Looking for a recipe today? I shared my mother’s Tuna Noodle Casserole with the Columbus Dispatch for their article about potato chip toppings. After a long draught of travel, this spring is shaping up to be a flood of trips. Check out our itinerary: February 2 – Cleveland – Fresh Street Pop-up February 10-11 – Cincinnati – Winter BeerFest and 5Bs Conference February 18-19 – Granville – OEFFA Conference end of February – San Salvador [...]

Despite my optimism, I did not achieve many of my 2011 resolutions. 2011 was a bit of a difficult year health wise. I had surgery to clear out my sinuses, but a raging infection kept me feeling lousy most of the summer. After some irritating testing, I found out in September that I am allergic to dogs and dust mites. We changed some habits and removed allergens in the house, but I continue to suffer [...]

At Murphin Ridge Inn in southern Ohio, guests enjoy spacious rooms, expansive views and perfect understated service. There is only one distraction from the calm, and it’s a good one: the food. A visit to the bed and breakfast starts with finding a handmade cookie in your room. Make a cup of hot coffee or tea in the gathering room to compliment the treat. (Click pictures to view them full size.) Explore the grounds by [...]

Last week, Experience Columbus treated a group of bloggers from around the US and I to a whirlwind tour of the Columbus food scene. The other guests captured some fabulous shots of the food we ate and drank. I took pictures in the bathrooms. My line of reporting was unintentional but actually makes sense in hindsight. More than a place to wash up, the best restrooms reflect the sensibility of a place. Here’s what I [...]

One weekday this summer, Lil (age nearly 6), Anna (20 year old Japanese exchange student) and I took a day trip to Urbana, Ohio, approximately fifty miles from central Ohio. A simple drive west on 70 and north on 29 led us first to Cedar Bog State Nature Preserve, park reviewed here. After a lovely hike in Ohio’s largest public fen, we ate lunch in town. The pizza joint we picked was a poor choice [...]

Freshwater Farms of Ohio was one of the stops in our Urbana, Ohio field trip. Click the link to read about the rest of our trip. Since our first trip to Freshwater Farms of Ohio for the 2009 Shrimp Fest, I can’t help but return every so often. Where else can you pet a sturgeon? And pick up toads? And view native fish and stream species? And purchase fine smoked trout for use in your [...]

We visited Cedar Bog Nature Preserve as part of our day trip to Urbana Ohio. Click the preceding link to read about all of our stops. Cedar Bog Nature Preserve is a large and rare fen, preserved by the Ohio Historical Society and the the Cedar Bog Association. It is fifty miles from central Ohio, accessible by driving west on 70 and north on 29 to just south of Urbana Ohio. Visitors can view the [...]