December 2021 Akron Life Magazine

VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 12

DECEMBER 2021

G FAMILY A new Portage County group home helps foster youth feel at home

STOW & KENT EXPLORE NEW SPACES & THINGS TO DO IN THE TREE CITY

TOP DOCTORS 2021

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DEC. 2021 $3.95

KELLI CONNELL

Program Manager at Group Home photo by Shane Wynn

STILL FIGHTING DOCTORS & NURSES STAY STRONG IN THE COVID - 19 BATTLE

PAGES

DECEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 12

Pages start here

On The Cover

| 24 Group Home | photo by Shane Wynn

[ FEATURE ]

24 FINDING FAMILY Not all family is blood.

A new Portage County group home is helping more foster youth feel at home. Meet former residents and the staffers who have become their families.

Program Manager Kelli Connell photo by Shane Wynn

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UNCORKED

AGENDA

UNTAPPED

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

[ the essential social digest ]

Brewery Ommegang, Neon Rainbows

[ DEPARTMENTS ]

08 MAIL BONDING

12 AGENDA [ the essential social digest ] 14 Entertainment listings

09 FROM THE PUBLISHER

+ Calendar of events 23 Holiday Gift Guide

Special Sections 34 HEALTH & WELLNESS Doctors and nurses stay strong through the COVID-19 battle.

20 Years Young

54 GOOD EATS 10 RADAR [ seen + heard ]

11 UPFRONT

[ notable food + drink ] 54 Restaurant listings 55 Uncorked:

40 TOP DOCTORS 2021

Francis Ford Coppola Winery 56 Untapped: Brewery Ommegang, Neon Rainbows

Chasing your dreams as you age

67 PARTING SHOT

60 STOW AND KENT

Polsky’s

Explore new spaces and things to do in the Tree City.

48 FOREVER YOUNG

Room to Love

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PAGES MAIL BONDING

CAMEOS OF CARING NURSES WHO CONTINUE TO LEAD AND SERVE

THE INTERVIEW CHIC CANFORA ON ACTIVISM AND JOURNALISM

Tell us what's on your mind.

UNTAPPED 6 HOLIDAY BREWS TO SIP THIS SEASON

VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 11

NOVEMBER 2021

Blast from the Past Your gift guide to 5 nostalgic shops and 8 feel-good experiences that rekindle sweet memories The Toys Time FOrgot photo by Tylar Calhoun

Comments? Got something to say about an article you read in Akron Life?

Or maybe you want to tell us about something great happening in the area.

Send comments and suggestions to: Akron Life, 1653 Merriman Road, Suite 116, Akron, OH 44313, and please include your name and address.

Or email them to editor@bakermediagroup.com.

We reserve the right to edit letters for length and clarity.

HAVE AKRON, WILL TRAVEL

FOUNDER

Don Baker Jr. [ 1940-2018 ] PUBLISHER

Colin Baker cbaker@bakermediagroup.com C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R

William L. Teckmyer III w teckmyer@bakermediagroup.com MANAGING EDITOR

Get Your Face In Our Magazine

Kelly Petryszyn kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com

Send us pics of yourself with a copy of Akron Life and end up on this page!

Images and descriptions can be sent to editor@bakermediagroup.com.

A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

Alexandra Sobczak asobczak@bakermediagroup.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Tylar Calhoun tsut ton@bakermediagroup.com CO N T R I B U T I N G WRITERS

Akron Life traveled into Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia with readers Zoran and Lisa Milosevic as they celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary this fall. Pictured here, the magazine made its way to Stari Slon, a restaurant in Sombor, Serbia.

Brendan Baker Aaron Fowler Mike McKenney CO N T R I B U T I N G PHOTOGR APHER

Shane Wynn SALES

Bunny Lacey Steve Tyson Ben DiCola sales@bakermediagroup.com C I R C U L AT I O N

circulation@bakermediagroup.com 330-253-0056, ext. 104 EDITORIAL INTERNS

Marcus Anderson Halena Sepulveda

DECEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 12 (ISSN No. 74 470 5787 1) akronlife is published monthly by Baker Media Group, LLC, 1653 Merriman Road, Suite 116, Akron, OH 44313. Copyright 2021© by Baker Media Group, LLC, All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited without written permission. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by an addressed envelope and sufficient postage.

Baker Media Group, LLC and akronlife accept no responsibility for unsolicited material. Subscription rates: Continental U.S., One year —$19.95, Two years —$34.95. Call for Alaska, Hawaii or international rates. Single issues available by calling the circulation department or visiting akronlife.com/store. $3.95 each plus $3.50 shipping & handling. Editorial, advertising and business offices: (330) 253-0056, fax (330) 253-5868.

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

PAGES FROM THE PUBLISHER

[ Publisher | Colin Baker | cbaker@bakermediagroup.com ]

20 Years Young Subscribers have helped Akron Life since its launch.

Next year will mark 20 years of Akron Life. It seems like yesterday we were the new kids on the block, trying something new in the area with a monthly lifestyle magazine. When my dad, Don Baker Jr., started the magazine, we were able to only do a test issue in November 2002. And by test, I mean we had the money to do one issue, and the plan was that if we could sell enough subscriptions and advertising, then we would keep going.

It’s very difficult to launch a magazine as a new company. Because of your lack of a track record, most advertisers and subscribers say, I want to see a copy before I commit. Well, that made it tough to sell enough to keep things going for another month. Most people involved in the launch of Akron Life, which was initially named Akron Life & Leisure, had little to no magazine experience.

One of our creative strategies to raise money was to sell lifetime subscriptions. People could purchase a lifetime subscription for $125. It was a big risk for people to put down their funds for a brand-new magazine. It certainly was easier at that time to raise money in small amounts from individual community members than to sell advertising. A lot of Akronites believed in us and wanted a magazine celebrating the Greater Akron area.

I recently had someone call me who bought the lifetime subscription. She said, I honestly didn’t think you would make it, but I wanted to help.

She added that the lifetime subscription was one of her better investments, and it has truly paid off. It equals a little over $6 a year, and as we stay around, it will keep getting cheaper.

At one point early on, we started using software to manage our subscriptions, and our end date for those subscribers was 2025.

Twenty years ago, that seemed like forever, and that number was arbitrary. Now, I must change that to no end in sight.

As we approach the 20-year anniversary, we need to continue to spread the news of this new magazine Akron Life. Well, 20 years new, and I still feel like we are a startup.

For the last few years, we have offered free gift subscriptions with a renewal of your subscription or a new subscription. Help us spread the word by giving Akron Life to someone close to you.

It’s hard to tell what we will look like 20 years from now, but I can bet it will be drastically different. We barely had a website in 2002, and there wasn’t much of a digital footprint — no social media, no e-newsletters. Here is my prediction for 2042: We will all be meeting up in the metaverse interacting with local stories and checking out non-fungible token covers on the walls of our virtual world.

But for now, we will use current technology.

Here’s a QR code to give a gift subscription.

You can also go to our website, akronlife. com/2for1, and if you don’t want to do any of that, give us a call at 330-253-0056. Happy holidays, and thanks for reading Akron Life.

[

Publisher Colin Baker is a retired racing driver and gearhead.

]

Comments? Email them to Kelly Petryszyn [kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com].

akronlife.com/2for 1

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

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PAGES RADAR

by Marcus Anderson and photo provided by Main Street Kent

seen + heard

Gift Exchange During the most wonderful time of the year, leave a tiny present for a stranger in the Little Box of Kindness in Kent.

Similar to a Little Free Library stand where people leave and take books, people can leave or take tokens of kindness from the box decorated with bright patterns and a squirrel giving an acorn that matches the nearby mural painted outside Scribbles Coffee Co. People have left coins, art and dog treats, and you can add a gift to spread cheer to those in need of holiday spirit. 237 N. Water St., Kent

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

JOLLY RESTART The holidays are getting jazzier following the reopening of Blu Jazz last month after a pandemic shutdown.

Celebrate at a holiday show Dec. 18 starring New York City singer Barbara Rosene crooning swingin’ ’20s and ’30s classics with an all-star band. Turn up the heat on winter nights during Blu Thursdays, with Akron trumpeter Tommy Lehman continuing to take lead of the popular jam session where locals improv boppin’ tunes. Blu Thursdays 8 p.m., 47 E. Market St., Akron, blujazzakron.com

Snap Shot Selfie lovers can take their craft to another level at the new Oh Snap Photo Lab in downtown Akron, which has over 30 micro-studios and installations. Pose in front of colorful angel wings, take a seat on a flower-adorned chair, admire light-up 3D clouds and explore other sets, all designed by local artists, from Cleveland-based Light Up Labs to inspirational Akron painter Randi Mull, and watch for festive events on its Instagram.

209 S. Main St., Suite 501, Akron, ohsnapphotolab.com

PAGES UPFRONT

[ Managing Editor | Kelly Petryszyn | kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com ]

Room to Love We have a lot to give this holiday season.

Group Home, photo by Shane Wynn

On pg. 24, find a feature story on the only group home in Portage County for foster youth. About 210 kids are in the county’s foster system because their needs weren’t being met at home. That includes 63 adolescents, who can be overlooked because of trauma-related behavioral issues and the notion it’s too late to “fix” them.

“We kind of get deflated when we see that foster families are more likely to take babies through 5 years old. Maybe it’s because those are formative years, and foster individuals think that they have more of an ability to impact,” says Kellijo Jeffries, director of Portage County Job & Family Services. “I’m hoping to challenge the stigma.”

My life is at a turning point.

My husband, Tony, and I are welcoming a baby girl. From the moment she arrives, every day will be spent caring for her.

I’m writing this while eight months pregnant in early November in the thick of the nesting phase. We’ve spent hours getting product recommendations from parents and putting together a baby registry. We had a fantastic outdoor baby shower in October and are so thankful for the huge outpouring of support. Ever since, the house has been overtaken by half-finished Ikea nursery furniture, boxes of handme-down clothes, mounds of diapers and crates of toys, teethers, linens and feeding supplies. Nesting has been showing us that babies need a lot of things. But the baby classes we’ve taken have taught us that beyond those things, they need constant love and care most of all.

This new group home is a huge step forward, as it gives foster adolescents a homier setting to be closer to family and school within a strapped Portage JFS system that only has one Portage JFS-licensed foster home for teens. Foster youth desperately crave normalcy. In addition to the challenges of growing up, most deal with trauma from abuse and neglect, while family and kin can’t care for them because of issues with substance abuse, mental illness, crime and more.

“I met some kids, their parents … beating them, abusing them, raping them,” says Justin*, a former group home resident.

“There’s kids that have special care needs and health care needs some parents just can’t fulfill. … There needs to be support.”

Around-the-clock supervision and support by staffers has been helping group home residents find stability. It’s a temporary solution while the county urgently recruits more adoptive and foster parents for teens.

do anything to protect her. It’s tough to feel her tiny kicks and grapple with the fact that some of our young neighbors are lacking protection and are neglected or abused. Kids are in the system at no fault of their own and need more empathy and understanding. But what’s been encouraging to witness is that despite many obstacles, youth can find a family in the system. Whether it be group home staff or foster parents, people are giving these adolescents a chance, sometimes for the first time, and Jeffries has seen it transform them.

“All kids just want to feel accepted and loved,” she says. “When they learn to trust, they put their guard down a little and they open up, it’s a really beautiful thing ... all the beauty and uniqueness they offer.”

The former group home residents I interviewed have been strong and resilient, and both attributed the support of JFS staffers as a difference maker. It touched my heart that Justin can’t wait to spend the holidays with his former foster parents.

This holiday season, think of those who need your love and support, even if they aren’t biological family. Maybe that’s helping Portage JFS meet needs listed on pg. 33, inviting a neighbor to join your holiday dinner or calling someone you haven’t talked to in a while. It’s never too late for change, and an act of kindness can go far in impacting someone who needs it. *This name has been changed to protect identity.

[

Managing Editor Kelly Petryszyn is an adventure seeker, forever a dreamer and an avid supporter of #TeamFiona.

]

Our baby hasn’t been born yet, but Tony and I marvel that we already love her and would

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AGENDA

DECEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 12

Agenda the essential social digest

12/2-5, 12/9-23 & 12/26-30 Deck the Hall With the theme of “Lights, Cameras, Christmas,” the holiday celebration at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens returns.

See a decorated Manor House and 1 million lights in the gardens. Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron. 5-8 p.m. stanhywet.org

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AGENDA

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS on akronlife.com or email jburkhart@bakermediagroup.com.

Canton Symphony Orchestra NOTE: Dates, events, locations, times and prices are subject to change. Please call ahead.

The orchestra is offering fun ways to connect virtually.

Watch mini concerts and learn about the issue of diversity in classical music during the “Orchestrating Change” podcast. cantonsymphony.org

Summit County Historical Society of Akron, OH Learn about historical figures on their birthdays, join virtual book talks, view artifacts and more on its Facebook page. facebook.com/ summitcountyhistoricalsociety

Cleveland Orchestra

Remote

Connect with the orchestra via the streaming platform Adella to access new performances recorded in Severance Hall through the In Focus series, as well as the “On a Personal Note” podcast that’s about classical music. clevelandorchestra.com

Akron Art Museum Explore the museum’s collections online. Kiddos and those wanting to get creative can craft via video lessons. akronartmuseum.org/at-home

Akron Civic Theatre The Civic has an assortment of live performances from all over with its Live Virtually portal. Check its Facebook every week for local musicians’ streams, events, stage shows and other performances. facebook.com/ akroncivic

Akron Soul Train View video profiles from past, current and future Soul Train artists-in-residence. facebook.com/akronsoultrain

Sit kids down for regular storytimes with children’s librarians or various book talks via videos on its Facebook page. Books are available inside or for curbside pickup. facebook.com/akronlibrary

Grab your favorite drink and enjoy an evening with local musicians via Gage House’s live sessions. Check out previous shows from artists including Madison Cummins and Ben Gage, who both make for evenings of soothing tunes. facebook.com/gagehousesessions

Jilly’s Music Room The Akron music venue is hosting select Streaming Fridays on its YouTube channel. Watch the livestreams and visit the online store to order dinner, tip the band, make a donation and buy merchandise. jillysmusicroom. com

The Barberton theater company is offering game nights and educational videos. Children can also enjoy stories read by local theater veterans during Magical Storytime. magicaltheatre.org

Nightlight Cinema Akron Symphony Orchestra Theron Brown, an Akron-based jazz musician, and Thomas Moore, director of marketing for the Akron Symphony Orchestra, discuss different jazz-centered topics in their new podcast, “Backstage at the Hi Hat,” available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. akronsymphony.org

Akron Zoo Visit the zoo digitally to enjoy live keeper talks, animal encounters and presentations from local experts. akronzoo.org

The Americana Roundup Akron musician Ryan Humbert launched an online radio station, The Americana Roundup, which plays more than 3,000 songs he handpicked. The station plays all day and focuses on rock, country, folk and more. americanaroundup.com

ArtsInStark Check Facebook for videos with fun things to do at home including crafts and dance lessons, music performances and book readings. facebook.com/artsinstark

Apollo’s Fire Indulge in music, art and literature with the Music for the Soul video series from the Cleveland Baroque orchestra.

The group posts past concert videos, interviews with people like the Grammy Award-winning conductor Jeannette Sorrell and related readings. See shows through a digital portal or in person. apollosfire.org

Blu Jazz Jazz enthusiasts can enjoy their favorite tunes through livestreams on Blu Jazz’s Facebook page and support local artists. facebook.com/blujazzakron

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Explore many different topics, including animals, plants, different habitats and more, through virtual events. summitmetroparks.org

Up Front Art Space Gage House Sessions

Magical Theatre Co. Akron-Summit County Public Library

Summit Metro Parks

Purchase tickets to rent movies online through the Akron art house cinema’s virtual screening room — you’ll have access to the films at nightlightcinema.com/virtualscreening-room.

Ohio Shakespeare Festival Check out its venture, Ohio Shakespeare Festival Radio Plays, in which the troupe adapts plays and short stories for livestreaming. facebook.com/ohioshakespeare

Radio on the Lake Theatre The Shaker Heights-based organization utilizes modern technology to connect with actors, directors and artists from throughout the country to perform and record radio plays. radioonthelaketheatre.org

Rubber City Theatre Dive into the world of online theater with its Shakespeare in the Living Room series in which professional actors perform Shakespearean works using props they found lying around their homes. facebook. com/rubbercitytheatre

Standing Rock Cultural Arts Enjoy a podcast of “Arcade Cheezy Town,” a play written and performed by students in the New World Children’s Theatre based in Kent. standingrock.podbean.com

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens The North American Reciprocal Museum Association is offering virtual tours of the first floor of the Manor House at Stan Hywet. Guests can tour the most impressive floor without leaving their homes. stanhywet.org

This Cuyahoga Falls gallery is sharing photos and videos of artwork for sale to support local creatives. facebook. com/upfrontartspace

Virtual Jukebox Dance and sing along to videos made by local artists.

You may have heard some of these 330 artists, like Jim Ballard, Shelby Olive and Adrian Labra on 90.7 and 91.3 Summit FM radio waves in the past. Check out the 50plus videos to enjoy your favorites and discover new sounds. the330.net/virtual-jukebox

Wandering Aesthetics Theatre Go on this Akron troupe’s Facebook page for performance videos from members and fans — it could be play readings, poetry, comedy, puppets, dance or whatever else artists submit. facebook.com/watheatre

Weathervane Playhouse Sign up for virtual workshops and classes for all ages that focus on dancing, acting and more. Also view short films on the theater’s YouTube channel. weathervaneplayhouse.com

Events Through 12/6 Christmas Cards for Seniors Pick up a card kit to make your own holiday cards for older adults in local nursing homes.

Barberton Public Library, 602 W. Park Ave., Barberton. barbertonlibrary.org

Through 12/19 “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” The biblical saga of a boy and his coat of many colors comes to life in this delightful musical parable. When Joseph is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, he endures a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are challenged.

Weathervane Playhouse, 1301 Weathervane Lane, Akron. $12-$35. weathervaneplayhouse.com.

Through 12/19 “Stitched: Regional Dress Across Europe” This Kent State University Museum exhibit showcases regional costumes throughout Europe, highlighting what the pieces have in common rather than the original context, which marked social differences. Kent State University Museum, Stager and Blum Galleries, 515 Hilltop Drive, Kent. Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday noon-4 p.m. Free, students, staff and all on Sundays, otherwise $6 general public. kent.edu/museum

AGENDA

Through 12/19 Summit Brew Path Visit 20 or more stops on this brew path to explore what our area has to offer. Submit your completed passport to the Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau for a chance to win prizes. summitbrewpath.com

Through 12/23 Whiskey Painters of America Holiday Show Hudson Fine Art and Framing Company is excited to announce an upcoming show by the Whiskey Painters of America.

There are set to be over 200 whiskey paintings from all over the United States featured, most of which are available for purchase throughout December. Hudson Fine Art & Framing Co., 160 N. Main St., Hudson. hudsonfineartandframing.com

Through 12/30 Akron Zoo’s Wild Lights Celebrate the holidays at the wildest lighting display around. Surround yourself with dazzling lights, animals, special entertainment and the sounds of the holidays. Tell Santa your holiday wishes and treat yourself to delicious goodies and warm beverages. Akron Zoo, 505 Euclid Ave., Akron. 5-9 p.m. $6-$16. akronzoo. org

Through 12/31 “Amanda Wicker: Black Fashion Design in Cleveland” This exhibit showcases 15 garments, such as jumpsuits and bridal gowns, created by Amanda Wicker, who started the Clarke School of Dressmaking and Fashion Design in her home in Cleveland’s Fairfax neighborhood. Cleveland History Center, 10825 East Blvd., Cleveland. Friday-Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $20-$25. wrhs.org

Through 12/31 Centennial Tour As you go to Summit Metro Parks, print a Centennial Tour form off the website, mark visits and read signs near parking lots to discover the history of each park in honor of the district’s centennial. Visit 20 parks by the end of the year and turn in your form to earn a centennial leather tag. summitmetroparks100.org

Through 12/31 “Open (End)ed Show” The new Gallery at the East End launches with this exhibit of paintings, photography and installations by local artists like Dragana Crnjak, Isabel Farnsworth and Hui-Chu Ying. The Gallery at the East End, 1200 E. Market St., Akron. arteveryspace.com

Through 1/9 “Afterimages: Geometric Abstraction and Perception” This Akron Art Museum exhibit showcases art from the ’60s and ’70s with perceptual effects based on the science of eyesight, from pulsating patterns to afterimages that linger after the viewer looks at something else. Akron Art Museum, 1 S. High St., Akron. Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday, FridaySunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. akronartmuseum.org

Through 1/9 “Artwork by Members of the Boys and Girls Club of Massillon” Visit the Massillon Museum to see some colorful, uplifting pieces made by youth. Massillon Museum, Fred F. Silk Community Room Gallery, 121 Lincoln Way E, Massillon. TuesdaySaturday 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 2-5 p.m. Free. massillonmuseum.org

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Through 7/17 “What’s in Your Bag?” The Kent State Museum features an exhibit inspired by a purse in the museum’s collection that still had personal items in it. This display imagines what could be in others’ purses. Kent State University Museum, 515 Hilltop Drive, Kent. Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday noon-4 p.m. Free, students, staff and all on Sundays, otherwise $6 general public. kent. edu/museum

Through 8/7 “Textures: The History and Art of Black Hair” The Kent State University Museum features an exhibit that connects the history, fashion and art of Black hair.

Kent State University Museum, 515 Hilltop Drive, Kent.

Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday noon-4 p.m.

Free, students, staff and all on Sundays, otherwise $6 general public. kent.edu/museum

Valentine’s date night.

A union of voice and violin Married in 2019, this extraordinary couple tours together for the first time – a can’t-miss event.

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

12/1-12/31 Live Music at the Still House Relax at Gervasi Vineyard with live music by artists like Rolando, Scott Paris, Becky Flinn and more.

Gervasi Vineyard, the Still House, 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Wednesday-Thursday, Sunday 7-10 p.m., FridaySaturday 8-11 p.m. gervasivineyard.com

12/2-5, 12/9-23 & 12/26-30 Deck the Hall With the theme of “Lights, Cameras,

tuesdaymusical.org tuesdaymusical.org

Christmas,” the holiday celebration at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens returns. See a decorated Manor House and 1 million lights in the gardens. Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron. 5-8 p.m. stanhywet.org

AGENDA

12/3, 12/10 & 12/17 Carolers Listen

12/4 & 12/5 “Nutcracker” The Ballet

to vintage carolers outside the Bistro at Gervasi Vineyard as you dine. Gervasi Vineyard, the Bistro, 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Bistro noon-10 p.m., carolers 7-9 p.m. gervasivineyard.com

Theatre of Ohio performs this classic holiday story at the Akron Civic Theatre for a 29th season. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron. 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. $40-$50. akroncivic.com

12/3-12/19 Hower House Holiday Tours Take a self-guided tour of the

12/4, 12/11 & 12/18 Winery Tours

Victorian mansion decorated for the holidays, then visit the Cellar Door Store to shop for unique gifts. Hower House, The University of Akron, 60 Fir Hill, Akron. $2-$10, free for children 12 and under. howerhouse.org

12/3-12/19 “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues” The reindeer finally speak out about the stories you’ve heard about them — and they do not hold back. Avenue Arts, 207 Sixth St. NW, Canton. $15. avenueartscanton.com

12/3-12/19 Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” The glorious ghost tale of Christmas comes to life with an exciting and reimagined script written for the Players Guild stage. Enjoy new lavish sets and costumes and beautiful arrangements of traditional carols. Players Guild Theatre, 1001 Market Ave. N, Canton. $27-$34. playersguildtheatre.com

12/4 “The Wizards of Winter” This 95th anniversary holiday rock event features former members of classic rock giants, including the TransSiberian Orchestra, Rainbow, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent Band and the Irish Tenors, as well as other Broadway and theater veterans. Canton Palace Theatre, 605 Market Ave. N, Canton. 7:30 p.m. $34-$69. cantonpalacetheatre.org

See the production equipment and learn the process of making wine. Take home a stemmed wine glass and four wine tastings paired with small bites. Gervasi Vineyard, the Crush House, 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. 1:30-2:30 p.m. or 3-4 p.m. $27. gervasivineyard.com

12/4-12/23 Holiday Lantern Tours Take a charming lantern-lit tour of Hale Farm & Village and visit historic houses delightfully decorated.

Experience the sights, sounds and flavors of the holidays as celebrated on the 19th-century Western Reserve.

Dress appropriately for this indoor and outdoor activity.

Reservations are required. Hale Farm & Village, 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath. Tours every 20 minutes 5:30-9 p.m. $15$20. wrhs.org

12/5 “Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas” In its 25th season, this holiday show about an Irish Christmas celebration comes to Medina during its national tour. Medina Performing Arts Center, 851 Weymouth Road, Medina. 2:30 p.m. $24-$32. kbbproductions.net

12/5 Santa Fly-In Almost 300 visitors attend

12/5 The Kent Stage presents We Banjo 3 Debuting in the U.S. in 2012, We Banjo 3 has since emerged as fast-rising touring darlings in the country that two of the members now call home. The Ireland- and Nashville, Tennessee-based quartet comprising two sets of brothers, push musical boundaries. The Kent Stage, 175 E. Main St., Kent. 8 p.m. $35-$45. kentstage.org

12/5 & 12/11-12 Canapi’s Sugar Plum Tour of Holiday Homes Get into the holiday spirit with Akron’s premier holiday home tour. One ticket gains you entrance to five of the area’s finest historic and contemporary homes exquisitely decorated for the season. Buy tickets at Angel Falls Coffee Co. at 792 W. Market St. in Akron. Buy sponsor tickets at Square Bar at 820 W. Market St. in Akron. 1-5 p.m. $35$60. sugarplumtour.org

12/5, 12/12 & 12/26 Distillery Tasting Tours Taste three spirits, get a salty snack and take home a shot glass after the tour. Gervasi Vineyard, the Still House, 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. 2-2:45 p.m. or 3:30-4:15 p.m. $17. gervasivineyard.com

12/7 Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass This large brass ensemble performs a festive program at the Akron Civic Theatre, combining swing, classical and New Orleans jazz. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron. 7:30 p.m. $19-$65. tuesdaymusical.org

the event each year to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Maps Air Museum, 2260 International Parkway, North Canton.

1-3 p.m. mapsairmuseum.org

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

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AGENDA

12/8 Apollo’s Fire presents Handel’s “Messiah” Cleveland’s Baroque orchestra welcomes renowned British conductor Nicholas McGegan. This Handel expert leads the virtuoso musicians of Apollo’s Fire, Apollo’s Singers and four soloists in Handel’s beloved holiday classic. St. Bernard Catholic Church, 44 University Ave., Akron. 7:30 p.m. $10$75. apollosfire.org

12/8 Hot Tuna Plus Steve Kimock & Friends Listen to the American blues rock band formed in 1969 by former Jefferson Airplane members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady. The Kent Stage, 175 E. Main St., Kent. 7:30 p.m. $55-$70. kentstage.org

12/8 “Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith Christmas” These Grammy awardwinning artists perform holiday favorites. E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., Akron. 7:30 p.m. $45-$115. uakron. edu/ej

12/9 Akron Roundtable: Nicole Mullet The Akron Roundtable welcomes Nicole Mullet, executive director of ArtsNow, as the speaker for its monthly luncheon. She is set to discuss the state of the arts in Summit County. Quaker Station, 135 S. Broadway St., Akron. Noon. $25. akronroundtable.org

12/9 “A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage” Adapted from Charles M. Schulz’s classic show, this production tells the story of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and the rest of the Peanuts gang learning about the meaning of the season. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron.

7 p.m. $34-$49. akroncivic.com

12/10 Teen Nights: Harry Potter Wand Making & Potion Jars Kids ages 11 to 16 create wands inspired by the beloved book series. Each person gets two wands to create, decorate and make stress-reducing potion jars. Akron ArtWorks, 1684 Merriman Road, Akron. 6:30-8:30 p.m. $25. akronartworks.com

12/10 “Home for the Holidays” Join the Akron Symphony Orchestra as it welcomes some special guests for an evening of traditional carols, inspiring songs and holiday cheer. E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., Akron. 7:30 p.m. $15-$60. akronsymphony.org

12/10 Blu Jazz presents Hot Djang Quartet Sip on a specialty cocktail and soak in the sounds of 1930s Paris, France with one of the area’s finest gypsy jazz and early swing bands, featuring Reed Simon, Kevin Richards, Brad Smedley and Bryan Thomas. Blu Jazz, 47 E. Market St., Akron. 8 p.m. $18. blujazzakron.com

12/10 & 12/11 “A Honky Tonk Holiday featuring the Shootouts with the Steel Blossoms” This event marks the 13th annual Ryan Humbert Holiday Extravaganza and features a festive mix of holiday classics as well as songs from the Shootouts and Steel Blossoms catalogs. Akron Civic Theatre, The Knight Stage, 182 S. Main St., Akron. 8 p.m. $20. akroncivic.com

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12/11 Blu Jazz presents Ernie Krivda & the Fat Tuesday Big Band: “Tribute To The American Songbook” See legendary tenor saxophonist and his dynamic 18-piece swing band make a roaring return to the Rubber City in celebration of classics and standards, featuring all-star vocalists Evelyn Wright, Erin Keckan and Mike Cady. Blu Jazz, 47 E. Market St., Akron.

8 p.m. $25. blujazzakron.com

12/11 & 12/12 Canton Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” This year, Canton Ballet

12/17 & 12/18 Kenmore Winter Break Music Festival Experience an evening of intimate live music performances in the new Rialto Living Room, a space with food and drinks located in the front of the Rialto Theatre. The festival is set to feature 12 artists over two nights. Artists include Jim Ballard, Detention, JD Eicher, Brian Lisik, Chrissy Strong, Jeff Klemm and more. The Rialto Theatre, 1000 Kenmore Blvd., Akron. 6 p.m.-midnight. $15-$25. therialtotheatre. com

12/18 Super Science Saturday

presents its 52nd anniversary performance of this classic holiday ballet after a year and a half away from the stage.

Canton Palace Theatre, 605 Market Ave. N, Canton. 2 p.m. $20-$38. cantonballet.com

Come out to the Akron Fossil & Science Center for this monthly series where kids in kindergarten through sixth grade do hands-on activities and complete a take-home project. This month, investigate the technology behind toys. 2080 S. Cleveland Massillon Road, Copley. 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. akronfossils.org

12/12 Holiday Pops Sleigh bells ring during this holiday concert performed by the Canton Symphony Orchestra. Umstattd Performing Arts Hall, 2331 17th St. NW, Canton. 3 p.m. $25-$55. cantonsymphony.org

12/18 Jilly’s Music Room presents Missile Toe with Lords of the Highway Get some holiday cheer as

12/15 Hotel California: The Original Tribute To the Eagles This tribute band prides itself on creating the illusion that you are listening to the Eagles. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron. 8 p.m. $20-$30. akroncivic.com

12/16 & 12/17 “The Akron Nutcracker: A Holiday in the Rubber City” Enjoy this classic score by Tchaikovsky with an Akron twist at this show by the Dance Institute at the University of Akron that creates visions of Main Street, Polsky’s, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens and was produced in collaboration with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, Verb Ballets, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens and Firestone High School. E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., Akron. 7:30 p.m. $15-$20. uakron.edu/ej

12/17 “Rocky Mountain High Experience: A John Denver Christmas starring Rick Schuler” Take in an unforgettable, magical and intimate experience that brings you back to when Denver’s music permeated the airways. This enchanting holiday show features favorites including Rocky Mountain High,” “Take Me Home County Roads,” “Leaving On A Jet Plane” and more. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron. 7:30 p.m. $50. akroncivic.com

12/17 The Kent Stage presents John Waite Singer-songwriter John Waite has been a fixture of classic rock radio for nearly 40 years.

For his latest outing, Waite promises an intimate night of stories and songs from his solo career, the Babys and Bad English. The opener is Jason Sinay, a well-known session guitarist. The Kent Stage, 175 E. Main St., Kent. 8 p.m. $33-$43. kentstage.org

12/17 Jilly’s Music Room presents Colin Dussault’s Blues Project Harmonica-driven, blues-based, roots, rock and soul music is what best describes this Cleveland band. In addition to Dussault, the band’s current lineup consists of guitarist Jim Feeney, bassist Fred Tobey, pianist Gregg Hurd and drummer Steve Zavesky. Jilly’s Music Room, 111 N. Main St., Akron. 8 p.m.-midnight. Free. jillysmusicroom.com

this festive rock band fills Jilly’s stage with fun, upbeat versions of classic holiday tunes. Jilly’s Music Room, 111 N. Main St., Akron. 8 p.m. Free. jillysmusicroom.com

12/18 Blu Jazz presents Barbara Rosene: “Home for the Holidays” This New York City vocal sensation returns to Blu Jazz with an all-star band for a swinging evening of Great American Songbook standards and holiday favorites. Blu Jazz, 47 E. Market St., Akron. 8 p.m. $20. blujazzakron.com

12/19 “Lightwire Theater’s A Very Electric Christmas” Audiences of all ages can treasure this magical and captivating tale of family, friendship and hope set to timeless holiday hits by Nat King Cole, Mariah Carey and Tchaikovsky.

Lightwire Theater is internationally recognized for its electroluminescent artistry and poignant storytelling while performing in complete darkness. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron. 12:30, 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. $20-$55. akroncivic.com

12/19 2021 Holiday Movie: “Elf” Raised as an oversized elf, a human travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father who doesn’t know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit. Canton Palace Theatre, 605 Market Ave. N, Canton. 7:30 p.m. $10. cantonpalacetheatre.org

12/20 Art Camp: Painting Kids ages 7 to 14 can learn about painting using watercolor or acrylic on canvas and on paper. All materials are provided. Akron ArtWorks, 1684 Merriman Road, Akron.

9 a.m.-noon, half-day, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. full-day. $40-$70. akronartworks.com

12/20 Holiday Movie: “The Grinch” A grumpy Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch) plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville. Canton Palace Theatre, 605 Market Ave. N, Canton. 7:30 p.m. $10. cantonpalacetheatre.org

12/21 Art Camp: Fantasy Kids ages 7 to 14 can create a host of fantasy items, including wands, dragon jars and potion jars. All materials are provided. Akron ArtWorks, 1684 Merriman Road, Akron.

Half day 9 a.m.-noon, full day 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $40-$70. akronartworks.com

AGENDA

12/21 “The Elf on the Shelf: The Musical” Experience a thrilling spectacle of music and dance that transports audiences to the North Pole to glimpse the magical lives of Santa’s Scout Elves. Featuring an original story and score, dazzling sets and costumes and heartfelt moments that bring the family together, this uplifting celebration leaves audiences captivated by the splendor of the season. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron. 6 p.m. $30-$85. akroncivic.com

12/21 Holiday Movie: “It’s a Wonderful Life” An angel is sent from heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed. Canton Palace Theatre, 605 Market Ave. N, Canton. 7:30 p.m. $10. cantonpalacetheatre.org

12/22 Holiday Movie: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” The Griswold family’s plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster. Canton Palace Theatre, 605 Market Ave. N, Canton. 7:30 p.m. $10. cantonpalacetheatre.org

12/23 Art Camp: Ornaments and Santa Cookie Plate Kids ages 7 to 14 can create ornaments from wood, a cookie plate for Santa or whomever you want and more. All materials are provided. Akron ArtWorks, 1684 Merriman Road, Akron. Half day 9 a.m.-noon, full day 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $40-$70. akronartworks.com

12/31 Jilly’s Music Room New Year’s Eve Bash with Mo’ Mojo Join Jilly’s Music Room Funk and Soul Dance Party this New Year’s Eve with local bands. Enjoy an appetizer and dessert buffet, party favors and midnight toast. Hotel packages are available at Courtyard Downtown Akron.

General public is welcome after 10 p.m. Kitchen is open until 11:45 p.m. Jilly’s Music Room, 111 N. Main St., Akron. 7 p.m.-midnight. $65-$75. jillysmusicroom.com

1/7 Cleveland’s Clearwater Revival: The Sights and Sounds of Creedence Clearwater Revival and John Fogerty Take a trip back to the late ‘60s and early ‘70s as Cleveland’s Clearwater Revival immerses its audience in the complete experience of the swamp rock and Americana-roots music of Creedence Clearwater Revival and John Fogerty’s solo career, which spans five decades. Akron Civic Theatre, the Knight Stage, 182 S. Main St., Akron. 8 p.m. $20. akroncivic.com

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FINDING FAMILY Not all family is blood. A new Portage County group home is helping more foster youth feel at home. Meet former residents and the staffers who have become their families.

Kelli Connell

by Kelly Petryszyn

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photos by Shane Wynn

Brian* hurries to the back porch where Kelli Connell is sitting and exclaims, “I found the remote that was missing for about a month!”

“You found it! Where was it?” responds Connell, wearing a cross necklace and leaning back in her porch chair.

“All the way under the couch, all the way behind, in the corner,” says Brian, wearing a T-shirt that declares, “That’s a terrible idea. What time?”

“I’m glad we got it,” she says.

It’s a typical interaction that would take place between family members, but these two aren’t child and parent. He’s a teen in the foster care system, and she’s the program manager of this Ravenna Township licensed and accredited group home — the only in Portage County for foster youth.

Kellijo Jeffries, director of Portage County Job & Family Services, worked with county commissioners to launch the group home in a leased house.

“I recognized a vast need for services for teenagers,” she says. “They don’t oftentimes feel a sense of family in the system. … You have the everyday challenges that teenagers face. Then add to that trauma.”

Only one Portage JFS-licensed foster home out of 35 takes teens, according to Portage JFS. So teens in Portage JFS’ custody have been placed in less familiar settings, like foster homes out of the county or state, or institutional residential treatment facilities.

That takes them away from their schools and families, so education, visits and just being a teenager have been tougher.

But since the group home started in December 2019, it has given adolescents back some of the normalcy they crave. It provides foster youth a homier setting to attend the same school and visit family. It serves as a comfortable transitional spot where they stay a month to a year-plus while they wait for an

opening in an adoptive or foster home, work toward reuniting with family or emancipate out of the system at age 18.

Since its start, 27 youth have lived at the group home, including 15 this year, according to Portage JFS. That’s only a small portion of the adolescents who need help. As of mid-November, there are 210 kids in Portage JFS’ custody, and 63 are adolescents over 12 years old. Most local foster and adoptive parents are seeking children and babies, so Portage JFS is urgently recruiting foster and adoptive homes to take teens. Sometimes, hesitancy can be caused by the stigma that foster teens are “bad kids,” Connell says, but she doesn’t see them that way.

“When you hear, That’s a foster kid, you need to think, That’s a kid that needs more from you,” she says. “They are honestly just kids looking for love, wanting to be supported and understood.”

As efforts to find placements continue, the new group home puts teens in the system in a setting with more of the stability they need as they come of age until they are 18.

“If they’re not able to reunify with family, and we’re not able to secure adoption,” says Jeffries, “then we will raise these kiddos.”

Just in time for the holidays in 2019, five kids moved into the group home. They woke up on Christmas morning and opened gifts under the tree. Staffers took photos like proud parents.

Jeffries’ team emailed other Portage JFS workers asking for holiday decorations, and staffers delivered more than a sleigh’s share, in addition to presents from a community giving program.

“It makes a challenging time … really special,” Jeffries says. “We tried hard to give that whole Christmas experience from a family perspective.”

The house is arranged like a family home.

Pumpkins from a backyard community garden

*Names have been changed to protect identities.

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

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cozy up the front porch and a basketball hoop frames the gravel driveway. You enter through a screened-in back porch, with fishing poles by the door that kids take to West Branch State Park and a paint-splattered tablecloth from craft time. The family room has a cushy sectional accented by a “Be Kind” pillow and an Xbox and PlayStation by the TV. A study has computers for homework. A container of homemade cupcakes rests on the kitchen table, while a tacked-up meal plan announces cheeseburger casserole for Saturday dinner.

But there are also reminders of how it’s different. It has to follow extensive accreditation criteria to be a qualified residential treatment facility under the federal Family First Prevention Services Act that took effect in October. One of five licensed social workers, including Connell and Sonia Emerson, trained in trauma-informed care must always be onsite. Following an initial health assessment, a clinical manager connects youth with 24/7 treatment for mental health, substance abuse and trauma-related behavioral issues during their stay and up to six months after. Security cameras monitor the study and porch, parental controls limit internet access and when kids come home, they’re searched for drugs or anything that would inhibit their recoveries.

After school, they follow a busy schedule: volunteering or going to the Kent State rec center on Mondays, doing a fun activity or attending off-site counseling on Tuesdays, taking part in anger management or substance abuse house groups on Wednesdays, participating in a general house group on Thursdays and partaking in social outings on weekends. They might also go to jobs and extracurriculars, and all foster youth 14 and older join an independent living program to learn practical skills.

The group home began as coed, but staffers found it’s better to have one sex, so it’s now male only. Currently, an 11-year-old, two 14 year-olds and a 17-year-old are filling four of seven spots that can stay open depending on

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staffing and the service needs of the kids, who are often sent there to have more behavioral guidance and support. Graduating is the main priority for residents, stresses Connell, who became program manager in October 2020.

At 17 years old, Justin*, who lived at the group home from April to July 2021, arrived nearly failing out of school. He loved his laidback foster home but needed more structure.

Connell and other staffers ensured he did his homework before anything else. Within days, he saw a turnaround in his grades.

“Every time I got home, she helped me with my homework and online classes,” Justin says.

Staffers assist all residents and attend school IEP meetings to strategize how to bridge gaps.

A current teen resident could barely read when he arrived, so Connell quizzes him on phonics flashcards at the kitchen table. She proudly reports that he’s whizzing through stacks.

“Once they’re getting the services they need, it is amazing to watch them excel,” she says.

“Foster kids usually have educational neglect.”

She adds that can be because of skipping school, a lack of parental help, an undiagnosed learning disorder or switching schools often.

Workers also help kids build social skills, as they can struggle with interrupting, littering, following rules and more. “They’re not taught a lot of these things,” Connell says.

To help work on these issues, there’s a token system where kids have an individualized list of daily tasks, such as not swearing, cleaning their rooms and showering. If they check off all of their tasks, they can get a token to shop the home’s community closet for snacks, room decor and more. Connell loves seeing lists transition from X’s for missed tasks to checkmarks and when they initiate their own positive behaviors.

“The younger kids coming in, one of my 14-year-olds took a leadership role,” she says, “in showing them how to do things, hook up the computer.”

Sonia Emerson

The residents often relate to each other and sometimes are already friends. Luther* lived there from August to December 2020. He had been in the Juvenile Detention Center with his roommate, who has been a friend since fifth grade. Luther also bonded with Connell and remembers when she baked him an 18th birthday cake and had everyone sing.

“She was the best, man. I love Kelli,” he says.

“She can relate with everything.”

Connell grew up in a trailer park in a lowincome family without a father figure.

“There were some things we definitely had to go through as a result of his substance abuse. That really drives me to help those kids, because a lot of them have been affected by substance abuse,” she says. “Coming from facing hard times is what makes me a good social worker.”

When Luther was released from the detention center, he chose the foster system over returning home.

“I came from a broken family,” he says.

“I couldn’t go back.”

He lived with his dad, stepmom and siblings in the Aurora area and says they were “dirt poor.” His dad had custody of him since he was about 6 because his biological mom’s boyfriend abused him.

“Every day in high school, I hated coming home. It’s just toxic,” Luther says. He struggled with substance abuse, got sentenced to the detention center at 15 and has been in and out or on probation since. His dad was strict, they fought and he withdrew.

“He locked me down. We bumped heads. He beat the shit out of me a few times,” Luther says. “That’s why I stayed in my room. If they left, I came out.”

Often, kids end up in the system because they don’t have a safe place to go. Connell has encountered kids who have experienced and witnessed domestic violence, physical abuse,

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neglect, substance abuse and sexual abuse — all of that can contribute to behavioral and mental health issues.

“Some kids come from situations where they were doing drugs with their parents,” Connell adds. “Or where they’re able to cook and do all these things because they … were the parent.”

When he was just a sixth grader, Justin began smoking with his parents, he says. Sometimes the electricity would get shut off at his mom’s house when she didn’t pay bills. He and his older sister would huddle under a blanket to stay warm. The siblings wanted to live with their dad — but it only lasted one weekend.

“He was always hitting us,” Justin recalls.

They briefly stayed with their mom, but she lost custody due to substance abuse. A JFS worker took the then-13 and 14 year olds to a Windham foster home, which is the only Portage JFS-licensed one that takes teens.

“We still have a significant substance abuse problem in Portage County,” Jeffries says. “We have situations where reunification is challenged by substance abuse and mental health.”

The number of children in Portage JFS’ custody has substantially increased, from 148 in 2014 to about 210 now, and Jeffries attributes part of the rise to the opioid, heroin and fentanyl epidemics. The agency received 3,160 calls of abuse, neglect and families in need of services in 2020, but that may be underreported due to the pandemic. As of midNovember, 81 kids are in family foster homes, 76 in kinship care, 31 in therapeutic foster homes, 10 in residential treatment facilities, five in private group homes, four in the JFS group home, two in adoptive care and one in the detention center, according to Portage JFS. The Family First act emphasizes placing youth with screened kin, which could be neighbors, coaches, church members or others when biological family members aren’t available.

Under Family First, kin can now get funding, have a caseworker, get youth and themselves access to reimbursed evidence-based preventive

family mental health services, substance abuse treatment and in-home parenting training and get licensed as foster parents. But kin must pass background checks for criminal history or Children Services complaints, and Connell says sometimes a dozen kin can’t pass.

The group home has finally given Brian freedom to be himself. He attends an LGBTQ support group, loves to wear pink and paints Connell’s nails.

Foster kids can miss out on common experiences, so staffers expose them to simple joys. They went to Edgewater beach, and some kids were stunned as they’ve never seen Lake Erie — or even knew it existed. For Halloween, one 6-foot-5 16-year-old who had been in residential facilities for five years requested to go trick-or-treating. During Easter, some teens did an egg hunt.

Kids become permanent custody of the foster system when reunification with biological family members isn’t possible. While Portage JFS workers search for kin, foster parents or adoption, these youth can get alternative placements. Brian is in permanent custody and had been in an institutional residential treatment facility. There, kids often attend “Watching them run out the door as fast as on-site schools, follow a restrictive schedule and have limited privacy and freedoms to pre- they can, acting like children — those are the vent them from harming themselves or others. best moments,” Connell says. “Because most of these kids haven’t had a childhood.”

Brian has struggled with mental health. He is also gay, and at the facility, he hid his sexualJustin experienced several firsts while living ity because kids bullied him. It was a tough at his foster home. During his first Christmas experience, but he got reassigned to the group there, he couldn’t believe how much his foster home, where he became close with Connell. parents spent on food, presents and decorations, and how many other family members “I love this kid,” she says. “Half the stuff that joined in. “It was a nice change,” he says. he’s done has been a coping mechanism so Holidays as a kid meant sitting at home while people would not be mean to him — just to his parents drank. Seemingly typical activities deal with the trauma.” at the foster home were also novel — it was the first time he ever sat at a table for a famWhen Connell got married, she ily dinner, went on a school clothes shopping was out for nine days. Missing spree and went on vacation.

Connell, Brian struggled. Connell gets emotional as she describes “I got spoiled,” Justin admits. He cut three their deep attachment — he’s been months of school his senior year and ran away to visit his mom and sister. Quickly, he at the group home since January, fell into old patterns. His mom didn’t get him the longest stay of anyone. clothes, so he washed the clothes off his back “Getting him into a loving foster home — as and wore them daily. hard as it’s going to be for me to let go — “We got in the car, my mom lit a joint, and it’s really important because he deserves a we immediately started smoking,” he says. family,” she says. “They all deserve family.

“Every day, we smoked.”

It’s so heartbreaking.”

As they age and experience trauma, the more challenging it can be for youth to get adopted or fostered. Adoptive and foster parents can check characteristics they want and don’t want, including age, race, gender, sexuality and mental health history.

He was reported as a runaway, and police eventually arrested him and his mom for harboring a runaway. He went back to the foster home and got transferred to the group home because he was skipping school.

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

29

Kelli Connell and Kellijo Jeffries

While he found homework guidance and house meetings that taught life skills helpful at the group home, he didn’t always find the structured outings and the anger management groups fruitful.

“When you’re forced to do something, you don’t want to,” he says. “I don’t like opening up.”

ated if it wasn’t for people at the group home,” he says.

Before he left for basic training, he gave his foster mom, Jan*, and Connell stickers that say “Proud Parent of a U.S. Soldier.”

“I see them as a parent figure,” he says.

His favorite group home memory was when Connell took residents on a family outing to West Branch, and it felt like they were a part of her family.

Luther didn’t like being pushed to talk about certain topics during groups at the group home either. While he was close to Connell, he didn’t get along with some other staffers or like being constantly monitored, especially since he came from a relaxed Canton foster home after getting released from the detention center.

“When I left [the group home], Connell … started crying,” he recalls. “It made me tear up a little. I gave her a big hug. I love her.”

“They were always on strict lockdown,” he says. “Some of the kids have already been to jail. Some of their parents wouldn’t let them venture out on their own. So they already feel locked up, and that’s why they’re acting out.”

Last winter, Connell helped Luther move into an apartment. At 18, he was left to finish his senior year on his own.

Reactions to the group home can depend on the setting a kid came from.

“A foster home is much more like a home, so they don’t have any sort of structure that we have,” Connell says. “Those kids probably don’t enjoy the group home as much as the kids that come from the more restrictive [facilities].”

While kids can push back, staff are trained to understand that these behaviors can be repercussions of trauma and help them cope.

“Oftentimes kids in foster care feel like throwaways,” Jeffries says. “Just because you make a mistake, doesn’t mean you’re gonna lose our love and support. … We’re going to redirect you.”

To make the group home a safe environment that won’t trigger issues, there are house rules: no profanity, no fighting, no going into others’ rooms, no drugs and putting cell phones away during activities and providing staff their passwords. Following the rules earns privileges like unsupervised social visits.

Ultimately, being in a more structured environment helped Justin get into the Army.

“Honestly I don’t think I would have gradu-

She helped haul in clothes, a TV, dishes and food from the group home, and that was it.

There wasn’t any fanfare, just a reminder that after being each other’s family for months, they were going their separate ways.

“We move these kids in, and it’s almost heartbreaking to be like, Talk to you later,” Connell says. “You don’t just stop needing parents the day you turned 18.”

Luther got his apartment through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ Bridges program for teens who emancipate out of foster care. Until adolescents are 21, Bridges provides a stipend for rent and utilities to participants who are employed, in a jobs program or in school. While they meet with a group every 90 days and have a liaison, people can still get lost.

“We teach independent living skills, but unfortunately, when they’re 18, a lot of them don’t have a lot of people to help them,” Connell says. “So many kids end up … in prison, on drugs, in horrible situations.”

Luther couldn’t wait to live on his own, but finishing his senior year remotely was

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

31

challenging. With the help of an alarm clock Connell got him and regular calls from her, he graduated. It only took one party for him to get kicked out of his apartment and lose everything. Eventually, Connell got him into another Bridges apartment, and now he is working at Dollar Tree.

“I still stay connected with them and try to help them,” she says. “The kids do have to play a big role.”

JFS staffers understand that the system can only do so much, so they are strengthening what they can do. Family First offers more transitional services for youth after they leave the system, including counseling connections, transportation to medical and social service appointments, and case management and jobs services connections. In March, an influx of nearly $2 million from a passed Portage County Child Welfare Levy will bring more staff and services to Portage JFS. Jeffries hopes to work with commissioners to explore creating more residential options for female youth. County adoptions have averaged five to 10 per year, but remain mostly younger kids, so the search for teen foster and adoptive parents continues.

Connell is up to the task. She has been so affected by the group home that she’s getting licensed to be a foster parent. She and her husband can’t take Portage JFS kids she works with, but their hearts are set on taking Portage County teens through an agency partner.

“We have a lot of love to give,” she says. “We want to give them a good life.”

She wants to be the parent they’ve never had because she knows, for some, the system is the closest they get to home.

Despite the challenges, Luther would still choose foster care.

who is in jail, but has found an advocate in Connell. “I view her as family,” he says.

She has shown him that he can be more than his past.

“I’m always like, I came from the trailer park. …

I got it together. I went to school, I got bachelor’s and master’s degrees,” Connell says. “It’s doable.”

Luther has experienced setbacks, but he is working toward buying a car to have the freedom he’s always wanted and dreams of entering the Marine Corps or learning a trade. To help kids in the foster system get past labels and envision a future for themselves, Luther would like more understanding.

“They’re broken. … That person could have come from divorce, abusive family, getting robbed, their friends betray them,” he says.

“You’ve got to learn their story as a person before you judge them.”

People doubted him, but Justin is happy to report he not only completed Army basic training but has an assignment to go to South Korea in April as a patriot fire operator maintainer. In three years, he’s planning to pick Japan as his station, where he’s dreamt of living since he was in eighth grade.

What drove him through basic was his family.

“I really just wanted to go home for Christmas,” he says.

By home he means his foster home, to visit with his former foster siblings and parents — they are his family now.

“Some kids come into the system really bad,” he says. “They start getting better if you give them love and show them that someone cares.”

He’s successful because people in the system showed him that he’s worth it — and that love spurred him to put in the effort to change his future.

“I’d rather be there than at my dad’s or in jail again,” he says. He doesn’t talk to his family “It was just people like [Jan] and Kelli,” he except for weekly calls with his biological mom, says. “They didn’t give up on me.”

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

HELP OUT Be a Foster Parent: Get licensed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services by completing 36 hours of pre-service training, adult and pediatric CPR certification, an application, a home study, a background check and other requirements.

Call 330-389-7510 to learn more.

Toy Drive-thru: Donate holiday gifts Dec. 4 at 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Portage County Administration Building at 449 S. Meridian St., Ravenna.

Group Home: Give gift cards for dining and other youth activities.

Emancipated Foster Youth: Donate hygiene products, cleaning supplies or other household goods.

Get more info by contacting public information officer Sarah Taylor at 330-357-7190 or sarah. taylor2@jfs.ohio.gov.

Sonia Emerson

by Brendan Baker, Kelly Petryszyn, Halena Sepulveda and Alexandra Sobczak

Still ill Fighting igh i g The battle against COVID-19 remains intense.

Through exhaustion and loss, these doctors and nurses are staying strong and persevering to fight on.

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

HEALTH & WELLNESS

SUPER EFFORT Flu season has always been a stressful time for parents, but the pandemic has complicated that stress. It can be difficult to know whether a cough is from a cold or COVID-19. Laboratory medicine department employees at Akron Children’s Hospital have been working hard to get kids tested and quickly get their families answers.

Since a pediatric test wasn’t readily available, the lab’s team developed its own polymerase chain reaction test in just two months by April 2020. The test amplifies the genetic signature of the virus to determine whether the virus is present.

The Food and Drug Administration approved it for emergency use authorization.

Lab staffers administer tests to children at the Akron campus’ outpatient lab, primary care offices and drive-thru clinics at the Akron and Boardman campuses. The test involves inserting a nasopharyngeal swab into the nasal cavity until it hits the nasopharynx in the back of the nose. Trained specialists administer tests as quickly as possible in a relaxed environment to limit kids’ discomfort and help them feel safe. There are also staffers specifically trained to assist children with special needs, including those who are immunocompromised. “[We] try to limit their time in any public spaces,” says Dr. Jennifer Baccon, chair of pathology and laboratory medicine.

“They’ve got that individualized attention.”

As the demand for urgent COVID testing increased, the lab’s hours changed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays to seven days a week with two shifts per day. Their average test turnaround time is about 24 hours. The lab’s staff has grown from three employees to 11 and can process between 300 and 900 tests daily.

“We’ve asked people to give 150 percent, 200 percent for many months now, and they’re willing to do it because they really feel that they’re contributing to the care of the kids,” Baccon says.

The need has been so profuse that by the end of September, lab employees had administered over 100,000 tests. “I could sense the pride and achievement,” Baccon says. “[We were] able to manage what was a big surge here in the past couple of months.”

Employees can see their work’s impact when they leave the lab and go out into the community. To them, seeing children back in school or out playing is proof of the lab’s success.

“I see the smiles on the kids’ faces,” Baccon says. “All of the testing work that we’re doing … can help us get back to normal as a community.” HS

left: Dr. Jennifer Baccon, right: lab workers, photos provided by Akron Children’s Hospital

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

35

HEALTH & WELLNESS

LONG HAUL There’s been no getting back to normal for the staff in Western Reserve Hospital’s emergency department.

“We feel like we’re in the midst of it,” says Susan Straus, director of critical care and cardiovascular services. “Our volume and acuity seems to be increasing, even from last year.”

That means patients are sicker and need more care.

“Unlike other medical illnesses and injuries, where it’s a fairly short length of stay,” says Dr. Rudd “Sonny” Bare, division chief of emergency medicine, “when you’re admitted with COVID, it’s a long, very tough, often heartbreaking process in the hospital.

These folks are here 10 to 14 days and more often than not, go home on oxygen.”

But this year-and-a-half-plus of working through the pandemic has given emergency department staffers time to innovate the ways they collaborate and deliver treat-

ments, such as monoclonal antibodies for qualifying low-risk COVID patients.

“They’re proteins that help your body fight off COVID-19,” Bare says. “[It’s] not nearly as good as being vaccinated, but if you do get COVID or the breakthrough infection, we can get to you early with antibody therapy. … It reduces hospitalizations and death by 70 percent, which is really significant.”

Western Reserve’s emergency department is fully staffed, but the higher, sicker patient volume is creating overcrowding. Staffers have been floating there from other floors and signing up for more shifts through the All Hands on Deck program, and more support staff has been added. They are also testing patients in the emergency waiting room and connecting patients with primary care providers since many haven’t been seeing primary care doctors. Plus, collaboration extends to helping emergency medical services and fire crews access timely testing and regularly discussing the latest safety

guidelines, like wearing N95 masks on all calls and full personal protective equipment around patients with COVID symptoms.

With limited visitation, families can’t always be with their loved ones, so emergency department workers have played a deeper role in connecting patients to their families, including during end-of-life discussions. And since staffers are often from the Cuyahoga Falls area, where the hospital is based, it’s not uncommon for them to know a patient personally, which can put patients at ease.

“Knowing that you are going to a hospital where you have family members, friends and neighbors is very comforting to a patient,” Bare says.

While it’s been difficult, staffers are also reminded of why they’re doing these crucial jobs.

“We want to take care of patients as if they were our family,” Straus says. “We’re all in this to make a difference.” KP

Division chief of emergency medicine Dr. Rudd “Sonny” Bare, director of critical care and cardiovascular services Susan Straus, critical care manager Amy Kidd, Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department chief Chris Martin and EMS coordinator Rob Lewis, photo by Fitzwater Photography

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

HEALTH & WELLNESS Registered nurse manager Ashley Chaney, photo provided by Summa Health

ON LOCATION Community members have talked to Ashley Chaney about their hesitation to get the COVID-19 vaccine — lack of transportation, mobility challenges, language barriers and uncertainties about what to expect have all given people pause. She makes vaccinations more accessible through Summa Health’s Vital Vax and Go mobile unit.

“More times than not, they get the vaccine after we’ve talked,” says the registered nurse manager who helped launch the unit and administers its Pfizer vaccines.

After Chaney organized Summa’s drive-thru vaccination clinic in March where more than 25,000 people got vaccinated, there were requests to bring the vaccines into different parts of the community. They debuted the mobile unit in May, and now, its two-person team stops at one to four locations each weekday and returns to administer second doses. They’ve visited

apartment complexes, churches, the AkronSummit County Public Library and more.

Once, they administered shots at a community barbecue that had a DJ, and Chaney made lasting memories.

“I did the Cupid Shuffle. That was a blast,” she says. “I love what I do. I want to protect my community.”

The hard work and fun moments have led to nearly 2,000 people being vaccinated through the unit as of late October.

Chaney talks about meeting and vaccinating people in the community.

“It’s very humbling. … I’ve been able to work with translators to curb language barriers … provide education and allow people to have the knowledge to make an informed decision on whether they feel the vaccine is right for them.

They sometimes have questions about when they get the second dose, why the second

dose is needed, … what to expect.

There’s been elderly people. We’ve been able to … vaccinate them inside their vehicle. …

It’s a feat just to get out of their residence, to get to the car.

Also vaccinating children ... that are making an informed choice to get the vaccine … so that they can be involved in sports, go to school and not have to worry about contracting COVID. It’s about making it available to be able to walk out their front door, come to a location that’s close and they’re comfortable with and being able to obtain the vaccine.

If I can provide one vaccine a day to somebody who wouldn’t have gotten it otherwise, if I can provide education, knowledge, if I can help one person and make a difference in the life of one person, it’s worth it.

I couldn’t ask for anything better.” — as told to Alexandra Sobczak

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

37

HEALTH & WELLNESS

GROUP RECOVERY

Medical ICU director Dr. Lokesh Venkat, respiratory therapist Maja Dujak, associate ICU director Dr. Mona Turakhia, ICU nurse manager Beth Srock and critical care nurse Crystal Schuler, photo by Brendan Baker

family members and us,” he says. “We had It’s the job of Dr. Lokesh Venkat and to face our fears. The only way to get over his intensive care unit team at Clevethat was to come together.” land Clinic Akron General to see patients who have been hit the hardest Venkat explains how they persevered.

by COVID-19 — and witnessing that “I had a few nurses who actually cried out has left a mark. loud. I had to give my shoulder to them.

“We take care of the sickest of them,” says Despite our fears, we told the team that if Venkat, the medical ICU director and service something needed to be done for a patient, chief for the critical care unit. “It has affected let’s go in together. each one of us in one way or the other.”

Early in the pandemic, many ICU nurses were scared when COVID patients were admitted. Nursing staffers got depressed as patients died — sometimes in their arms. It was gut-wrenching and pushed them to the brink of mental and physical exhaustion, but as treatments developed and teamwork amped up, they have learned to cope.

“We were all extremely fearful of what was going to happen to the patients, to our

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

That was our motto: Put faith over fear.

Within the Cleveland Clinic system, 90 to about 99 percent of patients who are coming to the intensive care units, they’re all unvaccinated. … This is leading to a lot of fatigue among health care providers. We [are] still providing the best of care that we can, but our hearts go out for patients and family members who are in their 30s, 40s, 50s coming to the ICUs.

One of the more difficult cases we’ve experienced in the previous wave was when a pregnant woman became infected with COVID. She … ended up going on the ventilator.

We were at an impasse about whether to perform a cesarean section to save the baby or treat the mom in the hope she would be healthy enough to keep the baby to term.

We decided to focus on trying to stabilize the mother. … She was extremely sick and in the ICU for quite some time.

Eventually and thankfully, she made excellent progress, and she was able to leave the hospital after a few weeks. Later, she returned and delivered a very healthy baby.

We celebrated the baby’s birth almost as much as the mother and grandmother. It was big for us and helped bring us all closer together.” — as told to Brendan Baker

ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

Sheila A. Cain, MD

Jennifer E. Cummings,

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital 330-721-5700

MD

Richard F. Lavi, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Western Reserve Hospital, Allergy Asthma and Sinus Relief Center 330-423-4444 Brian Schroer, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-0140

Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, Cardiovascular Institute 330-344-7400 Robert Schweikert, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Cardiology 330-588-4676

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Michael L. Amalfitano, DO

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital 330-721-5700

Michael D. Bage, MD

Western Reserve Hospital, Cardiology 330-344-7400 Roger B. Chaffee, MD

CLINICAL GENETICS

DERMATOLOGY

Catherine Melver, MD

Jorge A. Garcia-

Akron Children’s Hospital, Genetic Center 330-543-8792

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Northeast Ohio Cardiovascular Specialists 330-971-7989

COLON & RECTAL SURGERY

Khaled M. Sleik, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus 330-434-5978

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Cardiology 330-253-8195

CHILD NEUROLOGY Bruce H. Cohen, MD

Michael Cullado, MD

John C. Fondran, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus 330-434-5978

Zuazaga, MD

Apex Dermatology – Hudson 440-443-0429 Julie A. Mark, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Department of Dermatology 330-535-7100 Eliot N. Mostow, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron Dermatology 330-835-9158

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-8050 M. Cristina Victorio, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-8050

Castle Connolly Top Doctors is a health care research company and the official source for Top Doctors for the past 25 years. Castle Connolly’s established nomination survey, research, screening and selection process, under the direction of an MD, involves many hundreds of thousands of physicians as well as academic medical centers, specialty hospitals and regional and community hospitals all across the nation.

The online nominations process — located at castleconnolly.com/nominations — is open to all licensed physicians in America who are able to nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether the nominated physicians is, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medical specialty or among the best in the nation in their medical specialty. Once nominated, Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follow a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels.

Careful screening of doctors’ educational and professional experience is essential before final selection is made among those physicians most highly regarded by their peers. We identify the top doctors in America and provide you, the consumer, with detailed information about their education, training and special expertise in our paperback guides, national and regional magazine “Top Doctors” features and online directories.

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected and profiled as Castle Connolly Top Doctors.

Physicians selected for inclusion in this magazine’s “Top Doctors” feature also appear online at castleconnolly.com, or in conjunction with other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online on other sites and/or in print.

Castle Connolly was acquired by Everyday Health Group, one of the world’s most prominent digital health care companies, in late 2018. EHG, a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracts an engaged audience of over 53 million health consumers and over 780,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness websites. EHG combines social listening data and analytics expertise to deliver highly personalized healthcare consumer content and effective patient engagement solutions. EHG’s vision is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant data and analytics. Healthcare professionals and consumers are empowered with trusted content and services through the Everyday Health Group’s flagship brands including Everyday Health®, What to Expect®, MedPage Today®, Health eCareers®, PRIME® Education and our exclusive partnership with MayoClinic.org® and The Mayo Clinic Diet.® Everyday Health Group is a division of J2 Global Inc. (NASDAQ: JCOM), and is headquartered in New York City.

GASTROENTEROLOGY Fadi N. Bashour, MD

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital, Digestive Disease Consultants 330-753-6643

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Cleveland Clinic 330-379-3514

Edward. J Esber, MD

ENDOCRINOLOGY, DIABETES & METABOLISM

Digestive Health Center 330-869-0954

Jennifer Wojtowicz, DO

Summa Health – Barberton Campus and WadsworthRittman Medical Center, The Gastroenterology Group 330-225-6468

Western Reserve Hospital 330-422-7715

FAMILY MEDICINE Brian R. Cain, MD

Brian R. Cain MD and Associates 330-626-5566 Abigail M. Cay, MD

Northampton Primary Care 330-923-4500 Andrea Cerone, MD

Northampton Primary Care 330-923-4500 John DiSabato, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus 330-375-3584 Matthew P. Finneran, MD

Scott A. Fulton, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-3343

Jeffrey Gellis, DO

Digestive Health Center 330-225-6468 Costas H. Kefalas, MD

Digestive Health Center 330-869-0124 David B. Myers, MD

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital, Digestive Disease Consultants 330-869-0124 Manzoor Qadir, MD

Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Summit Gastroenterology 330-899-4194

Bipin K. Sharma, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus 3306553820

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital, Digestive Disease Consultants 330-869-0124

William Shaheen, MD

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

William B. Bauman, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Northeast Ohio Cardiovascular Specialists 330-253-8195 Peter Bittenbender, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus 330-253-8195

Roger L. Vazquez, MD

Aultman Hospital Perinatal & Pediatric Services, Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital 330-438-7430

NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY Tsulee Chen, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-8050

NEUROLOGY Deborah Louise Ewing-

Anjan Gupta, MD

Wilson, DO

University Hospitals Portage Medical Center, University Hospitals Heart Group 330-297-6110

University Hospitals Twinsburg Health Center 330-954-7233

David F. Fantelli, MD

Kevin H. Silver, MD

Firas Al-Ali, MD

Unity Health Network 330-721-8500

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Northeast Ohio Cardiovascular Specialists 330-376-7000

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Summit Neuro Endovascular Specialists 330-344-2387

MATERNAL & FETAL MEDICINE

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Karen Hummel, MD

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, University Hospitals Medina Health Center 330-666-2700 Philip Donald Junglas, MD

Cleveland Clinic 330-225-8886 Erwin A. Maseelall, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General 216-839-3000 Janet Morgan, MD

Cleveland Clinic 330-678-7782

akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY

John R. Ahmann, DO

Akron Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Akron General 330-543-8348

Summa Health – Akron Campus 330-375-3894

Ganesh Raman

Digestive Health Center 330-869-0124

Inderprit Singh, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General 330-344-7820

NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE

Thomas M. File, MD

Veerappan, MD

Unity Health Network 330-877-3008

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HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE MEDICINE

Digestive Health Center 330-225-6468

Lynn M. Hamrich, MD

Jon E. Tosino, MD

Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, Aultman Hospital, Spectrum Orthopaedics 330-305-0838

Sarah E. Friebert, MD

Digestive Health Center 330-869-0124

Isabelle Lane, DO

HAND SURGERY Ajay Seth, MD

Reynaldo Gacad, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus and WadsworthRittman Medical Center, Family Practice Center of Wadsworth 330-375-3584

University Hospitals, Portage Family Medicine 330-334-6229

Stephen J. Andrews, MD

Titus Sheers, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Specialty Care, Cleveland Clinic 330-543-8885

Elizabeth Salay, MD

Cleveland Clinic, Brunswick Family Health Center 216-553-7430

NEURORADIOLOGY

Michael A. Krew, MD

Jennifer Carroll, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Aultman Hospital 330-363-6296

University Hospitals Portage Medical Center, Northeast Ohio OB/GYN, University Hospitals Streetsboro Health Center 330-626-2710

Abdelaziz Saleh, MD/ PhD

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Mercy Health St. Joseph Warren Hospital, Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-4500

Cecilia Ellis, DO

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, OBGYN Associates of Akron 330-784-5406

OPHTHALMOLOGY James A. Cannatti, MD

Cleveland Clinic, Cole Eye Institute Summit Ophthalmology 330-864-8060 Richard R. Ellison, MD

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY (continued) Edward M. Ferris, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus 330-899-9626

Cleveland Clinic, Cole Eye Institute Summit Ophthalmology 330-678-0201 Marc F. Jones, MD

Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons 330-864-8060

Steven M. Gorsuch, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Summa Health – Akron Campus and Women’s Health Group 330-899-9626 John Hutzler, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Summa Health – Akron Campus and Women’s Health Group 330-668-6545 Patrick J. Naples, MD

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital, Summa Physicians, Summa Medical Building 330-722-7664 Maura K. O’Shea, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, OBGYN Associates of Akron 330-722-7005 Brenda L. Rice, MD

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital 330-668-6545 Daniel Rzepka, MD

University Hospitals MacDonald Women’s Hospital, University Hospitals Richmond Medical Center 330-405-6661

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ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY Mark Adamczyk, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine 330-543-3500

Gregory A. Vrabec, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Orthopedics 330-543-3500 Scott D. Weiner, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Sports Medicine 330-344-2663

OTOLARYNGOLOGY Hassan Abbass, MD

University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, University Hospitals Bedford Medical Center, Ohio ENT Associates 330-762-8959 Anton Milo, MD/DDS

Akron Children’s Hospital, Ear, Nose and Throat Center 216-488-4800 Kenneth E. Mooney,

Kerwyn Jones, MD

MD/DMD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine 330-543-3500

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Akron Children’s Hospital, University Hospitals Akron ENT Associates 330-543-4930

John D. Polousky, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-344-2663 Patrick M. Riley, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine 330-297-6030 William C. Schrader, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine 330-543-3500 Thomas R. Thompson,

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY Rajeev Kishore, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-0140

PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE Michael L. Forbes, MD

John Bower, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, MetroHealth Medical Center 330-543-8639

Akron Children’s Hospital, Specialty Care 330-543-8395

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY Jaime Haidet, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Diabetes & Endocrinology 330-543-3276 Kimberly D. Martin, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Diabetes & Endocrinology 330-543-3276

PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY Shefali S. Mahesh, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Specialty Care 330-543-8950

PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY Marc E. Nelson, MD

PhD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Diabetes & Endocrinology 330-5433-276

Akron Children’s Hospital, Ear, Nose and Throat Center 330-543-4930

PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY

Reinaldo Garcia-

Starla Martinez, MD

Naveiro, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Specialty Care 330-543-8885

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Gastroenterology 330-543-4488

PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGYONCOLOGY Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-8580

John M. Clark, MD

Michael E. Kelly, MD/

Akron Children’s Hospital, Heart Center 330-543-8521

Cleveland Clinic 330-543-8580

PhD

MD

John R. Lane, MD

Steven J. Kuerbitz, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Orthopedics 330-835-5533

Akron Children’s Hospital, Heart Center 330-543-8521

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-8580

Christopher L. Tisdel,

Chandrakant R. Patel,

MD

MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 216-444-5517

University Hospitals Portage Medical Center 330-543-3500

Akron Children’s Hospital, Heart Center 330-543-8521

akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

Blaise Congeni, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-8395

Bradley Van Sickle, MD/

Jeffrey D. Hord, MD

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY

PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Stephanie L. Savelli, MD

Debbie Toder, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Specialty Care 330-543-8885

PEDIATRIC SURGERY David A. Andrews, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron Pediatric Surgical Associates 330-434-5341 Scott Boulanger, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-543-1000 Joseph A. Iocono, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatric General Surgery 330-543-6060 Timothy Pittinger, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron Pediatric Surgical Associates 330-543-6060

Mark L. Wulkan,

Douglas Fall, MD

MD

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Medina Pediatrics 330-335-7337

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatric General Surgery 330-434-5341

PEDIATRIC UROLOGY Daniel R. McMahon, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatric and Adolescent Urology 330-376-3332

PEDIATRICS

Diane L. Langkamp, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-721-5700 John D. Leonard, DO

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatrics 330-676-1020 Stacey Memberg,

Sarah A. Adams,

MD/PhD

MD

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Medina Pediatrics 330-626-4080

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-342-5555 Jeffrey Archinal, MD

Martha Myers, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-676-1020

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Medina Pediatrics 330-764-3457

Sarah Ayers, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatrics 330-723-7005 Kimberly A. Blair, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Wadsworth Pediatrics 330-723-7005 Lori D’Avello, MD

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Children’s Medical Group 330-723-7005 Jennifer Dwyer, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital 330-723-7005

William Oehlenschlager, MD/PhD

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital, Akron Children’s Hospital, Wadsworth Pediatrics 330-335-7337 Margaret M. Pfeffer, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatrics 330-336-3539 Emma J. Raizman, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatrics 330-543-8050

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

45

PEDIATRICS (continued) Laurel Roach-Armao, MD

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Medina Pediatrics 330-252-1135 Paula Sabella, MD

Cleveland Clinic 330-753-0345 Heidi Senokozlieff, DO

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital 330-664-8120

Catharine Symmonds,

PULMONARY DISEASE

MD

Charles Fuenning, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Pediatrics 330-344-7350

Unity Health Network 330-253-1411

PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION Arsal Ahmad, MD

Ohio Pain & Rehab Specialists 330-498-9865 Ali Shakir, MD

Ohio Pain & Rehab Specialists 330-498-9865

PLASTIC SURGERY

Anand V. Khandelwal, MD

Thomas Olbrych, MD

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital 330-721-5700

Matthew L. Krauza, MD

Paul T. Tsivitse, MD

Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, Unity Health Network 330-253-1411

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine 330-319-9700

Hitesh Makkar, MD

Brian White, DO

Unity Health Network 330-253-1411

Unity Health Network 330-253-1411

Masroor Mustafa, MD

Murthy, MD

Summa Health – Barberton Campus, Summit Pulmonary & Internal Medicine 330-753-1383

REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY/ INFERTILITY Jeffrey M. Goldberg, MD

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital 330-723-7999

Ananth Subbarao

Akron Children’s Hospital, Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 330-543-4970

Eyad Nashawati, MD

Aultman Hospital, Pulmonary Physicians Sleep Center 330-244-1879

Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital, Twinsburg Family Health and Surgery Center 330-888-4000

RHEUMATOLOGY Nikita Hegde, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron General Health and Wellness 330-344-7820 Niharika Sharma, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron General Health and Wellness 330-344-7820

2 for 1 Holiday Sale 330 FLAVOR AWARDS

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SLEEP MEDICINE

Susan Miljkovic-

Joseph Lahorra, MD

Jyoti Krishna, MD

Goodrich, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Specialty Care 330-543-8885

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital 330-721-5700

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Specialists 330-384-9001

Victoria L. Van Fossen,

Serrie C. Lico, MD

MD

Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, Mercy Cardiovascular Institute 330-344-1400

SPORTS MEDICINE Joseph Congeni, MD

Akron Children’s Hospital, Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine 330-835-5533 Nilesh Shah, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Sports Medicine 330-543-3500

SURGERY Kristen Dawson, MD

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital 330-721-5700

Summa Health – Akron Campus, General Surgery 330-564-2438

THORACIC & CARDIAC SURGERY Harry D’Agostino, MD

Aultman Hospital, Heart Core 330-588-4676 Eric Espinal, MD

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Western Reserve Hospital 330-363-1342

UROGYNECOLOGY/ FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

VASCULAR & INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

Drazen Petrinec, MD

David Ira Rosenblum, DO

Summa Health – Akron Campus, Western Reserve Hospital, Akron Radiology 330-375-4028

VASCULAR SURGERY

Dennis J. Wright, MD

Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Specialists 330-344-1400

Brett A. Butler, MD

Aultman Hospital, Union Hospital, Regional Vascular & Vein Institute 330-588-8900

Costas A. Apostolis, MD

John A. Moawad, MD

Western Reserve Hospital, Summit Urogynecology 330-953-3414

Summa Health – Akron Campus and St. Thomas Campus 330-434-4145

Raymond A. Bologna,

Summa Health – Akron Campus and St. Thomas Campus 330-434-4145

MD

Cleveland Clinic 330-535-4428

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

47

FOREVER YOUNG

by Alexandra Sobczak and photos provided by Kim Krieger

Full Steam Ahead Chasing your dreams as you age enriches your life.

As a 5-year-old kid, Kim Krieger watched trains chug past his Sheffield Lake house, which was a few blocks away from the Nickel Plate railroad. He would run down the street and look, counting the smoke plumes, figuring out how many double head steam engines were running.

“My earliest memories are the trains going,” says the 69-year-old.

“Walking to school, discussing steam versus diesel, … I loved it.”

He dreamt of someday running a real steam engine, ever since he saw the men leaning out the window, waving to him as the trains flew by. “I always wanted to be an engineer,” he says.

He never stopped wanting that, and at 66 years old, he finally got behind the throttle of a steam engine.

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

O N T R AC K Around the holidays, Krieger, his friends and his neighbors looked forward to paging through a toy catalog, looking at pictures of model trains.

“Trains just fascinate me,” he says. “They’re big, powerful.”

When he was 6, he got one of those model trains — a Mark’s model that ran in a figure eight, recorded in some family home videos. His model train

kept him interested, even when the steam engines on the Nickel Plate railroad stopped running that same year. He went to see them one last time.

“We were the first ones at the crossing,” he says.

He later followed a different track and majored in electrical engineering at the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne.

He worked for Ohio Edison and moved to Akron in 1981.

He managed transmission planning for light poles, so he never worked with trains, but they remained on his mind.

Over the years, he rode in passenger cars of steam engines multiple times, taking trips like Orrville to Pittsburgh and Fairlawn to Bellevue. When he retired in 2015, his dream of running a train never went away.

FOREVER YOUNG

Enjoy Homestyle Food at Greenview Senior Living Feel at home — enjoying your favorite meals with family.

At Greenview Senior Living, we offer our residents top-notch homecooked food in our dining room.

Designed by a dietician, our menus meet individualized nutritional needs, including special holiday meals.

Residents can enjoy meals and have family gatherings on our deck, which has a family-friendly backyard and swing set.

Residents and their families appreciate our homelike setting and 24/7 personal attention. At maximum, we have five residents, so we can focus on the needs and interests of each.

To learn more and arrange a tour, call 330-313-5054 or go to greenviewohio.com.

AL L AB OAR D After six decades of collecting model trains, Krieger finally got to run a real one.

Even better, it was one of the steam engines he used to watch run by his house when he was a kid — a 765 engine from the Nickel Plate railroad.

In 2018, he discovered an opportunity to run that steam engine through his Fort Wayne Historical Society membership. He didn’t think twice — he jumped at the chance.

He was the fourth person to sign up.

The morning of his special day, he was so excited to arrive at Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s Fitzwater Maintenance Yard. When it was his turn, he climbed into the cab, sat in the engineer’s seat and rested his arm on the armrest near the window like a seasoned pro, reveling in the moment.

“My grin is like here to here,” he says.

“You don’t even care if it moves.”

The train’s regular engineer was sitting right behind him, and he explained what all of the levers and valves do, along with the most important part — how to get the train running.

Krieger gently pulled the throttle back one notch at a time, heart racing, and cranked the steam engine up to 22 mph.

“You look at the ground, and we start to move,” he says. “A steam engine, it’s a living breathing thing. … You can hear them, Chug, chug, chug, chug.”

He ran the train about 3 miles out from the maintenance yard, through the national park, then back. Riding through the woods, he didn’t see any people, but he did see some wildlife, including a bald eagle. “You can blow the whistle as much as you want,” he adds.

“Now I can say I actually ran an engine,” he says. “I’m a real engineer.”

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

STILL CHUGGING Running the steam engine was such a thrill that Krieger signed up to do it again in 2019 and this past September.

Accomplishing this goal didn’t make him complacent though.

He has continued exploring his passion for trains, in as many ways as possible.

His collection of model trains has grown to over 400 engines that run on tracks set up on 25 by 75 feet of tables in his basement, and he’s still working to perfect the tracks. The models are more technologically advanced than the one he got all those years ago, but he has some classic models too.

“It’s remarkable,” he says. “My friends have all gotten into this.”

Those friends are people he knows from the Lorain County Model Railroad

Association, who he meets with each month, his love for trains unwavering. Similar to when he was a kid, he still sometimes rushes out to see the trains running along the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway behind his Akron house, taking photos and waving to the engineer.

He’s still reaching for new

goals, and he recommends people do the same.

“Everything is possible,” he says, “so I would go after my dream, as hard as you could, even if you have to wait till you’re 66 to do it.”

He hopes to someday finish his model train table, wants to go to a train museum in Nevada

and has plans to sign up to run the steam engine for as many years as he can, continuing to live out that dream he had as a young boy.

“It’s an honor to do this,” Krieger says. “It’s something that a lot of people dream about, ever since you had a little toy train going around the Christmas tree.”

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

51

FOREVER YOUNG

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akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

FOREVER YOUNG

DRE AM ON Striving for goals can help keep you healthy.

Aging doesn’t mean you have to stop chasing your dreams.

As adults age, changes happen biologically and cognitively, but they can “flourish into old age,” says Jennifer Tehan Stanley, an associate professor in The University of Akron’s psychology department who teaches in the adult development and aging doctoral program.

“Development doesn’t stop,” she says. “We think of development as happening across the entire span of our lives.”

ent than the typical career and family benchmarks of younger people. Instead, they may have goals about new work, volunteering and hobbies.

“We see a lot of creative productivity in late adulthood, from people who become authors or become artists, even just in their sixth or seventh decade,” she says. “Then we have these other examples of individuals who maybe have something like a bucket list.”

Tehan Stanley chats about continuing to grow and work toward goals throughout your life.

If you aren’t sure what to pursue, look back at old hobbies.

“Maybe … things you always wanted to have the time to do,” she suggests.

Define Your Goals: Older adults’ goals may look differ-

Pursuing a passion contributes to personal growth, environmental

mastery and purpose in life, she says. “You are overall feeling better. You have better mental health and well-being,” she says.

One example Tehan Stanley mentions is the intergenerational book club at The University of Akron, which is for undergraduate students and older adults to meet and discuss things they’ve read.

Start Working: Tehan Stanley’s mother decided to learn how to play piano in her 60s.

This was brand-new for her, but regular meetings with a teacher helped her stay on track and reach toward goals.

“Some accountability can be a really good way to get into something that you haven’t had a lot of experience with,” Tehan Stanley says.

Why Do It: Pursuing your passion alongside others can also be a way to remain engaged.

“A group of individuals might be able to encourage or motivate each other,” she says.

A commitment like this can also help you stay socially active, which can have positive long-term effects.

“It actually has been shown to stave off cognitive decline,” she says. “It can also improve physical and mental health.”

Independent Living

Assisted Living

Skilled Nursing

Rehabilitation Ask us how you can make Ohio Living Rockynol your home today!

1150 West Market Street Akron, Ohio 44313 330.867.2150 | ohioliving.org DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

53

GOOD EATS

DECEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 12

Restaurants [ notable food & drink ]

B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner A Alcohol available T Takeout available V Valet parking W Wheelchair Accessible $ average entrees less than $6 $$ average entrees between $6-$10 $$$ average entrees between $11-$16 $$$$ average entrees are $17 or higher Information subject to change.

Please call ahead to verify location, hours and events.

Akron Family Restaurant Neighborhood meeting place, homey atmosphere, reasonable prices. 250 W. Market St., Akron, 330-376-0600 $$ B, L, D, T, W Aladdin’s Eatery Outdoor dining area, tasty Mediterranean cuisine. 782 W. Market St., Akron, 330-535-0110; 1991 Portage Trail, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-928-4640; 44 Park Lane, Hudson 330-656-0560; 3895 Medina Road, Fairlawn, 330-665-3102 $$$ L, D, A, T, W Al’s Corner Restaurant Old World comfort food served cafeteria style. Cabbage rolls and sausage made locally are a favorite. 155 Second St. NW, Barberton, 330-475-7978 $$ L, T, W Alexander Pierce Restaurant Fine dining menu of steaks, house-made pastas, calamari misto and cavatelli alla vodka in an intimate speakeasy-style atmosphere. 797 E. Market St., Akron, 330-529-2003 $$$ D, A Arcadia Grille Authentic Italian cuisine with pasta and chops. Breakfast served Sat. and Sun. A local favorite for more than 85 years. 321 Court Ave. NW, Canton, 330-454-6055 $$ B, L, D, A, W Arnie’s Public House An attractive, affordable restaurant with a modern twist on comfort food. Featuring award-winning burgers, chicken and waffles, fish and chips, pasta and vegetarian dishes. 1682 W. Market St., Akron, 330-867-0154 $$$ L,D,A,T, W Arnie’s West Branch Steak House Casual dining, specializing in steak, ribs and seafood. 5343 state Route 14, Ravenna, 330-297-1717 $$$ D, A, T Barley House Hot and cold deli sandwiches, gourmet pizzas, soups and more. 222 S. Main St., Akron, 330-374-0925 $$ L, D, A, T, W 54

akronlife.com | DECEMBER 2021

Basil Asian Bistro Menu features Thai, Chinese and Korean dishes, as well as sushi and Vietnamese specialties.

585 Market Ave. N, Canton, 330-4523888; 145 W Liberty St., Wooster, 330601-0885 $$$ L, D, A, T, W Beau’s Grille Well-regarded, innovative menu at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn.

3180 W. Market St., Fairlawn, 330-8675218 $$$$ B, L, D, A, T, W Beau’s on the River Stunning views of the falls with floor-to-ceiling windows and contemporary decor. Fusion eclectic cuisine, lunch buffet and Sun. brunch. Sheraton Suites Akron Cuyahoga Falls, 1989 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls, 330-920-7530 $$$ B, L, D, A, T, W Belgrade Gardens Famous for fried chicken and homestyle cooking. 401 E. State St., Barberton, 330-745-0113; 3476 Massillon Road, Uniontown, 330-896-3396 $$$ L, D, A, T, W Bellacino’s Known for grinders, pizza, pasta and fresh salads. Full bar, patio and banquet room with dance floor.

3657 Fishcreek Road, Stow, 330-6783000 $$ L, D, A, T, W Bender’s Tavern Largest restaurant wine selection in Stark County. Menu features seafood. 137 Court Ave. SW, Canton, 330-453-8424 $$$$ L, D, A, T Bianca’s Ristorante Italian Traditional Italian, juicy steaks and fresh seafood. 4284 Beverly Hills Drive, Brunswick, 330-225-0927 $$$ L, D, A, T, W Big Eu’es BBQ Known for delicious barbecue meals and Kool Aid pies.

The takeout spot also has a small dining area. 1730 Portage Trail, Cuyahoga Falls, 234-706-6700 $$ L, D, T Big Eye Japanese Cuisine & Sushi Bar Menu offers a variety of sushi as well as salads, soups, appetizers, cooked entrees and vegan options to suit everyone at your table. 2965 W. Market St., Fairlawn, Suite L, 330-8364433 $$$ L, D, A, T, W The Bistro at Gervasi Vineyard Situated on a 55-acre estate in a renovated historic barn that overlooks a beautiful lake. Serving rustic Italian fare using only fresh and seasonal ingredients. 1700 55th St. NE, Canton, 330-497-1000 $$$ L, D, A Bistro on Main House-made desserts,

hand-cut steaks and fresh pasta.

1313 W. Main St., Kent, 330-673-9900 $$$ L, D, A, T, W Block 7 Bar & Grill Fresh-ground burgers, unique sandwiches, onion rings and more. 524 W. Tuscarawas St., Barberton, 330-745-7677 $$ L, D, A, T, W Bombay Sitar Fine Indian cuisine. Food is natural and prepared fresh daily.

5111 Fulton Drive NW, Canton, 330305-0671 $$ L, D, T, W Bricco Open since September 2003, this restaurant is known for its eclectic seasonal menu, wood-fired pizzas and pasta dishes. 1 W. Exchange St., Akron, 330-475-1600 $$$ L, D, A, T, V, W Bricco in Kent Menu is modeled after the original Bricco in downtown Akron. A la carte brunch on Sun. 210 S. Depeyster St., Kent, 330-677-1335 $$$ L, D, A, T Brew Wall Sample a vast amount of pour-it-yourself beers and wines while you nosh on wood-fired pizza and more from the crew behind Antonio’s Pizza. 3161 Heritage Center Drive, Copley, 330-576-6880 $$$ L, D, A, W, T Brubaker’s Pub Specialty sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, appetizers and a full bar. Bottomless soup and salad special. 4005 Medina Road, Montrose, 330-666-8021; 5823 Darrow Road, Hudson, 330-650-9401; 3939 Massillon Road, Green, 330896-8803; 4141 Bridgewater Parkway, Stow, 330-475-1525 $$$ L, D, A, T, W Burntwood Tavern Owned by the same couple that runs the other Burntwood locations, this restaurant’s menu features steaks, sliders, smoked, planked and woodgrilled food. 2291 Riverfront Parkway, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-794-7085; 4320 Everhard Road NW, Canton, 234-2099746; 3750 W. Market St., Fairlawn, 234-466-7372 $$$$ L, D, A, T, W The Cabin Upscale Italian within the Mario’s International Spa and Hotel complex. 35 E. Garfield Road, Aurora, 330-562-9171 $$$$ B, L, D, A, T Cafe Bricco This menu is a smaller version of the one at the original Bricco location downtown.

DoubleTree Hotel, 3150 W. Market St., Fairlawn, 330-835-2203 $$$ B, L, D, A, T Cafe Tandoor Casual atmosphere, Indian

Go t

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.com nlife ore akro m

w to vie aurants st e r . a re a ents & ev

cuisine. 96 Barrington Town Center, Aurora, 330-562-5334 $$$ L, D, A, T Cana Valley Winery Check out this winery’s 13 varieties. Bring in your own food. 5665 Waterloo Road, Atwater, 330-596-3017 $$$$ D, A Canal Tavern of Zoar Fine casual dining in Zoar’s original tavern and inn.

Features steaks and chops, seafood and Zoar-inspired German cuisine, as well as draft brews and extensive wine list. Sun. brunch. Patio bar and dining along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. 8806 Towpath Road, NE, Bolivar, 330-874-4444 $$$ L, D, A, T Casa Del Rio Mexican dining. 839 High St., Wadsworth, 330-335-4001; Express location, 2927 W. Market St., Fairlawn, 330-849-5160 $$ L, D, A, T Caston & Main Brew Yard This cozy, casual gastropub with a fireplace and two outdoor patios with fire features offers a large variety of craft beer including 32 taps, with wine, specialty cocktails and 140-plus bourbons, whiskeys and spirits including rare selections. The chefdriven menu offers house-made flatbreads, sandwiches and beer cheese, as well as Sun. brunch. 5010 S. Main St., Akron, 330-882-CASK (2275) $$$ L, D, A Ceedo’s Eatery Traditional Middle Eastern food — kosher and halal — including shawarma and falafel, stuffed whole lamb, hummus, tabbouleh and kibbeh. Closed Mon. 4147 Bridgewater Parkway, Stow, 330-940-2424 $$ B, L, D, T Cellar 59 Wine Bar & Wine Shop The menu in this renovated 19th-century farmhouse features small plates, desserts, bottles of wine and craft beer. Closed Sun. and Mon. 3984 Kent Road, Stow, 330-688-2684 $$$ L, D, A, T China City Traditional Chinese cuisine in an elegant setting. 156 Cherry St., Kent, 330-673-6566 $$ L, D, A, T Chowder House Cafe Salads, seafood dishes, oysters and clam chowder.

1244 Weathervane Lane, Akron, 330Go to akronlife.com to view more area restaurants & events.

GOOD EATS UNCORKED

by Mike McKenney

Francis Ford Coppola Winery Geyserville, California

Diamonds are one of the best holiday gifts to give or receive, and that gift can be drinkable — in the form of wine from the Francis Coppola Diamond Collection. With 15 varietals to choose from, the Diamond Collection has options for nearly everyone on your list.

The collection’s creator, Francis Ford Coppola, is a legendary, award-winning film director, with credits including “The Godfather,” “Apocalypse Now” and more. Coppola purchased the Chateau Souverain Winery in Geyserville, California, in the heart of wine country. He turned the spot into the Family Coppola, a family-friendly wine wonderland with a winery, swimming pools, a restaurant, bocce courts and a gallery of his movie memorabilia.

Fruit-forward and food friendly, the Diamond Collection comes from distinguished California growing appellations and has evolved to be a top 10 brand in its price category. That acclaim makes a Diamond Collection wine a well-received gift for family and friends or one that you can pour as a present to yourself. Snatch up these varietals during your holiday shopping this year.

CLARET, $17.99 Considered an elegant classic, this wine is the crown jewel of the Diamond Collection. It is a Bordeaux-style beautifully complex blend made from cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, merlot and petite syrah grapes produced in California and Oregon. Taste fragrant spicy notes of light tobacco and black currants, along with blueberries and roasted coffee, and supple tannins that pair well with sophisticated porcini mushroom risotto and rack of lamb.

THE APPELLATION SERIES, $17.99 - $19.99 With bottles such as pinot noir, chardonnay and coming in 2022, a sauvignon blanc, this series is comprised of premium wines from California’s best sub-appellations that produce wines with fresh expressive fruits, medium bodies and long finishes.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON, $15.99 This wine is full-bodied, showcasing a lot of dimension from the fruit. You imme-

diately get the scent of cherry and currant on the nose. The currant flavor continues on the palate with strawberry, vanilla and chocolate notes evolving through the long finish. You don’t normally get to enjoy this much character and this many soft tannins in a cabernet sauvignon at this price point without decanting, so it’s great to uncork as often as you crave it.

Get Francis Coppola Diamond Collection wines at select Acme Fresh Market, Giant Eagle and Whole Foods Market locations.

[ Mike McKenney is a manager at Heidelberg Distributing Co. ] Comments? Email them to Kelly Petryszyn [kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com].

DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

55

GOOD EATS UNTAPPED

by Aaron Fowler

Neon Rainbows Brewery Ommegang | Cooperstown, New York

Spiced beers are a comforting classic during the winter, but this December, you can dream bigger — of Neon Rainbows. Open up a can of Brewery Ommegang’s latest year-round hoppy offering that delivers all that New England-style India pale ale goodness.

At a brewery known for its Belgium-style ales, Neon Rainbows is a refreshing alternative for craft beer lovers to discover and cherish into the new year.

Unfiltered, double dry-hopped and coming in at a deceptively crushable 6.7 percent, this IPA dances on your palate with explosions of tropical fruit and juicy deliciousness.

pack four-

Built on a 140-acre hop farm in the Susquehanna River Valley in New York, Brewery Ommegang is a special destination. Known for its Belgium-inspired brews like the quadrupel and Belgian kriek blend Three Philosophers, the farmhouse saison Hennipin and the sour ale aged on cherries Rosetta, Brewery Ommegang has been changing the beer game over the last two decades. The brewery’s portfolio is now available in 47 states and a handful of other countries.

Next year marks the brewery’s 25th anniversary, and the brewery continues to create inventive brews that beer enthusiasts can admire.

Neon Rainbows is just what you need in your life for the holidays and beyond, so add it to your shopping list or order it while out celebrating with friends and family.

$14.9

Neon Rainbows is available in four-packs of 16-ounce cans for $14.99 at select Giant Eagle, Acme Fresh Market and

9

Heinen’s locations as well as your finer craft beer stops like Lizardville and 101 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.

[ Aaron Fowler is the key account manager at Cavalier Distributing. ] Comments? Email them to Kelly Petryszyn [kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com].

794-7102 $$$ L, D, A, T Cilantro Thai & Sushi Restaurant Upscale Thai and Japanese, extensive menu, fresh ingredients, handselected sushi and no monosodium glutamate. 326 S. Main St., Akron, 330-434-2876 $$$ L, D, A, T Circle L Steakhouse at the Galaxy The new menu offers a wide selection of steak cuts, and the atmosphere provides an upscale, rustic feel. Sun. brunch and live entertainment. 201 Park Centre Drive, Wadsworth, 330-3343663 $$$$ B, L, D, A, T Corkscrew Saloon Specializes in fresh seafood, steaks and chops, prepared by executive chef Ryan Marino. Live

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entertainment Wed. nights. 811 W. Liberty, Medina, 330-725-0220 $$$$ L, D, A, T Craft Social Bar A large variety of craft beer, cocktails, wines and whiskeys that accompany upscale bar food.

Watermark Building, 1846 Front St., Suite G, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-8052826 $$$ D, A, T, V Crave Creative comfort foods, slightly eccentric with bold tastes served up in a sensational setting. 57 E. Market St., Akron, 330-253-1234 $$ L, D, A, T, V Crave Cantina Latin fare meets global tacos at this modern, artistic eatery from the owner of Crave in downtown Akron. Pair your eclectic

taco choices with a rum flight of your choice. 2097 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls, 330-940-2000 $$$$ L, D, A, T The Crush House at Gervasi Vineyard A modern industrial building that houses a state-of-the-art winery facility, wine bar and eatery. Perfect for a fun lunch, casual dinner or late snack. 1700 55th St. NE, Canton, 330497-1000, ext. 5 $$ L, D, A D’Agnese’s at White Pond Akron Contemporary Italian food served in a classy yet casual setting. Live entertainment. Full service catering.

566 White Pond Drive, Akron, 234678-3612 $$$ L, D, A, T Danny Boy’s If you love the Rat Pack,

you’ll love this menu. Try the Old Blue Eyes Mac & Cheese or the Chairman of the Board Calzone. 6081 Dressler Road N, Canton, 330-4993726; 10 Tallmadge Circle, Tallmadge, 330-633-7844 $$$ L, D, A, T Darby’s on Fifty-Nine Rustic dining with an assortment of dishes, including crispy calamari and filet mignon sliders, complemented by craft beer.

2764 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls, 330922-7540 $$$ L, D, A, T Dave’s Cosmic Subs Sign the walls at this sub shop, featuring psychedelic and music memorabilia. 186 N. Main St., Hudson, 330-342-5666 $$ L, D, T D.B.A., Dante Boccuzzi Akron Modern

GOOD EATS

American food in a rock ‘n’ roll palace setting. Several menu items can be ordered in varied portion sizes, based on your appetite. Vegetarian and vegan options available. Order a drink and relax on the restaurant’s spacious patio. 21 Furnace St., Akron, 330-375-5050 $$$$ D, A, T, V Desert Inn Family-owned since 1970.

Specializes in family-style shish kebabs. 204 12th St. NW, Canton, 330-456-1766 $$$$ L, D, A Dewey’s Pizza Family-friendly pizza joint has offering gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and vegan versions of all pizzas, so that everyone can get in on the fun. Try specialty items such as the candied walnut and grape salad.

At Summit Mall, 3265 W. Market St., Fairlawn, 330-873-4444 $$$ L, D, A, T Diamond Deli A local favorite with fat sandwiches and fresh soups. 378 S. Main St., Akron, 330-762-5877 $ B, L, A, D (Saturdays only), T Diamond Grille Akron’s oldest steakhouse, 1950s-style decor. All steaks are hand-cut, and seafood is flown in fresh. 77 W. Market St., Akron, 330-253-0041 $$$$ L, D, A No credit cards Divine Food Spirits & Wine Casual and upscale American fare, a scratch kitchen and a wide drink selection.

2752 Hudson Drive, Cuyahoga Falls, 234-334-4400 $$$$ D, A, T Dontino’s Fine Italian Cuisine Homestyle Italian cuisine, popular community meeting place. 555 E. Cuyahoga Falls Ave., Akron, 330-928-9530 $$ L, D, A, T Downtown 140 New American cuisine using as few ingredients as possible to make an impact and keep clean flavors on the menu at this finedining establishment. 140 N. Main St., Hudson, 330-655-2940 $$$$ L, D, A Driftwood Modern American Bistro Upscale casual dining featuring multi-awardwinning chili, handmade pasta and more crafted in an open kitchen. Save room for made-from-scratch desserts, including our cinnamon roll cheesecake. Inside Embassy Suites

by Hilton Akron Canton Airport, 7883 Freedom Ave. NW, North Canton, 330-305-0500 $$$ D El Rancho Traditional Mexican fare made fresh from scratch each day. 4065 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-9228112; 1678 W. Exchange St., Akron, 330-864-3300 $$ L, D, A, T El Rincon Authentic Mexican cuisine. 720 S. Main St., North Canton, 330-4972229 $$ L, D, A, T Emidio & Sons Since 1957, the familyowned Italian restaurant has been serving house-made pastas and

specialty pizzas. 636 N. Main St., Akron, 330-253-4777; 3204 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-929-4282 $$ B, L, D, T Erie Street Kitchen The chef-driven food counter inside the historic Venice Cafe in downtown Kent serves up authentic Southern comfort food with a twist, including a Nashville hot chicken banh mi and chevre goat cheese balls. 163 Erie St., Kent, 330593-5928 $$$ D, A, W, T The Eye Opener Diner-style menu features jams and jellies from Crooked River Herb Farm. Upscale decor includes photos of historic Akron. 1688 W. Market St., Akron, 330-867-1114 $$ B, L, D, T Fisher’s Cafe & Pub American cuisine.

1607 Main St., Peninsula, 330-6572651 $$ L, D, A, T Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Aged beef, chops, fresh seafood, salad and more than 100 wines by the glass. 4000 Medina Road, Akron, 330-670-5200 $$$$ D, A, T FlipSide Gourmet, Ohio-raised beef burgers with chef-crafted condiments, toppings and sides; free-range organic chicken breast sandwiches; and market fresh salads.

Craft beer on tap. 49 Village Way, Hudson, 330-655-3547 $$ L, D, A, T

Foundry Social Have some nostalgic fun with games like duckpin bowling or electric go-karts while enjoying craft cocktails, elevated pub sandwiches and share plates. 333 Foundry St., Medina, 330-333-9000 $$ L, D, A Franklin Hotel Bar An upscale downtown Kent bar featuring craft cocktails, share plates and small plates. 176 E. Main St., Kent, 330-676-1000 $$ D, A Franklin Square Deli Quality sandwich shop with a racing theme. 108 S. Water St., Kent, 330-673-2942 $$ L, T Fred’s Diner Well-known North Hill stop for breakfast and lunch. 930 Home Ave., Akron, 330-535-3733 $ B, L, T Greatness Cafe Healthy and delicious options — smoothies, paninis, salads with house-made dressings and juices all paired with positive affirmations and a welcoming atmosphere — in the Massillon Museum’s lobby, open Tuesday through Sunday. 121 Lincoln Way E, Massillon. $$ B, L, T, W Green Diamond Grille & Pub Upscale dining without upscale pricing. Specializes Go to akronlife.com to view more area restaurants & events.

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GOOD EATS in steaks, chops, baby back ribs and seafood. 125 Second St. NW, Barberton, 330-745-1900 $$$ L, D, A, T Grinders Above & Beyond Family restaurant. Grinders, burgers, dinners, appetizers and pies. 1671 N. Main St., North Canton, 330-4974800; 3114 Whipple Ave., Canton, 330-477-5411; 1212 W. Maple St., Hartville, 330-587-4280; 1820 W. State St., Alliance, 330-821-6665; 404 E. Lincolnway, Minerva, 330-868-7824; 500 W. Main St., Louisville, 330-8759700 $ L, D, A, T Guiseppe’s Pizza Family-owned pizzeria known for its Sicilian-style square pizza. 14 E. Caston Road, Akron, 330644-8842 $$ L, D, T H2 Huth & Harris Wine Merchants With a selection of over 200 wines, this Medina-based winery serves up a sizable selection in a rustic, cellarlike atmosphere. Also offers large selection of craft beers, ciders, kombucha, meads and a large selection of tapas dishes. 221 S. Court St., Medina; 427 Tuscarawas St. E, Canton: 330-815-4959 $$$ L, D, A, T Hartville Kitchen Restaurant & Bakery A spacious restaurant serving homestyle food made from scratch with a bakery, oil and vinegar tasting room and candy shop on the site of the Hartville Marketplace & Flea Market. 1015 Edison St. NW, Hartville, 330-877-9353 $$$ L, D, T, W Henry Wahner’s Restaurant An old favorite across from Kent State University.

Complete German menu. Germanstyle bar with beers served in icecold steins. 1609 E. Main St., Kent, 330-678-4055 $$$$ D, A, T No credit cards Hibachi Japan Steak House Japanese hibachi-style cooking, great steak and sushi. 1803 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls, 330-928-3333 $$$ L, D, A, T HiHO Brewing Co. Former educators and co-owners Ali and Jon Hovan plate up fresh pizza with house-made dough and sauce along with myriad draft beers brewed in house. 1707 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls, 234-3347564 $$$ L, D, A Honeymoon Grille Check out our new building: We even have patio seating!

Portage Lakes neighborhood gathering place since 2013 that features made-to-order breakfast, lobster bisque, organic salads, handcut steaks, specialty sandwiches, fresh-ground burgers, colossal onion rings, hand-battered mushrooms and more. Catering menu and private room rental available. 3458 Manchester Road, Akron, 330-6444355 $$$ B, L, D, A, T Hopocan Gardens Barberton-style chicken. 4396 W. Hopocan Ave., Barberton, 330-825-9923 $$ L, D, A, T No credit cards House of Hunan Common favorites to spicy specialties. Oriental decor.

2717 W. Market St., Fairlawn, 330864-8215; 18 Public Square, Medina, 58

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330-722-1899 $$ L, D, A, T Jilly’s Music Room All gluten-free menu of creative American tapas in a sophisticated setting. Live music, concerts and events Wed. through Sat. 111 N. Main St., Akron, 330-5763757 $$, D, A, T, W Jimmy’s Backyard BBQ A family-friendly restaurant known for award-winning baby back ribs. 526 Graham Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-349-6949; 1338 N. Chapel St., Suite 1, Louisville, 330871-0006 $$ L, D, T Jimmy Bigg’s Grille Burgers, Italian subs, Reubens, wings, Philly cheesesteak, BLTs, hand-breaded onion rings and more. 1927 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-929-2444 $$ L, D, A, T Kasai Japanese Restaurant Sushi, hibachi, noodles, don buri, agamono and more. Finish your meal with tempura cheesecake. 295 Weatherstone Drive, Wadsworth, 330-334-7141; 3875 Massillon Road, Suite 300, Uniontown, 330-899-9788 $$$ L, D, A, T Kingfish A posh yet sleek interior features the freshest seafood of North Coast. Dress is business casual.

Reservations recommended. 115 Montrose West Ave., Copley. 330-7772005 $$$$ D, A Kosar’s Wood-Fired Grill Award-winning steakhouse offering aged steaks, fresh chops and expertly prepared seafood tastefully in an upscale space decorated with beloved former Cleveland Browns player Bernie Kosar’s own authentic memorabilia.

At the MGM Northfield Park casino.

21 and over only. 10777 Northfield Road, Northfield, 330-908-7265 $$$$ D, A Laziza High-end Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare, plus steak and seafood dishes and a full bar. Acorn Alley, 195 E. Erie St., Kent, 330-6777000 $$$ L, D, A, T Lembo’s Italian Restaurant Weekday lunch salad and pizza buffet, Italian specialties, chicken and sandwiches.

Daily specials, lunch specials, kids’ menu. 1186 Canton Road, Akron, 330-733-7586 $$$ L, D, A, T The Leopard Eclectic menu with American, Asian, French and Italian influences. Features seven-course chef’s table. 600 N. Aurora Road, Aurora, 330-562-2111 $$$$ D, A, T, V Lizardville Large selection of draft and bottled beers, whiskey and cigars to enjoy on site or take home. Try the Wild Western burger and a glass of Weller Antique Winking Lizard Edition. 21 and over only. 79 Springside Drive, Akron, 330-6441782 $$ D, A, T The Lockview Traditional American favorites. Fresh menu with spotlight on gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. 207 S. Main St., Akron, 330-252-5128 $$ L, D, A, T Luca’s New York Style Pizza Pizza, calzones, stromboli, cheesesteaks and subs. 3451 Darrow Road, Stow,

330-688-9595 $$$ D, T Lucia’s Steakhouse Fresh seafood, signature garlic butter-topped steaks, Italian favorites and Lucia classics, like house-made lump crab cakes or cubanella and long, hot peppers.

4769 Belpar St. NW, Canton, 330-4929933 $$$$ D, A Luigi’s Restaurant An Akron icon. Open late. Serves superb Italian cuisine, salads and award-winning pizza.

Voted best pizza and best Italian restaurant by Akron Life readers.

Party trays and sheet-pan pizzas available with 24-hour notice. 105 N. Main St., Akron, 330-253-2999 $$ L, D, A, T No credit cards Meet Me At Irene’s House favorites include chili, omelets and daily specials, such as Swiss steak, beef tips, and tuna melts. 264 Kent Ave. NE, Hartville, 330-877-6477 $ B, L, T Melt Bar & Grilled This sandwich bar allows you to enjoy redesigned, gourmet versions of the grilled cheese sandwich, along with ice cold beers and a great atmosphere.

Patio dining is also available. 3921 Medina Road, Akron, 330-983-0015; 4199 Belden Village Mall Circle NW, Canton, 330-494-4604 $$ L, D, A, T Menches Bros. Restaurant Inventors of the hamburger and ice cream cone. In Akron since 1901. 4887 Tuscawaras St. W, Canton, 234-410-3444; 3700 Massillon Road, Green, 330-896-2288; 235 Lincoln Way W, Massillon, 330832-6200 $$ B, L, D, A, T The Merchant Tavern With Owner Anthony Piscazzi’s family history running Akron’s beloved Wine Merchant restaurant and Chef Victor Todaro in the kitchen, this new restaurant already has a great start. Retail wines available. 1824 Merriman Road, Akron, 330-865-9510 $$$ L, D, A, T Michael’s AM Casual, family-style dining.

Full breakfast and lunch menu featuring daily specials. 1562 Akron Peninsula Road, Akron, 330-929-3447 $$ B, L, T No credit cards Mike’s Place Unique atmosphere, extensive menu. 1700 S. Water St., Kent, 330-673-6501 $$ B, L, D, A, T Missing Falls Brewery Located in the historic BF Goodrich factory, Missing Falls Brewery is the latest addition to Akron’s craft brewery scene. Offering sixteen craft beers, a spacious taproom, an open brewery concept, and a family friendly environment in a turn of the century piece of Americana. Oh, did we mention artisan pizza too? 540 S. Main St., Suite 112, Akron, 234-231-1000 $$ A Moe’s Restaurant Hip, intimate atmosphere featuring a diverse chalkboard menu that changes monthly. Martinis, cocktails and extensive selection of wines by the glass. 2385 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls, 330-928-6600 $$$$ L, D, A, T Niko’s Sandwich Board Cafe Menu of fresh salads, small-batch soups and

handcrafted sandwiches, including several veggie, vegan and gluten-free selections. 1947 W. Market St., Suite 104, Akron, 330-794-5444 $$ L, D, T 91 Wood Fired Oven Upscale casual West Coast atmosphere. Pizza and pasta are specialties. Patio dining. 1983 Easton St. NW in Washington Square Plaza, North Canton, 330-498-9191; 5570 Fulton Drive NW, Canton, 330497-9111 $$$ D, A, T Nauti Vine Winery Known for its brick oven baked artisan-style pizza and house-made wines with a scenic view of Portage Lakes. 3950 S. Main St., Akron, 330-644-5444 $$$ D, A Oak and Embers Tavern Southern-style barbecue brisket, pork, ribs and chicken with signature drinks including the Devil’s Grandma and the Revolver. 7774 Darrow Road, Hudson, 234-602-1056 $$$ L, D, W, A, T The Oaks Lakeside Casual dining, fabulous ambiance in 1914 estate.

Outdoor dining with water views.

5878 Longacre Lane, Chippewa Lake, 330-769-2601 $$$$ D, A 111 Bistro House Manager Meghan Pender and Executive Chef Anthony Scolaro own this eatery which features starters, soups and salads, sandwiches, pasta and entrees, as well as an extensive wine, craft beer and cocktail list. Weekend brunch available. 2736 Medina Road, Medina, 330-952-1122 $$$$ D, A, T One Red Door Decadent menu featuring gourmet pizzas, share plates such as bacon-wrapped roasted dates and burgers. 49 Village Way, Hudson, 330342-3667 $$$$ L, D, A On Tap Grille & Bar Relaxed atmosphere, great gyros and Greek food. 3263 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-9220464; 2736 Medina Road, Medina, 330-725-1972 $$ L, D, A, T Papa Bear’s Authentic, house-made Italian food. 4990 Dressler Road NW, Canton, 330-493-0090 $$$ L, D, A, T Papa Gyros Greek Grill Authentic Greek fare, wine and beer. 3939 Massillon Road, Green, 330-899-0707; 4760 Everhard Road, Canton, 330-4971100; 320 W. State St., Alliance, 330823-7773; 2045 Cleveland Ave. NW, Canton, 330-456-9000; 1 N. Hawkins Ave., Akron, 330-247-2475 $$ L, D, A, T Papa Joe’s Iacomini’s Extensive wine list, fine Italian fare, seafood and steaks.

1561 Akron Peninsula Road, Akron, 330-923-7999 $$$ L, D, A, T Primo’s Deli An Akron mainstay since 1979. Try their famous corned beef sandwich or spicy Italian sub, and finish with a slice of house-made carrot cake. 1707 Vernon Odom Blvd., Akron, 330-745-9056 $$ L, D, A, T Pub Bricco The menu features gourmet hamburgers, appetizers, salads and drinks served in a pub atmosphere in the Merriman Valley. 1841 Merriman Road, Akron, 330-869-0035 $$ L, D, A, T R. Shea Brewing Traditional and experimental beers with brewpub

GOOD EATS fare in the Merriman Valley and Canal Place. 1662 Merriman Road, Akron, 330-794-5654; 540 S. Main St., Suite 214, Akron, 234-571-5036, $$ L,D, A, T The Rail High-quality Ohio beef used for burgers. Top with specialty condiments like truffle butter or sunflower-basil pesto. Veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, milkshakes, and local and craft beers. 3265 W. Market St., Akron, 330864-7245 $$ L, D, A, T The Ramp Restaurant Unique entrees include seafood pasta and French pork chop. Dine on the back deck for a waterfront view of Portage Lakes.

3719 S. Main St., Akron, 234-678-6370 $$$$ L, D, A, T Rasicci’s Pizza Deep-dish pizza, fried chicken and jojos from owner Rick Rasicci. 513 E. Cuyahoga Falls Ave., Akron, 330-923-1999 $$ L, D, T Ray’s Place Great burgers, hearty dinners and the area’s largest selection of foreign and domestic beer in the bottle and on draft. 135 Franklin Ave., Kent, 330-673-2233; 25 Ghent Road, Fairlawn, 330-835-2233 $$ L, D, A, T Rosewood Grill Seasonally inspired. Fresh appeal of a local farmers market. 36 E. Streetsboro St., Hudson, 330-6562100 $$$$ L Fri/Sat only, D, A, T Rubber City’s Remarkable Coffee & Cafe A full espresso menu, smoothies, house-made sandwiches, soups and pastries and gluten-free options.

Off-site catering available. Closed weekends. Canal Place, Bounce Innovation Hub building, 526 S. Main St., Akron, 234-901-4334 $ B, L, T Rush Hour Grille Classic american fare.

10735 Ravenna Road, Twinsburg, 330-405-4990 $$ L, D, A, T Russo’s Unique cuisine featuring Cajun and Italian influences. Fine dining atmosphere. 4895 State Road, Peninsula, 330-923-2665 $$$$ L, D, A, T Saffron Patch Fine Indian cuisine including tandoori chicken, gingerseasoned yellow lentils and garlic naan. 1238 Weathervane Lane, Akron, 330-836-7777 $$$ L, D, A, T Sakura Fresh sushi. Wide selection of specialty rolls. 3900 Medina Road, Akron, 330-670-0288 $$$ L, D, T Samantha’s Restaurant Canton staple known for its substantial menu featuring many varieties of eggs Benedict, like the California with spinach, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, red onion and feta. 4954 Portage St. NW, North Canton, 330499-9700 $$ B, L, D, A, W, T Sammie’s Bar and Grill Dave DeLapa’s restaurant menu features burgers, sandwiches, comfort food and appetizers. 498 South Ave., Tallmadge, 234-678-8334 $$ L, D, A, T Samosky’s Homestyle Pizzeria Winner of the American Pizza Championship, Chef Jason Samosky creates unrivaled pies and calzones, like the No. 1 award-winning Philly Cheese

Steak pizza. 6738 Center Road, Valley City, 330-483-2000 $$$ L, D, T Sarah’s Vineyard Sample high-quality wines, appetizers and desserts in the tasting room, on the deck or in the butterfly garden. 1204 W. Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330929-8057 $$ L, D, A, T Serenite Restaurant Fine French dining includes oysters, escargot, duck confit and smoked salmon. Socially conscious mission with a staff made up of people in recovery from addiction. 538 W. Liberty St., Medina, 330-952-2611 $$$ L, D, A, T Shawarma Bros. Get a taste of authentic shawarma lamb, chicken or beef in a rice bowl or on pita bread and falafel, then finish off your meal with baklava at this affordable takeout restaurant.

1808 Portage Trail, Cuyahoga Falls, 234-334-3996 $$ L, D, T Stricklands Frozen Custard Founded in 1936 and run by the third generation of the Strickland family. 1809 Triplett Blvd., Akron; 2629 Bailey Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-929-8498; 3465 S. Arlington Road, Green, 330-899-9477; 9070 state Route 14, Streetsboro, 330-626-2750 $ T Sushi Katsu Award-winning sushi spot in the Merriman Valley. 1446 N. Portage Path, Akron, 330-867-2334 $$$ L, D, A, T Swensons Drive-In Voted best burger in Akron Life’s Best of the City.

Signature burger is the Galley Boy. 658 E. Cuyahoga Falls Ave., Akron, 330-928-8515; 40 S. Hawkins Ave., Akron, 330-864-8416; 4466 Kent Road, Stow, 330-678-7775; 40 Brookmont Road, Montrose, 330665-1858; 5815 Wales Ave., Jackson Township, 330-833-5454; 1558 N. Main St., North Canton, 330-499-9494 $ L, D, T Table Six Kitchen & Bar Innovative and shareable dishes made from scratch in a gastropub where the drinks are also held to the same high standard.

Road 6113 Whipple Ave NW, North Canton, 330-305-1666 $$$ L, D, W, A, T Taco Tontos Funky, college atmosphere featuring authentic Mexican cuisine made from scratch. Good selection of vegetarian dishes. 123 Franklin Ave., Kent, 330-677-0223 $$ L, D, T Tito’s Mexican Grill Dining room features wooden chairs and tables handcarved in Mexico. Run by the owners of El Rincon on South Arlington.

Great meals and even greater margaritas. 25 Ghent Road, Fairlawn, 330-835-9801 $$ L, D, A, T Tokyo Hibachi and Sushi Hibachi meals cooked at your table, entrees from the kitchen, as well as sushi and sashimi. 1132 N. Court St., Medina, 330-952-2818 $$$$ L, D, T Tomaso’s Italian Villa Family-owned and operated for over 50 years. Features classic Italian cuisine. Pasta dinners, pizza, fortunes, calzones, salads, desserts, beer and wine. Kids’ menu.

3271 Barber Road, Norton, 330-7456063 $$ L, D, A, T Tomato Grill Wide array of entree choices. Catering available. 106 First St., Hudson, 330-342-3771 $$$$ L, D, A, T Tong-Tong First Chinese restaurant in Hudson and Stow area. Family-style dining. 1646 Norton Road, Stow, 330655-2550 $$ L, D, A, T Totally Cooked To-Go Comfort foods, soups, made-to-order sandwiches and salads, and desserts. Menu changes weekly. 388 S. Main St., Akron, 330-294-1102 $$ B, L, D, T Trecaso’s Mary Coyle Strong pasta selection. Six-time winner of Pasta Yule’s best red sauce. Highland Square spot known for several ice cream options. 780 W. Market St., Akron, 330-253-1511 $$ L, D, T Treno Ristorante Upscale dining with a focus on classic northern Italian cuisine in a former train depot by the Cuyahoga River in downtown Kent.

Co-owned by Kent State University alum and British Open champion Ben Curtis. 152 Franklin Ave., Kent, 330-676-5139 $$$ L, D, A, W Twiisted Sushi and traditional Japanese food, with gourmet burgers and steaks, salads, appetizers, desserts and a full bar. 985 Boardman Alley, Medina, 330-661-0606 $$$ D, A, T Twisted Meltz Nestled in Acorn Alley, this restaurant serves gourmet grilled cheese, salads and ice cream. 164B E. Main St., Kent, 330-968-4104 L, D, T The Twisted Olive Casual classic ItalianAmerican fare grilled or baked wood-fire ovens. Indoor and outdoor seating. 5430 Massillon Road, Green, 330-899-0550 $$$ L, D, A, T Vaccaro’s Trattoria Traditional Italian cuisine with a twist on nouveau.

Famous since 1957. An Italian and Akron classic. 1000 Ghent Road, Akron, 330-666-6158 $$$ L, D, A, T Valley Cafe Owned by a five-star gourmet chef. Features friendly service, dishes made from scratch and famous cabbage soup. 1212 Weathervane Lane, Akron, 330-8650101; 101 High St., Wadsworth, 330331-7555 $ B, L, D (Wadsworth only), T The Valley Inn One-time country roadhouse transformed into a family hot spot. The prime rib is gigantic.

15004 Portage St., Doylestown, 330658-9859 $$$ L, D, A, T Vasili’s Greek Cuisine A welcome addition to Akron’s restaurant scene, Vasili’s provides big flavors and huge portions at a reasonable price with excellent customer service. The moussaka is excellent, and the baklava is decadent. 1702 Merriman Road, Akron, 330-864-0722 $$ L, D, T Vinifera Wine-to-Whiskey Extensive beverage list with an enomatic wine dispenser system of more than 60 wine selections, more than 80 whiskey and bourbon options and food. 3236 State Road, Cuyahoga

Falls, 234-571-0233 $$$ D, A, T Virtues Signature foods such as a tempura calamari appetizer, specialty pizzas, filet mignon and other gourmet items with high nutritional values on Summa Health System Akron Campus. 525 E. Market St., Akron, 330-375-7444 $$$ B, L, D, A, T, V Waterloo Restaurant Eclectic menu.

Famous for the Waterloo Big Apple and French onion soup. 423 E. Waterloo Road, Akron, 330-773-5158 $$ B, L, D, T Water Main Grille Sandwiches, soups and dinner platters. 339 Main St., Wadsworth, 330-331-7757 $$ L, D, T The West Side Bakery Specialties include cakes, pastries and cookies. Breakfast items include scones, muffins and yogurt parfaits. All sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups are made from scratch. 2303 W. Market St., Akron, 330-836-4101 $ B, L, T Whitehouse Chicken A Barberton tradition. 180 Wooster Road N, Barberton, 330-745-0449; 4195 Massillon Road, Uniontown, 330896-5644; 199 Great Oaks Trail, Wadsworth, 330-335-6000 $$ L, D, T Whitey’s Booze N’ Burgers Famous chili, generous portions and live entertainment on the weekends.

3600 Brecksville Road, Richfield, 330659-3600 $$ D, A No credit cards Wise Guys Lounge & Grill Located in the former Nick Anthe Restaurant, this spot, owned by Tom Procaccio, features steaks, seafood and pasta dishes. 1008 N. Main St., Akron, 330922-3006 $$$$ L, D, A, T Wolf Creek Tavern Housed in the former Loyal Oak Tavern, this restaurant serves craft beer, wine, salads, wraps, burgers, pasta, steaks and house-made pie. Kids menu. 3044 Wadsworth Road, Norton, 234-5714531 $$$$ L, D, A, T Yours Truly This award-winning restaurant is family-owned and operated, with an emphasis on customer service and family-friendly dining. Try the burgers and breakfast items. 36 S. Main St., Hudson, 330-656-2900; 3725 Medina Road, Medina, 330-722-5800 $$ B, L, D, A, T

Please send any changes or corrections to kpetryszyn@ bakermediagroup.com.

Go to akronlife.com to view more area restaurants & events.

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STOW AND KENT

by Halena Sepulveda and photos provided by Blue Wolf Martial Arts

WOLF PACK

A new karate dojo teaches students about martial arts and community.

D

avid Cameron loves teaching karate as much as he loves practicing it. He began taking lessons at age 6, was helping teach taekwondo in a local karate school by age 13 and began studying Kobudo, a weapons art, by age 15.

The black belt spent several years traveling nationally and internationally to compete while training and teaching alongside masters. After the pandemic started, he stopped teaching and began working as a trainer at Revolution Fitness and Therapy in Stow, but his former students said they wanted to keep learning from him. So in May 2021, the 22-year-old opened his own dojo, Blue Wolf Martial Arts. He specializes in teaching Isshinryu karate and Ryukyu Kobudo, which both originated in Okinawa, Japan. Some students are enrolled to learn self-defense, while others train for competitions.

“The way I like to describe the martial arts that we teach is kind of like a Swiss Army knife,” Cameron says. “You get exposed to all the different tools you can use.”

Isshinryu translates to “the one-heart way” and focuses on hand-to-hand combat, self-defense with traditional weapons and the development of one’s character.

The Ryukyu Kobudo classes focus on weapons arts using weapons such as the bo staff and nunchakus. “I tell the kids it’s basically the Ninja Turtle weapons but more,” Cameron says.

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Class and David Cameron, far right

Classes for both styles consist of 10 ranks of belts. Each belt has different katas, which are series of movements or forms.

Students also learn kihon, the basics of the style, and kumite, a form of sparring.

Cameron encourages students to use the sport to stay healthy and develop the discipline needed to persevere. “Through the different challenges it presents physically, mentally, emotionally, it challenges you to be the fittest you can be,” he says, “to keep pushing and keep trying to get through things.”

In addition to karate, Cameron hopes to teach his students about what he calls the wolf pack mentality, which inspired Blue Wolf ’s name and logo. He wanted a symbol that would represent the people he’s built connections with throughout

his martial arts journey, who are a second home to him. “You become a really tightknit group,” he says. Blue also represents honesty, trust and loyalty, he says, and he works those values into lessons. “Building strong people to stand up for what’s right … is what I wanted to get out of it,” Cameron says.

Teamwork is a big aspect of the wolf pack mentality, so he encourages students to use their knowledge to invest in other students and create a community.

“The mission of the school … is teaching students how to become the best versions of themselves,” he says, “and then helping others to do the same.”

4964 Darrow Road, Stow, bluewolfmartialarts.com

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by Marcus Anderson and photos provided by Portage Park District

SERENITY NOW A new county park offers a calming retreat.

M

indfulness is about embracing the moment and the world around you — and the new Trail Lake Park in Streetsboro offers that serenity.

photo by Brad Bolton

The 222-acre park invites you in with hiking trails, a 30-acre lake, an accessible paddle sports launch and plenty of other activities, no matter your age or abilities.

The land has a rich past, as it was the site of the Mahoning Trail established by indigenous people and a historic Clevelandto-Pittsburgh railroad line, which transported ice from Twin Lakes and, according to some, transported former President Abraham Lincoln. It also neighbors the 16-acre Ohio Department of Natural Resources-protected Herrick Fen Nature Preserve featuring rare tamarack coniferous trees. Trail Lake Park debuted in November 2020, and its opening weekend drew about 5,000 guests excited to explore the peaceful, scenic environment.

“As you pull into the parking lot, you’ll be amazed at the gorgeous park surrounding you,” says public engagement manager Andrea Metzler. She shares what you can discover at Trail Lake Park.

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Meditative Break Take a moment for yourself on the Americans with Disabilities Act accessible Osprey Loop trail featuring a mindfulness walk. Visit stations along the 1.62-mile asphalt path that guide you through activities like listening to nature sounds, tracing tree outlines with your gaze and breathing deeply while passing the lake, meadows and pollinator areas.

“Folks that teach mindfulness will tell you to look at the lake, smell the air, see, hear the birds,” Metzler says. “We spend a lot of our programming time thinking about how to connect people closer to nature to benefit their physical and mental health.”

Nature Reel See more diverse habitats on the 1.48-mile Kingfisher Way trail. The natural path meanders through wetlands, mixed woodlands and meadows, and merges with Osprey Loop to circle the lake.

“If you want to get into nature a bit more, deep dive into the woodsy area and check out some more grasshoppers, moths and butterflies,” she says, “that might be the trail for you.”

Watch for wildlife, including deer, herons and a bald eagle.

“As you walk up to the trailhead, you will be greeted with a beautiful lake, which is often visited by wildlife and even a bald eagle,” Metzler says. “They’re a wonderful sight, and it makes you feel really special.”

STOW AND KENT

photo by Denny Reiser

Lake Breeze We all relax in different ways, and the park provides several options, including running, biking, picnicking and fishing. If you choose to settle in with your fishing rod at the accessible fishing dock, know there’s a deep history.

Outdoorsman Bill Gressard created the lake as a fish hatchery that sold to businesses and restaurants. He invented the Trail Lake Torpedo fishing lure. “People are still using it,” Metzler says, adding the park has an original one on display.

The fun continues as the seasons change. During the winter, hike and cross-country ski. Once it gets warm again, Metzler recommends kayaking and canoeing. “Those are always calming,” she says.

The accessible kayak and canoe launch has a bench that allows you to scoot down into the boat, rollers that make it easier to get onto the water and handles to hold onto when you enter and exit. It can be helpful for people with a disability or injury, beginners or anyone who just needs extra assistance, like Metzler’s dad, who has sought the help of a stranger to exit his teetering kayak.

“It’s as simple as stability,” she says, “comfort and ease of getting in and out of the water.”

With years of combined M`XMZQMVKM _M W‫ٺ‬MZ I warm environment of comfort and personalized care, as well as knowledge of the latest techniques and materials used in dentistry. We are passionate about dentistry and make it our focus to provide comprehensive and preventative care that keeps you healthy and smiling!

Dr. Ernie Mastroianni and his associate, Dr. Laura Martin Miller are proud to provide Kent and the surrounding communities with excellence in dentistry.

110 E. Elm Street, Kent, Ohio 44240 330-673-7155 | kentohiodentist.com

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by Halena Sepulveda and photo provided by Julie Kenworthy

FOOT PRINTS

Uncover Kent’s past on a new walking tour.

W

e stroll by historical buildings and art without a second thought. But each place holds a story.

Discover Kent’s stories on a walking tour that showcases public art or on the newest, the History of Industry in Kent, Ohio walking tour, which offers a look at the early industries that shaped Kent beginning in the 1800s. Use a link on Main Street Kent’s website to embark on the tours virtually or to follow walking instructions to downtown stops and read about them.

“We have a rich history,” says Julie Kenworthy, director of Kent Historical Society & Museum and a designer of the tour developed with Main Street Kent.

“Take in the sights, whether it be art or history, and learn more about our city.”

The industrial tour features 10 historical downtown stops. Here is a sneak peek at a few.

“Father of Kent” Throughout the tour, Zenas Kent, who purchased much of the land along the Cuyahoga River, is credited for developing the first bank in the 1850s and several of the first mills in the town originally known as Franklin Mills.

Zenas was nicknamed the “Father of Kent.”

But when it became the city of Kent in 1867, it was named after his son, Marvin Kent, who is celebrated for bringing railroads there in the 1850s.

“Prior to the 1850s, Kent was struggling,” Kenworthy says. “It provided so many jobs and economic activity that he was really credited with saving the town.”

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Read more about it at stop one, which is nearby the Franklin Avenue post office and the former site of the railroad shops during the late 1800s through the 1930s.

Train Crossing Stop six expands on Kent’s early success due to Marvin’s collaboration with the railroad industry. “We became a train town,” Kenworthy says. “You’ve got the train depot, the railroad tracks and all the history that went with that.”

Kent’s original depot consisted of only a boxcar that later became a small building. In 1875, the depot was remodeled into a twofloor Tuscan Revival building with a restaurant, a reading room for railroad workers and sleeping quarters. It was later renovated into Treno Ristorante that has since closed.

Milling Around Known to locals as the Silk Mill, the building at stop three opened in 1879. There is irony in its name.

“No silk was ever made in it,” Kenworthy says, explaining that the silkworms at the mill could not survive Ohio’s cold winters.

Instead, it was first a wool mill powered by a water raceway from a dam and later housed different businesses, from a dress factory to a furniture factory. Now there are apartments, offices and a mural depicting businesses that existed there, inspiring pride.

“The more you learn about your community, the more you want to be a part of supporting it,” Kenworthy says. “The history of the city is a big part of that.” mainstreetkent.org/walking-tours

STOW AND KENT

The Kent Stage

Summit Endodontic Specialists

After 16 months off, the Kent Stage is back in action — with a $500,000 upgrade! Enjoy a concert and check out the new entryway, touchless and ADA accessible restrooms, stage, carpet, ceilings, seats, bar area, exit doors and HVAC system. Get your tickets today.

Root canals can be a comfortable experience. Dr. Ron Wolf and his team are redefining root canals by providing specialized expertise, state-of-the-art technology and compassionate care.

The team at Summit Endodontic Specialists are fortunate to partner with many exceptional local dentists in their shared philosophy to effectively save teeth and optimize oral health.

The Kent Stage 175 E. Main St., Kent 330-677-5005 kentstage.org

Summit Endodontic Specialists 3611 Darrow Road, Stow 330-686-0080 summit-endo.com

THE KENT STAGE

Woodsy’s Music, Audio, Video

Diamond Optical

We are Northeast Ohio’s largest independent music store in the heart of Kent’s vibrant downtown. We have an incredible selection of new, used and vintage instruments and accessories, and rentals, repairs and lessons too! With another location in Medina, we have inventory for your holiday shopping. A fun destination for any musician. Visit us soon!

For over 40 years, Diamond Optical has provided comprehensive vision and eye care services to Stow and its surrounding communities. Diamond Optical is a full-service eyewear boutique offering fashion-forward eyeglass frames and contact lenses for all ages. Its optometry professionals provide high-quality, personalized service. Call today to schedule your eye exam.

Woodsy’s Music, Audio, Video 135 S. Water St., Kent 330-673-1525 woodsysmusic.com

Diamond Optical 4299 Kent Road, Suite 1, Stow 330-688-1800 stowdiamondoptical.com DECEMBER 2021 | akronlife.com

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Portage Community Bank

Bella Eyecare

We are a locally-owned and operated community financial provider that proudly serves the citizens and businesses throughout Portage and Summit counties. Founded with a motto “Neighbors Serving Neighbors,” our approach to preserving our customers’ trust and approval is twofold: providing efficient, friendly and customized service to each individual customer, and offering dynamic banking solutions to meet the needs of our customers.

Bella Eyecare has been a leading provider of optometry services and vision care products in Stow since 2008. Dr. Linda Sedlacek offers comprehensive vision examinations and specializes in eye conditions for all ages. Bella Eyecare carries a vast array of frames, including infant sizes, designer eyewear and boutique lines. Visit their website to virtually try them on.

Portage Community Bank

Ravenna - 1311 E. Main St. Rootstown - 4183 Tallmadge Road Kent - 1532 S. Water St. Cuyahoga Falls - 140 Portage Trail

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Bella Eyecare 4153 Bridgewater Parkway, Stow 330-922-4393 visionsource-bellaeyecare.com

Bella Eyecare

PARTING SHOT

photo courtesy of Summit Memory/Akron-Summit County Public Library

“

Jingle Bells Akron, 1960s

”

Elaborate displays — including decor depicting The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, trees and plenty of wreaths — have been drawing people to downtown Akron during the holidays for nearly 100 years. Polsky’s department store was built across the street from O’Neil’s in 1930, and the two soon began rivaling over the best holiday display, many of which were walkthrough to bring shoppers inside. In recent years, Akron resident Jeanne Tassiello-Jordan has salvaged decor like the giant Raggedy Ann from O’Neil’s to fill those storefronts, and this year, the Bowery Building. Also, see a trio of 6-foot artist-made nutcrackers— a regal blue-and-gold lion, a whimsical fashion-forward soldier and a modern fleur-de-lis prince — commissioned

by Curated Storefront in Polsky’s through January. Although the stores have been closed for more than 30 years, the tradition of holiday displays lives on, combining the old and the new.

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