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

Visitors in Columbus will notice that something special is happening in our city this year- we’re celebrating Columbus’ 200th birthday! Festivities commemorating 200Columbus the Bicentennial (as it’s officially known) will take place all year long, with events being planned by a wide array of organizations and neighborhoods throughout the city. Although you might think that these are for locals only, there are many exciting events that will be fun for everyone, whether you’re a resident or visitor.

Here’s a look at what’s happening during the next month:

Columbus’ actual birth-date is Valentine’s Day, so there are several special events to experience in the first part of February. Take in the sights and sounds of an amazing collaboration by BalletMet and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra during the performance of Jazz Moves Columbus , Feb. 2-12, 2012. Then, enjoy special discounts on shopping and attractions throughout the city during 200Columbus Days – just download the discount flyer. You may also enjoy seeing the performance of The Ruby Elzy Story on Feb. 11, having fun with your family at COSI’s Columbus Family Weekend Feb. 11-12, or cheering at the Columbus Blue Jackets game when they take on the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 14.

In addition to those special events, there are many long-running exhibits to see. COSI is hosting Race: are we so different?, which is the first nationally traveling exhibition to tell the stories of race from the biological, cultural, and historical points of view. The Columbus Museum of Art is recognizing the Bicentennial with several special exhibits, including Monet to Matisse , Columbus Views and Caravaggio: Behold the Man! Other art exhibits include Ohio Arts Council Riffe Gallery’s 100 Years of Art: Celebrating Columbus’ Legacy , the King Arts Complex’s Cityscapes Yesteryear and OSU’s Columbus Cartoonists: A Bicentennial Celebration .

We’ll keep you updated on more Bicentennial events to experience as the year progresses. In the meantime, if you’d like to know more about the celebration, visit 200Columbus.com . Or find the Bicentennial on Facebook or Twitter .

Did we miss something? Share your information about other great Bicentennial events in the comments.

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

What instrument did Mozart’s father play? I won tickets to the Columbus Symphony Orchestra by answering that question on Twitter. I confess, I Googled the answer. Nevertheless, my Friday night plans were made. My wife’s friends were in town so I called up my mother-in-law. We grabbed a bite at De Novo before the show.

De Novo is a perfect spot to eat before a show at the Ohio Theatre. We walked over after our delicious meal. I had the Lamb Belly - thick noodles, with a rich white sauce and a perfectly poached egg. My mother-in-law had the scallops which were delicious and we each had a salad, all pictured below. The restaurant is beautiful with giant art, suspended branches, and jazz to add to the already perfect atmosphere.

Certainly my experience, being a symphony rookie, was different than someone who knows the music and all its complexities. So as I describe my experience please understand, my only experience with classical music is from Looney Tunes and accidentally landing on the classical station when searching for NPR on the radio. This is sad I agree, but my experience at the Columbus Symphony was so wonderful, I will definitely be returning for future shows.

The show was title Mozart and Brahms, featuring Yossif Ivanov a 23 year-old violinist. He and his surrounding orchestra were incredible. They all played a challenging score with such ease. At times the orchestra would be loud and powerful and then it would get so soft that I thought it had stopped and what I thought was silence was a single violinist easing and inviting me back in. Thinking of going? Here are some tips if you yourself are a symphony rookie:

• Dress up - Thankfully I came from work so I was already dressed
• Don’t clap until you hear other people clapping – There was a moment when I thought they had finished a piece, well they hadn’t and I clapped once and turned red in the face. Follow the lead of those around you.
• Take off your jacket before the show –There is nothing worse than having to wrestle out of your blazer when sitting in a theatre seat.
• Bring a lozenge and unwrap it before the show – Someone eight rows over was unwrapping candy during the show, it sounded like a raccoon trying to open a holiday fruit basket. Little noises can be distracting.

Follow the symphony at @C_S_O.

If you wanted to make a weekend of this trip, both the Ohio Theatre and De Novo are within walking distance of the Sheraton Columbus on Capitol Square and The Westin Great Southern.

The coffee culture in Columbus is strong, and growing! You don’t have to stroll far to find a great cup - and even places like Pistacia Vera , renowned for its pastries and macarons, serve up expertly crafted coffee drinks. You know you’ll need a pick-me-up at some point on your trip. Make it an experience to remember.

At Experience Columbus, we strive to help our potential visitors find great travel experiences in ways that work best for them, whether it’s in our publications, on our web site , via Twitter , on Facebook or Flickr. Recently, we’ve seen a lot of buzz around Pinterest , a social network that’s starting to gain traction. The more we looked at it, the more we though it could work well for both showing off the great things there are to see , do , eat and drink and also, as a powerful trip planning tool for our visitors.

Pinterest is a visual way to bookmark links. Whether it’s pictures of things that inspire you, DIY or craft projects you want to try, videos that make you laugh, or places you want to visit, it’s a really nice way to help yourself remember those aspirations and share them with your network of friends. Pinning these images and videos is very easy - first you need to do is pull the "Pin It" button into your browser’s task bar. When you find an image or video you want to pin, just click that button, select which of your boards you want the item to be pinned onto, then type a few words about it. It takes about five seconds. You can find images and videos to pin all across the web, or you can browse or search Pinterest and re-pin things that other users have added.

Pinterest is also great for planning a trip. For instance, if you’re planning a visit to Columbus in the spring, you can check out our boards , follow us, and re-pin on your own board images of the activities you want to do , restaurants you want to try and places you want to stay . The really nice thing about this is that you can very easily co-plan a trip with another person or a group. If you’re finally taking that long-talked-about girls getaway or getting the family reunion organized, you can invite all the members of your travel party to pin to the same board so you’re not all searching through email chains to agree on the plan for a day out.

Because Pinterest is gaining popularity quickly, you normally have to request an account and wait a few days for it to be activated. To make the process must quicker, Experience Columbus is happy to send you an invitation, which gets you in right away. To request and invitation, email me at jvargo@experiencecolumbus.com . Please make "Pinterest" the subject line of your email.

As you explore this new tool, let me know what you like and don’t like about Experience Columbus’ boards (http://pinterest.com/expcols .) What do you wish you could find, that we haven’t covered yet?

Happy Pinning!

This post is written by John Schumacher, blogger at Jarsloth . You can also follow John on Twitter @jarsloth .

A friend once told me that Columbus lacked the ethnic enclaves that give character to some of the larger U.S. cities; I had to disagree. We not only have our share of Old World communities (German Village, Italian Village, Hungarian Village), we also host thriving new immigrant populations that are rich in culture and diversity. People from Asia (including South Asia and Southeast Asia), Africa, the Middle East and Latin America call Columbus home and contribute to the economic and social growth of our city. The restaurants and food carts/trucks that have risen out of these communities have helped shape and define the ever-evolving Columbus food landscape. Thanks to blogs like Taco Trucks Columbus and Alt Eats Columbus , awareness of these food vendors has not only spread throughout Central Ohio, but Columbus has begun to garner national attention for its internationally-inspired cuisine.

Tacos al pastor are made from marinated pork that is slow-roasted on a spit, then shaved onto corn tortillas and topped with onions and cilantro

For the curious who have yet to delve into the ethnic realm of Columbus food, I suggest employing the aforementioned blogs as your guide. Written by knowledgeable folks, these blogs are continually updated with new restaurants and offer a lot of good tips for the uninitiated and experienced eater alike. If you’d prefer a guided tour, Columbus Food Adventures (owned and operated by Bethia Woolf, who is also part of Taco Trucks Columbus and Alt Eats Columbus ) offers several food tours that showcase a cross section of ethnic food available in Columbus. Their Alt Eats tour stops at Mi Li Cafe (Vietnamese), Intercontinental Restaurant (Nigerian), Solay Bistro (Somali), Panaderia Guadalupana (Mexican), and Udipi Cafe (Southern Indian). Columbus Food Adventures also offers a Taco Truck tour during the warmer months where patrons experience a sampling of Mexican street fare from a representative group of Columbus’s ever-growing fleet of taco trucks.

Dosas are Southern Indian crepes made with a fermented rice batter and served with a savory filling (pictured here with medu wada, spicy lentil donuts)

The influx of immigrant foodways into Columbus has not only spawned a rise in ethnic eateries, it has inspired more conventional restaurants to include ethnic-inspired dishes in their repertoire. Columbus menus now include banh mi (Explorer’s Club ), takoyaki (Freshstreet ), kimchi (Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace ), street tacos (Surly Girl ), chilaquiles (Starliner Diner ), and chorizo (Katalina’s Cafe Corner ). Additionally, the past two years has seen an explosion of new African restaurants in Columbus, so it’s only a matter of time before we begin to see some African-inspired dishes showing up on more menus. The dynamic created by the rise of immigrant communities in our city makes it an exciting time to explore the restaurants, food carts, and eateries that are beginning to make a noticeable impact on our food choices.

Takoyaki are Japanese dumplings that resemble pancake balls and contain a piece of octopus in the center

This post is written by Tim Simeone, Visitor Center Receptionist at Experience Columbus.

There are always so many different options of things to do and places to go on New Year’s Eve. You could be counting down with hundreds of strangers at a dance club, with good friends staying late at a restaurant, or curling up at home watching re-runs of Murder She Wrote with a pint of Jeni’s Salty Carmel Ice Cream (my last year New Year’s Eve). Here are some events that might encourage you to TiVo Angela Lansbury’s mysterious adventures and hop out on the town to ring in 2012.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be facing off against the Washington Capitals at 7 p.m. If you think the firing of the cannon after a goal is impressive, wait till you see the new indoor pyrotechnic and firework display they will be debuting at this game in honor of Columbus’ Bicentennial . In addition, Mayor Coleman will be dropping the puck. Nothing rings in the New Year like pyrotechnics, hockey, and hopefully a Blue Jacket win!

Attention Kids…if I haven’t lost you already with my Angela Lansbury reference. First Night Columbus has a ton of activities for you and your family. Have you ever wondered about the projectile integrity of the marshmallow? The MallowBlaster, which launches mallows over 200ft, will be at the Veterans Memorial Hall from 6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. COSI will have its Game Truck and Saturday morning cartoons from around the world, I’m hoping to see Tom and Jerry!…I’ve lost you again.

Are you looking for ‘Some Enchanted Evening?’ Well ‘just you wait ‘enry ‘iggins!’ The ProMusica Orchestra will be performing a night of Broadway and Old Vienna at the Southern Theatre. The Westin is also hosting a pre-party and has great packages to choose from. The Bicentennial will also be celebrated with a champagne toast at intermission. This is a great spot to listen to ‘the music of the night.’

If you want to dance your way into 2012, The Bluestone is having a glow party with six different DJ’s. Make sure you come prepared with some glow stick dance moves as they are giving away 10,000 glow products. When in doubt, use them as drum sticks.

Hit up one of these or several other events around town just make sure to keep Jeni’s in the freezer for after the party.

This post is written by Anthony Cordo, Visitor Services Manager for Experience Columbus.

The New Year is approaching, but before we can welcome it in we’ve got to get in to a bar! Check out some of the ideas below and their highlights to decide where you and your friends will enjoy the party.

Gresso’s: New Year’s Eve Party
Cover: $59
Includes: open bar (well and domestic drinks), champagne toast, D.J., buffet, shuttle service.
Why: this is a fantastic neighborhood hotspot and on NYE it’s a favorite choice to enjoy life with your friends without emptying your wallet. You’re not likely to find a place as popular as this with an all-inclusive cover this low.
Know before you go: pre-purchase your admission over the phone – it’s always sold out at the door.

Barrio Tapas Lounge: New Years Eve
Cover: $5
Includes: Old-School hip-hop party, D.J. Patrick, drink specials.
Why: Barrio has great food.

Newport Music Hall: Ekoostik Hookah
http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/event-detail.cfm?id=30969
Admission: $30
Includes: admission to the concert.
Why: Ekoostik Hookah is a fun live music experience!

House Wine: New Year’s Eve at House Wine
Cover: none.
Why: This can be an affordable plan – you pay for what you drink. If you’re a wine-o this is a good option!

Shadowbox Live: New Year’s Eve at Shadowbox Live
Cover: $100 ($180 for two)
Includes: Two bands, dancing, dinner and dessert banquet, champagne toast at midnight.
Why: the folks over at Shadowbox Live know how to throw a fine party, and this NYE bash should appeal to people who like live music.
Know before you go: reservations required.

Park Street Complex: New Year’s Eve Extravaganza
Cover: $10
Includes: multiple D.J.s, party favors, circus performers, a ball drop at midnight.
Why: if you’re looking for a club scene to ring in 2012 this is one of the best options. The complex is three attached bars, and each one has a great dancing scene.
Know before you go: dress hot – everyone else will.

Camelot Cellars Winery: Venetian Masquerade Ball
Cover: $25 ($40 for two)
Includes: special wine prices, champagne at midnight, appetizers.
Why: this is a fancy way to celebrate in masquerade style.

Hyatt Regency Columbus: NYE on High
Cover: $129-499
Includes: open bar, eleven bands (Lt Dan’s New Legs, Reagonomics, and others), D.J.s.
Why: this is one of the best known NYE celebrations; it’s been going on for thirty years!
Know before you go: book a room at the hotel in advance as part of the package.

There’s no doubt about it - Columbus is a foodie destination. If you’ve got a foodie in your life, there are lots of ways to share the Columbus Food Scene this holiday season.

Columbus Food Adventures - These tours are the perfect introduction into all the flavors and behind-the-scenes info on the city’s food scene. Chose among several options, including a tour of Short North restaurants, more adventurous ethnic fare on the Alt Eats tour, and in warmer months, the Taco Truck tour. A gift certificate lets you pick the tour, and allows the recipient to pick a date that works best for them.

Juergen’s Bakery - Juergen’s, a Bavarian bakery located fittingly in German Village, offers the ultimate in sweet treats exclusively this time of year - the Stollen. Stollen is a traditional fruit-studded sweet bread that’s sure to become a tradition on your holiday table. You can also choose among other German pastries like strudel and linzertorte.

Books - This year, some great Columbus food books were published. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home shows home cooks how to create Jeni’s world renowned ice cream in their own kitchen, and how to play with imaginative flavors. Breakfast with Nick is a book written by Columbus’ premier breakfast blogger, Nick Dekker . It’s perfect for the person on your list who loves bacon, eggs, donuts and coffee.

Distillery Tours - Columbus’ spirits scene is taking off and gaining national attention. Treat the cocktail maven on your list to a tour and tasting at Watershed Distillery (outstanding vodka and gin) and Middle West Spirits (flavorful vodka and whiskey.) If you’re really nice, a bottle from each would be the perfect foundation to for a Columbus-based home-bar.

North Market School of Cooking - The North Market is arguably the hub of the Columbus Food Scene, with vendors selling locally grown ingredients and a whole range of prepared foods. The top floor of the market holds a treasure: the Dispatch Kitchen, where cooking classes with the city’s best chefs are offered. It’s dinner, wine and a show for the foodies on your list.

Dine Originals Gift Certificates - If you want to treat someone to a special night out, Dine Originals gift certificates are a perfect choice. Choose from almost 50 locally owned, independent restaurants, ranging from DeepWood between the Short North and Downtown, Alana’s Food and Wine in Clintonville, Black Creek Bistro in Old Town East, and Luce in Powell.

What else would you recommend for folks shopping for foodies? As always, you can keep up with the Columbus Food Scene on Facebook .

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

With the winter chill officially present in Columbus, you could put on your coat, scarf and gloves or you could fight the cold in a more delicious way…soup! There is nothing better than a server placing a piping hot cup of soup in front of you. It’s like your own personal space heater at the table. You can get real close and let the steam and flavors drift pass your chilled and runny nose. Here are some cozy spots around Columbus where you can warm the chill with a bowl of soup.

Surly Girl’s Posole soup is a light broth packed with lots of southwestern flavors and garnished with cilantro, lime, and your own side of fritos. There is a choice of pulled pork, chicken or tofu. If you want a traditional Posole get it with the pork and don’t be afraid to pair your soup with one of Surly Girl’s signature hot drinks.

Haiku Siamese Coconut Curry Noodle - is a spicy coconut based broth filled lemon grass, noodles, basil and scallions. The broth is spicy but can be tamed down if requested; however if you’re trying to get warm, the spice will make you sweat. Watch out for the tiny red peppers bathing in the soup, a bite into one of those directly will encourage you to hop back outside in the cold.

The Mohawk Turtle Soup - Have you been so brave to try the Turtle soup? It is rumored the owner raised the turtles in the basement of the building. If you can get past the cute cartoon visions of slow moving turtles in your head, this soup is an adventurous way to warm up quick. Tomato based broth with veggies and of course, turtle, served in a charming turtle bowl.

Alana’s Hard Cider Cheese Soup – Walking into Alana’s instantly warms you up with its cozy atmosphere and friendly servers. The menu is always changing, so go quickly to get this cheese soup. Known for her unique flavor combinations, Alana mixes cider and cheese perfectly. You will have to imagine how this looks

This post is written by Bethia Woolf, blogger at AltEatsColumbus , StreetEatsColumbus and TacoTrucksColumbus and owner of Columbus Food Adventures . You can reach Bethia on Twitter @CbusAdventures .

Coffee has long been a vibrant part of the Columbus culinary scene, with Stauf’s, Cup’o'Joe , and Cafe Brioso providing top quality local alternatives to national chains. And, with a recent explosion of new roasters and purveyors, it’s getting even better:

1. Thunderkiss Coffee - Jason Valentine, owner of Thunderkiss, is the McGyver of caffeine. His minimalist garage operation puts out meticulously roasted, top quality single-origin beans from Peru, Guatemala, Ethiopia and Rwanda. Look for his beans (including in giftable antique mason jars) at Fresh Street.

2. Upper Cup Coffee - For brothers Micael and Samson Habte, coffee is in their blood. Their mother, an Eritrean immigrant, roasted for home-use and prepared her home-brewed coffee for guests as a matter of custom. In their new Old Town East location, they roast and brew for the general public, and provide exceptional Ethiopian and South American single-origin beans for purchase or for consumption in their comfortable Parsons Ave. shop.

3. Impero - Impero’s Short North location has become a fast favorite in the neighborhood. Serving coffee from beans roasted in their Grove City operation, its easy to see how their espresso and coffee offerings keep ‘em coming back.

4. Luck Brothers - Nobody in town has his finger on the pulse of what’s what in coffee more than Andy Luck. Thought not a roaster himself, Andy works extensively with roasters to get the exact flavor profiles he wants to serve in his shop in Grandview. Visit him to taste the fruits of his drive for perfection.

5. Yeah Me Too - No phone, no website, no credit cards accepted - Yeah Me Too does things the old-fashioned way. This small Clintonville roaster has developed a devoted cult following on the north side, and its small selection of quality single-origin beans are often considered to be among the best in town.

6. Back Room Coffee Roasters - The back room’s coffee, and the front room is the Lane Ave. Trek store. Put them together and you have a roaster who turns out high-end arabica beans and delivers them to retailers all over the city via bike.

7.) There is a new artisan small-batch roasting company opening on Price Avenue in the Short North this weekend, look out for them at the Holiday Hop.

When it comes to coffee, it’s easy to feel a bit overwhelmed by all there is to know. Columbus Food Adventures aims to demystify the subject with its new Coffee Tour , which explores the world of Columbus coffee. It’s a tour in 3 acts: 1) visit a roaster (Stauf’s) to learn about what goes into turning raw coffee beans into something exquisite, 2) stop at a top espresso bar (Cafe Brioso) to discuss turning those beans into top quality espresso drinks, 3) finish at a premier coffee shop (Luck Bros.) to learn about how to get the best from your beans at home. At each stop there will be coffee and snacks, and – most importantly – plenty of information on how to get the best out of home coffee preparation! The first tour is this Saturday, December 3rd and tickets are available online.