January 10, 2012
Escape Planning

Looking for a fun and exciting way to spend your summer? Overwhelmed by the daunting task of organizing the details of your vacation? Confused as to how planning something so fun can be so stressful?

 

Stop fretting over plane tickets and hotel reservations and let someone else sweat the small stuff.

 

Dublin-based travel agency Creative Vacations will host its seventh annual Vacation Travel Show on Sunday, Jan. 15, to aid locals in their hunt for the perfect holiday. The show will host vendors from more 25 companies and as many destinations, ensuring the right travel fit for any and all searching to get away.

 

The travel show will run from noon to 4 p.m. at the Dublin Embassy Suites, 5100 Upper Metro Pl., with presentations from select companies running throughout. While visitors will have the chance to browse the booths of all attending companies, these 30-minute presentations will provide a more in-depth view of the offerings of the 11 presenting travel companies.

 

Guests of the show can expect the attendance of plenty of big name resorts and cruise lines, including Carnival Cruises, Sandals & Beaches and Disney. Though many travel companies will be in attendance, visitors are advised to scope out their top choices before arriving, as past shows have housed crowds of about 600.

 

While many of the companies in attendance offer their guests relaxing beach vacations, a wide variety of other options will be available as well.

 

“A lot of Columbus residents want the fun and the sun because they don’t often have that here in Ohio,” says Craig Baldridge, president of Creative Vacations. “But then, after a few of those fun-and-sun vacations, they want something else, something different.”

 

Though the show has appeal for seasoned travelers planning exotic international trips, it also hosts companies and destinations for beginning travelers; honeymooners and families make up Creative Vacations’ top clientele.

 

“The show’s for everyone, whether you’re planning a trip for February or the summer of 2013,” Baldridge says. “While most people attending will be planning trips for the short term, we love people who plan ahead.”

 

--Christopher Braun

 

 

Companies attending the Creative Vacations Travel Show include:

 

  • Adventures by Disney
  • AMA Waterways
  • Aruba Tourism
  • Avalon Waterways
  • Brendan Vacations
  • Carnival Cruises
  • Celebrity Cruises
  • Cosmos
  • Crystal Cruises
  • Cunard
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • Disney Resorts
  • Globus
  • Holland America
  • Jamaica Tourism
  • Monograms
  • Norwegian Cruises
  • Oceania Cruises
  • Pleasant Holidays
  • Princess Cruises
  • Regent Seven Seas
  • RBC Travel Protection
  • Royal Caribbean
  • Sandals & Beaches
  • Seabourn Cruises
  • Silversea Cruises
  • Trafalgar Tours
  • Travel Impressions
  • Uniworld

December 30, 2011
Where in central Ohio is Gingy?
CityScene and Broadway Across America are teaming up to host some great giveaways in 2012 – the first of which has already started!
 

If you haven’t already, click on over to the CityScene Facbook page and see if you can figure out where Gingy the gingerbread man is in central Ohio. Those who comment with the correct answer will be entered to win a pair of tickets to Shrek the Musical at the Ohio Theatre Jan. 10-15!

 

We’ll be posting a new photo on Tuesday, Jan. 3 and another Thursday, Jan. 5. Each photo challenge will be a new chance to win. Good luck and Happy New Year! See you in 2012!

 
*Broadway Across America is a sponsor of CityScene magazine, but did not pay for this blog post*

December 16, 2011
Mama Mia! Winners

Congratulations to Courtney Burnett, Cindy Tomastik and Chris Sharp -- winners of our Mama Mia! ticket and prize pack giveaway.

Courtney, Cindy and Chris submitted some fantastic wedding stories. For their efforts, each is being awarded two tickets to the Columbus opening night of Mama Mia! at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13. In addition, they'll get some great Mama Mia! merchandise.

Check out their stories!

Courtney:

"I was at a wedding for college friends a few years ago and we were going to see a lot of people we hadn't seen since graduating. Needless to say the reception had a lot of dancing and drinking (just like the old days). I was showing off my best moves when I looked at an old friend and said "catch me" as I hurled my spinning body towards him in a very Dirty Dancing kind of way. Of course, he didn't catch me and I landed on my elbow - later finding out it was fractured. The brides father, who was a doctor had to come to my rescue as I was crying my eyes out. I ended up in an arm sling for a few weeks. But I did manage to make it to the after party, sling and all to continue celebrating with my friends later that night."

Cindy:

"I love to dance! Many years ago while attending a cousin's wedding, a polka began playing. My brother-in-law was standing nearby so I reached over, grabbed him as a partner and we began dancing the polka. Caught up in the moment, we did a fancy twirl and suddenly my spiked heel went into the top of his foot! He ended up in the ER getting stitches. I was so embarrassed. Needless to say, from that moment on when we were at the same event and the music began to play, he quickly ran to the other side of the room far away from my grasp!"

Chris:

"OK..so she was born here in Columbus. Leaving at 18 to chase a music career in Atlanta in '90, then New York by 2000. After a long and amazing music career, she went back to Columbus and went to school, then landed a job at KENDA tire as a web/art designer. Her name is Lydia Brownfield, and I met her about seven years ago...in Las Vegas..at a bicycle industry trade show.

You see..I own a mountain bike racing team back home, but that is in California. I go to that trade show every year to support team sponsors and promote the team. One of our big sponsors is Kenda.

They flew her out in her first year to meet the riders, magazine editors, photographers, etc. and learn everything about the industry in just five days. They introduced her to me as a liason for the bike industry.

We really didn't even hang out that much because of the work loads placed on both of us, but flash forward two years to a cold Columbus January Saturday night...

I had flown in to Columbus from Burbank to meet with Kenda and plan some things out for the 2007 racing season. Our marriage it seems was made possible thanks to SKYBUS allowing us to fly back and forth from L.A. to Columbus for $79 dollars. It was a Gallery Hop night, and High Street was buzzing. Lydia picked me up at the airport, and right then and there I knew I would be packing my life up and moving across the country to marry that girl.

Flash forward another few years, and we are now married (three years almost!) and happily living in Columbus. Lyd's music career has exploded all over again, the team is thriving, and so are we..all thanks to a chance encounter in a Las Vegas convention hall."

That's Chris and his wife Lydia in the photo below (click to enlarge). Aren't they sweet?

Congrats again to our winners. Enjoy the show!

CityScene will be partnering with Broadway Across America all year long for more giveaways and specials, so make sure you're subscribed to the magazine and "Like" us on Facebook to keep up to date on all the latest news!


December 15, 2011
A Whole New World

Join the Columbus Children’s Theatre this January for a magic carpet ride into the world of Aladdin.

The one-day show, scheduled for two performances Jan. 8 at the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts in New Albany, is the result of a partnership between the theater troupe and the community center. Plans for this special show have been in the works for almost a year, with rehearsals beginning in August.

Rather than utilizing Disney’s well-known version of the story – featuring a poor street rat, his genie and the beautiful princess Jasmine – Columbus Children’s Theatre has based the production on the original Middle Eastern folk tale that appeared in Arabian Nights. As a result, the troupe has created a script true to the source material that focuses on audience interaction and involvement.

“The script supplies humor for the adults and interaction for the kids,” says Mindy Hayward, director of marketing communications at the McCoy Center. “It’s a great experience for the whole family and it gives the kids a chance to see what theater is really like.”

The show is presented by Columbus Children’s Theatre’s touring company, which travels throughout the Ohio region presenting an educational structure for children of all backgrounds. Through these programs, the company promotes a long list of important skills, including communication, self-esteem and integrity, allowing families to access the theatre world.

The troupe is “very much into bringing the theater to community centers and schools in an educational format to reach local children who may not otherwise have a chance to go to the theater,” Hayward says.

Performances are scheduled for 2 and 3:30 p.m. at the center, located 100 W. Dublin-Granville Rd. in New Albany. Admission prices begin at $18 per ticket and can be obtained by phone at 614-245-4701 or online at www.mccoycenter.org. Tickets are available now, for all those who might want to make them a Christmas present for the kids.

--Lindsay Friedman


December 1, 2011
Original Humbug

For its holiday production, one of central Ohio’s newest theater troupes is focusing on the soul of the season, rather than the presents under the tree or – in this case – the amount of money in our wallets.

With a hearty “God bless us, every one!” the Columbus Civic Theater presents its first production of A Christmas Carol through Dec. 18. The show runs Thursdays through Sundays, with all performances beginning at 8 p.m. except those on Sundays, which begin at 2 p.m.

“I have always been in love with original show in the theater and I wanted to celebrate the tradition of the story in the theater repertoire while adding my own adaptation,” says Ben Gorman, the show director. “For the intimate original version of the story, this is the production.”

Gorman began directing in the mid-2000s and joined up with Columbus Civic Theater in 2009. This will be the second production he has directed for the troupe.

The show is a new addition to the theater’s calendar this year and is already on the docket for 2012 as well.

The show will be based on Charles Dickens’ original version of A Christmas Carol, emphasizing the telling of the story, not all the bells and whistles.

“Come to see the story being told, as though you came into someone’s living room and they began telling a story,” says Gorman. “It is all about finding one’s heart in all the hustle and bustle of Christmas.”

The show’s burgeoning cast contains upwards of 75 characters, with 17 actors of ages ranging from 10 to 60 playing the roles. Taking on the role of the miserable old miser himself, Ebenezer Scrooge, will be Jim Alzevandre.

 “It has generally been a good experience; of course, we have had our ups and downs,” says Gorman. “But people really step forward when it isn’t about the stars of the play, but everyone in it.”

Two dollars each ticket sold will be donated to Wings of Hope America. The local organization prides itself on serving the homeless and others. The theater also reaches out to local businesses, including Aboxa Fudge.

“We would like to make it a tradition because the money is going to a good and local cause,” says Gorman.

Admission is $20 for the general public and $17.50 for seniors and students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.columbuscivic.org or by phone at 614-447-7529.

--Lindsay Friedman


November 17, 2011
All Lit Up
The Ohio Statehouse will be illuminated for the holiday season this year with a special tree-lighting festival from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30.

Visitors are asked to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

The festival will feature fun for adults and children, such as a short tour of the statehouse and Santa and Mrs. Claus.
For more information, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

-- Gail Martineau


November 9, 2011
Know What's Up
However you pronounce it, Pecha Kucha is a great night to learn about what smart people are doing in your city.

Columbus’ 19th installment of this event will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 10 at 400 W. Rich in Franklinton.

Actually pronounced like pet-cha kut-cha, the event features a number of speakers who have 20 seconds to present each of his or her 20 slides. Therefore, each presenter has six minutes and 40 seconds to explain how their work and passion is influencing Columbus.

Presenters this time around feature Jennifer Hambrick from WOSU, Ruby Harper from the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Becky O’Neil from the Westerville Public Library and Eva Ball with Glass Axis. The comedy group Columbus is Funny will perform, along with local band The Ginger Lees.

The suggested donation is $2 per person. For more information, visit the Pecha Kucha Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pkcolumbus.

-- Gail Martineau

November 8, 2011
CityScene is now on Google+
CityScene Magazine is all about making sure you know what the latest and greatest is in the arts and entertainment scene around central Ohio.

Now, we have a new way of doing that.

Yesterday, Monday, Nov. 7, Google rolled out its Google+ pages for businesses. Now, in addition to our Twitter handle, www.twitter.com/CityScene, and our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ColumbusCityScene, we have a Google+ account viewable at http://goo.gl/xNnAf.

Google+ is the search engine giant’s third foray into the social networking business (the first two being Buzz and Wave). The network launched earlier this year and prides itself on being a more “real” social network with a very familiar Google interface.

We want to be able to share with you the best of central Ohio, so check out Google+ and our new way of getting the word out!

-- Gail Martineau, Social Media Manager

November 7, 2011
Give Art a Hand
Have you started thinking about your holiday gifts yet?

ClaySpace at 831 Front St. is here to help.

Call to schedule an appointment to bring your kids in this week to have their hand prints immortalized.

For $30, you can create four tiles that are suitable for framing.

Call Tami Knight at 614-449-8144 or email her at tamiknight@clayspace831.com to schedule an appointment. For more information, visit www.columbusarts.com.

-- Gail Martineau

October 27, 2011
Whimsy at the Winery

Make your plans early next year for the Wyandotte Winery’s Haunted Wine Cellar.


This year’s sold-out event, from 7-11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, is adult-only and features a night of delicious food, wine and scares.


Valerie Coolidge, chief whiner at the winery off of Cherry Bottom Road in Gahanna, says the event includes six different food and wine pairings served at spooky stations around the cellar. The food is festive for the season, featuring items such as spider-deviled eggs.


Following the stations in the winery’s cellar, participants can go outside on the patio and enjoy pumpkin black bean chili and pumpkin hummus.

Coolidge loves this event because “the pairings are always great and it give adults a chance to dress up.”


The winery has a number of other fun events in the coming months, too.


Each Tuesday, Wyandotte hosts Get Crooked at Wyandotte from 5-7 p.m. At this $10 event, $10 patrons can enjoy food and wine along with their choice of rustic bread.


Whacked at the Winery, slated for 7:30-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, is Wyandotte’s take on a murder mystery party.


Those that attend will enjoy food, wine and mysterious entertainment, which is provided by the Sleuth Mystery Players. The cost for Whacked at the Winery is $65 per person, which includes dinner, wine and the entertainment.


For more information, visit www.wyanodottwinery.com.

-- Lauren Novelli

RACE: Are We So Different?

Check out this preview for COSI's fascinating new exhibition on race, showing now through May 6.