January 2008 Issue

A Sense of Ohio

We have the best jobs in the world — or in Ohio, at least. Every single month, we celebrate the beauty, the adventure and the fun of life in the Buckeye State. It doesn’t get much better than that.

This year, we celebrate our 30th anniversary — stay tuned for special surprises to mark the occasion — and we have not yet come close to running out of discoveries. Once again this year, we have gathered a collection of new finds and old favorites for “Best of Ohio,” beginning on page 55.

Our “bests” offer treats for all the senses:

See the picture-perfect setting for an outdoor wedding at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron.

Smell the espresso-steamed air of an art lover’s coffee shop, Donkey Coffee and Espresso in Athens.

Touch hands-on exhibits that encourage exploration at the Wegerzyn Gardens Children’s Discovery Garden in Dayton.

Hear the inspiring sounds of silence at Stately Raven Bookstore, a former church, in Findlay.

Taste Chef Richard Rosendale’s made-to-delight onion cappuccino soup in Columbus.

We also offer a first this year — additional “best of the bests” from our 2008 Best Hometowns: Bowling Green, Chillicothe, Delaware, Independence and Miamisburg. That section begins on page 70.

When we announced our 2008 winners last November, we told you why each of the towns is a terrific place to live. Now we give you some insights into why each also is a terrific place to visit.

From Chillicothe’s Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre … to Delaware’s Olentangy Indian Caverns … to Bowling Green’s American Civil War Museum … to the Sycamore Trails Aquatic Center in Miamisburg … to the William Tricker greenhouses in Independence … our best hometowns represent, well, the Best of Ohio.

But don’t take our word for it. Visit and see — not to mention smell, touch, hear and taste — for yourself.

 

 

 

What’s a four-letter word for beauty, adventure and fun? Oh, heck, that’s too easy — we slap the word on our cover every month. But if you truly want to test both your knowledge of Ohio and your facility with words, you need to check out “Clued In,” in our Digest section beginning on page 11.

Crossword creator Annemarie Brethauer, who works at the Library Store at the main branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, has created a Buckeye Brainteaser just for you.

Answers are on page 95, but don’t peek. Real Ohioans don’t cheat. We’re good folks. No, better than that. We’re the best.