April 2012
Features
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Return of the Natives
Andrew Brackman’s gray T-shirt is soaked with sweat. He’s been pitching for half an hour off a green plastic mound at the Gallenstein Athletic Center at Moeller High School, and though outside it’s cold, clouds sagging low in a dreary mid-February sky, in here it’s hot. When Brackman throws, the ball whistles toward the student wearing catcher’s gear and hammers into his mitt with a crack that echoes off the concrete walls.
Day of the Molly Moochers
A poet, a wizard, and a food writer walk into the woods…. It may sound like the start of a joke, but it turned out to be the start of a beautiful day for hunting the perfect edible moment.
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Frontlines
Translating Trainer: Tomas Vera
It took athletic trainer Tomas Vera 20 years to get from winter ball in Venezuela to the big leagues. Today, the 44-year-old enjoys every minute of working for the Reds—and translating for their Spanish-speaking stars.
Why Is This Man Leaving?
It’s hard to find anybody in the education world who doesn’t gush about James Votruba, the Northern Kentucky University president who will retire this summer after 15 years on the job.
Radar
The Address: 605 Evening Star Lane
A 1974-built Mid-Century Modern–style home in Clifton.
In Good Company
Sloane Boutique is in the right place at the right time.
Columns
Letter from the Editor: April 2012
It was a scramble getting this issue out the door, but then some months are like that. Actually, most months are like that.
Dine
Ali Baba
This is where you’ll find the best falafel in town. I guess that needs a disclaimer. The falafel standards aren’t high in this burg. They’re usually mushy or burnt. And that middle ground of crispy outside and tender inside seems to escape most Mediterranean restaurants.
Dusmesh Indian Restaurant
Finding your way through the menu at Dusmesh Indian Restaurant can be a challenge. It’s no fault of the hospitable staff, who are happy to recommend favorite dishes. The real problem is the vast number of enticing choices—141 choices to be exact.
Where There’s SmoQ, There’s Fire
On a typical Saturday night at SmoQ, 270 pounds of St. Louis ribs, 200 pounds of baby back ribs, 150 pounds each of chicken and wings, 100 pounds of pulled pork, 65 pounds of brisket, and 35 pounds of rib tips exit the kitchen door for the dining room. That’s 970 pounds of smoked and grilled meat in one night.