It's cold, it's windy, it's dark at 5:15 p.m.  Ugh!  The time spent away from our cozy warm dens (o.k., the living room in front of the boob tube) seems like an eternity. 

Click here to find a great way to chase away the winter blues and stoke the internal furnace.  There's some great pricing at the end, so be sure to read the entire story!

Don't Miss! Holiday Tours on Capitol Square Location: Ohio Statehouse Hours: Through December 31; Monday - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Admission: No cost Phone: 888.OHIO.123 ohiostatehouse.org National Bicycle League Christmas Classic Location: Greater Columbus Convention Center Hours: December 26 - 29 Phone: 614.827.2500 nbl.org/upcoming-races More Events For a complete listing of events, please visitExperience Columbus.

Each year at its Annual Meeting, Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District recognizes individuals and organizations for their contributions to making downtown the cleanest, safest and most attractive commercial district in the city.  We have outlined the nominees and winners in each category in our Downtown Matters blog, including Ambassador of the Year, Outstanding Service, Aesthetic Contribution and Outstanding Achievement.

And here is a rundown of the winners in each category.  It's bound to be water cooler talk tomorrow morning!

Ambassador of the Year 

Each quarter, Capital Crossroads SID recognizes an ambassador (you know, those folks on the street in neon yellow who are always there to offer help) for his or her outstanding work.  This year’s Ambassador of the Year award went to Teri Tucker.  Ms. Tucker has been with Capital Crossroads for eight years and is a thoroughly dependable, versatile and professional employee who excels at problem solving and handling challenges.  Capital Crossroads congratulates Ms. Tucker and thanks her for her hard work and dedication. 

Outstanding Aesthetic Contribution 

This award recognizes projects completed in the past year, which add to the beauty, street life, energy, brightness, colorfulness and attractiveness of downtown. 

The 2010 winner for Outstanding Aesthetic Contribution is Lifestyle Communities for The Annex at RiverSouth.  Lifestyle Communities took four dead blocks of surface parking lots south of the Lazarus Building and constructed 213 units of housing.  This elegant community takes its design cues from the East Coast and is connected to the streets in a way that encourages walking and interaction with the downtown area.  The Annex has already impacted downtown, with the building at 201 South High Street being leased to Massey’s Pizza.  Downtown is lucky to have Lifestyle Communities here.

Outstanding Service

The Outstanding Service Award recognizes a service in the public or private sector that makes a significant contribution to downtown.  A number of projects were considered for this award, including: 

The award for Outstanding Service was presented to CAPA for the critical role they have played and continue to play in keeping our downtown performing arts groups healthy.  CAPA owns and operates the Ohio, Palace and Southern Theatres and operates the Riffe Center Theatres.  It has stabilized the performing arts by assuming responsibility for back office services including accounting, ticketing, marketing and development for a wide range of arts organizations including the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Opera Columbus, the Jazz Arts Group and Franklin Park Conservatory.  Bill Connor, CAPA President & CEO, has personally donated his time to serve as the business manager of the CSO and the staff of CAPA has taken on additional work, allowing these groups to reduce their overhead and keep their artistic budgets stable. 

Without CAPA, it is hard to imagine where the performing arts downtown might be.  Maintaining the performances of these groups keeps our beautiful theatres lit, which in turn has helped develop clusters of restaurants and burgeoning retail in the area.  A rich environment with a healthy arts scene is vital to leasing commercial and residential space and they remain a strong selling point for downtown.  Capital Crossroads owes much to CAPA. 

Outstanding Achievement 

The Outstanding Achievement award recognizes an accomplishment that deserves special recognition.  At a time when downtown needs entrepreneurs to revitalize the area, one person has stepped up to the plate not once or twice, but three times. 

This restaurateur first opened a spot at a sleepy location on Gay Street called the Vine.  Next she had the guts to open a restaurant at the former Queen Bee on Fourth Street near the Greyhound Bus Station.  And she recently purchased The Jury Room on Mound Street. 

Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails is now a staple on Gay Street.  If you passDirty Franks on Fourth Street, you are likely to see standing room only crowds.  And with The Jury Room due to reopen soon, we are all excited to see what the Betty’s Family of Restaurants does with that location. 

We are so happy to recognize Elizabeth Lessner for her outstanding contributions to downtown and congratulate her on her success.

There have been so many wonderful opportunities to celebrate the holiday season downtown!  But you may have been busy with shopping and office parties.  Don't get the Christmas blues; here are a few events that are still putting the sparkle in the season.  And for those events you missed out on?  Well, you can grumble about that during the Festivus Airing of Grievances!

Holiday 2010 COSI Style
Location: COSI
Hours: Through January 2; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon - 6 p.m. (Closed December 24 and 25, but open New Year's Day)
Admission: Adults, 14.25; Children 2 - 12, 9.25; Seniors, 13.25
Phone: 614.228.2674
cosi.org

Holiday Lights Tour on a Segway
Location: Begins at the Greater Columbus Convention Center
Hours: Through December 30, Monday - Sunday, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Admission: 40.00
Phone: 614.222.3005
segawaytoursofcolumbus.com

CATCO: The Santaland Diaries
Location: Studio Three, Riffe Center
Hours: Through December 26; Tuesday - Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 7 and 9 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m.
Admission: 34.50
Phone: 614.469.0939
catco.org

BalletMet: The Nutcracker
Location: Ohio Theatre
Hours: December 22, 7:30 p.m.; December 23, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; December 26, 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Admission: 30.00 - 69.00
Phone: 614.469.0939
balletmet.org

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