As you may know, we’re currently raising money via Kickstarter to create our dream project about the city we love so much: Columbus, Ohio. We are connoisseurs of Columbus here at Available Light. We love our city not for its own sake, but for the great variety of incredible culture(s) it hosts, and for the fact that (as our friend Leigh Householder once said,) “You’re basically guaranteed to be rubbing elbows with an artist whether you’re shopping the North Market or noshing on Hyde Park steaks.”
Here are Top Ten lists from seven of Columbus’s biggest fans. And we want to know – What’s on your Top Ten? Post up in the comments and share the love.
Jaylene’s Top Ten Playgrounds:
10. Fancyburg Park- Upper Arlington
9. Goodale Park
8. Emerald City Park- Dublin
7. Selby Park- Worthington
6. Park of Roses
5. North Orange Park- Delaware
4. Homestead Park
3. Millstone Creek
2. Scioto Mile
1. Audubon Park
Eleni’s Top Ten Columbus navigational landmarks for when I inevitably get lost:
10. Columbus Water Tower
9. Welcome to Franklinton mural
8. COSI
7. CCAD Art sculpture
6. Main Street bridge
5. American Gothic mural
4. Low flying airplanes
3. Budweiser Brewery building
2. All branches of the Columbus libraries
1. That beautiful Columbus skyline
Michelle’s Top 10 Reasons I love my hometown
10. Huntington Park Home of the Columbus Clippers
9. #1 Library system in they country (yay CML!)
8. COSI – #1 hands on sciences museum in the US
7. Amazing historic neighborhoods – German Village, Italian Village, Grandview, Eastmoor, Beechwold , Bexley
6. Amazing art collections – CMA, Pizzuti, Wexner, Chihuly at Franklin Park
5. Our Metro Parks- Highbanks, Blendon Woods, 3 Creeks, etc
4. OSU Football and Basketball … Especially Women’s bball
3. Home of Jenis Splendid Ice Cream
2. Columbus Zoo- #1 zoo in the nation
1. Available Light Theatre
Ian’s Top 10 favorite Columbus places:
10. Golden Delight Bakery (fresh strawberry cream cake)
9. Studio II at the Riffe Center
8. BalletMet
7. Northstar Restaurants
6. Dublin Lifetime Fitness pool
5. Mission Coffee
4. Luck Brothers Coffee
3. The Book Loft
2. Park of Roses
1. Harvest Pizza
Elena’s Top 10 Favorite places for Pre and/or Post show food and beverages:
10. The Sycamore
9. Red Brick Tap and Grill
8. Union
7. South Bend
6. Jimmy V’s in German Village
5. Harvest Pizza
4. The Walrus
3. Philco
2. Old Towne Tavern
1. Little Palace
Acacia’s Top Ten Columbus desserts I can’t resist:
10. Pattycake Bakery- Snickerdoodle Cookie
9. Omega Artisan Bakery- Cinnamon Roll
8. Destination Donuts- Strawberry Buttermilk Nibblers
7. Till Dynamic Fare- Beignets
6. Lindey’s- Key Lime Pie
5. DK Diner- Plain glazed cake donuts
4. Northstar- Dark Chocolate Truffle Cookie
3. Pure Imagination Chocolates- Dark Relic
2. Pistacia Vera- My wedding cake (and Lavender Shortbread)
1. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams- Askinosie Dark Milk Chocolate
Matt’s Top Ten Places I’m grateful to have in Columbus:
10. Rogue Fitness
9. The Laughing Ogre
8. Paradise Garage
7. The Roosevelt Coffeehouse
6. Spoonful Records
5. Mission Coffee Co.
4. Columbus Libraries (specifically downtown, now closed for renovations)
3. Luck Bros Coffee
2. 400 West Rich
1. The Wexner Center for the Arts
Drew’s Favorite Places in Columbus (with a casual suggestion of when to be there):
10. Comfest …I’m a fan of the comedown on Sunday evening. The music is still going strong, but the blankets are out and the food lines are short.
9. The Shoe … October afternoon games are the best. We’re in the Big 10 schedule, and that perfect fall clip is in the air.
8. Harvest Pizzeria … The porch after nightfall, when it’s cool enough to wear a sweater.
7. Audobon Metro Dog Park … Whenever there’s energy to burn.
6. Tigertree … A day or two before his birthday.
5. Adriadico’s New York Style Pizze … Your budget birthday party.
4. Bat-n-Rouge Softball Game … It’s all about the pre game banter. Hilarious.
3. Drexel Theater – Bexley … I tend to go during Oscar season, Saturday, 11:00 AM showing, with a coffee. You get the hardcore moviegoers and will not hear a cellphone.
2. Little Palace … After a show with the Available Light family.
1. The Book Loft/Schiller Park (double feature) … Take your time shopping then stop on a park bench for Chapter 1.
NOW YOU …
Our beautiful Columbus Skyline at night
The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
Stauf’s & Cup O Joes
Red Door Tavern & Arch City Tavern
The Laughing Ogre & Packrat Comics
S.P.A.C.E. & CXC
Wild Goose Creative
All the Libraries
All the Parks
Available Light Theatre!
Top 10 places to run in and around Columbus.
1) HighBanks Metro Park
2) Three Creeks Metro Park
3) Olentangy Trail through Worthington
4) Sharon Woods Metro Park
5) Hoover Reservoir
6) Alum Creek State Park
7) Scioto Trail from Merion Village to Grandview
8) Alum Creek Trail South past Bexley
9) New Albany Golf Course
10) Westerville bike path system
Best Burgers in town, ranked by my tastebuds!
10. Wendy’s Single (with cheese, no lettuce, no tomato!)
9. Broccoli Burger @ Whole World Bakery
8. The Thurmanator @ Thurman’s
7. Tofu Sliders @ Cray
6. Columubus’ own Luna Burger @ The Crest
5. The Standard Burger (or a build-your-own burger) @ Bareburger
4. All-American Burger @ Harvest Pizzeria
3. The Northstar Burger @ Northstar Cafe
2. Phillips Jr. @ Philco
1. The (infamous) Pepper Burger @ O’Reilly’s Pub
Top 10 Favorite Pictures of Columbus
1. The skyline from the steps of COSI
2. The big open flower-filled fields along the bike path through The Park of Roses
3. Corner of 18th and Oak with the Olde Town East mural and the delightfully revitalized, yet not gentrified, street
4. The bizarrely wonderful old houses along Bryden’s canopied boulevard streets
5. The waterfalls and footbridges on the Franklin Park Conservatory grounds
6. Comfest (really anywhere – but Gazebo Stage area to start)
7. The big old railroad overpass on Broad Street near Bexley
8. Peeking down into North Market from the second floor
9. Cobblestone streets of German Village
10. Up High Street, through all the Short North arches
here’s my list, not in any ranked order — theatre first, of course!
Available Light Theatre
Short North Playhouse
Evolution Theatre
Columbus Civic Theatre
Columbus Metropolitan Libraries
Whole World Restaurant and Bakery
Portia’s Cafe
Clintonville Community Market
Deaf School Park
Whetstone Park of Roses
City of Grandview Heights
Park of Roses
Studio 35
Schiller Park
The Rossi
Philco
Curio
Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza
3rd and Hollywood
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