’t worry about their spurts of excitement followed by quiet detachment. This is their nature. Astrologically, this is the perfect time to understand them at a deeper level! It is also the perfect time to nurture their sensitive minds and emotions.

As the middle of the month approaches and the fall settles in, take them outside and let them enjoy the colors of nature and breath in the crisp air. This will keep them from hiding out in their room. Make it a month with limited computer games and television by encouraging them to experience nature! Their gentle minds need a break from the stimulation, and they need to find ways to be themselves.

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