Some people travel for great food, others for perfect wine. For me, it's always ice cream. Even if I'm taking a day trip, having a big scoop of ice cream makes me feel like I'm on vacation. In Ohio, you can find tried-and-true, old-fashioned ice cream parlors, and you can test your tastebuds with some truly unexpected flavor combinations. And compared to the rest of the states, Ohio’s ice cream parlors consistently rank at the top of America’s best ice cream lists. For the true gourmet, there’s no spot better than Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, based in Columbus, with nine... Continue reading

I come from a long line of people with green thumbs, so when my wife and I bought a home a few years back, my first thoughts were about what we could do with the back yard. We have a pretty clear division of labor: I grow the food, she grows the flowers (though she gets the tomatoes and herbs, too.) We've made a big difference in the all-grass yard, thanks in large part to the huge variety of plants available at Ohio's specialty nurseries. The nursery industry in Ohio is big business, with the largest concentration in eastern Lake... Continue reading

My wife and I aren't the lovey-dovey type of people who plan extravagant Valentine's Day surprises for each other. But I also know better than to pick up a lazy heart shaped box of chocolates for her. The experience matters more than some expensive gift. Some years, we keep our Valentine's Day plans as simple as a dinner out at one of our favorite restaurants, but we'll usually plan a getaway that gets us out of our everyday routine. It doesn't necessarily have to happen on Valentine's Day, but mid-February really is a great time to take a breather from... Continue reading