City Services

Best of the City 2013
470

SALON FREEBIE: PARLOUR DRINKS
At this Walnut Hills salon—which gives some of the coolest cuts in town—you’ll get a cocktail created by Ryan Santos of the pop-up dinner club Please. Choose a classic Manhattan or something more exotic: Santos likes to mix it up with fun new ingredients. salonparlour.com

MOTORCYCLE MECHANIC: LENNY KERKHOFF, AUTOBAHN CRAFTWERKS
Lenny Kerkhoff opened Autobahn Craftwerks 31 years ago. “It’s a labor of love,” he says. Over time it’s only gotten harder to find machine shops willing to make new parts for old bikes, underscoring that labor of love thing. No wonder customers keep coming back. (513) 591-2629

SPORTS LEAGUE: CINCINNATI SPORTS LEAGUES
CSL offers organized co-ed kickball leagues at Lunken Playfields and Washington Park, allowing you to finally relive the glory days of elementary school recess. And if your athlete days are long behind you, the sponsored happy hours offer a great alternative way to participate. gocsl.com

SHOOTING RANGE: POINT BLANK RANGE & GUN SHOP
If you’re going to shoot something, it’s best that the target be an inanimate object in a controlled environment. Point Blank in Blue Ash has you covered, offering 20 public shooting lanes where you can fire till the chamber empties. Employees are more than happy to instruct those with a novice trigger-finger, and there are plenty of great weekly specials, like Ladies’ Day on Tuesdays and Date Night on Friday evenings. shootpointblank.com

PIANO MOVERS: SMOOTH MOVES
Joe and Pat Cremeans didn’t make it as rock stars, but they still built a career around music as co-owners of Smooth Moves Piano Movers. The brothers have been moving pianos, organs, and grandfather clocks for 25 years. They rely on experience, padding, and dolleys, which have been used for more exotic cargo as well. “One of our old piano dolleys was used to transport [the alligator] Mighty Mike when he was at the Newport Aquarium,” says Joe. They also have a used piano business, which you can check out at cincyusedpianos.com. smoothmovespiano.com

WATER HEATER REPAIR: FLANAGAN’S SERVICE
Ever had a broken water heater? If you have, you probably know that almost nobody in town will repair it. Before you fork out for a new one, call Flanagan’s Service. This Aurora, Indiana–based specialist will not only make repairs, they’ll take it to the next level and—if it’s an easy fix, like a broken sensor—show you how to fix it yourself. Now that’s service! (513) 490-7785

BOUTONNIERES: MARTI’S FLORAL DESIGNS
The wedding bouquet—and the bride—usually get all the attention. But Marti’s Floral Designs turns out unusual, photo-worthy boutonnieres that place the groom center stage, pairing decidedly non-bridal plants like conifers, succulents, feathers, and berries with burlap twine, rope, and paper. martisfloraldesigns.com

FACIAL: THE VILLAGE SPA
A facial should be one part indulgence and one part upkeep, which is why The Village Spa does it best. Book with top-notch esthetician Lisa Wiles: She’ll set you up with a footbath, hunt you up the best magazines, and generally treat you like royalty. The only unpleasant moment is when she shines a high-powered light to diagnose your skin, but she then gets to work using aromatic steam, fancy Aveda products, and pressure point massage. It’s like yoga for your face. thevillagespasalon.com

BLOWOUT: CINCY ORGANIC STYLEBAR
Doing your own hair can be a real drag, what with all that drying and flat-ironing and curling—not to mention the arm soreness. And if you’re like most, the end result still feels…less-than. Cincy Organic Stylebar will ready your ’do for a party, date, or big important board meeting, and they’ll do it with a chipper attitude and super healthy organic hair products. cincystylebar.com

THRIFTY DRY CLEANER: ATLAS
For quick, quality dry cleaning at bargain prices, go independent. Atlas—inside the teal building south of the Levee, the one with the quips on the marquee—has been in the business for more than 60 years. Their friendly staff launders and alters garments on-site, and will usually rush orders at no extra charge. Our clothes always come back smelling fresh, with no trace of that nasty solvent odor. Put the plastic away: Pay with cash or check only. (859) 261-9745

ANTIQUE JEWELRY REPAIR: HEILEMAN & COMPANY
A diamond is forever, but the ring or broach or lavaliere it’s set in may not be. If you’ve inherited family jewels that badly need retooling—loose prongs, worn shanks, mangled bands—the jeweler’s bench at Heileman & Company has probably seen worse. The company has been crafting and restoring fine bling for the carriage trade since 1899, so—who knows?—they might have made Granny’s engagement ring in the first place! heileman.com

HOUSEHOLD HELP: BEST FRIEND ERRAND SERVICE
Full-time housekeepers are a thing of the past, but there’s one thing we could all use: extra hands. Sue Glew founded Best Friend Errand Service in 2005, in eight years she’s ventured into chocolate-bunny-delivering, school-supply shopping, repair company research, and more. bestfrienderrand.com

OVER-THE-TOP PET SERVICE: RED DOG PET RESORT & SPA
Surprised that Red Dog Pet Resort & Spa in Oakley has an actual red dog (a dyed poodle) roaming the premises? You shouldn’t be—Old Faithful could not be more over-the-top. Amenities at the daycare, boarding, and beauty facility have only just begun with a fun swim in a heated indoor pool ($25) and purified water ($3/day). There’s “personal playtime” services, “themed suites,” “Tuck in & Bedtime Biscuit,” and “Healing Touch.” Poochie will be pleased! reddogcincinnati.com

PRENATAL MASSAGE: 21C HOTEL SPA
When you’re feeling less glowing earth goddess and more grumpy bloat monster, the spa at the tony 21c Museum Hotel will restore your bliss. We especially enjoyed the post-massage steam shower, and the table that actually allows you to lay on your belly, which you probably haven’t done for a good long while. 21cmuseumhotels.com

LUGGAGE REPAIR: HILLMAN’S
Since 1972, Cincinnatians with luggage-repair needs have turned to Hillman’s Luggage & Shoes in Blue Ash. Call first with the make and model number of your suitcase to be sure they can order parts; once you drop the piece off, most repairs can be done in just a few days. You know this place is good if Bankhardt’s, which itself has been in the luggage business since 1869, recommends them. (513) 469-8008

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