June 2021
Features
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Making My Hometown Home Again
Connectedness, beautiful surroundings, kind people, and excitement drew me back to Cincinnati, and I am not the only one.
Drew and Lea Lachey Gave Their Kids a Midwestern Childhood
“We’re fortunate to live in a place that affords us the benefits of a small town but the opportunities of a big city.”
Downbound Books Owner Gregory Kornbluh Didn’t Have a Plan
“I headed home to Cincinnati without a solid plan; I figured I’d spend some time here while figuring out what to do next.”
Mixologist Molly Wellmann Makes History Special
“I want to make some history here in Cincinnati so we continue to be a really important place on the map.”
Restaurateurs Ashley and Austin Heidt Opened Their Restaurant Their Own Way
Ashley Heidt says that “Dear is a love letter, an invitation to experience something memorable and something beautiful here.”
Enquirer Food Writer Keith Pandolfi Knew He’d Be Back
“The familiarity of the landscape, the architecture, the city itself brought me back. It’s always just felt like home.”
P&G’s Lauren Worley Found Her Place
“I really wanted to live in a place where what I did mattered. Sometimes it was hard to find a place to fit in in a big city.”
Musician Bryan Devendorf Had a New Appreciation for Home
“I returned as an adult with a different perspective and different ideas of what matters in life. So really everything here seems changed.”
How Cincinnati Enables Eric Avner to “Get Stuff Done”
People who choose Cincinnati as their home, says Eric Avner of the Haile Foundation, bring a new kind of enthusiasm.
Chef Vanessa Miller Came to Cook
“I know that this is a city where I can push my culinary career forward instead of feeling like it was going to be stagnant.”
Musician Gary Griffin’s Complicated Homecoming
“I really don’t know how much I like being back yet. We haven’t been able to fully experience the city during the pandemic.”
Julie Coppens Is a Serial Boomerang
“I knew this was where I needed to be again, for now.”
Artist Susannah Tisue Wanted to Own Her Space
“The space we’re in now, a theater building from 1910, is a place we wouldn’t have been able to own in New York.”
Photographer Tina Gutierrez Found Her Community
Gutierrez says she and her husband have “formed strong friendships within the local music and FotoFocus communities.”
Cristian Pietoso Makes His Dream Come True in Cincinnati
Cristian Pietoso follows in his father’s footsteps, but finds his own success in the restaurant business at Via Vite, Nicola’s, and Forno.
Thea Tjepkema Is Music Hall’s Guardian Angel
When Thea Tjepkema talks (and researches, writes, lectures, and leads tours) about Cincinnati’s temple of arts and culture, everyone listens.
Event Producer Megyn Norbut Helps Build a Cool City
“When I was younger, I wanted to live in a cool city. Now I get to help build the kind of city I want to live in.”
Sharmili Reddy Strives to Create a Safe Haven for All
The Kenton County official wants all newcomers to feel the same kind of inclusivity she’s experienced.
Two Local Organizations Help Young Parents—and Their Babies—Thrive
Rosemary’s Babies Company and Cincinnati Scholar House surround young parents with support to raise their children and achieve their dreams.
Gabe Davis Makes an Impact
“The fact that there was this commitment and space for making progress, to me it felt like I could come here to do that work.”
Medical Student Jacob Lutz Made a Career Change
“I was extremely excited to be back…but also nervous because I knew I’d be starting over again in school to pursue medicine.”
Actor Pamela Myers Never Stopped Working
“People don’t realize how much the arts contribute to the economy, how many people work in the arts. It’s a huge industry in the city.”
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Frontlines
The Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire Still Has a Hold on Us
Peter Bronson discusses his new book about the tragic 1977 fire and its connections to 40 years of Northern Kentucky corruption and organized crime.
Brood X Cicadas Are Here
After silently growing underground for 17 years, the Brood X cicadas definitely made an impression this year.
Dr. Know: Hollow Earth, Stars of David, and Demolished Covington
The good doctor explores questionable scientific theories, the meanings of a six-pointed star, and what the IRS Center replaced.
Radar
Four Local Plant Shops That Bring the Outdoors In
Need some foliage to help feather your nest? From tropical plants to beautiful bouquets, these four shops can help.
Hats Are Danielle DeLaine’s Crowning Glory
Her grandmother’s church hats—and the confidence she felt wearing them—inspired Danielle DeLaine’s hat business.
This Hyde Park Home Exudes Sunny Serenity and New England Charm
Costal style details make a landlocked foursquare feel beachy in a good way (think Hamptons, not vacation rental).
Columns
The World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab Is in Hillsboro
A fish out of water in Hillsboro, this giant burnt-orange horseshoe crab is a true piece of Americana—and worth a road trip.
Editor’s Letter, June 2021: We Just Keep Coming Back
I learned that “boomerangs” were a thing here—a current of people leaving Cincinnati and then moving back years later.
Ryan Atkins Builds and Rebuilds His Life
Following a devastating car accident that left him paralyzed, Ryan Atkins faced a spiritual and personal reckoning with his wife Stephanie by his side.
This Old House Has a Heck of a Story
If you live, or once lived, in a musty old Cincinnati money pit of a house, make sure to check out its history.
Dine
Pampas Brings Its Smoky Style to O’Bryonville
Pampas delivers rustic flame-infused Argentine cooking with surprisingly elegant desserts.
K&J Seafood Is a Taste of New Orleans in the Midwest
Cajun comfort food fills the menu at this seafood shack with locations in Findlay Market and Clifton Heights.
Quiwi Produce’s “Sip and Seed” Parties Help Your Garden Grow
Nadia Ruffin wants to connect you to the land, and she uses agriculture as a means of empowerment for children and adults.
Pop-Up Taco Stand Pata Roja Finds a Home in Pendleton
Pata Roja, Derrick Braziel’s love letter to tacos, has finally found a permanent spot in Pendleton at Bar Saeso.
Tony Lavatori Teaches Cooking Skills With a Side of Self-Esteem
In his nine years with the program, former corporate restaurant manager Tony Lavatori guides participants into food-service careers.