Columbus, Ohio USA
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Dis 'n' Data
By Margaret Marten, Editor
email margaret@shortnorth.com
OCTOBER 2009
“From Bad to Verse,” a new monthly page featuring poetry sans quality submitted by our readers begins this month on page 18. Over the years, some truly sorry specimens of poetry have crossed my desk and left me wondering. A recent poem submitted by Short North mailman and artist Rick Blackburn was a case in point, so much so that I felt inspired to actually share it with the public and finally produce a much-needed resource for the display of humorously bad poems. Blackburn now has the dubious distinction of being the first dysfunctional poet “outed” by the Short North Gazette. When we spoke over the phone, he explained that the poem was something he randomly constructed from pieces of Magnetic Poetry purchased at a local bookstore. “It’s refrigerator poetry,” he said. “I basically pulled them out real random like and just arranged them. There’s some thread there, but it’s not much of a thread if you know what I mean.” Blackburn said that his commitment to his painting project “Spiritual Warfare” (which may take two or three more years), doesn’t leave him much time these days to write heartfelt poems.
On September 16, Travonna Coffee House opened in the Garden District at 1195 N. High St. across from What The Rock!. Owners Sean “Travis” Hardy, 35, and Inayat Ullah, 58, were enjoying the flush of new customers – curious and enthusiastic – stepping in off the street to examine the freshly renovated space. Hardy, an airline pilot from Wyoming, has lived in Columbus for three years. His partner, originally from Pakistan, has been a Columbus resident for 12 years. For Hardy, the project is the realization of a lifelong dream. Originally he and his mother – a teacher back in Wyoming – had planned to open a coffee house together. They talked about it for years, but his work as a pilot kept him moving around. In fact, the name of the new shop, Travonna, combines his name “Travis” with his mother’s “Donna.” Both were enamored by the whole coffee house concept. “Each one is individual,” Hardy explained. Alluding to his distaste for corporate coffee chains, he described what it means to be individual, to be different. “I am going back to the old school way where people can relax and enjoy the artwork, enjoy the music, a place to study – we’re really going out for the student body.” He firmly believes the customers should feel free to contribute to the overall experience. “People are really making it their place,” he said. For example, an empty retail rack was transformed into a “give-a-book, take-a-book” spot after customers began spontaneously leaving books there. Similarly, Hardy brought in a chess board, and now a group of guys are down there every night playing chess for a couple hours. “I got this guitar that my mom gave me. I don’t know how to play it, I might as well put it in there,” he said. Hardy and Ullah are inviting musicians to perform onstage. There is a private meeting room available, and they have an art group in there every Sunday. As you might have guessed, their coffee is Fair Trade. Hardy says he’s a coffee snob and ran a taste test among his friends before making a final decision to carry Kaldi’s Coffee. They also sell food – sandwiches, pizzas and salads – freshly made. Ullah’s Pakistan heritage should provide some innovative menu items. Unfortunately my deadline curtailed my ability to talk to Inayat Ullah to learn more about his interests or what he will be focusing on to make Travonna Coffee House truly unique. They are open 7 days a week: Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The number is 614-725-4151. There is a bus stop out front for those who want to get off the crowded bus and escape into a spacious, unpretentious, welcoming environment.
News about upcoming events in the neighborhood can be found in Community Events and the Bulletin Board.
Email the Editor margaret@shortnorth.com
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