a clintonville day ~ you can't roller skate here!

today was a magical day...finally a day of rain, darkness and crispy weather. for the first time in half a year i felt a morning that was reminiscent of the PNW. Rain started at 3 am and has yet to subside (encroaching on 8 pm & 3rd vodka tonic).

Bob, Daphne and I had a wonderful morning of lattes from North Market, walks in the rain amongst the huge Lilly pad ponds at Goodale Park then off to Patty Cake Vegan Bakery for muffins! We missed all the local haunts for breakfast so decided on a walk in haircut for mwa @ a Rudy's Esq (seattle) place which warmed me ears with Le Tigre and Hold Steady ~ perfect! All things creative, independent and alluring in Clintonville...a fringe neighborhood very much like Fremont used to be and maybe more like what Powderhorn is becoming (sorry uptown...you're too generic for this title!) If i started to high light...well...the highlights, we'd be here all night. Big props to a local handmade messenger bag company Seagull Bags! check out my design soon to go to the seamstress ~

we also came across some guy and his wife whom satellite out of a bakery kitchen (sound familiar?) in the evenings on an alley street in the Short North, cooking up some damn fine authentic Neapolitan za ~ take out only, $ 8 each, $ 20 for 3. Fucking Amazing! I have certainly found a steadfast appreciation for the underdog just doing what he loves....i'll put all my money on that guy.

pro st, time to retire for the day and refill my creative juices for tomorrow is yet another day to discover more underground wonders in this curious city that is Columbus.

bob's birthday smorgesboard

okay, so we don't eat meat ~ but bob's family does, so here is my attempt at fixing some meaty vittles!

Macrina Chocolate Cake
awesome bourbons from ben & mary
paired so nicely with crazy doritos from paul & alison

hmmmm ~ wonder who could have sent these?

must head to Jeni's for some buttermilk ice cream to go with.

bobby's day ~ brining him home

picking up a few fresh goodies for dinner at the gahanna herb garden
off to North Market for finally, a semi-west coast latte from our favorite little baristas at Touch of Earth. North Market is a wonderful indoors venue of independent foodies offering some of the best treats in Columbus. On the top of my list is Pam's Popcorn & Jeni's Ice Cream . Try them both online.
when we arrived back at MedVet, our hearts sank ~ although we were picking up Bobby...we were also confronting lots of emotion and grief. it's been really hard not knowing what Daphne is feeling, as she has never been away from Bobby until now. Here she is in the car, steadily watching for possibly Bob to be coming back with Bobby...the way she remembers.

if we had an amazing wish to be secured immediately, i know it would be to summit Marmot Pass again with Bobby and take him back to one of his favorite places. Columbus, unfortunately lacks two of Bobby's favorites...mountains and ocean beaches. With a little digging, we found a place that Bob used to go mountain biking, Alum Creek. It had beautifully overgrown trails that were brimming over with growth and wild flowers. We took our time, walking with Bobby and Daphne ~ enjoying the consolation of nature.

bobby at his favorite place, near - in - or at the beach


family photo
my special pendant made in rememberance of bobby



hmmmm, a little danker than the sound
murkier yet

poor little daph, hates the swimming ~ but with temps constantly in the 90's we are forced to dunk her. to bad a bit of Bobby's aqua love didn't rub off on her.
i miss you bobby!

10 more points for Columbus

OMG! who would have guessed that in the meaty meat world of Ohio that a Vegan hot dog stand would pop up in the heart of downtown.

Rad Dog is a dog gone tasty spot to eat !

daphne enjoying the pup cart too
serving up Julia's beer brat
my cowabunga...tofu pup with homemade chili and salsa

rico looking sexy on high street ~ we got our first compliment on the van today by a cyclist on an awesome bianci, also spotted a sweet surly steamroller on Pearl Ave around the farmer's market. yea bikes!