2007 Best of the City

City Life

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:15:00 GMT

Good Deed: Canticle Café

1600 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, donations (513) 515-8804, information (513) 515-2719
Indigent people want a clean place to take a load off, grab a cup of coffee, surf the ’net, or make a quick phone call, just like you. Now they have that—and dignity—in the Canticle Café, a service of St. Francis Seraph Church. There’s a social worker on hand three days to handle emergencies, neighborhood Bingo on Wednesdays, and AA meetings twice a week. On Mondays and Tuesdays, volunteers make 300 or more brown bag lunches for countless day laborers. “The whole intention of the Franciscans was to have a hospitality center and not offer what was already there,” says Brother Michael Murphy, café director. Who knew a coffee shop could serve a higher calling?

Architectural Feat: The Ascent at Roebling’s Bridge

1 Roebling Way, Covington, (859) 292-5568
Folks north of the river have the best view of what is hands-down the most exciting addition to the local skyline, The Ascent at Roebling’s Bridge. Architect Daniel Libeskind, best known for his Holocaust Museum in Berlin, the new addition to the Denver Art Museum, and his World Trade Center Master Plan, has designed a bold residential high-rise whose shape and mirrored glass facade make it look more like a piece of sculpture than a building. Bravo!

Media Blog: CincyNewsAche

www.cincynewsache.blogspot.com
In the blogosphere, vitriolic rants about local media abound, but none call for the rehabilitation of a particular news outlet as strongly—and thoughtfully—as CincyNewsAche. The anonymous blog is a major critic of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Where others bash individual Enquirer writers, NewsAche attacks the paper’s entire structure. “One of my tasks here is to point out the lazy decision making that seems to be rampant at the Enquirer,” reads an early post. Some say NewsAche is an Enquirer employee—possibly current, perhaps former. Does it matter? Not knowing makes the information all the more intriguing.

Art Project: Row House Gallery art drive

211 Main St., Milford, (513) 831-7230
Nancy Meyer, who owns Row House Gallery, grew up in a home filled with art but she learned at a young age that not everyone was so fortunate. Some people didn’t have homes, let alone artwork. Meyer decided to address both problems by donating a painting, drawing, or print for every house built by Habitat for Humanity in Clermont County, and she’s stepped up her efforts this year with an art drive. Through the end of the year, original paintings, prints, sculptures, and ceramics can be dropped off at Row House. The artwork will either be used in Habitat houses or auctioned at a fund-raising event. Kudos to Meyer for extending an artful helping hand.

Dog People: Circle Tail, Inc.

www.circletail.org
The folks at Circle Tail are busy. They’re rescuing abused and abandoned dogs, arranging canine adoptions, and offering obedience training and behavior management classes. But their most inspired—and inspiring—work is what the nonprofit is doing with four Ohio prisons. In this program, screened male and female inmates care and provide training for dogs that will either be given as assistance dogs to those with mobility, hearing, neurological, or psychiatric disabilities, or be put up for adoption. The result is a win-win-win-win: Participating inmates create fewer disciplinary problems and make a contribution to society; dogs that would have been destroyed are saved; disabled people who need assistance get a devoted canine companion; and it costs taxpayers nothing.

Quick Parking Space: Valet Circle at Newport on the Levee

www.newportonthelevee.com
Did you know that Newport on the Levee offers 15-minute parking in its valet circle? We didn’t either. Now a quick trip to the Levee doesn’t sound so crazy. Park your ride along the curb, but don’t try to get away with seeing a movie, OK?

Public Art: Additive #6

South side of Sixth Street between Vine and Walnut
It sometimes seems nothing is hip enough to satisfy our city’s legions of critics. But there have been some changes to downtown’s character, and 79-year-old Julian Stanczak’s enormous Sixth Street op-art facade entitled Additive #6 is chief among them. Consisting of 522 massive multi-colored aluminum tubes, the vibrant structure masks the seriously dreary Fifth Third parking garage. The block-long piece seems to change color as you walk past. A fitting tribute to downtown’s resurgent dynamism.

Graffiti Artist: Benjamin Thomas

www.natiyouthcenter.org
A part-time art instructor at Elementz Hip Hop Youth Arts Center, Benjamin Thomas teaches inner-city kids to tap into their creativity through graffiti. Meaning, he gets paid to tag. Thomas did a few pieces for Kings Island’s Halloween Haunt, and you can also check out his work at Tri-County Assembly of God in Fairfield. “You see urban-style artwork all over the place now,” he says. That’s a good thing.

Newspaper Selection: Fountain News

101 E. Fifth St., downtown, (513) 421-4049
A newspaper delivers more than just information. It communicates a sense of place, whether that place is Cincinnati, Dayton, Chicago, or London. Pick up the dailies from those cities plus The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal at Fountain News. World travelers will find Spain’s El Mundo and Le Figaro from Paris as well as Arabic and English versions of the Egyptian paper Al-Ahram. Go ahead. Get your fingers dirty.

Art Ambassador: Anthony Luensman

Yes, Anthony Luensman’s work has appeared in galleries and museums all over town, but when his multimedia presentations and site-specific installations appear in other parts of the the world, he brings the Cincinnati art scene to a much larger audience. The Elder grad’s work has appeared at Louisville’s 21c Museum Hotel and New Center for Contemporary Art, as well as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, Taiwan. “I attempt to create work that has a strong visual appeal,” he says, “perhaps even dramatic or humorous.” Good for him, and us.

Urban Condo Design: Duveneck Flats

1214-1220 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 621-6246
Developed by Bill Baum of Urban Sites —a creative pioneer in Over-the-Rhine development—the contemporary, loft-style Duveneck Flats have invigorated the corner of 12th and Vine Streets, a focal point of revitalization within the Gateway Quarter. Named for the renowned artist and former head of the neighboring Art Academy, the 15 spacious condos (10 of which had already been sold at press time) feature architect Mark Gunther’s curved interior walls (many from glass block), exposed brick, original hardwood flooring, vent-free gas fireplaces, natural woods and stone, juliet balconies, and rooftop decks with city views. From there, you can see the vibrant past, the dynamic present, and the flourishing future of one of Cincinnati’s most compelling communities.

Best Downtown Attractions

These downtown additions (finally!) have us cheering.

Video Game: Fountain Square Video Screen

Fifth and Vine streets, downtown
Fountain Square has been called the city’s living room, the place to gather when there’s something to celebrate. Now we have another reason to congregate there—to indulge our shared passion for watching the Reds and the Bengals. We’re talking a mondo video board atop Macy’s, which, thank goodness, allows you to take in the 40-foot-wide screen from the proper viewing distance. Organizations also can request airtime for events that have mass appeal—like maybe a UC football game, for instance. Calling Mr. Donabedian! (Check out www.myfountainsquare.com/video, or call (513) 621-4400.)

Lunch Hour diversion: Noon Music at The Mercantile Library

414 Walnut St., 11th floor, downtown, (513) 621-0717
Though founded in 1835 by merchants and clerks, The Mercantile Library has long been stymied by the air of its own exclusivity. Sure, the abundance of busts of dead white men and the smell of leather-bound tomes spells “members only.” But with the Noon Music series—now a decade in—it’s one of those rare times there will be noise and, if you bring a brown-bag lunch, food in The Mercantile Library’s hallowed main room without so much as a “shhhhh” from a disapproving librarian. With musicians like Lily Ashfar, Apollo’s Cabinet, and Wild Carrot playing genres as disparate as solo guitar, chamber music, folk, jazz, and blues, the free noontime series (the first Friday of the month, September through December) is a good reason to get out of the cold.

Meet Then Eat: Graeter’s, Rock Bottom Brewery, Via Vite, Palomino, Bistro JeanRo, McCormick & Schmick’s, Boi Na Braza, Morton’s

Fifth and Vine streets, downtown
Whether you’ve come to Fountain Square to rally or merely stroll, you’ll eventually work up an appetite. Now, after two years of slow construction and stomach growling, right on the square you’ll find Rock Bottom Brewery, a new Graeter’s, and Via Vite, a new Italian restaurant by Nicola’s owner, Nicola Pietoso. And of course don’t forget Palomino, Bistro JeanRo, McCormick & Schmick’s, and two standouts for meat lovers: Boi Na Braza and the new Morton’s. At last, we can eat

Illustration by Sasha Barr

Food

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:15:00 GMT

Cake Donut: Ridge Donut Shop

3186 Woodford Rd., Pleasant Ridge, (513) 631-4334
The clientele at Ridge Donut Shop, a cramped little spot near the corner of Woodford and Ridge, reflects its neighborhood. Acerbic old men shoot the breeze and read the day’s paper along side young couples with their 2.5 children who stop in before school or after church. They’re here for one reason: the assortment of donuts. Made fresh every day, the shelves are lined with donuts for dunking, with (and without) sprinkles, slathered in chocolate...we could go on. Our favorite: the basic cake donut. At 75 cents a pop, it’s a great way to start the day.

Milkshake: United Dairy Farmers

www.udfinc.com
Try sucking down one of UDF’s peanut butter milkshakes without letting it melt a little first. You’ll pull a muscle in your neck. But we’re not complaining. This shake isn’t juiced up with peanut “flavoring” or some unpronounceable extract. That’s real peanut butter in there, a special blend made just for UDF. Who came up with this wacky concept? Frank Cogliano, the company’s senior vice president for retail store operations, says you, er, us, the customers, did. “Back in the ’70s, we would make it by request,” he says. Word spread about its peanuty goodness and it became a regular menu item in the early ’80s; now you can get it with white or chocolate milk. Lots of things have changed in those 20-plus years, but don’t count on the shake going anywhere. “As long as people want it, we’re going to provide it,” Cogliano says. Good. We’re willing to risk sprained necks for our fix.

French Fries: Honey

4034 Hamilton Ave., Northside, (513) 541-4300
The chef at Honey has unlocked—with French fries!—the secret confounding foodies for ages: How to best satisfy the palate’s screaming desire for a simultaneous taste sensation of sweet and salty. The Honey Fries are a flawless answer. Dive finger first into a bucket of your own private Idaho (and Yukon and sweet) shoestring potatoes fried and tossed in a medley of herbs. For optimum flavor, drizzle with chili/lime/honey sauce and ask for an extra cup as you hoover your way to the bottom. The appetizer order is plenteous enough to share with the table, but stinginess and napkins are highly recommended.

Pizza Sauce: Ramundo’s Pizza

3166 Linwood Ave., Mt. Lookout, (513)321-0978
Big flavor comes out of Tony Ramundo’s tiny pizza cave on Mt. Lookout Square. Ramundo’s ragu is spicy and bold, and perfectly balances the mellow mozzarella and crisp crust. “Most Cincinnatians prefer a sweeter sauce,” says Ramundo. “We go for more of a New York style sauce.” Ramundo starts with a base sauce and takes it to 11 with his own secret blend of herbs and spices, though he does confess to letting it marinate for 24 hours before use. You don’t even have to commit to a whole pie (although you’ll want to when you’re hit with all that peppery, tomato-packed goodness) because, blessedly, Ramundo’s sells by the slice. Here’s another blessing: They stay open until 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Tacos: Taqueria Mercado

6507 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield, (513) 942-4943
Put down that brittle pre-formed taco shell! You have not experienced taco love until you’ve had an authentic carnitas taco from Taqueria Mercado. Made from braised pork that’s shredded and served in a warm corn tortilla with onions and cilantro, it is deeply flavorful, lard-salty but not overly so, with bits of char on the raggedy edges. Verdict: a perfect four-bite package that deserves being splashed with one of the Mercado’s combustible house-made salsas. Anything less is taco hell.

Hot Chicken Dish: House Of Sun

11959 Lebanon Rd., Sharonville, (513) 769-0888
House of Sun’s version of Three Cup Chicken, the crown jewel of Taiwanese cuisine, gets its name from three ingredients: soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil. It arrives crackling and sizzling in a metal casserole, dark mahogany in hue and balmy with garlic. You will gnaw every last leg to the bone. Bones? Yes. As Jin, our server, said, “No skin, no bones, no flavor.”

Baba Ghanoush: Floyd’s

127 Calhoun St., Clifton, (513) 221-2434
Reine Salti’s itty-bitty Clifton boite probably packs more flavor per square foot than any other joint in town. We’ve been bowing down to her roast chicken for years, so it should come as no surprise that her baba ghanoush is the best thing to happen to eggplant since parmigiana. Salti starts by oven-roasting her eggplant (it takes six eggplants to make a half-pound of dip), then adds tahini, lemon, and olive oil and blends it all to smoky, silky perfection. Despite what the menu declares, Salti insists she doesn’t use any garlic. As she puts it, “This is the Lebanese way.”

Bar Menu: The Mad Hatter

620 Scott St., Covington, (859) 291-2233
Our hat is off to The Mad Hatter, a bar and music club, for its unusual food offerings—all of which are less than $5. Where else can you get cookie dough bites, Glier’s goetta patties, and (drum roll, please) a funnel cake to go with your PBR? Yes, they offer more typical bar fare, like chicken tenders and curly fries, but they had us at funnel cake.

Veggie Sandwich: What’s For Dinner?

3009 O’Bryon St., O’Bryonville, (513) 321-4404
Inventors of vegetarian fare either try too hard to dazzle or slap something on the menu as a “vegetarian” afterthought. The result either overpowers what’s supposed to be naturally succulent or the unseasoned/unloved ingredients limp along, left to their own bland devices. However, the roasted eggplant sandwich at What’s For Dinner? strikes a perfect balance between delicate and spicy, soft and crunchy, creamy and crisp. So successfully, in fact, that it will leave other area cooks wondering why they didn’t think of this first: sautéed peppers and onions in perfect ratio, eggplant coins showered in Parmesan cheese then grilled until encrusted and piled on a bed of fresh baby spinach. Place all of the above on a grilled bun that’s slathered with creamy goat cheese on one half and spicy mayo on the other. No need for a side—this here’s your meal. Now eat your vegetables.

Farmers’ Market: Hyde Park Farmers’ Market

3424 Edwards Rd., Hyde Park, www.hydeparkfarmersmarket.com
Before you can even roll out of bed on Sunday morning, local farmers are harvesting their produce so they can bring you the freshest of fresh veggies when you finally do wake up and saunter down to Hyde Park Farmers’ Market. The more than 20 local organic farmers and conventional vendors who assemble from June through October in the U.S Bank parking lot, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday, are on-hand to meet you and answer any questions you might have about their goods. This lively neighborhood market is busiest (and best) during its first hour, when you’ll have your pick of fresh eggs, honey, meat, okra, pumpkins, goat’s milk soap, apple thyme sausage, focaccia, peppers, tomatoes, organic beef, fresh cut flowers, herbs and spices, ornamental pepper plants, and all kinds of greens. Bring a tote bag; you’re going to need it.

Scone: Embrace Sweets

www.embracesweets.com
Two years ago, when a customer asked Sandra and Brandi Daniels of Embrace Sweets to add a whole-wheat scone to their menu, they happily obliged, and even made it with organic ingredients. Currently Coffee Emporium, Sunshine Market, and Pike Street Press in Covington carry the scones. These dense little treats come filled with a variety of flavored preserves—apricot, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and orange marmalade—or you can buy them plain and spread them with your own jam. “We use butter in the recipe, so they are not low fat, but it’s not a white product—we do not use white flour or white sugar,” says Sandra. That’s healthy enough for us.

Meatballs: Hyde Park Meats

3645 Paxton Ave., Hyde Park (513) 321-4328
Everybody knows meatballs are a labor of love. Lucky for us Hyde Park Meats owner Joe Panzeca shoulders the labor and shows us the love. His all-beef meatballs have all the good stuff your nonna would approve of—romano cheese, basil, oregano, garlic, and parsley—and a twist she may not have thought of. “Fennel gives them the flavor of Italian sausage without the pork,” says Panzeca, who makes meatballs in big batches every three weeks and freezes them in convenient six-ball containers. All you have to do is heat and eat.

Side of Beef: Greenacres Farm

8255 Spooky Hollow, Indian Hill, (513) 891-4227
With the number of farm markets in this area, it’s easy to “eat local” with vegetables. But where do you get your protein? Greenacres Farm has the answer: a side (or quarter) of beef. The farm’s herd is 100 percent Black Angus, grass-fed (no sprays or chemicals are used in the pasture), and hormone- and antibiotic-free. You’ll pay $3.99 a pound—sides can range from 300 to 400 or more pounds hanging weight; quarters are half that—for a freezer-stocking stash that includes everything from brisket and short ribs to stew beef and tenderloin. How’s that for green living?

Cheap Wine: Liquor Direct

90 Alexandria Pike, 1C, Ft. Thomas, (859) 781-8105
No, not Boone’s Farm. When you explore the $2.98, $3.99, $5.99, and closeout racks at Liquor Direct, expect to find Georges Duboeuf merlot, Crane Lake chardonnay, and more far-flung deals. Even the regular prices here are reasonable—our favorite Chilean cabernet, Root:1, goes for $9.99 a bottle. If you’re not sure what you like, stop by for the tastings every Friday and Saturday.

Savory Sandwich: Le’s Café

800 Vine St., downtown, (513) 665-3339
The pièce de résistance at tiny Le’s Café, sequestered in the Main Library downtown and run by Le Ha and her husband Hai Bui, is the crunchy, chewy, spicy Vietnamese pork sandwich. Served on a baguette with two kinds of pork (barbecue and cold cut), cucumbers, shredded carrots, cilantro, Thai chili peppers, and topped with mayonnaise and a succulent pâté, the sandwich perfectly melds French and Asian flavors. Grab a book, tuck in, and enjoy.

Waffle Slinger: Jean-Francois Flechet

(859) 380-6226, www.tastefrombelgium.com
This is a waffle? Oh. My. God. Last summer Jean-Francois Fle-chet caused a feeding frenzy at Hyde Park Farmers’ Market (Sundays) and Findlay Market (Saturdays) with his waffles. This sublime treat, made from rich, brioche-like dough and crusty with caramelized sugar, is street food in Flechet’s hometown: Liege, Belgium. “I always thought it would work in the U.S.,” he says. And it does. Currently Flechet is wholesaling his wares (check the menu at Daveed’s, Honey, Otto’s, and Lookout Joe), but he’d like to have a retail shop. There are other Euro-treats he wants to make for us. “Belgian food,” he says, “is pretty good.”

Gelato: Madisono’s Gelato and Sorbet

Madison’s Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine, (513) 723-0590; Madison’s Northside, 4172 Hamilton Ave., Northside, (513) 772-3920
If you’ve toured the narrow streets of Florence, Italy, you know the irresistible draw of gelato. Rich and intensely flavorful, the colors are deep, the texture is silky smooth, and the consistency is dense. But did you know it’s lower in butterfat? “Compared to ice cream’s 10 to 18 percent butterfat, gelato contains only six to seven percent,” says Matt Madison, the mad scientist behind Madisono’s gelato, the best thing to hit Cincinnati since la dolce vita. We’re partial to Madagascar vanilla, but the dark chocolate, mango, and hazelnut flavors all tie for a close second. Oh heck, we’ll come clean: There are so many fabulous flavors, even the ice cube trays have become an endangered species in our freezer.

Best Burgers

Pick just one? Impossible. Carnivores, dig in.

Kobe Beef: Allure

8300 Market Place Ln., Montgomery, (513) 891-0120
If it’s got to be gourmet, it’s got to be Kobe-style beef, which comes from the Japanese Wagyu cow. Allure serves this $13 luxury burger between a multigrain Kaiser roll topped with your choice of imported Gruyere, smoked mozzarella, aged cheddar, Manchego, or dry aged Provolone—giving your taste buds (and the beef) the royal treatment.

Bacon Cheeseburger: Zola

626 Main St., Covington, (859) 261-7510
At this wonderful MainStrasse Village tavern, the Memphis Burger comes topped with chewy center cut bacon, smoky cheddar cheese, BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and mayo with either fries or Zola’s Asian coleslaw. The half-pound Angus patty arrives open faced so you can see its toppings in all their glory.

All-around: Arthur’s

3516 Edwards Rd., Hyde Park, (513) 871-5543
Locals have saddled up to the bar at this hallowed dining destination for years, especially during the time known as Burger Madness (Sunday through Tuesday). That’s when the original Arthur’s Burger—a hearty half pound of 90 percent lean ground beef—is offered with a variety of more than 10 toppings for $6. Madness indeed.

Bargain: McCormick & Schmick’s

21 E. Fifth St, downtown, (513) 721-9339
Sorry, Mickey D. McCormick & Schmick’s bar menu makes us an offer we can’t refuse: a half-pound cheeseburger or Cajun burger (our fave) for $1.95. The catch? The deal is served Mon–Fri 4–6:30 p.m. (and again between 10 and 11 p.m. Mon–Thurs), and there’s a two-drink minimum. That’s not so bad, is it

Illustration by Sasha Barr

Kids

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:14:00 GMT

Old World Toy Store: Linden Noll Gift Haus

506 W. Sixth St., Covington, (859) 581-7633
Nothing typifies the Old World flavor of Covington’s MainStrasse Village more than the wooden marionettes, nutcrackers, and tiny trinkets for sale at Linden Noll Gift Haus. For 25 years, Delores Lind Carpenter—whose parents emigrated from Germany just before WWII—and her husband David have tended shoppe here, overseeing the barely organized chaos in each room. Hundreds of toys—all battery free—plus holiday gifts and European memorabilia are packed like Russian stacking dolls into every room, including hand-carved Italian Pinocchios and nostalgic children’s books. Translation: It’s grandma heaven.

Personalized Baby Togs: The Spotted Goose Co.

3048 Madison Rd., Oakley, (513) 351-9600, www.thespottedgoose.com
Sure, you can find “Jacob” and “Madison” emblazoned on ordinary goods. But doesn’t your child deserve something hipper? Renee Dustman thought so. She started personalizing baby items with playful embroidery and selling them, first from her home, then on-line. Now she and Renee Lentz have taken their company, The Spotted Goose, to the streets of Oakley. The store, in the former Baby A space, carries children’s clothes for newborns up to size 10 from La Folie, Room Seven, and Luna Luna, as well as accessories such as Zen-centric Haiku diaper bags. Plus, the store’s exclusive funny, fanciful embroidery transforms ordinary bibs, onesies, blankets, and towels into keepsakes. Lentz admits it was a risk. “Cincinnati’s pretty conservative; we have a funkier, urban style,” she says, but “so far, it’s going really well.” Welcome to the birth of the cool.

Kids’ Bike Deal: BikeWise Oxford

9 N. Beech St., Oxford, (513) 523-4880
When it’s time to recycle your child’s bike and move up to a bigger set of wheels, BikeWise Oxford has a deal that’s hard to beat. If you buy a youth bike (26-inch wheel or less) from BWO, you’ll receive 50 percent off the original price toward the purchase of a larger bike. Caveats: The trade-in must take place within three years of the original purchase date, and the bike must be in rideable condition. Replacement of small flaws, such as a blown tire or ratty handgrips, will be deducted from the trade-in value. Still, that’s pedal power you can pocket.

Petting Zoo: Parky’s Farm

10073 Daly Rd., Springfield Twp., (513) 521-PARK
The classic, Ark-ian “petting zoo”—where small children frolic with docile farm animals—is a rare find these days. Much more common is the multifaceted “educational farm,” like the sprawling, picturesque, 100-acre Parky’s Farm in Winton Woods. Just past the vegetable patches and playground barn you’ll hear the wavering bleats of sheep and goats meandering about their pen. The farm is a special boon for city kids, many of whom have never seen real cows or pigs or llamas, or ridden a pony or taken horse-riding lessons. It’s kind of like Green Acres without the chores. Or Zsa-Zsa.

Children's Portraits: Owenemma Photography

(513) 477-1434, becca@owenemma.com
When it comes to kids, photographer Rebecca Worple ditches staging and posing in favor of laughing and relaxing so she can capture your kids as they really are. Think of it as a playdate with a camera. “I like it when kids are in their element, doing the things they love,” says Worple, mom to Emma, 9, and Owen, 6. Worple acknowledges that if you’re looking for composed pictures of your children in matching white outfits you may want to look for someone else. “I go to kid-friendly places and have fun and let them drive me,” she says. Superman costumes, muddy shoes, bumps, bruises, and bad moods be damned. “So what if they don’t smile half the time,” says Worple on her Web site. “Half the time they do.”

Hip Baby Gifts: MiCA Contemporary Craft

2039 Madison Rd. O’Bryonville 1201 Vine St. Over-the-Rhine, (513) 421-3500, www.shopmica.com
Shopping for a baby gift at MiCA is like ordering off the menu at your favorite restaurant. The O’Bryonville shop is full of unique treasures and whimsical twists on the usual baby shower fare. Check out the modern onesies and caps from Lotta Jansdotter, soft woven blankets by Karen Kurak, clever graphic T-shirts from Ohio’s own Wire & Twine, and striped knit hats by Adachi Etsuko. MiCA also carries stitched pillows and bags by Shelly Klein’s k studio, contemporary silver spoons by Mantra flatware, and limited edition, phantasmagorical melamine plates from Poketo + PCP. You can also make your own gift through artist Laura Zeck’s “Short Stories” series. Choose from 300 of Zeck’s etchings to create a one-of-a-kind fine art print.

Babysitting Service: Babysitease

www.babysitease.com
There are times when we shine a spotlight on a local business or service that we would, selfishly, rather keep secret. That’s how we feel about Cincinnati’s gift to working parents, the locally based online babysitting service Babysitease. Some of us rely heavily on the speed and efficiency with which Peggy Murriner and Laura Parks-Kremer (the founders and owners) match parents with friendly and qualified babysitters who arrive right on our doorstep—no hassles, no worries. Log on, schedule a request, and Murriner and Parks-Kremer take it from there, making sure that a pre-screened, superlatively able sitter arrives at your front door on time. Just save a sitter for us, will ya?

Story Time: Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

42 branches, www.cincinnatilibrary.org
Thanks to the PLCHC there’s no excuse for your kids not to be at a story time right now. All 42 branches offer some version: Movers and Shakers incorporates music, rhythm, and movement for the pre-literate, ants-in-the-pants crowd, and working parents love the 7 p.m. bedtime stories at the Clifton, Sharonville, Madisonville, and Deer Park branches. “We integrate music, puppets, and flannel boards,” says Lisa Hamrick, Manager of the Children’s Learning Center at the Main Library. “It’s edutainment.” It’s also free!

Nursing Nook: Kenwood Towne Centre Nursing Lounge

Lower level next to Sbarro
Given our nation’s breast obsession, you’d think there’d be a line of plush Dutailier glider rockers stretching from coast to coast just for breastfeeding mothers. The sad truth is that moms are forced to perch on the edge of toilet seats in public restrooms and share park benches with the human equivalent of Homer Simpson’s chain-smoking sisters. So hats off (or should we say bras off?) to the Kenwood Towne Centre for providing nursing mothers with their very own private lounge, complete with cushioned glider rocker, changing table, sink, and mirror. The Monet and Renoir prints are a thoughtful touch; the Muzak, not so much. But hey, you can’t have everything.

Best Playgrounds

Where to take the kiddos for fresh air, exercise, or to shake out the sillies.

Splish-Splash: Parky’s Ark

The sprinklers at Parky’s Ark wet playground at Winton Woods Harbor ease the sizzle of a summer day. Or try Parky’s Pirate Cove in Miami Whitewater Forest and Parky’s Wetland Adventure at Woodland Mound. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, 11 am–7 pm. $1 per child. www.GreatParks.org

Inside Play: Children’s Museum

Time stands still when you’re stuck in the house on a rainy day. So head over to the Children’s Museum at Union Terminal where the kids are having so much fun, they don’t realize they’re learning something too. 1301 Western Ave., West End, (513) 287-7000, www.cincymuseum.org (Cash parking is $5.)

Climbing Course: Pleasant Ridge

Some kids only want to move in one direction: up, up, up! This playground has lots of vertical real estate for climbers and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. The outdoor swimming pool at the center next door is a summer bonus. Pleasant Ridge Community Center, 5915 Ridge Ave., Pleasant Ridge, (513) 731-7894.

Sand Castles: Julifs Park

That beach vacation may be a distant memory, but kids can keep their raking, scooping, and castle building skills fresh in the sandy oasis at Julifs Park in Anderson Township. Of course, there’s plenty of stuff to climb, swing, and slide on, too. 8249 Clough Pike, Anderson Twp., (513) 474-0003.

Sharing Space: Every Child’s

Every Child’s Playground at Sawyer Point is a great place to wear tykes out. Designed so all kids could play together, it has a smooth, even surface and equipment accessible to children with disabilities or in wheelchairs. Sawyer Point, 801 E. Pete Rose Way, downtown, (513) 352-6180. (Parking in Sawyer Point lot is $2.

Illustration by Sasha Barr

Shopping

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:14:00 GMT

Discount Shoes: Zappos Outlet Store

376 Zappos.com Blvd., Shepherdsville, Ky., (502) 921-4949
The Zappos Outlet Store has such a hold on shoe junkies even one of its managers can’t keep her (ahem) footing. “I’ve probably bought 40 pairs of shoes,” says assistant manager Suzanne Hodges. An offspring of the Zappos.com site, known for its “free delivery both ways” and impeccable customer service, the 14,000-square-foot store is packed with 22,000 pairs of shoes from thousands of name brands (Kenneth Cole, Ben Sherman, Kate Spade, Lacoste), deeply discounted between 30 and 70 percent. It’s a bit of a hike—five miles south of Louisville—so pack snacks and fire up the GPS! We’d tell you to wear comfortable shoes but forget that: You’ll try on so many it might be easier just to wear one shoe.

Handmade Jewelry: Sarah Squeri

424 Findlay St., West End, (513) 607-1440, www.sarahsqueri.com
Jewelry as art? Sarah Squeri’s got you covered. The downtown native started creating pieces back in high school, taking classes at the College of Mount St. Joseph before heading off to Rochester Institute of Technology to study sculpture and metals. Stints in Venice and Tuscany are reflected in the warm (and cool) colored stones she chooses. Blue topaz, Afghanistan lapis, Australian opals, aquamarines, fancy sapphires—all recreate the mood of these bright, vibrant regions. “I want [customers] to feel absolutely beautiful,” she says. In a 22-inch 18-carat yellow gold chain laced with textured gold nuggets or a mutli-strand natural coral necklace, you’re bound to feel gorgeous.

Christmas Wreath: Big Tree Plantation

2544 S. Waynesville Rd., Morrow, (513) 899-4624
Don’t get that plastic wreath from Wal-Mart this year. Go for the good stuff at Big Tree Plantation, where Frank and Ann Antenucci create custom-made wreaths from the tree farm’s pines, cedars, boxwoods, and Douglas firs. You’ll feel like Martha Stewart when you take one of their $29 30-inchers home to decorate. Are you more like Martha’s lazy younger sister? No worries. For an extra 10 bucks the Antenuccis will decorate it for you.

Vinyl Records: Shake It

4156 Hamilton Ave., Northside, (513) 591-0123
Yes, we’re giving Shake It more props. But they’ve surprised us yet again. Last summer, Darren and Jim Blase remodeled their basement to accommodate nearly 10,000 vinyl records, giving their collection the room it deserves. Downstairs you’ll find a haven for record collectors, DJs, and the musically savvy looking for new indie rock presses, break beats, and jazz reissues. They even carry a few vinyl copies of releases from their own label. How’s that for waxing poetic?

Modern Furniture: Voltage

3209 Madison Rd., Oakley, (513) 871-5483
Need to furnish a downtown loft? Voltage has you covered with its large collection of furniture (think modular sofas from B&B Italia), lighting (such as hanging globe fixtures from Terzani), and accessories. Owner Jeff Hinkel fell in love with European design while studying architecture abroad in the 1980s. “It wasn’t possible to buy high-end modern here back then,” he says. Spend an hour in the spacious, two-floor Voltage showroom and you’ll feel as if you’ve wandered onto the pages of Architectural Digest.

Artsy Wake-Up: Redtree Art Gallery and Coffee Shop

4409 Brazee St., Oakley, (513) 321-8733
While we understand that Redtree Art Gallery and Coffee Shop prefers to be known as a gallery first and a coffee shop second, we can’t help but praise the eclectic spot as a great java house. Owner Wendy Smith renovated the space, the former home of the T-Shirt Company, upping its artsy appeal by removing the sheetrock in places to expose the brick beneath and by keeping some of the splatter-painted floor intact. Acrylic paintings and black-and-white photographs hang on wooden partitions that surround an area of seated tables. In addition to art by local artists, Redtree also carries cards and handmade gifts, including buttons and wallets. On the extensive menu you’ll find Seven Hills coffee, Chai tea lattes, hot chocolate, teas, cappuccinos, pastries, cookies, and even deli sandwiches. Redtree’s atmosphere will make your usual cup of joe seem much more unusual.

Designer Clothes: Arté Nouvelle

3445 Edwards Rd., Hyde Park (513)841-2783
If they have any fashion sense at all, this is the clothing your daughters will beg to borrow. Arté Nouvelle carries garments from European designers that are both timeless and up-to-the-minute. Whether you’re drawn to easy-to-wear styles by Oska (Germany), elegant items from the up-and-coming Italian label 6267, or dramatic, make-a-statement pieces by Ivan Grundahl (Denmark) and Isabel de Pedro (Spain), shop owner Cathy Caldemeyer has the fashions that will get you noticed.

Holiday Lights: King’s Mills General Store and Christmas Shop

5687 Columbia Rd., Kings Millls, (513) 398-1677
Deck the halls with flickering candles. Or old-fashioned bubble lights. Or even glowing M&Ms. If you’re looking for something new to illuminate the tree this year, King’s Mills General Store and Christmas Shop has it—from 1950s-style reflector lights to glowing holly berries. The store is a fantasyland of ornaments, garlands, candles, and decorations, and enough strings of lights to keep your electric meter spinning from here to Epiphany.

Sneaker Art: Studio Endure

1408 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 579-1120
Like the best Pop artist, LeBraun Colvin took a modern phenomenon—the sneaker fetish—and elevated it to wearable art. Using as his canvas inexpensive Starbury sneakers or Air Jordans (and sometimes Chuck Taylor All-Stars or Vans) brought in by customers, Colvin and Tony Carter, his 18-year-old cousin, hand-paint custom designs with acrylic paint. Some customers come with an inkling of a design—a stripe from a polo shirt they saw in a magazine, say, or a full-blown concept of rappers, cartoon characters, or their own names. Prices range from $50 to $75. Since Colvin opened in June, he’s customized more than 100 pairs of sneakers. Word-of-mouth is now so rampant, Colvin has instituted a three- to five-day waiting period. “I see the potential,” says Colvin, a former ArtWorks apprentice and teaching artist. “We gotta keep constantly pounding the pavement.” Wearing pimped-out sneakers, no doubt.

Tie Selection: Saks Fifth Avenue

101 W. Fifth St., downtown (513) 421-6800
In some workplaces, there are few ways a man can show his style, except perhaps through his choice of tie. And the most stylish men get their ties at Saks. No surprise, considering the selection includes sleek monotone ties from Giorgio Armani, classic Repp stripes from Hart Schaffner Marx, and hip takes on preppy patterns from Hickey Freeman. Our favorite: a sounds-ugly-but-isn’t Canali tie with fuchsia paisleys on a brown ground. It’s a subtle way to let your freak flag fly.

Handmade Paper: Poeme

3446 Michigan Ave., Hyde Park, (513) 321-4999
In this age of PDAs, text messages, and e-mails, it’s actually nice to feel paper and remember what it was like before “Can you hear me now?” entered the lexicon. However, paper isn’t solely for writing on anymore. Shopkeepers at Poeme know this better than anyone and if the assortment of high-end journals, spindles of wrapping paper, and stacks of invitation paper stock aren’t enough, then ask to see the stash of natural papers. The most unusual is the chocolate-brown tree bark paper which, when soaked in cool water, is malleable and can be manipulated to make lamp shades or twisted around the post of a table lamp. Bonus: You won’t have to worry about using up your minutes.

Wood Shop: Frank Paxton Lumber Company

7455 Dawson Rd., Madeira, (513) 984-3480
When quality matters—say you’re crafting a handmade walnut armoire or a cherry wine cabinet—woodworking aficionados trust Frank Paxton Lumber Company. Inside the shop you’ll find veneer, plywood, and moldings, as well as 50 hardwoods (including five exotics), neatly organized in lumber racks with helpful signs listing the woods’ properties. For example: the purple-hued Purpleheart wood hails from Brazil and has a straight to wavy grain. “You can probably find a lot of the exotics online, but I personally like to see my lumber before I buy it,” says Paxton’s contractor Cooper Rutledge. We couldn’t agree more.

Rock Posters: Powerhouse Factories

30 W. Pike St., Covington, (859) 491-4229
Our finest music venues are bedecked with the most creative rock posters this side of The Fillmore, for which we can thank the designers at Powerhouse Factories. With their silkscreen posters for The Heartless Bastards, Lyle Lovett, and others, Powerhouse has reenergized the graphic side of rock.

Big Sale: Three-Day Boutique Sale

We are lucky to have fabulous boutiques in our city. We’re even luckier that a few times a year a dozen or so of them, including Fetish, Alligator Purse, Sara Benjamin’s, Plum Diore, Suki, Coco’s on Madison, Miss Martha Dress Shop, and SoHo, come together under one roof for the Three-Day Boutique Sale. Earlier this year, Fetish owner Genine Fallon organized the first event, which was hosted at Entertainment Solutions in Rookwood Commons. Though there’s no admission charge, a $5 donation at the door supports a different charity each day. You’ll find designer items like Betsey Johnson dresses and Citizens of Humanity denim marked 40–70 percent off. It’s the closest thing we’ve got to a sample sale, ladies, so sharpen those nails—it could get ugly.

Fabric Store: St. Theresa Textile Trove

5846 Hamilton Ave., College Hill, (513) 333-0399
When you first enter St. Theresa Textile Trove, be prepared for visual overload. Windows next to the front door are lined with strands of sparkly glass beads. A “Treasure Trunk” spills over with a hodgepodge of fat quarters, quarter-yard sections of fabric that quilters and crafters love. Half a wall near the back of the store is covered with buttons—large and small, plain and fancy, wood and plastic. Shelves are lined with bolts and piles of cloth: Ghanaian tie-dyes, Japanese cottons, African prints, FreeSpirit quilt cottons, and more. Rolls of slick oilcloth in candy-bright colors stand up in cardboard bins in front of whispery rolls of plain and embroidered silks. This trove is truly a treasure.

Urban Garden Center: City Roots

1133 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 381-ROOT (7668)
City Roots, which Lisa Yunker runs with the help of her sister, Kristen, is an urban oasis, a softening of Vine Street’s hard edges. The shop is also home base for Yunker’s urban landscaping business, but it’s the gardening supplies and the variety of trees and plants that make it a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

Architectural Antiques: Wooden Nickel Antiques

1400–1414 Central Pkwy. Over-the-Rhine, (513) 241-2985
Where can you find a nine-foot, two-inch cast stone soldier? Or a pine fireplace mantel from the 1820s? Or enough newel posts and spindles to re-staircase an entire neighborhood? Answer: Inside the Wooden Nickel. What started in 1976 with architectural salvage has evolved over the years to specialize in high-ticket items: massive carved bars and bar backs; enormous breakfronts, armoires, and other pieces, some by Cincinnati woodworkers, including Henry Fry. But amid the looming giants in the wood-fragrant showrooms, there are smaller pieces—light fixtures both church fancy and schoolhouse plain, doorknobs and other hardware, tiles, and andirons. Whether you want just a touch of historic charm or a completely period-appropriate interior, this is where you’ll find it.

Crafty Gifts: Indigenous, A Handcrafted Gallery

2010 Madison Rd., O’Bryonville, (513) 321-3750
The list of gift-giving occasions on your calendar gets longer every year, and while gift cards are nice, the urge to pick a particular present remains. A trip through Indigenous, A Handcrafted Gallery should satisfy that urge nicely. The shop stocks works by more than 100 local and not-so-local artists; if it reminds you of A Show of Hands, it’s because owner Diane Christian Budd used to run that Kenwood Towne Centre shop. Pick up one of Joyce Kaufman’s wild mosaic clocks, a bright Susan Mahan block print (we like the one with 16 dogs), beaded memory-wire
bracelets from Anne Straus, and cross some holiday shopping off your list.

Best Logo Apparel

Support your team with the right gear.

UK and U of L: Catbird Seat

1737 Monmouth St., Newport, (859) 431-5053
The four-month-old Catbird Seat has Commonwealth rooting interests covered with its large selection of UK and Louisville gear. But there’s a twist: The juniors’ and young men’s sections serve up school colors in very nontraditional styles. Pink polka-dots, anyone?

Pros: Koch Sporting Goods

131 W. Fourth St., downtown, (513) 621-2352
Need to find an orange Houshmandzadeh jersey for your boyfirend? Or a pink one? Koch Sporting Goods can hook you up. They sell NFL replica jerseys at three price points ($69.99, $94.99, and $279.99), and you can find any player you want. Come baseball season, they’ll have Reds jerseys, too.

XU and UC: CS Crable Factory Outlet

5573 Spellmire Dr., West Chester, (513) 942-5328
These embroidered oxfords, polos, sweaters, and turtlenecks make spirit gear work appropriate. The CS Crable Factory Outlet is open every weekend from October through the end of December, and this year they’ve opened a second location in the Del Fair Shopping Center.

High School: Kroger

www.kroger.com
Attention all you high school sports junkies: Supporters of Comets and Camels, among others, can deck themselves out with T-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts, and sweatpants from Kroger. A portion of the proceeds goes back to the schools—in this case, Mason and Campbell County.

Illustration by Sasha Barr

Nightlife

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:13:00 GMT

Radio Show: Mr. Rhythm Man

Saturday 6–9 pm, 89.7 WNKU www.wnku.org
Tune up 89.7 WNKU on your FM dial at 6 p.m. Saturday night, and you’ll find Mr. Rhythm Man, with his backup dancers, daddio-on-the-radio vocabulary, and stack o’ shellacs ready to put a blister on your transistor. Ahem. For three hours, MRM (a.k.a. Bob Beemon) serves up a wild mix of music that he calls “rhythm and blues, roll and soul,” during which you might hear anyone from Memphis Minnie to the Squirrel Nut Zippers. “My favorite thing is a cool segue between songs,” he says. “It’s like found poetry.” We can dig it, man.

Neighborhood Bar: Doc’s Place

12 W. Mulberry, Lebanon, (513) 932-0287
When it comes to neighborhood pubs, you won’t find a more convivial atmosphere than atop a barstool at Doc’s Place. A group of regulars is happy to include you in the conversations, and the bartender likely will remember your drink of choice after one visit. Regional bands play Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, but there’s an adjacent dining room if you prefer your music in the background. Pub grub gets a dinner upgrade Tuesday through Saturday with filet mignon, rib eye, crab, shrimp, and gussied up chicken entrees. The portions are substantial, and the wine pours generous. Start with a pub favorite, the deep-fried green beans, a country staple that gets a makeover with onion batter and ranch dressing. Which is to say, these are not your grandma’s green beans.

Patio: The Gypsy Hut

4321 Spring Grove Ave., Northside, (513) 541-0999
French Quarter bars are famous for their brick-paved, open-air courtyards, where decades of exposure to the humidity of New Orleans has produced a well-worn patina. Fans of the Crescent City will find themselves at home on the Big Easy–esque patio of The Gypsy Hut in Northside, the heart of the business, with multiple arteries branching off to the indoor poolroom and the stage area, two separate bars, and stairs that lead to a second-floor patio. When the live music is thumping from the music room, you’d swear Jackson Square is just around the corner.

DJ: DJ Pillo

(513) 374-8654, mrpillo7@hotmail.com
True to his “cool on both sides” maxim, DJ Pillo is as well known for his “Let’s get this party started!” prowess as he is for his service to the community. A former teacher of the art of turntablism at Elementz Hip Hop Youth Arts Center, Pillo also spins for the Listen to This! Hip Hop forums sponsored by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, adding musical flourishes to the conversation and dropping beats for the now notorious freestyle competitions that punctuate the forums. If that’s too staid, catch Pillo manning the decks at Aqua in Mt. Lookout on Saturday nights. He paints soundscapes that so appropriately soundtrack the night you’d swear he was plugged into the mix tape on an infinite loop in your own head. Look around and you’ll notice everybody’s noddin’ along.

Photo Booth: The Comet

4579 Hamilton Ave., Northside, (513) 541-8900
OK, the photo booth at The Comet might be a little finicky (yes, it breaks down from time to time), but it is definitely the real deal. The 1950s black and white Photo-Me machine prints a strip of four photos for $3. The images are sometimes fuzzy, but it’s those imperfections that enhance the booth’s vintage appeal. Friends, lovers, and even loners have been squeezing in for snaps since 2002. Owner Dave Cunningham acquired the machine from the owner of God Save the Queen when it closed. “As soon as that curtain closes, it’s as if your inhibitions are let down. You want to make a great picture and there’s something to be said for the anonymity that having a machine photograph you affords,” says Cunningham. Add alcohol to the equation and you can imagine what might happen.

Bloody Mary: The Cricket Lounge

601 Vine St., downtown, (513) 381-3000
Convenience foods make life easier for all of us, so we don’t blame bartenders for taking advantage of bottled mixers. But those ready-mix Bloody Marys are, well, anemic. Boost your red blood cell count at The Cricket Lounge. Bartender Joni whips up the mix herself, and it’s a dandy—rich and tomato-y, with a blend of Cajun spices to add just the right amount of kick. You’ll feel a kick in your wallet, too, as these are definitely not bargain drinks, but like the commercial says, you’re worth it.

Table Shuffleboard: Salem Gardens

6396 Salem Rd., Anderson Twp., (513) 231-9666
Cornhole aficionados who haven’t the space to move their games indoors for the winter should cultivate a new old-school pastime: table shuffleboard. Each side (teams or a single player) gets four pucks. Using your hands, scoot the pucks down the table. Farthest puck down gets the most points, but beware, your opponents will try to knock your pucks off the butcher-block board and into the gutter. Start practicing at Salem Gardens. The vintage American Shuffleboard table has been in its corner between the bar and the dining room for years (one of our friends thinks his dad probably played a few games on it in his youth). Don’t worry if you don’t pick up on all the game’s quirks the first time—you can play as much as you want for free.

Mojito: Palomino Restaurant, Rotisseria & Bar

505 Vine St., downtown, (513) 381-1300
By the variety of recipes we encountered in our “research,” the classic Cuban mojito has many interpretations. But the winner was clear—and properly muddled—thanks to the abundant use of fresh mint sprigs and the perfect ratio of rum to simple syrup to lime, served rightly in a cool, tall, thin glass. Cheers, Palomino! Your dedication to cocktail quality is positively smashing.

Late-Night Bowling: Western Bowl

6383 Glenway Ave., Western Hills, (513) 574-2222
Urges strike us at the weirdest times. Late-night food cravings are easily satisfied; so is the need to watch back-to-back episodes of Law & Order. And thanks to Western Bowl, you can get your bowl on at 1 a.m. if you want. The place is open 24 hours a day on Fridays and Saturdays for those who just need to hear the crack of bowling pins against synthetic pine. Western Bowl may be the home of the Hoinke Classic, but that doesn’t mean it’s just for professionals. For an especially trippy time, head over on a Saturday night and try Thunder Alley Glow Bowling. You can throw a ball or two to the sounds of Kanye West or Maroon 5, though those black lights won’t make it any easier to pick up that 7-10 split.

Best Bar Atmosphere

Whether you want sporty or cozy, rocking or laid-back, belly up and find your spot.

Habits Café
3036 Madison Rd., Oakley, (513) 631-8367
This Oakley Square mainstay draws a steady crowd all week long. Try the potato rags (shredded spuds topped with cheese, bacon, onion, tomato, and ranch dressing) and one of their American craft beers while you chat up your neighbor. Recent renovations to the dining room gave the main barroom the ambiance of a crowded subway car, but things are back to normal now.

Below Zero Lounge
1122 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 421-ZERO (9376)
Vodka lovers, this is your spot. With more than 60 labels available—and a handful served through a special machine that chills the spirit to below 0 degrees (get it?)—you can martini it up with the best of them. Get cozy with your date on the cushy couches, or check out the Sunday night cabaret with Terry LaBolt. You’ll leave shaken and stirred (sorry, Mr. Bond).

Longnecks Sports Grill
1009 Town Dr., Wilder, (859) 291-5664
When it’s game time, head to this new sports bar near the Town & Country Sports & Health Club, just off I-275. Pick a spot wherever you like—you’ll be able to see at least a few of the dozen flat-screen TVs that line the walls. If you’d rather get up a game of your own, there are two pool tables, plus golf and bowling video games.

Knotty Pine Sportsman’s Club
6947 Cheviot Rd., White Oak, (513) 741-3900
Rock and roll lives at this West Side haunt, where you can catch up with Dallas Moore and his bedevilingly named band, the Snatch Wranglers, every Wednesday. When it’s quiet, snag some popcorn and talk Colerain football with the regulars at the bar. For a roadhouse, it’s surprisingly civilized

Illustration by Sasha Barr

Play

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:13:00 GMT

Corn Maze: The Incredible Maize of Warren County

Bunnel Hill Rd., Lebanon, (513)932-6396
Over the past five years, a maze craze has been stalking the country’s cornfields. Our favorite is The Incredible Maize of Warren County, LLC. Claiming to be one of the largest in the U.S., TIM is an interactive course: trivia questions—if answered correctly—provide directional clues. We chose the easiest ones (Which actress starred in The Wizard of Oz?), and followed a family of scouts, but got so cornfused we eventually resorted to plowing directly through rows of cornstalks. Word up: Cheating does not get you ahead. It took us 90 minutes to negotiate half the 25-acre site.

Strenuous Bike Ride: Lebanon Countryside Trail

www.miamivalleytrails.org
The flat terrain of the Little Miami Scenic Trail delivers a leisurely ride north from Milford, but if you’re in the mood for more of a workout, the Lebanon Countryside Trail, which connects to the LMST north of Loveland, is peppered with challenging hills, including one steep climb that will have your calf muscles pleading for mercy. The 8.2-mile trail cuts through the industrial complexes along I-71, subdivisions, farmland, and finally parallels Ohio Route 48 into Lebanon. The last mile is an easy ride through Harmon Park, ending near the train station and the Double Dip restaurant, where you can refuel on homemade ice cream.

Unofficial Skateboarding Site: Circumspect

South side of Fifth Street between Plum and Elm
If an area is appealing to skateboarders, be assured that rails will be ridden and kickflips and ollies will be attempted. On one city-owned property, no one seems to get in a tailspin about it. Known simply as “Shapes” by skaters, it is a 25-foot by 40-foot abstract concrete maze of arcs and planes built in 1984 as a temporary sculpture to enhance an undeveloped parcel of land next to Convention Place Mall. Originally titled Circumspect, its uncontrolled and unsanctioned status makes it renegade enough for skaters, and ironically, there’s no need to be circumspect with officials.

Fun Run: Run Like Hell

www.cincyrunlikehell.com
This annual Halloween party-on-the-run attracts around 3,000 participants and raises money for the local Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The race begins at 7:30 p.m. at the corner of Dana and Woodburn avenues and winds through eerie Walnut Hills Cemetery, where the funk of 160 years rests under the moonlight. If a “thriller” run isn’t your idea of fun, you can still party until the midnight hour with a post-race bash that includes a costume contest, free food, and live music emceed by WEBN’s Dawn Patrol.

Cooking Classes: EQ @ The Party Source

95 Riviera Dr., Bellevue, (859) 291-4007, www.thepartysource.com/eq
The Party Source has spent the last 14 years getting us liquored up, but who knew they could feed us, too? Entertainment Quotient —or EQ, for short—gives chow hounds the lowdown with nearly 400 classes a year. Culinary Director Amy Tobin has attracted great staff and guest instructors: Learn about Indian fusion cuisine from Cumin owner Yajan Upadhyaya or have Daveed’s chef and owner David Cook show you how to tangle with tapas. Hands-on classes are limited to eight, which ensures you’ll get the knack of truffle making, while up to 32 can kick back and watch demonstration classes, where someone else whips up a prime rib dinner. It’s the perfect hangover cure.

Rec Center: Silverlake Family Recreation Center

301 Kenton Lands Rd., Erlanger, (859) 426-7777, www.go2silverlake.com
What makes Silverlake Family Recreation Center special is the “family” part. The 70,000-square-foot facility offers everything from an Olympic-size pool to warm water hydrotherapy for Granny. The facility’s membership has exploded in the past few years (a $5 million members-only outdoor water park opens in ’08), in part because children’s fitness programs have taken off. The idea is to engage kids while Mom and Dad are pumping iron, so the whole clan gets in shape. It’s “fit-tainment,” says membership director Camille DeVita. “Some families go to the mall on weekends for entertainment. And some spend hours here.”

Tango Lessons: Tango Del Barrio

4046 Hamilton Ave., Northside, (513) 591-0019
Seductive. Sensual. Sophisticated. Sorrowful. Combining the music and choreography of European waltzes, mazurkas, and polkas with African rhythms and the angst born in the port cities of 19th century South America, the tango is called many things, but rarely just a “dance.” Teacher Michael Wizer of Tango Del Barrio in Northside has been teaching the tango and hosting milongas (social dances) here for the past six years. The dances attract participants who transcend age, race, and class. “The tango is transformative. It teaches you that to get tangled up is part of life; you just move beyond it,” says Wizer as he leans into his dance partner and they begin to glide effortlessly across the floor, an intricate puzzle of four feet with the intuition of one heart.

Fall Hike: Fort Ancient State Memorial

6123 State Route 350, Oregonia, (513) 932-4421
A couple millennia ago, the prehistoric people who lugged dirt to build the earthworks at Fort Ancient State Memorial might have been too tired to appreciate the site’s commanding view of the Little Miami Valley. Today, it makes a fabulous afternoon of brisk, breezy autumn rambling, with three and a half miles of trails, beautiful vistas, and a museum filled with ancient artifacts. The park is closed November through March except for an annual winter hike held in January. Hardy souls should call to make reservations.

River Paddle: Ohio River Way Paddlefest

www.ohioriverway.org
For seven years, the two-day Ohio River Way Paddlefest has brought 1,500 paddlers and another 2,500 visitors on foot to enjoy our greatest liquid asset. During the fest, the river is closed to powerboats and barges, which leaves ample room for the cheery flotilla to stretch from bank to bank. Next year participants will drift, float, or race to the Public Landing from a new starting location—Coney Island. Organizers hope to incorporate a biking event into the frenzy. Whether you paddle or pedal, it’s all down river.

Best Sledding Hills

Winter thrill rides, not for the faint of heart.

Mt. Storm Park

660 Lafayette St., Clifton
With its two hills sloping into one another like a big bowl, this is a favorite winter hangout for local teenagers and university students. You’ll often see the daredevil riders building snow ramps to get airborne.

Rapid Run Park

4450 Rapid Run Parkway, West Price Hill
When the reflecting pond freezes over, one steep incline feeds you right on to the ice and shoots you all the way across the surface. Watch out for the ice skaters!

Ronald Reagan Voice of Freedom Park

7850 VOA Park Dr., West Chester
A huge, 65-foot hill created from the excavation of the 35 acre lake, the descent is wide, long, and mostly contoured for a smooth ride, with a few bunny hills to keep it interesting. Good news: There’s a safety fence at the bottom.

Perfect North Slopes

19074 Perfect Lane, Lawrenceburg, (513) 381-7517
It’s always winter here, with a 24-lane tube park of man-made snow. Your $23 includes tube rental, two hours of tubing, and use of the lift—a moving sidewalk that takes you back to the top of the 750-foot run. Lanes have different pitch and roll to vary your ride.

Devou Park

1600 Montague Rd., Covington, (859) 292-2151
On the few good snow days, this scenic park with its rolling hills attracts crowds of families near the band shell area. The slopes are steep and tend to get icy, so several areas are restricted for safety.

Ravine Street

Clifton Heights
OK, so this isn’t an official designated spot, but if you’re familiar with the incline, you know the city closes it to traffic regularly throughout inclement winter weather. When they do, out come the sleds and discs. As one resident explained, “It is so steep and fast, I can’t believe we still have all our limbs and teeth!” Us either

Illustration by Sasha Barr

Services

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:12:00 GMT

Trim Work: Fisher-Griffin Co. Auto Upholstering

1130 William Howard Taft Rd., Walnut Hills, (513) 961-2110
When horse-drawn buggies traversed these Seven Hills, Gus Fisher, grandfather of current co-owner Whitney “Whit” Fisher, started the Fisher-Griffin Co. Today, the artistry of the 10 to 12 technicians doing trim work (the repair and replacement of convertible tops and upholstery) is evident in the range of cars in the lot on any given day: a BMW Z4 M Roadster next to a 1956 Corvette next to a Chrysler Sebring or a vintage Chevrolet. Whit says his shop—America’s fourth oldest—doesn’t have an “average customer” and fixes convertible tops “from Rolls Royces on down to Volkswagens.”

Dog Groomer: Paw’s Palace

7339 Montgomery Rd., Silverton, (513) 791-7297
Beth Ferrarelli, owner of Paw’s Palace in Silverton, believes every dog deserves its spa day. A typical three- to four-hour visit consists of a bath (there’s a choice of oatmeal, eucalyptus, or perfumed shampoos), blow dry, cut, comb, fluff, toenail clipping, and lots of TLC. Plus there’s a drying room for canines that freak at the sound of the hair dryer. Prices vary with the services and size of the dog, but everybody gets to fraternize with Josie, the resident poodle, whose perfectly coiffed body is a walking ad for Ferrarelli’s talents.

Specialty Rug Cleaner: The Gfroerer Co.

2219 W. Clifton Ave., University Heights, (513) 241-4209
Your precious Oriental has a red wine stain. What to do? Call The Gfroerer Co., a family owned business that has been cleaning and repairing Cincinnati’s imported rugs and carpets for 117 years. How have six generations of Gfroerers (sounds like frayers) kept the business going? By blending cutting-edge technology with labor-intensive methods, such as cleaning fringe and sewing tears by hand. That’s a work ethic fit for any century.

Tool Rental: Schulhoff Equipment Rental

2709 Woodburn Ave., Walnut Hills, (513) 961-1122
The garden center has just dumped a truckload of mulch in the driveway, and now it’s up to you to spread it. Schulhoff Equipment Rental can fix you up with a Bobcat mini track loader and make sure that you know how to operate it before they turn over the keys. But that’s not all: Schulhoff can supply the equipment—from hand tools to an 11,000-pound excavator—for any indoor or outdoor project you’re brave enough to tackle. They even have a hardwood floor to practice on if you’re up for sanding your own.

Movers: Tom Carlton Movers

243 W. McMicken, Over-the-Rhine, (513) 579-0007
They’re on time, organized, über-careful with everything they touch, and respectful of their clients and each other. All characteristics that explain why Tom Carlton Movers has been transporting Greater Cincinnatians’ possessions for 44 years and have moved the majority of their customers more than once. Most of the company’s 14 employees have worked there for years, including office manager Bonnie Evans, who has logged 22 years on the job. “Tom and his sons Steve and Russ work just as hard as all the other guys,” Evans says. “I think that says a lot.” We do, too.

Post-Natal Workout: Revolution Fitness

4242 Ridge Rd., Oakley, (513) 272-2345
Fruit of the Looms may snap back wash after wash, but post-pregnancy low belly sag is a bitch to beat back. Thankfully, two classes at Revolution Fitness—Restore the Core and Mommymuscle Sculpt with Baby Weight—are specifically designed for the post-natal body. Restore the Core targets the transverse abdominus, the deep muscle tissue that stretches the most during pregnancy. Revolution owner (and mother of two) Mary Beth Knight developed the class after observing a caesarian delivery. In Mommymuscle Sculpt, moms wear junior in the carrier while doing squats, lunges, and standing hamstring curls, and working resistance tubes. “Moms love it because they don’t feel guilty leaving baby behind and it gives them community,” says Knight.

Musicians’ Exchange: CityBeat’s free online classifieds

www.cincinnati.backpage.com/musician/classifieds
Whether you’re a new age worship band looking for a drummer (“PROS ONLY! Pro gear, talent, and stage presence a must!”), or a Queensrÿche cover band looking for a Marshall stack amp, the Musician’s Exchange section in CityBeat’s free online classifieds is where it’s at. CityBeat was one of the first to offer online classifieds and has since developed a simple and efficient system that attracts dozens of new ads each week. So don’t ya cry no more, Mr. Experienced, Mature Bass Player Seeking Classic Rock Band—there’ll be peace when you are done searching their Web site.

Doggy Day Care: Camp Bow Wow

4955 Creek Rd., Blue Ash, (513) 745-9850
Want your pooch running with the right crowd? Pack him off to Camp Bow Wow. The day and overnight kennel accepts only dogs that are neutered or spayed, healthy, immunized, and socialized. Pups as young as 4 months are welcome and there’s a “senior lounge” for the elderly. Campers romp in size- and temperament-appropriate playgroups attended by first aid–trained employees. If your dog is too young for camp, there’s puppy socialization class on Tuesday nights. Imagine a room filled with 10-week-old yappers. Says Camp Bow Wow owner Carol Neckel, “It’s a lot of fun.”

Spa Therapy: Prenatal Massage at SIA Spa

8127 Montgomery Rd., Kenwood, (513) 985-0777
The owners and managers of SIA Spa are so dedicated to providing true Ayurvedic therapies to their clients that they sent half of their massage therapists to India for a five-week training course. It worked. After dispatching our achy, bloated, pregnant reporter to seek the best therapeutic treatment she could find, her prenatal massage at SIA Spa left her nearly speechless. From the lavish turquoise, wood, water, and bamboo interiors to the plush robes and slippers to the actual massage (by a certified prenatal massage therapist), our reporter temporarily forgot the aches and pains generated by the growing baby jostling for real estate inside her. No easy task, to be sure.

Pet Sitter: The Dapper Dog Sitter

College Hill, (513) 591-0107
Want to keep your pets from peeing on your carpets or up-ending garbage cans in retaliation for being left alone for hours on end? Marilyn Dapper’s The Dapper Dog Sitter will pay 30-minute visits—with a daily minimum of two—to your home to feed, walk, and play with your pets while you’re working that 10-hour day or off on a four-day weekend. If all you got from the kennel is fleas (or if your animals need some surrogate lovin’), then the human contact of The Dapper Dog Sitter will go a long way. “I find that people who really care about their pets are gonna have pet sitters,” says Dapper, in business four years. Dapper lives in College Hill and contains her business to a five-mile radius of the intersection of Hamilton Avenue and North Bend Road, but she will assess a nominal fee for pet owners outside the range.

Rehearsal Dinner Site: La Petite Pierre

7800 Camargo Rd., Madeira, (513) 527-4909
Now that Michele Adrian Vollman and Suzy Adrian deYoung seem to be catering half the elegant events in the city, their charming restaurant, La Petite Pierre, is no longer open for romantic dinners. But you can still book the cozy, candlelit room for private parties and customize a meal from Alsace-trained chef Suzy’s menu of seasonal foods and carefully-crafted dishes. With just 46 seats, it’s the perfect size for a night to remember.

Couture Alterations: Mary Wright

(513) 252-1169
It happens: you find the perfect Prada, but it’s in a slightly imperfect size, and you don’t want to trust your treasure to any old stitcher. Mary Wright is the go-to expert for intricate alterations. An adjunct faculty member who teaches design construction at UC’s College of Fashion Design, Wright knows garment construction inside and out. Short-waisted? Long-waisted? Broad through the rear? She’ll tell you what’s possible—and what isn’t—if a garment needs adjustment, so that even your off-the-rack purchase will look like it was made for you.

Custom Car Detailing: MV Automotive

4875 Mulhauser Rd., West Chester, (513) 860-4454
Imagine driving down the street and seeing a ’72 Cutlass with iridescent paint that changes colors when the light hits just right. No, you aren’t in an episode of MTV’s Pimp My Ride, but you probably have Matt Volle to thank for the eye candy. The owner of MV Automotive in West Chester, Volle has been doing custom paint jobs for seven years. Want racing stripes on your Civic? How about flames on your Suburban? (A custom job will run you $1,000 to $10,000.) Volley, who received master technician status through the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (it’s like graduate school for mechanics), can even build a car from scratch. All Xzibit does is host.

Outdoor Wedding Site: Peterloon Estate

8605 Hopewell Rd., Indian Hill, (513) 791-7600
If you want your wedding to be a natural wonder, consider hosting the festivities at Peterloon. The 72-acre estate was originally home to developer John J. Emery (see Carew Tower) and his wife Irene, but now provides nonprofit organizations with a space to hold events. As luck would have it, they do weddings and receptions, too. Matt Feldman, director of Peterloon Foundation, says the boxwood garden next to the east wing is a popular spot with brides. Maybe they’re charmed by the architectural details—like the stone snails that sit atop the east wing’s wall—or the fact that their ceremony will be one of only a handful held each year on the grounds.

Eyebrow Wax: Nicole Robinson

Christophermarcus Salon, 2729 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, (513) 321-4271
Nicole Robinson has tattoos. Several of them. She wears clunky black shoes, miniskirts, and tops whimsical in the way that Nancy Spungen’s tops were whimsical—meaning, not really. She’s going to hurt you and you know it, but it’s necessary. She’s your eyebrow dominatrix and you like it when it hurts so good. Because when she’s done smearing piping-hot wax across your unruly brows, and pressing and yanking off the small squares of paper that affix to the wax and snatch out your hairs, she’ll tidy up your under brows and eliminate your unibrow with the annoying pluck, pluck...OUCH! of the tweezers. You will emerge from the Christophermarcus Salon with positively face-changing eyebrows. Be prepared: Your friends will ask you where you got them done. Don’t be afraid. Share the pain.

Art Framer: Carteaux & Leslie

921 Vine St., downtown, (513) 721-9555
Framing art is an emotional experience requiring balance and vision, like fixing up two good friends. Good thing Tim Leslie of book, art, and frame shop Carteaux & Leslie works according to the pleasure principle. “I’m a classic Libra,” says Leslie. “I like to satisfy people. When they get things back and they really love it, it makes my day.” With 22 years of framing experience, including an apprenticeship with the Sande Webster Gallery in Philadelphia, Leslie can help you decide between “old school” framing with French matting and marble papers, or the drama of shadowboxes, or the simplicity of wood frames, some of which have the patina of heirlooms. He spent a decade running the framing department at Prince Reproductions until 2004 when bookseller Scott Carto, whose art he’d been framing, suggested a merger. The result is the ideal framework.

Computer Repair
Mac: Élan Technologies

8016 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Twp. (513) 474-5004

PC: DR Micro

1698 Chase Ave., Northside, (513) 861-4622
So, the bits have hit the fan? Before you toss it out the window, call the computer gurus. The Apple Store sends Mac users to Élan Technologies, based in a former church in Northside (a stained glass Jesus oversees their conference table). Installation, upgrades, quick warranty repairs, training, and consulting are available from residential to corporate. They’ll even drop by to show you how to use your iMovie. DR Micro repairs most PCs in less than 48 hours, and they come to you. Owner Doug Neiheisel also hosts a weekly radio show on FM 96.5 called—what else?—Geek Talk.

Vintage Car Rental: A Bee Limousine

(513) 336-8108, www.abeelimo.com
If your idea of romantic wedding transportation is piling into a stretch Hummer with two dozen of your best friends and enough liquor for an Irish wake, well, fine. But if you and your beloved desire more grace, there’s The Queen Bee from A Bee Limousine in Mason: a 1939 Cadillac Fleetwood, bluer than Sinatra’s eyes, with whitewalls and plush upholstery. The car is a registered historic vehicle that even has the original radio with WLW and WSAI on the tuning buttons. It’s popular with brides and grooms and “occasional theme parties,” says general manager Shelly Letterbie. And no matter where you’re going, it takes you back.

Body Piercing: Acme Body Piercing and Tattoo

2703 Vine St., Corryville (513) 559-1664
Acme Body Piercing and Tattoo feels sterile the way a doctor’s office does. OK, a really edgy doctor’s office, maybe. And we like that. Twelve years ago, before owner Cannon Miller started piercing, he traveled to San Francisco to attend body piercing intensives from the legendary Fakir Musafar, who has more than 40 years of experience in the body arts. Since then he has poked holes in people’s nostrils, upper lip (labret), tongue, belly button, and even more extreme locales (does Prince Albert ring a bell?). “I like the idea of adorning yourself without the permanence of a tattoo, but you have to be careful. There is no license or certification for body piercing,” says Miller, who has seven piercings himself. “I sleep better knowing that I’m doing everything on the up and up.” So do we.

Exercise Routine: PoleKittens Fitness

2703 Vine St,. Corryville, (513) 559-1665
“I Know What Boys Like” by The Waitresses provides the soundtrack as Stephanie proceeds through a routine consisting of maneuvers with names like “Bow and Arrow,” “Faith Spin,” “Rocking Horse,” and “Flying V” while four other women cheer her on. But instead of a balance beam the equipment is a floor-to-ceiling pole. Sultry, yes, but these women are shedding inches and inhibitions instead of clothes through a full body workout that combines elements of dance and strength training while gaining flexibility, balance, and self-confidence. With a dozen classes behind her, Stephanie—who indeed moves with the agility of a cat—has acquired significant upper body and core strength, poise, and motivation amid this girls club of sweat and sass. All that and inner thighs with the grip of a pit bull.

Best Manicures

Mani-Tour

Four neighborhoods, four manicures, 10 great-looking nails.

Spa de da

8315 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Twp., (513) 474-8000
Color: Malaga Wine from OPI. This brand is a spa favorite, known for its clever color names. Base coat: This four-year-old full-service (hair, nails, facials, massage) salon is a purple and earth-toned oasis in the middle of a strip mall. Zoya colors also available. Thumbs Up For: The convenient ring holder. We don’t like leaving our rings on the table.

Tanya’s Image and Wellness Salon

2883 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills, (859) 578-9400
Color: Sasha, from Zoya, a line of toluene-, formaldehyde-, and DPB-free polish; no surprise in an Aveda salon. Base coat: You can’t beat Aveda products, and when you’re done getting pampered, you can stroll through Crestview Hills Town Center and show off your new hands. Thumbs Up For: The warm-towel wrap that goes over a coat of Aveda hydrating masque. It feels divine.

Alverno Salon & Spa

5169 Mt. Alverno Rd., Delhi, (513) 451-9170
Color: Chocolate Moose, OPI Base coat: An oasis of contemporary design—blond wood panels, curved cabinets, sleek styling stations—hidden in the Del Fair Shopping Center. Thumbs Up For: The comfy Herman Miller Caper chair.

Bajon Salon & Spa

6072 West Chester Rd., West Chester, (513) 874-9999
Color: Grand Central Carnation, OPI Base coat: Spacious and comfortable, this salon uses a line of haircare products called Sozo, developed by owner Karen Welch and her husband. Also carries Madras 641, a line of fun, funky clothing created by a Fairfield mom. Thumbs Up For: The nail dryer. No dings in the polish

Illustration by Sasha Barr