When you say "Cincinnati" most people think of its German heritage, paddlewheelers churning up the Mighty Ohio, a boom town which has seen better days and a very unique chili. But, when I think about the Queen City, I remember the town I grew…Read More

When you say "Cincinnati" most people think of its German heritage, paddlewheelers churning up the Mighty Ohio, a boom town which has seen better days and a very unique chili. But, when I think about the Queen City, I remember the town I grew up in.

The city of just over 300,000 lies on the north shore of the Ohio river. Being a river city, it has its fair share of bridges, seven within the city and a couple more to hold I-275 travelers. Coming down off the "cut in the hill" you see the skyline, before making your way north, on the Brent Spence Bridge. Named for a Kentucky congressman, the bridge opened in 1963 and carries eight lines of traffic along the I-71 and I-75 highways. This bottleneck has earned the bridge the moniker, Car Strangled Spanner.

Next up, the Great American ballpark, home of the Cincinnati Reds, the first professional baseball team (1869). Growing up, everyone in town knew who Johnny Bench was -- #5, catcher, hero to many as part of the Big Red Machine, which won back-to-back World Series in the 1970s. [For Reds tickets: http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/ticketing]

Near the ballpark, is a sandy stone building, the Freedom Center, a museum dedicated to the underground railroad. Opened in 2004, this building hosts educational displays, memorials to honor heroes, and gut-wrenching images of slavery. It is a must-see if in the area. [For more information: www.freedomcenter.org]

Then look for the 15-story white building. That’s the Ingalls Building, built in 1903, and the world’s first reinforced concrete skyscraper. To the right of I-75, just after downtown, is Over-The-Rhine, the center of German immigration, with one of the largest collections of Italianate buildings in the U.S. All 943 buildings have been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The hill overlooking downtown and river boasts the city’s cultural gems: the Cincinnati Art Museum, Eden Park with Krohn Conservatory, the Playhouse in the Park, along with dozens of cafes, upscale restaurants and lounges. [For more information on Mt. Adams: www.mtadamstoday.com]

German Heritage:

In 1830, there were only 64 Germans in Cincinnati (5% of the population). Within a decade, 30% of the city was German and, by 1900, 60% of Cincinnatians were of German heritage. The German immigrants came to Cincinnati, because it was a hub for the industries in which they had been employed back in their homeland: canal building, steamboat production and pork processing. Cincinnati had so many slaughterhouses that the city became known as Porkopolis, and that is the reason for the many statues of flying pigs throughout the area.

The newly arrived Germans set up their own schools, German language newspapers and community -Over-The-Rhine. Along with their culture and traditions, the Germans brought their cuisine, in particular, beer.

The first brewery opened in the city in 1811 and was the Embree Company, located at 75 Water Street. From there, beer production exploded. By 1890, more than one million barrels were produced annually and only half of the barrels were exported. The average per capita consumption of beer, across the nation, was 16 gallons per person. In Cincinnati it was 40 gallons for every man, woman and child. When Carrie Nation entered the city with her hatchet in 1901, she stated, "My goodness, child, if I had undertaken to break all the windows of all the saloons on your Vine Street I would have dropped from exhaustion before I had gone a block." There were 136 taverns on Vine Street alone.

But World War I was brewing. Due to the growing anti-German movement, German language newspapers closed, pretzels were removed from the counters of taverns, "liberty slaw" was served in restaurants instead of sauerkraut, and last names and street names were Anglosized.

Prohibition became law on January 20th, 1920. Breweries closed, or produced soft drinks, root beer and ice during this time. And after Prohibition ended, only 126 local breweries opened (and closed) over the next forty years. The main breweries remain Oldenberg, Miller, Barrelhouse, Queen City and Hudepohl Schoenling.

To accompany all of this beer, Glier’s manufactures goetta (a.k.a. Cincinnati Cavier). And how to describe this mostly-breakfast food? It’s ground beef, steel cut oats, with spices such as bay leaf, rosemary, salt, pepper and thyme. Over a million pounds of Cincinnati Cavier are produced annually and 99% is consumed within the region.

The Food Wars: Chili and Ice Cream:

Cincinnati has 140 chili restaurants, and the population eats more than two million pounds per year. This isn’t Texas chili. Or any chili that you’ve had outside of Cincinnati. Rather, it is ground beef with a mixture of spices (including cinnamon and chocolate), served over spaghetti noodles, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, with Oyster crackers are served on the side. Ask the waitress for a three-way (spaghetti noodles, chili, shredded cheddar), four-way (add either red beans or onions) or five-way (add both red beans and onions).

And if you don’t get into a fist fight over defending your favorite chili parlor, you will over the Graeter’s versus Aglamesis Brothers standoff. Graeter’s ice cream was founded in 1870 by Louis C. Graeter and is still run by his grandchildren. At the same time, Thomas Aglamesis was leaving Sparta, Greece for a stab at the American dream. He opened his ice cream parlor in 1908 and the business is still run by the third generation of his family. Both ice creams are considered "French Pot" as they add egg yolk. They are equally dense in texture, and you can decide for yourself which is better.

Eating in the Queen City on a Jester’s Wallet:

1. Camp Washington Chili: 3005 Colerain Ave. While others are arguing over Skyline versus Gold Star, we head over to the best chili parlor in town. For over 60 years they have been ladling out the meatiest, heartiest chili. Though usually swamped at lunch (for good reason) they maintain order and professionalism, with a touch of warmth. Though they do serve breakfast and double decker sandwiches. We opt for their cheese Coneys with everything (hot dog in a bun, topped with mustard, onions, chili and shredded cheddar). Steamed to deliciousness!

2. Dewey’s Pizza: Multiple locations. Not as "Cincinnati" as they used to be, since they’ve now expanded all the way to St. Louis. We prefer the location in Clifton Heights by U.C., which is shiny and contemporary. What draws us back over and over (well, every visit to the area) are two things: the Candied Walnut and Grape Salad (I think they put crack on the walnuts) and their thin crust Green Lantern pizza (tomato sauce, light mozzarella, with garlic, mushrooms, glops of goat cheese, artichokes and pesto). They have other unique varieties of pizza, but we have never strayed from our favorite.

3. Myra’s Dionysus: 121 Calhoun Street, near U.C. If we only have time to visit one restaurant in Cincinnati, it’s Myra’s. Myra herself is an institution. After traveling the world she brought her favorite flavors back to her hometown, opening in 1977, and sustaining U.C. students (including myself) ever since. Get ready for a wait - well worth it - in the historic house-turned- tiny restaurant. (There is a patio open in summer). She always offers at least seven soups — and pray that her famous Thai Pumpkin is available. It was here that I first tried hummus, Imam Bialdi, Spanakoepita, Falafel and more. They also offer a deli, numerous teas and a varied list of desserts - the flan is excellent. My heart will truly break if Myra’s ever closes.

4. Ollie’s Trolley: 1607 Central Ave. (513) 381-6100. This is the best Southern and Soul restaurant in the city. Period. They offer amazing ribs and BBQ chicken, but what I am addicted to is their burgers. I have no idea what’s in their special sauce, but I cannot get enough of it — or their seasoned fries. Never skip the Ollie fries. They are open at somewhat random hours so, when Ollie’s is closed, I head to Zip’s (see below).

5. Sitwell’s Coffeehouse: 324 Ludlow Ave., in Clifton Heights, near U.C. Anyone who has been a college student at U.C. has been to Sitwell’s. Here, students mingle with professors, intellectuals, aging hippies, tree huggers and those waiting for the movie to begin at nearby arthouse theatre, Esquire. Between discussions on Nietzsche, you can also hear poetry readings and Jazz quartets, while lounging on their worn couches or sitting at mismatched tables and chairs. Oh, and the coffee is budget-priced and very smooth.

6. Zip’s: 1036 Delta Ave. on Mt. Lookout Square. 1) You won’t believe the burgers. 2) You won’t believe the prices. 3) There’s a cute little toy train which runs along the ceiling. Since 1926 Zip’s has won every award Cincinnati can throw at it. And, they were well earned. Just get a burger, however you want it. I still dream of them at night.Close

LEBANON, Ohio - With a cascade of pasta, melted yellow cheese, and brownish goo tumbling off Ali Girl's fork, she took her first carb-filled taste of what makes Cincinnati a must-visit for a palate. "There's nothing I can compare it to," Ali said, warming to…Read More

LEBANON, Ohio - With a cascade of pasta, melted yellow cheese, and brownish goo tumbling off Ali Girl's fork, she took her first carb-filled taste of what makes Cincinnati a must-visit for a palate.

"There's nothing I can compare it to," Ali said, warming to the meal's mild spices and strong aroma.

As an American city, Cincinnati may not rise to iconic stature like NYC, or L.A., or even its ugly instate sister Cleveland (sorry, Cleveland, this is a native Queen City boy corresponding here), but its unique chili makes a visit to the Seven Hills of Cincinnati a worthwhile culinary destination.

Just keep in mind that we ain't talking about health food. Alison and I stopped at Skyline Chili in Lebanon, a small rural town north of the city, on our way home following a four-day visit with my parents, and we took a table inside the combination diner/fast-food joint. Patrons could also choose a seat at the diner counter to watch servers dip into hot vats of sauce and overstock each plate with handfuls of cheddar cheese.

Skyline is one of two prominent chain restaurants in Cincy specializing in the Greek-style chili, made of shredded cheddar and ground beef that's cooked in a secret combination of spices, which might include cinnamon and chocolate. The other noteworthy franchise is Gold Star, but their chili compared to Skyline's is not distinctive.

You can order it either over spaghetti or coney-style, and these restaurants may be the only place in the world where you can ask the server for a "three-way" without getting slapped.

Ask for three-way chili and your plate will come hot with spaghetti, chili, and melting cheddar cheese. Add onions, and it's called a four-way. Get all kinds of crazy and pile beans on that mountain of chili and cheese and you have yourself a five-way.

The sauce is thinner than traditional Texas-style chili, and unless specifically ordered, has no beans in it.

Ali Girl and I each dipped forks into steaming piles of three-way chili, twirling spaghetti soaked in the brown sauce thick with melted cheese.

As Chris Seiple, a frequent travel companion, said during his first visit to Cincinnati several years ago, "This may be the most perfect food ever invented."

Chili franchises began popping up around Cincinnati in the 1920s, with Skyline and Gold Star establishing supremacy over the others by the 1960s and 1970s.

While visits to baseball parks throughout the country have traditional meals, you must-try if you attend a game—think crab sandwiches at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md., or cheese steaks inside Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Ballpark—hot dogs soaked in Cincinnati chili is a summertime tradition when seeing my beloved Reds at Great American Ballpark. Nothing says laid-back like sitting in the upper deck watching river boats pass on the mighty Ohio beyond the outfield wall while your favorite ball club competes on the bright green field below.

Again, don't expect to lose weight eating the delicacy, and if you visit the city, you won't have to go far to find Skyline or Gold Star (they're everywhere).

As a potential visitor or resident, there is no need to ignore Cincinnati because of your lingering worries from the racial riots that made national headlines in 2000. Cincinnati remains just like any big city: if you mind your own business, everyone else minds their…Read More

As a potential visitor or resident, there is no need to ignore Cincinnati because of your lingering worries from the racial riots that made national headlines in 2000. Cincinnati remains just like any big city: if you mind your own business, everyone else minds their own business. Any person would be absurd not to come to Cincinnati due to racial-relations issues. I only feel the need to mention this because I know there are more subconscious racists still out there than are willing to admit it. As a telecounselor for the University of Cincinnati Office of Admissions through 2004, I was ashamed for the occasional parent who still brought up those riots as the basis for being concerned about their child's safety here. I always thought, "get over it— it’s been quite a few years now"!

Background:
In 2000, a year before I moved to Cincinnati, the city made national (and possibly international) headlines as violent rioting occurred over several days in the poverty-stricken Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, which is just a few blocks north of the nice downtown business district and immediately south of the updated University of Cincinnati campus. Over-the-Rhine’s exact borders probably are not marked on any map, but you will notice the buildings’ conditions and the people’s appearance gradually changing from about 9th Street northward, especially along Vine Street. Over-the-Rhine is primarily a lower class, African-American community, that was very upset over the controversial death of an African-American minor at the hands of an allegedly racist Caucasian Cincinnati police officer. For a few years, many African-American entertainers (such as Oprah) boycotted the city and would not visit until they felt racism was eliminated from the city government.

Today:
Overall, Cincinnati is not unlike most major cities. Every city has its not-so-nice areas that most people generally want to avoid; in Cincinnati, this would be Over-the-Rhine. Most cities also seem to have a general untrust between citizens and police of a different background. Even after all of the city’s hard work to eliminate racists in the city government, things I have heard and seen from others suggest that racial tensions are still mildly present. Even my African-American boyfriend, who was in no way involved with the riots, gets nervous around the seemingly primarily Caucasian Cincinnati police force, and I can’t blame him. I think what happened in Cincinnati’s past is just a physical demonstration of the stereotypes that still exist in many Americans’ minds.

Practicalities:
I‘ve ridden the city bus (alone) directly through Over-the-Rhine, and guess what—I lived through it without witnessing anything bad. Honestly though, the other passengers can seem a bit scary, so I would still avoid using the downtown buses if possible. Driving through Over-the-Rhine in your own vehicle is perfectly fine during the day, but I make sure all my doors are locked, just as I would in any shady neighborhood. At night, especially if you are alone, you may notice a few women working the corner or people with drugs to sell, so if these sights both you, I suggest taking I-71 or I-75 around Over-the-Rhine. As far as walking around the downtown business district or UC campus, use the same precautions that you would use in any other civilized place—even small, rural towns have criminals. I would avoid walking through Over-the-Rhine at any time of day, but even if you accidentally do, I wouldn’t panic; chances are nothing bad will happen.

Cincinnati has the sixth lowest crime rate of any major American city, according to a recent survey, but it has gotten a bad rap in the media. We were surprised (shocked) when in London, England, a couple of years ago to learn that potential travelers…Read More

Cincinnati has the sixth lowest crime rate of any major American city, according to a recent survey, but it has gotten a bad rap in the media. We were surprised (shocked) when in London, England, a couple of years ago to learn that potential travelers there were being warned not to go to Cincinnati. We live just outside of Cincinnati and go into the city often with never a second thought for our safety. Sometimes we even go downtown after dark to a concert or other event and feel no need for undue concern.

Cincinnati is no more dangerous than any other city of its size. Sure, there is crime here, but it is almost never directed at tourists. Just use common sense. If you frequent the rundown sections of town after dark, where large groups of young men loiter on the streets and many of the businesses are boarded up and you are looking to buy illegal drugs or pick up a prostitute, you are taking a risk. Most of Cincinnati is perfectly safe for law-abiding citizens.

The U.S. Bank Arena is the largest indoor venue in Cincinnati, offering up to 17,000 seats for those who enjoy a good show. Everything happens here, from church conventions to rodeos to rock concerts. Built in 1975 as the Riverfront Coliseum, it has since been named…Read More

The U.S. Bank Arena is the largest indoor venue in Cincinnati, offering up to 17,000 seats for those who enjoy a good show. Everything happens here, from church conventions to rodeos to rock concerts.

Built in 1975 as the Riverfront Coliseum, it has since been named The Crown, Firststar Center, and, since 2001, U.S. Bank Arena. Karen and I were there most recently for a Shania Twain concert. The place was packed to capacity, and on the same evening the Cincinnati Reds were playing a baseball game to a full stadium next door. We were amazed that downtown Cincinnati could provide enough parking spaces for 60,000 people that night, but it did.

This picture of the Arena, and looking beyond across the river into Kentucky, was taken with a telephoto lens from Mt. Adams, one of Cincinnati's seven hills.

No visit to Cincinnati, Ohio is complete without a dining experience at Skyline Chili. Enjoy a three way (spaghetti, chili, and cheese), BUT--Do not forget to order a protective bib to wear to keep your clothes spotless. The waitress/waiter will even tie the…Read More

No visit to Cincinnati, Ohio is complete without a dining experience at Skyline Chili. Enjoy a three way (spaghetti, chili, and cheese), BUT--Do not forget to order a protective bib to wear to keep your clothes spotless. The waitress/waiter will even tie the bib for you. Skyline Chili is a Cincinnati Icon--started in Cincinnati by some brothers in a part of Cincinnati called Price Hill. When I was little, my folks would take us to Skyline Chili for a treat. Now, my folks live in Florida and whenever they are in town, we take them to Skyline Chili. Today, we get together with my married 22-year-old son and daughter-in-law, my 16-year-old daughter, and my 25-year-old son at Skyline Chili for lunch after church on Sundays for a family gathering of good food and good times. Skyline has great food that is served quickly. Being quick is very important especially for our Family on Sunday because my 25-year-old son has to be at work by 2pm and sometimes we do not get to Skyline until after 1pm on Sunday. My 25-year-old can get in and out and to work on time. Close

The Great American Ball Park is where the Cincinnati Reds play. This park replaced Cinergy Field just recently. The Great American Ball Park allows fans to sit and watch close to the action -- right behind homeplate. But all the seats are great to watch…Read More

The Great American Ball Park is where the Cincinnati Reds play. This park replaced Cinergy Field just recently. The Great American Ball Park allows fans to sit and watch close to the action -- right behind homeplate. But all the seats are great to watch the Cincinnati Reds play great baseball. Do not forget your glove to catch those fly balls. Even the seats in the nosebleed section are great seats to see the whole field and game. But take your binoculars for your close-ups of the baseball action.Close

"Go Buckeyes!" we heard as we walked away from Delta Gate 18 in CIncinnati. Not unusual to hear in this part of the USA. What was unusual was that it was preceded by a deep bow, a handshake, and a sincere Thank you. Did I…Read More

"Go Buckeyes!" we heard as we walked away from Delta Gate 18 in CIncinnati. Not unusual to hear in this part of the USA. What was unusual was that it was preceded by a deep bow, a handshake, and a sincere Thank you. Did I mention it was shouted in a Korean accent?

He nearly missed the flight. Poor guy comes rushing onto the plane just in time. He settled into the window seat next to friend Sue S in the middle, and yours truly in the aisle. Other than this last minute addition to our row it was a pretty uneventful flight home from Key West via Atlanta. It had the usual iPod songs, denial that we had left the Keys, and the Delicious Delta Smorgasbord of small packs of something, free water, and Coke products. Uneventful that is untiI I heard Sue say 'Oh no you don't want to talk to me, here, talk to Jayna." Quickly I came out of my iPod induced stupor to see what I had just been voluntold for. It was the coolest thing.

The story goes like this: As we were in our initial descent to Cincinnati the late coming young man sitting next to Sue asked her a question. She directed him to me and the next 40 minutes were priceless. He asked me the first question - is the Cincinnati airport as difficult to get around in as Atlanta? Well CVG is MUCH easier than Atlanta, the explanation, however, was a bit more complicated. His Korean is very good and my English passes muster. Due to my inability to speak Korean it was necessary we both use English. (I am so humbled by people who can go between languages but that is another blog)

After getting in tune with each other's accent - the plane roar did not help - we were able to converse. To answer his initial question ( see above) I started to use the airport maps in Sky Magazine then had a better idea. "We'll walk you to your gate", I offered. That suggestion met little resistance so on to his second question. "How do I get my luggage in Cincinnati?" Well trying to explain that 'luggage is checked all the way through to your final destination' took some work. We decided to verify with a Delta Gate Agent on our way to the gate. Now it was time for us to get to know each other.

Dong Wong Kim (I think that is correct) is from Korea and on that day was on his way to Penn State University to begin his graduate education. The flight from Atlanta to Cincinnati was his third of four planes on this journey. He had ben awake for nearly 23 hours and counting. He set foot in the USA for the first time when he landed in Atlanta. His wife is still in Korea and can join him in six months to a year. He is very excited about that and will miss her. Prior to this trip he had only been outside of Korea to visit neighboring countries. He had just begun a whole other journey.

Now Mr. Kim had done his research. What did we ever do without the world wide web?! He knew quite a bit about Penn State & State College, PA. We talked about the beauty of the campus and he knew about Mount Nittany. Trying to explain fall and the beauty of the leaves changing in the crisp air was amusing - the things we take for granted and do not realize it until we try to explain it to someone with no context.

You know sooner or later the conversation would get to sports. When I said football, excitedly he said "Nittany Lions!" I started to mention the conference and he beat me to "Big Ten!" He also knew it would be two years before he could even think about getting a ticket to a game at, yes he knew, "Beaver Stadium!". I explained tailgating and the wild Saturdays of Sept, Oct & November. He thought that sounded like a whole lot of fun.

Suddenly a scarlet & gray light bulb appeared over my head. "Here's the deal" I said. "You can root for the Nittany Lions every Saturday but one. And on that Saturday, when Penn State plays Ohio State, you have to root for the Ohio State Buckeyes." An explanation followed, my favorite team, Big Ten, better team...you know - the important stuff.

We had to talk through that people would not be mad at him or be rude to him if he rooted for the Buckeyes. He knows how fervent those Penn State fans are. I assured him that Buckeye fans could keep up with PSU fans in every way. We did decide that maybe he could do his Buckeye rooting in a quiet sort of way. Since the vast majority of the 107,000 fans would be rooting for the Nittany Lions he could say "Go Buckeyes!" passionately, and quietly.

So as we walked from Concourse B to Concourse A we practiced saying "Go Buckeyes!" It was delightful. He worked so hard to get it right. He was timid at first but with some coaching and encouragement, each time there was more enthusiasm in his "Go Buckeyes!" It was a blast.

So on October 25 when the Buckeyes & Nittany Lions game it up in Columbus there will be one OSU fan in State College, PA. Quietly, but passionately, saying "Go Buckeyes!" during the game. I'll be rooting with him and smiling at the sweet memory.

I, for one am really glad he made that flight. Strangers no longer.

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We attended one of the last games to be played at Cinergy Field just before it was demolished to allow the Great American Ball Park to be finished. We were sitting enjoying the game. My husband looks up at the new bank of lights for…Read More

We attended one of the last games to be played at Cinergy Field just before it was demolished to allow the Great American Ball Park to be finished. We were sitting enjoying the game. My husband looks up at the new bank of lights for the Great American Ball Park. He turns to all of us and says, "See the wire handing down from those lights? Go pull that wire and all the lights will come on at the new ball park." Of course, we said, "Really!!!" Then we realized he was only teasing us -- or was he????? (See photos to see what we saw.) Close