June 2005 Issue

Adrenaline Trip
The word "vacation" means different things to different people. For some, it's all about rest and relaxation, while others see it as an opportunity to rev up the engines and get the adrenaline pumping. If you happen to be (or would like to be) one of those people who would rather pack a helmet and hiking boots than a beach towel and a book on your next trip, then thrills await you in the natural playgrounds of western Pennsylvania and New York. From the rugged terrain of the Youghiogheny River valley so...

Beach Ball
You don't have to head south to find pristine sand, crystalline water and impressive sunrises and sunsets. Ohio's beaches offer all that and more. Here are four, each distinctly different, each a favorite "hot spot" for those who know them best. Lake Hope State Park Eighty days to Lake Hope. For Nancy Lockard, her husband Steve, and their four children, the countdown began with an e-mail on May 1 and continues until mid-July, when the Lockards will make the 90-mile trip from their home in Powell to Lake...

Getting Their Due
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ohio's female artists created a body of work that brought thIei dreamlike view of the world into the artistic realm.  "Breaking With Tradition: Ohio Women Painters, 1870-1950" draws from museums, galleries and private collections throughout the state and features more than 65 paintings by 15 artists. The Massillon Museum breaks new ground by exhibiting these luminaries of the art world, who are seldom recognized for their contributions. The burgeoning art ...

Pulling the Strings
Jerry Handorf is a giant among men. Or, more to the point, it's his puppets that are the giants. As artistic director of Cincinnati's Madcap Puppet Theatre, Handorf - who began his career working with Jim Henson of "Muppets" fame on the show "Sesame Street" - is the creative visionary behind a troupe that incorporates 12-foot-high characters into its storytelling.    With six touring companies and a dozen puppeteers, Madcap presents 1,400 performances annually for nearly 500,000 audience ...

Shaped By Clay
It didn't matter that it was cold outside, that everyone could still hear the rain steadily drumming the pavement, or that the dark clouds hovering over the town like a shroud seemed poised to shake loose thunder and lightning any minute. Dave Preston lumbered out the front door anyway, no umbrella in sight, insisting there was something everyone just had to see.   Now, he was back from the car - hair wet, big arms cradling a package wrapped in brown paper. One could assume Preston was uncomfortabl...

Sweet Pickings
As the first ripe strawberries appear in their cardinal-red splendor, it's a sign that summer has officially arrived in Ohio. Forget about those worn-out berries that make the trek across the country from California. Ohio has some of the sweetest, juiciest strawberries to be found, and every summer Ohioans prove it with a host of strawberry farms and farm markets that invite visitors to enjoy the fruits of their labor. But with only about six weeks to capitalize on this delectable treat, there's little ...