Columbus Monthly - December 2017

COLUMBUS MONTHLY

THe View FrOM aBOVe the Pizzutis’ Miranova Penthouse

THe aUDaCiTY OF DOpe johnstown: Medical Marijuana caPital?

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Contents DECEMBER 2017

A corridor in Rhodes hall at the OSU Medical Center

Features 50

thE MavERiCk’s Last MosEy

Rick Pfeiffer is moving on after an idiosyncratic political career that spanned four decades and all three branches of government.

56

WELCoME to WEEDtoWn

An entrepreneur and a progressive village council have Johnstown poised to reap the economic benefits of medical marijuana.

40 photo: tim johnson

DoCtoRs DiviDED ohio state’s leaders are once again mediating a civil war over the direction of the university’s sprawling health care operation. Why can’t these doctors get along? think power, money and egos, and the fierce independence of one of its most critical components, the James Cancer hospital.

On thE COvER: Photo by tim Johnson

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Contents DECEMBER 2017

88

74 Arch City

Home & Style

Dining

16 history

68 Q&a

86 review

20 mysteries

72 product

88 short order

36 perspective

74 featured home

92 drink

mr. dorrian’s lair the curious tale of topiary man the quest to cure hangovers

4

socializing with style cashmere and fur inside the pizzutis’ miranova penthouse

uptown westerville’s asterisk laughlin’s: the best baguette in town rating the hotel bars

20 in EvERy issuE

From the editor digital top 5 people top 25 real estate transaCtions 110 Calendar 120 City Quotient 10 12 28 30 82

photos: left, top and bottom right, tim johnson; middle right, jodi miller

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One more reason to love your neighborhood...

Special Advertising Sections Up & Coming New Central Ohio nonprofits

Social Enterprises

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charitable events in 2018

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Volume 43 / Number 12 Columbus Monthly (Issn 2333-4150) is published monthly by Gatehouse media, llC. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © 2017, all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials. Known office of publication is 62 E. broad st., Columbus, ohio 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, ohio, and additional mailing offices. PostmAstER: send address changes to Columbus monthly, 62 E. broad st., P.o. box 1289, Columbus, oh 43216.

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From the Editor

Turning a Page

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2

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medical system that appears on Page 40. I heard him interview the subjects. We discussed the themes and narratives as they emerged and talked about the players. And when the finished story appeared in my inbox, I read a compelling, important piece of journalism and couldn’t help but applaud silently. It’s the kind of masterful reporting and writing that has earned Dave, and, thus, Columbus Monthly, countless awards and countless fans among both subscribers and the subjects of his stories.

We’ll find a new writer and editor to fill what Dave calls the best job in Columbus journalism. That person will bring an impressive set of skills, a new voice and new ideas to Columbus Monthly, and I look forward to that, as Dave looks forward to his new role. Change is invigorating, and pages are designed to turn. We filled a lot of them together, and that’s made us better prepared to fill them a few chairs apart.

Eric Lyttle elyttle@columbusmonthly.com

Lori Kurtzman

wrote about curing hangovers (Page 36). she wants her child to know that mommy doesn’t drink anymore. this is just fancy juice. no, you can’t have a sip.

Jeff Long

is a freelance writer whose feature story about medical marijuana and Johnstown appears on Page 56.

Jodi Miller

is a freelance photographer whose work appears on our “Image” photo on Page 26 and our dining review on Page 86.

photos: clockwise from left, will shilliNG; courtesy lori kurtzmaN; courtesy jeff loNG; robiN oatts

As 2017 turns toward 2018, more than just the calendar is changing at Columbus Monthly.

Beginning Jan. 2, senior editor Dave Ghose is taking the editor’s reins at our sister publication, Columbus CEO. Its current editor, Mary Yost, has earned her dream job to oversee the editorial page at the Columbus Dispatch, and Dave was wisely chosen to replace her. Both Dave and Mary are supremely qualified for their new roles, what wE and I couldn’t be more excited LEaRnED this to watch them take on those Month responsibilities, lending their smart voices and vision in new the late melvin De Groote, ways to enhance local journalan ohio state chemistry grad ism and, thus, the city overall. and key oil-industry inventor, rivals thomas Edison in number of patHappily, I’ll have a frontents earned (Page 24). row seat to watch both make their marks. Mary is moving Rick Pfeiffer, the Columbus one floor above us inside our city attorney, is the father of Dispatch Media Group home sacha Pfeiffer, the Boston Globe reporter portrayed by Rachel at 62 E. Broad St., while Dave mcAdams in “spotlight” (Page 50). is moving just six chairs away.

With a good throw, and just the Developer Ron Pizzuti once right loft, I’ll still be able to hit purchased a statue, created by him with a paper clip if I’m so a Japanese artist simply named mr., inclined. But more importantthat was installed in his penthouse using a helicopter (Page 74). ly, I’ll continue to work with him every day, and get up, walk over and ask for his input if I need it, just as I’ve done for years.

Dave and I have worked together since our first stints at Columbus Monthly in the early 2000s, and again when we came back to the magazine, hired the same week of August 2015 by our old editor and new publisher, Ray Paprocki. Since then, virtually every story and most of the words that have appeared in this magazine have been looked at, chewed on and bounced back and forth between us.

As such, I admit to feeling a pang of sadness. It’s been a fun, rewarding professional relationship, and I like to think we’ve made each other, and this magazine, better in the process. The past month has been just the latest example, as I watched Dave pull together the hugely complex story about the tensions surrounding Ohio State’s

Contributors

Columbus monthly DECEMBER 2017

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photos: clockwise from left, will shilliNG

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Small Talk

J.D. Vance: a benefactor of liberalism?

Worthington reader Dick Graham was motivated to write after reading our November feature, “Hillbilly Homecoming,” about best-selling “Hillbilly Elegy” author and new Columbus resident J.D. Vance. “At age 33, J.D. Vance has achieved remarkable success and has an unlimited future,” Graham writes. “He deserves both.”

“As a conservative Republican he embodies a political irony,” Graham continues.

“His accomplishments are grounded in three government programs—the Marine Corps, the GI Bill and Ohio State University. George Will is correct, conservatives actually practice liberalism.”

Dec. 1–3 • Ohio Theatre Ronald J. Jenkins, conductor Columbus Symphony Chorus Columbus Children’s Choir BalletMet Academy Take your picture with Santa after the 3pm shows!

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All children are capable of success In the same November issue, we wrote about the United Schools Network’s School Performance Institute, a professional development program created by the charter school to share with outside educators some of the creative curriculums and cutting-edge teaching techniques that have resulted in impressive academic achievements over the past nine years.

That story, “Teaching the Teachers,” prompted a response from John Dues, the institute’s chief learning officer, who was quoted in the piece. “I write to compliment senior editor Dave Ghose on his insight and eloquence in capturing the spirit of our mission at School Performance Institute.”

“We know that all children, regardless of the neighborhood they live in or the incomes of their families, are capable of success in the classroom and in life,” Dues writes. “We’ve learned this from our amazing students who inspire us every day with their tenacity. There are outstanding educators in schools throughout Ohio who refuse to accept the premise that some children,

because of their backgrounds, simply cannot be taught. We’re excited to work with them to prove them right.”

We want to hear from you. send to: Editor, Columbus Monthly, 62 E. broad st., P.o. box 1289, Columbus, oh 43216. or email: letters@columbusmonthly.com. A letter must include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. letters will be edited for length and clarity.

All letters sent to Columbus Monthly are considered for publication, either in print or online.

FOllOw US! wEB: Columbusmonthly.com EMail: letters@columbusmonthly.com Columbus monthly @Columbusmonthly @Columbusmonthly

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ArchCity

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history p. 16 | Crime p. 22 | business p. 24 | people p. 30

glass goodies

learn about ornament classes at Glass Axis and other seasonal happenings in our holiday matrix.

Photo by tim johnson

DECEMBER 2017 Columbus monthly

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Arch City history

Mr. Dorrian’s Lair

Hugh Dorrian’s office isn’t pretty. With its drop ceiling and faux wood paneling, it looks like a basement rec room from the 1970s. And for good reason. Dorrian hasn’t changed the space a whole lot since Columbus voters first elected him city auditor an astonishing 48 years ago. Asked if he ever considered replacing the paneling that went out of style during the Reagan administration, he offers a puzzled look. “I don’t believe in spending money when it’s not necessary,” he says. With Dorrian set to retire at the end of December, we talked with him about his City Hall office, a time capsule of his remarkable life and career. —Dave Ghose

Exploring a piece of living history before it disappears Photos by TiM JOHnsOn

hugh Dorrian in his office

Dorrian put this 46-star flag on his wall after it was found in the bowels of City hall about 35 years ago. “i certainly didn’t want to risk it being thrown out or lost,” he says.

Awards hang on his walls and fill two boxes under a table, honoring Dorrian for his financial leadership of Columbus, one of the few major cities in the nation to consistently maintain a triple-A credit rating. these charts—which track interest rates and the city’s increasing debt portfolio—serve as reminders of financial pitfalls and challenges the city could face without careful stewardship.

this adding machine has been sitting on Dorrian’s desk for about 35 years. “i use it every day,” he says.

During a trip to russia, Dorrian met a woman who recognized his picture from a city of Columbus comprehensive annual financial report, which she had translated into russian so she could use it as a training tool.

Dorrian grew up with ohio state heisman trophywinner Howard “Hopalong” Cassady in Franklinton.

Another City hall relic that ended up in Dorrian’s office—an 1893 ledger book filled with early 20th century campaign materials and newspaper clippings. “it’s intriguing—to me anyway,” he says.

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A proud son of irish immigrants, Dorrian was given this Old Fitzgerald “blarney bottle” from a now-deceased friend. “the crazy things you pick up,” he says.

Columbus monthly DECEMBER 2017

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Trolley buidling on Oak Street in the Olde Town East area

Keep Us in Mind When Selling Your Condo. We Specialize in Downtown and Arena District Living!

RailRoad Relics Putting train properties back on track the capital city’s rail history has left abandoned structures available for redevelopment all over the region. one of those—a five-building trolley-barn complex built between 1880 and 1920 in the olde towne East area—is set for a major transformation. Developer brad Dehays of Connect Realty hopes to gain state tax credits in December to turn the property into the East market at Franklin Park, apartments and commercial space that may include restaurants operated by the Columbus brewing Co. and James Anderson of Ray Ray’s hog Pit fame. here are some other railroad relics found elsewhere in Central ohio. —Brian Ball Columbus Railway, PoweR & light Co. dePot and PoweRhouse Built: 1915 Address: 842 Cleveland Ave., Columbus Owner: Columbus Realtor Carl h. Woodford, since August 2000 Status: long vacant. “Private plans” are in the works, a coy Woodford says. hoCking Valley & toledo Railway dePot Built: 1895 Address: 100 n. high st., Canal Winchester Owner: Canal Winchester Area historical society Status: Renovated in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a rail museum, model railroad display and meeting space

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photo: tim johnson

toledo and ohio CentRal RailRoad station Built: 1895 Address: 379 W. broad st., Columbus Owner: Columbus Firefighters/International Association of Fire Fighters local 67 Status: Former Volunteers of America headquarters that has served as firefighters’ union hall and offices since 2007.

Columbus, hoCking Valley & toledo Railway dePot Built: 1901 Address: 789 science blvd., Gahanna Owner: Depot Golf Center llC/Value Recovery Group Status: Relocated depot from Prospect, ohio, that now serves as the site of the Golf Depot clubhouse and other amenities DECEMBER 2017 Columbus monthly

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Arch City holidays

Winter Wonderland Do you love traditional hymns? Drag queen-led singalongs? Gigantic nativity sets? Break-dancing nutcrackers? Our handy grid will help you navigate Columbus’s jam-packed holiday calendar no matter your preferences. Just be warned that Speedos aren’t considered appropriate attire at every seasonal happening. —Dave Ghose SACRED Concerts for the deaf: “signs” of Christmas, dec. 8–10, dec. 15–17, signsofchristmas.org

Hymns with swing: Jazz service at the Church at mill Run, dec. 31, ualc.org

Help your fellow man: bethlehem on broad street, dec. 25, First Congregational Church, bethlehemonbroadstreet.org

A full-sized nativity set: state auto’s Christmas Corner, lighted nightly from dec. 6–Jan. 2, stateauto.com/Christmas

Light the menorah with hockey players: Columbus blue b Jackets’ Jewish heritage night, dec. 14, nationwide arena, nhl.com/bluejackets

How low can you go: tub t ub Christmas, dec. 18, tuba Capital university, facebook.com/ TubaChristmasColumbus

A celebration with explosions: trans-siberian orchestra, dec. 30, nationwide arena, trans-siberian.com

BEwiLDERiNG

Make the yuletide gay: Columbus Gay men’s Chorus concerts, dec. 8–9, cgmc.com

Symphonic sacred music (and more): holiday Pops, Columbus symphony orchestra, dec. 1–3, ohio theatre, columbussymphony.com

A celebration with bite: Jack hanna’s home for the holidays, dec. 9, Columbus Zoo and aquarium, columbuszoo.org

The holidays are a drag: nina West Presents … a Christmas Pageant singalong, dec. 23, Gateway Film Center, gatewayfilmcenter.org Glass goodies: ornament-making classes, though december, Glass axis, glassaxis.org

Clara is a fly girl: hip hop nutcracker, dec. 5, Palace theatre, capa.com

St. Nick in the flesh: santa speedo dash, dec. 9, three-legged mare, santaspeedodash.org

A matter of poor taste: ugly sweater bar Crawl, dec. 16, bernard’s tavern, uglysweaterbarcrawls.com

SECuLAR

Christmas in the Clink For more than a decade, they’ve been reporting to the Franklin County Jail on the morning of dec.

25, forgoing their freedom on the most festive day of the year to meet the terms of their probations. that lump of coal is courtesy of Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook. “i’ve had guys willing to do 30 days instead of 18

having to be in jail for Christmas,” holbrook says. “holbrook holidays,” as they’ve become known, are an extra penalty that the judge began tacking onto sentences shortly after he took office in 2005. about six times a year, he sentences lower-level offenders to spend a meaningful day every year behind bars in addition to a standard period of probation.

the penalty—Christmas is the most common day of penance—is something of a compromise. if holbrook finds himself torn between giving someone prison or probation, then there’s a good chance the defendant could end up trading in an ugly sweater for an orange jump suit every dec. 25 for the next few years. “i’m trying to find a solution,” holbrook says. “i’m trying to find something that

gets somebody’s attention, because i see a lot of good people who do bad things.”

Recipients don’t exactly enjoy the message. “they’ve called me some choice names,” holbrook says. but yuletide jailbirds sometimes come to appreciate their holiday punishment.

Recently, holbrook encountered one while grocery shopping. “he just thanked me for getting his attention,” he says. “he’s now working full time, hasn’t been in any trouble since he was off probation.” —Dave Ghose

photos: clockwise from top left, Brooke laValley; randall l. schieBer; ©2017 thinkstock (2); mark weiss; dispatch file; ©2017 thinkstock; United palace of cUltUral arts; ©2017 thinkstock

BRiLLiANT

Away in a rockin’ manger: Rock the Cradle, dec. 9, Vine life assembly ssembly of God, vinelifeag.org

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photos: clockwise from top left, Brooke laValley; randall l. schieBer; ©2017 thinkstock (2); mark weiss; dispatch file; ©2017 thinkstock; United palace of cUltUral arts; ©2017 thinkstock

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Arch City mysteries Topiary Man, a replica of the Rhodes statue, looks like it’s stepping off the Scientology building at Lynn and Pearl alleys.

Artwork in the Alleys

It’s a shrub. It’s a man.

It’s Topiary Man. It was a little startling when the Topiary Man showed up.

Very few people—a coterie of artistic insiders, maybe—knew he was coming. For months, years even, the Lynn and Pearl alleys that intersect behind the Rhodes Tower Downtown had been a bustling with activity. Summer weekdays were filled with the percussion of jackhammers and the horn section of backing trucks filled with sand and bricks and other construction material. On Tuesdays and Fridays, it was almost impassable as the Pearl Market filled the alley and a stretch of Broad Street frontage with merchants and patrons and goods and produce. It was a noisy, active bump and grind for nearly all of 2017.

In October—the same month the Pearl Market closed up for the season—it ended.

With the market went the construction crews, the orange cones, the noise-making machinery. All was quiet. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, there he was—Topiary Man, above the bricks on the roof at the back of the Scientology building, looking over and seemingly poised to step off to the intersection of Pearl and Lynn.

Unless you glanced up about four stories, you missed him completely. But if you did see him, you stopped, curious. What the hell is it? Big and green—like a human shrub, 8 feet tall with a funky white tie just hovering there without any logical explanation, stepping off toward nowhere. Is that a briefcase he’s carrying? Is he in a hurry? How’d he get there?

Who put him there? So many questions. So .… weird. And yet, he kind of looked familiar.

Is that a bushy replica of the statue of the late Gov. Jim Rhodes that stands a block away at the front of the Rhodes Tower on Broad Street? It sure seems like it. But why?

It’s all of those things. It’s none of those things. It’s whatever the viewer thinks it is, says Malcolm Cochran, one of a team of artists and designers organized almost seven years ago to enhance the image of this hidden urban alleyway.

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“I’d rather have it wide open to interpretation,” Cochran says. “It’s meant to be playful. It’s not guerrilla art, but it has that element of surprise. If it has that sense of just been dropped in there, that’s exactly what we wanted.”

Cochran, a sculptor whose works include “Field of Corn” in Dublin and the Goodale Park fountain, also worked on the new light fixtures at the Broad and Gay street entrances to Pearl Alley, as well as at the corner of Third and Lynn—a muscular green outstretched arm holding a white globe—a pearl. The arms are tattooed either “Pearl” or “Lynn.” Cochran says he asked one of

the Pearl Market vendors to pose, arm outstretched, holding a cantaloupe, as a model for the unique sculpture.

“There’s a whole series of thoughts about entrances and extended hands of greeting as welcoming across cultures,” Cochran says. “I exaggerated it to be heroic, strong. I actually think I got him too veiny.”

Just north of the perched Topiary Man, on another building wall, are the words “Pearl (heart) Lynn” in cursive, in that same shrublooking material. “We wanted to push the farmer’s market and the green philosophy,” Cochran says.

Photos: tim Johnson

By ERiC LyttLE

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Photos: tim Johnson

Other new, armless, iron light standards have been installed along both alleyways.

It’s all part of more than $1 million in improvements to the alleys undertaken by the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District that included the aforementioned construction to replace some bricks, level some surfaces and bury some utilities, all of which lasted the better part of two years.

The hardscrabble work, as well as the street art, was all done to encourage retail development in the alleys. “The unmet demand for retail Downtown is substantial, and there are a host of independent retail operators who would love to be Downtown,” says Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of the Capital Crossroads SID. “But the barriers to retail Downtown are also significant, and one of the biggest is lack of affordable space on that small scale.”

Ricksecker believes the Lynn and Pearl alleys could accommodate up to 45 different small retail operators in between the eight or so restaurants that already call the alleys home.

“It’s our own little piece of Paris,” Ricksecker says. “It’s gritty, it’s exotic, it’s a working alley with elements of surprise. It feels so urban. And there’s buy-in from the surrounding property owners.”

“I think the alleys are wonderful,” says Cochran. “I can’t wait for it to take off.” ◆

Your guide to DINING CONCERTS HAPPY HOURS STYLE ARTS NIGHT LIFE

Columbus.

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Arch City Crime

“I’ll Fight You Like I’m Straight” Uncovering the all-gay gangs of Columbus The harrowing tale haunted Vanessa Panfil.

Imani—an outgoing, charming young man she met through a Columbus outreach program for gay youths—faced constant threats in his neighborhood as a result of his sexuality.

The harassment became so bad that one day, when he got off his bus after high school let out, Imani was forced to fight his persecutors with a knife. “Here’s someone who is saying, ‘I’m not going to be a victim,’” Panfil recalls. “‘I’m not going to take this. I need to fight back.’”

Panfil, a criminology student at Ohio State at the time, was fascinated with Imani’s reaction and the questions it raised: How do LGBTQ people respond to risk? What can they do to protect themselves when they hit their breaking points? In many ways, Imani’s story put Panfil, a Columbus native who’s now an assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice at Old Dominion University in Virginia, on a path that led to her surprising area of scholarship: the lives of gay gang members.

Panfil’s new book, “The Gang’s all Queer,” published by New York University Press, focus22

BY DavE GhosE

es on the same-sex underworld of Columbus.

Her research uncovered gay and bisexual members of traditional gangs in Columbus, as well as several all-gay gangs, a phenomenon few even realized existed.

Columbus police gang experts didn’t return messages seeking comment for this story, but Sgt. Chantay Boxill, a supervisor in the division’s gang unit, told WOSU radio in early September that officers do “not have any information regarding all-gay gangs operating within our city.”

Panfil, 31, launched her study of gay gang members in Columbus in 2009 while a graduate student at the University of Albany in New York. “I was just really interested in what was going on in their lives and in a broad sense, why gangs looked appealing and what they got out of being in those gangs and how that factored into their identities,” she says. She faced skepticism from the start: Would gay members

of traditonal gangs talk about their sexuality?

And were all-gay gangs even real? Ultimately, she interviewed 48 gay or bisexual young men (mostly African-American between the ages of 18 and 28) and uncovered three main all-gay Columbus gangs with names, rivalries and such criminal activities as credit-card fraud, cashing bogus checks and prostitution. Like straight gangs, the gay equivalents offer protection and fellowship to their members and don’t shy away from violence, inverting the stereotype of pacifistic and weak gay men with their actions and comments such as, “I’ll fight you like I’m straight.”

If it wasn’t for her old acquaintance Imani, Panfil might not have been able to break into this world. About a year and a half into her research, Panfil interviewed him, and then Imani (a pseudonym, like all the people named in Panfil’s book) referred her to several more ganginvolved gay people, creating a snowball effect.

Panfil says it’s critical to hear and report their stories to better understand the gay experience and how to prevent young people from joining gangs. “We’re not going to know ways to do that until we know what’s happening,” she says. ◆

photos: top, Matt Brown; BottoM, courtesy new york university press

Author Vanessa Panfil on the campus of Old Dominion University

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Arch City business

Battle of the Brands What’s a little trademark dispute between friendly OSUs? In Buckeye Country, everyone knows there’s only one OSU: THE Ohio State University.

When Ohio State had the gall to file an application in February for trademark rights to “OSU,” Oklahoma State University was less than thrilled. The two schools eventually signed a pact in September to keep the mat-

ter out of court, agreeing to mutual use of the initials because fan confusion between the schools was unlikely. Duh. But upon closer inspection, maybe the Buckeyes and Cowboys have a little more in common than the diehards in Columbus and Stillwater realize. —Chris Gaitten

Tricks of The Trade Bartering for yoga

MaSCOt brutus buckeye, an exuberant, strangely Pistol Pete, based on the larger-than-life, muscular, poisonous nut, played by a student outlaw-killing cowboy Frank eaton, played by wearing an oversized cartoon head a student wearing an oversized cartoon head faMOUS alUMnUS Patricia heaton, also known as fictional characGarth brooks, also known as fictional “rocker” ter Debra barone on Everybody Loves Raymond Chris Gaines, for reasons that remain unclear faMOUS alUMnUS (Oil EDitiOn) melvin De Groote, a chemist with a specialty for creating demulsifying agents to separate crude oil from other substances, who rivaled thomas edison in number of patents

t. boone Pickens, a wildcatter-turned-oilexecutive-turned-hedge-fund-billionaire, who founded mesa Petroleum, once one of the world’s largest independent oil companies

BESt SpORt (pOpUlaRity) Football!!! Go bucks!!!

Football!!! Go Cowboys!!!

BESt SpORt (REality) synchronized swimming, which won its 30th national title this year, though osu also boasts great alumni golfers like Jack nicklaus, tom Weiskopf and John Cook

Wrestling, which owns 34 national titles, though osu also fields a storied golf program, claiming PGA winners like bob tway, scott Verplank, Charles howell and Ricky Fowler

BESt fORMER athlEtE Archie Griffin, an undersized running back barry sanders, an undersized running back who won the heisman trophy in 1974 and 1975 who won the heisman trophy in 1988 WinnER: Oregon State University, which was smart enough to sit this one out 24

But this isn’t trading casseroles for vinyasas; Miceli barters for business services, a practice she says is relatively common in yoga circles.

Miceli began bartering shortly after opening her Clintonville-area studio two years ago. A student who knew about social media noticed that Miceli did not. They worked out a deal, trading management of the studio’s social media sites for unlimited classes. (Like button!) “Once that got started I was like, ‘Hey, what else can I pan off on people and have them do? Because this is great,’” Miceli says.

She offered two years of classes to the high school art teacher whose eight intricate drawings of chakras now decorate the studio. She trades a monthly massage with the massage therapist who rents space from her.

And she is especially excited about the student who will be tidying up.

In January, Miceli will take the concept a step further and transition to a donation-based studio. Her goal, she says, is to “really make a community space where people feel welcome and they don’t have to feel embarrassed by how much they can or cannot pay.”

She hopes the move will create more opportunities to barter studio space with other yoga teachers. And then there is the other obvious benefit to opening yoga to all, as Miceli says: “I enjoy having people in class.”

—Molly Willow

photos: From leFt, courtesy ohio state university; courtesy oklahoma state university; ©2017 thinkstock

fOUnDED in 1870, as ohio Agricultural and mechanical in 1890, as oklahoma Agricultural and meCollege, a land-grant public school chanical College, a land-grant public school

Burgundie Miceli believes yoga should be accessible to everybody, not just those with Lululemon gear and cucumber water. To welcome as many students as possible to her business, Yoga Happiness, Miceli barters for help around the studio.

It’s a win-win with “namaste” written all over it.

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photos: From leFt, courtesy ohio state university; courtesy oklahoma state university; Š2017 thinkstock

Arch City Image

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Rally to show support for Columbus Crew SC at City Hall Oct. 22 PHOtO by JoDi MillER

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Arch City toP 5

December Editors' picks for the best of Columbus this month

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1 The Harmony Project: “The Concert for US” Dec. 7

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Michigan vs. Ohio State Dec. 4

Not unlike the football team’s opener against Indiana, the men’s basketball schedule features a Big 10 teaser a month before conference play tips off for good. The home stand against Ohio State’s archrivals from up north will provide an early litmus test for new head coach Chris Holtmann, who will look to sell a rebuilding program to fans after recent lackluster seasons in the Schott. ohiostatebuckeyes.com

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Bebe Miller Company: “In a Rhythm” Nov. 30–Dec. 3

the Wexner Center for the Arts will host the world premiere of the latest project from Columbus-based choreographer bebe miller. Called “In a Rhythm,” the suite of works explores the creative process, drawing inspiration from the writings of Gertrude stein, toni morrison and David Foster Wallace. A Wexner Center Artist Residency Award supported the project. wexarts.org

“American Buffalo” Nov. 30–Dec. 9

Deaf West theatre is an lA-based troupe that simultaneously performs in English and American sign language, with a combination of hearing and deaf actors. At the Riffe Center’s studio one, the company will take on David mamet’s 1975 play about a sale gone wrong at a Chicago junk shop, which helped launch William h. macy’s career. capa.com

CCAD Art Fair & Marketplace Dec. 2

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Knock out your holiday shopping with gifts that are truly one of a kind at the semiannual Columbus College of Art & Design art sale. sales of pieces in the juried selection from CCAD’s alumni and students go directly to the artists, though your $5 admission fee supports the college’s student programming. the market takes place at CCAD’s loann Crane Center for Design from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., though you can purchase $20 First look tickets to get in the doors two hours early. ccad.edu/experience-art/art-fair

see Page 110 for a full list of things to do this month.

Photos: 1, Jeffry Konczal; 2, ©2017 Metro creative GraPhics; 3, noel Bass; 4, tessa BerG; 5, courtesy ccaD

more than 1,000 people will raise their voices in song during the harmony Project’s most ambitious program to date. “the Concert for us” at nationwide Arena will feature a 30-piece band and will be guest-hosted by Jane Pauley of CBS Sunday Morning. but, as always, the stars of the shows will be the singers who cross racial, social and class lines to participate in Columbus’s most diverse choir, led by harmony Project founder David brown. harmonyproject.com

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SHINING

BRIGHT

Through Every Season At AEP, we shine a light on what matters most. Last year, American Electric Power and the AEP Foundation gave nearly $21 million to 1,800 community organizations across our 11 states. From expanding education opportunities for youth to securing food and shelter for those in need, we’re working to make our communities shine brightly through every season.

aep.com

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Arch City PEoPlE

Forte the Columbus Gay men’s Chorus held its 10th annual Forte fundraising event sept. 22 at the lincoln theatre. About 250 were in attendance to help recognize tom Katzenmeyer, CEo of the Greater Columbus Arts Council, for embodying the CGmC’s mission of “Voices Raised, lives Changed.” the event raised about $90,000, which will be used to help support CGmC’s concerts and programming.

Photos: Emma ParkEr

1 scott brown, heather and Frederic bertley, tom Dailey 2 matt habash, nannette maciejunes 3 lisa schwager, micki bally, Janice Witter, howard Fradkin 4 Doug Klamforth, shannon morgan, Emily toney, Jesse Cantrell, Kelly stevelt 5 Gabriel mastin, tom Grote, michael brown, Rick neal 6 Karen bell, ben maiden 7 Roberto Rodriguez, ben martindale, lauren Ashley 8 neil hauschild, mark Cooke, Jeff Ramm 9 Gregg Dodd, susan ungar, tom Katzenmeyer, Jody scheiman 10 Patrick and Vicky losinski

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For Avery Brewer ’18, hands-on learning has taken on a new meaning. She was part of an engineering team that designed a prosthetic capable of sensing flexes in the arm of an amputee and translating them into movements in a robotic hand. At WRA, The Wang Innovation Center gives every student access to cutting-edge equipment and the nurturing guidance of our experienced faculty.

But they’re not just here to help you make things. They can also help you make a difference.

AVERY IS PIONEERING BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES. AND A CAREER PATH.

Photos: Emma ParkEr

WHAT WILL YOU PIONEER?

See for yourself why WRA ranks among the nation’s top boarding and day schools. Schedule a visit at 330.650.9717 or admission@WRA.net.

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Arch City PEoPlE

Need Knows No Season more than 600 guests attended the salvation Army’s 11th annual need Knows no season luncheon oct. 26 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Franklin County Commissioner Kevin boyce was the event’s keynote speaker, addressing the theme of providing hope for area youth. the event raised more than $400,000, which will contribute to the general operating budget of the salvation Army in Central ohio to support local programs for families in need.

photos: charlotte parsons

1 Robert shenton, Francine henry, Vince Parisi 2 bill and Kathy Petrus 3 Derrick hamilton, shana Eiselstein, Kate bauer 4 Karen senglemann, Jana Croom 5 JoAnne schorsten, shelly tenny, Joe szymanowski, Drew Fitzgerald 6 Darren and Debra shepard 7 margaret malone, Alan litzelfelner, Kim swanson 8 Kevin boyce, tei street 9 Guy and henrietta Klemanski, lisa and Jeffrey Edwards 10 brooke Wancheck, Elizabeth bertke

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photos: charlotte parsons

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Arch City PEoPlE

Breathe Easy at the Speakeasy

the breathing Association held its annual breathe Easy at the speakeasy fundraiser oct. 21 at the yWCA Downtown. Entertainment and lessons were provided by the Arthur murray dance studio, and a silent auction and donations raised more than $35,000 for the Prohibition Era-themed event, which will be used to benefit the work of the association’s medical mobile unit. the breathing Association provides free medical care, educational programs and home Energy Assistance Programs (hEAP).

Photos: Big Fish stories PhotograPhy and design

1 Kelley touseh, Judy sparpe-Kosmatka, Ray and marty miller, Dale Kosmatka 2 Jonathan Vankym, Kathleen Watkins 3 Kelly hall, James Gerdes 4 michael Gonzalez, Christian Collins, Courtney barrick, Cheryl harrison, scott Zigler 5 mark Genteline, Gina mcDevitt, mike Doherty 6 Kathie, Kristin and tim skamfer 7 brandon timm, Alyssha nelson 8 lilian and Phil Purkey 9 monica hawkins, Austine Copton, Cheryl brooks sullivan, Danni Palmore 10 linda and Ken Danter

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Thank you to those who made the 25th annual Celebration of Learning

Photos: Big Fish stories PhotograPhy and design

a record-breaking success for the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation! This year, generous individuals and corporate sponsors contributed over $750,000 in support of the library’s greatest needs and highest priorities. We would like to offer special thanks to the following corporate partners whose leadership gifts helped to set the pace for our anniversary year.

Public-private partnership is the Columbus Way. We are grateful to be a member of this community!

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Arch City PersPeCtive Lisa Hogan gets a Post Competition treatment (not related to alcohol consumption) at Hydrate Me in Grandview.

Wishful Drinking

The worst hangover I can remember began on a Monday morning inside a hotel room in Portland, Maine. I was lying on the bathroom floor, my head jammed through the shower curtain so my then-boyfriend could lather my hair with shampoo. I was too weak even to vomit.

We had spent the previous Sunday merrily bar-hopping and oyster-slurping, and the alarm clock rang before the sun came up, well before my body could process all that delicious poison. After I dragged myself through airport security, I slumped in a chair at the gate and devoured an entire loaf of bread. Chewing hurt. I could hear my teeth creaking. I still had to go to work, a thousand miles away.

I am a dumb and careless person, but I take comfort in the fact that I’m not alone.

As we wrap up 2017 in a hail of holiday overindulgence, plenty of us will spend the next few weeks lining our throats with bubbly regret. And on New Year’s Eve, our great global drinking holiday, even the responsible among us will make a noble effort to get turnt.

Let it be said: We’re going to feel like crap.

The people who want to get into your wallet already know this. So many of us dopes overindulge that the hangover business is a billion-dollar industry. It’s such a forgone conclusion that we’re going to make bad decisions that hangover relief treatments sit next to the liquor store cash register.

“I drink this one all the time,” the kid selling me a jug of vodka says approvingly, as I sheepishly pile some $4 Life Support Recovery shots onto the counter.

The obvious solution to avoiding a hangover is to drink less, or, you know, not at all.

But how else are you going to say goodbye 36

to a depressing 2017—with a glass of warm milk? No, when the world is spiraling, the only solution is to chug until you no longer feel the tears streaming down your cheeks.

Of course, that means dealing with the aftermath.

A hangover is a collection of symptoms: headache, thirst, fatigue, dry mouth, difficulty concentrating and whatever the medical term is for feeling like your brain is leaking out of your ears. “It’s a pretty variable syndrome from person to person,” says Dr. Colin McCluney, an OhioHealth family medicine physician. “What [hangovers] are is actually an area of some research and not a lot of clear answers.”

It turns out to be kind of complicated.

Each hangover is unique. You and your buddy could pound the same number of Jäger shots in one night and, come morning, you’ll want to die in your own special ways.

About the only thing you’ll have in common is that your body has metabolized most of the alcohol you consumed, and it is not happy.

“It does seem to be kind of a stress response,” McCluney says.

Researchers might not know exactly why, but they know that age seems to affect a hangover, as does gender, McCluney says. What you drink seems to make a difference, too, as vodka is apparently a more gentle lover

Photo: Jodi Miller

First comes the revelry, then comes the regret. With New Year’s Eve around the corner, Lori Kurtzman investigates the age-old quest to find a cure for the hangover, from hair of the dog to IV hydration bars.

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hol ingestion nor imply drugs ameliorate dangerous effects of alcohol on the body.”)

If you’re really serious about battling the consequences of drinking, you can drag your morning-after carcass to Grandview Heights. On West Fifth Avenue, you’ll find Hydrate Me, a “health and wellness IV hydration bar.” For $99, they’ll pump you full of a cocktail meant to settle your stomach, boost energy and fight inflammation. Or for $20 less, you can pre-party with a similar mixture and, they say, avoid the hangover problem altogether.

So, does any of this stuff actually work?

Look, I’m not going to knock what you think helps you feel better. Unless you’re relying on the ol’ hair of the dog, you dummy. “You’re not getting rid of your hangover,” McCluney says. “You’re just delaying it and probably making it worse.”

Some people swear by a greasy breakfast and a pot of strong coffee, or a 3-mile run and a blazing-hot shower. Some people swear by those over-the-counter products. Some people swear by nothing but Advil and the slow, cruel passage of time. “I like to hide in a quiet room with ice on my head for as long as possible,” says Cheryl Harrison, a profes-

sional consumer of intoxicating beverages as the editor of the Drink Up Columbus blog.

Harrison usually dodges a hangover by drinking her beer from a glass. After she drains a brew, she fills the cup with water and chugs that. But earlier this year, she got bombed off her face so she could test out Hydrate Me for her blog.

One night, she received the pre-party treatment and went on to drink about a dozen beers. She thinks. A week later, she headed to Hydrate Me to erase the cocktails and pints of the previous night. “I got up and thought I was going to be sick,” she says. “I tried to fight that down and drove 5 miles to the clinic. And that drive was rough.”

But it worked, she says. Both times.

Hydrate Me’s slogan is, “Life’s too short to recover slowly,” and it offers IV therapies for people who need a boost after a marathon or a cross-country flight or a rough night filled with poor choices. Co-owner Scott Holowicki says his clients tend to be work-hard/ play-hard types who can’t afford to spend a day on the couch. The spa’s treatments for drinkers include such ingredients as B vitamins, the anti-inflammatory Toradol and Pepcid, an antacid and antihistamine.

Photo: Jodi Miller

than bourbon. If you go out dancing, get a lousy night’s sleep, smoke some weed—all of this could affect how you feel in the morning.

Lucky for your questionable judgment, though, you have a bevy of supplements, pills and drinks that promise to clear your head. There are the old reliables, Pedialyte and Alka-Seltzer, or a product loaded with aspirin and caffeine called Blowfish, which touts its “FDA-recognized” status.

If you prefer to shop local, the Life Support Recovery shots I bought from my vodka dealer come from a Columbus company started by some friends who got wasted in South Korea and discovered the wonder of Japanese raisin tree fruit. (An aside: The Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved anything as a hangover treatment, though it did hold a meeting earlier this year to discuss the safety of over-thecounter products marketed toward hangovers. According to the meeting minutes: “The committee thought labeling could be improved and questioned consumers’ ability to comprehend the label, especially when they are hungover. … The committee advised that the label should not provide a false sense of security with regards to alco-

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Arch City PersPeCtive “People are busy, and they have busy lives, and they want to feel better faster,” says Alicia Alvarado, a nurse practitioner who works at Hydrate Me. “It’s amazing—they come in, and you can tell in their eyes. They perk up by the end.”

They also have to fork over the price of a really nice bottle of wine.

In comparison, Life Support Recovery’s shots are as cheap as a really bad pint of beer.

And they’re sold in 16,000 stores, including Kroger and Giant Eagle, so they’re easy to find (and painless to consume). The shot— which comes in two versions, one with caffeine—contains B and C vitamins, L-Glutathione and the Japanese raisin, which Life Support claims as its super ingredient.

I drank my shot after a romantic night alone with a bottle of wine, and I guess I didn’t feel like taking a bone saw to my skull the next day. Brad McKean, Life Support Recovery’s president, says the shots have become popular with an older crowd (ahem) that wants to avoid adverse reactions to even the smallest amount of alcohol. “This isn’t a miracle cure,” McKean says. “It isn’t a cure by any means. We don’t try to say that we’re going to cure anything.”

I drank my shot after a romantic night alone with a bottle of wine, and I guess I didn’t feel like taking a bone saw to my skull the next day.

In fact, here is the truth: There is no such thing as a hangover cure, no matter what anyone tells you. McCluney says the only thing most treatments are hoping to cure, especially ones that promise a little too much, are their own bottom lines.

Binge drinking is a legitimate public health problem, on par with smoking, obesity and sitting on the couch. Nearly 90,000 people die each year due to excessive alcohol use, many in the prime of their lives. And frequent binge drinkers are probably experiencing worse health concerns than a pesky

hangover. Regularly drinking way too much can lead to an increased risk of injuries, violence, liver diseases, cancer—the list goes on.

“People have a right to make a choice here [of whether to drink], but I think it needs to be an informed choice,” says Robert Brewer, director of the excessive alcohol use prevention team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Sadly, there are a lot of different ways that alcohol can kill you.”

Yeah, that’s a bummer. But we know that, right? We keep drinking anyway. And if the threat of serious illness or death doesn’t stop us, why would we be deterred by a headache that hasn’t even arrived yet? So we order another round. We regret it and then do it again another day. The hangover, in the end, doesn’t matter. And here’s the funny thing— McCluney says that research suggests a true hangover cure wouldn’t change our drinking habits much, either.

We’re already doing what we want to.

It’s been a while since I drank enough to really regret it the next day. My kid kind of ended my party days, and I suppose that’s OK. But maybe I’ll tear it up this New Year’s Eve. Or maybe I’ll wake up on Jan. 1, 2018, walk to the shower and wash my own damn hair. ◆

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Your life, Your style.

The Jeweler of the Short North 689 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio 43215 614-233-6666 | AlexandersColumbus.com

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illustration: craig rusnak

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DOCTORS DIVIDED

By Dave Ghose

D

r. Ali Rezai has nothing but good things to say about Ohio State. In late September, a day after news broke that the superstar neurosurgeon was taking his talents to Morgantown, West Virginia, Rezai explains that decision with great care and diplomacy. He adores his former Ohio State colleagues. He appreciates the support he received from the university. His decision to leave “isn’t about Ohio State,” he says, speaking over the phone from the campus of West Virginia University, his new employer.

“For me, it’s about going to a new path, a new vision and an exciting opportunity.”

He makes just one comment that hints at a possible ulterior motive. Asked what attracted him to West Virginia, Rezai praises the university’s leadership—including former OSU President Gordon Gee, who now leads WVU—for being “very much aligned with vision and purpose.” Few would describe Ohio State’s sprawling—and brawling— health care operation in a similar way, as Rezai knows well.

photo illustration: craig rusnak

Ohio State leaders are once again mediating a civil war over the direction of the university’s sprawling health care operation.

Why can’t these doctors get along? Think money, power, egos and the fierce independence of its most critical component, the James Cancer Hospital.

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In the spring, a coup d’état of sorts occurred from within the vast OSU medical network. More than 50 faculty members—including 10 department chairs, 14 division chiefs and three distinguished university professors—put their names to four separate letters sent to OSU President Michael Drake and other university leaders excoriating Dr. Sheldon Retchin, the head of the OSU Wexner Medical Center. The letters accused Retchin and his leadership team of a series of misdeeds: power grabs, rude behavior, inefficient hiring practices and the marginalization of the med center’s academic mission of teaching, research and public service in favor of more lucrative clinical programs.

University leaders responded quickly, especially after the Dispatch and other media outlets got their hands on the letters. Just eight days after the first one was sent, Retchin resigned and ultimately agreed to accept a different position within the university. The breadth of the insurgency made it difficult to ignore. This wasn’t just a couple of malcontents in an isolated unit. Senior staffers from all over the medical campus signed the letters, including clinical chairs, internal medicine leaders, cancer researchers, neuroscientists and the head of the university’s heart division.

Rezai’s subsequent defection to West Virginia underscores one of the greatest fears outlined in the letters—the loss of talented scientists and physicians due to the internal tensions. Rezai was perhaps the most famous physician at Ohio State, whose groundbreaking work in deep brain stimulation has been featured on the front page of the New York Times. Asked what role the OSU acrimony played in his deci-

sion to leave, Rezai—who signed one of the no-confidence letters—deflects the question. He reiterates his excitement about the new West Virginia opportunity while also predicting good things for Ohio State’s medical operation. “I think there is a strong foundation to build for the future,” he says.

Indeed, all sides seem to agree on that. Over the past two decades, the OSU med center has transformed itself from a financial albatross to the most important institution at the university that doesn’t sport shoulder pads—an economic engine powered by brilliant scientists, cutting-edge hospitals, top-notch clinicians and strong civic support. The med center is now thriving financially, and it appears the upheaval of recent months hasn’t slowed that down. Federal research funding is up 20 percent this year, as are admissions, surgeries and outpatient visits. In June, the med center closed the fiscal year with the best financial performance in its history, turning a record-setting $302 million profit.

Which raises a question: If everything is going gangbusters, why are so many doctors at each other’s throats?

At play is the usual toxic mix found in large organizations with lots of smart, proud and ambitious people—money, egos, power. But the dispute is also about something more fundamental and important: What will it take to achieve even greater success in the coming decades? And despite the spring uprising, university leaders aren’t giving up on their quest to make the med center a more efficient, disciplined and unified organization, potentially putting them on a collision course with the fiercely independent leaders of the university’s ultra-profitable cancer pro-

photo: tim johnson

The OSU Wexner Medical Center

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photos: top row from left, rob hardin; todd Yarrington; courtesY ohio state; dispatch file; middle row from left, dispatch librarY; courtesY ohio state; brooke laValleY; joshua a. bickel; bottom row from left, adam cairns; anthonY graY; greg ellis

photo: tim johnson

The Powers That Be Clashing agendas have resulted in some Game of Thrones-like internal politics at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center— minus dragons, beheadings and black magic, of course. We break down the players in the ongoing palace intrigue. —Dave Ghose

T he M a n in Ch a rge

T he Ou T C a s T

T he Pe aCe BrOk ers

If the med center doesn’t flourish, then neither will the presidency of Dr. Michael Drake, who was hired in large part to turn a successful osu medical operation into an elite one.

It takes a skilled captain to navigate the often choppy political waters of the med center. Former CEo Sheldon Retchin wasn’t that—and it cost him his job.

Dr. Craig Kent (left), the dean of the college of medicine, and David McQuaid, the chief operating officer for the med center, face a difficult task in winning over the insurgents who ousted their former boss—especially the leaders of the fiercely independent cancer program.

T he k ing Of C a nCer

T h e M aT r i a r C h

T h e P aT r O n s

While other med center leaders come and go, Dr. Michael Caligiuri, the head of osu’s profitable James Cancer hospital, keeps on ticking. If you mess with cancer, as many university officials have learned, you pay a price.

Among the most prominent insurgents— the more than 50 faculty members who signed their names to no-confidence letters blasting Retchin’s leadership in the spring—is Dr. Clara Bloomfield, the former director of the osu Comprehensive Cancer Center and the mentor of James CEo Caligiuri.

the house of Wexner is the first family of ohio state. billionaire philanthropist Les Wexner transformed the med center that now bears his name with his $100 million gift in 2011. his wife Abigail sits on the osu board of trustees, as well as the Wexner medical Center board, which is chaired by her husband.

T h e r u n away s

T he r a ider

Five months after he signed one of the no-confidence letters, Dr. Ali Rezai (left), the neurosurgeon whose groundbreaking work in deep-brain stimulation made him one of the med center’s biggest stars, left for West Virginia university at the end of september. Another letter-signer, Dr. Ted Teknos, the prominent head and neck surgeon, also left in August for university hospitals in Cleveland.

It sure looks like former osu president Gordon Gee is trying to take advantage of the med center unrest. In addition to Rezai, Gee has hired four other osu medical faculty members since taking over as the president of West Virginia university in 2014—and hints that more might follow.

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gram, who’ve fought off attempts to wrest control from them in the past.

The stakes are high, to say the least. Careers and legacies are on the line, and plenty of people have placed big bets on the med center, not the least of whom is Les Wexner, the city’s most powerful man, who gave $100 million to the university in 2011 to transform the med center that now bears his name. He expects results. Stat.

A

cademic med centers don’t get much bigger than Ohio State’s. The $3.4 billion operation includes seven hospitals, the college of medicine, OSU Physicians Inc. (a physician practice plan), several outpatient clinics and the OSU

photo: tim johnson

Atrium in the James Cancer Hospital

Primary Care Network. It encompasses about half of the university’s budget—and the percentage is growing.

The size and scope present major management challenges. The med center brings great recognition and prestige, generates significant research dollars and advances the cause of health care. But it also can drain resources. Leaders must expend lots of energy stroking powerful egos, while also spending big bucks on hospitals and research labs—a much more expensive proposition than, say, building a law school.

There are other financial risks, too. Med centers, in many ways, are held captive by decisions made outside their realm, such as what federal officials will pay for reimbursements for services. A sudden change could devastate the med center’s bottom line, causing a ripple effect. “If the med center catches a cold,” as OSU insiders like to say, “the whole university gets sick.”

The main engine of the med center’s financial success has been the cancer program, which hasn’t let the most cumbersome name in Central Ohio health care (the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute) prevent it from generating big profits and groundbreaking research. Dr. Steven Clinton came to Ohio State in 1998 just as the cancer program was taking off.

He was recruited by Dr. Clara Bloomfield, the director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center (the research arm of the cancer program), whose arrival on campus the year before—along with her husband, cancer geneticist Dr. Albert de la Chapelle, and Bloomfield’s protégé, Dr. Michael Caligiuri, an up-and-coming leukemia researcher— was a watershed moment for Ohio State.

A transplant from the prestigious DanaFarber Cancer Institute in Boston, Clinton was part of a game-changing wave of more than 80 cancer researchers recruited by Bloomfield during her six years as the cancer center director. “This was a place where talent was not being pegged to come and fill a little niche, but rather, ‘Come here and let’s make a great cancer center,’” recalls Clinton, a prostate cancer specialist. “The vision was boundless, and you felt like you were being recruited into a great pool of like-minded, very accomplished, visionary individuals in a place that seemed to be profoundly enthusiastic about supporting the mission.”

During her recruitment to Ohio State in the early 2000s, Electra Paskett spoke with Clinton about his experiences at OSU. He told her about his partnership with colleagues at the college of agriculture to grow tomatoes with certain concentrations of lycopene, a natural

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photos: left, courtesy electra paskett; right, tim johnson

photo: tim johnson

chemical that may help prostate cancer patients. “There are very few places in this country where you can get such a comprehensive array of scientists from different disciplines that want to work together,” says Paskett, a cancer epidemiologist who joined Ohio State in 2002.

That cooperative spirit, however, seemed to have one exception. Bloomfield and David Schuller, the first director of the James Cancer Hospital, the other main component of the university’s cancer program, were fervent guardians of their program’s unique independent position within the med center, a tradition that continued under Caligiuri, who replaced his mentor Bloomfield as the cancer center director in 2003 and then became the leader of the James five years later when Schuller retired.

Unlike other leaders within the med center, Caligiuri and his predecessors have reported directly to the university president and the provost rather than the med center CEO or the dean of the college of medicine. The arrangement is unusual; few other cancer programs are organized in such a manner. But there is a good reason for it, as cancer leaders and supporters have long argued.

Partial independence helps the James qualify for a valuable exemption to a complex federal payment system.

The exemption makes longer hospital stays affordable, a key to the James’s profitability and recruiting success, and is available only to free-standing cancer hospitals.

In fact, an independent streak is part of the James’s DNA. Its founding fathers agreed to make the hospital part of the university at the behest of Ohio State professor Arthur G. James, the institution’s namesake. But the founders did so reluctantly, especially the powerful J.W. Wolfe, the late Dispatch Printing Co. patriarch. “He said, ‘We’ll be independent at the university, but that damn University Hospital will take us over if we’re successful,’” the late developer Dick Solove told Columbus Monthly in 2007, eight years after he gave $20 million to Ohio State to support its cancer program.

Wolfe wasn’t wrong. Since he, Solove and other influential civic leaders founded the James in 1990, periodic turf wars have broken out over its independence. And history provides a lesson to those who challenge that arrangement: Do so at your own peril.

W

hat turned many physicians and scientists against Retchin were doubts about his commitment to the med center’s “academic mission”—the three-part ideal (education, research and clinical care) that drew so many of them to Ohio State in the first place. Retchin and his team seemed more focused on the accountant’s ledger, pushing physicians to treat more patients and allowing less time for research and education. “If I’m working with clinicians, and their clinical load is increasing, they have no time to work with us,” says Paskett, who leads the division of cancer prevention and control at Ohio State. “So they’re not getting the benefit of the academic side of being in academia, and we’re not being able to work with them to accomplish our goals.”

Such concerns led Clinton, the oncologist, and his cancer colleagues to write the first no-confidence letter, which was then quickly followed up by letters from not just the cancer program, but neuroscience leaders, clinical department chairs and internal medicine faculty from the Wexner Medical Center as well. In total, 25 professors in the divisions of hematology, medical oncology and neurooncology signed the initial letter, including Bloomfield, the former Comprehensive Cancer Center director; Dr. Peter Shields, the deputy director of the cancer center; and Dr. John Byrd, one of the med center’s most talented researchers, whose scientific discoveries have saved the lives of thousands of leukemia patients.

“If you want to bring the best people here, you have to invest in them,” Clinton says. “They have to have a shared sense of mission and vision, and it can’t be just a business. If someone came here only to practice medicine, why would you choose to do it at OSU? You would go up the road and go into private practice and do the same amount of work and get paid 50 percent to 100 percent more.”

Indeed, some faculty members say the current environment has hurt recruitment. Burdensome hiring processes and uncompetitive salaries, in addition to the lack of commitment to research, are making it more difficult to fill critical openings, they say. The division of medical oncology is an example, says Clinton, a professor in the division. He says his group has struggled to hire 20 to 25 more oncologists over the past couple of years to meet increasing demand.

Left, OSU cancer researcher Electra Paskett; right, a corridor in Rhodes Hall at the OSU Wexner Medical Center

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Gordon’s Gambit

to them here. I recruited them there, and I recruited them here.”

When you’ve served as the president of five universities from the East Coast to the Rocky mountains, you get to know a lot of people in academia. And when Gordon Gee returned to West Virginia university in 2014, he worked those contacts, looking to bolster the scholarly ranks in morgantown. many of those calls went to Columbus, where he’s spent more time than anywhere else over the past three decades.

he also hints that there might be more to come. Asked if six is an accurate total of his ex-osu medical haul, he replies, “I think at this point it’s accurate.”

“I think you have an obligation to your former employer,” slane says. Gee scoffs at the idea that he’s disloyal. “I haven’t put a gun to their heads,” he says. “I didn’t call up Ali and say, ‘hey listen.

I’ve got a howitzer here if you don’t come.’ ”

health. “It’s a large number, and I’ll say this very candidly,” Gee says. “I went after the very best people. We got three or four of the very best people at ohio state, and I’m grateful

As a result, Clinton and his medical oncology colleagues are forced to fill the hole themselves, leaving less time for research and education. He estimates his clinical workload has doubled over the past couple of years.

A similar phenomenon appears to be occurring in the department of internal medicine, the largest in the medical school, with 450 faculty members in 15 divisions. Paskett, a professor in the department, and 16 of her colleagues outlined their concerns in another letter. They pointed to a “disturbing upward trajectory of faculty attrition” (from 37 departures in 2014 to 51 in 2016, a 38 percent increase), while also citing “operationally inefficient systems” for filling those openings. “You have to move fast, and you have to give a marketvalue offer,” Paskett says. “The market is not just Ohio when we’re competing for faculty. The market is the U.S. and sometimes even the world.”

For old OSU hands, the fall of Retchin, who declined to comment for this story, inspired a feeling of déjà vu. The cancer doctors accused Retchin of attempting to “assert 46

A Season of Change March 2015: Dr. sheldon Retchin begins as the CEo of the ohio state university Wexner medical Center. his hiring is osu President michael Drake’s most critical appointment.

May 2017: more than 50 medical faculty members sign four separate letters criticizing Retchin’s leadership. Eight days after the first letter is sent, Retchin resigns as med center CEo. August 2017: the med center reports a $302 million profit, the best financial performance in its history.

September 2017: Dr. Ali Rezai, the renowned osu neurosurgeon, announces he’s leaving for West Virginia university, which is led by former osu President Gordon Gee. November 2017: Drake announces the creation of a new position—a “chancellor” of the ohio state health care system, with broader responsibilities than the job previously held by Retchin.

since coming to West Virginia, Gee has added some 200 physicians to the WVu health system from all over the country. “university presidents have very little impact, but the two things you can do is you can be very focused on talent and recruit like crazy,” he says.

—Dave Ghose

his leadership” over the cancer program—a “fatal blow” that could threaten the future success of the thriving program and put at risk the federal reimbursement exemption that fuels the James’s profitability.

A decade earlier, high-profile supporters of the Ohio State cancer program made the same charge against another med center CEO, Fred Sanfilippo, who put the institution on the path to profitability. Ambitious and aggressive, Sanfilippo made his share of enemies during his seven years in Columbus, but he didn’t find himself packing his bags until he challenged the sacred cow that is the cancer program.

Though he didn’t play a public role in either turf war, Caligiuri, the OSU cancer leader, was a prime beneficiary both times. His name didn’t appear in the May letter from the cancer doctors, but a med center source says he supported the effort.

“As a senior leader, he shouldn’t be perceived as trying to organize it or be in the middle of it,” the source says. “He was like, ‘I’m going to step back and let faculty do what they

photo: greg ellis

In late september, Gee’s hard work was rewarded when he persuaded Dr. Ali Rezai, the renowned ohio state neurosurgeon, to come to West Virginia. the news was a major coup for Gee: Rezai was one the biggest names at the osu Wexner medical Center. but he isn’t Gee’s only Columbus heist. In total, he’s recruited five osu medical faculty members to morgantown, as well as an osu post-doctoral research fellow. Recruits include Dr. Clay marsh, the osu med center’s former chief innovation officer; Dr. Richard Goldberg, the former physician in chief at the James Cancer hospital; and Dr. Philip saul, osu’s former dean of children’s and translational

Gee appears to be taking advantage of recent turmoil at the osu med center, where a faculty revolt led to the resignation of med center CEo sheldon Retchin in may. Former ohio state board of trustees chair Dan slane criticizes Gee for poaching talent from osu, calling his actions “inappropriate.”

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think they need to do.’” A cultivator of university donors and influential supporters, Caligiuri, who declined to be interviewed for this story, has been the one constant in the med center’s leadership, outlasting (and outmaneuvering) deans, CEOs, even presidents.

Following the Sanfilippo brouhaha, Gordon Gee, returning to Columbus for his second run as OSU president, vowed to bring more unity and “alignment” to the med center. In reality, however, the atmosphere didn’t change much. If anything, the cancer program became more independent and powerful with the construction of the new James Hospital in 2014—a 21-story, $750 million behemoth, the third-largest cancer hospital in the country. What happened? “Mike Caligiuri is a very skillful bureaucratic politician,” says a former OSU insider.

photo: tim johnson

photo: greg ellis

S

ince Retchin’s resignation, the med center’s interim leaders—Dr. Craig Kent, the dean of the college of medicine, and David McQuaid, the chief operating officer—have embarked on a listening tour of sorts. They’ve engaged around 2,500 faculty members, staffers, students and patients in interviews, planning meetings, faculty forums, four large town halls, department meetings and smallgroup gatherings.

In response to what they heard, Kent and his team launched an ongoing review of clinical faculty salaries that has resulted in raises for 600 to 700 underpaid clinicians. Meanwhile, med center leaders are addressing two concerns mentioned in the May no-confidence letters.

Kent formed a committee of department chairs to explore ways to streamline personnel processes, making it easier to adjust contracts and recruit in a timely manner. And for physicians struggling to balance clinical work with scientific research, Kent hopes a new a $15 million fund he created will subsidize more lab time.

Dr. John Kissel, a co-author of one of the no-confidence letters, says he’s happy with the changes in recent months. Communication has improved as Kent and his team have made a good-faith effort to understand the concerns of neuroscience faculty members, says Kissel, the chair of the department of neurology. In particular, Kissel is excited about a proposal from Kent to create an Alzheimer’s research center at Ohio State, with the goal of becoming one of the top 15 Alzheimer’s programs in the country. “That’s a really good example of where the medical center’s leadership, despite all the sturm and drang, has identified this major area for us to go forward and to really change things nationally,” Kissel says.

The work is not done, however. Two more letter-writers, Clinton and Paskett, aren’t ready to pass judgment yet, saying they need to see what happens in the critical coming months. Others—especially in the cancer program—remain frustrated and angry. “I recognize that there are still faculty who are unhappy, and for us at the medical center, we take that very seriously,” acknowledges McQuaid, the med center COO. In June, OSU leaders crafted a strategic plan for the med center that includes a goal of becoming a top 20 academic med center by 2024 (OSU is currently ranked 31 by U.S. News & World Report). That leap won’t occur unless har-

mony returns to the med center, OSU leaders say. “If we are going to achieve this huge, very ambitious new level of success, we have to engage our people and make them feel valued, create an environment where they can be incredibly successful, make them want to be part of the Wexner Medical Center,” Kent says.

So how to achieve that peace? The easiest way might be to let things slide back to the way they were before, which is essentially what happened during Gee’s presidency following the last major turf war. However, Gee’s successor, Drake, an ophthalmologist who’s spent much of his career in academic medicine, was brought to Columbus in large part to lift the university’s health system. The status quo might not suffice in this instance.

Retchin touched the third rail of OSU politics by challenging the independence of the cancer program. Is that idea off the table now? During an interview in his Bricker Hall office in late October, Drake dances around the topic.

Asked whether the Ohio State cancer program should be less independent and more integrated into the med center, Drake doesn’t directly answer, though he does say “alignment and integration” benefit the university. “I think that’s efficient and effective, and we want to use best practices and share them broadly,” he says.

Dr. John Kissel, the chairman of the department of neurology at Ohio State

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I

of the cancer program were Judy and Steve Tuckerman, longtime James fundraisers and close friends of Les and Abigail Wexner. Though the Wexners didn’t get involved in the dispute, it’s doubtful the Tuckermans would have spoken out without the Wexners’ blessing, and both sides of the brawl likely realized it. This time, however, Les Wexner, now the chair of the medical center board, appears to be taking a stand of his own.

Following the chancellor announcement, Wexner agreed to an interview with Columbus Monthly, after declining a few weeks earlier. Over the phone on a Sunday afternoon, he talked about the med center’s improved oversight, thoughtful financial stewardship and lowerthan-average turnover rates (which counter the attrition fears of faculty members despite the high-profile defection of Rezai and a handful of others). “I’m more excited today than I was a year ago or two years ago because we’re really doing better and better,” Wexner says. “All the metrics are just terrific.”

The latest turf war also hasn’t scared him off the idea of more unity and structural changes. The powerful chancellor position could be a more attractive opportunity to a leader with the talent, charisma and vision to drive cultural change, connect factions and eliminate the fiefdoms of the past. “It’s one university,” Wexner says. “It’s one medical center. The way we look at medicine in the present and in the future, it must be integrated. There’s no Plan B.” ◆

photo: Craig holman

The OSU medical campus

n early November, Drake offered a significant hint at his future direction. Speaking to the OSU board of trustees, he announced the creation of a new position—a “chancellor” who will oversee the med center. The new position (OSU officials have launched a nationwide search) will have broader responsibilities than Retchin had as a CEO. Ohio State isn’t saying what those additional duties will be yet, but speculation focused on whether cancer could fall under the new hire’s jurisdiction, which could start another turf war.

What’s more, the news came on the same day the university announced that Caligiuri was stepping down as the director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center. Sources say Caligiuri, who maintains his more prominent role as the leader of the James Cancer Hospital, requested the change, which has been in the works for 18 months. (The jobs are split in most academic settings, as they were at Ohio State until 2008.) Perhaps the oddest thing about the news was the way it was announced. The press release devoted just one sentence to Caligiuri, hardly a warm valedictory to such a significant figure in the history of the cancer program and the med center, focusing instead on his successor, Raphael Pollock, who was named interim director. “The press release they put out makes it sound like they fired Mike,” says a faculty member.

Who knows if the chancellor announcement will prompt another power struggle, but the dynamics feel a little different this time around. A decade ago, the main defenders

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By Chris Gaitten

•

Photos by Tim Johnson

The Maverick’s Last Mosey Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr.—with three Fs—is moving on after an idiosyncratic political career that spanned four decades and all three branches of government.

The Old Franklinton Cemetery is the kind of place most people would miss, all but hidden between light industrial complexes on River Street. It’s just a stretch of grass with a smattering of headstones, obscured by trees and a short stone wall. Rick Pfeiffer is standing in front of four modest white markers bearing the names of soldiers from the Revolution and the Civil War. He pauses momentarily and remarks on their historical significance.

Then he’s off again.

He seems nearly incapable of standing still during the course of today’s “mosey”—the habitual jaunts he’s taken around the city for as long as he can remember. The goal of moseying is to explore, to learn, to talk to people on the streets. It’s primarily a driving tour, everything dictated by the urban landscape. He’s the city attorney of Columbus by title, but in practice he’s a historian, sociologist and anthropologist.

He slows his silver Honda Civic to a crawl over the Arthur Boke Bridge in Franklinton, imploring our photographer Tim to read the historical marker that offers a tribute to Boke, Columbus’s first African-American resident. Then he speeds off. He stops abruptly near a grassy boulevard on Martin Avenue and jumps out to comment on a memorial rock, which marks the area where Gen. William Henry Harrison met with leaders from four Native American tribes to create “permanent peace.” The car glides past Avondale Elementary School; Pfeiffer says it’s the most beautiful building in Columbus.

He pulls up to Gleason’s Market on Rich Street. He buys packs of 25-cent gum and a lottery ticket while firing questions at the man behind the counter. He’s back to the car

before the Gleason’s clerk has even processed the interaction, wondering why some fasttalking septuagenarian just rushed through his store with a photographer and a writer in his wake. The pace may be accelerated by our presence, but time is also running short. In 67 days, Pfeiffer will retire from office, ending a political career of more than four decades.

Despite all signs to the contrary, Pfeiffer says he once was an introvert. His older sister Patty was the popular one—a cheerleader and a homecoming queen candidate. Pfeiffer, on the other hand, had trouble talking to others while growing up in Clintonville.

His friend Tom Winters says he’d overcome it by the time they met in 1973, or at least he’d invented an effective diversion: “He masked his shyness by being very inquisitive.”

To this day, meeting Pfeiffer involves a prerequisite interrogation: Where’d you grow up?

Where’d you go to school? What did you study?

Where do you live? Where do you work? Do you like it? And on and on. His machine-gun questioning was developed over years of campaigning after he realized people really like talking about themselves. “The beauty of that is, everybody’s got a story to tell,” Pfeiffer says.

His own political story stretches decades, notable for its scope, trajectory and his idiosyncratic style. He’s a loyal Democrat who isn’t afraid to voice opposition to those in his own party. He’s an unabashed politician at a time when most people would prefer to be anything else, and yet he’s wary of hyper partisanship and the big money flooding into elections. Pfeiffer’s political buddies think of him as innovative, but he favors maps and atlases to GPS, TV ads to social media DECEMBER 2017 Columbus monthly

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presence. Yet he threw out his television months ago. Everything about him has an edge—his features angular, his sense of humor wicked, his candor piercing. He’s the boy who grew up shy and hasn’t stopped talking since.

It all began inauspiciously, after he returned from Vietnam, got married to his wife Janet and enrolled in law school at Ohio State University. In 1970, he walked into the Ohio Democratic Party offices to volunteer; two years later he was appointed majority counsel in the Ohio House of Representatives (“right place, right time, right people,” Pfeiffer says of his ascent). That’s where he met Winters, a Statehouse bill room clerk, Aristotle Hutras, a page, and Rich Murray, a legislative intern.

They all were aligned with Vern Riffe, arguably the most powerful Ohio General Assembly Democrat of the 20th century, who became speaker of the House in 1975 and held the job until 1994. He named Pfeiffer his executive assistant and counsel, his chief of staff; Murray says Pfeiffer also became Riffe’s confidante. They had contrasting styles, Winters says; Riffe, who died in 1997, was the master of the carrot and stick. Pfeiffer is more direct, seeking to convince people of the merits of the right course of action.

Pfeiffer was a whiz and a workhorse when it came to campaigning, helping Democrats retain the majority they earned in 1972. He decided to strike out on his own in 1979, running for Franklin County prosecutor against Republican Mike Miller. His ambition surprised his friends and probably Riffe as well. Riffe told Pfeiffer he’d have to quit his House position to run for office—his way of telling him not to do it, Pfeiffer figures.

Pfeiffer obliged and spent a year campaigning without a job. He lost the race by sixtenths of a percent. Hutras blames the loss on Riffe’s lack of support, particularly with fundraising; Pfeiffer thinks he was hurt by the impression he was Riffe’s surrogate, his “political boy.”

Pfeiffer re-entered the fray in 1982, winning a landslide victory for the open 15th District seat in the Ohio Senate, previously held by John Kasich. Pfeiffer helped write the collective bargaining bill for public employees, as well as legislation that created a new Franklin County Environmental Court to combat city code violations and confront the owners of run-down properties. Then, in 1991, he won the race to become that court’s first judge, spending 11 years using his position—sometimes creatively—to help improve neighborhoods by enforcing housing standards.

In 2003, he was appointed Columbus city attorney, an office with a $14 million budget and 125 full-time staff members. He won 52

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re-election later that year and has run unopposed three times since then, until announcing last year he wouldn’t seek another term.

He plans to retire to Charlotte, where Janet has been spending most of her time with their middle daughter Sonya, their son-inlaw and their only grandchild. His retirement was surprising to some, because even at 73 he appears to be brimming with energy.

People tell him he still looks 63. He laughs.

Like that’s any better.

legislature, he’s also concerned by the Democrat-only City Hall, of which he’s a member.

“One-party government’s not good. I’m a Democrat and I like our city, but … you need more public debate that justifies why you’re doing things before you do it,” Pfeiffer says.

“General Assembly is one-party rule, but over there, there are Democrats who can ask questions. And there are questions that should always be asked.”

Pfeiffer points out the pavement as he drives The Honda Civic is zipping along Dublin Road

Above, city attorney Rick Pfeiffer walks down Parsons Avenue near the United Methodist Church for All People; below, he leaves Gleason’s Market and the Old Franklinton Cemetery.

when Pfeiffer sees the billboard: George W. Leach for Judge. He’s concerned for Judge Andrea Peeples, his friend and Leach’s opponent. She’s a good judge, he says, but the Republicans are putting a lot of money into those races this year. Plus, George W. Leach is a good judge’s name. Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. knows something about that subject.

When he was running for Senate, he began introducing himself in memorable fashion— Rick Pfeiffer, P-f-e-i-f-f-e-r, that’s three Fs—and it caught on, becoming his political brand.

His first race had also taught him a valuable lesson about the power of television. He says a Columbus Dispatch poll came out just days before the election, showing him down to Miller 58-42 percent (though he doubted the spread was that wide). His campaign concurrently ran an effective ad during the last 10 days, and he nearly erased the gap. “They’ve got to like you in the living room,” Pfeiffer says of TV’s sway. “Now do they really know who you are? Name is important.”

He’s also not averse to running an unconventional campaign, like his race for the environmental court. One evening, he and Republican nominee Charles Schneider took the stage together at a candidates night. People enjoyed the amicable bipartisan tone, so the two candidates continued doing it, never disparaging the other. When Pfeiffer won, Schneider says he sent congratulatory flowers to his opponent’s home with a card: “To Frick, from Frack,” the nicknames bestowed upon them during the campaign. When Schneider was appointed to the municipal court a few years later, Pfeiffer nominated him for administrative judge. The two remain friends.

Party affiliations are important in November, Schneider says, but after that, good governance is what matters. Pfeiffer eschews the modern hardliner mentality. Hutras says he sees the influence of Riffe, who would hold court with both Democrats and Republicans at the Red Lion bar under the former Neil House hotel on Capitol Square. Pfeiffer sees the value of dissent in the two-party system, and while he’s dismissive of the Republican-held state

through Franklinton. See all the oil spots? People here can’t afford to fix their leaking cars, a sign of economic struggle, he says. That oil doesn’t accumulate in wealthier areas. Pfeiffer is always observing. He checks the condition of alleys, scans for graffiti. He looks at roofs, foundations, the mortar on chimneys.

He began examining these telltale signs as the judge of the environmental court, where Pfeiffer became known for ditching the robe and bench in favor of sitting across from defendants at a table. His most notable work was cracking down on slumlords, like Stuart Kaplow. In 2001, Pfeiffer ordered Kaplow to live in one of his own run-down apartments until he brought all his nearly 700 units into compliance. Pfeiffer even did a mosey to make sure Kaplow was living there. It earned nationwide media attention and solidified his reputation for creative sentences and solutions.

“I also think it set a benchmark for other landlords: ‘Look, this could happen to you,’” says Bill Hedrick, the case’s prosecutor and now Pfeiffer’s chief of staff.

Pfeiffer’s interest in housing traces to his early campaign days. When he went door to door in areas under economic distress, he was struck by the contagious negative effects of properties that had fallen into blight and decay. Those neighborhoods often tended to be predominantly African-American, due to the city’s legacy of redlining and segregation.

Mike Curtin, who covered the 1980 prosecutor’s race for the Dispatch, says Pfeiffer was always very self-aware of being a “good-looking, blond-haired, Teutonic guy” in a diverse city, cognizant of involving himself in the communites he represented.

In typical fashion, Pfeiffer is blunt: “You’re a white Democrat, and you’re told you got to go to the black churches.” While it may have been a politically expedient campaign tactic, Pfeiffer never left; even with no more elections to win, he says he still attends those churches.

He ingrained himself in the neighborhoods and learned firsthand from residents about the issues—like housing—that matter to them.

He wants to hear everything for himself, and he says he’s never taken a poll in his career.

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Pfeiffer drives toward the Residences at Career Gateway.

His political approach also had meaningful effects on his children: Sacha, Sonya and Seth. In an email, Sonya wrote that through her father’s campaigning, “we were exposed to communities and immersed in experiences that most middle-class white kids in Columbus, Ohio, were not,” like services in different churches, playing with children from other socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds and eating meals with newly settled immigrants. It gave her a broad perspective on life in Columbus, and life in general.

Pfeiffer wanted to show his work to his kids, he says, but he was hoping for that profound outcome as well. He grew up when segregation was more explicit than today—he was 20 when the Civil Rights Act passed—and he thought Chatham Road in Clintonville was all there was. He wanted his children to realize the world was much bigger than their own neighborhood. “You want them to be tolerant,” he says. “You want them to understand.”

Driving south on Parsons Avenue, Pfeiffer rolls past Nationwide Children’s Hospital, commenting on how the ever-expanding campus is altering the area. He heads toward the United Methodist Church for All People, hoping to drop in on his friend, Rev. John Edgar. The church is like a one-stop com54

munity center, with a free store of donated goods, a pantry, medical services and a development arm that supports affordable housing. Pfeiffer bursts in and rattles cages until he finds Edgar in an upstairs hallway.

The two men worked together in 2009, in the aftermath of the housing crash, when the neighborhood was on fire. Arsonists were torching vacant buildings in Reeb-Hosack, south of Children’s, and as city attorney, Pfeiffer helped local leaders deal with blighted homes targeted by firebugs. He has been present, visible and passionate at a neighborhood level, Edgar says. Pfeiffer listens as his friend sings his praises; he may not be on the ballot anymore, but he’s still media savvy.

In 2010, with the housing crisis deepening, Jaiza Page became an assistant city attorney within the zone initiative, a program Pfeiffer created in 2008 to embed attorneys in each of the five police zones. They do ride-alongs, work with code enforcement officers, go to area commission meetings and talk to residents (basically, he created a team of professional moseyers). Page, now a city councilmember, remembers getting together with Pfeiffer, former Mayor Mike Coleman and Boyce Safford, the city’s director of development, to discuss the glut of vacant buildings, which had become havens for crime.

In 2012, the mayor’s office created the Vacant and Abandoned Property Initiative, with the goal of demolishing 900 such structures within four years. By 2015, VAP had met its goal, and Safford and Coleman say Pfeiffer was instrumental in its success.

Several people also praise Pfeiffer’s independence at City Hall, despite the consternation it sometimes caused. Coleman and Dan Williamson, the mayor’s former deputy chief of staff for communications, say Pfeiffer told people what they needed to hear, not what they wanted to hear. “We didn’t always agree, but it was always good to receive a perspective that he didn’t shy away from,” Coleman says.

“I think what would be accurate to say is that everyone respects Rick,” Williamson says, “and a lot of people get frustrated by him.”

Pfeiffer is autonomous by nature, but it’s also essential to his job; the Columbus City Charter made the city’s attorney and auditor independently elected roles. Curtin, who also served in the Ohio House, says it’s crucial for those officeholders to understand that they don’t function as appendages of the mayor or City Council. Hugh Dorrian, the iconic city auditor for the last 48 years, is also retiring at the end of 2017. “[Pfeiffer and Dorrian] are the two Titans,” Hutras says. “Those two guys always had the chutzpah to stand up to

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anybody.” (In November, Zach Klein won the city attorney’s race, and voters elected Megan Kilgore to replace Dorrian. Pfeiffer’s friend Judge Peeples won by 33 percent.)

Pfeiffer’s old Statehouse friends, reflecting on his retirement, rue that he never held statewide office. He could have been an Ohio Supreme Court justice, Hutras says. He should have been governor, Winters adds. “He’d have driven everybody nuts,” Murray replies.

It’s not that Pfeiffer didn’t consider it. He did—especially the Ohio attorney general’s race in 1990. But he’s never enjoyed fundraising, and he’s not very good at it, he says. He frequently mentions his discomfort with the increasingly blurred lines of campaign finance and corruption. “People don’t give you all that money because they think you’re an intellectual, that you’re going to give good judgment,” he says. “They want you to do something.”

Plus, there were many evenings away from his wife and kids while he was in the Senate— an empty plate at the dinner table. Janet, a teacher, was never that interested in politics anyway. So he took a gut check in 1990 and decided he couldn’t do it. It’s all history now, and the kids are grown. Seth runs a community TV station near Boston. Sacha is there too, reporting for the Spotlight team at the Boston Globe, where she won a Pulitzer Prize for her work on the Catholic Church’s sex abuse scandal (she was played by Rachel McAdams in the Oscar-winning “Spotlight” film). Sonya is a criminal defense and civil rights lawyer in Charlotte, where her father will soon take up residence. No more campaigns, no more Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. with three Fs. Sacha says those close to her father are wondering what will occupy his time without politics. “How do you make life still feel meaningful, and how do you still feel like you’re doing important work?” she asks. “I’m not even sure he knows the answer to that yet.”

After leaving the Church for All People, Pfeiffer heads to the Residences at Career Gateway, a new multifamily complex nearby that was created in part by Community Development for All People, the church’s housing arm. It also includes a workforce training center, with hopes it will provide employees to Children’s Hospital. The buildings look clean, modern, well-kept. But it’s subsidized, like so many residential developments in lowincome areas. Ever since Pfeiffer was in the Senate, he’s struggled with how to get the private market back into affordable housing. He’s served as a mentor to Page—who interned with him during high school—and he’s pushing her to use her platform with City Council to figure it out. “This utopian mixed-

Above, Pfeiffer stands near a memorial rock on Martin Avenue in Franklinton; below, he talks with attorney Hamilton Joel Teaford and Rev. John Edgar in the United Methodist Church for All People.

income is a dream,” he says, “but I don’t know if human behavior will get you there.”

He’s felt his octane dipping recently, and today is overcast. When he visits the South Side on dreary days, Pfeiffer gets dispirited.

Are conditions even improving? The work is slow, the results mixed. It’s time to go.

He’s already made some retirement plans.

He’s going to ride bikes with his granddaughter. He’s going to try to play the piano. He’s going to study Charlotte—go to City Council and school board meetings, walk around the courthouse, attend churches. He’s going to mosey. Charlotte’s not a grid, though—it has streets that twist and turn and change names.

He’ll try to figure it out.

Today’s mosey has actually been refreshing, despite the weather. His energy is up.

“What rejuvenates me is to get out,” he says.

And there are signs of hope. Pfeiffer spots new roofs and renovations to homes underway. He drives by The Barrett Apartments, an attractive old school in Merion Village that’s been converted into luxury units. People are taking care of these properties—decorative pumpkins adorn the doorsteps. “You got to be a pumpkin observer,” he jokes.

It’s time to call it a day. He turns north on Third Avenue. Katzinger’s—that’s where presidential hopefuls eat when they come to town. He creeps forward in rush-hour traffic. See that church there? It was built in 1865. He hangs a left onto Broad Street and drops us off, with a box of Franklin County atlases and two bags of maps he wants Tim to give to his kids’ classmates. Then he’s off again—gone. ◆ DECEMBER 2017 Columbus monthly

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An entrepreneur and a progressive village council have Johnstown poised to reap the economic benefits of medical marijuana.

By Jeff Long Photos By Tim Johnson

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on Aug. 12, 1926, a one-eyed tenant farmer with a dead pig and a shovel put Johnstown on the map. Jim Bailey, “who lost an eye years ago,” according to the Johnstown Independent, was having a bad day, digging a hole in a “quaking bog, which was recently drained” on Friend Butt’s land to bury a sow that had drowned in a watering hole the night before. A few feet down in the black muck, “his spade struck something hard and he soon discovered what proved to be the remains of a great discovery.” his one good eye “bulged out enough for a pair.”

An expert called in from Columbus pronounced the great discovery to be the skeleton of a mastodon. It was not just any skeleton: It was one of the most complete such specimens ever found. the expert estimated the creature’s

age at about 30,000 years, but the Johnstown Independent was skeptical: “how he or anyone else knows that it has been so long since this monster roamed and reigned we leave it for the reader to determine, but in our conservative way we will say this big boy has been dead a long time.”

A historical marker at the village border promotes the mastodon as the town’s claim to fame. A few days after the news of the great beast’s discovery spread, 10,000 people paid 25 cents a head to trample on Butt’s farm and gaze in awe. From the Aug. 19, 1926, Johnstown Independent: “C.A. Benedict, the photographer, sold on sunday 2,000 pictures at 10 cents each to the visitors and could have sold more. A dozen people were unable to serve the crowd at a refreshment

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stand on the grounds, while all four of our restaurants were sold out with nary a bun or bottle of pop remaining.”

They came for weeks, in hordes, under fairground lights amid concession stands. The Independent crowed, “Johnstown is being heralded from a thousand miles away as the mastodon town.”

You can coast on that kind of glory for only so long. After 91 years, it might be time for a new claim to fame. Try this on: Johnstown, Marijuana Capital of the Midwest. This is not far-fetched. At least not as far-fetched as a one-eyed farmer burying a pig in a quaking bog on Friend Butt’s farm delivering Johnstown everlasting fame, or as the local newspaper called it, “deserved notoriety.”

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Marijuana, as medicine, is legal now in Ohio. And while other Ohio cities (including a number of Columbus suburbs with revenue troubles of their own) have gone out of their way to declare marijuana—medical, legal or otherwise—unwelcome, it’s this unlikely slice of rural Licking County, where men still gather in Legion halls and Lions clubs, where churches outnumber bars and fossil finds are celebrated for a century, that has embraced the audacity of dope and positioned itself to become one of the big players in a business that’s just starting to boom. Credit a young, bright village manager, an open-minded village council and an entrepreneur who recognized opportunity when it knocked.

Pot is all business for Andy Joseph. He doesn’t smoke it—“I was in the military”— which is probably just as well because he’s got a multimillion-dollar company to run, and a whole lot riding on how Ohio manages its brand-new medical marijuana industry. Joseph, 46, is trim and handsome.

He wears jeans and brings his two German shepherds to work, where they have free run of the premises. But his laid-back manner is deceptive. You sense a serious mind at work here. “If you know Andy, he doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” says Jim Lenner, Johnstown’s village manager.

If and when Johnstown becomes a marijuana hub, Joseph will be the man who started it all. Kind of like Bailey and his shovel. Which is nice because Joseph is a local boy who grew up down the road in New Albany before New Albany became New Albany. He lives in Johnstown now (“After I got out of college, New Albany

was no longer affordable”) with his wife, Kristen, five kids and two dogs. After high school he spent six years in the Navy as a machinist working on reactors on nuclear submarines (his father was also a machinist in the Navy). Then he enrolled in Ohio State University’s welding and engineering program, earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. While still in school, and later while working at Edison Welding institute, Joseph earned extra cash in the fabrication business. Tinkering away in his barn, he began to attract customers who were looking for botanical oil extraction devices, a market that mainly consisted of natural flavoring, hops extraction for beer, etc.

Still at Edison, Joseph founded his own company, Apeks Supercritical. He was going to call it Apex, but that was taken. To keep the name at the front of the phonebook (and Google searches), Joseph hit on Apeks. As far as the supercritical part? It’s a fancy term for a process often used in extraction, as in the decaffeination of coffee or the production of oils and other pharmaceuticals from plants. “It was literally a backyard operation,” he says, with his mills and lathes filling up his barn. But it was successful. “I basically had two full-time jobs.” Then, “Around 2008, 2009, the cannabis industry found us.”

It’s nothing short of amazing what Ohio’s legislators, properly motivated, can accomplish. School funding, redistricting—they’ve failed tragically to resolve stuff like that for years, decades even. But the Ohio General

Assembly and its Republican political leadership assigned a task force, held hearings and passed a bill for Gov. John Kasich’s signature in six short months in the first half of 2016 to expeditiously legalize medical marijuana.

While legalizing medical marijuana is hardly a right-wing priority, Ohio’s Republican leadership likely saw the writing on the wall and decided to fight the fight on its own terms.

Republican lawmakers had barely breathed a sigh of relief over the lopsided defeat of Issue 3, which would have legalized recreational pot in Ohio, in November 2015 when they realized that more—and certainly bettercrafted—marijuana legislation was coming their way. The notions that Issue 3 would create a monopoly and that its language was confusing were blamed for its failure. But nobody doubted the polls that showed increased voter tolerance of marijuana, making some kind of legalization inevitable.

The Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington, D.C.-based group that’s been working on marijuana ballot issues around the country, was ready to step in with a medical marijuana ballot proposal of its own. Issue 3 “was a not-great idea, badly executed,” says Chris Lindsey, senior legislative counsel for MPP. But suddenly Ohio legislators were ready to talk about medical marijuana. Cynics might speculate that the presence of a marijuana issue on a fall ballot in a presidential election year might spark a large liberal youth turnout, perhaps motivating our Republican lawmakers to act first. Lindsey says that might have been a factor, but if so it was nebulous: “Pot on the ballot doesn’t necessarily drive young voters.”

Downtown Johnstown

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Andy Joseph, with his dogs Nela and Gero, is CEO of Apeks Supercritical, a business in Johnstown that manufactures equipment to extract oils from botanicals.

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But don’t discount the effect of polls on politicians. In explaining the willingness of his colleagues to legalize prescription weed, Republican state Sen. Jay Hottinger, whose district includes Johnstown, says, “Medical marijuana polls incredibly strong. We knew it was going to resurface again.” Even some marijuana advocates preferred a legislative approach; after all, they had only gone the ballot route because of Statehouse opposition. “We had lobbied for years and couldn’t get hearing one,” Lindsey says.

A constitutional amendment ties lawmakers’ hands by locking language into law.

If state leaders had managed to handle the gambling issue with the same efficiency as the pot issue, Ohio would not have been saddled with the four-casino duopoly voters approved in 2009. “It was better for us to do it on our own,” Hottinger says. “We wanted to make sure we had safeguards.”

The House passed the bill easily, but it squeaked in the Senate by an 18-15 margin.

Kasich’s signature made Ohio the 25th state to legalize medical marijuana.

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So, what’s that legislation look like in Ohio?

Basically, you can’t smoke it, you can’t grow your own, and you’ve got to be in pretty bad shape before you can get anywhere near it.

The proposed ballot issues would have been less restrictive, but their sponsors withdrew them, reluctantly, when it appeared the General Assembly was on board. United Ohio, a pot advocacy group not involved in either proposal, summed it up best in a statement to the Dispatch. “We may not have home grow.

We may be missing important delivery forms.

We may not have a robust enough list of qualifying conditions. But we no longer have a state without a medical marijuana program. And that’s more than we had last week.”

Since pot is still outlawed by the federal government, doctors can’t prescribe it. They can, however, “recommend” its use after the doctor and patient are registered with the State Medical Board of Ohio. Recommendations are limited to 21 specific diseases and conditions, including AIDS, Alzheimer’s, cancer, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, pain that is either chronic and severe or intrac-

table, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, Tourette’s syndrome and traumatic brain injury. Patients can receive a 90-day supply of pot in various forms: capsules, creams, edibles, patches, solids or oil and plant material for vaporizing.

“Considering they didn’t want to move on this at all, these guys actually did a pretty good job,” Lindsey says. “The reason they were able to do it so fast was they deferred to the agencies, and the agencies actually wanted the system to work. They have a system calibrated to what would work in Ohio.”

The agencies in question are the state’s pharmacy board, medical board and Department of Commerce, which together run the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov is a fine resource). The law mandates that the program start by Sept. 8, 2018, which means all the OMMCP needs to do is review hundreds of applications from people who want to grow the pot, process the pot, test the pot and supply the pot to doctors and patients, award the licenses and inspect the facilities

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Clockwise from far left: A welder at Apeks Supercritical; Tim Marsh works on control panels at Apeks; jars of hops oils used in the research and development area at Apeks Supercritical; employee Alivia Didion inside Apeks Supercritical

in time for the growers to get their first crops in, get them processed, tested and issued to dispensaries. In the next 10 months.

Commerce director Jacqueline Williams told the Dispatch in September that the program will “absolutely” meet that deadline.

From the 185 applications, the OMMCP was to select 24 cultivators—12 large and 12 small, as spelled out in the legislation. OMMCP spokeswoman Stephanie Gostomski insisted in late October that those license recipients were to be notified by Dec. 1. But hold off on planting those seeds. “They will still have to get a certificate of operation,” Gostomski says.

When Andy Joseph came to Johnstown’s leaders last year with his idea to create a medical marijuana hub, part of the pitch was that Johnstown would be the first Ohio municipality to embrace the marijuana industry. “He pitched it at a council meeting, and all but one or two people were intrigued,” says Lenner. “We’re a small

community, like many others, that struggles with funding. All these other Columbus suburbs are banning it—of course it’s OK if you don’t need to take a risk. We’re willing to take a risk.”

The second part of Joseph’s pitch was that he’s already in the game, selling (or leasing) his extraction machinery to companies in other states for the purpose of producing medicinal marijuana products.

By 2012, Joseph’s little backyard operation was generating annual revenue of about $750,000—enough to allow him to quit his corporate job to keep up with the growth.

And grow it did. By 2015, Apeks’s revenue had climbed to around $13 million, and the Inc. 5000 list named it the fastest-growing private company in Ohio and among the top 25 nationally.

Joseph is fond of saying he’s like a pickax manufacturer during the Gold Rush. But these are no pickaxs. The factory floor at Apeks, located in an otherwise drab building in the Johnstown Business Park, positively gleams with sleek silver cylinders, elaborate control boards, dials, gauges and hoses. The cheapest machine here, Joseph says, goes for $80,000, and the top of the line is $475,000.

It didn’t take a particularly hard sell for Johnstown’s village leaders to realize they were poised to benefit from the state’s legalization legislation. They were, in fact, ahead of the game with Apeks already doing a multimillion-dollar business servicing the industry inside their 20-year-old business park. If they could put planning and zoning into place to meet the state’s regulations, and do it while other cities were busy with moral indignation, Joseph explained, the economic benefits to not just Apeks but to Johnstown could be substantial. Marijuana was a $5 billion-a-year industry in 2015. By 2020, it’s expected to be around $20 billion. To bolster his pitch, Joseph brought in experts from the medical community, and from where medical marijuana was already available, to talk to Johnstown’s village council.

Justin Breidenbach teaches accounting at Ohio Wesleyan University and has made himself an expert on the marijuana industry.

He’s consulted with clients who want to get into the business of pot on the accounting and banking side of things.

“There’s a little town in Colorado, their tax revenue from marijuana sales exceeded their rainy-day fund,” Breidenbach says.

“They created a capital improvement program where anybody—a homeowner, a busi-

ness—if they spent money on a new roof, say, or improved their property, the city would reimburse them. They’d pay for it.”

“When cities see the dollars this can bring in … and being first to enter—people are very loyal in this industry, someone who’s ready to take a risk, they appreciate it,” adds Breidenbach.

Johnstown’s council heard enough to be convinced. It passed a resolution in August 2016 welcoming businesses related to the pot industry. This year it approved rezoning the business park to make it legal for pot cultivators and decided to tax marijuana companies at the same rate as other businesses. Public reaction has been almost all positive, Lenner says, with even the police department on board. Among those not pleased was Lewis Main, the lone “no” vote on the council’s resolution. He’s been involved in Johnstown politics for more than 30 years as a councilman, mayor, planner then councilman again.

“My opposition was religious, number one. I’m a Christian,” Main says. “Number two, my daughter has a doctorate in pharmacy and she has educated me that marijuana is not a necessity for pain management. I’m concerned about the reputation of our small village. I’m not rooting against it, but I don’t think it’s right for us.”

Hottinger says he was surprised at Johnstown’s move: “Obviously, Johnstown is a pretty conservative community. But the law gives local government the freedom to do that. It’s their prerogative. I’m certainly not going to interfere.”

The response to Johnstown’s initiative astounded Lenner. Calls started pouring in for the village’s five cultivation lots, which were quickly snatched up. Five cultivators, including Joseph, stood ready to become Johnstown’s budding ganjapreneurial class.

But until the state weeds through those 185 applications for 24 licenses, all Johnstown and its anxious cultivators can do is wait.

“I’d like [Johnstown] to get two [licenses],” Lenner says. “If we don’t get at least one, that will be very disappointing.”

On the other hand, “I was interviewed in Marijuana Times. That was a high point for me,” he says.

Oh, and the mastodon? Jim Bailey sold out his share to Friend Butt, who sold it to some Newark businessmen who then sucked whatever profit was left out of it and sold it to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. You can still see it if you go up there. But after 91 years, Johnstown is digging for something new. ◆ DECEMBER 2017 Columbus monthly

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Home&Style Q&A p. 68 | produCts p. 72 | feAture p. 74 | top 25 p. 82

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Pizzuti’s ColleCtion

Whether it’s buildings or art, developer Ron Pizzuti has spent a lifetime collecting projects with lasting appeal, including le Méridien Columbus, the Joseph hotel in the short north.

Photo by tim johnson

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Home & Style Q&A

Going Social Local expert gives advice about socializing in style.

By SHERRY BECk PaPRoCki

It’s that magical time of year when gatherings are planned and memories—hopefully good ones—are made. Columbus native and lifestyle expert Rita Fuller-Yates offers some words of advice to ensure that guests celebrate in perfect harmony. Fuller-Yates attended Ohio University for a bachelor’s degree in history and then received a master’s degree in interior design from the Savannah College of Art & Design.

You produce a YouTube series called Home Again. What inspires you to do it? Sharing my mission to help people become more social is a very important part of my role as a lifestyle expert. Using media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook makes it easier to communicate to a large mass of people. It is my show’s goal to provide tips, resources and guidelines to people that have difficulty being social in their homes. My show helps [people visualize] the process and steps of social entertainment.

I teach people how to make simple meals that taste much like our grandmothers’ meals that were made from scratch, but with a lot less work. I also do interviews of local artists, restaurants and entrepreneurs as a resource for entertainers to use. And I offer tips and guidelines to help create a 68

lifestyle expert Rita Fuller-yates teaches how to create a fun and comfortable home for socializing.

Check out the complete interview with Fuller-yates at columbusmonthly.com

friendly, inviting—yet beautiful—home space for guests to enjoy. “Home Again” is primarily filmed live on Facebook and then transferred to my YouTube channel for others to enjoy.

What advice can you give us for the upcoming holiday season? The best way to become the best hostess during the holiday season is to relax, connect with your guests and have fun. In today’s society, we make the process of visiting one another’s homes very complicated and somewhat boujie [bourgeoisie].

Hostesses should remind themselves that — although the visitors are visiting their homes— the primary purpose of the visit is to connect with the hostess. If the hostess is overwhelmed with decorations, cooking and gift bags, they can miss the opportunity to share a great moment with their guests. Once the doorbell rings, it’s time for me to stop working and give

myself to my guests by smiling, laughing at the latest video seen on their social media page and providing them with a [memorable] experience. When a guest is satisfied with the great feeling they had when visiting your home, they are sure to return. It is rarely because of the great décor, food and/or gifts.

From an interior design standpoint, what are we doing in our homes these days that needs fixed? My biggest pet peeve about home visits is sometimes people place more emphases on their houses versus the people in their houses. Don’t get me wrong, being an interior designer myself I am a big advocate of beautiful chairs, colorful pillows and fabulous shiny wood floors.

However, I’m a bigger advocate of people laughing, sharing, children playing and entertainment. ◆

Photo: tim Johnson

You are a lifestyle expert. How did you come to that conclusion after obtaining your degree in interior design? Yes, I am a lifestyle expert. My field of study and passion for interior design is very important to me.

I like to say that I’m visually intelligent. But more importantly, to become a great interior designer you have to learn the particulars of people in their own spaces. The socialization of people always intrigues me.

It wasn’t enough for me to create pretty spaces but I enjoyed the smiles, lifestyles and conversation of the people in the space. As I began to study my own passions and normal patterns of life, I noticed I naturally entertained and people enjoyed coming to visit my home. I then recognized the need for social interactions at home and so I chose to brand myself as a lifestyle expert to combine these three facets: interior design, people and home entertainment.

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Photo: tim Johnson

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Home & Style stylE notEs

Hilton Easton: Refreshed

Easton Social, the Hilton lobby bar, was part of a $13 million renovation this year.

which also owns the Courtyard Columbus at Easton, the Residence Inn Columbus at Easton, the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa and others.

“When we embarked on this expansive, dual-phase mission to redefine sophistica-

tion in hospitality, we did so with a clear vision informed by years of hotel and design expertise coupled with our deep understanding of the local market and region,” says Andrea Olshan, CEO of Olshan Properties. —Sherry Beck Paprocki

Instant style Denim styles continue to evolve, and this season is no different. Ripped or destroyed jeans are everywhere but if you’re looking for a work-appropriate style—or you’re not quite ready to take scissors to your favorite pair—there are other ways to stay on trend. —Chelsea Savage

Emily van der Walde German Village ∙ @emilyvdw Emily dressed up the ripped denim trend by adding an oversized scarf and booties. this is a great example of how to mix materials and colors but still accomplish a cohesive look.

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Sydney Smith Westerville ∙ @sydneynichelle We love the way sydney paired a fur vest with her denim. by adding a little texture above the knee, this pair of jeans can easily transition from day to evening outfits.

Sam Columbus ∙ @prettygirlparade sam’s frayed and cuffed ankle jeans are a perfect way to subtly incorporate the trend. her velvet top, booties and statement belt dress up the denim to create a contemporary holiday look.

photos: top, courtesy hilton easton; bottom, left to right, courtesy emily van der walde; courtesy sydney smith; courtesy sam

Easton’s original hotel, the Hilton, has undergone a complete refresh over the last few years, providing a comfortable, modernized setting for a holiday retreat after more than $27 million was spent on recent renovations.

If shopping is getting you down this month, the new lobby bar, Easton Social, might be a place to stop. The lobby lounge was part of this year’s renovation, which involves posh new furnishings, chandeliers and other modern décor for the hotel’s grand foyers and other public spaces, which were renovated at a cost of slightly more than $13 million. Guest rooms and suites were refurbished in 2016, at a total cost of about $14 million.

A long-popular conference spot since its opening in 2000, the hotel’s renovations have also included an addition of 9,000 square feet of meeting rooms and event space. The update includes modernized conveniences, too, such as the ability for Hilton Honors members to bypass the front desk and check in via smartphone.

The AAA Four Diamond property is managed by New York-based Olshan Properties,

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photos: top, courtesy hilton easton; bottom, left to right, courtesy emily van der walde; courtesy sydney smith; courtesy sam

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Home & Style produCts

Cashmere and Fur The winter holidays are upon us, offering the perfect excuse to add opulence and enchantment to our homes and wardrobes. Cashmere and fur provide the ultimate luxury for warmth and style on cold and dark winter nights. Whether you are bundling up by the fire in a cashmere throw or jaunting to parties around town in a fur-collared cape, these versatile pieces will keep you comfortable through the coldest temps. —Ana —Ana Piper 1 Channel faux fur pillow cover, $69–129 at Restoration Hardware 2 Linda Richards reversible cashmere and fox cape, $1,424 at Jeffrey Thomas 3 Oversized faux fur wrap in blush, $69.95 at Nordstrom 4 Ribbed cashmere throw, $429 at Restoration Hardware 5 Teal faux fur snood, $24.99 at World Market

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Photos: 1 and 4, courtesy restoration hardware; ardware; 2 and 3, tim Johnson; 5, courtesy world market

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Photos: 1 and 4, courtesy restoration hardware; 2 and 3, tim Johnson; 5, courtesy world market

JEWELERS

11/7/17 3:25 PM

Home & Style Feature

By Sherry Beck PaPrOcki | PhOtOS By tim JOhnSOn

rOn Pizzuti chatS aBOut art and deSign while giving a tOur Of hiS miranOva PenthOuSe.

On the 26th flOOr of the Miranova residential tower, the Pizzuti penthouse is long thought to be the best-designed modern living space Downtown. Developer Ron Pizzuti and his wife of 50 years, Ann, live here quietly, opening their private home to family, friends and occasional philanthropic events.

The Pizzutis are pioneers of Downtown living. Seventeen years after moving into their home atop Miranova, Pizzuti says he still has to pinch himself when it comes to this place. Both he and his wife grew up in modest settings. The young Pizzuti moved nine times between kindergarten and his senior year of high school due to his father’s real estate investments in Kent, Ohio.

But he has come far from those days in Kent. Aside from being one of the city’s most noted developers and a globally recog-

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nized art collector, his home in Downtown Columbus was once presented in Architectural Digest by its New York-based architect, the late Charles Gwathmey (the architect who said he strived for serenity when designing the white-walled, 12,000-squarefoot home in the sky).

On this rainy Thursday morning, Ron Pizzuti ushers us into the main living space.

(Ann is not at home.) As we enter, he seems oblivious to the fact that first-time visitors are gasping at the oversized artwork and the panoramic views that the voluminous space offers. Some walls here soar to 40 feet high— to accommodate the renowned Pizzuti art collection—and expansive windows offer a view of the Columbus skyline and the bustling building sites situated several stories below. The LeVeque Tower looms large and statuesque, as it centers into view.

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Ron Pizzuti stands in his home library at Miranova, near a circular staircase that leads to a reading loft and guest suite.

When he’s home alone, this is his favorite space.

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Home & Style Feature

The Pizzuti Collection in the Short North.

That dramatic visual impact was important when this space was designed. The Pizzutis have been among the top 200 art buyers and collectors in the world each year since 1994, according to annual lists created by ARTNews.

Their home, when coupled with their art, is awe-inspiring. When he designed the penthouse home, Gwathmey saw to it that the Pizzuti abode would accommodate the couple’s growing art collection.

Yet, this space also has a sense of playfulness and modern order—ceilings soar and light pours in through wide windows and a long skylight. Tables, chairs—nearly every piece of furniture—seem perfectly positioned, proportionately designed for the space. Many pieces, including the dining room table, were created specifically for this home.

Pizzuti once told a writer for Forbes magazine that buying art purely as investment was the wrong approach. “Art is a passion,” he says today.

This space reflects his passion for contemporary art. The sheer size of the art on dis-

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play cannot be underestimated. One metal sculpture had to be lifted by crane to the top of this building. Another, a colorful statue of a youngster, was flown in by helicopter after Pizzuti purchased it from the Japanese artist called, simply, Mr. This morning Pizzuti seems happy to be our tour guide. He’s wearing casual black trousers and a polo shirt, though the ensemble includes a matching black sling for an arm injury he suffered after a fall when leaving a Short North restaurant five weeks earlier.

It’s only 10 a.m., but Pizzuti explains that his appointments started at 7 that morning—with the physical therapist and a few others. Passing through the living room, he stops briefly to explain only one piece of art. Hanging over the fireplace is a huge portrait of the British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare, painted by another artist, Kehinde Wiley. This was one painting in a series presented at the Sean Kelly Gallery in New York.

Pizzuti leads us into the library, where ladders climb up layers of bookshelves and a circular staircase winds upward to a reading loft.

We stop at the door, and he apologizes for the disarray. They are in the process of rearranging their books, he explains. He and his wife are working together to reorganize the room.

Art books are on that wall, he says, waving toward the west side of the room. On the north wall there are sections for history, fiction and more. Later, he points to a series of red bindings on a top shelf: bound collections of Columbus Monthly, dating back to this magazine’s first issues in 1975. We settle into comfortable chairs.

Pizzuti sets down a book he has been carrying. It’s Dan Brown’s recent release, “Origin.” When asked, he tells the story of hosting Brown and his father, in town during Pelotonia to honor OSU’s—The James Hospital, where the author’s mother was treated for cancer.

It’s clear, as Pizzuti talks throughout this conversation, that their Miranova home

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Pizzuti Outtakes

Alexandre Arrechea’s sculputure called Chrysler is in the sculpture garden at the Pizzuti Collection.

our two-hour conversation with the developer Ron Pizzuti resulted in a variety of assessments regarding his life and the city. below, are outtakes from the interview.

On graduate sChOOL: years ago, Pizzuti took night courses in a graduate business program at ohio state university. “I took two finance classes and the professor was an idiot,” he recalls, trailing off about coming close to getting a graduate degree, but he never finished his thesis. the esteemed Columbus developer has an honorary degree from CCAD. he wonders aloud if he’ll eventually get an honorary master’s degree from somewhere.

On his first jOb in deveLOPment: his foray into development came through tod ortlip, who later became a developer of the lakes Golf and Country Club, among other projects. ortlip recruited Pizzuti to work for ortlip’s father. Pizzuti quickly partnered with the company to build some twin singles.

“I made more money that first year, I was just flabbergasted,” he says. his earnings went from about $12,000 a year in retail to $250,000 on his first development venture.

Pizzuti laughs at the memory, saying he promptly lost money in each of the next three years.

On meeting his wife: Pizzuti explains that he had a girlfriend who worked at lazarus and another girlfriend in new york when he first met Ann. but their first date turned into a long, compelling conversation that lasted until 3 a.m. in the car on the property of the current Defense supply Center, near Whitehall, where her father served in the military. the next day, Pizzuti told his mother that he’d met the woman he would eventually marry. “Ann is part of everything I do,” he says today, adding that his company’s first name was Rann, years before he agreed to change it to Pizzuti.

is frequently filled with important guests, including their children and grandchildren.

Yet, he says, when Ann’s not in town, he stays in this library, a comfortable space when he’s home alone.

City Living There was a time in this city when Pizzuti and Les Wexner, the billionaire founder of L Brands, were roommates. It’s difficult to imagine, these two poor souls—before they became successful entrepreneurs, art col-

lectors and philanthropists—sowing their wild oats together in their 20s.

After graduating from Kent State University in 1962, Pizzuti skipped a job offer at Goodyear. He arrived in Columbus to work at the Downtown Lazarus department store in yard goods, the vintage term for the fabric department. There, he oversaw the custom creation of the wardrobe for Miss Ohio, 1964.

Today, from his penthouse high above the city, Pizzuti can likely see the building

where his career began. This morning he recalls his first days working at Lazarus. He had no money. Coffee was available on an honor system, and he swiped a few cups until his first payday. The same goes for the crackers that were offered there. Eventually, he bought his first lunch at the old Buckeye Room and, with a full stomach, went on to build a bigger career at the department store over the next six-and-a-half years.

When Lazarus transferred him to a job in Dallas, he didn’t stay long, returning

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Home & Style Feature

Pizzuti Outtakes On designing the MiranOva PenthOuse: Pizzuti tells the story that his wife didn’t want a skylight and she told him that they must scale down when they moved. (their home is 12,000 square feet and he claims that the skylight is 110 feet long.)

On art and ann: “If she doesn’t like it, it doesn’t get hung in the house,” he says.

On lOcal art influence: locally, eva Glimcher was his connection to the modern art world. “her goal in life was to get contemporary art in the hands of Columbus people,” he says. Pizzuti spent saturday mornings with his three children at Glimcher’s iconic Pace gallery. the first piece of art he purchased cost $900—it was a print by Dutch artist Karel appel. he paid $100 a month until it was done, but purchased a second piece during that time. his passion has been passed on. “all three kids collect,” he says. “they are more savvy than their father was when I was young.”

On the sciOtO greenway: “you look at this riverfront and it’s beautiful,” says Pizzuti, crediting landscape architect Keith myers for the vision. myers now leads ohio state university’s efforts to redesign the high street corridor through the university campus.

On nOrth Bank’s residential tOwers: Pizzuti has watched nationwide realty building its residential towers on the north bank of the scioto river. they’ve done fine with design, he says. then, he mentions that miranova has never had a tax abatement because back when he asked, the city fathers turned him down. (nationwide, and most of the ongoing Downtown projects since then, have enjoyed the benefits of tax abatements.)

to Columbus to work for his old friend Wexner. For another six-and-a-half years he worked for The Limited, Wexner’s first venture, traveling frequently to New York.

It was during that time that he began learning about art.

Eventually, he started traveling to Paris on business with Wexner. Tired of pubs and visiting cathedrals, he walked into an art gallery. There, he caught a glimpse of a Frank Stella painting priced at $10,000. He returned home without it and researched the artist.

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The Pizzuti home is at the very top of Miranova.

“It was my first exposure to contemporary art,” he says.

Today he and Stella are friends, and the artist has been in this Miranova home. A much larger rendition of that first work Pizzuti saw in Paris now hangs perfectly over the library’s fireplace.

The Pizzutis have been collecting art for 40 years, and Ron sits on the board of trustees for the Wexner Center Foundation, which his old friend chairs. Pizzuti also is an honorary trustee of the Columbus Museum

of Art and has been involved on committees for the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

Several years ago, when the Pizzutis’ home could no longer contain their passion for art, it spilled out to a “very secure warehouse,” he says. (“We build warehouses for a living,” Pizzuti adds, greatly understating his company’s development work.) Calls come in from museums around the world, and the family accommodates requests to loan out pieces for exhibition.

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The Joseph hotel lobby in the Short North features more of the Pizzuti’s modern art collection.

As years passed, and more art was purchased, the couple decided it was time to share more of their collection. “We had put together a pretty strong contemporary collection and we weren’t able to show it,” he says. “It was time to share what we’ve done.”

That’s when Pizzuti bought a 90-yearold former insurance building in the Short North, facing Goodale Park, and refurbished it into the Pizzuti Collection, Columbus’s first private art museum. It opened in 2015.

More of the family’s collection is displayed nearby at Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph, a luxury boutique hotel that opened on High Street in 2015, another Pizzuti project, this one named for Ron’s father.

Building Miranova These days, Pizzuti talks a lot more about art than he does the development business he founded in 1976. Building Miranova— Downtown’s first residential high-rise— and an adjacent corporate building was obviously not an easy task. Initially, the site involved a furniture store and an art shop situated on a brownfield that needed an environmental cleanup. But our conversation about building Miranova quickly turns to art again. Pizzuti says he still owns the 63 pieces of African art that he agreed to take as part of the Miranova property purchase.

The couple was living in Bexley as he was pondering the Miranova project. “People were screaming for a [residential] alter-

native,” he recalls of his Bexley neighbors, many of whom had become empty nesters.

It took “about two years” to convince his wife that Downtown was a viable living option. That’s because their Bexley place had all the right accoutrements—a big lawn, a swimming pool and a tennis court, he says.

In the end, Ann agreed to move Downtown, and the couple donated their large Bexley residence to serve as the home of the president of Ohio State University.

Pizzuti chuckles as he recalls the early days of designing the Miranova complex.

He fired Miranova’s first architect, Gwathmey, of the New York-based Gwathmey, Siegel & Associates. The architect had designed condos with “New York-size [small] kitchens and soaking bathtubs,” explains Pizzuti. He then hired a firm from Miami called Arquitectonica, to complete the building’s design. (Bigger kitchens were then installed.)

Eventually, he rehired the first architect, he says, to design their top-floor home.

Gwathmey made a statement, though, when he redesigned the entire top of the building. Pizzuti laughs; the two remained good friends until the architect’s death a few years ago.

“We probably overbuilt and overdesigned,” he says, in retrospect.

The developer’s hunch about Downtown living was correct, though. Miranova was an immediate splash. “This was an easy sale,” he recalls, remembering back to the

days of recruiting his suburban peers to move their homes to the high-rise. Once the three “Johns” purchased their units sales went well, he explains. The “Johns” he refers to are former Dispatch publisher John F. Wolfe, Worthington Industries founder John H. McConnell and the astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn. (All three have since died.)

“Now I get in the elevator and I hardly know anyone,” he adds.

Looking out a window, Pizzuti briefly complains that the view includes a lot of rooftops of other Downtown buildings. He and his wife spend leisure hours peoplewatching those using the refurbished Scioto Greenway below. “We started a renaissance,” he says, of Downtown’s revitalization.

Back in his library, Pizzuti looks up. Ceilings are 22- or 24-feet high here, depending on where they are measured. It’s this space, on the building’s west side, that creates the rounded edges that can be seen at the top of Miranova. A circular, steel staircase winds its way from the library to private guest quarters above.

“I always wanted a library with a bar,” the developer says, smiling. There is one right behind him.

Being at HoMe Even though his company’s projects take him all over the country and he still enjoys global travel for pleasure, Pizzuti claims Columbus as his home.

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lection—more than a dozen family photos that are exquisitely framed and arranged on countertops.

Beyond, the dining room hosts furnishings created by the architect Gwathmey, perfectly designed consoles and an expansive dining room table. There’s a painting sitting atop a console here, recently purchased from a local artist. Pizzuti waves toward another piece as we pass it, noting that it soon will be prepared to ship for loan to a museum. On a nearby wall is a piece by Rob Wynne, which Ann chose, that shows champagne bubbles floating from a glass.

We walk down a 70-foot gallery, a curator’s delight, as Pizzuti points to each piece and tells the story of the artist behind it. Artists’ names and stories come so quickly at this point that it’s difficult to grasp the enormity of the collection in this space alone.

Most prominent, perhaps, is a series of a dozen—maybe more—bells hanging from the ceiling, created by Hodges. There’s a chess set called “Good verses Evil” by the artist Maurizio Cattelan, in which each piece represents a person. Pizzuti ponders why fashion designer Donatella Versace stars on the evil team here.

Throughout the home, works by modern masters abound—Frank Gehry, Alexander Calder, KAWS, Willem de Kooning, Fred Wilson, El Anatsui and others.

“I have no talent,” Pizzuti responds when asked if he creates art himself.

Our tour lands at the far east side of the penthouse, in guest quarters, complete with a den and an ensuite bedroom. This area is separated from the main living quarters by the gallery and a large exterior patio that overlooks the city. Spinning around, we go back down the gallery hallway toward the elevators, noting artwork in a windowed space above—it’s the master suite.

Still, there is one last thing to see, he says.

Pizzuti heads toward a small corner space dedicated to children’s works. “Gallery 2600,” he says, referring to the artwork of his seven grandchildren. He’s obviously pleased with their talent, so much that he also installed “PC Kids” gallery at the Pizzuti Collection. He points to a granddaughter’s photo showing her near perfect reproduction of a Picasso painting.

As I focus on the picture of the child and her work, he adds: “And here’s the painting.”

His granddaughter’s framed replica of the Picasso painting hangs proudly nearby. ◆

pizzuti Outtakes On the nOrth Market expansiOn: Pizzuti’s company this year was outbid for a residential and commercial high-rise to be built in the parking lot of the north market.

Pizzuti’s plan called for two, shorter towers, while the project winner proposed a building that soars to 35 stories high. “I think what they selected is ridiculous,” he says. “I don’t say that as a sore loser. We do a lot of projects and we can’t get all of them.”

On the GeOrGian desiGn Of new albany: he compliments the design of new albany, a one-time rural farmscape that his old pal Wexner transformed into the most upscale suburb in Central ohio. “they’ve set standards and followed them,” he says. “I like Georgian.”

On the desiGn Of COluMbus: Pizzuti thinks the city of Columbus should stick with a design standard, though it never seems to be successful doing so. he’s passionate about creating a public art program for the city— maybe even art he could see from his home. a proposal he made for a public art project along the river in 2011 was squashed by city leaders.

“It’s the 14th largest city in the country and is without a really strong public art program,” he says. meanwhile, he bought a place in manhattan that overlooks madison square Park Conservatory, where he serves on the art committee that selects sculpture for the park.

On CritiquinG lOCal arChiteCture: one new apartment building under construction near miranova “looks like halloween,” he says, referring to it as a “horror.”

On franklintOn: “We’re going to do something over there, I don’t know what,” he says, confirming that his company has an option on property in the area.

On pizzuti prOjeCts: For now, this developer’s days are spent with his art and discussing a dizzying array of projects overseen by his son, Joel. there’s a 330-apartment project in orlando; a library in Winter Park, Florida; four projects in Chicago; Whirlpool’s headquarters in benton harbor, michigan; a larger Joseph hOtel in nashville; and a few other projects underway in Columbus.

rendering: Pizzuti Co.

“I moved here because I had a job here,” he says. “It’s a good place to raise a business and a family.”

Like others, he’s become one of the city’s biggest cheerleaders. “In the last few years, I jump up and down and talk about it,” he adds. From his high perch, Pizzuti has witnessed mega changes in the city, including the nearby Franklinton neighborhood—an eyesore-turned-hotspot—that once concerned early residents of his tower.

This morning, more than two hours into the conversation and after reluctantly posing for a few photos, Pizzuti offers a whirlwind tour of the rest of his home.

“I don’t work from home,” he says, emphatically. Yet, we know the mind of this entrepreneurial developer and collector is always at work, even though there’s not an office space apparent. Much of his time these days is spent at the 18,000-square-foot Pizzuti Collection or working with his son, Joel, who is now president of The Pizzuti Companies.

We pass through the expansive living room, with two conversational groups of four chairs each, surrounding modern coffee tables. We note the exquisite modern design of all and, later, Pizzuti promises there will be an exhibit of chairs at his museum next year. At the far side of the room, a grand stairway ascends to the second floor master suite.

There, in the living room, is a sculpture of auto parts by John Chamberlain. Nearby, high in a doorway is a web created by New York installation artist Jim Hodges that took 12 hours to hang. Even though there have been requests to loan it for museum exhibits, the manpower behind its installation and the fragility of shipping the wire pieces, have forced the couple to say “no.”

The Pizzuti kitchen is a cozy space, central to this vast home and it is well equipped for the cooking that Ann planned for Thanksgiving and that he will do for Christmas when their family gathers here. (A daughter and a son-in-law live in New Albany with their five children, another daughter is in England with her husband and two children, and son Joel resides with his wife in a neighborhood near Downtown.)

At the rear of the kitchen, there’s a wine closet—Pizzuti says it’s also being reorganized. He swears he’s not buying more wine, but space is at a premium after an autumn tour of Italy’s vineyards. Around the kitchen is the true Pizzuti family col-

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rendering: Pizzuti Co.

Ron and Joel Pizzuti in The Joseph hotel

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Home & Style REAl EstAtE

Luxury properties offered

by Alan Hinson

Top 25

real estate transactions SEPt. 1–SEPt. 30, 2017

3 Highgrove Farms $2,260,000

9 Highgrove Farms $2,395,000

3 Edge of Woods $1,195,000

Alan Hinson Representing Buyers and Sellers in central Ohio for 23 years

614.348.8000 alanh@newalbanyrealty.com newalbanyrealty.com 82

PRICE

ADDRESS

BUYER/SELLER

$3,900,000

2124 s. york Rd., Alexandria

Cannone, michael b. & mary l. from smith, David W., trustee

$2,375,000

2239 onandaga Dr., upper Arlington

norelli, Jonathan Andrew & lauren hawley from howell, howard scott & Kathleen C.

$1,941,948

2785 Cheshire Rd., Delaware

berlin Village llC from schanck, barbara G., trustee

$1,620,000

7754 brandon Rd., new Albany

taylor, benjamin C. & Jennifer m. from bidwell, Daniel m. & Elizabeth K.

$1,360,000

2127 Woodland hall Dr., Delaware

letestu, mark E. R. & brett A. from sensoy, berk & michelle

$1,256,250

5205 Aryshire Dr., Dublin

Kemp, Jacqueline l. & markus D. from Patrella, Robert D. & Virginia l.

$1,125,000

13730 toll Gate Rd. nW, Pickerington

lindsay, Dustin b. & Amy from taylor, benjamin C.

$1,100,000

134 Ashbourne Rd., bexley

Jobes, Weston l. & Kathlene E. from marzella, nancy

$1,080,000

4596 beecher Ct., new Albany

mathews, Colin from marsh, Patrick K. & Piedad m.

$1,011,000

7235 biddick Ct., new Albany

snedegar, Robert s. & michele m. from hertenstein, Cindy W.

$987,000

3305 Cemetery Rd., hilliard

bair, John D. & Joy s. from huddle, ben t. & lesley A.

$935,000

102 Ashbourne Rd., bexley

smith, Jeffrey b. & mary A. from boutelle, Jeffrey C. & Catherine m.

$865,750

112 s. Parkview Ave., Columbus

mendes, Godfrey F. & mitali from Cline, Daniel J.

$840,000

331 stemen Rd. nW, Pickerington

Grosso, Jacob & Diane and Albrect, Carol from tincher, Eric

$840,000

11483 trenton Rd., Galena

Robbins, Ketha R. from moore, Robert A. & Christine K.

$807,500

399 s. Columbia Ave., bexley

Westin, David E. & Jodie l. from Freytag, Gavin K. & margaret m.

$799,000

155 W. main st. #1802, Columbus

Wolfenbarger, Guy & Carol J. from soter, sarah R.; Ross, Richard m. Jr.; Ross, George; blackburn, marcia R.

$780,000

4041 Fairfax Dr., upper Arlington

holtgreven, Caroline & tyler from Concilla, margaret l.

$775,000

1530 Kearney Way, Delaware

hanson, matt & nicole from sokol, David A. & Amy K.

$760,000

194 & 200 E. Gay st., Columbus

stickle, Jack W. II from brunner, Rick l. & Jennifer l.

$745,000

5492 berwanger Dr., Powell

mcnally, sean P. & Jill C. from Klinefelter, Ryan D. & tracie l.

$739,918

7697 somerly Ct., new Albany

blanda, Christopher michael & sarah Elizabeth from Weichert Workforce mobility Inc.

$735,000

5701 Ennishannon Pl., Dublin

Reardon, Amy Jo from moore, Richard h. & suzanne R.

$722,000

3615 olentangy blvd., Columbus

Ryan, michael J. & Elisabeth R. from bonnie built homes Inc.

$715,000

1331 Elmwood Ave., Columbus

mcKenney, matthew A. & marisa l. from 1331 Elmwood llC

A c th

T

fo

F

p

th

N

As provided by the Columbus Dispatch research team. statistics are gathered from the greater Columbus area, including Franklin and parts of other surrounding counties.

T

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11/7/17 5:17 PM

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a pear tart from laughlin’s bakery in the short north

mbus Monthly Suburban Section

Photo by tim johnson

DECEMBER 2017 Columbus monthly

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Dining review Short rib stew

Time for Tea? Or Meatloaf?

Asterisk Supper Club brings an eclectic Short North vibe to Uptown Westerville. By BailEy TRask | PHOTOS By JoDi MillER The first thing you might notice walking into Asterisk Supper Club is the floor-to-ceiling bookcases lining the walls. Next, you’ll see a long, wooden community table in the center of the restaurant. And finally, you catch sight of the multiple chandeliers that make the place feel cozy. Asterisk, owned by Westerville resident Megan Ada, feels as if the now-gone Surly Girl grew up, elevated its food and moved to the suburbs. On a street filled with more casual restaurants, Asterisk’s décor is a pleasant departure, like something more likely to be found in the Short North than Uptown Westerville.

The menu, a grab-bag of disparate choices, contains mostly hits. The combination of tea selections (the restaurant doubles as a teahouse during the day), Mexican cuisine and traditional American comfort food may seem odd at first, but once your order arrives, this 86

mashup seems to work. For the most part, prices are higher than diners and chain restaurants that serve similar comfort dishes, but they’re competitive with Short North pricing and traditionally come in bigger portions. Service is good, but not excellent. Greater attention to timing between courses could be improved.

It’s worth noting (and applauding) that the female servers are no longer required to wear the French maid get-ups they sported in the early days of the restaurant.

While the atmosphere makes Asterisk feel like a hidden gem, there are a few points of unease. The communal table—an increasingly ubiquitous piece of restaurant furniture in the urban core—is typically the last table to be seated, alluding to possible discomfort with the concept of eating elbow to elbow with strangers. In addition, the books on the shelf are not

Asterisk Supper Club

14 n. state st., westerville, 614-776-4633, asterisksupperclub.com Hours: noon–10 p.m. mon–thu, noon–11 p.m. Fri–sat, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. sun Price Range: $5–$13 for appetizers, $11–$17 for entrées Reservations: only for parties of 10 or more In Short: megan Ada’s restaurant in uptown westerville is a welcome surprise, cleverly appointed with chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling bookcases. the menu is a bit unfocused—tea sandwiches, American comfort food and mexican cuisine all make an appearance—but it works. Go for tea and scones in the afternoon, a craft cocktail after work or classics like meatloaf and mashed potatoes at suppertime.

HHHH (excellent)

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curated and appear to be yard sale castoffs.

Dining next to “Fractures and Joint Injuries” may not be for everyone. And then there’s a curious new addition to the restaurant: Parallel to the real bar at the front of the restaurant is a second bar, presumably for lunch or single diners who prefer the atmosphere of bar dining, but don’t want front-row seats.

Among the menu’s starters (or “Food Before Food,” as its cutely called) are deviled eggs ($8), chicharrónes and shishito peppers ($5) and Giant Cauliflower ($8). While the deviled eggs are a little overpriced, and the chicharrónes and peppers make for an odd combination, the Giant Cauliflower is just right. This starter (I haven’t seen one like it in the city) is half a head of cauliflower batter-dipped, deep-fried and served in a pool of lightly spiced tomato sauce. The entire head is cooked consistently, just a tad beyond al dente.

Diving into the main courses as a repeat customer is difficult; it’s tempting to re-order previously tried dishes. But branching from a favorite is worth the risk. With dishes like open-faced sandwiches and a low-priced chicken and Amish noodles ($11), Asterisk gives a peek at what it would be like if Bob Evans sourced locally and served booze.

Take the beef short rib stew ($17), a hearty dish that’s perfect for cold weather. Generously portioned, chunks of tender beef and mirepoix join a sprig of fresh sage atop a bath of rich, wine-based broth. Just beneath the surface is a layer of mashed potatoes that act as a sort of roux in the stew. There’s a care in the assembly and flavors of this dish that adds elegance to the Midwestern staple.

The meatloaf ($15) is some of the best I’ve had, and it’s the onions that bring the plate together. Topped with a sweet barbecue-like ketchup (always a point of controversy among the gravy folks), the meatloaf slice is loosely assembled with sweet white onions that work well with the sauce and give the whole assembly a hamburger-like experience. It’s clear that protein—and not bread—is the main ingredient to this dish. Served alongside it are mashed potatoes covered in a lightly colored, scratch-made gravy and perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts topped with an ample covering of thin and crispy red onions.

Asterisk’s open-faced turkey sandwich ($16) tastes like Thanksgiving on a plate. A forkand-knife endeavor, the sandwich starts with a layer of thick white bread. Next are mashed potatoes, a celery-heavy stuffing with kisses of sage and a mixture of dark and white roasted turkey. A tangy cranberry relish predictably cuts through the heaviness of the dish. The sandwich far surpasses any attempt at postThanksgiving sandwiches I’ve ever made.

Giant Cauliflower

Tea service and scones with clotted cream and homemade jam

Papi’s Burrito ($14) is Chipotle-sized (or bigger) and served with tortilla chips, a doctored sour cream and a watery (yet spicy) salsa. Tightly packed, the combination of perfectly seasoned ground beef, a delightfully crunchy red cabbage, black beans and fresh cilantro makes it feel like you’re in an entirely Mexican establishment.

Comfort food doesn’t end at dinner. The dessert menu includes a daily butter cake made by Asterisk’s in-house pastry chef and several coffees and teas. Coffee service includes at-the-table pour-overs that are awkwardly yet masterfully assembled by friendly servers. And all hot drinks come in a variety mismatched of teacups, saucers and pots, mirroring the salvaging theme of the bookshelves. Some drinks

are curious, like the Earl Grey Latte ($5), which seems more like black tea with milk than the frothy creation the name suggests.

With a year and a half under its belt, it looks like Asterisk has staying power in the tough location that can be Uptown Westerville. This is an area where passersby will share their secrets to $6 dinners (by splitting a large dish at the Greek restaurant across the street).

A neighboring upscale restaurant, 8 State Bistro, opened at roughly the same time as Asterisk and lasted less than a year. In short, high-end dining is new to the area. (Those of us with longer memories recall that alcohol is new to the area as well.) I’m excited to taste what the future holds for this teatime and dinnertime destination. ◆ DECEMBER 2017 Columbus monthly

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Dining short order Jonas Laughlin in his Short North bakery

Perfect Pitch

This month, Laughlin’s Bakery celebrates three years in the Short North.

France’s great gift to humanity, the baguette, seems a simple thing. It’s nothing but water, flour, yeast and salt—and yet in the right hands it becomes magic.

Every day but Monday, that kind of magic is being conjured by Jonas Laughlin, proprietor and chief baker at Laughlin’s Bakery in the Short North. The bakery’s 21-inch yeasty baguette, crisp on the outside and somehow both substantial and pillowy on the inside, comes out of the ovens around 10 a.m.—just like in France. In my opinion, this is the best baguette ($3.50) in the city.

If the baguettes are sold out (sometimes by noon or sooner), then console yourself with another nearly perfect Laughlin’s creation, the rustic white boule ($5) that boasts a thick, crackly crust and super-soft inside. Or grab a loaf of the whole wheat sourdough ($5)—earthy, hearty and almost smoky in character.

Laughlin’s is one part boulangerie and one part patisserie, so the magic does not end at bread. Upon entering the little Second Avenue shop, you are confronted with three small tables, a handful of chairs and a multilayered display of—inhale—beautiful pastries, cookies, tea cakes, pound cakes, muffins, scones, bars, candies, pies and tarts.

In service to my avocation, I have sampled as many of these wonderments as my visits permitted, and I can report that everything—yes, everything—is very well-crafted and a joy to the taste buds.

Channeling Julie Andrews, here are a few of my favorite things: The cheese straws (little cracker-like rectangles) are to die for—supremely buttery and cheesy on first bite, followed by a burst of heat from cayenne that enhances the sharp cheddar cheese flavor ($5 per bag).

In the category of pastries, the Chausson aux Pommes ($3), a heart-shaped puff pastry, merges butter, apple and fall spices beautifully. The cheese Danish with local Cloverton cheese and lemon zest is terrific ($3), while one of the prettiest things available is the 88

mini pear tart, in which latticework pastry The negatives are few, but I’d note that the covers the soft pear inside ($4). macaroons and croissants are merely quite Various tea and pound cakes are available good. We live in a Pistacia Vera world, after whole or by the slice. I recomall, where these things are permend them all, but in particufect. And if you are in a rush, be lar the almond citrus pound aware that the bakery counter laughlin’s Bakery 15 e. second Ave., cake—it’s one better than the is usually staffed by one person. short north, lemon poppy seed cake with Laughlin was at one time in 614-914-8858, laughlinsbakery.com the addition of almond nuttitraining as an opera singer, an ness ($3 per slice; $22 for a loaf). art that demands extremely The bakery also offers a line hard work and near-perfecof full-sized cakes, from red velvet to carrot tion, before vocal cord damage caused by an to German chocolate ($45–$55). The slice of infection stopped his dream. As sad as that carrot cake I sampled ($3) was vegetal and is, I am glad that his passion for hard work rich—Laughlin is not afraid to highlight flatranslates to the baked goods here. Laughvors like carrot and pumpkin rather than lin may no longer sing, but his handiwork cover them up with sugar. surely does. ◆

photo: tim johnson

By John MaRshall

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11/9/17 3:26 PM

GET READY —

It’s Almost Cookie Time!

Sunday, Dec. 3

•

Noon-3 p.m.

photo: tim johnson

Whole Foods Market Dublin • 3670 W. Dublin Granville Rd. Holiday Cookie Guide celebration and baking demo, featuring Dispatch personalities

For more information visit dispatch.com/cookie

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Dining Copy & taste

THE SCOOP:

openings, Closings and other dining news

Ahi Tuna rossini, one of the courses from CMr’s James Beard dinner

A local team from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants has been invited to cook at the esteemed James Beard House in New York City on Dec. 7. The team representing Mitchell’s Ocean Club/Ocean Prime will present a five-course “Ultimate Surf & Turf” dinner with wine pairings. Columbus Monthly is headed to the Beard House, too, as CMR’s exclusive local media guest. Look for our coverage of the big night at the Beard House in an upcoming issue and on Instagram @columbusmonthly.

Cincinnati restaurateur Jeff Ruby officially breaks into the Columbus market this month. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse, an upscale restaurant featuring USDA Prime steaks, lobster, sushi and an award-winning wine list, is set to open Dec. 1 at 89 E. Nationwide Blvd., the former home of 89 Fish & Grill. The steakhouse also has locations in Cincinnati, Louisville and Nashville.

The November election resulted in good news for three local restaurants that needed voter approval to obtain liquor licenses.

Pending certification of the election results, Hot Chicken Takeover and Little Eater will be allowed to sell alcohol at their new Clintonville locations. Likewise, Barrel & Boar can move forward with obtaining a liquor license for its new location in the works at 8 N. State St. in Uptown Westerville.

Ohio State University announced that the building that houses Adriatico’s Pizza will be demolished and replaced next year.

Never fear: The university is working with Adriatico’s to secure a new location for the Campus mainstay.

James Anderson’s Ray Ray’s Hog Pit is now Land-Grant Brewing Co.’s dedicated food truck Thursday through Saturday. The Franklinton brewery at 424 W. Town St. offers both lunch and dinner services on those days.

Hot Chicken Takeover is now open at 4198 Worth Ave. in the Easton Gateway. The

EvEnTS RuSTy BuCkET’S ANNuAL CoAT DRIvE When: through Feb. 1, 2018 What: Rusty bucket Restaurant & tavern is seeking donations of new and/or gently used coats in all sizes, which the salvation army will distribute to those in need this winter. according to a Rusty bucket release, a total of 6,527 coats have been donated since the program began in 2011.

Where: Collection boxes are located at all 10 Rusty bucket locations in Central ohio. Visit myrustybucket.com for more information.

90

Nashville-style hot chicken eatery is open daily 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Bake Me Happy’s new coffee shop is open in Merion Village at 106 E. Moler St. The 100-percent gluten-free café offers nostalgic treats, coffees from a variety of local roasters and other locally made, gluten-free products.

The organic raw juice bar Native Cold Pressed opened in early November at 214 Thurman Ave. in German Village.

Local chain Piada Italian Street Food launched a new menu this fall/winter with an eye toward more plant-based options, including a Mediterranean Power Bowl, Super Greens Salad and Harvest Grain & Apple Salad.

Dirty Frank’s West, the hot dog joint at 2836 W. Broad St. in Westgate, closed in early November.

Beer Of The MOnTh

Barley’s Brewing Co. Auld Curiosity Ale Barley’s Auld Curiosity Ale has been making its late December appearance for more than two decades (the brewery celebrated its 25th anniversary in October). True to the old ale style, the brew is predominantly rich and sweet, often best serving as an after-dinner drink. Barley’s entry is deep amber in color, medium-bodied and flavored with treacle (similar to molasses), so expect dark toffee and brown sugar flavors to dominate. The sweetness is tempered by a dose of Columbus hops, making it a lovely holiday sipper. —Nicholas Dekker

photo: Chris Casella

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams released its first plant-based ice cream, Dark Chocolate Truffle, in early November. Development of the dairy-free and vegan ice cream was a five-year “moonshot” project for founder Jeni Britton Bauer. Instead of using synthetic ingredients, Jeni’s combined high-quality coconut cream and fair trade cocoa to reproduce the lovable qualities of butterfat found in traditional ice cream. The new flavor is available in Jeni’s scoop shops nationwide.

Columbus monthly DECEMBER 2017

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11/9/17 4:48 PM

An Ohio Coalition for Open Government Fundraiser

An Evening with J.D. Vance December 6, 2017 5 - 6:30 p.m.

Ohio Statehouse Atrium

“The core insight of the open government movement is that without transparency, it’s tough to hold our leaders accountable.

More transparency means more accountability, and more accountability means, hopefully, more results.� — J.D. Vance

J.D. Vance Author of Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

To purchase tickets, please go to www.ohioopengov.com /fundraiser.

Ticket prices:

 Â? Â? Â

Ohio Coalition for Open Government Working to strengthen and support open government and public access

EVENT SPONSORS Bryan Times ¡ Faruki Ireland Cox Rhinehart & Dusing Roetzel & Andress ¡ AIM Media Midwest ¡ Cox Media Group Ohio Ohio Council of Retail Merchants ¡ Sean Dunn & Associates Capitol Consulting Group ¡ The Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com Wolfe Associates/Channel 10 Columbus ¡ Marburger Law LLC Ohio Association of Broadcasters

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Dining dRInK

Hotel Bar Hopping In Chicago, there’s the Drake Hotel’s Coq d’Or, a cozy, wood-paneled bar that opened the day after Prohibition was repealed. In New Orleans’s French Quarter, there’s the over-the-top, rotating Carousel Bar & Lounge at Hotel Monteleone. Columbus can’t claim any hotel bars of such iconic stature, but we’re seeing signs of life thanks to a wave of hotel openings and renovations. Sure, you might pay a premium for a classic cocktail with charcuterie, but there’s something alluring about playing a tourist in your own city. We took a look at Columbus’s range of hotel bar options, from a little-known burger joint inside a Holiday Inn to a brand-new rooftop bar in Dublin. Some are worth visiting even if you aren’t staying overnight, while others could stand to up their amenity game. —Erin Edwards

soul at tHe JosepH the first thing you might notice at soul at the Joseph is artist nari Ward’s clever “West liquorsoul,” an upside-down liquor sign—the word soul spelled out in neon. It’s an indication that this is not your average Columbus hotel bar but a gallery that happens to serve refined cocktails. located at the north end of the lobby inside this short north boutique hotel, soul is an intimate space with 12 bar seats, an eight-top community table and a few high tops. bar manager Ian Gulley says wines by the glass and craft cocktails are the big focus here. (We recommend the Champagne Cocktail or the london Fog with gin, balsamic vinegar, st. Germain and strawberries.) And although its neighbor the Guild house executes the food, soul boasts its own fine menu, including a delicious poutine featuring cheddar curds from Granville-based black Radish Creamery. lacking an expense account? happy hour takes place 3–6 p.m. monday–Friday when signature cocktails are $8 (normally $11–$13), select draft beers are $3 and select wines are $6 per glass. And by all means, don’t forget to head upstairs to explore the hotel’s in-house art gallery featuring works from Columbus’s own Pizzuti Collection. soulatthejoseph.com

Buckeye BourBon House at residence inn brown liquor—bourbon and other whiskey—is the focal point at this Gay street bar. that is, unless you’re staring up at the historic building’s lovely, 50-foot-high ceilings. As spaces go, buckeye bourbon house is a standout. located in the old buckeye Federal savings and loan building, the bar opened earlier this year under the same roof as the 126-room Residence Inn. “We’re a bar in a hotel; we’re not necessarily a hotel bar. I’d say 85 percent of our guests come from off the street,” says general manager matthew brady. one attraction is bbh’s impressive bourbon collection, which brady says is the largest in Columbus. (As of this writing, it has both the highly sought 10-year and 12-year Pappy Van Winkle.) the bar offers a small menu of southern-inspired snacks and plates, like bourbonroasted peanuts, black-eyed pea hummus and Kentucky hot brown sandwiches (which originated in louisville’s brown hotel). And trivia lovers can check out bbh’s new trivia night every sunday starting at 6 p.m. buckeyebourbonhouse.com 92

photos: from top, tim johnson; courtesy Ac hotel; tessA berg

Vaso at ac Hotel the newest entry on the hotel bar scene is Vaso, a tapas-focused concept, that opened last month at the top of dublin’s new AC hotel.

“We’ll see if dublin is ready for us,” says the hotel’s general manager orcun turkay, alluding to the lively spanish lifestyle: eat late and party even later. the big draw of the 5,818-square-foot restaurant and bar is its rooftop patio, which features private cabanas, fire pits, community tables and views of the scioto River. As a gin-first bar, Vaso will feature a gin-and-tonic cart that roams the premises, stocked with different herbs and spices for customizing your G&t. In addition, Watershed distillery created a gin exclusively for Vaso, tweaking its Four Peel Gin with the addition of meyer lemon and seville orange.

In another nod to spain, sangrias will be served from long-spouted, glass porrons at happy hour. (tip: don’t wear white.) marriott.com/ hotels/travel/cmhac-ac-hotel-columbus-dublin

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BAR

photos: from top, tim johnson; Brooke LaVaLLey; tim johnson; ©2017 thinkstock; tim johnson

ADDRESS

VIBE

UPSIDE Excellent bar fare by chef bill Glover and a view overlooking high street

DOWNSIDE you might not want to look at your tab.

GALLERIE BAR & BISTRO

hilton Columbus Downtown

401 n. high st., short north

stylish, newly renovated bar complements one of the city’s most creative restaurants

VASO

AC hotel Columbus Dublin

6540 Riverside Dr., Dublin

spanish-inspired tapas restaurant and rooftop bar specializing in gin drinks

Private cabanas, fire pits and excellent views of the scioto River from the rooftop

If tapas aren’t your thing, look elsewhere for big entrées.

MODA

marriott Columbus university Area

3100 olentangy River Rd., Campus

“Artisan” gastropub in a brand-new, Campus-area hotel

hotel still smells new and the menu offers all of the trendy hits, from hot chicken to ramen

It’s a bit formulaic and not in a walkable area, unless you count the cemetery next door.

310 s. high st., Downtown

located in a historic hotel, it’s named for the famous Columbus humorist and cartoonist.

Great James thurber prints and convenient location next to the southern theatre

the “meh” atmosphere doesn’t live up to its famous name.

620 n. high st., short north

sunny coffee bar by morning and hip, boutique cocktail bar by night

175 E. town st., Downtown

Casual spot for burgers and craft beers

Above-average burgers and 12 local beers are on draft.

this holiday Inn lacks charm (psst ... little Palace is around the corner).

Grand views of the statehouse and plenty of room to spread out

Regrettable upholstery and average menu

THURBER’S BAR

the Westin Columbus

SOUL AT THE jOSEPH

le méridien Columbus, the Joseph

BURGER THEORy

photos: from top, tim johnson; courtesy ac hoteL; tessa Berg

HOTEL

holiday Inn Columbus Downtown/ Capitol square

A gallery-like atmosphere, plus excellent cocktails and small plates

Parking can be a challenge, and the bar has limited seating.

THE PLAzA RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

sheraton Columbus at Capitol square

75 E. state st., Downtown

An expansive hotel bar and restaurant that’s all business

BUckEyE BOURBON HOUSE

Residence Inn Columbus Downtown

36 E. Gay st., Downtown

bourbon-focused bar inside the historic buckeye uckeye Federal savings and loan building

low lighting adds romance to go with the solid wine list, cocktails and small plates.

stay away if you’re on a shoestring budget or hope to catch views of the river.

Convenient to nationwide Arena and big enough for large groups

the max & Erma’s heyday is long past.

THE kEEP LIqUOR BAR

hotel leVeque

50 W. broad st., Downtown

peakeasy-inspired speakeasy-inspired craft cocktail bar inside the iconic leVeque tower ower

MAx & ERMA’S

the lofts hotel

55 E. nationwide blvd., Downtown

Columbus’s own kitschy burger chain is attached to this boutique hotel.

An impressive bourbon selection and even more impressive, high-ceilinged space

those craft cocktails don’t make themselves—patience is required.

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Dining GlobAl

’Tis Tamale Season For many families, the holidays mean it’s tamale season. Laborious to make and usually produced in great quantities, Mexican tamales are a dish commonly enjoyed at celebrations.

These cornhusk- or banana leafwrapped packages of steamed masa and savory fillings are among the most ancient of Mesoamerican foods enjoyed today.

With the holiday season upon us, tamales are increasingly popping up in Mexican restaurants across the city, with some offering them year-round.

Plaza Tapatia, a market/restaurant located across from Hollywood Casino, carries tamales consistently and includes sweet tamales in its repertoire. Dos Hermanos in the North Market wraps its tamales in banana leaves (southern Mexico-style) and offers a variety of fillings, such as pork and chicken, that change daily; it also offers vegan tamales. La Poblanita taco truck offers tamales every Friday and Saturday.

Its red or green sauce tamales, featuring a pleasingly moist and light texture, are worth seeking out. —Bethia Woolf

After hours with Stephen Morrow

Tamales from Dos Hermanos

stephen morrow opened Johnny Coffee—which can be found at Ace of Cups in the old north—with his partner Jaina Emerman in August. the Clintonville resident, filmmaker and poetry aficionado launched his mobile coffee stand to bring quality espresso drinks to places that have long survived on mediocre joe. here’s where he likes to eat and drink. johnny-coffee.com —Jill Moorhead Dive Bar: o’Reilly’s Pub. “I like to go there in the afternoon, drink a beer in a corner booth and read or write a little. time does not exist in there.”

Comfort Food: Philco bar + Diner. “In the winter months, Jaina and I love to get the $5 Philco Jr. burger with fries and those brussels sprouts. We have never walked away unhappy.”

Plaza Tapatia 4233 shoppers ln., West side, 614-276-0333 Dos Hermanos 59 spruce st., short north, 614-226-5286 La Poblanita 3825 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614-598-9539

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Ethnic: momo Ghar. “this place is new to me, but my finding out about it has nothing to do with Guy Fieri, who recently visited to tape a segment. It has everything to do with another guy, John mcCollum, whose opinions on food can be found everywhere online. the day John described the jhol momo to me—‘steamed Kathmandu Valley-style dumpling filled with chicken and spices, served drowning in homemade spicy momo sauce’—is the day I drove north to find it.”

photos: left, tim johnson; right, courtesy stephen morrow

Carryout: Acre. “We order a peanut butter smoothie and pick it up at the drive-thru window. the smoothie is guiltfree (just peanut butter, banana, almond milk and honey) yet decadent enough to work as dessert in a pinch.”

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Dining reCipe

Schmidt’s Sweet Kraut

photo: tim johnson

photos: left, tim johnson; right, courtesy stephen morrow

Celebrating 50 Years of Kraut German Village is a picturesque tangle of brick streets. At the end of one sits Schmidt’s Sausage Haus, a neighborhood staple and gathering place for generations of celebrations. Schmidt’s is one of the oldest landmarks in the community, having originally opened as a meatpacking facility in 1886 and then as a restaurant in 1967.

Schmidt’s signature Sweet Kraut is a yearround staple featured on the menu’s “Legendary Sandwiches,” such as the Mama Rueben (German bologna on specially made rye bread with melted Swiss cheese and dressing) and the Turkey Reuben (swapping the bologna for honey-roasted turkey).

It’s a different spin on the sauerkraut most are familiar with, and can be served cold and crisp (for summer) or hot alongside winter dishes like the classic New Year’s Day combination of pork and kraut. Fifth-

generation owner John Schmidt prefers to serve the Sweet Kraut alongside baked pork ribs, instead of the more traditional roast

pork. Schmidt says he hates regular kraut but loves how this sweet version complements the ribs. —Renee Casteel Cook

SChMiDt’S SwEEt KRaut SERvingS: 6 ingREDiEntS: • one 20-ounce can sauerkraut (silver Fleece brand recommended) • 1/4 cup canola salad oil • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 1/2 cup celery, diced (1/4 inch) • 1 cup onion, diced (1/4 inch) • 1/3 cup green pepper, diced (1/4 inch)

inStRuCtionS: in colander, drain sauerkraut and set aside. in a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and sugar until uniform in color.

Add celery, onion and green pepper to vinegar mixture.

Continue to whisk until liquid becomes a light green color.

Add kraut and mix well by hand. refrigerate overnight. serve chilled.

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Dining ICons

A Thai Dynasty The secrets behind Bangkok Grocery & Restaurant’s staying power

By BEthia Woolf PhoTos By tiM Johnson

When I asked co-owners Jintana and Anucha Saelim if they thought they’d be running Bangkok Restaurant 32 years after it debuted, Jintana’s response was emphatic: “Of course! If there is no confidence in your food, then how can you stay afloat?”

It’s a fair point, but a long list of recent restaurant closures proves that good food alone does not make for an institution. Bangkok certainly doesn’t pin its reputation to the restaurant’s interior, which, save for some Thai art and a framed picture of Thai royalty, is stereotypically strip mall—simple and a bit dated. Then there’s the restaurant’s location: Situated one gas station and one Burger King away from the unlovely intersection of Winchester Pike and Refugee Road on the southeast side, it couldn’t be much more distant from any of the traditional foodie centers of the city—the Short North, Bethel Road or burgeoning Morse Road. Despite these challenges, Bangkok has not merely endured but thrived for more than three decades.

In the dining room, servers swerve, dart and hustle with an impressive calmness of demeanor. They sunnily acknowledge regulars while on the dash between customer and kitchen. Meals are dispatched, tables cleared and requests fulfilled, all with the uncomplicated sense that this is what they do and this is how they do it—quickly, cheerfully and without fuss. It’s a front-of-house that should be the envy of many a restaurateur.

A consistent staff is one key. Server Dee Dee Phim has worked at Bangkok for 18 years, and while pointing toward another server she says, “Well, she’s been here for 17.” The women have had time to hone their craft. Upon suggesting that such longevity is very unusual in the restaurant business, Phim cuts straight to the heart of it: “They’ve been very, very good to me here,” she says.

When exploring Thai food, you’ll quickly come across a well-worn mantra: The key to the cuisine is balancing the flavors of sweet, salty, sour and spicy (some add bitter into the mix). The emphasis on balance is essential. When one flavor is off, the appeal of the 96

Papaya salad

dish collapses. Bangkok clearly understands this principle and demonstrates a mastery of it effortlessly.

This is never truer than in their perfectly executed pad thai. Often dismissed as an Americanized dish—it was actually created at the request of Thailand’s fascist prime minister Plaek Pibulsonggram—when done properly it reflects the precept of balance in Thai cuisine. At Bangkok, perfectly chewy and expertly wok-seared rice noodles convey citrus, fish sauce, spicy heat and a faint hint of caramelized sugar. Ground peanuts and green onions provide a flavorful garnish, and there’s not a bad choice from among the accompanying meats on offer. It’s no surprise that pad thai is among Bangkok’s most popular dishes, and it deserves to be.

Another best-seller, according to Jintana, is tom yum, or hot and sour soup done Thaistyle. Offered with a variety of proteins (tom yum goong with shrimp is the most popular), the soup balances its sinus-clearing heat with an acidic tang and an array of fragrant herbs and spices that unfold across the palate long after consumption. Plump shrimp mingle in the large metal serving bowl with sizable pieces of lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves.

Also popular is the restaurant’s nam tok, or beef salad. Served cold, tender and flavorful grilled beef and lettuce marinate on the plate in a mix of pungent fish sauce and tart lime juice. Chiles, toasted rice and mint serve as garnishes. While most Thai dishes are traditionally consumed with a fork and spoon (save the chopsticks for noodle dishes), nam tok is commonly eaten by ordering a side of

sticky rice and using pinches of it to pick up morsels of meat from the plate. The rice is also ideal for sopping up the delicious juices pooling beneath them.

Loyalty is a word that comes up often when discussing Bangkok. Regulars are legion and eager to express a sense of ownership in “their” restaurant to a random food writer wandering the dining room. In my experience, there are two kinds of people in Columbus: those who have never heard of Bangkok and those who swear by it as the only Thai restaurant in town. (It’s not, although the options are slim.) Jintana says some of their regulars come from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia.

Jackie Jones epitomizes the restaurant’s loyalists. She rifled through the dates of family milestones to deduce that she’s been a customer for 13 years and sheepishly admitted to eating there an average of three times per week. The staff, she says, feel like family.

“I lay at home and crave this,” she says, poking at her pad krapow gai (basil chicken). An eavesdropping Phim grinned.

These dining room interactions feel more like those in a small-town diner, one where you’d never encounter anything like the dishes on Bangkok’s menu. The vibe is deeply and nostalgically American, or at least it resonates with nostalgia as recalled through rose-tinted lenses. Perhaps the combination of unadulterated Thai cuisine and environs, served with a genuine concern for the happiness of others, can continue to sustain this most improbable of restaurant icons. It’s a balancing act equal to that of the cuisine itself. ◆

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Bangkok Grocery & Restaurant 3277 Refugee Rd., East Side, 614-231-8787, bangkokcolumbus.com

Pad kee mao, Thai iced tea and papaya salad

Tom yum goong soup

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let’s eat our guide to the best restaurants in Columbus

6-1-Pho Vietnamese | 4386 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-7064903. a fast-casual restaurant where diners can build their own noodle soups, sandwiches and noodle salads—all of which pull flavors from classic Vietnamese cuisine. LD $$ 101 Beer Kitchen Gastropub | 7509 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 614-210-1010; 397 Stoneridge Ln., Gahanna, 614-934-5501; 817 Polaris Pkwy., Westerville, 614-776-4775. at this expertly executed gastropub (its owners could school others in the art of developing a restaurant), craft brews are paired with made-from-scratch, seasonal dishes. BRLD $$ Alchemy Juice Bar + Café Juicery | 625 Parsons Ave., East Side, 614-305-7551. this café in the lobby of a fitness center is no protein shake shack. it’s simple, healthy food that’s familiar and whole, with recipes created by a registered dietitian. the menu is vegetarian-friendly and includes smoothies, toast, acai bowls, sandwiches, juice and grab-andgo salads and snacks. BLD $ Amul India Restaurant Indian | 5871 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 614-734-1600. one of Central ohio’s most elegantly decorated indian restaurants serves a full menu of northern indian dishes from tikka masala to chicken sabaji, a favorite among indian patrons. LD $ Asterisk Supper Club American | 14 N. State St., Westerville, 614-776-4633. owner megan ada offers teatime and suppertime in a bibliophile’s dream atmosphere. Craft cocktails are served at a handsome bar, while the eclectic menu leans on comfort foods like grilled Pb&Js, meatloaf and chicken and amish noodles. LD $$ The Avenue Steak Tavern Steakhouse | 1307 Grandview Ave., Grandview, 614-4859447. Cameron mitchell’s homage to the steakhouses of yore. the restaurant’s retro design and clubby atmosphere are teamed with a menu boasting all the classics: oysters rockefeller, beefsteak tomato salad, creamed spinach, potatoes in all the steakhouse ways and, of course, numerous cuts of beef. a dublin location is in the works. BRD $$$$ Baba’s Soup & Sandwiches | 2515 Summit St., Old North, 614-262-2227. breakfast is the main focus (for now) of dan and Caroline Kraus’ new, wheelless venture (they owned the now-defunct that Food truck). go for the house-made “griddle muffin” breakfast sandwiches

$$$$ $$$ $$ $

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average entree $26 and higher average entree $16–$25 average entree $11–$15 average entree under $10

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(think a much better egg mcmuffin), thunderkiss coffee and soup specials. BL $ NEW! Bake Me Happy Café & Bakery | 106 E. Moler St., Merion Village, 614477-3642. this 100-percent gluten-free coffee shop and retail bakery is an extension of bake me happy’s growing wholesale business. the cheerful café offers coffee from local roasters, nostalgic treats and some savory offerings. BL $ Bakersfield Mexican | 733 N. High St., Short North, 614-754-8436. this country music-loving cantina specializes in tacos, tequila and whiskey. bakersfield offers a tight menu of tex-mex standards, like chips and salsa, guac, tortas and roughly nine styles of tacos on house-made tortillas. LD $$ Bangkok Grocery & Restaurant Thai | 3277 Refugee Rd., East Side, 614-231-8787. a familyowned grocery and eatery specializing in authentic thai fare for more than 30 years. go for some of the city’s best pad thai, tom yum soup, nam tok and thai curries. LD $ Barcelona Restaurant Spanish | 263 E. Whittier St., German Village, 614-4433699. the edge has softened, but longstanding barcelona is still a classic for approachable spanish tapas and other palate-expanding fare with an american influence. the patio is one of the most charming in the city. LD $$$ Bareburger Burgers | 4560 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-826-4198; 463 N. High St., Short North, 614-706-4790. a brooklyn-based micro-chain known for organic burgers with a choice of proteins beyond just beef (think ostrich, elk and wild boar), plus sandwiches, sliders and milkshakes. LD $$ Barley’s Brewing Co. Brewpub | 467 N. High St., Arena District, 614-2282537. the microbrewery offers an expansive selection of brews, which can be enjoyed at the hand-carved, century-old mahogany bar alongside american bar favorites like nachos and burgers. LD $$ The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek Steakhouse | 1370 E. Johnstown Rd., Gahanna, 614-8559840. While bourbon, barbecue and beef are king at Cameron mitchell’s cozy steakhouse rehab of the old hoggy’s barn, don’t miss the baked oysters, fresh salads and blackened red fish. Predictably, some prices are on steroids. BRD $$$$

- Valet available

Kitchen open late outdoor Patio seating

b breakfast br brunch l lunch d

dinner

Ba Sho Japanese Restaurant Japanese | 2800 Festival Ln., Dublin, 614-766-7733. this authentic Japanese restaurant offers Japanesestyle comfort fare like grilled meats and seafood, sushi and savory stew. LD $$ Basi Italia Italian | 811 Highland St., Victorian Village, 614294-7383. nestled in the heart of Victorian Village, basi italia serves clean, simple italian fare with innovative twists in a setting so intimate, you’ll feel like the chef invited you over for dinner. in the warmer months, basi offers one of the city’s best patios. BRD $$$ Belle’s Bread Japanese | 1168 Kenny Centre Mall, Upper Arlington, 614-451-7110. tucked away in the same complex as akai hana, this French-inspired Japanese bakery and café is known for its outstanding pastries, cakes and treats. it also serves tea, coffee and a lunch menu with sandwiches and crepes. L $ Bexley Pizza Plus Pizza | 2651 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-237-3305. With 22 specialty pizzas and 41 toppings, the options are endless at this bexley pizzeria. LD $ Big Room Bar Pub Grub | 1036 S. Front St., Brewery District, 614-4499612. dubbed “a bar with a radio problem,” big room is a music venue and pub grub spot owned by Cd102.5. in the swiss Chalet building, it’s quirky and fun with solid bar food and exceptional tunes. BRLD $$ Branch Southern | 685 N. High St., Short North, 614-732-0487. this sleekly designed, southern-inspired restaurant and bar from the owner of Westies gastropub serves all-day breakfast. try the Paul’s nasty: pieces of fried chicken perched on buttermilk biscuits and enveloped in a sea of sausage gravy. BBRLD $$ Black Point Seafood | 570 N. High St., Short North, 614-221-5294. this hyde Park group creation brings high-end seafood to the Cap, along with a lively bar scene. not to be missed are offerings like sea bass with lemon caper vinaigrette and kale salad, but pass on the sushi rolls. D $$$ Black Radish Creamery Soup & Sandwiches | 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614517-9520. this north market cheese shop also offers artisan grilled cheese sandwiches, seasonal soups and raclette. BLD $

Critics' Choice Columbus Classic

NEW! restaurant has opened within the last few months.

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Bonifacio Filipino | 1577 King Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614-9148115. this modern take on Filipino home cooking from the owner of Red Velvet CafĂŠ, Krizzia yanga, features traditional brunch and dinner dishes, fast-casual lunches and occasional kamayan-style dinners. try the fried chicken and ube waffles at brunch; chicken adobo, the staple dish of the Philippines; and halo-halo, a shaved ice sundae topped with beans, leche flan and ube ice cream. BRLD $$ Borgata Pizza CafĂŠ Italian | 5701 Parkville St., Northeast Side, 614-891-2345; 2285 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Worthington, 614-3968758. A neighborhood Italian eatery specializing in new york-style pizza, scratch-made pastas, calzones and panini. try the ricotta cavatelli with marinara or spicy stuffed peppers—tender Cubanelle peppers with marinara and gooey mozzarella cheese. LD $$ Bowzers American | 2936 Brice Rd., Brice, 614-398-0364. housed in a concrete igloo, you can’t miss shawn mulligan’s delightful hot dog stand. Angus beef hot dogs come in two sizes: “dogâ€? and “pup.â€? Go for the Junkyard Dog, hangover Dog and a variety of limited/ seasonal hot dogs. LD $ Brassica Mediterranean/Middle Eastern | 680 N. High St., Short North, 614-867-5885. From the owners of northstar CafĂŠ comes this build-it-yourself eatery with a focus on fresh vegetables and proteins spiked with bold middle Eastern and mediterranean spices. LD $$ Brown Bag Deli Deli | 898 Mohawk St., German Village, 614-443-4214. the longtime German Village sandwich shop keeps it simple yet tasty with crave-worthy sandwiches like the turkey-and-cranberry-mayo-topped Village Addiction, plus daily soups, salads and sides on display under the counter. LD $

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gather around our table

Chop Shop Burgers | 2159 N. High St., Old North, 614-725-3600.

A casual craft burger joint in the heart of ohio state territory, featuring signature or DIy burgers, hot dogs, fries, milkshakes, beer and more. LD $ Club 185 American | 185 E. Livingston Ave., German Village, 614-228-3904. you’ll find cozy booths and a swinging jukebox at this dimly lit German Village hangout serving better-than-average bar fare like cheeseburgers, wings and pizza. LD $ Copious American | 520 S. High St., Brewery District, 614947-1520. this upscale yet casual restaurant offers a seasonal comfort food menu and happy hour. the restaurant is located above its sister live music venue, notes, inside the mcGowan building. BRLD $$$ Coppa Gelato Coffee & Desserts | 925 N. State St., Westerville, 614776-4092. this gelato shop is family-owned, and it shows, from welcoming service to more than a dozen flavors of gelato and sorbetto made daily from locally sourced milk. you’ll also find house-made pastries, coffee, espresso and pints of gelato to go. LD $ Cosecha Cocina Mexican | 987 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614-3691129. Chef silas Caeton (formerly Veritas tavern, Rigsby’s Kitchen) adds a contemporary twist to regional

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mexican cuisine at Cosecha. there are tacos, tortas and enchiladas, but this is not El Vaquero, folks. the rustic restaurant design and front patio are highlights, and don’t miss the agave-based cocktails. LD $$ The Crafty Pint Gastropub | 2234 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Linworth, 614468-1675. the Crafty Pint is a gastropub offering rustic American food, craft beers (with a heavy emphasis on local brews), creative cocktails and a large outdoor patio.

It’s all wrapped in a playful setting where beer samplers are built from old license plates and checks are delivered inside Dr. seuss books. LD $$ Cravings Café Soup & Sandwiches | 114 N. Front St., Downtown, 614670–4439. this café from matt and lindsey tewanger offers sandwiches made with locally sourced ingredients, house-baked brioche and roasted meats. Also featuring small-batch coffee and breakfast pastries. BL $ Creole Kitchen Cajun & Creole | 1052 Mount Vernon Ave., East Side, 614-372-3333. Chef henry butcher serves up authentic, savory Creole food—po’boys, alligator, gumbo—in hearty portions. BLD $ The Crest Gastropub Gastropub | 2855 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614-2617128; 621 Parsons Ave., South Side, 614-682-7090. these popular gastropubs serve a long list of craft and local beers, as well as upscale pub fare incorporating herbs and produce from nearby farms and each location’s rooftop garden. BRLD $$ Cuco’s Taqueria Mexican | 2162 Henderson Rd., Upper Arlington, 614538-8701. once a mexican grocery store with a tiny taco counter, Cuco’s has grown into a full-fledged, successful restaurant that still sells a few mexican goods alongside ceviche, burritos, tamales, tortas and tacos al pastor. BLD $ Da Levee Cajun & Creole | 765-C N. High St., Short North, 614299-9975; 129 N. Stygler Rd., Gahanna, 614-532-8050. these small eateries offer a fun, mardi Gras ambiance and order-at-the-counter Cajun and Creole dishes you can take to go or enjoy at a few tables. If eating in at the short north locale, grab a Deep south-inspired cocktail like the Derecho (a riff on the classic hurricane). LD $ Danny’s Deli Soup & Sandwiches | 37 W. Broad St., Downtown 614-4697040. the iconic downstairs deli specializes in classic deli sandwiches like the grilled Reuben, pastrami and turkey melt. BL $

Bethel Sawmill Ctr., Northwest Side, 614-718-2980. this ice cream shop serves a dizzying array of mexican desserts, juices and snacks. Go for the excellent paletas (popsicles) with flavors that range from the basic to the bizarre. Fruit lovers should try the locas, eye-catching towers of fresh fruit spiked with spicy and sweet toppings. A Westerville location is opening soon. LD $ Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace American | 248 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-824-4673.

From the folks behind tip top Kitchen & Cocktails comes this hip hot dog joint with retro décor and oneof-a-kind wieners that can be topped with condiments such as sauerkraut, baked beans and Fritos. LD $ DK Diner American | 1715 W. Third Ave., Grandview, 614-4885160. the DK stands for doughnut kitchen at this off-the-beaten-path diner with a cozy atmosphere and local flavor. Enjoy breakfast all day. BLD $ Dosa Corner Indian | 1077 Old Henderson Rd., Upper Arlington, 614459-5515. this family-owned, southern Indian “fast food” spot (dining-in customers use paper plates and plastic utensils) specializes in thin, pancake-like dosas made with rice and lentil flour batter with a choice of vegetarian fillings. LD $ Due Amici Italian | 67 E. Gay St., Downtown, 614-224-9373.

Exposed brick walls and modern black and white furniture give this Downtown Italian eatery an upscale feel. BRLD $$ The Eagle Southern | 790 N. High St., Short North, 614-745-3397. this southern-style restaurant from the Cincinnatibased owners of bakersfield features Amish fried chicken, spoonbread, craft beers and a large patio along high street. LD $ El Camino Inn Mexican | 238 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-220-8877. this retro, ’70s-style taco shop from the owners of the Rossi, Club 185 and little Palace is a bar first, restaurant second. stop in for cheap beer or a margarita, and stick around for tasty mexican bar fare, including tacos and tostadas. LD $ Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus Brewpub | 161 N. High St., Downtown, 614-228-0500.

In the historic bott brothers building Downtown, this brewpub’s stunning stained glass is contrasted by modern touches like a bar equipped with flat-screen tVs. similarly, on the menu it’s fish and chips and wings alongside vegetable risotto and steaks. LD $$

Denmark on High Small Plates | 463 N. High St., Short North, 614-9146700. A European-style cocktail bar focusing on vintage and modern drinks, craft ohio beers and seasonal small plates. on the second floor of the yankee on high building. D $$

Figlio Italian | 1369 Grandview Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614-4818850; 3712 Riverside Dr., Upper Arlington, 614-459-6575. the vibe is simple and relaxed at both locations of this contemporary neighborhood restaurant with Italian dishes, wood-fired pizzas and a hearty wine list inspired by the travels of owners Peter and laurie Danis. D $$

De-Novo Bistro & Bar on the Park American | 150 S. High St., Downtown, 614-222-8830.

A flashy and funky joint like you might see somewhere in new orleans that infuses its menu with Asian, latin, French and Italian touches, plus a handcrafted cocktail list. BRLD $$$

Final Cut Steak & Seafood Steakhouse | 200 Georgesville Rd., West Side, 614308-4540. A contemporary American steakhouse inside hollywood Casino featuring usDA prime beef, Wagyu beef, Colorado lamb, lobster and an extensive wine list. D $$$$

Diamonds Ice Cream Mexican | 3870 Main St., Hilliard, 614-971-5490; 5461

Flatiron Bar & Diner American | 129 E. Nationwide Blvd., Downtown, 614-461-

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0033. this casual restaurant under the direction of executive chef/general manager steve nicholson is housed in a timeless building that boasts an intricately carved wooden bar. the menu features barbecue and Cajun classics such as gumbo and fried oysters, plus some global surprises like szechuan chicken wings. LD $$ Flavor 91 Burger Bistro Burgers | 5186 E. Main St., Whitehall, 614-845-8840. this family-owned craft burger joint on the border of Whitehall and Reynoldsburg is dedicated to serving local, organic and fresh ingredients. Go for the flavorful salads, the berbere-rubbed chicken wings, the Flavor burger and the friendly atmosphere. LD $ Flip Side Burgers | 3945 Easton Station, Easton, 614-472-3547. this burger and shake joint with a heavy emphasis on local ingredients (burgers are made with ohio-raised, grass-fed beef) serves great cocktails and boozy milkshakes, plus craft beers. LD $ Flowers & Bread Café & Bakery | 3870 N. High St., Clintonville, 614262-5400. located across from Whetstone Park, this flower shop, bakery and café offers classes in baking, the floral arts, gardening and cooking. the breads, by baker extraordinaire sarah black, are outstanding. the café also offers seasonal soups, salads, sandwiches and baked goods. BL $ Forno Kitchen + Bar Italian | 721 N. High St., Short North, 614-469-0053. located in a historic building in the short north, this restaurant features pizza, sandwiches and shareable appetizers, plus house-made cocktails. BRLD $$ Fox in the Snow Café Coffee & Desserts | 1031 N. Fourth St., Italian Village.

A bakery and coffee shop in Italian Village offering pastries made in-house daily and coffee from tandem Coffee Roasters. the shop owners have transformed a former garage into a bright and welcoming space with picture windows offering a view of the kitchen and counter seats at the coffee bar. BL $ Fukuryu Ramen Japanese | 4540 Bridge Park Ave., Dublin, 614-553-7392; 1600 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington, 614-929-5910.

Jeff tsao, whose family owned the Kahiki supper Club, brings his melbourne, Australia, ramen shop stateside.

It’s quick, modern, bustling and adds a little rock ’n’ roll to traditional Japanese fare. the signature tonkotsu and Red Dragon ramens are standouts. LD $$ Gallerie Bar & Bistro American Contemporary | 401 N. High St., Short North, 614-484-5287. Chef bill Glover looks to break the city’s resistance to hotel dining at the French-inspired, ohio-driven Gallerie inside the hilton Downtown. In this airy yet refined space, Glover crafts a farm-to-plate menu with emphasis on local meats, produce and cheeses. BLD $$$ Gallo’s Kitchen & Bar Cajun & Creole/Italian | 2820 Nottingham Rd., Upper Arlington, 614-754-8176. Expanding on the menu at the tap Room location, Gallo’s Kitchen is more upscale, serving Walleye with louisiana Crawfish sauce, chicken étouffée and Pasta Russo. D $$ Gallo’s Tap Room Pub Grub | 5019 Olentangy River Rd., Northwest Side, 614-457-2394; 240 N. Liberty St., Powell, 614-396-7309.

A dark, modern sports bar brimming with top-notch

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beers and an updated pub grub menu featuring burgers, wings and pizza. LD $ Giuseppe’s Ritrovo Italian | 2268 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-235-4300. this unfussy bexley restaurant is the place to go for fantastic, classic Italian pasta dishes, such as Gamberi Diavola and Fettucine Calabrese. Italy plays just as big a role behind the bar with a lengthy wine list, a solid amaro selection and outstanding craft cocktails. LD $$ Grass Skirt Tiki Room Polynesian | 105 N. Grant Ave., Downtown, 614-4293650. Rum drinks are always flowing at this dark and neon-glowing tiki bar from liz lessner’s Columbus Food league. From the kitchen, it’s hawaiian- and Polynesianstyle food, with King’s hawaiian sweet roll sandwiches, coconut chicken and teriyaki aioli. LD $ The Guild House Contemporary American | 624 N. High St., Short North, 614-280-9780. Cameron mitchell goes contemporary at the Guild house with a smart collection of small plates, house-made pasta and many dishes crafted with locally sourced ingredients. sleek with a rustic edge, the 140-seat restaurant and bar is connected to the Joseph hotel. BBRLD $$$ Harvest Kitchen & Bar American | 2885 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-9477133. the second location from the owners of harvest Pizzeria offers the same perfectly cooked, wood-fired pies as the original location, plus a handful of small plates, sandwiches, burgers and a small selection of cocktails, several of which hail from speakeasy-bar Curio. LD $$

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Hass Mexican | 7370 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 614-760-0155. breaking the fast-casual mexican chain mold, hass serves authentic tacos, tortas, burritos and housemade tortillas filled with wood-fired steak, spicy al pastor and beer-battered shrimp (just to name a few of our favorites). LD $ Heirloom Café Café | 1871 N. High St., Campus, 614-292-2233. the fresh and seasonal café located inside the Wexner Center for the Arts always seems to have whatever we’re craving—homemade soup, sandwiches, salads, pastries and coffee drinks. BL $ Herb’n Café American | 1252 Hill Rd. N, Pickerington, 614-845-8150. the 1,600-square-foot herb’n Café is proof that some of the best finds in Central ohio are shoved into boxy strip malls. A spinoff of the food truck by the same name, chef taylor Carter’s eatery focuses on locally sourced ingredients in approachable and delicious presentations, from burgers to salads to hearty entrées.

BRLD $$ Himalayan Grille Indian | 1307 Stoneridge Dr., Gahanna, 614-472-0211.

A friendly spot serving nepali and tibetan dishes, like bhatmas sadeko, momos and vegetarian or meat thalis. Also serves familiar Indian fare like dal makhani, tandoori dishes and curries. LD $ Hinkley’s Steakhouse & Spirits Steakhouse | 318 E. Fifth St., Marysville, 937-553-9030. hinkley’s has revamped its menu, moving away from farm-to-table fare and into steakhouse territory. think: French onion soup, wedge salad, bone-in ribeyes, salmon and more. D $$$

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Hong Kong House Chinese | 1831 Henderson Rd., Upper Arlington, 614538-9288. Gone are the days of never-ending piles of serve-it-yourself crab legs and egg rolls at hong Kong buffet. the henderson Road eatery has changed its name to hong Kong house and given its menu new focus, switching to a sichuan-heavy menu and table-service format. the result is the most authentic sichuan fare in town. LD $$ Hoof Hearted Brewery and Kitchen Brewpub | 850 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614-4014033. this collaboration between A&R Creative (the Crest, market Italian Village) and popular marengo-based brewery hoof hearted represents all the good things happening in Columbus right now: lots of craft beer and locally sourced food in a cool, modern space. BRLD $$ Hot Chicken Takeover Southern | 4198 Worth Ave., Easton, 614-532-7435; 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614-800-4538; 4203 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-754-1151. head fryer/owner Joe Deloss jumped on the nashville hot chicken trend and hasn’t looked back. hCt does an excellent impression of Prince’s, the nashville original—the fried chicken is juicy, super spicy (unless you ask them to hold the heat) and sits on a bed of white bread. LD $ Hoyo’s Kitchen African | 5786 Columbus Sq., Northeast Side, 614899-8800. taking over the shuttered solay bistro, hoyo’s Kitchen fills the somali cuisine void with authentic African dishes inspired by the owner’s mother. Don’t pass on a combo plate with goat and a berbere-spiked sauce or the daal soup, a hearty lentil dish. LD $$

Hubbard Bar and Grille American | 793 N. High St., Short North, 614-291-5000. hubbard specializes in upscale takes on down-home and down-south dishes made with organic and local ingredients. LD $$$

Indochine Café Vietnamese | 561 S. Hamilton Rd., Whitehall, 614-231-7357.

Classic Vietnamese and laotian fare is presented in a colorful, photo-filled menu at this traditional momand-pop eatery. LD $$

Hudson 29 American | 260 Market St., New Albany, 614-8592900; 1600 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington, 614-4870622. this Cameron mitchell restaurant looks to bridge the gap between napa-inspired, Californiafresh cuisine and texas-style comfort food, with simple approaches to dishes like flatbreads, steaks, sushi and knife-and-fork sandwiches coming out of an open kitchen. BRLD $$$

Jack & Benny’s American | 12 E. Broad St., Downtown, 614-745-2313; 2563 N. High St., Old North, 614-263-0242. this old north-area breakfast favorite for students and locals alike now has a second location Downtown. Fans clamor here for classic diner fare, breakfast all day, pancakes and sandwiches. BL $ Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Ice Cream | 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614-2289960; 714 N. High St., Short North, 614-294-5364; 900 Mohawk St., German Village, 614-445-6513; 1281 Grandview Ave., Grandview, 614-488-2680; 2156 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-231-5364; 4247 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-447-0500; 1 W. Bridge St., Dublin, 614792-5364; 8 N. Liberty St., Powell, 614-846-1060; 3998 Gramercy St., Easton, 614-476-5364. Jeni’s creative and seasonal ice cream flavors are renowned across the nation. think salty Caramel ice cream, ice cream sundaes and ice cream sandwiches. LD $

Huong Vietnamese Restaurant Vietnamese | 1270 Morse Rd., North Side, 614-8250303. housed in a northland-area strip mall, this bright and simply decorated restaurant turns out great Vietnamese fare with pho, bun nem nuong and Asian-style barbecue pork. LD $ Ikea Restaurant European | 1900 Ikea Way, Polaris, 888-888-4532.

Ikea isn’t all all armchairs and ottomans—the swedish retailer’s cafeteria also serves flavorful, affordable fare for the whole family. take a break from shopping with a plate of Ikea’s famous meatballs or one of the many pescatarian and vegetarian options. BLD $

Katalina’s Latin American | 1105 Pennsylvania Ave., Harrison West, 614-294-2233. Expect an eclectic menu of latinleaning items at this tiny café known for its chalkboard walls, scratch-made salads and sandwiches and killer patio in the warmer months. BLD $

Indian Oven Indian | 427 E. Main St., Downtown, 614-220-9390.

Friendly and chic eatery serving northern Indian and bengali meals. the menu includes palak paneer, tandoori chicken, biryani and roasted lamb shank.

LD $$

Katzinger’s Delicatessen Deli | 475 S. Third St., German Village, 614228-3354; 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614-221-5377. A

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30-year veteran in German Village, Katzinger’s is a traditional East Coast-style deli, with 60-plus sandwiches, potato latkes, pickle barrels, specialty foods and more than 100 cheeses. Its “little deli” in the north market offers an abbreviated menu. BLD $ The Keep Liquor Bar French | 50 W. Broad St., Mezzanine Level, LeVeque Tower, Downtown, 614-745-0322. With a modern take on the French brasserie, the Keep strives for leVeque tower luxury without being overly fussy. Expect a menu of classic steaks, seafood towers and an old Worldleaning wine list. the adjacent bar is darkly lit with an emphasis on craft cocktails. BLD $$$

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Kihachi Japanese Restaurant Japanese | 2667 Federated Blvd., Northwest Side, 614764-9040. Chef-owner Ryuji “mike” Kimura’s passion for fresh, high-quality ingredients is reflected in his alwayschanging menu of traditional Japanese fare. D $$$$ Kittie’s Cakes Café & Bakery | 495 S. Third St., German Village, 614754-8828. Cupcakes, scones, biscuits, cookies and more are baked fresh at this contemporary bakery owned by two former professional golfers. serves stumptown coffee; open Wednesday through sunday. BLD $ Kraft House No. 5 Gastropub | 5 S. Liberty St., Powell, 614-396-9091.

A hip gastropub in Powell with an extensive list of local craft beers and a menu of from-scratch dishes and bold flavors—namely, garlic, smoke and bacon.

Attention to detail and highly finessed execution elevates it above your average neighborhood hangout. BRLD $$ La Chatelaine French Bakery & Bistro French/Bakery | 627 High St., Worthington, 614-8486711; 1550 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington, 614-4881911; 65 W. Bridge St., Dublin, 614-763-7151. handcrafted woodwork and a crackling fireplace lend the feeling of a French castle to this bakery, bistro and wine bar with equally inspired dishes that range from beef bourguignon to croissants. BLD $$ Lalibela Ethiopian | 1111 S. Hamilton Rd., Whitehall, 614-235-5355. one of the best places for Ethiopian food in the city is lalibela, a strip-mall restaurant that’s modest on the outside and welcoming on the inside. Request to be seated at a mesob, a colorful woven communal table, and start off with some Ethiopian beer or honey wine. LD $ La Tavola Italian | 1664 W. First Ave., Grandview, 614-9145455. Chef Rick lopez has again revived his popular old World Italian restaurant, this time in Grandview. Dotted with green and yellow accents, the setting is open and welcoming. the food is simple and rustic Italian with pizzas, house-made breads and pastas. D $$ Laughlin’s Bakery Café & Bakery | 15 E. Second Ave., Short North, 614-9148858. Jonas laughlin’s quaint bakery focuses primarily on traditional European breads and pastries, like baguettes, croissants, tarts, stollen and shortbread. you’ll also find a variety of pound cakes and signature cakes like carrot and red velvet. BL $ Lávash Café Middle Eastern | 2985 N. High St., Clintonville, 614263-7777. this quick-service middle Eastern eatery serves a mix of mediterranean food, coffees and desserts. LD $$ DECEMBER 2017 Columbus monthly

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The Light of Seven Matchsticks Small Plates | 5601 N. High Street, Worthington, 614436-2625. the owners of natalie’s Coal-Fired Pizza and live music celebrate Prohibition-era Columbus with this charming basement speakeasy offering snacks, small plates and excellent cocktails. open thursday through sunday only. D $ Lindey’s American | 169 E. Beck St., German Village, 614228-4343. A Columbus institution, this upscale German Village restaurant with upper East side new york flair is a diner favorite, no doubt due to its classic and consistently good fine-dining fare and lush patio. BRLD $$$ Little Eater Contemporary American | 4215 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-732-5829; 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614670-4375. beets, lentils, kale and quinoa have a home at Cara mangini’s “produce-inspired” north market stall, which sells healthful seasonal salads by the scoop, crostini, frittatas and quiches. A larger, eat-in location is now open in Clintonville. BLD $ Little Palace Pub Grub | 240 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-461-8404.

From the creative minds behind the Rossi and Club 185 comes a revamping of this longtime Downtown eatery featuring fried cheese curds, pizza, sandwiches and burgers. BRLD $$

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Local Cantina Mexican | 101 Mill St., Gahanna, 614-337-1977; 1423 Grandview Ave., Grandview, 614-488-6146; 3126 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-754-8554; 743 S. High St., Brewery District, 614-564-9775; 3975 Main St., Hilliard, 614-3634931. these kitschy, mexican-themed neighborhood bars with a heavy focus on craft beers also happen to serve good, Americanized mexican fare, like fajitas, quesadillas and tacos, plus self-serve chips and salsa. LD $ Los Guachos Taqueria Mexican | 5221 Godown Rd., Northwest Side, 614-5380211; 1376 Cherry Bottom Rd., Gahanna, 614-471-4717. the brick-and-mortar version of the popular taco truck (461 Commerce sq., West side) offers all the truck favorites—authentic tacos, tortas and gringas—and, of course, the city’s best al pastor. LD $ M American | 2 Miranova Pl., Downtown, 614-629-0000.

Cameron mitchell’s south beach-inspired restaurant is set apart by an outdoor terrace overlooking the scioto River, an eclectic menu of Pacific Rim-influenced dishes and craft cocktails by one of the city’s most notable bartenders. D $$$$ Mai Chau on Prospect Vietnamese | 138 N. Prospect St., Granville, 740-9204680. this hip downtown Granville eatery is inspired

by Vietnamese street food and the owners’ travels. the location is connected to mai Chau’s sister brewing company, three tigers brewing. Expect chicken wings, pho, banh mi, rice bowls and steam buns. BRLD $

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Marcella’s Ristorante Italian | 615 N. High St., Short North, 614-223-2100; 1319 Polaris Pkwy., Polaris, 614-844-6500. Cameron mitchell’s Italian bistro is fast-paced and always packed, which suits its bold-flavored and affordable food. D $$ Market 65 Salads | 65 E. State St., Downtown, 614-564-6565. by focusing on locally grown, organic ingredients, this Downtown lunch spot offers healthier options when

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it comes to soups, wraps and salads—the latter made to order as you watch. LD $ The Market Italian Village European | 1022 Summit St., Italian Village, 614-7452147. What used to be a shady carryout is now a hip destination. It’s a grab-and-go counter during the day and full-service bistro with a smattering of tables at dinner. BBRLD $$ Martini Modern Italian Italian | 445 N. High St., Short North, 614-224-8259. Cameron mitchell’s revamped short north staple offers classic Italian cooking in a modern, vibrant setting. D $$$

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Max & Erma’s American | 55 Nationwide Blvd., Downtown, 614228-5555. this homegrown chain boasts a neighborhood-tavern vibe mixed with comfort-fare classics like burgers, sandwiches and pasta. LD $ Mazah Mediterranean Eatery Mediterranean | 1453 Grandview Ave., Grandview, 614-488-3633. A modest mom-and-pop eatery with new digs just a few steps down from its original spot in Grandview. With more room to grow, you’ll now find a full bar to complement the authentic middle Eastern-style fare, including kibbe balls, lamb kebabs and mujadara. LD $$ McCarthy’s Wildflower Café American | 3420 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614-2622233. Cozy neighborhood restaurant serving madefrom-scratch comfort food, with pot roast, meatloaf, southern fried chicken and sunday brunch. BBRLD$ Melt Bar & Grilled Pub Grub | 840 N. High St., Short North, 614-453-1150; 4206 Worth Ave., Easton, 614-934-6020. the Cleveland-based kitschy bar is all about one thing: grilled cheese. here, you’ll get the expected plain cheese as well as odd variations, like two slices of texas-style toast stuffed with pierogi, sauerkraut and cheese. LD $$ Menya Noodle House Japanese | 331 W. Bridge St., Dublin, 614-210-0222. this family-friendly restaurant features a variety of excellent, traditional Japanese ramens. We recommend the pungent black garlic tonkotsu (pork bone) broth, topped with pork belly. It’s ramen as ramen should be and a bargain considering the quality and quantity. LD $$ Meshikou Japanese | 1506 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614457-1689. meshikou is an open-kitchen ramen shop focusing on authentic preparations of noodle bowls, as well as a few Japanese comfort-food starters. Coowner mike shek learned the ramen craft under a nyC chef—recipes to which shek has added his own touch for Central ohio palates. LD $$ Mikey’s Late Night Slice Pizza | 1030 N. High St., Short North, 614-737-3488; 15 E. Duncan St., Old North, 614-262-0680; 268 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-737-3801. What started as a latenight pizza shack in the short north has grown into a mini-chain offering thin crust whole and by-the-slice pizza, wacky seasonal toppings and famed hot sauce— a mix of barbecue, ranch and other hot sauces—to top it all off. LD $ Milestone 229 American | 229 Civic Center Dr., Downtown, 614-4270276. milestone 229 fills a niche on the scioto mile: a lively and unpretentious place to eat and enjoy

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spectacular views of Downtown, coupled with classic American fare. BRLD $$

& Chips, shabu shabu, o-h-I-o Roll and moshi King Crab Roll. LD $$

Mi Li Café Vietnamese | 5858 Emporium Sq., Northeast Side, 614-899-9202. the tucked-away north side eatery is famous for its authentic, made-from-scratch banh mi, the first and one of the only remaining items from the original menu. It’s since expanded, offering a heartier list of Vietnamese classics. LD $

Northstar Café American | 951 N. High St., Short North, 614-298-9999; 4241 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-784-2233; 4015 Townsfair Way, Easton, 614-532-5444; 109 S. State St., Westerville, 614-394-8992. northstar’s imaginative menu has a healthful emphasis on organic ingredients served in a casual, order-at-the-counter café setting. At peak times, it’s common to see diners lined up for the beetladen veggie burger, flatbreads, salads, rice-and-veggie bowls and oversized cookies. BBRLD $$

Mitchell’s Ocean Club Seafood | 4002 Easton Station, Easton, 614-416-2582.

With wood-paneled décor, live piano music and martinis shaken tableside, the ocean Club evokes the Rat Pack era. on the menu, expect high-end seafood like yellowfin tuna, teriyaki salmon and jumbo lump crab cakes. D $$$$ Momo Ghar Nepalese/Tibetan | 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614495-6666; 1265 Morse Rd., North Side, 614-749-2901.

Phuntso lama’s modest lunch counters inside north market and saraga International Grocery specialize in momos, the handmade nepali dumplings that she and her crew make by the hundreds, weekly. no trip is complete without the best-seller, jhol momo. LD $ Moretti’s of Arlington Italian | 2124 Tremont Ctr., Upper Arlington, 614-486-2333. this welcoming, casual eatery is the place for zesty ItalianAmerican food with homemade pasta, chicken Parmesan, Veal moretti and the made-for-two Italian Plate. D $$ Moshi Sushi Bar Japanese | 2152 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-732-0641. you’ll find a mix of traditional and modern Japanese entrées and sushi at this bexley spot, with moshi Fish

Old Mohawk Restaurant Pub Grub | 819 Mohawk St., German Village, 614444-7204. this German Village favorite housed in a historic building is rumored to have ties to Prohibition. on the menu is standard American bar fare, including the famed turtle soup. LD $ Olde Towne Tavern Pub Grub | 889 E. Oak St., Olde Towne East, 614-2522955. olde towne East’s convivial bar brings beer to a once-thirsty neighborhood, as well as gourmet grilled cheese and pizza in the style of youngstown’s beloved brier hill. BRLD $$ Palle by Moretti Italian | 1021 W. Fifth Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614-4212255. Fast-casual meets meatballs at this sister restaurant to moretti’s of Arlington. Just pick your meatball, a sauce and accompanying pasta, starch or vegetable. there’s an ample list of beers, wine, cocktails and sangria. LD $ Pat & Gracie’s Burgers | 138 Graceland Blvd., Clintonville, 614-987-5147;

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340 E. Gay St., Downtown, 614-914-8484. this friendly tavern serves up solid smash-cooked burgers, hand cut fries and craft beer. Also keep an eye out for specials like yankee Pot Roast. LD $$ Paulie Gee’s Short North Pizza | 1195 N. High St., Short North, 614-808-0112.

A brooklyn-based pizzeria with neapolitan-style pies and craft beer. offers traditional and eclectic pizza toppings with names like the hog Pit brisket, the Greenpointer and the Ricotta be Kiddin’ me. D $$$ The Pearl Contemporary American | 641 N. High St., Short North, 614-227-0151. Gastropub meets oyster bar at this Cameron mitchell Restaurant with a throwback vibe, craft beer and barrel-aged cocktails. BRLD $$$ Philco Bar + Diner American | 747 N. High St., Short North, 614-299-9933. the diner gets a modern touch from the owners of the Rossi and little Palace. A sleek gray-and-green atmosphere is paired with a fun menu of hushpuppies, johnnycake sliders, pork shoulder pot roast and, of course, breakfast all day. BLD $$ Pistacia Vera Cafe & Bakery | 541 S. Third St., German Village, 614220-9070; 59 Spruce St., Short North, 614-221-1001. the crème de la crème of Columbus desserts, with macarons, Pistachio mascarpone Dacquoise torte and Chocolate bombe. seek out the coffee blend made just for the shop by Cafe brioso. BL $ Ranchero Kitchen Latin American | 984 Morse Rd., North Side, 614-9850083. Previously located in saraga International Gro-

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cery, this salvadoran eatery specializes in pupusas, thick tortillas stuffed with savory fillings. LD $ Ray Ray’s Hog Pit Barbecue | 2619 High St., Old North, 614-753-1191; 5755 Maxtown Rd., Westerville, 614-329-6654. James Anderson’s barbecue truck, parked in the Ace of Cups lot, serves up top-notch eats from the smoker. this summer, Anderson added a second location. Expect barbecue fare, with ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket sandwiches, plus sides. LD $ Red Brick Tap & Grill Pub Grub | 292 E. Gates St., Merion Village, 614-4442742. the owners of recently closed Easy street Café give new purpose to this revamped local joint dropped in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Red brick serves better-than-average American bar fare heavy on house-smoked meats and stone-cooked pizza, plus craft beers and late-night eats. LD $$ Red Door BBQ Barbecue | 177 S. Cypress Ave., Franklinton, 614-5577469. Chef Aaron Channels puts tlC into his cooking at this Franklinton carryout. Go for the smoky, dry-rubbed spare ribs, rib tips, scratch mac ’n’ cheese and cinnamony bread pudding. LD $ The Refectory Restaurant & Wine Shop French | 1092 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614-4519774. the most accomplished of Columbus’ French restaurants might put more kitchen effort into a single plate than an ordinary restaurant does into an entire menu. Inside this church-turned-fine-dining spot, expect impeccable service and a world-class wine cellar to pair with your meal. D $$$$

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Restaurant Silla Korean | 1802 Henderson Rd., Upper Arlington, 614459-5990. you’ll find real-deal Korean cuisine and a menu with semi-explanatory color photos at this casual restaurant. their bibimbap is a textbook example of how the dish should be done—served in a scalding hot stone bowl with crispy rice on the bottom. LD $$ Rockmill Tavern Gastropub | 503 S. Front St., Brewery District, 614732-4364. lancaster brewer matthew barbee teams up with chef Andrew smith (formerly of the Rossi, salt & Pine) for barbee’s first restaurant venture. housed in the historic Worly building, the tavern’s jumping-off point is Rockmill brewery’s impressive list of belgian-style beers. tavern fare is in good hands with smith, whose menu includes small plates like pork rinds sprinkled with espresso and cayenne and entrées like a flaky duck leg pot pie. BBRLD $$

ALL ACCESS

ckstage pass to the Arch C Your ba it y

The Rossi American | 895 N. High St., Short North, 614-299-2810.

A perennially packed short north hot spot, diners flock here for inventive bar food (think gourmet pizza, lamb lollipops and grilled Caesar salad) in a new-meets-old atmosphere straight out of manhattan. D $$ Sassafras Bakery Café & Bakery | 657 High St., Worthington, 614-781-9705. owner A.J. Perry got her start at the olde Worthington summer Farmers market and now serves homecooked desserts (grab a slice of apple pie), pastries, quiche and soup using locally sourced ingredients in her Worthington shop. BL $ Scali Ristorante Italian | 1903 State Route 256, Reynoldsburg, 614-7597764. this strip mall gem opened by Frank and Judy

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comfort & joy

scali in 1993 pulls off sophisticated Italian-American fare with the genuine warmth of a neighborhood institution. the veal Parmesan and classic lasagna give red sauce a good name. D $$$ Schmidt’s Restaurant & Sausage Haus German | 240 E. Kossuth St., German Village, 614444-6808. hoist a stein of beer and treat your stomach to some hearty German food and culture at this longstanding German Village restaurant popular with out-of-towners and locals alike. bring a friend to help you enjoy huge portions of sausage, Weiner schnitzel, bavarian cabbage rolls and cream puffs. LD $$ Schokko Art Café American | 480 E. Broad St., Downtown, 614-221-8300.

Inside the newly renovated Columbus museum of Art, schokko is a casual café with straightforward fare that’s as fresh as it is all-pleasing. Run by Cameron mitchell Catering, the café offers sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts overlooking the sculpture garden. LD $$ Shrimp Hut Seafood | 61 S. Hamilton Rd., Whitehall, 614-866- 6400.

It’s no surprise that the batter-dipped shrimp are the must-have at this small Whitehall joint dedicated to fried seafood. Don’t miss the side of fried green tomatoes. LD $$

18 8 0 WEST HENDERSON ROAD in the Northwest Center

(614) 457-6662

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Sí Señor Latin American | 72 E. Lynn St., Downtown, 614-2270070; 200 Civic Center Dr., Downtown, 614-228-2066; 1456 W. Fifth Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614-369-1500. this Peruvian-style, order-at-the-counter sandwich shop adds latin style to familiar American lunchtime staples. Go for the empanadas, Chicharrón Peruano (fried pork shoulder sandwich), cilantro pasta salad and tres leches cake. hours differ by location. BLD $ Skillet American | 410 E. Whittier St., Schumacher Pl., 614443-2266. Chef Kevin Caskey has developed a huge following for his creative comfort food, served out of a cozy, no-reservations schumacher Place space. the menu changes nearly daily to reflect whatever local ingredients the chef can source. BBRL $ South of Lane Café | 1987 Guilford Rd., Upper Arlington, 614-5862233. A quaint neighborhood café serving simple but tasty breakfast fare like Greek omelets, seasonal salads and belgian waffles (some stuffed with peanut butter and bacon). Adding to this order-at-the-counter spot’s charm is a small selection of antique and vintage finds for sale. BBRL $ Sunflower Chinese Restaurant Chinese | 7370 Sawmill Rd., Northwest Side, 614-7647888. An authentic Chinese restaurant in a shopping plaza just outside of I-270. sunflower is best known for its delicious dim sum, served daily but most intensely pursued by diners on weekends. LD $$ SuperChef’s Breakfast & More American | 199 E. Broad St., Downtown, 614-221-9663; 1344 Cherry Bottom Rd., Gahanna, 614-532-8030. here the breakfast and lunch fare is playful, over-thetop and often quite delicious. Everything is done in the superlative—candied bacon, roasted red pepper grits, red velvet pancakes and quesadillas named after superheroes. BL $$ Sushi Ten Japanese | 1159 Old Henderson Rd., Upper Arlington, 614-451-9100. located next to tensuke Express, this

contemporary Japanese spot offers a large variety of fresh sushi rolls, nigiri and poke bowls. LD $$ Sushi Time Japanese | 2653 N. High St., Old North, 614-372-5228. standard sushi bar fare, with tempura, udon, soba, bento boxes and more in the former home of Angry bear Kitchen. offers dine-in, takeout and delivery. LD $$ Sweet Carrot Café | 1417 W. Fifth Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614-4887151. Angela Petro’s fast-casual café in the former Rife’s market location sprouted from a food truck of the same name. the mix-and-match menu focuses on smoked brisket, pulled pork and ohio chicken meatballs served over corn cakes or mac ’n’ cheese. LD $ Tiger + Lily Bistro Asian | 19 E. Gay St., Downtown, 614-928-9989. this inviting Downtown eatery features modern takes on pan-Asian cuisine, such as lemongrass chicken or teriyaki tofu in a rice or salad bowl, chicken broth-based ramen, bubble milk teas and seasonal crêpe cakes. LD $ Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails Pub Grub | 73 E. Gay St., Downtown, 614-221-8300. Part of liz lessner’s Columbus Food league, this Downtown bar serves up homegrown comfort food and drinks in a pub steeped in Columbus history. Expect American cuisine like the Pot Roast sandwich, burgers, chicken salad and sweet potato fries. LD $ Toast Bar Café & Bakery | 1028 Ridge St., Grandview, 614-9289035. bread-centric bakery Dan the baker transformed its 10-seat storefront into a cafe specializing in gourmet toast. Diners can choose from a selection of freshly made bread and spreads (including house-made butter) to build a three-slice toast Flight, or opt for one of the day’s specials, such as almond butter and maple sugar on sunflower flax bread. BBRL $ Tommy’s Diner Diners | 914 W. Broad St., West Side, 614-2242422. A longstanding, classic 1950s-style diner serving breakfast (a popular choice among the Downtown business crowd), lunch and some Greek dishes. BL $ The Top Steak House Steakhouse | 2891 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-2318238. For 60 years, this bexley palace of beef has offered award-winning, high-end cuisine (filet mignon, pork and lamb chops and seafood) in a dimly lit, vintage, 1960s-looking haunt. D $$$ Trillium Kitchen & Patio Contemporary American | 2333 N. High St., Old North, 614-369-4888. Chef bradley balch (most recently of the sycamore) and general manager michael Kulikowski opened their globe-traversing restaurant and wine bar this summer in the former home of Alana’s Food & Wine. the interior and patio have gotten a major refresh, while the menu continues to showcase balch’s penchant for seafood and seasonal ingredients. D $$$ Trism Contemporary American | 1636 N. High St., Campus, 614-369-1450. this fast-casual eatery and bar by A&R Creative Group brings healthful eating to the university District. serving smoothies, smoothie bowls and lunch and dinner entrée bowls. BLD $ Tucci’s Contemporary American | 35 N. High St., Dublin, 614-

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792-3466. A Dublin standby has gotten a welcome shakeup in the form of dining room renovations and a menu revamp. It’s now a straightforward steak-andseafood spot with a huge patio and more than 200 wines in the cellar. BRLD $$$ Udipi Café Indian | 2001 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., North Side, 614885-7446. A standout south Indian eatery located in a shopping plaza along 161. Go here for vegetarian fare, like uttapam, idli and dosas done authentically. LD $ Uptown Deli & Brew Deli & Brewpub | 41 N. State St., Westerville, 614-8912337. Deli meets brewery at this white-tiled uptown Westerville spot that’s three in one: an old-school deli, a restaurant serving fancy deli classics and the home of temperance Row brewing Co. LD $$ Valter’s at the Maennerchor German | 976 S. High St., Brewery District, 614-4443531. the Columbus maennerchor singing society (founded in 1848) enlisted the help of Valter Veliu to run this kitchen out of the German heritage house.

Expect well-made German fare, such as stout bratwurst, schweinshaxe and an excellent German potato salad. there’s a beer garden to boot. BRLD $$ Watershed Kitchen & Bar Contemporary American | 1145 Chesapeake Ave., Ste. D, Fifth by Northwest, 614-357-1936. Watershed complements its distillery with a proudly midwestern restaurant and bar featuring executive chef Jack moore and bar manager Alex Chien. moore emphasizes quality product and shareable plates with a sometimes tongue-in-cheek approach: e.g. Pork & beans and Pickledillies. D $$$

Over

Westies Gastropub Gastropub | 940 S. Front St., Brewery District, 614674-6143. the huge gastropub in the brewery District is divided into two spaces—the restaurant-bar side where diners nosh on upscale bar food (pierogi, pizza, wings) and the four-season patio in the back with a bar, tVs, four-sided fireplace and dozens of craft beers. BRLD $$

Wycliff’s Kitchen African | 2492 Home Acre Dr., Northeast Side, 614-7723461. the gregarious and charming Wycliff nduati is usually on hand to guide diners through the menu at Kenyan eatery Wycliff’s Kitchen. Dishes such as the karanga mbuzi (goat stew) make Wycliff’s a worthy destination. be sure to pair dinner with notable sides like pilau (seasoned rice with meat) and kabeji (cabbage). LD $$

The Whitney House American | 666 High St., Worthington, 614-396-7846.

Casual enough for the whole family yet upscale enough for date night, the sleek Whitney house takes familiar American classics up a notch. the Daily Plates specials rise above the standard fare, and a solid cocktail and wine list make this olde Worthington spot a good stop any night of the week. BRLD $$$

Yemeni Restaurant Middle Eastern | 5426 Cleveland Ave., North Side, 614-426-4000. offering a cuisine rarely found in the midwest, this no-frills eatery serves authentic yemeni specialties like fahsa and foul stews, lamb mandi and Adeni milk tea. LD $

Windward Passage Restaurant Pub Grub | 4739 Reed Rd., Upper Arlington, 614-451-2497. this hoot of a retro restaurant has porthole windows and nautical décor, as well as the best fried fish in town. LD $$ Wolf’s Ridge Brewing Contemporary American | 215 N. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-429-3936. French- and California-cuisine-inspired Wolf’s Ridge is a truly delightful reflection of how we enjoy fine dining today—a happy marriage of high-end cooking and pints of house-crafted beer.

BRLD $$$ The Worthington Inn American | 649 High St., Worthington, 614-885-2600.

A cozy, old country inn with elegantly restored dining rooms makes an intimate setting to enjoy traditional and modern dishes. take a seat by the bar for the more casual pub menu. BRLD $$$

Ying’s Teahouse & Yum-Yum Chinese | 4312 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-262-7587. this humble Clintonville shopping plaza spot hangs its hat on northern-style Chinese fare with a nod to muslim-Chinese cooking traditions. skip the American menu and go for Xi’an-style dishes like barbecue skewers, spicy incense pot and qi-shan noodles with ground pork. LD $ Z Cucina di Spirito Italian | 1368 Grandview Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614486-9200. An upscale Italian restaurant offering a blend of traditional and modern Italian flavors with an emphasis on sourcing local ingredients. D $$ ZenCha Tea Salon Japanese | 982 N. High St., Short North, 614-421-2140.

An Asian-themed teahouse with a diverse menu—rice bowls, noodle bowls, soups and dumplings—and weekend brunch, as well as one of the best tea selections in town. BRLD $

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christine’s christmas

cOmPILeD bY JiLLiAN SPAN HOFBAuER

calendar December 2017

THROUGH JAN. 1, 2018 Wildlights Visit

the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s annual display of holiday lights. see animals, enjoy entertainment, visit with santa and more. 5 p.m. $8–$14.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 Powell Rd., Powell, 614-645-3400, columbuszoo.org

THROUGH JAN. 7, 2018 Ohio Lantern Festival Check out brand-new light sculptures,

exciting performances, handicrafts, traditional food and other cultural experiences at this after-dark event. 5:30 p.m. $12–$15. ohio state Expo Center, natural Resources Park, 717 E. 17th Ave., 877-3290258, ohiolanternfestival.com

DEC. 1 CCAD Graduate Studies Talks: Cara Benedetto Artist and writer Cara

benedetto will discuss her text and performance-

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based works, which use language to confound communication and subvert power structures.

6:30 p.m. Free. Columbus College of Art & Design, Canzani Center, 60 Cleveland Ave., 614-224-9101, ccad.edu/events

11 a.m. $5. Columbus College of Art & Design, 112 Cleveland Ave., 614-224-9101, ccad.edu

Offstage at the Academy: Peggy Kriha Dye and David Pruyn Join the Columbus

first saturday of every month, thousands of visitors converge in the short north to celebrate and partake in an evening of sights, sounds, food and shopping. 4 p.m. Free. short north, along n. high st., between Fifth Ave. and nationwide blvd., 614-299-8050, shortnorth.org

Jazz orchestra guest artists Peggy Kriha Dye and David Pruyn for a casual and engaging conversation revealing a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the unique lives and music of the artists. you will have the opportunity to hear music, ask questions and more in an intimate setting.

2 p.m. Free. 734 E. long st., 614-294-5200, jazzartsgroup.org

CCAD Art Fair Get a jump on your holiday shopping at the semiannual CCAD Art Fair.

Discover handcrafted jewelry, paintings, ceramics and other works created by CCAD students and alumni. Proceeds from the art sold at the fair go directly to the artists, and proceeds from ticket sales go toward student programming at CCAD.

Jingle Bell Run 5K this race is a fun way to get decked out and be festive in your favorite holiday garb while raising funds and awareness for the Arthritis Foundation; 100 percent of registration and fundraising efforts go toward the cause. 10 a.m. $20–$75. Genoa Park, 303 W. broad st., jbr.org

DEC. 2 Short North Holiday Hop on the

photo: Laura SifferLin

Events

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Tell Us About It

to share information about your upcoming event (it should be open to the public and of general interest), visit columbusmonthly.com and fill out our online form, under “Events.” the deadline for the February issue is Dec. 22. Questions? Ask Eric lyttle, elyttle@columbusmonthly.com Santa Race 5K/Little Reindeer Dash this

family-friendly event for people of all ages is sponsored by mount Carmel health. Finishers will receive a race medal, t-shirt and festive hat. 9 a.m. $12–$35. Creekside Park, 121 mill st., Gahanna, 614-418-9114, visitgahanna.com

News from the practice field.

Analysis from the stadium.

Updates on the recruiting wars.

And many other stories you won’t find anywhere else.

Columbus Winter Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show this large show will feature artists

and crafters selling their original, handmade items.

A portion of proceeds will benefit local nonprofit hope hollow. 10 a.m. $3, free for children 12 and under. makoy Event Center, 5462 Center st., hilliard, avantgardeshows.com

DEC. 3 Village Lights twinkling luminaries greet visitors on the historic streets of German Village at this annual event. Enjoy the magic of the holidays and visit shops, businesses and restaurants that stay open late with holiday treats, discounts and special offers. 5 p.m. Free. German Village meeting haus, 588 s. third st., 614-221-8888, germanvillage.com

DEC. 13 Evenings with Authors: Wiley Cash Award-winning and New York Times best-selling author Wiley Cash will discuss his latest release, “the last ballad.” 7:30 p.m. $20–$25. Columbus museum of Art, 480 E. broad st., 614-464-1032, thurberhouse.org

DEC. 16 Santa and the Symphony Part of the

Saturday at the Symphony Sensory-Friendly series, this concert is ideal for those needing a more relaxed, sensory-friendly experience. Each performance includes an instrument “petting zoo,” an art project in the lobby and a special treat for each audience member. 11:30 a.m. $8. Jeanne b. mcCoy Community Center for the Arts, 100 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., new Albany, 614-469-0939, newalbanysymphony.net

DEC. 31 First Night Columbus A spectacular

new year’s Eve celebration in Franklinton with fireworks, live entertainment, activities and fun for all ages. 5:30 p.m. $10–$15. CosI, 33 W. broad st., 614-299-9221, firstnightcolumbus.com

Exhibitions Beeler Gallery Alan Shields: A Different Kind

of Painting, through Jan. 2, 2018. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. tue–Fri, noon–6 p.m. sat–sun. 60 Cleveland Ave., 614-222-3270, beelergallery.org

photo: Laura SifferLin

Brandt-Roberts Galleries Mark Gingerich Solo Exhibition, through Dec. 31. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. tue– sat, 1–5 p.m. sun. 642 n. high st., 614-223-1655, brandtrobertsgalleries.com

Columbus Museum of Art Sidney Chafetz:

Poets and False Prophets, through Dec. 3; Beyond Impressionism, through Jan. 21, 2018; Think Outside the Brick: The Creative Art of LEGO, through march 2, 2018. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. tue–Wed

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February Best New Restaurants

In one of our most anticipated (and most hunger-inducing) issues of the year, our editors reveal the best restaurants to open in Central Ohio in the past 12 months.

Guide to Private Schools

In this issue you will find vital information on Central Ohio’s top private education institutions.

Best Driving Vacations

As affluent Central Ohio families make their travel plans for 2018, Columbus Monthly’s annual Best Driving Vacations will be a valuable resource, a guide to quality travel opportunities in all price ranges. Best Driving Vacations will be mailed in late January 2018 to every one of Columbus Monthly’s subscribers.

Space reservation for Best Driving Vacations: December 15

Valentine’s Day Guide

Our gift guide showcases special offers and gift ideas from area retailers.

Space reservations for February: December 22

March Health Matters: Surviving Cancer

This special section will give readers important information about screening, early detection and treatment options available right here in Columbus.

Guide to Cosmetic Procedures and Treatments

In this special advertising section, you can let readers know about your specialty, your experience and how you can be a partner in their quest to keep looking and feeling great.

Space reservation for March: January 19

Home & Garden: Spring/Summer Springtime is about refreshing the home, from interior rooms to outdoor settings. This issue will focus on seasonal updates, with home and garden features that have looks we love.

Space reservation for Home & Garden: January 12

For complete information on these or any of Columbus Monthly’s issues, contact your account executive today at (614) 888-4567 or email advertise@columbusmonthly.com

and Fri–sun, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. thu. 480 E. broad st., 614-221-6801, columbusmuseum.org

Decorative Arts Center of Ohio In Our Own

Image: The Genesis of Photography and the Contemporary Eye, through Dec. 31. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. tue–sat, 1–4 p.m. sun. 145 E. main st., lancaster, 740-681-1423, decartsohio.org

Dublin Arts Council Louise Captein: As Per

Usual, through Dec. 15. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. tue, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Wed–Fri, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. sat. 7125 Riverside Dr., Dublin, 614-889-7444, dublinarts.org

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Gardens Aglow, through Jan. 3, 2018.

10 a.m.–5 p.m. mon–sun. 1777 E. broad st., 614715-8000, fpconservatory.org

Fresh A.I.R. Gallery Something Touching by

Brittany Ann Campbell, Dec. 6–Jan. 12, 2018. 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. mon–Fri. 131 n. high st., 614-7448110, southeastinc.com/fresh_air.php

Hammond Harkins Galleries Small & Wonder-

ful, through Jan. 14, 2018. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. tue–sat, 1–5 p.m. sun. 641 n. high st., 614-238-3000, hammondharkins.com

Mac Worthington Gallery of Contemporary Art Small Wonders, through Dec. 31. noon–6 p.m. mon–sat. 138 n. high st., 614-582-6788, macworthington.com

Ohio State Urban Arts Space Department of

Art BFA Thesis Exhibition, through Dec. 16. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. tue–Wed and Fri–sat, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. thu. 50 W. town st., suite 130, 614-292-8861, uas.osu.edu

Open Door Art Studio All that Glitters,

through Dec. 1. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. mon–Fri. 1050 Goodale blvd., Grandview, 614-641-2828, opendoorartstudio.org

Sherrie Gallerie Intimate: A Group Exhibit, Dec.

2–24. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. tue–sat, 1–4 p.m. sun. 694 n. high st., 614-221-8580, sherriegallerie.com

Studios on High Gallery The Art of Gifting, through Dec. 31. noon–6 p.m. mon–sat, 1–6 p.m. sun. 686 n. high st., 614-461-6487, studiosonhigh.com

Wexner Center for the Arts Cindy Sherman:

Imitation of Life, through Dec. 31. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. tue–Wed and sun, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. thu–sat. 1871 n. high st., 614-292-3535, wexarts.org

Films THROUGH DEC. 3 Zoom: Family Film Festival “the Preschool Poets: An Animated Film

series,” 7 p.m. Dec. 1; “Kid Flix mix,” 10 a.m. Dec. 2; “Ivan tsarevitch and the Changing Princess: Four Enchanting tales,” noon Dec. 2; “Party mix,” 1:45 p.m. Dec. 2; “Whale Rider,” 3:30 p.m. Dec. 2; “the big bad Fox and other tales,” 7 p.m. Dec. 2; “snow White,” 1 p.m. Dec. 3. $3–$20. Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 n. high st., 614-292-3535, wexarts.org

THROUGH DEC. 17 “Extreme Weather 3D” 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. sun–sat. $4–$8. CosI, 333 W. broad st., 614-228-2674, cosi.org

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Peggy Kriha Dye, artistic director of Opera Columbus, will appear in “Home for the Holidays.”

DEC. 7 “4 Days in France” 7 p.m. $8, $6 members, students and seniors. Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 n. high st., 614-292-3535, wexarts.org

DEC. 8–9 “Il Boom” 7 p.m. $8, $6 members,

students and seniors. Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 n. high st., 614-292-3535, wexarts.org

Music THROUGH DEC. 3 “Home for the Holidays” 8 p.m. Fri–sat, 3 p.m. sun. $18–$71. southern theatre, 21 E. main st., 614-294-5200, jazzartsgroup.org

DEC. 1 Liberty Deep Down 7 p.m. $15–$20.

A&R music bar, 391 neil Ave., 614-461-5483, promowestlive.com

Frazzle Town 6 7:30 p.m. $15–$20. newport music hall, 1722 n. high st., 614-461-5483, promowestlive.com Popgun 8 p.m. $10. Rumba Café, 2507 summit st., 614-268-1841, columbusrumbacafe.com 25th Annual Music Celebration Concert

8 p.m. $10–$20. mershon Auditorium, 1871 n. high st., 614-292-3535, music.osu.edu

DEC. 1–3 Holiday Pops 8 p.m. Fri, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. sat, 3 p.m. sun. $20–$68. ohio theatre, 39 E. state st., 614-469-0939, columbussymphony.com

DEC. 2 Lecrae: All Things Work Together Fall Tour 6 p.m. $28. newport music hall, 1722 n. high st., 614-461-5483, promowestlive.com

Kip Moore: Plead the Fifth Tour 6:30 p.m. $35–$38. Express live, 405 neil Ave., 614-4615483, promowestlive.com DEC. 3 Columbus Chamber Singers Christmas Concert 4:30 p.m. Free. Ascen-

photo: Jennifer toole

Special advertising opportunities coming in Columbus Monthly

Columbus monthly DECEMBER 2017

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sion lutheran Church, 1479 morse Rd., columbuschambersingers.org

DEC. 4 Shamir 8 p.m. $15–$17. the

basement, 391 neil Ave., 614-461-5483, promowestlive.com

DEC. 6 An Evening with George Winston 7:30 p.m. $30–$40. lincoln theatre, 769 E. long st., 614-469-0939, capa.com

DEC. 7 Harmony Project: “The Concert for Us” 7:30 p.m. $18–$28.

nationwide Arena, 200 W. nationwide blvd., 614-246-2000, harmonyproject.com

DEC. 8 Dave Koz: 20th Anniversary Christmas Tour 8 p.m. $32–$232.

Palace theatre, 34 W. broad st., 614-4690939, capa.com

Messiah Side-By-Side Sing-Along

7:30 p.m. $23. southern theatre, 21 E. main st., 614-464-0066, promusicacolumbus.org

photo: ©2017 thinkstock

The Lost Revival 9 p.m. $5. Rumba Café, 2507 summit st., 614-268-1841, columbusrumbacafe.com DEC. 8–10 “Joy! Make the Yuletide Gay” 8 p.m. Fri, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. sat, 6 p.m. sun. $25. multiple locations, 614228-2462, columbusgaymenschorus.com

DEC. 9 Christine’s Christmas 7:30 p.m. $25–$100. Davidson theatre, Riffe Center, 77 s. high st., christineschristmas.org

DEC. 9–10 Beethoven’s Eroica 5:30 p.m. sat, 7 p.m. sun. $37. multiple locations, 614-464-0066, promusicacolumbus.org

DEC. 13–14 Mad Mad Men: Swingin’ Holiday Show 8 p.m. $20. bronwynn theatre, Peggy R. mcConnell Arts Center of Worthington, 777 Evening st., Worthington, 614-431-0329, mcconnellarts.org

DEC. 15 Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith 7:30 p.m. $40–$128. nationwide

Arena, 200 W. nationwide blvd., 614-2462000, nationwidearena.com

DEC. 16 Escher String Quartet and Jon Nakamatsu 8 p.m. $15–$55. southern theatre, 21 E. main st., 614469-0939, capa.com

Blitzmas 2017 featuring Seether

7 p.m. $31. Express live, 405 neil Ave., 614-461-5483, promowestlive.com

JTB 7 p.m. $10. the basement, 391 neil Ave., 614-461-5483, promowestlive.com DEC. 17 Holiday Spectacular 3 p.m.

W. nationwide blvd., 614-246-2000, nationwidearena.com

Jim Brickman: “A Joyful Christmas”

4 p.m. $33–$147. southern theatre, 21 E. main st., 614-469-0939, capa.com

DEC. 21 The Spikedrivers 6 p.m. $5.

Rumba Café, 2507 summit st., 614-2681841, columbusrumbacafe.com

DEC. 22–23 The Floorwalkers Holiday Show 9 p.m. $12. Rumba

Café, 2507 summit st., 614-268-1841, columbusrumbacafe.com

DEC. 30 Trans-Siberian Orchestra

3 p.m. and 8 p.m. $49–$79. nationwide Arena, 200 W. nationwide blvd., 844-7658432, nationwidearena.com

DEC. 31 Hoodoo Soul Band New Year’s Eve 10 p.m. $18. Rumba Café, 2507 summit st., 614-268-1841, columbusrumbacafe.com

Performing Arts

$16–$24. Jeanne b. mcCoy Community Center for the Arts, 100 E. DublinGranville Rd., new Albany, 614-245-4701, newalbanysymphony.net

THROUGH DEC. 9 “American Buffalo” 8 p.m. tue–sat, 2 p.m. sun.

Xcape: The Great Xcape Tour

THROUGH DEC. 23 “Mr. Scrooge”

7 p.m. $58–$262. nationwide Arena, 200

$30–$40. studio one, Riffe Center, 77 s. high st., 614-469-0939, catco.org 7:30 p.m. thu–Fri, 1 p.m. and 3:30

The hectic holiday season is the perfect time to embrace a little mellow, and New Age pioneer pianist George Winston offers up just the right mood. Famous for his works that capture the moods of Autumn (1980), December (1982), Winter Into Spring (1982) and Summer (1991), catch his performance Dec. 6 at the Lincoln Theatre.

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photo: Jennifer toole

ce 187 in s l a c o l g in t r Suppo

B Black Radish Creamery Penny’s Meats P The Fish Guys T North Market Spices N Market Blooms M Park Street Poultry & Game P The Barrel and Bottle T Coco Cat (coming soon!)

C aand 25 more!

northmarket.com DECEMBER 2017 Columbus monthly

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11/8/17 11:26 AM

THROUGH DEC. 23 “Cratchit” 2 p.m. sat, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. sun. $10–$25. shadowbox live, 503 s. Front st., 614-416-7625, shadowboxlive.org

THROUGH DEC. 30 Holiday Hoopla 7:30 p.m. mon–thu, 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Fri–sat. shadowbox live, 503 s. Front st., 614-416-7625, shadowboxlive.org

If the excitement of the holidays isn’t enough to light up the eyes of children, a visit to the Ohio Theatre to see the stars of Nickelodeon’s hit TV show “Paw Patrol” live on stage will do the trick, featuring elements of puppetry built into costumes worn by real actors, with music and theatrical scenery.

DEC. 5 “Hip Hop Nutcracker” 7:30

p.m. $22–$82. Palace theatre, 34 W. broad st., 614-469-0939, capa.com

DEC. 8–10 “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” 7:30 p.m. Fri, 2 p.m. and

7:30 p.m. sat, 2 p.m. sun. $10–$12. Peggy R. mcConnell Arts Center of Worthington, 777 Evening st., Worthington, 614-4310329, mcconnellarts.org

DEC. 8–17 “Madeline’s Christmas”

7:30 p.m. Fri, 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. sat–sun. $10–$15. shedd theatre, Columbus Performing Arts Center, 549 Franklin Ave., 614-469-0939, catco.org

DEC. 8–18 “Christmas in Columbus: A Holiday Adventure” 7 p.m. thu–Fri, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. sat–sun. $12–$20. short north stage, 1187 n. high st., 614-7254042, shortnorthstage.org

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DEC. 8–24 Balletmet: “The Nutcracker” $29–$93. ohio theatre, 39 E. state st., 614-229-4860, balletmet.org

DEC. 8–10 New Albany Children’s Ballet Theatre: “The Nutcracker”

7 p.m. Fri; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. sat; 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. sun. Jeanne b. mcCoy Community Center for the Arts, 100 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., new Albany, 614-4690939, mccoycenter.org

DEC. 10 “Rhythmic Circus Red and Green” 4 p.m. $15–$30. midland theatre, 36 n. Park Place, newark, 740-345-5483.

DEC. 16–17 “Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer the Musical” 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. sat; 2 p.m. sun. $27–$68.

Palace theatre, 34 W. broad st., 614-4690939, capa.com

Sports Columbus Blue Jackets nationwide

Arena, 200 W. nationwide blvd., 614246-2000, bluejackets.nhl.com. Anaheim Ducks, 7 p.m. Dec. 1; new Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. Dec. 5; Arizona Coyotes, 7 p.m.

Dec. 9; Edmonton oilers, 7 p.m. Dec. 12; new york Islanders, 7 p.m. Dec. 14; toronto maple leafs, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20; Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. Dec. 23; tampa bay lightning, 6 p.m. Dec. 31

The Harlem Globetrotters 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 28. $24–$131. schottenstein Center, 555 borror Dr., 614-292-3231, schottensteincenter.com

OSU Sports Call 614-292-2524 for tickets. ohiostatebuckeyes.com

DEC. 21–29 “Meet Me in St. Louis”

Basketball, men’s michigan, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 4; William & mary, noon Dec. 9; Appalachian state, 6 p.m. Dec. 16; the Citadel, 7 p.m. Dec. 19; miami oh, noon Dec. 30

DEC. 23 “Nina West Christmas Pageant” 6 p.m. $10. Gateway Film

Basketball, women’s maine, 1 p.m. Dec. 3; Dartmouth, 7 p.m. Dec. 15; Indiana, 2 p.m. Dec. 31

2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wed and sat, 7 p.m. thu–Fri. $15–$35. Weathervane Playhouse, 100 Price Rd., newark, 740-366-4616, weathervaneplayhouse.org

Center, 1556 n. high st., 614-247-4433, gatewayfilmcenter.org

DEC. 28–30 “Paw Patrol Live” 6 p.m. thu; 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Fri; 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. sat. $17–$92. ohio theatre, 39 E. state st., 614-469-0939, capa.com

Ice Hockey, men’s Penn state, 7 p.m.

Dec. 1; Penn state, 7 p.m. Dec. 2; minnesota, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8; minnesota, 8 p.m.

Dec. 9; niagra, 7 p.m. Dec. 29; niagra, 8 p.m. Dec. 30

photo: Courtesy V star entertainment

p.m. sat–sun. $16–$26. Park street theatre, 512 Park st., 614-224-6672, columbuschildrenstheatre.org

Columbus monthly DECEMBER 2017

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11/9/17 2:15 PM

Wouldn’t you like to be looking at your home?

Ask your Realtor to market your home in the Executive Living section of Columbus Monthly Magazine!

East of I-71 call Telana Veil at (614) 469-6106 or e-mail at tveil@dispatch.com West of I-71 call Amy Vidrick at (614) 461-5153 or e-mail at avidrick@dispatch.com

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

BRIGHT VICTORIAN VILLAGE HOME - Three story all brick home with ideal indoor & outdoor living. Hardwood floors, French doors opening to fenced backyard, SS updated kitchen, and walk-through owner’s suite closet! Plus a finished 3rd floor w/ vaulted ceiling & det. 2 car garage. $400,000. www.321TappanStreet.com

NICKLAUS ESTATES RETREAT - This is one of those special properties that rarely comes to the market. Ideally set up with a circular flow & ample decks/patios overlooking the second fairway. The centerpiece is a 2 story banquet hall that has hosted pro golfers, presidents, & golf’s elite. $2,750,000. www.5353MuirfieldCourt.com

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Virgil & Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

Virgil & Neil Mathias (614) 526-5638 (614) 889-0808

CAMPDEN LAKES SHOWPLACE - Entertainers’ dream home on 1+Ac wooded lot! Over 5000SF w/ 5BR/5BA, large fin walkout to state-of-art outside kitchen to new pool, spa & firepit. 1st floor deluxe master, s/s kitchen, lodge-like Great Room, covered porch & scr porch, huge deck. A true “wow”! $1,095,000. www.4703CranleighCourt.com

STATELY TARTAN FIELDS MANOR - Spectacular 9,000SF custom manor with all the finest finishes & features, 6-7 large bedroom ensuites, serious gourmet kitchen, wonderful Florida rm, 4-car gar, huge finished walkout, upper level rec room, elevator, beautifully private setting, incredible finishes. Unique! www.6585LockhartLn.com $1,695,000

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

Neil Mathias & Curt Mahlstedt (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

BETWEEN THE PARKS - This South of Lane home is overfl owing with updates! Adding to an idyllic location is the welcoming interior w/ freshly finished hardwoods, bright windows & skylights, 2 story eating area, owner’s suite with granite bath, & finished LL with full bath. $850,000. www.2477CoventryRoad.com

EXCLUSIVE POWELL RETREAT - Located in the heart of the Olentangy School District, this property features 9 acres of privacy. Enjoy over 8000sqft of living space in the main house with walkout LL, first floor owner’s suite & upper level bonus room- plus a pond with carriage house & barn. $2,395,000. www.1989CarriageRoad.com

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Virgil & Neil Mathias (614) 526-5638 (614) 889-0808

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

SPACIOUS TARTAN FIELDS GEM - Detailed finishes in this home with golf course views & 4 car garage! The 2 story great room w/ wall of windows opens to the oversized kitchen & features a double sided fireplace. Enjoy a 1st flr owner’s suite, Florida room, & 4 bright bdrms on the 2nd level. $735,000. www.8484TartanFields.com

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UNDER 25 MINUTES TO DOWNTOWN! - Come home to your own private castle nestled on over 2.5 acres of natural preserve! Enjoy Stock & Stone built craftsmanship including exposed beams, molding & trim, & stone archways. A finished lower level, Sun Room, and multiple covered patios await! $1,025,000. www.430TrilliumDrive.com

11/7/17 3:26 PM

Wouldn’t you like to be looking at your home?

Ask your Realtor to market your home in the Executive Living section of Columbus Monthly Magazine!

East of I-71 call Telana Veil at (614) 469-6106 or e-mail at tveil@dispatch.com West of I-71 call Amy Vidrick at (614) 461-5153 or e-mail at avidrick@dispatch.com

RE/MAX PREMIER CHOICE

RE/MAX PREMIER CHOICE

Kevin Sullivan (614) 419-2026 kevins@ columbus.rr.com

Kevin Sullivan (614) 419-2026 kevins@ columbus.rr.com

SPECTACULAR CONTEMPORARY HOME- with breathtaking landscaping, Pond & a Gazebo. 5BR, 4.5 BA, soaring ceilings, Great Rm w/FP and Brazilian Cherry Flrs, Wall of Windows throughout the home, Gourmet Kit w/custom Cabinets, Granite Counters, Breakfast Bar & Eating space, huge Studio/Bonus Rm, Walk-out LL w/8’-9’ ceilings, Family Rm, Billiard Rm and BR w/full BA. 3857 Fairlington Dr. $1,150,000.

COLD BAN KING THOM

Mike (614 www carru

STUNNING HISTORIC ROYCE BUILT HOME - All Stone home on 2.3 acres overlooking the Scioto River w/5BD, 4BA, 2 Half BA, 1st Flr Mstr Ste, 2 Stairway, Hdwd & Granite Flrs, Formal LR & DR, open Kit w/Eating Sp, 2 Dens, 2 FR’s, 2nd level Rec Rm, Florida Rm, Mother-in-law Ste & 30’ Theatre Rm, Inground Pool, 3 Stone Patios & 5 Car Gar. 4500 Dublin Road. $2,750,000.

RE/MAX PREMIER CHOICE

PIZZUTI MANAGEMENT LLC

Kevin Sullivan (614) 419-2026 kevins@ columbus.rr.com

COLD BAN KING THOM

Pat Himes 614-280-4137 614-390-9697 phimes@pizzuti.com

Mike (614 www carru

MIRANOVA - Fabulous 24th floor Penthouse w/glass on 3 sides. Open floor plan, renovated in 2015, high end finishes, wood floors, gas FP, big balcony w/3 doors, 2 bdrm/ 2.5 BA. Large kitchen w/2 islands, top line SS appliances & pantry. Includes 2-car private garage. Amenities include Concierge, health club, pool, social & meeting rms. $1,100,000.

LUXURY DREAM MUIRFIELD HOME ON 15TH FAIRWAY- beautiful 2-Sty Entry, 4BD, 4 full BA, 2 half BA, Wall of Windows thorough home w/spectacular views of 15th Fairway, 18th Tee & Championship 17th Green. Mahogany Den w/FP, Din Rm w/Coffered Ceilings & recessed lighting, Great Rm w/FP, Bar, spacious Kit w/Granite Counters, Island & Eating sp, Winding staircase leads to Walk-out LL w/800 Bottle Wine Cellar, Indoor/outdoor Pool Rm & 4-Season Rm. 5932 Whittingham Dr. $1,550,000.

RE/MAX ASSOCIATES

RE/MAX PREMIER CHOICE

The Wheatons (614) 620-1155 Bob@Bob Wheaton.com

Debbie Bower (614) 496-4477 debbiebowerteam@ gmail.com

1662 JEWETT ROAD - Stunning 7,982 SF Country Manor. 4 EnSuite Bedrooms, 7 Baths, 10’ Ceilings, Hardwood Flrs, huge Great Rm, Gourmet Kitchen granite & designer appls. Home Theatre, 500 Bottle Wine Cellar, 2 Level Deck/Patio, 4 car att gar & huge 6+ car/RV bldg. www.1662JewettRoad.com NEW PRICE! $1,699,900

COLD BAN KING THOM

Mike (614 www carru

IN THE CIRCLES OF VICTORIAN VILLAGE - Traditional interior graced with exquisite woodwork & Victorian design details. Hardwood floors, sets of pocket doors, crown & base molding throughout. 4 BRs, 2.5 BA. DR, LR, FM rm, newly renovated kitchen, 5 fplcs, 2nd-fl laundry & a fabulous 3 car garage with loads of storage! A must see!

CAM TAYLOR CO. RELOCATION

SORRELL AND COMPANY

COLD BAN KING THOM

Phil Giessler (614) 888-0307 phil@ camtaylor.com

Katherine Burke (614) 886-4116 katherine@ sorrellandco.com

Mike (614 www carru

S. OLENTANGY VALLEY ESTATE - 2+ ac. 5 br, 6F/3HBA, 5 fplcs, elevator, 3 lndry rms.

Grand entry, plan made for entertaining & family. Kitchen updates; prof. grade appls, granite counters & lg. island. Top finishes, amenities, 1st flr mst. w/sitting area, fplc.& balcony, 3 rm office w/built-ins. Sunrm. Window walls to view pool, water falls, pond, ravine & wds. Wlk out LL w/all fam desires, Kitchen, gym, Sauna & Guest Ste. 11,000+ sqft.

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SECLUDED UA NEIGHBORHOOD - 4BR, 3.5 BA home in UA’s Concord Village! Good flr plan w/LR, DR, 1st flr den, eat-in kitch open to vaulted FR. Carrara owner BA & fin LL. Superb outdoor entertaining/relaxation area w/ FP, paver patio screened porch. $649,900

11/7/17 3:27 PM

home?

Wouldn’t you like to be looking at your home?

cutive

Ask your Realtor to market your home in the Executive Living section of Columbus Monthly Magazine!

East of I-71 call Telana Veil at (614) 469-6106 or e-mail at tveil@dispatch.com West of I-71 call Amy Vidrick at (614) 461-5153 or e-mail at avidrick@dispatch.com

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

317 S. DREXEL AVE. $867,000 - Central Bexley Stately Stone 2 Sty–4 BRs-3 Full Baths & 2 Half Baths–3,672 Sq Ft Plus LL–Center Hall Plan–23’ FR w/Abundant Natural Light–2nd Floor Laundry- Lg MBR w/New Deluxe Master Bath–2 Car Attached Side Load Garage–Lg Private Rear Yard w/ Abundant Landscaping & Greenspace–Walkability-Excellent Condition

435 N. COLUMBIA AVE. $2,850,000 - Bexley Estate Built 2002-Stately French Architecture–Limestone & Stucco 2 Story-9,709 Sq Ft–5 BRs-8 ½ Baths–12’ Ceilings–1st or 2nd Floor Master Bedroom Suite– -Elevator-6 Fireplaces-5 Car Garage Plus Parking Court–Heated Inground Steel Lined Pool–Hot Tub-The Best Home You Will Ever Visit–A 10+++

.3 Ste, 2 2 Dens, Rm, 00.

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

s. Open FP, big line SS include

17 N. PARKVIEW AVE. $1,925,000 - Totally Private 2.11 Acre Parklike Bexley Estate–Stately Brick 3 Story–8,112 Sq Ft-5 to 6 BRs–9 ½ Baths–French Doors & Hardwood Floors-2 Circular Gated Driveways–3 Car Detached Garage Carriage House w/ Lg Apt– Private Heated Inground Pool w/Pool House & Patio-Excellent Condition-Rare Opportunity

17 STANBERY AVE. $1,085,000 - Partial Stone Williamsburg Colonial 2 Sty–5 BRs–3 Full & 2 Half Baths–Chef’s Kitchen w/ Granite Countertops & SS Appliances Open to Family Room–2nd Family Room/Media RoomArchitectural Integrity Throughout-3+ Car Attached Side Load Garage-Private Brick Patio w/6’ Wall–A+ North Bexley Location-Mint Condition

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

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COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

305 N. PARKVIEW AVE. $1,950,000 - Designed & Built 2000 w/Old World Charm- Recently Renovated–4 BRs-3 Full & 3 Half Baths–1st Flr MBR5,331 Sq Ft–Best Views in Bexley Overlooking Woods of Jeffrey Mansion– Parklike Lot Abutting Creek–3 Car Heated Attached Rear Load Garage + New 1 Car Detached Climate Controlled Garage w/Finished 2nd Floor-A 10++

320 N. PARKVIEW AVE. $995,000 - Stately Stone 2 ½ Story Arts & Crafts–4 BRs–4 ½ Baths–6,152 Sq Ft-Dramatic Foyer w/Split Stairway w/Landing– Refinished Hardwood Floors–2nd Floor Laundry Room-Rear Stairway-Large Open Front Porch–Porte Cochere-2 Car Garage–Large LotA+ North Bexley Location–Immediately South of Governor’s Mansion

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COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

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COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

LD

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COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

320 S. PARKVIEW AVE. $2,195,000 - English Tudor 2 ½ Story–6 BRs–7 Full & 2 Half Baths–32’ Great Room–9,000 Sq Ft on 4 Finished Levels–Lg Proportion Rooms–Chef’s Kitchen w/Lg Island & High End SS Appliances–2 Stairways–3 Floor Elevator–3 Car Attached Rear Load Heated Garage–Parklike Yard–Home Featured in Architectural Digest–Mint Condition

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14 N. STANBERY AVE. $1,185,000 - Stately Street PresenceRenovation & Addition by Architect Brian Wiland–$150,000 of Additional Improvements 2012-2017-5 BRs-4 Full & 3 Half Baths–4,731 Sq Ft–Exposed Hardwood Floors, Floor To Ceiling Windows, Detailed Moldings–4 Car Garage (2 Car Attached & 2 Car Detached Heated Garage–Mint Condition

11/7/17 3:27 PM

Wouldn’t you like to be looking at your home?

Ask your Realtor to market your home in the Executive Living section of Columbus Monthly Magazine!

East of I-71 call Telana Veil at (614) 469-6106 or e-mail at tveil@dispatch.com West of I-71 call Amy Vidrick at (614) 461-5153 or e-mail at avidrick@dispatch.com

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

Mike Carruthers (614) 620-2640 www.mike carruthers.com

344 N. COLUMBIA AVE. $1,025,000 - All Brick Center Hall Colonial 2 Story–4 to 5 BRs-4 ½ Baths–4,800 Sq Ft–Architectural Integrity Throughout–5 Fireplaces-Lg Proportion Rooms Throughout– Lg FR–Front & Rear Stairways–Master BR w/Master Bath & Lg Walk In Closet–3 Car Attached Garage-A+ Location

500 S. PARKVIEW #300 $799,000 - High End Custom Buildout– Open Floor Plan–2 BRs–2 ½ Baths–2,525 Sq Ft–Outdoor Balcony– Elevator w/Private Direct Access–Numerous, Spacious Closets–2 Garage Parking Spots – Great Location Close to Bexley’s Main Street & The New Market District Grocery Store

RE/MAX METRO PLUS GERMAN VILLAGE

RE/MAX METRO PLUS GERMAN VILLAGE

Al Waddell (614) 832-4079 al.waddell@ remax.net

Al Waddell (614) 832-4079 al.waddell@ remax.net

HIDDEN CREEK AT THE DARBY - Large foyer leads to impressive 3 sty staircase & stone elevator tower. Magnificent great rm w/ soaring ceilings, walls of glass & massive stone frplc 1st flr In-Law suite w/ private entry. Finished walkout LL. Secluded on 4.8 acres. Visit www.385Larkspur.com. Offered at $1,999,900

HIDDEN CREEK AT THE DARBY - Stunning Craftsman style designed by Sullivan Bruck Architects & custom built by Troyer Homes. Open concept living area with stone WBFP, beamed ceilings & quality bamboo floors. Over-sized kitchen w/ top of the line appls, granite counters & custom concrete bar.

1st flr mstr suite & 1st flr laundry. 3 BRs & 2 baths upstairs. Geothermal radiate heat, generator & many more features. 3-D VR walk thru at www.140HiddenCreek.com $899,900

RE/MAX METRO PLUS GERMAN VILLAGE

RE/MAX METRO PLUS GERMAN VILLAGE

Al Waddell (614) 832-4079 al.waddell@ remax.net

Al Waddell (614) 832-4079 al.waddell@ remax.net

4.68 ACRES ON THE LITTLE DARBY - Custom built home with elegant leaded glass entry opens to 2 story foyer featuring marble floor & sweeping bridle staircase. 20 foot tall wall of glass in the great room offers stunning vista of the Little Darby & nature preserve across the water. Soaring vaulted ceilings with exposed structural beams...

CONTINUED ... & massive stone fireplace. 1st Floor Master is palatial.

Finished walk-out lower level offers media room, workout room & in-law suite. $889,900. www.380Larkspur.com

REMAX PREMIER CHOICE

BORROR PROPERTIES

Susan Hamm (614) 975-1345 susan@ susanhamm.com

Kaileigh Steiner (614) 389-5929 ksteiner@ borror.com

BUCKEYE LAKE - Stunning custom built 5900 SF lakefront home. 4 BR, 5 baths, 5 gas log fireplaces. Hardwood flrs on main level. High end features throughout. Elevator to all 3 levels of the home. 3+ car garage.

2 patios overlooking lake. $749,900

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APARTMENTS FOR LEASE AT 303 - BRAND NEW! Studio, 1 & 2 BRs in Downtown Columbus. Limited Penthouse Suites available. Highend fixtures, hrdwd flrs, two-tone trim & SS appls. Secured parking!

Rooftop Patio equipped w/gas grills & outdoor lounge seating for Entertaining. Schedule a Tour Today!

11/7/17 3:28 PM

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Responsibilities include serving and growing existing client base and generating new business working with a variety of advertisers.

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11/7/17 3:28 PM

City Quotient

The Ace of Driving Park Eddie Rickenbacker’s Columbus roots

BY JEFF DARBEE

I know that Rickenbacker International Airport, our former Air Force base, is named for Eddie Rickenbacker, but what’s the Columbus connection? Eddie Rickenbacker was a Columbus boy. Born here in 1890, he died in Zurich, Switzerland, and is buried in Green Lawn Cemetery on Columbus’s South Side.

He’s probably best known as a World War I flying ace (he brought down 26 enemy crafts). He had a long career in aviation, including serving as president of Eastern Airlines. And before becoming a pilot, he was a formidable race car driver at Driving Park, an East Side horse track later converted for auto racing. In the 1920s he owned Rickenbacker Motor Company in Detroit and also the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the famous Indy 500.

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Eddie was a real survivor, too: He lived through an Eastern Airlines DC-3 crash and, even more harrowing, the 1943 ditching of a B-17 into the Pacific Ocean, where he and his crew members drifted for three weeks before being rescued.

Eddie’s father built a modest four-room house at 1334 E. Livingston Ave. around 1895, and that’s where Eddie grew up. It stayed in the family until 1960 and is still standing in pretty much its original state. In 1976 it was designated as a National Historic Landmark, one of three in Columbus (the others are the Ohio Statehouse and the Ohio Theatre).

After Eddie’s death in 1973, Lockbourne Air Force Base, located south of Columbus, was renamed in his honor in 1974.

People talk about the Downtown Lazarus department store on High Street as a really great place to shop, especially at Christmas.

What was it like? Thousands of Central Ohioans will recall that great store. Some background: Simon Lazarus, born in Germany in 1807, came to Columbus in 1850 as a rabbi, but by 1851 had a retail clothing store. The business expanded from a single room after the Civil War and eventually filled almost the entire block bounded by State, Town, High

and Front streets. It had everything: clothing, sporting goods, shoes, furniture, appliances, toys, watch repair, alterations, coin and stamp collecting—a full-service department store.

Christmas was when it was in its glory, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. The rooftop water tower was draped with lights in the shape of a Christmas tree, visible for miles, and the themed windows along High Street drew huge crowds—the best one was always at the corner of High and Town streets. The store was decorated, of course, and Santa was ready to receive all the little tots and their requests.

In the Secret Gift Shop, little kids looking for family gifts would be helped by elves. It was a lot like Higbee’s in Cleveland, as depicted in “A Christmas Story,” but without the scary parts.

Alas, all that belongs to the past now, though the Lazarus building is still with us, still with its water tower above, though without the draped lights, and along the Town Street windows at Christmastime you can see some of the actual surviving holiday figures that charmed so many of us so long ago.

Jeff Darbee is a preservationist, historian and author in Columbus. Send your questions to cityquotient@ columbusmonthly.com, and the answer might appear in a future column.

ILLUSTRATION: BRETT AFFRUNTI

Sources: acepilots.com; national Register/nhl registration; various online sources; interview with nancy Recchie; German Columbus (Arcadia Publishing)

Columbus monthly DECEMBER 2017

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