5chw4r7z:: the ethos of downtown Cincinnati

Johnny Appleseed

I was born in north central Indiana lived there a few years them moved to Massillon, Ohio for some years then ended up in Youngstown. Up until a certain age it seems like every year we talked about Johnny Appleseed in history. Imagine how shocked I was to see this monument in Spring Grove. How the heck did I live in Cincinnati for seven years and not know he was buried here? And how did he end up in Cincinnati? Seems to me he was always cutting back and forth across the northern half of the state. Not only that, just to see the monument itself, I tend to forget these mythological figures of American folklore were living breathing historical people. John Chapman, knowing his real name makes him seem more human.

But no, when I got home and hit wikipedia I found he is buried in Fort Wayne.
Fort Wayne?
That seems even more unlikely than Cincinnati. If anything I would have expected Mansfield, Lima or Massillon.
Even Cleveland where I guess he owned land.
But why a memorial here where there is no evidence he even stepped foot?

[where: 45202]best place to learn how to live downtown cincinnati ohio the ethos of Cincinnati
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need a brunch spot downtown? how about Nicholson's

People are always asking me, "whats the brunch hot spot downtown for Sunday?" I've always had one answer, Nada.
But now there's a new spot demanding serious consideration, Nicholson's.
We couldn't pass up a change to sample the new brunch menu with the Nomerati's, good food, good friends, blah blah blah etc.
So with a brunch companions at the table and Shelia Grey at a table on one side of us and Molly Wellmann at a table at the other, no way was this going to be a boring meal.
Nicholson's chefs have whipped up a varied selection of dishes with a Scottish twist, there should be something for everyone even if like me you don't stray far from American fare. And the cocktail selection is very imaginative.

Laura started off a twitter avalanche with her selection of the Breakfast Fizz containing Bacon infused bourbon, Cointreau, maple syrup, lemon juice, seltzer and a slice of bacon. It ended with someone on twitter remarking that it sounded gross.
Really?
I can't think of anything I've ever consumed that contained bacon and wasn't fantastic. A sip of this drink included.

Ms 5chw4r7z's Prince’s St. Sunrise.
Someone at Molly's table had a Bloody Mary with a beef straw. I know right? Crazy.

There were a number of things I wanted to try but settled on the Shepherd’s Pie Tart containing Beef and lamb filled pie crust, topped with a free range fried egg. very flavorful. Other food ordered at the table, The Beef Short Ribs Benedict and a NicGriddle.

Also ordered were the Chicken & Waffle Sliders, which Tony Shaw the bar manager at Nicholson's admitted were still a work in progress. It was a handful, there's talk of cutting the waffles in half, and maybe some extra sauce on the side? Don't let this scare you off as it might be totally redone when you make it in, just be sure to ask some questions.

So there you go, next time you are staying downtown, or if you live here, there's another spot for an incredible brunch.

[where: 45202]best place to learn how to live downtown cincinnati ohio the ethos of Cincinnati
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the lumix

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Sid Saturday

[where: 45202]best place to learn how to live downtown cincinnati ohio the ethos of Cincinnati
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Spring Grove Cemetery

On the National Register of Historic Places in recognition for its design, the cemetery as a lawn. It was one of the first, if not the first cemetery to adopt landscape design in the layout of its grounds. As I walked around I marveled at the various tombstones and memorials and thought about how much it reminded me of Père Lachaise in Paris. But that's crazy, just because I've been to Paris doesn't mean it has influenced everything, especially in the heavily German influenced Cincinnati. So imagine my surprise when I got home, opened Wikipedia and found out that Spring Grove Cemetery took their inspiration from the contemporary rural cemeteries Père Lachaise in Paris, and Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Spring Grove is the second largest cemetery in the U.S. that too is incredible.

Where Père Lachaise is dominated by large boisterous crows, Spring Grove had its robins and geese.

We get lost, but we never mind, getting lost and walking in a circle lead us to Christian Moerlein who's grave site we never would have seen. Greg Hardman, beer baron extraordinaire told me "I bring him a beer on his birthday every year...no kidding..."
There is some Cincinnati trivia for you.

[where: 45202]best place to learn how to live downtown cincinnati ohio the ethos of Cincinnati
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The Emery Theatre, a Requiem Project

The Emery Theatre, ever enduring has been reborn numerous times in its life dating back to when it opened in 1911 and then hosted the Cincinnati Orchestra through 1936. The last couple decades has seen it tangled by mortgages with no funding for restoration. But now the historic theater should be ready for local arts by January 2012. With its perfect acoustics, it amazed me how even normal conversations traveled through the space, the theater could not be kept dark forever and now with an OTR renaissance, a renewed focus on the urban core and the promise of a streetcar line a block away the Emery Theatre is bursting with potential.

We received a personal tour from Tara Gordon and Tina Manchise, the founders of the Requiem Project. the theater will not be restored by the reopening on 11/11/11 but it will be in functional condition. It has received a thorough scrubbing and the transformation from when I saw it last winter is amazing.

To kick off the space in grand style, the band Over the Rhine will play, there is a full slate of events planned for the evening, you can get more information and purchase tickets here.

In the meantime check out the space and the progress that has been made at The Emery Theatre.
Tina and Tara second and third from left talking about their vision for the Emery and what brought them to this point.

one of the many dressing rooms

Dang you Shebar

a parlor upstairs

the ceiling in the women's room

back stage

[where: 45202]best place to learn how to live downtown cincinnati ohio the ethos of Cincinnati
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COAST demands right to lie

Its a shame laws like this have to be passed, its an even bigger shame people are trying to overturn them. I don't see how you can come to any other conclusion than that this is an admission of guilt.
I just received this press release from Cincinnatians for Progress.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COAST DEMANDS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO LIE

COAST today filed a suit in federal court in Cincinnati seeking to overturn Ohio's law against false statements in issue campaigns.

Last week, Cincinnatians for Progress filed charges with the Ohio Elections Commission citing COAST's use of known false statements in its campaign to pass Issue 48, a wide-ranging rail ban in Cincinnati until 2021.

Instead of simply appearing at the commission to defend its behavior, COAST is asking the federal court to issue an injunction against a hearing.

COAST claims Ohio Revised Statute 3517.22 violates constitutional free-speech protection. The statute makes it a crime -- punishable by prison and fines – to “Post, publish, circulate, distribute, or otherwise disseminate, a false statement, either knowing the same to be false or acting with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not, that is designed to promote the adoption or defeat of any ballot proposition or issue.”

Cincinnatians for Progress stands behind Ohio's exemplary standards for fair, honest elections. We believe Cincinnati voters do too, and will not be swayed by this desperate ploy to waste time and taxpayers' money on promoting COAST's deceptive agenda.

[where: 45202]best place to learn how to live downtown cincinnati ohio the ethos of Cincinnati
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Rally for Rail

The rally started with a pep talk from Mayor Mallory and Rob Richardson outlining just what they expect the streetcar to do, attract business and people to the city. The Mayor, "Will we lose opportunity? NO, we didn't before [Issue 9 in 2009] and we won't now." Issue 48 will cause Cincinnati to lose opportunity.
The Mayor also talked about how opposition to the streetcar would have you believe that business does not support rail. Nothing could be further from the truth. All the big companies in Cincinnati support it. P&G, Duke and others have given financial support for the project.

Doug Sizemore, Executive Secretary Treasurer of the Cincinnati AFL-CIO: We cannot support a charter Amendment that will stifle growth for ten years."

Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Oregon held up a bowl of candy and asked, "Trick or treat?" With Issue 48 all you get is the trick.

Congressman Blumenauer talked about Salt lake city's streetcar, which was controversial but at no time did anyone suggest outlawing rail. Their downtown is now turning around.
He went on to rip into issue 48 citing that he has never seen a community voting to put itself into hibernation for ten years. The congressman stated No city should tie one hand behind its back and 48 offers no sense into where the community is going. Cincinnati deserves better. 48 will allow people with no vision to tie down the work of those trying to improve the city

The biggest surprise of the evening for me? Seeing P.G. Sittenfeld in the back of the room. Months ago P.G. was evading all questions about the streetcar, but as politicians do, once he saw which way the wind was blowing he's picked a side.
UPDATE: OK this wasn't meant to be a slam on P.G. as much as a confirmation that Issue 48 doesn't stand a chance.

P.G. Sittenfeld photo courtsey @BRADLEYWTHOMAS[where: 45202]best place to learn how to live downtown cincinnati ohio the ethos of Cincinnati
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