Notable Ohioans

OHIO IS A MELTING POT OF PEOPLE, sights, sounds, and smells. But Ohio means different things to different people. Sometimes it represents outdoor wonders, tasty authentic treats, or surprising discoveries. Three notable Ohioans fill us in on what Ohio means to them.

Born to the Babushka

Lidia Trempe, owner, Rudy’s Strudel Bakery

One step into Lidia Trempe’s bakery in Parma and you’ll feel transported to eastern Europe, as she and other Ukrainian-speaking women wearing colorful babushkas roll cookie dough and make pierogies. Ohio’s diverse ethnic background is what Trempe loves most about living here. “What is so incredibly special to me about our state is the fabric of so many different nationalities and so many people coming together in a small way that lands in a big way,” she says. “You have all these different ethnic enclaves throughout the state. It’s beautiful.” Rudy’s Strudel & Bakery, which has been in business for 75 years, is centered in one of those enclaves — Parma’s charming Polish Village.

WHEN YOU GO: Take home kolachki and strudel, as well as your own Born to the Babushka T-shirt.

Mr. Science

Frederic Bertley, President and CEO, COSI

Frederic Bertley moved to Ohio from Philadelphia in 2017 to lead COSI in Columbus. Before making the leap, he researched the state, but everything he learned didn’t prepare him for what he calls “an embarrassment of unexpected riches.” The state’s wealth of restaurants, festivals, outdoor activities, and fashion continue to amaze Bertley. And he’s contributed to the state’s wealth of activities, starting COSI’s popular annual Science Festival and helping COSI be named by USA Today as the nation’s best science museum for three consecutive years. His favorite thing about Ohio is the people more than anything. “One of the first things that my wife and I noticed is how nice people are here,” Bertley says.

WHEN YOU GO: Visit during the interactive COSI Science Festival on May 3–6, and come year-round for Space, Ocean, and the Dinosaur Gallery.

Comic Relief

Jeff Smith, Cartoonist

Columbus native Jeff Smith shows his love of Ohio in his artwork. Glimpsing what he loves about Ohio is as easy as picking up his award-winning graphic novel series Bone. The fairy tale landscapes for his books, which are sort of like the Marx Brothers and Bugs Bunny meets the Lord of the Rings, are based on southeast Ohio sites such as Hocking Hills’ Old Man’s Cave. “To see the gorges and caves in Hocking Hills was just amazing to me as a kid,” says Smith, who co-founded comics and art festival Cartoon Crossroads Columbus in 2015.

WHEN YOU GO: See work by the best graphic artists in the world at Cartoon Crossroads Columbus on Sept. 27–Oct. 1.

SONNETS ESPRESSO BAR

MEET WRITER JASON BRILL Jason Brill is a Cleveland-based writer who enjoys a classic cocktail as much as a good hike in a sunny state park. He loves Columbus’ Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, hiking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, listening to the Cleveland Orchestra, and exploring Ohio’s small towns.

king james’ house

Let LeBron James welcome you to his hometown of Akron at the new House Three Thirty. See special events at the community center and grab a bite to eat at locally owned spots like The Taco Shop by

Old El Paso, James’ favorite tacos. Explore a museum showcasing

James’ Akron beginnings, NBA superstardom, and movie exploits, as well as his community work. Everywhere inside, you’ll be helping provide on-the-job training for James’ I Promise students. Don’t leave without an I Promise wrist band and a We Are Family T-shirt. All proceeds go to the LeBron James

Family Foundation to be invested in the Akron community.