Get out and explore your world.

Starliner Diner

Some of the best places to eat are small, local, restaurants, that don't look very appealing from the outside. Well, that is exactly what Starliner Diner is. I honestly would have never noticed it, had not my neighbors recommended it. It is located in Hilliard, Oh. It is not in a shopping center. It doesn't even stand out from the road. I've driven past it a number of times, and never taken a second glance at it. The sign is fairly small. If you're not looking for it, it's easy to miss. The parking lot almost looks like it belongs to a run down car mechanic.
But..let me tell you. This place is delish! Looks are definitely deceiving when it comes to this place. This inside is decorated super cool. It's unique decor matches its unique menu.
My daughter and I decided to visit this place one morning for breakfast. She ordered a traditional American breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. I opted for the South West Breakfast Burrito. Being that I am originally from the South West, I often long for all of those authentic flavors. Sadly, I thought that I would never find a place in the Midwest that captures all of those wonderful flavors which I grew up with. So I was ecstatic when I took a bite out of my breakfast burrito. It is covered in salsa verde and salsa roja, and drizzled with authentic crema. Definitely worth every bite.
The decor of the place is pretty awesome as well. One wall, which my daughter called the Wall O'clocks, is filled with unique...you guessed it, clocks! The opposite wall has a celestial theme painted on it. Hanging from the ceiling, is some kind of spaceship looking thing, and a number of disco balls.
I never would have thought that this place was an interesting and yummy place to eat at. I'm glad that I went. So, I encourage all of you to get out of your comfort zones and try something different. You don't have to travel far or spend a lot of money. Just stop by a coffee house that you've never been too, or go to a restaurant that you normally would never eat at. You never know what you might find when you are open to trying something new.

The wall o'clocks

Hiking Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park

My son striking a warrior's pose.

Columbus, Ohio is home to many metro parks, all of which offer a number of wonderful nature trails. For those of you who don't know, I am originally from Tucson, Az. I grew up hiking the many trails of Arizona's canyons, mountains, and valleys. I LOVE TO HIKE, LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. I am wholeheartedly grateful that Ohio is home to many hiking trails. I look forward to exploring as many as I possibly can, and of course, writing about them in this blog.

One of the first parks that I have visited, is Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park. It is about a 20 minute drive from Hilliard, which is where I live. It is a large park with over 7,000 acres of beautiful trees, prairies, and trails. There are 17 hiking trails to choose from.


The first trail I hiked is called, Rifle Run. It is a short trail that led me to Big Darby Creek River. Once I saw the river, I absolutely had to walk down to its edge. I found a good sized rock to sit on, took my shoes off, and stuck my feet in the river's cool & refreshing water.

Afterwards, I went to the parks Nature Center, where anyone can look at the reintroduced Bison that live in the park. From there, I jogged on the Darby Creek Greenway trail. This trail is probably the parks most used trail, because it curves around the area where the bison live. I jogged a mile through restored prairies, a wooded area, and to the Cedar Ridge Entrance. Then, I jogged the mile back to the entrance of the Nature Center.

These wildflowers were as tall as me.

I could have spent all day at this park. It is beautiful, but I had to get back home and fulfill my motherly obligations. When I got home, I told the kids that they had to come with me the next time that I went. They agreed to accompany me the following week.
One of the most intriguing trails in this park, is the Ancient Trail Loop. It leads to an ancient Indian Burial Mound, which is more than 1,000 years old. I'm also a HUGE history nerd, so this is the trail that I HAD to take my kids on.
The trail itself begins in a wooded area. It leads to an open prairie, which used to be an ancient Indian village. The burial mound sits on the Eastern edge of what used to be the village. It is believed that this is where the tribe buried their leaders.

A Native American Burial Mound.

After encountering the Indian Mound, the trail continues to loop around what used to be the village. It is now an open field of wildflowers. It is an easy trail to hike. It is 1.9 miles from start to finish. My favorite part of the trail was walking through the wild flowers.

 If hiking isn't your thing, there are other activities in this park. There are many picnic areas. There is the river that one can use to go fishing. There is canoeing, kayaking, and hunting. In the colder months, people use the trails to go cross country skiing, which I can't wait to try. If your interested in finding out more information, visit www.metroparks.net.

Big Darby Creek River