Uptown Westerville is a Place for Reclaimed Style

You know it's spring in Uptown Westerville when you see folks enjoying their ice cream sitting on this season's Amish-crafted outdoor furniture in front of Amish Originals Furniture Co. at  8 & 38 N. State.

Amish Originals selection of natural cypress, pine, and colorful poly Adirondack outdoor furniture is now available. Come by, sit a spell, buy!

New! Barnwood Furniture occasional tables are now part of the Amish Originals Furniture Co. accent table selection. These rustic Ohio-made occasional tables are made of reclaimed barnwood with repurposed slate shingles.

Miriam's journal, news, tips and more... visit the Amish Originals blog, click here.

Sustainable. Click here to check out Amish Originals April 2010 eNews. To sign up for Amish Originals eNews, click here.

Visit Amish Originals Furniture Co. on facebook.

Uptown Westerville is a Place for Garden Art

Outside Envy's Spring Open House is this weekend, April 24th and 25th at 15 N. State in Uptown Westerville.

As part of the open house, on April 24th, Outside Envy is presenting a gold buy-back event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A garden oasis, Outside Envy features a selection of imaginative and personal touches for your garden, deck, patio, and home.

Visit Outside Envy online, click here.

Outside Envy is now on Facebook and Twitter.

Uptown Westerville is a Place for Shredding

Too much paper? Worried about protecting your identity? Shred it!  Bring your shredding to Hoff Woods Park, 556 McCorkle from 10 a.m. to noon on April 24th.

From the City of Westerville:

Shred-It Day in Westerville

Recycle and protect your privacy.

As part of Westerville's recycling and conservation efforts, the Parks and Recreation department has partnered with Fireproof Record Center to offer residents a chance to dispose of their documents in a safe manner. Fireproof will have their mobile shredding truck on-site to dispose of your documents. There is a limit of five (5) boxes per household. This is a FREE service.

Stay up-to-date with Westerville activities on facebook.  Click here.

Uptown Westerville is a Place for Pleats, Darts, and Fashion

Sunday, May 2nd, join Henry the dog of A Gal Named Cinda Lou (20 N. State) and Stinky the cat of Westerville Antiques (2 N. State) for their For Pleat's Sake vintage fashion show.

Henry and Stinky are hosting two shows at 2 p.m. & 4 p.m. in the 3rd floor banquet room at the Old Bag of Nails Pub, 24 N. State.

Admission is $5 with raffles and treats.

Last year's event was big fun.

Proceeds this year benefit Citizens for Humane Action.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at either merchant location.

Uptown Westerville is a Place to Honor and Remember

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. Arthur Ashe

Memorial Day is Monday, May 31, 2010. The Sunshine Rotary Club of Westerville is again sponsoring the Field of Heroes flag display at the southwest corner of Cleveland Ave. and County Line Rd. from May 29 - 31. This simple and touching tribute is really something to behold. To learn more, including how to purchase a flag, click here.

As part of the Memorial Day weekend, the Westerville Fire Fighters Memorial Bike Tour takes place on Saturday, May 29th at 9 a.m. You can participate in a 25, 50, or 75 mile bike tour around Westerville and surrounding areas and registration is $25 (check or cash). This event is open to all ages and all skill levels. To learn more or to register, click here.

The Memorial Day parade is May 31, 2010, details to follow, so check back with the blog (normally the parade is in the a.m.). When you come up for the parade, allow time to follow the parade on its route past the Armory to Otterbein Cemetery -- it's just something people do on their own, just to honor - a truly heartfelt tradition.

By the way, updating your American flag? The red, white, and blue retired flag collection boxes are located at the back entrance of City Hall (21 S. State) and the back entrance walkway into the Westerville Public Library (126 S. State).

Uptown Westerville is a Place to Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back

May 7th (starting at 6 p.m.) and 8th, Otterbein College is hosting Relay for Life.

Click here for Relay for Life Otterbein on facebook.

Click here for the ACS Relay for Life Otterbein College page.

The Westerville Relay for Life is June 25th (starting at 6 p.m.) and 26th (at Westerville Central).
 
And, mark your calendar for the Earlene's Fighting Team fundraiser at The Old Bag of Nails Pub, 24 N. State, May 14th from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Old Bag's 3rd floor (always a fun event).
 
Click here for the Westerville Relay facebook page.
 
Relay for Life - Start a team. Join a Team (Otterbein and/or Westerville!). Participate in the Survivor's Lap. Donate.

Uptown Westerville is a Place for Market Wednesdays

The Uptown Westerville Farmers' Market season begins on Wednesday, May 5th at 3 p.m. at N. State and E. Home Streets in the Church of the Messiah, UM parking lot.

Market favorite vendors are returning for another season and the market's added some new vendors, too. The market is open for business every Wednesday, May through October, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Home-grown. Home-made. All Ohio.

The market meets rain or shine (within reason and with common sense -- in the case of lightning, market activity will supsend (to resume once the storm passes) and at that point, it's every man, woman, and child for themselves!!) and all market vendors have canopies.

The Uptown Westerville Farmers' Market has a new web address this season (still working on the updated web site: right now, we have the home page and market directory): http://www.marketwednesday.com/ and email address: info@marketwednesday.com

The blog is the same: http://uptownwestervillefarmersmarket.blogspot.com/

UWFM has a new logo: The logo with the ginkgo leaf represents the market seasons from spring to fall and Uptown Westerville. Besides the big, beautiful ginkgo tree at City Hall, State Street is lined with young ginkgo trees. The ginkgo tree is an ancient tree that represents resilience, longevity, prosperity, wisdom, hope, and peace. We couldn't think of a better symbol for the community or the market.

WARM (Westerville Area Resource Ministry) and the Uptown Westerville Farmers' Market are teaming up for year 3 of the WARM Fresh Green Program.
 
Through the WARM Fresh Green Program market vendors accept Fresh Green vouchers so anyone in greater Westerville (the Westerville City School district) can purchase healthy fresh produce, fruit-bearing plants, and artisan foods no matter their need. In 2009, market vendors honored $2,470 in WARM Fresh Green vouchers and every eligible market vendor participated!
 
If you would like to donate to the WARM Fresh Green Program, contact WARM via http://www.warmwesterville.org/ or email: info@warmwesterville.org or phone: 614.899.0196.
 
Make Market Wednesdays a part of your summer routine -- dine Uptown Westerville for lunch, shop, visit, browse Uptown Westerville, and bring some farm-fresh home for dinner from the Uptown Westerville Farmers' Market.
 
See you at the market!

Uptown Westerville is a Place for Otterbein College Founders' Days

Otterbein College is bringing back Founders' Days on April 24th, 25th, and 26th.

Activities include the Spring Plunge (a community service day that starts at 9 a.m.), Scrap Day (a 5k "Donut Run" that benefits WARM and old-school games (tug of war, cornhole, water balloons...) and a River Frolic with free kayaking on Alum Creek), and Convocation (historical music and reenactments and a reception that includes a "lost Otterbein" self-guided tour -- no classes during Convocation, btw!)

Otterbein's Living History: You can record your own memories of Otterbein College (Cardinal Tales) this month. Click here for the schedule and to learn more.

Uptown Westerville is a Place for Serving Our Seniors

Saturday, April 24th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Westerville North High School, 950 County Line, mark your calendar for Serving Our Seniors Safety Day sponsored by WPD and WPCAAA.

This event is free and there is plenty of parking.

Designed for Seniors and Caregivers, SOS Day features exhibitors and presentations that focus on health, safety, and crime prevention including 2 special sessions presented by the Ohio AG's office: 1) Plan Well/Live Well and 2) Identity Theft/Scams.

WMNI will be providing the music and there is a free lunch and door prizes (while supplies last).

The Westerville Senior Center has transportation to the event (check with the center ahead of time for details).

For more information, contact Carrie Ryan at carrie.ryan@westerville.org or 614.901.6490.

Click here to check out the SOS web page (including pictures from last year's event).

Uptown Westerville is a Place for Fourth Fridays

April 23rd marks the beginning of the 2010 Westerville Visitors and Convention Bureau's Fourth Friday season.

Fourth Fridays happen in Uptown Westerville from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m on the Fourth Friday of each month, April through September, and are family, kid, and pet friendly, a great way to check things out Uptown from food to shopping.

Want to know more about shopping or dining Uptown Westerville? Visit the Westerville Uptown Merchants Association website: http://www.shopuptownwesterville.com/.

Come up for dinner, enjoy the evening, shop, visit, and pick up dessert before you head home!

The 2010 Fourth Friday Schedule:

April 23rd: Uptown Alive

May 28th: Back to Nature

June 25th: Safety Fest

July 23rd: World Bazaar

August 27th: Dog Days of Summer

September 24th: School Daze

Uptown Westerville is a Place for the Best Of

Wake the kids, phone the neighbors, e-mail your family and friends... Columbus Monthly's Best of Columbus 2010 Ballot is now open (through April 30th) for your participation.

Click on the link in the previous sentence or visit Columbus Monthly online: http://www.columbusmonthly.com/

Categories include Shopping and Services, People, Restaurants, Media, Drink and Entertainment, and miscellaneous categories like Best Farmers' Market, Park, Public Artwork, Furniture Store, Marching Bands, Suburb, and Neighborhood.