CityScene November 2011

departments

6 insight

R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.

Rocker’s longtime band members stick around for the love of music

10 health

Pill Pressure

There are natural, non-drug ways to lower blood pressure

12 cuisine

Feast of Fire

Let searing heat distract you from cold weather

46 travel

More Than Meets the Eye

China’s quotient of culture and history is overwhelming

50 visuals

The Whole Picture

Paul Hamilton proves he’s more than just landscapes

57 on view

Gallery Exhibits

The latest gallery shows around the city

60 calendar

Picks & Previews

CityScene spotlights what to watch, what to watch for and what not to miss!

64 critique

The Painter’s Eye

Featuring A Day in the Life of a Little Girl by Norman Rockwell

“Like” us on Facebook for up-to-the minute news on our great giveaways and what’s hot in Columbus.

• Tickets to BalletMet’s The Nutcracker, Dec. 9-23 at the Ohio Theatre.

• Free passes to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to check out Wildlights through the end of the year.

• Passes to check out Franklin Park Conservatory’s Holidays at the Conservatory exhibit.

• A Lancaster Italy Barreto watch from Gold Star Jewelers.

• A CityScene holiday gift basket containing four Columbus Zoo tickets, four Holidays at the Conservatory tickets and a $50 gift card to Matt the Miller’s Tavern.

November 1 on Blu-ray™ and DVD combo pack Rated G from Walt Disney Studios Entertainment

"Like" us on Facebook and be entered automatically to win fun prizes every Friday!

House of Japan

never learned “Jingle Bells,”

cityscene magazine

781 Northwest Blvd., Suite 202 Columbus, Ohio 43212

614-572-1240 • Fax 614-572-1241 www.cityscenecolumbus.com

Charles L. Stein

Chief Executive Officer

Kathleen K. Gill President

Dave Prosser

Chief Creative Officer

Christa Smothers Creative Director

Garth Bishop Editor

Gail Martineau, Duane St. Clair

Contributing Editors

Jackie Dee, Carla D’Errico, Phil Heit, Cara Laviola, Michael McEwan, Jessica Salerno, Thailyr Scrivner

Contributing Writers

Gianna Barrett, Pam Henricks, Mary Hottenrott, Molly Pensyl, Emily Steel Advertising Sales

Lynn Leitch

Controller

Circulation 614-572-1240

Luxury Living is sponsored by

Robert A. Webb President, Bob Webb

Scott & Shelley Shively Principals, Truberry Group

The Publishing Group Ltd. also publishes Dublin Life, Healthy New Albany Magazine, Pickerington Magazine, Westerville Magazine and Tri-Village Magazine.

The publisher welcomes contributions in the form of manuscripts, drawings, photographs or story ideas to consider for possible publication. Enclose a SASE with each submission or e-mail info@pubgroupltd.com. Publisher does not assume responsibility for loss or damage.

CityScene is published in January, March, April, May, July, August, September, November and December. For advertising information, call 614572-1240.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. CityScene is a registered trademark of The Publishing Group Ltd. Printed in the U.S.A.

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Let us set the table this holiday season

IN THE

Rocker’s longtime band members stick around for the love of music

By Gail Martineau

You might not have heard of them, but you’ve definitely heard Mike Wanchic, Miriam Sturm and Andy York.

The three are longtime band members for John Mellencamp, and have for years traveled alongside the cause-driven heartland rocker with decades of smash hits like Small Town , Pink Houses , Hurts So Good and Jack and Diane .

The group will play the Palace Theatre on Nov. 2.

Wanchic and York play guitar, and Sturm plays violin. All three have stuck with Mellencamp’s camp for so long because of the music, they say.

“This is until the day I die; this is never going to end for us,” Wanchic says. “This is what we do, this is what I do, this is what Miriam does. We’re not going to go back to vocational school and retrain.”

Wanchic, who has been with the band since 1978, got involved with Mellencamp right out of college. He moved from Chicago, where he attended DePaul University, to Bloomington, Ind., to intern at a recording studio. Mellencamp happened to be recording his first demo tape there at the time.

“After hours, I would go in with him (and play) … and I would dub guitar parts on that,” he says. “That ended up morphing into his first album.”

Thirty-three years later, Wanchic is still having the time of his life playing with Mellencamp and, during his down time, managing his Bloomington-based recording studio, Echo Park, and producing albums for the likes of Howie Day and the Black Crowes.

The current tour, No Better Than This, allows the band to expand musically, Wanchic says.

“We’ve rearranged every single song to fit the mode of the moment,” he says. “The hits aren’t exactly played the same. We’ve made it more interesting and updated some of the old licks. It allows us to be much more mature musically and creatively.”

Sturm, who was born in Logan and grew up in Cincinnati, has been with the Mellencamp band since 1996, when she got

a call from Wanchic asking if she’d come over to a studio in Bloomington to play for Mellencamp. She recorded a few songs with the group and then was asked to travel to Hong Kong to record.

“To my surprise, they’ve been calling me ever since. … I’m still kind of surprised 15 years later,” Sturm says. “I think if someone had told me, I would have just started laughing.”

Her reason for sticking with the band is the same as Wanchic’s: the musicianship.

“The songs themselves are just … righteous. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to play John’s songs,” Sturm says. “I’ve tired of not a single note or song in 15 years.”

She does think it’s strange, though, that she was picked up for Mellencamp’s band during her one and only musical detour in her life – she studied Gypsy violin music.

York joined the team in 1994, having recorded a few times with Mellencamp and the band in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He has been playing guitar and singing backup vocals with the band since then, and he’s particularly excited about the band’s current tour, he says.

Above: Miriam Sturm and Andy York

Below: Mike Wanchic

Right: John Mellencamp

The songs themselves are just ... righteous. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to play John’s songs.

• MIrIAM STUrM

”

“It’s sort of an evening with John Mellencamp,” York says. “It’s a sort of different approach to the music.”

York and Mellencamp – along with renowned horror author Stephen King – are working on an entirely different approach to music right now.

York is working on music notation and writing the vocal pieces for Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, a thriller-musical to be performed next spring in Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre.

“John has been writing the music for it for about 10 years now; I’ve been helping him with that,” York says.

Wanchic says it’s the side projects and varying backgrounds that make John Mellencamp’s band what it is and what it has been for 35 years.

“All these cool bands come into my studio,” he says. “I just stretch out and listen to different music to verse myself in new forms. … I bring it back to the fold and offer something new.” cs

Gail Martineau is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

With Dr. Phil Heit

Pill Pressure

There are natural, non-drug ways to lower

Idespise taking medications. Yes, I do understand the benefits certain drugs offer, but consuming those multicolored capsules and pills is not exactly high on my list of desirable inclinations.

Yet, I must be honest with myself and admit that my physical well-being is not the same as it was 20 years ago. Thanks to the process of aging, my self-anointed declaration that I am a model of good health has been heading for an adjustment. I do remain committed to perceiving myself as a picture of good health, but with an exception.

A few years ago, while I was undergoing a routine physical examination, my close friend and family physician communicated to me, and rather emphatically, that I could stand to lose some weight. With a waistline that began to show signs of expansion, I knew that some kind of intervention was necessary. While my weight managed to increase ever so slowly, I was not prepared for the next not-so-evident observation.

My blood pressure was too high – all this in spite of the fact that I exercise every day. I will admit that even though I engaged in a regimented program of aerobic activity, my desire for gourmet necessities did not wane with age. Noticing the changes in the waist size of my trousers and having an awareness of the natural decrease in the basal metabolic rate that partners with the aging process, I should not have been surprised to hear of my elevated blood pressure.

Evidently, my exercise routine did not prevent the development of health maladies so common with the aging process. And so, my routine of popping blood pressure medication began.

With my newly diagnosed condition, I sought to investigate my options. Could I reduce my blood pressure without the use of

medications, or at least reduce the dosage of my meds? Aren’t there ways – natural ones, of course – that can effectively lower those systolic and diastolic numbers?

In a three-letter word, the answer is “yes.” So here’s how.

Lose Weight

Simply stated, if excess weight can increase blood pressure, then the opposite should hold true. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, weight loss is clearly associated with a decrease in blood pressure, not to mention improvements in other biomedical factors. According to numerous studies, weight reduction can lower systolic blood pressure by 5 to 20 mm Hg per 22 pounds of body weight loss. As for me personally, my systolic pressure dropped 15 points with a 15-pound weight loss.

Walk Briskly

When I am training people to walk, whether for competition or for recreation, I recommend brisk walking. What is defined as “brisk” may vary from person to person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “brisk walking” is defined as walking at a pace of 20 minutes per mile or three miles per hour. However, brisk walking for a fit person will be about 15 minutes per mile or four miles per hour. Then there are people like me who walk every day and for speed and time. Brisk walking for me would be 12 minutes per mile or five miles per hour. Numerous studies in the area of exercise physiology confirm that brisk walking serves to reduce blood pressure. Walking helps the heart to use oxygen more efficiently, thereby enabling the heart to pump blood more effectively. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, walking 30 minutes

blood pressure

each day, five days per week, lowers blood pressure, especially for those whose blood pressure is elevated.

Get That Potassium

Foods that contain potassium help control the balance of water in the body and, in turn, contribute to lower blood pressure. An intake of 2,000 to 4,000 mg a day of potassium is recommended. Some foods high in potassium include baked potatoes, with 1081 mg per medium potato; bananas, with 594 mg per cup; lima beans, with 955 mg per cup; and pinto beans, with 800 per cup. Among other foods high in potassium are cantaloupe, orange juice and pears.

Dark Chocolate – It’s OK

A number of recent studies have confirmed that consuming dark chocolate can play a role in reducing blood pressure due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Dark chocolate contains flavanols to help promote elasticity of the blood vessels. However, watch those calories. A half-ounce piece of chocolate daily is sufficient – and make sure the chocolate consumed contains at least 70 percent cocoa.

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one of three adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure. Of this number, about 70 percent take medications to control their condition. I intend to soon be an ex-member of this large group. cs

Dr. Phil Heit is Professor Emeritus of Physical Activity and Educational Services at The Ohio State University.

Feast of Fire

Let searing heat distract you from cold weather

By Jackie Dee

Are you a hothead hankering for heat?

Even so, you might take heed before heading to these hotspots.

These locals claim their spiciest servings just might make your bawl-baby eyeballs pop right out of their sockets. You be the judge.

BonoPIZZA

614-906-8646

www.bonotogo.com

“It will light you up.”

That’s the response you can expect when you inquire about the Cherry Bomb pizza at this Upper Arlington area pizza closet. This baked pie comes wood-fired up with sriracha-laced red sauce and a tossing of habanero peppers. So hot is this pizza that the menu imparts extreme caution.

The habaneros are locally grown, says employee Jake Wilch, and great consideration goes into picking the best ones. BonoPIZZA looks for the “stressed out” ones, he says – these don’t get as much water while growing, making them even hotter than an ordinary habanero.

The joint usually sells two or three of these pies each night. Wilch claims they

can make a grown man cry, and he has seen it happen – one daring patron burst into tears after just one bite. Sugar is offered to diners in moments like these. Milk will help lessen the heat, too. But never drink water, Wilch warns; that will only spread the fire.

Krema Nut company

614-299-4131

www.krema.com

Pucker up to one peppery PB&J.

Krema Nut Company in Grandview Heights uses thickly sliced Great Harvest white bread as a foundation and smears it with coarsely textured hot and spicy peanut butter and spicy raspberry preserves, both packing a cayenne pepper punch, for its Kicker Sandwich.

The nut company has been blending its own peanut butter for 15 years, and it took lots of test dabbling with various jellies to get the combination just right. Hot being the ultimate goal, the company knew it had a winner when it married its blend with Hot Pepper raspberry Preserves from rothschilds. Before leaving, wash this sandwich down with the cool burn of a nutty hot and spicy milkshake.

BonoPIZZA’s Cherry Bomb

Krema Nut’s Kicker Sandwich

caJohn’s 888-703-3473

www.cajohns.com

CaJohn’s has made a name for itself in the Columbus market. The company’s smokin’ lineup of condiments has found a spot on the shelves of grocers such as Whole Foods and the Hills Market, and it stands on its own in a permanent-fixture shop at the North Market.

The Black Mamba hot sauce reigns as the superstar here, weighing in at an impressive 3.5 Scovilles (a scale that measures the piquancy of a pepper). Doc Cordray, CaJohn’s social media manager, says customers buy a lot of the stuff.

“They either enjoy it or want to buy it for a practical joke,” Cordray says.

There’s more to showcase here than hot sauce, though. A skim through the CaJohn’s menu also reveals salsa, barbecue sauce, mustard, jelly, rubs, spices and even the company’s own spicy blend of peanut butter.

This heat-infused lineup of flavors stands as the most award-winning in the U.S., earning numerous Golden Chili Awards through the years. It’s a distinction that Cordray rightfully touts.

“It’s the Oscars of hot sauces,” he says. Mac’s cafe

614-221-6227

www.macscafe.com

All joints try to lay claim to the hottest wings around, but how does one discern?

CaJohn’s Black Mamba

The wings at Mac’s Café in the Short North get their attention from an intriguing menu description, one that hotheads might perceive as a dare: Norefund hot wings. How hot? These little guys get doused with red-roasted habanero sauce, a pound per plate. And though it’s a rare sight, bartender Molly Doyle has seen a few intrepid diners polish off a portion, she says. For fun, she’ll sometimes offer to pay for them herself if a diner is successful. She’s quick to point out,

though, that these are very hot wings – with habanero – and that’s the whole point.

“They’re so hot, if you can’t eat them, then too bad,” Doyle says.

Jeni’s splendid Ice creams

614-488-3224

www.jenisicecreams.com

Sometimes, the hottest things can come from the coldest places. Jeni’s – with locations at the North Market and in the Short North, Grandview Heights, Dublin, Powell, German Village and Bexley –scoops up a toasty-tingly Queen City Cayenne, a medium-dark chocolate blend that slowly reveals a hint of spice. This spice cream is a decided departure from the company’s cooler offerings. Owner Jeni Britton Bauer wrote about the inspiration behind this treat in her New York Times bestselling cookbook, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home.

“I originally called it Mexican Hot Chocolate, until one day it occurred to me that Cincinnati chili – famously made with a hint of chocolate, cinnamon and cayenne – was a closer-to-home reference,” Bauer writes. “So I renamed it, a nod to our neighbor to the south … aka ‘The Queen City.’ ”

Taj Mahal

614-299-7990

www.tajmahalcolumbus.com

Head far east – or to the University District – to find this Indian landmark and the sultry spices of the Lamb Vindaloo, a must for a “spiciest foods” list.

Tender chunks of lamb and potatoes get tossed in onion sauce with a plentiful mix of red chili powder and other aromatic herbs and spices, and finished with a dash of vinegar for zest. The spicy Indian staple is cooked here especially for those who crave fire, and it’s a menu winner that people love for its authen-

ticity and intensity of flavors paired with the tenderness of the lamb and potatoes.

The Flip spot

614-846-3547

www.theflipspot.com

Think a burger is a burger is a burger? Not here.

The Flip Spot, located inside Polaris Fashion Place mall, adds sizzle to its slammin’ menu with the Hot Spot Burger. These juicy beef beauties get gussied up with zesty chipotle sauce, fiery fresh jalapeno slices and pepper jack cheese. A toasted kaiser bun keeps them all in line.

La Fogata Grill

614-294-7656

www.lafogatgrill.net

Brace yourself for the stinging sensation of this searing drink at the Short North-based La Fogata. The Spicy Gringo beckons patrons to the chili-infused Cazadores tequilia shot, crafted inhouse with three different peppers and a hint of fruity juice. Though sometimes made into a martini, most simply swing it straight back.

skillet

614-443-2266

www.skilletruf.com

The menu at Skillet – which is described by its owners as “rustic urban food” – is as ever-changing as the phases of the moon. But there are a few flavorings that never leave the table at this Merion Village eatery.

Look for mainstay habanero-based hot sauce, spicy plum ketchup, peach and red pepper jelly, and blueberry and chile salsa. Makes you want to see just what’s on the menu that you can combine with these delectables.

cabo cocina

614-792-9190

www.hdrestaurants.com/cabo

For a Latin take on lasagna, try the Chilaquiles plate, a standard Mexican dish, at this Dublin establishment.

This house casserole sizzles with zesty

Jeni’s Queen City Cayenne

La Fogata’s Spicy Gringo

Mac’s Hot Wings

chorizo sausage, red chile sauce, black beans and spinach punctuated with a fried egg and cheese. Delicioso!

Bonefish Grill

614-436-0286, 614-789-3473 www.bonefishgrill.com

Bang Bang Shrimp is one of the sizzling signature dishes at this restaurant chain with locations in Dublin and Polaris.

Sweet Thai chili sauce and a few drops of hot chili sauce give the Bang Bang Shrimp its fire, whether served as an appetizer or an entrée stuffed into tacos. cs

Jackie Dee is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

They’re so hot, if you can’t eat them, then too bad.

• MOLLY DOYLE, MAC’S CAFé

Bundle Up

1Whether for an avid skier or just someone who likes to keep warm, the Patagonia Better Sweater sold at Aspen Ski & Board – with locations at Polaris and Upper Arlington – is sure to be popular on a chilly day. www.aspenskiand board.com

Need a Light?

2Help your loved ones light up the room with an eight-ounce scented candle from Grandview Heights-based Lumiere Candle Co. Order them online or find them at Whole Foods stores, Beauty First stores and Mix: HOME in Clintonville. $17.99. www.lumierecandleco.com

Cycle Chapeau

3Columbus is trying to establish itself as a cycling town, and if someone in your family has caught the bicycle bug, they’re sure to appreciate a custom cycling hat from Octopus Cycling Caps. The hats can be bought online or at Trek (Westerville, Dublin and Lane Avenue), Paradise Garage (Short North) and roll: (Lane Avenue, Easton and Polaris). $29. www. octopuscaps.com

Art and Mind

4Among the many enlightening gifts at the Columbus Museum of Art’s gift shop is the Modern Art Memory Game, which can help the whole family learn about art history. $16.95. www. columbusmuseum.org

Buckeye Billfold

5Wear your heart on your sleeve and your state spirit in your pocket with a hand-printed Ohio Mixtape Bifold Wallet from Alison Rose. Find Alison rose online or at Wholly Craft in Clintonville or the Wexner Center for the Arts gift store. $25. www.alisonrose.com

Three of a Kind

6In bar lingo, a “Three Wise Men” is a shot consisting of one-third Jack Daniel’s, one-third Jim Beam and one-third Johnnie Walker. For a gift, CityScene suggests a local alternative: vodka from Buckeye Vodka ($19.95), gin from Watershed Distillery ($27.90) and OYO Whiskey from Middle West Spirits ($45.25). All can be found in a variety of local liquor stores. www.buckeyevodka. com; www.watersheddistillery.com; www. middlewestspirits.com

Bowling for Beauty

1You can’t drink soup out of it, but you can add style to anything else you put in a Creux Poche – a reversible fabric bowl – from Laura Irene Designs. The bowls are available at several local stores, including Wholly Craft in Clintonville and Celebrate Local at Easton. $14.05-$20.60. www.etsy.com/shop/laura irenedesigns.

Col-ompass

2

88 counties

Carry a little piece of Columbus with you wherever you go with a map necklace from TheSwankyAbode. com, located at Easton Town Center. The custom necklaces are made by a local artist. www.theswankyabode.com

Global Garnish

3

Keep the world – or your country or neighborhood – on your wall with a Modern Map from These Are Things. Maps are available online or at Wholly Craft in Clintonville. $24-$99. www. thesearethings.com

Jump Around

4

How better to cast off cold-weather cabin fever than at an indoor trampoline park? Sky Zone in Lewis Center offers gift cards of any denomination; one hour of open jump is $12. www.columbus. skyzonesports.com

Chocolate and Gray

5Team spirit has never tasted so good as it does with the Block “O” Buckeyes at Emlolly Candy in Worthington. The specialty buckeyes are available in dark, milk, white and mint chocolate, and can be purchased in gift boxes of 12 ($14.95), 20 ($22.95) and 30 ($32.95). www.emlollycandy.com

Healed History

6Surprise a loved one by making an old photo look new again with photo restoration services from A Defining Edge in Grandview Heights. restore and enlarge for archiving, scanning to CD or DVD, or printing, with prices starting at just $5. www.adefiningedge.com

Serving in Style

7All eyes will be drawn to this multi-glazed cascade serving bowl from Tulane Road Pottery in Clintonville. The nine-inch bowl can come with a classic or fluted rim. $45. www.tulane roadpottery.com

Polaris Fashion Place Columbus, OH 43240 614.846.1729

Next to Accent on Image

Gift Guide

Wine Down

1

For the perfect accessory to a bottle of wine, pick up the Perfect Decanter, by Oenophilia, at Vino 100 in Westerville. The 750-milliliter decanter will go well with Impromptu cabernet from Arns Winery in St. Helena, Calif. – available only at Vino 100. $28. www.vino100.com

Crazy Good

2

With a name like this, how can you go wrong? Crazy Goat Coffee in Gahanna is selling a gift package including a 16-ounce green ceramic mug, a $5 gift certificate and a sample package of Intelligentsia coffee. $9.95. www.crazygoat coffee.com

Body and Sole

3

The athlete in your family is sure to appreciate the Elite athletic sock from Feetures!, which is specially constructed to protect the foot from injury and odor. The socks are available at Second Sole in Gahanna. $14. www.second soleohio.com

Double Your Diversion

4relaxation is a team sport at Woodhouse Day Spa in Dublin, where you can buy a side-by-side Swedish massage session for couples in 50-minute ($160) or 80-minute ($230) increments. www.woodhousespas.com

Works for Me

5A decoration for next year’s Christmas tree is always a great gift for this Christmas, and you can pick up a handblown glass tree ornament like this one from the Works in Newark. $16. www.at theworks.org

Gift Guide

Super Sweet

1

No matter the tastes of your friends and family, Sugardaddy’s Sumptuous Sweeties has a brownie or a blondie to fit them. Buy them in silk-wrapped, see-through or standard gift packages, or just pick up a bag of Pocket Change. www. sugardaddys.com

Chocolate in Bloom

Oil! 3

The Oilerie, which just opened in October in Grandview Heights, has an olive oil for all occasions. Put together a gift package with a variety of olive oils, nut oils, spices and more for the chef in your family. www.oilerie.com

2

Have your chocolate and drink it, too, with these chocolate Tulip Cups from Chocolaterie Stam in Westerville. The small ones ($2.49) are perfect for after-dinner drinks, and the large ones ($4.95) can hold any holiday desserts. www.stamchocolate.com

‘Brighton’ Her Holiday 4

Get her started on building a bracelet that’s all her own with Brighton beads from Accent on Image, located in Polaris Fashion Place. Bracelets start at $22, while beads run from $4.50-$35. www.accentonimagepolaris.com

Looking Good

For any personal beautification question, Artemis Revolution in Dublin has an answer. Artemis is offering a deal where anyone who purchases two $50 gift cards or one $100 gift card receives an additional $20 gift card for free, and another deal for 20 percent off Botox treatment up to 25 units and $100 off fillers. www. artemisrevolution.com

Sure to thrill every member of the family! This gift basket includes four tickets to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to see the Wildlights, four tickets to Holidays at the Conservatory and a $50 gift card to Matt the Miller’s Tavern. Sign up at www.city scenecolumbus.com for your chance to win. Package will be awarded Nov. 21.

November 19, 2011January 4, 2012

An annual central Ohio tradition, featuring seasonal plant displays, including a 15-foot poinsettia tree, the annual gingerbread house display, a delightful fairytale music box model train by garden railway designer Paul Busse, and new this year, original drawings and cels from Chuck Jones’ beloved cartoon “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

by

Gift Guide

1777 E. Broad St. | Columbus, Ohio 43203 614.645.8733 | www.fpconservatory.org

Presented

HOLIDAYS AT THE CONSERVATORY

A Cup of State Spirit

1A Buckeye stoneware mug from the Ohio Historical Society – with Ohio-shaped handle – is a unique addition to any set of party dishes. $14.99. www. ohiohistorystore.com

Giant Savings

A retailer gift card from Giant Eagle is more than just a gift card – it also means more fuelperks! for you with every $50 you spend! www.gianteagle.com

A Taste of Italy

Whether it’s to the original Gahanna location or the new Dublin site, a gift card for Mezzo Ristorante & Bar gives the recipient immediate access to some magnifico Italian food. www. mezzoitalian.com

The Gold Standard

2Leave her speechless with this jaw-droppingly beautiful engagement ring – 18-karat white gold, with a 1.02-karat emerald cut diamond with two 0.47-karat diamonds on the side – from Gold Star Jewelers in Westerville. The shop buys and sells high-end watches, and also buys gold. $8,900. www.goldstar jewelers.com

Hot Mamas

3

Know some Columbus expatriates who are missing their Schmidt’s?

Send them a package of Bahama Mamas from Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus in German Village to feed their fix. $50-$70. www.schmidthaus.com

Taking the Cake

4Mrs. Goodman’s in Worthington has a cake for all seasons, including this holiday-themed ball cake with renaissance scroll design. $38.95. www.mrsgood mans.com

The Art of Preservation

5Know someone with a sweet tooth?

These gourmet preserves from Ohio Art Market by Encircle in Westerville are sure to hit the spot – they’re made by New Albany-based Black radish Creations, with flavors like this “Bootleg Butter” (Jonagold and Golden Delicious apples from Utica, Grand Marnier, Tongan vanilla beans and spices). $4.50-$9.50. www. encircleart.com

Dexter by Design

Grandview man uses graphic design skills for animals, charities

By Cara Laviola

With his kind voice and friendly persona, it’s no wonder animals tend to respond well to Mike Dexter.

Dedicated to the city of Grandview Heights, where he has resided for more than 20 years, Dexter – a graphic design er by trade – has devoted much of his time and talent to helping animals.

A 1978 graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Dexter is co-founder of local graphic design firm Iannarino Dexter Creative, along with Joe Iannarino. The Grandview-based firm’s work focuses primarily on corporate identity, but its clients range from Peoples Bank to Grandview’s Lazy Daze of Summer Festival, sponsored by the Grandview Heights/ Marble Cliff Arts Council.

Dexter has been an important part of many philanthropic projects over the years, notably with the creation of logos, banners and T-shirt designs for projects in the Grandview community – often for free. He also serves as a big brother with the Tri-Village Mentor League.

But there’s no question as to which cause he is most passionate about. “Definitely animals,” Dexter says. “My wife, Barb, and I are great animal lovers.”

Dexter’s love for animals mixes well with his love for graphic design. “I do design (work) for Friends of the Shelter,” Dexter says. “It’s a satellite organization that helps raise money for the Franklin County Dog Shelter.”

Every year, Iannarino Dexter Creative produces a calendar for Friends of the Shelter. “People submit small photos of their dogs, and I put them in (the calendar) for a small donation,” Dexter says.

“If you donate $300, a professional photographer takes photos of the dogs.

“I design the calendar, and the money raised from its sales goes toward the shelter,” Dexter says.

Their love for animals has taken the Dexters all the way to Utah, where they volunteered with the Best Friends Animal Society in Angel Canyon. “It’s an

amazing animal shelter with thousands of animals, and people volunteer from all over the world,” he says.

And though volunteering has taken him across the country, Grandview still remains special to Dexter. “A lot of my design work is for the Grandview library. The people who work there are really terrific and do a lot to help me,” he says. cs

Cara Laviola is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

Photo by Christopher Keels

All for Love

profile

Most of the time, new homes are built to add amenities residents did not have before.

Far less common is the scenario in which a family builds a custom home specifically to provide a better, long-term home for a disabled child.

continued on page 30

Tartan Fields home custom built to accommodate special-needs daughter

Of course, we happen to think is a BIG DEAL .

SWITCH CALL or order ONLINE today. .

Luxury Living

But that’s what Zegui and Kelly Jiang did in Tartan Fields for their daughter, Anna, 17, who is handicapped by cerebral palsy and confined to a wheelchair.

profile

The couple, both chemists and natives of China but now American citizens, had lived in Atlanta after going to school in England, where they were married and Anna was born. A job change brought the family

full-time care Anna needed when at home.

By Duane St. Clair

pHOTOGrApHy By CHriSTA SMOTHErS continued

from page 27

Kelly managed to care for Anna, now a junior at Dublin Jerome High School, in the Muirfield home by using a first-floor den as her bedroom, avoiding the difficult task of negotiating stairs. The room had no bathroom, though, and Anna had to be moved to the one in her parents’ room. Lifting her daughter in and out of the chair or tub was a daunting task for Kelly.

With those challenges in mind, Kelly took the lead in efforts to build a new, handier home. Through a reference, she contacted Truberry Group and outlined her wishes, and the project design got underway for their new home in Tartan Fields.

– along with new son Austin, now 7 – to central Ohio in 2006, whereupon they moved to a home in Muirfield Village. Since the family moved to Dublin, the Jiangs have added Luke, 4, to the family. Kelly left her career in the restaurant business and decided to stay at home with her children, owing in part to the

The company became state-certified to build homes for the developmentally disabled. The Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities helped secure Medicaid reimbursement for the part of the home that would be Anna’s –essentially a small, one-room apartment with its own bathroom, a small nearby kitchen, a padded exercise bench and a ceiling-mounted lift that can carry Anna from her bed to the

A small half-kitchen, half-laundry room is located off Anna’s suite for the sake of convenience.

A ceiling-mounted lift in Anna’s bedroom helps her move from the bed to the bathroom by herself.

ANNA’S SUITE

First Floor

bathroom and back without needing to be lifted by an aid.

As Truberry planners worked with Kelly to design the room, other conveniences came into play. The room has access to the laundry room, with a range and other appliances on one side and a door leading to a wheelchair ramp to the driveway that’s tucked neatly against the home, just behind the three-car garage. A camera mounted outside connects to a video screen in the bedroom to watch for the school bus during cold weather, Kelly says – necessary because the landing

at the top of the ramp is not sheltered.

Another door leads to the deck, and a ramp from it allows Anna to be wheeled into the tree-lined rear yard.

Anna’s room is connected to the great room through a door that can be locked in the event Anna’s area becomes her private apartment that she can enjoy with the help of a hired caregiver. She doesn’t have one now, but that may happen eventually so the family has the option of being away from home, Kelly says.

To further create a separate living area, a stairway was built between the garage and the basement, where a bedroom and bathroom are located – access for a potential caregiver without that person needing to be in the rest of the home.

A wheelchair ramp next to the garage was designed to make it easier for Anna to catch the school bus in the morning.

Luxury Living

The rest of Jiang home is like many other two-stories, though Truberry didn’t base it on plans for any of its models. Anna’s “apartment” was specially designed, and other parts of the plan were altered to some extent. For example, the great room has a flat, 10-foot high ceiling that allowed for the addition of a second-floor office.

The kitchen and great room are combined. The deck is accessible from the kitchen eating area. Kelly had emphasized

the importance of windows in the design, and they are abundant and generous in size, particularly on the rear yard side of the home. in the great room, a row of small windows was added high above the floor to allow light, but leave space along the wall for a television or other furniture.

The dining room is off the

foyer and accessible directly from the kitchen as well.

Opposite the dining room is a “music room,” to which Kelly has just added a piano and where she plans to put a couch and other comfortable furniture. She expects both her sons to learn piano as they grow older. Austin is extremely into chess and soccer now, and his trophies are displayed on the corner fireplace mantle in the great room.

Kelly likes the dual stairways to the second floor, one from the foyer and one from the great room, that meet at a landing halfway to the hall, linking two sections of the upstairs. The feature was suggested by Scott Shively, Truberry principal, Kelly says.

The master suite, bath and walk-in closet are at one end of an upstairs hall, toward the rear of the home. A guest room is toward the front and has a Jack and Jill bath between it and one of the boys’ rooms. The other boy’s bedroom has a full bath. The office adjoins the hall between the rear bedrooms.

Kelly was involved in picking some other finishes in the home, such as granite for the kitchen. But she relied on Truberry designers’ expertise when it came to most of the finishing touches.

“i really like a simple life. if i like it, i go with it. Everything is standard,” she says, referring to features like cabinets, flooring and wood trim.

The house is very different, Kelly says – a necessity for meeting the atypical needs of an atypical family.

“We really built this home for her,” she says. “Anna is so happy. So i am happy.” v

The windows make up an integral part of the great room, allowing as much light into the room as possible.

The kitchen is combined with the great room, and the deck is accessible from it.

“We really built this home for her. Anna is so happy. So I am happy.”

Kelly Jiang

The stairway from the great room is one of two stairways to the second floor – a feature suggested by Truberry principal Scott Shively.

Screen Time

Loaded-for-bear home theater is centerpiece of Fried basement

By Garth Bishop

pHOTOGrApHy By CHriSTA SMOTHErS

The tickets aren’t expensive. The floor isn’t sticky. And there’s never someone in front of you blocking your view.

is such a theater just a fantasy? No, it exists. But you won’t find tickets for its shows on yahoo! Movies.

The theater – complete with just about every entertainment option available – is located in the basement of Upper Arlington residents Dean and Diane Fried, who currently are in the process of selling their home, complete with the professionalgrade theater.

Dean and Diane Fried

Luxury Living

The theater room has three elevated levels. All of the seating – two loveseats on the first level and two comfortable chairs on the second – is black leather, and is equipped with foot rests and reclining capability. Speakers are located on the walls as well as behind the 119-inch projection screen for a surround sound experience.

An alumnus of The Ohio State University and a big fan of the U.S. Open, Dean especially enjoys using the big screen for Buckeye games and tennis matches – seeing them in person is fun, but in his home theater, he says, “nobody spills beer on you.” And the room is good for everything he watches, he says – whether it’s a blockbuster movie or a major musical concert.

“i just thought it was an enjoyment that really would fully return whatever you have to invest in it,” he says.

Though a back corner of the theater room houses almost every piece of electronic entertainment equipment imaginable – DVD player, Blu-ray player, CD

player, satellite radio unit, stereo, lighting, sound levels – everything in the theater room is controlled remotely from a Crestron home automation unit. i t can even call down the projection screen, adjust the lighting and activate the player piano upstairs, on the main floor.

“The Crestron plays all of the music, it operates the TV, it operates my i p ad,” says Dean. “it’s a great place to watch anything.”

Even with such extensive accommodations, the experience is made by the company you keep, Dean says. And it’s

also a valuable relaxation tool for him –he spends a lot of time traveling, and it gives him something to look forward to when he comes home.

Luxury Living

Two layers of drywall provide soundproofing between the theater room and the rest of the house.

And there’s much more to the Fried basement than just the home theater. it also includes a wet bar, a foosball table, a pool table and an office for Dean, with plenty of accessories around to establish character.

The most striking feature of the sconcelit rec room is the bar, which comes in two parts.

The first part of the bar is set into the west wall, with a deep double bowl sink built into a granite countertop. An icemaker and dishwasher are also set into it, and lighted wall cabinets display a variety of glasses, liquor bottles and beer steins. A wine cooler is located next to the back bar.

On an island set out from the wall, a faucet and serpentine sink trough are built into the granite-top bar, with four bar stools on the outside facing inward. A microwave and refrigerator are built into the island, as well as a two-burner cooktop. in addition to its conventional functions, the sink is designed for filling it with ice and adding shrimp or beer to chill.

“it’s like a piece of art,” Dean says. in the middle of the rec room is a sitting area with comfortable chairs and a porcelain elephant that serves as an occasional

table. Near the chairs is a shelving unit covered with all manner of beer steins, serving plates, teapots, decanters, urns and candlesticks. A smaller shelving unit to the left holds chalices and a wine rack.

Many of the steins and glassware are decades old and from Europe. Dean’s stepfather was a career Air Force man, so Dean spent some time living overseas, including periods in England and Germany.

“Those are early ’60s, most of the steins,” he says.

The pool table has leather pockets and is lined with black felt. A rack on the wall holds pool cues, and a clock next to the

table uses pool balls as numerals. Near the clock is a framed poster depicting the Buckeyes’ 1968 National Championship win, with signatures from nearly all the players and team staff.

A foosball table and a wall-mounted plasma TV make up the rest of the rec room’s most noticeable features. Dean played a lot of foosball in college, he says, and the pool table was also a long-lived goal.

“i always wanted a pool table and never had a pool table,” he says. “Of course, then you realize how hard the game is.”

An office off the bar area contains exercise equipment, framed cartoon prints on the walls, a rack of baseball caps and a wall of personal keepsakes, including diplomas and old black-and-white photos.

The Frieds have moved to Florida and are selling the house; it was still for sale as of Oct. 1. Though they intend to take the keepsakes and some of the art, the majority of the equipment in the rec and theater rooms will stay. More information on the house is available from Street Sotheby’s i nternational r ealty’s Tremont Center Office, 614-538-8895. v

Garth Bishop is editor of CityScene Magazine . Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

Homeowner Dean Fried was a big fan of foosball in college and extended his love of the game to his man cave.

The pool table, with black felt lining and leather pockets, was something Fried always wanted to have in his house.

Photo: Will Shively

Hail to the Yueng

Enthusiasm endures for long-awaited beer

the

spirit

By Garth Bishop in

The official launch date has come and gone, but yuengling-mania is still running wild in central Ohio.

Though the yuengling company proudly bills itself as the oldest brewery in the U.S., its beers have long been forbidden fruit for Ohioans. it was not until last month that the p ennsylvania-based company began selling its beers

–yuengling Lager, yuengling

Light Lager and yuengling Black & Tan – in Columbus.

Ohio was the last of the states bordering pennsylvania that did not sell yuengling. Until last month, it was not uncommon for people to make trips across the pennsylvania border just to bring back a few cases of the brew.

“ i believe the most i ever brought back was 11 cases at once,” says Lara r anallo, a p ittsburgh native and the kitchen manager at Surly Girl Saloon.

Lara Ranallo

Yuengling has gained a reputation as a good-tasting, inexpensive alternative to standard bar beers like Coors Light. The arrival of yuengling was hotly anticipated, given that residents have been calling for it to be distributed here for years.

“That’s been going on ever since i started here a couple years ago,” says Michael Sadlon, beer manager for the Hills Market in Worthington. “ it’s almost (standard operating procedure) that if you’re going out of state, you bring some back for your friends.”

A Yuengling display at Whole Foods Market on launch day.

Even if you’ve already had the chance to enjoy yuengling without hopping any state borders, there’s still plenty about its new presence to appreciate.

The local Hoggy’s chain is now in month two of its yuengling food pairings, accompanying Light Lager with smoked artichoke/spinach dip, BBQ quesadillas, grilled chicken salad, Mahi Mahi and crab cakes. in December, it will pair Black & Tan with its Kansas City Burnt Ends, Smokehouse Wedges, Smokehouse ribs, grilled prime rib and thick-cut sirloin with lobster sauce.

The yuengling company “said nobody asked as many questions about the food preparings of yuengling than Hoggy’s,” says Hoggy’s Director of Marketing ray Smith.

The Betty’s family of restaurants – including Betty’s Fine Food & Spirits, Surly Girl Saloon, Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, the Jury room and Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog palace – is also offering food pairings for the regular yuengling Lager, including cider-braised pork shank over polenta mash at the Jury room and with the pigs in a Biscuit Super Supper Tray at the Surly Girl.

Garth Bishop is editor of CityScene Magazine. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroup ltd.com.

Stonebridge Crossing

Patio home living convenient to Upper Arlington and Dublin B

ob Webb is excited about his newest patio home community at Stonebridge Crossing, conveniently located off Hayden run road. The location is ideal and the new floor plans developed for Stonebridge are exceptional.

Bob Webb jumped at the chance to create a patio home neighborhood to serve an established area that doesn’t see many new construction opportunities. For those considering to downsize, or seeking low-maintenance living without sacrificing upscale finishes and custom designs, this development is truly a rare find.

Stonebridge Crossing’s residents benefit from the City of Columbus location, and its proximity to the amenities of Upper Arlington, Dublin and Hilliard, including the Mall at Tuttle Crossing, athletic clubs and numerous restaurants. The setting is surrounded by trees and a ravine, and the community offers all of the conveniences of patio living, including snow removal and lawn care.

The development consists of 47 home sites, some with walkout basement design capabilities. Several customizable floor plans range from 2,200 to 4,100 square feet and include first-floor master suites, finished basements and two- and three-car garages. prices are from the low $400,000s.

Stonebridge Crossing has several homes in various stages of completion, and a furnished model is open Saturday through Thursday. For additional information, contact the sales office at 614-876-5577 or visit www.bobwebb.com. v

Villas at Cortona

Builders in the community: Truberry Group

Location: i-270 to route 161/33 West (towards Marysville). Exit at post road and take a right. Take a left almost immediately onto Hyland Croy road. After Brand road, turn right onto Corazon Drive.

School district: Dublin Schools

Number of homes when complete: 48

Price range: Mid $300s

Style of homes: English cottage

Special features: Custom Villas located in Dublin’s most desirable neighborhood featuring 48 sites surrounded by mature trees, and many of the sites allow for walk-out lower levels or daylight windows. Many of these distinctive English-Cottage style homes also feature courtyards and rear-load garages.

The Glen at Tartan Fields

Municipality/Township: Concord Township

Builders in the community: Bob Webb, Truberry Group

Location: North on riverside Drive, left on Glick road, right on Concord road, right on rob roy, right on Cape Court

School district: Dublin Schools

Number of homes when complete: 262

Price range: Mid $400s to more than $1 million

Style of homes: Traditional to contemporary

Year opened: 2000

Special features: New phase now open; large, wooded lots and walkout basement options; golf course community; beautiful clubhouse; Dublin Schools; next to new elementary school.

available homes

2012 PARADE OF HOMES – New Olentangy Schools location, fabulous opportunity for you to be a part of show home and participate in discounts available for parade builders. Call Scott at 614-890-5588 for this one-of-a-kind opportunity.

LUXURY CONDOS IN TARTAN WEST – Our luxury condominiums in Tartan West offer a variety of floor plans with flexible space for a home office, media room, or extra bedrooms. Visit our decorated models and see what life can be like in this resort community. Tartan West is off Hyland Croy north of Dublin Jerome High School. Dublin Schools. Call Judy Fox: 614-402-0787. 614-890-5588

NEWMODELING – Finished Basements. remodeled Kitchens and Baths. room Additions.

When a renovation isn’t quite complete, think Truberry Group. With more than 20 years designing and building luxury homes, we offer the quality and attention to detail that only a top custom builder can bring to your remodeling project.

Call today to schedule a planning meeting with our in-house architects: 614-207-1574 or 614-890-5588.

TARTAN FIELDS – Open floor plan, Cherry cabinets in kitchen with granite tops, lots of hardwood flooring. Finished lower level located on a wooded lot, cul de sac street. Mid $600,000s. Call Neil rogers: 614-619-8777.

VILLAGE AT THE BLUFFS – 999 Bluff Crest Drive. Exquisite condo in gated community. First floor master with Sitting room. Lots of hardwood flooring. Sunroom off the breakfast area. $443,400. Call Neil rogers: 614-619-8777.

740-548-5577

740-548-6863

www.bobwebb.com

STONEBRIDGE CROSSING, Visit our new model. High ceilings, open floor plan. Lots of hardwood flooring. Kitchen has cherry cabinets with granite tops. Finished lower level. Homes starting at $399,900. Call rick Tossey: 614-876-5577.

PARK PLACE VILLAGE AT NORTH ORANGE, Visit our model. Condos starting in the $280,000s. Call Adam Langley: 740-548-1900.

By Thailyr Scrivner

The organizers of an upcoming birthday party have only a few days left to figure out how to fit 150 candles on one cake.

Officially declared complete on Nov. 15, 1861, the Ohio Statehouse is preparing to celebrate its sesquicentennial.

The building’s layout combines elements from three different designs submitted for a contest held by the state legislature to build a new capitol building with more space. Its Greek-style build is a tribute to the Greek

democratic form of government that legislatures were trying to preserve.

“It’s a beautiful building we can be proud of,” says Olga Hesch, a 24-year Statehouse worker, who currently serves as legislative aide for state Sen. Nina Turner (D-Cleveland).

Construction on the Statehouse began July 4, 1839. Political altercations over the cost of the building and a cholera epidemic stretched completion to 22 years. The longest feature to finish was the two-

House Party

Ohio Statehouse celebrates 150 years

story cupola, the focal point of the Statehouse. The exterior is constructed entirely of limestone from a Grandview Heights area quarry.

The Statehouse was originally designed to have 53 rooms, and restoration in the 1990s brought it back to its original look. Hesch recalls the bad condition the building was in when she first started, but it is much more inviting now, she says.

“Before, it was not as much the people’s house,” Hesch says. “We can be proud of the building, the grounds.”

The building’s rooms now total 57, not including those in the Senate office building and atrium.

“I’m very proud to be here, to work here,” Hesch says. “I am still as excited working here as I have been from the (first) day.” cs

On Nov. 15, the Statehouse will host a 150th birthday party to celebrate the success of past and present Ohioans. It will include an open house and the annual Capitol Artists Fair. The Ohio Statehouse 150th Birthday Celebration Open House and Capitol Artists Fair will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a cake cutting in the rotunda at noon.

The fair features dozens of Ohio artists, from glassmakers to painters, and opportunities to buy Ohio art and tour the building.

A giant birthday card for the community to sign, and additional cards created by residents, will become part of the permanent archives, and officials hope to display the items at future anniversaries, says Gregg Dodd, Statehouse deputy director for communications.

Thailyr Scrivner is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

More Than Meets the Eye

Photo: istockphoto.com

China’s quotient of culture and history is overwhelming

By Carla D’Errico Photos courtesy of Mark Bender and Brenda Weber

Amention of China evokes a vast library of images in the mind of the listener: mega-cities, architecture, good food, the Great Wall.

But no matter the number of images, there’s much more to the country and its rich history and culture. A wise way to understand its depth is to meet the people who populate it – and there are more than a billion such opportunities.

Mark Bender, a Shawnee Hills resident and a professor at The Ohio State University, took students on a month-long program to the southwestern province of Sichuan this summer. In the classroom, the OSU students had the chance to meet their Chinese counterparts – local college students led by the famous Chinese poet, Professor Luo Qingchun, a.k.a. Aku Wuwu. Friendships were forged as the students found common ground learning about each other’s cultures, from poetry to family life.

Bender and his students experienced local ethnic foods, including . yogurt and yak meat at a Tibetan restaurant. Having visited China frequently since 1980, Bender fondly describes the yogurt as “fresh” and “unadulterated,” and the yak meat as “gamey, but with a nice flavor.”

“The students thought of it like, ‘Wow! Now I can say I ate yak meat!’” says Bender.

The . program centered on the city . of . Chengdu, a . mid-range . (for China) city of 14 million people. The group visited attractions including Jiu-

zhaigou National Park, known for multilevel waterfalls, colorful lakes and native pandas; the Leshan Giant Buddha statue, constructed in the eighth and ninth centuries, and other temples; the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, a massive facility dedicated to education, conservation and captive breeding; the earthquake interpretive center in Beichuan; and the Three Stars Cache, a 1,800-year-old archaeological site.

“Chengdu is a very interesting place because it is a real mix of old and new,” says Bender. “You’ve got a lot of historical sites in the city or around the city.”

The trip to Mount Emei was especially memorable, Bender says. The peak is the highest of the four sacred Buddhist mountains in China, and visitors can ride to the top in a cable car and trek to the temples. However, the day the OSU group visited, problems with the cable car forced them to hike down the mountain. In such a situation, the humidity is only one concern, Bender says – another is the Tibetan macaques that may try to steal your food. The monkeys were harmless, he says, but did jump on the students’ heads and shoulders.

Bender and his students noticed a palpable . dynamic of change in China. The country is booming, . particularly in city development.

“Every time that I go back to China, even if I’m gone for . six . months, . I have . to . reorient myself. The whole street . is . different, or the whole street is not there,” says

A pagoda atop one of Mount Emei’s sacred summits.

Students visit the epicenter of the May 12, 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

OSU students make the O-H-I-O sign on the Chengdu city square.

A giant panda at the Chengdu Research Center.

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Bender. “But you also have to understand that they’ve still got a lot of big problems with a very large population and the differences between the wealthy and not wealthy.”

Brenda Weber of Jackson, Ohio, caught a glimpse of this dynamic as well when she visited in October 2010, organizing her trip through Creative Vacations in Dublin. The vacation gave her a chance to take in the grandeur for which China is known.

“I think Shanghai is probably the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen. The buildings they had built, it’s like everyone would try to architecturally outdo the last building,” Weber says. “It’s even grander totally lit up at night … Then you’d see a man trying to take a shower with a hose outside of his house because he had no indoor plumbing.”

The Great Wall is one of the most majestic sights in China for any visitor. “It was quite magnificent. When you see it, you’re only seeing parts of it – you don’t realize how long it is,” Weber says.

Combining all of its branches, the wall spans 5,500 miles and is even vis-

ible from space. But what touched Weber the most, she says, was “the human aspect. Seeing how many people spent their whole lives building it, and then they would be buried right in the wall.”

Of the many Chinese emperors who contributed to the building of the Great Wall, one of the most renowned is Qin Shi Huang. He was also responsible for another of China’s list of impressive visuals: the Terra Cotta Warriors, funerary statues of 8,000 soldiers, nearly 700 horses and 130 chariots. Longtime Columbus residents may have seen a sampling of the warriors when they visited Columbus in 1989 as part of the Son of Heaven: Imperial Arts of China exhibit.

“They’re larger than human size, and all they were there for was to protect him when he died,” Weber says.

Like Bender and his students, Weber was touched most by the people.

your tempo . . . you can choose the lifestyle that is right for you.

Some 8,000 soldiers, 700 horses and 130 chariots make up China’s awe-inspiring Terra Cotta Warriors.

OSU students enjoy a traditional livestock feast in the Yi ethnic areas.

“The people were super friendly. A lot of college students stop you to talk and have coffee, just to practice English,” she says. “Even the smallest children learn English. … It’s amazing what an impression we make upon them.

Weber hopes to return someday and explore more of the massive, beautiful country.

“The Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Warriors, the buildings in Shanghai – they are beautiful things,” she says. “And they take such care in what they do and make. I bought a beautiful silk portrait. It’s amazing the detail and the quality that they put in the work that they do.” cs

Carla D’Errico is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

Santa Trains

Take a ride with Santa Claus!

The jolly old elf and his helper will board at the depot and share the ride with you. During the trip, Santa will visit individually with each child and Santa's elf will have a special candy treat for all of the children on board. The train is heated and decorated for the holiday.

DATES:

Every Saturday and Sunday for four weeks starting Thanksgiving weekend. Two round trip trains depart each day at 11 a.m. and 2 pm. Advance reservations recommended.

PRICES

Adult $16

Senior (60+) $14; Child (3-12) $12 (Under 3 yrs. old ride free but must sit on guardian's lap.)

The Shanghai skyline catches the eyes of most visitors.

Photo: istockphoto.com

Order Tickets online at www.hvsry.org or by leaving a message at 800-967-7834.

The Whole Picture

Paul Hamilton proves he’s more than just landscapes

By Garth Bishop

Paul Hamilton is looking to radically change the landscape of his artistic scope.

Hamilton is best known for his landscape paintings; the casual observer might not know he does anything else. But his horizons are far broader than that. The studio and workspace Hamilton keeps in a barn on his property in Granville are filled with paintings, sculptures and all manner of other artistic media that are largely unknown to audiences as a whole.

“The only way anyone would ever know is if they came out here,” he says.

Though he has always explored many different media as an artist, Hamilton’s landscapes caught on early in his career and quickly defined him in the artistic community. But now, thanks to an exhibition at Hammond Harkins Galleries titled Metaphors and Modernism, patrons finally have an opportunity to see the full extent of Hamilton’s artistic machinations.

“This is like an explosion in all different forms,” says Hamilton.

Hamilton grew up in Florida, but moved to Ohio permanently after graduating from

Left: Paul Hamilton photo by Dennis Manarchy

Below: Midnight Snack

Right: 33 RPM

{visuals}

the Columbus College of Art and Design. It was his introduction to Ohio that initially goaded him toward landscapes – thanks to the changing seasons and variety of different settings, Ohio’s landscapes are very different from Florida’s, he says.

“It was so fresh and new that I just gravitated to the way the world looked around me,” says Hamilton.

Hamilton also met Amy, his future wife, at CCAD. She has her own barn on the Granville property, which she uses for her hatmaking business, Granville Millinery Co.

In Hamilton’s landscapes, which he describes as American realism style, it is important to him that each painting tells a story.

“Anytime you see a landscape painting, there’s a story to be told there,” Hamilton says.

Finding landscapes to paint comes naturally to Hamilton, who has always had an affinity for exploration. Frequently, he will

Left: Making Magic

Above: A Sister’s Spirit Within Him

Below: Thunderroad 1967

Above: Paul Hamilton’s studio

Right: Farmers Almanac

Below: Trudging the Happy Road of Destiny

Above left: Midcentury Modern

Above: Summer Splendor

develop an idea for a story to tell, and then seek out a setting that will allow him to tell it. For example, on a recent drive through the Granville area, he spotted an old car for sale in front of a 1970s-era house and saw a perfect opportunity for a painting, which he has titled Positively 21st Street in reference to Bob Dylan’s 1965 song Positively 4th Street.

“That’s like a Bob Dylan song,” he says. “There’s a story there.”

It’s tougher to tell a story with some other forms of artistic expression, Hamilton says, but he manages. A 15-foot-long wood frame sculpture of a humpback whale – certainly a departure from the type of work Hamilton is known for – is a callback to his abiding interest in whales as a child. He loved to draw and learn about whales, he says, and even bought the records of whale songs that were sold in the 1970s to listen to in his room.

Hamilton’s collection also includes a full-size birdhouse, a wall of 60 small bird paintings, a portrait of his daughter, an assemblage utilizing croquet balls and a bowling pin, and combine pieces symbolizing Hamilton’s past and present that feature lights and objects boxed up in Plexiglass. Hamilton refers to the latter sculptures as examples of what he might have made right after college if he had the resources and skill he has today.

But perhaps the piece most indicative of Hamilton’s life is a framed painting inspired by a statue he saw in a Pitts-

burgh cemetery: an angelic woman wielding a trident, with the word GUARDIAN at the bottom. That painting reflects Hamilton’s belief in a guardian watching over his own life – one that helped him survive spinal meningitis at age 5, a neardrowning experience at age 13 and going through a windshield after being hit by a car at age 15.

They may be wildly different in appearance, but each piece in Metaphors and

Modernism is part of a theme: Hamilton’s development as an artist. The show runs through Nov. 27.

In addition to Hammond Harkins, Hamilton also has works on display at the Ohio Supreme Court building, the Governor’s Mansion and Denison University. cs

Garth Bishop is editor of CityScene Magazine. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

Any time you see a landscape painting, there’s a story to be told there.

“ ”

The Southern Rises Again

115-year-old theater is a major part of 2011-12 performing arts season

By Jessica Salerno

Just as it did when it was first built in 1896, the Southern Theatre is turning heads.

For years, the venue has been known for hosting smaller-scale musical performances, like those put on by the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Music Columbus. Other Downtown theaters are much quicker to spring to arts patrons’ minds –the Ohio Theatre, the Palace Theatre, the Capitol Theatre at the Riffe Center.

But as we continue into the 2011-12 performance season, bigger productions are starting to pop up on the Southern’s schedule.

The Southern is owned and operated by CAPA, which rents out the facility to individual promoters and local arts organizations. Among the most notable additions to this year’s schedule are Opera Columbus and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. Both are administratively overseen by CAPA, but

moving big chunks of their schedules to the venue is still a big plus for the Southern.

The symphony will present four of its 12 Masterworks programs at the Southern, and the opera’s entire 2011-12 season will be presented there.

“The Southern Theatre was originally built to be an opera house,” says Rolanda Copley, publicist for CAPA. “So for Opera Columbus to move its 2011-12 season to the Southern and see it house live opera again will be quite a treat.”

The symphony kicked off its Southern Theatre presence with Masterworks 1 –String Summit in October, and will return with Masterworks 3 –

Dialogues, focusing on interactions between symphony soloists, Nov. 18-20.

First in Opera Columbus’ lineup is a production of Don Giovanni by Torontobased Opera Atelier. “It’s wonderful to be in such a beautiful venue with so much history,” says Bronwen Bradley, manager of communications and education for Opera Atelier. “You really feel as though you are stepping back in time when you enter the theater, which is the perfect setting for the period work that we do.”

The Southern’s 2011-12 season also will feature the Harlem Gospel Choir on Jan. 26 and Simply Sinatra with Steve Lippia on May 13.

The 933-seat Southern is popular among productions that don’t need a huge space, but may need a little more room than is offered by smaller venues. Among those singing the theater’s praises in this regard is Albert Bergeret, artistic director for the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players. The troupe most recently visited Columbus for a production of The Pirates of Penzance in June.

“We love the staff and love the place, and are delighted with the theater,” Bergeret says.

The design also allows the Southern perfect acoustics, a benefit cherished by performers and audience members alike.

“You can literally hear a pin drop on stage from the last row in the second balcony,” says Copley.

The theater, which is the oldest in central Ohio, turned 115 on Sept. 21, though you might not know it from its sophisticated look and renovated exterior – the results of a major overhaul in the late 1990s.

Its star-studded 2011-12 season is icing on the (birthday) cake. cs

Exterior photo by Scott Fitzpatrick.

Interior photo courtesy of the Columbus Symphony.

Jessica Salerno is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

Gallery Exhibits

Keny Galleries: Contemporary Cadence: The Modernist Impulse in American Art (1911-2011) – featuring works by George Bellows, Joe Mitchell, Charles Demuth, Arthur Dove, Roy Lichtenstein and Wayne Thiebaud – through Nov. 7. Painterly Trompe l’Oeil Still Lifes by Ray Kleinlein from Nov. 11-Dec. 5. www. kenygalleries.com

High Road Gallery: Works from the Grove City Arts Council through Nov. 19. www.highroadgallery.com

Hammond Harkins Galleries: Metaphors and Modernism, featuring works by Paul Hamilton, through Nov. 27. www.hammond harkins.com See story on page 50.

Muse Gallery: The Best of Muse Gallery and Circle Galleries from Nov. 1-Dec. 31. www.amusegallery.com

Sherrie Gallerie: Voyages, new works by Joe Bova, through Nov. 30. www.sherrie gallerie.com

Studios on High Gallery: The Art of Giving: Small Treasures for Holiday Gifting, an all member artist exhibit, from Nov. 1-30. www.studiosonhigh.com

Gallery 202: Photography by Gary Gardiner and Eliot Lewis, recycled art by Renee Kropat, acrylic paintings by Teresa Wilhiot and fabric art by Carol Whitt from Nov. 2-Dec. 17. www.gallery 202online.com

Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery: Artful Teaching: Work by College and University Painting Faculty from Nov. 3-Jan. 8. www.riffegallery.org

Brandt-Roberts Galleries: Luminosity, featuring equestrian scenes and urbanscapes by Jeff Morrow and glass relief works by Terri Albanese, from Nov. 4-27. www.brandtroberts galleries.com

ROY G BIV Gallery: Residues by Ray Klimek and Rajorshi Ghosh from Nov. 5-26. . www.roygbiv gallery.com

Rivet Gallery: Super Face Punch, featuring the work of Jeff Lamm, from Nov. 5-30. www. rivetart.com

Keny Galleries

Muse Gallery

Gallery 202

Terra Gallery: Economy, paintings by Daniel Mather, from Nov. 5-Dec. 2. www. terra-gallery.com

Capital University Schumacher Gallery: The Golden Age of Jazz: Photographs by William Gottlieb through Nov. 5. Crossroads: Mixed Media Works by Casey Bradley from Nov. 11-Dec. 9. www.capital.edu

Hayley Gallery: A Continuation, featuring works by Todd Buschur, from Nov. 12Dec. 9. www.hayleygallery.com

Dublin Arts Council Gallery: Oh Rats!, ceramic sculptures by Juliellen Byrne, from Nov. 15-Dec. 16. www.dublinarts.org

Columbus Museum of Art: Selections from the Hill Collection of American Walking Sticks, featuring American walking sticks belonging to Pam and Tim Hill, from Nov. 18-April 22. Caravaggio: Behold the Man! The Impact of a Revolutionary Realist, featuring the work

of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, through Feb. 5. Columbus Views – including works by George Bellows, Emerson Burkhart, Edmund Kuehn and Robert Chadeayne – through spring 2012. Monet

Crossroads: Mixed Media Works

Layered and joined materials often transcend their typically mundane identities as they are integrated into works of totemic status and spiritual quality. This exhibition is developed by Casey Bradley, instructor and Dimensional Studies Director at Columbus College of Art and Design.

November

Columbus Museum of Art

Hayley Gallery

Decorative Arts Center

to Matisse: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Sirak Collection – featuring works by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Klee and Henri Matisse, among others – through May 13. www.columbusmuseum.org

Miller Gallery, Otterbein University Art and Communication Building: The Distance From Oneself by Shelley Given, featuring pinhole photography and digital imaging, through Dec. 9. www. otterbein.edu

Fisher Gallery, Otterbein University Roush Hall: Cover Stories: The Art of the Book Jacket through Dec. 9. www.otterbein.edu

Decorative Arts Center: Once Upon a Page, award-winning children’s book illustrations from the Mazza Museum of the University of

Dublin Arts Council Gallery

Findlay, through Dec. 31. www.decarts ohio.org

Art Access Gallery: Works by Perry Brown through Jan. 5. www.artaccess gallery.com

Frank Museum of Art, Otterbein University: Poetic Visions: Ink Paintings by C.Y. Woo through Jan. 20. www.otterbein.edu

More....

For additional gallery events, go to www.cityscenecolumbus.com.

Dana

Art Access Gallery

Picks&Previews CityScene spotlights what to watch, what to watch for and what not to miss!

Hurts So Good and Pink Houses – to Columbus. www.livenation.com

The Thurber House presents Karen Russell

Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m.

Columbus Performing Arts Center, 549 Franklin Ave.

The author of the smash hit Swamplandia! discusses her writing. www.thurberhouse.com

BalletMet presents Carmen

Nov. 4-12

Capitol Theatre, Riffe Center, 77 S. High St.

The classic opera becomes a ballet in this interpretation of this adaptation, accompanied by Georges Bizet’s classic score. www.balletmet.org

Chairman of the Board: A Salute to Frank Sinatra

Columbus Veterans Day Parade

Nov. 10, noon

Nationwide Plaza, downtown Columbus

The city’s annual salute to veterans steps off at noon. Other official Veterans Day activities include a ceremony at City Hall from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame induction ceremony immediately following the parade. www. milvets.org

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

Nov. 10-19

Columbus Performing Arts Center, 549 Franklin Ave.

Available Light Theatre presents this humorous tale of a time machine repairman who is searching for his long-lost-intime father. www.avltheatre.com

John Mellencamp

Nov. 2, 7 p.m.

Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St.

The decade-spanning rocker brings all his hits – like Jack and Diane, Small Town,

Nov. 5, 8 p.m. Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St. Conductor, arranger, singer and pianist Matt Catingub joins the Columbus Symphony Orchestra to pay tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes. www.columbussymphony.com

A Remarkable Evening featuring Condoleezza Rice

Nov. 17

Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts, 100 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., New Albany

The speaker at this year’s Remarkable Evening is former U.S. secretary of state and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice. www.newalbany foundation.org

John Mellencamp

Carmen

Columbus Symphony

Orchestra presents

Masterworks 2 – Russian Soul

Nov. 11-12

Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St.

Liadov’s Kikimora, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances and Shostakovich’s Symphony

No. 5 in D Minor provide the music for this Russian-themed concert. www.columbus symphony.com

Laura MacKenzie with Gary Rue

Nov. 12, 8 p.m.

Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center, 777 Evening St., Worthington

The McConnell Center brings in two multi-instrumentalists for its exhibition of Celtic music. www.mcconnellarts.org

Chairman of the Board: A Salute to Frank Sinatra

Feet Don’t Fail Me Now

November 17, 8pm

Tickets: $22 & $15

Osmond Brothers’ Christmas

December 9, 8pm

Tickets: $22, $25, $28

Steel Magnolia

January 5, 8pm

Tickets: $22, $25, $28

Peter Noone-Herman’s Hermits

January 13, 8pm

Tickets: $22, $25, $28

Natalie Stovall

February 4, 8pm

Tickets: $15

Spencers Theatre of Illusion

February 11, 8pm

Tickets: $22

Blues Brothers Revue

April 13, 8pm

Tickets: $22

Bobby Vinton

May 4, 8pm

Tickets: $50, $35, $28, $23

ProMusica presents Voices from the Gallery

Nov. 12-13

Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St. Visual and musical art are combined with the narration of Othalie Graham for this unique program featuring works by Respighi, Paulus and Beethoven. www. promusicacolumbus.org

150th Birthday Celebration

Open House and Capitol Artists Fair

Nov. 15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Sq.

The Statehouse celebrates 150 years with a birthday party and its annual art fair, featuring crafters and artisans from across Ohio. www.ohiostatehouse.org

Wildlights

Nov. 18-Jan. 1

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd.

The zoo is once again lit up and filled with fun activities all through the holiday season. www.colszoo.org

Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music!

Nov. 19-20

Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd. Elmo and all his Sesame Street friends come to Columbus for a show featuring all kinds of music, from children’s songs to old favorites their parents will recognize. www. sesamestreetlive.com

CATCO-Phoenix presents Souvenir

Nov. 22-Dec. 11

Studio Two Theatre, Riffe Center, 77 S. High St.

This musical follows the hilarious reallife story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York socialist who went to great lengths to launch a singing career despite her overwhelming lack of talent. www.catco.org

Opera Columbus presents Don Giovanni

Nov. 25-27

Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St. Toronto’s Opera Atelier – with help from the Opera Columbus Chorus and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra –presents this dark comedy following the exploits of the arrogant and abusive Don Giovanni as he encounters a situation in

Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music!

Don Giovanni

which his skills will not help him. www. operacolumbus.org

A Christmas Carol

Nov. 25-27

Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St. NTC Productions returns to town for its annual performance of the Christmas classic about the sins and redemption of miserable miser Ebenezer Scrooge. www.capa.com

Junie B. in Jingle Bells Batman Smells

Nov. 25-Dec. 21

Columbus Children’s Theatre, 512 Park St.

When Junie B. Jones is given the name of class tattletale May in the year’s Secret Santa drawing, she plans to deliver to May a lump of coal –but will she go through with . it? . www.cols childrenstheatre.org

Shadowbox Live presents Scrooge

Nov. 27-Dec. 26

Shadowbox Live, 503 S. Front St.

The rock ‘n roll comedy troupe puts on its first-ever holiday musical. www. shadowboxlive.org

Jim Brickman – A Holiday Celebration

Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m.

Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts, 100 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., New Albany

Brickman’s masterful piano skills – both solo and when accompanied by singers and an electric violinist – put a new spin on holiday classics. www.mccoycenter.org

Helen Welch: Home for the Holidays

Nov. 30-Dec. 4

Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St. United Kingdom vocal sensation Helen Welch returns to Columbus for her annual holiday show, part of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra’s Swingin’ with the CJO concert series. www.jazzartsgroup.org

More....

For a comprehensive list of other happenings around Columbus, check out www.cityscenecolumbus.com.

Charles Dickens’

Helen Welch

With Michael McEwan

The Painter’s Eye

Featuring A Day in the Life of a Little Girl by Norman Rockwell

Almost everyone has heard of Norman Rockwell. But only recently have museums shown any interest in exhibiting his work.

This exhibit at the Dayton Art Institute is a remarkable chance to see many finished paintings, mostly oils, of Rockwell’s famous images. He used photographs extensively in producing his illustrations. This exhibition, which runs from Nov. 15 through Feb. 5, includes not just paintings, but studies and reference photos, too.

A Day in the Life of a Little Girl (The Saturday Evening Post, cover April 30, 1952) takes the viewer through a rather hectic summer day of a young girl in a format favored by Rockwell – a series of portraits meant to be read from left to right and top to bottom.

The painting measures 42” by 45”; the large size of the original painting will surprise you. It’s quite rare to find a contemporary illustration based on a painted original, and even more rare to find one with large original artwork like this. Save for the use of yellow, it is practically monochromatic, and throughout, we see Rockwell’s fine and meticulous hand.

There is a lot for a realist painter to learn from these pieces, as Rockwell was a superb craftsman. He never referred to himself as an artist with a capital “A;” he always said he was an illustrator, period.

As many of his subjects were charming views of Americana of the last century, these works are where the interests of most viewers lie.

This show will also illustrate that Rockwell didn’t shy away from difficult or serious

subjects. However you view them, this is a fine exhibition, enjoyable on many levels.

Always the professional, Rockwell paid all of his models, including Mary Whalen, the subject of this painting. Miss Whalen bought a bicycle with her earnings. cs

Artist Michael McEwan serves as Artist-in-Residence at Capital University, where he also teaches painting and drawing classes.