Viking Vineyards & Winery

Photos by OHventures

Viking Vineyards & Winery

268 Old Forge Road
Kent, OH, 44240
(330) 678-2080

A nice afternoon road trip led me to the cozy and relaxing Viking Vineyards & Winery, a winery located in the rolling hills of Portage County, in Brimfield Township (Kent area). If only it had been a nicer day, or else I might have found myself sitting by the nearby pond at a picnic table or in the gazebo with a glass of the red stuff. Unfortunately, I could only imagine what that would be like, as the gray skies forced me to bypass the charming waterside set-up and head indoors.

 

Inside was an ample sized tasting room, which would do just fine in lieu of the lakeside seating. There was a small fireplace and a door that led to the large party room, known as the Lake View Hospitality Room, which can be rented for private functions.

 

I was greeted by one of the owners, Jeff, who happily poured me a series of 1-ounce samples (priced at 50 cents each) of some of the winery's top sellers. Picking which ones I would taste was a challenge, since ALL of the wines made at Viking Vineyards are award winners. But Jeff advised that I taste in the following order: dry whites, sweet wines, dry reds, and sweet reds - a tip I had heard of before, but will certainly use going forward!

 

I first tasted the Chardonnay, a dry white wine that was fermented in stainless steel, and therefore had no oak flavor. I actually prefer the oak flavoring, but it was a refreshing and crisp change from what I am used to. From there, I tried the "Party!" wine, because any wine that has an exclamation point in its name deserves some attention (I am known to use exclamation points far too often on OHventures)! This wine was definitely a party, and was one of my favorites. Sweet (but not TOO sweet), really smooth, and a nice touch of citrus.

Moving on to the red wines, I first tried the Cabernet Sauvignon, which was the driest of the bunch (and would end up being my personal favorite). I also tried the Viking Red, which was a middle-of-the-road wine, as far as sweetness was concerned. This one blended concord, merlot, and leon millot grapes to create an interesting flavor! Lastly, I tasted the "Red Kiss," which was billed as one of the sweetest wines available. I initially thought I would not like it because of that description, but ended up buying a whole bottle to take home with me! It is a dessert wine that is a mix of grape and chocolate. It reminds me of a Tootsie Roll, and of a similar wine that I had at Myrddin Winery in Mahoning County.

 

After the tasting session, I had a glass of the Cab Sav and enjoyed spinach artichoke dip and a turkey panini. It was a delightful afternoon at Viking Vineyards, and I can only hope to return to sit outside by the lake! Until then, I will enjoy my bottle of Red Kiss and encourage you all to stop out soon!

Kent State Stark Turkey Trot Recap

Photos by OHventures

The other day, someone told me I was like Superman because of all of these races that I do. While it was a flattering comment, and even though I did go as Clark Kent for Halloween, Superman I am not! I am merely human, and the fact that I sign up for all of these races is simply because I have such a strong passion and dedication for the spirit of running and competition. What I try to do through running is encourage those who think they can't that they indeed can. You don't need to be Superman - or Spiderman, or Wonder Woman, or Wolverine (although all of those would be pretty awesome). You just need to make a decision to get up and go.

I say this because on the morning of November 23, I had to get up bright and early (as I seem to keep doing) to run in the Kent State Stark Turkey Trot, taking place at 9 AM in North Canton (my new hometown)! The night before, I had a party to attend, and had a few too many vodka sodas, and also went to bed at a less than desirable hour. The morning of the race was supposed to be one of the coldest days of November. Sure enough, there was frost on the ground when I peered out the window.

It took everything I had in me to roll myself out of bed, shower, and put on enough layers of fleece, compression pants, technical shirts, long johns, and heavy duty socks to keep me warm. I coffeed up and begrudgingly drove to the Kent State Campus. I am not the type of person to want to quit anything, or not fulfill commitments. And, besides, I signed up for this race for the sole reason that I wanted to make sure that I had 20 races in 2013. The fact that it was so close to home made it very convenient.

I knew all along that I would be riding the strugglebus all the way to this race, because I knew when signing up that there was the big party the night before. But  I wanted to make sure I accomplished my goal of having 20 races. I kept repeating that in my head whenever I had second thoughts that morning.

Arriving on campus, I got my bib and chip and wandered around for a bit when all of the sudden I heard someone call my name! It was my friend, Samira, who was there to run the race as well! I had no idea she would be there participating, but I was SO glad to see her. She immediately told me, "you look tired!" That was an understatement! 

We got our picture with Flash (the mascot) and headed to the starting line. I wasn't ready for this race in so many ways, but that wouldn't stop it from happening. Once we started, I sucked it up and powered through. My body was hurting all over but I pushed myself through the course, which to add insult to injury, was mostly UPHILL! I huffed and puffed, and I winced and grimaced all the way around the Kent State Stark campus. 

With bags under my eyes and frost on the ground, I finally crossed the finish line (which was atop of the steepest hill of the course) and couldn't have been happier. My time was not up to par. It was about 26 minutes. For me, this was not so hot, as I typically run a 5K in 23 minutes. But it is what it is! I did it, and that was the important thing.

Samira ran at a remarkable speed, finishing in I think about 24 minutes, which she said beat her personal record by 30 seconds!! I was so proud of her and kept congratulating her on the huge accomplishment. We went to the recreation center where there were refreshments galore (including my all time favorite - orange slices!!). 

We ate our bananas and warmed up inside while the awards ceremony took place. Not surprisingly, Samira won FIRST PLACE in her age group and got a fancy shmancy gold medal! We were thrilled with that news. Soon, an announcement was made that I placed THIRD PLACE in my age group! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could that be? I got my bronze medal in shock and awe!

I think that the lesson learned today is that we are all human and we all face challenges. We can all think of a billion reasons to stay in bed and be sedentary. But with enough drive, determination, motivation, accountability, and dedication, you can do most everything you set out to do! Just keep your eye on the prize and push yourself to your limits. You might surprise yourself, and you might even feel like Superman when you cross that finish line :-).

Swensons Drive Ins

Photo by OHventures

Swensons Drive-In (original location)
40 S Hawkins Ave

Akron, OH 44313

(330) 864-8416

I know I am always writing in this blog telling you how to be active, stay in shape and workout, but let's face it: we all need some cheat eats every now and then, and there is no better place to pig out than Swensons Drive-In restaurant. Swensons has only seven locations (in the whole wide world) and they can all be found in beautiful Northeast Ohio. The very first of these yummy establishments was erected in 1934 near Market Street in West Akron. Now, you can also find Swensons in North Akron, Kent, Montrose, North Canton, Jackson Township, and Seven Hills.

So why am I clamoring so loudly about some dinky fast food chain? Aside from the fact that (as mentioned) they are only found in Ohio, these restaurants have been recognized numerous times as having some of the BEST burgers in the nation. And this isn't just your crazy Uncle Buck or your nosy neighbor Linda telling you this. These accolades have come from legitimate sources, including Forbes Magazine, who flat out gave Swensons the title of "America's Best Burger" in 1999.

Swensons was also featured on The Food Network's show "Food Feuds" in which it competed against another local burger joint and won the title of the "Best Juicy Double Cheeseburger in the Akron Area." These are just some of the many morsels of praise Swensons has received throughout the many decades of its existence.

The Galley Boy hamburger is what to get when you go here (which I know you will, since it's on the Buckeye Bucket List). It is famous for its two mysterious special sauces that are slathered all over a double cheeseburger and garnished with a single green olive. And, while I could go on and on about the delectable menu, some other highlights would be the fantastic fried mushrooms (pictured above), the zesty and cheesy potato teasers, and any one of the multitude of milkshake flavors they offer (including mint, peanut butter, key lime, and butterscotch). And my personal favorite beverage? The "refreshingly different" Californian, which is a grape and lemon soft drink combo that tastes like, well, California!

If you aren't hungry yet, you will be the moment you pull into this Ohio favorite. The best part is, you don't even have to get out of your car - it's one of the few remaining good old fashioned drive-ins! Even more of a reason to hit the gym after a satisfying visit to Swensons!