Food Is The Star at Star Diner

January 31, 2019

The Short Course

Kid-friendly: Yes.
To avoid wait: Weekend mornings can be busy; large groups.
can call ahead
Noise level: Moderate.
Bathroom amenities: Changing station.
High chairs? Yes.
Got milk? Yes, as well as a variety of juices.
Kids’ menu? Yes.
Allergies: Nuts are used on several entrees. Be sure to alert server at time of ordering so precautions can be taken in the kitchen to have your food prepared separately.

I’m a self-proclaimed “Foodie”, and in describing myself, I could go as far as to say “Food Snob.” Though national chain restaurants have their place, it baffles me that Toledoans would choose to have breakfast at one of them over a local breakfast spot. Star Diners are a wonderful, homegrown Toledo option for breakfast/lunch.

You’ll feel right at home

Star Diners had their beginning long ago on Navarre Ave. in Oregon, where, Joey Skaff owned the Navarre Diner. Fast forward several years and Mr. Skaff has taken the Navarre Diner concept, renamed it the Star Diner and duplicated it in four locations. Skaff, also the original owner of the Avenue Bistro which was located at Central and McCord, was looking to limit his hours in the time consuming restaurant business and decided to concentrate on breakfast and lunch.

According to Star Diner Dussel location manager Rose Carmona, ”Joey has his hands in every detail.” That just might explain why every time we’ve visited a Star Diner, the food quality has been consistent. Ms. Carmona was effusive, talking about her customers and the regulars, she described as a “pay it forward” kind of bunch. “Our customers are the best in town,” she said. “I’ve made so many friends and watched kids grow up,” she added, reflecting on her 14 years at the Dussel location.

Great Food. Large Portions. Small Prices.

That’s the mantra at Star Diner. My kids and I indulged on a Saturday morning for breakfast. You can have breakfast or lunch no matter what time you arrive at Star Diner. The breakfast selections include a variety of “Eggstraordinary Eggs”, skillets and omelets. And don’t forget the pancakes, waffles, crepes and French toast. The list of burgers, salads and sandwiches seems endless.

What might you expect to pay for the taste-bud-tempting California skillet that I had for breakfast? It came loaded with fresh spinach, artichokes, roasted red pepper, and portabella mushrooms sautéed and placed over a bed of home fries, topped with two eggs, cooked your way, and mozzarella. The answer: only $8.50. It was so delicious, filled me up for almost the entire day, and yes, comparable pricing to the “chains” that people think are a great deal.

Something else you’ll always find at Star Diner, all the food is made fresh and in house. “The majority of our food is made in house”, said Ms. Carmona. She said everything from their bread, to soups, dressings, yogurt, you name it . . . Is made in house. You can taste the difference.

Other incredible dishes we had that day included the Western omelet, a burger, an all meat omelet and French toast. Oh my kids were happy campers. For the younger set, 10 and under, they offer a kids menu priced to please families on a budget; Breakfast is $3.50 and lunch menu items don’t exceed $4.50.

The little black skirt

Let’s just talk about the little black skirts. Yes, I’m going to discuss the elephant in the room. By now someone may have mentioned to you that the Star Diner waitresses wear short skirts. Well yes, they do. They wear short black skirts that look like tennis skirts and red and black v-neck Star Diner t-shirts. And did my teenage boys take note? They’re teen boys. Of course they did. (chuckle) And then they moved on. However, all the girls I saw looked tasteful, were friendly, and treated everyone the same way — warm yet professional.

When I asked Ms. Carmona about the uniforms she said it’s what the staff has always worn. She went on to say that Diner customers number more females than males, along with a lot of families. So no, this isn’t a diner that a bunch of guys are patronizing because of the short skirts. The first time I stopped in I dismissed the myth. The staff are all friendly waitresses who made sure I had an enjoyable meal and experience, treating me with respect. I really wondered what the big deal was all about.

Bottom Line: Star Diners have a location near you and you’ll be pleased with the quality and amazing selection of breakfast and lunch entrees. Weekends can be busy and if you have a larger group you may want to call ahead. Much of their seating is for 2-4 people so large groups can be a challenge if they’re busy.

Star Diner
457 W. Dussel Maumee | 419-897-9353
2524 Navarre Ave, Oregon | 419-691-2280
3067 West Alexis, Toledo | 419-472-5103
6710 W Central Ave, Toledo | 419-841-0230
Mon-Sat: 6a.m.-2p.m.
Sun: 7a.m.-2p.m.
www.stardiner.org

Serenity Health & Wellness Center Hosts Women’s Empowerment Night

Toledo Parent Staff

January 31, 2019

If you want to be more present, less stressed and have a better work/life balance in 2019, mark your calendar to attend Serenity Health & Wellness Center Women’s Empowerment Night. Motivational speaker Deitra Hickey will give tips to help women find more balance, ease stress and have a healthier, happier year. The event is Friday, March 8 at the Valentine Theater. Tickets are available at Serenity Health & Wellness Center, 1685 Lance Pointe Drive, Maumee. deitrahickey.com

Celebrating Black History Month: Books to Inspire Your Family

Lindsey Melden

January 31, 2019

February can be a hard month. With the remnants of the winter holidays packed away, here in northwest Ohio, we brace for the harshest weather and bleak days. And if an illness infects your entire household, spring can’t come soon enough.

Over the last few years our family has begun to enthusiastically celebrate Black History Month. And while it’s important for a family to read books depicting diversity all year long, February is a month to celebrate and learn about other cultures and people. We know it’s not enough to raise kids who “don’t see color,” we need to raise kids who learn at a young age to read, respect, and learn from the voices of people of color.

Rosa

by Nikki Giovanni & illustrated by Bryan Collier

Asked to recall a famous black American historical figure, the name Rosa Parks quickly comes to mind. This book dives deeply into the story of the life of Ms. Parks, telling her story vividly in the context of other events going on in the country during the 1950’s. The voices and passionate action of Rosa and countless other black women led to boycotts and subsequent desegregation. Bryan Collier’s powerful paper collage illustrations bring the story to life.

The People Could Fly

by Virginia Hamilton & illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon

This picture book retells an American black folktale. Beautifully written with a song-like cadence, the book reminisces the author’s childhood as the granddaughter of a fugitive slave. The illustrations are stunning, contrasting the darkness of slavery with the light & joy of freedom.

Heart and Soul: the Story of America and African Americans

written & illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Kadir Nelson is one of my favorite illustrators. His breathtaking work makes reading one of his books like a walking through an art museum. Heart & Soul, one of my favorites, is told in the voice of a grandparent speaking to a grandchild, relating the story of (her own grandfather) coming to America on a slave ship. The grandfather’s story weaves through history, tracing wars, abolition and Reconstruction, ultimately demonstrating how the lives of countless black & native Americans has paved the way for justice & liberty – the true heart & soul of America.

Additional books:

(Babies & Pre-readers)
Sing-Along Song by: JoAnn Early Macken
Bring on that Beat by: Rachel Isadora
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by: Vashti Harrison
Cassie’s Word Quilt by: Faith Ringgold
Bigger Than Daddy by: Harriet Ziefert

(Readers & big kids)
Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story of the Underground Railroad by: Ellen Levine
Moses: When Harriet Tubman led her People to Freedom by: Carole Boston Weatherford
Hip Hop Speaks to Children: a Celebration of Poetry with a Beat by: Nikki Giovanni
Lincoln & Douglass: an American Friendship by: Nikki Giovanni
Teammates: Tiki and Ronde Barber by: Barber

(Teens & Adults)
The Hate U Give by: Angie Thomas
March: Book One by: John Lewis
Sing Unburied, Sing by: Jesmyn Ward
Underground Railroad by: Colson Whitehead
Homegoing by: Yaa Gyasi

Toledo Metroparks Move Indoors to the Libraries

Kimberly Feldkamp

January 31, 2019

While it’s cold outside, it’s warm inside the library, providing a great place to spend time learning about nature while avoiding the elements this winter. The Metroparks of Toledo, partnering with the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, bring educational resources to the community with programs about winter and the outdoors, including animal tracking, birding and birds of prey, fishing and fly-fishing, ice painting and more. Programs run through the end of April. For a complete schedule visit toledolibrary.org/metroparks.

February 2019 Giveaway—BrainBolt by Educational Insights

Digital Media

January 31, 2019

Here’s a way to beat winter boredom – play BrainBolt by Educational Insights. Tiles light up in random order on the handheld, wireless screen-free game console in a blazing fast memory game. It’s perfect for solo play or for head-to-head competition with friends and family.

Tips to Help Your Teen Deal With ADHD

Cheryl Maguire

January 31, 2019

“I got a detention for forgetting my book three times in a row.”

Michael sent that text message to his mom. She wasn’t surprised since she received similar messages previously about how Michael forgot to do his homework or misplaced it. At age eight he was diagnosed with ADHD. Now that he is thirteen, she hoped that he would be more organized. She also wonders if this normal “teenager” behavior or is this due to his diagnosis of ADHD?

One of two million

Michael is one of two million American teens diagnosed with ADHD. According to ADDitude (attitudemag.com), compared to an average teen, teens with ADHD are four times more likely to get into a car accident. Also, 45% of teens with ADHD have been suspended and the majority of special needs teens diagnosed with ADHD report being bullied. A parent of a teen with ADHD will need to find ways to help them deal with these additional challenges.

“Everyone has ADHD behavior at times,” says Dr. Sarah Cheyette, a pediatric neurologist and author of the book, ADHD & The Focused Mind: A Guide to Giving Your ADHD Child Focus, Discipline & Self-Confidence. She says the difference is that the person with ADHD is unfocused more of the time.

Task focused results

“Most people become more focused when they decide they want to do something,” says Cheyette. By making a decision to do an activity you take responsibility for doing that task. If a teen is interested in doing that task it will be easier to do.

But if your teen doesn’t like doing a task such as homework, then changing their mindset can help. Cheyette explains. “If you say to yourself, ‘I don’t feel like doing this,’ then you probably won’t.” She further explains that by changing the thought process to a more positive thought, teens will become more focused and complete the task.

Importance of Health

Cheyette also stresses the importance of receiving adequate sleep, exercising and eating healthy foods. Lack of sleep has been correlated with poor impulse control and memory which are issues already experienced by a kid with ADHD. She adds, “You need to manage electronic device use and make sure they have friends who are not distracting.”

Cheyette says another way to help teens with ADHD is to create goals. Once a goal is achieved then it will help them to feel successful which will lead to achieving more goals. It is important that the teen is an active participant in creating the goals so they “own” them.

As a parent, you may be tempted to provide directions or “nag” your child to make sure they are working towards their goals. Instead, Cheyette says “Make observations and ask questions such as ‘How can you help yourself?’ or ‘How can you act differently next time?’ to allow your child to think about and own their behaviors.”

Cheyette says, “There are differences between a child and a teen with ADHD.” When a child has ADHD, parents tend to be more forgiving and help them with their unfocused behaviors. A teen with ADHD wants to be independent yet they may lack the skills. A teen’s unfocused behaviors can often lead to more severe consequences such as getting arrested or causing a car accident. It is important to understand these differences when trying to help your child deal with ADHD.

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