• by Kelly Samardak , May 28, 2008

Memorial Day Hometown Blowout, Athens/Mantua, Ohio
May 25, 2008

Yesterday I was stressing. We're talking the weird, slightly bitter-smelling sweat stressing. I had NOTHING lined up party-wise Tuesday night and that meant an empty Online Minute. I mean, I can't very well make something up, I heard that's like... irresponsible journalism or something.

For inspiration, I blathered to my favorite people here in the MediaPost office on Broadway about my Memorial Day Weekend trip with a dream-come-true pit stop at Grandpa's Cheesebarn in Ashland, Ohio. Truer words have never been spoken by the prolific Amy Corr : "Isn't it always a party any time cheese is around?"

A stress-dimmed LED bulb in my brain immediately burst into a cornfield colored glow as I thought "Shooooooot, ya'll, if NYC isn't going to throw any parties tonight, I'll hit the Online Minute readers Ohio style." And that's exactly what you're getting!

First stop, Athens, Ohio home of the Ohio University Bobcats and omelette-eating squirrels. The accommodations at Pickering Hall were... plush? After driving 11 hours and discovering the beauty of West Virginia pepperoni rolls, I needed to discover some nightlife.

College freshman sister and sister's boyfriend in tow, I ventured into the Athens night and discovered Casa Cantina, where Sad Bastards were playing a set to a tiny yet boisterous crowd. Who says small towns can't have a music scene (no, really who says that?) Drizzling large gauge chains into a busted up cymbal resting on a brick while pounding on it with a wooden mallet is the new percussion. Great dirty south sound.

While sipping a local raspberry wheat I scolded the Sad Bastard's Alabama native frontman for having not a wick of Web presence. Not even a Myspace page! "Well, we just got someone to build our Website - it's going to be like nothing you've ever seen before - we're going to do some really different stuff, so keep an eye out"

The band following Sad Bastards should have been called "2drunk 2rock" because not two full songs in, the lead fella slobbered and lunged off the stage, smashing his guitar to bits.

The drive from Athens to Mantua delivered me (and now you!) to cheese heaven. Grandpa's cheesebarn is a mind blowing curdled milk explosion of epic proportions. Wheels of cheese, cubes of cheese, tempting tummy tickling triangles of cheese! And all surrounded by spectacular sausage logs, homemade jams and jellys, soup in a bag, jalapeno salsa, and my favorite: Grandpa's Mustard Eggs. Top that, Tenjune!

High from Grandpa's Cheesebarn (and some peanut butter turtles), I eventually arrived in tiny Mantua, Ohio -- home of the annual Potato Festival and Ox Roast (which my sister and I agree is nearly impossible to explain). Mantua is my rehab. You're forced to slow down, smell the manure, and tune in to the chirping night toads. Bunnies, Burgers, and cornhole (yes, cornhole) created the Memorial Day party trifecta of down-home fun.

Now it's back to the wild and wooly great outdoors of Manhattan and starting tonight, I'm settling back into the party scene. So take a deep breath, say goodbye to the cheesebarn and look to Just an Online Minute tomorrow, where I'll be covering the 6th Annual SHOOT New Directors Showcase Event & After Party.



Want to invite kelly to your goat rodeo so it's covered in Just an Online Minute? Send invitations to kelly@mediapost.com

Peep all the country pictures you can handle in the Flickr set!