There are some exciting things going on at the Franklin Park Conservatory .

Most of you have heard about the breathtaking Chihuly Reimagined exhibit, which you should not miss.

And every Thursday evening, there’s also Cocktails at the Conservatory from 5:30 p.m to 10 p.m. It’s a unique way to do drinks and a fun way of exploring the venue.

The Community Garden Campus

Then, there’s the new Growing to Green program, the go-to place for community gardening. They provide training and resources to create your very own community garden - everything from helping to find financial support, land and volunteers. If you are even remotely interested in gardening, you should make the trip to see what you can learn and take back to your own community. You can also take  one of their 1 1/2 hour weekend workshops - topics for this fall include planting your fall garden, selecting and planting bulbs and putting your garden to bed.

Some of the Experience Columbus staff recently had the opportunity to tour the facility and it was absolutely amazing. What used to be just a grassy area is now completely renovated. They’ve planted flowers and plants throughout the area, created sections where people can rent plots of land to grow fruits and vegetables, and there’s an outdoor fire pit and a wood-burning pizza oven.

Another really neat component of the Growing to Green program is their training facility. It is a cozy place with a kitchen where professionals teach you how to cook with the produce you grew in your own garden.

The whole concept really inspired me to take a take a stab at growing my own veggies. What a great way to save some money and eat healthy!

Get 50% off at the Wilds

Experience Columbus Days are almost here! Starting tomorrow, you can get 50% off attractions and 25% off food at Dine Originals Columbus restaurants—just by downloading a free flyer at ExperienceColumbusDays.com .

So far I have a lunch date with my friend on Friday at the Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus for their mouthwatering pot roast. I’m getting hungry already! But I still need to plan the rest of my weekend.

Since there are so many attractions and restaurants taking part in the program, I decided to see what a few of my coworkers are doing:

Cindy Hartsook : "My husband, daughter, a friend and I plan to enjoy the Italian Festival . The festival is filled with delectable aromas of an Italian village and overflowing with friendly people sharing their heritage. My husband’s maternal grandparents were from the Abruzzo region of Italy. We enjoy visiting with many old friends from our childhood neighborhoods here in Columbus. The festival is reminiscent of a huge family reunion."

Cathe Moog : "I am planning a date night with my husband and we’re going to try a place we have never been: either Tutto Vino or Trattoria Roma . On Sunday, I will take my two children (4 and 7) and my husband to the Columbus Museum of Art to see the Chihuly Illuminated exhibition. My husband used to live in Seattle, where Chihuly’s studios are located, and loves Dale Chilhuly’s work. No doubt, we’ll all be hungry after that, so we’ll probably head to Katzinger’s for sandwiches as big as your head."

Scott Peacock : "I plan to take my wife and some friends in town from Cincinnati to Tasi Cafe for breakfast, then to see Chihuly Reimagined at Franklin Park Conservatory and dinner at Maca Cafe in Powell."

Claudia Plumley : "We’re headed either to the zoo or the Wilds , depends on how early we get up. We love going to the zoo in fall and winter because all of the North American animals are out and about. Now there will be baby lions to see, too. We haven’t been the Wilds in a few years. It’s worth the drive just to see the animals enjoying the expansive grounds there."

There are some great ideas so far…now, what are you planning on doing Oct. 9-12?

Great ready for elaborate costumes, spectacular staging and over-the-top performances by some of the world’s most talented entertainers, because Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco is coming to Columbus.

If you’ve never been to a Cirque du Soleil performance before, this is a great chance to check it out. Tickets start at $45, which is very reasonable - if you see it in Vegas, the price is at least double that.

I went to my first Cirque du Soleil show back in 2006 when Corteo came to town. I honestly thought I wouldn’t like it - I imagined leotards and freaky makeup, which didn’t sound like my thing. I was totally wrong! I couldn’t keep my eyes off of the amazing stunts they did, from aerial acrobatics with flips and turns to walking up a wire 40 feet up in the air. And I always wonder how they move their bodies into human pretzels - I can’t even do the splits.

Saltimbanco will be running from August 12–23 at Nationwide Arena . Check here for tickets and more information.

See you at the show!

The countdown has begun for the annual Dublin Irish Festival , taking place July 31-Aug. 2. If you’ve always wanted to go to Ireland but didn’t have the funds or time to make that trip, this is the place to be!

First, there are numerous culture exhibits throughout the weekend. Reenactors will share what it was like to live in 10th century Ireland - everything from how they made their food to how they fought in battles. You can also participate in hands-on activities and crafts, some of which are taught by nationally and internationally known artists.

I normally end up enjoying some great music or dance performances at one of the seven stages, and having fish and chips from Old Bag of Nails. Of course, a cold cup of beer is a must and Coors brewed a special beer in honor of the event - the Dublin Irish Festival Stout .

This year, I plan on trying something new by watching some traditional Celtic sports like caber toss and stone throw. It’s amazing how strong the men are. And who would have thought sheep herding was a sport?

Tickets are on sale now and you’ll save a dollar if you purchase yours online by July 30. For more details, including a planning tool you can use to schedule your whole weekend, visit DublinIrishFestival.org .

Red, White & BOOM!
Photo: Larry Hamill Photography

I love Fourth of July festivities in Columbus - from parades to food to my favorite, the fireworks.

I can’t wait to start off the weekend by heading to Red, White and BOOM! Held on Friday, July 3, the day begins at 10 a.m. with food, games and entertainment, and ends with one of the most spectacular firework displays ever.

If you’re planning on heading to Red, White and BOOM!, you may want to keep a few things in mind:

• Fireworks will be launched at 10 p.m. from Franklin County Veterans Memorial. Some of the best places to see the show include Goodale Park, Battelle Park, Long Street, Nationwide Boulevard, Washington Boulevard and Genoa Park (also note that you can no longer view fireworks from Bicentennial Park or Berliner Park).

• Food and entertainment will be available throughout downtown, including:
  • Midway - on Washington Boulevard, near COSI
  • Taste of BOOM! - in the Arena District
  • NBC4 BOOM! Central - on Long St.

• The parade begins near COSI at 6 p.m. and will head east on Broad Street. It will travel north on Front Street and end on the corner of Front and Spring streets. Roads will be closed from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for the parade.

• The majority of streets in the Arena District will be closed from 6 p.m. to midnight.

• Check out this PDF for details on street closures and the locations of various BOOM! spots.

• If you decide to park downtown, you can check out parking options and even purchase a parking space in advance here .

For more BOOM! planning info, including details about activities and the entertainment schedule, check out the Red, White and BOOM! Web site .

Have a great Fourth of July weekend!

Some exciting things are happening at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium .

On March 27, they welcomed a new baby boy elephant .  The adorable Asian elephant weighed in at over 300 lbs., but he still doesn’t have a name.

Me and my new pal at Zoo Days

The zoo held a baby-naming contest and has narrowed the list of more than 11,000 submitted names to four picks - Siddhartha, Beco, Sattva and Damai. Now, you can help name the baby by voting for your favorite name here .

And if you want a sneak peek at a few of the animals, come to our Visitor Center for Zoo Days . Starting in May, our friends from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium will bring animals to the Experience Columbus Visitor Center on the last Friday of every month, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Admission is free.

We’ve had some really neat animals come by - everything from pythons to dingos to tortoises…and my favorite, the baby kangaroos that are snuggled warm inside a bag, just like their mom’s pouch.

Last time, I got to pal around with a clouded leopard. Come see what animals they bring in next!

This past weekend a few of the Experience Columbus crew hit the new piano bar, The Big Bang . We had one rockin’ time!

Located under Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant in the Arena District , dueling piano players sit opposite each other and play old school favorites that you can’t help but sing out loud.

If you are looking for a high-energy hang out, this is the place to go. Tip: You should get there early - the night we went it was packed by 11 p.m. and we spotted a line at the door.

Here are the impressions our group had about the night:

Meg Gordon : When I heard that Big Bang was opening in Columbus, I was super pumped and my expectations were high. I was not disappointed! I think it’s nearly impossible to go to The Big Bang and not have a good time. I mean, what could be better than belting out some of your favorite tunes with your friends?

Melissa DeGraw : I liked that we got there before a cover started and the drinks were not that expensive. It’s a fun place to hang with your friends and relax with some great entertainment to boot!

Kate Kastenholz : I think The Big Bang is a home run. There was so much energy and I was amazed that the performers were able to rotate and play each instrument!

Brenda Carter: I loved the music and group participation, and that the price of drinks was reasonable.

Kelly Brooks : My favorite thing about The Big Bang is that it has a little something for everyone. Whether you want grab a few drinks, enjoy some live entertainment or spend a night people watching, you can do it here. But make sure you arrive early if you want to grab a table - it fills up quickly!

Since it’s new, we know only some of Columbus has had the chance to experience The Big Bang. Have you? How was it?

Photo by Thomas Alexander
(see more on Flickr )

If you’re looking for an alternative to happy hour at a local bar, consider Cocktails @ the Conservatory .

It’s held at the Franklin Park Conservatory every Thursday evening from 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. (except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day). There’s no cover and parking is free.

The holiday season is a great time to go since the Conservatory is decked out with beautiful holiday lights and decorations, including a 15-foot tall poinsettia tree. I attended with a friend and we enjoyed music by Encore Entertainment and delicious hors d’oeuvres (let’s just say I can never turn down food from Cameron Mitchell ).

The best part was seeing Light Ramient II , the Palm House light installation by award-winning artist James Turrell . It was chilly outside, but well worth stepping outdoors for a few minutes to take a look at the color-changing lights. Seeing the Palm House illuminated against the night sky was breathtaking.

I’ll definitely be back the next time I’m looking to kick off the weekend early.

Along with a few Experience Columbus staff members, I recently participated in a hands-on cooking experience with chef Tami Cecil at Woodhaven Farm in Johnstown, Ohio (about 25 miles northeast of Columbus). Chef Tami , who trained at the Culinary Institute of America and formerly worked for Cameron Mitchell Restaurants , runs the 10-acre farm where visitors work together in teams to prepare gourmet meals.

When we arrived, super-energetic Chef Tami greeted us with big hugs. She gave a quick tour of her large, professional kitchen and explained that our theme for the day would be "comfort food with a twist." We’d be making pork tenderloins, mac and cheese, asparagus and for dessert, chocolate molten cake.

Sounded yummy, but since we had a wide range of "cooks" in our group - from those who cook everyday to someone like me who is better at eating than cooking, I wondered how the food was going to turn out. Everything was absolutely delicious and we all had a great time.

The group with Chef Tami

Chef Tami’s sense of humor definitely kept things upbeat and I learned great cooking tips along the way. Now, I’m hooked! Who would have thought a day on a farm in Johnstown would be so much fun?

See it for yourself before you visit - Chef Tami recently started filming her own cooking show that airs on ONN (full disclosure: Experience Columbus is one of the cooking show sponsors). During our visit, we were filmed for a future episode you can check out on ONN, Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.