50 YEARS OF PRESERVING CINCINNATI

Cincinnati Museum Center is kicking off their latest local exhibit with an elegant gala: both celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Cincinnati Preservation Association (CPA). The organization was started by three women dedicated to saving Native American and early settlement sites, then evolved their mission into saving entire neighborhoods.  Since 1964, the non-profit has worked buildings with historic architecture, public art, monuments and landscapes, as well as archaeological sites. One of their several current focuses, in addition to advocating for Union Terminal repairs, is restoring the historic neighborhood of Walnut Hills.

If you've visited Over-the-Rhine, it's likely that you've passed by or enjoyed a meal in one of the buildings saved by the CPA. They've worked along side developers to rehabilitate:

• Renaissance Hotel, Downtown
• The Color Building on Vine Street, home to Asian fusion restaurant, Kaze.
• Nicolay Lofts and Westfalen Lofts, at Race and 14th Street
• Hummel Building, condos located adjacent to Washington Park and Music Hall
  
  

  

  The new grey facade of the Hummel Building.

  
  

The former is where they'll be hosting the gala, November 8 at 7:00PM. Taking place in the Marriott Renaissance, Burnham Room C, the evening kicks off with cocktails at 6:00PM, followed by a gourmet dinner at 7:30PM. Tickets are available via phone (513-721-4506 Ext. 2) for $150 per person.

On a budget? Be sure to check out the FREE exhibit, Celebrating 50 Years of Working Together Saving Places at Cincinnati Museum Center in the Culture Gallery, located near the Historical Library in the center of the rotunda, lower level. The installment runs through April 5, 2015.

TRI*METRO ENTERTAINMENT BUS

Learn. Experience. Ride.

Those three simple steps can help bring new ridership to Cincinnati Metro. The transit agency has partnered with Cincinnati young professionals organizations to promote tri*Metro, a campaign to introduce the many benefits of riding the bus.

On Saturday, September 13, Cincinnatians will have an opportunity to travel by bus to a variety of venues throughout Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, Mt. Lookout, Oakley, Hyde Park and O'Bryonville. From 8:00PM-2:00AM, ride Metro around town to your favorite bars and take advantage of drink specials offered by partnering venues. The best part: you get unlimited rides on all Metro Entertainment Buses for only $5 with prepaid registration or purchase one the night-of at any of the designated bus stops.

Buses will be running every 30 minutes; the perfect time to grab a drink, chat with friends, and be ready to travel onward to your next venue. An added bonus: you don't have to start riding Downtown. Just want to be shuttled between Oakley and Mt. Lookout? It can be done! Riders are free to pick up the Metro Entertainment Bus from any location on the route. Download a bus schedule and check out the drink specials:

MT. LOOKOUT (Bus Stop at Linwood and Delta)

• MLT- $4 well drinks until 9pm, 5 for $12 domestic buckets all night long
• Millions- $4 well drinks until 9pm, 5 for $12 domestic buckets all night long

HYDE PARK  (Bus Stop at Edwards and Erie)

• Cock N' Bull- $1 draft beers, $1 off cocktails,  half price apps
• Unwind Bar-  $5 house red, $5 house white, $1 off all beers

HYDE PARK  (Bus Stop at Erie and Marburg)

• Keystone- Half price drafts

OAKLEY (Bus Stop at Madison and Gilmore)

• Animations- $2.25 domestics, $2 Orloff shots, $3 Fireball shots
• The Oak- $12 domestic buckets, $1 off craft drafts

O'BRYONVILLE (Bus Stop at Madison and Cinnamon)

• O'Bryon's Bar & Grill- $8 Budweiser pitchers, $5 car bombs
• Art of Entertaining (open until 10pm)-  $5 wines, $5 beers, Live culinary demonstrations

OVER THE RHINE (Bus stop at Main St. and 13th)

• The Drinkery- $3 well drinks, $4 16oz domestics and $5 drafts  
• MOTR- Free live music
  
  

This bus is ready to party!

Not into the bar scene but still want to participate? There are plenty of restaurants, entertainment and relaxing patios nearby each of the stops.

MT. LOOKOUT SQUARE (Bus stop at Linwood and Delta)
Mt. Lookout Coffee Roasters, UDF, Buona Terra Gelato & Crepes, Lucy Blue Pizza, Zip's Cafe, Cloud 9 Sushi, Ruthai's Thai Kitchen

HYDE PARK SQUARE (Bus stop at Edwards and Erie)
Graeter's, Awakenings Coffee & Tea, Unwind Wine Bar, Indigo Cafe, Arthur's

EAST HYDE PARK (Bus stop at Erie and Marburg)
Hyde Park Pizzeria, UDF, Dutch's Bottle Shop, Bangkok Bistro, Hap's Irish Pub, M Woodfired Pizza. There's also a park across the street.

OAKLEY (Bus stop at Madison and Gilmore) 
Baba India, Skyline Chili, Aglemesis Ice Cream Parlour, Habits Cafe, Dewey's Pizza, 20th Century Theatre, Yat Ka Mein

O'BRYONVILLE (Bus stop at Madison and Cinnamon)
Enoteca Emilia, Owls Nest Park, plus a variety of boutique shops earlier in the evening.

OVER THE RHINE (Bus stop at Main St. and 13th)
Washington Park, Ensemble Theatre, Music Hall, Taste of Belgium, Quan Hapa, Senate, Bakersfield, Lucy Blue Pizza, Gomez Taco Window, A Tavola, The Eagle, Holtman's Donuts, Venice on Vine, 1215 Wine and Coffee Bar, Kaze. Basically, this stop drops off in the heart of the Over the Rhine Entertainment District, perfect for if you've been craving trying out any of  the popular restaurants.

DOWNTOWN (Government Square at Walnut and 5th)
Fountain Square, Smale Riverfront Park, Scotti's Italian Restaurant, Nada, Graeters, FUSIAN, Via Vite, Shanghai Mamas, Mr. Sushi, Rock Bottom, Palomino, Metropole, Boca, Akash India, Taqueria Mercado, Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse

Note that with the restaurants, that you check closing times before heading out. Most close at 9PM or 10PM, with the exception of Over The Rhine restaurants.

If you're having the bus ride of a life time, take note. The Metro Entertainment Bus is traveling the same path of Route 11, a bus which you can catch any day of the week. If you enjoy the ease of transit hopping venues on the weekend, consider getting a $10 or $20 stored value card to use the rest of the year. With bus fare costing $1.75 per ride, it's a safe and affordable way for groups of friends to get around town.

YEAR ONE: STREETCAR CONSTRUCTION

This week marks the first anniversary of construction beginning on the Cincinnati Streetcar route as the City signed a contract with Messer/Prus/Delta Railroad Joint Venture (MPD) to complete the work. We've been documenting the development of infrastructure once a month since it began. Compare the pictures below to see how the project has evolved over the past year.

12TH & WALNUT STREET

2013

2014

12TH & VINE STREET

2013

 2014

 12TH & RACE STREET

 2013

2014

MUSIC HALL AT
14TH & ELM STREET

2013

2014

 LIBERTY & ELM STREET

2013

 

2014

FINDLAY MARKET ON ELM

2013

 

2014

Installing the first catenary poles for the overhead wire.

  

RHINEGEIST AT
HENRY & ELM STREET

2013

 

2014

 

HENRY STREET

2013

2014

STREETCAR MAINTENANCE FACILITY
AT HENRY & RACE STREET

2013

2014

 

RACE & LIBERTY STREET

2013

2014

CENTRAL PARKWAY & WALNUT

2013

 

2014

GOVERNMENT SQUARE AT
5TH & WALNUT

2013

2014

THE BANKS ON 2ND STREET

2013

2014

 

 

4TH & MAIN

2013

 

2014

 

6TH & MAIN

2013

2014

8TH & MAIN

2013

 

2014

NATIONAL DONUT DAY

National Donut Day was established in 1938 by Salvation Army as a depression-era outreach initiative. It pays tribute to Salvation Army volunteers who prepared donuts for thousands of soldiers during World War I.  Since that time, National Donut Day events have been held in cities across the country by local Salvation Army units.  This marked the fifth year that the local Salvation Army has partnered with the Greater Cincinnati Retail Bakers Association for the event, which was held on Fountain Square.

Donut Day featured local celebrities playing themed games, such as donut stacking and a donut hole toss. Others attended wearing their finest glazed fashions.

I counted thirteen sweet shops distributing their signature donuts -- ironically, a baker's dozen. Neighborhood notables included: Holtman's Donuts, Bonnie Lynn Bakery, Bonomini Bakery, Harrison Home Bakery, North College Hill Bakery, Regina Bakery, Schmidt's Bakery, and Wyoming Pastry Shop as well as larger patisseries Busken Bakery, Dunkin' Donuts, Servatii's, Graeter's, and Bakery Hill at the Midwest Culinary Institute (Cincinnati State).

With so many tastes, I was glad that several shops cut their donuts into quarters to offer a bite without having to commit to a full portion (although, I won't complain that some of my favorite places did have whole donuts for the taking!) A most popular event, some shops saw queues reach seven people deep, just to snack on their sweets.

Honorable Donut Day Mentions

Best All-Around Donut:
Holtman's Chocolate Iced w/ Sprinkles
(Unless you're offering me a lemon-filled pastry, sprinkles will win me over every time.)

Best Structural Integrity:
(Held up in the bag while out in the heat and sunshine)
Bakery Hill's glazed with chocolate caramel crumble. Not only did it look elegant, but it tasted fantastic too.

Favorite Surprise:
Schmidt Bakery's Cherry Thing-a-Ling
Only sold during Presidents' Day Weekend, I've heard tales of friends making an early morning journey to Schmidt's shop in Batesville, Indiana to get this coveted sweet. These sell out super fast, so I was excited to have the chance to finally taste one.