With less than a month to go now until the big show, we've outlined some great holiday ideas for you! It's a carry-over from our November blog, encouraging you to "Shop Small" this Christmas season...
One of Lorain County's most popular boutiques is The Mermaid's Tale,
a fashion savvy shop located in historic downtown Amherst. It is
well known for its unique jewelry finds, plus incredible fashion
accessories! They offer upscale brands such as: Pandora, Spartina 449,
Metalsmith Sterling, Marah Lago, Lindsay Phillips, Brighton, Bella
Etoile, Vera Bradley and more! Special note to men: December 13 is their
"Annual Men's Night Out" where they will help you select those special
gifts and wrap all your purchases while you enjoy some holiday ale!
Holidays at Ginko Gallery
If you're more into artsy, and truly unique gifts then stop by Ginko Gallery
in Oberlin. They offer an awesome selection of paintings, wearables,
jewelry, glass, wire, wood and other art media that encompass movement
and even themes of nature. The studio also packs for carry-on luggage if
you're traveling this holiday season to see family and they'll even
ship to anywhere in the world if your gifts need to be sent! That in
itself takes a world of weight off of you!
Of course,
what's the experience of this holiday season without hearing the regal
sounds of Christmas bells? So, grab your calendars and pen down these
important concert dates: December 3 ~ "The Festival of Carols" at 7:30pm
at Elyria High School Performing Arts Center. The Oberlin Choristers'
Youth Chorale joins Elyria, Avon and Clearview High Schools and the
Lake Ridge Academy's Upper School at this annual festival to benefit the
Lorain Community Music Theater; December 12 ~ "Holiday Lights" at
7:30pm at the Carlisle Visitor Center at Lorain County Metro Parks and
December 15 ~ "Songs for the Season" at 7:30pm at Finney Chapel at
Oberlin College ($8 general admission and $10 preferred seating).
If you prefer a more nostalgic holiday happening to attend, then mark your calendar for December 7 from 5-8pm at the Lorain County Historical Society's
(LCHS) Hickories Museum. This annual Holiday Party features hors d
oeuvres, spirits, great company and musical entertainment, all for only
$25 per ticket and the proceeds benefit the Historical Society. You can
also view "A Lorain County Presidential Visit" on exhibit now at LCHS
through the Presidential Inauguration in January 2013. This exhibit
features at least a dozen presidents who visited Lorain County, their
pictures and the historical events surrounding their visits. It's a
wonderful event for the entire family! In addition, "A Music Box
Holiday" is also currently on display there, featuring a dozen original
music boxes of cylinder, disc and organette type from 1870 to World War
I.
Riverdog Gallery
Now, if you're too tired to trek all the way home
after these events, then park your reindeer at the nearest bed and
breakfast! In fact, The Riverdog Retreat
is conveniently located just five miles west of Oberlin and features a
mid-19th century farmstead situated on 20 glorious acres of land
overlooking the valley of the East Fork of the Vermillion River. While
you're there you can even do some last minute shopping by browsing their
Riverdog Gallery/Studio,
owned by artists Deborah Banyas and T.P. Speer. If you prefer to be
right on the water, and brave the cold with some warm cider, comfort
foods and blazing fire, then you must stay at the Lake Breeze Inn.
It's a charming new, contemporary, stone-front bed and breakfast with
majestic and panoramic views of Lake Erie. Enjoy a glass of wine while
basking in the warmth of a hot tub and relax while contemplating the
purchase of your Christmas tree!
Oh yes, did we forget
to mention the purchase of your annual foliage? Well, no worries...as
famed humorist Larry Wilde once said, "Don't worry about the size of
your Christmas tree, in the eyes of a child they are all 30-feet tall!" Petitti's Garden Center will cover all your decorating bases from live and fake furs to ornaments and lights! So, if you're like Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation and
you just
don't seem to have enough Christmas lights for your home, then you don't
want to miss their huge selection! You can even dazzle grandma with one
of their beautiful poinsettias. With over 10,000 square feet in their
Avon store, you can literally "deck the halls" with perennials and
unusual plants and also outdoor trees and shrubs. Oh, and ladies, they
even have a full floral department, so be sure to order your holiday
table centerpiece now!
And finally, if you're into
sending fruit baskets and healthy diversions from cookies and candies,
then we commend your commitment to good health in the New Year so be
sure to visit Fligner's Market in
Lorain. When you enter the market, your eyes will be blinded by the
abundant displays of fresh fruits and vegetables they feature year'
round! They even carry hundreds of specialty items from Asian to Kosher
products and hard to find organic and international foods. You can
literally do your holiday shopping from the comfort of your PJ's by
simply logging onto their website. They also cater, large and small size
holiday events, so don't hesitate to call them if you're planning an
intimate home dinner party or perhaps, a larger company event...either
way, their meals are all carefully crafted and made from scratch! Bon
Appetit!
Twas the month before Christmas and all through the house, everyone was stirring, even the mouse! There's so much to do, presents to buy, cookies to bake, cards to send out and trees to decorate! In fact, there's way more to be done than the average holiday, so let's cut to the chase and get things underway...
First on our list that doesn't pale, is some much needed and very appreciated, “holiday ale!”
But if you're more into wine, then you'll want your sleigh to stop by Paper Moon Vineyards for some homegrown wines and live entertainment, on both Friday and Saturday nights in December, from 6-9pm (until Christmas Eve). They even feature an outdoor heated patio for guests so no need to fret over snow! After all, Benjamin Franklin is the one who said, “Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, fewer tensions and more tolerance.” So be sure to check out some other vineyards including Matus Winery in Wakeman with fire pits, and D and D Smith Winery who offers free Wi-Fi (for sending those Christmas ecards) in Norwalk. In fact, many of these wine-makers, including Heineman's Winery on Put-in-Bay also offer an amazing selection of wines for purchase online, making holiday gift-giving much more palatable when you need to send something special to your great uncle in Florida!
Amherst Historical Society’s Christmas in the Village
If you truly enjoy sampling the tastes of the holiday season, then be sure to check out Amherst's Christmas Village, sponsored by the Amherst Historical Society. On December 1 and 2 from 2–4pm, you and your entire family can enjoy the sights and delicious smells of Christmas past - 1800s style! Even Santa will be on hand so be sure to bring plenty of film for those cute Facebook photo ops! There's also fabulous bakery from gingerbread cookies to pies on sale, so be sure to bring some “extra dough” and stock up on holiday treats for your kids and house guests. From 4–5pm there will even be Christmas Caroling in St. George's Chapel so feel free to bring your own American Idol voice and sing along!
And, since holiday shopping can be awfully stressful at times then you may need to take a quick break. Feel free to take some time out just for yourself and enjoy a well-earned massage at Kneaded Touch Massage in Amherst. Literally, reduce your anxiety levels by volumes this holiday season and improve your overall energy too by having an hour long massage. Honestly, you'll leave feeling much more relaxed, refreshed and renewed as you embark on the rest of your “holiday to-do list!” And don't forget, they also offer gift certificate specials that make great stocking stuffers!
Jamie’s Flea Market in South Amherst
Speaking of to-do’s! You may want to make some unique purchases at Jamie’s Flea Market, the largest flea market in Northern Ohio, where hundreds of vendors gather every Wednesday and Saturday from 8am–4pm to display thousands of collectibles. Vendors feature one-of-a-kinds (crafty and homemade wares) and vintage and antique collectibles at rock-bottom prices, even seasonal produce is available for holiday entertaining. So, for that aunt who has everything, this is the perfect solution for solving that holiday gift-giving crisis. Besides, admission is free and with over 200 vendors weekly, you’re bound to find something on your list, even if it’s something for yourself!
And most importantly to mention as we jet-start the Christmas shopping season, is that between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses nationwide. Saturday, November 24 is now known as Small Business Saturday® and last year, over one hundred million people came together to “Shop Small” in their communities.... Main Street Amherst is one of those communities rallying support with over 25 businesses, restaurants and shops that are extending their hours this
holiday season to give you more time to shop local! Download your shopping guide and map
and head to downtown Amherst on Thursday evenings till 8pm and Sundays
from 12–5pm. You'll be sure to find unique and treasured items for
everyone on your list!
So, if it’s shopping, eating or enjoying a night out with friends, be sure to embrace Lorain County small businesses this holiday season...until we meet again!
The 2012 Lorain County Beautiful Awards were awarded at the biennial banquet held Thursday, October 25, 2012 at the Spitzer Conference Center at LCCC. The awards pay tribute to the individuals, companies and organizations that help to beautify Lorain County and make it such a progressive place to live. The awards are presented by Lorain County Heritage, a non profit subsidiary of Visit Lorain County with funding from the Community Foundation of Lorain County. The field was narrowed down to sixty finalists in five categories, New Building, Green Building, Renovation, Landscaping and Community Service.
Judges were from outside Lorain County and included William Doty, Principal Architect for Doty and Miller Architects; Cynthia Druckenbrod, Director of Horticulture at the Cleveland Botanical Garden and Douglas Hoffman, Principal Architect for Weber Murphy Fox.
A presentation of Finalists:
And the winners:
New Building
Project Building Budget up to $750,000
Mitchell’s
Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream, Avon
The facility was designed to serve ice cream and be a meeting place for the people of Avon and surrounding communities. The intent of the owner and architect, Dimit Architecture, was to create a work of art that adds to the life of the community and inspire other businesses to create special public places.
Green features of the building include natural ventilation in all of the sleeping rooms, contacts on windows that turn off heating and cooling when a window is opened, natural daylight visible from all positions in the primary spaces of the building, durable building material sourced as close to Oberlin as possible, and positioning on the site to maximize natural light and ventilation. Students sign a Sustainability Pledge prior to moving-in which includes not bringing an automobile to campus, resulting in a reduction in parking requirements by the City of Oberlin, in turn saving green space. Feedback of energy and water usage is constantly available to the students so that consumption can be minimized. Principles of conservation are integrated into the students’ education so they can be lifelong responsible consumers of natural resources. Kahn Hall has applied for LEED Gold certification by the United States Green Building Council. The building recently was awarded an Honor Award by the American Institute of Architects, Connecticut chapter.
Oberlin Fire Station
Oberlin Fire Station
This project included a renovation of the existing 7,500 sq ft building and a 13,000 sq ft two-story expansion. The building was designed using LEED principles that include: A 10.6 kW photo voltaic solar panel system, reducing reliability on city electrical power; roof garden that serves primarily for storm water retention but also provides insulation; rainwater collection systems that collects storm water runoff, filters and provides non-potable water supplied to all restrooms for sanitary use; extensive use of windows to provide natural daylight, decreasing need for electric power use; previous paving, bio-retention swales, and landscaping used to reduce storm water runoff. It was important to maintain the architectural design of the original building and artfully blend it into the new structure. The project is the first fire station in northern Ohio to be awarded a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green building council, making it the first fire station in northern Ohio to achieve that status.
Renovation
Cork’s and Stubby’s
Cork’s and Stubby’s, Amherst
The entrance to Cork’s is highlighted by an arch made from antique bricks that frames an oval, ten-foot tall, wooden door. Stubby’s Pub & Grub is in another part of the 15,000 square-foot building. Both Cork’s and Stubby’s have outdoor patios. Cork’s patio is recessed into the building and can accommodate up to fourteen guests. With a roof overhead, rain is no obstacle to outdoor dining. It has faux winery doors accented by two coach lights. During renovation, two original pillars were discovered and incorporated into the design. Alternatively, Stubby’s patio occupies the sidewalk on Main St. and is bordered with wrought iron. The building is ringed with lanterns that look appropriate for the era. Painstaking efforts were taken to restore the exterior brick and sandstone.
Lorain Port Authority Mile Long Pier
Mile Long Pier, Lorain
The “Mile Long” Pier or East Breakwater Shore Arm was built in the 1960s as a navigational structure for protection of the Harbor. Since its construction and with the advent of redevelopment of waterfront areas for public accessibility, this structure also grows as a public access area utilized by fisherman for boating access for the adjacent marina, for joggers and walkers. Improvements included removing barriers such as a chain linked and barbed wire fencing, enhancing lighting; extending adjacent parking through the addition of 130 new parking spaces and adding streetscape features (benches, trash receptacles, etc.). Additionally, the decking of the Pier was completely revamped to include the installation of brick pavers over the entire length of the pier to enhance the aesthetics of the facility.
Landscaping
RW Beckett Corporation, North Ridgeville
RW Beckett Corporation
The building and grounds on center Ridge Road were designed to blend in with the residential neighborhood, at a time when a manufacturing plant was a less-than-welcome neighbor. Harold C. Beckett, brother of founder Reginald W. Beckett, was a noted Canadian architect whose passion was for landscape architecture. Harold did the initial design of not only the buildings, but also the landscaping, and personally oversaw the planting of hundreds of shrubs and trees, many of which still exist, over 60 years later. A recent addition to the property is a beautiful Americana rose garden, located north of the pavilion. The garden contains 56 red, white, and blue rose bushes, and was dedicated in 2007 to celebrate the retirement of a longtime employee after 56 years of faithful service. The company has been known for its beautiful landscaping, and is committed to continuing that tradition.
Miller Nature Preserve and Conservatory, Avon
Miller Nature Preserve
78 acres of land was donated in honor of Avon resident Buddy Miller’s late wife, Alice Fowles. Today the 5,000 square foot conservatory is home to several collections of plant species from around the world. Visitors experience an orchid collection, donated by Dr. Ibrahim Eren of Lorain, bromeliads, ferns bonsai, desert plants, palms and cycads, and other tropical plants as they walk a path through the conservatory. The outdoor gardens have been dedicated to former assistant director of the park district, Becky Voit. As visitors walk the trail, they will experience a lily garden, herb garden, vegetable garden, rose garden and butterfly garden. Herbs and veggies are used for cooking classes and demos in the inside demonstration kitchen and self-sustainability series of programs. The butterfly house includes more than 100 butterflies. The garden has a variety of species from monarchs to buckeye butterflies.
Community Service
Follow the Fish, Lorain
Follow the Fish
A new public-art campaign celebrating nature, sustainability, and Lorain County business and tourism was launched in June 2012 with the installation of an outdoor dancing-fish sculpture at the Lorain Port Authority’s Black River Landing in downtown Lorain. Follow the Fish Art and Adventure Trails will be in full force from May through September 2013. The dancing-fish centerpiece features 18 movable fish perched atop nine poles in a metal base. The project will continue to bring together artists, businesses, events, and community members in an outdoor art project that lines Lorain County’s lakefront and nearby communities with hundreds of kinetic fish sculptures. Educational programs will underscore the importance of increasing sustainable living. The project was conceived by a committee of Lorain County artists, businesses, and community members and the sculptures are designed by North Ridgeville resident Jim Gundlach.
The People’s Garden at Oberlin Community Services
The People’s Garden
The garden is designed to provide the Oberlin community with free, fresh, organic produce, and develop familiarity with local food production. It is a beautiful space in which to build community and enjoy quiet reflection. The garden is planned, planted, and maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers guided by a knowledgeable, part-time lead gardener. The garden consists of 18 raised beds—including two ADA accessible beds—bursting with fresh fruits and vegetables, surrounded by benches and picnic tables. The garden’s unique aesthetic and central location attracts the attention of Oberlin Community Services clients, children, and their families playing on the jungle gym at Depot Park, and folks enjoying a bicycle ride down the bike path.
Welcome to Lorain County! We’re located smack dab in the middle of north central Ohio along the shores of Lake Erie, halfway between Cedar Point and downtown Cleveland.
