Cover Story: The Crazy Ladies’ Movement
Lisa Huebner (left) and Laura Smith A progressive niche in a conservative city, Crazy Ladies Bookstore has long been a gathering place for feminists, gays/lesbians and liberal-minded people. As one of the few independent booksellers left in town, Crazy Ladies is known for its personalized service and welcoming atmosphere. But the distinction of independence…
The Beauty Politic
Q: What did the black woman with the raggedy fingernails and the suspect weave say to the Korean beauty supply shopkeeper and nail technician? A: Gimme the airbrush background and the glitter tips this time, Ms. Kim. And throw in a bag of hair. OK, so it wasn't that funny, but you get the picture?…
Cover Story: Hell Bent for Leather
Truth is supposedly stranger than fiction. But adventurer/historian/author Tim Severin has made a career of proving there is sometimes little difference between the two. In several nonfiction works of adventure, Severin has sought a thread of truth in the legendary and mythological. For The Sinbad Voyage, Severin captained an Arab sailing ship from Muscat…
Cover Story: Trail Mix
Jeff Alt (left) with his brother Aaron. Jeff Alt hiked the Appalachian Trail, taking 147 days for a 2,160-mile expedition dedicated to his brother, Aaron. He didn't have a million-dollar prize at the end of his journey. But his story, captured in A Walk for Sunshine, rewarded him with a treasure chest of survival…
How to Avoid Goofballs and Fellow Republicans
Is the big elephant about to lay an egg? For decades the Republican Party has had a virtual lock on Hamilton County government. But as the November election draws near, party leaders seem jumpy. Simple questions evoke answers that betray an unexpected nervousness. Ask GOP executive director Chip Gerhardt if the party tried to get…
Music: Twlight’s First Gleaming
Harold Chichester and Greg Dulli By his own admission, at least four times a week Greg Dulli eats at the House of Pies, a greasy spoon within walking distance of his Los Angeles pad. He sits on the outside patio because he can smoke. With a Galaxy Gallery T-shirt, oversized sunglasses, thick stubble, and…
Cover Story: Single-Handed
Joe Hoffert They call it the rejection notice, the "ding" letter, and it is something all but the most fortunate writers have found in their mailboxes. It's often the painful punctuation to months, sometimes years, of hard labor. Of course, some publishers are encouraging. They'll invite you to send future work. But can't they…
‘Bush-Gore? You’re Soaking in It.’
We all suspected it. But only Mother Jones had the resolve to prove it. And I, for one, am glad someone finally did. For those of you who don't know what I'm referring to, who haven't yet heard about the eye-opening report in the monthly magazine's September issue — that's hard to imagine, given the…
By Any Other Name
It's a name change, that's all. To some of you, it might sound familiar. To others, it might not even ring a bell. To me, the new column title is about getting back to a personal identity and purpose as a writer. Don't expect much change in content — you'll still read about individual initiative,…
Cover Story: Superfriends
"This is the true story of seven strangers … " For nine seasons, those words have echoed through the heads of many a MTV fanatic as they watched the heartfelt hystrionics of The Real World. But one question oft remained year after year: How much of The Real World is "real"? For cartoonist and…
Cover Story: The Real World
For this year's CityBeat literary issue, we've left the world of fiction behind. We can, as they say, handle the truth, even if that truth is an incestuous, parasitic, infectious foot-binding horror. Read on and it will all make sense. Our handy list of sure-fire, non-fiction best sellers is the perfect companion for your…
News: Good Catholic Boys
John Cranley Both major-party candidates in the First Congressional District are white, male Catholics. Both oppose abortion and light rail. Both want to use the federal budget surplus to cut taxes, preserve social security and Medicare and shrink the $5.7 trillion deficit. Both candidates are lawyers who grew up on Cincinnati's West Side. And…
Keeping It Real
I don't know about you, but ever since the folks at MTV introduced us to the first cast of The Real World, I have been hooked on so-called reality-based television. Over the past nine seasons, I can't tell you how many late Saturday nights or Sunday afternoons I have spent reliving Heather's recording sessions, Eric's…
Joshua Redman
Joshua Redman Stylistic changes, musical experiments and idealistic tangents aside, saxophonist Joshua Redman still possesses in his hands and heart enough promise and holds enough soul in the yet-to-be played notes that he requires, no, deserves further listening. He can swing it ("Salt Peanuts"), ride it in the pocket (check "Groove X"), play it…
Diner: Banking On It
Cincinnati has seen a surge of Thai restaurants. In addition to Hyde Park, Mount Adams and Clifton, you can now find Amarin, opened earlier this year in Madeira. Straddling a corner of Miami Avenue on the site of a former bank, Amarin offers all that Thai food lovers seek — from spicy curried dishes to…
