CityBeat | July 24, 2024 by Big Lou Holdings

VOL. 28 | ISSUE 16

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Middletown’s J.D. Vance Named Trump’s

2024 Running Mate

From self-proclaimed “hillbilly” to potential Vice President; Vance brings less than two years of political experience and past baggage about Trump to the MAGA ticket.

BY MADELINE FENING

Former President Donald Trump has chosen U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican born and raised in Middletown, as his Vice President for the 2024 race.

Trump announced his pick on Monday, July 15, the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, but the writing was on the wall hours earlier. After the attempted assassination of Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine approved increased security for Vance, according to WLWT. Forbes Breaking News published a video hours before the convention of Vance leaving his Cincinnati home for Milwaukee in a protected motorcade. Vance was long rumored to be Trump’s VP frontrunner to take on Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Nov. 5. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) were once contenders for the spot, but CNN reported that both Burgum and Rubio were told at the start of the convention that they were out of the running.

Dramatic changes to the Democratic ticket came in the days following the RNC, when President Joe Biden announced he will drop out of the race in a letter posted to social media on July 21. He then announced his support for

Kamala Harris as Democrats moved to rally their support for the current Vice President. Harris has accepted Biden's endorsement, but has not yet announced a running mate.

Who is J.D. Vance?

Vance, who was born and raised in Middletown, is the first millennial to reach the presidential ticket at just 39 years old. After graduating from Middletown High School in 2003, he joined the Marines and served in Iraq for less than a year as a combat correspondent, later attending Ohio State University and Yale Law School. After clerking and practicing law in Kentucky for two years, Vance moved to San Francisco where he worked as a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley. Most notably, Vance worked for tech billionaire Peter Thiel’s firm, Mithril Capital. Thiel is known for being an early Facebook investor and co-founder of PayPay, as well as a conservative political activist who would later fund Vance’s political ambitions.

But Vance first reached the public’s consciousness after the release of his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir Of A Family And Culture In Crisis

The best-selling book tells the story of Vance’s upbringing in Middletown, chronicling his mother’s

in a 2016 interview with Charlie Rose. “I never liked him.”

In a 2016 Atlantic essay, Vance compared Trump’s MAGA movement to a “quick high.”

“There is no self-reflection in the midst of a false euphoria,” Vance wrote. “Trump is cultural heroin. He makes some feel better for a bit. But he cannot fix what ails them, and one day they’ll realize it.”

Vance also called Trump “America’s Hitler” in messages to a former college roommate in 2016. The digs continued on Twitter: “My god what an idiot,” he said in now-deleted tweets, referencing Trump.

Vance has said he regrets his previous criticisms and that his views evolved over the course of Trump’s first term.

“I’ve been very open that I did say those critical things and I regret them, and I regret being wrong about the guy,” Vance said in a 2021 Fox interview. “I think he was a good president, I think he made a lot of good decisions for people, and I think he took a lot of flak.”

While Trump famously cuts ties with those who aren’t all-in on his vision, he publicly forgave Vance for his past comments while endorsing Vance’s first political race.

opioid addiction, being raised by his “Mamaw’s” Appalachian values and how abuse and poverty shaped his view of white, poor, working class Americans. The memoir, later adapted into a Ron Howard film by Netflix, launched Vance into the hearts and minds of liberal academics and media trying to make sense of Trump’s sudden rise to power in 2016. Critical reception for Vance’s memoir was mixed; some thought the story was inspiring, others exploitative. Conservative writer Rod Dreher praised Hillbilly Elegy in The American Conservative, saying “Vance has earned the right to make those judgments,” and later pointed out that liberals “praise [J.D. Vance’s] points about the poor needing to understand that whatever structural problems they face, they retain moral agency.” But Historian Bob Hutton wrote that Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy arguments about bootstrapping were steeped in eugenics and “a work of self-congratulation,” according to his essay in Jacobin

Vance’s past remarks about Trump

Though a self-described conservative, Vance openly disavowed and mocked then-candidate Trump during his Hillbilly Elegy media tour.

“I’m a Never Trump guy,” Vance said

“Like some others, J.D. Vance may have said some not-so-great things about me in the past, but he gets it now, and I have seen that in spades,” Trump said while endorsing Vance’s Senate campaign in April 2022. “He is our best chance for victory in what could be a very tough race.”

Vance parlayed his “hillbilly” notoriety into a political career when he defeated Democrat Rep. Tim Ryan in 2022. The seat was being vacated by Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who had retired.

Vance’s short Senate stint

In his short 18 months in the Democrat-controlled Senate, Vance has introduced 33 bills, but none have passed.

Some of Vance’s most controversial bills include his “Protect Children’s Innocence Act,” which criminalizes gender-affirming care for minors, and the “Freedom to Breathe Act,” which would prevent any federal government from instituting mask mandates on in public schools, public transportation or airplanes.

Vance’s bipartisan “Railway Safety Act,” co-authored by Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in the wake of the East Palestine train derailment, has received support from Democrats, but its failure to launch has come from Republicans. Norfolk Southern, the rail giant responsible for the disastrous derailment that released a toxic plume

J.D. Vance is the GOP Vice Presidential candidate. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

“There is frankly no good reason that aid from the U.S. should be needed,” Vance wrote in London’s Financial Times in 2024. “Europe is made up of many great nations with productive economies.”

over East Palestine, contributes millions to Republicans and Democrats alike.

But Vance has used his Senate platform to forcefully criticize U.S. support to Ukraine.

“I gotta be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another,” Vance said during his Senate campaign.

With an America-first mindset, Vance has criticized Biden for approving U.S. aid packages to Ukraine as the nation fights a territory war with Russia.

“There is frankly no good reason that aid from the U.S. should be needed,” Vance wrote in London’s Financial Times in 2024. “Europe is made up of many great nations with productive economies.”

Vance starts his campaign as Trump’s VP pick

During his first public address as Trump’s running mate, Vance said he never imagined he’d end up on the RNC stage as a candidate for Vice President.

“Never in my wildest imagination could I have believed that I could be standing here tonight,” Vance said to applause. “I grew up in Middletown, Ohio, a small town where people spoke their minds, built with their hands, and loved their God, their family, their community and their country with their whole hearts. But it was also a place that had been cast aside and forgotten by America’s ruling class in Washington.”

Vance’s first rally in Ohio took place at Middletown High School on July 22. He summed up his vision for his hometown and the nation to a crowded auditorium of supporters.

"We believe that we want to make more of our own stuff," Vance said. "We believe and want to have secure elections, and we believe we will have schools that won't indoctrinate our children. Because that's not racist, ladies and gentleman, that's common American-Middletown sense."

Police Arrest Environmentalist Protesters at P&G Conference Downtown

BY LILY OGBURN

Procter & Gamble’s annual Signal Summit was disrupted when four climate protesters locked themselves down in the outer lobby of the company’s Cincinnati headquarters on July 17, according to a press release from the Rainforest Action Network (RAN).

The demonstrators chained themselves to soundboxes playing audio from Indonesian forests in order to call out P&G’s “failure to address its role in driving the destruction of climate-critical forests around the world,” the release says.

Shawna Ambrose, RAN’s communications manager, told CityBeat that four protesters were arrested.

“Police responded with a heavy presence and had to call other agencies to unlock people who were bound by chains to lock boxes,” Ambrose said in a text.

RAN posted about the protest on their Instagram and X accounts, saying the demonstration was their “SIGNAL to P&G to clean up their act.”

P&G told CityBeat in an email that “several individuals entered our outer lobby today without an appointment or authorization,” and

that they were “arrested by Cincinnati Police after repeated requests to leave private property.”

Signal is P&G’s annual innovation summit hosted at the company’s headquarters in downtown Cincinnati. The summit brings together industry leaders to “share insights and strategies for driving market growth and value creation in today’s unpredictable global business environment,” according to the Signal 2024 website.

This year’s conference was said to host founders and executives from Walmart, YouTube, Amazon, The New York Times and more.

“The impacted communities, who have been working to keep their forests standing for decades, have called on us all to step up and be bold in the face of destruction and climate chaos,” said demonstrator and Cincinnati resident Midavi Hayden.

“As a long-time resident of Cincinnati where P&G is headquartered, it’s clear to me that we are all connected in this fight. I want to do what I can to hold P&G accountable and demand that it respects communities’ rights and ends the deforestation it’s connected to around the world.”

P&G is a large consumer of commodities that contribute to deforestation, such as palm oil, tree pulp and paper. This year, the World Wildlife Fund found that P&G purchased 453,890 metric tons of palm oil.

P&G’s practices have drawn criticism for many years from environmental and human rights activists, Cincinnati residents and the descendants of P&G co-founders William Procter and James Gamble.

RAN says P&G sources materials from suppliers that “the company knows are causing serious human suffering and environmental harm.”

P&G’s supply chain connects it to PT Toba Pulp Lestari, a controversial pulp and paper company that’s been operating on Batak Indigenous lands in North Sumatra, Indonesia, without their consent. Pargamanan-Bintang Maria, an impacted community, is at risk of deforestation indefinitely, according to RAN.

On P&G’s website, the company says, in part, “we are committed to responsible sourcing of key commodities like wood pulp, palm oil and paper packaging together with respecting human, labor and land tenure rights in our supply chains.”

Four protesters were arrested after being asked to leave P&G headquarters in Cincinnati.

PHOTO: RAINFOREST ACTION NETWORK

WCPO’s Steve Raleigh Goes Off-Air Amid Assault Investigation Involving

Family Member

BY LILY OGBURN AND MADELINE FENING

Adark cloud has formed over WCPO’s Steve Raleigh, with calls for the chief meteorologist’s resignation mounting after a viral video revealed his family’s involvement in a traffic crash that turned violent. It all started on June 22, when 28-year-old Carter Raleigh, Steve Raleigh’s son and the grandson of former Hamilton County sheriff and attorney Simon L. Leis, Jr., was driving his grandfather’s black Cadillac Escalade through the Montgomery Inn Boathouse parking lot on Riverside Drive.

According to an incident report from the Cincinnati Police Department, Carter Raleigh was involved in a crash in the restaurant’s parking lot with 79-year-old Douglas Morrow, whose lawyers say he was there to pick up his son, Troy Morrow, who worked at the restaurant. Douglas Morrow’s wife, 76-year-old Lois Morrow, was in the passenger seat. Their son, Troy Morrow, 46, was in the back seat with Allison Scales, 47.

The Morrow family alleges that Carter Raleigh failed to yield to traffic before hitting her parent’s Ford F-150 pickup truck, got out of his grandfather’s Escalade, and began arguing with the Morrows. That’s when the Morrows and their attorney, Konrad Kircher of Maineville-based Kircher Law, say Steve Raleigh emerged from the direction of the restaurant and asked the Morrows not to call the police.

“Steve Raleigh should have allowed the police to come and take a report,” Kircher said. “He insisted that the police not be called. He got agitated when he learned police were coming and then that incited [his son] to resort

to violence.”

The heavily-redacted police report does not provide specific details about the alleged assault, but CPD officer Shawn Newman summarized witness testimonies in the report, saying, “suspect approached victim #1 striking him with a closed fist in the head knocking him to the ground causing listed injuries. Victim #2 and victim #3 while attempting to aid victim #1 was struck and shoved down to the ground by the suspect causing listed injuries.”

The report also said “the offender” was suspected of using drugs or alcohol.

In a July 10 Facebook post, Stacie Morrow-Stickrod said her father, mother and brother were all attacked following the traffic incident, and that the injuries were severe: MorrowStickrod said her mother suffered a concussion, fractured skull, brain bleed, a contusion on the back of her head and cuts and bruises to her arms and legs. Her father also suffered a concussion, the Facebook post said. CPD’s incident report states both of the Morrow parents were treated at UC Medical Center following the incident.

Kircher told CityBeat that Lois Morrow’s injuries are also psychological.

“She doesn’t want to leave the house, she’s frightened. Has a lot of nightmares and fears,” he said. “We want the Raleigh family to come forward and tell the truth about what happened.”

The viral video

Speculation about the truth of the incident skyrocketed after Morrow-Stickrod’s post went live, which included a grainy, shaky video of the scene after

Steve Raleigh retreats from public eye

After Morrow-Stickrod’s video began to amass views, Steve Raleigh’s social media pages quickly disappeared, along with his usual presence on WCPO’s 5 p.m. newscast. Steve Raleigh has not spoken publicly about the incident. His lawyer has not responded to CityBeat’s requests for comment.

the alleged assault.

The over-3-minute video, which has over 280 thousand views on Facebook, depicts a chaotic scene. The blurry video follows an argument between several individuals, resulting in frantic camera shots of men pushing each other. As the person filming regains balance, Morrow-Stickrod’s mother and father are both seen lying on the pavement, with blood visible next to her mother’s head.

Then, several men appear to be arguing and attempting to de-escalate the situation for the remainder of the video, one of whom appears to be Steve Raleigh, social media users have pointed out. In the video, unnamed bystanders appear to step in to help the injured couple as they both attempt to get up.

An unidentified person yells, “Are you serious? He hit a fucking woman!”

A manager at Montgomery Inn’s Boathouse restaurant told CityBeat that the restaurant does not have security footage of the parking lot because a camera was not active during the incident.

According to CPD Lt. Jonathan Cunningham, the incident is still under investigation.

“It was a traffic crash which turned into an assault, which turned into our officers being called,” he told CityBeat “At this point, our investigators are working through the case.”

“These were locally famous people and in my opinion believe they are above the law,” Morrow-Stickrod said in her post. “I feel like there has been so much time that has past [sic] with no arrest made and continuing to watch my mom struggle is hard to swallow.”

Jeff Brogan, WCPO vice president and general manager, released the following statement on July 12: “We are aware of the incident involving Steve Raleigh’s family. It is still under investigation, and at this time no charges have been filed against anyone. Steve shared his side of the incident with our leadership. His account is consistent with the police report, which does not name him, and with what we have reviewed on video. The video does not show the incident from start to finish. We will continue to monitor official findings.”

Calls for Steve Raleigh to resign have popped up on social media following the attention from the incident. Kircher said his clients have “no opinion” on his standing at WCPO.

“Whether he loses his job at WCPO, we have no opinion on that,” he told CityBeat. “That’s between him and his employer.”

Former Ohio State Representative Connie Pillich, and current Democratic contender for Hamilton County Prosecutor, issued a press release calling for an ethics investigation into Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers, a Republican.

“Lois and Doug Morrow were violently assaulted in broad daylight, and Prosecutor Melissa Powers has failed to bring charges against their assailant for nearly a month and counting,” Pillich says in the release. “The alleged attacker has been identified in media reports as a grandson of [Simon] Leis, the former Republican prosecutor, judge, and sheriff with deep connections to the local Republican Party.”

Kircher told CityBeat the Morrow family is not pursuing a lawsuit against members of the Raleigh family at this time – they’re letting CPD’s investigation play out first – but the attorney emphasized that this entire situation could have been avoided had members of the Raleigh family cooperated from the start. Kircher said the Morrows are looking for accountability and an apology.

“We want them to accept responsibility for the harm they caused,” he said. “We want a sincere apology for how this all unfolded.”

A crash involving Steve Raleigh's son escalated into an assault on June 22.

PHOTO: SCOTT RODGERSON, UNSPLASH

the

Inside the oldest bars in Greater Cincinnati

by CityBeat Staff

Historically, Cincinnati is a city, at least partly, built on beer, and with our premier brewing legacy comes the obvious need for places to enjoy these brews. Bars have a storied past in the Queen City; even with Prohibition wiping out many drinking establishments, there are a few bars in Cincinnati that adapted and survived during the time and continue to sling drinks to this day. And with the end of Prohibition came even more bars, taverns and pubs that have been serving as third spaces to Cincinnatians and travelers for decades.

From unpretentious neighborhood dives to art-deco marvels with award-winning wine lists and bars that may have changed names and hands several times but continue the time-honored tradition of serving drinks, these are some of the oldest bars in Greater Cincinnati.

Arnold’s Bar and Grill

210 Eighth St., Downtown

Open since 1861, Arnold’s is the oldest continuously running tavern in town, complete with dark wood walls, vintage memorabilia and a big ol’ bathtub in the dining room rumored to have been used to make gin during Prohibition. A Cincinnati classic, it serves up a nice range of lunch and dinner options — pasta, sandwiches and burgers, plus vegan and gluten-free options — at bargain prices. Enjoy a local draft in the outdoor beer garden and almost daily live music. It

was also named one of the best bars in America by Esquire magazine.

The Lounge at 1931

35 W. Fifth St., Downtown

While The 1931 just opened this past winter in the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, replacing Orchids at Palm Court, the space it’s in has been around since the year of its namesake. The art-deco marvel that is the restaurant and lounge features Brazilian rosewood, soaring painted ceilings and vintage Rookwood pottery. Relax in the lounge and imbibe from

the award-winning wine list or enjoy a well-crafted cocktail. Happy Hour is from 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on Fridays and Saturdays, you can unwind with some live light jazz.

O’Malley’s in the Alley

25 W. Ogden Place, Downtown Opened in 1892, O’Malley’s in the Alley bills itself as the second-oldest bar in Cincinnati. The pub offers a straightforward imbibing experience, drink specials and homemade dishes that have stood the test of time, like its beer-battered fish

sandwich, fish and chips or wings. You’ll find the entrance in a shady alleyway along Ogden Place, not too far of a walk from Great American Ball Park, making it a must-stop spot before or after a game.

Bay Horse Cafe

625 Main St., Downtown

After closing in 2022, the Bay Horse Cafe reopened this spring under new ownership and with a new concept — time travel. Which is apt, considering the bar can trace its roots back to 1817 when it first opened on Longworth Street under

a different name, which is lost to history. Over the years, the Bay Horse Cafe changed locations, including to Fifth Street in the late 1800s where, according to legend, it gained the name we now know it as when a bay horse broke free of its post and trotted into the bar. It’s been in the same building on Main Street since 1962 and today is known for its Hudepohl specials and time-travel-themed cocktails.

Lakeside Inn

2019 Tytus Ave., Middletown

The Lakeside Inn in Middletown is currently best known for starring in the new film The Bikeriders. If you take a closer look, you can see the remnants of the movie set still on the walls at the bar.

Owner Brian Mack, who bought the bar in 2021 but didn’t open it until recently due to filming, was given a signed original movie poster, as well as the original layout plans for the bars’ shelving. You can see notes from the cast and set crew thanking the bar for “letting them blow it up.” This is in reference to the scene in the film where

Jerry’s Jug House

414 E. Seventh St., Newport

Jerry’s Jug House started as a garage with ties to bootlegging during Prohibition but went legal in the ‘30s as a “jug house.” In 2019, its owners revitalized the joint while staying true to its roots. The former back gambling room — er, we mean, “office,” is now a lounge that serves draft beer, cocktails and natural wines. But, of course, you can still find cheap beers and good bourbon there as well.

Arlin’s

307 Ludlow Ave., Clifton

a motorcycle club sets the bar on fire.

(Mack said the only thing they actually set on fire was the bar’s awning and that the film paid for the replacement.) But

before the bar was hosting the famous, it was hosting the infamous. In the ‘30s, the bar was a regular spot for Clyde Barrow, of Bonnie and Clyde notoriety.

Arlin’s may have changed names and hands quite a few times since its inception, but it’s been Clifton Gaslight District’s premier neighborhood pub since the 1890s. Here you can enjoy a beer on the big back patio and beer garden and listen to live music. The no-frills atmosphere includes a pool room, plus 20 taps, sports on the TVs and a jukebox. And while it’s best known as a bar, Arlin’s also has a food menu with a variety of burgers, sandwiches and even some Tex-Mex fare.

Brian Mack standing behind the Lakeside Inn’s bar

PHOTO: LYDIA SCHEMBRE

Mt. Adams Bar and Grill was once the location of a speakeasy owned by infamous bootlegger George Remus.

PHOTO: IZZY VIOX

Mt. Adams Bar & Grill

938 Hatch St., Mt. Adams

Walk into Mt. Adams Bar & Grill to enjoy this blast from Cincinnati’s past, plus some amazing grub. Opened during the Prohibition era, Mt. Adams Bar & Grill’s back bar’s roots are thought to tie back to a speakeasy owned by infamous Cincinnati bootlegger George Remus. It became the first bar and grill in Ohio to receive its liquor license in 1933. Nowadays, it offers a varied menu that serves up fare like hearty burgers, soups and appetizers like the must-try fried jalapeño ravioli.

Rosie’s Tavern

643 Bakewell St., Covington

For more than a century, there’s been a bar with a pressed-tin ceiling and stained glass windows at W. Seventh and Bakewell streets in Covington’s Mainstrasse Village. For the past two of those decades, Rosie’s Tavern has been a dive bar that welcomes everyone, gay or straight — that intersection even has rainbow crosswalks now. Inside, a dozen barstools face the fully stocked bar — six taps and shelves of liquor and spirits. No food (just chips and nuts), but friendly bartenders will point you to good dining nearby. The pool table is ready and waiting, and drinks are very affordable, especially on Mondays.

City View Tavern

403 Oregon St., Mt. Adams

Aptly named for its sweeping view of downtown Cincinnati, City View Tavern has operated as a bar since the early 1900s, and it comes with a lot of colorful history. According to legend, the reason the bar no longer serves tequila goes back to when Charles Manson (yep, the one you’re thinking of) used to drink at the

establishment. One night, he drank too much tequila and took a dive off the bar’s deck. In an effort to keep Manson out of the bar after that incident, then-owner Ted Lagemann banned the spirit. Nowadays though, City View offers an incredible Bloody Mary that pairs nicely with a Big Ted Burger — named after Lagemann.

Mansion Hill Tavern

502 Washington Ave., Newport

Mansion Hill Tavern knows its blues — in fact, it’s the oldest blues bar in the Cincinnati area. The building it’s in has been around since the 1870s, but a bar didn’t open in the space until the ‘40s when it became Ivy and Gill’s Café (the bar in the space now dates back to this time). Ivy and Gill’s Cafe became popular for hosting musicians playing boogie-woogie — a genre of blues — in the ‘50s and ‘60s, with greats like Albert Washington, H-Bomb Ferguson, Big Ed Thompson and

of the historic Golden Lamb hotel and restaurant in Lebanon. While the tavern itself opened in 1964, the building it’s in has been providing travelers in the area with premier hospitality since 1803. The bar has a more laid-back feel than its restaurant counterpart, but it still serves the same menu, plus specialty cocktails. It also hosts a Gourmet Burger & Craft Beer Night every Thursday starting at 4 p.m.

Junker’s Tavern

4156 Langland St., Northside

Junker’s Tavern was the dream of its original proprietor, Thomas Junker. The bar came to be after Junker walked into Albers Cafe in Northside one day in 1957 and met the owner, Ruth Sedler. The two were married within six months and changed the name. Since then, the bar has largely been untouched by time and trends, still offering the same neighborhood vibe decades later. In addition to being a good place for locals to unwind and drink, Junker’s also serves as a live music venue.

Maloney’s Pub

408 Greenwell Ave., Delhi Township

This pub has been a West Side staple for 35 years — at least for drinking. Before that, it was known as Eddie’s Tavern and Carry Out and had been a restaurant since 1928. Nowadays, Maloney’s Pub serves up plenty of brews, burgers and Irish vibes, thanks to a renovation a few years ago. Sit on the fenced-in back patio around the firepit with a Guinness or enjoy their tasty wings in front of the Reds or Bengals game. There’s always something fun going on too, whether it’s music bingo, trivia or live music. And the best part is they serve hearty breakfast dishes all day, so you can stop by again in the morning to soak up all the alcohol from the night before.

Fries Cafe

3247 Jefferson Ave., Clifton

Big Joe Duskin performing there. The bar changed its name in 1988 but remained a draw for blues bands all over the country. To drink, the bar serves a variety of beers and spirits, plus a menu of craft cocktails.

The Crow’s Nest

4544 W. Eighth St.

Opened in 1895 by husband and wife Mike and Mary Crow, this Irish pub is one of the oldest drinking establishments in Cincinnati. And like any good pub, their claim to fame is their delicious fish sandwich. You’ll find live music here on Friday and Saturday nights, and Tuesdays are home to open mic nights. Outside, you can gather around the fire pit with a strong drink or play a game of cornhole.

Black Horse Tavern

27 S. Broadway St., Lebanon

If you’re looking for the Black Horse Tavern, you’ll find it attached to the back

Fries Cafe is a legendary dive bar that’s been slinging drinks to University of Cincinnati students, Clifton residents and other patrons in its laid-back atmosphere for almost 100 years. The uncharacteristically large outdoor space (at least for Clifton) has a covered portion and deck, a live music stage, cornhole sets and plenty of seating. Not to mention you can bring your pup with you. Dogs are allowed inside and outside as long as they are on a leash (and you clean up after them).

McDog’s Lakeside Saloon

3611 Bevis Lane, Colerain Township

Possibly Colerain Township’s oldest bar, the building McDog’s Lakeside Saloon is housed in has been serving drinks since the early 1900s, but it didn’t become McDog’s until the ‘50s. Nowadays, you visit McDog’s for the Harleys, rock and roll and heavy pours. Inside you’ll find darts, pool and plenty of friendly faces. Outside is seating and a small fishing lake that sets this bar apart from other dives in the area.

The Blind Lemon’s patio is one of the most romantic locations in the city.

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

Herb & Thelma’s is a hole-in-the-wall restaurant dating back to the 1930s.

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

A simple menu of pizza and hoagies is there to soak up the cheap drinks.

Murphy’s Pub

2329 W. Clifton Ave., CUF

Established in 1969, this college dive bar offers daily deals on pitchers, bar games and team sports, as well as frequent free pizza and hot dogs. Murphy’s is bigger than it looks (a real bragging right for a Clifton-area bar), and offers plenty of space to gather with your friends and, likewise, space to spread out if you’re looking to drink alone or just with a handful of others. The bar offers pool, darts and plenty of TVs to watch the game, plus two outdoor patio areas and 16 beers on tap, including Guinness. Plus, they’re open 365 days of the year.

Colonel Pomp’s Tavern

600 Washington Ave., Newport

You’ll find the tiny Colonel Pomp’s Tavern inside Pompilios, which itself is one of the oldest restaurants in the area and has been dishing out Italian fare since 1933. Pop in here for a drink and

Wednesdays to try the wings on special with their array of sauces. And while Larry’s is pretty much an indoor place, there is a small patio deck on the side of the building.

The Blind Lemon

936 Hatch St., Mt. Adams

The Blind Lemon has been Mount Adams’ favorite backyard bar since 1963. Walk down a set of stairs to find a secret, little hideaway. Outside, the relaxed garden patio is like a boho blend of Bourbon Street and Paris café life. It’s also one of the most romantic drinking destinations in the city, offering a delicious selection of cocktails, beer, wine bourbon and scotch.

Maury’s Tiny Cove

3908 Harrison Ave., Cheviot

Maury’s has been packed full of flavor and a West Side tradition since 1949. The dimly lit supper club vibe will have you feeling like a regular on your first visit. The extensive menu consists of all the popular steakhouse options: tender, juicy steaks; seafood; and chicken cooked just right, plus pasta, and a perfect martini. Ask for the Carol booth — the restaurant appears in the locally filmed, Oscar-nominated movie starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara — or take a photo with the Maury’s sign, featuring a kitschy cartoon steer holding a cocktail.

Herb & Thelma’s Tavern

718 W Pike St., Covington

The Best Drinking Establishments in Greater Cincinnati, According to CityBeat Readers

Every year, CityBeat publishes the Best Of Cincinnati®, wherein readers and staffers alike pick which bars are the booziest, which people are the coolest and which shops are your best bet for dropping a pretty penny. And Cincinnati’s diverse drinking scene means there are tons of great watering holes for any vibe you’re seeking. Ahead, we’ve outlined a diverse offering from the results of our Reader Picks — including the best bars, new bars, breweries and wineries. Cheers!

BEST OVERALL BAR/CLUB (NOT BREWERY/TAPROOM):

• Good Judy’s

• Queen City Exchange

• Arnold’s Bar & Grill

• Northside Yacht Club

• Somerset

• Ludlow Garage

• MOTR Pub

• Queen City Radio

• Longfellow

• Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar

BEST NEW BAR:

• Second Story

• Level One Bar + Arcade

• Binski’s Bar

• Killer Queen

to admire the historic feel of the space before or after diving into a big plate of spaghetti in the dining room. Founder Col. Pompilio was the first person to secure a liquor license in Kentucky after Prohibition ended, and to this day the bar honors its Kentucky roots by serving an extensive list of bourbon.

Larry’s Ryland Heights Tavern

10078 Decoursey Pike, Ryland Heights

A hangout since the ‘50s, Larry’s Ryland Heights Tavern is truly a Kentucky destination (or, a “no aggravation location” as they like to call themselves) with ashtrays all around the U-shaped, pounded-copper bar and a cash-only register. The space is decked out with jokey signs — “This town is so small we don’t have a town drunk. We take turns.” — and wall decor (neon beer signs and a pair of grimacing, sculpted Laurel and Hardy faces). Canned beer is allAmerican (mostly “lite”) brews, with the bestseller being Michelob Ultra, of which you can get bucket specials. Stop in on

Opened in 1939 as Heine’s Social Club, Herb & Thelma’s small drop-ceilinged dining room is what some may call a “hole in the wall.” Their incredibly friendly staff serves up simple but delectable made-to-order burgers alongside cold drinks. Their specialty is a juicy meat patty topped with cheese, onions and pickles; a short list of sides includes chili, soup or Grippo’s chips.

Crowley’s Highland House Cafe

958 Pavilion St., Mt. Adams Crowley’s has made a name for itself by offering tons of beers on draft in an unpretentious atmosphere. The bar was established in 1937 by Bill Specs Crowley, making it one of the oldest Irish pubs in the city. They also put on quite a party for St. Patrick’s Day and the Labor Day fireworks.

Boswell’s 1686 Blue Rock St., Northside Boswell’s is a casual Northside townie bar and grill located in a historic building that dates back to 1886. The menu features inexpensive items — pizzas, salads, sandwiches and burgers, plus signature cocktails and plenty of beer. A renovated back patio houses an al fresco bar and yard games.

• TIE: The Flock AND The Red Leprechaun

• Juniper’s

• The Rooftop at 21C

• Alive & Well

• The Well

• Merchants Club

BEST LOCAL BREWERY:

• Rhinegeist Brewery

• Little Miami Brewing Company

• Urban Artifact

• MadTree Brewing

• Fretboard Brewing Co.

• Streetside Brewery

• Darkness Brewing

• TIE: Braxton Brewing Company AND Fifty West Brewing Company

• Dead Low Brewing

• Fabled Brew Works

BEST LOCAL WINERY:

• Revel OTR Urban Winery

• Vinoklet Winery & Restaurant

• The Skeleton Root

• Valley Vineyards

• Elk Creek Vineyards

• Indian Spring Winery

• StoneBrook Winery

• FRUITBLOOD

• Harmony Hill Vineyards & Estate Winery

• Burnet Ridge Winery

The historic Bay Horse Cafe was recently reopened under new ownership.

PHOTO: KATHERINE BARRIER

ARTS & CULTURE

Art in the Park

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is bringing Hamlet to a park near you — no ticket required

BY NOAH MOORE

There’s something so 1600s about watching Shakespeare in the open air, just as he once did in the round of the Globe Theatre. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is delivering just that as it kicks off its next season, dubbed “Project Hamlet,” by hitting the road with its free, touring production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The production travels to over 30 parks in the region to deliver performances of the classic play, from Cincinnati to Kentucky to Indiana.

The classic play, which tells the story of Prince Hamlet avenging his father’s death, may seem eerie. The show features revenge and poisoned blades and underscores the vengeful journey of its titular character. Hamlet specifically has also been adapted countless times, from dramatic retellings to film adaptations, such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and The Lion King. Nonetheless, Associate Artistic Director Candice Handy notes the fun undertones she aims to play into with this new production, along with gripping intensity and a noted set-within-aset that she describes as “over-the-top.”

“I’m tapping into the grandiose themes around being a part of court life. It’s going to be over the top,” said Handy. “What I didn’t want is a dark,

black blazers (production). My idea is that this is a colorful Hamlet, it’s how Hamlet sees everyone else in their mind.”

The Shakespeare in the Park series is one of the nation’s largest offerings of Shakespeare, as well as one of the sole outdoor theater experiences in the region each summer. The shows also attract more than 10,000 community members at more than 30 parks across a two-mile radius from the company’s home base in Over-the-Rhine.

After each performance, eight company members travel with the set to various outdoor locations and perform completely free of charge — no tickets required. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs and to enjoy the entertainment under the summer sky. The hope is to connect with more people who don’t often go to the theater in a casual and welcoming environment, Handy says.

“The tour set can be put together and broken down by the cast of eight actors. They set it up, they do the show and they break it down,” said Handy. “I think it bridges a gap that can be between people who don’t go to the theater and people who do…It reaches more audience members than any other program, and it’s free access.”

Shakespeare in the Park began offering free performances for the public in 2007, but Cincinnati Shakespeare Company last performed Hamlet just three years ago and, before that, in 2014 — the same year the company achieved the distinction of being one of just five theaters across the nation to have performed all 38 of Shakespeare’s plays.

“No one should be afraid to see or hear Shakespeare. The stories are classic and relate to so many people,” she said.

“I think (the series) exposes Shakespeare and theater art to more people. I’ve seen people even walking by that will stop and end up watching the whole thing.

It’s a nice day in the park for families.”

Frequent patrons of the company may remember Handy’s directing work from past shows like Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom last season and The Amen Corner this past year. The latter also starred Beasley, an actor playing the titular Hamlet in this summer’s production. The show includes scenic design by Samantha Reno, costume design by Rainy Edwards, sound and lighting design by Robert Carlton Stimmel and properties design by Kara Eble Trusty. The show’s eight ensemble members also play multiple roles in the show, with 18 noted characters and an understudy.

Following the summer tour in CSC’s season is Pulitzer Prize-winning Fat Ham by James Ijames, a new spin on the play set in modern times at a backyard barbecue in a small Southern town. This is its first production in the area since its 2021 Broadway premiere, which garnered a Tony nomination for Best Play. Amid many other classic titles, the season concludes with a world premiere play, A Room in the Castle, by Lauren M. Gunderson, which focuses on the women of Hamlet and is co-produced by Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C.

The series runs through Sept. 1, stretching from Cincinnati to Kentucky and Indiana. The show schedule denotes the availability of American Sign Language interpreting at select performances, and updates regarding the weather can be found on the company’s social media profiles or website. All performances are free and run for 2 hours and 15 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission. Attendees are encouraged to reach out to venue officials with site-specific questions.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet runs through Sept. 1 at various outdoor venues in Greater Cincinnati. More info: cincyshakes.com.

Beasley returns to Shakespeare in the Park this year as the titular character in Hamlet

PHOTO: MIKKI SCHAFFNER

Queen City Opera’s Super Flute Blends the Worlds of Mozart and Mario

BY ANNE ARENSTEIN

Isaac Selya has spent countless hours with Zelda, Mario, Big Boo, Luigi, Princess Peach, and all the other inhabitants of the Mario universe. So it makes sense that Selya’s Queen City Opera presents Super Flute, Mozart’s comic masterpiece reimagined as a video game from the Mario era. And though Selya is a gaming fan, as QCO’s artistic director, he had second thoughts about setting Mozart’s The Magic Flute in the Nintendo world.

“I was initially skeptical because, for me, Magic Flute is sacred, even though today you can’t present it straight up,” he said, referring to the opera’s in-yourface racism and misogyny.

The production originated with the Pacific Opera Project in Los Angeles.

“But when I saw this production, I saw that it does so much to open the door to opera,” he continued. “It’s funny, so well done and so appealing.”

It’s more than appealing: the concept is fabulous. Super Flute makes a seamless transition from Mozart’s original phantasmagoria of mythical realms, losing nothing but a few lines and cringe-worthy references.

The Magic Flute’s German libretto was by Mozart’s friend Emanuel Schikaneder, a producer, singer and actor who shared Mozart’s commitment to the ideals of Freemasonry. Super Flute’s English libretto is a witty adaptation by Pacific Opera Project’s artistic director Josh Shaw and bass-baritone E. Scott Levin that subtly aids the singers. They also happen to be avid gamers.

“Josh and Scott are singers, and they understand the challenge of singing English vowels and consonants,” Selya said. “They match Mozart’s use of emotion in every line, while they throw in references to Nintendo games. I love it!”

Judging from comments on the livestream available on YouTube, so did online viewers and audience members.

All the backgrounds are projections, pixelated versions of classic Mario and Zelda challenge scenes. As the opera opens, the hero Tamino Linkman enters, pursued by a dragon.

“I’m down to one heart,” he sings plaintively. “Can I just restart?”

Three ladies working for the Queen of the Night (a female version of Ganondorf) slay the dragon and proclaim, “Here we are on level 2!”

The ladies recruit Tamino to rescue the Queen’s daughter Pamina Peach, a prisoner of Sarastro Kong, a cruel and scheming dictator, according to the Queen. Tamino’s companion is Papageno, “the plumber,” who looks a

lot like Mario, collecting coins instead of the traditional birds.

Tamino finds Pamina and discovers Sarastro is a decent guy who heads a society based on Enlightenment ideals of liberty, equality and social justice. Tamino and Pamina agree to undergo trials to get to level 32. Or The Last Dance.

“It’s an easy jump to make, from one fantastical universe to the other,” Selya said, laughing.

Queen City Opera is also reaching a new level to meet the demands of the production’s technical sophistication. It’s the first time the company is performing in the Aronoff’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater and Selya is happy to have professional stagehands along with the cachet of the venue itself.

“I always assumed that the Aronoff would be above our league, either in terms of cost and capacity but after our last production, I knew we’d need a better space.

“When I looked at Aronoff’s physical space, I knew we could do something really special. We have a grant from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation that helps, and a lot of the stuff we’re used to doing will be covered by the Cincinnati Arts Association staff.”

Pacific Opera Project, which debuted Super Flute in 2019 and revived it last year, is noted for its innovative productions, many in updated English translations by Shaw and

Scott. Selya conducted for them prepandemic and says the two companies share artistic and social values.

“They provide performance opportunities for emerging artists and their productions are more efficient, meaning there are judicious cuts along the way but they’re always in service to the music. Their niche is putting a lot of pop culture spins in opera.”

Shaw stages QCO’s production and Levin sings Papageno, a role he’s performed with the company since 2019.

“Scott is a veteran when it comes to Papageno, and he’s hilarious, so quick on his feet,” Selya said.

The rest of the cast and orchestra members make up a University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music showcase of students and alumni. Selya calls CCM “the world’s greatest pipeline for talent.”

Tamino is sung by M. Andrew Jones, a frequent performer with QCO.

Soprano Erin Keesy is jumping from one Mozart level to another. Earlier this summer, she was a radiant Zerlina in Cincinnati Opera’s Don Giovanni and she transforms into Super Flute’s Pamina Peach.

Bass Michael Hyatt inhabits Sarastro Kong. According to his bio, when he isn’t performing, he mains Ganondorf and Tanooki Mario.

Coloratura soprano Alea Vernon recently graduated from CCM with a staggering list of awards, scholarships

and performance credits, including Queen of the Night. Josh Shaw worked with her while she was a high school student in Connecticut and was already impressed with her potential. Other CCM talents include mezzos Junyue Gong and Lauren McAllister, sopranos Jackie Stevens and Claudia Neff, tenors Corbin DeSpain and Travis Pearce and baritone K. Michael Young.

The Magic Flute has long been a gateway opera for first timers and Mozart’s score is one of opera’s most accessible. It brims with romantic yearning, comic patter and dramatic, jaw-dropping flourishes, like the Queen of the Night’s bravura aria that reaches stratospheric heights. And even in Mario world, the score is all there.

Selya is unfazed by more traditional operagoers’ reluctance to accept the production.

“It’s a calculated risk that we’re willing to take because people who were skeptical about opera came out and loved it. This is the spirit of the original and a fun, entertaining opera that you don’t need any background for. And I mean Mozart or Mario.”

Take it to The Last Dance!

Super Flute, presented by Queen City Opera, takes place on Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Aug. 3 and 4 at 3 p.m., at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, Downtown. More info: queencityopera.org.

Queen City Opera’s Super Flute production

PHOTO: MATT DILYARD, PROVIDED BY QUEEN CITY OPERA

FOOD & DRINK

Conscious Consumerism

Lierer’s

Market offers low-waste grocery shopping in Northside

BY LAUREN SERGE

Neighbors Bryan Lierer and Alex Heppner were living in Northside in 2022, disappointed in the area’s lack of walkable and sustainable grocery stores. While the two were working in different industries at the time — Lierer in video production and Heppner in social work — they took it upon themselves to find a solution.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, single-use plastic packaging from supermarkets and grocery stores has contributed to over 82 million tons of waste, with over 40% of all plastic waste originating from packaging. Additionally, U.S. retail stores generate roughly 16 billion pounds of food waste each year.

To address this concern, many low-waste grocery stores have risen in popularity in the last several years. A low-waste grocery store focuses on eliminating or heavily reducing packaging in the items they offer, encouraging customers to bring their own containers for product refills as well as their own reusable bags. This aims to reduce both the plastic usage from regular grocery stores and the amount of food waste, by offering items in bulk and avoiding expiration dates with quick turnarounds. Additionally, these

businesses typically aim to sell locally sourced items and engage in composting efforts.

In April 2023, Lierer and Heppner officially signed a lease for a lowwaste grocery store of their own, and in March of 2024, Lierer’s Market was officially open – fulfilling their aspiration to establish a community-focused, sustainable grocery store right in their neighborhood.

“We really wanted a place that aligned with our values of sustainability, transparency and being low-waste,” Heppner said. “It took probably the better part of the year researching different products. And really researching the companies and the brands and what they stood for was how we made our selection.”

The market checked two boxes for Lierer and Heppner: It created a new store for Northsiders to shop at, and it did so with sustainability at its forefront, disrupting the single-use systems in place at standard grocery stores.

“Northside is a food desert,” Heppner said. “The closest grocery store is two miles away, which doesn’t seem very far, but if you don’t have a car, how are you gonna haul all of your groceries home? So, for us, it was really important not only to be able to refill home

and personal care items, but also bring more food to the neighborhood and then to do that in a sustainable way.”

Lierer’s Market specializes in offering refills on pantry items and personal care items – ranging from canned beans, oats, pastas and flour to laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo and conditioner. A vast majority of the products offered at the market are organic, non-toxic and contain little or no packaging.

One of the market’s most popular features is the grind-your-own peanut butter station, where shoppers use a machine that grinds peanuts and almonds into pure butters, placed directly into their own jars. The popularity of this section has caused the market to go through 30 pounds of

peanut butter in two weeks.

“People are really into and are really supportive of our concept of bringing your own container because most people already have containers at home that they’re using, they just need the stuff to fill it, whether it’s a food item or a personal care item,” Heppner said.

While other grocery stores that offer bulk refills do exist in the Cincinnati area, Lierer and Heppner made strategic plans for their market to be more holistically sustainable in their business practices — making their market stand out.

“I think a lot of other places have things that you can get in bulk, but you have to use their plastic bags and that kind of defeats the purpose,” Heppner said. “So we worked with the health

Lierer’s Market owners Alex Heppner (L) and Bryan Lierer

PHOTO: LYDIA SCHEMBRE

Heppner and Lierer opened Lierer’s Market to address what they saw as a food desert in Northside.

PHOTO: LYDIA SCHEMBRE

department to improve our concepts. We had to come up with protocols to make sure everything was safe and sanitary for our customers. As far as we know, we’re the first to really promote reuse for our bulk section.”

Their sustainability promotions have extended beyond their customers, too. Lierer’s Market has collaborated with coffee sellers La Terza and Mom ‘n Em, whose roasted coffee they sell in bulk, to sell their items in sustainable packaging, creating a closed-loop system among their counterparts.

“The unique thing about the store is that we didn’t just do this for us, we did this with community in mind, so collaborations are a big part of our mission and working together with different community organizations who are already focused on different ways to reduce waste,” Heppner said. “We know we’re not the only people who are conscious consumers or who want to be more conscious about their waste, so we want to show people that just because plastic is convenient doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the only way.”

While Lierer’s Market is heavily focused on sustainability and reducing plastic waste, there inevitably are some items they receive that do contain plastic packaging, such as bread, frozen meat, tortilla chips and dairy-free chocolate chips. Given that, Lierer said they have prioritized not only offering sustainable solutions for customers but ensuring their business follows the same standards.

“We wanted to take responsibility for the waste that we put out,” Lierer said. “We tried to prioritize items not in plastic, but some things you can’t get away from. And so the items that we do sell in plastic, which are limited, you can bring back to us and we will recycle.”

In addition to the work they do in-house, Lierer and Heppner also

work with other local environmental efforts and organizations, such as the Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub. They have also created a neighborhood compost service with Queen City Commons.

“I doubt many groceries can say this, but in the two months that we’ve been open, I think we’ve accumulated less than a five-gallon bucket worth of trash that was sent to the landfill,” Lierer said. “Everything else is either recycled through curbside recycling or with the Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub or we compost it.”

To avoid other potential food waste, Lierer and Heppner will also bring produce to local food pantries such as CAIN, which they both said makes the business even more fulfilling.

“I think community is a value that we both share,” Heppner said. “So it’s just really cool to build a communityfocused store. It feels like our heart and soul in a brick-and-mortar form. It feels really good.”

While Lierer and Heppner have already seen the success of their market in their community thus far, they hope that their store can be a place both for acquiring essentials as well as gaining valuable knowledge on sustainable living.

“Sustainability is a journey,” Lierer said. “I think we’ve made it more accessible to people who want to make more conscious efforts but don’t know how. We’ve given them a place where you can not only shop more sustainably, but we serve as a resource center in our own neighborhood.”

Lierer’s Market’s hours of operation are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from noon- 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. They are closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Lierer’s Market, 4170 Hamilton Ave., Northside. More info: bio.site/lierers.market.

The bulk section at Lierer’s Market was created to cut down on plastic waste.

PHOTO: LYDIA SCHEMBRE

EATS

Six Greater Cincinnati Restaurants to be Featured on America’s Best Restaurants

BY KATHERINE BARRIER

Several Greater Cincinnati restaurants will be stepping into the spotlight after being selected to be featured on America’s Best Restaurants (ABR).

America’s Best Restaurants is a national media and marketing company that focuses on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants. Its ABR Roadshow is a web series that highlights individual restaurants across the country, including many in the Greater Cincinnati area, where ABR has an office.

Local restaurants to be featured include Cafe Alma, The Purple Poulet, Kelly Q’s & Whipper’s Dairy, Lisse Steakhuis, Bouquet and Hansie Flip Burger.

Cafe Alma

(6111 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge)

ABR will visit this Pleasant Ridge eatery for filming and to interview owners Yair and Lainey Richler on Monday, Aug. 5. Cafe Alma focuses on healthy and flavorful dishes with Mediterranean influences, like hand-rolled Montreal-style

bagels and challah that are made daily; BYOB (Build Your Own Bagel) sandwiches; hummus; medi mezze; salads and bowls; and more. Popular dishes that may be highlighted in the show include the rosewater pistachio waffle with coconut whipped cream or the Blazin’ Balkan, a variety of shakshuka with roasted eggplant, olives, chili flakes and feta.

The Purple Poulet

(846 York St., Newport)

The Purple Poulet is a Southern bourbon bistro in Newport that offers elevated dishes with French influences.

ABR will film here and interview owners Rich and Roxanne Zumwalde on Monday, July 29.

“We rely on word of mouth for a lot of our advertising,” Rich told ABR in a press release. “This would be really a great opportunity in terms of getting people familiar with us. [If] we get some new people to come in, then it’s up to us to get them to come back.”

Popular menu items you may see on ABR include the “Swanky” Shrimp-nGrits served with a bourbon-cream pan

gravy; the Chef’s Seafood Melange, a variety of seafood with potatoes, zucchini and a Creole sauce; deep-fried deviled eggs; and the famous fried chicken, which Southern Living named the best in the state.

Kelly Q’s & Whipper’s Dairy

(188 N. Main St., Walton)

ABR will visit Kelly and Jackie Hunter’s Walton diner, Kelly Q’s & Whipper’s Dairy, on Monday, Aug. 5. Kelly will talk more about what the restaurant means to the tight-knit community.

“When you come in, you experience a small hometown feel,” Kelly told ABR. “What we are most proud of here at Kelly Q’s is our hard-working staff. You’re only as good as the people you work with.”

The restaurant offers a menu of popular American dishes, including sandwiches, dinner platters and barbecue. It also has a full ice cream selection.

Holland Farms Restaurant Group

ABR’s stops include three Northern Kentucky restaurants owned by Holland

Farms Restaurant Group: Lisse Steakhuis (530 Main St., Covington), Bouquet (519 Main St., Covington) and Hansie Flip Burger (134 N. Main St., Williamstown). Key staff from each location will be interviewed and popular dishes highlighted.

Lisse Steakhuis is described as a “traditional American steakhouse with a strong Dutch influence,” featuring dishes with Black Angus and Wagyu beef from Holland Farms, as well as signature cocktails. ABR will visit on Thursday, Aug. 1.

ABR will also visit Bouquet Aug. 1 to highlight the restaurant’s farm-to-table bistro experience that utilizes regional foods and ingredients.

And Hansie Flip Burgers’ visit will be Friday, Aug. 2. The casual joint offers burgers made with local ingredients and housemade sauces, sides and milkshakes.

ABR says it will announce the air date of each episode on its social media sites at a later date. To be featured on ABR, restaurants can either apply at americasbestrestaurants.com or can be nominated by customers.

America’s Best Restaurants will visit Cafe Alma in Pleasant Ridge on Aug. 5.

PHOTO: CASEY ROBERTS

MUSIC

Recapturing the Magic

John Sebastian discusses rare life and career ahead of local appearance with collaborator Jimmy Vivino

BY BRENT STROUD

John Sebastian helped define an era at a turning point in popular music and culture in the ‘60s as a member of the rock and roll/folk-blended group The Lovin’ Spoonful. With the band, Sebastian put out a number of hits, like “Summer in the City,” “Do You Believe in Magic” and “You Didn’t Have to be So Nice” and also enjoyed a successful solo career in addition to historic session work.

His life has been like a tall tale of sorts, filled with amazing cultural connections to luminary figures growing up in Greenwich Village in the early ‘60s with parents in the entertainment industry.

These experiences would serve as a foundation for a career that would see him create timeless music, perform a surprise set at Woodstock and, ultimately, find a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and history.

Sebastian tells CityBeat of his supportive and informative, if not sometimes humbling, upbringing. “The normal rock and roll model of, ‘my dad sucks’ (laughs), ‘nobody in my family has any idea what I’m about,’ I can’t make any of those claims because my father, being a musician, was not only enjoying in my visibility as it came but was also a wonderful instructor, very carefully reminding me that this wasn’t how it was always going to be,” Sebastian said. “A lot of things that were really good to hear. And my mom, she wrote funny (material) for a living, and so she could, (with) one little piece of sarcasm, really cut you down because you were being an idiot. So, those as foundations were really, really helpful. I mean, as a writer and as a player.”

In addition to his creative parents, Sebastian was surrounded by a cast of characters that happen to be some of the biggest in the last century. Legendary children’s book illustrator Garth Williams (Charlotte’s Web, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series) was close

with the family. Eleanor Roosevelt was a neighbor and Sebastian mentions a time when Woody Guthrie came to stay with family at the suggestion of actor/ singer Burl Ives.

His mom, Jane Bashir, also wrote for TV legend and family friend Vivian Vance, who played Ethel Mertz on I Love Lucy, when she’d appear on talk shows like The Tonight Show. Sebastian says he would use it as an excuse to stay up late as a kid. “I would occasionally stay up to watch Aunt Viv and that was one of the funny things that was just great growing up.”

Like many of his generation, rock and roll sparked something in Sebastian. “There was a moment when I think was

maybe 13 or so down in Florida and I heard ‘That’ll Be the Day’ (by Buddy Holly) and I thought, ‘What the hell was that?’ The first time I heard Jerry Lee Lewis, that floored me too.”

In addition to having the rare experience of being surrounded by a living Madame Tussaud’s cast of characters in his childhood, his coming of age at the same time as a historic revolution in music was forming in the underground, just down the street.

“I’m six blocks from the Gaslight Café, maybe eight blocks from Gerde’s Folk City; you know, it goes on like that. I was just in the midst of all this stuff. I just get Greenwich Village under my skin.”

Of all the significant things going on around him, Sebastian jokes, “If I didn’t come up with a few good ideas, they should take me out behind the barn.”

He became a part of the folk scene in New York, working alongside people like Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan where he would form The Lovin’ Spoonful from a series of events and connections from the ‘60s folk scene.

He was introduced to Spoonful cofounder Zal Yanovsky through a mutual friendship with future Mamas & the Papas singer Cass Elliot after being invited to watch The Beatles’ Ed Sullivan debut in February of 1964 at her apartment.

“He and I start talking; I’m really

John Sebastian PHOTO: JIM SHEA

enjoying it, and then we turn on The Beatles and we start just having fun with, ‘Hey, man, this is nothing but Carl Perkins.’ You know, ‘You guys are just recycling our shit,’” Sebastian said. “Anyway, it was all just a great big fun thing until it stopped and we kind of looked at each other and, I don’t know, it was sort of the beginning of, ‘Could this be a thing?’”

The two filled out the band with bass player Steve Boone and drummer Joe Butler, who had previously worked together. “So, it was like getting an intact rhythm section with two folkies,” Sebastian said. “Remember, Yanovsky and I were accompanists for folk groups. So, we did indeed have something unusual to offer.” The band was mixing folk stylings with rock and roll and coming from a somewhat underground scene. Sebastian says the group felt like they were “inventing something” with help from producer Erik Jacobsen.

With the new sound in tow, the group made their first of a handful of appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in January of 1967.

“We’re going, ‘He doesn’t know what we’re about. Yeah, we got a hit single; we’re going on Ed Sullivan. Ed’s just gonna give me a routine thing,’” Sebastian said. “No, Ed goes, ‘This is the American answer to the British invasion.’ I think for the first fraction of a second, when the camera goes to us, the three of us have our mouths open. I think three out of four of us are going ‘Whaaat?’ We didn’t ever expect him to know anything about this.”

The Lovin’ Spoonful became one of the biggest groups of the ‘60s, an era full of some of the most significant names in pop music, but had broken up by 1968.

Sebastian went on to pursue a solo career, and in August of ‘69, got word of a festival called Woodstock happening in upstate New York from friend and producer Paul Rothchild.

After narrowly making it to Woodstock, he found himself standing between two of the festival’s organizers dealing with a rain delay. “I was unprepared in any way and just standing onstage when the two guys who were, more or less, formative (to the festival) onstage were going, ‘We need someone to hold them with an acoustic guitar because we can’t put an electric amp onstage until we get the water swept off’ because it had rained immediately before,” Sebastian said. “It was just, borrow Timmy Hardin’s Harmony Sovereign guitar and get the hell up there.” He performed three yet-to-be-released songs from his upcoming solo debut and two from The Lovin’ Spoonful solo with an acoustic guitar for the massive crowd that would be immortalized in the Woodstock concert film.

The tie-dye jacket he wore that day and his clothing around the time would help define the look of the era.

Sebastian says he learned the process from “textile guru” Ann Thomas during his time staying at an artist gathering in Burbank, California.

Sebastian is also featured on records by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Who’s Keith Moon and Gordon Lightfoot, among others.

Of one of the sessions, Sebastian recalls Rothchild approached him because he thought Sebastian would have a positive effect on The Doors frontman Jim Morrison. Sebastian says it was a fun and productive session, one that resulted in The Doors’ hit “Roadhouse Blues.”

Sebastian also wrote for Broadway and in the mid-‘70s was approached to write a theme song for a new TV show starring a young John Travolta. His song, “Welcome Back,” would cause them to retitle the show Welcome Back, Kotter and resulted in a No. 1 hit song.

Sebastian has since moved more toward where he started, with folk music in addition to work on soundtracks, sessions, guest appearances and solo releases, most recently with 2021’s John Sebastian and Arlen Roth Explore the Spoonful Songbook

His relationship with Jimmy Vivino began around 40 years ago, even before Vivino would begin his tenure working with comedy great Conan O’Brien. Sebastian tells CityBeat that the connection with Vivino started as a friendship working on sessions with Felix Cavaliere and Laura Nyro. When he formed his folk “jug” band in the ‘90s, known as the J-Band, Sebastian tells CityBeat, “Vivino was one of the first people I drafted because his interest is so, so extensive.

“That’s part of the great fun of these appearances. We’re both exploring stuff outside of our normal realm. But, understanding, (adopts tough New York accent) ‘You know, there’s a couple tunes we wanna hear, you know what I’m sayin’?’ So, we haven’t ignored that.”

Sebastian, who remembers performing local dates over the years, told CityBeat, “Ohio was absolutely a great place for the Spoonful,” and is also more directly tied to the region. His mom and family are from Dayton and he tells CityBeat of the special connection he has visiting the region today. “Just to hear somebody go, (adopting midwestern accent) ‘Hi, honey, you want some pie?’ Just the way that that comes across I go, ‘My god, it’s Edna, my grandmother.’”

John Sebastian and Jimmy Vivino play the Ludlow Garage on Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m. More info: ludlowgaragecincinnati.com.

SOUND ADVICE

STEVE EARLE

July 27 • Ludlow Garage

Steve Earle is an enduring force, a troubadour who can’t help but relay his thoughts and feelings through the country, folk and rock music that infected his Texas childhood. Earle has been writing, recording and performing songs for a half-century, a winding career that didn’t take off until his fulllength debut, Guitar Town, surfaced in 1986, a dozen years after he moved to Nashville.

Earle’s antics and issues have been well-documented: his lefty politics, his drinking and drugging, his many wives. But it was the death of his son, Justin Townes Earle, at age 38 in 2020 that perhaps had the most lacerating impact on him.

“I’m a different person than I was before I lost my firstborn son,” Earle said in an interview with Echo in early 2023. “Just like I’m a different person than I was before I got sober and a different person than before I moved to New York when I was 50 years old. All those things are kind of landmarks and they do change you. I write — that’s what I do. You know, that’s the only way I can kind of justify the space I take up.”

Earle’s latest effort, the just-released Alone Again (Live), is indeed a live record culled from his 2023 solo acoustic tour. The album features 15 songs from across his catalog, from staples like “Guitar Town,” “Copperhead Road,” “Transcendental Blues” and “I Ain’t Ever Satisfied” to more obscure cuts, all delivered through Earle’s elemental acoustic guitar playing and a weathered voice rife with ache and defiance. There’s also some stage banter that describes his thoughts about why a particular song came out of him at the time of its creation and the fact that he’s still alive and playing music so many years after he could have lost it all. And he’ll do it all again on his current tour — yet another solo acoustic summer outing across the U.S.

Steve Earle plays the Ludlow Garage on July 27 at 7:30 p.m. More info: ludlowgaragecincinnati.com. (Jason Gargano)

WARREN HAYNES

July 28 • PNC Pavilion

Modern guitar virtuoso Warren Haynes brings his solo outfit to PNC Pavilion on Sunday, July 28 as part of his “Now Is the Time” tour.

The tour features an added component titled “Dream and Songs Symphonic Experience” that features local

orchestral players backing the band to reimagine his varied career, along with new material.

Haynes was previously a member of the legendary Southern rock band The Allman Brothers Band and is the founder of Gov’t Mule, in addition to pursuing his own solo work and countless collaborations.

Coming out of Asheville, North Carolina, Haynes joined country music singer-songwriter David Allan Coe’s band in 1980, in addition to working as a session player, vocalist and songwriter. Garth Brooks would later have a hit with “Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House,” co-written by Haynes.

He went on to join former Allman Brothers member Dickey Betts’ solo band a few years later in 1987. After joining the reformed Allman Brothers Band in 1989 at the invitation of Betts, Haynes would write one of the biggest songs of his career, “Soulshine,” along with performing at Woodstock ‘94 and working on several records with the band.

He left the group in 1997 to pursue a career full-time with Gov’t Mule, a band he formed in 1994 with fellow Allman Brothers recruit Allen Woody. He would re-join the Allman Brothers Band for a time in the early 2000s until 2014.

Gov’t Mule would cement him as an artist in his own right, blending the Southern rock and blues of the Allman Brothers while expanding on the jam aspect of performances, along with

bringing in other influences. Haynes has also been a constant collaborator as an on-again, off-again member of The Dead.

Additionally, Haynes has maintained a solo career since his first solo

release in 1993 with Tales of Ordinary Madness, embarking on tours like this summer’s “Now Is the Time” tour. Warren Haynes plays PNC Pavilion at 8 p.m. on July 28. More info: riverbend.org. (Brent Stroud)

Steve Earle PHOTO: COURTESY OF STEVE EARLE

Warren Haynes PHOTO: EMILY BUTLER

WARREN HAYNES

Steve Earle

PHOTO: COURTESY OF STEVE EARLE

Warren Haynes PHOTO: EMILY BUTLER

BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY

Across

1. Prick at the hospital

4. Unyielding

10. Pair, in Peubla

13. Evanescence lead singer ___ Lee

14. Simple ante

16. Band at a geisha show

17. “Exactly what they said was”

19. DC cagers

20. Obstacles on the Hollywood set

21. Still firm

23. Windmill tilter

28. Centers of operation: Abbr.

29. Intense conflict

30. Alt’s opposite

31. With 41-Across, evasive football play

34. Way of speaking

35. Timbuktu’s desert

38. Birthplace of the bossa nova, for short

39. “Gentlemen, start your ___!”

41. See 31-Across

42. Hates with a passion

44. Writing with emphasis

45. Crucial

46. Radicava and Qalsody treat it

47. His “Last Theorem” remained unsolved for 357 years

49. Hwy. through Gowanus and South Williamsburg

50. Overly theatrical sort

54. New York site of America’s oldest state park

56. Rating for “The Bear” and “Shogun”

57. Be a part of the picture

58. Really really fast

63. Busters

64. Blue-ray holder

65. Chess opening?

66. E-filing mo.

67. Single-serving coffee in Illy machines

68. Sci-fi writer Chiang

Down 1. Sick of it all

2. Chihuahua chum

3. “When We Two Parted” poet

4. Criminology and anthropology subj.

5. Explosive used in mining

6. RSVP, e.g.: Abbr.

7. Rm. with ventilators

8. School that JFK and Paul Giamatti attended (not at the same time)

9. Bibliography entry

10. Certain elementary particle

11. Long stories made short?

12. Tag information

15. With 26-Down, yellow sign with a stick figure

18. Some contracts reviewers: Abbr.

22. “Ya got me? Yeah?”

24. Says out loud

25. Handles a pressing issue?

26. See 15-Down

27. Edward R. Murrow prize-winning journalist ___ Quist-Arcton

30. Big tech exchange

31. Chapter of history

32. Pen point

33. Capital on the Persian Gulf

35. Setting of a 1965 march

36. Have second thoughts about

37. “___ objections?”

40. Par for the course

43. Designer Cassini

47. Complete jokes

48. Skirt worn with toe shoes

49. Curling muscle

50. Took the wheel

51. Kick out of the apartment

52. Roast runner

53. In the altogether

54. Diddly squat

55. Put two and two together

59. Dating letters

60. Tablet holder

61. That, in Tampico

62. Letters wrapping up a proof