City Guide

Riding the Rails

Evan Wallis — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

If you haven’t visited a rails-to-trails project, then you’re missing out on one of our country’s great conservation success stories. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has been a moving force in transforming some 20,000 miles of disused rail line into paths for cycling, walking, and even horseback riding, and there are dozens of trails in Ohio alone. Cincinnati may someday get its own rails-to-trails recreational path—the controversial Wasson Way Project—but in the meantime, we recommend a jaunt on one of these established trails.

Great Miami River Trail
The Great Miami River Trail meanders along the eponymous river through heavily wooded areas, open fields, and small towns. The best section of the trail is the 63 continuous miles from Franklin to Piqua. There is plenty to see along the way, especially for avid transportation historians (read: plane geeks). Just north of Dayton is the small town of Troy, home to WACO Airfield, an historic airplane factory, and WACO Air Museum, which houses a stash of vintage planes and displays. You can also see a bit of Miami and Erie Canal history while you’re at it: Right off the path sits a stone culvert (that’s a fancy term for a big drain pipe), which was built in 1837 as part of the storied waterway.

With plenty of attractions and places to stay in Dayton, making a weekend trip along the trail is easy. A must-see destination is Carillon Park, which immerses visitors in Dayton’s aviation history and houses the original 1905 Wright Flyer III. The Great Miami River Trail ends in Piqua, with its Hotel Fort Piqua, an enormous 1891 building with a sandstone exterior festooned by intricate gargoyle carvings.

Prairie Grass Trail
Clark County’s Prairie Grass Trail is a 29-mile section of the Ohio to Erie Trail, an ambitious plan to link rail-to-trail segments from downtown Cincinnati to Lake Erie. Heading south from the trailhead in London, Ohio, Prairie Grass cuts through vast farm fields filled with corn and soybeans. It’s a comparatively easy ride, but prepare for heavy sun exposure—this trail offers very little tree cover.
Get some relief in South Charleston’s tiny museum, which displays historic memorabilia from the town in an 1879 train station. Once you hit mile marker 29 in Xenia, calling it a day is an option. But the adventurous can continue riding on three different trails: The Creekside Trail runs 15 miles to Dayton, the Little Miami Scenic Trail goes north 10 miles to the quirky town of Yellow Springs, and the Xenia-Jamestown Connector is 11 miles to Jamestown, which passes Skydive Greene County. Don’t forget to look up; you may see some folks flying through the air.

Holmes County Trail
Get away from it all (or most of it, anyway) on this rural trail that goes deep into the heart of Ohio’s charming Amish country. Claiming to be the first trail in the nation built to accommodate horse-drawn buggies, the Holmes County Trail starts in Fredericksburg and finishes 15 miles south in Killbuck. This section of the Ohio to Erie Trail runs right through Millersburg, an historic Amish town. Stop off and visit the Victorian House Museum, a 28-room Queen Anne–style home that is on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum houses a large collection of Victoriana as well as a catalog of the Amish community’s rich history in Holmes County. The trail continues south through heavily wooded areas where riders can travel alongside horse-drawn buggies. Just make sure not to spook the horses.

Cardinal Greenways
Indiana’s largest rails-to-trail path runs 62 miles north from Richmond to Marion and is a section of the American Discovery Trail, a 6,000-mile, coast-to-coast cycling highway. Start northwest of Cincinnati in Richmond and journey through the small towns of Economy and Webster before reaching Muncie, the home of Ball State University. Muncie provides a good midpoint on this longer trek; refuel at The Island Muncie, a unique tropical-style eatery just off the greenway that serves up fruit smoothies and ice cream. Continue north through the Indiana countryside and stop over in Marion, birthplace of Hollywood icon James Dean and Garfield creator Jim Davis (you can even see a few larger-than-life Garfield statues in downtown Marion). After reaching the end of the Cardinal Greenways, finish up with a short three-mile trek on the Sweetser Switch Trail. There, in a hilarious juxtaposition of old and new, you’ll find another Garfield statue situated next to a retired train car. Celebrate your ambitious ride by posing for a photo with that famously lazy (and fat) cat.

Photograph courtesy Waco Historical Society.
Originally published in the May 2013 issue.

Long Weekend: Nashville, Indiana

Rachael Harris — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:19:00 GMT

Which came first: Nashville, Indiana’s name or its diehard love of all things country? The world may never know. But this cozy town doesn’t seem to care either way, and embraces its nickname, “Little Nashville.” Located in southern Indiana about a half hour from Bloomington, Nashville was previously known for the Little Nashville Opry, which hosted stars such as Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Toby Keith, and Emmylou Harris before the building tragically burned to the ground in 2009. The disaster cut deep, but Nashville stayed true to its countrified personality and remains a perfect family-friendly getaway.

Song and Dance
According to folks on the ground, the Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival is one of the world’s oldest. Bill Monroe, otherwise known as the “Father of Bluegrass,” began recording in Indiana in the 1930s and started the Bean Blossom festival in 1966 to capitalize on the country’s folk revival. This year (June 8–15) is the event’s 47th birthday, and organizers will celebrate with more than 50 bands, instrument workshops, and a kiddie bluegrass camp.

Just five miles north of Nashville is the Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Country Star Museum, started in 1984 by Monroe himself to memorialize country’s most enduring stars. The museum features everything from self-guided tours to instruments to memorabilia donated by country legends like Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash.

Maybe the best part about country music is dancing to it. And some dance barns are still kicking, including Mike’s Music and Dance Barn, located between Bloomington and Nashville. Not only can the whole family try out line dancing that goes beyond the “Electric Slide” (note to America: please stop doing the “Electric Slide”), but Mike Robertson and his saxophone fronts the house Smooth Country Band for weekly shows.

Brown County Playhouse—home to the inaugural Brown County Music Awards, held in March, and the second annual Finger-Style Guitar Competition (July 27)—is a small but mighty show venue. See everything from Nashville Dance Studio’s take on The Wizard of Oz (May 23 & 24) to a John Denver tribute Concert (June 22) and a rare performance by Texas-based cult-favorite folk musician Bob Cheevers (June 29).

The Great Outdoors
Located at Nashville’s Valley Branch Retreat, the 1,000-acre eXplore Brown County retreat ranch is basically an adrenaline-themed Disneyland. Hop on one of their 14 zip lines, which range in difficulty from beginner (the “Bunny Run”) to advanced (the “Screamer,” so named because it’s Indiana’s fastest). And for those who enjoy hurtling through darkness, eXplore also offers nighttime zip line tours. Paintball fields are available for more hawkish visitors, or you can explore graveyards, pioneer homes, and Indian campgrounds from the late 1800s on an ATV tour. And when you’re finally tuckered out from all that extreme awesomeness, settle in for the night at one of the Retreat’s rustic cabins.

For a slightly more genteel activity, try horseback riding at Rawhide Ranch, a family-friendly hotel and barn in the middle of Brown County. The ranch is a full-service family fun emporium, offering hayrides, fishing, and geocaching—a real-world treasure hunt using GPS coordinates. Sleep in one of the ranch houses or inn rooms, or—if you’re extra adventurous (or curious)—bed down in Tipi Village, a campground with lodges “styled after the Sioux design.” Each tipi sleeps eight—just make sure that you actually like your family.

Eat Right
After your exhausting day of thrilling activities (or terrifying activities, as the case may be), grab a bite to eat at Muddy Boots Café, known for its from-scratch dishes (including an all-day breakfast menu), live music every night of the week from March through December, and unique artwork created by the employees themselves. Order up a chicken artichoke wrap, salmon burger, or BBQ pulled pork sandwich, and don’t leave without trying a glass of lavender lemonade. The kids’ menu has small-fry favorites like mac-and-cheese, pasta marinara, cheese quesadilla, and that old standby, PB&J.

Originally published in the April 2013 issue
Photograph courtesy eXplore Brown County

Movie Magic

Erin Prus — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

So you’re ready to take your passion for film on the road this year. Guess what? You don’t need to travel to Utah to do it. Stick to the Midwest for a year-round schedule of entertaining film festivals (one of which is the nation’s longest-running) that will intrigue the most discerning movie buff.

Kentucky
Weighing in with our favorite fest title is Louisville’s Flyover Film Festival, now in its fifth year and slated for June 11–16. The Flyover concocts a mix of old and new, contemporary and classic, offering some of today’s best indie features, documentaries, and internationally acclaimed hits. Incorporating local talent alongside nationally recognized directors and artists, the Flyover Film Festival homes in on the idea that good art is available—and being created—everywhere.

If you’re up for a last-minute trip, hurry to take in the 15th Annual One World Film Festival in Lexington, through March 14. Established in 1998 as a nonprofit organization, One World came up with a novel gimmick: free film screenings in historic Lexington venues.

Indiana
Indianapolis reigns as the art hub of Indiana and boasts an array of film festivals to prove it. Since 2004, the Indianapolis International Film Festival, or “Indy Film Fest,” held July 18–28, champions the controversial and seeks to challenge dominant perspectives. This “deliciously scrappy, highly focused” festival grows a little more each year, and is independent-minded with an international pull. Another option is Indianapolis’s much-loved Heartland Film Festival, which has expanded to a 10-day event (October 17–26) that caters to filmgoers and artists of all ages and skill levels. Independent filmmaking is at the heart of this festival; create, shoot, and submit your own movie and you stand the chance of winning an award (or a cash prize). Heartland even offers special events for the younger filmmaking population, like a High School Film Competition category.

Covering a spectrum of compelling social topics, Indy’s LGBT Film Festival brings three days of screenings and events to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and Herron School of Art & Design, and is produced each November in collaboration with Indy Pride.

Ohio
The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) takes place April 3–14, and delivers a complete range of contemporary international filmmaking. Started in 1977, CIFF showcases more than 150 feature films and 130 short films (with some 60 countries represented) and has grown to more than 85,000 participants. Categories celebrate everything from women of the world to green-centered films to Israel and the Jewish diaspora. Add the FilmSlam—geared to high school students—and there’s something for everyone.

For another Ohio film hit, make the trip to the capital in November for a week-long international event. The Columbus Film Council presents the 61st annual Columbus International Film +Video Festival, the longest-running film festival in the United States. Before film festivals were de rigueur, a small group of academics established the CIF + VF to celebrate independent documentaries, which was a cutting-edge decision at the time. This competitive festival now offers 30-40 feature and short film screenings (from up to 800 submissions), as well as workshops led by the pros.

Columbus Film Council Executive Director Susan Halpern describes what sets CIF + VF apart: “We screen films that attendees won’t see anywhere else in the Midwest,” she says. “And we stay in touch with our audience by offering great films year-round.”

Pennsylvania
From March 21 through April 13, Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University will present and host its International Film Festival (CMU IFF), screening regional premieres of roughly 20 award-winning foreign films. The 2013 theme is “Faces of Media,” which explores the global media and its impact on society.

The CMU IFF is a full-city experience: Catch films at the university as well as various theaters across the city while stopping along the way to sample Pitt’s global cuisine. Experience what’s up-and-coming in student short films and take your festival experience to the next level by participating in discussions with directors, artists, academics, and other industry professionals.

This year, acclaimed directors are signed on to lead Q&A sessions and master classes. One is Scott Hamilton Kennedy, best known for his 2009 Academy Award–nominated film The Garden. Kennedy will be on hand to promote his latest film, Fame High, which follows Los Angeles County High School for the Arts students who want to fulfill their dreams of hitting the big time.

Photographs courtesy of One World Films
Originally published in the March 2013 issue

Intersection: Mt. Lookout Square

Marielle Murphy — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

The Dust Jacket
The Dust Jacket has exactly what a bookstore should have: shelves of books. And then some more books, lining the walls and anywhere else there’s room. From outside, the shop looks like it might be a tiny hole-in-the-wall, but once you walk inside it spirals back like a maze, packed with titles like The Works of Dickens and Mother Goose’s Melodies. In the age of the big box bookstore, this quirky, old-fashioned shop—complete with a giant jar of jelly beans at the register—is a breath of fresh air. 3200 Linwood Ave., (513) 871-4224

Stereo ADV
This place is the electronics version of an antique store. Speakers, CD players, DVD players, and turntables take up most of the shelf space and are stacked up high against the walls. While the shop is probably best known for its array of classic pieces for sale (and for refurbishing, realigning, and updating said pieces) they’re also very hip to the times—they can fix virtually any electronic device you bring in, and can even install state-of-the-art home theaters. And now that all the cool kids are spinning records again, Stereo ADV is the place to go for player sales, service, and repairs. 3199 Linwood Ave., (513) 321-0083

Annabel’s
With no more than 10 tiny tables on the floor, Annabel’s is cozy without feeling cramped. Maybe that’s because they only seat parties of five people or fewer. Or maybe it’s because everything tastes so good that you just don’t care about your proximity to others. The staff is genuinely knowledgeable about the menu and Annabel makes everything—right down to the house “honeycrunch” butter—herself. But our very favorite thing about this little place is that it serves breakfast all day. Because who doesn’t love afternoon pancakes? 1004 Delta Ave., (513) 417-8669

Lookout Joe/Mt. Lookout Coffee Roasters
Lookout Joe has been holding down the block in Mt. Lookout Square for more than 20 years (the coffee roasting business was formerly known as Blue Mountain Coffee). And while the independent coffeehouse is best known for its brew, it isn’t just your average takeout shop either. Pick up custom-labeled bags, arrange wholesale and office coffee, and check out their catering and home roasting options. The service is fast and there are drinks and treats aplenty. Take that, Starbucks. 3181 Linwood Ave., (513) 871-8626

The Giftbox
This colorful store is bursting at the seams. From old-fashioned candy (think wax bottles, candy buttons) and kiddie puzzles to Vera Bradley bags and DaVinci charm beads, you’d be hard-pressed not to find a gift for the tchotchke-lover in your life. There is an array of Cincinnati sports team souvenirs, fancy picture frames, and girly items like painted wine glasses. In fact, every Friday and Saturday the shop holds a wine tasting event. Don’t worry; you can buy bottles of wine as well. 1030 Delta Ave., (513) 533-1848

Boardwalk Hobby Shop
Looking for a model airplane? A special version of Monopoly? A 2,000-piece puzzle? Boardwalk Hobby Shop has all that and more. Find classic board games like Sorry!, Operation, and Mystery Date, plus rows of puzzles, toy cars, assembly and model kits, card games, miniature army men and militaria, and yo-yos. The shop is perfect for a rainy day shopping spree, but we wouldn’t recommend waiting for one to check it out—you’ll want to try out that rubber band-powered airplane. 1032 Delta Ave., (513) 871-2110

Cha Cha’s
What you might know about Cha Cha’s is that it’s a funky little boutique filled with jewelry and clothes for women of all ages. What you might not know is that it is also an art gallery; almost all of the colorful artwork seen hanging on the burlap-covered walls is for sale, and even some of the furniture. Between the sparkly jewelry, leather purses, faux fur coats and boot warmers, Big Star jeans, handmade belts, and monogrammed rain boots, Cha Cha’s will fulfill all your girly and gifty needs. 3156 Linwood Ave., (513) 823-9100

Photographs by Brittany Dexter
Originally published in the March 2013 issue

Long Weekend: Goodyear, Arizona

Liz Bronson Rosenau — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:34:00 GMT

When the Reds packed up the bats and Gapper’s giant jersey for the move to a new spring training facility in Goodyear, Arizona, back in 2010, some fans cried foul: “It’s too far away!” Others shrugged: “Baseball in the desert? Meh.” And a dedicated few had a different gripe: “But my grandma lives in Sarasota! Where will I stay for free?”

Three years later, there are still some holdouts who can’t fathom the preseason without the sandy beaches and gulf breezes of Central Florida. But as a former ’Zonie and proud Cincinnatian, I can confidently say that the beautiful surroundings and warm, dry weather (average March rainfall for nearby Phoenix is a solitary inch) are only the beginning of what’s great about Goodyear. To anyone left who is still pining for the old days, let me tell you: Spring baseball in the Grand Canyon State is a wonderful thing.

Where to Stay
Situated in suburbia (imagine West Chester retiring from its hustle and bustle and becoming an active adult community), Goodyear is about 25 minutes west of downtown Phoenix. Want to stay close to the ballpark? Choose from any of a number of affordable chain motels or splurge on The Wigwam ($300 per night), a historic resort in nearby Litchfield Park. The 80-year-old property has a real Southwestern feel, with its adobe and timber casitas and landscaping that features both palm trees and cacti.

If you don’t mind a half-hour drive to the games each day, the Clarendon Hotel downtown (under $200 per night) offers chic lodging—we love the pool’s colorful tiles—that’s close to nightlife options and walking distance to Phoenix’s Valley Metro light rail lines. Traffic can be a little gnarly on the freeways, so factor in a little extra time to get from A to B.

The Games
Goodyear Ballpark is shared by the Reds and Cleveland Indians. There’s a lot to see and eat at the 10,000-seat park—including a Skyline Chili stand—so show up early. (Don’t forget the sunscreen and bottled water. It really is a dry heat!)

With beautiful mountain views, you may get distracted from what’s happening on the field, but you will see stars like Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, and Bronson Arroyo play at least a few innings.

Goodyear juxtaposes major league talent in a minor league setting: there’s not a bad seat in the entire place, but you can still catch a fly ball off Joey Votto’s bat.

There are 15 teams in the Cactus League, and all of them are based in the Phoenix metro area. That makes it easy to see other ball clubs, including the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Francisco Giants. You can catch the Redlegs in Goodyear or follow them to away games in Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, and downtown Phoenix. The Cactus League website has a trip planner that you can use to create your itinerary.

Eat & Drink
Nothing beats a ballpark hot dog, but for those with an appetite for something a little less tube-shaped, The Parlor Pizzeria has outstanding wood-fired pizzas topped with house-made sausage and cheeses. In case you doubt, Food Network Magazine dubbed this the best pizza in Arizona in 2011. Go classic (the pepperoni, mozzarella, and basil is to die for) or off the beaten path (the Yukon Gold sports potatoes, pancetta, leeks, and gorgonzola), and wash it all down with a cool craft cocktail or draft microbrew.

For breakfast, skip the trendy spots with hour-long waits and head to The Good Egg. With 15 locations in the Phoenix area, there’s sure to be one nearby. Plus, their omelettes and pancakes are just as good without the hipster hype.

A visit to Arizona wouldn’t be complete without a stop for some great Mexican food. It’s hard to go wrong—a good taco can be found just about anywhere —but Macayo’s, a family-owned chain of restaurants with several locations throughout greater Phoenix, is a good bet.

Stuff to Do
When you’re not rooting on the Reds, lace up your hiking shoes and hit the trails: South Mountain Park has great views and is only about 10 minutes away from the airport. The Kiwanis Trail will give you an introduction to desert mountain hiking.

If the kids need to burn off some energy before heading to the game, Avondale Friendship Park is located just a few minutes from the ballpark and has playgrounds, picnic areas, walking paths, and tennis courts—and a Japanese garden, for a little quiet time. Phoenix is known as a golfer’s paradise, and there are plenty of courses to play in the area, including TPC Scottsdale, home of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. (That’s the tournament where the 16th hole is called “The Coliseum,” and the spectators hoot and holler like it’s a football game.)

Have an extra day on your hands? Head an hour and a half down I-10 to Tucson. Take an afternoon to hike Sabino Canyon, in the eastern foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountain range. Exercise your shopping muscles at La Encantada, where you can find everything from Crate & Barrel to Victoria’s Secret, then rest your legs with a margarita and a dinner of carne seca—Angus beef that’s been dried, marinated, and grilled—at El Charro, which has been serving up this specialty since 1922.

Before you head out on the last plane to Cincinnati, breathe in the desert air and take a mental picture of the mountains dotted with Saguaro cactus. It’s not Sarasota, but you might like it that way.

Cleveland transplant and current Phoenician Heather Hudson contributed to this story.

Photograph courtesy Goodyear Ballpark
Originally published in the February 2013 issue

Grand Tour

Tyler Moss — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Cincinnati has museums enough for a whole season of gallery hopping. But if you’re in the mood for an impressive out-of-town exhibit, many of the region’s top art museums are displaying their hottest shows of the year—just in time for cold-weather crowds.

Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland
A giant block of black stainless steel stands in Cleveland’s University Circle, mirroring the movements of local art enthusiasts as they shuffle in and out of the shiny structure. Newly opened last October (after moving from its former home a few blocks away), the solid-black Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland is a tourist attraction unto itself, and is the first building in the United States to be designed by prestigious London-based architect Farshid Moussavi.

The museum’s inaugural exhibit, Inside Out and From the Ground Up (through February 24), invites patrons to play with space and perspective. From vast paintings to abstract physical structures to experimental film, it showcases the museum structure as both a stage for contemporary art and as a subject. A cornerstone of the exhibit is the sculpture Carambóxido, by Henrique Oliveira, which looks like a massive ruptured tree root bursting forth from the wall. Constructed from PVC, plywood, foam, and scrap metal, it allows museum visitors to experience the sights and smells of materials like oil, metal, and rubber—all of which are meant to represent Cleveland industry. A tip for Cincinnati travelers: Consider visiting on the first Saturday of the month when admission is free. Not bad for a few hours of visual vacation.

Toledo Museum of Art
Founded more than 100 years ago, the sprawling Toledo Museum of Art fills six different buildings with its collection. The unique design of each building represents a specific era of architecture, from the Greek-style marble-columned Main Museum to the Art Deco Professional Arts Building. The Glass Pavilion, which houses the museum’s collection of art glass—from ancient Near Eastern goddess pendants to Victorian-era cut glass—is itself made of more than 360 panels of solid glass, and received Travel & Leisure’s Design Award for Best Museum in 2007. More than 30,000 works of art are on display within the museum’s buildings, including American and European paintings, ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian works, Asian and African pieces, and medieval art.

Though its collection extends back to some of the earliest moments of human history, the TMA doesn’t forsake more contemporary works of art. The exhibition Made in Hollywood: Photographs from the John Kobal Foundation (through January 20) displays images from cinema’s golden age. These prints, plastered on newspapers, magazines, and movie posters, helped launch the career of many an award-winning actor. The exhibit showcases more than 90 photographs by the most sought-after shutterbugs in Hollywood from 1920 to 1960, and depicts silver-screen icons such as Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, and Humphrey Bogart.

Indianapolis Museum of Art
Whether you come to wander past the 50,000 works of art on display or walk the 100 acres of woodland, the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) is well worth a weekend trip. Suffragette May Wright Sewell and her Art Association of Indianapolis organized the inaugural exhibit in November 1883, and today it stands as the fifth largest general art museum in the country. The collection features art from a range of cultures and periods, and the accompanying Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park provides patrons with an urban oasis of woodlands, wetlands, lakes, and meadows—all interspersed with large-scale modern sculptures.

Fashion is usually confined to catwalks, but you can see it celebrated in the Gerald and Dorit Paul Galleries of the IMA. The exhibit An American Legacy: Norell, Blass, Halston, and Sprouse (through January 27) surveys the careers of Indiana designers Norman Norell, Bill Blass, Stephen Sprouse, and Roy Halston Frowick. Garments on display survey 50 years of fashion, from flower print frocks to elegant evening wear.

Andy Warhol Museum
Andy Warhol’s first formal training was through free classes at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. The city pays homage to the Pennsylvania native at The Andy Warhol Museum, located in the North Shore neighborhood. Established in 1994, The Warhol is the largest museum in the U.S. dedicated to an individual artist. Photographs, videos, sculptures, and prints from each of Warhol’s artistic periods plaster the museum walls, ranging from his work as a student to his more mature paintings of such celebrities as Liz Taylor and Elvis Presley. If you hurry, you may make it in time to see how Warhol toyed with tabloids in Warhol: Headlines (through January 6). The exhibition explores the artist’s “obsession with the sensational side of contemporary news media.”

Photograph courtesy Indianapolis Museum of Art, by Robert Muller.
Originally published in the January 2013 issue.

Long Weekend: Louisville

Erin Prus — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:20:00 GMT

Less than two hours away from downtown, our Ohio River sister city boasts a haven for food lovers, a burgeoning art scene, and that touch of Southern hospitality that we Midwesterners crave. While in the throes of a historic revitalization, Louisvillians have reimagined their city core and redesigned it as a rich destination—one that’s about much more than just a famous race.

The 21c Museum Hotel & Proof on Main
Beloved by Condé Nast Traveler, the 21c Museum Hotel been consistently championed for first-class food, boutique-style lodging, and contemporary art from around the globe.

Founded in 2006 by philanthropists and art collectors Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, this 90-room boutique hotel was designed by world-class New York architect Deborah Berke, who retrofitted a group of 19th-century tobacco and bourbon warehouses into a hotel and art gallery—all at once bringing a dynamic cultural scene to the city center.

Part of the 21c experience is a meal at Proof on Main. Swanky and inviting, the restaurant gives you the rare option of a bourbon flight before (or after) taking in art from world-renowned artists at the museum next door. With more than 50 brands of bourbon to choose from, Proof does right by its old Kentucky home. Louisville’s historic Seelbach Hotel may have inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Muhlbach Hotel” in The Great Gatsby (as well as the Seelbach cocktail), but his 21st-century self would surely stay at the 21c and belly-up to Proof on Main’s eclectic bar to drink a “New American” (Riverboat rye, ginger liqueur, and Aperol) or “Hard Thyme” (thyme-infused gin, lavender syrup, and club soda).

The Queen City will have its own mix of artwork and luxury soon enough, with the opening of the 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati later this year.

Louisville Dining
Horses have played an important role in the growth of Derby City, but lately food has taken the lead. Named one of the “best foodie getaways from around the world in 2012” by Zagat, Louisville boasts everything from fine dining to divey deliciousness.

You may have recently seen high-profile chefs Anthony Lamas of Latin restaurant Seviche and Edward Lee of contemporary Southern restaurant 610 Magnolia flexing their culinary muscles on national television. Both restaurants are located in the heart of “Old Louisville.” Try Lamas’s Kentucky bison empanadas or go for a three- or five-course seviche tasting. Or if you want something closer to Southern food, Lee’s squab breast with house sausage, sunchoke (sunflower) hash, and dandelion greens salad is charming and unexpected.

If you’re looking for a more low-key dining experience, Hammerheads is what every Louisville local is raving about. Go underground to Swan Street in the Highlands/Germantown corridor and look for the namesake hammerhead shark mascot. The menu of duck tacos, pulled pork sliders, and smoked cheddar grilled grit cake takes this dive up more than a few notches.

NuLu
The East Market District or “New Louisville” (NuLu) is to Louisville as Over-the-Rhine is to Cincinnati. Exploding over the last five years with an edgy, artistic ethos of urban-meets-sustainable, NuLu is now the “other” artistic hub next to Bardstown Road. Located about a mile from the urban center, you’ll find one of the largest collections of cast-iron- facade-clad buildings next to New York’s SoHo.

NuLu’s commitment to becoming the most sustainable neighborhood in America comes through in its eclectic shops and restaurants. With a vibrant food philosophy and practice, NuLu continues a tradition of “farm-to-table,” a concept that is practically a religion for locals.

One of the many fun and diverse stops on Market is Please & Thank You, a combination coffee and music shop that puts a new spin on an old concept. Jump-start your morning with a Mexican hot chocolate and a vegan My Morning Muffin, or grab a breakfast panini and check out the vinyl. If you’re into the music scene, Jim James from My Morning Jacket loves the place (hence the muffins). But Please & Thank You isn’t all muffins and granola: You can also pick up a slice of pumpkin chocolate chip loaf or Kentucky-inspired bourbon Rice Krispie treat.

After Hours
From speakeasies like MEAT in the new Butchertown district to hipster dives, Louisville has an impressive nightlife, including the Urban Bourbon Trail: 20 watering holes lining the Bardstown Road-Baxter Avenue stretch of the Highlands that each have at least 50 bourbon labels on offer.

Cool and classy, Bardstown Road has been a hub for culinary and artistic efforts. For a Shakespeare-inspired night out, check out The Bard’s Town, a bar and restaurant that is also a theatre. Or visit Garage Bar in NuLu for a selection of craft beers coupled with handmade wood-fired pizzas, all in a repurposed car repair garage. Striking a balance between grunge and gourmet, Garage Bar brings out Filetti and Country Ham pies to service the late-night New Louisville crowd.

In the middle of downtown Louisville, just a few blocks from NuLu, Hillbilly Tea brings a hipster vibe for brunch, lunch, or dinner. This trendy café boasts more than 16 organic gourmet teas and several tea-infused vodkas, plus plenty of bourbon-inspired “tea concoctions.” Like the city’s swanky new nightlife districts and inventive superchefs, Hillbilly Tea connects the dots from old Louisville to new.

Originally published in the December 2012 issue
Photograph by Magnus Lindqvist, courtesy 21c Museum Hotels

Time To Geek Out

Evan Wallis — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

You don’t have to travel far to see Egyptian mummies, explore deep space, or unearth a world of dinosaurs. All it takes is packing up the kids and spending a few hours on the open road to experience the region’s impressive stash of science-themed museums. They might just get something the classroom doesn’t always supply: fun.

COSI
COSI, or the Center of Science and Industry, was rated as the number one science center in the country by Parents magazine in 2008 (take that, Smithsonian). The massive downtown Columbus museum—organized by theme and filled with hundreds of exhibits—was designed by renowned architect Arata Isozaki and incorporates an old high school building. Channel your inner Indiana Jones in the Adventure section, which allows you to try your hand as an archaeologist by unearthing secrets in the Valley of the Unknown and navigating the Maze of Reason. Make sure to check out WOSU@COSI, a working public television and radio studio with its own green screen and studio. And don’t leave without trying the unicycle high wire, an 84-foot balancing act suspended two stories up (don‘t worry: you’re kept safe by a 250-pound counterweight). COSI even features rotating daily shows, including Japanese Black Hooded rats that play one-on-one ratsketball.

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
Usually, to visit a planetarium, zoo, and aquarium you’d have to do some serious traveling. Unless you’re going to Dayton, that is. The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is one of just four museums in the country that is also accredited as an official zoo, housing everything from Madagascar hissing cockroaches to a pair of river otters named Shiloh and Sushi. And instead of just looking from afar like at a normal zoo, you get to learn extra stuff about your favorite animals, such as why a skunk has its stripes (answer: to alert predators to their stink-producing skills). The museum also has a techy side: Jump into the Splash exhibit and learn all about water in the Miami Valley, from conservation to treatment to careers. Climb into the Mead Treehouse, an enclosed treehouse outside of the museum’s walls that’s perfect for bird watching. And get a little dose of ancient history when you visit Nesiur, the Egyptian mummy, in the African Room. As for Oscar Boonshoft Science Central, it’s a hands-on utopia. Draw, build, and then demolish a home, create some slime, or even make your own snow. From November 15 through 17, Boonshoft will host the Dayton Regional Science Festival, which will feature plenty of family friendly events celebrating technology, engineering, mathematics, and—you guessed it—science.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Atop the entrance to the world’s largest children’s museum is a statue of one of the animal kingdom’s largest creatures, the Brachiosaurus. Just inside, you’ll see the massive Fireworks of Glass sculpture, a 43-foot-tall tower made from 3,200 pieces of glass blown by world-famous artist Dale Chihuly. Then inside the Dinosphere exhibit, you can see Bucky the T. Rex and Kelsey the Triceratops and learn about the process of excavating fossils. Raising a budding scientist? Visit the Biotechnology Learning
Center, which features daily labs on everything from recycling to cell modeling. Through December, kids can build a car in the LEGO Travel Adventure or you can live vicariously through them as they hop on the life-size Lego Travel Adventure Vehicle.

Great Lakes Science Center
If space is your thing, Great Lakes Science Center is your place. At the NASA Glenn Visitor Center (part of the museum since 2010), you can get a look at John Glenn’s flight suit, view a shuttle landing simulator, and even see the Skylab 3 Command Module, which took three astronauts to the Skylab Space Station in 1973. And space stuff isn’t all you’ll see here: Go inside the 618-foot William G. Mather steamship and learn about Great Lakes shipping history or see Northeast Ohio’s first wind turbine and solar panel array, which when combined, supply a portion of the museum’s electricity. Through January 6, the Frogs exhibit displays more than 70 frogs and toads of 15 different species, including Poison Dart Frogs and Fire-bellied Toads. Explore how important they are to ecosystems and hear a cacophony of croaks and chirps.

Photographs courtesy The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Originally published in the November 2012 issue

Super Fuzz

Jonah Ogles — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:02:00 GMT

Looking at Steven Oder—long hair, longer sideburns—it’s no wonder he makes electric guitar pedals based on the sound made famous in the late 1960s and 1970s. Oder had used pedals while playing bass in local country rock group Frontier Folk Nebraska, but it was after he took a course in electronics at Northern Kentucky University in 2009 that he decided to make his own.

“I’ve always been a fan of fuzz,” he says, referring to the style of distortion made famous by the Rolling Stones in “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” After Keith Richards’ seminal riff overloaded America’s airwaves, guitarists started using pedals to alter their sound in a variety of ways: distortion, delays, echoes, and pedals that make a guitar sound like a robot. Oder, though, was drawn to fuzz. “I started with clones [of other pedals] and then kept asking, What if I added this?” he says. “I never bought kits. I wanted to force myself to come up with my own thing.”

Oder currently offers two pedals for mass sale. The Fuzz Drive varies from a smooth fuzz to a gritty overdrive reminiscent of the amplitude Jimi Hendrix created with his guitar. The Dirty Drive, meanwhile, has a subtle but edgy sound (think Keith Richards). Even more impressive, Oder wires and designs each one by hand. In an industry where most products are mass-produced and sold in big box stores, his attention to detail shines through in the place it matters most: the sound. For those about to rock, he salutes you.

Smoder Audio, smoderaudio.com, also available at: Shake It Records, 4156 Hamilton Ave., Northside, (513) 591-0123

Photograph by Ryan Kurtz
Originally published in the October 2012 issue

Pantry Raid

Evan Wallis — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 04:00:00 GMT

When Jay Ashmore and his wife, Pam, took over Dutch’s Pony Keg in East Hyde Park in 2007, they had a case each of Beck’s and Bud Light to sell, and that was about it. Five years later, Dutch’s Bar and Bottle Shop carries more than 700 beers, 200 wines, and runs eight constantly rotating taps that fuel patrons as they throw down on the ever-popular bocce court out back. But the Ashmores didn’t stop there. As a former regional beer rep for Stone Brewing Company, Jay has walked into a lot of bars, but none he liked more than Goose The Market, the bar-and-butcher shop in Indianapolis that smokes its own meats. He vowed that if he ever had the opportunity to turn Dutch’s into something similar, he would do it. That opportunity came when the Starbucks next door closed down in the fall of 2011.

Ashmore, who readily admits he doesn’t know much about food but knows what he likes, partnered with local chef Jim Cornwell to create an artisanal food market dubbed Dutch’s Larder. Stationed behind the well-stocked deli case, Cornwell serves up made-to-order sandwiches with housemade pork terrine or Smoking Goose’s pastrami (inspired by that Indy shop) along with soups, salads, and charcuterie boards, all of which are available for dine-in and carryout. The Larder also turns out pre-made sandwiches, risotto, gnocchi, raw hamburger, and veal chops, and carries a curated stash of pantry staples. All this, and bocce too.

Dutch’s Bar & Bottle Shop, 3378 Erie Ave., East Hyde Park; Dutch’s Larder, 3366 Erie Ave., East Hyde Park, (513) 871-1446

Photograph by Chris Smith
Originally published in the October 2012 issue