Wendi's Weekend Trips & Whatnot

Travel. Food. Fun.

Condado Tacos in Columbus es muy bueno

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When Wendi and I traveled to Columbus back in April for Special Persons Day at the elementary school where our great-nephews attend, it turned into a two-fer for us. We had a chance to spend some time with DeAveon and Noah, and then share a meal with Wendi's cousin, Danny, who was attending The Ohio State University at the time (he has since graduated with both his bachelor's and master's degrees). We settled on a place I had heard only good things about: Condado Tacos. While Wendi and I … [Read more...]

A Conversation with Actor Gary Cole

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Wendi and I really enjoyed our recent trip to Richmond, Va., where I was there to write what became a series of stories on a local physician, Tony Tizzano, and his role as a medical history adviser on the PBS/Lone Wolf Media production, "Mercy Street," a Civil War-era medical drama. While doing an initial interview for The Daily Record newspaper with Tizzano in the courtyard of the hotel where we were staying in downtown Richmond, actor Gary Cole walked past us. Cole plays James Green … [Read more...]

Cheesemaking is Easier Than You Think; Thanks to Ricki’s and Lehman’s

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My father, Bob Sr., was a chef, and mother, Carmen, is an Italian who can cook better than my dad. I grew up loving to cook and later working for my dad. I have cooked in restaurants featuring continental cuisine, steaks, Italian food, Mexican food, gourmet food and fast food. Being Italian, I love to cook. Living in a heavily concentrated dairy area like Wayne and Holmes counties in Ohio (home to Smith's, a dairy operation, Smucker's, and award-winning cheesemakers like Guiggisberg Cheese), I … [Read more...]

Band of Brothers See Dream Theater, Yet Again

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Shawn LaDouceur has been a good friend since we met at Daytona Beach Community College, probably in 1988. Though much younger, he has had an impact on me. His influence helped me decide to become a Christian, and he introduced me to my favorite band of all time, Dream Theater. Shawn had been attending Cincinnati Bible College in the 1992-93 academic year, and when he came home in the summer of 1993, one of the first things he did was to play "Pull Me Under" from the first Dream Theater … [Read more...]

Steak ‘n Shake Raises Stakes in Burger Game

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It seems I have always been generally aware of Steak 'n Shake, and I know a lot of people who like the restaurant. The couple of times I ate there, I was never really impressed. It was years ago before chefs raised the level of burgers to an art form. However, a friend of mine, Frank Yost, loves the place and posts photos on Facebook whenever he eats there or stops in for a happy hour milkshake. With that in mind, I asked Wendi if she wanted to stop there for lunch on our way to Columbus. We … [Read more...]