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.

Tropical Columbus

Just about the time that I am missing our tropical days in Thailand, Franklin Park Conservatory reveals its new exhibit of orchids from different tropical places in the world. I can't be more thankful.



We went there at 11am today, just in time for the Hula Dancing performance in the Palm Room. The Hawaiian music, together with the genteel, beautiful Polynesian dance, put the winter blues away (almost completely!).



Afterwards, the kids had fun with the craft activities offered in the family fun room in the lower level. There are many activities planned around this wonderful exhibition throughout the month and beyond. With our membership, we are free to go as often as we wish... lucky for us!



Here is more information about the exhibition. Columbus is lucky to have such a wonderful conservatory, especially for a mid-winter escape like this one.

Wood-fired Pizza at Franklin Park

It's mid-November right?

Right?

I want to brag about the outdoor, wood-fired pizza experience we had yesterday at Franklin Park Community Garden.

Jim Budros, the man behind the outdoor kitchen theatre at the garden, put together a wonderful gathering and cooking on a sunny mild November afternoon.

We don't live too far from Franklin Park, so when we heard that there was pizza being made out of my dream pizza oven (I learned of this from my previous visit to the garden), I told my family to jump on our bikes pronto.

We got there just in time for the last pizza of the day (Jim said he made twenty!). The fire was still going strong both in the pizza oven and in the fireplace (where Jim was grilling skewers of pork tenderloin). We watched the 'show' and ate our pizza on a bench, drenched in mid November sun.