Below are some of my favorite pieces:
“While all restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs have a love for their chosen industry and know it’s not an easy one to break into, for an immigrant, there are often challenges U.S.-born citizens won’t face that make the usually thin margins of a restaurant seem even more daunting, whether it’s having to adapt to a new culture, navigate language barriers or figure out how to source ingredients for a cuisine that’s underrepresented in their new home. Immigrants’ restaurants and food businesses have to be born out of a kind of love that bears the brunt of these particular challenges — one that fully encompasses their love for their families, for their home countries, for their food traditions and for their new communities with whom they want to share these traditions and recipes with.” READ MORE.
“My first trip to Western North Carolina was in 2022 when I went on a solo trip to Asheville. I immediately fell in love: the Blue Ridge Mountains, the waterfalls and the mild temperatures in the middle of February. Not to mention the people. Traveling alone as a woman can be intimidating, but I felt nothing but safe and welcomed in this region, plus a special connection to the state: my first Barrier ancestors to arrive in the United States first settled in Salisbury, North Carolina, just two hours east of Asheville, in the 1700s.” READ MORE.
“Now that the warmer months are upon us, it’s the perfect time to get in the car and take off on a classic road trip for a long weekend away. Luckily, Greater Cincinnati is situated between many unique towns, cities and parks that offer a variety of spring and summer road trip and vacation ideas, whether you want to hike and camp, relax with a glass of wine and waterfront view, explore charming villages or spend a weekend on adrenaline-pumping roller coasters. All of the following vacation ideas are located within a six-hour drive of Cincinnati, making them ideal for a spontaneous getaway.” READ MORE.
“I’ve always liked food, but the last two years I’ve spent working for CityBeat and on the food and dining beat has helped me think about it differently. I’ve learned a lot and developed a perspective toward food and restaurants I don’t think I would have otherwise, which is why I thought it was time to share a little of what I’ve learned, in true CityBeat fashion, in the form of a list of restaurants I love. Some of these are old favorites I’ve come to see in a new light, and some of these are new loves I maybe wouldn’t have tried if it weren’t for this job. Keep scrolling to see eight (and that’s barely scratching the surface; I had to rein myself in…) Greater Cincinnati restaurants I would recommend as a still-learning food writer.” READ MORE.
“A new hotel and bar have now opened in a historic Covington building. Boutique hotel North by Hotel Covington from vR Hospitality is housed in the space at Pike Street and Madison Avenue that was once home to the YMCA and Gateway Bookstore, which had been vacant since 2015. This $26.5 million project connects to Hotel Covington and features 53 new luxury suites and lofts, as well as a new meeting space, the Knowledge Bar & Social Room and the Lightwell Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 500 guests.” READ MORE.
“Add this to another list of reasons why Cincinnati is becoming a top travel destination: six Greater Cincinnati hotels and two restaurants were once again awarded 4-Diamond status on AAA’s prestigious list.” READ MORE.
“Details of a big event celebrating Greater Cincinnati’s river culture and heritage were announced at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Wednesday — and Cincinnatians who were around in the era of Tall Stacks may find them particularly exciting.” READ MORE.
“Cincinnati is once again in the travel-destination spotlight as one of its hotels makes not one, but two “best of” lists by magazine Travel + Leisure.” READ MORE.
“Every place is an amalgamation of its interwoven sensory experiences — the sights, smells, textures, flavors and, of course, sounds making every space different. And where there’s sound, there’s the potential for music. That’s where Play Audio Agency comes in.” READ MORE.
“Help is on the way for a large group of abandoned ducks at Delhi Park, according to the township’s Parks & Recreation department.” READ MORE.
“In an ongoing effort to hold out-of-town landlords accountable, the City of Cincinnati has filed a lawsuit against a Florida multifamily real estate investment company that owns hundreds of housing units in the city.” READ MORE.
“‘A time-traveling horse walks into a bar,’ works as a great joke setup, but it was the real deal outside the Bay Horse Cafe in downtown Cincinnati Thursday morning. The historic bar is getting ready to open back up under new ownership, and it just served its first customer: Wilden the Cleveland Bay.” READ MORE.
“Four Cincinnati chefs have been announced as semifinalists for the prestigious 2024 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards.” READ MORE.
“The “Gravel & Gold” tour kicked off last summer in support of the “Drunk on a Plane” singer’s 2023 album of the same name. In February, Bentley announced the party would continue this summer with 30 new dates, including in the Queen City.” READ MORE.
“One of the Greater Cincinnati area’s largest purveyors of collectible toys is getting even bigger as it prepares to open the doors to its new location.” READ MORE.
“Buckabee Brownies is a Blue Ash bakery run by married couple Miriam Spitz and Tom Kahan. Crafting brownies from flavor concepts not often seen in these treats, Buckabee uses top-of-the-line ingredients and their own recipes they’ve tested and perfected themselves.” READ MORE.
“Sometimes a scary situation can salvage a dream.
When Amy Carr was diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in November 2014, she and her twin sister, Christie Wallace, decided they had no time to waste. They were both stuck in jobs they hated; it was time to do something they loved. So the two put their design and crafting skills to work and opened Salvage Sisters.” READ MORE.
Blood, sweat, and chairs make Sarah Vaile, local interior designer and co-owner of Sarah Whit Interior Design, tick. And she’s brought her fresh, yet classic style to homes around the Tri-State since she was just a grad student. READ MORE.
“Question:
How are the ninth President of the United States, the Father of American Forestry, a local 19th-century English manor home, and (maybe) your future home all connected?
Answer:” READ MORE.