This is my first “real” Winter in three years. I was enjoying the beaches of El Salvador and sweating my ass off in Nicaragua two years ago. Last year at this time I experienced opposite seasons traveling in Argentina and Chile. It was cold some days when I was very far south in Patagonia, but […]
Bierberg: traditional German Christmas cookies for four generations
Bierberg is the hidden gem of German Village in Columbus, Ohio. Located on a quiet cobblestone street inside a tiny house with a strange facade, this family-run shop opens for only two months each year. A group of ladies, including family and friends, gather each year to bake thousands of Christmas cookies using the recipes […]
My favorite holiday treat (recipe, tips,and photos included!)
For as long as I can remember, I have associated Christmas with one special treat. Pumpkin roll! Although I do prepare most of my own meals in order to eat healthy and save money, I do not spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I cook simple things. But there is one day a […]
Entrepreneurs, Coffee, and Technology
I was traveling in Central and South America for less than two years, however, I feel like there have been some small changes with big impacts in my home city of Columbus. All good changes. Coffee is becoming a serious thing. Independent, coffee roasters are popping up. And the coffee is fantastic. One of my […]
20 months, 1000s of photos… Help pick my prints!
I have been back in my home in Columbus for five months. I still have blank walls and empty photo frames. I simply cannot decide which of my thousands of photos I want on my walls. So I need your help. And I want to give you something in return. Help me pick my prints […]
Why you should always have $20 cash and other lessons from my car-free lifestyle
My attempt at living a car-free lifestyle in the US has hit an early challenge. Since I would be giving up my virtual office to go back to the corporate world, I knew that my work commute would be the biggest challenge to a car-free lifestyle. So I made a career decision that would give […]
Italian Flavors and Ohio Ingredients in a German Village
When I announced the end of my travel sabbatical, I said that I wanted to explore my hometown. I have to admit that between my trips to Maine, Seattle, Portland, and St. Louis, and working a full-time office job again, there is not a whole lot of time left for exploring new things in Columbus […]
Knead: Local is Delicious
I recently wrote about how much I love Portland and perhaps made it seem like I’m down on Columbus. Don’t get me wrong. Columbus still has a lot of great stuff. That’s why I call the city home. Although it is not quite at the level of Portland, Columbus is making a lot of gains. […]
Best breakfast sandwich ever
Coming back to Columbus after being gone so long is great because I get to go to my favorite restaurants, cafés, and bars. But what is really fun is checking out all the great new places that have popped up in the last two years and the places I simply missed because I didn’t have […]
Columbus rocks! My 4 music obsessions
It is the end of summer. The mornings have a chill (a refreshing break from the humidity). The leaves are starting to change colors. Over three months ago, I ended my travel sabbatical in South America to come back to my hometown of Columbus, Ohio. That time has flown by, and as much as I […]