Sacrifice + Bliss

Today was the opening day for the new exhibit at Franklin Park Conservatory: Sacrifice + Bliss. The artist, Aurora Robson, works with recycled materials, a lot of which she salvaged from rivers and streams (some from our very own Olentangy). Instead of polluting the environment, and ending up in landfill, Robson turned some 70,000 plastic bottles into beautiful unique pieces of art.









It's an impressive exhibit, with a great message echoing from the beautiful artwork that will catch your attention at first sight.

I brought the children along to one of the hands-on workshops for kids given by artist Eric Marlow. We started out with one single water bottle, and ended up with several unique creative items at the end.





As usual, Franklin Park Conservatory did not disappoint. We left with more knowledge and creativity and a regained sense of responsibility for the environment, children and grown-ups alike.

More Creeking

Another beautiful day. Another morning spent on a river: the Olentangy, this time, at Highbanks Metro Park.



I know, it's embarrassing how long it took us to finally get here. Many people have mentioned this park to us. Many of them very trust-worthy. Molly, for instance, brings her children here, so I know it would be worth the drive from our home in the far Southeast corner of Columbus (to the far Northwest corner)... I know... it's not that far. But I do everything I can to avoid the concrete-ness of the highways.



And yes. It was worth it. It was worth it especially with some friends in tow.



The children spent hours catching and releasing crawdads, fish, and clams. They didn't seem to mind the small amount of water left in the river due from this season's drought. If anything, it was the perfect amount of water for their creeking adventure.



Highbanks Metropark:
9466 Columbus Pike (US Rt 23 N)
Lewis Center, OH 43035
(northern Franklin & southern Delaware counties)
Open 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. April through September / 
6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. October through March

Freshstreet Diner

Better late than never, right?

It's taken me a long time to visit this sweet establishment, transformed from the beloved food-cart from my early days in Columbus.



I brought an Asian-food-loving friend with me for lunch here today (thanks Donna!), and we both enjoyed eating delicious, freshly made rice bowls and miso soups on the patio. The day itself could not have been more beautiful either!



I am sharing some photos here, but know that there will be future visits to come... We need to return for their infamous Yakitori (only served in the evening). So, stay tuned!

Here is some information about the diner from their Facebook page:

FRESHSTREET YAKITORI(BINCHO-TAN) 

Inside of Double Happiness Bar 
482 SOUTH FRONT ST. COLUMBUS, OH 43215. 

We serve yakitori, kushiyaki, and small portion asian bar food. 
We are open Thu-Fri-Sat from 6:30pm-Midnight. 
ALSO SERVING RICE BOWLS, BAOWICHES, & J-MELTS MON-FRI 11:00AM-3PM & MON-WED 5PM-9:30PM AT THE SAME LOCATION.

Agora 2012

I am lucky to know so many different types of people in Columbus, just less than 2 years in. One of these people is a wonderful artist who invited me to Agora at Junction View Studios last weekend.

The stars aligned and I was able to peel away from other home and motherly duties to walk around and enjoy the show from multiple local artists. I loved meeting some of the artists who opened up their studios for the visitors. I also enjoyed the music and food that made the event more complete!

Have you been? If not, it's worth a trip.

Spring Spectacular

We are having quite a show around here, aren't we? It was a year without real winter. And now... a spring unlike no other.

The usual succession blooming of various spring flowers...from small crocuses that are so good at braving the cold nights, to tulips that welcome more day light.  Bright yellow forsythia usually precedes the first round buds of dogwood that slowly open up to greet the warmer days. The fragrant and stunning crab apples come a bit later, and lilacs usually don't waltz in until late April or early May.

Right?

Instead... we have a huge, thunderous orchestra of all of the above blooming at the same time. Right now. Daffodils are still here, and the lilacs have also joined all of those in between.

It's spectacular, albeit, nerve-wrecking. Let's hope it's an anomaly...  But by gosh, I hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am!

The Crack Heard 'Round the World

I am still here. And yes, there are still cool things around Columbus.

So cool, in fact, that this box appeared in front of my door a few weeks ago, thanks to Tiffany at Whole Foods Dublin. She was inviting local bloggers to send in a recipe using the King of Cheese, the Parmigiano Reggiano. The recipe winner would be invited to help crack a wheel of the said cheese as part of their Guinness Book of World Records specialty event (all of the Whole Food stores in the US were to crack a wheel at the same time on March 10, at 3pm). Cool, yes?



When I saw the hunk of cheese, I looked around the kitchen to see what it could become. We are still in winter-mode here... nothing from the garden, nothing from the farmers market. A good piece of parmigiano like that does not need to be transformed, really. But I could not have sent in a recipe with a blank note card.

So I searched. In the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, I found some left over parsley. In the pantry was a jar of walnuts. Bingo. With a bit of grated parmigiano, some lemon juice and a good amount of extra virgin olive oil (I used my new favorite, The Olive Orchard Sicilian EVOO), I was game.

Two little (pesto-lover) tasters helped me perfect the flavors before I jotted down the measurements of each ingredient (I am well known for not measuring anything at all). I sent a quick email with the newly perfected recipe to Tiffany. I closed the note with my good wishes, and went on about my life as usual. The pesto was tasty. I was thankful for the complimentary cheese and an invitation to participate. But all of that was in the rear view mirror.

Until I found out that my recipe won the taste test!

I had to read Tiffany's email a few times before taking it seriously. I was the winner, she said, among many tasty recipes. Moreover, my presence was requested at the Whole Foods store in Dublin, Ohio, precisely at 3pm on March 10, 2012. The mission: to crack open a parmigiano wheel and break world record". No pressure.



I had never done anything quite like it. The wheel was big, and hefty (about 90 lbs). Thankfully, my Whole Foods cheese friend, Dallas, was there to help me.



At 3pm sharp, he seared the wheel. With two sharp knives, I dug in, pushing and pulling. I could feel my head warming up (wishing I had 3 more inches on me for better leverage), and really could not remember where I was or why I was attacking a huge mound of cheese. But I did it. It cracked with just the right amount of force. The crowd cheered. I felt accomplished, and actually... it was FUN!



The staff at Whole Foods could not have been nicer to me and my family. I felt the warmth and hospitality from everyone I met. Whole Foods in Dublin is clearly a destination shopping place with beautiful produce, tasty treats, and knowledgeable staff.

Apparently the winning recipe was available for sampling prior to the cracking event today. If you were not there to taste, here it is just for you. I do recommend using the real Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (like the one sold at Whole Foods) for best results.



Enjoy!

Parsley-Walnut Pesto

1 cup parsley leaves, de-stemmed and washed
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 cup walnuts
1 large clove garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (we used the Olive Orchard Sicilian Oil)
1 Tablespoon Meyer Lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Pulse until smooth. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy over pasta, vegetables, as a spread on crackers or toast.

Ballet Met Nutcracker

A quick nod to the Ballet Met Nutcracker performance. We have seen the Nutcracker ballet in several cities: Boston, San Francisco, San Jose, to name a few. This one, the Columbus Ballet Met's, simply blew us away!

This traditional Christmas performance is already good as it is originally intended to be. But the version that Ballet Met puts on is splendid. Several comical characters are added (think the grandmother!), and some very creative props and dances add the extra wow to the show (think Arabian coffee, among others).

Bravo, team Ballet Met. If you have not seen it yet, and have the tickets, you are in for a treat!

The Bexley Coffee Shop

In the spirit of the holiday season, here is shout out to another Bexley gem of a place: The Bexley Coffee Shop.



This unassuming café is everything a neighborhood coffee shop is meant to be. Proprietors, Paulette and Sean, make you feel welcome as soon as you enter the door. They will, by order, make you a cup of what might be the best coffee in all of Columbus. I kid you not.



The reason behind this? They roast their own coffee (named Red Bike Coffee Roaster). Few people might know about this because they currently make small quantities just for the café's needs and only replenish when necessary. They do have enough, however, for people like me to take a pound or two home to extend that strong, nutty flavor experience in the comfort of my own home.



Beyond the daily caffeine requirements (they do have teas and other beverages as well), Bexley Coffee shop is a small mecca of local arts and locally produced goods. Sean and Paulette carefully select interesting handmade items to intrigue and inspire their customers.



With a cup of coffee in your hands, you can browse the selections and grab that perfect holiday gift for your loved ones. What could be better? No crowds, no nonsense. And you are supporting the local economy!



I must not forget to tell you about the baked goods they have on the offer as well. Again, local bakers are present here: Pattycake Bakery, Sassafras Bakery, Sweet Thing Gourmet (jams and biscottis), among others. Whoever invented pastry and baked goods must have known that their two best friends are named Coffee and Tea.



I was also happy to see handmade art pieces by my dear neighbor, Abby Feinknopf whose talents I adore. She was one of the first people in Columbus who took me by the arms (literally) and showed me around some of her favorite 'gems' in the city. For that, I do owe her!













So, if you have a minute, or two, and are hungry for that 2pm coffee break (or whenever else that may be), stop by this sweet spot and say hi to Sean, or Paulette, or both. They are always there with big smiles along with that perfect cup of coffee with your name on it.



The Bexley Coffee Shop
492 Cassady Ave.
N. Bexley, OH 43209
614-253-3788