After a short discussion on how we should occupy our first Sunday of July, Dave and I decided to consult my list and knock out another destination. After traveling up to the Cleveland area, I wanted to venture to another part of the state. I had two destinations in Loveland that I wanted to check out- The Loveland Castle and Memento Mori. On Sunday, July 7th, Dave, his daughter Ari, and I hopped in the car and traveled about 100ish miles southwest. Loveland takes about 90-120 minutes travel time, depending on your starting location.

Our first stop was Loveland Castle.

The Historic Loveland Castle & Museum Chateau Laroche was built as an expression and reminder of the simple strength and rugged grandeur of the mighty men who lived when Knighthood was in flower. It was their knightly zeal for honor, valor and manly purity that lifted mankind out of the moral midnight of the dark ages and started it towards the gray dawn of human hope. Present human decadence proves a need for similar action. Already the ancient organization of Knights have been re-activated to save society. Any man of high ideas who wishes to help save civilization is invited to become a member of the Knights of the Golden Trail, whose only vows are the Ten Commandments. Chateau Laroche is the World headquarters and Residence of the K.O.G.T.

Did you know that The property the Castle is Built up on was payed for by the North Side Christian Community Church patrons And Harry D. Andrews in the mid 1920’s   During the 1920’s The Cincinnati Enquirer News paper offered 20 by 100 foot Camping Lots along the little Miami river in which is now Symmes Township. If you paid in advance for a years subscription you were offered a camping lot. Sir Harry acquired 11 lots on which the Chateau Laroche stands on today  

http://www.lovelandcastle.com/

Now, this castle is neat to visit and explore, but what really blows my mind is that the majority of the structure and gardens were constructed and maintained by ONE DUDE.
ONE.
DUDE.

The property has some really breathtaking views, both inside and out. There are spiral staircases, a dungeon, paintings, suits of armor and weaponry.

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My favorite part of the castle is walking outside, enjoying the plants and aesthetically pleasing stones and sculptures.

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Our second destination, Memento Mori, was a six minute drive into Loveland. Now, when we drove into town, we had to turn around and drive back and forth a couple of times before we realized Memento Mori was actually tucked into the back end of the building. Once we saw it, the store front was hard to miss.

About Us
We search the world for unusual , morbid or shocking items that may skirt the normal human`s sensibilities or items that are rarely known to exist and can cause surprise or fear in many that view them. Never has there been a store in Cincinnati or even Ohio like this . We carry everything from Victorian mourning wreaths to human bones ….and all in between. Some of my items can be seen on the TV show “Oddities” on the Science Channel
 
 We also will buy pretty much anything…

http://www.mementomoriohio.com/about-us/

The store’s overall space is small and there are some tight turns because it is PACKED with so many unusual items- antiques, taxidermy pieces, art, old advertisement, jewelry, photos of serial killers, items from Anton LaVey- the list goes on and on.

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We were a bit overwhelmed with the merchandise. I was delighted- this is my kind of joint.

As I purchased my very own Memento Mori, Dave asked Greg, the owner, if there were any local restaurants worth checking out. As a personal rule, I don’t like to visit chain restaurants when traveling. I firmly believe that we should check out and support local businesses whenever possible. We were in luck because Greg had the perfect suggestion- The Schoolhouse Restaurant. It was a 15ish minute drive to to restaurant from Memento Mori.

The building is obviously older but well maintained. It was surprisingly large, as was the property. We could see that there was an area outside for outdoor dining, if patrons wish to do so.

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The dining room was fun. Every table had a Lazy Susan in the middle. The menu for the day was listed on the large chalkboard that stretched across the wall.

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Each of us ordered an entree- I ordered the Chicken Parmesan. It was good albeit NOT what I’d call an “authentic” Italian dish. Sides were served family style and we received decent portions for each. The food definitely had the home-style feel to it, like your grandma would cook.

After we finished our meal, we decided to check out the shop they had out back. Ari was excited to see the animals, but we didn’t get much action from the goats as it was a bit warm outside.

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The General Store did not “wow”me. They had some interesting items and there was a small town shop feel to it, but it also had random knick-knacks that put me in the mood of a thrift store.

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Overall, our trip to Loveland was a success. I got my doses of weird and historic, as well as supporting local businesses.

Last week, I had a free day coming up and I was excited- no work scheduled and NO PLANS. I WAS FREE to do whatever I wanted- TRAVEL! I went back to my giant list to help decide where to do. Most of my destinations, so far, have been pretty close to home, here in Central Ohio. I knew I needed to branch out and find something a couple hours away, which definitely fit my groove as I was jonesing for a road trip.
Then my eyes landed on the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick.

Located at 2155 Broadview Rd., Cleveland, OH 44109, The Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick is a good 2.5 hours from my house- perfect day trip. What excited me more was realizing that my trek would take me through the Ashland area, which meant I could stop by one of my favorite places-

Grandpa’s Cheesebarn is right off of 71 North- 668 US-250, Ashland, OH 44805. You have to turn onto this steep and narrow drive to enter the parking lot, but it is prominently set right on the road and there is no mistaking that you have arrived once you start looking around.

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According to their website:

The cheesy history of Grandpa’s Cheesebarn began in the early 1900’s when Grandpa Yarman sold his only possession, a portable RCA radio, for his first wheel of Ohio Swiss & started a meat and cheese house, “Yarman’s” in West Salem, Ohio. 

As Grandpa Yarman grew older, his daughter Vera and her husband Dick Baum (Grandma & Grandpa Baum) took over & continued the legacy of quality Ohio foods.

In 1978, Grandma & Grandpa Baum, along with their daughter Ronda and her husband Richard Poorbaugh, opened Grandpa’s Cheesebarn in Ashland, Ohio.

In 1995, Ronda and Richard created their very own Sweeties Jumbo Chocolates hand making & dipping the finest chocolates & fudges. 

In 2015, Grandpa’s granddaughter, Mistie Ankenman, took the reins opening a second location, Best of Grandpa’s Cheesebarn & Sweeties Chocolates in Norton, Ohio, continuing the tradition of only the best products.

With over 40 years in business, we continue to welcome visitors daily from all over the globe. Join us in savoring the experience of our sweet dream come true!

https://grandpascheesebarn.com/pages/about-us

At Grandpa’s Cheesebarn, there’s more than just cheese. They have meats, jerky, jellies, jams, dried fruits and veggies, syrups- the list goes on and on. The best part of Grandpa’s Cheesebarn? THE SAMPLES!!!

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If you don’t fill yourself up with samples, they have a nice little cafe on the ground floor. Oh, did I mention that there are two stories of all of this goodness????

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The cafe has simple, standard fare and ice cream.

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If you still need something sweet or different you can walk across the parking lot to Sweetie’s.

Sweetie’s is a very dangerous place for those of us who have a sweet tooth. Prepare yourself….

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Once I had my fill of cheeses, meats, and other amazingly flavored items, I hopped back on 71 N to head to Cleveland’s historic Old Brooklyn neighborhood, about 50 minutes North of Grandpa’s.

The Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick has a very unassuming storefront. If you weren’t looking for it, you may miss it. I had to stop for gas before finding a parking space and hit up the BP across the street from the museum. The attendant in the gas station told me there isn’t much parking other than street parking. I ended up driving around the block and parking in a spot that was designated “ONE HOUR PARKING ONLY.” Yeesh. I figured I’d come out and move it had to- I wanted to get inside this museum!

I walked into the front room and was greeted by owner and curator Steve and his wonderful friend Matt. After paying my $7 admission, Steve brought me through a doorway and into the museum. The building size isn’t large- I’d say it was about the same size as any other mom and pop brick and mortar. HOWEVER, what is there is HIGHLY impressive. Even if you aren’t a member of a coven or you don’t follow wiccan beliefs, there is something interesting for everyone to see.

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Raymond Buckland started The Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick in 1966. After visiting the late Gerald Gardner and his collection on the Isle of Man, Raymond was inspired to start a collection of his own. While working for British Airways, he was able to acquire many of the artifacts in this collection from all around the world. He initially displayed his museum on a few shelves in the basement of his Long Island, N.Y. home. However, over time, Raymond’s witchcraft collection rapidly grew to well over 500 artifacts, ranging from Ancient Egyptian ushabtis to documented artifacts from the Salem Witch trials. This was the first museum of its kind in the United States with an anthropological approach to the world of folklore and the supernatural.

The museum was in existence for ten years in this New York location (1966-1976). During that time, it was featured in numerous magazine and newspaper articles and was the subject of a television documentary. The New York Times, New York Post, Newsday, Look Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Scholastic Voice, and many more, including foreign magazines, had featured articles about the museum. Raymond was also interviewed on a large number of radio stations and both national and international television. The Metropolitan Museum of Art requested and featured some of the pieces in one of its special exhibits.

In 1976, Raymond Buckland moved to New Hampshire where he opened the museum from 1977 to 1980. Unfortunately, because of a rigorous writing and lecture schedule, he then had to place the museum collection into storage, where it remained for a number of years.

The museum collection was briefly reestablished in New Orleans in 1999 where it passed through multiple hands before being salvaged by Rev. Velvet Reith. A bit damaged and somewhat reduced collection, Velvet was instrumental in preventing the collection from degrading further and being lost.

In July of 2015, the museum collection was relocated to Ohio. Currently it is on display in the newly founded Buckland Gallery of Witchcraft & Magick, inside of A Separate Reality Records in Cleveland’s historic Tremont neighborhood.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/WitchMuseum/about/?ref=page_internal

Once you finish exploring the amazing museum, you can peruse the many books that are on display and for sale. They also have candles, poppets, stones, jewelry, and artwork for sale.

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I had to purchase a t-shirt, along with a delightful pin-

I highly recommend checking out the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick. Check out their Facebook and website for information about their hours. Admission Adults $7 Seniors $6 (60+) Kids $5 (3-12) All prices include admission tax.

Today was another random quest for mom and I. Always the fans of the antique, vintage, and otherwise quirky, an antique mall is forever an option for us. My main destination for today, however, was Young’s Jersey Dairy. I was in need for cheese curds. Well… not “NEED,” but I have been seriously lacking and… it’s CHEESE CURDS.

Before we could imbibe in delicious cheesiness, our journey brought us to the Springfield Antique Center. This location is not listed on my LIST of destinations, but it was definitely cool enough to mention.
I grabbed a flyer on my way out so I could reference the website here, but it seems the domain http://www.springfieldantique.com is no longer active, and is up for sale. Bummer. Anyway, this GIANT antique center has SO much stuff, two large buildings are required to accommodate its vendors. Even as large as each building appears, the labyrinthian showcases and vendor displays seem endless and a bit daunting. Mom and I spent about two hours in the first building and didn’t manage to look at everything- also, I was hungry. Hungry for CHEESE.

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The Springfield Antique Center is located at 1735 Titus Rd, Springfield, Oh, 45502, only 30 miles from Columbus. If you are heading towards Indiana on 70, it is exit 59. You can’t miss the large tan and red building to your left as you reach the exit.
The flyer says they are open daily, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, 362 days a year. Definitely check this one out when you have plenty of time to kill and deeeeep pockets full of $$$ ’cause a lot of these items are super cool and super pricey.

Young’s Jersey Dairy is currently celebrating its 150th birthday with a ton of fun, family-friendly activities. I recommend checking out their website- youngsdairy.com– and Facebook page for more details.
When dining at Young’s, you have two options- the first option is the Golden Jersey Inn, which is a farm-themed restaurant with high ceilings and much to check out while waiting for your delicious food to arrive.

The second option for dining at Young’s is the cafeteria setting closer to the Dairy, complete with a small gift shop. I prefer eating my meal at the Inn as it is quieter and more comfortable than open cafeteria feel of this option. However, we always end up trekking across the parking lot to explore what cheeses are for sale, and we almost ALWAYS end up consuming some sort of delicious ice cream.

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On most days when it isn’t cold, rainy, and dreary- like TODAY- one can take advantage of the batting cages and putt-putt golf course as well as exploring the farm animals in the barn.