The Lullaby of Newport
The address knocked me off my feet, as did the initial press materials. Someone wants to make movies in Newport, and I'm not talking about pornography. A few blocks away from the World Peace Bell, at the corner of Eighth and Monmouth, Cincinnatus Motion Pictures has made its home. The movie magic begins inside a…
Diner: Nora’s Place
Don't let the name fool you: You'll find absolutely nothing pretentious or hoity-toity about Covington's Chez Nora. It's a place I've recommended to others many times, and those who don't know the name immediately think: "French. Expensive. Fancy-schmancy." The reality is that those in-the-know share a well-kept secret: Chez Nora is as comfortable as a…
News: Fix What Already Works: Findlay Market
Jymi Bolden Findlay Market The best model for Cincinnati's future might be one of the most durable links to its past — Findlay Market. The city-owned market is one of those places where vague concepts such as diversity become tangible. "What we say about the market is it's one place in Cincinnati where people…
John Mayer
John Mayer Mirroring the great female singer/songwriter boom of the mid-to-late-'90s, this year is shaping up to be a pretty strong one for the men in the singer/songwriter realm, bolstered by the surprise success of David Gray and strong-selling releases by Pete Yorn and Rufus Wainwright. Atlanta's John Mayer is the latest great entry…
Phillip Margolin: The Associate
Write what you know. That's what fiction writing students are told when they have a story due but can't think of a topic. The topic might seem boring to you, but the authenticity you bring to it will pull readers in. Author Phillip Margolin does just that, only what he knows results in crime-filled…
No, Please, Eat Me
Expectant hosts, Your dinner invitation for next Saturday evening is very generous and greatly appreciated, but I will be unable to join you and your other guests for one or more of the following reasons: A. I am a shy, solitary person who prefers to remain cloistered in the quiet and isolation of his Sanctum…
Puttin’ Out the Bone
Call it the Jene Galvin Center for Juvenile Justice. Put it right in the mostly vacant Beechmont Mall in Anderson Township. It would be right down the street from my house, but it's better there in the suburbs than to allow Republicans to put another unwanted monument to their disrespect of the poor in some…
News: Hire City Residents, Promote City Living
A residency requirement for the city of Cincinnati first surfaced in the current political campaign with unintended humor. Courtis Fuller, Charter Committee candidate for mayor, moved to College Hill after announcing he would run. But he wondered why the move was necessary; after all, he'd lived within a few blocks of the city limits. Representative…
What Do Kids Know about Law and Order?
If schools teach children that police are their friends, why are so many kids angry at the cops? Nearly 750 people aged 14 to 25 answered questionnaires for the Cincinnati Police-Community Relations Collaborative. The effect of their statements can be numbing. "The city of Cincinnati needs to realize that there is in fact a problem.…
Relationships
Some would argue that if a one-night stand turns into a longer relationship, it was never a ONS to begin with. I disagree. I believe few would go home with someone they have only known for a few hours for the explicit purpose of having sexual intercourse and expect it turn into something more. An…
News: Curiously Strong Mayor
Jon Hughes/photopresse.com Mayor Charlie Luken says the new mayor will have the ability to dramatically change the city. Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken looks remarkably composed for a man blamed by the head of Cincinnati's police union for inciting a riot. He can still chuckle as he's asked about being named "Loser of the Week"…
Community calendar
Community Council Meetings College Hill Forum, 7:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of the month, Town Hall 1805 Larch Ave. Linwood Community Council, 7:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of the month, Linwood Baptist Church, 4808 Eastern Ave. Mt. Airy Town Council, 7:30 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of the month, Mt. Airy School, 1530 Colerain Ave. Bond…
News: Abandoned, but Not Yet Lost: Clean up the Vacant Buildings
Forget the metaphor that holds the Ohio Riverfront is Cincinnati's front yard. The riverfront is, at best, our playground. The city's front yard, its first neighborhood, is Over-the-Rhine. And our front yard is in serious disrepair. Once teeming with working families, the neighborhood has lost nearly 90 percent of its population. Those who remain largely…
On the Road Again
It's back-to-school time, consumers. High time to take a look around your highways and byways to dissect and disrespect all the latest billboards blocking our precious scenery. Since academia is grooving into gear this month, let's go ahead and assign grade values to our favorite local street-side advertisers. A sampling: The Cincinnati Reds: The Future…
Nigga
"Don't call me nigger, whitey/Don't call me whitey, nigger." — Sly and the Family Stone This is what The Cincinnati N-quirer should have said about nigga/nigger in its Aug. 5 front-page fumble. First, just come out with it. Using such euphemistic and played-out niceties as dropping letters from the word — check the headline, "The…
