Tri-Village September/October 2023

September/October 2023

Arlington’s Anatomical Artist

Local artist John Mallett breaks through in New York City art scene

MAGAZINE

Local library history

Music education benefits

A look inside UA Civic Association

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columbus/osu

Wednesdays through Oct.

25

Upper Arlington Farmers Market

3-6 p.m. Tremont Center parking lot 2140 Tremont Center www.upperarlingtonoh.gov

Sept. 2

Tri-the-Heights Youth Triathlon

Beginning at the Grandview Heights Municipal Pool 1350 Goodale Blvd. www.grandviewheights.gov

Sept. 3

Upper Arlington Education Foundation’s Golden Bear Bash

6-10 p.m.

Amelita Mirolo Barn

4395 Carriage Hill Ln. www.upperarlingtonoh.gov

Sept. 4

UACA Labor Neighbor Day Bike race 9 a.m.-noon, Wiffle ball 12:15-5 p.m.

Hastings Middle School 1850 Hastings Ln. www.upperarlingtonoh.gov

Sept. 4 Labor Day Arts Festival

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Northam Park 2070 Northam Rd. www.upperarlingtonoh.gov

Sept Stauf’s12Java Journey

6:30 p.m. Stauf’s Coffee 1277 Grandview Ave. www.ghmchs.org

Sept. 14

Date Night Movie in the Park

7 p.m.

Ray DeGraw Park 850 Burr Ave. www.grandviewheights.gov

Sept. 16, Oct. 21

Friends of UA Parks Volunteer Day 9 a.m.-noon

Northwest Kiwanis Park www.upperarlingtonoh.gov

Sept. Nationwide21-24Children’s Golf Tournament

7 a.m.

The Ohio State University Golf Course Clubhouse 3605 Tremont Rd. www.ncc-golf.com

Sept. 26, Oct. 3 Blood Drive

10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Municipal Services Center 3600 Tremont Rd. www.upperarlingtonoh.gov

Sept. 30 Grandview Hop – Night Market Series

5-9 p.m. Grandview Ave. www.grandviewhop.com

Upper Arlington Public Library www.ualibrary.org

Sept. 20 Chalk Art 3-5 p.m. Tremont Road Branch 2800 Tremont Rd.

Sept. 21; Oct. 19

Writers’ Group  6-7:30 p.m. Lane Road Branch 1954 Lane Rd.

Oct. 6 Red Cross Blood Drive

11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tremont Road Branch 2800 Tremont Rd.

Oct. 14

‘Til Death Do Us Part – Murder

Mystery After Dark

6-9:30 p.m. Tremont Road Branch 2800 Tremont Rd.

Tri-the-Heights Youth Triathlon

Photos courtesy of cities of Upper Arlington and Grandview Heights

Upper Arlington Farmers Market

Oct. 12

The Super Mario Bros. Movie in the Park

7 p.m. Ray DeGraw Park 850 Burr Ave. www.grandviewheights.gov

Oct. 14

Costume Swap

11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Grandview Heights Parks and Recreation

1515 Goodale Blvd. www.grandviewheights.gov

Oct. 15

Columbus Marathon

7:30 a.m.

North Bank Park 311 W. Long St., Columbus www.columbusmarathon.com

Oct. 16-18

Golden Bear Scare

6-9 p.m. Smith Nature Park 1340 Fishinger Rd. www.uaca.org

Oct. 19

Songwriter Social

6-9 p.m.

Amelita Mirolo Barn 4395 Carriage Hill Ln. www.upperarlingtonoh.gov

Oct. 21

Great Pumpkin Run 5K

9 a.m.

Edison Intermediate/Larry Larson Middle School 1600 W. First Ave. www.grandviewheights.gov

Oct. 31

Trick-or-Treat

6-9 p.m. Grandview Heights www.grandviewheights.gov Grandview

To submit your event for next issue’s calendar, contact tkirkendall@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Sept. 11-Oct. 30

The Monday Mix 3:15-4:15 p.m.

Sept. 13, 27; Oct. 11, 25

Grandview Heights Writers Group

6-8 p.m.

Sept. American27Red Cross Blood Drive Noon-6 p.m.

Feb. 15-21

Mini Masterpieces All day Virtual

Feb. 22

Black History, Part 2 - Impact in Movies

7-8:30 p.m. Virtual

Jan. 21

Book Club: Retrofit, The Playbook for Modern Moms

5:30-7 p.m. Virtual www.chamberpartnership.org

Labor Day Arts Festival

Songwriter Social

Uniting throughUnatomy

UAHS graduates reconnect through art after 20 years

After graduating from Upper Arlington High School (UAHS) in 1999, classmates John Mallett and Thomas Ling went their separate ways. For two decades, they didn’t hear from one another. That is, until Ling opened an art gallery in Brooklyn, New York, and remembered his talented childhood friend.

“I knew Tom in high school. I always liked and respected him, but I can’t say we really hung out,” Mallett says. “On Instagram, I would post my artwork on occasion and over the months, I guess enough accumulated that he bothered to reach out, or at least it lined up with him opening the gallery.”

So, the pair looked for – and found – a way to collaborate. From June 3-July 8 this year, Ling featured Mallett’s Unatomy series, showcasing numerous paintings from the more than 200-piece series that Mallett had been working on since 2015. For each piece, Mallett painted figures that, though based on human models, have intentionally skewed features to deviate from reality and create a preternatural figure and a feeling in the viewer.

The curator

Ling’s fascination with art began when his father gave him a camera and he took pictures for the Barrington Elementary School student paper. He was hooked for life after he took a photography class at UAHS his freshman year.

“This was before digital, so it blew my mind to see images come to life out of nowhere, it seems like,” Ling says. “So, I was thrilled to be able to take the intro photography – dark room one – with Miss McGinty.”

Ling studied art at The Ohio State University and developed an understanding of how to analyze notable works. During that time, he was in a long-distance relationship with a student at New York University and began taking regular trips for a taste of the Big Apple.

“I felt like New York was kind of this cool secret,” he says. “It made me feel excited about art and learning about the galleries. And the galleries in Columbus as well. It gave me this sense that they’re doing something serious.”

While searching for a way to break into the art scene, his girlfriend was working at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and got him an interview.

Ling aced the interview and would eventually lead the department for more than a decade before hearing a new calling.

“(I) just decided after 14 years I wanted to step out and try something different,” Ling says. “And I had this opportunity to work at David Zwirner Gallery.”

He hardly interacted with Zwirner personally, but he learned what it looks like behind the scenes to run a gallery, and felt he was ready to take a bold leap into his own space.

When Ling and his wife, Ivy Chen, found an open storefront in Brooklyn that they loved, they opened the Thomas VanDyke Gallery. VanDyke was Ling’s grandmother’s surname, and he is in the process

of legally changing his name to reflect this Dutch heritage.

The artist

Though Mallett has a laid-back nature, he always seems to be thinking and analyzing.

His unique perspective on art and the world around him have led Mallett through a wide range of artistic endeavors all over the world – from working on CGI in films to creating his own series of comics – all of which led back home to committing his creative energy to the uncanny figures in Unatomy.

After graduating from UAHS, like Ling, Mallett pursued a career in art. He took some classes at Columbus College of Art and Design, but unlike Ling, “it didn’t stick” with Mallett.

A few years later, he went to The Danish Academy of Digital, Interactive Entertainment, where he learned 3-D modeling and textures to become a CG artist. He joined Illumination Studios’ animation team as a texture artist and worked on The Lorax.

“In computer graphics, you start with a lot of simple shapes,” he says. “Most

Curator Thomas Ling

Artist John Mallett

Photos courtesy of Thomas Ling, Ray LaVoie

“People will always try to round up to the closest similarity and it’d be impossible to stop, but I’d like to make as many speed bumps as possible toward that familiar.”

“The most surprising thing to me is how much accidental mood shows up in these. The less conscious, the better.”

– John Mallett

– John Mallett, Unatomy #69

geometry starts with a cube or a sphere that you’re subdividing. And I think that fondness of primitive shapes really carries over.”

He eventually found himself in Chicago working at an international creative agency called The Mill, where he would join life drawing classes with a colleague.

“I would do a 45-minute study, and when I came home, I’d have a decent portrait of somebody, but it was still a little bit boring to me,” Mallett says.

So he started to disconnect his art from reality and worked more with fantastical forms inspired by the models in the classes. Then he brought an MDF (plywood composite) board to class and used it as a canvas.

“Based off all this practice I had amassed in sketchbooks deforming this character, I’m like, ‘I’m just gonna see how this translates to the board,’” he says. “And I specifically remember the first one getting this huge rush of energy to having this one image versus the sketchbook lifestyle I’m used to.”

This energy rush still drives Mallett to this day.

Unatomy’s more than 200 paintings took him eight years to amass. Mallett’s commitment to the series after so many individual works, and so many years, is due to the “free adrenaline” he says he receives from long-term projects rather than small-scale ones.

Mallett returned to Upper Arlington about six years ago to take care of his parents full-time, so he has been able to freely work on Unatomy pieces as an escape from reality and caretaking.

“His art is literally his therapy,” Ling says, “and he generally keeps it to himself, but when he’s creating and using his mind, that’s what connects him to the world and to other people.”

Mallett and Ling worked closely together to arrange Unatomy

Photos courtesy of Thomas Ling

The exhibition

“I’ve had John’s work in mind my whole career,” Ling says. “I never thought I’d open my own gallery, but when I did, he’s the first person I contacted about doing a show.”

Ling reached out to Mallett on Instagram, saying he loved his work and was opening his own space and wanted to feature his work. He visited Mallett over Thanksgiving last year.

“(I was) knocking on his door saying, ‘I know you have art in there. I want to get it out,’” Ling says.

“John is a prolific artist, constantly creating. His basement is packed with fully developed and finished comic book series (and) animated projects. Crates full of paintings, character studies and creative endeavors worthy of any gallery,” he says.

Mallett, however, was not an easy sell. He is extremely protective of his work, and says he doesn’t care much for the attention. He doesn’t believe he’ll become a well-known artist during his lifetime – and he’s OK with that.

“He’s the kind of person I think of as a true artist, he just doesn’t care about the attention,” Ling says. “I’ve always had this philosophy that the best of anything is probably unknown.”

The pair worked closely for months arranging and rearranging the Unatomy exhibition. Mallett had written on the back of many of the pieces he’s made for the series, so the two worked to showcase both the paintings and the writing on the back for three of the entries.

His writings are carefully thought out, and range from a few sentences about his process or his setting to full paragraphs detailing the emotions that came through in the piece.

“If the stuff is ever unearthed, the last thing I want is some historian pretending like they knew me,” Mallett says.

Mallett was also worried the writing would distract from the art, but says Ling eased his concerns; the explanations made the works more compelling, Ling told him.

“The most surprising thing to me is how much accidental mood shows up in these,” Mallett says. “The less conscious, the better.”

Several pieces in Unatomy sold, though Mallett was hesitant to let them go, and every copy of the book they had printed compiling Mallett’s Unatomy series sold out.

While Unatomy is no longer on view at the Thomas VanDyke Gallery, Ling hopes to one day feature another of Mallett’s exhibitions. You can find Mallett’s work on his Instagram @mallett.john and on his website www.john-mallett.squarespace.com.

“The whole thing was a bit of a whirlwind where I didn’t really appreciate (it),” Mallett says. “I didn’t almost have time for those feelings. Now, in retrospect, it’s revealing little gems from the experience. Like this book, I’m glad I have this, … it’s a physical representation of the show. I would be making this stuff in silence if Tom didn’t orchestrate this.”

Tyler Kirkendall is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at tkirkendall@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Photos courtesy of Thomas Ling

Bear-hind the Scenes

Upper Arlington Civic Association sets the stage for community engagement

The Golden Bear Scare, the Fourth of July fireworks and parade, the Golden Apple Awards, Christmas in the Park, the Big Easter Egg Hunt, the Memorial Day Run, UA Stage, Labor Neighbor Day, movies in the park – all these events are part of what define the Upper Arlington community. But what do these events have in common? They are all powered by the force of volunteers that make up the Upper Arlington Civic Association (UACA)

Between planning events a year in advance and being a dedicated setup and cleanup crew, the UACA is a relatively quiet contributor to the elements that bring Upper Arlington together. Each member of the association works tirelessly to ensure the events go off without a hitch.

Getting involved

Matthew Whisler moved to Upper Arlington with his wife and kids in 2020. After living in Atlanta, Georgia for 20 years, he was surprised at the level of community engagement in his new home.

“I remember when we moved here, my wife and I were in shock. I think we had desserts and stuff dropped off (at our house) for a week,” Whisler says. “There’s just such a different sense of community and family and I never experienced any-

thing quite like it. Once that happened, I was like, ‘I want to make sure that other people have a similar experience.’”

Whisler heard about the work the UACA does to create a connected community and decided to join the association in January 2021. He volunteered to lead the Golden Apple Awards because of his family’s history as teachers.

“The goal is to recognize amazing teachers that have had a greater impact on the children and the community,” Whisler says. “We get somewhere in the 500-plus range of nominations.”

After sifting through the nominations with the Golden Apple Award committee, Whisler takes a couple days off work to get all the awards out to the teachers. During his time on the project, he has surprised educators in hallways, classrooms and gymnasiums. For one award, Whisler worked with the school principal to gather the entire student body in the gymnasium to recognize a nurse who was retiring after a lifelong career.

“I think (there is) no better way to leave a career than to be recognized by your students, peers and community for the amazing impact you had,” Whisler says.

But the Golden Apple Awards don’t just begin when the nomination window opens in January. Whisler begins planning in September by connecting with principals and building an awareness of the program and the nomination window. Even after the awards are distributed in April, the event isn’t finished. In July, teachers join in the Fourth of July parade. UACA wraps up each award cycle by perfecting even the smaller details like orga-

All directors after hosting the community Easter Egg Hunt

Start of UACA Memorial Day Race

Photos courtesy of UACA Director

nizing the float for the teachers and getting the educators coffee and doughnuts in the morning. Then, merely a couple months later in September, the cycle begins again.

But even as Whisler’s focus is organizing nominations and arranging meetings with the principals, he is also contributing to the UACA in other areas.

“The way it works is, while you’re responsible for one event, you go and help out all the other events. Every event I’m out there helping and contributing,” Whisler says.

One of Whisler’s first experiences working on the setup and cleanup crew for an event was for the Big Easter Egg Hunt. The UACA arrives at the event two hours before it begins to set

up, hide the eggs and prep the space for the families.

“After the whole thing was over, all the kids leave, all the families leave, and it’s you and the other directors and everybody is cleaning, picking up, putting stuff away until the last minute. Nobody is leaving early,” Whisler says. “We’re all similar in attitude and commitment.”

The UACA brings this same level of commitment to the other events they organize. For the Fourth of July fireworks, the UACA sets up the area for the fireworks show then meets at 6:30 a.m. the following day to pick up the aftermath.

“I don’t think it works if half the people care and half the people don’t. So everybody cares,” Whisler says.

Whisler spends anywhere from five to 10 hours a month volunteering with UACA throughout the year. During Golden Apple season, however, Whisler could be spending up to 20 hours a week on projects.

“It’s so much easier to go and do all these things when you know that you’re right next to somebody else with a similar passion. I think that’s what makes it work,” Whisler says.

View our photo gallery

Katie Giffin is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Photo courtesy of UACA Director

The calm before the UACA Egg Hunt

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Library Legacies

By Maisie Fitzmaurice

Photos

Establishing a community library is often one of the first steps in developing a thriving municipality. Long before the days of the internet, libraries have been, and have remained, a crucial source for acquiring knowledge and connecting with the world around you.

A Tale of Two Cities

The Grandview Heights Public Library (GHPL) was established in 1924, seven years before Grandview Heights was declared a city. It was located within the Grandview Heights High School, which had opened the year prior.

Twelve years later, in 1936, the current GHPL location opened after George Cambridge Urlin, one of the city’s founders, donated the land. Located on West First Avenue, it still stands as Grandview Heights’ only public library.

Almost 20 years after Grandview Heights became its own city, Upper Arlington earned its distinction as a city, rather than a village, in 1941. In 1942, the Miller Park Library, the Upper Arlington Public Library (UAPL) system’s oldest library, was opened.

Despite only having 600 books, the Miller Park library became so popular that the city decided to add another location in the Lane Avenue Shopping Center. This library later closed and the materials were moved to what is now the UAPL’s Lane Avenue branch, located in Thompson Park.

Surprisingly, even with two locations already complete, Upper Arlington residents were clamoring for more and the Tremont Center Library was built in 1955. Four years later, a new location was built in Northam Park. As with the Lane Avenue branch, the materials and resources from the old Tremont Center Library were moved into this new building, which still stands as the Tremont Branch of the UAPL system.

Upper Arlington’s oldest location, Miller Park Library, opened in 1942.

As of 2023, the city of Upper Arlington is home to three libraries: the Miller Park branch, the Tremont Road branch and the Lane Avenue branch. But until 1967, these branches were still a part of GHPL system. The UAPL system wasn’t established until 1967 when Ohio House Bill 494 was passed.

Jennifer Faure, community engagement specialist with the UAPL system, says before UAPL was its own system, some library employees and personnel took issue with the fact that the board of directors for all libraries in the Grandview Heights and Upper Arlington area was comprised only of Grandview Heights officials.

“We feel like we should be governed by our own community rather than by somebody else’s, and so the mayor that we had the time started re-

ally taking steps to get us to be legislatively our own system,” Faure says.

Then-Mayor John Dunkel took the issue to the state, and Ohio House Bill 494 lifted the restriction on opening new library systems within the state.

Advancements and Additions

Anyone who has lived in Tri-Village knows that the area changes and improves to meet the community’s wants and needs, and the library systems are no different. Since the libraries have been built, each has received renovations to keep them modern and appropriately sized for the growing region. Upper Arlington’s Tremont branch doubled in size in 1973 and again in 1987. The Miller Park branch was also expanded in 2007 and GHPL was expanded in 1986.

These additions were added mostly to make room for expanded youth and young adult services. Expanding building sizes also allowed more room for visitors to sit down and read, work or attend events.

Over the years the libraries have not only changed sizes but have changed resources and services. With the constant innovations in technology, libraries have made a lot of advancements, from film

Children gather for story time, 2022 (top) and 1970s (above)

Photos courtesy of Upper Arlington Public Library

strips to VHS tapes and DVDs to streaming services, to name a few.

Both library systems have also built expansive online e-book collections for users to borrow and download. They also both offer online educational databases and academic e-books, tutoring, videos, articles and more.

Five years ago, GHPL began to offer backpacks with various resources including early reading books, STEM kits, virtual reality headsets, educational games, and even guitars and telescopes, all suited for young people of all ages.

In collaboration with the city, GHPL offers free Wi-Fi in the library and throughout Grandview Heights’ five parks.

UAPL system offers similar amenities as well as mobile hot spots, test proctoring, passport services, game consoles and more for visitors to utilize.

Funds and Finances

The GHPL receives funding from numerous different sources including federal grants (public library fund), private donations and city taxes. It also helped create and is a member of the Central Library Consortium, which includes 17 central Ohio library systems sharing funds, resources and materials.

Last year a levy proposed to help further fund GHPL passed with a whopping 87% of votes in support.

Canaan Faulkner, GHPL’s public relations manager, says library staff is blown away and immensely appreciative of the support it receives. In turn, he and his team members always aim to give those funds back to the community in the form of free resources and events.

“Delivering a great return on investment to the community to something we always strive to do,” he says.

The UAPL system ran almost entirely on state tax dollars until 1992. It now receives most of its money from the city’s property taxes.

Like GHPL, the UAPL system is grateful for the community’s support of its libraries and ensures the funds are going toward the betterment of the community.

“There’s a really high value on education and learning and so I think there’s an appreciation for libraries, for books, for resources and for access to information in this community that is just really strong,” Faure says.

Education for Everyone

The UAPL has been part of Faure’s life since she was a child. She spent much of her

childhood at the library and later got her first job there as a pager in high school. She even met her husband there while they were shelving books together. She later worked with the library’s adult services and now works in community engagement. She says her favorite part about the library is the welcoming atmosphere.

“We don’t tell people they can’t come here because they don’t have enough money or because they don’t live here,” Faure says. “Everybody has equal access to information, to resources, to things, and there’s not very much of that left in the world.”

Faulkner has been working at GHPL for 16 years. He says he also appreciates the universal opportunities that the library provides, especially the free museum ticket programs for entry into places like COSI and the Columbus Museum of Art.

“It’s greater access to arts and culture and education for all ages because sometimes there are barriers to some people, … they’re not able to go, and this gives them that opportunity,” he says.

Maisie Fitzmaurice is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Explore new neighborhoods, discover your favorite library’s collection, learn about public art tours (NEW!) or just get to know the wonderful variety of public art in central Ohio—our city’s collection is growing all the time!

Search by location, artist name, type of art or any keyword and help us make the database even better by sending your photos and details.

Maker’s Monument Mark Reigelman

Jazz Duets, Omar Shaheed

Portals for Nature, Miss Birdy

By Maisie Fitzmaurice

Growing Through Song

Childhood music education benefits beyond the Mozart effect

Musicologie offers early childhood classes where children can learn and play through sing and dance.

Photos courtesy of Kay Barker

Musician and instructor Kay Barker founded Musicologie with her husband Joseph Barker.

While most public schools focus heavily on improving students’ proficiency in subjects like science, English and math, the many benefits of art education, particularly in music, may be overlooked.

A systematic review of 26 published studies, republished by the National Library of Medicine, found that music education has been proven to enhance emotional intelligence, academic performance and prosocial skills in children ages 3 to 12 years old.

Public schools in Grandview Heights and Upper Arlington start basic music education classes at the elementary school level. Once students reach middle school, they can choose one of three musical disciplines: band, orchestra or choir. In high school, students can continue that path or answer the curtain call in theater.

But young people in the Tri-Village area don’t have to rely on classes to score some music education. There are plenty of great music academies in the Tri-Village area outside of the school system.

Musicologie in Grandview offers music classes for children as young as 6 months old, ensuring your child learns to play music or sing as early as they learn to talk. These “junior” lessons consist of learning the basic scales, dancing and singing to music, reading sing-alongs, and playing with age-appropriate instruments.

Kay Barker, founder of Musicologie, says your child is never too young to be exposed to music and reap the developmental benefits that come with music education.

“It’s music education in the way that a toddler and an infant can really absorb,” Barker says. “There have been studies that show that it actually increases the number of neural pathways in your brain.”

For children ages 8 to 18, School of Rock Columbus offers not only oneon-one classes, but the opportunity to practice and perform with other aspiring musicians in a band.

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School of Rock Columbus music instructors Chad Greenwald, Russell Miller and Stuart McGachan hold degrees in

education and music performance, and all have their own experience in their own bands. Their music school focuses heavily

on group practices in addition to one-onone instruction. They believe learning as a group has added benefits for the young musicians.

Each child learns a song and chooses an instrument in their one-on-one classes and their instructors sort them into bands accordingly.

“Learning skills in a private setting doesn’t really make sense until you’re in the band,” Greenwald says. “It’s kind of

Music instructors (left to right) Russell Miller, Stuart McGachan and Chad Greenwald sit in School of Rock Columbus’ student lounge.

Photos by Maisie Fitzmaurice

School of Rock offers a program for students to perform in a band together.

like soccer lessons one-on-one; it doesn’t really make sense until we actually play with another team.”

The program culminates in the opportunity to perform together live at various venues around central Ohio.

McGachan says School of Rock Columbus students who participate in a band are more likely to stick with their instrument even after they stop attending.

Miller says another huge benefit of the group band program is students learn valuable performance skills that can give them more confidence on a stage. It’s also a great way to get children comfortable performing in front of an audience from a young age.

“They’re learning all the things that I didn’t know when I took the stage for the first time,” Miller says. “I didn’t know where to look, I didn’t know how to not be nervous, I didn’t know this stuff. That gives them something to look forward to, having shows coming up that they’re excited about, that just creates some happiness and some motivation.”

Music instructors at School of Rock Columbus and Musicologie agree that music lessons help foster children’s self-esteem and autonomy, as they progress and realize their capabilities and potential.

“The more you learn the more it feeds (confidence), and then that confidence spreads out in other places in your life,” Miller says.

Learning and playing with peers can teach students to be more accepting of others and better collaborators. Greenwald says the creative environment is welcoming to all students, and allows students to be their true selves in a safe and accepting setting.

“We have a lot of non-binary kids, people that are all part of the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and they feel like this is a safe space for them. This is a place where they can actually live their truth,” says Greenwald.

Maisie Fitzmaurice is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

2023 Parade of Homes

The Parade of Homes returns to feature the best new home builds across the Columbus area. Prospective homeowners and home enthusiasts are invited to tour the diverse selection of builds featured in the parade from single-family builds fit for new homeowners and empty nesters alike as well as townhomes, condos and 55+ living communities curated to a more relaxed and spacious lifestyle.

Prioritizing access to outdoor spaces, community amenities and local schools is a trend across builders in the parade. Homes in Grove City feature large outdoor living spaces and proximity to K-12 schools. A living community from M/I Homes offers ranch-style builds with open floor plans, natural lighting and a cool color palette throughout. A community pool, low-maintenance living, and access to local walking paths make the community ideal for older adults looking to kick back and enjoy nature.

Traveling further Northwest, homes in Westerville feature ranch-style, single-family builds with easy commutes to down-

town Columbus and proximity to local parks and shopping centers. These builds feature open-concept floor plans and modern farmhouse exteriors and a clean, modern finish inside. Additionally, farmhouse townhomes in both Westerville and Dublin showcase bright and airy interior designs for builds geared toward young professionals.

BE A WINNER VISIT THE PARADE OF HOMES

Thursdays – Sundays

September 21 – 24, September 28 – October 1, October 5 – 8

www.biaparade.com

Find the Blue Ribbon Feature & Scan to Win! Locate the BLUE RIBBON in each Parade home, then scan to WIN amazing prizes

Every Parade home showcases fascinating features and interesting details, but one element is a winner. Look for the blue ribbon that designates that feature in each home. Scan the QR code next to it and you get registered for a chance to WIN.

There’s a unique QR code in each home – so you have multiple chances to WIN! The more homes you visit and the more times you register – the better your chances are to WIN discounts and / or gift cards from the sponsors:

A recent study conducted by the city and The Ohio State University reveals that Upper Arlington residents value walkability in their living communities. To see how walkability and active living can be incorporated into a community design, visit a 55+ living community in New Albany that prioritizes mobile lifestyles with community pickleball and bocce courts, a fitness center and nearby park system trails. These builds feature flex spaces and an open-concept layout for easy entertaining.

Take the week to follow the parade from Delaware to Pickerington, stopping at homes in Hilliard, Dublin, Westerville, Grove City and more from Sept. 21-Oct. 8. Whether you are looking to find your next home or get inspiration for your next home makeover, the Parade showcases the latest in home design trends and innovation.

Katie Giffin is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

Photos courtesy of BIA

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO VIEW THE PARADE MAP VISIT BIAPARADE.COM

THURSDAY-SUNDAY; SEPTEMBER 21ST-OCTOBER 8TH, 2023

Festive Fuel

Grandview Heights Pumpkin Run and a festive, healthy pre-race snack

On the morning of Oct. 21, runners, walkers and spectators will once again take to the streets of Grandview Heights for the Great Pumpkin Run. Now in its 44th year, the race is established as an annual fall tradition that cultivates a sense of community and supports the city’s many public services.

The Run is a 5K on an out-and-back road course with some slight elevation changes. The course starts and finishes at Grandview Heights Middle School on Oakland Avenue.

This event is fun for the whole family with a free kid’s Tiny Tot Pumpkin Trot for children aged 6 years and under. The trot begins at 8:30 a.m. and the run begins at 9 a.m.

Michael Patterson, director of Grandview Heights Parks and Recreation, says the long-standing event is a great way to celebrate the season and promote health and wellness.

“It’s a tradition for families,” Patterson says. “We have folks who have actually done all 44 races either as run participants or volunteers.”

Running or walking a little over three miles can be hard work, but that doesn’t mean participants can’t have fun while doing it – and Great Pumpkin Run runners and walkers certainly do.

“We always encourage people if they want to dress up. Some get festive, creative costumes that runners choose to go with,” Patterson says.

Those who want to cheer on their loved ones or just join in the excitement can spectate along the course and at the start/finish line. Once participants cross the finish line they are greeted with a medal and free goodies from various race sponsors.

Last year, 312 participants finished and every cent raised goes to the city’s shared fund that helps maintain the public service departments in the city of Grandview Heights, such as parks and recreation, fire, and waste.

Maisie Fitzmaurice is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

The Great Pumpkin Energy Balls

Pumpkin is abundant in fiber, vitamin A, phytosterols, antioxidants and potassium, making it a perfect food for runners and walkers. These easy no-bake pumpkin energy balls make a great snack to enjoy an hour before the race or as a sweet recovery reward once you finish.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• ¼ cup ground flaxseed

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves

• A pinch of sea salt

• ½ cup creamy almond butter

• ¼ cup pumpkin

• ¼ cup honey

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

• Combine your dry ingredients –oats, flaxseed, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt – on low speed until all ingredients are completely blended. Stand mixer is recommended, but you can mix manually with a spatula if needed.

• Next, add your wet ingredients –almond butter, pumpkin, honey and vanilla extract. Continue mixing until wet and dry ingredients are combined into a dough.

• Mix in chocolate chips, if you desire.

• Put two tablespoons worth of batter into your hand and gently roll and shape into a ball. Repeat. You should end up with about 12 balls.

• Once you have all your balls shaped, you can keep them in the fridge for about a week. Storing them in an airtight container is the best way to keep them fresh.

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Top homes sold in the Tri-Village area

The price of Upper Arlington homes was down 3.1 percent in June 2023 in comparison to last year, with the median price being $630K. On average, homes in Upper Arlington sold after 32 days of being on the market compared to 34 last year. A total of 91 homes were sold in June this year, up from 83 last year.

The price of Grandview Heights homes was down 8.1 percent in June 2023 in comparison to last year, with the median price being $485K. On average, homes in Grandview Heights sold after 34 days of being on the market compared to 34 last year. A total of 11 homes were sold in June this year, down from 16 last year.

All information is collected from the Franklin County Auditor’s Office and Redfin.

4635 Hull Farm Ln.

5 beds, 5.5 baths

$2,460,000 Sold 6/2/23

1998 Cambridge Blvd.

6 beds, 4.5 baths

$2,375,000 Sold 6/9/23

2396 Club Rd.  4 beds, 4.5 baths  $2,117,731 Sold 7/19/23

2814 Exmoor Rd.  3 beds, 3 baths  $2,100,000 Sold 7/3/23

2240 Tewksbury Rd.  4 beds, 5.5 baths  $1,999,999 Sold 6/26/23

2079 Guilford Rd.  4 beds, 2.5 baths  $1,800,000 Sold 7/7/23

4130 Mountview Rd.  5 beds, 5 baths  $1,725,000 Sold 7/6/23

2292 Dorset Rd.  4 beds, 4.5 baths  $1,425,000 Sold 6/5/23

2040 Tremont Rd.  4 beds, 2.5 baths  $1,425,000 Sold 6/30/23

4884 Stonehaven Dr.  5 beds, 5 baths $1,400,000 Sold 6/30/23

2 Stonegate Village Dr.  4 beds, 3.5 baths  $1,400,000 Sold 7/13/23

2475 Billiton Ct.  4 beds, 3 baths  $1,350,000 Sold 6/1/23

Youth Books

B is for Bananas by Carrie Tillotson

A is for Awake. but B is for Bedtime. When the narrator of this alphabet book tries to make it a bedtime book, Banana objects. Bedtime is BORING! And Banana is the star of this book, so it should really be called B is for Bananas instead. Journey through all the letters of the alphabet in this laugh-out-loud story.

How Dinosaurs Went Extinct

by Ame Dyckman

When a child in a museum asks how dinosaurs became extinct, Dad comes up with a list of silly answers. A hilarious “safety guide” for ages 3-5.

School Trip by Jerry Craft

Jordan, Drew, Liam, Maury and their friends from Riverdale Academy Day School are heading off on a school trip to Paris. As an aspiring artist himself, Jordan can’t wait to see all the amazing art in the famous City of Lights. But when their trust-

ed faculty guides are replaced at the last minute, the school trip takes an unexpected – and hilarious – turn. Trying to find their way around a foreign city ends up being almost as tricky as navigating the same friendships, fears and differences that they struggle with at home.

The Great Mathemachicken 2: Have a Slice Day

by Nancy Krulik

In this first chapter book, a chick and duckling learn about fractions, tally marks and pizza while sharing what they have learned back at the coop. Includes recipe for pizza muffin treats.

Adult Books

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann

David Grann has written another nonfiction that reads like a fiction thriller. The Wager is well-researched and well-told. Grann’s vivid writing transports the reader back to the 1700s and the extreme working conditions sailors endured. This book has it all: life at sea, a shipwreck, mutiny, survival and murder. Grann attempts to get to the truth after researching the various versions of the survivors.

Someone Else’s Shoes

by Jojo Moyes

Well-written with three-dimensional characters, abundant detail and lots of humor, Someone Else’s Shoes tells the story of two women who accidentally switch shoes at a gym in London. Confusion and connections ensue. The story recognizes the importance of friendships that sustain us through hard times.

Purple Lotus by Veena Rao

Through the eyes of an immigrant woman raised in both Asia and the United States, author Veena Rao brings a fresh perspective on feminist issues. Raised with South Asian societal norms regarding love, family and marriage, Tara endures many levels of abuse from childhood to her marriage. Living as a married woman in Atlanta, Tara begins a long journey to break tradition, and seek love and happiness as an independent woman.