Today’s post is written by Thurber House – downtown Columbus’ non-profit literary center and museum. This spring, in addition to the ever popular Evenings with Authors series, Thurber House will host three nationally-acclaimed writers: Suze Orman, Anna Quindlen and Justin Cronin. Want to learn more about this Super Special Spring? Keep reading for the inside scoop!
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Thurber House Hosts Nationally-Acclaimed Writers
Provided by our friends at the Thurber House

Suze Orman, mega bestselling author, multi-award winner and financial guru
Wednesday, March 16 – COSI Columbus

Suze Orman, who has been called “a force in the world of personal finance” and a “one-woman financial advice powerhouse,” will discuss her first new book in four years, The Money Class: Learn to Create Your New American Dream . The event begins at 7 p.m. General admission tickets are $35 (includes parking at COSI). Student tickets are also available for $25.

A Special Conversation with Anna Quindlen, hosted by Connie Schultz
Monday, April 4 – King Arts Complex

Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen is making a return visit to Columbus in a special event featuring Anna in conversation with her long-time friend, Connie Schultz, herself a Pulitzer Prize winning author and previous Thurber House Literary Picnic guest, and wife of Senator Sherrod Brown. They will discuss Anna’s latest bestselling novel, Every Last One , among other interesting topics.

Tickets to the event only are $25. The program starts at 7:30 p.m.

Justin Cronin, bestselling author of The Passage
Tuesday, May 17 – Columbus Performing Arts Center

The Passage is the first in a post-apocalyptic vampire trilogy that hit bestseller lists from coast to coast and won critical raves (and has already been purchased for film). The author of two previous books, The Summer Guest and Mary and O’Neil , Justin is one of a handful of writers, like Stephen King, who capture a reader through great storytelling and outstanding writing. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.

Whether you’re an avid reader, or just looking to spice up your spring calendar, you won’t want to miss these special events! Visit ThurberHouse.org to purchase tickets and for more information.

Which author are you most looking forward to seeing?

Looking for a respite from this frigid winter weather? Pop into the Franklin Park Conservatory and thaw out in The Orchid Forest .

The annual orchid exhibition by the Central Ohio Orchid Society, Orchid Forest is on display in the Atrium. These fragile plants thrive in this environment, shooting out vibrant blooms in fuchsia, yellow and, of course, winter white.

You’ll find special programming for all ages included with admission, such as tropical-themed family activities each Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. – think hula dancing, lei-making and luaus. Also, members of the Society host Orchid Talks each Sunday from 1-4 p.m. They’ll give free advice on how to care for orchids. You can even pick one up in the Botanica gift shop. Might make a good Valentine’s Day gift – or a pick-me-up for yourself.

If you’re looking something warm but gardening isn’t your thing, you might enjoy Cocktails at the Conservatory every Thursday night from 5:30-10 p.m. Admission is $11 and you’ll receive $10 worth of beverage/appetizer tickets. We’ve talked a lot about happy hours in Columbus recently; this is an option that definitely breaks the norm.

For more information on all things toasty and tropical this season, visit FPConservatory.org .

M will offer 3 courses for just $35

It’s wintertime and, if you’re anything like me, your wallet is a little thin post-holidays and you’re trying to eat better and start an exercise routine.

But that doesn’t mean depriving ourselves entirely. We just need to make better choices – like where to eat at a bargain during the upcoming Restaurant Week, Jan. 17-22.

Forty-eight restaurants are participating this time during Restaurant Week Columbus , presented by 614 Magazine. All are offering three-course meals at a fixed price, ranging from $15-$35 per person. (Tax, beverages and gratuity not included.)

Here’s a sampling of restaurants at each price point:

$15 – The Olde Mohawk and Cabo Cocina

$20 – Columbus Brewing Company and Figlio

$25 – Bon Vie and Michael O’Toole’s

$30 – Cameron’s American Bistro and Lindey’s

$35 – The Refectory and Rigsby’s (more…)

COSI

This post is part 5 of a 6 part series featuring Experience Columbus Days , which takes place Oct. 8-11. During that time, Columbus attractions offer 50% off (or in some cases, BOGO or free admission). Plus, the restaurants of Dine Originals Columbus offer 25% off your food bill for two people.

In this post, Cathe features things to do that are fun for the entire family during Experience Columbus Days. You can also check out previous posts that feature delicious dining options , plus outings that are great for groups , great for dates and perfect for art fans . Stay tuned for the last post in the series - we’ll feature Experience Columbus Days activities that are recommended for history buffs.

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With 50% off admission (or BOGO) at so many attractions, it’s crazy not to take the entire family—kids and all—out and about during Experience Columbus Days.

It looks like we’re in for good weather this weekend but regardless of how it shapes up, there are both indoor and outdoor options. (more…)

TORK sculptures:
15-foot-tall North American Pitcher Plants
Photo: Franklin Park Conservatory

I’ll admit, never before have I spent time thinking about meat-eating plants. As a kid, I remember seeing Venus flytraps and thinking they were cool, but it stopped there.

That is, until I saw the new exhibit at the Franklin Park Conservatory: Savage Gardens: The Real and Imaginary World of Carnivorous Plants . It runs through Nov. 14.

It’s a fascinating exhibit that is a combination of hundreds of live plants that lure, catch, kill and digest insects for energy; four larger-than-life sculptures based on these bizarre plants; a juried art show and two commissioned art works.

The group I was with had fun seeing the sculptures, then searching for the real plant. I think our favorite was the Venus flytrap. We learned that an insect has to stroke the inside of the leaf twice before the trap closes (at which point we "oohed" and "aahed" and said, "Do it again!") To make the most of your experience, I highly recommend attending the horticulturist presentation in the showroom each day at 1 p.m. Also, Family Fun Saturdays are held at 11 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month with activities and crafts.

Not being much of a gardener myself, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the exhibit. Another great surprise was the enormous sculptures, designed and fabricated by TORK, Inc. , a Columbus-based company. The sculptures, such as the brilliant seven Pitcher Plants in the courtyard, are both really beautiful art and an effective tool to better understand these little-known plants and how they function.

Savage Gardens was created by the Franklin Park Conservatory and will be made available to tour at other botanical gardens around the country.

To plan your visit to Franklin Park Conservatory and review the many programs offered there, visit fpconservatory.org .

Scorched Earth , 2006
Photo: Bruce M. White

If you’re up for some refreshingly cool contemporary art this summer, check out the Mark Bradford exhibition at the Wexner Center for the Arts on the campus of The Ohio State University.

I was lucky to tour the exhibit with Bradford when he was here for the opening. He is well known in contemporary art circles, yet I found him to be funny, engaging and very down-to-earth. He has a great sense of humor and I think you can see and feel this from his work, too.

Bradford is primarily a painter and a sculptor. Unique about his works is the use of paper, cardboard, rope, string and other materials, such as hair papers used for perms. (Working with his mother, Bradford was formerly a hairdresser.)

In the show, you’ll see a few pieces he created during his Wexner Center Residency, including Pinocchio is on Fire , a series of album covers designed following a staged rock event at Mershon Auditorium last fall. Another is literally a black room full of rectangular shaped paper on the walls and ceiling with music by Columbus native Nancy Wilson playing.

Impressive in scale and content, there are a few pieces that take up the entire wall, including Bread and Circuses which is a bright silver piece layered with drawings, string and paper. Another work that stuck with me is James Brown is Dead , made of a series of billboard papers Bradford scraped off of walls in urban Los Angeles. (more…)

Looking for something totally different to do in Columbus this weekend? Head to Crew Stadium June 4-6 for USA Sevens Rugby Collegiate Championship Invitational .

This might be the first time you’ve heard about rugby in Columbus, but it’s certain not to be the last. Ohio State is one of 16 teams in this round-robin tournament, along with the traditional powerhouses of Army, Navy, Harvard, Dartmouth and Cal, plus Indiana, Penn State and Bowling Green.

Sevens rugby will be an Olympic sport, beginning in 2016. It’s a fast-paced, high-scoring game with seven players on each team battling it out for two seven-minute halves. Click here for a Spectator’s Guide.

Games are Friday-Sunday. Ohio State is guaranteed to play three matches: on Friday v. Utah at 7:50 p.m., then on Saturday v. Bowling Green at 1 p.m. and v. Penn State at 5:30 p.m.

General admission tickets are $15 and $20. Kids 14 and under are free with an adult. If you can’t make it out, it’ll be broadcast live on NBC Sports from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, visit USASevensCCI.com .

Photo: Barcelona Restaurant & Bar

Ok, so after the holidays, maybe going out to dinner is not your first thought. But, getting out of the house and trying out a new place does sound pretty good. And, getting a deal on your meal makes it totally worthwhile to brave the elements.

Check out the 40 restaurants that are a part of Restaurant Week Columbus, Jan. 18-23.

Some of my favorites are Figlio Wood Fired Pizza , Cameron’s American Bistro , Barcelona , Mezzo and the Upper Arlington Hyde Park location, the original in Columbus.

Each restaurant is offering a fixed-price, three-course meal for between $15-$35 per person. Most give you the choice among two or three selections each for an appetizer, main course and dessert. For example, at Figlio you can have Peasant Salad, Beef Tenderloin Medallions and Chocolate Silk Pie for only $20 per person.

Pick a place you’ve never been and make your reservation now. Some restaurants will fill up. For a list of participating restaurants, visit RestaurantWeekColumbus.com . The event is presented by (614) Magazine .

Where will you be dining?

Photo: Randall Lee Schieber

If you’re at all interested in horses and admire their beauty, get your tickets now to the New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix & Family Day on September 27. This unique and prestigious event takes place at the Wexner Estate - yep, that’s Limited founder Les Wexner’s home.

The top 30 show jumping riders in North America compete at this invitational show with prize money of more than $80,000. Opening ceremonies begin at 1 p.m. with the jumping Grand Prix at 1:30 p.m.

However, this event is not just for horse lovers. It really is an event for the entire family beginning at 10 a.m. with carriage and carnival rides, clowns, face painting, a petting zoo, arts and crafts and much more. Plus, included in the price of your ticket is a concert by American Idol winner Jordin Sparks at 11:30 a.m.

The entire event is a fundraiser for the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence, founded by Abigail Wexner. It’s a terrific event and such a worthy cause. (more…)

Every year or so, my girlfriends and I plan a girls weekend. Drawing us from Ohio, Indiana and Texas, sometimes it’s a big city, other times a spa retreat. This summer, we decided a hassle-free, affordable stay in Columbus was just what we needed. We developed a list of possible activities: festivals , Gallery Hop , glass art exhibitions , shopping , antiquing, swimming, live music, etc. The weekend’s theme was "As little or as much as we want to do."

After an afternoon of lounging poolside, we were ready to step it up . . . a little. Anywhere we went was sure to be filled with endless chatter, giggles and reminiscing. Being chicks who enjoy lots of options, we headed for Easton Town Center .

Easton Town Center

It was a gorgeous Saturday evening. As we approached the north district of Easton, my friend from Dallas exclaimed, "I didn’t know you had a Tiffany’s !"

"Yep, of course we do," I said with a proud smile.

Like kids in a candy store, we circled the brightly lit display cases, pointing, oohing and aahing over the necklaces, classic Tiffany bracelets and diamond rings. This was my first visit to Tiffany’s and I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of choices and price points. One of the girls purchased a lovely necklace with a key charm, a birthday gift from her parents (how convenient!). The friendly staff wrapped her purchase in the iconic little blue box with a ribbon and off we went to decide on a dinner spot.

Across the fountain, we spotted the patio at Bon Vie , a modern French bistro - the perfect place for cocktails and dinner. We started with summer-themed martinis and the savory brie fondue with apples, broccoli, carrots, celery and bread (a good way to fool yourself that you’re eating healthy). I was satisfied and could’ve stopped there. But, no.

For entrees, we shared and devoured the Pasta Pistou (penne noodles with chicken, French green beans, walnuts, tomatoes and goat cheese in a creamy pesto sauce), Fettuccine Bon Vie, Boursin Stuffed Chicken Breast and the Balsamic Chicken Chopped Salad. Each dish was delicious and we were stuffed, but then Crème Brulee was calling our name. The custard was rich and creamy with a perfect glaze on top, garnished with fresh strawberries.

After dinner, we explored some more boutiques, then headed in for a deep food-induced coma.

Maybe next year we’ll go somewhere else, but why? There are still too many things left to do on our Columbus list!