Friends & neighbors from the Old West End attended the City Paper’s “Best of Toledo” party last night. Thanks to the City of Toledo for choosing the OWE as “Best Neighborhood” and congrats to all the 2012 winners!

We had a great time and really enjoyed a performance by Raq the Casbah.

So excited about this… Toledo-favorite Cake in a Cup gets invited to the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. AND WINS! We were happy to join them in a viewing party where their lips remained sealed about the outcome until it was shown on the TVs. What a night. Congrats to Lori and Dana… well done girls. Well done!

Cake in a Cup | 6801 W Central Ave # 2 | (419) 491-1104

My favorite weekend of the year is The Old West End Festival weekend! And to kick it off, our neighborhood hosts the King Wamba Parade. The best way to describe the parade is “eclectic!” I absolutely loved this old car.

For every antique beauty there were equally amazing art cars. I love the tiki wonder pictured above–a creation by OWE resident, Melanie Harris.

Parade watchers were serenaded by The Toledo Glassmen…

… and entertained by the dancing girls (and guys) of JJ Express!

This year’s King Wamba is Michael Szuberla of Toledo Grows and Queen Sancha is Rachel Richardson, activist extraordinaire.

I was most pleased by the visiting Detroit Party Marching Band.

And a party they were!

Great parade, great food, fun parties, golf carts!, and an all around great weekend. I will post video from the entire weekend shortly.

Here we go! 2011 Art Walks in Downtown Toledo… an ongoing Summer event I highly recommend. Every Third Thursday during May through September (May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15) from 6-9 pm.

Visit www.acgt.org often for updated event details. Maps available at the info stations, at all venues during the event, and at www.acgt.org.

Venues include: 20 North Gallery, Bozarts, Collingwood Arts Center, Downtown Latte, Gallerie 333 at TSA, Jack Wilson Gallery, Madhouse, The Offices of Paul Sullivan, Secor Studios, Shared Lives Studios, Space 237, Studio M Printmakers, Sur Saint Clair Gallery, Swank Gifts, Toledo City Paper Offices, Truth Art Gallery, Zyndorf Glass & Arts, Glass City Cafe… and many more!

Park your car, walk or bike, and enjoy.

The Toledo Museum of Art hosted a wonderful party in the Peristyle for the Kentucky Derby last week.

There were several local restaurants donating bites to eat and serving up their own versions of the hot brown while mint julips flowed from every crevice–thanks in part to Woodford Reserve Bourbon.

Both women and men were in their Derby Best.

And the hats were breathtaking!

When it was time for the race, a sea of bonnets rushed into the Peristyle.

It was an exciting race. Congrats to “Animal Kingdom!”

As the party began to end many Derby revellers were found on the front steps of our beautiful museum. It was a grand to-do… and one I hope happens again next year.

Toledo Museum of Art | 2445 Monroe Street | (419) 255-8000