The Lathrop House in Sylvania has a rich history and once housed runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. The Metroparks of Toledo Area and The Friends of the Lathrop House have partnered to raise awareness of the home's history and its restoration. Recently, the organizations announced the Underground Railroad Essay Contest, encouraging students in fifth through eighth grades to write essays paying homage to the courage of both those who sought freedom and the conductors on the Underground Railroad. Teachers are encouraged to send one essay per 30 students, and prompts vary per grade level. For complete essay prompts visit www.metroparkstoledo.com and see the Winter Program Guide. Entries must be received by April 12 and can be sent to Janice Scovic (5338 River Oaks Ct., Sylvania. 43560). For more info call 419-407-9700.
And the award goes to
No one can argue with the fact that The Toledo Zoo is the ultimate place for children to explore the world of animals! This past September, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums awarded The Toledo Zoo’s Nature’s Neighborhood with 2011 Top Honors in exhibit design for its educational, engaging area for children to learn through play. “The Toledo Zoo is proud to accept the 2011 Exhibit Award for Nature’s Neighborhood and looks forward to inspiring young minds for generations to come,” says Dr. Anne Baker, Toledo Zoo’s CEO and Executive Director. For more info call 419-385-4040 or visit www.toledozoo.org.
Burritos and spaetzle exist in perfect harmony
Arturo’s Fritz & Alfredo’s
3025 N. Summit St. Toledo
419-729-9775
www.toledostripletreat.com
Mon: 11am-9pm
Tue-Thur: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11-12am
Sun: 3-9pm
A Mexican restaurant also serves German food? Skeptical, if not downright confused? What could be the reason for mixing those two ethnicities under one restaurant roof? Well, there’s a little story…
It’s all in the family
In 1992, Al and Adele Mundt opened Fritz & Alfredo’s on Summit St. near Point Place. The restaurant was primarily Mexican, reflecting Adele’s heritage. But to reflect Al’s heritage as well, they offered a few German selections including German beer. They sold the restaurant to Adele’s brother Arturo Cavasos in 2003, who renamed it Arturo’s Fritz & Alfredo’s.
Well known local restaurants Loma Linda’s, Ventura’s and Barron’s Café are owned by family of Mr. Cavasos and he is also part owner of Barron’s. Mr. Cavasos and his siblings were migrant workers who travelled to this area from Texas every year when they were young. In 1950, they decided to make northwest Ohio their home. His sister opened Loma Linda’s in 1955. “Most of my business is regulars…..they’re all friends,” says Mr. Cavasos.
Options for any craving
The restaurant was plenty busy, yet we were seated immediately. Though our dinners arrived quickly, I wish I had noticed the trivia books sitting on the buffet near the entrance BEFORE it was time to go home. Filled with a variety of subjects, they are laden with interesting facts that are usually good for a laugh or two. Be sure to grab one to take to your table before you are seated.
The menu was a bit daunting, but I had a craving for some German food so that narrowed things down a bit for me. My children, on the other hand, were all about the chips and salsa and cheese quesadilla with fries for $3.39 plus drink. Here’s a word of caution if you have young children. They don’t carry kid-friendly cups. So bring the sipper along!
Other options for kids 12 and under included chicken wings, hot dogs, chicken fingers or dinosaur nuggets all served with applesauce or fries. The adult menu offered every kind of Mexican item you could think of and then some. My husband was craving chicken soft tacos and enjoyed the fact they were made with chunk chicken instead of the usual shredded variety he has eaten at many places.
Favorite German dishes
Moving on to my favorite part of the menu, German entrees and sides, it included six entrees from Weiner Schnitzel (veal) to Schlachter-Platte (bratwurst and knockwurst). I was craving the Huehner Schnitzel which was a skinless chicken breast lightly beer-battered and pan-fried. It was tender and cooked just right. Along with my salad I selected sweet and sour red cabbage and spaetzle (noodles) for $11.00. It wouldn’t be a German meal without potato pancakes and I wasn’t disappointed. My children also liked them! We’ll definitely order more next time.
Mr. Cavasos encouraged me to try their beef rouladen next time. It consists of tender slices of beef rolled up with bacon, onion, and a carrot stick. It’s fried then baked. Mr. Cavasos said it’s wonderful. Whether it’s Mexican or German at Arturo’s, it’s all good.
Bottom Line: The Mexican fare at the four family owned restaurants around town is quite similar. However, if you’re looking to also try some wonderful German food, Arturo’s Fritz & Alfredo’s is worth the stop in North Toledo. There is plenty on the menu to keep the kiddos happy, too. Don’t forget the sippy cup!
Karen Zickes is a mom of three active children and freelance writer who resides in Holland, OH. She can be reached in c/o [email protected].
Growing into "Daddy"
“Daddy, I need you” were the words that woke me from a deep sleep. I got out of bed and went to see what my daughter wanted. A drink of water and some reassuring words allayed her fears which came from a bad dream and she fell back to sleep — but I remained awake, struck by the simple word “Daddy.” Maybe because I was awakened out of a deep sleep or maybe because I had just never contemplated it before, I was mesmerized by that word. It was not the first time she had called me that name in her five years of life. But this time made me truly think about the meaning of that name, called out in the night, from a fearful child, in need of a drink of water.
It went through my mind that "daddy" is a name that is earned — something that comes from a relationship, not just an indication of status. Anyone can be a father but daddy requires an investment of time — a true relationship. A child who calls for her daddy knows that is someone she can trust. At that moment the sheer weight of the responsibility hit me like never before.
Simple investments
I seem to start late with just about everything. Marriage and fatherhood are no exception. I was 33 when I married my wife and 38 when we had our first child, Elizabeth. We now have two children, our son joined us two years ago, and the life I lived before seems so far away. In that life I only had myself to be concerned with. When I came home at night no one was waiting and I could choose to do whatever I wanted. Today when I come home there is a pounding of feet followed by a yell of “Daddy” and two little people run into my arms, making me drop whatever I am carrying. Wow! What an amazing feeling! That feeling of exaltation though comes at a price: these people completely trust you and rely on you for everything.
I don’t usually think about that price but then, as I sat in bed pondering that single word, I realized something I took for granted. A person earns the name “Daddy” over time. When Elizabeth says those words she has great expectations that every fear, every worry will be resolved by a single person responding to her call. The simplicity of that thinking and — at the same time — the complexity of the response that I must provide is amazing. I am responsible for a life and a belief that I can solve anything, do everything and will respond to all requests with the right answer. How in the world do I ever tell her the truth?
Earning the word
Some linguists may argue with my valuation of this word, saying that the words dada and mama, which turn into daddy and mommy, are simply the result of the easiest sounds a child can make when first talking. According to those same linguists, a parent views that initial sound as a reference to them because parents are self-absorbed and think that all references relate to them. (Parenthetically, I wonder if the experts who come up with these theories may have had some issues with their parents.) In any event, even if the linguists are right, I still believe that Daddy is an earned name. It may start
out as a sound but over time, like all words with meaning to us, it becomes something more.
Before I went back to sleep that night I pledged to myself that I wouldn’t take that word for granted anymore. I will respond as if the world depended on it, because to her it does. I will also appreciate and
enjoy these moments because someday the word Daddy will come with more responsibility and a realization – because by then she will have lived with me long enough – that I am simply a man who loves her more than she can imagine. I sure hope that is enough.
April's fool
We have the pleasure of hosting a young student from China. She is a joyful addition to our crew of crazies. I ponder daily how this serene, peaceful woman of quiet strength and intelligence survives in our house of mayhem. I have tried to educate her on the American experience. She finally understands that a fat man dressed in red brings gifts to well behaved children, a bunny (not a chicken) delivers Easter eggs and candy, and an oversized rodent can predict how much longer winter will last. I am clueless though on how to prepare her for the first day of April.
My children have pulled a few pranks that have left me feeling a tad foolish and secretly appreciative of their creativity. They are pros at the classics especially the old “put a rubber band around the kitchen sprayer so whoever turns on the sink will get doused” trick. It was wonderfully executed but unfortunately, they got the wrong target. I believe it is Murphy’s Law that pretty much guaranteed the most anal-retentive member of the family would turn on the water. One of their finest moments of foolery was at my expense. The girls went online, found a photo of a sumo wrestler, cropped it so only his face appeared and printed the realistic life-sized sumo head image. My children then figured out where their creation would be eye level for their above average height mother (great math skills and team work I must say) and taped it to my mirror. The morning of the first of April, I woke up, headed to the bathroom and found the large headed sumo man staring back at me instead of my own reflection. I’m
so proud.
Bouncing back
My gang certainly did not learn these skills from me. Every time, and I do mean EVERY TIME, I try to pull a prank, I end up bamboozled. I once took a small clip earring I borrowed from my Mom and put it in my nose. I proceeded downstairs to have breakfast with the girls' conservative man-of-science-and-decorum father. He didn’t notice at first, but once I pointed out my new acquisition, it made an impact. I told him that as an artistic, creative woman, I had a need to express myself. Yep, that’s how it began. Now I have a daughter with a little stud in her nose.
You would think I would have learned my lesson but I am either a very slow learner or an eternal optimist. Once again I tried to my hand at a little joke. I told the girls' Dad while vacationing in Florida that a lizard had come in through the door of the condo. He loathed all reptilian creatures, so he spent the day searching for the supposed loose beast. He placed towels under the doors, searched every crevice and was a basket of nerves until I finally couldn’t see him suffer and said, “April Fools!” The next morning I was leaning up against the condo wall chatting with a neighbor when my hand felt something that didn’t feel like concrete. I turned to the wall to see the very thing I had told my family was running free in our abode the day before. We were looking at one another eye to eye, and to this day I am convinced that little lizard experienced the same fear and surprise as I did (minus the screaming and incontinence). It took off and headed directly through the door I left ajar and went into the condo. I couldn’t get anyone to believe me until the little green guy made a pilgrimage from under the fridge to a new spot under the stove.
Creature comforts
I thought about giving up the foolish endeavors especially after telling the girls' Dad (I know there’s a pattern here. High degree of seriousness and an easy target) who coveted his privacy and creature comforts that my family was going to descend upon us while on holiday and we would have to sleep on the floor. It didn’t even take 24 hours before I got the call that once again my made-up tale would turn into a reality. I think my final April Fool’s joke caused me to permanently swear off the foolish behavior. After a day of motherhood, experiencing projectile vomiting, teething, diaper rash and a full blown temper tantrum (OK I was the one who had the tantrum), I announced that I was pregnant. HA HA HA! I really had them going. Maria was born in January of the following year. Do the math.
I think I’ll bypass celebrating April Fool’s Day with our beloved exchange student, for truly it does defy explanation. I’ll stick to clarifying dancing leprechauns, putting candles in gourds while handing out treats to freaky little goblins, and my neighbor’s version of the holy trinity, Frosty the Snowman, Mrs. Claus and a camel.
A natural fit
A communal gathering space where inner peace and fitness become one was Deborah Chapman's dream four years ago, when TONIC Studio's building was under construction. "Everything you see here, she designed," says Kimberly Chapman (Deborah’s daughter-in-law) co-owner of TONIC Studio. From the river rock that lines the walls, to the glistening teak wood and sleek edges, TONIC is a tranquil space with contemporary, stylish flair.
Offering Beyond Barre, personal training, Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa Flow and Pilates classes as well as private instruction, the facility offers two rooms with Pilates equipment and a large space for group classes in its Yoga Room. "We're also building a yoga deck outside," says Chapman. "Beyond Barre is a low-impact combination of yoga, pilates and basic ballet and in 60 minutes you can burn up to 800 calories. We have everyone from 18-80 year olds in the class and I teach it. We also offer Zumba which is more intense."
"We believe in an integrated approach to health and wellness," says Chapman. "We're dedicated to assisting our clients to find the right work out for them." With twelve instructors, including Chapman herself, the Studio offers workouts in a small setting with the added benefits of personal instruction and a private atmosphere. There are even classes for the younger set: TONIC offers Mommy and Me Yoga (for dads, siblings and caregivers too!) every Friday at 11:30am. And for those who haven't quite come to fruition yet, Prenatal Yoga is offered on Wednesday evenings at 6pm.
For more info or for class pricing visit www.tonicmaumee.com or call 419-794-4044. 2221 River Rd., Maumee.