May 2014
Features
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Walk This Way
Wouldn’t it be great if America had a cross-country trail where hikers could ramble from coast to coast, meeting locals and bonding over shared experiences? Actually, we already do. And it’s as close as your own backyard.
Bough Down
Look Up. That lush canopy of leaves you take for granted? It could be history if we don’t act fast.
Hisey Park
For a really good view of the heavens, you have to go dark. Head north to Warren County’s Hisey Park, where the Warren County Astronomical Society gathers for occasional star parties.
Mt. Airy Forest and Arboretum
Think “Cincinnati park wedding,” and you’re likely to conjure an image of Ault Park Pavilion. But the city park system offers so much more.
Rowe Woods
Sixty-five acres of the Cincinnati Nature Center’s Rowe Woods are a vestige of the Eastern Deciduous Forest that once covered all of Ohio. These maple, oak, and beech trees—some of them predating the American Revolution—are now a major reason to visit the Center.
Great Parks of Hamilton County boathouses
Sitting while you paddle is so last summer. Starting Memorial Day weekend, you can rent a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) at the Miami Whitewater, Winton Woods, and Sharon Woods boathouses.
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum
335 acres of rolling hills covered with monumental sculptures
Trammel Fossil Park
Come here to search for the leavings of the Ordovician Period—the trilobites, brachiopods, crinoids, and other remnants of the huge, shallow sea that once covered our area.
Devou Park Mountain Bike Trails
There were already three great miles of paths in place when, last summer, a coalition of Ohio and Kentucky riders cut the ribbon on another four-plus miles of natural surface single-track.
Old-Timey Baseball at Heritage Village
The field at Heritage Village in Sharon Woods is a time machine masquerading as a baseball diamond, home park to the 1869 Red Stockings and the Cincinnati Buckeyes, a pair of local squads belonging to the Vintage Base Ball Association.
Smale Park Black Brigade Monument
The 2009 monument features the work of sculptors John Hebenstreit and Carolyn Manto, writer Tyrone Williams, and graphic designer Erik Brown.
Shawnee Lookout Golf Course
Sublime greenery. Beautiful vistas. Raptors soaring overhead, deer and wild turkeys in the tall grass. The hills are formidable and the woods will claim any errant shots.
Geocaching
Most local parks—including Shawnee Lookout in North Bend and Big Bone Lick State Historic Site in Union—allow you to register and hide a geocache for free.
Eileen Cronin
In her memoir Mermaid, the author reveals what it took to survive being young, Catholic, and physically disabled in 1970s Cincinnati.
Marc Bamuthi Joseph Gives New Meaning to “Social Movement”
Marc Bamuthi Joseph is a moving target, which may be part of the reason his art speaks to so many different kinds of people.
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Frontlines
Dr. Know: May 2014
Fountain placement, misdirectional signage, and the means of egress from the Hyde Park Graeter’s
Nickel Creek Regroups for a New Album
Who says farewell is forever? Certainly not Nickel Creek.
Wussy: Battle Cries & Butterflies
A great band makes arena-rock for the arenas in their minds.
Go On, Moses
The backstory to one piece you’ll hear at the May Festival.
Tegan and Sara Perform Heartthrob Hits
The twisted sisters take on Cincinnati with their synth-heavy pop melodies.
Mike Epps Presents His “After Dark” Tour
Epps brings his “Comedy for the Grown and Sexy” to the U.S. Bank Arena. Fair warning, this show is not for those with delicate sensibilities.
Appalachian Festival
Ease into festival season with a laid-back weekend of Bluegrass tunes and craft table perusing.
The Contemporary Arts Center Celebrates 75 Years
The CAC’s Diamond Jubilee festivities include dinner, a silent auction, and an after-party dubbed “Diamonds and Debauchery.”
High Profile: Flying Actor
He flies, never ages, crosses swords with pirates—and drinks the house lager at Arthur’s. Joshua Steele is taking on a century-old role this month at the Cincinnati Music Theater: Peter Pan.
Cincinnati’s 11th Annual Fringe Festival
Unconventional artists and risk-taking performers move to center stage for this celebration of experimental art.
Speak Easy: Paige Kimble
Winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee when she was 14 didn’t just mean prizes and glory for Paige Kimble. The Bee became her career: Kimble is now executive director of the popular competition and spectator sport.
Radar
Real Estate: A Designer’s Downtown Showplace
His design mantra? Live with things you love.
Style Counsel: Samantha Moyer
Occupation: Stylist, High Five Salon; Her Style: Funky, feminine, vintage
The Find: Rookwood Pottery
Old designs are new again, like Louise Abel’s bunnies.
Storefront: Spun Bicycles
Spun Bicycles in Northside is a little noisy, a touch ’90s, and a lot of fun.
Comps: Downtown Homes for Sale
What’s on the market downtown.
Columns
Anti-Think Piece
The brain is not our friend, friend.
Letter from the Editor: May 2014
When we redesigned the magazine in 2008, one of the things we wanted to add was an advice column in the front of the book. What we ended up with was Dr. Know—an advice column of sorts.
Pinocchio 101
Love it or hate it, first you need to understand it.
Dine
Maury’s Tiny Cove is an Old School Hangout
In the current culture of scrupulously curated restaurant experiences, it’s reassuring to know there are still a few spots with pure bloodlines.
El Trio
As the popularity of Mexican food has grown around Cincinnati, we’re starting to see menus with more traditional dishes and even some downright creativity that’s born of Mexican (rather than culinary school) sensibility.
Jo An Japanese
If you’re willing to wait, Jo An’s traditional Japanese cuisine still hits the sweet spot.
Saigon Cafe
With a four-page lunch menu stacked with southeast Asian staples, you would think that Saigon Café has Vietnamese cuisine down to a science. But in some cases the kitchen could use a refresher course.
Yo, Meatball
Meatball madness has swept the city. But not every ball is created equal.
Recipe: Basil-Macerated Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake
“I’ve always been a big strawberry shortcake fan, and chocolate and strawberry go really well together.” A recipe from Bill Sands, creator of the locally sourced jams and jellies from Marble Hill Provisions and Fox 19’s resident on-air chef.
Tableside with…Sara Bornick
Popsicles are nostalgic, and available in so many different flavors that you never get sick of them…
Into the Wild
Saving species, one spider milkweed at a time.