Toledo Free Press STAR – August 15, 2012

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INSIDE: RiffTrax INSIDE: RiffTrax ■ Nicole Nicole Khoury Khour y ■ C Crystal r ysta tal P Phelps hel elps

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2 ■ AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

“Love must be as much a light, as it is a flame.” — Henry David Thoreau

“All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” — Helen Keller

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / AUG. 15, 2012 ■ 3

She is Nicole Khoury balances careers in law, music, philanthropy.

By Brigitta Burks TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR STAFF WRITER bburks@toledofreepress.com

Nicole Khoury’s look reflects her multiple roles in the Toledo community. She is wearing a classic suit — but her hair is streaked with blue. Khoury has her own law practice and also works part time for the public defender’s offices in Sylvania and Maumee. And when she isn’t working, Khoury is rocking out with her cover band, Arctic Clam. Oh, and she runs her own nonprofit, Project iAm, a charity that provides funds to Toledo-area children with autism for various needs. “I love what I’m doing right now. This is a great time in my life. I can’t imagine changing anything, except maybe I’d like to sleep a little more than I do,” Khoury said with a laugh. Khoury, a University of Toledo law school grad, grew up in Toledo’s South End with her three younger sisters. From the beginning, music has been a big part of her life. “My dad’s whole side of the family is vocally very talented. My dad was in a band his whole life. He’s an amazing guitar player, a great harmonica player. My mother’s side of the family sang and played the piano and choirs and everything like that. So from being born, I always say I knew about Jimi Hendrix before I knew about math,” she said. The singer/guitarist began playing acoustics with Mick Mason since 2006, before getting more band members and officially becoming Arctic Clam in 2011. Music serves as Khoury’s respite from her busy work schedule. “The law is so hard on the heart, and it’s so hard on your soul and the mind,” she said. “So you throw in something like music, that really balances it out and lets me go up and have a great time and lose a lot of energy and that stress.” Still, Khoury emphasized how much she values her day job. “If I didn’t love what I did though, I wouldn’t do it. I’m very lucky to love my job,” she said. Part of what made Khoury stick around To-

Nicole Khoury’s band Arctic Clam is just one of her many pursuits. She also runs a law office and the charity Project iAm. TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR PHOTO BY BRIGITTA BURKS

ledo is its criminal defense community, she said. “It is amazing. You walk into another courtroom somewhere else and … it’s not the feeling you have here. Everyone really works together here,” she said. Toledo in general has allowed Khoury to flourish. “It would take a lot to pull me away because I’m not going to be able to move to a big city and make the money that I make in the time that I make it and be able to be a rock star and

have a charity,” she said. Khoury has big hopes for her city’s Downtown. “I want to see more people living down here and once we get all this going, then the stores will start coming and we’ll start to have our own little, mini-Chicago,” she said, adding that she believes that is the direction the city is headed. “I would love to see Downtown what it is on a Friday or Saturday night or what it is after a Mud

Hens game all the time,” she said. Khoury is bringing Pittsburgh-band Rusted Root to the Shops at Fallen Timbers for a Sept. 21 benefit concert. Tickets are $11 and are available at http://aboutprojectiam.com/. Khoury started Project iAm after talking with her best friend, whose child has autism, about the struggles families can face when it comes to finances. “I don’t ever want a family not to get their kid tested or not seek a treatment,” she said. ✯

4 ■ AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

“There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.” — George Sands

RiffTrax returns to ‘Manos’ Local Rave theaters to show former ‘MST3K’ writers revisit one of the worst films ever made.

By Jeff McGinnis TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR POP CULTURE EDITOR PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

If you visit the Internet Movie Database’s ranking of the 100 worst films of all time as ranked by their visitors, toward the very top —well, bottom — of the list is the 1966 film “Manos: The Hands of Fate.” A tale of a family who gets lost while on vacation and ends up at a lodge overseen by a half-goat-man named Torgo, the movie is bizarre, badly acted, horrifically directed and incomprehensible. The brainchild of — seriously — a Texas fertilizer salesman named Harold P. Warren, “Manos” would have long been consigned to the trash bin of cinematic history had it not been for the cult classic television series “Mystery Science Theater 3000” (MST3K). Famous for “riffing” bad movies by adding a humorous commentary track to them, the show featured “Manos” in 1993. Since then, the movie has become widely acknowledged as one of the worst ever made. Now, some of the minds behind “MST3K” — head writer and host Michael J. Nelson, Kevin “Tom Servo” Murphy and Bill “Crow T. Robot” Corbett — are returning to the scene of the greatest cinematic crime ever. The trio, who have continued to make hilarious commentaries for many of the biggest modern films through their “RiffTrax” website, will be re-riffing “Manos: The Hands of Fate” as part of a “RiffTrax Live!” event. The show will be broadcast in movie theaters around the country, including locally at both Franklin Park 16 and Fallen Timbers 14, at 8 p.m. Aug. 16. The trio said it was interesting to revisit one of their most famous subjects. “It’s like meeting with an old high school friend who turned into a boozer and is living with his old girlfriend, and things aren’t going well,” Nelson said. “It’s really caused me to shudder a lot,” Murphy added. “I haven’t actually seen the

A scene from ‘Manos, Hands of Fate.’ PHOTO COURTESY RIFFTRAX

whole film in about 10 years. So revisiting it now is opening up old wounds.” Despite the fact that the movie has been riffed before, the three are quick to point out that the show will not be just a redo of the previous material. “We are actually rebooting it completely, we’re rewriting it from scratch, without refer-

ring, for good or ill, to the previous stuff,” Corbett explained. “So, it’ll actually be really fresh — if you can use that term when describing ‘Manos,’” Murphy agreed. “Fresh fertilizer,” Nelson added. “I wasn’t involved with the first one; I became a writer after that,” Corbett said. “So

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“Don’t smother each other. No one can grow in shade.� — Leo Buscaglia

Birmingham Festival expands to two days

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The Birmingham Ethnic Festival, held annually on Consaul Street in East Toledo’s Birmingham neighborhood, will expand to two days for the first time. The 38th annual festival will be open noon to 10 p.m. Aug. 18 and noon to 9 p.m. Aug. 19. Admission is free. Proceeds from food and vendor booths will benefit neighborhood organizations, including churches, the VFW and the Hungarian Club. Organizers decided to expand the event to two days after noticing more and more people showing up Saturday night to watch the Waiters Race, a popular annual event held the night before the festival’s official Sunday opening, said Festival Chairman Imre Bertalan. “Last year we decided, ‘OK, we’ll open a couple vendors on Saturday and see how attendance is,’â€? Bertalan said. “We had crowds and that told us, ‘Let’s go for a two-day festival.’ We’re excited about it.â€? The festival will kick off with a parade at 12:30 p.m. Aug. 18 led by the Cakewalkin’ Jass Band in honor of the 80th anniversary of Tony Packo’s. The Waiters Race will follow at 1 p.m. Based on a traditional event in Europe, participants run a relay involving pitchers of beer with the winner based on a combination of speed and spillage. “There is a fierce rivalry. It is a hotly contested event each year,â€? Bertalan said. The second day of the festival will start with a recognition ceremony at noon on the steps of St. Stephen’s Church. Organizers will announce the recipient of the annual Friend of the Birmingham Neighborhood Award, recognize international guests and present the Beer Keg Trophy to the winner of the Waiters Race. Live entertainment, including musicians and ethnic dance groups, will perform both days on three stages. Vendors will be selling crafts and other items, including honey from the neighborhood’s community garden. There will also be a children’s area. Of course there will also be food, including chicken paprikas, “Hunkey Turkeyâ€? (roasted bacon sandwich), stuffed cabbage, kolbasz (sausage sandwiches), gulyĂĄs, palacsinta (crepes), cabbage and noodles, pastries and more.

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There will also be a tent displaying historic items and commemorating the Playdium and other historic Birmingham buildings. The Playdium, a 110-year-old neighborhood landmark, was razed in January after sitting vacant for years. “Not much could be saved, but we are encouraging people to provide us with remembrances. Some folks in our community save everything,â€? said Lucas County Administrator Peter Ujvagi, a longtime Birmingham resident and member of the festival committee. “The Playdium was the gateway to our neighborhood and the center of culture for 100 years. I died a little that day.â€? Thousands attend the festival each year, including people from across the country with ties to the neighborhood. “It’s like a homecoming,â€? Ujvagi said. “The spirit of the neighborhood is much broader and bigger than the physical neighborhood. We’ve always found that’s the strength of the community.â€? The inaugural festival was held to celebrate the neighborhood’s victory in stopping the construction of a four-lane overpass and widening of Consaul Street, Ujvagi said. “That would have split the neighborhood and wiped out Packo’s and many other neighborhood businesses,â€? Ujvagi said. “It was a hard-fought battle for neighborhood preservation. We realized then that many people did not understand what a unique, diverse, multi-ethnic community the Birmingham neighborhood was so a festival that opened the door to the rest of Northwest Ohio was initiated.â€? Bertalan, also a longtime Birmingham resident, said his favorite part of the festival is the meaning behind it. “I love the neighborhood and I just see this event showcasing not only the history of neighborhood, but its present diversity and demonstrating hope and confidence in the future,â€? Bertalan said. Ujvagi said he hopes visitors come away with a better understanding of the neighborhood’s culture — but also just have fun. “We want them to enjoy our food and our cultural dance and music — and to have such a great time that they absolutely have to come back for the 39th Birmingham Ethnic Festival,â€? Ujvagi said. Toledo Free Press is a media sponsor of the event. For more information, visit birminghamethnicfestival.wordpress.com. âœŻ

“Our wedding was many years ago. The celebration continues to this day.” — Gene Perret

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / AUG. 15, 2012 ■ 7

Different by design Beaver Nelson brings ‘Macro/Micro’ to The ViIllage Idiot. By Mike Bauman TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR STAFF WRITER mbauman@toledofreepress.com

With new artists and music emerging every day thanks to the digital age, Austin singer-songwriter Beaver Nelson wasn’t interested in comparisons or duplicating what had already been done before when it came time to put together his seventh album, “Macro/Micro.” “In a day and age when anyone — literally anyone — can make a record, I just realized that if I made a record that anyone else could make, then they’ve already made it,” Nelson said. ■ BEAVER CONTINUES ON 8

Austin singer/songwriter Beaver Nelson has recorded seven albums. PHOTO COURTESY THIRTY TIGERS

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8 ■ AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM ■ BEAVER CONTINUED FROM 7 “And so I just had to take everything that was unique about my perspective, or my playing or my cadence or the way I see the world. I needed to go as far in that direction as I could.” And that’s just what Nelson did with “Macro/ Micro,” which released June 19 — the CD portion, that is. Also accompanying the musical release of “Macro/Micro” is an album-length film directed by filmmaker Stephen Henderson, one that concertgoers get to witness live if they check out Nelson on tour this summer. Armed with a screen, projector, a vocal effects-styled mic, a laptop and a couple of guitars, Nelson will perform in front of the screen as the “Macro/Micro” film plays when he stops at The Village Idiot for a free show Aug. 19. “There’s three things going on,” Nelson said of the show. “You’re kind of listening to a record, you’re kind of seeing a film and you’re kind of seeing a live performance. My aim is to have people absorbing it as a whole [but] constantly having to choose or figure out, ‘What is this? What is this presentation?’ “It’s not really like something I’ve seen anybody do, and it’s a ton of fun.” When “Macro/Micro” was remixed, the vocals were removed so that when Nelson performs the record live he can sing over the instrumental version of the album. “What I’m doing is, I’m carrying a regular guitar tuned down a full step, and then I’m carrying a Nashville high-strung, which basically is just high-pitched strings on a 12-string guitar, but I’m only using six strings,” Nelson said. “So I’m able to drop in a bunch of atmospheric guitar

“Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.” — Benjamin Franklin

that actually isn’t even on the record, but doesn’t collide with what’s going on on the record.” The follow-up to 2007’s “Exciting Opportunity,” Nelson decided to begin writing most of “Macro/Micro” on piano instead of guitar, which is not his usual approach. “I was writing stuff I couldn’t play, and I didn’t know how long the songs were,” Nelson said. “I was writing pieces. I went in and demoed songs up, and then from there I was able to actually kind of start forming what I had.” With the help of Mary Podio and John Harvey (Top Hat Studio), as well as contributions from guitarist Scrappy Jud Newcomb, bassist Matt Eskey, keyboardist Nick Connolly and drummers/percussionists Mark Patterson and Stephen Belans, Nelson was able to put “Macro/Micro” together. Not wanting to haul a piano across the country and knowing that he could only perform about half of “Macro/Micro” by himself live, Nelson racked his brain for how to pull off the songs on tour. Eventually, he decided that adding a visual element was the most interesting approach. After meeting Henderson during an artist retreat at Laity Lodge in Texas about a year and a half ago, Nelson knew he’d be great for the film. “I’ve got some longtime fans or friends who have seen the movie and can’t imagine that that wasn’t the initial intent [for the live show], but it actually wasn’t,” Nelson said. Those fans and friends are what made the project possible, too. Via Kickstarter — an online fundraising tool — Nelson was able to successfully raise $24,575 from 191 backers earlier this year to make “Macro/Micro” a reality, comfortably surpassing the project’s goal of $22,900.

Beaver Nelson will play a free concert at The Village Idiot on Aug. 19. PHOTO COURTESY THIRTY TIGERS

“They want to help make a thing possible, and there’s no question in this case they made a thing possible,” Nelson said of the fan support. “So they have my undying gratitude for that.” In a career that spans more than two decades, one that began as a teenager with high praise from Rolling Stone, Nelson said that, artistically, he’s never been happier about anything that he’s done than “Macro/Micro.”

“It hasn’t necessarily been everyone’s cup of tea,” Nelson said. “But I’m getting, like, night after night people saying, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this before; not one guy sitting there trying to pull this off.’” On Aug. 19, Beaver Nelson will perform a free show at The Village Idiot, 309 Conant St. in Maumee. The show starts at 9 p.m. For more information, visit villageidiotmaumee.com. ✯

“Only choose in marriage a man whom you would choose as a friend if he were a woman.” — Joseph Joubert

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / AUG. 15, 2012 ■ 9

10 . ■ AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

“I first learned the concepts of nonviolence in my marriage.” — Mohandas Gandhi

Fine Art Fair

Levis Commons hosts 8th annual art fair. By Brigitta Burks TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR STAFF WRITER bburks@toledofreepress.com

On Aug. 18 and 19, artists from across the country will show their work at the 8th Annual Levis Commons Fine Art Fair, now considered one of the top 100 art fairs in the country. The fair is put on by The Guild of Artists & Artisans and features more than 125 artists. Most fairs take a while to gain momentum, but this one has been popular from the beginning. It regularly draws 30,000-40,000 visitors, said Debra “Max” Clayton, the guild’s executive director. “Levis was really a surprise from the beginning, because it just took off so well right from the start,” she said, adding that she attributes that to community support. “The fair has become a must-attend event in Northwest Ohio, and every year the quality of the art surpasses our expectations. You can see the passion and creativity of the artists in every piece,” said Casey Pogan, marketing director with The Town Center at Levis Commons. Art fairs give artists and patrons a chance to

interact, Clayton said. “It becomes so much more than just the artwork itself,” she said. “It’s that personal relationship between the fairgoer and the artist.” The fair received a boost this year when it was ranked 99 out of the top 100 art fairs by Sunshine Artist magazine. The ranking means a lot to the guild because it often takes years for a fair to make it big, Clayton said. The guild’s Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair ranked 11th on the list and has been around for more than 50 years. Clayton said she expects the ranking to attract more applicants for next year’s show. This year, about 250 applied and more than 125 were selected by a jury of peers. The artists were judged on creativity, technical skill and presentation. These artists come from across the country — Texas, California, Florida and, of course, Ohio. Local artists selling their work include Nanci Shufritz, Hunter Smith Eichorn, Mary Jane Erard, Melissa Sullivan, Meredith Wenzel, Chuck Wimmer, Timothy Hacker, Amy Beeler and Mike Rothfuss. ■ LEVIS COMMONS CONTINUES ON 11

Mixed-media work by Mike Rothfuss of Sylvania. PHOTO COURTESY GUILD OF ARTISTS & ARTISANS

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â– LEVIS COMMONS CONTINUED FROM 10 Sheri Rothfuss helps her husband Mike with his mixed-media pieces, combining metal and glass. She said they love local events like the Levis Commons fair. “It brings the artist and the potential buyer together to meet face to face. It gives the buyer a story to go with the piece of art,â€? she said. “We love to connect with local art lovers and art buyers. We like to have that local connection. It’s nice to be at home. We’re on the road so much,â€? Sheri added. She and her husband have shown at the fair all eight years and have even run into art buyers at dinner. The event also gives children a chance to be artists. A free children’s art activity center, presented by the Toledo School for the Arts, gives kids a chance to do unique artwork like drawing what they imagine might appear outside a submarine window. “It could be mermaids; it could be a shipwreck; it could be jellyfish,â€? Clayton said, adding that the fair can stimulate a child’s imagination. “I’ve seen the littlest of kids just squeal when they see something they really like,â€? she said. For adults, the fair offers a wide range of prices. “It’s possible to find beautiful objects in the $40-$50 range as well as multi-thousands. There’s really something for everybody,â€? Clayton said. Admission to the fair is free. It runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 18 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 19 at The Town Center at Levis Commons. For more information, visit http://theguild.org/ art-fairs/levis-commons/. Toledo Free Press is a media sponsor of the event. âœŻ

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / AUG. 15, 2012 â– 11

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“If I know what love is, it is because of you.” — Herman Hesse

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“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love.” — Sophocles

There is more than one way to say ‘I do’ By Brigitta Burks TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR STAFF WRITER bburks@toledofreepress.com

For couples who wish to write their own wedding vows, local officiants and wedding experts recommend brevity along with openness. “[Vows are] kind of a public intimacy. It’s those private intimate things that you share, but you’re doing it in a public way,” said officiant Mark Simon. Simon categorizes vows into two types: concurrence vows, typically ending in the traditional “I do,” or expressive vows, giving the couple a chance to express promises to each other. Either way, more couples are opting out of religious vows and emphasizing more personal messages, he said. Still, that doesn’t mean most brides and grooms are writing their full vows on their own. “They usually follow a recommendation that I give them and they plug in some variables, so it’s half and half,” Simon said. April Gladieux, owner of Your Perfect Day, a wedding planning business, said just two couples out of the 90 she’s booked this year wrote their own vows. Still, she encouraged couples who want to try it not to be scared. She also recommended practicing your vows and starting ahead of time.

Simon agreed. “It’s good to do vows about three months before, because closer to the wedding, [couples’] brains get frazzled and they get writer’s block,” Simon said.

‘A very personal thing’ Gladieux said she gives couples tips on their vows, but doesn’t like to weigh in too much. “Vows are a very personal thing,” Gladieux said. “I will let them come to me with ideas.” Heather Zeller, owner of La Boutique Nostalgie wedding planning and a Divinitist Order minister, said she prefers clients to come to her or a fellow minister for help with vows. This way, they can tie other elements of the ceremony together. Zeller said there seems to be an uptick in more personalized vows. Her favorites have been the more spontaneous ones, she said. “I really encourage them when it’s time for the vows, just to stand up and speak to one another from the heart,” she said, adding that may make more anxious couples nervous. Nerves are what stop many from writing and reading their own vows, Gladieux said. She recommended having something written down for vows and placing it in a book or bouquet. A flimsy piece of paper may let guests know if you’re shaking, she noted. “The best you can mask it, the better you’ll

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feel and I think the more prepared you’ll be because you’re reading it instead of trying to memorize it,” she said.

‘A good little start’ Gladieux has her own experience with this idea. During her 2009 beach wedding, her husband tucked his customized vows in a Sports Illustrated magazine. “When he pulled it out, everybody laughed and that helped us to relax and then he read it. It was a good little start,” she said. Gladieux read a poem she had found about the correlation between love and the beach. “I would say his came from the heart and mine came from a poem. So they don’t have to be the exact same either. [Couples] can do what’s appropriate for the wedding because everybody’s different,” she said. Simon said he prefers couples to write their vows down and give them to him for safekeeping until it’s time. He also recommended using large, bold type in case of smearing caused by tears. Zeller said if brides or grooms get nervous during the ceremony, she tries to relax them with a look or even a prompt if they forget the right line. “I try to remind them that these are your friends and family. This is not a performance; this is a celebration of your love. We’re all human. We all get nervous. If you stutter over a word or

two, that doesn’t ruin the day,” she said.

No requirement for vows However, not all surveyed officiants were a fan of couples writing their own vows. “Actually, I discourage them from writing their own vows,” said officiant Susan Spackey. “Generally, it’s easier for a couple [to not read their own vows] especially when they’re standing in front of a crowd of people; they’re nervous and excited.” Technically, vows aren’t even necessary, Spackey added. “There really is no requirement to have vows at all,” Spackey said, adding that couples are certainly welcome to include vows and most do. Most agreed vows are best kept short. Gladieux said vows should be about two paragraphs, or eight to 10 sentences. Zeller recommended that couples who do wish to write their own vows think about one question: What is the most amazing thing about your spouse? “One of the best things I ever heard a groom say to a bride is, ‘You have given me the strength to become myself,’” she said. Gladieux recommended focusing on future plans and goals or promises during the vows. “Touch on the future to let our audience know, we’re not just in it for a little bit; we’re in it for the long run,” she said. ✯

University of Toledo graduate Bob Ewing of Arlington, Va., and his wife, Antonie, both avid rock climbers, were married Aug. 10 at the summit of the South Peak of Seneca Rocks, W. Va. The couple believes they are the first to be married at the 900-foot summit, which is accessible only by technical rock climbing. They climbed in their wedding clothes, he in a tux and she in her mother’s wedding dress. Five people joined them: the groom’s brother, Scott Ewing, who performed the ceremony; two rock climber friends who served as photographer and videographer; the bride’s mother; and a guide from Seneca Rocks Climbing School. The groom’s other brother, John Ewing, took photos from a nearby peak. The couple held a second ceremony and reception Aug. 11 for the rest of their family and friends. PHOTO BY JOHN EWING

18 ■ AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

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20 â– AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

“Give all to love.� — Ralph Waldo Emerson

In Lucas County, both the bride and groom must be present when filling out an application for a marriage license. Couples have the option of completing their marriage license application online, printing it and then bringing it into the court for further processing. A marriage license is valid for 60 days after it has been issued. An ordained or licensed minister of any religion who is licensed with the Secretary of State or a judge in municipal or county court may solemnize marriages. Marriage licenses can be obtained at the Lucas County Probate Court, 700 Adams St., Suite 200, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The cost of a marriage license is $50 and must be paid in cash.

What you need: âœŻ Government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport or military ID) âœŻ Social Security number (requested but not mandatory) âœŻ Birth certificate for those younger than 21 âœŻ Copy of final Decree of Divorce, Dissolution or Annulment for those previously married âœŻ Copy of previous spouse’s death certificate for widows/widowers

PHOTO AND PAGE 13 PHOTO BY NICK AMRHEIN OF 3BYONE MEDIA

How to obtain a marriage license in Lucas County

Ohio residents must obtain a marriage license in the county where either the bride or groom resides. There is no waiting period on marriage licenses and weddings may take place the same day. For more information, visit the website www. lucas-co-probate-ct.org. âœŻ Source: Lucas County Probate Court

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TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / AUG. 15, 2012 ■ . 21

Forget the bar: Couples get personal with bachelor, bachelorette parties By Sarah Ottney TOLEDO FREE PRESS SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR sottney@toledofreepress.com

A 5K. A backyard campfire. Laser tag. Ultimate Frisbee. Miniature golf. Roller derby. All these activities and more have been incorporated into the bachelor or bachelorette parties of local brides- and grooms-to-be. Although bachelor and bachelorette parties traditionally include bar-hopping, clubbing, suggestive paraphernalia and plenty of alcohol, there is a party style to fit every personality and some soon-to-be-weds are choosing a different route for their last single fling. Kevin Clark of Monroe, Mich., and his friends had a cookout, played some folk music and then sat around a backyard campfire. Melissa Kepler of Curtice and her bridal party played laser tag at Q-ZAR and then went out for ice cream. Andy and Beth Gries of Perrysburg met playing Ultimate Frisbee, so it seemed only natural they would rent an indoor soccer field and toss the disc for their joint bachelor/bachelorette party. “We had so many fond memories of fun nights playing Frisbee with this group of people together that it was just almost a way to symbolize that we would continue this kind of fun and active life with each other and our Frisbee friends. And we have done just that,” Beth said. ■ PARTIES CONTINUES ON 22

Maid of honor Meredith Diehl of Toledo, second from right, planned a bachelorette party for her sister Megan Parietti, third from right, that included a 5K, miniature golf and attending a roller derby bout. PHOTO COURTESY MEGAN PARIETTI

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22 . ■ AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM ■ PARTIES CONTINUED FROM 21 The couple, who married in 2009, don’t drink much or enjoy bars, so a traditional party did not appeal to them. Andy’s parents helped organize the game and invited friends to come watch. “We normally play pretty laid-back, but I do remember running into the wall once and someone else almost hitting me — which in hindsight was probably not very safe for me to do before my wedding!” Beth said. “We had so many people show up that the field was pretty crowded, but it was great to have such a good turnout. “I would definitely recommend a nontraditional route to others, especially if it includes activities that really mean something to you. Best of all, I could remember the next morning what happened and it is an experience that I will cherish for years to come.” Meredith Diehl of Toledo went above and beyond her maid of honor duties when planning an entire day of bachelorette activities for her sister Megan Parietti of Plain City, Ohio, prior to her 2011 wedding. Joined by groom Justin, the group started off with a 5K race followed by a breakfast at Uncle John’s Pancake House. Then the girls took in a round of miniature golf, a walk through Wildwood Preserve Metropark and dinner at Texas Roadhouse before catching a Glass City Rollers roller derby bout. “I don’t really drink much, so I just wanted to do something fun that didn’t involve alcohol,” Parietti said. “Meredith said to make a list of anything you could possibly want to do and I’ll fit as much in as I can.” Parietti said her favorite part was all the funny photos the group took while playing miniature golf. “We lined up all our balls and played the last hole together and just took a bunch of pictures,” Parietti said. “We just joked around and took pictures all day. Just spending that time with everyone and getting to talk was awesome.” Parietti said she has no regrets about her choice of activities — and hopes she may have even inspired a few converts. “I loved my way and a couple of my bridesmaids even said, ‘This is the way to go,’” Parietti said. “So maybe I’m starting a trend.”

“All you need is love.” — John Lennon

Alt B No matter what your style, local business Alt B can help make your dream party a reality, said owner Cortnie Fogo of Oregon. The Toledo-based company plans “alternative mobile parties,” including bachelorette and joint bachelor/bachelorette parties, by partnering with local, female-owned small business vendors. Offering pick two ($90 per guest), pick three ($120) and pick four ($150) packages, Alt B offers spa services, makeup, hair styling, chair massage, wine tasting, manicures, henna body art, belly dancing, mini boudoir photo session and more. Groups can also choose to have a casino game night, trivia game show or a sex toy, jewelry or skin care line representative attend. Adding a catered dinner, limo service or on-site child care is also possible. “Our whole philosophy is ‘Think outside the bar,’” said Fogo, who started Alt B in November 2011. “I want them to feel they can have whatever kind of event or party they want and they don’t have to be pigeonholed into going to a bar or strip club because that’s what everyone does. I coordinate everything. You just show up.”

Belly dancing Belly dancing is a popular activity for bachelorette parties, said KayLouise, owner of Le Chat Noir in Northwood and founder/ choreographer of Mesmeric Belly Dance Fusion. “It’s perfectly appropriate no matter what size, age or fitness level you are. It’s not a high impact form of movement, so it’s suitable for a lot of people,” KayLouise said. “What people don’t realize is historically, in the Middle East, belly dancing is a social activity that’s done just to socialize with each other. Dancing is taught to younger women by older women. It’s been Americanized for sure. People have in their heads what a belly dancer is supposed to look like, but that’s not at all what it’s supposed to look like.” KayLouise’s burlesque classes are also popular. “I’d say it’s about even,” KayLouise said. “The pole dancing thing is getting popular and I think burlesque is a more historic variation. Burlesque predated stripping. It’s associated with the vaudeville circuit and early American theater. What we do is a little softer and feminine and less suggestive. It’s become more popular

CORTNIE FOGO because of the movie ‘Burlesque.’” Costs range from $90 for mini-sessions to $300 for a three-hour party. KayLouise also offers hula hoop, chair massages, psychic or tarot card readings and “hairtillery,” which is creating vintage-style hair clips using flowers and feathers. Toledo Pole Dancing and Fitness studio offers private pole parties for bachelorette parties. For more information, visit altbtoledo.com, kaylouise.com or toledopoledancing.com. ✯

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“The only true gift is a portion of yourself.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

rate category, as they are professionals who help create your wedding’s look. “Designers are planners too, but not all planbburks@toledofreepress.com ners are designers,” she said. To begin the planning process, the planner Wedding planners can off er brides and grooms peace of mind and some valuable bud- and couple meet to determine their needs. The planner then tries to help the couple pick geting advice, say two local planners. April Gladieux founded Perrysburg-based vendors and venues, which often means going business Your Perfect Day in 2008 after years of along to on-site checks and meetings. “That’s when we start brainstorming. being the go-to event organizer for family and friends. This year, she has booked 90 weddings People are doing all kinds of neat things now. and employs three other coordinators and six So we’re not just worried about, you know, the typical table setup and where that’s all going other staff members. Heather Zeller owns La Boutique Nostalgie, to be. We’re talking about where we’re gonna which specializes in vintage-themed weddings. have the photo booth, where we’re going to The former psychiatric nurse started her busi- have the candy station or the popcorn staness in December 2011 and was recently featured tion,” Zeller said. Planners also create a timeline for brides in The Knot Ohio wedding magazine. There are several reasons people hire wed- and can follow up with vendors in the months leading up to the wedding. Because they are ding planners, Zeller said. Some are used for full planning, helping closely associated with vendors, they can also help negotiate prices. couples meet with and choose vendors. The average Toledo area bride has a wedding “We kind of help you from the get-go and get you going in the right direction,” Gladieux said. budget of about $10,000 — but she often spends Th ere are also day-of coordinators, who $15,000 to $18,000, Zeller said. “If they have a certain idea and it’s not within are there on the wedding day to ensure it runs smoothly. They can also set up and tear down their budget, we can help them come close and give them a good alternative,” she added. displays and centerpieces. Zeller’s base rate for day-of coordination is “It’s almost like having one of your best friends there completely taking care of every- $500 while her full planning starts at $1,000. thing,” Zeller said. Zeller said wedding designers fall into a sepa■ PLANNERS CONTINUES ON 25 By Brigitta Burks

TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR STAFF WRITER

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“Each morning as I awaken, you’re the reason I smile, you’re the reason I love.� — Jerry Burton ■PLANNERS CONTINUED FROM 24 For day-of coordination, Gladieux’s rates start around $795 and she charges $55 an hour for other planning services. It would benefit most brides to factor a planner into their budget, Zeller said. “The brides that don’t need a wedding planner are obviously ones that are on a very tight budget. If you only have $3,000 to do a wedding, and it’s not going to be a huge, huge event, I think you would be better off to put the money to your food, your flowers and your photographer,� she said. Because of planners’ vendor knowledge, Gladieux said, “I would say 80 percent of brides can at least benefit from a coordinator standpoint, but definitely 100 percent of brides can get value from a wedding planning standpoint.� Gladieux said brides with weddings of fewer than 100 guests may not need a coordinator, although one can provide peace of mind and even be a buffer when it comes to family disputes. “We’re that third party in that nobody really knows us, but we can put our foot down and say something and we don’t have to deal with family members later down the line,� Gladieux said, adding that she has been instructed by clients to keep certain family members out of the bride’s changing area. Planners and coordinators can help in a number of areas, from tracking down RSVPs to

ensuring the wedding gifts are in a safe location. Gladieux owns 3,000 chair covers that she can rent out in addition to other decorative items. Her mother, a former art teacher, can create a “guestbook tree,â€? a drawing of a tree onto which guests can thumbprint “leavesâ€? with an inkpad. She also makes hangers where the wire is twisted to read “brideâ€? and creates cake knives and servers decorated with colored beads. Zeller provides floral design in addition to being a licensed minister. She also has several decorative items and can even arrange for antique furniture on site. She and her assistant also create “memory tablesâ€? with black-andwhite pictures of the couple’s family in vintage frames to be displayed at the wedding. Angela Ritter, who got married Dec. 17, 2011, at her family’s farm, used La Boutique Nostalgie because, while she wanted a simple ceremony, she wanted the utmost elegance. “It takes a lot of pressure off,â€? she said, adding that she loved how Zeller decorated her archway. Abby Panning used Your Perfect Day for her June 23 wedding at Chateau Tebeau Winery in Helena, Ohio, and reception at Freeport Hall in Wayne, Ohio. She said the most helpful thing Gladieux did was set up the reception hall. “I told her about a few centerpiece ideas that I had and she brought it to life within just a few minutes. She made everything so beautiful,â€? she said. âœŻ

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“Two souls with but a single thought, Two hearts that beat as one.” — Friedrich Halm

PHOTO COURTESY NICK AMRHEIN OF 3BYONE MEDIA

‘Staycation’ honeymoons save area couples money, stress By Sarah Ottney TOLEDO FREE PRESS SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR sottney@toledofreepress.com

While sipping drinks at an all-inclusive beach resort halfway around the world may sound relaxing, for many area couples that type of honeymoon trip is just not feasible. Whether to save money, work around job or school schedules or simply because they don’t enjoy traveling, some couples are choosing to forgo the destination honeymoon and get creative closer to home. Toledoans Amanda Loucks-Moses and Ryan Moses spent their honeymoon traveling the world using only their tastebuds. “Our honeymoon was a taste around the world,” Loucks-Moses said. “We went to many different ethnic restaurants in Toledo and Ann Arbor — Japanese, Italian, Ethiopian, French. I couldn’t really take time off of work, so we went out on weekends and just enjoyed ourselves.” The couple, who married in Michigan in 2009, decided on their nontraditional honeymoon to save money and minimize stress. “Ryan and I really pride ourselves on not being in debt, so everything about our wedding

and honeymoon was set to make sure that we would not start our lives together on the ‘brokeas-hell’ foot,” Loucks-Moses said. Neither enjoy traveling, but both love food, she said. “It was mostly Ryan’s idea, but when it came to choosing the restaurants, we both decided,” Loucks-Moses said. “Our favorite place to eat is a hole-in-the-wall in Ypsilanti, Mich., where Ryan is from. It is a little Korean restaurant. After we became hooked on that food, we wanted to try all sorts of different types of food. My favorite part was looking over menus and deciding what and where to eat. It was also just great to enjoy such awesome food with my hubby!” The honeymoon was declared officially over after the pair checked the last restaurant off their list. Loucks-Moses’ advice to couples considering a “staycation” honeymoon is to not worry what anybody else thinks. “Both of us really could not have cared less what anyone thought about our honeymoon,” Loucks-Moses said. “It is important just to be happy and celebrate your new life together.” ■ STAYCATION CONTINUES ON 29

“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” — David Viscott ■ STAYCATION CONTINUED FROM 28 A staycation honeymoon also fit the needs of James and Leah Myers of Genoa, who had limited funds and a limited timeframe following their 2004 nuptials. The couple had three days between their wedding and Leah’s first day of nursing school, so they decided to stay at a hotel in Toledo and treat themselves to room service, a fancy dinner at The Docks and plenty of relaxation. “We were married on a Friday and I was starting school at Mercy College on Tuesday. James had just started a new job and couldn’t take time off. Since we had such a short amount of time, we decided to just get a nice room at a nice hotel and stay secluded,” Leah said. “I was 19 when we got married, James was 24 and had just landed his first big job, so our funds were limited. Eating at the Navy Bistro was a big deal for us! The best part of our staycation was no pressure. We came and went as we pleased, we had no one bothering us, no cell-phones.” Today, Leah owns Lauralea’s Pastries & Café, a coffee shop and bakery in Genoa, while James is a software developer and technical lead at Hanson Inc. The couple have two sons, age 5 and 3. Leah said a staycation can be as much fun as a destination honeymoon. “There is so much in Ohio to experience, and a staycation honeymoon is great for couples on a budget or who don’t like to travel,” Leah said. “There are so many great little towns to take daytrips to and so much to explore. Then there are the attractions like Cedar Point, Put-in-Bay, Kelleys Island, the art museum, etc. Your honeymoon should be about you and your spouse building upon the love that led you to that point. It doesn’t have to be about spending large amounts of money to go to another

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country to lay on a beach and sip margaritas — although believe me, I love to do that as much as the next person!” For Toledoans Justin and Stephanie Longacre, who honeymooned in the Hocking Hills after their 2003 wedding, the staycation turned into a annual trip. “We loved it,” Stephanie said. “It was the first time we went and we’ve been back every year since.” Patty Hicks, manager of travel operations for AAA Northwest Ohio, said the agency does get inquiries about drivable regional destinations, but staycation honeymooners are still in the minority. “The largest portion of honeymooners going to a travel agency inquire about that dream honeymoon in Hawaii or the Caribbean or Italy,” Hicks said. “We do see a lot of honeymooners staying closer to home, like Hocking Hills [State Park], Pokagon [State Park] or Traverse City, and driving to that destination. They might want to price out driving to Traverse City, but staying at a really nice resort. But I would not say it’s the bulk.” Other regional destinations include Sawmill Creek Resort near Sandusky and Belamere Suites in Perrysburg, said Polly Caumartin, vice president of Toledo-based Central Travel. The Great Lakes region is full of local bed and breakfast options, said Barb Phillips, who has owned and operated Dewey Lake Manor Bed & Breakfast in Brooklyn, Mich., with her husband, Joe, for 22 years. “B&Bs are more personal [than resorts],” Phillips said. “Every B&B is different. That’s what makes them unique. It’s not like a hotel. We’ve never been in any two that are exactly alike.” The quiet, relaxing atmosphere and personal service make B&Bs a good choice for honey-

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / AUG. 15, 2012 ■ 29

mooners, Phillips said. “People are so stressed. A lot of couples come here and just sit on a bench along the water,” Phillips said. “You can tell when people come if they are stressed and irritable. Hopefully they leave much more calm, and they usually do.” Dewey Lake Manor once hosted the honeymoon of a couple who met while in assisted living. “They were probably in their 70s and they fell in love and married each other and spent their honeymoon here,” Phillips said. Staycations also support the local economy, said Kate Harrison, author and founder of the blog Green Bride Guide. “A stay-at-home honeymoon is a way to funnel money into your community that would otherwise go to the economy of your travel destination,” Harrison said in an article published at match.com. “It’s a way to support nonprofits like the zoo, theaters and museums, as well as green businesses and organic restaurants.” Some couples opt for a staycation honeymoon, but save up for a more expensive trip later. James and Leah, who will soon celebrate their eighth anniversary, took a week-long trip to Key West for their first anniversary. Other couples take advantage of honeymoon registries, in which family and friends can gift a portion of the travel expense. Companies like Honeymoon Wishes, Honeyfund and Traveler’s Joy as well as Central Travel and AAA of Northwest Ohio offer honeymoon registries. Whether planning to travel near or far for a honeymoon, Hicks advised making plans early to lock in on the best deals and accommodations. “As soon as you receive that ring, start looking into the honeymoon,” Hicks said. “Don’t wait.” ✯

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“Love is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in the same direction.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Toledo startup Oh Sew Betty! offers customized dresses bags and before long she wanted to make a dress. Floored went to a local fabric store and bought a one-hour pattern and stretchy, jersey material. bburks@toledofreepress.com When she asked the sales associate for help reading With her online business, Toledoan Betty the pattern, Floored said, “She said to me, ‘You Floored gives brides and bridesmaids customized picked a hell of a fabric because you’re either going to really hate sewing after using this … or you’re dress options with a retro feel. Floored’s business Oh Sew Betty! at www.etsy. gonna love it.’ “Of course, the one-hour pattern took me three com/shop/bettyfloored off ers customized, tailored clothing and pillows to people all over the world. weeks because I wasn’t just satisfied with the little She has standard dress designs listed, but customers pattern. It was like, ‘Oh, it has little cap sleeves; oh, I are welcome to mix and match tops and bottoms or want elbow sleeves,’” Floored said. She ended up wearing the dress to her belated make other suggestions. “A lot of times, I have girls come to me saying, graduation party. Floored, a substitute teacher, said she learned ‘I have an idea for a dress. Can you make it?’” said Floored, who is a founding member of Glass City something new with every subsequent dress. Eventually, her skills were noticed. Rollers, Toledo’s roller derby team. “I would wear [the dresses] out and everyone Floored asks for specifi c measurements and pictures so she can better tailor the dresses to the would ask me where they were from and [said] that they liked them. And I would tell them I women’s sizes. “I make dresses for all sizes and I don’t charge made it and they were like, ‘Oh my gosh, you extra for plus sizes,” she said, adding that pinup, make them? Why don’t you make them for other people?’” Floored said. retro styles flatter all figures. The dresses cost around In December 2010, Floored started Oh Sew $120-$200 and take two to six weeks to make. Floored went to the University of Toledo to Betty! Her business received a big boost in April when her page was mentioned on the popular study art education. “In college, I did a lot of sculpture and a lot of blog Jezebel, after one of its writers bought a dress. photography,” she said. “I always had a kiln and a Floored received 15,000 hits in a month. “I had no idea. I made a dress for a girl and she darkroom at my fingertips and then I graduated and was really nice and she lived in New York and I was I didn’t have any of that.” So in 2009, she decided to ask a friend to teach really excited to make a dress for a girl in New York her how to use a sewing machine. Floored’s first first off,” Floored said with a laugh. Floored makes bridesmaids dresses for women project was a T-shirt quilt. She then moved on to By Brigitta Burks

TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR STAFF WRITER

of all sizes. “A lot of times, you’ll have a bridal party with girls of all sizes,” she said. “I have made quite a few bridesmaid and wedding dresses. But the wedding dresses that I’ve made have all been alternative.” These include a leopard print dress with a blue sash for a Las Vegas wedding and a black frock for the commitment ceremony during Toledo Pride 2012. Floored is also working on a heather blue wedding dress. Rachel Richardson, founder of Art Corner Toledo, asked Floored to create a purple bridesmaid’s dress for a June wedding. “[Floored] was thorough and thoughtful and made sure to give me exactly what I wanted,” Richardson said. “This wedding was extremely important to me and the color of the dress was especially crucial. Betty took that part very seriously.” Floored has one simple request of bridesmaids and brides — send pictures. “I’m like, you’ve got a professional photographer! Let me see how pretty they look,” she said.

BETTY FLOORED

“giving Toledo makers, doers, crafters and D.I.Y.-ers a place to call home.” Handmade movement With the help of Handmade Toledo, she hopes The dressmaker is also into alternative craft to have a springtime craft show, themed “craftershows, something she is bringing to Toledo on Nov. noons” and provide information at a future website. Eventually, Floored hopes to have her own retail 17 when she and the UpTown Association host an space that she will share with other artisans on conevent called Maker’s Mart at 1717 Adams St. “There’s like this whole handmade movement signment. She doesn’t, however, plan to expand into that’s happening,” Floored said. “It has nothing to pants or menswear. “Not my thing; don’t care about that stuff,” she do with doilies and dolls.” Floored also recently started the group Hand- said, adding, “I’ll make menswear if the men are made Toledo. According to its Facebook page, it’s dressing as women.”✯

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“We have the greatest prenuptial agreement in the world. It’s called love.� — Gene Perret

Many brides use boudoir photos as wedding gift for their grooms By Sarah Ottney TOLEDO FREE PRESS SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR sottney@toledofreepress.com

Many brides book boudoir photography sessions as a sexy wedding surprise for their soon-to-be husbands — but often end up loving the photos themselves, said two area photographers. “The joy I get is when they come back to me and pick up their photos saying, ‘It started out as a gift for my man, but it ended up being a gift for me, helping me feel more confident and secure and loving my body and myself as I should.’ I love that!� said Julie Paszczykowski, owner of Holland-based JP Photography. Paszczykowski calls her boudoir sessions Sassy Secrets. “The sassy is the fun part; the secret is what you don’t want anyone but your man to see,� Paszczykowski said. “I do whatever the client is comfortable with. I want it to be unique to each person. A girl can be sexy in a T-shirt and boy shorts. A girl can be sexy in a dress. It’s not about taking off your clothes in front of the camera. It’s about having fun and being you.� Mary Wyar of Mary Wyar Photography said clients usually feel awkward at first, but quickly — often after a glass of wine — start relaxing and having fun. “Most women haven’t been photographed in their underwear before, but probably five minutes in and she’s totally forgotten,� said Wyar,

who said about a third of her brides book a boudoir session. “We have a lot of fun doing it and usually by the end, they are not in a rush to put a robe on. They are totally comfortable. They always say, ‘That was a lot of fun. I don’t know why I was nervous about it.’� Wyar started doing boudoir sessions two years ago at the request of a bride who wanted to do a session as a gift for her husband’s birthday, which was the day after their wedding. The photos are also popular for Valentine’s Day, anniversary or holiday gifts and for military spouses serving overseas. “The style is totally different from the way I photograph weddings,� Wyar said. “With weddings, I focus more on the interactions whereas with boudoir it’s really just about creating sexy portraits that not only will the guy like, but when the client goes back and looks in 15 or 20 years, she can appreciate how she looked in her 20s or 30s. The style is a little different, just a little slower-paced.� Paszczykowski said she started shooting boudoir sessions seven years ago, but bookings have picked up in the past two years. “I didn’t go out looking for it; I had people asking me for it and I’m always up for trying new things,� Paszczykowski said. “For me, it was more about doing it as a service for women. I think women really need someone sensitive to their needs and I can relate to how they feel.� Wyar said she usually photographs her sub-

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jects at their home. “That gives it a totally personal feel and they are also more comfortable and at ease in their own environment,� Wyar said. “Plus when he looks at it and knows the shot happened at home without him knowing, it’s sexy and I think it has more sentimental value. Usually when I get to

the house, we’ll kind of walk around, talk about what rooms they were thinking of. We move furniture around and just have fun with it.� Sessions can also be done at hotels, bed and breakfasts or even outside, Paszczykowski said. Clients bring their own outfits. ■BOUDOIR CONTINUES ON 33

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TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / AUG. 15, 2012 ■ 33 ■ BOUDOIR CONTINUED FROM 32 “I suggest bringing everything that they feel good in, including shoes, jewelry, lingerie, a favorite T-shirt, lacy see-through tops, etc., and we choose together,” Paszczykowski said. Wyar encourages clients to bring a friend along, so they have a familiar face. “It takes some of the edge off so it’s not just me and her,” Wyar said. Both Paszczykowski and Wyar also include a makeover with the sessions. “It totally boosts their confidence,” Paszczykowski said. “I want them to feel as special as they can. When we’re pampered we feel better about ourselves and I want that to show in photographs. It does come across.” Christol Smith of Bowling Green booked a boudoir session with JP Photography shortly after the birth of her daughter as a gift for her husband’s birthday. “I was nervous, but Julie makes you feel so comfortable and so pretty and as soon as she started shooting it was fine,” Smith said. Smith, who owns Bliss Studio Salon in Bowling Green, knew Paszczykowski because they are both wedding vendors and occasionally work together. “A bunch of my clients have gone to Julie and do it for their husbands to give to them the night before their wedding,” Smith said. “I also have a client who doesn’t even have a boyfriend or husband and just did it for herself, to remember what she looked like.” Paszczykowski said some of her most satisfying sessions are with women who choose not to have sex until they are married. “The girls who are virgins until their wedding night, who choose to save themselves for their wedding, I do a lot of that,” Paszczykowski said. “They give it to their husbands after the wedding. It’s really his first peek into her intimately and then he has that for the wedding night. It’s really, really sweet.” The resulting albums usually get a good reception, Wyar said. “All my packages include a little book of photos and I usually put a photo on the cover where it’s not super obvious it’s them,” Wyar said. “One of the girls took a picture of her husband when he was opening it and he didn’t even realize what it was until looking inside. The picture she sent me was priceless. Another girl used it as an anniversary present and I guess it was a hit because they are pregnant.” Wyar charges $500 for boudoir sessions or $400 if she’s also shooting their wedding. Sessions at JP Photography start at $350. Smith said her best advice is to go in without expectations. “Just enjoy the process because it always ends up great,” Smith said. “And not to worry because the photographer will make you look your best.” For more information, visit the websites boudoirsbymary.com or jp-photo graphy.net. ✯

34 ■ AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

“Love one another and you will be happy. It’s as simple and as difficult as that.” — Michael Leunig

Three can’t-miss tips for fall weddings (ARA) — When you think of prime wedding months, do May and June spring to mind? You might be surprised to learn that October and November are also increasingly popular months for nuptials. When you realize autumn brings not only cooler weather, but less busy caterers and wedding venues, the season’s appeal is easy to understand. Whether you’re finalizing plans for a wedding this fall or planning ahead for autumn 2013, you’ll be looking for ideas to add seasonal spice to your big day. From fall wedding decoration ideas to seasonally appropriate menu suggestions, here are some trends to consider for your fall wedding:

Seasonal décor and accessories The spirit of fall can also inspire your accessories and décor. Rustic materials and touches like raffia, twigs and straw can add seasonal flair to decorations. Leaf motifs and autumnal hues can be used to adorn everything from cake-cutting sets and table linens to table centerpieces and slipcovers. You can tie your theme to fall holidays like Halloween or Thanksgiving. Leafshaped votive holders, personal-size pumpkins and other Halloween wedding favor ideas can add seasonal fun to your celebration.

Remarkable menus A fall wedding also opens up opportunities to create memorable menus that play on the flavors of the season. Just as spring and summer wedding menus benefit from the season’s fresh produce, you can incorporate the fruits of the fall harvest into your autumn nuptials. Fall vegetables like pumpkin, butternut squash, beets, carrots and rutabagas can be served slow-roasted for a side dish that capitalizes on the season’s most colorful and nutritious offerings. Greens such as spinach, endive and celery root come into season in autumn and can be incorporated into soups and salads. Main course choices also open up in fall, when great game comes in season. Replacing boring beef with venison or mundane chicken with pheasant not only puts a seasonal stamp on a menu, but creates a culinary experience wedding guests will remember. ✯

Al fresco and all natural “Many brides cash in on fall’s ample sunshine and cooler temperatures by holding their weddings outside,” said Ray Miller of MyWedding ReceptionIdeas.com. “An outdoor wedding celebrates the season and plays to another popular trend — eco-awareness.” In many areas of the country, autumn brings less heat and rain. Plus, saying your “I do’s” outside, surrounded by fall’s vibrant hues, makes Mother Nature your co-decorator. If you’re considering having your wedding outside, don’t overlook unusual venues. Municipal parks, national parks, botanical gardens, fruit orchards and even zoos can all be fun and interesting places for a wedding.

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After two months of construction and more than $1 million in renovations, The Premier debuted its brand-new look this month. The event and catering facility at 4480 Heatherdowns Blvd., across from the Stranahan Theater, was completely overhauled inside and out, said owner Joe Skaff. Construction started in June and the first event in the new facility was held Aug. 3. “If you saw the building from the outside or inside before June 1, you would not know it was the same building,” Skaff said. “We’re really proud of this. There’s nothing like it in town.” Nancy Beckman, Skaff ’s business partner, agreed. “There’s not one thing in the building that’s the same,” Beckman said. “There’s no comparison.” One bride-to-be was so impressed, she burst into tears of joy upon seeing it, Skaff said. “She had booked her event knowing we were doing this, so she was a little nervous, a little apprehensive,” Skaff said. “It’s a big deal, your wedding day. But she actually started crying, she was so thrilled we came through for her.” “She was so excited,” Beckman added. “It was way beyond her wildest dreams.” The revamped lobby entrance features hanging chandeliers, a light blue marble focal wall, round cushioned seats and massive floral

arrangements at each end. The venue is comprised of three event spaces — The Regency Room, The Chateau and The Board Room — and was designed for versatility, Skaff said. It can be kept as three separate spaces, divided in half or opened to form one large space with seating for up to 800 people. “We’re not limited to just large groups,” Skaff said. “The rooms can be broken up into any size.” The Board Room’s solid wood ceiling, furniture groupings, fireplace and bar with stools make it the perfect space for a board meeting — hence the name — but is also suitable for a dinner, bridal shower or a cocktails and hors d’oeuvre area during a wedding reception, Skaff said. The facility features state-of-the-art audio visual equipment, including more than 70 speakers, four screens that drop electronically from the ceiling, wireless mics and Wi-Fi. The all-inclusive venue offers two wedding packages, which include hall rental, buffet or sitdown food, bar, waitstaff, linen and security. Couples can customize their own package, Skaff said. “All you have to do is show up and have fun,” he said. “I do believe this is the best venue in Northwest Ohio to have an event. There are other nice places, but if I was doing an event, I would have it here because it’s just beautiful. There are a ton of halls out there and we have other halls we cater out of, but they aren’t up to par with this. No way.” For more information, visit the website premiercateringtoledo.com. ✯

The new lobby of The Premier. TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR PHOTO BY SARAH OTTNEY

38 . ■ AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

“At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet.” — Plato

Maumee shop features stationery, custom invitations By Brigitta Burks TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR STAFF WRITER bburks@toledofreepress.com

Area brides have lots of stationery options courtesy of The Birds & The Bees Gift Shoppe in Maumee. The shop specializes in all things bridal and baby. It carries several albums worth of stationery for patrons to choose from and also offers customdesigned pieces. Karrie Brock and Casey Agosti, who met as sorority sisters, started the store in 2004 after creating birth announcements for Agosti’s second child. “We just came up with the idea that we could do this on our own,” said Brock, who also owns FASTSIGNS on North McCord Road. Brock does the marketing, advertising and custom design. Agosti, who works for the State of Ohio, handles the bookkeeping and management side. Brock, who majored in interior design at the University of Toledo, didn’t see herself running a stationery business and being a designer. Before and after college, however, she worked at sign shops before opening her own in 1997. The Birds & The Bees, which moved to Maumee from Perrysburg around 2008, also carries wedding favors and odds and ends like unity candles, flower girl baskets and wedding gown preservation kits. The store also carries items in its baby line created by “mom-preneurs, as we call them,” Brock said. On the wedding side, a bride or groom can choose stationery — ranging from thank you cards to save-the-dates to seating charts and more — from one of the albums in house. No appointment

is needed to look at the albums. However, if a couple wants custom invitations, they need to have an appointment with Brock. “Custom appointments take a little bit longer because the bride is being more creative,” Brock said. “She kind of designs it herself and I take her vision and make it into a real-life paper product.” Brock said more couples are choosing custom invitations because they want bright colors and unique designs. “That’s why our custom line has grown in the last two to three years because the brides can do whatever they want,” Brock said. She recommended that couples order their invitations four to six months before the wedding with the intent of sending them out two months before the big day. “They have to follow a schedule or things can get backed up, things can get held up. Printing doesn’t happen overnight. To get something assembled, we need time,” Brock said. Pricing varies depending on the complexity and paper involved. Brock said the average bride would spend $400 to $600 for 125 basic invitations. Her store does carry more economical items in addition to invitations with special options like lasering to make a card look like wood, she said. Brock’s favorite part of her job is flexing her creativity — and seeing the bride’s joy. “We enjoy seeing their face light up when they get the right invitation,” she said. “When you read that invitation, that’s real. That’s the day you’re walking down the aisle.” For more information, visit www.thebirds nbees.com. ✯

Karrie Brock of The Birds & The Bees Gift Shoppe in Maumee. TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR PHOTO BY BRIGITTA BURKS

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THE PULSE

AUG. 15-21, 2012

What’s what, where and when in NW Ohio

Compiled by Whitney Meschke Events are subject to change.

they’ve been perfecting. Halls are located in Moore Musical Arts Center, Willard Drive and Ridge Street, Bowling Green. (419) 372-8171, (800) 589-2224, (419) 372-8888 or www.bgsu. edu/colleges/music. ✯ College of Musical Arts Faculty Brass: 8 p.m. Aug. 22, Bryan Recital Hall.

MUSIC The Ark This small venue offers a showcase for lesserknown acts. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. (734) 761-1451, (734) 761-1800 or www.theark.org. ✯ Katie Geddes: 8 p.m. Aug. 15, $13.50. ✯ The Claire Lynch Band: 8 p.m. Aug. 16, $15. ✯ Stewart Francke: 8 p.m. Aug. 17, $15. ✯ American Mars, the Thornbills: 8 p.m. Aug. 18, $15. ✯ Wayward Roots: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19, $15. ✯ Scythian: 8 p.m. Aug. 20, $15. ✯ Yarn: 8 p.m. Aug. 21, $15. ✯ Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys, Red Tail Ring: 8 p.m. Aug. 22, $15. ✯ Anders Osborne, Fox N Hounds: 8 p.m. Aug. 23, $20. ✯ Mustard’s Retreat: 8 p.m. Aug. 24, $15.

Bar 145 This new venue features burgers, bands and bourbon, if its slogan is to be believed. $5 cover. 5304 Monroe St. (419) 593-0073 or bar145toledo.com. ✯ Splendid Chaos: Aug. 16. ✯ Nine Lives: Aug. 17. ✯ Empire Drift: Aug. 18. ✯ Dan Fester: Aug. 22. ✯ Hey Monea: 10 p.m. Aug. 23. ✯ The Tricky Dicks & the Cover-Ups: Aug. 24-25.

Basin St. Grille This Toledo standby has been revived with more than 20 different flavors of martinis and live, local music. 5201 Monroe St. (419) 843-5660. ✯ Tom Turner & Slowburn: Aug. 21.

BGSU concerts The university’s ensembles, choirs, quartets and more and their friends will present the music

1785$·6 9(

The Blarney Irish Pub Catch local acts while taking in the pub’s modern Irish and American fare. 601 Monroe St. (419) 418-2339 or www.theblarneyirishpub.com. ✯ Dave Carpenter: Aug. 16. ✯ Stephen Woolley & Suburban Soul: Aug. 17. ✯ Arctic Clam: Aug. 18. ✯ Scott and the Brad Show: Aug. 23. ✯ The Eight-Fifteens: Aug. 24. ✯ Bloody Tinth: Aug. 25.

Blind Pig A variety of rock, soul, pop and alternative acts perform at this bar. 208 S. First St., Ann Arbor. $3-$20 unless noted. (734) 996-8555 or blindpigmusic.com. ✯ Lighthenight, 3Red7, Professor Cat: 9:30 p.m. Aug. 15. ✯ This Is Everything, Capaul, Hour 24, Mykel Doyle, Joey Stinson: 9:30 p.m. Aug. 16. ✯ One Divide, Counter Cosby, the Toyz, Cigarette Merry-Go-Round: 9:30 p.m. Aug. 17. ✯ Deathtram, Psychic Twin: 10 p.m. Aug. 19, free. ✯ Hippie Goons, Block Alumni, Wise Public: 9:30 p.m. Aug. 22. ✯ The Sugar Coats, the Heart, Gardens, All the Wild Children: 9:30 p.m. Aug. 23. ✯ The Dirty Guv’nahs, the Floorwalkers: 9 p.m. Aug. 24.

✯ Stonehouse: Aug. 17. ✯ Dave Carpenter & the Jaeglers: Aug. 18. ✯ Joe Wood Trio: Aug. 24.

Caesars Windsor If you have your passport, consider hopping the Detroit River for this casino’s entertainment offerings. Starting ticket prices, in Canadian dollars, are for the cheapest seats; attendees must be 19 or older. Caesars Windsor Colosseum, 377 Riverside Dr. East, Windsor, Ontario. (800) 991-7777 or www.caesarswindsor.com. ✯ Tony Orlando: 9 p.m. Aug. 18, $15. ✯ California Dreamin’: 3 and 8 p.m. Aug. 23, $15.

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thedistilleryonline.com. ✯ DJ Mark EP: Thursdays. ✯ Chris Knopp: Aug. 15 and 22. ✯ Skinless Villains: Aug. 17-18. ✯ Better Off Fred: Aug. 24.

Doc Watson’s Cock n’ Bull Tavern Another drinking-and-dining option has opened up near Fifth Third Field and will feature occasional musical performances. 9 N. Huron St. (419) 244-2855. ✯ Captain Sweet Shoes: 9 p.m. Thursdays. ✯ John Barile & Bobby May: 6 p.m. Fridays. ✯ Danny Mettler: 7 p.m. Sundays. ✯ Arctic Clam: 9:30 p.m. Aug. 17. ✯ Joe Woods Band: 9:30 p.m. Aug. 18. ✯ Steve Mullen Band: 9:30 p.m. Aug. 24. ✯ Pilot Radio: 9:30 p.m. Aug. 25.

Named in honor of the owners’ forefather, this bar and restaurant serves a variety of dishes and entertainment. 1515 S. Byrne Road. (419) 389-6003 or docwatsonstoledo.com. ✯ Danny James: 10 p.m. Aug. 17. ✯ Andrew Ellis & Lucky Lemont: 10 p.m. Aug. 24.

Dorr St. Cafe Grab a reuben or some fish while bobbing your head to some tunes. Southwest corner of Dorr Street at Reynolds Road. (419) 531-4446 or www.dorrstreetcafe.com. ✯ Toby Moss, Mike Owen: Aug. 17.

Degage Jazz Cafe Signature drinks, such as pumpkin martinis, plus live local jazz performers. 301 River Road, Maumee. $5 weekends for cafe seating. (419) 794-8205 or www.degagejazzcafe.com. ✯ Gene Parker & Friends: 7-10 p.m. Aug. 15 and 21-22. ✯ Leo Darrington: 7 p.m. Aug. 16 and 23. ✯ The Silverbacks: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17-18. ✯ Dick Lange Trio: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24-25.

Bronze Boar Be sure to check out this Warehouse District tavern’s namesake, overhead near the entrance. 20 S. Huron St. (419) 244-2627 or www.bronzeboar.com. ✯ Open mic: Thursdays and Mondays.

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The Distillery Karaoke is offered Tuesdays, but paid entertainers rock out Wednesdays-Saturdays. 4311 Heatherdowns Blvd. (419) 382-1444 or www.

Evolution A club “for the mature crowd,” Evolution offers $5 martinis on Thursdays and the occasional live musical performance. 519 S. Reynolds Road. (419) 725-6277 or clubevolutiontol.com. ✯ Jazz After Work: 6-8 p.m. Aug. 16, $5.

The Flying Joe A coffee house with wings? Maybe you’ll feel like soaring after a signature mocha. And sometimes … they add a shot of music. 2130 Preston Parkway, Perrysburg. (419) 931-0273 or www. theflyingjoe.com. ✯ Ryan Dunlap: Aug. 19.

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✯ Open mic: 9 p.m. Wednesdays. ✯ Transmission (Goth night): 10 p.m. Fridays, $8. ✯ MC Chris, Powerglove, Richard Branson: 8

8 p.m. Aug. 15. ✯ Nashbash 2012: 5 p.m. Aug. 16. ✯ Hot Club of Detroit: 7 p.m. Aug. 19. ✯ Kathy Kosins: 8 p.m. Aug. 24.

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Manhattan’s

✯ Raine Wilder, C-Fifth, Philippe High Count,

This “slice of the Big Apple” in the Glass City provides entertainment most weekends. 1516 Adams St. (419) 243-6675 or www.manhattanstoledo.com. ✯ Andrew & Mark: 7 p.m. Aug. 15. ✯ Mark Sentle Trio: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 16. ✯ Alan Smith & the Blues All Stars: 9 p.m. Aug. 17. ✯ Post Modern Blues Band: 9 p.m. Aug. 18. ✯ Cynthia Kaay Bennett: 6 p.m. Aug. 20. ✯ Open mic with Jason Quick and Rachel Richardson: 9:45 p.m. Aug. 20. ✯ Steven Woolley: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 22. ✯ Quick Trio: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 23. ✯ Jeff Williams Group: 9 p.m. Aug. 24.

Simon Downey: 8 p.m. Aug. 18, free. ✯ For the Foxes, Squid the Whale, Fall of Jericho: 7 p.m. Aug. 19, $8-$10. ✯ Eve to Adam, Weep the Beldam, Contracode, 52 Pickup: 7 p.m. Aug. 21, free. ✯ Jessica Lea Mayfield, Dios Ama, Jack & the Bear, Possum & the Peach: 9 p.m. Aug. 24, $10-$12.

MGM Grand Detroit Live music rings out over the slots and croupiers on the weekends in the Int Ice lounge. 1777 Third St., Detroit. (877) 888-2121 or www.mgmgranddetroit.com. ✯ Matt Kysia: 9 p.m. Aug. 17. ✯ Ben Sharkey: 9 p.m. Aug. 18. ✯ Charles and Gwen Scales: 9 p.m. Aug. 24.

Mickey Finn’s A variety of genres to wash your drinks down with. Open mic nights, 8 p.m. Wednesdays, no cover; $5-$7 cover other nights. 602 Lagrange

Motor City Casino/Hotel This casino’s Sound Board offers big names, big sounds and a big experience. 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit. Guests must be 21 or older. (866) 782-9622 or www.motorcitycasino.com. ✯ Bonnie Raitt: 8 p.m. Aug. 16, $65-$95. The casino’s Chromatics Lounge also features live performances. ✯ Dave Hamilton: 7 p.m. Aug. 15. ✯ Brena: 7 p.m. Aug. 16. ✯ Diversity: 5:15 p.m. Aug. 17. ✯ L’USA: 10 p.m. Aug. 17. ✯ Jimmy D. Scott: 5:15 p.m. Aug. 18. ✯ Serieux: 10 p.m. Aug. 18. ✯ Sun Messengers: 3:30 p.m. Aug. 19. ✯ Nouveaute: 7 p.m. Aug. 20. ✯ Broken Nails: 7 p.m. Aug. 21-23, 10 p.m. Aug. 24 and 5:15 p.m. Aug. 25. ✯ Lil Stubby & the Disappointments: 5:15 p.m. Aug. 24.

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / AUG. 15, 2012 ■ 43

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Face off By Jeff McGinnis

TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR POP CULTURE EDITOR PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

In 1986, television viewers were introduced to a different kind of sitcom when a show called “Sledge Hammer!” debuted on ABC. The series, a wild riff on “Dirty Harry” and other authoritarian police dramas, was the brainchild of a writer named Alan Spencer, who was only 23 years old at the time. The series was canceled aft er two seasons, but it maintains a rabid and loyal fan following to this day. Now, two-and-a-half decades later, Spencer has another certain cult hit on his hands with his new series “Bullet in the Face,” which will air on cable channel IFC in a marathon Aug. 16 and 17. The show, about a psychotic criminal whose face is destroyed during a robbery and who is given a transplant from a cop he killed, has all the irreverent and intelligent humor of Spencer’s previous work, but it has a willingness to go even further over the top than “Sledge” did. In an interview, Spencer said that the original concept for the show came from talks with IFC, which had wanted to do an action comedy. A Canadian company had developed a concept, which was shown to Spencer in a presentation.

Writer Alan Spencer returns to TV with ‘Bullet in the Face.’

“They actually showed it to me and asked if I was willing to get involved,” Spencer said. “You know, at fi rst I was going to supervise other writers on it, and then I just ended up writing it myself. I wound up using very little — basically nothing — of the original concept, except one element of it being a German cop. That’s literally the only part of it I used.” Of course, the “German cop” is now a former crook who’s wearing someone else’s face — just one of many extreme ideas that let viewers know “Bullet” is far from an average sitcom. “I wrote the pilot and totally self-indulged myself. In Hollywood, the odds of getting a TV show on the air or getting a pilot made, I think they’re up there with, like, being struck by lightning and winning the lotto and everything. And so I was pleasantly surprised when IFC told me they wanted to take it straight to series and wanted me to write all six,” Spencer said. It’s hard for anyone familiar with “Sledge Hammer!” to view “Bullet in the Face” in isolation — in tone and subject matter, the two series seem like cousins. But Spencer pointed out that with “Bullet,” he was able to take the humor to some far more extreme places than he could with a family-hour sitcom 20 years ago. ■ SPENCER CONTINUES ON 46

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46 ■ AUG. 15, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM ■ SPENCER CONTINUED FROM 45 “Back in the ’80s — when I did ‘Sledge Hammer!’ it was the end of the ’80s — that was considered cutting-edge television at that time. “And now, of course, you can see more extreme than, certainly, that. And it influenced some people, too — a lot of the people doing shows right now, certain comedy shows, that was an inspiration to them because that was considered so different. SPENCER “This is basic cable, and cable’s known as being more adventurous, so basically I just approached this with — the constraints were off. I wasn’t typing with handcuffs like I was with ‘Sledge Hammer!’ Those handcuffs were behind my back, which made it really hard to type,” Spencer joked. “We got away with a lot more. And for somebody who was working on a sitcom that was already getting away with a lot, it’s kind of a kid-ina-candy-store shootout.” The new series also showcases a wide range of influences from many forms of pop culture — the look of the show, with deep shadows covering most walls and an angular, oppressive look to almost every environment, borrows heavily from noir graphic novelists like Frank Miller. “[I] wanted it to be a city that would be immersive, and people’d be wondering where it is, where it exists. And definitely the graphic novel world was an influence on that. I wanted it to have

“Desire looks clear from the eyes of a lovely bride: power as strong as the founded world.” — Sophocles

its own rules, and by having it be an international melting pot of crime, it also opened it up and anything can happen.” Spencer learned comedy at the feet of some of the grand masters — he counts legends like Mel Brooks and the late Marty Feldman among the people he has known throughout his life. He’s quick to point out that he has known and learned from people outside of comedy as well, such as his friendship with the late Michael Crichton. “What I was very proud of was when Michael Crichton saw the ‘Sledge Hammer!’ pilot, his wife (Anne-Marie Martin), who was the co-star, said, ‘Isn’t this silly?’ And he said, ‘This is the most intelligent thing I’ve seen in years.’” Indeed, the idea that humor can (and should) have that level of sophistication is a theme that has remained strong throughout Spencer’s career. “Bullet in the Face,” with its lightning-fast dialogue and stinging satirical edge, is just the latest example of that. “TV, in general, would always make you write beneath your intelligence. So one of the fun things about this is being able to write at a certain level, where you write something that attracts Eddie Izzard,” Spencer said. “You know, one of the things I always heard during the ’80s is that we were ‘subversive’ in ‘Sledge Hammer!’ That people, a few years later, got some of what was being said, or got some of the references, because they were hidden. “And in this case, we were allowed to be intelligent, because we’re on a network that allows for it. So I’m grateful for that.” ✯

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““When a scholar goes to seek out a bride he should take along an ignoramus as an expert.” — the Talmud

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / AUG. 15, 2012 ■ .47

Owens hosting fiber arts exhibit TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR STAFF WRITER star@toledofreepress.com

Paddy Jack’s restaurant opens in Sylvania From Staff Reports TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR star@toledofreepress.com

Paddy Jack’s, a new restaurant opening Aug. 15, is about to make the Sylvania area a lot cheesier. The eatery will offer patrons three distinct vibes, mixing a foodie restaurant, a sports bar and an Irish pub, according to a news release. The restaurant is named after Pat Hyland, a famous cheesemaker. Much of the menu will consist of 25 gourmet grilled cheese sand-

wiches in keeping with that theme, according to the release. The menu has options pairing turkey and avocado, mushroom and goat cheese and more. The restaurant also gives patrons a chance to watch sports with more than 30 TVs in ideal locations. More than 60 beers from all over the world will also be offered to complement the food. Paddy Jack’s opens Aug. 15 at 725 W. Central Ave., Unit A in Sylvania. To learn more, visit PaddyJacks.com or Facebook.com/PaddyJacksOhio or call (419) 725-9048. ✯

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Ohara Koson, also known as Shoson (Japanese, 1878–1945), Kingfisher and Iris (HanaShobu ni Hisui) (detail). Color woodblock print, published by Watanabe Shozaburo in 1933. Toledo Museum of Art gift of Hubert D. Bennett, 1939.260

Owens Community College’s latest exhibit is literally going to be “Off the Hook.” The aptly named fiber show is set to open in the Findlayarea campus Library Gallery on Aug. 20. The exhibit marks the opening of the college’s 2012-13 arts season. “I was very familiar with the work of Sharon Hammer Baker, as she has exhibited here a few times in the past. This show came about because in talking with Sharon, she told me she was working on something really different. When you talk about fibers, there is usually such a connection to crafting. Sharon’s work in the past has been quite small, but is this show very new, very exciting. I think this is something we may definitely do again next year, have another fiber exhibit,” said Gail McCain, Owens Library Manager for the Findlay-area Campus. Hammer Baker and fellow exhibitor Janice Ryan, both Findlay residents, have garnered regional and national acclaim for their fiber artwork and have been featured in numerous exhibitions throughout the region. Approximately 20 featured artistic pieces, made of both traditional and nontraditional materials and inspired by nature, will be on display in Owens’ “Off the Hook” exhibit.

“Owens Community College’s Findlay-area Campus is excited to showcase such a unique exhibit by extremely talented local fiber artists. Each artistic piece exhibited by Sharon Hammer Baker and Janice Ryan at the Library Gallery is hand hooked, which involves pulling fiber loops one at a time through a backing fabric with a hook. Exhibition visitors will certainly enjoy the amazing colors and textures found within their work,” McCain said in a news release. In addition to her work as a fiber artist, Hammer Baker is also a renowned poet working primarily in haiku. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies, including the book “Haiku World” published by Kodansha in 1996. Other appearances include work in the print magazines Bear Creek Haiku, Common Threads, Frogpond, Heartlands Today and Ko. The college will also be hosting a reception and gallery talk for Hammer Baker and Ryan on Sept. 12 from 6-8 p.m. The show runs through Sept. 27. Admission to the Findlay-area Campus Library Gallery is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Findlay-area campus is located on Bright Road. For more information, contact the library at (567) 429-3088 or call 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 3088. ✯

April 13–September 2, 2012

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