Costa Living
Can't decide between a beach resort or a jungle adventure for your next vacation? Enjoy the best of both worlds in Costa Rica. A local traveler gives you the inside scoop.
Amanda McDonald
Destination: Tamarindo, Costa Ri
Tamarindo is a surfing and eco-tourism town on the Pacific-side of Costa Rica, about an hour from Liberia International Airport. I went with a group from For the Love of Travel (FTLO) for the first part of the week, then extended my trip for the rest of the week. FTLO plans trips, including lodging, activities, and other amenities, for those 25-39 years old.
Lux Lodgings: The Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort was wonderful –it’s literally in the center of the beach. I had an ocean-front room with a balcony, plus four restaurants and three pools on the property.
Favorite meal: Green Papaya Taco Bar. Try the ahi tuna tacos and white sangria. This cute restaurant has swings on the patio instead of benches. The only downside, the restaurant only accepts cash, but everywhere in Tamarindo accepts U.S. dollars.
Coolest photo op: Sunsets and the Rincón de la Vieja National Park.
The sunsets are gorgeous and we made sure to enjoy them every night from the hotel restaurant, where we would grab drinks before venturing out. The sun set around 6 p.m. and was gone within 10 minutes, so you can blink and miss it!
In the Rincón de la Vieja National Park we went zip-lining and ventured to the hot springs for a volcanic mud bath. We saw the largest termite nest in the treetops. Fun fact: termites and parakeets live together!
The Ticos (Costa Ricans) told us that the termite nests are burned as a mosquito repellent, and trust me, the mosquitos are ravenous.
Can’t miss spot: Tamarindo Beach! The beach is great for swimming and for novice surfers. We took a surfing lesson and it was a lot of fun, but I quickly realized that surfing is not in the cards for me!
There's also this wonderful rock point you can climb during low tide to watch the waves break and see the entire beach.
Amanda McDonald lives in College Hill and enjoys traveling, spending time with her pets, hip-hop dance classes, and participating in arts events. She is the Director of Individual Giving at ArtsWave, the nation's first and largest community campaign for the arts. Amanda is an alumna of the University of Cincinnati and C-Change Class 13, and a past finalist for the Legacy Next Generation Leader Awards.
Up in the Air
If you're ready for a vacation, CVG is ready for you! With new airlines and new routes and a strong commitment to health and safety, now is great time to get away from it all.
You’ve watched everything on Netflix and Hulu and now Peacock is starting to look like a good idea. Your sock drawer couldn’t be any more organized. It’s time to get out of your house and get back on the road.
“Airfares are at a 25-year low and new routes and carriers are starting at CVG so it is a good time to plan and book that trip,” says Mindy Kershner, CVG spokesperson.
In just the past nine days, two new carriers, Sun Country Airlines and Alaska Airlines, have begun flying out of CVG. United is adding service to four new leisure destinations later this month, with Southwest, Allegiant, and VivaAerobus adding flights and destinations as well.
“There is a gradual recovery in travel demand as vaccinations increase, most in the form of leisure travel,” says Kershner. “So far this year, we are serving 52% of 2019 passenger volumes and we expect the summer to be at 70-80%.”
The choice isn’t when to go, it’s where.
Sun Country Airlines, now offering nonstop service to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, operates a total of 93 routes across 69 airports in the United States, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean. Sun Country’s passenger experience includes low-cost airfares, free in-flight entertainment and reclining seats. Fittingly for an airline based in Minnesota, Sun Country prides itself on warm and friendly customer service.
From the MSP hub, CVG travelers can take flight to Sun Country’s most recently added destinations, including Grand Cayman, Punta Gorda, Florida, and Turks and Caicos.
All About Cabin Air Quality
“The entire industry including airlines and airports have done a tremendous job enacting safe and healthy protocols,” says Kershner. “You can see what CVG has done at CVGairport.com/FlyHealthy.”
Still not sure about air travel? The quality of supplied air on board an aircraft is much better than most indoor environments.
How good is the cabin air?
The risk of transmission in the modern cabin environment is low for a number of reasons: passengers face the same direction, seatbacks act as barriers, air flow is from the top to bottom, and the air is also very clean.
20-30
Cabin air is refreshed 20-30 times an hour, which is about 10 times more than most office buildings
50/50
The air supplied on board an aircraft is half HEPA-filtered and half fresh air
99.993%
This is the bacteria/virus removal efficiency rate of the HEPA filters onboard. It includes SARS, which is similar to COVID-19
Top to bottom air flow
The direction of the air flow in an aircraft is from top to bottom, and not along the length of the aircraft
HEPA filters
Most modern jet aircraft are equipped with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. These filters have similar performance to those used in hospital operating theatres and industrial clean rooms. These HEPA filters are 99.9+% effective at removing viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
Higher rate of air renewal than in other indoor facilities
The air in the aircraft cabin comprises of around 50% fresh air from outside the aircraft and 50% of HEPA filtered air. The air in the cabin is also renewed 20-30 times an hour or once every 2-3 minutes.
–International Air Transport Association
Alaska Airlines now offers non-stop service to Seattle, with award-winning service, hundreds of free movies and TV shows available on personal devices, and free texting on most flights.
Cincinnati is Alaska’s 95th nonstop destination from Seattle. From there, travelers can reach other West Coast destinations or Hawaii. But Seattle is also a gateway to Asia, through the oneworld global alliance with additional airline partners–guests can connect to nonstop flights to Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and Singapore.
VivaAerobus, Latin America’s lowest cost airline and one of the fastest growing carriers in the world, begins nonstop service to Los Cabos, Mexico on May 29.
If you’re planning to visit one of your favorite vacation destinations, later this month United begins non-stop flights to Hilton Head Island, Pensacola, Charleston, and Portland, Maine. With the news that CVG’s average fare is at a 25-year low, and nearly 10 percent less than the national average, decided to fly rather than drive to a beach destination just got a lot easier.
But if you’re looking for something a bit farther afield, see what the new carriers and expanded routes have to offer as you plan your next adventure.
Seattle
Visit Seattle
Seattle is a derivative of the Indigenous American name “Sealth.” Sealth was a chief of the Suquamish tribe at the time the first white settlers arrived in 1851.
Seattle has 147.52 miles of fresh water shoreline and 53.38 miles of salt water shoreline for a total of 200.90 miles of shoreline (source 1). Puget Sound has 500 square miles of water, 1,400 miles of shoreline and some 300 islands.
Top Attractions
Space Needle
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), formerly Experience Music Project
Pike Place Market
Museum of Flight
Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room
Local Connection: Chihuly Garden and Glass
Turks and Caicos
@wymaraturks
In the 18th century, raiders who preyed on vessels in the Mediterranean and off the coasts of Europe and Africa were often referred to as “Turks,” and the term became synonymous with pirate. Early map makers combined this with a version of the Lucayan word “cayo hico,” meaning string of islands. Together, they served as a warning to avoid the pirate islands.
The Turks and Caicos archipelago covers about 238 square miles, with about 242 linear miles of coastline.
Top Attractions
The Turks and Caicos is known for having some of the best beaches in the world.
Mudjin Harbour
Half Moon Bay
The West Caicos Marine National Park
Princess Alexandra National Park Barrier Reef
Conch Bar Caves
Local Connection: Grand Turk was the first land reached by astronaut John Glenn after the Mercury space mission in 1962.
Los Cabos
Visit Los Cabos
In Spanish, “Los Cabos” means “The Capes.”
Los Cabos consists of Cabo San Lucas, a metropolitan harbor resort city, and San Jose del Cabo, a sleepy colonial town, both connected by a 20-mile strip of land.
Top Attractions
The Los Cabos area boasts some of the best sightseeing.
El Arco in Cabo San Lucas
Cabo Pulmo Marine Park,
San José del Cabo Gallery District
Local Connection: You, when you visit.
–Tricia Suit
Home Away from Home
Despite the challenges of the past year, a number of new hotels opened around Cincinnati, giving Travel & Leisure, Forbes, and you more reasons than ever to pay a visit and enjoy all the city has to offer.
In has been an unquestionably challenging time for the travel industry, but as people begin to venture out, Cincinnati is once again ranked as a top destination. May 2 marks the beginning of Travel & Tourism Week around the country and there’s no better time to re-discover the nationally ranked attractions and widely acclaimed restaurants we are fortunate to enjoy every day, not just on vacation.
If You Go
Kinley Hotel Cincinnati, 636 Race St. www.kinleycincinnati.com/offers
The Lytle Park Hotel, 311 Pike St.,
www.marriott.com/the-lytle-park-hotel
Graduate Hotel, 151 Goodman Drive, www.graduatehotels.com/cincinnati/
Marriott’s Delta Hotel , 11320 Chester Road, www.marriott.com/hotels/delta-hotels
Summit Hotel, 5345 Medpace Way, www.thesummithotel.com/
21c Museum Hotel, 609 Walnut St., www.21cmuseumhotels.com/cincinnati
“As tourism resumes, and our hotels, restaurants, and arts and cultural institutions and professional sports reopen under safety guidelines there is much to do in this region,” said Julie Calvert, president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Travel + Leisure picked Cincinnati as one of the top 20 places to visit in 2021. Forbes chose us as one of the best road trips, saying “a road trip kicking off in Cincinnati serves up a bona fide slice of Americana with an intriguing cultural bent many might not expect from the Buckeye State.”
Despite all the difficulties of the past year, three new hotels opened in the region and established hotels have special offers, so you can enjoy a change of scenery without a lot of travel time.
“A staycation provides our local residents the opportunity to get out and explore all that the Cincinnati region has to offer,” says Calvert. “By staying local and following the safety guidelines in place you can help our region come out the other side of this pandemic stronger and intact.”
One of the most anticipated restaurant openings of last year was in a hotel in Cincinnati. In the January 2020 issue of Vogue, the magazine expressed their excitement about Khora along with restaurant opening in Boston, Los Angeles, and New York, among other cities.
Now open in the Kinley Hotel Cincinnati, overnight guests can take advantage of Khora’s incredible menu by Chefs Kevin Ashworth and Edward Lee with the “Date Night In” package.
This food-centric stay includes a corner king suite outfitted with an in-room dining table, a five-course meal, and a bottle of red or white wine, to create a customized safe date night experience in a room that is used every five days, for an added safety measure. Rather have brunch? The package can be tailored to your choices, and the chefs will contact you to personalize the experience to your preferences. The menu showcases modern pasta dishes and small plates with a Midwest sensibility, including ancient grains sourced in the Ohio Valley and milled especially for the restaurant – which is named after the khorasan grain variety.
The Kinley partnered with Cincinnati Art Underground to curate works by local artists in the hotel, including a hand-painted mural by Andrey Kozakov in the lobby. The building, formerly the Jewelers Exchange Building, is home to the Allegro mural, originally painted by Barron Krody for the 1971 Urban Walls: Cincinnati series.
Across the street from the Taft Museum of Art, The Lytle Park Hotel, originally built in 1909, is in one of the most historic, and picturesque, parts of downtown.
After a $35 million renovation, the hotel retains a number of historic details, like a Rookwood water fountain, but also features a state-of-the-art retractable glass roof on a four-seasons room on the hotel’s roof.
The hotel’s restaurant, Subito, specializes in Northern Italian cuisine, with housemade pastas, scratch-made sauces and hand-selected, perfectly seared steaks, finished in an infrared broiler. Along with seafood flown in daily, Subito offers brick oven pizzas, a raw bar and traditional antipasti. These dishes can be enjoyed in the restaurants or in the lobby bar, which sits under a custom light fixture with 96 bulbs, dubbed the Crown of the Queen City.
One way to experience all of the elements in this gorgeous setting is with the “Celebrate the Love” package. Enjoy a romantic getaway, including a bottle of Prosecco and chocolate covered strawberries, in the hotel’s luxury accommodations. “Please Do Not Disturb” sign included.
The Graduate Hotel near the University of Cincinnati was another huge renovation that turned an old building into a grand hotel. The latest in a collection found in university towns across the country, the hotel’s decor has Ohio motifs that create a space that’s distinctly Cincinnati. Furniture channels some of the city’s standout buildings while custom art celebrates local legends, including a Columbia Pictures icon, an Ohio-born cowboy, a funkadelic bassist, and, of course, a hippo.
Fitting for a hotel on campus, you can book the “Room Savings 101” package and get a great rate by booking exclusively through their site.
Venture a bit farther from out to find the first Ohio location for Marriott’s Delta Hotel. The hotel offers amenities that appeal to both business travelers and tourists, with modern room designs with large work spaces that also provide room to relax and upgraded bedding and towels. Staying hydrated will not be an issue, with an indoor heated pool and complimentary, replenished bottles of water during your stay. Dining options include a Grab ’n’ Go Starbucks, On The Rocks Bourbon Bar & Restaurant, and even room service.
The Summit Hotel shines a spotlight on Cincinnati art with commissioned works by contemporary artists and a 5,800-square-foot art gallery with a rotating collection of thought-provoking works by local and regional artists. With the Cozy-in for Movie Night, you Grab your loved ones for a special night in at The Summit. Our Cozy-In for Movie Night Package includes deluxe accommodations, complimentary movie, gourmet hot chocolate, house-made cookies, and late check-out.
Designed to engage, enlighten and inspire our guests, The Summit promises a transformative journey from everyday to extraordinary. From thought-provoking works of art to chef-curated dining experiences, we'll spark your sense of creativity and self discovery at every turn.
You may not be the only one who needs a night away from your house. Your dog could use a change of scenery, too, and what better place than 21c Museum Hotel. The hotel is waiving all pet fees through June 30, when booking directly with 21c Cincinnati.
While your pooch is relaxing in those new surroundings, you can enjoy Cocktail Terrace at 21c, which recently reopened for the season. Boozy cocktails and sweeping downtown Cincinnati views are making a return, along with a new raw bar menu by Executive Chef Vanessa Miller of Metropole.
“With the changing of the season and the reopening of our doors, there’s no better time to showcase the flavors of spring,” says Chris Brown, Metropole’s assistant food and beverage director.
–Tricia Suit
Leave in the Time of COVID
I hope you understand I just had to go back to the island.
A pandemic Caribbean travel tale of testing, talking-tos and tacos.
Leave In the time of COVID
by Rich Walburg
To get on any flight to the United States Virgin Islands, we needed proof of a negative COVID test – or documentation of a positive antibody test – with results from within five days of the flight. Although masks were mandated in the airport and on the plane, social distancing was not an option.
It was a full flight with three across on both sides of the plane. I was in an aisle seat. The man in the middle was a big guy. Really big. Being less than svelte myself (working toward svelte-near), it made for a long three-and-a-half-hour flight to St. Thomas.
My not-so-negligible neighbor was wearing a black mask to cover his mouth and nose. On top of that, he wore a homemade plastic shop visor. He looked ready to mug Homer Formby.
My buddy, Sal Gardooni, doesn’t always like to follow rules, but he was on his best behavior. Unfortunately, every time he removed his mask to take a sip from his squat bottle of complimentary Dasani, a flight attendant was there to remind him to cover his nose and mouth.
A group of 12 had planned this trip for July of 2020, but like so many vacations, events and familiar embraces, it had been canceled. We rescheduled for February of 2021 with the intention of walking the 25th annual St. John 8 Tuff Miles Road Race. While it was also scratched due to the pandemic, we went ahead with the trip.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by members of the National Guard asking to see our COVID papers. We were cleared, grabbed our bags and took a cab to Red Hook. That was quickly followed by a ferry to Cruz Bay on St. John.
We stopped for a quick drink at one of our favorite spots, High Tide, before taking our final taxi to our rental home in Coral Bay. Again, Sal got his knuckles rapped for removing his mask to suck down a Jack and water.
After arrival, we were no Fauci slouchies. For the most part, we stayed at the compound with our dozen traveling friends. Occasionally, we’d walk or make the short ride to Miss Lucy’s which was less than a mile away. Good bar food with outdoor tables right on the water.
According to Landry, only three people on St. John were infected with the virus. Landry is the captain of Salt Deck, a pontoon boat we chartered for the day. It comes equipped equipped with a waterslide, popsicles and a jug of lemonade marked, “adult.” The word, “pontoon,” is fun. It’s like cartoon or spittoon.
Photo by @sarahbswan
Salt Deck is the only pontoon boat in the USVI. Again, that’s according to Landry. The boat took us to Lime Out, a floating taco restaurant on the southeast side of the island. Small groups of ravenous visitors sit on giant circular floatie sofas in the water. There’s fun in watching graceless oafs climbing aboard the slippery seats. It’s like manatees mounting a banana boat.
The novelty is reason enough to love Lime Out, but the kitchen also offers the best tacos you’ll ever have. Try the short rib.
Salt Deck dropped us by Skinny Legs and we decided to grab one cold one before returning to the house. Sal got in trouble, again, for standing up without first putting on his mask.
Our “home” cooking was also world-class. Rather than venture out, we grilled out. Two evenings, we hired Chef Ted. The cuisinier wears free-flowing shirts that would be the envy of any of the Brothers Gibb as he prepares and serves course after course of pan-fried tuna dumplings, jumbo lump crab cake sliders, flash fried eggplant crostini and more.
Getting to St. John requires a long day of travel, which is much more enjoyable when heading to the island than returning home. Most visitors to the USVI arrive and leave on Saturdays, making the airport a series of lines for check-in, customs and TSA. It’s recommended to arrive three hours prior to departure. For perspective, I’ve had root canals in twenty minutes.
However, no COVID documentation is needed to return to the mainland. As long as it clears customs you can bring it home.
Middle Ground
More than just a way to get from here to there, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail is a world-class urban bike and pedestrian path that connects neighborhoods, museums, bars and restaurants, and most importantly, people.
Above and cover photos courtesy Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc.
Up for a bike ride to a cool brewery? Want to stroll to an inventive farm-to-table restaurant? Looking for something cool around Fountain Square?
Lucky for you, you can do all that and more along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail.
Opened in May 2013, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail (ICT) is an 8-mile urban bike and pedestrian path in downtown Indianapolis that connects the city’s cultural districts and arts, entertainment, and bars/restaurants along the route. The ICT isn’t just the destination, it’s the journey.
During the NCAA tournament, the Swish program is bringing live music and performances along the lCT and downtown civic spaces. Not only has Swish employed central Indiana artists who have lost their income during the pandemic, it has also delighted fans from across the nation. Funded through a Lilly Endowment Inc. grant received by Indiana Sports Corp. to create a safe, welcoming environment for local residents and visitors during the tournament. With live music at Lugar Plaza, Davlan Park, and Georgia Street, Swish also offers visitors the chance to go on a a public art crawl, see sidewalk art galleries, and view 3D basketball-themed murals.
As a public green space the ICT seamlessly connects neighborhoods, cultural districts and entertainment venues. Visitors can walk or ride a bike along to get to Lucas Oil Stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis Zoo, and other attractions, just off the trail.
The ICT has designated lanes for pedestrians and bikes, safely separated from the road, so no one is riding or walking in traffic. Pacer Bike Share, with more than 500 bikes in downtown Indianapolis, is great way to get around the city without even needing a car. Like our local Red Bike, riders can check out and return bicycles at any one of the 50 Pacers Bikeshare stations.
Indy has six Cultural Districts, including its very own Fountain Square. Just southeast of downtown Indy, this funky neighborhood has independent restaurants, live music, and a vibrant arts scene, in a distinctly dog friendly environment.
Charcuterie board from Bluebeard, with bread from Amelia’s Bakery, its sister restaurant next door. Courtesy Bluebeard.
Among the restaurants, Bluebeard, a 2020 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards semi-finalist, has local meat and produce. Everything is made fresh from ingredients sourced from sustainable local and regional farms, so the menu changes a little bit every day.
Fountain Square is also home to the Indy outpost of Kuma’s Corner, which has its flagship location at the corner of Belmont and Francisco avenues in Chicago. The menu serves burgers at the bar and metal on the jukebox.
At the opposite end of the food pyramid is Three Carrots, which is 100% vegan. Of course, the restaurant serves salads, but also hearty Korean, Banh Mi, and Southern bowls and sides including braised kale, mac ’n’ cheese, and baked beans.
Other options around Fountain Square include Thai, Italian, and plenty of pizza. For dessert sample a traditional flavor from Square Scoop or mix it up with in-house inventions like Lemoreo or Graham Central Station.
Like most midwestern cities, Indianapolis has seen a huge development in breweries and brewpubs. The Fountain Square Brew Co. has been serving craft beer since 2011. Their industrial-style taproom is in the heart of Fountain Square, just a block form the ICT. Sip small batch innovations on their large patio which welcomes well-behaved dogs.
Looking for something a little stronger? Head to the Imbibe Lobby Bar in the restored Fountain Square Theatre. A vaudeville and movie theatre when it opened in 1928, it is now an event space, but when you have a handcrafted cocktail you’ll have a chance to peek insde the historic building. But the real star in the Fountain Square Theatre is duckpin bowling.
Action and Atomic Bowl Duckpin offer you two options to play this distinctive style of bowling. Action Duckpin Bowl has eight lanes of duckpin bowling, restored to its original 1930s glory, on the building’s fourth floor. Atomic Bowl Duckpin is housed in the basement and is outfitted with authentic 1950s and 60s equipment.
What’s duckpin bowling? Originating in Baltimore a the turn of the last century, it began as a kind of “summer bowling” with smaller pins and a smaller ball. Today duckpin houses are still found along the East Coast, but the only authentic duckpin bowling in the Midwest is in Indy.
The ICT was developed as a way to enrich lives and connect people and places. With an easy drive along I-74, you have the chance to park your car and then walk to a museum, ride a bike to a basketball game, or people watch from a restaurant patio.
–Tricia Suit
Spring Hope's Eternal
Mo Egger (of ESPN1530 and The Athletic) shares the joys of Reds Spring Training from Goodyear Park, because when you’ve got a ballgame and a cold one, what else do you need?
By Mo Egger
ESPN1530 and The Athletic
The last sporting event I attended before a global pandemic forced a months-long sports shutdown was a spring training game in Arizona between the Reds and Oakland Athletics on March 6, 2020. At that point I had heard news reports of something called the coronavirus but was mostly blissfully unaware of the prospects of a raging pandemic and returned to Cincinnati focused on little else but a fast-approaching baseball season and the high hopes so many of us had for the local team.
Within a week, of course, Opening Day had been postponed, every pro and college sports team had ceased activities and fans were left grappling with both loads of free time usually spent watching games and the sobering uncertainty of not knowing when we would be allowed back inside a ballpark or an arena.
And for me, that mostly meaningless Cactus League exhibition suddenly became an event worth savoring.
I love baseball, in large part because of the daily cadence of the season and the every-game-matters-but-not-too-much rhythm of a schedule that plays out nearly every day for six months. But ever since I started making annual trips to spring training in Arizona in 2012, the best part of the season, at least for me, is the part that involves games that do not matter in the standings.
A spring training trip has always been the dangling carrot that has gotten me through the cold and darkness of winter, and the reward for enduring my least favorite months. It is what I start thinking about within seconds of the season’s final out, and those Cactus League ballparks are where my mind drifts toward whenever I’m stuck shoveling snow or trudging along outside in freezing temperatures.
It may seem silly that I get such enjoyment from paying money to travel across the country to watch games that don’t count and innings filled by players whose identities are often anonymous, but much about being a sports fan defies being rational to begin with, and as much as I love the game, baseball can be a sports best consumed when the quality of the time you’re having is unrelated to the game’s outcome. A Cactus League game isn’t an ideal setting for a fan obsessing over a pitcher’s arm slot or one crunching a hitter’s weighted on-base average.
It is, however, the perfect backdrop for a reacquaintance with sunshine and the juxtaposition of a cold beer against warmer temperatures and a chance to spend a lazy afternoon watching something resembling big league ball for something not resembling big league prices.
And it’s a phenomenal setting to enjoy someone else’s good company.
There is an infinite list of things that have absolutely sucked about the pandemic, but somewhere relatively high on the list is how it robbed us of things to look forward to. Events. Vacations. Reunions. Family gatherings. Annual rites of passage. I’ve gotten used to what’s often referred to “the new normal,” even if I struggle with how permanent that might be, but what’s never not jarring is having the rug pulled out from beneath whenever the next thing gets postponed, or canceled, or maybe worst of all, not even scheduled. To combat the un-ending sense of letdown that comes with every cancelation or expected event not happening, I’ve developed a defense mechanism of sorts that involves looking forward to nothing.
It has been an absolutely miserable and joy-sucking way to live, far and away not the worst thing anyone has had to deal with over the last 12 months, but still depressing and soul-crushing nonetheless. We have all had to make adjustments to how we go through daily life, but the one that’s taken the most getting used to is not having anymore carrots dangling in front of me.
I resigned myself to not having a spring training trip to look forward well before last summer even ended, and I spent this past winter doing what I could do avoid letting my mind drift toward the dread I’d start to feel whenever I thought of what it would feel like when early March arrived, and I’d not be in Arizona. Was I dealing with the ultimate in first world problems? Absolutely. Did I often remind myself of how spoiled I am? Definitely. Was being cognizant of the fact that no one is entitled to go watch baseball game in warm weather every March make life any less bearable? If you are still reading, I think you know the answer.
There have been glimmers of hope worth clinging to in recent weeks. Vaccinations. The extension and ultimately, the elimination of curfews. News of fans being allowed at games this spring. A sense that something resembling the life the way we used to know it could one day again become reality.
And in late February, the announcement that spring training games would happen with fans in the stands.
There have been very few decisions in my life made without at least some trepidation, but this one was easy and instant. Even if I went by myself, regardless of what protocols and restrictions were implemented, I was making my annual sojourn out west.
I ended up going to Arizona for three days, taking in four games in four different ballparks during my stay. I saw the Reds play the Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, which allowed me to cross off the one remaining park I hadn’t yet been to. It is a nice, clean facility that lacks any defining feature other than a field, sunshine and beer taps, which in spring training is all that’s needed.
I watched the Cubs play the A’s at Sloan Park in Mesa, where the mask police were a little too zealous, if at least well-intended. I’m not anti-mask, but I’m very much against someone hovering over my shoulder to determine whether or not I’m actively eating or drinking.
The Reds hosted the Dodgers for a night game in Goodyear on a night that was cooler than I’d bargained and in which the fans of the reigning world champs outnumbered those of us there in support of the home team. Goodyear Ballpark is a nice place surrounded by very little else, but when you’ve got a ballgame and a cold one, what else do you need?
My final game was at Hohokam Park, an older facility that’s gotten a slight facelift, home of the A’s, who entertained the Brewers. It was where I saw the last pre-pandemic sporting event a year ago, unintentionally allowing me to complete a circle of sorts.
Note that I did not share the results of the games, not because they’re not important – which they aren’t – but because I don’t recall what they were. Which teams won and lost didn’t matter. The fact that I was in attendance really made me the victor.
There were reminders that things aren’t completely where any of us want them to be like of course, masks. There were fewer fans in attendance than usual, tight restrictions on how many people can be grouped together, and more than a handful of ballpark amenities not in use.
But beggars can’t be choosers, as they say, and a fan who spent a long winter simply hoping to see a meaningless ballgame in the desert sun can’t be picky about what he can and can’t do when he’s finally allowed to do what he loves most.
I returned to Cincinnati with only a slight sunburn, excitement for the coming season, and an at least slightly altered outlook on life. No, the pandemic is not over.
But the days of me refusing to look forward to things are now a thing of the past.
Travel to the City of Love without leaving Cincinnati
You may not be able to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Paris, but you can bring the City of Love (Oui Oui Oui) all the way home.
By: Stephanie Denzel
You may not be able to go to Paris to celebrate with your love, but you can bring Paris to you. The blog Paris Unlocked has found a few ways you can explore the City of Love from the comfort of your own couch. Sit back and let’s pretend to fly to Paris.
Paris 3D: Through the Ages: Take a virtual walk around Paris through history. The 12-minute will take you through the city’s transformation from the Gallo-Roman period to 1889
Virtual Tours of Museums and Sites: Get a more updated tour of Paris through the lens of YouVisit. The site has put together 360-degree views of some of the most visited places around Paris. There’s also a guided commentary to add to your tour of sites like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe.
Visit Exhibits from Parisian Museums: Take in the art around Paris with Google Arts & Culture. Start in Montmartre, which is a city within Paris, take in the Underground Paris Street Art, then enjoy the evening at the Paris Opera.
There’s plenty Paris to explore. Check out other options from Paris Unlocked.
Super Safe Super Bowl Fan Experience in Tampa
The Super Bowl Experience in Tampa was a well orchestrated outdoor event spanning two miles along their waterfront. The non traditional event to celebrate Super Bowl 55 was accommodating and safe with numerous health protocols in place.
By Jackie Reau, Publisher
The Super Bowl Experience in Tampa was a well orchestrated outdoor event spanning two miles along their waterfront. The non traditional event to celebrate Super Bowl 55 was accommodating and safe with numerous health protocols in place.
Since this is the first Super Bowl where a home team will compete in their home stadium, it was a socially distanced sea of Bucs red and Tom Brady jerseys.
Special perks included Tampa Bay Yacht Village, boat rides to see Tom Brady’s house and his new yacht along with a pirate ship that fires off fireworks each night of Super Bowl week.
All in all, Tampa was a gracious host city.
Price Hill Transformation Continues
If you haven’t been to the top of Price Hill lately, you’re missing out on a neighborhood transformation that, over the last decade, has turned the west side community known best for its long-gone incline into an after-hours hangout, a theater destination and a foodie’s delight.
By: Betsy Ross
Cincinnati Skyline from Prima Vista
If you haven’t been to the top of Price Hill lately, you’re missing out on a neighborhood transformation that, over the last decade, has turned the west side community known best for its long-gone incline into an after-hours hangout, a theater destination and a foodie’s delight.
Of course, most people are familiar with the grande dame at the top of the hill, the Prima Vista restaurant inside Queen’s Tower, featuring fine dining and an even better view of downtown. It’s the winner of numerous people’s choice awards, including “Best Italian Restaurant,” “Best Dining with a View,” “Best Date Spot,” “Most Romantic” and many others. See what they have to offer at http://pvista.com/.
But you don’t have to go far from Prima Vista to see new, exciting choices for dining and entertainment. Right across the street from Prima Vista is the Warsaw Federal Incline Theater, which spent last summer creatively staging concerts outside on the top deck of the parking garage. In a “normal” season the theater presents such favorites as “Carousel,” “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” and similar productions. Keep an eye on the website https://www.cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com/ for this year’s schedule.
Incline Public House
Also at the top of the hill is the Incline Public House, one of the first restaurants to lead the Price Hill transformation. Again, the spectacular views are what bring people there, but come back for the craft beer and scratch kitchen entrees. Brunch also is extremely popular--check out the choices at https://www.inclinepublichouse.com/.
Somm Wine Bar
Travel west on Price Avenue and you’ll fine Somm Wine Bar, with an extensive wine list to go along with their food selections. Order by the glass or by the bottle—either way you’ll take your tastebuds around the globe from New Zealand to France, to Italy and back to Napa Valley. See the menu at http://www.sommwinebarcincinnati.com/.
Veracruz Mexican Grill
Across the street from Somm is Veracruz Mexican Grill, offering a full menu with all your favorites along with a full bar and a welcoming interior. Dine in, take out or have it delivered, this family-owned restaurant also offers off-street parking in the next block. Check them out on Facebook.
Let’s Get Physical Fitness
After you’ve enjoyed so many dining options in the Incline District, you might feel like a little exercise. Let’s Get Physical Fitness offers beginners’ yoga classes through Price Hill Will on line during the week and, when the weather improves, outside in Olden View Park next to the Incline Public House and the pavilion at Mt. Echo Park, just south of the Incline. See their schedule and their on-line classes on Facebook.
Whether you’re looking to dine out, a night out or a workout, it’s all available at Price Hill. Come for the view, stay for the community renaissance.
Blackberry Farm: A Luxury Escape Closeby, Yet a World Away
A four-hour drive from Cincinnati, Blackberry Farm is just outside Knoxville but is a world away from the daily travails we’ve all slogged through these last few months.
By: Betsy Ross
Take a deep breath and close your eyes.
Envision calm, serenity, comfort.
What do you see? Perhaps a lush mountain range, cool flowing water, tranquil pastures.
That vision becomes reality at Blackberry Farm, an oasis of comfort in a chaotic world.
A four-hour drive from Cincinnati, Blackberry Farm is just outside Knoxville but is a world away from the daily travails we’ve all slogged through these last few months. As you drive along the winding country road to the farm’s check in, the white picket fence property welcomes you immediately in comfort as the staff makes sure you leave all your baggage, literally and figuratively, at the door.
First, a little background: From a six-room country inn operated in the 1970s by owners Kreis and Sandy Beall, Blackberry Farm evolved under their son Sam’s guidance to the Blackberry Farm we know today as the epicenter of fine cuisine, wine and comfort. Sam’s widow, Mary Celeste Beall, has elevated the experience and has expanded Blackberry Farm to a lifestyle brand as well as adding a new property, Blackberry Mountain (more on that later).
Accommodations at Blackberry Farm range from historical rooms to cottages to houses with three to five bedrooms. But if you play your stay right, you won’t be spending that much time there, no matter how luxurious the surroundings (and they are). Because activities at Blackberry Farm range from the traditional spa day to horseback riding, fly fishing lessons, geocaching, hiking, paddleball, yoga and so much more. Want to do something else? The amazing Blackberry staff is more than accommodating to help you find the perfect activity.
With 160,000 bottles to choose from, Blackberry Farm's wine selection is sure to satisfy even the most particular wine enthusiast.
Sign up for a wine tasting session and you’ll be able to visit the 160,000-bottle underground wine cellar with one of Blackberry Farm’s sommeliers. Food pairings with the wine are just as important to the Blackberry experience, as you can indulge in cooking demonstrations by in-house or guest chefs then sample the farm-to-table creations at the Main House, or let the staff drive you in one of the Farm’s black Lexus SUVs to The Barn for more upscale dining.
Blackberry Farm also offers guest lectures and special events in what is billed as “The 2021 Blackberry Year,” they’re calling it, with a series of “more intimate experiences” with personalities and experts on a wide range of topics. At the end of March, for example, Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach will hold an evening of conversation and discussion (sorry, it’s already sold out, I tried!) but throughout the year you can hear from authors, musicians and others. This year’s schedule is on the website at blackberryfarm.com.
Or you don’t have to do a thing. The beauty of Blackberry Farm is that your time is your own, however you want to manage it. Oversize white rocking chairs just outside the Main House offer Southern hospitality and a breathtaking view of the property and the Smoky Mountains. Walk across the road and check out the garden that grows much of the Farm’s fresh produce and chat with the staff that takes care of the “Truffle Dogs” (formal name, Lagotto Romagnolo) whose lineage goes back to Italy. If you’re lucky, you’ll be there at the right time to see the latest litter of fluffy, furry Blackberry Farm puppies.
If you are a little more adventurous, check out Blackberry Mountain, with all the luxury of its sister property with an added component of wellness and fitness. Activities center on enjoying nature while concentrating on mindfulness and wellness including mountain biking, aerial yoga and pottery classes.
Both properties are very family friendly and offer Camp Blackberry and Blackberry Youth Discovery, kids-only experiences in food, outdoor activities and more. Camp Blackberry is for children 4 and older, while Blackberry Youth Discovery is recommended for kids 10 and up. Camp Blackberry is offered during holidays (including spring break) and during the summer.
Blackberry Farm is the comfort our bodies, our minds, our souls need right now. It is an exceptional experience that will leave you refreshed, relaxed and recharged to take on the day. And isn’t that what we all need right now?
Accommodations and events sell out quickly around the holidays, so book several months early if you are looking for a specific room or specific event. Check out the rooms and make reservations at blackberryfarm.com.
Flying Pig Marathon Top 10 Moments of the last 22 years
While we won’t have formal Flying Pig events on May 1-3, more than 5,000 runners and walkers are completing their virtual Flying Pigs this spring. To commemorate what would have been the 22nd running of the Flying Pig, we are counting down the Top 10 Moments leading up to the May 3 Marathon date.
The Flying Pig weekend powered by P&G has been moved from its usual first weekend in May to October 9-11 in conjunction with the Queen Bee Half Marathon and Medpace 4 Miler.
While we won’t have formal Flying Pig events on May 1-3, more than 5,000 runners and walkers are completing their virtual Flying Pigs this spring. To commemorate what would have been the 22nd running of the Flying Pig, here’s a countdown of the Top 10 Moments leading up to the May 3 Marathon date:
#10
The Flying Pig Marathon named the best marathon in the country for 2020. Earlier this year the Flying Pig Marathon was voted the #1 marathon in the country by RaceRaves! The Flying Pig also took home awards for Top 10 Best Themed Race in the U.S., Top 10 Best Weekend Experience in the U.S., and the Green Lion Award, an award given to races committed to expanding and maintaining their sustainability efforts.
#9
Amy Robillard dominates the women’s marathon. In 2011 Amy Robillard started a streak where she won every Flying Pig event she entered. Starting with wins in the half marathon in 2011 and 2012, the jumped to the full marathon with wins back to back in 2014 and 2015 before jumping back to the half marathon in 2016. Also in 2016, she represented our area at the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials in Los Angeles.
#8
Sergio Reyes, back-to-back-to-back (and more) champion. Reyes, of Palmdale, California, first burst upon the Flying Pig scene with a 2009 win in the Marathon that was only :12 off the event record. He returned to win again in 2012, 2013, 2014 and in 2016, becoming the only five-time Flying Pig Marathon champion.
#7
The 20th anniversary Flying Pig Marathon powered by P&G celebrated a record crowd, 43,127 for total weekend participation, an almost 13% increase from 2017, representing all 50 states and 22 countries. The event was highlighted by wins by Aaron Viets of Cedarburg, Wisconsin and former Cincinnatian Caitlin Keen. Caitlin, a former Hyde Park resident now living in Fort Worth, said growing up, she watched the Flying Pig Marathon on television and when it went past her house and dreamed about winning it one day. She did, in only her second career marathon and first Pig.
#6
Fire on mile 22. On May 4, 2008, the Flying Pig was celebrating its last day of its 10th anniversary running with a record crowd when an early morning fire along Mile 22 of the course forced last-minute changes and created a marathon to remember. The fire forced organizers and police to re-route the course so runners would go around the fire. Quick action by city officials made the change as effortless as possible and resulted in only about a 10 minute delay to the start of the Marathon.
#5
Amazing turnout after the Boston Marathon bombings. The 2013 Boston Marathon bombing happened less than two weeks before the Flying Pig events. Pig organizers didn’t know if the bombing would scare people away from participating. Instead, the opposite happened. Many Flying Pig events reached capacity because of a last-minute rush of registrations. Flying Pig participants donated $50,000 to the One Fund Boston, wrote notes of support at the Expo and purchased #BostonStrong shirts and bracelets, with proceeds going to the bombing victims.
#4
The amazing comeback of Alison Bedingfield Delgado. The 2005 winner of the Flying Pig Marathon suffered a traumatic head injury from a horrific bicycle accident in 2010 that nearly claimed her life. After not knowing whether she would live, much less run again, Alison recovered to place third in the 2011 Tri-State Running Company 5K. Later she would place third in the 2015 Flying Pig and win the 2018 Tri-State Running Company 5K.
#3
Bridesmaid no more: Kerry Lee finally wins. In 2017, after coming in second or third in the Flying Pig Marathon for the previous six years, the seventh time proved to be the charm for Anderson High School cross country coach Kerry Lee, who finally won the women’s division of the 19th annual Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon. Lee, who won in a time of 2:53:55, came in second the previous year as well as in 2015, 2013 and 2011. She was third in the women’s field in 2012 and 2014.
#2
Cecil Franke sets the record. Cecil Franke had a distinguished high school and college running career, including the 1986 Indiana High School Athletic Association 3200 meter state title at Jac-Cen-Del and school records at Ball State University. He has run Boston, run the 2007 Olympic Marathon Trials, won at Columbus and won the Flying Pig Marathon in 2006, the second marathon he had ever run in a time of 2:20:25, an event record that still stands.
#1
First Flying Pig debuts in 1999. Fresh off starting his Paycor payroll processing company in 1990, Bob Coughlin, himself a runner, had the vision in 1997 to organize the board of what eventually would become the Flying Pig Marathon. In two years of planning, the board developed the Flying Pig Marathon with more than 6,000 participants at the starting line in May of 1999. The event has grown to more than 40,000 weekend from all 50 states and more than two dozen countries, with more than $16 million donated to charity over the last 22 years.
It was a Very Goodyear
They took a Reds Spring Training trip to Arizona and Rich Walburg was on deck.
By: Rich Walburg
Eleven women and me.
At my workplace, I am diversity.
Outside of the office, I have a wife, a mother and two dogs, all females. Sure, I have great guy friends, but I don’t see them with the regularity with which I enjoy time with women.
That’s why I was anxious, in every sense of the word, to visit Goodyear, Arizona for my first Cincinnati Reds Spring Training. I had been invited to join a dozen men in the dry heat.
Jesus and his 12 male friends had good chats in the desert, but even Christ was known to pull an Irish goodbye, hiking up the mountain for some alone time. And with all of those needy guys asking all of those meaty questions, it’s no miracle that Jesus stepped out of the boat.
Just hours before the Spring Training trip, I was texting a friend also heading to Arizona.
“Are you checking a bag?”
“Are you taking swim trunks?”
“Do you have travel-size sunscreen?”
On a trip full of Tim Allen, I was Woody Allen.
They are Buzz Lightyear. I am Woody.
Allen.
Minus most of the creepy stuff.
Deplane. Deplane.
Max & Erma’s pours a lot of Bud Light at 8:46 a.m. The airport refuge was our five-hour distraction from a delayed flight with a mechanical issue. Not an engine issue. Not a problem with landing gear. The latch on a galley cart was busted.
The delay started as a paperwork issue that grew into a quick-fix and ended with us exiting the aircraft, two hours later, due to a kitchen fixture. We were going to miss an afternoon of sunshine and baseball due to the federal protection of Biscoff.
The needed latch wasn’t available in Cincinnati. Thankfully, it was being flown in from Atlanta, presumably on the Wright Flyer.
We arrived in Phoenix just in time to miss whatever game was happening at the Giants ballpark (known for its spectacular views) and decided to focus on basketball broadcast from another city onto our television. The RnR Gastropub in Scottsdale provided indoor/outdoor seating and a 180 square foot video wall.
We were joined in cursing cheering our Bearcats by four San Francisco fans. The ladies at the adjacent table were Gert, Gert, Gert and Marie.
Giving me a complex
Near the Reds Spring Training facility is the Goodyear airplane graveyard, where aircraft are stored and stripped for parts. We stopped by to pick up a galley latch.
The eighty-sixed 747s were along our drive to the Cincinnati Reds Player Development Complex. One of the guys on the trip is friends with the guy who was able to get us in touch with the guy who could get us inside. Access for the entire sounder!
You know the strange men who hang around little league fields, peering through the backstop fencing? That was us – only this wasn’t Rumpke Park. We were just feet from Votto, Castillo and Shogo. But even when Joey Votto is close, he seems so distant.
Baseball players were doing baseball things. Some of them were talking to some of the others, likely sharing tales of pine tar, groupies and sunflower seeds.
I shook hands with a grown man named Corky.
Then, it was time to experience a real-live fake baseball game versus Milwaukee. Brewers fans were tailgating outside of Goodyear Ballpark, taunting us.
“Hope you brought tissues, because you’re going to be crying when the Reds lose.”
After the Reds loss, we made our way to Roman’s Oasis – and no, we didn’t bring tissues, because ew.
The Oasis, built in the catacombs of a one-story ranch, is spacious, dark and smells like your Aunt Viv’s cellar (not a euphemism). The self-described watering hole features cheap, cold six packs and a corral in the parking lot to tie up your horse. At midnight, you can send your camel to bed.
Crispety, Crunchety, Peanut Buttery!
As we were calling it quits for the night, we passed an inebriated guest shaking a candy bar at the hotel desk receptionist.
“Do you like Baby Ruth?,” he grunted, swaying as he pointed the candy.
“Do you?”
“Do you like Baby Ruth?”
The receptionist finally gave in. “Yes, sir, I like Baby Ruth – but you’re holding a Butterfinger.”
Live Like You Were Dying
Look for the window painting of a chimpanzee wearing a crown, smoking a pipe. That’s the Mojo Smoke Palace. Just to the right, its strip-mall neighbor is the Asian massage parlor, Country Spa. Based on its name, we can assume it offers a non-therapeutic exchange with a side of biscuits-n-gravy.
What you want is to the left. The Mesa Drummer is a Mesa Arizona bar and grill,and our first destination on our last full day of the Spring Training trip. It’s where we wasted a few minutes and fewer dollars before heading to Hohokam Stadium for the Reds at A’s. The Miller Lites were cheap, and the burgers were cooked to order on a cooktop within eyesight, behind the bar. The Drummer is staffed by three women (likely named Linda) and one man (likely named Chad Everett).
After the game, we were met by a Chevy Flex and our Lyft driver, Francisco. His radio was loud and letting us know that Francisco likes him some Tim McGraw. Unfortunately, for all involved, Francisco’s wife called , and called again – and because the phone was patched through the Flex’s Bluetooth speakers – she was announced by Siri every time.
🔔 “My baby girl, smiley face, smiley face, smiley face.”
After 11 missed calls, we were beginning to worry that Francisco’s wife had accidentally lopped off a toe. On the next ring, Francisco answered.
🔔 My baby girl, smiley face, smiley face, smiley face
“Hello.”
“No, don’t buy anything until I get home”
“I’m with riders, baby.”
“Just wait ‘til I get home.”
“Don’t buy anything.”
“-- Call ended --"
During the remainder of the ride, Francisco’s wife phoned 31 times.
🎶 I went skydiving 🎶
🔔 “My baby girl, smiley face, smiley face, smiley face.”
🎶 I went Rocky Mountain climbing 🎶
🔔 “My baby girl, smiley face, smiley face, smiley face.”
THERE’S NO CRYING
The biggest take-away from this baseball trip was how little it had to do with baseball. We went to three games in four days but used that time to share stories and hold court. Truth is, we drank more pitchers than we watched.
There were tales of Pete Rose, Axl Rose, and the wife of a once budding Cincinnati politician. The latter may have been BS.
The group was comprised of bar owners, homebuilders, broadcasters and plumbers. Many have been friends so long that they refer to each other with names from the childhood knothole field – Jimmy and Donny and Kenny. Others just had nicknames like Snorkel.
While in Arizona, I learned through social media that my friend, Danny, had passed away at the age of 37. He had tremendous love for his wife, his children and his God. Baseball, beer and sunshine are great – but Love is first and always.
I was apprehensive about a trip with 12 men, but what they showed me was their brand of kindness. Please don’t let them know that I noticed.
They walked with me back to the hotel when I knew I had enough. They pointed out old stadia and boarded-up restaurants they used to visit, and they made sure I had my first-ever In-N-Out burger. I was included and it’s appreciated. That’s the special sauce.
Someday, I hope you get the chance...
🔔 “My baby girl, smiley face, smiley face, smiley face.”
Follow Cincinnati on the road
Got the itch to pack your bags, whether it’s for spring break or a long weekend? Lucky for us, there are several destinations with a Cincinnati connection that you can book, starting in just a few weeks with the Cincinnati Reds and spring training games in the Cactus League.
By Betsy Ross
Got the itch to pack your bags, whether it’s for spring break or a long weekend? Lucky for us, there are several destinations with a Cincinnati connection that you can book, starting in just a few weeks with the Cincinnati Reds and spring training games in the Cactus League.
Head west to Arizona where you’ll find 10 stadiums, 15 MLB teams and warm sunshine. While the Florida Grapefruit League is scattered from the Gulf Coast to Atlantic and I-4 in between, you’ll find teams in Arizona are pretty much compacted into the Phoenix metro area.
Of course, while you’re there, take in great dining, shopping and golf, along with incredible sightseeing that only the western states have to offer. Get the Reds’ spring training schedule and check out places to stay and things to do at visitarizona.com/springtraining.
Nonstops out of CVG include a 6:45 a.m. Delta flight, 9:15 p.m. on Frontier or 4:46 p.m. with American and 7:40 a.m. on Allegiant. As flights are added and amended for spring training, check with your carrier to get the best time and price.
If you want to wait until the games count for real, the Reds play the Yankees at famed Yankee Stadium for a three-game weekend set April 17-19. Take in a ball game, then see a show on Broadway or just relax at one of the many famous restaurants in town. Want to travel to the game like a New Yawker? From Grand Central just off Times Square, take the #4 subway and follow the pinstripe-clad fans right to the Bronx and Yankee Stadium.
If the MLS is more your game, FC Cincinnati’s first month of its second big league season includes a trip to Toronto for a 3 p.m. match on Saturday, March 21. Toronto FC plays at BMO Field, located at Exhibition Place on Toronto's shoreline just off downtown. Watch superstar Jozy Altidore in action while you enjoy the cosmopolitan, European feel of Toronto.
Make it a sports doubleheader while you’re there and watch the Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Maple Leafs that night. Or, attend Toronto’s Comicon at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, going on all weekend. Delta looks to be the fastest connection to Toronto, through Detroit.
Speaking of Detroit, you can go there in June for the North American International Auto Show at the TCF Center, running June 7-20, and stay for the van Gogh exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts, from Sunday, June 21, through Sunday, September 27.
The Detroit Institute of Arts was the first public museum in the U.S. to purchase a painting by van Gogh—Self-Portrait, 1887, which it acquired in 1922. To celebrate, the museum is organizing the first exhibition dedicated to the introduction and early reception of the iconic artist’s work in America.
The exhibition includes “Undergrowth with two Figures,” part of the Cincinnati Art Museum’s permanent collection since 1967.
Featuring approximately 65 of Van Gogh’s paintings and works on paper from collections around the world, “the exhibition will explore the considerable efforts made by early promoters of modernism in the United States—including dealers, collectors, private art organizations, public institutions, and the artist’s family—to introduce the artist, his biography, and his artistic production into the American consciousness” according to the museum’s website. Learn more about the exhibit and tickets at https://www.dia.org/vangoghinamerica.
Get ready for July’s Cincinnati Music Festival by taking a trip to New Orleans for the Jazz & Heritage Festival, eight days of music, food and fun from April 23 through May 3. The schedule isn’t out yet, but you can be sure it’ll be impressive. Find out more at https://www.nojazzfest.com/home/.
Save some room in your schedule for the Ryder Cup September 22-27 at Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin, a great opportunity to see this international faceoff at a venue within driving distance. The best of the U.S. in golf, led by captain Steve Stricker, faces the European team and its captain, Padraig Harrington in this biennial golf competition. The official ticket drawing has closed for the event, but check secondary markets for packages. PrimeSport is the official secondary market provider--visit their site for availability.
Whether you’re into sports, culture or just a weekend getaway, there are several opportunities this year to take a break and explore!
Flying Pig Marathon ranked top in America
Cincinnati’s own Flying Pig Marathon has been ranked the number one marathon in America, according to a survey from an online running community.
Cincinnati’s own Flying Pig Marathon has been ranked the number one marathon in America, according to a survey from an online running community.
BibRave.com, a website that connects runners with races, asked runners what their favorite marathons were in 2019.
Those surveyed ranked the Flying Pig Marathon the best, followed by the Missoula Marathon, the Walt Disney World Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon, and the Boston Marathon.
Runners tell BibRave.com the Flying Pig Marathon is so detailed-oriented and it carries the pig-theme throughout the event.
Congratulations to the Flying Pig Marathon. You can get into the action for the 22nd annual Flying Pig Marathon weekend on May 1-3, 2020.
Travel to Nice: Never too early to plan your spring getaway
We may be wrapping up our travel plans for getting to grandma’s house for the holidays, but it doesn’t hurt to look down the road to plan a spring trip. If you’re searching for something a little more exotic, but still affordable, think about a flight to the French Riviera, where temperatures are moderate in the spring and the crowds haven’t quite made it to the beach.
By: Betsy Ross
We may be wrapping up our travel plans for getting to grandma’s house for the holidays, but it doesn’t hurt to look down the road to plan a spring trip. If you’re searching for something a little more exotic, but still affordable, think about a flight to the French Riviera, where temperatures are moderate in the spring and the crowds haven’t quite made it to the beach.
Delta Air Lines gives travelers from this area a couple of options to get there: Take the direct to Paris’ Charles DeGaulle Airport then fly from CDG to Nice, or head to JFK and fly directly to Nice from New York. (if you’re really adventurous, fly to CDG, then take the train from Paris to Nice—it’s comfortable, offers drinks and snacks, and gives you a 5+hour ride in the French countryside to enjoy).
Nice is a great starting point for your trip with a number of hotel options right on the water. On our trip we stayed at the Hotel LaPerouse, a boutique hotel across the street from the beach with welcome amenities (pool, free breakfast) and within walking distance of shopping, sightseeing and nightlife.
Your first reference of Nice, of course, might be the truck bombing in 2016 along the Promenade des Anglais, the main walkway along the Mediterranean that took dozens of lives. It was, and still is, a popular destination for walkers, joggers and skateboarders, but now you’re as likely to see squads of armed police walking the Promenade as you are a mom with a baby stroller.
In spring, the beach won’t be as crowded, and neither will the streets. Cross the street from the beach and head northeast toward the Vieux Nice (Old Town) and you’ll be delighted to discover open air markets, arts and crafts booths, and delightful restaurants offering sidewalk dining. If you want touristy t-shirts, you can find them there, or if you’re looking for ceramic pieces, original artwork or a unique gift to take home, this is an excellent place to discover a one of a kind as well.
Festivals seem to pop up on a regular basis in Nice—when we were there, they were having their version of “Taste of Nice” with bites from area restaurants, a gourmet chef’s corner, music and entertainment just off the Promenade by the main Port de Nice.
If you’re into spectator sports, Nice’s Allianz Riviera Stadium was the site of early Women’s World Cup rounds in 2019. About a half hour north of the shoreline, it’s in an industrial area where, when we were there, an Ikea was being built. Home of soccer’s OGC Nice and rugby union club Toulon, the stadium complex also includes a restaurant called Memphis. That in and of itself isn’t memorable—what WAS memorable was the Big Boy statue out front. (Not OUR Big Boy, but Big Boy nonetheless)
As for dining, it’s everything you would expect from the French. Fresh pasta and seafood are the headliners, and of course, the wine selection is extensive. Some of the best meals we found were at small, family owned restaurants in the area around the Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur, a historical stop all its own. Fire destroyed the original building in the late 1800s, but it was rebuilt and reopened in February 1885 with a performance of Aida. It’s the principal home of the Opera, Ballet Nice Méditerrannée and the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra.
Monte Carlo casino
With Nice as your home base, it’s less than an hour’s drive west to Cannes, a spectacular spot even without the film festival going on, or headed the other direction, about 30 minutes to Monte Carlo, both must-see destinations on your tour of the Mediterranean coast. (travel tip—you won’t get a visa stamp when you cross the border into Monaco—if you want your passport stamped to show off to your friends, you need to go to the Office du Tourisme of Monaco, just around the corner from the Monte Carlo casino)
Booking early enough in the spring (typical shoulder season of mid-March to April) will let you take advantage of lower rates for hotels and restaurants, before prices go up during the typical tourist season. In April, temperatures go from 15° to 20°C (around 60° to 68°F) and on average the wettest month isn’t until October. High school French isn’t so hot? Don’t worry, everyone scuffs by on rudimentary English.
So let the spring break crowds fight for a place on the amusement park ride and head instead to the French Riviera, more affordable and easier to get to than you might imagine. You’ll have better vacation photos, as well!
Among the Fallen at Normandy for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day
I visited on the 75th Anniversary of D-Day itself, a time of worldwide reflection about a cold, dreary morning in 1944, when the largest armada in history landed in Normandy after a choppy night a sea. The invasion was by many accounts the longest day of WWII, a fierce battle that left thousands of Allied forces dead, and devastated a critical point of the Nazi Germany’s Atlantic Wall in a place much of the leadership never expected.
By Sara Celi
Holy places can sometimes be hard to come by in the United States.
We rush around daily in a never-ending sea of skyscrapers, twisted highways, strip malls, and parking lots. If a building is over fifty years old, that sometimes qualifies as ancient. If a park appeared before 1930, we’re impressed it’s still around. If we stumble on a house with a historical marker, we often marvel at the upkeep and love required to keep it standing year after year. Forget about a lot of quiet spaces or reflective places. We’re lucky if our communities have a handful of those.
Perhaps that’s what makes the Normandy American Cemetery so striking. So stunning. And yes, in a way, so holy. It’s technically part of America, a hollowed place for WWII dead who will forever be remembered, but it’s also France, and a slip of foreign land along the English Channel where so many Americans took their last breath, all of them fighting for something larger than themselves.
It’s easy to wax poetic as you walk among their graves. It’s not hard to walk away feeling changed.
I visited on the 75th Anniversary of D-Day itself, a time of worldwide reflection about a cold, dreary morning in 1944, when the largest armada in history landed in Normandy after a choppy night a sea. The invasion was by many accounts the longest day of WWII, a fierce battle that left thousands of Allied forces dead, and devastated a critical point of the Nazi Germany’s Atlantic Wall in a place much of the leadership never expected. From here, the story goes, Americans, British, French, Canadian, Australian, and other Allied troops swept across France, liberating Paris a few months later and Berlin in the spring of 1945. D-Day is the exalted turning point of it all, the moment democratic loving countries stood up to Hitler and his hatred, making sure that the Western front would be just as hard for the Germans to fight as the Eastern one.
But that’s not the entire story.
The Normandy campaign didn’t go as planned. It got messy and complicated, almost from the moment the armada set out from Portsmouth, England. The weather didn’t cooperate. Troops got sick. People became afraid. The Nazis stationed in Northern France proved willing to fight hard and long, afraid a fate worse than death awaited them if they became POWs who might one day get traded to the Red Army in the east. The French people in Normandy paid a stiff price, with thousands of innocents dead by the end of that summer, collateral damage of the advancing and retreating armies. The full wrath of Nazi terror spread through the rest of France that summer, too, almost as an answer to the devastating D-Day invasion. In one village alone on June 10th, SS soldiers killed over 640 people.
Standing among the graves of the Normandy American Cemetery, you feel all of that and more.
Each headstone is meticulously carved. Each one polished almost daily. And each a testament to the appreciation of the dead. The cemetery groundskeeper knows just how long the blades of grass should be and keeps it all trimmed with a military-like precision. As I walked through the rows, I never once saw a rogue clover, dandelion, or patch of crabgrass. At the American Cemetery, these things do not exist.
The day I visited held a mix of emotions.
As the world watched on the 75th anniversary of the landings, an official ceremony recognized not only those who died for freedom, but also those who made it off the beach alive. Several hundred WWII veterans gathered on a dais with President Trump, President Macron, their wives and other dignitaries for a program that stretched into two hours. A few who had not received the French Legion of Honor found it pinned to their chest, an enteral thank you from a nation that considers those who invaded France on behalf of the Allies just as much French citizens as they are citizens of their home countries. Music, speeches, a twenty-one-gun salute, and air show of planes and patriotism topped off the bittersweet day.
I watched from a row in the back. While I cried throughout the ceremony, I wept the most during the national anthems.
Perhaps that shouldn’t have been a surprise. After all, I knew I’d feel something that day, that I wouldn’t walk away from it all without a pull on my heart. How could I? I’d have to be dead inside to not be moved by what I knew going in would be a ceremony that walked a tightrope between celebration, commemoration, and grief.
But for me, the most soaring moment came early on, as the collective body rose to sing the national anthems of both France and the United States.
We don’t often gather to sing The Star-Spangled Banner. Save from the occasional sports game or parade, it doesn’t show up much. People complain about the tune, mess up the words, and say they don’t understand why Francis Scott Key wrote the poem the way he did. Moreover, in the last few years, even talking about the national anthem has ruffled feathers and caused offense as people debate our country’s past, it’s record on civil rights, and the realities that come with being citizens of a messy republic. It’s easy for many to dismiss the words in the anthem as hollow platitudes about something that never was and never will be.
Not on that day.
First, the French people in attendance lent their voices to La Marseillaise, their own national song. It showed up in 1792, after the French Revolution spawned a war with Austria. The lyrics are a controversial battle cry, a call to the French people to unite against tyranny, to dig in when times are hard, and to never give up the fight for principles bigger than themselves. I’ll admit, as an American, I’d never paid attention to the words, and couldn’t remember when I’d last heard it sung. But on that shining, clear day, I heard thousands of French people lift the notes to the sky, and the words rang in my heart.
Then it was our turn.
For the first time in my life, I sang The Star-Spangled Banner in a foreign land. Even more, I did it with a few thousand strangers, among the graves of thousands more who never got a chance to sing it again in their homeland. My cracked, tuneless voice joined a chorus from every part of America—West Coast, East Coast, Midwestern, Southern, male, female, old, young, middle-aged, rich, poor, white, minority, immigrant, first generation, founding generation, religious, non-religious, Republican, Democrat, left, right, and center, all gathered together at the commemoration.
None of the usual categories mattered in that moment. Not one.
Instead, we were all Americans. All united in remembering those that pushed back against the devil himself, who peered into the gates of hell and didn’t budge. All struck for a moment in the realization that we might not enjoy our freedom of debate, our chance to make change, our individuality, and our deep tapestry of unique experiences if someone who came long before us hadn’t been willing to die for it.
Days later, I can’t think of a more patriotic moment at a ceremony.
Freedom is messy. It’s fraught. It doesn’t always work. But it’s also worth giving everything for, no matter how hard it might be. And the Normandy American Cemetery is one of the best places to remember just how noble the sacrifice is, just how meaningful the fight. Freedom lives there among the graves. And it never leaves.
I’m told that even on a normal day, a day without pomp and circumstance, the Normandy American Cemetery still manages to impress visitors. Several people have told me that it’s a must see on a quiet Tuesday or a cold Saturday. No matter what time of year, the gravity of the price paid by those who rest there eternally is always felt. I have to say, I believe that statement.
If you are ever in Normandy, this hallowed ground is a must see.