A Little Something For Everyone!

Worthington Farmers Market is one the most anticipated markets in the area.  I can’t tell if it’s the charm of High Street in Worthington or the festival like atmosphere or the great selection of stands! Despite the heat and humidity, it was a picture perfect day to visit the vendors and get some deals!

This market offers a nice mix of Mom and Pop operations, medium size operations and seasonal operators. There are a good amount of stands selling bouquets of flowers, the bright colors and creative displays take me back a bit to the market in Florence Italy! I am especially fond of all the big and beautiful Sunflowers this time of year – what a happy flower!

I was able to pick up some really fresh vegetables, including an interesting squash. What I really appreciate is most of the vendors will give you ideas and tips on prep so if you are familiar with certain items ask!  The bread and pastry vendors were out in full force and to nicely compliment them there is coffee and juice vendors. This market also has a few meat vendors and fish vendors. You really could do a weeks worth of perishable shopping there and judging by the number of carts, many people do! They even have gourmet treats for pets!

Some of my favorite vendors are Kingdom Fish for some of the freshest Tilapia around – great recipes too! It’s hard to narrow down a vegetable vendor for me it depends on what I am looking to purchase. I am really smitten with The Lucky Cat Bakery – my downfall is fresh, pure ingredient bread! Not to miss is Ohio City Pasta – they are a longtime favorite of mine back from my Westside Market shopping days when I lived in Northeast Ohio – it’s a taste of home. The difference in fresh, small batch pasta verses mass produced stuff will bring you back to eating pasta! There are so many things to experience there you really have to make a trip. A lot of people take advantage of the restaurants that line the street of the market. They grab a table on the patio, enjoy breakfast or early lunch then enjoy some street level shopping. We all have to shop for food so why not make it enjoyable!

The Dog Days of Summer!!

The last few days have produced brutal heat and humidity. I love a hot summer, I prefer a fan over air conditioning, summer is my season; however, 100% humidity with a heat index of over 100 even this heat lover is seeking a cool retreat!

Determined to not be stuck inside I headed out to The Topiary Garden in Olde Town East. With my granddaughter and daughter in tow we took advantage of the cooler morning and got there about 10am. There was plenty of parking along side E Towne Road so we easily parked and fed the meter. Strolling along the pathways we had a chance to enjoy the topiaries as well as the beautiful gardens. The pond offers much needed refreshment for birds, squirrels and the other wild life. One of my favorite topiaries is the small boat with the person in it  fishing. This whimsical garden offered the cool retreat we were seeking! Grass, trees, well placed park benches and the cement tables and benches all seem to bounce the heat away leaving a cool spot to enjoy the creativity of the people who planned and keep the gardens.

Next we drove the short mile to the Scioto Fountains. Getting there around 11:30 the crowds were not too bad! There is a lot of metered parking around the area, so we were able to park on Front St and walk the short distance to the fountains. I really appreciate the way the parks monitor the activity and keep the area so clean. The bathroom building makes it especially easy when you have little ones with you. My granddaughter joyfully splashed through the water trying to anticipate the next move of each nozzle. it is really enjoyable to watch all ages of kids splashing, laughing and moving around without the aid of electronics! Nice to see whole families taking advantage of this FREE activity offered by Columbus Parks. Today more than ever it is so important for families to spend time together playing and enjoying each others company! So pack a bag of snacks, grab the bathing suites and don't let this summer experience get away!