Sushi Rock

As an avid sushi lover, I recently went to Sushi Rock on the Cap at Union Station to see how they compare to other sushi places in Columbus. The result was pleasantly surprising!

If I had to use one word to sum up the atmosphere, it would be “sexy”. With red lighting and sleek interior, the atmosphere is hip and would be a fabulous place to take a date. I tried a few things from the menu (I tried to order things different than the normal handrolls), and my favorite by far was Mr. Kim’s Special. This art-on-a-plate sushi was nothing like I had ever had before. Somehow Chef Kim blended tuna, kiwi, pineapple (and a few other ingredients) together in a crispy shell for a mouthful of indulgence in every bite. I would get this again in a heartbeat and recommend it to anyone.

Sushi Rock also has happy hour specials. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, you can get $4 Maki rolls, $4 martinis, $4 house wines, $2 domestic beer and $3 import beers - great deals for trying Sushi Rock on a budget.

Photo: Easton Town Center

Many of us are looking for inventive ways to keep ourselves in the holiday spirit, while still keeping money in our pockets. Here, I have just a few picks for free, family-friendly holiday things to do during the next three weekends in Columbus.

Eleventh Annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony
Easton Town Center
November 20

Start off the holiday season tomorrow by bringing the family over to Easton Town Center for their Eleventh Annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony. The whole center comes alive and starts off the shopping season with the lighting of their huge 50 foot tree, complete with an appearance by Santa. Carolers will be strolling around the sparkling streets of the center and the stores will be abuzz with sales.

Grandview Holiday Hop
Grandview Avenue, between 1st and 5th
November 28

Grandview Avenue comes alive with holiday spirit the Saturday after Thanksgiving. You can start by seeing a live reindeer exhibit at Arlington Bank and end by getting a free picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Tri-Village Studios. There are free horse-drawn sleigh rides for all ages up and down the Avenue throughout the night. Smell the holiday scents at The Candle Lab and check out other holiday crafts and treats along the way.

Village Lights
German Village
December 6

Experience the holiday charm of German Village during the holidays. The village is truly beautiful, with luminaries lit throughout the streets and park, and local businesses come out in full force this night with samples, holiday treats and specials. There is also an appearance by Santa, live entertainment and music to get you in the holiday spirit.

These events are sure to get you excited for the season, and you can search for even more here . Enjoy!

Dale Chihuly
Mille Fiori, 2008
de Young Museum, San Franciso
Photo by Teresa Nouri Rishel

If you haven’t been to the Columbus Museum of Art lately, now is the time to visit. Chihuly Illuminated is one of their current exhibitions and includes six large installations and various other pieces. You’ll also get a behind the scenes peek at Dale Chihuly’s studio and life.

With pieces never before seen in Columbus, the exhibit focuses on light and glass. A couple of the pieces even incorporate neon in the glass to make it glow.

My favorite was Mille Fiori, which is the biggest and most colorful in the exhibit. From the moment you turn the corner you are hit with so many bright, vibrant colors and shapes. The piece is very reminiscent of a garden with plants, flowers and animals all made of beautiful glass. It is quite breathtaking to stand back and try and take everything in.

Chihuly Illuminated isn’t the only place in Columbus you’ll find the works of Dale Chihuly; different Chihuly exhibits are running at the Franklin Park Conservatory (check out Cathe’s blog post about that here ), and also at Hawk Galleries. For more details on these and other glass exhibits throughout the year, visit GlassArt365.com .

If you are looking for something to do with friends or family this weekend, I’d recommend the Taste of Grandview Heights .

Taking place on Sunday, October 4, The event features great appetizers, entrees and desserts served in sample-sized portions. They’re only a couple dollars apiece and will be served by some of the Grandview area’s best dining establishments. Add that on top of free admission and parking, and you have yourself one very affordable outing.

This year’s restaurant lineup includes Trattoria Roma, Hoggy’s, W.G. Grinders, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and other local establishments. The Taste of Grandview also features live bands and entertainment for adults and children. The Columbus Crew will be on hand with their Crew Soccer Tour, Columbus Young Professionals will be there with cornhole games, and SegAway Tours will give free Segway rides and lessons. For the kids, there will be a free children’s area that includes music, crafts, airbrush tattoos and a bounce-house.

Did you see how many times I mentioned the word FREE?! With so much for so little, you can’t afford not to come and have a great time.

Details:
Sunday, Oct. 4
2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
McKinley Field Park
1661 Goodale Boulevard
Columbus, OH 43212

On Friday night, my fiancé and I traveled to Argentina via Morton’s The Steakhouse for a Malbec wine tasting. It was our first time at a tasting at Morton’s so we went in with an open mind and an empty stomach.

Upon entry we were greeted with a glass of white wine to warm up our palates, along with a nice arrangement of cheese and crackers. We knew we were off to a good start.

Since we knew nothing about Malbecs (except for the fact that we liked to drink them), we appreciated the five-minute history of the wine given. It was short, but gave a lot of information about the country, grapes and culture in Argentina so we could have a better understanding of the wine we were about to enjoy.

Besides the five glasses of wines we had, the food pairings were unbelievable. I always expect good food at Morton’s, but actually having the chef pick out what would taste best with each specific wine was wonderful. We started out with scallops with a spicy apricot chutney, and the staff returned regularly to refill our plates with them. From there we had Morton’s famous filet with chimichurri sauce and rounded out the night with their Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake. By the end of the night, we were full with wine and food and very happy.

For $35 per person, it was a great way to eat and drink at Morton’s for a very reasonable price. You can also get a great deal at Morton’s today through Friday during Restaurant Week . For a mere $30 per person, you can enjoy a fabulous three-course meal.

The next tasting will be Champagne and Chocolate, and you’ll find details on the Morton’s Web site soon. Yum!

If you are looking for a fun night out this week, I highly recommend going to see Mamma Mia! at the Ohio Theatre . As a bride-to-be, I was quite intrigued by the storyline: On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

The music was fabulous and I guarantee anyone who goes will know no less than six songs in the show. From "Dancing Queen" to "Take A Chance On Me," the audience was singing along the whole way through.

Insider tip: After the cast takes their bow, DON’T LEAVE! I’m not going to give it all away, but it involves sequin pants and platform shoes.

The show runs through Sunday - check here for more details and tickets from Broadway Across America-Columbus .

And if you’re an ABBA fan, note that there’s more fun to come later this month. Sweden’s best ABBA tribute band, WATERLOO, will play at the Columbus Symphony’s Picnic with the Pops on July 25 .  Bring your own picnic to enjoy during the outdoor show, or reserve a table for your group. You can buy tickets here .

Last night, I attended the opening of The Color Purple . The Ohio Theatre was packed, and from the moment the orchestra started playing I was captivated by the cast and the music.

Kenita Miller, who played Celie, has a voice that is flawless and powerful. I had chills when she sang her opening number, "Somebody Gonna Love You." The rest of the numbers offer a variety of music, from gospel to jazz to ragtime.

The Color Purple’s inspiring story is about a woman’s soul-searching journey and her triumph over hardship and adversity. The core of the story will tug at your heartstrings, but there is plenty of comic relief throughout the show that will have you laughing in your seat. Lynette Dupree plays Sofia, and her performance of the song "Hell No!" along with her quick wit and tell-it-like-it-is attitude had the audience in stitches.

With only a few days left in Columbus, I highly recommend going before it’s gone. Tickets are available here .

You can also follow two of the cast members on Twitter:
LaToya London (who plays Nettie) @llondon
Tiffany Daniels (who plays Squeak) @Tiffeesha

Opening Day

There was no better place to be this past Saturday than Huntington Park . The new park, the new affiliation with the Cleveland Indians and a day of celebration had Columbus coming out in masses.

The park itself is beautiful and when you look around, you are consumed by Clippers baseball history. There are old pennants from when they were the Columbus Red Birds and bats from the former affiliation with the Yankees. There are quotes and banners all around the park that would take all day to read, so if you’re going to catch a game, arrive early to catch up on history.

Even though Huntington Park is a new stadium, you will see familiar landmarks from other stadiums across the nation. There are open-air bleachers on the Left Field Building roof that are reminiscent of Wrigley Park. The wall in right field is slightly higher than the rest of the outfield, a nod to the "Green Monster" at Fenway Park. There is even lawn seating where you can lay on a blanket to watch the game, similar to PETCO Park’s Park at the Park.

Wherever your ticket may be, there isn’t a bad seat in the house. I had a standing room ticket and parked myself at the huge drink railing that goes around the entire park. There are plenty of spots to hang out and watch the game if you don’t have a seat or if you prefer not to sit the entire time. I also checked out the huge 100+ foot bar in the Left Field Building prior to the game to catch up on other sports scores and stay in the shade for a bit.

Even though the Clippers lost the game, it was still a great time. The Columbus Clippers are downtown and they are here to stay.

Raven’s Glenn Winery
See more photos on Flickr

I consider myself a bit of a wine connoisseur, so I was excited to hear about Raven’s Glenn Winery in West Lafayette, Ohio. I recently made a visit to the establishment, owned by Robert and Renee Gulliam.

Whether you are a wine connoisseur or just learning, Robert and Renee make you feel right at home. Raven’s Glenn is family-owned and operated, so you will often see one of the Gulliams walking around and interacting with guests. Their goal is to combine award-winning wines with great food and an atmosphere that you will want to share with your friends. I believe they hit the nail on the head.

When you first enter Raven’s Glenn, you see a great gift shop filled with all sorts of gift and gadgets for wine lovers (I couldn’t help but buy a few things). In the middle of the gift shop is the tasting bar, where everyone has the option to taste dry, semi-sweet or sweet wines. My ideal wine is dry, but I did get to sample the Sangria, which was wonderful and would make a great drink during the summer.

During the tasting, Robert and Renee were there to answer questions while they told us about how they make their wines . My personal favorite was White October, which is also their most popular and decorated with medals from all over the nation.

Once I finished my tasting, I headed into the attached restaurant . The tables are adorned with red and white checkered tablecloths and Italian music plays in the background; the restaurant has an old country feel that made me feel right at home. With everything from lasagna to burgers, there is something for everyone. I chose the tuna salad with fruit, which was presented in a pineapple boat and was excellent.

Overall my experience at Raven’s Glenn was a fabulous one and I can’t wait to get a group together to go back. With a group of 15 or more , you can have a private tour of the winery from Robert himself, along with a tasting and free wine glass for only $5.50 per person. I don’t recall any other winery that I have been to where the owner/winemaker has so much pride in his work that he takes the time to do all the tours himself.

Raven’s Glenn Winery is truly an experience.