Izzy & Mo's Lunheonette opening soon ... for real

Jewish deli from Till team to feature early morning happy hour, bagels and more

Izzy & Mo's Lunheonette opening soon

Jewish deli from Till team to feature early morning happy hour, bagels and more

Exhibition preview: “Jim Beoddy: Espreet Décor” is a once in a lifetime opportunity

James Beoddy is a wonderfully complex and compassionate personality that too few know. Those who do may know him as one of his other (performance art) personas Goblinhood or Chimera (aka Chim). Some may know his underground comics; many have been published in the alternative paper Columbus Free Press since the 1970s. Less know his decades-long career as a prolific and unparalleled master artist working in a number of different mediums. Even less actually know who James, or Jim as those closest call him, is as a person because he’s been somewhat of a recluse throughout his life. And tragically, too many of us will never get the chance to.

Cleveland Brewery opens tasting room Friday

Cleveland Brewery is opening its tasting room. The nanobrewery located in a storefront on East 185th Street will open its doors to the public from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. (May 1)

The tasting room will be open "only Fridays from here on out as we get a feel for things to see how fast or slow things start moving," owner-brewer John Fuduric said in an email.

The small brewery launched late last year and has been supplying local restaurants and bars with its Cleveland-themed beers such as Terminal IPA, 185th Street Wheat and Celtic Porter. Its taphandles for the Terminal IPA are shaped like the Terminal Tower.

For more details on the brewery, click here to read a story that I wrote last year.

Indulge: Fashion + Fun for Moms at Tuttle

Moms deserve a night out and The Mall at Tuttle Crossing is going to give them on on Thursday, May 7, 2015 with a mom’s night out for Indulge: Fashion + Fun for Moms. From 6-9 p.m., bring your favorite ladies for fun, fashion, and more.  There will be special offers and Read More

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Q&A: The Comics Reporter’s Thomas Spurgeon

Much like reporting on music brought a certain level of fame for journalists like Robert Christgau, Greil Marcus and the late Lester Bangs, comics have a way of bringing prominence to its press people. Newly minted as a Columbusonian, Tom Spurgeon is one of the more renowned reporters in the field, with more than two decades of experience and accolades including three Eisner Awards for his independent news site, the Comics Reporter.

Movie review: “Hyena” howls at a bleak moon in cop tale

The UK crime drama “Hyena” opens with what appears to be an organized heist, as masked men ransack a nightclub, beating men and stealing drugs.

Spring Flea at Seventh Son Brewery

Skip the garage sales and head to the Spring Flea Flea Market on Sunday, May 3, 2015 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Seventh Son Brewing Company.  There will be vendors selling art, vintage clothes, refurbished furniture, books, vintage & handmade jewelry, and plants.  Enjoy grub from local food trucks and music by DJ George Brazil Read More

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Four String announces new production site

Four String Brewing Co. has found a new home.

The Columbus brewery says it’s building a new facility on the city’s west side, with plans to boost production by 300 percent and start distributing statewide. The 25,000-square-foot property is located at 660 N. Hague Ave.

“Four String has been available to craft beer lovers primarily in Columbus and with this expansion, we will be able to share our killer beer with people across Ohio,” founder Dan Cochran said in a prepared statement.

Four String, which makes brands such as Brass Knuckle Pale Ale and Big Star White IPA, had confirmed last fall that it was looking for a new site.

It’s the latest in a string — sorry I couldn’t resist — of Columbus breweries opening new, larger production sites. Columbus Brewing is getting ready to build a new brewery and tasting room. North High opened a separate production brewery. Barley’s Brewing has announced plans. And Sideswipe has said it wants to expand and relocate.

The new Four String location will include a 30-barrel brewhouse, canning line and sensory analysis laboratory. There also are plans to open a second taproom.

The brewery received financing assistance from the Columbus Business Development Fund and Gregg Battisti of J.P. Morgan Chase.

Larry Horwitz, a Columbus native who was a consultant for Four String when it opened, will serve as brewmaster. He has more than 20 years of brewing experience, including 12 years as a regional brewer for Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant.

He is a certified beer judge who teaches courses on brewing, judging beers, and sensory analysis. He also serves on the Brewer’s Association Technical Committee and the Board of Governors for the Master Brewer’s Association of the Americas.

“I’m beyond excited to return to my hometown and work with Dan again,” Horwitz said in a prepared statement. “This expansion will do more than just grow capacity, it will provide us the tools to make some of the highest quality beer in Ohio.”

Four String said it expects to announce new brands soon.

As part of the announcement, Cochran also released a photo of himself and Horwitz signing their partnership agreement in Portland. Dogfish Head Craft Ales founder Sam Calagione served as a witness.

The current brewery, located on Sixth Avenue, isn’t going anywhere. Once the expansion is complete, the current site will focus exclusively on the brewery’s Solo Series, Four String’s small batch, seasonal and limited edition brews.

Your Summer Guide to Four Urban Columbus Parks

This post is written by Katie Huston, marketing coordinator for Experience Columbus. You can follow her on Twitter @hustonkat. When warm weather arrives in Central Ohio, why not take advantage of every opportunity to spend time outdoors? Lucky for us, there are many great parks in the city that offer fun activities and events all [...]

The post Your Summer Guide to Four Urban Columbus Parks appeared first on The Columbus Experience.

FLIP Spring Food Experience

Local cancer prevention non-profit FLIP (Fight, Live, Inspire, Prevent) is hosting a Spring Food Experience on Wednesday, May 13 at VUE in the Brewery District.  Sample seasonal food selections, enjoy wine pairings, learn healthy eating tips, and connect with local resources for healthy living.\ Enjoy Whole Foods Upper Arlington, Krazy Kraut, Flying J Read More

The post FLIP Spring Food Experience appeared first on Columbus on the Cheap.

Life Lately: April

To sound completely cheesy… I feel like the warm weather of April has completely restored my health and general well-being. Have I mentioned I LOVE Spring? And I LOVE warm weather? Ah, it just makes me so happy to see all of the blooming trees and flowers! I feel inspired and am going to just […]

Two Ways to Experience the PGA Memorial Tournament

Every spring, the golf world’s attention focuses on Columbus. Jack Nicklaus’ renowned Muirfield Village Golf Club in nearby Dublin plays host to the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide June 1-7. The event draws more than 120 of the world’s best golfers, and fans can watch during practice rounds (June 1-3) and the Tournament play (June [...]

The post Two Ways to Experience the PGA Memorial Tournament appeared first on The Columbus Experience.

My Perfect Spring Outfit

While it’s always fun to wear something new, oftentimes that’s not very practical. If you’ve been reading along here for a while, you’ll know that I’ve discussed the idea of the capsule wardrobe a few times on here. I’m certainly no expert and I haven’t mastered the art of paring down all of my clothing,

Read More →

The post My Perfect Spring Outfit appeared first on A Few of My Favorite Things.

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Don’t miss the Taste of Powell at the Columbus Zoo

Have A Taste of Powell on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Columbus Zoo Water’s Edge Park from 6-9 p.m. For $30, you’ll enjoy unique dishes from over 20 Powell-area restaurants including MoJoTago.com, The Daily Growler, Be Fit Cafe, Liberty Tavern, City Barbeque, and more. Entertainment includes: Miss Morgan Treni The Dan Rees Trio The Scott Read More

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Brew Kettle looks at opening restaurant in Ironton

The Brew Kettle is looking into opening a restaurant in Ironton in southern Ohio.

Mark Bivenour, the Strongsville-based brewery's executive vice president, told the Ironton Tribune Saturday during the inaugural Great River Craft Brew Fest that it's a possibility.

“We don’t know for sure yet, but we have talked to some of the city fathers and council members about bringing a restaurant down here," he told the newspaper. "We’ve been shown some properties and things, but it is still in the preliminary stages. We love Ironton for supporting us and welcoming us in the community, and are very humbled that they would let us do something like that.”

The comments are tucked in a story about the festival. Ironton, a city of about 11,000 people, sits along the Ohio River and calls itself "The Gateway to Southern Ohio." To read the full story, click here.

The Brew Kettle has been riding quite a high this year. The brewery announced plans to open a restaurant in Amherst. Its White Rajah was named the best IPA in the country in a blind tasting by the website Paste. And the brewery collaborated with the Cleveland Cavaliers to create All for One, a session IPA.

Ohio meadery changes two mead names after trademark issue

Crafted Artisan Meadery announced this week that it's changing the names of two of its popular meads after a trademark issue with Vermont-based Long Trail Brewing Co., which recently moved into Ohio.

Pollinator, a dry-hopped blackberry mead, will now be called Pollen-Nation, and Chipotle Pollinator will become Chipotle Pollen-Nation. The new names are expected to hit the market in May.

Long Trail has a beer called Pollenator and didn't want Crafted Artisan, located in Suffield Township near Akron, to use the Pollinator name, meadery owner Kent Waldeck said.

"They were nice about it," he said. "They let us sell through our existing inventory."

Waldeck said he was proud of the name because the goal was to raise awareness of "Colony Collapse Disorder." A portion of proceeds from the original launch was donated to The Ohio State University Bee Lab for research on pollinators and Colony Collapse Disorder.

“We’re disappointed that we had to change the names, but both parties handled the situation amicably," Waldeck said. "We feel we are accomplishing, and will continue to accomplish, our mission regardless of the name. The mead is still fantastic and is the same recipe that pulled down back-to-back gold and bronze medals in 2014 and 2015 at the Mazer Cup International Mead Competition.”

Urban Artifact brings "Wild Culture" to Cincinnati

Sour? No thank you. The folks behind the new Urban Artifact, which opens today (April 24) in Cincinnati, will brew only what they describe as “tart and wild” beers.

“We like to use tart and wild because sour has its own connotations that we’re trying to steer away from,” said Scotty Hunter, whose business card describes him as chief of strategic development. “Most of these flagship offerings are not overly acidic. They aren’t going to make your face pucker. It’s a nice light, tart, refreshing acidity.”

The Cincinnati market may need a little education on the style, but there’s no reason local craft beer drinkers won’t be receptive to Urban Artifact’s offerings, he said.

The production brewery and tasting room held a preview party Thursday night to show off the space and its 30-barrel brewing system. The tasting room is located in the basement of the former St. Pius X Church – it’s now the third brewery in Ohio to repurpose a church -- while the brewery is in the former, separate gymnasium.

Urban Artifact repurposed some of the wooden gym floor, turning it into the back of the bar and using the wooden slats as holders for beer flights, which are served in mini snifters. The tap handles are copper pipes.

The initial offerings include Finn, a 5.4 percent Berliner pale ale; Harrow, a 4.3 percent gose; Maize, a 5.3 percent Kentucky common ale; and Kodiak, a 5.7 percent tart brown. On Thursday, the brewery also had Kodiak infused with coffee.

Urban Artifact, which employs the tagline “Wild Culture,” isn’t just a beer place. That's why the name is simply Urban Artifact without "brewery" or "brewing company" tacked on, Hunter said. The owners also want it to be an entertainment venue, with music and live performances. The church sanctuary itself will be used for large shows and can be rented out as a reception space.

The brewery plans to distribute its beers only on draft in the Cincinnati market. While many breweries are dabbling in wild beers -- the nearby Rivertown Brewing Co. has refocused on sours -- Urban Artifact is doing them exclusively, believing that the market is ready to embrace them.

“I love the Mark Twain quote about if the world ended tomorrow, I’d want to be in Cincinnati because it’d take five years to get there or 10 years to get there,” Hunter said. “That’s kind of how craft beer has been in Cincinnati. It’s kind of more late to the game than some of the other larger cities in the country. We’ve seen in a lot of larger cities where you have your big hoppy IPA beers that everybody gets into but then tastes develop and people look for new things. And then it’s the sour. It’s the funky. It’s the brettanomyces beers that people kind of gravitate to. We think that’s where Cincinnati is right on the precipice of. If somebody locally was doing it, they would be all about it. They aren’t exposed to it yet.”

Want to read more about Urban Artifact? Check out these stories from: Cincinnati.com, and Gnarly Gnome.

April Hoot Family Film Series

Bring the family to Gateway Film Center on Saturday, April 25, 2015 for Hoot Family Film Series.  Children will sing songs, make crafts, and more!  The theme for the month is Balloon! At 10:00 a.m. on the last Saturday of each month, the film center provides stimulating activities for families, including games, story readings, and more. Read More

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