Columbus, Ohio at the End of Hurricane Ike

My cousin Amy got married on Sept 14th to a great guy she met at her best friend's wedding - we later found out that her best friend and her new husband had arranged for them to meet at the wedding. Amy is the daughter of my cousin Judy who is the daughter of my Mom's identical twin sister Marge (who passed away several years ago). Confused yet? The wedding was held in Columbus, Ohio where Amy grew up rather than in New York City where she now lives due to the cost of having a formal wedding for 200 of their "closest" friends. Unfortunately, neither my Mom nor I got to actually see the wedding because my Mom got very ill and I took her back to the hotel just after family photos were taken at the synagogue. The trip back to the hotel was interesting because the tail end of hurricane Ike decided to hit Columbus just at that moment that we began the twenty minute drive back to downtown where the hotel was located. We literally dodged tree limbs flying in front of the windshield and watched huge trees topple over on the side of the road. Electricity went out all over town, but luckily not at the hotel.

Me & my mom at the synagogue lobby - Mom's wearing her twin's dress that Aunt Marge wore at her daughter's wedding 25 years ago (in honor of her memory) I'm wearing the jewelry I bought at AU vendors day and the necklace made by Jane Wynn.

My cousin Amy with her Dad Gerry


The morning of the wedding, I took a long walk in deserted downtown near the hotel as the winds began to gather strength. Ala, Andrew and Kelly Kilmer's blogs, I photographed things that I thought were interesting. After photographing these pictures, I literally was blown back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding I would not attend :) Enjoy!


Couch in the lounge area of the hotel lobby

Close up of couch pattern

Sculpture in hotel lobby

Another sculpture in the hotel lobby

Carribbean Restaurant less than a block from the hotel - with entrance in the alley - wonder why?

The other wall of the same alley

Lamp in alley - not sure if it's an origianl or copy made to look old - love the lines of the lamp
Part of a frieze on the wall in the alley

Old fashioned andy store window just outside and around the corner from the alley - the tubs are wrapped with newspaper comic strips!


Another part of the candy store window display

Old fashioned barrell filled with peanuts in the candy store window - note the reflection of the American flag from the street caught in the photo
Street clock outside the candy store - downtown has been re-developed but kept the old feel with new items such as this clock

Down the street and around another corner - looking towards the state capitol - an old sign advertising the Columbus newspaper - as I turned this corner to take the photo the wind picked up and I was pushed into the building behind me by the force of the wind - but I still didn't make the connection to Hurricane Ike at this time!

Same sign closer
After taking the photo of the newspaper sign, I turned around and realized I was standing in front of a sculpture in front of a State office building named for him - James A. Rhodes

One of several old churches in a large downtown block just on the other side of the capitol building

Plaque from the above church - Episcopal - organized 1817 this building erected 1869 (and still actively in use).

Part of the lovely little front lawn of the church - love the iron fence

More photos in my next posting . . .