Theater @ The Know

Know Theater ad, originally uploaded by brainy_nikki.

Growing up in Chicago, i never really went to "theater" as much as i went to "musicals". With so many great venues to see shows in, we usually went to at least one a year, and during that time i managed to see some great singing/dancing/what have you. While the Arnoff tries hard to have lots of good shows come through during the course of the theater season, I'm usually more than a little unimpressed with what is there to offer. For example, Mamma Mia was good the first time, but its been here every year for the past 4 years - are they even selling out shows? Sometimes we go there to see a show, but i often battle with the guilt from what i think are more than a little exorbitant ticket prices. Now, I'm not a stage manager and i don't know what it takes money-wise to run a show, but i do think 90+ for good seats at a show is a bit much, and often times the Playhouse isn't much better. Although i know 9 times out of 10 I'll like a musical, theater is a much more curious creature - you never really know if you'll like what you get, and I'm one who hates to waste money on bad theater.


That being said, last year i went to a few shows @ the Know Theater on Jackson Street and felt like I'd found a new place to go enjoy some good regional theater. We had been to a few other playhouses around town, and the Know was by far the most professionally done and well organized. My first show there was "Reefer Madness" which was hilarious and i can only hope is brought back - i laughed from the moment the show started till it ended. The second show i saw was the "Scientology Christmas Pageant" (i can't remember the title in full) which was also hilarious and an excellent satire on Scientology. The best things about the theater is that not only is there not a bad seat in the house - there's literally 80 seats to choose from - but thanks to a grant, tickets were only 12$! I'm not sure if tickets are still going to be that price this year, but i think it may be a possibility, which means I'll be back for more. I just got an email today detailing some shows they will be putting on next weekend as well as info on the season subscription costs, and i was happy to see it looks like the Know is still a well-priced way to enjoy the arts. Right now, you can buy a season subscription to 5 shows for 60$, which is a GREAT deal! You can buy them here


"The Reckoning" on 8/27-8/29 looks awesome, particularly since I'm often mocking powerpoint abuse and corporate lingo. Also happening on the 28th, in the open space area in front of the theater (where the bar is), there will be an improv show that you can go to for $5! If you don't want to shell out the 12$ to see an official "show", then throw 5$ their way, grab a drink at the bar and sit down for some improv, which is always a good investment. If you have the time and want to do something other than drink at a bar/watch tv/sit around - get out and see some good theater in downtown Cincinnati. It will cost you about as much as drinks at happy hour or a dinner out, so it can be a guilt-free expenditure!

Cincy Fringe: The Reckoning Unleash The Powerpoint Within You

Know Theatre of Cincinnati is proud to present an encore presentation of The Success Show. Let us all successulate. You are invited to a motivational and wealth-building seminar that goes horribly, horribly awry. Enjoy massive PowerPoint failures, divisive team-building exercises, and perhaps the most provocative uses of the words "synergy", "leverage", George Alexander as Denny and "successulation" ever to be put into a recession-era comedy.Named a "must see" and "simply one of the funniest shows" of the 2009 Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

Written by Michael Comstock. Starring George Alexander and Randy Lee Bailey. Stage Managed by Josh Neumeyer. A Finite Number of Monkeys Production. You can purchase tickets online or call 513.300.5669

Stick Around After Vine-L Friday 8/28 Also seen at the 2009 Cincinnati Fringe Festival, Incredulity returns for one more performance as part of VINE-L Friday, the Final Friday event on Vine Street in the Gateway Quarter. Incredulity is an improv show that will be done for the first and last time each night it is performed. We will take suggestions from our audiences, put them into our random device, and create the show on the spot. Failure is a distinct possibility. Improvisers thrive on the risk and tension that comes from the presence of failure. You won't believe what's happening right in front of your eyes. Of course you won't, that's the name of the show. Performance of Incredulity

Friday, August 28 @ 10pm

Jackson Street Underground & Bar Doors open at 9:30

Walk-up Sales Only, $5

Playing at Know Theatre of Cincinnati

2009 Rubber Duck Regatta!

If you have been pretty much anywhere around town, you may have noticed signs/flyers/50 foot inflatable rubber ducks on the roofs of buildings. I would argue this should be your clue that the Rubber Duck Regatta is coming up soon! Every year, the Freestore Foodbank has a "regatta" where people buy rubber ducks that are set down the river (for a short span) and the one that comes in first place is the winner of a prize. This year, its a 2010 Honda Insight. Personally, I'm always up for giving back and (even more importantly in this case) i'm ALWAYS up for a shiny new car, so this event is up my alley! You can buy the ducks online here , or @ Findlay Market or multiple other locations around town. If you get a special kind of duck, you can win 1million dollars as well! However, since this whole thing raises around 4 million dollars, i guess good taste would dictate that you give the prize back to the foodbank. There's more info below on the regatta - 5 dollars is cheaper than lunch at chipotle, so what do you have to lose?! If anything, this is an awesomely creative way to raise money, so hats off to Freestore!
Here's the official page for the Rubber Duck Regatta, and the info from the "about" page is below.

Duck Season is officially open!
Make sure to be a part of the Freestore Foodbank’s Rubber Duck Regatta! This Regatta is the largest and longest-running rubber duck race in the nation. This year will mark the fifteenth anniversary of the Regatta, which has cumulatively raised over $4,000,000 for the Freestore Foodbank. The ducks will drop at 3:00pm on Sunday, September 6th as part of Riverfest, the Cincinnati Bell-WEBN fireworks extravaganza.
Over 85,000 rubber duckies will be dropped from the Purple People Bridge into the Ohio River and swim quarter mile along the Serpentine Wall. Each duck has a unique number for each duck purchase. Ducks can be purchased HERE for $5 each or “buy 5, get 1 free” for $25!
This year’s winning duck holder will receive a 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid! If your duck is one of the unique the Million Dollar Ducks, you will receive $1,000,000 in addition to the car!
Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors in covering the cost of the event, all the money raised from duck sales will go directly to the Freestore Foodbank to help those in community in need.

Great Inland Seafood Festival

Great Inland Seafood Festival, originally uploaded by foeraus.

This weekend, both sides of the Ohio Riverbanks were bustling with festivals. The Black Family Reunion was happening on the Ohio side of the river, and the Great Inland Seafood Festival was happening on the Kentucky side. Having visited the Black Family Reunion festivities before, a visit to see what the KY side of the river had to offer seemed in order.

That being said, I was impressed that the vendors had such a varied amount of foods available. From the lobster rolls, to the coconut shrimp and the seafood medley, the spread had something for everyone. There were about 15 seafood vendors there, and all had multiple iterations of seafood available. I expected there to be Cajun food available, but was surprised to see not one but two Greek seafood vendors (I think from the same family).

There were other non-food booths there – folks selling sunglasses, a Skoal booth, and another tent had jewelry and knit items along with ice cream and sno-cones and of course there was plenty of alcohol for those who wanted it. There was also a music stage, and music was planned for much of the festival by a variety of acts including a Beatles cover band.

When we showed up, it was towards the end of the night, and as the heat was dying, people were coming out to partake in the food. They had 1-pound lobsters for sale for $10.95, but (unsurprisingly) they sold out Saturday afternoon. The vendors really seemed to enjoy interacting with the crowds, and their booths all were decorated in a whimsical manner (pirate’s flags, giant fish on the signs, etc.). Maybe I don’t dabble in seafood nearly enough, but we did not see local vendors that we recognized other than Bella Luna. I’m not sure why Washington Platform, Bonefish or even Mitchell’s were not there, but my only guess could be that the extra expense would not be worth it to them financially.

Before coming out, I checked the local papers (City Beat, Metromix, KY Enquirer), and from what I could see there were no print ads for the festival, just mentions in the weekend calendars of events. Beyond those papers, I really didn’t see much advertising for this festival, which may have been due to the economy. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived the “Newport Ambassadors” had been sent home, so we really couldn’t get much info from them about the history of the festival.

Some of the long-time vendors there told me that the crowds were smaller this year, but that could have been due to multiple reasons. From what we were told, in the past it was tied to a boat festival on the Ohio River, and last year turn out was very good. However, the boat show was cancelled this year due to the economy, and it’s anyone’s guess as to if it will come back at all. If that’s the case, my vote would be to move this to either late spring or early fall – for me, the thought of buying fresh seafood in 90 degree heat just doesn’t appeal, and I LOVE seafood! Personally, I don’t understand the reasoning behind having a festival like the Great Inland Seafood Festival during the hottest month of the year.

As festivals go, this one was definitely a different one than many of the festivals we have during the summer. While the programming around it was pretty nominal (aside from live music), it definitely had a more relaxed feel than the Taste of Cincinnati and most of the other events in the downtown Cincinnati/riverbanks area. I feel like the folks there are the same kind who go to Jimmy Buffet concerts – real laid back and looking to have a good time. Maybe one visit is enough for some, but if anything go at least once for the fun vendors and atmosphere!

Tip if you go next year: If you go, you’ll pay at least 5$ for parking down by JB Fink’s. Since we biked, we didn’t have to deal with that added expense. If you were to drive to this, I’d advise going to park at the Levee (where it’s cheaper), and spending some time there either before or after the festival to make it worthwhile. Since this festival is a bit smaller than others, you could probably walk around, eat some food and leave probably within 1-2hrs if you don't want to stay for music.

Cut backs force the stopping of yard waste pick up

A Yard Full of Yellow, a Moonjazz Photo Poem, originally uploaded by moonjazz.

Just saw this article on wcpo.com - it looks like they'll still pick up yard waste, but it will be going on the same trucks as the trash. Come fall time, its going to be a bit of a mess though! I'm glad i dont have a large lawn to do yard work in....

Cincinnati Eliminating Yard Waste Pickup
Web Produced By: Ashley Stier
Last Update: 8/18 5:09 pm

This Friday will be the last day for yard waste pickup in the City of Cincinnati.
Crews will no longer separately pick up yard waste and trash, but will if it's mixed together.
Officials are asking that residents learn to compost with the waste or chop it to use for mulch.
With the City of Cincinnati facing a $28 million deficit, the decision to stop yard waste collection was made by City Manager Milton Dohoney.

It's not clear how much money dropping the service will save.

The yard waste can be taken to four drop-off sites throughout the county.

Over-the-Rhine: Cincinnati's Overlooked Opportunity

Reading this week's soapbox, an article drew attention to a gathering happening in OTR on Thurday night to discuss the fate of, well, OTR. With so many beautiful buildings standing vacant in our urban core, isn't there more that can be done to save some of them? I'm sure some are too burnt out to restore and rebuild, but i can't believe that every old building deserves to be demolished - just look at Liberty Hill and all the beautiful old buildings there that are in good condition! I know that 3CDC is doing a lot of good work for our community, but I hate to think that buildings are being sold off to developers that may otherwise be restored to their former glory.


Over-the-Rhine: Cincinnati's Overlooked Opportunity
Soapbox, 8/18/2009
Over-the-Rhine is not only a regional jewel, but a national landmark neighborhood with one of the most significant historic districts in the entire country as well as one of the largest - even bigger than New Orleans' French Quarter and Charleston's Historic District. Unfortunately, local preservationists believe the neighborhood is often overlooked by many Cincinnatians.

The Cincinnati Preservation Association (CPA) feels that the neighborhood that was added to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of "Eleven Most Endangered Historic Resources" is too important a resource and too great an opportunity to overlook.As a result, CPA and the Over-the-Rhine Foundation will be hosting "Over-the-Rhine: Cincinnati's Overlooked Opportunity" at Memorial Hall (GoogleMap) on Thursday, August 20 at 5:30pm within the historic neighborhood. The public presentation will include an overview of the neighborhood's economic potential and its rate of destruction, a summary of why the neighborhood is threatened, and solutions to stop the destruction.CPA states that studies indicate that historic districts play an important role in economic development by holding their values better in down markets than similarly situated non-historic areas, attracting and retaining skilled professionals, and by creating jobs and wealth.

If Over-the-Rhine were to be approached properly by local officials and business leaders, CPA says that it could "reap huge economic returns" for Cincinnati.CPA also warns that the historic neighborhood is just four demolitions away from passing 50 percent destruction of its historic fabric. Roughly 200 buildings in Over-the-Rhine are currently threatened by the wrecking ball.The Cincinnati Preservation Association says that, "every month, salvageable buildings — some with great architectural significance — are demolished. As this happens, the neighborhood’s potential to create jobs and redefine the City of Cincinnati is being lost. Worse, tens-of-millions of dollars of taxpayer money is being wasted to destroy this economic potential."

"Over-the-Rhine: Cincinnati's Overlooked Opportunity" will have an initial reception at 5:30pm followed by the presentation at 6pm. There is a suggested donation of $5 with all proceeds going to benefit the Cincinnati Preservation Association and the Over-the-Rhine Foundation. Drinks will be provided.For more information contact CPA at (513) 721-4506 or info@cincinnatipreservation.org.

Giving back

Yesterday, WCPO posted a story on how Middletown schools are so strapped for cash, they weren't able to come up with the dough this year to buy the district's underprivileged kids school supply bags. Luckily, a local Chiropractor did a drive for the supplies (free Chiropractic work if you bring in 10$ or donate a bag of supplies). I haven't seen the follow up to this story yet, but am curious about if they were able to pull in a good amount of donations. I can't find anything on the school district's website about what goes into these "kits", but if they still need them, I'm seriously considering getting some people together to donate on our own!

Reading about the need for donations and volunteers to help get something as simple as a kid's first day of school off the ground and running, i was reminded of a blurb I had previously posted on Urban Cincy, a blog i contribute to. Read on - i hope it encourages you to get involved.

Cincinnati is one of the most charitably giving cities I’ve lived in. Having formerly worked in a non-profit here, I can definitely appreciate the value of volunteers and donations in accomplishing a non-profit’s goals. That being said, it’s no secret that economic times are tough. People have to reign in spending, and it’s starting to show. According to an article in the Cincinnati Business Journal, giving has dropped nationally. “Giving USA Foundation found that charitable giving fell 2 percent from 2007 to 2008. The decline was the first since 1987 and the second in the 40-year history of the study. Adjusted for inflation, the decline was 5.7 percent.” Article can be found here: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/06/29/daily18.html?surround=lfn

Not all organizations are seeing a drop in funds, but the typical donor is being a little more savvy about where and who they want to donate to. For some people, giving to large umbrella aid organizations makes them feel like they’re covering a lot of ground with their dollars. For others, they worry about the overhead taking some of the money away from trickling down to smaller organizations. There are so many options for organizations to donate to that it can be a little confusing. As a donor, you have to question whether to go local or international with your charitable giving? Do you want to do a micro loan or give to an organization that screens candidates but may have overhead costs? Or do you just want to get together with friends and make a collective decision on where to donate your money? More and more charity organizations will be targeting “millennials” – YP’s who have expendable income and a sense of altruism, so if you fit that bill, be ready to be targeted!

In all this talk about giving dollars, remember charitable giving isn’t only about money. A great way to really get to better know your community is by going out and doing work to better it. After living downtown for 2 years, I had never been in Washington Park until I did a park clean up one morning with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful. It is such a beautiful park, and seeing how mistreated it was by people in my community, it really reignited my desire to see it revitalized. No matter where you live, there are always opportunities to give in your community. Local based organizations like People Working Cooperatively help fix up houses in the area, houses of worship have outreach programming like Meals on Wheels and larger YP organizations like Give Back Cincinnati offer a variety of ways to give back to the community here and abroad on mission trips.

Below are some links to local groups that can direct you to opportunities, national and international organizations that are working to help our community and beyond. The motto of my Alma Mater was “Lead, Learn, Serve” and these days they are words we could all live by.
National/International Micro-loan org (profiled on NBC Nightly news)
http://www.kiva.org/


Local YP service org (just a few of many):
http://www.givebackcincinnati.org/
http://www.pwchomerepairs.org/
http://www.keepcincinnatibeautiful.org/

Local Volunteer opportunity match-up:
http://www.volunteermatch.org/

Free Fridays @ the Cincinnati Museum Center

Photo: Union Terminal / Cincinnati Museum Center, originally uploaded by Keith R Allen.

Sadly, i have not yet gotten to this great promotion, but i hope to attend soon! I've only been twice to the Museum Center, and was so impressed with what they had to offer! Check it out, and be sure to share with friends:

Free Fridays allows the public to visit all three museums at Cincinnati Museum Center from 4 to 8 p.m. - admission is complimentary.

August 21
September 11
The complimentary offer includes the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum and the Museum of Natural History & Science. This offer does not include special exhibits or OMNIMAX films. Children ages 12 and under must be accompanied by someone 18 years of age or older.

Contact 513.287.7000

Breakfast @ the Cincinnatian

I had a visitor come into town this weekend, and while here they opted to stay @ the Cincinnatian Hotel. As much as i enjoyed their happy hour, i honestly have never eaten a real meal in the Palace Restaurant within the hotel. I met up for breakfast there the other day and it was WONDERFUL! If you like pancakes, theirs were not to be missed - we had walnuts in them, and they were absolutely huge chunks - the batter was very good, and the pancakes were huge. All the tables have fresh flower arrangements (read: not crappy flowers in dinky vases), and sitting at the table by the window, we felt very high class. All of the servers there are very much all about taking care of all your needs, and if you have a chance to have Phyllis wait on you, you'll be even better taken care of. The breakfast fare is pretty standard, but all of it is good. I'm probably going back there today for late brunch/lunch, and i can't wait to see what else is in store! My one caveat would be to not order the oatmeal - mine was of a pasty texture - but if you go there for breakfast, you should really get something more fun to eat anyway! Pricing is pretty standard - they have a ton of stuff a la carte and then the meals (which are huge) run probably 9-14$. Oh, also - their goetta is from Eckerlin's and I'm pretty sure their fantastic bacon is too!

Monmouth St in Newport has a new business!

In order to expand our foodie horizons, we have been trying to go out to eat in the Newport side of downtown more often. Primarily its because its an easy bike ride from our neck of the woods and also because as you travel down Monmouth, away from the Levee, there are so many wonderful restaurants and storefronts to explore! I have enjoyed some wonderful food @ La Mexicana, Dixie Chili and the Newport Pizza Company - all indie restaurants and all reasonably priced. There are some independent business storefronts down on that stretch of Monmouth, and desolate as that stretch of the road can sometimes seem, there appears to be a dedicated core of folks that help these business survive year after year.

I didn't know there was a newsletter for the Newport area until i had one sent to me by the writer of Urbancincy - I'm so glad I've been enlightened! Reading the newsletter, it appears that there is a new member of the Newport business group. I'm not much of a knitter, but knowing how dedicated my knitting friends are, i am always glad to put the word out. For those of you who are looking for a place to buy knitting goods downtown, you are in luck! Hopefully, after time goes by, Knit On! will either offer classes for newbies like me, or have sewing classes (which i know i can handle).

Here's the info from the newsletter:
Knit On! moves to Monmouth
Love to knit?
Looking for the perfect yarn?
Always wanted to know how to knit?
Then Knit On! is the shop for you! There new location on Monmouth Street now has three times the size of our original shop, so there is plenty of room to see all of the Knit On!'s fabulous yarns and accessories they have in stock. Knit On now has a large classroom for those wanting to learn how to knit. Stop in and visit one of our newest businesses, and welcome them to Newport!
KNIT ON! 735 Monmouth Street, Newport KY 859-291-5648

For basic info, their website is: http://www.knit-on.com/ . From the pics of the store's new location, it looks like they've moved into the old space that Resser Cycle used to reside in, which i think is a really cool old bank building. They are open 7 days a week (Monday through Saturday : 11am - 7pm, Sunday: 12 noon - 6pm), so make sure to stop by and welcome them to the area!

ps- the picture posted here is courtesy of the Go2Newport eNewsletter

Schedule of events @ findlay - August

Market Visit, originally uploaded by qrtr2four.

After a few hectic and hangover inducing weekends taking care of weddings and driving to Detroit, I am very much looking forward to my weekly pilgrimage to Findlay Market. I know that Saturdays are the "big" days for having vendors there, but usually the crowds there are too much for me, so i hit the market up on Sunday afternoons when you can get the best deals. My friend Joe characterized Saturdays -especially mid-day- as feeling as though "you're at the mall", so the relative quiet and calm on Sundays provides a nice end to the weekend for me. Luckily for Sunday shoppers like me, the programming that they offer on Saturdays is now being rolled over on to Sundays, and there are a lot of fun events coming up there.

On a side note, I would like to take a moment to discuss my absolute joy/sense of overwhelming at the Eastern Farmers Market in Detroit. I saw more varied produce (bokchoy, anyone?) there than i ever have at any of the farmers markets I've been to, and the sheer SIZE of the market was unbelievable! There were 5 "sheds" of veggies, fruit and flowers, and it seemed like each one had its own little microcosm there for me to observe and enjoy. Although we were just stopping there as more of a tourist destination while biking around town, i did my week's grocery shopping there and have been really happy with all of my purchases. This market is set up in a manner opposite of Findlay, with the main area being open air and for produce vendors, and the surrounding buildings containing all of the meat, cheese and anything else needing refrigeration. I think its safe to say I really was blown away by it all. I came away from the rest of the weekend with a real sense of admiration for Detroit - it may be a struggling town, but there really are some jewels there if you know where to look. As it looks to re-invent itself, the opportunity for growth beyond its previous car-centrist identity is vast. I hope i get to go back there sometime, and particularly back to that market!

Enough of the sidebar, here's the info - and don't forget the market is open Tues-Sun!:

Sunday 8/9 Blues, Brews and BBQ at the annual Findlay Market Blue BBQ. 11:00 am – noon The Prodigal Sons 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Lance Boyd and the Medicine Men 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Lomax. The OTR Biergarten will serve Christian Moerlein brews throughout the event.
Saturday 8/15 Mel Royster of Woe is Me BBQ will return to do another great cooking demonstration and sampling of their products available on Essen Strasse.
Sunday 8/16 City Council Candidates Forum in the OTR Biergarten. Politics and beer in a classic Cincinnati setting, sponsored by the Over-the-Rhine Foundation and the Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. Times to be announced.
Speakers: Roxanne Qualls, Chris Monzell, Jeff Berding, Laketa Cole, Greg Harris, Wendell Young, Chris Bortz, Tony Fischer
Saturday 8/22 9:00 am - noon A Family Arts Celebration is a partnership between Findlay Market and the Arts Education Directors of Greater Cincinnati. Activities include performances, hands-on arts and crafts and information about educational and family arts programs. It is free and open to the public! Sunday 8/23 City Council Candidates Forum in the OTR Biergarten. More politics and more beer in a classic Cincinnati setting, sponsored by the Over-the-Rhine Foundation and the Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. Times to be announced. Speakers: Amy Murray, Kevin Flynn, Darryl Cordrery II, Bernadette Watson, Nicholas Hollan, Laure Quinlivan, George Zamary

Hamburger Mary's Returns!

Several years ago, i had a birthday party @ the original Hamburger Mary's on Karaoke night. It was one of the most fun, flamboyant and entertaining birthday's i have had, and i was totally blown away by the crowd and energy flowing through it (and the karaoke was SERIOUSLY good). When Hamburger Mary's turned into the Universal Grille, i really didn't see much of a shift in decor or menu items and didn't see a change in clientele either. It basically was the same place but with a different name. The food there never really impressed me - in a town full of good burger joints, it was just mid-grade food and i wouldn't classify the menu as much more than pretty good bar food. Maybe i just didn't get adventurous enough with the menu, but what i always thought was the biggest asset of the restaurant (whether it was HM's or UG) was the bar there. I remember getting good drinks and enjoying some awesome people watching, but always wondered whether there was ever a strong lunch crowd that would go there during the work week.
When UG closed, i was sad - it was yet another restaurant downtown that was no longer a dining option - but the past 6 months or so, it has been in transition as a new owner has worked to revamp the menu and decor and re-open it. The restaurant portion of the revitalized Hamburger Mary's opened last week, and though i was out of town this past weekend i am hopeful that they had strong crowds from the various events around town this weekend. Below is more info on what's ahead for the restaurant - i'll be sure to review their menu before commiting to dinner, but will certainly go there for happy hour with friends once the bar opens and works out all the service kinks that invariably occur. If you go, please feel free to post your thoughts on the "new" Hamburger Mary's.

Hamburger Mary’s reopens downtown
Business Courier of Cincinnati
Hamburger Mary’s, the casual eatery known as much for its live-and-let-live atmosphere as for its creatively named fare, will reopen tonight under the stewardship of a Chicago-based partnership.
Franchisee Mary Onken, a Chicago attorney, will open the doors of its original site on Vine near Ninth Street at 5 p.m. It will be managed by Gail Marlow, who studied music at Xavier University and relocated to Cincinnati to run the restaurant.
Onken pledged that Hamburger Mary’s will remain true to the original concept, but with a few added menu items and with more entertainment, including music students. The restaurant was well known and popular for its kitschy decor, lighthearted menu and gay-friendly atmosphere.
The Vine Street location had changed concept several years ago, becoming the Universal Grille when its franchise agreement expired. The Universal Grille closed in 2008.
Hamburger Mary’s master franchise is owned by Ashley Wright and his identical twin, Brandon, who also operate Hamburger Mary’s Chicago.
The downtown location will begin serving lunch on July 29 and be open seven days a week. But the main bar, called Dirty Mary’s, is still under construction and expected to open in a month or so.

Some national good press for Cincinnati

Cincinnati Riverfront, originally uploaded by elycefeliz.

Residents of Cincinnati rejoice - we have some good press on the national level to celebrate! While it probably does not have a huge readership, "Outside" magazine gave us high marks for quality of life and ranked us no.9 out of 10 (hey, its something!). We were up there with perennial favorites of Seattle, Portland and Colorado Springs, so there is something to be said for the fact that we are in what i would consider to be prestigious company.
While the press around town went wild for this story, it was nice to (for once) see a national story that our small hamlet had ties to. Kudos to our town! Below is the article - living downtown i really appreciate the compact nature of our downtown and although i am surprised we don't have more riverfront residential development (as stated previously), i am eternally grateful that someone had the foresight to put in riverfront parks and green space all around downtown, although a dog park would be nice.... Enjoy!

Info on how rankings were chosen, from the Outside Magazine website:
How We Ranked Them: First, we started with the 100 most populated cities in America, using public data to rank them on factors like cost of living, unemployment, nightlife, commute time, and access to green spaces. Then we took the 28 candidates with the highest overall averages and put them through a second round of number crunching, comparing things like the percentage of the population with college degrees, income level in relation to home prices, and weather. The wild card? Our own multisport factor, which rated each of our finalists on a scale of 1 to 5 for quality and proximity to biking, running, paddling, hiking, and skiing. After adding it all up, we had our top ten.

Cincinnati
KEY STATS2.1 million: Population (metro)
$106,000: Median home price
B-: Multisport grade
1 million: Pounds of goetta—a German dish consisting of pork, beef, and steel-cut oats—consumed locally each year
With its low cost of living and resilient and well-balanced blend of industries (everything from aerospace to advertising), Cincinnati topped our charts for best economy. But what about actually living there? For a local perspective, we turned to former Outside staffer Jay Stowe, a Cincinnati native who's now editor in chief of Cincinnati Magazine, for a (mostly) objective opinion. For starters, Stowe says, it's an incredibly easy city. The downtown is "very urban and completely walkable," and the city is ringed with green spaces, parks, and lush hillsides. The city council and mayor are trying mightily to get a streetcar line running through the urban core, a long-term cycling-infrastructure plan that will include a downtown bike-commuter complex is in the works, and ground has been broken on the Banks, an $800 million multi-use riverfront development that will change the face of the city. For its size, Stowe says, Cincinnati boasts "cool architecture, genuinely awesome independent restaurants, and neighborhoods full of affordable, eclectic houses—and one of the country's biggest Oktoberfests, where people willingly don lederhosen and do the Chicken Dance totally unironically." Then there's its proximity to what Stowe refers to as a "vast inland adventure empire," by which he means Kentucky and West Virginia. The city is just two hours from Kentucky's Red River Gorge, a world-class climbing area (and a great place to hike and camp), and four hours from Fayetteville, West Virginia, the whitewater hub of the East Coast.