Loves in Ohio: Pt. 3

Ice Cream Flavors of Biblical Proportion.

Only one place in all of Columbus, Ohio, has such fantastic ice cream of epicurism flavor.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.

Located in downtown Columbus in the short north area, a very fun artistic area, we enjoyed ice cream flavors like:

Bourbon Buttered Pecan

Brambleberry Crisp

Pistachio and Honey

Rhubarb and Lime Cardamom

& My favorite

Riesling Pear

(Anything with wine attracts me)

Enjoy these pictures of our little outing :)

(Here we first see personalities, then a tower of ice cream, and the joy of eating it)

(Cute friends posing with Jeni herself, and the rest of us enjoying the sunny decor)

Loves in Ohio: Pt. 2

Touchdown!

Screeching tires added more skid marks to the runway as I landed in Ohio for the first time in two years. It's hard to believe I spent three years of my life in this place. I landed in a very different setting than I went to school, further away from the corn (believe me, I did not mind).

I was antsy to get off the plane, and thankful it was a small one. No long lines to wait on to exit. Soon I would be seeing some of my best friends from college and enjoying a perfect day with them. College friends are the friends you always hear people talk about before you even get to college. They are the friends you get to know quickly, and they as well take the time to know you well quickly. You are people growing together and learning about yourself; starting new journeys with each other by your side.

Two lovely girlfriends me me at the passenger pick up. I was waiting eagerly for that blue hyundai to pull around the bend so I could start waving frantically looking like the eccentric me I like to be at times. Here it came, the blue hyundai filled with two friends, and I could not help but grin ear to ear. We quickly threw the luggage into the car, hugged deeply and hopped in the car to zoom off to Tasi's Cafe for brunch. It was a reunion.

Here we are after feasting on wild berry, apricot and strawberry jam, greek style eggs and a few mimosa's later :)

I bet you cannot wait to read about our epic Ice Cream Adventure.

It's Up Next.

Loves in Ohio: Pt. 1

Three years goes very quickly when you get to spend it with people you love and love you. It has been two years since graduation and finally I was able to touch ground again in Ohio. Other than friends, I did not have a good reason to trek back to the land of corn. Believe me, after living for three ears (I mean years) in and around corn fields, I had my fill. But, it was time to go back for a couple of reasons:

• The Extravagant wedding of my childhood sister/friend
• To spend time with one amazing group of friends
• AND... for a little adventure

The next set of posts will be about my Ohio adventures in the first week of June 2011. I am my grandmother's daughter and my family friend's niece. Like them, I cannot help but shed tears every time I leave loved ones and only wish we could all live in one neighborhood for eternity. This will never happen (although I have heaven to anticipate wonderfully) for me, so time well spent with loved ones holds very heavy weight to my life and my living. This week endowed this to me.

Mini Flower Earrings

This was my first attempt to Mini Flower Earrings and I will post a tutorial for you to follow.

Oh for the love of details. They seem to put the icing on the cake.

Here is my first pair of mini flower earrings.

Let me know what you think.

PS. C'est Tout means "That's Everything" in French

Keko Cafe

Not too far removed from the touristy location of the Empire State Building, you’ll find tucked away on Madison Ave Keko Cafe. This little cafe claims to be French, but I say it’s more of an American/French twist. Never-the-less, it’s a recommendation from the locals and will not disappoint.

My close college friend heard about Keko Cafe through his friends and just longed to take us there for breakfast one morning during our escapade in NYC. The five of us women searched and searched for this Cafe where we were meeting our friend. It was a blustery and FREEZING morning. Corners we turned, and street signs we read, hoping that each direction would bring us closer to Keko. Finally, we found Madison Ave and walked down the street until we could walk no further, delightfully realizing Keko was tucked away just to our left. The small staircase brought us to the welcoming, glass door reading Keko Cafe. Hurriedly we shuffled inside and grabbed as many small tables as possible to fit six.

Keko is a cozy little Cafe, not meant for big parties, and I might say that our party was even too large. It was a relaxed and close setting with friends with mustard-yellow wall color, teapots and teacups displayed on knick-knack shelves, wooden coffee storage bins and pictures of France’s past. The little table tops were made of coper, stained with rings from coffee mugs, but not in a messy way, just enough to make you feel at home.

Crepes were on the menu that day, well they always are, but our bellies were craving a crepe party. We ordered several to share because the options were too appealing to each just have one. Nutella and banana crepes, spinach and feta crepes, fruity crepes, and Mediterranean crepes filled our tables, aligned with sides of bacon, glasses of fresh water and imported coffee and lattes. Conversation and laughter resounded

over our crepes and coffees, a right way to start the day.

It was a delicious morning.

Brooklyn Flea Market

“Art is not a treasure in the past, or an importation from another land, but part of the present life of all living and creating peoples,” -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

To each thing belongs a creator, and to each creator a unique imagination, and not just a scattered, thoughtless, patternless imagination, but one of intelligence and precision. This is what the Brooklyn Flea Market comprises itself.

My good college friends and I took a weekend in Brooklyn to enjoy our as-much-as-possible get-togethers, being that we all live in different states. Since we resided in Brooklyn for the weekend, we just couldn’t pass up a trek to the weekend flea market. My hopes were high; that there would be unique treasures of old and new, creative minds manifesting themselves in the form of art and fashion and homemade food. I can gladly say there were all these things.

Jewelry vendors line the outskirts of the former Williamsburg Savings Bank. The building is frozen in time, filled with new life from the present age, buzzing and bustling with hagglers and onlookers. Clothiers are hidden within the former bank teller windows and a small food court is secured in the old vault. Upstairs you’ll find intriguing jewelry and cufflinks made from old typewriter keys. This is truly a place worth the visit, you will not be bored... only inspired.

I will not pass up going again this summer, as it seems to be a much greater event than in winter.

Phantom of the Opera

A man comes through the theatre doors and adds to the already excited, anticipatory crowd just waiting to be let into the Magical Majestic Theatre. He explains the procedure of what needs to be done as we walk into the theatre, he pokes some fun and riles us up for a Night at the Opera. It was our family Christmas present this year to see a Broadway Musical and our choice was naturally Phantom of the Opera.

The obsession for my Dad wanting us the see this musical began when my brother Derek and I were just of kinder age. Our family vacations took place in Atlantic Beach, NC, where part of the vacation consisted of us going to a child's amusement park called Jungle Land. It was here that may Dad heard the Overture music, from Phantom, playing from a speaker behind a fake gorilla that gave him the desire to have us see the play.

Finally we are let into the theatre. A quick check of our bags, to be sure we're not going to pirate the musical, and we were brought to our seats. "Chips, Water, Wine," an usher speaks eloquently as the audience is seated. As we wait, I look around at the Majestic. The stage props are protected by flowing fabrics to keep the surprise of the play, but the theatre was maintained visible and stunning; I somehow forgot I was in NYC and could not wait to become part of this musical as I interacted in my imagination from my seat.

Women's jewels were the only thing left glittering as the lights dimmed, indicating the time had come; the show MUST begin. After the introductory scene at the auction, the stage curtains began to move away in harmony with the haunting overture music and began to enchant our souls, latching onto something deep inside and intwining me in the story line. I was hooked instantaneously. Words cannot describe the symphonic masterpiece of Andrew Lloyd Webber in the Phantom of the Opera.

Throughout the entire musical I felt more drawn into the performance with each breath of the operatic voices. It was hard not to feel as if you were part of the performance. But as the show much begin, the show also comes to an end. I would recommend this musical to all who appreciate beauty in song and dramatic performances. It was fabulous.

Our night ended with dinner together as a family and was an evening touched by magic.