If you attended Momentum 2019, you might have noticed the eight-foot, double-sided sculpture reminiscent of a sticker that is Matt Hoffman’s “You Are Beautiful,” which is the message on display on one side. The other side says, “You Are Doing Great.” Don’t we all need to hear these messages of positivity from time-to-time? Hoffman clearly thinks so. Luckily, for those of us in the Toledo area, the sculpture’s permanent home is now in International Park, where you can check it out while at The Docks or see it from across the river in Promenade Park.
St. Ursula Academy invested in its fine arts curriculum by adding a state-of-the-art piano lab, available to students grades 6-12 for a variety of music-related courses. The lab, 11 Yamaha Digital Pianos (10 for students, one for a teacher), connects all pianos through headsets, which allows students to work individually, in pairs or in groups, mirroring setups offered in university music departments and select high schools around the country.
Food is the ingredient that binds us together, and that is especially true during the holidays. No matter the celebration, religion, region or culture, food is always at the center. Local Toledo families share how their special holiday meals bring them together, creating memories, traditions and full bellies. Ramadan with the Alagha family
Ramadan with the Alagha family
Abdelraof and Eman with their children Ibrahim, Yousef and Juan.
Food is love, and that truth is evident in the Arab culture. Ramadan, a holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer for Muslims, has changing dates every year. Fasting, abstaining from food or drink during daylight hours, is coupled with doing good deeds and not gossiping. Over this period of time, the Alagha family decorates their house with laterns and crescents as the “new moon” marks the start of Ramadan. They also invite people over to their house to break the fast, pray at the mosque (Taraweeh), and give to families in need, following the principle of Zakat, one of the five pilars of Islam.
The first pre-dawn meal of the day during Ramadan is called “suhoor.” Usually very early in the morning, the meal is typically something light like yogurt, vegetables or fruits. Each day’s fast is broken with a meal known as “iftar.” Traditionally, a date is eaten to break the fast. It is followed by sides of soup, salad and samosas and several main dishes. Many Palestinians stick to traditional dishes such as molukhiyah and Qidra rice, which consists of rice, spices, and either chicken or beef. Finally, Ramadan desserts include: Qatayif, a sweet mini pancake filled with cream and nuts; Kanafe, fine semolina dough topped with cheese and sugar syrup; baklava, layers of filo dough, butter, chopped nuts and sweet sugar syrup; and rice pudding.
For the Alagha qidra, a meat and rice dish recipe, go to toledoparent.com. Ramadan for the year 2020 starts at sunset on April 23 and ends at sundown on May 23.
Diwali with the Brown family
Dr. Aparna and Chris Brown with daughters Tara and Nora.
Celebrating the triumph of good over evil and light overcoming darkness, Diwali is a five-day festival of lights observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists around the world. It marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year with quite a celebration! Dr. Aparna Brown, who grew up in India, experienced all the festivities as a child: women in colorful attire, henna on hands and feet, homes decorated with oil lamps and sidewalks with “rangoli,” ancient colorful art from natural substances.
Aparna shares this tradition with her community by helping to host a Diwali party at the elementary school every year. The celebration is centered around partaking in a feast of mainly traditional Indian foods, like biryani, naan and curry, with one of her favorite dishes, pongal (a popular rice dish made with milk and sugar). They finish the meal with sweets or “mithai.” Another favorite activity is lighting the fireworks after dark!
Dr. Brown’s favorite dish, pongal or lentils and rice, is available online at toledoparent.com. Diwali 2020 will be on November 14.
Binding Families Together
Holidays around the world create lasting memories and traditions, while binding families together and giving solace and comfort with fellowship and food. While each of these families have different beliefs, they all honor their beliefs and their loved ones through tradition. Celebrating tradition blends the past with the present and the future. Regardless of what specific foods you eat or customs you observe, let your holidays be a time for special moments of tenderness with the important people in your life.
Traditional American Christmas with the Joyce Family
Jeff, Tracey, Molly, Jamie, Ryan Joyce and Nicole Ebersole in the San Juan Island
Christmas Eve starts around 3pm at a relative’s house, and everyone brings part of the meal, including ham, turkey, sweet potato casserole, roasted Brussels sprouts, cranberry relish and some family favorites: holiday ribbon gelatin (red white and green) and Uncle Mike’s cashew salad.
Cousins exchange presents, handmade gifts are passed around (matching t-shirts for all 14 grandchildren), Christmas cookies are gobbled by the handfuls and everyone enjoys a family tradition: cinnamon rolls from a recipe passed down through generations.
The evening ends with mass at 9PM, as their faith is central to the celebration. On Christmas day, the celebrating happens all over again, switching to the other side of their extended family, where the Joyces enjoy more food, presents, and love.
For the recipe to the famous Joyce family cinnamon rolls, visit us at toledoparent.com! Christmas is celebrated on December 25.
Hanukkah with the Chernow family
David and Rachel Chernow with daughters Hannah and Sophia.
Rachel Chernow is a trained chef and cooking instructor and her husband, David, is executive chef at Zia’s and soon will be making the move to Real Seafood. Rachel explains the meaning of Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights: “In our house, we light the Chanukiah, which is a menorah with nine places to hold candles. Each night the main candle helps to light a new candle. We say two blessings each night. The holiday is celebrated for eight nights.”
Frying foods in oil is symbolic because, historically, the Jews had to fight to reclaim their religion and their temple in Jerusalem, and after winning the fight, there was only enough oil to light the eternal flame for one night. The small amount of oil lasted for eight days and eight nights— a miracle.
Potato pancakes (“latkes” in Yiddish), eaten with sour cream or applesauce, are a traditional Hanukkah meal, and the Chernow family tries to make potato latkes at least twice during the holiday (with busy schedules, they sometimes use hash browns to save time instead of grating the potatoes). Another traditional dish is “sufganiyot,” a classic jelly donut.
The Chernow potato latke recipe is simple: grate potatoes (about two cups), add 3 eggs, salt to taste, and flour to thicken. Blend all ingredients, make patties, and fry them in a pan with oil. Hanukkah is December 22-30, 2019.
Kid friendly: Yes. To avoid wait: Arrive early or make reservations. Noise level: Moderate. Bathroom amenities: No changing station. High chairs? Yes. Kids’ menu: Yes and only $1 on Mondays. Allergies? Be sure to alert your servers to that precautions can be taken in the kitchen.
My “birthday week” was a great excuse to take it up a notch for dinner out on the town, while I wasn’t looking to break the bank with my crew. Those boys can eat these days and they don’t concern themselves with the fact that momma’s on a budget! With those goals, it seemed that Next Door 112, the newish restaurant in downtown Sylvania, might be just what I was looking for.
The casual sister of Element 112
Element 112 opened in downtown Sylvania in the fall of 2012. Described by owner and chef Chris Nixon, it is a place “for your big moments in life,” using chef-inspired food throughout the meal to enhance the experience. Though Chef Nixon was raised in Sylvania, he spent many years away, working in some of the top restaurants in New York City and Denmark. He knows a thing or two about creating a wonderful dining experience.
At the end of 2018, Nixon opened a second restaurant, Next Door 112, literally right next door to Element 112. They even share the same entrance and bar. Nixon describes Next Door as a “restaurant with a homey, relaxed atmosphere,” with a goal to create a place to take a break from the norm for an hour or so and enjoy a nice meal. It’s casual and you can come as you are, yet the minimalistic and slightly modern atmosphere takes it up a notch from ordinary dining establishments, and it comes with BIG flavors.
Small menu with a variety
According to Chef Nixon, his menus for both restaurants follow seasonality but, sometimes because he has the urge, he changes it up. The “Drop Your France” burger, a menu staple, is loaded with melted Swiss cheese, beurre blanc, which in French means “white butter,” and caramelized onions. My oldest son enjoyed it to the last bite.
Despite a small menu, the evening we visited, three salads and several types of soups were offered. They always offer cheese and sourdough toast, with the cheese selection rotating regularly. As for entrees, other than the burger, there were options for fish, pasta, flatbread, Brussels sprouts and another sandwich. Unless you’re very picky, you will find something on the menu to suit you, and that includes some wonderful desserts, including a vegan creme brulee.
I was supposed to be sharing my entrée with my friend, but somehow, I ate most of it and still devoured some of his. The roasted salmon with creamy polenta and roasted corn salsa was packed with amazing flavor. His Gemelli pasta was made with garlic cream, kale, and pecorino (a family of hard Italian sheep’s milk cheeses) and he garnished it with shrimp. My youngest ordered the flatbread, which included chimichurri (a condiment originating in Argentina), pickled onions and pecorino among other things. The presentation of everything was a treat in and of itself.
Bring the family!
Even with the wonderful atmosphere and delectable eats, this is also a place to stop in with your kids. Chef Nixon has two young children himself and he designed this restaurant to be a place where families can feel welcome.
Not only that, but little ones 10 and under eat for $1 on Mondays. Their kid menu is $4-$5 and includes linguini alfredo, lil’ burger, grilled cheese and baked chicken.
Bottom Line:
Whether it’s date night, dinner out with the family, or meeting up with friends, Next Door 112 is perfect for any occasion. They have recently opened for lunch, too. The atmosphere is welcoming and comfortable and the food is as delectable as you would expect from the sister restaurant Element 112. Not only are children welcome but they eat for a buck on Mondays.
Next Door 112 5735 Main St., Sylvania 419-517-1104 | www.nextdoor112.com Mon-Sat: 11a.m.-10p.m. | Closed Sunday
Local bestselling children’s book authors Nick Rokicki and Joe Kelley have immortalized the short-lived holiday attraction with their newest children’s book, The Christmas Weed. Available on Amazon and petethepopcorn.com, the authors have also released a video reading of the book on YouTube to teach people about Toledo and the community that made the Christmas Weed famous.
Join the authors for a reading Saturday, December 14 at Franklin Park Mall.
Jason Kucsma, wife Megan Plesea and twins Aaron and Audrey, 5. Photo Credit: Helena Teresa Photography
New director at Toledo Library
Hopefully you’re no stranger to the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. With renovations recently completed at Main Library, 20 locations throughout the area and new programming popping up every month, there’s a lot happening at the library these days, including a new director at the helm.
A new chapter
Jason Kucsma, a 45-year-old Ohio native, husband and father of twin kindergartners, is ready for his new role as director and fiscal officer. Kucsma joined the Library in 2015 as Deputy Director and had been acting director since the death of Cylde Scoles in February. He was appointed Director by the board this summer.
Toledo Lucas County Public Library Director, Jason Kucsma
Kucsma went to college at Bowling Green, where he met his wife, Megan. Kucsma worked for a while on Clamor, a progressive politics and culture magazine, before moving to Arizona to get his master’s degree in Library and Information Science. While working in New York City with the New York Library Council and living in an 800-square foot apartment with his wife and six-month-old twins, the opportunity for a move back to Toledo opened up.
“It was a quick decision, really,” Kucsma said. “Toledo has a lot of great resources – the Metroparks, Toledo Museum of Art, Imagination Station, the Toledo Opera. There’s such a quality of life in our area and I think sometimes we don’t realize that until we’ve been away.”
Kucsma is passionate about what he does, noting the role libraries play in building strong communities.
“Essentially, literacy is at the core of what we do,” Kucsma said. “Not just reading, but digital literacy, financial literacy, health and wellness. We want to be active participants in the civic community. A guiding question for us is what does success look like in our area and how does the Library support that?”
All ages and stages
The Library has something to offer everyone. There are storytimes for toddlers and their caregivers. You can find fun STEM and STEAM programs for teens and tweens that teach them how to code. Adults can be part of a book club, spend time playing Euchre or let their creativity shine with different arts and crafts classes.
“We really want to help create well-rounded individuals that can succeed in the community,” Kucsma explained.
While you can find thousands of books on the shelves or check out digital copies on any of your devices, there are a lot of other needed resources you can find at the Library: 3D printers, audiobooks, DVDs, telescopes and tablets to check out.
In the summer, the Library connects thousands of kids to meals with the summer lunch program. “Unfortunately, for some kids in our region, this is the only meal they’ll get that day,” Kucsma said. “It’s a hard reality.”
The Homework Helper program assists students in grades K-8 with homework assignments, and the library also offers Tutor.com, online tutoring for older students. No appointment is necessary and you can log on for help from noon to midnight seven days a week.
A cool new program allows you to discover all that Toledo has to offer…simply with your library card. The new Discovery Pass enables access to area arts, cultural and recreational attractions for free or discounted rate. You can check out passes with your library card to enjoy Imagination Station, the Toledo Symphony, the Toledo Arts Commission and more. “It’s about giving people access,” Kucsma expounded.
It’s also about being adaptable. In this day when information is so readily available in so many ways, Kucsma explained the Library’s need to stay nimble, relevant, and responsive to community feedback. The Library is rooted in the tradition of reading and information, but it’s also about providing space for people to gather, collaborate and connect with one another.
Q&A
What’s your favorite activity to do with your family?
Library, Zoo, Metroparks, Imagination Station, Hens, Art Museum — you name it. We’re spoiled with a depth and breadth of things to do that make life great here in Toledo and Lucas County.
What’s your go-to activity when you finally have a few minutes to yourself?
Clean the house…seriously. When you have 5-year-old twins, there’s instant gratification there.
Name one thing you swore you’d never do as a parent, but totally do.
Eat the kids’ leftovers off their plates and call it “dinner.”
Describe your life in five words.
Always open to new opportunities.
What’s your favorite Toledo hangout?
We love spending “adult time” at Bellwether downtown and then heading over to Kengo for some of the best sushi we’ve ever had (anywhere, not just Toledo).
Describe Toledo in a sentence.
Toledo is rich in history and already realizing its vibrant future.
