What beautiful place! This place delivers masterpieces and much needed message for people. My kids…read moreloved climbing and looking for bowling balls. A whimsical sanctuary in the middle of Wapakoneta.

This is a place I have been frequenting since my youth. It's a sanctuary for many kids who just…read moreneed a place to hang out and it's a great place for all ages to just check out. It costs you nothing to check it out and if you happen to stumble across the awesome owner, Jim, then you are in for an even bigger treat. Jim is such a great guy and such a good storyteller! If his yard doesn't tell you enough then he will. I've known Jim for a while and he's such an eccentric, animated, and all-around nice guy. My advice...don't just stop at the Temple of Tolerance once, make many visits, or heck become a regular here. It's hard to believe this is in Wapakoneta, Ohio but I'm glad it is. The Memorial to Ohio War Dead is a memorial he created to show how many Ohioans have been killed in battle since the War of 1812 and it was moving to me to see his dedication to such a memorial. If you ever get a chance to hear Jim speak (if you can't find him in the Temple you can sometimes find him giving speeches elsewhere) you must go. I've been to a couple of his talks at the library in his town and he just sucks you in with his words. He gives you a lot to think about and I wish more people were like Jim! There is a donation box on his front porch so be sure to leave a little if you stop by and have a look at the Temple. The money helps with upkeep and such for it all.

It was a frigid February 7th... at least for this Florida guy. 20 degrees... I was freezing! And I…read morewas walking around on my own in my new home town on Van Vert, OH. I found out about this really cool chocolate walk going on in town thru the website of the originator: Main Street Van Wert. I decided to go to this event because: 1) I am new to the area and this is a good way to explore my new home and discover places to eat/shop 2) I love chocolate! I am obsessed with it! Any of my friends can attest to that 3) If you attended you could take a ride on a horse drawn carriage. I have ridden horses before but never been in a carriage. I am always up for new experiences! 4) Total cost for the event was $20. That is nothing! Event started at 4 pm and I went into the offices of Main Street Van Wert. After giving my ticket, I got my bag to take around with me. People in this town are super friendly and a group of people hearing I just moved into the area welcomed me to hang out with them. I was super happy to, and grateful that they allowed me to explore and enjoy this event with them. We then eagerly started our epic epicurean expedition! We did hours of walking, having fun and eating tons of chocolate! I don't even remember how much chocolate I consumed and I still took a bag full back to the hotel I was temporarily living in! I also took a ride in that horse drawn carriage! That was super fun! Moreover I discovered businesses I plan to or have already gone to because of the chocolate walk. Firstly, I discovered Brewed Expressions! It's become my go to coffee shop since moving in and where I have coffee if I am too lazy to make my own. I also discovered Elite Interiors. It's a beautiful home decor and interior design store. I met Joanne, who is an amazing interior designer and who I ultimately hired to help me decorate my house. It's coming along beautifully! When it's done I will write a separate review! I am very glad that I was part of such a wonderful event! I look forward to other town events in my new home!

The Gates of Hell in north Columbus is one of those eerie local spots that sticks with you. It's an…read moreold, graffiti-covered tunnel that feels straight out of an urban legend--dark, damp, and definitely creepy once you step inside. The echo of footsteps, the dripping water, and the way the light disappears the deeper you go all add to the unsettling vibe. It's not an official attraction, more of a hidden curiosity, but if you're into spooky local history and a little adventure, it's worth checking out. Just be prepared--it definitely earns its name. I was there alone and I got a sketchy vibe from it. Nothing happened, of course, but you always want to be aware of your surroundings. Maybe pick up a rock incase someone there has ill intent.

This is smack dab in the middle of unhoused encampment. Because this is sort of a see at your own…read morerisk it is unkempt. I'm not sure if the storm over the weekend made it worse but we could figure out how to get around the water or if there was a less dangerous way of seeing it.

i HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THIS OLD MANSION. Great to photograph. Sorg mansion has needed renovations for…read moreyears .. had several owners and even rented out rooms as apartments. Built in 1887 by Paul J. Sorg, one of Middletown's first industrialist and first multi-millionaires, for $1 million. .In September 2009, the property was listed for sale for $525,000 A Maryland couple has purchased the 126-year-old Sorg Mansion and plan to renovate the historic property and move to Middletown. The mansion, located on South Main Street in the heart of the city's historic district, was sold recently for $225,000 to Mark and Traci Barnett, who live in Baltimore, Md., according to the Butler County Auditor's Office. Mark Barnett said he and his wife, who have purchased and renovated four homes, plan to invest another $400,000 to $500,000 to get the property "back to par," Hope they make it into a bed and breakfast. As with many old buildings it has a reputation for being haunted ... ?????

Needs a good sandblasting, on stone & bricks.The area to get to it, is very rough.Rumor has it,…read morethere is a tunnel, underground, from the Sorg Mansion to the Sorg opera house.

The museum was fun and educational. The scavenger hunt was fun and so many unique things to see.read more

This was a fun little stop as we were on an RV sightseeing trip. As pencil sharpeners are small,…read moreso is this one room museum. It did take a lot of time and effort to put together, so kudos for that. There's some limited parking outside and no cost for the museum, so why not?

Why no trash cans, I bought 50 billion water bottles and I could not throw the water bottles AWAY…read more Also my 21 kids could not fit in the museum

This is a really neat garden that is located just out front of COSI. It features multiple dinosaur…read morefossil sculptures made from metal designed by Dan McCauley. Fossils include several well-known fan favorite species like a triceratops, stegosaurus, a T-rex, and more! Signage is located around the area, which has also been well decorated with plants, rocks, and the like to really feel fitting for the dinos. This is a really fun little sculpture garden!

First stop at a restaurant in Dayton to get rid of our hunger pangs in this neighborhood. The…read moreOregon District includes one of the earliest surviving combinations of commercial and residential architecture in Dayton. The brick streets and lanes in this 12 square block area populated with art galleries, specialty shops, pubs, nightclubs, and coffee houses. They are some cool graffiti walls which makes a great background for pictures.

I love it here, so like the French Quarter in my beloved NOLA. But smaller, much smaller. Cute…read morelittle boutiques, bar, restaurants, and adult shops. On my last visit, we discovered a balcony that looks over everything. And many of the restaurants/bars have patios. I walk by the olden day adult boutiques, but is that is your thing do go in. I would rather go to one of the breweries and sample a Dayton Beer. On Sunday's you can find Bloody Mary bars. I think I'll head down there tomorrow...

Listen is a neat interactive art piece located in the garden outside of the nature center at…read moreHighbanks Metro Park. It is a full-sized chair made of concrete and then covered in nature images created by mosaic tiles. It is well worth walking all the way around it to enjoy some of the different images, like hummingbirds visited flowers, trees, leaves, birds, and more. The nearby plaque, attached to a rock, provides instructions to sit upon this 'nature garden throne' and reflect on the ways in which you can help "take care of the Earth and make the world a better place." The chair was designed by Christina Grote.

I highly recommend CSA shares to anyone who wants to eat more local foods, learn more about how…read moretheir foods are grown, and try a greater variety of produce. (What is a CSA? Visit www.localharvest.org/csa). I found Bird's Haven Farms through localharvest.org, a website that allows you to search for local farmers, markets, and CSAs. From the very first day I picked up my share from Bird's Haven Farms, I was in love. This year, I signed up for the 2012 CSA subscription the day the email hit my inbox. What's great about Bird's Haven? First off, I can pick up at the Westerville Farmers' Market, a smaller weeknight market where I don't have to fight the Saturday crowds at Worthington or Clintonville. Second, the cost is very reasonable considering the amazing quantity of vegetables that we receive over the season. I took pictures every week last summer so I could truly assess how much we got. It was 22 weeks of insane bounty! Third, the extras were just phenomenal. The first week we went to pick up, we got a hanging basket of flowers. Other weeks, we'd occasionally get strawberries or fresh-picked flowers or some other addition to our vegetables that made the day special. Fourth, and this is the best part, they don't pre-box the CSA. They post a list of what's included that week and how many you can take, and you get to pick from big boxes of produce. That means that if you're first to get to the market that day, you get your pick of the harvest. If you're a big family, you can pick out the baseball-bat sized zucchini. If you're not cooking tonight, you can pick out the tomatoes that need a day to ripen so they'll be perfect for tomorrow's dinner. You get to pick what works for you. And finally, I love Bird's Haven for their service. Each week, CSA subscribers receive a recipe for in-season vegetables and a little update on the farm. When I went on vacation, they held back my CSA for a week and let me get double the next week (not all farmers are so understanding). And they're always really friendly!

My husband and I are always looking for short trips out of Columbus on our motorcycle and U-Pick…read morestrawberries at Bird's Haven Farm was today's trip. It is an easy 40 minute ride from Columbus and the second half of the trip was beautiful, rural & idyllic. The small farm is just past the edge of the paved road and is very easy to find. When we got there we were greeted with a smile and a basket for our ripe red gems. The strawberries were early this year, so even though we got to the farm an hour before they closed there were still ripe fruits on the plants. Early in the picking I wanted to make sure it was worth the effort and sampled a strawberry- it was small, but perfectly sweet, ripe and had the most beautiful flavor. It was worth it. They have beautiful plants and fresh veggies you can buy there too and since we missed the farmer's market this morning it was perfect. Their plants were healthy and loved and I can't wait to plant my sage and rosemary. They do take credit cards for those of us who never cary cash. They do recommend calling ahead to make sure the fields have ripe fruit. Make sure you also wear appropriate footwear. They use a black plastic landscape mulching system to cut down on weeds, but the isles are pretty weedy and can get muddy if it has rained. The fields are new this year, so the seasons to come will just be that much better. I can't wait. The Bird family has a wonderful thing going here.

One of my favorite parts of Fort Wayne. Beautiful at night to check out the 77 steps and during the…read moreday you can appreciate all the wall art and beautiful paintings. Very Instagrammable spot and lots of cool areas to take photos.

If you travel down the alley by the 100 block of West Berry Street, you'll see a public art piece…read moretitled 77 Steps, a sculpture that features hundreds of programmable lights (around 300, to be exact) that are suspended above a pathway. It's named after the 77 steps it takes to get from one end of the art piece to the other. 77 Steps was created by Kelty Tappy, a Fort Wayne architecture firm. I love this sculpture because it looks like a bunch of chandeliers hanging out in an alley. (Be sure to smash that "like" button to get more insightful art criticism like that from me.) It's actually really neat to just walk through the alley and look up at multiple lights suspended above your head. When I visited, it was daytime and the lights weren't on. But I've seen picture of 77 Steps during the nighttime, and I think that's when you should visit, because then you'll see it in all its lit-up glory. 77 Steps is in an alley that also houses some other street art, so you are basically surrounded by beautiful artwork in this area, which is awesome.