Some days, I find myself with a few extra minutes between meetings, or just end up taking the long way on my walk home from work. When I’m wandering (especially when I’ve nowhere else to be right afterward) I often come across something I’ve never noticed before. The last time I was out, I snapped a few photos, all downtown, of some great public art - can you guess where they were taken? Leave your guesses as a comment below.

Columbus has a strong maker culture - from handcrafted clothing, to cottage-industry jams to our vibrant local spirits scene, if you can think of it, someone in Columbus is probably making it. If you’re in town and looking for some products with the essence of the city to bring home with you, a new hotspot has taken hold at the ever-popular Easton Town Center: Celebrate Local.

Celebrate Local grew out of the wildly successful Easton Farmers Market, and carries products from more than 60 growers and artisans from all across Ohio. You’ll find kids toys, beeswax candles, alpaca wool clothing and food products galore.

Even better, there’s a fully stocked beer, wine and liqueur section, complete with Columbus-made Tessora Limone!

Have you checked out Celebrate Local yet? What’s on your shopping list?

It’s amazing what you notice when you’re not in a hurry. I took a stroll during a foggy afternoon last week around Victorian Village, just north of Goodale Park. This neighborhood is full of beautiful homes, in a stunning variety of architectural styles, but as the neighborhood’s name suggests, Victorian homes abound. Where’s your favorite place for an aimless stroll in Columbus?

I’ll admit it. I kinda like antique shops. Don’t get me wrong - those dolls with lifeless, glass eyes freak me out pretty bad, and old doilies and flowered china are not my thing. But I love the character and warmth that only come from a vintage piece. When something’s a little worn or busted up, it’s always fun to see what I can make out of it.

Columbus has a lot of variety when it comes to what I’m going to call anti-antiquing (stuff other than those dolls and doilies.)

Grandview Mercantile in the Short North is a great first stop, with a huge showroom floor filled with industrial furniture, mid-century dining sets, prints from 100-year-old encyclopedias and much more.

On the city’s east side, the Heritage Square Antique Mall is another gem. I’ve picked up a pair of old stadium seats, some dining room chairs, old chemistry lab bottles, vintage maps, and wooden crates with some local history here for my house.

The Greater Columbus Antique Mall is other spot for savvy shoppers - but watch out - you can really get lost in here! Spread out inside a Victorian mansion with many additions over the years, this maze-like shop is never the same on two visits. Every nook and cranny is filled with paintings, furniture, books, and there’s an especially nice selection of metalwork at the back of the store, on the lower level.

Columbus Architectural Salvage is perfect if your house is in the historic category. They rescue architecturally interesting elements from soon-to-be-demolished buildings that are almost impossible (or extremely expensive) to find elsewhere. I’ve picked up a really cool embossed doorknob set, some weathered boards for an end-table project and a really nice vintage bathroom sink - they just don’t make ‘em like that anymore!

Latitude 41 , on the ground floor of the Renaissance Hotel downtown is regularly ranked as on of the city’s best restaurants. But don’t let that fact and the swanky setting scare you away from popping in for a delicious, surprisingly inexpensive lunch. The Butternut Squash Soup is everything you’d want in a lunch - creamy, savory with a hint of sweetness, soul-warming. Pair it with the Brussels Sprouts for a satisfying veggie-filled lunch under $10.

This post is written by Nick Dekker, author of Breakfast With Nick and blogger at BreakfastWithNick.com . You can follow Nick on Twitter @BreakfastWNick .

This week Columbus is celebrating 200 years of, well, being Columbus. The festivities are taking on many forms – parties, conferences, speeches, sales – and they’re focused on every aspect of life in central Ohio, from the arts and sports to education, city design, and yes, food. These are going to be busy days ahead. Make sure you start by celebrating with a breakfast that represents Columbus. What have we got? Well…

1. We’ve got traditions.
Every corner of Columbus, every neighborhood, every suburb, and every district has at least one old diner tucked away behind an unassuming storefront. These little treasures are a true measure of community: regulars gather day after day and year after year to eat the same dishes and meet the same people. Sitting at the counter in many of these establishments, you’ll see décor that hasn’t changed over the decades.

Diners can serve you classic plates like scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes, but they can surprise you with creative signature dishes. Fitzy’s Old Fashioned Diner in Worthington, for instance, mounds plates of bologna and eggs. Bill at Daybreak Diner in Linden whips up breakfast bowls with fried rice, cheddar, and sausage gravy. DK Diner does biscuits and gravy and breakfast sandwiches while serving up some of the city’s best donuts. If you want to mix a little Ohio State in your traditions, order up buttery, chocolaty Buckeye pancakes at Jack and Benny’s near campus.

2. We’ve got innovation.
Columbus’ dining scene has garnered increasing national attention over recent years, as food and travel writers from around the country discover everything from our markets to our cafes to our ice cream. Time and again we see these writers delightfully surprised by what they find. Once thinking of Columbus as a cowtown, they’ve uncovered a vibrant and creative restaurant culture in which chefs innovate with seasonal ingredients and international cuisines.

The one-room Skillet in German Village changes their weekend brunch menu based on what’s available from local farms and producers. In the fall, when the apples are ripe, Kevin and Patrick serve a warm breakfast risotto topped with seared honeycrisp apples. In Harrison West, the kitchen at Katalina’s Café Corner adds a Latin flair to popular breakfast items, allowing diners to munch on pancake balls filled with Nutella, breakfast tacos, or spicy Mexican French toast. Downtown, the brightly colored Market 65 serves breakfast wraps filled with cheese and vegetables all sourced within Ohio. They pair well with locally roasted coffee and pastries made by Columbus bakeries.

3. We’ve got variety.
Columbus is an expert at the American breakfast, to be sure, but our morning scene showcases our diverse population, too. You could spend weeks making a breakfast trip around the world just by charting out the four corners of our city. Cuco’s Taqueria in Upper Arlington starts the day early with moyetes, grilled French bread with chorizo, cheese, and beans, or the nuevo amaneser, with fried eggs and salsa on tostadas. Just a little further north on Bethel Road, Thang Nguyen welcomes customers to Lac Viet with steaming bowls of phò, porridge with rice and coconut milk, and sweet potatoes laced with cumin.

Along Morse Road, quickly becoming a destination for ethnic eats, African Paradise represents Columbus’ large Somali population with dishes like foul, a mix of fava beans and vegetables, and chicken suqaar. The suqaar, which means grilled, combines chicken with peppers, onions, and tomatoes in a flavorful sauce. The meal is traditionally eaten by taking pieces of jibati or anjero bread and scooping up bites. On weekends, you can sample Chinese brunch – dim sum – at Sunflower Chinese Restaurant & Lounge in Dublin. Go with a group and try a variety of small plates, all served tableside on carts, from steamed dumplings to rice noodles and even fried chicken feet. Even a somewhat traditional diner like Starliner Diner in Hilliard spices up their menu with Mexican and Cuban favorites like chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and Cuban French toast.

As we celebrate Columbus’ past and its future, take a morning or two to share a meal with friends and family at any of these Columbus eateries.

It’s been a great year for Shadowbox Live ! They opened their new digs in the Brewery District, put on some truly remarkable performances, and gave the neighborhood a new spot for some lively refreshments with the Backstage Bistro.

If you haven’t been to a performance (shame!) or to one in their new digs, you’ve got a lot of choices in front of you. If you have limited time, Shadowbox’s Lunchbox performances on Thursdays and Fridays are a great introduction into their repertoire - 45 minutes of energetic live music and some "best hits" sketch comedy - all while you eat lunch.

This month, Rent is a featured production, and Wednesdays are Blues Nights. Their original sketch comedy and rock and roll performance, Body Language is a critical delight that can be caught Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays this month.

The Backstage Bistro is a great new addition to the Brewery District dining scene, offering coffee and pastries along with stiffer drinks later in the day.

What’s the best performance you’ve seen at Shadowbox?

A relative newcomer on the Columbus Food Scene , Harvest Pizzeria has made a big impression on pizza lovers all over the city. Nestled in German Village (just south of Livingston Ave.) and with the bonus of its own parking lot, Harvest serves some of my favorite pizzas anywhere.

The secret is Harvest’s crust. Made with a meticulously developed recipe that left dozens of dough-styles behind, this crust is at once crisp and chewy. It’s thin, yet holds up to any toppings. I would be happy to eat this pizza crust with no toppings at all. It’s also baked in a high-temperature wood-fired oven, which lends the crispness without imparting too much of a smoky flavor. My favorite pizzas so far have been the Spicy Yuma (I sub mushrooms for the chorizo) and the Pesto with kale, almonds and fresh mozzarella.

The setting is casual and rustic with a communal dining feel. This isn’t a large restaurant, and it can get pretty busy at peak hours. In warmer weather, the patio adds space and some German Village charm, too. Drinks are served in Mason jars, and despite the high caliber of the food, nothing would classify as fussy.

The drinks are not to be missed, either. With a strong focus on local spirits and beer, and a globe-trotting wine list, you’ll find something to pair with whichever pie you choose. My personal favorite is the Negroni, made with Columbus’ own Watershed Gin and a healthy splash of campari. The Moscow Mule (made with local OYO Vodka )  is also a stand-out - gingery, slightly sweet, complex and a great as a pre-dinner drink. I’d also be remiss not to mention that you can also order a big bottle of Rockmill Brewery ’s Saison - a beer that stands up to the best old-school Belgian brews.

This post is written by Tim Simeone, Visitor Services Specialist for Experience Columbus. You can follow Tim on Twitter @TimSimeone .

It’s coming! This post is not early, it’s right on time. The last thing you want to do when making your significant other feel special is run out the day before and grab something from CVS on the way home from work. Those types of Valentines are not very special and lack the personal touch your loved one deserves. Here are some ideas and links so you can take care of this now, and not be rushed.

If your lady or gentleman enjoys decadent pastries, Sugardaddy’s is the way to go. This Valentine’s Day they are offering their brownie bark, which is a layer of brownie and then a layer of chocolate over top with a candied heart garnish. They are also offering a cute sock monkey in their wrapping. This choice turns out to be cute and delicious.

If your Valentine has gluten allergy, Cherbourg Bakery in Bexley, will be offering gluten-free Valentine’s day cookies and cakes and they will deliver them downtown. The surprise at the office is the way to go. Make your Valentine blush and make others wish you were there’s.

If you are looking for the one two punch of baked goods and flowers call up, Columbus florist, Desantis . They have a number of beautiful Valentine’s Day arrangements and they deliver as well. These flowers would pair nicely with the above pastries. Pick arrangements online as well.

Looking for a one of a kind Valentine? Make one over at Igloo Letterpress ! They have several creative designs and ones that you won’t find at your local drug store.

These are great options for the day of but if you really want to wow your valentine, book a Columbus Food Adventures tour. The gift of quality time over food is romantic, delicious, and thanks to Bethia’s wealth of knowledge, informative. If your sweetheart loves sweets, CFA offers a dessert tour. Plan a dinner and then taste your way through Columbus’ desserts.

After you do all this, go to CVS and watch the panic of others while you remain rest assured that you made your Valentine feel special.

This post is written by Jennifer Poleon, Digital Communications Manager for the Columbus Museum of Art. You can follow the Museum on Twitter @ColumbusMuseum .

In honor of the Columbus Bicentennial and our relationship with our sister city Genoa, Italy, our exclusive Caravaggio: Behold the Man exhibition featuring the Ecce Homo painting remains on view through February 12, 2012 . This is your last week to take advantage of this rare opportunity to see the Italian master’s work up close. Caravaggio’s works are quite rare, as in his short life the Italian master only painted about 80 known works. Our Curator of European Art Dominique Vasseur reflects back on what it’s been like to host such an important exhibition.

As Curator of European Art, what are two of the most exciting things about having the Ecce Homo in Columbus?
The opportunity to host an internationally-known painting by Caravaggio from Genoa, our sister city, and the ability to share with our visitors this artist’s amazing impact upon European painting in the early 17th century.

The exhibition has attracted everyone from young art students to clergy members. What is it about Caravaggio that appeals to such a wide audience?
Caravaggio’s realism and ability to address the human condition are as true today as during his lifetime. Students may be drawn to the immediacy of his painting technique, as well as, the stories of his turbulent life. Members of the clergy—both Catholic and Protestant—are likely moved by the poignancy of this important moment in Christ’s passion and the sensitive manner in which Caravaggio depicts it.

What is the most memorable moment of the exhibition for you?
There are many actually, but I have to share my top four: my November 2010 meeting in Genoa with the director of the Musei di Strada Nuova to see and discuss the Caravaggio; the morning of Sunday, October 16, 2011, when we un-crated and installed the Ecce Homo here; our Media/VIP preview the evening of October 19, which was a great success; and finally the lecture presented here on November 12 by Italian scholar Lorenzo Pericolo, who had just published an important and scholarly book on Caravaggio. In it he thoroughly discusses the Ecce Homo and presents several fascinating new theories about the unusual figure of Pontius Pilate.

What about the exhibition were you most proud of?
I am very proud that Columbus was able to organize this special, focus exhibition as a way to begin our 2012 Columbus bicentennial celebrations, as well as the fact that all the major art museums in Ohio (Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Oberlin, and Toledo) so generously lent Caravaggesque works to support the thesis of the exhibition: “the impact of a revolutionary realist.” It was immensely gratifying.