Tag Archives: Columbus Ohio

Revisiting Old Favorites

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Art museums tend to be favorite destinations of mine simply because you never know what you might find. Adam and I hit up the Columbus Museum of Art over Memorial Day weekend and saw all kinds of curiosities and beautiful objects.

I like seeing new things but always look forward to seeing some specific pieces like this gorgeous, larger than life Chihuly piece. The space it’s in is gorgeous and drenched in light making it the perfect spot for a glass exhibit.

I’m also partial to this Norman Rockwell painting. He is too broadly viewed as a cliche in my opinion and I think he deserves more credit for the stunning details in his slice of life paintings.

This piece always excites me as well. It’s called “The Little White Church,” a carved and painted wood relief made by Elijah Pierce in 1936. I see something new with every viewing.

 Museums are also a great place to people watch. They rightfully don’t like when guests get too close to the artwork but there were a number of people ignoring that rule. We saw one gentleman taking selfies with busts and paintings, standing close enough he very easily could have fallen into any of the artwork he was trying to photograph. 

This gentleman appeared to be photographing every piece in the museum. The wall color in this room was exceptional and really made the 15th century Tuscan processional cross pop!

Seeing how people interact with the art is fascinating to me. Do they stroll through? What grabs their attention and makes them stand and stare? What motivates them to like or dislike a thing? People are interesting and what they like or dislike is a window into their personalities.

I will note that museum admission is free on Sundays so that’s a great opportunity to check it out. However, it’s important to note that lots of people take advantage of this deal and it tends to be busy. People allowing their young children to roam and run freely among the art made me nervous. It’s worth the price of weekday admission to be there when it’s quieter.

However, if you’ve never been to an art museum and don’t want to invest in tickets, this is a wonderful way to just go look around and see what the fuss is about!

There is a fee for parking but they will valdiate if you spend that amount at the cafe or gift shop. Check out their website here to learn about current exhibitions, hours and more.

There is also a modern art wing. I’ll take you there tomorrow.

Hounddog’s Pizza

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Have you been to Hounddog’s Pizza in Columbus? I finally made it there last month and am pleased to say that the pizza was excellent.

From the parking lot, you walk through a heavy wooden door that resembles something that should be in a castle. From here, a long hallway leads you to a dimly lit dining room and adjacent bar. The walls are covered in memorabilia. The booths are large. The service is quick. And when the waitress brought our pizza she literally said “ta da!” as though she had performed a magic trick.

And honestly, after tasting the pizza, I kind of understand why. 

It did taste a little like magic.

We had veggies on the Smokin’ Joes crust which is hand tossed with their special garlic butter crust and Joes sauce. The crust was neither too thick nor too thin and just a little crispy on the bottom. 

Wowsa. It was good. Their slogan is “pizza for the people” and I get it. Adam and I were two very happy people. 

Want to know more? Hit up their website to view the menu and get the particulars on hours and location. If you’re in Columbus, it’s well worth the trip. Also, it’s just a few minutes from a really nice Half Price Books. Be sure to go there too!

Trolley Rescue At The Spaghetti Warehouse

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When the roof of the Spaghetti Warehouse in Columbus, Ohio partially collapsed back in March 2022, many of us gasped in dismay. Sure, it’s a chain restaurant but it felt special and the historic building that had given it shelter for so long was packed with unique antiques and decor including an old trolley car.

That’s right, there was a trolley car in the middle of the restaurant and it was used to hold tables for dining. Not to mention, this place was a destination for tourists and for locals who celebrated special occasions as well as regular old dinners in this late nineteenth century building.

I was there just a few weeks before the collapse and was shocked at the idea that this building that looked and felt so solid could just begin falling in on itself. 

News reports over time first gave hope that repairs could be made but became increasingly dark as it was clear the great old building we all knew and loved wasn’t long for the world. Many were especially concerned about the artifacts displayed inside including that historic trolley car. 

But we finally got a bit of good news this week as we learned the trolley had been safely removed. In fact according to local news reports in Columbus, the demo crew is treading carefully as they unearth a number of historic treasures including an 1890s era steam wheel from when the building was used as an ice house.

Photo courtesy NBC 4, Columbus

The trolley will be restored before being given a new home in a park on Livingston Avenue. That park is being built by the Rickenbacker Woods Foundation whose mission is to honor the accomplishments of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker and of Granville T. Woods. Mr. Woods was a Columbus native and an African American inventor who held over sixty patents. He was the inventor of the third rail which today still powers subways and streetcars around the world. 

The new park will be part of the foundation’s campus which also includes the boyhood home of Captain Rickenbacker. 

Honestly, the salvaging of that trolley is a true bright spot in all of this. A week ago the future was grim for the old gal. No one had yet stepped up with the right combination of means and desire to fund the expensive project to remove it from a condemned building and give it a new home. 

Let us celebrate and say amen. 

Meanwhile back at the old Spaghetti Warehouse, the owner plans to develop the property into apartment buildings. 

Notice I referred to it as the old Spaghetti Warehouse? Well, they did open a new location in downtown Columbus. So, you can still get some of the old menu items but the menu is scaled back. I missed the manicotti.

It’s a nice restaurant with modern ambiance but it doesn’t hold a candle to the old location. So, if you’ve been there before and expect an experience similar to which you were accustomed, it will be a disappointment. If you’re just in the mood for some decent ravioli in downtown, they’ve got you covered.

Luckily, the Dayton location still gives us the classic vibe and you can eat in a trolley car there!

Can we also pause a moment to appreciate the fact that someone in this disposable society of ours saw fit to rescue a piece of local history? It’s encouraging knowing that it didn’t go down with the ship but will instead be preserved for generations to come.

Tupelo Honey

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Last week I found myself with a group at the Tupelo Honey location in Columbus, Ohio. This restaurant chain started with a single location in Asheville, North Carolina in 2000. There they gained a reputation for their farm to table scratch cooking.

Today, Tupelo Honey has locations in the south and far beyond, including in Yankee cities like Columbus and Milwaukee.

The food was plentiful and tasty. They are known for their fried chicken but they do have a couple of vegetarian and pescatarian options. I wanted a little more protein than I could get from the vegetarian dishes so I opted for a grilled salmon that came with roasted veggies and a delicious creamy quinoa. I need to reverse engineer that quinoa because it was the best I’ve ever had.

I also ordered biscuits with blueberry jam. They call them Biscuits For A Cause and the proceeds go to employee relief and development funds. That’s right, friends. I took one for the team and ate biscuits to help others.

The blueberry jam was delicious too.

The atmosphere and food were good and I would absolutely return sometime. Find a location near you and check out the menu here!

Also, if you read the name and immediately thought of the Van Morrison song – this is for you!

Alley View

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Walking affords you a significantly different view of a place than you might ever see from the car or a building. If you need proof, look no further than this view of the Ohio Statehouse, framed by an alley.

I would have never seen this slice of life if I hadn’t been on foot.

Have you toured the Ohio Statehouse? you should! It’s free and it’s a terrific tour! Click here to read about it.

Plan B Adventure

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Yesterday’s adventure was supposed to take me and a friend to a sunflower field near Yellow Springs, Ohio. Sadly, we’ve had a dry spell and learned Friday that the sunflowers aren’t blooming yet.

So we quickly formed a Plan B and headed out for a different kind of adventure. We spent the day roaming Franklin Park Conservatory and doing a little bargain shopping for clothes, books and antiques.

Nothing makes me happier than buying a book I look forward to reading.

Unless it’s a Chinese buffet with plenty of veggies.

It was fall at Franklin Park!

The bonsai always fascinate me.

Can you believe this tiger is made with live materials?

It wasn’t the day we had planned but it was still a fantastically fun day. I am grateful to be so flexible and willing to shift or pivot as needed when things don’t go as planned.

Life rarely goes as planned and sometimes it’s best to acknowledge we really are just along for the ride. Sunday is my day for rest and preparation for the week ahead. Here’s hoping that goes according to plan.

As for you, I hope this day takes you wherever you want to be and that it is a happy one.