Less than a month!

We got our wedding rings yesterday! And now we have officially passed the one-month-to-go mark. We're so excited!

What to do in Ohio

Well, you can always add an extra day to your trip and go to Cedar Point in Sandusky.

Or you can take this opportunity to visit Cleveland and check out: the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame; a show at America's first regional theatre--the Cleveland Play House (also one of Tiffany's former employers); mac n cheese like you've never had, at the corner of Literary and Professor in Tremont at a place called Lola's (chef Michael Symon won Iron Chef and has hosted Travel Channel's Anthony Bourdain); the Great Lakes Brewing Company (who, aside from having an excellent microbrewery, also has amazing bread pudding; PS I think it's too early for Christmas Ale, but if it isn't--oh my, you must make this stop); the Cleveland Museum of Art--home of some truly amazing works of art, including Jackson Pollack, and Picasso's La Vie, which was the start of his blue period. But my absolute favorite, must-recommend is a little vegetarian place on the east side, in a neighborhood known as Coventry, called Tommy's. Go for piping hot fries with vinegar, for unusual pitas stuffed with things like cheese and peanut butter, for delicious smoothies in a plastic cup you get to keep, for all the vegetarian-hippie-Cleveland goodness. And then, if it's not Saturday, September 25, go see a french film at the Cedar Lee. Do this and you'll make me happy.

More locally, you can check out the Hot Dog Shoppe in Warren. Even if you don't do dogs, the shop is well worth the visit. A long counter snakes around the inside, and you sit on swivel stools, and can get chili dogs, fries, etc, all for a minimal price. PS Tom Hanks went there. True story.

Octagon House, boyhood home of Clarence Darrow, actually right in Kinsman, on Main Street. And look at all those other cool, historic Ohio places you can visit!

Amish country. There's no link for this because the Amish don't believe in technology. Except, I hear, for cell phones. But you can (and should) visit Hartville Kitchen, which has unparalleled home-style food. You can also buy quilts, woodwork, and honey in actual honeycombs here. Right next to fabulous Kent State University. Yay, go Golden Flashes!

Right over the border in PA, we have:

The Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh (about an hour drive from Kinsman). Culture, iconic images, crazy Andy Warhol. What else could you want?

Kraynaks, and see the acres of holiday ornaments and Christmas decorations. The best part, though, is the animatronic tunnel you get to walk through, full of some-what creepy

mannequins moving to Christmas music. No, really, it's awesome, and you should go. It's also free.

Quaker Steak and Lube. Coloradians: you should take advantage and visit while in Ohio, because they are opening a location up near Fort Collins, but you can say you have actually been to the original! It's also the most-loved place of Tiffany's dad. So go, and say you know Chuck Carter.

Daffins chocolate factory. Really, a whole little magic kingdom made of chocolate Daffins is like Chicago's Fanny May. If you love cocoa, you should definitely go.

Ohio and PA peeps! Please feel free to add suggestions if you have them!

September Weather in Ohio

If you're one of our Chicago guests, then you'll know what to expect. Ohio's weather is not much different. In late September, we are hoping the weather will still be pleasantly warm without being too hot during the day, or too cold at night, and nice and dry. It will likely get chilly at night. However, being the Midwest, there is (although I hate to say it) always the chance it might rain, or be overcast, or be cold. So bring layers! That's always my best advice. (And please pray for a dry sunny Saturday September 25th!) But I would plan for temperatures in the 60s & 70s during the day and dipping down to the 50s at night.

But you can certainly expect beautiful fall leaves, fresh apple cider for sale along the roads, & harvest vegetables. Plus our wedding falls right around the Equinox, so the days and evenings will be just about equal in length.