About a year ago I was sitting at home stressing over the Stanley Cup Playoffs because my team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, had to face a record-tieing team in the Tampa Bay Lightning. My stress was reinforced because, in the first period of Game One, the Jackets were down 3-0. Until the team started clicking and the Jackets scored a goal in the second period. I wasn’t getting too excited because we were still down two, but the Jackets played better. The second period ended 1-3 and my hopes, while not drained, were nearing that point. Then the third period started and we scored, 2-3 Tampa, then we scored again, 3-3. I couldn’t believe it, the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team that barely got into the playoffs, had the league’s top team on the ropes after being down 0-3 in the first period. Then a miracle happened, Seth Jones, a Blue Jacket Defenseman, scored the game-winning goal in the third period. I was stunned. A couple of hours ago I had lost all hope, I didn’t believe my team had a chance not only in the game but the whole series. Then we won the next game and the next game which I actually attended, and finally, the Columbus Blue Jackets completed the sweep. A team nobody, not even some of the fan-base, went 4-0 against a team that set records and were favorites to win the Stanley Cup. I never truly gave my team a shot. I acted as we would win but I thought CBJ would be lucky to even make it to Game Seven. I doubted my team before the game even started. I lost hope and counted my team out before the start of the second period of Game One. The Jackets proved me wrong, they played with heart and never lost hope even when they gave up three in the first period.  This series taught me how to be a better fan. It taught me to not lose hope even when the outcome looks grim. Go Jackets!

Most of my experiences were great, I got to try new things and it gave me an excuse to go back and have some of my old favorites, and learn more about the city in which I grew up in. Having lived in Columbus my entire life it is astonishing to me how many places there are in which I either have never seen before or places which I have heard about and just never gone to. For example, I’ve never heard of Kittie’s Cakes before, and I have only ever had Jeni’s twice, once when a Jeni’s opened up in Easton Mall and this project. Speaking of Jeni’s and the topic of frozen treats,  I personally like Graeter’s ice cream more than I like Jeni’s, Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip is just too good. Also on the topic, I personally can’t rank Graeter’s vs. Whits. Each just covers a different area for me. Greater’s is ice cream and Whit’s is custard, I can’t really fairly compare them. More on my experiences with the places I went, I enjoyed each one and would go to them again, but for the specific root beer, I got at Rocket Fizz. They had so many options of bottled root beer to choose from and I guarantee I’d like most of them, but the specific kind I got when I went there I personally didn’t like. It tasted too much like black licorice and had some other flavor I can’t describe, despite that though, I do see myself going back there. 

I thoroughly enjoyed each place that I went to but out of all of my experiences though I’d have to say my favorite was the trip to Graeters. Personally, my favorite ice cream place is Graeters. They have many of my favorite flavors such as Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip and their seasonal flavor Watermelon Sorbet. Another reason I enjoy Greaters is a bit of a nostalgic factor, I can remember in elementary school when my school would go to a Graeter’s factory and learn how the ice cream was being made and got samples at the end. I always have an enjoyable time when I go there and it’s one of the best places to go for a dessert.

If someone else were to go through with this I only have one recommendation, truly enjoy it. It doesn’t matter what situation you find yourself in, go into the place truly wanting to have a good time. Leave whatever stresses you have at the door and relax. It makes not only the experience much better, but it allows for a break and allows you to reset. That is all I’d recommend, the rest is determined by the person who wants to go through the list.

When going through the list, I was surprised by how much I learned based on how I have lived in Columbus my whole life I didn’t expect to learn much but the opposite occurred. I learned more about my city and visited places that I had no clue about. It changed my view of Columbus because it broadened my horizons. I started to realize how as of late I have been experiencing more of Columbus and as a result, many of my favorite places to go to I have discovered within the past year. This project has opened my eyes to that as well as what Columbus has to offer. I should try and experience more new places because I could find something I enjoy, this time, I might want to try looking for food places or sports events.

Different Graeters I went to and the ice cream from Jeni’s

The last place I decided to go to was Kitties Cakes. The place was like a small coffee shop with other baked goods. I personally enjoyed the mocha that I had and overall the place felt like a quaint coffee shop. The place isn’t really close so I don’t know if I’d go there again, but I personally did enjoy it and would definitely recommend it to a friend.

Over Fall Break my family and I went to a Whit’s that is near my house. I have been to Whits before, and by far my favorite thing there is Crunch Coat. Its a topping like sprinkles but better in every way. I first had it at an ice cream shop in my mom’s home town and its been my favorite topping ever since. I would go back and refer it to a friend just because of Crunch Coat, but I also enjoy Whit’s custard and some of there specialty drinks.

While in the Short North for Rocket-fizz, we decided to also stop by Jeni’s because my friend Sam wanted to try it. I was personally confused by the fact that there was more ice cream than I thought. I don’t know why I though the ice cream box shown in the picture below was the only kind they had, but I did. Out of the options I thought I had, I decided to get egg-nog ice cream. I personally enjoy Graeter’s ice cream more, but Jeni’s was still good.

I decided to go to the Short North with a couple of friends. I went into Rocket Fizz looking for some root beer. During away OSU football games I like to drink a different type of bottled root beer. Getting to the Short North was easy due to COTA, but twice on our way back we had to run to the next bus stop because we were in between them. There were a lot of options for root beer so I do see myself going back.

Below is the presentation my team did for the FOTO Project.

FOTO Project

I live in Columbus so I’ve done most of the stuff on the lists. One of the lists that I noticed I haven’t done a lot of is the Ice Cream and Desserts list. There are the general Ohio places such as Graeter’s and Whit’s, and then there are other places that I’ve never heard of such as Rocket Fizz. Which happens to be one of the places that I am most excited for. When ever I watch Ohio State football games I like to have a different type of bottled root beer. This has been one of the few traditions I have during OSU games and I hope that Rocket Fizz has some new types that I can use. I hope to learn more about Columbus and the food available while living on campus. So far I have gone to Graeter’s and Whit’s. I went to Graeter’s after a Blue Jackets game with my dad, the best part was me and him joking about how one of my homework assignments is to get ice cream. I went to Whit’s with my family over fall break, there is a Whit’s near my house and It has been a while since I’ve gone. The best part was remembering going there after my baseball games, and they have this topping called Crunch Coat that my family loves because of an ice cream shop where my mom grew up. I am currently enjoying this list, it gives me an opportunity to get time away from the stress of my classes.

Picture from Graeters

I went to a Columbus Blue Jacket game on Saturday and decided to go to Graeter’s. The best thing is obviously the ice cream. I’ve had Graeter’s before and I guarantee I will have it again. Graeter’s has most of my favorite ice creams and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I would recommend going here if you have the chance.