SHORT NORTH BUS ASSN "CLEAN OUT YOUR BASEMENT"

The Italian Village Society was posting fliers on doors this weekend announcing two pretty great events for the neighborhood.

First is the Clean Out Your Basement Recycling Event hosted by AEP. To help keep things out of landfills the Salvation Army will be collecting clothes and furniture, Fireproof will be shredding documents and paper and TechUsed will be taking electronics and household appliances. This is everyone's opportunity to get rid of the Debbie Gibson and long unworn pair of jellies that have been hanging around the house. Collections will be at the Fireproof parking lot at 2nd Avenue and High Street.

Soap box moment- I wish the SNBA would have selected an organization other than the Salvation Army which refuses to offer domestic partner benefits to their employees in adherence to their biblical principles. The Short North was largely redeveloped by and remains home to many GLBT individuals and GLBT-owned businesses and organizations participating in these types of neighborhood events should reflect the values and needs of the SN community. Soap box put away.

Second, the Italian Village Society Amicis will be fielding gardening questions and offering tips at Christopher Columbus Park - the triangular park in the middle of Warren Street between Summit and 4th. The first 200 villagers to visit the booth will receive a free packet of flower seeds. Volunteers can also help the Amicis spruce up the flowerbeds in the park.

SKUNK CABBAGE WEEKENDS

One of the reasons I like living in dense cities is that despite the large number of people around you are somehow able to go about your business unnoticed. I find comfort in being swallowed up by large groups but every once in a while I seek out the opportunity to be truly alone. Today I found the chance at the Gahanna Woods just off Havens Corner Road in, you guessed it, the City of Gahanna.

It could have been the clear blue sky, comfortable weather or my sidekick Rilo (puppy) but the woods provided the perfect escape. However, not all went well. I wore flip flops in celebration of the first warm day of the year without fully understanding that woods are actually a swamp forest. Swamp forest + heavy recent rains = not so good flip flop conditions.

Regardless the setting was serene and the trails were very well taken care of. And according to the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves I saw the best remaining complex of buttonbush swamps and vernal pools in central Ohio. All I know is that I saw trees and bodies of water and I thought it sure looked pretty. Now I didn't see these but apparently there are going to be yellow water-crowfoot and skunk cabbage coming up soon.

No one in their right mind should ever pass up the chance to see skunk cabbage. Just think of the great water cooler conversation opportunities that arise from it.

"So Chuck, how was your weekend?"
"Amy, it was fantastic. The new crop of skunk cabbage is fuller and more pungent than I've ever seen it. It should be the next yankee candle scent."

I digress. Any way, set aside an hour and drive out to Gahanna and enjoy some cypress-knee sedge. More information can be found at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/location/gahanna_woods/tabid/940/Default.aspx

EARTH DAY -APRIL 26, 2008

Earth Day for me parallels New Years Eve - minus the excessive amount of alcohol I typically consume- because I make a conscience effort to evaluate how I am living my daily life and how it impacts the environment. Do not get me wrong- I am not health nut nor do I chain myself to trees but I do believe that we have a responsibility to ourselves and our friends and families to reduce our environmental impact.

There are a million of ways you can introduce more environmentally-friendly behaviors into your daily life. Here are a couple easy and affordable suggestions:

*Use tupperware containers for your lunch instead of sandwich bags
*Bring reusable bags for your grocery trips; if you do use plastic grocery bags
take them back to the grocery store on your next trip to recycle them
*Cut up old clothing i.e. socks, t-shirts, etc. to use as rags instead of using
paper towels
*Turn off lights when you you are not using them. No one cares if your house
looks cozy from the street.
*Walk or ride the bus to work at least once a week to work. A work out might
shave off a couple pounds while you are at it.
*Get your coffee in a reusable coffee mug instead of a disposable paper cup.
Most coffee shops reward good behavior by shedding off a dime for your total.
*Decline a bag with your next take out meal. Do you really need a paper bag to
carry your single aluminum foil-wrapped Chipotle burrito?
*Wear your jeans and other articles of clothing more than once. Febreeze it.
*Wash your dishes by hand to control how much water is used or ensure that your
dishwasher is fully loaded before pushing starting the cycle.
*Buy "green" cleaning products. Clorox just launched a new brand, Green Works,
that is only few cents more than non-green brands and actually clean.
*Don't pick up crap freebies from events, etc. if you are not going to use
them. Chances are you will throw them away.

Most of these simple behavior changes require minimal changes in your daily activity and can help you save money, get fit and feel better about your place in life. So why not kick off Earth Day and a new way of living by volunteering for Earth Day this April 26, 2008. You decide how much time you can contribute and what activities you are able or willing to do.

To volunteer, visit http://www.nowgetbusy.org/volunteer/.

ROSSI EXPANSION- OPENS APRIL 1

Last night we went to dinner at the Rossi last night and noticed that they are nearing completion of their expansion into next door. According to the waitress the new side is relatively complete, they just need to frame up the wall in the front which they knocked through to connect the two units. The planned opening date is April 1. The most amazing thing is that despite them almost doubling their floor space they are maintaining their existing kitchen to servic the whole restaurant. Admittedly I love the restaurant but the service is not uber fast so I hope they can make do with this tiny space.

On a food note - my partner loved his burger but I was pretty disappointed in the pizza and our friend scoffed at the pasta. Normally we love this place - especially the entrees - so I am not going to acknowledge that this dinner ever took place and of course go back to see the bigger and better Rossi.

CCAD DORM APPROVED

I really have to give CCAD credit for beginning to distinguish itself in a city which is OSU obsessed. I like their plan to replace a purely functional and non-aesthetically pleasing structure with a dorm to house more students but transfer the functions of the classroom building to their newly acquired and more visibile space on Broad Street. I think the blend of office and government workers with college students will add a new energy along that corridor and get people to notice the campus more since students will be going in and out of the Broad St location after 5 p.m. when that stretch is typically deserted.


Art college to finish off quad with dorm that's in demand
Monday, March 3, 2008 6:17 AM
By Mike Pramik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


The glass facade of the new dorm at Columbus College of Art & Design will face the quad.
College students typically can't wait to ditch the dorms.

But when a 1,300-student school has residential space for only 250 students, suddenly young people might well come knocking on its door, looking for a place to stay.

That's the case at Columbus College of Art & Design, where plans for a new dorm received approval last week from the Columbus Downtown Commission.

The college's planned $11 million dorm will provide an additional 208 beds, as well as another landmark framing the campus quadrangle. College President Denny Griffith said work should begin in mid-May.

"We have heard a clarion cry from families who would very much like to see additional on-campus housing for upperclassmen," Griffith said. "At some later stage, we might want to add more."

For the full article:
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/03/03/ZONE0303.ART_ART_03-03-08_C8_GJ9G2KT.html?sid=101

DO MORE THAN JUST VOTE

Once again I'll be getting up at 5:00 a.m. this coming Tuesday to help out Franklin County. The work is extremely rewarding and helpes provide legitimacy to the election process. Consider volunteering your time. Contact informatin is below.

338 sought to work polls on March 4
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 5:47 AM


Franklin County is looking for 338 poll workers for Tuesday's primary election.

The Board of Elections will keep telephones open until 8 p.m. weeknights and until 5 p.m. during the weekend to sign up workers. Training courses run through Monday. Register online at vote.

franklincountyohio.gov or call 614-462-5393.

Workers are paid at least $110 for the day, depending on their assignment. They must attend a two-hour course, be able to work from 5:30 a.m. until at least 8 p.m. on election day and have transportation.

The board expects to hire about 5,000 poll workers for this election. It still needs 200 Republicans and 138 Democrats, including 30 as presiding judges.

Areas short on Republican poll workers include Bexley, Gahanna, Dublin, New Albany, Reynoldsburg, and central and northeastern Columbus. Democrats are primarily needed in suburban precincts outside I-270.

-- Barbara Carmen

DOWNTOWN FOOD OPTIONS GROW

The Dispatch reported on a few new restaurant openings in the SN and downtown area. Most of these have been reported on elsewhere but this article clears up opening dates, etc.

VegiTerranean- Chrissie Hynde creation. Locations currently being scouted.
Cafe Lola- focuses on grab and go lunch crowd. Broad St and N High.
Original Soupman- you guessed it...soup. Next door to Lola and will open next week.
Cinco- Mexican fare. Huntington Building. Open in five months.

Read the article at:
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/02/26/rest_0226.ART_ART_02-26-08_C10_VA9FB20.html?sid=101

EXILE REOPENS

Camera is still crapped out so you are just going to have to trust me on this.

Exile on 4th Street reopened this past Friday evening and I have to admit the remodeled bar is pretty great. No longer do you enter through a side door and the boarded up street windows have been replaced with actual windows. The interior has been freshened up and feels more opened. The remodel continues with a larger dance, stage and patio being added. Fourth Street seediness just got a little less.

Welcome back Exile.

GAHANNA RECONSIDERS OHIO HUB PLAN

This Monday, February 25, 2008, the City of Gahanna's City Council will once again consider passing a resolution in support of the Ohio Hub Freight and Passenger Rail development. In October 2007, the Council rejected the proposition 4-3 but due to a few new faces on the board and additional time to learn more about the hub plan the resolution stands a favorable chance at passage.

If you are in support of the Ohio Hub plan, consider attending the Gahanna City Council meeting Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. Gahanna City Hall is located at 200 S. Hamilton Road and offers plenty of free parking since you can't ride the rails there just yet.

BROS BOW OUT FOR THE GALS

I rarely ever do more than just glance through The Other Paper because I never find any substantive journalism in it. I have come to accept that it really is just a big events calendar that lets me know just what is happening at Ugly Tuna every night of the week. I admit, I have been there once and I did consume a fish bowl of liquor while there. I digress.

However, in this week's issue of the OP, Kitty McConnell brings to light more information regarding the old Little Brother's Location. Apparently the new business, Liquid, is going to be debuting this spring as a bar/restaurant geared toward gay professional women. In my head I am imagining Jennifer Beals, Pam Grier and all the other L Word ladies hanging out on High Street and I am loving it.

The design of the new space is about half-way done and how it is described in the article sounds nice. I am anxious to get a sneak peek of the place and maybe convince the owners to name it something other than Liquid which just makes me think of it as a place where the clap is swapped back and forth.

Check out the article only available in print on page 15.