Category: Josie in Paradise blog

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Unpostable Father's Day equals the reality of children

I don’t have a Olan Mills-type Hallmark appropriate photo to share from the Father’s Day festivities 2016.

I attempted to take several pictures but they aren’t “postable” quality. Me and my Dad’s initial plans went something like this, “I’ll be out on the island so catch the ferry to Put-In-Bay. I’ll meet you for Mass at the Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church, we’ll have lunch then I have to return to another island and you can go to your sisters for a late lunch at three with everyone else.”

That suggestion soon changed and I was able to book a ferry ride with my car to the mainland and appear at my Dad’s sisters by six o’clock.

The day felt more like “spoil our cousin living on an island this summer” versus Father’s Day with the spread of food and delightful family atmosphere bonded by decades of sleepovers, celebrations, camp outs, hardships, babies, weddings, graduations, and endless parties from the Florida Keys to Marblehead.

I had left a homemade card and Pierre Cardin handkerchiefs embroidered with a "D" for my Dad the Wednesday before on his dining room table not knowing if we'd be able to connect on this Hallmark Sunday reserved for Dads.
I had left a homemade card and Pierre Cardin handkerchiefs embroidered with a “D” for my Dad the Wednesday before on his dining room table not knowing if we’d be able to connect on this Hallmark Sunday reserved for Dads.
"D" is for Dad.
“D” is for Dad.

Two people were missing from this summer Sunday Soiree nestled in the suburbs of Cleveland where the entire region awaited the eight o’clock hour to strike and for LeBron to take center stage in those Nikey high tops highlighted with a gold foil swoosh.

My older brother and his wife Kate. They stayed on the islands of the Florida Keys to work on a flooring project and shipped their two babies via Delta to Coastal Ohio for summer fun in tolerable sunshine.

Those babies are my two nephews, Joshua and Joseph.

Our slogan is, "If your name ain't J-O-S we don't want any."
Our slogan is, “If your name ain’t J-O-S we don’t want any.”

They know me affectionately as their “Daddy’s baby sister.” The youngest, age three-and-a-half refused to acknowledge he is my baby nephew, but let me scoop him up in my arms anyway. The second, my brother and sister-in-law’s biological birth child didn’t let me touch him. No hugs were given. I was barely acknowledged.

This was, and has always been his MO, and I was familiar with his boundaries. He knows I was there in the hospital the day he was born, on a remote tropical island fifteen-hundred miles away from family with just enough civilization to keep one sane and entertained. On this day, he watched intently as the little girls in the family ran up to me to be held and kissed, basking in the glory of abundant love.

Sooner than usual, the boundaries relaxed a little. I reminded myself they had traveled across the country and then, across the state for this Father’s Day 2016.

Josh played outside with his cousins and accumulated enough dirt on his gigantic bare feet and under his toenails to serve as a reminder we had a Tom Sawyer-type soul on our hands. A boy accustomed to exploring, travel, and adventure.

In the blink of an eye and one dessert plate later, tears were in his eyes, blood ran from his fingers and he stood wailing with a black Raskullz helmet on his head. He had smashed his fingers in the garage trying to extract a scooter and tore the skin from his growing fingers fashioned in the exact same shape as his mother’s. A DNA wonder I noticed as soon as he was wheeled into a room for me and my brother to see. I ran to him to scoop him up and couldn’t lift him. I recalled the times my older brother would yell at me, “Josie, you need to go work. Go collect!” he was ready to strangle me.

Then would question me, “Are you going to work today?”

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I no longer had interest in making money. The appeal of anchoring the evening news had lost all of its luster once the life of my little nephew was confirmed.

I knew the time would come where I couldn’t scoop him up. He’d be too big.

So, I walked him into the bathroom. Rinsed his fingers. He screamed and shaked his hands, the helmet remained on his head adding to the intense drama including blood that had splattered all over his khaki shorts. We were joined by my Dad’s sister’s little girl, and her older brother’s littlest girl. There in the bathroom I sat on the toilet and pulled Joshua onto my lap. My cousin comforted him and doctored the wound with two neon green Band-aids. We wiped the tears.

He then took a beating on the couch by his little brother. His nose swelled from crying.
He then took a beating on the couch by his little brother. His nose swelled from crying.

The moments are nothing resembling an Olan Mills quality. They’re real.

On this Father's Day 2016 family, love and more unforgettable moments are abound.
On this Father’s Day 2016 family, love and more unforgettable moments are abound.
I can't say enough glowing compliments about my Dad. He is a modern-day saint and overly devoted family man.
I can’t say enough glowing compliments about my Dad. He is a modern-day saint and overly devoted family man.

On this Father’s Day 2016 I can say that my brother is a dream many wed and unwed women yearn for. I watch him be a role model for all of the other males on a tiny island somewhere between Miami and Key West. I watch him go without so his wife and children can have everything. I listen to him reason and sway unreasonable children. I’ve heard him get up in the middle of the night, again and again and again to comfort his crying boys. He knows how to shower, diaper, dress, potty-train, educate and love them. He is always home for dinner and there’s always a three-course meal on the table. One of the boys is adopted. He too was clearly formed in the womb to be part of our family.

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My older brother’s employees adore him, the community rallies around him and he always makes sure everyone gets paid.

“Everyone always gets a paycheck,” seven-year old Joshua Koler triumphantly relayed to me. “There isn’t anything more my Daddy loves to do than give everyone a paycheck.”

Thanks Jason. For giving men everywhere a business manager, father, husband and brother to look up to. Happy Father’s Day to you. We love you, Kate and the baby nephews.

Josie is a former tv anchorwoman and award-winning journalist. At one point she was her brother's business partner and glorified nanny to his first-born.
Josie is a former tv anchorwoman and award-winning journalist. At one point she was her brother’s business partner and glorified nanny to his first-born.

 

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One One on Middle Bass Island ask for condo 106

Clean, comfortable and on the water.

Condo 106 at St. Hazards Resort on Middle Bass Island is a sweet spot for a weekend getaway. Or, stay for the entire week. Travelers will be basking by the pool with a homemade lemonade or ice tea in their hand after realizing the glory of the godsend that these accommodations are on an island extremely difficult to access.

Booking a place to stay on the Lake Erie Islands isn’t exactly as easy as calling the Kimberly Hotel in New York City with dates and arrival times. The islands nestled between Ohio’s coastline and Canada are only open from May through September and then again for ice fishing season. Finding, calling and making that connection for a legitimate booking is a lot of work.

Here’s a look at Room 106 and the view in the Saint Hazards Resort lakeside condominiums.

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Condo 107 is a two-bedroom and has bunk beds for travelers planning to bring children.

To reach this 800 acre island catch the Miller Ferry at Catawba Point. Reservations are required to bring a car, or truck. The number to call to book this room or one similar in style is 419-285-6121.

A ferry service runs every half hour from MBI (Middle Bass Island) and Put-In-Bay from 9 am until one in the morning (1 am).

Josie is a former TV anchorwoman and award-winning journalist. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and continues to explore all of the nooks and crannies which make the region spectacular.
Josie is a former TV anchorwoman and award-winning journalist. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and continues to explore all of the nooks and crannies which make the region spectacular.
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Chickpeas Please salad via can of garbanzo beans

Let go of using the leafy greens for just a slight moment as a salad base.

Instead open up a can of garbanzo beans.

This recipe, a variation from allrecipes.com, can actually be eaten by one person as an entire meal, or just double the portions and serve alongside a main dish.

Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, are a legume and the USDA recommends we consume at least three cups per week. They’re chock full of folate, manganese, protein and copper. Iron and magnesium intake also gain check marks from the flavorful chickpea. Two cups of garbanzo beans contain the daily recommended intake of fiber, creating a fullness effect.

Here is what you need.

1 Can of Garbanzo Beans

10 Cherry Tomatoes

1/4 Cup of Chopped Red Onion

1/2 – 1 ounce of Feta Cheese

1/2 Lemon

1 Diced Garlic Clove

Ground Pepper

Ground Sea Salt

Italian Dressing or Seasoning

Open the can of garbanzo beans, rinse, and place in a bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half, and add in the chopped onion, garlic and Feta cheese. Squeeze the juice from the lemon onto the ingredients. Either sprinkle with Italian seasoning and stir in Sunflower oil and sea salt until desired taste is reached or use about 1/8 cup of Italian dressing.

I used Sunflower Oil and added taste with several shakes of Italian Seasoning.
I used Corp Sunflower Oil and added taste with several shakes of Italian Seasoning from Tank’s Meats in Elmore Ohio.

Spanish explorers spread the taste of the buttery bean after Middle Eastern cultures began to cultivate them around 3,000 B.C. The benefits of the garbanzo bean are boundless and have proven to lower cholesterol.

If you prefer, add a cucumber then chill for 30 minutes to two hours before stirring and serving. When prep time doesn’t involve cooking the taste is simply stunning when summer is a couple days away.

Greek take on a nutty, buttery bean. Greek Garbanzo Bean Salad.
Greek take on a nutty, buttery bean. Greek Garbanzo Bean Salad.

If you prefer to use dried Chickpeas. Pre-soak in three times of the amount of water. Boil for two minutes, remove from heat, cover, and allow to stand for four hours. This reduces the oligosaccharides, which is Greek for simple sugars, or carbohydrates, and also chances for gas or bloating after or during digestion. Dried chickpeas are a more natural and healthy option.

Whichever packaged bean you choose, either is the base to shake up a summer salad.

Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular.
Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She splits her time between the Florida Keys and Coastal Ohio.
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Yards are Crawling with Wildlife and their Babies coexistence emphasized, attempts to nurse is illegal

“We raised them all the time as kids. Fed them canned dog food with tweezers,” admits Theresa Davis-Logan with liveliness as she recalls her memories growing up on the east side of Elmore, Ohio on her parents’ sprawling two-hundred-plus acre farm.

A life of luxury on the Coastal Ohio trail translates into a lot of land often crawling with critters. According to a representative at Nature’s Nursery, a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation center licensed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife, residents can raise Starlings and Sparrows because they are an invasive species.

Keeping any other bird, bunny, duck, goose, squirrel or raccoon as a playful pet is illegal. Plus, any person thinking this is the compassionate and correct route to take are actually causing a commotion.

A Starling can be kept legally at home as this one is perched right on a mantle.
A Starling can be kept legally at home as this one is perched right on a mantle.

“That man I was speaking with on the phone has had a baby bird for two weeks now. The animal goes to work with him, flies around and poops everywhere. He doesn’t know how to get this bird to eat on its own. He won’t bring the bird in and asked if he could come and visit (if he did),” Cathy Hall, an operations coordinator at Nature’s Nursery in Waterville Township explains her exasperation with one man and his new feathered friend.

The bird, which has yet to be identified needs to be among birds.

“The bird needs to learn how to be a bird. How to find its own food and then be released back into the wild,” Hall supplies the appropriate stages.

This one is now being kept as a pet at a home off of Central Avenue in the city. Residents like this caller across the northwest Coastal Ohio region raising wildlife babies don’t always have access to the correct care. Each species needs a specially formulated formula. Google isn’t a great source for care information, or unfortunately, employees at a local pet store who often mistakenly suggest and sell kitten milk to nourish nature’s wonder.

“Then we end up with a caller saying, ‘I found a nest of bunnies last week and now they’re all dying,'” supplies Hall.

Today, Hall and the Nature’s Nursery staff had a Painted Turtle struck by a vehicle and a Groundhog discovered trapped and in distress both brought in for care. She reminds residents this is a busy baby season and to call if you come across any of these situations, especially with birds. Baby mammals can’t regulate their own body heat. According to Hall birds can also bond. Having a bird friendly with family also means it won’t fear the the neighborhood cat.

“We gotta keep’em warm and we gotta’ keep them hydrated,” Hall indicates from her desk. The Starling brought in will be fed puppy chow soaked in water. That is another key point. Birds cannot have liquids which can go into airways and drown the baby.”

Cathy Hall with a baby Starling.
Cathy Hall with a baby Starling.

Nature’s Nursery is located in Waterville Township. Call the hotline at 419-877-0060 or email to set up an immediate appointment time to bring in the baby, babies, or injured adult. Castalia, Ohio hosts Back to the Wild. Their phone number is 419-684-9539. As of this date Nature’s Nursery has already taken in one-thousand animals at its location at Blue Creek Parks. The baby Starling will be heated, fed soaked puppy food and placed amongst a nest of baby Sparrows.

“They are so fun! We had two sparrows, peepers, and cheepers!” Davis-Logan laughs.

Today Davis-Logan is a sales manager at Green Guard First Aid and Safety and is raising her 10-year old daughter Payton outside of Alvada on another acreage. Picture courtesy the Logan family archives
Davis-Logan is a sales manager at Green Guard First Aid and Safety and is raising her 10-year old daughter Payton outside of Alvada on an acreage full of fun. Picture courtesy the Logan family archives

There isn’t anything glamorous about a nest of babies about to take their last breath because correct care wasn’t administered.

Nature’s Nursery is part of Blue Creek Conservation area and is home to a resident coyote. Representatives will be available tomorrow, June 5 from 1 – 4 pm at the Toledo Botanical Garden’s Wildlife Festival.

Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular.
Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio. Her Labrador found the featured Starling on the side of US 20. A nearby nest wasn’t in sight.
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Heaven Sent in a one-by-one Inch Cocoa Coconut Ball 2016 vegan revamp the 1920s Mounds Candy Bar

The last time I was asked if I had any request from the grocery store my reply was, “Yes! Hershey’s  Unsweetened Cocoa Powder from the baking section.”

I’ve become smitten making anything and everything made sweet with that unsweetened staple. The powdery product is so potent with caffeine after consuming just half of a teaspoon in any fashion makes me feel as though I just threw back three shots of bucci and have the energy to walk a puppy, clean the house and write a fluffy dining feature about whatever strikes my fancy. Enjoy an extra kick if you chase one of these magic Mounds Candy Bar-like concoctions with the Cuban espresso.

Mounds, made by Hershey’s for nearly one-century, consists of a “filling” made with shredded coconut enrobed in dark chocolate. The package contains about 260 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrates and 10 milligrams of caffeine plus 24 grams of sugar. The processed sugar will undoubtedly give any overzealous eater enough power to swim like Diana Nyad through a pool of jellyfish and sharks before collapsing in a sugar coma on the nearest beach.

(You can read more about this determined woman here in my 2013 interview where she was pulled from the ocean while swimming the Florida Straights).

Back to the task at hand. Grab your favorite mixing bowl and first stir these ingredients together and microwave for 45 seconds.

  • 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar
  • 2 T of Dark Cocoa Powder
  • 2 T of Water
  • 3 T of Coconut Oil
The mixture will bubble.
The mixture will bubble. Once this happens stir in these ingredients next.
  • 1 Cup of Rolled Oats
  • 1/2 Cup of Shredded Coconut
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla
  • 1/3 Cup of Peanut Butter
    For the 1/3 C of Peanut Butter I used creamy for half of the third and filled the rest of the measuring cup up with this PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter. Made with peanuts, salt and sugar this stuff is so easy to use, especially in smoothies, and has 85 percent less fat.
    For the 1/3 C of Peanut Butter I used creamy for half of the third and filled the rest of the measuring cup up with this PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter. Made with peanuts, salt and sugar this product is so easy to use, especially in smoothies, and has 85 percent less fat.

    Drop onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper in one-inch balls and sprinkle with more shredded coconut flakes. I used Bob’s Red Mill Unsweetened Shredded Coconut. The entire process takes about twelve minutes.

    The batch makes 20 cookies.
    The batch makes 20 cookies.

Just as Mounds was marketed in the 1970s as “Indescribably Delicious” these 2016 Cocoa Coconut No Bake drop cookies; an adaptation of the Minimalist Baker’s version, which contain almond milk instead of water, are made mainly with old-fashioned rolled oats. This batch in particular is laced with a powdered peanut butter to make them, once again, indescribably delicious.

For the next round I’m adding an ingredient to turn this healthy, heavenly treat into Almond Joy.

Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular.
Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. Lately her luxe lifestyle consists of caring for a Labrador Puppy in Coastal Ohio and adding healthy twists to long-time favorites in the kitchen.
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Top 10 Lake Erie Cottages where to stay when the calendar reads vacation

Memorial weekend is upon us. That means time to make a break for Lake Erie Vacation Land, soak up some sun, and all of the nostalgia that defines Ohio’s coastline.

“Just imagine if you could still have a cocktail in the park. Put-In-Bay is still a hot spot even though that part is now restricted. You’re safe. You don’t have to worry about anyone hurting you out on the islands,” Theresa Jeremy associate at the Waterline Store for Miller Boat Line supplies the synopsis of what’s to come for Summer 2016.

For many, the time has come in life where crashing out at 3 am on a boat docked across the park from the Frosty Bar isn’t an option.

Prior booking, reservation and a room key is a must before boarding the Jet Express, Miller Ferry, or the Kelley’s Island Boat Line.

A tour through Port Clinton, Catawba Island, Marblehead, Lakeside, Kelley’s Island, South Bass Island (PIB), Middle Bass Island, North Bass Island, Pelee and Rattlesnake Island reveals: making reservations is rough.

North Bass is mostly owned by the State of Ohio. Paramount Distillers still cultivates vineyards on the island. There are less than two dozen islanders who live here year-round. There aren’t any public facilities on the island – not even a general store. Gibraltar Island doesn’t have overnight accommodations but you can take a water taxi from Put-In-Bay for a day trip to see the Cook Castle. Right now that property has a $4 M price tag attached to the restoration.

No wonder crashing on a watercraft is how most locals initially experience these idyllic islands. In 2016 Put-In-Bay still remains number one for fun. Not just on Lake Erie but the entire Great Lakes system.

10.) Coastal Floating Homes

Be ON the water with a boat dock outside of the door. Coastal Floating Homes are located at 545 West Lakeshore Drive in Port Clinton. A minimum two-night stay is required. Sleeps six guests. There’s a heated pool and guests are within walking distance to downtown Port Clinton and the Jet Express.

 9.) Catawba Island Chalet

Lemon-colored walls and a sleeping loft with twin beds covered in fish-patterned bedspreads plus a highchair have earned this chalet on Catawba Point the theme of “Family-friendly.” Children are welcome at this completely refurbished Chalet-style home located on Catawba Point. This is a one-bedroom home that has a sleeping loft and pull-out couch to accommodate even more guests. Nicely equipped with cable, internet and linens and priced right around $200.

8.) Island View Cottages at PIB 

Jump off of the Miller Boat Line Ferry, start walking towards the boardwalk and right past the golf cart rentals find Island View Cottages. Each sleeps six and the canoe decor will have guests swooning before they even reach the winery. The grounds are secluded and there isn’t anywhere on the website discouraging bachelor and bachelorette parties. Bring marshmallows. There is a fire pit. Call 419-285-RENT for prices.

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7.) Middle Bass Historic Home 

Touted as having “The best sunsets north of Key West” this five-bedroom B&B is available to rent in its entirety. Whether celebrating a wedding or hosting a family reunion the views are so extravagant even politicians would brag about the features. One can take in two countries and five islands from the 110′ porch. The Middle Bass Ferry makes round trips to Put-In-Bay. Play horseshoes or wander on over to the Lonz Winery to sip on a glass of White Catawba all for less than $500 a night.

6.) Marblehead Sunset Villa

Relax in 2,500 square feet of style. Professionally decorated guests age five to seventy will enjoy the luxurious four-bedroom with an added upstairs family-room. This villa is located near Sandy Beach overlooking Cedar Point. Nicely furnished with marble and granite throughout and priced under $600 per night.

 5.) The Castle at Lakeside

Why stay in a cottage when booking a castle is a possibility! Located in the gated community of Lakeside near the tennis courts guests can play shuffleboard, relax in an armchair upholstered in bird fabric and head off into the water on a canoe to explore. This 2,200 square foot romancer seats ten people around the dining room table and has its own library. $245 per night.

 4.) The Old Nest at Kelleys Island 

The Adirondack chairs are inviting guests now to come, sit back with a glass of Kelleys Island Sunset Pink and enjoy the views of Lake Erie from this historic cottage. For $400 per night The Old Nest is on a private, nine-acre estate that has been in the family for over 100 years. Enjoy exclusive waterfront access. Inside find a rustic nautical theme throughout this five-bedroom escape.

3.) Moonrest Cottage, Pelee Island

Cute, cute, cute and more Canadian cuteness! Pelee Island is part of the Lake Erie Island system and the lowest appellation of Canada. Explorers can relax knowing there is this three-bedroom on the island’s east shore priced at $220 per night. The front door is steps away from Sandy Beach. Right now there is only one week in June and one week in July to claim this cottage on an island only inhabited by 150 people. Visit the Pelee Winery, go sailing, take in the shipwrecks in the surrounding waters; or….the intriguing exhibit on Al Capone and his Rum Runners who used Pelee Island as a point of embarkation to Ohio during the years of Prohibition. Moonrest sleeps six.

2.) Rattlesnake Island Club

Ohio’s largest country club on a private island. What happens at Rattlesnake Island stays at Rattlesnake Island. Island is owned by 65 businessmen. Want to mix business with pleasure? Do your research. Inquire about becoming a member here. Accessible via helicopter.

1.) Put-In-Bay Party Palace

Why sleep on a boat when for $1635.00 you can crash here. Check out these views from the eat-in kitchen. This 5,000 square-foot Lake House nestled ever-so-nicely on South Bass Island (Put-In-Bay) is going to entitle whomever has the key as King of the Great Lakes. Has several balconies and IS available this weekend. Grab your Jet Express pass and at least 13 of your best friends. Catering is available at this 5,200 square-foot PIB Estate.

 

Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular.
Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular.
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Pancakes PUH-LEEEEASE! a new take on the Sunday morning staple

I remember the first time the smell of Betty Crocker’s Bisquick Original Pancake and Breakfast Mix wafted through the house. All of the females representing my Kindergarten class from Shupe Elementary in the uncharted Coastal Ohio town of Amherst (now population 25,000) had stayed the night to celebrate my sixth birthday.

The evening was an out-of-control blow-out on Elyria Avenue. One might reflect this evening was a precursor of what was to come.

Over one dozen young ladies showed up, sleeping bags in tow, with Holly Hobby, Strawberry Shortcake, ET, or the Care Bears beaming on top of the zippered stuffing. They were also toting gifts. One of which happened to be a Barbie Doll wearing a striking fuchsia one-piece to accentuate her over balanced body.

The calendar read the “early 80s” and life was grand.

We spent the evening jumping on the bed and feeding the family dog popcorn made in the Wear-Ever Popcorn Pumper. One of my classmates peed her pants in the excitement of the evening and we never crawled into the sleeping bags and closed our eyes.

When the sun arose to alert us blurry-eyed young ladies we had survived our first sleep-over together with my stay-at-home mom, (who had just reached the ripe age of twenty-seven) she made all of us initial pancakes on a stand-alone electric griddle. I wouldn’t take the time to use a fork, add butter, or pour maple syrup on top. I just grabbed the “J” and the “K” like a cookie and ate the fluff full of oil, egg and butter.

To this day, I’ve never ordered a stack of pancakes. The thought of sticking my fork into a pile of “goo” with sugar poured on top makes my stomach churn. My palate prefers egg white omelets made with fresh vegetables and eggs that aren’t from an actual animal.

With a side of fruit!

But, something this past week, maybe its from following Amy Weinstock’s new blog, “Earth To Amy” where I’ve seen all of the “goo” can be replaced with alternatives.

Maybe its because for the first time since age eleven I’m living again by my South Eastern European family and I feel as though I’m not alive if I’m not eating a pastry for two of my three main meals of the day.

This week I revisited that box of Bisquick in the back of the cupboard. I opened the box and made a couple of quick alterations.

  •  1 C of mix
  •  2/3 C of coconut milk
  •  2 T of coconut oil
  •  2 “eggs” = 2 T corn starch mixed with 6 T of hot water

Mix those ingredients together and heat more coconut oil on a hot griddle. Pour the batter and soon the sweet smells of Betty Crocker Pancakes without egg, milk, or vegetable oil will be transported through the kitchen.

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Perhaps, transporting one to another time. Pick a topping such as Wholesome! Organic Pancake Syrup, sprinkle fresh fruit on top, and you have yourself a pancake party.

 

 

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Suddenbreakingnews: Coastal Ohio is Derby Crazy horses, hats, bourbon, and mint create merriment

“Me and A.J., my husband, and I went to the actual Derby in 2009 and that got me hooked with the fashion and everything. I already loved horses. We started having Derby parties at the house and then I saw the events at Kelley’s Island and we started coming here and renting a house for the weekend,” Cheri Camp Potter explains her elation over the Run for the Roses.

The Oak Harbor native boarded the Kelley’s Island Ferry Thursday night and is already ready to plunk down her paycheck on the long shot, Oscar Nominated, the horse who has a fifty to one odds in winning.

“A.J. is putting his money on Mo Tom,” Potter offers more on where the bets will be made and on the couple’s Derby party plans. “It’s fun. It’s so nice over here. We’re only an hour from home, but it doesn’t feel like we’re in Ohio. We hang out and go to different bars and restaurants. They’re having Derby hat contests.”

Mary Whittman, office manager with the Kelley’s Chamber of Commerce supplies, “The people come in their fancy hats and all the restaurants enjoy having people come in and watch the Derby. It’s always a fun day. The boats are running their early May schedule. Now that we have sun in the skies people are eager to get out here.”

Back in the Glass City Shelley Crossley, Community and Public Relations Manager for the Hollywood Casino, relays that as far as the race goes the televisions will be on in the Scene restaurant. But, bets aren’t allowed.

“You can’t book here,” Crossley confirms. “In this area the Sylvania County Club does a huge party. It’s a big deal.”

 

2015 Attendees, Picture Courtesy: Sylvania Country Club
2015 Attendees, Picture Courtesy: Sylvania Country Club

“It is one of the best attended and most fun parties they have been doing for years,” solidifies Carrie Serber the Marketing Director of the Sylvania Country Club.

Over 200 attendees are expected in bowties, seersucker, hats and all-out Kentucky style the region (separated from Ohio only by the Ohio River) is known for. The party starts at 5 pm Saturday, May 7 with an appetizer station featuring fresh fruit, cheese wheels, and blue grass watermelon and feta salad. Collectible Derby glasses are ordered from Churchill Downs. They’ll be filled to the brim with Mint Juleps containing mint grown on site at the club. Attendees expected are restaurateurs George and Michelle Mancy and Promedica executives.

April Cousino, Assistant Manager, attests the success of the event has been no “Exaggerator” since its inception.

“We have a hat contest. Dining certificates will be given away and two tickets to our wine club event. This is a very traditional party with very large hats,” Cousino confides.

After the dust settles, the main grazing station opens featuring bourbon marinated beef tenderloin. Velvet Jones plays from 6:30 – 10:30 pm.

Featured dessert is a Maple Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie Photo Courtesy: Sylvania Country Club
Featured dessert is a Maple Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie Photo Courtesy: Sylvania Country Club

East of Kelley’s Island, hats will be donned and bourbon poured on the porch at Cleveland’s SoHo Kitchen and Bar on West 25th Street beginning at 4 pm. Chef and Owner, Nolan Konkoski is the “Creator” of this reception designed around the racehorse.

“We host a classic Derby party in every sense of the word. We do complimentary appetizers until the race and have an a la carte menu people can order from. The appetizers are all Derby inspired. Pimento cheese on crackers, deviled eggs, Benedictine sandwiches and mini Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie Pies,” Konkoski clues us in on what will be coming out of his kitchen.

SoHo is a Southern bourbon bar stocking over one hundred different bourbons to be sipped. Bullit is one of the most commonly ordered to wet one’s whistle. To brush up on the other labels: Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Eagle Rare, and Colonel E.H. Taylor are all ordered at SoHo by the distinguished drinker. At this Derby soiree four different Mint Julep recipes have been concocted: classic, peach, ginger and strawberry rhubarb.

“We went through seven hundred Mint Juleps last year. There’s no cover charge. We do a best-dressed where the staff votes and then we give away prizes, Konkoski concludes. “We are usually packed full inside and out. This party gets bigger and bigger every year. We’ll have a tent up and are expecting probably between two hundred to three hundred people. We put TVs inside and out and turn the audio on when the race begins.”

From Mo Tom, to Oscar Nominated, Shagaf, and Cherry Wine; no matter which horse is chosen to win the affection of the hard-earned cash, Potter declares all this hoopla is really all about the hat.

Cheri Camp Potter's authentic Kentucky Derby purple hat is inspired by Prince.
Cheri Camp Potter’s authentic Kentucky Derby purple hat is inspired by Prince.

“My uncle got me a very expensive Derby hat. This is the real deal. It’s purple for Prince and my outfit is cute tailored beige shorts and a top which will really set off the focal point – the hat!”

 The 2016 Kentucky Derby Run for the Roses will be broadcast live on NBC starting at 5 pm Eastern.

Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular.
Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular.
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North Coast: No Sharks ink for over the sink

North Coast: No Sharks provides a conversation piece in the kitchen. When the space is blank and boring add style to the home in 2016 with this Great Lakes blue print of the glacial water system responsible for dramatic climate. Covering the 216 and 305 area codes, this piece is a first edition created in downtown Cleveland and captures the energy of the area. Designed in ball point pen ink. For the luxury home — with a twist.

NoSharks
North Coast: No Sharks Josie, Style for the Home JK PR Sales & Design 216 305
Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular.
Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular. Fitness and Design are her passions.
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Coastal Ohio 2016 Spring Buying Guide every essential for life and love, lush finds along Lake Erie

Time to ditch the Bugaboots for a sea-worthy pair of Sperry Shoes. Or at the very least pack them away in a dark closet with your parka. The snow has melted, the rivers have swelled and everyone will be making a break for Lake Erie vacation land within the next two weeks. The Lakefront and Lake Erie Islands will be poppin’ until school starts and Labor Day wraps up.

The ferry systems have already started taking passengers around the glacial waters. $495 buys an individual all-season passport to take the Jet Express to Kelley’s Island or Put-In-Bay allowing travelers access from either of the launches in Sandusky and Port Clinton. Miller Boat Line one-way fares are just seven dollars. To catch this ferry, drive to Catawba Island to the end of Route 53 North and hop on the cargo cruiser with the essentials. The Miller Boat Line also makes trips to summertime’s party central, Put-In-Bay (South Bass Island) and the eight hundred and five-acre Middle Bass Island where the historic Lonz Winery awaits. I’ll have more on Pelee island, the largest island in Lake Erie and southernmost habited point of Canada a little later in the season.

Access Kelley’s Island via the Kelley’s Island Ferry stationed in Marblehead. This island is so laid back, old Umbro shorts from the 90s are perfectly acceptable attire to don while driving a golf cart to take in the glacial grooves or play some putt-putt.

These hidden gems of The Great Lakes region are that laid back.

So, as to not stick out like a lighthouse here are the items to snag from in Spring 2016 that define Coastal Ohio living.

Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular.
Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and knows many of the nooks and crannies which make the region so spectacular. Her passions: fitness and design.