Our central Ohio favorites from 2021

As we look back on 2021, launching this newsletter for all of you lovely subscribers was obviously the pinnacle of our year.

• We also wanted to share a few other highlights as we prepare to ring in 2022.

Why it matters: Many of us thought this year would look more "normal" than it ended up. But even during challenging times, there are silver linings.

Favorite new restaurant: El Segundo

• We featured this Cameron Mitchell joint in our inaugural newsletter and its become a regular spot.

Favorite concert: Hella Mega Tour at Historic Crew Stadium

• Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer added an unexpected Columbus stop to their summer tour and Alissa's return to live music rocked more than she ever imagined it could.

Favorite new attraction: Quarry Trails Metro Park

• A waterfall, miles of trails and more features to come will make it difficult to keep this park a hidden gem for very long.

Favorite sports moment: First visit to Lower.com Field

• An incredible atmosphere, great sightlines and Schmidt's bratwurst helped make a 2-1 come-from-behind win a memorable night.

Favorite non-Axios news story: The Rotolo's Pizza jingle mystery

• A man's lengthy quest to discover the origins behind a local restaurant's radio ad was bizarrely captivating. Even better was learning he finally figured it out.

Favorite baby elephant: Frankie

• OK, this category may be rigged, but you're guaranteed a smile every time you look at a video of this adorable little guy.