Photo: Randall Lee Schieber

The Create Columbus Commission is compiling a database of your favorite spots in and around downtown Columbus.

Why? Because your feedback will be used to create fun and interactive walking maps that show off Columbus’ best spots – including favorite landmarks, buildings, views, art, oddities and other sites.

What do you think should be included? What deserves a rightful spot on a walking map that would be shared with residents and visitors alike?

There are two ways to share your thoughts:

• Comment on this post . Let us know where your favorite is located, along with any other information you might know about it - who created it, who owns it, history, etc. Also, let us know why you love it.

- or -

• Visit this link to help populate the What I Love About Columbus database with your favorites.

I work with a variety of groups visiting Columbus – girlfriend getaways, family reunions, church groups, school groups, book clubs…the list goes on. And they almost always ask for “something different” to do.

In response to these requests, Experience Columbus has worked with a number of partners to develop a variety of options for people looking to do something fun and hands-on. We now have 57 different “experiential” activities that include everything from interacting with exotic zoo animals to learning about herbs to tasting and toasting with Irish beers .

If you’re part of a group looking to plan something unique in Columbus, check out some of what’s available:

• Be a Columbus Clippers baseball player . Attend a press conference announcing your signing with the team, dress in the clubhouse, warm up in the cages and then take the field.

 

• Go behind the scenes of the renowned BalletMet and discover what it takes to bring a production to life. Learn secrets the audience never sees, enjoy an interactive meeting with dancers and take an exclusive backstage tour

 

• Participate in a one-of-a-kind sensory experience in Worthington . Blend and pour a scented candle, then sniff and sample among two-dozen distinctive wines.

 

• Learn what’s in fashion from the experts , create scrapbook memories , and learn to cook with top chefs – all at Easton Town Center.

 

• Cook with spicy foods master CaJohn , sample an array of amazing tastes and learn how artisan ice cream is made from farm-to-table at Columbus’ lively and historic North Market

 

• Tour a 13,000 year-old cranberry bog where only a rare few are permitted to travel, create a blown glass ornament and make teas when you explore Licking County

 

• Pamper yourself at a spa , enjoy an evening of adventurous dining , and become a winemaker in the lively Short North Arts District

 

• Be a horse trainer for a day , learn about saddles, bits and more or discover some betting secrets of the pros with a behind-the-scenes thoroughbred racing experience

 

A complete list of current tours can be found here . For more details or to set up an experience for your group, feel free to call me at 614-222-6136 or send me an email .

This time of year, distances to walk at lunchtime seem shorter than they did during the frigid temperatures of the previous months. I like to take advantage of the warmer weather by strolling to some of the lunchtime programs in the area. They’re great escapes in the middle of the day.

Below are a few options to consider:

• Every Friday between May 29 and September 4, The Ohio Statehouse offers free lunch time performances from 12:00- 1:00 p.m. on the Statehouse lawn (except for Friday, July 3). You can check the performance schedule here .

• The last Friday of each month this summer, stop in the Experience Columbus Visitor Center to see and touch exotic animals from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The first visit this season is this week! Additional dates and details are here .

• On varying days, the OSU Urban Arts Space offers a variety of exhibits and lectures at their space located in the historic Lazarus building. Check the schedule for upcoming "Brown Bag" dates here .

Pearl Market

• Daily, the Arena Grand Movie Theatre shows nonstop movie trailers during lunch for free. You can also grab food from their Bistro & Bar , which offers lunch specials Monday through Friday.

• If you’re a sports fan or just want to check out the new ballpark , the Columbus Clippers offer afternoon games on the following dates:

Thursday May 28 at 11:35 a.m.
Thursday June 18 at 12:05 p.m.
Thursday July 9 at 12:05 p.m.
Tuesday August 4 at 12:05 p.m.

(The full Clippers schedule is here )

• Every Tuesday and Friday, the Pearl Market offers special events, fresh local produce and gift items from local vendors. More information can be found here .

Do you have any lunchtime escapes to add?

During the holidays, I mentioned that I bought tickets for a friend and I to attend a Chef Series Cooking Class at the North Market . These classes, which are limited to only 26 participants, allow you to get up close and personal with some of Columbus’ best chefs while they prepare a special meal for you.

Our tickets were for last Wednesday’s class, taught by Paul Yow of Barcelona Restaurant & Bar and held in the Dispatch Kitchen (top floor of the market). I liked that the intimate class size allowed everyone attending to feel comfortable asking questions throughout the class. We could also walk up to the kitchen area and observe Chef Yow’s techniques at any point during the presentation - or we could simply remain seated, savor some wine and enjoy the rotation of smells filling the room.

Our captivated class

Our meal included a starter of cheese, chutney, bread and a spicy salad. The main courses included a side of fideo (a pasta dish) and sautéed sea scallops. The finale was a wonderful caramel chocolate almond sauce served on Jeni’s ice cream .

Throughout the evening I never saw the bottom of my wine glass, as it was continuously filled with a nice variety of red and white wines from the Rioja region of Spain.

Chef Yow’s sense of humor and affectionate approach to food kept the class captivated throughout the entire two-hour period. He created an enjoyable, open environment and a true learning experience for us.

And even if you couldn’t care less about learning to cook, you’re sure to enjoy the eating. A Chef Series class offers an evening that all types of food and wine lovers can enjoy together.

A schedule of upcoming Chef Series classes and other North Market events is available here .

Photo: WexArts.org

I stumbled upon Antony and the Johnsons for the first time in 2002 - I knew nothing about them and decided to attend the concert on a whim. I take these "risks" often at the Wexner Center for the Arts . I don’t always know if I will "like" what I see there, but I do know that when I leave I’ll be a little more informed and always more appreciative of the variety of film, music, art and dance that the Wex brings to Columbus.

The show began quietly, when a performer provided the audience with a long opening message given entirely in Morse code. Then a strong but feminine voice filled the room and gently commanded attention. The lights lifted and slowly unveiled the lead singer of the band, the androgynous-looking Antony Hegarty .

Antony wore a pink boa and moved subtly across the stage, allowing me to concentrate on his lyrics of melancholy and longing. In fact, the draw of his unique voice was so powerful that, after a few minutes, I stopped trying to figure out if he was male or female and instead got lost in the rest of the performance.

I left the concert and purchased anything I could find by Antony and the Johnsons. I also knew if they came back to Columbus, I’d be there. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to the show coming to our city on Feb. 4 .

Back in 2002, the dimly lit performance space at the Wexner Center was the perfect venue for a minimalist, cabaret-style delivery. But over the past seven years, Antony and the Johnsons albums have seen subtle increases in orchestral sound and growing recognition from the mainstream. So it makes sense that the venue for this visit is the Southern Theatre . Antony’s voice and the organic acoustics of this beautiful theater are sure to complement each other.

Until showtime, here are some additional links worth a look:

• Buy tickets
• Tell your friends and RSVP on Facebook
  
• Listen to tunes on YouTube
• Check out a video, an MP3 and artist info on the Wexner’s site

This is Part 2 of a 2-part series posted on The Columbus Experience. Part 1 is by Amy Gatto Klein, who features her last-minute shopping gameplan. Part 2 is by Brian Cheek, who features some of his already-completed shopping stops made this holiday season.

With all of the talk about the economy, I tried to make a conscious effort to shop locally for Christmas this year. I wanted to support our Columbus merchants - those who would feel the effects of the economy first, those we can not afford to lose, and those who make Columbus what it is.

I’m typically a last-minute shopper like Amy, but this year I planned ahead and gave myself time to hit a few Columbus neighborhoods to find gifts.

• I started with Collier West in the Short North , a gorgeous store with a variety of wares including tabletop items by Michael Aram and decoupage pieces by John Derian . I received personal assistance, didn’t have to deal with a stressed-out sales person out to make a commission, and my purchase was packaged uniquely and ready to give.

• I still send good old-fashioned greeting cards (and actually, not just at Christmas but year round). For unique cards, I headed to my usual stop, Peabody Papers in Grandview. I love walking into a place that carries a variety of styles created by artists or companies with a specific style. You’re warmly greeted at Peabody Papers and given personalized individual attention - whether you’re there for a single card or a set of customized invitations.

• Since I work for Experience Columbus, it might seem cheesy to say I like to give a local "experience" as a gift. Well pass the Gouda, because the truth is that’s exactly what I like to do. I purchased tickets for a friend and me to take a Chef Series Cooking Class at the North Market . You can’t get more local then taking a cooking class from a Columbus area chef; ours will be taught by Paul Yow from Barcelona Restaurant & Bar . What I really love about this gift is that my friend would have never bought it for herself.

• I have nine nieces and nephews, so for their gifts I headed to Larson’s Toys and Games in Upper Arlington, a great alternative to big box toy stores. Larson’s carries a variety of classic wooden toys along with lines of toys from around the world. I never worry that I’ve bought the little ones in my life something they already have. Larson’s also offers free gift wrapping, all year round. Enough said.

• Finally, for my friend that has everything, I turned to food. Weiland’s Gourmet Market in Clintonville has a wide variety of seafood, meat, cheese and specialty international items. I chose an assortment of goodies specific to my friend’s tastes, and was able to do it all during one stop at this busy but friendly market.  Weiland’s also offers a wide selection of beer, wine and liquor. Their knowledgeable staff will help you find just the right drink to go with whatever you might be serving (and for some of you out there, they can help figure out which libation will get you through holiday get-togethers with the relatives).