Downtown Columbus Digital Photo Journal / July 2025

WE SPEAK IN COLORS DIGITAL JOURNAL: Explorations for the culturally curious

By Andy Armstrong / July 2025 / Detroit, MI, USA

Summer’s ripping by. In the dog days now, but cooler nights ahead.

Since my last message, I visited my hometown Somerset, Pennsylvania, as well as Pittsburgh, the first place I lived after high school. 

And on the way back to Detroit, I made a 48-hour stop in Columbus to see some close friends. Just enough time to dig in.

Columbus feels a lot like a mix of Detroit and Pittsburgh.

All three share strong architecture, prominent rivers / public spaces, and rich cultural landmarks. Columbus mirrors Detroit in its flat layout, wide roads, and long blocks, but leans closer to Pittsburgh in its energy.

From German Village up through Worthington, there are great pockets of bookstores, parks, record shops, libraries, and cafés.

The highlight was Japan Marketplace, a sweet cluster with a ramen shop, bakery, market, variety store, as well as a more formal restaurant, and a cultural center. Nice stop for a bowl of noodles, some mochi, a small gift, or info on upcoming events. 

On my last morning, I took two long walks downtown. One early when it was quiet, and one later when the city was moving. 

Collage of the treks below:

That’s it for the Columbus edition.

Soak up the rest of these dog days. Next chapter will be here before we know it. 

-Andy