Bake Me Happy Lines 4, 5 & 8
For the Love of Dough Line 12
The Pastry Factory Lines 1, 2, 5, 72, 74, 75 & 102
Kennedy’s Kakes
Lines 1, 2, 8, 45, 72, 73 & 74
Way Down Yonder
Beignets & Coffee Lines 2, 11 & 102
Parable Cafe 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 102 & CMAX
JACK MCLAUGHLIN Editor-In-Chief
I like when people don’t like me. Let me explain why.
Maybe it’s the Midwestern in me, or maybe it’s congenital, but I sometimes have a bad habit of telling people what they want to hear. And I really don’t like it.
Generally, I believe I’m a pretty likable person (but I guess who doesn’t think that about themselves?), so when I do encounter someone who doesn’t care for me, especially after knowing me for a while, it implies I’ve been totally honest about my own feelings, and I’ve told them something they don’t want to hear. Which is a good thing in my mind.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand social decorum exists for a reason, and it’s also not inherently cool or good to be a dick to people. A lot of the time, though, it can be productive for us —I’m putting it plainly, here—to tell someone to fuck right off.
Like anything, it’s about balance, but to be the best person we can be, sometimes—not all the time—we should be doing things purely out of self-interest without trying to hide or rationalize our motivations.
Even if they’re base. Or petty. Or it’s giving into the things that the social contract teaches us not to do. Because at times that’s exactly what we need.
In a very fundamental way, this was the provenance of our February 2025 issue. Finding a riff on love is a difficult thing to do, and when we originally envisioned the idea of romantic revenge, I immediately shot it down. But then I had to take my own advice, and we embraced it.
Because, let’s be real: most of us love a dramatic get-back story. Most of us love drama, in certain contexts. And while this has its own pitfalls, and it’s not something you want to give into all the time, every once in a while, you should.
And that’s exactly what we’re doing here. We’re handing you some truly juicy, risque content. And you should enjoy it without feeling bad about ourselves. No matter what anybody says about it.
Sometimes, the best revenge is taking the high road and not doing anything at all. But that doesn't mean we won't listen to songs about people who choose the route of keying cars, busting windows, and casting curses on their ex. Our (614) staff made the ultimate playlist that has gotten us through lots of breakups and some of our angriest moments, and you can take a listen yourself!
Check out our curated Spotify playlist of the best revenge songs ever made (or at least our favorites)!
Do you check your news and entertainment updates on 614now.com? You should. Every day we’re posting Columbus’ top news, entertainment, and sports stories from throughout Central Ohio. Check out all the Columbus news online, including the new ones below at 614now.com and subscribe to our daily email!
Wendy’s is rumored to be releasing a new collab Frosty with this favorite Girl Scout Cookie
Any new Frosty is a big deal, but the iteration of the frozen treat rumored to be coming out soon may just be the most exciting riff on it yet. We’re talking about a Thin Mint Frosty.
Long-standing local pizzeria gets Travis Kelce shoutout
Like it or not, Travis Kelce is a man of influence. He’s also a man who was both born and educated in the state of Ohio, and he recently touted a Columbus-based pizzeria on his top-charting podcast.
Another car crashes into Columbus storefront
Another day in Columbus, another car crashing into a business. Around 7 p.m. last night, January 15th, an SUV crashed through the “lobby” entrance of the Hobby Lobby on Hilliard-Rome Rd.
Did you know that (614) has a YouTube channel with some very shareable video content? It’s true. Scan the QR code to watch our newest videos, and keep an eye out for more!
(614) Insider serves as our new, weekly wrap-series that captures the wonderful, wild, and, frankly, weird, happenings in Columbus. Plus restaurants. A lot of restaurants. Sav and Jack, editors at (614) Magazine, offer a bite-sized version of the most interesting Central Ohio stories each episode.
Watch our latest episode on YouTube!
"WORST OHIO CITIES, CRIME TRIVIA, NACHO FRIES"
business ownership
She’s a devoted mother of two (with a third on the way), a badass fitness instructor, loving wife, present friend, iced latte enthusiast, philanthropist, and the founder & owner of Cuffed by Nano, a thriving jewelry business based in Columbus that’s been growing steadily for nearly a decade.
What’s Nano Swetman’s secret to managing it all?
Well, it’s actually not doing it all alone, she said. Her success is all thanks to her incredible family and community. “I’m definitely aware that the support from others has enabled me to do what I get to do,” she emphasized.
Swetman launched her jewelry brand Cuffed by Nano in 2016 as a one-woman operation. While working full-time as a merchant for Abercrombie Kids, she hand-stamped personalized bracelet cuffs in her Columbus home on the side. The business took off quickly thanks to “her village” – her six roommates, seven siblings, her boyfriend (now husband) Dave, and the local Instagram community, who would wear their bracelet stacks around town with pride. In just six months, Nano was able to move her business from Etsy to her own e-commerce platform.
“It literally takes a village. I know it’s hard for some people to have access to a village…so I just feel so blessed that I have my own version of one that allows me to be a small business owner, pursue my dreams, and go out and do what I want to do every day,” Nano humbly said.
Almost eight years later, Cuffed by Nano has transformed from a “basement business” into a successful brand with nearly 50,000 Instagram followers and nationwide shipping. While Nano started the business all on her own, she’s now supported by her sister Mona, who plays a key role in their witty social media content, as well as Brigid and Britt, who handle inventory, assembly, and shipping. And, of course, her biggest fan – her husband Dave – who not only still rocks their jewelry, but goes above & beyond to help Nano follow her dreams.
The brand focuses on durable, high-quality jewelry – pieces that are built to last. One rare aspect is that it’s all waterproof – ranging from stainless steel rings, to pearl bracelets, gold-filled earrings, and even solid gold necklaces featuring lab-grown diamonds. Their best sellers are anything customizable, like the gold-filled beaded bracelets with an added initial charm.
“All of the jewelry we offer is all the jewelry I want to wear,” Nano said. “The personal element of the brand helps. They know me, they know my sister, and that allegiance goes a long way.”
For Nano, the reality of running a business while balancing motherhood “is more chaotic than it looks,” she laughed. “I don’t want anyone to compare themselves to me and think that it’s super easy to own a small business and be a mother…It’s not romantic. It’s fun, it’s a different life, it’s extremely rewarding, but it’s not super sexy.”
Over the past five years, not a day has gone by where Nano hasn’t either been pregnant or breastfeeding. While Cuffed by Nano will always be her first “baby,” in a way, Nano said that she’s intentionally allowed her business to take a backseat so she can be more present with her children. She acknowledges how fortunate she is to have a hybrid schedule, but like most working mothers, she still faces pressure and uncertainties. “I don’t know if I’m working too much, or if I’m not working enough,” she looked out the window and contemplated. “I think it’s all about finding that balance. Everyone is just truly doing their best.”
As her business and family have grown, Nano’s priorities have shifted and simplified. Motherhood might seem to be at the top of her list, but she’s learned that in order to be a better mother, wife, and business owner, she needs to prioritize herself, too. For her, this means enjoying an iced latte with whole milk, all to herself, even if that means starting work a little later that day. It means attending and teaching classes at The Butcher Shop Fitness, or building a snowman with her son and daughter on a weekday, or going on a babymoon with her husband, while Mona keeps things running in the shop. “Maybe I could have made my business even bigger, but I decided to prioritize other things along the way,” she said.
Nano’s quirky honesty about motherhood and entrepreneurship has helped fuel her business’s continuous growth, year after year. On her personal and business Instagram account, she highlights how her waterproof jewelry holds up day to day –whether it’s a pool day with the kids, an intense sweat session at the gym, playing at the beach with her family, washing a dozen bottles and changing a dozen more diapers, or taking a bubble bath to relax. The jewelry is designed by her, but it’s also made for people like her: those who are blissfully present in the everyday moments of life, and still want to look cool while doing it.
“I THINK IT’S ALL ABOUT FINDING THAT BALANCE. EVERYONE IS JUST TRULY DOING THEIR BEST.”
The brand’s authenticity is part of Nano’s own personal purpose of being a hands-on business owner. When you purchase one of the charm bracelets from Cuffed, there’s a group of four passionate women that helped design the piece, market that item, assemble it, and ship it out to you right from their gorgeous Grandview showroom. And astonishingly, with every single one of your purchases, you’re helping fund a teacher’s salary and an elementary school child’s lunch in Haiti through the nonprofit Hands Together for Haitians, founded by Nano’s mother.
Her goal isn’t to become the next Cartier. While most small business owners dream big, Nano’s vision for Cuffed is more intentional. “I like being in touch with all parts of the business,” she explained. “But once you get to a certain level of growth, you lose that connection to quality and customers.” Maintaining the status of a small business means staying connected to what she values most – her family, her friends, her community, her customers – her village. And for Nano, those connections are worth more than gold.
The Cuffed By Nano showroom is open Thursdays & Fridays from 10-5 p.m. at 816 Grandview Ave. You can also shop online at cuffedbynano.com, and make an appointment for permanent bracelets and hand-stamped personalization.
can“Ihopewe continue to impactColumbus inapositiveway.”
After gaining extreme popularity at their New Jersey location, Food Street brings its red-hot brand
By Jordan Abbruzzese
From all over the world, travelers are flocking to Lahore. It isn’t just because the Punjab capital is home to the Punjabi film industry, or even because it’s a cosmopolitan hub with cultural attractions. People go for street food.
Foodie social media is full of the vibrant Lahore food scenes, debating who has the best paratha roll, or showing vendors expertly frying giant pieces of bread and grilling long skewers of meat. The clips are enough to make your stomach growl and practically smell the kebabs and hot samosas through your phone.
Thankfully for Columbus, we don’t have to travel halfway across the world to try these viral dishes. Food Street, a modern twist on traditional Pakistani street food, is officially open and already buzzing in Clintonville.
Operating at 3373 N. High St., Food Street is the newest location of this popular food concept. Currently the only restaurant of its kind in all of Ohio, Food Street Columbus is the sister location to the original Food Street location in Secaucus, New Jersey, and is owned by Moiz Khan, Ishrat Ilyas, and Qamar Abbas.
“I have lived in Columbus for 10 years,” said Farah Ilyas, who runs Food Street Columbus with her husband, Zeshawn. “And every time we went out to eat, we did not see any good Pakistani food. We are lacking in Columbus.”
“There are only a couple of other places that offer Pakistani food in the city, or are halal,” Farah explained.
After noticing a need in the community, Farah asked her brother, Ishrat, if they could bring a restaurant to Columbus together. In December 2024, Street Food officially opened, and has been a hit ever since. →
This is Farah’s first foray into the food industry, and she is already in love with creating customer relationships while offering her favorite dishes not only to the Pakistani community, but to the wider Columbus community. Many of her new customers are trying Pakistani food for the first time.
“We love the response Columbus has given us,” Farah said.
Food Street lives in a prime Clintonville location, not far from The Ohio State University campus, Downtown Columbus, and the close-knit community of surrounding walkable neighborhoods. Visitors are welcomed to the space by stunning murals and warm lighting. Greenery hangs from the ceiling, popping against colors of yellow, deep gold, and traditional Pakistani design themes. Near the window, hanging chairs adorned with pillows sit in natural light, inviting diners to stay awhile.
The Food Street team has created an environment that emulates the eclectic and bustling experience of Lahore, while also cultivating a community-centric ambiance that makes you want to find a seat and gather over delicious food – all halal.
After being open for a matter of weeks, Food Street has become full of people chatting and sharing Pakistani cuisine in a relaxing atmosphere. Beyond the economical offerings and large portion sizes, people of all backgrounds have been drawn to this new spot.
“No one is offering this type of food,” Farah explained. “Even in other states when we travel, you’ll find Pakistani
food, but not like this. We have had a huge demand, with people coming from Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Dayton asking us to open a location there.”
For Farah and the Food Street team, they are happy to serve new customers and see smiles on their faces when they try their meals. Food Street embraces building positive customer relationships, often offering complimentary tea or dessert to those who dine in.
The menu boasts many traditional Pakistani street food favorites with a fresh take, even offering vegetarian appetizers and entrees. Standout menu items—including Farah’s favorites—are the Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich and the Chicken Tikka Paratha Roll: chicken rolled in homemade paratha, with condiments and chutneys.
Beyond the sandwiches, tikka rolls, and other street food options, customers can also find a variety of popular drinks like Rabri Doodh, a creamy drink made with sweetened milk, and flavored with cardamom and a nut garnish.
Food Street has definitely found an early home in Columbus, with plans to eventually expand to Texas, Virginia, and other states.
“I’d like to thank my brother Ishrat for this opportunity to operate in Columbus,” Farah said. “And we would like to thank Columbus for this warm response, and all of the love.”
For future news and updates, follow all Food Street locations at @food_st on Instagram.
A new West Side eatery is serving up authentic Indian recipes, and they’re doing it on top of pizzas
When Bunty Jakhu left his nearly decade-long career at Chase Bank to bring a fresh take on pizza to Columbus, some might have thought he was reaching for the stars. But instead, he landed on the moon—quite literally. Moon Pizza, his innovative Hilliard-based food truck, celebrated a year in orbit this past December, offering a bold fusion of Indian flavors and classic American pizza—a concept Jakhu says “started with the sauce.”
The name Moon Pizza is more than just a celestial nod—it’s a heartfelt tribute to Jakhu’s father, Tara Chand.
“Tara means star, and Chand means moon,” he shared.
The logo, featuring a sacred Indian elephant surrounded by stars, weaves together family, tradition, and a touch of cosmic charm. And the shape?
"The moon is round like a pizza," Jakhu smiled.
The food scene on the far West Side of Columbus is no stranger to great pies, with staples like Meatball Mafia, Sexton's Pizza and West Side Slice already drawing crowds. But Jahku’s culinary journey sets his concept apart.
After years spent working in Cincinnati and Columbus restaurants and helping to open iconic spots like Aab in Grandview, Jahku decided it was time to create something of his own. Inspired by his roots in Phillaur, India, and trips to California and New York, he began blending the comforting flavors of Indian cuisine with the universal appeal of pizza.
“Pizza is a comfort food,” he said. “But when we make our pizza, you get all the elements of Indian foods together—something you can’t find anywhere else right now.” →
And he’s not wrong. Moon Pizza’s menu is a bold adventure through Indian spices and toppings. While classics like chicken tikka and paneer are crowd favorites, the real surprise comes with combinations like fresh-crushed jalapeño sauce mixed with garam masala, then topped with ginger and your choice of protein. Jahku’s even created a pineapple masala pizza—a sweet and spicy twist that’s become an unlikely hit. "People request it all the time, so we had to do it,” he laughed.
But the innovation doesn’t stop there. Jahku’s constantly perfecting the foundation of every great pizza: the crust. “Our crust is not too thin, not too thick—it’s just right,” he said. They test different pure olive oils and use vitamin C to kickstart the yeast, which keeps the dough fresh and flavorful even after a couple of days. "We make 100 balls of dough a day,” he said. “Everything here is fresh. Nothing to hide.” A window into the truck's kitchen only reinforces this commitment, allowing customers to see every step of their meal’s creation.
Jahku recommends trying the calzones—he’s currently testing a samosa calzone that isn’t on the menu yet. As for spice levels, he suggests starting with medium heat, though the staff is happy to add a fiery kick with freshly crushed dry pepper flakes for the adventurous.
With nearly a year under its belt, Moon Pizza has already become a must-visit spot in Hilliard. As Jahku put it, “This is home. It just feels right to be here.” And for pizza lovers looking for something out of this world, Moon Pizza is definitely worth the trip.
Whether you’d admit to it or not, we all love a good getback. You know how it goes: Romantic Partner goes off and cheats, or initiates a questionable breakup, and they pay the price. And no, we are absolutely not above pettiness. In fact, in our February cover section, we encourage it. We solicited romantic revenge stories from (614) readers, offer you a way to blow off exrelated steam at Columbus’ first rage room, give our own post breakup glow-up tips, and even dive into one of the most salacious affair and revenge stories in Central Ohio history. How sweet it is. →
From old plates to your ex’s picture, Columbus’ first rage room lets you smash your way through a bad breakup and built up anger alike
By Melinda Green / Photos by Aaron Massey
It’s the season of love—corn-syrup confections, squishy plushies, heart-shaped everything, and, above all, those looming Relationship Expectations.
It’s enough to make you want to smash stuff. The Wrecking Company, Columbus’ first rage room, can help you with those feelings of overwhelm or, let’s be honest, the lust for revenge that many of us feel this time of year.
Kate Zenger, who owns The Wrecking Company with her husband, Chris Zenger, said, “I see rage rooms as a place where we're given permission to just let loose and release any feelings that we might be having. [The feelings] don't necessarily need to be anger or rage, but just that permission to be loud, to be free, to be feral if we want to be.”
“It's a great adrenaline rush,” Kate said.
She expounded more on that need to be feral. “Speaking from my own lived experiences, especially as a woman, we're all told to be polite, to be smaller, to be quiet, to not take up a lot of space. And so I think that for a lot of people, not just women, it's been building because we're told it's not socially acceptable to show your true emotion. And this is a great place to release it.”
As you might expect, The Wrecking Company was born out of her own desire to confront her emotions in a particularly grueling job. “I was having one of those days, meetings back to back, and I felt like I was just not going to be a nice person in the next meeting. And I thought, ‘My gosh, if there was just a place where I could just like, hit something or throw something or beat something just for a minute, I would be such a nice person in the next meeting.’”
She knew of rage rooms elsewhere, and the thought stuck with her: why isn't there something like that in Columbus?
During COVID, she began developing a business plan, and in 2024, she thought to herself, “I'm doing it. I need to do it. Otherwise I'll regret it forever.”
The building The Wrecking Company occupies, on South 4th Street downtown (near Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace), was built in 1900, and it required a lot of protection, as well as soundproofing so the neighbors aren’t startled. “I don't even know all the layers that have gone into it,” Zenger said. “So many layers.”
The space has two group rooms, holding up to six participants, and one solo room, all with a viewing window. You can’t hear much of what goes on inside, but you can definitely see the catharsis as it happens.
“It's interesting to see people come in with their partners or co-workers, and then they'll come in again with their girl group or their best friend. And they are two totally different ragers in those situations," said Kate. "A lot of times, I think people come in and think ‘This was fun, but I could be freer with my girlfriends or by myself.’ We've definitely had some repeat customers who come in with different groups and have a totally different experience. We also have a lot of repeat solo ragers who come in, [partly because] this is a great workout, almost like 20 minutes of CrossFit.”
Zenger sources smashable items from donations, surplus sites, old businesses or colleges, local bars and thrifting. She even has a buyer specifically for glass items. Each person gets a crate with 15 breakables, and she curates the crates carefully. →
“I think everyone should experience the heaviness of glass and different colors and different textures and, you know, something to spark a memory,” she explained. “So I try to do a nice mix of bottles and wine glasses and drinking glasses and mugs and plates and then always do one or two of what we call ‘specials,’ which is maybe a vase. People say that vases are their favorites or those creepy figurines that you find at the thrift store. And if we have small electronics in stock, like an office phone or a computer keyboard, we'll throw those in as well.”
And yes, there are favorites among what people love to smash. “People love the vases because they're larger. Some people love plates; I think it's the feeling of being able to throw a plate down. And then others love liquor bottles because they're big and they're heavy and they can take beatings,” Zenger noted.
Guests are protected from all of this flying debris with sizeinclusive long-sleeve coveralls, cut resistant gloves, and a helmet with a shield, all provided as part of the experience. Safety goggles and ear plugs also are available. The only requirement to bring is closed-toe shoes.
Before going into their rage room, each guest gets a blank plate to smash and heads to the “plate bar.” “That is your therapy time, where you can write down whatever you're mad at, whatever's on your plate,” Zenger said. “I try not to look at the plates, but there are a lot of names. [Sometimes] I play temporary therapist for them; they'll tell me ‘My husband cheated on me for 10 years, and I'm putting his name down.’”
She continued, “I would say 90% of our customers are women. And I think the number one thing people write down [on the plates] is men.”
Still, one man came in, bought four extra plates, wrote a different woman’s name on each of the five, and emerged from his raging a “different person,” Zenger said.
“THAT IS YOUR THERAPY TIME, WHERE YOU CAN WRITE DOWN WHATEVER YOU'RE MAD AT, WHATEVER'S ON YOUR PLATE.”
The experience is unique for everyone. “You see big strong football-player guys come in with their very quiet, tiny girlfriends or wives, and it's the girlfriend or wife that does the most damage on the stuff and goes crazy and the husband or boyfriend just stands there,” Zenger said.
One client even brought her own bluetooth speaker and sang opera while she raged.
Zenger admitted that she gets first-hand experience in not judging anybody by the first impression. She recalls an older couple who came in as a gift from their children. “I saw them and thought, ‘You guys seem so sweet and quiet and gentle and I don't know if this is for you,’” Zenger recalled. “They went in, they did their session, they came out and cried. The woman was like ‘That released something so visceral. I just feel like that was 50 years of pent up rage and feeling and emotion.’”
“When people go in, they're not sure how they're going to act,” she explained. “They come out and they're relieved or they're crying or they're laughing. It's incredible.”
Zenger knows she’s providing a valuable outlet. “I've had a lot of people say ‘Thank you so much for bringing this here. We needed this.’ So that feels really good—you know, when I'm shoveling the trash and stuff, it feels like, ‘Okay, this is good for them.’”
So, rage on. Release those expectations. And, in this season of love, make peace with your other emotions, too.
Flashback to 2016, I was 18, a freshman in college and it was winter break. I was still in a relationship with my highschool boyfriend, let's call him John (note: John was a high school senior, and a Mormon). At the time, I really thought he was it for me. We talked every night, were intimate, and he told his parents he slept over at a friend's house every Friday, but he really spent the night with me. I hadn’t been talking to my other high school friends much, as is common your first year of college, so I blew off most of the rumors that he was seeing other girls. I’d asked him about it, and he downgraded the other girls so skillfully that I thought they were all psychotic. About halfway through the break though, one of my friends reached out to me and said I really needed to sit down with one of the supposed other girls. I trust my friends, so I went to meet the girl.
reader-submitted romantic revenge
She pulls up their Snapchat conversations and I see EVERYTHING. This boy was raw-dogging it with not only us, but also at least two other girls. He had told both of us that if his refusal to wear protection didn’t work, that we would all need to get abortions. The way that I RAN to get ALL the tests.
I was livid. I was 18. I was wild. I was talking with this other girl, let's call her Angie, and we decided that the best course of action was to tell his extremely Mormon parents. So, we drove to his house that same night and we waited for them. We told them everything, including the nights he had snuck out and come to our houses or when they had been absent and we snuck into theirs. We showed them the messages, and even his plan to set up a threesome with Angie and another girl. Being the Mormons they were, they actually kicked their 18-year old senior in high school out. He had to move to California in disgrace to live with his older sister. Not only that, but he got demoted at church and his plans to be a Mormon missionary the following two years were thwarted.
A guy I was dating got blackout drunk at a concert and tried to kiss my roommate. I broke up with him that night, and he felt so guilty that, while blacked out, gave me his credit card to make up for it. The next day, he didn’t remember that he gave me his card, and I took all my friends out to a fancy dinner with steak, champagne, and caviar, and racked up a $2,000 bill. Oops! ;)
In high school, I broke up with someone because he wanted to have sex and I wasn’t ready to do that with him. Afterwards, he bullied me for three years straight, excluding me from parties, making up rumors about me, and making my life a living hell. Our senior year of college, we ended up at the same party together after not seeing each other for years. He half-heartedly apologized for bullying me, and tried all night to hook up with me. I still didn’t want to sleep with him – but as payback for his ruthlessness in our high school days, I had sex with his friend that night and made sure he knew (and heard) all about it.
You’ve seen the movies. Italians are often depicted with a certain… mobbish flair. Now, toss some Cuban into the mix, and you’ve got one spicy hot tamale that doesn’t just simmer—she boils over when crossed.
I was dating a principal in Columbus. An upstanding citizen, right? That’s what I thought. But hindsight is 20/20, and the lovebombing should’ve been my first clue that he was too good to be true. His first dates, as I later discovered, were a well-rehearsed script: coffee in German Village, a trip to The Book Loft where he always buys a book for his daughter, followed by lunch if the date’s going well, and a stroll in Schiller Park. A sweet plan, sure—until I learned other women got the exact same date, right down to the same book.
So, what’s a girl to do? Let it slide? Nope. I printed flyers with a QR code linking directly to his LinkedIn profile (where he’s a principal, remember?) and plastered them on every community board in those beloved German Village spots. (This was pre-Tik Tok.)
Here’s hoping his next first date happens… anywhere else. Pro tip: don’t mess with a Cuban-Italian.
My boyfriend of four years broke up with me last year on Valentine’s Day and then continued to live in my apartment for the next three months, claiming that he was doing it to make things easier on me. He started going on dates with a girl he worked with (keep in mind this is the same week our relationship ended), and I was pissed. So, every morning, I would wake up first since I was the
When my ex and I broke up, it wasn’t dramatic—it was just disappointing. We had been friends for 1.5 years and dated for another 1.5, but in the end, he decided he couldn’t handle the effort a real relationship required. Rather than addressing his thoughts and feelings about the relationship, he bottled everything up until it inevitably blew up—unsurprisingly. He convinced himself that isolating and smoking weed would fix his problems, avoiding the therapy he so clearly needed. Looking back, there were red flags: he avoided any sort of deeper conversation, showed little interest in making even the simplest plans, and somehow turned my happiness into a burden.
The breakup itself was a rollercoaster. I came back from a girls’ weekend to find him acting distant. When I asked what was wrong, he said he needed a week to gather his thoughts but assured me he loved me and wanted to work through things. Instead, he ghosted me. A week later, I reached out to talk. He seemed to be in better spirits, so he came over. To add even more to this heartbreak, two hours before he showed up, I had been laid off from my job. As soon as he walked into my apartment, I could tell there was no changing his mind. He broke up with me, throwing out several vague reasons for why it had to end. He also dropped the news he wasn’t going to the wedding we had planned to attend that weekend—even after buying a new suit. The next day, I was left pretending everything was fine while putting on a brave face at our best friends’ engagement party. Then, two weeks later, I found out he had reached out to his ex-girlfriend the day after our breakup.
I was devastated, but within a few weeks, I began to see the silver lining in what had been an unhealthy relationship. It was the beginning of a new chapter I desperately needed.
Since then, I’ve found myself feeling lighter and freer than ever before. I joined a new gym and now crush workouts before the sun rises. I landed a better job that pays more than I’ve ever made. I adopted the cutest kitten, reconnected with old friends, made a ton of new ones, and regained a sense of purpose I hadn’t realized I’d lost. I took a hard look at my mental health and quickly recognized that he had been one of the main sources of my unhappiness. Meanwhile, my ex is too scared to show up to our mutual friends’ group plans because of how he handled everything. And from what I hear, he’s still self-medicating with weed and video games.
So, while he’s stuck in the same place, it is safe to say I am moving on with my life–something I never would have imagined I was able to do. The best “revenge” I could ask for is the life I’ve built post-breakup — and it’s one I wouldn’t trade for anything.
It was 2020, peak COVID time. I was in college and had been texting with and Snapchatting a guy I had a class with the semester before, gradually getting really close with him. I had tried many times to get together with him on the weekends when I was free, but he never had the time…hmmm, that should have been my first red flag. So we kept this up for about six months, all the way until it was time for me to move back to campus. I was so excited – I thought we were going to get to spend so much time together. But after I move, he basically cuts it off with me out of nowhere. So what do I do? Well, I find his best friend on Tinder, and start messaging him. We get really close pretty quickly, and one night he invites me over to his house... his house that he lives at with his best friend. I "unknowingly" start asking him questions about his best friend and that's how I found out that the guy I was talking with had a girlfriend the entire time and was using me to cheat on her, and that he had done this before.
He had told me that he came clean to his girlfriend that night, but who knows if he ever did. Fast-forward probably a month later, I was driving around town and guess who just happened to cross the street in front of my car…while I didn’t hit him, I did speed up to scare him as if I would.
The
bizarre and tragic story of a Columbus veterinary professor turned-killer and his torrid love affair, which turned into one of the most salacious trials of the early 20th century
By John M. Clark
It was Thursday, June 13th – a typically warm, early summer afternoon in Columbus. Dr. James Snook, a 49-year-old veterinary professor at Ohio State University, drove his car along North High Street, expecting to spot his young lover. Catching a glimpse of her at the intersection of 12th Avenue, he pulled along the curb and Theora Hix got in.
Snook began driving and asked the attractive, 24-yearold student if she wanted to go back to their room together. “No,” she said firmly, “I want to go somewhere I can scream.” At least that’s what he told jurors later the following month, when he was put on trial for her murder.
Justice was rendered swiftly in 1929 Columbus, when the doctor was tried and convicted of the student’s murder, as the entire population seemed to hang onto every detail of what some have called the most salacious murder case in the city’s history.
The bizarre story had begun three years earlier, when Snook offered Hix a ride home from her new job as a parttime stenographer in his office. Hix, from rural New York, was trying to earn enough money to go to medical school. From the moment Hix and her friend got into his car on that rainy afternoon, Snook was smitten. And three weeks later, the two began a tumultuous affair. →
Dr. James Snook holding a handgun ↓
The balding, bespectacled Snook was not exactly a lady’s man. Plus, he was married and had a small child. But he had a goodpaying job and other attributes that may have drawn Hix to him. He had won two Gold Medals in target shooting at the 1920 Olympics. And he invented a tool for spaying small animals that is still used today, called the Snook Hook.
For her part, the tall and lean Hix appeared reserved. Her roommates said she didn’t even care for men. The truth was completely different. And when it came to her relationship with the professor, she called all the shots. Near the beginning of their relationship, Hix mentioned that Snook couldn’t satisfy her as well as her previous boyfriend – that the doctor wasn’t as “big.”
She also suggested the middle-aged professor consulted certain sex education books to learn how to be better in bed. Hix liked experimenting with drug-fueled sex in their four-dollar-a-week walk-up Snook rented on Hubbard Avenue for the affair, and Hix persuaded the doctor to procure for them Spanish Fly (a purported aphrodisiac), cannabis and even cocaine from the veterinary school’s drug supply.
Helen Snook, the doctor’s wife, never let on like she knew – not until more than two years into the couple’s relationship. Even then, she didn’t seem to want to rock the boat. After all, she later said, her daughter needed a father.
It was about this time that Snook began showing personality changes. At work, his superiors reprimanded him for work that became increasingly shoddy. Hix had become more possessive, more demanding. She would belittle her boyfriend and sometimes threaten him with violence. The final straw for the two came in mid1929, when Snook told her he and his family were going out of town for the weekend to visit his mother.
On the evening of June 13th, when Hix told Snook she wanted to go somewhere and scream, he drove her to a secluded rifle range on the west side of town. He parked in the tall grass; Hix immediately told him she wanted to have sex in the front seat of his new, Model “A” Ford. It was an awkward attempt, and Hix was left unsatisfied.
Snook said later that Hix flew into a rage over Snook’s plan to leave her for the weekend and for the fact that she had not been satisfied, sexually. “You’ve got to help me!” she shouted. Hix grabbed at the man’s trousers, unbuttoned them and began biting him. When she wouldn’t let go, he reached into the backseat, took a ball peen hammer from his tool bag and hit her over the head. Twice more, and she finally sat up. Staring at him, she threatened to kill his wife, his two-year-old little girl and him.
The doctor hit her at least two more times with the heavy hammer, each harder than the last, and she fell out of the passenger door, dragging her purse with her. Snook had given his girlfriend a small handgun when she complained of hearing an intruder in her dormitory. He was certain it was in her purse, and that she wouldn’t hesitate to use it.
Snook, still in pain, crawled around the front of the car to where Hix was lying motionless on the ground. Later, he said he didn’t want to see her suffer any more from the hammer blows, so he took out his pocketknife and finished what he had started. Collecting the purse, the hammer and the knife, he drove home. He said he tossed the handbag in the Scioto River while crossing a bridge.
When two 16-year-old boys found Hix’s body the next morning, suspicion quickly turned to Snook. His affair with the student stenographer had been an open secret at the veterinary college. Two days later, he was arrested at his home and taken downtown for a 20-hour questioning by prosecutor Jack Chester, who punctuated his interrogation by slapping and beating Snook about the face. Snook was charged with murder, and trial was set for July 24th.
Would-be spectators began lining up long before dawn, vying for one of the 200 or so seats in the courtroom gallery. As many as 800 a day would be turned back. Some of the testimony was so graphic that the three local newspapers refused to print it.
Snook readily admitted to most of the facts he had previously attested to in various interviews. Apparently, he was pinning his hopes on either a self-defense strategy or temporary insanity. The prosecution, meanwhile, alleged Snook had struck Hix at least 17 times and had also stabbed her in the stomach.
Following two weeks of testimony, the jury of 11 men and one woman took just 28 minutes to find the professor guilty of murder. Appeals failed, and Snook was scheduled to die in the state’s electric chair on February 28th, 1930. His wife, a priest and a few friends joined him for his last meal in a room next to the electric chair. To thwart curiosity seekers, Snook was buried before dawn in Greenlawn Cemetery near a stone that simply read, “Howard Snook – 1879 to 1930.” “Howard” was his middle name.
Ninety-six years after Dr. James Snook beat his lover with a hammer and slit her throat, the public still can’t seem to get enough of this violent and bizarre murder.
Let’s preface this by saying that you are enough, just as you are. You are awesome and capable and remarkable. Anyone who reads this magazine is automatically cool by default. But, in addition to already being all those things, you might also feel like it’s a good time to make a change or two.
“Glow up” refers to making a positive transformation or significant improvement in one's confidence, appearance, or overall lifestyle, usually presenting a noticeable difference over time. Essentially it means becoming a better version of the person you already are.
There are lots of reasons why you might want to try a glow up, from a breakup to a new job to simply wanting to experiment with something different in 2025. All of them are valid in our book and we’re excited to provide some 614-based suggestions to find the glow-up options that will help you feel your absolute best.
We all know the positive effects of physical activity and most of us are pretty good at fitting it in a few times a week. But traditional gyms and fitness classes can get boring and repetitive after a while. Try something new and sign up for a class through Columbus Parks and Recreation, which are held at community centers across the city. The parks and rec department offers a wide range of unique, affordable options, including Adult Tumbling, Roller Skating, Badminton, African Drumming, Archery, Tai Chi, and Belly, Salsa, African, Line and Ballroom Dancing.
Stress affects us physically, emotionally and mentally, often taking a harsh toll on our bodies. Opt to spend some time at Replenish, a collective in the downtown Discovery District. Offering self-care therapies to help support your life, the options at Replenish include sessions with an energy therapist designed to boost vitality, strengthen your immune system and rebalance your body, as well as reflex, which uses pressure point techniques to reduce toxic build up. Or schedule at the American Institute of Alternative Medicine (AIAM), Holistic Wellness Center, which has both massage and acupuncture clinics staffed by professionals and student interns.
When was the last time you learned a new skill or started a new hobby? There’s no time like the present to step outside your comfort zone and start getting creative. Book a slot at the Idea
Foundry, a massive mixed-use space on State St. Their beginner classes cover everything from the practical (introduction to power tools) to the artistic (stained glass window hangings). Or get up on stage at The Nest Theatre
Both locations offer adult improv classes, aimed at helping students gain confidence, improve their engagement with others and build scenes.
The ultimate revenge is being better than ever; Here are five ways to get there yourself post-split
By Laura Hennigan
TAKE CARE OF YOUR
Good skincare habits should be a part of everyone’s daily routine, especially when you live in Ohio and are exposed to the blistering hot days of summer, followed by the frigid, biting winter air. Make an appointment at Balance Beauty Spa in Worthington for an organic facial treatment customized to your exact needs. Their trained estheticians specialize in “K-beauty,” CBD lux and anti-aging facials. Wanting to experiment with skin rejuvenation methods? Skin & Sugar, with locations in Upper Arlington and Powell, offers needle-free nano infusions to boost collagen production and target hyperpigmentation, fine lines and scarring.
In a world of hectic schedules and the convenience of DoorDash, making the conscious decision to eat healthier can be tough. Luckily for us, Columbus has some of the very best farmers markets in the country, all of which are perfect for sourcing fresh ingredients from right here in the heart of it all. Worthington, New Albany and Granville even host indoor markets on Saturdays during the winter months. Not feeling inspired to cook? Local companies Luxe + Lemons and Fit Fresh offer nourishing, chef-crafted premade meals and snacks, delivered right to your door.
We met, of all places, in gym class at Westerville Central High School. What began as a shared laugh over an awkward volleyball game blossomed into a deep, unshakable bond.
Our wedding was the beautiful, queer, hippie, fairy, backyard celebration of our dreams. Marina walked barefoot down the aisle, feeling the cool grass beneath her feet as she approached the love of her life. Wildflowers decorated every corner, and the air smelled of lavender and sage, creating an atmosphere that felt ethereal and magical. Surrounded by the love of friends, chosen family, and all of our dogs, it was everything we had ever imagined.
The reception was a true celebration of community and creativity. All of our loved ones brought a dish for a potluck feast, so every bite was delicious and made with care. A close friend, a talented spray-paint artist, created a stunning mural that served as the perfect photo backdrop, while Bre, a gifted tattooer and dear friend, worked her magic with wedding makeup using real pressed flowers, making everyone feel radiant and uniquely beautiful.
Our wedding was not just a day; it was a reflection of our love, values, and the vibrant, inclusive life we've built together.
PRIVATE ESTATE IN GALENA, OH
AMY ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
Jeweler
HSW JEWELRY ART ON ETSY
COMMUNAL POTLUCK
HANDMADE BY BRIDESMAID CASSIDY STECKLEIN
MARAH PRICE AT GIBSON THE FLORIST
FLORA & LANE
BRE MONTES AT SACRED HAND TATTOO
ZACHARY HINSON
We met in 2018 as part of a Dungeons and Dragons game. We became incredibly close friends with one another and with everyone in that group (in fact, three of the other five members have asked me to officiate their weddings). It wasn't until Clare moved away from Columbus that we realized our full feelings for each other. In the Spring of 2022, Tommy asked her out for our first date, undeterred by the distance.
Friendship is the foundation of our relationship, and the core of our approach to life at large. So naturally, our wedding was all about friendship. We wrote individual letters to all 155 of our guests, letting them know what they meant to us. We even had a traditional Quaker wedding ceremony, where everyone gathered in silence and anyone could stand up and share a message with the couple. So many people spoke that we missed most of the cocktail hour! (Absolutely worth it.)
We got married under an arch Tommy built himself, draped with an heirloom blanket knitted a century ago by my greatgreat grandmother. I had vows for my stepdaughter Kaitlyn— who was Tommy's best "man"—in addition to the vows Tommy and I exchanged. Every guest signed our wedding certificate after the ceremony, bearing witness to the commitment we made to one another.
Then it was time to party! Our first dance was to “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers (a West Virginia native like Tommy). After a baked potato and brisket meal from Sweet Carrot, we got down on the dance floor with all of our friends and family. Buckeye Doughnuts rounded off the night.
Venue
FRANKLIN PARK CONSERVATORY
WELLS BARN
Photography
AMY ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
Jeweler
WORTHINGTON JEWELERS
Catering
TOGETHER & CO. SWEET CARROT
Cake
GOLDEN DELIGHT
Desserts
BUCKEYE DONUTS
Florist & Decor
AMPERSAND FLOWERS
Attire
WENDY'S BRIDAL & INDOCHINO
Music
BUCKEYE ENTERTAINMENT
We knew of each other at Ohio State, but neither of us can recall exactly how we first met. After college, Molly began her career in community organizing, and Kyle went off to law school. Some time after Kyle returned home to Columbus, we had a coffee meeting to talk about community issues, but we remained little more than acquaintances. It wasn’t until a year later, when our paths crossed again, that everything changed.
One late summer evening, we ran into each other at a show at Rumba Cafe. Though our conversation was brief that night, there was an undeniable chemistry. We later made plans with a mutual friend to watch an Ohio State football game, and from there, things quickly fell into place. We soon started dating and hanging out regularly—watching OSU games, talking about our goals and dreams, and debating politics. Many evenings were spent playing chess and sipping bourbon in the waiting area at the Whitney House. We traveled the world, hiked every metro park and national park within driving distance, and built a deep friendship rooted in a love of community, politics, the Buckeyes, and space movies.
In August 2023, Kyle surprised Molly— likely in the only way that could have worked—letting Molly think she was in charge of organizing Friday night plans. But Kyle had a surprise detour. Overlooking blooming flowers in Schiller Park, Molly said yes to spending the rest of their lives together. On August 30th, 2024, we were married at the Columbus Museum of Art surrounded by our loved ones. It was a day filled with joy, love, and celebration. Our guests enjoyed the museum’s incredible artwork and danced the night away with us, creating memories that we’ll cherish forever.
Venue
COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART
Photography
AMY ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
Videography
STERLING CARTER
Jeweler
BRILLIANT EARTH
Catering
SCHOKKO CATERING
Florist
DELISA MICHELLE FLORALS
Dress WATTERS
Makeup
KELLY LANE
Hair
BRITTANY WHITE
From Italian-inspired gardens to romantic pergolas and crystal chandeliers, White Willow Meadows is waiting to host the wedding of your dreams
By Laura Hennigan
Nestled just minutes from downtown Columbus, White Willow Meadows is a secluded haven where nature’s beauty and sophisticated charm combine to create the wedding of your dreams. Imagine exchanging vows beneath the romantic pergola of our Italian-inspired Garden of Verona, dancing under custom crystal chandeliers in our grand Main Barn, or celebrating late into the night with loved ones at our beautifully renovated Dairy Barn.
Every moment at White Willow Meadows is crafted to be extraordinary—not just for the bridal party but for everyone who shares in your special day. Marriage is a two-way street, so the wedding should be, as well. While the bride enjoys the luxury of the Bridal Suite, complete with salon-style stations, a coffee bar, private terrace, and a beauty bar with six stations, the groom and his groomsmen can also revel in their own experience. The Dairy Den, located within the Dairy Barn, is a space designed to celebrate the groom’s happiness and comfort. With a billiards table, bar, full bathroom with shower, dressing room and cozy lounge, it’s the perfect spot for laughter, bonding, and relaxation before the big moment. At White Willow Meadows, we understand that a wedding is about bringing joy to everyone involved, ensuring the groom and his groomsmen feel just as celebrated as the bride and her party.
Looking for privacy and flexibility? Our expansive 5,000-square-foot Dairy Barn provides an idyllic setting for an intimate afterparty or overnight stay for up to 14 guests and can host up to 45 friends and family members for post-reception celebrations. Relax in rustic elegance, complete with modern amenities such as a hot tub, multiple TVs, and a fully equipped kitchen, as you unwind with family and friends.
When it is time for the ceremony and reception, White Willow Meadows offers several stunning options, each thoughtfully curated to provide an elegant and timeless experience. Our Main Barn features soaring 35-foot ceilings, white wood paneling, and exposed timber beams, creating a grand and inviting space for up to 350 guests. Two custom twinkling crystal chandeliers, dual dance floors, and a state-of-the-art sound system ensure every celebration is memorable. Adjacent to the main floor, a luxurious lounge opens onto a large covered porch, perfect for cocktail hours, outdoor ceremonies, or simply enjoying the serene views of the property.
Dreaming of exchanging vows surrounded by nature? The Garden of Verona provides a picturesque setting with a customized pergola, pathways lined with lush arborvitae trees, and the gentle sounds of six Italian fountains. This romantic outdoor space offers an enchanting backdrop for your ceremony and photos.
"At White Willow Meadows, couples have the freedom to create their own wedding day story."
Your guests will love the opportunity to relax and gather across the sprawling grounds. Whether enjoying a drink by the fireplace, mingling in the covered porch area, or strolling through the gardens, White Willow Meadows creates an atmosphere of warmth and connection. And when the reception ends, the fun doesn’t have to stop. The Dairy Barn offers the perfect location to continue the celebration, with its inviting spaces designed for laughter and memories that last a lifetime.
At White Willow Meadows, couples have the freedom to create their own wedding day story, knowing every detail will be taken care of. From the flexibility to choose your own vendors to optional enhancements like in-house floral design by Willow – A Floral Design Co., we provide everything needed to make your day uniquely yours.
Your love deserves nothing less than perfection. Schedule your private tour today at whitewillowmeadows.com or call at (513) 507-0005.
Let’s start planning your forever.
We met on Hinge on a cold October evening in 2023, after many years of terrible dating experiences. Kelsey was a single mom to a little girl and Jen had recently moved back to Columbus after living in San Francisco for 12 years. Kelsey was surprised to get a notification but quickly felt butterflies looking at Jen's photos, captured by her genuine smile and kind eyes. We quickly started up a chat, exchanged numbers, and went on our first date a week later. Like and admiration quickly turned to love, and the rest is history!
We got engaged in December of 2024, with Jen proposing to Kelsey on the Mees Hall stage at her Alma Mater, Capital University. Kelsey then proposed to Jen at the Columbus Library in front of the Huntington Christmas Village display a week later. While we plan to have a larger gathering and celebration in the Fall of 2025, we ultimately chose to elope in early January 2025 due to the political climate and to protect our family. Our special day took place at the Franklin County Municipal Courthouse, with our 6-yearold daughter, Harper, and niece Emilia, as witnesses. After the ceremony, we took some photos outside, then headed over to the Ohio Statehouse for a magical photo session. Afterwards, our little family met our best friends for drinks and a special dinner at The Olde Oak in Old Town East.
Venue
FRANKLIN COUNTY MUNICIPAL COURTHOUSE
Photo Location
OHIO STATEHOUSE
Photography
AMY ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
Jewelers
VERA WANG & SAWCHUCK JEWELERS
Dress
JESSICA KAE
Suit
NINA PARKER
Witnesses
DAUGHTER HARPER & NIECE EMILIA
Dinner
THE OLDE OAK
Makeup
GENNIFER DAVIS
Back in the fall of 2018, we met on Tinder. Neither one of us were really looking for love—we were both just looking to get back into the dating scene again. We never thought anything long term would happen through meeting anyone on Tinder, of all places. However, we started texting and bonding over our shared interests for gaming, music, and all kinds of other nerdy things. This led to dating, and dating led to unexpectedly falling in love. By the summer of 2019, we were living together, and in February 2022, we became engaged.
Our wedding day was absolutely perfect. Every detail, every moment, every person who shared in our day was everything we could have ever wanted and more! We called our wedding party an “Adventuring Party” and all of our guests dressed in Renaissance or fantasystyled clothes for our adventure-themed wedding.
For our venue, we chose The Forge Tavern. It's a local tabletop gaming bar. We spent a lot of our time there early in our relationship for date nights getting to know each other while singing karaoke and playing games together. Our cake baker, Sweet And Shiny, made a delicious and amazingly sculpted wedding cake with two dragons, which looked to be climbing around the cake.
For our ceremony, we had our close friend and long time game master, Denver, officiate for us while dressed in traditional Jedi garb, and our Adventuring Party carried swords with flowers draped over them for our wedding bouquets. Through happy tears, we said our "I do's" before our friends and family. After the reception, we went back to the hotel where they kept the pool open for us until midnight for a private party with our guests before we retired to our suite. Our day felt like a fairytale come true for us.
Venue
THE FORGE TAVERN
Photography
AMY ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
Jeweler
KAY JEWELERS
Catering
TEXAS STEELE BBQ & WILLOWBEEZ
Cake
SWEET AND SHINY
Planning & Decor
NERDTASTIC NUPTIALS
Dress
HOLLY'S UNIQUE WEDDINGS
Makeup REFEYEANCE
Music
PREMIER ENTERTAINMENT
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We met in class at Miami University where we both studied philosophy and political science. We were assigned to be partners by one of our professors. A study date turned into an actual date, and we have been together happily ever since!
After seven years of being together, we got married on September 21st at the Brookshire Event Venue in Delaware. We viewed our wedding day as an opportunity to celebrate and be with the people we love. We had family and friends travel from across the country and overseas to be with us for the big day. Having so many of our friends and family in one place was so special—we felt so loved! And the cherry on top for us was that the dance floor was still going strong by the last song.
Venue
BROOKSHIRE EVENT VENUE
Photography
AMY ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
Videography
SARAH HUDSON MEDIA
Jeweler
DUBLIN VILLAGE JEWELERS
Catering
BROOKSHIRE EVENT VENUE
Florist
FIORI FLORALS
Dress
LA JEUNE MARI É E
Suit
MEN'S WAREHOUSE
Music
D&M ENTERTAINMENT
Columbus animal medium Holly Joy Starr performs energy readings on (614) Magazine’s staff pets
By Jack McLaughlin
As a former career coach, it only took
Holly Starr a single weekend session to discover a vocational path she was truly passionate about: animal energy therapy.
Starr struggled with a bout of treatmentresistant anxiety while working with college freshmen and sophomores, which eventually led her to (human) energy therapy, and—in its own unique, roundabout way—eventually to animal energy therapy.
“I knew nothing about [energy therapy]. I went to that first session and ironically, she wasn’t able to move my energy at all. But in that session she got the message that I would be good at energy therapy with animals,” Starr said.
After taking a weekend course on animal energy reading, something clicked for Starr, and by the end of that year she was committed to animal energy readings full-time.
The Columbus-based Starr offers inperson sessions reading pet energies, as well as virtual sessions, where she can use as little as a photograph to purportedly tap into the energy of pets and offer their owners vital insights into the minds of their animal companions. She actually prefers to perform them remotely with photos (yes, phonequality pictures will suffice) or via video call.
“I do go to people sometimes, but most of my sessions are through Zoom,” she said. “I actually usually prefer it this way, because you don't have the physical distractions. My office is very zenned out, which helps me get into my own center and close out everything else.”
We asked Starr to perform readings on a handful of (614) Magazine staff pets—including dogs, cats and even a chinchilla— and you can check them all out on the next page! →
One of Associate Editor Sav McKee’s two blind and deaf dachshunds, Peanut, is a regular presence around the office, and the editorial team’s personal cheerleader. However, lately, he’s been spitting out his kibble. Find out why at the QR code below.
Another regular around the (614) offices (along with his constant companion, Sammy), Aycie is advertising director Meggin Weimerskirch’s five year-old bernedoodle who also happens to be litter-mates with Eddie, who belongs to (614) CEO Lindsay Press. Aycie told Starr that he has an upset tummy—learn what what she discovered about his digestion below.
The brother of Aycie, seven-year old Sammy is Weimerskirch’s “minihippo,” as she likes to say, and honestly, we see the resemblance. Sammy is half sharpei, half cocker spaniel, and one hundred percent cute. He had a very clear message for his family—scan the QR code to check out what he told Starr to pass on to others.
The only Chinchilla among the long list of (614)’s staff animal companions, sales director Paul Van Horn wanted Starr to perform a reading on Louie to see if he’s happy, where in the house he’d like his cage to be, and if there’s more he wants to see or do with the Van Horn family. Find out what Starr said at the link below.
to watch all of the (614) pets' psychic readings!
The former cat companion of creative designer Meg Rhoads, Romeo has passed away, but Starr still attempted to read his “playful” energy from the feline afterlife. Starr details Romeo's venture over the rainbow bridge, and the mysterious animal guides who helped him along the way. Check out this video and others at the QR link.
Associate Editor Sav McKee shares her story of how she became a dog mom to not one, but two deaf & blind dachshunds
That’s the one,” my husband said with absolute certainty as we scrolled through Petfinder in hopes of taking our relationship to the next level: adopting a dog together. And somehow, pointing to one of the cutest dogs we’ve ever seen, with the body of a dachshund but a face of a pitbull, and just pink membranes as eyes, he was absolutely right.
When we met our first dog, Gus, just a month before the pandemic, his foster mom who volunteers with the incredible organization Speak for the Unspoken gently shared his heartbreaking story all while Gus sniffed us out—quite literally. Born deaf and blind due to irresponsible breeding, Gus was a product of neglect and cruelty. She explained that dachshunds—and many other breeds with speckled markings—carry a genetic risk of being born with disabilities like deafness and blindness when two of them are bred together. Gus had never fully formed pupils, his ears were underdeveloped as well, and he was starved almost to death in a hoarder’s house. As we were learning to be dog parents for the first time, nonetheless to a blind and deaf one, Gus was learning how to be a dog that could be loved on and cared for the first time in his life.
He mapped out our house immediately, relying on his other senses, like his pawpads and his nose. Gus knows exactly where to turn the corner into our living room just from the miniscule gap between the floor boards. He’s a genius.
Since adopting him, he’s swam in the waves off Pensacola, explored the dense woods of Tennessee, and felt the ocean breeze while riding around in a golf cart on Anna Maria Island. He falls asleep every night with a silk pillow under his head, and my hand on his warm body for reassurance that he’s safe and loved unconditionally.
Like the proud (okay, obsessed) dog mom I am, I started sharing photos of Gus on a Facebook page dedicated to deaf & blind dachshunds, showing off all the little moments that made our life so incredibly special with him. And in the process, we met another gift: Peanut.
Someone reached out to us two years ago via the Facebook page, asking if we’d consider adopting the runt of the litter that she suspected was deaf and blind after her two dappled dachshunds “accidentally” mated. But when we drove to Springfield to meet the puppy, the truth was painfully clear: we were walking into an underground breeding facility where dozens of dachshunds— many of them deaf & blind—were being hoarded in her home. We quickly scooped up our one pound, pure white puppy covered in fleas and infections, stuffed him into our sweatshirt, and drove him home. Our little Peanut was now safe, free, and ours.
My husband swore Peanut would be potty trained by the end of the weekend we rescued him. To our surprise, it took our seven week old, blind & deaf angel only two days to get the hang of it. Since blind & deaf dogs are so sensitive to smells, Peanut knew exactly where to go.
If you live in German Village, you’ve probably seen Gus and Peanut racing down Thurman Avenue, tail-wagging, eager for their weekend pupcake at The Cakehound. They’ve memorized every spot in the neighborhood that offers treats, along with every dent in the sidewalk they could trip over, and every crack that leads them the right way home. They know every corner of German Village using their touch, taste, and smell (yes, the two dogs standing outside of Rooster’s with their noses in the air are probably mine).
It might make a better story if I talked about how difficult it is raising blind/deaf dogs. I’d be lying though. In most ways, they’re just like every other dog, except they can't play fetch. Gus & Peanut’s capacity to still
GUS & PEANUT’S CAPACITY TO STILL LOVE AFTER EVERYTHING THEY’VE BEEN THROUGH HAS SOFTENED OUR HEARTS IN WAYS WE COULDN’T IMAGINE.
love after everything they’ve been through has softened our hearts in ways we couldn’t imagine, and they’re a remarkable example of why dogs with disabilities deserve a home, too. They’ve expanded our patience and perspectives and given us a reason to laugh and smile every single day —and that’s better than any game of fetch, anyways.
The Black and womanowned Replenish Spa focuses on connection and self-care in a disconnected world
By Kyrie Thomas
Photos by Jen Brown Story Design by Bryce Patterson
Take a breath.
Inhale deeply, letting your diaphragm fill with air, and hold it – momentarily – before exhaling completely.
The act of a deep breath is finite, simple and – in most cases – something one does without being truly conscious of their actions. However, becoming aware of the process and controlling your breathing is one of the many ways to practice intentional self-care.
At Replenish Spa, intentionality is more than a concept – it's a way of life.
From the moment you enter their location, taking a step through the threshold, you find an atmosphere specifically curated to facilitate true relaxation.
“You may smell brewing herbal, orange peel tea with rose hips. You may smell the essential oil our mother brewed. It’s constantly – the space itself – a massage to remove that stress, so you walk in the door and take that deep breath, and you’re able to really just be more present with what is happening,” explained Deja Redman, the spa’s co-owner.
Deja is one of three co-founders for Replenish, alongside her sisters Chanelle and Monique, drawing inspiration from the deep-seeded teachings of the Black women who came before them.
Their mother, Waubett, was heavily influential in the conception of the spa. She was a massage therapist and a caregiver – one of her main contributions being the connection from human touch she provided to others.
“She cared for people who were dying,” Deja said in admiration. “Her past started in that space where she would go to their homes and massage them so they had human touch and they felt comforted before they passed away.”
Although their mother was adopted, Redman and her sisters later found that their adoptive grandmother was a hair stylist and their great grandmother was a herbalist –weaving a concern for self-care and care for others into their lineage. →
← Deja, Monique, and Chanel prepare a calming space for their customers
“Care is a space that lives in the middle,” Deja explained. “It’s like a rainbow, right? It’s like when there’s a rainbow even when it’s raining and there's clouds in the sky, yet the sun is shining. Care is the rainbow of all of the things – of life.”
The Replenish campus houses various practitioners and therapists, providing services that guide guests towards the “restoration” of themselves.
They have a Yoga Carriage program that offers yoga classes and life studying, and their Replenish Well area that holds a spa and rest space, plus classic services such as natural spas, therapies, remedies and a “consciously curated” retail space.
“It’s an inspiring space that can speak to all walks of life. You don’t have to have a million dollars to be here, you know?” Deja offered. “There are offerings here that are for everyone.”
Although Replenish has been built upon generations of familial practices, Deja said that taking into account the weight technology has taken on today’s society allows the spa to construct their services and care in a way that accurately addresses those stressors.
“Human to human connection – it can go extinct if we’re not careful,” said Deja. “We are living in silos and we’re living in algorithms and we’re on social media, and we’re forgetting how to really connect with one another.”
This year will mark its sixteenth year of providing care, and with the new age, Replenish is finding new ways to service the Columbus community – and with a new name.
“Livelihood” is a new movement – accompanying the same values and care that Replenish already offers – that will build a society of “aligned wellness” alongside practitioner nurses and medical experts who have noticed a lack of human connection in the modern world.
Additionally, the new “Livelihood” will also highlight the need for restorative care and attention within corporations that are struggling with retention and maintaining a work–life balance among employees.
Until April 6, 2025, the spa’s Yoga Carriage, together with Raw Yoga 614 will also host a 200 hour yoga training that targets not only those looking to become yoga instructors, but anyone interested in learning about the art of yoga and the qualities it provides.
While their roots remain burrowed in a lineage of compassionate, Black women, evolving their mission to accommodate the stresses of an ever–changing world is another way Deja, her team and her family have worked to show care for others.
“We’re family-owned, we’re Black led –even my daughter works for the company,” Deja expressed. “It’s really cool to come into a space that’s the embodiment of self-care, family care and community care all in one space – and intentionally all in one space.” ♦
To make an appointment and reconnect with yourself, visit replenishwith.us.
“Human to human connection – it can go extinct if we’re not careful, we are living in silos and we’re living in algorithms and we’re on social media, and we’re forgetting how to really connect with one another.”
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