What I am Reading Now

I have to say that we here in Cincinnati have one of the best public library systems in the area (aside from my former employer Kenton County Public Library of course).

I have always had a problem reading a traditional book without falling asleep or something and because of this; I took up listening to books on tape of CD's ever since I left college. So imagine my surprise when I happened upon the new choices that our library system has to enjoy our favorite read.

I have heard so much about "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" series that I had to dive in to this book head first. And I was even more excited when I had the option of either downloading the book to my Samsung Tablet OR using one of their new PlayAway devices.

The PlayAway device is essentially a portable book that you can plug your headphones into and listen away. The only thing that you have to do is to provide the ear buds and a AAA battery (it was my luck that there was already a battery in the device when I picked mine up last week).

I have to say that it's an awesome way to read a book! I am already on the fourth chapter of the 1st series and the plan is to have it completed this weekend...while getting all of my other errands done around the city.

Despite the fact that MidPoint Music Festival has been holding my top spot of "things to do" this weekend, I am kind of glad that it's a little crummy outside right now. Great time to curl up with a great book and take a long nap....that is before MidPoint starts up again tonight :)

Bad Veins Rock Da Square

Fountain Square has in the middle of Downtown Cincinnati has down a great job with attracting different parts of the community and creating an inviting public space.

Last night, I hung out with a few of my friends, a virtual boys night out, to listen to the music that was scheduled to play on the Square that night.

I would pretty much listen to any type of music (sans county and very hard rock), but I love ad adore gospel and 90's R&B and generally only go out of my way to see this type of music live.

Ohh, I can't forget show tunes...I am a sucker for them as well.

But last night on the Square, the bad Bad Veins took the stage and I was intrigued. I have to say that I enjoyed them and I look to buy some of their songs in the near future.

Pride Cincinnati 2010

Before you get your panties in a wad about the lateness of this post, there is some method behind the madness.

In most cities, Pride has become a one stop shop, setting aside only one weekend to celebrate.

But this year, Cincinnati is bucking the trend by having three separate events.

It began with July 4th's celebration in Fountain Square.

It continues with this evening's Pride festivities in Northside.

And later this year, Northern Kentucky throws their hat into the fray with their first Pride Celebration.

These pics are from July 4th's Pride Cincinnati 2010.

The $10 Downtown Experience

In the 1990s, Main Street which borders Cincinnati’s Pendleton and Over-the-Rhine neighborhoods, between the blocks of Central Parkway and Liberty was a hot bed of vibrant night life, bringing all walks of life together.

Over the past few years, this area is in the process of seeing its economic renaissance which has yet to peak. The community of Over-the-Rhine has historically thrived on community togetherness, fostering a sense of urban unity.

Events like Grapevine, Second Sundays on Main and Final Fridays brings vendors onto the street and people to patron the many shops and galleries which brighten these blocks on Main and the addition of Joe’s Diner will do nothing but make the district that much more appealing.

It is not unexpected to spend a week night in this area for less than $20 and here’s how.

Meet for Coffee @ Iris Café $2

Located at 1331 Main, this small quite coffee shop is a great way has taken the place of kaldi’s, sans the alcohol, by providing a shelves of books, sustenance and a great place to socialize.

Eat @ Joe's ... Diner That Is $8

Move just a block and half east to Sycamore to find burgers which are reminiscent of what you would come to expect from a traditional diner, in addition to extra seasoned fires which are filling yet relatively light and not floating in a sea of grease.

Light Up The Night @ Neon’s $10

End your evening with spirit or two around the corner from Joe’s Diner. A $10 spot will get you a couple of Over-the-Rhine ales, but the outdoor experience is of outdoor social hour is priceless.

Bridging Broadway: They Have Come A Long Way...Baby!

Over the past six months, Bridging Broadway gone from a sparkle in the eye of Stephen Samuals to being well on the path to becoming its own full fledged non-profit organization. The process will be completed in a matter of weeks when the organization files it's 5013C paper work with the state of Ohio.

As some of you may know, I currently sit on the Executive Board of this organization and have witnessed first hand the transformation and am invigorated at the possibilities in which Bridging Broadway has in store.

Some of the things that we have on the horizon are as followed:We are in collaboration with the City of Cincinnati and LISC (Local Initiative Support Committee) to conduct the most comprehensive study to date of the area around the Broadway Commons site which will include a community outreach efforts in the form of conversations called Bridging Broadway Dialogues, which will be dynamic focus groups aimed to engage feedback from the various stakeholder groups in the Broadway Commons area (land owners, developers, residents and the arts).

Being a non-profit, we are always attempting to recruit like minded individuals from all sects of the community to assist with our mission to connect people and places to promote a new downtown Cincinnati entertainment district.The Bridging Broadway Board and Committee Member FAQ, explains our purpose and activities and describes the functions of the various committees.

The official deadline to accept applications runs through today and the selection process will end by the end of August. After reading the attached, please feel free to complete and return the enclosed questionnaire or pass forward the information.

More info about our organization can be found at our website.

Dawg Days of Summer R Here!

The first week of summer is almost over and boy has it ever been a hot one.
With the temperature consistently being in the 90’s with the heat index reaching the 100’s, the dog days of summer are definitely in full force.

And the city of Cincinnati has actually stepped up to the plate to help keep us cool.

There have consistently declared a heat advisory throughout the city and kept us informed as to notice heat stroke and heat exhausting and the difference between to two conditions.

In addition, there was a considerable donation to The City of Cincinnati for the specific reason to open a few community pools which were slated to be closed this summer. And if I am not mistaken, the pools are fostering longer hours than originally posted.

Good stuff!

The Queen City seems to be glowing brighter and brighter each year!

Take Back The Street On Main

In the 1990’s, the block of Main St., between Central Parkway and Liberty was a hot bed of vibrant night life, bring all walks of life together. I was in college then and Have A Nice Day Café, Bar Cincinnati and Cincinnati’s own Jefferson Hall were all places where you could find me knee deep in libration on weekend nights.

Then there were the Riots of 2001.

The aftermath of the week long unrest placed Cincinnati with a black eye and hit the city hardest in its pocketbooks. Celebrities such as Bill Cosby and Whoopi Goldberg called for a boycott of the city and Prince even cancelled a show which he was scheduled to have in the city. People did not feel safe spending their hard earned money in Over-the-Rhine any longer and the afore mentioned bars closed up and moved elsewhere, leaving Main Street silent on Friday and Saturday nights.

Until now.

Over the past few years, Main Street has been in the process of seeing its economic renaissance which has yet to peak. Historically, OTR has thrived on community togetherness has fostered urban unity.

Events like Grapevine, Second Sundays on Main and Final Fridays brings vendors onto the street and people to patron the many shops and galleries which brighten these blocks on Main.

In keeping with the historically holistic appeal of Main Street, eateries such as Iris Book Café (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cincinnati-OH/Iris-Book-Cafe/169729995076) and Shadeau Breads (www.shadeaubreads.com) offer locally made and grown options. Great if you want to grab a coffee before your trek into the office or a quiet place to catch up on some work away from the office over a great salmon and avocado sandwich.

Though Main Street is re-incorporating is livable appeal to its day time patrons, its night time appeal has not been forgotten. Last weekend, Jack Pots opened in Jefferson Hall’s old space and Neon’s have been opened for a few weeks. Mixx Ultra Lounge (www.mixxcincy.com) offers upscale entertainment without the big city prices. In addition, with the coming to city’s casino and street car, venues such as Neon’s and Jack Pots have promised to re-open to offer additional entertainment options, not un-similar to the old days of Main Street.

And there is word that The Dinner on Sycamore is under new management and will open soon.

Oh Happy Day!

Take A Momment and Smell The Flowers

Most of you already know that I live in Cincinnati’s historic Pendleton neighborhood which is sometimes mistaken for Over-the-Rhine.

Not only does it boast some of the most historically intact buildings in the United States, it’s also in the midst of a revitalization composing of the addition of one of the first casinos in the State of Ohio. Not only that, the city just approved to spend money on the incorporation of a light rail system (which is long overdue) with the hopes of making Cincinnati’s downtown valley more livable.

Today, not only was I able to walk to each of my meetings, I had the opportunity to patron some of the great establishments that are helping Cincinnati’s Pendleton and Over-the-Rhine recovery from the city’s civil unrest which took part in 2001.

After a coffee at one of the neighborhood coffee shops Coffee Emporium, where if you sit long enough, you will see city officials, and high schoolers alike obtain a cup of Joe, I was able to walk to a meeting just blocks away to Boost, an upscale meeting space located in a rehabbed historic building overlooking downtown Cincinnati.

It did not help that the day’s weather has been just about perfect, so maybe that’s why I am in a good mood.

Pics Around Town

Sometimes you forget how majestic some of Cincinnati's historic buildings can be. This is one example.

More Fairey 2 See

Now that the weather is gotten a bit warmer, I decided that it was finally time to stop driving my gas eating car the few blocks to the gym or to Coffee Emporium and finally purchase the bicycle which I have been vowing to do for years.

In doing so, I have so much more time to take in parts of the city which I would normally miss because my eyes were always on the road.

I found two more Shepard Fairey murals.

Alley next to Arnold's Bar

The corner of Walnut St. and 6th St.

Cincinnati's Great Casino Divide

Read the entire article here.

The implementation of gambling centers like casinos and horse racing tracks have had a wide and varied reception from the local communities in which they are placed. Some communities embrace the entry of the new tax payer with open arms while other places attempt to ward off the coming of a looming gambling option as if it were the second coming of the Black Plague.

One thing which makes casinos so controversial is the element of its customers that it may draw; this in addition to monies set aside for its development can bring communities together or tear them apart. There have been several examples around the country of this varying sentiment toward gambling and the type of customers that it attracts.

The State of Indiana, where casinos are a major part of the state's revenue, still comes under controversy from time to time when it comes to placement of their casinos. Most recently, Gary, Indiana has been debating to replace Don Barden's two casino boats with one land-based casino along Interstate 94 just outside of the city.

In 2009, the State of Ohio passed Issue 9, a resolution to legalize gambling within the state's boarders, which made way for cities like Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus and Cincinnati to build and operate large scale gaming casinos; with a portion of the revenue to be funneled back into the government's pocket books.

Opinions of the casino were greatly dependant on the proposed placement. Columbus' casino was originally approved to be erected in the city's downtown Arena District but just months after its approval was changed to a location west of the city.

Read the entire article here.

InkTank Explodes With Artistry On Final Friday

Last nights Final Friday was spectaular.

My plan was to se out and explore the enitre Main Street becase of the great weather that wer were having, but ended up staying in one place.

InkTank has come back alive under new management and last night they held an open mic session, promoting local author, Kommon Knowledge. Until Uhuru is a collaboration of talented local authors who love to write and are great at it.

Pick up thier book at InkTank or order it oline at Amazon.com....I know I will!

Bock Fest Overload - Saturday Night's Sausage Queen Finals

Time 2 Rock Out With Your Bock Out!

Last night I ventured out into the streets for the Bock Fest and was so surprised at the turnout! I had to miss the parade which originated from Arnold’s Bar because of work, but managed to hit up Bock Fest Hall (the old Hussman Factory at Liberty and Vine) around 9pm where there was standing room only.

Not wanting to miss out on anything, after an hour or so I ventured to Grammer’s just across the street where I was not only met with a German cladden Jim Tarbell, but a second floor speak easy which was turned into a pseudo European discothèque.

As the night prolonged, and shoulders began to be rubbed more frequently, I made my way to Milton’s (your neighborhood bar) just for a nightcap on my way home. Not only did I have more than a night cap, but yet again I was met with a over capacitated watering hole.

Never before have I seen a Friday night in Cincinnati like this. The closest has been Pride Weekend just after the parade, and still it pales in comparison with last night’s shenanigans.

I can only imagine what tonight’s Sausage Queen Final competition will add to the weekend. Whatever the case, I will be ready to rock-0ut with my Bock out!

Cincinnati's 1st Gay BINGO

Last night Cincinnati held it's first ever Gay BINGO @ The Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. The turnout was amazing. At the end of the night, every single seat was filled raising money for both Stop AIDS and The Ensemble Theatre. Here are a few pics from last night. Look for the rest of the night's photo on facebook.

My New Favorite Weekday Breakfast Place

Located just north of Media Bridges @ the corner of Race St. and Central Ave., here is where you can get one of the best breakfast sandwiches without having to spend 30mins waiting or breaking your piggy bank.

While you are in there, don't forget to pick up coupons for 50% off any of my services @ ION Consultants.

RedBox vs. Netflix: The Next Big Showdown

Over the past few months I have been seeing these red boxes popping up in local grocery stores around the Greater Cincinnati area.

In what seemed to be a systematic ploy to get me to begin using them, several of my friends and coworkers have admiting to poppin' in a buck for a movie as opposed to traveling down the street to BlockBusuter, Hollywood Video or their local branch of the public library for their movie selections.

A dollar does sound tempting for one nights' cinematic satisfaction, but the rub comes when it is time to return the film.

I have never been the best at returning things on time. Library books and movies have always been my biggest vice, which is why Netflix is so convenient.

No late fees and can return them when you want.

In fact, I have two films from the postal based movie company which I have been hording for the past few weeks and one that I have had for several months....pathetic, I know.

Though this is a great idea and I feel that it will do well, I am not sure that we will be seeing his little red boxes in t Pendleton area any time soon.

The Monday After..

This past weekend was a bit too short, but aren't all of them?

FRIDAY- July 3
Though Friday was technically a holiday, I made the ever damning decision to work the entire day because I had no plans until later that night....big mistake. There was very little time to get home and get ready for the first event of The Equinox.

The night, held at the former an soon to open Hamburger Mary's was great! It was a nice mix of out of towners and old faces that remembered the hay day of Hamburger Mary's before it was turned into Universal Grille.

I loved the was that the staff hammed up the fact that the building was still under construction by dawning construction garb as the served us.

SATURDAY- July 4
After a full day of recovery, I hit up one of the best bloody mary bars in town at The Pub in Hyde Park. Check it out any weekend before 3pm...you will not be sorry you did.

Later that it it was off the the big Equinox shin-dig. The Grand Ballroom of The Millennium Hotel was decked out in swooping shades, back lit with red lights which faded to blue, then to yellow and so on.

The night was way to short...as most are. Great music and fun friends whom I had not seen in awhile all helped the night to be perfect.

SUNDAY-July 5
A whole lot of nothing...can you blame me?

Mario Does Cincinnati

Mario Lopez toured Cincinnati today and actually visited the Reds game this evening. He was filming a spot for EXTRA tonight.

Here are some pics that I found on the web....he is too much!

Equinox Cincinnati: Pride is not over yet!

I know that this event, which is sponsored by Greater Cincinnati's Gay Chamber of Commerce, is not connected with any of the Pride events that occurred a few weeks ago, but it does give us another reason to let down our hair and paint the town pink!

I just picked up my tickets to become a Host for the event.

For more information about the 3-day event (July 2-5) and a list of venues, check out the event website.

See you there!