15 things we love about Greater Cincinnati

January 8, 2008 | DOWNTOWNER

 

1. The city fooled everyone.

When you ask residents in other cities or even people in nearby suburbs about Cincinnati, some people can think of only one word to sum up downtown: crime.

 

Like every locale, we have our issues, but we at Pulse like to think our city is more than just shell casings and a whirring orgy of red and blue lights. It's our arts scene. It's our mildly bizarre food. It's our beer, our bands and our people.

 

In Cincinnati, it appears we and our soaring, pink, cloven-hoofed mascot fooled everyone. While outsiders were looking in the other direction, we continued to work toward making our home a better place for us and our visitors.

 

From the quirky to the tongue-in-cheek and the charmingly traditional, here are 14 other things that we love about our city and are looking forward to in 2008 and beyond.

 

2. Goetta, Graeters, chili and pizza drive us crazy!

Drool at will: our food may be a little weird, but we cherish our unique local staples. Outsiders can raise all the eyebrows they want, but when it comes down to it, Greater Cincinnatians are wholly and utterly powerless against the intoxicating allure of our curiously sweet Greek-inspired chili, greasy yet delicious LaRosa's Pizza and other delights.

 

While Skyline Chili, Gold Star Chili and Dixie Chili are local givens after all, multiple sources claim Cincinnati has more chili eateries per capita than any other city in the United States it's hard to forget about our strange German friend: goetta. A fried hodgepodge of meat, oats and spices, the Cincinnati caviar is even honored at Covington's annual Goettafest, where it can be found everywhere, from booths to vending machines.

 

Its hold on some area residents is undeniable: As one Pulse staffer who boasts knowledge of goetta since age 1 puts it, "It's a life necessity."

 

3. The arts help paint a colorful evening.

In the past few months alone, you could have caught some euphorically symphonic Beethoven, heard the dark tale of a giant suicide-inducing monster made from, well, pillows in "The Pillowman," seen a Shakespearean actor pull off "Frankenstein" all by himself, or perused galleries galore. In other words, the arts are everywhere in Cincinnati.

 

Along the 12th Street corridor between Elm and Main streets alone, a hungry arts patron could start at Music Hall and venture down the street to Memorial Hall, the Ensemble Theatre, the Know Theatre, the Art Academy, the New Stage Collective and all the galleries in between. Then, of course, there is the Aronoff Center for the Arts, on Walnut Street.

 

Former vice-mayor Jim Tarbell, a longtime supporter of the arts, breaks it down. "There is not a district within 200 miles of here that contains that level of art infrastructure in one location," Tarbell says. "Not in Lexington, not in Louisville, not in Indianapolis, not in Dayton and not in Columbus."

 

Even while economic challenges continue to present themselves in the city's core, Tarbell says Cincinnati is maintaining its arts programs while adding others on a regular basis. Furthermore, Tarbell says that's a good thing: the arts benefit the quality of life in a city, and they also serve as an economic generator that can help resurrect neighborhoods or start new ones.

 

Cincinnati being heralded as an arts hub? Not bad. It beats being known only for something that happened more than 100 years ago, huh, Dayton? Although, admittedly, aviation is pretty cool.

 

4. We have the best choir.

Or at least that's what the country decided when they voted to give Cincinnati native Nick Lachey and his choir $250,000 for the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's newborn intensive care unit during NBC's "Clash of the Choirs" competition.

 

Now, if only other celebs who have called Greater Cincinnati home for a minute or two in their lives think Carmen Electra, Sarah Jessica Parker, Steven Spielberg or Ted Turner would show a little Queen City love.

 

5. Making the old new again at the square.

Every $45 million project is sure to spike criticism, and Fountain Square Managing Director Bill Donabedian has caught much of the flak since he took his position in March 2006.

 

What does he have to say about that criticism now, in 2008, since the square has been luring larger crowds, even on a chilly New Year's Eve? "Success has quieted them (the critics) quite a bit. And yes, it was absolutely worth it," says Donabedian, "Cincinnatians are starting to feel proud about their city again."

 

From a fish toss to turkey bowling and geysers induced by fizzing Mentos, the Fountain Square Management team has proven that it's OK to get a little wacky and have fun downtown.

 

Donabedian foresees the momentum continuing in 2008 with more programs and lots of music, which equals lots of fundraising to deliver these big plans.

 

Visit www.myfountainsquare.com.

 

6. Local hangovers are the best hangovers, and they're getting easier to obtain.

While Cincinnati's hearty German heritage makes for some intense meats that end in words like "wurst," it also helped Over-the-Rhine become one of the United States' largest brewery centers in the latter half of the 1800s. Prohibition and watery big box beers largely snuffed the bustling industry out over the years, but some places have kept the tradition alive, and more developments are on the way.

 

Steven Hampton, executive director of the Over-the-Rhine Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corp., points out that BarrelHouse Brewing Co. is producing its Queen Citythemed beers on West Liberty Street, the Boston Beer Co. brews some of its popular Samuel Adams suds at the old Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewery on Central Parkway, and the small Mt. Carmel Brewing Co. operates in Union Township. Moreover, Hampton says the longtime Cincinnati Christian Moerlein brand resurrected by Greg Hardman in 2004 hopes to bring a brewery back to Over-the-Rhine.

 

"There's still a really strong brewing scene here," Hampton says. "There are a lot of things afoot, and there are a lot of things we're working toward."

 

Cheers to that.

 

7. Findlay Market keeps things fresh.

A walk through Findlay Market is enough to make one feel a little healthier and chock full of granola. There is also the nostalgia of a simpler time when open markets were more common than pushing a squeaky grocery cart through Trader Joe's and Kroger.

 

Since 1852, Findlay Market has strengthened its roots in Over-the-Rhine by offering a fine array of locally grown produce, fresh meats and craft merchants.

 

"We are older than the Cincinnati Reds Roebling Bridge Music Hall," states Cheryl Eagleson, marketing director for the Corporation for Findlay Market.

 

Eagleson says that over two-dozen full-time merchants operate year-round at Findlay Market, WednesdaySunday. Then, from MarchNovember, over 60 vendors gather for the weekly Farmer's Market.

 

Visit www.findlaymarket.org.

 

8. Pigs really do fly.

When the worldwide design-an-artistic-animal-statue fad took over at the dawn of the 21st century, Cincinnati had an easy way to play along, embodied by our delightfully unique unofficial mascot: the flying pig. Taking a pleasant turn on the "hell freezes over" phrase, the smiling, winged swine believed to have been inspired by the booming pork trade in the 1800s invaded the city during the Big Pig Gig of 2000, and they even came in handy when naming the annual Cincinnati 26.2 mile jaunt, the Flying Pig Marathon.

 

While you wait for the May 4 race this year, keep your eyes peeled soaring fiberglass porkers from the Big Pig Gig can still be found oinking away into the night at select locations throughout Cincinnati. What other locale can lay claim to such a mascot? None. Like strange chili, it's ours alone to cherish.

 

9. Who needs a dark underbelly when you have a green one?

Thriving just below the surface is Cincinnati's green movement, which appears to be steadily gaining momentum. As we detailed in our New Year's issue, Mayor Mark Mallory's new Green Cincinnati initiative is hoping to boost recycling, achieve greater energy efficiency and develop a plan to help protect the climate. Elsewhere, the Park + Vine green general store in the Gateway Quarter District of Over-the-Rhine offers eco-friendly goods for Cincinnatians, some 400 Metro buses cruise by on soybean biofuel, and the Cincinnati Park Board fires up its wind turbine and solar panels in Eden Park.

 

Are we the green captain of the planet? Not quite yet. But some citizens and officials are helping to give Mother Earth a few brief moments of respite from her hacking cough, and that's a good thing.

 

10. Midwestern mindset + mild Southern hospitality + slight hint of city haughtiness...the Cincinnati charm.

In other words, Cincinnatians tend to be largely friendly, easygoing and quaint people, and their inevitable city hotheadedness is kept at a maintainable minimum; just like the scale of the miniopolis itself, some might say it balances out just right. In fewer words, we like our people.

 

11. Can Cincinnati be listed among the nation's great sports towns?

Well, it's certainly an interesting one.

 

What the Queen City lacks in sustained success in pro sports is made up for by its cast of unforgettable characters: Marge Schott's cigarette-smoldering crassness, Sam Wyche's wicky-wacky offenses and denigration of Cleveland, Pete Rose's record-breaking hit and suspension-netting gambling, and Bob Huggins' volatility and unceremonious ouster.

 

Of course, there's plenty more to be proud of: The Big Red Machine in the '70s, the Bengals' two Super Bowl trips, UC basketball national titles, Xavier's rise to hoops prominence, perennially dominant high school sports teams, and a proud heritage that includes the first professional baseball team, not to mention the old Royals and a hockey team, or two. Cincinnati celebrates Opening Day like nowhere else. It loves to tailgate, even for high school games, and it ditches work and packs its sports bars for the NCAA Tournament. So please forgive us if our favorite sport requires the tossing of a corn-filled bag into a hole.

 

12. A full plate of dining variety is here in the Queen City.

There's Jean-Robert de Caval's empire of fine dining and many more restaurants to enjoy. Each neighborhood has great eateries to call its own and fill bellies.

 

Whether you choose Pompilio's Italian nook in Newport, Daveed's at 934 and its contemporary cuisine in Mt. Adams, or Via Vite's location anchored right on Fountain Square, there are plenty of choices to satisfy cravings in Cincinnati.

 

As a matter of fact, the Jean-Robert French Restaurant Group plans on opening its fifth venture near the end of January or early February.

 

Lavomatic Caf, A French Urban Wine Bar, will open doors in the up-and-coming Gateway Quarter in Over-the-Rhine.

 

13. Prices can only go down when they're sky high right?

We have an excellent airport but for most of us, it's too savagely and damningly expensive to use. Regardless of the exact cause most people point to the fact that the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport is a Delta Air Lines hub looking to offset operational costs CVG fares climbed higher this year while the rest of the country's decreased. Don't worry it doesn't make sense to us, either.

 

Why did we include this in our beloved 15? It's kind of like the clich of having a fascinating amount of potential for greatness, but tragically, no drive. Or, like owning a golden toilet that doesn't flush right. Our airport could be perfect if we could just use it for our basic needs.

 

Meanwhile, it probably makes more sense to calculate gas mileage versus fares (anyone who has flown out of Cincinnati knows this process well), and then zip off to Dayton, Louisville, Indianapolis or Columbus. Sigh.

 

14. Local music rocks.

With rustic flannel and somber nihilistic crooners, Seattle bred its trademark grunge sound. With flashy garb and a dash of new wave hipster zest, New York City birthed a recent crop of notable indie rockers.

 

So what's Cincinnati's sound these days?

 

MidPoint Music Festival co-founder Sean Rhiney says the city's incredibly diverse and eclectic music scene prevents it from being pinned down to a one-sound town; moreover, the music community is doing well. Rhiney estimates that there are at least 500 active bands in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky alone, and they play everything from Appalachian rootsinspired tunes to the retro funk of Freekbass and the garage rock blues of the Heartless Bastards.

 

So choose your poison and keep your eye on the scene. Rhiney says the future is looking bright.

 

"Unquestionably," he notes.

 

15. You can always help.

A city can only be as good as its citizens, and it takes lots of joint efforts to make things happen. Let's face it: positive improvements can't happen by themselves.

 

So pick a nonprofit that speaks to you, and pitch in this year. After all, helping spur change can be exciting.

I thought this was a fantastic and interesting article.  It's a good read, but also some good discussion.  What are the top things you love about Cincinnati?  Do you have 15, 10, 100...do tell.

Funny how number 11 (local sports) was a question LOL

 

What I love about Cincinnati:

 

Neighborhoods with a lot of character

 

Great architecture

 

History that has provided a lot of local culture (the festivals, the food, yadda yadda yadda)

 

Walkability

 

Great selection of independant restaurants in the city

 

One of the best park systems in the US

 

Scenic views

 

I'll think of more.

 

 

Proximity to Dayton.

^Meaning, Chicken Louie's.

 

Oh, and the neighborhoods of Cincinnati really should be the "shining" achievement.

Its easier for me to say what I don't like about Cincinnati.

 

1. Most of the locals

2. Proximity to kentucky

Top 5 (in no particular order):

 

1.  Fantastic geography.

We have a massive and beautiful river and lots of hills that offer great views/scenery.

 

2.  Architecture.

Old-school charm, check.  New-school edge, check.  Cincinnati has a wide variety of great pieces of architecture and a collection of neighborhoods that are wonderful in their own sense (OTR, Columbia Tusculum, etc).

 

3.  Location, location, location.

Cincinnati is in one of the best locations in the country.  Now we obviously don't have the coastal frontage of the big-time American cities, but we are not at risk either.  Not to mention, we are closely located to a large amount of the nation's population.  Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Indianapolis are all a stones throw away...and St. Louis, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington DC, and Philadelphia are all very close as well.

 

4.  Great place for families.

Cincinnati is often considered one of the best places in the country to raise a family, and that is fantastic.  Families provide stability, and in the Midwest, that is something that is often hard to come by...but our base is solid and strong.

 

5.  Potential

It has been talked about a lot on this very forum, but I'll say it again.  Cincinnati isn't a boomtown right now, but we certainly have more potential than just about any other place in this country.  We've got the built form and location that puts Cincinnati in a great place for growth...I just can't wait for it to pick up.

re #2 hellz bellz how did they forget about other cinci chow specialties like coney dogs, double decker sandwiches & jungle jim's?  my stomach didn't.  :wink:

I love the view of your skyline as I drive north on 71/75 from Kentucky. I think it rivals the most famous skylines that we have in this country.

I like those little yellow/orangish lamps on/at pedestrian islands/intersections.

In no particular order - well except the first:

 

One of my best galpals lives in Cincinnati - and you can thank her for introducing me to most of the following:

 

Orchids at Palm Court - I've been to some of the most outstanding Art Deco interiors in the nation (Rockefeller Center and Chrysler in NYC, amongst others) and this space is hands down my favorite. I rarely use the phrase "magical" to describe a space but getting dolled up and sipping a drink or three to the consistently great jazz acts here is just heaven. I've brought friends there - some particularly jaded folk and even they gasped "wow!" when they started up the stairs into the lobby:

 

The city's Art Deco influence - from the waterworks on Kellogg (Columbia?) to Carew Tower, Cincy has embraced one of my favorite architectural styles:

 

Residential Vernacular - Let's see... a street full of Cleveland duckbill doubles or a street full of these?

 

Skyline - I love Cleveland's tallest but the gaps... well Cincy doesn't have many gaps:

 

This Rookwood detail on the former Giddings-Jenny building. I want it. :evil:

 

The food - some of the restaurants I've enjoyed:

Orchids at Palm Court

The Maisonette

Shaky Puddin'

The Phoenix

Boca (when they were still in Northside)

Diner on Sycamore

Tellers

Melting Pot

The Precinct

Beluga

Sushi Ray

Nicholsons (when they still wore kilts)

Kaldi's

Teak

Bella Luna

Hamburger Mary's

Shanghai Mama's

Amol

First Watch (Downtown and Oakley... err Norwood?)

Green Papaya

Jaspers

Mejana

York Street Cafe (absolutely the COOLEST space for a casual eatery)

 

Nightlife - some of the places I've had a great night out, or a lot of drinks (or both) at:

DV8

The Comet

Top Cats

Spy (back when)

The Dock

Club Clau

Havana Martini Club (both locations)

York Street

Sudsy Malones

Bogarts

The Stand

 

So yeah... go ahead and question my appreciation for Cincy - I dare ya ;-)

 

nice reply mayday. you know what, re pic #1 & deco-wise, the only thing i can think of that tops the palm court is the union terminal. not bad cinci. not bad.

I like those little yellow/orangish lamps on/at pedestrian islands/intersections.

 

as if there was any question that you sir, are a dyed in the wool streetlamp fan.

 

i do keep that in mind when i am out with the camera. :wink:

Union Terminal would make my list if it was still a transportation hub along the lines of Grand Central. Don't get me wrong, it looks great and the history behind it is impressive but not being in use as a primary transportation facility takes away from it - for me.

 

What I love about Orchid is that it's not the smallest space but there's so much deco accent and proportioned just right to give it a human scale - it's awe-inspiring and at the same time intimate. Honest to god - if you're dressed in anything less than dressy casual, you walk into this space and feel uncomfortable but it's at the same time such a cozy spot to enjoy some cocktails. God I *wish* there was a place like this in Cleveland.

Union Terminal would make my list if it was still a transportation hub along the lines of Grand Central. Don't get me wrong, it looks great and the history behind it is impressive but not being in use as a primary transportation facility takes away from it - for me.

 

What I love about Orchid is that it's not the smallest space but there's so much deco accent and proportioned just right to give it a human scale - it's awe-inspiring and at the same time intimate. Honest to god - if you're dressed in anything less than dressy casual, you walk into this space and feel uncomfortable but it's at the same time such a cozy spot to enjoy some cocktails. God I *wish* there was a place like this in Cleveland.

 

i know and for sure that is true. i was just talking about general deco-ness. together they are quite the "bookends" of all that is deco, of course one mostly being the building and one the interior detailing.

I like those little yellow/orangish lamps on/at pedestrian islands/intersections.

 

This is totally off topic, but I've been meaning to ask for quite a while now: What are those? What are they for? I have never seen them in ANY other city I have ever been in.

I like those little yellow/orangish lamps on/at pedestrian islands/intersections.

 

This is totally off topic, but I've been meaning to ask for quite a while now: What are those? What are they for? I have never seen them in ANY other city I have ever been in.

 

could someone post a picture?

I like those little yellow/orangish lamps on/at pedestrian islands/intersections.

 

Old streetcar lamps.  I've heard they were used to read schedules and such during night hours waiting for the streetcar.  Notice they are all on "large" boulevards.

MayDay, the staff still wear kilts at Nicholsons ... not that, that's important. ;)

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Music Hall?

 

 

I like those little yellow/orangish lamps on/at pedestrian islands/intersections.

 

This is totally off topic, but I've been meaning to ask for quite a while now: What are those? What are they for? I have never seen them in ANY other city I have ever been in.

 

could someone post a picture?

 

 

I do believe these are what everyone is referring to (pic provided by ColDayMan). If I am not mistaken, these are some of the few remaining gas powered lamps in the U.S. are they not??

 

 

^Where is that picture taken?

 

If those lamps are anything like the ones they have on Hayward Avenue in Mt. Lookout (and they look similar) than they are simply a plastic shell with a light bulb inside.  No gas.  But gas does still burn on the lampposts on Hayward Court.  They look a bit different, not so tall.

 

This Rookwood detail on the former Giddings-Jenny building. I want it. :evil:

 

This is a great building.  Did you know when it was the premier women's store in town it had it's own scent?  It was called L'Orangerie or something.  Anyone know what's happening with this building currently?  I haven't been on 4th Street for awhile.

I like those little yellow/orangish lamps on/at pedestrian islands/intersections.

 

This is totally off topic, but I've been meaning to ask for quite a while now: What are those? What are they for? I have never seen them in ANY other city I have ever been in.

 

could someone post a picture?

 

 

I do believe these are what everyone is referring to (pic provided by ColDayMan). If I am not mistaken, these are some of the few remaining gas powered lamps in the U.S. are they not??

 

 

 

I think he means thetype discussed (and shown) in this thread.

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=2817.0

I like all the different neighborhoods and the "comfort level" of living in Cincinnati.  Cincinnati is is one of the most comfortable cities I have ever lived in or been to.

Isn't Gidding-Jenny now the peak of American retail, T.J. Maxx or is that next door?

1. goetta... oh how i miss goetta

2. the city's excellent bond rating

3. Over-The-Rhine - a neighborhood this incredible is rare

4. diverse neighborhoods with cool streetscapes and architecture and vital business districts

5. the turbulent topography

6. graeter's rich and creamy ice cream

7. the lush vegetation... especially colourful and spectacular in the springtime

8. the provincialism has yielded a unique and fascinating local culture

9. the pervasive art-deco theme

10. the legacy of porkopolis

11. the painted ladies of Columbia-Tusculum

12. the chic upper-crust society of Mt. Adams and Hyde Park

13. the eclectic funkiness of Clifton and the UC area

14. the fascinating grittiness of Camp Washington

15. the Cincinnati forumer contingent

 

 

So yeah... go ahead and question my appreciation for Cincy - I dare ya ;-)

 

 

It's refreshing to see some appreciation of Cincy from a Clevelander.  Sometimes we get too caught up in in-state bickering and don't fully appreciate all that Ohio has to offer.  Great post Mayday!

^Thanks for quoting his ENTIRE post.  :laugh:

fixed :-)

I like the generic vernacular architecture , the urban fabric, of the city.  Not just OTR, but most of the other neighborhoods.  It gives the city an excellent "character".  The attention to detail and context, just the quality of the construction, in the old parts of the city, is just a joy to behold.

 

Cincinnati is the kind of city that delights one even during just a casual drive or walk.

 

(...and that outdoor observation deck on the Carew Tower!  And that to the list.  And Duttenhoeffers Bookstore).

 

 

 

 

 

I like those little yellow/orangish lamps on/at pedestrian islands/intersections.

 

This is totally off topic, but I've been meaning to ask for quite a while now: What are those? What are they for? I have never seen them in ANY other city I have ever been in.

 

could someone post a picture?

 

 

I do believe these are what everyone is referring to (pic provided by ColDayMan). If I am not mistaken, these are some of the few remaining gas powered lamps in the U.S. are they not??

 

 

 

I think he means thetype discussed (and shown) in this thread.

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=2817.0

 

Yes! That's the ones. It's been so long since I seen them, couldn't exactly remember what they look like. Are they gas burning??

No...they are just regular light bulbs.  I would venture to say 60watt.

Then where are the gas powered lights at that Cincinnati is still supposed to have? If you do a Google search, much comes up on it, but really no reference to their whereabouts...

There are some on the street I live on. Kellywood Ave. off of Guerly in West Price Hill. There are some on Ludlow and that area. They are scattered throughout the city.

Then where are the gas powered lights at that Cincinnati is still supposed to have? If you do a Google search, much comes up on it, but really no reference to their whereabouts...

 

Try Clifton (north of Ludlow), Mt. Lookout, and North Avondale for examples.

1. Old Coney, worlds largest circulating pool, moonlite gardens, etc nothing else like it.

2. Columbia Parkway coming into the city from the Beechmont Levee and then back out

  again is a beautiful urban expressway tourist worthy.

3. 

3. Spring Grove Cemetery is considered a "masterpiece" landscape

4. Hathaways in the Carew Tower Arcade is about the only thing left from

    the good old days of coming downtown to spend the day shopping. 

5. Hofbrau Haus beers as big as your head is enuff said

6. Findlay Market Farmer's Market in the summer

7. Aunt Floras Peach Cobblers at Findlay Market and Miss Helen's Mac n Cheese, I think the

    common ingredient there would be butter.

8. Northside is our little slice of Bohemia

9. The Comet in Northside and their better than Chipotle's burritos

10. Kings Island and The Beast

11  Eden Park especially the Overlook

12 The Blind Lemon, closest thing to a European bar I've been to here.

13  Shanghai Mama's their flat bread etc is soo delicious

14 The Ohio River in august when it turns that beautiful turquoise color

15 Our Skyline and how it swallows you whole.  It is so much more than just skyscrapers,

    there's Mt. Adams, the river, the bridges, the steeples, the stadiums, the surrounding

    hillsides. It all comes together and almost overwhelms the senses. The only other

    city I've been to that I can say truly matches ( and I admit is better than ours ) would be

     San Francisco

 

My Two Cents  

 

Sorry about the double post as I am a bad typist and hit the tab button and my unfinished post posted.

I'm usually just a lurker but the topic was too irresistable.

     

 

To what's already been listed, I would add the ghost/faded signs all over the city. I'm not sure whether I just didn't pay attention when I was in other cities, but it seems to me Cincinnati has more of them than any other place. I like the character they give to old buildings and how they reming us of their past.

 

1. Old Coney, worlds largest circulating pool, moonlite gardens, etc nothing else like it.

 

Actually, that title has been trumped.  On a very large scale actually.  San Alfonso del Mar, an oceanside resort built the world's largest pool for $1.5 billion.  Here are some pics stolen from Selectroclash.com:

 

 

 

^ That doesn't look larger than Coney Island ... how many gallons is that?

Sunlight pool is 3 million gallons

San Alfonso del Mar is 66 million gallons (that's not a typo, 66 million)

He did say circulating.

Sunlight pool is 3 million gallons

San Alfonso del Mar is 66 million gallons (that's not a typo, 66 million)

 

Dwamn.

It is a recirculating pool.  And it keeps the water at a constant 26 degrees Celsius.  Guinness updated the book last year, replacing the Sunlight pool.  Sorry.  It's still a great pool though.

1) Prospect Hill -The cozy first suburb of cincy, it's hillside, houses and private gardens.

2) OTR- All the people, stores that are making a positive outcome to a great neighborhood.

3) The Public stairways  of Cincinnati-A great way to stay in shape and soak up the beauty of our old city.

4) The possibilty of having streetcars again.

5) CBD- Gets better everyday

6) Northside the coolest neighborhood outside of the basin

7) Cincinnati Parks

 

 

1) Potential --- Thinking about what it could be like in 2010+

2) Affordability

3) Architecture

4) History

5) OTR - has the potential to be the most dynamic place in the US at least that I've seen

5) Sports Teams Pro through High school

6)Local Foods

7) Small Town Feel

8 ) Good Park's System

9) Because it's a small town you feel excitement about little things like a new bar, restaurant, or store downtown. if that makes any sense

10) and I have to throw potential in there again because it has so much

11) Midwestern feel

12) Geography- with the hills and the river all right there

13) The skyline is amazing

14) the fact that a small city has so many fortune 500 companies just proves how great the city is

15) The diversity among neighborhoods (OTR, Walnut Hills, Hyde Park, Oakley, Price Hill, Columbia Tusclum)

 

 

The real gas lights are all over place, often they are on side streets of side streets but not side streets or main streets.  There are some very obscure side streets in College Hill off of North Bend Rd. with the same style gas lights that are in Clifton and Hyde Park, extending almost as far north as Galbraith. 

 

Also, this new pool in Chile is saltwater from what I read, an important distinction.

 

Overall one of the core distinct qualities of Cincinnati is that tons of 100+ year-old buildings are in use with no self-consciousness.  There aren't areas that are dolled up as historic areas, even the Suspension Bridge has no candy-colored signs announcing its historicness.  It's just there, doing what bridges do.  Similar to the Eads Bridge in St. Louis in that respect.  In many Southern cities, there are historical markers all over the place, litering block after block marking buildings, people, and incidents that weren't too historic.  The one or two surviving churches from the 1890's are all lit up, Cincinnati has at least 50 surviving churches from the 1800's. 

 

Many side streets throughout the city retain a calm, unpretentious character despite forming some of the best streetscapes in the country.  Fairfield Ave. in East Walnut Hills is a good example.  Meanwhile truly spectacular spots like Elysian Place (off Ohio Ave.) wallow in obscurity, the city has dozens of spots like that. 

 

Very nicely put, jmecklenborg! Now I want to check the places you just mentioned. I've never been to Fairfield Avenue. And what is Elysian Place? Is it near Plainfield Road?

Overall one of the core distinct qualities of Cincinnati is that tons of 100+ year-old buildings are in use with no self-consciousness.  There aren't areas that are dolled up as historic areas, even the Suspension Bridge has no candy-colored signs announcing its historicness.  It's just there, doing what bridges do.

 

Fantastic observation.

^ I was just reading about DC and just one year after the 100 sq. ac. land was plotted to become our nation's capital ... Cincinnati was founded. That's pretty awesome and speaks volumes about our history and architecture.

Actually, that title has been trumped.  On a very large scale actually.  San Alfonso del Mar, an oceanside resort built the world's largest pool for $1.5 billion.

 

Well, that isn't a huge scar on what looks like an attractive and scenic spot.  I feel like that pool was built solely to be pictured on a brochure or postcard.  What kind of jackass builds a 66 million gallon saltwater pool right next to the ocean?  Do you have to walk all the way around that thing to get back to your hotel room?