One of the many reasons I wanted to move back into Toledo was to be able to do what I did today. Aubrey and I took TARTA downtown and wandered around for a few hours before the Community Voices Forum that I wrote about below took place. I've been re-exploring downtown but this was her first adventure of just walking around. It was also her first time riding TARTA on a regular bus route and she really enjoyed the fact that the bus "talked". She has of course been to Fifth Third Field many times and has been downtown but we've always had a specific destination. This afternoon there wasn't one, except my wanting to make sure I had the one photo and the later Forum.
Most of our time was spent walking around the perimeter of Fifth Third Field, down Huron and over by S. St. Clair. We stopped and looked at several places she could have decided to eat at, Frickers, Spagetti Warehouse, Homeslice and Packo's. She decided on Packo's. Our timing was perfect because the before the game crowd had not really hit downtown so things were getting busy after we were already seated. Then we spent some time in Swan Creek Candle Shop. The collection of Democratic signs on Jack Wilson's building caught my eye, as you can see they are in the front, side and back of the building. A woman who was leaving the parking lot as I was taking pictures of the back stopped and told me that the upstairs was the best place for Yoga in Toledo. That would be Zen in the District. My photo skills are not as good as Miguel's, so maybe next time he can get a better close up of the dragonlike creature that is above Jack Wilson's sign. I'm also really fond of the building next store, I can see the huge potential it has though I'd want to keep the ivy.
We could have easily spent more time downtown, we didn't even get a chance to head over to the river or near the Library or the many other places like the Erie Street Market or go earlier in the day to the Farmer's Market. Many future trips will come, while for me it's not the same as it was during the busy days of Downtown when I was about Aubrey's age, or even during the Portside days, Downtown has really started to make a comeback. All it needs is more of us to go down and enjoy it.
:-)
4 comments:
You are probably thinking of the big Ted Strickland sign. That was Carty's former headquarters for Mayor if I'm remembering my political history right. The Strickland and Brown campaign satellite office for Lucas County is renting it. I don't think Carty owns it though.
:-)
Right on target. There's something new to notice, every time you go.
While it is true that life is coming back to downtown, I do have to say that after attendening meetings at the Raddison on Summitt the view from the lobby was one of vacant store fronts and there are a great deal of vacant store fronts in the downtown area and out of towners see this and makes them wonder
Yep, downtown is beginning to turn around!
Bravo!!!
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