If you’re a foodie (and foodies from all over have been flocking to Columbus lately) you’re always on the prowl for the finest ingredients. The Oilerie , on Grandview Avenue in Grandview Heights, has recently opened its doors and turned the city on to a better way to buy olive oil.

The Oilerie imports all of its 23 varieties of extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil from Italy. The cool thing about The Oilerie experience is that you get to taste as much as you like. I developed a pretty good palate over the course of a 10-minute tasting spree. Oils range from the buttery Fior Fiore to the spicy Primaolo, and include a nice range of flavored oils and nut oils. Not to be missed are the array of vinegars (the 25-year-old balsamic is a standout) and other olive-based products.

After the tasting, I decided on a bottle of the primaolo - it had a nice spice and a beautiful green color, and it’ll be nice as a finishing oil and in salad dressings.

Each product is stored in a stainless steel container, which prevents the oil from being damaged by sunlight. Once you pick your purchase, the shopkeeper decants it for you into a green glass bottle, which, likewise, prevents sun damage. You should keep the bottle away from heat, because that also can degrade the quality of your oil.

Have you checked out The Oilerie yet?

This post is written by Carol Allerding, Director of Events and Sponsorship for Experience Columbus.

After being in the event industry for longer than I want to admit, I recently had the pleasure last week at the ISES member meeting of going to a unique networking venue. Glass Axis, a vibrant glass center dedicated to making and learning.
What began as a traveling hot shop over 20 years ago has become a 10,000 square feet non-profit glass art studio, with over 100 members, a gallery, and a mission dedicated to teaching and education.

The location in Grandview between 3rd and 5th Avenue is just west of Olentangy River Road. Glass Axis rests on Norton Avenue making it easy to get to during rush hour.

The parking was free and convenient; there was a beautiful bright studio when you entered the building. Then you are directed into the “creative” area where artisans were working glass. A small set of bleachers and chairs are set up so you can watch at your leisure and it is mesmerizing. Some of the protective gear make the craftsman look like spacemen, but protects them from the heat and fire.

There is a workshop type space in the final room, where Cameron Mitchell Catering had set up food and a bar. It was delicious and a great spot to chat and network with the members of ISES.

The night of our event the temperature was 80+, so it was a bit warm in the reception space. They had plenty of fans cooling you down in the work space, but you will want to remove your suit coat in the reception space to stay comfortable.

The atmosphere was welcoming and fun. The individuals working with the glass did not seem to notice we were watching and chatting as they created beautiful objects of art.

If you are looking for different kind of experience and a cool networking location, I recommend Glass Axis in Grandview. You won’t be disappointed.

The two-time AAA Championship-winning Columbus Clippers start their 2012 season against the Louisville Bats at 7:05 p.m. on April 5 at Huntington Park! In honor of Columbus’ Bicentennial, the Clippers are offering a special package of tickets (2 adults and 2 kids) for $20.12 - a $34 value!

Huntington Park, which opened in 2009, has been named America’s Best Ballpark - and when you visit, you’ll see why. There’s not a bad seat in the house, and you’ve got so many different settings to enjoy your day at the ballpark. From standard seat to lawn seating to club seats to the rooftop bar overlooking left field, make sure you spend at least an inning exploring the park. Don’t miss the local food options!

The Clippers are hosting the Welcome Home, Champions Party at The LC Pavilion on Wednesday, April 4 from 5-8 p.m. Come down and meet the players, get autographs, have some great food and play games. It’s a fun, family-friendly way to kick off what looks to be another winning year!

If you miss Opening Day, don’t worry - April 5 starts a string of daily home-games through April 12 against Louisville and Indianapolis.

Not long ago, I found myself looking for a new spot for lunch. Not just somewhere I’d never been before, but a cuisine I didn’t have the familiarity with. Columbus has more than its fair share of ethnic eateries ,  but I happened to be near the OSU campus. Luckily, I happened on Cafe Kabul, on Olentangy River Road just north of Lane Avenue, which is, as far as I know, Columbus’ only Afghan restaurant.

If you’re a newcomer to Afghan cuisine like I was - think of it as a midpoint between Middle Eastern and Indian. I didn’t find anything I tried to be spicy (but very flavorful, nonetheless). Vegetable dishes tend to be stewed like Indian food rather than fresher like Middle Eastern. There are plenty of kebobs on the menu, but I concentrated on the veggies - eggplant, tomatoes and spinach are all exalted in Afghan food.

If you’d like to try a little bit of everything, there is a lunch buffet. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to these new flavors. The standout for me was an eggplant dish called buranee bonjon - a generous stack of roasted eggplant slices topped with a garlicky tomato sauce, olive oil and thick yogurt. Sobsi is a stewed spinach dish, kind of similar to an Indian saag dish. But instead of spiced overtones, this was really subtle and had a true spinach flavor - nutty almost. These dishes are both best eaten with a portion of the foccacia-like non bread.

Have you ever jumped into a new cuisine? What’s your favorite?

You’ve probably been hearing a lot about Columbus’ coffee culture. New coffeehouses and roasters are popping up just as fast as the microbreweries are, all over the city. If you’re new to the city’s coffee scene, check out this great post Columbus Food Adventures ‘ Bethia Woolf wrote for us a few months ago.

The North Market will be the epicenter of the Columbus coffee scene this Saturday, March 31, when it’s hosting the North Market Coffee Roast ! If you come, you’ll have a chance to sample java from 12 local coffee roasters, including Impero, Cafe Brioso, Backroom Coffee Roasters, Thunderkiss Coffee, and the Market’s very own A Touch of Earth. You can also sample coffee’s perfect foil - dairy - from Snowville Creamery and Hartzler Dairy. There’ll be live music, coffee demos in the Dispatch Kitchen, a coffee tasting primer and much more. If you’re a home-roaster, you can even enter a contest to win great prizes!

Admission to the North Market is always free. Admission to the coffee tasting is $5 and comes with a souvenir coffee mug (while supplies last.) Programs and entertainment are scheduled from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

So if you need a pick-me-up, or just love a great cup of joe, head to the North Market this Saturday!

Who makes your favorite cup of coffee in Columbus?

Looking for a new spin on the art gallery experience? Brandt-Roberts Galleries in the Short North has got just what you need! Cocktails and Canvases is a fun activity to do with a group that both inspires your creativity and conviviality. First off, the space is comfortable - not cold and crisp like a lot of galleries - but warm and welcoming. Brandt-Roberts specializes in paintings from the 20th and 21st centuries, with a focus on contemporary painters and early 20th century impressionists and mid-century modernists.

When you arrive for the Cocktails and Canvases experience, you’re welcomed with a glass of wine or signature cocktail - that will get your creative thinking started! Painters are put into groups of four, and you find four canvases laid out so that your group will all be working on the same larger painting. Don’t worry - each artist will have a piece to take home at the end. It’s best to work together so your four canvases have a common color theme, and abstract style is definitely the way to go.

A short while ago, I participated in a Cocktails and Canvases session. I’m not much of an artist, and my painting ended up being a little embarrassing - the hardest part of art is knowing when to stop. Though my work of art probably won’t be hanging in any gallery anytime soon, I had a great time and learned a lot about painting technique. It was freeing to be given a blank canvas and set free to create something. And working with partners helps take away from that initial fear of a blank canvas.

This experience would be great of a family reunion, a bridal shower, or a fun night with a group of friends. (if you have non-drinkers among your group, they can accommodate with non-alcoholic beverages.) With so much artistic inspiration in the Short North, it’s nice to have an outlet to create art, right in the neighborhood!

You can read more about Cocktails and Canvases here .

When I heard that one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus was opening a second location I got excited. When I heard that location would be open for dinner AND have a full bar, I was over the moon. El Arepazo has long been a lunchtime favorite for me, and lots of other Columbusites. Tucked in a small space on Pearl Alley downtown, people line up out the door for delicious Latin food with a Venezuelan kick.

Arepazo Tapas and Wine opened last week at 93 N. High Street in Gahanna, just a block east of the popular Creekside development. This version is much roomier, and the decor is cozy, with soft lighting (pardon the dim photos), lots of natural wood and glass tile. On the menu are a lot of the same great items that keep me coming back to the downtown location: the patacon, empanadas, arepas and more. Arepazo is known far and wide for its addictive spicy cilantro sauce - even cilantro-haters love this stuff - and it makes an appearance with almost every order.

New to the menu are a nice assortment of tapas, including chorizo in red wine, mini-empanadas and fried yuca. The fish burrito entree is generous portion of high-quality tilapia, rice, beans and veggies, served with fries.

The wine selection is a nicely edited list of Latin American and Iberian wines. I found a very reasonably priced Vinho Verde from Portugal that was the perfect foil for that amazing cilantro sauce. Beers also have a Latin American focus, with bottles from Argentina, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Check out Arepazo Tapas and Wine soon before the line goes around the block!

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

Looking for an adventurous day? Try the Scioto Audubon Park! It is home to several recreational activities that suit this wonderfully warm spring Columbus is having.

Climbing Wall
I have always enjoyed rock climbing and when I found out I was moving to Columbus, I was a little weary as to the number of opportunities to climb outside. One of my first days in Columbus, I went for a bike ride and stumbled upon this within my first ten minutes, the largest free outdoor climbing wall in the country:

What to bring: Rope, harness, two slings with locking carabineers, belay device. (There is a fixed line at the top of the wall. The wall also supports lead climbing with bolts on certain routes.) Equipment is not provided.

Never climbed before? Metro Parks offers demonstrations to help get you started. Register at www.metroparks.net Equipment is provided for demonstrations. See dates below:

March 28, 2012 6pm-8pm
April 18, 2012 6pm-8pm
May 23, 2012 6pm-8pm

When to go: The wall is busiest from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.. If you can climb in off-peak hours you will be sure to have your pick of routes. The sunset, community of climbers and view of the city is best during the busy times.

Water Tower Lookout
If climbing isn’t your thing but you still want a birds-eye view of the city, there is a water tower with a lookout platform and a nice easy staircase to get you elevated.

Hike or Bike Trails
The trails in the Scioto go through a canopy of trees and skirt along the Scioto River for a beautiful walk or ride. Keep going and land in Bicentennial Park for a cool spritz in the fountain and maybe dinner at Milestone 229…not in that order.

Dog Park
North of the climbing wall is a 2 acre dog park with obstacles. It is separated into a small dog and large dog section with picnic tables in the middle and a drinking fountain for both you and your pooch. This is my dog Harrison’s favorite place.

Nature Center

Too much sun? Dip into the on-site nature center and learn about the Audubon and local plant and wildlife. The center is also equipped with rocking chairs in the shade, for those who like to relax and take it all in.

Wetlands
Walk through the wetlands on a board walk and hopefully see some egrets, northern pintail ducks, pied-billed grebe, American bittern, herons and osprey who have been known to hang out in that area.

Do all these things in one day and you will really be utilizing the beautiful days.

This post is written by Sandi Combs, marketing coordinator for Experience Columbus. You can follow Sandi on Twitter @Sandi_ExpCols .

It’s Black & Gold Week in Columbus, and Columbus Crew team members and fans’ have been getting pumped up for First Kick 2012 – the Crew’s home opener against the Montreal Impact on Saturday at Crew Stadium. Any Crew game guarantees a fun time, but the atmosphere at First Kick is a must-experience for sports enthusiasts. There’s just something about the celebration of the season’s start at the team’s home stadium that creates extra excitement.

Highlights of the First Kick festivities will include a pre-game Yellow Light Maybe concert on the Plaza stage as well as a Crew scarf giveaway. And, because First Kick also marks the start of the Crew’s commemoration of Columbus’ Bicentennial, and you can get tickets to the game for just $20.12 when you use the promo code: Massive.

You can start the celebration a little early, too. There are still three Black & Gold Week activities left for fans to take part in tomorrow. Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer will be on thecrew.com for an online chat with fans at 1:30 p.m. The Crew Union is hosting their sixth annual Crew Union Crewsmas Eve Party at Fourth Street Bar and Grill starting at 6 p.m. And, there’s the Crew Pub Crawl, which starts at Kildare’s Irish Pub at 6:15 p.m.

Get tickets, Black & Gold Week and First Kick details here . Those who’ve been, tell us your tips for experiencing First Kick in the comments.

Spring came about a month early to Columbus! Check out some of the beauty around town.