#20. Cedar Point!

I wanted to do a post on Cedar Point ALL summer, but never managed to get around to it. Anyway, Cedar Point, America's Roller Coast, is one of my favorite places for a yearly pilgrimage for three reasons:

1. People Watching.

I do not know these people.

2. Happy Friar.

Best fries EVER.

3. Probably should mention the rides here somewhere.

Millennium Force - Pretty!

This year, the husband, my siblings and niece took a nice family trip, and stayed at one of the CP hotels. Sandcastle Suites, to be exact. It was just ok, but it was super nice to not have to drive home at the end of the day, exhausted, hungry and miles from a Taco Bell. It really wasn't bad to sleep six adults and a six year old, PLUS we got discounted admission to the park with our reservation.

We were actually lucky enough to go twice this year. It was hot and crowded the day of the family excursion, but later on in the season we went with friends, and pretty much walked right on to everything.

Anyway, I love the rollercoasters, I love the horribly caloric park food and I even enjoy watching probably the largest collection of crazy people in northern Ohio, outside of OLPH summer festival. At least in my experience. I am not looking forward to the day where I am old and get headaches and other aches and no longer enjoy the rides. I fear that day is quickly approaching, so I'm enjoying those spinny rides while I can, and you should too!

Everything else you need to know: www.cedarpoint.com .

#19. Get talked into participating in a potato pancake eating contest.

Every year, the third weekend of September, I look forward to either one of my best friend's weddings or Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. This year happened to be a year one of the bffs got married that weekend, so instead of spending Saturday night roaming the streets of downtown Cincinnati drunk and dressed like this:

I spent Saturday night standing up for one of my best friends as her maid of honor, drunk and dressed like this:

Pretty similar, no?

Anyway, missing my favorite Cincinnati event was made up for a few weeks later when we stumbled upon a fundraiser for the local Make-A-Wish Foundation chapter:

Oktoberfest TOLEDO!

Notice the appropriately placed haz-mat sign in the background.

It was a fun evening, despite the lack of Christian Moerlein OTR (beer of choice at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati). However, a couple of Warsteiners later (ok one) I found myself signing up for an all-you-can-eat potato pancake eating contest! I figured, hey, when will I ever have the chance to participate in a competitive eating competition? Sonya the Black Widow, I am not, but sometimes, you do things for the people you love:

And sometimes you do things because the people you love post embarrassing pictures of you on their blogs:

::NOM NOM NOM::

All in all, it was a fantastic evening. My mouth has finally recovered from being stuffed full of scalding hot potato pancake goodness, and I promise you, next year, that $50 gift card will be mine!

#18. How 'bout them apples?

I am almost ashamed to admit this, particularly since now that I think about it, I do remember learning in the seventh grade that not only was Johnny Appleseed the namesake of one of my favorite graces in Girl Scouts, he was also an actual person who roamed Ohio planting apple trees, but I just recently (ok, last year) learned that real, eating apples (not just crab apples) grow in Ohio.

And you can pick them!

Or rather, go somewhere, pay someone $14, and go out in their orchard and pick apples.

My friends and I were hoping to make this a fall tradition, but this year, despite it being 80 degrees the second week in October, was a little late for the self-pick. We did not leave disappointed though - the best part of 'apple picking' is the apple cider slushie and freshly made apple fritter you can enjoy afterward anyway! (These pics are from last year's expedition).

C is for CRUNK!

INFO: Macqueen Orchards - Holland, Ohio, www.macqueenorchards.com, open year-round except major holidays. Pick your own apples the last week of September - second week of October.

#13. Busken Bakery

Show me a person who doesn't like Busken cookies, and I'll show you a communist. Seriously. Who can resist smiley faces, or hearts/jack o'lanterns/christmas trees depending on the season?

INFO: Madison Rd. & Edwards Rd. Cincinnati, OH and other area locations. Open 24 Hours! (513) 871-2114. http://www.busken.com/

#12. Zip's Cafe

Zip's Cafe in the Mt. Lookout neighborhood of Cincinnati is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. Sure, it's just a hole in the wall burger joint, but these burgers have been known to be the downfall of many a vegetarian. In operation since 1926, Zip's consistently wins awards for the best burgers in the city. I once lived three doors up from Zip's, and it's amazing I didn't gain 87 million pounds. I have many happy memories of walking outside at night, and being greeted by the delicious aroma of onion rings. MMmmm!!

The menu is simple, but that's all part of the charm. On a recent visit to Zip's, I enjoyed a Zip Burger with cheese and pickles, and chili cheese fries. They also have black bean burgers, if you insist on remaining a vegetarian, awesome fish sandwiches, chili and macaroni and cheese. There is always a soup and dessert of the day.

There are several booths lining the walls, and long tables where you can dine in close quarters with Cincinnati's finest. The back room (and by room, I mean closet) has bar seating. Sitting back there guarantees you close access to all the beers on tap, but you won't get to see the train that runs around the ceiling ledge in the main part of the restaurant.

Zip's is packed every night for dinner, usually with a line out the door. It's worth the short wait to get a seat, and the staff is always friendly. Just make sure you watch out for your kids. According to a sign inside, "Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy".

INFO: 1036 Delta Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45208. 513-871-9876. www.zipscafe.com

#10. The Jewel of Toledo

I have had good and bad experiences with Indian food, but I am pleased to tell you the Jewel was one of the good ones. There are only two Indian places in Toledo, which makes me miss Cincinnati, where there are decent Indian places all over the city. I could not wait for my appetizer, Aloo Tiki:

Now, if you're not familiar with Indian food, you'll find that a lot of it looks like green mush (usually saag (spinach)), orange mush (could be anything from masala to curry) or hot pink (tandoori chicken). I usually frequent the Indian buffets, which are sometimes labeled, sometimes not, and it usually doesn't matter anyway, since I am really bad at remembering the names of things.

Back to my appetizer - it was basically a samosa (potatoes and veggies), only less fried, covered in a spicy green sauce, and served over crispy wonton-ish strips, covered in yogurt and strawberry (maybe?) sauce. It sounds odd, but it was DELICIOUS!! Two of my dining partners ordered the aloo tiki, and one had the samosa appetizer.

On to the main course!! I usually get chicken tikka masala, which is kind of pathetic, since it's not really that authentic (it was invented in London, apparently), but I don't care, because it is damn tasty!!!! Also, half the time, I could say screw the chicken, and I'd just eat the sauce and rice for hours and hours (another reason I'm a fan of the buffet!) The Jewel serves the entrees in individual metal bowls, resting on candle holders, so the deliciousness is kept warm while you eat your first helping.

Next time I am going to be smart like my dining buddies, and order a glass of fresh mango juice. It was fabulous!! The Jewel's naan bread was also the best naan I've ever had. It was warm, buttery and soft - the perfect addition to my dinner.

I promise you, Indian food is fabulous!! At least try it once, for me. And take me with you, if you're around here!!

INFO: 6711 Airport Hwy Holland, OH 43528. 419-865-9500. http://jeweloftoledo.com

#9. Tony Packo's

This is the original Tony Packo's Cafe in Toledo. My boss prefers this one to the one downtown by the ballpark, because that one is, "filled with too many yuppy lawyer types" at lunchtime. I have to agree that there is some charm missing from the new ballpark Packo's, but the food is still the same.

Speaking of the food, Tony Packo's features Hungarian specialties, such as their signature hotdog with chili and pickles & peppers. I personally, am a fan of their stuffed cabbage. Their mac and cheese is tasty as well.

I think Packo's is great and all, but when I'm craving meat on meat, what I really want is Skyline Chili, which is still on my list of places to review. Trust me, an upcoming special is planned, but I need to drive myself 2ish hours away to get to a Skyline these days.

Tony Packo's is Toledo tradition at its finest. It was mentioned several times in the show M*A*S*H, and famous people from Jamie Farr to former presidents have eaten there, and signed their names on a hotdog bun to be memorialized on the wall forever.

Paired with a day at the zoo or a Mud Hens game, Tony Packo's definately gives you a taste you won't find anywhere else! You might have to be a true Toledoan to fall in love, but it's definately an experience to try.

#6. Lenten Fish Frys

One of my favorite things to do during Lent is attend a local fish fry. For those of you who may not know, Lent is the time leading up to Easter, where one of the things Catholics to do prepare for Easter is give up meat on Fridays. As a sometimes-vegetarian, this isn't too hard for me, especially when the alternative is spending around $8 for a lovely plate of fish, a baked potato, coleslaw and macaroni and cheese!

Fish frys are also great, because you can attend them and just about any Catholic church, and it's fun to go around to the different ones nearby, and see how they all compare. There are always a wide range of friendly people to chat with while enjoying your fish, and going to different places every Friday ensures a fun new group of fish enthusiasts to converse with.

When I lived in (heavily Catholic) Cincinnati, the newspaper would publish a list of all the 'best' fish frys, and how they compared in categories such as price, all you can eat vs. one serving, and the variety of sides offered. In this town, it's all on me to decide where I should go each week, and who has the best value for money. Trust me, I don't mind a bit!