Things to do in Ohio: A Romp in a Field of Corn

The first time we saw it was quite a trip. Late one winter night in early 1995, some friends and I were driving around having a "That 70's Show" kind of time, when we stumbled upon a field of concrete corn.  We couldn't believe our eyes (or those ears), so we pulled over to take it all in. At first we giggled and then we were in awe at the installation of 109 eight food ears of corn. Why hadn't we heard about this? Where did this come from? Where the hell were we? (Lost, that's where.) They were all legitimate questions that we might have known the answers to if we hadn't all been in college, living outside of Columbus.

We dubbed it, ominously, "The Corn" but its real name was "Field of Corn" and it was a commission by the Dublin Arts Council by artist Malcolm Cochran. The idea was  to create the sculpture in the very spot where Sam Frantz once planted the very first hybrid corn. He created "Corn Belt Dent Corn," a  double cross hybrid, and so a field of concrete corn was erected in his honor after the Frantzs donated the land. Field of Corn is set on the fringe of an office park and the intersection of Frantz and Rings Road, and failed to be taken seriously by, well, almost anyone for many years. It's been painted, defaced by drunken teenagers, and jokingly called "Cornhenge" by locals, but the truth is everyone kind of loves it, if only for its complete and total randomness. And while it may be a monument the precursor of GMO corn, Field of Corn is more enduring and endearing than most art installations and certainly worth a detour.

How to have fun in Ohio: A Ride in the Testarossa

The Ferrari materializes in front of Mom's house

Returning to Ohio is always somewhat of a "Back to the Future" experience for me. But this time, I really felt it when my cousin Rob Case took me for a ride in his "new" 1991 Ferrari Testarossa. I couldn't help but feel a little Doc 'n Marty when he picked my up in this bucolic Ohio burb of Muirfield to go for a drive. 

watch full screen to experience!

prancing pony

original lipstick red interior

Back to the Future

Passion for cars runs in the family, but Rob takes it to another level. He has painstakingly rebuilt the entire car, restored the leather and made it look, and run, like new.  It really is breathtaking, but I know him, now that he's done, he'll probably sell it soon and it's on to the next thing!

Beautiful!

Jugofresh - Open for Life - or 2pm, whichever comes first

Jugofresh is the newest and hottest thing among Miami Beach's smart set. It is a beautiful little organic juice bar that has taken design cues from the Cowshed, and hot yoga teacher customers from Whole Foods. It's a great place to go get juice on a fast, but in my case, I'm coming here to break it with one of their delicious "blended beverages".

But there are issues, there are.. rules. Essentially, they are the "Juice Nazis" of Miami Beach, and just like Seinfeld's original Soup Nazi, the lines are long, the rules are strict (no changes to juice recipes, cold-pressed never centrifuge!) and subjects willingly go back day after day until the last Gogi Lemonade or Mylk Shake is gone.  Which is around 2pm, when they close. I know, I know, 2pm?! But remember we're playing by their rules, not ours.

That said, they have already expanded their offerings beyond just juice to include some food. Raw, vegan food that is. See menu below:

Perhaps their indifference to walk-in customers has more to do with the fact that their core business is the juice cleansing clients, who get an entire day of juices for $75. These people take priority and have first dibs on the Allow Meow H2O. And personally knowing how much work it is to make juice I would say it's a pretty good deal if you've got the scratch.

devotees

Chia Seed Pudding

Sugar Sherm - my reward for making it 4 days!

from the outside

They deliver if you're on "the program"

4 Days of Just Juice - the recipes

My fridge during a cleanse

When I juice cleanse, I pull out my big Breville juicer and make all of my own juice and put them in assorted glass jars that I have on hand. I usually press enough for two days so I don't have to clean the juicer every day. (Lazy, I know.) I label them so I remember exactly what's in each one, I have to avoid cucumbers but they are valuable during a cleanse so I make them for Yannick. Here are some yummy new combinations that I came up with this time around.

Beet - Grapefruit

Honeydew-Ginger - Lemon- Parsley- Kale

Carrot-Ginger-Lemon

V8- Tomato, Celery, Cilantro, Basil, Parsley, Carrot, Lemon, Cucumber

Master Cleanse Water - Lemon, Cayenne, Honey

Juice Beet Greens by themselves and take with water for shot before a tastier juice, same with kale


Remember, the more sweet juices you have, the more blood sugar fluctuations the hungrier you'll be. If you want to stave off hunger while you're doing this, strain the juice (digestion shuts down when there is no food or fiber and you are less hungry), and stick with vegetable juices of the low sugar variety (that means limit carrot and beet and fruit juices!)

"Lunchbox" for Yannick complements of Blue Print Cleanse - use an ice pack

Secret Juice Bar Hidden in a Texaco

Yes, you read the headline right. In a total moment of serendipity (and I don't me the new ice cream place on Lincoln Road), I found a juice bar in the most unexpected place the very day before I started a juice cleanse.  It had to be fate, the gods giving this particular fast their seal of approval. Anyways, I was heading south on Alton Road, stuck in traffic when I noticed I was almost out of gas. Fortunatly there were two gas stations to my right. I picked the first, the slightly cheaper Texaco. You know, the one with the car wash. So as I'm pumping my gas I realize there is a carrot juice-slinging bunny taped to the pump advertising wheat grass shots, smoothies and fresh squeezed juice....inside.

As it turns out the owner of the Gourmet Carrot, which used to be downtown, and then on West Avenue, has opened up a little juice bar in the back of the gas station's convenience store. How very... convenient. This little perk definitely makes the case for making this gas station your gas station. Stopping for a delicious, healthy sandwich or fresh apple ginger juice kind of takes the sting out the annoying (and increasingly expensive) task of filling 'er up!

www.carrot-express.com