It’s amazing what a little sunshine can do to the attitude. It’s time to crawl out of the dark cave, rub winter away and find some fun.

We’ve even had a few rain-free days sprinkled here and there to make us believe that we can sit out on a patio and soak in some fresh air. Happy Hour seems like a good a place to start, and you’ll be able to fill your dance card downtown pretty quickly.

OK, we won’t pretend to have an all-encompassing list, but a few places around downtown gave us the scoop of what’s on tap and what’s coming out of the kitchen for the after-work crowd. You might even want to knock off a little early to take full advantage.

Start by sampling a handcrafted pint from The Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus Monday – Friday for just 2.50 from 3-7 p.m., but if a frosty one isn’t your cup of tea, sip on 2.50 well cocktails and house wines and don’t forget to saddle up to the bar for 5.00 appetizers.

The Flat Iron is sporting a newly remodeled patio with 5.00 martinis and 2.00 well drinks and domestic beers from 4-7 p.m.

Special drink pricing and buy-one-get-one-free appetizers give you a lot of leeway at Latitude 41, Monday – Thursday, 5-6:30 p.m. It’s a perfect place to cool off on the shady patio in the toasty summer temps.

When you head out to our little oasis of Gay Street, check out Plantain Café for their 2.00 tacos from 3-6 p.m. And while you’re strolling around, make sure to hit Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails, Due Amici and J. Gumbo’s as you kick back and enjoy some time with friends after work. 

Lexi’s on Third has a happy hour menu that includes drinks and eats that will keep you coming back for more. You might just find a new home on their spacious patio. Go ahead… Eat, Drink and Be Social.

And don’t forget to stop in and say hi to the other new kid on the block at Quarthouse. Fill your gut with 25 cent jumbo wings and wash them down with a cool one. You’ll find 2.00 domestics, 3.00 imports and 3.00 well drinks. Or try out Quarthouse’s sister location; Ringside Cafe will mix it up a bit with the same drink specials.

That’s a lot of places to hit. Probably makes you hot and tired just thinking about it. You might even need to cool off with a drink. So, here are a few more places you might want to check out…

Barrio
Darby’s Outdoor Café
Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace
Fleur
The Jury Room
Little Palace

Gimme a hoagie and fries, po’boy and dirty rice, sub and kettle chips, burrito and salsa or a sandwich with a side salad.  Does it really matter what you call it?  Aren’t you just cravin’ to fill the hungry spot deep down in your gut so you can get on with your day?

Call them what you want, Downtown Columbus has some tasty sandwich options for the lunchtime crowd.  Perhaps you are searching for a gut buster in an effort to erase the mood from that three-hour meeting that you managed to escape without cramming your pen through your co-worker’s ear.  OK, that may be drastic, and you probably work in a fabulous office and simply need to refuel to keep going the rest of the day.  Regardless, a myriad of two-fisted sandwiches wait right around the corner for you, and here are just a few that bring a smile around the noon-time crowd.

Hop on down to W.G. Grinders in the basement of 250 E. Broad Street and rustle up some buffalo chicken on a bun.  No need to mess with the bones here, ’cause you’re just gonna skip right to the good stuff, rounded out with spicy wing sauce, mozzarella, gorgonzola, red onion, lettuce, tomato and ranch dressing.

Try Cafe’ Brioso’s fresh mozzarella sandwich with garden-ripe tomatoes, Brioso’s own lettuce mix, house basil aioli on their made-from-scratch foccacia.  It is kick-you-in-the-head good, but carnivores don’t despair because there are plenty of meaty options to choose from too.  Round it out with an iced coffee, and you will fly through the rest of your day. 

Just down the street J. Gumbo’s spices things up with some Cajun fare.  Their mouth-pleasing stick-to-your-ribs Voodoo Chicken Po’Boy will scare away the hunger and keep the 3 p.m. vending machine call at bay while you bang through the rest of your to-do list.

Plan on a feast if you want to head to Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails for their specialty slow-roasted beef and Swiss cheese sandwich on a toasted pretzel roll, and make room for the sweet-potato fries.  They’re totally worth the extra half-hour on the elliptical machine once you get home.

Yum is what is on the menu at Plantain Cafe’, and did you know that they are now open seven days a week?  Try their classic Cuban sandwich – it’s loaded with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles – enough to share if you are so inclined.  And the plantain chips might just send you to the moon. 

Three locally-owned restaurants anchor down Pearl Alley and offer up great sandwich options.  Ringside Cafe’ puts forward heavyweight Oscar De La Hoya – a half-pound patty with roasted red peppers, provolone and roasted garlic aioli.  The sub takes on a Latin flare at El Arepazo with the fish burrito.  Baked tilapia, rice, black beans and more fill up this 12-inch wrap, and don’t forget the famous cilantro sauce.  Just walk into Cafe’ Napolitana and your nose will lead you to all kinds of delectable Italian possibilities.  Depending on the day and your mood, the chicken parmesan or meatball sub will hit the bull’s eye.

Got a hankerin’ for a New York-style deli?  Broad Street Bagels and Deli makes it easy for busy schedules and takes orders online.  Lots of options abound so you can get something made to order, pick it up and still make that 12:30 p.m. meeting.

Get the Skinny at Potbelly Sandwich Shop where you can find a lighter sampling of ham, turkey or portabella mushrooms or maybe you want to head right to the Wreck that will load you up with salami, roast beef, turkey and ham with Swiss cheese.

The more restaurants offering great sandwich options listed, the more that come to mind.  So don’t let this roll hold you back.  If we tried to list them all, you’d be here reading until the next edition of Right Now Downtown appeared in your inbox.  So, venture out, try a few and let us know your favorite.

For years European cities have utilized urban alleys as an extension of city living, but Yankees stateside were slow to learn until recent urban revitalization efforts.  We’re on the ball now and boast our own jewel right in the center of downtown in Pearl and Lynn alleys.

It’s no secret that shoppers find lots of great deals and treasures in the alley during the twice weekly Pearl Market, but these alleys are home to some great eats all week long.

We’ve got a Mecca of restaurants that pull hungry stomachs in for ethnic treats and home-style favorites in Lynn and Pearl alleys.  There’s Ringside Café that makes a burger that will stave off the hungriest construction worker; Café Napolitana tempts the Italian in all of us with their freshly made pizza pie; Pickles Deli on the corner of Lynn and Third makes a mean hoagie; Jack’s has old-time diner written all over it – grab the grits and eggs if you have any doubts; J. Gumbo’s spices things up with their Cajun fare; and don’t forget the cilantro sauce at El Arepazo (Did you know you can buy the stuff by the bottle?).

Tempting as it all is, the alleys welcome a new kid on the block – Lynnally’s.  Man, are you in for a treat.  Their goal is to use high quality, local ingredients to make the best meals possible – fast.

“Just because your time is limited doesn’t mean you have to sacrafice taste and wholsomeness,” say co-owners Matt Nickel and Shawn Korn, who also own Barrel 44 in the Short North.

They stand behind their mantra with made-to-order salads with more than 40 toppings to choose from and loaded baked potatoes the size of your head!  Everyday customers also enjoy freshly roasted pork, beef, chicken and turkey on sandwiches, salads and pasta dishes.  Top it off with made-from-scratch dressings and sauces and you are in for a feast.

Is your stomach rumblin’ yet?  Stop in and see for yourself.  They are even offering a little enticement for you in this week’s Blue Plate Special in our weekly newsletter Right Now Downtown, so read on and don’t wait.  (And if you aren’t a Right Now Downtown subscriber, sign up now!)

Lynn and Pearl alleys bring a lot to the city, but there’s plenty more to come.  What kind of business would you like to see pop up here next?  Tell us what you think.

LEAVE THE LUGGAGE AT HOME

Close your eyes, lean back and imagine yourself at an outdoor cafe’ along the side streets of Paris.  Can you hear the French accordion music waft out the doors of the restaurant along with the smell of freshly baked bread?

No need to cash in your greenbacks for Euros just yet.  Alfresco dining is offered all around Downtown Columbus, and Gay Street is a great place to kick off an international expedition.

Leave the passport at home and head to Due Amici.  The European feel of this outdoor dining experience may leave you wanting to study Italian.  Sit down and relax with a superb glass of wine, and you don’t even need to worry about the exchange rate.

Is Cuban fare your thing?  Check out Plantain Cafe’, but make sure to save room for the plantain chips.  You will never look at another bag of Lay’s the same way again.

The coffee is roasting at Cafe’ Brioso, and you’ll have a hard time choosing among all the freshly prepared sandwiches and salads.  Those crunchy little handmade croutons are about as close to heaven as you need to be.

Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails celebrated their three-year anniversary last week.  Honor the milestone with a cold one and big plate of sweet potato fries.  Go ahead, throw in a pot roast sandwich if you dare.

Is your stomach growling yet?  We haven’t even hit J. Gumbo’s for jambalaya, and Latitude 41 builds delicious meals around fresh ingredients purchased right here from local merchants to create a meal that you won’t soon forget.  Rendezvous Cafe’ is nestled across the street and offers a wide assortment of delicious stews, sandwiches and salads.

If that’s not enough, just around the corner Pearl Alley plays host to burgers at Ringside, pizza at Cafe’ Napolitana and Latin cuisine at El Arepazo.  Wrap it all up with a Drunken Chunky Blondie at Sugardaddy’s or loosen your belt and head on down High Street for even more options.  Let us know your favorites.

Congratulations to the 2010 Show Your Love Contest Winner (drum roll please…)

Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace!!!

Thanks to all of you who voted for your flav-o-favs!  With hundreds of votes cast, J. Gumbo’s fell short of the winner’s spot by a mere three votes, with Jack’s Diner, last year’s Show Your Love winner, and Burgers Dogs and Fries in hot pursuit.

Now the love showing worked both ways.  By voting for their favorite lunch spot, food fans were entered to win free lunches from our featured downtown restaurants: Barrio, Burgers Dogs and Fries, Caffe Daniela, Dirty Frank’s, J. Gumbo’s, and Plantain Cafe.  Congratulations to our winners who now know that there is such thing as a free lunch:

Erika Haske
Trish Mester
Alyson Miles
Angela Butler
Kristine Kring
Jen Town
Christina Ringley
Mary Groves
Jeremy
Chris Powers
Joshua Young
Rhonda Ries
Sandy Auckerman
Chris Carpenter
Mark Siple
Kris Davis
Charlie Letson

(to cast your vote immediately, click here.  if you want to learn more about the campaign, read on…)

Time flies: it’s been a full year since DowntownColumbus.com’s Show Your Love project launched.  Back in 2009, six local eateries joined in a good natured contest to become Downtown’s Official Sweetheart.

The competition was brutal.  The love was intense.  Ultimately, Jack’s Diner emerged as number one.

But it can be number one for only one year.  Jack’s reign has ended.  Although we still love the joint, it’s time to find 2010’s Official Sweetheart.

Just like last year, we’ve sweetened the deal for the voting public.  Cast a ballot for your favorite eatery and you’re automatically registered for a set of gift certificates from all the competitors: Barrio Tapas Lounge; Burgers Dogs and Fries; Caffe Daniela; Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace; J. Gumbo’s; and Plantain Cafe.  Vote early and vote often.

(Sigh)… and it seemed like just yesterday when Jack’s claimed its award.

EDITOR’S NOTE: It was yesterday.  SOMEBODY kept hoarding Jack’s award plaque in our office.  Oops.

If you want to re-watch anyone’s video, to really take in the message, just click on the link: Barrio Tapas Lounge; Burgers Dogs and Fries; Caffe Daniela; Dirty Franks Hot Dog Palace; J. Gumbo’s; and Plantain Cafe

Show Us Some Love 2010 from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

Independent businesses offer that same element of surprise.  You never know what to expect when you walk for the first time into a Dine Originals restaurant, for example, except for a great experience.

Few local developers understand the value of surprise better than Jeff Edwards.  He has completed only about 15% of his planned Gay Street condominiums, yet his one-block neighborhood between Fourth and Fifth streets already contains many unexpected treats.  They include a lush courtyard with a fountain and little patios that lead to garden apartments half a flight of steps below the sidewalk.

What other surprises are worth discovering?