Hot Theater Voyeurism: Fringe Festival
A sure sign of summer is the Cincy Fringe Festival, the annual celebration of funky theater, visual art, film and dance produced by Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Roughly 30 acts are planned for the 2010 version (June 1-12) with more than 150 performers from near and far — some acts are local, but more come from all over the U.S. including California, New York, Texas, Minnesota and even Iowa. Many groups are new this year, but some old favorites return: Performance Gallery for the seventh year, the only group to appear in every Cincy Fringe; Finite Number of Monkeys, producer of The Success Show in 2009, is back with Tantric Acting at the Holiday Inn; and Four Humors Theatre returns with Harold, about a scarecrow who takes on a life of his own (Four Humors brought Mortem Capiendum in 2008 and April Fools in 2009 and provided Know with its popular holiday show, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, a box-office hit last December). The best way to enjoy the Fringe is the “Full Frontal” pass ($200) for access to everything as often as you care to go. If your time is limited, opt for the “Voyeur” pass, six shows for the price of five ($60). Then read CityBeat’s online reviews to pick the shows you just have to see. www.cincyfringe.com. (Rick Pender)
Hot Interactive Exhibition: 1305 Gallery
Self described as “an artist, activist, curator, dancer, educator, gardener, imagination officer, mentor and social entrepreneur,” Jonh Blanco’s creative practice might be realized in any number of forms.
Jonh Blanco Does America, his summer exhibition at 1305 Gallery in Over-the-Rhine, will featured a conglomeration of geometric paintings resembling Atari video games, gestural drawings and assemblage sculptures. These will be used in spontaneous, short-notice performances during the two-month-long show (if you’d like to witness these performances, simply leave your phone number with the gallery and you’ll be contacted with further information). Through this mixed media exhibition, Blanco wishes to examine the American perspective on terrorism. His work is vivacious and unafraid but retains an authentic, vulnerable streak that tempers the “quirky, ironic and sexy” the gallery spoke of in our e-mails. The show continues through July 25. 1305 Main St., Over-the-Rhine,
www.1305gallery.blogspot.com. (Matt Morris)
Hot Pastry Surprise: Macaron
Self-proclaimed “rebellious barista” Megan Strasser has made her creative vision of a vintage camper outfitted with espresso machine into a reality through the Whirly Girl Coffee Cart. She’s now teaming up with the inimitable Julia Davenport in a side project called Kitchenette. And at March’s Final Friday Gallery Walk, Whirly Girl was parked outside of Park Vine with Kitchenette’s new tasty offering: Parisian style macaron. Not to be confused with the provincial French coconut macaroon, the macaron is a stylish little pastry made from a fluffy cream filling between two perfect meringue cookies, presented in an array of bright pastel hues. On Kitchenette’s first venture, the flavor of the night was raspberry mascarpone, but they’re inventing others like chocolate ganache or lavender-lemon. Expect to find these rare treats wherever you find Whirly Girl, whose appearances can be followed at www.whirlygirlcoffee.com. And follow Davenport’s cooking adventures on her own blog:
northsidekitchen.wordpress.com. (Matt Morris)
Hot Trip: 2010 Hall of Fame Game
There are good and bad things about playing in the annual NFL Hall of Fame game: You get to play the first preseason game of the year, but your team is probably pretty sucky due to lack of practice. Nevertheless, the Bengals will participate in this year’s event at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium Aug. 8 against the Dallas Cowboys. It just so happens that both times the Bengals played in the Hall of Fame game they made it to the playoffs, earning a wild card bid in 1975 and making a run to the Super Bowl in 1988. This year’s class includes two of the best of the best — Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith — along with defensive tackle John Randle, running back Floyd Little, cornerback/defensive coordinater/former Bengals head coach Dick Lebeau, linebacker Ricky Jackson and guard Russ Grimm. The class of 2010 enshrinement is 7 p.m. Aug. 7, with the Hall of Fame game at 8 p.m. Aug. 8.
www.profootballhof.com. (Danny Cross)
Hot Art Pairings: Aisle Gallery
Up on the third floor of 424 Findlay Street’s complex of galleries and artist studios, Aisle is one of Cincinnati’s special art secrets. But their exhibitions (usually solo or two person shows) never disappoint and always show thoughtfully paired and presented work. This upcoming summer is no exception. Kate Kern and Jim Wainscott present an exhibition (through July 2) of detailed views of their environments — Kern’s through drawings on book-sized sheets and Wainscott through layered, studied acrylic paintings. Next is the illustrious Carmel Buckley (local) alongside Joel Fisher (based in France), whose practices that overlap drawing and sculpture respond to literature and fairytale illustrations (July 15-Aug. 27). Aisle’s hours are 1-4 p.m. Monday-Friday or by appointment by calling 513-241-3403. (Matt Morris)
Hot Hair: Red Highlights
Blondes might think they have the lock on summer fun, but brunettes can crank up the heat by adding streaky red highlights to achieve that sultry summer sizzle. Tanya Tieman, of Tanya’s Image and Wellness salons, says both chunky and streaky red highlights are ultra hot this season, along with strands of funky pinks, blues and purples. Even blondes can infuse copper and strawberry shades to warm their style. Tanya’s Image and Wellness Salon, 2716 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, 513-533-9400; 2833 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills, 859-578-9400. (Chris Charlson)
Hot Line: Camp Kern’s Ozone Zipline Adventures
If you’ve ever dreamed of living out a scene from Tarzan or various 007 films, now’s your chance at Camp Kern, which has more than 6,000 feet of zipline for you to traverse. Riders soar up to 150 feet above the ground. Three- and Four-hour tours available. $75-$100; $40 for kids 16 and younger Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school year; other discounts available. By appointment April through December. 5291 State Route 350, Oregonia, 513-932-3756 or www.ozonezips.org (Stephen Carter-Novotni)
Hot Free Music: MidPoint Indie Summer Series
The music event of the fall for local music lovers is the MidPoint Music Festival, but you don’t have to wait until September for those sweet MidPoint vibes. Now you can enjoy them all summer long as the MidPoint Indie Summer Series returns to Fountain Square each Friday evening featuring MidPoint-friendly bands for no cost. Each show includes a mix of local and regional talent, with lots of headlining national acts sprinkled throughout the schedule. Some highlights include Indie/Electro buzz band Neon Indian (June 11), Pop/Punk heroes Smoking Popes (June 25), local Electro Rock crew Eat Sugar teamed with one-man-band oddball Bob Log III (July 30), rising Roots Rock stars Dawes (Aug. 6) and Indie Pop duo We Are Scientists (pictured) closing out the series on Sept. 3. Check out the full lineup at
www.myfountainsquare.com/midpoint. (Mike Breen)
Hot Water: Wildwood Inn Tropical Dome and Theme Suites
Two of the great joys of summer are getting wet and disrobing in public. If you’re more inclined to a private dip, the Wildwood Inn has you covered (or not). Theme rooms, most of which include hot tubs, start at $130 a night. Hey, if Hugh Heffner ran Disney World, this is what it would look like. 7809 Route 42, Florence, 859-371-6300,
www.wildwood-inn.com (Stephen Carter-Novotni)
Hot Feet: World Cup Watching Parties
Molly Malone’s in Covington, one of the area’s self-proclaimed “football bars,” will show 2010 World Cup matches on every TV on their three floors of viewing. The bar features a countdown to the matches June 11 through July 11 in South Africa as well as online FIFA brackets for prizes. Not to be outdone, the Brits at The Pub at Rookwood Mews and The Pub at Crestview Hills will air the big “must see” match of England vs. USA June 12 at 2:30 p.m. Molly Malone’s Irish Pub and Restaurant, 112 E. Fourth St., Covington, 859-491-6659; The Pub at Rookwood Mews, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood, 513-841-2748; The Pub at Crestview Hills, 2853 Dixie Hwy., Crestview Hills, 859-426-7827. (Chris Charlson)
Hot Trend: Solar-Powered Gadgets
Solar panels now power everything from water heaters to home appliances, but the cool breakthrough comes in the form of solar gadgets for everyday use. At Park Vine, you can check out a solar-powered messenger bag that holds a small laptop and powers small appliances. They also sell the Solio Classic Universal Hybrid Charger, a portable solar powered charger for mobile phones, mp3 players, iPods and cameras. 1109 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-721-7275,
www.parkandvine.com. (Chris Charlson)
Hot Fruit Fun: Shandon Strawberry Festival
Nothing says old-fashioned summer fun quite like a strawberry festival, especially out in charming Shandon. Head to Ohio’s first Welsh community for the 85th annual Strawberry Festival, full of food, music, history and little red fruit. The Community House and Congregational Church will be serving up strawberry snacks (including shortcakes), Welsh potato and leek soup, Welsh cakes, Welsh pies and more. Refreshments will be available in the old firehouse. Entertainment will include outdoor vendors, an antique tractor show, a strawberry bake-off, Welsh music and trips through the old Welsh cemetery. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. June 12; strawberry shortcake takeout 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 4795 Cincinnati-Brookville Road, Shandon, 513-738-2962. (Maija Zummo)
Hot Reason to Be on Time: Riverbend/PNC Pavilion Opening Acts
A common complaint the past several years for those itching for some outdoor-amphitheater music action is that the big “shed” in town — Riverbend Music Center — usually featured a schedule top-loaded with nostalgia acts, with little contemporary fare. Summer 2010 at Riverbend still has plenty of oldies but goodies (Doobie Brothers!), but this year — thanks to “Baby Riverbend,” aka PNC Pavilion — the lineup offers quite a bit more modern music, from the Jonas Brothers to Korn. You’re bound to find one of your current faves, even if they’re only opening the show. Kings of Leon is bringing Indie bands The Black Keys and The Whigs with them Sept. 4; Drive-By Truckers earned the opening slot on Tom Petty’s tour (hitting Riverbend July 15); and Pop/Rock group Paramore has scored the great Tegan and Sara (pictured) to open their disgracefully-named “Honda Civic Tour,” which comes to PNC Pavilion Aug. 12. So check those start times and make sure you arrive at the venue in plenty of time to park, grab a snack and then settle back for the opening band — sometimes they offer the best music you’ll hear all night.
www.riverbend.org. (Mike Breen)
Hot Flicks: Watch This
Yearn for the days when Hollywood movie studios produced big, broad entertainments that also possessed at least a smidgeon of sophistication, nuance, creativity and/or genuine feeling? If so, then get your deprived butts to Watch This, a group that intends to watch all of the American Film Institute’s Top 100 films over the course of 2010. Local couple Alex Shebar and Allison Johnson started “screening” (via DVD at home) about two films a week beginning in January, and it wasn’t long before their group of AFI devotees starting growing, many of whom were intrigued by the couple’s blog that kept track of and commented on each film along the way. Surprised by how many people and places wanted to join the endeavor, the duo started screening films in public venues, from the 20th Century Theatre and Cincinnati Athletic Club to Grammer’s and Fountain Square. Watch This still has more than half of the AFI list to go — from the June 4 screening of Fantasia at Take the Cake (4035 Hamilton Ave., Northside) to the late-December viewing of the list’s all-time No. 1,
Citizen Kane — so don’t hesitate to experience the so-called best Hollywood has to offer in its proper context: with large groups of people. For complete info on screenings and titles, go to
watchthisblog.com. (Jason Gargano)
Hot Nights on the Square: Salsa on the Square
Local Latin acts like Tropicoso, Son del Caribe and Acapulco set the stage for this Thursday night event, part of the PNC Summer Music Series on Fountain Square (see more on the Friday night MidPoint Indie Summer shows on page 22). Come downtown to learn a few steps from instructors, trip the light or dig on the beverages (adult and otherwise) and food from Skyline, Abuelo’s and The Elusive Cow. Free. 7-10 p.m. Thursdays.
www.myfountainsquare.com/salsa (Stephen Carter-Novotni)
Hot Tastes: Thai Food
The cuisine of Thailand places strong emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with a balance of five fundamental taste senses: spicy, sour, sweet, salty and bitter. In the spicy category, restaurants allow diners to gauge how hot they want their food using a scale from 1 to 10: 1-3 being tolerable, 3-6 is feeling the heat, 7-8 is breaking a sweat and 9-10 clears your sinuses. Fortunately Cincinnati boasts great Thai restaurants, including Bangkok Bistro, 3506 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, 513-871-0707; Teak Thai Cuisine, 1049-51 St. Gregory St., Mount Adams, 513-665-9800; and Amarin Thai & Sushi, 7022 Miami Ave., Madeira, 513-272-6900 and 3514 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, 513-321-5533. (Chris Charlson)
Hot Portion Control: Ryan Mulligan
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? This adage might be reinforced by Ryan Mulligan’s performance art. Mulligan, a professor in UC’s art school, creates confessional cooking demonstrations that result in not only some freshly prepared vittles but a wordy monologue jumping from one traumatic or tender memory to another. His newest performance, I Don’t Understand Portion Control, premieres at the Contemporary Arts Center this summer. In it, he recalls a trip to the Dominican Republic and his frustrated search for the world’s best barbecue. Along the way, key memories linked to food, acerbic commentary on his neighbors and the up-and-downs of married life all come into the conversation. In spite of his failure to achieve culinary bliss in the DR, the performance will include pulled pork and barbecue sauce, enough for all who attend to eat and join the conversation. Performance date to be announced; watch for updates at
www.contemporaryartscenter.org. The CAC is located at 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown. (Matt Morris)
Hot Sauce: Jungle Jim’s Weekend of Fire
This hot sauce lover’s Pavlovian wet dream features showdowns between the steeliest tastebuds in town competing over who can eat the hottest concoctions. There are also hot sauce cooking classes, a hot lollipop licking contest and a smoking zone for cigar aficionados. $5 in advance or $7 at the door. July 31-Aug. 1. 5440 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield,
www.junglejims.com/weekendoffire (Stephen Carter-Novotni)
Hot Ode to the Homeless: CS13
The innovative CS13’s newest exhibition is
Out in the Open: Activism, Housing and Homelessness in Cincinnati’s Urban Core, a collaboration with the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Featuring the work of the late Cincinnati activist and photojournalist Jimmy Heath from the Coalition’s immense archive, the exhibition will reflect on the diverse community that populates Over-the-Rhine and Cincinnati’s larger inner city and will be accompanied by interview material with local activists and community developers. Many of the photographs from the archives may be recognizable from covers of the Coalition’s publication Streetvibes. This project emphasizes CS13’s compassionate vision and spirit of social dialogue through programming that includes an evening of short lectures June 25 and a cookout and panel discussion on July 10. Exhibition runs through July 11. 1-4 p.m. Sundays. 1219 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine. (Matt Morris)
Hot Air: Midfirst Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival
Take to the skies at the eighth incarnation of the festival that presents 40 balloon competition events, skydiving teams, live music, tethered rides and plenty of food. $2, free for children 12 and younger. 4-10:30 p.m. July 16; 6:45 a.m.-10:30 p.m. July 17; 7 a.m.-9 p.m. July 18. Smith Park, 500 Tytus Ave., Middletown, 513-705-1770,
www.midfirstohiochallenge.com (Stephen Carter-Novotni)
