5 Things We’d Share This Week Over Coffee With You If We Could

written by Carrie Beth Wallace

Go behind-the-scenes into the "creative diets" of our staff and local artists we love. In each installment, we'll share a list of five things that grabbed our attention, kept our workflow running, or inspired us creatively this season.

It's our hope that this series will encourage you to shop local, discover something new, and/or draw your attention to ways to deepen your engagement with the arts in our community this year.

This week, dive into our founder's most recent list. Ready? Here we go...

ONE: THIS INCREDIBLY INSPIRING YOUNG FEMALE ARTIST (AND COLUMBUS NATIVE!) WHO JUST WON THE 2023 SOUTH ARTS PRIZE FOR VISUAL ART

It's okay if you've never heard of the SouthArts Prize. We'll get to that later. Here's what you need to know right now: Victoria Dugger is a big deal, and we're going to be hearing about her work for a very long time.

She's inspiring for a great many reasons, but I've been personally moved by her gracious correspondence as we've collaborated on a Women in the Arts interview set to publish later this month. In it, she discusses her journey into art, more about her work, and what winning the SouthArts Prize means to her. Stay tuned and in the meantime, read everything you can about this incredible artist and her work.

TWO: FOUNTAIN CITY COFFEE'S BASIC WITCHES BLEND IS BACK

It's not a secret The Columbusite runs on Fountain City Coffee, and though we do have our own blend, I love their creative seasonal blends that help us change it up around the office every now and then. The first week of September means their Basic Witches blend is back on rotation. Grab yourself a bag and let them know we sent you. They're some of our very favorite small business owners in town.

THREE: THIS UNBELIEVABLE PASTA DISH AT TREVIOLI

"You have to get the fettuccine alfredo," said my mother-in-law.

I just stared at her. "You're kidding, right? This is a special occasion and I'm eating Italian and you want me to get The fettuccine alfredo?"

"I'm telling you. I tried it once and can't order anything else. You'll love it. Trust me."

She was right.

Trevioli's fettuccine alfredo is so good I can't order anything else now either. I don't know if it's the fresh pasta they make daily or the perfectly-balanced cream of the sauce, but Trevioli's fettuccine alfredo is perfect.

Try it and let me know what you think. I recommend it with a nice glass of Prosecco and one of their beautiful caesar salads. Let your waiter know we sent you, and tell them hello for me. If they ask, I'll be back soon... and yes, I'll take the fettuccine again.

FOUR: THIS AMAZING DIFFUSER & FRAGRANCE

The PURA diffuser. Image via the company.

Working from home means a constant dance of keeping things fresh and creatively-inspiring, while also reckoning with the fact my home office doubles as our family's den outside of work hours. My staff will tell you that on any given day the office can fluctuate between a professional creative space to a nerf-infested game room packed with 5th grade boys, the cacophony of Nintendos, and most recently, a spirited game of Chinese Checkers that's still perched on my coffee table - marbles and all.

After five years of navigating this dynamically unbalanced (yet somehow thriving) work environment, I've come to discover the importance of having a few things around to keep my office feeling chic and inspiring – no matter its momentary state or function.

This PURA diffuser has become an essential in my day-to-day workflow. It's probably not groundbreaking to hear that having a pleasant fragrance in the room (rather than the beautiful aroma of last night's forgotten baseball cleats) is a quintessential element to ensure I'm able and ready to focus when I sit down to work each morning. The PURA was a Christmas gift to me, and it's been on nearly every day in my office since. I was late to this party. I know this is not a new device, but it really has changed my workspace. My recent favorite discovery from the brand is the Night Gardenia fragrance by Anthropologie. It's absolutely lovely, and a very close replica of my very favorite perfume I wear every day.

The best part? All of their fragrances are clean and safe for kids and pets. It's worth the price tag and syncs with your phone to offer scent scheduling, automatic timers, brightness settings, etc.

*Purchase the PURA locally at River Road Pharmacy, The Cherry Zebra, or Park Place Midtown.

FIVE: THIS NEW DO-GOOD PROGRAM FROM THE SPRINGER OPERA HOUSE

The Springer Opera House has a new initiative called "The Heart of the Springer" that welcomes audience members to support local, community nonprofits. The challenges faced by communities are diverse and complex which means the need for assistance and support has never been greater.

Many nonprofit organizations are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, and donations have decreased while the need for assistance has never been higher. This is where the “Heart of the Springer," steps in to help by acting as a liaison between generous individuals and community-based nonprofits striving to make a positive impact. Not only does this program facilitate donations, it also offers a unique incentive in the form of discounts for theatre tickets, making the act of giving even more rewarding. A $5 ticket discount will be given to everyone who contributes to the program. This unique approach transforms the act of giving into a mutually beneficial arrangement, where donors get to enjoy cultural experiences while supporting causes close to their hearts.

How cool is that?!

Learn more, including how to participate by clicking here. (Tickets must be purchased at the box office to qualify for the discount.) *Remember, ticket scams are on the rise. To avoid falling victim of scam, always only purchase tickets through local box offices.

Love this series? Whose 5 Things should we feature next?

We'll be choosing artists and locals to curate these all year long. Tell us who you want to hear from!