Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Columbus-West

Bird Hiking in Blendonwoods Metro Park

by abi_maha

We headed off to join like minded folks in Blendonwood park for a bird hike one of these sunny sundays. Finally we got round to learning the names of a lot of birds that we had been spotting around the area. AJ was thrilled to get an opportunity to use his new 55-200 Nikon lens on this trip and I as usual am having fun posting them on this site :)
We started with a small introduction to the world of birds in Blendonwood by James-one of the volunteers of the many such interesting programs conducted at the metroparks. Outside the nature center itself at the bird feed we got to sight some very pretty nuthatches and chickadees! Then the group(around ten of us) got to follow James to the two waterfowl refuges right there where we spotted some wood ducks, teals and mallards. A small Cooper's Hawk that was chasing a smaller bird which we couldn't identify made for some interesting conversation as we stood on the observation deck.
Then we headed off on a 3 mile off trail hike in search of more birds, we spotted some downy woodpeckers, american robins, red tailed hawks, turkey vultures and goldfinches on our jaunt around the Lake Thoreau.
Beautiful experience really, one we would love to repeat!

Tea for every occasion

by AnitaCarrie about Zen Cha Tea Salon

Need a spot to relax, have a pleasant conversation, Zen Cha is the place for you. Relaxing music, and a very harmonious decor. A great place to stop when you are gallery hopping, or hanging out in the Short North.
Zenny's has tea from everywhere. It is really hard to pick form the menu. I recommend if you aren't big on tea to get a fruit infusion, one of the German teas or a cold tea smoothie, bubbles anyone?

I guarantee there will be something that you like. They also have an absolutely amazing Sunday brunch. Seriously, I would go here for bunch over any other place I have been.

Teas run about 5$ a pop. I really like the Black Forest German tea, but really any of there brunches are incredible.

The Arena Grand Theater

by ColumbusGuy

The creation of Drexel Theater owner Jeff Frank, the new Arena Grand brings movies to downtown in lively setting.
The Arena Grand combines the sensibilities of the art house and multi-plex cinema. With eight theaters, there's room for both high brow independent and low brow Hollywood movies in the same building. Similarly, there's a downstairs snack bar which features soft pretezels, soda, and popcorn, while upstairs there's cheesecake, gourmet pizzas, and alcohol. If you want to see 'Austing Powers: Goldmember' in new theater comfort while munching on superb sushi, the Arena Grand is the place.
An interesting feature, which has yet to fully demonstrate its usefulness- of the Arena Grand is 'Club-Level' seating. When buying your ticket you have the option of paying $10 (instead of the normal Columbus Price of $7) and reserve one of the comfy leather seats in the balcony. There's No need to fight for that coveted center spot 2/3rds of the way back. Since the Arena Grand has only been open a few months, Columbus has yet to warm to the idea of going downtown for movie. This is great news for movie lovers who want to relax and avoid the madhouse of the popular AMC Lennox Theater a few miles away.

Ohio Statehouse and Senate Buildings

by atufft

The Columbus capitol building, which faces in a westernly direction, is distinctive for its conical shaped roof atop the cupola, where most state capitols have a dome. This unusual design appears to have been the product of some indecision and confusion during the design process, where none of the three leading design contest winners were chosen, a cholera epidemic in Columbus in 1848 cause neglect of construction responsibility, and a subsequent apparent uncertainty about details of the design and construction process across some 16 years of work. Indeed, the completion of the structure languished to the point where the original 1816 era, cramped and inadequate, two story wood framed capitol building, located at the corner of state and high streets, finally burned to the ground in 1852. This prompted politicians to immediately move into unfinished interior offices, trample through a rotunda that was not yet painted. The low conical shaped roof, known as the cupola, with its interior dome over the grand stone floor pattern of the rotunda, had not been part of the orginal design but appears to have been the product of supervising architects, Russell and West, during the latter stages of construction. To my knowledge, only Oregon shares such architectural diversion from the traditional classical dome, the most familiar example of which is at the capitol building in Washington, D.C. In 1901, the Judiciary Annex was built as a separate building on the property that faces east. Then, beginning between 1989 and 1993, restoration of both buildings and the addition of the joining glass and metal Atrium, improved function with an all weather access between the governing and judicial branches of Ohio's state government. Today, the Senate occupies Judiciary building while the Supreme Court now meets in the Ohio Judiciary Center, hence the name for this part of the state capitol building is today called the Senate Building.

A Surprisingly Nice Place to Visit

by JJBlondie

"Lots to Do if you Look"

Columbus is a surprisingly fun little town. There are many neat areas to visit (German Village, Victorian Village, Arena District, Short North) that have great places to eat, galleries, bookstores, farmer's markets.

I've had great sushi, great tapas, even great greek food in this little town that seems to be growing and growing.