Sister Trip- An Afternoon in Columbus/ An Evening at Tribal Connection

Sister Trip
An Afternoon in Columbus
An Evening at Tribal Connection Music Festival
May 12. 2012

I’ve tried unsuccessfully several times to recap our recent weekend trip to the Columbus area. I’ve just been having trouble coming up with the words to convey the kind of amusement that we have on these excursions. Fun has a way of finding me and Megan. We can turn a series of random events into an extravaganza of excitement.

We started the day rolling around in money and it just got better from there. I’m not exactly sure where the idea originated but before leaving for our fun-filled day in Columbus, we decided to ‘make it rain’ with about a hundred $1 bills. We had such a great time throwing the cash into the air and letting it shower down on us, laughing hysterically and posing for pictures. That comical diversion set the tone for our entire day.

We found a hula hoop lying in a parking lot as we walked to the North Market- of course, we were thrilled! Awesome groundscore! The North Market (59 Spruce St.), an indoor bazaar of produce vendors, patisseries, international and specialty food stores, offers many scrumptious selections but alas, we’d had breakfast at the hotel and picked up only a few pastries.

 

As we made our way up High Street into the Short North District a couple of boisterous gay guys stopped us to tell us we were looking good. This was about the third time that day that either or both of us had been complimented. We were feeling pretty awesome! We reluctantly turned down the guys’ proposal to be their zombie brides in the annual Zombie Walk parade later that day and set out to see a few of murals in the thriving artsy neighborhood by following a walking tour of the area.

There are so many eclectic little shops in Short North. We spent a little time shopping for vintage clothing and home items at Flower Child (989 N High St.), browsing high-end clothing at bargain prices at Savvy on a Shoe String (13 W 1st Ave.) and looking at jewelry and other accessories at Substance (783 N High St.). We stopped at Wine on High (789 North High St.) to peruse the bottle selection and have a glass at the upstairs wine bar. We were very disappointed to see that the bar didn’t open until later that afternoon but the gallant owner of the establishment said he was happy to run upstairs to pour us a few glasses of wine. We very much appreciated the effort and were quite pleased with ourselves- we may not be the kind of chicks that close down a bar but we’re certainly the sort of girls that get a bar opened for them.

I’d seen a feature on Sugardaddy's (11 East Gay St.) on a Food Network show ages ago so we were very excited to check out what all the talk is about. Basically, Sugardaddy's produces the most mouth-watering brownies and blondies ever. Several options to choose from made it hard to make our final picks and we each walked out with a few varieties.

At the Topiary Park (Town Street & Washington Avenue) we saw someone that was either an actor performing a moving monologue or a total nutcase flipping out. Still, the garden was a lovely spot to sit and relax a little.

We’d wanted to eat at Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace- who wouldn’t want to eat at a place with that name- but there was a large crowd surrounding the door, we were starving and decided to find a place in the German Village, a stop we make on every Columbus trip. We’re German girls, we LOVE German Village. As soon as I saw the sign for Olde Mohawk (821 Mohawk St.) I knew it was the place for us- upscale pub food, cozy atmosphere, great service. We had a delightful time!

After following a walking tour of German Village, we decided that we were beat and headed back to the hotel. We still had a big night ahead of us. As we pulled up to the Marysville Hampton Inn, we saw a helicopter sitting on a flat trailer in the middle of the parking lot. Megan and I eyed each other, asking the unspoken question- should we jump on this helicopter? We decided against it.


 

Our last destination was the Tribal Connection Music Festival, the event we’d planned our whole weekend around. We were there to see Waterband but The Stagecoach Robbery stole the show. While we sat on the hill listening to Waterband play, Meg and I were compelled to move as soon as we heard Stagecoach’s groovy guitar. We danced the night away with friends we’d met up with that evening, watching fire dancers and hula hoopers illuminate the night.

The hotel pool area was closed, the lights were off and the water glowed blue- it was too inviting not to spend a few minutes doing cannonballs into the pool and basking in the comfort of the hot tub after a crazy night. Megan and I had declared that this summer was going to be the best ever and this day was the perfect kick-off to months of fun!

Great Ohio Cities- The Big Three Cs

Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati are the three largest cities in Ohio. They each have their own culture and a lot to offer the budget road-tripper. Cleveland is in the north of the state on the shores of Lake Erie, Columbus is in central-Ohio and Cincinnati is in the southwest tip on the Ohio River. They are connected by Interstate 71. One thing these three cities have in common- they LOVE their sports!

Cleveland~

The first trips I remember were to Sea World and Geauga Lake in Aurora, near Cleveland, Ohio with my family (probably my first time in a hotel) and the Cleveland Zoo with my cousins when my sister was still in a stroller. Childhood trips also included the Natural History Museum and the Cleveland Art Museum, which are nearly next to each other. The art museum is free! We've made the 1.5 hour drive to Cleveland many times. More recent Cleveland visits included the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Edgewater Park, Browns, Cavaliers and Indians games, lots of Playhouse Square shows and countless concerts!

Our most recent family trip to Cleveland was a visit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. My father wanted to go. My friend Katie gave me 6 FREE TICKETS (thanks, chica)! My siblings and I were able to enjoy a great afternoon with our father who had a great time talking about his own Rock & Roll memories. The exhibits were very interesting. The films were great. The Rock Hall is definitely one of the best attractions Cleveland has to offer.

Iron Chef Michael Symon has two restaurants in near downtown Cleveland- Lola and Lolita. My family’s choice is an Italian place a little out of downtown but worth the drive- Stancato’s in Parma. The buffet on Sunday is the best!

Columbus~

We’ve taken many family trips to Columbus. One of the last trips we took before my mom passed away in 1992 was to Columbus. We went to COSI (a science museum), the German Village and the State Fair. A decade later, my sisters and I planned a weekend get-away to Columbus to visit the Zoo and just have some fun. We ended up planning it on exact weekend that we spent our last family trip together ten years earlier! My sisters and I had a blast on that trip. I unknowingly turned the wrong way down a one-way street and did a quick, tire-squealing U-turn to the glee of my passengers. We rode go-carts. We saw manatees, which are actually way bigger than what they seem on TV. We even ordered room-service. Good fun!

Recent trips to Columbus included visits to the Columbus Museum of Modern Art and the Franklin Park Conservatory. Both the museum and Conservatory are always changing exhibits and are different every time you return. The natural beauty of Conservatory is absolutely stunning.

I can’t think of any one place I enjoy eating in Columbus. I love to indulge in a cream puff from the German Village.

Cincinnati~

Cincinnati is a great place to visit. There is so much to do! I had a friend that attended University there and I visited quite often. We’ve enjoyed King’s Island Amusement Park, the Cincinnati Art Museum, Krohn Conservatory and Eden Park. We crossed the Ohio River to enjoy the Newport Aquarium which is in neighboring Kentucky. Riverboat gambling is in nearby Indiana. There are always concerts and other cultural events going on in Cincinnati. It is a vibrant city.

You can’t visit Cincinnati without trying some of the famous Skyline Cincinnati Chili. Don’t worry- they have great Greek salads and other sides of chili isn’t your thing, but you should try it once because it is unlike chili from anywhere else! Montgomery Inn is a fantastic ribs place with a great atmosphere. There are a few locations and while the original location is very nice, the Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse has a perfect view of the Ohio River. It is a favorite spot!

August 24, 2009

On a recent business trip to Cincinnati, I was looking for things to do in the evening. The Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center is open late on Mondays and is free after 5:pm. I drove into downtown, parked at a deck and first walked to Fountain Square. It is a nice place to sit, people watch or relax. From Fountain Square, I walked to the CAC.

It is seven floors- the top floor was the children's museum and photography was allowed in that area. I enjoyed the exhibits and video installations in other galleries very much. The CAC is located in a bustling part of Cincinnati with a lot of restaurants nearby. It is a great Cincinnati attraction!