Right Now Downtown

DO YOU SEE SUSHI?
Yu sees sushi; Mitchell Yu sees a place for the fare downtown at 88 East Broad Street.  And so with very little ado, Sushi By Yu made its debut on Monday, March 24 and is open weekdays from 10:30 am – 3 pm.

If Yu’s name sounds familiar, it should.  He’s also the name behind the successful Chinese restaurant, Windchimes, out in Dublin.  Yu’s very excited about bringing his new project to the city’s core.  He says, “There’s nothing like this with sushi downtown and here we’ll be feeding pedestrians.”

Yeah, there is something special and exciting about the rhythms of an urban environment.  Where Windchimes is an old-school Chinese restaurant, Sushi By Yu is designed with quick counter service to meet the appetites and time constraints of the daily lunch hour.

Yu says that the sushi stop’s menu is centered around maki/rolls.  Expect the classic fillings, like tuna, salmon and (Yu’s favorite) eel.  For those who are still squeamish about the thought of raw fish, he’ll have fare for you too.  He promises, “We have California Rolls – those are vegetable, and Cream Cheese Rolls too.”

Bonus:  Sushi By Yu also has Salads By Yu – built on a Spring Mix and fussed up with several different dressings.

See you at Yu’s!

KICK IT

Kickball season is upon us, and this year is the year to kick-butt at kick-ball.  That means it’s time for serious kickball training.

Problem:  Real athletes devote several hours each day to physical conditioning.  Most of us have real jobs.

Solution:  Train at work.  We’ve got three exercises to improve your game…

1.  Imaginary sofa
One way to build leg strength is to have a seat on the imaginary office sofa.  It’s over there, by the wall.  With your back against the wall, slide down until your knees are bent about ninety degrees.  Now try to stay on that sofa for a minute.

2.  Wear heavy shoes
Mark O’Neil, manager of downtown’s Metro Fitness, says, “One of the best things I can think of is to wrap some weights around your ankles and kick-kick-kick.”  If the ankle weights aren’t handy, try his suggestion while wearing your heaviest shoes.

3.  Hijack the wheelie cart
Office chairs with wheels are goldmines when it comes to building stronger legs.  While seated, walk the chair forward down the hall by moving your feet in a stepping motion.  That’s for the hamstrings.  Now use your legs to launch yourself backwards.  Resist the urge to yell, “Wheeee!”

When the season actually kicks off, O’Neil adds that it’s really important to stretch out before hitting the field.  The fitness pro is stressing injury prevention, so kickball athletes won’t be stressing over strained muscles.

For registration information for the 2008 Capitol Square Kickball League, go to our homepage at www.downtowncolumbus.com.

GETTING JIGGY WITH IRISH JIGS

It’s going to happen again this year.  Saint Patrick’s Day will arrive, green beer will flow and there will be dancing, Irish dancing, attempted by untrained and unauthorized un-professionals.

Do not let this happen to you or those you love.  Take a minute to take in a few tips on Irish dancing… or better yet, hook-up with a real instructional class.

1.  Hold a roll of coins in your hands
Irish dancers typically keep their arms straight at their sides.  Beginners can practice steps while holding rolls of coins.  Heavy hands make it easier to keep those arms down.

2.  Avoid the big pants
Big leg pants (bell bottoms or droopy drawers) tend to get in the way of fancy footwork.  Irish dancing requires clingy leg-wear so you won’t end up tangled and tripped.

3.  When in doubt, toes out
The most typical stances involve shoulders back, chin high, heels in and toes pointing way out.

Or you may want expert help; there are classes for this sort of thing.  Ann Richens, a world-renowned instructor from Dublin, Ireland has coached Irish dance champions.  She also teaches absolute beginners in the Ohio Theatre (practice room #1), Monday nights at 6:30 pm.

As an instructor, Richens is awfully encouraging, “I teach very basic steps and my students are always surprised at how easily they learn.  Some of them will be ready to perform this Saint Patrick’s Day even though they only started taking lessons in September.”

To get involved, contact columbusceltic@hotmail.com.

LA-LA-LA-LA-LOLA

Who is Lola?
When did her face start appearing on a dollar bill?
Why do her pizzas and panini taste so familiar?

All sorts of questions surround the opening of Downtown’s newest eatery, Cafe Lola.  Fortunately for the lunch bunch, these kinds of questions have delicious answers.

1.  Owner Kevin Ames is not Lola.  His wife and partner is Lori Ames.  Although her name is Lori, Lola is her nickname bestowed by a family member.

2.  Lola Bucks have been issued since the joint made its debut.  A Lola Buck is a counterfeit dollar bill with a fictional Lola photo in the center.  As a coupon, it’s redeemable for a dollar off your meal at the cafe.  That’s great considering that the pizzas, panini and quesadillas are all priced around five dollars.

3.  Lola’s familiar flavors stem from the Ames restaurant history.  Ask Kevin if he knows the restaurant business, and he’ll tell you, “We owned Frezno, Dagwoodz and Press Grill.”  The format for Cafe Lola is unique, though.  The owner continues, “Everything is designed to be prepared in two or three minutes and served within four minutes.”

With a pace like that, there’s plenty of time for breakfast or la-la-la-lunch at Lola.  The eatery can be found under a construction fence at 12 E. Broad Street, on the corner of High.