August 22-24 End of Summer Events

Summer draws to a close and Fall seems to creep in. The kids are going back to school, you’re commute is lengthened behind busses and through school zones, the weather gets a little chillier, and you’re just waiting around for the WEBN fireworks Labor Day Weekend to officially end the summer season in Cincinnati. But this weekend holds a bunch of events to hold you out just a little bit longer and enjoy the great outdoors.

Germania Park Oktoberfest

And it starts… The drinking season…errr.. I mean Oktoberfest season. And this is a great one to kick off the season and one of my favorites! The Germania Society opens their gorgeous park for biergartens, rides, games, authentic German food and wares. Admission is $3 for anyone over 12 years of age, and prices are very reasonable for a festival. They also have large steins of beer for purchase! There are rides and playgrounds for the kids and beer, polka music, and games for the adults. I recommend taking use of their shuttle service. They’re open Friday 6pm-Midnight, Saturday 2pm – Midnight and Sunday Noon -10pm.

 

Taste of Blue Ash

 Is held at the new Summit Park this year (the old Blue Ash Airport). They have an extensive list of vendors (below) and offer some amazing entertainment! So browse and eat to your hearts content and then enjoy a FREE concert fr0m some awesome artists! This year’s lineup is:

Friday:
6:30pm Hollywood Nights (Bob Seger Tribute Band
9:00pm Charlie Daniel’s Band

Saturday:
7:00pm TOTO
9:00pm Michael McDonald (of the Doobie Brothers)

Sunday:
5:30pm Pistol Holler
7:30pm Kellie Pickler

 RESTAURANTS
1. Vonderhaar’s
2. El Pueblo
3. Buona Terra
4. Arloi Dee Thai Bistro
5. City BBQ
6. Rusty Bucket
7. Alfio’s Buon Cibo
8. Busken Bakery
9. Buffalo Wild Wings
10. La Petite France
11. Streetpops
12. Rascals NY Deli
13. Culvers of Mason
14. Delicio Coal Fired Grill
15. Graeters
16. Café Mediterranean
17. Slatt’s Pub
18. Puffins Café
19. The Cincinnati Grill
20. Cascades
21. J. Gumbo’s
22. Orange Leaf
23. Bangkok Terrace
24. Qdoba Mexican Grill
25. The Melting Pot

Brew Ha Ha

 If you like comedians and beer, then this is the perfect place for you! More than 100 beers, and 50+ comedians take over Sawyer Point for the weekend. You can enjoy the comedy absolutely FREE! and the beer will cost you a $5 wristband (so basically an admission to drink) then $1 a beer ticket. You can enjoy sampling that way or 5 tickets will get you a full serving if that’s more you’re thing.

Thursday, Aug. 21st from 5pm to 12 Midnight
Headliner: Josh Sneed

Friday, Aug 22nd from 5pm to 12 Midnight
Headliner: The Sklar Brothers

Saturday, Aug 23rd from 4pm to 12 Midnight
Headliner: David Alan Grier

So lots of choices to check out and make an entire weekend of it!

Bad Tom Brewing

In a very non desript building in Linwood, at the end of Bella Luna’s parking lot, is a relatively new brewery. Actually, Bad Tom Smith Brewing has been open for a year, but just recently extended their tap room hours.

Its a small building with a bar and a few picnic tables where you can see and smell the brewing going on behind some glass doors. There lineup right now is 6 solid beers, mainly traditional ones but with a slight twist.

They have:
A 6.6% American IPA (Addlehead IPA)
A 6% American Brown Ale (Bad Tom)
A 6.8% Wheat beer (Brother Clement)
A 10% American Strong Ale (Old Abe)
A 5.8% Stout (Black Kettle)
And a 5.4% Helles (Kloppenburg Helles)

I would easily say their Helles is one of the best, I’d not thee best that I’ve had. And I was pleasantly surprised that I love the brown ale as well! As far as the others, the IPA is a little untraditional and I don’t think as bitter as most. I’m not an IPA fan (there I said it) but it was drinkable to me. Now as far as their stout, that’s the totally unique one! It was a sweet stout with definate hints of cinnamon in it. Like I said before, they definitely put their.own twist on their beers.

So if your down that way, definitely check them out! Slight parking is in the left side of the building, but mainly street parking. I can solidly say this might be my favorite little brewery in Cincy! 🙂

Have you checked them out yet in person or at Beerfest? What are your thoughts?

Cincinnati Auto Expo

The Cincinnati Auto Expo is happening this weekend at the Duke Convention Center downtown. Almost all the major car brands are in attendance.  You can check out and sit in almost all of them, including the new Corvette Stingray and a Jaguar.  There’s no sales pressure here and you can’t actually buy a car at the event. The Bud Light travel bar is also in attendence as well as a few food booths. So go down and enjoy the day! Tickets are $11 at the door, or swing by Kroger to get $3 off!

I ❤ the Charger 🙂

Did you find a favorite there?  🙂

Frame sale at Mohawk building

I’m going to start out with an apology for the crappy cell phone pics. A dusty warehouse with crude lighting doesn’t help, but so be it. The old CASTNER PICTURE FRAME COMPANY is located in the Mohawk Building, 2145 Central Parkway, Over-the-Rhine, shut down some years ago, and left over 100,000 frames in their building! This Sunday, feb 16th they’re opening up the building to you to peruse and purchase the old frames. Cash, checks and credit cards all accepted and street parking is available.

You’ll go upstairs and promptly be handed rubber gloves. I suggest using them. There you are free to walk around at your leisure. They have index cards and markers at the front table as well, so if you’d like, you can write your name down and pick a vacant section of wall or corner and make a stack of the frames you’re interested in if you don’t want to carry them around.

They have small 1-4 inch frames starting at $1. And large ornate ones priced at $55. But here’s the thing…. They offer bulk pricing!! So don’t let those prices scare you off. The frame I got I guesstimated to be about $35-$40 by itself based on the sizing chart they have spread throughout. But when purchased with 7 small frames it all came out to be $15!! So seriously, buy more and get a quote, then decide if you want more or fewer frames. They also have some old prints and even mirrors for sale to go with your frames!

The above is my haul that I walked away with for $15 total. If you want to see what I end up with mine you can follow over at my personal blog here.

For more information and the story behind it all CityBeat has a great article here! And follow the frame sale on Facebook!

Mad Tree Fundraiser

On Tuesday, Mad Tree Brewery had a fundraiser to benefit the Philippines typhoon via the Red Cross. From 5-9ish or whenever people decided it was time to go, food was served by Maribelle’s and all proceeds from the beer was donated to the Red Cross.

This isn’t the only fund raising they’re doing. They’ve also got a Toys for Tots donation area set up, albeit a little unconventional, but awesome none the less

Through out the night, the amount on the giant check above the beer board was changed out to cheers and applause. It was a great night of good beer, good friends, and good food for a great cause! A total of $3100 was raised!! Well don’t beer drinkers of Cincinnati! Feel free to stop by, off Kennedy Ave in Pleasant Ridge during the week, or the weekend, and don’t forget to throw a donation for Toys for Tots above the bar while you’re at it!

Beginners Guide to MidPoint Music Festival

I finally made it to my first MidPoint Music Festival! I had been a little leery as it seemed SOooo… overwhelming to a newbie. Its also the reason I haven’t checked out the Fringe Festival and the Film Fest either… There’s no kind of beginners guide and there’s so many places and things and options that I just think I’d get lost or spend a bunch of money.

These things will mark any and all venues for you!

I was lucky enough to win a 3 day wristband from 4EG (shout out: Thanks guys!@ Go check out their bars!) and I figured now was a good a time as any to go at it! Unfortunately though, the hubby was out of luck, but we decided to see what all the fuss was about anyways and see if we could spend as little as possible. I’m happy to report, that this event can be done for completely free if you’d like!

First up is the MidPoint Midway set up on 12th Street between Vine and Walnut in OtR. You could spend all night here for free, or almost free if you’d like! There’s a stage set up at one end that is constantly hosting a band, so there’s free venue #1. If you’re looking to purchase tickets or wristbands or get information, you’ll find the main tent for the festival here set up in the parking lot. As you walk past there stage you’ll come across the Box Truck Carnival. This is where the fun is.

The Rockomatic Truck

There’s roughly about 10 or so rental trucks decked out for weekend from different groups. My favorite by far was the Rockomatic truck. Your first ticket was free and they had old school side show themed “games”. A fortune teller, a VIP booth, an info booth to get band aids or earplugs and more. They were having a lot of fun and we walked away with a Bruce Springsteen 8track! Yeah you read that right, it’s hipster bait in the plastic lol.

The Rockomatic Truck

There was also a karaoke truck, open mic truck, tattoo truck, a poetry truck and more! It was a lot of fun, and didn’t cost anything extra unless we wanted it to. Halfway down the midway in the parking lot next to Know Theatre was the beer and food truck lot. I mean really, this was the only place we spent money at, but it was worth it for a Goetta Dog.

More box truck carnival action

While the hubby waited in line to get a marker tattoo done, I decided to use my wristband and head over to the Know Theatre to check out some bands. This is where if you know which bands you want to see you can plan out where to go. If you’re looking for one venue to go to, i recommend Know, as they utilize both floors with a band upstairs and one downstairs!

The Plaid Dragons upstairs at the Know Theatre

I’m really glad i stumbled upon The Plaid Dragons! I really like their sound! So I guess MPMF did it’s job right?!

Getting an all day wristband will maximize who you get to see, but picking one venue and sticking with it will stretch your dollar if you don’t really know any particular band and just want to hang out and listen to new music. Each venue has a different cover charge for the festival if you choose. As far as I know I would assume you could come back to the same venue once you’ve been, but I didn’t really have to test that theory.

A band performing downstairs at Know Theatre

Checking out the schedule every day will help to plan things as well. It also gives you the cover charges you need too. Now if you really wanted to could you stand outside Washington Park and listen? Or sit clear on the other side? Yeah. So that could make it cheaper, but you’re not really getting the full effect. That would be like standing outside on the sidewalk at Arnold’s or Grammer’s and trying to understand the band playing. It just doesn’t work and isn’t very much fun.

MidPoint Midway Stage

MidPoint Midway Stage

So basically, plan out your plan of attack. Do you want to go the cheap route or the enjoyable route or the I-want-to-see-everything-possible route? That will decide if you do venue covers, all day passes or all weekend wristbands, About a month before the festival, groups such as 4EG will have contests for wristbands. Each of their bars does a separate giveaway, so get in on all of them if you’re a cheapskate like me 😛 Or just feel overwhelmed by the whole thing. You can really can go and do and spend as little or as much as you want! The choice is totally up to you! But don’t let the fear stop you from having a rocking good time!

Have you been going for years? First time? Any other tidbits of advice?

Old West Fest

I’m sure by now most people have gone to a Ren Fest, or at least knows what a Ren Fest is. Old West Fest is very similar, only a few hundred years later.

Situated out in the middle of nowhere in Williamsburg, OH, is a little area called The Old West Fest. Seriously, you just keep driving down one road, and then you keep going down the next, and you’ll eventually stumble upon it. This is the 6th year for the fest, and it has some amazing potential! It’s not completely filled up yet, but it’s getting there.

You walk in to the little town (seen above) and its street lined with shops, saloons, and even a jail. Be careful though, as there may be a shootout right in front of you in the street! This is a great place for kids! Especially if they’re boys in their cowboys and indians stage. Theres all sorts of period things going on, and feel free to dress up as well! if you didn’t there are shops selling cowboy hats, and even saloon girl hair  pieces for the girls, for surprisingly decent prices!

The local blacksmith making and selling his wares

He even makes iron mustaches! Perfect on villain weekend

A musician making instruments to sell, and occasionally playing them too!

There are a lot of other interactive things for you and the kids to do (for a slight price, which after paying $12/adult and $6/kid over 5, gets slightly annoying, but again, they’re not terrible, and lets face it, you do it everywhere else) There’s a train ride, pony rides for kids 12 and under, and covered wagon rides!

The train is $2/adult $1/child and takes a nice tour of the village

Pony rides are $5 for kids under 12 and does one big lap as seen above

Covered wagon rides are $2/adult $1/child and takes about 10 minutes and does through their “prairie” and back

The wagon ride offers benches and a pretty eerily experience of what it would be like

Look! Salvation from a distance! Also known as Old West Fest through the wagon as it heads back in towards town from the prairie.

Now the main thing you want to check out while you’re here? The shows! The shows are amazing! There’s magic, circus performers, a medicine show, gun fights, music, and a good ol saloon girl show. The great/interesting thing, is the actors all work together. The professor from the medicine show makes a special appearance with the saloon girls, and yet everything makes sense and adds a whole other level of authenticity to the festival!

A lot of the youngins get to be a magician during the show

The stable area stage that’s used when they don’t have horse shows going on in the corral.

The saloon girls having a good time.

Seriously these girls do a fantastic job!

The great thing about the shops and the drinks? They’re all relatively decently priced! It’s not like your normal price gouging festival wares, and things are really good high quality here too! And don’t worry, the adults can enjoy beer from a boot glass all day if they’d like, so don’t feel bad about dragging someone along.

I also recommend putting out a warrant for someones arrest. At only $5 bail at the sheriff’s office next to the jail, you can put a warrant out on your child for not cleaning their room, or your husband for hogging the remote, and the sheriff will gladly arrest them and put them in jail until they apologize. If you get there early in the morning by 10:30, your child can also become a deputy for the day!

This place is a lot of fun, and is no where near done growing! They’re open through September and the first weekend in October. So if you want to go this weekend is your last chance! I highly recommend making a trek out to the Eastside to check this place out. You can easily spend just an hour here or all day! It’s truly up to you.

Check out the pdf on show times and a map here! Don’t forget to pick one up when you arrive too!

Diner en Blanc 2013

A week ago was the 2nd year for Cincinnati’s Diner en Blanc, and it surpassed all expectations again! (If you want to look at last years click here.)

Arrival

Jugglers to pass the time as tables were set up

Bus Arrival

Getting all set up

This year took place in beautiful Washington Park in Over the Rhine. This was the guess of a good population of the people. But it was also the guess last year. It was the perfect spot to fit 1700 people. Yes 1700 people. Double that of last year. At times if felt like there were that many people, but other times, you couldn’t tell there were more than 100.

I love this beach themed table going on!

Awesome peoples awesome tables

My rockin table and my neighbors

Great friends, great food, great wine. Couldn’t ask for more

And when day gives way to night, again the sparklers come out and the music picks up, and everyone flocks to the dance floor. Ok, most people. Some others just like to kick back and relax with friends. But this year it was nice to saunter on over to the fountains and take in the beauty from there. And also to cool down.

All lit up at night

Sparkler time to signify the end of dinner

I caught a 5chw4r7z

Lit up tables at night

I don’t know who this couple is but they totally get my vote for best dressed! Love it!

You can see the expanse of people/space

You can see the expanse of people/space

I think most people took the fountains as a great photo op, and that it was. It was relaxing whether you were playing in them or sitting on the benches next to them. It was a sight to see and added that much more to the event.

I loved seeing all the people posing with the fountains!

This is one of my favorite shots of the entire evening

Framester photos can be found here for the Sidewalk and here for the Grassy Knoll

All of my personal photos can be found on facebook here. Feel free to tag yourselves or friends!

 

One thing that truly amazes me is the amount of “negativity” that I’ve seen surrounding the event this year… when not a single word was uttered last year. Mind you though, the negative things I’ve been hearing have ALL been from people who haven’t attended the event. To the naysayers or the people who just don’t get it… I invite you to try it next year. Go over to the Diner en Blanc website and get on the waitlist. Give it one try. For those that are looking at the expense, rent tables and chairs. Save that one night out that you’d go to a nice restaurant and spend that amount of money on anyways and try it. For one year. If you still “don’t get it” then you don’t have to come back. But I don’t know of a single person last year that said “I’m never doing this again”. Give it a whirl, and then you can be negative about it all you want… but please not before. And those that are just looking at the money aspect, you’re completely missing the point of a fun, different evening out mingling with old and making new friends.

Dent Schoolhouse

If you know me at all, you know i live for Haunted Houses and Halloween time! And a day shy of Friday the 13th, I felt Dent Schoolhouse was the perfect kick off!

This is a pretty accurate description actually

Dent is in my top 3 of haunted houses anywhere! And my favorite in Cincinnati! Especially this year. They’ve changed a few things, going off of the amazing effects they added last year. There’s creepy crawly bug effects (gross but effective), creepy hallways, and it sticks with the school theme throughout. I will admit, in years previous they did what a lot of other houses do, and that’s throw all the scary stuff at you to get someone in someway, whether it actually fits with the theme or not (I’m looking at you USS Nightmare). This year they outdid themselves! There was not a spot in that school where i didn’t once think I wasn’t in a school.

I loved this guy creepily roaming around… and the scares from people were hilarious!

The acting was super great even for the first day. (Full disclosure, i used to work for Haunted Houses, i know when to expect to be scared, not much makes me scream, jump yes scream no) I screamed like a little girl at least 4 separate times that I’m willing to admit… There’s some new animatronics that are pretty awesome (and again 1 of which caused me to scream and cower like a girl-and i only admit this as some of the managers saw it happen so I can’t deny it… jerks) But there are some other effects that are TOTALLY worth checking out and even had me backing up to see them again they were that cool!

This actor was so creepy! and so awesome!!

 

Pay attention to the details in the themeing here. It’s amazing! You’d think you were back at that time it happened in the 50’s!

 

This may be the single greatest idea ever!! GO TO THIS NIGHT!!!

 

Now, if you haven’t gone in a few years and think “Oh Dent, its the same thing blahdy blahdy blah. It doesn’t scare me” 1. you should really go check out the rethemeing. Yes a good chunk is kinda the same, but the additions are well worth it. 2. I DARE YOU to go on Lights Out Night. I will be going back for sure. They introduced this last year and it was the best thing I’ve ever done haunt wise! We had about 10-15 people in our group, ALL of the lights were out (minus the safety lights on the stairs-safety first), and there was ONE glow stick for the entire group. Let me tell you what… glow sticks aren’t that bright… They’re bright enough to light your way and that’s about it. If you’re in the back of the group, forget it, every time the front person turns a corner you have no idea where you are. And the green light makes everything even eerier!

“No Refunds! You paid us to SCARE you! If you get SCARED in the line or in the first room and want to leave, we’ve done what you paid us to do very quickly. Be happy with prompt service!” I FREAKIN LOVE THIS SIGN!!

So if you haven’t gone in a few years, seriously, GO! Not only has the schoolhouse got a retheme, but the area out back did to! No more Detention Hall. It’s the Queen City Slaughter Yard. I’ll leave this one be a complete surprise 😉 But in the meantime, check out the teaser trailers for it below. This is some pretty professional grade stuff right here! Who’s up for them making a movie?

See all the photos here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.572355112811951.1073741825.129327087114758&type=1&l=a913c3fd84

Cincinnati Symphony Brass Quarter

Yesterday i got to have one of the best lunch breaks I’ve had in awhile. Which means I didn’t just go home and veg out or take a nap. I went with a coworker to Evendale’s Municipal Complex, where the Cincinnati Symphony had a brass quartet playing!

We pulled up some lawn chairs and a blanket, sat in the shade an enjoyed an hour of Renaissance and German/Oktoberfest music. There were boxed lunches for sale as well. I’m hoping they do a lot more of these to stretch out the “Summer” (I can dream right?)