'Happy Birthday' also a December sound

Top, from left, Holden Folk, marc Folk, Patricia Levey, and Sarah Jane DeHoff. Bottom, from left, Jan Thomas, Cindy Lipman, and Joyce Perrin.

Photographer:Michael Sheras

A co-owner of the Budapest, Rob McMahon, entertains the birthday celebrants.

Birthdays this time of year are always festive. Here are a few that were not lost in the holiday shuffle.

A heartfelt round of "Happy Birthday" was sung to the beaming Edith Franklin, referred by many as the grand dame of the local arts. The Dec. 2 soiree, sponsored by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, was at J&J Studio and Gallery in the Davis Building in downtown Toledo.

Friend and fellow artist Mary Dawson, who organized the event, described the senior dame's accomplishments. The honoree participated in the first glass workshop at the Toledo Museum of Art, is a founding member of the Toledo Potter's Guild, active in the Athena Society, taught ceramics for many years at the 577 Foundation, and has mentored countless young artists, to name a few.

Top, from left, Holden Folk, marc Folk, Patricia Levey, and Sarah Jane DeHoff. Bottom, from left, Jan Thomas, Cindy Lipman, and Joyce Perrin.

In honor of the birthday gal, the event kick-started the new Edith Franklin Youth Scholarship Fund at the Toledo Community Foundation. Bidding wars erupted at an auction of 50 years of her work as a ceramic artist in Toledo as Sarah Jane DeHoff, Patricia Levey, Margy Trumbull, Phil and Nancy Williams, Jim Moore and Tim Valko, Jane Randall, and others vied for a piece of Ms. Franklin's work.

Also among the 150 friends and arts supporters were Tom and Pat McGlauchlin, Herral Long, Joyce Perrin, Penny Gentieu, Ian Dawson, George and Deb Carruth, Ann Tubbs, and Jan Thomas.

So far $14,000 has been raised, and donations are still pouring in at the ACGT for the youth fund in honor of Ms. Franklin.

A birthday dinner Dec. 2 in honor of Ed Shinaver, the 59th grandchild of 60 in his family, and Gay Criscio was at The Budapest, a Hungarian restaurant on Monroe Street. Dearly missed was birthday boy Peter Handwork, who was already committed for another engagement that night.

Everyone had fun at the low-key place that is noted for homemade Hungarian foods. Co-owner Rob Johnson, chef and baker, whipped up some specialties including chicken paprikas, Hungarian goulash, stuffed cabbage, and wonderful strudel. From one mound of dough, Chef Johnson rolls out paper-thin pastry.

Herral Long with Edith Franklin.

Meanwhile, co-owner Rob McMahon, opera singer and piano player, entertained partygoers with classic holiday tunes that made other dining guests peek around the corner to see the fun.

Seen were Angelo Gangas, Alex Armstrong, Janie and Clyde Whitlatch, Betty Brogle, MiMi Dressel, Marcia Tanber, and Sandy Carman Blackstone, who brought homemade chocolate cake.

Barbara Hendel is The Blade's Society Editor.

Contact her at bhendel@theblade.com or 419-724-6124.