Last weekend, in effort to complete our Passport to Licking County that we purchased from the Licking County Historical Society at the beginning of the summer, we visited two covered bridges amidst beautiful settings in Frazeysburg, Ohio, some historical sites in Newark like the Cedar Hill Cemetery and a church on Mt. Vernon Rd., which wasn’t too far from the Ye Olde Mill in Utica, Ohio.  We took advantage of our proximity and stopped for lunch; we ordered two cheeseburgers with a side of watermelon and I could not pass up the opportunity to get my favorite: Wild Black Cherry ice cream- two scoops!  This ice cream has the perfect consistency and is packed just right with delicious cherries. 

We enjoyed our meal alfresco near the mill we heard and watched turning, which was built in 1817.  Cloggers were setting up to entertain outside while people dined, but we did not get to stay to experience their show as we had one stop left on our passport.  To end our time traveling around Licking County, we shopped here and there at some staple stores.

The next day, we headed to Alexandria to visit one of our favorite greenhouses, Baker’s Acres.  We really enjoyed seeing their beautiful and full mums as well as all of their unique tropical plants and of course, the fun Halloween décor weaved in among their plants makes for a fun stroll through the grounds.  Along the way, we ate lunch for the first time at the Coffee Vault in the heart of Alexandria.  We don’t know if they make their own bagels, but the asiago bagels certainly tasted like they were freshly baked.  Yes, indeed, our BLT bagel sandwiches were tasty and our iced shaken espressos with brown sugar and oat milk were the best we have ever had!  This is a quality little coffee and sandwich shop with scrumptious freshly baked double chocolate chip cookies; we give it five stars! 

Lastly, we traveled further south to pick out our pumpkins and gourds at Dupler’s Pumpkin Land on Jacksontown Rd. in Newark, Ohio.  It is in a beautiful wooded setting, which includes a historical farm house built in 1823.  We chose two classic pumpkins, a black little pumpkin with two orange eyes reminding us of Mothman, and a handful of unique gourds.  Wagons are provided for use to help make the load lighter; we chose a Radio Flyer to gather our Autumn selections.  Photo ups are set up for people to enjoy during their visit and there are even some EMUs on the property that people can choose to purchase pellets to feed.  The sunlight hit the EMUs eyes just right and the reflection gave a gorgeous amber glow, which was such a surprising and beautiful sight!  I tried to capture this in a photo, but was not able to do so.  We really appreciate this place and family business and try to visit every year when fall comes to town.    

Louie’s Pizza in Newark Ohio is currently celebrating 65 years in the pizza business!  Louie’s Pizza was established on June 6, 1960; it is Newark’s oldest pizza shop.  The dough with nice consistency and tasty pizza sauce are made at the pizza shop.  We recently ordered a pizza with everything on it and needed to pick it up and pay for it with cash since “cash only” is accepted at Louie’s and they do not deliver.  It seems the old-fashioned ways of doing business have not hurt this family business.  We found the crust to be thin, rolled out by hand, and baked on a stone hearth oven and the toppings fresh.  We will continue to pick up pizzas at Louie’s Pizza as long as they are in business. 

If you like authentic Mexican food as much as we do, we highly recommend you visit the Mexican restaurant Tlaquepaque in Heath, Ohio. The welcoming staff always greet us with a smile. Free WARM nachos that they actually make every day at the restaurant and salsa start-off the meal quickly by the friendly staff. We order our favorite unsweet iced tea, which is perfectly iced and we can actually taste the tea. Our usual meal of choice is the Fajita Burrito with chicken (shrimp or steak are options as well) topped with their in-house queso Mexican cheese dip, which comes with a side of Spanish rice. Sometimes we opt to order a side of freshly made guacamole or a side of queso for those meals on the menu that do not come with the queso already. Bottom line, we never leave without enjoying some of Tlaquepaque’s delicious queso.

The booths are comfortable and the colorful authentic decorations and paintings, most if not all, come from Mexico, fill the room with a fun atmosphere. Some of our favorite paintings depict Lucha libre wrestlers and at least one of them gives off a humorous vibe, which adds to providing a most comfortable environment. Some black and white paintings with pops of red are also striking. Various colored glass globe lights hang above each table and the bar and star light garlands creatively incorporate a genuine ambiance. We have heard and learned about some music for the first time while enjoying many amazing meals here as well; Mexican rap and Mexican Irish music (Irish instrumentals and lyrical sounds sung in Spanish) are a couple of the new musical genres we have picked up on our visits. A couple of times when we stopped in during slower hours, we got a kick out of hearing the kitchen staff sing along with the music.

Every time we have eaten at Tlaquepaque, it is obvious that the staff work hard, are efficient, friendly, and have FUN together while they work.  Ordering takeaway is also an option and every time our meals have been ready in 10 minutes from the time we placed the order over the phone!  Not one bad meal has crossed our plates and not one bad experience has occurred for us at Tlaquepaque.  Not many restaurants offer such quality food and service on a 100% consistent basis as Tlaquepaque; thank you Tlaquepaque for continuing to deliver positive dining experiences for us.     

On Saturday, June 24, we attended The Great Granville Garage Sale, which benefits the Licking County Coalition for Housing. On the way, our first stop was at the Raccoon International Golf Club grounds, where Sister Salvage & Soles had plenty of items available for purchase under their canopy and tent and spread nicely along the lawn near the parking lot upon arrival. We picked up two fencing swords and a fencing helmet for a fair price after friendly negotiations. We enjoyed talking with one of the owners, who has an infectious excitement for all things salvage. Afterward, we quickly strolled through the Granville Farmers’ Market, which appeared vast, but we were in a hurry to get to “The Great Granville Garage Sale”.

Adagio Teas annouces their new Chai Tea category!

Centenary United Methodist Church was our first stop in the GGGS lineup. It was quite the treasure chest of a room full of unique items and one cannot find a better deal when no prices are marked and the “donations only” motto is set. All of the money at this fundraiser was going toward supporting their youth group on a mission trip. We found a plethora of wonderful items like glassware, books, a bowling ball, jewelry, and Holiday items; we look forward to stopping here again next year! Just across the street on the lawn of the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, we found loads of fantastic deals on fine china and 1950’s Melmac sets at the Licking County Coalition for Housing canopy tent. How cool was it that everything we purchased there went directly to LCCH?! Of course, we stopped at Alfie’s Granville for a delicious lunch alfresco in their pleasant courtyard. We ordered Mr. Tea and The Alex sandwiches, beat salad with fetta, parsley, and pecans, rosemary lemonade, and a Blondie for dessert. Directly after lunch, we took a stroll through the garage sales in the neighborhood and if the sellers had LCCH jars at their tables, the profits went to LCCH.

At this point, our car was fully loaded with our “new to us” items, we were not able to make it to Raccoon Valley Park and some other locations on the GGGS map. However, we did stop in at the Sister Salvage & Soles shop on our drive heading out of Granville. Antiques and shoes abound in this airy shop located with doors raised up allowing one to feel like time is being spent simply hanging on the porch getting to peruse old stuff. The atmosphere and friendly owners provide for a delightful atmosphere. What a great time on a Saturday afternoon in Granville, Ohio!

June 3, 2023 was a day of strawberries with the Newark Kiwanis Strawberry Festival, their delicious strawberry shortcake, fresh strawberries, and a beautiful strawberry moon in the night’s sky to end the day. For only $10.00, we picked up a Newark Kiwanis Strawberry Festival tshirt; the strawberry character in the center of the tshirt design has an infectious grin that I couldn’t resist. The smiling strawberry is appropriate with the amount of smiling people of all ages upon anticipating the mouth watering strawberry shortcakes, ice cream (vanilla and strawberry- I went for a scoop of each), and whipped cream available at the Kiwanis Strawberry Shortcake trailer. Pints and flats of fresh strawberries were also available for purchase.

The Newark Kiwanis Strawberry Festival located east of the Newark courthouse in downtown Newark, Ohio is a delightful and tasty way to start off the summer! Many have been looking forward to it annually and can always expect it to be the weekend following Memorial Day weekend. We weren’t able to make it, but a free fireworks display shot off at 10:00 pm on Saturday night. To top it off, all of the Kiwanis Strawberry Festival proceeds benefit a youth camp, Camp O’Bannon, and other youth programs. We look forward to enjoying all of the strawberry festivities and supporting the kids again next year. Hopefully, we’ll remember to look for and get to see the strawberry moon and experience the shining of his pink light on us again next year.

It was a beautiful day, as we ventured to the Lynd Fruit Farm in Pataskala, Ohio. We visited various vendors at their “The Memorial Crafters’ Event”: there were over 80 vendors and food trucks! We want to focus on two of our favorite stops: the first we encountered was Chris Smith Pottery. We purchased a small mug with a beautifully shaped handle and impressively detailed pine trees carved on the body, handle, as well as the underside of the mug. We also purchased a kitchen utensil holder/vase sitting on round legs, which has a leaf design all around, and a sweet bird carved on what looks like an emblem or seal on the front center. All of Chris’s works were interestingly designed and crafted.

Our second favorite stop was Juhi Fashion House. There were many handmade quilts that were very intricately sewn by hand. Juhi shared that she dyes the threads she uses with natural dye techniques. You could tell that each quilt was thoughtfully designed and was of great quality! I purchased a journal that caught my eye. I love it; I started writing in it that night!

We recently spent a Saturday late morning and afternoon full of nostalgia and inspiration!  Our joyful experiences started at the Nutcracker Family Restaurant located at the intersection of Ohio Routes 16 and 310 in Pataskala, Ohio.  We encourage you to visit this 1950’s style diner, where it is easy for one to sit in the booth eagerly anticipating dessert: especially a house-made piece of pie or a milkshake.  A uniquely extra special element to this diner is the décor, as black-and-white checkered floors, chrome plating, jukeboxes, and various wall, windowsill, and table arrangements and collectibles fill the space.  Appropriately, nutcrackers abound; it would be fun to try to see how many one can spot and count them up- maybe we will do that when we visit next time.  A hamburger and a patty melt both served with kettle chips were our meal choices along with a nice cold Coca-Cola and a piece of peanut butter pie.  The smell of freshly roasted nuts hospitably sends guests on their way when leaving the restaurant, and the mouthwatering scent is quite the greeting upon entry- what a welcome and goodbye!

Only a brief drive away (just over 5 minutes) is Lynd Fruit Farm, where over 80 booths with handcrafted items and food trucks filled the area during their “Memorial Crafters’ Event”. We were delighted with the amount of creativity, quality handmade items, reasonable prices, and friendly vendors. Some of the available crafted items included pottery, many hand-sewn items (some fabrics and threads naturally dyed), wool sculptures, macromet, crochet, carvings, etc… The amount of authentic new designs was inspiring! Both of us hopped on some projects of our own with revived vigor after our time absorbing all of the works by these Ohio crafters and artisans.

Starting our Friday evening early in Newark, Ohio at the Canal Market District (farmers’ market), where fresh produce, flowers, and handcrafted items abound, we relish the beautiful spring weather. By the sight of many smiling faces, everyone is happy to be there. Some of our favorite vendors are the watercolor artist, who also creates little sculptures using wire, paper machetes, and watercolors, various plant and flower vendors, and a dog toy and treats vendor. On a past visit, we had purchased a toy for our little terrier and it’s still one of his favorite toys! In sharing this update with the vendor, she gives us a big smile and is most pleased. Soon, we spot a long line of people, and we see it is for the pickle vendor, which we observe many people in anticipation of their pickles most every visit.

Making our way toward the bookstore next door, we spot a new business called Roots Wellness Bar. Taste testing our selections, my husband decides to purchase a pint of “Beetnik” (beet, carrot, orange, celery, apple, lemon, and ginger) juice. I enjoy a sample of “Sunshine Shot” (pineapple, orange, and ginger). A small portion satisfies me with its rich flavor and strong ginger. The Edison lights, decor, brick walls, and unique jewelry for sale make an inviting space for the customers.

Just a brief stroll away, we step into Kicks Mix Bookstore; a favorite stop for us, as we have become regulars. The friendly staff, lots to see, fantastic deals, creative handmade decor, and playfully curious cats: Edgar Allan Paws and Margarette Catwood, provide a most welcoming environment to guests. Picking up a few stickers and a book, we are satisfied, but one of the owners at the desk kindly and generously gives me a book at no charge after I look through it and share how it’s cool and I thank her for her time, as the 1944 published book is not yet priced. What a nice surprise! As a side note, the owner has a true gift in posting appealing Instagram posts as well. What an enjoyable time in Newark, Ohio; a nice way to start off the weekend.

We recently spent a delightful night at the theatre when we enjoyed seeing Licking County Players’ current production of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None directed by Tim Smith in downtown Newark, Ohio. With ticket prices ranging from $10.00 to $15.00, you do not want to miss this reasonably priced show experience. The set design effectively sets the mood when first walking into the theatre; the paint color choices compliment and reflect the backdrop of the ocean view painting, as the viewer overlooks a balcony set. The furniture too helps to set the scene for an English feel on an isolated rocky island near the Devon coast in 1939.

A lot of humor interweaves with the dramatic mystery of the story in the first act of the play when being introduced to the varied characters in learning their backgrounds and observing their quirks. All of the actors use physicality and expression to embody their characters, and it is easy for audience members to see that this cast is thoroughly enjoying themselves and each other on the stage. The more seasoned actors especially kept my attention; they were interesting to watch even when they were listening on the stage for long periods.

Licking County Players is a dedicated and talented community theatre. I hope that more people continue to experience this creative and active theatre experience. Whether getting involved in productions, volunteering, or attending shows, all help contribute to keeping this special place vibrant.