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Short Northern
Exposure
by P. Susan Sharrock
July 1999 - September 2000
September 2000
Please join us in welcoming some new members to the Short North Business Association. Those attending the General Membership meetings on a regular basis have had the pleasure of meeting Kimberly Lee-Minor who will be opening her new boutique Kloth sometime in September, located in the former site of The Cookware Sorcerer, 658 North High Street. Kimberly describes her new venture as a contemporary lifestyle boutique featuring new designer collections for men and women. Shop hours will be Tues. thru Sat. 11am - 7 pm and Sun. 12 - 5 pm at start up. For the past few weeks, Kimberly has had her blue blinds closed, so I think many of us are eager to see this new addition when the doors swing open and blinds go up. If you'd like more info, call 614-251-0889 or e-mail klee@columbus.rr.com.As well, a long-time favorite in the neighborhood, Harrison House Bed & Breakfast has joined the Association. The lovely, comfy, nearly constantly booked B&B is owned by Sandy Davis. We had the opportunity to check out every single room while stopping by a few weeks ago to drop off the brand spanking new Short North Visitors Guide. I was too late to slide up to the breakfast table, but the aroma was still there. You can contact Sandy at 614-421-2202, drop by in person at 313 West Fifth Avenue (plenty of parking in the rear), or visit the Web at columbus-bed-breakfast.com. Chances are you can also set your sights on room availability at 50 Lincoln, our other home away from home for travelers or any of us just looking for someone else to make the breakfast and bed.
Dr. Daniel J. Koch has put the very last coat of paint, planted the last tall grass, and hung the final lighting fixture for his beautiful new Columbus Eyeworks. He makes the most of the corner site at 1127 North High Street @ Fourth Avenue in the old Caravan Bar. Walk by, drive by. If you can't see in and be tempted by all the very hottest and (no doubt) practical frames, then maybe you need to make an appointment. Contact Dan at 614-421-2020 (Great number, right?) or on his Web site, columbuseyeworks.com. Dandy new half glasses are about to arrive from Denmark! Get in line.
Concord Capital Charette
And, it was the cherry on a Great Sundae when we opened the mail just one week following Joseph Recchie's dynamic presentation at the August General Membership Meeting. We now can count Concorde Capital Corporation among our members. This full-service real estate developer has offices located at 1349 East Broad Street, but their presence is being dramatically felt very close by already as pre-charettes have begun.Larke Recchie sends along this message to our readers: "We want to stress our eagerness to get community input all during the development process. Concorde Capital Corporation wants to hear from you about the proposed new development of Jeffrey Place, east of Fourth Street at First Avenue. This 43-acre site, formerly the Jeffrey Mining Company, is currently vacant. Concorde is working on a charette process that actively seeks community input for the design team that will be forming the plans for this exciting new development. Many opportunities for input will be available including public meetings, live chat lines, and a Web site. Call Concorde Capital at 324-0829 or e-mail jeffreyplace@concorde-capital.com to give your thoughts about what would make a dynamic new neighborhood design. The public is welcome to the formal charette scheduled September 12 - 14. You will be hearing more from Concorde Capital as plans develop." There you go. Your chance to have a say and get up close and personal with a great new addition to the Near North-side. Again, thanks so much to Joe for his very informa-tive talk. And, thanks to Chuck Palmer of Feinknopf Macioce Schappa for bringing him to our attention.
Meet Members
Likewise, if you missed that meeting, you missed the chance to meet the entire new Short North Special Improvement District (SID) staff. Thanks to the many businesses who have offered relief to our SID workers. We appreciate your cooperation with this program. The SID workers are out there on the streets everyday. They don't have an office. So, any offer of coffee or a dry place during a rainstorm is always appreciated. Speaking of our cleanup program, Mark Krausz's litter squad has not yet hit the streets. Paperwork and summer interns at the Franklin County Municipal Court caused the program to drag on to a September start. Be on the lookout. You'll certainly recognize them. Mark will be right there with them.And, if you didn't get the chance to hear first-hand from Kent Rigsby, all SNBA members should be checking their mailboxes very soon for enticements and give-backs from one of the pioneers of the Short North. We simply can't give details. Perhaps this might entice you to join the Association and attend a membership meeting! Suffice to say that Rigsby's Cuisine Volatile will continue to be a landmark restaurant in the Short North for all of us for many years to come. Good luck to Kent and Tasi as they venture on to break newer ground at Miranova. We'll be just fine in the fabulous Short North with Rigsby's, K2U, and Eleni.
Stinger Sightings
Just a few days and counting second by second until the Blue Jackets hit the ice and gazillions of people hit our urban digs. Chances are you'll see all kinds of signs of Blue Jacket action in the Short North. Wendy Peterson will be the guest speaker at the September General Membership Meeting. And with that, count on hearing about all kinds of Stinger sightings: during Hops, in shops, enjoying just about anything blue he/she can get. There is a huge do-it-up Blue campaign going on. We've been encouraged to jump on the bandwagon with Blue drinks at the bar. Blue soaps, candles, cards, books. Blue mashed potatoes even. Who will have the courage to give that a try. But, you can bet Stinger and the Team will find it and spotlight it. Already, we hear from Mary Martineau at Transformations that she has an entire Blue window planned for the Labor Day Hop.Many thanks to Barbara Jennings, Tracy Moran, Pat Grosek, Jennifer McNally, and Denny Griffith for hosting a Columbus College Of Art and Design/SNBA mixer-that-wouldn't-end in August.
The hospitality was great, the company stimulating, the food ... (we all tried to take home what was left of the artichoke log), and of course, the brilliant exhibitions: 121st Annual Student Exhibition and Best of Senior Thesis Works at the Canzani Center. The evening was great, contacts were made, projects mulled, our community grew closer. The spirit of the evening was greatly enhanced by appetizers generously donated by Frezno, Dagwoodz, and Press Grille. You must order the artichoke log!
Coleman, Cake, California
Delicious pastries compliments of Piece Of Cake and a handful of our dynamic new Short North Visitor Guides flew directly into the hands of Michael Coleman as he attended the National Democratic Convention Monday, August 14. We tried to get the treats to the Coleman troupe before they jetted to California, but missed that flight by a day. A few hours after talking with his very on-the-ball receptionist Jeri Woodson and offering her the pastries, we received a call from her saying that there happened to be some materials that would be jetted out that day. One or two pastries shy, that box and bundle landed in LA so that Mayor Coleman has some extra incentives for the West Coast, Arnold, and the Disney folk to film right here in the fabulous Short North. We knew the Mayor was pitching Columbus; and we know very well, he loves his neighborhoods. Get in line for that first casting call! Thanks, Jeri for your hard work on our behalf!Paws in the Park
This just in from the Capital Area Humane Society: "Get ready for another exquisite night of din-ing, shop hopping, and bidding on one of Columbus' greatest silent auctions. September 15, the outstanding Paws In The Park event includes a shop hop in the Short North Arts District, a gourmet dinner, and silent auction at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The shop hop features all that the Short North's eclectic stores have to offer. Here you'll enjoy works of art at ACE Gallery, furniture unlike any other from Functional Furnish-ings, nick-knacks from your favorite stores such as LOOT and many others. Musical entertainment, mouthwatering appetizers and libations are offered in shops along the way. The diverse silent auction at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral following the shop hop will offer something for everyone. Bid on items such as leather furniture, weekend getaways, a hot-air balloon ride, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Zoo, tasteful jewelry, and many unique items for the home from the Short North's own shops." So, if you are a shop owner that hasn't gotten in on the fabulous Paws In The Park, contact Kim Butters at Planet Pet, 297-6717 and if you live, work, play in the Short North, think about attending and give a call to Joanna at CAHS, 777-7387 ext 2211. Either way, it is an extremely fun, exciting, dynamic, impor-tant night in the Short North no matter if you've got a pet or not. See you there.
Kaline Carter
Get ready, get set, grab enough for a cup of java, get plenty of sleep the night before and then, at 12:01 am on September 19 have your debit card in hand for Madonna's Music at Midnight. Call Kaline Carter at An Open Book, 291-0080 for the details. This will be the very first chance in the City to listen to her first new album since 1998.
Luck to Dan Lui
We suppose that every now and then, you'll want to explore the City well beyond our Near Northside. Consider one of those expeditions to be out East, not far, maybe five miles to Su Lan, Dan Liu's newest adventure in dining. Somehow, you'll have to juggle your sure-to-be love affair with the sister to our very own, perfectly perfect Haiku. A few weeks ago, I heard Su Lan was slated to open in 60 days. Stop by Haiku for supper and check with the staff. They'll certainly have all the up-to-date information. Good luck to Dan and his crew.
N. Park Purchase
Congratulations to longtime SNBA member, Columbus Children's Theatre. In late July, Managing Director Patricia Shannon announced that 512 North Park Street would be purchased from the Kitsmiller Family of Canal Winchester thanks to a gracious gift from Olga and Doug Borror. The Borror family are huge fans of the theatre organization, private supports, and Olga has been on the board for several years. She stands to become President of the Board following Mike Doyle's current term. Many Short North residents will long remember the small 175-seat theatre as home to CATCO which moved to the Riffe Center four years ago. So happy for this!
Dynamic Duo
"Best Effort by a Merchant During the August Gallery Hop": Mary Martineau who spent well over two hours on her hands and knees making chalk art on the sidewalk to entice people just a little further north. It worked. Everyone was talking about it. Way to Go Mary! "Best Wait Staff in Town for an Early Morning Meeting": Union Station Video Cafe. They make magic happen every first Wednesday of the month. The lunch crowd that crowds in at 11 am would never know what they've been through. Thanks guys!
Phone Frenzy
In the fifteen months since we've been with the SNBA and sitting at the telephone that rang into 421-1030 (note below our new contact information), we've received hundreds of calls from people looking for something. We think it is exciting, gratifying, amazing, that nearly every single person was connected with what he/she wanted. Here is a sampling. Callers (and e-mailers) were asking for:
a place to start a business, a chance to model ties, bumper stickers, champagne glasses, vintage jewelry, opportunities, apartments, help, a place to have a wedding, rehearsal party, a wedding dress, Christmas Party, tarot readings, piercing places, reunion party, gargoyles, flags, a Smokey Brown painting, the recipe for a bumbleberry pie, a haircut. anything handmade in Ohio, a photographer, that Shabby Chic store, a hardware store, White Castles of course , replacement lights for building lights, secondhand furniture, futons, beads, directions, Chilhuly anything, Rainbow anything, handmade Italian furniture, a fifteen minute delicious meal, a place to hang out, hippos,any and every kind of music, how to get a hold of Tommy Thomson, where to find a Short North Gazette, knives, sushi, pasta, bologna sandwiches, a place to learn framing, breakfast at 7 am. olive oil, photography classes, an easel, that place that has the.... , Mona, the HOP
MEETINGS/EVENTS/DEADLINES
September 2: Gallery Hop, 6-10 pm or longer up and down High with CD101 broadcasting Live and In Person at Brian Boru's. Will you see Stinger? Also, Red Herring Theatre Company will celebrate its arrival in the Short North with An Open House Party from 6:00 to 11:00 pm at the newly christened Short North Playhouse at 736 North Pearl Street.
September 6: SNBA General Membership Meeting @ 9:30 am @ Union Station Video Cafe. TOPIC: Holiday Hop Low-Down
September 9 and 10: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill at the beautiful new Nationwide Arena. This is the kick-off show. Be prepared to greet and serve all the people that we hope will want to wine, dine, and shop while they're parked.
September 12: Italian Village Society, 7:30 pm at the Short Stop Teen Center.
September 14: Victorian Village Commis-sion Meeting, 6:00 pm at the Goodale Park Shelter House.
September 16: Paws in the Park, 6-10 pm, up and down High Street.
September 17: Victorian Village Tour of Homes & Gardens, 10 am - 6 pm.
September 19: Italian Village Commis-sion Meeting, 6:15 pm at 109 North Front Street.
September 20: Board of Trustees, 9:30 am at the SNBA Office, 120 West Goodale, 228-8050.
September 21: Victorian Village Society Meeting, 7:00 pm at the Goodale Park Shelter House.
September 29 - October 1: St. John's Italian Festival. Fri. 4 pm- 11 pm; Sat. Noon-11 pm; Sun. Noon - 8 pm. You've been there. You love it. Come again. For info, contact Margaret Panico at 846-9651.
September 30: 10th Annual ACME Art Auction @ RPA/Smith Bros Hardware.
October 4: SNBA General Membership Meeting @ 9:30 am @ Union Station Video Cafe.
October 5: Reality Theatre's season opener, Closer, at the Short North Playhouse, call 294-7541 for curtain times.
Parking Pointers
Enjoy comfortable, convenient parking in the Convention Center 200-space surface lot at Goodale Avenue East of High or the 900-space brand new parking garage on Vine Street West of High. Special Hop Flat Rate: $5! Or tune in to CD101 Saturday night for advice! Look for more and more parking garages to open up in the Arena District. Just a HOP, skip, and jump across 1-670 to the Arts District!
Transition Time
We moved! The Short North Business Association has at long last departed the address it's held for over seven years when, in February 1993, then executive director Cleve Ricksecker negotiated a generous lease with Doctors Hospital at 40 West Third Avenue. Very special thanks go to Lenny Zangardi and the staff of Strategic Mortgage, the current owner of 40 West Third, for their kind and generous offer of office space over the past ten months.
The SNBA office is now leasing space in the Goodale Park Residence House, managed by the Victorian Village Society in an agreement with the City of Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks. The Short North Special Improvement District (SID) office is also located in the Residence House. Both agencies are located on the second floor of the building. Please update your files accordingly. Than you for your patience and cooperation during this transition.
Please make note of our new contact information.
Short North Business Association, 120 West Goodale Street, 43215-2357, Telephone: (614) 228-8050, Fax: (614) 228-8035, E-Mail: snbacols@aol.com
August 2000 issueGoodale Park looked beautiful, pristine, green and clean on Monday, July 3. There is no way in the world anyone could have imagined the thousands of people that had converged there for music, art, community, fun, and naturally plenty of brew, just hours before. I don't usually travel to the SNBA basement office via Park Street, but made a point of taking this route to see for myself if the ComFest volunteers could possibly have kept their word of returning Goodale Park to its same glory (if not even better) than before the gargantuan set up began the Wednesday prior. They did it! No kidding. I was driving by at 8 am and not only did I not see a bit of debris that could have been linked to ComFest, I saw someone out there with a trash bag walking about the Park searching for trash. Her bag was darn near empty. Our beautiful park was beautiful.
I left the Fest the evening before after my shift announcing musical acts at the Poplar Street Stage (by the way thanks for all the support and assistance from the Orbit Design team and a hand from WCBE). The place was jamming, rocking, swinging, humming, grooving. And, somehow in the middle of the night it all went away. All the people, all the beer stands, the generators, the stages, the trash, all the left-behinds, all gone. Like magic. While I wasn't there for those final hours and can't shine a spotlight of thanks to all the people who bent over to pick up and clean up, I can acknowledge the efforts of Andy Klein who handled Neighborhood Relations, Candy Watkins who coordinated Street Fair (did you notice the wonderful Russell Street passage this year, so many people to thank for that effort), and Micki Pike who masterminded Volunteer Coordination. It was a huge weekend with Gallery Hop, the DooDah Parade, and Red White & Boom landing in the Short North district right on top of ComFest. Looks like everyone survived as well as the Park. Relax though. The next three year's ComFests have been booked in Goodale Park the weekend before Gallery Hop. If you'd like to communicate with anyone from ComFest, send an e.mail to me and I'll connect you. I know they all are interested in your feedback.
Street Sweep
Quick, grab a pencil and circle August 1 on the calendar. Sometime that day encourage every and anyone along High Street, merchants and residents alike, to a) move their cars and b) move any trash you can't pick up and dispose of appropriately to the street. August 2 is the second of only three street cleanings on High Street between Goodale and Fifth Avenue. After August 3, we should be able to boast that this one-mile strip is one of the very cleanest, most attractive, pedestrian worthy in the City. And, of course it is only getting better and better. Do your part and be ready for the street cleaners to do their work.
Wood Work
In addition to your efforts in bringing High Street to its glory, we can thank The Wood Companies for the many fresh coats of paint we've seen go up over the past month on their High Street properties. Loot simply gleams. All the merchants in the Carriage House sparkle. And, those urns beautifully planted with geraniums and petunias didn't just appear by magic. We can thank The Wood Companies for that too. Their wonderful, caring, generous signature can be spotted at Second Avenue too in front of the Lanning Gallery, Planet Pet, and Transforma-tions. Residents, visitors, merchants and Snappers clients can appreciate The Wood Companies efforts along Lincoln as they make their way to visit the perfectly lighted Mona on Pearl Street.
Cleanup Crusade
By now we trust many of you have noticed the dramatic difference in High Street from Goodale to King. Last month, I mentioned that Deb Rodenfels and Linda Lucks of Victorian Gate beat the clock by earning the first gardening callouses while cleaning up the "Welcome to the Short North" sign at Goodale and High. There were just hours ahead of the newest wave of improvements to hit High. Short North Special Improvement District Director Tim Wagner within a month assembled his staff of two bright orange tee-shirted "improvement specialist." You may have seen them and not known it. But you can meet them up close and personal at the August 2 General Membership Meeting. Tim hopes that in the next few months everyone will know Mary Miller and Steven Fox. Many of you might already know Mary, a brilliant ceramic artist whose most visible work (besides her recent petunia plantings along municipal parking lots these past weeks) is the public ceramic art at the Second Avenue School. We hope you'll come by the meeting on Wednesday. But, look for a profile on Mary in the next issue of the Gazette. Transformations' Mary Martineau has already signed on to take that task. With luck, I'll get her to profile Steven, who is a student of music (bass, cello, and mandolin at The OSU). When you see them out there working the streets, give them a thumbs up or a cup of coffee.
In addition to the enormous impact of the new SID staff, we have a member among us to thank profusely for putting his own elbow grease, time, talents and a bit of cash where it counts. Right up front. Mark Krausz, whose Russell Street business Falcon Paymaster is a continuing member of the Short North Business Association, decided his letter campaign to the City wasn't as effective as he'd hoped it would be in clearing rubbish and weeds from our municipal lots, alleyways, and the lost in-between parts of this urban landscape. So, he paid attention to what was appearing in the press and contacted Judge Richard Pfeiffer's Environmental Court. He got the attention of Chief Environmental Specialist Frank Gill and together, with the support of the Business Association, put together an aggressive, determined, specific, there-is-an-end-in-sight, bureaucracy-free "Envi-ronmental Court Littler Clean Up Program" to benefit all of us, including the participants from the court side.
In President Ray Brown's letter to SNBA members, he writes, "This program will provide us with people who have opted for community service to satisfy court-ordered punishment for environmental and other class III misdemeanors. They will be supervised with the objec-tive of systematically cleaning up litter, weeds, etc. on public and non-profit property in the entire Short North area. If Mark calls upon you with a request, we hope you will give him every courtesy in an effort to make this wonderful program a success." If you are interested in knowing more about this program, please contact me. I'm happy to put you in touch with Mark as well. With his efforts, the continuing work of the SID, and our own attentiveness to a clean, welcoming neighborhood, the Short North will certainly be a model for all other revitalized urban districts. In advance, thanks for everything Mark!
And thanks to Jeff Redfield and Stonewall Columbus for being the first to step up to plate in response to our request for a hand with the Litter Clean Up Program. He is offering the use of the Center for bathroom breaks and place to hang out if needed. We are looking for other businesses who can offer a glass of water or soda, maybe a pizza or plate of hot dogs from time to time. In addition, we hope to have a roster of businesses who will offer their dumpsters for a bag or two of trash. Call anytime and join in on the goodwill.
Playhouse Partners
Did you read in The Columbus Dispatch that Reality Theatre is partnering with Red Herring Theatre to produce a continuing schedule of plays in what will now be called The Mona Lisa Playhouse. For their schedule and volunteer information, contact Mollie Levin at info@realitytheatre.com.
Date Deadlines
The Columbus Dispatch runs a huge, wonderful reference to area fine and performance arts events. Kathy Fisher is the editor of "The Datebook" and she welcomes your submissions. Each and every week "The Datebook" is published in the Sunday Arts Ohio section and contributes to the Thursday Weekender. Kathy has a very critical deadline coming up and we hope many of you will be mindful of this opportunity to have your gallery opening, dance program, concert series, performance schedule listed in the Fall/Winter/Spring "New Season Guide." That deadline is August 14. You are asked to provide information via snail mail to Kathy at 35 South Third Street 43215, or Fax at 461-7571. If you just can't make that August 14 deadline, give her a call at 461-8891 and she may give you a brief extension.
And, once you've got that under control, you'll be set to get your event listed in the 2001 Spring/Summer Calendar of Events published by the State of Ohio Office of Travel & Tourism. That deadline is Friday, September 1. The 64-page, magazine-style publication will consist of events held from February 2001 - August 2001. You will need a User ID and Password in order to submit your event into the Division's database for inclusion in the 2001 Spring/Summer Calendar of Events. If you don't have a User ID and Password, contact Joy Doty at jdoty@odod.state.oh.us or fax a request (614-466-6744) including your name, phone/fax number, e-mail and a very brief description (a couple of sentences is fine) explaining how you fit into Ohio tourism. A record will be created for you and you will be sent your new User ID and Password along with the simple instructions for submitting your information. Let's get this information in circulation. The more we get the word out on all levels that this is THE arts district, the more people will hit High Street to support, buy, invest in our labors. If you have any questions about the event submission process, please contact Sandra Henderson at the Division at 466-8844. Remember, the deadline for event information to be included in the 2001 Spring/Summer Calendar of Events is Friday, September 1, 2000.
Tour Time
The Victorian Village Tour lives! There will be more details (like special events, tickets, prizes, etc.) in next month's Gazette, but we want to make sure you save the date! Sunday, September 17 from 10 am to 6 pm, lace up your walking shoes, pack up a bottle or two of H2O and hit the bricks and asphalt of the west side of our neighborhood. Ten houses have been selected. Most home are large Victorians, but you'll also explore a small cottage, an in-progress, and an ultra-modern plus their surrounding gardens in all their late summer glory. Last year Dooley & Company Realtors made sure tourists got around the site with added ease by providing a shuttle service. Stand by to learn more about that. But plan now to attend and factor in a break to shop the Short North shops and refresh yourself in our many cafes, restaurants, and pubs.
People Pleasers
Way to go Axis, Little Brother's, Union Station Video Cafe, Havana, Martini's, The Coffee Table, Goodale Park, Leaves Of Grass, Donatos, Haiku, Rigsby's, Curio-A-Gogo, and Short North Tavern! All are winners all the time, but specifically the last week of July (Vol 17, No 29) when they were named among the "Best of Columbus" in the Columbus Alive "Urban Village Guide 2000." Did you miss it? I'll lend you my file copy to read up on the great selection of Short North venues that scored big and, in some cases, more than once. Or, you can check out www.alivewired.com. Congratulations! Thanks to the readers for their votes and to Columbus Alive for the ink and the opportunity to spread the good news.
July Jugglers
Who were those jugglers getting all the attention and cheers in front of Victorian Gate during the July Gallery Hop!? Anyone know? We'd love to welcome them back. There's no finders fee, but we might mention your name if you can locate them.
Congratulations to DooDah Parade Chair Chick Deb Roberts on a lovely demonstration of Independence Day Pride on July 4. I could only witness the Parade from my perch in front of An Open Book, but reports are that darn near all of the parade route was lined with appreciative non-paraders. You regular readers of the Short North Gazette had the benefit of P. Maria Galloway's fun and funny story on the DooDah Parade. If you missed it last month, check out the archival copies of the paper on the Web site. It added so much to my appreciation of the annual event.
7 Buttles Sojourn
Once upon a short time ago, like less than a year, Paul Robinette took over 7 Buttles Avenue moments after Kris Worthington shuffled her watercolors and accoutrements for the home and garden to Joy Nesson's old gallery space on High. At first he said he was going to sell candles. Then, he decided to call his business a candle, coffee cup, and card shop. In the process of setting up shop, he decided to hang a few of his paintings on the wall. Business was doing very well with Paul busy pouring his own candle wax into perfectly simple medicine bottle-like brown and clear glass vessels (and the occasional vintage, flea market find bowl from his mom) with pure oils. He continued with a line of locally produced ceramic cups, candle holders, and complimented the store with his hand-made message cards. Paul decided then to change the name of the store to 7 Buttles, The Short North Candle Company.
Then, all of a sudden, his paintings started flying off the walls and into the hands of eager buyers. Paul decided to focus a bit more on his paintings, featuring them in the display windows right next to Curio-A-Gogo. They flew out even faster. Customers discovering his acrylic works were buying two and three at a time. Then, with the miniscule amount of free time he had, he decided to drag out his digital camera and take a few quick shots of flowers and porch stoops and perched the final product (unframed mind you) on the new baby grand piano he recently moved into the shop. Now they are flying out the window. So, will he be changing the name of 7 Buttles again? You'll have to ask him personally. I can't keep up. But, please take my advice and stop by his fascinating store and get a piece of his art before he decides to raise his affordable prices. He has asked to be considered a gallery now. What next? If you're lucky, you'll stop by during a lull and get him to play you one of his boogie woogies. Check out the daily menu posted under the awning.
Open Book Opens Wallet
An Open Book asked that I pass along the news about discounts! Yep, you don't have to jump in the car, spend time in traffic, and spend cash on gas to get a good deal on literature. Beginning just after Independence Day, the neighborhood bookstore began offering a 20% discount off publisher's list price on hardcover books and 10% discount on paperback books Every Single Day. No need to fret that you might not catch the "sale" on special "sale days." Every day. And, once finished with that tome, if you don't want to keep it to re-read and pass along to loved ones, you can sell it back 11 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday for their new used books section.
Want more information? Call 291-0080 or dial up their new Web site at www.anopenbook.com where you can access 2.4 million titles plus info on the free shipping for the month of August. Oh, and An Open Book has been nominated for the city's Best Bookstore on www.columbus.citysearch.com. The voting booths are open until September 13. Don't forget to vote! While you're there . . . nominate a whole bunch of other Short North businesses that you think deserve the praise!
SNAA
The Short North Arts Association was formed just a very few months ago in April 2000 in the pre-business hours at Studios On High. Judy Hoberg, Teda Theis, Todd Mauritz, Kris Worthington, and P. Maria Galloway got a ball rolling that has picked up some steam, we're happy to report. They talked and figured, and noodled, and brainstormed and came to the conclusion that it was certainly worth their time and effort to take a stab at evening hours in the Short North beyond the celebrated monthly Gallery Hops.
This seed group gathered together a growing group of Short North gallery owners and proprietors of arts-related businesses that shared a primary goal: to promote the arts in the Short North and the Short North as an arts district. Their first promotional campaign aimed to elevate awareness of the Short North arts scene within the community, statewide, regionally, and nationally and elected to keep late night hours on Thursday nights from Memorial Day to Labor Day. They have also been collaborating with the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus College of Art and Design, and the Wexner Center. We are nearing the end of that trial period and by next month at this time we might have some exciting news about a continuing Thursday efforts. So, stand by. And please encourage your friends, family, business associates, barber, insurance agent, doctor, cousin, fellow student, therapist to check out the Short North on Thursdays. Note the schedule below which takes us up to Labor Day. There just might be late night art life beyond Summer in the City. Thanks to the restaurants and retailers who have been so supportive of the work of the Short North Arts Association.
Congratulations to Pete and Chor Vitt on a very nice profile of their Lemongrass, An Asian Bistro in the July 20 issue of the Suburban News Publication. Not only did we learn a bit about Pete and his culinary background, we ended up with a recipe for Grill-baked Rainbow Trout. I kept that recipe, but don't cook, would much prefer to have Chor cook it up for me. But, if you're interested, give me a call. I'll pass it along.
In leafing through the August issue of The Ohio Magazine, I noticed a photo of our very own Howard Nusbaum in the "from the publisher" column. In the column, subtitled "Ohioans on Ohio," Nusbaum suggests that "understanding Ohio is much like the story of the three blind men who had hold of an elephant." I know you'll want to know how that plays out, so either ring up Howard at his office at 692 North High Street, Suite 212 in Carriage Place, where he is the director of the OHIO HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION. Or, pick up the issue at your favorite newsstand... in the Short North. You can reach Howard at 461.6462 for the rest of the story.
SOME MEETING DATES-TIMES
August 1: Street sweeping ALERT! Tomorrow, High Street from Goodale to Fifth Avenue will be swept. This is one of only three sweeps for this section of High Street. Next scheduled street sweep is not until November 1! Plus, 17th Annual National Night Out. First Step: Just decide to leave your porch lights on. When you see the glow of so many lights, you'll know that your neighbors, be they residential or commercial, are teaming together to make crime unwelcome. Thanks to all the merchants and property owners along the High Street corridor who have added architectural lighting. Second Step: Ask your friends and neighbors to do the same. Third Step: Call for more information on crime prevention. It won't cost you a thing, just your time. Your contact is Ted A. Oshodi, Crime Prevention Coordinator @.645-4956.
August 2: General Membership Meeting at 9:30 am at Union Station Video Cafe. TOPIC: Up Close and Personal with Joseph Recchie of Concorde Capital. Be among the very first to learn about the plans for the old Jeffrey Mining site and let the CEO know what you think about it. Also, Physical Improvements to the Short North have already begun. Meet the newest additions to the SID Staff. Meter parking in the side lot. Bring a guest. Coffee, juice and delicious pastries provided. And, The second of only three Street Cleanings in the Short North, High from Goodale to Fifth Avenue.
August 3: Summer in the City: Early evening gallery events until 9 pm every Thursday. Call Studios on High, 461-6487 for more info. Tonight: Events at Lanning Gallery, Mauritz Gallery, Rebecca Ibel Gallery, and Studios on High. TONIGHT: Dialogue fundraising event at select locations plus events at Rebecca Ibel Gallery with Genevieve Capitanio and Christopher Herren; Mauritz Gallery, "Summer Exhibition" with Damien Hirst, Garth Amundson, James Friedman, John Paul Caponigro, Kiki Smith, and Sheila M. Fagan; and Studios on High with Rachel Conner's fine jewelry and Sue Quelhorst's hand knit wearables.
August 5: Gallery Hop, 6 - 10 pm with CD101 broadcasting Live at Brian Boru's.
August 8: Italian Village Society Meeting at 7:30 pm at the Short Stop Teen Center, 1066 North High.
August 10: Summer in the City: TONIGHT: Events at Artistically Bent with Kris Worthington and Studios on High with Denise Romecki's sculpture.
August 10: Victorian Village Commission Meeting at 6:00 pm at the Goodale Park Shelter House, 120 West Goodale Street.
August 14: Dealine for The Columbus Dispatch Fall/Winter/Spring "New Season Guide" submissions. Provide your hard copy schedule to Kathy Fisher by mail, 35 South Third Street 43215, or by FAX, 461-7571. For more information, call Kathy at 461-8891.
August 17: Summer in the City. TONIGHT: Events at Studios on High with Carol Neff's watercolor paintings and Susan Bache's oil paintings.
August 17: Victorian Village Society Meeting at 7:00 pm at the Goodale Park Shelter House, 120 West Goodale Street. Plus the FirstLink Mixer at 6-8:30 pm at a place in the Short North yet to be determined. For information, call 221-6766. And, the COTA FastTrax meeting at 5:30-8:00 pm at the Methodist Church at 48 East North Broadway. This is your chance to get a word in edgewise about light rail in Columbus' near future. Be a part of the solution. Call SNBA member Jim Daley at 275-5823.
August 24: Summer in the City. TONIGHT: Events at Studios on High with Carol Hershey's polymer clay personality sculptures, 5 - 9 pm.
August 25: Roy G Biv Martini Party. Contact host Todd M. Rensi [tmrensi@excite.com] for more info. These fundraising events are always a blast and benefit the not-for-profit gallery.
August 31: Summer in the City. TONIGHT: Events at Studios on High with Carol Hershey's polymer clay personality sculptures and Katie Schmitt's tapestry weaving, 5 - 9 pm.
September 2: Gallery Hop, 6 - 10 pm up and down High with CD101 at Brian Boru's.
PARKING ADVICE
Pass it around! Enjoy comfortable, convenient parking in the Convention Center 200-space surface lot at Goodale Avenue East of High or the 900-space brand new parking garage on Vine Street West of High. SPECIAL HOP FLAT RATE: $5! Or tune in to CD101 Saturday night for advice!
SNBA MISSION STATEMENT
To support and promote its members and area businesses; to advocate the development and revitalization of this historic neighborhood; and to celebrate and encourage the diversity of the urban arts district
July 2000 issueAnother Shot at It. Maybe it was the computer, maybe it was AOL, or may-be it was operator failure, but my lead thoughts in the
June column didn't go as far as intended. So, I'm going to try again and hope you'll give me a second chance. Here goes:
Thursdays + comfortable shoes + sunset + maybe a friend or two + a little free time + some plastic in your pocket = a perfectly great time roaming the Short North Galleries during June, July, and August. Pass it around. Help get the word out to those folks who work all day and maybe don't prefer the crowds during Gallery Hop. Virtually every Short North gallery and arts-related business has come together over the past two months to form the Short North Arts Association. The organization's primary goal is to promote the arts in the Short North arts district. The Association plans a promotional campaign that will elevate awareness of the Short North arts scene within the community, statewide, regionally, and nationally.
Their first announcement includes a summer-long celebration with participating businesses extending regular hours every single Thursday evening until 9 pm beginning June 1 and running through August 31. Association spokesperson Judy Hoberg of Studios On High commented, "While the Gallery Hop continues to be very successful the first Saturday of each month, those interested specifically in what the Short North has to offer in terms of the arts can now plan a quiet summer evening with the galleries and restaurants." Special exhibitions, receptions, and related events, and a series of collaborative events with major local arts organizations and sponsors will be announced over the next few weeks. These new Thursday evening hours have been wished for by so many visitors, Columbus residents, and other Short North businesses who do observe evening hours. Now, on a Thursday, you can have dinner or cocktails and still enjoy a visit to any of the sixteen participating galleries. For more information, don't hesitate to call Judy or Teda Theis at Studios on High, 461-6487. Check out the end of this column for some special date announcements. There's more to come from this bunch of gallery owners who are determined to deliver the best arts experience to our unique mile-long arts district.
Gardeners' Gift
And, we've got the best in our midst. Deb Rosenfels and Linda Lucks &endash; God bless their hearts. In one minute the ladies can be dressed to nines and putting people in their place(s) at Victorian Gate, and the next, they are up to their a eyebrows with cedar mulch and thistles. When you zip past the Convention Center North into the Short North, try not to get whiplash as you check out their landscaping handiwork below the "Welcome to the Short North" sign. One very very hot Friday, they loaded up Linda's car with tools and mulch from Urban Gardener and headed to the site. In not much more
than two hours, they made a ragtag weed patch look very nicely groomed. They even found a couple of just-budding geraniums! Last I saw of them, they were heading into Union Station Video Cafe for refreshments. Come this Fall, we'll have the help of Christie and Ellen to get some perennials in that site. Till then, our groomed "Welcome" plot of ground is a blessing to all that pass by. There are more sites that need someone's tender touch. Want to get in on the fun? Call.
White Castle Waste
And, this is how I personally like them. Regular Castle with extra pickles and no other condiments or cheese messing up the classic works. Then, I condense/collapse the sweet little recyclable paper boxes that the square burgers come in and immediately put them somewhere to be ... RECYCLED! Natch. What is so hard about that? If you are not a recycler (first of all, tsk task) then put them in the right place which is the trash not the vestibule, streets, alleys, bushes, front stoops, and curb ways of the Short North. I've seen the blue and whites from Monkey's Retreat to Functional! What is that about? Are people tossing them out the window? Dropping them as they eat? Are they blowing that far? I would guess though that none of the readers of the Short North Gazette would be so disrespectful as to litter. Certainly, all are recyclers. Thanks always to The Coffee Table, where Angie recycles everything.
Grandy Andy
Anna Paolucci gave me the heads up that CD101 recently inducted AndyMan into the DooDah Hall of Shame. If that isn't enough of an honor for a man to carry, look for AndyMan greeting the masses as he cruises by the crowds as the Year 2000 Less Than Grand Marshall in the Doo Dah Parade! Give him a hand and while you're at it, shout out your love of everyone at CD101. They'll be doing double duty this Gallery Hop/ComFest weekend with broadcasts in the park and at their regular beat in the Brian Boru's patio.
COTA Counseling
Want to make a difference, hang out with a bunch of really in-touch transit folk and some normal neighborhood folk, have your opinion heard loud and clear, and have complementary refreshments? Join the efforts of the FAST TRAX Advisory Group. No dues. No committees. No hassle. No deadlines. Just show up, stand up and mouth off. Tell COTA where to go! Meetings: July 20, August 17, September 21, and October 19 &endash; all Thursdays from 5:30-8 pm at 48 East North Broadway. If you'd like more info, call Jim Daley at 275-5823. Yes, you can get us all rolling on the rail in Columbus within this decade.
Magazines Mentioned
Thanks very much to Edwin John Yang at Spotlight Magazine for a swell cover story this month. You can always pick up a copy of Spotlight at Union Station Video Cafe. Too bad if you missed the SNBA cover story featuring lovely Mona 'cause it is off the shelves already. The new issue is out already, in bright PINK celebrating Pride Holiday Weekend. Maybe you can find an archival copy around. If so, grab a few and hold one for me.
The June 2000 issue of Ohio Magazine mentioned our very own Phillip's & Sons Coney Island on their Hot Diggity Dog page. They tell us that we as a nation consume 7 billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Each of us averages about 60 a year. How many of them consumed by you are cooked up at 747 North High?
Sunday Jazz Series
Coming from the Gazebo. Thanks very much to Ameritech and Doctors Hospital, the Short North Sunday Jazz Series starts cooking at 12 Noon. Here is the line-up. July 9: High Street Stompers playing Dixieland; July 16: Q.E.D. offering up Jazz Standards; July 30: The Rick Brunetto Big Band with Dwight Lenox playing Big Band and Swing Favorites; August 6: Hank Marr Sextet with Tom Carroll and Marie Walker doing Modern Jazz of the Fifties; August 13: Urban Jazz Coalition making sweet Smooth Jazz; and August 20: Drums of Steel with Derek DiCenzo with that wonderful Caribbean Steel Drum Combo. Need more information about this or any of the FREE summer programs, presented by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, call Mike Byrley at 645-7995, or check out Web site at www.musicintheair.org.
Printer Provides
Congratulations to Dave Ramirez at Insty Prints. His family got bigger by one this week. Ergo, Juli Rogers was wearing her fastest running shoes all the livelong day. Even though he could have had the whole week off to adjust to the new person at his house, we saw him working on Thursday. Glad to see the Insty jamming. I hope we can all cut them a little slack if our projects are maybe a half hour later than we expected. We really appreciate seeing the words "Short North" in print. Always. It is particularly nice to see the two words show up as proud locators for our businesses. Most recently, I noticed that Megan Swanson of Image Optical and Anita Leddy of Stephen Colitruglio included the Short North in their ads. Thanks Ladies. Now, let's encourage everyone else to jump on the wagon. In fact, for the first business to call Orbit Design requesting that their advertisement include the SNBA logo, there is a delightful gift waiting for them at An Open Book. Just prove it to Kaline Carter and he'll fulfill the promise.
Camera Contest
The Second Annual Columbus Alive Photo Contest is coming up. Thanks to Cord Camera for being the official sponsor. Check out the Alive for all the rules. A nice payoff comes in August when all entries will be on view at the Lanning Gallery Friday and Saturday, the 25 & 26. Winners will be announced during an exhibition reception from 7-9 on Friday. A selection of photos will be published in Alive's Fall Arts Guide on August 31. Categories: Black & White, Landscape/Wildlife, Portrait, Alternative Process, Documentary, and Humorous Shot. Don't dawdle. The Rockbottom Deadline is Monday, August 14 by 5pm. Call 221-2449 for more information.
Kaline Coughs Up Big Bucks
Tylar Bacome is the first celebrity winner in the new-release-news-group that Kaline Carter has going at An Open Book. His prize? $10 gift certificate! How did he do it? He was able to guess the right answer on a rap trivia question, something about Snoop Doggy Dog's "Doggystyle" from 1993. Want to get in on the guessing game and win prizes and the respect of your friends, sign up for the e.release.
Kleibacker Creation
Just a few more blessed hours are left in the brilliant exhibition at the Riffe Center "Reality and Interpretation: 20th Century Clothing and Illustration," curated by Charles Kleibacker. It is breathtaking. And, chances are if you show up on one of the few remaining Sundays, you'll get the chance to talk with Charles personally. He's been known to drop by and happily gives personal tours to anyone with a question or comment. I promise you, you'll regret it if you miss this one. Call 644-9624 for hours. The show closes at 4 pm Sunday, July 9. Hurry!
Baskets by Bonnie
Baskets by Bonnie has recently been expanding their selection of H2O Bath & Body products due to customer requests since the closing of the City Center H2O store at the beginning of the year. With each request, Bonnie Segel gets to try new products like mint shampoo, conditioner, body scrub and some of their skincare line. So, if you were a regular at H2O, look no further. Birthday coming up? Ask your friends to order up a whole basket of your favorites.
Can't Get Enough of the Funny ART CARS? Greg Phelps is more than happy to arrange a showing of the fun and funky vehicles just about anytime, just about anywhere. He welcomes your call at his work number, 898-7791, ext 567, to arrange an outing. On the schedule are appearances with the Short Stop Youth Center, Fort Hayes Career Center, Columbus College of Art & Design, ComFest, and, of course, a presence in the DooDah. The price is right. No price at all.
Firstlink Fete
FirstLink provides information, resources, services, and training to people in need and links volunteers to opportunities that serve their community. I attended a recent FirstLink happy hour event at new SNBA member, Club 504 a few weeks ago. Not only was I in search of some able-bodied, high-spirited, gregarious, fun-loving volunteers to help with Gallery Hops (Interested yourself? Just call me.), but was checking out the new Club as well. The last time I was there, it was packed to the rafters with developers, architects, commissioners, planners, and city officials getting the low-down on the new Danter Company study of Downtown housing. That night, there were passed hors 'd oeuvres. At the FirstLink fete, we were treated to huge, delicious burritos from Chipotle. I can't find my postcard that reports who is catering the next two open houses, but the dates are July 20 and August 17 (both Fast Trax nights in Clintonville). Call 221-6766 or dial up www.firstlink.org.
Handbill Hell
Never ever hesitate to contact your area Code Enforcement Officers. Both Sam Harachis and Vicky Hoffman have attended recent General Membership meetings and welcome your concerns and complaints. Most recently, we've all been hit very hard with excessive handbilling, specifically regarding someone's concern about the businesses at 848 North Pearl. As well, we see utility polls canvassed with flyers about concerts, nightclubs, and special events. Handbilling in the public right-of-way is against Columbus City Code. Sam and Vicky are here to help all of us prevent this activity. You can contact Sam at 645-5992 and Vicky at 645-2462. Just last week Vicky provided me with excerpts from the City's Zoning and Graphics Code along with a "Who to Call with Questions" chart. She wants to call to your attention to a Web site of Codes:
ordlink.com/codes/columbus/maintoc.htm
Take advantage of our supportive, knowledgeable, caring officers. Let them help us clean up our neighborhood. Like-wise, Officer Steve Smith and his crew of Short North Officers are always on hand if we need them. Contact Officer Smith at 645-1401. He is happy to stop by your store, gallery, office, home to discuss safety and security issues. And remember, if you are the victim of a crime, or see a crime, witness vandilism, or any suspicious behaviour, call 645-4545. The more we call, the more likely we'll get the police support we need to dissuade the criminals. And, again, remember to call Mary Funk in the Mayor's Action Center if you have anything you need passed on to the Mayor. Call 645-2489 or 645-6818.
Ohio Art League
Exhibition Entries
On the outside chance that people don't already know: The Call for Artists for Ohio Art League's Annual Fall Juried Exhibition is out. The prospectus is available and the drop-off time for two works (no size, media, or content restrictions) is July 21 and July 22 for jurying. Internationally renowned NY abstract painter and illustration artist David Reed is the juror. The exhibition is open to all Ohio Artists 18 years of age and older. Over $3,000 in awards is available including the prestigious Simson Purchase Award for the collection of the Columbus Museum of Art. For more information or to obtain a prospectus, call Linda Gall at the OAL, 299-8225 or e.mail oal@rrcol.com. This marvelous exhibition will be on display at the CMA, August 31 - October 15, 2000.
SOME MEETING DATES-TIMES
July 5: General Membership Meeting @ 9:30 am @ Union Station Video Cafe. Please note New Meeting Site. Meter parking in the lot on the South side of the building. Union Station, 630 North High Street, 228-3546. Bring a guest. Coffee and sweets provided. Bring a friend. You just never know what you might hear about, learn about, see, meet at a General Membership Meeting. Everyone is welcome to one free meeting, even if you aren't a member yet!
July 6: Summer in the City: Early evening gallery events until 9 pm every Thursday. Call Studios on High, 461-6487 for more info. Tonight: Events at Lanning Gallery, Mauritz Gallery, Rebecca Ibel Gallery, and Studios on High.
July 13: Summer in the City: Early evening gallery events until 9 pm every Thursday. Call Studios on High, 461-6487 for more info. Tonight: Events at Artistically Bent and Studios on High.
July 17: Deadline for August Gallery Hop listing submissions. Please call, FAX, or e.mail your information.
July 19: Board of Trustees Meeting @ 9:30 am @ SNBA Office
July 20: Summer in the City: Tonight: Events at Ohio Art League and Studios on High. Plus: FirstLink special event at Club 504, 6 - 8:30 pm. Spotlight on the Short North and Gallery Hops!
July 27: Summer in the City: Tonight: Events at Artistically Bent and Studios on High.
August 2: General Membership Meeting @ 9:30 am @ Union Station Video Cafe
August 3: Summer in the City: Tonight: Events at Mauritz Gallery, Rebecca Ibel Gallery, and Studios on High.
August 5: Gallery Hop: 6-10: pm up and down High with CD101 broadcasting Live and In Person at Brian Boru's.
Volker's Voice
Hello. Paul Volker here. Just wanted to let you know that the new and informative columbusart.community calendar is up and running full speed and now easier than ever to use. Simply type in your event and it will be posted within 24 hours! Also, if your Web site isn't one of the nearly 300 (soon to be 400 if I can keep the coffee going) Columbus area websites featured, there is no better time than now to add your URL at: www.columbusart.com. "Your Link To The Arts In Central Ohio."
Thanks to Paul for always running the Short North Gallery Hop Listings each and every month, and for including our Arts District logo!
PARKING ADVICE
Enjoy comfortable, convenient parking in the Convention Center 200-space surface lot at Goodale Avenue East of High or the 900-space brand new parking garage on Vine Street West of High. Special Hop Flat Rate $5! Or tune in to CD101 Saturday night for advice!
MISSION STATEMENT
To support and promote its members and area businesses; to advocate the development and revitalization of this historic neighborhood; and to celebrate and encourage the diversity of the urban arts district. All in the fabulous SHORT NORTH
June 2000 issueThursdays + comfortable shoes + sunset + maybe a friend or two + a little free time + some plastic in your pocket = a perfectly great time roaming the Short North Galleries during June, July, and August. Pass it around. Help get the word out to those folks who work all day and maybe don't prefer the crowds during Gallery Hop. Virtually every Short North gallery and arts related business has come together over the past two months to form the Short North Arts Association. The organization's primary goal is to promote the arts in the Short North arts district. The Association plans a promotional campaign that will elevate awareness of the Short North arts scene within the community, statewide, regionally, and nationally.
Their first announcement includes a summer-long celebration with participating businesses extending regular hours every single Thursday evening until 9 pm beginning June 1 and running through August 31. Association spokesperson Judy Hoberg of Studios On High commented, "While the Gallery Hop continues to be very successful the first Saturday of each month, those interested specifically in what the Short North has to offer in terms of the arts can now plan a quiet summer evening with the galleries and restaurants." Special exhibitions, receptions, and related events, and a series of collaborative events with major local arts organizations and sponsors will be announced over the next few weeks. These new Thursday evening hours have been wished for by so many visitors, Columbus residents, and other Short North businesses who do observe evening hours. Now, on a Thursday, you can have dinner or cocktails and still enjoy a visit to any of the sixteen participating galleries. For more information, don't hesitate to call Judy or Teda Theis at Studios on High, 461-6487. And, stand by for other efforts coming out of this bunch who are determined to deliver the best arts experience to our unique mile-long arts district.
MURAL MUST
Quick! Make a note to beat a path to Victorian Gate during the June Hop. Cram a buck or two in your pocket so you can cast your vote for the Excel Management building mural. Yup, because there were so many people who weren't able to squeeze into Norka Futon during their abbreviated store hours during the May Hop, the Powers That Be are giving you one more chance. Twelve entries will again be displayed for public consideration. After that, the comments are passed along to Curtis Jewell for his perusal. This is your opportunity to play a part in changing the view along High Street for everyone who shops, eats, drinks, lives, and Hops in the Short North, as well as every single COTA bus rider that cruises High Street. Any questions can be directed to Brian Higgins or Gavin Armstrong, your Victorian Village Society officers, at ShortNorthArt@aol.com or 470-2803.
GARDEN GRANT
Italian Village Community Garden is coming along beautifully this year, thanks in large part to a grant from the Columbus Compact and Urban Gardener which donated over $1,200 worth of fabulous perennials. The grant will provide for a massive installment of planting materials, including specialty lilac shrubs, drawf flowering almond trees, a Canadian Hemlock and a funky specimen tree called Henry Lauder's Walking Sticks. Enjoy it at 186 East Second Avenue. If you want to get involved, call Todd Spradlin at 299-1962 or e-mail him at toddercmh@earthlink.net.
WEB WALKING
Pia's got a website. Dial up: europiagourmet.com and take a stroll through her gourmet foods, wine, cigar, magazine, gift, good-times center. Now, so long as your computer is hooked up, you'll be able to check out Europia's hours, location &endash; and all the entertainment within a few miles of her store to boot! Pia is working with the gang at ColumbusCitySearch.com. You'll be hearing more and more about that operation as the summer moves along. Headquartered in the Brewery District, CitySearch.com is the leading on-line guide and publication in Columbus and 76 other cities across the US and abroad. General Manager Mike Stone and his staff work to provide user information on where to go and what to do in their city. They have the great benefit of having Tracy Zollinger Turner on staff who knows this city inside and out, with particular sensitivity to and knowledge of the local arts scene. Take a minute to jump on and check it out. You can start first with Pia's site and then see where the cursor and your appetite for information takes you. You can bet your bottom dollar that you'll feel well linked to the Short North surroundings and well beyond. And, while you're on the internet, dial up doodahparade.com. Then, get a pencil, your calendar and make a note to go right over to the Short North Tavern every single Wednesday until Independence Day. The disorganizers assemble about 6:30. DooDah Parade Chick Deb Roberts/Loutzenhiser apparently survived her kidney stone and her birthday just fine and is managing to corral Fidels and lawnmowers and whatever else finds its way to this, the first DooDah of the Century. Remember, the Parade is at noonish on July 4. Rain date: July 3.
FESTIVAL FALLOUT
Remember the mess of a weekend we endured as fallout from the Heritage Festival struck a path through the Short North? The SNBA office received a lot of phone calls. There were the "can't we stop this from happening again," to "what are you going to do about all the beer bottles" calls. And there were reports that businesses had to close early because the streets were simply locked up. Cars were going the wrong way down the only streets that were passable. And, here were stories reminding me of "if the van is a-rockin, don't come a-knockin." Thankfully the police were out in full force and there didn't seem to be any long-lasting, tangible damage. But the concerns needed to be voiced and the Mayor's Action Line was and still is listening.
That same week, I had several conversations with the patient, pleasant, and passionate Mary Funk who many of you might know as a resident of and officer for Harrison West who now sits at one of the busiest telephones in Columbus. She listened. She cared. And, she sent out city streetsweepers to do the best they could after a few days of wind took much of the High Street flotsam and jetsam into our surrounding neighborhoods. Then, she followed up with asking that city workers work through the debris trapped in the municipal parking lot bushes.
Certainly, litter is an on-going concern and we must all do our part. We must all bend over, pick up the bottle, even if it isn't ours, and toss it away. But, it is very refreshing to hear someone on the other end of the telephone line encouraging me to call again and to publish her number. Here is is: 645-2489. If you'd like to send your message electronically, that address is: mac@cmhmetro.net. And, if you like to do things the old-fashioned way, you can write Mayor Mike Coleman at City of Columbus, Office of the Mayor, 50 West Gay, Columbus 43215. The Mayor is listening. We can thank Mary for her part in getting our concerns straight to him on Heritage Festival or any civic concern.
GRUMPY GOURMET
The Grumpy Gourmet listed his Top 10 Fine Dining establishments in the May 4 issue of the Dispatch. Two of the ten were right here: L'Antibes and Rigsby's Cuisine Volatile. He went on to list his Top 10 Casual Dining haunts of which three were Short North addresses: R. J. Snappers, Strada World Cuisine, Tapatio, The Yard Club. And, he spotlighted Strada's Rosemary Chicken Pizza as a favorite! By now you've likely all heard that Snapper's Richard Stopper is negotiating with the Hampton Inn's folks to possibly operate their new restaurant. And, while enjoying a perfectly perfect lunch at Strada a few weeks ago with a group of concierge staffers from around and about the city, we heard from General Manager/ Partner Cheryl Roeheffer that Strada will be breaking out their west brick wall to expand their seating. I spent a few minutes before the salad was served to check out the art exhibition by Jason Janoski. A beautiful display in a beautiful restaurant that works hard to present an artful, tasteful, tasty experience to the savvy diner.
WINDOW WATCHING
Kimberly Lee-Minor will breathe some new life into Nancy Haitz's old digs at 658 North High Street. At a recent General Membership meeting, Kimberly told us she hopes to open her lifestyle boutique by July 1. Keep a lookout for the window to start taking shape. You can check in with her at klee8@columbus.rr.com. Store hours will be Tuesday thru Sunday.
TICKET TO TIPPER
Students and parents can get one for $100. Others have to shell out $160. But, the company, the meal, and the entertain-ment are so worth it. Bruce Dooley, Paul Cianelli, Jeff Jones, and Julia McDevitt have been working it to assure that the June 10th Human Rights Campaign Fundraiser is completely sold out. You too can have dinner with Bruce and his team as well as Al Franken and Tipper Gore at the Convention Center! Member-ship to HRC is included in the ticket. Call 800-494-TIXS or order online at Web site: boxofficetickets.com. If you read this and order before June 4, you can save some money.
CLUB CONNECTION
FirstLink's Connect Columbus organization, which tries to help young professionals find valuable ways to volunteer their time, have scheduled some groovy volunteer mixers this summer. Schedule for the third Thursday of June, July and August (you can attend before or after you've strolled the galleries which are open until 9 pm) at Club 504. Organi-zers are hoping they can get some interest from our Short North restaurants to add some zip to the mix. If you would like to attend or donate or in some way participate, contact Elizabeth Jewell, Director of Literary Programs at the Thurber House at 464-1032. I'm hoping we can harness some of the FirstLink power to maneuver crowds during our Gallery Hops and the Holiday Hop.
BARLEY'S BREWING
Make another must-do note on your calendars. Barley's Brewing Com-pany is having their Fifth Annual Homebrewers Festival on June 11 from 4-6 pm. Pat Bober tells me that between 150-200 entries come in from brewers near and far, but only a blessed and delicious few make it to the finalists. Astute, highly qualified judges will select one grand-prize winner. The winner gets to brew up a batch of beer at Barley's and have it served on tap for customers until it runs out - about ten barrels. While attendees don't get to taste every entry, there are plenty of sampling opportunities. And, in case you plan really far ahead, their Eighth Anni-versary party with free music is November 15. A high point of the Anniversary is the tapping of the Christmas Ale cooked up by Brewmaster Scott Francis. I'm hoping that a jug of holiday ale makes it way up the street during Holiday Hop. Call them at 228-2547 for details on just about anything relating to brews and fun.
ARTIST ASSEMBLAGE
I missed the very first Art Jam of the millennium, but there will be plenty more. In fact, there will be an Art Jam each and every first Saturday of the Month (just like Hops), at this point during summer months only. But, you can get the skinny on it directly from Mr. Paul Volker: columbusart.com/artscene/artjam.html. All you need is right there plus a little more.
What is an Art Jam? According to Paul, it is an event when many artists fill sidewalks, streetcorners, and vacant lots creating, displaying, and selling their works at the same time. It might include music, performance, and other activities. It is plain and simple, and the more folks who turn out to peddle their wares, the more people will show up to take a look and hopefully get in the good habit of buying regularly. Art Jam locations this year are on the East side of High between First and Second Avenues and between Fourth and Fifth Avenues.
ADVERTISING A-FRAMES
A year-old committee in the Columbus Building and Development Services office is getting back together to try to come up with some realistic solutions to the sidewalk advertising A-Frames. So many of our merchants use this practical and popular way to announce "we're open." And, we are seeing this convention used not only in the Short North but throughout the urban commercial areas of the city. Some are being cited. Some are being warned. Many are being ignored and overlooked. If you would like to voice your concerns about your manner of advertising, let me know.
ZONA CORAZON
Ramona Bletz has been very busy these days with Cinco de Mayo and now the Latino Festival. The Galeria is organizing a month-long exhibit this June at the Cultural Arts Center featuring Mexican masks used in the celebration of Danza la Tigre (Dance of the Tiger), Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) as well as Oaxacan woodcarvings, milagro art, and Huichol Indian ceremonial pieces. Stop by their colorful, fun gallery at 1198 North High or call 291-9453 (WILD) for more information on the Latino Festival.
PRIDE PLANS
This year, Stonewall is working quite closely with the Short North to make this stretch of High Street "the hub" for the Gay Pride festivities! Many of the business owners in the neighborhood have agreed to observe extended hours on Friday, June 23 for the Pride Shop Hop. The adver-tised hours are 5pm to 11pm. This event is considered the kick-off to a weekend filled with events all around town. Thousands of people come from very near and extremely far and raid the area for food, goodies, music, coffee, and fun!
On Saturday, June 24, the Pride Parade will kick off at 1 pm (lining up at noon) from the corner of Hubbard and High. Haiku is stocking up on bottled water for two bucks so participants and cheering sideline crowds can be refreshed. The parade route goes right down High Street through the Short North. Stonewall is expecting 20,000 marchers in this year's parade, from all over the midwest. Reminder: ComFest is not on the same weekend as Pride Holiday 2000, as it has been in the past. Following the parade, the Pride Festival will open at Bicentennial Park (with entrances at Town & Civic Center and Rich Street and Civic Center) from 2-7 pm. A suggested $5 donation will be collected at those entrances. On stage, will be Carol Burnett's daughter, Erin Hamilton, the voice behind "Dreamweaver," her 1999 club hit.
That evening, Axis will be taking over the entertainment circuit featuring Dancin' In The Streets where Jennifer Holiday will be performing. Doors open at 8 pm, with a $15 cover ($12 in advance) which can be purchased at Union Station, Torso, and Stonewall.
Keep your eyes open for Rainbow Bricks, a benefit for Stonewall, throughout the Short North. Participating businesses are selling the bricks for a one-dollar donation and will be posting them for hoppers to see! Help support your community and pick a few up!
An open house has been scheduled at Stonewall Community Center so people can stop by for a reception before they shop the Short North. Stonewall is located at 1160 N. High Street. A window
display competition for Gay Pride will be judged on Thursday, June 22, so make sure your storefront is registered with Stonewall to win fabulous prizes! We also are hoping for more volunteers to help out. Contact Stonewall via e-mail at stonewall@stonewall-columbus.org or call 299-7764. Ask to purchase a Pride 2000 T-shirt when you call!
¥ June 1: The first of three-month-long Summer in the City early evening gallery events. Until 9 pm every Thursday. Call Studios on High, 461-6487 for more
¥ June 3: Gallery Hop, 6-10 pm up and down High with CD101 broadcasting live and in-person at Brian Boru's. Take a second opportunity to vote for your favorite of 12 Mural Contest Submis-sions. Look for them at Victorian Gate right next to CD101! Info at 470-2803.
¥ June 7: General Membership @ 9:30 am @ An Open Book. "Everything you've ever wanted to ask about the High Street Arches and more" with Jeff Ungar, Functional Furnishings and SID Board Member; and Larry Brown, Italian Village resident and representative from the Short North Neighborhood Founda-tion. Plus the up-to-date information on Pride Holiday, ComFest, and DooDah! Coffee and sweets supplied.
¥ June 21: Short North Business Association Board of Trustees Meeting @ 9:30 am @ SNBA Office.
¥ June 23: Pride Shop Hop, 5-11 pm.
¥ June 24: Pride Parade, Step-off @ 1 pm @ haiku on Hubbard. Pride Festival in Bicentennial Park. Dancing in the Streets @ 8 pm @ AXIS.
¥ June 30-July 2: ComFest. Check the website. www.comfest.com for the most up-to-date information!
¥ July 1: Gallery Hop, 6-10 pm!
¥ July 4: DooDah Parade. Check the website: www.doodahparade.com.
¥ July 5: General Membership Meeting @ 9:30 am @ An Open Book.
May 2000 issueSpring is busting out all over the place. Evidence is everywhere. Trillions of daffodils return to trim Victorian Gate.
People are walking about the streets much later in the day, thanks to the extra daylight hours. Folks are flocking to outdoor seating at Frezno and haiku and people are jockeying for al fresco perches at The Coffee Table. Building is beginning between Starr and Third as the old American Business Equipment site begins its transformation from a forgotten building to a hub of excitement. Pansies are in the planters on Lincoln and on the racks at Urban Gardener. Joggers in fewer clothes are zipping up and down High. And hopefully we'll see more shopkeepers outside with broom and bags to collect all the trash left behind from the final snowfall. What fun - we still have another whole month before June starts busting out all over!
With better weather comes even more shoppers who stay longer. And, those shoppers are calling the SNBA office wondering why they see so much trash in such a great neighborhood. I'm stumped. North Market's Duncan Porter commented to me on a recent visit to the Market that she was extremely disappointed at the amount of trash she saw in the lot next to Union Station Video Cafe. Granted that is a city lot and the city should keep it clean, but if they don't, we can't just out of bull-headedness let it lie.
It won't go away. It will blow around. It will contaminate the entire community. So, we must grab the trash while we can and put it in its place. I can hope that by seeing the good example of those that do care about their property, more and more people will follow suit. To that end, seems to me we should salute and applaud those folks who, through the winter months, were observed shoving, salting, sweeping and caring about the community.
Next time you see them, please acknowledge and thank Pia Hiotis at Europia Gourmet Foods, Nancy Haitz at Cookware Sorcerer, Richard Distel at Benelava, Kris Worthington at Artistically Bent, Sherrie Riley and Tom Hawk at Riley Hawk Galleries, Patrick Meelick at Mac's Cafe, Todd Mauritz at The Mauritz Gallery, Mary Martineau at Transformations, Joan Schnee at On Paper, Michael Lindsey at An Open Book, and John Allen at Short North Tavern. Caring regulars also applaud Sandy Wood and his staff who see to it that once a month the curbs and sidewalks are swept and cleaned always in time for the Hops. Know of anyone else who is a good neighbor when it comes to keeping the place looking good? Call the SNBA office and we'll happily salute their efforts.
At our March General Membership meeting, Joe Stack from the Keep Columbus Beautiful program offered as many solutions as are needed to get a handle on unsightly trash. If you missed the meeting, I'd be happy to forward their material to you. Andy Klein didn't sit passively at the meeting. He offered the blood, sweat, and tears of the Italian Village Society to help. Anyone offering to "adopt an alley" in Italian
Village and keep it clear of rubbish gets not only the enormous satisfaction of having been a part of the solution and not of the problem, but in lieu of a plaque saluting their efforts have the chance to grab from the grab-bag of stuff some of our merchants tossed into the rewards coffer. Let's see, we have some delicious lunches at Union Station Video Cafe; a cut, wash, and style at Waldo's; a month's worth of USA Todays from An Open Book, a sensational candle from 7 Buttles, the Short North candle company, and a piece of cake from A Piece of Cake!
It is never too late to start a great habit. Start picking up bottles when you see them. Recycle if you can. Remember, if you don't want to add to the trash in the world, Angie Freeman of The Coffee Table is a recycler. I'll bet she'll accept an empty beer or juice bottle if it means getting it off the street. Saturday, April 1 (no foolin') in the midst of our Gallery Hop, is the Keep Columbus Beautiful Kickoff Day for the Great American Cleanup. By the time this issue of the Gazette breaks, we are hoping to have an alliance strongly in place with CD 101's Green Team. Be a part of this great effort. Be a part of getting the Short North cleaned up and keeping it clean and beautiful.
YOU ARE INVITED!
This won't cost you a penny. Nothing. In fact, there might be some Donatos or Pisa Pete's rewards along the way. Join the Holiday Hop committee! The Y2K Holiday Hop is only about 230 days away. And, by the looks of the still-in-the-development-stages Holiday Hop committee, this one will be a peach. It sure would be loads more fun if we had more fun and varied people involved.
Please know that you don't have to OWN a business or be the president of anything to be a significant part of this important fund and awareness raising event for the Short North. We are looking for the sales clerks from behind the counter. The administrative assistants on the second floors of service businesses. The wait staff at a
pub. The stylist at a salon. All are welcome; no one is excluded. Interested in just sitting in on a meeting? Call or e.mail the SNBA office and we'll tell you the next time and place. Last time the Holiday Hop brainstorm committee met, we were treated, and me really treated to the sights and sounds and tastes of haiku. Thanks so much to Paul Liu, Dan Reese and especially Scott Heimlich who not only hosted us but sat right there at the table, rolled up his sleeves and got involved with the planning.
HANGING WITH THE MAYOR!
You might want to get your roller skates out of storage for the April Hop so you can take in all the great things happening that day. From one end of the Short North to the other, there's something noteworthy. First off, mark your calendar for the 5 pm kickoff for the public art project being spearheaded by Victorian Village's Gavin Armstrong and Brian Higgins. Mayor Coleman and CD101 will join well-wishers and interested parties at 693 North High Street. The building, which houses Mac's Cafe and Excel Management Systems, Inc, is the newest canvas being offered up. This project is designed to breathe new life in the Central Ohio's premiere arts and entertainment district.
Interested parties will submit a conceptual rendering by April 22, 2000. All designs will be on display during the May Gallery Hop, and will be voted upon by the public. The top concepts will be presented to Curtis Jewel (the building owner, Excel President and SNBA Board member) and the Victorian Village Architectural Review Commission for approval. The winning artist and her/his design will be announced in late May. There are other buildings along High Street that are calling out for murals. Among them, properties owned by Ricky Day. So, get your ideas brewing, and take the opportunity to welcome our new Neighborhood-Friendly Mayor to this great area.
THANK YOU!
We've got to give a hand to our television anchor pals. On St. Patrick's Day, on my drive in to work, I heard Andrea Cambern on B97 chatting about living in and loving the Short North. On March 4, both Andrea on WBNS and Tylar Bacome on WCMH plugged the Hop almost to the point of embarrassment. And, it goes without saying that the gang at CD101 offer tons of encouragement to beat it on down to the arts district. Keep talking, folks. We love to meet and greet all your referrals. And, if you can still find a copy, the March issue of Ohio Magazine has, on page 5, a full page Greater Columbus Convention and Visi-tors Bureau image ad piece with a large photo of the Mona Lisa on the Reality Theatre building with the cut-line, "Show me the Mona!" I'll have a copy of it at the next General Membership meeting (May 3) if you'd like to see it.
MAN CANNOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE!
Nope, we need lots more. We need the arts, food, nature, and comedy and so much more. Good news for us regarding our diet. Bread and Circus Theatre Company is sharing the stage and make-up lights with Reality Theatre. Glass Menagerie will be performed May 18-27 in the signature Wood Companies building with the landmark Mona Lisa on her side. Opening night curtain is 7:30, with subsequent curtains at 8 pm. Seniors and Students can see the Tennessee Williams masterwork for only $10. General admission is $15. For more information, call them at 470-4895. Since 1998 Artistic Director David Hoehn and General Manager John Hutter operated the company out of the Buggyworks. Welcome them. How cozy can it be, within whistling distance of each other and a perfect array of eateries and drinkeries, we have Realty, Bread and Circus and 2Co's. No need to go anywhere else!
BRAVO!
You might never have seen a copy of Chain Store Age: The Newsmagazine for Retail Executives, but you can bet your bottom dollar that there is a copy of it at Benelava these days. Every year, the publication grants awards for outstanding retail design. In over 23 categories, awards were given for Retail Store of the Year Design Competition. Included: Specialty Foods where Caribou Coffee came in first and The Chippery of Vancouver came in second; Department Store where Macy's San Francisco came in first and La Maison Simons in Montreal came in second. And then, look! Single Unit category where The Cleveland Browns Store in Cleveland came in first and sharing second place with CAT Merchandise Centre in Peoria is our very own Benelava right here in Short North, Columbus OH. And, if that isn't nice enough, check out the Cash Wrap category where second to first-prize winner, Disney's Mouse Gear in Orlando is again &endash; Richard Distel's Benelava.
Congratulations to Richard for the recognition and the awards and to his staff for giving great service to each and every customer, for knowing their merchandise inside and out, for participating in the SNBA, and for being open seven days a week (M-SA 10-9; SU 12-6) so that they can give great service to so many
customers. I know Rick and his staff are hopeful that more and more retailers and gallery owners in the Short North will be able to extend their hours to serve our ever-growing public.
And, while we're patting people on the back, congratulations to Peter Avra-dopoulos of Short North Real Estate and board member of the Short North SID. Peter won the Victorian Village Commission Award for Outstanding Commercial Project for the work at 741 North High, the address for the distinguished Press Grille. Stop by, order some of those Billy Bob fries and give the folks your best.
HELP !
We're looking for a few good men and women who could volunteer a few hours on Hop nights. The chore is simple and could be tons of fun. Imagine it: standing along High Street between Goodale and Poplar with six or seven of your friends, decked in a Short North Volunteer t-shirt, and simply telling folks where they can park. The SNBA is happy to supply the shirts and the parking options. We just need the energized folks who aren't afraid to guide frustrated, traffic-bound potential Hoppers. Imagine how nice it would be if, when you were to drive smack dab into the heartbeat of Boston, someone greeted you and told you where to park so that you could enjoy yourself. That's what we want to do. Get the folks out of their cars and into the shops. Be a part of it!
OOOPS!
Ignore all those alerts I'd been sending forward that the May 2000 Hop was the 200th Gallery Hop. Wrong. Thanks to Maria Galloway at pm gallery, we now know with pretty good assurance that the 200th Hop will be May 2001. Whew. So, relax and give some thought to what you'd like to see in May of 2001 as a celebratory birthday party. While we can count on the likes of Maria and Nancy Haitz and John Allen to hold onto important historical information about the growth and development of the Short North, we desperately need someone to come forward to extract that information in a sensible way and get it recorded. Sure sounds like a great and exciting task. And, I'll bet when the Short North stories are written and illustrated with photos and paintings and drawings, that book will sell like hotcakes. Anyone interested?
NO EXCUSES
Joe Rotella, the Co-Chair of AIDSWalk 2000 Central Ohio leaves nothing to chance. He is determined to see 2,000 walkers raising $200,000 for Bernice Troy Homes, Camp Sunrise, Delaware County AIDS Task Force, FACES at Childrens Hospital, Licking County AIDS Task Force, the NAMES Project, Ohio AIDS Coalition, Pater Nos-ter House, Project Open Hand Columbus, and Union County AIDS Task Force.
We invited Joe to speak about the AIDSWalk during our March General Membership Meeting, initially just to give us information about when we should expect scores of compassionate, caring, loving, devoted, dedicated people to tromp through the Short North on their 4.5 mile walk from Bicentennial Park. We got more than just that hunk of information. We got an opportunity to get involved at darn near no expense or trouble to us. A great partnership is emerging, and I hope you will take the time to visit each and every gallery and business that is participating in this event.
Borrowing from Joe's press release, the Short North Gallery Hop on April 1, 2000 will begin a month of AIDS awareness leading up to AIDSWalk Central Ohio on Sunday, May 7. Dozens of shops and galleries will display panels from the NAMES Memorial Quilt, illustrating the enormity of the AIDS epidemic by showing the humanity behind the statistics. Each 3-by-6-foot memorial panel commemorates the life of someone who has died of AIDS and was sewn together by friends, lovers and family members. Volunteers from AIDSWalk Central Ohio will be at the Hop distributing temporary face tattoos of the AIDSWalk logo (red ribbon with sneakers) and pledge forms. Throughout April, pledge forms will be available in more than two dozen Short North shops and galleries.
Also new in 2000, an Awareness Festival precedes The Walk. From 11 am to 1:30 pm at Bicentennial Park, AIDS service organizations will staff an education tent to answer your questions about HIV/AIDS. Food vendors and entertainers will be available in the park, leading up to Opening Ceremonies at 1:30 pm and Step Off at 2 pm. If you aren't walking, consider showing up and cheering them on. And merchants, if you aren't normally open on Sunday, you might want to reconsider this one! Finally, if you are interested in participating in AIDSWalk 2000 by walking, forming a team of walkers, or volunteering, please visit the AIDSWalk Central Ohio Web site at http://www.aidswalkcentralohio.org or call for info at 614-447-5050.
SHAKE OUT YOUR WELCOME MAT!
The Ohio State University Transpor-tation and Parking Services is bringing loads of conventioneers to the Short North Monday, April 17. For more information, contact Doug Lape at 486-9598. Over 2000 registrations have been received for this three-day Big Ten and Midwestern Universities T+P Conference. Look to see more and more conventioneers walking the hop, skip and jump from the Convention Center to the Short North now that fair weather and longer days are here. Make them feel welcome, greet them with a smile, BE OPEN, and they will return and send their friends over and over again.
EXTRAS
You might think that Kaline Carter of An Open Book gets a little too much ink in this column, but gosh, he is calling and e.mailing with stuff he wants to share. More recently, he sent word that he is having a great response to his New Release Announcement Service. All new releases are put out on Tuesdays, bright and early. If you want to know what is hitting the shelves and listening stations in advance of your chance visit, just pass your e.mail address along.
There is new interest afoot about calming the traffic at Buttles and Park. A number of people have called the City office of Traffic, Engineering, and Parking to put their two cents in. If you have two or three cents to offer, give a call to William Knott at 645-6094. That office is looking at doing a survey of that intersection. They would like some input on what timeframes might be best surveyed. If you have something to offer, please do call.
Sparkspace is tossing an Open House during the April 1 Hop from 5-9 at 22 East Fourth, across the street from the Short North Post Office. Proprietor Mark Henson attended our March General
Membership Meeting and gave us a quick introduction. We might get to know his creative conference site up close and personal very soon. Mark has offered his space to the SNBA for a meeting here or there. You can access the company short of a visit, by dialing: www.sparkspace.com.
One of my long-time favorite artists has taken up studio digs in the Short North. The brilliant Michael McEwan is making magic with his pastels and oils at 1128-1130 North High Street above Eva and Melanie Mahaffey's Mary Cathe-rine's Antiques. He just had a show at the Keny Gallery in German Village and at the Schumacher Gallery on Capital University's campus. Just can't wait to see his first Short North show of the millennium. I'll keep you posted.
Congratulations to Sharon Weiss not only on her splendid move from Poplar to Lincoln but also on a hugely successful and fun showing of new works by Craig Carlisle. What a buzz was about the place during the last Hop. If you didn't get to Antiques and Art on Poplar (on Lincoln) early, you missed out on purchasing the art. It sold like wildfire. Sharon continues to represent Craig and many other great regional artists. And, thanks as well for her assist in procuring a huge Carlisle piece for the upcoming Art For Life Auction at the Columbus Museum of Art, May 13, benefiting the Columbus AIDS Task Force. If you need any information on this premier arts event, just let me know. I'm happy to put you in touch with the orchestrators. Remember, they are only every other year, so you don't want to miss this one.
By the time you are reading this, the white craft paper will have been ripped down from the new digs for Cookware Sorcerer. I pressed my nose against a side window and watched Nancy Haitz as she played her version of Beat the Clock. Stop by and help her celebrate a new tradition on High Street &endash; just ten digits up from her old site.
WHO CARES WHERE WALDO IS!
Where is the Gator by Mary Martineau, the Spider by Daniel Work, the Giraffe by Kojo Kamau and Pepper, Lion by Smokey & Laverne Brown, and the Frog by Eric Lubkeman and about fifteen other seated figures and animals all a part of the Gables Project installation through the Short North the month of April? Elementary school children at the Gables Elementary School love art but can only have art classes if they raise the money themselves. So, they do just that. Last year, the students under the guidance of their teacher Brigid Moriarity built over twenty papier maché seated figures and fashioned them into local celebrities which were then auctioned off at a fundraiser held at the Columbus College of Art & Design.
This year, Brigid and the students went one step further. They desired to work with artists on their projects, and what better place to find a whole bunch of artists but in the Short North! We got Brigid and SNBA Board member Mary Martineau together for two hours one day, and off they went. The project was in full gear. Rather than rattle on about this partnership, I encourage you all to search the Short North for this year's art pieces. After showing in galleries and shops for one month, all Gables works of art will be moved to 2Co's where during the May Hop, thanks very much to Rebecca Gentile and the 2Co's staff, there will be a swell live auction emceed by our own
Andrea Cambern. Any of the participa-ting galleries and shops will have a map to help you find the rest of the pieces. Forget about the Chicago Cows. We have the Gables Chairs +++. Help us to welcome these budding new artists and arts lovers along with their parents this entire month.
For more information, contact the SNBA at 614-421-1030 or SNBACols @aol.com. Or, check out the website for the Gazette at www.shortnorth.com. Also, don't miss these Web sites that help to spread the arts word: Columbus Alive at www.alivewired.com; Charlie Einhorn's at: www.innerart.com/artbits/index.html; and P. Volker's at: www.columbusart.com
SOME MEETING DATES/TIMES:
April 1: GALLERY HOP, 6:00-10:00 pm with CD101 broadcasting live and in-person @ Brian Boru's Spirits & Provision
April 5: General Membership Meeting, 9:30 am @ An Open Book.
April 11: Italian Village Society Meeting, 7:30 pm @ Short Stop Teen Center
April 20: Victorian Village Society Meet-ing, 7 pm @ Goodale Park Rec Ctr
April 25: ComFest Meeting, 7:30 pm, Roy G Biv Gallery
April 2000 issueSpring is busting out all over the place. Evidence is everywhere. Trillions of daffodils return to trim Victorian Gate.
People are walking about the streets much later in the day, thanks to the extra daylight hours. Folks are flocking to outdoor seating at Frezno and haiku and people are jockeying for al fresco perches at The Coffee Table. Building is beginning between Starr and Third as the old American Business Equipment site begins its transformation from a forgotten building to a hub of excitement. Pansies are in the planters on Lincoln and on the racks at Urban Gardener. Joggers in fewer clothes are zipping up and down High. And hopefully we'll see more shopkeepers outside with broom and bags to collect all the trash left behind from the final snowfall. What fun - we still have another whole month before June starts busting out all over!
With better weather comes even more shoppers who stay longer. And, those shoppers are calling the SNBA office wondering why they see so much trash in such a great neighborhood. I'm stumped. North Market's Duncan Porter commented to me on a recent visit to the Market that she was extremely disappointed at the amount of trash she saw in the lot next to Union Station Video Cafe. Granted that is a city lot and the city should keep it clean, but if they don't, we can't just out of bull-headedness let it lie.
It won't go away. It will blow around. It will contaminate the entire community. So, we must grab the trash while we can and put it in its place. I can hope that by seeing the good example of those that do care about their property, more and more people will follow suit. To that end, seems to me we should salute and applaud those folks who, through the winter months, were observed shoving, salting, sweeping and caring about the community.
Next time you see them, please acknowledge and thank Pia Hiotis at Europia Gourmet Foods, Nancy Haitz at Cookware Sorcerer, Richard Distel at Benelava, Kris Worthington at Artistically Bent, Sherrie Riley and Tom Hawk at Riley Hawk Galleries, Patrick Meelick at Mac's Cafe, Todd Mauritz at The Mauritz Gallery, Mary Martineau at Transformations, Joan Schnee at On Paper, Michael Lindsey at An Open Book, and John Allen at Short North Tavern. Caring regulars also applaud Sandy Wood and his staff who see to it that once a month the curbs and sidewalks are swept and cleaned always in time for the Hops. Know of anyone else who is a good neighbor when it comes to keeping the place looking good? Call the SNBA office and we'll happily salute their efforts.
At our March General Membership meeting, Joe Stack from the Keep Columbus Beautiful program offered as many solutions as are needed to get a handle on unsightly trash. If you missed the meeting, I'd be happy to forward their material to you. Andy Klein didn't sit passively at the meeting. He offered the blood, sweat, and tears of the Italian Village Society to help. Anyone offering to "adopt an alley" in Italian
Village and keep it clear of rubbish gets not only the enormous satisfaction of having been a part of the solution and not of the problem, but in lieu of a plaque saluting their efforts have the chance to grab from the grab-bag of stuff some of our merchants tossed into the rewards coffer. Let's see, we have some delicious lunches at Union Station Video Cafe; a cut, wash, and style at Waldo's; a month's worth of USA Todays from An Open Book, a sensational candle from
7 Buttles, the Short North Candle Company, and a piece of cake from A Piece of Cake!It is never too late to start a great habit. Start picking up bottles when you see them. Recycle if you can. Remember, if you don't want to add to the trash in the world, Angie Freeman of The Coffee Table is a recycler. I'll bet she'll accept an empty beer or juice bottle if it means getting it off the street. Saturday, April 1 (no foolin') in the midst of our Gallery Hop, is the Keep Columbus Beautiful Kickoff Day for the Great American Cleanup. By the time this issue of the Gazette breaks, we are hoping to have an alliance strongly in place with CD 101's Green Team. Be a part of this great effort. Be a part of getting the Short North cleaned up and keeping it clean and beautiful.
YOU ARE INVITED!
This won't cost you a penny. Nothing. In fact, there might be some Donatos or Pisa Pete's rewards along the way. Join the Holiday Hop committee! The Y2K Holiday Hop is only about 230 days away. And, by the looks of the still-in-the-development-stages Holiday Hop committee, this one will be a peach. It sure would be loads more fun if we had more fun and varied people involved.
Please know that you don't have to OWN a business or be the president of anything to be a significant part of this important fund and awareness raising event for the Short North. We are looking for the sales clerks from behind the counter. The administrative assistants on the second floors of service businesses. The wait staff at a
pub. The stylist at a salon. All are welcome; no one is excluded. Interested in just sitting in on a meeting? Call or e.mail the SNBA office and we'll tell you the next time and place. Last time the Holiday Hop brainstorm committee met, we were treated, and me really treated to the sights and sounds and tastes of haiku. Thanks so much to Paul Liu, Dan Reese and especially Scott Heimlich who not only hosted us but sat right there at the table, rolled up his sleeves and got involved with the planning.
HANGING WITH THE MAYOR!
You might want to get your roller skates out of storage for the April Hop so you can take in all the great things happening that day. From one end of the Short North to the other, there's something noteworthy. First off, mark your calendar for the 5 pm kickoff for the public art project being spearheaded by Victorian Village's Gavin Armstrong and Brian Higgins. Mayor Coleman and CD101 will join well-wishers and interested parties at 693 North High Street. The building, which houses Mac's Cafe and Excel Management Systems, Inc, is the newest canvas being offered up. This project is designed to breathe new life in the Central Ohio's premiere arts and entertainment district.
Interested parties will submit a conceptual rendering by April 22, 2000. All designs will be on display during the May Gallery Hop, and will be voted upon by the public. The top concepts will be presented to Curtis Jewel (the building owner, Excel President and SNBA Board member) and the Victorian Village Architectural Review Commission for approval. The winning artist and her/his design will be announced in late May. There are other buildings along High Street that are calling out for murals. Among them, properties owned by Ricky Day. So, get your ideas brewing, and take the opportunity to welcome our new Neighborhood-Friendly Mayor to this great area.
THANK YOU!
We've got to give a hand to our television anchor pals. On St. Patrick's Day, on my drive in to work, I heard Andrea Cambern on B97 chatting about living in and loving the Short North. On March 4, both Andrea on WBNS and Tylar Bacome on WCMH plugged the Hop almost to the point of embarrassment. And, it goes without saying that the gang at CD101 offer tons of encouragement to beat it on down to the arts district. Keep talking, folks. We love to meet and greet all your referrals. And, if you can still find a copy, the March issue of Ohio Magazine has, on page 5, a full page Greater Columbus Convention and Visi-tors Bureau image ad piece with a large photo of the Mona Lisa on the Reality Theatre building with the cut-line, "Show me the Mona!" I'll have a copy of it at the next General Membership meeting (May 3) if you'd like to see it.
MAN CANNOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE!Nope, we need lots more. We need the arts, food, nature, and comedy and so much more. Good news for us regarding our diet. Bread and Circus Theatre Company is sharing the stage and make-up lights with Reality Theatre. Glass Menagerie will be performed May 18-27 in the signature Wood Companies building with the landmark Mona Lisa on her side. Opening night curtain is 7:30, with subsequent curtains at 8 pm. Seniors and Students can see the Tennessee Williams masterwork for only $10. General admission is $15. For more information, call them at 470-4895. Since 1998 Artistic Director David Hoehn and General Manager John Hutter operated the company out of the Buggyworks. Welcome them. How cozy can it be, within whistling distance of each other and a perfect array of eateries and drinkeries, we have Realty, Bread and Circus and 2Co's. No need to go anywhere else!
BRAVO!
You might never have seen a copy of Chain Store Age: The Newsmagazine for Retail Executives, but you can bet your bottom dollar that there is a copy of it at Benelava these days. Every year, the publication grants awards for outstanding retail design. In over 23 categories, awards were given for Retail Store of the Year Design Competition. Included: Specialty Foods where Caribou Coffee came in first and The Chippery of Vancouver came in second; Department Store where Macy's San Francisco came in first and La Maison Simons in Montreal came in second. And then, look! Single Unit category where The Cleveland Browns Store in Cleveland came in first and sharing second place with CAT Merchandise Centre in Peoria is our very own Benelava right here in Short North, Columbus OH. And, if that isn't nice enough, check out the Cash Wrap category where second to first-prize winner, Disney's Mouse Gear in Orlando is again &endash; Richard Distel's Benelava.
Congratulations to Richard for the recognition and the awards and to his staff for giving great service to each and every customer, for knowing their merchandise inside and out, for participating in the SNBA, and for being open seven days a week (M-SA 10-9; SU 12-6) so that they can give great service to so many customers. I know Rick and his staff are hopeful that more and more retailers and gallery owners in the Short North will be able to extend their hours to serve our ever-growing public.
And, while we're patting people on the back, congratulations to Peter Avradopoulos of Short North Real Estate and board member of the Short North SID. Peter won the Victorian Village Commission Award for Outstanding Commercial Project for the work at 741 North High, the address for the distinguished Press Grille. Stop by, order some of those Billy Bob fries and give the folks your best.
HELP !
We're looking for a few good men and women who could volunteer a few hours on Hop nights. The chore is simple and could be tons of fun. Imagine it: standing along High Street between Goodale and Poplar with six or seven of your friends, decked in a Short North Volunteer t-shirt, and simply telling folks where they can park. The SNBA is happy to supply the shirts and the parking options. We just need the energized folks who aren't afraid to guide frustrated, traffic-bound potential Hoppers. Imagine how nice it would be if, when you were to drive smack dab into the heartbeat of Boston, someone greeted you and told you where to park so that you could enjoy yourself. That's what we want to do. Get the folks out of their cars and into the shops. Be a part of it!
OOOPS
Ignore all those alerts I'd been sending forward that the May 2000 Hop was the 200th Gallery Hop. Wrong. Thanks to Maria Galloway at pm gallery, we now know with pretty good assurance that the 200th Hop will be May 2001. Whew. So, relax and give some thought to what you'd like to see in May of 2001 as a celebratory birthday party. While we can count on the likes of Maria and Nancy Haitz and John Allen to hold onto important historical information about the growth and development of the Short North, we desperately need someone to come forward to extract that information in a sensible way and get it recorded. Sure sounds like a great and exciting task. And, I'll bet when the Short North stories are written and illustrated with photos and paintings and drawings, that book will sell like hotcakes. Anyone interested?
NO EXCUSES
Joe Rotella, the Co-Chair of AIDSWalk 2000 Central Ohio leaves nothing to chance. He is determined to see 2,000 walkers raising $200,000 for Bernice Troy Homes, Camp Sunrise, Delaware County AIDS Task Force, FACES at Childrens Hospital, Licking County AIDS Task Force, the NAMES Project, Ohio AIDS Coalition, Pater Nos-ter House, Project Open Hand Columbus, and Union County AIDS Task Force.
We invited Joe to speak about the AIDSWalk during our March General Membership Meeting, initially just to give us information about when we should expect scores of compassionate, caring, loving, devoted, dedicated people to tromp through the Short North on their 4.5 mile walk from Bicentennial Park. We got more than just that hunk of information. We got an opportunity to get involved at darn near no expense or trouble to us. A great partnership is emerging, and I hope you will take the time to visit each and every gallery and business that is participating in this event.
Borrowing from Joe's press release, the Short North Gallery Hop on April 1, 2000 will begin a month of AIDS awareness leading up to AIDSWalk Central Ohio on Sunday, May 7. Dozens of shops and galleries will display panels from the NAMES Memorial Quilt, illustrating the enormity of the AIDS epidemic by showing the humanity behind the statistics. Each 3-by-6-foot memorial panel commemorates the life of someone who has died of AIDS and was sewn together by friends, lovers and family members. Volunteers from AIDSWalk Central Ohio will be at the Hop distributing temporary face tattoos of the AIDSWalk logo (red ribbon with sneakers) and pledge forms. Throughout April, pledge forms will be available in more than two dozen Short North shops and galleries.
Also new in 2000, an Awareness Festival precedes The Walk. From 11 am to 1:30 pm at Bicentennial Park, AIDS service organizations will staff an education tent to answer your questions about HIV/AIDS. Food vendors and entertainers will be available in the park, leading up to Opening Ceremonies at 1:30 pm and Step Off at 2 pm. If you aren't walking, consider showing up and cheering them on. And merchants, if you aren't normally open on Sunday, you might want to reconsider this one! Finally, if you are interested in participating in AIDSWalk 2000 by walking, forming a team of walkers, or volunteering, please visit the AIDSWalk Central Ohio Web site at http://www.aidswalkcentralohio.org or call for info at 614-447-5050.
SHAKE OUT YOUR WELCOME MAT!
The Ohio State University Transportation and Parking Services is bringing loads of conventioneers to the Short North Monday, April 17. For more information, contact Doug Lape at 486-9598. Over 2000 registrations have been received for this three-day Big Ten and Midwestern Universities T+P Conference. Look to see more and more conventioneers walking the hop, skip and jump from the Convention Center to the Short North now that fair weather and longer days are here. Make them feel welcome, greet them with a smile, BE OPEN, and they will return and send their friends over and over again.
EXTRAS
You might think that Kaline Carter of An Open Book gets a little too much ink in this column, but gosh, he is calling and e.mailing with stuff he wants to share. More recently, he sent word that he is having a great response to his New Release Announcement Service. All new releases are put out on Tuesdays, bright and early. If you want to know what is hitting the shelves and listening stations in advance of your chance visit, just pass your e.mail address along.
There is new interest afoot about calming the traffic at Buttles and Park. A number of people have called the City office of Traffic, Engineering, and Parking to put their two cents in. If you have two or three cents to offer, give a call to William Knott at 645-6094. That office is looking at doing a survey of that intersection. They would like some input on what timeframes might be best surveyed. If you have something to offer, please do call.
Sparkspace is tossing an Open House during the April 1 Hop from 5-9 at 22 East Fourth, across the street from the Short North Post Office. Proprietor Mark Henson attended our March General Membership Meeting and gave us a quick introduction. We might get to know his creative conference site up close and personal very soon. Mark has offered his space to the SNBA for a meeting here or there. You can access the company short of a visit, by dialing: www.sparkspace.com.
One of my long-time favorite artists has taken up studio digs in the Short North. The brilliant Michael McEwan is making magic with his pastels and oils at 1128-1130 North High Street above Eva and Melanie Mahaffey's Mary Catherine's Antiques. He just had a show at the Keny Gallery in German Village and at the Schumacher Gallery on Capital University's campus. Just can't wait to see his first Short North show of the millennium. I'll keep you posted.
Congratulations to Sharon Weiss not only on her splendid move from Poplar to Lincoln but also on a hugely successful and fun showing of new works by Craig Carlisle. What a buzz was about the place during the last Hop. If you didn't get to Antiques and Art on Poplar (on Lincoln) early, you missed out on purchasing the art. It sold like wildfire. Sharon continues to represent Craig and many other great regional artists. And, thanks as well for her assist in procuring a huge Carlisle piece for the upcoming Art For Life Auction at the Columbus Museum of Art, May 13, benefiting the Columbus AIDS Task Force. If you need any information on this premier arts event, just let me know. I'm happy to put you in touch with the orchestrators. Remember, they are only every other year, so you don't want to miss this one.
By the time you are reading this, the white craft paper will have been ripped down from the new digs for Cookware Sorcerer. I pressed my nose against a side window and watched Nancy Haitz as she played her version of Beat the Clock. Stop by and help her celebrate a new tradition on High Street - just ten digits up from her old site.
WHO CARES WHERE WALDO IS!
Where is the Gator by Mary Martineau, the Spider by Daniel Work, the Giraffe by Kojo Kamau and Pepper, Lion by Smokey & Laverne Brown, and the Frog by Eric Lubkeman and about fifteen other seated figures and animals all a part of the Gables Project installation through the Short North the month of April? Elementary school children at the Gables Elementary School love art but can only have art classes if they raise the money themselves. So, they do just that. Last year, the students under the guidance of their teacher Brigid Moriarity built over twenty papier maché seated figures and fashioned them into local celebrities which were then auctioned off at a fundraiser held at the Columbus College of Art & Design.
This year, Brigid and the students went one step further. They desired to work with artists on their projects, and what better place to find a whole bunch of artists but in the Short North! We got Brigid and SNBA Board member Mary Martineau together for two hours one day, and off they went. The project was in full gear. Rather than rattle on about this partnership, I encourage you all to search the Short North for this year's art pieces. After showing in galleries and shops for one month, all Gables works of art will be moved to 2Co's where during the May Hop, thanks very much to Rebecca Gentile and the 2Co's staff, there will be a swell live auction emceed by our own Andrea Cambern. Any of the participating galleries and shops will have a map to help you find the rest of the pieces. Forget about the Chicago Cows. We have the Gables Chairs +++. Help us to welcome these budding new artists and arts lovers along with their parents this entire month.
For more information, contact the SNBA at 614-421-1030 or SNBACols @aol.com. Or, check out the website for the Gazette at www.shortnorth.com. Also, don't miss these Web sites that help to spread the arts word: Columbus Alive at www.alivewired.com; Charlie Einhorn's at: www.innerart.com/artbits/index.html; and P. Volker's at: www.columbusart.com
SOME MEETING DATES/TIMES:
April 1: GALLERY HOP, 6:00-10:00 pm with CD101 broadcasting
live and in-person @ Brian Boru's Spirits & ProvisionApril 5: General Membership Meeting, 9:30 am @ An Open Book.
April 11: Italian Village Society Meeting, 7:30 pm @ Short Stop Teen Center
April 20: Victorian Village Society Meet-ing, 7 pm @ Goodale Park Rec Ctr
April 25: ComFest Meeting, 7:30 pm, Roy G Biv Gallery
March 2000 issue
PLEASE, PLEASE CLEAN UP YOUR ACT!
There is trash everywhere in this wonderful neighborhood, and I'm not the only one who thinks it is appalling. What sense does it make to have the best art, the best music, the best food, soaps, furniture, candles, cards, books, knives, tiles, sweaters, service agencies, coffee, in the entire City when you can't get to it without stepping over trash! It must be the concern of each and every one of us. I've received many calls from shoppers, hoppers, visitors and neighbors who voice concern that the Short North is a mess. And, it is. Trash is everywhere. I would think that merchants would take some pride in ownership, not only in their storefronts and window displays, but also in the sidewalks around their businesses. While it might seem that the property owner would be responsible for cleaning up bottles, sandwich wrappers, newspapers, and street crud, they simply don't always mind that part of their business. Nothing is gained by waiting for someone else to clean up, because while we wait, we are certain to lose the respect of the clients who come to the Short North expecting to find a vibrant, caring, dynamic business and arts district. Rather, their first blush is of trash wrapped around trees, cigarette butts collecting in the grates, and beer bottles lining the sides of buildings. You can't pass the buck. Bend over and pick up the trash. Sweep the sidewalk. Care. You can bet your bottom dollar that there isn't trash littering the streets of Easton Town Center, nor will there be junk trashing up the new Arena District. If, for some reason, you are unable to tend to your property, call me. I'll personally come by and help out. Chances are we can even get a program pulled together to keep our sunnyside up, our best feet forward.And, while I'm at it: the Keep Columbus Beautiful Kickoff Day for the Great American Cleanup will be Saturday, April 1: No Foolin' - Just Cleanin.' This year, the emphasis is on neighborhood cleanups. This will be the 15th annual cleanup for Columbus. Who needs it? We do. Come to the March General Membership Meeting on the 7th (the last time we meet on Tuesdays) for a presentation from Joe Banicki, Keep Columbus Beautiful Program Director. Let's get the Short North Cleaned Up!
If you want to get the ball rolling for your neighborhood - Harrison West, Victorian Village - any block, any hood, you can call 645-8027 for more information on how to get help getting motivated to Clean Up Our Act!
FIRST AND FOREMOST:
SAVE THE DATE: May 13, 2000
Wouldn't you just know it. The Short North galleries are first at the starting gate for one of the most significant art events in this or any other city. I'm delighted to be at the same table with José Rodriguez and his powerhouse public relations team to blow the roof off the Art For Life auction. While we enjoyed a great lunch with perfect hospitality at Kyle Katz's Barcelona, we were able to eyeball the sensational Chihuly piece donated to the auction by Sherrie Riley and Thomas J. Hawk on behalf of the Riley Hawk Galleries and a stunning Imogen Cunningham photograph donated by Todd Mauritz on behalf of the Mauritz Gallery. Good for them! And, thanks to them for leading the way to this sure-to-be record-breaking event.Did you know that Columbus AIDS Task Force was the nation's first AIDS service organization to develop an Art for Life fundraising event? Since its inception in 1989, Art for Life has raised over $1.2 million for CATF, and has served as a blueprint for like organizations nationwide looking for an effective way to raise funds. Over the past eleven years, some 1,500 artists have donated 1,500 pieces of work valued at over $1.2 million to help make Art for Life the hottest art ticket in town. Some early roots for this event are Short North grounded. Conversations with Laverne Brown at ACE Gallery opened my eyes to numerous stories relating the Short North to this event. This year's event will be curated by Dan Cameron, Senior Curator of New York's New Museum of Contemporary Art. Jury date is April 8. Sotheby's will provide Helen Goldenberg as auctioneer and advisor. What can you do to make this event the success we all want it to be? Spread the word. Tell all your deep-pockets friends to save their money, buy a ticket, and bid high high high on the 50 pieces which will be on live auction and the 150 on silent auction. On behalf of the thousands of people who benefit, Jose's committee and event co-chairs, OAC's Wayne Lawson and Jodi Scheiman thank you in advance for a certain-to-be record breaking event!
TO OUR HEALTH!
At last, the lights will be on at 850 North High Street. The former home of Hollywood and High will very, very soon be open for business, now as Short North Natural Foods. During the February Hop, I stopped in my tracks and pestered the cluster of folks inside to unlock and let me in. Mark Furry was sizing up what was left to be done in the month before his anticipated March Hop opening. Looks like we'll now have a great, fresh, natural line of vitamins in our midst. Mark was generous with his time and knowledge that night, assuring me that the foods he intends to carry will be the best, healthful products. At this time, produce will not be part of the inventory, but as he gets to know the neighborhood, he will most certainly respond to client requests. Mark intends to be open for Hops. Let him know what you need and want.THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING
The buzz is about the street. Details are limited, but that is par for the course. Rumor has it that there will be another Hit-n-Run during the April Hop and possibly at 2Co's Cabaret. Planners Christopher Herren, Greg Sandor and Kurt Lightner have pulled off four of these hugely successful art events. The first was in Olde Town East in 1997. The most recent was a few months ago at the BLDG, Artists Studios on Second in Italian Village. They are quick to not give out too much information. The event must be discovered. Doors tend to open at 7:30ish with the silent auction going until 11 and the party going until the wee hours. For exact information on this underground-esque one-night-only art exhibition and auction, contact Kurt at the Columbus Museum of Art, The silent auction benefits each participating artist. Don't miss this one!HELP!
The SNBA office (that would be me) is currently seeking with great enthusiasm a Free Intern with great enthusiasm! Think of the fun! I tossed my line in The Ohio State University student employment pool hoping to come up with one person who would be able to give between four and six hours a week to do just whatever comes up. Top on the list of to-dos is filing filing filing, working on archives, and developing a media packet. Pass it on. Great opportunity for credits. Coffee is always on tap at the SNBA office. And, COTA #2 make the connection a breeze between OSU and the Short North.THIS N THAT
Kaline Carter, on his recent Toy Fair trip to NYC, had a brush with fame. He was trying to decide if he wanted to buy the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire game for An Open Book and, as he walked away, Regis came up behind him and said "BUY IT!!!" then shook his hand. You'll have to swing into the bookstore to see what Kaline's "final answer" was.Marla Bleiweiss, the top dog loan officer with Strategic Mortgage (and Lenny Zangardi's right-hand person) is aching to find a yoga class in the Short North. I don't know of any and hoped that someone reading this column could let me know if there are any sessions going now or in the pretty near future. I turned her on to Piece of Cake's healthful boxed lunches, and we've got the Natural Food shop on the way; maybe some of her healthful ways will rub off on me! Chances are that, if approached in the right fashion, Strategic Mortgage might consider offering the roof over any yoga expert's head for winter stretching classes. There's plenty of room here at 40 West Third Avenue.
A little ink action in last month's Gazette got the DooDah Parade Chick to cough up some personal dollars to get her 9-5-er into this Business Association. Now, I can encourage all of you to call Deb Roberts at University Travel Services (but in the Short North) to get the skinny on all of her winter travel deals. Make certain you remind Deb that you don't want your travel plans to collide with critical Short North, DooDah, ComFest, SNBA events.
Get right over to Planet Pet to pick up your festive St. Patty's Day puppy ware. Kim Butters reports that she has stocked up on bandanas and collars for all size doggies (she tells me that any self-respecting cat just doesn't dress up for the holidays anymore). Also, note this: The Columbus Dog Connection will be onsite between 12 noon and 3 pm on April Hop along with some of the dogs available for adoption. The organization rescues foster dogs and finds loving permanent homes for stray and unwanted dogs. This loving non-profit organization is at www.columbusdogconnection.com. Or you can give a call to Kim at 297-6717. Stop by. Fall in love and you'll get tons of loving right back.
The ComFest organizers are looking for someone to come up with a new logo for the Year 2000 event. Deadline for submission is March 22. For more information: www.comfest.com.
2Co's Cabaret christened its great new space with great music, laughter, tears, private label brews, popcorn, birthday cake, champagne, and finger-snapping poetry on February 3. Too bad you missed it, if you did. But, you still have time to catch Lost Lands which runs through March 3 in the 100-seat house at 790 North High, conveniently nestled right in between Frezno and Haiku and just across the alley from long-time resident Reality Theatre.
In lieu of shows on Gallery Hop Saturdays, 2Co's opens as a gallery, currently exhibiting the works of regional artist Ellen Wolford. You can call the hotline at 470-2Cos for all the details. In the release, Shadowbox Artistic Director/2Co's General Manager, Rebecca Gentile said, "It's a great thrill to be back downtown and part of the Short North ... Patrons will be seated at round tables and appetizers and beverages will be available for ordering before the show and during intermissions." I had a great time on opening night. Somehow I managed to get Stonewall Columbus' Jeff Redfield (and SNBA Trustee) to take a few moments before ER and in between his wranglings with flag burners to relax and enjoy the sold-out performance. Hope to see YOU there in the near future.
CRIME: HEADS UP FOLKS!
The Short North is not free of crime. There isn't a neighborhood in Columbus or any city nationwide that can claim to be totally safe. So please keep your eyes open, your ears tuned, and your finger poised to dial 645-4545. Unless you witness a life-threatening situation and have the option to dial 911, please never ever hesitate to call the cops on crime. I'm certain any proprietor along the High Street strip would allow you to use their phone to make a call to the police station.
Over the past few months, there has been a rash of thievery. Only now, we are not being passive about it. We are acting and by acting immediately and consistently, the shoplifters will tire, realize that we are not sitting ducks, and hopefully will move along - better yet change their ways. Security and thievery were the discussion points at the February general membership meeting. Those in attendance had the chance to look at fake bills, ask questions of our liaison officer, hear from BankOne Branch Manager (and SNBA Trustee) Jeff Bergandine about strategies on dealing with corrupt folk. They are everywhere. They are taking your merchandise. They are not contributing to the neighborhood we all want for us and for the City. Blow the whistle on them. Remember this # : 645-4545.
MEETINGS
Looks like the SNBA Board will be changing the regular General Membership meeting date. We've heard from a number of our members that the first Tuesday of the month is somehow difficult to program into their schedules. We will keep the March General Membership date on Tuesday, March 7, 9:30 am @ An Open Book. But starting April, we will slide into Wednesday meeting dates. That gives retailers a chance to get used to the business week before having to think about early morning meetings. We hope more and more of you will start taking advantage of the day change.At each General Membership meeting, we aim to have a guest speaker discussing topics of concern for this community. Some of the folk I've already plugged into my invite list are: Mike Coleman, Mayor of Columbus; Matt Habash, City Council President; Sandy Wood, Short North Special Improvements District; Paul Astleford, President & CEO of Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau; Mary Relotto, Godman Guild Development Director; Dittie Guise, Greater Columbus Convention Center Assistant General Manager; Wayne Garland and William Graver, Buckeye Real Estate; Kimberly Moss, Associate Director of Planning for Columbus Neighborhood Design Assistance Center; Mark Barbash, Director of Trade & Development Department for City of Columbus; Betsy Meleski, City of Columbus Trade & Development; Crime Stoppers; Kim Shepherd, Program Coordinator for Paving the Way; Brad Shimp, Acting Director of Columbus Countywide Development Corp; Gavin Armstrong, President of Victorian Village Society; Andy Klein, President of Italian Village Society; Andy Baumann, Code Enforce-ment Officer for City of Columbus Building & Development Services; Ron Barnes, General Manager and Jim Daley, COTA; Deb Roberts, DooDah Parade Chick. You won't want to miss any of the meetings, now will you?
If you have an issue, concern, or topic you'd like brought to the attention of the SNBA General Membership, please pass it on to me. E.mail is a great way to communicate. Keep in mind.: We first acknowledge the needs of our dues-paid members!
MEMBERSHIP DUES
Speaking of, if you think you're a member of the SNBA but can't recollect sending your dues in the past year, fret not - but save up your money! Dues for Y2K should be in the mail by the time you read this column. We'll be invoicing all members on a Jan/Dec calendar year and pro-rating any new businesses that come to us mid-year. Not a part of this dynamic 250-plus member association? We don't discriminate. You're welcome to join. In fact, you don't have to "own a business" to be a member. Remember, the door to our General Membership meetings are always open. What better way to welcome new, lapsed, returning people interested in our mission: to support and promote SNBA members and area businesses, to advocate the development and revitalization of this historic neigh-borhood, and to encourage the diversity of the urban diversity of the urban arts district.CONGRATULATIONS!
Jackie Muir, manager of the Short North United Dairy Farmers at 900 North High told me that she now brews up new French Roast in both regular and decaffeinated. Thank the Lord! While you're there, give the staff an "attaboy" on being celebrated as the Top Central Columbus UDF Station, beating the pants off both campus stores. Why? How could our single plopped-in-the-middle of the Short North UDF beat the others? Jackie simply says, "It's this great neighborhood! We see everyone coming and going, at all times of the day and night. You need ice cream? We've got it. You need a bottle of soda? It's here. And, of course, the coffee is always on!"
Jackie tells me that she has to put three times the normal staff in during Gallery Hop. This joint is jumping! Used to be getting to work on those frigid Mondays in January was almost a delight. The deal was so simple. Drag your sorry sleepy self into the UDF on Free Refill Monday, a long-time favorite promotion in the cold winter months (Nov, Dec & Jan) and fill 'er up, thank the staff and get to work. Jackie tells me that all it might take to get that special promotion back in gear for the rest of the cold Columbus Monday mornings would be to fill out the handy comment cards. I filled out mine this morning!
WANT MUSIC? We've Got It
This joint is jumping in so many ways. One of my very favorite times to listen to the radio is Saturday night. Following the totally mellow Prairie Home Companion, WCBE offers up Saturday Evening Sounds with Scott Vezdos (8-10pm), All Mixed Up with Michael Swaggerty (10pm-12M), Change Up The Groove with Poppa Hopp (12M-1am), all locally produced shows. All featuring incredibly exciting music. And, happily, if you like what you hear, you can get it right here in the Short North for your personal collection.
You can start by picking up world music from Putumayo at Global Gallery and move right up High Street to the best reggae at Roots in the Garden District. There is plenty in between. You'll find Americana, rockabilly, blues, soul, swing, cocktail jazz, salsa, ska, surf, indie-rock, funk, acid jazz, trip-hop, techno, dance, acid jazz, jungle, hip-hop, drum 'n' bass, new-school breaks, pop, big band, classics, heavy metal, Top 40, spoken word, country, vintage, acid rock, club, women's music, big beat, alternative rock, and Rosemary Clooney plus so much more within this one-mile shopping strip.
Newest Short North addition, Culture Seven Records (formerly across from Graceland Shopping Center). Owner Fred Dowdy and his dedicated staff of dance music specialists are taking up residence officially March 1 in the Garden District, 1172 North High, just doors away from Roots and nearly across the street from Magnolia Thunderpussy. C-7 helps to produce WCBE's All Mixed Up. When you aren't dancing at Axis or lunching to music videos at Union Station, or grooving to the juke box at Press Grille, stroll into any of the many retailers who carry music. No way to define or categorize them. Every store has a very inclusive selection, but also specialized. And don't forget about the other end of the spectrum. Lemongrass features Gary Matheny and David Gorsuch alternating on the piano Wednesdays through Saturday nights. And Haiku offers up the jazz ensemble, Abstract Truth on Saturday nights.
Kaline, An Open Book's music specialist said, "Great! The Short North is happy to welcome another music store. It is wonderful that there is enough interest and energy and focus in the Short North for all of us to work together and provide the selection not only for our neighborhood but really all of Central Ohio's needs. We get people in from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Dayton, and far beyond to buy music. We do a great deal of mail order music as well. People know that they can get what they want in the Short North because the district is so eclectic; you are bound to find whatever you want, even if you don't know you want it. You can find things you never heard of." Rather than try to categorize what each of the many music vendors specializes in, you should just pop in and dig around the stacks. You'll find it all.
February 2000 issue
You really don't need a program. Nope, you don't necessarily have to know who is at what address these next few months. Just wander into every open door and you'll be delighted to see a familiar face in a new site. Here is what we know at press time.
Cookware Sorcerer proprietor Nancy Haitz is packing up her pots and pans, dishes and knives, kitchen gadgets along with her dear pooch and moving ten digits up the street from her familiar long-time digs at 658 North High. She will have loads more space to display her wares at 688 North High, the former home of Dana Killion's lovely contemporary craft gallery and supplies shop, Garnish. We will certainly miss Dana's outstanding shop, but won't have to live without her talents. Just log onto the internet at www.garnishinc. com. Everything you need to create that perfect appointment will be there - including Dana's expertise.
Antiques and Art on Poplar proprietor Sharon Weiss will keep the name, but you'll find the jam-packed-with-art and must-have things on Lincoln come March. Sadly, we have lost Jan Frey Gallery, but not to another Columbus neighborhood. Nope, Jan and her husband Dan headed back home to Wisconsin after many years making their home in German Village. Jan had a great long run with her gallery in German Village before moving to Lincoln not much more than a year ago. But not a bit of dust will gather before Sharon starts loading her remarkable goods into 20 East Lincoln. Sharon reports that she will "open" officially in the new site during the March Hop with a showing of regional FAV, Craig Carlisle's work.
Then, we hear from Dick Glover of Real Estate Opportunities that the old Bargain House at 879 North High Street is soon to erupt with activity. By next month, we'll be able to bring you up to speed on Roger Bailey Interiors and Mosaic, two of the three new businesses going into that site. Dick tells me that he is still hoping to broker a deal for the remaining 6,000 square feet. Still there is talk of a theatre group or comedy club. Stand by.
But until that time, entertainment will abound in the Short North. Needless to say, The Full Monty should keep the sidewalk traffic frisky once they are in place at 870 North High. I have no report yet on the audition process for this venue.
Kaline Carter at An Open Book reports that a new fresh shipment of Chicklets just arrived. He keeps a detailed status report on Chicklet sales. We have an extremely fresh breathed and gum-chewing neighborhood. Ask him about bulk discounts! You'll be able to pick up more than Chicklets if you attend the First SNBA General Membership Meeting of the Millennium under the new leadership of your just-elected SNBA Board of Trustees. New President Michael Lindsey, owner of An Open Book, is throwing open the doors at 9:30 every first Tuesday of the month.
For the past two years, the monthly meetings were held at the Short North Tavern where John Allen made certain coffee was on tap. At press time, I don't know what will be offered now under the new leadership, but by the time the meeting is over (usually at 10:45), the store will be open, the cash register turned on and we'll have our pick of candy and gum, magazines and music.
If you can't make it to the meeting, when you can get up close and personal with your SNBA Board of Trustees, here is the list so that when you see them in the district, you can greet them and pass along your concerns. They are: John Allen of Short North Tavern (Past President); Jeff Bergandine of Bank One Short North Branch; Ray Brown of Havana, Union Station, and Axis (Vice President); Gina Cronley of Orbit Design; Sebastian Ibel of IC Communication Team; Barbara Jennings of Columbus College of Art and Design; Curtis Jewell of Excel Management Systems, Inc.; Michael Lindsey of An Open Book (President), Mary Martineau of Transformations; Darryl Mendelson of Monkey's Retreat; Eric Parmater of Parmater Companies; Jeff Redfield of Stonewall Columbus; Juli Rogers of Insty-Prints (Secretary); Al Schulman of Nationwide Insurance; Shelly Seitz of Columbus Alive; Kyle Sharp of Doctors Hospital Ohiohealth (Treasurer); David Strause of Lakota Investments; and Mark Wood of The Wood Companies. Don't hesitate to call on them. Special thanks for years of service to Kim Butters of Planet Pet and Ursula Lanning of Lanning Gallery who no longer serve on the board. Ursula must be further saluted for her year serving as Secretary to the Board.
ACME announced the date of their Annual Art Auction: September 2000. Don't miss it. Now that that is on your calendar, sit up and take note of a much earlier deadline. Get involved now if you'd like to be among the ACME Art Company. Your, yes, your work can be featured in the Main Gallery for the March 2000 Members Exhibition. Of course, you must be a member but that's easy. You can drop off one (1) piece of your art and become an Artist Member for a mere $35. Current members: your membership expires in March. You must be 18 years or older to participate. Drop off is Monday, February 28 and Tuesday, February 29 from 1-7 pm at 1129 North High. ACME Art Company is a non-profit art gallery dedicated to emerging/experimental artists. For more information, contact Michael Kehlmeier at 262-2568 or Melesa Klosek at 268-5545.
CALLING ALL MURALISTS!!! The North side of Mac's Cafe, 693 North High, needs a coat of paint at the hand of a very creative and ambitious person. Quite a canvas! Building owner Curtis Jewell of Excel Management Systems Inc. (and new SNBA board member) has been aching to get a dynamic image on the north face of the building which flanks the City Parking lot. Think of all the eyes that will stand in awe of whatever will go up there, and by all means, SOMETHING will go up. Powerhouses Gavin Armstrong, President and Brian Higgins, Vice President of Victorian Village Society will see to it. Already they have five people who have indicated their interest, and the guys are going to send out their feelers to CCAD, OSU, and Cols State before the last call. They aren't stopping there. GCAC's Ray Hanley is on their call list for the cash that makes great things like this happen. All the paint and cash in the world won't make a great mural though. We all need a great concept and great hand(s) to get the job done. This public art will be on display to one and all for years and years to come.
Recently, we've seen the addition of a mini mural on Clique's south wall, 1151 North High, at the hand of Short Stop Teen Center artists with guidance from G. G. Howard. Oh, and Ricky Day of Stickmen Properties Ltd has a jumbo, significantly positioned wall aching for jumbo art too. There's plenty to go around. Step up to the plate, jump into the coveralls, and get ready to paint the town. Interested? Call Gavin at 297-1625 or Brian at 224-6585 or e-mail your intent to: shortnorthart@aol.com.
HOPS: Daniel Work's ROY G BIV Gallery, 997 North High, is the place to be for swell musical interludes. No kidding. I've been to three openings and didn't want to leave, and not because there's food and drink and great art and great company, but because Tom Seward is making great music in his guitar and machinery. Even if you think you can catch the BIV show some other time, try not to miss it on Hop night. Call 297-7694 for "reception" nights info.
SHUTTERBUGS: If you were among the many folks with a camera during Holiday Hop and have some images that you think capture the spirit of the Short North, let me know. We weren't able to secure a photographer to document this beautiful, spirited annual Hop which means, the office has nothing on hand to use for promotional purposed come December 2000! If you have some great shots or know of someone who was shooting during the Holiday - or any Hop for that matter - who are you? Give a call.
Likewise, while the Holiday Hop committee booked some entertainment throughout the day, there were loads of folks who just showed up, put out the hat, and played, sang, danced, juggled, drummed. What a joy! Thank you for giving your talents to the thousands of folks who streamed through the Arts District that day. If you'd like to be on our list of entertainers, again, give a call.
OVERHEARD: Former Dispatch and Dialogue scribe, Tracey Hummer popped in to the Mauritz Gallery on Christmas Eve. She was back in town for the holiday, taking a break from her new position as Managing Editor for the huge national publication, Art Forum Magazine. Cheers to her!
When a pal of mine was shopping at Urban Gardener during the holidays he witnessed co-owner Ellen Stein referring a customer to another store in the Short North since she didn't have the product in need. The customer voiced her fascination that Ellen would send business to a competitor. At which, Ellen said, "Oh, we're not competitors in the Short North, we're collaborators." You go girl!! That's what makes living and working and playing in the Short North such a delight.
THIS is what Harrison West is doing. On Saturday, January 22 at the Fourth Avenue Christian Church, members of the Harrison West Public Arts Project assembled with guests, residents of HW and Society members, voting to select one art project for the neighborhood from three commissioned proposals. Great food, beverages, children's activities and live music by the Curbfeelers make for a really fun fun, warm, neighborly neighborhood fest. Nearly everything was donated. Fascinating, beautiful, imaginative presentations were made by Jon Hudson, Charlotte Lees and Insight - Studio & Gallery owner, Barbara Vogel. Enlightenment got into the act by presenting the proposals in their shop at 448 West Third Avenue prior to the party. At the time of this column, I don't know the winner. I do know that there was quite a buzz over Barbara's proposal that included the possibility of an ice rink. If you can't wait until next month, contact Society President, Maddy Weisz at 291-2285 or e-mail weisz.2 @osu.edu. While you're at it, join the Society. Then, you can have a vote.
DOO MAKE THIS MEETING: My calendar is crammed with tons of meetings and events. I didn't need one more inclusion, but when I got an e-mail from Deb Roberts, DooDah Chair-Chick, I quickly grabbed my pen and wrestled open my out-of-control calendar. Deb reminded her recipients that "it takes many months to get disorganized for the DooDah Parade" and that the first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 2, 2000. She continued, "We will continue to disorganize at the usual watering hole, the Short North Tavern at 6:30pm.
Other tentative meetings are set for the March 1, April 5, April 19, May 3, 17, 31, then every Wednesday until the big day." If you couldn't make or simply missed that first meeting and want to get as on-board as one can be for this legendary event, you can contact The ChairChick at 228-1868. As soon as Deb gets University Travel Services to jump on the SNBA membership wagon, we'll help her broadcast to you the huge savings she can broker for you. Till then, grab her at that DooDah Meeting. If you need to be told, you must be new to town, but the DooDah Parade is always round about High Noon on Independence Day. Rain date: July 3! (I love that.)
Parking Updates: Axis still offers a perfect place to park your wheels during the Gallery Hops. But you must have a few bucks on hand to broker the deal. SNBA Vice President Ray Brown offers his lot to non-profits on Hop nights. Everybody wins. If you want to get in on the money-making opportunity, contact Ray at 228-3546 (Union Station) or raybrown@columbus. rr.com.
Just opened is the 900-space Greater Columbus Convention Center West Parking Garage on Vine Street just West of High. Rates: 0-1hr/$1; 1-2hrs/$3 2-3hrs/$5; 3-5hrs/$7; 5-7hrs/$9; 7-12hrs/ $11; 12-24hrs/$14. And, over 200 spaces are available at the GCCC surface lot on Goodale, just steps away from the fabulous Short North. Rates: 0-1hr/$3; 1-3hrs/$5; 3-5hrs/$6; 5-7hrs/$7; 7-12hrs/ $8; 12-24hrs$14.
And, special thanks to Jim Mengel for provoking St. Joseph Montessori School to step up to the plate. Get it while it is still no-charge, because once the great weather sets in, the school kids might see a money-making opportunity as well! Till that time, know that you can access their paved, non-attended lot accommodating a whopping assembly of 30-40 cars. Access the St. Joe's lot from Hamlet which runs parallel to Summit one block to the East. There is an exit to First Avenue.
Again, once great summer weather sets in, look for St. Joe's to consider opening their playing field which allows lots and lots of cars. Jim encourages local merchants and staffers to park there, allowing the streets to be open for shoppers and hoppers. Thanks to them for bringing the need for close-by parking to their Board and to the Board for giving a thumbs up! And a public welcome to St. Joe's, a new member of the SNBA.
JOB POSTING: After thousands of volunteers' hours have been logged by the property owners who put the new Short North Special Improvement District Inc together, the time has come to hire a manager. President Sandy Wood and officer Joe Armeni, along with the rest of the new Short North SID Board have posted the job description for one of the most exciting and challenging positions to hit the streets in years.
In a nutshell: The Executive Director position calls for general management skills in supervising improvements and maintenance for the Short North Business District. This is a full-time, salaried position ranging $26-28,000 plus benefits and is available immediately. Responsi-bilities include directing daily operations, hiring, budgeting, interacting with property owners, and coordination with the City of Columbus. The position requires strong people skills and the ability to take initiatives. Send your resume and references to: Short North SID, 453 West Third Avenue, 43201.
Psssst: Ray Brown has 3,300 square feet of retail space at 1174 North High Street in the Garden District all set to rent. Spread the word to the right person(s). If you know of someone just aching to set up shop, let me know and I'll pass along Ray's cell phone number.
January 2000 issueI hope you pick this paper up in time to note that there will, in cold January fact, be a Gallery Hop this month. This and every month - the first Saturday from 6 - 10 pm - you can count on the galleries being open and offering up piping-hot fresh artwork for the looking and the buying. And just because Christmas and Hanukah, and Kwanzaa are over and nearly every piece of gift wrap in the recycling bin, it doesn't mean the cash register should stop ringing. Buy some art. Buy it for yourself. Got some cash for the holidays? Spend it on art. Remember, throughout the Short North, you can most certainly find art within your budget. If you need help, give me a call. Everyone benefits: You, the artists, the gallery.
Greg Bowersock of The Bachelor's Pad would have loved to be open on New Years Day for the Hop, but the holidays took him out of town. He didn't want to cheat his clients out of his traditional 20% Off Everything in the Store Gallery Hop Special, so he is observing Hop on January 8. Note: everything BUT consignment pieces.
My new favorite Web site: http://www.thehungersite.com. Dial it up every single day and press the "donate food" button. It takes seconds, costs you nothing, helps others, makes you feel really good. Simple.
Who has the most fun on Gallery Hops? I think it might be Pati Young who works her Waldo's window big time. She really gets the biggest bang for her buck of High Street frontage. Did you stop by during Holiday Hop? Very very good looking and fun. If only she could have kept that same window the entire holiday season, she surely would have won some sort of Best Window category when our judges passed by. Pati assures me she will be open for business and fun for the January Hop on New Year's Day, so rush over and see what is happening at 755 North High Street. You can pretty much always count on Tarot readings and music and without questions artwork. Pati is very nearly booked up with shows for Y2K already. Give her a call if you want to get on her docket. Her featured artists' work sells!
Speaking of Holiday Hop Windows! Drum roll! The winners of the 1999 Holiday Hop Window Display Competition are: Best Gallery Window: Mauritz Gallery; Best Retail Window: Torso; Best Restaurant/Bar Window: Lemongrass Asian Bistro; and Honorable Mentions to Victorian Gate for Deborah Rodenfels' upside-down Christmas tree and Columbus Worship Center for their animated windows and LIVELY living Nativity! Congratulations to them and thanks to everyone who helped to light up the Short North with window and building decorations. There were many wonderful windows and building decorations (how does Roadhouse Annie's do it?) but alas only three categories. The Y2K Holiday Hop committee will certainly take into consideration expanding on the competition and clarifying the criteria. Start planning now. It is only a few months away. Keep your eyes and ears open for General Membership meetings specific to this unique hop. Special thanks to our swell judges: Tylar Bacome from WCMH-TV4; Andrea Cambern from WBNS.10TV; Mary Circelli from Columbus Dispatch; Andrea Smithberger from WSYX-NewsCenter 6; Melissa Starker from Columbus Alive; Scott L. Walker from Bank One; and Rebecca Gentile, Steve Guyer, and Stacie Boord from Shadowbox Cabaret. It looked and sounded like everyone was having a blast clip clopping through the beautiful Short North in a Heinlein Carriage with driver Amy Kiefer and handler David Heinlein (a fourth generation-er) maneuvering the traffic and horse petters.
We're pretty lucky to have so many generous folks lending a hand on the Holiday Hop. I cannot give proper credit. Even if the Short North Gazette could print everyone's name in 28 pt type, it wouldn't be a big enough salute. So many of our heroes remain nameless. So many show up on Hop day or night and make the magic happen without fanfare, without notice, without a call for acknowledgement. They just give. No matter how much we try to plan on entertainment, we are still blessed with the folks who appear and play and delight the onlookers. Then, they are gone and we wonder who they are, how they found us, how we can find them again. If you are one of them, let us know. We're building a list and checking it twice, and we'd love to have you on that list.
If the Christmas Queen, Fran Angiulo could share her crown, it should be plopped right on top of Deborah Rodenfels' beautiful blonde head. Fran granted wishes all night long. Deb made miracles happen all week long. What would Victorian Gate and all of the Short North do without her? And, sidekick Kevin Samuels is another new hero of mine. The two make a great team. Just wait until you see what they have up their sleeves for December 2000!
Urban Gardener's Christie Nohle, 1999 Holiday Hop Chairperson, rounded up as many members of the committee as possible who could break away from pre-Christmas retail and ministry rush for a wrap-up meeting. It was hard to concentrate on the good, the bad, and the ugly of this year's Holiday Hop thanks very much to Paul Lin of Haiku Poetic Food & Art. Whew, after laughing at (with?) Christie and Ursula Lanning and gobbling up a few Japanese soybeans (you'll have to try them to know what is funny about that), we were graciously served a spectacular display of California Rolls, sushi, tofu, mushrooms, plenty of things I can't pronounce or spell. Everything was delicious even before I washed it all down with just a bit of sake. Paul and his staff gave us royal treatment, seating us at the "bandstand." If the last time you stopped by Haiku was during the warmer months, outside in the garden, you're missing something big. Please drop by. Make it early. By the time our "meeting" got underway, the place was packed with locals, regulars, business folk, hotel folk, smart folk. If you sit at the bar, you have the benefit of watching the art of sushi and a swell feng-shui thing on the wall. I'm not going to spoil it. Just go. Take a seat. Spend some time. Oh, and Paul and his poetry-makers are featuring original art as well. Again, check the Gallery Hop listings in this issue.
Like I said, I can't name everyone who contributed blood, sweat, hours, money, tears to the Holiday Hop, but I encourage you all to run up to our Short North Kroger at Seventh and High and plant a great big kiss on Store Manager, Steve Walters. God bless him. Without pause, he committed to over 10,000 marsh-mallows for the Fire Barrel brigade. Overheard at the Fire Barrel at Victorian Gate after a little bit of marsh-mallow toasting and a visit with Santa and the Mrs.: "This is the most romantic time I've had in a long time. I'm having the BEST time!" Isn't it something what a little firewood (Thanks to the Martha Walker Garden Club) and puffed sugar can do!
Thanks to Randy Malloy, Jodi Roberts, and CD101 gang for sending the magic out over the airwaves. I found myself in my car at one point during the Hop and heard a splendid carol offered up live on High Street by the Columbus Gay Men's Choir. Perfect. It was so much fun, if I hadn't BEEN in the midst of the Hop, I would have zoomed there, no matter the traffic.
God bless Bruce Dooley! He not only moves people into and out of some of the best houses in the district, he can move people up and down these fabulous streets like nobody else. Bruce got all warmed up on people moving during the Victorian Village Tour of Homes. So, when Christie approached Dooley & Company Realtors about sponsoring something for the Holiday Hop, Bruce was right there offering to under-write the shuttles. He has so much holiday and neigh-borhood spirit, he had brand new signs made up. And, he committed to handling the shuttles again next year. Up and down High Street, free rides. I'm hoping that next year, we can zig zag those shuttles into the neighborhoods to spotlight not only the great architec-ture but to showcase some of those off-the-beaten-track SNBA members. I almost can't wait!
We want to acknowledge Frezno Eclectic Kitchen, Tapatio, Lemongrass Asian Bistro, and R.J. Snapper Bar & Gill for happily donating gift certificates as a 'Thank you' for some of the above and beyond volunteers. And hugs to Wendy Goldstein, Costume Specialists for giving our Santa just the right look.
We have more than heartfelt thanks to Jack Lucks of Continental Communities, who brought us Victorian Gate and the Holiday Tree. Bigger and better plans next year for that component of the Holiday Hop. Jack and sis Linda Lucks are loaded with great ideas and gracious support. You'll just have to wait to hear the details.
Merci to Kris Harrison and Gina Cronley of Orbit Design who gave us all a much talked about, great, creative, memorable poster. Mona never looked. better! Don't you think it could, no should, win some design awards? Councilwoman Maryellen O'Shaunessey remarked on the imaginative image when she presented the SNBA with a Columbus City Council Certificate of Honor and Recognition. Maryellen wanted to be among the Window Display judges but another commitment kept her away. Next Year, Maryellen!
I got a call from the candle guys at Enlightenment (www.enlightenmentusa.com) at 448 West Third Avenue. Chris Eckert, Les Donahue and David Haas are giving some thought to joining the SNBA. In addition to their handcrafted candle line, they also stock an array of soaps, oil lamps, greeting cards, table lamps, original artwork by local artists and bulk candlemaking supplies. They wouldn't be the first off-the-beaten-track business to be among our ranks. Newest associate is Richard Bauer, co-proprietor of Antiques & Eccentricities at 190 West Second Avenue, right around the corner from associate Doctors Hospital OhioHealth. And, long-time associate, Dave McLaughlin of Pisa Pete's Pizza at 811 Highland Street. I had the best time finding PPP on a poster delivery excursion. Too bad for me it was before opening. Do you know how to find "fresh hot, crusty pizza and great subs with Free delivery?" I do!
None Other Too has just gone through a major face lift. A great big fresh coat of paint, rearrangement, new faces behind the counter, great original new adornments, and continuing to feature remarkable original art on the walls all add up to more than enough reasons to drop by if you haven't been in for a while. I have my eyes on an awesome sapphire the most unusual color, a vibrant orange. Goldsmith Eric Folpz tells me the stone, "Paddy" short for Padpardarsha (don't hold him or me to that spelling) is from India and is among the rarest and most expensive. Stop by and take a look at it and the newest installation, "Prairie Moon," paintings, tribal masks, loomed textiles from the Southwest by Deb Clark through January 31. Check the Hop Listings in this issue to see what other galleries, restaurants, pubs, hair salons, boutiques, cafes are displaying for the month of January.
Thanks to Steven Rosenberg's proximity to my desk, was making my own music - tapping my shoes, drinking a beer, singing my soul out. My office pal has patiently waited for me to find time to take advantage of his offer for complimentary tickets to a Short North Performing Arts Association offering. The program on November 28 hit the spot. It was a perfectly perfect respite amidst the chaos of the www.buyitfromme.com fiasco. Settled into Dan Dougan's Little Brothers, just spitting distance from our office, a lively audience welcomed Waterson: Carthy. I didn't want the program to end. Neither did the audience. You missed that program, but you can still join in the great musical fun. Lunasa performs 8 pm Friday, February 11 at Little Brothers as part of the Folk Sampler. But before that, try out the Chamber Music Series program featuring Priscilla Gayle and Andrej Mentschukoff at 2 pm, January 9 at the Short North Tavern. Call Steven at 291-5854 for more information.
Several months ago, when I was just starting to get my bearings in the Short North, I met Donald Damron at An Open Book. If my memory serves, seems to me we talked about vision. It started out as a quick comment on this Gazette column. Donald was giving me some advice on how to handle it since I had no idea what folks wanted to know about, to read about. He suggested we use this ink and space that Tom Thomson is giving us to seek out the dreams and hopes of the folks who live in, work in, play in, shop in, and hang out in the Short North. Well, what do you think? Do you have a vision for this district? There are a number of people who are working very very hard on a daily basis on behalf of the best interests of the users of
the Short North. There is the Short North Business Association. And, Sandy Wood of The Wood Companies presides over the Short North Special Improvement District Inc. That group of property owners have the tantamount task of working with ga-jillions of city directors and engineers and architects getting the historic decorative arches up and lighted in the next 16 months. As well, they will be charged with capital improvements along the business district strip between Poplar and Smith Place. More on those developments later. E-mail or write in to the Gazette the three top things you would like to see in the Short North in the next year: shtnorth@netwalk.com.
Star Shopper Alert! Cheryl Bentyne, the great red-headed vocalist from Manhattan Transfer dropped a wad recently at Curio-A-Gogo picking up black rubber gloves trimmed with fun fur. Dan Snouffer said the gloves are a multi-purpose accessory, perfect for doing dishes or spanking. She also hit the Jan Frey Gallery where she picked up a wonderful metal toilet paper holder that Jan picked up at a flea market in London. Dan reports that he is still getting in some hot, hot new spa items. Big in NYC for Valentine's Day: Spa DaDa (who brought you home spa kits and voodoo love). And, you can't get it anywhere else, Madame LaRue's Burlesque Revue (winner of the Creative Packaging Award at the EXTRACT Show in NY), a collection of International Love Kits for that "erotic adventurer.
Do you miss Holly Hartman Ruggerio? The former manager of Global Gallery is now fussing with stained glass artisans at Franklin Art Glass in German Village. She and her newly betrothed Richard still make their home above 9 Buttles Avenue. Stepping in at Global is Connie Dejong who was a big help during Holiday Hop when we needed a few last minute extras for Santa's house. I'm so happy we still have Global in our midst. I heard they did a bang up business during our Holiday Hop, selling all of their jumbo tribal drums! I went back that day to grab a hat that I'd had my eye during the November Hop. What was I thinking! Gone. Gotta grab it while you can here in the Short North.
I want to go on record thanking Charlie Einhorn very publicly for his huge support of the arts, the artists, the cultural world at large. When I sent him via e-mail the gallery listings pulled together specifically for the Do The Gallery Hop submissions in The Dispatch, Columbus Alive, Other Paper, and Suburban News Publications, I never ever thought he'd be so generous as to list every single piece of information in his coooool Web site column artbits. But he did. He listed the entire lot with phone numbers and gallery hours and shows and gallery director names and show titles and everything. I was delighted! The delight came only after being scared outta my wits at having to see my very own aging face blasting out of the computer screen. After I got over the fright and proceed to enjoy the delight, I took some time to look around the entire innerart.com address.
LOADS of information. On your coffee break, dial it up. You can quickly scan right past my "coronation" photo and into the meat of the material. But, please take some extra time to look around. There is an interesting request from the Central Ohio Weavers Guild. They need a home! Mary Jo Hood made her request very simply. Take a look. Maybe you can be the helper, the problem solver, the solution finder. And, now at the holidays, is the perfect time to lend a hand, or a room. For more information, dial it up:http://innerart.com/Charliebits/index.html
The Antiques Roadshow will air the Columbus portion of their shows January 10 and 17 at 8 pm on WOSU-TV. The two one-hour shows were filmed in Columbus in August. Many interesting finds and stories were filmed as appraisers evaluated thousands of items. Several tie-in scenes were also filmed around Columbus. Look for Short North's Echoes Of Americana to show up!
Each year, Stonewall Columbus produces the Lavender Listings. In 1999, over 400 gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender-owned or friendly business advertised in the publication. In addition to promoting the listed businesses, the Lavender Listings provides a great resource for the community. The Stonewall Center, the programs, and services greatly rely on the income from this project. Consider helping to continue this tradition AND keep it growing! You can pick up copies of the Advertisement Package for Lavender Listings 2000 at the Stonewall Center. Or, jump on line at www.stonewall-columbus.org. The Early Bird deadline is now January 5 and the final deadline is Friday, January 21! As well, anyone wishing to become a contributor or "Friend of Stonewall" can call 299-7764 or email stnwall@ix.netcom.com.
December 1999 Issue
Thanksgiving time of the year. For me, it passes too quickly. Only one official day set aside to give thanks for so much and, unfortunately, we are usually distracted by trying to keep up with all of the parades, the games, the dinners, shopping wars, the competition, the aggravation, the holiday madness, and now the countdown to the millennium. Rush rush rush. Compete. Be the biggest. Get the most. Outdo the other guy. Frankly, I like to get a little hokey maybe and think about the Pilgrims at Thanksgiving. I go to the kid section of the library and grab a book about Squanto. Remember Squanto?
I like to be thankful at Thanksgiving time and stick my foot out trying to slow down the rushing race. This beautiful time of the year is over in a heartbeat, and I want to collect some memories along the way. Hopefully all of you and many many many more will take time out of this rushing season to slow down and enjoy a perfectly creative, eclectic, slower-paced, selective, special, unique, urban, nostalgic shopping experience kicked off by the annual Short North HOLIDAY HOP.
Very nearly everything you might need is right here on, or just slightly off, High Street, slightly above Downtown and far away from the car encrusted suburban malls. You'll feel you've entered into a Christmas Card. You'll be thankful you discovered it. And over 150 independent merchants, gallery owners, restaurateurs will be thankful you did. Don't miss it. December 4 starting at 11 am. But that is just the kickoff. The great art, retail, food experiences never really stop in the Short North.
You most likely now know that there is movement among the ranks at ACME Art Company. Long-time executive director Margaret Evans is ending the millennium by packing up that extensive CD collection and heading out of her office at 1129 North High Street. I don't know where she'll end up, but things are sure to happen there. As well, President of the Board David Greene is turning over the position at the top. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat anticipating my next issue of the ACMEPLANET or when someone of the arts scene springs new news. More likely than not, we'll alI read about it in the next Columbus Alive. I can't imagine that we won't still be seeing lots of both Margaret and David. Be reminded of the ACME Holidaze Sale kicking off during HOLIDAY HOP.
The soon-to-be new home of Byzantium is coming right along not only from an outsider's point of view, but from a significant insider's point of view. Proprietor Joyce Griffiths seems to be perfectly delighted, and I'm sure relieved, that by the February Gallery Hop the doors should be able to fly open. She reports that the building will be lighted, an announcement banner placed in the window, and has given us her blessings on using the wonderful front lot for a HOLIDAY HOP Fire Barrel/Shuttle stop.
Traditions are changing all over the place on King Avenue. With the departure of Byzantium, we also see the closing of the King Avenue Coffee House. Thankfully, the location will stay put as a respite for the herbal, peaceful, healthful, non-meat eaters. Dragonfly - completely and totally organic with vegetarian and vegan offerings, owned and run by Magdiale Wolmark, his wife Cristin Austin and baby Rain opened in King Avenue Coffee House's space mid-November.
Could we be happier that Shadowbox is, in fact, landing in the Short North?! I'm giddy with excitement. Not many details now beyond that which has been reported in all the papers. This holiday season is a busy one for Shadowbox with their Holiday Hoopla at Easton, so we expect reports of their move-in, their fare, and the schedule will be flowing in January. By now, most everyone probably knows that 2Co's Cabaret will be in the Metropolis Motorcycle space right next to Frezno's and... oh my gosh, yet another new neighbor.
Yep, overnight one balmy weekend in late November, Norka Futon shuffled their wares a tad further down South on High Street, taking the space most recently occupied by Biashara, right next to The Bachelor's Pad. Randy Horn and the crew are now officially at 780 North High Street. To ease the transition, the telephone number and hours remain the same. Whew, you'd almost need a roadmap with all these moves and changes. It only makes it all the more sensible to just park the car and stroll the Short North. No need to park, shop, move, drive, drive, drive, wait in traffic, stop, park, shop, etc. etc. Just park it. Budget about four hours with extra for coffee breaks and refueling. Then, come back again.
After Billy Bob fries and several orders of "the special' tacos one night at Press Grille, Master Actor Jackie Bates and I spent some time in front of the Nancy Beauchamp tribute window given to us in her honor by Dan Snouffer of Curio-a-Gogo. We stood there long enough to catch Paul Robinette trying to leave after a long day of putting finishing touches on his brand new store, 7 Buttles. Located in the site recently vacated by Artistically Bent (they crossed High Street, remember). Paul has put together a great looking new boutique of all handmade products. He makes the candles and the cards. And an associate makes the coffee cups. The store is beautiful. Stop by.
Curio-a-Gogo reported a nice synergy since 7 Buttles opened just a month ago. Dan and Curio partner Michael Wharton can't contain their excitement about a new arrival. The fabulously popular "Dirt" cologne by Demeter might have to fight for attention now that the new "Snow" cologne has been delivered to 17 Buttles. The men report that it is THE fragrance... THE gift of the season and in all of the great state of Ohio, you can only get it at Curio-a-Gogo. Let it snow!
Right in the thick of the Holiday shopping season, Sherry and Tom Hawk are offering the Riley Hawk Gallery for the Winter Columbus Metropolitan Club Membership Reception. Lemongrass is putting together the hors d'oeuvres. If you are interested in joining the CMClub or attending the event on Thursday, December 9 from 5:30 to 7:30, contact Meagan Melby at 841-8742. Thanks to Susan Eichinger, President of Fireproof Records Center for putting this event together in the Short North.
I spent about an hour agonizing over which one of the twenty or so things I wanted at Antiques & Eccentricities that I could actually take home with me. While I was there, proprietor and new SNBA member, Richard Bauer fielded questions from shoppers from Doctor's Hospital, Victorian Village neighbors, other antique shop owners checking out the competition, and a man in search of an Eric Lubkeman painting &endash; just the right one. Sharon Weiss at Antiques and Art on Poplar, which carries a remarkable collection of his work, kindly sent the customer hunting at Richard and partner, Jim Spradlin's, shop, which also carries the local artist's work. Yet another reason to support Short North retailers. They know the product, the market, the neighborhood, and consider the needs of the shopper first and foremost. Teamwork... I love it.
Everyone, please stand by for the release of the new, Y2K edition of the Short North Visitor Guide. ORBITers Gina Cronley and Kris Harrison along with the SNBA marketing team led by Sebastian Ibel have decided to keep the look the same. If it ain't broke... But, certainly there are new addresses and new businesses and sadly a few losses that must be noted. When all artwork and payments are received from our advertisers, Gina and Kris will keep the lights burning for hours into the night so we can replace the "sold out" book.
Pamela Mercer, the Courtyard by Marriott's Director of Sales, reports, with enormous confidence, that the piece is their #1 magazine for guests. The Courtyard puts their money where their mouth is with a significant advertisement which certainly helps to get the Guide into the hands of the many many users. So, until that new edition is available, we are counting on the neighborhood now more than ever to help visitors get around. That and, the Short North Gazette's handy and stylish map by Susan Cox, of course.
LOOK OUT for the Hotel Bunch! With the help of Sam Schlisser, Hotel Manager for The Lofts/Sales Manager for Crowne Plaza/The Lofts, the Fire Barrel brigade will have a new look, a new energy this year. Sam has lined up the best of the hospitality breed from Courtyard, Hyatt Cap Square and Regency, Westin, Adam's Mark, Red Roof Inn, Doubletree, and of course his own stomping ground to man/woman the Fire Barrels throughout the HOLIDAY HOP. While there is no official competition for "Best Overall" or "Best Use of Glitter" Fire Barrel this year, look for that tradition to be kicked off next year.
In advance of the heartfelt thanks to everyone who will have helped to make the HOLIDAY HOP a success for everyone involved, I know the Committee would like to tell you via the Gazette that we can thank Jack Lucks of Continental Communities for Santa-land and the beautiful Holiday Tree that sits so beautifully in front of his lovely Victorian Gate. And thanks to Deborah Rodenfels for all of her finishing touches. So, if everything goes as planned, Mrs. Claus and her husband Santa will be on hand for visits and photo ops.
I am assured that the Queen of Christmas will be granting wishes in the Short North again this year. Keep an eye out for her. Windows will be decorated. Musicians will be filling the air with song. Shuttles will be picking up folks on either side of High Street between Poplar and Fifth. And, special thanks to Sam Schlisser for arranging plentiful covered parking for HOLIDAY HOP guests all day at the Crowne Plaza Lot plus free shuttle to the center of the Hop! Spread this news all around. Parking is simply not an excuse for missing this HOP!
The Greater Columbus Convention Center North Lot is Open. It can handle over 150 cars and is just a stone's throw from the Short North. The new West Garage was scheduled to open in December. We'll see. Help to dispel the incorrect notion that there is a parking problem in the Short North. It is only a problem if you don't know where the ample parking is located! Take note: Fireproof Records Center @ E. 2nd Ave./FREE Family Dollar @ W. 4th Ave. after 7PM/FREE Magnolia Thunderpussy @ E. 4th Ave./FREE Axis/Master Family lot next to An Open Book/FREE And so far, City lot next to White Castle @ E. 2nd Ave. City lot across from R J Snappers @ Lincoln St.
JANUARY 1, 2000
Yes, Virginia, there will be a Gallery Hop in January. And just like every other Hop it will be on the first Saturday of the month. What a great way to start the century! After celebrating with pots and pans, or firecrackers, or sauerkraut and pork, or sawing logs, there will be plenty of time to pull on a good pair of shoes and get to the Hop. Chances are many stores, galleries, restaurants will observe abbreviated hours. We are in the process of collecting that information now. But, the word on the street sounds extremely favorable for a brisk, bright, new Millennium Hop between 6 and 10. Don't hesitate to contact the SNBA office for updates.
November 1999 Issue
Come home for the holidays. Come home and shop up and down the brilliant High Street mile in the fabulous Short North. Tell every single person you know that they most certainly can shop for their entire family, the mailman, the office folk, the neighbor, landlord, cousin, aerobics instructor - any and all during the Seventh Annual Short North HOLIDAY HOP, the last of the century, your holiday shopping kick-off! Plan nothing else for Saturday December 4. You'll need the entire day, from 11 am until 11 pm to prepare for, do, and recover from this year's HOLIDAY HOP. We'll have Santa in the flesh, a huge Christmas tree at Victorian Gate, CD 101, fire barrels, carolers, dancers, musicians, musicians, musicians, a train display, living Nativity, and, of course, the best shopping and eating in the region. Bring the family in from out of town. Overnights at the Crowne Plaza and Courtyard by Marriott would be a great way to enjoy the shopping season for everyone. HOLIDAY HOP Parking is available at the Crowne Plaza with shuttle service.
Holiday Hop weekend is going to be even more special this year. The new CD, The Gift, will be launched Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4 at Little Brothers and throughout the Short North. The Gift benefits the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless, and this is the second issue of the project. In late 1996, the Coalition embarked upon this unique project to raise awareness of and funds for the homeless problem in Columbus. The idea - to produce a compilation CD of talented local bands of all musical styles performing traditional holiday songs, adaptations of traditional holiday songs, or original songs with a holiday theme - has come to fruition.
The musicians featured on The Gift were slected not only because of their talent, but because of their interest in helping the homeless. The list of performers includes Flying Saucers, Moxie, Jim Maneri, Ray Fuller and the Bluesrockets, Wolfgang Parker, Donna Magavero, Scrawl, Squash, Haynes Boys, Throat Culture, Intuit, Koo Stark, Oswald & The Herringbones, Fred Hering, Bonetribe, and Nude. The first CD in 1997 was able to raise in excess of $20,000 for the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless. Call 836-6170 for more information.
We have just a very few short dark days to get ready for the HOLIDAY HOP. If you are interested in helping to light up the arts district, stop by Urban Gardener. HOLIDAY HOP Chair, Christie Nohle has plenty of appropriate outdoor and indoor lights. As well, Christie reminds us that Trustworthy Hardware at 1434 West Fifth Avenue also has the GE and Menome/Foremost lights and replacement lamps used by the NIDA LIGHTING folks. So, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get on board.
QUICKLY NOTE
KABOOM. Right out of the shoot, months before the event, Sherrie and Tom Hawk of Riley Hawk Gallery have made a huge commitment to Art For Life, the giant fundraiser for the Columbus AIDS Task Force which takes place at the Columbus Museum of Art, Saturday, May 13 next year. God bless them, they've offered a piece by internationally acclaimed, huge celebrity glass artist, Dale Chihuly. Need I say more? Look out. With that kind of an early start to the auction block proffers, this year's Art For Life is a sure record-breaker. If you are interested in contributing a work of art to the auction, Development Director Sally Blue would welcome your call at CATF, 299-2437, ext. 126.
What are you doing on December 1 in remembrance of National AIDS Awareness Day? This year is the eleventh "international day of action and mourning in response to the AIDS crisis." Anyone interested in displaying the recognizable symbol used in conjunction with this day, can for a very small fee, obtain materials from Orbit Design. You can call the SNBA office at 421-1030 for further direction. We can not stop calling attention to this disease. Not until it is wiped out. Every little bit helps. Line up behind Sherrie and Tom Hawk and get on the hero bandwagon.
I was chatting over the garden fence with Tim Baker at Echoes of Americana, 3165 N High, a few weeks ago and he told me of his PBS Antiques Road Show brush with fame. While he didn't make it on the air when he dragged his mother's valuables to be appraised and evaluated at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, he did get some attention from the Road Show folks beyond the typical. As it turns out, Roadshow host and antique expert Chris Jussel stopped by Echoes the following day with a sidekick from Sotheby's. Since then, Tim and Chris, have chatted via the telephone and are in cahoots over a joint venture with Sotheby's concerning on-line auctions. Stop by Echoes and get all the details from Tim and take a first chance on some great old goods that had Mr. Jussel oohing and aahing.
ONLY IN THE SHORT NORTH..
Kaline Carter was delighted to announce that An Open Book is now the official, exclusive provider of Hello Kitty merchandise. I got a sneak preview of some of the HK items. Everything you'd ever need!
Jay Cheplowitz, owner of 27 Russell, has 1,500 square feet of space available in the old Baptist Church. Formerly the site of Stuart Pimsler Dance Theatre, it is up for grabs and Jay is looking for anyone interested in a great slightly off-the-beaten-track site. And, by now you've all read that Eric Parmater is looking for a new tenant for the old Chelsie's site. Furthermore, businesses looking for a not-necessarily-High-Street location should give a call to David Strause who owns and lives in the magnificent Budd Dairy building on North Fourth. Both a 6,000 and a 20,000 square foot unit are available.
There is a tangible future for 1037 North High Street, the old American Business Equipment building which hugs the Rebecca Ibel Gallery. Our new colleague in urban revitalization is Wayne Garland, President of Buckeye Real Estate. He and his architect team, Smith & Schultz Architects of 1885 West Fifth Avenue have put together an exciting plan. Mr. Garland supplied the SNBA office with rough renderings of the property which sits between Starr and Third Avenue on High Street and includes the old ABE building as well as two Victorian homes and some now-vacant lots. The project will include commercial, retail, parking, and apartments with a roof deck terrace at the rear of the building. Still no name for the project. Stand by though for activity to begin. I know we'll all enjoy watching this development project in a significant area of the Short North. Welcome to our new associates with Buckeye!
I don't know how Ursula Lanning of Lanning Gallery does it all, but she has managed to add to her long list of duties as a gallery owner and SNBA trustee and executive officer, the tasks of coordinating window displays, celebrity judges, and the performance spaces offered by Short North retailers and gallery owners all for the HOLIDAY HOP and . . . if that isn't enough, has put together a beautiful show for the opening of the Lemongrass-Lanning Gallery all in time for the November Hop. Katharine Kadish's paintings will still be up as you read this, the show extends through November, so stop by for some house soup and a viewing.
I'm told the new gallery space was swamped at the October Hop. In addition, while working through a HOLIDAY HOP meeting (Wednesday at 9 am/Coffee Table, just in case you're interested), we learned that the Ciarascuro Gallery negotiated the sale of three paintings during the October Hop. THREE!!! And, we can thank Ursula for working with Sef DeChristopher, Lloyd Craycroft, and Brian Fraley on the business of putting together a gallery installation. Please make sure you stop by Ciarascuro, open ONLY during the Hops. There is always music and great energy. Non-Hop hours, the space is Cafe Extreeme, where the art of billiards and good fun prevail.
Diptyque candles are exclusively available in Columbus at Benelava. The candles made by hand by two men in France (one holds the wick, the other pours the wax) are must-haves for not only the rich and famous, but for a number of Columbus fashionables. Stories are told of the relief expressed recently by several German Village residents who don't have to lug them back from their trips to Paris anymore. So, rather than fly to Paris or scheduling a trip to Bergdorf or Neiman Marcus, just stop by Benelava. Ease up, cut the stress, light up a Diptyque candle and transport yourself. If you are like me, though, you'll get stressed trying to decide which incredible fragrance to take home.
Judy Hoberg at Studios on High reports that being open Columbus Day more than paid off. One October Gallery Hop attendee came back to shop for art on this unlikely Monday. She was involved with refurbishing a major downtown office and ended up selecting pieces from six artists' work. Ms. Hoberg says he customer "felt she discovered a goldmine."
JAZZ IS EVERYWHERE
Man, oh man, lots of news coming out of 33 Warren in Italian Village. Just wondering myself if we will have the blessing of great music coming out of the location as well one day. What a perfect delight to have Columbus Jazz Orchestra (oft still referenced as JAG) in the hood. Marketing Director Christine Crooks reports that Mitch Swain was recently named New Executive Director for the organization along with a whole batch of new Board officers and members. And, certainly this landmark Columbus institution continues with Ray Eubanks at the baton, horn in hand, continuing as Artistic Director.
November 14, 2:00PM, Short North Tavern: Be there for Chris Howes and Bobby Floyd, offered up by the Short North Performing Arts Association as the second program in the Chamber Music Series. They will be playing Gershwin, Ellington, and much more. Call Steven Rosenberg at 291-5854.
WHOOPS
pm gallery was so busy with their plans for HOLIDAY HOP, they completely forgot to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Gallery Hop phenomenon. Maria Galloway remem-bers well the very first Gallery Hop because she was a part of it. pm gallery has been in business for nineteen years right here in the Short North! So, stop by and wish them a happy happy, and make their season brighter by picking up a hand-made bowl or whimsical mermaid or brilliant glass tree ornament, or musical wind chime. Thanks to Marie and her family for this Short North landmark and best wishes for many more.
I had the pleasure of introducing Chastity Bono at her author signing in October at An Open Book. The huge crowd sat on the floor, stood on stools, and craned their necks to see and listen to this soft-spoken activist. A few auto-graphed copies of her new book, Family Outing, are still available. By the by, An Open Book is now FIVE YEARS OLD!
Paws in the Park, the annual fundraiser for the Capital Area Humane Society was a giant success this year, and we have special thanks to Kim Butter of Planet Pet for coordinating the involve-ment of the Short North businesses. Ms. Butter reports that the agency raised over $40,000, and they are thrilled. You can count on them being back next year.
HOLIDAY HOP postcards should be available by the General Membership Meeting on November 2, or shortly thereafter. SNBA members are encouraged to call for a supply. Thanks.
Todd Mauritz of the Mauritz Gallery found himself surrounded by elegant pens and valises and people in black for a swellegant fete at Montblanc in the City Center the last Tuesday of October. Mr. Mauritz sponsored a sensational show of Helmut Newton's photos in conjunction with the 75th anniversary celebration Passion and Soul. The show is up through the end of October, or maybe longer. And, stop by the Gallery on November 4 for the opening of Imogen Cunningham: Plant Forms up through December. Stunning! Simply stunning.
FINALLY
The Short North is smaller by a few souls. Sadly we lost Rupert's this past month. David Smith gave it his best effort but . . . To everything there is a season. With the loss of Rupert's we happily gain more space to enjoy the noodles and sushi at Haiku.
I can't think of anything to be gained from the loss of Nan Beauchamp. 'Cept maybe we now can hold memories of her dear to our hearts as a collective whole. Nancy's reach was profoundly wide. The kindred spirits who sat in remembrance of her on two occasions at the end of September are a testament to her huge impact on our lives. So many lives. God bless Dan Snouffer of Curio-A-Gogo for giving us all an opportunity to stand in reflection. The tribute, a window display on Buttles, shows off both their remarkable talents. If you didn't know Nan, stop by Curio and let Dan beam about her. If you did know Nan, are you ever lucky!
Happy trails to you, my friends, until we meet again.
October 1999 IssueOn the eve of 9/9/99 at about 9 pm (!!!), I was standing in the brick alley next to the house I co-own with Norwest Mortgage. I took a long calm look at my surroundings and realized that I was truly fortunate. Standing there on 100-year-old bricks in an historic, tree-lined, beautiful, quaint, desirable German neighborhood in the 15th largest city in the Nation overlooking a lighted cityscape less than one mile away and working for a different, vibrant, artful, popular, historic neighborhood just north of the same cityscape. It was a beautiful night. A light breeze, no humidity, clear, star-studded sky, quiet, peaceful, just right. Who could ask for more? Then, I realized that I fall victim to the same "yea, buts" the rest of the non-contents in Columbus suffer. I found myself comparing my beautiful surroundings with what I thought I wanted instead of what I had.
After doing some soul and spirit searching, I was able to convince myself that I was exactly where I wanted to be with the only exception being I'd like to have the Atlantic closer by. No offense to the Scioto which has a rich history in the Native American storybooks, but totally overlooked in current-day values. I ached to be standing on the cobbled streets of Boston or Edgartown. Why? I had everything those other locations have save the ocean, right? Why do we, even those of us who should know better, find ourselves constantly sizing up what we have against what we don't have? We have plenty here, right in Columbus. And, we hear the compliments coming constantly from the people who visit this City. Columbus is loved and appreciated far more by the visitors than by those of us who live, love, contribute to, and pay our taxes here. What do you think?
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ACE GALLERY & MARY CATHERINE'S ANTIQUES
Art for Community Expression, Inc., which operates ACE Gallery is celebrating twenty years of advocacy for the works and contributions of the African-American visual artist. As part of the celebration, ACE will present "ACE Founding Artists Exhibition" at the Columbus College of Art and Design through November 11. Curated by Larry Winston Collins and Kojo Kamau, the exhibition will feature the works of ACE Ambassador Artists such as Aminah Robinson, Queen Brooks, Barbara Chavous, Roman Johnson, Smoky Brown, Willis "Bing" Davis, and others who have made their marks in the art world on a national level. "Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper & Canvas" author Halima Taha will lecture at CCAD's JVC auditorium from 5:30 to 8:00 pm on October 15. Call 294-4200 for details.In the Short North gallery space, works by the Westbridge Camera Club will be featured through October 24. ACE was founded in 1979 by Kojo Kamau and his wife, the late Dr. Mary Anne Williams. The organization continues in its mission to assure that artists of color receive support and recognition for their contributions.
Eva Ricci Mahaffey bought 1128-30 North High Street in 1978 and sat with the property for about a year. The day after Thanksgiving in 1979, she opened Mary Catherine's Antiques in that space, named after Eva's mother. Just prior to Eva's purchase, the space served as two separate antique shops.
In the 80s, Eva managed to make room in her shop for the Columbus Neighborhood Design Assistance Center. In fact, Mary Catherine's was the very first storefront to benefit from City of Columbus Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization funds. We have Eva and the Center and the City of Columbus to thank in large part for the shape and form in which the Short North has developed. In celebration of this anniversary, Eva and daughter Melaine will feature two artists throughout November.
Artists Rebecca R. Taft and her sister Judith Hazen have studios above Mary Catherine's Antiques. Rebecca's work is paintings and drawings and Judith's work is ceramic and bronze sculptures. Eva and her extended family will host a reception on the November Hop night for her resident artists, and I am delighted to report that Mary Catherine's will remain open late for the November Gallery Hop and . . . we're hoping well into the new century.
GLOBAL STAYS PUT
I am more than delighted, I'm ecstatic to report that the Global Gallery is staying put in the Short North, right where it belongs after reports of its closing at the end of last month. Thanks to some fast action by a concerned, aggressive public, we can look forward to many, many more years of shopping at a fair-trade marketplace. Global Gallery carries clothing, music, jewelry, instruments, art, and crafts from handmade tradesmen in developing countries and the United States. Look for more information later or, better yet, stop by the Gallery, open everyday except Sunday and always late on Hop nights.The best way to assure that we don't lose the valuable, fascinating, colorful, unique blend of quality shops and galleries in the Short North is to Shop In The Short North. And, tell your friends and co-workers about it. We almost lost Global Gallery - a significant neighbor for going on ten years. By the time you read this, Holiday items will have arrived. Get your wallet and go shopping. Remember, parking is available RIGHT behind the shop where you can also visit Gallery V, Studios on High, and Garnish.
MIDTOWN RAMBLINGS
A huge, giant "THANK YOU!" to Michael Lindsey and An Open Book for offering satellite space for the SNBA office. Displaced by paint cans, carpet layers, and sawdust for "just two days" that grew into a week plus, the SNBA operation was homeless . . . this time, for real! I loaded up my grape iMac, printer, letterhead, and loads of files and set up shop in the subfloor of AOB.Thank God, Michael and Kaline, the music selections had moved back upstairs the month before! It's been great fun enjoying the new surroundings. I've spent loads more money than usual. The temptations of coffee, and muffins, and gyros, and coneys was more than I could handle. I had them all. Repeatedly.
Todd Mauritz of Mauritz Gallery and I held a power breakfast at the J & G Diner one Tuesday morning. But we were so busy gobbling up our omelets and throwing down coffee and chatting with cook/waiter/greeter Roger, we didn't get a darn thing done. So, we've scheduled another. Stop by. We might be there, and you could be on our power breakfast committee. Call Mauritz Gallery for details. Or just show up at J & G between 6:30 and 8:00 am.
Looking for a perfect card from the Short North? I found some at Joan Schnee's On Paper. In addition to the incredible selection of handmade papers, invitations, personalized stationery styles, birth announcements, custom embossers and seals, personalized journals and albums, wedding gifts and accessories and fine writing instruments, On Paper carries an amazing collection of card, all kinds of cards. You'll find a line of cards by Mary Circelli, award-winning photographer with the Columbus Dispatch! I've selected one style that features our Mona Lisa. Take a look. You can't leave that store empty handed. Oh, and did you know that On Paper is an official representative for Cartier pens and fine stationery? Just in case you're "up to there" with keyboards and e-mail.
Ursula Lanning of Lanning Gallery is curating the newly expanded gallery space at Lemon Grass. The additional square footage will be used primarily to display art and for overflow dining and special events as well. Up to eighty can be served in the expansion. Chances are the hours will be expanded as well. Call Joshua Brown at 224-1414 for details.
Midtown Parents & Kids is a volunteer organization that supports family living in the Short North by offering a variety of ways to meet one another, play together, and share information. What does the group have on their agenda? FunDates, Newsletters, School Symposium, Partnerships. Sound interesting? There are currently 150 families listed in the database. For more information call Sabrina at 297-1152.
DATES TO NOTE
Perhaps you missed the kickoff ART JAM on September 4. Not to worry. This joint will be jumping again each and every Gallery Hop Saturday beginning at Noon at Fourth and High. As stated in the ART JAM host information, "One of the reasons for hosting ART JAM is to bring attention to the area's growing business community." A host business can invite an artist to set up in front of their shop or help to support the cost of live music, which in turn attracts attention to that business and to the entire Garden district. For more information on how to set up shop and sell art, contact Paul Volker at www.volkerworld.com or ring up Charles Kubat at Magnolia Thunderpussy "control central," 421-1512 or thunderpussy.com.Jim Mengel of St. Joseph Montessori School, 933 Hamlet Street, is kicking off the annual fund drive, "A Taste of the Short North," with some mighty fine company on Sunday, October 24. Under the direction of Board member Tasi Rigsby, they have enlisted the help of Lemon Grass, Basso Bean, Dagwoods, The Press Grille, and Rigsby's to name just a few. Get a ticket, have a blast, and help out one of the hidden treasureS in our neighborhood. You gotta love having these well-educated kids (and their teachers) calling the Short North and Italian Village their learning and playground. Want more information? Call Jim at 291-8644 or e-mail him at jmmengel@yahoo.com. Will be a cool event.
Chastity Bono is coming to town. She'll be here pitching the newly released paperback version of her book Family Outing on October 7. An Open Book will host her reading and book signing which is scheduled 8 to 9:30 pm. Also at AOB in October is Jeffery Smith, author of Where the Roots Reach for Water, the ground-breaking book about the author's life-long battle with depression and how he overcame his illness without the help of modern-day medicine. October 19 at 8 pm is the date for this event. Call 291-0080 for details.
The Short North Arts District Visitor Guide is being reissued. If you are a SNBA associate and have not taken care of your membership dues and/or your display ad by the time you read this, you better call 421-1030 pronto!
Only sixty plus days until the Short North Holiday Hop. On your mark . . . and get ready to be ready. More than 45 gallery and shop owners have committed to the White Lights Display and the Window Competition. Time is rushing past. If you want to get in on the fun before it's too late, call the SNBA office at 421-1030. December 4, 11-11. Mark your calendars.
Happy trails to you, my friends, until we meet again.
(September 1999 Issue)Are you lonesome tonight? Need a new friend? Seeking companionship? A simple solution is close at hand. The Capital Area Humane Society is putting the final touches on its tenth annual Short North fund-raiser, Paws in the Park, slated for Friday, September 17.
From 6-8 pm, the popular Shop Hop takes place with over thirty galleries and merchants participating. Shop Hoppers enjoy public entertainers in and out of the shops, delicious munchies at participating merchants, and the highlight of the night is always the CAHS volunteers escorting shelter pets that are available for adoption. This is your great chance to find that house pal you've been aching to have. Everyone wins! Over 350 guests are expected for the entire event, with over 250 anticipated to Shop Hop that night.
Warning to all restaurants, galleries, boutiques, retailers: Get ready for this bunch! They know what they're doing and they do it with gusto. Mark your calendar. After the Shop Hop, participants will gather at the Greek Orthodox Church for a silent auction, dinner buffet, and more live entertainment. The evening is expected to wrap around 11 pm. Based on the past years, this year's Paws in the Park is certain to be another huge success, helping out the thousands of animals that the CAHS services each and every year. Tickets are $70/person unless you are a member of the Society. Members' tickets are $60. For more information about tickets, becoming a member of the CAHS, or adopting a shelter animal, please call Planet Pet at 297-6717 or CAHS at 777-PETS. If you'd like to become involved with this wonderful event, contact Susan O'Reilly at 499-3813. Thanks to Kim Butters at Planet Pet, 988 North High, for pulling together all of the details related to the Paws in the Park event.
Early Bird Breakfast
At press time, the J & G DINER, 733 North High, has only been open three mornings for their new breakfast hours. Get this, you can have your business meeting over breakfast at 6 am! Then, if you haven't had enough coffee there, grab a to-go at CoffeeTable and hop on the COTA to wherever, for work or up to Campus for class. When I dashed in after a Holiday Hop committee meeting at the CoffeeTable (every other Wednesday 9-10 am in case you want to be involved), I was invited to sit in on a chat with Michael Council and Mark French who were among the breakfast bunch. Both gave a thumbs up, according to owner John Polivka. The omelets (3 eggs served w/home fries et toast) are most popular so far. And, so far, reservations are not required. Six am! And, the breakfast is served through 11 am. Call 294-1850 for more information.We can all be a part of the action. Call for Entry 2000-2001 Exhibition Space: Deadline October 15, 1999! If you are an artist, call Margaret Evans at ACME, 299-4003 and request a copy of the August ACME Planet. The newsletter includes all you need to know about submitting a proposal for their July 2000-June 2001 Exhibition Season. Just do it. This is your opportunity to break into the arts arena or to shed a little light on your new work if you've been absent from the exhibition scene. What is your excuse for not taking this bull by the horns? And, if you missed the Members Only Show, you might be lucky and catch some of the same artists displaying their wares on the other side of downtown.
The 25th Annual Victorian Village Tour of Homes and Gardens is September 18 (preview) and 19 from 10 am to 6 pm. You can call Suzanne Escovitz at 291-4555 for tickets, details, and volunteer opportunities. Day-of-Tour tickets are $10; advance are $8. Pick up a copy of the August VIBE and read all about it, but do it quickly and don't miss the tour.
EVVIVA!!!
Better start buffing up your boccie balls. A few days of fasting might help out too. The 1999 Italian Festival is coming up and happily, this year it returns to Italian Village. Perfect! Mark your calendar for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 9 - 11, 1999. St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church, 168 E. Lincoln, is home base for this year's festivities. A highlight of the weekend will be the return engagement of Cavalieri Reale, the popular family band from Cleveland. Genuine, homemade spaghetti and meatballs will be offered up all weekend long in the Church Cultural Arts Center. Other activities include a children's area, tours of the Church, displays of old parish artifacts and gold jewelry vendors. The hours are: Friday: 4:00 - 11:00 pm; Saturday: 12 noon - 11:00 pm; and Sunday, Noon - 8:00 pm. This is the 20th year of the festival. Admission is $3.00 for a "comeback weekend" ticket, and admission is free for Seniors and Children under 12. There are some discounted tickets out there, so check out the obvious places like Carfagnas and, I'm told, Fifth Third Bank. Volunteers are needed for food service, tickets, cultural events, set up, parking, tear-down and clean up. Call Joan Merendo at the Festival office, 294-5319 for more information. Or ring up coordinator Toni Gillespie, 898-3397Since most of us will be walking to the festival, parking might not be a concern, but huge thanks to the Jeffrey Mining Company folks for opening their giant lot for non-local festival goers. For one slim dollar, you can park there all day. Thanks to Angela Bosworth for doing some leg work on this information. She was able to pull this information together in the midst of a Bosworth for City Council fund-raiser at Frezno's. Great music. Great grub. Great camaraderie. And yes, Angela claims to be half-Italian. Her mother was born Maria Natalina Vatrella, daughter of Isabella Briatico and Bruno Vatrella. It sounds authentic to me. We can all be just a little bit Italian that weekend. I will be. BENE! Expanding and Moving
Expanding and Moving
Artistically Bent is G R O W I N G according to owner/artist Kris Worthington. This small gallery featuring original and hand-crafted arts as well as domicile accessories is packing up and moving across the street to the space previously occupied by Design 436, 718 North High Street. Following Joy Nesson's death, daughter Toni Hastings had a week-long liquidation sale and the popular High Street storefront has sadly been vacant. How nice that it will have a new life appropriately as a gallery.Loot, 641 North High, is G R O W I N G as well. Phyllis Potts and daughters Leslie and Jennifer just announced that they too are picking up some additional retail space. Look for all the new Loot in the space formerly occupied by The Modern Object. For more information on Loot's expansion, call 221-5668.
Lemongrass, 641 North High, Suite 103, is also E X P A N D I N G. Joshua Brown reports that seating for an additional fifty folks will be in place by October at the latest. For those of you who haven't been by in the last six months, a) too bad for you and b) you should know that they now have their own fine selection of wines, and, if you ask the right waiter, erupting beer. Lemongrass hosted a hugely successful fund-raiser in mid-August benefiting Ohio AIDS Coalition. Celebrities galore were in place. Next-door neighbor Andrea Cambern, neighborhood-friendly Michael Coleman, and Columbus AIDS Task Force's own brilliant Gloria Smith were among the wait staff which also included Jose Rodriguez, Mary Jo Kilroy, Trina David and, of course, Angela Bosworth. Joshua reports that following that important, big fund-raiser and the expansion, his next point of business is smoking a cigarette and designing the window display for Holiday Hop. He proudly adds that Lemongrass won first place last year.
And New to the Hood
Icon Artiface Faux Finishes, Inc., 765 Summit, moved from the Olde Town East neighborhood to our neighborhood. Landing in the old site of the Ohio Art League, proprietor Elliot T. S. 12trees is open for business. For more info, call 228-2660. I noticed the new logo on the window at 765 Summit when I hobbled through fascinating Italian Village on August 8. Suffering from a broken foot or sprained ankle (no time or money to find out which) and one of those extremely hot Sundays, I was delighted to take part in a Columbus Landmarks Walking Tour. The two plus hour tour was led by Roger Ferrell. He and sidekick Carolyn not only shared fascinating architectural and historic information about Italian Village, they provided us with cool water and still-hot-from-the-oven cookies in the air-conditioned comfort of a great open apartment under the management of the Urban Order guys, Dean Berlon and Steve Hurtt. If you'd like to see the three-level apartment in the rowhouse behind Icon Artiface, call Dean or Steve at 299-9028. Another highlight was the inventive home space developed by Bruce Shumard. You simply have to see it to believe it. My advice is to start showing up at Italian Village Society meetings (the second Tuesdays of the Month at 7 pm) to get in touch with the energy on the east side of High Street and to take advantage of the Columbus Landmarks Foundation Walking Tours.SNBA Members
The next Short North Business Association General Membership Meeting is Tuesday, September 7 from 9:30 to 10:30 am at the Short North Tavern. These meetings are public and all are welcome. If you are not already a member, we may not let you leave the Tavern though before getting a membership check from you. Certainly if SNBA Vice President Mary Martineau of Transformations, 786 North High, checks your name against the list, you are certain to be reminded of your renewal date. All SNBA memberships are being converted to a January - December schedule. Our Association members will be called on by Mary, Sebastian Ibel of IC COMMUNCIATIONS, 17 East Brickel, or Mark Wood of The Wood Companies, 692 North High, third floor, to bring their memberships up to date. As well, we are reissuing the Short North Arts District Visitor Guide, and we want to make certain that we have an accurate listing of our membership for inclusion. If you have any questions about this, don't hesitate to call the SNBA office at 421-1030.HOLIDAY HOP is not all that far away. We are still receiving responses to the white lights and window display programs. While Ursula Lanning at Lanning Gallery, 990 North High, has tabulated submissions so far, we're certain she will happily re-tabulate to include you. Call 291-4421 if you're interested in participating.
August 1999 IssueSometimes there is an advantage to being late on a column submission. Tommy agreed to cut me some slack and allowed me to turn my material in late. As a result, I'm able to tell you about a swell few hours spent in the company of many kind, animated, hardworking, devoted people yesterday. This was the fifth year the generous folks at Frezno's, Kevin and Lori Ames and staff opened their patio, closed the alley, and poured over to the Haiku outdoor seating area to raise money for and awareness of CAMP SUNRISE. From 3 to 9 pm, the beverages were flowing, the Papa John's, Donato's, and Lost Planet pizzas were being passed, cakes and brownies from Piece of Cake and The Coffee Table were devoured, and long-time Italian Village worker-bee Larry Brown was grilling brats. If you weren't there, you missed the live auction, the music, and all the good vibrations associated with a committed group of volunteers and their faithful fans. Take note even if you missed the CAMP SUNRISE fund-raiser on Sunday, it isn't too late for you to lend your support.
If you have $800 to spend, you can sponsor a child for a week-long (August 22-28) residential camp experience. CAMP SUNRISE is located on the beautiful and scenic Little Miami River utilizing YMCA Camp Kern, a fully accredited camp certified by the American Camping Association. Their brochure further reports: "CAMP SUNRISE is a program specifically designed to provide an unforgettable camping experience for children impacted by HIV/AIDS. Any child who is living with HIV/AIDS, has a sibling or parent with the disease, or is grieving the loss of a loved one is welcome. The emphasis of CAMP SUNRISE is to offer a fun-filled, summer camp experience free from the isolation so often associated with the AIDS epidemic. A week at CAMP SUNRISE not only provides the opportunity for campers to make new friends, but it allows the caregivers time for themselves. The program is open to children between the ages of 6-18 throughout the state of Ohio and is one of only a few throughout the United States. The program depends upon different sources for its financial support. They include foundation and corporate sponsorships, civic/service organizations, children's charities and, of course, individual contributions." If you would like more information on CAMP SUNRISE, contact founding director Christin Locke at 297-8404.
Looking for a mortgage company? Looking for a mortgage company? Give Lenny Zangardi a call. Chances are you'll actually get him on the telephone when you ring up Strategic Mortgage Company at 358-5626. He is very accessible. But if he is outta the house, any one of his devoted, fun-loving, hardworking staff can help. Why plug Strategic? Because Lenny the Boss continues to welcome the SNBA office along with Steven Rosenberg and his Short North Performing Arts operation in the "sub" level of 40 West Third Avenue. Lenny is working with a battery of artisans to bring the once lovely Victorian home which morphed into a funeral home and then into support office space for Doctors Hospital into a wonderful new splendor. I've passed along to him the Victorian Village Guidelines for that time when the inside office space is totally pulled together and he has time and money to address the outside of the building. He looks forward to shining up the building so that the streetscape continues to get better and better on West Third. Lenny has assured Steven and me that we are welcome to continue working in the basement for as long as we need the space. I've been suggesting to Lenny that a lap pool and sauna would be great additions to the space.
Of course the ultimate hope is that before the end of this century, only months away, the SNBA office will be located in Goodale Park right alongside the offices for Victorian Village Society, the Friends of Goodale Park, and the Short North Special Improvement District (SID) staff. On a quick walk-through of the Caretaker's House after a hot monthly Victorian Village Society meeting, Gavin Armstrong, President of the Society showed me the space he hopes to have inhabited by November. He is also hoping that the Caretaker's House will be used for a special family-oriented function during the three-day Holiday Hop. More on that later. The House is looking better all the time. And I think at this stage, the completion of the space is moving along very well. Just prior to ComFest, a guardian angel of the Society installed as a gift carpeting in one of the public parlor spaces! Teamwork is exciting - and what gets the job done. Good luck to and God bless that anonymous team that continues to improve glorious Goodale Park.
Welcome to renowned photographer Will Shively who moved his studio operation from Armstrong Street behind Tapatio's to 853 Pearl Alley behind Roche Bobois. Shively's new telephone number is 737-3000. He admits things aren't quite up to snuff just yet, but has been around the pike long enough to know that transition always takes time. Rome was not built in a day. The most important factor of his business and the one that is truly up to speed and not affected by the carpenters and electricians, is his eye through the lens.
Eureka! Byzantium is moving deeper into the neighborhood and they'll have loads of parking which delights me and thousands of other loyal customers. Byzantium's Joyce Griffiths reports that the goal is to have the lights on and the door open for October business. The new digs for Byzantium are the old digs for the Short Stop Teen Center (which is in the process of moving next door into the old TAPS space), 1088 North High Street. For more information, you can ring them up at 291-3130. No doubt, Joyce and her staff could use a few hands and/or trucks to make this huge transition happen without too much blood, sweat, and tears.
Other familiar faces, albeit new to the Short North strip, include Charles Kubat and his Magnolia Thunderpussy at 1155 North High Street, right next to Clique. And, Family Dollar has the sign up and is fully stocked with everything you need. Located right across the street from Little Brothers at 1101 North High Street, they too have loads of parking.
Speaking of parking, I spoke last week with Kevin McSweeney of the City's Traffic, Engineering, and Parking division who assured me that we can look forward to some signage going up, hopefully even before the end of the year, that identifies honest to God, "you-won't-be-towed-from-it" City Parking lots. I'm hoping that with Kevin's help, we can unearth some other parking options that are simply not being utilized.
I just got off the telephone with ano-ther blushing bride calling for Short North Arts District Guides. Since arriving at 40 West Third, I think I've spoken with over fifteen people requesting information associated with wedding party plans. That, along with the enormous interest from convention planners and conference coordinators, indicates that more and more people are naturally thinking of the Short North as a perfect alternative to their assembly needs. I'd like to remind you folks through this venue as I do over the telephone, that there are numerous hidden delights in the Short North. Looking for a delightful garden environment for a cocktail party, a political rally, a birthday bash, a memorable board meeting, an imaginative afternoon business retreat?
Particularly popular of late is the sculpture garden at the Mauritz Gallery. Mauritz Todd worked with the American Civil Liberties Union, The Ohio State University School of Education, and the Ohio Wesleyan Trustees and Art Department on cocktail receptions over the past two months. The events hosted between 60-100 people. On Thursday, August 26 between 7 and 9, Todd is hosting a fundraising event for City Council candidate Angela Bosworth. For more information on this or any other event possibilities, call 291-4538.
As well, the Rebecca Ibel Gallery offers a wonderful open, bright environment which has the benefit of ample parking and great flexibility and can easily accommodate 60-80 people at a sit-down luncheon meeting. Rebecca also alerted me that she is in the process of buying her building and is looking to sublet a portion of the site to a small business owner. Call her at 291-2555.
Kaline Carter of An Open Book will be touring Manhattan while attending the semi-annual New York Gift Show at the Javitz Convention Center, August 14-17. Look for the fruits of his labors with his swell gift selections and perky picks during the Holiday Season! Kaline reports that Dan from Curio-a-gogo will also be shopping the Show. In addition to the work work work involved with a gift show, Kaline will make time to visit his FAV Mexican restaurant in Manhattan, the Rocking Horse Cafe on 8th Avenue in Chelsea.
Remember! Gallery Hops are always the first Saturday evening of the month, 6-10 pm. Call for your own copy of The Short North Arts District Visitors Guide. Dated information for the August Hop, Saturday the 7th! Reality Theatre, Columbus' off-Broadway theatre in the heart of the Short North, kicks off its 15th season August 7 with Whoop Dee Doo, an original outlandish musical by Howard Crabtree. Gallery Hop attendees will be able to take part in the block party beginning at 9:00 pm following the 7:30 pm early performance. Pearl Alley between Warren and the alley next to Bollinger will be blocked off for the festivities. Admission to the Block Party is $7 and includes food, beer, and entertainment provided by Mary Daniels and MOXIE. Admission to the 7:30 pm performance and the Block Party is $25. One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit Reality Theatre and are tax deductible. For tickets to the performance and/or party, call 294-7541.
(If you are reading this column after the August Gallery Hop, then you missed the swell birthday block party celebration at Reality Theatre. Just another reason why you really must attend all Hops. We don't want you to miss any of the fun!)
Finally, all of us extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family of Joy Nesson. Joy's daughter Toni Hastings had a going out of business sale the last week of July. Toni also reminds us all that any remembrances can be made to the James Cancer Center.
SNBA associates and interested parties: There will be no General Membership Meeting at the Tavern in August. The Summer Break from meetings is just one month long. We will be meeting again, as usual, at the Short North Tavern from 9:30 - 10:30 am on the first Tuesday of the month. In September, we will meet at 9:30 on the 7th. Everyone in or interested in the Association is welcome to attend. If you are interested in bringing an issue to the attention of the Membership, contact the SNBA office and request consideration of the Executive Committee.
July 1999 Issue
I feel very very welcome in my new job: In fact, in the entire community. And I'm just beginning to feel at home in the Short North Business Association office. Thank God for the a/c and thanks as well to the folks of Doctors Hospital for so generously giving a home to the SNBA for over a decade. The spacious and (I repeat) air-conditioned office in the basement of 40 West Third Avenue will very soon be but a memory for the many people who have made this association click and tick over the years.
The property is in the process of changing hands and will soon become the home of a mortgage company, which means that we are house shopping. Certainly, we hope that by the time the August Gazette is put to press, we will be able to announce our new address and, in fact, will be in our new headquarters.
Rumors are flying about that the SNBA will operate out of the Goodale Park caretaker's house along with the Victorian Village Society and garden club folk. In addition, Bob Schilling and Nick Montell, the team making The Greystone even greater, have generously and eagerly offered office space to the SNBA. Who knows, we may wind up staying put thanks to the invitation from the new property owner. Of course, there is also the option to take yet another air-conditioned basement office offer from Doctors at 111 West Third. Check this column next month for all the details.
So along with trying to find the paperclips and pencils, while THINKING about packing up for the move, I'm making every effort to get to know the members of this vibrant association along with our neighborhood associations. By next month, I will have made it to at least one Victorian Village, Italian Village, and Harrison West society meeting each. It is a fascinating puzzle, and when I get a better idea of the full picture, I'll make every attempt to provide glimpses into the new businesses and developments along the Short North retail corridor.
Until that time, let me mention that some of our newest neighbors are Benelava, Ultrecht, Art Supply, Small Art, Echoes of Americana, and the Ohio Art League. By the time of the Red White and Blue Gallery Hop, the OAL will have moved from their old home on Russell and Summit to 952 North High in one of the properties being developed by Eric Parmater. The building is looking great and I hear that there are still a few apartments available for lease. Interested? Stop by and have a look. And before you stop by, you can connect through www.parmater.com.
Come take a stroll up and down High Street and don't miss the side trips. You can't see Jan Frey's delight unless you turn the corner on Lincoln. You can't grab a sweet delight at Piece of Cake unless you take a few steps down Warren. And, if you don't commit to just a few more steps north on High past the hubbub, you'll not feast on the powerful art offerings at ACME Art Company, ROY G BIV Gallery, Rebecca Ibel Gallery, Urban Gardener, Galeria Zona Corazon, and Stonewall Columbus and of course the new home of the Ohio Art League. And, you'll miss the chance to have your palm read at Salem West. Slip on a good pair of shoes and take off.
Again, thanks to all of the folks who have been so warm and welcoming to me. I'm delighted to be here working and playing with all of you. Very special thanks to Orbit Design, Mauritz Gallery, Europia, A Piece of Cake, Leaves of Grass, and the Short North Tavern for their Herculean efforts during "the coronation."
Remember, Gallery Hops are always the first Saturday of the month, all afternoon, then peaking from 6 - 10 pm. Call for you own copy of the Short North Arts District Visitors Guide, or pick up a copy of the Short North Gazette.