NYE: PARTY LIKE A BELGIAN

Welcoming in the New Year comes with the challenging decision of selecting the perfect venue to celebrate. This made for an easy choice upon receiving an invitation to a party at the new Taste of Belgium on Short Vine.

It was our first time at the venue, and we were thoroughly impressed by the space. The Uptown location is twice as big as Taste of Belgium's OTR Bistro and has an abundance of seating for large groups. The restaurant's design, which was created by Cincinnati-based LPK, has an edgy, youthful vibe but with all the polished touches of the Taste of Belgium brand.

Complete with a live VJ spinning tunes from the 80s and 90s, our evening included a sampling of Belgian street food as well as an open bar of wine, cocktails, and any of the 24 craft beers on tap. A champagne toast at midnight capped off the evening, as we rang in the new year with friends.

Photo by FD Harper

Photo by Barbara Hauser

HAPPY 2014!

THE HAPPINESS JAR

The Happiness Jar:
How I measured a year of my life in love

Throughout 2013, I wrote down the positive memories from each day and dropped the slip of paper into this jar. On New Years, I dump out the jar and re-read all of the great things that I experienced during the past year. I counted 392 slips of paper last night. Thanks to all my friends for creating some wonderful moments with me. Here are some of my favorite highlights:

Visited 2 New States and 6 New Cities

Celebrating our one year anniversary in Chicago

8 months campaigning with Mike Moroski for Cincinnati City Council

Being selected by the Cincinnati Regional Tourism Network as a contributor for Livin' In The Cin

Climbing all five remnants of Cincinnati's Inclines

 
A summer tour of local ice creameries that evolved into creating CincyWhip.com and Creamy Whip Tuesdays

Urban Campout at 9th and Broadway in Downtown Cincinnati

Premiered The Siege of Cincinnati documentary during Civil War Weekend at Cincinnati Museum Center

Held a showing of Cincinnati's Abandoned Subway at Cincinnati Museum Center that also played on OMNIMAX. Over 400 people attended.

Two nights of LumenoCity; one viewed from afar in Washington Park, one viewed up close while sitting on the streetcar tracks in the middle of Elm Street.

Tour of Friday Fish Frys during Lent

The streetcar movement, from the color reveal, to laying the first rail, to saving the project from cancellation for the third time.

 

LM&M Railroad Date Night

Urban Cincy Bikes & Brews

My birthday surprise box of donuts from Holtman's and their later opening of a store in OTR

Summertime adventures in Columbus with friends

My first-ever visit to the Krohn Conservatory Butterfly Show

My first article published in Domestica Magazine about rainy day hideouts

First time flying First Class
 

Seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time

Touring San Francisco in a chartered 1928 Milan streetcar with the Cincinnati Railbuffs

 

Being part of a Historic Photograph taken with a 100-year-old Camera

...But best of all was realizing that be it streetcar, showing documentaries, or campaigning, I spent 2013 doing what I wrote on the Before I Die wall:

 Here's to a whimsical & wonderful 2014!

A WILD NEW YEAR'S EVE

As we bid farewell to 2012, what better way to celebrate than with an adventurous, five-course meal. Hosted by The 5chw4r7zes and prepared by The Nomeratis, my friends and I embarked on our exotic dinner filled with dishes such as wild boar, rabbit, lamb bacon, and duck eggs. Nathan provided a delicious loaf of homemade bread to start out the meal, Jeff brought two quarts of decadent ice cream, and many others provided the spirits. Everything at our table was made-from-scratch and tasted fantastic.

The evening was filled with plenty of laughs, heaping portions of savory food, and the company of some of my favorite people. There's no where I'd rather be than ringing in the new year surrounded by wonderful friends.

Laura brings out a tray of Wild Pigs in a Blanket

Jeff and Alaina contemplate the four choices of rabbit, venison, wild boar, or lamb

Wild Boar in a Blanket

Reindeer sausage.
♫ Rudolph with your nose bright, won't you guide my appetite. ♫

Poached duck eggs.

Salade Lyonnaise with lamb bacon and poached duck egg.

Wild rice risotto with peas, carrots, and exotic mushroom.

5chw4r7z carves the leg of boar with The Nomeratis.

Wild boar with sauce bordelaise, sauteed broccolini and slaw

Free range apple pie with amaretto and chocolate bourbon ice creams.

5chw4r7z and his many glasses.

Ringing in 2013.
Photo by Kristen Berry.

Happy New Year! Here's to many more whimsical adventures in 2013!