5chw4r7z:: the ethos of downtown Cincinnati

Yes on 8 Pop-Up Concert: Young Heirlooms!

Why the Young Heirlooms? Heirlooms are items or ideologies handed down from generation to generation…much like Union Terminal!
Issue 8 proposes a .25% Sales Tax for a period of five years for the construction, improvement, rehabilitation and renovation of Cincinnati Union Terminal.
You should vote yes on 8. Vote yes on all the issues actually. But especially 8.

From the Yes on 8 website;

The successful passage of Issue 8 will allow for the full scope of the restoration project to be completed. Decades of water damage, natural deterioration, and maintenance needs will be covered under this plan--preserving Union Terminal for generations to come.
Saying "yes" on Issue 8 will allow us to preserve Union Terminal and guarantee that it will continue to be an essential part of our region's great heritage. Future generations will benefit from our investment now-- ensuring that our children, and grandchildren, are able to enjoy Union Terminal.

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The Mercer OTR

The Mercer OTR had a sneak peak to showcase the new place in Mercer Commons and offer up some tasty bites. If you haven't been on Vine St lately The Mercer OTR takes up the entire front of the new mercer garage building. The food I tried, a selection of lamb, pork and Waygu sliders was amazing, I didn't see a menu anywhere so I have no idea what the price point is. But if the drink prices were anything to go by The Mercer OTR might be the most expensive place in OTR to open yet.
Just in case you were thinking prices couldn't get higher than they were.

This was the scene two and a half years ago.

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the right to lie in Cincinnati

The right to lie, yes it could be argued is lawful but is it right? This was a three year fight for the Clermont County based hate-group coast after Cincinnatians for Progress filed a complaint against them. The complaint came about after repeated tweets from from the group stating the streetcar was causing fire station brownouts. The city attorney at the time provided the group with all the documents needed to show the statements were false. But the Clermont county group was never one to let facts get in the way of their ideology.

The pertinent line in the ruling is; "...whether the state may force citizens to defend the “truth” of their political critiques before bureaucrats who may well have been appointed by the politicians being criticized"

Makes sense, but still the question is, it might be legal to lie but is it ethical?
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Vancouver graffiti

Our west coast trip didn't reveal much graffiti, we were probably in all the wrong neighborhoods. Until we hit Gastown in Vancouver.

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Aggravation de l'Espace

Aggravation de l'Espace is arguably the single most unknown, unappreciated and unloved piece of art in Cincinnati.

From Wikipedia;
Aggravation de l'Espace is a public artwork by French sculptor Jean Boutellis, located on a median on Central Parkway. It was donated to the city by the Robert Taft family and was originally installed in front of Cincinnati City Hall but after September 1984 it was moved to its current location. According to "Cincinnati Parks and Parkways" the piece was moved to its new location because it "was so annoying to pedestrians." [where: 45202] best place to learn how to live downtown cincinnati ohio the ethos of Cincinnati
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Sid Saturday

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FAILE: Around the Corner

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Chihuly Garden and Glass

If you ever find yourself Seattle the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit could be worth checking out. You can get tickets bundled in with a pass to the Space Needle. This isn't going to be the most glowing review. Don't get me wrong, it was cool and all, but I got bored fast and started taking pictures of people taking pictures.
That was more challenging and fun.

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Sprout Market and Eatery

I don't leave downtown too often but every once in awhile I do get in a car and drive out into the sticks. Which is how I found my self recently at Sprout Market and Eatery who just celebrated their grand opening in Mt Adams. An affable little place seemingly plucked out of OTR minus the long waits and crowds. Sprout has a small menu, which keeps the order envy down, and a quality selection of microbrews on draft.

In addition to the bar and restaurant Sprout also houses a small pantry, pick out some staples and watch food preperation in the kitchen.

I almost flipped spotting this Deeper Roots Coffee blend, Fall Tonic. The Fall Tonic is the best coffee I can remember drinking in a long time.

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who should benefit from incentives?

I didn't agree with all the hand-wringing back in 2011 when Chiquita was talking about moving its global headquarters from Cincinnati to Charlotte. Charlotte ended up giving Chiquita over $22 million in state and city incentives to relocate. As part of the deal Chiquita was supposed to create an additional 417 jobs averaging $107K each. Chiquita at the time scoffed at Cincinnati's offer of $6 million with the CEO of Chiquita Fernando Aquirra saying "With all due respect, the city did very, very, very little,"
Turns out Chiquita actually did Cincinnati a favor by moving.
Fast forward three years and Chiquita has announced that they are moving their world headquarters to Ireland.
Charlotte and North Carolina have to decide whether they’ll request their incentive money back. The process is complicated by local government policies and by the fruit company’s merger with a foreign company.
It got me thinking, instead of offering companies money to relocate to, or stay in Cincinnati the city should offer infrastructure improvements as incentives. Something a business couldn't take with them when they leave. And if that isn't good enough, maybe Cincinnati doesn't need their business as much as they need Cincinnati?
What started this was our trip to Portland. In the early 2000's the Oregon Health & Science University had become land locked on top of a hill with residential neighborhoods to the west and a steep hill and a neighborhood and expressways to the east. OHSU began purchasing property outside the city of Portland in Hillsboro, OR and was preparing to relocate. Portland got creative and instead of offering OHSU monetary incentives to stay city leaders proposed building a tram to extend the OHSU campus down to the waterfront. OHSU agreed and is now connected to what was at one time a shipyard but is quickly becoming one of Portland's hottest neighborhoods to live.
I wish Cincinnati could be this creative.

pedestrians, bikes and streetcars only.

Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People right side of this picture will be for every form of transit you can think of, except cars.
Heads would explode in Cincinnati if anyone suggested something like this.

Portland's South Waterfront neighborhood. Purely a product of the streetcar and aerial tram.
There is one street going into it as its landlocked by a river and expressway.