Condado Tacos

Photos by OHventures

Condado Tacos Short North

1227 N. High Street

Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 928-3909

-and-

Condado Tacos Downtown

132 S. High Street

Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 456-7444

Tacos bring the people together. Plain and simple. If you don't like tacos, I can't trust you and you can't be my friend. And if you don't like Condado Tacos in Short North and Downtown Columbus, then that is taco blasphemy! 

These tacos are works of art. You build them from the shell-up, with loads of delicious and fresh ingredients you won't find at any other Mexican joint. You start with the tortilla, which can be corn or flour, soft or crunchy. BUT you can also get a double tortilla, with cheese, beans, or guacamole slathered in between the shells (my favorite is the "Ju-Ju" shell if you were wondering). Then, you choose from a great selection of proteins: chorizo, shrimp ceviche, brisket, ghost pepper marinated steak, roasted portabellos, and BBQ pulled jackfruit, to name a few. Then, you continue the process choosing toppings, cheese, salsa, and sauces! The possibilities are seemingly endless.

And, if for nothing else, be sure to go to Condado Tacos to get your table an order of the queso dip (pictured above). Believe me when I say, this is the best queso around! Muy bien!

And what's a good Mexican restaurant without some tasty margs? On my recent visit, I was going to just get the traditional house margarita like always, but the waiter insisted I try something different. So, he suggested the blackberry marg (pictured above), which did not disappoint.

Another thing I like about Condado Tacos is the decor. They have a "Day of the Dead" (or Dia de los Muertos) theme going on, with Catrina-style skulls, skeletons, sombreros, designs, and artwork on the walls and tables. I am particularly fond of the "Holy Guacamole" painting, as shown above.

I have gone to Condado Tacos on each of the past 3 visits I made to Columbus. It's just that good. You can reserve the "party table" for groups of 12 or more - which is what we did when having a "friends reunion" back in June. And, yes, we had many, many bowls of queso to go around!

Discover The Best Ohio Bars To Catch Up With Friends!

The Federal in Youngstown - Photos by OHventures

Nothing brings people together more than the holiday season. Each year, we look forward to catching up with friends who have come from near and far back to their hometowns. Some of the best places to go to spread the warmth and cheer of the holidays is at your local watering holes.

While bars and pubs can be a dime a dozen in some areas, there are some that stand out above the rest with a certain charm and cool factor. Below are some of those bars that are worth a visit when you're meeting up with old friends and family.

Thirsty Dog

Akron
In Akron, the Thirsty Dog Brewing Company has been concocting tasty beers since 1997. But only recently have they opened their very own Tasting Room, located right on site in the room next to where the stuff is brewed! Found near the University of Akron, this nondescript building lures you in with the aroma of freshly brewed hops. Try the canine-themed beers, such as Whippet Wheat, Irish Setter Red, and of course the 12 Dogs of Christmas!

If beer is not your style, consider heading to Jilly's Music Room on the North Side, where you can get cocktails in a modern and sleek setting while enjoying local live music!


Athens
My pal Jake always shows me some great places when I visit Athens in Southeast Ohio, and one that I will never forget is Tony's Tavern. This is a dive bar where everybody knows your name, and where the house specialty is a shot called the hot nut - made with hot coffee and hazelnut liquor. They are delicious, cheap, and a lot of fun!

Another go-to spot for OU alum and other folks who come back into town is The Pub. Here, they are known for their aquariums of beer and for having the best cheeseburgers in town (according to Jake)!

Buzzbin Art & Music Shop

Canton
If downtown Canton is where you are heading for the holidays, then Buzzbin Art & Music Shop is the destination for you. The atmosphere is eclectic and one-of-a-kind, with a counter made entirely of bottle caps, and an adjacent arcade full of vintage pinball machines. The crowd is great for people watching, and you never know what genre of music will be blaring from the stage that night.

Rhinegeist Brewery

Cincinnati
Rhinegeist Brewery is a brewery situated in the up-and-coming neighborhood of Over The Rhine in Cincinnati. The wide open interior is available to reserve for private events, or you can come anytime to play cornhole, ping pong, foosball, or watch a ball game - all while relaxing with some locally brewed booze. Take a tour to learn about the history, or enjoy the awesome rooftop bar for a 360-degree view of Cincinnati.

Cleveland
We all know that Cleveland rocks, which you can experience for yourself by going to popular music bars such as Euclid Tavern, an old staple of University Circle, which was recently featured on an episode of "Drunk History."

For something new and different, try Punch Bowl Social, located in the Flats neighborhood. It's a bar that focuses on entertainment and games, including bowling, ping pong, karaoke, board games, foosball, video games, shuffleboard, and more! You can't go wrong competing with friends over drinks and games!

Bodega

Kingmaker's

Columbus
It was extremely difficult to choose just one, but my favorite bar in the Short North is Bodega, which is a "hipster" hangout perfect for a small group of close friends. Bodega has been recently renovated and is known for its endless array of draught beers, to-die-for grilled cheese, and a charming crowd of cool kids.

For something really different, you should head down the street from Bodega to Kingmaker's Board Game Parlour. offers over 500 unique board games paired alongside a nice selection of cocktails and beers on draft. Visitors are required to pay a $5 "library fee" that lasts the entire night, and allows them to play any and all of the board games of their choosing.

Blind Bob's

Dayton
The Oregon District is the place to be for nightlife in Dayton. My personal pick is Blind Bob's, a great  mom & pop spot for people in search of a few drinks, good ol' fashioned bar food, some rockin' karaoke, and even "Battle of the Bands" events. Not to mention, the fried pickles are the tastiest I have ever had!

Another fine choice, as told to me by my pal Dan, is The Century Bar, a bourbon and whiskey house. Even if you don't like bourbon, the folks at The Century claim that they can make anyone a bourbon drinker, even those with the most discriminating palate.


Toledo
One of the newest additions to the downtown Toledo scene is also one of the must-visit places. M'Osteria & Bar is situated right between both stadiums, and is a perfect mix of old and new. There's a wraparound bar and open kitchen format downstairs, and a classy lounge area with live entertainment upstairs.

You can never go wrong with heading to the famous Tony Packo's to chow down on chili, and to check out the hot dog bun collection.


Youngstown
For those of you who watch the TV show "Bar Rescue," you might be familiar with The Federal. This recently transformed bar in downtown Youngstown was jam-packed with patrons when I went back home for Thanksgiving - and for good reason! The bar is complete with a dance floor, pool tables, and great drink specials - try the Youngstown Mule, and the Burger Bomb (if you dare).

Right down the block from The Federal is V2 Wine Bar Trattoria, which is definitely worth a visit!

Columbus & Cincinnati Pedal Wagon

Photos by OHventures

"WILL PEDAL FOR BOOZE!"

That's the slogan me and my rowdy crew of Ohio State Buckeyes fans lived by while riding in the Columbus Pedal Wagon one brisk morning before the football game!

The Columbus Pedal Wagon (and similarly, the Cincinnati Pedal Wagon), is a contraption that requires you and a group of able-bodied buddies to hop on board and use your man-power to wheel the wagon from bar to bar to bar! 

It's essentially a bar on wheels - except state laws don't allow you to drink while ON the pedal wagon - YET. So, that means, for now, the cupholders are merely spots to put your phones while you ride!

The Columbus Pedal Wagon offers various routes which you can sign up for that will allow you to navigate the vehicle to various drinking establishments within different neighborhoods. The tours last approximately 2 hours, and you usually get to visit about 3-4 different bars in that timeframe, depending on how long you stay at each one, and how far apart they are.

Themes are prescheduled to correspond with particular launch times, but if you love a route and not its scheduled time, the Columbus Pedal Wagon will make it work for you. Just be sure to give them an advanced notice so they can plan around the changes. What's cool is that they are also always open to new themes and routes, and will work with you to choose which bars you go to along the route that you have chosen.

On October 18, me and selected family (my mom, dad, and aunt) and friends (Alex, James, Alyce, and Steve) boarded the Columbus Pedal Wagon for the High Street Shuffle theme route. This route cruises through the Short North neighborhood of Columbus, stopping at 4 eclectic bars. Each spot had drink specials specifically for us pedalers. We wore a special wristband to designate to our bartenders that we were with the Pedal Wagon to get our discounts on drinks!

We were told by our driver, Paul, to meet at BBR (a bar located on Vine Street near the North Market) at 12:00 for our 12:30-2:30 PM scheduled ride. Being the rowdy group that we are, we decided to meet up at 11:00 AM so we could take advantage of the $3 draughts that we received on special for being a part of the Pedal Wagon. We also decided as a group that we needed some shots of FIREBALL whiskey to warm us up. Even though we would be bundled up, wearing a liquor coat never hurts!

When Paul arrived, he and I discussed our route. As mentioned, the tour guides work with you to determine what bars you would like to go to. I wanted to have a mix of modern bars and dive bars, so we decided on the following stops:

• BBR (106 Vine Street, Columbus, OH 43215) - Our meeting place, this is a sports  bar that is typically loud with a young crowd and a rock & roll theme).

At the Short North Pint House

• Pint House (780 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43201) - My favorite bar in the Short North. It is modern with eclectic decor, a beer garden pation, a HUGE bar, loads of beers on tap, a photo booth, a mixed crowd, an open ceiling, and an overall slick feel. There is even a part of the bar that is made of ice so you can keep you drink cool.

Drinks at Bodega

• Bodega (1044 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43201) - A "hipster" hangout, Bodega has been recently renovated and is known for its endless array of draught beers, to-die-for grilled cheese, and a charming crowd of cool kids.

• Mike's Grill (724 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43215) - The definition of a dive bar: smelly, dirty, sticky, and cheap! But that's all part of the experience. I love bringing people here just because it's such a hole in the wall. We came for $1 Jell-O shots and cans of PBR!

Hanging out at our last stop, Novak's!

• Novak's Tavern (475 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43214) - Our final destination. Novak's has also been recently renovated and has pool tables, an awesome rooftop with a view of the Columbus skyline, and great specials on mixed drinks.

We were told to assign someone on board to be the "DJ" for the day. We picked Alyce (an easy choice because of her high energy personality). As DJ, she was able to plug her iPhone into the AV jack located on the wagon, and create our playlist for the entire ride! She was blaring party jams up and down High Street. It was really cool how they let us set the tone with the music, which really did make it even more fun!

A view of Short North on board the Pedal Wagon.

Over all, pedaling the wagon was not too difficult. Because we had so many people, it did not require us to exert too much energy (some of us had some sore legs the next day, though!). However, it did require that we work together and get in sync to get us to where we wanted to go in a quick fashion! All of the steering was done by our tour guide (Paul), who also advised us as to when to stop and start pedaling when we got to red lights, turns, etc. We didn't have to do any of the thinking - just the drinking!

Me & Steve on our new favorite ride!

There were many onlookers in cars and on foot who were amused at the sight of us pedaling by. It was certainly a unique and one-of-a-kind way to enjoy some drinks (and not to mention a TON of laughs) with friends & family on game day, or ANY day in Columbus or Cincinnati. We felt good that not only were we not drinking and driving, we were also getting a bit of exercise in between drinks!

And just because we are getting into the winter months does not mean that the pedal wagon goes into hibernation. You can book a ride on the Polar Bear Express NOW throughout winter!

Adopt Your Own Wine At Camelot Cellars

Photos by OHventures

I have been coming to Camelot Cellars in the Short North in Columbus for years - in groups to celebrate a birthday, with a couple of friends for a special event, and even by myself for a quick glass of vino after a long day of work. All are enjoyable experiences, but what makes Camelot Cellars stand out in my opinion is that they offer customers the chance to handcraft (or adopt) their own wine!

The handcrafting process allows you the chance to make your very own wine using the equipment on site at Camelot. You come in and taste various wines to see which you want to make, then you are guided through the process - adding the chosen grape/fruit juice(s), correct amount of yeast, oak, etc. Then, you come back about 12 weeks later to complete the process, which consists of bottling, corking, capping, and labeling (you can design your own labels too).

The entire wine making experience can be read in full here on OHventures in Part I and Part II.

This year, instead of making my own wine at Camelot Cellars, I ADOPTED my own wine instead.

What does that mean? Well, if you don't have 12 weeks, you can skip the first step and "ADOPT" wine - meaning, they have the wine already fermented in a large container ready for you to just come in and bottle, cork, cap, and label!

The wine this year was "Blush Mime Blush Wine" (an inside joke) - an Australian Grenache Rose!

The wine label I created for my adopted wine (pink for breast cancer awareness in October)

Wine adoption was just as fun as wine making (just a tad less personal and a bit more expensive - but all worth it!). I brought my family with me and it was an awesome bonding time - and a memory creator for sure. I buy a case that I give out to everyone as Christmas gifts each year - personalized and unique!

So, there ya go! Camelot Cellars is your answer if you want to handcraft or bottle up your own wine without all of the crazy equipment at home. Do it now!

North High Brewing

Photos by OHventures

North High Brewing

1288 North High Street

Columbus, OH 43201

(614) 407-5278

Homemade beer is becoming more and more popular these days, with a growing number of people setting up at-home basement kitchens and makeshift microbreweries  to concoct their very own sudsy beer. But, to do it right, that requires a great deal of expensive equipment that some people might not be comfortable purchasing. Thankfully, if you want to become a brewmaster for a day, your wish can come true at North High Brewing, a brand spanking new brewery located smack dab in the middle of the bustling Short North neighborhood of Columbus!

We are living in a day of age where the "me" mentality reigns supreme - everyone wants everything personalized and hands on. Creativity and customization are sought after in every aspect of life. And we at OHventures are no strangers to this. We love giving things our own signature stamp of approval! So why shouldn't that apply to our favorite things - like BEER? At North High Brewing, this is all possible!

With North High Brewing's Owner, Gavin Meyers

OHventures had its first encounter with North High Brewing as part of the Columbus Brew Adventures Downtown Brewery Tour last fall. Here, we met owner Gavin Meyers, whose personality is larger than life and his passion for what he does certainly shines whenever he talks. Gavin told us over a large crowd gathered in the bar (a regular sight at North High Brewing) about the recent renovations that went into creating the brewery. He explained every intricacy found within the bar - from the stools, to the window sills, to the table tops. All of the parts and pieces of the bar have a cool background story that is half the fun of visiting. 

The star of the show is of course the beer itself, so we took the opportunity to taste-test about 4 different beers on this trip. My favorite was the  was the rich, dark chocolate milk stout that reminded me a lot of coffee. It was mighty tasty, and left quite an impression (in more ways than one - it is 6% alcohol after all).

Recently, OHventures made a special return visit to North High Brewing to have a more intimate and one-on-one experience with Gavin, and so we could taste test TEN of the beers that are brewed special at NHB! Some of the highlights from our tasting experience were as follows (descriptions taken from the official site):

• Filthy McNasty - Russian Imperial Stout - ABV 8.1% :: IBUs 50: A beer of pure decadence and excess. While this style was originally brewed by a London brewer for export to the queen of Russia, this beer isn't going anywhere. Sit down and let it warm up. Enjoy notes of coffee, chocolate, sweet malt and boozy warmth. A nice hop balance and presence makes this a beer to savor.
• Brown Ale - ABV 4.8% :: IBUs 24: This Northern English Ale is sweet, biscuity and full bodied. The color is a direct reflection of the style and the low ABV makes this a great game day beer.
• Wee Heavy Ale - ABV 8.0% :: IBUs 25: Sing it with me now: I love scotch! Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down. Down into my belly.. With a prominent amount of honey, this beer is boozy, smokey, caramelly and delicious.
• Double IPA - ABV 7.3% :: IBUs 115: A bit sweeter than your average double. This has a bit of residual sugars from the malt. Generous hop additions clear your palate and leave you with a citrus hop bitterness. A double IPA that can be enjoyed by all. 
• Oldford - Porter - ABV 6.8% :: IBUs 37: Deep and roasty, silky and smooth. This porter brewed with molasses will leave dark beer drinkers wanting nothing more.
• Pale Ale - ABV 5.5% :: IBUs 46: Light in color but not in hop presence. The citrusy sweet hop presence makes this beer a gateway to the world of hops.

Drinking a slew of beers from North High Brewing

For those wondering, I did not finish all of these samples alone - I had help from my trusty sidekicks Matt and Jess (the same folks who went paddleboarding with me last summer). We were all rather satisfied by pretty much all of the beers here at North High Brewing and couldn't wait to learn more about how we could make our very own!

Making our own beer on site is high on our Buckeye Bucket List - and it seems like a ton of people had the same idea. In the back room, behind the bar, dozens of brewmasters in training were circled around copper vats, creating their beer by hand, with what looked like pretty in-depth step-by-step instructions. Because of how popular the brewing opportunity is here at North High Brewing, Matt, Jess, and I were not able to get our hands dirty that evening. Like all people interested in brewing beer, we had to schedule in advance so that we could reserve one of the kettles! That said, we will be reporting step-by-step later on this Spring when we have our turn!

If you are also interested in scheduling a brewing experience, visit the North High Brewing Calendar to find an open slot. 

To address some of the basics on the process: your brewing experience will yield around 15 gallons of beer (nearly a keg), which equates to approximately 140 12-oz. bottles or 80 22-oz. bottles. It takes about 2-3 hours for the initial brewing, which will then take 2 weeks to ferment (this "wait" time.until it is ready will vary depending on the type of beer you make). You then return and bottle the beer and label it! 

Stay tuned to learn more, and in the meantime, stop by North High Brewing to taste one of the 30 beers on tap, or to schedule your appointment! 

Cap City Half Marathon & Patron Quarter Marathon

On Saturday, May 4, 2013, over 14,000 runners (including yours truly) crowded the streets of downtown Columbus to take part in the 10th Anniversary Capital City Half Marathon (which also included the Patron Quarter Marathon and the Commit To Be Fit 5K). It was a picture-perfect day with runner-approved weather - mild temperatures and zero preciptiation. Save for some windy conditions, it truly was an ideal day for a race!

 

The Capital City Half Marathon holds a special place in my heart. It seems silly, but it is true. It was one year ago, on May 5, 2012, that I ran in my first ever half marathon (and, to date my only half marathon). I remember being exceptionally neurotic (more so than normal) about every detail of the event - arriving a good hour and a half early, bringing extra layers of clothes for any possible scenario, having friends there serving practically as my personal assistants (err, I mean "moral support"). It was a whole new monster and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had never really run a race before, save for competitvely in high school and a silly ol' Warrior Dash. Nothing serious or to this magnitude.

 

Last year's race was euphoric - tons of spectators cheering me on, tons of friends running with me, and tons of money raised for American Cancer Society. The event catapulted me into the wide world of running, and I have competed in a total of 16 foot-races in the past year alone!! I owe all of this to the Capital City Half Marathon. 

Which is why, when I returned in 2013, I had an indescrible and surreal feeling. I was back at the very event that started it all! I couldn't help but look around and be grateful for the past year and the journey I have had. All the fun people I have met along the way, all of the bonding I have had with friends and family who have participated with me in various races, all the causes I raised awareness for.

 

That being said, I also was now an old pro at the whole race scene. I knew what to eat the night before and the morning of the race (my friend Jem will call me out for eating some queso dip and ice cream so I may as well admit it here now), I knew what stretches to do, where to park and where to go when I arrived, I knew it all! But that still didn't stop me from having the inevitable butterflies before the race. Had I trained enough (ahem, no)? Did I get enough rest (thankfully I did, this time)? What if I have to pee (tough luck - I ain't stoppin!)? A lot of worries went through my head still, but it seemed like that was natural.

This year I was running the Quarter Marathon instead of the Half. This decision had a lot to do with the fact that I hurt my knee big time last year, and I want to slowly work my way back up to a half. This lightened the mood a bit for me as well, knowing I didn't have as long to run as I did last year!! I didn't bring those "personal assistants" with me to take a thousand pictures and hold all my luggage. I arrived alone, and met up with one of my best friends, Richard, and my pals Lyndsey & Rachel (sisters!).

 

While I was running for the American Cancer Society (and had my jersey adorned with ribbons of cancer survivors and victims), Richard was running for another great cause: Team Kelly, in honor of a friend of his, a fallen Marine, Robert M. Kelly. And, we were all running for another cause: Boston. Fresh on the heels of the recent bombing at the Boston Marathon, a moment of silence was announced just prior to the race followed by Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," which holds special meaning to the tragedy.

After words from Mayor Mike Coleman and Race Director David Babner, the horn sounded and all 14,000 of us lined up in our corrals on Front Street made our way North to the Arena District. We were greeted almost immediately by a challenging hill - thankfully our adrenaline was taking over at this point! We turned left onto Vine Street, where DJs lined the streets cranking out dance remixes to get us pumped up! Soon, we hit a water station, which I regretfully bypassed, and then turned right onto Olentangy River Road. A few folk/rock bands later, it was time for the Quarter Marathoners to split from the Half Marathoners. The Half-ers kept going North on Olentangy while the Quarter runners (like me this year) made a right onto 5th Avenue.

 

On 5th Avenue, traffic was backed up all the way to High Street. I tried not to look any of those motorists in the eye, because you know that they were all pretty P.O.'ed at the fact that their day had been snarled by us runners. I joked to myself that if you don't want to have to deal with the road closures from the marathon, you can avoid it by just participating in the event yourself! After running all the way down Fifth, we turned right onto High Street in the Short North, running south to approach downtown. Hundreds of spectators cheered us on, and surprisingly a good number of HALF marathoners had caught up and were passing me by! I admire those who are REAL runners. You know, the ones who are genetically predispositioned to run faster than one should ever be able to run? The people that look like they aren't struggling at all, yet are running faster than I could bike? Yeah, those people!

I had the last laugh, though, because I knew that when we got to Broad Street, all I had to do was circle around the Statehouse and I was practically at the finish line, while those people still had to weave through German Village for another 5 miles or so. I finished my race with a time of 56:55, ranking 151st place out of 2,010 runners. Not too shabby! My face was beet red and I was dying for water! I swear I was more concered about getting water than I was about getting my medal (which said Patron on it, so it definitely is cool in my book).

 

Security was tight this year (for obvious reasons), so once you got your bananas and bagels and such, you couldn't get anymore! So I stocked up and went to the Columbus Commons to listen to a really awesome cover band singing old 90s tunes while I sipped on champagne and Michelob Light (who cares that it was only 9AM?? I just ran a quarter marathon, damnit!). I met up with my coworker Ericka and I then made my way to the finish line to cheer on Lyndsey, Rachel and Richard!!

There was truly no where else I would rather have been than at the Capital City Half (cough, Quarter, cough) Marathon that morning. It begs the question: why don't even MORE people I know do this?? It may seem crazy to run all these miles, but trust me, it's ALL worth it! Just try it, and you will see for yourself!

Colors & Bottles

Photos by OHventures

Take one part booze, one part art, and a dash of creativity and you've got Colors & Bottles, one of the coolest new trends sweeping the nation one stroke of a paintbrush at a time! 

Colors & Bottles is a revolutionary concept: teach people how to paint while drinking! Yep, it's that simple. As it turns out, all it takes is a bit of wine, a sip of beer, or a swig of liquor to loosen yourself up and unleash your creative spirit!

Twenty-seven year-old Ohio University alumna Jessica Burley (who hails from Columbus) cooked up the idea in 2011, holding the very first Colors & Bottles painting class in Columbus in October of that year. Just months later, in January 2012, Jessica added Chicago and Cleveland to her list of cities offering classes. The company grew exponentially throughout the year, adding cities from coast to coast, including Orlando, Denver, and Ohio's own Cincinnati. By the end of 2013, Colors & Bottles will be in at least 25 cities nationwide, and continues to grow! 

If you are intrigued, then read on and find out how what I thought was going to be just another Friday night with my wild and crazy friend of 15 years, Lauren, turned out to be the discovery of the artists within us thanks to Colors & Bottles! 

Each Colors & Bottles session lasts for three hours and typically costs $35 per person. The cost of the session covers all painting supplies, step-by-step instructions by a professional local artist, and of course your take-home canvassed masterpiece. To find out what classes are available in your area (Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati), all you have to do is check out the calendar section on the Colors & Bottles webpage. You will find that classes take place at a variety of locations, such as bars, wineries, restaurants, and art galleries. If the location serves alcohol, there typically will be discounted drink deals available for painters. If no alcohol is served, that means it's a Bring Your Own Beverage (BYOB) event.

Lauren and I attended a BYOB event at the 83 Gallery in the Short North, Columbus. Since she was pregnant at the time, I had the whole bottle of wine to myself that evening! When we arrived (before anyone else, mind you) we picked our seats front and center so we could get a great view as the professional artist taught us how to recreate her artwork. Soon, others filed in with their alcohol in tote, ready to get their creative juices flowing with a stress relieving session of art making!

The artist for the evening turned out to be Jaclyn Fischer (whose drink of choice was PBR) with a mermaid painting she wanted us to recreate. At first, I thought painting a mermaid would be pretty lame (I mean, I am a dude after all), but as time passed, it ended up working out and I was extremely pleased with my final product (below).

Even though both Lauren and I were very inexperienced artists - especially when it came to painting - both of our final products were rather nice. Our success was thanks to the artist (Jaclyn) teaching us the proper techniques for shading, outlining, contouring, blending, mixing colors, and other great tips. She gave special one-on-one attention to each and every one of us as we tried our best to mimic her original mermaid, and helped us when we reached a speedbump or made a mistake.

One of the coolest parts of Colors & Bottles was looking around at everyone else's final products to see just how different they turned out to be. Even though we were "copying" a professional artist's piece of work, we were all able to walk away with our very own, very unique, one-of-a-kind and personal paintings that we did all on our own!

My painting hangs proudly in my apartment, and I plan to go back gain and again to fill up my walls with more and more original art that I never knew I could do! Thanks Colors & Bottles!!

Hot Chocolate 5K Recap

Photo by OHventures

 

Dubbed "America's Sweetest Race," the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K has made its way across the country with the promise of a cup of steamy Ghiradelli hot chocolate at the finish line to warm up runners who braved the cold for an early morning jog. The event has attracted thousands upon thousands of sweet-toothed athletes eager to get their hands on a cup of cocoa in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, San Diego, Phoenix, and Ohio's very own pride and joy, Columbus!

 

 

In addition to the obvious hot chocolate handed out to those who complete the run, participants also receive a lot more swag such as a finisher's mug, chocolate fondue with dippables, and even a fitted technical jacket (as opposed to most other races that hand out t-shirts)! These enticing goodies were more than enough to convince my sister-in-law (Regina) to drive three hours with her family to stay with me in Columbus so her and I could run the 5K! While the $45 entry fee seemed steep, we knew that in addition to getting a lot of fun stuff, we also would be contributing to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, whose goal is to help sick children in need. It was an all around win/win to sign up!

 

The Hot Chocolate 5K took place on Sunday, November 18 in downtown Columbus. It began at 7:30 AM - earlier than any run I had ever participated in. The start and finish line took place at the one and only Columbus Commons, which has become a staple for events such as this (this is the same place where the Capital City Half Marathon and the Bike Columbus Festival had their finish lines). Much to my sister-in-law's surprise, getting to the event was a piece of cake. She was not used to running in such a large race and was impressed with how organized it was despite having approximately 10,000 runners (and even more spectators) there that day.

 

 

 

Regina and I were thankfully both in Corral A, which was closest to the start line. This is where the serious 5K-er's could be found, and it meant we wouldn't be forced to have a slow start by running (or practically walking) behind those who had a much slower pace than us. The route headed north on High Street, past the Statehouse into the Short North. It then headed west on Poplar and back south on Park Street (which turned into Civic Center). We ran alongside the Scioto River when getting back downtown, and eventually circled back to Columbus Commons by heading east on Mound Street and north on 3rd Street.

 

 

My run went surprisingly well! I was a bit skeptical of my time, since it was so early in the morning, so chilly out, and because I had been out with friends the night before (hey, I gotta be honest!). I clocked in with a time of 25:54. Not far behind was Regina, who had a time of 26:54. We were both incredibly pleased and impressed with our results and felt absolutely fantastic! It was the first race since my half marathon in which my knee gave me zero problems! While our times could have been even better, we chalk it up to a pretty tough course with a large hill near the 3 mile mark! I came in 319th overall, or 22nd in my age group for men (out of 118) and Regina came in 474th overall, or 30th in her age group for women (out of 580).

 

 

It had warmed up quite a bit since the brisk 36 degrees at the start of the race. It was more like 50 degrees when we finished, and we were of course sweaty in our layers of dry fit gear! Since we finished so quickly, there was no line whatsoever for us to get our finisher's mug with chocolate fondue and dippers (which included pretzels, a banana, marshmallows, wafers, etc.). There were inflatable marshmallow men and mugs of cocoa all around the park as more and more people trickled in from the finish line. On stage was a rather interesting choice of entertainment. I am just not so sure that a band that covers rap songs from Nelly and Eminem is really fitting for such an event, especially at 8:00 AM. But it made for a good laugh!
 

 

We gobbled up our grub and made it out of there by 9:00! We truly enjoyed the race (we were lucky to have such fantastic weather) and everything that came with it: the chocolate, the charity, and the camaraderie. If you want to join in on the fun, this extremely popular race already has 2013 dates on the calendar for other cities outside of Ohio. It's likely Columbus' 2013 Hot Chocolate 5K will be announced soon, and perhaps other locations in the state?

Winemaking Part II

Photos by OHventures

At the end of June of this year (which was Ohio Wines Month), I decided to embark on a journey in winemaking. Rather than purchasing hundreds of dollars of equipment and brewing my own wine at home (like my father does), I opted to take advantage of the handcrafted winemaking experience offered locally at Camelot Cellars Urban Boutique Winery in the Short North in Columbus. My first visit just over three months ago involved many steps to get the red stuff going! I had to sample a variety of wines, choose the kind I wanted to concoct, mix together the grape juice, and add additional ingredients (such as oak chips, yeast, benzonite, and grape skins). Part 1 of my winemaking experience was documented on the blog. Now, after 12 weeks of fermentation, it was time for me to start Part 2!

I will admit that Part 2 of my winemaking process was much more enjoyable than Part 1! There were 5 major steps involved: cleaning, bottling, corking, capping, and labeling.

1. Cleaning: The very first step (after throwing on a snazzy Camelot Cellars apron, of course) was to clean and sanitize the bottles in which my wine would be going. It was a rather basic process: I placed the empty bottles on nozzles that squirted water and a cleaning chemical into the bottle, and then I placed the bottle on a rack to dry. It was a simple, but very necessary step to get rid of any dirt, dust, or germs on the bottles!

 

 

2. Bottling: Next, Rick from Camelot Cellars hooked up the huge glass container that held my wine (a South Australian Single Vineyard Shiraz) to an impressive looking machine for bottling. The contraption (pictured above) had four tubes running from the container of wine to four separate dispensers. Pushing the wine against the dispensers would essentially suck the wine from the container, through the tube, and into the bottle, stopping at just the right spot so that it didn't overflow. I am not sure of the exact science and mechanics behind this fancy invention, but I knew it was much simpler than pouring and funneling each bottle of wine by hand!

3. Corking: Probably the coolest and most fun of the five steps was the corking process. Another fancy machine helped achieve this with ease and perfection. I individually corked each bottle by taking Camelot Cellars cork from a bowl of cleaning solution, and placing it in the top of the cylindrical device (pictured above). I then placed a bottle in the bottom part of the device, closed the door, and watched as - like magic - the cork was shoved into the top of the bottle. The machine was probably rather simple, but it still was fun to watch!

4. Capping: Capping the wine was next. The caps are the plastic material (or in some cases, an aluminum-type material) that are placed over top of the corks on the neck of the wine bottles which are peeled or torn off before opening. I was given a variety of cap to choose from, and I opted for a traditional red-colored "sleeve" with golden grapes. I placed the caps on each of the bottles, inserted the bottle in a apparatus with red-hot coils, and swifty and quickly removed it from the coils. In a split second, the plastic had melted onto the bottle. I had to be careful, as holding the plastic near the hot coils any longer would cause it to burn!

 

5. Labeling: The absolute final step in winemaking at Camelot Cellars was labeling my bottles. I had earlier (at home) drawn my very own label (and had it touched up in PhotoShop). I then emailed the image to Rick at Camelot Cellars, who then printed off the design onto stickers for me to place onto the bottles of wine. I had chosen the name The Red Mime Red Wine for my creation. This was because my childhood nickname with my family (that has stuck over the years, for better or for worse), was "Mime" because at a very young age, I had trouble pronouncing my name "Mike." I thought this was fitting, as most of the wine would be going to family and close friends familiar with the nickname. I was proud of the artwork I had created and admired it as I applied the label to each bottle.

I walked out of Camelot Cellars with a crate of 15 bottles of wine. It took time, patience, creativity, and some money, but I can proudly say that I made my very own wine from start to finish!

 

Winemaking Part I

Photos by OHventures

Camelot Cellars Urban Boutique Winery
958 High Street
Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 441-8860

House Bill 491 just passed in the Ohio House of Representatives that designates the month of June as Ohio Wines Month. Representatives Casey Kozlowski and Ron Young of Ashtabula and Lake Counties, respectively, recognized the need to acknowledge the flourishing wine industry in our state, which has a significant impact on our economy, from the farmers who grow the grapes, to the truck drivers who transport the product, and the retail workers who sell the wine in stores. With that in mind, it’s only fitting that I decided to take my love of wine to a whole new level this past month.

Now, thanks to Camelot Cellars Urban Boutique Winery in the Short North in Columbus, you can participate in this growing trend in our state by handcrafting your very own wine! For those wine aficionados who are ultra-ambitious (and have an extra $200-$400 on hand), you can make personalized wine with the right tools and ingredients in the presence of skilled professionals. Camelot Cellars offers patrons this extra special opportunity in their on-site wine lab, tucked in the back of their retail store and bar. It is the one and only location in the state of Ohio that offers such a service (although I hope and suspect that many more will follow suit)!

For me, making wine was a way of following in my father’s footsteps. He has made wine for years at home from grapes picked right off of my grandfather’s vines. He often hands out his homemade goods on special occasions, such as birthdays and Christmas. This sparked in me the curiosity to try it for myself. Thanks to Drink Up Columbus (a kickass local blog on everything you need to know about imbibing in the capital city), I received a coupon for $50 off a winemaking experience at Camelot Cellars. This prompted me even further to get things started.

I scheduled my winemaking appointment with good friend and owner of the fantastic Camelot Cellars, Janine Aquino. She was very helpful in setting up my session and answering all questions I had. It is important to note that making your own wine will take a great deal of knowledge, skill, work, time and patience. You will not be able to walk out with your completed wine right away, as it is a lengthy process that takes months! Knowing this, I decided that my batch of wine would be ready just in time for Christmas, so it would make a perfect holiday gift, much like my father had done.

My appointment was on a Thursday evening in June and took approximately two hours. The two hours flew by, and included drinking specially selected wines, so I was okay with that! The first part of the process is sitting down one-on-one with the owner, Janine, who will help you choose six wines to taste in order to determine what kind of wine you’d like to make. Janine said this is one of her favorite parts of her jobs, as she gets to match a person’s palate to their preferred wine type. For me, that meant red wines with smoky, oaky, spicy, dry flavors. With this in mind and with Janine’s help, I narrowed my six wines down to that one perfect wine: South Australian Single Vineyard Shiraz. It is very different, which is a taste I was going for!

The next part of the process was heading to the wine lab itself to prepare the wine with a staff member. Brian was the staff member who assisted me. He instructed me step-by-step as to what I had to do to get my wine ready to go. I poured the grape juice, added bentonite (which reduces cloudiness in my wine), grape skins, oak chips, oak powder, and finally, yeast (which I added at the end in the formation of an “O” for OHventures). This was quite a process, as I had to submerge all of the oak chips and powder in a delicate motion. Having more people with you in the winemaking experience would speed up the process.

Now, all I do is wait patiently and return to Camelot Cellars in 12 weeks to check on my wine. In the meantime, I have to come up with a name and a label for my wine, so all suggestions are welcome! I will update you all on my winemaking experience this fall!