Bring your appetite!

Life Lesson Learned: After a two-year hiatus, expect to be fighting crowds like it’s the Hunger Games

For me, September has always been that weird transition when summer fun winds down and you’re eagerly anticipating fall festivities. That doesn’t mean, however, that there’s a lack of entertainment options. Enter: the Geneva Grape Jamboree.

My hometown used to have a couple of annual festivals/carnivals that have, sadly, faded away over the years. While both certainly had some room for improvement before they ended, at least we had something, you know? Now there’s a lame excuse for a festival every July at the township park, but that’s a rant for another day…

Thankfully, the next town over does still have people who care enough to keep tradition alive via the annual Geneva Grape Jamboree. One thing I’ve always appreciated about the event is the fact that it has a theme; it makes for great pictures, fun contests and unique food! It’s also fitting considering we are right in the middle of Ohio’s wine country (though, ironically, my family and I have never been wine drinkers). 

Sadly, I haven’t had the chance to attend the festival since 2010. Being 3 ½ hours away at college for four years made it impossible, as did living two states over for the next six. Needless to say, I was eager to go this year, especially to see what was new and enjoy some of that delicious grape ice cream I remembered so fondly! The festival had also taken a two-year hiatus because of Covid, so I didn’t have the chance to go last year despite having moved back to the area. 

Although the Jamboree is a two-day event, a weather prediction of wet and rainy weather Sunday meant we wouldn’t be able to go that day even if we wanted to wait. Even more unfortunate news? I noticed before leaving the house that there was also a chance of a pop-up shower at noon. But that’s what umbrellas are for, right? Still, it would have been nice to be graced with nothing but sunny skies. 

The three of us should have realized just how busy things would be when we had to park so far away that the walk to the festival felt like miles. We were nearly tired by the time we got there! 

Our first stop was the craft fair, which was packed to say the least. To make matters worse, the meteorologists happened to be right for once and a few clouds did decide to hit us with a bit of rain. Thankfully our umbrellas came in handy, but I quickly learned that I’m a hazard to myself and others when trying to carry an umbrella through a crowd while simultaneously window shopping. I’m honestly shocked that the umbrella didn’t get caught on a tree at one point. (I will say, nothing is more of a challenge than using an umbrella in the Times Square crowds. I learned quickly to use a rain jacket instead so as to avoid dirty looks and rude comments. Sigh.). 

When we left the craft area after having taken fewer photos than I expected (not many grape themed items to be found there!), I was hopeful we’d see more in the main “strip.” Plenty of people were wearing purple, which is always fun (until you’re trying to find a family member who is also wearing purple) but we had to stroll behind all of the food vendors on the sidewalk to look for photo ops. Normally the downtown shops will decorate their windows with grape-themed displays in honor of the occasion.

We did see some cute displays, but not nearly as many as I remembered. It certainly didn’t help that one section of the street hardly had any remaining stores. Such a shame! (We even spotted one with a “closed because of Covid” sign that appeared to be two years old. It was like it was frozen in time. Talk about depressing and eerie!)

The day’s parade was not only late to start but was…lacking? Sure, there were some cute floats and some attempts at decorating for the grape theme, but far too many noisy, emergency vehicles, odd business vehicles and a bizarre inclusion of non-vintage cars. (If 1994 is considered vintage, then I’m clearly an old lady…even if I do feel it some days). We were so tired from standing that we walked away before the parade’s conclusion to try and snap some more photos elsewhere before the crowds arrived. Unfortunately for us, that didn’t last long. By the time I was ready for the much-anticipated grape ice cream, the parade was over and we were drowning in a sea of hungry humans. Nearly every vendor had no less than 20 people in line, making for very long waits and very little room to move around. We left the line to look around some more, hoping things would thin out by the time we got back to the ice cream booth. Wrong.

The line was even longer, though thankfully things moved quickly. And just as important, the wait was totally worth it. Yum!

There wasn’t much to see after that, and many of the most interesting events (like the grape stomping) had taken place earlier in the day before we arrived.

So with the crowds still growing, we decided to head home.  (On a side note, many attendees arrived with dogs….which I don’t understand. Why would you want to subject your pup to large groups of people who are not paying attention to where they’re even stepping?)

Though my stomach was certainly pleased with all of the festival goodies, I couldn’t help but feel like something was just…”lacking” this year. I know my Mom felt the same way! The large amount of people also made things feel more stressful. I’m guessing that the two-year hiatus made people more eager than ever to get their Jamboree fix, and the impending unpleasant weather on Sunday meant they worried they only had one day to enjoy the fun. 

Here’s hoping that they achieve a little more grapeness with future festivals!

Life Lesson Learned: There’s only so much you can do with pickles…

NYC has no shortage of festivals, with one of its most famous being the annual Feast of San Gennaro held in late September in Little Italy. If my memory serves me right, I first discovered the event in 2016 and couldn’t wait to go. Streets filled with Italian food vendors? Sign. Me. Up! I had also seen that there was Pickle Festival being held in the same general area, and knew I couldn’t miss that either. 

I was surprised to find the festival was set up in a somewhat dark side-street, though there was no shortage of tents and I was curious about what all was being offered. 

Unsurprisingly, most of the vendors were offering pickles. (What a concept!) Flavored pickles, fried pickles, pickles on a stick, pickle chips…you name it! 

Of course, when you’re trying to decide what to get…where do you even begin? How are you supposed to know what makes a great pickle? At that point, the only pickles I ate came in a jar from the supermarket. Are certain pickle flavors better than others? And what’s the appeal of a pickle on a stick? (I got one of these and still have no idea why). 

I ended up trying the aforementioned pickle-on-a-stick and a whole pickle that I’m guessing had some kind of flavor (maybe garlic? That sounds like something I’d pick!). I do wish I had given the fried pickles a try. 

Unsurprisingly, there didn’t appear to be much in the way of entertainment besides a giant checkers board? Granted I didn’t walk the entire length of the festival, but I can’t imagine what else would have been offered. A pickle ring toss? A pickle eating contest? 

I did see at least one vendor selling pickle themed merchandise, perfect for the pickle lovers in your life I guess. I personally didn’t buy anything though I do wish I had taken more photos of their inventory…just for later laughs if anything else! 

Though it was fun to stop by and see what the “dill” was, I decided to wander back to Little Italy to stuff my face full of carbs. 

I certainly appreciated the uniqueness of the “Pickle Day” event, but do wonder why they called it that when National Pickle Day is November! Overall, it was easy to see the limitations of a festival focused on a food that most people only like to consume in a few ways. It’s not like you can offer pickle-flavored dessert options, right? 

But after seeing these two food options being advertised….

I guess you never know what people might be willing to try. 

Me? I’ll have to pass.

A roaring good time

Life Lesson Learned: Sometimes it’s good to shake things up!

The zoo has been a “happy place” for me for as long as I can remember! My parents even have pictures of me looking at exhibits in awe when I was barely old enough to walk. 

I’m sure one of the many reasons I have had such a love for our “local” zoo (The Cleveland Zoo) is because of how well they’ve transformed so much of the property. It’s come a long way since my toddler days, and I still have fond memories of each visit where there was something new and improved to explore. From the Australian Adventure section that debuted when I was in elementary school to the most recent Asian Highlands renovation, it’s such a treat to see the animals thrive in their new habitats. Even now, in 2022, they have multiple projects in the works that our family looks forward to seeing upon completion. 

Despite these new additions, the three of us have proven to be creatures of habit when it comes to our visits. We head towards the lions and elephants first, then stop for lunch before Hangry Shay makes an appearance. The zoo’s food court has been an ever-changing roster of dining options minus one staple: McDonald’s. And despite the fact that we have a McDonald’s right in town, this has consistently been our zoo lunch of choice (Heck, I even get the same order there every time. Don’t judge!). The best part of the meal isn’t even the food itself….it’s our idyllic spot to enjoy it. Tucked behind the indoor dining area is a narrow, wrap-around patio with a handful of tables. Not only are you surrounded by shrubbery on one side, but there’s a picturesque view of some African grassland animals just on the other side of the railing. (And if that’s not enough wildlife for you, there’s guaranteed to be some French fry addicted chipmunks running near your feet, hoping for handouts). Thankfully, few people seem to know the spot exists and instead opt for the chaotic, hot-from-the-sun dining area that’s out in the open. No thank you! 

Our path then takes us to the rest of the African animals, followed by Wilderness Trek, the Primate, Cat and Aquatics area, and then ending the day through the Australian Adventure while running out of steam. I’m not sure why this has consistently been our routine, but it’s basically become tradition at this point. But who says traditions can’t be changed?

This year (our first time back at the zoo since 2019), we broke out of our comfort zone a bit. The zoo is 183 acres, and you can even see reviews from tourists stunned at how much walking is involved on the property. With my mom having back issues, she knew she wouldn’t be able to visit the whole zoo on foot this time around, so she ended up renting an electric scooter for the day. So glad they have that option! (Though we all like to joke that they need to offer Segways to everyone.) It took a bit of figuring out to operate the scooter, but things went smoothly after that. 

Given the size of the zoo, my mom suggested we start at the furthest away areas, figuring she could do the exhibits by the entrance on foot near closing if needed. This meant taking the tram up to the Primate region right after we got there. I have to say, it was nice not to have to deal with a huge crowd waiting for the tram like we regularly encountered in afternoons (especially since the day’s high dew point meant I was already sticky and borderline uncomfortable at 11 a.m.–not the kind of weather you’d want to be stuck in a huge crowd). 

The actual Primate, Cat and Aquatics area might as well be called “Some primates, one cat and what fish?” now given how few exhibits there are, but it was still worth a visit. We got to see baby gorilla Kayembe, who is the first to be born at the zoo. I’ll be honest that apes both fascinate and frighten me, but he was a cute little nugget! 

 

Our time in Australian Adventure wasn’t overly memorable, though I appreciated seeing it before we hit the point of “my feet are tired and I’m ready to go home” in the late afternoon. Lunch was just what you’d expect (Yes, McDonald’s with a view!), and then we headed in the opposite direction towards Wilderness Trek, which is easily becoming my favorite area. 

One of the highlights of the day was getting to see all of the displays for the Asian Lantern festival that’s held at night throughout the summer. Sure, they may not be as “wow-worthy” during the day, but I was still impressed! Plus, it made for some great pictures on top of seeing the animals. 

The other highlight? The baby animals of course (including little Kayembe and rhino calf Dahlia), and the gorgeous big cats that all three of us were swooning over. 

Before we knew it, we were wrapping up our visit with the last couple of African-themed exhibits near the entrance. How had the day gone by so fast? I was undoubtedly still tired from the summer weather, but somehow had sidestepped the exhaustion that accompanies our usual path through the zoo. 

I guess sometimes it really pays to change up your routine! 

Life Lesson Learned: When it’s hot, penguins are your best friend!

When I moved to the greater New York area in 2015, I made it my goal to visit as many of the NYC zoos as possible. I managed to see three of them before I moved, and it was a treat to learn about the similarities/differences between them all. 

Though the Bronx Zoo was by far the most impressive in my opinion, I loved the Central Park Zoo simply for the convenience (part of the reason I went there twice!). Sure, it was small, but at least you could go relax in a shady spot in the park when you were all done. 

One of my visits (you can read the original post here) was on a sweltering day in August, and I remember I was embarrassingly sweaty by the time I even made it to the actual zoo. This was one case of a small zoo being a blessing, because days like that at the Cleveland Zoo are brutal if not downright impossible. Unfortunately, the zoo had a small tropical building that I foolishly entered first, not realizing I was about to become even stickier.

The Cleveland Zoo actually has an impressive rainforest building with great exhibits, but who wants to walk through a humid environment when humidity awaits you outside too? Needless to say, we skip it just about every year. 

So after I survived the struggle that was the Tropic Zone at the CP Zoo, I wandered through the rest of the property to see their “temperate” animals trying to stay cool like the rest of us. I can’t imagine being a snow leopard or red panda in the heat; poor things! They were all snoozing (and understandably so) but I managed to get some decent photos given the crowds.

Then came a pleasant surprise: penguins! Thank the Lord, they had penguins.

The birds are funny to watch (and I remember there was one cutie who kept swimming next to the glass, looking for attention), but at that point they could have put out cardboard birds behind that glass and I likely wouldn’t have cared. The building was cool, it was dry and I was in Heaven. So I stuck around longer than probably warranted to watch them play in the water before accepting that I’d have to brave the heat once again. 

On my way out of the park, I stopped at what seemed to be the zoo’s main attraction: the sea lion pool. As I watched them splash around in the water, clearly unaffected by the high temps, I felt a small tinge of jealousy as a non-swimmer.  

Only one thought came to mind: Show offs!