An Urban Space Experience: Akron Art Museum

 Akron Art Museum
All photos by: Melissa Arditti

Running a little behind schedule, our next stop was the Akron Art Museum.

The architectural structure of the building is quite modern, broken into three sections (the Crystal, the Gallery Box and the Roof Cloud) with a combination of glass and steel and was designed by Viennese architectural firm, Coop Himmelb(l)au.

After admiring the outside, we met up with our guide, who reminded me of a really chic/bohemian-styled woman who hailed from the fashion district of New York City, with thick black-rimmed glasses. Her name was Carol Murphy, and she is currently the Chief External Affairs Officer. She was waiting for us by the i-Q Café, named after the museum’s sculpture; Inverted Q by renowned American Pop artist Claes Oldenburg.

The museum has a vast collection of over 5,000 works of art and you can walk through these beautiful loft-like galleries with 16-foot ceilings, and enjoy contemporary pieces, to sculptures, photography and much more. Here are some photos that I took for your viewing pleasure.

A lot of galleries can often feel pretentious, but there is a real free-spirited attitude and appreciation for all kinds of people who walk through the door. The best part about the art museum here in Akron is its adaptability and versatility to change. It is also wonderful to know about all the creative programs that they provide for inquisitive minds of all ages. I wish I was 5 again so I could take part in a Firefly Tea Party or perhaps some Shadow Dancing. :)

Before or after you tour the gallery and pop into the museum store, you can enjoy a delicious snack and beverage without even having to walk out the door. Carol also mentioned that they pride themselves on serving their patrons local and whenever possible, organic products.

So whether you’re a professor, a student of the arts, an art connoisseur, or simply just wandering downtown Akron, stop in and see all the unique galleries that makes Akron Art Museum a destination to further explore.

For more information, you can visit the gallery here: akronartmuseum.org

A Taste Of Italy In Akron

Vaccaro's Trattoria
 All photos by: Melissa Arditti

Anyone up for some Italian food? It was a Saturday evening when we returned back from all the fun activities of the day and let me tell you, I was starving! So we looked at the plethora of restaurants that the hotel provided. They had everything from casual family dining to more upscale fine dining. We decided to browse through the listing that had moderate prices, after all, this was only our first stop on a week’s worth of touring the United States, and a majority of the time, we’re a bit of a frugal bunch.

I didn’t realize how busy restaurants are in Akron! The parking lot of Vaccaro’s Trattoria was packed. My dad dropped me off at the door to see if I could get us a table or not. A bit frazzled by the influx of people, the hostess told me it would be a few minutes, but she’ll see if something was available. We didn’t make a reservation in advance, so it was the luck of the draw at this point. After a bit of waiting and being bounced around to one area of the dining room and then to another, we were finally seated.

Service was decent. We were told the special features, which seemed as long as the actual menu. It may not seem like a big deal, but from past experiences going out to eat, it bothers me to no end when I overhear another table being told of the specials and myself and whomever I am with get overlooked. So this small gesture made me happy.

Our waiter was very well-mannered and explained menu items that honestly we had never heard of before. It was interesting to see the chefs come out from time to time and chat with other patrons. Obviously, there is a clear indication on who are regulars at this restaurant when they know you by name.

Although I will say that if you are searching for a quick dining experience, this is not the place to go to. We were getting a bit antsy after time was ticking away, but the quality of our meals ended up being worth the wait.

Here is my dad’s “Italian Wedding” soup. I’ve had this kind of soup many times before, but tasting a few spoonfuls, I cannot say that anything even compares. It had so much flavour and was very light. A perfect appetizer.

His meal was veal parmigiana, which had breaded veal scaloppini, egg angel hair pasta, aglio e olio mozzarella di bufala. (translated to: spaghetti with oil and garlic, and mozzarella made from the milk of domestic water buffalo). A dense carb-filled meal, but the veal was cooked well and he really enjoyed every bite.

My mom had her first taste of “Free-range airline chicken.” What is airline chicken? Well, it’s actually quite simple; a boneless chicken breast with the drumette part attached. It was served with corn bread, guanciale (an Italian cured meat), blistered grapes, mushroom ragout and swiss chard. The presentation was beautiful and the chicken was delicious.

I had a craving for seafood and so immediately I knew what I was getting; Jumbo Scampi and Agnolotti Pasta. It consisted of jumbo scampi, and I do mean jumbo, lobster agnolotti, chardonnay garlic butter, and julienne summer vegetables. If there is a dish that I would recommend here, this is the one. If you’re a seafood lover, once you bite into the pasta filled lobster, you’ll be hooked. I am actually getting hungry just thinking about it.

Finally, dessert. I cannot go into an Italian restaurant and not have tiramisu. Anything else makes no emotional sense to me, as this is my all-time favourite sweet. I’ve had tons of tiramisu over the years. Some have been orgasmic and others have disappointed. This particular tiramisu was quite tasty but the amount of mascarpone was a bit on the heavy side. However, the presentation was quite lovely to look at. We split this in three.

To finish off our meal, we ordered tea. I loved the gorgeous tea boxes that were presented in wooden cigar boxes. They had a variety of flavours, both organic and non-organic. This was a nice elegant touch.

Interestingly, there are also a few spots outside the restaurant that you can dine at. Definitely more intimate. I caught a little romantic evening taking place on our way out, as you’ll see in the first photo of the review.

Day one of our trip was certainly memorable and we commented that if food is this good in Akron, what is in store for us when we check out some other restaurants across the United States? Well, you’ll have to continue checking out Windsor Square, as I share more food reviews.

Award-winning and with 60 years of culinary history in Akron, Vaccaro’s is a perfect stop for your next classic Italian meal: www.vactrat.com

Off The Beaten Path: Stan Hywet Hall And Gardens

After a filling lunch, we were ready to explore Akron and our first stop was the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, which is Akron’s first and largest National Historic Landmark, and is also the nation’s 6th largest historic home to F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

The Estate includes five historic buildings and eight historic gardens on 70 acres of land. 95% of the collection at the Manor is original, so you can admire the time period pieces and see what elegance was like back then, up close and personal. Don’t touch though! There is a reason why everything is in pristine condition. Photography and video are also not allowed inside, so this is the only photo you will see from the outside, but what a gorgeous Manor!

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
 All photos by: Melissa Arditti

Some kind lady offered to take a picture of myself and my parents though, as we arrived.

We were fortunate enough though to get a “Guided House Tour” that day. I would suggest going with an interpreter, as opposed to a self-guided tour because you really get a full experience where you can ask questions along the way. Every room tells its own unique story and our tour guide, Ruth, surely knew a lot. Of course, she has been volunteering for many years, so she was a pleasure to listen to the stories and learn more about what it was like to have a life like the Seiberlings.

Sadly we were not able to go to the lush gardens that people have raved about due to Mother Nature’s wrath being particularly fussy that day, but as we climbed the stairs and saw the view from the windows, WOW…breath-taking. As we were leaving, a wedding group arrived (in some cultures, rain on your wedding day is good luck) and so if you’re looking to find that perfect place to get married in Akron, this is surely the one. Book well in advance though, as this destination is sought-out by brides-to-be.

The Seiberlings worked very hard for everything they had and you can see while viewing the website’s photos that no small detail was ever over-looked, everything was exactly how the family envisioned their home to be. It is a real treat that they have graciously opened up their home to the public and continue to honour their family motto “Non Nobis Solum” or “Not for Us Alone”

We were also told about an upcoming weekend event from Sept 19-21st called Concours d’Elegance that brings tons of people to the area. If you’re a car aficionado, hold your breath because you’ll get to see 160 rare, invitation-only automobiles and enjoy the epitome of fine living by experiencing high tea and much more. I think I want to go back now. I am not really into cars, but I have always wanted to engage in a high tea afternoon. Where’s my invite? :)

For more information, visit the website.

Exploring the “City of Invention” Akron, OH (Part 1)

Entering the United States is always a bit of a stressful encounter because you never know who the custom’s officer will be and what odd questions you’ll be asked. Thankfully, it was a breeze coming into the USA, as we had our passports ready to show as we approached the booth and the officer asked the usual questions: what’s your citizenship, where are you going, how long will you be away, and are you bringing in food, alcohol or tobacco.

After paying the toll, it was exciting to know that in only a few short hours, we’d be visiting our first stop; Akron, Ohio. Home to “Akronites, ” it is the 5th largest city in Ohio with a population similar to that of Windsor and has a vast amount of arts, culture, architecture, cuisine and much more.

I read the itinerary that my dad compiled and honestly didn’t find it too exciting. However, after spending a full-day on the go, I was really impressed with all the things to do here and how everyone works together to have a vibrant downtown core. Windsor can surely take some advice from the leaders in this place.

So after a couple of rest stops, we arrived at our hotel; Hilton Akron/Fairlawn.

Overall, a comfy stop for our first night away from home. I really loved the lobby area, since they had a purple couch (my favourite colour) and elegant paintings and modern decor.

Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel
 All photos by: Melissa Arditti

So when you arrive, it is quite a welcoming atmosphere. You can also take advantage of quite a few amenities, like the fitness room, complimentary wifi, and indoor/outdoor pools.

Here are a few photos of the room. Nice sized beds, a lovely marble washroom with complimentary toiletries, along with a shower area, lcd tv, and a small business area to do work, if desired.

Before heading on our first tour of the day, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat at Hilton’s restaurant called Beau’s Grille. It was quite a charming little restaurant with delicious food and friendly service.

It also happened to be the spot for bridesmaids/best men to have a drink or two at the bar area, as we encountered several groups popping in during our lunch.  Liquid courage perhaps??!!

One thing to note is that the United States ‘portion sizes’ are probably two or three times bigger, maybe even more at some restaurants. They are really generous with the amount of food served, so it is something to be mindful of, if you’re watching your waistline. However, vacations are also meant to be enjoyed so a little splurging is advised! Plus for the amount of walking that we did, we certainly burned a ton of calories daily.

Here was our table. Note that my mom really loved the brown place mats and so we ended up buying a similar one later on our trip.

This “pizza” that my dad ate (he only had about half since it was so big) was scrumptious. The crust was soft and loaded with all the toppings that you see here.

My mom and I both had this California Turkey Wrap Club, which was really tasty with the whole wheat tortilla and consisted of lean turkey, bacon, tomato, purple onion, cucumber and avocado. On the side, a fresh array of fruit.

No dessert though, as we were pretty stuffed and on a time schedule to meet our tour guide at the Akron Art Museum (which I will talk about in the next blog!)

If you’re looking for a bit more luxurious of a stay, as you’re travelling to Akron, I would highly suggest booking a room. You can find more information about the hotel and all of its services online.

Female Eye Film Festival: Facing Forward

It is true that the ones who come from privileged backgrounds will have the ability to excel far more rapidly than those who are stuck in a cycle of impoverished conditions, where survival comes way before getting an education. But, is the United States education system really broken, or have we just not found the proper methods to teach our next generation?

Making its international premiere at the Female Eye Film Festival, Laura Paglin’s revealing documentary, Facing Forward, truly challenges the way we look at the United States education system as a whole. Set in Cleveland, Ohio, a new charter school called E Prep focuses solely on the importance of academic learning for inner-city students, which prides itself on an authoritarian environment and strict curriculum.

We get to follow a sad, yet familiar story of a student named Tyree, an African-American seventh grader who didn't learn to read until the fifth grade. Hoping for a better life than what she was dealt with, Tyree’s over-worked and hostile mom decides to enroll both him and his sister into E Prep. Tyree is a definite challenge to the staff of E Prep because of his aggressive and defiant behaviour, but knowing what he could be faced with (a life on the streets, drugs, violence, , incarceration) the hours of homework, 7 am – 5 pm class, after-school tutoring, and overcoming many obstacles, including a highly dysfunctional home life, Tyree is hopeful he won’t be another statistic.

At first, I was really angry watching this film. I found the rigid structure of the school to be more like a jail sentence, not allowing students’ to speak to each other during the lunch period and having them hold school books only on the right side of their bodies, and permitting bathroom breaks, two times a day. It was absolutely horrible seeing how these students’ were being trained like drones, instead of having the ability to think for themselves, in an active and engaging environment.

Soon though, my feelings changed, as the realization that any type of structure is totally absent in the students’ lives, so E Prep’s ‘school of hard-knocks’ learning, although sometimes extreme, has a purpose. The high rate of achievement, increased self-worth and the ability for students’ to develop skills that they would have never had the opportunity to learn anywhere else, makes those who graduate into high school even more special, with the potential for even greater things to come.

The main problem seems to be the apparent disconnect between home and school. E Prep almost feels like a huge security blanket for many of the inner-city youth, but when the bus comes at 5 pm, their lives change and homework and studying is an afterthought.

So the question remains, is this type of school the beginning of a greater educational system that will enrich the lives of inner-city youth, or an unrealistic pressure that needs more tweaking? Only time will tell.