CincyWhimsy: Over The Rhine

Showing posts with label Over The Rhine. Show all posts

TUCKER'S RESTAURANT: GIFT CARD FUNDRAISER

Tucker’s Restaurant opened on September 19, 1946. This Saturday, the iconic eatery reaches its 69th anniversary, but the doors will remain closed as the kitchen was destroyed in a fire in July.

Tucker's Restaurant bustling during weekend brunch in Spring 2015.

Owners Carla and Joe Tucker are hoping to re-open the restaurant within the next few months. Neighbors have come together to assist with manual labor or raise money for reconstruction, including customer Chris Heckman, who created a GoFundMe.com campaign for Tucker's. Within the first 48 hours, over $10,000 in donations poured in from around the community. To date, the campaign has raised almost $15,000 of the $65,000 needed to repair damages and reopen the establishment. So far, the Tuckers have used the funds to hire an architect, contractor, and begin the construction process.

Jean-François Flechet, a long-time Tucker's customer and owner of nearby restaurant, Taste of Belgium, helped setup an online store to increase fundraising through the sales of Tucker's gift cards. Flechet thought of it as paying for his next meal in advance, helping the Tuckers' cash flow and speeding up the renovation process. "I bet others would be willing to do the same thing," says Flechet. "You get a few hundred people buy a few meals each; Joe and Carla will have the funds they need to reopen the restaurant." Flechet reached out to Heckman, a designer by trade, who created the artwork for the gift cards.

Join Carla and Joe Tucker in Washington Park this Saturday, September 19, as they celebrate Tucker's 69^th year during City Flea from 10:00am-4:00pm. Gift cards will be available for purchase at $25, $50 and $100.

MORE DOS & DON'TS OF LUMENOCITY

Recently, Lumenocity posted a cheeky Dos and Don'ts list with tips for attending the multi-day festivities. I have a few more to add:

DO remember that you're in a neighborhood. Conduct yourself as if you were on your home street, being considerate that residents may be asleep when you leave Lumenocity.

DON'T litter, pee in stairwells, walk through flowerbeds, or congregate in doorways when others are trying to enter/exit.

He's about to step on some plants...

DO use designated crosswalks as there will be extensive traffic and motorists unfamiliar with navigating city streets.

DO take the bus, as parking will be at capacity during the event. If attending Lumenocity on a weekday, Metro*Plus has a 30 minute journey from Nordstrom at Kenwood Mall to Downtown, dropping you off within walking distance of the event.

For both weekend and weekday, if you live near:
I-75 (between Downtown and Springdale): ride Route 78
Northside: ride Route 17 or 19
Westwood: ride Route 64 or 21
Mt. Lookout: ride Route 24
Each of the above also drop off/pick up within walking distance of Lumenocity. Roundtrip cost: $3.50 per person.

If you choose to drive, DO remember to use the pay-and-display machine if you don't see a parking meter. Street parking is enforced until 9:00pm.

If you park in a garage, DON'T take up multiple spaces. Check to make sure all four tires are inside the lines.

A crowd queues at a parking lot after Lumenocity.

DO visit a new or favorite local restaurant.

DON'T put your name on six restaurant waitlists, take the first available, and forget to cancel the rest.

DO wear practical walking shoes. Ladies, leave the stilettos at home.

DO keep track of your handbag. This is an urban area with an event attracting thousands of people. There will be pickpockets. I recommend a crossbody bag with zipper closure.

DON'T forget to pack some bug spray or lemongrass oil to ward off insect bites.

DO check out the historic Cincinnati LEGO displays at Music Hall.

DON'T bring your iPad to film Lumenocity. The people seated behind you bought tickets to watch the show, not to watch it through your glowing, 12" screen.

DO wear your salmon shorts, the OTR trend of the summer.

DO pick up after yourselves. Or you may become b-roll in an indie film:

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