There is a new art installation experience in Columbus called Otherworld. This has been on my radar for a few months and we actually bought presale tickets a couple of months ago. This past Saturday we were invited to Otherworld for a birthday meet up. We were very excited to go and check it out!
We spent a good amount of time in the lobby before going in. I do not want to give away all the fun you will have, but I will highlight some of our favorite things. Here are a few photos from the lobby and entrance.
Once inside, there are So. Many. Rooms. It took us a good hour and a half to fully explore all of the different parts of this amazing place. They have done a lot of really cool things and there is an incredible attention to detail. You can tell that there are plans to expand as some of the rooms are “just” really amazing murals. The only thing we struggled with is that the light is very low throughout, so our eyes were pretty tired when we left. Here are some sneak peaks at the many, many rooms awaiting you at Otherworld.
Overall, we had a great time exploring. It was really fun that we could touch and interact with everything in the rooms. There are puzzles and little surprises throughout which we really enjoyed. We look forward to checking it out again in a few months to see if there is more to discover.
Keith’s birthday was this month, but since I had already gotten him a camera in March, I got him a gift for us. I got us both tickets for three adventures from ScavengerHunt.com. We were able to do our first hunt on Sunday after the guys got home from rehearsal. We chose the Discovering Columbus tour because it was in a familiar place and it was marked as skill level mild. We figured starting out easy would be the best idea…
We installed the required app on Keith’s phone (Let’s Roam) and headed down to Bicentennial Park. We ended up getting a free meter on the other side of the river – thanks Sunday! We walked to the marked beginning of the hunt and then realized that I would also need the app on my phone. After some frustration about the cell signal, the app was installed and we were ready to go. We chose Adventure Create Relate as our team name and then took our team photo.
Team Adventure Create Relate
I will not ruin the adventure for anyone planning to try it, but I will give an overview. We ended up doing about 1.5 miles of walking while doing the activities. We learned new things about familiar landmarks. We did not think there was enough time allowed for some of the tasks, but overall we had a great time! It was fun as a date activity, but it would also be fun in a larger group. It would be a great way to learn more about the history of Columbus. Here are a few photos we took as part of the activities – sorry some are blurry, my phone was fogged up from the humidity.
We also took a few shots of fun sculptures and scenes around downtown while we were walking from place to place.
After all the walking, we were definitely ready to eat! We have been wanting to try Fukuryu Ramen on Lane Avenue for a while after seeing some posts from friends on Facebook. So, we headed to Upper Arlington to give it a whirl. We were not disappointed! I had the Shio Ramen and Keith had the Junk Ramen. We both really enjoyed our ramen and also their iced green tea. It was so refreshing – the perfect compliment to the food. We will definitely be back!
Iced Green Tea
Shio Ramen
Junk Ramen
Overall, this date was just what we needed. This is a really stressful month and we needed to reconnect and remember we are a pretty awesome team. Can’t wait to see what June holds!
This month, we decided our adventure would be The Rooms at Easton, presented by COSI. We were excited because it was going to be close to home and free! Micah was also interested in going, so we let him tag along. We started our afternoon at Five Guys because they really do make great food. After lunch, we strolled over the the entrance the The Rooms. It is a really small space that used to be a Bose store, so it was amazing to me that they were able to fit so much into it. Our first room was the mirrored room where light and reflection were the stars.
The next room was the sticker room. Everyone that has gone through this exhibit has been given a strip of stickers to place wherever they would like in the room. It is wonderful chaos! We really liked this room a lot!
The next room was not good for my vertigo, but my guys enjoyed the built in sit and spins!
The following room was a blue building room. There appeared to be pieces missing, but we really had fun making a large “marble” track. We work pretty well together!
The last room was one that used different colored lights to reveal different objects. It was fun to see all the different parts that were in one picture.
There were also several different optical illusions on the walls of the hallway that I did not photograph. All in all, a nice way to spend some time together on a Saturday. I would definitely go back to take Charlotte.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, Keith’s job was really in flux for a few months starting last September. We were supposed to have a weekend in New York at that point, but we decided to wait until things were more settled to plan a getaway. In December, things were even more uncertain, so I felt that it was fine to agree to be Stage Manager for a show that had tech week over Spring Break because we would not be traveling. Things with the job stabilized in January, so Keith and I decided to plan a getaway for the one night this week that the show was dark. So, he took the kids to his parents for a couple nights and we were able to check out the town of Granville, Ohio for about 24 hours. We had passed Granville on the way to Newark for Charlotte’s rehearsals and shows this winter, but we had not ventured into Granville until Wednesday afternoon. We instantly loved the feel and size of this beautiful little town!
Our first stop was lunch at The Buxton Inn. Originally called The Tavern, The Buxton Inn has been continuously operating in the same spot since 1812. Although there are many ghost stories about the Inn, no ghosts joined us for lunch. We did enjoy the atmosphere of the dining room and the food was delicious. They let us look around a bit after lunch and we definitely plan to stay overnight sometime. We also saw they sometimes have haunted tours, so that is on our list as a future adventure!
Burger for Keith, Chicken salad for Autumn, and a charcuterie board to share.
After lunch, it was time to check in to our accommodations at The Granville Inn. We decided not to spring for a suite since our stay was only one night, so we reserved a regular room with a king sized bed. The room was nicely furnished and mostly adequate for our needs. I would probably give the room 3/5 for comfort and value. (Some of that rating is personal preference – the mattress was very firm which we do not prefer. Some just seemed to be part of the age of the Inn – the shower head was in need of an update as it felt you needed to keep moving in order to get completely wet and the door could also use some soundproofing as it did get very loud in the hallway in the morning.) We would definitely try a suite next time to see if we liked that more. I’m sure each room is different, so this is definitely not a comprehensive review of the guest rooms.
After we were all checked in, we decided to check out Alligator Mound. It was interesting to drive to the mound through a very affluent neighborhood built on some pretty steep slopes. Alligator mound itself was interesting to see, but difficult to photograph unless you have a way to see it from the air. We were happy to read some history, enjoy some views, and then head back down the hill.
It is difficult to see, but there is an animal shaped mound there.
Our next stop was Black Hand Gorge State Nature Preserve. Technically not in Granville, but definitely closer to Granville than Gahanna, this Nature Preserve is a gorgeous place for a walk. We especially enjoyed the warm temperatures and the sunshine!! I surprised Keith with a DSLR Nikon camera this week, so he was happy to have a chance to play with it a little bit. Because it was a bit muddy, we stayed on the paved trail. It was wonderful to hear the frogs chirping and the river flowing. We would like to come back to this trail in the fall when the leaves change. I was especially excited to see some little waterfalls as we walked. I’m always chasing waterfalls. 🙂
This tunnel was blasted for the B&O railroad to get through
After hiking 3 miles, we were definitely ready to check out The Oak Room at The Granville Inn. We got a $50 voucher as part of our room package, so we knew we were going to enjoy a really nice meal. We started with wine and sushi and then Keith had the salmon and Autumn enjoyed the filet. We even sprang for dessert at the end. We highly recommend the experience! The food was so good and our waitress had so many stories and so much history to share. She has worked there for 31 years! She even told us some ghost stories that happened in the basement…
soft shell crab sushi
salmon and filet
vanilla ice cream with espresso and rice pudding
On Thursday morning, we slept in and then checked out of the Inn. We decided to check out the local diner, Aladdin Fine Food. It was pretty standard diner fare, but Keith enjoyed his french toast and I always love to have a Monte Crista sandwich. The atmosphere and prices were definitely great – we would love to go back for lunch sometime. We also checked out Gouma’s Candy and Weathervane Popcorn and got some yummy souvenirs to take home and share.
French toast and Monte Crista sandwich
Goumas chocolates
Even more chocolate
We had time left before we had to be home to get the kids, so we decided to check out the National Heisey Glass Museum in Newark, just about a block away from the theater that was our second home this winter. Dedicated the glass made by A.H. Heisey & Company between 1896 and 1957, the museum was an unexpected gem. We learned a lot about the company and how they adapted through the years. I am pretty sure I have seen the diamond H symbol on something in our china cabinet, so I look forward to hunting for our Heisey treasures sometime soon. I really like the Sahara colored glass and Keith was a fan of the Dawn color. Who knows, maybe we have a new hobby. 😉
A whole cabinet of Sahara
The bottom color here is Dawn
An Easter tablescape featuring Sahara
All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our little get away! It was nice to be close to home but also have so many new things to discover. Have you ever been to Granville? What is your favorite thing to do there? We would love suggestions for the next time we visit!
I’m not going to lie, February has been pretty crazy at our house. I can count on one hand the number of evenings I have spent in the same place as my husband. The number of evenings where all 4 of us have been together is even less. So, when we finally found an evening to both go with Charlotte to her play rehearsal, I knew we had to make it our adventure date, too. Luckily, Newark has Buckeye Winery with wine tastings until 9 pm on Friday nights. Score!
We got a table and each chose 4 regular wines and a dessert wine to try. We also got the cheese plate with sausage because we wanted something to cleanse our palates in between wines.
The wine list
Our cheese plate
Keith chose the Harvest Moon (Luna Rosa), Moonrise (Luna Bianca), Buckeye White (Reisling), and Nature’s Wonder (Kiwi-Pear) and then he chose the Buckeye Ice (Reisling Ice Wine). I chose the Trio (Cabernet Sauv Merlot), Bourgeron Rouge (Sweet Red), Farmer’s Daughter, and Afternoon Delight (Peach Apricot) along with the Red Ice (Cabernet Franc Ice Wine). We were really excited to do a tasting and pick out a couple new wines.
Happy to be together for the evening!
My first two wines.
Our second flight of wines.
We took our time and enjoyed trying our own selections and sharing with each other. In the end, we thought the fruity wines tasted a bit watered down, the Reisling and Cabernet Sauv Merlot were more dry than we wanted, and the Reisling Ice Wine was too thick and sweet – not like other ice wines we have had. The Sweet Red, Luna Bianca, and Farmer’s Daughter were all good, but we really enjoyed the Luna Rosa and the Cabernet Franc Ice Wine. In fact, we brought them both home with us.
Our picks – Red Ice and Harvest Moon
We enjoyed this experience and will probably do more tastings in the future. It was not a super big adventure, but it fit our schedule and was in a convenient location. Can’t wait to see who we share these with – let us know if you want in on that. 🙂
For our January Adventure Date, our whole family stayed in the Maple Treehouse at Hocking Hills Treehouse Cabins. Keith and I really debated about whether to get away on our own or whether to take the kids, but in the end we decided we all needed to get away. The past few months have been a little stressful as Keith’s company was bought and we were unsure whether he would have a job past the end of this month. Things have stabalized now, thankfully, so we really needed a family celebration of that.
Our treehouse cabin was cozy and had the perfect amount of space for us to spread out some but also hang out as a family. We loved all the little finishing touches and special nooks. Keith and I had a queen bed that was pretty comfy, and there was also a queen bed in the loft area and a pull out sofa. The kids alternated between their two options each night and seemed to like both okay. The kitchen was small but very workable – we definitely ate well while we were there. The bathroom was beautiful with the rain shower head and we loved the unlimited hot water supply. There was even a wood stove heated hot tub that the kids enjoyed on Saturday evening after a day of hiking. We took lots of photos of the cabin to show you, so lets start with the outside views.
The Maple
This side has the master bedroom.
Here you can see the hot tub.
Definitely in the trees – and anchored well.
The inside consisted of a kitchen/dining/lounge area with a loft, a master bedroom, and a bathroom. Every space was used really well for storage and decoration. Here are photos of the multipurpose room and loft.
Entreeway
Lounge area
Dining area
Ladder to the loft
Bed in loft
Nook in loft
View from loft
Kitchen
More kitchen
Next are photos of the great bathroom. Really can’t overstate the awesomeness of the unlimited hot water. We were mindful to try not to waste water, but we loved that we did not have to keep turning it up and rush through our showers.
Tile shower with Rain showerhead
Sink
Finally, the master bedroom was cozy and bright with wonderful views. It was also right up the stairs from the hot tub, so it was easy to watch the fire and the kids but also stay warm and enjoy a glass of wine.
Comfy bed
Desk with views of hot tub
Lovely view from bed
Getting the hot tub heated up
Enjoying a warm soak
I really loved the way the cabin was decorated. The artwork and words really spoke to me, so I took lots of photos of that, too.
Master bedroom
Lounge
Entreeway
Kitchen
My very favorite part of the cabin, however, was that it was situated so there were waterfalls that you could see and hear from the deck. This weekend there were also some very impressive icicles to admire. We spent a bit of time exploring the property around the cabin on Saturday.
Icicles from the deck
More icicles from the deck
Ravine from fire pit
Tiny waterfall
Double waterfall
You can hear waterfalls in this ravine
Icicles
Icicles
Icicles
On Saturday we also ventured out to a couple places in Hocking Hills State Park. The cabin is less than 10 minutes from popular places in the park, so it is really convenient as a place to stay if you also want to hike and explore. We drove past John Glenn Astronomy Park, Whispering Cave, and Old Man’s Cave every time we left or returned to our cabin. Our first stop on Saturday was Ash Cave because we wanted to see how icy things were before we headed to any other parts of the park. Since Ash Cave is so flat and usually an easy hike, it seemed to be a logical choice. There was a man finishing an ice sculpture as we pulled into the parking lot, so that was an extra bonus. We found the hiking to be a bit treacherous, but if you just took your time and were mindful of where you were putting your feet, it really wasn’t too bad. The views were worth it!
Kids with ice sculpture
Hummingbird
Frozen cliffs
Charlotte
Micah
Keith and Autumn
My people at Ash Cave
Ash Cave
Ash Cave
Ice under the falls
Water falling
The creek after the falls
Since Old Man’s Cave was on our way back to our cabin, we decided to see how well we could navigate the upper part of that hike. It was extremely slippery, but we managed pretty well. I *may* have crab crawled down some steps to make sure I didn’t slip. It probably wasn’t pretty, but it was very effective. The views on this hike were even better! The rain earlier in the week paired with the refreezing temperatures created quite a show for us.
Upper Upper Falls
Upper Falls and bridge
Upper Falls and bridge
Icicles
Upper Falls
Icicles
Devil’s Bathtub
Side Falls by Welcome Center
Wall of icicles
On Sunday, we decided to stop at Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve on our way home. It is also less than 10 minutes from the cabin. It ended up being the worst hike in terms of ice, but that also made it breathtakingly beautiful. We are pretty sure that Charlotte had hiked there with us before, but it was Micah’s first time and he really loved it. I did actually fall on this hike, with lots of witnesses, but nothing was injured so it ended up being pretty funny.
Looking back toward the parking lot
Icicles
Kids in the Grotto
Grotto Selfie
Lots of ice
Peeking from ahead on the trail
Frozen waterfall
Ravine is getting deeper
Icicles
Charlotte
Icicles
So many icicles
Falls at the end of the ravine.
Frozen waterfall near the end of the ravine
The end of the hollow
Behind the frozen falls
Frozen waterfall selfie
Photobombed!
All in all, we had an incredible weekend. We will definitely be back – Keith and I are already making plans to stay in the newest treehouse cabin, The Beech, which should be opening in the next few months. The kids have requested that we make it a family tradition, which is high praise from them. You should give it a try, too!
Adventure. Create. Relate 