Picture this: It’s a sweltering summer day and the central Ohio sun is high in the sky. You’ve diligently completed your chores and the day stretches before you; the kids are already complaining of boredom, and you’re struggling to come up with a solution that will make everyone happy. The answer, clearly, is ice cream — just ask Luconda Dager, the fourth generation of the family behind Velvet Ice Cream who now serves as the company president. Her grandfather came to America from Lebanon in the early 1900s and built a legacy that, more than a century later, carries on from its heart at Utica’s Ye Olde Mill, where visitors travel from miles around each year to not just taste but experience everything Velvet has to offer. “(My grandfather) couldn’t read or write, but he knew early on being here in America that ice cream was the All-American dessert,” she says. “So he just wanted to get into the ice cream business and make people smile — make people happy.” Thus began a strong tradition of quality and uniqueness that has been passed down for generations.
Luconda Dager - Velvet Ice Cream
For the Dager family, ice cream is about more than just scooping a helping of cookies ‘n cream out of a container in the freezer (though there’s certainly nothing wrong with that); it’s about togetherness and experience and collective enjoyment. It’s life at a slower pace, where a thing like licking the drips before they make it to the bottom of the waffle cone is something to be appreciated and laughed at. It’s the simple things. “What I’ve found out throughout the years is that ice cream just gathers people together,” Dager says. With her family’s deep roots in Lebanese hospitality, she fondly recalls the days when her mother would bring several flavors of ice cream out of the kitchen so guests could choose their favorite (or multiple favorites) to enjoy. And that’s the legacy she hopes to carry on to Velvet for generations to come. “It just created all this conversation,” she says. “And that’s what we do today down in the Old Mill — we do the same thing. We invite people into our “home”…and it just brings people around. Every time we do a tasting, everyone is right there. They want to be a part of it. So ice cream just does that. It’s a comfort food. It makes people feel good, and we’d love to be a part of that.” The fact that Velvet is a multigenerational, family-owned business is something the Dagers pride themselves on, because while Velvet’s reach has expanded geographically over the years, its emphasis on family and quality has not fallen by the wayside. And while it’s possible to track down Velvet Ice Cream in grocery stores and other venues across the country, arguably the best place to experience a true taste of Velvet is at Ye Olde Mill itself.
Situated just off Ohio 13 in the northern Licking County countryside, the Mill promises more than just ice cream to families looking to make a day of their experience. The idyllic duck pond is a hotspot for fishers of all ages, and if ice cream doesn’t prove to be enough of a meal in itself (we hear you, Mom), the Mill’s restaurant offers a simple menu of sandwiches, wraps and salads to supplement as needed. For entertainment, a petting zoo and playground promise to keep the littles busy while a newly added arcade offers a place for visitors to be in the shade and enjoy a game or two. Even the grounds of the 20-acre property, which are amply shaded and dotted with shelters for picnickers, provide excellent opportunities for a leisurely stroll. The Mill also recently added a candy shop, where a colorful selection of sweets awaits visitors who need a little something to bring home. Now about the ice cream: Your hardest task will be deciding on a flavor, and that’s by design. Dager says her company prides itself on its flavors, which are thoroughly researched and tested before they ever make it to the counter. Which means customers are destined for the best of the best. Take Velvet’s top seller, Buckeye Classic, a departure from the standard Moose Tracks or other peanut butter chocolate combination: Not only does the flavor incorporate one of the state’s most iconic desserts, it also tells a story. “We like to bring in the history of Ohio and celebrate the Buckeye State,” Dager says. For Dager, who has spent her life around the ice cream business, it’s rewarding to see families enjoy the old-fashioned, wholesome and simple pleasures offered by a day at the Mill. “The old mill signifies quality to them, and they know coming to the old mill, it’s a summertime destination,” she says. “It’s a place to just relax and sit on the back patio…it’s just very relaxing. Kind of takes you out of your normal day-to-day activities (as you) enjoy that sweet ice cream.”
A haven of nature to the backdrop of a cityscape, The Works’ Habitat Garden is a place for guests of all ages to retreat — if only for lunch hour — and appreciate the Great Outdoors. The Garden was added to The Works’ LeFevre Courtyard post-pandemic and, thanks to a grant from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, has been quietly expanding ever since. “The whole big picture concept is that protecting habitats protects life,” says Executive Director Janice LoRaso. “It also gives The Works a unique opportunity to bring a new content area into our portfolio and talk about the outdoors and nature.” The Habitat Garden has different components spread throughout the courtyard, with areas designed to showcase both native plants and animals as well as habitats from other regions. A pollinator area is a hotspot for bees and butterflies in the warmer months, and The Works updated its kid-friendly “sound tube” with QR codes so parents and guardians can help their little ones (or themselves) identify sounds of birds and frogs they might see in the area. No matter where you wander in the enclosed space, you’re sure to find something to catch your eye — whether nature, art or information. “I want guests to see that you can have a garden in a downtown space. We celebrate different plantings, I think, even if they just enjoy the aesthetics of the beauty of plants in nature. I think nature plays a really big part in children’s education. Getting outdoors, experiencing new things,” LoRaso says. “I want it to be enjoyed.”
Smiles of Sunflowers A branch of Pataskala’s Lynd Fruit Farm, Smiles of Sunflowers offers unique “u-pick” opportunities for agritourists and folks looking for a fun way to enjoy the outdoors. (And by that we mean basking in the shade of 12-foot sunflowers, for starters.) In the late summer, the patch becomes a sea of sunflowers, every Instagrammer’s dream for a day in the fields. Even if you’re not a professional photog, you can dress the family up (or not) and stop by for a day of sunshine. The three-day event known as Smiles of Sunflowers takes place in late August and runs from morning until evening Friday through Sunday. The $10 admission gains you access to more than six acres of sunflowers as well as a zinnia patch, a kids’ zone, live music and more. Entertainment includes free wagon rides, craft exhibits, three shots at the cannon range as well as a cut sunflower to bring home. Supplement that with one of many bouquets for sale, or a treat to take home. Located at 9851 Morse Road in Pataskala, Smiles is the perfect way to top off a busy summer — and capture memories to last a lifetime.
Lakeside vibes, live music and a laidback atmosphere: At Papa Boo’s, you can live the island life and be back in the city in time for work Monday (if you must) — no jet lag required. Summer is big at Buckeye Lake, and there are fewer places better to celebrate than Papa Boo’s, where you can show up as a stranger and leave with a few new friends and plans for next weekend. Located on the northeast shore of Buckeye Lake, this dockside bar and grill specializes in live entertainment, with an ever-changing lineup of live music along with activities including cornhole, sand volleyball leagues and special events such as Pooches on the Patio. Past acts have included Phil Dirt and the Dozers, Licking County’s own Rese Jhordan and others (you can follow their Facebook page for the latest acts and updates). The menu features a variety of specialty pizzas as well as wings, sandwiches and burgers; a wide selection of shareable appetizers promises to get your evening off to a solid start. Add in an extensive drink menu (regular and frozen), and your evening promises to be virtually unbeatable. Park your car or pull up your boat — Papa Boo’s is your place for maximizing your lakeside summer.
Situated on a trim lawn at the edge of Granville’s quaint Broadway, The Granville Inn is a stately testament to the timelessness of class. Built in 1924, the Inn bills itself as “the perfect blend of old-world charm and modern luxury,” evident in everything from the time-tested stonework exterior to the well appointed furnishings awaiting in each guest room. Thanks to a collection of sweeping renovations to the 39 guest rooms and suites, the Inn is well equipped to treat guests to the finest boutique-style accommodations as they experience the best Granville has to offer — largely within walking distance. Of course, the accommodations are only part (albeit a noteworthy part) of the Granville Inn experience; if you’d like to stop in for a meal, pull up a chair and prepare to be impressed. The Inn’s three dining spaces — The Oak Room, The Tavern and The Patio — offer different experiences to suit guests’ preferences: In the sophisticated Oak Room, a roaring fire and light-flooded dining room promise a treat for all five senses; in The Tavern, guests can sample a cocktail as they converse around the bar or at a table against the wood-paneled walls; and on The Patio, al fresco dining is at its best in the shade of stately trees and a manicured lawn. Whether you stay for an evening or a week, you’re certain to appreciate the finer details that have made The Granville Inn a fixture in Licking County for the last century.
