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!

Photo: CAPA Columbus

Recently, my day was made when I heard that No Reservations: An Evening with Anthony Bourdain will be at the Palace Theatre on November 21.

When I was in college, I discovered Anthony Bourdain through two books: Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly and A Cooks Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal . I love to cook and I’m an avid reader, so I became hooked. I started looking into all things Anthony Bourdain - whatever I could find on YouTube, the Food Network, and the Travel Channel. I’ve been a fan ever since.

What I have come to expect through Bourdain’s writing and television programming is to expect the unexpected, and to be honest, I’m not exactly sure what’s in store for his performance at the Palace Theatre. Will he do a cooking demonstration or give a lecture on travel and the culinary arts? I’m not sure, but I do know it’s sure to be insightful, irreverent and brutally honest to the point of hilarity.

Tickets are still available for the show - click here to buy, and I’ll see you there.

Some of the Experience Columbus staff recently had the opportunity to tour the new Grange Insurance Audubon Center . Honestly, I was expecting the entire focus of the tour to be on birds, but I discovered that the center offers so much more.

First of all, the facility itself is amazing. It’s located south of downtown on the Whittier Peninsula, a key location for the center because many birds stop here along the Scioto River during their migration South. This location is also notable because the center is the first in the country to be built so close to the heart of a major city.

One side of the building is a tree-lined overlook of the Scioto and on the opposite side is an awesome view of the downtown skyline. So, the building acts as a physical connection between urban life and nature. It maintains that urban-nature balance through its green initiatives . For example, the parking lot and sidewalks are composed of an aerated material that allows rainwater to trickle through to an irrigation system that leads into the river to increase water quality. Very cool, right?

Inside the building is a multipurpose room that can hold 200 and acts as a very unique event space. The building also offers a native plant demonstration garden, bird observation deck, library, nature store and 3 classrooms for nature education programs. In addition, the facility has a natural playground area and a rock-climbing wall (note: I believe you have to have a belay certificate and your own gear in order to use the wall).

As you can see, the center is more than a place to bird watch, it’s also neat place to just hang out. They offer a wide range of events , such as date nights where you can look at the night sky through telescopes, workshops for how to winterize your landscape, and lessons on how to learn the calls of your favorite birds. They also provide fun volunteer opportunities if you’re a local looking to get involved.

All in all, the Grange Insurance Audubon Center is a great addition to the city of Columbus!

Photo: Randall Lee Schieber

The Create Columbus Commission is compiling a database of your favorite spots in and around downtown Columbus.

Why? Because your feedback will be used to create fun and interactive walking maps that show off Columbus’ best spots – including favorite landmarks, buildings, views, art, oddities and other sites.

What do you think should be included? What deserves a rightful spot on a walking map that would be shared with residents and visitors alike?

There are two ways to share your thoughts:

• Comment on this post . Let us know where your favorite is located, along with any other information you might know about it - who created it, who owns it, history, etc. Also, let us know why you love it.

- or -

• Visit this link to help populate the What I Love About Columbus database with your favorites.

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!

Looking for a few laughs? Check out one of my go-to spots, Funny Bone Comedy Club & Restaurant . With six or seven performances a week, there are shows to fit any sense of humor. From stand-up comics and hypnotists to Last Comic Standing contestants and celebrity guests, they do not disappoint.

Located in Easton Town Center , it’s easy to take advantage of the free parking, the abundant shopping and the delicious restaurants nearby. Another option is to check out Funny Bone’s full food and drink menu that’s available before each show—you can view it online here . As an added perk, all pre-show diners receive priority seating.

Before you leave the Funny Bone I recommend you fill out the information card on your table, to sign yourself up for the email list. Sure, you’ll receive emails promoting upcoming shows, but you may also receive emails containing offers for free tickets. Just another reason to keep going back!

I haven’t yet settled on what to do for Halloween this year; there are plenty of options for families and night-lifers alike in the days leading up to October 31st. Read on for a few suggestions on how to celebrate the year’s spookiest holiday in Columbus.

HighBall Halloween
Photo: Short North Arts District

HighBall Halloween
High Street, Short North Arts District
Saturday, Oct. 31
4 p.m. - midnight
$2

Last year I attended Highball Halloween; being the first year the event had ever been held I was amazed by how well attended and orchestrated it was. This is a party on a grand scale - think of it as a massive masquerade ball, complete with costume contests, a Costume Couture Fashion Showdown and the Dogtober Howloween Procession for costumed pets. And how often do you get to enjoy beverages and dance to awesome house music with thousands of friends in the middle of High Street? The area will be very busy that night; if you’re not walking, consider calling a taxi or riding a COTA bus to the Short North to avoid the parking congestion.

The Haunted Hotel
Hyatt Regency Downtown Columbus
Saturday, Oct. 31
10:00 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.
$29.99

For a 21 and over crowd, the Hyatt Regency Columbus will transform itself into an oasis of decoration, entertainment and music including a large ballroom, swanky lounge and breathtaking reception balcony.  Check out three rooms of sound with live bands and DJ’s playing the best hip-hop, mash up, techno and house music.

Scarey-oke
Sequoia Pro Bowl
Saturday, Oct. 31
9:00 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.

For a 21 and over crowd, the party will feature karaoke, food and drink specials, costume contests and other events in bowling shoes..

The Haunted Ship
Santa Maria
Thursday, Oct. 29 – Saturday, Oct. 31
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
$5

A family event promising a little "boo" for children of all ages. Take a 15-20 minute walk through the Haunted ship and hear a tale from the high seas about a Captain Boney and his pirate ship. Meet a talking head, a large spider, one of the captain’s original crew and a sea monster.

Spooky Science Weekend
COSI
Friday, Oct. 30 – Saturday, Oct. 31
5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
$5.50 - $7.50

Bring the whole family in costume and explore the spooky science of Halloween with COSI’s Pumpkin Patch Science Show, Pumpkin Patch You Try It Family Workshops, trick-or-treat stations, and cart activities like exploding pumpkins and more.

Gables, Gargoyles and Ghosts – oh my!
Columbus Landmarks Foundation
Monday, Oct. 19 – Friday, Oct. 29
7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
$25

A great event for the whole family, this bus tour explores the most haunted locations in the downtown Columbus. Hear ghost stories about museums, antique malls, restaurants, and other spooky attractions on the tour.

Looking for more ideas?
Browse a comprehensive list of Halloween events here . You can also download this PDF for trick-or-treat times in each Columbus community.

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 .

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?

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