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entertainment

Enter Now! 2018 Ode to the Zip Code

by Toledo Lucas County Public Library February 16, 2018

When is a zip code more than a zip code? When it’s an Ode to the Zip Code. The third annual Ode to the Zip Code poetry contest, a partnership of The Fair Housing Center, The Arts Commission, Toledo Lucas County Public Library, and Toledo City Paper, is underway and contest entries are now being accepted online through March 7 on the Toledo City Paper website.

This is your opportunity to submit short poems inspired by your ZIP Code, where the number of words in each line of the poem is determined by the corresponding digit of the ZIP Code. Take last year’s winner, by Lydia Horvath, for example:

4 Near Detroit and Airport
3 We finally settled
6 Family of six, crowding into rentals
0 (here’s where I won’t discuss the summer we were homeless)
9 But there on Somerset, my very own pink bedroom

New to the contest this year is a youth category, so those 15 and under can submit their ode and compete for special recognition. Kids, here’s your chance to tell us all about your neighborhood!

All entries will be juried, and finalists will be invited to read their work at a special event at the Main Library.

Ode to the Zip Code
Apr. 19, 2018 | 5:30 p.m. | Main Library-McMaster Center

Winners selected from both adult and youth categories will be awarded cash prizes. Top entries will be published by Toledo City Paper.

April is Fair Housing Month and National Poetry Month. Ode to the Zip Code is a way for us to talk about our community and how it affects our experiences and opportunities. Inspiration for the contest came from the O, Miami Poetry Festival and WLRN-Miami Herald News, the originators of the “zip ode” concept.

Originally posted by Toledo Lucas County Public Library blogger Jan O. at ToledoLibrary.org/blog/enter-now-2018-ode-to-the-zip-code.

So You Say You Hate Musicals

by Toledo Lucas County Public Library August 21, 2018

Hello blog readers! Allison F and Eric P here to talk to you about something that’s been weighing on us.

So, you say you hate musicals …

Do you really?

Is it the cheesy storylines? Or maybe it’s the way they keep making their characters sing and dance when people don’t really do that. Perhaps they give you a strange, uncomfortable feeling – as if you are embarrassed for the incredibly talented people singing and dancing their hearts out. They look like they’re having the time of their life, but deep down they feel awkward and self-conscious, right? Right?

We get it, musicals are kinda weird. But the thing is, we don’t actually believe you when you say you hate them.

We think maybe you just haven’t discovered the musical that’s right for you.

We think maybe you saw “Fiddler on the Roof” once when you were seven and swore you’d never watch one again. (At an impressionable age, Eric sat through a high school production of “Oklahoma!” in which the title song threatened never to end. It may still be going to this day.)

We think we can convince you otherwise.

So we dare you to keep reading. Let us try and prove to you that musicals are a magical force of fun and excitement just waiting to change your life. Or at least change your mind.

Eric says

If you like…

Seekers and finders [music CD] / Gogol Bordello

You're the worst - Television Show, Season 2 on DVD / Bluebrush Productions

You’ll probably enjoy…

Natasha, Pierre and the great comet of 1812 [music CD] : original Broadway cast recording / Dave Malloy

“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812“

The musical where actors play their own guitars and accordions while navigating love and dysfunction during the Napoleonic wars.

Music CD | eMusic

Allison says

If you like…

Outlander. Season 1, volume 1 [DVD] / executive producer, Ronald D. Moore

You’ll probably enjoy…

“The Phantom of the Opera“

In which the female lead never once questions the disembodied voice that is teaching her to sing and willingly allows herself to be kidnapped and taken into the bowels of Paris’s underground before panicking and realizing something might not be quite right with the dude in the mask.

DVD | Music CD | eMusic

Eric says

If you like…

Lysis ; Symposium ; Gorgias / Plato ; with an English translation by W.R.M. Lamb

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - motion picture

The rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars [music CD] / David Bowie

You’ll probably enjoy…

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch“

The glammy rock opera about love, identity, and sex reassignment surgery in the shadow of the cold war.

Music CD | eMusic

Allison says

If you like…

RuPaul's drag race (Season 7) - television show

You’ll probably enjoy…

“Hairspray“

The upbeat and colorful tale of some plucky teens who just want to dance and aren’t gonna let a little thing like institutionalized racism get in their way.

DVD | Music CD

Eric says

If you like…

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Wall of sound [music CD] : the very best of Phil Spector, 1961-1966

The Complete houseplant survival manual : essential know-how for keeping (not killing) more than 160 indoor plants / Barbara Pleasant ; photography by Rosemary Kautzky

You’ll probably enjoy…

“Little Shop of Horrors“

In which carnivorous plants and malicious dentists sing catchy Brill Building pop numbers as the bodies pile up.

DVD | eMusic

Allison says

If you like…

The Very Best of Backstreet Boys - music

You’ll probably enjoy…

“Newsies“

The story of scrappy turn of the century newspaper sales boys who team up with Teddy Roosevelt to take down the newspaper industry. Also, Christian Bale in a cowboy hat.

DVD | eMusic

Eric says

If you like…

Symphonie fantastique [music CD] / Hector Berlioz

The Donner Party [DVD] / written and directed by Ric Burns ; produced by Lisa Ades and Ric Burns

You’ll probably enjoy….

“Sweeney Todd“

The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a darkly Victorian tale of entrepreneurial cannibalism.

DVD | Music CD

Allison says

If you like…

Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone / by J.K. Rowling

Kermit the Frog's "It's Not easy Being Green" — Image by Isotastic – flickr

You’ll probably enjoy…

“Wicked“

The tale of the “Wicked” Witch of the West who it turns out had a greater handle on things than anyone else and also really knew how to rock the all-black look.

Music CD | eMusic
Based on the novel “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire.

Eric says

If you like…

Omar Sharif - 1963 — Photo by Gene Weber – Wikimedia Commons

You’ll probably enjoy…

“The Band’s Visit“

The intimate and heartbreaking show about cosmopolitan Egyptian musicians unexpectedly stranded in a small Israeli desert town.

Music CD | eMusic
Book | eBook
Based on the film by Eran Kolirin.

Allison says

If you like…

Antiques Roadshow behind the scenes : an insider's guide to PBS's #1 weekly show / Marsha Bemko

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

You’ll probably enjoy…

“Les Miserables“

In which everyone is truly miserable except for two young lovebirds whose self-absorption is so intense they are able to all but ignore the French Revolution. Plus, ghosts.

DVD | Music CD

…Did it work? Is your previous antipathy toward musicals dwindling like the box office returns of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark?” Do you feel a newfound generosity toward the art form swelling in you like the crescendo of an 11 o’clock number?

Or perhaps your indifference remains unchanged. Maybe you still feel as antagonistic toward the stage musical experience as Leslie Odom Jr’s Aaron Burr felt toward Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Alexander Hamilton.”

But that’s okay. It just means we haven’t found the right one for you yet. We’ll be back with another blog post with more suggestions, and we’ll keep coming back until you’ve got jazz hands.

I mean, that high school performance of “Oklahoma!” is still going on somewhere, so anything’s possible.

Five-six-seven-eight!

Looking for your next great read?

Let us help you!

Tell us what you’ve enjoyed reading, watching or listening to, and our librarians will give you personalized recommendations.

No algorithms, cookies or data mining – just real experts in your community sharing their love of great books, music and movies with you. We call it Give 3 Get 3.

Get started today at

toledolibrary.org/Give3Get!

Yoga Programs at the Library!

by Toledo Lucas County Public Library January 16, 2018

As the New Year approaches, you might be considering a resolution for yourself or your children aimed at improving your health, reducing your stress level, or simply picking up a new hobby.

That’s where the latest edition of our ongoing “At the Library” series comes in – as yoga is great way of tackling all three of these resolutions!

Library Events: Jan-Apr 2018

Yoga for Adults

Introduction to Ashtanga Yoga:
New year, new you! Join Malena Caruso, yoga instructor and owner of Toledo Asana Room, to jump start your New Year’s goals with this three-part yoga series. This class will be an introduction to the Ashtanga Yoga style. Everyone is welcome from beginners to advanced. The class will be conducted in a carpeted room but you are welcome to bring your own yoga mat. Registration is preferred.

Jan. 20 and 27, and Feb. 3 | 9 a.m.| Maumee Branch

Yoga and Meditation:
Anne Boyle of Zen in the District returns by popular demand. Join Anne as she leads the group, beginner to intermediate, in her gentle style, including chair yoga where needed. Then unwind as she guides you through stress relieving visualization and meditation.

Feb. 10 and Mar. 10 | 10 a.m. | Oregon Branch

Yoga for Kids

Adventure in Yoga:
Join us for yoga fun! This program builds strength, and confidence in kids, while teaching them healthy breathing and focus techniques. Class presented by Rachna Maheshwari.

Apr. 30 | 3:30 p.m.| Locke Branch

Yoga Storytime:
Join us at the library for yoga, stories, and fun! Listen to stories and songs that incorporate yoga poses and breathing techniques. Please bring a yoga mat or towel. Age 4-8.

Jan. 13, Feb. 10, Mar. 10, Apr. 14 | 10 a.m. | King Road Branch

Yoga for Toddlers:
Introduce your toddlers to yoga! This 3-part yoga class creates a wonderful opportunity to find peace in a busy day. Please bring a yoga mat.

Jan. 11, 18, and 25 | 10:30 a.m. | Sanger Branch

Streaming Yoga Videos on hoopla

Would you rather begin your yoga practice in the warmth and comfort of your own home? We can help with that too!

Gaiam’s Ultimate Yoga Collection

Gaiam’s Ultimate Yoga Collection brings today’s best yoga instructors together for the first time! Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or just starting to get your feet wet, the Ultimate Yoga Collection combines the best practices and routines from five unique areas: yoga for the morning, yoga for weight loss, yoga for your core, flow yoga and yoga for the evening. Join yoga masters Rodney Yee, Colleen Saidman, Chrissy Carter, Gwen Lawrence, and Kathryn Budig in this Ultimate Yoga Collection, and take your practice to the next level!

Storyland Yoga

A fun-filled adventure that infuses children with an eco-conscious message. Two unique stories, Save the Whale and Condor Trek, engage a child’s imagination through storytelling. Kids learn yoga postures by becoming a part of the story and imitating animals. By connecting with nature and gaining respect for their own health and well-being, children become empowered to create solutions for the health and sustainability of our planet.

Two Fit Moms: Yoga for Beginners

Meet Laura Kasperzak and Masumi Goldman, the Two Fit Moms – yoga instructors, wellness advocates and Instagram sensations. They’ve designed four beginner yoga practices you can do daily that will help improve flexibility, reduce stress and boost energy levels.

Ultimate Athletic Yoga Collection

Join All-Pro NFL running back Eddie George, NBA All-Star Kevin Love, soccer standout Jermaine Jones and Major League Baseball All-Star Giancarlo Stanton along with sports yoga instructor Kent Katich for five dynamic, athletic yoga workouts. These are designed to increase mobility, flexibility, strength and competitive focus.

Free Music Rocks the 419!

by Toledo Lucas County Public Library July 16, 2018

The longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere is the summer solstice, which took place on June 21 this year. So, even though it feels like summer has been here for quite some time, there’s still lots of time to enjoy the warm weather in the great outdoors.

The 419 is alive with activity this summer. Short on cash? No problem! Enjoy an incredible variety of performers from all types of musical genres scattered across the Toledo area.

Free Summer Music Concerts in 2018

Brown Bag Summer Concerts - Toledo Lucas County Public Library

Brown Bag Concert Series

When: Wednesdays | June – August 1 | 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Where: Main Library – North Lawn, 325 Michigan Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604

June 27 | Maumee Community Band

July 11 | Fu5ion (R&B/Hip Hop/Rock)

July 18 | Just Kiddin’ Around…with Elisa and Chuck Hage (Children’s)

July 25 | Xplozivo (Tejano)

Aug. 1 | Elixer (Beatles Tribute)

Music Under the Stars

When: Sundays | July 8-29 | 7:30 p.m.

Where: Toledo Zoo Ampitheater | 2700 Broadway St, Toledo, Ohio 43609

July 8 | Stars, Stripes, and Sousa with the Toledo Symphony Concert Band

July 15 | Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and Star Wars: The Music of John Williams with the Toledo Symphony Concert Band

July 22 | Christmas in July with the Toledo Symphony Chamber Players

July 29 | Swing, Swing, Swing: Music of the Big Band Stars with the Toledo Jazz Orchestra

Maumee Community Band

When / Where: See listings below

June 27 | 12:15 p.m. | Brown Bag Concert
Main Library – North Lawn, 325 Michigan Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604July 3 | 6 p.m. | Independence Day Celebration
Downtown Maumee, Ohio 43537

July 10 | 7 p.m. | Music by the River II
Maumee Branch Library, Maumee, Ohio 43537

July 11 | 6 p.m. | Summer Concert
First Presbyterian Church, 200 E Broadway Street, Maumee, Ohio 43537

Aug. 7 | 7 p.m. | Music by the River III
Maumee Branch Library, Maumee, Ohio 43537

Aug. 11 | 10:30 a.m. | Maumee Street Fair
Downtown Maumee, Ohio 43537

Walbridge Park Summer Concerts - Toledo, Ohio

Walbridge Park Concerts

When: Thursdays | June-July | 7-9 p.m.

Where: Walbridge Park Gazebo | 2761 Broadway Street, Toledo, Ohio 43609

June 21 | E Z Pickenz (Acoustic Rock)

July 5 | Night Sessions (Big Band)

July 12 | Cactus Jack (Funk Rock)

July 19 | Quickness with Michelle Shelton (Jazz)

July 26 | Old State Line (Blue Grass Country)

Music at the Market

When: Thursdays | June-August | 7 p.m.

Where: Downtown Perrysburg (corner of Louisiana & Indiana Avenues)

June 28 | Swingmania

July 5 | My Distant Cousinz

July 12 | Ol’ Creek Road

July 19 | The House Band

July 26 | Barile & May

Aug. 2 | Old State Line

Aug. 9 | Tammy & Dan Acoustic Duo

Aug. 16 | 56 Daze

Aug. 23 | Ramona Collins Group

Aug. 30 | The Original Killer Flamingos

Old West End Summer Concerts in the Arboretum - Toledo, Ohio

Old West End Music in the Park

When: Select Sundays | 6-8 p.m.

Where: The Arboretum (Old West End, corner of Delaware and Robinwood), Toledo, Ohio 43606

July 8 | The Essentials

July 22 | Polka Floyd

Aug. 12 | Rockys East

Aug. 26 | Zodiac Click

Sept. 9 | Organized K-OS

Ottawa Park Amphitheater Summer Concerts - Toledo, Ohio

Ottawa Park Amphitheater Concert Series

When: Saturdays | July 14-Aug. 18 | 6-8 p.m.

Where: Ottawa Park | 2201 Ottawa Pkwy, Toledo, Ohio 43606

July 14 | The Good, The Bad & The Blues (Blues)

July 21 | Madison Avenue Band (Lots of Favorites)

July 28 | East River Drive (Las Vegas Show Music)

Aug. 4 | Nu-Tones (British Invasion)

Aug. 11 | Not Fast Enuff (Hi Energy Party Band)

Aug. 18 | Boffo (Classic Rock)

Can’t make it to these summer concerts?

Browse hoopla and stream a variety of music for free.

Just What Goes Into Taking Care of the Zoo’s Animal Collection?

by Toledo Zoo June 2, 2017

The Zoo’s mission statement is inspiring others to join us in caring for animals and conserving the natural world.

Caring for animals is at the core of what we do. There are many aspects that go into taking care of the Zoo’s animals, including feeding and nutrition, vet care, training, and so much more! For example, in one year, the Zoo’s Commissary Department, which is responsible for ordering, preparing, and distributing food to all of the animals, will deliver:

1,000 bushels of fruit and veggies
30,000 heads of lettuce
1 half ton (1,000 pounds) of grapes
2.25 tons of celery
5 tons of carrots
5 tons of monkey chow
8 tons of bird food
12 tons of carnivore diet
Over 35 tons of fish

Want to learn more? Visit the animal care page on the Zoo’s website.

A Species in Need

by Toledo Zoo June 9, 2017

In 1930, there were an estimated 1,000,000 breeding pairs of African Penguins.

By 1956, all but 14% of that original population had disappeared. In 1980, 7% was left. In 2007, 4% was left. In 2012, only 2% of the healthy breeding population of 1,000,000 pairs of African Penguins was left in the world. This trend currently shows no signs of reversing. Learn what your Toledo Zoo is doing to help.

You can support the Zoo’s efforts by adopting a penguin today!

Whose Birthday Is It?

by Toledo Zoo May 31, 2017

Saturday, June 3rd

The Toledo Zoo celebrates the sixth birthday of our big boy

Lucas the African elephant!

You are invited to bring the whole family and join in the pachyderm party fun! No need to worry about bringing a gift, the elephant keepers and our ZOOTeen volunteers have created special enrichment presents for the birthday boy to enjoy! And our award-winning catering department is making a yummy, elephantastic birthday treat with all of Lucas’s favorite fruits and veggies! This event is FREE with Zoo admission.

To learn more of the details and times please visit toledozoo.org/lucas

A Bird’s Eye View of Africa!

by Toledo Zoo June 21, 2017

Expedition Africa! Aerial Adventure Course presented by Mercy Health

Calling all thrill-seekers to Expedition Africa! Aerial Adventure Course presented by Mercy Health! Come out and get up there- the view of the Africa! exhibit and all the animals that call it home can only be described as incomparable!

For ticketing information, please visit the Toledo Zoo.

What’s Blooming at the Toledo Zoo?

by Toledo Zoo June 5, 2017

‘Nikko’ is a dwarf cultivar growing 1-2 feet tall and spreading 2-5 feet wide, forming a graceful, spreading mound. White flowers cover the shrub in early spring for several days while the leaves turn an attractive deep burgundy in fall. This plant is easily grown in well-drained soil in full sun to part shade and can be found in the Gardens, Aquarium, Avian Breeding Center and Primate Forest landscapes.

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