OSU's Jesse Owens

Ohio State's Thompson Library celebrates one of the most respected atheletes of all time: Jesse Owens.



It was my first time to this library, an impressive building unto itself. And the exhibit taught me many things about Owens, the four-gold medal winner at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin.



Owen's accomplishments echoed more than just that. During a tumultuous time in world history, he represented an icon, a hero, a Black man against all odds.



I enjoyed the exhibit quite a bit. I especially liked reading the fan letters, a lot of which came from  youngsters who looked up to him as their role model, appropriately so.



I also enjoyed riding the elevator up to the very top floor of the library afterwards to get a panorama of Columbus in (wet) bloom.

It's a worth a visit!

The exhibition is located in the Thompson Library, 1858 Neil Ave., in the display area on the first floor outside the Gallery. The Thompson Library is open Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. -2 a.m.; Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. -10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. -2 a.m.

Pattycake Bakery

Is it bad that I had not been to Pattycake Bakery until today?



I think it is. After all, I have seen, and eaten Pattycake baked goods several times before (in the last 8 months that we have been in Columbus...eight months have past, amazing!). They are sold at several places around town, and they sure are delicious (and vegan, and some are gluten free!). I honestly didn't know that there was a store-front, a real little bakery of a place where I can walk in and look longingly at all the possibilities.



After a morning at Urban Acupuncture, and a satisfying lunch at Lavash Cafe, my friend suggested that we meandered to Pattycake Bakery for a little something sweet.



I loved the blue table and chair instantly and wished they were for sale as well. But I was able to let go of the love (for now), and settled for a lemony cupcake instead.

It was not blue, or practical, but I think my choice for the cupcake (over the table and chair set) was a mighty good one.

Pattycake Bakery

614.784.2253

info@pattycakeveganbakery.com

hours:
mon-fri: 8-7
sat: 9-6
sun: 11-4

Pattycake Bakery
3009 N. High Street
Columbus OH, 43202

Julia's Kitchen

I apologize for my absence. Life has caught up with me!

I also apologize that this post has nothing to do with Columbus, or Ohio. Rather, I am sharing with you a glimpse of Mrs. Julia Child's real-life kitchen. The one that she cooked in, and lived in, until she gave it to the Smithsonian Institution.

During our Spring break a couple weeks ago, we got a chance to do a whirlwind tour of Washington DC. We didn't do it all, since that is impossible to accomplish in a few days...but we did visit the National Museum of American history, now home of Julia Child's kitchen.



Her kitchen was cozy, and full of pots, pans and knives. I love the table in the middle there, inviting anyone to spend time with the cook at work. I am sure it would be extremely convenient to cook & serve, all within a few feet. I would really like that.

We did a lot more in DC than seeing this lovely kitchen, of course. We visited Mt. Vernon, the lovely estate of George Washington. We went up the Washington monument to get the best views of the city (and witnessed how close those planes get as they head to the airport). We hopped in and out of many museums. We loved taking the metro and walking around the city that was in full Spring bloom, the cherry trees included!

Spring!

Isn't it grand to be opening those windows again?



And to see things starting to shoot out of the ground?



Spring here is going to be fantastic, I can already feel it.

We are off to the capital of the country for a few days. I will share some interesting finds here...

Until then...enjoy the warm air and all the signs that Spring is indeed here!

Market 65

Market 65, a new institution in downtown Columbus (Capitol Square, to be precise) opened its doors just a week ago, but you might have heard about them from several places since a few weeks back. Why? Because their philosophy behind the food is what the customers are looking for: fast, fresh, locally grown and produced food, made and assembled right before your eyes.

Patrick Katzenmeyer and Anthony Micheli, co-owners and brains behind the restaurant, greeted me when I entered the door today. Their bright green decor was very welcoming, lively, and spring like. It's almost enough to go in there just for that. Pat showed me around a bit, listing off producers and artisans that they are partnering with. Just to name a few, the baked goods are coming from a few local bakeries like Sassafras Bakery, their coffee is from Stauf's, their diary products is (of course) from Snowville Creamery, their eggs and meats are Ohio raised, and pretty soon their greens will be coming from local farms.

The atmosphere at Market 65 is young, alive, and ready to feed customers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Too bad I don't work downtown, but I think I will be going there regardless.

Market 65
65 E. State St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Open at 7:30am M-F

Oodles

Say the name of this restaurant 3 times, and your Monday has just gotten a little happier!

A friend and I checked out this little spot on E. Main St. the other day, knowing nothing about it. But the name is sweet, and the idea of noodles for lunch is always appealing to me.



We each ordered a different kind of noodle dish. I was recommended the Pad Thai and my friend got the Singaporian noodles. The service is quick, and the price is low. I was not prepared for the disposable dishes and silverware, but I guess it makes sense for this pseudo-Asian-fast-food place.



It made a good enough impression on me that I returned one more time to try one of their rice bowls. I was there during a busy lunch hour, and it was clear the place has a following.

They gave me an option of brown rice if I wanted, and the topping of vegetables and chicken was tasty. A little sprinkle of Sriracha sauce made it complete. The portion was big enough to feed two people, so I left with a take-home box.

I have not tried their dumplings (should be good since it's in their name!), so I have something to try next time.

Mumbling their silly name to myself as I exited the door, I was happy to have visited another new establishment in my Columbus food repertoire.

Oodles has two locations:

765 Neil Avenue
Columbus, OH 43215-1611
(614) 222-8831

443 E. Main St.
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 228-6755

Thoreau lake at Blendon Woods

Our family has a soft spot for Henry D. Thoreau, the New England author whose books have inspired the love of nature in many of us.

Walden Pond in Massachusetts, as I am sure most of you are familiar with (at least as a title of a book), is a special place to our family. Both my husband and I went to schools not too far from this infamous pond. Because of that, we have many fond memories of swimming across the pond with dear friends, visiting it during all the four seasons, taking our children there to make their own memories.

Best of all, both of our children learned how to swim at Walden, in the sandy, shallow end of the pond. How cool is that?



And so when we saw that there is a pond named after our beloved author who spent a whole lot of time by one of our favorite places, we had to check it out (and I am naively assuming that the pond was named after the author...I could be wrong!). It sits in the middle of Walden Waterfowl Refuge at Blendon Woods Metro Park.

Yesterday's spring like weather was perfect for a little outing. The sun was out, the temperature hovered around 60 degrees, birds were chirping wildly.



Thoreau's lake is only 0.3 miles from the nature center at Blendon Woods - an easy walk on a paved path that leads visitors to two separate viewing areas. These hide-outs allow us to watch the wildlife in and around the pond. There were several kinds of birds there yesterday: ducks, geese, even a white swan.

I can only imagine how lovely Thoreau's lake will be in the spring time with vegetation bursting out of dormancy. It's not far away now... I think we can all feel it in the air.

BLENDON WOODS
4265 E. Dublin-Granville Road
Westerville, OH 43081