Happy Holidays from Opera Columbus

As you make your year end gifts, please remember Opera Columbus.
Click here or call 614.461.8101 x17 to donate.

Wait a Minute Mr. Postman

With eight human staff members, a blogging cow and a dog everyone has to pitch in and help out. As we often say, we are each others' support staff. Whether it's hanging up posters, picking up artists from airport or, as in Tuesday's case, completing a direct mail project everyone from the Executive Director on down rolls up their sleeves and gets to work.

I'm not gonna lie, working on big projects as a staff is a lot of fun. We laugh, talk opera, drink hot chocolate and make fun of Lisa's love for Josh Groban. And man, can we crank out a direct mail project! If the opera gig doesn't pan out we always have our mad direct mail skills on which to fall back.

Helping Lisa send things to the printer (and making
sure she doesn't blast Josh Groban's holiday album too loud)

Helping Susan fold letters. Don't forget the pledge form!
Also, are you totally loving my new sweater?
Susan made it for me. She's so talented!

Donna and I stuff envelopes. Donna also wants me to
remind you: As you make your year end gifts, please
consider Opera Columbus. Click here to donate online.

Kevin can label envelopes faster than
anyone I know. Maybe his super powers
come from his sweet handle bar mustache.

Thankful

Greetings readers! It's been an eventful (and short) week here at Opera Columbus.

In a few minutes I'm getting ready to leave the office and head back to the farm for Thanksgiving with the family (pray that I survive some of my crazy aunts and my grandmother asking me when I'm getting married - I just haven't met the right bull yet, ok).

As I sit back and think about Thanksgiving I have so much for which to be grateful. I have my health and my wonderful family. I have the best co-workers and fantastic blog readers. Plus, I'm always thankful for opera in general and the fabulous city in which I live, work and play. Speaking of great co-workers, we celebrated Eric's birthday today with a lunch at Northstar Cafe in Clintonville. I highly (HIGHLY) recommend the veggie burger. I'm told it tastes just as good as the real thing.

Enjoy the photos. Happy Thanksgiving!

With chef Matt. He was glad to hear we love Northstar!

With the adorable birthday boy, Eric.

With the handsome duo of Kevin and Eric.

With our funny and fearless leader, Press.

Susan and I know how to work the cute.

Let's Go Jackets!

Last night I joined OC Executive Director Press, Director of Production Kevin, Director of Education & Community Programming Eric and Director of Marketing & Public Relations Lisa for a Blue Jackets game at Nationwide Arena. Even though my beloved Jackets lost, we still had a lot of fun!

Not only do I love Opera, I'm pretty crazy about hockey, too. Plus, I love supporting any Columbus-based team. Come to think of it, I may be a little biased towards the Blue Jackets because I think their mascot, Stinger, is really cute. If anyone knows Stinger and can arrange a little meeting with the cutest cow in Columbus I'd be eternally grateful. Enjoy the picture highlights!

The gang before the game began.

Quick picture with Press & Lisa. Lisa needs to go
shopping for some Blue Jackets apparel, she's wearing an
Otterbein sweatshirt. The nerve! We're having
a talk about this on Monday.

I join Kevin and Eric cheering - GOAL!

Right after the first period. It was all tied up! Who
do I need to know to be one of the lucky folks that
get to ride and wave on the Zamboni?

FIGHT! Huge fight breaks out during the second
period. The Sabre's goalie & another player were
thumping on Rick Nash. Lots of players got involved.
Pretty sure we saw the ref pick up teeth.

*Sigh* Stinger, I heart you.

My Kind of Town

Moos Flash: I heart Columbus. A lot.

Before Wednesday I would have bet money you couldn't find anyone who loves Columbus more than this cute cow; however, that morning I learned there are 47 people that might just love Columbus a little more. Those 47 love our amazing city so much they spend a lot of their time promoting it! If you haven't guessed by now, I'm talking about the staff at Experience Columbus.

Wednesday, I helped Eric and Lisa take some OC season brochures down to the Experience Columbus Visitor Center. We'd never been before and it's a fantastic place! Our new friend Ben, showed us around the center and then arranged for us to get a tour of the rest of the office (which is beautiful and full of marvelous people).

Ben is udderly fabulous and we clicked right away.

Here we are having a chuckle over the joke
I just told him. (What kind of milk comes from a
forgetful cow? Milk of Amnesia!)

Need to know what's going on in Columbus? Want to buy some Columbus based/themed merchandise? Want to know about Columbus restaurants, sporting events or performing arts events? Well, you can do it all at the Visitor Center!

They have all kinds of helpful things to educate you about the city I love. In the middle of the center there are several computers where you can look up events and even purchase/print tickets (if tickets are sold on Ticketmaster.com - *ahem* like Opera Columbus tickets).

Looking up some fun stuff to do this weekend:


On one wall of the center they have two HUGE magnetic maps. If you're not sure where something is Ben can point out (at lightening speed). That Ben, he's a smart (and cute) guy. Here Eric points out a super fun place to be, Opera Columbus:


I showed Ben the best place to put our Season Guide. Now when you stop in the Visitor Center, besides seeing Ben's smiling face, you can pick up an OC brochure (yay!).


On a different note, I want to give a quick shout out to an amazing friend - Amy Constantine-Kline. Some of you know Amy as your go-to-gal at the CAPA ticket office. Amy is moving back to her hometown of Pittsburgh and working at MCG Jazz. We thank Amy for all her hard work and wish her, and her family, the best of luck.

I Gotta Moo!

I am still super pumped after a fantastic lunch yesterday with co-workers Eric (our Director of Education & Community Programming) and Lisa (our Director of Marketing & PR/resident celebrity gossip expert) and Cindy from WOSU's Artzine.

Before I get into the fabulous-ness that happened during lunch, I just have to say that we at Opera Columbus love the incredible relationships and partnerships we have with so many of the phenomenal arts and cultural organizations here in Columbus (*ahem* another point proving this isn't a cowtown). We love collaboration here at OC!

Back to lunch...the four of us gathered at Northstar Café (I had the veggie burger and it was AMAZING), a local Short North eatery, to chat about possible Opera Columbus stories for Artzine. Being the genius and natural people pleaser I am, I led our discussions and pitched some stupendous ideas.

(Here I am leading discussion. Cindy and I had
so many great ideas about features for the show
Lisa and Eric could hardly get a word in!)

So my friends, if you're in the area, tune into Artzine on WOSU. Over the next year, you're going to be learning a lot about Opera Columbus and what goes on behind the scenes. I also have a hunch I'll be making my TV début *wink*. Stay tuned!

(After the meeting we ran into some hip, sassy,
professional ladies, much like myself: Sherri
from Victoria's Secret, Tracy from ZenGenius and Jamie
from Experience Columbus. Now that's hot.)