Courtyard by Marriott, Relaxation by All Means!

We stayed there while our bathroom was being remodeled, my brother stayed there because he was allergic to the cat and dog.  Whatever reason you works for you, we are certain that a stay at the Newark's Courtyard by Marriott will be an enjoyable experience.


And now, you don't even have to take my word for it, you can try it for yourself--if you are the winning bidder.


Courtesy of the hotel, we are offering an overnight stay in one of their suites, or a room with a Jacuzzi (based on availability).


A Jacuzzi room!?!  Are you kidding me?  How much more of a reason do you need?

Lodge of the Mohican

With images of Daniel Day-Lewis and sculpted waterfalls in the back of your mind, it is perfectly understandable that you might forget you are in Ohio, but let me state now, and for the record, that the Mohican Lodge & Conference Center was in no way featured in the most recent film version of The Last of the Mohicans.


That doesn't mean that there's not lots to do.  Overlooking an 835-acre lake the Lodge is located in  the Mohican State Forest in southern Ashland County.  


The Lodge is also the ideal jumping off point to explore nearby destinations like Malabar Farm and  Loudonville, gateway to Ohio's Amish country.


All in all, if you stay at the Mohican Lodge, a good time will find you.


Up for bid is a overnight stay for 2 at the Lodge including breakfast courtesy of The Mohican Lodge & Conference Center.

When You're Ready to Upgrade to a Mid-Size Carnivore

Thanks to a generous donation from The Wilds, one lucky bidder at the auction will come away with a pair of transport passes and the opportunity to explore this remarkable facility in southeastern Ohio.


One of the stops on any tour of this over 9,000 acre property is the Mid-Sized Carnivore Conservation Center.  The 60-acre Center site includes rolling hills, wooded areas and open grassy fields.  


This center is the only one of its kind in the United States dedicated to the breeding and scientific study of endangered mid-sized carnivores including cheetahs, African wild dogs and dholes.


Inside the building, guests enjoy  features such as elevated walkways, a second-story observation area, boardwalks, and viewing platforms for excellent observation of the animals in a naturalistic environment.

The Wilds is located in Cumberland, OH just about an hour's drive from Newark.

Take Me to the River

My wife took me on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney World and it scared me.  (Okay, I have some issues with boats.)


One minute, you're in a perfectly calm stream and the next, you go crashing down a waterfall and suddenly find yourself in a firefight between the Black Pearl and this coastal town.


She took me on this other ride at Epcot and I found myself floating past an oil rig in the North Sea!


The point is, that when you get on a boat, you never know where you'll end up and what you'll see.


One lucky bidder will get the chance to test my theory with a cruise on the Nautica Queen in Cleveland.


We are offering a brunch cruise for 2.  The trip will take you "under historic bridges and give an opportunity to experience Cleveland's ever-changing skyline."  


So, if you have a taste for adventure, and for good food, make sure you come to the auction of March 5th, bid on this package and perhaps you will get to set sail for adventure.

At the Ballet

They say that everything is beautiful at the ballet.  Well, what about 

1. Lust
2. Gluttony
3. Greed
4. Sloth
5. Anger
6. Envy
7. Pride

Will these be better at the ballet?  

You and a friend will have to judge for yourselves on April 29th at a performance of 7 Deadly Sins by BalletMet Columbus.

Perhaps you think your a pretty good dancer yourself.  Maybe you take every opportunity to go to the ballet.  Possibly you have always wanted to go to the ballet but have never gotten around to it.  You certainly don't want to be jealous if someone else bids on these 2 tickets.  It's also possible that you've always been attracted to the ballet....  We don't want anyone to be angry that they missed this opportunity (and we certainly hope these tickets find a good home at the highest possible price).

Is that so bad?

Take Me Out

"Seriously!  I don't have to go to the old ballgame, although the Cleveland Indians package does sound pretty sweet.  I just need to get out of the house before I stink up the joint."


We have all had the experience of coming home and becoming aware that our trash can is trying to tell us something.  Like maybe the remains of that take-out order from last week needs to be taken out?


But what do you do with a can full of stinky trash?  Where do you take it?  What do you do with it once you get there?


Fortunately, the good people at Big "O" Refuse are here to solve your problem with a generous offer of 3 months of free residential service.


Think of it:  12 stink-free weeks....  


The hard part will be having to wait until March.

Pretty Okay Food On Tap

Mental Health America is pleased to be working with Mr. & Mrs. Rycerz of Bake-n-Brew and Heritage Catering to provide the hot and cold appetizers for our March event.

If you get the opportunity, stop by their restaurant and sample food that is much more than just okay.

Bake-n-Brew is located at 1285 Log Pond Dr. in Newark.

A Taste of Tom Carroll

We are so fortunate to have jazz guitarist Tom Carroll performing at our event. Please accept this as a little taste of Tom.

In this video, he is performing with Tony Monaco in Granville.

They camera may love Tony and his keyboards, but its microphone really likes Tom and his smooth guitar.

2011 Is Definitely THE Year

On the Chinese calendar, 2011 is The Year of the Rabbit, but, at least for the purposes of this blog posting, it will definitely be The Year of the Indians and, thanks to a generous donation from MedBen, the lucky bidder will be able to enjoy an Indians home game Progressive Field in Cleveland.

So, plan now to attend the 2011 edition of Java & Jazz on Saturday, March 5th from 7-10 pm at the Reese Center on the OSU-N/COTC campus in Newark.