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what it's like to live, work and play in the Columbus Ohio Area

One of my favorite events is coming to Columbus again January 17-22, 2011,  The 4th Restaurant Week Columbus.  Columbus and Central Ohio has a quite a variety of wonderful restaurants and this is a great opportunity to try a new restaurant or one of your favorites at a discounted price, while benefiting the Mid Ohio Food Bank at the same time!  Many of my favorite restaurants are participating in this special event, offering three course meals from $15-35 per person.

Eat Out and Feel Good About It!

Temporarily, put aside those New Year’s resolutions of losing weight to help out the local Columbus economy and charity!!  The theme for Restaurant Week Winter 2011 is Eat, Drink and Be Charitable.  Not only will you enjoy a delicious 3 course meal, you’ll be supporting the local restaurant industry and the Mid-Ohio Foodbank which will receive a $5,000 donation, on behalf of participating restaurants and (614) Magazine. This is the 4th Restaurant Week Columbus event.  The previous 3 events have generated nearly $1.5 million in sales for participating restaurants and over $20,000 being donated to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

Restaurant Week Stimulates Columbus Economy

Forget government stimulus programs . . . .  eating out stimulates the local Columbus economy immediately.  Kent Peters of Black Creek Bistro says “When dining, 90% (of the sale) goes back to the immediate economy.” and “Eating locally keeps it in Columbus and supporting your own community.  Restaurant Week is all about Columbus and the local businesses.”

Restaurant Week Columbus “RWC” Sneak Peek Event

A RWC Sneak Peek event will also be held on Thursday, January 13, 2011, from 6-8pm at the new Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.  This event  features a first look at RWC menus and tastings of Trinchero wines, Columbus Brewing Company beers and Maker’s Mark cocktails.

Over 50 Restaurants Participate in RWC

There are over 50 restaurants participating in this 4th RWC event.  This event is so popular, they recommend reservations because restaurants may quickly book up. This is a great week to experience places you’ve been meaning to try. I’m excited because many of my favorite restaurants are participating.  Here’s list of restaurants participating in the 4th Restaurant Week Columbus:

Aab India - Indian Restaurant in Grandview
Basil - Asian Restaurant North Campus
Bel Lago Waterfront Bistro (Beautiful outdoor dining on the Hoover Resevoir in Westerville Ohio)
Black Creek Bistro - Olde Town East
BonVie - French Restaurant at Easton Town Center
Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill - Olentangy River Road by Lennox Shopping Center
Cabo Cocina - Southwest Fusion Restaurant in Dublin
Cameron’s American Bistro - Worthington
Cimi’s Bistro - at the Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City
Columbus Brewing Company in German Village
Columbus Fish Market - Seafood Restaurant in North Columbus and Worthington Ohio
Figlio -Italian Restaurant on the Strip in Grandview
Flatiron Bar & Diner - Downtown Columbus
Giorgio Italian Restaurant - Clintonville
Haiku - Japanese Restaurant in Short North Arts District
Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse in the Short North Arts District, Dublin, Worthington and North Columbus
J. Gilbert’s Wood Fired Steaks & Seafood - Worthington
Kogen’s Asian Cuisine & Sushi on Sawmill Parkway in Powell
LaFogata - Mexican Restaurant in Short North area
Latitude 41 - Downtown Columbus
Lemongrass Fusion Bistro - Short North
Level Dining Lounge - Modern American Restaurant in the Short North Arts District
Lindeys - Upscale Restaurant in German Village
Luce Enoteca - Powell
M - Downtown in Miranova overlooking Scioto River
Martini Modern Italian - Short North
Matt The Millers Tavern - in Muirfield - Dublin Ohio
Mezzo Italian Kitchen and Wine - Italian Restaurant at Creekside in Gahanna
Michael O’Toole’s - Nationwide Arena District
Mitchell’s Steakhouse - in Worthington and Downtown Columbus
Moretti’s of Arlington - Family Owned Italian Restaurant in Upper Arlington
Mortons Steakhouse in Downtown Columbus
Oscars Restaurant & Bar - Dublin
Polaris Grill
Refectory - Bethel Road in Northwest Columbus
Rigsby’s Kitchen - Short North
Rosendales Modern Bistro - Upscale Restaurant in Short North Arts District
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Worthington Ohio
Sage American Bistro - Contemporary cuisine on the Ohio State University Campus
Smith & Wollensky Steakhouse - at Easton Town Center
Spagio - Italian Restaurant in Grandview
Sushi Rock - Short North
The Clarmont - German Village
The Melting Post - Fondue Restaurant at Easton Town Center
The Olde Mohawk - German Village
The River Club - Waterfront dining overlooking Downtown Columbus
The Rossi - Bar and Kitchen in the Short North Arts District
The Top Steakhouse - East Columbus
Trattoria Roma - Italian Restaurant in Grandview
Tucci’s - California Bistro in Downtown Dublin
Vino Vino Restaurant & Winebar - Grandview
Vittoria Ristorante - Italian Restaurant in Powell Ohio
Vonn Jazz - Worthington
Worthington Inn - High Street in Downtown Worthington

I hope you take the opportunity to try one of these wonderful restaurants during Restaurant Week Columbus and support our local restaurants and the Mid Ohio Food Bank.  To learn more and view the specially priced menus visit:  http://www.restaurantweekcolumbus.com/

Columbus Ohio truly is a great place to live!  Columbus has the best real estate market in Ohio and also one of the best job markets around too.  I suppose they both go hand in hand. Columbus real estate offers something for everyone, no matter what your price range.

Columbus Ohio Real Estate Market

You can find homes and condos starting around $50,000 to well over a million dollars built anywhere from the late 1800’s to the present.  Quaint historic neighborhoods with some older mission, tudor and victorian style homes built in the early 1900’s can be found in one of my favorite areas, Clintonville as well as in the Short North, Victorian Village, German Village, Old Town East and Bexley.  You can find newer homes and new home construction in most Central Ohio suburbs and in some areas of Columbus like the popular Easton Town Center area in Northeast Columbus.

Modern upscale condos and lofts can be found, in the Short North and Downtown Columbus. Waterfront properties can be found overlooking the Scioto River in Downtown Columbus, Grandview and Upper Arlington areas, on the Ohio River in Powell and northeast in Westerville there are waterfront homes on the Hoover Resevoir.

Homes on golf course lots and communities abound in just about every area of Columbus and the suburbs with some of the most popular golf course communities being Muirfield in Dublin, Wedgewood in Powell, Highland Lakes Golf Course and Medallion in Westerville, Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City, Columbus Country Club in East Columbus, Heritage Golf Club and  Ballantrae in Hilliard, the Safari Golf Course by the Columbus Zoo and so many others.

The most affordable housing can be found in the city of Columbus and many of the Central Ohio suburbs including: Blacklick, Canal Winchester, Grove City, Groveport, Obetz, Reynoldsburg and few in Gahanna, Hilliard or Westerville.  The higher priced suburbs of Columbus include Hilliard, Dublin, Worthington, Powell, Lewis Center, Westerville, Gahanna and New Albany.

To learn more about Columbus and Central Ohio real estate, schools and community information visit:  ColumbusCastles.com/areainfo

Columbus Ohio Economy and Job Market

In August 2009, US News & World Report ranked Columbus, the Capital of Ohio, one of America’s best places to find a job in 2009. According to Bill LaFayette, Vice President of Economic Analysis for the Columbus Ohio Chamber of Commerce, when comparing  Columbus’s data to national averages, he says Columbus is doing a lot better than average.

Ohio State Capital Building

One thing that helps our economy in Central Ohio is that Columbus, is not only in the middle of Ohio, but also pretty much central to most of the country.  Due to Ohio’s central location, we have a strong transportation and distribution industry, which has grown by a third since 2001.

Central Ohio’s diverse economy also contributes to making our job market resilient.  Health care, hospitality, manufacturing and even the tech industry provide a variety of jobs.   Some of Columbus’s major employers include Ohio State University, Ohio Health, Cardinal Health, Ross Labs, Nationwide Insurance, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bob Evans, Grange Insurance, Farmers Insurance, Safe Auto Insurance, Riverside Hospital, Ohio State University Hospitals, Verizon, Limited Brands and others. In addition, the City of Columbus, State of Ohio and the US Federal government provide thousands of jobs in Columbus Ohio. LaFayette explains that employment in information technology occupations is significantly higher than in comparably sized regions because “so many of our sectors are voracious consumers of data” and need top-notch IT infrastructure.

I’ve helped a lot of people relocating to Columbus, buy a home in Central Ohio.  While I’m not seeing as many people move to Columbus as I did a few years ago, I do still frequently get calls from buyers looking to move to Columbus Ohio and buy a home here.  I’ve even received inquiries from buyers who plan to move to Columbus, once they find a job.  In the mean time, I can email new real estate listing updates, in their price range, from the Columbus MLS (multiple listing service).  Most buyers find this FREE service a very helpful way to get educated about the Columbus Ohio real estate market and what they can get in their price range.

I also offer an extensive relocation package that I mail out to clients once they are planning to move here.  If you’re planning to move to Columbus Ohio and would like my FREE relocation information package or would like to receive real estate listing updates by email, please either CONTACT ME at 614-895-0496 or complete the form on my Columbus Ohio Relocation Page to get started.  I greatly appreciate the opportunity to help make your move to Columbus Ohio successful.