http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/ Each year as a child, I sat glued to the couch when ABC's 4:30 movies repeated its Edgar Allen Poe Week. 'Tales of Terror was among my favorites, comprised of three of Poe's shorter works, including 'The Cask of the Amontillado.' Of course, I had no idea then what Amontillado sherry was ... but today I have a real appreciation for the grownup drink.]]> In summertime, I prefer lighter, crisper white wines that provide relief from the heat and humidity: New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, Australian dry Rieslings, Austrian Gruner Veltliner, real (French) Chablis. We drink these wines with utter abandon — especially because they pair so well with the lighter fare served during warmer months.]]> Where I grew up in New Jersey, there were plenty of ski areas within easy driving distance, but the quality of the trails and the length of the lift lines always left something to be desired. It might take 15 minutes to hurtle down a dangerously crowded, icy slope from the summit, and then you’d have to wait another half hour or more in the bitter, biting cold for another run.]]> Believe it or not, it's almost Thanksgiving, and once again I recommend planning ahead for your beverage purchases. Picking out the wine and beer is one task you can accomplish well before the holiday, when you might be busy with more pressing tasks like procuring the perishable side items and brining your bird.]]> When I look at a wine list or scan the bottles behind a bar, I look for the unfamiliar — and not just unfamiliar. In fact, the weirder the better. So when I’m confronted by a list of Napa cabs and a shelf full of easily recognizable Russian vodkas, I opt instead for a seasonal beer on tap. At least I know it will disappear soon enough.]]> I just finished A.J. Jacobs' 'The Year of Living Biblically,' which recounts his adventures living strictly according to every law found in both the Hebrew and Christian testaments. When his wife becomes pregnant and asks him to swear off booze with her, the biblically mandated rules concerning alcohol consumption become an issue. He decides that scripture ultimately favors imbibing but agrees to water down his wine a bit.]]> On a recent family trip to England I tasted a number of wines that warrant some discussion. On the Delta flight over (which was an absolute clusterfuck that arrived more than six hours late and included an unscheduled maintenance stop in Atlanta), they offered a choice of two red wines, each of which was virtually undrinkable. This was particularly surprising to me in that highly-respected wine pro Andrea Immer Robinson serves as their high-profile Sommelier, supposedly testing every wine in flight to ensure that they show well at every altitude. ]]> Each year as a child, I sat glued to the couch when ABC's 4:30 movies repeated its Edgar Allen Poe Week. 'Tales of Terror was among my favorites, comprised of three of Poe's shorter works, including 'The Cask of the Amontillado.' Of course, I had no idea then what Amontillado sherry was ... but today I have a real appreciation for the grownup drink.]]> If you work downtown and you want to get away from the office and feel like you’re on a mini vacation, grab lunch at the Taft Museum of Art’s Linder Family Café. The Federal-style estate, featuring exhibits such as Drawn by New York, a collection from the New York Historical Society, is the perfect cultural break from the daily grind.]]> Tips for surviving high-calorie celebrations Feasting with family and friends doesn't have to mean facing holiday weight gain this year. Planning ahead and including few simple substitutions will make your upcoming celebrations both happy and healthy (without sacrificing flavor) for everyone sharing your season.]]> If you work downtown and you want to get away from the office and feel like you’re on a mini vacation, grab lunch at the Taft Museum of Art’s Linder Family Café. The Federal-style estate, featuring exhibits such as Drawn by New York, a collection from the New York Historical Society, is the perfect cultural break from the daily grind.]]> Carry-out lunch means fast food for many of my fellow downtown cubicle dwellers, but I stick to the indies. I have a few tried and trues nearby that I rely on, coincidentally all on Vine Street): Total Juice Plus, Mythos on the Square, Sunny Deli and Fred and Gari's.]]> Carry-out lunch means fast food for many of my fellow downtown cubicle dwellers, but I stick to the indies. I have a few tried and trues nearby that I rely on, coincidentally all on Vine Street): Total Juice Plus, Mythos on the Square, Sunny Deli and Fred and Gari's.]]> If you associate the holidays with drinking or just need to chemically alter yourself before or after family gatherings, here are details on four of the best places to live it up this season: Tonic on 4th, The Righteous Room, The Wine Cellar and the Blind Lemon.]]> If you work from home, you've probably done the coffeehouse circuit. It's a reason to put on civilian clothes and cast off the tired sweats that self-employed people sometimes come to resent. So when you make the trek in your best pair of jeans, where are the best places to find peace, quiet and instant Wi-Fi? Here are some suggestions.]]> Offering menu diversity but little real country cuisine The barn that houses Campbell's restaurant has been a long-time fixture on State Route 125 for Eastsiders. Built nearly 20 years ago, it was originally launched as a reception hall and later used as a dance studio. As a previous patron of both of these former establishments, I was more than a little curious.]]> Despite a few lapses, Loveland spot a wonderful addition to suburban dining scene Ghostly snow devils swirl around the darkness of Loveland Avenue West, but a steamy window with "Tano" scrawled across it glows with a homey, diffuse light, beckoning us out of the cold. Inside, we find a warm space filled with convivial guests for whom the holiday season is still in full swing. It will be fun to see how Tano Bistro evolves as the seasons change, but for now it's a great place to shelter from the cold.]]> Offering menu diversity but little real country cuisine The barn that houses Campbell's restaurant has been a long-time fixture on State Route 125 for Eastsiders. Built nearly 20 years ago, it was originally launched as a reception hall and later used as a dance studio. As a previous patron of both of these former establishments, I was more than a little curious.]]> Far Eastern cuisine is reinvented on busy Walnut Hills corner Many of the buildings in historic DeSales Corner in East Walnut Hills were built specifically to cater to the German immigrants and parishioners of St. Francis DeSales Catholic Church. Owner Alex Chin seems to embrace this same philosophy of serving the community by opening for lunch and dinner seven days a week and offering delivery service to nearby neighborhoods. By the looks of the crowd on a snowy Tuesday night, I'd say the neighborhood is returning that fond embrace.]]> The Hitching Post and Ron's Roost face off in a fried chicken battle royale Welcome to the East Side/West Side Crosstown Chicken Challenge, pitting two long-time legends against each other in a crispy smackdown! We're gathering buckets of golden brown deliciousness for a discerning crew of tasters to eat and rate. Napkin under your chin? Let's begin!]]> Making 'dinner and a movie' night almost perfect Now that the holidays are over and out-of-town friends and family are sleeping in their own beds, a relaxing dinner out is called for. The Quarter Bistro in Mariemont, with its warm and intimate red decor, answered the call for a friend and me on recent chilly evening.]]> White Oak eatery offers good service, a casual atmosphere and Italian food done American-style Among the sea of strip malls we know as the West Side, Roma Italian restaurant stands out visually because of its three-story-tall illuminated signage and its inherited West Side landmark status. The familiar site might be part of the reason for the crowd that fills this home-style Italian joint right around dinnertime, but it's the extensive menu of good hearty food that will keep them coming back.]]> Wrapping up the decade in dining and looking at what lies ahead “The Aughts” never really caught on, and why would they? When we were freaking out in anticipation of Y2K, we thought our biggest problem might be a computer glitch. Now the TSA scans you down to your toe jams and the Arctic ice retreats faster than the value of your over-mortgaged starter home. But how about on the food front?]]> West Chester’s Wise Owl offers tapas and wise wine-selecting assistance Billed by a friend as a tapas restaurant and wine bar, the hubs and I arrived at The Wise Owl around 8 p.m. on a Saturday night prepared to fill our tummies with delectable morsels and some quality vino. While we were more than impressed with the expanse of the wine menu, we were somewhat let down by the limited selection of only half a dozen small plates.]]> Cozy new downtown eatery has some drool-worthy offerings Mayberry, which calls its niche "grassroots American food," has been open for just over a month for breakfast and lunch. It's in a great location, right between Hamburger Mary's and Scotti's on Vine Street, but is so small that it's easy to overlook. Now open for dinner as well, the tiny diner is quite welcoming, complete with candlelight.]]> The return of a neighborhood favorite I didn’t know what to expect from the newly re-opened ZZ’s Pizza, as I had never been to the original incarnation of the Walnut Hills eatery, which closed in 2005. On a recent rainy evening, I settled for a parking meter a little farther away than I would have liked and hoped our experience at ZZ’s would be a redeeming one.]]> Despite a few lapses, Loveland spot a wonderful addition to suburban dining scene Ghostly snow devils swirl around the darkness of Loveland Avenue West, but a steamy window with "Tano" scrawled across it glows with a homey, diffuse light, beckoning us out of the cold. Inside, we find a warm space filled with convivial guests for whom the holiday season is still in full swing. It will be fun to see how Tano Bistro evolves as the seasons change, but for now it's a great place to shelter from the cold.]]> If you work from home, you've probably done the coffeehouse circuit. It's a reason to put on civilian clothes and cast off the tired sweats that self-employed people sometimes come to resent. So when you make the trek in your best pair of jeans, where are the best places to find peace, quiet and instant Wi-Fi? Here are some suggestions.]]>