Ohio Wanderlust

Saturday I attended the Yule Ball presented by The Side Quest at the Ohio Masonic Center. This event sold out months ago and I was lucky enough to hear about it from two friends who hang-out at the Side Quest. Those two friends said that this event was going to be amazing, so I ordered tickets right after finding out the details. For your ticket you received access to the event which included unlimited food, one drink ticket, and live entertainment (along with a host of other magical things). For those who are unfamiliar the Yule Ball was held in celebration of the Tri-Wizard tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling. The entire book centers around the Tri-Wizard tournament, although the Yule Ball is only a small portion of the story, it makes for a fun excuse to dress fancy and celebrate the holidays and Harry Potter at the same time. Based on the Facebook page for the event I gleaned that the dress was going to be a mix of formal and Harry Potter

Friday night Dave and I attended the 3rd Annual TubaChristmas at the University of Mount Union. Full disclosure, I'm a 2012 University of Mount Union alumna and I enjoyed four wonderful years as a member of the Purple Raider Marching Band and as a concert oboe. I found out about this event via Facebook, since many of my mutual former band friends were invited. Although I may be slightly biased towards my alma mater and former band, I think we can all get behind a free musical event during the holidays (I should mention that it's free to attend, to participate there is a fee). When Dave and I arrived on campus we were impressed how many community members were in attendance to enjoy the concert. The audience spanned a wide range of demographics -- there were families in attendance with small children, college students, and elderly couples. The tradition of TubaChristmas started on December 22, 1974 at New York City's Rockefeller Center. Since that day cities ar

I was invited to participate in the Media Preview Night for Deck The Hall 2016 at Stan Hywet -- this is not intended to be a comprehensive post, because I absolutely want you to go experience Deck The Hall with your family. This is just a little taste of some of the new displays and decorations. Our preview took place last Friday on November 18, during the beautiful and unseasonable 70° weather that we experienced. You'll notice no snow in any of the photos and might note that I'm not even wearing a jacket. Deck The Hall certainly takes place in more chilly weather conditions, but there are places to duck inside to warm-up, and when the temperature is below freezing outdoor heaters will be placed throughout the grounds. Deck The Hall features over 850,000 lights with both indoor and outdoor displays. There are local musicians, plenty of places for photo ops, and opportunities for both children and adults to be dazzled by the whimsy of Christmas scenes. Deck The Hall is Stan