Westwood

Cincinnati's largest neighborhood, Westwood, houses more than 30,000 residents in a six-mile area just west of downtown. With tree-lined streets and architecturally appealing homes, many parts of the neighborhood offer beautiful walking views. Westwood maintains its historic buildings as renovations, new businesses and diverse young residents continue to be drawn to the west side. The community was featured in the Soapbox On The Ground series where we connected with Westwood community members and their many, ongoing initiatives. Want to learn more about Westwood? Check out On The Ground Westwood.

Breaking the cycle of bad eating, one banana at a time

By Newsroom

●

Diversity

●

December 11, 2012

The Nutrition Council of Greater Cincinnati is working to break the cycle of unhealthy eating habits, one banana, one yogurt parfait and one recipe at a time. And, they are doing it one family at a time. The Council, in its 35th year, just wrapped up its latest series of "What’s Cooking?" classes for parents and caregivers of kids in Camp Washington and Winton Hills. The classes, offered each fall and spring, are a four-part series that meet for about an hour after the school day ends at schools with Head Start programs. They are designed to show parents how to make quick, affordable and healthy meals for their families. Each week is themed, and participants receive take-home tools like measuring spoons and grocery cards. Parents also get multiple recipes that encourage cooking at home, rather than relying on packaged and processed foods. The classes and the Council’s work come at a time when the nation—and Cincinnati—is getting fatter. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, one in four Cincinnati Public School kindergarten students is overweight (13.9 percent) or obese (11.7 percent). “I think what strikes me is that things I am aware of and take for granted, not everyone does,’’ says Tracy Wilking, the nonprofit’s special project manager, who worked at the Winton Hills location this fall. In 2011, nearly 100 families participated in the cooking sessions. And of those, according to the Council’s web site: • 85 percent reported they changed one action to improve a targeted health behavior.• 67 percent of families increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables.• 67 percent said they decreased their child’s sweetened beverage intake. Wilking says it is not uncommon to hear parents share how the instruction really does change cooking habits, from eating as a family to introducing fresh fruits and vegetables at meals. One recent participant told one of the Council workers that she had completely changed how her family was eating. The Council targets very young children, before habits are established and before they start kindergarten. Wilking says many parents may not have been taught how to eat healthy, and the earlier the Council and others can share information with parents, the more likely the cycle of poor food choices can be broken. In addition to the cooking series, the Council also visited 38 Early Childhood Education classrooms in the Cincinnati area over 17 days to teach parents and their kids how to make healthy snacks. Recently, they made fruit and yogurt parfaits. “A little education really can go a long way,’’ says Wilking. “This work is reaching individuals and those with the power to reach someone else.” Do Good: • Make a donation • Volunteer your time or skills. • Like the Council on Facebook.• Follow the Council's news on Twitter. By Chris GravesChris Graves, assistant vice president of digital and social media at the Powers Agency, is using several of the Council’s recipes at home with her two teens.

Faces Without Places founder wants to see homeless program expand

By Newsroom

●

Diversity

●

November 13, 2012

Karen Fessler has a message she wants you to hear loud and clear: Faces Without Places is alive, well and kicking. For years, the nonprofit, grassroots organization that has provided nearly $1.5 million in educational support for homeless children in Greater Cincinnati was affiliated with the Cincinnati Public Schools. But about two years ago--and for a variety of reasons--the organization split with the school system, says Fessler, who is a board member and a founding member of the 17-year-old group. But its mission remains intact, says Fessler. “The most important part of the program is that we get kids out of shelters, we get kids off the streets and we show them that education is a way to experience a larger world,’’ says Fessler. “We want to broaden our reach. We want to broaden our horizons.” Fessler declines to discuss what led to the parting of ways, but adds the founders of the program all left their jobs at CPS as well. “But none of us lost our passion for the kids and the mission of Faces Without Places,’’ she adds. “I want people to know that we are here, and we are committed to providing services. We are toughing it out through thick and thin--for the kids.” The nonprofit helps about 3,000 school children annually in Greater Cincinnati. Last year, the group provided 7,702 services to 3,013 children, according to its website. Those services included providing taxi services to school for 112 students, uniform vouchers for 777 students, backpacks and supplies for more than 839 students and Payless gift cards for 320 students so they could get a new pair of shoes, a luxury for many, Fessler says. The nonprofit is best known for its Yellow Bus Summer Camp, which completed its 15th year this past summer. Last year, 152 children attended the eight-week camp that focuses on reading and day trips. Earlier this month, the group’s biggest fundraiser--the Yellow Bus Ball--raised more than $23,000, most of which will go to fund the camp. “The ball is critical because we have to have money to pay teachers and buy supplies,’’ Fessler says. “We can get grant money for field trips, but the fundraiser really helps us be able to put on the camp to the degree we have always done it.” Fessler has worked with thousands of homeless children over the years, and she readily admits she is biased toward teens. “A lot of people don’t realize this, but these kids are completely out on their own; they are either staying at friends' or living eight, nine, 10 kids piled up in an apartment,’’ she says. “They are squatting and some are living on the streets trying to negotiate life … they are all living life on the edge. I am most impressed by their sheer tenacity and their desire to find a better life.” Do Good: • Register for the Mt. Adams Yellow Bus Pub Crawl on Saturday, Nov. 17. • Attend the 5th annual Chili Taste Off on Dec. 9 at Northside Tavern. • Contribute to Faces Without Places' wishlist of school and personal hygiene supplies. • Sign up for the monthly email newsletter. • Give back while you shop. By Chris GravesChris Graves is the assistant vice president of digital and social media at Powers Agency

Big plans in the works for Cincinnati

By Newsroom

●

Architecture + Design

●

October 23, 2012

As many areas of Cincinnati are being rejuvenated, including OTR and Washington Park, the City of Cincinnati approved a comprehensive approach to focus on development in the city as a whole, not just targeted neighborhoods. Last Friday, the City Planning Commission approved and adopted Plan Cincinnati, which was designed with input from residents. The Plan is an opportunity to strengthen what people love about the city, what works and what needs more attention, says Katherine Keough-Jurs, senior city planner and project manager. The idea is to re-urbanize suburbanized Cincinnati; in a sense, to return to the strengths of the city's beginnings. Cincinnati was established just after the American Revolution in 1788 and grew into an industrial center in the 19th century. Many of those industries no longer exist in the city, which is part of why Cincinnati has become more suburbanized in the past 50 years. One of the long-term goals of the Plan is to bring new industries to Cincinnati. With a new approach to revitalization, Cincinnati is blazing the trail for other cities. With a focus on building on existing strengths rather than tearing down structures and creating new ones, the Plan aims to capitalize on the city's “good bones” and good infrastructure. Cinicinnatians had a huge role in developing the Plan. The first public meeting for the Plan was held in September 2009, when residents offered their insights into “what makes a great city?" and "what would make Cincinnati a great city?” A steering committee of 40 people representing businesses, nonprofits, community groups, local institutions, residents and City Council helped develop the Plan. The Plan also got support from a grant from the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, which the City received in 2010. The grant allotted $2.4 million over three years to support the Land Development Code, which combines and simplifies Cincinnati's codes, reviews the development process, implements Form-based Codes and considers more creative uses for land. The grant allowed the city to start implementing some of the ideas voiced in public meetings. Visionaries included youth, too. City staff worked with community centers and Cincinnati Public Schools to develop an art project for children. They were given clay pots and asked to paint their fears for the city on the inside and their dreams for the city on the outside. The children saw the big issue was quality of life, just like the adults did. “It was an interesting way to get the kids involved and thinking about the future,” Keough-Jurs says. The Plan aims to strengthen neighborhood centers—the neighborhoods’ business districts. It maps out areas that people need to get to on a daily basis and found that most are within about a half-mile of the business districts. But in some neighborhoods, residents can’t access their neighborhood centers. The accessibility of a neighborhood center is based on walkability—not just for pedestrians, but also about how structures address walking. For exampke, if a pedestrian can walk from one end of the neighborhood center to the other without breaking his or her pattern (the window shopping effect), the area is walkable; if he or she has been stopped by a parking lot or vacancies, it’s not walkable, Keough-Jurs says. The neighborhood centers are classified in one of three ways in the Plan: maintain, evolve or transform. Some neighborhoods have goals to maintain levels of walkability, whereas others need to gradually change or evolve. Still others need to completely transform in order to strengthen their business districts. “Cincinnati is at the heart of the region,” Keough-Jurs says. “If we strengthen Cincinnati, we strengthen a region.” The next step for the Plan is to go before the Cincinnati City Council, specifically the Livable Communities Committee, which is chaired by Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

Westside chef creates ‘the Ben & Jerry’s of hummus’

By Newsroom

●

Entrepreneurship

●

October 23, 2012

Ethan Snider has had a love affair with food for nearly a quarter of a century. Raised on Cincinnati’s west side, he worked up through the ranks at Macaroni Grill, and eventually became an executive chef. In short, it was a dream come true. Until he hated it. “The corporate stuff just did not appeal to me,” Snider says. “I was there for less than six months.” He ended up at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2004. After that, Snider moved around a lot. He worked at a tiny Batesville, Ind., restaurant that was run out of a three-car garage and after that, at a fine-dining restaurant in Boca Grande, Fla. Moving around was great for a while, but Snider eventually grew homesick. “I liked it a lot, but I started to miss being here; I always wanted to make a name for myself in Cincinnati because this is where I’m from,” he says. After moving back to Cinicnnati, Snider got started with his own food venture at local farmers’ markets because they have low overhead and a home-grown touch. With an eye toward the need for more locally sourced vegetarian and vegan options, Snider launched Summuh (pronounced “SOU-mah”), a specialty hummus shop, first at a farmer’s market in Madeira and, then in Northside and Hyde Park. Most recently, he joined Findlay Market, where he plans to weather the winter months. Snider calls his wares “the Ben & Jerry’s of hummus,” and promises that “you’ve never had hummus like this.” Two of his core flavors are a chickpea hummus with lemon and rosemary and one spiced with cumin, coriander and cilantro and topped with red onions. There are also 12-15 seasonal flavors, including “Squashbuckler,” which features a butternut squash and navy bean base with ancho chili powder, garlic and a spicy black bean relish on top. Though his hummus is organic and local, Snider says he’s no food evangelist. “I’m not trying to convert anyone to what I believe in or change the world." he says. "I just feel that if I believe in something, other people will start to believe in what I’m doing, too.” By Robin Donovan

Westside chef creates ‘the Ben & Jerry’s of hummus’

By Robin Donovan

●

Entrepreneurship

●

October 23, 2012

Ethan Snider has been carrying out a love affair with food for nearly a quarter of a century. Raised on Cincinnati’s west side, he worked up through the ranks at Macaroni Grill, eventually becoming an executive chef. It was dream come true. Until he hated it. “The corporate stuff just did not appeal to me,” he says. “I was there for less than six months.” He ended up at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2004. After that, he moved around, working at a tiny Batesville, Ind., restaurant run out of a three-car garage and, later, at a fine-dining restaurant in Boca Grande, Fla. That worked for a while, but Snider grew homesick. “I liked it a lot, but I started to miss being here; I always wanted to have a name for myself in Cincinnati because this is where I’m from,” he says. Local farmers’ markets with low overhead and a home-grown touch seemed like a good way to get started. With an eye toward the need for more locally sourced, vegetarian and vegan options, he launched Summuh (pronounced “SOU-mah”), a specialty hummus shop, first at a farmer’s market in Madeira and, later, in Northside and Hyde Park. Most recently, he joined Findlay Market, where he plans to weather the winter months. Snider calls his wares “The Ben & Jerry’s of hummus,” promising “you’ve never had hummus like this.” Three core flavors include a chickpea hummus with lemon and rosemary and a hummus spiced with cumin, coriander and cilantro, topped with red onions. There are also 12-15 seasonal flavors, including “Squashbuckler,” which features a butternut squash and navy bean base with ancho chili powder, garlic and a spicy black bean relish on top. Though his hummus is organic and local, Snider says he’s no food evangelist. “I’m not trying to convert anyone to what I believe in or change the world." he says. "I just feel that if I believe in something, other people will start to believe in what I’m doing, too.” By Robin Donovan

Go West: Broadhope Art Collective inspires new thinking in Cheviot

By Keith Rutowski

●

Arts + Culture

●

October 23, 2012

Five artists share one vision in Cheviot: work together to share inspiration and build a creative community on the West Side. The result? The Broadhope Art Collective, which opened last week.

FENNOfashion founder tackles many roles

By Newsroom

●

Architecture + Design

●

October 9, 2012

Megan Fenno doesn’t just have a radio spot, a jewelry business and a writing gig with CincySavers. She also has a few tips for women looking to stay on trend this fall. “Anything that’s glitzy and has a shine to it, that’s really popular right now,” she says, noting that sparkly rhinestones are trendy. Color blocking with deep hues such as navy or burgundy set against brighter accents (think bright yellow), she says, are also popular this fall. A Cincinnati native, Fenno moved to Tallahassee, Fla., as a teen, then attended the Savannah College of Art and Design. She moved to Austin, Texas, after graduation, where she launched FENNOfashion, which features vintage-inspired necklaces, bracelets and jewelry. “I loved Texas, but nowhere is home like Cincinnati,” she says. Her collection this season highlights a few of her own favorite design elements, especially a vintage “found” look and antiqued gold. Fenno says that sites like Pinterest have led to a surge in popularity of stacked bracelets, sometimes called “arm candy,” that she’s having trouble keeping them in stock. As much as Fenno is an accessories designer, she’s also something of a free spirit, and encourages others with creative startups to resist the urge to plan each step or to stick rigidly to a business plan. “Five years ago, I had no idea that I’d be back in Cincy working on my favorite radio station, but that all derived from starting my own business," she says. "It’s OK. Opportunities present themselves throughout your business career that you can’t predict.” By Robin Donovan

FENNOfashion founder tackles many roles

By Newsroom

●

Architecture + Design

●

October 9, 2012

Megan Fenno doesn’t just have a radio spot, a jewelry business and a running writing gig with the CincySavers website. She also has a few tips for women looking to stay on trend this fall. “Anything that’s glitzy and has a shine to it, that’s really popular right now,” she says, noting that sparkly rhinestones are trendy. Color blocking with deep hues such as navy or burgundy set against brighter accents (think bright yellow), she says, is also popular this fall. A Cincinnati native, Fenno moved to Tallahassee, Fla., as a teen, then attended the Savannah College of Art and Design. She moved to Austin, Texas, after graduation, where she launched, FENNOfashion, which features vintage-inspired necklaces, bracelets and jewelry. “I loved Texas, but nowhere is home like Cincinnati,” she says. Her collection this season highlights a few of her own favorite design elements, especially a vintage “found” look, and antiqued gold. Fenno says that sites like Pinterest have led to such a surge in popularity of stacked bracelets, sometimes cheekily called “arm candy,” that she’s having trouble keeping them in stock. As much as Fenno is an accessories designer, she’s also something of a free spirit, and encourages others with creative startups to resist the urge to plan each step, or stick rigidly to a business plan. “Five years ago, I had no idea that I’d be back in Cincy working on my favorite radio station, but that all derived from starting my own business," she says. "It’s OK. Opportunities present themselves throughout your business career that you can’t predict.” By Robin Donovan

CCO adds innovation to ‘chamber’ definition

By Newsroom

●

Arts + Culture

●

September 25, 2012

Start with some Beethoven, add in a free performance at a local acoustic gem and a newly commissioned concerto for saxophone and chamber orchestra played by a local jazz legend. All together, it's a recipe for the 39th Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra season, dedicated to celebrating the Queen City in different locales, starring new and returning favorites. CCO, directed by Mischa Santora, is known for innovative collaborations with arts groups and organizations including the VAE: Cincinnati's Vocal Arts Ensemble, Madcap Puppets, Cincinnati Ballet and The Mercantile Library. In addition to a performance at the acoustically pitch-perfect St. Catharine of Siena Church in Westwood, this winter, the orchestra launches a new holiday tradition with a production of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors in partnership with Madcap Puppets. And the group's education program, Footnotes , incorporates subjects like math, geography and poetry into musical presentations. With a nimble 32-musician base, the CCO ends its 2012-2013 season with a program selected by its members and fans. The orchestra's June performance at the School for Creative and Performing Arts, includes a few pre-programmed pieces, but leaves its finale open, awaiting the selections of audience members. Do Good: • Join the CCO mailing list. • Check out the full season schedule online. • Support the artistic work of the CCO with a donation.

Treasure hunt introduces local couple to state’s natural gems

By Newsroom

●

Environment + Sustainability

●

August 21, 2012

Joyce Gardner has been hiking for years. And as a lifelong Cincinnati resident, she was pretty sure she had visited most of the area’s natural spaces. So Gardner was surprised when she found some hidden gems this summer as part of the Nature Conservancy’s Natural Treasures of Ohio Challenge. “People don’t realize that we really have some great trails here,” says Gardner, of Covedale, who hiked in Ault Park and Mt. Airy Forest locally and visited another 11 natural areas across the state with her husband. Sure Gardner and her friend, Kathy Brown, visited the Ault Park Pavilion and Everybody’s Tree House in Mt. Airy; but they also spent hours discovering the trails that many may miss, she says. That was exactly the point of the Nature Conservancy’s challenge: To introduce and showcase some of the state’s natural areas and encourage residents from all corners of the state to learn about the various natural wonders of the state. “Our hope is that folks would find natural areas and say: ‘Wow, I had no idea that this is here,’ ” says Josh Knights, executive director of the Nature Conservancy in Ohio. “And at the end of the day, we believe that if Ohioans discover and come to know these areas, they will be inspired to help us protect them.” That Nature Conservancy and Honda launched the challenge, a kind of treasure hunt, in June. Ohio residents could visit one to 30 designated places and upload a photo of themselves at the designated landmark on the Nature Conservancy’s Web site for a chance to win a 2012 Honda Insight Hybrid. The contest, which will also award five $500 REI gift certificates, ran from May 22 to Aug. 8. Winners are expected to be announced in September. More than 3,000 entries were filed, with many people visiting all 30 places this summer. Many families used the challenge as their summer vacation, Knight says. While pleased with the participation, he wonders if this summer’s record-breaking heat and high gasoline prices may have hindered some participation. The photo galleries, as well as the detailed descriptions and maps of each of the 30 destinations that are organized by geography, will remain on the Nature Conservancy at least through December and maybe longer, Springs says. While winning would be nice, Gardner says the challenge really created an opportunity for she and her husband, John, to visit areas they have always wanted to – including Kelly’s Island State Park on Lake Erie, where they celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary. They also stumbled across several parks they normally would never have set out to themselves. Her new favorite? Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, in Northern Ohio between Toledo and Sandusky on Lake Erie. She likened the 2,200-acre state park to being in the Everglades. “I was really impressed with that one,” she says. “I really couldn’t believe I was standing in Ohio.” That’s not the first time Knights has heard that about the state’s varied natural elements. “Ohio really does have a diverse landscape; from one of the largest lakes in the world to the Ohio River there in Cincinnati … Ohio has all of these fantastic places. We wanted to introduce more Buckeyes to what we have at home.” Do Good: • Follow the Ohio Nature Conservancy on Facebook. • Visit some of the designations this fall. • See the photos of the Southwest Ohio designations and read the scrapbook. • Watch the video. • Donate. Chris Graves, assistant vice president of digital and social media at the Powers Agency, loves the outdoors. You will find her camping with her daughters on Kelly’s Island this fall.