Crafty Supermarket

The Crafty Supermarket isn't your grandmothers craft show, or maybe it is depending on your age. I should say this isn't my grandmothers craft show. Crafty has curated a collection of the highest quality crafters in the area. The next one isn't until Nov. 28, so put it in your calendar right now. You can do all your Christmas shopping there because giving boring gifts is a crime.
After you go, just remember, you can also find everything all year long online or in local brick and mortars.
Its amazing how many people show up early, in the rain, to wait in line to get.

Crafty Supermarket
Crafty Supermarket
The crafts are terrific, but coffee first.
Crafty Supermarket
Crafty Supermarket
Crafty Supermarket
Crafty Supermarket
Lily in Flux is half natural history museum, half art gallery and half crafter.
Crafty Supermarket
I need these guys.
Crafty Supermarket
I've been buying cards from Ap loves design lately because corporate cards suck.
Crafty Supermarket
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polar votexs and harsh winters

And now because of them I appreciate this even more.
upload
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outside is still free

And it still belongs to everyone. The outside that is. The coolest thing about biking around the city is getting into the nooks and crannies and seeing sights you'd never see otherwise. And cycling around is even better when you do it with a group a friends and this is where the Urban Basin Bicycle Club comes in. Show up and right, get a little history and of course afterwards there is always a beer waiting. Another highlight, if you like bike porn is there are always one or two vintage bikes that show up.
Urban Basin Bicycle Club

My good luck totem has been warding off evil for three summers now, hasn't let me down yet.
Urban Basin Bicycle Club
Urban Basin Bicycle Club
Urban Basin Bicycle Club
Urban Basin Bicycle Club
Urban Basin Bicycle Club
Urban Basin Bicycle Club
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Final Friday April Edition

Final Friday doesn't get any earlier than that does it? This year it also hit another important date, at least for me. Ms 5chw4r7z and my wedding anniversary. We don't always need a big fancy event to celebrate and over they years we've enjoyed getting take out from Shanghai Mama's and eating on the square. We have more happy memories doing that than any other dinner I can remember. It meant rolling into OTR late for Final Friday but it was worth it, an amazing night all in all.

Anniversary Dinner
Anniversary Dinner
Albert showing off his photos at the Red Door Project
Final Friday
Final Friday
Park+Vine's exhibit of Michael Dillingham's outsider art.
Final Friday
Final Friday
OK, how crazy is it that a place like this can make it in OTR?
Final Friday
The French version of A Star is Born shredded and rolled up and inserted into pills
Final Friday
A Bugs Life at Frameshop
Final Friday
Final Friday
There was an indecent on 12th so Neon's was cleaned out except for locals, its was pretty cool for a change.
Final Friday
Final Friday
Final Friday
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Sid Saturday

Sid
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The Mighty Ohio River

river is running high and muddy
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Brighton Grafitti

#graffiti #streetart #cincinnati #ohio
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Sedamsville

In the late 1780s the area now known as Sedamsville was occupied by the Miami Native American tribe led by Chief Boldface. The land was settled in 1795 by revolutionary soldiers and Colonel Cornelius Sedam who the town was later named after. From what I understand, Sedamsville was a thriving manufacturing hub until the double whammy of the Great Depression and the Great Flood of 1937 gave the town two solid body blows. The knockout punch came with the widening of River Road which wiped out what was left of Sedamsville's business district. Sedamsville's one claim to fame is Pete Rose. Pete grew up in Sedamsville, learned to play baseball in Boldface Park and infamously gambled there. The neighborhood is almost all but forgotten now except for views of the soaring steeple of Our Lady of Perpetual Help when cars are shooting past the neighborhood on Rt 50.

Sedamsville
Sedamsville
But that will all change soon if the Sedamsville Community Development Corporation has anything to do with it. The SCDC's Executive Director Seth Walsh took us on a walking tour one Saturday morning to show me the challenges facing the neighborhood. Google told me it was a five minute drive. No way I thought, with all the new work on the 6th street viaduct, one can't just drive straight there. Imagine my surprise at walking out of my condo and pulling into the parking lot of Our Lady of Perpetual Help five minutes later.
What is left of the housing stock is impressive; old beautiful homes built into the hillsides, there aren't many flat stretches of land here. There are a couple long lengths of uninterrupted buildings on Delhi Pike which runs right through the middle of the neighborhood. There are around 500 residents right now, not many people. Many of them are living at or near poverty. But in a way Mr. Walsh sees that as a strength. It wouldn't take a big influx of new residents to make a difference. If 15 or 20 new, community-minded people moved in they could have a big impact. One big plus for the neighborhood is the amount of surrounding parks. Want to feel like you are in the middle of the wilderness right in the city? This is the place. Another huge advantage I see in Sedamsville is its proximity to downtown; who wouldn't love a five minute commute to work?

An Indianapolis developer has been kicking the tires of the Benjamin Harrison Schoolhouse wanting to convert it into apartments. There is also inexpensive housing stock needing rehabbed. You have to imagine it would be way cheaper here to buy into than OTR. And that is one thing that the SCDC is pinning their hopes on, people getting priced out of the core. The one downside to that is they are years behind Walnut Hills, Lower Price Hill and Covington in terms of development. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't strive, Sedamsville has tons of potential. As a matter of fact, they've consulted with Price Hill Will and the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation to explore just how to attack the task of rebuilding.
The story has just begun and I can't wait to see how it develops. I keep saying a rising tide lifts all boats, and I think Sedamsville will once again be an attractive place to live.
Sedamsville
Sedamsville
Benjamin Harrison Schoolhouse
Sedamsville
Sedamsville
Sedamsville
Sedamsville
Sedamsville
Sedamsville
Sedamsville
Some exciting changes are coming for this building although Mr. Walsh coudn't share the details with me yet
Sedamsville
Sedamsville
One thing Sedamsville has going for it, much like the other up and coming neighborhoods is a devoted grass roots efforts to improve the business district.
Sedamsville
Sedamsville
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Sid Saturday

Sid
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Reser Bicycle Outfitters

No one forms an emotional attachment to a business.
That's just silly, its business not pleasure. Most of the time you fork money over and hope you are getting a good or service worth somewhere near what you just paid.
But, there are a few out there, that, if you could hug a business which one would it be? Park+Vine is absolutely at the top of the list.
Running a close second would be Reser Bicycle Outfitters who I discovered a few years back when they opened Reser OTR. Sadly that shop is no longer open so luckily their original Newport location is just a short bike ride away. I'm not going to claim I'm there every chance I get but Reser is one of the few businesses of any kind that consistently exceed expectations.

Trailhead Coffee
Its springtime, time to be outside enjoying the fresh air. Take your bike to Reser for a checkup and enjoy a coffee and pie while you're there. One last parting shot, you would think knowledgeable bike people would be enough, and it would. But then Joe, while crafting a pourover for me at Trailhead Coffee gave pointers on which coffees would match up with a cigar. Three of my worlds intersecting and exploding on a brilliant Saturday morning. Heady stuff.
Trailhead Coffee
Reser coffee bar
Reser coffee bar
Reser coffee bar
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