29th Annual Doo Dah Parade

Date: July 4, 2012
Parade Line-up begins as early as 11:00AM – Parade Steps Off at 1PM
Location: Short North, Victorian & Italian Villages

Parade Party
The Party starts At 11:00 A.M. and continues well after the dust of The Doo Dah Parade has settled.
Location: On Buttles Avenue (Between High Street and Park Street)
Doo Dah Block Party will be Complete with Live Music, Games, Entertainment, Beer, Food, and Prizes.

 

 

 

 

Ref:  http://in-and-around-columbus.com/4th-of-july-celebration.html

Dublin’s Independence Day Celebration with Joe Walsh

Dublin Coffman High School Football Stadium – Gates open at 4:30 p.m.

Schedule of Events (subject to change) Wednesday, July 4

8 a.m.	Sherm Sheldon Fishing Derby Community Recreation Center Pond
9 a.m.	Inflation Celebration Crowne Plaza Hotel Parking Lot – Metro Center Watch giant parade balloons come alive
11 a.m.	Independence Day Parade Metro Center through Historic Dublin Cheer on more than 100 parade units celebrating our independence
4:30	Gates open, Children’s area opens
5 p.m.	Skyhoundz Hyperflight Canine Frisbee Competition Field outside of the Dublin Coffman High School Stadium
5 – 6:15 p.m.	Dublin Wind Symphony
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.	Matt Corey Band
8:15 – 9:45 p.m.	Joe Walsh
9:50 p.m.	Fireworks (simulcast on Sunny 95) Ref: http://www.dublin.oh.us/events/independence/

MIKE D’ANDREA of MIRACLE MOTOR MART dba PRICED RIGHT CARS 2012 NATIONAL INDEPENDENT AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATIONQUALITY DEALER OF THE YEAR!!!

NIADA Names 2012 Quality Dealer of the Year

  ARLINGTON, Texas (June 18, 2012) – Former Ohio State football player Michael T. D’Andrea of Columbus, Ohio was named 2012 National Quality Dealer of the Year by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association during NIADA’s 66th Annual Convention and Expo last week in Las Vegas.

In a ceremony televised live from Caesars Palace to an online audience of 150,000 viewers, D’Andrea was chosen from the 21 State Quality Dealers nominated for highest honor given to one of the NIADA’s 20,000 dealer members.

D’Andrea is co-owner of Miracle Motor Mart in Columbus, a dealership he founded in 1989 with 40 cars and $150,000 worth of inventory. Miracle Motor Mart now has two locations and 46 employees, and has a combined inventory of more than 400 vehicles.

NIADA National Quality Dealer candidates are judged on a variety of factors, including contributions to the automotive industry and community involvement. A panel of judges from Northwood University selects the annual winner.

NIADA chief executive officer Michael Linn said D’Andrea “has provided a superior level of service for his customers, his community and his industry that is beyond reproach. He says his goal each and every day is ‘God first, others second and myself last.’

“Giving back to the community has always been on the top of his list – supporting youth summer camps, working for his church, distributing food, clothing, toys, medical supplies and prayer to more than 700 families each year. It is an honor and a privilege to bestow this great award to a well deserving dealer, member and automotive professional.”

D’Andrea, who played linebacker for Ohio State from 1979-81, and his partner, Mark Meadows, are heavily involved in charity projects in Columbus, including the Run the Race Club, St. Paul’s Outreach, Catholic Youth Summer Camp and St. Patrick’s Youth Ministry.

D’Andrea said his business prides itself on “teamwork, loyalty, ethics and honesty,” and said as the dealership has grown, “in that growth you’re almost forced to do more. You’re almost required to do more.

“I’m proud of NIADA’s commitment to encourage dealers to make a difference in their community. We have all been given a great gift of self-employment and being in a free country. … We have a great responsibility with all these gifts we have been given. Let us share them with our friends, our families and our community.”

http://www.miraclemotormart.blogspot.com/

Red White & Boom 2012

 

The 2012 Red, White & BOOM! Fireworks Show will begin at 10 p.m. along the Scioto River in downtown Columbus. Since its inception in 1981, Red, White & BOOM! has evolved into central Ohio’s premier Independence Day celebration. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ref:  http://www.redwhiteandboom.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68&Itemid=67

The Blooms and Butterflies exhibition at Franklin Park Conservatory

The Blooms and Butterflies exhibition at Franklin Park Conservatory is an exquisite exhibition which gives you a close up look at the butterfly through hands on activities.

You’ll find exotic butterflies from El Salvador, Costa Rica, Tanzania, China, the Phillipines, Japan and Kenya. The sizes range widely from one and one-half inches up to the twelve inch Attacus Atlas moth.

Every day dozens of butterflies emerge from their cocoons and are released in the Pacific Island Water Garden. The can feast on the tropical foliage such as Palms, Gingers and Bananas. In the summertime, the outdoor gardens are in full bloom to attract the local butterflies.

There’s something for everyone during this exhibition!

 

 

 

 

Ref:  http://in-and-around-columbus.com/blooms-and-butterflies.html

Smooth Traveling: 7 Things You Need on a Road Trip

Germ Protection 

If you take a road trip of any significant length in the United States, you will likely encounter some seriously unpleasant truck-stop bathrooms. This will make you extraordinarily eager to wash your hands. Trouble is, the nastier the bathroom, the likelier its soap dispenser is to be empty or otherwise inadequate to the task―and remember, you’ll probably be eating some greasy fast food with those hands before long. So get yourself a bottle of antibacterial hand sanitizer before you hit the road. It’s cheap, it’s long-lasting, and trust us, you’ll be glad you brought it.

Alarm System
If your car doesn’t have an alarm system already, give some thought to the places along your route where you’ll be leaving the car unattended. Truck stops, roadside motels, and campsites can sometimes harbor unsavory characters, so if you expect to frequent them, having an alarm with a prominent warning light installed could be a smart preemptive move-especially since your car will probably be visibly packed to the gills with luggage and supplies. Depending on how attractive the car is to thieves, you might also want to pick up a steering-wheel lock like The Club. Anything to make would-be perps think twice.

Tunes
Most new cars these days come with input jacks for portable mp3 players, and some even come with USB connections. If this describes your car’s stereo, good on you-just bring your device along and plug it in for hours of boredom-fighting audio. But if your car’s more than a few years old, chances are it lacks these features, so you’ll either have to have them added by a stereo shop-which can be expensive-or go with a jury-rigged solution like those FM transmitters that pipe your mp3s over the airwaves. Hey, whatever works. Just don’t go into your road trip thinking that burning a bunch of CDs is going to get the job done. Even if you manage to burn your whole collection, it’s no fun fumbling around for the next CD while you’re doing 70 on the highway. Having all your music at your fingertips is a new-millennium must for road trips. It’s well worth the extra investment.

Mobile Internet
Smartphones haven’t quite taken over the world yet, so we know there’s a chance that you’re still rocking a retro-chic flip phone or something. There’s nothing wrong with that, but a smartphone’s internet browser and apps can be a real boon in unfamiliar territory. Maps and directions? Every smartphone’s got those, so there’s no need to bother with an extra portable navigation system. Local restaurant reviews? Check out the Yelp app. And everything else is available online. Plus, there’s a bunch of apps out there that help you optimize your road-trip experience, whether you want to record your fuel economy, keep abreast of the weather, or avoid traffic jams. Older cars in particular will benefit from a smartphone’s feature set: this is by far the easiest way to turn a pre-digital-age vehicle into a technological tour de force.

Sun Protection
Window glass does a pretty solid job of keeping the UV rays out, but it’s not perfect, and in any case, you’ll probably be spending a fair amount of time outside. So if your skin is sensitive and you aren’t already in the habit of putting on sunscreen every morning, it’s advisable to adopt this habit for the duration of your trip. Don’t forget about protecting your car too. Get a sunshield for the windshield to minimize the chance of toasty seats and reduce damage to the dash.

Entertainment for the Kids
You know better than we do how best to settle your kids down, but here a few road-trip-specific suggestions. First, if you’ve got an SUV or minivan, and you don’t have a factory-installed rear-seat entertainment system, there are numerous available solutions on the aftermarket. You can have display screens mounted in the headrests, game systems with controllers, flip-down screens from the ceiling…you name it, they’ll install it. Definitely worth considering if these trips are going to become a family tradition. Portable video-game players and computers are other options, and of course there are old-school standbys like coloring books, word games, and playing cards. The goal is to get kids to look forward to sitting in the car for hours―feasible, for sure, but a wide range of offerings from the current media landscape will likely be required.

A Camera
This is obvious, right? But if you care about quality, don’t just count on your phone to snap pictures. You might never take a trip like this again, so it’s best to bring a purpose-built digital camera for superior reproduction. Surprisingly robust pocket-cams can had for well under $200, and they offer decent video modes and the flexibility of integrated zoom lenses as well.

Rhythm on the River presents The Navigators

Rhythm on the River presents The Navigators
A high-energy, rock band that plays hits from the 1960s to today, The Navigators feature a powerful horn section and multilayered vocals. Formed in 2003, The Navigators play limited engagements each year to benefit a variety of charities and nonprofit organizations. Since 2003 they have helped to raise over $200,000 to help local & national charities.
Date: June 23, 2012
Food & Beverage: Starts at 6:30PM
Performance: Starts at 8PM
Admission: Free
Location: Bicentennial Park at the Performing Arts Pavilion, 233 Civic Center Dr., Columbus, OH 43215

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ref:  http://in-and-around-columbus.com/columbus-ohio-events.html#may

#1 IN THE USA!

Last Evening in Las Vegas Nevada Mike D’Andrea, co-owner of Miracle Motor Mart  and Priced Right Motor Cars, Inc. and pictured here with his partner Mark Meadows, was named The National Quality Dealer of the Year during the 66th Annual NIADA National Convention.  This announcement marks the first time that this prestigious National Award was ever bestowed upon an OIADA member dealer from the state of Ohio.

We are all proud of Mike for and congratulate Mike and Mark on their phenomenal achievement and we wish this dynamic duo continued success in all the years that follow.

 

Splish-Splash into Summer!

Splish-Splash into summer!
Splish-Splash into summer! Join us for FountainSide presented by Sunny 95 (94.7FM) for a variety of FREE children’s activities. This delightful Columbus Recreation and Parks Department series offers water play and fountain fun at the 15,000 square-foot interactive fountain in Bicentennial Park on select Wednesdays throughout the summer from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Don’t forget to stop by the Sunny 95/Meijer Treat Truck to cool down with a tasty ice cream treat all summer long!
June Schedule:
June 6, 2012
FountainSide Presented by Sunny 95 (94.7 fm): Awesome Arts and Adventures
June 13, 2012
FountainSide Presented by Sunny 95 (94.7 fm): Celebrate Columbus
June 20, 2012
FountainSide Presented by Sunny 95 (94.7 fm): A to Z Activities
June 27, 2012
FountainSide Presented by Sunny 95 (94.7 fm): Clippers,
Crafts, and Critters
Location: Bicetennial Park, 233 Civic Center Dr, Columbus, Ohio

 

 

 

 

 

Ref:  http://in-and-around-columbus.com/columbus-ohio-events.html#may

Movies on the Mile

Movies on the Mile
Movies on the Mile, presented by Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, is a free outdoor summer film series along the Scioto Mile. The featured movie starts at dusk. Sit back, relax and enjoy cinematic classics and family favorites under the stars in Bicentennial Park. Arrive early for a variety of activities designed to complement the movie theme. Admission is FREE!
Date: June 15, 2012
Movies on the Mile Presents Midnight in Paris
Evening Schedule:
5:00 p.m. – CYP Social Hour / Cornhole Tournament registration / Food and Beverage sales begin
5:30 p.m. – American Cornhole Organization Tournament
7:00 p.m. – Fashion Show by Swagg Revolution
DUSK – Midnight in Paris movie screening
Location: 233 Civic Center Dr., Columbus, Ohio
For more information visit http://www.SciotoMile.com or e-mail SciotoMile@columbus.gov.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ref:  http://in-and-around-columbus.com/columbus-ohio-events.html#june