Columbus, OH

This is not a topic I ever thought I would need to address in a blog, but here I am, only two weeks in and it has come up. Due to my own recent need (note: no entry on Tuesday), it occured to me that travelers to the city of Columbus might like some direction if they ever face a sudden illness or injury while visiting.

Now, if you are in a serious situation, you will call 911 and the squad will take you to whatever hospital is closest.

If you decide to go on your own though, you might appreciate some advise as to which hospitals locals think are best. There are literally dozens of hospitals within 45 minutes of Broad and High (considered the city’s center). There are nine I can name off the top of my head within the Columbus city limits. So, which are the best? In my own humble, personal opinion they are:

Columbus Children’s Hospital

This is a nationally recognized, award winning hospital. I believe only St. Jude can claim they do more for children’s health than our own Columbus Children’s. If you are here and your child needs emergency medical attention this is where you should take him or her. You will be glad you did.

Riverside Methodist Hospital

The thing I love most about Riverside is their emergency staff. Not too long ago they saved the life of a very good friend of mine. But that’s not all. If you have to go to the emergency room, they rarely have to make you wait in a reception area for very long. You will get triage almost right away, and they get you into a bed quickly. I am not saying you never have to wait to be seen, but at least you are waiting more comfortably than at almost any other hospital in the area. Add to that the fact that the hospital consistently lands in the Top 100 Hospitals nationwide and you get the best of both courtesy and care.

The Ohio State University Hospitals

This is a full-time teaching hospital, so expect to see a lot of students in house. It is also a major research hospital, so expect them to be on the cutting edge of modern medical science. There are tons of specialties, so whatever’s wrong with you they have you covered. With entire divisions dedicated to heart health, women’s health, cancer treatment and psychiatriac health to name a few, OSU Hospitals are at the top of the game for fixing whatever ails you.

While there are several noteworthy hospitals in Central Ohio, as someone who has lived in the area for over 30 years, these are my personal picks and where I would take my family in an emergency.

If you live in or near Columbus, or if you are simply a golf fan, you know this week the buzz is all about the Memorial Tournament.

If you are in town, and you have the time and the cash, head over to the ever welcoming suburb of Dublin and take in some of the action.

The tournament runs May 28 to June 3. Big names like Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods are there, as well as some lesser known hopefuls.

Good to know before you go:

At this point, tickets are available by phone and scalper only. So unless you are already holding, don’t head that way without a plan.

Dress for the weather–springtime in Ohio is unpredictable at best.

Parking is at a premium, and that’s through the entire area. Your best bet is to get someone to drop you off or take a cab.

Don’t expect to find a hotel close by. Hotels book up months in advance. There are plenty of rooms available on the other side of town, if you are willing to haul yourself across the city for the sake of some awesome golf.

If you miss it this year, planning is already going for next year. Muirfield Village has been doing this for ages, so they know what’s up. Make your plans early and you can be right there as Tiger tees up next year.

If you can’t make it, you can still do some good for Children’s Hospital by making a pledge. The Memorial Tournament has a program where you can pledge support to Children’s Hospital based on the number of birdies made at the tournament. Visit the tournament’s website for more info.

If you don’t live in the area, you probably aren’t aware that the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is located right here in Ohio, in the Columbus suburb of Pickerington.

It shares the beautiful property with the American Motorcyclist Association.

The museum has three main exhibit halls and an art gallery. The second floor houses the main exhibit for the museum, which is a major undertaking that changes every 2-3 years. The current exhibit, Motocross America features 60 motorcycles in over 8,000 sq. ft. and covers the history of American Motocross.

On the first floor, the museum features the SuperMann exhibit, which celebrates the career of Dick Mann. This area changes every 6-12 months.

Also on the first floor is the Hall of Fame exhibit, which displays both the names of Hall of Fame inductees and dozens of their bikes.

Previous exhibits include: Heroes of Harley Davidson, A Century of Indian, Craig Vetter: Man in the Wind, Biker Generation (a collection of photographs from Michael Lichter) and Women & Motorcycling.

Good to Know Before You Go:

The museum is open 9-5 seven days a week. It is closed only New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

There is plenty of parking (free) for cars and motorcycles alike, including covered mororcycle parking for those hot or wet days.

Dress comfortably—this is not your average stuffy museum.

It can be tricky to get to, so follow these directions:

From Columbus take I-70 East to exit 112 A. As soon as you get off get into the left hand lane. At the first light (St. Rt. 204) turn left. Go to the second light (Yarmouth Dr.) and turn left. The entrance to the AMA/MHFM property is about 1 tenth of a mile back on the left, just before the residential area.

If you get lost call 614-856-2222. The museum staff is accustomed to giving directions to frustrated travelers.

Admission:

Adults- $10
Seniors- $8
AMA members- $5
Juniors (ages 12-18) $3
Under 12 free
Discounts for AAA members and members of National Motorcycle Organizations. If you are not sure—ask!

If while enjoying the museum you get the idea that it would be a great place to host your next party, you can! The museum is available for private rental. 614-856-2222 ask for Beth.

Also, there is a nice gift shop and vending machines, but no restaurant on site. Not to worry though, you are within 1/2 mile of dozens of eating places in all price ranges.

If you are looking for something to do over the Memorial Day Weekend in Columbus, be sure to check out the Asian Festival, Saturday and Sunday, May 26th. and 27th. at Franklin Park on Broad.

The theme of this year’s festival is–

Ancient Traditions-New Generations.

Admission is free.

There will be food, entertainment for adults and kids, free health screenings, and lots of historical and cultural information available.

Weather.com is calling for scattered thunderstorms, so take an umbrella.

The Top—Best Little Steakhouse in Columbus

Today when you think of steakhouses, you probably think of huge chains with Shania Twain playing from the speakers and peanut shells on the floor—and with good reason. Over the last decade, names like Lone Star, Longhorn and Outback have come to dominate the field. But when you visit The Top in Bexley, you’ll realize biggest rarely equates to best.

The Top has been in business for over 50 years. One visit and you’ll know why. Diners who’ve experienced Vegas’ The Tillerman know that a small, “Old Boy’s Club” kind of atmosphere, can add a lot of interest to your meal. Well, if you want that Rat Pack, Vegas feeling in Columbus, just head down Main Street to the Bexley area. You’ll find the sounds of a real, living and breathing, piano player filling the room. The black, white and red décor is a true throwback to more glamorous times, and the intimate bar area really enhances the mood. In one corner you can almost picture a Brando-esque mob boss lighting up a cigar after dinner. (But never fear, due to Ohio’s smoking ban, the cigar toting mob bosses have moved on.)

On a recent evening out, we visited The Top. We were quickly seated, enjoyed top notch service, strong drinks and responsive management. But even better, the food was amazing, with steaks that cut with a fork and melted in the mouth. No need for any steak sauce here. I had to take a moment before leaving to speak with the manager about what a wonderful experience we had just had.

What will you want to know before visiting The Top?

Reservations—not necessary, but accepted. You’ll avoid quite a wait if you want to dine here on the weekend. Our recent trip was early in the week.

Dress—we were in jeans, but felt a little underdressed. It’s definitely not black tie, but business casual would have felt more comfortable.

Prices—The Top is a bit on the pricey side, especially when compared to the chains. This is a true case of “you get what you pay for.” Our dinner out-2 salads, 2 entrees with one side each, 2 cocktails apiece and the tip ran about $125. We did not have dessert.

Clientele—mostly couples and business people. I wouldn’t recommend taking children unless you have very well behaved children. There is no kid’s menu.

Anything else? The Top has an excellent wine and martini menu. In addition to your server, don’t forget to tip the piano player on your way out.

Location:
2891 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43209
Phone: (614) 231-8238

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Thursday: 5-10pm
Friday-Saturday: 5-11pm
Sunday: 5-9pm
Bar opens everyday at 4pm

Buckeye Fans—Yes, They’re Insane. No, There’s No Pill for That.

One thing that’s nearly impossible to miss in Columbus is the severe case of Buckeye Fever that seems to grip the entire city. Everywhere you look you are in a wash of Scarlet and Grey. The center point of this epidemic is of course the campus area. But, there is nowhere in central Ohio where the residents are immune. Stores like the Buckeye Corner are everywhere. You can adorn your body, your car and even your entire home with Buckeye gear.

This mass hysteria is never more pronounced than during the fall, when school is back in session and the football season is in full swing. Case in point—if your business doesn’t cater to football fans with beer and big screen TVs, you might want to consider closing up shop during the Ohio State-Michigan game. No one will be there until after it’s over anyway.

Just to demonstrate, enjoy this video “Buckeye Fan” from two OSU fans, the “Sleepy Rappers.”

Today Skybus will take its first flights out of Port Columbus. The discount airline, which offers one-way fares for as low as $10, is currently taking reservations for nine locations. There are plans to expand to up to 25 locations over the next few years.

Good to know before booking:

Don’t look for a 1-800 number, or any telephone number for booking, there is none. All reservations are through Skybus.com.

Everything, right down to checking luggage is extra. $5 a piece for the first 2 bags. $50 after that, so pack carefully. One carry on and one personal item (like a purse or laptop bag) are included in your ticket price.

Skybus has open seating, so if you really want that window, or an isle seat near the restroom, be prepared to shell out an extra $10 for priority seating.

Skybus offers sodas, beer and food, all for an extra $2-$10.

Also, don’t expect to fly into many major airports. As far as I can tell, Columbus is the largest airport they currently service. You can get to:

Los Angeles—by way of Burbank
Boston—by way of Portsmouth
Kansas City
Richmond, VA
Seattle, WA and Vancouver, British Columbia (Bellingham Internat’l Airport)
Ft. Lauderdale
Greensboro/Winston-Salem, NC
San Francisco, Oakland and the Bay Area, through Oakland Internat’l Airport

All flights originate from Columbus, so if you are in Oakland and want to get to Boston you will have to book two flights: from California to Columbus, then from Columbus to Boston. Don’t forget this is an entirely new flight, so you will have to retrieve your bags (if you checked any) and recheck them—and pay the bag check fees again as well.

But hey—did I mention flights start at only $10?!?!

I am booked on a Skybus flight to Ft. Lauderdale this fall. Assuming no hurricanes get me, I’ll write about it when I return.

Happy Landings!

This weekend my best friend and I took a short trip to the Dayton Art Institute to take in the exhibit, Marilyn Monroe: Life as a Legend, and the accompanying play, Marilyn: Forever Blond.

I must say that as a long time fan of the iconic beauty, I found the play to be much better and more interesting than the exhibit.

The exhibit is good enough, and if you are a fan of adaptive art you will enjoy it. My favorite pieces were the photos of Marilyn that I had never seen before. There were a lot of well known pieces, but I found special joy in seeing the more earthy and candid photos that were new to me. The Marilyn inspired art, including a Marilyn as a multi-armed goddess and Marilyn on the cross, was not really my cup of tea, but several others seemed to be very intrigued.

The one woman play, Marilyn: Forever Blonde, was very, very good. Actress Sunny Thompson captured Marilyn’s timeless spirit perfectly. The play tells the story of Monroe’s life from her point of view. The first half keeps the audience laughing, while the second half is poignant and reflective. Ms. Thompson reaches into the hearts of the audience and takes them with her through Monroe’s beautiful and often very sad life.

Afterward, we stopped at Smokin Bar-B-Que on 5th for some good, and inexpensive, American fare.

Good to know before going:

Marilyn: Life as a Legend and Marilyn: Forever Blonde are both featured at the Dayton Art Institute through June 24th.

Adult combination tickets (both exhibit and play) are $34. Separate tickets to the individual events are also available.

The doors to the exhibit close exactly at 4pm. There are no late admissions to the play.

The City of Dayton is approximately one hour and fifteen minutes from downtown Columbus.

When it comes to Columbus, I used to think of the old saying, “It’s a nice place to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there.” Only my version would be exactly the opposite. Who would want to visit a “cow town” like Columbus? Well, as the years pass and Columbus grows into a true metropolis, lots of people! As a matter of fact, Ohio’s largest city attracts millions of overnight visitors every year.

Columbus is the home of the country’s largest state fair, the incredible Ohio State Buckeyes and lots of cultural festivals, as well as a growing nightlife, world class restaurants, entertainment and shopping. Whether you live in the central Ohio area or simply find yourself wanting to visit, you’ll discover lots to see and do in Columbus.

This blog will take you through the city of Columbus, one event or location at a time. If you have a question or comment about Columbus, fell free to send me an e-mail and I’ll do my best to help you out.

Welcome to Columbus!