Photography 101: Landscape Photo #1 Every photography teacher in Columbus is bored with photos of downtown, probably because everyone has taken every single vantage point and angle possible. But I love a good cityscape, so I knew I had to take one photo of the skyline. I tried to capture the three aspects that […]
Fourth of July Fireworks
Last year I attempted my first fireworks photography. A friend with an incredible view of the downtown Columbus fireworks from her apartment balcony invited me to a party. And she also invited her photography instructor who was kind enough to teach me a few things about fireworks photography. I wish you a happy fourth of […]
TOSRV Day 2 – What drove me to finish
Approximately 2,500 people participated in TOSRV this year. I am not sure how many actually ride 105 miles back to Columbus the next day. Day 1 was challenging enough. I was exhausted when I arrived in Portsmouth. Many people hung out at Tracy Park where there was live music, food, and beer to celebrate. The […]
TOSRV Day 1 – Prayers and profanity
I told you I didn’t want to do it. I dreaded it even more because of the weather forecast. My alarm went off at 5am. I wanted to eat at least an hour before starting the ride and didn’t want to risk rushing and forgetting something important. TOSRV (Tour of the Scioto River Valley) is […]
The Pearl
It seemed as if the sign had been up forever, paper covering the windows. Who is this handsome newcomer? The lit-up sign and the name itself made me think it would be classy and comfortable and bring something special to the Columbus restaurant scene, in particular the Short North Arts District. I avoided the early […]
My first cupping
Am I the only one who thinks that sounds dirty? Anyways, moving on… The first stop on the Columbus Food Adventures Coffee Tour was so great. I figured it would be hard to learn much more. I was wrong. Our second stop was Stauf’s Coffee Roasters. Stauf’s was the first micro-roaster in Columbus. […]
A lesson in Italian espresso drinks
I have talked about my love for coffee before. I think that traveling in Latin America where most countries drink Nescafe (no es café!) or some sort of coffee sludge hybrid turned me into a coffee snob. Note: You may think I’m crazy because much of the great coffee we have in the US […]
A unique outdoor art project
Since I returned home from my travel sabbatical, I have been impressed by the growth in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio. I do not just mean new construction and new businesses. I feel that there has been culture and lifestyle improvement. There are more local coffee roasters, new restaurants featuring locally-sourced ingredients, and more local […]
Ice Cream Crack (or making maple syrup)
When friends invited me out to their home to help them make maple syrup, I jumped at the opportunity. First of all, it is something interesting to do during the dreary, never-ending Ohio winter. Secondly, these people have automatic cool factor. They know how to make something completely from scratch, something that is not easy […]
A celebration for the foodies of Columbus
If you read this blog regularly (or even just every once in a while), you know that I love food. It’s one of my favorite things to experience while traveling, but it is also something I enjoy at home. A lot of people look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them that Columbus […]