Over-the-Rhine

As more visitors discover — and regional residents rediscover — the charms of Over-the-Rhine (aka OTR), most are delighted to find a neighborhood rich in art, history, and community plus plenty of food and drink establishments and independent retailers. Architectural treasures like Music Hall and Memorial Hall sit side by side with the School for Performing Arts and Washington Park in this neighborhood that's been heralded as a national leader in urban transformation. Vine Street, Main Street, Race Street, and Pendleton are the area's hot spots for an eclectic array of restaurants and shops near the Ensemble, Woodward, Cincinnati Shakespeare, and Know theaters. Findlay Market, between Race and Elm Streets north of Liberty Street, is Ohio's oldest continuously-operated public market where you will find locally sourced food, cafes and restaurants as well as the Rhinegeist Brewery taproom. The community's remarkable 19th-century buildings feature one of the country's largest collection of Italianate architecture and provide a dramatic background to the diverse residents that call OTR home.

New food tradition coming to Over-the-Rhine

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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August 6, 2013

On Aug. 10, Over-the-Rhine restaurants and businesses will be participating in the first ever Taste of Over-the-Rhine. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. in Washington Park. Taste of Over-the-Rhine celebrates the tastes, flavors and sounds of OTR through food, art, music, shopping and the people of the neighborhood. The event is being put on by Tender Mercies, which provides permanent housing to about 150 formerly homeless adults who have mental illnesses. Its building and residences are located at 12th, Race and Elm streets in OTR. As a member of the community, Tender Mercies wants to be a neighborhood partner for OTR residents and business owners. “The event is meant to provide another community and neighborhood element to OTR,” says Casey Gilmore, partner at Cincy Events Management. “All of the businesses that are participating are locally owned, not chains.” The food and drink vendors that are participating in the event are The Anchor-OTR, Eli’s Barbeque, Coffee Emporium, Findlay Market, The Lackman, Lavomatic, MOTR Pub, Taste 513, Venice on Vine, Moerlein, Lucy Blue Pizza, Kaze and Street Pops. Food trucks Dojo Gelato, Café de Wheels and Urban Grill will also be part of Taste of Over-the-Rhine. All OTR restaurants were asked to participate—featured restaurants said “yes” based on their staffing for the weekend. Food and drink prices will be low, around $4 or $5. There will also be a tasting element for dogs, where they can try out different dog food from Pet Wants, the Findlay Market pet store. There will be music too. The main stage will feature acts such as Joanie Whittaker, Peraza Music Workshop, Hayden Kaye, The Almighty Get Down, Cla-Zels, Golden Shoes, Magnolia Mountain and Wussy. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

Betting on Bold Fusion

By Elissa Yancey

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Architecture + Design

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July 30, 2013

Do nice guys finish first? The ninth Bold Fusion explores the possibilities of doing well by doing good, complete with a keynote by New York Times bestselling author and Wharton Business School professor Adam Grant.

Showing the heart of the city

By Elissa Yancey

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General

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July 30, 2013

As Managing Editor Elissa Yancey moves on, she reflects on two years of inspiring people and great stories.

Mercantile Library’s Hackathon inspires creativity, produces ideas

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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July 30, 2013

Young merchants and clerks of Cincinnati came together in 1835 to found and organize the Mercantile Library, which to this day maintains historic collections of books and artwork in the city. It is recognized as “one of the oldest cultural institutions in the Midwest.” When the young minds and innovators came together at that time, in what was one of the largest cities in the United States, the goal was to move Cincinnati forward. To this day, that goal remains the same. And at the end of April, the library hosted a Hackathon—an event that brought together young coders who possess the ideas and skills needed to market the library and its offerings to a younger generation. “At a typical hackathon, some people will have an idea of a team they want to get together and a project, or a product they want to launch," says Zach Zimmerman, a member of the Hackathon’s first-place team, and who is now working to build the library a new website. "But at the core of the hackathon, you push it out to people, and they come, and you break off into groups and start to ideate about what you could do, what you could build to provide a solution that hasn’t been thought about before or that could really push a company or product over the edge and make it something big.” Zimmerman says one of the ideas his team had to make the library’s website appealing was to rely simply on the building’s beauty and grandeur, as the space showcases history and sells itself through its offerings to the public. “The building is gorgeous," he says. "The art that’s there, and just flipping through some of the books—these are 200- to 300-year old books, and the art and just the labor that went into making them—it’s just fascinating to me. I just felt very inspired, and our team actually worked at the library when the hackathon kicked off. They said you could go out and about, and at the end of the hackathon, come back and present your ideas. But we actually stayed at the library the majority of the time because it was a very inspiring place—somewhere I felt pushed to do more.” Do Good: • Become a member of the Mercantile Library. • Support the library by making a donation. • Like the Mercantile Library on Facebook. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

The Giving Fields’ volunteers help fight food insecurity

By Newsroom

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Environment + Sustainability

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July 30, 2013

At Colliers International’s Building Up Communities program, giving back to the neighborhoods in which volunteers live and work is a core value. For Joe Hartmann, managing director of corporate services for Colliers International Ohio, his most recent volunteer experience at The Giving Fields is one that he says will stick with him because it gave him the opportunity to serve others in a way that’s different from what he does on a daily basis. “So much of what we do every day—all of us—not just at Colliers—but any time you’re engaged in a career, it’s about trying to work and do what’s best for your client, but you’re certainly benefitting from your efforts,” Hartmann says. “But in this case—what’s so refreshing about this is that you are engaged in an activity that’s benefitting others, so at the end of the day, you feel all that sweat equity that you put in is going toward a great cause.” At The Giving Fields, Hartmann, like other volunteers who assist the nonprofit in providing fresh food to Freestore Foodbank agencies throughout Northern Kentucky, composted, dug irrigation ditches and staked tomato plants. Out of the thousands of working adults, seniors and children in our community, 17.3 percent live in Kentucky and are food insecure, the Freestore Foodbank reports. So to help narrow the gap between food security and insecurity, Doug and Sheila Bray, with the help of various agencies and volunteers, have maintained the community farm for three years now. With six acres of land that yields fresh produce, The Giving Fields has been able to supply Northern Kentucky communities with hundreds of thousands of pounds of vegetables that they would otherwise have limited access to. “It’s a great cause, and they’re doing a great job,” Hartmann says. “But they’re toiling down there on a daily basis.” Do Good: • Donate to The Giving Fields. • Contact volunteer services at 513-482-7550 if you're interested in volunteering at The Giving Fields. • Like The Giving Fields on Facebook. By Brittany York

Ohio’s Gay Marriage Court Victory Could Spawn New Lawsuits

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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July 30, 2013

Two gay Cincinnati men who successfully sued to get their out-of-state marriage recognized in Ohio are at the forefront of what supporters and experts believe will be a rush of similar lawsuits. Read the full story here.

Video Preview: Lumenocity

By Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

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Architecture + Design

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July 30, 2013

This weekend, something magical happens at Music Hall to celebrate the arrival of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra music director Louis Langree. It's a free concert in Washington Park. Plus a whole lot more. Take a peek. Video courtesy Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

New owner, new design embrace traditions at The Little Mahatma

By Elissa Yancey

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Architecture + Design

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July 23, 2013

For more than two decades, shoppers happily shared close quarters at The Little Mahatma's 10-foot-by-10-foot space in the Carew Tower Arcade. So when Dan Schwandner bought the OTR business this year, he determined to continue the shop's densely merchandised history through a fresh renovation and an ever-evolving collection of international treasures.

Fine fellows: Chelsea Koglmeier charts her own path

By Kyle Stone

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General

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July 23, 2013

Chelsea Koglmeier never let other people's expectations deter her drive to learn, live and grow. The Mariemont native traveled the globe before returning to her hometown to start a career she never planned, in a company that barely existed.

How One U.S. City Became an Unexpected Hub for Tech Startups

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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July 23, 2013

Home to the headquarters of 10 Fortune 500 companies, Cincinnati also supports a growing community of tech startups through accelerator programs, low business taxes and unemployment, and the connecting power of established companies. Read the full story here.