Kendal at Oberlin Blog

This time of year, sailors, anglers and swimmers head off to Lake Erie, baseball fans and diners to downtown Cleveland, families and coaster enthusiasts to Cedar Point and music lovers to Blossom Museum Center. But Oberlin minus students is still a city steeped in entertainment and outdoor intergenerational fun, so let’s get started.

The modern environmental movement started taking shape early in the 1960’s. But it came to national attention about 50 years ago, on June 22, 1969, when the Cuyahoga River burned for the last time. 

Ten years ago, husband and wife travel writers David Molyneaux and Fran Golden would have been hard-pressed to fill a book about Cleveland’s restaurant and foodie scene. Today that task was easy, and the result is a delicious and diverse guidebook called “Unique Eats and Eateries of Cleveland” (Reedy Press, $20.95).

After the death of her long-time husband, Lola is very lonely. When she rents an older cat over the Internet, her days gradually brighten and become meaningful. Lola and the Rent-a-Cat, written by Dutch writer Ceseli Josephus Jitta, is a children’s book that explores issues about grief and aging.

In a diverse, engaged city like Oberlin, volunteerism is an integral part of life for lots of residents and employees.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, many couples like to find a restaurant with dim lights, candle-lit tables, a vase of fresh roses, maybe a fireplace and other warm touches.

When it comes to romantic dining, a few restaurants in Northeast Ohio top the list year-round. Other restaurants amp up the romantic quotient this time of year.  In other words, lots of choices for couples who want to eat out on Feb. 14, a Thursday this year, or the weekend before or after.

We start the new year with a new date, but often with an old resolution – eat better or exercise more or a variation of the two. Something is obviously awry. Yes, change is not easy.

One of the many perks I’m looking forward to when my husband and I retire is traveling when we want, not at the whim of workplace calendars. Years ago, my husband was a photographer for a TV station and could not get time off during the rating “sweeps” periods. (OK, they did make an exception for the birth of our May baby.) Now he’s a teacher, and travel is limited to school breaks and the two months in the summer when the rest of the country is also on the move.

I am a native Buckeye and have lived in Ohio almost my entire life. Yet, I still find new places to explore and old favorites worth a second or — in the case of Lake Erie — 100th visit.  

Grab a friend or a friendly group and head to Cleveland, a lakefront city rocking and rolling with lots to do day and night. It doesn’t matter if you and your friends are foodies or cultural enthusiasts, nature lovers or sports fans, this North Coast city will more than satisfy your hunger.