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by: John Shapiro, editor
September 8, 2010
Top Ten Voting.... just started for Small and Medium size weekly cruise-ins. (to the right of the website). This year we will utilize two voting methods, website and the magazine, then combine both for results. Many people don't have access to the web so in the Oct issue we will have 2 pages of voting/nominees. In the coming weeks we'll have all the various categories, including car shows, local and regional, downtown events, eateries etc.
Big Weekend for Sept 10-12th.... Who says September is light on shows? A short week after coming off Labor Day weekend sees a ton of shows for the Sept 10-12th including the Cruisin' Times Lucky 13 Stop #12 in downtown Newark for the "Lite the Nite" Cruise, Sat. Sept 11, 2010
The city gets jam packed with 800 cars all parked around one of the most beautiful and extra large town hall squares. It's an easy drive to Newark which is just about centrally located off I-70. But we take the back roads! Click the following link Car Show Listings for the complete show listings for the weekend.
Congrats ... to Clay and Betty Tober and their '57 Olds Convertible, our latest Jax-Wax Lucky 13 Winner....
....chosen at the American Hero's Brookgate Show (Sat). They received an award, complete Jax-Wax car care kit, and a full page feature story in the November issue of the mag. The Tobers did the complete frame off restoration to their Olds and is driven (not trailerd) to National events where it brings down all the honors. Next stop on the Cruisin' Times Lucky 13 Tour - "Lite the Nite" in downtown Newark Oh., Sat. 11, 2010.
Bunch of Classifieds.... attention Mopar Fans: looking for a '71 Swinger? Here's a great classified deal...
... on a '71 Dodge Swinger with newly finished 360ci, new top and headliner, asking $6500 or TRADE... whatcha got...we just added a bunch of new classifieds - click the following link Cruisin' Classifieds and be sure to look in the Parts N Pieces category too for a slew of parts and interesting items to help make your dream car reach reality !
Big Discounts.... still available upwards of $300 per couple and as high as $410. per couple for our Cruisin' Times Caribbean Cruise.... we'll have 'em only as long as we can.... but soon they'll take 'em away so act now... .click Cruisin' Times Caribbean Cruise for all the details....
HOW MUCH FUN.... did we have on our Caribbean Cruise?
click the following link Caribbean Cruise 2010 and you'll find out all the fun, what we saw and how much food we ate!
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Cruisin' Times Adventure to Atwood Lake....
Sunday Oct 4, 2009 - It's was annual fall cruise to Atwood Lake Ohio for their car show and festival Extravaganza.
Stop #1. Menches Hamburger Restaurant, Green Oh.
If Menches doesn't ring a bell, especially in the world of great Hamburgers, don't call yourself a connoisseur of burgers.
A real "burger nut" knows the history and where the name "Hamburger" came from! And Menches is the birthplace for the burgers - yes they invented it and it's right here in Northern Ohio!
Actually you can visit Menches Restaurant (one of 3 locations), we went to their Green location (it's huge) and right off I-77 just south of Akron at the first exit for Green Oh. turn West, then 1 block, (3700 Massillon Rd) the restaurant is located in the "Shops of Green" (866) 533-2938.
I got the Blue Cheese Burger with chips which has to be the best tasting burger I've ever had. Here's why.
History recorded that Frank and Charles Menches ran out of pork for their sausage patty sandwiches at the 1885 Erie County Fair. Their supplier, reluctant to butcher more hogs in the summer heat, suggested they use beef instead. The brothers fried some up, but found it bland. They added coffee, brown sugar, and some other "secret" ingredients to create a taste that stands distinct without condiments - and guess where the Erie County Fair is located? Hamburg NY - and now you know why they named their strange sandwich - the hamburger! (I know you're saying "Coffee and sugar?" Just eat it and don't worry about the ingredients - least that's what my wife says !)
Stop #2 Atwood Lake Car Show, Atwood Oh.
Take I-77 to the Zoar Exit (Rte 212), go East (there's lots of signs showing you the way). It's held every year on the first weekend of October the show, the 3 day event (the car show) is only on Sunday which numbers 500+ cars or as far as the eye can see (which ever comes first). [we'll have the complete story of just the car show portion later)....
The show just happens to coincide with a largest crafts and antique festival - I'd say the largest I've ever seen.
It's crafts tents, and more crafts tents - it'll take you all day just to walk through the complete festival - which as you can see, goes on for as far as the eye can see.
You find an incredible array of things to do and see that include: Antique engines, Authentic wagon train, Blacksmith, Chainsaw Carver, Revolutionary War Display
Mountain Man Encampment, Moccasin Trail Pow-Wow Gathering, Skunk Haven Inc. skunk display, Petting Zoo and a Wood Carver and lots of food vendors keeping your tummy happy all 3 days.
And then there's the couple hundred crafts vendors....You'll find strange things like apparel made from Alpacas wool.
Or (below) strange looking gourds that at first glance looked like they were snakes!
Don't they look like snakes? Aren't you getting that queezy feeling? God I hate snakes!!
Fortunately, there's the living history encampment and Indian pow-wow that adds to the festivities (and keeps your mind off snakes!). Held right across the street from the car show.
You'd swear you were in the middle of the Revolutionary War, 'til one kid yelled "I'm bored can we go to McDonalds...." and the actors almost broke up laughing!
Time to leave our little car show and festival oasis to return to the big city, but decided to take a side road north to take a look at Magnolia Drag Strip, just off the beaten path ... I couldn't get there again if I had to.... thank god for the Garman.
But Magnolia Dragway is probably one of the cleanest 1/8 mile strips we've ever been to, just outside the little village of Magnolia, Oh., the track hosts racing every Sat and Sun during the summer. Click Magnolia Drag Strip for more info.
Back tracking to Rte 800 toward Canton we passed this cool collection of petroliana
Which was followed by (same owner) had restored his recollection of the famed "Burma Shave Signs" along his property line next to the road.
It reads.... "Car In Ditch".... "Driver In Tree"...."Moon Was Full".... "And So Was He".... Burma Shave!"
As I was taking this picture.... obviously stopped in the middle of the road, I looked in the rear view mirror and almost got hit!! I can see it now, "How'd John get killed?" "Oh, he was reading one of those Burma Shave Signs and wound up in the tree himself!"
I'm a sucker for roadside stands (one day I'm gonna do a book on Dairy Delights I've known and Loved!" - especially ones that scream ice cream even though it's October and 50 degrees, not far down the road on Rte 800 as we neared Canton was the "Ruedoggy" Ice Cream Palace and Coney Dog Emporium.... the Cruisin' Times Fun Time Bandits, got our chocolate malted milk shakes, sundaes and assorted other sweets and boogied down the road, but not before promising to stop back for a Coney Dog in the spring. Well.... that ends another Cruisin' Adventure, one that you can take by just getting in your car and GO, GO, GO !!
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY. On a scale of 1-to 10.... that being a 1.
DEGREE OF FUN... 9.9. Why not begin setting up your fall and winter cruisin' adventure yourself.
----------Here's Another Cruisin' Times Fun Trip --------------
Cruisin' Times Rainy Day Adventure....
Saturday Sept 26, 2009 - Rain by early morning, so the Cruisin' Times Fun Time Bandits decided to adjust our plans and check out the first of a long series of Train & Toy Shows that will be dotting the area countryside this fall and winter.
Stop #1. But first, it's Breakfast time at Dee's Old Brooklyn Diner 4326 Pearl Rd. Cleveland, OH 44109-4209 (216) 398-1633
Actually a good friend, Don Workman of Ameriflag sent me their coffee mug some time ago and we thought why not stop in for a bit to eat at Dee's.
It's not an official diner, as in the stainless steel, trolly type, BUT, as soon as you walk in it's got all the makings of a real cozy place. Lots of pictures of "old Brooklyn and Cleveland" hanging from the walls. They've got diner counter service, (pictured above) (NOTE: the diner style true coffee mugs on the shelf, there's something about drinking coffee out of a coffee mug)!.... but go into the next room and ask to set by the window in your own private "elevated" table for 4. Food is excellent, fast and they keep the coffee pourin'! Bathrooms are downstairs and very clean and "creative!"
Stop #2. A short time later, we pulled out of Dee's and headed down Pearl Road (Rte 42) and then I thought why not stop at B.A. Sweetie's Candy Emporium!
Located at 7480 Brookpark Road Cleveland, Ohio 44129. Actually if you get off the Ridge Rd., Exit off I-480, go south to Brookpark, then West half way up the hill, it's in the corner of a huge old building. Most people from Cleveland don't even know about it.....
...Inside it's not your normal candy store... ya see this is a nostalgia candy emporium complete with everything you use to eat as a kid. Believe it or not, B. A. Sweetie was started back in 1950 but moved into it's present location in the early 90's.
Remember getting little wax bottles of some sort of liquid? There was just enough to "wet your whistle" and then we'd chew the wax bottle! (Yuk!) Look further into the picture and you see they've got "Wax Lips" and "Mr. 'Stache" too!
Remember "Beemans Gum"? They've got a whole selection of Blackjack and Clove. And believe me when I say, you'll spend the better part of an hour just going up and down the aisles. And since it's Halloween, you can get all your regular favorites there too. Click B.A. Sweetie form map/directions and more photos.
Stop #3. The T.C.A. Train and Toy Show at the UAW Hall on Chevrolet Blvd. Parma.
I know that lots of collector car owners are also into toy trains and layouts. We'll be posting the fall and winter shows shortly. But while we were there we gave the Grandpa's Cheese Barn in Ashland Oh. a call to see if their show had been cancelled. "No, not yet!" (even thought it was pouring in Cleveland) we high-tailed it out of Parma for I-71 South to Rte 250.
Stop #3. Grandpa's Cheese Barn, Ashland Oh.
Inside the main "barn", it's specialty shopping, gifts, cards, shirts, food samples, while upstairs is the "cheese" portion.
Then across the parking lot is another building housing the candies! Yes, more candies, as we went through the ones we bought at B.A. Sweetie! (ya gotta have somethin' to much on while you flyin' down I-71 !)
While it continued raining, we took advantage of the lunch special: Bratwurst, chips and a pop for $5. bucks and then sampled cheeses, cheese dips... while outside....
...Like good diehard cruisers that they were, we counted a little over 45 cars that stayed for the fund raiser that benefitted Grandpa's grand daughter Joslyn Ankeman, it was umbrella's and and people huddled under their EZ Ups. Click Grandpa's Cheese Barn for more info, maps and directions.
Stop #4. Parsley Pot. Although I didn't take any pictures, this old barn turned into a giant gift and decorating shop has been in business for 35 years. Ask for directions at Grandpa's Cheese Barn, as it's just a hop, skip and a jump down a couple of country roads away (less than 10 minutes).
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY. On a scale of 1-to 10.... that being a 1.
DEGREE OF FUN... 9.9. Why not begin setting up your fall and winter cruisin' adventure yourself.
Below are a couple of tours we did last year to spur you on to new cruisin' heights!
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Another Rainy Adventure
Hot Rod City Restaurant, the Warther Museum and More
by John Shapiro, editor
Who says there's nothing to do once the car show season ends? We hooked up 3 friends for a "Chevy HHR Caravan" (last fall) to the new Hot Rod City Restaurant in New Philly (Oh), for a return trip to this really cool restaurant and auto-memoribilia palace to see if those excellent burgers we tasted are really as good as I thought they were.
It was a gloomy day with on and off rain showers and it even snowed on the way home ,but it was a whole lot better than staying at home!
We planned a full day that involved eating at the Hot Rod City restaurant, then a visit to the Warther Museum Dover Oh. and an evening "buffet bash" at the Barn Restaurant just outside Wooster, Oh. with a couple of shopping stops along the way.
You can set up the same type of tour with a few friends or do a car club winter outing - it's easy and loads of fun! Try it this fall !
Stop 1 - Hot Rod City Restaurant USA, New Philadelphia, Oh.
The Hot Rod City USA Restaurant is located near New Philadelphia Oh off I-77 (Rte 21 & Rte 39). (Off the exit, turn right at the light, then quickly get in the left lane 100 feet, then bear left and look for the restaurant about 1/4 mile on the left - sits back. It can be seen from I-77 coming north and is a beautiful sight at night as they light up all the neon!
We got there just as it opened (11am on Saturday) and after the roughly 2 hour drive from Cleveland (lots of coffee and pee stops!) we were ready for lunch.
I recommend the "Chase Double Burger" and comes with homemade chips. (no need to get the fries as you'll need to pace yourself for dessert and later, dinner!) The unique thing about their burger is the diamond shape of the bun, allowing you to always have a "corner" to bite into!! I have unofficially given it the Cruisin' Times B.A.B. Award (Big Ass Burger) Award.
Once lunch was finished, we meandered around the automobilia laden restaurant, visiting the various rooms that can accomodate large groups.
Unlike other restaurants that can't handle groups of 4 or more. We had 10 in our party and we had a semi-private room with plenty of room. You might want to call ahead just to make sure - 330-339- 7697.
Plan on extra time to visit the gift shop (where you can pick up a copy of the mag and the Sweet 16 Calendar (plug plug)! Dessert: ice cream, as they serve 44 flavors of "Velvet" brand ice cream made near by in Utica Oh., get it "to-go" so you can snoop around the old gas station outside!
It's just a short walk next to the parking lot, you'll find the gas station complete with pumps, office, (NOTE the smudge pot sitting next to the gas pump on the right of the island - remember those used to be used in road construction sites long before orange barrels! And (note the Model A and mid 30's Ply or Ford sitting along the right! We went for a closer look (below).
Close up inspection of the Model A coupe proved it had it's trunk section cut off and a short flat bed inserted for hauling stuff, the rear fenders are bobbed and there's a strange hood ornament attached to the right front fender.
Next to it is a '35 or '36 Ford or Plymouth - look close the top was welded shut (where the cloth top once was) possibly getting ready to be hot rodded or it was used as an old jalopy race car body for a make shift roll bar. Anyway, it's fun trying to figure out the history of those old cars.
Stop 2 - Warther Museum, Dover Oh.
One exit North on I-77 (Rte 250 East) is the home of the Warther Museum where you'll experience the story of the Warther family and how the Warther's combined a love of family and a love of hobbies to create an amazing legacy.
Ernest "Mooney" Warther turned his joy of carving wood and ivory into creations that the Smithsonian has called priceless works of art. Absolutely amazing carvings of a real working (wooden) miniture steel mill (below) that was totally hand carved.
They also hand make complete kitchen knives. The tour lasts an hour and you'll spend more than that walking around visiting their button collection and souvenior shop and just marveling at the hand carving (in ebony and ivory) the various railroad engines and tenders. (below)
Mooney lived in a time when steam locomotives were king, so many of his carvings are steam locomotives made of walnut wood, ebony, and ivory. He combined history and artistry with motion by making the locomotives run authentically.
His precision and sense of detail on the wood and ivory carvings reflect Mooney's amazing skills and passion for steam technology. In fact, the perfection and mechanizing of his steam locomotives earned him the title of World's Master Carver, in the 1920's. Tours leave every hour and I think the last one is at 3:00 pm call (330) 343-7513.
Stop #3- Amish Shops & the Barn Restaurant Wooster, Oh.
By 4p we decided to take Rte 39 from Dover Oh through Sugarcreek, into the Amish country stopping off at a Christmas store, then through Berlin, a right on Rte 83 in Millersburg to the Wooster by-pass, exiting onto Rte 585 to the Barn for dinner arriving there by 5:30pm.
Why the Barn? You mean besides being able to seat 10 people... the buffet is like putting on a feed bag (pardon the pun)! By the way, the Barn offers 2 ways to dine - upstairs is the regular restaurant where you order off the menu ... but downstairs is the huge buffet... and then there's SHOPPING.....
Stop #4 - Shopping at the Barn Complex.
With our tummy's full we visited the various shops on the grounds that included the "Buchanon Place", "The Oak Cupboard", "Toyrifix" and the "Amish Outlet Store". The Barn 330-669-2555.
The Autumn Adventure was a full day of "something for everyone" and you can do the same thing over the winter months, it doesn't take much, call some friends, get a few couples together - or make it a car club outing.
***Be sure to click on the Cruisin News browser button for more just published articles.
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